ã€ŠInheritance of Fateã€‹


 Chapter 1: The Stranding of the Andromeda

    2023 CE

    Captain Edgar Somers stood on the bridge of the cruise ship Andromeda, gazing into the depths of the night beyond the reflections in the glass of the ship¡¯s bridge behind him. The lights on the bridge were dimmed to enable them to peer into the darkness, as the party lights on the deck below obscured most of the stars. He had visited and greeted some guests but returned to the bridge to savour a few moments of peace before retiring for the night.

    The Andromeda was on its maiden voyage from London to New York, and he fidgeted with his cap as his eyes attempted to pierce the veil of darkness that enveloped the ship. Superstitions had been rampant among the crew as they avoided drawing parallels with a particularly famous vessel that had sailed this route. Unlike the Titanic, the Andromeda was equipped with the latest technology, and there were no warnings for icebergs along the route, yet Somers still felt uneasy.

    ¡°Anything on the radar?¡± he inquired as his Executive Officer crossed the bridge to examine the screen and shook his head.

    ¡°No, nothing. The chief engineer is adamant that the systems are fully operational and the diagnostic reports cannot find any fault. It''s as though all external communication simply¡­ ceased,¡± he reported, glancing across the systems.

    ¡°Sir,¡± one of the other bridge personnel called out, catching their attention. Edgar noticed he wasn¡¯t at his post, but his face was deathly pale. ¡°Look at this!¡±

    Rushing across the bridge, Edgar hurried over to see what the young man was pointing at and realised it was the compass. Spinning erratically, it seemed as though someone had attached a motor to it; it not only moved left and right but also auto-balanced to account for storm conditions. It felt as if gravity and the magnetic poles were running rings around them, yet physically, Edgar felt fine as he stood on the bridge, gazing at it.

    ¡°Captain!¡± a young woman exclaimed, banging the door of the small viewing deck outside the bridge. ¡°There is something in the water ahead.¡±

    Panicking and wondering what was happening, Edgar dashed to the door and seized the binoculars, still entangled around her neck, dragging the poor woman as he raised them to peer ahead. Her face pressed against his, his stomach dropped as if tethered to an anchor. The water churned and bubbled ahead as if a turbine hid beneath the waves.

    Dropping the binoculars, he tripped over the lip of the door as he tried to rush back inside, crashing down to the floor on his hands and knees, feeling a sharp pain up his leg. He looked at the helmsman and shouted, ¡°Turn to portside, hard,¡± while picking himself up as the ship began to list dangerously to one side.

    ¡°He said portside!¡± the executive officer shouted at the helmsman before shoving him aside and taking control, manipulating the rudder joysticks. Lights blinked across the panel before him, and his anger twisted into horror as the controls refused to respond. Grabbing the intercom, he yelled, ¡°Everyone brace, prepare for impact. All crew, get ready to abandon ship.¡± He then pressed a button that triggered klaxons throughout the vessel.

    A deafening sound filled their ears for several seconds as a red light flooded the bridge. They could see the churning water ahead, but it wasn¡¯t just churning water; a dark object was rising through the bubbling surface directly in front of them. Sunlight from a clear blue sky illuminated the bridge, replacing the red light, which vanished abruptly, along with the klaxon, as they rubbed their eyes, temporarily blinded. The ship was silent apart from the creaking and groaning of the hull, with even the gentle hum of the engines now absent.

    As it continued to rise, the top of the object had become taller than the ship''s bridge and was drawing closer. In the peculiar sunlight, Edgar could see that it resembled a massive stone tower, adorned with false pillars and balconies carved into the rock in rings. The ship, unable to manoeuvre, was heading directly towards the tower, and as it entered the churning mass, he heard the hull groan before a deafening screech made them clutch their ears.

    No longer clinging to anything, many of them were thrust forward as the ship¡¯s momentum decreased and it was lifted from the water. Edgar rolled across the deck until he collided with the glass, which, thankfully, did not shatter. Looking down at the party below, he witnessed chaos as the passengers and decorations were flung forward.

    The ship listed slightly to one side, and he watched as a bottle of water rolled across the deck beside him. He realised that the vessel had become beached on an island that had suddenly materialised. It was dotted with pools of water, with gushing rivers draining away, a sight that shocked him greatly. ¡®How could an island just appear like this?¡¯ he wondered, mirroring the crew¡¯s disbelief.

    ¡°Sir! Are you alright?¡± one of the bridge crew shouted at Edgar, crawling up the slanted deck and pulling him away from the glass window.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he winced, unable to put pressure on his right leg. ¡°What on earth just happened?¡± He didn¡¯t expect a response from any of them as he looked at the island that had surfaced from beneath the water.

    ¡°Edgar, what shall we do? None of the systems are functioning. It¡¯s as if we¡¯ve been struck by an EMP or something.¡± his executive officer said, picking up the phones and placing them back down in frustration.

    ¡°We abandon ship. You two, take the starboard side and pass the word along; you three, take the port side. Maggie, you stay with me; I¡¯ll need your help.¡± He said, sending his staff to begin evacuating the ship. Wincing, he turned on his good leg with Maggie¡¯s assistance to look at the tower that stood sentinel over the island.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it on any maps, but it should be the middle of the night, not¡­ this.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not natural, that¡¯s for certain. We¡¯ll hopefully be rescued soon because nobody will ignore over five thousand souls disappearing and a mysterious island appearing in their place.¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°Well¡­ who knew that would be there?¡± a voice called out with an awkward chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

    Thirteen figures stood around the control room at the top of the Spire. They stared at the central screen on the wall, which displayed a map of the Isle featuring the large ship beached and a long, unsightly scar carved into the ground behind it. One of the figures sat down and began rubbing her temples, her eyes closed as she tried to contemplate what to do.

    ¡°You do realise you can look up, don¡¯t you?¡± another voice remarked, with a light mocking tone.

    ¡°We could say the same about you, brother. You¡¯re the one who fled to hide deep underground,¡± another figure replied softly.

    ¡°Says the one who proclaimed himself holier than thou. Do you know how much extra effort I had to put in to try and do my part while your little cults executed anyone and everyone for witchcraft and heresy?¡±

    ¡°Quiet, you two!¡± a fifth figure said. ¡°You¡¯re not helping.¡± Taller than the other two, he stood over them and stared down as they meekly nodded and turned their backs to one another.

    ¡°It has been a long time since we¡¯ve openly walked among this new breed of Gaeians. We cannot leave the Spire undefended, so we need others who can blend in and act in our stead, who are also loyal.¡± The lone figure, who had been sitting, announced as she stood up.

    "That makes sense; I can train a few to blend in and act as our eyes and ears. Although we are not short of labour, they may find it easier to engage with those who seem familiar.¡±

    ¡°Athena, why must we endure these struggles to discover his¡­¡± Horus remarked, trailing off as she shot him a glare.

    ¡°I cannot claim to understand his actions and intentions. I would prefer to know everything as you asked, but evidently he has other plans. We shall speak more once we have greeted our guests. They will be frightened and afraid of our appearance, so we shall hide our identities at first.¡±

    ¡°Come, brother, I still have your mask here, and I even asked Thor to add a rune to conceal your horns.¡±

    ¡°Adonai, were you not told to stop antagonising Belial?¡± Freya said, glaring at them. ¡°Belial, put the knife away.¡±

    ¡°I apologise, brother; as the eldest, I must ensure you are well looked after, just as mother instructed.¡±

    ¡°BY THIRTY BREATHS!¡± he bellowed across the room, while the others groaned in response.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Should I sequester them with Master below? A few solar cycles with him might sort them out.¡± Thor whispered to Athena as they stepped onto the lift to descend to the bottom.

    ¡°No. It is too early to awaken him from his slumber fully; however, I shall keep it in mind. We need their assistance in searching for the Heir to the House.¡± Athena sighed as Horus stepped between them. Their childish antics were tiring, but Athena recognised that chastising them would achieve nothing until they grew bored of it again.

    <hr>

    Edgar had walked around the Spire twice since Maggie helped him off the ship. The pain in his sprained knee had almost disappeared over the last few hours as the painkillers took effect, allowing him to walk unaided once more. He had hoped there would be an opening where they could seek shelter, but it was carved from smooth stone, resembling obsidian. Running his hand across it, he found it smooth like glass, and the seams between the blocks were perfect; it was nearly impossible for him even to wedge a chisel in.

    The sun hung motionless in the sky, and although it wasn¡¯t hot, many of the injured had been laid out in the shade of the tower. Survivors continued to trickle in from the beached ship as teams worked to search it. The suddenness of the incident meant that many hadn¡¯t had time to secure a handhold, with hundreds injured in various ways, but due to the time of day, the majority of the passengers had been in bed, which cushioned the blow.

    The incident came with a significant cost, large gashes marred the hull, with numerous rooms crushed and wrecked, alongside many staff areas beneath the waterline. He wrinkled his nose as diesel poured from ruptured fuel tanks, running in rivers to the sea. Although only a little water entered the ship, parts were ablaze, and a plume of smoke billowed from the hull as it burned slowly. They were working to salvage as much food and medical supplies as possible; it felt like an uphill battle ahead.

    A small, craggy hill was nearby, and he had sent some of the crew to investigate it. Early reports indicated there were flooded caves, some with fish still swimming in the water, undoubtedly trapped there after the island unexpectedly rose to the surface. Turning to face the ship once more, it rested at an awkward angle, creaking and groaning as if struggling to maintain its position, and he wondered how long they had before it finally collapsed.

    Desiring a few moments alone, he made his way to one of the beaches, where several of the other survivors had gathered to observe the waves. There was no joy, merely a stunned silence as everyone reflected on what had transpired. Edgar was taken aback that no one confronted him for leaving them stranded, as they were all too bewildered to comprehend the reality of the situation. Sitting down, he massaged his sore knee through his trousers and gazed at the gently lapping waves, drawing black sand in and out of the diesel-tinged water.

    Nearby, a child was making a mound of sand, his pyjamas dirty and torn, as his parents, in their nightwear, watched him and huddled together in shock. Elsewhere, he saw couples clinging to each other, thankful to be alive, while others mourned their losses, some grieving loudly. It was a painful moment, and he wondered what he had done wrong.

    When the ship lost contact with the company¡¯s head office, he rushed to the bridge, but they were in a hopeless situation by then. How could he have known that an island would emerge beneath the ship as it crossed the Atlantic? He had traversed it many times in the Navy, but now he was uncertain what to do. People listened to him out of respect for his position as captain, but now that there was no ship, he wondered how long it would be before they turned against him. Would he need to assert his authority if things became desperate?

    Feeling the fine black sand in his hands, he sensed the ground tremble as a loud horn blasted from the Spire. Scrambling to his feet, everyone else on the beach did likewise, several clutching at their partners in fear. Edgar limped as quickly as he could to rejoin the others, wincing with each step from the speed, but he pressed on. A fear crept into his mind that this might be the end for them, trapped in a place where they shouldn¡¯t be. Were the inhabitants coming to remove them?

    Noticing a crowd gathering on one side, he circled the tower and pushed through. A seam had appeared in the smooth stone, and the ground trembled as a section pushed out. He estimated the Spire to be about a hundred metres wide and thirty storeys high if each of the false arches carved into the side represented a floor, but he truly had no idea without seeing inside.

    As he arrived at the front of the crowd, he noticed a large section of the wall had pushed out and rumbled as it began to rise. Leaning forward to peer underneath, he realised it was too dark inside to see, but he took a step back when he noticed something moving towards the opening. As the door slowly opened, thirteen figures stood in the gap, dressed in black robes and white masks. A few yelps of surprise erupted as people stepped away, but Edgar found himself frozen in place, staring at them.

    They varied in height relative to one another, yet he felt small as they slowly began walking towards him. Moving halfway between the tower they had emerged from, all but one stopped, their heads turning to scan the gathering crowd. The tallest, also the slimmest, continued walking towards him, and he could feel their gaze fixed upon him. He couldn¡¯t explain why, but a sense of fear washed over him, as if a predator were sizing up its meal.

    ¡°We sincerely apologise for what has happened.¡± A feminine voice resonated from behind the mask, causing Edgar to drop his jaw in surprise. She seemed to speak perfect English, yet he couldn¡¯t identify the accent. It sounded both familiar and foreign, but he couldn¡¯t quite determine its origin¡ªperhaps the Mediterranean?

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. They didn¡¯t seem human to him, and he wondered if he was dreaming or making first contact with an alien race. ¡°Why are you on our planet? Do you come in peace?¡± His voice trembled as he asked, but he didn¡¯t know what else to say. As she raised her hand to the bottom of her mask, he heard a laugh and felt confusion. Had he offended her?

    ¡°Be at ease, young Gaeian," she said calmly. ¡°We have been here since before the birth of your species¡¯ cycle.¡±

    Gripping the side of her mask, she removed it to reveal her face. His eyes widened in surprise, stunned by her beauty and youth. Her face was thin and appeared human, yet an uncanniness screamed to him that she wasn¡¯t entirely human. He couldn¡¯t quite place it, but there was a wrongness to her features that warned him to be cautious.

    ¡°We welcome you to the Isle, for the Reawakening must begin. Your presence here was unexpected and unplanned, but that does not mean you will be expelled.¡± She straightened her back to face the rest of the assembled crowd.

    "Gods..." Edgar mumbled involuntarily as he gazed at them.

    ¡°Yes¡­ Gods¡­ That is how you once referred to us as we guided you, yet we are not deities. We shall never aspire to compare ourselves to their majestic and fearsome power. An ancient enemy will soon be returning, and it is time for you to begin your preparations. You will be bestowed with the ability to stand by our side and accomplish our tasks together. You shall become the Caretakers of the Isle.¡±

    Reaching down, Edgar flinched as she touched the side of his face gently, and he understood the truth of her words. He recognised the blood that had been spilt and the dreadful foes they were about to face. A fear gripped him, and his aching knee trembled as tears streamed down his face unbidden. Allowing her hand to drop away, he gazed into her eyes until the sky brightened, and all he perceived was pure white before he lost consciousness.

    <hr>

    Watching the brave Gaeian who stood there as she approached, she observed as one by one, they fell as if their strings had been cut. It would take some time for them to be ready to fulfil their purpose, and they would need training. She couldn¡¯t trust them to wield anything more than a stick, but that would have to suffice for now. There were plenty of available instructors to train them into an effective fighting force.

    Turning her attention to their monstrous ship, she looked back at it, smouldering as smoke billowed from the tears in the hull. It would need to be dismantled and concealed, which would take time and delay the opening of the Isle. She hoped they could establish a location for the Awakened to visit so they could search for the Heir. Why tirelessly comb through everyone worldwide when, instead, they could come to her?

    The name emblazoned along the side evoked some painful memories from her past, but she knew it was to be expected given her cultural guidance. They had all done their utmost to compel the Gaeians to develop at an astonishing rate, progressing without the power that other worlds had come to depend on. Waiting for the telltale signs of the moment she had anticipated among the Gaeians around her, she spun on her heels to return to the Spire.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to begin; we have delayed long enough," she said as she stepped back inside the Spire. The door began to rumble as it lowered into place. ¡°We must start to reawaken the rest of their kind.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve tried this before. Are we certain that this is the right time?¡± Thor asked, glancing up at her. ¡°I would hardly even say they¡¯re ready for what lies ahead. They require more time to grow and develop.¡±

    ¡°We have done all that we could. Although our most recent attempt was unsuccessful, it helped establish the foundation for the present as we learned from our own failures. They are no longer the barbaric savages they once were, and we have provided them with the support they needed to elevate themselves.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Thor, this time, Master was adamant that the time has come. Who are we to disregard his order.¡±

    ¡°Has he spoken to you?¡± Thor asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise. ¡°He has ignored my pleas for a response.¡±

    ¡°Barely,¡± Athena muttered bitterly. ¡°Nothing more than a signal that the time has come. He also mentioned they would reveal themselves when ready, but that is all he said. No name, no description, not even their hair colour. As cryptic as he ever is.¡±

    Upon returning to the control room, they each resumed their stations, ensuring that everything was functioning as it should. They had spent most of their time hidden away, preparing for this moment, testing and refining an effective system to teach the young Gaeians how to harness their new powers. There had been some setbacks and moments of learning, but adjustments had been made and issues rectified. They were as prepared as they could be, but were the Gaeians ready, she mused to herself.

    She knew they were going to suffer as everything changed and that they had to adapt once more. She calculated that millions would undoubtedly die, perhaps billions, but she believed they would overcome the challenges. Hints had been spread and shared, breadcrumbs to follow, whispers in the night. Fables and myths gave rise to danger and a subtle understanding that they were vulnerable.

    Typing at her station, she navigated through the various screens, disabling the safeguards that had been put in place when the Spire was hidden from the enemy¡¯s reach. Upon arriving at the last option, she saw a simple button to finalise the commands, and her hand hovered over it, hesitating. As her eyes wandered, she glanced at each of the others, all nodding in affirmation that they were ready to begin. Sighing, she let her hand drop and activated it.

    Deep beneath the Spire, they all felt a surge of mana being released once more into the world in all its glory. Like awakening a slumbering giant, the Spire trembled as it functioned like a fountain, drawing it up from the depths below and distributing it widely. It would take time for it to fully encompass the world, but she received immediate confirmation that it had worked when the screen went blank and a new message appeared.

    System Activation Sequence Initiated

    Welcome Athena Morrunai

    Full Spire Master Privileges Applied

    Rift Network Initiating

    Bridge Monitoring Impossible

    Shard Awakened

 Chapter 2: The Day of Fracture - Connors Story

    Connor stirred at the sound of his phone alarm ringing. It was blaring at him from beneath his pillow, and he groaned as he fumbled with the screen using his thumb, blindly attempting to turn it off. Taking a deep breath with the relief of silence returning, he turned his head and glanced at the baby cot next to his bed. Somehow, having slept through the alarm, his baby sister, Susan, gently snored, having spent most of the night crying while he desperately tried to soothe her. Content that she was happy to remain there for a while longer, he turned his head the other way, wanting to get more sleep, until a wet squelching sound erupted half a second before her cries shattered the bliss he had been experiencing.

    ¡°You little shit factory, you¡¯re lucky you¡¯re so cute,¡± Connor grumbled as he climbed out of bed in his boxers and lifted her up. There was a revolting green and brown stain in her cot, and his hand suddenly became wet, making his face scrunch up in disgust as he fought to suppress his gag reflex.

    Looking at him, her cries turned into giggles as he tried to breathe through his mouth and not his nose while carrying her through the family apartment. Passing the living room, he saw the pizza boxes still on the table with some beer cans from the night before. The couch was empty, and he figured Grace and Peter must have left at some point to return to their apartment several floors above. Arriving in the bathroom, he gently bathed Susan and threw their dirty clothes into a bag for him to clean later.

    Pulling the towel from its holder, he stood in shock as the entire fitting ripped away from the wall, tearing a chunk of plasterboard. The shock quickly turned to panic as he let out a high-pitched squeal at the thought of his parents returning from their cruise to find a hole in the bathroom wall. Desperately holding it in place as if the fitting might magically reattach itself, he gathered his senses, left it on the back of the toilet, and exited the bathroom with a swaddled Susan to get her dressed before she decided to go for round two.

    Once he finished, he lifted her, a look of concern crossing his face as he set her down, then picked her up again, raising and lowering her, weighing her, while she giggled at the attention, arms reaching out to him. He carried her back into his room, retrieving his weights from beneath the bed and wiping the dust off them. He began doing arm curls, eyeing them suspiciously. ¡°They¡¯re too light,¡± he murmured, tossing one in his hands and catching it like a cricket ball.

    ¡°Goo!¡± Susan called out, and he turned to her just in time to see a bright flicker vanish. Blinking several times, he felt like a cartoon character, rubbing his eyes and questioning whether he had imagined it.

    Unnerved by the situation, he carried her into the kitchen and began warming a bottle for her breakfast, one hand stirring a pot of water with the milk their mum had left in the freezer. In his other hand, he scrolled through his phone, reading news articles about people suddenly being granted superhero powers seemingly overnight. Everyone appeared to have become stronger overnight, with some even gaining magical abilities. He watched a clip of someone repeatedly creating orange sparks from their hand until a fireball erupted and flew at the wall, instantly igniting it.

    Leaving his phone on the counter, he went into the sitting room with Susan to feed her and turned on the news. As she greedily drank from the bottle, Connor focused on the television, which displayed footage of more people demonstrating their newfound powers. When he heard frantic knocking on the door, Connor flinched, causing Susan to cry as milk splattered across her face. Trying to wipe it off, Grace appeared in the sitting room, holding up a key.

    ¡°Sorry, I let us in when I heard her crying. What on earth is going on?¡± she asked, sitting on the other couch to watch the TV.

    ¡°Check this out,¡± Peter said, picking up a slice of pizza. He snapped his fingers beneath it, and Connor was astonished to see sparks flicker like a lighter.

    ¡°Damn, how¡¯d you do that?¡± Connor asked, amazed at the magic, and stuck the bottle back in Susan¡¯s mouth to quiet her back down again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just this morning, I woke up and snapped my fingers. Hey-presto, sparks. What about you?¡± Peter asked, biting into the cold pizza, while Grace glared at him scornfully for his choice of breakfast.

    Looking down at Susan, he adjusted his grip. ¡°I¡¯m not sure; I think I¡¯m stronger. Look in the bathroom ¡ª I accidentally pulled the hand towel holder off the wall. I thought I was imagining it, but I could have sworn I noticed a glow around Susan¡¯s hand earlier as well.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Peter grinned as he dropped to his knees on the other side of the table, preparing to arm-wrestle Connor. Grace leaned forward, playfully slapped him on the back of the head, and pointed towards Susan, who was nearly finished with her bottle. ¡°Oh, yeah, sorry, maybe later.¡±

    Hearing a loud banging on the door again, all three turned around anxiously. As Connor passed Susan to Grace, who reached for her while she started crying from the noise, he silently crept down the hallway towards the door. Standing next to the intercom, he activated the camera and felt a wave of relief upon seeing his neighbour Mathew. He gave Peter a thumbs-up and opened the door, nervously sticking his head out to scan the corridor, which was surprisingly busy with people returning with supplies like water and toilet paper.

    ¡°You¡¯re a hard man to reach, Connor,¡± Mathew laughed, rubbing his grizzled head, leathery and splotchy from decades of working outside. ¡°Your grandmother has been trying to get hold of you and called me in a panic.¡± He reached in and lightly thumped Connor¡¯s shoulder as a mock punishment.

    ¡°Damn, thanks, I completely forgot to bring my phone with me while feeding Susan. I¡¯ll ring her now.¡± He replied as he turned, just as Grace stepped into the corridor. Mathew¡¯s eyes narrowed briefly before his expression softened into a gentle smile, which Connor noticed from the corner of his eye, though he said nothing.

    ¡°Good lad, we¡¯re living in quite interesting times,¡± Mathew said before leaning in to whisper. ¡°You have the physique of a warrior; I suggest something to protect yourselves.¡±

    Stepping back with a knowing smile, he walked away whistling a tune before entering his apartment next door. As he slammed the door, Connor¡¯s eyes narrowed upon hearing heavy bolts seemingly slam down on the other side, as if he were barricading himself inside. Looking up the corridor, he felt a knot of unease in his stomach as he observed other neighbours rushing from the stairwell, carrying bags and boxes of emergency supplies. Upon entering, both Peter and Grace regarded him with concern.

    While devising a plan and leaving Grace with Susan, Peter led Connor upstairs to his apartment, where they gathered everything they could carry in one trip. Upon returning with large suitcases filled with clothes and food, Connor realised he could easily manoeuvre the furniture and lift the couches by himself, even though it had taken three strong movers to get it through the door when they purchased it. Peter observed that while his strength had increased, it paled in comparison to the growth Connor had undergone overnight.

    Connor picked up his cricket bat and felt a tingle run down his arm. His body twitched momentarily as if muscle memory were trying to take control. Perplexed, he stood in the middle of the now-cleared living room and swung his bat, finding his body moving for him as if it had been practised before. He had spent a few years learning to fence as a child, but this was nothing like it. As he swung his bat around, it lit up with a yellow aura, bathing the entire room in its glow, causing the other two to jump back to the doorway, shocked.

    Seeing the other two, he gradually stopped and let his arms drop to his sides, hardly out of breath yet surprised by himself. ¡°Well, I suppose we¡¯ve discovered my speciality. You two and Susan possess magic; I have¡­ this,¡± he remarked after a moment.

    ¡°Breaking news: We are receiving reports of further strange phenomena appearing throughout the streets,¡± the news broadcast announced, drawing their attention back to the television. Various pundits had attempted to theorise what was occurring all morning, but the trio had stopped paying attention when it became clear they had no idea what they were discussing.

    As they cut away from the studio, footage from outside revealed a crowd gathering around the strange, pulsating light. It resembled a star, with small flares drifting away¡ªcaptivating yet dangerous. Outside, the sound of a car crash was heard, tyres squealing before the unmistakable noise of metal being crumpled. Turning to the window, Connor felt a cold chill in his stomach upon seeing one of those pulsating stars on the street below, near their building.

    People drifted in to look at it while the police tried to keep them back but failed miserably. Those with common sense moved away, trying to distance themselves as much as possible from the light. Looking out towards the rest of the city, he spotted the tops of at least three more, poking above the surrounding buildings. They were in Manchester, with the TV footage coming from London, and soon, more footage of other cities worldwide began to be shown.

    Peter held Grace close as they both stared at the television in fear, and Connor shared the same sentiment. Hearing a rumble from the kitchen, he went inside and noticed his phone vibrating on the counter, neglected since breakfast. It fell silent as he turned it over. Thirty-seven missed calls and forty-three texts, all from his grandparents and, suspiciously, none from his parents. He glanced at the fridge, which bore the brochure from the cruise ship Andromeda, wondering why they were silent.

    ¡°Connor!¡± his grandmother cried out as he called her back, and she answered immediately, panicking. ¡°There you are! Are you safe? Are you at home? How¡¯s Susan? Have you heard from your mother? What¡¯s it like in Manchester? Have you seen the news? Why didn¡¯t you answer?¡±

    ¡°Granny, Granny, Granny! We¡¯re alright." He raised his voice to drown her out. ¡°The two of us are safe at home, and no, I haven¡¯t heard from Mum yet. I texted her but she didn¡¯t reply. It says the message wasn¡¯t delivered, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just an issue with the ship.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank goodness you¡¯re safe. Stay there! We¡¯re sending someone to pick you up,¡± she said, sounding hysterical on the phone.

    ¡°Listen, umm, I think I should stay here. It¡¯s probably not safe to be moving at the moment,¡± he said, crossing to one of the windows to look out onto the street below, where the crowd had gathered around the strange, pulsing light, like moths to a flame.

    ¡°Alright, if that¡¯s what you want. Call me if anything happens; don¡¯t make me bother Matthew again. Pack a bag for yourself and Susan if you need to leave in a hurry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll keep my phone with me. If anything changes, I¡¯ll call you this evening. Love you.¡±

    ¡°Love you too, dear; stay safe.¡±

    Standing in the kitchen, he rested his head against the cool glass as he pondered what to do next. Was it worth retrieving the car from the garage and making a dash for the family estate in the countryside? It would likely be better than staying here, but reaching it would be perilous with the chaos outside, and who could say what those peculiar orbs of light were?

    <hr>

    ¡°Entrance rifts are generating as anticipated; all verified at green level starter simulations,¡± Adonai called from his station in the Spire control room.

    ¡°Good,¡± Athena acknowledged as she paced at the back, watching the culmination of their efforts, a nervous expression etched on her face. ¡°How is their distribution? Is it going as planned?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, all major population centres are receiving their allotment, focusing the spread of mana to the largest number of people. I¡¯m seeing multiple reports of groups already entering, although the results are¡­ unfortunate.¡± Belial grimaced as he read the reports scrolling across his screen.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°How are they responding to the reintroduction of mana? If it doesn¡¯t reawaken their strengths, we can increase the output as we gradually return it to pre-Scouring levels,¡± Athena said, turning to Osiris and Horus, who were working on the opposite side of the room.

    ¡°No need; they are responding well, and their bodies are adapting to the change, just as our previous test subjects experienced. Their latent abilities are resurfacing as we expected, with the genetic imprints we seeded acting like a lottery, although it will take several generations for it to settle.¡± Horus¡¯ deep voice rumbled with a rare display of emotion beyond its usual solemnity.

    ¡°Those savages!¡± Thor barked as he transferred a live feed from his station to the main screen at the far end of the room. The entire screen went completely white, engulfing the dimly lit room in brightness before the white shifted to orange and grey began to emerge as the footage revealed the mushroom cloud rising above the city that had just been obliterated from existence.

    Athena stood in shock as she witnessed the aftermath of the Gaeian¡¯s most fearsome weapon. It was crude and barbaric, its lingering effects horrific and ugly, but it was by no means the most destructive weapon she had ever seen. ¡°Change of plans, Adonai; seed the area with several high-level test rifts; we¡¯ll clear them out later. Hopefully, we can mitigate any lasting damage and rejuvenate the area. Freya, patch me into their communications; let¡¯s try to thwart their desire for mutual annihilation once again.¡± She spat the last word bitterly, painful memories of their previous attempt rising unbidden.

    At her main control station, she held her hands above the input module, trying to find a way to divert them from their course of action. They valued honesty, but if that honesty came at the cost of their inferiority, she would merely be igniting the match of the powder keg that the world had now become. Allowing her hands to flow freely, she crafted a message she hoped would provide them with some unity to survive what was coming, before devolving back into barbaric tribalism.

    ¡°Freya, have a look at what I¡¯ve written,¡± Athena said, sharing it with the others as they read. ¡°We¡¯ve miscalculated their response, and I don¡¯t want to repeat the same mistake. Adonai, how soon can you push the Rifts to unleash their strengths?¡±

    Gazing at the ceiling while rocking and calculating, Athena glared at him for taking his time, fully aware he already knew the answer. ¡°If I divert mana from some of the weaker ones, perhaps for half a cycle, it might result in unpredictable repercussions from those we leave too long. Four-fifths may come out under-strength, but the remaining ones will rise to weakened intermediate ranks.¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± Athena commanded as she turned to Freya, who was approaching her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made a few changes,¡± she whispered, dropping to Athena¡¯s eye level. ¡°Their greed should buy us the time we need, and we can create some trials to filter out the chaff. I¡¯ve sifted through the database, and the Heir doesn¡¯t exist; well, they do, but it¡¯s peculiar; the Spire either refuses to acknowledge them or is unable to.¡±

    Athena felt a faint smile tug at the corner of her mouth as she gazed at the devastation that had sent her into a panic. ¡°The time has not yet come, but soon. We can monitor where his attention appears to linger and attempt to search for the Heir illuminated by the spotlight he casts. Knowing that micromanaging bastard, he won¡¯t be able to resist trying to salvage as much of the situation as he can.¡±

    As she spoke, Athena¡¯s eyes twitched at the vengeful pressure she felt at the back of her mind, but she scowled at his feeble rebuttal while his presence faded once more, too weak to do anything further. A self-satisfied smirk crossed Freya¡¯s face as she watched her receive her comeuppance for her harsh words. She stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles in her pristine robes. ¡°You would do well to watch your tongue and consult the twins about the history of the punishments they endured for their reactions.¡±

    Athena waved her off with a scowl while the twins quickly looked away, realising that their delay from hearing their own names mentioned had been noticed.

    <hr>

    Sitting in his room with Susan asleep in her cot, Connor felt tired as he endlessly scrolled through the videos people were posting online. The shocking news of the nuclear strike had been nerve-wracking, with everyone waiting with bated breath for the end of humanity. Doomsayers found themselves being broadcast to the world, and riots broke out globally. Connor saw the smoke drifting across Manchester outside his window as more places were set alight in the inner city.

    ¡°Come quickly!¡± Grace panted in a panic as she burst into the room, the door slamming against the wall behind her and leaving a hole.

    Frowning at the now empty doorway, he picked up the disturbed baby, who was suddenly screaming at the interruption to her post-breakfast sleep. Bouncing her as he walked down the hall, doing his best to soothe her back to sleep, he heard Peter and Grace nervously arguing in the living room. Standing in the wide doorway, he glanced at the TV as Peter scrolled through every channel, discovering they had all been replaced with a single image of a crest, something that royalty might use as their heraldry.

    ¡°It¡¯s on every channel,¡± Peter remarked, stating the obvious as Connor ignored him. Glancing down at his phone, he discovered that it too displayed the same image as the TV while he hurried to join them. In his attempt to open a different app or perform some action, his phone stubbornly refused to respond to his inputs, regardless of which button he pressed.

    ¡°The world is in peril..." Grace began reading as the text appeared, but another strange voice, a woman¡¯s, started to read the text while it scrolled up the television, on their phones, and even on the radio down the hallway in the kitchen. It was unsettling to hear its echoing effect as she spoke flawlessly, yet there was also an otherness to it; the accent sounded odd, as though English were not her first language.

    The World is in peril once more from an ancient and imminent threat.

    Heroes must awaken to face this challenge and find the Heir who will Ascend to lead your defence.

    Glory awaits those who slay the beasts within to claim their prizes.

    The Gifts we seeded give you the tools to seek your salvation.

    The Rifts will train you to fight what once was but myths and fables.

    The Spire awaits those who seek to be a Hero.

    Prove that you are the Heir we seek by completing its Trials.

    We await your arrival to the Isle.

    Reading through the text faster than the voice spoke, Connor leaned back against the doorframe as silence settled over the apartment once more. Susan had calmed down and gurgled softly in the crook of his neck. Magic had suddenly become a reality, and each of them struggled to devise an explanation to refute her words, whoever she was. Reflecting on the strange sources of light outside, Connor walked to the far end of the hallway and gazed out of the floor-to-ceiling windows at the street below.

    People began to flee from the ball of light, and he wondered if that was what they called a rift. Pressing his head against the glass, he glanced down at his phone, which rang again. His grandmother was calling him. Answering, he tried to reassure her amid her desperate pleas to reach safety at the family estate. After hanging up with a promise to arrive that night, he turned to find Peter hugging Grace at the other end of the hallway, staring at him.

    ¡°We should go. It¡¯s better than here, plus, if someone sets fire to this place¡­¡± he said, allowing his voice to fade as she nodded desperately, letting them add their own ending to his words.

    Hearing screams, he spun around and placed his free hand against the glass, glimpsing down as a lump formed in his throat. Rushing from the ball of light, he realised that giant dogs¡ªno, wolves¡ªwere tearing at those standing around the oddity. Grace cried out in fear and fell to her knees as Peter rushed to the window and gazed out, his face mirroring Connor¡¯s shock.

    ¡°Connor, we can¡¯t¡­¡± he whispered, glancing at him. ¡°How can we with that?¡±

    Kissing Susan¡¯s face as she began to cry again, Connor was at a loss for words. He glanced at the front door barricaded with sofas, intent on preventing humans from trying to enter, but wolves? Peter followed his gaze, and they exchanged looks, both understanding that leaving wasn¡¯t an option now. Connor¡¯s stomach lurched as he saw the corpses littering the street below from those unfortunate enough to have remained standing near the light. Pressing a button on the nearby remote, the shutters slowly descended to shield their view of the carnage below and attempt to conceal their presence.

    Peter led Grace into the kitchen, where Connor heard the kettle fill and switch on. How quintessentially British, he mused, but what else could they do? Returning to his bedroom, he placed Susan in her cot, where she immediately began to cry again, but he ignored her, instead concentrating on packing his hiking bag with supplies for her. When the door opened, he was taken aback by Grace, who entered and lifted the screaming child into her arms, doing her best to comfort her. Without acknowledging him, she wandered off as he grabbed whatever came to mind that they might need.

    Dropping his bag by the door, he heard a scream from the other side, muffled by the couches pressed against the heavy wooden door. Stepping onto one and balancing precariously, he reached over to the intercom and held his breath as he activated the camera. Placing his hand over his mouth to stifle a squeal, he saw that the hallway was suddenly filled with wolves, along with something smaller, resembling a child. On closer examination, it had green skin, pointed ears, and a long hooked nose, and as it caught sight of the camera, the last thing he saw was two rows of sharp, pointed teeth, or what remained of them, as it seemed to have lost many while attempting to eat the camera.

    The door shook, and the nearby lamp rattled as something heavy struck it. He shuffled backwards, away from it, gripping his bat as he prepared to protect the others. Another violent rattle echoed as the door was hit again, and they heard the wood beginning to splinter and crack from the assault. Raising his cricket bat, he held it aloft, ready to strike at anything that might attempt to break in, while Grace and Peter rushed into the kitchen and shoved the table against the door.

    A loud snarling sound erupted, and while waiting for the door to be struck again, he was taken aback as the noises receded until he realised they were coming from the living room. Human shouts intermingled, and he understood they had broken into Mathew¡¯s apartment next door. The wall shook as something collided on the other side, causing a family photo to tumble from a shelf, the glass shattering as it hit the floor. With his arms dropping to his sides, Connor was astonished yet fearful of what was unfolding on the other side as a window shattered, and he heard a howl fade as if a wolf had leapt out, or was thrown.

    As he turned to head back towards the kitchen, the wall behind him exploded, forcing him to duck behind the door while a dust cloud filled the room, merging the two apartments into one. Coughing and attempting to wave the dust away from his face, Connor froze when he heard a low snarl followed by a crunch. Just as he dove out of the way, a wolf leapt into the hallway, its claws and fangs narrowly missing him before it crashed hard into the opposite wall, taking a moment to shake its head and dispel its dizziness.

    Scrambling backwards along the floor, Connor felt the adrenaline racing through his body as he attempted to distance himself from the beast. It looked horrific, covered in mange, with cracked and bleeding skin where clumps of fur had come away. Blood flowed from a wound in its front left shoulder, and it kept that leg lifted off the ground. Hopping a little, it slowly followed Connor down the hall until he was pressed against the shuttered window at the end, with the kitchen door beside him.

    ¡°GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!¡± Connor roared, summoning as much courage as he could when he realised he needed to protect the three behind the door. Holding his bat at the ready, it lunged at him, and he kept his weapon in front of him as it sank its teeth into the wood, trying to reach him, a claw scratching at his leg.

    Grunting in pain, Connor hurled the creature away, using all his newfound strength to propel it back several metres as it struggled to regain its footing and launch at him once more. Exhaling as if his fear had vanished, a yellow aura enveloped his bat, illuminating the hallway. He swung at the wolf as it lunged again.

    A terrific booming sound filled Connor¡¯s ears as the two of them collided, sending him backwards into the glass, cracking it, but thankfully he was cushioned by the shutters as he fell forward. With glass raining down on him, he coughed, struggling to get air into his lungs after being winded by the blow. Looking up, he was horrified to see that the wolf had become a bloody mess, half of its body missing. No, not missing, he realised; it had exploded everywhere, and feeling wet, he recognised he was covered in its gore as he lay on the floor.

    Picking himself up from the floor, he discovered the remnants of his bat and tossed it aside in frustration, his only weapon lost. Leaning against the wall, he grunted in pain at the gash in his leg, unable to distinguish between his blood and that of the wolf. Hopefully, it wasn¡¯t infected. He grimaced as he attempted to push the thought from his mind and slowly limped down the hallway back towards the living room. Leaning heavily against the doorframe, he surveyed the carnage of the room and gazed beyond the wall into Mathew¡¯s apartment, which resembled a bloodbath. Five wolf corpses sprawled across the ground, and several smaller green creatures lay scattered about.

    Falling to his knees, he sighed in relief as it seemed to be over. He wanted to call out to Mathew to check if he was still alive, but nothing came from the other side of the wall. Turning his head, he noticed Grace entering the hallway and passing Susan to Peter, who stood there staring at Connor with bewilderment.

    Grace''s hands glimmered with a green light. They brushed against Connor¡¯s leg, and he felt his skin crawl and sting as he realised she possessed healing powers. The warmth radiated through his weary body, gradually restoring his strength and allowing him to stand upright. When he put weight on his healed leg, he was astonished to find that the pain had disappeared completely and he felt refreshed, as if just out of bed that morning.

    Reaching out to thank Grace with a hug, she gagged and sidestepped his outstretched arms, and he realised he was still covered head to toe in gore. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said softly, shaking his arms in disgust and splattering the wall with more blood.

 Chapter 3: A Rude Awakening

    2063 CE

    ¡°Hey kid, how¡¯s the extraction coming along?¡±

    Snapping out of my daydream, I noticed the glint of the corpse¡¯s mana crystal and retrieved it, wiping the blood off with a cloth. The stench of the mangy wolves could be rather pungent at times, and I was grateful for the mask I wore. Looking down at the stone in my hand, it glimmered in the light from my helmet, along with its faint blue aura emanating from the power within.

    ¡°Sadie?¡± I heard, spinning around to look at Trevor.

    ¡°Sorry, all done here,¡± I replied sheepishly for daydreaming in a place like this. Standing up, I tossed it over to him, where he calmly caught it before placing it in the satchel with the rest of the stones we had gathered so far tonight.

    ¡°No worries, I still don¡¯t understand how you¡¯re so damn fast in finding them. Josie has only gotten her second from this batch but you¡¯ve already found six.¡± He chuckled as Josie looked up at the mention of her name and pouted at me as I winked at her.

    Gazing down at the corpse he had been examining, I noticed the faint blue aura emanating from the stone still concealed within, several inches away from where he had been probing. Pulling out my butcher knife, I grabbed a clump of fur and cut into the flesh to expose the stone for Trevor. With a sigh of defeat, he dug his fingers in and pulled the stone out to inspect it before allowing it to join the others in the satchel.

    I fidgeted with the small mana stone that hung around my neck, beneath my armoured clothes. My uncle, Connor, had claimed it from the first wolf he killed when the rifts first appeared, as he had been defending Mum. The Day of Fracturing, as it became known, was when the whole world seemed to begin its descent into the apocalypse. Less than a third of the population survived the following ten years before society managed to return to a level of normalcy.

    Things were different now; many of the smaller countries had been wiped out, merging with larger neighbours or continuing almost as city-states. Dublin remained the last populated area in Ireland, with the rest of the island now infested with monsters, aside from several minor observation forts scattered about. The city survived by permitting guilds to establish themselves there and launch expeditions to farm and hunt for the crystals the monsters produced when killed.

    Finding my next corpse to loot, I knelt down and ran my hand over its fur, grateful for the heavy gloves I wore as I brushed away several maggots from the necrotic flesh on its side. The only worthwhile part of looting these wolves was the mana stones, whereas some of the stronger variants held value due to their more resilient fur. Imps were a common monster to hunt, as the leather produced from their hides was fireproof and highly sought after, particularly by blacksmiths and fire mages.

    During my time at the Academy, I spent five years studying monster anatomy, the various types encountered, and strategies for combatting them. My combat training was limited to self-defence, but the first lesson was about how to run away, as no paycheck was worth risking your life. Fleeing was all I could realistically do since I possessed little more than the strength of a child, and even then, there were those who could easily overpower me.

    Mum was a renowned A-Rank mage, and Dad had been an A-Rank warrior. With Grandfather¡¯s runes enhancing their weapons and armour, they managed to compete with some of the famous S-Ranks of their time. High expectations were placed upon me due to my pedigree, yet hope turned to pity when it became clear that nothing remarkable distinguished me, or that I was seen as damaged goods. Mum would fiercely defend me if anyone dared to ridicule me in her presence, but at the Academy, away from her influence, even some of the professors were open about it.

    Reaching in, I pulled the stone out of the corpse I was working on with a grunt and shook my hands to rid them of the gore. Almost everything I wore had been augmented by Grandfather, and the hydrophobic runes in my gloves were excellent in preventing them from getting bloodied by the corpses. Josie wore the same gloves as I did, a gift I had requested from Grandfather for our graduation, and she had commissioned the knife that I held.

    The last of the corpses looted, I slid over to Josie¡¯s side and wrapped my arm around her as we strolled down the tunnel. ¡°So? Has he asked yet?¡± I inquired mischievously in a hushed whisper.

    ¡°Shh,¡± she giggled, glancing over our shoulders at Trevor, who averted his gaze suspiciously. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to know we already know.¡±

    Josie and Trevor had been dating for years, ever since they literally bumped into each other one day between classes. A story as old as time, I had watched them stumble around awkwardly trying to collect Josie¡¯s books that he had knocked everywhere. ¡°It¡¯s about damn time! You hear that, Trevor? Tell that son of yours to put a damn ring on her finger before I damn well do it myself," I shouted at him as I pulled her close while she started laughing at my declaration. Nearby, Bill, who had been trying to ignore us, burst out laughing, slapping Trevor on the back several times.

    ¡°Oh, please,¡± Josie mockingly protested. ¡°I refuse to find myself in the middle of a peculiar love triangle or throuple. What became of, what¡¯s her face, Candy? Has she said anything yet?¡±

    My face must have darkened as she asked, causing her to turn away shamefully. ¡°You know it¡¯s Candace,¡± I grumbled. The two had never seen eye to eye whenever they met. ¡°I think that when she realised I¡¯m really just not interested in ever moving back to Manchester, she called it quits.¡±

    ¡°Good, I always suspected that girl was merely after the money and the title,¡± Josie remarked, soothing my back. ¡°You know what they say, onwards and upwards; you¡¯ll find someone better.¡±

    ¡°Or downwards,¡± I winked at her.

    ¡°Girls!¡± Trevor interjected, having finally heard enough, ¡°Please, you do realise we can hear you, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Trevor,¡± we both said in unison before erupting into giggles once more as he sighed in exasperation and shook his head.

    After another ten minutes of walking down an empty tunnel, our helmet lights illuminating the path, we followed the trail left by the hunters ahead of us. Hearing a howl echo through the tunnel, we immediately stopped and raised our shields, gathering together as we had trained. The four of us could fend off a lone wolf ourselves, but it would be a struggle, and it was not something I wished to repeat.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Trevor whispered as he drew his gun and crept towards the curve of the tunnel, the sounds of fighting growing louder. Guns were not as effective as they once had been unless one purchased ammunition made from depleted mana stones that had been ground down to size. Prohibitively expensive, Trevor kept a single magazine for emergencies and, thankfully, had never needed to use it in ten years. I carried my own gun, a pistol strapped to my leg, but it was more of a last resort, as I preferred the sword I gripped in my right hand.

    Waving us forward, we knelt behind him to watch the fight, with Michael standing at the front, facing off against the smaller wolves while a much larger one paced further back. The four vanguards, supported by a fire mage, were outnumbered but held out well, the smell of burning wolf flesh filling our nostrils. Two vanguards carried large shields, which they employed to defend their flanks, while Michael and the other swordsman, Arthur, cut down anything that charged at them.

    I could hear Josie whimper every time Michael had to dodge or came close to being injured, so I wrapped my arm around her reassuringly. After finishing off the last of the smaller wolves, the larger alpha of the pack joined the fray, snarling as it leapt forward. Tony and Max turned their shields together to block the wolf from reaching Michael and Arthur as they stepped back to safety.

    The wolf halted at the barrier; Sonia raised her staff and began chanting the spells in Latin that she used to help focus her magic as balls of fire appeared above them and crashed down towards the alpha. Yelping when struck by one, it jumped back, looking up and dancing around the raining fire as smoke began to pool at the ceiling. Latin was a common language for mages to concentrate their attacks, as they were unlikely to use it accidentally outside of combat. Too many mages blasting holes in the sides of buildings forced them to adapt and learn.

    Lighting up in a blue light, Arthur braced himself before shooting forward between the two shields, sword poised to strike at the wolf. Seeing him approach, it snarled and leapt to the side before whimpering and snapping its head around. Arthur had merely been a distraction as Michael moved to the opposite side, and his sword sank deep into its shoulder. The rain of fire finished, Sonia stumbled from mana fatigue; but mustering up the last of her strength, she launched a single ball of fire forward, straight into the open mouth of the wolf. Pinned by Michael, the wolf howled as Arthur struck out, sinking his sword into its other front shoulder; with a long howl, it collapsed and ceased moving.

    Pulling their swords from the corpse, both of them panted heavily, exchanging smiles and high-fives as Max assisted Sonia to a safe spot in the tunnel. Delighted that all the wolves were dead, Michael waved to us, signalling it was safe to approach, prompting Josie to rush forward to check on him. As I passed, she fussed over him, searching for injuries before wrapping her arms around him, despite his protests that he was fine. The others wore knowing smiles as they observed, each feeling a twinge of jealousy at the attention he was receiving.

    As I walked forward, I knelt beside the alpha¡¯s corpse and ran my hand along its singed fur, searching for the telltale glow where I could see the aura of the mana stone within. Furrowing my brow, I examined the body, unable to find it. Standing up, I moved around to the far side and froze; corpses sometimes had phantom twitches as their nervous systems shut down, causing a leg or arm to move slightly. Holding my breath, I stood there, watching as Trevor caught sight of me and turned his attention towards us. Michael had left with the rest of his squad, and I realised that we hadn¡¯t felt the telltale pulse of pressure when the last enemy died, leaving us with three hours to finish up and depart. For the first few years, a sign outlining these rules was present inside the entrance of every rift, but it had long ceased to appear by the time I was old enough to venture into them.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Sadie, is everything alright?¡± I heard Trevor ask through the radio.

    ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± I replied, kneeling back down beside the corpse. The stone may be deeper than I can see, the only way to discover it is to dig deeper into the chest cavity and go looking for the heart. Gripping the fur and pulling the skin taught, I pressed my blade against the skin and pushed hard, doing little more than shaving its fur off as my blade slid across the skin. Holding up the shaved fur, I was taken aback to discover it had a green tinge at the roots, sending chills down my spine. Alphas had a blue tinge to their fur, but what do I know, according to my professors at the Academy?

    Obtaining my licence to join a team on their hunts, even if it was merely as a simple looter and collector, had been an uphill struggle. The first test examiner had taken one look at my Thaum level¡ªa person''s capacity to manifest mana¡ªand rejected me without proceeding with the test. Mum and Grandfather had been furious, as this had plunged me into another bout of depression, leading to him being blacklisted along with anyone who employed him from commissioning rune inscriptions. The Rune Hunters were the family guild that Connor formed and which Grandfather now managed, boasting both a private army of warriors clearing rifts and a world-famous workshop producing top-tier items.

    Trevor had initially been reluctant to accept me onto the team when he learned the truth about my stunted growth and my family, but Josie and Michael had helped convince him to let me join. I more than proved myself by working harder and faster than even the other experienced collectors; his initial worries were eased, even if it did mean I needed a little extra protection. Reflecting on my last argument with Candace, she wanted us to move to the guild headquarters in Manchester and for me to begin training to assume my inheritance as guild leader when Grandfather would inevitably step down in the next few years.

    ¡°Michael, I¡¯m going to need you to come back soon, I can¡¯t get through the skin of the alpha¡¯s corpse.¡± I called out over the team radio as I stood up, searching for another corpse to work on while I waited.

    ¡°Sadie, could you repeat that last part? Are you saying you can¡¯t damage it?¡± Michael¡¯s voice came through my earpiece, and I noticed a hint of concern as Josie, Bill, and Trevor turned to look at me.

    "Yeah..." I started to reply, but I let my hand fall when I noticed one eye open and blink at me before a throaty growl began to rumble through the air.

    ¡°Michael!¡± Trevor screamed into the radio. ¡°Sadie, get away now!¡± Fumbling with his rifle, he tried to raise it as I stood there, my mind screaming at me to run. My legs were frozen in fear; I realised I was going to die. There was no way I was getting out of this situation alive.

    A bullet whistled past my head, striking the wolf in the face and forcing it to turn away with a growl. I finally found my courage as it swung its massive head towards the others, looking for whoever attacked it. As I turned, I scarcely had time to lift my foot before my back was slashed open, and it felt as though rods of fire were pressed against me. It had torn through my armour and flesh as though it were butter, sending me flying through the air from the force of its blow, spinning several times. I was unable to scream as I struck the ground and rolled several more times, no longer able to discern which part of me was in pain, as it was my entire body.

    ¡°Bill, get Sadie out of there!¡± I faintly heard Trevor shout as my eyelids grew heavy. A blinding light shone in my face, and I realised it was Bill¡¯s helmet light as he crouched down and began to drag me back, propping me up against the wall at the side of the cavern.

    Flashes of light illuminated the area as Trevor took careful shots with his precious ammunition, finally forced to fire in defence. Each bullet created a small crater on the wolf, yet it continued to advance towards Josie, charging forward as she screamed at it, as if trying to scare it off. Her shout had no effect as her short sword struck its shoulder, barely penetrating the skin before it clamped its fangs over her shoulder and chest. Lifting her as she screamed, the wolf shook its head, and there was a sickening crunch as her screams were silenced and her body limply fell from its mouth.

    I wanted to scream in pain at the sight of my best friend dying, but I could barely do more than lie there, gasping for breath as if I were drinking fire. Trevor shifted his fire from careful shots to unleashing the last few bullets of the magazine in a quick burst as it stood there. Screaming tearfully, he charged at it, hoping to avenge Josie, but the wolf simply swiped at him with its paw, sending him flying across the cavern until he crashed into the wall and flopped to the floor, lifeless.

    I looked around tearfully and saw that Bill was dead as well, his empty eyes staring at me. I couldn¡¯t see where his legs had gone or remember how he had died. Finding some strength in my arms, I patted the ground and located my pistol, which had fallen from its holster on my leg. Weakly lifting my arm, I thumbed the safety off and fired blindly at the wolf, not knowing if I was hitting it, before letting my hand fall to the ground as my resistance finally faded. My watch was screaming alarms at me, detecting my injuries, waiting to see if I would cancel it before sending an emergency signal to the relay station left at the rift¡¯s entrance.

    Reaching over with my other hand, I winced as my injured back scraped against the uneven and sharp rock face that I leaned upon. Fumbling with my glove, I finally pressed the button to confirm the emergency, accelerating the process of sending the SOS just as it ceased ringing. I looked down as it flashed red, a heart rate monitor at the top flickering erratically and a simple ten displayed beneath it. Ten, a paltry ten Thaum was all I could muster in this frail body of mine. I had as much as a newborn baby, and no matter how many rifts I cleared alongside others, I could never grow and accumulate more as they did each time.

    Sonia¡¯s fireball, considered one of her weakest spells, would consume thirty Thaum of mana, and she was rated to accumulate over fifteen hundred. Lying there, I felt helpless as the wolf began to stalk towards me, growling menacingly. I was an oddity, a disgrace to the family; I didn¡¯t deserve to survive this.

    ¡°Just kill me.¡± I murmured weakly as it paused in its stalking, its ears twitching. ¡°I have nothing more to give, as if I ever could offer much.¡±

    Sniffing the air, it tilted its head to the side while its tail stood straight up. ¡°KILL ME!¡± I screamed desperately, wishing for the pain to cease so that I could join the others. Its showing of mercy at this point was insulting.

    ¡°You slaughtered my pack.¡± Its deep, rumbling voice emerged, and I opened my eyes in surprise as it spoke¡ªthe first monster I had ever heard communicate. ¡°How dare something so small and insignificant as you attempt to harm me? No, you have his taint, but also¡­ Who are you? Where are your Guardians? No matter, I shall finish you now and hunt down the rest of your pack.¡±

    My mouth hung open as I lay there, shocked by what he was saying. I didn¡¯t grasp what he meant, but it must have held some significance. Wanting to respond as he approached, my body began to stir; no, I realised, it was my mana. Barely able to shift it before, I sensed its warmth start to circulate within me all of a sudden. The pain I felt in my body began to be replaced by a gentle warmth, but only for a moment, as the heat intensified and it felt as though I was on fire. Blue flames erupted from my body, yet they didn¡¯t harm me, though I still grunted as I experienced the surge of power forcing its way through me.

    ¡®Hush, my child, sleep. Fenrir will protect you.¡¯

    A deep voice spoke soothing words in my mind as my eyes grew heavier. The voice sounded familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before, and my mind yearned to reach out to the speaker, feeling inexplicably safe, as if I unconsciously knew they spoke the truth. The wolf that had killed my friends was stepping back, ears pressed flat, tail between its legs, whimpering.

    The ground began to tilt as I fell over, but someone, or something, caught me, gently lowering me to the ground, although I couldn¡¯t see them. A shadow fell across my face as a paw stepped over me, then another, as something moved above. Looking up, I saw a tail, entirely black, like a void, but blue lines traced over it, providing an outline, and I was able to see the rest of its body in the same way.

    With hackles raised and a throat rumbling in a deep growl that made the other wolf¡¯s earlier snarl sound like that of a cub, I yearned to reach out to it. As it turned its head, I felt a dry tongue lick my face, as if attempting to comfort me before it looked away. Roaring, the ground trembled as the black wolf launched itself at the other wolf, and darkness encroached as my eyes closed, the welcome embrace of the abyss calling to me.

    <hr>

    ¡°ALERT! Guardian Essence detected within a rift. Unknown origin. Thunder-wolf class entity.¡± A monotone voice announced in the control room of the Spire.

    Five pairs of eyes quickly flicked up from their tasks, striving to comprehend the information displayed on the main monitoring screen. After a few moments, they rushed back to their terminals, seeking details about what was occurring. The alert was vague regarding the location, and none of them could determine where it was originating from.

    A few minutes after the alert, Athena entered the room as the five of them stood up from where they had crowded around Nezha¡¯s station. ¡°Tell me everything,¡± she demanded as they cleared a path for her to see the screen.

    Nezha turned as Athena drew near and vacated the chair for her to take a seat. ¡°It¡¯s a green-rank dungeon, but that¡¯s all we know. I attempted to narrow it down, but the signal disappeared too quickly.¡±

    Opening the alert logs, Athena scanned the timestamps and slammed her hand against the terminal. The others around her jumped as she lifted her hand, leaving an indent in the shape of her palm on the terminal, which had cracked the screen. As she stared at the damaged display, the crack gradually began to repair itself, and the information started to appear in front of them again.

    ¡°The incident is over, and the rift has closed. Look at the timestamps; the signature ID was reassigned and the dungeon relocated to a new spot in Berlin two hours ago.¡± Grinding her teeth in frustration, Athena tapped the table, irked. ¡°Freya, send out your eyes and ears; something has happened somewhere. The Gaeians are skittish creatures; they won¡¯t allow the appearance of a thunder wolf to go unreported. Nezha, see what reports you can unearth to narrow down the search location.¡±

    ¡°Is it the Heir?¡± Horus inquired, staying by her side as the others departed. ¡°To possess a thunder wolf¡­¡±

    ¡°No, we have not introduced thunder wolves yet, so it is impossible that this is theirs. Go down to the vaults below; Fenrir should be on sub-level twenty-seven. He was Master¡¯s favourite, and if anyone were to be sent out, it would be him. It has been long enough since the last alert that I suspect the anointed time has truly come.¡± Staring at the screen, she didn¡¯t look up at him as she spoke, a glint in her eyes for the end that was creeping inevitably closer.

    <hr>

    Opening my eyes weakly, I felt the hard, uneven ground pressing against my bare cheek, and I attempted to lift myself up but collapsed, screaming in pain. The soothing relief I had experienced earlier had only been temporary, and my back exploded in pain once more when I moved my arms. As I tried to turn my head, I grimaced from the pain of the gravel scratching my face and saw the welcome sight of the rift I had traversed hours before. It should have been an hour¡¯s walk back to this point, and I wondered how I had ended up here. The screen on the nearby relay station had a timer counting down after it detected the pulse emitted when the dungeon was cleared.

    It had only been just over twenty minutes since the final wolf was killed, yet there was no one else here. Where was the rescue team that should have been alerted by my watch? They ought to have arrived sooner to save us, or at least to pull me out since I was right here. Filled with anger, I reached out with one arm and slid forward, using a small crack in the stone to pull myself along. Inch by inch, I crawled forward, crying out in pain from the burning sensation in my back.

    As I pushed my hand through the rift, I felt the damp grass on the other side and dug my hand into the mud, using it to pull my head through. Screaming in pain to anyone who would hear, I was blinded by the floodlights that illuminated the area. I heard voices shouting as someone blocked the light with their body while hands lifted me by my arms, dragging me away. I couldn¡¯t see their faces as I was carried off, the grunts of pain fading as the abyss called for me once more.

 Chapter 4: Recovery and Interrogation

    Feeling the soft embrace of a bed beneath me, I weakly managed to open one eye to the sound of gentle beeping nearby. The room was dark, but the city light outside provided just enough illumination for me to see that I was in a hospital bed somewhere. I moved my fingers and felt the skin pull as I realised I had a cannula in the back of each hand, one with a tube leading off the bed. I shifted my leg and realised there was a heavy weight on them, looking down to see Mum asleep atop them, her head resting on my knee.

    I rolled my head to the other side to see a man sitting on the couch, wearing sunglasses, but his head was tilted back, and I assumed he was asleep with his mouth wide open, enough for me to toss in some popcorn. An ID badge hung from his left breast pocket, but I couldn¡¯t read the name beneath the picture; however, I could tell from the colours of the logo that he was from the Ministry of Defence and Arcane Matters. It had been established to monitor licensed monster hunters like me, as well as the rifts, and I presumed he was here to speak with me when I awoke.

    "Oh, my poor baby. I thought you would never wake up,¡± Mum suddenly exclaimed, having undoubtedly felt me shift my leg. ¡°My poor baby.¡±

    The lights suddenly flickered on in the room, causing me to squint against the abrupt brightness, and I heard more voices enter. Mum was gently led away from me by one of the nurses, who began to escort her outside. However, I noticed that the man had removed his sunglasses and was watching me intently. My face was turned away from his to look up at the doctor standing over me, observing my vital signs on the screens and glancing at me occasionally.

    ¡°Sadie, I need you to look at me. I¡¯m Doctor Linda. Can you tell me where you are?¡± she asked.

    ¡°A hospital,¡± I replied, ¡°but I don¡¯t know where I am.¡± There were no buildings outside that I could recognise, as it was dark, but I presumed I was likely still in London.

    ¡°Very good,¡± she smiled, raising a finger. ¡°Follow my finger, dear, from side to side. Does it hurt anywhere?¡±

    Upon hearing this, I froze slightly and recalled the torturous agony in my back, yet I couldn¡¯t feel it now. I attempted to lift my arm, and she observed, but I allowed it to fall limply as I sensed my weakness. Most of the pain in my back had subsided, but my skin felt tight, and I recognised the sensation of the stitches pulling my skin back together. It was a familiar feeling from previous injuries, albeit never quite to this extent.

    ¡°Not really,¡± I replied hesitantly, shifting my body slightly. ¡°It¡¯s like a dull ache all over, and my back feels tight.¡±

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good. Open wide for a moment.¡± She instructed, and I sensed the latex of her glove as it moved my tongue around before she pulled it back. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be back in a few moments; I just wish to have a word with your mother outside; call for me if the pain increases, and we can increase the dosage of the painkillers.¡±

    Stepping away, she paused beside the strange man and leaned in to whisper, and I managed to catch her words: ¡°She¡¯s lucid and isn¡¯t displaying any cognitive issues at this time, but she needs rest, so don¡¯t push her.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, doctor, I shan''t be long,¡± he replied, before reaching down to retrieve a notebook and a pen.

    ¡°Sadie, my name is Terence from-¡± he began, but I interrupted him.

    ¡°The Ministry, you all look the same,¡± I didn''t mean to be unkind, but a knot twisted in my stomach at the mere presence of him here.

    ¡°Yes, I hear that often,¡± he chuckled before taking a seat on a chair he drew a bit closer. ¡°Two weeks ago, you emerged alone from the Tier One dungeon, Wolf¡¯s Lair. Could you share what occurred?¡±

    "I..." I stammered, ¡°Was I truly the only one?¡± I asked, tears welling in my eyes as I recalled seeing Josie¡¯s limp body hanging from it¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said regretfully, closing his eyes and bowing his head. ¡°There were no other survivors. Could you tell me what happened? As much as you can?¡±

    Rapidly huffing as I tried to control my sobs, he handed me a box of tissues from the table adorned with flowers. I wiped my face, mixing snot and tears while struggling to breathe. After a few minutes, he sat there patiently watching me, but I didn¡¯t see any malice or accusation in his eyes.

    ¡°We had just arrived in the boss¡¯s cavern, and that¡¯s where things got screwed up. Everything before that was fine, and we had no issues, but then¡­¡± I said, struggling to catch my breath. ¡°My job was to retrieve the alpha¡¯s crystal, and I was going to gather its pelt as it was in good condition, but it wasn¡¯t dead¡ªmaybe playing dead.¡± I said quietly as he wrote down everything I said. ¡°My knife couldn¡¯t pierce its skin, so I was going to ask Michael to do it, but he had gone off with the strike squad.¡±

    ¡°Why did he go? Did he say anything? Was he acting suspicious?¡± With his pen poised for my reply, I sensed his eyes probing for any sign of hesitation.

    ¡°Michael? No! Never! I assume he led the others away in search of a survivor, as they believed the alpha was dead and we didn¡¯t feel the completion pulse.¡± Recounting the rest of the story in a fragmented manner, I described what I observed as I lay where Bill had dragged me to the side.

    ¡°Did you notice anything else? Did Michael or any of the others return?¡±

    "I..." I began, but stopped short as I held back.

    ¡°Sadie, please, I need to know everything.¡±

    ¡°It¡­ It spoke to me¡­ the wolf said it would kill me for killing its pack. I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s silly, forget I said anything, I was probably delirious from the pain,¡± I said, shaking my head, but I noticed he continued writing.

    ¡°It spoke to you? Are you certain?¡± he asked, putting down his pen and staring at me intensely.

    ¡°Check the cameras; there should be a recording on my helmet,¡± I said, leaning forward and wincing in pain, forcing myself down before he could push me back.

    ¡°We... tried,¡± he admitted, taking a moment to consider his words. ¡°The memory card from your camera was missing, and we only managed to capture footage of the first two hours as it was passed through the relay. Everyone else¡¯s cameras were completely destroyed. One last question: do you know who brought you back to the entrance?¡±

    Shaking my head, I had no answer to offer. How could I even begin to explain the voice in my head and the black wolf that licked me? His piercing glare remained fixed on me, but after one or two more notes, he snapped his notebook shut and reached inside his jacket. I tensed for a moment as he slowed his movements upon noticing my reaction and carefully pulled out a white card. Placing it on the table beside me, I realised it was adorned with flowers and cards that read ¡®get well soon¡¯.

    ¡°I know you¡¯ve just woken up and may have forgotten something, but if it comes back to you, please do come and visit me so it can be added to the report. Get well soon.¡± Standing up, he placed his hand on my shoulder as if to reassure me before walking towards the door.

    Reaching over, I picked it up to examine it, and upon seeing his title, a wave of dread washed over me. He was an Adjudicator, one who investigated murders and crimes within the dungeons. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill my friends, please believe me,¡± I cried out, more tears brimming in my eyes, as he paused at the door and glanced back over his shoulder.

    ¡°I understand, Sadie. We believe the rift was misclassified as a Tier-One dungeon, rather than the Tier Three designation that we now believe it to be. My investigation aims to determine whether the mistake was ours or if an anomaly occurred while you were inside. Based on your report, I believe it was beyond our control and something we could not prevent.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Stepping outside, he closed the door behind him as I covered my eyes with my hands and began to cry once more. My best friend from the Academy was gone, and I had watched her die, attempting to avenge me when she should have fled. I tried to stifle my sobs when I realised I could hear the conversation outside the door and noticed the thin sliver of light streaming in after he had turned the lights off again.

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs Whittaker, for allowing me to speak with your daughter. I had a few things I needed to find out.¡±

    ¡°Well, did you find them? I told you she couldn¡¯t have done all that; you¡¯ve seen her records, I¡¯m sure.¡± She snapped at him with a hint of vitriol in her voice. It seemed they weren¡¯t the best of friends as she stormed into the room and slammed the door shut in anger. When she saw me looking at her, with tears streaming down her face, she dashed into the bathroom and shut the door, abandoning me.

    ¡°Doctor Blossom,¡± I heard, and realised that the door had opened slightly after Mum had slammed it. ¡°Were there any abnormalities in her CT scans while she was asleep?¡±

    ¡°Her CT scans? They were perhaps the most normal aspect of Miss Whittaker. Her Thaum levels are nearly non-existent, and I would have attributed it to mana fatigue, but her capacity remains the same as when she was born. We had to surgically remove her monitoring device as it had fused to her wrist due to the overload of power she experienced.¡±

    ¡°What sort of overload are we discussing?¡± Terence inquired, and I found myself equally intrigued, straining my ears to catch the conversation and holding my breath.

    ¡°She was wearing a top-of-the-range model, one that could be connected to the hospital¡¯s emergency generator without breaking a sweat. I spoke with the manufacturer to find out, and they had tested it to three hundred thousand Thaums. An overload of that magnitude should have reduced her to ash,¡± the doctor said, her voice dropping to a whisper as the door closed, cutting me off from their conversation.

    The bathroom door clicked open before shutting again, and Mum shuffled across the room to sit next to me in the chair where she had been sleeping earlier. She took my hand in hers, gently rubbing her thumb across my fingers to avoid the cannula, and placed one hand on the side of my face. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re back. I was worried sick. Do you need anything? Are you comfortable?¡± she asked sweetly.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine¡­¡± I struggled to say hoarsely, reliving those moments that felt like they had happened only a few minutes ago, again and again. ¡°I just¡­¡± I attempted to say before I started crying once more, and she sat on the bed beside me and pulled me close.

    ¡°Shh, it¡¯s alright now. I¡¯m here, you¡¯re fine, you¡¯re safe.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re not. Josie¡­ I watched her die in its jaws. Her eyes¡­ they just stared at me as if accusing me of her death. "How do you simply move on from something like that?" I wept, attempting to raise my arms to wrap around her.

    ¡°Josie would never accuse you of that. Don¡¯t tarnish your last memories of someone by thinking they hated you. Cherish the moments you shared together and hold onto them. Michael, Trevor, Bill, Sonia, Tony, Arthur, Max, and Josie¡ªI¡¯m sure they fought bravely, and one of them managed to rescue you,¡± she said sadly.

    I couldn¡¯t respond because of the lump in my throat; I merely nodded and sniffed heavily, unable to bring myself to tell her about the bigger wolf. When she heard this, she pulled away, wiped my nose, and looked me in the eyes. I could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes, and she kissed me on the forehead before pulling me close again.

    ¡°At the funerals, everyone was inquiring about you, seeking an update, and hoping that you were recovering. You were incredibly fortunate, which many do not experience. I harbour no resentment towards those who brought Joe home. I am grateful that they managed to bring him back as they did, along with everyone else who lost someone that day.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡± was all I could manage to say, my voice muffled by her clothes. I inhaled the faint traces of her perfume, which helped to calm me down a bit.

    After spending a few more minutes like that, she eventually pulled away. ¡°Doctor Linda has asked me to head home for the night to let you rest. I haven¡¯t been back in, what, three or four days?¡± She sighed and pulled her sleeve as if peeling it off her skin. ¡°I need a shower and some clean clothes. Get some rest, and I¡¯ll be back in the morning. Would you like me to bring you anything? Chocolate? More books?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine; however, please let me know before you come in case I think of something at the last minute,¡± I said.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine; your phone is on the table beneath one of the piles of cards. I stopped by your apartment to see if there was anything you might want when you woke up."

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I replied bashfully, realising her tone.

    ¡°Mhmm hmm,¡± she hummed, pursing her lips and gazing at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you manage to live like that. Plus, the place is dark and dreary; why don¡¯t you just move back in with me? It wouldn¡¯t take more than a single trip to get everything back, and I¡¯ll cover the cost of breaking your rental agreement early.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I said, kissing her on the cheek as she turned to walk away.

    ¡°Alright, sleep well, sweety; I¡¯ll see you in the morning. Lights on or off?¡±

    ¡°Off, please. Love you.¡±

    ¡°Love you too.¡±

    Finally alone once more, I lay in the dim orange light cast by the road below the window. I couldn¡¯t hear anything, but I noticed the occasional blue flashes or headlights reflecting off the top of the window frame. Grimacing as I sat up, pushing my pillows down to support me, I reached for my phone and switched it on. Almost immediately, there was an influx of messages from people responding to the incident, wishing me well. I smiled at the number of people who had sent me a message, including a few former classmates who I had thought might have forgotten about me by now.

    Holding off from responding to anyone and preferring to wait until tomorrow, I began searching online to see if anyone had ever mentioned talking monsters. There were tens of thousands of search results, yet none about actually encountering a talking monster. There were fictional stories, fan fictions, pleas from animal groups, smut¡ªso much smut¡ªbut nothing about what I sought. Crestfallen, I was about to give up when I recalled what it had said.

    ¡°Guardian,¡± I mumbled to myself as I typed it in. There were just as many search results for this, but covering an even broader range of topics. It was such a common word that I gave up and switched my phone off in frustration. As I reached over to place the phone back on the table, I noticed a shining blue light. Picking up more than a dozen cards, I discovered the necklace that Mum had given me, commemorating Connor¡¯s first kill.

    Lifting the necklace off the table, I let it dangle in front of my face, captivated by its appearance. No longer just a dull blue colour, it shone as if it were concealed within a corpse. Once I extracted the stones, they would instantly lose their shine, becoming like any other murky blue crystal, but this one gleamed as though it was illuminated from within. When I touched it with my finger, it felt strangely warm, yet there was something else, as if it were watching me.

    Reaching out towards the window, a shimmer appeared in the air, and my hand slid inside, disappearing into the ripples. Waving my hand around, I looked at it in confusion. My diary and bag of mana stones were missing from the small storage space that seemed to be unique to me. Painfully swinging my legs out of bed, I leaned forward to reach in further, trying to find the stone wall that should be several inches from the entrance. Tripping over one of the many tubes attached to me, I accidentally stumbled inside, feeling my bare feet transition from the plastic faux wooden floor of the hospital to cool, grainy stone.

    Blinking rapidly, I struggled to comprehend what had happened to the small box that it had once been ever since I discovered it as a child. A veil of mist blew gently across the grey stone floor, and I could feel the breeze stirring it as it wiggled between my toes. It was impossible to determine the size of the place since there were no walls or points of reference, just a peculiar haze that emitted light all around me. Turning to look the other way, I saw the ripples in the air where my tubes, still connected to me, vanished back to the hospital on the other side.

    As I placed one foot backwards to leave, I felt myself step on something and reached down to find my diary and my stash of mana stones¡ªmy small emergency reserve. Flicking through the pages to ensure everything was alright, something caught my eye on the last page, and a cold sensation washed over me. Hurriedly pulling back the pages, I found a note written in neat handwriting on the back page. Looking around fearfully, I couldn¡¯t hear anything apart from my own heartbeat, and I subconsciously felt afraid¡ªvery afraid.

    The Isle holds the answers you seek, child.

    I suggest you gather some Guardians for this realm; it feels rather quiet and lonely.

    R.

    There it was again, I thought, glaring at the word, "Guardians." First, that wolf mentioned it, almost spitting the word out in disgust, and now this note left for me. I had poked my head through the ripples before, banging it against the stone wall just inches from the entrance, but had this place been here all along, and had they removed the wall? Snapping the book closed, I lifted the cloth bag, hurriedly untying the loose knot, revealing over a dozen¡ªtriple the number of mana stones I had squirrelled away in it. Looking around nervously, I couldn¡¯t see anyone trying to hide, but the mist made it impossible to tell for certain.

    Returning to the hospital room, I noticed it was warmer on this side, yet I looked back, yearning for the tranquillity the other place provided. Climbing back into bed, the rippling portal faded away, leaving no trace of its presence behind.

 Chapter 5: Trip to the Isle

    I spent the next two weeks in hospital, healing the old-fashioned way. My first foray into the strange space beyond the ripples hadn¡¯t come without cost, as I had torn some of my stitches, waking up with a blood-soaked bed the next morning. Trevor made two more brief visits to check on me, explaining he was there to see if I had any new information, but I felt that each time he grew more suspicious that I was concealing something. My answers remained the same, I hoped, but he never contradicted what I said; he simply noted my responses in his notebook before leaving.

    Grandfather had made a rare second trip to London within the same calendar year, spending a day with me in the hospital now that I was awake again. Sitting there quietly, I watched him carve intricate runes into the crossguard someone had paid the extortionate fee to commission him directly. We hadn¡¯t exchanged many words, but I liked the silence as I lay there, attentive to his work; it reminded me of the times I would sit in his workshop after school.

    He had had a minor disagreement with Mum in the hallway when they believed I was asleep, hoping to have me looked after by the guild medical staff at home, but I had turned it down. I didn¡¯t want to go home, at least not yet. Each night, when I had a few hours to myself, I ventured into the strange place beyond the ripple, seeking my saviour or perhaps another clue. Leaving notes on the ground each night, they remained untouched the following morning when I returned to check.

    Just after a month of being stuck in the hospital, half of which I spent asleep, I was finally wheeled out of the front door into the fresh air outside. I remained unsteady on my feet, unable to conceal the grimace on my face whenever I moved, as the skin on my back stretched and tugged beneath the dressing. Unable to return to my own apartment due to Mum¡¯s insistence, I was taken to her townhouse and settled into my old bedroom.

    Every night, I continued to check the area beyond the ripples for signs of activity, but there was never any trace of a visitor, even after leaving several cameras to record in every direction. Searching online for information about my experience, I found nothing but conspiracy theories and fabricated stories. I came across a news article covering my incident, but it was lacking in details, citing the Ministry investigation, and I was surprised to discover a photo of the nine of us posing together before one of our other raids.

    Growing bored of being cooped up at home all day, I begged and pleaded with Mum to let me out of the house. I wanted to go to the Isle and begin searching for clues about what had happened to me. After three nights of begging over dinner, she finally relented with a heavy sigh.

    As our driver held the car door open, I stepped out, hiding a grimace as I craned my neck to look up at the tall glass-walled building that housed the Ministry of Defence and Arcane Matters. Towering over eighty-five floors, it would have dominated the skyline of pre-Fracture London, but now it stood amidst numerous other tall buildings that had emerged as the city expanded upwards, accommodating those who sought safety behind the new defensive walls. My own apartment was on the sixtieth floor of a building further down the road, visible in the distance. As I felt my mum''s arm loop through mine, the two of us joined the throng heading into the building while I carried a bouquet of flowers.

    Descending one floor, we entered the Hall of Heroes that had been constructed. Whenever a guild or raid team suffered horrific losses in their attempt to clear a rift, a small obelisk was erected in their memory. Walking past other mourners, I followed Mum as she guided me towards the one thing I had dreaded witnessing for myself. Choking back tears, I placed the bouquet in front of the obelisk bearing the names of my friends and buried my face in my knees as I squatted there. Feeling Mum¡¯s hand rubbing my shoulders, I looked at Josie¡¯s name with a sense of emptiness as my best friend''s death finally sank in. My name was listed at the bottom as the sole survivor, a stigma not many could escape, as there was always the lingering doubt about whether I had abandoned everyone else and left them to die.

    After spending a few more minutes in quiet contemplation, reminiscing about our experiences inside and outside the dungeons, I slowly stood back up, my aching body groaning and one of my knees popping loudly. Around the room, several memorial staff members wandered through the rows, clearing away withered flowers left by other mourners, while a team of construction workers was in the midst of installing over a dozen additional obelisks¡ªa chilling reminder of how perilous our job could be. It was eye-opening to witness just how many needed to be installed, as numerous other teams had suffered in the past few days. I wondered if things were changing for the worse once more. Had my accident marked the beginning of this change, their deaths nothing more than a statistic rather than a tragedy?

    Having arrived at a sense of closure, we moved towards the back of the large room and found the obelisk from Dad¡¯s team. There were over thirty names carved into it, with eight others resting at the bottom. It had been the guild¡¯s greatest failure, a black stain on its almost impeccable history. Of the eight who managed to survive, five had been forced to retire from fighting, while some remained with the guild in other positions.

    ¡°Come on, sweetie, let¡¯s go,¡± Mum said at last, wiping away a tear as she turned to hug me and led me by the hand briskly away from Dad¡¯s obelisk.

    Descending once more, we delved deeper into the basement of the Ministry, where a massive customs and border control facility had been constructed around the rift that led to the Isle. Anyone could freely enter and leave, connecting to nearly thirty major cities worldwide. I have always wondered how it was brought here, as the rift had initially opened on the street outside, only to change suddenly one day after this place was built. The Ministry refused to explain why they had constructed it, conspiracy theories abound, and other governments attempting to establish their own, but never succeeding beyond the original thirty.

    As I went through security, they checked me for weapons and illegal items since I didn¡¯t have clearance to bring anything like that in or out. Mum was different; she carried her obsidian staff slung over her shoulders and had permission to bring whatever she wished due to her rank and privileges. I had often used what had once been a small space to sneak a few pilfered mana stones to sell on the black market for extra spending money. I¡¯m certain Grandfather knew, but he never mentioned it, and I always limited it to a modest amount.

    Stepping through the rift onto the Isle, I welcomed the warm sensation of the sun as it kissed my face. It had been raining for the past several weeks in London, and I was pleased to feel its presence once more, even if it was artificial. The sun never set here; it slowly moved around the dome that surrounded and protected the Isle from the outside, impenetrable to almost everything except air and water. Unable to stand still, we hurried to distance ourselves from the dais where all of the rifts were, joining the throng of people rushing to get clear.

    A few hundred thousand people lived here, in a city built around three main structures that dominated the landscape. Standing sentinel, a tall, dark tower rose on the southern side of the Isle. Arches and pillars were intricately carved into its sides, yet it appeared to be hewn from a single solid rock, with not a single door or window revealing the interior. Those who approached it, seeking to test themselves in the trials, placed their hands on the base and vanished, returning only when they had reached their limit. The other two major structures that dominated the landscape were the vast Library, which contained all knowledge pertaining to monsters and magic, and the Academy. I had spent nearly six years attending the Academy, with Mum and Grandfather using their influence to secure me a place there, despite my nearly non-existent mana and strength.

    Looking to my left at the towering obelisk that stood sentinel over the Isle, I knocked into something solid and stumbled backwards. Rubbing my shoulder, I felt a chill as I realised I had collided with the back of a Caretaker. They had been here ever since the first people came through the rifts that opened, serving as the Isle¡¯s protectors, breaking up fights and removing anyone who brazenly tried to assert their influence. I felt a cold fear as the white-robed figure turned, its blank mask staring at me.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumbled, stepping away. I flinched as it raised its arm, placing a hand on my shoulder, gently nodding before turning to its partner, and they began to walk away. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    The crowd parted as they advanced, no one wishing to interfere with their passage, fearing the dreadful retribution that could ensue. The strongest warriors had once attempted to fight them, believing they were yet another monster to be subdued, but they had instead been humiliated, their weapons crushed and discarded uselessly, and the shamed warriors exiled from the Isle. Whenever one of them attempted to return, a Caretaker simply obstructed their path, physically dragging them back if they resisted leaving.

    ¡°You all right?¡± Mum asked, turning me around to look at her with mild panic. Looking over my shoulder, I glanced at the two Caretakers who were walking away, both of whom had been staring. But upon seeing my gaze, they whipped their heads around as though embarrassed at being caught.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I shivered, attempting to shake off the peculiar sensation I was experiencing. ¡°I¡¯m going to head to the Library; I¡¯ll meet you later.¡±

    She looked at me with a hint of suspicion, then eventually nodded and gently gave me a hug. ¡°Alright, stay safe, I¡¯ll see you tonight. Try not to be late for dinner, I shouldn¡¯t be too long with my students.¡±

    Pulling myself from her arms, I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and joined the rest of the crowd making their way down the central avenue that led to the heart of the city on the Isle. There were several hundred thousand who called the Isle their home, and it was always bustling, a place that never slept. Confident that I had evaded her gaze, I slipped into one of the side streets, following it halfway across the city as I searched for my usual back alley stone merchant.

    Standing outside the grimy windows, it was difficult to see inside, but I could at least tell that it was empty, as it usually was. I had rarely, if ever, seen another customer within, although I had heard conversations in the back room. As I opened the door, a bell jingled, announcing my arrival, and his beady eyes shot up as he scrutinised me with his customary glare. Store owners typically welcomed their customers, attempting to extract as much of their money as possible, but I felt as if he despised anyone daring to intrude, wishing to rid himself of them as swiftly as possible.

    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± he wheezed, lowering his head as if resuming his attention to the stone he was polishing and admiring before him, yet I could still sense his gaze upon me. ¡°My rates have changed¡ªforty percent; take it or leave it,¡± he sneered.

    Ignoring him, I began to examine some of the stones he had arranged on the shelves for display. The prices were nearly extortionate, reflecting the cost of anonymity, as he didn¡¯t record the details of who sold them like other merchants did. Letting my fingers glide across a few, they gleamed like the one around my neck, tucked beneath my jacket. As I picked one up, I felt as if an intelligence was watching me, judging me from within the stone. On the counter beside him, several medium-grade stones rested in small cradles, even more exorbitant price tags dangling from them.

    Reluctantly approaching him while he watched me with suspicion, I examined one of them, feeling a deeper connection to what seemed to be concealed within. There was a soft growl in my mind as if it were trying to communicate with me, and I dropped it suddenly as he gasped, snatched it from where I had let it fall, and carefully put it back.

    ¡°What do you want? Where is the merchandise you want to sell?¡± he hissed at me, putting away the stone he had been meticulously polishing while observing me.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t got anything this time,¡± I replied defiantly, turning to face him once more. Glancing back at the medium-grade stones, I paused for a moment. ¡°Do you have any high grades?¡±

    Astonishingly, his eyes narrowed even further as he stared at me. ¡°Why? Are you planning to kill me for it as well? Am I simply your next target?¡±

    ¡°What drugs are you taking?¡± I shouted at him angrily. ¡°You know what, I¡¯m finished, bugger off.¡±

    Turning angrily, I stomped across the floor and slammed the door open, causing it to hit the bell and nearly knock it off as it jingled loudly. ¡°Wait!¡± I heard from behind me, and I stopped where I stood. ¡°I may have something.¡±

    Closing the door, I saw him disappearing into the back room behind the dirty curtain that concealed it, accompanied by the sound of drawers opening and closing. Returning to the counter he had been sitting behind, I stood there, examining the medium grades once more and picked another one up.

    Instead of growling, I heard faint screeches emanating from it that reminded me of a goblin. Concealing the disquiet I felt, I placed it back in its cradle as the merchant returned and glared at me while I refocused on him. He placed a box down with a heavy thud on the counter, and I noticed some crude runes illuminate before a loud click sounded and he opened it, pulling out a large stone that shone with greater luminance than the other stones I had inspected.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky; I only received it a few hours ago,¡± he wheezed, gazing at it as if it were his pride and joy.

    As he reached out to handle it, he glared at me before slowly extending his hand and gently placing it into my grasp. I tried not to shiver as his long yellow fingernails brushed against my skin. The moment it touched me, I could feel the presence within the stone, shouting incoherently, but I recognised it as a goblin without a doubt. The only goblins possessing mana stones of this grade were shamans and chiefs, and judging by the chanting, it was undeniably a shaman¡ªa powerful and dangerous monster mage.

    A lightning bolt of pain shot up my arm, forcing me to drop the stone with a heavy clunk on the countertop. On the bottom, I noticed a large crack running up the side of the stone, and it seemed as though a blue mist was seeping out¡ª a damaged crystal, crudely extracted by the collector, or perhaps the heart had been harmed when it was killed and the crystal formed. I wasn¡¯t sure what I desired from this as I stood there, but I was intrigued to find that I could seemingly feel their presence. If I could hear them, perhaps I could converse with them, but I would need something less deranged than a damaged crystal.

    ¡°That one is splintered,¡± I said, pointing to it, and he looked as though I had stabbed him in the heart. ¡°How long do you think it would take to find one that is undamaged?¡±

    Hurriedly replacing the stone in the box, he resumed glaring at me as if his face knew no emotions but distrust. ¡°What do you mean undamaged? This is a perfectly fine mana stone of the highest grade.¡±

    Clenching my fist, I heard one of my knuckles crack as I pulled out my wallet and slammed my licence down on the counter for him to see. ¡°I want a high grade; stop trying to sell me rubbish.¡±

    Upon seeing my name and the logo of the Rune Hunters emblazoned on my licence, he swept the box containing the mana stone onto the floor behind him as if it were suddenly worthless and scrutinised my licence. ¡°Oh, a Whittaker. What brings a member of such an illustrious family to my humble abode? Does your grandfather know that you have been stealing from him?¡± he wheezed, sliding my licence back towards me.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s stealing," I growled as he visibly recoiled at my voice. ¡°High grade. Can you get one?¡±

    Pausing for a moment, he leaned back in his chair and stroked his chin in contemplation. ¡°Three months,¡± he finally said before glancing back at the box he had sent tumbling to the floor. ¡°No, two months.¡± Holding up three, he dropped one and then crossed his arms with an insincere sneer.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    Walking away, I stood in the alley and glanced back, seeing him clutching the box close to his chest as if cradling a baby. This nameless alley housed several other less than reputable merchants and had an infamous reputation, but I pulled my hood up and began walking back towards the main road.

    Towards the end of the alley, I found two Caretakers huddled together, and as I drew nearer, they moved from where they had been standing and walked off. I hesitated as I watched them depart, wondering if one of them was the person I had accidentally bumped into earlier.

    As I joined the throng moving towards the Spire, I noticed a larger number of Caretakers bustling about. While it was not uncommon to see a pair on patrol, upon entering the main plaza around the Spire, I realised there were dozens of them either moving about or standing guard at the corners of buildings, scanning the crowd. Those attempting the Trials continued to approach the Spire, disappearing in a brief flash of light, while others stumbled out from another flash when they emerged. The atmosphere of the Isle felt no different than usual, but the noticeable increase in their numbers was certainly apparent. Across the plaza, I spotted the main entrance to the Library and began to weave through the crowd to reach it.

 Chapter 6: One Legged Statue

    Students and visitors climbed the white stone steps, entering and leaving the tall, majestic structure. The large circular stained glass window, featuring a variety of colours, sparkled in the sunlight, casting its floral patterns on the floor of the spacious open atrium. The atrium extended through three floors, allowing me to gaze upwards as people worked and studied, while the sound-suppressing runes maintained a low noise level.

    Suspended from the ceiling was the skeleton of the black dragon that had burnt half of London to the ground just before I was born. Tens of thousands had perished when it had exploded from beneath Buckingham Palace, where the foolish king had attempted to keep it as a pet. No one knew where it originally came from, and there was a fear that your next dungeon could house another of its kind. Mum and Dad had been fortunate, as they had already been inside another dungeon near home when the call was put out, and almost every able-bodied warrior was compelled to attempt to slay it; that was their last venture together before she became pregnant with me.

    The horror of its devastation prompted a wave of laws worldwide that prohibited keeping any monster as a pet without a licence, which were only issued to researchers. Occasionally, there would be a story or two about a monster breeder being discovered and arrested, but no further dragons had ever been encountered. Gazing at the skeleton suspended from the ceiling, I was always in awe of the creature''s size. I never heard of them finding the mana stone, but it must have been massive, and a part of me longed to see it, to feel what its presence was like.

    Taking a deep breath, I found a Caretaker sitting at one of the information desks and approached to speak with them. You could request a book on any subject, and if they possessed it, they would guide you to it flawlessly, every time. Their knowledge of the collection was awe-inspiring, and one couldn''t help but wonder if they were psychic and knew everything.

    ¡°Um, hi,¡± I said as it raised its head from the desk in front, where it had been reading a large book on monsters. ¡°I¡¯m looking for information on wolves that have green fur and use poison.¡± I felt my skin crawl as I pictured the wolf and shivered slightly as my hair stood on end.

    Nodding its head, the Caretaker stepped away to guide me, but I raised my hand slightly, and it paused to look at me. ¡°Not just that, but one that can speak,¡± I whispered, feeling foolish for asking, yet there was nobody close enough to hear me. Shaking its head, it sat down once more at the table, its head lowering again to gaze at the book, as if it were a robot shutting down.

    With a sigh of defeat, I turned to leave but paused, remembering the other question I had meant to ask. ¡°What about one on something called guardians?¡±

    It made me jump slightly when its head shot up as if I had flipped a switch, and it stood up faster than I had posed my earlier question. I felt as though I had said the wrong thing and wanted to flee, but the Caretaker rushed around the table and took hold of my hand to stop me from leaving. People nearby began to notice the Caretaker¡¯s sudden reaction in grabbing me, along with every other Caretaker who were ignoring those they had been dealing with. Blushing, I gave up on trying to escape as the Caretaker led me by the hand towards one of the large staircases that ascended.

    The library was immense, and no one knew precisely how many texts were stored within. Everything it contained was somehow related to monsters, including the folk tales that people once used to inspire their stories. There was much debate regarding why what should have been mere figments of people¡¯s imaginations had become reality, with some believing that the monsters had always existed but had died out, and were now returning to seek vengeance. I had spent countless afternoons here with Josie and Michael as we studied for exams, poring over various reports and testimonies from warriors who had fought the beasts and documented what they had learned.

    Upon reaching the top floor, the effort of climbing all the stairs in my weakened state had left me breathless, and the Caretaker had thankfully paused to allow me to recover before I continued. I had mumbled about an injury and gestured towards my back when they cocked their head to the side, as if silently asking me what had happened. The Caretaker graciously extended an arm and offered support as we walked further through the shelves, and I wondered where we were headed, as I no longer saw signs denoting the sections at the end of the rows of shelves.

    As I approached the door, it appeared plain and unassuming. However, the Caretaker produced a heavy key from within their robes and unlocked the door, a wave of runes flashing before quickly vanishing. The door creaked open, as if it had not been used for many years, revealing shelves made of a different type of wood. Instead of books, these shelves held parchment scrolls that were yellowed with age. Once guided inside, the door creaked shut behind me, and another Caretaker approached, directing me away from the first, who remained standing by the door. I glanced back, puzzled as to why I had been passed off to another, my legs trembling as my fear began to resurface.

    The Caretaker stopped suddenly, looked at the first one who had guided me here, and turned its blank mask back to me, extending its arm like the first one had done to support me. As I looked at the first one, I wondered if they were somehow communicating telepathically. Taking their arm, I was slowly guided at a comfortable pace down the row to what appeared to be the middle aisle, where there were some tables and comfortable-looking chairs. Pulling out a chair for me, I nervously sat down, glancing around as the Caretaker turned to leave me sitting at the table, alone.

    I wanted to get up, but felt I shouldn¡¯t, as there must be a reason why they left me here. After waiting for several minutes and checking my phone constantly to ensure I wasn¡¯t losing my mind, I stood up and began to walk down the aisle, peering down the rows, where I found each one stacked from floor to ceiling with scrolls and tomes. There was nothing new; everything looked yellowed with age, and I was afraid to ruin them with careless touches. Upon reaching the end, the last row contained some newer-looking books, and I walked along, examining the spines in an attempt to discern their topics, but they were all blank.

    I heard a door close, and I froze where I stood before stealthily creeping back to the aisle, peering around the bookshelf. I didn¡¯t see anyone, but the table where I had been left now had a tome resting on it. Emerging from behind the shelf, I was halfway back when another Caretaker appeared. Was it the same one who had brought me here? I couldn¡¯t tell, as they all looked the same. In their hands, they held a tray with a silver teapot, steam gently rising from the spout. Placing it on the table next to the book, they clasped their hands together and bowed slightly before leaving me alone again.

    As I sat down to taste the tea, I found it a pleasant surprise, dispelling my doubts about their unexpected hospitality. Flipping open the cover of the tome that had been left for me, I sighed as I realised it was more of a folder than a book, with an avalanche of pages spilling across the table. As I sifted through the pages, I attempted to organise everything into piles based on the type of paper used. Many of the pages appeared to be records of stores opening and subsequently going out of business. While flicking through the pages, I stumbled upon the slimeball from earlier; learning his name, I wore an evil grin, feeling I finally had something on him.

    After the merchants'' records, there were hundreds of maps, many overlapping each other; however, I recognised a few streets by their layouts, as there were no names identifying them, only odd names at the top pages. Stacking them neatly into several piles, I discovered four pages folded roughly within the pile and carefully unfolded them. This tome was full of surprises, as these pages revealed themselves to be a hastily scribbled diary, fold lines crisscrossing it as if it had been bunched up into a ball before being hidden inside the tome.

    Day 7: The captain went into the Spire again to speak with Them. We needed help setting up the town. Shelter was hard to construct on this island, and we could only remove so much material from the smouldering remains of the ship. We had decided to dismantle the whole vessel and hide the origin of our arrival. It would form the basis of our settlement here.

    Day 8: The Captain returned with an overjoyed look on his face. He said Athena would release some Guardians from a vault to assist us. Minutes later, a large door at the side of the Spire opened again, and in lockstep, five hundred dark beings with blue lines tracing around them that lit up their bodies walked out of the Spire. The captain approached this one that stood out from the rest and started speaking to it, telling it what needed to be done. They moved effortlessly and without communication, which unnerved the rest of us. With their help, we salvaged more material and finally built shelters for us all. The constant sunlight made it hard to sleep, but I do not believe it to be real as even our fairest of passengers remained just as pale, without a hint of suffering.

    ¡®There!¡¯ I thought to myself, feeling a rush of excitement; this is exactly what I was searching for. That wolf wasn¡¯t the only dark entity, and the blue lights coincided perfectly. So it was a Guardian, but whose? This diary mentioned that there were more¡ªmany more¡ªand they had emerged from the Spire. Eager to read further, I glanced at the last two sheets and realised there was a significant gap between them.

    Day 22: We have succeeded in dismantling the ship. We held a ceremony to remember those who never survived the stranding, and we all donned the masks we had been given, now devoted to our saviours and adamant in our duty. The Guardians who had been released to us stationed themselves around the town we had sown the seeds of. They found nooks and corners for themselves to stand in, becoming as still as statues. The Captain promised they would protect and watch over us, waiting for the Heir to awaken fully.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Day 25: I am writing this before I lose the last of my memories. When we were shown the Truth of the World, we were told that our memories would be sealed until the day the Heir would be declared. No one complained for we knew our duty was to become the care takers of this island. We swore we would be happy to serve He who saved us. I wanted to leave this diary as a testament to our survival in case the Heir never comes. I found a small corner of a cave to leave it for someone in the future to find, I must hurry though as Meadhbh seems to have become suspicious of me.

    Were these survivors the ones who became the Caretakers? The diary left me with more questions than answers; in fact, I didn¡¯t receive any answers at all. Annoyed, I read through each page again, trying to uncover some hidden meaning. There were two names: Athena and Meadhbh. One sounded like the Greek goddess, while the other had an Irish ring to it.

    ¡°Meadhbh,¡± I murmured to myself, captivated by the name. "Hang on, I remember seeing that somewhere!¡±

    Looking at the stack of maps, I began to go through them, reading the words at the top and realising they weren¡¯t code words; they were names. A rough count confirmed there were five hundred, enough to match those who returned with the Captain from the Spire. Near the bottom, I found the map with ¡®Meadhbh Tamarix¡¯ across the top. The writing was neat, unlike the diary, and turning it around, I realised that the corner of the Library was on it, as well as the grand plaza surrounding the Spire. Folding the map and stowing it in my pocket, I tucked the rest of the papers inside the red tome they had spilled out of and placed it in the strange space beyond the ripples. It felt wrong to steal it like this, but if they came after me, they would never find it.

    Finishing the remaining cold tea, I returned to the door, realising my escape might have already been compromised. Pulling on the handle, my entire arm tingled as I felt it draw from my meagre supply of mana, and a satisfying click echoed as the door unlocked. Upon stepping through, I closed it behind me and looked around, discovering that I was alone, unable to secure it. Weighing my options, I hoped they wouldn¡¯t mind and left it unlocked, pushing back through the shelves in search of a way out of the maze. Looking back at the door, I was taken aback to see that it had vanished, leaving only a blank facade of stone wall, no doubt magically concealed, a means to hide the room. I could feel the paper in my pocket, reassured that I hadn¡¯t imagined it, my heart pounding heavily in my chest at the risk I was taking.

    Walking as quickly as I could, I passed several Caretakers who were quietly sorting through books or guiding people to what they were seeking. With my head down, my paranoia screamed that I was being chased. However, when I glanced back, I saw no one following me, nor did they attempt to block my escape. Crossing the main lobby of the Library and stopping at one of the doors, I noticed that the table where I had spoken to the Caretaker remained empty. I hesitated before exiting the building and stepping into the sunshine beyond, breathing a sigh of relief for having gotten away with my robbery.

    Descending the steps, I made my way to the corner of the library I remembered seeing on the map and took it out once more. It was slightly different from what I had been viewing, as one of the small alleys now had a new building obstructing it, but by tracing a route to reach the unusual mark on the map, I set off again, tucking the map back into my pocket. Locating the specific alley on the map turned out to be a tedious task as it was outdated and the entrance I had been aiming for was now a building as well, forcing me to go around.

    Standing at the end of the alley, I let my shoulders sag as I held my sleeve to my nose in disgust, the alley filled with rotting rubbish and flies circling around. Picking my way through and stepping over anything too repulsive to kick with my boot, I slowly crept down, searching for any sign of this supposed guardian. Pulling the map out again, I looked around, ensuring I was standing where the symbol was, and stared at the wooden shed that had been constructed in the exact spot on the map. Rubbing my eyes, I kicked a small bucket and watched it soar into a pile of black bags, knocking one over and revealing a grey foot.

    I jolted in surprise as I spotted the foot poking out from the pile of rubbish, clad in a hobnail sandal. It resembled black granite or obsidian, and I felt a surge of hope as I scanned for a stick to prod the rubbish pile it was buried beneath. Locating half of a brush handle, I grunted while my back protested, shifting the bags it was concealed under, panting heavily from the exertion, revealing that it was merely a leg. Dragging the leg from its hiding place, I propped it up against the shed and admired it like a work of art. The shin guard appeared dented and scratched, with folds in the skin around the ankle¡ªall details too fine for a stonemason to carve without extensive practice. It was a work of art reminiscent of the old Italian masters.

    Grimacing as I looked at the pile of rubbish once more, I knew what I had to do and picked up my stick again. Doing my best to dig through the heap, I caught a glimpse of another foot and redoubled my efforts to extricate the statue. Pausing to catch my breath, I glanced down towards the road where two Caretakers had halted in their patrol to observe me. Staring at them, I realised I must look quite insane, rummaging through rubbish, but they merely turned and left, seemingly content to leave me to my task.

    Dragging the last bag away, I had become immune to the stench by this point and struggled to right the exposed statue of the warrior woman. She appeared to be wearing ancient Greek or Roman armour, complete with a chest plate and a type of armoured skirt. Her bare arms looked muscular, featuring several scars peeking out from beneath the armoured plates protecting her forearms. Lifting the leg, I placed it next to the stump, relieved to find that the break matched perfectly.

    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re heavy,¡± I grunted as I leaned against the far wall, taking deep breaths and hoping that I was feeling sweat on my back and not blood. Looking down the alley again, I saw it was still empty and turned back to the statue, freezing in place. ¡°You¡­ you moved!¡± I stammered, realising her head had turned slightly as if she were trying to get a better look at me.

    Anticipating a response, I stared at her intently before sighing, realising I might have simply imagined it. What was I meant to do now? Summoning the ripples, I stepped inside to retrieve the tome I had stolen from the Library, hoping to search it for a way to wake her up. As I stepped out, I screamed when a fist grabbed my jacket and slammed me against the wall, my feet dangling several inches above the ground, an explosion of pain roaring up my back. Tears of pain flooded from my eyes, and I opened them to see a face seething with anger mere inches from my own, her blue eyes intense beneath her furrowed brows.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± she hissed, pushing me a little higher. I felt my ponytail tug my head back as it got caught between my shoulders and the wall.

    ¡°My name is..." I tried to cry out as the pain in my back drowned everything else out. The pressure on my back lifted as she dropped me to the ground, and I hunched over, painful sobs escaping my lips. Opening my eyes, I was shocked to discover that three Caretakers had joined us: two helping to lift me gently and another pushing the awakened statue against the far wall.

    Her head was swinging as she looked at the Caretaker holding her back, then over to me, a look of horror dawning on her face. Releasing its grip on her shoulder, the Caretaker stepped back and looked at me directly. I was surprised to see that their mask wasn¡¯t like the others; there was a strange symbol on its forehead, and I looked up to see two more Caretakers standing on the roof above us. I felt like an idiot for not checking up there and wondered how long they had been following me. The tome I had stolen from the Library lay scattered around the alley, the pages everywhere.

    ¡°I sincerely apologise for my actions,¡± the statue said, awkwardly dropping to her remaining knee and using the stump of her other leg for support as she bowed her head. ¡°I did not realise who you were, mistaking you for a scoundrel attempting to abscond with me; this has happened before.¡±

    ¡°Who am I?¡± I demanded, glancing at her before shifting my gaze to the Caretaker, who appeared to possess some degree of authority, indicated by their slightly different mask.

    Lifting her head, the statue turned towards the Caretaker, who shook their head before bending down to pick up the papers scattered around. The other two beside me joined in the task, and once they had gathered everything, they returned the tome to me before turning to leave. Halfway down the alley, the leader faced the statue once more, who nodded as if they were somehow communicating, and then departed. Looking up at the roof, I noticed the two Caretakers who had been watching over us vanish as well, leaving me with the statue, awkwardly using a beautiful sword to rise back up.

    The statue was no longer a matte greyish-black colour; instead, it had become much darker, with blue lines travelling down her body like highlights. The armour she wore had transformed into a golden hue, as if it were becoming metal rather than stone. She moved as freely as if she were made of flesh, and the broken leg had fallen over, unable to support itself any longer.

    ¡°We need to leave here,¡± she declared as she finally stood up straight, towering above me, and I estimated her height to be over seven feet. ¡°This is not the right place for conversation; I shall remain within your core until you take us somewhere safe.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± I exclaimed, stepping back from her. ¡°You just assaulted me, and then the Caretakers suddenly appeared. What on earth is happening here? Who are you? Are you a Guardian?¡±

    Seemingly sighing, I watched her chest rise and fall as if she were breathing. ¡°Yes, I am a Guardian. My name is Meadhbh Tamarix. I promise I will not harm you and will answer all the questions you may have, but we must leave before my presence is discovered by those who should not know.¡±

    Hunched over in pain across from her, I flicked my eyes to the rippling doorway that remained ajar as she hopped towards it, using her sword for support while dragging her broken leg. It was a peculiar sight watching her disappear inside, the doorway closing behind her. Exhaling a sigh of relief, I leaned against the wall with my shoulder and reached under my shirt, pulling my hand back to reveal a smear of blood on my fingertips. Back to square one, I thought to myself, as I slowly limped towards the end of the alley, glancing around to see several Caretakers standing nearby, watching and waiting.

 Chapter 7: Mending Wounds

    Bursting through the door of my apartment, I slammed it shut with a kick and started to peel off all my clothes. I felt ashamed of the stench I had brought with me through customs, the border agent nodding me through with barely a glance, his pinched expression providing enough explanation. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for those returning from the Isle to be in a poor state, suffering from injuries, whether from the Trials or a duel, but the smell was perhaps new to him.

    Standing in the shower, I tore off the blood-soaked bandages, clenching my fist and gritting my teeth as the water cascaded over the freshly opened wounds. Glancing at my phone, I contemplated whether to call Mum. If she arrived, there would be a barrage of questions I wasn¡¯t ready to answer, particularly why I had picked a fight with a talking statue. I could also contact a private doctor, but most of them relied on healing magic, which was off the table for me. Yet, there was one more option.

    Finally clean, I wrapped a towel around myself and opened the doorway to the strange place, with Meadhbh stepping through immediately and looking around. I was surprised to see that her leg was now fully reattached; perhaps this was normal, but then why were there scars and scratches on the rest of her body?

    ¡°It¡¯s small," she remarked, before glancing at me.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°I need your help to apply bandages to my back after you seem to have ripped most of my stitches open. Do you know how to perform first aid?¡± I didn¡¯t trust her, but she was my only hope to avoid opening a massive can of worms.

    ¡°Of course I know how to apply bandages; I¡¯m not an idiot,¡± her reply matched my tone but appeared to soften as I sighed in relief. ¡°I need to shower first, I¡¯m covered in decades of dirt, and need to keep your wounds clean.¡±

    "The shower''s all yours,¡± I waved towards it and the extra towels on the shelf behind me. Stepping around her, I glanced back as she removed her armour, dumping it on the floor beside my filthy clothes, and I realised she was completely naked. Blushing, I turned and left her alone in the bathroom, listening to the sound of the water starting up. I hobbled over to my bed and sat down, using a towel to dry my hair as I watched the bathroom door.

    Eventually, the door opened and she emerged, wrapped in a towel like I was, her presence filling the room. I felt my breath catch in my throat as an unconscious fear gripped me. I was completely vulnerable if she chose to attack me, but I also sensed that she had been genuinely sincere in her earlier apology when the Caretakers had defended me. That incident still didn¡¯t sit well with me, as they seemed overly interested in me, and I couldn¡¯t understand why.

    ¡°Let me see your back, Child,¡± Meadhbh said, her voice much softer than before, her earlier hostility vanished, as if washed away with the grime. Her form appeared much improved, her obsidian black body reflecting the light of my room. She resembled a work of art, worthy of rivaling the great sculptors of the Renaissance period in history.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child,¡± I said indignantly as I stood up and turned around, lowering my towel but regretting it, as some of the fibres seemed to have become attached to the drying blood. There was a sharp intake of breath from her, and I turned to see her looking at me in horror.

    ¡°I am much older than you might assume, and in my eyes, you remain but a child. What sort of creature inflicted such a wound on you?¡± Her voice brimmed with concern, and I shivered as I felt her cool hand touch my back.

    Hanging my head, she inspected me. ¡°A wolf, a talking wolf with venom in its claws.¡±

    Feeling her hand on my shoulder, she spun me around and looked down into my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s too early for venom wolves to be appearing in the rifts. I want you to tell me everything, but where are your bandages?¡±

    Gently pushed to sit on my bed once more, I gestured with my chin towards my bedroom door. ¡°Out there, under the sink. It¡¯s the metal¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what a sink is. Just because I¡¯ve been on the Isle for a few years doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m ignorant of everything.¡± She then disappeared, returning with my green first aid box.

    ¡°You mentioned it¡¯s too early for venom wolves to appear in the rifts? How would you know that? Who are you really? What is a Guardian?¡± I had far too many questions, and as I lay there with gritted teeth, I felt her begin to tend to the wounds on my back.

    ¡°We have been here for tens of thousands of years, ever since my master, Lord F?r Rhea, came to try and save this world from an invasion by the Infernal Host,¡± Meadhbh began to explain.

    Shocked, I attempted to roll over, but her immense strength kept me in place, forcing me to turn my head. ¡°So, you¡¯re aliens? Where is your spaceship? Are the monsters aliens too?¡± As I posed my questions, I felt her finger jab into my ribs while she glared at me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. A journey through space is nearly impossible due to the vast distances between habitable worlds. There are bridges that connect these worlds, akin to rifts leading to dungeons, but on a much grander scale. The dungeon rifts you are familiar with are like boils; upon completion, they release a surge of mana into the world.¡± As she spoke, I could feel the numbed skin on my back pulling as she stitched my wounds closed.

    ¡°Then why are they only recent?¡± I asked, staring at my pillow as I tried to process her words.

    ¡°Such impatience,¡± I heard her laugh softly. ¡°My master was unsuccessful in defending this world and fell to the Dark Sovereign leading the Host. He currently lies in stasis beneath the Spire, teetering on the edge of death. After his fall, we concealed the Spire and allowed only a minimal amount of mana to seep into the world, enticing the enemy to depart after scouring all existence of life and leaving nothing but a desolate wasteland. Following that, we rebuilt civilisation from the ground up; your fables and legends were our creation, attempting to jump-start a new society and bypass the slow path you would take at your own pace.¡±

    ¡°So, wait, is the Athena mentioned in the diary I read actually real? Like the genuine Athena from the Greek stories?¡± I felt her hands lift from my back, and the mattress shifted as she got up.

    ¡°Yes, Athena is like me, perhaps a bit too much for my taste. I am a faerie, just as she is.¡± Letting her towel fall, she displayed no embarrassment as she stood naked in my apartment, but I was awestruck by the four large butterfly-like wings that sprouted from her back, filling the space with their majesty. ¡°We come from the same world, but  rival tribes. A Guardian is an inorganic construct, imbued and given a semblance of life by the essence within us; you might call it a soul, but its true name is Essence. All mana stones and crystals contain the essence of the being from which they originated. The higher the grade, the greater the portion of essence it retained upon death.¡±

    As I slowly sat up, wincing from the stretching of my sore back, I wondered, ¡°Is that why I can feel a whisper of what is inside this?¡± Raising the necklace, I could hear soft growls emanating from it in the back of my mind.

    ¡°You can hear it?¡± she asked, dropping to one knee in front of me. ¡°I was curious to learn why the Caretakers intervened so forcefully when I awoke, but I feel like an idiot for not realising it sooner.¡±

    I blushed as she was so close to me while naked and did my best to look only at her face. I recounted to her the full story of what transpired in the dungeon that landed me in hospital, omitting none of the details as I had with Terence and Mum. Fortunately, after wrapping herself back up in a towel, she sat beside me, listening intently yet restraining her questions, her face displaying a myriad of emotions.

    ¡°So, it is you,¡± she mumbled to herself as she stood up and began pacing back and forth in my bedroom, lost in thought. ¡°Each Spire has a champion, one who leads a world and governs it, the Ascendant, for their strength far surpasses what anyone could hope to achieve, and an Heir who will take their place when the time comes. The last Ascendant of Gaeia was killed alongside her Heir in battle, and Master assumed the position of Ascendant to continue the defence.¡±

    ¡°Heir? That message broadcast at the beginning, declaring that they sought the Heir. No, it can¡¯t be me. Please don¡¯t tell me you think it¡¯s me.¡± I cried out, the crushing weight of expectations placed upon me suddenly becoming heavier.

    ¡°Fenrir is one of Master¡¯s oldest Guardians; they have been together longer than I have served at his side. Master would not intervene in the life of anyone but the Heir chosen by the Spire. Not only are you possibly the Heir, but you have also inherited his ability to create your own Guardians. He is the only one to have had a domain like yours, and while inside, I was able to repair my form as it still retained a decent amount of his mana from his intervention.¡± She had taken my hands and looked as though she were pleading with me as she sat beside me.

    ¡°You just said possibly the Heir, but you also said it was me.¡±

    As she stood me up, she tore the towel from me and moved around, inspecting my body and testing it. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to offend you, but while his involvement suggests you could be the Heir, you lack the expected strength for it. If you are the Heir, you should be leagues ahead of everyone else, yet you oddly appear unaffected by the resurgence of mana. Your growth seems stunted or blocked, and I cannot discern why.¡±

    As I picked up the towel to cover myself, I recoiled defensively at her sudden intrusion into my personal space when I saw an opportunity. ¡°You can¡¯t just do that!¡±

    Ignoring me, she returned to pacing back and forth around my room while I watched her until she suddenly stopped. Holding out a finger, I yelped as she tore it clean off, the sound resembling stone cracking, as she admired the injury she had inflicted upon herself and regarded my dumbfounded face with a sly grin. ¡°We do not hunger, nor do we tire, and we do not feel pain like those made of flesh and blood. While I can see, hear, and taste, I do not feel pain, but I can sense the pressure of touch. To me, this is akin to you cutting your hair or trimming your nails.¡±

    ¡°What did you do that for?¡± I asked loudly, still staring at the finger in her hand.

    ¡°I want you to fix it. Firstly, it will confirm whether you possess the same ability as Master, the ability to command Guardians; secondly, it will bind me to your service. I need to understand more about you to help uncover why, as the potential Heir, your body is rejecting it. Becoming your Guardian means we will be connected, but your mana will nourish and sustain me.¡±

    Approaching cautiously, I picked up the finger, feeling a twinge of disgust at how effortlessly she had torn it off without a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°Will it work?¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I hope so,¡± she said with a casual shrug, as I stared at her in horror.

    ¡°You did this just on a whim?¡± I asked, raising my voice. ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t work?¡±

    ¡°I fixed my leg, didn¡¯t I? There were traces of my Master¡¯s power lingering in your core, residue from when he last interfered, sufficient that I can fix my finger if needed, but I don¡¯t believe it will be an issue. You are not creating a Guardian, which requires tremendous effort on your part; instead, you are supplanting my tether to him with your own.¡± Holding out the hand with the missing finger expectantly, I brought the finger to it, wondering what I was doing. ¡°Push a little mana into it; after that, it should come naturally.¡±

    As I raised the meagre amount of mana within me, I felt it stir in my frail body and gasped when the finger, having lost its blue lines, suddenly illuminated with golden ones instead. Looking up, I saw Meadhbh smiling, and she winked at me, encouraging me to complete the task. I pushed the finger forward, and as it connected with the stump, the golden lines began to extend across the rest of her hand. Yet, I gasped, feeling as though I was choking. Unable to release my grip, my body went rigid as the mana within me was drawn up by Meadhbh, whose blue lines had turned to gold, including her eyes, and she looked astonished. Darkness crept into my vision as she seemed to melt before me, and I collapsed forward, slipping into unconsciousness once more.

    <hr>

    Athena cut an imposing figure as she stood there, arms crossed, towering over the woman kneeling before her. Dressed in the white robes of the Caretakers, she had removed her mask, displaying Freya¡¯s symbol on the front. It was rare for them to visit the control room, their duties involving the Isle and sometimes extending further afield, and even rarer for them to approach without an invitation.

    ¡°Lady Athena, we believe the Heir was here. She has returned to London with Lady Tamarix under orders.¡± The kneeling Caretaker rose and looked Athena in the eye.

    ¡°Why were we not informed immediately? Why didn¡¯t you bring her to us so that we could begin guiding and training her?" Her voice was harsh in its questioning as she glared at the Caretaker, who did not flinch at the hostility.

    ¡°Master forbade it. We were ordered to give her the tome to help guide her to the answers she sought, but not to interfere. Lady Tamarix assaulted her without realising, and we were compelled to intervene so that she could truly see. Master instructed her to go with the child but did not explain to us why; she received her own orders from him.¡±

    ¡°Damn war dog of a woman, always thinking with her fists instead of her brain.¡± Athena snorted in anger, slamming her fist on the console beside her. ¡°Freya, send a squad to guard this child.¡±

    ¡°My Lady, we do not know her identity,¡± the Caretaker said quietly, stepping beyond the reach of her arms and bowing her head to the floor.

    Even though she had long since lost the organic tissue she had been born with, Athena rubbed her head out of habit in an attempt to calm herself. ¡°Find her!¡± Bowing respectfully, the Caretaker left the room, descending the Spire to the rift station several floors below, which was linked to one of the hidden entrances scattered across the Isle.

    ¡°Athena, I have a list of potential identities for this child,¡± Horus called out, causing her gaze to snap up at the glimmer of hope he was casting. ¡°We know that the Guardian who appeared was in the London area, and I have compiled a list of all the rifts that were closed that day. There were five rifts that day that suffered grievous losses, and I have been analysing those identified as involved.¡±

    ¡°Get to the point, Horus,¡± Athena growled, her demeanour souring by the second again.

    ¡°There is one, a Sadie Whittaker, who barely survived. She is not in the Spire¡¯s records; I thought there was an issue, and Osiris has been working to figure out why. We did not bring this to your attention as she is hardly a Gaeian worth mentioning, and not someone deemed worthy of being the Heir according to the information we could glean with a cursory glance.¡±

    Looking at him with a confused expression as her anger cooled and faded, Athena had an idea. ¡°I know why.¡± Her announcement shocked the others as she sat down at her station and accessed the Spire¡¯s records. Listed here was every single being that had a connection to the Spire, a rudimentary tool they had managed to piece together to assist in their search. Slowly typing in what she was looking for, she located what she wanted, but felt tremendously disappointed.

    Getting up, she marched to the elevator as the others crowded around her console, speaking in hushed whispers. Upon stepping inside, she punched in the code for the bottom floor, deep beneath the Spire, and paced the elevator as it descended past the other floors. Armouries, living quarters, training areas¡ªthe Spire was a self-sustaining fortress, completely sealed from the outside. She had spent millennia walking its corridors. As it slowed to a crawl, the newest room, an addition made when they sealed the Spire and sunk it beneath the sea, revealed itself, and she marched down the short corridor towards the casket humming with power.

    ¡°I know you''re awake. Please tell me why you hinder us so much. We''ve done everything you''ve asked, yet we are blindly stumbling as we try to follow your orders.¡± There was anguish in her voice as she cried out to him.

    ¡®This is why!¡¯ A voice projected into her mind, and she endured a deluge of knowledge as he revealed the truth.

    ¡°I¡­ understand,¡± she said feebly as she processed what she had been shown. ¡°Then I shall adjust our understanding to your will. We cannot fulfil our duty if you do not share everything with us; please don¡¯t force us to stumble in the darkness.¡± Hearing nothing further from him, she turned and left the mausoleum, the lights dimming as he remained with those tasked to guard his ruined form.

    <hr>

    Coughing as I slowly woke up, I shivered from lying naked on the floor and slipped when trying to get to my knees, crashing back down as I realised I was in a pool of black liquid. Shocked into full alertness, I scrambled to my knees again, seeing myself covered in whatever this liquid was. Looking around, I couldn¡¯t see Meadhbh, but there was a large, football-sized golden crystal sitting on the floor near where I had been lying.

    ¡®I apologise,¡¯ I heard her voice echo in my mind. ¡®I miscalculated the amount of mana I would require to sustain myself in your presence. Curiously, I believed I would perish, my essence liberated, but instead, I reverted to my original crystal.¡¯

    ¡°What¡¯s happened? Is this you?¡± I asked, scraping some of the black liquid off myself, half disgusted and half intrigued by what it was.

    ¡®It was,¡¯ she replied calmly. ¡®F?r could transform organic material into resin and then mould it into a body using a stone or crystal. So while that was what my construct was made of, it has reverted to its original form, unable to sustain itself.¡¯

    Picking up the crystal, it felt warm against my skin, and I looked around to find a place for it so that I wouldn¡¯t have to look at the floor. Leaving it on my bed, I gathered all the towels from my bathroom and began to lay them out to soak up the black liquid. While it had no smell, the bathroom was reeking from our clothes, her armour still sitting on my pile of clothes. Throwing it into a plastic bag, I placed it in the space beyond the ripples to deal with later, hoping to help clear the odour with half a can of cheap perfume.

    ¡°Did it work? Was I able to bind you to me?¡± I asked curiously while I wiped the liquid off, ruining my towel, yet it didn¡¯t leave any residue on me.

    ¡®Sort of, for a moment we were linked, and I was released from F?r¡¯s tether, becoming your Guardian. Now, I am independent, my own woman, in essence.¡¯ I heard her chuckling at the irony of her words, and a grim smile crept onto my face as well. ¡®You do possess the same abilities he has, but not yet the strength to wield them.¡¯

    Feeling my stomach rumble, I realised I hadn¡¯t eaten since breakfast before heading to the Isle. Glancing at my phone, I saw it was the middle of the night, but thankfully some places would still be delivering food at this hour. ¡°So, what now?¡± I asked, finally getting dressed and cleaning the black resin staining my towels.

    ¡®Simple, I¡¯ll make you stronger.¡¯ Short and sweet, her statement didn¡¯t inspire much confidence in me as I pursed my lips while looking at her. ¡®Oh, don¡¯t give me that sort of look. There are still several methods we can use to help you realise your potential.¡¯

    My face fell as she spoke, "Wait, you can see me? How? You don¡¯t even have any eyes.¡± Stammering, I flushed when I realised I had been prancing about my apartment naked in front of her, oblivious to her gaze.

    ¡®I don¡¯t see how you would pick me up and hold me in your lap; I will show you.¡¯ Sitting on the side of my bed, I held her as she spoke. ¡®Close your eyes and breathe deeply. I am going to draw a portion of your subconscious into my core. It will feel strange, but it will become a valuable skill for you to have and will get easier with practice.¡¯

    Sitting there, I was curious about what she meant until I felt the pull she was talking about, and a wave of nausea swept over me as my sense of direction became scrambled. Stumbling forward, I found myself in a golden yellow room, and looking at my hands, I could feel myself holding the crystal, but the hands in front of me now were empty. The room was the same size as my bedroom, but there was a fireplace on one wall, with bookshelves stacked to the ceiling on either side and comfortable-looking armchairs in front of it.

    ¡°Meadhbh?¡± I called, glancing around and realising I was alone.

    ¡°Right here,¡± she replied, stepping through the wall as I jumped back slightly in fright. ¡°This room isn¡¯t real; it¡¯s just something I conjured up to make you feel more comfortable. Come, sit.¡± She was wearing a very chic jacket and trousers that I envied as I sat opposite her in pyjama trousers and an oversized hoodie¡ªones I didn¡¯t own but suddenly found myself wearing.

    ¡°So, how can you see if you do not have eyes?¡± I asked, glancing around the room with its four walls, floor, and ceiling. Suddenly, they vanished, granting me an unobstructed view, as if I were trapped inside a crystal, gazing up at myself; my face mirrored my own, reflecting my emotions. While everything appeared yellow, blue lines coursed through my body like veins, originating from my chest. Nearby, I could spot my phone like a beacon, the small mana crystal within it providing power, as well as the clock on my table.

    ¡°I can see physical matter, but I can also perceive the flow of mana. Look at your phone; notice how bright it appears in comparison to your body. Those lines represent your mana veins, the channels through which you can direct your power; the rest are twisted and blocked.¡± Observing myself from this perspective, I felt diminutive and insignificant, my face resembling that of someone asleep. ¡°Being in this form isn¡¯t all bad.¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve been stronger. If I truly am the Heir you seek and have this potential, I ought to have realised it sooner. I should¡¯ve been able to save them.¡± The revelations drove a knife into my heart as Josie¡¯s lifeless eyes haunted me, and I crouched down, feeling the familiar lump in my throat return.

    I felt a reassuring hand resting on my shoulder as I tried to process everything I had learned, and looking up, I saw the view of the outside world obstructed by the walls that had returned. Above the fireplace, a picture appeared, and I gazed at the man, a hammer raised above his head as he roared. Lifting me up, Meadhbh guided me towards it, a sombre expression on her face.

    ¡°That is F?r,¡± she said, and I looked at him. He was handsome and youthful-looking, but there was also a grizzled aspect to him with his short beard. Men and women stood at his side, gazing up at him as though they were celebrating a victory. There was a figure next to him, their features obscured, as if intentionally forgotten, and to his right, I recognised Meadhbh. ¡°Half of those here are now dead. I can¡¯t even remember what world this was; we fought on so many.¡±

    ¡°How tall was he?¡± I asked, looking up at her.

    Waving her arm in a sweeping motion, a blob rose from the floor, transforming into a replica of the man in the image, striking the same pose. ¡°He appeared extremely tall to the rest of us, but to his species, he was just about average.¡±

    The top of my head barely came up past his belt, and I had to crane my neck to see his face. Touching his hand, I noticed his fingers were thick enough that I couldn¡¯t touch my thumb to my middle finger, and if he clenched his fist, it would be the size of my head. If a man of such monstrous stature was laid low by another, just how formidable a warrior were they? Looking back at the image on the wall, I could see that the others didn¡¯t reach the same height as him, but the figure beside him was close. The way they were looking at him made me wonder who they were, their arm wrapped around his back. That stance wasn¡¯t one that a friend or ally would have, but perhaps a lover¡¯s.

    ¡°Who are they?¡± I asked, pointing at them.

    ¡°She¡¯s no longer with us,¡± Meadhbh said quickly, snapping her fingers and making the picture and statue vanish just as swiftly as they had appeared.

    ¡°Who is she?¡± I asked once more, wary of her evasiveness.

    ¡°Someone who no longer stands by our side.¡± There was profound sadness in her voice, and I ceased my questioning, realising that it was a delicate topic.

 Chapter 8: A Deal for the Devil

    ¡°Oh, honey, you¡¯re looking much better these days,¡± Mum said, squeezing my hand as we sat on the veranda of her favourite caf¨¦ on the Isle.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I smiled warmly, grateful for the break this coffee date provided from Meadhbh¡¯s torturous training regimen.

    Sipping her coffee, she peered at me over the rim of her cup. ¡°So, who is she? The last time I saw you this happy, you had just met Candace. I never liked her, but I didn¡¯t want to mention that; your grandfather and I agreed she was only after the Estate.¡±

    I found myself blushing at the obviousness of her statement, particularly in hindsight, considering all the red flags I had ignored. ¡°There isn¡¯t someone; well, there is, but not in that way," I pleaded as she slammed the cup down gleefully, silently demanding to know more.

    ¡°Oh, do tell. What¡¯s she like?¡±

    ¡°Oh, she has abs to die for,¡± I squealed, ¡°and her body is toned and firm.¡± I joked, mimicking a chef presenting their finest dish.

    ¡®Child, what sort of lecherous thoughts are you having? I demand you purge your mind of these improper connotations.¡¯ Meadhbh growled as her crystal rested within the domain beyond the ripples. I wasn¡¯t certain how, but she could perceive the world through me, which also meant I could hear her projections.

    Pouting, I continued, ¡°Unfortunately, she¡¯s a bit too old for me. I met her during my last visit to the library, an old training instructor who had assisted me somewhat before my graduation. I¡¯ve been seeing her almost daily for the past two months, and her routines have actually helped me recover from my injury better than the physiotherapist the doctor referred me to.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering, as William mentioned to me that your account has experienced quite a lot of activity over the past few weeks. I advised him to approve the charges, but I didn¡¯t mention anything else,¡± Mum said, picking up her cup again.

    ¡°Sorry, but it was worth it.¡± I grinned, lifting my hand and conjuring a brief aura of mana along my index finger. Mum¡¯s mouth hung open, her jaw nearly on the floor. Although my feat was insignificant compared to hers, as she had enough to wrap her entire body in it, I had never been able to manifest it like this before.

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± she exclaimed softly, making an effort not to disturb the other customers. ¡°How can you suddenly do that? Is it connected to what happened?¡±

    I shook my head and looked down, reminded of my friend¡¯s massacre while gazing at the band of scarred flesh on my wrist where my watch had melted and fused with my skin, feeling a sudden itch as I focused on it. It was the only injury I could see each day; the scars across my back remained concealed unless I used a mirror, although I could feel all the false teeth in my mouth that I had lost at some point. ¡°No, at least we don¡¯t think so.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t exactly a lie; while I was training with Meadhbh, her focus was on my physical body. However, she had taught me how to absorb power from mana stones. As I absorbed one, she observed that the power travelled down the blocked and stunted veins, confirming their existence. After burning through the ten stones I had stored away,

    I increased my capacity from ten Thaums to thirteen, but that paled in comparison to Mum, who had a capacity of over two and a half thousand.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ difficult,¡± I said slowly, pondering how best to explain it. ¡°I¡¯m not likely to be winning any medals in the Hunter Games anytime soon, but she assured me that I will be able to take better care of myself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not considering going back into the rifts anytime soon, are you? Just come home to Manchester with me, or move back in with me full time," Mum suddenly pleaded.

    ¡°I¡¯m not. Meadhbh made me promise to stay away from them for now, as it¡¯s too dangerous. I don¡¯t want to be coddled forever; I need the experience. Mum, please, I know my limitations and I¡¯m not willing to sacrifice everything just to prove myself.¡±

    Grasping her hand with my own, I could see she appeared conflicted as I pleaded with her. She tightened her grip, and I wondered if she was about to drag me out of there, but she ultimately relented with a desperate sigh. ¡°Fine, but only if you stay safe, and only if you inform me in advance.¡±

    Agreeing to her demands, the rest of our lunch flowed with pleasant conversation until it was time for her to return to her students. She had taken a part-time position mentoring younger mages at the Academy and had requested to meet today. Remaining in the caf¨¦ for a few moments longer, I watched people passing along the road until a gap in the crowd revealed a group of Caretakers in the alleyway on the other side, watching me.

    <i>¡®Do you see them?¡¯</i> I asked Meadhbh, conveying my thoughts to her as she had taught me.

    <i>¡®They¡¯ve been trailing you since you set foot on the Isle this morning. The one in the middle is beckoning us to join them.¡¯ </i>

    Her voice sounded glum, and I wondered if the time had come. Meadhbh had mentioned that there would be a moment when Athena and the others in the Spire would approach to help guide me as the Heir, but they had been holding back. I wasn¡¯t prepared to be whisked away by them just yet, as I knew everything would change. However, sitting here, I still maintained my anonymity, wanting to savour it while it lasted. After finishing the cake I had bought, I left the caf¨¦ and began pushing through the crowd as the Caretakers turned and walked away, looking back to ensure I was following.

    <i>¡®Oh, that¡¯s unexpected; this could be better than we anticipated. Go into the building on your right.¡¯</i>

    I paused as the Caretakers suddenly vanished from view, and I turned my gaze towards the shop I stood in front of. The windows were dusty, making it difficult to see inside, while the faded blue sign, possibly belonging to a tailor or armourer, hung limply from the remaining chain that held it. Pressing my face against the glass, I peered inside but struggled to discern much in the gloom; however, I did spot a solitary figure standing in the centre of the room.

    My instincts would have told me to run, but I reached for the handle of the door, wincing as the old and neglected hinges groaned while I forced the door open. A smell of mould and dust filled the air, suggesting the place had been long abandoned, and the wooden floorboards creaked beneath my feet as I stepped inside and closed the door.

    ¡°Welcome, Child.¡± I turned and faced the robed figure wearing a mask, their arms held behind their back as they swayed on their feet, as if pleased to see me.

    <i>¡®Freya, what a surprise,'' </i>Meadhbh exclaimed, a hint of playfulness in her voice. <i>¡®Oh dear, was I not meant to reveal your identity?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Meadhbh!¡± I heard the figure bark as she pulled back her hood and removed her mask. ¡°Athena doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here, but what she doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± I asked, curious about her origins. Meadhbh had shared a little of her world, and I wanted to know more.

    ¡°Here,¡± she smiled, pointing to the ground. ¡°I was born here on Gaeia, although a child of diplomat, my parent''s homeworld is far from here, and served as one of the commanders in the Master¡¯s army. My duty was to oversee the setup and operation of forward hospitals on the frontlines, but that didn¡¯t mean it was entirely safe, as saboteurs and raiding parties frequently attempted to harass us.¡±

    <i>¡®So, why are you here? Sadie isn¡¯t ready to join you in the Spire yet. Standing here, I¡¯m sure you can understand why.¡¯</i> Meadhbh sounded defensive, selfishly wanting to keep me to herself for now. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Relax, we¡¯re monitoring from a distance, but I brought a gift, if you will.¡± Stepping aside, I noticed she was standing in front of a chest¡ªquite large, in fact¡ªhaving turned it sideways to conceal it until now. Bending over, she shifted it around and lifted the lid to reveal the contents within.

    ¡°Wow,¡± I gasped without thinking.

    ¡°We thought you might appreciate it¡ªwell, he did. Master commanded that I prepare this for you, as you will need it shortly.¡± Lifting the sword, she offered the hilt to me, holding the scabbard as I drew the blade free to examine it.

    ¡°Why would I need this so soon?¡± I asked, regarding her with suspicion.

    <i>¡®F?r¡¯s race possesses a unique ability to glimpse potential futures. This is why he was nearly unmatched as a strategist.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Except when it let him down,¡± I said, letting the sword fall and pulling Meadhbh from the space beyond the ripples.

    <i>¡®It¡­ didn¡¯t fail him,¡¯</i> she replied slowly. <i>¡®F?r knew how his final battle would conclude. All of this was unavoidable, a trap so meticulous that he could do nothing but spring it.¡¯</i>

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Freya added. ¡°Master knew what he was getting into and yet he still went through with it. This gift, he said, is something you require.¡±

    Approaching the chest, I gazed down at the set of armour meticulously arranged. Crouching down, I realised the craftsmanship was exceptional, yet it clearly wasn¡¯t made by a human. ¡°What if I refuse? If this is merely being offered to me, there must be a hidden agenda, some impending crisis. I¡¯m not someone who can be relied upon in times like these; who would listen to me anyway?¡±

    ¡°Then that is your decision.¡± Freya nodded before stepping towards the back of the shop. Looking back once more, she wasn¡¯t focused on me, but rather on Meadhbh¡¯s crystal that I was holding. Her face creased for a moment, and I realised they were communicating whilst excluding me. Noticing that I had caught them, she winked and stepped into the back room. I heard the hum and pop of a rift for a moment and guessed she had returned to the Spire.

    ¡°What was that all about? What did she say?¡± I inquired, hoping to receive an answer.

    <i>''There''s nothing secret here, just some observations I had overlooked in your training. You tend to twist your body slightly to the left when you walk, and you have a minor limp to compensate. The injury on your back continues to affect you, even though it has completely healed.¡¯</i>

    Her casual response surprised me, and I glanced at the door through which Freya had disappeared. Had she realised all of that in the two-minute conversation we had, or had she been watching me for longer? Slamming the lid of the chest shut, I left it behind as I exited the derelict shop. <i>¡®I don¡¯t want it. I¡¯m not ready for the level of responsibility that comes with accepting a gift like that.¡¯</i>

    Feeling my phone vibrate, I noticed it was Mum and answered. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up? Everything all right?¡±

    ¡°Hey sweetheart, I forgot to ask you earlier. I have a big favour to ask: would you be willing to accompany one of my students to the fields outside Dublin? She needs some combat experience that isn¡¯t just a simulation or practice duel. If you stick to the usual area, it should be fine for the two of you."

    Her request took me by surprise as it wasn¡¯t something I would expect her to ask so soon after I had recovered. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I was hesitant to agree to this so suddenly. ¡°You just told me to steer clear of anything dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know, but you¡¯ll be alright. Ashley possesses mid-B-Rank potential and is currently halfway through her C-Rank increases. If you remain within the student sector, I believe you¡¯ll be safe accompanying her. She is more than capable of defending the both of you while you take on more of a guiding role."

    ¡°Ashley, like¡­¡± I inquired, a look of disgust crossing my face.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s Ashley, Angela¡¯s daughter. You two used to be such close friends that you were nearly inseparable.¡±

    ¡°I believe you must have mistaken me for someone else, as she was always such an irritating brat. Then there was that ridiculous artefact that made her glow constantly; no thank you, I¡¯d rather avoid that headache,¡± I growled, preparing to hang up.

    <i>¡®Go!¡¯</i> I suddenly heard Meadhbh shout at me. <i>¡®Trust me, accept the offer.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Sadie? Are you still there?¡± I heard Mum call through the phone, too frozen by Meadhbh''s statement to here what she just said.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡± I sighed, turning around to glance at the shop door I had just left. After hanging up the phone, I re-entered and looked at the chest. ¡°I knew it; there had to be a catch, a crisis. Now I¡¯ll have to contend with that wagon for a week.¡±

    <i>¡®What¡¯s the matter? Is she really that dreadful, this Ashley?¡¯</i>

    ¡°Shh, they say if you mention the devil¡¯s name three times, she¡¯ll appear.¡± I giggled mischievously. ¡°We¡¯re almost the same age, just a few days apart, and our parents tried so hard to make us best friends, but we couldn¡¯t stand each other. It was frustrating because she had a golden glow, like mana stones have a blue hue, and she would never take off whatever piece of jewellery caused it.¡±

    Kicking the chest lid open, Meadhbh didn¡¯t respond to my history with Ashley as I began to lift the armour out to inspect it. It was black, like a Guardian, and I wondered what it was made of. Tapping the sword, which was equally dark, it sounded like metal. I was half surprised to find it fit perfectly¡ªalmost too perfectly, as if it had been crafted specifically for me. Laying the armour out on the countertop, I discovered that the chest had a false bottom, a shelf for the armour to rest on, but upon finding the latch, I was bathed in the light of dozens of mana stones glowing from below.

    Mouth drooling like a fat kid locked in a doughnut shop, I realised I should have examined it before dismissing the gift. Although she wasn¡¯t saying anything, I could sense Meadhbh¡¯s smug attitude as I picked them up and watched them tumble back into the chest. There was a veritable fortune just sitting here, along with a red cloth bag. It had been hidden beneath the stones, but as I fiddled with them, I had uncovered it and pulled it out. From the weight and shape as I lifted it, I was giddy with excitement as I held another golden crystal in my hand.

    <i>¡®Hello,¡¯</i> I smiled, projecting my voice, but frowned when there was no response. As I looked at the bag it came in, I discovered a small note that was written inside.

    This is Rylock, he might be of help if you can coax him out of his shell.

    <i>¡®Rylock?¡¯</i> I called out once more, but there was silence. I attempted to push myself into his core, as Meadhbh had instructed, but it felt as though an iron wall had been erected, my face contorting in my effort to breach his defences.

    <i>¡®Leave him,¡¯</i> Meadhbh remarked. <i>¡®Just let him stew until he decides to make his presence known. I¡¯ll see if I can get him to talk within your core.¡¯</i>

    ¡°Oh well, placing him back in his red bag, I positioned him next to Meadhbh. The door to the domain moved according to my desires, and if I could visualise it, I simply had to reach in and locate what I sought. Intrigued by what lay in the back room, I opened the door to discover it was filled with weapons and armour, stacked neatly along the walls. While the front room was dusty and decrepit, this back room had been meticulously maintained, and I stood there admiring the weapons.

    As I stepped into the room, it was noticeably cooler, and the pale limestone construction found throughout the rest of the building gave way to grey stone, reminiscent of a subterranean basement. The door slammed shut behind me, and I screamed when a hand clamped onto my shoulder. Turning around, I saw that a Caretaker had been hiding behind the door and had closed it after me. Dressed in a suit of armour, they held a spear in one hand and wore a helmet and chest plate over their white robes.

    <i>¡®Curiosity killed the cat,¡¯ </i>laughed Meadhbh, as the Caretaker¡¯s head tilted sideways, almost as if asking a question.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I simply wanted to see what was back here,¡± I said, panicking as I realised I had intruded into a place I shouldn¡¯t have.

    Nodding, the Caretaker pulled the door open and beckoned me to leave. As I looked around one last time, I realised that the gifts I had received were lacking something important. ¡°Wait, I need a shield. May I borrow one?¡±

    Expecting them to say no, they let the door swing shut before retrieving the shield from where it had been hidden and handing it over to me. Feeling its weight, I was surprised at how light it felt, even though it extended from my shoulders down to my knees. Putting my arms through the straps, I swung it around a little and thanked the Caretaker, who then reopened the door. Returning to the front of the building, the door to the armoury slammed shut again, and I heard something heavy crash against it, but I didn¡¯t attempt to return.

    <i>¡®You¡¯re becoming rather bold; first rejecting their gift and then demanding more. Would you prefer they roll out the red carpet for you next time, perhaps a crown with a jewel large enough to bankrupt a nation?¡¯ </i>

    <i>¡®Oh, shut up,¡¯ </i>I scowled at her as I dragged the chest into my core. She still hadn¡¯t managed to explain what my core was, other than saying it was like a hidden dimension¡ªlike the one she had pulled me into¡ªbut that I could open a door to my own. It had been confusing and something she didn¡¯t have an answer for.

    Gasping, as it was far heavier than I had anticipated, I glanced down at the two crystals resting on the ground and placed them into the chest. If I were heading out to the fields beyond Dublin, I needed supplies, clothing, and everything else for harvesting monsters. I could exchange a few of the crystals for some money that wasn¡¯t linked to the estate, as all my funds flowed through the finance department. But was it worth sacrificing the benefits I could gain from absorbing all the stones before me? Was that why they had been given to me?

    "Given all this, do you think I could create my first Guardian?¡±

    <i>¡®Perhaps.¡¯</i>  she answered coyly as I closed the lid with a faint smile at her reply; it was sufficient for me.

 Chapter 9: Where are the Heroes - Connoréˆ¥æªš story

    As he sifted through the wreckage of his apartment, Connor ensured there were no more monsters hiding nearby and stepped through the wall into his neighbour¡¯s. Utter devastation lay before him, with the remains of at least five wolves and over a dozen goblins scattered about. The broken window permitted the wind to enter, and the cool spring air sent a chill through him, prompting him to zip up his jacket a little higher.

    ¡°Matthew?¡± he called out, hoping to find him as he checked each of the rooms, a mirror image of his own apartment.

    His neighbour¡¯s front door was missing, large pieces of it scattered down the hallway, and occasionally beneath a corpse. Blood had painted the walls, and Connor had to press his hand to his nose, attempting to filter out the foul stench and suppress the urge to vomit. This was nothing like the video games he had played, and he struggled to comprehend that this was real.

    ¡°Kaaagh!¡± he heard from the door and turned to see a bloodied goblin come charging in.

    Freezing for a moment, he found his courage as it raised a rusty blade, scrambling across the ground towards him. Hefting the table leg he had taken as a makeshift weapon, he watched as it drew nearer until he swung at its head. His strike hit perfectly, and Connor observed with a measure of satisfaction as it shot away, through the open window, shrieking as it fell.

    He looked out and saw several dozen more monster remains on the road, but far more humans lay dead around them. Stepping back from the window, he tripped over a wolf¡¯s head, landing on his rear. In fear, he glanced at the dead eyes and noticed a metallic glint beneath it. Returning to his feet, he used his weapon to nudge it slightly and realised there was a sword protruding from its chest.

    Wrapping his hands around the hilt, he drew it out, a sickening sound squelching from the corpse as blood ran down the blade and he tilted it so it didn¡¯t cover his hands. Admiring the blade, he realised it was incredibly sharp, with a peculiar inscription running along the flat side from the hilt to the tip. As he swung it around a few times, he sensed his arms moving as if they had trained with it before, and he smiled to himself, pleased to have a proper weapon. Looking at it again, he blinked several times as the strange writing illuminated, a faint hum emanating from the blade.

    ¡°Thank you, Matthew. I¡¯ll avenge you with this,¡± he said, aware that it might be a bit cringe-inducing, but he wanted to reassure himself that he wasn¡¯t robbing his former neighbour. Checking the last room, which Connor had saved for last, he opened the door to uncover what appeared to be a small armoury.

    ¡°Who were you?¡± he breathed out, glancing at the various blades on the wall and a suit of armour in the corner. Dozens of photographs adorned the wall, seemingly of knights, but Connor chuckled to himself when he realised that Matthew had been into re-enactments or something, as one photo depicted several knights sitting in a fast food restaurant.

    ¡°Connor?¡± he heard Peter calling, and he poked his arm out of the door to indicate his location. ¡°We didn¡¯t hear anything and thought it would be safe to come in. Whoa.¡±

    ¡°I know, right? Look at this.¡± He held up the sword, pointed to the glowing engraving, and handed it to Peter for inspection. Peering closer at the other swords on the wall, he noticed they were different¡ªfake, with dull edges; one even bore a ¡®Made in China¡¯ stamp.

    ¡°Who was this dude?¡± Peter asked, glancing about the concealed armoury.

    Lifting the shield off the wall, it felt heavy in Connor¡¯s hands, and the leather straps on the back were soft and weathered. Slipping his arm through, he took the sword back from Peter, grinning at him as he felt powerful. Four suits of armour adorned the mannequins along the wall to his right, but the one at the end caught his eye. The first three looked amateurish, with thin metal plates, and he recognised some of the men wearing them in the pictures, but this last one was different, a completely different design to the rest.

    ¡°Peter, go check the kitchen and grab anything that might be useful.¡± Peter noticed where Connor¡¯s gaze was directed and understood his thoughts. Hurrying away to complete his task, Connor watched him leave before attempting to undo the clasps on the armour, lifting pieces down and putting them on himself. It was heavy, and some of it didn¡¯t fit over his clothes, so he focused on protecting his chest, forearms, and thighs.

    ¡°There¡¯s no food.¡± Peter returned a few minutes later as Connor tightened the last clamp on his arm. ¡°You look equally ridiculous and dangerous, but yeah, there¡¯s nothing in the kitchen. There¡¯s not just a lack of food, but also no fridge, cooker, or even cutlery.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Connor shook his head in bewilderment, pushing past Peter to see for himself. True to his word, the kitchen was empty; everything had been stripped out and it looked like any other room in the apartment. He had already searched everywhere else and had only glanced in here, not really questioning why the kitchen was as it was. ¡°Who were you?¡± Connor whispered to himself quietly as Peter shrugged his shoulders in the hallway.

    Turning away, Connor decided to let the mystery rest and returned to the armoury, grabbing pieces of the other suits and shoving them into Peter¡¯s hands. He argued that, even though they weren¡¯t fighters like him, they should still wear something protective, as it might save their lives. Grabbing knives and anything else small and dangerous, the duo returned to Connor¡¯s apartment, giving Grace her gear as she began putting it on without question.

    Once dressed, she slipped the baby carrier over her head and tightened the straps before placing Susan in it. Susan seemed to enjoy the attention Grace lavished on her, blowing bubbles with her spit and gazing in wonder at the blue lights emitted from her hands. They exchanged a look of concern, with Grace worried about a blast of fire hitting her face, but there was nothing they could do at that moment.

    Finally ready, Connor led the way out into the corridor through Matthew¡¯s apartment, stepping over a man¡¯s corpse¡ªan unfortunate victim of the wolves¡¯ intrusion. Large claw marks scarred a lift door, while the other was completely missing. Nervously pushing the stairwell door open, Connor peered out, listening for monsters, but there was only silence apart from their breathing. Leaning over the railing, he looked up and down but saw nothing.

    ¡°It¡¯s clear!¡± he heard echoing upwards, darting back in fright before peering over the edge once more and seeing human hands running along the rail, and he sighed in relief.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he urged the others, and they began to follow. Peter carried two large bags filled with food and clothing, while Grace held one containing supplies for Susan. Connor¡¯s back had been hastily packed with anything that resembled a weapon, the hilts of two blunt swords poking out from the top.

    As they checked each floor, Connor was surprised to find no more monsters and wondered why they had targeted his floor. His only guess was that the corpse he had passed might have inadvertently led them there, and from that point, the situation spiralled out of control. It took almost half an hour to make their way down cautiously, ducking into a corridor at the first sign of disturbance, but they only saw the occasional neighbour rushing to make it up the stairs.

    Arriving on the ground floor, Grace stayed on the first floor, waiting for the all-clear and trying to muffle Susan¡¯s crying. Connor peered into the lobby and noticed the glass windows were shattered, with splintered wood scattered everywhere. A few survivors were moving about, which Connor took as a sign of relative safety. Sighing, he continued down to check the underground car park. He froze when he saw the first door dented, with red blood trickling down from the shattered window. It was too small to climb through, so he edged closer.

    Hearing a sniffling sound, he paused and held his breath, as it sounded like a dog but was more than likely a wolf. Inching closer, he held his shield out, hoping to use its mirrored surface to see inside. Peering around the corner, he saw one of those strange pulsing orbs, or whatever it was, floating in the midst of the parked cars. Most of them had been damaged, some flipped over, and he realised how they had gotten into the building.

    Stepping back, time seemed to freeze as the sound of glass crunching filled the stairwell, echoing upwards. Glancing at Peter, who appeared deathly pale, they flinched when a snarling wolf slammed against the metal door, which thankfully held. However, its snapping jaws broke through the small window. Connor swung his sword upwards, slicing the lower part of the wolf¡¯s jaw, causing it to pull back yelping and squealing as a chunk of flesh was torn away by the remaining shards of glass in the frame.

    ¡°FIREBALL!¡± Peter shouted as a ball of fire, the size of Connor¡¯s clenched fist, shot into the garage.

    The sound of something squealing in a high-pitched tone in a panic made Connor realise it had hit something, but his elation was short-lived as a blast of hot air, followed by a loud crump, blew the door off its hinges, slamming it into the wall. Connor had been inches away from being in the way and felt fortunate for stepping back. An intense heat washed over him, forcing the two of them back, and the fire alarm went off, sending water cascading down on top of them.

    ¡°Run!¡± Connor shouted, shoving Peter up the stairs as a singed goblin stumbled into the stairway in a daze.

    Stabbing it through the stomach, Connor turned and ran, taking the stairs two at a time and urging Peter to hurry. Hearing a howl, he turned partway and blocked a wolf¡¯s bite with his shield before falling backwards. He felt something crunch in his pelvis as he grunted in pain, but the adrenaline coursing through his system dulled the pain, and he swung his sword wildly at the wolf. Forcing it back, he got back to his feet and turned to run, swiping backwards and slicing it across the face until he reached the lobby door, just as Grace appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Grace! GET OUT!¡± he shouted, using the door to shield himself from another blow from the wolf with the bloodied face. Pushing her through with Peter, he slammed it shut with a loud boom that echoed through the stairwell.

    Confronting the wolf, he noticed another one trapped behind it, smoke wafting from its singed fur. The odour of the burning, decaying flesh made him feel nauseous, but he fought to suppress the impulse to vomit. The wolf before him lunged once more, and he swung his shield at it, attempting to slash with his sword, but it struck the concrete wall and ricocheted, deflecting the blow.

    Cursing himself for not considering the narrow confines of the stairwell, he shifted closer to the bannister. Jabbing out, the wolf dodged and swiped at him, but he shuffled back, giving it room to climb up to the landing he occupied. Raising his sword this time, he carved down, catching it in the head; however, the damage was minimal, leaving an ugly wound down its snout, which only enraged it.

    Seeing it prepare to jump once more, he steadied himself and shouted, recalling how he had slain his first wolf, thrusting out his shield arm to catch its face. The head exploded in a shower of gore and the rest of the body flew backwards and slid down the wall allowing the second wolf to charge up. Connor fell down and used the shield to keep its head far enough away to avoid its fangs as it snapped at him, but it yelped and pulled away suddenly.

    Clambering to his feet, he saw a brush handle with a knife taped to it protruding from its shoulder, and he spotted another man holding another makeshift spear further up. Yelling to draw the wolf''s attention, it looked up at the other man, and Connor seized the opportunity, jabbing forward and embedding the sword almost to the hilt in its other shoulder. As the corpse fell away, it slid off the blade, nearly dragging him with it, and he stood there panting, nodding his thanks to his saviour. He recognised him from having seen him a few times in passing and was glad for his arrival.

    ¡°That was close,¡± he grinned, ¡°are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± He panted, leaning against the bannister to recover after the surge of magic had exhausted him.

    Nodding farewell, he stumbled into the main lobby where Grace and Peter waited alongside others who watched him emerge. As he crashed to the ground, Peter caught him before he fell, and Connor felt himself being dragged to a corner and leaned against the wall. He noticed a wet spot on his side and realised there was a bloody patch spreading across his stomach.

    ¡°Crap,¡± he whispered, wincing as it became sore to breathe.

    ¡°Heal! Heal!¡± Grace shouted, as though trying to urge her magic to work harder. She dropped to her knees beside him and placed her hands on his injured side. He felt a strange warmth flowing through her hands, and he grunted as it felt like thousands of needles were prickling across the wound. Strength returned to his arms and legs as the pain eventually faded, and he sighed in sweet relief when he felt normal again. Reaching down, he noticed there was still blood on his clothes, but upon finding the hole in his hoodie, he stuck his finger in and probed the site of the wound, feeling no pain at all.

    ¡°You idiot.¡± Grace said, using her wrists to support Susan as her hands were bloody. He realised that a gag had been carefully placed over her mouth as she screamed and he understood why.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright, blame that pyro over there,¡± Connor said as he slowly got to his feet in front of the others who had been observing. ¡°The car park is gone; we¡¯ll need to find somewhere else.¡±

    The small crowd parted as he walked forward, stepping onto the path outside with glass crunching beneath his feet. He looked up and down the road but couldn¡¯t see any monsters, even as the fire alarm continued to blare into the night, adding to the chaotic sounds. Smoke drifted from the entrance of the underground car park, though not as much as he had anticipated. Peter and Grace had followed him, with Grace wiping her hands and attempting to use the water from the sprinklers to wash his blood from her hands.

    ¡°Peter, how far is it to your work? It¡¯s a distribution centre, isn¡¯t it?¡± Connor asked, looking in what he thought was the right direction.

    ¡°About a fifteen-minute walk, usually,¡± he said, pointing in the opposite direction. Connor turned around, realising they would need to pass close to the strange light sphere he had seen from his kitchen.

    ¡°Great, simply great.¡± He sighed, adjusting his grip on the sword. He examined his shield and was pleased to find it in perfect condition, without a single scratch or dent. He contemplated who might have crafted it, as he had anticipated it to be a flimsy piece of metal, yet it was remarkably sturdy, and he was grateful to have discovered it.

    Setting off, they cautiously made their way down the road, following Peter¡¯s directions. Chaos reigned as looters ransacked shops and mobs roamed the streets, hunting for monsters. They took refuge inside a restaurant when several goblins came charging up the street, pursued by a mob, and as they passed, Connor was taken aback.

    Amidst the group, they spotted police officers, teenagers, and some elderly individuals who surprisingly moved with a spring in their step, along with a reverend. It was an eye-opening mix as they pursued the monsters wielding crude weapons, some firing magic from time to time. Glancing at the other two, Connor simply shrugged his shoulders, uncertain of what to say about it.

    Setting off again, they made their way down until they finally reached their destination. Checking his phone, Connor realised it had taken almost three hours for them to get this far, and his heart sank when he looked over the wall they were hiding behind. Surveying the compound, they weren¡¯t the first to arrive, but were dismayed to see the strange ball of light in the middle of the yard.

    As they trudged about, several goblins poked at anything that piqued their interest, including the corpses of both humans and monsters. He grimaced upon witnessing one take a bite. It was a grim sight, and he wished to finish up as soon as possible. Following Peter¡¯s last attempt at assistance, he preferred that Peter refrain from using his magic anywhere near the vehicles, which appeared to be relatively intact, yet he would need to get closer to confirm.

    Grace suddenly placed her hands on his arm, and Connor felt a surge of energy coursing through his body, the heaviness in his arms dissipating. ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯m afraid; I don¡¯t have much left in me,¡± she said as Connor noticed her sagging from the effort. They had realised that magic wasn¡¯t infinite, and he would need to be cautious from this point on.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he grinned, ¡°You two stay here. If I¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say it.¡± She growled. ¡°I swear to god I will find a way to revive you and then have Peter immolate you.¡± The two of them flinched and looked at each other, scared of her threat.

    ¡°Ok, keep Susan safe.¡±

    They were still soaking wet from the sprinklers at home, but they had found a moment to at least get Susan into some dry clothes and to change out the bib that was muffling her cries. Their hand had been forced, but Connor promised himself that it was only temporary; once they were on the road, he could take it off again.

    Counting to three in his head, he leapt over the wall and shouted a war cry at the goblins, drawing their attention. They were spread out, which Connor was glad for, as it meant he could face them in smaller groups. He had dispatched a few on the streets but wasn¡¯t entirely confident in his skills yet.

    ¡°Come on, you vermin,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°You¡¯re usually the training monsters.¡±

    Charging forward, he drove his sword into the stomach of the first foe before bashing his shield into the face of another. Blood exploded from its nose and mouth, along with a few teeth as it flew backwards. Using his foot to kick the first goblin off his sword, he hacked at the third one approaching him, slicing it from shoulder to stomach.

    His arms seemed to move of their own accord at times as he fought the creatures, hacking and slashing his way through them. Once or twice, he felt one of them land a lucky blow, but his new armour easily deflected the hit, and he used his armoured limbs as blunt weapons, kicking or swiping them away. Stalking up to the remaining one that tried to crawl away, he drove his sword through its back as it screeched and died.

    He stood for a few seconds, panting heavily, listening for any more enemies while counting the bodies of his kills. Pleased that he had taken down all those he had seen, he jogged back to the others and assisted them in climbing over the fence. Carefully making his way back, he entered the main office in front of Peter and drew his knife, recalling his lesson on fighting in the stairwell. Hearing giggles and screeches, a goblin leapt over a counter in the lobby, but to his surprise, he caught it and drove his knife into its stomach, astonishing the two of them with his reaction speed.

    ¡°Guess that¡¯s magic for you," Peter grinned. ¡°It¡¯s rather like a game. Who do you think did this? The Russians, the Chinese, or the Americans?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Connor said, wiping sweat from his forehead with some paper towels he¡¯d discovered. ¡°You reckon humans could do something like this? Has to be aliens.¡±

    ¡°Boys! Enough talking, get back to finding those damn keys.¡± Grace hissed as she followed them inside.

    ¡°Over here, Karl usually kept them,¡± Peter said, beckoning them towards an office before pausing in the doorway and turning away, his face turning green.

    Connor pushed past him and saw a man lying dead on the floor, with several sharp blades jutting from his back. In the corner lay a goblin corpse, charred and still smouldering faintly, and Connor thought it looked as though it had been electrocuted since the office hadn¡¯t caught fire. He guessed it was magic and stepped around, discovering a bundle of keys in a puddle of blood next to him.

    Seeing a jacket on a stand in the corner, he used it to clean the keys somewhat and exited the office to find the other two peering out of the windows for more monsters. Jingling the keys, Peter approached and began rummaging through them, discarding several. Connor had merely grabbed everything, even those that resembled building keys, opting to take all of them just in case.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Peter said, holding up one set. ¡°It just came back from the garage yesterday,¡± he explained, clicking the button. Several spaces down, one of the van¡¯s lights illuminated as the doors unlocked, and Connor felt relieved.

    Rushing down, he climbed into the driver¡¯s seat and started the engine, wincing at the van''s loud noise. He slammed it into first gear and took off. The gate was unlocked, but as he slowed to nudge it open, he spotted a wolf running down the street towards them and sped up. Shouting while bracing himself, he crashed through it; the gate swung around and swatted the wolf away, but he kept driving.

    ¡°What¡¯s the quickest way to the airport?¡± he asked Peter, who was in the back.

    ¡°Follow this route, take a right at the shopping centre, and the motorway is just there,¡± he shouted from the back as Connor swerved around cars, trying to go as fast as possible. Weaving in and out, they passed a few other vehicles, including a truck that had been converted into a monstrous battering ram, blasting loud music, metal spikes dripping with blood.

    ¡°It really is the end of the world,¡± Grace commented, looking out the window as they drove past.

 Chapter 10: All That Glitters

    Rushing into the station later than I had planned, I dragged my suitcase behind me, my armour and weapons locked inside my travel rack. I had packed my entire wardrobe into my core, along with every other essential I could think of, but I carried most of the items needed for the trip with me now to avoid raising Mum¡¯s suspicion. I had visited her last night to prove I was ready for the journey, and that Meadhbh¡¯s training was actually working, even though I had cheated and consumed fifty million pounds'' worth of mana stones over the last month.

    I had wanted to cry when I counted out my horde, but Meadhbh had been more than insistent that I use them as they had been intended when given to me. Everything had been of low or mid-grade quality, but before absorbing each one, I had taken the time to learn to identify each of the beasts by how they felt and sounded. A part of me felt apologetic as I absorbed their life force to fuel my growth, but according to her, they were little more than imprints of a deceased being.

    ¡°Sadie,¡± Mum greeted me as the clattering of my armour rack¡¯s wheels faded away on the tiled floor of the station. ¡°This is Ashley; you remember her, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied neutrally, attempting not to sound hostile, ¡®unfortunately.¡¯ I grumbled towards Meadhbh.

    Her hazel eyes twitched beneath the brim of her ridiculously large hat, her mouth puckered as if she had sucked on a fresh lemon. Her blonde hair was braided and hung down over her shoulders, and if it weren¡¯t for her attitude, I might even consider her cute; however, it seemed our mutual dislike for one another was palpable. She carried a worryingly small bag in her left hand, and in the other, she held her staff. A low-grade stone was embedded in the wood at one end, but unfortunately, there were no bristles on the other to complete her witch costume. The only positive I could see while looking at her was the good pair of hiking boots peeking out from beneath her robe, but they looked far too new, suggesting she had never broken them in.

    ¡°Is this her?¡± she asked sourly, glancing up at Mum before turning to head towards the platform where our train awaited. ¡°We should go before she spoils the trip and we miss the train.¡± As she walked away, I couldn¡¯t help but raise my middle finger to her back with a horrible expression until Mum slapped it down.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she growled.

    ¡°But Moooom,¡± I whined and pouted like a spoiled child, ¡°she deserves it.¡±

    ¡°I want her to come home alive and as uninjured as possible,¡± she hissed, dragging me after her.

    ¡®I¡¯ll try, possibly,¡¯ I grumbled to Meadhbh. ¡®She said to be as uninjured as possible, which still leaves open the chance for a goblin to nibble at her toes; she can survive with nine or even two.¡¯ I laughed wickedly at her.

    ¡®Don¡¯t push your luck,¡¯ Meadhbh¡¯s scathing response made me pause mid-step.

    ¡®Fine, but she¡¯ll have to part with the golden sparkly artefact she always insists on wearing. She¡¯s like you, a golden beacon of light.¡¯

    ¡®A golden beacon? She gives off that aura to you?¡¯ An excitement in her voice made me furrow my brow, but I didn¡¯t reply as Ashley turned around to give me a withering stare and waved for us to hurry up.

    Mum had booked us into a first-class cabin, which was, unfortunately, at the far end of the train. After leaving our luggage with an attendant, we had to walk the length of the train to reach it. Looking through the windows, I could see that the rest of the seats in economy were completely filled, and I was glad we got to avoid sitting with them. Along the bottom of the carriages, runes of strength and protection had been applied near the wheels, and a worker was using a hose to wash away the remains of some creature that had tried to attack the train on its last journey.

    ¡®I¡¯m no dwergii runesmith, but even I can tell that these are poor-quality runes. They¡¯re sloppy and haphazard; that section doesn¡¯t even make sense.¡¯ Meadhbh projected from her spot buried at the bottom of my bag, allowing her to observe more freely.

    ¡®Dwergii? What on earth is that?¡¯

    ¡®Fantastic rune and weapon smiths. They are quite a small species, which they are self-conscious about. If you have the funds, anything they create, even from a young adept, is highly prized and sought after, though few enclaves remain; however, that may have changed since we last saw them.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, you mean dwarfs?¡¯ I called out, realising what she was describing.

    ¡®Don¡¯t call them that, or you will be inviting ruin upon yourself. Besides, I have a feeling that our dear friend Rylock is a Dwerga. They are a proud people and he may not wish to interact in his current form, but if I¡¯m right, he could become invaluable to you if you can win him over.¡¯

    ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll try not to annoy the short-tempered people.¡¯ I snickered to myself as Meadhbh yelled at me upon my entry to the cabin, where I found Ashley had already claimed two seats: one for herself and one for her hat.

    Mum had just been ahead of me, but while I was distracted and talking with Meadhbh, it seemed she had vanished, no doubt off to find the dining car and get herself a drink for the journey. Standing in the doorway, I hesitated and wondered if I should go join her, but I sat down in the empty window seat, too lazy to continue. With my head turned to face out of the window, I noticed her glancing over at me before returning to look out again, but I simply ignored her.

    The two of us would venture out alone while Mum stayed behind in the hotel, waiting for our return. The immediate vicinity beyond the walls was quite safe, as the Irish hunters and other mercenaries patrolled the area, clearing away anything more dangerous than goblins and wolves. With Dublin as the only inhabited city remaining on the island, there was significant profit in selling permits to guilds and hunter teams for exploring the vast open landscape.

    ¡°So what can you do for me then?¡± she finally spoke, breaking the silence as the train started moving. ¡°Am I going to have to carry you along and keep you safe?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything for you, and I don¡¯t expect you to carry me. We will need to work together to take down whatever monsters we encounter. Sure, you¡¯ll have to deal with most of the damage, but after that, I can extract the stones for us to sell, and perhaps anything else that might be valuable.¡± I replied sourly, glaring at her.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t get in my way then,¡± she said, turning her nose up at me and looking out of the window again as we left the station.

    ¡°Look, what¡¯s your problem with me? You¡¯ve always displayed this sour attitude while pretending to be nice in front of others. Is it because of my ridiculous rank or something?"

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    I had always had a sore spot due to my lack of strength and the stigma that accompanied it. Treated little more than as a precious thing to be protected, I struck gold when I became close with Josie and joined Trevor¡¯s team. They didn¡¯t really mind once I proved I wasn¡¯t deadweight to them and actually had a place within the team.

    "Yes, you¡¯re just F-tier trash who let your team down, yet you dare show your face around Madam Whitta¡­." I never allowed her the chance to finish that sentence as I leapt across from my seat and punched her in the face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever dare to speak about my friends or Mum like that again, or I won¡¯t settle for just a single punch,¡± I growled menacingly at her and sat down, kicking off my shoes and putting my feet up on the other seat.

    ¡®Incompetent child, how dare she say such things.¡¯ There was a surprising amount of venom in her words that matched my feelings, and I closed my eyes, wanting to focus on my music instead of looking at her. From the corner of my eye, I noticed she remained where I had left her for a few moments before she hid her face under the brim of her hat. I felt as though I had hit her harder than I intended, unaccustomed to the increase in strength I had gained under Meadhbh¡¯s training.

    The rest of the trip passed without incident, with Mum returning midway after having lunch with a friend she had met in the dining car. Ashley remained quiet and briefly disappeared to apply some makeup to cover the mark on her cheek from my fist, but thankfully, she didn¡¯t say anything to Mum. When she came back, I had cozied up to her, smirking at Ashley, who sat across the way, chewing the inside of her cheek, unable to say anything. Meadhbh had calmed down from her earlier vehemence and turned on me, calling me childish, but I did my best to ignore her.

    Arriving in Dublin by ferry, I left the other two to do their own shopping and made my way directly to the hotel where we were booked. Mum would stay behind for the week we were away, on standby in case we returned early or if I requested an emergency extraction for us. Roaming patrols policed the area, ensuring that none of the higher-tier monsters strayed too close while leaving the weaker ones for those who wouldn¡¯t venture far.

    As I donned the armour I had been gifted, I made my way down to the training gym located in the basement of the hotel, specially constructed for those preparing to venture beyond the walls. Dublin¡¯s primary industry now centred around the guilds and teams setting out, with tens of thousands paying for the licence to hunt in the areas beyond. A dozen others occupied the exercise machines while some sparred in the rings, watched by referees and teammates. Seeking solitude, I entered a small private gym at the back, and stepped inside, savouring the tranquillity.

    Exhausted after the long journey, I started by warming up on the treadmill, setting it to a brisk pace while carrying my shield, switching it from one arm to the other to distribute the effort. Watching from the bag I had left on the bench, Meadhbh would randomly call out directions for me to turn and defend myself against invisible foes. The shield was enormous for me, but surprisingly lighter than those crafted by human blacksmiths, made of an unknown material of which even she didn¡¯t know the precise origin.

    ¡®She¡¯s here,¡¯ Meadhbh said, startling me as I nearly toppled to the floor while I tried to discern whom she was referring to, pondering if it was Freya, as my thoughts had been on her.

    I glanced at the door as it unlocked, and I watched Ashley step inside. Since our cards were under the same suite, it wasn¡¯t a huge surprise that she could do this, but I was annoyed by her intrusion. ¡®Do you think she¡¯s here to get revenge for what happened on the train?¡¯ I did my best to avoid looking at Meadhbh as I glared at Ashley, adjusting my grip on the shield in case she launched an attack.

    She had changed her clothes, but beneath the absurd robe and hat she still wore, I could see some light armour protecting her vital points and a small dagger hanging from her waist. ¡°Madame Whittaker suggested that I join you for a few hours, so we could work on our teamwork.¡±

    I wanted to argue, but she was right. Our training should have started the day I got roped into this ordeal; instead, I had focused on building my strength as much as possible. Seeing her eyeing my sword cautiously, I sighed and slid it into my scabbard as I watched her release the tension in her shoulders and lower her staff slightly. Turning off the treadmill, I walked across to my bag while she eyed me suspiciously. I placed my sword and shield on the table, disarming myself.

    ¡°It¡¯s no secret that we don¡¯t like each other, but I need to know this: will you be able to follow my orders? You must stand behind me, and I can¡¯t watch to ensure that you are ready.¡± I tried to remain calm while looking at her standing there, glaring at me.

    ¡°Why should-¡±

    I didn¡¯t allow her to finish as I slammed my fist down on the table in frustration and turned away to gather my things to return to my room. ¡°We¡¯re done here. I¡¯ll tell Mum to find someone else to take you.¡±

    I was disappointed; I had hoped to extend an olive branch after the incident on the train. Neither of us was justified, but I was willing to apologise if she would as well. Meadhbh yelled at me, and I spun around with my shield, feeling an impact and looking down to see rock fragments patter to the floor. Enraged, I rushed towards her, shield raised, and used it to batter her staff aside before grabbing her by the cloak as she looked at me, wide-eyed and in shock.

    ¡°That¡¯s the only free shot you¡¯ll ever get on me,¡± I hissed, my face inches from hers. She struggled in my grasp but was unable to push me away as I breathed heavily, adrenaline pumping through my body. I was surprised by my own strength and released her, watching as she collapsed heavily to her knees. Reaching down, she flinched, but I picked up her staff and walked back to the table, throwing it down next to my sword.

    ¡°Why are you so strong? You were meant to be some weakling.¡± I heard her sob as I turned to watch her pick herself up. The golden aura surrounding her had grown brighter, yet I felt something else¡ªan urge to embrace her.

    ¡°Appearances can be deceiving,¡± I growled, trying to suppress whatever sympathy was clawing its way out of me. ¡°Did you think that if I were weak, you could push me around? Grind me under your heel? Beg for your protection beyond the wall?¡±

    Grabbing her staff and my belongings, I strode back across the room to her and shoved it roughly against her chest as she stumbled, reaching up to catch it when I released it. ¡°You are sorely mistaken if you think I am anything like what you believed I was. I watched my friends die right before my very eyes, powerless as the poison coursed through my body. If we were to go out like this, I would follow, but only to drag your cold, lifeless corpse back and claim it was your own damn fault.¡±

    As I swiped my access card at the door, I felt her hand grip my shoulder, causing me to pause with my hand on the doorknob. ¡°Please don¡¯t go, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I heard her whimper.

    Sighing, I released the door and turned to look at the top of her hat as she stared down at the floor, her face concealed beneath the rim. Meadhbh had remained silent since her warning about the attack, no doubt wishing to let us resolve this ourselves. ¡°You attacked me without reason; why should we spend a week together?¡±

    ¡°You hit me earlier!¡± she shouted, looking up and pointing to her cheek.

    ¡°For good reason! You called me F-trash and insulted Mum! You¡¯re lucky I only struck you once. Then, when I refused to help because you didn¡¯t drop that attitude, you attacked me. Those are two very different situations. So, again, why should I assist you?¡± I raised my voice, offended that she still believed she was in the right.

    Turning around, I swiped my card once more, prepared to leave. ¡°I promise to do everything you ask of me; please don¡¯t go, or I will be expelled from the Academy. I need this.¡± Clenching my fists, I felt my knuckles crack as I lowered my head.

    ¡®Meadhbh, what should I do? I¡¯m not sure if I can trust her. Hell, I don¡¯t even know if I can trust myself. Am I truly ready to fight again?¡¯ I kept my back to the door, eyes closed as I reached out to her.

    ¡®Go with her. I can tell she is sincere in what she is saying. You¡¯re not used to it yet, but I can read her flow, and she¡¯s not lying. I also believe you will gain more from this trip than you realise, perhaps even your first Guardian.¡¯

    Listening to her, I let out a sigh and allowed my bag to slip from my shoulder as I turned and side-stepped Ashley, who had stayed where she was, staring at me with red, bloodshot eyes. Sniffling back a sob, she followed me quietly, all of her previous aggression and defiance vanished. ¡°Fine.¡±

 Chapter 11: Beyond the Wall

    Having reluctantly accepted her apology, I showed her the maps of the route I had planned for us, along with the sector that had been reserved for us. After outlining my plan, I handed over her copy and then watched as she demonstrated her abilities against some holographic enemies. Comparing her to Mum, her abilities were below average, but it was an unfair comparison, as Mum had thirty years of experience and had also been learning before much of the knowledge surrounding magic had been discovered.

    As we retired for the evening, dinner was a muted affair, with Mum casting us odd glances since we didn¡¯t speak much. However, some of the ice had begun to thaw, and I no longer tried to antagonise her. There had been an awkward moment when Mum inspected the armour Freya had gifted me, but I claimed it was from Meadhbh. Lying through my teeth, I believe I just about got away with it, though I would need to introduce the two of them soon. Although I was getting stronger, my current growth, while unexpected, was within reasonable bounds; as the Heir, I would supposedly become godlike compared to others.

    A problem for another day; sleep didn¡¯t come easily to me, and I spent a few more hours in Meadhbh¡¯s core, doing drills. The monotony of following Meadhbh¡¯s commands helped to distract me from Ashley, her tear-streaked face haunting my mind. There was something about her that irritated me, from the golden aura she exuded, to Meadhbh¡¯s insistence that we go on this trip no matter what. She refused to explain why, but it was too late to back out now.

    After a hearty breakfast, the three of us travelled to the northern citadel, one of the three installations that defended the gates to the wilderness beyond. Similar to passing through security and border control to the Isle, our gear was visually inspected, and we underwent a quick physical assessment. Too many individuals ventured out without adequate planning, resulting in either requiring rescue or vanishing without a trace. Thousands of rifts remained uncleared, unleashing the monsters within and disappearing soon after, which left roaming hordes that large guilds and mercenary companies sought to hunt down for profit.

    Standing at the window of the observation deck beyond the checkpoint, I could see the old airport nearby, the tails of a few surviving planes poking above the trees that had reclaimed the former site. Below, the lower portion of the fortress jutted out, bustling with activity. Hearing our assigned entry group being announced, I hugged Mum goodbye and led Ashley to the elevator that would descend to the outside. I estimated around two hundred others were descending alongside us; two large groups comprised most of the personnel, but there were also some smaller teams like ours. I waved to one of my former instructors, who had a gaggle of students with her, nervously looking about.

    Spinning Ashley around, she let out a yelp of protest, but quietened down when I tugged on the straps of her bag, ensuring she had everything. It was too late if she had forgotten anything, but I¡¯d rather know now than later when we needed it. I discovered her knife tucked into a side pocket and instructed her to strap it to her leg, keeping it within easy reach.

    As the elevator entered the centre of the wall, it descended into a vast hangar where sirens wailed and lights flashed. I have always loved this part, watching the various vehicles and land crawlers that had been inspected and were prepared to depart, their engines rumbling as the crew hurried to finish their preparations. The outer door started to rumble open, sunlight pouring into the dark hangar, while the inner door rumbled as interlocking clamps secured it, safeguarding the city within.

    The heavy elevator shook as it reached the bottom, and the guard rails folded out, allowing us to walk towards the open air outside. Holding Ashley¡¯s hand, I didn¡¯t want us to be separated, so I led her towards our final stop before we were free. Registering us outside, I placed the emergency transceiver in my bag and took Ashley towards the trails that led to the patrolled inner regions. Dirt paths carved through the forests from repeated use; Mum had taken me this way many times with a prot¨¦g¨¦, so I knew it well.

    After an hour of following the trail, I raised my hand as Ashley bumped into me, hearing the snivelling sounds of goblins nearby. Any protest she might have had for my sudden stop faded as she began to hear them too. We dropped our bags against a tree, and I held my shield in front of us as we steered off the trail into the trees, moving towards the cries. Pausing again, we hid behind a tree while I watched the goblins feasting on a deer that had been caught in a trap, tearing chunks of meat off with their sharp teeth.

    ¡°Three, take the left one and stay behind.¡± Short and curt orders; I would have preferred to project them, but now was not the time to explain if she suddenly heard my voice in her head.

    Emerging from behind the tree, I winced as I stepped on a branch that snapped under my weight, causing the goblins to look in our direction and growl. I planted my feet as one of them howled, and they charged at us, giggling maddeningly while brandishing their crude, rusty blades. A fist-sized rock flew by my left side, striking its intended target and crumpling under the blow. The middle goblin leapt at me, but I used my shield as a club, swatting it away and following up with my sword, slicing the one on the right in the stomach.

    In my first experience using my strength in combat, I was astonished to see the foe I struck with my shield bounce away, while my sword left a deep cut in its victim, killing it instantly. Rushing towards the creature I had batted away as it dizzily tried to climb to its feet, I plunged my sword into its back, pinning it to the ground as it howled with its dying breath. Extracting my sword, I moved to stand beside Ashley, who was gazing at the trio of lifeless monsters.

    ¡°Don¡¯t concentrate on those who are dead; goblins prefer to travel in packs, so you must ensure there aren¡¯t any more.¡±

    Nodding, she turned around and pressed her back against me as I listened for any others that might make an appearance. Listening to the occasional bird call and the breeze rustling the trees, I felt content after a few minutes, convinced that there were no more, and I approached the goblins with my knife. Extracting the mana stones, she squealed as I wiped the blood off and placed them into the collection bag after holding one up for her to inspect. I could hear their whimpering as they undoubtedly looked at me from within the mana stone, but I did my best to ignore it as I continued with my work.

    ¡°You did well,¡± I told her as we made our way back to the path where we had left our bags.

    Smiling weakly at the praise I had given, her attitude lifted slightly, and we continued on our trek. As we passed abandoned buildings with vegetation growing from them, we paused to ensure they were empty before moving on. Meadhbh insisted it was pointless, as she was monitoring our surroundings, but I aimed to teach Ashley how to survive, not simply provide her with a free ride. Our conversation was minimal, focused solely on our environment, teaching her what I could as Meadhbh in turn taught me.

    ¡®You¡¯ve got three goblin wolf riders charging at you from the front,¡¯ Meadhbh suddenly called out.

    I had allowed Ashley to take the lead while I observed. Reaching forward, I placed my hand over her mouth as she shouted into it, pulling us into a gap between two buildings. Dragging her down the side, I spotted an open door and held my finger to my lips as she glared at me, searching for answers. A wolf howl made her flinch and a gasp escaped her lips as she glanced towards the dirty, broken glass of the shopfront, where we saw three wolves sniffing the ground.

    ¡®You can do it, Sadie; your armour is tougher than their claws.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t respond to her comment, as I felt my legs grow heavy and my sword tremble as I looked at the wolves, recalling my back being torn open. Trying to control my breathing, one of the wolves was creeping closer to the small bakery where we were hiding, and I attempted to devise a solution to our predicament. With Ashley¡¯s help, I quietly slipped off my bag and watched as the wolf drew nearer to the glass until I was certain that the darkness from being inside would no longer conceal us.

    Raising my mana, I felt my armour lighten as if it weighed almost nothing, and I pushed off like a sprinter who heard the starter pistol. The wolf¡¯s head shot up upon hearing me, opening its mouth to snarl, but I jumped through the broken glass window, holding my sword out as I flew past it. Diving into a roll amidst a shower of glass shards, I looked back and saw a large rock smash through another pane of glass, sending the goblin flying off the harness. The wolf lay on its side howling in pain, and I turned my attention to the other two.

    Standing on the street, the other two wolves and their riders glared at me, poised to pounce, and I regretted my decision to leave the safety of the building. Flicking the blood from my sword, the wolf on my left lunged at me, and I blocked it with my shield, its claws jutting over the rim as I fell back under its weight. Bringing my knee up, I caught it in the side, buying me enough time to locate my knife, but I struggled to draw it while its head hovered inches above my own. A rock flew towards the goblin, which dodged it easily, but both were momentarily distracted, allowing me to drive both feet into its stomach and kick it off.

    As I tried to pick myself up, the other wolf lunged at me, and I rolled over a dozen times away from where I had been. Winded, I attempted to get to my feet while forcing air back into my lungs, as the wolf glared at me menacingly. I couldn¡¯t see my sword, and my knife was also missing, so I raised my armoured fists. Roaring as we charged at each other, I drew in whatever mana I could and directed it into my hand as the armour illuminated with golden lines, and I punched it in the head. There was a satisfying crunch as the head snapped sideways and blood exploded onto my fist, causing the wolf to tumble to the ground. The goblin was half pinned beneath the corpse, so I ran over and stamped on its chest with all my might, collapsing it as it gave up it''s struggle to escape, staring blankly up at the clouds above us.

    Ashley¡¯s scream made me turn to see the last wolf leap into the bakery, attempting to get to her. Running to save her, I picked up my sword as I passed by and jumped through the window behind it, driving my sword up to the hilt in its back. The goblin on its back chattered in its foul tongue, brandishing its knife at me, but I was too far from its reach atop the saddle. Dodging a swing as I stepped in close, I grabbed its arm and swung it onto the floor like a club, once, twice, and three times before it fell silent.

    The sound of shattered glass outside the window made me spin around, positioning myself between a terrified Ashley and the first wolf. I had severed one of its legs, and now it was attempting to stand, but as it slipped, it fell onto a shard of glass that embedded itself deep into the bottom of its throat. The last of its strength fading, it finally died with a soft whimper. Breathing heavily, I sank to my knees, my body growing weak as the threat receded and the adrenaline burned away.

    ¡°Is it over?¡± I heard Ashley ask as she emerged from behind the counter where she had been hiding.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answered weakly.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡± she gasped as I looked down at myself.

    ¡°Where? I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s mine.¡± I said in resignation.

    ¡°Your face.¡±

    Surprised, I picked up a shard of glass and realised that my face had been grazed when I tumbled, and my right cheek was bleeding. As I moved my cheek, I winced; becoming aware of it suddenly intensified the pain. Undoing the clasps of my gloves, I pulled them off to try and remove some of the small pieces of gravel that clung to it.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    She slapped my hand away, retrieved a medical kit from her pack, and I knelt down while she attended to my face. The closeness surprised me as our eyes met a few times, and I closed mine so she could concentrate on the task. Grimacing, I tried to avoid flinching as she cleaned the wound and sprayed antiseptic on it.

    ¡°You should be fine if you get a healing mage when we return; just don¡¯t touch it until then.¡± Standing up, there seemed to be a slight tone of disapproval in her voice, and I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her that it wouldn¡¯t work.

    ¡®You did well, but you acted recklessly. Collect the stones and move on; it would be wise to leave this area before more arrive.¡¯

    Picking myself up from the ground, I began the grim task of gathering the stones as she had instructed, while Ashley kept watch for anything else that might come. She didn¡¯t discuss the fight, but I could tell she had been unsettled by it, nervously fidgeting with her staff and glancing around. The fight had shaken me as well, but the armour I had been gifted felt more like a weapon as I replayed the incident in my mind. Michael had never been able to kill a wolf alone, yet I had fought three and triumphed, although I had been lucky with the last one that had died. Channeling mana back into my hand, I observed the golden lines reappear for a moment, until I exhausted myself and released it. No, definitely not normal, I thought to myself.

    The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully, with three more small groups of goblins roaming through the lands that nature was reclaiming along with a lone wolf. I allowed Ashley to tackle the wolf, observing as her first three missiles missed it completely, forcing me to shove it back with my shield so she could finally land a blow. I could tell that the missile she had fired at me last night was merely a pebble, which would¡¯ve only bruised me, whereas these fist-sized rocks could break bones and crush ribs if they landed.

    It was high tide when we arrived at the outcropping I had planned for us to visit, and I looked over the edge to check that the cave wasn¡¯t flooded before attempting to climb down. There was an easier way to get down at the far end of the beach, but I didn¡¯t fancy going all the way around and instead slowly climbed down the small rock face. Huffing from the added weight of my armour, we nearly made it down safely, as I had to catch Ashley when she slipped at the last moment, falling into my waiting arms and blushing a deep red as I laughed.

    ¡°Home for a week,¡± I smiled as we gazed at the heavy metal grate, rusted and guarding the entrance. Taking out the key, I unlocked it, pleased that it glided smoothly along the hidden rail into its housing. Venturing in first with a torch, I checked that someone, or something, had intruded since our last visit. The bug-repellent device was working nicely, so I turned it down just enough to avoid getting a headache.

    ¡°What is this place? I thought you said we were staying in a cave?¡± Ashley asked, stepping inside and running her hands over the smooth stone. ¡°This isn¡¯t natural.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± I grinned, ¡°Mum created this entire outcropping years ago, long before I was born. If you check older maps, you¡¯ll see that none of this exists. This is the first time I¡¯ve been here without her and whichever student she was mentoring. There are three spots for tents, a fire pit here, and another further in if there¡¯s a storm blowing.¡±

    As she looked around the cave with her torch, she appeared impressed, and if she had any complaints, they would be directed at Mum. The tent placements I had indicated were merely smooth platforms, but they made a significant difference as you could sleep on a level surface without anything poking you in the middle of the night. Opening my bag, I began pulling everything out, attempting to reach the dummy tent I had packed at the bottom. It was a cheap one, intended to deceive others, while a much better one lay hidden in my core, waiting.

    Watching for the moment she sat down to gaze at the sea, I quickly shoved the dummy tent inside and pulled out the larger, better one, beginning to set it up by snapping the poles together. Growing increasingly frustrated, I abandoned my armour and changed into lighter clothes to move more freely while establishing the campsite. It was peaceful here, except when monsters stumbled by, and I kept my sword close at hand, just in case.

    After walking all day, I took a few moments to lie down and heard a polite cough. I saw her standing expectantly at the entrance to the tent, holding her sleeping bag. ¡°Umm¡­¡± she said sheepishly as my eyes narrowed.

    ¡°If I hear a single complaint about me, you¡¯ll be sleeping outside the tent. Is that clear?¡± I growled, shifting my sleeping bag to make space for hers inside the tent next to me.

    ¡®It could be worse,¡¯ Meadhbh remarked, ¡®you could both be sleeping in the tiny one you initially had.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t you start; she¡¯s lucky she¡¯s cute, but I¡¯m thankful I actually packed the food along with the extra supplies I¡¯ve stashed away. We¡¯ll be sleeping in shifts anyway, as someone needs to keep watch and tend the fire.¡¯ I grumbled as I climbed out, my break over, and I needed to begin preparing dinner.

    ¡®I can keep watch; you need your sleep, particularly after today.¡¯

    ¡®No, because then we¡¯d need to reveal your presence, and that would open a whole other can of worms. Never mind that, I have two wolf corpses hidden away, and I want to attempt creating a Guardian once she¡¯s gone to sleep. I finally have the materials and the stones to do it, before the corpses start rotting and stinking the place out.¡¯ I was excited to finally try it for real, recalling how amazing she had been in my apartment.

    Dinner turned out to be a subdued affair, as all the food I had brought needed to be mixed with boiling water. It could only be described as slop, but at least it was warm and filling. I noticed that Ashley had grown much quieter as night fell, nervously glancing at the sounds of the waves crashing against the beach. Around nine o¡¯clock, she was yawning heavily while watching a show on her phone, as I sat there cleaning my armour of the blood and dirt from the earlier fights.

    ¡°You should go to sleep,¡± I said, as her head shot up to look at me. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you at two or three so I can manage a few hours myself.¡±

    Watching her slowly head into the tent, I felt a twinge of unease at the flicker of distrust in her eyes, but dismissed it as I added more wood to the fire to continue cleaning. I placed the bag containing Meadhbh¡¯s crystal in a raised position so that I wouldn¡¯t have to crane my neck awkwardly while we chatted about earlier. As I fiddled with different parts of my armour, I noticed that each piece illuminated when infused with mana, and it struck me that it resembled how Meadhbh appeared.

    ¡®Is this made from the same material as you were?¡¯

    ¡®Unlikely. F?r is in no physical condition to craft Guardians since his fall. His body clings to life by the barest of threads, maintained in stasis. While I do not know the origin of the maker, I recognise the alloy, native to a world long lost to the host¡ªF?r¡¯s home. It is an incredible gift, a treasure more valuable than you can comprehend at present. You might see it as his acknowledgement of your position.¡¯ Listening to her, I looked down at the armour sadly, feeling the crushing weight of expectation placed upon me.

    Glancing at the tent, I could hear Ashley''s slow, steady breathing inside, and her sleeping bag no longer rustled as she tried to get comfortable. Checking my watch, I realised it had been two hours since she went to bed¡ªmore than enough time. I stood up and stretched with a slight groan. ¡®It¡¯s time; I want to try and make my first Guardian.¡¯

    Fishing out one of the smaller goblin stones I had collected today, the bag jingled with the two dozen stones I had gathered. I could hear the devilish chittering that whispered to me as I held it in my hand. As I looked at it, a dark thought crossed my mind.

    ¡®Can we form mana stones?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, but not here. Do you wish to create Gaeian Guardians?¡¯ Her voice was serious and cautious.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s just that I wondered why I had never seen a human create a mana stone before, or any other animals; it has always been monsters from the rifts.¡¯

    ¡®There are some who may have the correct answer to this, but I have rarely, if ever, seen a mana stone drop from a being on the world of its origin. While there have been exceptions, they are incredibly rare, and I do not know the reasoning behind it. However, yes, you Gaeians can drop mana stones. I have witnessed it.¡¯

    ¡®Have you ever killed a Gaeian?¡¯ I asked with trepidation, glancing at the bag she was hidden in.

    ¡®The answer is yes to both your questions, including the one you thought of but didn¡¯t ask. Rifts form on every world; they are a fact of life for all. You may find a rift here with others of my kind. I have fought in rifts against Gaeians on other worlds, and I have also killed Gaeians throughout my time aiding in the shaping of the civilisations of this cycle and the one before, until they were wiped out. We had to cleanse the lands of our mistake and try again, this time adopting a more hands-on and direct approach.¡¯

    Her voice sent chills down my spine, and I sat there quietly contemplating her words. She seemed impossibly old for me to grasp, yet I had a fleeting glimpse of the fear one might feel as she took lives. What difference was there to me in killing the monsters that roamed about, compared to her slaying my kind?

    ¡®Now, it¡¯s time to attempt creating your first Guardian. The simplest approach is to use corpses, as they no longer contain an essence and transform into resin without much effort.¡¯

    ¡®What is the resin? It didn¡¯t have much of a smell, apart from the stench of the alley where I found you, and it felt strange, like a liquid, yet it wasn¡¯t wet.¡¯ I rubbed my fingers together, recalling the sensation of it.

    ¡®I¡¯m not sure,¡¯ she said, somewhat surprised, as I raised an eyebrow at her admission. ¡®F?r himself wasn¡¯t certain, or at least never revealed it to me. His one rule was that it must always come from the corpse of an enemy, or from a slain ally with their express permission beforehand. There is also another way: those who submit to him could be reshaped into a Guardian as well. Generally, it was through defeat; he may have taken some opponents as Guardians, or, like Athena and the others, they willingly submitted to him to ensure they could survive beyond their mortal lives to see through his plan.¡¯

    As I listened to her, I rolled a goblin stone around in my hands, gazing at it, deep in thought about the actions I would take. It felt like necromancy, dealing with corpses, but blended with alchemy, transforming the corpses into something new, like a golem. I would be granting them a second chance, yet they would be enslaved to my will, while still retaining their own personality and memories¡ªwell, some would.

    Meadhbh had seemed content when she was in her Guardian form and expressed no regrets after reverting to her crystal. The devotion that compelled her to follow F?r was gone, yet she still respected and looked up to him. My enthusiasm over the last few weeks was suddenly tempered by the realisation that some would look down in disgust at what I would be doing.

    Closing my eyes, I focused my mind on the goblin Essence and pushed myself into its core, finding myself standing in a place similar to my domain. No, it wasn¡¯t just similar; it was exactly the same¡ªan infinite void stretching beyond my sight. However, unlike mine, which was coloured, or Meadhbh¡¯s, which was golden, this void was blue like the mana stone. Crouching several feet in front of me, I saw the small form of the goblin as it gazed at me with curiosity. It appeared different from how it looked in life, possessing a fullness to its form, as if the body I had killed had been starved and emaciated.

    Crouching down, I extended my hand. ¡°What do you want? Do you wish to try again? To be something more?¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting a response, but it slowly crept towards me on all fours.

    ¡°Chiba fut ged?¡± Its words sounded peculiar as it sniffed my fingers and eyed me with mistrust and suspicion.

    Stepping closer, I turned my hand over, and it reached up with both arms to me. Shocked at its sudden docile behaviour, I picked it up like a child and held it in my arms. Rubbing its cheek, I could have sworn it purred like a cat. ¡°You¡¯re not so bad when you¡¯re not trying to stab me,¡± I laughed. Biting my finger, I flicked it on the forehead, for even though we couldn¡¯t hurt each other, it still rubbed its head and sullenly dropped its eyes.

    Placing the goblin down, I withdrew from its core, opening my eyes back in the cave. With my mind made up, I opened the link to my core and dragged out one of the wolf corpses from earlier. Thankfully, it was still fresh, but I knew it wouldn¡¯t last long; I¡¯d have to dispose of the other corpse by tomorrow at the latest. Holding the goblin stone, I began to inject mana into it, feeling it hungrily absorb the power I fed it. Looking down at the wolf corpse, the head, which was nearest to me, began to turn black and melt in large drops that dragged across the stone floor towards me.

    Disappearing beneath my trousers, I felt the resin flow up my body and down my arm before coalescing into a large ball that enveloped my hand. My body began to feel weak, yet I persevered, starting to see the goblin¡¯s form emerge; it resembled watching an embryo grow, swiftly passing through various stages of development while hovering above my hand.

    ¡®Ashley, no!¡¯ With Meadhbh¡¯s voice resonating in my mind, my focus on the stone shattered, and a sharp wave of pain surged at the back of my head.

 Chapter 12: Ishas Embrace

    Crashing down onto the hard stone floor, I cried out in pain, my hands instinctively cradling the back of my head, even as the rest of me ached. Peering back at where I had been standing, Ashley lingered there with her staff still raised, a wild look in her eyes. I attempted to roll over, but my ears were ringing, my balance lost, and I slipped, my face hitting the stone again, causing me to collapse, sobbing in agony.

    ¡®Sadie? Sadie, can you hear me?¡¯ I heard Meadhbh¡¯s frantic voice, but I couldn¡¯t respond. ¡®You foolish woman, what possessed you to hit her like that?¡¯ I had never heard Meadhbh sound this angry before, and it frightened me.

    ¡°Who said that? Show yourself!¡± I heard Ashley shout, glancing around frantically.

    ¡®Sadie, absorb some of the stones, use the power to force your body to heal, it should be able to alleviate some of the pain.¡¯

    Noticing the bag of collected stones beside me, I reached inside with a bloodied hand, clutching a handful and absorbing their power. I had never absorbed so many at once, having done them individually, but it felt like fire tearing through me as I arched my back, screaming at the surge of energy that coursed through my body. The pain in my head began to fade along with the rest of my body, and the residual energy flowed out of me into the ground, where it disappeared. I lay there, breathing heavily. Ashley had let her arms drop by her side as she stared, mouth agape at me.

    As I climbed to my feet, I panted heavily, but the fuzziness in my head had faded. I grabbed her staff and hurled it deeper into the cave, disarming her. I wanted to punch her, but fought the urge and dashed out of the cave, wiping tears from my eyes. I could hear both of them calling after me, but I ignored them as I ran down the beach, my shoes getting wet as the waves surged close enough to reach me. Looking back, I could barely see her calling out to me, her silhouette framed by the glow around her body.

    Far enough away, I found a fallen tree branch by the moonlight and sat down to gaze at the sea. I felt humiliated by what had occurred, and I gently probed the back of my head, discovering a bump where her staff had struck me. A sudden wave of nausea washed over me, and I turned to vomit into the bush behind me, experiencing a second taste of dinner mixed with stomach acid that burned my throat and nose. Breathing heavily, I tried to spit out everything; the stench caused me to dry heave several times, forcing me to move away.

    ¡°Sadie!¡± I heard Ashley calling desperately, and I realised she had chased me up the beach; unsurprisingly, the golden aura she exuded indicated precisely where she was. Looking around, I considered fleeing further but recognised I was unarmed, and it would be a death wish to run any further without something.

    ¡°Sa-¡± she began once more, which escalated into a high-pitched scream.

    Turning in horror, I saw something moving in the darkness near her, but I couldn¡¯t discern what exactly it was. Frozen for a moment, I began sprinting back towards her; I couldn¡¯t leave her to die like this. At worst, I could let Mum deal with her, but my own head would be on a spike if she died tonight. As I drew closer, I realised that a wolf had pinned her to the ground, yet I kept running. Lowering my shoulder, I roared as I struck the side of it, gripping its fur as we tumbled away from the prone Ashley, who was screaming in the sand.

    Managing to land slightly behind it, I wrapped my arms around its throat and my legs around its torso, doing my best to prevent its snapping jaws from catching my face, which was perilously close. Like an American rodeo, it attempted to shake me off, but I clung on, inching my fingers to my elbows. Using them for leverage, I squeezed as tightly as I could, its breathing turning into a wheeze until a sickening snap and crunch reverberated through me, and it collapsed limply. I released my grip as the faint glow of a mana stone appeared in its chest cavity, and I realised it was dead.

    With one arm pinned, I stared up at the nearly clear sky, tens of thousands of stars shining down, occasionally fading behind the clouds before reappearing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I heard her crying as she ran over and collapsed on top of me, hugging me tightly.

    I closed my eyes, unwilling to look at her as she repeated her apologies almost a dozen times while hugging me tightly. Taking a shallow breath, I patted her on the back, hoping she might at least release me, but she just pulled me closer. ¡°I need to breathe,¡± I whispered, and she eased her grip, looking down at me, her wet sandy hair hanging in clumps. Something about this made me want to kiss her, but I held back.

    ¡®You¡¯re both bloody fools, come back here before you bring the rest of the forest down on your heads.¡¯ I heard Meadhbh shout as I pulled my arm free from beneath the wolf and got to my feet.

    "Ow," I heard, turning back to see Ashley had fallen to the ground, her hand clasped over her leg. Dropping down beside her, I pushed her hand away and glimpsed a deep gash from where the wolf had struck her. I don¡¯t know how she never realised she had been so badly injured, but it was also miraculous that she had survived the attack.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± I grunted as I scooped my arms under her and began to carry her back to the cave, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as she cried. I hoped no one was recording this, as the last fifteen minutes would have made for thrilling television in some drama. Looking up at the ten-foot pile of rocks I needed to climb, I realised I wouldn¡¯t manage it while carrying her. Sighing, with no other option, I opened the connection to my core and brought her in.

    ¡°What? Where is this place?¡± Her fear and surprise overcame her pain.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± I said, lowering her gently. Thankfully, the second wolf¡¯s corpse was concealed beneath a tarp on the opposite side of what I had stored in here.

    ¡°Wait, no, don¡¯t leave me! I told you I¡¯m sorry.¡± She cried out as I rushed back, cut off the connection, and scrambled to climb the rocks. Re-entering the cave, I grabbed the protective cage and slammed it shut, locking it from the inside. If there were more monsters nearby, we would have some protection, as we were both in a bad state.

    ¡°What is this place? Please don¡¯t kill me; I¡¯m truly sorry,¡± Ashley cried as she hobbled back into my arms when I re-entered my domain.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± I grunted, sweeping her up into my arms to carry her out once more. After leaving her on the ground near the fire, I ventured back inside for a third time and found my box of medical supplies. I sensed I would need more than just a few plasters and creams for this.

    ¡®Don¡¯t waste time with pointless treatment, Sadie; just give Ashley a handful of stones to absorb,¡¯ Meadhbh insisted as I hurriedly pulled out a needle and thread.

    ¡°Dammit Meadhbh, now isn¡¯t the time.¡± I growled towards the bag she was in while Ashley rested against a rock, her face scrunched in pain.

    ¡®Ashley is more like you than you realise; just trust me and give her all the stones. Ashley, when you¡¯re holding them, feel the power they contain and pull it into your body; let it flow through you.¡¯ Hesitating, I glanced at the stones scattered around and poured them into her hand as she regarded me as though I was mad.

    ¡°Try it,¡± I hissed, pressing some bandages to her bleeding leg, watching the colour draining from her face as my hands became stained with her blood, lips losing their lustre.

    Mixing in with the golden aura before swiftly drowning it out, a purple haze enveloped her hand and spread to the rest of her body. I noticed one of the stones slip and fall as she shifted, so I caught it and cupped her hands in mine while she screamed. Looking down at her leg, I noticed the skin gradually drawing together as the wound healed itself. My body started to feel hot from the amount of power flowing between us both as I unintentionally absorbed the excess that she could not contain within herself.

    ¡®Sadie, you need to release her, now, before it¡¯s too late.¡¯

    Too late for what, I wondered. My grip felt like iron, and I attempted to release my hands. Eventually, I used my leg to kick myself away, rolling onto the hard, rocky ground for the second time in such a short span. Panting heavily, I noticed the collection of clear stones in her hand, some having scattered on the ground as her hand rested on her stomach. With her eyes closed, she appeared to be sleeping, but her body twitched occasionally, as though she were having a bad dream.

    ¡°Meadhbh, you¡¯d better have a bloody good explanation for all this.¡± I hissed towards her bag.

    ¡®I do.¡¯ Her voice sounded strange, perhaps apologetic or remorseful¡ªemotions she had never directed towards me. ¡®You two need to get some sleep. I''ll wake you if anything comes sniffing about, but I¡¯m sure that cage should suffice.¡¯

    Climbing to my feet with my stiff and sore body, I was wet, sandy, and covered in blood; we both were. Trying to wipe as much of it off us with some of the towels I had stashed away, I carried Ashley into the tent, filling it with extra blankets to make it more comfortable. Wiping away a clump of sandy hair from her face, I noticed a brief smile flicker at the side of her mouth and leaned over before pulling back. She was my childhood enemy, the great tormentor, the dishonourable attacker, yet why did I suddenly want to keep her close to me?

    Closing my eyes, my tired and sore body, chilled from the sea and still covered in sand, made sleep hard to come by, but listening to Ashley¡¯s breathing next to me relaxed me. My mind reeled in confusion as I blinked at the sudden light, the dampness of my clothes vanished, and my hair was silky smooth and flowing, free of the gritty sand from my tussle with the wolf. I found myself on a tropical beach, waves gently lapping at the sand as a soft breeze blew the long dress I wore, the sound of children laughing playfully behind me.

    ¡°Shh, spoilers.¡± I heard a woman¡¯s voice whisper, and my eyes shot open, suddenly aware of how cold I felt. My head and chest were cold, but my back was warm, and I realised there was an arm draped across my stomach.

    ¡®Are you okay?¡¯ I heard Meadhbh inquire.

    ¡®Just a strange dream, but it felt so real; I truly felt as though I was actually there.¡¯ I replied and conjured an image of what little I could recall.

    ¡®Hmm, odd, but you should sleep some more; it isn¡¯t morning yet.¡¯

    Agreeing with her suggestion, I shifted slightly away from Ashley, returning her arm, which caused her to roll away from me. Pulling out a knife, I cut off all of our wet clothes, leaving just our underwear and dumped it outside, and got rid of the soaked and sandy blankets. Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t wake as I tended to her, but I noticed a nasty-looking scar, still rosy red, on her leg from where she had been injured. As I threw a fresh blanket over us, she instinctively rolled back and grasped onto me, leaving me to wonder if she was awake, though her eyes remained shut.

    As I gazed at her sleeping face, pushed a few inches away from mine, I pondered what Meadhbh meant when she said we weren¡¯t so different. She had been able to absorb the stones just as I could, but she was a mage, while I was¡­ what was I? Warriors wield weapons like extensions of their bodies, an innate proficiency, yet I felt like a child flailing a stick, struggling with each swing. If Guardians were to be my strength, would I be consigned to the background, merely a factory dispatching my constructs into battle?

    Fidgeting with the wolf stone hanging from my neck, I could hear it howling in the distance, echoing in the back of my mind. Allowing myself to fall into its core, I stood in the vast emptiness as it paced around. Looking at me, it growled for a moment, hackles raised, before flattening its ears and padding over to my side. Like an obedient dog, it sat in front of me, tongue lolling out while its tail swept through the mist that obscured the ground. Reaching out cautiously, it allowed me to pat its head before licking my hand, and I moved closer, using both hands to rub its head. It then rolled over, presenting its belly for me to stroke.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°You¡¯re becoming more proficient at coming to these places.¡± I heard Meadhbh¡¯s voice clearly as the wolf rolled over to growl at her, having appeared nearby. Her golden form stood in stark contrast to the blue of this place. ¡°Sit down, mutt, I mean you no harm.¡± Her icy glare fixed on the wolf, which flattened its ears once more, yet I noticed it had shifted protectively in front of me.

    ¡°You said Ashley was like me; what did you mean by that? Is she an Heir as well? Can there be two?¡± I asked, stroking the wolf¡¯s head, feeling a connection forming with it as it remained close to me.

    Sucking air between her teeth, she seemed uncomfortable. ¡°It¡¯s complicated. I¡¯m not ready to answer at the moment, as I believe you both deserve to hear my thoughts together; she may think we are withholding information from her. I¡¯ve mentioned before that while there are truths about the world which F?r has asked me to keep from you until the right time, this is not one of them. Like a student learning the fundamentals, you are progressing at an accelerated rate, as any other Heir would have been raised from birth and spent hundreds of years in training before ascending.¡±

    Fizzing out of existence before I could respond, I glanced at the wolf beside me, its tongue hanging out as if it were panting. ¡°You won¡¯t leave me like she did, will you?¡± I chuckled, and it licked my face¡ªa peculiar sensation given its dry tongue. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take that as a yes. I promise to give you a body so you can stick next to me.¡±

    Withdrawing as well, I felt a little more at peace and drifted off to sleep. I didn¡¯t have any more dreams of the peculiar sandy beach, but morning arrived too quickly, waking me when I sensed Ashley stirring. She had wrapped her arm around me again and pressed herself against my back.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± I heard her exclaim, ¡°Where are my clothes, what did you do to me?¡±

    ¡°I cut them off as you passed out, soaking wet. I didn¡¯t want us to get hypothermia, or would you have preferred to freeze?¡± I felt bad for feeling a little irritated but realised it probably looked bad, waking up half-naked next to somebody you had attacked the previous night. ¡°Nothing happened; in fact, you¡¯re the one who kept clinging to me all night.¡±

    If looks could kill, I would be stone dead as she wrapped herself in a blanket, leaving me exposed to the cold air. Recalling last night, she hurriedly unveiled her leg, delicately tracing a finger across the deep scar. ¡°Wait, that wolf¡­¡± her voice trailed off. ¡°How did I heal it? Neither of us are healing mages; I¡¯m a rock mage and you¡¯re a dark-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a dark mage!¡± I exclaimed loudly, collapsing onto my pillow and burying my face in my hands in exasperation. ¡°What you witnessed was not some dark ritual.¡±

    ¡®She¡¯s right. It would be more accurate to classify you as a craftsman rather than a mage or a warrior; you possess the skills for neither.¡¯

    ¡°Thank you, Meadhbh, for that brutal assessment. You always know how to make me feel better, don¡¯t you?¡± I called out sarcastically.

    ¡°Wait, that voice! I heard it last night. Is that the one you¡¯ve been speaking to? The one you¡¯ve been plotting against me with throughout the entire trip?¡±

    ¡®Can you hear me?¡¯ I asked, directing my thoughts towards Meadhbh as I observed her nodding. ¡°Shit¡­¡±

    ¡®As subtle as a garghant stumbling through a city. Rather than simply speaking with me, you have been shouting into the void, as though no one else would hear it, and if they did, they probably thought they were imagining things.¡¯ Another knife in the back from her, I grimaced.

    ¡°Who are you, Meadhbh?¡± Ashley asked, glancing around as though she expected to find her inside the tent.

    ¡®I think we should speak in your core.¡¯ I heard Meadhbh reach out to me privately.

    As I got up, I saw Ashley blush a deep cherry red as I unzipped the tent, still only in my underwear. Stepping out into the cool morning air of the cave, I noticed the gate remained locked, and there lay the half-melted corpse of the wolf, sitting in a pool of black resin. Ashley looked at it in disgust and winced when she saw the splashes of her dried blood along with a pile of bandages from where she had been treated. Picking up her bag, I opened the portal to my domain, smiling slightly as Ashley gazed at it with curiosity, still wrapped in the blanket.

    Walking ahead of her, I gently set Meadhbh down nearby and began rummaging through the cabinets I had painstakingly dragged in here with all my clothes. I watched as Ashley shamefully slid over next to me and reached for a t-shirt, so I sighed and handed her a complete outfit as compensation for ruining her other clothes. Dressing in silence, I kept an eye on her as she glanced around nervously.

    ¡°Ahh,¡± she screamed, pointing behind me. I turned to see Meadhbh standing close by, towering over us, dressed casually with her arms crossed.

    ¡°Ashley, this is Meadhbh," I said, introducing them to one another.

    ¡°That is Queen Meadhbh,¡± she said, her tone disgruntled. ¡°You ought to introduce someone properly.¡±

    ¡°Apologies, your Majesty,¡± I bowed. ¡°I present Queen Meadhbh Tamarix, Faerie Queen from a distant world, my mentor.¡± Laughing at the sarcastic tone, I hoped it would help break the tension as Ashley stood there, craning her neck to look up at her. ¡°Wait, if you can materialise here, why have you been making me visit your core all the time to train?¡±

    ¡°Because you are here in your material form, while I remain incorporeal.¡± Demonstrating, she swung her hand at me, passing through me and breaking apart like mist before reforming behind my head. ¡°Normally, you shouldn¡¯t be able to cross over and back like this, but I suppose you are just special like that. Also, it¡¯s much easier to throw you on the floor when I can actually grab you.¡±

    ¡°Faerie?¡± Ashley inquired, her face scrunched up in confusion, which I found adorable, whilst holding her thumb and index finger a few inches apart.

    ¡°Happy now?¡± Meadhbh asked, irritation evident as her four beautiful wings unfurled from her back, causing Ashley to take several steps back in wonder, mouth agape, before retracting them after a few moments of twitching and flapping. ¡°Right, enough with the introductions. You should have some breakfast while I explain everything to Ashley. I wanted you to see me in person so you''d at least believe me, as it¡¯s going to be quite a lot to digest.¡±

    Guiding a shaky Ashley back out to the cave, I began trying to tidy the place up a bit while she sat with Meadhbh¡¯s crystal on her lap. Dragging the remnants of the corpse back into my core, I glanced up the beach and realised that the tide had taken away the wolf I had killed during the night. I replaced all the blankets in the tent with fresh ones, thankful that I had stocked up on extras. Listening to Ashley¡¯s side of the conversation, the questions she was asking, I felt relief that she wasn''t out-right rejecting anything.

    Stirring a large tub of water over the second fire pit at the back of the cave, I suddenly felt Ashley wrap her arms around my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, for everything,¡± she sniffled. It sounded more sincere than the previous night on the beach, as she now knew everything about me, and I turned around to pat her back.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too,¡± I replied, ¡°for some of the things I said, but you were definitely being an insufferable cow at the start.¡±

    ¡°So, you won¡¯t let goblins nibble at my toes?¡± she chuckled, loosening her grip on me as I groaned, realising how terrible it sounded. ¡°With everything you¡¯ve shared, you never explained why I can see her surrounded by a golden aura.¡±

    ¡®Your remark last night as she fled that she would draw monsters like a golden beacon confirmed your status to me. That¡¯s why I advised Sadie to join this trip; she perceives the same in you. I have witnessed it only once before, a rarity beyond comprehension, with tens of thousands of years passing between occurrences. Isha¡¯s Embrace, the intertwining of essences.¡¯

    I looked at Ashley as she noticeably stepped away from me, her earlier good-natured attitude fading as her expression darkened. ¡°I don¡¯t like where this is heading,¡± she said nervously.

    ¡®There was a reason I advised you to separate while she was absorbing the stones, as you nearly proceeded with it by accident. If you carry it out, a portion of the other¡¯s essence nestles within you, bestowing a form of immortality, as one cannot die while the other lives, unharmed, bound together until the end.¡¯

    ¡°So you brought me here just to pressure us?¡± I asked, seething. ¡°You didn¡¯t think to mention this?¡±

    ¡®Why do you think I told you to separate, you brat? I wasn¡¯t certain until last night, but then Fate almost forced the issue. I¡¯m telling you right here, right now, together.¡¯ Her voice roared, drowning out my anger with her own.

    ¡°Immortality doesn¡¯t seem so bad,¡± Ashley said quietly from her spot on one of the other tent platforms.

    I could sense where this was going, and I didn¡¯t want it. Turning around, I unlocked the cage and slid it back into its housing before climbing back up the side of the hill we had descended the previous night. There was a patch of grass on top, and I sat down on the large stone in the middle of it, looking out to sea. This attraction I felt towards her wasn¡¯t real; none of it was, and misunderstanding had fermented a level of hatred between us.

    I didn¡¯t want to hate her, but this artificial desire for her was undoubtedly at the heart of everything between us. Resentment required effort to sustain, and genuinely looking out for her had caused it all to dissipate as if it had never occurred. Seeing her smile last night as she slept¡ªwas that the reason she described behind this phenomenon? Looking at my hand in disgust, I wished to forget it all and escape.

    ¡°Sadie?¡± I heard Ashley calling out.

    ¡°What?¡± I replied angrily, refusing to look at her.

    ¡°Why did you just run away so suddenly?¡± I noticed a look of hurt in her eyes as she came over and sat down on the grass beside me.

    ¡°I just¡­ I needed a bit of fresh air.¡± I sighed in resignation. ¡°I¡¯m certain you feel it too, this attraction, this desire.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± she said calmly. ¡°I think it¡¯s why I despised you when we were children, because I couldn¡¯t understand it. Then, all those memories came flooding back in the train station.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I hate this. Last night, after you passed out, there was a brief moment when I tucked a few strands of hair behind your ear, and you smiled, unconsciously moving closer. I find you drop-dead gorgeous, but is it real?¡± I could feel a lump forming in the back of my throat as my voice shook.

    ¡°Do you truly find me stunning?¡± she beamed at me, and I could only manage a pained smile in return. ¡°Why do you think it wouldn¡¯t be genuine? Why is your first reaction to flee from it? Am I so detestable to you that you would attempt to escape the moment there¡¯s a hint of us being star-crossed lovers?¡±

    Looking down at her, she rested her head against my leg. ¡°You seem unnervingly optimistic about this. Is she feeding you some dribble that I¡¯m not aware of?¡±

    ¡®I am doing no such thing,¡¯ her voice howled from below. ¡®This is a matter that you two must sort out for yourselves after storming off before I could even finish.¡¯ She was upset and angry, which I couldn¡¯t fault her for.

    ¡°As I¡¯ve asked, why are you so optimistic about all this? When you first heard it, you recoiled, but now you¡¯re pursuing me up here.¡± My mood darkened as my experiences with Candace resurfaced.

    ¡°I...¡± she murmured, hesitant. ¡°I¡¯m greedy, and selfish.¡±

    There it was, I thought to myself. Her admission of guilt. Seeing a glimmer of something more to gain by attaching herself to me, she was now grasping it with all her might. Looking away, I gazed out at the horizon, clenching my jaw to suppress any vicious words. Her hand slid down my arm as she crawled around to sit in front of me, compelling me to look at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know I¡¯m greedy. What Meadhbh said about you being destined to lead the world, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true, but I caught a glimpse of what that could mean for me. At the moment, I¡¯m nothing, and seeing a chance to become something more, wouldn¡¯t you seize the opportunity yourself?¡±

    ¡°So, what, you were ready to just dive headfirst into this knowing as little as you do?¡± I said sourly. It took all my willpower to maintain the anger I felt while looking at her. I clasped my hands between my knees with all my strength to avoid reaching out to her. Her sandy hair billowed in the strong breeze, and I yearned to tuck it behind her ear again.

    ¡°You can feel it, can¡¯t you?¡± She lifted her hand and placed it over her heart. ¡°The longer we¡¯ve been together on this trip, the stronger the desire has become.¡± I couldn¡¯t deny what she had said. All the walls I had been building were collapsing with each step we took. I had thought she was merely a pretty face, but this felt different.

    ¡°It¡¯s not real,¡± I whispered, closing my eyes and allowing my head to droop.

    ¡°What makes it real, and what makes it fake?¡± she whispered, and I felt her lift my head from beneath my chin. I kept my eyes closed, reluctant to let go of the final barrier holding me back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I sobbed as tears streamed down my face. ¡°I don¡¯t want you simply discarding it for nothing. What if¡ª"

    Unable to finish, I felt her lips press against mine, her arms wrapping around me as she clung to me. Struggling to maintain my balance, we tumbled back, and pinned to the ground, I felt her tongue seek mine as we embraced. ¡°I¡¯m not throwing anything away; as I said, I¡¯m a greedy person, but it feels like this is right.¡± She purred as I gasped for breath when she lifted her head.

    My head throbbed where she had struck me the previous night, but I ignored it as I looked up at her. ¡°It seems there¡¯s no turning back from this. Are you truly willing to stake everything on a slim chance?¡±

    She pressed her lips against mine; she didn¡¯t need to say anything to convey her answer. I could feel my heart racing and hear the blood throbbing in my ears as I held her tightly. I had never experienced this before, a yearning to keep someone so close, to never let go. The floodgates had opened, and I realised that I could never hold them back again. With my hand on her back, I could feel her heart beating as quickly as mine while I gently dug my fingers in, allowing our legs to intertwine.

 Chapter 13: A Binding of Essence

    Breathlessly pulling apart while lying in the grass, I rolled onto my back as we giggled together and looked up at the clouds, our hands locked together. Reaching over, I jabbed my finger into her ribcage, making her scrunch up defensively while laughing. ¡°That¡¯s for whacking me on the head last night.¡± The final debt repaid from our previous confrontations.

    ¡°I suppose I deserve that,¡± she said with regret, "how is it?¡±

    ¡°Surprisingly fine; I had a killer headache when I woke up, but it¡¯s gone now.¡± I rolled over as she reached out, pressing gently on it to see for herself.

    As I leaned back when I felt her hands pull away, I was taken aback by how close her face was as she kissed me softly and rested her head on my chest. ¡°So, I suppose we¡¯re a thing now.¡±

    ¡®I beg your pardon for interrupting, but there¡¯s more to it than merely a kiss and a promise,¡¯ Meadhbh interjected, disrupting the moment as we were reminded her presence.

    ¡®Oh right, I forgot you were eavesdropping on us. So then, what¡¯s this all about?¡¯

    ¡®Well, if you¡¯re graciously allowing me to finish explaining, you still need to link your essences together. This will be huge for you, Sadie, as the substantial amount of mana required will help to open your veins, and you will both become considerably stronger.¡¯

    ¡®How will that work? My body painfully rejects the mana of others,'' I asked, furrowing my brows as I instinctively glanced towards the path leading back down.

    ¡°I have the same problem. Is this because of our connection?¡± Ashley said, shooting up.

    ¡®I had suspected as much when Sadie first mentioned it, but then, hearing about how you glow in her eyes, I knew it was true. Fate is a term often bandied about as something nonexistent to blame for misfortune, yet it is very real and utterly unforgiving. F?r described how there are major and minor strands of Fate that weave through the tapestry of time. Minor strands resemble luck, where the outcome matters little in the grand scheme of the universe.¡¯

    Hearing that she was descending into another lengthy monologue, I climbed to my feet and pulled Ashley up beside me. As she wrapped her arms around me, I felt my cheek graze against her still sandy hair as we savoured one last moment of our newfound affection. I could feel my heart racing from her touch, and I hoped that yielding to our emotions was the right decision.

    ¡®Major strands,¡¯ Meadhbh kept sprouting as we made our way back down to the cave, ¡®are significant events that Fate has decreed must occur in one way or another. Attempting to defy Fate is deemed impossible, as it has never been achieved, and the more you resist it, the worse the outcome.¡¯

    ¡°How can you defy Fate? Isn¡¯t it just superstition? You can¡¯t possibly know the future.¡± Ashley scoffed, poking at the smouldering embers of our cooking fire.

    I heard her laughter ringing in my mind and blinked in surprise. ¡®You know very little about the universe; forty years ago, you didn¡¯t believe in magic as you couldn¡¯t experience it. F?r¡¯s race had a unique ability: they could dream and live amongst possible futures. He said it was like reading the last page of a book after having read the first, and then the author rewrites the story inbetween. The future they saw wasn''t exactly what came to pass, but by drifting amongst all the different Strands, they could piece together the immutable Fates.¡¯

    The water I had been heating to clean ourselves with was bubbling furiously, far too hot for us to use now. With a loud clatter, I dragged the pot off the fire, causing Ashley to jump at the noise. ¡°Well, it must not have been that remarkable an ability, if you say his world perished and he lost his last fight.¡±

    ¡®I never said he lost, merely injured. His people knew what was coming and understood it was inevitable. Some chose to join the Host, igniting a civil war in the hopes of securing a better future for themselves; the others knew they fought without hope of victory but would not go out without resisting to the bitter end. Facing his foe, F?r knew what would unfold. He stepped onto that battlefield fully aware of how close to death he was. All of this was meticulously planned by him. He has possibly met you dozens or hundreds of times, all without you having yet met him.¡¯

    ¡°So, he knows about us,¡± I said, pointing at Ashley, ¡°the connection we share. Then why doesn¡¯t he do anything? If he knew about me, why did he let my friends die!¡± Angered, I bellowed my last question and regretted it when I saw Ashley flinch and look away.

    I heard her sigh, a habit she only displayed when she needed to add emphasis to her actions, as she had no one to act with. ¡®Not everyone can be saved. Do you know how many friends I have witnessed die? How many accidents he could have prevented if he had told us? Knowing a possibility of the future is one thing, but it¡¯s just that¡ªa possibility. Is he expected to prevent the deaths of hundreds of billions of beings out there?¡¯

    ¡°She¡¯s right, Sadie,¡± Ashley said softly, holding my hand. ¡°It appears he intervened at the last possible moment, and only in the least intrusive manner. You¡¯ve got this incredible title awaiting you, and I seem destined to stand by your side, yet here we are, in a cave. If he knew you were the Heir, why weren¡¯t you taken to the Spire as a baby? The same goes for me, or even further back, to our parents or grandparents. He provided you with armour and a way to get stronger for this trip. I asked your mum to bring me here solely because one of my instructors on the Isle suggested it, and I¡¯m beginning to question whether that was his influence. This moment is significant on a major strand, and he¡¯s shaped our paths to stand here.¡±

    ¡®I believe you''re correct, Ashley,'' Meadhbh concurred.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re merely puppets on his strings then?¡± I asked coldly.

    ¡®We¡¯re all puppets to the strands of Fate, just as he is. A person is shaped by the events they experience; if he were to insulate you from them, what sort of person would you become? He is allowing you to grow and learn, only intervening when he feels it necessary to protect you and correct your course.¡¯

    Sitting down, I stared at the rekindled fire as the wood occasionally popped, sending embers out of the pit. Ashley sat silently next to me, leaning her head against my shoulder, and I instinctively mirrored the gesture. We were enduring this together, neither of us having a true choice in the matter, yet I could tell she had already made peace with it.

    ¡°Is this what you want?¡± I asked her softly.

    ¡°If Meadhbh is correct and Fate will keep attempting to force us together, I would consider this my choice to seize it by the horns. We may not be doing it entirely on our own terms, but I would like to believe that right here, right now, I am saying yes without reservation.¡±

    I felt adrift as I gazed into her hazel brown eyes, filled with determination as she looked at me. ¡°I-¡±

    ¡°Sadie, stop feeling guilty about this.¡± She interrupted me, placing a hand over my heart. ¡°If you are feeling what I am feeling, then I know your heart is crying out for this. You are not shackling me; I am holding your hand as we walk down this path. Together!¡±

    Pulling my head forward, our lips locked together as I felt tears streak down my face while I nodded awkwardly as she held us together.

    ¡°Alright.¡± I gasped as she let me go with a smile. ¡°Together.¡±

    ¡®Wonderful, would you like to know the full effects now or¡­¡¯

    ¡°Unless there¡¯s something terrible, leave it as a surprise for us,¡± Ashley grinned without averting her gaze from me, ¡°I believe we¡¯d have more fun discovering it together.¡±

    Returning to the task of cleaning the cave, I prepared an area at the back where we would conduct the ritual, ceremony, procedure, or whatever it was meant to be. Meadhbh was vague about the details but mentioned that it would be rather messy as our bodies would undergo a renewal and expel waste, whatever that entailed. Reacting in disgust, I was reluctant to do it inside the cave, but we needed the protection it offered. As I locked the cage door, my hands trembled with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

    Ashley stood in the centre of the tarp I had laid out, wearing one of my old t-shirts and matching underwear. Like two newlyweds sharing their first night together, there was an awkwardness to our movements as I climbed up next to her. ¡°It¡¯s cold,¡± she shivered, wrapping her icy arms around me, trying to steal some of the little warmth I had left.

    Sitting down near the middle, Ashley settled behind me, wrapping her legs around my waist to draw herself closer. As our power balance was heavily skewed in her favour, she would be circulating the mana through my heart, where my core was situated. Using her as a battery, we would first attempt to clear some of the blockages in my twisting mana veins and open me up a bit more.

    I shivered as her cold hand slipped beneath my t-shirt and pressed against my bare back, and felt her warm breath on the back of my neck as she chuckled and teased me with her fingernails. Her right hand moved over my shoulder and hesitated before resting directly on my left boob, sending goosebumps across my body. I could feel my face reddening, but I breathed slowly, attempting to clear my mind of inappropriate thoughts.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°I should have bought you dinner first,¡± she whispered seductively in my ear as I tried not to squirm.

    ¡®Now isn¡¯t the time for that,¡¯ Meadhbh chastised, and I could have sworn I felt Ashley¡¯s disappointment. ¡®Ashley, I want you to limit how much you apply; start with five Thaums'' worth, then every ten pulses, add a bit more. I will count them in your head, so just listen to my voice until I tell you to stop.¡¯

    Taking a deep breath, I convulsed as the first wave hit me, passing through my body and then escaping through her hand on my breast. Taking two more breaths, the next pulse hit me, but I was ready this time and sensed how it moved through me. Unlike healing mages whose hands felt like fire, this was warm and comfortable, almost as if it were pumping air into a balloon. I grunted slightly as the next pulse struck, and I felt her hands tense a bit before loosening as the fourth pulse arrived.

    ¡®Do you want me to stop?¡¯ I was taken aback to hear her words distinctly in my mind, having already mastered the art of projecting her thoughts.

    ¡®Keep going,¡¯ I replied, emitting a grunt as the next one arrived.

    ¡®Sadie, you¡¯re just wasting energy. While it¡¯s inside you, you need to push it.¡¯ She chastised me for doing nothing, and I waited for the next pulse.

    Feeling it travel down her arm, I waited until it entered my body and attempted to capture it with my own, forcing it towards my arms. There wasn¡¯t much of a result as the mana dissipated back into her body, followed by the next pulse. Getting the hang of it, I redirected it to my arms again and gasped when the next pulse arrived, stronger than before. It shocked me, and I missed it, but prepared myself for the next one. Sitting on the cave floor, legs crossed and eyes closed, I tried to block out the sound of the waves crashing along the beach, focusing on our two bodies.

    Stirring the mana within me, I attempted to blend it with the pulses she sent, and I felt that they resonated with one another. Her mana had initially felt strange to me, but with each pulse, it seemed as though two liquids were mixing. I could feel the warmth beginning to trickle through my already open veins, spreading throughout the rest of my body. Instead of throwing it at the blockages, I redirected it through the rest of me instead.

    The pulses increased in strength once more, and I gasped as they stretched me to my limits. However, I persevered as the next pulse came, which didn¡¯t hurt as much. Coming up with an idea, I focused on the rhythm of her pulses and tried my own. Like a lightning bolt arching through my body, I let it flow through my veins before withdrawing it as the next pulse approached. Instead of letting her mana escape, I began collecting the mana she pushed into me until I had to release it, lest I felt I would burst.

    Collecting the next few pulses, I sensed her change in tempo, and no longer sending pulses, it felt like a steady stream. Having silently adapted to my methods, I discovered that the flashes worked best, and my entire body tingled as the aftereffects slowly faded. Having started with a single arc, I could now project several at once, one to each limb as the pool of warmth in my chest expanded.

    Changing it up once more, I started to pull her mana back and then send it through my own arms, which I had clamped to her thighs. After feeling me change, she began to push her mana into me through both hands, and I let it flow through my body, pushing it into every last vein before sending it back out. A constant flow of mana surged into me, and I could no longer distinguish between what belonged to me and what belonged to her, as they all felt the same now.

    I managed to open my eyes for a brief moment and thought I was going mad as the golden lines that had spread across the armour I had received from Freya were now traced across my skin. Pulsing with the flow of mana, I looked down and saw Ashley¡¯s bare legs glowing in purple, just like mine. I closed my eyes again to concentrate on what we were doing. Like a tidal wave, I sensed her relinquishing her limits, and the full force of her mana collided with me. I wanted to scream, but I gritted my teeth as I let it flow through me and then back into her.

    My awareness of the cave suddenly shifted, and I felt as though I were in Meadhbh¡¯s crystal, able to see everything around me, though my eyes were closed. The cage door of the cave glowed with the mana coursing through the strengthening Runes, with Meadhbh¡¯s crystal glowing gently nearby as she observed silently. Turning my attention to Ashley, her face was scrunched up just like mine. Wait, how am I seeing myself?

    As I looked at my body sitting cross-legged on the tarp, with Ashley wrapping her arms around me, I surveyed the cave. I might have thought myself dead, yet I could see my body twitching occasionally, our hair flying about as if caught in a maelstrom. Crouching down, I reached out to her and felt as though I was cupping her face in my hand. The pained expression she wore faded until I withdrew my invisible hand. Looking down, I beheld an ocean of blue mana far below us, tendrils wriggling their way up towards us.

    Watching it draw nearer, my peculiar out-of-body experience abruptly ended, jolting me back into my body as a surge of power coursed through me. I screamed in pain, as it felt like I had been consumed by fire, my ears ringing as Ashley also screamed as this strange source of power swept through me and into her as well. My body felt as if it would explode as this vast quantity of mana coursed through me, burning through my veins, finding unopened vessels and forcing them open. Ashley¡¯s fingers dug into my skin, her legs squeezing with all their might as my hands did the same to her in response to the pain we were experiencing.

    An image rushed to my mind, a projection like what Meadhbh would send, but this overwhelmed me: a head on a translucent blue body, and their eyes opened, shining far brighter than anything. ¡®I see you. Grow! Take my Gift!¡¯

    Her voice silenced my cry of pain as the weight of her presence consumed me, but after her words finished resonating in my mind, the power began to wane. Who was she? The effort we had exerted to clear my body was mere child¡¯s play compared to the change she had wrought. My body felt as though it was overflowing with power, yet I couldn¡¯t quite absorb what Ashley was still offering. I could feel her power waning until her hand on my boob began to slide across my chest, breaking the connection. The hand on my back withdrew, yet my body resisted my commands as I felt myself topple backwards, my head coming to rest on her stomach. I hoped she had fallen onto the pile of old clothes I had prepared for her, following Meadhbh¡¯s suggestion.

    As I opened my eyes, I found myself standing on the same beach as before, and taking the chance to look around, I saw him standing there, alone. I could feel the sensation of sand between my bare toes and the warmth of the water as it rushed up the beach, wetting the bottom of the dress I wore. ¡°Where is this?¡± I asked nervously.

    Lifting his arm, half of the scene faded away like a mirage, revealing the empty expanse beyond that looked just like my own core. ¡°I thought we might speak for a moment in a more appealing place.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this before, I think, the other night, and a woman whispered spoilers before I woke up. Was that you as well?¡± I was confused as his smile dropped for a moment, his face shifting to one of sadness or discomfort, it was hard to tell.

    Shaking his head sadly, ¡°No, that wasn¡¯t me. This is my home, or well, my summer home, as you would call it. Over there is one of our palaces.¡± Turning to point, I realised the mountain he pointed to was actually a massive building, the lights twinkling were windows running up and down it.

    ¡°Our?¡± I asked suspiciously.

    ¡°Isha¡¯s Embrace, how do you think Meadhbh has known about it? Until now, there have only been three recorded instances in the history of all the worlds of our pocket of the galaxy, and now, with you and Ashley, it makes four.¡±

    ¡°Where is your partner?¡± I asked, looking around as if expecting to see someone else appear, but there was no doubt his smile had turned to grief.

    ¡°She''s... not here.¡± I could hear him choking back his tears as he stood up a little straighter, and I felt awful for poking at something bad. I felt tiny as he approached to stand next to me, facing the water, and I turned as well, looking up at him, feeling tiny next to his massive form. ¡°Gaeia, or Earth as you know it, was the place chosen as your cradle. Meadhbh has undoubtedly told you of the war that has been raging beyond these borders, and it will soon flare up once more, rivalling that of the First War.¡±

    ¡°Cradle? First War?¡± I asked as he continued looking out to the horizon.

    He didn¡¯t answer my question, but I could see a hint of a smile on his face. ¡°I can provide you wealth, weapons and prestige, but not the truth to the answers you seek at this time.¡± I opened my mouth to argue, but he placed his huge hand on my shoulder, barely fitting two fingers on it, and I held my tongue, turning to face the ocean like him. ¡°I have carved a path for you to follow, closed wandering strands in the hopes of giving you the best chance of survival. I don¡¯t want to lie to you, so please understand the secrets are to keep you on this path.¡±

    Crouching down so that our eyes were level, I could feel a lump in the back of my throat and simply nodded as I looked into his shining eyes, completely enraptured by the beauty of the veiny lines that traced across his face. Surprising me, he leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

    ¡°Your connection to Ashley is the first path, but there is one more event that must come to pass. Once you cross that threshold, the veil will fall away, and you will learn the terrible truth I am protecting you from. Channel the frustration and anger you feel into driving you forward and when the time is right, I promise you will have all your questions answered, including the ones you haven¡¯t thought of yet.¡± Following this, the beach began to disappear into a cloud of mist and I felt my sense of self be pushed back into my body.

    A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my head, and as I took a breath, I felt my throat burn, my gag reflex causing my stomach to scrunch up. Rolling sideways, I fell off the platform with a thud, groaning at the pain in my body, while the stench assaulted my nose. As I tried to wipe my face, it felt sticky, with strands of black goop hanging between my hand and my face. Was this the waste Meadhbh had warned us about?

    ¡®Good, you¡¯ve woken up. You need to wake Ashley and go clean yourself in the sea.¡¯ I heeded Meadhbh¡¯s instruction and glanced up Ashley, who lay sleeping, her legs splayed like a frog from where I had been sitting. She was just as filthy, and when I touched her arm, it felt like sticking to glue as I struggled to pull myself away.

    Moving my arm woke her as she cried out from the stench assaulting her senses, dry heaving like I had. Tearful, she tried to get to her feet but collapsed into my arms as she stumbled, and we clung together. Laughing through a bit of pain from the stiffness of her body, we managed to separate and trudge through the cave to the entrance. It was a surprisingly clear night, with the moon sparkling atop the waves that crashed gently further down the beach. Jumping down the rocks, I raced down the beach, tearing off my t-shirt and diving into the water, screaming as the coldness shocked me.

    ¡®I told you to wash yourself, not drown!'' Meadhbh shouted as I finally stopped screaming and continued to shiver.

    Ashley descended more slowly, shuffling with a few squeals as she entered the water. Shivering, she threw herself into my arms, her teeth chattering, and I held her there. Rubbing her back, I discovered that the black substance washed away easily, and we began to clean ourselves thoroughly, dunking our heads to rid our hair of it. I regretted not bringing soap; however, as I peeled it off in clumps, I found myself surprisingly clean beneath.

    Rushing back up the beach, it felt colder out of the water than in it, and we hurried towards the tent. However, I stopped her at the last moment and handed her a towel to dry off and remove the sand, not wanting a repeat of the first night. Seemingly annoyed that I had interrupted her efforts to get warm, she rubbed herself raw before disappearing under the covers as I closed the gate, peering out anxiously for any monsters that might be lurking nearby, but saw nothing.

    Joining her under the covers, she pressed her naked body against my own; her earlier embarrassment vanished as we intertwined our legs and tried to warm ourselves. I didn¡¯t feel any different than before, and I wondered if it had all been an illusion. I sensed her head shift as she placed a soft kiss on the side of my neck, drawing her arms a little closer before burying her face into my collar. In comparison to Candace, despite our rocky start, Candace seemed rather plain and unappealing, while holding her made me feel special. Was this the connection I pondered as I slowly drifted off to sleep to Ashley¡¯s gentle breathing.

 Chapter 14: The First of Many

    From inside the blanket, I reached into my core and retrieved some clothes for us to get dressed, realising we were both still completely naked after our sea bath last night. Ashley had pushed herself as close to my back as soon as I rolled away from her, murmuring in her sleep. When I tried to extricate myself to get dressed, she gripped me tighter, prompting me to poke her rib, which startled her enough to scream and laugh, making her retreat to the far side of the tent with the blanket.

    ¡®Is there anything nearby?¡¯ I asked Meadhbh groggily as I slipped on a fluffy poncho.

    ¡®No, there are two Caretakers nearby preventing anything from coming close,¡¯ she responded casually.

    ¡®How long have they been here?¡¯ I asked, unfazed by their presence.

    ¡®They arrived just after the two of you got back from your attempt to drown yourselves. Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re out of sight; you won¡¯t¡­ Never mind, they have seemingly returned to the Isle now.¡¯

    Good, I thought to myself, I really needed a wee. Fumbling with the lock, it felt small in my hands, but I shrugged and got it open before climbing barefoot up the hill. Standing on top, I spread my arms to stretch, enjoying the feeling of the wind as it tousled my messy hair. After doing what I needed, I returned to the cave, picked up some wood, and threw it towards the fire pit to relight it.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Ashley screamed as the log flew over the fire and struck the side of the tent while I stared at my hand in shock. ¡°What is your problem?¡± she growled, covering herself with the blanket and freezing as she glared at me.

    ¡®Took you long enough.¡¯ I heard Meadhbh¡¯s smug tone.

    ¡°Who are you? What have you done with Sadie? Eww, why are there so many teeth in the bed!¡± Scrambling to emerge from the tent, I leapt across the cave to catch her before she fell, glancing back in astonishment at the distance I had covered so quickly.

    ¡°Meadhbh, what on earth has happened to our bodies?¡± I howled, staring at the bag in which she sat. Now I realised why the lock felt strange; I had grown taller, and as I ran my tongue along the inside of my mouth, I could feel that all the false teeth from my incident were gone. They had a distinct feel and a wire that had run along the back, but now it was missing, and I could see them amongst the sheets of the mattress. Looking down, the poncho that usually fell to the middle of my shins was above my knees; no wonder it felt so breezy.

    ¡®You both have been asleep for four days, and during that time, your bodies have grown and adjusted to the changes brought about by Isha¡¯s Embrace. It wasn¡¯t entirely peaceful, and I believe this is why Freya remained here; she likely induced a deeper sleep during your growth.¡¯

    ¡°So, she didn¡¯t do¡­ this,¡± I asked, gesturing up and down at myself.

    ¡®Certainly not. She¡¯s not a fleshsmith, and even those eerie witches lack the skills for a job as good as this.¡¯

    Rubbing my temples as Ashley stood there, still wrapped in the blanket, I realised that the clothes I had were no longer going to fit us. My heart raced as I pondered how we would explain this to Mum, as it was not something I could simply brush aside like my previous increase in strength.

    ¡°I think I met him that night. He¡¯s how you know so much about our connection because he is also one half of a pair. Who is she?¡± I asked, glaring at her.

    ¡®It''s complicated, I¡¯m sorry, I cannot tell you more. Did he say anything else?¡¯ I was disappointed she wouldn''t reveal the truth he was hiding, but I decided not to push it for now.

    ¡°That the Host was coming, and a war more terrible than the First War would rage, along with something about this world being my cradle. What does he mean by that?¡±

    ¡®The First War is practically a myth, occurring hundreds or even thousands of millennia ago. It is rumoured that gods stalked the battlefields, with worlds cleaved from existence as if by barely an afterthought. For him to reference that, it must truly be terrible.¡¯

    ¡°But he also said, this world is my cradle. What did he mean by that?¡± I asked forcefully.

    ¡®Consider it; you are merely a child and need time to mature. It''s an unusual choice of words from him, yet it effectively conveys the message.¡¯

    Not entirely trusting her, I couldn¡¯t argue and turned away to resume collecting firewood when I noticed a black bag resting behind the tent. I hadn¡¯t seen it earlier, and I approached it with suspicion, noticing a white note on top.

    Something you may need for the coming days; hope you¡¯re hungry and that they fit.

    F

    Opening the bag, I felt the cold air inside, but it was filled with fresh food. Grinning, I turned to Ashley, whose eyes lit up with delight as she had despised the dehydrated meals we had eaten recently. Reaching out with a claw-like hand, I passed her the coffee, which she inhaled deeply from as if it were a drug. Beneath the food, I discovered some clothes, which, when I held them up to check the size, were nearly perfect.

    ¡®Don¡¯t look at me. I haven¡¯t heard from F?r in weeks; Freya left it as a gift. So if you must blame someone for your sudden growth spurt, blame her or him.¡¯

    ¡°This is Nijis! Holy crap, Sadie, this t-shirt alone is worth at least two grand. If they¡¯re going to keep giving us expensive gifts like this, do you think we could make a wishlist?¡± Ashley said excitedly as she put on the t-shirt. Nijis is a Japanese brand that interweaves armour into their casual wear, and while it¡¯s not rift attire, it could save your life in an emergency.

    ¡®Remind me to thank Freya next time I see her; without this, we would have been going around practically naked.¡¯ I projected quietly to Meadhbh while watching Ashley getting dressed. The transformation of her body had been astonishing; the scar on her leg had vanished, her stomach was well defined, and I suppressed the urge to reach out and run my fingers over her abs. We both possessed entirely new bodies, and I was relieved that the unsightly scar on my wrist had disappeared. My back felt revitalised as the scars no longer restricted my movement, restoring my flexibility.

    Wiggling an arm out, I noticed that the teddy bear tattoo I had on my right arm was gone, and I traced my finger over the spot sadly. Josie had one on her left arm, and we had gotten them when we graduated¡ªanother part of my old life erased. During these last few weeks, everything had changed; I was no longer the person I had been when I entered that rift with my friends. Feeling the pool of mana within me, I stirred it up and watched the golden aura erupt from my right hand like fire.

    ¡®Impressive, you¡¯ve shown remarkable growth.¡¯ Meadhbh commented as I felt proud of it.

    ¡®Is this common? Have you ever heard of something like this before?¡¯ I asked, attempting to be subtle, but Ashley still heard my question and directed her glare at me.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡®As I mentioned, your growth surprised me, but reflecting on it, it doesn¡¯t appear that unlikely. Your bodies have grown to within the limits of what Gaeians can achieve, although there is nothing preventing you from bulking up even more.¡¯

    ¡°Nope, no, nu-uh,¡± Ashley said, shaking her head as I watched the blonde curls of her hair shimmer in the light. ¡°I don¡¯t want to end up looking like a hulking monster. While I know I was a bit pudgy, this is enough.¡± Lifting her t-shirt to reveal her flat stomach, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a whistle as she blushed and let it fall again.

    As I entered my core to retrieve something, I realised the two wolf corpses were there. Preparing for the worst, I was pleasantly surprised that there was no smell. Flinging the tarp off them to inspect, I was shocked to find the corpses had become almost crystallised. Reaching up to my necklace, I felt the mana stone and pulled it off, shattering the clasp at the back. Although it had been a gift from Mum, making it my first Guardian felt more than fitting.

    Taking a breath, I began to stir the mana within my body; no longer was it a struggle, but merely thinking about it felt as though I had unleashed a tidal wave. Tendrils of golden flames leapt from my other hand as I pointed it at the corpse, watching as the crystallised wolf began to melt into the black resin. Flowing over my body against my skin, it began to coalesce around the mana stone as it hovered in the air, slowly spinning with more resin pooling into a ball. Once a certain point was reached, the wolf completely melted, and resin began to drip from the ball, revealing details: a body and legs, then a head. Like rain, more and more resin fell as the form of a large wolf gently descended to the ground.

    I had felt the pull of mana before, and while it had been only a goblin, it had been extremely draining for me; however, now I could hardly notice it. The reservoir within me was still brimming with mana, and I savoured the sensation of it flowing through me. Hearing the wolf shuffle, I looked down to see its golden eyes blink, and lines began to trace slowly across its entire body as it sat up and regarded me. Reaching out, it rubbed its nose against my palm, its fur surprisingly soft, and its nose dry.

    Hunkering down, it scooted forward, and I laughed as its dry tongue licked my face. It felt rough, but it didn¡¯t hurt, and I wrapped my arms around it, pulling it in for a hug. There was no smell, and it felt like cuddling a real dog. I could hear a soft whine emanating from its throat. ¡°I¡¯ll call you Munin,¡± I said, and a small jab ran up my spine as it barked once.

    It was hard to describe, but I felt a connection forming with him, like a thread hanging between us. Standing up, I raised my hand as he sat there, and, waving it in different directions, he jumped, rolled, chased his tail, and followed every command I gave him. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy,¡± I cooed as I hugged him once more. He was a boy, right? I tried to peer underneath, but the darkness of his fur made it impossible to tell. My stomach grumbled again, and I knew it was time for breakfast.

    ¡°What were you doing?¡± Ashley asked, glancing at me while frying the sausages.

    ¡°Not much,¡± I grinned mischievously and snapped my fingers. Trotting through the ripples, Munin padded softly to my side as Ashley¡¯s eyes widened and she toppled over in her haste to escape. ¡°Calm down,¡± I laughed, hurrying to her side and lifting her from the ground as she stared at him in fright. Wrapping an arm around her waist to prevent her from fleeing again, I pointed to the ground in front of me, and he came over.

    ¡°Is that a Guardian?¡± she asked nervously, pressing her hands to her chest and gazing at me with a pleading expression that seemed to implore me to keep her safe.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I grinned, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek, aiming to reassure her. ¡°Look, he won¡¯t bite, not unless I tell him to.¡± As I gazed down at Munin, he whined as if he understood my words, flattening his ears against his head while his tail swept the ground.

    Holding her hand, I gently drew it out as Munin licked it and she trembled slightly before I felt her tension ease up and become more comfortable as she rubbed his neck. ¡°He doesn¡¯t smell,¡± she said, astonished, as she sniffed her hand.

    ¡®We don¡¯t need to eat, breathe, or sleep, and we only get dirty from our surroundings. If you tell us to eat, the food merely sits in our stomachs and rots, yet we can still retain our six senses. The last time I had to eat to maintain my cover, I spent six hours upside down trying to get it to fall out, a hose shoved in my mouth¡ªplease be mindful. The wolf is a basic creature: loyal, but dim-witted.¡¯

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t said a word yet, only barked at me. Do I need to teach it English?¡± I asked, rubbing Munin¡¯s head as Ashley hurried to save the sausages from burning.

    ¡®Unfortunately, no. Only essence crystals, like me, can transform into a Guardian who can speak right away. For him, you¡¯ll need to feed enough mana stones to allow him to regrow his essence. He is just a fraction of what he once was. Since he was a low-grade stone, he has further to go compared to if you had used a high-grade one.¡¯ Meadhbh explained as I held Munin close.

    Using him as a backrest while we had breakfast, I gazed at the forest bordering the beach. We would be returning to Dublin tomorrow, and all the stones we had collected on our trip here had vanished, absorbed by both of us on the first night. Freya had taken the suit of armour she had just gifted me, leaving only my sword and shield, so if I were to go hunting, it would pose a challenge. Rubbing Munin''s neck, I smiled wistfully as I realised it would be a fun experience now.

    Swinging it around a few times, I could hear the blade almost sing as it sliced through the air. ¡°I¡¯ll be back by dark; will you be alright on your own?¡± I asked from the entrance to the cave.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ashley replied, a hint of sadness in her voice. ¡°I want to speak with Meadhbh, alone.¡±

    Nodding once, I jumped down the small embankment, landing heavily in the sand as Munin barked and followed me, landing far more gracefully than I did. Chasing me up the beach, we disappeared into the trees, and I relished the newfound strength I possessed, running faster than ever before, no longer needing to stop for breaks every couple of minutes. When I found my first goblin, sniffling behind a bush, a single swing completely bisected it before it had a chance to react.

    Upon extracting its mana stone, I was able to quickly create a Guardian from it, as some nearby leaves and branches transformed into resin along with the corpse. Unlike Munin, the goblin I named Guk¡¯la was completely naked when she formed, so I gave her one of my old t-shirts to wear. Similar to the goblin I had visited in its core, she was docile and curious, with a less emaciated and gentler appearance than her living form. Settling her on Munin¡¯s back, the three of us set off again, with Munin sniffing the ground and guiding us like a homing missile to more monsters prowling the forest.

    The first wolf I encountered, I allowed Munin to charge ahead, and he utterly overpowered it in a savage display of dominance. The wolf managed to inflict a large scrape on his side with its dying breath, and as I ran my hands along the wound to inspect it, I watched his body beginning to heal itself just from my touch. I had to push him away as he tried to lick me with his bloody mouth, seemingly oblivious of how gross it was.

    As I grew my forces over the next hour, our hunting became quicker, and we sought out larger groups of monsters. Approaching midday, I nearly stumbled upon a roaming patrol of mercenaries and hid inside my core for a few minutes until they passed. In an abandoned church nearby, I discovered a small goblin settlement built around a rift and managed to secure myself a hoard of stones. Delighted with my find, I felt it would be enough for us to return with, without raising too much suspicion about our activities.

    Climbing back down to the cave from above, as the tide had come in while I was hunting, I had to drop to the ground as a pebble cracked against the wall, what felt like inches from my head. ¡°Don¡¯t even dare come in smelling like that,¡± I heard Ashley growl. ¡°I could probably smell you before I saw you.¡± Sitting by the fire, I could see her making dinner.

    Looking down, I realised I was utterly filthy, covered in mud and blood. Lifting my arm to sniff it, I grimaced upon discovering what I had been ignoring. Scampering away as another pebble flew towards me, I laughed while climbing back up and making my way to a nearby stream to clean off. I let everyone else out to wash themselves, the goblins diving in and splashing water everywhere as they revelled in it. It was endearing to watch as I changed into some clean clothes, having to adjust some of them since everything was now too small.

    ¡°Productive day?¡± I asked as I returned for the second time, passing her sniff test whilst drying my hair.

    ¡°Somewhat,¡± she grinned, yet I could sense something was troubling her. Meadhbh was unusually quiet. ¡°How did it go on your end?¡±

    Snapping my fingers to call them, Munin led the others as they marched out. ¡°I think I did quite well for myself. Five wolves and ten goblins, along with another forty goblin stones to sell.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± she exclaimed, surprised when one of the wolves, the second I had created, placed his head in her lap without me saying a word. ¡°I¡¯ve gathered a few as well.¡± Lifting a bag, she tossed it effortlessly at my feet, and I chuckled at the number of stones she had collected.

    ¡°Had I known it was a competition, I would have tried harder.¡±

 Chapter 15: An Uncomfortable Reunion

    ¡®Ashley, Sadie, wake up. There are some Gaeians on the beach attempting to approach stealthily. I count five: two armed with bows, two with swords, and the last one at the back has a firearm.¡¯ Meadhbh¡¯s urgent voice roused us instantly as we extricated ourselves. Munin emitted a low growl from where he lay at our feet.

    Ashley looked terrified, and I squeezed her hand to try to reassure her as I slowly slid the blanket down. ¡®What do we do?¡¯ She had quickly acquired the ability to project, not realising she had done so when we combined our mana, much faster than it had taken me.

    ¡®We¡¯re going to have to fight,¡¯ I replied grimly. Staying low, I inclined my head towards the tent door and slipped my hand out, locating my shield. It was nearly pitch black; there was a hint of golden light from Munin, and I could see the aura emitted by Ashley, ensuring that I would always spot her in the dark. However, she appeared as a dark shape surrounded by an invisible light.

    As quietly as I could, I unzipped the tent door, thankful that we were somewhat shielded from the view of the beach by the cage door. I heard the sounds of heavy breathing and stones being scuffed by boots as the attacker attempted to climb up the outside of the cave. The one night they had to choose, when the Caretakers were absent, but also when we would be at our most vulnerable, laden with loot and exhausted after a week of hunting. Only Munin was with us in the tent; the rest of my Guardians were hiding further down in the cave, and I could feel their rage, ready to be unleashed, but I commanded them to wait.

    ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s locked,¡± one of them hissed quietly, and Munin let out another low growl before I clamped my hand over his snout. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Stop acting like a baby,¡± another growled, and I heard the sound of the lock being ripped off.

    If they had turned away upon seeing the door locked, I would have left them be, but now we were in real danger. Climbing to my knees, I raised my shield to provide us some cover, and two heavy thuds echoed as the archers fired upon spotting it. Ashley scrambled loudly to squeeze in behind me, amidst the whoops and whistles.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get them, boys! Let¡¯s see what the pretty missus'' have for us,¡± one of them shouted as the cage door was flung open with a loud bang.

    ¡®Now,¡¯ I projected to my Guardians as the wolves let out a bone-chilling howl, amplified by the rock walls. I couldn¡¯t hear what the scavengers shouted as I pushed forward towards the men, feeling another two heavy impacts against my shield.

    The ground began to shake beneath our feet, forcing me to use the shield for support, as I peered over the top at the four men stationed at the cave''s mouth. One of my wolves stumbled and fell due to the tremors, but the others leapt over it and pounced on one of the scavengers brandishing a bow, their fangs sinking into his flesh as he screamed. Raising my shield to deflect a sword strike, I batted him away with all my strength, watching him tumble away.

    The ground rumbled once more, and half of the doorway collapsed on the last archer, crushing him entirely as a hand reached out in vain. Remembering the other swordsman, he had backed away while the goblins cackled viciously, attempting to get at him. However, he swung low to keep them at bay, filled with terror. Ashley ripped a chunk of rock from the wall behind her and urged me to duck as he saw it coming, but his sword glowed with a blue aura and effortlessly shattered it.

    Running towards him, I executed a high kick, urging my goblins to rush his legs. However, paralysed by indecision, he couldn¡¯t dodge me, and my knee struck him in the neck. Snapping sideways with a sickening crunch, his body flew at the wall, and I had to turn away from the sight and sound as he fell with a wet slap, goblins jumping out of the way. The first swordsman had regained his feet, but as he awkwardly swung, I drove my fist into his chest, denting his armour while he coughed up blood onto my shirt and sank to his knees.

    The sound of howls and gunfire pierced the air, and a feeling like a rubber band snapping at the back of my mind urged me to rush to the cave of the mouth where I saw that two of my wolves lay crumbled on the soft sand of the beach. Munin and Vonga, my second wolf who had taken a liking to Ashley, unleashed a long howl from beside me, blood dripping from their fangs. Ripping another chunk of rock from the cave, larger than my torso, Ashley hurled it at the man, but he dodged it effortlessly.

    ¡°Get back, you coward!¡± she screamed at him as he fled up the beach, three wolves barking at his heels, but I called them back before they entered the forest.

    Turning towards the cave, I heard the final scavenger¡¯s raspy breathing as he laboured to draw breath from where my blow had fractured several of his ribs. My knuckles were bleeding profusely from the strike, but at least none of the bones were broken. The goblins surrounded the man as he regarded them with fear, yet they did not attack; not without my command, and several were yearning for me to let them have a go at him.

    ¡°Please, please just kill me,¡± he whined between short breaths as a wolf growled in his ear, yet he looked up at me.

    ¡®Sadie, do you remember when I mentioned the second way to create a Guardian? This is the perfect opportunity to do it,¡¯ Meadhbh encouraged, as I glared at the man.

    ¡®I can turn humans into Guardians?¡¯ I asked, having never truly entertained the possibility, despite our earlier conversation alluding to it.

    ¡®Why would you be unable to? There is nothing special that distinguishes Gaeians from other beings, aside from being native to this world.¡¯

    ¡®No, I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do it; that¡¯s too much for me,¡¯ I said, shaking my head and turning away, listening as he let out his last breath.

    Crouching down, I wrapped my arms around my head, breathing heavily, trying to come to terms with the fact that I had just killed several humans. It had been purely self-defence, but it had been a distinctly unfair fight as they had underestimated us. I felt Ashley¡¯s comforting arm around me as she attempted to console me, but I couldn¡¯t stop the tears from flowing. There was an overwhelming sense of sadness from my Guardians as they looked at me, and I reached out to stroke Munin¡¯s head.

    ¡®Killing those who wish to harm you is no different from fighting the beasts you encounter in the Rifts or the very same ones who you transformed into Guardians. Do not allow their deaths to gnaw at your conscience and cause you suffering; they chose this life, and you were safeguarding your own.¡¯ Meadhbh tried to comfort me.

    ¡°DON¡¯T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT!¡± I roared at her, only to watch Ashley take several steps back after my outburst, which made me feel terrible. Wrapping my arms around her, I buried my face in her neck as she rubbed my back, trying to calm me down. I hadn¡¯t meant to lash out like that, but I was upset, and feeling my connection severed with two of my new Guardians had hurt me more than I had expected.

    Sitting down together, I glanced around the chaos of our campsite. Half of the cave had collapsed from Ashley¡¯s magic, while the rest of our belongings were scattered about in the struggle, the tent shredded by arrows and blood pooling from the scavenger corpses. Giving Ashley a long kiss to show her I was somewhat alright, I retrieved the emergency beacon from my bag and twisted it before tossing it out onto the beach outside. Who knew if there were more scavengers in the area, especially since that last one had fled?

    Remembering the two wolves I had lost on the beach, I stored the chunks away inside my core before the rescue squad arrived. Ashley searched the cave for anything that might raise suspicions, and we waited outside for their arrival. The sound of a helicopter, the heavy thrum of its blades, reached our ears, and I could feel it in my chest as it flew over the trees, floodlights scanning the beach while we sat on the rocks outside the cave, trying to shield our eyes from the blowing sand. Ropes were dropped from the sides, and a squad of guards from the citadel rappelled down, taking up defensive positions before rushing towards us.

    ¡°Scavenger attack!¡± I shouted over the noise of the helicopter at the masked guard, pointing towards the cave. Half of the squad rushed to the cave, and I could see they were speaking on a radio, but their masks prevented me from hearing what they were saying. The helicopter had been circling the beach but suddenly flew away as if it were searching for more.

    ¡°Are you two alright?¡± said the man, pulling off his helmet as the remaining four members of his squad did likewise.

    ¡°Sort of,¡± I answered while showing the injury to my knuckles. We were wrapped in blankets, still wearing the t-shirts and underwear from bed, shivering from the cold of the night.

    ¡°Johnson, attend to the girls,¡± the squad leader said, as a woman approached, slinging her gun beneath her arm and retrieving a medical bag from one of her pouches while he left to search the cave.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get you checked out,¡± Johnson said as she began examining us for any further injuries. It wasn¡¯t unusual for wounds to remain concealed after a fight, as shock could act as a powerful painkiller. I had witnessed it on the first night when the wolf had torn open Ashley¡¯s leg. Allowing her to inspect us, I noticed several soldiers disappearing into the trees, and I could feel the squad leader''s glare at the back of my neck. There were four corpses in the cave, and the two of us were barely injured; no doubt he would have received our information when I activated the emergency beacon.

    The longer we stayed there, the more strange looks we received, and we were eventually separated for interviews. Trying to account for the obvious wolf kill was difficult, but I think we managed to lie through our teeth sufficiently that it ran away after the survivor. I listened to their chatter, and they confirmed that each of the four we had killed had bounties on them, but the weakest had previously been assigned a C-Rank. Johnson provided us with a tablet containing information on other known members, but as I flicked through the photos they had on file, I couldn¡¯t identify who the fifth was.

    As I looked up upon hearing the sound of the helicopter returning, I was taken aback to see that it was a second, different one. Plastered against the window, I was horrified to see Mum staring out, and an uneasy chill ran up my spine. The moment I had been dreading was approaching rapidly, and with all these witnesses, there was no way to avoid it. Silently calling to Ashley, I selfishly intended to use her as a shield to fend off Mum¡¯s impending interrogation as I pulled her under my blanket.

    As the helicopter touched down on the exposed sand with the tide still out, the door slid open and she dashed out, racing towards us. I could see her crying as she ran, throwing her arms around us. ¡°My poor babies,¡± she exclaimed as I embraced her.

    Stepping back, she cupped my face in her hands and looked at me, confused. From my face to Ashley¡¯s and back again, her eyes conveyed the confusion she felt. ¡°Mum, it¡¯s me, trust me,¡± I whispered as I pulled her in close to hug her. ¡°Things¡­ happened. Good things, I hope, but this is not the time or place to discuss it, please.¡±

    As she wiped away her own tears while looking at my pleading face, she nodded. The first helicopter that had brought the soldiers returned and landed a little further down the beach, with another squad of soldiers disembarking, several of whom were handling dogs on leashes, as Mum hugged Ashley, noticing the change in her as well. It was slightly amusing to realise that I could now rest my chin on Mum¡¯s head, showcasing the remarkable growth we had experienced.

    ¡°Hang on, dears, I¡¯ll get you back to the hotel so we can talk; I want to know everything.¡± I could do nothing but nod, sensing the barbs in her tone. Vanishing up to the cave where the squad leader of the response team was investigating, I could hear the stones being moved to extricate the unfortunate scavenger crushed by Ashley¡¯s attack.

    I heard her arguing with someone, followed by a low rumble in the ground that made us, along with the few soldiers standing guard nearby, look up at the cave before Mum marched out. From her ferocious, self-satisfied smirk, I could tell she had gotten what she wanted, and I stood up from where we had been seated on the rock. Two of the dogs were being walked near us and suddenly shied away, yelping slightly as their handlers regarded us with strange expressions.

    <hr>

    As Terence stepped out of his car, he grumbled to himself upon seeing one of the monitoring officers waiting by the door. With his morning coffee barely touched, he looked down at it, contemplating whether he had brought enough, given the size of the file the officer held in his hand, as he gazed past others making their way towards the elevator in the underground garage. After taking a sip of his drink, he halted in front of the waiting man.

    ¡°Alright, what now? Has Holly finally gone feral?¡± He held up a finger, passed his coffee mug to the man, and then turned to catch Holly¡¯s flying fist.

    ¡°Feral? I¡¯ll show you feral!¡± Holly laughed as she allowed her arm to drop after attempting to strike him on the back of the head.

    ¡°No, sir, it¡¯s Sadie Whittaker. We received a notification earlier that she activated her emergency transponder several hours ago. The Dublin office is currently liaising to gather the details, but early reports say she was attacked by a scavenger group,¡± the aide said nervously, returning the coffee along with the files.

    Sighing, Terence hung his head, ¡°Alright, prepare a notification to the family expressing our condolences, and we¡¯ll close out her file from the incident a few months ago.¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± he asked, surprised. ¡°They both survived. The rescue squad counted four scavengers deceased upon arrival, each confirmed with bounties, and they are searching for a fifth who is alleged to have escaped.¡±

    As Terence opened the file, he began to skim through the photographs, showing them to Holly, who stood on her tiptoes to get a better look. Closing the folder, he led them to the elevator and swiped his badge to head up to their office near the top. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he wondered what on earth was happening with the girl, as this was the third time she had crossed his desk.

    Abandoning the aide at the door of his office, Holly followed him inside and slammed the door shut behind them. ¡°Go on then, what¡¯s so special about this girl? Just the mention of her makes you look as though I¡¯ve ruined your day¡ªagain,¡± Holly laughed as she sat opposite him.

    ¡°Everything about her has been unusual, and I have not been able to definitively close her case. Objectively, she should have been the first to die, but she didn¡¯t, and her story does not quite align with our findings.¡±

    Logging into his computer, he noticed an email from his Irish counterpart waiting for him. If he was calm and collected, Cormac was his complete opposite; however, they worked well together when their business occasionally intermingled. Reading the email, he was taken aback as it contained the full, unedited footage of the rescue squad¡¯s arrival, rather than the few photos that had been curated and sent officially.

    Sending the video footage to the large screen on the wall, he crossed the room to watch it, listening to the squad leader¡¯s commands as the helicopter flew low over the beach. The two women were easy to spot, the large white blankets they were wrapped in forming a stark contrast to the grey stone surrounding them. Watching the squad¡¯s descent, Terence¡¯s eyes narrowed as the squad leader spoke with the women before climbing up to the cave. It was a gruesome scene, blood and bodies everywhere, including one of the scavengers still on his knees, held upright by his armour, a large dent in his chestplate.

    ¡°Are they really saying that a below-average C-Rank and a scarcely noteworthy F-Rank caused that?¡± Holly asked incredulously, opening the files to verify their records for herself.

    ¡°Holly, what height is Sadie listed as?¡± Terence asked, scrutinising the footage.

    ¡°Uh¡­ five foot three, why?¡± she asked, looking up.

    ¡°And the other one?¡±

    ¡°Ashley Burbit, let¡¯s see, five foot two.¡±

    ¡°Then who are they?¡± Terence asked, rewinding the footage to when the two were first approached. It was difficult to tell while they were sitting, but it provided a clear image of their faces, and although there were some similarities, they looked remarkably different. Opening a drawer in his desk, he found his own file on Sadie and sifted through the surveillance photos that had been taken until he located the one he wanted.

    As he scrubbed through the footage, he noted when her mother arrived and rushed over to them. Pausing while the three of them stood together, he held up a photo of Sadie and her mother walking side by side through the security zone. In the photo, Mrs Whittaker was clearly taller, even though both wore heels. However, in the recorded footage from this morning, with no shoes on, Sadie stood head and shoulders above her mother.

    As he continued through the footage, he discovered the moment when they were leaving in the helicopter, and the wind from the blades lifted the shirt on her back. The scars he had witnessed and the extensive skin grafts she had received were gone entirely, with not a hint of their presence remaining. Annoying Holly with his constant pauses and rewinds, he found another moment and moved his face closer to the screen.

    ¡°There¡¯s no scar on her wrist either. That¡¯s definitely not Sadie, and I¡¯m willing to bet that¡¯s not Ashley either. Have there ever been reports of doppelg?nger monsters?¡± Terence asked, glancing back at Holly, who appeared just as confused as he was.

    ¡°No, but look at these wounds; this scavenger was definitely attacked by something wild. Another thing is that this camp is peculiar. Sure, there¡¯s a tent and campfire, but that¡¯s a bloody full mattress and pillows. Were these girls on a glamping trip or something?¡± Holly asked, exasperated as she looked at all of the photos included in the file.

    A heavy thrumming noise filled the room, and both spun around as a rift formed in the middle, with a Caretaker stepping through, their gaze fixed on Terence. Holly attempted to react, but he extended his arm to block her charge while maintaining a steely glare at the intruder. Approaching him, the Caretaker held out an envelope, and Terence examined the familiar insignia on its front before flipping it over to break the wax-like seal on the back.

    We wish to cordially invite the following Awakened to the Spire forthwith

    Ascendant Heir Sadie Whittaker

    Ascendant Heir Ashley Burbit

    Honoured Guest Susan Whittaker

    ¡°Do you mean them?¡± Terence asked, pointing at the screen. He stared at the Caretaker, noting that this one was different: a symbol carved into the mask between its eyes and a blue ribbon sewn into the lip of the white robe.

    ¡°Yes, all three of them, alive and unharmed, and doppelgangers do not exist, Mr Waters. We trust that you can facilitate this request, or there will be consequences.¡± Stunning him by speaking in perfect English, the Caretaker turned and left, the rift disappearing with a pop as it closed.

    ¡°You!¡± Holly hissed, spinning on the ball of her foot and jabbing her finger at his chest. ¡°Mr Goody-Two-Shoes, you¡¯re the one they¡¯ve been approaching? I heard rumours that someone in the Ministry was leaking to them, but you?¡±

    ¡°The Minister was my predecessor and nominated me to inherit the role when he was elected to Parliament. That¡¯s the first time I have ever heard one speak, though, and they¡¯ve never requested we bring someone before; it¡¯s always been innocuous information requests, the last one being Sadie, when they demanded everything we had on file for her,¡± Terence said, reading the note again.

    ¡°And you simply gave it to them? I expected more from you, Terry. Are you really just going to hand them over and be finished with it?¡± Holly shouted at him, starting to pace back and forth in the office.

    ¡°We have a working relationship, but I don¡¯t believe they want to harm them. Consider this: she simply walked in here and then left without any issue. Why would she ask us to escort them to the Spire when she could have easily taken them in Ireland?¡± Unable to counter his question, Holly merely clicked her tongue and turned away from him in disgust.

 Chapter 16: Red Carpet to the Spire

    As I watched the trees pass beneath us through the helicopter window, I could feel the hole being drilled into the side of my head. Looking at her in the reflection, she looked angry, afraid even, and I wanted to explain, but the two pilots in the front might overhear us. As we flew over the wall, I saw the citadel, where people resembled ants scurrying about the camp, illuminated by floodlights, with dawn still several hours away.

    Disembarking from the helicopter, we remained silent while a member of the hotel staff waited off to the side to escort us in. I was thankful to bypass all the usual procedures we would have had to endure; it was certainly better than getting a lift back with the soldiers. Once we were brought to Mum¡¯s room, as soon as the door clicked shut, I swiftly pulled Meadhbh¡¯s crystal out and handed it to her, grateful that she was immediately drawn into her core, catching her crumpling body and ensuring the crystal stayed in her grasp.

    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± Ashley chuckled, glancing at the two on the bed.

    ¡®Do whatever you need to, quickly; she¡¯s already panicking and smashing things,¡¯ Meadhbh cried out. I laughed; nothing could truly be destroyed as it was nothing more than a solidified mirage.

    ¡°It feels surreal,¡± Ashley remarked as she joined me in the shower, sitting on the floor to rest while the water cascaded down on us.

    I sat there in silence, massaging the foot she''d placed on my lap, my eyes unfocused as I tried to decide what to tell Mum. There was no concealing the truth, but should I reveal the whole truth? Feeling her pull her foot away from me, I snapped out of my trance as she crept across the floor to sit on my lap, her arms wrapped around my neck. Embracing her eagerly, I moved my hands over her as our lips met, feeling her push herself against me.

    ¡°What are you thinking about? It¡¯d better be me.¡± She chuckled mischievously, but I understood what she meant. I could sense her playful emotions, a curious feeling that guided me on where to look to see her and understand how she was feeling. I couldn¡¯t read her thoughts, but I could certainly feel how she felt.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to explain us to her. How can I describe these sudden emotions we experience? Everything else seems fairly straightforward, but us?¡± I pleaded, gazing into her eyes.

    ¡°Then don¡¯t. Just tell her that we¡¯ve been through something that has benefited us both. We¡¯ll maintain a bit of distance between us as we learn to understand everything about what this means for us.¡± My heart ached as she spoke, and I held onto her tighter, not wanting to let her go. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to run off on you. Or were you thinking we¡¯d run off, get married, and find a forever home after just a week together? You haven¡¯t even taken me out for dinner yet; I like Italian, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Well, I kind of made you dinner, so that doesn¡¯t count?¡± I asked, pouting playfully.

    Leaning in to whisper, she made me shiver as her lips brushed my ear. ¡°No, you¡¯ll have to do better than that. I still want to enjoy all the fun things that other couples do before you think you can drag me into the same bed again.¡±

    As she gave me one last lingering kiss, I felt her tongue glide down my neck where she nibbled on my shoulder before rising to her feet. Wiggling her bum at me, I chased after her, getting a towel thrown in my face for my efforts. As I paused to admire myself in the bathroom mirror, I marvelled at how much I had changed over the past few days. As I flexed my arms, the muscles bulged noticeably, revealing a clear definition in my abs as well. Puffing up my chest, I cupped my boobs, they definitely felt bigger, at least a whole cup, while Ashley had definitely gained almost two. I could barely see the resemblance to the woman I had been before our trip, standing in this very same spot.

    As I prepared to confront Mum after wrapping myself in a towel, Ashley stopped me in the doorway, stealing one last kiss before I took Meadhbh¡¯s crystal from Mum¡¯s hands. As her consciousness returned to her body, she looked around, frightened, while we sat beside her, and I could see tears glistening in her eyes.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s that? Who are you? What¡¯s happened to you both?¡± The questions began to pour out almost immediately as she shuffled away from us on the bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I said hesitantly; it¡¯s probably easier if I show you part of it. Standing up, I opened the portal to my core, and Ashley practically danced inside, eager to rummage for clothes. We had returned with almost nothing; the clothes Freya left were filthy from yesterday, and I had very few items suitable to wear now.

    ¡°What?¡± she said nervously, but I gently pulled her up as she half-heartedly attempted to resist. I managed to guide her through it as she paused, glancing at my Guardians who sat patiently nearby. Vonga had already trotted over to Ashley¡¯s side, perched there and waiting for her customary head pats, but she was too busy rummaging through the wardrobe I had spent an hour dragging from my apartment into here.

    ¡°This is my true ability. I can take mana stones and give them a body to live again, sort of,¡± I explained, keeping my arm wrapped around her to prevent her from running away. As I filled in the gaps of the story surrounding my escape, I recounted whatever I could while Meadhbh subtly reminded me if I forgot anything. In an attempt to skip the first half of the trip, Ashley revealed that I had punched her on the train, much to Mum¡¯s shock. However, I decided to play dirty and tattled on the time she struck me on the back of the head with her staff.

    As I tried to explain what had occurred when we merged our essences, Meadhbh fortunately reappeared just as Mum looked ready to strike her. I couldn''t help but wonder what had transpired between the two of them, but Meadhbh had fortunately overheard our conversation and offered an alternative explanation. We all shrugged when she asked about how our bodies had changed, with Meadhbh suggesting that the level of power we had dealt with must have rejuvenated our bodies and resulted in a growth spurt.

    ¡°So what, are you now some hero who has to save the day?¡± she asked, tears welling in her eyes as my story concluded.

    ¡°No,¡± Meadhbh interrupted before I could respond. ¡°Ascendants aren¡¯t heroes who flit about solving people¡¯s mundane problems; they¡¯re leaders, generals and diplomats, rights bestowed by the Spires. This world will belong to them. A good ruler leads her people effectively and stands at the forefront of its defence.¡±

    ¡°You hear that, Sadie?¡± Ashley asked with a cheeky grin. ¡°You need to be diplomatic, which means no punching people for saying rude things.¡± I tried to lift my middle finger and stick my tongue out, but Mum intercepted me, and I retracted my tongue bashfully.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t allow it? You¡¯re my baby; I can¡¯t lose you like I lost your father,¡± she said, holding my hand and looking at Meadhbh before turning to Ashley. ¡°And what about your parents? Are you going to tell them as well?¡±

    ¡°Nope, absolutely not. Not in a million years. Have you seen my mum¡¯s butchery skills? I¡¯d much rather enjoy living!¡± she replied dramatically, crossing her arms to form a large X. ¡°At least you suspected something and noticed some subtle changes; she won¡¯t have that same advantage.¡±

    I chuckled at her reaction, feeling my stomach rumble as I flushed red. ¡°I reckon we all need a hearty breakfast," Mum suggested, and I nearly died from happiness upon hearing those words.

    After standing there for an hour in just my towel, I finally got dressed in an old sundress that now fell above my knees; it at least fit, even if it was out of season. Over breakfast, we attempted to figure out what to do next, from choosing clothes, to training and my desire to increase my number of Guardians. In the back of my mind, I pondered the idea of returning home, to Grandfather and the estate.

    Leaving Dublin was surprisingly quiet as Mum subtly managed the affairs surrounding our rescue, using her influence to keep the interrogators at bay. As I watched the city fade into the distance, I looked up along the horizon where it had all unfolded, feeling a twinge of nostalgia that prompted Ashley to seek me out. Linking her arm through mine, we stared in silence at the ship¡¯s wake, the propellers churning the water below, mirroring my emotions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you have me now,¡± she said unbidden, and I felt a little better as we rested our heads against each other, Mum at least two decks below in one of the first-class lounges, learning all she could from Meadhbh.

    Immigration in Holyhead was an unusual affair. The officer was initially hesitant, but after unexpectedly receiving a call and being unable to interject before hanging up, he quickly sent us through, casting furtive glances back at us. Mum and Ashley also noticed, but we continued to the train and breathed a sigh of relief once we were in our cabin. Leaving Meadhbh in Mum¡¯s care, they became fast friends once she realised how to project her thoughts. I had been a bit nervous about leaving the two of them together, but Mum was simply curious about what life on other worlds was like.

    Ashley sat opposite, absorbed in the romance novel she had picked up at the ferry terminal before we boarded. I had jokingly asked if she was looking for study material and offered to suggest a few books if she fancied, which earned me an elbow to the waist behind Mum¡¯s back and a flushed scowl. Scrolling through my phone, I felt the train brake suddenly, bringing us to a swift stop again. I looked outside, realising we were half out of the last station before London. Straining against the window, I couldn¡¯t see anything, but felt Ashley tap my leg. Turning to look at her, I saw Terence standing in the corridor, staring in.

    ¡°Good afternoon, ladies. May I take this seat?¡± he inquired as he slid the door open to enter the cabin just as the train began to pull away again. Without waiting for any of us to respond in our stunned silence, he seated himself next to me, though not uncomfortably close.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Ashley finally asked, glaring at the intruder.

    ¡°Mr Waters, what an unpleasant surprise. I didn¡¯t realise the company had oversold the cabin; I shall make my complaints known,¡± Mum said, her tone dripping with displeasure as she glared at him.

    Reaching inside his suit jacket, I clenched my fist, prepared to strike if he attempted anything, but I relaxed as I noticed the white corner of a sheet of paper. I read his name, written in exquisite penmanship, as he flipped it over to reveal the contents. ¡°Yesterday morning, a Caretaker intruded in my office to hand me this. They also issued a warning that we are not to harm you in any way.¡±

    Furrowing my brows in confusion, I snatched the letter he presented and read it, feeling a chill shoot up my spine. Passing it to Mum, she shared my bewilderment as she read it too.

    ¡®Well, don¡¯t leave me in the dark; what does it say?¡¯ Meadhbh called from inside Mum¡¯s handbag, which she clutched in her lap. I relayed the contents to her as she asked. ¡®Damn it, I specifically told them to wait a week so you could acclimatise to your new bodies.¡¯

    ¡°Well, there goes our four-day weekend,¡± I said bitterly. I had intended to shower and bury myself in a proper bed for several days, but it looked like they had other plans for us.

    ¡°Are you in any danger? Is it connected to the sudden change you both have just experienced? Are you the potential threat?¡± I could hear the concern in his voice as I glanced out of the window, catching Ashley¡¯s gaze in the reflection.

    ¡°They had three or four days to spirit us away while they guarded us as we slept through the change, so no, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in danger. I believe the warning was meant to prevent you from making the wrong assumption and attacking us for no reason.¡± I answered calmly, watching his reflection as he listened, the drops of rain on the window moving sideways as we picked up speed.

    ¡°May I ask what has happened? Such a change in such a brief time frame is quite alarming. A part of me even questions whether you¡¯re the same two people who left a week ago.¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Look, Mister, we¡¯re the same. We didn¡¯t get switched or anything, or are you going to demand we have a DNA test to prove it?¡± Ashley growled at him, and I turned around to look at her.

    Sitting back, he raised his hands defensively. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Burbit. There are a lot of questions being asked about you three at the moment. I hurried to meet you here to assess whether we should concede to their demands or not.¡±

    I chewed on the inside of my cheek as we sat in the sudden silence that had fallen. I could see Ashley¡¯s expression softening as she lowered her aggressive stance. ¡°While their method is peculiar, I don¡¯t see why we should dismiss them. What do you girls think?¡± Mum suggested, and I couldn¡¯t find any reason not to go, aside from general fatigue.

    ¡°We¡¯ll come with you, Mister, but on our own volition, I will not wear cuffs like some criminal,¡± Ashley remarked as I attempted to stifle a snort.

    Pulling out his phone, I listened as he called someone who had an escort waiting for us in London. The rest of the journey passed in an awkward silence as we communicated through projection, completely excluding him from our conversation. While shocking, the revelation that Ashley was also an Heir gave me a sense of relief, no longer worrying about shouldering this burden alone. I chuckled to myself as she had claimed selfishness for wanting to follow through with this, and now she was standing on the pedestal right next to me.

    As we waited in our cabin while the other passengers disembarked, I watched them ushered off the platform, several squads of armed guards discouraging them from lingering about. Shrugging his shoulders at my questioning glare, I realised that Ashley¡¯s suspicions were not as misplaced as I had initially thought. Upon receiving confirmation that it was clear, we finally disembarked and were escorted to the front of the station where a line of black jeeps awaited, blue lights flashing at the front and rear.

    ¡°What, no prison van?¡± Ashley asked as Mum shushed her. I climbed into the back of the open van in the middle of the convoy. It was spacious inside, with two rows of seats facing each other, and I pulled Ashley to sit beside me, while Terence followed us in and sat next to Mum, opposite me.

    ¡°So, since we have a bit more privacy here, would you mind telling me what is going on? The Caretakers don¡¯t just suddenly start asking to see or guard random people, so why are you so special? I don¡¯t mean it in a bad way, but there was nothing particularly remarkable about either of you that stands out. If you had S-Tier potential, it would be more understandable, but individually, neither of you is exceptional.¡±

    I felt Ashley stiffen as a sharp intake of breath whistled through her teeth, yet I remained calm. Knowing what he did, I couldn¡¯t dispute his reasoning. I had already been ready to lead a plain, unassuming life until my accident. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe us if I told you," I replied calmly, gripping Ashley¡¯s hand and squeezing it, hoping she would remain silent.

    ¡°Try me,¡± Terence replied, leaning forward as his seatbelt strained and he removed his sunglasses, revealing his piercing blue eyes to me.

    ¡°So basically, a bunch of aliens from other worlds rebuilt our civilisation after all life was scoured from the planet after a massive war, and they have been guiding us through history, masquerading as gods. Now the time has come for mana to re-emerge, and they are fulfilling their Master¡¯s wish, finding his replacement after he got a beat down in his last match-up. We¡¯re those replacements. The Spire didn¡¯t just suddenly appear, it¡¯s always been there, they¡¯ve always been there, forty thousand years of waiting. They¡¯re training us with the rifts, not to farm us, but to prepare us for the war raging beyond the borders so that we can join our neighbours and stand at their side. F?r Rhea, the Lord Ascendant of this world, refers to us as his Heirs, the next in line to succeed him. We¡¯re not alone, there¡¯s a vast community of worlds who don¡¯t know we exist, yet, but those bridges to other worlds will open soon, and we¡¯re not ready.¡±

    After taking a deep breath following my lengthy monologue, I had provided a quick and dirty summary of everything, omitting nearly all the minor details. I had been formulating this explanation, as spending another hour as I had with Mum was not an option every time. If I were to publicly broadcast this, I know I would be crucified by the media and the public, and almost certainly hauled off to a padded cell by someone like Terrence.

    ¡°You were warned that you wouldn¡¯t believe us.¡± Ashley chuckled as he sat back in stunned silence. ¡°Sure, it¡¯s a lot to take in at once, but you¡¯re only receiving the bare minimum, and once you hear the full story, it begins to make sense.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Mum shrugged her shoulders as he turned to her, mouth agape.

    Leaving him in stunned silence, the rest of the trip was brief as we received VIP treatment, driving through all the traffic and down into the depths of the Ministry to its underground facility. More guards waited at the door where we pulled up, but they weren¡¯t visibly armed¡ªless like soldiers and more like a protective detail.

    Upon entering the building, we were guided through several twisting corridors, maintaining the extended silence from earlier. Terence had gathered his thoughts after reflecting on my explanation, yet he did not utter another word about it. It felt strange to walk these corridors, as office workers hurried to make way for our group as we passed.

    The Customs hall was packed with people queuing, and I recalled that an important auction was set for this weekend. I recognised one or two famous faces in the crowd, flanked by bodyguards and associates, enduring the same as the rest of us did whenever we crossed over and back. This time, we were on the other side of the glass walls, walking down the employee corridor, avoiding everyone.

    ¡°Anything to declare?¡± Terence asked as a gate opened, granting us direct access to the rift connecting to the Isle, with a large queue waiting to pass through once the other side was clear. Noticing my raised eyebrow, he simply nodded vaguely and let us through, his feeble attempt at humour falling flat.

    As I climbed the steps, I could feel everyone¡¯s eyes upon us as we bypassed all the usual procedures and went straight to the front of the queue. Casting one last glance at Mum and Ashley, I took a deep breath and stepped through. I had done this hundreds of times, but this felt different. They had called for us, and I didn¡¯t know what awaited on the other side.

    The bright light of the false sun temporarily blinded me as I blinked for a few seconds, attempting to regain my bearings. It was quiet¡ªtoo quiet¡ªbut I could still hear the bustling noise of hundreds of people; however, the usual shouts and calls were absent. The dais with the rifts was elevated above the courtyard at the bottom of the steps, and I had a perfect view of precisely why they were so quiet.

    A ring of Caretakers had cleared a space near the fountain that dominated the courtyard, creating a cordon around the lone individual who stood masked and robed at the centre. The Caretakers looked different, wearing the heavy chestplates I had seen in the armoury that one time, wielding long polearms and shields as they faced the crowd. When I noticed the main figure¡¯s head swivel in our direction, I instinctively ducked my head, hoping we remained unnoticed.

    ¡®Why are you trying to hide?¡¯ I heard a woman¡¯s voice, and I knew we had been discovered. ¡®You ought to take pride in yourselves.¡¯

    ¡®Hell no!¡¯ I straightened up and glared at the masked woman over the heads of others. ¡®You get to hide behind a mask; I don¡¯t fancy being frog-marched to the Spire in front of tens of thousands. I¡¯ll head to the shop where I met Freya, the one with the secret armoury.¡¯

    ¡®Very well,¡¯ she sighed with discontentment, and I felt my eye twitch from the weight of her projection.

    As one, the Caretakers spun on their heels as the group began to march back down the avenue towards the Spire. I could hear the hushed murmurs of the crowd as they watched them depart, and the tension began to ease as people started to move again. After a few minutes, I led our group down a secondary route, aiming to avoid the main thoroughfare. It was easy to spot groups of Caretakers trailing after us, but I tried to disregard them until we reached the abandoned shop in the narrow alley.

    As we opened the door, we were greeted by a tall woman at the centre of the room, and I wondered if she was the person from earlier, as she had removed the mask and robe. Part of me felt slightly underwhelmed, as she was dressed casually in jeans and a plain white hoodie, but her features strikingly resembled Meadhbh¡¯s. Framing her figure, I noticed the gentle swirling of a rift slowly spinning behind her.

    ¡°Athena?¡± I ventured, guessing as the four of us stepped through the door, while the few guards from the Ministry held back slightly up the alley.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she smiled faintly, but I didn¡¯t sense much warmth in it. ¡°Thank you for complying with our request.¡± Her eyes shifted away from me, settling on Terence, who stood awkwardly to the side.

    ¡°Of course,¡± he stuttered, clearly unsettled by her appearance. ¡°They¡¯re not in any trouble, are they? As British citizens, I have a duty of care towards them.¡±

    ¡°Mr Waters, you can dispel any notion that we intend to harm them. There are matters we must discuss, and today was meant to demonstrate that they have our support, but it seems Sadie here has an aversion to attention, for the time being.¡± Turning her head to look at me, I felt my face flush red from embarrassment.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s true, what she said earlier about aliens and other worlds and all that?¡± he asked slowly, attempting to stand a little straighter, unwilling to cower beneath her gaze.

    ¡°Yes, I suppose, but I¡¯m not entirely sure what it was she told you. I hope it was the truth. I¡¯m sorry, but I cannot grant you admittance to the Spire at this time, as our conversation is not meant for you.¡± Dismissing him, she turned and left the building through the rift, and Terence muttered his goodbyes before stepping outside again.

    Nervously glancing at Mum and Ashley, I was uncertain of what to say, yet I cautiously followed Athena through the rift, attempting to settle the unease I felt. Freya had been kinder than she, and I now understood Meadhbh¡¯s dislike of her.

    Stepping through the rift, we emerged into an almost empty room, and I was surprised to find that the dark exterior did not extend into the Spire. The room was bright and spacious, but I was immediately confronted by several large statues¡ªno, Guardians¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t discern their species. They resembled trolls, though less brutish and more dignified, adorned in heavy armour and wielding strange weapons that appeared to be similar to guns resting in their arms. As we arrived, they stirred to life, the air trembling as they slammed their fists against their chests, bowing their heads before returning to their previous frozen state.

    ¡°Zhujar,¡± Athena explained, looking up at them affectionately and resting her hand on one of theirs. She barely reached their chest, resembling a small child beside it, and I felt even smaller. ¡°Welcome to the Spire. This is the waystation; we use it since we have the coordinates locked between here and hundreds of places around the world. They are here for those occasional incidents where something might follow us back.¡±

    ¡°Why did you call us today?¡± Ashley asked, nervously staring at the Zhujar.

    ¡°Not here. We shall speak in a more comfortable place.¡±

    As she opened a door, we followed her into a wide hallway, where a Caretaker stood beside an open door nearby, hood down and mask off; they looked human. ¡°How do you have colour in your skin?¡± I asked, glancing at Athena and the Caretaker. At the sound of my question, like a mirage, the colour vanished, revealing the dark, crystal-like bodies beneath, with blue lines running over them, pulsing gently.

    She lifted her sleeve, revealing a golden bangle adorned with intricately carved runes that glimmered. ¡°Nothing fancy, merely a little trickery to deceive others. Each one is crafted specifically for the bearer, sufficient to confuse the eyes, but those with a heightened sensitivity to mana will be able to detect it. A handy tool that allowed us to blend in during our interference.¡±

    ¡°Probably too much to ask for a few,¡± I mumbled, mostly to myself, as I leaned in closer. I couldn¡¯t recognise any of the runes, yet I could definitely see a stylistic difference between them and Grandfather¡¯s.

    ¡°In time, perhaps.¡± Her voice had softened since earlier as she pulled the sleeve back over her wrist and led us into a conference room. A large wooden table filled the centre of the room, surrounded by plush seats. Awe-inspiring paintings of different worlds decorated the walls, and I let my eyes wander over them. ¡°We grew bored at times, so some took to painting memories from home.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re incredible," Mum said, her excitement evident as she looked at them.

    ¡®The whole Spire is filled with murals like this; I have two or three of my own scattered around. I shall present them to you another time. Now, Athena, why have you summoned them here today? Freya and I both agreed they needed time to rest after their growth.¡¯ Meadhbh proudly proclaimed before her tone dropped as she addressed Athena.

    ¡°We were instructed to ensure that you both completed the Embrace, so we assisted it along as best we could while preparing for the aftermath. In simple terms, the Spire lacks the power to sustain Master as an Ascendant along with two Heirs.¡±

    As I listened to her, I felt the wooden table chip and splinter beneath my nails, leaving deep gouges. ¡°You¡¯re planning to separate us?¡± I hissed.

    Taken aback by my vehemence, Athena shook her head. ¡°No, it can be one solution, but it is an impractical one. There are plenty of Ascendants out there who would gladly take you under their wing, some literally, and raise you into a warrior worthy of carrying on Master¡¯s legacy, while Ashley stays here with us and we rear her here on Gaeia.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I growled, my voice lowering as I rejected her suggestion outright.

    ¡°As I mentioned, it is impractical because you need each other. This discussion will necessitate your understanding of the entire truth¡ªeverything about what you are and the reasons for the secrecy¡ªbut for now, it will remain a secret. Once we have talked about how you wish to proceed, all memories of this conversation will be sealed away until the right time comes.¡± The cheerfulness in her tone had shifted to a sombre one, with the smile having long since faded.

    ¡°Why?¡± Ashley asked. ¡°Why all the secrecy? How can we grow if we do not know the truth?"

    ¡°Some secrets are too terrible for you to know, as we fear that they will negatively affect your actions. We will watch from afar, lending our assistance and guidance where needed, but these early days will be focused on you building the foundations for your growth.¡±

 Chapter 17: The First Trials

    A sharp pain coursed through my head as I screamed, but I felt cool hands holding my own in the darkness where I had dropped into a squat. My arms were awkwardly held above my head, and as the sudden pain faded, I tried to remember the last few minutes. Like a haze blanketing my mind, I could recall the emotions I felt: anger, sadness, and something else¡ªwas it betrayal?

    ¡°The pain will soon fade. Blocking memories is difficult, so they have instead become blurred. While you might catch glimpses or feel a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, you won¡¯t fully remember them.¡± I was taken aback by Freya¡¯s soft voice and gradually stood back up.

    ¡°Where are we? Where¡¯s Ashley, and Mum?¡± I asked, wanting to know that they were safe.

    ¡°Relax,¡± I heard, standing there frozen as she pulled me in for a surprise hug. ¡°You are currently in the first trial, just as Ashley is with the Twins. Athena is with your mother; she insisted on meeting with Master before her memories were blocked, unsurprisingly.¡±

    ¡°What about?¡± I asked without considering that I shouldn¡¯t know, yet.

    ¡°Ah, spoilers.¡± I heard her laugh and felt a slight breeze of air brush against my face. If it was her breath, it was odd, as there was no scent to it. There was no doubt about it; she was a Guardian. ¡°Now for the tedious part. You and Ashley made a decision; no, you can¡¯t know yet; yes, important things were said.¡± I heard a rustle of paper and guessed she was reading from a list, as her tone conveyed disinterest. ¡°Also, you both agreed to do the trials now instead of waiting a few weeks.¡±

    ¡°Wait, before we were told our memories would be blocked, Athena mentioned sending one of-" I attempted to ask.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You think, after all the effort we¡¯ve put in, we¡¯d ship you off to one of those other egotistical nightmares? No, we¡¯re keeping you here safe and sound¡ªwell, reasonably safe.¡± Padding my arms, I realised I had been given a change of clothes; it felt armoured, and my runners had been replaced with tall boots, clasps on the sides reaching almost to my knees. ¡°Something to help you through the next few days. We have four trials that we deem suitable for you to explore the constraints of your new body without placing undue burden on you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I smiled awkwardly and raised my arms, and she appeared to duck into them so I could hug her once more. ¡°Don¡¯t tell the others, but you¡¯re my favourite, the fun aunt.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re quite the charmer, just like him, but flattery won¡¯t get you everything; I¡¯ll make you work for your next gift.¡± Pulling away from me, I heard her voice drift off as I stood alone in the darkness. ¡°Your first task is simple: I shall release twenty goblins into the ring where you are standing. Dispatch them all without your sight or your Guardians. I shall be here, watching, and if you cheat, I will cancel the trial, and you will return empty-handed. Maybe I''ll let you try again in a year, is that understood?¡±

    Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nodded at the seriousness of her tone, which had shifted as she walked away. I was unarmed, but goblins were weak, and I could surely snatch one of their weapons when they drew near. Kneeling down, I touched the ground, feeling my fingers glide across the leaves, and beneath them, the earth felt like damp mud. Leaves indicated trees or bushes, but there was no way to discern their size or location.

    ¡®I¡¯m opening the gates now; you have ten minutes,¡¯ I heard Freya¡¯s voice resonate as the sound of chains echoed around the ring.

    Crouching down, I could hear the scuffling of feet across the leaves, the sniffling of noses as they hunted, and the occasional snap of a branch. There were sporadic jitters as they communicated with one another, circling around me. I couldn¡¯t see anything, but my eyes were definitely open as I blinked, and there was nothing covering them. Stirring the mana within me, I waved my hand in front of my face, yet I couldn¡¯t see the golden lines that became visible when I did this.

    ¡®The signals are blocked in your optic nerves, so no matter how hard you try, you won¡¯t see until the end.¡¯ Freya projected, and I lowered my hand with a sigh.

    I had my senses of smell, touch, hearing, and taste, but what about my sixth? Meadhbh had described how sensitivity to mana constituted a sixth sense, one that had only just re-emerged and to which we were unaccustomed. Placing my hand flat against the ground, I sent a pulse through it, feeling it rush away from me until it connected with another source. I pulled a single cheek back in a smirk; I had just reinvented radar for myself.

    Trying again, I applied more power and focused on the direction where I sensed the nearest enemy. Freya would undoubtedly be aware of what I was doing, but I couldn¡¯t hear her calls to stop, which I took as a sign of approval. Tensing my muscles in preparation to pounce, I heard a cry from another direction and realised my sense of direction had flipped. The goblin charged at me with a scream, and I kicked out with my foot, connecting somewhere and sending it flying, it''s cries silenced when I heard its body struck something.

    With the first goblin defeated, I sought the rest of them. Like a candle in a field, I detected each of their locations, but Freya loomed like a blazing sun, her mana overwhelming to my senses. Using her as a reference point, I adjusted my sense of direction and corrected my understanding. I heard the sound of wood straining before the tell-tale snap of a string as an arrow was released towards me. Unable to see the arrow, I dropped flat to the ground as it whizzed past and struck a tree with a heavy thud, followed by a chorus of disgusting laughter.

    Climbing back to my knees, I found the tree and the arrow protruding, pulling it out and launching it like a javelin towards where I felt the archer had fired at me from. Unable to study my surroundings again, my actions seemed to have caused a reaction as several of them screeched and ran towards me. Listening to the cries and the sounds of their feet kicking leaves, I caught one by the throat, squeezing until I felt a snap and threw the corpse away at another.

    Trying to repeat my attack, I wanted to cry in disgust as my hand missed it¡¯s throat, instead punching it in the mouth, teeth scrapping across my hand and covering it in saliva. I discovered a long, sturdy stick in the desperate melee and wielded it as a weapon, dispatching several more goblins before it collided with a tree, sending a painful jolt up my arm.

    ¡®Two minutes and four goblins remaining,¡¯ Freya declared, startling me. I thought I had been keeping count of my kills, but it seems I had eliminated far more than I realised and had lost track of time.

    I quickly discovered where the last four were hiding, but in an effort to avoid making it easy, they were all in different directions. Unleashing a blood-curdling screech, three of them ran towards one another and charged at me, and I swung blindly at them until I could no longer sense their presence. The last goblin, snivelling behind me, remained still, and I pondered what it was armed with. If it had a blade, it needed to close the distance, but if it wielded a bow, I would have to pay attention to the sound.

    ¡®Thirty seconds.¡¯

    Blocking my head with my arms, I rushed forward, crashing through several trees as I wielded my newfound strength to overcome them. I heard the goblin screech as it attempted to flee, and I adjusted my course until my knee struck something, and I stamped down hard. Feeling a crunch, I let out a sigh of relief as my vision gradually returned, revealing a small forest surrounded by a grey wall. From a balcony, I could see Freya in front of a console, watching me.

    Trees were knocked over, some shattered, corpses littering the ground; the whole scene resembled a movie set, yet it was all too real. My hands bore scratches, and thankfully the clothes I had been given remained undamaged, though they still had goblin blood on them. More Niji leisure armour¡ªI could tell Frey had a taste, as she, too, was wearing Niji.

    ¡°A body like that, yet so little grace,¡± Freya said, leaping over the railing to join me on the forest floor. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be rude, but you require intensive training. Your movements are awkward because your mind struggles to catch up with what you can achieve.¡± I flinched slightly as her arm shot towards me. ¡°Imagine I told you to swing your hand and hold it here; your mind is still only here when you have reached the correct position.¡±

    Lowering her arm, it hung below her elbow, barely halfway up, and I understood what she meant. I was so accustomed to my old body, putting full force into everything, that I was now underestimating myself and overreaching. Following her insistence to try to slap her while holding my hand back by an inch, I was thrown off balance as she deftly ducked her head back, causing me to overshoot and nearly spin around.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Find something soft to practice with and improve your hand-eye coordination. A pillow works best. Now, follow me.¡±

    Guiding me towards the centre, a rift opened and we stepped through into another ring; this time, however, there were no trees. Instead, a Caretaker sat opposite a cushion in the middle of the arena. Sensing where I should sit, it then stood up and presented me with a flickering flame as I settled in. Looking up at Freya, who jumped up to the gantry to watch, I felt the flame leeching my mana while I cradled it in my hands.

    ¡®Concentrate on the flame; last time you had to focus on everything, but now you must do the opposite.¡¯

    Looking back at the flame, I fed it a little more mana, and it grew larger, yet there was no heat from it. Out of curiosity, I poked a finger into it. It curled away from my skin, refusing to make contact, and I smiled as I made it dance around my finger as if it were alive until I noticed a cloud of black smoke creeping across the ground towards me. Stopping a few feet away, it rose up and solidified into the shape of a goblin. I prepared to fight, but watched as it began to circle around me, brandishing its weapon, yet seemingly unable to cross an invisible line.

    The goblin was enveloped in smoke from head to foot and grew slightly bigger, emerging as a chieftain, equipped with heavier armour that looked just as ramshackle as its predecessor, adorned with spikes. It dragged a spiked and barbed sword behind it, hissing and gnashing it¡¯s teeth at me from beyond the barrier between us. Muscles bulged as it flexed, as if trying to frighten me, but I did my best to focus solely on the flame.

    With its allotted time up, smoke enveloped it once more as it hunched over and grew larger before splitting into two wolves. Hackles raised, the air rumbled with their growls, sounding like motorbike engines as they circled. My confidence faltered when a paw swung out, leaving deep scratches mere inches from me on the ground. The flame flickered in my hands, and I refocused on it as the circle seemed to shrink, feeling their hot breath on my neck as they drew uncomfortably close. I was certain I could kill them if they were real, but I couldn¡¯t tell if they were merely a smoke mirage or not, and my task was to concentrate on the flame.

    The smoke rolled over my shoulders, sending a chill down my spine, and I felt the hairs on my body stand on end. There was a strange crackling sound as an even larger wolf circled around, sparks dancing across its body until it roared, inches from my face, and the sound of its roar was deafened by a lightning strike elsewhere that made me flinch and cover the flame with my body. It seemed to sneer at me, and I could sense an intelligence in its eyes as a light chuckle appeared to escape its mouth as it changed once more.

    ¡°Monsters don¡¯t frighten me; do your worst,¡± I said, glaring at the smoke that had started to shift.

    ¡°Very well then, if you insist.¡± The man¡¯s voice carried a bemused tone, which seemed at odds with what I had witnessed thus far; perhaps he was one of the others controlling the Spire.

    The smoke lost its shape, descending to the ground, and the light appeared to fade, leaving me in darkness, illuminated only by the flame. I increased the amount of mana I supplied to it in an attempt to brighten my surroundings, but I realised I was allowing it to draw too much power and reduced it again, as I had no means of tracking how long it had been, and what might occur if I exhausted it before reaching the limit.

    ¡°Sadie? Sadie, are you there, sweetie?" I heard Mum¡¯s voice echo around me, accompanied by the sound of heels clicking on the ground, as though she were racing about.

    ¡°She¡¯s not real; there¡¯s no way she would appear here like this,¡± I whispered to myself, closing my eyes and taking deep breaths.

    ¡°Who¡¯s not real, sweetie?" It was her voice, yet it sounded too sweet, almost sinister.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? We¡¯re not real.¡± A new voice called out, one that shook me as its familiarity stabbed a knife through my heart. ¡°How can we be real when she left us to die?¡± Josie emerged from the mist, shuffling as if she had died moments ago. Her torn and shredded body barely held together by bits of flesh and sinew.

    ¡°Not real, not real, they¡¯ve died," I whispered to myself, redirecting my gaze to the flame.

    ¡°Tell me, Sadie, why did you survive when I had to die?¡± Josie¡¯s voice cried out to me as she shuffled closer.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t choose,¡± I mumbled, struggling to hold back tears. ¡°Someone else made that choice for me. I didn¡¯t want to be the only survivor.¡±

    ¡°Am I not good enough for you then?¡± Ashley¡¯s voice joined the assault on my sanity. I looked at her fearfully, trying to assess whether it truly was her, but the golden aura I could see around her was black and sinister, seemingly draping her in shadows.

    I turned my head away from her, unwilling to respond to the apparition and avoiding the look of contempt in her eyes, reminiscent of how she had regarded me at the train station. The flame was all I needed to concentrate on; this was my fault for provoking them into attempting to test me, and I dreaded what they would say if I failed.

    ¡°I asked you a question: am I not good enough for you?¡± I was shocked as her hand gripped my face, forcing me to look up at her. I was frightened by the raw strength in her grip, unable to escape. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. Fine, if you won¡¯t answer, perhaps I should just remove the obstacles to our happily ever after.¡±

    Raising her other hand, she pointed at Trevor, Michael and Josie, unleashing a stream of fire that consumed them. Their twisted and tortured bodies began writhing as their cries of pain filled my ears. I could see them out of the corner of my eye, but Ashley¡¯s malevolent clone forced me to keep staring at her, sneering at my pained expression. Ensuring that the charred husks had ceased moving, they drifted away in a haze of smoke, vanished as if they had never existed.

    ¡°Did you forget what I''ve done? You belong to me, my means to the top, a queen to reign over all.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I exclaimed angrily, summoning the courage to defy her. ¡°You aren¡¯t real, and that¡¯s not something she would say. Piss off.¡±

    Drumming her fingers across my cheek, she sneered at me for discovering my courage before releasing me with a shove. ¡°Very well, my time here is at an end; it¡¯s her turn.¡±

    The ground trembled as an immense pillar of swirling smoke rose before me, and a second tremor made me jump slightly as the fake Ashley sneered and danced over to the pillar of smoke. A giant armoured leg emerged from the smoke, landing heavily and causing the ground to shake for a third time. I glanced sideways at Freya, whose cool and calm expression throughout my entire ordeal was replaced by a frantic urgency as she worked on the console in front of her.

    If the dictionary required a definition of a villain, a mere image of the armoured monstrosity emerging from the smoke would scarcely do it justice. Dark armour, caked in dried rust and gore, covered in spikes glared down at me menacingly. Chains dangled from its belt, and three skulls, glowing with runes carved into them, swung and clashed as the giant walked. For the first time, I felt true fear, even more so than when I faced the wolf in the dungeon.

    ¡°You. Are. Weak!¡± A deep, heavy voice rumbled from beneath its helmet. ¡°You¡­ you are too young.¡± Pausing in their approach, they glanced around and spotted Freya, who nervously ducked down, surprising me. Lumbering towards me, each step made me flinch as the ground trembled, and I contemplated fleeing, the weight of their presence bearing down on me.

    ¡°Not real, not real, not..." I repeated several times before a hooked finger lifted me from the ground by my shirt, raising me to eye level. They were the same height as F?r, and I wondered if it was someone from his past.

    ¡°Yes, this form may not be real, but I am very much real.¡± Their voice had transformed, no longer a heavy, grating sound garbled by their helm, but rather crystal clear and surprisingly a woman¡¯s. ¡°I can tell from the look in your eyes that you do not know who I am. F?r is a fool for believing he can conceal the truth from you; we look so remarkably alike, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Her helmet vanished in a puff of smoke, and I felt as though I were gazing into a mirror. She nearly had my features, but they were more beautiful, adorned with intricate designs of red that flowed across her eyes and into her hairline between her eyebrows. Her eyes gleamed with the same red light, just like F?r¡¯s, which appeared blue in my dream, and I hung there limply, no longer attempting to sustain the flame, allowing it to extinguish into nothingness.

    ¡°I would have preferred our introduction in my true form rather than this hollow apparition, but Fate can certainly be cruel," lifting her other arm, her cruel looking glove disappeared and a finger gently stroked my cheek, wiping away a tear. "Go, ask him who I am, ask your-¡± As she attempted to speak, she abruptly vanished into a black cloud, and I screamed as I fell to the ground.

    Landing heavily, I was covered in sweat, overwhelmed by the terror of her presence, and I vomited what little I had in my stomach. I heard the sound of running feet and saw Freya quickly approaching, bursting through the fake Ashley, who disappeared with a sneer. Tears streaming down my face, Freya pulled me into her arms as I shivered, the woman¡¯s face lingering in my mind; her soft smile, which screamed of cruelty, called out to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it wasn¡¯t meant to be her; it was meant to be the Sovereign of the Second Legion,¡± Freya shouted frantically as a rift opened nearby and Athena came racing in, face in a fit of rage.

    ¡°Was that her?¡± I asked anxiously. ¡°The one who betrayed and injured F?r?¡±

    Athena looked at Freya nervously and shook her head. ¡°The purpose of this trial was to test your resolve. She was merely a conjuration to find those limits.¡±

    I felt unwell listening to her, yet there was a nervous look in her eye. She was concealing something, but I couldn¡¯t discern what it was, and I felt a sense of distrust as Freya hurried over to help me to my feet. ¡°Consider it tested," I said bitterly.

 Chapter 18: The Unconquerable Maze

    Taking a moment to calm down, Freya patiently sat with me in silence, occasionally casting me a concerned glance. ¡°I know she lied to me,¡± I eventually mumbled, watching her head whip around.

    ¡°She did, and she didn¡¯t,¡± I heard her reply softly. ¡°I know the secrets can be frustrating, but I believe there is a time and a place for everything. Why don¡¯t you think of a question that you feel I might be able to answer? I know more than Meadhbh, so there must be something you asked that she couldn¡¯t answer.¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re F?r¡¯s heirs, are we related to him?¡± I asked innocently. ¡°I met him briefly, when he pulled me into his core from the cave; he was massive. However, my sudden growth made me wonder if Isha¡¯s Embrace had reawakened something deep within my genes.¡±

    A look of despair crossed Freya¡¯s face, and I realised I had asked her a question she would find difficult to answer. Giving her my full attention, I noticed her lips moving slightly, undoubtedly communicating with someone, most likely F?r.

    ¡°You¡¯re not saying no right away, so I¡¯m correct; there is a connection, please tell me. Are Ashley and I related?¡± I pleaded, moving closer and grasping her hand in case she tried to escape.

    ¡°Biologically, it is impossible for you to share his genes, and no, you are in no way related to Ashley, not unless you try going back several generations, then maybe there''s a distant link.¡± Listening to her, I deflated in defeat, my line of thought cruelly crushed. ¡°Master did not have a child born before his internment beneath the Spire. While I understand your reasoning for the question, I don¡¯t know if it is the answer you wanted to hear.¡±

    Releasing her hands, I pushed myself to my feet as she mirrored my movements. While I had a dozen new questions, I still needed to complete these last two trials, and perhaps then I could drag Freya back with me and interrogate her. A rift had been humming nearby, waiting for us to approach, and I stepped in first. As I moved through, I sighed deeply at the vast maze that stretched into the distance in all directions.

    ¡°This will take a little longer; you have seventy-two hours to locate the goblin camp in the middle, slay the chieftain, and then escape. So, two trials in one.¡± As I was informed of the rules, I glanced down at a goblin that was looking up at us, hissing as it attempted to find a way to climb up to us. I instinctively yelled and jumped back when the walls of the maze slammed shut on the goblin, spraying red mist everywhere.

    ¡°There are various traps laced throughout the area, each featuring a visible tripwire that you can disable or use against them. You may forfeit at any time, and I will pull you out. Additionally, every twenty-four hours, you can pause the timer for a six-hour break. If you skip the first one, I will enforce the second; we are testing your strategy and combat skills here, not your endurance. Do you understand?¡± Her tone was firm, and I nodded, scanning the maze but having long since given up on trying to memorise it.

    ¡°I suppose running across the top is out of the question then?¡± I jested, reading her answer in the glare of her eyes. ¡°Actually, just one last thing: will there be food and drink? I just remembered that I didn¡¯t bring anything, and I¡¯m feeling a bit peckish.¡±

    Taken aback, she stroked her cheek. ¡°Oh, since we¡¯ve long forgotten those urges, I never actually thought about it. I will organise something with Athena and send you a care package once it¡¯s ready. After that, for each break, I will provide you with enough to last until your next break. I¡¯ll inform Belial as well, for Ashley¡¯s sake.¡±

    She lowered the floating platform from which we had been observing the maze. I stepped off and watched it disappear above me. No doubt there to make sure I wouldn¡¯t cheat. The walls had been thick, so it would be useless to try and punch my way through, and Big Sister above me might get a tickle in her throat and cough at me sternly. As I opened the connection to my core, Munin emerged, carrying my sword in his mouth, and I rubbed his head as I mentally prepared.

    The woman¡¯s face refused to leave my mind, and looking down at my sword, I found myself hesitating once more. Freya had seemed afraid of her, even though she wasn¡¯t real, but did she know she wasn¡¯t real? Was she a copy of someone? The resemblance to me was the most concerning aspect. Squatting down, I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself. Perhaps they had been right to block my memories, because if an apparition like that, where both Athena and Freya were lying to me, scared me so much, what must the truth be like?

    ¡®You alright, dear?¡¯ I heard Freya call out, and I simply nodded without looking up and walked down the corridor.

    With Munin by my side, I approached a T-junction, but he halted and sniffed the ground, growling softly. I sensed danger through our connection and raised my sword defensively. Drawing closer to the wall, I shuffled forward slowly, on the lookout for traps, when I heard a sniffling sound ahead¡ªgoblins!

    Edging closer, they grew quieter, and I realised they knew I was there. So, biting the bullet, I rounded the corner, sword thrust forward, and impaled one through its shield and into its chest. Four more shrieked behind the first, and I side-stepped a spear thrust, pulling the wielder forward and beheading it. My sword was already a mangled mess from when I had used it in Ireland, but my overwhelming strength more than made up for its faults.

    Flicking blood off the blade onto the wall, Munin sniffed at one of the corpses, his snout mere inches from the mana stone that had formed within its chest. As he whined at me, I allowed him to do as he pleased, curiously observing him tear the stone from the corpse and consume it like candy, shards of clear crystal cascading to the floor as he crunched on it. I noticed a wave of light sweep across his body when he ate it, which made me ponder whether he instinctively knew it would make him stronger.

    ¡°Sadie!¡± I heard Freya¡¯s voice as the platform from which she was observing me descended, revealing another man with her. He was big and muscular, possessing a braided beard that hung down to his stomach, and I found myself wishing to see him in a leather jacket, looking like one of those American bikers from before the Fracture. ¡°Sadie, this is my son, Thor.¡±

    ¡°Son? You don¡¯t look a day over thirty and he looks sixty.¡± I laughed as she smiled at my flattery, Thor crossing his arms and grumbling quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Thor.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you really know how to flatter me. Thor brought you some food and water, and then decided to watch.¡± She laughed as she passed me the bag she held, and I tossed my sword aside, ashamed to let them see it.

    Thor flinched as it struck the ground, then pushed past me to retrieve it, continuing to grumble like a rumbling engine. ¡°I forbid you from touching my blades again. Mother, look at the state it''s in. She possesses as much finesse as Master, there is no doubt-¡±

    Freya coughed, shooting him a glare, and his mouth instantly snapped shut as I realised he was about to say something he shouldn''t. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt, what? Go on, do tell,¡± I asked sarcastically, while he refused to look at me, running his fingers along the mangled blade.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Master lacked finesse with weapons, preferring to wield a hammer that he could swing freely. Given his size and strength, it served him well; giants, trolls, and dragons stood no chance against the force of his blows.¡± Thor said, using his thick fingers to attempt to repair the blade¡¯s edge. ¡°Take this.¡±

    As he lifted the flap of his skirt, I realised it was an apron, and he handed me a heavy hammer. ¡°It¡¯s not a weapon, but I suppose anything can become a weapon in your hands if you swing it hard enough.¡± I felt disappointed by his assessment, as I had worked diligently to learn from Meadhbh.

    ¡°Thor, be kind!¡± Freya reprimanded, smacking his arm with a force that echoed like breaking stone. ¡°I shall see you later; just inform me when you¡¯re prepared for your first proper break.¡±

    As I stepped back onto the floating platform, both of them rose again and disappeared, leaving me alone once more in the maze with Munin, who had gorged himself on the remaining mana stones. I opened the plastic bag to find two bottles of water, a sandwich, and some jerky. I chuckled to myself at the thought of Thor bursting into some hapless corner shop and robbing it. Beneath one of the bottles, I discovered a receipt and pulled it out. ¡°Chuck Thunder; out of all the names you could possibly have come up with, Chuck Thunder is what you chose to conceal your identity?¡± I erupted into laughter towards the dark ceiling, hoping he was still there.

    Smiling, I folded it neatly and sent it into my core with one of my goblins. I chose not to bring the rest of them out, leaving only myself and Munin, who sat watching me patiently. Picking up the hammer Thor had given me, I twirled it in my hand a few times, trying to get a feel for it, but it felt clunky and awkward. After sending it inside along with the receipt and water, I picked up the goblin spear and decided to use that instead. Although they were of poor quality, I picked up weapons from any enemy I encountered while wandering through the maze.

    At the next junction, I discovered several carvings on the wall, one for each direction, and attempted to decipher which way to go. One of them featured a dot in the centre, and I chose to follow it to the next junction, where I found the same carving along with two new ones. The groups of enemies that cluttered the maze were insignificant, and some of the traps had been inadvertently triggered by them. Having Munin with me was a considerable advantage, as he could detect them before I could.

    Beginning to yawn repeatedly, I sat down and raised my hand, signalling to Freya that I was finished for the day. The walls of the corridor I was in closed around me, enveloping me in a bubble of safety as she descended from above, thankfully without Thor.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Chuck?¡± I asked in a sweet tone, and she chuckled.

    ¡°Angrily hammering at the blade you destroyed, no doubt,¡± she responded lightly, sitting down across the corridor from me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, though, it was nothing more than a training blade, so its durability was quite low.¡±

    As I dug into the care package of food she had brought me, I searched for another receipt, but she waved it at me from her spot, and I sulked at the lack of another for my collection. Using Munin as a pillow, I felt my eyes grow heavy, and sleep came easily, despite the ground occasionally shaking when a trap was activated somewhere in the maze.

    Awakening to the sound of a soft song, I was surprised to find that Freya had replaced Munin, and my head was resting on her lap. As my eyes opened wide, I attempted to sit up, but she pressed me back down firmly with a single finger. I felt a tug at my hair and realised she was braiding it, and reaching up, I traced my fingers along the braid.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ruin it,¡± she hissed, gently pushing my hand away. ¡°Your hair was an absolute mess, and I couldn¡¯t just leave you looking like a savage.¡±

    ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and closing them to relax as she resumed her singing.

    ¡®About nine hours. I decided to give you some extra time in consideration of what you¡¯ve been going through. Your body is still adjusting to its recent growth, with the muscles still stretching and tightening. The ligaments are my greatest worry; one wrong move and I fear you might pop a joint out of its socket.¡¯

    Switching to project her voice, she continued singing softly to herself, and I marvelled at how she could maintain the two trains of thought. ¡®How do you know so much about this?¡¯

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t a fighter,¡± she said, her song concluding. ¡°My role was to oversee the frontline hospitals. Not every wound could be healed with magic, and the Guardians were merely a fraction of the true numbers of the Master¡¯s forces. As I didn¡¯t tire, I could work relentlessly with my team as the never-ending casualties were brought to us. We reserved magic for the most severe cases, sealing amputations and reattaching limbs that were recovered. Simple cuts and broken bones were stitched up and had to wait until we weren¡¯t under as much pressure.¡±

    As I listened to her story, I noticed a sadness in her eyes and wondered how horrific it must have been. I had witnessed some terrible injuries before and shuddered at the thought of an unending stream of them being paraded before you as you tried to triage those too injured to survive. Once again, an awkward silence fell between us until she began another song while finishing my hair.

    Once she had finished, I used my phone to admire what she had done and snapped several photos of her work. My long hair had been braided into a neat bun and no longer flowed freely, occasionally getting caught in my mouth. As I thanked her during breakfast, she hugged me goodbye and then disappeared back above the maze as only the far wall opened, blocking my return to the beginning.

    Several goblins had been waiting on the other side of the wall and were taken aback by the sudden change, but I was astonished to see they were accompanied by a lone wolf rider. Whistling sharply, Munin¡¯s growls were joined by Vonga and the other wolves, causing the goblins to take a step back in fright.

    Looking up into the darkness, ¡®I¡¯m not breaking any rules, am I?¡¯

    ¡®No, you¡¯re fine.¡¯ I heard her respond cheerfully, and a devilish grin crept onto my face.

    ¡®Attack,¡¯ I ordered, watching the four wolves charge ahead, howling. The fight was swift as two of my own savaged the wolf, sending the goblins fleeing in terror, their fangs snapping at the heels. I called them back before they went too far and triggered one of the many traps.

    Padding over to me softly, tongues hanging happily from their blood-drenched mouths, I carefully avoided their attempts to lick me and patted each of them on the head. Until now, I had been doing most of the fighting, but they had been more than capable of handling it themselves. Picking up an abandoned spear as the sound of crunching mana stones echoed down the corridor, I proceeded, feeling a little better about my progress.

    Alternating between fighting myself and letting my Guardians handle it, I navigated the maze, following the carvings that Freya had suggested were the correct ones until I located the main camp. Similar to a dungeon, there were a few tents with goblins wandering about aimlessly. There had been some guards around the corner, but we managed to subdue them quietly without alerting the remainder of their group here.

    ¡°What do you think, Munin? Do you reckon we can take on thirty goblins?¡± I asked cautiously, scanning the area. He emitted a low whine and nudged me in the lower back, clearly eager to push me out into the open. ¡°Alright, but no more devouring stones; we need to build up our forces. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Having pulled out Thor¡¯s crafting hammer, I wanted something sturdy for facing the goblin chief in the centre. Taking a deep breath, I rounded the corner and set off in a sprint, holding back a war cry, hoping to get as close as possible before they realised. A few goblins stared at me for a few seconds before realising they were in danger, shrieking as I closed the distance. One attempted to jab me with a spear, but I wrenched it from its hands, and turning sideways, I felt like an Olympic athlete before launching it at the chieftain.

    Several of the goblins fell silent as they watched the spear arc over their heads and impale the chieftain, the tip bursting through the back of the wooden throne they had built. I stood there in shock at how powerful and accurate my throw had been, looking down at my left hand and flexing it a few times in disbelief. Hearing a shriek, I snapped back to reality and swung the hammer with a backswing, sending a screaming goblin flying through the air. Calling out the goblins baying for blood within me, they joined in the slaughter around me, overpowering their kin, giggling maniacally all the while.

    The slaughter was not without cost, as one of my wolves was killed by a lucky spear thrust through the chest, crumbling like a statue along with three of my goblins. I felt each of their deaths, like a rubber band snapping in the back of my mind, and I wondered if I was meant to feel sentimental about each one. Munin was my favourite thus far, due to the connection I felt with Uncle Connor through him. Feeling his fur between my fingers, I looked over as he nudged his head under my arms to receive a hug, which I gladly gave him.

    ¡°Well done,¡± I whispered, nuzzling my face into his neck.

    Taking a few gulps of water, I noticed how quiet it had become. The occasional bang of a trap being sprung somewhere no longer sent reverberations through the ground, and I wondered if killing the goblin leader had triggered something. Glaring upwards in the direction I hoped Freya was, I had a strange feeling that she was smiling at me evilly. Whistling to the others, they immediately ceased gathering the stones of the dead and retreated back into my core, and I shoved Munin in as well.

    Tiptoeing around the bodies, I glanced down the corridor I had come from and closed my eyes to concentrate on the sound, or rather the absence of sound apart from my own breathing. My heart raced as my intuition screamed that something was amiss. The unmistakable sound of a rift opening behind me made me slowly turn in horror as a huge beast stepped through. It had a bovine head, a muscular humanoid body, and cow-like hoofed legs; I struggled to breathe as the Greek monster of mazes emerged: a minotaur.

    ¡°Fuck this!¡± I screamed, mustering my courage, and threw Thor¡¯s hammer at it, watching it bounce harmlessly off its head, which only seemed to make it angrier. ¡°Nope! Nope! Nope! Freya, I hope you die!¡± I shouted as I took off, sprinting down the corridor away from the beast.

    Braying loudly, I felt the strength of its roar in my chest as it smashed its enormous, double-sided axe into the ground and charged after me. Each step seemed to shake the earth as it lowered its head, horns pointing towards me as it drew closer. I saw a wall approaching, along with the T-junction I had passed on my way here. Left was the direction I had come from, and I leaned right at the last moment, but I slipped on some blood left by a goblin corpse on the ground. Sliding into the wall in a heap, I found myself on my back as the Minotaur¡¯s horns embedded themselves into the wall without slowing down, and I was showered in stone shards as I attempted to crawl backwards, out of reach of its grasping hands.

    Scrambling to my feet, I glanced back and saw it trying to pull itself from the wall, the sound of stone cracking under its weight. Tears streamed down my face, my heart in my mouth from fear, as I continued to run, desperately searching for a way forward. Spotting a turn, I didn¡¯t have time to examine the carvings, but at the last moment, I noticed the tripwire and dived over it, rolling against the wall again and crawling on my sore knees before sprinting off once more. Hearing a massive bang, I looked back to see a twitching hand extending from where the two walls had crashed together, before it slowly retracted, leaving the flattened remains of the Minotaur dripping to the floor.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, I doubled over, trying to catch my breath as I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Moving closer to inspect the corpse, I noticed a glint of gold in the wall where the mana stone had been embedded by the force of the two sides of the trap smashing together. The axe it had wielded was nothing more than twisted metal scrap, protruding from the opposite wall.

    A loud braying roar pierced the air, and I froze at the sound. "Another one?" I murmured, trembling. Rushing to the side, I placed my hand on the crystal, hearing the beast within snorting as it regarded me. I drained the stone of most of its energy, using it to regain some of my stamina. It roared in defiance at my vampirism, but I ignored it, and once it was almost but an empty crystal, I took off running again.

    Arriving at another junction, I glanced at the carved symbols in haste, recognising the one that led back to the centre, but I couldn¡¯t decipher the other three. In a panic, I took a left and began running as fast as I could, trying to create as much distance as possible between myself and the second minotaur. As I jumped over a tripwire, I heard its roar echo again, much louder, but I couldn¡¯t discern which direction it came from, so I kept running. Ahead lay another junction, and as I began to slow down to examine the symbols, the Minotaur burst out from the left side, skidding to a halt in the middle and staring at me.

    Unable to stop, I sped up and slid through its legs as it swung its axe over its head, looking up at its angry face as it watched me slip under. The axe came crashing down behind me as I scrambled to my feet, and I could hear it charging after me, shrieking in terror. As I heard its pace change, I jumped sideways a little while the axe crashed down beside me, trying not to look back as it roared at me.

    ¡®Left.¡¯ I heard Freya¡¯s voice, but I didn¡¯t trust her, so I took the next right instead. ¡®Foolish child.¡¯

    As I ran about a hundred metres, I found myself at a dead end and turned to look back just as the Minotaur realised I was trapped and menacingly strode towards me, swinging its axe to intimidate me. I had no weapons, and involving my Guardians would only lead to a pointless death sentence for them. I needed to confront this on my own, but would I be strong enough? Fighters unable to wield magic could enhance their bodies using mana, and I stirred the reservoir within me, whipping it up into a fury as golden lines traced across my exposed hands, shining in my eyes, where I could barely see their reflection on my nose.

    The Minotaur paused in its advance on me as I breathed heavily, feeling the power coursing through me. Pushing off from the wall, I began charging at it as it responded in kind, swinging its axe behind in preparation to strike me as we closed the gap. Several feet in front of it, I leapt up and threw my fist forward, screaming at the top of my lungs to try not to dissuade myself.

    An explosion of pain shot up my arm as my fist collided with its chest, followed by the rest of my body as I rebounded and slammed against the wall. The minotaur also flew through the air, back down the corridor, and I watched dizzily as it climbed to its feet. Completely unharmed, I despaired as it picked up its axe, turned it over, and stared at me calmly, the head of the weapon resting on the floor.

    ¡°You foolish child,¡± I heard Freya call as she descended back to her observation platform. "Thank you, Mithros; you may return to your post.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lady Freya,¡± he rumbled as a rift opened nearby and he disappeared through it.

    ¡°What?¡± I shouted as he vanished. ¡°What was that? He¡¯s a Guardian?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Freya sighed, rubbing her forehead. ¡°After the first one stumbled into one of the traps, I called for Mithros to replace him. At least he would¡¯ve had the awareness not to get himself killed, unlike that other mindless beast. Speaking of mindless beasts, what was that? Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡± She slapped my arm gently, and I groaned as it still ached; a look of concern crossed her face as she regretted it.

    ¡°What else was I supposed to do? I had no way of dealing with it. I thought I might get lucky and incapacitate it long enough to escape,¡± I grumbled as she inspected my sore arm.

    ¡°I advised you on which direction to take, even though I probably shouldn¡¯t have. In any case, the trial is finished; you defeated the original Minotaur, and I intended to observe how you manage under pressure while trying to devise a plan.¡±

    ¡°Did I fail, then?¡± I asked glumly, wincing as her finger pressed into my shoulder slightly.

    ¡°Rather than asking me if you have failed, consider whether you have learned anything. There¡¯s only a limit to what can be taught before you start to piece it together and cultivate your own skills.¡± Her voice was stern as she concentrated on my shoulder, and as I attempted to lift it, I cried out as it felt like something was grating against me.

    ¡°You¡¯ve broken several bones, really, child, what are we to do with you?¡± Picking me up in her arms, I ground my teeth together as my left arm lay uselessly across my stomach while she effortlessly carried me through the rift that had opened nearby.

 Chapter 19: Trapped by Bureaucracy

    Carried into some sort of medical room, Freya lay me down on a bed and tore my jacket open, revealing my bare shoulder, which was rapidly turning purple. Around the room, there were several other beds, all empty, but two large bubbling tanks at the back unsettled me. Apart from my breathing, they were the only source of noise in the bright and sterile room.

    ¡°I know it sounds silly, but everything appears far more advanced than what exists outside. Why aren¡¯t you sharing it with us?¡± I asked nervously.

    ¡°We did, a little. A hint here, a nudge there; things needed to be discovered on their own, otherwise innovation would stagnate if everything were handed over freely. Imagine trying to explain microbiology to someone from the early Middle Ages. Also, not everything can be made here. I apologise for this.¡±

    With guilt in her eyes, I suddenly arched my back and screamed, feeling as though she was tearing my arm off. A deep vibration coursed through my body before the pain began to subside, and my scream waned as tears streamed down my face. ¡°What have you done?¡± I cried, attempting to look over, but she turned my head away with her hand, covering my eyes.

    ¡°Sorry, the strengthening method you used caused your bones to knit together incorrectly. You need to be careful, as doing things like that without training will only lead to more accidents. Please promise me you won¡¯t do that again until you know what you¡¯re doing. Mithros had to absorb as much of the blow as he could to avoid shattering your whole body. Against a regular Minotaur, you would have been almost fine, but he was on a scale far beyond your own.¡±

    Acknowledging her stern warning, she wrapped bandages around my arm and secured a brace to hold it in place. ¡°I suppose that means I¡¯m out of action for a few weeks then,¡± I sighed, lying back down after examining it.

    ¡°You should be fine within a week. Your new body will heal much faster, even if I cannot use my healing magic on you. In time, you will be able to adapt and grow, being able to push your own healing abilities.¡± After admiring her work, she stepped away and began to clean up the mess she had made while treating me. ¡°Leave it alone for seven days; even if you feel fine, do not touch it. If it still hurts after three, come back to see me.¡±

    ¡°I should be fine,¡± I offered a weak smile as she scowled at my remark but remained silent.

    ¡°That¡¯s the positive attitude I want to see,¡± I heard, turning to my left in surprise to see Athena seated on a chair at the far end of the room. I hadn¡¯t noticed her arrival, but Freya appeared unfazed by the interruption. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to return home and start preparing for the future,¡± she said, standing up and approaching with two boxes, which I assumed were more gifts.

    ¡°After a week of bed rest.¡± Freya warned, scowling at me.

    Looking over her shoulder, a rift appeared, and Ashley rushed through, followed by an angel and a devil¡ªthe Twins, no doubt. Meadhbh had warned me about their constant bickering, but they were some of the best mages around and ideal for Ashley. Upon seeing me, she hurried across the room and stood staring at me with the cast on my arm.

    ¡°Oh, look at you; I''d hate to see the other chap," the devil twin remarked, peering over Athena¡¯s shoulder to glance at me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t encourage her, Belial,¡± Athena barked as he shrank back from her before she turned to glance at Ashley and me, her face softening. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to head back to London. Now that we¡¯ve had our official introductions, we¡¯re going to gradually lift the last of the limitations on the Spire. Use this time to grow in strength and gather a circle of friends and allies.¡±

    ¡°What do we do after that?¡± Ashley asked, grabbing my uninjured arm to help me sit up.

    ¡°The life you¡¯ve lived until now is truly behind you. Sadie, your fighting techniques are terrible, nonexistent; I have arranged for an instructor to assist you.¡± Lifting the lid of one of the boxes, a golden light beamed from within, and my eyes widened with delight at the sight of my third essence crystal. ¡°Ashley, I regret that I don¡¯t have a specific gift for you, but Master has requested that I convey this message: ¡®Listen to the whisperings and use them to guide you toward what you want to achieve.¡¯¡±

    I was confused by what she meant, but seeing her face light up, she smiled slightly and nodded her head. ¡°Tell him I said thank you.¡±

    ¡°He can undoubtedly hear us, so don¡¯t worry. Now, we have one last box of clothes to give you; it should help when you return and provide you with some breathing room to go shopping.¡± Passing the second box, Ashley took the two and brought them into my core since I was unable to carry them.

    ¡°Thanks for everything, sorry if I was angry about the memory thing, I think I understand why you did it, but as long as its temporary, there isn¡¯t much I can do now. Oh, Freya, thanks for the last few days, and I¡¯m sorry for saying I wish you¡¯d die.¡± Leaning over, I gave her a one-armed hug. ¡°Oh, and tell Chuck that I¡¯m sorry for losing his hammer.¡±

    ¡°Chuck?¡± Ashley asked, reappearing suddenly.

    ¡°Thor¡¯s secret identity off the Isle, Chuck Thunder.¡± I chuckled as she suppressed her laughter and the others groaned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t say a word to anyone.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t, goodbye.¡± Receiving a brief hug from Athena, the Twins bowed slightly in respect as a rift opened at the end of the room.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Ashley called out, ¡°if you¡¯re suddenly going to increase the strength of the rifts, people need to be warned.¡±

    Athena pondered for a moment and nodded once. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s only fair. I¡¯ll see what we can do.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, I felt as though I was on the verge of stepping into a new life. Hand in hand with Ashley, we stepped through together, moving from the strange medical room of the Spire into the bright light of an office. Hearing the rift close, I turned around to see where we were, only to find Terence glaring at me from behind a desk with his name emblazoned on a plaque in the centre.

    ¡°Well, this is rather awkward,¡± I sighed. I had hoped they would send me to Mum¡¯s house or, at the very least, my dingy apartment, but this situation was infinitely worse.

    ¡°Welcome back, ladies. It seems you¡¯ve had quite an interesting experience.¡± I glanced at my arm, noticing that the sleeve of my jacket had ripped off, with the white badges wrapped tightly around it and the splint. ¡°May I ask what happened? Were you attacked by one of them?¡±

    ¡°This?¡± I inquired, shifting my arm and regretting it immediately. ¡°I merely had a minor disagreement with a minotaur; nothing serious.¡±

    ¡°A Minotaur? You mean you were mad enough to actually fight the bloody thing?¡± Ashley shouted, releasing my other hand and folding her arms. ¡°Honestly, did you learn nothing whilst navigating that maze?¡±

    ¡®Oh, the first one was accidentally flattened by a trap. They just sent a Guardian minotaur after me, and it broke my arm when I punched it in the chest. He was fine, but Freya cancelled the trial.¡¯ I blurted to Ashley as she glared at me angrily.

    ¡°A Minotaur? You mean they actually exist?¡± Terence asked, his face turning pale.

    ¡°Yeah, apparently so,¡± Ashley said, turning to look at him while still keeping her arms crossed. ¡°And this numbskull decided to face it head-on. We¡¯re sorry to trouble you like this, but could you take us downstairs? I really want to go home and sleep in my own bed for once.¡±

    As he rose from his chair, he said, "I would, but I have other orders, to take you upstairs to the Minister; he¡ª"

    ¡°What if we refuse?¡± I asked coldly. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, sore, and, like Ashley, I want to sleep in my own bed. Also, I¡¯d love something greasy and filling.¡±

    ¡°Look, ladies, I¡¯m not doubting that you¡¯re unhappy with this, but there are many unanswered questions. At present, you two are perceived as significant security risks, and I fear that if we provoke you, I won¡¯t be breathing for much longer. I would very much like to get home to feed my cat tonight. So please, can we avert this threat of mutually assured destruction and discuss matters peacefully?¡± I could hear the pleading tone in his voice, a stark contrast to the confident tone he had maintained previously whenever I saw him.

    ¡°Fine, to spare your poor kitty,¡± I sighed in exasperation. ¡°But on one condition, Little Sun Dragon: Wilton Road, sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, also a black bean chow mein, and two servings of spring rolls.¡±

    ¡°Double that, and add a half aromatic duck starter as well. I¡¯m starving! Ever since we bonded, my appetite has been insatiable,¡± Ashley added, and I nodded in agreement. It had been alarming how hungry we were, and Mum had been appalled when we had to order thirds in the hotel.

    Scrambling to find a pen and paper, Terence jotted down our order, and my mood lifted slightly, making me more agreeable to their demands to meet, provided we were at least getting fed in return. Following him into the corridor, we passed several other offices as staff poked their heads above cubicle walls to observe us. Technically, we had intruded, and I wondered why Athena had dropped us off here instead of at my apartment. Did Mum have to endure the same? She still possessed Meadhbh¡¯s crystal, which thankfully offered me a respite from her snarky attitude.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    We paraded through the office, and thankfully, the elevator ride to the top was short. As the doors opened, we followed Terence into the penthouse office of the British Ministry of Defence and Arcane Matters, where the man himself sat at his desk. Looking dark and broody, he leaned on his desk, his piercing blue eyes studying us, and I felt a slight apprehension.

    ¡°Ladies, you¡¯ve been causing quite a stir, particularly you, Miss Whittaker. You are Miss Whittaker, aren¡¯t you?¡± His deep voice resonated from across the room. The entire office occupied the top floor, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass windows all around, with the only solid walls being the elevator in the centre of the space.

    ¡°In the flesh; I wasn¡¯t swapped or anything, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about.¡± We stood in the middle of the room while Terence moved behind Anthony, observing us. ¡°If you¡¯d like proof, I can have someone from the Spire verify our identities, but I¡¯m uncertain how much you¡¯d trust what they say.¡±

    Waving his hand dismissively, Anthony shook his head. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll trust that what you¡¯re saying is the truth. So, tell me, how much of a threat are you two to us?¡± Clasping his hands in front of his face while studying us, I sensed the implied threat in his words as a flicker of mana leaked out, no doubt reflecting his intention.

    She placed her hand on my shoulder. ¡®We should go; I don¡¯t like this.¡¯ As I looked around, I noticed her eyes flickering between me and the other two before returning to me.

    I crossed my arms and gazed at them. ¡°Why do you suddenly assume we¡¯re a threat?¡± I asked, tilting my head slightly and sizing them up. ¡°I-¡±

    ¡°We are not a threat,¡± Ashley said angrily, cutting me off. ¡°But we certainly can be if you¡¯re going to be this rude towards us. This is a waste of time; let¡¯s go, Sadie.¡± Leading me by the hand, I simply turned to follow her towards the lift.

    ¡°I heard what you told Mr Waters, perhaps not word for word, but enough to get the gist of it.¡± The Minister said, maintaining eye contact with us. ¡°While I am sceptical about what I heard, I wish to learn the truth, the whole truth. I may not be a Truthseeker like the paladins in the Justice Department, but I can read people well enough to know when they are lying.¡±

    ¡®Don¡¯t, Sadie,'' Ashley pleaded, tugging on my hand towards the elevator we had just stepped off. ¡®Let¡¯s just go before they try to lock us up.¡¯

    Hanging my head as I exhaled, I freed myself from her grasp and turned to face the two of them. ¡°Two conditions: food and a promise to keep an open mind. Things are complicated, and you¡¯re not going to enjoy what you hear as your entire worldview is about to be shattered.¡±

    The tension in the air was palpable, the Minister conjuring a storm with his mana as it surged from his body. He was a legend for his remarkable feats, having survived the dragon and countless dungeon raids, defying all odds. Beneath his suit, he still possessed much of the strength of his youth, and his mere presence in a room felt menacing.

    ¡°Fair enough, Terence, fetch the girls some food. You two, take a seat, and we¡¯ll have a chat.¡± His voice urged me to walk towards the couches he had gestured to, and we sat opposite his armchair.

    ¡°To preface a few questions, I want to introduce you to my Guardians.¡± Whistling a short note, more for his benefit than for mine, Munin and Vonga, my remaining two wolves, emerged from my core behind us, padding softly across the wooden floor to sit beside us. Ruffling his mane, Munin rested his head in my lap, while Vonga did the same with Ashley. I glanced at the Minister as he sat there, staring at them intently, yet made no other move to react.

    Introductions made, I recounted our story from the beginning¡ªnot the wolf lair incident, but as far back as I could remember¡ªproviding him with the full history as I understood it. Attempting to jump back and forth would have been exhausting, so I maintained a chronological order, hoping to at least convince him I wasn¡¯t fabricating it all. True to his word, the food arrived halfway through, and we continued to regale our tale while demolishing the take-out. Ashley nearly bit my hand off when I reached for a piece of her duck, eliciting the only facial reaction from him as I shared everything.

    Finally arriving in the present, he stood up and moved to the window, hands in his pockets as he gazed out at the city. Terence had remained as well to listen and looked as if his life had been a lie, unsure of what to do with himself. Neither had asked any questions, which I hoped was due to my efforts in explaining everything as best as I could, and we sat there contemplating our words while looking at his back.

    ¡°I do not want to believe it,¡± he finally said without turning around. ¡°Your story sounds fantastical and wild, yet it fills in too many gaps. There¡¯s so much we don¡¯t know, but if you¡¯re telling the truth, it makes sense.¡±

    I squeezed Ashley¡¯s hand as I sensed her anger rising, hoping to avert any antagonism. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for more proof, I could likely arrange for you to meet Athena; honestly, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she decided to burst in now, yelling.¡± I paused for a moment, steeling myself for my prediction to hold true, but it didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Whatever you were doing in Ireland last week was detected globally; did you know that? We¡¯re working to develop a system to detect when and where rifts are created, and every single one of them lit up like a Christmas tree. Ten of our highest-ranked mages can¡¯t even get it to more than a blip if they pour out all of their mana five feet from it, yet you two managed to achieve what they couldn¡¯t, globally. Twice. Can you guess when the first time was?¡± Turning around, his eyebrows nearly joined together as he glared at us. Nodding, I had a pretty good idea of exactly what he was talking about.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard of this, Sir,¡± Terence said, glancing at him. Whenever I had met him in hospital, he had been calm and composed, but now I was witnessing a completely different side to him.

    ¡°No, we kept it quiet. Watching and waiting to see what would come of it. The Caretakers out in greater numbers, the rifts beginning to change; we¡¯re not blind to such matters. If what the two ladies said is true, we¡¯re completely unprepared for what is to come.¡±

    Rubbing the back of his head, I noticed the scar running down it, a thin bald line amidst the white hair that had been hidden until now. I winced slightly, wondering how horrific it must have been to sustain such an injury. Glancing away, I spotted a display cabinet around the corner of the lift shaft that I hadn¡¯t noticed until now. Various mana stones glimmered from behind the glass panes, but it was the treasure in the centre that captured my attention.

    ¡®Sadie?¡¯ Ashley called as I nearly dashed across the room for a closer look, drooling at the enormous essence crystal perched on the shelf. Meadhbh and Rylock were about the size of a football, but this one was double, or perhaps even triple, that size. The Minister¡¯s aura had concealed it, but standing so near, I could hear the frenzied roars emanating from within without even touching it.

    ¡°The black dragon,¡± I heard the Minister grumble as he followed me, standing beside me as I pressed my hand against the glass. ¡°Pray tell me, why did they unleash such a disaster upon us?¡±

    I shook my head, recalling the same questions I had asked Meadhbh before. ¡°They didn¡¯t. Not everything perished in the millennia following the Scouring. Devoid of mana, beings that had never known life without it found themselves unable to survive, and some discovered a way to hibernate, reawakening with the sudden resurgence. That¡¯s why it felt as though the apocalypse had come; the enemy¡¯s remnants joined in on the slaughter.¡±

    Straightening up to look him directly in the eyes, I held firm as he scrutinised me. ¡°Are you ready to accept the responsibility that has been thrust upon you?¡± I blinked in surprise at his question and looked down at the floor, uncertain of how to respond. ¡°And what about you, Miss Burbit? Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready?¡± she stammered. ¡°I haven¡¯t even graduated yet, having to repeat my final year at the Academy and being kicked out of my study group for being useless. How can I possibly be ready for this?¡±

    To my surprise, he placed his hand on my shoulder, causing my head to shoot up in concern as I noticed a smile that possessed genuine warmth. ¡°If you had said yes, I would have called you both fools.¡± Letting his hand drop, he returned to his desk and sat down behind it, signifying that he was shifting into business mode.

    ¡°Tony?¡± Terence inquired, turning to face him in bewilderment.

    ¡°Now, ladies, I have three options before me. First, I could throw you out and dismiss everything as the fantasy of two young huntresses. Second, I could still throw you out, but I would bear in mind what you¡¯ve told us. Third,¡±¡ªpausing, he raised a hand to silence me as I began to argue¡ª¡°third, we work together to weather the impending storm.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that treason?¡± Terence inquired, glancing nervously at each of us in turn. ¡°You¡¯re effectively proposing to assist them in undermining all the world¡¯s governments, especially by disregarding your oath to the King.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he nodded gravely. ¡°I understand, but what choice do we have? Let¡¯s say we arrest them now¡ªthen what? I would certainly believe that a reprisal force may come, and do you think we can stand against the Caretakers? Sadie, Ashley, do you think we can work together?¡±

    As he switched to using our first names, I felt he was ready to treat us as equals, so I crossed the room and took the open seat beside Terence, facing the Minister. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    Picking up a pen, I watched as he sat there, tapping it on the notepad in front of him, the soft tapping noises being the only sounds apart from our breathing. There was a rustling of leather as Ashley approached, and I felt her reassuring hand slide across my shoulder, but I didn¡¯t look up, merely reaching up and placing my own hand on hers for a moment.

    ¡°All I can ask of you at this moment is to keep the two of us informed about what is happening. In return, I¡¯ll offer my support in addressing any issues that may arise from your activities. Now, this isn¡¯t a limitless ¡®get out of jail free card¡¯, so you¡¯d better have a very good justification if it comes to that. Additionally, I am reassigning Mr Waters and his team to liaise with you.¡±

    ¡°Assign them as your eyes and ears over us?¡± Ashley scoffed, and I arched my neck back, tapping her stomach to coax her into dropping the antagonism.

    ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± Terence replied simply, and I looked at him, hoping to gauge his reaction, but his expression remained neutral.

    ¡°I believe we can start with this, Sir.¡± I nodded solemnly, extending a hand to shake on it.

    ¡°Call me Anthony,¡± he said with a smile, leaning across his desk. ¡°Terence, could you see the two girls out? I need to have a quick word with the Prime Minister.¡±

    Dismissed, I gazed at the enormous essence crystal again as we proceeded towards the elevator. The descent to the main lobby of the Ministry felt awkward, where we found Mum waiting with a driver. As we emerged, she hurried across the floor to embrace us both and pulled us out into the chilly evening air.

    ¡°Ashley, you¡¯re coming to our house,¡± Mum announced matter-of-factly as she ushered us towards a waiting car. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed your parents that you¡¯ll be staying with me for a bit for some extended training.¡±

    We were taken aback by her ease in lying, and I realised I had completely forgotten about Angela and Peter. Ashley didn¡¯t want to see them yet, and I hadn¡¯t had a chance to ask her why, having barely had a moment alone to discuss it. She wore a sad expression as she simply nodded, and I squeezed her hand in support as we climbed into the car.

    Arriving at Mum¡¯s house, I showed her to the room opposite mine and then retreated to my own, where I discovered a closet completely filled with better-fitting clothes. After a shower, I lay in bed, stroking Munin¡¯s fur, when the door opened and she slipped in, her eyes red from crying. Lifting my duvet, I allowed her to climb underneath, gently stroking her back as she silently wept herself to sleep.

 Chapter 20: Strange Happenings - Connoréˆ¥æªš Story

    Monsters lurked everywhere, and Connor had been forced to ram into a goblin that foolishly stood in their path, causing the van to bounce as the wheels crushed it. One of the peculiar portals had obstructed the road, surrounded by a mass of human corpses. The sight was grotesque, with Grace rolling down her window to dry heave several times, expelling the small amount of bile that rushed up. They hadn¡¯t eaten for several hours, but Connor had urged them on, reasoning that making it to the family home was their best chance at surviving.

    ¡°Look, over there!¡± Peter half-shouted, and Connor instinctively turned to glance before refocusing on the road and slowing to a crawl.

    They gazed in the direction Peter had indicated and were awestruck by the size of a corpse leaning against a building. Sitting down, its head was level with the first-floor windows, great big tusks protruding from its mouth. Half of its chest, including its left arm, was gone, and in its right hand, it looked like it had made a crude weapon from the turret of an army tank. Soldiers swarmed the area around it, mingling with several crushed vehicles.

    ¡°I guess the army is finally responding,¡± Grace whispered.

    An explosion enveloped the giant¡¯s corpse in a puff of smoke, a trail leading down to a soldier nearby who discarded the used launcher on the ground. As the smoke cleared, Connor¡¯s jaw dropped as he saw that the area struck by the missile was almost undamaged, merely charred by the fire. A nearby soldier approached and began gesturing for them to keep driving, prompting Connor to slam his foot down, accelerating away.

    "Did you see that? Right?¡± Peter asked nervously as he sat down on a box at the back. ¡°The rocket did nothing; are they impervious to guns or something?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so; you saw the wound that killed it. Perhaps something of that size just needs a bigger gun. Let¡¯s just hope we don¡¯t encounter anything like that until we reach my grandparents¡¯ house.¡±

    The roads were a chaotic jumble of cars abandoned where they had been left, some torn open, with huge claw marks marring the thin metal of the body. Connor realised he was becoming desensitised to the presence of the bodies, attempting to regard them as nothing more than obstacles to avoid. Survivors and looters rummaged through the carnage, and thankfully none attempted to interfere with them, but Connor knew that as desperation took hold, tribalism would start to emere, just like in the books he had read.

    This was the first time he was driving to his grandparents alone, and he had to rely on landmarks to guide him since the signs were missing and some roads were completely impassable. They had attempted to use their phones for GPS, but strangely, it barely functioned, providing wildly inaccurate locations. Finding more familiar roads, he began to drive a bit faster as the roads were clearer here and surprisingly quiet. The stillness was abruptly shattered when a herd of deer dashed across the road, making him swerve to avoid them, inadvertently crushing the mange-ridden wolf that had been chasing them as he felt something smother him forcefully.

    Dazed and confused, Connor suffered from a tremendous headache after the airbag exploded in his face, and he could hear Susan screaming from Grace¡¯s arms. Reaching over, he lifted her into his arms as she leaned against the van¡¯s door, having absorbed most of the impact from her own airbag. Looking back, he saw Peter sprawled on the floor at the back, broken boxes scattered across the floor, cushioning his fall, though a deep gash split his forehead.

    Kicking the door open, he struggled out of the van, taking his sword with him, his feet landing in the small stream of the ditch where they had crashed. The engine ticked as it cooled, and he could see that it was completely written off, as the wheels were wrecked and the entire front of the vehicle was crushed like a tin can. He heard whimpering, and looking underneath, he saw the wolf struggling to free itself from where it had been pinned. With one arm cradling Susan, he thrust out his sword, piercing it in the throat and silencing its cries. There was a slight ringing in his ears, but with his sister also crying, he stood still, staring into the forest from where the wolf had come, watching for further trouble.

    ¡°Connor? CONNOR! Where¡¯s Susan?¡± Grace called frantically, stumbling out of the van and landing in the stream on her hands and knees.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I have her here. Go check on Peter; he¡¯s more hurt than we are.¡± Unfortunately, there hadn¡¯t been a seat for him, but he realised it could¡¯ve been much worse if he had been driving faster.

    It was starting to get late, and the clouds above were turning yellow with the setting sun, too far for them to walk through the night. Climbing into the back of the van, they tried to make themselves comfortable, but Connor couldn¡¯t sleep, too worried about how vulnerable they were.

    Susan snored gently in his arms as he sat leaning against the side, while Peter and Grace clung together, both sound asleep. His wound had been healed by her magic; it was miraculous to see the skin pull itself back together, but Connor remembered when it had been he who had suffered. He hadn¡¯t seen it, but felt it, like hundreds of ants in his wound stitching him back together. Thankfully, Susan had appeared unharmed, but Grace still used her healing magic on the screaming baby twice, just to be certain there was nothing unseen lurking out of sight. Doctors and hospitals were probably overwhelmed, or probably destroyed, and they couldn¡¯t call an ambulance to come to their rescue as his picked fragments of shattered glass from his pocket.

    They had been able to charge their phones using the van while driving, and he had updated his grandparents about their whereabouts every time he had signal. He hoped they realised he had missed his next check-in and would send someone to look for them. He had tried to prepare for any eventuality, but this was something he didnt anticipated, and he kept reliving the fear from seeing the deer, the sound of the wolf being crushed under the van.

    Waking with a start when he realized he had fallen asleep, Connor peered through a gap in the covers they had draped over the windows as the sky outside started to brighten. It was chilly inside the van, and he kept Susan nestled under his jacket, pressed close to his chest, hoping she wouldn¡¯t feel the cold. His eyes felt heavy as his fear of the monsters lurking in the night began to fade, and he fought to keep them open, listening intently to his surroundings. With each blink, he noticed the sky becoming progressively brighter until, quite suddenly, he opened his eyes to a shaft of yellow light streaming in.

    The light wasn¡¯t what woke him, but he heard another sound, like a small splash, and his mind plunged into a panicked state as he realised something was outside. Nudging Grace with his foot, her eyes opened instantly, but she didn¡¯t move, seeing his face full of fear. Without needing to ask, she picked up the sound of something sniffling just outside, and she placed her hand over Peter¡¯s mouth, silently waking him. Connor had his sword resting between his legs, but it was impossible to fight with Susan, and he craned his neck down, ensuring the gag was secure over her mouth.

    He loathed it, but it was an unfortunate necessity as she couldn¡¯t grasp the need for silence when it truly mattered. Slowly and carefully, he lifted her as Grace extended her arms to receive her, cupping her hands beneath her arms and quietly pulling her close. Leaning back, Connor pressed his ear against the side of the van, attempting to focus and discern what lay outside and how many there were. A sudden snarl erupted, and the van shook as something collided with the engine; he bit his lip, struggling to remain silent as they now no doubt tore into the monster he had slain the night before.

    *Clink.*

    The sound of something small falling onto the metal floor echoed like an explosion in the quiet of the van, and there was another snarl as Connor rolled away from where he had been sitting. Long claws slashed through the side of the van, rocking the vehicle again, and a yellow eye appeared, glaring at them within, causing Grace to yelp in fear. Connor, desperate to protect them, lifted his sword and thrust it through the hole, feeling the weapon jerk from his hands as the wolf whimpered in pain. Pulling away, he found the sword¡¯s hand guard was too large to pass through the gashes and it clattered to the floor, prompting him to dive and retrieve it.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out; stay here!¡± he ordered the other two, as another heavy paw hit the van, widening the hole slightly. Susan screamed through her gag while Grace held her tightly, eyes shut in terror joining in her cries.

    Pulling the handle, Connor leapt out of the back door and slammed it shut as he glanced at three wolves in front of him. The closest one had its hackles raised and was growling at him, while behind it, Connor noticed another limping, blood streaming from its shoulder, wounded by his sword. The third wolf was further back and appeared to be circling around. Connor¡¯s eyes darted between them, attempting to figure out how he was supposed to fight all of them. Raising his pilfered shield, he shuffled toward the nearest one and braced himself as it lunged forward.

    Driven to his knees, he pushed back, surprised that he could easily shove it off, and he swung his arm out, letting the blade slice across its chest. Whining in pain, the wolf backed away from him as the other injured wolf limped closer. He swung his shield out, instinctively attempting to summon the strange magical force within him.

    Power coursed through him, a momentary reprieve from the fatigue, and with a bone-snapping sound, the wolf flew away, striking a tree across the ditch. Connor winced as it nearly wrapped itself around the trunk before plummeting to the ground, very much dead. Faced with two wolves remaining, Connor retreated a few steps to shield his right flank with the van, watching as they crept closer.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°FIREBALL!¡± Peter shouted from inside the van as Connor saw his hand dangerously protruding through the gaping side. A ball of fire formed and hurtled towards the wounded wolf, incinerating its fur. In a panic, the wolf began to run in circles, billowing flames as if it ha been covered in oil, and an acrid smell filled Connor¡¯s nostrils, causing his face to wrinkle in disgust.

    ¡®You should slice it.¡¯ A deep voice resonated in his mind, leaving him to wonder whether he had imagined it as he cast anxious glances around as the sudden pressure eased off.

    The solitary remaining wolf leapt over the burning carcass of the second wolf and sprinted towards Connor. Bracing himself, he realised he would die if he stood his ground. Although he thought it was foolish, he was about to scream when a part of him told him that was wrong. Suddenly calm, he felt as though his body moved on its own. Stepping forward, he gripped the sword''s handle with both hands and swung it upwards, as if using his cricket bat and hoping to score a six. A blue aura enveloped the blade, extending beyond its tip and slicing through the ground in a line as he swung. The wolf, mid-pounce, couldn¡¯t avoid the strike as it swung upwards, cleaving it in half down the middle, its snarl dying in its throat as it perished.

    The two halves split apart and flew past Connor, one half striking the van and leaving a wet, bloody smear, while the other half rolled a few times. Landing on the ground with a wet slop, as if it had merged with the tarmac of the road. Connor panted as he suddenly felt exhausted, astonished by the feat he had just accomplished.

    He heard the van''s door open and looked over to see Peter peering out cautiously, ensuring it was safe before stepping out to help Grace. She passed Susan to Peter and approached Connor, checking that he wasn¡¯t injured. Gently pushing her back, he shook his head, saying he wasn¡¯t hurt, just tired. As she laid her hands on his shoulders, he felt the strength return to his legs and his breathing stabilise, a warm sensation akin to the magic that had filled his body.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Peter demanded, incredulously, as he returned Susan to Connor¡¯s arms. ¡°Meteor Strike!¡± he shouted, raising his hands and pointing down the road before turning around, bright red with shame when nothing occurred.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It just felt as if my subconscious told me to do it. My body moved on its own, as though I had trained in another life or something.¡±

    ¡°How far are we?¡± Grace asked eventually, pulling away and scanning up and down the road, though she couldn''t see far because of all the trees.

    Connor recognised the stretch of road now that it was fully bright and estimated it would be at least a fifteen-minute drive, but walking that distance would take several hours. Deciding to have something to eat first, he rummaged through the boxes in the back and discovered some crisps, a pitiful, but grateful breakfast. It was mostly junk food, but anything remotely nutritious required hot water, which they didn¡¯t have. Sitting in silence, foil bags crinkling, Connor heard the sound of an engine approaching down the road, and soon the others heard it too, ears perking up at his movements.

    ¡°Quick! Hide! We don¡¯t know who it is!¡± he ordered the other two, getting them to jump across the ditch and hide behind a rock, while Connor hid behind the van and peered over. A white van rounded the bend, and Connor glared at it, trying to see who was driving. As it passed, he spotted the emblem of the estate¡¯s groundskeepers on the side and jumped onto the road behind it, waving his arms.

    The van came to a screeching halt as the driver finally saw him; the reverse lights illuminated, and it began to back up toward him. Stepping aside, he raised his shield slightly, concealing his sword behind him, wanting to ensure they were friendly first. Screeching to a halt for a second time, Connor¡¯s shoulders sagged in relief when he recognised who was sitting behind the wheel.

    ¡°Connor, my boy! We¡¯ve been worried sick!¡± the man exclaimed, spreading his arms as Connor stepped forward to return the hug.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Billy. Hang on, Grace, Peter, come out; it¡¯s safe!¡± he shouted into the trees as they emerged from behind the stones.

    He pulled out a radio from the van he had been driving. ¡°Billy to everyone, I¡¯ve found Connor and Susan. I¡¯m on the main road towards Buxton; we¡¯ll be returning now.¡±

    ¡°Roger that, safe travels. We¡¯re receiving reports of more hordes in the area,¡± an unknown voice replied over the radio as he tucked it into his pocket.

    Guiding them to the van, they transferred their remaining personal belongings, and Billy grabbed the last few boxes of undamaged food from the van, explaining that it was wise not to let it go to waste. Climbing into the back, Connor noticed it was full of brand new tools, still bearing security tags. It appeared he had looted a hardware store, which Billy reasoned was the right course of action when he had passed it by while searching for them. The car ride was brief, and they encountered no more monsters as they turned onto the estate through the old gates. Connor spotted some crude defences being erected around it, by some of the other groundskeepers who waved with grim smiles as they passed.

    ¡°Connor, I knew you had some money, but I assumed it was ¡®big house in the country¡¯ and not ¡®medieval castle built for the Crusades!¡¯¡± Grace exclaimed as they emerged from the trees lining the avenue approach.

    ¡°Hey, I visited this place on a school trip once; we were shown around all the greenhouses and such,¡± Peter said, leaning over the front seats to get a better look.

    ¡°These lands have been in the family for well over a thousand years. We¡¯ve a long history here,¡± he said sheepishly, his face reddening with embarrassment.

    ¡°It¡¯s more than that, my boy. Your grandfather mentioned how challenging it was to marry your grandmother, having to adjust to all the tales of ghosts haunting the lands and statues that supposedly move at night. I¡¯ve been here for forty years and have never seen it, but I¡¯ve met plenty of people who have.¡± Billy grinned from the front seat.

    ¡°Ghosts?¡± Peter asked nervously, audibly gulping as he slowly turned to Connor, horror-stricken.

    "Oh, don¡¯t start. It¡¯s all just rumours; I¡¯ve never seen anything like that, and neither have my parents. Just drunken tales of trespassers claiming they were attacked in the woods."

    ¡°It¡¯s more than that, Connor. Several statues have gone missing in the last two days.¡± There was an element of fear in Billy¡¯s voice, but Connor didn¡¯t respond, unwilling to accept that they might have come to life and wandered off. With monsters appearing from strange portals, he couldn¡¯t entirely dismiss the possibility, and it troubled him somewhat, but he wanted to reserve judgement until he witnessed it for himself.

    As they drove down the avenue toward the castle, Connor watched with interest the throng of people labouring outside the walls, digging the moat deeper while carpenters fashioned stakes from felled trees. Men, women, and teenagers worked together, grim expressions on their faces as they paused to observe the van approach before it drove over the drawbridge into the central courtyard.

    The gravel crunched beneath the wheels as they turned sharply, and a chill ran down his spine as he caught sight of one of the monster¡¯s portals in the middle of the courtyard. Barricades had been erected around it, and he noticed armed guards wielding various weapons, keeping watch. Some were armed with shotguns from the armoury, typically reserved for hunting, but now essential for defence.

    As he climbed out of the van, he lifted Susan from Grace, who had mercifully taken the bib off her face as she bubbled and spat, gazing up at him innocently. Kissing her on the head, he detected a foul stench emanating from her and realised she needed a bath, now! A smaller section of the massive main door to the keep swung open, and he saw his grandmother charging out. She appeared far fitter than before, no longer in need of her cane, and her posture had straightened, as if she were forty years younger.

    ¡°Connor!¡± she screamed, rushing down the stairs and throwing her arms around him. ¡°We were so worried! What happened? Why didn¡¯t you call? How is Susan? Oh dear, she needs tending to.¡± Speaking so quickly, Connor merely chuckled as she fussed over the two of them, gripping his face in her hands and kissing him on the cheek.

    ¡°Granny, these are my friends, Peter and Grace. This is my grandmother, Countess Charlotte Whittaker,¡± he said, stepping back to introduce them to one another.

    ¡°Hello dears, call me Charlotte. You all look dreadful. Come inside; there¡¯s still a warm breakfast waiting in the kitchen downstairs,¡± Charlotte said warmly, waving them forward.

    ¡°Granny, what¡¯s going on? Why are you still here when that¡¯s inside the walls?¡± Connor demanded, glancing at the pulsating portal emitting the strange noise nearby.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, dear. When all the green monsters came charging out, they fled across the bridge and haven¡¯t been seen since. Since then, nothing has emerged, so we¡¯ve put up some barricades around it to prevent anyone from going inside.¡± Charlotte said dismissively, but Connor, Grace, and Peter exchanged nervous glances, fully aware of what those things had spewed out.

    Dragged inside, Connor made his way to his old room and gave Grace and Peter his parents'' room next door. There had still been no word from them, but Connor hoped they were safe. Amid all the chaos on land, he wished they were safe on a boat at sea. ''But what if there are sea monsters?'' he wondered, gazing sadly at the family photo on his desk. His grandmother took Susan to her room to clean and change her, while Connor disappeared into his bathroom to do the same.

    As he brought some of his clothes next door, he found Grace and Peter awkwardly rummaging through the wardrobe as he had suggested. However, he realised the clothes were the wrong size and style. After dumping some more casual items on the bed for them, they expressed their gratitude, and Grace vanished into the bathroom to get dressed.

    ¡°We need to do something about that portal outside,¡± Connor whispered to Peter, who nodded his head in agreement looking out the window at it.

    ¡°Yeah, we were thinking the same. Do you reckon it¡¯s like a game, where we need to go inside and slay the monsters?¡± There was a nervousness in his voice that Connor felt as well, although he tried to conceal it.

    ¡°I suppose so, just as that broadcast message said. I believe it might be a bit easier the first time since all the monsters are on this side, but we¡¯ll need to assemble a team. I¡¯ll speak to my grandparents later and gather everyone together, try to identify those needed for a well-balanced team. Let¡¯s keep this between the three of us for now; I¡¯m not sure how everyone else will react.¡±