《Godfall: The Age of Departure》


 Chapter 1 "Arrival"

    I was only six when they came for me. Even as a mage, it was a rare sight to see an acolyte, rarer still to see many. But when my abilities manifested, they came in droves... and at my father''s behest, no less.


    Any child would be terrified. A father''s love be damned in the face of fear and separation... I did not know I was the problem; I would not go.


    My cries of dismay ushered in destruction, so I was told. In truth, the details have become foggy, but images draw forth every so often. Terror and petrified gazes, pools of red, and tortured expressions; it''s all rather...dark.


    I awoke in a different place, unsure of what exactly happened, save for the scant memories of horror. But memories fade given time... the Arcanex teaches us that. It molds us into individuals with control. It changes you.


    For better or for worse, I am who I am, and that''s all that matters.


    The time would soon come where, well after adolescence, my days at the Arcanex would end, and I would once again set foot upon mortal soil... to see my father again.


    They held a vigil on that last day. The friends I had made, those I had learned to love over the years, all gathered to bid me farewell. A farewell to my teenage years... to my early adulthood, it was bittersweet. Hopeful, though sorrowful gazes, heartening yet tearful expressions... but when the doors of the Arcanex flew open and light surrounded me, it was as if I''d woken from a dream. And as the world materialized, and a kingdom from old memories lay before me, a clear goal was set in my mind... I would see my father again. But the world would yet again change, sooner than I could have expected.


    Kygaron, the kingdom where I was born. It lay up on the horizon, bathed beautifully under the golden rays of the already setting sun, almost blinding as the light glinted off the water. Built upon a chain of islands, it stood tall for miles, but the journey there would take at least a day. And with my memories of the Arcanex already fading behind me, I was eager to get moving, all hopes set on that horizon.


    The road there was well traveled, likely a trade route, as one could see the trails of carriages having recently passed through. Perhaps one would pass by again, I thought, whether or not I could be so lucky.


    But as storm clouds began to billow, blotting out the evening sun, I would find that luck would be in short supply.


    It wasn''t long until I found myself trudging through mud for what seemed like an hour, my pristine silken garments ruined and soaked, while my prior excitement had dampened into apathy.


    Eventually, I entered a wooded portion of the road, which lightly sheltered me from the rain. I wiped the excess rain from my hair and wrung out the ends of my clothes, continuing on as it grew darker. I would need some light, I thought to myself.


    "Converge," I whispered, using my abilities to pull the few scant bits of light from the air, forming them into a bright orb-like wisp. I bade it to float around me, lighting my way, if only a little. As dark as it had gotten, I was lucky to form any light at all.


    A while longer, and the wooded path was now pitch dark, the path ahead barely visible save for directly in front of me. I had never been fond of the dark. The Arcanex trained us to handle scenarios like this, teaching us to still ourselves under the feelings of being lost or astray, and yet putting it into actual practice felt daunting. It was only night, I told myself. It would be fine.


    The voices started only a few moments later. They were quiet, muffled by the trees and flora, but obviously close by... human. Any number of circumstances could lead to people in the woods this time of night, but as I got closer, the voices turned into screams, overtaken by even louder voices wrought with anger and crude sentiments. A bright light shone through the trees as well, pulsating... magic. Every pulse led to more pained screams.


    "Die... Damned abomination!!!"


    Following another scream, I pushed my way through the foliage and trees and came upon a clearing lit by a much larger orb of light, illuminating the entire area. A group of armor-clad individuals pointed weapons toward a man on the ground, writhing in pain.


    "Stay down and die, you bastard!" A deeper woman''s voice shouted loudly.


    They closed in on him as the light pulsated again, the man letting out another pained scream. "Please... no more," he cried, "I''ve done nothing."


    "You trespassed with your vile curse in our home. You''re collateral if nothing else... security." One said.


    "We know you''ve been feeding! Don''t you dare try to lie." The woman said.


    The man cowered on the ground as they inched closer to him.


    "What''s going on here!" I shouted, grabbing their attention.


    "This is none of your business, civilian; back away." A deeper-voiced man said.


    The light became brighter, ready to pulse again, the man lying fetal, crying as he prepared himself.


    "Dissipate," I said, with a light wave of my hand. The magic forming the light extinguished, falling apart and leaving only an ambient glow around us.


    "A mage," they all said, averting their attention from the crying man.


    "What business do you have with this man? And why does he lie tortured?" I asked.


    "We''re doing only what we were contracted to do." The woman said. The others brought their focus back to the man.


    "You prey on the innocent; is that your job? Lowly assassins?


    "Hunter''s," she said, "Do you know what this thing is?" She pointed to the man.


    "What he is doesn''t matter," I said. "I hear only innocent cries and the incitement of bullies.


    "Innocent," she laughed, unsheathing her blade. "Monsters are not innocent. You''ve wasted enough of our time, Mage. It dies here!"


    The cowering man pleaded once more, "Oh Gods, no more, please!"


    Upon the breeze, my whisper carried, "Void," and a great darkness descended upon the clearing.


    "Wha.... What is this?" a frantic voice screamed.


    "Find them, fight through it!!"


    "Sight of night," I whispered again, illuminating the darkness through my own eyes.


    The Knights seemed to move aimlessly around the area, attempting not to trip and grasping at nothing, some too scared to even move. I waded through them silently, hoisting the cowering man upon my shoulder.


    "Please..." he begged through raspy cries.


    "Quiet now," I said, "I''ve got you."


    I moved out of the darkness and through the woods, the shouts of the hunters quieting as I gained distance.


    "Thank you," the man said, though groggy. His body soon became completely limp.


    I halted quickly, "Are you okay?" I asked, laying him upon a soft bed of moss that was nearby. His breathing was shallow and laborious. "How long were they chasing you?" I muttered.


    I whispered a mote of light into existence once more and ripped off the remainders of his damp shirt, which had been singed by the hunters'' spell. "Just breathe..." I said, trying to comfort him, unsure if he could hear me. Burns spread across the majority of his skin as if he''d been caught in a fire. It blistered and scarred, "Gods...."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    His breathing had finally steadied after but a few moments of watching over him, and soon his eyes opened, straining under the light. He gasped heavily, sitting up in confusion. "No, no! Stay away from me, no more!!" he cried.


    "Shh, shh, it''s okay," I told him.


    "Wh...where are they?" He said, wiping his eyes.


    "I put some distance between us and them. We should be okay."


    "You..." he said, "I''m sorry... I saw you, but I couldn''t..."


    "You don''t need to explain. It''s alright. I saw what I had to. I would assume your wounds are beginning to heal?"


    He looked at his chest, his burns shaping back into his smooth, pallor skin. "I... suppose, yes."


    "Good then," I said, pulling some spare clothing from my pack and holding it out to him.


    "So you... know what I am?" He said, taking the clothes


    "We had many vampires in the Arcanex. Some came for safe haven, others to learn more of their power. None were much different than I, or you, I''d assume." I shrugged.


    He looked away, "If only it were so simple." He muttered.


    "Might I ask your name?" I said.


    After a moment, he spoke again, "Halcyon."


    "Can you stand Halcyon?"


    "Yes..." he hesitated but pushed himself up. "And... what is your name?"


    "Ah yes, apologies," I said, "It''s Sebastien, or Seb, for short."


    "I''ll just stick with Sebastien..." He fidgeted with the clothing in his hands, almost trying not to scowl.


    "I''ll stand over here... let you get dressed. Do you need my light?"


    "No, I''ll be fine," he nodded.


    I walked off to give him some privacy and rested my back against a tall oak. So many uses of my abilities in so short a time; it had taken more out of me than I had hoped. I was lucky his wounds could heal on their own. But this world¡ªI had not walked upon it for so long, and already, I witnessed a man in danger. I couldn''t let such small stressors wear on me or my goal. I breathed in deeply, stilling myself.


    Soon came the light snapping of branches underfoot. "Sebastien...?" Halcyon''s red eyes glowed in the darkness as he approached.


    "Yes... over here," I said.


    He stepped into the light, the shirt I''d given him unbuttoned at the collar and draped loosely down his frame while tucked into his tighter-fitting woolen pants. A belt of his own seemingly pulled it all together. Rather opulent... in a rugged way.


    "You look... well-suited." I said.


    He scowled again, beating out the wrinkles. "This will work for now."


    My brows furrowed for a moment, and I shook my head with a smirk. "I''m sorry to be business, but as the night grows darker, do you know of any villages or havens nearby?"


    "No village is going to welcome me," he said coldly.


    "But you do know of one?"


    He exhaled, rolling his eyes, "There''s a village to the west..." he said, "Elm, if I recall."


    "And how far is that?" I said, standing up.


    "I can smell them from here..." he paused, almost disgusted, "Maybe an hour''s walk."


    "That isn''t too harsh. Do you feel well enough for the trek?"


    "You wish me to accompany you?" he chuckled questioningly.


    I nodded, with a little more attitude than intended.


    "Well... if you wish," he said, "But I won''t enter the village. I''d prefer not to be chased away with pitchforks and ignorance."


    "Noted," I said.


    We pushed back through the trees, avoiding the area where we encountered the Hunter''s. The rain had finally seemed to stop, but the trail was muddy.


    "God''s," Halycon mumbled as he stepped into the mud. "Well..." he breathed, "Let''s be off."


    A cold chill followed on the night air as we trod with silence between the two of us for a time, though soon the trees and woods came to an end, and we emerged to a clear path with a village surrounded by fields in the distance.


    "There it is..." Halcyon said. "Not much farther now."


    I smiled and nodded.


    After a while longer of trekking through the muddied path, Halcyon spoke up, "So you''re a mage, correct?"


    "Yes... trained at the Arcanex."


    "An Arcanex mage..." he stated, "Were you born there, or taken as a child?"


    He seemed to possess some knowledge of the Arcanex''s workings; I had thought that uncommon. "I was sent as a child... or taken; I do not recall."


    He paused for a moment, "Not to pry, it''s only that I''ve lived a few lifetimes. I''ve met mages from there... but each is so different." He broached another question, "So is this your first time back on Giathall?"


    "Is it that obvious?"


    "I''m afraid so, yes..." Halcyon said, "Not many people would do what you did for me so brazenly. I would go so far as to say nobody would."


    "Is it truly that strange?"


    "To help someone like me? Yes."


    "Oh..." I thought for a moment, "You''re a person, aren''t you?"


    He said nothing.


    "I would say the people of Giathall should hold better morals."


    With the village only minutes away, Halcyon stepped a tad closer to my side. "So what is the story behind your magic?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s hardly a common variant. I know of some spells myself, but none that hold so much freedom as yours."


    He was right, of course, an observation that many had made over the years. "Much danger lies in freedom. Have you ever heard of the Aspects?"


    "Only vaguely." He said, "They''re magics of old, rarely practiced."


    "A common misconception." I said, "An aspect is less magic and more an innate ability, one you hold at birth."


    Halcyon''s face contorted with confusion.


    "There are twelve in total, and to save a drawn-out explanation, I wield one, which allows me to exert my will on the world around me."


    "I... see." He said, "The benefits are apparent, but I see few dangers or detriments."


    "Most are self-imposed..." I said. "I won''t use my abilities to strip free will. And as for some other obvious taboos, I refuse to use it to do things even typical magic''s cannot."


    "And if the circumstances are dire?"


    "I can''t make excuses," I nodded in disapproval. "If I do... making harmful decisions may become easy, and I don''t want that.


    "Well... I suppose I understand."


    "Thank you. Many would do the worst with my abilities. I wish to be a paragon in that sense. However egotistical that may sound."


    Soon, we came closer to the village, Elm, surrounded by a well-built wall of wood and shaded by a very large tree that spanned over the entire settlement. It was truly a beauteous sight.


    A pair of guards, armored and tall, halted us as we approached the gate.


    "Be still... and state your business." A deep male voice stated.


    Halcyon turned his head away from the two of them.


    "We''re seeking refuge, only for the night."


    "The inn is at capacity right now from what we''ve heard. I doubt you''ll be able to find a room... but you can try."


    The other guard regarded Halcyon. "And what about your friend here... is he okay."


    "He''s shy..." I said quickly.


    They both paused, and the deep-voiced one spoke up again. "Hmm... very well, you may step inside. Behave well, mind you; we won''t abide troublemakers."


    "Well said," I smiled.


    The gates opened, and we entered the tree-shaded village. The streets were empty save for the assumed beggar here or there, sleeping where they could. Torchlight lit the doors of homes and buildings, leaving much of the streets pitch black, as we moved our way through the town center.


    "I don''t want to be here." Halcyon grumbled.


    "It would have been suspicious if you had stayed outside the village."


    "I am aware..." he retorted.


    "Ah... there''s the inn." I said, "Elm''s Leaf Respite."


    "How... quaint." He said as we walked up the creaky steps.


    Outside, the inn was quiet, but upon opening the door, we were hit immediately with the scent of spilled mead and the unwashed masses. We both stood for a moment, my mouth agape and Halcyon expressionless.


    He turned quickly to leave. "No..." I said, lightly grabbing his arm, much to his disdain. "Let us see if there''s a room available at least."


    He rolled his eyes and followed.


    Many of the townsfolk seemed to crowd in the middle, drinking their weight in spirits and celebrating... of what, I wasn''t sure. But in the middle upon a stool stood a short-haired young lady, dancing without falling as she played the lute and sang. Many grasped at her feet, but to her it was as if none of them existed. They sang drunkenly along with her.


    "It''s so loud in here," Halcyon said as we veered around the crowd. The edges of the inn''s entryway were sparsely packed, and soon, we eyed the check-in desk. Behind it sat an older lady, head in hand, with the other grasping at her temples.


    "Ahem... Excuse me," I said, clearing my throat.


    She looked up slowly, "Staying or leaving?" Her voice was irritable and harsh.


    "Um... staying."


    "We have one room... one bed. No refunds, no in-room service. You take what you get." She said matter-of-factly.


    "Ah, perfect," I said, trying to speak over the noise. "We''ll take it."


    Halcyon stood irritated at my side as she handed us both keys. "As we are at capacity, there will be an upcharge for the rooms. 100 gold a night."


    Halcyon pounded the desk. "That''s extortion!" he said angrily.


    "That will be fine." I chuckled, trying to defuse the tension as I pulled 100 gold from my purse. "Here you are."


    She snatched the gold from my hand, shooting daggers at Halcyon. "Up the steps, third door on the left. Be quiet; If I get a noise complaint from you of any kind, you''re out in the mud. Clear?"


    "Crystal," Halcyon sneered, shooting daggers back at her.


    "Come on... let''s go," I said, patting his arm.


    We made our way up the steps, and the smell and noise died down slightly. The floors creaked underfoot as we came upon our door.


    "Room 3," I said, turning the knob. The door opened to a mostly empty room. Only a bed, a small wood furnace, a chest, and a mirror to decorate it.


    "Quaint was an overstatement," Halcyon said under his breath.


    "It will do for the night..." I said, noticing the single bed, "I''m sorry, I should''ve asked if you''re opposed to sharing a bed."


    "I don''t sleep," he said, "It shouldn''t be an issue."


    "Oh, well, alright." I said.


    The two of us took some time to get situated and relaxed, unpacking some of our belongings. Halcyon did not have much, save for a small bag with a few personal effects he kept hidden; I found it better not to pry.


    We placed our belongings in the chest, and I sat upon the edge of the bed, resting my legs, while Halcyon stood awkwardly in the center of the room.


    "I wish to bathe..." he said regarding his mud-soaked garments and dirt streaks across his pale skin.


    "They may have a bathhouse..." I stated.


    "I will not speak to that wretched woman again." He said stiffly.


    "Then perhaps..."


    Halcyon held his hand up to interrupt me. "Please save your energy; I will find it myself."


    "I could use a bath too. Will you let me know if you find it?"


    He promptly exited the room, leaving my question unanswered and a trail of drying mud behind him.


    With Halcyon gone, I fell back and rested on the bed, which, though cheap, was surprisingly comfortable. It might have been my exhaustion, but this was well needed. I found myself missing the Arcanex and its fading memories. This world was already exhausting me. Though this Halcyon had provided some entertainment, I knew he didn''t trust me enough yet, nor I him for that matter. But it was nice not to be alone... I had so many friends before.


    This day marked a beginning. And I had no way of knowing what end would come. And yet, I smiled in hope.

 Chapter 2 "A Restful Stay?"

    As the revelry down below grew quiet, and the night grew longer, I found myself wondering where Halcyon had been. Had he found the baths and truly not told me?


    I grudgingly pushed myself from the bed, grabbed some clean clothes from my bag in the chest, and made my way downstairs. Most of the crowd had departed, and what remained were either unconscious or eating themselves into a stupor, as well as a young man who swabbed the sticky floors. His face was contorted with disgust.


    The old lady, whom Halycon had argued with, still sat at the check-in desk. "Excuse me," I said, walking over to her.


    She exhaled dramatically, "Yes..."


    "Might you point me in the direction of the bathhouse, please?"


    She sighed, "There are signs..."


    I looked off to her right, a small hallway leading to a door labeled bathhouse. "Ah, I see," I chuckled, bowing my head lightly and going.


    The door opened, and a deep humidity hit me like a hot cloud. The sweet scent of perfumes and soaps floated on the air as I stepped in. The room was large and marbled; private stalls lined the walls, and in the middle was a pool-like bath. A handful of both men and women sat within, conversing and laughing.


    Among those bathing, I hadn''t seen Halcyon... perhaps he''d chosen a stall already. I''d forget about me too for a hot bath. Maybe he''d meet me in the room later, I thought, but the baths beckoned.


    Soon, I had picked a stall in the far corner of the bathhouse for just a tad more privacy. I closed the door behind me and noticed an immediate silence, as if the voices from outside were blocked out... making it feel like its own world. Within was a large wall mirror and an already prepared tub.


    I took note of my clothes; the mud from the trek had dried, cracking and falling off my clothing in pieces. I stripped off each piece of clothing, some of which were still wet underneath, leaving a dirty film on my skin.


    My reflection as I stood for a moment depicted a disheveled man, rather pathetic, I had thought. Could such a few scant hours here really have worn on me? Though as I regarded myself, I still saw the strength instilled in me by the Arcanex... fuzzy as those memories were steadily becoming. I ran my hands down the front of my body, feeling the years of toil that had gone into mastering my abilities. "A healthy mage is a strong mage." These words echoed in my head, making me smile.


    Those thoughts aside, I turned to the tub, which tempted me with the steam floating from its surface, beckoning me like the outstretched hand of a lover.


    The water cascaded over my skin like a warm embrace as I dipped in, finally resting my head against the tub''s edge as the stresses of the day died off. I breathed deeply, the scent of vanilla hanging upon the humid air. I could''ve stayed in that moment forever.


    After an hour of lounging in bliss, I could feel the desire for sleep setting in, and beyond that, perhaps it was time to finally find Halcyon, and for that matter, a towel. I emerged from the bath begrudgingly and stood for a moment at the door. Nudity was not a problem, but nudity in front of others never sat well with me.


    I peeked through the door, cracked open only slightly; the people in the large bath had departed, easing some of my discomfort. I inched my way over to a rack of towels, farther away than I would have liked, attempting to act normal, though covering myself awkwardly. The towels were soft like a cloud, and as I grabbed one, around the corner in another room of stalls, I saw a familiar pale figure.


    Halcyon dried himself; his long black hair flowed, damp, down his shoulders as he faced the wall. My eyes widened, and the warmth that filled my body in that moment was... ungodly. He turned around slowly, causing me to dart away my attention. My heart raced at the thought of him seeing me. I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration at these sudden thoughts.


    After a moment too long of standing in confusion, I went back to my stall to dry off and grab my clothes. The door slammed loudly behind me. "Dammit," I muttered... startled. I grabbed my clean set of clothing and dressed wearily. The soft cotton of a simple shirt and woolen bottoms was comforting. Much more subtle than my robes... ruined by mud. I picked them up from the ground with two fingers. I was not unaccustomed to using my abilities for selfish... albeit lazy means. "Clean..." I whispered. The mud fell from my robes, like dust in the breeze, leaving them pristine like new.


    Once dressed, I made my way back to my room, passing through a now empty inn, eager for a restful sleep.


    I opened the door to Halcyon, who sat upon the chest at the end of the bed, holding a piece of paper, deep in thought.


    "I trust your bath went well?" I asked, disregarding my actions, unbeknownst to him.


    "It did," he said, pausing for a moment after and placing the paper on the bed. "Sebastien, I feel there is something I must share with you. If we are to travel together... or for however long I''ll be with you, I fear I can''t hide this, lest it endanger your life."


    My eyebrow arched.


    Halcyon picked up the paper and held it out to me. "Read this, please."


    My eyes glazed over the words... It was an article that spoke of a dark being on the loose around Elm. Most attacks were within the woods on the village''s outskirts. It seemed this being would abduct the village''s people, and bodies drained of blood would end up on the roads. The word ''vampire'' had been used in multiple lines.


    "So... This is why those hunters were after you?"


    He nodded. "It is..."


    I read further; the article described this being, this vampire as a tall man cloaked in shadows with long hair of unspecified color and eyes of red like the typical vampire.


    "But this isn''t you?" I questioned.


    "No." He said, but would not look me in the eye.


    "Well... it certainly describes someone like you." I said. "But I... believe you."


    He took a breath, likely one of relief, "I haven''t fed in centuries. I doubt I''d even have the strength to try... a child could overpower me as I am now," he chuckled.


    "I''m sure that''s a bit of an overstatement."


    He continued, "Well, I''ve scouted this area for weeks-steering clear of the village and its people, hoping to track him, maybe save someone... if I could."


    "That''s admirable, whatever your state." I said. I had dealt with members of his kind before, but having not fed for centuries, he looked healthy... thriving even.


    "I know what you''re thinking," he said. His face took on an air of apprehension. "Vampires lose vigor and strength when they don''t feed. I should be a shriveled husk by now." He paused, "I''ll only say that I am not like him."


    "And if I pry?" I asked.


    "You''ll receive the same answer."


    Knowing this conversation would go no further, I continued, "I... understand, though, barring that, what have you learned in your efforts?"


    He took a deep breath. "All vampires hunt differently. Some purely out of instinct, the drive to devour and feed; others do it for fun, tormenting and torturing their victims... only to finally feed and put them out of their misery once they''ve suffered enough. This one seems to be the latter of the two."


    "So he''s been leaving them along the roads as a display of what, his power?" I rolled my eyes, "How arrogant."


    "It''s more complicated than that." Halcyon said, "It''s an assertion of dominance almost."


    "Very animalistic..." I muttered.


    "We''re often compared to predators." He said, "So it isn''t too far-fetched."


    I read the paper further. It detailed the bodies having been strewn about the northern road, as well as the woods to the north as well, in the direction of Kygaron.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "Could it perhaps be an invitation?" I questioned.


    "I thought the same," Halcyon said. "It seems to be an invitation to find him or to hunt him."


    "All the bodies line the north road, so wouldn''t it make sense that his lair would be in that direction?"


    He nodded, "But the north woods stretch for miles; even with all my scouting, we''d still be searching for weeks before we find him. And that''s assuming he stays in the same place."


    "That does present a problem," I said, pinching my chin. I recalled a lesson I learned once through the increasingly foggy haze of memories from the Arcanex. Many of the dark races are experts at staying hidden, as their energies and life force are inherently different from other races. "Perhaps... I might have a way."


    "Oh...?" he questioned.


    "Have you sensed the presence of... blood magic?


    His eyes widened. "I hadn''t thought of that. Of course, most lesser vampires do not have access to such power."


    "Most." I said, "Just give me one moment." I took a seat on the ground. "Sit with me."


    Halcyon sat down in front of me. "What are you doing?"


    "Your eyesight would be unparalleled when compared to my own, but there are things neither of us can see. I am going to remedy that."


    Falling into meditation, I focused on the ambient energies around us. Picking up on the particles of magic and ancient energies, the remnants of creation. Reaching into this haze as if grasping for a rope, I touched a dark energy. "Sight of Aether." I shouted.


    Our eyes burst open to a haze of energies around us that could now be seen like clouds of beautiful colors, both dark and light, like glimpsing into the cosmos.


    "This... this is..."


    "Creation laid out before us," I said.


    With focus, the energies began to dissipate, honing in on the one we sought. An evil energy, which took the form of streams of ethereal red, flowed along the air."


    "This is him..." Halcyon said.


    "Yes." I nodded, "This will lead us right to him. But the effects only last a few hours..."


    The night had grown longer, and I began to feel more weary than before. "Apologies... my abilities take a lot out of me at times. I fear I''ve overexerted myself today."


    "In any case... it''d probably be best to do this in the morning. At least we''ll know he''ll be in his lair by then." He said.


    "I agree...." I said. "Are you sure you do not wish to rest?"


    "I shall be fine."


    "Oh... well, alright. Is there anything you need before I lie down?"


    "No, I plan only to strategize for tomorrow. Better we have a plan for when we fight him than just walking in blindly." He seemed to think for a moment, "Are... you sure you wish to do this with me?"


    "I am," I said, lying down.


    He got up and sat down against the base of the chest, propping himself up against it. "Thank you... Sebastien, sleep well."


    Sleep came to me quickly, and the void of dreams fell upon me like a hammer. The memories from the Arcanex were leaving me swiftly, and even through sleep, I could feel the emotions that come with great loss. Faces of past friends... lovers, teachers, and even rivals, all replaced by what was slowly becoming my new life. Were my days there truly so inconsequential? Would I become someone different? Would these questions even matter? A voice came to me in my slumber, whispering comfort into my mind, words of assurance, that I am who I am. I could feel a great sadness... and then a great relief. What could it all mean?


    The following morning, I awoke to a rowdiness on the floor below us. Halcyon stood against the door with his ear pressed up to it. "It''s coming from the parlor. Some guards, perhaps; it''s hard to make out their words."


    "Should we go down?" I asked.


    "Yes... I think so," he said.


    We gathered our belongings in preparation for our hunt and made our way down the steps. A tightly gathered crowd of common folk stood in the middle of the parlor, a small circle cleared in the middle with a group of individuals, armor-clad, shouting an announcement.


    "Patrons of Elm''s Leaf Respite, we come bearing sad tidings." An armored woman says.


    Halcyon pulled me aside, "Sebastien, do you recognize them?"


    "We should stay back here," I said, sticking to the outer edge of the crowd. It was the ones who hunted him.


    The armored woman spoke up again, "The monster has made 3 more kills as of an hour ago."


    The crowd quieted as she opened a scroll.


    "Anis Morrianne, Dalen Morrianne, and their father, Garick Morrianne, were murdered brutally just outside their farm."


    Whispers and muttered words of anger echoed through the inn. Three more dead; anyone would feel grief.


    "This has gone on long enough," she said. "I grew up here... Elm has always been my home, and though I''ve lived in Kygaron for many years, my heart still resides here with all of you. I promise that we will end this." She pulled a sword from its sheath. "We have rooted out this vampire and found its lair. It can hide from us no longer!"


    The crowd chants in unison with her words, "No longer! Kill the vampire!"


    "My men and I shall bid you farewell for now... but when we return, we shall bring the head of this beast and feast in celebration of our once again safe home!"


    Each and every patron cheered in unison, her words igniting a proud confidence in the people.


    "With me, men!!" Her troupe followed, unsheathing their swords behind her as she strode out of the inn.


    "Seven men and one too command them," I said, "Do you think they can do it?" I asked Halcyon.


    "They''re already dead," he said.


    As the cheers of the crowd died down and they dispersed, the lady from the front desk beckoned us over with an unenthused expression. Halcyon scoffed.


    "Will you be staying another night or checking out?"


    "Eager to have us leave, are you?" I joked.


    She stared into my soul.


    "Checking out..." I said awkwardly.


    Halcyon went to stand by the door as I signed out. "Thank you for staying at Elm Leaf''s respite," she said with no emotion. "Safe travels." She waved her hand once more, hurrying me to leave.


    "Old bitch," Halcyon said as I approached him.


    We left the inn to rather scorching weather. The air was heavy and muggy, the only relief being the shade provided by the village''s massive elm tree, but even so, it was almost hard to breathe.


    The streets were barren, likely due to the fear of the vampire turning people into hermits. Even the stalls and shops were closed. Until the monster was slain, it seemed nobody would come back out... unless for a drink at the inn, I chuckled to myself.


    We made our way to the north gate, greeted by the same guards who welcomed us from before.


    "Ah, familiar faces, how did you find your stay?" the older, deep-voiced guard asked me.


    "It was, well, the inn was very comfortable." I said.


    "Glad you could find a room." The younger one said, voice slightly lighter.


    The old one held out his hand."Name''s Captain Samuel, and this is my son Nathaniel. We apologize for our attitudes before."


    "Nice to meet you both," I said as they shook my hand.


    "I trust you''ve heard of the attacks along this road? Travel isn''t safe at the moment." Nathaniel said.


    "We know," Halcyon spoke up.


    "It''d be better to stay another night, at least until those hunters dispatch the beast."


    "Those hunters are going to die." Halcyon spoke up again, but angrily.


    There was a short silence, and the commander spoke up, "You both don''t plan on... fighting it yourselves, do you?"


    Halcyon and I looked at each other.


    "Gods, you do?" Nathaniel asked.


    "Yes." I nodded.


    The father and son looked at each other and then back to us and then let us pass.


    "We shall... say a prayer for you both." The commander said.


    Halcyon and I departed from Elm, and its shade, stepping into the scorching sun. Halcyon''s face contorted into a frown.


    "Are you okay?" I asked.


    "I''ll be alright... it''s just... bright."


    The flat plains that surrounded the village stretched for but a mile, and soon we made our way into the northern woodlands along the road to Kygaron, a vast forest of tall pines with bare trunks and no growth on the forest floor save for the dead brown pine, which coated it. Eyes watched us; we could both feel it as we passed through further. The canopy grew so thick after a while that it seemed to already be night.


    "We''re most definitely in the right place." Halcyon said, "I can almost smell his magic."


    "Blood Magic?"


    "Yes," he said.


    "It''s time I use it then." I said, standing steadily in place. Once again, I focused on the ambient traces of magic around us, "Sight of Aether." I whispered.


    The trail of evil magics floated like a bloody cloud, leading us further into the woods... darker and deeper.


    "This energy is most definitely him," Halcyon said, "I can sense it almost as well as we can see it. It seeps into this place."


    "Like a disease," I said, "We should keep moving."


    Along the road we happened upon a farm, rather small and eerily empty; the scent of rot hung on the air. "Morrianne farm, I would guess," I said, as we stepped closer, Halcyon following closely behind me.


    Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a livestock farm, though devoid of any animals. The fences that held them were broken and toppled, with stains of blood on the dirt and foliage.


    "This doesn''t bode well," Halcyon said. "Normal vampires would not feed on animals."


    The door to the farmhouse had been broken from its hinges, lying a few feet from the doorway in two jagged pieces, splattered with blood. Halcyon held his hand over his mouth, almost looking sick, but his eyes glowed deep with red.


    "Will you be okay?"


    "It is nothing I can''t resist... please, let''s continue." He said.


    Entering the house showed a grisly display. Everything was in shambles, hardly showing that somebody lived here at one point, and it was apparent that the family had been dead for some time before anyone noticed.


    "God''s," I said, choking on the scent.


    "This is not the work of him, I''m afraid, but his influence remains. This was because of him."


    "It almost looks as if a beast caused this... some kind of animal."


    Halcyon remained silent.


    "Let''s continue," I said, "There''s nothing else to be found here."


    The cloud of red led deeper into the woods, off the beaten path. It seemed to get darker as it stretched further into the voided woods.


    We pushed on, an eerie feeling gripping at my chest. Halcyon stood still not more than a foot away from me, as if watching my back, an apprehensive expression on his face.


    The feeling of eyes watching again fell upon us.


    "Do you feel that?" I asked.


    "Since we entered," Halcyon said.


    Fog began to roll in, enshrouding us in confusion as the way forward seemed to grow faint; even the cloud of red, which led us, was blanketed by the fog.


    A savage sound of inhuman growls and rustling movements echoed incoherently; one could not place the direction.


    Stillness then pervaded the atmosphere as the fog shifted lightly.


    "Thralls!!!" Halcyon shouted.


    From the fog leapt a corpse-like monster gnashing its teeth and snarling. Its fangs apparent in its beastlike expression, blood splattered across its face and body. It lunged at Halcyon, who dove to the side just in time.


    "Watch out," he shouted to me.


    Another lunged from the mists, this one much smaller and more agile. I dodged, and it lunged again to my surprise. "Repel," I shouted. Its assault was halted, and it was blasted away by an invisible force in front of me, clearing a path in the fog, which quickly filled in again.


    As the fog grew thicker, the two of us were back to back. "We''ll have to fight. Can you defend yourself?" I said.


    "I shall do my best." Halcyon growled.


    I held my hand out in front of me, "Manifest, oh Magispear." Within my hand materialized an ornate spear, adorned with a blade of vibrant steel decorated with a deep red gem in its center. It held heavy in my grip as I slipped into a defensive stance.


    "Now come..." I yelled.

 Chapter 3 "Assault of Night"

    With my Magispear in hand, I waited the Thralls assault with Halcyon at my back.


    From the fog, they emerged slowly, on all fours, as if sizing us up, strategizing their assault. Each grumbled lowly to themselves.


    Our breaths were heavy as we anticipated their first move. "Thralls... I know not much of them." I said. "How do we fight them?"


    "Fire... typically. But these ones are different somehow; stick to holy magics if you can." Halcyon whispered.


    "What will you do?"


    "Don''t worry about me..." He said assuredly.


    Their grumbles grew louder as each of them sprinted at us chaotically.


    I leapt up as one charged me, vaulting over its assault and landing on my feet, though immediately, another, gnashing its teeth at me, bloody and blackened, aimed for my neck. Too soon to utter a word, I quickly moved to its side just in time as its teeth bared down with a sickening knell. I spun my spear and slashed swiftly, only to hit dirt as the beast seemed to vanish almost instantly.


    I glanced up at Halcyon, who seemed to keep up with their assault with little effort. He was a haze of blocks and feints as he smacked away their attempts. "Down!" He shouted, grabbing one by its neck and slamming it into the ground with a thud of shattering bone.


    I wouldn''t be able to keep up with them the way I was. "Repel," I said as one again lunged at me. It snarled in pain as it smashed against a nearby tree. So many words used in quick succession; I needed a better strategy.


    Just then, an old lesson taught to me once, through words as of now, distant, rang in my mind. "The heavy-footed are the first to perish."


    I knelt into a lunging stance, "Godspeed!" With force, the ground shattered under me as I flew forward, immediately dispatching two of them. Their heads fell to the ground, still grumbling.


    The energy that now flowed through me would only last but a few moments. Three more emerged from the fog, one of whom pushed past me to Halcyon, who batted it away with instinct and continued to fight two others. The two ahead bore down on me closer and closer.


    I gritted my teeth. "Feint," I said, as they gnashed at my afterimage. "And reform," I shouted, manifesting next to Halcyon and slashing away the two he fought.


    "Thank you," he said, catching his breath. "But this isn''t over."


    The thralls left grouped together, imposing and vicious, their maws agape and wretched. They charged with a violent wail. "Halcyon, stand back," I said. Halcyon moved back a few feet, and I gripped my Magispear, tightening my stance. The world around me stilled for a moment. Their footsteps and heartbeats were my only focus. "Tenfold strikes!!!" I shouted, thrusting my spear. The blood of the beasts soaked the air as each was impaled numerous times in an instant. A silence fell as their snarls halted, and each fell to the ground.


    Kneeling to the ground in exhaustion, I looked at Halcyon, who had a smirk on his face.


    "What the hell did they teach you at the Arcanex?"


    I chuckled, catching my breath. "You handle yourself well. It was amazing how you outpaced them." I told him, "I was barely able to keep up."


    "I''ve been around a long time; you learn some things." He smiled. "These... were unlike most Thralls."


    "In what way?"


    "Most Thralls retain a sense of identity... only losing their free will. Some can resist, some can''t, but these Thralls, they were feral, likely under their creator''s full control, like puppets."


    I looked at him with a furrowed brow.


    "I believe he raised them at the brink of death, using his blood. It''s a rare application... to be sure. Most would be unaware the option exists."


    "So raising them on the brink of death... what? Strips them of their prior humanity?"


    "Yes..." he said soberly.


    At the realization, the Thralls began to rise again, their wounds healing as they wailed in anger.


    "Which means they''d have a sense of immortality."


    I moved back into a defensive stance, "What should we do?"


    "It''s time for you to stand back now... I believe I can handle this."


    The thralls stumbled our way, the sickening sound of bones and skin healing, blood pouring back into their bodies like tendrils restoring their severed limbs and heads.


    Halcyon walked a few paces forward and held out his palm as they approached. I could hear his breath, hard and concentrated, even over their snarls.


    He clenched his hand into a fist, and each thrall wailed in pain and lumbered forward, slumped into the dirt.


    "There..." Halcyon said.


    "You couldn''t have done that before?" I asked.


    "In truth, I wasn''t sure I could." He paused. "Perhaps this realization will help in the coming battle."


    With the danger abated, we took stock of our surroundings; the fog seemed to draw away from us, clearing our path once more... the red energy continued to flow again, forward, into the depths of the woods.


    "I suppose we should follow again." I said.


    We continued into the dark; the scant rays of light from the canopy were all that would help us see. The feeling of eyes watching us had gone with the end of the assault, but that didn''t stop the feeling of pervading evil. Recalling the state of that farmhouse and the Thralls, this vampire seemed non-discriminating in who died by his hand.


    A few more minutes of walking revealed the entrance to a cave, stone soaked in crimson blood. A young woman in dented armor lay on the ground, with shallow breaths, a large chunk of her neck missing.


    "Is that not...?" Halcyon''s words stumbled.


    "Yes, the Hunter who attacked you."


    We looked upon her for but a moment before racing to her side.


    "Can you talk?" I asked. She let out stifled grunts as if trying, tears running down her eyes. "It''s alright, I said, don''t try."


    "Can you save her?" Halcyon asked, hesitating to get too close.


    "No... death is going to take her very soon. Even if I tried, I couldn''t..."


    Her body went limp almost immediately, but her arm and finger pointed to the cave.


    "I think we know what we must do."


    Halcyon sighed angrily.


    "Yes..."


    A shallow breeze could be felt from within as we entered. "Gods, do you smell that?" I coughed.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "It''s likely that horrors await us inside. Are you ready?" he asked.


    "Yes," I said, letting my Magispear dematerialize.


    He looked at me confused, "Will you not need that?"


    "I''m afraid it won''t serve me well in such close quarters," I stated. "Now... Converge," the remaining rays of light from the entrance drew into a small wisp of light. "We should continue."


    The wisp illuminated the dark passageway. The smell of rot and death only got worse as we ventured further, and the air became humid, the walls of the cave dripping with condensation... and blood. Echoes, much like screams and cries of pain, reached us, though muffled.


    "Those sounds are further away than you might think. Hopefully, they won''t be of any concern." Halcyon said. His expression was one of usual irritation. The scent of blood must have gotten to him.


    "Have you truly not fed in centuries?"


    He seemed hesitant, staying silent.


    "You don''t have to tell me... it''s only," I paused, "I can tell it''s making you uncomfortable."


    "As I''ve said, ''It''s nothing I can''t handle.''"


    I nodded, disregarding his apprehension.


    The way forward became more cramped, but a chill breeze came from deeper down, much to my relief as sweat had begun to drip down my brow. The cave, however, seemed to grow ever deeper.


    "We must''ve gone a mile by now, maybe two?" I stated, "How much further could it be?" Though soon, we came to a large room, a dead end with no perceivable way out save for the way we came.


    "What is this?" Halcyon mumbled.


    The spell guiding us lay stagnant in the center of the room before coming back to my side.


    "This... can''t be it," I said. "There''s no way forward."


    Halcyon looked around wearily, as if seeing something, sensing something I didn''t. I moved closer to him.


    "We''re not alone..." he said.


    From the walls emerged more Thralls, though bipedal and less bestial, and their moans and shrieks were replaced by words... sentences. "Intruders..." they said. "Food..." another uttered. "Has the master led prey to us?" This voice, however, was clear and well-spoken; it emerged from the wall in a grey robe, with staff in hand. "What is this..."


    Halcyon held a hand in front of me. "That is a mage... enthralled!" He said, in fear.


    "You are the ones who slew my brethren," it hissed. "Shall I slay you in kind?" The edges of the room burst into red flames.


    "Fire," I shouted. "I thought you said they were weak to flames!"


    "Normally, yes, but I said they''re different!"


    Two of them sprinted at me. "Damn," I said as they rushed, swinging their taloned fingers at me. I dodged and feinted their blows as best I could. "Ah," I gasped as one sunk its claws into my arm.


    "Sebastien!" Halcyon shouted about to rush to me.


    "Oh no, you don''t!" The mage thrall said as he split the room''s center with a wall of flame, separating the two of us, blocking my line of view.


    I screamed as its claws sunk deeper, holding it back with my arm as it bore down on me, biting at my neck. Its breath was repulsive, and its teeth were flesh-filled. Through stifled screams, I shouted, "Godspeed," bursting out of its grip like lightning and flipping it away. I held my arm in pain but was given no pause. Just as the one struggled back to its feet, the other lumbered at me with reckless speed.


    I feinted left as it swung, missing me slightly but tearing at my tunic. In its confusion, I placed a hand on my wound, "Restore!" I yelled. My wound healed quickly, restoring my arm but sapping my stamina; even with Godspeed active, my movements would be slowed, and it was apparent as they both attacked again. Each blow came closer and closer to hitting. My clothes began tearing into shreds. I could not keep it up much longer.


    Here and there, I glanced through the flames, and when my feet hit the ground, I could feel the rumbling of Halcyon''s battle with the mage. The sound of earth shattering was heralded by bursts of fire.


    In my distraction, one clawed me in the chest, sending me barreling to the ground, but using my momentum, I came back to my feet, recalling what Halcyon had said earlier, "Stick to Holy Magic."


    I beckoned the wisp of light in front of me, "May this light be blessed!" I said. It grew brighter, causing the Thralls to stop in their tracks. They watched me wearily, seemingly avoiding its range.


    "Halcyon, can you hear me?"


    "Yes," he shouted breathlessly.


    I raised my hand, causing the light to float to the cave''s ceiling. "Take cover!!!"


    I recalled a memory from when I saved him... the orb that shone its cruel light upon the innocent. "Magnify!" I shouted. The orb''s light enveloped the entire room as it exploded like a small nova, sizzling even the ungodly flames the mage had conjured. The thralls cried out as their skin seemed to burn under the orb''s majesty. They quickly reduced to dust, first flesh, then bone.


    When the fire in the center of the room finally fizzled away and the Orb''s light faded, I glanced around the room, trying to find him. He had to be okay. I held my chest in pain from my earlier wound as I searched for him.


    I heard a rustling of fabric and small pebbles; a muffled groan came from under them. "Gods, are you okay?" I said, racing to his side.


    He pulled the singed fabric off of him, "Yes..." He said, "I imagine they''re dead?" His skin was seared but healing.


    I nodded, but his pain was apparent. "I''m so sorry," I said.


    "The fabric shielded me from the worst of it. I''ll be okay." He said, "What matters is that they''re gone. Especially him," he pointed to the mage, unclothed and burnt.


    "Did you tear off his clothes?" I asked.


    "What would you have done?" He said with irritation.


    I smiled and helped him up.


    There was already an exhaustion between the two of us. Two battles back-to-back; could we keep it up? Knowing that soon we''d have to fight the true enemy? I wasn''t sure, but danger never waits. As we stood to our feet, the dead end before us seemed to become transparent, slowly disappearing and revealing a great chasm, bottomless, and stretching far into darkness.


    "God''s," Halcyon said, "This is..." Just before he could finish, an evil presence fell over us like impending doom... like a cold hand down your back.


    "Sight of Aether," I quickly whispered. The red energies from before seemed blinding, pervading the entire room like a plague; they seeped into the stone and the air, but up high, standing upon a ledge, the energies centered on a dark figure. My spell was released.


    "Greetings, my friends, and welcome," the voice said with gusto. It was a man, pale like Halcyon, and imposing. His hair was long, but pulled back, and he stood with a sense of arrogance. It clasped its hands together. "So it is you that I have to thank for killing my flock?"


    Halcyon gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "Your flock? Do you mean the innocent people you violated and turned?


    "Ah, the lowly and weak bearing their fangs at the oppressor, a tale as old as time." He dismissed. "I have no interest in innocence or guilt. Each served their purpose as I intended, and as it were, you are the ones who slew them," he smiled sadistically.


    It was true... whether we liked it or not, each thrall was once one of the villagers, innocent, and turned by this madman.


    Halcyon lost his words... so I stepped forward.


    "Enough of this... why have you terrorized these people?" I said, "What is the purpose?"


    "And the mage, ah yes, what was it, Sebastien? Son of the great Archmage of Kygaron? One of the wielders of the Aspects? Have you not made it home to Daddy yet... he''s worried about you so." He pouted sarcastically.


    "Why you..."


    "Hush, dear boy," the vampire said. "I know more than you think. In truth, I hoped you would seek me out so that I may speak with you." He laughed, "But I see how wasteful that would be of my time; I have loftier goals to attend to."


    An even darker figure emerged next to him, almost lost to our sight... but I saw it nonetheless. Before I could say anything more, the edges and cliffs of the chasm were suddenly lit with torchfire and fog, and upon them stood hundreds, if not thousands, of thralls.


    Our jaws fell agape. These Thralls were innumerous, warped, distorted... more monstrous than the ones we faced.


    "Elm was but a footnote, a rest stop if you would. But now I''m afraid I must bid you farewell."


    "Farewell? No! We won''t let you leave here!" Halcyon yelled.


    "The choice isn''t yours," he pouted his lip, "You worked so hard to find me, and you did! You should be celebrating!"


    The thralls along the edges disappeared, retreating further into the chasm.


    "Come down here!" Halcyon yelled again, "You chatter like a bird on its perch, but your words are hollow!"


    "Will you truly leave?" I asked. "I promise we will remain a thorn in your side if you go!"


    "Thorns can be plucked," he laughed. "I never said you''d leave alive." He waved his hand, and the chasm began to shake violently.


    "It''s blood magic!"


    "Gods!" I muttered in fear at Halycon''s words.


    A sickening aura filled the area as the chasm rumbled more fiercely.


    "Oh, it has been so fun chatting with you both. We really ought to do this again sometime." He sneered madly, disappearing beyond the ledge along with the shadowy figure.


    "We''ve got to go..." I said, "We''ve got to go now!"


    The chasm began collapsing, rocks and stalagmites fell from the ceiling, and the ground beneath us began cracking.


    "Let''s go," he said angrily.


    We burst into a sprint, leaving the way we came. The walls around us began to crack and splinter.


    "We''ve still so far to go! We''ll never make it." He said.


    The way ahead collapsed in front of us, halting our advance, "No!!!" I screamed. The tunnel began caving in on top of us, large rocks pelting us painfully.


    My mind ran rampant with ideas, i could feel my heart pound violently as I panicked, begging for ideas within my head. "Stop!!" I yelled without thinking.


    The collapsing halted, and I fell to my knees, panting heavily. I could feel the strain of the word as a vein bulged out of my forehead, my skin blazing like fire.


    "Are you okay... oh Gods, you''re burning up!!"


    "This won''t... hold! Take... my... hand." I gritted.


    My hold on the rocks and rubble quickly began to weaken, and the rumbling grew more violent. What felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders tested my resolve. It was hard to utter any words, hard to breathe.


    Through strained breaths, I pushed out the word, just as my hold broke, "Depart!" I cried. The rumbling sound of falling rocks silenced as we were pulled through the fabric of space. Blue filled my gaze as I hit the ground hard... sky blue, and leaves crunched as I tried to regain my bearings. Halcyon knelt over me, but I could not hear him. He shook me, and his mouth moved with silent words. My body grew numb, and like the final moments of sunset, my sight blackened.


    Sleep took me, and the overuse of my abilities had taken its toll. In this void, a hand stretched out to me, familiar... welcoming, the only light to burn away the dark.


    "It''s you..."

 Chapter 4 "The Failures Arrival"

    I awoke to soft comfort, like silk between my fingers and the sound of muffled music and banter. My eyes opened hard, crusted shut from long sleep, but for how long I hadn¡¯t known? My body, though rested, was sore. I was back at the inn, though alone for the moment. I recalled the last moments before I passed out, a haze of adrenaline and struggle. Had I gotten us out unscathed? I checked my body, frantic and worried, but found no injuries. But Halcyon¡­ where was he? If I¡¯m here, then¡­


    Just as the thought made my heart race, the door opened gently. Halcyon, hair pulled up and expressionless, walked in. He placed it at me and away, and then back, ¡°Oh Gods, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± He raced to me with blinding speed, even moving the bed a few inches. I winced in pain. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    He exhaled, ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Sore¡­ and my head hurts, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be okay in time. How long was I out?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Over two days now¡­¡± He said.


    ¡°Truly,¡± my eyebrow¡¯s raised.


    He nodded, taking a seat on the bed. ¡°You fainted after you pulled us out of the cave. I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anything like that, the destruction that followed.¡± He paused. ¡°But you got us out, well and true.¡±


    Images of the cavern collapsing now plagued my mind; I hadn¡¯t thought of the damage to the surface.


    ¡°How bad was it?¡± I panicked.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t important. All you need to know is that the road is safe. In any case, with you awake, the mayor wishes to speak with you.


    ¡°Oh¡­ why?¡±


    ¡°Just get yourself situated, and when you feel ready, come down.¡± He smiled.


    I pushed myself from the bed, my muscles sore and rigid, and I winced as I stood. My clothing from the battle was shredded in places, parts of my sleeves where they¡¯d attacked, and my chest had tears from their claws. The wounds I sustained had seemed to scar over, which was a breath of relief.


    With the battle having passed and me being in this state, I could only stress feeling like a failure. Who knew what that vampire could do now that he got away?


    ¡°Repair,¡± I whispered painfully. The seams and tears in my clothes pulled themselves back together, good as new.


    After a steadying breath, I made my way down below.


    The inn was in full swing, a celebration to be sure, and along the edge of the room, seated at a lone table, sat Halcyon, ever the downer. He perked up as I approached the table. ¡°Ah, there you are. Take a seat,¡± he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you.¡± I smiled. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    The weight of the question seemed to lie heavy on his shoulders as he slumped slightly but gave me a reassuring smirk, ¡°I am well,¡± he said. ¡°Faring far better than you, I¡¯d suppose.¡±


    I gave a pained laugh and then sighed, ¡°So who is it that I¡¯m meeting?¡±


    The door to the inn opened suddenly at my statement, and in walked a regally dressed old man, likely of status. He stood shorter than most but brimming with confidence and vigor. Each of the inn''s patrons gave a respectful nod at his entry, and he grinned widely as he saw the two of us seated.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Mayor Detrick of Elm!¡± He stated politely, cutting off Halcyon.


    ¡°Oh, the mayor,¡± I said, standing up quickly. I gave a nod, wincing slightly.


    ¡°No, no, no, please stay seated. You¡¯ve done more than enough to earn my respect,¡± he stated, helping me back down. ¡°Apologies to the two of you, but I will have to keep this short, as the roads are safer now and the village requires my full attention.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Halcyon and I said in unison.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± he said, ¡°First, allow me to thank you greatly for the service you¡¯ve done for our village. There is, of course, nothing we can do to thank you properly, but know that there will always be hearth and home here if you so choose.¡± He paused as the barkeepers brought us some beverages, nodding in thanks. ¡°And lastly, in the wake of the attacks, I find myself short on staff. Normally, I would ask my messenger to relay any and all plights to the king, but he is¡­ dead, as it were.¡± He cleared his throat, hesitating for a moment.


    ¡°Are you asking us to be your messengers?¡± Halcyon said.


    ¡°You both experienced the monster firsthand. It should be you who reports it. And as I understand it, you¡¯re on a quest to Kygaron as well¡­¡± The mayor stated.


    ¡°Yes¡­ well,¡± I said quizzically.


    ¡°I have my sources,¡± he smiled. ¡°Will you relay what happened to the King and let him know that the vampire is still on the loose? Something such as this affects all kingdoms.¡±


    Halcyon and I look to each other. It¡¯s a responsibility for sure, and our failure weighed on us. Who knew what consequences could arise from our folly?


    ¡°We will,¡± I said bluntly.


    Mayor Detrick exhaled, ¡°That is a great comfort indeed. He stood from the table. ¡°I best be off now. Of course, I thank you again, immensely. There will be a carriage at the north gate awaiting you. It will take you to Kygaron.¡±


    The mayor helps me from my seat as Halcyon and I stand and then shakes my hand. ¡°It was a pleasure meeting our village¡¯s saviors. I do hope to see you again.¡± He sprinted away to continue his duties.


    Halcyon and I made our way back to our room and began to gather our belongings. My thoughts drifted as I packed my things. But a few days had passed, and the Arcanex was beginning to feel like a distant memory now. Even with concentration, I could not recall the faces of those I knew. Scant traces of emotion and nostalgia remained but were overshadowed by new memories.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Halcyon said as he fastened his pack.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said somberly. ¡°I¡¯m just eager to get to the Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°How long has it been since you¡¯ve seen him¡­ your father?¡±


    ¡°¡­20 years.¡± I hesitated.


    He glared at me wide-eyed, ¡°20 years? That¡¯s how long you spent in the Arcanex?¡±


    I nodded sorrowfully.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite a long time.¡± He remarked.


    There was a lengthy pause as we finished packing. Both of us stood in silence as we threw our packs over our shoulders and got ready to leave.       This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He began to speak. ¡°I¡­ would understand if you wanted to part ways once we reached the Kingdom.¡±


    I eyed him confused.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done much for me in the short time we¡¯ve known each other. You¡¯ve saved me and cleared my name. I¡¯m only saying¡­ I would understand."


    I pinched my chin. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead. Is that what you want?¡±


    He didn¡¯t look at me.


    I continued, ¡°I would not mind having you by my side longer if you¡¯d like to stay.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ would be acceptable.¡± Halcyon said.


    We left the inn to exceptional weather. A cool breeze flowed, the best conditions for a long ride, and the day was still new, the sun still rising to its throne. The carriage driver greeted us as we climbed on, the wood creaking as we sat, Halcyon across from me, and as the driver whipped the reins, we were off.


    After an hour, we entered the north woods, the air becoming cooler as we fell into the shade. The eerie feeling from when we first ventured in was gone¡­ in any case, I had supposed we achieved something. Though, one could not shake the feeling of failure.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Halcyon asked in concern.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said, ¡°Yes, I just¡ªI¡¯m sorry, my mind was wandering.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I think about it too.¡±


    I held my arms closer, the chill air becoming colder. We had entered the deepest part of the woods, passing the farm, and where we had fought the Thralls before.


    The carriage driver turned to us, ¡°The road is a tad rough ahead; just brace yourselves.¡±


    Halcyon took a deep breath. ¡°Up ahead,¡± he said, ¡°Just prepare yourself. It might be a lot to take in.


    As the road grew rougher, rocks were strewn about, and trees were splintered and fallen; a thick dust cloud floated, stagnant, faint traces of sunlight trying to pierce through it. But beyond it lay a grisly sight.


    My heart dropped heavily, and I clutched my chest as we emerged from the cloud. It was as if the ground had swallowed a portion of the forest, as the earth was shattered and sunken, trees laid in splintered pieces.


    ¡°This¡­ is.¡±


    ¡°The aftermath,¡± Halcyon stated. ¡°When the cavern system collapsed, it had far-reaching consequences for the surface.¡±


    ¡°Did we truly fail so greatly?¡± I asked, feeling my chest tighten.


    ¡°Nobody was hurt¡­¡± He assured me.


    But in the face of such destruction, it was impossible not to feel like a failure. At least a mile of forest lay beyond us in shambles. A canyon of ruin taking its place.


    My eyes welled up. ¡°Please, sit,¡± he said, pulling me down gently. I faced away from it and sat, wiping the tears from my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I said.


    He patted my shoulder reassuringly. ¡°There''s success to be found even from failure. We saved the village and its people; focus on that if you can,¡± he smiled.


    The road smoothed out as we edged closer to the end of the woods. ¡°We¡¯ll be upon the docks to Kygaron in less than an hour.¡± The carriage driver informed us.


    ¡°Good,¡± Halcyon muttered. He turned to me, ¡°What will you do once we get there?¡±


    I sat back and propped my arms up along the seat¡¯s back. ¡°I suppose I will go see my father, first and foremost, but then there is the matter of informing the King.¡± I said. The prospect of both meetings made me nervous. I had not seen my father in so long. Would he even know me? Or I him?


    ¡°I have some of my own things to attend to when we arrive,¡± he said. ¡°Perhaps seeing your father first would be best.¡±


    I nodded.


    Having finally exited the woods, a salty breeze assaulted our nostrils, and the sun scorched down upon us, almost blinding.


    Once our vision adjusted, upon the horizon lay a marvel closer than when I¡¯d left the Arcanex. It jutted from the golden skies, towering into the clouds, the shadows it cast almost reaching out to us. ¡°The City of One Hundred Towers.¡± I mumbled. The two of us sat in awe as the carriage driver went to greet the boatman.


    ¡°Come¡­ let us go.¡± Halcyon said.


    The boatman was ready as he and the carriage driver shook hands and bid goodbye. It was my first time being on a boat since I was a child. The last time I remembered was when the acolytes took me.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Halcyon said, seeming to notice my discomfort. ¡°I¡¯m not too fond of boats either.¡±


    The waves hit softly against the boat in the open sea. It was calm and welcoming, a comforting feeling for my homecoming. Trade boats could be seen making their way through the south wall gate, built up from the ocean''s depths and reaching out for miles, and small merchant boats, docked along the kingdom¡¯s lowest edges, awaited entry. Kygaron was the foremost trading port in this part of the world. Kingdoms and settlements from all over traded here.


    We entered the waters along the west wall, where the common district¡¯s docks lay, the typical entrance for most travelers, save for nobility. ¡°Here we are,? the boatman said.


    We passed through the gate, greeted by a pair of guards, permitting our entry. ¡°Welcome to Kygaron,¡± they said.


    The docks were lively with many commoners and some impatient merchants in line for the registry building.


    ¡°This might be rather irritating.¡± Halcyon said.


    But I could only focus on the city itself. I looked to see the upper city looming overhead, its bridges arcing across the sky, and the ever more imposing great archway to the west, which spanned from a large rural mountain area to the north wall adjacent to Castle Kygaron¡­ just as I remembered it. I smiled widely, feeling as if the years that had gone by were fewer.


    ¡°Make way, make way!!!¡± A voice shouted.


    The line tightened, and the other scattered civilians made way for a small group of ornately armored individuals, and in front of them, a man likely no older than I led them.


    The voice spoke up again. ¡°Knight Captain and Prince Tarrien Kygaron.¡± The knight bowed after introducing the prince and took his place among the other knights.


    Knight Captain Tarrien stepped forward. ¡°Sebastien La¡¯Kar, I take it?¡± he said, nodding toward me. Halcyon took a step closer to my side.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said.


    The Knight Captain took to a knee and bowed, ¡°It is an honor to welcome you back to Kygaron.¡± He said, as the other Knights followed.


    ¡°Oh¡­ thank you, but the bowing is wholly unnecessary,¡± I said, waving my hands.


    ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Tarrien said, standing. ¡°Your father is a man of great respect in this kingdom.¡±


    I nodded in thanks, though uncomfortable. Halcyon at my side seemed infinitely more uncomfortable at the amount of attention we were drawing.


    There was a brief awkward silence until he spoke up again, ¡°Do you not¡­ remember me?¡± He said, smiling coyly.


    My brow arched, ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. Should I?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± he laughed. ¡°It¡¯s only¡­ well, we were very young. We played together as children.¡±


    His wide smile at the thought was heartwarming, though. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I said, ¡°I can¡¯t recall.¡±


    ¡°It''s quite alright,¡± he said, resting an arm on his sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°Be that as it may, it is very nice to see you again.¡±


    ¡°It is¡­ Nice to meet you again. I smiled.


    ¡°So,¡± Halcyon spoke up, ¡°to what do we owe the company of the Prince¡­ or Knight Captain, was it?¡±


    Tarrien batted off Halcyon¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯ve been tasked with escorting you through the city, as well as your friend, and to set up a meeting for you both with my father, the king.¡±


    ¡°Excellent¡­¡± Halcyon mumbled, earning a frown from me.


    ¡°First things first, you need not wait in this line. You¡¯ve both been preemptively registered. Secondly, setting up the meeting will take some time, so allow me to escort the two of you to the Mage¡¯s district.¡±


    The Mage¡¯s district, a haven for practitioners of the Arcane and home to the Circle Arcana, a sprawling college. Situated upon the easternmost edge of Kygaron, it was the second tallest building in the city, next to the castle¡­ and my childhood home.


    The Knight Captain escorted us alongside his troop through the south wall ramparts above where we¡¯d entered. Along its route, you could see the near-totality of the commons district, lush with people, with tight-knit buildings and bunkhouses. It floated upon the waters between the island chain Kygaron was built on. Though it was the lowest point of the city, you could truly see a kingdom in its golden age.


    Soon we¡¯d entered the Mage¡¯s district; an air of nostalgia hit me like I¡¯d never left, and memories came rushing back from my youngest years. Memories of my mother¡¯s hand holding mine firm as we browsed the magic shops and visited friends.


    Halcyon nudged me with his elbow. ¡°Are you well?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I said, ¡°Just nervous.¡±


    ¡°If this becomes too much for you¡­ Let me know. We can wait.¡±


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯ll be fine. But thank you, Halcyon.¡±


    We ventured up to the highest point of the Mage¡¯s District. Where the bridge to the Circle lay before us, stretching across the water to the farthest of the Kingdom¡¯s Islands. It was decorated with ornate carved stone on the walkway, lit by a strange blue glow.


    ¡°Your father awaits just on the campus grounds.¡± He said, hand outstretched to the bridge. ¡°I will send for you both on the morrow once the meeting is arranged.¡± The man bowed once more, ¡°It was truly very nice to see you again, Sebastien.¡±


    Halcyon scoffed quietly.


    ¡°And you as well, Halcyon.¡± He said. ¡°As I said, I shall see you both on the morrow.¡± He smiled again and departed with his men.


    ¡°If it is well with you¡­¡± Halcyon said, ¡°I have some business to attend to of my own while we¡¯re here. I could meet you tonight¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well¡­ of course, I understand.¡±


    ¡°I can stay¡­ if you wish.¡±


    ¡°No... no, that¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t want to keep you from doing what you need to. Perhaps it¡¯d be better to do this by myself.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Perhaps.¡± He said soothingly. ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll only be a few hours if I don¡¯t get lost.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯ll see you tonight then?¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Tonight.¡±


    As he turned to leave, the instant rush of loneliness was suffocating. I¡¯d grown used to having someone around, but this was important, and no matter my nerves, I had no choice but to continue. After 20 years, I¡¯d see my father again¡­ finally.

 Chapter 5 "Clash of Parallels"

    The bridge was long, and one could hear the waves crash against it, but nearing the college, the air became lighter. Magic pervaded even the air you''d breathe here... reminiscent of another place.


    The Circles grounds welcomed me, as if I were entering another world. The grasses were vibrant, and the stone brick pathways seemed to glow faintly. Motes of light floated throughout the area... no need for torches or fire, and the towers loomed overhead like behemoths. But in the center of the grounds stood a man dressed in luxurious blue robes, his black hair pulled back in a tied braid as he held a book tightly, enamored with its contents. Students and teachers passed by him, and as I approached, he met my sight and grinned.


    "Ah, my son." He said aloud. "So long it''s been." He snapped the book shut and clipped it to his side. "Well... How have the years treated you?" He said. "Well, I hope?"


    "G... Good," I stuttered.


    "Why... look at you?" He said. "Broad shoulders, so tall, and you have an air of determination. They trained you well there, I take it?"


    I nodded nervously.


    "I must admit, I''m almost jealous," he said, taking a step forward. He embraced me for a moment, awkwardly, but I accepted it. All the years apart, culminating into this... I no longer knew him, but I knew I wanted to.


    He breathed deeply and let me go, taking a short step back and smiling gently. "Well... with that out of the way. I suppose I could show you to your old room, and we could talk more over dinner? I do not wish to overwhelm you."


    "Dinner would be nice..." I said.


    He nodded and bade me to follow. We walked upon the grounds to the main hall, which was comprised of three chambers; the lowest was for classes and lectures, the second was the library and study halls, and the uppermost hall as well as the tower spires were for the Archmage and his family.


    "Does it bring back any memories... walking these halls again?" he asked as we entered the lower chamber.


    "In truth, I don''t remember much." I told him, "The night the acolytes took me overshadows most of them."


    He was silent for a moment.


    "Though, I do feel some... nostalgia," I said.


    "That is good..." He stated, "I am happy to have you back, Sebastien."


    We made our way to the upper halls, where the nostalgia really set in. Regality was in no short supply as the floors were lined with luxurious rugs, and the walls were decorated with artifacts and ancient d¨¦cor... items from my father''s exploits over his lifetime. And soon we came upon the door to my room.


    "Here we are..." he said, "I''ve kept it the same as when you left... save for some reparations. It may be a little childish, but I do hope it feels like home to you."


    "I''m sure it will, Father."


    "Well, I''ll leave you to it then. Dinner will be in but an hour; I''ll have someone fetch you."


    "Thank you," I said.


    He walked away, and I walked into my old room. It would have been a palace to a child, and even to an adult, its sheer size still made it feel like one. The bed was much larger than anyone would need and was covered with silks and rich satin bedding. Some toys lay strewn about the floor purposely... and a large toy castle resembling the Castle Kygaron towered in the room''s center. I took it all in for a few moments. If seen through the eyes of someone younger, this would be paradise. Even so, it brought me comfort.


    I sat on the edge of the bed and found myself wondering what Halcyon was up to. I doubt he''d have gotten into harm''s way, not here of all places, and yet... I worried.


    On the adjacent edge of the room, however, I''d noticed a crack in the wall that had stolen my attention. Underhand, it was deep, and for a stone of this make, reinforced by magic, it would take great force to cause it.


    The crack continued to the ground and along the floor, under the large carpet in the center of the room. I pulled it away to see large cracks that had been filled and repaired, and only for a second, I wondered... though soon recalling that specific moment.


    The acolyte grabbed my arm, their face wrapped in cloth, only making their eyes visible. Though filled with empathy, and though they spoke gentle words, my cries drowned out all else. Their grip was hard, as they tried to suppress my magic... it felt like a blanket over my face, suffocating and thick.


    "Let me go!!!" I screamed, "Let me go!!!" The room shook, and the ground beneath me cracked. The grip on my arm was gone, and through my tear-filled eyes, the acolyte''s body lay limp and lifeless. The cloth had torn to reveal the face of a young woman. Eyes bloodshot and terrified. I knew what I had done... Panic set in as more arrived to witness the carnage. My heart beat rapidly.


    "Dad...?" I cried, as he walked in behind them. His brows arched angrily as my tears fell harder; he pointed my way, finger outstretched.


    I shook the thought as it became hazy. This was me before I had control. The terrifying power of one of the Aspects, within an unaware child... I buried those memories long ago, and they would stay that way.


    I laid the rug back down gently and fell onto my bed. It was soft, not unlike a cloud, I imagined.


    Dozing off, I fell into a silent sleep, no thoughts, no dreams, just rest. After a while, I woke up to a knock at the door and jolted from the bed.


    "Ah, hello," I said, greeting the young woman.


    "I was sent to fetch you for dinner?" She said, giving me almost a judgmental look. "You''re Sebastien... yes?"


    I nodded, "And you?"


    "Not important, follow me," she said snobbishly, walking away.


    She walked faster than necessary, almost making it a chore to keep up. We made our way to the upper hall''s dining chamber, where my father sat in a regal chair at the end of the table, with two chairs at his sides.


    "Ah... my children. Come, sit." He said.


    Children, I thought. The young woman next to me rolled her eyes and took her seat. I took mine to his right, and we sat in awkward silence as food was served.


    "I suppose introductions are in order. Sebastien, this is your younger sister, Amoria."


    She eyed me with a sharp gaze. Amoria, named after him, I surmised. Amoria La''Kar...


    "And as you know, Amoria, this is Sebastien."


    She seemed to grudgingly begin eating, ignoring the introduction. Halcyon would love her.


    "So... you trained at the Arcanex?" She asked me.


    I played off my surprise at her sudden question, "Um... yes," I said, "They helped me too hone my abilities. I''m very thankful for it."


    "You don''t seem very impressive for an aspect wielder."


    She was very honest, if not a tad rude. "Very blunt..." I chuckled. "I can handle my own."


    "The Arcanex is not for the weak of mind or body, Amoria," our father said.


    She rolled her eyes again... seeming a tad immature as well.


    "Amoria is top of her class," he said regarding me. "No finer student in all the Circle."


    She smiled at him, glancing at me occasionally. My brow arched, as these comparisons felt unnecessary.


    "I''m hardly competitive..." I said, "I''m sure you''re a very capable mage."


    "I am."


    Petulant, I thought.


    "That''s quite enough; let us eat, and we shall speak more about it after." He said.


    The food served was divine. Grilled vegetables and fish cooked richly and vibrantly, topped with exquisite roe. Before I knew it, my plate was gone, and the table was being cleaned.


    "With that over, I wish to reiterate how delighted I am to have you back. And more so to have both of my children under one roof... A parent could not be more overjoyed."


    It was nice to hear such a sentiment, after all that time... It could have quickly begun to feel like home.


    Amoria spoke up, now in a somewhat kinder tone after our father''s words, "As moving as this has been, I find these sentiments tedious... Apologies, Father."


    "It is... quite alright," he said. "I''m happy you''ve stayed this long."


    She regarded me, "You say you aren''t competitive?"


    "Oh..." I said, "Not exactly..."


    "Father seems to regard your abilities highly, from what I''ve heard. Does that mean you aren''t a fighter?"


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "I can hold my own." I said bluntly. Trying to get a rise out of me was what was truly tedious.


    Father looked between the two of us with a questioning brow.


    "I''d like to test out your abilities for myself," she said. "See if you''re truly worthy of the La''Kar family name."


    I hadn''t thought of myself as a La''Kar in years. Her words stirred a fire in me, and as Father glanced at me... The desire to prove myself took over.


    "If Father approves..." I said.


    He seemed to hesitate before speaking again. "I sanction this." He said, "We built a training arena in recent years... Sebastien. It is well built and reinforced with protective enchantments; it should hold up."


    "Should?" I questioned.


    "I expect you not to hold back." She said with a grin. "I won''t be."


    I nodded, and Father exhaled exhaustedly. "I suppose we should get this started."


    A pair of mages escorted us separately to two different ends of the arena to prepare. The room lay behind a closed door, leading to the grounds. Lit by torches of blue fire, it was filled with all sorts of equipment befitting a mage and training golems that would come to life when activated to help freshen up on skills. Bookcases filled with tomes on battle magic and the like lined the walls; any mage could do with a refresher at times. None of this would help me, however.


    My father emerged from above as only a few moments remained before the match.


    "Ah, Sebastien," he said, "I''d hoped to catch you before it began."


    "Hi, Father," I said, still awkwardly.


    He smiled, "I''ve already been to see Amoria. She''s quite excited to see your skills and also quite serious."


    "I gathered that," I said. "She seemed quite set on challenging my worth. I hope I won''t disappoint."


    "She is quite the accomplished mage." He said, "She''s hardheaded and stubborn and will give you no quarter."


    I held my hand up, "Don''t spoil too much... I''d like to see her skills for myself."


    He stood proudly, "I know you won''t disappoint."


    I stood just before the door, mere moments before it would begin... with Father standing just behind.


    "Come, Magispear," I said, as it appeared in my right hand like a bolt of lightning. I held it at the ready as the doors opened before me.


    The light was blinding for a moment, and the cheers of a crowd shook the ground. When my eyes adjusted, Amoria stood adjacent to me, on the other end of the arena, the crowd cheering her name.


    This was a far cry from Elm and the adventure I''d known up until now. A new world and a new challenge; this was the start. My father now stood on a floating pedestal above the crowd regarding the entire arena.


    "Greetings, scholars and mages alike. And welcome to the training grounds of the Circle Arcana. Apologies again for interrupting your studies and classes... But what you see before you will be lesson enough."


    The audience cheered even louder at his words.


    "I, Archmage Amorick La''Kar, shall preside over the match of a century. In the west corner, I introduce Amoria La''Kar. Accomplished Mage, prodigy, and High Sorceress of the Circle...and my daughter."


    Her name could be heard in the wind, such a warm and loud recognition of her fame and adoration... a celebrity, almost, in her own right.


    "And in the east corner," he said. "Lies an individual who, though they have not been seen on these grounds in over two decades, wields a power unlike any other. A true match for our Amoria... and hailing from none other than the fabled Arcanex itself. Sebastien La''Kar!"


    The mention of my name ignited speculation and curiosity in the crowd. I could feel the looks upon me, judging my worth just as Amoria would as she glared at me from the other end. The need to prove myself blazed brighter... I couldn''t fail in this. Amoria readied herself, as did I, moving into my fighting stance. I would meet her energy; I wouldn''t let them down.


    "The match between Amoria La''Kar and Sebastien La''Kar..."


    The crowd went silent as a transparent barrier rose between the arena''s center and its patrons.


    "Shall begin!" My father shouted. His voice echoed loudly, and suddenly, the silence broke.


    Amoria began immediately, igniting the entire arena''s center in flames... The sheer heat made breathing already difficult. She was trying to limit my mobility, a guess on her part... likely made by the spear I held and a mistake on mine.


    From the flames burst orbs of condensed fire, which turned the ground red as they raced toward me. I could see her directing them with only slight movements of her hands. I dodged one and then two, but the third singed my clothing. They crashed against the barrier and wall behind me, exploding violently. She was quick to action, I began to notice, and wanted to leave me no time to incant or think. It might have worked... against a normal mage.


    The flames in the room reached toward me like infernal hands. "Repel," I shouted as their reach was halted. "And converge!" I pooled them into a single point, merging them into an orb of super condensed fire. It was time I went on the offensive. "Release," I shouted as it barreled toward her, growing more unstable and shining brighter.


    She held out her hand, trying to take control of it, but such dense flames rage against all. The orb burst with incredible force, even sending me feet away.


    I landed, catching myself with my spear. The inferno caused by my attack shattered the ground around her, and naught but black smoke and flames of blue and red burned in the area she stood.


    The crowd silenced in awe, but the black smoke began to swirl, and within its eye stood Amoria, encircled by a thin layer of wind magic. She must have used it to resist the flames... But now her hands waved to control the smoke like a black hurricane. I could hear her words on the air, an incantation!


    "Black Wind: Vortex!" She shouted.


    The smoking winds quickly rushed toward me, ensnaring me in a hot, choking void. I had to think quickly; I could not let her get the upper hand. "Purify," I said through choked words. A small area of air around me was purified, clearing away the smoke in my direct vicinity, but what was left, like a storm cloud, began to radiate with electricity, making my hairs stand on end.


    Lightning arced like cracks through the air from the cloud, missing me by only a hair. It came endlessly, irritatingly so. I parried one bolt, then two, but I wasn''t fast enough as three more hit me. The blistering pain of the bolts vibrated through me. I quickly grew angry.


    "Disperse," I yelled! The clouds and lightning blew away swiftly, and wasting no time, I caught her in my sights. "Godspeed," I said, blitzing her with the blunt end of my spear. It meant her body like the shattering of glass. She was ice... a double! Her false body broke under my attack, and from behind me, I sensed a cold presence. Her hand hit my spine, and I was sent into the air with a blast of icy wind.


    With a wretched thud, I meant the dirt, my spear stabbing into the ground at my side. The wind was knocked out of me; was I injured? I couldn''t tell, but I could see her standing pompously. I pushed myself back up and mumbled, "Restore." Immediately, I could breathe again.


    "Healing magic too." How impressive. "What else can you do?" She laughed.


    I could have asked the same question: Fire, Ice, Lightning? Most mages had an affinity for maybe one or two, but her? She wielded many with mastery... such control.


    Maybe I was holding back before? Or maybe I was simply scared to go too far. But something snapped in me in that moment. I pushed myself back up once more, retrieving my spear and doubling down on my resolve.


    "Round 2?" I grinned.


    She met my fervor with a beastlike leer. I would give her no time...


    "Godspeed!" I raced toward her again, spear overhead. With a wave of her hand, shards of ice cut through the air. Recalling my battle with the Thralls, I readied myself, and with a great swing, I shouted, "Twentyfold slash!" The shards shattered against the assault instantly, and through the icy cloud I burst forth, closing the distance between the two of us.


    She weaved a ward around her in preparation, but my attack came swiftly. "Twentyfold strikes!" I yelled. The strikes beat against her ward with deafening power, pushing her back many feet. I continued, "Thirtyfold strikes, thirtyfold slashes!" A combination I had never attempted, but with success, the sheer force of the attacks cracked and split the ground at her feet, and for a moment, she seemed to struggle maintaining the ward. I doubled back, moving my spear into a throwing formation, reinforced by Godspeed. And with one final lunge, I screamed, "One Hundred Fold Thrust!"


    My spear flew toward her like a bolt of divine lightning, uprooting he ground under its path and striking her ward with the force of one hundred impacts. And as it broke, I could see her eyes fill with surprise as the shards fell and dissipated at her feet. Her expression quickly twisted into anger.


    My spear disappeared, and my arm radiated with an incredible stabbing pain... Whatever came next would have to be the end of it; I had already pushed myself so far. I looked up at the crowd and saw my father, a wide smile beaming across his face, almost prideful. Had I performed to his expectations? Was I worthy?


    But a searing heat pulled me from my state, and across the arena, Amoria stood, an aura of intense flames, once again setting the ring alight.


    "Your power is unique... but this is over." She said.


    The sheer intensity of these flames felt as if I could melt metal. Could this be... a Greater Spell? Few, but the most accomplished and oldest mages could perform such a feat, but the inferno that surrounded us began to grow taller and hotter. She began to incant, "O'' Flame, O'' Fire, I call for thine aid. Grow, and engulf all."


    Her words seemed to sing life into the inferno. The flames began to dance and scream, catching even the air aflame. I looked upon the hellish surroundings now as they blotted out the crowd... Only the two of us, caught betwixt. The flames reached their zenith, engulfing the entire ring, "World... in ruin!!'' She yelled.


    The earth began to crack and melt, growing red and molten. "Protect!" I said, before the heat could touch my skin. But even this ward would only last so long against a spell of such magnitude. She stood watching as I struggled, laughing as the flames danced around her.


    What could I do? I could already feel the heat through my ward; it was failing, within seconds... scant few seconds. I recalled my past fights, scouring my thoughts for even a glimmer of hope.


    The ward cracked, fire pouring in from it, and sweltering with heat. "Come on," I thought, falling on the sharp edge of frustration. Perhaps... I couldn''t overcome this. All those years of training, only to come back and disappoint. All the memories from that place, now faded, only to be replaced with ones of failure? No...


    I steadied myself, and my breathing under the intense heat... releasing my ward. The flames quickly enveloped me, but my skin resisted, my resolve solid, standing true in the ruin. Something old and something new to create something stronger-that was all I needed.


    I outstretched a hand and whispered, "Converge!" My words echoing as if a God''s own. The flames pooled from all around us, as before, forming into an orb at my palm. It rang loudly as it grew, fed by the inferno, which seemed to grow yet endlessly. Amoria''s smile faded, and her stance seemed to grow heavy... as if realizing her spell was failing.


    I held the orb above my head, and the flames began to pool more swiftly, faster than she could keep up. She fell to a knee releasing the spell... And when the remainder of it gathered, and the smoke and noise of the inferno died, an awestruck crowd gazed upon us as the orb sang in my hand, shining like a small sun.


    Amoria stood back up, breathless, yet furious. Was she done? She outstretched her own hands, lightning gathering between them... her last stand.


    I clenched my hand. "Condense," I said. The orb imploded, collapsing in on itself and shining vastly brighter than before; the song turned to a deafening high-pitched ringing, causing the crowd to cover their ears.


    Lightning burst from Amoria''s hands, arcing toward me. It split upon impact, unable to cross the event horizon-like area created by the star. I held it out to her like an offering, and she stood, at first surprised, and then... she grinned. "Collapsing... Star." I said calmly.


    The star barreled toward her, the ringing growing louder and louder and the air vibrating. A great light blinded everything, and then... nothing. I opened my eyes, and before us stood, father, the star encapsulated in a spherical ward.


    "That is quite enough... I think," he said. The crowd was again quiet. "I think you have both done justice to our name today and proven yourselves." He held out the star to me, "Sebastien... would you see this put out, please?"


    "Oh..." I said, panting, "Of course... Dissipate." Over a few seconds, the star grew dim, morphing into but an orb of fire, and then after a second more, fizzled into nothing, along with the ward.


    Amoria limped exhaustedly to our father, as did I. "I apologize if I went too far." She said.


    "Normally, I might scold you, but you''ve both put on quite the display today. It is rare to see a greater spell in action, rarer still to see one countered. Those here today have seen what striving for mastery can achieve. I hope it shall serve as an inspiration."


    The crowds roar at the display was perhaps louder than the fight itself. Their wide smiles and approval were apparent, but I had begun to feel faint.


    Amoria caught me as I almost fell. "I''m sorry..." I said. "I''ve never used so many words in so short a time."


    My father turned to us, "You''re likely both exhausted." He came and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let us depart from here for now and get you both healed up."


    In an instant, we disappeared. The crowd cheers faded as we passed through space. I felt accomplished, for once. What would come next...I wondered.

 Chapter 6 "Reprieve"

    Within the halls of the Circle, my father brought us to his personal quarters in the tallest of its 3 towers.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, as the warmth of his healing magic blanketed over me. Amoria let out a sigh of relief, sitting next to me.


    ¡°It is no issue,¡± he said. The spell continued to wash over us as he went to rummage through a cabinet of potion flasks. ¡°Ah, here we are.¡± He said, bringing two bottles over to us. ¡°These should restore your stamina and get you moving again.


    I let out a sigh of relief, the flasks having taken effect immediately, like a coolness rushing over my skin. Suddenly, I was alert again, as he continued to heal the rest of our injuries.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m okay now, Father.¡± Amoria said.


    ¡°As am I.¡± I stated.


    He lifted his hands and exhaled. ¡°Well, alright then.¡±


    There was a silent pause before Amoria broke it. ¡°So¡­ Sebastien La''Kar, huh?¡±


    My eyebrow raised.


    ¡°It has a ring to it,¡± she grinned.


    We both chuckled.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite strong.¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯ve never fought anyone of your like. It''s true¡­ what Father said about you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ and just what did he say?¡±


    ¡°Only that you¡¯re gifted.¡± I said, ¡°And that you don¡¯t hold back.


    ¡°I told the truth,¡± our father said with a snide smile as he sat at his desk.


    ¡°And yet¡­ I get the sense that you do.¡±


    She was keen, as any prodigy would be, I supposed.


    ¡°I got a good sense of your abilities while we fought. There¡¯s no obvious limitation to what you can do.¡± She surmised. ¡°Save for the ones you place on yourself.¡±


    ¡°You have a good eye. Yes, you are right¡­ My limitations are self-imposed mostly.¡±


    ¡°I could understand why. Your power has great potential, though had we fought longer, I may have been able to use that to my advantage.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°You understand that is a weakness, right? One that will be exploited in time.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ understand.¡± I said.


    ¡°We all have weaknesses we must overcome.¡± Father said. ¡°Be it a hot temper or a tendency to hold back, one day, our boundaries and morals are pushed. How we handle that eventuality will decide if we bend or break. But adapt we must.¡± A knock fell at the door; Father waved it open. ¡°Ah. Tarrien, to what do we owe the pleasure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Archmage, I have come to retrieve Sebastien.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± He said. ¡°The meeting with the king¡ªdo you feel well enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said.


    ¡°Then we hope you¡¯ll return tonight, once all is said and done.¡±


    ¡°Father, don¡¯t suffocate him.¡± Amoria said, ¡°It''s his first day back; he might wish to see the city.¡±


    He exhaled, ¡°Of course, of course. Well, we do hope to see you back once you¡¯ve settled in. You know you¡¯re welcome back here at any time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to be back home¡­ truly. It¡¯s been too long.¡±


    ¡°You best be off,¡± Father said, ¡°King Acaius does not like to be kept waiting.¡± He waved me away with a warm grin.


    Amoria and Tarrien exchanged glances, and he smiled and waved awkwardly. He cleared his throat. ¡°Come¡­ your friend awaits you at the gates.¡±


    We departed from the circle and moved into the city¡¯s middlemost district. Within the center of Kygaron lay a large tower known as the Spire Tower, which connected 3 separate areas. Through it from the Mage¡¯s district, we entered the Great Archway district, and on the horizon to the west stood Castle Kygaron, where Halcyon waited and where the King awaited our meeting.


    ¡°Has the city changed much since you were younger?¡± Tarrien asked.


    When we had met at the gates, I hadn¡¯t gotten a good look at him, but now, he smiled gently at me, his light tan skin almost gleaming in the sun and his brown, messy curls waving in the wind. ¡°Honestly. I don¡¯t remember much, but it all feels familiar¡­ and bigger than I remember.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°I feel that is a common reaction¡­ even for me, admittedly.¡± He slowed his stride to walk beside me. ¡°Every once in a while, you look upon this city and realize how small you are in the scope of it all.¡±


    He meant something more by that; I could feel it. His eyes held a deeper meaning, but the pride of his home was rooted within him as he gazed hopefully.


    ¡°So¡­ Prince Tarrien.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°I prefer Knight Commander, if I¡¯m being honest. Prince just feels so lofty, you know?¡±


    ¡°I could imagine.¡±


    ¡°And you, son of the Archmage?¡± He nudged my arm, ¡°I¡¯d bet you¡¯re a prodigy just like Amoria, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯d have to be, coming from that bloodline.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m nobody special.¡±


    ¡°Lies,¡± he laughed. ¡°I heard you gave Amoria quite the thrashing.¡±


    I waved my hand. ¡°She gave me the thrashing. She¡¯s very skilled.¡±


    ¡°But you won?¡± He said


    ¡°I suppose, yes. Although, my father stopped us in the end.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll never let you live that down.¡±


    We continued our stride, making our way to the end of the archway district.


    ¡°I¡­ want to apologize for not remembering you.¡± I told him, ¡°You seem very kind.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that. At first, I was disappointed you didn¡¯t remember me. But how could you? We were so young, and it¡¯s been so long. I wouldn¡¯t expect you to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to make up for that.¡± I said hopefully, ¡°Could we become friends again?¡±


    He smiled widely, ¡°I would like that.¡±


    The castle now loomed overhead, and at its gates stood a familiar¡­ dreadfully unenthused face. He met my eye and loosened his stiff appearance.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Tarrien said as we approached the gate. Give me just a moment, and we¡¯ll head in. He went to speak to one of the guardsmen, leaving me and Halcyon for a few moments.


    ¡°Did you do what you needed to?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I did¡­ though I thought it would have taken longer.¡±


    ¡°Have you been waiting here long?¡±


    ¡°Long enough to gain suspicion from these incompetent guards if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡±


    He looked at me as my expression lowered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mind the wait, though,¡± he assured me.


    Tarrien began to walk back to us.


    ¡°I hope your reunion with your father went well. Would you like to talk about it later, somewhere less¡­ open?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡± I said.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± Tarrien said, directing us to follow him.


    We walked into the Castles courtyard, lush with foliage and tress of all types. Most notable among them were cherry blossom trees, which painted the breeze with a beautiful pink hue¡­ as well as the flora glowing in shades of yellows, whites, and blues. For an oceanic kingdom, parts of it felt as if you were in a completely different world.


    The Palatial Chamber stood level with the courtyard, large, but still far overshadowed by the castle¡¯s towers. Even above us, they cast imposing shadows. A true marvel of architecture.


    We entered the palace and just within lay the throne room. Lit by large braziers and vibrant torchlight, the entirety of the room was laden with marvelous brickwork and reliefs depicting the past kings and the land¡¯s history.


    ¡°Announcing, Young Sebastien La¡¯Kar. Son of Amorick La¡¯Kar, Archmage of the Circle Arcana, and Royal Mage to the Kingdom. And companion, Halcyon.¡±


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    He rolled his eyes at the rather short introduction for himself. ¡°Why bother¡­¡± He said.


    Tarrien took a place beside the king as he began to speak.


    ¡°Welcome¡­ welcome!¡± King Acaius said. We both bowed in respect. ¡°I trust Kygaron has found you both well.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ of course, my King.¡± I said, ¡°It is good to be home.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes. Your father is likely happy to have you back, I¡¯d hope. But it is not your return that we are here to discuss, unfortunately.¡±


    The room seemed to fall into a hollow silence. ¡°No¡­ my King.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I received a missive this morning from a dear friend of mine¡­ one Mayor Deitrich, who you know as well.¡± He opened a scroll that he had been holding. ¡°This missive speaks of your time spent in Elm, detailing the two of you as heroes.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far.¡± Halcyon mumbled, receiving the brief ire of the king.


    ¡°I would not go so far as to call you heroes either. Though you may have chased away the vampires, they still live¡­ ¡°


    ¡°This is true¡­¡± I said.


    ¡°What did you learn of them in your encounter?¡±


    I looked to Halcyon, who hadn¡¯t spoken yet; he scowled at me before speaking. ¡°I¡­ had been following their tracks for quite a while, ever since the rumors of vampire attacks had begun.¡±


    The king eyed him intently.


    He continued, ¡°I know not who he is, but we found him deep in the caverns below the northern woods of Elm. Him¡­ and his army.¡±


    ¡°It is true,¡± I said. ¡°We were overrun by Thralls multiple times.¡±


    ¡°Thralls?¡± the king asked.


    ¡°Those who¡¯ve succumbed to vampiric influence.¡± Halcyon said, ¡°Many become mindless, and the stronger willed become the most devout slaves.¡±


    The king was silent for a moment. ¡°That is¡­ dire indeed. And when you confronted him?¡±


    ¡°He was maniacal.¡± I said, ¡°And condescending. We pried¡­ But he gave us nothing. Only that he had ¡®loftier goals¡¯ than to deal with us. And then they escaped.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± He said, turning quickly to Tarrien. ¡°It seems it is as we feared.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Father.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I interrupted.


    The king whipped his head to me. ¡°We believe these ¡®goals¡¯ of his lie below our city.¡±


    ¡°Below¡­¡±


    I recalled a story from before I was taken. Below the city, it rests. The heart of Old Kygar. My mother used to recite that line; it was comforting, as if the city itself watched over us.


    ¡°The Heart of Old Kygar.¡± King Acaius said. ¡°Kygaron was built atop its ruins, an ancient city said to predate the mortal races. We¡¯ve known since the Kingdom''s inception that a mysterious power lay there¡­ bringing some truth to the Children¡¯s stories. Many a mage and adventurer alike have ventured in, attempting to claim it, whether for themselves or their nation, though most all have died, and those who returned had broken minds.¡±


    ¡°Broken Minds? Is it some kind of magic?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We do not know. Though, whatever it is, in the hands of a vampire, it could bring about calamity.¡±


    Halcyon looked at me with a worrisome expression. Our failure once again sat in front of us.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I asked him.


    Tarrien stepped forward. ¡°Allow me, Father.¡± He regarded us, ¡°We believe that the cavern system you found them in connects directly with the systems surrounding Old Kygar. If that is the case, they could easily bypass the wards we¡¯ve set in place in recent decades to prevent others from entering. Our plan is to send a small group down there to retrieve the power before the vampires arrive.¡±


    ¡°Do you know when they will arrive?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That is the problem¡­ likely on the morrow.¡±


    ¡°Less than a day?¡± Halcyon spoke up. ¡°If they arrive before the group can retrieve it, do you truly think a small unit could defeat such a force?¡±


    ¡°I understand your frustration,¡± King Acaius said. ¡°But seeing as the two of you are already a part of this mess, I would assume you would have no problem fixing it.¡±


    He was right. Could we say anything but yes? Though the vampire likely had planned this for some time, it was us who failed to bring him down. Perhaps we could make up for it this way¡­


    ¡°Of course we will help.¡± I said, Halcyon, nodding behind me.


    ¡°It won¡¯t only be the two of you.¡± Tarrien said. ¡°Your sister, Amoria, has volunteered as well, Sebastien.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± A mage as powerful as she would be crucial on a venture such as this.


    ¡°And against my father¡¯s better wishes, I will be going too.¡± He said


    The king scowled at him but didn¡¯t question his resolve.


    ¡°We will also be sending three Elite Knights Arcana with you.¡± The King said.


    ¡°That is wholly unnecessary, Father; I would not wish to risk any of my men.¡±


    ¡°That is an order. I will hear no disagreements.¡±


    Tarrien bowed and returned to his place at the King''s side.


    ¡°It is decided then. Come the morning, each of you will meet at the base of the Sky District, at the entrance to the Warrens. Deep within, you will find the entrance to Old Kygar. I am entrusting each of you to succeed. Mages will be ready to reseal the wards at the entrance upon your return.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ your majesty.¡± We each say in unison.¡±


    "¡­ begone. When I see you next, I expect success.¡±


    We stood and were escorted out by guards; Tarrien stayed behind to speak with his father, and midday began to fall on Kygaron. The evening sun shone upon the castle courtyard as Halcyon spoke.


    ¡°I do not like that man.¡± He said.


    ¡°Ever the cynic,¡± I chuckled, ¡°I did find his attitude lacking, though. Perhaps in kindness? Or general respect?¡±


    ¡°He was an ass.¡±


    ¡°Aptly put,¡± I said.


    We left the courtyard and entered the Archway district again. The city was quite lively at this hour. Both nobility and the common folk frequented this area, as it joined both their districts. Shops, homes, inns, and taverns alike dotted its expanse.


    ¡°Would you like to get a drink?¡± Halcyon asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind one after today.¡±


    We made our way to an inn along the edge of the archway where it joined a noble living area known as the Cliffsedge Maisons and an entrance to the Commons District. The inn went by the name ¡®Alethia''s Bosom.'' A rather blasphemous moniker regarding the Goddess of Life and Love. But it was lively, perhaps just as lively as the Elm¡¯s Leaf Respite.


    ¡°Are we sure we ever left Elm?¡± I said as we entered. The inn was laid out similarly but stayed within the stone brick scheme of the district. It was much cleaner, though the scent of spirits and drink still lay heavy on the air.


    ¡°This place is much nicer,¡± Halcyon said.


    We approached the bar, which was mostly empty as the patrons danced and drank in the center, and most others sat eating at the tables.


    ¡°Two meads?¡± He asked the barkeep while looking at me.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll be fine.¡± I smiled.


    As he prepared our drink, Halcyon moved his stool closer to me. ¡°Now that we¡¯re comfortable, how was your family reunion?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Oh¡­ it was quite well.¡± I said, ¡°My father was nice and very happy to have me back; he kept saying. Although my sister¡¯s attitude was to be desired¡­ even if she warmed up to me eventually.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ could the walloping you gave her have caused that?¡±


    I laughed, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I could hear it,¡± he said, ¡°even from the other end of the city.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a vampire¡¯s hearing. Even so, she still made me fight for my life almost. She''s a very skilled mage, and it was one of the closest fights I¡¯ve ever had. Who¡¯d have guessed she knew Greater Magic?¡±


    ¡°Not many mages can wield such power. Nobody could blame you for not considering that.¡±


    The barkeep handed us our drinks. The delightful scent of honey rose from the mead, and it went down sweetly. A warmth gathered in my stomach as we drank more.


    ¡°It was¡­ strange being back home, though.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± He asked me.


    ¡°I thought being back would¡­ feel different. That I would be happier to return to familiar surroundings, but even being back in my room, it just felt¡­ different, like I said.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps because it¡¯s been so long,¡± he said, taking another sip. ¡°You were so young. I would imagine it¡¯s hard to recall the life you had before.¡±


    ¡°Even being in that place feels¡­ uncomfortable. I don¡¯t want to seem unhappy about seeing my family again, but that place¡­ it doesn¡¯t feel like home.¡±


    ¡°What does?¡±


    I paused, confused. I was unable to answer¡­ I¡¯d not yet found home since returning. I¡¯d thought being back would mean something, mean more.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Halcyon said.


    As the hour went on, and one or two more drinks in, that warm feeling settled throughout my body. I sat more relaxed than I had in days. And we continued speaking. His company was oddly comforting. We hadn¡¯t had the chance to just talk since we met, and there was still much I didn¡¯t know about him. He told me of his early years and of the world he lived in¡­ a much darker time, but he could still find the beauty in it. It sounded idyllic coming from his lips. Which for a moment, my eyes were fixed on. He spun words like a poet, or perhaps it was my drunken ears¡­ But as he rested his head on his palm, I watched the way his hair lay so elegantly on his shoulder, a deep black as night, like a starless sky.


    ¡°Sebastien,¡± He chuckled, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Gods, I¡¯m sorry. I was¡ªlost in thought.¡± I smiled awkwardly.


    He grinned coyly, ¡°Do you like what you see?¡±


    My face flushed. ¡°I mean¡­ um.¡± I stuttered.


    ¡°Relax... relax, I¡¯m only playing.¡± He took the last sip of his mead. ¡°Barkeep¡­ One more round for the two of us, please.¡±


    ¡°One more and I¡¯m done,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯d like to remember my night.¡±


    We talked a while longer, and I told him more about my day. The way my father looked at me, with a pride I¡¯d not known before, and how it felt to return to that after so long. If I had felt anything good to mention in my apprehension, it was that. He asked more of mine and my sister¡¯s battle¡­ ¡°a battle of wills,¡± I called it. She was stubborn in her testing of me, but ultimately, it ended well, and with a mutual respect. He seemed to listen intently, his eyes of such beautiful deep crimson fixed on my words as they came out drunkenly. But eventually, they began to slur¡­


    ¡°One too many?¡± He smiled.


    ¡°I¡­thought we were only ordering¡­ orderi¡ª getting one more.¡± I swayed.


    He hiccupped, ¡°I must¡¯ve forgotten¡­ Damn barkeep,¡± he sneered.


    We talked a while longer before night rolled in; it felt so soon, like we¡¯d only been there but an hour.


    ¡°Are you¡­ staying with your family tonight?¡± He asked.


    I rested my head on my palm, ¡°¡­I¡­don¡¯t think so.¡±


    He placed his hand on my knee gently. ¡°Perhaps, we should get a room.¡± His hand lingered for a moment as he got up. ¡°Barkeep¡­ Check us in, please.¡±


    My vision became foggy. A pair of gentle arms wrapped around me, and for a while I felt weightless. Laid upon a soft cloud, I dreamt of peace and solitude. A gentle melody floated on the breeze, which stroked my hair.


    ¡°That¡­ feels nice.¡± I said, waking up.


    Halcyon paused. ¡°I¡­ apologize; I should have asked before touching you. You just seemed so¡­ peaceful.¡±


    My heart skipped. ¡°We¡­ we have to go; they¡¯re waiting for us!¡± I shouted.


    He continued stroking my hair, ¡°No, you¡¯ve only slept a few hours; it¡¯s still early yet.¡± I lay back down under the comfort of his touch.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said, ¡°Why were you sorry?¡±


    ¡°You were¡­ drunk and asleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m neither of those now¡­¡± I said


    He stopped.


    ¡°Halcyon¡­ I¡­ would give you permission.¡±


    He held his hand close to my face for a moment, as if hesitating. I sat up groggily. ¡°What¡­ are you thinking about?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Things I¡­ probably shouldn¡¯t.¡± He exhaled, frustrated, ¡°It¡¯s probably the alcohol.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look drunk to me¡­¡±


    "You¡¯re right," he mumbled, looking away.


    I placed his hand on my cheek. ¡°You can touch me,¡± I said. He stroked my cheek for a moment.


    ¡°Do you remember that time¡­ at Elm, in the bathhouse?¡±


    ¡°It was a small heaven¡­ yes, I remember.¡±


    I grinned at the thought, feeling a warm tension gathering in me. ¡°I¡­ saw you.¡±


    He began to laugh for a moment, ¡°I know.¡±


    I smacked his arm playfully. ¡°Did you?


    ¡°You weren¡¯t exactly subtle.¡±


    My face flushed again in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I hated the attention.¡± I felt him move closer.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see me¡­ did you?¡± My breaths were heavy, almost catching.


    ¡°I did not¡­ but maybe I would have liked to.¡± He pressed his hand upon my thigh and ran his other hand lightly down my arm. The tension growing within me reached its height as he turned to face me. ¡°May I¡­ kiss you?¡±


    My lips raised ear to ear as his hand grasped my chin. ¡°Yes¡­¡± I said, almost breathless. ¡°Yes, pleas¡­¡± My words were interrupted by his soft lips, pressed firm against mine. Yes was all he needed, all I needed. He unbuttoned my clothing, and I fumbled with the buttons on his. He placed his hands on mine, guiding and helping them along the way. His lips upon mine were that of a miracle, and the cold touch of his hands tracing and exploring every inch of my bare skin felt heaven-sent. His haughty personality all but vanished in that moment as he climbed upon the bed, his weight pressed against me as he moved his lips to my neck.


    I stifled my voice, ¡°Halcyon,¡± I whispered breathlessly. It seemed to push us further as he ran his hands down my sides, his hands eventually grasping at my waist.


    ¡°Is this¡­ alright?¡± he asked, pausing his advance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ stop,¡± I pleaded. I wished for his embrace, all of it. Even a second without it had felt like torture. He continued, this time, with more passion than before. He whispered my name as I did his¡­ as if a prayer, or a wish?


    We delved into each other that night, body and soul. Even more could never have been enough.


    He asked me before what had felt like home¡­ And in that moment, it was him.

 Chapter 7 "The Descent"

    The next morning followed the ache of a long night, eyes crusted over¡­ a sleep like the death, but my body could not have felt more free. Freed of stress, of¡­ guilt? I could still feel where his hands embraced me, as if his touch was etched into my skin, like an artist¡¯s passion painted on canvas.


    I turned over to find the spot where he¡¯d laid empty. Vampires do not sleep¡­ I had wondered how he had felt after. Did he enjoy it?


    I pushed myself up and got ready for the day. A night of peace before a long venture¡­ I needed it.


    As I made it downstairs, I found Halcyon sitting at a table across from another figure; his skin was similar in tone. They appeared to be deep in conversation, though Halcyon saw me and waved me over.


    ¡°So you¡¯re this Sebastien my friend has been raving about.¡± The figure stated.


    Halcyon scowled at him. ¡°This isn¡¯t social hour¡­ let¡¯s get down to business.¡±


    I sat awkwardly next to him¡­ though he seemed to move further away.


    ¡°So¡­ business, as he said. My name is Cedric. I¡¯m an old friend of Halcyon¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Acquaintance¡­ the more you talk.¡±


    ¡°Is he the one you meant with when we arrived?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve known him for a very long time. With what we experienced in Elm, I figured I¡¯d run it by him.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°A great deal,¡± Cedric said. ¡°But I won¡¯t be coy¡­¡±


    ¡°Cedric has existed almost as long as I have.¡±


    There was an awkward glance between the two of them. ¡°To make it short, I know of the vampire you seek.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± I asked.


    He nodded, ¡°His name is ¨¦tienne. ¨¦tienne Vox.¡±


    ¡°He is¡­ a vampire lord of legend.¡±


    Cedric went on to explain more. ¨¦tienne Vox was responsible for many uprisings and attacks by his kind in the last millennia, making him much older than most vampires in the current age. Cedric had worked alongside him for a time, long enough to learn of his obsession with an even more ancient legend.


    ¡°There is a¡­ prophecy, among our kind, of a vampire God rising to power and usurping the mortal races.¡± Halcyon said. ¡°We think that whatever this power is, ¨¦tienne likely thinks it will help him achieve this.¡±


    ¡°So we must stop him.¡± I said, ¡°Can a vampire such as him truly achieve godhood?¡±


    It was a nightmarish concept. One I could scarcely imagine, and more so, scarcely understand.


    ¡°Do we know what this power is? Do you have any insight?¡±


    ¡°No more than your king.¡± Cedric said. ¡°Halcyon¡­ you should know ¨¦tienne has the power of blood on his side, more accomplished in its practice than any I have seen.¡±


    ¡°At a guess¡­ that¡¯s how he controls such a large army.¡±


    Cedric nodded again. ¡°It is.¡±


    Halcyon seemed to grow increasingly upset.


    ¡°I know you understand what this means.¡± Cedric stated.


    Halcyon shook his head in disapproval. ¡°It won¡¯t come to that,¡± he stood up. ¡°We won¡¯t let it.¡±


    ¡°You cannot possibly know that.¡± Cedric said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I said. ¡°How is Blood Magic more worrisome than a vampire ascending to Godhood?¡±


    Halcyon exhaled with impatience. ¡°Blood magic can be used to control and subjugate. It has great freedom of ability¡­ It can be liberating for our kind and terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Not unlike your own abilities.¡± Cedric said.


    I raised a brow and looked to my friend.


    ¡°He knows only a surface level, much less than you told me at first.¡±


    ¡°It matters not¡­ Blood magic is near absolute in its effects. Whatever this power is, if he even touches it, it is his. I trust you¡¯ll do what¡¯s necessary.¡±


    Halcyon scoffed, ¡°Come¡­ we must get going,¡± he waved.


    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll wish you both luck. Do not underestimate ¨¦tienne.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t¡­¡± I said.


    ¡°It was nice to meet you¡­ Sebastien.¡±


    We left the inn, Halcyon striding out angrily, though I still did not understand what had him so upset. Cedric seemed nice enough, if not a little secretive and mysterious, but he seemed to trust us.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I said, catching up with him.


    He slowed his stride and exhaled, as if he had been holding his breath, ¡°I am fine¡­¡± He said.


    We walked for a while through the Archway district in silence. Making our way to the steps leading down to the Commons District.


    ¡°Maybe now isn¡¯t the time¡­¡± I said, feeling an uncomfortably awkward tension, ¡°But could we talk about last night?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you enjoy yourself?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yes, of course.¡±


    He chuckled, ¡°Then what more is there too talk about?¡±


    ¡°I suppose nothing,¡± I said, confused.


    We walked a few more moments before nearing the end of the Commons District and entered the shipyard docks, where we were set to meet our troupe for the delve.


    ¡°Are you quite alright?¡± He said just as I¡¯d asked him earlier.


    ¡°I¡­ yes,¡± I said, thinking about last night. ¡°I am.¡±


    He paused for a moment as we walked, ¡°If you¡¯re wondering if I enjoyed myself too, then yes, I did.¡± He said, likely attempting to assuage my questions.


    It lightened my mood¡­ But yet, ¡°That is good,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± I gave him a polite smile, and we continued on.


    As we entered the shipyard, Tarrien, Amoria, and the rest of our troupe awaited us at the entrance to the dock house, a large hollowed-out warehouse at the base of the sky district that held trading goods delivered by sea.


    ¡°It''s about time.¡± Amoria said, tapping her foot impatiently.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here, great, now we can begin.¡± Tarrien said, waving away Amoria¡¯s comment. We stood in a circle to brief on our coming venture. The three Knights Arcana, clad in their stunning enchanted armor, stood alongside us, awaiting their prince¡¯s orders.


    ¡°The King has entrusted us to embark upon a venture into Old Kygar. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all heard the grim tales, but we will not let them hinder our goal. As it stands, a great evil marches upon the depths of our great city in search of an ancient, unknown power. It is our goal to seek it and keep it from their clutches.¡±


    The Knights nodded, as did the rest of us. Halcyon stood, arms crossed, and an arm''s distance away from me. I almost reached for him¡­


    ¡°Sebastien and Halcyon¡­ You two have faced this monster before and his fold. Would you guide us in the coming fight?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, snapping my gaze back to the group. ¡°Apologies, um, fire, or holy magics¡­ we found was the best strategy, I suppose Amoria and I could supply that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Amoria nodded.


    ¡°And I could lend some control over them, not all, but a few if I must.¡± Halcyon said.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    They eyed him suspiciously. ¡°Well¡­ that all seems very well.¡± Tarrien said.


    He continued to brief the group, explaining the gravity of the situation. The Knights stood proudly in response, ready to take on anything for their Kingdom, a true display of devotion.


    ¡°Now¡­ it is time we descend.¡± Tarrien said, ¡°I and two knights shall lead. Sebastien and Halcyon, please stay in the middle along with Amoria, and the last of the Knights shall follow at the back.¡±


    We formed our groups and opened the trapdoor leading to the warrens directly beneath the sky district. The cave system, populated mostly by vermin and the seldom homeless, stretched for but twenty minutes. The air around us was damp and smelled of mold, and one could hear the waves crash as we descended further. The stone caves slowly began to change shape. Millennia-old brick and etchings carved by ancient hands gave form to the rock¡­ the ancient ruins of Old Kygar were near. A large, ornate door loomed ahead.


    ¡°We are here,¡± Tarrien said.


    The door hummed with a deep magic aura.


    ¡°It is sealed¡­¡± Amoria stated, ¡°Just as the King said. A powerful ward.¡±


    ¡°It was cast by your father.¡± Tarrien said, standing closely to her. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you can feel.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± she said.


    ¡°Can you bring it down?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    Each of us stepped closer to the door. It seemed to tower even higher the closer we got. Designs similar to the ones on the cavern walls were etched into it¡­ Some were hard to make out. A telling of history perhaps? Runes and magic insignia?


    Amoria placed her hand on the door. ¡°Father¡¯s warding magics have always been complex¡­ but this is¡­¡± She struggled to find the words. ¡°Just¡­ give me a few moments and some space.¡±


    She took a seat on the ground, and we each backed away. The energy she gathered almost sparkled in the space around her as she fell into meditation, muttering incantations I could not recognize. The warding on the door seemed to respond to her words, the etches glowing brightly¡­ She slowly rose from the ground, floating while continuing her spell.


    Her incantations seemed to gradually chip away at the carvings, causing them to disappear¡­ But her words became strained.


    ¡°Amoria¡­ Don¡¯t overdo it?¡± I said, ¡°Unweaving a ward this complex is a lot for any mage.¡±


    She continued, struggling, but the etchings had disappeared from halfway up the door''s height. However¡­ her struggle would become too much to bear as she began to descend, eventually gasping for air.


    Tarrien raced to her side. ¡°Amoria!¡± he shouted, catching her. ¡°Are you alright? Gods!¡±


    She panted for air, ¡°Yes¡­ yes, I¡¯m alright, don¡¯t fuss,¡± she said, pushing his arms away. She stood up wearily, patting the first off of her.


    We looked upon the ward, still strong, even if half dispelled. ¡°What are we to do now?¡± Tarrien said.


    Halcyon glanced at me. ¡°Could you not break this ward easily, Sebastien?¡± He said aloud. Everyone looked at me, Amoria shooting daggers.


    ¡°I¡­ I could try.¡± I said. There was an awkward silence as I walked toward the door. A sensation not unlike static flowed through me as I placed my hand against it. It was solid; more so than any material defense, it could likely divert any attack, whether magic or not.


    ¡°Well¡­ can you?¡± Amoria questioned with irritation.


    I inhaled, feeling the magic energy of the ward beneath my fingertips¡­ I could almost hear the weaknesses within it, buried deep, almost impossible to notice; it would give if I pushed hard enough, if I willed it to do so. I whispered upon the ward itself, ¡°Shatter.¡± A sharp ringing echoed through the cave as the ward broke instantly, cracking into shards like glass and withering into dust. Following that, the etchings and runes slowly faded¡­ The spell was broken.


    I turned to see shocked expressions, save for Amoria, who almost seemed furious, and Halcyon¡­ who likely wasn¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°That was¡­ marvelous,¡± one of the Knights whispered, being elbowed by another.


    They received a cold glare from Tarrien, ¡°Yes¡­ I suppose it was,¡± he said, ¡°Thank you both.¡±


    ¡°I might not have been able to break it without you, Amoria,¡± I smiled.


    She rolled her eyes and looked away, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Tarrien said, having us form our groups. ¡°We have a mission, so let¡¯s continue.¡±


    We took our formations, the door opening on its own as if to welcome us. Before us lay the Ancient Road. A far cry from the cavern we entered from. The brickwork and carvings decorating every inch were in pristine condition, the way lit by wisps and magefyre. The silver lining the bricks glinted from the light. ¡°So this is old Kygar,¡± I said as we walked in.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Tarrien said. ¡°Everyone, stay close¡­ We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re walking into yet.¡±


    We continued on, albeit blindly, but moment by moment of walking, the energies that permeated this place could be felt even in the air¡­ to which everyone took notice.


    One could imagine when this place was populated. These bricks were laid with love, and wisps do not shine in places of hate, just like Kygaron. Old Kygar was likely a marvelous city, beloved by its people, whoever they were.


    An hour¡¯s walk and the hall had begun to open up into a larger room, strewn about with what appeared to be old displays and stalls.


    ¡°What could this be¡­?¡± Tarrien said, ¡°An old trading hub?¡±


    ¡°The ancient road is long; perhaps traveling merchants stopped here to make trade with other travelers.¡±


    ¡°It would make sense,¡± I said. Though there was nothing of any interest. ¡°It seems it was picked bare by whoever else has passed through here before.¡±


    ¡°Come then.¡± Tarrien waved to us, ¡°We should keep moving.


    The hall narrowed again, though the wisps seemed to follow us, or were they leading us? They moved in the same direction as we did, and eventually, we came upon a large doorway. The wisps raced through it excitedly; had we finally arrived?


    Each of us made our way through, unto a sight unlike any I¡¯d experienced before.


    ¡°Old Kygar,¡± Tarrien whispered.


    We looked upon a large cavern lit by wisps, crystals, and ambient magic. Everything seemed to glow in a divine light. An ancient kingdom lay before us, built from the cavern¡¯s ceiling and descending down through its center. The sides of the cavern were carved out, making homes, towers, gardens, and common areas. The sheer sprawling size of this place¡­ it put Kygaron itself to shame.


    ¡°Alright, let us snap out of this,¡± Tarrien said. ¡°We have a mission, after all.¡±


    His own awe was apparent, but he was ever the leader.


    We pushed past our initial amazement and continued into the city. The way to the structure in the center was not apparent, and the city around it seemed like a maze.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ve made it here before them?¡± Amoria asked.


    ¡°We¡¯d have no way of knowing just yet. I suppose we shall see.¡±


    She moved closer to him; there seemed to be a bit of fear marring her typical confidence, Tarrien noticed this as he moved closer too. Halcyon, however, could not seem to make enough space between the two of us.


    Delving within the city led us to a large terrace-like garden area, perhaps a park, we all thought. Nonetheless, it was quite a good area to rest, as by this point we had been walking for hours through empty streets and buildings. There was no life here besides that of the foliage and overgrowth.


    One of the knights pulled a few convenient pieces of dried wood from his pack. ¡°Good man,¡± Tarrien remarked. They lit the fire with help from Amoria, and a few of us sat within the warmth as the other knights set up tents.


    The air within the city was surprisingly pure but carried a chill as any cavernous area would. The fire was welcome, as was the company, as everyone talked amongst themselves. Even Halcyon conversed¡­ with Tarrien and Amoria.


    I sat, warming my hands. I suppose some time to myself was good. Perhaps it would do me some good to stop thinking about Halcyon, I thought¡­ and why he wouldn¡¯t talk to me about what happened. His touch still lingered on my skin.


    A cold chill overtook even the warmth of the fire¡­ but it was welcome. The atmosphere of this ancient city bore an uncanny comfort. As if somehow I belonged here.


    As the hour grew long, Tarrien made his way over to me and took a seat.


    ¡°I figured Halcyon would be over here talking to you. Is everything okay between the two of you?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Now wouldn¡¯t be the time for there to be a problem, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯d be right, but problems persist no matter the situation. In any case, I¡¯ll keep you company until the tensions cool, whatever they are.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s kind of you.¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange, strange place¡­ right? A city built upside down, strangely reminiscent of home? It¡¯s like a mirror of Kygaron in some ways, though older.¡±


    ¡°It is¡­ironically, though, I feel comfortable here.¡±


    "I feel the same.¡± Tarrien said.


    ¡°So might I ask what is wrong between the two of you?¡±


    I breathed in deeply. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. We¡­ well, shared a moment last night, and¡ªhe has barely spoken to me since.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he just needs time. Have you both known each other long?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not, no¡­ I feel like maybe it was just all the intense experiences culminating¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± He said.


    ¡°So¡­ you and my sister?¡± I smiled.


    He nodded, though squinting his eyes. ¡°In a way¡­ yes. She is my wife; I am her husband.¡±


    ¡°And do wives and husbands usually sit so far apart from one another?¡±


    He exhaled, ¡°It was an arranged marriage if you must know.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I said.


    He nudged my arm playfully, ¡°We aren¡¯t unhappy, you know? We¡¯re friends firstly; that¡¯s what¡¯s most important. Our marriage was just a means to strengthen uneasy alliances in the kingdom¡­ and to ease tensions.¡±


    I smiled, ¡°A knight and a mage, it¡¯s almost storybook.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m as much a mage as she is.¡± He laughed.


    We sat comfortably in the ambiance of our surroundings, with no sense of night or day. It seemed to make time pass slower down here.


    ¡°I feel we¡¯d better get some sleep, if only for a few hours. Who knows when the vampires will descend upon us?¡±


    ¡°So dramatic,¡± I waved my hand.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll¡­ ascend?¡±


    ¡°Can they fly?¡± he asked worriedly.


    ¡°No,¡± I laughed.


    Tarrien scoffed at my joke and waved goodbye, returning to Amoria. Again, I sat alone, but now I was content¡­ Tarrien had a way of doing that. I had wished we had grown up together; perhaps we could¡¯ve been even greater friends.


    He spoke up over the chatter, ¡°Alright everyone, we should get a few hours rest before we continue. Even if you are not tired, it¡¯s better we rest now than be exhausted in the battles to come, whenever they may be.¡±


    Everyone nodded in understanding and, with the tents set up, retreated to them for the time being. With only one empty tent left, Halcyon approached with a coy smile. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll be¡­ sharing a tent tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ we will.¡± I said bluntly.


    The tent itself was shoddy, small, and cramped. In the corner were left two sleeping mats and cheap woolen blankets, itchy but warm¡­ Even so, I hated wool.


    We laid out the mats, mine spaced apart from Halcyon¡¯s. He eyed me curiously as I sat upon it, laying the blanket upon my lap.


    ¡°Are you quite alright?¡± He questioned, sitting upon his too.


    ¡°Of course¡­ Why are you worried?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he said. ¡°Your mood is just strange; it¡¯s not like you, from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°If you must know¡­ I don¡¯t enjoy being used.¡± I said.


    He was taken aback by my words. ¡°Used?¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°How did I use you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t consider myself a superficial person. Sex¡­¡± I stuttered, inhaling shakily. ¡°Sex¡­ to me, is special. It is not some surface-level exchange; it is an experience.¡± I emphasized.


    He almost seemed to roll his eyes.


    "It was¡­ wonderful and amazing. And I felt like we shared something¡ªmore.¡±


    ¡°And yet you feel used?¡± He asked, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I still don¡¯t understand. I told you I enjoyed myself too; what more is there?¡±


    ¡°Obviously nothing!¡± I said, more angrily than intended. ¡°Let¡¯s just forget it happened, please, and move on. I don¡¯t wish to feel this way.¡±


    He paused a moment¡­ ¡°If you wish.¡± He stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going outside. I¡¯ll be back in a while.¡±


    I scoffed, my heart racing as he left the tent. I¡¯m not one to get caught up in flights of fancy, and I loathe the superficial. It brought out a part of me I truly despise. I could not risk being distracted when we encountered ¨¦tienne and his flock. But seeing him go¡­ no, I couldn¡¯t think about it.


    Sleep came hard, what little of it I was able to get. I shed a tear that night, trying to forget, to move on. He would never look at me like that, I thought, knowing all too well that I was¡­ fun and nothing more. What else is there? he said. My dreams were barren, bleeding black like a wound into nothing.

 Chapter 8 "Into the Abyss"

    A rumbling roused me, a tremor. ¡°Men, to arms!¡± I heard a familiar voice shout, ¡°Where the hell is Sebastien!¡± A monstrous screech pierced the air, following the sound of ringing metal and shattering ground. I rose quickly, jolting out of my tent.


    The scene was chaos, the camp was demolished, and Tarrien, in only his underclothes, held off a great beast alongside Amoria and Halcyon. The centipedal beast''s hundred arms flailed about, snatching at them from all angles, regrowing with every slash from the knights, its injuries disappearing in an instant.


    ¡°Halcyon!¡± Amoria shouted as the beast lunged at him. He used his superior speed to move out of the way, but the force of the beast''s movements sent him stumbling to his knees. ¡°Make him bleed¡­ I may be able to restrain him if you do!¡±


    The beast sent one of the Knights through the air, tumbling onto the ground in front of me. ¡°God¡¯s,¡± I shouted, running to his side.


    The man¡¯s chest was caved in, and he was gasping for air. I took off his helmet; he was young, likely around my age, his skin was pallor with a rosy hue, and his dark brown hair was tied loosely behind his head. ¡°P¡­ please,¡± he said, through strained, breathless words. ¡°The¡­ P¡­ Prince!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± I said, as his eyes welled with tears. I could see his life through them; he had something to return to. He took my hand, his eyes bloodshot¡­ I¡­ I could fix this. It was too late, but could he endure it? I knew I couldn¡¯t make excuses for using my abilities this way, but this look, his story, it couldn¡¯t end in terror this way. I placed my hand above his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, please¡­ I¡¯ve got you.¡± I breathed deeply, watching the light begin to leave his eyes. ¡°Restore!¡±


    His body began to writhe sickeningly as his bones began to reform, cracking and forcing themselves back into place. He could not scream, eyes opened wide in horror with every second that passed. His ribcage repaired, and flesh began to heal over it, muscle and sinew, then skin, and soon, he gasped for air¡­ as if life had returned to him. He looked at me with shocked eyes, and then they rolled into the back of his head as his body fell limp.


    ¡°No¡­ no, no!¡± I said.


    Tarrien raced toward my side, coming to a stop on his knees. ¡°Gods! Amicus!¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ is that his name?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Tarrien said, placing two fingers on his neck. ¡°Thank Duranex, he¡¯s alive. And uninjured at that¡­ he¡¯s lucky.¡± Tarrien looked to me. ¡°Come, now, we need your help.¡± He ran back into the Frey. I moved the knight to a safer spot. ¡°Stay safe here¡­ Amicus,¡± I said.


    The fight continued, the beast swaying left and right in frustration. Amoria shouted an incantation, bringing a wave of fire down upon it. It screeched in fury, but Tarrien capitalized, jumping with sword enchanted, plunging it into the beast''s chest. He pulled down with his weight and opened a large gash down its body. ¡°Halcyon!¡±


    Halcyon, hesitant in his stance, breathed deeply; the monster wailed in pain, about to lash out again. The beast''s blood flowed toward him, evaporating into a fine mist.


    ¡°Halcyon now!!!!¡± Amoria yelled.


    The beast lunged at him, wailing an ungodly cry. I sprinted to him, ¡°No¡­¡± But just then, the screeching stopped, and with one hand outstretched, its advance ended.


    Everyone fell silent at the sight, Halcyon struggling with his hold on the beast. ¡°This¡­ is hardly easy!¡± he said, ¡°Find a way to kill it!¡± He held up both hands now, his struggle becoming more apparent.


    Everyone steeled their resolve, Amoria and Tarrien looking to me. ¡°What should we do?¡± They asked.


    I recalled again a study of monsters and abominations in my younger years. Words and names floated throughout my mind''s eye¡­ ¡°Dread Maw, that¡¯s what they¡¯re called.¡±


    ¡°The Children of Dormos¡­¡± Amoria questioned, ¡°Immortal monsters? How can we kill that? I thought they were a myth.¡±


    ¡°Immortal¡­ truly?¡± Tarrien asked.


    ¡°Common misconception,¡± I said, ¡°Look¡­ the wound you inflicted upon it,¡± I pointed. The gash left by his blade was still apparent. ¡°What enchantment is on your sword?¡±


    He held up his blade. ¡°A simple purification enchantment¡­keeps the edges sharp and the metal from degrading.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect¡­ Amoria, do you know purification magic?¡±


    Halcyon shouted as his grip on the beast was waning. ¡°Might you all hurry up?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± she said snobbishly.


    ¡°Good, cast a wide-range purification barrier on the surrounding area; the beast will be weakened and find it difficult to move. Then Tarrien and I will move in for the kill.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Tarrien said, readying himself.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to be quick.¡± I said as they both nodded.


    The beast screeched once more, pushing against Halcyon''s grip. He fell to a knee. ¡°Amoria now.¡±


    With ancient words, a circle of arcane text formed on the ground beneath her glowing brightly; Tarrien and I moved in quickly.


    Halcyon''s grip broke, the beast bearing down on him with rage. ¡°Protect,¡± I shouted. An orb-like barrier formed around him, reflecting the beast''s attack and sending it stumbling backward.


    Amoria¡¯s spell completed, its radiance rushing past us and enveloping the area in a pure light. The beast wailed again with tortured cries, writhing as Tarrien and I advanced.


    With three swift slashes from Tarrien, the beast''s many arms fell to the ground, unable to regrow.


    I conjured my Magispear, ¡°Ascend.¡± I shouted, launching myself into the air, spear overhead pointed downwards. ¡°And now¡­ descend!¡± I fell upon the beast with great force, lodging my spear into its gaping maw. ¡°Ignite! And purify!¡± White flame burst forth from my spear, spreading across the beast''s body quickly. It thrashed and threw itself to the ground, pulling me down with it.


    ¡°Sebastien!¡± Halcyon shouted. The beast was silent now, burning beside me.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± I said, as they raced over.


    Tarrien helped me to my feet. ¡°That was¡­ harrowing almost.¡±


    ¡°Dread Maw¡­¡± Amoria said, ¡°Obviously not a myth. Father will want to hear about this.¡±


    ¡°And my father, the king, as well. God¡¯s, if they¡¯re under the city, what if some of them escape? The havoc they would wreak. I don''t think our knights could handle it.¡±


    ¡°Or the mage¡¯s¡­¡± Amoria said.


    Halcyon stood close to me, ¡°These will be the least of our worries if ¨¦tienne and his horde achieve their goals. That should be our focus.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ What do you think, Sebastien?¡± Tarrien asked.


    Each of them looked upon me now. ¡°I¡¯m not the leader¡­ I thought you were,¡± I said, pointing to Tarrien.


    ¡°The way you handled that beast. You were prepared when we weren¡¯t and knew how to handle it immediately. If anyone should lead us while we¡¯re down here, it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°I hate to admit it¡­ But he¡¯s right,¡± Amoria said, ¡°And the two of you have encountered these vampires before¡­¡± she muttered off.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Halcyon said, his eyes cutting into me, ¡°You are¡­ always prepared.¡± He seemed to stutter for a moment. ¡°I¡ªseem to forget, but I owe you my life. I will follow your lead.¡± He bowed lightly, a glimmer of... something in his eyes.


    Amoria and Tarrien glared at him for a moment and then back to me.


    ¡°I¡­ well, I suppose let¡¯s regroup then.¡± I said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a solid plan,¡± Tarrien said. ¡°We¡¯re all up now and likely won¡¯t be sleeping again any time soon.¡±


    A sharp darkness permeated the air suddenly¡­ stealing our gazes. ¡°Ahhh¡­ how sweet.¡±


    My eyes grew wide, fear gripping my heart.


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


    ¡°You¡¯ve made friends, I see¡­ young Prince Tarrien, and Amoria La¡¯Kar herself.¡± He smiled ominously, afloat in the air before us. He looked upon the other knights. ¡°And extras¡­¡±


    ¡°¨¦tienne!¡± Halcyon roared.


    ¡°Oh, this simply won¡¯t do.¡± He waved his hand, and Halcyon fell to his knees. ¡°Hush now, I have not the time for your disdain.¡±


    ¡°Let him go!¡± I yelled. Tarrien and Amoria snapped out of their trance, racing to our sides.


    ¡°Be still,¡± ¨¦tienne said, ¡°He is in no pain¡­ yet,¡± he sneered madly.


    Amoria began to conjure fire in her hands.


    ¡°No!¡± I whispered.


    ¡°I know you have all come to stop me¡­ But your efforts are in vain. I¡­ am on a precipice!¡± His voice began to rise, shaking Old Kygar itself. ¡°I am but a short stride from godhood! The power held here will lead to my ascension!¡±


    Halcyon broke from ¨¦tienne''s grip. ¡°It will not!!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± ¨¦tienne said.


    "You hoard power you know nothing of! And yet more, you seek a power unknown to all! I¡­ will bleed you dry before I allow that!¡± Halcyon screamed.


    ¨¦tienne¡¯s face distorted in disgust. The wretched grin we¡¯d only ever seen before twisted into an abhorrent scowl.


    ¡°You¡­ are akin to sheep, nothing more. And like sheep, you are the ones who shall be bled!¡± He waved his hand, shattering the ground of the terrace in half, sending each of us into the dirt. With another violent motion, a violent quaking separated the two halves further. I could feel the earth falling beneath me.


    ¡°Amoria, Sebastien!¡± Two voices shouted, blending together as distance grew so fast, it felt like an eternity before I realized it.


    ¡°Sebastien¡­.¡± A voice said, ¡°Sebastien!¡±


    Around me, shattered rock and debris seemed almost frozen in the air as I fell, glancing around frantically. ¡°Amoria!¡± I yelled, finally meeting her eyes. Just a few feet above her was Amicus.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± She screamed.


    ¡°Do you know flying magic?¡± I asked.


    She looked at me in fear, ¡°If I did, I would¡¯ve used it by now! That¡¯s the stuff of legends!¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± I said. What could we do? The ground was ripped out from under us. A hopeless descent, and the city below grew closer by the second.


    ¡°We have to do something!¡± Amoria shouted again, the stress growing in her voice.


    Closer and closer yet, think¡­ think. Godspeed wouldn¡¯t work here, and stopping out fall would only delay the inevitable. Then, my mind calmed for all but a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± I smiled.


    ¡°What is?¡± she said impatiently. Glaring at my cracked grin as if I were a madman.


    Could I do it though? Every attempt before had been a failure. ¡°Better now than never,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Flight,¡± I yelled. My fall lightened as gravity no longer resisted me. Amoria and Amicus grew distant more quickly than I had planned. ¡°Damn it,¡±


    ¡°Sebastien!¡± she screamed.


    I angled my body down, ¡°Descend!¡± Debris flowed past me with little difficulty; having flight active made maneuvering a breeze. I neared Amoria quickly, her hand outstretched; the moment we made contact, I swung her over my back. She clung tightly to me.


    ¡°We still have to save Amicus,¡± she said!


    I glanced around frantically, eventually finding him locked precariously between much more debris. Large chunks of the terrace we had been upon obstructed the view; it would be much more difficult to retrieve him.


    ¡°Amoria, hold me tight!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Just do it!¡±


    Another large piece of debris caught up behind us, flat and solid. ¡°Perfect,¡± I said. I drew over to it, using it to support my stance, and bending at the knees. I took a deep breath, keeping my eyes locked on Amicus. ¡°Godspeed,¡± I yelled, pushing off the stone. It shattered behind us as we pierced through the air, Amoria screaming in my ear.


    Amicus¡¯s position grew closer; the stone obstructing our path stared us down, solid and unbreakable¡­ but not to me. Three, I thought, two, one. ¡°Scatter,¡± I said. The debris opened and separated into a circle of dust and shards¡­ My arm wrapped around Amicus as I placed him over my shoulder.


    A sharp, stabbing pain pierced my head. ¡°Gods," I cried, beginning to lose altitude.


    ¡°Sebastien! Are you okay? We¡¯re falling!¡±


    I held the two of them tighter as my flight began to plummet. ¡°Just hold on, we¡¯ll be okay!¡± I gritted my teeth.


    Our descent into the darkness of the city below felt like an eternity, the wind sharp and ripping at our skin. My head still raged in pain; I¡¯d overdone it. Ever since I arrived back in this world, I¡¯d barely given myself a rest. Never before had I used my abilities so often, so recklessly. Continuously I¡¯ve pushed my limits¡­ But was there any other choice? Was there now?


    Old Kygar''s Depths loomed in sight. ¡°Do something, please!¡± Amoria yelled.


    Closer still with only a moment left, but my head rang like shattered glass¡­ Why now, why now?!?!


    And for but a split second, the pain softened; a not-so-distant voice called out to me¡­ ¡°This is not where you die.¡±


    I snapped back to reality quickly; Amoria¡¯s hold on me began to grow limp as she¡¯d passed out. With but seconds to spare, it was already cemented in my mind¡­ I was my own limit. I breathed deeply, ¡°Flight!¡±


    Once again, our fall lightened; that stabbing pain was still evident but softer. The debris collided with the city below, and finally, we¡¯d landed softly. My legs buckled under me, the exhaustion finally catching up; I would need to rest awhile before we continued.


    Nearby, I commandeered one of the empty homes and, within, found an old bed of petrified wood. Some old fabrics kept within had made good padding for the two of them¡­ Perhaps Amoria would wake again soon.


    With time to think and rest, I took a seat outside, leaning against the doorway to keep them in sight. Halcyon¡­ and Tarrien; they would¡¯ve had to face ¨¦tienne without us. He wielded such terrifying power, separating us so easily. I should¡¯ve seen it coming. I was never one to torture myself with what-ifs, but ¨¦tienne¡­ somehow planned this; I could feel it. Of all things, I hoped they¡¯d survived for Amoria¡¯s and my sake.


    Above us, the main castle-like structure stretched into the upper cavern where we¡¯d seen it when we entered. The darkness above, though, shrouding the upper city like a black firmament. ¨¦tienne¡¯s forces were likely already scanning the city, though even in their numbers it would be hard to find it. But¡­ I had wondered.


    Even in my exhaustion, I could muster something, a small but useful ability, if only out of curiosity. I crossed my legs, concentrating deeply. ¡°Sight¡­ of Aether.¡± As before, the world around me receded and shone as nothing but currents of magic and mystic energies, not unlike an aurora-lit sky. The familiar aura of blood magic pervaded the entire city, only proving more that ¨¦tienne was closer to his goal than ever, but the energies were scattered¡­ searching as I had thought. I did my best to sense Halcyon, Tarrien, and the remaining knights, but to no avail. However, nestled deep beneath the energies, I could feel the hum of something old¡­ Shrouded whispers of ancient magic, or something else? I could feel the sight fading as the world reformed. I sighed; nothing of note was to be gained from it.


    How long would it be before the Thralls found us? Would I be alone to fight them in this state?


    Some grumbling noises arose from within the home. ¡°Amoria?¡± I questioned, rushing within. ¡°Oh,¡± I said as I laid eyes upon him, the knight I had saved before. ¡°Amicus¡­¡±


    He sat up in the bed, clutching his chest. ¡°Do I¡­ know you?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°I¡­ I am¡ªSebastien,¡± I said.


    He winced in pain trying to move, ¡°L¡ªLady Amoria!¡± He shouted, collapsing out of bed. ¡°God¡¯s,¡± he grimaced, ¡°Prince Tarrien, w¡ªwhere is he?¡±


    I rushed over to him, helping him to sit on the edge of the bed. ¡°What do you remember?¡± I asked.


    He placed a hand upon his forehead. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± he said in frustration. ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    ¡°I heard it from Prince Tarrien.¡±


    ¡°And who are you? Sebastien¡­ you said?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Sebastien, yes¡­ Sebastien La''Kar.¡±


    His eyes grew wide, as if realizing my relation to Amoria. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I just need a minute, or two.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. It was comforting to finally see him wake, however confused he may have been. Once his mind calmed, the anxiety and confusion would likely subside, but still¡­ I feared my presence would only add to that.


    After a while, he came outside and, with strain, took a seat on the ground not far from me. ¡°I¡­ almost died, didn¡¯t I?¡± He asked.


    A fear gripped my heart, the memory of his screams resurfacing, as if it was happening all over again. His deep brown eyes pierced through me, waiting for a response.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I muttered.


    He looked downtrodden for a moment but looked back to me. ¡°Thank you¡­ for saving me,¡± he smiled.


    Relief, like a blanket, calmed me; perhaps I had the gods to thank for that, or perhaps it was just him. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem,¡± I assured him.


    ¡°Do we know if Prince Tarrien is okay? I assume we got separated at some point?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°We fell so far; there¡¯s no way of knowing for now.¡±


    ¡°And your companion too¡­ You must be so worried.¡±


    I nodded. Halcyon was a capable man, perhaps more so than when we first met, but that¡­ monster ¨¦tienne. There was nothing to be sure of now.


    ¡°Lady Amoria looks okay, for the most part."


    ¡°She is,¡± I chuckled. ¡°She passed out during our fall.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± He covered his laughter, ¡°The lady is supposed to have nerves of steel!¡±


    ¡°It seemed for a moment that we were going to die... I think that¡¯s what did her in.¡±


    ¡°God, I was useless, wasn¡¯t I?¡± he said. ¡°Dead weight.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I assured him. ¡°Nobody could have expected to encounter a Dread Maw this far from the Deadlands. You have nothing to feel guilty for.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ Prince Tarrien took a chance on bringing me, and I failed him. Perhaps,¡± he stuttered. ¡°Perhaps I can repay him by helping you and Amoria.¡±


    I smiled.


    ¡°And¡­ could you refrain from telling the Prince that she and I were in bed together? I wouldn¡¯t want him to get the wrong idea,¡¯ he chuckled nervously.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said.


    From above, we could hear faint echoes, voices in the dark¡­ a gentle rumbling. ¡°Could that be them?¡±


    ¡°¨¦tienne or the others?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Perhaps both¡­¡± He said, ¡°Prince Tarrien would fight till the bitter end in defense of Kygaron. I wish I could be there with him.¡±


    I surveyed the surrounding city. ¡°There¡­ may be a way from down here.¡± I said, ¡°We¡¯ve yet to encounter any thralls. Maybe they haven¡¯t made it this far.¡±


    ¡°But with Amoria still passed out, we can¡¯t leave yet.¡±


    He was right; our options were limited; we would need her. The thrall''s numbers would threaten whole armies.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± he said, ¡°You can trust me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He stood up, ¡°I would give my life to ensure her safety. You go¡­ and I will watch over her.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ sure?¡±


    He nodded confidently, ¡°I am on guard this time. They won¡¯t get the drop on me.¡±


    Even so, I knew these Thralls. Vicious and merciless¡­ and with his chest plate broken, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. ¡°Come here.¡± I said.


    He stepped forward awkwardly; I placed my palm toward his chest. ¡°Repair,¡± I whispered. The metal reformed, as good as new¡­ But that wasn¡¯t enough, not for me. ¡°Reforge.¡± The metal began to warp, changing shape slightly and growing darker in color.


    ¡°This is¡­ Ebonsteel?¡± His eyes were wide with surprise. The armor was elegant and regal, and a far cry from a typical knight''s steel armor, and even stronger than the enchanted steel of a knight Arcana. Ebonsteel¡­ the most valuable and strongest metal of our world. He remarked upon its gold inlays and sturdy joints reinforced with black leather. ¡°Why¡­¡±


    ¡°Call it an apology.¡± I said.


    He drew his sword, a blade of night, having been reforged alongside the armor. ¡°I promise¡­ I will make good upon this gift. You have my word.¡±


    ¡°And I promise I will return if I find the way forward. ¨¦tienne won¡¯t beat us to it.¡±


    He gave a confident nod.


    I had only one destination in mind, the structure in Old Kygar''s center. The only place that made sense.


    ¡°Go¡­ Sebastien.¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    ¡°Magispear¡ªcome.¡± Like a bolt of lightning, it appeared in my hand. No matter what, I would find the way forward.


    I bid Amicus farewell and delved into the deeper city.


    And with words unperturbed, I beckoned upon the chill air, ¡°I will find you¡ª¡±