《The Tears of Kas̆dael》 Farewell, Earth They say time flies when you¡¯re having fun. But when you¡¯re stuck at work, anxiously awaiting the start of something fun, time crawls about as quickly as a newborn baby. Impatiently, Jasper stole a glance at the clock. It was 2:00 last I checked; it¡¯s gotta be 3:00 by now. A moment later his hopes were dashed. 2:07?! This day will never end. Throwing his hands up in frustration, he tried to focus on work. At 2:55, his briefcase was packed, and he leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers in a relentless beat until at last, mercifully, the clock hit three. He was out the door in an instant and peeled out of the parking lot as if the cops were in fast pursuit. Jasper really wasn¡¯t normally the type to speed a lot - he¡¯d never even gotten a speeding ticket before - but today he pushed the pedal to the metal. Well, fast for him - he almost went ten miles over the speed limit. On the way, he dialed up his girl, Layla. ¡°Hey sugar, just wanted to remind you that this is launch weekend. I know you¡¯ll be off in Vegas and probably won¡¯t even think of me, but if you do need to get ahold of me, just remember to ask to be patched into the game. Love ya.¡± Pulling into his parking space, he hopped out of his car with a bit more alacrity than normal, even running up the stairs to his apartment, a rare athletic feat from the slightly overweight 31-year-old. But today was a special day. Today the sequel to the greatest game ever released was finally being launched: Corsythia: The Zalancthian Invasion. Twenty-five years ago, virtual reality was little more than a novelty that only the most hardcore gamers bothered to purchase. Until Corsythia: Desolyton launched, that is. The first game ever published by the Mwryani Corporation, Corsythia: Desolyton was a step above any other product on the market. An expansive fantasy world with dozens of unique races, hundreds of specialty classes, and virtually unlimited freedom, Corsythia took the world by storm, a truly global phenomenon that excited the interest of young and old alike. For the first time ever, a game offered an experience that was practically indiscernible from reality, a true chance at a second life. But, in the wake of its enormous success, a storm of controversies followed. For some, the allure of the game world was so strong that they simply ceased to live in the real world: old folk who preferred to permanently live in a new, young body, free of pain; young people who had no real prospects in life; addicts for whom the lines between reality become blurred or lost. The rising tide of people abandoning their jobs and even their families to live out their lives in the game caused many to call for its ban. And there were other, darker rumors, too, whispered tales of people going missing, vanishing without a trace. Of course, a game of this magnitude could not escape some level of government oversight, and the government assured the populace that these stories were nothing more than urban rumors, but that only added fuel to the conspiracy stories. Still, the game was an enormous success until the ¡°dark night¡± occurred. An online forum of players became convinced that the world of Corsythia was the real world, and that this world, the world they lived in, was some sort of purgatory that prevented them from returning to ¡°reality.¡± And so, on the third anniversary of the game¡¯s launch, over a thousand members of this group committed suicide. Awaken to new life! Shed the scales from your eyes! In the aftermath of the tragedy, their slogans circulated amongst a shocked public. The game¡¯s critics swiftly capitalized on the tragedy, and, folding to public sentiment, the game was shut down. Two years later, a heavily modified version was relaunched, but it was a pale shadow of the original version. It was still a great game, but no one would confuse it for reality. After that, the Mwryani Corporation stopped making announcements, and most of its staff was let go. Ten years passed, and then fifteen, without even a hint that a sequel, or any other game, was being developed. Until last month, that is. Shortly before the 25th anniversary of the launch, Mwryani announced a sequel: Corsythia: The Zalancthian Invasion. The news was surprising, but what truly sparked a furor was that Mwyrani promised that this sequel would be just as lifelike as the original version. The coverage in the media was largely negative: journalists wrote op-eds questioning the ethics of releasing the game after the tragic ending of the last one, congressmen looking for reelection promised that they would pass a bill to ban it, and of course, there was the usual panic amongst parents who were convinced that the game was dangerous, or, for some, a ¡°tool of the devil.¡± But Jasper didn¡¯t care about any of that. He never got the chance to play the original version of Corsythia: Desolyton, but the second version was still one of the greatest games he ever played. All his life, he had heard the glowing tales from those who got to play the original version, of exploring another reality, and now, at long last, he was going to experience it for himself. Arriving at his door, he hastily tried to jam the keys into the lock, only to fumble them. With a sigh, he picked the keys up, and, more carefully this time, let himself into his apartment. Barely bigger than a studio, his small living room was just big enough to accommodate his most recent purchase, a top-of-his-wallet, Centurion class immersion pod. He dropped his briefcase by the kitchen island and threw his jacket over the stool. Drumming his fingers on the counter, he hesitated for a moment. Do I want to get something to eat? The desire to just start playing was so strong, he almost went straight to the pod, but after a minute he decided to act like the adult he was. Alright, I¡¯ll grab a quick bite to eat, take a shower, and then I¡¯ll play. Twenty minutes later, he finally opened up the pod and slid inside. The lid slowly lowered shut over him, and for a second he was plunged into absolute darkness before the system¡¯s drugs kicked in, and he drifted off to sleep. He awoke in his lobby. Game lobbies were highly customizable, and he had designed his to be just like a 90s-era mall, with each game being one of the ¡°stores.¡± Most days, he¡¯d chill for a bit and see if any of his friends wanted to come and hang out in the food court before heading to one of the games, but today, he was in no mood for a couple slices of virtual pizza. After a quick glance at the mall map to confirm that the game had indeed been installed, Jasper headed straight for the newest store, Corsythia: the Zalancthian Invasion. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Upon entering the ¡°store,¡± the familiar theme music¡¯s grand notes swelled, and, after a quick loading screen, the character creation screen appeared. Character creation in Corsythia worked differently than in any other game he had played. Even though the game had most of the traditional fantasy races - elves, dwarves, fairies as well as a host of less common or unique races - every player started as the same race - Corsythian. In game lore, the Corsythians were an ancient race that had diverged from humans after millennia of interbreeding with virtually every other sapient species. Instead of selecting a starting race, as the game progressed, you¡¯d unlock ¡°heritages¡± through a mix of your decisions, quest rewards, and some good old rng. The heritages you unlocked played a major role in defining your character¡¯s strengths and special abilities, although you could choose to ignore those. If you wanted to play a character with a dwarven heritage that specialized in dancing, you could, but you¡¯d have a much easier time if you pursued earth magic instead. While you could not explicitly choose a heritage in the character creation screen, players had quickly discovered that the appearance of your avatar influenced - but did not guarantee - what heritages you were likely to unlock. If you made a giant, heavily muscled avatar you were much more likely to unlock a troll or stryhtani bloodline, while a character with green eyes and dark skin was more likely to unlock a fey heritage. Stealth archers had always been one of his favorite builds, and thus, Jasper had usually chosen to make his characters tall, thin and pale - perfect for hopefully unlocking one of the elven heritages. Almost on reflex, he began to alter his avatar towards the elven archetype, but then he paused. Do I really want to play the same old character? This is a new game, a chance to do something different. He thought through the known archetypes: Troll, Atrometos, Fey, Elven, Dwarven, and a few others. None of the others really called to him, but there was another option. The neutral choice. If you didn¡¯t alter your avatar¡¯s appearance at all, but just used your own appearance you could still end up just another elf or dwarf, but there was an increased possibility of receiving a rare heritage. Looking at his avatar, Jasper couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed at the thought of using his real-life appearance. At 6¡¯4¡¯¡¯ he was reasonably tall, but that was really his best feature. He had shaggy brown hair that was straight in the front, but curiously curly in the back. Murky hazel eyes, that some days looked brown and other days looked green. A little bit of pudge and a definite lack of muscle. And of course, his oddly shaped rib cage that flared out at the bottom - a source of teasing in his youth and still a source of a bit of insecurity even now. But, he knew his decision was made. The chance to unlock something unique was just too tempting. Before he could second guess himself, he pressed the ¡°create¡± button. The screen froze, and then went black. Jasper was plunged into utter darkness and silence. Worse, a pervasive chill spread down his body, as if he had wandered outside, naked, in the coldest depths of winter. Did the game malfunction? But I should be automatically ejected from the capsule then. The darkness stretched on, seemingly interminably, and just as Jasper was beginning to panic, two words flashed before him: RESONANCE FOUND. When they ceased flashing, Jasper noticed that the darkness was no longer absolute. In the distance, a dim light flickered. He could also feel his body again, although, it was so dark that he could not even see his hand in front of his face. Slowly, cautiously, he inched forward towards the light, feeling around in the dark for any potential obstacles. He soon realized that there was absolutely nothing except a completely smooth, flat floor. The cold still lingered, and his teeth chattered as his body shook with cold. Got to get to that light, and, hopefully, heat he decided, and broke into a steady jog. It was much further than it seemed, and soon he found himself bent over, panting with exhaustion. So my avatar is just as out of shape as my real body¡­great. It took him almost an hour of intermittent jogging, his body stiff and unresponsive from the cold, until he was at last able to make out the source of the light before him. It was nothing more than a small campfire, in what was otherwise an empty dark void. But by the fireplace, with its back to him, sat a small dark form. He paused for a moment. He knew the original game had a robust religious system, and players would sometimes visit small divine realms, but that hadn¡¯t been part of character creation. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was some extended part of the character creation, or if the game really had glitched, but in the end, the decision was easy - he was freezing and there was a fire in front of him. Cautiously he walked into the light of the flames, past the dark form. Turning to face it, he saw that it was a young woman. She wore an elaborate black dress, studded with an intricate design of metal and gems, and over her face lay a black veil. She didn¡¯t even look up at him. Looking down, he saw her hands were covered in almost lace-like tattoos, and in them she held seven black dodecagons. She cast them on the ground, and for a brief moment they flashed with light. She stared at them for a while, and then picked them up, only to cast them on the ground as the lights flickered again. Jasper stood by the fire for a while, basking in the welcome warmth of the fire, still too cold to care that he was standing there nude in front of the woman. Over and over again, she cast the die, not once glancing at him. When at last warmth began to return to his extremities, and she still had not acknowledged him, he realized he was going to have to get the ball rolling himself. ¡°Uh, Miss?¡± She didn¡¯t flinch. Feeling decidedly uneasily, Jasper cleared his throat and spoke a little louder, ¡°Miss?¡± Her head snapped up, and her hand froze in mid-throwing motion. Most of her face was still covered by a veil, but he was taken aback by the sight of her eyes, two glowing blue embers, an unblinking and unearthly fire. She stared at him, and then slowly, without taking her eyes off of him threw the seven dice. This time the light they flashed with did not immediately flicker out but glowed with a blueish flame. Slowly, silently, she extended her tattooed hand to him. He hesitated for a moment, unsure what the silent specter before him wanted. Does she want me to shake her hand? Kiss it? She sat frozen, her arm still outstretched, the dice still glowing, until he stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and bent down to kiss it. As soon as his lips touched her hand, she struck with the speed of lightning. With the hand he had bent down to kiss, she grabbed him by the head and pulled his lips to hers, while with the other she punched straight through his rib cage, and pulled his beating heart out. In Jasper¡¯s apartment the lights flickered as he screamed in his sound-proofed pod, and then all was silent. Sleeping Giants Jasper awoke screaming, phantom pains tearing through his chest. He leaped to his feet, surprisingly agile for a man that had just had his heart ripped out, and his breathing slowly calmed as he realized that his chest was shockingly unblemished. What the hell was that? There¡¯s no way the game¡¯s allowed to torture us. That''s got to be illegal, right? Screw it, I¡¯m out of here. Taking a breath, he prepared to eject himself from the game only to realize that there was no interface. He tried every command he could think of: ¡°Eject! Status! Profile! User! Logout!¡± Nothing worked, as he grew increasingly frantic. ¡°Crap, crap, crap!¡± With a scream of frustration, Jasper flopped on the ground in utter defeat. Panic coursed through his veins, combatted only by the adrenaline still flooding his system after his heart-stopping encounter. I''ve got to calm down. He forced the panic from his mind and took ten deep, measured breaths. As a fragile calm settled over him, Jasper tried to take stock of his situation. Sitting up, he looked over his body and was both relieved, as well as a bit disappointed, to see that his avatar was pretty much identical to his real body. Including his need for glasses, which he did not have. Unfortunately, he was missing far more than glasses - he was entirely naked. Great, so I¡¯m probably in the game with no starter equipment, no weapons, no clothes, nothing. So much for the best game ever. Jasper shook his head, willing his spiraling thoughts away. Gotta stop with these negative thoughts, man. It¡¯s just a glitch; I¡¯m sure they''ll fix it. And then it struck him. Those rumors - the people that supposedly disappeared with the first game. What if it wasn¡¯t just an urban legend, what if that¡¯s what happened to me? What if I¡¯m¡­dead? He thrust himself off the ground, shaking the dust off of his hand. ¡°Nope, nope, nope; I¡¯m not going down that path. This is just a game, just a bloody glitch, nothing more.¡± Refusing to even consider the grim possibility, Jasper scanned his surroundings. He was standing in a ruined courtyard. Although the courtyard grounds were sandy, almost as if he was in a desert, beyond the ruined walls he could clearly see what appeared to be a jungle, and rising up the trees a series of mountains. Crap. I was hoping to start in the north near Celestia. Jungle and mountains mean I¡¯m probably somewhere in the south. If I''m far enough south the game probably gave me a fey heritage. On one side of the courtyard a large, ornate stone building rose up, five stories high, adorned with rows of windows bedecked with countless crumbling statues in a style that reminded him slightly of Angkor Wat back on earth. On the other side of the courtyard, however, was a small stepped pyramid that would have looked more at home in the jungles of the Yucatan than those of Asia. Alright, building or pyramid? He glanced down at his naked body. A building seems like a better place to find clothes and hopefully a weapon, so building it is. Jasper walked towards the building, keeping an eye out for monsters. The original Corsythia had a respawn mechanic, but it was built around their religion. New players would be sent to the halls of the Progenitor when they died, but once they formed a contract with their personal deity, they would be sent to their deity¡¯s realm before respawning. He had a sinking feeling that he already formed his deity contract, and he was in no mood for chest-bursters round 2, so dying was definitely on his Big List of Things to Avoid. As he drew near to the building, he was surprised to find that there was just one entrance. A colossal pair of double doors, flanked on either side by a statue of what appeared to be a man-like creature with six wings, holding a sword wreathed in flames, was set into the walls. Unfortunately, he soon discovered the doors would not budge, no matter how hard he slammed his shoulder. Stepping back from the doors, he rubbed his aching shoulder, scanning the building for another point of entry. Could try the windows. The windows looked a bit high, and while Jasper certainly had the height to play basketball in high school, slam dunks had never been one of his skills. After several futile attempts to jump high enough to get a hand through one of the broken windows, Jasper was forced to admit defeat. His last hopes of entering the building crushed, he turned his attention to the courtyard walls. But the walls were apparently crafted from a single smooth piece of rock. Although there were several ruined portions along the top, none were low enough for him to reach, and there were no cracks or crevices in the lower portions that would allow him to climb up. Reluctantly, Jasper was forced to turn back to his last option, the pyramid. There was something about the pyramid that felt vaguely off-putting, just the faintest sense of danger. Pyramids were tombs, after all - at least on earth - and the idea of exploring a tomb, naked, didn''t exactly thrill him. But he shook the feeling off. The pyramid was his last option. His only option. The ruined building had cast its shade over the part of the courtyard where Jasper had been standing. But, as he passed out of the building¡¯s shadow, Jasper realized the heat of the day was quickly rising. Wincing in pain as the increasingly hot sands scorched his bare soles, he dashed across the sand towards the pyramid. Two sets of stairs rose up the pyramid leading to what appeared to be a small covered temple at the top. At the bottom, in-between the stairs, lay a large dark doorway. Desperate to get off the hot sand, he headed straight for the lower door. Relieved to step off the hot sands on the cool, shaded stone, he was surprised when words again floated before him. You have found the tomb of High Lord Ishka, guardian of the secret flame. Will you enter to claim his inheritance? Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Normally, Jasper would have been elated to have found an inheritance. These trials were one of the best ways to earn a rare heritage or class, if you were fortunate enough to discover one, or rich enough to pay for one of the trials that gave out a steady stream of inheritances. Of course, normally, he would also have had some armor and a weapon. Keenly aware of his nakedness, he snorted in wry amusement. Looks like I¡¯m starring in my very own episode of Naked and Afraid. He threw a last, longing glance back at the courtyard, to the firmly closed doors of the building, and sighed. Guess I don¡¯t really have a choice. There doesn¡¯t appear to be any other way out of this courtyard, and somehow I have a feeling it¡¯s no accident that I spawned right in front of an inheritance. Squaring his shoulders, he stepped through the arch. There was a brief feeling of resistance, almost as if he was walking through water, and then he popped through. A vast, sunken hall stretched out before him, far too big to possibly fit in the small stepped pyramid. A long flight of stairs wound down into the hall below, while the ceiling soared above in graceful arches whose final peaks were obscured in darkness. In the sunken hall were twelve giant sarcophagi, six on each side. Each of the stone coffins was many times larger than what even the largest human would need. Shaq would look puny next to them. The lids of each coffin were adorned with enormous sculptures of fiery horses, each sculpture unique and painted so beautifully that it appeared almost life-like. At the far end of the hall, another staircase led up to a colossal statue of an enthroned man. The only light in the hall came from torches glowing with an eery blue flame, casting a writhing mass of shadows on the gleaming sarcophagi below. Jasper cautiously surveyed the hall below. After a few minutes of observation, he was sure that there were no enemies walking about in the hall. But, there was no way that he could just walk up to the throne. Heritages weren''t handed out like gifts on Christmas morning - you had to do something to earn them. I bet if I get close to those sarcophagi, whatever is in there is going to wake up. It¡¯s gotta be an undead theme, right? But those sarcophagi are massive. How can I possibly hope to fight something that big with no class, no armor, and no weapons? He lingered on the edge of the steps for a while, hoping that any hidden danger might make itself known. Finally, he was forced to decide to just risk it and sneak past the coffins. There¡¯s no way but forward. Before leaving the apparent safety of the stairs, Jasper quickly searched the area to see if there was anything that could serve as a makeshift weapon. He ended up having to settle for a slightly sharp stone that fit in his hand reasonably well. He tossed the stone in his hand a few times, feeling its heft. Guess that will have to do. And now for the adventures of the Caveman in the Lost Tombs. He descended down the stairs as quietly as possible, crouching low, and keeping an eye out for any sign of traps. With no skill to help in detection, Jasper just had to hope that any trap would be visible. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he slowly shuffled through the middle of the hall, keeping himself as far as possible from the sarcophagi on either side of him. He had almost gotten past the first set of sarcophagi when his left foot suddenly sunk ever so slightly into the ground with an audible click. Suddenly, the massive lid of the sarcophagus to his left, with its large equine statue, was hurled through the air, smashing into the distant wall. A thunderous howl echoed through the room, as something massive emerged, and the lids of the other sarcophagi were also flung asunder. Jasper froze and, paralyzed for a second by the dreadful howl, dropped his makeshift weapon. Recovering his sense, he twirled around to make a dash back to the stairs and promptly tripped over the stone he just dropped. A second later, a blade whipped through the space he had just been. Perhaps his sudden stop and drop had triggered some long-forgotten fire safety training, for Jasper quickly rolled on his side to the edge of the sarcophagus, and hastily pulled himself round the corner just as another attack landed in the dust by him. With a wild glance, he saw the stairs just ahead and desperately threw himself forward, expecting at any moment to be torn asunder by his as-of-yet unseen opponent. But as he clambered up the stairs, he realized the attack had never come. Reaching a platform halfway up, he turned around to view his assailants. Where the hall had been empty before, twelve giant guardians now filled the space. Due to the sheer size of the hall, it was hard to estimate their size, but he guessed they were at least twenty feet tall, monsters in every sense of the word. Their skin was a sallow grey, their body much like that of a man¡¯s, but their heads were like all manner of wild beasts: lions, birds, deer, even a few human heads, each one unique but marked by the same black, empty voids where their eyes once were. Yet it was their six sweeping skeletal wings and the gleaming urumi they wielded that drew his attention the most. A shiver of fear ran down his spine, a cold chill that in other circumstances would have offered a welcome relief from the sticky jungle heat. For some reason, they weren¡¯t pursuing him up the stairs, but there was no way he was sneaking through there now. Even if he could somehow outrun them, the whip swords¡¯ wide area of attack would surely slice him to shreds. Climbing back up the stairs, he paced back and forth, trying to think of a way out of his predicament. If he wanted to kill the giants to get to the inheritance, and hopefully, unlock a path out of here, he really needed some sort of projectile weapon. What was he supposed to do with no weapons? All he had was a few small stones and some very large undead giants. He ground to a halt. Wait a minute - small stones and giants - I¡¯ve heard that one before. His spirits buoyed with his new plan, Jasper searched through the rocks to find the sharpest one possible. Then he headed back to the courtyard. Thankfully, the worst heat of the day had passed, and most of the courtyard was once again shrouded in shade, so he was able to easily cross the sand over to one side of the courtyard where a few palm trees were growing. Using his small stone ¡°hand-ax,¡± he stripped the leaves off a spot, and then painstakingly peeled off a mat of the tree¡¯s fibrous trunk. It took quite a bit of experimentation before he finally succeeded in twisting the fiber into a useable rope, and by the time he had at last crafted a semi-passable sling, the stars were high in the heavens. Jasper gave the sling a test whirl, but grimaced in pain as his badly chaffed hands rubbed on the rough rope. Looking up at the dark skies, he decided to try to sleep before testing out the sling on the giants. Maybe my hands will feel better in the morning. Back in the tomb, he found a corner near the stairs to curl up in, and within seconds, was asleep. No pain, no gain? When he awoke, Jasper was relieved to find that his hands, while still a bit sore, had mostly recovered while he slept. Grabbing some stones, he headed back out into the courtyard, racing over the still tolerable sands, towards the sealed building. Having never really used a sling before, he decided some target practice was overdue, and he knew just the place. For the next few hours, Jasper practiced hitting the statutes of the giants that adorned the ruined building until he felt like he was at least vaguely competent. They are 20-foot giants after all; it shouldn¡¯t be that hard to hit them. Easy as hitting the broadside of a barn, right? Reassuring himself that his plan would work, he set about the rather tedious task of collecting stones in the courtyard and carting them into the pyramid to amass the arsenal he would need to take down the giants. The sun hung high in the sky when he finally decided he had amassed enough ammo to enact his plan. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. No point in putting it off. Jasper strode back down the stairs with as much confidence as he could muster, only stopping once he hit the midway platform. Taking careful aim, he launched the makeshift projectile into the air. The stone hung in the air for a second before slamming into the giant¡¯s head with an audible smack. Sadly, the giant didn¡¯t promptly crumple - that would be too easy - but the sudden bellow of pain reassured him that the attack had done some damage. Still, his progress was anything but swift. He pelted the giant with stone after stone, some falling harmlessly to the floor, with only the occasional grunts of pain to reassure him that his efforts were doing something. He had nearly reached the point of giving up when he was finally rewarded for his persistence. With a thunderous crash, the winged giant collapsed on the ground, billows of dust rising up from the force of the impact. Jasper watched with savage satisfaction, but his victory had come at a price. With a grimace, he massaged his aching shoulder and elbow, the pain racing up and down his arm like electric shocks. I¡¯m going to give myself pitcher¡¯s elbow in a day. When the pain finally subsided to a manageable level, he readied himself for the next attack. The next few hours passed in a haze of pain, his arm screaming in protest as he hurled one rock after another into the sunken platform. But his strategy was working. The second giant followed the first to its death, and in time giants #3, 4, 5, and 6 also succumbed to the unending hail of rocks. But that was when his brilliant plan to avoid real combat hit a snag. Although the sling had a surprisingly long range - he was able to hit, with varying levels of accuracy, targets from almost 300 feet - the hall was almost twice that length. After the sixth giant fell, Jasper was forced to admit that, no matter how much strength his battered arm put into the throw, the remaining giants were simply too far away to hit from the safety of the stairs. He would either have to leave the stairs and try to lure the giants closer to him - without getting caught - or find another way to defeat the rest. He decided on the second option. I¡¯m not really keen on testing the range of those urumi again. I just about got a fatal haircut the last time. With a sigh, Jasper retreated back up the stairs. He paced back and forth in the upper hall, massaging his right arm until his fingers grew numb, as he tried to come up with another way to approach the problem. Yet as night fell, he was no closer to a solution than before. Gently rolling his shoulder, he decided to call it a night. Sometimes problems are best solved by sleeping on it. He curled up as best as he could near the entrance of the tomb, dragging some palm leaves over to provide a modicum of relief from the hard stone floor. But the troubles weighing on his mind were no match for sheer exhaustion. Within moments, he was out. The faint rays of the rising sun reached through the entrance and fell on his face, rousing him from his slumber. He lay still for a moment, basking in the pleasant morning warmth, as his still naked body lay sprawled on the cold stone. As his eyes idly wandered the ceiling, he suddenly noticed a strange shape lurking in the murky heights. He squinted, trying to pierce through the darkness. Even with glasses, his eyesight had never been the best, but the longer he gazed up the more he became convinced that the strange structure in the ceiling was a platform. He sat up abruptly, rubbing his eyes. There¡¯s a bloody catwalk up there. What if instead of going down through the hall, I can just go over it? After a careful search of the platform above the stairs, Jasper found what he was looking for. In a dark corner, a small recess hidden from sight contained a stone ladder carved into the wall. The climb up was easy enough, but as Jasper pulled himself up onto the ¡°catwalk,¡± he was dismayed to find that it was both very narrow and far too short to take him across the hall. The walk itself was little more than a foot wide, with no railings on the side, and after about 20 feet it came to stop. Instead of a single walkway, there were many beams scattered above the hall. It looked like there was a possible passageway across, but he was going to have to jump. So there are at least two ways to get across the hall. Maybe a test of agility and a test of combat? He wondered if there were perhaps other ways as well - a test of magic seemed logical, but he had no magic to use anyways. Looking down at the undead giants still guarding the hall, the choice was easy. The test of agility it is. Crouching down, he eased his way across the platform. He hesitated at its edge and eyed the nearest beam. If he had to guess, the next platform was only six or seven feet away. It was a do-able jump, a jump that he wouldn¡¯t think twice about if he was on the ground. But he was very much not on the ground. With a gulp, he glanced down. The floor was far below, so far that the giants below looked small and insignificant. If I fall, I¡¯m going to be doing a really good impression of a pancake. Steeling his nerves, he readied himself on the edge. As a kid, he had taken gymnastics until, as the only boy in the class, he had finally quit rather than be teased. Truthfully, he barely remembered those classes, but he pushed his doubts to the side as best as he could, drawing on the wisps of those memories. It¡¯s just a balance beam. Just a simple jump. Jasper sprung towards the beam in front of them. The years had not been kind to his skills, and he almost missed the platform. As it was, he landed poorly, smashing his ribs into the hard edges of the platform with a painful crunch, as he desperately hung on for dear life. The next thirty minutes were some of the most harrowing of his life, as he made one death-defying leap after another, each impact a bit more painful than the last. It was like he was getting beat up in slow motion by an opponent he couldn¡¯t defend against. As the blows multiplied, his body quickly turned black and blue. But, with shaky legs and trembling arms, he finally pulled himself up on the final beam. The adrenaline coursed through him, and despite the pain, he found himself almost having fun - almost being the key word there. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Holding onto the narrow ledge, he carefully peered over the edge, struggling to make out the details of the hall below. He had successfully crossed the sunken tombs of the giants, and below him rose another platform, like the one at the entrance of the pyramid. The platform was dominated by a colossal statue sitting on a golden throne. Much larger than the undead giants below, the seated figure nonetheless resembled them closely. Two great wings swept up above its throne, with two more resting at his side, and another two covering its feet. The throne itself was covered in writing, small portions of which still seemed to have a faint bluish glow to them. After carefully examining the platform, he decided that there were no obvious threats. The possibility of traps lingered in his mind, but ultimately he had to take the risk. Without weapons or a class, he would be trapped in these godforsaken ruins. He eyed the platform stairs, which led down into the hall. The remaining giants, who had been out of reach of the sling, were clustered near the platform. He could only hope that these stairs had the same protections as those on the opposite side of the hall. When he had finally caught his breath, and the shaking in his arms and legs had somewhat subsided, he eased himself down the ladder. Here goes nothing. Jasper cautiously approached the seated figure, scanning the ground for any sign of traps. Truthfully, he had no idea what to look for, but it would be a shame to die within reach of the prize. He side-stepped a few suspicious-looking tiles, which seemed to be ever so slightly lower than the others, not daring to test them out, while he kept a cautious eye on the statue. It was silly, of course, but he found himself half expecting the enthroned giant to suddenly rise from its seat and begin a boss battle. Fortunately, nothing happened. Instead, as he drew near to the statue the floating words returned. You have found the inheritance of High Lord Ishka. Prostrate yourself before him to receive his blessing. With a little grunt of pain, he knelt before the statue. Nothing happened at first. Jasper lay there, sucking in a few deep breaths, his battered ribs screaming in protest with each gulp of air. Did I come all this way for nothing? He couldn¡¯t face the thought of crossing the hall again, not yet anyways. He lay on the cold stone pavement, sheer exhaustion preventing him from pushing himself back up. And then it happened. In an instant, his patchwork of bruises and aching ribs were forgotten as he writhed in agony. His hands exploded in ominous blue flames, which slowly spread across his body as searing pain flooded through his senses until he passed out. He awoke with a gasp. He was lying outstretched on the ground, his nose uncomfortably pressed against the stone floor. Waving his hand in front of his face, he was surprised to see that they weren¡¯t burnt to a crisp - thank god. He frowned, examining his hands closer. In fact, they weren¡¯t quite the same as before. Holding his hands up in the dim light of the hall, he could see faint traces of blue lines wrapping around his fingers, like an almost imperceptible tattoo. The lines were nowhere else on his body, just his hands, but their meaning escaped him. He waved his hands trying to activate a spell. ¡°Fireball.¡± Nothing happened. Crap. He pushed himself to his feet, and as he leapt up, he realized it didn¡¯t hurt. Patting himself down, he was relieved to see that his many bruises were fully healed. Taking a deep breath, he forcefully exhaled, taking pleasure in the lack of pain. Still don¡¯t have some damn clothes, though. As he turned to face the statue, the words appeared again. Lord Ishka has judged you worthy. You have received the Djinn heritage and unlocked the class Flame Guardian Acolyte. The words froze, then warped and twisted into a crackling static. Suddenly, he was back in the dark void, standing once again before the goddess, as she ripped his heart out and gave him a tender kiss. The moment of agony lasted only a second before her image faded away revealing the hall. Staggering back, gasping from the phantom pain in his chest, Jasper saw the message had changed. Lord Ishka has judged you worthy. You have received the Great Djinn heritage and unlocked the class Acolyte of the Secret Flame. Whelp. I guess that makes it crystal clear. I definitely have a contract with the creepy lady in black. He wracked his brain, trying to remember the myriads gods and goddesses of the previous game, but he couldn¡¯t place her. And, lurking at the edges of his mind, he couldn¡¯t shake that terrible fear. Am I dead, just a ghost in the machine? Please, please, please just be a glitch. Turning back to survey the hall, Jasper saw that the remaining six giants who he hadn¡¯t slain were now lying in their sarcophagi. Did receiving the inheritance put them to rest? He eyed the platforms above, wincing at the thought of traversing them again, and decided to risk walking through the hall. I was judged worthy, so surely I can walk through the hall, right? His guess was correct. The giants (djinn?) remained in their slumber as he dashed past them, casting a furtive glance over his shoulder just in case they awoke again. As he clambered back up the stairs, his calves burned with the stress, and he paused at the top, gasping for air. Guess I shouldn¡¯t have skipped leg day at the gym so often. Catching his breath, Jasper cautiously walked out into the sunny courtyard. The doors on the building were now flung wide open. He almost wept in relief. Looks like I¡¯ve found my way out. But he wasn¡¯t ready to explore the building just yet. He frowned. I killed six of those giants and gained a class and heritage, but I still can¡¯t view my status. There¡¯s got to be a way to level up. Again, he tried to summon a status screen, but nothing worked. Pushing away the frustration, he racked his brain for a solution. He finally, begrudgingly, arrived at a conclusion. If - and he was still not quite willing to acknowledge the truth of this conclusion - but if he was longer in a game, then perhaps he needed to level up like an NPC. If there was a system to level up NPCs in the game, he had never cared enough to learn about it. But, in addition to the game, there were several series of books. It was, after all, one of the most popular games of all time. In the books, the game-like elements were significantly reduced, and the religious framework of the magic was more heavily emphasized. Instead of having access to a character screen at all times, the protagonists had to sink into a deep meditation. When they meditated, they were transported to the realm of their personal deity. It was only there, in the realm of the gods, that they could level up. Jasper wanted to reject the idea offhand, but the more he thought about it, the more he become convinced that he had to at least try it out. But it was the last thing he wanted to do. If, as he feared, the dark lady was his personal deity, then he would have to return to the void to level up. The mere thought of returning there, to that endless wasteland of frozen horror filled him with a cold dread, his stomach turning sour. A few minutes later, after having thoroughly vacated his already empty stomach of its contents, little more than gobs of acid and spit, he was forced to face the truth. As much as he dreaded returning to her realm, he had to be able to level up and use his class if he wanted to survive. Improvised slingshots weren¡¯t going to get him far when he faced an enemy that he couldn¡¯t snipe from a safe zone. With a sigh, he sat down on the ground. Closing his eyes, and took deep, measured breaths. In real life, he had never had the patience to meditate; he was just another kid with ADHD, who couldn¡¯t sit still and do nothing if you paid him. But, he had suffered from occasional bouts of panic, and over the years had developed a mental image and mantra he used to calm himself down. Pushing the panicked feelings to the edges of his mind, Jasper focused on the image of a mountain stream. The water poured down the gentle slopes, splashing around the rocks, while stately trees rose around, forming a haven of peace. I am the river: I flow around all things. I am the rock: all things flow around me. His breath slowed, his mind calmed, and with a sudden POP he found himself again in the void. The Dangers of Impatience Thankfully, this time he arrived right beside the fire, the burning flames pushing away the icy chill of the void. Unlike before, the goddess did not ignore him. Not a sound escaped her mouth, but with a slow, deliberate movement she stretched out her hand to him. The weight of her gaze pressed down upon him, and he felt exposed, as if her eerie blue eyes could pierce to the deepest levels of his soul. Jasper stood still for a few moments, working up the courage to do what he expected. At last, he stepped forward. The pressure emanating from her did not cease, and he struggled to walk forward as if the very air denied him entry. But he pressed on, placing one shaky step in front of another until he stood before her. With trembling hands, he reached out and grabbed her outstretched hand. As he made contact, he flinched, half expecting at any moment to feel the pain of his heart being ripped out. But no pain followed, and opening his eyes he finally saw his status.
Jasper Welles Level up available: x10 Exp: 100/200 Health 100 Stamina 190 Essence 320 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 5 Born of Flames Sacred Star Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 5 Locked Purge Sling I
Vision 4 Locked Eternal Night
Inspiration 14 Locked
Willpower 12
Charisma 9
In Corsythia: Desolyton, players who didn¡¯t take the Neutral Choice would receive 10 points for each stat - 60 in total - that they could allocate as they wished. As he counted up his stats, which were based on his real body, he was disappointed to see that they only added up to a paltry 49 points. Admittedly, the lackluster stats weren¡¯t exactly surprising. He had never been very active in real life, so his low strength and endurance were to be expected, and he had to wear glasses, so his score in vision was equally unsurprising. He dismissed the stats without too much concern. In the end, leveling fixes all ills - and it looks like I already picked up ten. Those giants must have been quite a few levels above me. His heritage was far more intriguing. He was vaguely familiar with the concept of Djinn - spiritual beings that haunted the wild and lonely places of the wilderness. Most were bad, some were good, and pretty much all were mischievous. He thought the Djinn were a little bit like the Fey, but didn¡¯t really know what sort of traits to expect from them. At least his gamble with the Neutral Choice had paid off; they were definitely a rare heritage. Only the starter trait was unlocked, though; the rest would have to be earned.
Born of Flames The Great Djinn emerged in the fires of creation. Forged from the Progenitor¡¯s flames, they gain 50% resistance to fire and a 20% increase to fire damage.
Not bad. He had never really done the whole pyromancer build before. Jasper had to admit that fire certainly wouldn''t have been his first choice; it always just seemed a little limiting. Next, he turned to his class.
Acolyte of the Secret Flame Only the most promising guardians are allowed access to the secret flame. The fires of Qibush rage fiercer and longer than normal flames. Acolytes gain 20% resistance to fire, and 20% increase to all fire, projectile, and polearm damage types. In order to evolve this class you must acquire a mount and meet other hidden requirements.
Jasper frowned, a little dissatisfied with the class. It didn¡¯t really seem that different from normal pyromancy classes, aside from the strange bonus to polearm damage and the evolution requirements. The fact that evolution required a mount gave him hope that the class would end up more interesting than it seemed. Cavalry classes were rare and generally extremely powerful. They were also usually pathways to nobility, so while he had never played a mounted mage before, the class would probably end up being far better than it first appeared. With a sigh, he turned to the three spells.
Sacred Star 50 essence An upgrade from the standard Fireball spell, Sacred Star summons three small explosive orbs of fire that have mild tracking abilities. Perfect for striking that pesky enemy hiding behind his great shield.
Purge 100 essence Judge your enemy and find them wanting. This spell feeds off the sins of your foes, dealing massive fire damage. Will not work on foes with a positive karmic balance.
Eternal Night 100 essence Summon the eternal void. For thirty seconds, sap a fifteen-meter area around you of all light and warmth to supercharge your fire damage. +100% fire damage.
The skills seem decent, although Purge is a bit too situational for my liking. What exactly is this class, though? Purge and Eternal Night don¡¯t really seem like normal pyromancer spells, not to mention the whole ¡°mounted mage¡± evolution. All that was left was to check out the two titles. As he read their description, his blood ran cold.
The Blood Runs True Due to the resonance in your bloodline, you have been summoned to the defense of Corsythia. Bearer is 10% more likely to receive rare heritages, skills, and quest lines.
Betrothed of Kas?dael You have made a pact with Kas?dael, last of creation. Faithfulness will be rewarded.
He kept rereading the words. Due to the resonance in your bloodline, you have been summoned¡­. He wasn¡¯t sure what ¡°the resonance in your bloodline¡± meant, but the second part seemed clear enough. The fear he had been valiantly fending off at last breached his defenses. I¡¯m really here, maybe dead in real life. My family, friends, Layla, they¡¯re all gone. Will they even know what happened, or will I be just another urban legend? He hadn¡¯t had the greatest life, and he knew there weren¡¯t really that many that would miss him, but, still, he wasn¡¯t ready to lose everyone he¡¯d ever known. It took him a moment to refocus, but reluctantly he moved on. The second title wasn¡¯t much better news. The lack of immediate benefits wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing - generally such contracts tended to be high risk, high reward. Unlike contracts with major deities, you would usually have to complete difficult quests in order to unlock unique bonuses and spells, but if you succeeded in completing those quests, the rewards were much better. He didn¡¯t really mind the contract itself; it was who the contract was with that concerned him. He vaguely remembered Kas?dael from the first game. She was actually a major member of the pantheon, but her cult was not particularly popular in the game world, and she hadn''t even been available for players to contract with. The reason for this was that she played a crucial, but a rather dark role in their faith. One of the fundamental tenets of the Corsythian religion was the concept of cyclical theothanatism. According to their theology, there was only a finite amount of energy in the universe, all of which originally belonged to the Progenitor. The Progenitor created all the great gods, who in turn spawned the myriads of lesser gods and races. But, they believed that this act of creation exhausted all the Progenitor¡¯s energy, causing him to fall into a deathlike slumber. His power lived on in the universe, quickening every beating heart with the spark of the divine. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But the universe was not fated to last forever. Each of the gods and races carried a finite spark of the divine, and once that spark was expended, they would die. Slowly but inevitably, all life, even the stars of the heavens, would be extinguished. Upon their death, the divine spark that sustained them would return to the Progenitor, who would awaken and renew the universe. Kas?dael was believed to be the last goddess. Unlike the rest, her light would not die on its own. Instead, left alone as the last living being in a dead universe, she would choose to sacrifice herself to awaken the Progenitor. While Kas?dael was held in great esteem by the temples for her noble sacrifice, her followers were often viewed with suspicion. Due to her apocalyptic role, she had the tendency to attract followers who were more doomsday cultists than anything else. One particularly long-lasting and influential sect believed that if they destroyed the world, Kas?dael would be able to usurp the Progenitor¡¯s position, thus breaking the eternal cycle, and would resurrect her faithful servants to rule a new, unending world. Having her as his contract could complicate things for him once he managed to find civilization. Still, despite her chest-bursting method of leveling him up, he was deeply relieved that he wasn¡¯t contracted to one of the evil deities. It could be worse. It could be better too, but it could be worse. Having examined his character, all that remained was to assign his level-ups. He had initially taken for granted that he would have the same respawn mechanics as in Corsythia: Desolyton. But the fact that he had to level up like the books suggested that the respawn mechanic might follow the books as well. If that was the case, then resurrection was still possible, but it would be much, much more costly. In the books, one usually had to barter with your deity for resurrection, unless they were feeling generous. He wouldn¡¯t know for sure until he died, but he had to operate under the assumption that death would be costly. In which case, he needed way more health. Clicking on the level-up option, he was pleased to find he received three skill points per level-up, so he had 30 to assign. Health was governed by strength and endurance. Each point in either stat up to 10 provided him with 10 health, and points after 10 would provide him with 20 points. He immediately dumped five points into both, doubling his health. The remaining points were harder to decide on. His class appeared to be destined to be a mounted mage, so he needed to invest in inspiration and willpower, which together governed essence, as well as the rate of essence regeneration. But without glasses, his vision, stuck at only 4, was a real liability. Charisma could also not be entirely ignored. Min-maxing was fine in a game, but he had to operate under the assumption that this was his life now. If he was really going to live in this world, it would be best if he didn¡¯t go around constantly offending everyone. The fewer enemies made, the better. He put one point in charisma, to bring it up to 10, dumped six into vision, and then split the rest between inspiration and willpower.
Jasper Welles (10) Level up available: 0 Health 200 Stamina 380 Essence 580 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 10 Born of Flames Sacred Star Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 10 Locked Purge Sling I
Vision 10 Locked Eternal Night
Inspiration 20 Locked
Willpower 19
Charisma 10
Having completed everything he needed to do, he released her hand. She stared at him, silently, her fiery blue eyes tracking his every move, but he didn¡¯t immediately leave the void. He stood there for a moment, waiting to leave, but nothing happened. With a groan, he realized what he had to do. Bending down, he gingerly kissed her hand. In a second, he was in her embrace and his heart was in her hands. One excruciating jolt of pain later, he opened his eyes back in the courtyard. The shock and pain were significantly reduced this time. Jasper wasn''t sure if that was due to his increased stats, or if it was simply something that he would get used to over time, but he couldn''t complain too much. Any reduction in pain was a bonus. Pushing the memory aside, he stretched his arms out, pulling them back in a flex. He could immediately feel the changes in his strength and endurance. Actual muscles bulged in his arms, and when he ran his hand down his abdomen, he was surprised to feel the nascent traces of a six-pack. This beats the gym any day. But the real changes were in his mind. Jasper could sense his spells lingering at the edges of his consciousness, just waiting to be cast. With a quick flick of his wrist, he cast Sacred Star against the courtyard wall. Energy surged through his arm as three red balls of fire shot out from his hand. Their trajectory was smooth and fast, the spells completely unaffected by gravity, and they smashed into the smooth stone walls in an instant. A cascade of explosions ripped across the surface, booming through the empty courtyard. The result was more impressive than he had honestly expected, and as the ringing in his ears slowly cleared, Jasper realized he was whooping with glee. With a satisfied grin on his face, he headed towards the entrance. With his heritage secured, and a new arsenal of spells, all that remained was to explore the building, hopefully find some clothes, and finally escape these ruins. He moved cautiously through the doors, quickly scanning the room for signs of enemies. It was a large, dusty room, well lit by the light streaming through its many windows. A series of tables and chairs were scattered throughout the room, with a large fireplace rising on one side. Probably a dining room, or some sort of pub. On the far side of the room, a door led deeper into the building, while a staircase on the left led to an upper floor. After a moment¡¯s debate, he decided to head up first. Hopefully, the upper floors would have bedrooms where he might discover a few clothes. His guess proved correct, and after searching through several largely empty rooms, he found what he was looking for - clothes. They were nothing fancy, just an ancient pair of sandals and a couple of worn-out tunics that didn¡¯t protect his privates nearly as much as he wanted, but it was still a decided improvement. Finally, I¡¯m no longer naked and afraid. Just afraid. He searched through the rest of the rooms on the floor, but found nothing else of use except in the second to last room, where he snatched up a small backpack. Jasper threw the spare tunics in the bag and tossed it on his back. When he reached the end of the hall, though, he was disappointed to find that the staircase leading up to the next floor was thoroughly destroyed. Only a few rotting pieces of wood still clung to the wall, and, reluctantly, he was forced to turn back. Truthfully, he hadn''t found much on this floor, but he couldn''t stop himself from imagining that some priceless treasure might have been left behind up there, just out of reach. Jasper headed back down the stairs leading to the dining room and went straight to the door he had spotted earlier. He winced as it opened with an ominous creak. Thus far, he had seen no sign of enemies, but he''d prefer not to announce his entry, just in case. The door led into a dark, wood-paneled corridor. Along the sides, at even intervals, he could see doors leading off into other rooms, but aside from that, the hallway was empty. He moved slowly down the hall, keeping his ear cocked for any unexpected noises. He glanced in the rooms as he passed them, but there was nothing of interest. All of them appeared to have once been classrooms, but little more than broken desks and chairs remained. The end of the corridor opened up into a small, two-story library. In the game world, books had been rare and exceedingly valuable. Despite the small size, Jasper knew that the collection was undoubtedly a priceless treasure. Books lined every inch of the walls, stretching all the way up to the ceiling, with wheeled ladders providing access to the upper shelves. If I had a bag of holding, I¡¯d be rich. He scanned the books looking for anything that might be a spell book, but he found nothing until he arrived at a section of three empty shelves. I bet that was where the spell-books were. He wondered why these ruins had been abandoned. The heritage tomb and the books lining the wall seemed too valuable to abandon, and there had been no real signs of violence, just the normal dilapidation of age. Whoever used to live in the academy should have had enough time to take the library with them, but instead opted to only take the spell books. Were they so rich that the books didn''t matter, or did they intend to come back, he wondered. Aside from the books, there was little of value in the library, and he reluctantly decided to move on. He took one last glance around the room, frustration rising in his chest. The books taunted him, the luxurious leather-bound volumes promising a wealth of riches waiting at his fingertips if only he had the means to secure it. But with nothing more than a small backpack, it was a promise he couldn''t take advantage of. Jasper vowed to himself that he would come back, but as he left the room, he knew that it probably wouldn''t be that easy. Cars and planes did not exist in Corsythia, and bags of holding were for the rich. The emptiness of the building had lulled Jasper into a sense of security. He entered the next room carelessly, his mind preoccupied with schemes of ways to exploit the library. He strode into the room quickly, his steps hastening when he saw large doors that appeared to lead outside. He weaved around the rotting furniture, his progress unimpeded by the obstacles. Until, that is, he stepped on the tail of a tiger skin rug lying in front of an old hearth. A roar ripped through the room as the rug blurred into motion. Before Jasper could even react, the cat pounced, driving him into the floor with a thunderous boom as it tried to rip his throat out. His newfound strength and endurance served him well, as he, with desperate strength, grabbed the tiger¡¯s snarling jaws and barely diverted the force of its attack, slamming the tiger''s mouth into the floor beside his head. But Jasper was not strong enough to throw the tiger off him, and the tiger reared back, slamming down upon him again. It took every ounce of his flagging strength to hold the slobbering jaws at bay, his arms shaking like a leaf from the stress. The tiger was just too strong. Jasper''s arms slackened a bit, the strength failing, as he realized he had lost. His death was inevitable, and he closed his eyes, not wanting to watch the tiger''s fatal bite. But just as he was about to give up, his mind finally cleared a little. He had magic. His eyes flew open, and a brief burst of strength surged into his arms. It was just enough to push the tiger back a few feet. Time seemed to slow, and as the tiger fell back towards him, he twisted his hands in a quick motion. Sacred Star. The result was instantaneous. In his panic, Jasper had forgotten that Sacred Star was, fundamentally, an explosive spell. The force of the explosion plastered the tiger¡¯s remains across the ceiling, while it thrust him through the floor. He plunged into a room below, a shower of broken beams and rubble crashing around him. He lay there for a while, unable to move. Pain radiated through his body, and his breathing came rough and ragged, as he lay, awkwardly sprawled, on the broken floor. At last, he mustered the strength to peel himself off the rubble, wincing in pain as he pulled himself up. The light streamed down from the room above, thick with the dust of the ruins, while a haphazard rain of tiger guts splattered on the ground around him. In the dusky light, Jasper could see that he had fallen into a small room. In one corner, a small forge was set up and along the wall a large workbench was covered in a thick layer of dust and tools. With a groan, he staggered over to examine the forge. A dark glaive lay balanced on the anvil, and he reached out to grab it. When his hands made contact, he almost fell over when a box popped up in his vision.
Imperial Glaive (unfinished) The private project of Sir Jakaryus, this glaive was lovingly crafted as a replica of the glaives wielded by Imperial Guards in the era before the Desolyton. Find someone familiar with the blade to advance the quest.
A quest item! He carefully picked up the weapon and gave it a test swing. It was a solid weapon, about seven feet long, with a curved 18-inch blade. The weight strained against his arms, and he knew he would need a few more points in strength to easily wield it. Still, it was at least a better weapon than his make-shift sling. Turning to the table, he swept as many of the tools into his backpack as he could fit. Unlike the bulky books, the small implements would be easy to carry; hopefully, they''d fetch a good price once he reached the market. The best find, though, was in the bottom drawer of the desk: a small coin purse with 18 silver coins and a handful of copper. Standing up, he surveyed the room with a sense of satisfaction, as a grin fought its way to the surface. Finally, clothes, a weapon, and, with any luck, a nice chunk of change. The grin faded as a spasm of pain ran up his back, reminding him of his narrow escape. It took a while to find the door. Despite the small size of the room, the door had clearly been hidden, and he was forced to run his hands over the walls until he finally found the seam. It swung open easily enough, revealing a small winding staircase. He struggled awkwardly up the stairs, the lengthy glaive posing a bit of challenge in the cramped space. He paused at the door, and listened for any sign of foes, before throwing his weight against the door. It opened hard, with the screech of iron across stone, and he was surprised to emerge back in the library. Huh, a secret passage. Glaive in hand, he returned to the room where the tiger had been. A giant hole was now blown in the floor, and the smell of burnt flesh lingered in the air. He shook his head in bemusement. Thank god I have 70% fire resistance, otherwise I¡¯d probably be just as much of a smudge as the tiger. Alexa, please set a reminder: don¡¯t use explosive spells at short range again. Hugging the wall, he skirted the edge of the hole and reached the other side. Another large set of doors, identical to the ones in the courtyard, loomed ahead. He had found the exit. Jasper paused and looked back at the empty halls. The loneliness of the abandoned ruins weighed down on him at that moment, an oppressive silence that seemed to make the very air hard to breathe. Thoughts of Layla and his mom flitted across his mind, of a world he¡¯d never see again. I am the river; I flow around all things. I am the rock; all things flow around me. Over and over again, he repeated the mantra, banishing the thoughts from his mind until at last, calm restored, he took a deep breath and turned to the door. His voice echoed out in the deserted halls, ¡°Whelp. Here goes nothing.¡± Arriving at Hargish As he finally broke free from the ruins, Jasper was not too surprised to see that he was in the middle of nowhere. The academy was set in a small hollow carved out of the mountains, and thick jungles rose up all around. Fortunately, the academy must not have been abandoned too long, as nature had not yet completely reclaimed the surroundings. A few ramshackle buildings were clustered around the academy¡¯s entrance and, leading through them, the remnants of a paved trail wound its way down the mountain slopes, disappearing into the thick brush below. He glanced through the buildings, finding nothing of note, before committing to the path. The trail was much longer than expected, looping back and forth across the steep incline on a circuitous route down the mountain. In places it was almost consumed by the jungle, the pavement stones obscured by creeping vines and grass, but he always managed to pick up the trail again. It was not the hike itself that was difficult, though. The heat of the jungle was oppressive in the best of times, but the last few days had not been kind. He was pushed to the brink with hunger, and more critically, dehydration, and he made slow progress down the slopes. Finally, after three hours, he reached the end. To his relief, the path opened onto a large stone road that was clearly well maintained - he had found civilization. Unfortunately, said civilization had clearly not invented road signs yet. In both directions, the road disappeared into the jungle with no further signs of life, be they villages or even just farmhouses, visible. He was going to have to guess. With a sigh, he decided to head right. The road stretched on before him, seemingly endless, as the hours slipped by one after another. The road was lined with nothing but an endless cavalcade of trees, the jungle swelling with the cries of birds and the relentless chatter of monkeys swinging through the upper canopy. The heat of the day beat down upon him, forcing him to stop at times, but he carried on. He knew he could not last much longer without water, so desperation fueled his footsteps. He wondered often if he had chosen the wrong direction - perhaps a thriving city had been just around the bend if he had only gone left. But he knew he didn¡¯t have the strength to make the trip back. The only way was forward. Jasper¡¯s hopes were sinking fast when his labor was finally rewarded. Cresting the top of a particularly large hill, he spied his salvation. Quaint farms dotted the vista below, and in the distance he saw a towering, monumental structure that spoke of city walls. The sun already hung low over the horizon, and he knew there was no way he could reach the city before night fell. But as his gaze swept across the valley, he spotted a small cluster of homes along the road not too far from where he was. Maybe I can find a place to stay there. His hopes renewed, he set off again down the trail, his pace spurred on by the promise of safety. As the dusky tones of twilight fell, he reached his goal. A haphazard collection of thatched-roof cottages lined the road, and a very small village square was centered around a well. He ran to the precious source, hauling the bucket up with as much speed as his failing strength would allow. The water poured over his face as he guzzled it down, not sated until most of the bucket was empty. The rest he poured over his head, the cool water providing a welcome relief from the oppressive heat that had not been fully dissipated by the coming night. His thirst quenched, he was finally able to take store of his surroundings. There were no more than a score of buildings, most of them small and run-down looking, but one two-story building rose above the rest, a colorful sign swinging from its side. For the just second time since his ordeal started, a grin broke out on Jasper¡¯s face. A tavern. Standing before the tavern door, he did his best to shake the dust off of his sandals and tunic and straightened his wet, shaggy hair. He knew he didn¡¯t exactly strike the best appearance, and the last thing he wanted was to be mistaken for a bandit. Gripping his glaive in what he hoped was a non-threatening posture, he stepped through the door. A hush fell over the tavern as about twenty faces turned to look at him, but Jasper barely noticed as the intoxicating smell of food overwhelmed him. After almost three days without food, he had a new appreciation for Esau¡¯s folly. He weaved his way through the tables, giving a nervous nod to some of the guests, as he approached the barkeep. ¡°How much for a meal and a bed for the night, sir?¡± The barkeep eyed him for a beat, then snorted. ¡°I ain¡¯t no sir. Fifteen coppers will get you a bowl of stew and a drink, another fifteen coppers for the bed. But if you be wanting a drink, the weapon¡¯s gotta go behind the counter. You can get it back in the morning.¡± With a nod, Jasper handed over the glaive and fished a silver out of his bag. ¡°Make it two bowls of stew, please.¡± Once the weapon was safely stashed behind the counter, the tension in the room relaxed, and the pleasant hum of conversation soon filled the tavern. Sitting down at the counter, Jasper took in the room. The bar stretched across almost the whole back wall of the room, aside from the door helpfully labeled ¡°lodgings.¡± On the west wall, a cluster of tables encircled a low stone fireplace, while on the east, a small stage was currently occupied by a fiddler. Aside from a curious glance or two cast in his direction, his presence seemed to have been all but forgotten. In short order a draft of beer and two bowls of soup were placed before him, which he scarfed down with the enthusiasm of a starving animal. When his stomach was finally satiated, the sheer exhaustion from his ordeal over the last three days slammed into him. It was all Jasper could due to keep himself from falling asleep on the counter, but with a vigorous shake of his head, and a slap to his cheek, he pushed slumber away. Before he could rest, he needed information. Draining the last of his beer, he sidled over to the barkeep. ¡°You got any information on the city down the road?¡± The barkeep scrubbed at a stubborn stain for a moment before replying. ¡°Yonder city¡¯s Hargish. Nothing special, kind of small, but safe enough. There¡¯s a barracks there too, recruiting for the war, if you¡¯re looking for work. Or you could sign up with the guild, if you ain¡¯t wanting to ship off across the continent to fight in the war.¡± He stared pointedly at Jasper¡¯s clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t reckon the guards will let you in the city looking like that, though. I about took you for a bandit. Not sure where you¡¯re from, but around here, folks don¡¯t wear tunics.¡± Jasper looked down sheepishly at his threadbare garment, while the man continued. ¡°Tell you what, me maid Aalha has been wanting some time off to spend with her man. You help me out around here the next two days, I¡¯ll feed you and give you some old garments that will get you past the guard. Deal?¡± Jasper hesitated, then nodded his head. ¡°Throw in another bowl of soup, and you got a deal. Just one more question, though. What region are we in?¡± The barkeep cocked an eyebrow. ¡°How the hell do you not know what region you¡¯re in?¡± Jasper shrugged self-consciously. ¡°I got a little lost.¡± A half-chuckle escaped the barkeep¡¯s throat. ¡°He says he¡¯s a little lost; a little lost,¡± he murmured beneath his breath.¡°You¡¯re in the southern-most point of Sapiyah, not too far from the borders with Stryn and the Harei Miqlat.¡± Jasper was surprised to hear that. Judging from the mix of mountains and jungles, he had assumed he was much further south. Although he had never visited Sapiyah in the original game, he knew it belonged to the central canton, and was fairly close to the western border of the empire and a bit south of the great inland sea. It wasn¡¯t a region he would have chosen to spawn in, but it was far from the frontlines of the war, which was a plus. He might want to check out the conflict at some point, but not till he was much stronger. A bowl of soup later, he staggered up the stairs and collapsed across the straw-filled bed, practically asleep before his head even hit the pillow. The next two days were a crash course in medieval drudgery. Cleaning out the stables, rubbing down the horses, milking the cows, chopping wood, cooking, and serving food. Somehow, Jasper had the sneaking suspicion that he was doing quite a bit more than Aalha¡¯s share of the work, but he was in no position to make waves. At the end of the second day, the barkeep lived up to his word, giving Jasper a complete set of clothes: a pair of worn boots, pants, a shirt, and even a wide-brimmed straw hat that kept the harsh jungle sun off his head and out of his eyes. Jasper took the clothes with a mixture of gratitude and disappointment. I¡¯m really moving up in the world, from starving bandit to common peasant. Before I know it, I¡¯ll be moving on up to the east side, to a shining tower in the sky. Shaking his head, he thanked the barkeep and made the most of his last night at the tavern, joining in on the festivities with the village folk. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He set out early the next morning before the sun had even started to ascend into the sky. The barkeep had told him that Hargish was about six miles down the road, and Jasper hoped to get there before the heat of the day had become too oppressive. It was an uneventful walk, and thanks to the paved stone roads, practically an easy stroll, but it was hard in other ways. Ever since arriving in Corsythia, Jasper had been kept busy, relentlessly running from one task to another. There was also something more important to occupy his mind, and thus he had largely avoided thinking about the reality of his situation. But in the quiet solitude of an early morning walk, he could no longer escape the demons chasing him. The thoughts of those he¡¯d lost and a world he¡¯d never see again pressed down hard upon him, and the occasional drops of moisture splattering on the road were not due to any rain shower. Three hours later, he arrived before the gates. The walls of Hargish gleamed brightly under the jungle sun, covered in what looked like some sort of white plaster. The walls were rather unimpressive, reasonably thick but far too short for a serious siege, and the gate had rather minimal fortifications. Clearly, Hargish wasn¡¯t expecting to be defending itself any time soon. A short line of people was waiting to get in the gate, and Jasper dug into his bag to find his coins. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to pay for entrance, but he wasn¡¯t sure what to expect. His turn came swiftly, and the guard glared down at him, his gaze lingering on the glaive in Jasper¡¯s hand. ¡°Reason for visit?¡± the guard drawled. ¡°Looking for work.¡± The guard chewed on something for a minute, before spitting on the ground. ¡°I reckon you¡¯re a farm boy looking for something a little more exciting, huh? If you want to find the barracks or guild, just follow this road down to the market, then turn left.¡± The guard stepped aside, a sneering look on his face, and Jasper stepped into the city. The town streets were surprisingly narrow and cramped. White stone and plaster buildings rose up on either side, the domiciles only reaching about two to three stories high, but giant white sheets were draped above every street, providing shade from the hostile sun to the many pedestrians below. Many of the homes had stalls constructed in front of them, where vendors hawked cheap wares, homemade goods, or hot food for the weary laborer. The crowd flowed around him, as the hubbub of the hawker¡¯s cries rose and fell, and the scent of spice and incense hung heavy on the sultry air. Jasper made his way down the street, relishing the cool shade and the subtle breeze that wafted its way through the covered corridors, until he reached the market. It was surprisingly large, at least as big as a stadium, but Jasper decided to explore it later. Instead, he followed the guard¡¯s directions and turned down a broad street to the left. The street only went a short distance before dead-ending in his destination. Two impressive buildings dominated a small plaza, each reaching three stories high - fairly tall for Hargish. The buildings were almost mirror images of each other, but unlike the white plaster buildings the rest of the town was constructed from, they were built with gigantic large blocks that testified to their strength. As in most towns, the barracks and the adventurer¡¯s guild stood side-by-side. Both organizations were run by the empire and offered opportunities for both citizens and non-citizens to improve their standing. The army - or barracks as it was usually called - dealt with external threats, while the guild dealt with all matter of internal concerns. The guild was a strange chimera of competing interests, encompassing private contractors, city and regional guards, espionage outfits, and the true elite of the empire: the Imperial Guard. As Jasper crossed the small plaza, he saw that stalls were erected in front of both buildings. The hawker in the barracks¡¯ stall, a big burly man with a shaved head and a bushy beard, got up from his stool, and waved him over. ¡°Come over here, my lad. Join the war effort to take back the capital! Let¡¯s drive these bastards back into the sea. Sign up for ten years of service, and earn a farm to call your own.¡± Jasper shook his head and headed over to the stall for the adventurer¡¯s guild. He definitely needed some weapons¡¯ training - he didn¡¯t really know how to use the glaive he was holding - and needed a mount to progress his class, but joining a war didn¡¯t sound particularly appealing. The lady at the adventurer¡¯s stall was reading a book. She glanced up at him for a second, and her sharp green eyes quickly ran down his body. Apparently unimpressed by what she saw, she dismissed him, turning back to her book. He hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do. Aren''t recruiters supposed to recruit you? But the guild attendant continued to studiously ignore him, and he was forced into action. ¡°Ma¡¯am? I¡¯m interested in-¡± ¡°Go away, farm boy. I¡¯m sure the army will be delighted to have you, and might even teach you how to use that weapon you¡¯re holding.¡± The man in the army stall barely held back a chuckle, ¡°That¡¯s right boy, come over here, and we¡¯ll treat you right,¡± but Jasper persisted. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least give me a chance? I¡¯m a mage -¡± Her head snapped up, a spark of interest burning in her eyes. With a serious expression on her face, the attendant grabbed a quill and a piece of paper, and proceeded to barrage him with questions. ¡°Level?¡± ¡°Ten.¡± ¡°Any spells?¡± ¡°Uh, three.¡± ¡°Names?¡± ¡°Sacred Star, Purge, and Eternal Night.¡± She wrinkled her brow. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with those. Class?¡± He paused for a second, thinking. There was something about a class named Acolyte of the Secret Flame that sounded, well, secret. He decided to lie and give the name that he was originally supposed to receive from the inheritance. ¡°Flame Guardian Acolyte.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re one of them. Your sort don¡¯t normally leave home.¡± Her tone didn¡¯t sound judgmental, just matter of fact, but Jasper was dying to know who she was referring to. Them who? He didn¡¯t see a way to ask, though, without making it clear that no, he actually wasn¡¯t one of them. She finished writing down his information and handed him the piece of paper and the quill. ¡°Do you know how to write?¡± He nodded. ¡°Ok, please write down your current stats in this box here, and then I can take you into the guild to be tested.¡± Jasper dutifully filled out the paper, but didn¡¯t immediately hand it back. ¡°This isn¡¯t some sort of binding contract, is it?¡± She looked up at him, her eyes creased with faint annoyance. ¡°This is only an application for affiliate status. If you want to join the Guard, you¡¯ll have to prove your worth first.¡± He handed her the paper, and she stood up, beckoning him with a lazy wave of her hand. ¡°Come on.¡± He followed her into the guild. The moment he stepped through the doors, the harsh, muggy, heat of the day fell away, replaced by cool, crisp air. Do they have some sort of magical air conditioning? The entrance hall was surprisingly tall, opening out onto an interior courtyard that rose the entire height of the building. In the courtyard a number of people seemed to be training, waving swords and spears at dummies, or engaged in sparring with each other. The attendant ignored all that, and with a purpose stride headed directly for a nearby office. She rapped twice on the door, and without waiting for a response, strolled in, slapping the paper on the desk. ¡°I¡¯ve got a new recruit for you, Gebor. Claims he¡¯s a mage. Thought you¡¯d want to test him.¡± The man at the desk scanned the paper and nodded his head. ¡°Very good, Isha. If he passes the test, you¡¯ll get your bonus.¡± With a pleased look on her face, the attendant left the room, brushing past Jasper on her way out. With Isha gone, Jasper fidgeted in silence, while Gebor perused the paper. At last, the man looked up. ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the Flame Guardian Acolyte class. Sacred Star is one of their starting spells, but these other two are not. Some sort of class variant you¡¯re wanting to keep secret, perhaps?¡± Surprised at being caught in his lie so soon, Jasper let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°You got me.¡± The man gave a knowing grin. ¡°No problem, as long as you can actually cast these spells, you can keep your secret class. There are too few young mages these days.¡± He sprung to his feet and headed out the door. ¡°Follow me.¡± He headed over to an isolated part of the courtyard and pointed at a set of targets. ¡°Cast sacred star on those.¡± Jasper obliged, and when the explosion had cleared, he was surprised to see the dummies unmarked. ¡°Not bad, not bad.¡± Gebor scanned the page. ¡°Looks like you can cast that about 11 times before running out of essence. Do you have a backup weapon, or are you relying solely on your magic?¡± Jasper pointed to the glaive in his hand. ¡°Well, I got this glaive, although I don¡¯t really know how to use it, and I guess I have a sling too.¡± He fumbled with his bag, dragging his handmade sling out. ¡°The sling¡¯s not too common, but actually a solid backup weapon for a mage like you. With a few mage-crafted stones you¡¯ll still be able to pack a powerful punch. The glaive, on the other hand, is not so great, but if that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got, we¡¯ve got some instructors that can teach you the basics. Tell you what, I can give you affiliate status with the guild, but you¡¯ve got to take a two-week training course. With a bit of exercise and some weapons training, we can buff up your stats a bit, and hopefully ensure that you¡¯ll actually survive your first mission. It¡¯ll be 10 silvers for the two weeks, and after that, you¡¯ll be authorized to take on missions with us. Sound good?¡± Ten silver was a huge chunk of his funds, but Jasper couldn¡¯t help remembering his explosive brawl with the tiger. Next time he might not be so lucky. In the end, the decision was simple. He needed to train. He handed over the silver. ¡°You got a deal.¡± The Expedition The next two weeks were an exercise in misery. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he had expected: maybe a few pushups, some target practice, learning a kata or two for the glaive. What he got was boot camp all day long, followed by lessons at night covering all manner of topics from identifying traps to gathering herbs. It was fourteen days of misery, but when he at last returned to the void to see his results, he was forced to admit that it had been worth it.
Jasper Welles (14) Level up available: 0 Exp: 0/200 Health 340 Stamina 580 Essence 760 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 12 Born of Flames Sacred Star Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 15 Locked Purge Sling V
Vision 15 Locked Eternal Night Glaive IV
Inspiration 24 Locked
Willpower 24
Charisma 12
In just two weeks of training, Jasper had gained two points in strength, three in endurance, and surprisingly one in willpower. It was vision, though, that had received the most benefits, gaining five new points. Apparently, vision didn''t only cover his physical ability to see, but also his chance to perceive hidden things. Thus, the classes on detecting traps had paid rich dividends. A few training expeditions had taken them out to kill low-level monsters, and from that he had also gained four levels. He dumped four points each in inspiration and willpower, and then another two into charisma and endurance. While Jasper knew he probably could have leveled faster by just going out into the jungle and finding some ruins to explore or monsters to kill, he was glad he had decided to take the training course. This was his life now, and he''d rather not die from stupid mistakes, like using explosive spells at close range. Returning from the void, Jasper opened his eyes slowly, savoring the deliciously cool air of the guild¡¯s courtyard. Now that he had completed the guild¡¯s mandatory training, Gebor had arranged for him to join an expedition that was leaving tomorrow. But for today, his slate was wide open. After paying the tuition, he only had about five silvers left, but he still had the craftsmen tools he had found in the academy. He still need to buy at least some basic light armor for the trip, so he hoped the tools would sell well. He lingered for a moment - it was hard to find the willpower to leave the guild¡¯s cool interiors for the steamy heat of the city - but at last, he heaved himself up with a grunt, and headed for the market. At least the streets are shaded. Although the morning was still young, the market was every bit as lively and crowded as when he had first arrived in Hargish. Jasper weaved his way through the crowd, watching the merchants hawk their sales. He finally decided to approach one where the customers, more often than not, left with a smile on their face - or at least not a frown. ¡°Pardon me, but I have some crafting tools to sell, if you¡¯re interested.¡± He spread out some of the tools on an empty space on the stall. The merchant looked through the tools, clearly debating in his head, before finally pushing them back towards Jasper. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t offer you much for these. Enchanting tools are quite valuable to the right buyer, but I would be hard-pressed to sell them. I¡¯d recommend you take them to a specialist.¡± ¡°Is there one nearby?¡± A few minutes later, armed with the instructions the merchant had given him, Jasper wound his way through a smaller side street. The crowd had thinned out, but the few customers making their way in and out of the craftsmen¡¯s stores wore elaborate robes and ornate headgear that set them apart from the crowds in the market. Thankfully the guild provided a simple uniform for all new recruits, so he was no longer stuck wearing the farm clothes he had earned at the tavern. Still, Jasper felt out of place amongst the obviously upper-class clientele of the craft district, and the snooty looks some were sending him certainly didn¡¯t help. But he arrived at the store without being hassled and pushed the door open. He was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with a blast of cold air - although, on second thought he realized that perhaps it wasn¡¯t so surprising that an enchanting store might make use of enchantments. A short older man was bent over a table in the back of the store. Perhaps he had once had a dashing figure, but now his shoulders were locked in a perpetual hunch from his years of labor, and his grey hair was as thin and insubstantial as the wisps of clouds on a bright, sunny day. The door slammed shut with a bang behind him and, startled, the crafter turned to look at Jasper. Despite his age, his eyes were sharp and clear, immediately taking note of Jasper¡¯s new blue jumpsuit. ¡°Ah, a new recruit to the adventurer¡¯s guild, I see.I¡¯m sorry, my lad, but I think my prices will be a bit of your reach right now.If you¡¯re looking for some beginning enchanted gear, the market should have everything you need.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Jasper shook his head. ¡°Actually, I found some enchanting equipment in the ruins of some academy, and I was hoping to sell them.¡± He brought the tools out of his equipment and laid them on the table. The old man¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°An academy, you say? Where? Did it have a pyramid?¡± ¡°Why, yes. A library and lots of statues of six-winged beings. Djinn, I think.¡± The craftsmen hobbled over the desk and begin thumbing through the goods. ¡°Aye, I know the place well. Back before it was abandoned, I had a friend there. He was just a hobbyist enchanter, but he used to frequent my store.¡± Jasper suddenly remembered his glaive. With some difficulty, he fished it out of the holster on his back - while terrible for fighting, he got tired of carrying it in his hand all the time. He laid it on the table before the craftsman. ¡°I found this in the same place, and it had a quest attached to it. Do you think your friend made this, too?¡± The craftsman laid his hand on it, reading the description.
Imperial Glaive (unfinished) The private project of Sir Jakaryus, this glaive was lovingly crafted as a replica of the glaives wielded by Imperial Guards in the era before the Desolyton. Find someone familiar with the blade to advance the quest.
¡±Jakaryus was the name of my friend. Didn¡¯t know he was nobility, though.¡± ¡°Do you know what happened to the academy? Why it was abandoned?¡± The old man thought, lost in recollection. ¡°I never knew a lot about the academy. None of us really did. They mostly kept to themselves, and visitors were only rarely allowed there. I know they first came to the area maybe three or four hundred years ago. Their group was some sort of political refugees, fleeing with their lord. Isha, Ishka, something like that. And then, a few decades after their lord died, I guess the political situation had changed, or maybe it was just their lord that was exiled. Anyways, as far as I know, they just went back home.¡± The quest still hadn¡¯t advanced, so Jasper pressed on. ¡°Home? Where is that?¡± ¡°Their homeland, of course. The depths of Harei Miqlat. But you won¡¯t make it past the border unless you¡¯re one of them.¡± The old man studied Jasper¡¯s face, for a moment, and then his eyes fall on his hands, detecting the faint blue tattoos. ¡°Or you carry their heritage.¡± Jasper picked the glaive back up and saw the description had changed.
Imperial Glaive (unfinished) The private project of Sir Jakaryus, this glaive was lovingly crafted as a replica of the glaives wielded by Imperial Guards in the era before the Desolyton. Travel to Harei Miqlat and find Jakaryus or his descendants. Reward: Class evolution, finished Imperial Glaive.
The crafter turned his attention back to the tools, and after careful examination, agreed to buy them. ¡°I can give you one gold for the lot. Some of them are a bit out of date, but they¡¯re still good enough to form a decent starter kit for some aspiring apprentice.¡± Jasper readily agreed and thanked the old man for his time. He was almost the door when he turned back.¡°Do you have any recommendations for where I could get a decent set of leather armor, for say 50 silver?¡± ¡°My grandson¡¯s wife has a small shop on the west side of the market. Small girl, but hair as red as a torch, so you¡¯ll have no problems spotting her. Tell her I sent you, and she¡¯ll give you a good deal.¡± With another round of thanks, Jasper headed back to the market. It was indeed quite easy to find her stall, as she was the only redhead in the market. A short bout of haggling later, he was the proud owner of a new set of leathers for 65 silver. The greaves, gauntlets, helmet, and cuirass, all looked vaguely Roman, and as Jasper admired his new gear, he felt like he was long lost legionnaire out for an adventure. There was also some sort of a plaited leather skirt, which he was considerably less excited to wear. But the other option - leaving his junk protected by nothing more than a pair of pants - seemed like a very bad idea indeed, so reluctantly, Jasper let himself be talked into buying the skirt as well. For another 10 silver, he purchased a new sling and ammo pouch. While he had a soft spot for the palm-fiber sling he had created, he wanted something a little more reliable. Mana stones, however, were shockingly expensive, with each one costing a silver a piece. The array of choices was positively dizzying, and Jasper vowed to return when he had more money, but for now he had to pass. Satisfied with his purchases, he wandered the market for a bit, before returning to the guild. Tomorrow was a big day - his first real expedition. He could only hope that it would be a little less exciting than his last big day. Early the next morning found Jasper sitting in the guild bar. Idly, he toyed with the food on his plate, his stomach a pit of nervousness. Once again, he read through the short dossier he had been given for the mission. Mission: Extermination Threat Assessment: Medium Reward: 1 gold per party member, plus loot. Price may negotiated if contract is more difficult than expected. Reports indicate that a group of trolls have moved into the ruins of Yhar-Khennor. Our scouts have not been able to determine their numbers, and it is possible that more dangerous variants may be lurking in the depths. Normally, a new recruit like him wouldn¡¯t be sent on such a dangerous mission, but trolls were weak to fire. The guild here was small, and despite his complete lack of experience, he was the only fire mage in Hargish. Thus, Gebor practically begged him to take the job. He tried to refuse at first, but Gebor was relentless. It was only when Gebor promised that he would cover any death penalties that his deity might impose, that Jasper finally broke down. With a wistful sigh, he remembered the nice, simple bandit job he intended to take. So much for easing into things. His reverie was interrupted when a girl in leather armor much like his plopped down in the seat across from him. Ihra. She was another new recruit, with some sort of an archery class. She had a skill that let her set her arrows on fire, so she had been roped in just like him. ¡°No sign of the rest, yet?¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°Just me thus far. I was starting to wonder if I had the right place.¡± ¡°Well, if not, I guess we screwed up together.¡± Ihra fiddled with a shiny new hunter¡¯s knife, as the two rookies waited for the rest of the crew. An hour later, the group finally arrived. They were an already established crew, with the standard five members that most groups had - except for the fortunate few who managed to recruit a healer. There was a tank and two melee fighters to guard his flanks, while a mage and archer sniped from the back. A tall woman strode forward, clearly the leader of the group. Her skin was the color of ebony. and raven locks of hair cascaded down her back, held in place by a diadem on her forehead. So she¡¯s the mage. As she neared their table, he could feel a slight chill, like the rush of wind of a glacier, and amended his initial assessment. Ice mage. ¡°Are you our new recruits? Jasper and Ihra, right?¡± Without waiting for a reply, she swept her hands back to the other party members. ¡°This is Pa¡¯al, Heizim, Erebe, and Rashpa. And I¡¯m Qara. Try to stay in the back, and take shots when you can, but be sure to stay with the group. Even without the trolls, Yhar-Khennor is a very dangerous place. There is a reason that it was not stripped bare of loot long ago.¡± She turned her attention to Jasper. ¡°You have some sort of a fireball spell, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, sacred star. Three small fireballs, with homing capabilities.¡± ¡°And fire resistance?¡± He nodded. ¡°Useful skills indeed, especially against trolls. But dangerous in the hands of newbies. Gebor has overruled my objections, so I simply ask that you be extremely careful with your magic. As I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve guessed, I¡¯m a mage myself, and like most of us, I¡¯m resistant to my own magic. It can be easy to forget, but your spells are as deadly to the rest of the group as they are to monsters. Only Pa¡¯al,¡± she nodded to the tank, ¡°has fire-resistant armor, so be careful where you aim your spells. If you needlessly endanger the lives of my crew, I will be forced to take action. Understand?" She fixed him with a stern glare, not relenting until he nodded his head in acknowledgment She relaxed, and clapped her hands together. "Alright then, let¡¯s head out.¡± It took almost a week to reach Yhar-Khennor. Built deep into the heart of the mountains, it had once been the home of a colony of Tannin. A small race of bipedal lizard-like beings with the heads of crocodiles, the Tannin made their home deep in the rivers and springs that ran beneath the mountains, far from the light of the sun. When the specter of Gemliria had spread its wings over Corsythia, the Tannin had fallen into darkness. Dark rites of sacrifice were carried out in the carven halls, and their armies had laid waste to the surrounding lands until the city was destroyed in the cleansing of the Desolyton. Since that time, Yar-Khennor had lain abandoned, though some swore that the Tannin still lurked in its depths. When they finally arrived at the base of the ruins, Qara sent Rashpa and Ihra out to scout the entrance to the city, while the rest made camp. The trek had been much better than Jasper had expected. The sheer beauty of the soaring mountains and lush jungles still took his breath away, and as long as he stayed close to the beautiful ice mage, the jungle heat was not so oppressive. It had been a profitable experience, too. At night around the campfire, she taught him a variety of ways to use small amounts of fire magic without spells. He had all but forgotten about the almost invisible tattoos on his hands, but Qara taught him how to use them as a focus. He couldn¡¯t do much for now except set his hands on fire or project a small spout of flame in front of him, but at least he¡¯d never have to worry about lighting a fire or being in the dark ever again. ¡°Spells are the most valuable tool in your arsenal,¡± she¡¯d told him, ¡°but magic is not wholly constrained by spells. Unstructured casting is often a mage¡¯s last line of defense. Even, when a sword is coming for your throat, and you don¡¯t have enough essence to cast a spell, you¡¯re not helpless yet.¡± The stew was already lightly bubbling over the fire when Rashpa and Ihra returned. The usually ebullient Rashpa sported a grim look on her face. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like this, boss. There''s only about ten trolls by the entrance, but this is no wandering band. They¡¯ve got heavy gilded armor, and all of them are equipped with maces or spears.¡± Qara scowled. ¡°Damn it! They¡¯re descendants of Gemlir, then.¡± She paused, reflecting. ¡°If they¡¯re here, they must be looking for something, a rival expedition.¡± With a sigh, she looked around the campfire. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, crew, I was hoping we could just kill a few trolls lurking around the entrance, the presence of Gemlirians changes things. We¡¯re going to have to delve into the city. Whatever dark artifact they¡¯re after, we can¡¯t let them have it.¡± She turned to Ihra and Jasper. ¡°I really should send you home. This expedition has become too dangerous for you, but we¡¯re undermanned as it is. Just stay close to the group and follow my commands closely. When we¡¯re in the city, never walk off by yourself, always stay in sight of another, and whatever you do, don¡¯t listen to the whispers.¡± Lore I: The Desolyton Imperial Record #10,856 ''On the Desolyton'' by Abiezer, Chief Scribe in the 112th year of Emperor Malkati III The Desolyton has finally come to an end. Victory flags wave from every fort across the land, but the laughter on our lips hides the sorrow in our hearts. Three hundred years of war has wreaked endless horrors across our ravaged lands. Stryn and Jelkari are little more than smoldering ruins, the Harei Miqlat have enclosed themselves in their lands, and I fear the Fey are plotting an invasion along our southern borders. Four Emperors died in the conflict, and countless warriors joined them in the grave. When Gemlir led his rebellion, we foolishly allowed him to live and journey to the west. He established his lands across the river, and from there his poison spread out throughout the empire. The nobles of Stryn and Jelkari adopted his wicked rites with glee, ever grasping for the power to secede from our rule. The efficacy of their rites was undeniable, the powers they exhibited rivaling the greatest of mages, but the cost was hidden. They sacrificed their prey in the dead of night, slaughtering hundred of thousands on their path to glory. But men are weak, ever prone to listen to the false promises of power. Even our emperors embraced their ways, the lure of ascension too great to resist. Emperor Adiron VII spread Gemlir''s cult throughout the land and raised his children to follow it. But by a twist of fate, his eldest sons died before taking the throne. A lesser son, Kairon, who had never been intended for such power, ascended instead. Unlike his father, Kairon was raised in the old ways and despised Gemlir¡¯s cult. Forging an alliance with the elves of Yammaqom, he sought to rid the empire of their influence. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. But Kairon underestimated the power of the cultists. Shortly after the birth of his heir, Shamshadi?n, the emperor and his wife were slain in their own courts. None of his lineage survived except the infant, who was successfully smuggled out of the palace by his mother¡¯s handmaid, the Lady Nuriel. She fled with him to the courts of Hadi?n, where the child¡¯s aunt ruled with her husband. He was raised in secret, schooled in all the arts of war, while his uncle, Shamyana was placed on the throne by the cultists. When Shamshadi?n came of age, he renewed the alliance with Yammaqom and even secured the support of the Stryhtani. With the forces of Hadi?n and its allies, he went to war with his uncle. Thus began the Desolyton, three hundred years of civil war as the cultists were slowly pushed back. Our victory is now secure. The cultists have been scoured from the land, Gemliria is a salted wasteland, and Malechovia is little more than rubble. I myself personally renewed our alliance with our ancient allies, the Mwyrani, and placated the dwarven lords. But I fear the price for our victory is too high, that our forces are stretched too thin and our support at home is too weak. The Fey are sniffing at our borders, like sharks circling prey. If they invade, can we turn them back? Will our allies even answer our call, or will they watch as we fall? The Ruins of Yar-Khennor The next morning the group cautiously crept up the hill to the camp. Trolls were nocturnal, so as Qara had hoped, eight trolls lay sprawled across the ground, lost in slumber. Just two drowsy guards kept watch on either end of the camp, staring sightlessly at the dense jungles. Silently, she gestured for Rashpa and Ihra to circle around to the guards. They notched their bows, prepared to blast the guards with fiery arrows. Qara waved Jasper over and whispered to him softly. ¡°Alright, now¡¯s your time to shine, fire-boy. Blast the camp with as many casts of Sacred Star as you can, and we¡¯ll pick up the stragglers.¡± Jasper focused himself, feeling a wave of calm run over him. My first real fight - minus the tiger incident. Taking a deep breath, he cast eternal night to boost his fire damage. A slow wave of icy darkness spread out in a circle around him, as if he had manifested the void on earth itself. And then, he let loose hell on earth. In quick succession, Jasper emptied his essence, casting Sacred Star thirteen times at the sleeping trolls. At the same time, Ihra and Rashpa pelted the two guards with their flame-imbued arrows. The resultant explosion was massive, a pillar of smoke and flame reaching into the sky. For a moment, he thought the trolls had all died. Peering through the flame and smoke, his ears ringing from the force of the explosion, he saw nothing. Taking a shaky breath, he turned to Qara with a yell of victory as three hulking forms, still moldering with flames, emerged out of the smoke. With a thunderous bellow of anger, the trolls charged toward his group. Qara quickly cast three shards of ice at their heads, and one of the trolls fell, the damage finally taxing his regeneration beyond what it could heal. ¡°Buy me time!¡± she called to Pa¡¯al, the tank, and reached her hands to the sky as she begin to summon a higher spell. On the sides, Ihra and Rashpa continued to pelt the two guards, who had been out of the range of the explosion with arrows, while the two swordsmen, Heizim and Erebe, kept them occupied. Pa¡¯al moved to intercept the two charging trolls. He blocked the down-swept mace of the first while simultaneously slicing at the hamstring of the second. But his slash at the second troll missed by a hair, and the troll slipped past him, headed straight for Qara. Jasper didn¡¯t have enough mana left to cast one of his spells, but he threw himself in front of her, spewing a thin stream of fire from his hands. The troll stumbled back, bellowing, as the flames ate at his flesh. Flailing wildly, its mace smashed into Jasper¡¯s side, tossing him into the ground like a ragdoll. But he had bought Qara enough time to finish her spell. Glacier. The word hung in the air for a moment, heavy with power. Then the earth around the four remaining trolls erupted up in a shower of icy sparks, as the ice rose to consume its targets. The trolls thrashed and fought but could not escape the icy blasts until at last each was entombed in a frozen pillar. Slowly, Jasper dragged himself off the ground, a spasm of pain ripping through his chest as he struggled for air. ¡°I think my ribs are broken.¡± Pa¡¯al rummaged in his bag and tossed him a potion. ¡°Thanks for the assist, fire-boy. If that troll had gotten to Qara, this whole situation could have gone sideways.¡± Twisting the cap off, Jasper downed its contents in a single go. It tasted amazing, like the best dessert he had ever had. Huh, I guess a spoonful of sugar really does make the medicine go down. The potion worked its magic swiftly, as his ribs popped back into place, each fracture sealed better than before. He hopped to his feet, ready to descend into the city below, but Qara signaled for him to stop. ¡°Ihra, Jasper, before we head down, you should meditate. I¡¯m sure you both leveled up from that fight, and every level you can get will help out down there. We¡¯ll keep watch while you meditate.¡± He sat back down and closed his eyes. I am the river; I flow around all things. I am the rock; all things flow around me. He popped back into the void. He strode forward and grabbed Kas?dael¡¯s hand, although a shudder raced down his back at the thought of what was to come when he left the void. Steeling his mind, he focused on his stats.
Jasper Welles (14) Level up available: X6 Exp: 100/400 Health 340 Stamina 580 Essence 760 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 12 Born of Flames Sacred Star Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 15 Locked Purge Sling V
Vision 15 Locked Eternal Night Glaive IV
Inspiration 24 Locked
Willpower 24
Charisma 12
Jasper eyed the level-ups with elation. Level twenty at last. In Corysthia: Desolyton, every twenty levels came with a random bonus. He hoped it would be good. With 18 points to spend, Jasper decided to dump six each in inspiration and willpower, and threw the remaining three into strength and charisma. Never hurts to have more health.When he finished assigning the last of his points, a new screen popped up.
Reward Box A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Please select one current spell to enhance and one of three new spells: Fire Shackles - Summon up to three fiery manacles, rooting foes in place for thirty seconds. Cost: 100 essence Sin Eater - Feed on the sins of your foes. When cast on a suitable foe, sacrifice 5% of your mana to restore 10% of your health. Inflicts damage on foe equal to the amount of health gained. Fiery Charge - Meld as one with your mount. For 1 minute, you and your mount are consumed with sacred flames. Gain +100% speed and +200% charge damage. Cost: 200 stamina
Jasper immediately dismissed Fiery Charge. While the skill admittedly sounded awesome and used stamina, which he didn¡¯t have any spells for yet, until he had a mount, it was worthless to him. Unfortunately, he needed something that would help him now. He hoped the skill might be available again later. The real choice was between fire shackles and sin eater. Sin eater seemed to belong in a similar category as Purge. A healing skill would normally be the immediate choice, but like Purge, the spell would only work if cast on a ¡°sinful¡± enemy. He had yet to use Purge in battle because he was afraid to rely on a spell that might misfire. Of course, given the history of Yhar-Khennnor, it was probably a good bet that most of the enemies he would face down there would be considered ¡°sinful.¡± Still, Jasper hesitated. In Corysthia: Desolyton, the spells you chose affected the class evolutions you were offered. If he kept taking these spells, he¡¯d probably get offered something like Flame Inquisitor. In Jasper¡¯s opinion, the sort of players who tended to gravitate towards those kinds of classes usually had a bit too much darkness in their own hearts. Ultimately, it was the last battle that made his decision for him. If Qara had taken even a second longer to cast her spell, the battle might have gone very differently. Sometimes, the key to victory was controlling the battlefield. Fire Shackles wasn''t the sexiest choice, but it what was he needed. Selecting Fire Shackles, Jasper turned to his limited list of spells. The upgrade choice seemed obvious - Sacred Star was by far his most used spell. Accepting the upgrade, he examined the new description.
Sacred Star II 100 essence An enhanced version of the spell, Sacred Star II summons five small explosive orbs of fire with improved tracking abilities. Perfect for the aspiring mage who doesn¡¯t want to kill his party.
He took one last glance over his new stats. Not too shabby.
Jasper Welles (20) Level up available: Exp: 100/400 Health 400 Stamina 700 Essence 1000 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 15 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 15 Locked Purge Sling V
Vision 15 Locked Eternal Night Glaive IV
Inspiration 30 Locked Fiery Shackles
Willpower 30
Charisma 15
Then, with a shudder, he prepared himself for what was to come. Banishing the screen, he was once again pulled into her embrace, as his screams echoed in the void. Sputtering for breath, he opened his eyes back with the group. Qara cast a quizzical gaze at him - meditation was, after all, supposed to be calming - but said nothing. While he and Ihra had meditated, the rest of the party had efficiently gathered up the loot, at least what was left of it. Jasper¡¯s bombastic spells had left much of the armor melted and warped beyond repair. Once Ihra came out of meditation, the group fell into order and entered the cave. The descent was torturous. Two hours later, the group was still winding its way down a cramped spiral staircase, carved deep into the stone. Just wide enough for them to advance single file, and so short that even the shortest of the group had to hunch over, their descent was slow and torturous. Jasper could not even begin to estimate how many steps he had gone down - or worse, how many steps he would have to climb up on the way back. His thoughts drifted, and he wondered idly how the trolls could descend into the city - they were much larger than he. Maybe there''s an easier entrance? From time to time, they¡¯d pass a small passageway, branching off into the dark. The passageways were even smaller than the staircase, rising little more than a foot in height. He¡¯d questioned Qara about them when they first saw them, before he got too weary to care, and she¡¯d explained that the Tanin could walk bipedally or quadrupedally. He shuddered as he passed them, an ominous feeling emanating from the dark passageways. He wouldn''t admit it to the group, but Jasper could swear he had heard the faint sound of scampering footsteps echoing down their dark depths. Jasper had begun to believe that the stairs would never end, that they were trapped in an eternal loop, when the jubilant cries of his group told him that they had reached the end. The group spilled out into a large clearing, the ceilings above soaring to unknown heights. The group fanned out in formation, assessing the room for threats. After a few tense moments, they relaxed, the stress flowing off their shoulders. ¡°It looks clear. Let¡¯s set up camp here and recuperate a bit for continuing on.¡± Qara spoke softly, her voice just above a whisper. ¡°Remember, no wandering off.¡± Jasper plopped on the ground, arms outstretched on the stony croppings. While his physical fitness was improving rapidly, he still had a long way to match the other party members. Without meaning to, he drifted off to sleep. Seemingly seconds later, he awoke to Ihra punching him in the shoulder. ¡°Here¡± she whispered, shoving something into his hand. ¡°Eat fast, we¡¯re about to leave.¡± Staggering to his feet, Jasper took a bite of the hard biscuit, remembering with some regret the soft bread he used to love. Curiously, he walked across the small plateau. A few feet away from where the group had stopped, the ground dropped off into a steep cliff face. Peering down, he could see the city far below. The architecture was strange. Domes littered the ground, here and there broken up by tall round towers, while a thundering river wound its way through the heart of the city. All throughout the city, small lights shone and glittered in the dark. ¡°Qara, are there people still living in the city? Why are there so many lights?¡± Qara shook her head. ¡°Perhaps there are still some Tannin hiding in those god-forsaken passageways, but the city is abandoned. They forged those lights from their victims. Each one is crafted from a trapped soul, set aflame. Those accursed lights will burn for millennia.¡± Jasper looked at the lights in horror, the thought of being tortured for practically an eternity opening a gaping chasm of dread in his mind. I guess in retrospect I definitely could have used Sin Eater down here. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we try to set them free?¡± Pa¡¯al was the one to reply, stepping beside Jasper to look out over the city. ¡°There¡¯d be no point. Whatever foul rituals those lizards used, there¡¯s no coming back from it. The souls can¡¯t be resurrected, and whatever sentience they once had is long gone. Now there¡¯s only pain. But their light still serves a purpose; it¡¯s saved many a guilder from a grisly end.¡± Packing up their gear, the group began the long descent to the city. There was only a single path down. The trail was just wide enough for them to pass, and it hugged the right side of the wall, purposefully designed to prevent any intruders, most of whom would be right-handed, from having enough space to swing their weapons. Clever, he had to admit, although it wouldn''t stop a mage. He kept his eyes glued to the ground at his feet, studiously ignoring the precipitous drop-off. Jasper wasn¡¯t afraid of heights, not really, he just had a very healthy respect for them. His mind flashed back to his perilous route across the rafters in the academy. Why does everything have to be so damned high? Couldn¡¯t we get something nice and low to the ground? When they reached the outskirts of the city, Jasper saw that the domes were actually houses. Drawing close to examine one, he realized that each and every one of them had been carved out of the rock itself, the odd structures resembling giant stone igloos. There didn¡¯t appear to be any particular order to the domes. They were scattered in a haphazard array, some directly on top of each other or fused together, with narrow corridors weaving their way in between. There was something strangely disorienting about the city, and at first Jasper couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Pausing for a moment to take the view in, the reason for his discomfort finally dawned on him: there were almost no straight lines anywhere in the city. All the architecture was curved in one way or another. Realizing he was falling slightly behind the group, he picked up the pace to catch up when his ears caught the faintest sound. From behind one of the nearest domes, a faint, drawling whisper echoed. ¡°Jaaassper. Jasper, come here.¡± A chill ran down his spine, and he practically hurtled between the domes toward his group. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to go home?¡± The tone was alternatively mocking and seductive, the unspoken promise of the words heavy in the air. Lies, he thought and he ran back to Ihra, gasping for breath. She glanced at him, taking in his wide eyes. ¡°Did you hear them?¡± He nodded silently. No more needed to be said. They trudged for hours throughout the dark city, no sounds to be heard beyond the rushing of the river or the mocking whispers for those who tarried. In the endless dark, it was hard to keep track of the passing time, but when they stumbled past a dome in good shape, lit inside with one of the soul lights, Qara called for a stop. Jasper helped Pa¡¯al carry rocks in to block up the opening, which Qara then sealed further with a thick coating of ice. Satisfied that they were secure, they ate a quick meal and went to sleep. Jasper dreamed the sky was falling. The Horror Below Jasper dreamed that the sky was falling. The heavens glowed an ominous red, and in the distance the relentless booming of drums echoed as rocks fells from the heavens. He awoke to a shower of dust and gravel in his face. BOOM. The dome shook with the impact, and more of the ceiling crumbled. BOOM. Leaping to his feet, he saw the others fumbling in the dark, the shattered soul light on the floor giving off only the palest of light. BOOM. With a thunderous roar, the ceiling caved in. In the faint glow of the city''s lights, something stepped down into the room. Black scales covered the creature¡¯s flesh, ending in vicious claws that glowed with a subtle light. Four arms sprouted from its side, and from its head two great horns sprung. It opened its mouth in a wide grin, reviewing row upon row of razor-sharp teeth, as it bellowed its challenge. Atrometos. The group attacked as one. Jasper cast a stream of Sacred Stars at the creature, while Ihra fired her arrows at his side. Pa¡¯al leaped in front of the Atrometos, raising his shield and slashing at it with his great-axe, the two swordsmen leaping to his aid, as Qara barraged it with icy spears. In an instant, it was over. With a casual swipe of its hands, the creature sent Pa¡¯al flying back with such force that he crashed through the stone walls of the dome, landing in the streets beyond in a mangled mess. Ignoring the swordsmen and archers, the beast stepped forward to Qara. She blocked its first and second strikes with her staff, the enchanted wood straining under the weight of its blows. But on the third strike, the staff crumbled. The next blow ripped through her chest, piercing her heart. With the strength that only comes in crises, Qara launched onto its arm with all her might, as she struggled to prevent the creature from withdrawing its arm from her body. As her lifeblood poured out, she pumped all of her essence into a veritable avalanche of ice, temporarily freezing the Atrometos in place. ¡°RUN¡± she screamed. Jasper turned to run and saw Ihra transfixed with horror at the scene unfolding before them. Damn it. He grabbed her hand and tugged. ¡°Come on.¡± He dragged her behind him, as he stumbled into the dark, dimly aware of the fleeing forms of the others running beside him. With a roar, the Atrometos broke free of the ice, and a moment later its heavy thumps could be heard chasing after them. A clawed hand whistled through the hair, and with a scream, Heizim was yanked back. Seconds later his corpse was hurled past them, smashing into a dome beyond. The winding road split and Jasper and Ihra turned right, the others racing to the left with the Atrometos in hot pursuit. Jasper and Ihra hurtled through the streets, stumbling over their feet in their haste, as the screams of their party members ripped through the silent city. Then the city fell silent. They skidded to a halt, their ears straining for any sound of the monster. Nothing could be heard, but the rushing of the nearby river. Maybe it''s gone? Thud. Thud. Thud-thud-thud-thud. They broke into mad flight once more as the sounds of the Atrometos crashing through the city quickly closed upon them. Suddenly, Jasper spied a small crevice ahead. Yanking hard on Ihra¡¯s hand, he pulled her into the tight space. ¡°What are you do-?!¡± He shoved his hands over her mouth, cutting off her scream, and raised a finger to his lips. As the crashing sounds were almost upon them, Jasper cast Eternal Night. The void stretched out around them, obscuring them from sight in an icy bubble of darkness. The Atrometos emerged into view and stopped, the scent of its prey suddenly gone. It paced the streets in front of them and paused in front of their bubble, confused by the cold, dark crevice in the street. Jasper cast the spell again, another thirty seconds winding down, and then again. Last cast; I¡¯m out of essence. At last, the Atrometos turned away and slowly disappeared out of sight behind a dome. They sat there for hours, Jasper repeatedly casting the spell whenever he had enough essence, terrified to venture back into the city. From time to time, whispers came out of the darkness. ¡°Jaassper. Don¡¯t you want to go home? All you¡¯ve got to do is come to me. Be at peace, again.¡± ¡°Ihhhra. Don¡¯t you know you can¡¯t trust him? He¡¯ll leave you to die alone in this city, sacrifice you to the Atrometos to save himself. But I¡¯ll save you. Just come to me.¡± Ihra rocked back and forth in the dark, her hands over her ears, muffled sobs escaping into the night. Shaky himself, Jasper didn¡¯t know what to do. Awkwardly, he tried to get give her a reassuring pat on the back. She reacted swiftly, knocking his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± she hissed venomously. He yanked his hand back and scooched a bit away from her. Eventually, her tears ceased, and she dried her eyes. With a sigh, she looked up at him. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry-¡± He cut her off. ¡°No need to apologize.¡± ¡°No, I know you were just trying to help. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be alive right now. I know it, you know it. And a lot of times, when a man helps a woman, he expects something in return.¡± ¡°I would nev-¡± She raised her hands. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m not accusing you of anything, I just¡­.I just don¡¯t like to be touched, that¡¯s all.¡± They lapsed into an awkward silence for a few minutes, before Jasper spoke up again. ¡°So how the hell are we getting out of here?¡± They cautiously emerged from the crevice and examined the area. ¡°I don¡¯t see the path we came down on, do you?¡± ¡°No,¡± she agreed. ¡°I could probably use my tracking skills to find our way back to where" - her voice caught - ¡°you know. But even if I could, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s safe. What even attracted that thing to us?¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°No, you¡¯re right. It would probably be too dangerous. I think the group was keeping something from us. A couple of nights ago, when Qara was teaching me how to use unstructured magic, I caught sight of some sort of artifact she had. I could feel it - it was giving off a weird pulse - but when I asked her about it, she wouldn¡¯t tell me what it was, just said it was ¡®for the mission.¡¯¡± ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Ihra whisper-shouted excitedly. ¡°I had forgotten all about it till you mentioned secrets. When Qara sent Rashpa and me out to scout the trolls, she told me about a backup plan they had - said she didn¡¯t think that it was right that Qara was keeping it from us. There should be a temple-" she scanned the view before pointing up ¡°a temple that has an old teleportation device in it. If something went wrong, we were supposed to flee to the temple, and escape from there.¡± The temple stood high above them, built into a cliff on the other side of the river. Jasper whistled softly, craning his neck to see the temple. ¡°Boy, that¡¯s a long way up. But, it¡¯s a plan.¡± They crept through the winding streets as quietly as they could, ears and eyes straining for even the faintest into of danger. Aside from the Atrometos, and the taunting whispers, there had been no sign of an enemy. Qara had believed that there was a group of trolls searching for something in the city, but they had yet to encounter any signs of them. When they reached the banks of the river, it was obvious that they could not just swim across. The waters frothed and raged through the city, sharp rocks thrusting out of the water like mountains in a drowned world. Peering over the edge, Jasper could see no sign of the bottom through the frothing waters. Guess we got to find a bridge. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. They followed the river for quite some time. The rushing roar of its waters brought a welcome respite from the whispers in the dark, drowning its insidious refrain. After an hour, they finally spotted a bridge ahead. Four trolls patrolled the entry, with two guards posted on each side of the river. Crap. Jasper turned to Ihra. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan here? I¡¯ve got a spell that will let me bind three of them in shackles for thirty seconds. I might be able to blow them up with Sacred Star in that time, if you can occupy the fourth.¡± She shook her head vigorously. ¡°What about the Atrometos? If we make too much noise, it might attract its attention. We¡¯ve got to either find a way to kill them quietly or sneak past them.¡± She paused, before continuing. ¡°I think I have a skill that can kill one of them, if you can get the other.¡± Jasper mulled his options. Ihra was right, which meant that Sacred Star, his favorite spell was out of the question. Eternal Night would buff his damage but didn¡¯t do any damage on its own. And Fiery Shackles was a control spell that only did minor damage. Which really only left Purge. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to try it yet, but he had found a description of it in the guild¡¯s library, and it was supposed to be pretty stealthy. It will have to do, he decided. They slowly slipped into position. The roar of the river covered the sound of their approach, allowing them to draw quite close to the unwary trolls. Gesturing with his hands, Jasper counted down their attack. 1, 2, 3. Purge. The spell hit his troll with a strange, wet crunch. Immediately, its throat blazed red, as the troll grasped its throat, trying to scream but unable, the blood inside its veins turned to molten lava that consumed it from the inside out. It thrashed wildly, writhing in agony, before collapsing in a strangely depleted heap. Jasper watched in fascinated horror, unable to tear his eyes away from the ghastly spectacle. Yep, definitely don¡¯t want to go down the Inquisitor path. Tearing his eyes free, he looked over to his partner. Ihra stood panting over a troll corpse, its head rolling on the ground beside it while the cauterized neck still glowed with embers of flame. ¡°What was that?¡± he asked her. ¡°Executioner¡¯s Arrow. It takes a really long time to charge, so it¡¯s not much use in a fight, but if you have the time to use it, it¡¯s great. Shoot an arrow in the neck, and it transforms into a fiery blade that tries to chop off the head. Great spell.¡± She looked at his shriveled troll corpse. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Purge. An inquisitor spell.¡± That was all that needed to be said. He patted down the troll¡¯s corpse, pulling out a coin purse, then peered down the long bridge, at least two hundred yards in length. The long bridge reminded him of a petrified caterpillar; row after row of arches plunged into the river below, while the sides gleamed with oddly shaped spikes whose purpose he couldn¡¯t fathom. In the dim light of the soul lamps, he could barely perceive the guards on the other side. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in luck; the others guards haven¡¯t budged.¡± The long bridge was fully exposed, perhaps the only straight line Jasper had seen in this godforsaken city, so there were no obvious places to hide or take cover. Thus, they raced across it, as quickly and silently as possible, the patter of their footsteps largely drowned out by the roar of the rushing waters below. The second guards never heard them coming, and the grisly scene played out again. Purge. They quickly searched the bodies, before vanishing into the winding streets, not daring to stay near the corpses for long, lest they attract unwanted attention. As they moved further from the river¡¯s roar, the whispers started again. ¡°Jaaasper. The temple will be your death.¡± The words ate at his mind. How do they know so much? ¡°Jaaasper. The shrine is opened, the sealed are awakened, but I can help you. Let¡¯s make a deal.¡± He dug his fingernails into his hands, gouging the skin, as he fought to ignore their taunting pleas. But the realization slowly dawned on him. However the whispers got their knowledge, their words had revealed one thing: they knew far, far too much about him and Ihra. And what they had said was accurate. Yes, it was designed to provoke them into going to the shadows and treating with whatever they were, but their information was still true - which meant that death awaited them at the temple. He passed his thoughts to Ihra, who agreed. ¡°Rather than going straight to the temple, let¡¯s scout it carefully first.¡± He pointed to another small cliff that rose slightly above the temple. ¡°If we can make it up there, we should be able to scout it out.¡± As Jasper clung to the side of the cliff, hundreds of feet up in the air, he found himself cursing his life decisions. ¡°Stupid bloody game, I just had to play it.¡± His hand slipped as the small ledge he¡¯d grabbed crumbled beneath his weight, and only his greatly enhanced strength allowed him to barely cling on. There was no other handhold within easy reach, but one was there just out of reach. Grumbling beneath his breath, he launched himself higher, grabbing the ledge and scrambling further up the rock face. Why does it always have to be heights?
Ihra climbed the cliff face easily, her class skills lending her exceptional balance and agility. She kept an eye on her strange partner as he struggled about the cliff, cursing about a ¡°game.¡± She hoped he wasn¡¯t losing his grip on reality. Ihra recalled what the whispers had said, that he¡¯d leave her behind to die. She hoped that wasn¡¯t true - he really had saved her life with the Atrometos - but if there was one thing she¡¯d learned in life, it was that you couldn¡¯t trust anyone. Trust was for idiots who had just been lucky enough to not get burned. Yet. Heaving herself to the top, she engaged her Farsight skill to scope out the temple. The temple was truly breathtaking. Rising almost two hundred feet into the air, the giant edifice seemed carved out of a solid block of black, shiny stone. Obsidian? A perfect circle, its walls were broken by four monumental entrances that towered all the way up to the great dome that capped it. Every inch of the walls was covered in giant reliefs depicting all manner of strange creatures, ancient battles, and foul atrocities, all of them stained in a dull reddish color. But the temple was not abandoned. Trolls patrolled its grounds, far too many for her and Jasper to fight. How many even are there? 50? 100? It was not the trolls that chilled her to the core, though. In the center of the rotunda, twelve massive chairs were arrayed around the portal gate. Twelve Atrometos sat in those chairs, unmoving, while a thirteenth slowly paced through the temple¡¯s courts. Selene¡¯s Grace, she swore to herself. There was no way they could beat that many. As she swept her eye over the temple one more time, she saw someone she had missed. Chained to the portal gate was a small, mangled, human. Is that Pa¡¯al? The events of the fight were chaotic, but she thought he had been the first to fall after he was thrown through the walls of the dome. Apparently, the tank¡¯s prodigious health had let him cling to life, although judging by the state he was in, she doubted he would last for long. With one last heave, her partner pulled himself over the edge of the cliff, flopping on his back and gasping for air. She turned to him, the fear no doubt writ large across her face. Seeing her doleful look, he dragged himself up. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± Ihra nodded, unable to trust herself to speak, lest she break down in tears at the futility of their fate. Choking back her emotions, she finally found the strength to tell him the news. ¡°It¡¯s like the whispers said. There¡¯s only death there.¡± She pointed out the Atrometos, the trolls, and Pa¡¯al, numb to the situation before her. ¡°Qara thought this was a rival expedition, but this? This is an invasion. Even if we had the whole Hargish guild and the Barracks with us, we couldn¡¯t beat this force.¡± He stared in grim silence, the impossibility of their predicament no doubt preying on his mind as much as hers. Finally, he spoke. ¡°Whelp, I guess there¡¯s only one thing left to do: talk to the Whispers.¡± Great. He¡¯s lost his mind. Ihra stared in horror at Jasper¡¯s proposal. He raised his hands, defending himself. ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s a terrible idea. I know Qara said to never, ever listen to the whispers. But Qara is dead, and all her advice really didn''t stop our group from getting ripped to shreds. Yes, the Whispers probably just want to kill me, but that, down there¡± - he pointed to the temple - ¡°that will definitely kill me. The way I see it, our choices are certain death or probable death, so I¡¯ll go with the option that has a slight chance of me living through it.¡± ¡°We could try to sneak-¡± He cut her off, ¡°What, through a hundred trolls and thirteen Atrometos with the keen senses of a bloodhound? Eternal Night is a stationary spell. Even if I had an endless source of essence, it still wouldn¡¯t be able to get us through all those troops.¡± ¡°We could try to find the entrance we originally came in from.¡± Jasper shrugged. ¡°Can you do it? Because I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have a clue where I came into the cavern from; it was nothing more than a small door at the top of a cliff, and this city is a confusing nightmare to traverse. And that¡¯s assuming we don¡¯t just run into the Atrometos again. We have no supplies left and there¡¯s nothing down here to hunt for food, so time is not on our side.¡± He sighed, running his fingers through his shaggy hair. ¡°I just don¡¯t see another option.¡± The Whispers It was a long and treacherous climb back down the cliff face, and Jasper watched with a bit of envy as Ihra effortlessly glided from ledge to ledge. She''s definitely got an elf heritage, he mused. She landed with an athletic leap that would have earned unanimous 10s from an Olympic committee, while he, after losing his grip on the ledge, fell with an unceremonious thump on his back. ¡°Ugh.¡± Grunting with pain, he rolled to his feet. The cliffside was draped in deep darkness, rising along the outskirts of the city, far from the scattered lights of the soul lamps. The whispers are silent here. He called out to them, but there was no response. "I guess we''ll have to go back to the city." It was a short walk, no more than thirty minutes, before they returned to the eerily lit domes. As soon as they entered the accursed ruins, the whispers started up. ¡°Jaaasper. You¡¯ve returned. Have you seen the truth of my words? Come to me.¡± Jasper shook off the chills that ran down his back and, planting his feet in the street, called out with a confidence he didn''t possess. ¡°Why not talk here? Can you give us passage from this city or not?¡± A chuckle rang out through the streets. ¡°If you want my help, COME. TO. ME.¡± He shared a worried glance with Ihra, but knew he had no choice. "Very well." He raised his hands in defeat. ¡°Where am I going?¡± Three of the soul lights further down the road suddenly flicked off. ¡°Here.¡± Squaring his shoulders, Jasper walked into the darkness, hoping he wasn¡¯t going to his doom. As he stepped out of the light, he sensed a change in the air. There was a presence here, a creature of shadow. The dark slithered and coiled around him, misty tendrils prodding and poking, pulling and sliding around his form. He fought the urge to panic. I am the river- ¡°Now, now,¡± the voice almost purred in his mind, ¡°no need for your little mantra. I have a deal to offer you.¡± He stood stiff, fighting to stay calm as the tendrils wrapped around him. ¡°The accursed ones made me, tortured me, bound me. The great ones came and wiped them out, but not all of them. Some of the accursed still linger in the dark, hiding like rats down in their cramped passageways, ever lurking just out of my reach. I want the vermin exterminated, that''s all. Just kill the accursed for me, and I will solve your little problem.¡± Jasper¡¯s mind reeled, trying to decode the creature¡¯s words. ¡°Who are the accursed - do you mean the Tannin?¡± The tendrils around him spasmed, nearly crushing the breath out of him, before relaxing a bit. ¡°The Accurrrrsed.¡± Its voice roiled with venomous hatred. ¡°The task of wiping them all out is beyond a little one like you, but there¡¯s a certain group, a tiresome group that continuously disturbs the peace of my city. They lurk in the shadows at the edge of the city, ever trying my patience with their detestable presence. Kill them, and I will take care of your troll problem.¡± The tendrils wrapped tighter around him, creeping across his face. ¡°I¡¯ll even rescue the man. A favor for a favor, just between friends.¡± Jasper squirmed, barely able to contain his panic. ¡°No.¡± He managed to grind the word out. The tendrils wrapped around him tighter, crushing his ribs in a vice-like grip. ¡°No? Do you mean to die here in the city?¡± ¡°You only promised to kill the trolls and free Pa¡¯al. You said nothing about sparing our lives. I¡¯ll kill your accursed, if you promise that after the deed is done, you kill the trolls and Atrometos, and let us go - me, Ihra, and any other member of our party left alive. I¡¯m sure as a friend you wouldn¡¯t want me to die so soon.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t think it likely that anyone else had survived, but after seeing Pa¡¯al alive, he couldn¡¯t be certain that the rest were dead. The creature let out another low rumble - Jasper could not tell if it was a chuckle or a growl - and relented. The tendrils slithered off his form, retreating into the looming darkness. He dropped to the ground, landing on his knees before it. ¡°I see the Dark Lady chose carefully. The deal is acceptable. The accursed wander the outskirts on the east of the city. Kill them, and I will do as you said.¡± A large copper coin appeared in the air. Falling to the ground, it rolled to a stop at Jasper¡¯s feet. ¡°Use this to guide you to their location. It will grow hotter as you approach your destination.¡± Jasper picked it up and took a few steps back to where Ihra was waiting. He paused for a moment, and turned back one last time. ¡°I think I know what you are. The group said there was nothing but pain in the city, but that''s not true, is it? You''re the soul lamps.¡± He hesitated, before continuing. "I''m sorry for what the Tannin did to you. I''ll try to kill them." The whispers gave no reply, but Jasper took their silence as assent. He walked back to Ihra, his skin still crawling. He could not escape the dread that the tendrils were just behind, ready to start slithering across his skin at any moment. With a shudder, he did his best to dismiss the feeling. As he drew close, Jasper tossed the coin to her. ¡°Heads up!¡± ¡°What?¡± Caught by surprise, Ihra''s heightened senses still allowed her to lithely pluck the coin out of the air. She examined it for a second, a confused look on her face. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got a quest. Go kill some creepy monsters for another creepy monster, and in turn, the creepy monster will kill a bunch of creepy monsters for us. A mutual murder pact, if you will.¡± A bit more seriously, he continued. ¡°Apparently the rumors of surviving Tanin were true. The whispers want us to kill a group that is prowling on the edge of its territory, and in return, it will kill the forces in the temple and let us leave.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Can we trust it?¡± He shrugged, waving his hands helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The creature reminded me of stories I used to read about the fe-," he corrected himself, "fairies. They couldn''t lie, but you had to be very careful with the agreements you made with them. Any ambiguities, and they''d screw you over. For some reason, I got the same feeling about the whispers. I think it will honor its words, but will happily screw us over if there''s a way to do so without breaking its agreement. In the end, though, it¡¯s really our only option, unless you want to fight an army of trolls and Atrometos.¡± She frowned, but nodded reluctantly. ¡°And the coin?¡± ¡°Some sort of magical compass. Supposed to get really hot when we get close to the targets.¡± Ihra flipped it back to him. ¡°Then I think you, as the resident fire mage, should carry it.¡± He snatched it out of the air and cupped it in his hands. ¡°Alright, the whispers said to go east. Any idea where east is in this dark hole?¡± After several false starts, the pair finally found a direction that the coin responded to. It quickly took them past the dimly light domes into the rocky cavern beyond. The underbrush in the cave was surprisingly dense. While the hardy plants that had somehow found a way to survive bereft of sunlight were a true testament to nature''s adaptability, their razor-sharp leaves made their trek slow and difficult. Jasper was forced to rely on Ihra¡¯s superior senses - vision being one of her primary stats - as he could only faintly make out his surroundings, the distant lights of the city doing little to illuminate the far reaches of the cavern. She finally ground to a halt at the top of a small hill, signaling for him to stop. The coin burned in his hand, telling him that their quarry was near. Ihra pointed to a hollow below them. Jasper could make out the faintest flicker of a lit fire, around which a few shadows moved. ¡°There¡¯s a few small domes - huts? - ahead. I can see -¡± she counted quickly ¡°nine forms moving, although there could be more in the huts. Three of them are isolated. I think I can take those three out without raising the alarm.¡± Taking careful aim with her bow, she picked the Tannin off one by one. The shadows dropped to the ground without even making a whimper. They held their breath, waiting to see if the alarm was raised, but the moments ticked on in silence. She turned to him with a triumphant grin. ¡°Alright, your turn, fire-boy.¡± Jasper crept closer to the fire, finally able to get a good view of the creatures milling around it. They were surprisingly small, little more than 3 feet tall when standing up, and his thoughts flashed back to the monumental architecture of the temple. Did they actually build that? How? He was forced to admit that the little lizard beings, with their oversized crocodile heads, were almost cute, and he felt a bit bad about killing them. He had to remind himself of the atrocities they were said to have performed - the ritual sacrifice of thousands, cannibalism, the enslavement of souls, and worse - but his words rang a bit hollow. That was their ancestors, not them. He hesitated, struggling to do the deed. It¡¯s them or me. The decision was made for him. One of the small creatures suddenly spotted him. Pointing it gave a strange, trilling cry, ¡°Ke-ke-li! Ke-ke-li!¡± and shook its spear over its head, before charging toward him. Crap. With two quick casts of Fiery Shackles, he bound the six creatures in place, as with the other hand, he quickly cast Sacred Star. A moment later, the hollow lit up with fiery explosions. Buffeted by the explosive blast, the spear one of the creatures had been holding whizzed past his head into the dark, narrowly missing him. For a moment, everything was silent, the still burning rubble providing a warm, welcoming, light after days in the dark, cold city. And then the walls of one of the small domes exploded in a shower of falling rocks. A large form emerged from within, rising to a height of ten feet. Throwing back its monstrous crocodilian maw, the creature gave a challenging bellow. Jasper¡¯s blood froze, and he felt as if he had suddenly found himself as one of the disposable extras on the cast of Jurassic Park. With a shake, he flung himself to the side as billowing clouds of steam erupted from the creature¡¯s mouth. Swiftly rolling through the underbrush, Jasper could hear his skin crackling and popping from the supercharged liquid. He screamed in pain as the harsh foliage lacerated his ruined skin. Choking back a sob, he rolled onto his knees and cast Sacred Star. The five projectiles flowed out from his hand. His aim was off, but the five missiles curved back towards the creature, slamming into it with concussive force. To his left, Ihra peppered the beast with fiery arrows. As the smoke from his spell cleared, Jasper was shocked to see that the monstrous Tannin stood unharmed. A single arrow was lodged itself into his skin, and, with a contemptuous yank, the beast ripped it out, tossing it into the brush. Jasper desperately flung himself to the side again as another superheated blast of steam was sent his way. Scrambling across the rocky terrain, ripping open his tender skin on the sharp stones, he threw himself behind the shelter of a half-crumbled dome, as another pillar of steam ripped through where he had been standing. Peaking around the corner, he saw the beast had dismissed him. It turned towards Ihra, who was still bombarding it with arrows, a few of which, here and there, had managed to pierce its skin. With a low bellow, the lumbering beast dropped on all fours and charged towards Ihra. Jasper leapt out of cover and cast two Sacred Stars at the monster, screaming at the monster at the top of his lungs. The explosions lit up the back of the beast, the monster''s armored skin effortlessly shrugging off the fire. But the beast turned back to face the threat it had dismissed. Jasper reached for his magic again, but it felt thin, hard to hold onto. I¡¯m almost out of essence. As the beast charged toward him, Jasper began to cast Sacred Star but caught himself. That won''t work. With quick movements, he cast his last two spells. Fiery Shackles clamped down on the beast¡¯s legs. The creature''s momentum worked against it, and it slammed into the ground with an earthshaking thud. With the second hand, Jasper cast Purge. The effect was immediate. While the monster¡¯s scales were almost impervious to flames, its insides were not flame resistant. The beast¡¯s throat turned a deep ruby red, its bellow cut short as it was slowly seared from the inside out. But unlike the troll, the Tanin was not so easily subdued. Pounding its fists into the ground, it pushed itself up, and with a tremendous pull, it shattered the fiery shackles. The molten embers of Purge still burning beneath its skin, it took a slow, pained step towards Jasper. Panicked, Jasper reached for his essence, but found nothing left for a spell. Forced to rely on unstructured magic, he lit his hands on fire and prepared to face the beast. But despair clutched at his heart. How could one stand against a monster like this? As the Tannin loomed over him, its monstrous maw opening wide, an arrow ripped through the air, burying itself deep into the monster¡¯s glowing throat. The beast stumbled back, desperately clawing at the new threat, but it was no use. The offending arrow transformed into the glowing blade of an executioner¡¯s axe, slicing deep into the neck. Executioner¡¯s Arrow, Jasper realized. A second later, its head plopped on the ground. Jasper sank to his knees as Ihra emerged from behind the monster. They sat in silence for a while, as the world around them burned. Escape from the Temple After a few moments, Ihra shook Jasper¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on. We probably shouldn¡¯t linger here. Who knows how many Tannin might be lurking in the shadows.¡± Jasper fumbled for the coin in his pocket, squeezing it tight. It had gone stone cold. Rising to his feet, he took one last look at the smoldering wreckage before shaking it off. ¡°Yeah, the coin¡¯s gone cold, so I think we completed the mission. Hopefully, the Whispers have taken care of our troll problem.¡± The trek back to the city felt shorter, a weight lifted off their shoulders as the two almost dared to hope that perhaps their long, dark nightmare was coming to an end. When they reached the lights of the city again, Jasper held up the coin and called out. ¡°My side of the deal is done. Are you prepared to fulfill yours?¡± The lights around them flickered as a whisper hissed behind them. ¡°Go to the temple.¡± They climbed a steep corridor leading up to the temple grounds. Crouching down, they saw the trolls still guarding the entrance, the Atrometos hidden within the building. Jasper frowned. ¡°The trolls look very alive to me,¡± he softly called out to the whispers. A tendril shot out from the darkness, wrapping around Jasper¡¯s head. It tightened for a moment around his neck, as if about to break it, then slithered back, caressing his cheek as it left. ¡°Enjoy the show, Jaaasper.¡± In a sudden burst of violence, the trolls guarding the stairs were tossed into the air by an unseen force. Their fall was intercepted by dozens of shadowy tendrils which, with a sickening crunch, tore the bodies apart in a shower of gore. The whispers spoke into his ear. ¡°Head for the portal now. Run.¡± Jasper and Ihra charged up the stairs, racing past the ravaged corpses, as they fled into the depths of the temple compound. The shrieks and cries of the trolls echoed all around them as they were torn asunder by the unseen death that stalked the halls. Breaching the rotunda, they slid to a halt at the sight of the Atrometos. Their corpses had been lined up in a row on the ground before the gate. Despite their armored black scale, the Atrometos¡¯ chests were ripped open, the ribs splayed out, evidence of a strength Jasper could barely imagine. Pa¡¯al lay sprawled in from of the gate. He was barely breathing from the extent of his injuries, but the shackles that bound him lay open on the ground, shorn through. Jasper and Ihra rushed over to Pa¡¯al. He was a mess. One of his arms was bent at an odd angle, a foot was missing, and the breastplate of his armor was smashed in so thoroughly that Jasper could not understand how he was still alive. But the gentle rise and fall of his chest testified that he was. ¡°Quick, lend me a hand.¡± Jasper reached around to Pa¡¯al¡¯s side, and with Ihra¡¯s help, lifted him onto his shoulders. Then, staggering beneath the armored man¡¯s weight, he turned to the portal. The portal was a tall, three-sided triangular shape that appeared to be made of a solid, golden-hued metal. On each side of the three sides of the portal, a pressure plate was sunk into the ground. ¡°Did Rashpa tell you which side to use?¡± Ihra shook her head. ¡°Nope. If she knew there were three destinations, she didn¡¯t mention it.¡± Ihra scanned the three sides of the portal looking for any clues as to their destination. ¡°Nothing.¡± "Damn it." Jasper shifted under the crushing weight of Pa¡¯al. ¡°I can¡¯t hold him much longer. Just pick a side, quickly.¡± Ihra pointed to the third side. ¡°Something about that one feels better to me than the other two.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got a higher vision stat than me, so let¡¯s hope it guides us well.¡± Jasper stepped forward onto the plate, Ihra close behind. There was a clicking sound, and then the metallic side of the portal melted, turning into a viscous, metallic liquid. Jasper waited for a second, expecting the liquid to flow away, and leave some giant glowing doorway. But the liquid only slowly swirled around the gate. ¡°Are we supposed to go through the liquid?¡± Ihra shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never even seen a portal before.¡± A scream rang out behind them. One of the trolls, fleeing from the unseen nightmare that was tearing through the temple had escaped into the rotunda, hoping to flee through the portal. Bellowing in fear, it charged toward them. Jasper made his decision in a moment, plunging into the liquid with Ihra close on his heels. As soon as Ihra stepped off the pressure plate, the portal closed behind them with a click, and the liquid instantly hardened back into metal. The troll barreled into the now solid wall and was thrown back from the force of the impact. Panicked, it leapt onto another of the pressure plates. As the portal¡¯s metal turned to liquid, the whispers sent a tendril arcing through the air towards the troll¡¯s unsuspecting back. At the last minute, the tendril diverted to the side, slamming into the far side of the rotunda¡¯s wall with a resounding crack. The portal opened and the troll leapt within, the liquid quickly sealing up behind him. Jasper had had more than his share of unpleasant experiences since coming to Corsythia. The fact that having his heart repeatedly ripped out by an emo goddess wasn¡¯t even at the top of the list was a pretty good indicator of how his new life had been going. But traveling through the portal became an immediate contender for the top of that list. The instant he made contact with the liquid, Jasper was met with excruciating pain. The metallic liquid was scalding hot, and he slowly sunk deep into the viscous mixture, sinking like a stone beneath the waves. On reflex, he opened his mouth to scream, and the liquid poured in, flooding his lungs as a raging inferno burned within and without. The agony only swelled as he sunk deeper and deeper into the liquid. This is it. This is how I die. Suddenly, he found himself falling through the air. He landed face first in a prickly bush, the pain barely registering after the agony of the portal. The heavy weight of Pa¡¯al, who was still draped around his shoulders, drove him even further into the soft ground. A second later, Ihra plopped out of the portal, landing on him in a disorderly sprawl. He lay there, relishing the cool air on his burning lungs. Gasping, he coughed up streams of the still burning mixture on the ground, as the pain gradually melted away. With a heave, he managed to dislodge Pa¡¯al and Ihra from his back and stumbled up. Examining himself, he was relieved to find that, despite having felt as if he was plunged into molten lava, he was in fact entirely unharmed. A whimper escaped from the form beside him. Jolted into action, Jasper rooted through his bag for a potion. Dragging it out, he carefully poured the mixture into Pa¡¯al¡¯s mouth. The effects were slow - the damage Pa¡¯al had taken was far too extensive and had lingered for too long to be immediately reversed. But, slowly his broken ribs reset, his open wounds closed, and he regained consciousness. Jasper carefully dragged Pa¡¯al over to a tree, propping him up against the trunk. While the majority of the tank¡¯s injuries had been healed, two remained. His broken arm, which had been bent at a very unnatural angle was still misshaped, and his missing foot had not regrown, the stump merely healing over with the healing potion. Pa¡¯al¡¯s eyes were glazed at first, his consciousness still hazy, but at last he managed to form words. ¡°How the hell did you manage to get me out of that hell-hole?¡± His words croaked out, barely above a whisper. Jasper grimaced. His deal with the whispers paid off, but it had come with a heavy psychological toll. A shudder shook him as the horrifying memory of those tendrils caressing him rose unbidden to his mind. He decided not to mention the whispers, at least immediately. ¡°Rashpa told Ihra about your backup plan, the portal in the temple. We escaped through there.¡± ¡°But all those Atrometos and trolls, how did you-¡± Pa¡¯al trailed off, his mind latching onto a more important priority. ¡°Qara, the others?¡± He struggled to sit up, supporting himself along the tree trunk. Jasper shook his head. ¡°I think they are all dead. You were the only one we found. Can¡¯t they just pay the resurrection price?¡± The giant man resting before him suddenly looked very small and tired. Sorrow laced his speech. ¡°May the Lord of Mirth and Frost will it. But I fear that they may have suffered a final death. All of them have already been resurrected a few times, and the price increases quickly. But still, they might have been able to afford resurrection if they had not been killed by an Atrometos.¡± He spat on the ground, a surge of fury warring with the sorrow in his eyes. ¡°Atrometos deal massive soul damage to their victims. Their souls may well be damaged beyond repair, or at least, far beyond any price they could afford. We would never have accepted the commission if we knew there would be Atrometos. Atrometos are a task for the Imperial Guard, not lowly guilders like us.¡± He lapsed into silence, his eyes staring, unseeing, into the void. Jasper turned to check on Ihra and was disturbed to realize that she had still not awakened. She appeared physically unharmed, but placing his hand on her head, he found she was burning up. His ears pricked up as he noticed the gentle babble of a stream in the background. Picking her up, he started off in the direction of the sound. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He reached the stream quickly, and gently lowered her in, taking care to keep her head above the water. The water hissed as he placed her in, and copious clouds of steam roiled off the surface. How could she be that hot? He waited anxiously as her body cooled, and a wave of relief washed over him when she finally opened her eyes. Ihra stared at him in confusion for a second, his face looming over hers until, her body responding fasting than her mind, she punched him in the face. Startled Jasper, dropped her in the water, and she swiftly floated down the river before colliding with a log draped across the stream. Splashing and spluttering, she made her way to the side. ¡°Feeling better?¡± She shook herself dry, wringing as much water off her as she could before finally responding. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, I¡¯m sorry about the punch. You surprised me¡­¡± she trailed off, an embarrassed look on her face. Truthfully, Jasper felt a bit peeved about the punch. He was just trying to help. But he pushed his annoyance and gave a gracious smile. ¡°I know, but you were burning up with heat. I guess the portal was a lot harder on you than me.¡± She squinted her eyes, as she wrung the water out of her long, blonde hair. ¡°Well, you¡¯re a fire-boy, aren¡¯t you? Most of your kind have pretty good fire resistances. I don¡¯t know if that portal is broken, or if it¡¯s just a really painful experience, but your fire resistances had to help you a lot. But, uh, thanks for cooling me off.¡± Jasper hadn¡¯t considered that, and the thought gave him pause. It had been, by far, the most painful experience of his life, and he had 70% resistance to fire. Had the pain she experienced been several times worse? His annoyance with her melted away, replaced with sympathy. The two walked back to the tree where Pa¡¯al still sat, unable to easily move about without his leg. ¡°So, does anyone know where we are?¡± Pa¡¯al shifted, trying to stand. He pointed to the stream. ¡°I think that¡¯s the Rahne, one of the rivers that flow out from Yar-Khennor, so we probably came out on the north side of Hargish, quite a bit down the mountainside.¡± He paused, struggling again to stand to his feet, before settling back down in defeat. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can make the hike back to the city like this, and neither of you has a high enough strength stat to carry me all the way back. Just leave me here, and when you make it back to the city, the guild can send someone to retrieve me.¡± Jasper looked at the jungle around them. No obvious threats could be seen, but he didn¡¯t feel comfortable leaving a man behind. If a predator came along, could Pa¡¯al even defend himself right now? Jasper ran his fingers through his hair while he considered his options. ¡°Ihra, I think you should go back to town, and I¡¯ll stay here with Pa¡¯al.¡± Pa¡¯al halfheartedly objected, but the look of relief on his face was obvious. Ihra agreed. ¡°But before I go, I think we should meditate. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve gained a few levels, and you never know if we¡¯ll need to fight before getting out of this jungle. I¡¯ll keep watch over you, and then you can watch for me.¡± Jasper sat on the ground with a wince, his muscles grumbling in protest. Closing his eyes, he reached for the void. I am the river¡­. With each trip, his mantra manifested easier, and within seconds he found himself standing before Kas?dael. Grasping her hand, he was surprised to see he had multiple notifications. He pushed them aside for the second, determined to level up first. He was pleased to see that he picked up five levels. Jasper wasn¡¯t quite sure where to invest the points. On the one hand, he wanted to dump the points into strength and endurance, and increase his still rather measly health. Those 400 points, compared to 1000 in essence felt wholly insufficient. But, he had also found himself low on essence in every fight so far. He finally decided that the best defense was a good offense, and dumped five points each into inspiration and willpower, and threw the other five into endurance.
Jasper Welles (20) Level up available: x5 Exp: 275/500 Health 400 Stamina 700 Essence 1000 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 15 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 15 Locked Purge Sling V
Vision 15 Locked Eternal Night Glaive IV
Inspiration 30 Locked Fiery Shackles
Willpower 30
Charisma 15
Then he turned to the three notifications.
Hidden Encounter: Survive the Atrometos
You have faced an evil creature more than 50 levels higher than you, and have escaped with your life. For your reward, you will receive the title Survivor and an upgrade to the skill you used the most during your encounter. Skill upgraded: Eternal Night > Eternal Night II Summon the eternal void. For one minute, sap a twenty-meter area around you of all light and warmth to supercharge your fire damage. +150% fire damage. Cost 150 essence.
It was a good upgrade; all aspects of the spell were boosted at least a bit, and the higher cost in essence was fully compensated by the double length of the spell. He then checked out the Survivor title: When encountering a foe at least 50 levels above you, gain an increased chance to escape. He frowned at the vague description. How did that even work? Wasn¡¯t his chance of escape governed by his actions? Oh well, it certainly won¡¯t hurt anything. He drew up the next notification.
Smiter of Evil
You have found evil and purged it from this world. For your service, you have been granted a new spell. Sin Eater - Feed on the sins of your foes. When cast on a suitable foe, sacrifice 5% of your mana to restore 10% of your health. Inflicts damage on foe equal to the amount of health gained.
Crap. It was the spell he had rejected earlier. I don¡¯t want an inquisitor class! Jasper had a sinking feeling that someone was pushing him toward this path. He had rejected the spell, so instead he was given it as a reward that couldn¡¯t be turned down. Begrudgingly, though, he had to admit that the spell was a good spell. A healing spell was never a bad thing. He turned to the last notification.
Divine Quest: Destroy the Tanin
You have discovered that the Tanin still lurk in the dark corners of Yar-Khennor. Return to the city and hunt them down. Rewards will be based on the number of Tanin killed, but possibilities include new skills, a new class, or a divine blessing.
Jasper dismissed the notification almost instantly. There is no way in hell I¡¯m going back down there. I barely escaped with my life as it is. He had to admit, though, that the rewards were tempting. The possibility of acquiring a second class, a divine class, was, in itself, motivation enough to reconsider. The quest had no time limit, though. Maybe later, once I¡¯ve leveled up a bit more. He scanned his stats one last time before leaving the void.
Jasper Welles (25) Level up available: Exp: 275/500 Health 500 Stamina 900 Essence 1200 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 15 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 20 Locked Purge Sling V
Vision 15 Locked Eternal Night II Glaive IV
Inspiration 35 Locked Fiery Shackles
Willpower 35 Sin Eater
Charisma 15
Not too bad for a few weeks'' work. With a sigh, he released Kas?dael''s hand as he was pulled into her deadly embrace. Repercussions He stood guard while Ihra meditated. She opened her eyes quickly, beaming with happiness. ¡°I got a skill upgrade and a title! Do you know how rare titles are? This alone makes the expedition worth it.¡± As she gushed in excitement, her eye fell on Pa¡¯al, and her words faltered. More quietly she apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Pa¡¯al, I just got caught up in the excitement of a title.¡± The maimed tank just ignored her, staring off into the distance with an unseeing stare. Jasper moved to reassure her. Without thinking about it, he placed his hand on her shoulder, but she didn¡¯t move away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I don¡¯t think he even heard. Was it a good title?¡± She turned to look at him, guilt still mixed with the joy in her eyes. ¡°Survivor. I met an old guilder once who had it. He said it had saved his life loads of times.¡± Jasper amended his opinion of the title. Maybe it¡¯s more useful than it sounds. He decided not to mention that he had also gotten the title. No need to steal her thunder. ¡°So are you ready to head out?¡± She bobbed her head. ¡°Yep, I should be back in a few hours.¡± Grabbing her gear, she moved off into the jungle, heading south. Jasper had little to do in the meantime. He plopped down against a tree opposite Pa¡¯al, and closed his eyes, drinking in the sounds around him. In the trees above he could hear the shrill cries and whistles of birds, and the rustling of leaves as they darted through the thick foliage. From time to time, he could hear the call of other animals that he couldn¡¯t identify. There was a chattering and howling noise that he tentatively ascribed to monkeys, and far, far off in the distance, he heard something that almost sounded like the trumpet of an elephant. I wonder if I could get an elephant as a mount. Lost in concentration, Jasper subconsciously activated the tattoos on his hands, wreathing them in flames. The flames poured out, creeping their way across his entire body, burning without harming, until he was completely consumed in their blue haze. A low growl rumbled right in front of him, breaking his concentration. His eyes flew open to find a large tiger looming in his face. The beast was massive, its striped fur slick and well groomed, and its eyes sparked with intelligence. Barely noticing the flames wreathing his body, Jasper reached out in his mind for his spells, pulling at Fiery Shackles - no way was he casting Sacred Star at short range again - but he didn''t immediately cast it. The beast had yet to show any aggression. The two stared at each other in silence. Jasper sat, petrified, watching the calm beast as it stared at him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed tiny flickers of flame would spring up from the beast¡¯s head, and travel in a wave down its back before extinguishing themselves at the tip of its tail. Is it attracted to my flames? Whatever the tiger saw must have satisfied it, as it slowly raised one of its paws and stretched it out towards Jasper, gently touching him on the chest. As the tiger placed its paw on his chest, Jasper¡¯s heart beat furiously, like the pounding of war drums, but he kept his calm. His calm was rewarded when words popped up before him. Namrah has found you worthy. She has offered to unlock an aspect of your heritage. Jasper almost gasped in shock at the offer. How can a tiger offer to unlock my heritage? If she¡¯s a tiger, he realized. His eyes swept over the beast, futilely looking for information. There are times I wish Corsythia was a little more game-like. What I wouldn¡¯t give for a skill like ¡°Identify.¡± Still, it was an opportunity he couldn¡¯t afford to pass up. The more of his heritage he unlocked, the better the class evolutions offered to him would be. His hands shaking with excitement, he accepted Namrah¡¯s offer. Another spark of flame leapt up from her head, but this time, instead of racing down her back, the flame traveled down her paw and burrowed into his chest. It hit him with the force of a punch, and a painful, burning sensation spread across his chest, but it quickly faded away, replaced by a pleasant warmth. Jasper eagerly waited to see what aspect of his heritage had been unlocked before the realization hit him. Crap. I¡¯ll have to wait to level up to see it. The tiger - no, Namrah - pulled its paw back, and slunk away into the jungle. Its steps made no sound, and as it slipped away beneath the trees, the very shadows seemed to bend around the cat, quickly obscuring it from view. For the rest of the afternoon, Jasper kept a wary eye on the shadows. While the tiger, or whatever it really was, had been friendly, its ability to easily disappear into the jungle made him realize that more dangerous creatures might be lurking all around them. He resolved to add a more few points to his vision skill when he had the chance. The hours slipped one into the next, and the sun came to rest on the mountain peaks as the harsh heat of the day finally abated. The sounds of rustling in the bushes below set Jasper on high alert, and he scanned the shadows for the threats, a spell sitting on his fingertips. But he breathed a sigh of relief as he caught sight of the distinctive blue and gold jumpsuit of the guild through the underbrush. A few minutes later the party emerged. Ihra was not with them, as the guild master, Gebor, had insisted she rest, but another adventuring party had been sent up the mountain. The group was one that had often teamed up with Qara¡¯s crew on expeditions, and their eyes burned with anger when they saw the tank''s condition. They gently lifted Pa¡¯al onto a stretcher, and departed back down the mountain at a quick clip, as Jasper scrambled to keep up with them. Their mage lit the way through the darkening jungles, casting six glowing orbs of light that floated beside them. The gates of Hargish were already closed for the night when they finally reached the city, but Gebor was there, waiting with the guards. With the screech of grinding gears, the doors ponderously opened up before them. Stepping through the gate, Jasper sagged as a stress he hadn¡¯t realized he was still holding finally left his body. He was back, safe and sound, in civilization. The busy streets lay silent, and all the stalls were closed up for the night. Walking through the empty marketplace was an eery feeling and Jasper hurried to keep close. He knew it was silly, but a part of him was still afraid that if he fell behind the party, the whispers would call out to him again. When they reached the guild, Pa¡¯al was carried off to a healer, while Gebor escorted Jasper to a waiting room. ¡°We can debrief in the morning, but for now, rest.¡± Despite his exhaustion, he lay in the dark, staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours. His mind still raced, his body awash in days worth of stress and anxiety, but sleep could not be held off long. In the morning, he found an adventurer waiting outside the door. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake at last.¡± The adventurer thrust some food into Jasper¡¯s hand. ¡°Here. Gebor said to give you something to eat and then take you to him.¡± Jasper ate as they walked. The soft buttery bread and cheese tasted like heaven after the hard biscuits the expedition had packed. They walked across the cool courtyard - Jasper still reveled in the escape from the jungle heat - and entered Gebor¡¯s office. Ihra was already there, and a number of other people crowded around Gebor¡¯s desk. Jasper recognized a few of them as instructors during his training course, but others were unknown to him. One, in particular, stood out to him though. In a chair in the corner, pale and wan, was another member of their party. Rashpa. Gebor rose to meet him. ¡°Ah, Mr. Welles, it¡¯s good to see you up. Please, have a seat. We were just discussing the details of the expedition.¡± Jasper slid into the chair beside Ihra. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. For the next two hours, the group peppered the two with questions. ¡°When did you reach the ruins?" "What did you see in the city?" "Were there any signs of the Atrometos before the attack? Did you see the deaths of the others?" "Do you think it possible that others survived?¡± The questions were harmless on their own, but there was an accusatory, almost hostile tone to them. More than once, Jasper felt that there was the subtle insinuation that Jasper and Ihra had abandoned the others to die, or had perhaps even contributed to their deaths. He fought back the irritation, trying to reassure himself that he was just imagining it. They¡¯re just doing their due diligence. Surely Rashpa and Pa¡¯al can vouch for us after all. The hardest part was answering the question of how they escaped. Jasper felt confident that mentioning his deal with the whispers would not be a good idea, and while he had not had the opportunity to discuss it privately with Ihra, she clearly agreed as she too avoided any mention of the whispers. Since Pa¡¯al had been held prisoner in the temple, they couldn¡¯t hide the number of trolls and Atrometos they had encountered. Thus they spun the tale that, as they were trying to sneak past the trolls to the portal, an unseen force had begun to attack the trolls. Making a dash for the portal, they found Pa¡¯al and brought him through with them. Jasper could tell that Gebor was a bit skeptical of their story, but, as what little they had been able to glean from a still recovering Pa¡¯al matched their version of events, Gebor was forced to accept their story. Throughout the questioning, the wan Rashpa didn¡¯t speak. Clearly, the resurrection had taken a heavy toll on her. At last, Gebor ended the questions. ¡°It seems that you have performed as well as you could on this expedition, and saved a senior team member. As such, you have earned a reward beyond what was initially promised.¡± Several of the other guild members in the room cast stony glares at the two, and one started to speak in protest. Why are they so suspicious? With a wave of his hand, Gebor cut the protestor off. ¡°We will give you five gold a piece, and a small boon aside. Perhaps a skill stone?¡± Seems like a kind of chintzy reward. A small collection of skill stones were laid out before them, and Ihra eventually picked one out. When Jasper¡¯s turn came, he looked briefly over the skill stones, but nothing caught his eye. Just cheap crap. He turned to Gebor. ¡°Technically I¡¯m supposed to be a mounted class. I don¡¯t know much about the price of things around here, but would it be possible to get a horse instead?¡± A flicker of annoyance ran across Gebor¡¯s brow, but in order to save face, he was forced to assent. A skill stone - at least if he had offered them good skill stones - was certainly more expensive than a horse. He couldn¡¯t turn down such a reasonable request without good cause. ¡°Of course,¡± he grated out, ¡°we can arrange for a fine horse for you.¡± With that, Ihra and Jasper were ushered out of the office, and back to their rooms. Once again an adventurer took his place outside of Jasper¡¯s door. Are we prisoners? Jasper stewed in anger at their treatment. They had done nothing wrong. They were just rookies, sent out on a job way above their heads, and had not only escaped with their lives, but even rescued one of their teammates. Why were they being treated like criminals? A knock sounded on his door. ¡°Gather your stuff and come with me.¡± Throwing everything in his bag, he followed the adventurer out of the main guild building into a small outside courtyard in the back. Ihra was there waiting, an unhappy look on her face, and by her side was a small horse. The horse looked rather worse for the wear and had clearly not been well-taken care of. Jasper wasn¡¯t too surprised. They¡¯re still trying to screw us. What did surprise him, however, was that a description popped up when he drew near the horse.
Young Farm Pony
This small species of horse has been bred primarily to pull carts of produce to the market. This poor specimen has been unwillingly offered by the guild as a reward. Upgrade This horse has been judged as an unacceptable reward. In compensation, the horse has received the blessing of Selene. Evolutions will now be available to be unlocked.
Hmm. Looks like the guild tried to screw me over, and someone objected. Judging from the blessing the horse received, it had not been Kas?dael that intervened, but Selene, or one of her court. Wonder what¡¯s up with that. The adventurer shoved a piece of paper into his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve been given a quest, starting in two hours.¡± Without bothering to wait for a response, the adventurer spun around and entered back into the guild, leaving Ihra and Jasper alone in the courtyard. ¡°We¡¯re being sent away. ¡®On a quest,¡¯ of course.¡± Her words positively dripped with venom. Jasper read the paper. ¡°We¡¯ve been assigned to escort a caravan to Lachya? That¡¯s practically on the other side of the empire. Do we actually have to do this?¡± She shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re just affiliated with the guild, not full-fledged guards. They don''t actually have the authority to make us go. But obviously, we¡¯re no longer welcome here.¡± Jasper crumbled the paper into a ball, and with a spark from his hand, set it ablaze. ¡°Screw that. I¡¯m not going to Lachya.¡± He walked over to the horse and gently patted it on its back. It was a rather pathetic little thing, and while he was deeply disappointed with his ¡°prize,¡± he still felt a surge of affection for the pony. Like a pug, that¡¯s so ugly you have to love it, this little horse, which clearly had been poorly treated, wormed its way into his heart. Plus it does have a goddess¡¯ blessing. It¡¯s just a farm pony now, but who knows what it could end up? He looked over to Ihra, who was angrily glaring at the guild door, her fists clenched tight. ¡°Look, I know we have known each other that long, but I thought we worked well together. We¡¯re clearly persona non grata here. I¡¯m not going on that caravan, but if you want to come with me, I¡¯m sure we can find some guild work in a different city. I¡¯ve also got a heritage quest in the next region over.¡± She didn¡¯t respond immediately, but chewed on her lip, clearly mulling it over, before nodding her assent. ¡°That¡¯s a better plan than I¡¯ve got.¡± They grabbed their gear and prepared to leave before a voice halted their exit. ¡°Wait!¡± Pa¡¯al¡¯s voice echoed through the courtyard. They turned to find Pa¡¯al, limping on a crutch down the short flight of sandstone stairs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about how the guild is treating you. I tried to tell them that you did nothing wrong, and I¡¯m sure Rashpa would too if she was in better shape, but the resurrection has really taken a toll on her.¡± He held something out to them. ¡°Here, take it.¡± Jasper reached out and took the object. Turning it over in his hands, he saw that it was a sealed envelope. Pa¡¯al handed him something else, a bulging bag of coins. ¡°I¡¯m sorry they didn¡¯t give you a real reward. The letter is a recommendation from me; give it to a guild master in another city, and you¡¯ll be treated well. The money is just a little something from our crew''s savings, that¡¯ll help you on your trip. It¡¯s just me and Rashpa now anyways, so we don¡¯t need it.¡± He looked at the little pony. ¡°Maybe you can even buy a real horse with it.¡± Jasper put the items in his bag. ¡°Thanks, Pa¡¯al. I don¡¯t understand - why is the guild treating us like this?¡± Pa¡¯al sighed, running a finger through his long black locks. ¡°You¡¯ve got to understand, the guild is hard up for members. Most of the best and brightest - hell, most of the dregs - are sent off to the war effort these days. The guild offers more freedom, but the army offers easier rewards. We are - were,¡± he corrected himself, ¡°the best group in the area. The guild sent you, two rookies, off with us on an expedition, and somehow everyone on the group, other than me, gets killed, and I get taken prisoner and maimed. But you two return without a scratch. And there¡¯s no way you should have been able to get past a small army of trolls and Atrometos, that were conveniently slaughtered by some unknown and unseeable force. They think that you¡¯re some sort of plant for a dark power and you caused our group¡¯s death.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I was there. I don¡¯t believe for a moment that you engineered Qara¡¯s death. But they won¡¯t listen. They don¡¯t really know you after all. You¡¯ll be better off with a fresh start in another guild hall.¡± He fixed his eye on Jasper. ¡°I know something happened. That thing at the temple wasn¡¯t just some rampaging monster. It killed the trolls and Atrometos and left us utterly untouched. I don¡¯t know if you made some dark deal, or if you really are a practitioner of the arts, and, frankly, I don¡¯t want to know. You saved my life, and one good turn deserves another.¡± He gestured down at his foot. ¡°Eventually, I¡¯ll probably be able to find a good enough healer to fix this, and even if I can¡¯t, I¡¯m alive. I doubt I would be able to resurrect. I owe you a debt I can¡¯t repay.¡± He turned back to the guild, and hobbled up the stairs, pausing at the door. ¡°One last thing. Don¡¯t go on that caravan assignment they gave you. It wouldn¡¯t shock me if they arranged a little ¡®accident¡¯ to happen along the way.¡± On the Road Again After discussion, they decided to head southeast. Jasper hadn''t leveled up enough to pursue the heritage quest he had received, so there was no reason to immediately head to the isolated mountains of Harei Miqlat, but he figured they might as well head in their general direction. In truth, he wasn''t sure if he wanted to visit the Harei Miqlat; the region was notoriously unwelcoming to visitors, often refusing to allow any but their own to pass, and he wasn''t sure Ihra would be allowed to come. If push came to shove, he wasn''t willing to abandon the only friend he had. Instead, the two decided to head to the Sapiyan border town of Gis?-Izum, where a large regional guild chapter was established. By the time they finalized their plans, it was already too late in the day to be worth setting out, so they were forced to spend the night in Hargish. Not wanting to return to the guild, they rented a room in an inn overlooking the market. Not surprisingly, the guild had failed to provide any equipment or grooming instruments for his horse, so Jasper was forced to buy them, as well as provisions for the road, in the market. He had always loved horses back on earth, but that love had been largely restricted to the theoretical, outside of a few carefully curated rides. Thus, Jasper didn''t have the first idea about the basics of horse care. As he struggled to adjust the copious amounts of gear the merchant had talked him into buying, he suspected that the merchant had seen a sucker coming. The most important purchase they made, however, was with the money Pa¡¯al had given them. If they were going to travel together, they both need to have horses. Ihra had objected at first, but Jasper overrode her. "What are you going to do, run alongside my horse everywhere we go? If we run into enemies, am I just supposed to gallop off, and leave you behind? If we''re going to work together, you need a mount too." She agreed reluctantly, but couldn''t fully hide the spark of excitement. Ihra, who had no more experience with horses than Jasper, quickly settled on a large, retired draft horse who treated her with a calm tolerance. It wasn''t the most dashing horse in the stable, but hopefully it wouldn''t break her neck. When they returned to the inn, Jasper bribed a stable boy to teach him the basics of horse grooming. It took a long time - the poor little pony having been obviously neglected - but he finally stepped back from the horse with a satisfied grin. Her dappled grey and white coat was soft and groomed, and the knots of her mane and tail had been detangled and trimmed. Rubbing her head, he fed the little pony a cube of sugar the stable boy had provided. ¡°Guess I need to give you a name, right girl?¡± The little horse whinnied, trying to fit her head into his bag where more delicious sugar cubes awaited. He looked at the little horse¡¯s dappled coat, recalling one of his favorite fairy tales as a child. ¡°I think I¡¯ll call you Dapplegrim. It¡¯s a big name for a little horse but I think you¡¯ll live up to it.¡± Early the next morning they hit the road, exiting the city gates as soon as they opened. Jasper was sad to leave Hargish behind so quickly. Despite only spending a few weeks there, it was the first, and thus far only, civilized place he had lived in since arriving in Corsythia. Compared to his grueling first few days at the ruined academy, or the horror of Yar-Khennor, the guild hall had felt like a haven of peace. Anger surged through him as he thought of their unjust banishment. In a moment of pettiness, he shook the dust off his feet as a witness against the city. Little did he realize then the weight of that deed. As the stars slowly rose in the heavens, they searched in vain for even a small hamlet where they could spend the night. Sapiya had once been a heavily populated region, full of grand cities and dotted with endless villages, but it had been decimated during the Desolyton, first seized by its neighbor Stryn, and their dark allies Gemlir and Malechov, and then cleansed by the crusading forces of Shamshadi?n and his heirs. The population had never recovered, and more cities had been lost to the verdant jungles than were still inhabited. Thus, a wave of relief swept through Jasper when, turning a corner, he spied a small cottage sitting on the side of the road. ¡°Look, Ihra - maybe we can spend the night here." He laughed, "At this point, I''d even settle for a pile of hay if it meant I didn''t have to sleep on the ground.¡± The cottage was a humble affair, made of grey mortared stone with a thatched roof, and a cheery chimney rising up from it, emitting a steady stream of smoke. They latched their horses to a hitching post conveniently located near the door. Ihra frowned. ¡°This is a very odd cottage, nothing like the ones we have around here.¡± Jasper shrugged. To him the cottage looked like it could have been teleported here from merry old England, practically exuding a cozy, welcoming warmth. He had to admit, the architecture was rather different from the homes of Hargish. ¡°Perhaps whoever built it was an immigrant to Sapiya?¡± He knocked on the door with a firm rap. They heard sounds of scuffling in the cottage, and the door creaked open. A little old lady peered up at them, her back hunched over low. ¡°Yes?¡± Seeing their clothes, her face lit up with a smile. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re adventurers, aren¡¯t you dearies?¡± ¡°We were hoping that you might have some room where we could spend the night. We¡¯re happy to pay.¡± ¡°Oh, no need, no need. It¡¯s nice to have visitors. It gets so lonely here by myself.¡± She ushered them inside. The cottage was quite small. On one side a fire crackled in the hearth, a pot of stew lightly bubbling, on the other a rickety bed. A ladder rose up to a loft, where Jasper spied some hay and blankets. That will work. After enjoying a hearty serving of stew, accompanied by warm, fresh bread that the old widow insisted on baking, Jasper tended to the horses before climbing into the loft and passing out next to Ihra. He awoke as the pod cover slid back. The early morning light streamed through the windows, their dancing beams warming his face. ¡°Uhh.¡± He groaned, stretching his arms out. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna wake up.¡± He flopped over on his side, his face slamming into the pod¡¯s metal casing. What the hell? Suddenly full awake, he sat, massaging his aching jaw with his hand, as his eyes scanned his apartment. I¡¯m back on earth? Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. He ran into the kitchen. The clock read 7:35. Crap, I¡¯m going to be late for work. He raced to his bedroom, rooting through his dressers for clothes. As he hopped on one foot, struggling to pull his pants over his socks, he paused. Do I even have a job still? I¡¯ve been gone for months. His gaze swept over the room. Something felt off. If I¡¯ve been gone for months, why is all my stuff still here? He walked back into the kitchen. The clock read 7:35. He watched it carefully. "1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi." He reached 60, then 70, but the clock still read 7:35. His mind raced for answers. Walking over to the window, he peered out. The houses directly across from him looked as he remembered, but the streets beyond were little more than a blur. I¡¯m not back home. Is this a dream? He focused on his hands, but they were perfect, an exact replica of reality. So it¡¯s not a dream, it¡¯s an illusion. It hit him like a sledgehammer. The little old lady, she¡¯s a witch or something like that. Frantic now, he searched for a way to escape the illusion. He hopped into the pod and tried to start it, but nothing happened. He tried casting his magic, but, even though he could faintly discern his essence at the farthest reaches of his mind, he could not summon it to himself. Running back to the kitchen, Jasper grabbed one of his knives and plunged it into his chest. Over and over again, he stabbed himself in the heart, but despite the fountain of blood that gushed out of him, he was entirely unharmed. He sunk to the floor in despair, a feral howl ripping its way out of his throat. And for just a second, the kitchen light flickered, plunging him into darkness. The light returned almost immediately, but the moment of dark sparked an idea in him. The void. If I can meditate, maybe I can enter the void and return to my body from there. Calming his mind, he chanted his mantra. I am the river... He followed the flowing river through his mind towards the entrance to the void. As the river poured into the mouth of the cave, he was dismayed to find the way blocked. A red door now barred the entrance to the void. Roaring with frustration and fear, Jasper hammered his fists against the door, lashing out with all his might. The door shuddered. It shuddered. Pulsing with the newfound strength of hope, he threw himself against the door, over and over again. The red wood warped and cracked, splinters flying off as his fists pounded ever deeper into the wound. His hands were mangled, a mess of broken bones and blood, but he would not relent. With a savage roar, he finally broke through the door and tumbled down the river into the void. Popping into the void, he wasted no time rushing over to Kas?dael. She watched him with clear awareness on her face, her hand already reaching out to him. As soon as he drew near, she plunged her hand into his heart, sending him back to his body. His eyes flew open. A large shadowy form loomed above him, blazing yellow eyes lining the dark contours of its body. A myriad of misshapen limbs and tendrils sprung from both sides of the creature. One tendril was buried deep into the heart of the still sleeping Ihra, while another, its end seemingly chopped off and still smoldering, hung limply over Jasper¡¯s chest. On instinct, he lashed out with his foot against the creature, but it passed right through. An icy chill immediately spread through his leg where it had touched the creature. Unable to cast his favorite spell in the cramped loft, he reached for another. Purge. The creature flew back against the ceiling, the shadows forming a constellation of fire and darkness. The tendril buried in Ihra was yanked back as its tentacles flailed wildly. Not waiting to see further results of his spell, Jasper grabbed Ihra¡¯s arm and rolled off of the loft. He landed with a painful thud on his feet, barely managing to catch the falling Ihra before she hit the ground. She flailed around in confusion, waking from whatever illusion she had been trapped in, before her eyes fell on the creature. A tendril from the creature lashed out and wrapped itself around his throat. Yanking him up in the air, it slammed him back down into the floor. He screamed in pain as his legs were shattered from the force of the impact. Somehow, he managed to focus enough to cast the spell again Purge. The creature reared back, slamming against the wall as fire again surge through its body. Ihra fumbled with her equipment, notching her bow with a shaky hand. Her first arrows passed through the creature harmlessly before her still half-addled mind realized that a mundane arrow couldn''t hurt the eldritch being. With a grimace, she reached for one of the expensive enchanted arrows and aimed it at the tendril still dangling Jasper in the arrow. This time it cut true, and he fell to the floor in a crumbled heap. Her second arrow went straight into the creature¡¯s mass. An earth-shattering screech erupted from the being, its body still burning with the flames of Purge. It turned its focus on the new threat and lashed out against her. Her bow was sent flying from her hand as she was tossed into the side of the cottage wall. But Jasper was somehow still awake. As Ihra dodged one tendril after another, vainly struggling to reclaim her bow, he tried over and over again to cast his spell, warring against the fog that crept over his mind from his extensive injuries. The beast finally caught the archer. Lifting her high into the air, it tightened its grip around her throat. She hung in the air, choking, her limbs twitching vainly. Purge. The painful fire spread again through the creature, and this time the beast could no longer shrug off the damage. Dropping Ihra, the beast thrashed and flailed as the fire consumed it entirely, leaving nothing but smoke and ash. With their victory secured, Jasper finally let himself slip into the beckoning void. He awoke to find himself choking on liquid. Ihra loomed above, worry writ large across her face, as she poured a healing potion into his mouth. He gulped the potion down as best as he could, once again marveling at its sheer deliciousness, feeling the bones in his body reforming, as even the shattered bone shards of his legs coalesced anew. With shaky legs he managed to stand up, bracing himself against the cottage wall with one arm. ¡°Thanks.¡± He looked around the wrecked interior. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the last time I use Airbnb.¡± A look of confusion flitted across Ihra¡¯s face. ¡°What?" "Nothing. You alright?¡± She sighed, looking over her new guild jumpsuit, now singed and torn. ¡°Yeah, I think so. You took the brunt of the fight. Gonna need some new clothes, though.¡± ¡°What was that thing? ¡°A night hag, maybe? I thought they were just children¡¯s tales, truthfully, but¡­¡± She shuddered. ¡°I think that thing¡¯s dead, but I don¡¯t feel comfortable staying here the rest of the night. Can you ride?¡± Jasper slowly walked towards the door, supporting himself against the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± It soon become apparent that he had not yet recovered enough strength from the battle to support himself in the saddle. Potions could heal critical injuries, and even save you from the brink of death, but full recovery still took some time. Unwilling to stay in the cottage any longer, Ihra came up with a solution: she tied him to Dapplegrim, securely knotting him in place. Stowing their bags on the horses, they rode off into the night. In the aftermath of a close call, some people want nothing more than to find a quiet place to be alone with themselves. Jasper was like this, content to ride in silence after the encounter with the night hag. Ihra, on the other hand, was the opposite. Desperate to fill the silent void of night, she carried on a never-ending, largely one-way conversation. Thus, when the sun finally arose, Jasper greeted it with a previously unmatched fervor. Selene''s Grace, he vowed. The Village After the incident with the hag, it took a few days for them to fall into a comfortable routine. Those first nights were sleepless, as nightmares of tentacled hags merged with the Whispers of Yar-Khennor to haunt his dreams. But as the days passed by with no further trouble, their fear slowly faded away. The trip was surprisingly pleasant. Jasper had grown up in the north, and while the jungles surrounding Hargish had been lush and verdant, they were also far too hot and muggy for his tastes. But, although the road to Gis?-Izum marched inexorably southward, the temperatures steadily decreased from day to day. Despite being further south, Gis?-Izum stood on a large plateau nestled high in the mountains. The jungle slowly fell behind them, fading into an alpine forest that Jasper could have easily mistaken for one back home. Stately pines, mixed with birch and poplar, towered up into the sky, and at night, as they sat around a campfire, his breath billowed up in the cool nighttime air. It was a welcome change, and he found himself half glad that they had been chased out of Hargish. The road was largely empty, and the few travelers that they encountered moved with the steady clip of those on a mission. Once or twice, they ran into fellow adventurers, marked by their distinctive blue and gold uniforms, and on a handful of occasions, they were even fortunate enough to spend the night with merchant caravans. Those nights were a rare treat, as the caravans offered a far better meal and more restful sleep than nights on their own provided. By far the most common travelers on the road, however, were squads of Corsythian troops. They always marched in the same direction, headed southeast towards the front with the Zalancthians. Jasper dreaded running into them, as their encounters with the army were always tense. While the empire recognized the importance of both the barracks and the guild, many of the soldiers marching to the front lines resented the guilders, and their hostility was often thinly veiled at best. Jasper was struck by the vast stretches of empty land, bereft of even small hamlets. They passed one abandoned village after another, the ruins slowly crumbling into the sea of pine needles. It wasn''t until they neared Gis?-Izum that the signs of civilization finally renewed. Small farms and hamlets appeared out of the woods, merged almost seamlessly into the surrounding environment. Unlike the farms at Hargish, with their wide fields of corn and wheat, Jasper was surprised to see that the farmers here had only small vegetable plots engulfed by the surrounding forest. Ihra explained that the farmers of the highlands were famed for their woodland truffles and foraged goods, only growing enough crops to feed their family in the frigid mountain winters. After nearly three weeks of travel, the pair finally spied, far off in the distance, the rising walls of Gis?-Izum. As dusk fell, they arrived in a small village offering a roadside inn. The place was booming with business. The villagers, deep in their cups, danced across the wooden planks as a fiddler spun a merry song. With two steaming cups of wassail, Jasper and Ihra chased away the cold of the night. Lost in the merriment, Jasper jumped when someone clapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see the pub owner, an apologetic look on his face. ¡°Sorry to trouble you, lad. You and the miss are adventurers, right? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well, you see the village has been having some trouble with bandits as of late. Thought some adventurers like you might be able to sort the situation out. We¡¯ve pooled some money together, and could give you fifty silvers for your troubles.¡± Jasper frowned slightly as he pondered the deal. Truthfully, the payment offered was pretty low; they weren''t hurting enough for money for the contract to be really worth it. However, because the payment was so low, he suspected that the guild may have turned down the villagers¡¯ request. He felt a little bad for them. For the average villager, a silver was a good day¡¯s wage, and the payment was probably all they could afford. He sighed, considering taking the job. ¡°How many bandits are we talking about?¡± The barkeep scratched. ¡°Not real sure. Maybe ten or so?¡± Ihra chimed in. ¡°Or so? That¡¯s a rather vague estimate.¡± The barkeep flushed, his face cast down in apparent shame. ¡°There¡¯s at least twenty of them,¡± he begrudgingly admitted. ¡°Figured you wouldn¡¯t accept the job if you knew how many of them there were.¡± He looked up. ¡°I know it¡¯s not a lot of money for the job, but you can also keep whatever money you find on them. They should have some papers, some, uh, deeds they stole from the village, but anything else they¡¯ve got, you can keep.¡± ¡°70 silver and the loot,¡± Ihra countered. Jasper sat quietly as they haggled. A mixture of guilt and obligation warred within him. Thus far, he hadn¡¯t had to kill a human. Humanoids, yes. But somehow killing trolls and night hags and evil crocodile creatures - even if they were cute evil crocodile creatures - hadn¡¯t really bothered him. Killing humans did. But he knew bandits weren¡¯t just thieves. They raped, murdered, and stole from the outlying villages that were too far from the city for any real protection from the guard. If the villagers could afford the price of a contract, the guild would handle them, or if a bandit force got too large, the army might step in. But all too often, these sorts of minor disturbances would slip through the cracks. The threat was simply too small to worry about for an empire that was struggling to survive against an invasion, but that didn''t mean that the bandits weren''t still a very real scourge on the villagers. Ihra and the barkeep finally settled on a number: 62 silver. 62 silver to kill twenty humans. Is that all their lives are worth? He shook his head, trying to push the doubts away. Helping out the village is the right thing to do, isn''t it? The next morning, instead of continuing south down the road toward Gis?-Izum, they headed east into the woods. According to the pub owner, the bandits had set up camp in a small abandoned shrine deep in the forest. The terrain was rough and rocky, and they were forced to move slowly through thick underbrush and across narrow chasms. As the hours flew by, a sense of unease slowly grew in his mind that he just couldn''t shake. At last, he could hold it in no longer. ¡°Ihra, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s rather odd how far we are from the road? This terrain is rough as hell, and we¡¯ve already been traveling for at least six hours, with no sign of the shrine. What sort of bandits set up camp that far away from the road?¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Ihra shrugged, a tentative note in her voice. ¡°They probably just don¡¯t want to be caught. It¡¯s safer deep in the woods. Maybe they have an easier trail somewhere.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t the whole reason that the village hired us is that the authorities couldn¡¯t be bothered to do anything about the bandits? If the authorities aren''t hunting them, they don¡¯t need to hide deep in the wilderness. And what about the deeds that the innkeeper mentioned? What earthly use would bandits have for some stolen deeds from the village?¡± ¡°I did find that odd,¡± Ihra conceded. ¡°Before we go in guns blazing, let¡¯s scout them out first. Maybe we can find one alone to interrogate. I¡¯d just feel better if we make certain that they are worthy of death.¡± ¡°Guns blazing?¡± ¡°Uh, just a saying from where I¡¯m from.¡± Ihra raised a brow. Time and again, Jasper had said things that made her convinced that he was hiding something about his origins. Scuttlebutt at the guild had speculated that he was from the Harei Miqlat, but he made many references that seemed entirely foreign to her. Maybe he¡¯s from outside of Corsythia? She let it pass though, and agreed to his plan. ¡°Fine. It shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find a straggler if we keep watch.¡± The sun was high above them by the time they finally found the shrine the innkeeper had described. Hiding in the shrubs he counted the bandits in the camp. ¡°Twenty-one. At least the barkeep didn¡¯t lie the second time.¡± ¡°A point in his favor,¡± Ihra countered. They kept watch for some time, surveying the movements in the camp. As they did, Jasper became more and more convinced that something was wrong.¡°Where are all the weapons? There¡¯s what, a few bows and two or three hand-axes? They don¡¯t even appear to have set up guards.¡± As night fell, their opportunity finally arrived. One of the bandits, feeling the call of nature, ventured into the woods close to them. Jasper crept through the brush towards the bandit, while Ihra circled around behind him. Once she was positioned, he cast eternal night. Cloaked in the silent darkness of the spell, Ihra knocked the bandit unconscious. They carried him through the woods, away from the abandoned shrine. Once they felt certain that they were finally far enough away that no screams could be heard, they tied him to a tree and waited for the bandit to wake up. Their prisoner was little more than a boy - perhaps fourteen or fifteen, Jasper reckoned. He was a scrawny lad, with a mop of black hair spilling out across the bony shoulders of his clearly malnourished body. When the boy awoke, panic spread across his face. Struggling against bonds, he begged. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me.¡± Jasper gently pushed the boy against the tree. ¡°Don¡¯t fight the ropes; you¡¯ll only hurt yourself. We just want some answers.¡± The boy shook his head, struggling furiously against his bonds. ¡°No, you¡¯re from the village aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re just going to sacrifice me.¡± Ihra gasped. ¡°Sacrifice you?¡± The boy sagged in defeat, as he realized his strength was no match for the ropes. ¡°You¡¯re with the cultists, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jasper shot a triumphant glance at Ihra, who studiously ignored him. ¡°No, we¡¯re here to kill a group of bandits living in the shrine.¡± He shook his head vigorously, as the words tumbled out of his mouth. ¡°We¡¯re not bandits, I swear. We are villagers, or at least we were, up until a few months ago. Then old man Yarrow¡¯s son came home from the army to set up the farm he got from his pension. He¡¯s not really the farming type so he joined the guild, and started clearing out unmarked ruins in the woods. Found something in one of them, some kind of key to power, he said. Started claiming that he could give magic to all of us, make us proper adventurers." "The whole village was excited at first. He had us training, getting stronger; said it would give us better skills when we got a combat class. Until he revealed the truth. In order to get your class, you had to sacrifice someone, and consume their flesh. He said we could just kill travelers who stayed at the inn, and no one would ever know.¡± ¡°Gemlir¡¯s cult,¡± Ihra hissed. ¡°A lot of the villagers went along with it but, after a few too many travelers went missing, the guild came looking. With the guild snooping around, they couldn¡¯t really go after the travelers, at least till the heat died down. Some of the other villagers got impatient, said they didn¡¯t have time to wait around with one foot in the grave. The tension in the village got real bad, but we never thought anything was actually going to happen until a bunch of them attacked us in the middle of the night. Guess they figured that they if they¡¯d sacrifice us, they not only get our power but take our lands. Some of us escaped into the woods, and set up camp in the old shrine.¡± Jasper sighed with relief. We won''t have to kill them after all. He walked over to the boy, and start to untie his bonds, but Ihra grabbed his arm. ¡°Hold on a second, Jasper." She turned to the boy. "My partner and I just have a few things we need to discuss,¡± and dragged him off into the woods. Once they were out of earshot, Jasper turned on her. ¡°What the hell was that? The boy was clearly an innocent.¡± A surge of irritation ran through him. I was right about the bandits, and now Ihra is just being unreasonable. She crossed her arms and scowled. ¡°Is he really? Think about it. If this group is so innocent, why didn¡¯t they go to the guild after escaping the villagers¡¯ attack? The same guild that was already suspicious about cultist activity. Why are they hanging out in the woods by an abandoned shrine? Who¡¯s the shrine dedicated to, I wonder? Maybe one of the dark gods?¡± ¡°But-¡± Jasper trailed off as the realization hit him. Ihra had a point. If the escaped villagers had gone to the guild, the guild would have responded immediately. There was no contract needed for cultists - the empire paid for all cultists to be exterminated. So why were the villagers camping out in the middle of the woods? ¡°Maybe the boy is telling the truth, maybe it¡¯s a pack of lies, I don¡¯t know, but did you notice that he never actually condemned sacrificing the travelers? They knew about the cultic activity, but didn''t flee until they were attacked.¡± She paused, hesitating before continuing. ¡°I know you want to believe the best of people, but we can¡¯t just assume the kid is innocent. The best case scenario is that they simply looked the other way while people were being murdered.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Jasper sighed, running his fingers over the thick layer of stubble on his chin. ¡°If you¡¯re right, then that means we might have two groups of cultists on our hands. These guys didn''t go to the guild because they couldn''t; they''re as guilty as the others.¡± Ihra nodded. ¡°That¡¯s my best guess as to what¡¯s really happening here.¡± ¡°How can we be sure? I¡¯d hate to kill a bunch of innocent villagers on the hunch that they''re cultists, but we also can¡¯t just believe anything they say.¡± She grimaced. ¡°You¡¯re not going to like my suggestion, but there is one way we could test his guilt. Your inquisitor skills.¡± He recoiled in disgust. ¡°What? No. What if he¡¯s just a normal kid who¡¯s done something bad, not a cultist, and I burn him alive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, Jasper. Normal everyday life doesn¡¯t really move the scales for those kinds of spells. In order for the spell to work, the target has to have done something really bad - murder, rape, cannibalism. The spells won¡¯t burn some kid up because they teased someone, or stole a sweet roll. If an inquisitor spell activates on the kid, then he¡¯s doing something serious, like sacrificing someone. We have to try though. If the spell does nothing, then great. The boy is innocent, and that means the rest of those folk might be, as well. But if it activates, you know what we have to do.¡± Jasper finally relented. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t use Purge though. I¡¯ll use the other one, Sin Eater.¡± She sighed, raising her hands in defeat. ¡°Fine, do what you want. But you know you have to actually be injured to use that spell, right?¡± He nodded reluctantly, holding up a knife. ¡°I know.¡± Lore II: On the Nature of Magic Excerpt from a lecture by the Ros?-As?i?bu Yarhu III of the Imperial Guard The phenomenon of magic is a subject too vast to be comprehensively categorized or described. Its manifestations vary dramatically from race to race and are further diversified by the individual¡¯s personal deity. Still, most scholars agree that there are at least three core magic systems. The first of these systems is by far the most widespread and common. Indeed, its presence extends to every known living being, with the result that it is often simply called ¡°the System.¡± By those of a more scholastic inclination, it is frequently referred to incorrectly as the essence system. While essence is the most common source of mana, it is only one of many mana types, the most famous of which also include stamina and gilding. Thus a more accurate name for the System would be the mana system. The exact nature of its workings is still only dimly understood. Ancient sources are conspicuously silent on the topic, which leads many to speculate that the system did not always exist. Today, however, it represents the vast majority of all magic cast. It is the system that enlivens every being, managing their stats, guiding their classes, and providing their repertoire of spells. And it is the system alone, among all the other magic types, that does not come with serious risks or penalties. The mana it uses to fuel itself is drawn from the body, and while it may run dry for a time, it is an endlessly renewable source until the death of the individual. Of course, it is also fundamentally limited. Mages can only easily use the spells they are provided, and they are restricted to the amount of mana their body can restore. But for most, the mana system represents the highest pinnacle they can hope to achieve. The second system is soul magic. This is the magic that compelled the great mages and the shining heroes of the past to their dizzy heights. Fundamentally, using soul magic is to grasp the power of the gods themselves, to seize upon the spark of creation residing within each of us and meld the world to your will. Uneducated mages often refer to this system as unstructured magic, and seize it when they stand on the brink of death. The ability to use soul magic, even if only in the smallest of ways, is what truly differentiates a mage from those that simply use the System. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. But there are few that can truly draw upon its power these days. Perhaps those in the past simply did not know - or perhaps they did not care - but soul magic draws upon the power of the Progenitor, upon the very fires of creation. And, just as the Progenitor exhausted himself in the act of creation, so too is soul magic non-renewable. Each time it is used, the magic not only eats away at the soul of the individual but also at the shared storehouse of each race - each one gifted a portion of the Progenitor¡¯s power by the deity that created them. Thus, as the world grows old, the power of soul magic has greatly dwindled. Few are still born with strong enough souls to wield its might like those of old, and the few that are must take great care, lest they further deplete what little is left for our descendants. Soul magic is now reduced to magic of the last resort, only to be invoked when there are no other options left. The third system of magic is also the most mysterious, as it defies many of the rules as we know them. Runic magic is a complex, ritualized art that relies on exacting runes and carefully crafted potions and powders. The power it offers approaches at times the glory of soul magic, but the source of that power is not understood. While many rituals require some of the essence provided by the System as an ingredient in the ritual, they also clearly draw on unknown power sources. No agreement on the nature of this power has ever been reached, although it is my personal belief that runic magic may be stealing energy from universes beyond our own. Unfortunately, runic magic has not been able to fill the void left by the loss of soul magic. Very few individuals are ever able to tap into its power, and no pattern has ever been observable amongst those who ascend to become runic mages. While their contributions to the empire are appreciated, the numbers of runic mages are simply too small to stem the tide against the Zalancthians. Many more pages could be written on rare magic systems within and without the Empire, or of the many systems only known through the pages of history. But these three are the only systems an average mage is likely to encounter, and it is these that students of the Imperial Guard should be most diligent in studying. An Ambush Gone Wrong The two walked back to the kid, and Jasper knelt down in front of him, the knife in his hand. ¡°Alright. Before I let you go, I¡¯ve just got to do a little test, to make sure you¡¯re telling us the truth.¡± The boy¡¯s face paled and he started to struggle against the ropes again. Jasper¡¯s heart sank. Damn. He slid the knife across the palm of his hand, slicing it open, and spoke the spell. Sin Eater. Please don¡¯t work, please don''t work. He winced as the wound knit itself shut in an instant, the palm of his hand so thoroughly restored that he couldn¡¯t even see a hint of where he had cut himself. Crap. ¡°There¡¯s no point in lying, kid - my hand tells the truth. You¡¯re one of the cultists, aren''t you?¡± The boy spat in his face, as fear and rage fought for control. The struggle was brief, fear quickly triumphing over anger, as the lad collapsed into uncontrollable tears. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me. I just did what I was told. I¡¯ll do anything - just don¡¯t kill me.¡± Jasper turned to Ihra. ¡°What do we do? I can¡¯t - I can¡¯t kill him. He¡¯s just a teen.¡± She sank down beside him, a hand on his shoulder. ¡°If he¡¯s following Gemlir¡¯s cult, he sacrificed an innocent person and then ate their heart to steal their power for his own. And in order to grow his power, he needs to keep killing and keep consuming. Once someone¡¯s tasted the power of consuming souls, they never stop." ¡°He may just be a boy, but he¡¯s also a cultist. Cultists are like a gangrenous wound that can''t be healed. You either cut the limb off, or it will spread through your body and kill you.¡± The boy wept, begging and pleading, his shoulders shaking with heaving sobs. Jasper closed his eyes, the tears sliding down his face. Purge. The boy¡¯s tears abruptly ceased as his throat burned with a fire that spread throughout his body until he slumped over, withered to little more than a husk. Jasper¡¯s stomach turned inside out, as he heaved its contents on the smoldering ground, tears mixing with bitter bile. Curse this world. What kind of sick, twisted place is this? Finally, he lurched himself off the ground. Ihra watched him with concern and stretched out an arm to comfort him. "You did what you had to do." He shrugged her arm off, turning away too quickly to see the disappointed look that flitted across her face. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± he growled. They made their way back to the camp, quietly creeping through the underbrush as a bright full moon shone overhead. The camp was no longer sleeping peacefully. Apparently, the boy¡¯s absence had been noticed. The central fire had been stoked high, its fire pushing back the night, and the cult members wandered around in the woods, calling out the boy¡¯s name. ¡°Shomei! Shomei!¡± They swiftly took cover in a bush, surveying the now alert camp. Jasper grimaced. So much for taking them by surprise. As they quietly debated their new plan, two of the searchers approached their bush, a torch held in their hands. With a quick glance, Jasper saw that none of the other cultists were close, and quickly cast Purge on the two cultists. The two silently gasped, clutching at their throats as the spell burned through their body, and two arrows from Ihra embedded themselves in their brains. The cultists fell to the ground with a quiet thump, and he waited with bated breath for the other cultists to react. An interminable moment passed in silence, and he sighed in relief. They didn¡¯t see us. Then the cultists¡¯ clothes caught fire, set aflame by the torch they had been holding. The bright light stood out in the dark forest like a beacon. Jasper lunged forward, trying to beat the flames out, but it was too late. One of the closer cultists turned to look at the light, and caught Jasper red-handed, crouching over the blazing corpses of his friends. ¡°Intrude-¡± His cry was cut short as an arrow lodged into his throat, but it was enough. The others turned to see their comrade slump to the ground, the dark figure of his presumed attacker backlit in the light of a fire. The erstwhile villagers charged at him, as their cries of rage echoed in the moonlit woods. Jasper cast two Sacred Stars at them, and several were immediately immolated by the fiery explosions. The fire quickly spread through the thick underbrush, but the remaining cultists were undeterred. With a grin, he reached for another spell to cast at the charging villagers. We got this. An arrow materialized out of the dark, narrowly missing his neck, and he stumbled back, wildly searching for the hidden archer. Several more arrows arced towards him, and he threw himself to the ground, swiftly crawling through the tall wild grass towards the shelter of a tree, while Ihra, still hidden in the bush, returned fire, her keen aim swiftly removing one of the archers. The cool forest night was entirely transformed as the fire spread quickly through the woods, the air hot and heavy with smoke. From the cover of the tree, Jasper cast another Sacred Star, but grimaced as it entirely missed the cultists. Damn it, I can''t see them through this haze. He stepped out from the tree, eyes straining to make out their forms in the hellish glow of the flames. Can''t keep missing them. A moment later, he found himself flying forward through the air. He landed near the burning corpses of the cultists, as a terrible, cold pain radiated from below his rib cage. His lungs burned as he sucked in the acrid smoke, his eyes watering from the haze. Looking down at the source of his pain, Jasper saw an icy shard protruding from his stomach, the ice already melting away from the searing heat of the fire. Somehow he managed to push himself off the ground, stumbling towards the cover of a nearby tree. Come on. One more step. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Another shard hit him in the shoulder, the force of the blow spinning him around, and tossing him back on the ground. He lay there for a second, stunned, as his blood stained the ground. The sound of shattering filled his ears, as another ice shard buried itself into the ground beside him. A second later, a strangled scream echoed in the woods behind him. He lay there, fumbling in his bag for a healing potion. No more ice shards landed near him. Hopefully that means Ihra took him out. As his hand finally closed on the potion, several cultists emerged from the smoky fog. Two of them held axes in their hands, the third a bow and an arrow. They didn''t see him at first, and Jasper held his breath, praying they would walk away. But then, the archer''s eyes locked on him. "There." With a scream, the melee fighters rushed forward, as the archer stayed behind, taking careful aim. Fiery Shackles. Jasper cast his new spell, freezing them in their tracks. The melee fighters howled with pain as their ankles snapped under the stress of their momentum. He cast Purge again a second after the archer released her arrow. The projectile slammed into his chest, burying itself so deep that the tip protruded from his back, while the archer fell to the ground with a muffled gurgle, her throat burning with the flames of judgment. Struggling to stay conscious, Jasper grabbed the arrow with both hands and pulled with the last remnants of his strength. His screams echoed through the night as the arrow finally popped free, the barbed head ripping through his flesh. The Fiery Shackle spell ended, and the two melee fighters dragged themselves across the ground, unable to stand on their broken ankles. He cast Fiery Shackles on them again and followed it up with Sin Eater. He gasped as a stream of health flowed into him, and with renewed strength, he finally managed to tear open the potion''s lid and pour the sweet nectar down his throat. Two arrows flew past him, burrowing into the skulls of the trapped cultists, as Jasper shakily arose from the ground. Ihra emerged through the smoke and helped him up. He leaned against her, his body still weak from the drain of the potion. In the fiery haze around them, they could hear the cries of the cultists. ¡°Retreat! Pull back into the shrine.¡± ¡°You okay there, fire-boy?¡± Ihra spoke in jest, but her tone was laced with an ill-concealed concern. He gasped for breath in the acrid air, his lungs burning.¡°Let¡¯s go. We need to get out of this smoke before we pass out.¡± They stumbled through the burning woods, Ihra confidently navigating through the smoke - must be nice to have such high vision - before finally breaking free of the conflagration. Jasper watched as the fire quickly spread through the woods, leaping from tree to tree as pillars of smoke billowed into the sky. Crap. I hope I didn¡¯t just start a major forest fire. At least it wasn¡¯t for a gender-reveal party, he consoled himself. But as they ran through the woods, a cold wind, like the icy winds of winter¡¯s depth, blew past him. The previously clear skies darkened rapidly as the heavens opened up. Freezing cold rain pelted down upon them, quenching the fire and soaking them to the bone. They ran for some time, afraid to turn back, but his strength quickly flagged; potions could only do so much. At last, he could run no longer and collapsed beneath a tree. Its leafy boughs offered a small measure of relief from the relentless rain, as he leaned against the trunk. His teeth chattering from the sudden onslaught of the icy rains, Jasper hugged his arms tight around him, desperately trying to conserve some measure of warmth. ¡°Where the hell did all this rain come from? It was a cloudless night,¡± Ihra, also drenched from the pouring rain, was too cold and tired to respond to his strange question. Everyone knew that the spirits protected the forests. She uttered a silent prayer to them, pleading with them to overlook their transgressions. We meant no harm. She shuddered at the thought of facing an angry spirit - that was a fight they couldn¡¯t win, at least not yet. Despite herself, she found herself pressed against him, her desire for warmth from the cold rains outweighing her dislike of physical contact. It was late in the night when the rain finally stopped. With the rains gone, Jasper summoned the blue flames from his hands, letting them spread across his body. Within minutes he was warm and dry. Ihra, still thoroughly drenched, watched with a sour look on her face. ¡°Why is it that you started the fire, but I¡¯m the one that got wet,¡± she groused. Jasper shrugged, a grin lurking on his lips. ¡°I guess that¡¯s the perks of being a fire-boy.¡± She sighed, wringing water out of her hair. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan now that all hope of a surprise attack is lost?¡± ¡°There¡¯s what, maybe ten of them left? You killed the ice mage, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I got him. But if one of them had a mage class, we have to assume there could be at least one more. With a couple of archers and a mage, they could probably put up a pretty stout defense from the safety of the shrine''s walls. I don¡¯t know if we can take them. And what about the villagers? We can¡¯t just exterminate a village. We¡¯re going to have to go to the guild with what we know.¡± They debated their options for a while. Jasper hated the idea of just leaving, without finishing the job, but eventually Ihra persuaded him that it was the best option. As they finally came to an agreement, the ground beneath them suddenly trembled. Tendrils oozed out of the soft earth, quickly wrapping around their hands and feet and dragging them back against the tree. It took Jasper a second to realize that the tendrils were roots, the rough bark scraping against his skin like sandpaper. As they struggled against their bonds, two arrows flew past their heads, embedding themselves in the trunk. Several men and women stepped out from the shadow of the trees, and, lurking behind the knees of one of the women, were two kids. One of them drew close, a big, burly man with the shoulders of a linebacker and a bent nose that suggested a familiarity with brawls. ¡°So you¡¯re the bastards who attacked us last night.¡± He spat at the ground in front of them, a thick, blackish glob of spittle. He looked over them, a gleam of contempt in his eyes. ¡°You really thought you could take us all out? You¡¯re little more than lion whelps.¡± He bent down, pushing his face within inches of Jasper¡¯s. The man let out a low laugh, before spitting directly in Jasper¡¯s face. Jasper coughed and spluttered, as some of the liquid got in his eyes, stinging sharply. The man stood back up, a cruel smile on his face. He swept his hand back to the group waiting behind him.¡°Unfortunately for you, we''ve found ourselves in need of a few fresh travelers. Seeing as how you¡¯ve reduced our numbers, I think it¡¯s only fair you recompense us for our troubles. It''s time for the young¡¯uns to ascend.¡± A wide grin split his face. ¡°Times have been a little tough out here in the forest, but tonight? Tonight, we¡¯ll be eating well.¡± Welcome to the Sanctum The roots that bound Jasper and Ihra coiled around them tighter, until they were left in a wooden cocoon, with nothing more than their heads peaking out. The man waved his hand, and their wooden prisons lurched up into the air, breaking free of the tree. ¡°Thank ya kindly, gappu.¡± He leered at them. "The forest spirits ain''t too happy with you right now. You should treat''em more kindly in the future, if, of course, you had one." Jasper vainly struggled against his bounds, but the roots were wrapped so tightly around him that he could not gain any leverage or momentum. Nor could he even wiggle his fingers, which meant that spells were out of the question. As the group trekked back through the woods towards their base, he frantically wracked his mind, looking for a way out. He remembered what Qara had taught him. Unstructured magic has been the salvation of many a mage. Unlike his spells, unstructured magic required no forms, no words, no essence. Instead, it drew directly from the soul. It was a limited resource that once exhausted could not be replenished, and truth be told, Jasper was not keen on using his soul as fuel. But there was really no other choice. Either he gave up, and let the cultists consume his entire soul, or he burned a small portion of his soul and hopefully escaped. His blood pounding, Jasper reached for the magic, but it did not want to come. It kept slipping out of his grasp, escaping his reach like sand pouring through his fists. The frustration and panic built, as he tried again and again to grab hold of the power locked within, but it danced just out of his reach. His eyes widened as he saw the shrine ahead. A tall white tower emerged from the trees like a giraffe in a herd of gazelles, engraved on all sides with giant silver runes. Large chunks of the wall and the tower were missing, and whatever the runic inscription had once powered clearly no longer worked, but there was still a sinister feel to the place that unsettled him. Jasper''s mind flashed with an image of him on a table, the cultists feasting on his flesh, as panic consumed him. I have to stay calm. He shoved the panic down, deep down into a small painful knot in his chest, as he tried to meditate. I am the river; I flow around all things. I am the rock; all things flow around me. As it turned out, it¡¯s hard to meditate when you¡¯re about to attend a dinner where you¡¯re the main course, but he persevered. The forest around him fell away, as the river finally appeared in his mind. He stood by the tranquil stream, his soul merging with the overflowing water and the resolute rock. In that moment of transcendence, the magic flowed back to him. This time, he didn¡¯t have to try to grab it. Instead, the magic poured into him, an overwhelming flood that saturated every pore of his body. Jasper found himself disconnected, a sense of surrealism sweeping across him, as he felt like he was cast out of his own body, observing from afar. His cocoon erupted in a fiery blast. Chunks of burning wood flew out in a violent percussive force, instantly killing two of the cultists. As the smoke cleared, Jasper floated in the air above the terrified villagers. His body was consumed in a torrent of blue flame, and the shadow of black wings flapped above him. He hung there for a second, his eyes burning with an eldritch flame. The cultists shrank back, as he slowly stretched out his right hand. ¡°Feed me your sins.¡± The air shook beneath the weight of the words, the world seeming to twist and contort as if reality itself was dissolving. And the cultists simply melted. Their bodies collapsed in upon them, withering into little more than a leathery husk as something streamed out of them and into the fiery figure, leaving no one alive except the two children. As the last of the cultists died, Jasper fell from the sky, the wings and flames flickering out of existence as he crashed into the ground unconscious. He awoke beside a crackling fire. Gleaming white walls rose above him, and through the arched window, a chilly breeze blew in from the dark night. A pleasant smell wafted through the room, and as he sat up he saw Ihra tending a pot over the fire. His sudden movement provoked a reaction as the two children shrank back, terror writ across their faces. Their obvious terror stabbed him in the heart, and Ihra reached out her hands to calm them. ¡°It¡¯s okay, he¡¯s not going to hurt you.¡± She patted them gently on the head, crooning to the two small children. It¡¯s like they think I¡¯m a monster. But as Jasper gathered his hazy recollections, he realized that¡¯s exactly what they thought, and not without reason. Damn. I probably just killed their parents and everyone they know. He eyed the two children with regret. There was a boy and a girl; the girl was perhaps 7 or 8, the boy younger. They were dirty and malnourished, their clothes barely better than rags, their black hair long and unkempt, and their blue eyes had long since lost their spark. He walked over to the fire, his movements slow and controlled, not wanting to spook them further. He carefully ladled some of the stew into two bowls and scooted them in front of the kids. He didn¡¯t speak, not wanting to scare them further. They peered at the bowls suspiciously, but eventually, hunger won out over fear, and they devoured the food with the zeal of a starving animal. He filled another bowl and handed it to Ihra. ¡°So what happened? How did you get free?¡± She took the stew, digging in before responding. ¡°After you killed the mage, my wooden cocoon dissolved. I guess whatever deal the mage had with the gappu ended when he died. You passed out and wouldn¡¯t wake up, so I dragged you in here, and rounded the kids up.¡± She took another bite of the stew, chewing much longer than required. At last, she spoke up, her words a bit halting. ¡°So, um, I know heritages are a private matter, and can be a bit touchy, but what the hell was that?¡± ¡°I just used unstructured magic, like Qara taught me¡­although it was a bit more powerful than I expected,¡± Jasper admitted. She shook her head. ¡°No. You¡­transformed. Almost like a sidhe. And you consumed something from them, just like the cultists consume the soul.¡± She stared him in the eye, a solemn look on her face. ¡°Promise me you aren¡¯t one of them.¡± He recoiled in disgust. ¡°No. No. Of course not. I don¡¯t eat people. I¡­¡± He trailed off, composing his thoughts. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t really know what I did back there. I didn¡¯t really feel like I was totally in control. But I vaguely remember saying something like, ¡®feed me your sins,¡¯ right?¡± He paused, waiting for her assent. ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded slowly. "I think you said something like that." ¡°I think it¡¯s related to the inquisitor skills that keep being pushed on me. I don¡¯t know exactly what happened, but I¡¯m not a cultist. My skills, if anything, seem to be specifically anti-cultist.¡± He grabbed her hand, with a pleading look on his face. ¡°Please believe me.¡± Pulling her hand back, she searched his eyes for a long moment, at last nodding. ¡°I believe you. I won¡¯t turn you into the guild.¡± She looked down, her hand gently stroking the hair of the little girl, who after devouring her stew, had fallen asleep sprawled upon Ihra¡¯s lap. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to take them to the guild, and inform the guild about the village.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t - they won¡¯t kill the kids, will they?¡± ¡°As long as they haven¡¯t partaken in the sacrifice, they¡¯ll be fine. The Guild and Barracks provide an orphanage for kids of deceased members, or those rescued on guild missions. I¡¯m sure they will take the kids there.¡± ¡°And the village?¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Once they¡¯ve verified our information, the village will be exterminated.¡± They finished their meal in silence. Jasper watched the sleeping children, regret gnawing at his heart, until his thoughts were finally overwhelmed by the siren call of sleep. They rose at dawn and tracked a course to Gis?-Izum on the map. They had to cut through the woods to reconnect with the road once it passed the village, lest they warn the inhabitants. The cultists had apparently found their horses where they had been tethered in the woods, and had brought them back to the shrine, so they were able to set off quickly, each taking one of the children on their horse. The little boy squirmed in the saddle in front of him, trying to keep as far away from Jasper as possible. But while the children¡¯s obvious fear of Jasper hurt him, it also made them compliant, and the boy rode without complaint. The sun was already high in the sky when they breached the road again. Spurring their horses to a gallop, they raced for Gis?-Izum. As dusk approached, they reached the city. It was situated on the far side of a rushing river. A great bridge led to the city gates, which were flanked on both sides by massive, octagonal towers. The walls of Gis?-Izum were immense, far larger than those of Hargish. They were a dark, reddish-brown, and as Jasper drew near he realized he could see the familiar grain of wood, apparently petrified, although whether it was by some natural process or through magic, he could not tell. The guard, seeing their guild uniforms, waved them through without hassle, giving them directions to the guild. ¡°Just follow the walls to the right and you¡¯ll eventually run into the guild.¡± As they rode down the street, Jasper was surprised at how different it was from Hargish. In the cooler environment, the streets were not covered, but open to the night sky, the stars shining down from above. There were few stores here, the majority being buried deeper within the city, and even fewer travelers, most having already concluded their business for the day. The lonely streets were well lit, though. Great lights were ensconced at regular intervals along the walls, lighting the street below, and in their light, he could see the faintest swirls of a light flurry, the little pinpricks of snow dusting his face. By the time they arrived at the guild, the four were cold and a bit wet, as the light flurry slowly soaked its way into their clothes. The guild hall here dwarfed the one at Hargish. Built of the same petrified wood as the city walls, its exterior was smooth and unmarked, bereft of even windows. The only adornment along the walls were four great towers, set in each of its four corners, and a colossal pair of doors. Unlike the blank walls, the great metal doors were covered in exquisite carvings, with glowing blue runes mixed in like a constellation of stars. No guards stood outside the doors, and as they approached, Jasper feared that they would be unable to enter. But the doors glided open before them, silently merging into the wall. As they stepped inside, Jasper struggled to comprehend what he was seeing. With a quick glance behind his shoulder, he saw the still dark city streets as the doors quickly closed. But ahead of them sprawled a bustling village, surrounded by green fields stretching out into the distance. The sun shone high in the sky, and low mountains rimmed the horizons. ¡°I¡¯d heard the stories, but never realized they would be so big.¡± Ihra craned her head around, looking up at the ¡°sky¡± rising above them. "This is so much more than I ever dreamed of." ¡°Did we teleport somewhere? That was way easier than the last time.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ihra responded distractedly, soaking in the surroundings. ¡°No, this is its own little world. A sanctum.¡± She tore her eyes away from the mountains, a curious glint in her eyes. ¡°Where did you grow up again? Everyone¡¯s heard the stories of sanctums as a child, even if most are never lucky enough to step foot in one.¡± Jasper ignored her question, and, upon his silence, she sighed. ¡°Look, if we¡¯re going to adventure together, you need to tell me something about yourself. How am I supposed to trust you when all I have is questions? You made a deal with the dark whispers in Yar-Khennor, you performed some sort of strange and terrible magic against the cultists, and there is clearly something about your past that you¡¯re hiding.¡± He chewed the inside of his lip, mulling it over, before at last relenting. ¡°You said this sanctum is its own little world, right?¡± She nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not from a sanctum, but I¡¯m from a place kind of like it. A place that was its own world, separate from here. We had stories about your world, so I know a lot about it, but there¡¯s also a lot the stories left out.¡± ¡°So you came here to adventure?¡± He grimaced. ¡°Not willingly, that''s for sure. Truthfully, I''m not really sure how I got here. Part of me wants to blame Kas?dael for dragging me over here, but I don''t know if she''s actually to blame. Back in my world, there were rumors about other people disappearing, so it''s possible she''s not the one responsible." He paused. "Or at least not the only one responsible.¡± Jasper looked at Ihra, his eyes reflecting the sorrow that laced his voice. ¡°It¡¯s been hard coming here. My world isn¡¯t perfect - far from it - but it¡¯s not nearly as dangerous or violent as my experience here has been. I never had to kill anyone there, never even had to kill an animal. He sighed. "Now I¡¯m wiping out cannibalistic cultists, and winged giants and lizard people. We don¡¯t have lizard people where I¡¯m from. Well, except for the queen of England.¡± Despite himself, a whisper of a smile graced his face. Ihra nodded seriously. ¡°Was this lizard queen the ruler of your world?¡± Jasper laughed, his booming voice stirring the sleeping child snuggled against him. ¡°I was just kidding. That¡¯s a silly conspiracy back on my world. And while the queen once ruled an empire on which the sun never set, now she rules over little more than a small island.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s no night in your world?¡± ¡°Of course there is. Why would you think that?¡± ¡°You said the sun never sets.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a saying. The British empire was so large that it stretched around the globe, so there was always some part where it was still day.¡± ¡°Globe?¡± Jasper was spared answering further questions as they reached the village, where a small stall was operated by a guild attendant. ¡°Hold up. You¡¯ve got to register with me first before heading into the village.¡± The attendant, a short man, greeted them with a cheery smile. Wavy chestnut locks tumbled down to his shoulders, offset by sparkling green eyes and dusky skin. When he smiled, Jasper could see his canines poking up, not quite fangs, but a bit too long for a normal human. Fey heritage. Jasper dismounted and walked over to the man. ¡°Previous branch?¡± ¡°Hargish.¡± ¡°Names?¡± ¡°Jasper and Ihra.¡± The man paused, impatiently tapping his finger on his desk. ¡°I¡¯ll need the names of your kids, too, if you¡¯re hoping to secure family housing.¡± ¡°My kids?¡± Jasper was confused for a second before he remembered the two children with them. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re not our kids. That¡¯s part of why we¡¯re here. We ran into some cultists along the road.¡± The impatient look on the man''s face evaporated immediately, and he leaned forward eagerly. ¡°Was it the village of Khiryat? We¡¯ve suspected them for a while, but haven¡¯t had any proof.¡± Jasper paused, unsure of the name of the little village where they had stayed, but Ihra spoke up. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the village. The innkeeper there asked us to take care of some bandits for them, but when we investigated we discovered that both groups were cultists that had had a falling out.¡± The man clapped his hands together, a devilish grin in his green eyes. ¡°Excellent, I will set up a meeting for you with a guild leader.¡± He looked at a clock on his desk. ¡°I see it''s nighttime in the city, so you''re probably tired out. We¡¯ll get you a room, and you can have the meeting after your rest. And the kids?¡± Jasper chimed in this time. ¡°They were the kids of some of the cultists. We were temporarily captured by the cultists, and they were planning to sacrifice us for the children, so we think the kids are untainted.¡± The man jotted a few notes down on a sheet of paper before looking up. ¡°Very well. We can take the kids from you and have someone assess them. As long as they are clean of the darkness, we can provide a place for them in the orphanage, unless you¡¯d prefer to be listed as guardians.¡± Jasper looked to Ihra, who wouldn¡¯t meet his gaze. ¡°I, uh, I don¡¯t think I want to be a guardian at this time, but would it be possible to be kept informed about them? I killed their parents. I had to do it, but still¡­" He trailed over for a moment. "I just want to make sure they¡¯re okay.¡± The attendant eyed him sympathetically. ¡°Ah, one of your first kills was it? That won¡¯t be a problem. Many an adventurer has been in your shoes, lad. The orphanage provides basic lodging and training for the children, but if you want, you can arrange for them to receive more. It will cost you, though,¡± he warned. ¡°Thanks.¡± The attendant rang a bell, and a few seconds later, the doors of the nearest cottage were flung open as two men strode out. ¡°Ah, Ircya, can you escort these two to one of the open guest lodgings, and Nabu, can you take these two children to the orphanage.¡± Ihra shook her head. ¡°No. The children are asleep now. I don¡¯t want them to wake up alone. We can take them to the orphanage later.¡± The attendant¡¯s smile faltered a bit. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to insist, ma¡¯am. We have to examine them first, to make sure they have not partaken in the dark rituals. You are welcome to visit them as often as you like once they¡¯ve settled into the orphanage.¡± She frowned, but held her peace. Nabu gently lifted the two sleeping children off the horses, murmuring a spell under his breath to avoid waking them up. Slinging them over his shoulders, he set off down the street. Ircya waved for them to follow him, and quickly turned down a small side road before stopping at a cottage. He unlocked the door and let them in. Ircya pointed to the wall, which had a small press plate inscribed with blue runes. ¡°After you¡¯ve slept and gotten yourself sorted out, just push the pressure panel, and we¡¯ll send someone over to meet with you. We¡¯d like to get this cultist situation taken care of as quickly as possible.¡± With that, he let himself out, and Jasper and Ihra, thoroughly exhausted, tumbled into bed. A Parking Lot Free Paradise Jasper awoke a few hours later and was surprised to see the sun still streaming in through the cottage windows. Did I sleep all day, or is the day here longer than normal? Jasper craned his head out the window and saw that the sky had turned a brilliant purple, shot through with great streaks of fiery orange as the burning sun hung low in the sky. Well, it looks like night is coming, he decided. Pulling back from the window, he checked in on Ihra. She was still asleep in her bed, a slight trail of drool dripping from her mouth onto the plush pillow. He closed the door gently and returned to the main room of the cottage. After a moment of indecision, he sat down on the floor to meditate. I am the river¡­ With a gasp, he popped into the void.
Jasper Welles (25) Level up available: x17 Exp: 25/1000 Health 500 Stamina 900 Essence 1200 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 15 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 20 Uplifted Purge Sling V
Vision 15 Locked Eternal Night II Glaive IV
Inspiration 35 Locked Fiery Shackles
Willpower 35 Sin Eater
Charisma 15
Jasper was shocked to see how many levels he had gained. How did I gain so many levels? The answer came to him almost immediately, leaving a bitter taste on his lips. 18 people. I killed 18 people, and l got almost a level for each. And a night hag, whatever she was worth. He allocated the points, the joy of the levels slightly spoiled by the price. The biggest surprise was the new heritage he¡¯d received. In the hectic days that had followed their escape from Yar-Khennor, and subsequent exile from Hargish, Jasper had all but forgotten his brief encounter with the strange beast, Namrah, in the jungle.
Uplifted
The Great Namrah has taken pity on the mewling cub before her and given him a blessing. Unlocks your first set of wings, opens the door to the Seraph faction, and grants the racial trait Devouring Breath. Make contact with the Seraphs for further information and advancements.
So that explains the wings, and, probably, whatever I did to those people. He looked for more information on the Devouring Breath, but could find nothing. First set of wings. Does that mean I can fly? He focused his mind, trying to wish wings into existence. A faint itch ran across his back, but no matter how hard he tried, his shoulders remained disappointingly wingless. Guess I couldn''t expect it to be that easy. He turned back to the character screen. He had passed level 40, which meant he had another spell to pick.
Reward Box
Please select one current spell to enhance and one of three new spells: Seraph Burst - Launch yourself in a fiery explosion towards your enemies, your wings spiraling out in a razor sharp attack. Cost: 200 essence Voidwalker - Escape from illusions by briefly stepping into the void. Cost: 150 essence Chrysostom - Temporarily doubles your charisma, and allows you to speak with many beasts. Cost: 200 essence
All the choices seemed decent. Seraph Burst would add a much-needed compliment to his rather small repertoire of offensive spells. He really only had the explosive Sacred Star and the situational Purge to rely on, so another spell could be useful. He could see Seraph Burst and Fiery Shackles working well together in combat. However, he had been shaken by his encounter with the night hag. Mind magic was scary, and Voidwalker offered at least some measure of protection. Chrysostom was also intriguing. The ability to talk to animals was right out of a fairy tale and tempted him more than he wanted to admit. Jasper also wondered if perhaps the skill, with its doubling of charisma, might have allowed him to smooth things over with the guild at Hargish. Maybe, they wouldn''t have had to leave, although as he remembered the luxurious cottage they had been provided, he wasn''t so sure that their exile hadn''t been a blessing in disguise. Ultimately, though, Jasper found Chrysostom the easiest to dismiss. Survival was more important than talking to animals. He also reluctantly passed on Voidwalker; as terrifying as the hag was, her nightmare was the only illusion he had encountered thus far. In the end, Seraph Burst seemed the most useful. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The last choice he needed to make was which skill to upgrade. Since Sacred Star and Eternal Night had already been upgraded, he decided to bring Fiery Shackles up to their level.
Fiery Shackles II
Summon four fiery shackles to bind four foes for 40 seconds. Deals moderate fire damage. Cost: 200 essence.
It was a simple upgrade, but Jasper was satisfied. He took one last glance at his new stats before leaving the void
Jasper Welles (42) Level up available: x0 Exp: 25/1000 Health 1000 Stamina 1060 Essence 1520 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 30 Uplifted Purge Sling V
Vision 20 Locked Eternal Night II Glaive IV
Inspiration 43 Locked Fiery Shackles II
Willpower 43 Sin Eater
Charisma 20 Seraph Burst
He had finally decided to invest a significant amount of points in strength and endurance, doubling his health. There had been too many close calls in the last few weeks. He emerged from the void, the phantom pains blossoming in his chest. Ihra sat beside him, her eyes closed in meditation. He threw himself back on the bed, waiting for her to finish. He rolled around in the sheets, luxuriating in the sheer comfort of a real bed after weeks on the road. Bathed in the warm sunbeams streaming through the cottage windows, he had almost drifted off back to sleep when she finally stirred from her meditation. He roused himself up, shaking the drowsiness from his head. Her face beamed with the pleased look of the cat who caught the canary, and he couldn¡¯t help but return her infectious grin. ¡°Levels or skills?¡± ¡°Both. I finally passed level 40, got a new skill, and almost doubled my stats. I also got a new title, ¡®Cultists¡¯ Bane.¡¯¡± ¡°Me too, but I didn¡¯t get the title.¡± He frowned. ¡°I wonder why? I killed the cultists with you.¡± She rummaged around in her bag and pulled out a fresh shirt. Changing into the shirt, she wrangled her long, blonde hair into a respectable ponytail, before replying. ¡°Probably because you didn¡¯t want to. You¡¯ve been all mopey about having to kill them, so the gods didn¡¯t reward you for it. The skills and titles you receive are driven by your actions and your attitude,¡± she paused before continuing, ¡°although in your case, it seems like someone has a thumb on the scales.¡± Jasper shrugged his shoulders, although a spark of annoyance flickered in his heart. ¡°Oh well. Screw me for not rejoicing at killing humans, I guess.¡± He walked over to the pressure plate. ¡°You ready to get this meeting over with?¡± The meeting with the guild representative went quickly. The guild took their testimony - both of them left out the part of the story where he drained the cultists - and paid each of them a gold for their service. They were offered a position on the crew that would be sent to ¡°handle¡± the village, but Jasper declined. The guild representative, however, was primarily interested in Jasper¡¯s skills. Apparently, Purge and other inquisitorial skills were highly sought after, as they were fairly rare. Although the cultists had been almost entirely wiped out in the Desolyton, they had slowly rebuilt in the centuries that followed, and now, with the country consumed in a devastating war and magic on the decline, their dark methods were once again sweeping through the empire. Thus, the guild office at Gis?-Izum was very eager to acquire a fledgling inquisitor of their own. Jasper turned down all their offers, but the guild insisted on providing accommodations for them, so soon he and Ihra found themselves led down the main street of the village to a new, larger cottage. When the guild representative finally left, Jasper dropped into his chair with a sigh of relief. ¡°Whew. I thought he¡¯d never leave. You know, it¡¯s kind of funny. The guild at Hargish cast us out, and the guild here is treating us like we¡¯re royalty.¡± Ihra curled up on the couch opposite him, admiring the plush, down cushions covered in soft red velvet. ¡°This couch probably costs more money than two of us have put together.¡± She stretched out on the couch, reveling in its luxurious embrace, like a cat sprawling in a sunbeam. ¡°Now this is the life.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s our plan? Should we go look for a quest, or try to find another group to join?¡± She sat up, stretching her arms out with a yawn. ¡°Yes. If we don¡¯t keep the guild happy by doing quests, we¡¯ll lose this beautiful place. And, we need more people. We can probably just tag along with another group if we don¡¯t want to start our own crew yet. But first, I want to go see the kids.¡± Jasper winced, as a wave of guilt washed through him. Truth be told, he had completely forgotten about them. ¡°Of course, let''s go now.¡± They used the pressure plate to buzz the guild, asking for directions to the orphanage, before setting off. It was only a short walk away, and as they strolled down the village¡¯s main street, Jasper was surprised at how homey the place felt. The street was wide and paved with a smooth unbroken stone surface, that must have been magical in origin. Rows of cottages lined the street and broke off in numerous small side streets. The cottages were pleasant two-story affairs, with large garden plots in the front, and stately old trees rising up to the sky above. Jasper¡¯s eyes traveled up a particularly large oak tree, before being drawn to the sun setting above the distant mountains. ¡°So our conversation earlier was cut short, but you never really explained what a sanctum is.¡± ¡°Right, you don¡¯t know about them, do you?¡± Ihra frowned, trying to recall what she knew about sanctums. ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about history, but they were built all over Corsythia, although mostly in central and south Corsythian regions sometime during the Fey wars. I¡¯m not sure which war it was, though. I want to say....maybe during the reign of Shamshadi?n, so the second war?" She shrugged, her ponytail bobbing. "Anyway, the empire was losing the war badly. Millions of innocent civilians were being killed, so a group of the most powerful mages banded together to come up with a solution: they sacrificed themselves, binding their souls together, to create impenetrable shelters where common folk could live in safety from the Feys'' attacks." "It worked brilliantly. With most of the population secured, the empire''s forces were finally able to push the Fey back, out of our territories for good. After the wars finally ended, most people returned to their old homes. There are still a few sanctums that are heavily inhabited, and quite a few have been resettled thanks to the war with the Zalancthians, but most of them are now operated by the guild and barracks in trust, like this one.¡± ¡°Huh. So they are kind of like the really big cold war bunkers we built.¡± She shrugged, not understanding his reference, as they turned down the alleyway the orphanage was on. ¡°Here we are.¡± She rapped on the door sharply, and after a few seconds, a young woman answered. Dark shadows lined her eyes, and her brows creased with unseasonably early wrinkles. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to see a little boy and girl that were brought here yesterday.¡± The lady opened the door and stepped aside. ¡°Come in. They passed their examination, and have been assigned a room.¡± She led them into the orphanage, up the stairs, and down a small hall. Jasper noted that the orphanage, while spotlessly clean, was a bit run down. His fears were only confirmed when the woman opened the door to the children¡¯s room. It was a small room, lit by the light of a single, small window high up in the wall. A bunk bed, chair, and desk were the only pieces of furniture in the room, and a small, worn rug covered the wooden floor. In the corner, a shabby rocking horse was the only toy he saw. The children shrunk back a little when he stepped into the room, but their faces lit up when they saw Ihra behind. The little girl ran over to Ihra, burying her face in her legs, the boy following close behind. And then, to Jasper¡¯s surprise, the little boy awkwardly hugged him. He gently patted the child on the back before standing back up. He turned to the lady. ¡°The guild attendant said something about sponsoring them. I¡¯d like to make sure they are taken care of.¡± He pulled out the gold coin the guild had paid him for the cultists. ¡°Here¡¯s a start.¡± Ihra added her own coin, and the lady bowed. ¡°Of course. The orphanage doesn¡¯t receive a lot of funding from the guild, because most of the adventurers¡¯ children are sponsored by their former parties. If you can afford to sponsor them, it will greatly help them.¡± She took the money and led them downstairs where she retrieved paperwork. ¡°Here¡¯s a sponsorship contract. You agree to provide a certain of money each year, and in return, we will provide you with an account of how the money is spent. For now, the money you provided will go to fixing up their room and buying new clothes. All children in the orphanage are provided with a basic education, and as they got older, an apprenticeship with local crafters or workers. As a sponsor, you are free to make your own arrangements for them, however. And of course, you¡¯re welcome to visit whenever you like.¡± Jasper scanned the contract quickly, and seeing nothing out of the ordinary, signed it. He handed back it to the lady with a smile. ¡°Please tell Kefir and Aryah we¡¯ll be back soon.¡± They left the orphanage and headed toward the small market center. A few shops were clustered around the square, and a handful of stalls were hawking their wares. Jasper and Ihra searched through them as Jasper explained his goal. ¡°I want to buy a few toys for them to play with and a warm blanket. It gets cold here, and they didn¡¯t have a fireplace in their room.¡± The blankets were easy to find, but toys were in short supply. Eventually, Jasper located a trader who had a few toys that he had accepted in trade: a few straw dolls, some carved wooden horses, and a small bag of building blocks. At Ihra¡¯s suggestion, they stopped at a food stall and loaded up on treats and goodies before returning to the orphanage. Kefir and Aryah were delighted with their new possessions, the girl immediately pouncing on the horses with a squeal of delight while the boy hugged the doll close to his chest. As they left, even the girl shyly hugged him goodbye. They spent the rest of the day simply relaxing. Jasper was curious to see more of the sanctum, so they took a long ride on their horses into the foothills that bounded the sanctum. The air was crisp and fresh, the world lush and beautiful, devoid of all dangers. It was the first place he had been, since being brought to Corsythia, where there were no dangerous beasts or monsters and no violent criminals, but a calm tranquility, a place where one could truly relax. This is paradise. Lady Aphora They rode through the beautiful countryside for hours, basking in the tranquility. It was only when the sun began to slip beneath the horizon that Jasper reluctantly agreed to return home. ¡°Come on,¡± Ihra urged him. ¡°We need to find a quest tomorrow - the guild won¡¯t pay us to lounge around doing nothing.¡± Reality crashing back upon him, he agreed to return to their cottage. Back in his room, he changed out of his guild uniform into the simple linen tunic they had provided as pajamas. As he folded his uniform and placed it back into his knapsack, a letter tumbled out onto the floor. Oh yeah, Pa¡¯al¡¯s letter of introduction. He picked it up, and weighed it in his hands for a second, curious about what it said. Thanks to the cultists, we don¡¯t really need an introduction anymore. With a shrug, he broke the seal and pulled the letter out. His face darkened as he read the contents. There was a letter from Pa¡¯al inside, a simple introduction that praised Jasper and Ihra for saving his life on an expedition that went wrong. But another letter was enclosed with Pa¡¯al¡¯s letter. A letter from Gebor. In it, the guild master of Hargish accused them of being associated with dark magic and cultists, and suggested that whatever guild master received the letter should make arrangements to take care of them. They were going to kill us! Did Pa¡¯al know this letter was here? Did he betray us, or was he unaware? He passed the night in fitful sleep, tormented by the thoughts of their fate if he had turned in the letter. Morning couldn¡¯t come quickly enough. As soon as Ihra was ready, they headed for the guild hall, stopping at a stall for a quick breakfast. The guild inside the guild was far larger than the guild hall back in Hargish, and the enormous building dominated the small marketplace of the village. The doors slid open as they approached, activated by the runes inscribed on their uniforms, and they made their way over to the boards. A throng of people was gathered around the boards, the hubbub of excited speech rising and falling like the tide as groups discussed their new quest, or fought for rare opportunities. Ihra deftly squeezed her way through the crowd, Jasper awkwardly following behind, apologizing more than once as he bumped into people, before arriving at the board. The board was covered in brightly colored posters advertising jobs. ¡°Guard a caravan to Tzukappe.¡± ¡°Kill a man-eating wolf terrorizing the village of Akko.¡± ¡°Join an expedition to the ruins of Als?arratu.¡± A plethora of smaller requests was scattered across the board, ranging from private individuals looking for bodyguards, to combat training, and even vermin extermination. Jasper was surprised at how little many of the jobs paid. Most of them offered less than half a gold, with the private contracts usually offering even less. Nothing truly called to him, but he eventually found himself drawn to the expedition to Als?arratu. Despite the terrible turn that the expedition to Yar-Khennor had taken, Jasper didn¡¯t really relish the thought of simply playing escort duty. But he held his tongue, curious to see what Ihra selected. At last, she pointed to a private contract tucked away near the bottom. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Jasper hadn¡¯t even noticed the flyer and bent down to read it. The details were sparse at best. Escort Lady Aphora to the Tower of Ysagila in the ruins of Als?arratu. Pays 1 gold per week for each party member. ¡°Hmmh, it kind of sounds like an escort quest, but the pay is good." He read the name again. The ruins of Als?arratu. "It''s actually the same place as the guild expedition is going to, so maybe it wouldn''t be too boring, after all.¡± Jasper pulled the flyer off the board and stood up. ¡°Not sure if we really fit the bill, though. ¡®Pays 1 gold per week for each party member.¡¯ Do you think we qualify as a party with just the two of us?¡± Ihra shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to ask. The pay is pretty decent, and in the long run, the most profitable quests almost always come from the nobility or temples. The guild is government funded and just doesn¡¯t pay as well, especially with all their focus on the war. If we can get in good with this Lady Aphora, it might open the door for even more profitable jobs in the future.¡± They took the flyer over to a guild attendant, who looked up the details on the job. ¡°You¡¯ll need to apply in person for the job. Her residence is back in the city.¡± He handed them the information and bade them farewell. ¡°Good luck, but don¡¯t get your hopes up. The posting has been there for a long time, and thus far she¡¯s rejected everyone who ever applied.¡± They retrieved their horses from the guild stables and clattered down the streets of the sanctum back towards the exit to Gis?-Izum. As they drew near the giant gates, a guild attendant waved a hand to stop them. ¡°Wait! Do you have business in the city?¡± Jasper nodded yes, and the attendant pointed behind his shoulder to a large clock. ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night in the city right now. You should come back in a few hours when stores will be open.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Thus, they found themselves back in their cottage, twiddling their thumbs impatiently. Ihra promptly curled up on the couch and fell asleep, but Jasper was unable to drift off. As he slumped in the velvet armchair, bored out of his mind, he keenly felt for the first time the absence of all the leisure activities he had just taken for granted on earth. He knew the Corsythians must have something to pass the time, but as there were no computers or TVs, and books were quite expensive, aside from perhaps board games, he couldn¡¯t really hazard a guess as to what those activities were. Drinking at pubs? Brothels? The hours ticked by slowly, lengthened by boredom until, the cozy chair and warm fire conspiring against him, he finally fell asleep. When he awoke, the purplish haze of the setting sun glowed in the cottage window. Ihra was no longer on the couch, and, after calling out for her with no response, he realized she must have left the cottage. He tidied himself up in the mirror, and after a moment¡¯s thought, decided to pull on a new guild uniform. Should probably look my best for this noble. As he tightened the last strap, Ihra walked through the door, accompanied by the smell of fresh bacon. ¡°Here.¡± She thrust a sandwich into his hands. ¡°I ran out to the market to grab a bite to eat, and thought you might want something.¡± He tore into the buttered rolls, dripping with bacon and cheese, with zest. ¡°Thanks,¡± he mumbled, brushing the crumbs away. The sandwich was quickly devoured, and he washed his hands in the basin. ¡°Ready to go?¡± ¡°Yep, let¡¯s go get rejected.¡± Her cheery tone belied her words, and with obvious excitement, she hopped onto her horse. This time the attendant merely nodded at them as they passed through the great doors into the city of Gis?-Izum. Seeing the city for the first time in the light of day, Jasper was blown away by the sheer scale of the city. Hargish had reminded him a bit of the Middle East, but Gis?-Izum resembled nothing on earth. Like the walls, the buildings were enormous and crafted from the same petrified wood. In some places, seams could be seen, but most of the buildings appeared to have been carved out of a single gigantic block. Was this whole place built by magic? If so, the scale of the magic was far beyond anything he had seen demonstrated. His awe only increased as they traversed across the city, riding for two hours, before entering the nobility district. The district was gated, and they had to show their guild quest before the guard would let them in. The buildings here were not constructed from the same petrified wood as the city, but of pale rock, almost ivory in appearance. The architecture was noticeably distinct, and the straight, harsh lines that dominated the lower city were replaced by graceful curves and delicate arches. Jasper recognized the architecture. In the Corsythia: Desolyton, he had mostly played in the north, where elven influence was much more dominant. Which elven kingdom this particular style was from was another question altogether, but he was surprised to see any signs of an elven presence in Sapiya. They arrived at their destination and hitched their horses to the post out front. The circular building in front of them rose off the ground in a flourish before culminating in a curving point, the shape reminding Jasper vaguely of a white Hershey¡¯s kiss. Great arching windows lined the bottom of the building, but there was no sign of a door. As they approached the building, a glowing rune appeared in the window closest to the street. The window slid into the walls, allowing them to pass inside. As they stepped through, the walls closed up behind them. They found themselves in a large circular room, entirely crafted out of the same ivory stone as the exterior. Great pillars ringed the edge of the room, and as Jasper looked up, his breath caught in his throat. That¡¯s impossible. The pillars rose at least two hundred feet, far higher than the building, and at the top, the moon hung suspended over the center of the room. It can¡¯t be. He cast his eyes to the floor, and his eyes landed on the emblem he was looking for. The sigil of Onkodos Laos. He had no time to dwell on this revelation, as an elven man strode into the room. His long black hair was held back by a silver diadem that matched his eyes, his clothes a simple black cloak engraved with silver runes. His youthful appearance was belied by the lines that creased his eyes. He looked over the two in silence for a moment, his eyes lingering long on Jasper. Finally, he seemed satisfied. ¡°The Lady will want to see you. Come with me.¡± He turned and walked out of the room without another word. They strode down a hallway lined with windows, surrounded on each side by large tranquil ponds that reflected the moonlight. Did we go through a portal? There was definitely no pond and it was broad daylight back in the city. Jasper shook his head. This was the work of a god. Normal rules need not apply. The man ushered them into a room, leaving without a word. The room was, surprisingly, rectangular, and the sole focus of the room was the throne at its front. An elven woman sat on the throne. Large silver horns swept back from her head, a glowing silver ring was in her nose, and a delicate sheer gown fell over her shoulders. Jasper squirmed under the oppressive gaze of her piercing eyes, a physical weight pushing down upon him, and subconsciously his hands burst into the blue flames. The pressure ceased, and she stood up, slowly walking towards them. ¡°At last.¡± Her voice rippled like water, echoing through the stone room. ¡°At last some useful applicants.¡± She stopped close to them, and like an animal, sniffed the air. ¡°The locals here do not much like elves, and we have little use for them. But you two are not so pedestrian.¡± She turned to Ihra. ¡°A child of one of our lesser relatives, but still, of our blood. And you.¡± Her blues eyes dug into Jasper. ¡°Your kind rarely leaves home, but your people are more than capable.¡± Her eyes widened, and she reached out her hand to touch his head. ¡°I see the hand of our goddess is upon you, even if not the hypostatization we worship.¡± She turned around, slowly walking back to her throne. ¡°You will need to provide a list of your abilities and levels to my servitor, but as long as you are-¡± she scrutinized them for a second ¡°-at least level forty, you will do.¡± She can see our details, somehow, he realized. Ihra and Jasper turned to leave, but as Jasper was about to step out into the windowed hallway she called out to him. ¡°Wait. I''d like a word with the boy, alone.¡± Map of Sapiya The Empire of Corsythia is a loose confederation of kingdoms and duchies that nominally bend the knee to the capital city (and province) of Corsythia. The Empire traces its roots back to the fallen empire of the Mwyrani. When that land was destroyed in the cataclysm known as the Shuddering, large groups of survivors migrated to the north. Their retreat was dangerous, as the fleeing remnant was constantly harried by hostile armies of Sidhe and dragons. It was only when a combined army of the refugees, Strythani, and elves defeated the Sidhe forces that they were able to settle the lands in peace, establishing the kingdoms that would later form the empire. Over time, three confederations emerged. In the north was the Canton of Celestia, which had a close alliance with the elven city of Yammaqom. In the south, the Canton of Sicya carved out a domain from lands that had formerly belonged to the Fey, and in the center, the Canton of Corsythia was established. Caught in between two more powerful cantons, the kings of Corsythia relied on diplomacy and intrigue to preserve their independence, and their political savvy was eventually. rewarded. After centuries of intermarriage, the kings of Corsythia inherited the Canton of Sicya when their dynasty died without an heir. Suddenly the dominant power in the region, the Corsythian kings applied pressure on Celestia, trying to force them into a union. But Celestia had the support of the elves and was not so easily cowed. After decades of conflict, an agreement was finally forged: the two cantons would unite, but the region of Celestia would be afforded equal rank with Corsythia. From then on, the city of Corsythia was established as the southern capital and the city of Celestia as the northern capital. The newly crowned emperors were expected to spend split their time between the two cities. The power of the emperors waxed and waned through the years. During much of the empire''s history, the rulers were little more than figureheads, but in times of crisis, their power was often absolute. After the devastating civil war of the Desolyton, the independence of the regions never fully recovered. During the war, the emperors established the Barracks and the Guild, stationing permanent garrisons of imperial forces in most important cities. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The region of the empire that Jasper has been adventuring in can be seen in the colored section of the map below. The kingdom of Sapiya has a rich and tumultuous history. To the west, it borders Stryn and Yelkala, the great bastions of cultist power during the Desolyton. The wealthy and much more populous kingdom of Stryn has always fostered ambitions to conquer Sapiya, but geography has been the great equalizer in their conflicts. While Stryn''s elite cavalry forces have no rival on the flat farmlands and open savannas of their homeland, they have fared poorly in the dense jungles and cold mountains of Sapiya. Thus, despite being heavily outnumbered, the smaller region has mostly been able to retain its independence. To the north lies lands belonging to the Canton of Celestia, the kingdoms of Hapiya and Merom. As may be guessed from the similarity in their names, Hapiya and Sapiya share a close connection. They were once a single kingdom until they were divided in an inheritance. Despite the split, Hapiya remains their closest ally against Stryn, and their navy dominates the inland sea. Merom is a quiet region whose allegiance lies with its northern neighbor, Hadi?n. To the east lies the Duchy of West Corsythia. Originally part of the crown lands, the Duchy eventually fell into the hands of a lesser house of the Imperial family. A small and weak territory, the Duchy poses no threat to Sapiya, and maintains generally amicable relations. Finally, the Harei Miqlat (the mountains of refuge) lie in the south. The insular region is accessible only from a single pass in the south of Sapiya, near the city of Gis?-Izum. Famously closed off from the rest of the empire, the pass is guarded by a formidable mountain fortress, and access to its central regions is zealously guarded. While once a wealthy and cosmopolitan kingdom, Sapiya has been reduced to a shadow of its former glory. Many of the most important battles of the Desolyton were fought within its borders, and, during the war, control of the region passed back and forth between the sides. By the time the Empire finally declared victory, the population of the kingdom had been cut in half. When the Fey wars broke out, Sapiya again found itself in the center of the conflict as the unlucky province was the northernmost point that the rampaging Fey forces reached. By the time imperial forces reclaimed the region, only the cities that had sanctums still survived. Since that time, the kingdom has never recovered. However, the region is currently safe from the Zalancthian invasion, and the population has begun to swell with refugees from the coastal lands. An Unwanted Gift Jasper turned back reluctantly as a feeling of dread set heavy in his stomach. ¡°Yes, Lady Aphora?¡± The noble leaned back in her chair, an indolent expression on her face, but the fire in her eyes revealed the truth. As she silently scrutinized him, he stood frozen in place, petrified like a rabbit before a viper. His heartbeat throbbed heavily in his ears, and his vision swam. ¡°You are quite the mystery, aren¡¯t you?" Her words broke the silence of the chamber, and Jasper gasped as the relentless pressure finally lifted off of him. She stood up again, and slowly circled around him. "Your blood is of the Djinn and I see the Seraph tribe has claimed you, but their mark does not truly resonate in your soul. You are one of them, and yet, you''re not." She paused, before continuing her slow walk. "Your goddess is the one we call Is?s?ati S?ahor, yes? The Dark Lady? But yet I also see the hand of another upon you as well. Why should two gods take an interest in you?¡± She circled him again, like a shark stalking an injured seal. ¡°Even more curious is the scent of the Myrawni that lingers upon you. As far I know, they''re long dead, aside from a few forgotten remnants that sealed themselves away into other realms long ago.¡± She stopped in front of him, transfixing him with her gaze. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re an intriguing puzzle. None of these groups are known for working together, and there''s really nothing that remarkable about you. Clearly, they must see something I don''t. Some small part of me wishes to believe that you¡¯re an ascended master, pretending to be weak as part of some grand plot, the purpose of which eludes me." She broke down in merry peals of laughter that filled the hall. At last, composing herself, she gently lifted his chin up with one hand, forcing him to meet her eyes. Her gaze was surprisingly warm, and the tension eased out of his body, as she continued. "But despite my wild fancies, we both know that''s not the case." She released his face, and slowly returned to her throne. "No, you are nothing but a mewling cub, a child caught up in affairs far beyond your ken." As Aphora settled back in her chair, a smug smile crept over her face. "Still, I have long since learned the value of fostering potential. Even the weakest whelp someday grows to be a lion.¡± A bell suddenly appeared in her hand. She rang it once, its clarion call echoing through the room. The left wall slid open and a lady dressed in a long black cloak entered the room, prostrating herself before the lady. ¡°Yes, your holiness?¡± Aphora pointed at Jasper. ¡°The child here has been taken into our service. Though he is a mage, he has no diadem. It would hardly be proper for one of our servants to be so unfittingly dressed. Please outfit him with one of ours." The woman''s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to object. "My lady-" Aphora shushed her with a single word. "Arras?u?s?u.¡± The woman bowed her head. ¡°As you will, my lady.¡± She turned to Jasper. ¡°Come.¡± Jasper walked through the hole in the wall. The instant his foot crossed the threshold, the wall slid shut behind him without even a whisper of sound. He found himself on an open-air walkway, suspended far above the ground. Peering over the edge, Jasper could see a vast lake sprawling beneath the edifice. A heavy curtain of fog rested on its glassy surface, obscuring most of it from view. He shook his head in disbelief. Where the hell are we? There was definitely no lake in the city. The elf gave him no time to marvel, striding down the walkway at a pace just shy of running. He scrambled after her, following the gentle curve of the walkway until it eventually dead-ended in a pale tower. Again the walls opened before them, revealing a room that appeared to be an armory. Weapons lined the walls: row upon row of gleaming sickle swords and shining bows and suits of armor hung on mannequins spread out before him in a dazzling display. The woman ignored the armaments and led Jasper over to a large silver case in which, beneath a sheet of crystal, dozens of diadems were arrayed. She opened the display case up, and turned to him, inclining her head slightly to the left in the elven gesture of respect. ¡°Do you know how to select a diadem?¡± Jasper shook his head. Truth be told, he wasn''t too excited about Lady Aphora''s gift. Back when he had played the game, he had always thought diadems looked a little girly, generally preferring the dressed-in-black stealth archer look. But, he had a feeling this was a gift he couldn''t really refuse. ¡°You need to touch them - just a finger or two will do - until you find one that responds to you. Sometimes more than one will respond to you, in which case you must choose.¡± She pulled out a small folder, filled with loose pages. ¡°Once you select one, we can look up their history here.¡± Jasper arched an eyebrow, his curiosity picked. ¡°You keep a written history of the diadems? I didn¡¯t know they were that old.¡± She responded with a touch of indignation in her voice. ¡°Of course, we keep records of their lives to honor them during the mourning of Selene, along with the rest of the honored dead.¡± Jasper blinked in confusion. Their lives? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are these diadems alive?¡± Consternation creased her brow, and almost imperceptible anger flickered in her eyes, vanishing so quickly that Jasper doubted he saw it. ¡°Do you not even understand the great honor my lady is bestowing on you? Each of these diadems is one of our honored ancestors. Each of them chose to forego the afterlife, crystallizing their power into these artifacts to aid the generations that were to follow. Fragments of sentience still remain in them, and the diadems will only accept those they find worthy of their guidance. They are sacred relics of my people, not meant for those not of our heritage.¡± The words hung between them in an awkward silence, the harsh tone of her speech revealing her true feelings on the matter quite clearly. Realizing she had overstepped the bounds of propriety, the woman bowed her head, muttering beneath her breath, ¡°May my lady forgive me.¡± Eager to defuse the tension, Jasper drew on his memories of elven etiquette, covering his eyes with his right hand in a gesture of apology. ¡°I meant no disrespect; I was unaware of the true nature of the diadems.¡± Her expression mollified a bit at his gesture, and she waved her hands back to the diadems. ¡°Never mind. As I was saying, please touch the diadems until one responds to you.¡± Jasper reached into the case, letting his fingers brush against the silver and gold diadems. He moved slowly, unsure exactly what to expect - and a bit afraid to ask, lest he offend the elven woman again. Diadem after diadem passed, and soon he was drawing near to the end of the case without even the faintest hint of a reaction. He was starting to feel embarrassed when his hand brushed one of the last ones in the row. In an instant, his mind reeled as a cavalcade of images flooded through him, until they finally merged into a single image. A forest of towering trees rose around him, the majestic trees unlike any he had seen on earth. A stream wound its way beneath the boughs of the mighty trees, its waters rushing and slamming against a giant rock that stood against the raging current, as the rising waters threatened to overflow the bank. It''s like my mantra, he realized. No sooner had the realization hit him, than the image flickered. The forest was suddenly wreathed in flames. The trees transformed into smoldering pillars of ash, while clouds of steam rose from the roiling surface of the river. Even the boulder began to glow from the oppressive heat. The hellish landscape only lasted for a few seconds before it faded away, as the pleasant pastoral scene from his mantra remerged. Suppressing a shudder, Jasper picked the diadem up, rolling it between his fingers. The band was larger than the rest but far more simple.No gems were set in it, and no intricate carvings or runes adorned it. But the diadem, while simple, was exquisitely made, crafted from hundreds of silver strands woven into a plaited rope. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He forced himself to smile as he held it out to the elf. ¡°Looks like one chose me after all.¡± The woman took the diadem from him and cross-referenced it in her records. She frowned as she read its entry. ¡°Hmm. We actually don¡¯t have much information about this particular piece. It was left to us by a wandering elf who sought asylum within Onkodos Laos several centuries ago. According to our notes, he was a pyromancer. There are no known elven tribes that inherit fire magic, so either he belonged to a lost lineage or he was of impure blood. On his death, he bequeathed us the diadem, saying only that it was his master¡¯s before him.¡± She closed the file, looking up at Jasper. ¡°The diadem has chosen several other elves, but none have ever chosen it, as we cannot use fire magic." She put the file away, muttering beneath her breath. "Perhaps our lady foresaw this possibility.¡± Jasper weighed the diadem in his hands, the heft of the object far lighter than he would have guessed, before placing it on his head. As it settled on his head, an electric ripple raced down his spine, but nothing else happened. He reached out for his magic and could feel the change immediately. There was simply more there, and the essence felt heavier and fuller than before, the magic of a much older and more experienced mage. He inclined his head to the woman. ¡°Lady Aphora has my thanks.¡± The elf led him out of the armory, walking through the wall into another corridor, which was, once again, down at the lake level. She stopped midway, and with a wave of her arm, the window transformed into an opening out onto the lake. She stepped out onto the waters, and with each step she took, a thin platform of ice formed beneath her foot. Jasper tapped the thin ice with his foot and, seeing that it held, tentatively stepped out onto it. The woman swiftly strode across the lake, paying no attention to him, and he found himself slipping and sliding after her as quickly as he could, a few times barely avoiding plunging into the water. After perhaps a hundred feet, she reached another crossway, opening it with a swift wave. As soon as she stepped off the lake, the icy trail behind her quickly begin to melt back into the waves, and Jasper hurtled across the sinking path, reaching the hallway shortly before the last platform sunk beneath the surface. He ground his teeth at the smug look on her face, but held his tongue. He was beginning to see why the elves of Onkodos Laos were not well-loved in Gis?-Izum. She swept down the hall into another room, where he saw Ihra sitting at a table, filling out paperwork. A sunny smile creased her face as he entered the room. ¡°Hey, Jasper. I¡¯ve filled out everything for our group except your skills and stats. You¡¯ll need to fill these out.¡± Despite his annoyance with the elf, Jasper flashed an easy grin at her, and sat down, quickly scribbling out the information. The man who had let them into the complex perused the paperwork with a disinterested air, before tossing them on his desk. ¡°Very well. Everything seems to be in order.¡± The elf searched through his drawers for a moment before pulling out a file, which he handed to them. ¡°Here''s the mission brief for the quest. Please read it carefully. We¡¯ll be departing in a week.¡± He waved his hand at the wall, and it opened, revealing the city beyond. ¡°May the Lady watch over you.¡± The pair rode back to the guild in companionable silence for some time. Truthfully, Jasper was already doubting their decision to take the quest. While Lady Aphora had seemed nice enough - if absolutely terrifying - the rest of her employees had kind of come across like dicks. Despite that, offending someone as powerful as the elf noble seemed like a very poor decision. Jasper had no desire to find himself cast out of another city. ¡°So what¡¯s with the diadem on your head?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Jasper was startled out of his reveries. ¡°What¡¯s with the diadem on your head?¡± Ihra repeated. ¡°Oh, Lady Aphora insisted on equipping me with one. I don¡¯t know exactly what it does, but it feels like it expanded my essence and made it, I don¡¯t know, more powerful, maybe? It supposedly belonged to some elf who could do fire magic.¡± Her eyes widened with surprise. ¡°You mean it¡¯s a real elven diadem? Not one of the lesser ones, like Qara had? I didn¡¯t think non-elves were ever allowed to wear them.¡± Jasper huffed. ¡°Yeah, I got that impression too. The lady who helped me pick this one out was clearly very unhappy to do so. But Lady Aphora, whoever she really is, invoked the sacred tongue, so I got it.¡± Ihra¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°The sacred tongue? I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re familiar with that. The elves of Onkodos Laos mostly keep to themselves. I was shocked to see an enclave of them here.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Well, like I told you, my world had - how should I put this - stories about your world. Vivid stories, kind of like illusion magic. Through these stories, I''m familiar with a lot of the north, especially the area around Celestia, but I also learned a little about Onkodos Laos.¡± His thoughts ran back to his memories of the city in the game. Truthfully, Jasper had found the holy city to be a bleak and forbidding place. The elven realm was carved into a mountain of obsidian, hidden deep in the frozen tundra of the north. The northern wastes were dangerous and hostile, the land steeped in an ancient magic that predated even the elves. He frowned as he remembered the city, which had bustled with life even during the Desolyton. Magic was clearly on the decline in Corsythia, and he wondered how the city looked now. Was the power of the elves also in decline, or were they faring better than the empire? He shifted his weight on the horse, gently patting Dapplegrim¡¯s neck, while he gathered his thoughts. ¡°I was surprised to see elves from Onkodos Laos. I know they helped the empire a little during the Desolyton, but other than that, I was under the impression they rarely left the north.¡± He turned to Ihra. ¡°You''ve never really talked about yourself much. Is your heritage from Yammaqom?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. As far as I know, my family doesn¡¯t trace back to any of the great elven realms. The blood runs true in my family, but as far as we know, we might not have had any direct elven ancestors since the War of the Dragons." She laughed, shrugging her shoulders lazily. "Or perhaps we do. Many records were lost in the aftermath of the Desolyton and Fey wars, so who really knows. But, there¡¯s not too many elves wandering around the central lands, especially not these days, so it''s unlikely we have a recent ancestor.¡± ¡°Maybe there are more than you know,¡± Jasper pointed out. ¡°After all, who would¡¯ve guessed there was an enclave of one of the most reclusive tribes here of all places?¡± Their conversation was cut short as they arrived back at the guild, and rode into the sanctum. The pair checked in with the guild attendant, notifying the organization that they had been accepted for the job posted by Lady Aphora. Once the paperwork had been filled out, they headed to the market for supper. Loading up on treats, they took them back to the children at the orphanage. The next few days passed in a blur. They purchased a few supplies for the expedition, but according to the briefing they¡¯d received, all the essentials would be provided for them, so they had ample time on their hands. He soon fell into a comfortable routine. During the day, Jasper trained in the guild hall, working hard to make up for his lacking combat training, and at night he took long rides through the peaceful countryside, before heading back to share supper with Ihra or the children. When the night before the expedition finally arrived, Jasper was almost sad to have to leave the cozy domesticity he¡¯d been enjoying. Nervous about the coming expedition, he perused the contents of the folder for the hundredth time. The details were somewhat sparser than he would have preferred, but were revealing nonetheless. They were going to travel with the guild expedition to Als?arratu and would split off to chase their own objective, the Tower of Ysagila, once they arrived. The tower had apparently belonged to some ancient elven mage, and their purpose, supposedly, was to retrieve important ¡°cultural artifacts,¡± whatever that meant. After the fiasco at Yar-Khennor, Jasper nursed a healthy skepticism of the mission brief, suspecting that the document was less than forthcoming about the real purpose of their quest. However, he knew that the elves of Onkodos Laos were deeply devoted to preserving the secrecy of their rites and people, so he couldn''t entirely dismiss the possibility that they really were just looking to retrieve cultural artifacts. His hand subconsciously rubbed the diadem on his head, feeling a faint wave of warmth spreading through his hand. Maybe they¡¯re trying to retrieve an artifact like a diadem. They¡¯d probably think that''s worth risking life and limb. The main danger of the expedition was that the city was haunted by creatures that couldn''t be permanently killed, only temporarily banished. He was surprised to learn that the ruined city was intimately connected with the faction from Onkodos Laos, which explained the presence of their faction in Gis?-Izum. While Yammaqom had been the primary elf faction to support Shamshadi?n in the Desolyton, Onkodos Laos had contributed a substantial amount of money and small amounts of troops to the conflict. Apparently, one of those battalions had been sent here after the Harei Miqlat had been convinced to leave their mountains and aid Shamshadi?n. After the Desolyton had ended, the elven commander refused to return home to Onkodos Laos. Instead, she retreated deep into the frozen mountains and established a city there: Als?arratu, the city of the queen. Allegedly, she and her elves began to deviate from the rituals of Onkodos Laos, practicing some sort of ¡°heresy.¡± The mission brief hinted that the Queen was practicing dark magic, but it was listed as "unconfirmed - rumor only." Sometime later, the city of Onkodos Laos sent another contingent of elves to persuade their errant faction to return home. No details were provided on their mission, but since the second group ended up establishing their residence in Gis?-Izum, it was clearly unsuccessful. The elven community in Als?arratu thrived for many years until the city was destroyed by the Fey forces during the second Fey war. After its destruction, the extent of the sect¡¯s heretical practices became clear, as their dead lingered, unable to find rest in Selene¡¯s embrace. Instead, hordes of wraiths and wights haunted the abandoned streets of Als?arratu each night, trapped in an eternal vigil. Jasper put the folder down with an exasperated sigh. After his encounter with the Whispers, he had really been hoping to steer clear of dead things. So much for that. As he drifted off to sleep, a final thought haunted him. These damned ghosts better not have tentacles. Interlude: Aphora Aphora slumped on her throne as the young mage finally disappeared down the hallway following Nu?ril. She had never enjoyed the complex political games her station required, preferring the freedom of solitude. She absentmindedly smoothed her slightly rumpled gown as she waited to receive confirmation that the boy had signed the contract. A smidgen of guilt ate away at her, but she forcefully cast it from her mind. She was only doing what was necessary. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably as the minutes ticked by, keeping a watchful eye on the door. Damn it all, why am I so nervous? When Torin finally entered the room, a wave of relief washed over her as she caught sight of the handful of papers clutched in his hand. Selene¡¯s Grace, they took the contract. She watched with fondness as the elderly elf approached her. He hid his years well. His jet black hair was flecked with only the faintest hints of grey, and no sign of infirmity plagued his confident stride. But she knew the truth. Few elves lived past a thousand, an age that Torin had transcended long ago. To the elves in the enclave, he was known as Torin the Undying, but his age was not a blessing but a curse. Her loyal servant stopped in front of her and bowed low. ¡°My lady, everything is in order. The mage and his friend agreed to accompany you in a week.¡± A genuine smile flooded her face. ¡°Thank you, Torin. You may go now. Why don¡¯t you give the rest of the staff the day off?¡± But Torin did not immediately depart. Instead, he hesitated before her, his hands moving restlessly as he screwed up his courage. ¡°My lady, are you sure you want to do this? The risks are¡­¡± He trailed off, searching for the right words. ¡°The risks are almost unimaginable if this fails.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. A pang of disappointment sprang up in her heart as she studied Torin¡¯s face. After all this time, he still doubts me? But she did not allow her hurt to seep into her words, as she gently replied. ¡°Do you remember when you first rescued me?¡± Torin¡¯s eyes glazed over, as his mind flew past the centuries. ¡°Aye, I recall that dreadful day all too well. It seemed as if the very world had ended. We were fleeing for our lives, daring not to stop for anything, and then - there you were! A little girl walking all alone down the abandoned streets of the city. A dolly was clutched tightly in your hands, and your cheeks were streaked with tears, but even back then you were a defiant little thing. You were determined to find your mother, even if you had to search the whole damn city. It was all we could do to drag you off to safety that day.¡± Aphora smiled. She had heard the story many times before, and she knew the old man harbored some guilt over that day. ¡°You did the right thing, Torin. There was only death for us there.¡± He nodded his head, but she knew he had not taken his words to heart. He never did. She sighed, leaning forward. ¡°And since that time, have I given you cause to doubt me?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, my lady, but¡­¡± He cut himself off and bowed before her. ¡°As always, my lady, I will pray for your success. May Ayyalu himself watch over your steps.¡± Aphora watched as Torin left the room. She knew her words had not changed his mind and, despite herself, doubt blossomed in her heart. She stamped it down ruthlessly. This was a goal she had pursued her entire life. How could she turn back now? With shaking hands, Aphora again smoothed her gown, brushing away imaginary wrinkles. There¡¯s no other way. I have to do this. I¡¯m coming, mother. A Forest of Bones When the sun rose the next morning, Ihra and Jasper were already waiting at the northern gate. Despite his lack of sleep, Jasper was wide awake. A spirit of adventure filled the air, and he felt as if the very colors of the world were more vibrant. Ihra shared his excitement, practically bouncing in her saddle as they waited on Lady Aphora. The guild expedition was there as well, a group of a little more than twenty. Seasoned veterans, the group failed to reciprocate Jasper''s excitement. This was a recurring mission for the guild and one that many avoided. The undead in the city could not be permanently killed, only temporarily banished to the dimension where their souls were trapped, so the guild had to return to the ruins year after year to cull their numbers. Because the system didn''t consider them to be truly dead, the wraiths provided poor amounts of experience, despite being deadly opponents. Unfortunately, the guild couldn''t just ignore the ruins; whenever the number of monsters got too high, they would start to wander out of the city, attacking nearby farms and villages. Thus, the guild was forced each year to harass and harangue a group of veterans to make the trip, paying them well above the going rate to recompense them for the poor experience. But the guilders'' lack of enthusiasm did not dampen Jasper''s spirits. Still, the minutes stretched on as they waited for the elves, and he grew increasingly uncomfortable sitting in his saddle. Checking the road again, only to see it still empty, Jasper hopped off his pony. He rubbed her head gently, as he fed Dapplegrim a few sugar cubes. The little horse eagerly devoured them, bumping her head into his shoulder as she nudged at his bag. He laughed and tousled her mane. "That''s enough, Dapple. If you eat all my sugar now, there will be no more for you later." He couldn''t tell if the horse actually understood him, but she did draw back from the bag, resting her head against his shoulder with a little neigh. His patience was beginning to wear thin, when the elves, or more accurately, the elf finally arrived. To his surprise, only Lady Aphora emerged through the gates. She rode a giant black stag, whose great silver horns swept out farther than Jasper''s outstretched arms, and was dressed in the same provocative - and impractical - sheer gown that she had worn in the elven compound. As her stag cantered up to the group, she ignored the guild party entirely, simply addressing Jasper and Ihra. ¡°I¡¯m ready to depart.¡± Despite the muttered grumbles Jasper heard amongst many of the guild members - no doubt annoyed by the elf¡¯s late arrival and dismissive attitude - the group departed without incident. The trip to Als?arratu proved to be even longer than the expedition to Yar-Khennor, but fortunately the journey was easier. The city lay on the far side of the mountain range, in territory that technically belonged to the province of West Corsythia. But, in its heyday, the city had established a flourishing trading route with Gis?-Izum. A paved road had been constructed between them, and the queen had even paid a wandering mage to excavate a tunnel beneath the mountains, providing a quick and easy route from Gis?-Izum. The days passed quickly, as the group traveled fast and light through the highland forests. Each morning, the ground was covered in a thick layer of glistening hoarfrost that gradually melted beneath the sun¡¯s warm rays to reveal the still green grasses below. The air was crisp and cool as early autumn encroached on the high plateau. The forest was filled with life; from every corner the warble and trill of birds rang through the air, while all manner of creatures slowly slunk away at their group''s approach, cautiously watching them from afar. One evening Jasper even spied a pine marten - a creature he¡¯d never gotten to see in the woods at home - curiously peeking at him through the foliage, and he wondered if this was how the forests at home had once been, before pollution and environmental destruction had ravaged them. As the road ascended higher into the mountains, the air grew quickly colder. The trees slowly fell away, until at last the group broke into the open vistas above the tree line. There, the cold winds buffeted them relentlessly, and he found himself praying they would soon find shelter. It was a relief, then, when one afternoon, the expedition leader called for them to stop. ¡°The passage is just a little way further up the slope. I know many of you have already been there, but for those who haven''t, the tunnel through the mountains is relatively short. It should only take a few hours to travel through, so we''re going to stop for the night.¡± Groans erupted from some of the group, Jasper among them, and the leader raised his hands to mollify them. "I know we all want to get out of the cold, but it''s late afternoon already. If we go through the tunnel now, we¡¯ll arrive at the city in the middle of the night. That''s when all the wraiths and wights come out to play, so unless you all want to die - except perhaps for Lady Aphora here - we''re going to stop. We''ll get there tomorrow.¡± The group quieted down, although a few grumbles could still be heard among the crowd. Lady Aphora watched from the side, and despite the amused look in her eyes raised no objections. The expedition began setting up their tents in a circle around a large fire. Jasper grabbed the tent they had purchased for the trip from Dapplegrim¡¯s pack and hastened to find a spot by the fire before all the space had been claimed, but Aphora called him back. ¡°We¡¯re not staying here. Other accommodations await us.¡± Curious, Jasper stuffed the tent back in its bag and hurried to catch up to the Lady and Ihra. They rode the short distance to the entrance into the mountain and vanished inside. The passage was dark, but blue lines along the floor and the ceiling cast a dim glow, lighting up the passage just enough to see. They rode less than a hundred feet into the passage, though now out of sight of the guild expedition, before Lady Aphora stilled her stag, dismounting in a graceful movement. The passage was smaller than the road outside, just wide enough to allow two small wagons to barely pass, and the walls and ceiling arched up in an almost circular shape that was eerily reminiscent of a subway. The Lady approached the wall, and after a moment¡¯s searching, placed her hand on a section. After a moment, the rock beneath her hand began to glow. With the screech of rusty gears, a small opening in the walls appeared. ¡°Follow me.¡± They led their horses through the narrow door. As they entered, torches along the walls flared into life, revealing a spacious cavern beyond. A small pond covered much of the cavern¡¯s area, a gentle bubbling indicating the presence of a spring. Along one side of the walls, a stable had been hewn out from the rock face, and on the other, a two-story building rose. ¡°What is this place?¡± Jasper asked, unsure if the elf would respond. ¡°When Als?arratu was thriving, the path under the mountain would see hundreds passing through every week. This was one of the guard stations, and unlike most of them, it still remains in good working order. My people always stay here when we venture into the city.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Like the cave outside, the dwelling was lit by the same magical torches. Jasper examined them with curiosity. All the enchanted fire he had seen thus far was blue, or in a few rare cases, green, but these torches blazed with the same cheery red as a normal fire. If he had not seen the torches light themselves, he would not have believed that they were anything other than a normal fire, rather than an arcane facsimile. He carefully sketched out the runes that lined the rims of the torch - runes that also lacked the typical blue glow, and yet somehow were clearly working - and placed the notebook back in his bag. One of these days, he hoped he¡¯d have time to learn how to read the runes, and, if possible, even use them. There were plenty of rooms in the station, each still equipped with furniture in pristine condition, and Lady Aphora surprised them yet again by producing a virtual cornucopia of delicacies from her bag. As he chowed down on succulent roast rib, he couldn''t help himself. "Why haven''t we been eating like this before? This is amazing!" Aphora laughed, the merry sound washing over him like a charm. "Today''s a special day. After all, we''re finally within reach of the city." When Jasper finally crawled into bed, stuffed to the gills, he began to understand why Ihra had said that private quests were the way to go. This is the life. He was feeling less serendipitous a few hours later when Ihra shook him awake. ¡°Get up. Lady Aphora said we need to get out of here before the expedition arrives. ¡±With a groggy groan, he rolled to the floor, sprawling in a cozy heap of blankets and pillows. She nudged him with her foot. ¡°Get up!¡± He pushed himself off the floor. ¡°Alright, alright," he groused. "I¡¯m coming.¡± Shaking the weariness from his eyes, Jasper quickly stuffed his belongings in his bag and joined them in the stables. ¡°Quickly now.¡± Lady Aphora hustled them out into the passageway, the walls closing behind them with a shudder. As they waited in the dimly lit darkness, the sounds of the expedition packing up echoed through the stone corridor. She turned to them, a serious look on her face. ¡°You are not to mention this place to the guild, understood? This place belongs to my people, no one else.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t bother to respond but just tilted his head to the left in a sign of assent. When the expedition finally reached entered the passage, the guild leader looked around with a skeptical expression. ¡°You just stayed here in the passage?¡± Aphora ignored him, as her horse fell in line beside him. The passageway cut through the mountain in a straight, unwavering line, and if they were ascending, it was at an angle so slight that Jasper could not perceive it. They rode for an hour, the guild crew breaking the silence with one round after another of boisterous tavern songs. The damsel fair, with bosom bare Seduced many a man She brought them home, fed them with care And took them to her bed And as they slept, the damsel fair Removed her porcelain face A song on her lips, a glow in her hair She took them to their fate- The song broke off as a scream pierced the air. Turning in his saddle, Jasper saw the screaming man smash into the wall with a sickening crunch. A dark shadow hovered over the man, as it viciously dug its face into his chest. The group exploded in chaos, as spells and weapons were flung at the creature by the panicked party members. Jasper watched in disbelief as his Sacred Star simply passed through the creature doing no harm. BATLU?. Lady Aphora spoke in the tongue, forcefully stilling the group in an instant as the air around them chilled. At her speech, the creature feeding on the man finally looked up. Its eyes glowed red, blood dripping from spectral fangs to the floor like a gruesome waterfall, with no other features discernible, aside from an endless black nothingness. A shiver ran down his spine when the creature locked eyes with him for a second. And then the creature vanished. Well, it tried to. As it started to fade from sight, Lady Aphora flung a gleaming silver chain toward the beast. The strand wrapped the creature¡¯s ankle, and with a yank, she pulled the creature back into being. QAL?. A spark of flame raced down the small chain, and when it reached the beast, it burst into flames. Screaming and thrashing, it tried to flee from the blaze, desperately pulling at the chain. Its hands burned as it touched out, and with a final anguished shriek, the creature fell to the ground as the inferno consumed it. The group watched in stunned silence as Lady Aphora dismounted her horse and knelt beside the injured man. His neck had been torn open by the creature¡¯s ravenous feeding, and far too much blood pooled around him. She removed a vial of powder from her bag and scattered it in a circle around the wounded man. She carefully traced runes into the powder, filling them with a whisper of her essence as they begin to glow. When the circle was complete, she twisted her hand as she spoke the spell. In an instant, the pool of blood flowed off the ground, back into his veins as the torn flaps of skin knit themselves back together. Her hand blazing with silver fire, Aphora plunged it onto his neck. His screams echoed down the dark corridor as his flesh was seared with her cleansing fire. The pain too much to bear, the man passed out, and, after a few long moments, she finally removed her hand. She motioned for the guild members to help their wounded comrade, and stood up, looking to the guild leader. ¡°He should live. I tried to quench the darkness that infected him, but it is possible that some trace escaped my grasp, so be watchful. That was a qebru, the ravenous ghost of one not buried.¡± She frowned. "I''m surprised to see one here; they''re usually quite rare." Aphora paused, then grabbed the guild leader''s hand, an intense light flaring in her eyes. ¡°Let me be clear, though. If any of your members are bitten by one of those when I am not around, kill them. Immediately. They will turn and destroy you all.¡± Two of the party members draped the wounded man, still unconscious, over one of their horses, and the group begin their march again. An air of paranoia hung over the group, and the boisterous songs were replaced by ever-watchful eyes and constant glances over the shoulder. Every shadow-draped corner was viewed as a potential threat, and Jasper did not breathe easy again until they finally emerged from the passage unharmed. The passage opened out into a large valley, surrounded on all sides by the frozen mountain peaks. But the air in the valley was pleasant, not quite warm but far from the bitter cold outside, and the soft breeze that blew against his face felt as if it carried the first promise of an early spring. Scattered throughout the sparsely forested meadows, Jasper could see colorful hot springs gently bubbling, a canopy of steam rising above their surface. But the natural beauty of the valley was nothing compared to the city that stood before them. Als?arratu was, by Corsythian standards, a relatively short-lived city, only lasting for a few hundred years before its destruction. Plus, it had been founded, as he understood it, by a small faction of elves, so he hadn''t expected much of the ruined city. Instead, as they emerged from the passage at the base of the mountain, Jasper had to crane his neck back to even catch a glimpse of the city¡¯s towering heights. Als?arratu had been built into the side of the largest mountain, sprawling across its face to a truly dizzying height. The whole city was built of the same ivory-toned material that he saw in the elvish section of Gis?-Izum. Three massive concentric walls wrapped around the town, dividing it into three roughly equal portions. Despite the city¡¯s ruinous condition, the walls were still in such good condition that Jasper had no doubt that the city, if it had defenders, would still be an almost impregnable fortress. How did this city ever fall? Perhaps the most striking feature of the city, however, was the sheer number of towers soaring into the sky. As he gaped in wonder at the city, the feeling in the air changed. An oppressive silence fell over the valley, and as he watched, ominous clouds gathered around the mountain peak. A cold rain drizzled began to drizzle down upon them, while a thick blanket of fog crept over the city. Slowly, the ruins of Als?arratu were obscured from view, except for the towers, whose silhouettes loomed through the fog like a forest of bones. With a shudder, he looked away. This is a place of death. The Legacy of Spendthrifts They traveled through the dense fog for hours. A continuous cold drizzle dripped down upon them, slowly soaking most of the group to the bone. Jasper was largely untouched, stoking the fire within from time to time to dry his clothes and warm his core. The gates were massive, even larger than those of Gis?-Izum, and the massive metallic doors rose nearly forty feet up. They were also closed. Worse, the gatehouse was entirely overgrown by a thick blanket of thorny vines that Jasper did not recognize.He scanned the walls, looking for a side door or gap in the wall through which they could enter, but saw no entry point.The expedition came to a halt before the gates, and the Lady called him over. ¡°Jasper, please burn away the vines.¡± He craned his head up at the giant doors and gulped. ¡°Uh, okay.Will Sacred Star work?It¡¯s an explosive spell but-¡± Aphora cut him off, and dismounting from her horse, walked toward the gate.¡°Follow me.¡± Jasper hurried to catch up to her, as she began to talk. ¡°Structured spells have their place, and for many represent the pinnacle of their achievement. But a mage truly worthy of the name should not be limited by the spells in their repertoire.It is in mages that the fires of creation still burn, unlike the grays.¡± ¡°Grays?¡± She lowered her voice, as she gestured discreetly to the group behind them.¡°Those who no longer inherit enough life force to do magic.When I was a child, almost everyone - whether they were a noble or commoner, an elf or Corsyth, or any of the myriad other races - almost all of them could do at least a little magic.ities like this rose quickly under the power of a thousand mages.¡± The elf turned to him, a suspicious moisture lingering around her eyes.¡°Now the world grows old, and all beings with it. But you seem less affected by it,he power in you less diluted. It reminds me of how it once was." She waved her hand at the ruins stretching above them. "When mages built this city, they did not use spells from the system. They used unstructured magic, the fires of creation itself." Unstructured magic - soul magic - is a fundamentally limited resource, and millennia of misuse have weakened it beyond repair." "When I was young, my mentor explained the concept of soul magic to me using an analogy of inheritance. Think of the Progenitor as a very wealthy man. When he died, he left a rich inheritance to each of his children, the gods. They, in turn, bestowed inheritances on their children, the demigods, monsters, and races they created. With each generation, the inheritance was chipped away at, slightly reduced from what it was." "Each race, when it was created, received a "trust fund" of soul magic, and each individual, when they are born, receives a small portion of that inheritance. As long as they live, it is theirs to use as they please, whether wisely or foolishly. If they die and have not used the soul magic they received, the magic returns to the storehouse of their race, ready to be inherited by the next generation. But if they spend it all, the inheritance is permanently diminished." "The inheritances received were so great that it took a long time for anyone to realize that magic was slowly wasting away. And even once they did realize it, most mages were unwilling to restrain themselves. Why should they weaken themselves for the sake of the next generation? The relentless wars that have gripped this continent only exacerbated the issue. The creation of the Sanctums during the Fey wars, understandable though it may have been, wasted thousands of years of magic. Now the empire is paying the price for its excess, as it struggles to repel invaders it could have crushed a few centuries ago." Jasper paused as he thought about her analogy. "So, if each race has its own inheritance, does that mean some races still have more magic than others?" She nodded. "That is correct. The dwarven lords, for example, still seem as strong as ever, while the Fey have been greatly weakened." "And Corsythians used up most of their inheritance creating the Sanctums?" "Not exactly. Corsythians never had an inheritance in the first place. No god created the Corsythians to bestow an inheritance on them. Instead, you arose from a hundred generations of interbreeding between humans, elves, dwarves, fey, and more. Corsythians inherit their magic from whatever aspect of their lineage is most strongly expressed. Ihra, for example, has received an inheritance from the elves, and you from the Djinn." "Because of this, many of the races resent your kind. They see you as thieves, a cuckoo bird that lays its egg in the nest of another bird, stealing from their young. But," she glanced over her shoulder, "the group is growing restless, so let us return to the matter at hand." ¡°You were saved in the forest when your subconscious took control, but you must learn to control these abilities yourself.Mages who let their subconscious take control, sooner or later, will go mad, becoming little more than ravenous beasts driven by the need to kill and feed on the magical energy of others.Most of the so-called mages these days are too weak for this to be a concern, but you are not.ou need to learn to consciously control unstructured magic.¡± Jasper''s face darkened as he listened to her words, and he cut in as soon as a break in her speech appeared. ¡°How the hell do you know about what happened in the forest? I certainly didn''t tell you.¡± Aphora''s eyebrows drew together in a scowl.¡°It''s rude to ask people about their heritages. Some might take offense." She glared at him for a moment, before continuing. "As I was saying, I gave you the diadem for a reason.I know you think it¡¯s girly, but it will help you focus and remain in control. And if you should, Selene forbid, lose control, the spirit of the diadem can hopefully save you. Now, try to meditate, but this time, you need to remain cognizant of your surroundings. Insert yourself into the meditative image. Be the rock, be the water, but also, be you.¡± Jasper scowled as she ducked his question, but decided to let it drop. Pissing her off didn''t seem like a great idea. Closing his eyes, he easily summoned the image of the peaceful stream, but struggled to maintain awareness of his body.ounds still reached his ears, but they formed an incomprehensible cacophony.Losing his grasp on the meditation, he shook his head in frustration.¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Try again.¡± They stood there for hours, Jasper sinking into meditation time and again, but always failing.As he roused from another failed attempt, he heard the guild crew crumbling ¡°Just get on with it.¡± ¡°The day¡¯s a-wasting.¡± ¡°We need to secure a safe place to sleep for the night, and this chucklehead is getting private meditation lessons.¡± He flushed, as shame mixed with a dash of anger suffused him.I want this to be over just as much as you guys.He dove back in with a renewed vigor, and this time he felt something different.For a moment, he appeared by the forest stream, his feet dangling in the cool water.With each meditation attempt, Jasper became more adept at inserting himself into the image, which in turn enhanced his awareness of his surroundings. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. With a satisfied grin, Jasper raised his hands, and with a simple thought, they burst into flames. ¡°Very good.Now, simply cast the flames in a wall of fire in front of you.Cover the whole gate in a sea of flames, and the thorns will burn.¡± With deep calm breaths, he lifted his hands and projected.His whole body burst into flames, spectral wings sprouting from his back as a wave of fire rushed over the thorny vines, vaporizing them in seconds.As the smoke cleared, he was gratified to see that the gate was now free of all obstructions. Lady Aphora clapped her hands together.¡°Very good.We shall practice more, but that was satisfactory for your first attempt.Now, I must do my part.Watch what I do carefully.¡± The gates, now cleared of the vines, still stood closed.¡°The gates are sealed with a runic lock,¡± she explained.¡°Runic locks must be opened with unstructured magic.¡±She moved her hands in a slow, methodical pattern.¡°Each seal is different, but the fundamental key to unlocking them is that each door has a certain number of locks that must be activated with a tendril of magic at the same time.The locks aren¡¯t really a test of magic power - opening them requires no essence spent at all - but of your control over magic.As she spoke, six runes, arranged in a circle that straddled the two doors, lit up.They glowed red for a brief moment, and as the light faded, the gates silently swung open. The expedition entered, and the guild leader immediately began barking orders.¡°Ilka, take your team and look for a shelter for the night.Omez,¡± he fixed his gaze on one of the party who had been grumbling about the delay, ¡°take your crew and see if you can¡¯t find us a source of water.There was a small pond outside the gates, but it would be best if we find can something closer.Everybody, don¡¯t forget - keep your eyes open.The wraiths mostly come out at night, but in this weather they may be out already.¡± The groups quickly split off, leaving the rest of the party with the guild leader.Aphora rode over to him.¡°Remember, the gates will close themselves at the end of the week.Look for what you seek, but if you do not find it, leave.¡± The leader scowled.¡°What we do here is our business.We escorted you here, and now our deal is through.Be gone, elf.¡± Her gaze grew frosty.¡°Perhaps my ears deceived me.What did you say?¡±An undercurrent of malice sliced through her tone, the threat of violence lingering in the mists. ¡°Er, the guild has concluded its business with you, Lady Aphora.You are, of course, welcome to return with us to the city if you wish.¡± She snorted, but didn''t pursue the matter further, riding off into the mists of the city, with Ihra and Jasper nipping at her heels.They did not talk for a while, the silence broken only by the sound of hooves clattering on the smooth stone streets and the occasional whinnies of the ponies.They wound through the streets, leading ever higher into the mountain.The endless rows of abandoned homes, most of which remained in good condition, combined with the silent mists to create an eerie liminality.It was as if the entire city had simply gone out on a picnic, and their return was imminently expected. Undeterred by the fog, Lady Aphora deftly navigated her way through the twisting streets.The cloudy skies grew dark with the coming night, and the cold, drizzling rain soaked through his clothes, growing steadily harder.Despite the fire within, Jasper found himself shivering a bit, and Ihra¡¯s lips were blue and quaking.Lady Aphora, despite her sheer robes, appeared unfazed by the cold, ignoring the rain that dripped off her silver horns, falling in a steady beat upon her shoulders. Their objective finally came into view: the second set of gates.Like the first, the gates were sealed and covered in thorns.Jasper and Ihra sidled up beside her, staring at the monumental doors in silence. ¡°You aren¡¯t traveling with the guild, the guild is traveling with you.¡±Jasper finally spoke the words he¡¯d been thinking during their long, cold ride.¡°They can¡¯t unlock the doors on their own.So, why was the guild leader so rude to you?¡± She sighed.¡°The guild is not what it once was, and it eats at them.Most of them have the good sense to be respectful but some, like the expedition leader, cannot escape the anger of their weakness.Every day they wake up in the Sanctum, a world created by magic far beyond anything they could hope to match and are reminded of their own deficiencies.Their weakness is not their fault.It is a fate they¡¯re born to and cannot fight, but the resentment still burns." ¡°If you, Jasper, should reach your potential, they will resent you too.You would be a bright star in a dying galaxy, a green tree in a scorched forest.But,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°you should not get ahead of yourself.There may be fewer stars in the sky than there once were, but many still shine.If you ever find your way to the imperial courts or the elven conclaves you will discover that, while the world is dying, it is far from dead.¡±She waved her hand at the door.¡°Now, Jasper, time for more practice.¡± This time, it only took him a few tries before he achieved success.Great clouds of steam rose from his body, as the fire within rushed forth, pushing back the rain.The thoroughly soaked vines resisted the billowing fire at first, but the heat within could not be denied for long. Bathed in a fiery inferno, the sharp thorns soon crumbled to ash. Aphora opened the seals quickly, and they entered the second ring of the city.Aphora immediately reined her horse in.¡°Ihra, see that little building beside the gate?Go inside, and activate the pressure plate.¡±Ihra disappeared inside the building, and after a few minutes, the doors shut with a shudder.She emerged from the building slowly, and struggled to pull herself back on her horse. Her movements were slow and stiff, and her teeth chattered as Ihra spoke. ¡°Lady Aphora, can we perhaps find some shelter soon?¡±The elf''s eyes slid over Ihra¡¯s shaking form, and she nodded. ¡°Very well.There¡¯s a place not far from here where we can rest for the night.¡±She spurred her horse on, and clattered down the street, the two of them close behind.After a short distance, she turned down a small side street.As they headed down the narrow road, Jasper was surprised to hear a sound - aside from their own - in the silent city.A creaking, groaning noise drifted through the misty street, and Jasper reined in his horse as his eyes scanned for monsters lurking in the shadows. A peal of laughter erupted from the elf.¡°Come, Jasper.There¡¯s plenty of monsters in this city, but this is not one of them.¡±She waved him forward.As he slowly cantered closer to her, the source of the sound emerged through the mists.A waterwheel was slowly turning, driven by a small stream racing down the steep slopes of the city.The waterwheel was attached to a large building that was quite unlike the homes that lined the street.Two large doors were bound with a heavy iron chain.Aphora dismounted and, fishing out a key from her bag, unlocked the chains. ¡°Bring your horses in.It¡¯s not safe to leave them outside.¡±The interior of the building was large and spacious, although much of the space was filled with large chests and wooden crates.Aphora led her stag through the abandoned piles towards the back.There, a space had been cleared of crates, and an old fire pit was set up, with a few cots scattered around.Along the wall, a shelf, clearly newer than the warehouse, was stocked with supplies, and beneath it was the splintered wood of some broken-up crates. Jasper hopped off Dapplegrim, and quickly grabbed some of the broken crates, placing them in the fire pit.After a brief moment of concentration, his hands whooshed with flames as the bonfire crackled to life.Turning around, he saw Ihra still astride her horse, her body curled up to conserve warmth, as shudders wracked her form. He ran over to her, and plucking Ihra off the horse, carried her over to the fire.He grabbed some blankets from the shelf and wrapped them around her.Stepping back, he felt a wave of guilt wash over him.. With the fire burning within, cold and heat didn¡¯t bother him like they used to, but Ihra didn''t have those protections. While he tended to Ihra, Lady Aphora returned to the doors.She refastened the chains and scattered a powdery substance in front of them.Bending down, she licked her finger and traced an emblem in the powder.A ripple of light passed through it, the air around it growing dark, as if deprived of light, before the emblem faded out of sight.Aphora returned to the fire, Ihra was already wrapped in a cocoon of blankets as a clearly worried Jasper lurked above her. She bent down and placed her hand on the girl¡¯s cheek.It was icy cold, but she could feel the heat slowly returning.¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± she reassured him.¡°Why don¡¯t we prepare supper.¡± By the time the food was cooked, Ihra was sitting up, and she greedily gulped down a bowl of steaming stew as the color slowly returned to her lips.The rumbling squeal of the waterwheel, and the steady drum of rain on the roof, filled the silence of the warehouse.The warmth of the fire, the hearty stew, and the patter of the rain provided an almost cozy vibe to their meal, but as Jasper finished the last of his stew, a frown crossed his lips. ¡°Isn¡¯t this city supposed to be haunted?Ghosts and ghoulies, and all that?¡± A wan smile flitted across Aphora¡¯s lips.¡°The city is mostly quiet in the day, except in its darkest depths and corners.But at night¡­at night the city revives.¡±She stared into the fire for a few moments, Jasper waiting for her to continue. ¡°Get some sleep while you can.The citizens of Als?arattu will awaken soon enough.¡± In the Shadow of Tsia?hu The thoughts racing through his head waged a war against the sheer exhaustion permeating his body, but it was a war they could not win.Jasper soon slipped into a restless sleep, his mind haunted by images of spectral beings with blood-red eyes and dripping fangs.He raced down the streets, the buildings writhing and contorting into bizarre shapes as he ran past them, by a ravenous horde of specters following close in his steps. Gasping for air, Jasper stumbled into a large city square, perhaps a former market, and wildly cast his eyes about for an escape route.A large temple rose along the left of the market, and he broke into a run.Dashing up the marble stairs, he rushed into the ruined rotunda.A shaft of light pierced through the broken roof, illuminating an altar that - somehow still smoldering - lay before a colossal statue. A robust man, wielding a great whip in one hand and a mace in the other, with a crown of leaves upon his head, peered down at him.Jasper stumbled back in fright when the statue¡¯s head moved to look at him, the eyes glowing with an unearthly light.Falling to the floor, he heard the howls of the wraiths behind him as they rushed up the temple¡¯s stairs. ¡°Ayyaika, ayyaika.¡± He jerked awake on his cot, nearly tumbling out onto the floor. ¡°Ayyaika, ayyaika.¡± The chains on the warehouse door rattled softly, as if someone was testing the lock. ¡°Ayyaika, ayyaika.¡± As the strange cries grew louder, his pulse quickened. Silently leaping to his feet, he took a few quiet strides over to the next cot, and gently shook Ihra awake. She awoke with a strangled cry, which she promptly cut off when she heard the commotion at the door.mmediately grasping the situation, she stealthily crept over to the horse.Retrieving her bow and quiver, Ihra aimed an arrow at the entrance. ¡°Ayyaika, ayyaika.¡± The quiet rustling at the doors ceased as something large slammed into them, the force of the impact so great that showers of dust cascaded from the frame. But the door held. patter of footsteps raced across the roof above them, their thuds echoing through the spacious warehouse. He tensed, his attention torn between the door and the roof, and reached for a spell. presence loomed behind him, and he whirled around, as the spell surged through his fingers.Aphora snatched his hand out of the air, and with a pulse of essence, extinguished his spell.¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Ayyaika, ayyaika.¡± The doors bulged again as the force assailed them. They survived the first blow, but the second tore them from the frame. Dangling from the last of their hinges, the doors collapsed in a splintered heap.ozens of dark forms rushed through the gap in the wall, their strange, trill cries echoing in the inky night. And then the world exploded in a flash of blinding light.The wraiths and wights that were not immediately vaporized were thrown back into the street as the entire front of the warehouse exploded from Aphora''s runic trap.The roof above them groaned as its weight, no longer fully supported, begin to drag it down. Lights danced across his eyes, as Jasper struggled to clear his vision from the brilliant flash of light.Blinking rapidly, he could make out dim forms rising in the street.Beside him, Ihra loosed her arrow.It streaked through the air, catching a wight on its side.The arrow hit with such force that the wight was thrown backward, slamming into the wall of a house as the arrow pinned its shoulder. Another arrow zoomed past his ear, aimed at a wraith charging towards the gate, but passed through the shadowy creature harmlessly.With a twist of his fingers, Jasper sent a Sacred Star tearing towards the shade.The five small fireballs streamed toward the rushing monsters. Two slammed into the wraith, the small explosions pushing the creature back as flames erupted along its form.A second later, another Sacred Star tore into it, dissolving the wraith altogether. But as soon as one fell, another took its place, and the creatures swarmed through the gaping hole in the warehouse¡¯s walls.Jasper spammed Sacred Star, the explosive blasts pushing the horde back into the street while Ihra targeted the wights, not wasting her arrows on the wraiths.But in the space of a minute, he could already feel his essence running low. 15 Sacred Stars, and then I''m stuck relying on the glaive.Ignoring the throbbing pain that was beginning to build up in his head, Jasper reached for the twelfth spell, but a hand fell on his shoulders. ¡°Save your essence.¡± The panic racing through his veins nearly overwhelmed him, but he held steady, the waning dregs of his essence at his fingertips.The horde charge towards them, with strange trills and cries ringing out. ¡°Ayyaika, ayyaika, ayyaika.¡± The horde quickly closed the distance, till Jasper could clearly see the slobbering fangs of the wraiths, and the blue, twisted forms of the wights, the long black hair flowing down their backs still dressed in the traditional style of the elves of Onkodos Laos.They were barely a few feet away when Aphora spoke, a single word cutting through the cacophony. IS?ATI?LI?. A ring of silver fire blossomed out around them, like the ripples on a pool. It sliced through the horde effortlessly as every creature touched by its light was reduced to pillars of ash.When the spell finally fizzled out, Aphora staggered, her hand latching onto Jasper¡¯s shoulder in a painful grip, as she struggled to hold herself up. The three waited in silence, keeping a sharp eye on the burning rubble for the slightest sign of movement, but nothing emerged through the smoke. At last, Aphora spoke, no sign of her weakness betrayed in her voice. ¡°We should not linger here; more will come.¡± Aphora whistled for her stag and gracefully swung onto its back as it bounded past her.Jasper and Ihra ran for their mounts and, hauling themselves up, galloped after her. Jasper had to duck low beneath the sagging roof, which threatened to collapse at any moment.As they raced down the streets, small groups of wraiths and wights gave chase. wight leapt from the shadows and grabbed hold of Ihra¡¯s leg.She tried to shake it off, but the wight held on with a death grip as it was dragged down the cobblestoned street by the galloping horse. Shrieking in rage, it swiped its clawed hand at Ihra, but she blocked the brunt of its blow with her bow, crying out in pain as one claw cut a thin strip into her thigh. Fumbling for her quiver, Ihra pulled out an arrow and stabbed it in the creature''s eye.With a screech, the wight let go, bouncing along the rough street before rolling to a stop, far out of reach of the horse.But the horde behind them quickly swelled as the two chased after Aphora. The narrow street suddenly widened, splitting into a broad two-lane avenue. The street ahead of them was already filled with large numbers of wights; the ghastly creatures were clustered around the abandoned stalls and cafes, as if performing some parody of their former life. Lady Aphora¡¯s stag deftly danced through their attacks, the nimble deer keeping just out of reach of their claws, while she sliced through dozens of them with a gleaming crescent blade.Ihra and Jasper struggled to catch up, their humble horses no match for Aphora¡¯s lustrous mount. As they thundered down the street, Ihra tried to keep the path ahead clear, picking off as many wights as she could with well-placed arrows.But when the end of the street came into view, Jasper¡¯s heart sank.The street opened out into a large plaza, but the entrance was blocked by a large horde of wights that had gathered at the mouth of the street.A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that their pursuers were still close on their heels.We''re going to be trapped between them. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Lady Aphora did not slow down. Digging her feet into the sides of the stag, she spurred her mount straight towards the horde, as it accelerated to even faster speeds than before.Just before she smashed into the ravenous horde of wights, the stag soared high into the air. It easily cleared the heads of the enemies, landing safely in the empty pavilion beyond. Damn it.What about us?is mind raced for a solution. Desperation mounting, he seized on his newest spell.¡°Ihra, drop back a few feet behind me.I¡¯m going to try to clear a gap for us to breach through.¡±Ihra didn''t respond, but a few seconds later her horse dropped back a few strides, inching closer to the horde behind.Jasper pushed himself up on the saddle, balancing unsteadily on Dapplegrim¡¯s back, as he fished his oft-forgotten weapon out of its sheave.Holding the glaive in his hands, he jumped as high in the air as he could, summoning Seraph Burst. As if fired from a cannon, Jasper shot forward in a ball of fire and ash.He ripped through the front lines of the gathered wights as if they were nothing but paper dolls, landing in their midst in a fiery explosion.The spell whirled him around in a circle, and the spell''s razor-sharp spectral wings shredded through their ranks. His arms screamed in pain, as he struggled to hold the glaive steady in his outstretched hands, the deadly weapon cleaving through any that escaped the whirlwind of wings.he spell finally ended, Jasper face-planted in the street from the sudden change in momentum, his head dizzy.But it had worked.A gaping hole had been blown through the center of the horde, and Ihra and Dapplegrim galloped through the opening before it could close. He frantically rolled forward, stumbling to his feet as he reached out to grab hold of Dapplegrim¡¯s bridle and swing himself up into the saddle. But as his hand almost closed on it, he was jerked backward as a wight seized him from behind.An arrow shot past him, and the wight fell dead on the pavement, releasing his hand, but the moment had passed. Dapplegrim had already thundered into the center of the pavilion, out of his reach. The horde, which had been momentarily stunned into inaction by the brutality of Seraph Burst, surged forward as they saw their prey left alone. With a burst of frantic energy, Jasper snatched up his glaive and ran after his party. A shower of arrows arced past him as Ihra tried to pick off his pursuers, but Jasper couldn''t afford to look back.He raced across the plaza, his feet pounding across the hard paving stones with such force that he could feel the bruises already forming.ushing down the pain, he pressed on in a mad dash.The shadows behind him lengthened, drawing ever closer, and in another instant he found himself tackled to the ground. His face smashed into the pavement with a painful crunch.On reflex, he slammed his elbow into the ribs of the wight with every bit of his inhuman strength. flailed out with his leg, catching it square in the torso and tossing it backward.With a little room to breathe, Jasper rolled over.His eyes caught sight of his glaive lying to his left, and he reached for it.His hands closed on the glaive just before the wight leapt at him, and he swung it in a wide arc.The sharp blade sliced through its torso like butter, and the wight crumbled to the ground beside him, a foul odor leaking from its wounds. The other wights were closing the gap fast, and Jasper scrambled backward across the ground as he struggled to push himself.Catching his balance, he turned to run, but already he could see the shadows reaching out to him.I¡¯m not going to make it.Then it hit him.I¡¯m an idiot.With a scream, he launched himself forward, just out of reach of the encroaching foes as he cast Seraph Burst.He rocketed forward, landing in the center of the plaza in a whirlwind of wings.He staggered dizzily as the spell ended, but had no time to clear his head, forcing his wobbly legs toward the temple steps.As he raced up the flight of stairs, the wights closed in behind him. Ihra had paused at the top of the steps, still pelting the horde with arrows. Why the hell did she stop running? There''s no point in both of us dying. But Jasper had no time to contemplate her actions, as he fled into the temple. His steps almost faltered when he saw an altar in front of him; the ancient altar still smoldered, faint traces of smoke curling towards the ceiling.bove it rose the statue, the same statue he had seen in his dream.Redoubling his pace, Jasper altered his course toward the statue as a faint hope ignited within him.Please be real. It was not the statue that saved him.As Jasper crossed the temple threshold, Aphora stepped out of the shadows and pressed a pressure plate set in the wall.A barrier of light suddenly bisected the entrance, cutting off the head of an unfortunate wight.It rolled across the floor and came to stop at her feet, rocking back and forth on the marble tiles. She eyed it with distaste, gently nudging it away.Jasper dropped to the floor, his head swimming from lack of oxygen, as he took deep, gasping breaths.Ihra dismounted and ran over to him.¡°Are you okay?¡± He nodded, too breathless to speak, his limbs still shaking like jelly. The monsters outside beat against the wall of light impotently, but their blows did nothing.When the last of them disappeared from sight, Jasper staggered over to the statue.Ihra had collapsed against one of the pillars, and in a corner, he could see Aphora bandaging a thin wound on the leg of her stag. Taking deep, measured breaths, Jasper examined the statue carefully. was indeed the same figure he had dreamed about, although the statue showed no signs of being alive.But he was confused by its presence here. So why was there a temple to another god in Als?arratu?¡°What is this place?¡± Aphora continued to gently clean the wound on her stag''s leg as she answered him.¡°This was the safe house we were supposed to spend the night at until we, unfortunately, had to stop early." Her eyes flicked over to Ihra, but she didn''t say anything further. was once a temple to Tsia?hu or, as the Corsyths normally call him, the Lord of Mirth and Frost.¡± Jasper persisted. ¡°But why is there a temple to another god in an enclave from Onkodos Laos?¡± She finished wrapping gauze around her mount¡¯s leg. She stood up wearily, rubbing the animal''s head as it licked her face, before replying.¡°The city was ruled by elves, but they weren¡¯t the only ones to live here.There were inhabitants of many races here, and they were allowed to build whatever temples they wanted for their deities.¡±She looked up at the statue for a long moment, finally tilting her head to the side in a gesture of respect.¡°But even for the devoted of Onkodos, Tsia?hu shares a place of honor.Do you know the particular hypostatization of Selene that we worship?¡± ¡°The Lady of Mourning, right?¡± ¡°Yes, we worship our Lady as she mourns the death of her consort, the great solar warrior Shamsha.But while Shamsha lies dead, Tsia?hu stands in his place, fending off the forces of darkness until his lord is ready to rise again.Even the most fanatical devotees of our Lady still hold Tsia?hu in high regard.Although this city fell into ruins long ago, his temple offers succor to those that need help, a haven of safety in a dark place.¡± She turned to him, a gentle smile on her face.¡°But enough of theology.You should rest.The night will not last forever, and in the morning we must head higher into the city.¡± But one more question rankled in his mind, and despite his better judgment, Jasper could not let the matter rest in peace. ¡°You abandoned us back there." Aphora paused, thinking for a moment before she replied. ¡°You were not in as much danger as you thought. If you had failed to protect yourself, I could have dragged you into the safety of the temple. But, if a cub is to become a lion, it must learn to fight. was an opportunity for you to learn, not just how to fight, but about what, or who, you wish to fight for.¡± As he lay in his cot, trying to fall asleep, Jasper pondered her words.They made a good soundbite, he had to admit, and he had no doubt that Aphora would have thrived as a politician back on earth. And, loathe as he was to acknowledge it, there was more than a smidgen of truth to what she said. He just wasn¡¯t sure if he believed it. The Third Ring Jasper awoke to the crackle of meat over the fire, a savory scent invading his nostrils.With a yawn, he stretched his arms out, shaking the soreness out of his limbs.The hard temple floor was not the most comfortable of beds.Rubbing the bleariness from his eyes, he was surprised to see Aphora tending the fire.He sauntered over, his mouth watering in anticipation. He dragged a still sizzling wing onto a tin plate and promptly took a bite.Fire resistance had its perks, after all.Ihra joined them at the fire, and while she waited on her food to cool, questioned Lady Aphora.¡°So what¡¯s the plan for today?¡± Aphora toyed with the food on her plate, before eventually replying.¡°My plan was to head straight to the Tower, but after our little adventure last night, it¡¯s clear that I miscalculated a few things.I¡¯ve been to the tower a few times before, but, in the past, I always traveled with other elves.Normally, the creatures largely ignored us when we traveled through the city, only attacking if we got too close.Occasionally, a few might be aggressive, but they never mobbed us like they did last night.Perhaps, on some level, they still sense that we were once kin.Your presence, however, seems to have changed the equation. We¡¯ll need to proceed with more caution.¡± ¡°When we reach the Tower, we have to ascend it at night.And it¡¯s clear now that, with you two here, the wraiths and wights are going to be a problem.I doubt you could survive a sustained attack from a large mob.So, the only solution I see is to spend the next few days culling their numbers during daylight.Today, we will head straight for the third ring and set up shop in a safe house there, the temple of our Lady.From there, we can slowly clear out as many of the wights as we can before attempting to enter the Tower.¡± Jasper winced.They were supposed to help Aphora and, instead, it seemed that their presence was an albatross around her neck. ¡°Lady Aphora, if our presence is hindering your mission, we could make our way back to the guild expedition.¡± She shook her head.¡°No, your presence has introduced some unfortunate complications, but it is also necessary.¡± Necessary?You clearly don¡¯t need us for protection, so why are we even here?She didn¡¯t elaborate further. Jasper debated pushing her on it, but decided to let it drop.Truth be told, while he harbored suspicions about her intentions, he didn''t feel confident that he and Ihra would be able to successfully navigate back through the city to find the guild expedition.And if night fell before they reached them?They¡¯d be dead.heir best bet at this point was to stick with Lady Aphora.There¡¯s no way but forward. Finishing his food, he stood up to pack their gear, but she gestured for him to sit down.¡°Meditate before we leave.The creatures here provide disappointingly little experience, but given your low levels, it might be sufficient anyways. He was indeed a bit disappointed when he saw that he had only gained three levels, still fifteen levels short of acquiring his next reward, but he consoled himself with the thought that any progress, even if small, was still a step in the right direction.Satisfied for the time with his health, he decided to split the stat points between Inspiration and Willpower. Jasper played with the idea of dumping all nine points into either Inspiration or Willpower.Reaching 50 would provide a boost to the amount of essence gained per point, so he¡¯d come out temporarily ahead, but he wasn''t sure how important it was to keep the stats fairly even with each other. He decided to play it safe and just split the points between them;e''d be able to get both stats over 50 in just two more levels anyway.
Jasper Welles (45) Level up available: x0 Exp: 1400/1500 Health 1000 Stamina 1360 Essence 1700 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 30 Uplifted Purge Sling V
Vision 20 Locked Eternal Night II Glaive IV¡úGlaive V
Inspiration 47 Locked Fiery Shackles II
Willpower 48 Seraph Burst
Charisma 20
Once the two had finished meditating, the group set out into the city.Glimmers of sunlight broke through the storm clouds overhead, lighting up small patches on the pavilion.It was empty now; no sign of the gathered horde remained to be seen. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. They passed through the second ring of the city much faster.It was smaller than the first, with a few palatial homes scattered beside grand temples and municipal buildings.The most frequent buildings here, though, were the strange towers that dominated the city¡¯s skyline, the towers soaring so high that their tips disappeared into the low-hanging clouds. A sense of unease permeated the city streets, inciting a touch of paranoia in Jasper.Whenever they passed one of the many temples, he could see the giant statues looming above the dark halls, still watching over their shattered homes.Their unseeing eyes stared at him with an oppressive weight, and the fear - no, the knowledge - that they were somehow alive sunk deep into his bones.Eventually, he refused to look in their direction, keeping his eyes glued to the path ahead. It was only midday when the group arrived at the gate to the third ring of the city.The city had climbed high up the mountainside by now.The rain from yesterday had thankfully stopped, but the air was so cold that their breath billowed out in great plumes, before it was swiftly swept away by the harsh winds that howled through the narrow streets.The ground was covered in a crunchy blanket of snow, marred only by the tracks of their group, and the thorns on the great gate were coated in thick layers of ice.It took Jasper a bit more effort to clear the gate, and as the ice melted beneath the continuous river of fire, great clouds of steam and smoke poured up into the sky, announcing their presence to any and all who might be watching. Yet, when they crossed the threshold of the gate into the inner city, the difference was immediately discernible.No snow covered the ground here, and no cold winds cut through their cloaks.Instead, the air hung heavy with an almost oppressive heat, the air still, without the faintest hint of a breeze. The buildings had perhaps once been constructed from the same white stone as the city below, but most of their surface was covered in dark black streaks and swirls, far from the pristine conditions he had seen in the rest of the city.The paved stone street was buckled and cracked, as if an angry giant had pummeled it with his hammer.But perhaps the worst of it was the dense, hot fog, imbued with an acrid stench, that covered everything in sight, the fog so thick that it flowed almost like a river through the ruined city. He gagged on the stench. ¡°What happened here?¡± ¡°This is where the city died.¡± they picked their way through the broken streets, he could swear he saw the faint traces of tears running down her cheeks. The final ring of the city was even smaller than the last, and they quickly arrived at their destination.The peak of the mountain had been shorn clean off, creating a large open forum at the top.wo great buildings dominated the forum, one on the north and the other on the south, staring each other down like snarling wolves. The southern structure was the largest temple Jasper had seen in the city, or indeed, in Corsythia thus far.A pair of massive mastabas rose side by side, the space between them enclosed by a low stone wall.each mastaba, an entrance sunk deep into the face of the building, the slanted sides opening up in giant arches whose pinnacles reached almost to the roof of the building.Every inch of the walls was covered in ornate metallic scrollwork, where all manner of strange creatures were depicted supplicating the moon.The Temple of Selene, I suppose. But it was the building on the north side that drew his attention.Four great towers rose at each of its corners, each one more than a match in size for any they had seen elsewhere in the city.The towers arched upwards, curving inwards in the middle before flaring out at the top, capped with a transparent dome of carved crystal, from which an inexplicable light still shone. But nestled in the middle of the four towers, a single tower rose, far greater in height and size than the rest.Its shape was the same as the others, but its sheer scale dwarfed the rest.There was something about the tower that felt old, inherently different from the rest, as if it had stood there since time began. While the other towers were stained, their clean white facades marred by the same black smudges as the rest of the upper city, the central tower was untouched.Its stone still sparkled a pristine white that was utterly unaffected by whatever had ravaged the rest of the upper city.No obvious deity symbols or runes were etched into its walls, nor any sort of decoration.Indeed, there was nothing at all that hinted at the purpose of the grand edifice. ¡°What is that place?Surely no god would be allowed to have a temple larger than Selene¡¯s in a city of Onkodan elves?¡±Jasper hadn¡¯t meant to speak the words out loud, but they echoed through the scorched plaza, as he reined his horse in to get a better look at the towers. ¡°Indeed, no god would, but that is not a temple; it is the purpose of our trip, the Tower of Ysagil.he central tower is old beyond our ken; it was already here, waiting on the mountaintop, when the elves founded the city, and the whole city was built around it.You will see it soon enough, but it is not our destination today.For now, we must keep moving.¡± Lady Aphora turned her mount towards the temple of Selene, heading for the mastaba on the left.Reluctantly Jasper followed, catching up to her and Ihra.As they neared the entrance, he could see that the walls were heavily damaged.Myriad cracks ran through the stained white walls of the temple, and in many places, large chunks of the engravings had fallen off, the once glossy silver turned to a dull grey. ¡°What happened to the city?The damage to this temple seems more extreme than what you¡¯d expect from a normal siege, and the change in the weather seems clearly magical in nature.It shouldn¡¯t be hot and windless on top of the mountain, while further down it is draped in snow." "And the undead that swarm the city are what, normal?" Her eyes creased with a hint of amusement, but it was not enough to hide the pain that lurked behind. Jasper flushed. "Well, yes...them too." ¡°When the Fey Wars broke out, Als?arratu took no part in them.It remained neutral, trading with Corsyths and Fey alike. Its people believed they were safe. Why would the children of Tsia?hu attack their northern brethren?In secret, the government of Als?arratu even provided occasional assistance to the Fey, hoping that while the Corsythians were distracted, they would be able to capitalize on a moment of weakness and integrate Gis?-Izum into their own territory.But then, when the war seemed all but lost, Corsythians figured out how to create sanctums. Those great fortresses came at a terrible cost - a cost they still pay to this day - but with their population safely tucked away out of the reach of the Fey, the tide began to turn.¡± ¡°When the Fey armies reached Gis?-Izum, they were enraged to find an empty city, the whole population safely sheltered in the Sanctum.Unable to vent their rage on the Corsyths, they turned their wrath towards us, to Als?arratu.The guards in the passage, thinking the Fey had come to trade for food, were cut down before they could even give us warning.When the rampaging horde emerged from the passage, the city was barely able to close the gates in time.But they had made no preparation to face a Fey army - it was a hopeless battle.¡± ¡°Driven by desperation, the elven queen turned to a half-forgotten ritual her people once used.In the dead of night, high in the Tower of Ysagil, she performed a ritual to hide the entire city in a dimension of its own - much like the sanctums of the Corsyths, just on a larger scale.When she completed the ritual beneath the moonlight, the city disappeared into the void, vanishing before the eyes of the astonished Fey." "It was a success. The city erupted in joy, feasting in the temple. And then, something went terribly wrong.Perhaps her knowledge of the ritual was incomplete in some way, or perhaps some element of the ritual was corrupted. short time after the city slipped into a void, a fiery explosion ripped through its upper ring, leaving the scorched, ever-smoldering ruins we¡¯re standing in.The force of the explosion tore through the city, smashing into the circle of protection surrounding it.Shattered, the city reemerged from the void.But the damage to the upper ring was nothing compared to the toll exacted on its populace.In an instant, they were killed, their lights blotted out as they were transformed into the mindless monstrosities that haunt its streets. Now their souls are trapped between two worlds, bound to both this plane and the other, unable to truly die unless they are slain in both.¡± ¡°But the fey received their just rewards in the end.When they entered the city, they found it bereft of inhabitants.They marched all the way up to the tower, where, feasting on their ill-gotten spoils, they spent the night in the temple of Selene, defiling it with their foul presence.But when the moon rose, the undead fell upon them.Not one of their soldiers escaped to tell the tale.¡± Jasper listened to the story with rapt attention, but something about the narrative bothered him.¡°How do you know all of this?Didn¡¯t everyone die?¡± ¡°There were a few within the city that, for some unknown reason, survived the change, and there were small populations of elves who lived outside the city - small hamlets, guard towers, merchants - who were not caught up in the calamity.Most of Als?arratu was destroyed that day, but a remnant of survivors lived on.¡± He opened his mouth to ask more questions, but the Lady cut him off.¡°We have discussed this enough for now.We need to secure our lodgings for the night, and plan for the hunt.¡± As they rode through the great hall of the temple, Jasper was amazed by its size.Even mounted on a horse, he felt like an ant crawling across the floor.The entire interior of the mastaba was open, and the ceiling soared up to a height that no stone building on earth could achieve without crumbling beneath its own weight, utterly unsupported by any pillars or buttresses.At the pinnacle of the ceiling, a large section had been cut out, allowing the light from the sun to pour through, the rays reflecting in a large, shallow pool of water that occupied much of the floor.Around the pool, thousands of corpses, clad in rusting armor and weapons, littered the floor.The fey army? The austerity of the temple surprised Jasper.Most of the architecture he had encountered thus far was extremely ornate, with exotic designs based on curving lines and arches rather than the straight lines that dominated modern American style.But the inside of the mastaba was clean and uncluttered, and lacking the curving lines that dominated so much of the elven city.Instead the straight white walls - marred as they were from the explosion - combined with the great skylight above and the large rectangular pool to give a distinctly modern, even sci-fi, look to the temple. Jasper stared in unabashed wonder, as the fear that had gripped his heart earlier was wholly replaced with the thrill of adventure. And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move. Ayyalu The next moment, he was flying through the air as a wight snapped at his neck. He landed hard on his back, skidding across the still smooth floor. He slammed his elbow into the wight''s jaws, whimpering in pain when its razor-sharp fangs sliced open his skin. Purge. Nothing happened. He had no time to process the spell''s failure before he and the wight, still sliding across the floor, plunged into the pool of water. The weight of the wight lessened as they plunged into the shallow depths, and Jasper kicked the creature away. The force of his kick pushed him deeper, slamming him into the bottom. He rolled to his side, but through the murky water saw that the wight had already almost closed upon him. Damn it. He frantically reached for a solution. Purge didn''t work; would Sacred Star or Fiery Shackles work underwater? Probably not. He reached for his last spell. Seraph Burst. Jasper erupted from the water like a dolphin on speed. He dizzily spun high in the air, supported by the spell''s spectral wings. And that was when he realized his mistake. As the spell fizzled, he hurtled back down toward the pool, now fifty feet below. Aww, crap, this is going to hurt. The water felt like concrete, but it still opened up to swallow him into its depths. A second later, he reappeared before the astonished wight. Giving the creature no time to react, he grabbed its head and slammed it against the bottom of the pool. The two struggled as the pool turned red. And then, he surfaced. As he dragged himself out of the bloody waters, Jasper felt like a drowned cat. He spluttered as he wiped the water from his eyes. "That was an...interesting tactic." He shook the worst of the water out of his hair before he looked up at Aphora. "As it turns out, I may not be well equipped to fight in pools of water." He rubbed his shoulder, which still ached from slamming into the ground. "When I tried to use Purge, it failed. Shouldn''t it work on monsters?" Aphora shook her head. "Not necessarily. Remember, Purge punishes those who have done grievous wrong. Before the city was destroyed, most of these monsters were just normal people. A few of them, perhaps, had some dark secret secrets to hide, but for the most part, they weren''t evil, just very unlucky." She smiled. "Fortunately, as long as you stay out of underwater battles, your fire spells should work just fine." When he had finished drying himself off as best as he could, he got back up on Dapplegrim. The party carefully picked their way through the mounds of Fey corpses, their progress slowed at times by the sheer size of the mounds.Jasper scanned the shadows, looking for threats, but saw no further signs of wraiths or wights.When they finally reached the other side of the building, Aphora descended from her mount and examined the floor carefully.Here too the bodies were piled up, and with a snarl of frustration, she cast out a wave of silver light, sending the corpses flying away in a shower of disintegrating limbs. Jasper saw nothing different about the small area of the floor that she cleared, but Aphora¡¯s lips curled in a triumphant grin.She retrieved a small vial of powder from her bag.Taking a pinch of the dust, she flung it in the air above the floor, watching carefully as it drifted down.Two more pinches of powder followed, until the faint outlines of the seal of Selene begin to appear.Bending down, she fed a slight trickle of essence into the dust.The seal glowed a fiery red as it etched itself deep into the stone floor.With a rumble, two great slabs slid apart, revealing a wide ramp leading down into the darkness. He peered down the ramp apprehensively, his eyes straining to make out anything.After the events at Yar-Khennor, Jasper wasn¡¯t too eager to descend into the dark depths of anywhere, but his worries were quickly assuaged. As he watched, small silver lines embedded in the ramp¡¯s floor lit up, illuminating the passage in a strange light.Lady Aphora explained while she led them down the passage.¡°When the fey desecrated the upper temple, destroying what was left of its protections, they were unable to find the inner sanctuary before they were destroyed by the wrathful undead.The wards remained untouched, so we can stay here in safety while we cull the wraiths.¡± The ramp opened out into a large, rectangular hall.Along the wall, passageways branched off in various directions, trailing off into still unlit corridors.But the room itself was breathtaking.The floor and ceiling were made of pure hammered silver, which gleamed in the arcane light.The silver ceiling was inset with the constellations of Corsythia, each star made of enchanted shining gold, while the silver floor below was woven from strands of glowing silver, like rivers flowing through the land. But despite the beautiful decorations, the true focus of the room was an idol of a great silver stag.It stood on two legs, with a shaggy mane of hair - unlike anything Jasper had ever seen on a deer - that ran down its back, falling over its side in luscious locks.Its horns were enormous, stretching out to a width almost equalling the room, and in the middle of the horns, a large silver moon hung suspended.The strange bipedal deer had one arm (leg?) stretched out in front of it, and in the other, its arms twisted in a shape impossible for a deer, it cradled a tall spear in its hooves. Lady Aphora bowed to the ground before the statue, bent low in supplication.¡°Embrace us, great Ayyalu.Extend your protection over us, that we may seek the vengeance you crave.¡± The silver moon between its horns blazed with light, the rays bouncing off the silver walls, washing the room in a light so brilliant that it was hard to see, and then the statue moved.The great stag lowered its head to Aphora, and with its strangely twisted arm, lifted her up.¡°Arise, child.¡± Its voice was like the distant thunder of a rainless summer night, the words barely discernible, but laced with a power so potent that it physically hurt to hear.Is this what it would be like if Kas?dael ever spoke to me? Jasper was forced on his knees before the god, held in place by the pressure that emanated from his presence. Dimly, he was aware of Ihra bowing beside him. ¡°Your quest is foolishness, little deer, but you will always have my protection.¡±The great stag licked her forehead, a giant silver tongue somehow manifesting out of the statue.The great stag turned its eyes towards Jasper and Ihra.Its mouth opened, but no words came out.Shaking its head in frustration, it muttered in a low grumble, ¡°So be it then.¡±The stag straightened back up, resuming its original form as the silver hardened back into a statue. The unrelenting pressure disappeared, and, with shaky arms, Jasper pushed himself off his knees.Surveying the room, he saw that the ramp was now sealed off with the same wall of light that had protected them in Tsia?hu¡¯s temple.Aphora remained on her knees before Ayyalu, the faint murmur of an indiscernible tongue echoing in the room while the floor beneath her gleamed from more than mere silver. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. He and Ihra shared a look, unsure if they should bother Lady Aphora or not.After a moment of indecision, Ihra shook her head.Speaking in a voice barely above a whisper, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards one of the passageways.¡°Let¡¯s leave her to pray.We can explore the area ourselves.¡± As soon as her foot landed in the dark hall, a rush of light spread through silver veins embedded in the floor and ceiling, lighting the way before them.The hall extended further than they could see, burrowing deep into the mountain. But, they only needed to walk a few feet before arriving at the first set of doors.A quick peak inside the room on the left revealed that it was some sort of armory, the room strikingly similar to the one he had visited in the elven compound back in Gis?-Izum. The second room they found, however, was exactly what they were searching for.It opened into a spacious circular room, shaped like an onion turned upside down.The walls flared at the base, narrowing into a point above the center of the room. series of small, open rooms - a bit like cubicles, Jasper thought - were carved into the walls.Each of the cubicles had a small bed and, built into the base of the bed, a desk and chair.When he walked over to the nearest cubicles, Jasper was surprised to find that the bed was freshly made in white linens, the covers tucked tight into the frame.On the desk, a book lay open, the cup beside it still filled with a clear liquid that somehow had neither evaporated nor molded in the long years since Als?arratu had fallen.The cup¡¯s unnaturally perfect preservation made him realize that the room itself was immaculate.The temple had been abandoned for centuries, yet not a single speck of dust could be seen anywhere. He dropped his backpack beside one of the beds, cringing when the somewhat dirty bag emitted a small puff of dust that scattered across the pristine floor.Glancing over his shoulder like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Jasper did his best to kick the dust and dried mud under the bed.Out of sight, out of mind.At last satisfied, the floor still looking a little streakier than before, he sat down at the desk, eager to examine the book. ¡°Ahem.¡±He turned to find Ihra peaking over his shoulder.¡°What is that book?" He shrugged. "I don''t know. I just sat down to look at it." "Well, it looks cool, but before you get lost in that book, we need to make supper and find a place to stable the horses.¡± His stomach growled at the mention of food and Jasper leapt to his feet, all thought of the book sidelined.¡°I¡¯ll do supper.¡± ¡°Good, I prefer the horses anyway.¡±She disappeared back into the hallway, heading towards the shrine where they had left their mounts, while Jasper headed towards the center of the room which was dominated by a large circular hearth with a strange contraption mounted over it.Examining it, he realized it was basically an open-air oven, with three shelves that were heated by the fire and two mounts that held great pots over the flame.The hearth itself was filled with a strange amber liquid, quite unlike anything he had ever seen.But a quick experiment showed that it was highly flammable, the flames spreading out evenly across the pit with a whoosh. It was then that he realized that he had forgotten to actually grab any food.Duh, it¡¯s on the horses.Running out to the hall, he ran right into Ihra, who was clearing a space for their mounts in the armory. She smiled.¡°Forget something?¡± He blushed.¡°Nothing much.I figured for our main course, I would prepare some fresh air and pure water, but thought we might want something little on the side.You know, in case we were still hungry.¡± Her laughter echoed down the halls.¡°Well, I look forward to tasting your innovative entrees.¡± Grabbing some supplies off the travel bags, he headed back into the room.Lady Aphora had a bag of holding that was well stocked with a variety of delicacies, but their own supplies were decidedly more mundane.He settled for a potato chowder, accompanied by some ash cakes. The two had almost finished eating when Lady Aphora finally joined them.She took a glance at the still steaming soup and the half-burned ash cakes; then, wrinkling her nose, she fished some food out of her bag.Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks stained with the tell-tale salt of tears.The always flawless elf had never looked so human. They sat in awkward silence.Jasper was dying to ask about what had happened in the shrine.Who was that god?Why had he called her quest foolish?Why was she crying?But, the questions sat on his lips, unspoken. She wouldn''t answer anyway. When Aphora had finished eating, she finally addressed them.¡°As I said earlier, we need to thin the number of wraiths and wights before we attempt to ascend the Tower. Now the guild believes that the creatures only appear at night, but the truth is that they are here all the time and rarely awaken except at night. you can find them and hunt them in the day, if you know how.¡± ¡°During the day, the wights usually sleep in small burrows beneath the ground.f you can wake them up, they will rush out of the burrow and can be easily dealt with.The wraiths are a little harder to kill.They sleep too, but are concealed in an almost impenetrable veil of magic that hides them from all the senses.¡± She drew two small daggers, each a misericorde, out of her bag.With a casual flip, she tossed one into Ihra¡¯s hand, but she held onto the second.Ihra snatched the dagger out of the air, spinning it in a circle with practiced ease. ¡°While holding these daggers, you will be able to see through their veil.You should be able to dispatch the wraiths with ease as they sleep.But,¡± she twisted the dagger in her hand, an uncertain look on her face, ¡°many elven weapons, especially those from Onkodos Laos, were meant only for the use of elves, or those of elven descent.¡±She held the dagger out to Jasper.¡°You are welcome to try, but I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to wield it.¡± He took the dagger, weighing it in his palm for a second.The balance was excellent, but the weapon felt kind of cold in his hand.When he closed his hand around the hilt, the cold surged up his hand, all feeling cut off.With a yelp, he dropped the weapon, which clattered the ground with a resounding clang.As soon as the weapon left his hand, the cold and numbness dissipated. He stared at the dagger reproachfully, and Aphora shook her head.¡°I was afraid of that.It will make our task harder, but we¡¯ll manage.¡± As she spoke, an electric pulse ran through his scalp, emanating from the tiara on his brow.The room around him transformed into an alpine forest; tall pines, dripping in snow and ice, reached for the distant heavens as a cold breeze swirled around him.A man stood in the forest before him, a gnarled staff gripped tight in his hands.The sweep of his ears and the curving horns revealed him to be an elf, but his eyes danced with a fire that elves could not - or at least, did not - wield.¡°Pick it up again.¡± As the man spoke, Jasper''s vision cleared.Before Lady Aphora could react, he bent down again and snatched the dagger up.The cold flared up in his palm again, and despite being prepared for the encroaching numbness, he still almost dropped the misericorde.But he held on, gritting his teeth as the cold spread up his arm and into his chest.Tentatively, he slashed it through the air, stabbing it at an imaginary enemy.Not a flicker of pain. Lady Aphora arched an eyebrow.¡°I¡¯d love to know how you managed that.I didn¡¯t sense even a shred of elven heritage in you.¡± Not in the mood to give any secrets to one who had so many secrets herself, he simply winked at her.¡°Trade secret.¡± She sulked a bit.¡°Keep your secrets, then.Since both of you can use the daggers, our work should be much easier.Tomorrow, we will hunt in the upper temple.¡± Wraith Hunting Jasper slept lightly that night, waking up well before the others.He tiptoed quietly through the room to retrieve some leftovers from the still smoldering fire and sat back down on the edge of his bed to eat. As he brushed the last crumbs of ash cake off his finger, his eyes fell on the book he had been looking at last night.Sitting down at the desk, he flipped through its pages.The book was written in a language he did not recognize, the text composed in a strange, blocky script that vaguely resembled cuneiform. But despite his inability to read the words, the book was fascinating.rotesque monsters and deities, most prominent amongst them Selene and the strange stag god from the shrine. Jasper did not recognize the stag deity from his time playing the game, and he wondered if he had finally stumbled upon the heresy of Als?arratu.But, he had not sensed anything dark in the deity¡¯s presence, so perhaps the rumors of dark sorcery in Als?arratu had been unfounded. A cursed city of the undead was likely to spark gossip, true or not. As he flipped through the book, a thought occurred to him.The diadem had somehow enabled him to hold the misericorde without burning; perhaps it could let him read the text.He didn¡¯t really know how to interact with it, but awkwardly tried to send his mind towards it, imagining himself sending out a mental wave against its walls.Please, help me read this text.At first, nothing happened.Jasper was just about to give up when the diadem exuded a sense of pressure.The fire in the room flickered for a second, as if someone was rapidly flicking the lights off and on, and then it cleared. When Jasper looked down at the page before him, adorned with a large illustration of the stag, he watched in wonder as the words slowly morphed before him into text that he could read. The Great Stag, Ayyalu, was conceived in the time of mourning by Selene and her lover Tsia?hu.When her consort, Shamsha, returned from the land of the dead, he was angered by the child¡¯s existence.So when the child came of age, he was banished from the heavens.But his mother watched over him, and blessed him with the divine spark. When he first descended from the heavens, Ayyalu found himself in the land of the fey, the children of Tsia?hu by other mothers.They did not embrace him, rejecting the heaven-born, and casting him out from their lands.But because he was their kin, they did not slay him but sent him away with provisions and supplies.He wandered through the desolate lands - the world still as yet barely inhabited - until he came to the sacred mountains of the seraphs.Despite their father, Shamsha, the seraphs treated him with kindness, allowing him to remain with them for a time.But here too, he could not stay.They were of the sun, and he was of the moon. Again he wandered the lands, meeting the Strythani, the dwarves and satyrs, and the first of Mywrani descending from the stars.Nowhere did he find a place to call home until he found the sacred lands, deep within the frozen forests.There, by the springs of ¡®Amu he established his city, Ur-Sa?la, and it was there that Ayyalu, the great father of the elves, created his people from the divine spark granted him.Thus it was that the elves, the children of Selene, came to claim the north as their own. The narrative continued, leading into a hymn in praise of Ayyalu, but Jasper¡¯s mind spun with the revelations.Selene and Shamsha were the two greatest living deities, who were respectively considered the mother of the elves and the father of the humans.But this was an entirely different origin story:Ayyalu, father of the elves, son of Selene and Tsia?hu.If this was part of elven theology, it was certainly kept hidden from the world at large.Was this the heresy of Als?arratu, or were the elves hiding aspects of their religion? His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle touch on his shoulder.¡°Ready to head out?¡± Ihra¡¯s eyes glanced curiously at the brightly illustrated pages, but showed no signs of comprehension, until they landed on Ayyalu.¡°Is that the stag god from the shrine?¡± He nodded. Her hand ran over the paper gently, a look of longing on her face. ¡°It''s a shame it''s in the old tongue.My parents died before I was really old enough to learn much about our heritage.¡± Jasper cleared his throat, about to read the entry from the page, when Aphora interrupted them.¡°There¡¯s time for picture books later.Let¡¯s go.¡± They left the horses in the armory and headed up the ramp.As they cautiously stepped out into the ruined temple, there was a stillness in the air.The strange heat was almost suffocating, and Jasper found himself fondly remembering the soft snowfall in the lower regions of the city. They stopped just a few feet away from the entrance as Aphora explained her plan.¡°Today, we¡¯ll focus on the wraiths, as they¡¯ll be the easiest to kill.¡±With a wave of her hand, a dagger materialized in her palm, identical to the ones they¡¯d been given last night.¡°I¡¯ll demonstrate what you need to do.¡±She paused for a moment, looking at them expectantly.Jasper stared at her dumbly for a second - what does she want me to do? - and then it clicked. Oh yeah, I have to be holding the dagger to see through the veil. As his hands fell on the dagger, an intense cold seeped through his arm, but quickly faded away, replaced by a chill of fear in his heart.They were surrounded by wraiths, as far as the eye could see.The creatures were scattered throughout the temple, each one floating in a see-through cocoon that was suspended slightly above the floor. The wraiths still resembled, in some warped fashion, the elves they had once been.Jagged and broken horns jutted from their head, transformed somehow into a clear crystal-like substance.Their hair, no doubt once glossy and silken, floated in the cocoon, the dirty and ragged tendrils wrapping around their face, which was contorted in a grimace revealing a double set of fangs.He heard Ihra gasp beside him, and could only shake his head in agreement.We¡¯ve been surrounded by monsters with every step we took. Aphora walked over to the closest wraith, the dagger held firm in her right hand.She made no attempt to approach stealthily.With her left hand, she drew another dagger from her belt and slammed it into the side of the veil.The dagger passed through the cocoon harmlessly, inflicting no damage.She thrust her arm into it, waving it around, with no response. ¡°The wraiths¡¯ veil completely cuts them off from our world.Without the enchanted daggers, we cannot see them, feel them, or hurt them.But the reverse is true as well; they cannot perceive us when they are in the veil.Personally, I think that they are somehow retreating into the other dimension that the Queen tried to hide the city in.¡± She re-sheathed the ineffectual dagger and lifted the misericorde.¡°This dagger can pierce the veil.But be warned, even a scratch on the cocoon will wake the wraith, and it will attack you.¡±She paused, fixing them with a stern eye.¡°Believe me, you do not want to engage in close-range combat with the wraiths.They are immune to most non-magical attacks, and their razor-sharp claws and fangs will tear you to shreds in an instant.But, if you are careful, you can kill the wraiths with a single, well-placed blow.¡± She angled the blade slightly up, and with one fluid motion plunged it into the wraith.The dagger bit deep into the wraith¡¯s chest, its forward motion stopped only by the guard.Cracks emanated outward from the blade, swiftly spreading across its body, as molten silver wept from the wounds inflicted.The process only lasted a few seconds before the wraith exploded in a shower of silver and gore, its remains splattering against the walls of the cocoon.After a moment, the cocoon melted away, disappearing into whatever void it came from. Aphora turned back to them.¡°As long as you hit the heart, you won¡¯t even have to fight.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. A few hours later, Jasper found himself desperately wishing for a fight.As it turned out, carefully stabbing unsuspecting wraiths in the chest was an incredibly boring chore.The only saving grace was that he was at least gaining some experience for it, but killing an entirely helpless enemy felt kind of cheap.His mind wandered as they slowly cleared out the interior of the temple and worked their way out into the great courtyard. What I wouldn''t give to have Spotify back. Jasper was lining up his next blow when a scream echoed through the yard.He whirled around to see Ihra pinned to the ground as a wraith pummeled her with blows, the dagger in his hand nicking the edge of the cocoon. He started to run toward Ihra, reaching for a spell, but a second later was driven into the pavement.His nose gave way with an audible crunch, the blood immediately gushing forth as he gasped for a breath.Claws raked across his back, and he bellowed in pain.Jasper tried to stand up, but was slammed back into the pavement with such force that the stones - and some of his ribs - cracked.With a scream of pain, he rolled to his left, narrowly missing another crushing blow. Reaching out a mangled hand, one finger bent back at an unnatural angle, he screamed out Purge, remembering too late that it wouldn''t work.The wraith lashed out again, the force of the blow lifting Jasper off the ground and tossing him thirty feet across the courtyard.He landed with a thud, the sheer momentum rolling him across the ground, as his ribs lit up with pain.Panting, he pushed himself with one arm, his mind reeling with shock as he tried to summon another spell. The wraith slowly walked towards him, secure in its victory.Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ihra was still pinned beneath the wraith.His eyes fell on a gleam of silver a few feet before him.The misericorde.With a cry of pain, he lunged forward, dragging himself across the ground towards the wraith and the dagger.The wraith began to run towards him when it saw the dagger, but Jasper reached it first. Snatching it up, he cast his spell.Seraph Burst. His battered body streaked across the courtyard in a burst of flames, the great spectral wings sprouting from his back in a halo of fire.He flew past the startled wraith, hurtling towards his target.I¡¯m coming, Ihra.He screamed as he collided with the wraith pinning her down, the spell violently twisting his body in circles as his cracked ribs gave way further.He and the wraith landed in a tangled heap, the wraith¡¯s torso torn open by the razor-sharp wings of the spell.Somehow still holding onto the misericorde, he stabbed wildly at the wraith, raining down blows over and over again.Jasper¡¯s frenzy was only interrupted when the wraith exploded in a shower of gore, splashing across his ruined face. He tried to push himself off the ground, but collapsed with a scream, as his broken arm buckled beneath him.The thunder of footsteps echoed in his ears as the remaining wraith rushed across the courtyard, gobs of saliva falling from his mouth.An arrow pierced its heart, the force jolting the wraith, who turned its attention to Ihra. It paid no attention to the arrow, normal weapons unable to hurt it.But before it had taken three steps, the arrow expanded in a fiery blade that dissected the wraith in half.Its torso fell a few feet away from its legs, a stunned look permanently affixed on its face.Executioner¡¯s Arrow, Ihra whispered. She limped over to Jasper as quickly as she could, one leg dragging behind her.Ihra collapsed on her knees beside him, fumbling through her bag for a healing potion.She couldn¡¯t find it.Panicking, she turned the bag over, spilling its contents across the ground.There.As she stretched for the potion, a shadow fell across her. ¡°Save your potions; I can heal him.¡±Aphora knelt down on the ground beside her. Jasper lay in a tangled heap. His broken arm had gotten trapped beneath the weight of his body, but it was his ribs that were truly killing him, every breath causing a cascade of agony through his chest.Realizing the danger had passed, he held still.¡°You okay, Ihra?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine; hurt my leg, but you''re worse off.¡± Aphora cut in. ¡°Ihra, help me flip over on his back.¡± The two of them carefully rolled him over.¡°You might as well pay attention, Ihra. Perhaps you''ll learn something about runic magic.First, we need to put his bones back into position as much as possible.We¡¯ll start with the arm.¡±He gritted his teeth, choking down the screams as they twisted his arm back in place.His fingers, nose, and ribs followed, the last so painful that the screams finally forced their way out of his throat. When they had straightened Jasper¡¯s broken bones, Aphora drew three vials from her bag and held them up for Ihra to examine.¡°Then we use a powdered compound of silver, salt, and iron that isolates the patient from their surroundings, and defines the area of the spell.¡±Uncorking the first bottle, she carefully poured an unbroken line of powder around his body. ¡°Next, we add a mixture of healing herbs. You can skip this part of the ritual, if you don''t have the necessary ingredients, but it significantly reduces the amount of essence needed to power it.¡±She opened the second vial, pouring a thin stream of dark green dust into her hands.Leaning over him, Aphora blew the powder into his face.Jasper coughed and spluttered as he inhaled the dry dust, but she pushed his head back onto the pavement.¡°Hold still.The powder needs to stay on your face.¡± Then she retrieved the third bottle, in which a dark red substance sloshed about.Daubing her fingers in it, she drew a rune on his forehead, and then a matching one on her own.¡°This is the heart of the ritual, the anchor.When the spell activates, it temporarily ties the patient and healer together.For a moment, my health becomes his health, and the power of the spell is channeled into restoring the pattern inherent in him.For this reason, runic healing should not be used if you are currently injured.If, for example, you are currently missing an arm, and tried to heal someone with runic magic, the spell will try to make your health their health, and might remove their perfectly healthy arm.¡± ¡°The last step is simply to provide the power.¡±With her finger, she traced runes into the powder at his head and feet, and by each of his arms, feeding a trickle of essence into the runes until they lit up with a red glow.Putting the vials away, she closed her eyes and began to chant. S?ULLUM, AYYALU.S?ULLUM, ILI?.KI?MA PAGRI?, KI?MA, PAGRU?S?U. A gentle light enveloped the two as Jasper¡¯s bones slid back into place, knitting themselves back together like new.He sucked in a deep breath of air as the pain in his ribs slowly subsided.Aphora opened her eyes, and with a wave of her hand, the ring of powder was carried off by the wind.¡°Try to be more careful next time.Now Ihra, it¡¯s your turn.Let¡¯s get that leg fixed.¡±She repeated the process, executing the ritual with a swift efficiency that told of years of experience. Jasper waited impatiently while Aphora healed Ihra. He kept flexing the healed arm.¡°I don''t understand why I feel so good. The healing potions do their job, but you still feel pretty awful after you take one. But I feel like I just had the best night of sleep in my life." A hint of a smile crossed Aphora''s lips.¡°Runic magic is almost always better than the alternative.Unfortunately, very few people can actually use it.Perhaps after our trip to the Tower, I can test you, to see if either of you can use it." She paused, and channeled her essence into the runes. A few moments later, Ihra was back on her feet. Jasper nodded. "I think so. We just had the western corner left to do." The sun was starting to hang low over the horizon as Aphora weighed their options. "I''ll help you finish. If we can get this done tonight, then tomorrow we can hunt the wights and enter the Tower.¡± The next two hours passed quickly.No more mistakes were made.Despite the mind-numbing nature of the task, after their brush with disaster, the three remained laser-focused, dispatching the wraiths with clean and quiet efficiency.They crossed the threshold of the ramp just as the sun¡¯s last rays slid behind the mountain peak, plunging the city into shadow.Jasper breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped through the protective shield. As he swiftly hurried through the shrine to Ayyalu, he could swear its head moved slightly, tracking them. It was a long and sleepless night.The energy from the healing spell still coursed through his veins, driving all need for sleep far away from him.In the quiet darkness of the room, Jasper found his thoughts drifting back to home.Life in Corsythia was hard.Hell, he had suffered more injuries today than in his entire life back home. He still missed Layla a bit, but in his heart, he knew their relationship was never built to last.Their interests were just too different.Those differences were intoxicating in the beginning, but by the time he had been dragged here, their relationship was just coasting on momentum, as they slowly drifted apart.He missed his family too, but again, for most of them, the relationship was more of an idea than a reality.He lived hundreds of miles away from them, and saw them rarely, if at all. He was surprised to realize that, despite the ever-present threat of death, which, honestly, wasn¡¯t really so bad, and despite the truly tragic absence of the internet, tv, and video games, he was actually kind of happy here.This place was starting to feel like¡­home. The next morning, as he slowly dragged himself face first through a narrow tunnel buried deep beneath the plaza, all he could think was I hate this world. Pigpen He had started off the morning with such optimism.The wraiths were supposed to be the hard ones to kill, requiring special weapons and precise attacks.Exterminating the wights, on the other hand, was supposed to be as easy as shooting fish in a barrel. While the wraiths had become semi-incorporeal when the ritual backfired, the wights'' bodies had remained largely the same.The wights were still basically elves, just elves that were also immortal mindless killing machines.Instead of disappearing into a cocoon, they dug small burrows underground where they hibernated until nightfall.To kill them, all you needed to do was find the burrows and force them out, killing them one by one while they crawled out of their narrow tunnels, completely unable to defend themselves.Since Jasper was a fire mage, Aphora had suggested that they use smoke to drive them out of the burrow. It was a great plan.Too bad it didn¡¯t work.At all. Jasper and Ihra were still practically bouncing off the walls from the leftover energy from the healing ritual, so they quickly swept through the temple grounds searching for the telltale holes that would lead to the burrows. ¡°Normally the wights sleep in packs of five or six.They probably didn''t bother to tunnel through the stone pavement, so we¡¯ll search the areas where dirt is easily accessible.We should expect to find at least a few dozen burrows,¡± Aphora had explained. And so they had searched, and searched, and searched. few hours of fruitless searching that the group finally stumbled upon a tunnel.The small opening, barely large enough for a person to squeeze into, was hidden beneath the dense foliage of a sinister-looking shrub.The strange shrub had been warped by the spell, its leaves turned into thin, curly strips of greenery that perpetually smoldered, but were never actually consumed by the flames. With a tunnel secured, the group carried out their plan. They rolled up cloth and bandages into a small ball, doused them in oil, and, once Jasper had set them alight, rolled the smoking bundles down the tunnel. Thin trails of smoke rose out of the hole, choking them, but no wights emerged. ¡°Perhaps this tunnel¡¯s abandoned?¡±Ihra ventured. They resumed their search, and, scattered in a circle around the great plaza, found a total of five tunnels.At each one, they tried to smoke the wights out with no success.And that is how Jasper found himself crawling down a tiny, dirty hole, trying very hard not to imagine himself being swallowed alive by the earth. After the last of their attempts to smoke out the tunnels failed, they searched through the pavilion once more, looking for any tunnels they had missed. Finally, Aphora was forced to concede defeat.She dug through her bag of holding, her hands buried deep within it as she pulled out one object after another, like Mary Poppins, until she found what she was looking for.Pinning it against her chest, she sent the other objects back into the bag with a wave of her hand, and, turning sharply, headed towards the center of the plaza with long, swift strides. Jasper trailed behind, curiosity eating at him.Craning his neck, he caught a glimpse of a small ceramic bowl.It was a pretty bowl, the sort of colorful pottery you''d see at an overpriced art store in a tourist town.The bowl was filled almost to the top with a clear liquid that sloshed back and forth violently as Aphora crossed the plaza. Somehow, even when the water flew high above the bowl¡¯s rim, not a drop fell on the pavement. device floated in the water, never departing from the center despite the water¡¯s turbulence. A magical compass, maybe? Aphora set the bright blue bowl down in the center of the plaza with a dramatic sigh, muttering under her breath.¡°Apparently nothing about this quest can go easy.¡± Lifting her voice, she explained the item to the two of them.¡°I was hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to use this, but I guess it¡¯s a good thing I came prepared.¡±She gestured at the bowl.¡°It doesn¡¯t look like much, but this is an ere?s?u ers?eti.I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a name for it in Corsythian - they¡¯re quite rare and prohibitively expensive - but in elven it means something like ¡®he who seeks what is below.¡¯The dwarves use these artifacts to scan for mineral deposits, but it will let us see what''s going on beneath the surface." "Unfortunately, it can only be used ten times before the magic is consumed, so I was trying not to use it, but my hand has been forced.It would be suicide, at least for you two, to try to enter the Tower of Ysagil with an army of wights at our back." She took a vial from her bag and coated her index finger with a silver powder.Running it lightly across the surface of the water, Aphora traced seven runes around the orb, the powder somehow retaining the form of the runes in the water.She then laid a thick piece of paper over the bowl, and placing both hands on either side of the bowl, pushed her essence into it. A sudden torrent of power gushed out of her, the torpid air of the scorched plaza crackling with energy as gravity itself seemed to double.Then an explosion of sound burst from the bowl, most of it pointed down into the earth.But the force of it was so great that even the tiny fraction of it that pulsed across the courtyard almost knocked Jasper and Ihra off their feet.If it affected Aphora, she showed no sign of it.The pulses continued for perhaps a minute, the sound waves smashing into them like angry unseen fists until it mercifully ceased.Aphora lifted the paper off of the bowl, immediately stashing the artifact back in her bag.Examining the sheet, Jasper could see that the once blank page was now filled with a sketch. ¡°Lemna,¡± Aphora cursed, showing them the paper.¡°The wights have formed a single giant burrow beneath the plaza.¡±Her finger traced the path of the five tunnels leading down to the sleeping wights.¡°Each of these tunnels is at least a hundred feet long.There''s no way we can smoke them out of a burrow this big.We¡¯re going to have to crawl down the tunnels, and fight them there.¡± She studied the image, shaking her head in disgust.¡°There is no way to know how many wights might be down there, but there are probably at least a few hundred.I will have to help you fight them.Here¡¯s what we''re going to do.¡± As Jasper inched down the tunnel, choking on the showers of dirt that fell from the ceiling as he dragged himself deeper into the depths, he cursed her plan thoroughly.He had no idea how the undead elves, who were only a little smaller than humans, crawled through the tunnels, especially with the broken horns on their headsmaybe the horns can turn ethereal? - but the tunnel was definitely not made with humans in mind. He was forced to crawl on his belly, occasionally sliding forward uncontrollably when the steep slant of the tunnel became too precipitous.With another heave, he pulled on a rope attached to his hand, dragging the supplies behind him.When Jasper finally spied a faint glimmer of light ahead, he pulled himself forward with a burst of renewed energy.Ten more feet. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Jasper gasped in relief as he finally popped out of the tunnel, falling a few feet into the cavern below..The cavern was immense, its ceiling stretching at least thirty feet up.The walls and ceilings were studded with runes that still faintly glowed, and in the center was a large, low structure that looked suspiciously like an altar.The wights certainly didn¡¯t build this.Clearly, they had stumbled upon the cave while digging their tunnels and made it their new home.He eyed the underground altar, chewing on his lip.Cliche as it sounded, there was something about the altar that felt evil.Maybe Ayyalu wasn¡¯t the heresy of Als?arratu after all. Hundreds of wights slept on the ground, most of them clustered around the altar.The creatures were naked, whatever clothes had once graced their elven forms long since lost to time and the elements. They slept piled together on top of each other, like a bunch of naked mole rats.He repressed a shudder.There was something tragic about seeing once living, thinking beings reduced to little more than animals.No, worse than animals.Such a fate seemed worse than death. He waited on the edge of the cavern until Ihra and Aphora emerged from their tunnels.From the clods of dirt stuck in the normally impeccable elf¡¯s horns, Jasper could tell that her horns had gotten stuck traversing the tunnels.He grinned, the little touch of imperfection warming his heart.Aphora quickly sketched a series of runes into the dirt floor, flooding them with power. The effect wasn¡¯t flashy.he air in the cavern began to slowly circulate, picking up speed as the wind whirled in a spiral centered over the altar.He kept a wary eye on the sleeping wights, but they didn''t stir.Once the winds were moving fast enough, it was time to enact the next step of the plan.The three of them opened the bags they had brought with them, tossing their contents into the gentle whirlpool of air.ine particles of flour were swiftly diffused through the air, carried along by the currents. When the last of the flour had been added to the slow-moving vortex, Ihra crawled back up her tunnel, sealing the entrance behind her.Aphora drew another device out of her bag and set it up on the floor.Pressing a button, a blue shield sprung up around her.Satisfied she was secure, she looked over to Jasper, mouthing the words, ¡°Are you ready?¡± He nodded and prepared his spells.He cast Eternal Night first, his form disappearing into an inky black void.Once Aphora saw him disappear, she slashed her knife across the formation inscribed in the dirt.The power, no longer constrained by the form, spilled out uselessly into the dirt, grinding the whirlwind to a halt.The air throughout the cavern was chocked in a dusky fog of flour.Taking a deep breath, Jasper cast the spell.Sacred Star. The world turned to flames.He found himself flung against the wall, the force so strong that he was pressed deep into the crumbling dirt walls of the cavern, the dirt partially melting around him.The flames washed over his body, buffeting him like the winds of a hurricane.At last, the flames flickered out as the store of oxygen in the cavern was nearly exhausted. All that remained was a terrible, oppressive heat. The pain had been surprisingly manageable, his fire resistance coming in clutch for him, but Jasper still kept his eyes tightly shut until the inferno ceased. When he finally felt the last of the flames dissipate, he opened his eyes and scanned the cave. A few small patches of fires still burned along the edges of the cavern, greedily consuming the dried limbs and ancient clothes of the wights.he center of the cave had been scoured clean, the wights there so thoroughly destroyed by the explosion that they were all but vaporized.The altar itself appeared entirely unharmed. On the opposite side of the cavern, he saw Aphora still crouched behind her blue shield, which flickered as if its energy was almost exhausted.There was no sign of Ihra, and he could only hope that she had made it far enough up the tunnel to be safe. Looking down, Jasper was somewhat bemused to realize his clothes had been burnt off. Thankfully, his leather armor had survived, so he wasn''t entirely nude, but it was now heavily streaked with scorch marks. Damn it, I guess I should have removed my clothes. He wasn''t really used to the idea yet that he was far more durable than his clothes. Shaking his head in disgust, Jasper pushed against the wall, straining to free himself from the viscous, scorched mud. pried himself out. He fell to the ground on his hands and knees, sinking into more super-heated mud. What I wouldn''t give for a nice shower. I should invent showers, and retire to a life of luxury. turned to leave but paused as his eyes fell again on the scene of destruction stretched out before him, a destruction he had wrought. It was a surreal feeling, and he wondered if he''d ever get fully used to it. His brief reverie was interrupted as chunks of rock began falling from the ceiling. boulder smashed down onto the altar and Jasper dove for the tunnel. He pulled himself up as quickly as possible, while the earth shook around him. He spluttered and coughed as streams of dirt flowed into his face, sliding into the cavern below.All time seemed to stop, and his ascent could have taken a minute or an hour.But his hands finally grasped the edges of the tunnel opening.I made it. The earth roared as a large section of the plaza buckled, collapsing into the cavern below with a thunderclap.Holy Hell.Plumes of dust from the destruction rose into the air, obscuring the plaza in a haze of dust. On the far side of the plaza, he saw Aphora and Ihra, their forms barely discernible through the wreckage. With a groan, he pushed himself up and started making his way over to them. The superheated mud that coated his limbs was slowly cooling into a hard shell, and with each step he took, small showers of dust fell on the pavement below him. I feel like Pigpen. Despite himself, he laughed at the image. Ihra crinkled her nose as he came into range. "Damn, fire-boy, you smell terrible." Jasper shrugged. "Thankfully, nose-blindness is saving the day, so it''s not bothering me too much. But, I''m really trying not to think too closely about what might be in this mud. Do undead shit?" Aphora laughed as she joined them. "Fortunately for you, they don''t. But the hundreds of bats that lived down there did." She stopped a good distance away from him. "Go clean yourself off in the temple, Jasper. The pool of Selene isn''t really meant for bathing, but I think in this case an exception can be made, for the good of all of us. I''m sure she''ll understand." ¡°And then," she continued, "after you wash up, thoroughly, we''ll rest for the day. The wraiths and wights have been largely taken care of, which means our path is clear. Tonight, I¡¯d like to enter the Tower.¡± The Tower of Ysagil ¡°Tonight?¡±. But Aphora shook her head.¡°With the creatures disposed of, there will be no fighting. No, I will not wait any longer - there is a fortuitous grouping of stars in the heavens above.Sleep for a few hours, if you must, but we will enter the Tower tonight.¡± Back in the temple, he washed himself off in the pool of water. By the time he was done scrubbing himself, a layer of silt lay on the pool floor, but no amount of scrubbing could rid of the icky feeling that he had just been covered in bat poop. Joining the others in the lower sanctuary, he sat down and begin to meditate. They had ¡°killed¡± more than a few monsters over the last few days, and he was sure he must have gained at least a few levels. I am the river...
Jasper Welles (45) Level up available: x7 Exp: 375/2000 Health 1000 Stamina 1360 Essence 1700 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 30 Uplifted Purge Sling V
Vision 20 Locked Eternal Night II Glaive V
Inspiration 47 Locked Fiery Shackles II
Willpower 48 Seraph Burst
Charisma 20
He was disappointed, albeit not surprised when he saw that he still hadn¡¯t reached level 60.I guess I''m not getting a new spell today.The real question was what to do with the twenty-one stat points.Five were already spoken for - he wanted to level inspiration and willpower up to at least 50, but he was unsure if he should just invest the remaining sixteen there as well or put some points somewhere else. His eyes lingered on endurance.Jasper still hadn¡¯t picked up a stamina spell yet, but he would definitely end up with some in the future, so he probably shouldn¡¯t ignore the stat; plus, extra health was always a good thing.Decision made, he raised inspiration and willpower to 53, and dumped the rest into endurance. When his points had been invested, a box popped up.
New Skill
Due to killing more than a hundred undead with a precise strike to the heart, you have formed a new skill. Heart Stopper (Undead) - Destroy the final shackles of life by crushing the heart of an undead. Cost: 200 stamina. Restriction: requires dagger or sword to activate.
He frowned as he read the restriction. Damn it - that dagger isn¡¯t mine!Still, even if the skill was a bit niche, it was hard to complain about a freebie. Just need to buy me one when we get back to Gis?-Izum.
Jasper Welles (52) Level up available: x0 Exp: 375/2000 Health 1200 Stamina 1720 Essence 2040 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 40 Uplifted Purge Sling V
Vision 20 Locked Eternal Night II Glaive V
Inspiration 53 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 53 Seraph Burst
Charisma 20 Heart Stopper (Undead)
He took one last look at his stats before reluctantly accepting Kas?dael¡¯s embrace. With a sigh, he threw himself back on the bed.Pulling a pillow over his face, he was swiftly carried off to dreamland.Jasper found himself standing on a beach.The sky was dark, without a trace of light except for a crescent moon that hung low over the face of the waters.The crescent was unlike earth¡¯s moon, lying on its side as if it was a boat sailing across the seas. The sand beneath his feet was black, coarse and gritty, and the half-frozen beach was littered with sharp shards of obsidian. A relentless cold wind pounded against his back, and his cheeks burned as his eyes watered.In the dark clouds hanging over the sea, he could see the faint shadows of the Spectral Spiders, spinning their webs over the quick and the dead. But it was the sea that demanded his attention.Its black waters stretched as far as the eye could see, the whole image preternaturally still and utterly mesmerizing.Not a wave, not even a ripple marred the surface of the dark waters.His eyes were glued to the dark mirror of the heavens, and he was unable to drag them away as the certainty grew within him that the waters were alive and watching him. As the thought crossed his mind, a keening wail broke through the still night.The winds that pressed against his back turned into a gale, stirring up great clouds of sand along the beach.But the sea still did not stir. Then the winds ceased and a terrible silence fell.As Jasper watched the reflection of the moon in the dark waters, it slowly changed.A woman stepped out, dressed in an all too familiar black gown.Kas?dael.She carried the black dodecagons in her hand and cast them over the sea.They skittered across the surface of the waters as if it was ice.She frowned, examining the results, and cast again. He watched as she cast the dice over and over, never once glancing in his direction.Time seemed to stretch, weeks or months passing by in an unending dream until finally, she cast the dodecagons one last time.A smile crossed her lips as she examined the results, and she turned her gaze to him.He trembled beneath the weight of her stare, and when she spoke, a ripple broke across the face of the placid sea.BALAT?U. The word hit him with the force of a hurricane, and he found himself thrown back onto the sandy shores, a burst of pain blossoming in his shoulder as one of the sharp obsidian shards sliced into it. He awoke with a gasp.Aphora loomed over him, an impatient look on her face.¡°Get up, it¡¯s time to ascend the Tower.¡± He wrenched himself off the cozy bed, a brief ripple of pain pulsing through his shoulder.The pain disappeared as quickly as it came, and he shrugged it off, hurriedly sweeping his belongings into his bag.As the group headed out of the room, the lights dimmed, obscuring in darkness the faint smear of blood left on his sheets. Aphora¡¯s movements were stiff and controlled as she led their small group out into the hall.A palpable feeling of tension hung in the air, but her eyes burned with a fire that belied her control.¡°I do not intend to return to the temple after ascending the Tower, so make sure you bring everything with us.¡± Ihra and Jasper slipped into the armory, gathering their three mounts, and the group preceded up the ramp to the temple.¡°Is there a safe spot to stable our mounts, Lady Aphora?¡± ¡°We will bring them into the Tower with us - they should be safe enough there.¡±The group crossed the dark plaza in silence, no one in the mood to chat.A crescent moon glowed bright overhead, surrounded by the host of heaven that shined with a brightness that Jasper had never been able to see on earth.He studied the stars for a moment, futilely looking for any sign of the constellations he once knew, but there was nothing. Winding their way around the sinkhole, they finally reached the gates of the Tower complex.The five towers scratched the heavens, their walls gleaming with stolen moonlight.As Jasper got closer to the central tower, it seemed to grow with every step he took, soaring higher and higher into the sky, like an angry fist raised against the gods. The doors opened before them, sliding apart without a hint of sound as they walked up the waterfall of stairs that spilled out from the Tower¡¯s entrance.The gateway glowed with an arcane light, and when he passed over the threshold there was a sense of pressure, as if the Tower sought to bar his way. But he pushed through and gaped in astonishment at the sight before him.Snowy mountain peaks stretched out before him, a thin trail running along the upper edge. ¡°Leave the horses here.We¡¯ll have to go on foot.¡±Aphora didn¡¯t wait for acknowledgment, setting out across the snow with a surefooted stride.Her feet barely sank into the drifts, and she soon disappeared from sight in the swirling flurries.They hitched the mounts as best as they could to an old tree stump and followed after her. The snow was deep, three feet high or more in most places, which made their progress slow.Aphora¡¯s faint tracks were soon covered up by the howling winds as they trudged along the tiny trail.Jasper kept his eyes forward, studiously ignoring the perilous drop-offs on either side, as he focused on just putting one foot in front of another.Their impromptu hike dragged on endlessly, but they were finally rewarded when a shape loomed through the flurries. Another tower rose before them, its sides black as night.The tower swelled up from the rocks below, its surfaces entirely smooth and seamless, as if the tower had somehow been birthed by the mountain itself, not made by the hands of man.The door stood open and they hurried in, shaking the drifts of snow off their shoulders. Jasper was somewhat surprised to see that the tower really was just a normal tower.The glassy black walls provided a welcome relief from the bitter winds as he scanned the empty interior.There was nothing inside the tower - no furniture or decorations, no windows or doorways, and, more importantly, no sign of Aphora. The interior was hollow, the ceiling stretching far above them, although it seemed to stop short of the tower¡¯s peak.There must be a room up there.He scanned the walls for any sign of a stairs or ladder but saw nothing.The only thing of note was a large, circular mural on the floor. ¡°Take a look at this.¡±The mural depicted a crescent-shaped boat sailing across a placid sea.A horned lady sat at the prow, stars shining around her head in a halo.¡°Is this the Lady of Yammaqom?¡± Ihra examined the mural for a moment.¡°Maybe?Normally there¡¯d be waves on the sea, but it looks similar to the small shrine my brother worshipped at.¡±She stepped onto the mural to get a closer look and placed her hands on the crescent boat. Her face lit up as she felt the faint warmth of the stone beneath her fingers, the rock crying out for sustenance. ¡°I think this boat is made of moonstone - try pushing some essence into it.¡± Jasper joined her and, bending down, fed a trickle of essence into the mural.The moonstone greedily devoured his essence, pulling it out of him at a far faster rate than he intended as the entire mural begin to shine brightly.A click echoed through the empty room, and the mural slowly lifted up from the floor, rising up towards the ceiling. They soared through the air, the platform gaining speed as they climbed higher and higher into the tower.As they approached the ceiling, the platform showed no signs of slowing down.Jasper eyed it nervously as the sudden fear that it might have been a cunning trap sprang into his mind.But his fear was for naught.At the last moment, the ceiling opened just wide enough to accommodate the platform.he walls sealed behind them, and with the screech of grinding stone, the platform was locked in place. The abrupt halt threw them to the ground, but as he stood up, Jasper could see that they had reached the top.The tower was closed on three sides, but an arch on the fourth side opened out onto a large parapet.The cold winds swirled around the entrance, some gusts slipping inside to buffet them. When he stepped out onto the balustrade, the cold prickle of snow no longer kissed his face.Peering over the edge, the snow still swirling around the lower reaches of the tower, the tower itself somehow having risen above the weather. The moon hung above them, far larger than he had ever seen it. and Jasper''s knees buckled as an almost overwhelming urge to fall on his knees surged through him.With a strangled cry, Ihra collapsed to the ground, prostrate before the presence, but somehow Jasper remained standing.At the end of the balcony, Aphora stood in front of something, with her back to him.He slowly walked over to her, calling out to her through the howling winds. "Lady Aphora?" The elf turned to greet him.The ground beneath her feet sparkled with tiny crystals of ice, no doubt supplied by the tears that streamed down her face.Her right hand fiercely clutched a silver dagger, its handle crafted from a deer¡¯s antlers. A sense of foreboding swelled within him, and Jasper staggered back a half step.Fear seized his heart as every fiber of his body screamed at him to run.But there was nowhere to run. When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw Ihra was still bowed low on the ground, not moving. I can''t abandon her. Pushing down his fear, Jasper turned back to Aphora.¡°What is this place?Why are we here?¡±His yell was almost carried off by the relentless gales, dispersed into the heavens, but somehow it reached her ears. She smiled brightly through her tears.¡°This is the true Tower of Ysagila, a bridge between the heavens and the earth.Please, join me at the altar.¡± Blood Moon As she said that, she stepped to the side, revealing an ancient stone altar behind her.He stumbled back, shaking his head, not daring to utter a reply.She¡¯s going to kill me. Aphora frowned.¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you, but I need you to help me.We can make everything better; you just have to trust me.¡± Jasper shook his head, screaming into the wind.¡°Didn¡¯t your god say your mission was folly?What do you even need me for?¡± Aphora''s eyes sparked with anger, and she seemed to grow in size.¡°His words were a test of faith, nothing more.You know not of what you speak.¡±With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a thin silver whip. It hung loosely at her side as she took a slow step forward. ¡°I need you to help me - this is the mission. I just need a bit of your blood." Jasper stepped back again, almost falling as his foot twisted on a snow drift. "I''m, uh, going to have to take a raincheck on that." His mind whirred as he tried to think of a way out, and then, giving in to base instincts, he turned to run. "You are going to help whether you want to or not.I will save them.¡± Aphora growled in frustration, and a moment later he felt her whip curl around his body. wrapped around him instantly, binding his hands tightly against his body before he could even try to get off a spell. Not that I''d even be able to injure her.His head snapped back painfully as, with a sudden jolt of movement, he was dragged back to the altar ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±Jasper was not proud of the quaver that crept into his voice as he futilely struggled against the bonds. She did not respond at first, as she busied herself with preparations.The altar was a simple stone slab, set on top of three stone boulders. The almost primeval structure would''ve looked more at home in the middle of Stonehenge than in the almost baroque Corsythian architecture.The only ornamentation it possessed were three large basins that were carved into its top. Thin channels connected the basins to each other, pouring into the deeper central basin. Aphora pulled a seemingly endless cavalcade of potions and ingredients out of her bag. Most of them were poured into the central bowl, but a few were used to etch the rims of the basins with line upon line of runes.He continued to try to break free, desperately reaching for the transformation that had saved him from the cultists. At one point, he felt it in his grasp, and hope surged within him. But Aphora, noticing the rising essence, simply flicked him in the forehead with her finger, and his control crumbled. Finally deprived of all hope, he watched in mute horror as she finished her preparations. ¡°I grew up here, in Als?arratu, back when the city was a flourishing center of trade and culture." I used to play in the palace gardens by myself, waiting for my mother to come home from one of her many trips. ''A queen''s work is never done,'' she''d say.When the Fey armies turned up at our door, my mother could have fled and saved herself.But she chose to stay, to fulfill her duty to her people.he turned to the Tower for salvation, and salvation was granted." "Or so we thought.¡± ¡°The ritual went off without a hitch, and Als?arratu was drawn into a void, a small dimensional space much like the Sanctum, albeit without the sunshine and flowers. True, it was a land of endless darkness, but we were safe, hidden away from the Fey. The people laughed and danced in the streets, and the temple rang with the sound of our revelry for many days." "But something went wrong with the ritual.After all this time, years upon years that I have spent studying the ritual, I still don¡¯t understand what caused the failure. She must have made some tiny error with one of the ingredients.One minute we were safely in our void, and the next we reappeared in the world, right before the astonished eyes of the Fey that still lingered in the valley.¡± ¡°I was asleep when it happened, too young to be allowed to participate in the feasted. I woke up in the morning to find everyone in the palace, everyone I ever knew or cared about, transformed into a monster. I wandered the streets looking for my mother until a few survivors found me. They carried me off to the safety of Gis?-Izum, where we established the enclave.¡± ¡°So the elves in Gis?-Izum aren¡¯t from Onkodos Laos?¡±Despite himself, Jasper couldn¡¯t help his curiosity. She snorted.¡°If Onkodos Laos even knows we exist, they certainly don¡¯t care.Why would their hallowed halls concern themselves with a few heretics in the mortal lands?We are the remnants of Als?arratu, sworn to save it, to bring our people, my mother, back.¡± ¡°But why me?The guild said you¡¯d turned down lots of other people; what do you even need me for?¡± The elf sighed as she continued tracing runes into the final basin.¡°Did the guild tell you that the posting has been renewed for hundreds of years?I¡¯ve been waiting centuries to find you.You see, the stories about Als?arratu aren¡¯t quite accurate.It was a city founded by elves, but it was not a city for elves.My mother was much more progressive than her ancestors.Als?arratu, like Corsythia, was home to many peoples - Corsyths, dwarves, and even fey were amongst the citizens of our city..¡± Aphora finished her preparations and reclaimed her dagger.Walking over to him, she pulled his arm out from his side, the silver whip readjusting to keep him bound. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; this is going to hurt.¡±She slid the dagger across his wrist, and the blood boiled out into the basin, spilling over the powder and herbs.She left him standing there, rooted to the ground by the whip, and walked over to the third basin.Holding her hand over it, she slashed her own wrist, letting the blood pour out. ¡°When my mother did the ritual, she was not alone.There were two there that night -her, and my father.A Djinn.¡± Aphora smiled bitterly as Jasper¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.I¡¯m not actually a pureblood elf myself, but it¡¯s a well-kept secret.I do ask that you not go spreading that rumor around - the only half-breeds most elves welcome with open arms are the Celestians.¡± She pulled her hand back from the basin, winding a bandage tightly around her wrist, as she continued.¡°These days, the Djinn rarely leave their mountains, but my father was one of them, so I was able to establish contact. "After all I''d done..." She exhaled a large, forceful sigh, visibly struggling for control before she spoke again. "And then you showed up, an unattached seraph.¡± Jasper''s vision swam as the blood loss set in, and he shook his head, trying to clear it, as two Aphoras danced before him. "If you just needed my blood, why not ask?" Her face darkened. "I''ve spent centuries asking, always being refused. I''m done asking. How long should my people suffer, a once proud people forced to live as mindless animals, because of their selfishness?" Aphora walked over to him, cupping his face in her hands.¡°I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you, but I have to save my people.¡±Bending down, she forced her lips onto his in a long kiss.He spluttered, unable to move away. After a long moment, she released him and stood up. ¡°What the hell?Why did you do that?¡±He shook his head, trying to get the sickly sweet taste of her off his lips. She smiled sadly, the light not reaching her eyes, as she bandaged his wrist up, cutting off the flow of blood into the basin.His eyes swam as he struggled not to faint from the insufficient amount of blood pumping through his veins.¡°My parents were a bonded pair.Love changes the blood, fills it with more essence for the ritual.¡± She finished bandaging him up and patted his hand.¡°I know you don''t love me - hell, you probably hate me now. But you do lust after me. Hopefully, lust will be sufficient for the ritual.¡± Aphora returned to the altar.She placed a hand near each of the basins and pushed a wave of essence into them.Jasper fought to remain conscious as the blood in the two basins slowly rose, and poured down through the conduits into the middle basin.They mixed together, bright swirls of glowing essence floating in the mixture.She pushed again, sending an even greater burst of essence into the altar, and the blood began to boil, before bursting into a golden flame, tinged with the faintest hints of blue. The fire ascended into the heavens, turning into a towering inferno, and Jasper watched in disbelief as it spread across the face of the far too large moon that loomed above them.The parapet shook violently, large chunks of stone breaking free, falling into the void below, as the moon turned a deep scarlet, an ocean of blood hung in the sky. Aphora held the dagger high above her head, and with a scream, she plunged it deep within the heart of the flames. S?ULLUMU? DAMA ANA DAMIYA. The heavens were ripped asunder as the moon exploded in a shower of blood and flames. A burning chunk of moon flew at him and the world went black. Jasper regained consciousness, he found himself sprawled on the floor of the tower. Ihra lay beside him, not moving, but she awoke when he shook her. "Where am I? What - what happened?" Ihra glanced around wildly, confusion and terror on her face. Jasper didn''t bother to respond. Grabbing her hand, he dragged her along behind him.No words were needed between them as they fled back down the snowy mountain peaks towards the tower lift.The earth shook with every step as stars from heaven slammed into surrounding mountains. Jasper half-ran, half-stumbled down the path, struggling to breach through the deep snow drifts, as the lost blood and chilling cold started to take its toll. But he finally reached the first tower and collapsed on the mural, too tired to move.With a clumsy hand, he fed a thin stream of essence into the moonstone, starting their descent. The tower continued to shake as they drifted down the long empty shaft.He drank a potion as they descended, and sat up as a measure of vigor returned to his limbs. ¡°So? What the hell happened? I don''t remember anything after stepping out of the tower.¡± Jasper just shook his head.¡°I don¡¯t really know.Aphora..." He struggled to find the words to tell Ihra what Aphora had done, but they died unspoken on his lips. "She did a ritual to restore the city.¡± When the platform ground to a halt, they hurried across the floor towards their horses.He dragged himself up on Dapplegrim and sliced the rope free.Some part of his mind was screaming that everything was wrong. Didn''t we cross the mountains before ascending the tower?Why are our horses here? The entire world seemed out of order. But panic allowed no time to dwell on such thoughts.is head throbbing, Jasper prodded his horse into a gallop as they headed out the tower entrance, leaving Aphora¡¯s stag behind. When they exited the tower, Jasper reined his horse in, as he stared in shock.The mountain range had disappeared, replaced by an unending inky void that wrapped around the city.The air was calm, and the oppressive heat that had lingered in the third ring of the city had dissipated.Despite the darkness of the void, the streets of the ruined city were illuminated brightly, lit by an invisible source. The two stared at the void in horror. The longer he stared at the endless darkness, the Ihra broke the silence first.¡°Are we trapped here? What do we even do?¡± He studiously ignored her first question.¡°The guild expedition should still be here, right?It hasn¡¯t been a week yet.¡± ¡°Do you think they survived?¡± A howl echoed through their void, its guttural cry met from all parts of the city. He shrugged.¡°We did, so why not them?" He paused. "Then again,aybe Aphora¡¯s ritual worked. It at least worked well enough to draw the city back into the void, so maybe the city¡¯s inhabitants have been restored. They could probably help us.¡± His words were cut off as a howl keened through the void. Te-ke-li-li. The guttural cry hung in the air, and he held his breath. Then, from all parts of the city, the cry was repeated. Te-ke-li-li. ¡°Or maybe not,¡± he muttered. To the Lord of Mirth and Frost They rode through the wreckage of the plaza as fast as they could, making a beeline for the second ring of the city.They had yet to see any of the monsters, but their howls and screams echoed all around them, encroaching closer and closer. When they breached through the gates, their fears were confirmed.Small bands of wraiths and wights were already gathering in the streets, milling back and forth in their macabre mockery of routine life. As they watched, more and more emerged from whatever holes they had been hiding, and Jasper realized they would soon be cut off, if they weren''t already.If only I had taken that cavalry skill, I could''ve punched a hole right through them.Jasper pushed the regret away.No point in crying over spilled milk. He turned to Ihra, ¡°What do you think?We can try to charge through the crowd and hope we can make it to the gate, but I don¡¯t like our chances.¡± She pointed to a building on their left.It was a two-story house, much like the others that lined the streets, but along the side, an exterior staircase led up to the roof.¡°What if we went up?Most of the houses here have flat roofs and are pretty close together.¡± He looked back down the street.The crowd of wraiths had already doubled in the short time they had stopped.There¡¯s no way we¡¯d make it through that crowd.With a sigh, he agreed.¡°Alright, let¡¯s try it.¡± The stairs were just wide enough to allow them to guide their horses up to the roof.The snow and ice that had covered the second ring of the city were melting fast in the balmy weather of the void, and Jasper nearly fell flat on his face when he stepped on a wet slick of ice.¡°Careful,¡± he warned. They re-mounted the horses and rode over to the edge.The next building was only three or four feet away - clearly, there were no fire codes in ancient Als?arratu.Unlike the streets below, the roofs were devoid of wraiths or wights.Dapplegrim snorted, pawing at the ground with nervous energy.He chuckled and patted her neck.¡°You ready girl?Alright, giddy-up.¡± They soared over the short gap, and landed on the next roof, skidding slightly on the treacherous surface.But Dapplegrim regained her traction quickly, and picked her way across the rooftop. Jasper gulped when he saw the gap between the next two houses. It was definitely bigger. Their pace across the rooftops was slow and inconsistent.The gaps between buildings were not always jumpable, so they were forced to take a winding route through the city, at times deviating far from the main path.Truthfully, Jasper felt better the farther they were from the main road, as most of the wraiths seemed to have congregated there.But as they neared the second gate, they could no longer avoid the crowded corridor. The plaza leading to the gate was completely filled with monsters.They jostled together, screeching and shouting, like a flock of birds fighting over the last seed.But there was something different about the crowd, Jasper realized.Some of the monsters seemed almost intelligent, as if some soul still lurked in the desecrated corpses.Could the ritual be slowly restoring them? Finally, Ihra shook her head, regret washing over her face.¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way we can force our way through the gate.We¡¯re going to have to climb over the walls.¡± ¡°How are we going to get the horses over the walls?¡± She hesitated for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders in defeat.¡°We¡¯re not.¡± Jasper rebelled at the thought.Dapplegrim may have been given to him from the guild as an insult, but he loved the little pony, and the thought of leaving her behind to die, did not sit well with him.¡°No, there¡¯s got to be another way. Maybe there''s a ramp leading up to the top-¡± He trailed off as he realized the problem with his suggestion. But there definitely wouldn''t be a ramp on the other side, though.s he futilely scanned his surroundings for another option, he tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his heart that she was right. Their argument was cut short when the sound of a sonorous horn swelled through the city streets.The horn was not particularly loud, but its voice somehow reached every inch of the city.Its low, rumbling cry shook him to his core, making the very bones of his body ache.¡°What the hell is that?¡± Like one, the creatures in the street snapped to attention, turning their eyes up to the top of the city, toward the temple of Selene.The great Tower of Ysagila was transformed into a pillar of light so bright that it was as if the sun had descended on the surface of the peak.The horn grew louder and louder, till the city itself shook with the force of its thunder.Jasper fought for consciousness, stars dancing before his eyes, as the world crumbled around him.Chunks of plaster and rock fell from the buildings, crushing the skulls of more than a few of the creatures, but the creatures appeared undisturbed, transfixed by the unearthly siren.And then silence fell. The creatures crowding the streets began to march, the unwieldy mob slowly falling into order, as they marched up the main road like an army on parade.Ihra and Jasper watched from the rooftops for hours as the wraiths streamed through the gate, a river running in reverse up the mountain to the temple at the peak.. After an hour of watching, though, they realized the streets really were empty.Leading their mounts back down to the streets, they galloped through the gates of the second ring.The lower city, far larger than the top rings, was also much harder to navigate.Streets wound their way back and forth along the mountain¡¯s slopes, clearly built in a time before urban planning. As they raced through the empty city, time and again they found themselves reaching yet another dead end, forced to turn around.As the hours passed with no sign of dawn, it became clear that there was no night or day in the void, just the relentless darkness outside the walls and the mysterious light within. Eventually, they were forced to rest as their horses were wet with sweat, trembling from their mad dash through the streets.They rubbed them down, and let them rest. Jasper lay on the ground, slumping against a wall while they waited.He futilely searched the inky black sky for even the faintest sign of a star. It was Ihra who broke the silence.¡°I don¡¯t think we can even escape.We¡¯re in a void- even if we make it to the city gates, is there anything outside the walls?¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He ignored her, chewing on his lip as he tried to think of a way out.Aphora really screwed us over.Nothing came to mind.With a sigh, he shook his head.¡°I don¡¯t know, Ihra.We could try to take refuge in one of the temples and hope their seals still work in the void.But we don¡¯t have enough food to last more than a few weeks.Even if the seals do work, we¡¯d be postponing our deaths at best.If we find the expedition from the guild, maybe one of them would know how to escape here - assuming they haven¡¯t already done it.¡± She didn¡¯t respond, balling her hands into fists.Tears ran down her face, splashing on the pavement below as she silently wept.¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jasper started.¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.I¡¯m the one who chose this job.If you had picked, we would have done some easy bandit jobs, and be resting comfortably in the sanctum right now, sleeping peacefully in a warm bed.We¡¯re going to die because I wanted to work for someone important.¡± Gently, he brushed away the tears running down her cheeks.¡°Listen to me.This is not your fault.Ever since I got to this world, it¡¯s been trying to kill me.I almost blew myself up the first time I used my spells.I got press-ganged into taking a simple quest to cull some trolls, and ended up trapped in a haunted city with a Gemlirian army.We stopped at an inn for a good night¡¯s sleep, and got tricked into taking a quest from cultists who wanted to eat our hearts and feed on our souls.If we had taken that bandit quest, I have no doubt that it would somehow have gone wrong.When we got there, the bandits would probably have turned out to be shapeshifting dragons who wanted to enslave us as pets for their kids, or some equally ridiculous threat.This is not your fault.¡± He straightened up and held his hand out to her.¡°But we¡¯re not going to die here.We¡¯re going to find the guild expedition and escape this city, even if we have to drag it out of the void ourselves.¡± She smiled through her tears and took his hand.He pulled up her, and they got back on their mounts.They set a less hectic pace through the city, no longer driven by the fear of the vanished undead.The path down was still hard to find, but eventually, a welcome guide appeared: the smell of bacon frying over a fire. The guild had taken up residence in an old inn near the city gates.The building was still in remarkably good shape, despite the centuries that had elapsed, although the walls around its courtyard had seen better days.A number of people were gathered around a merry fire that crackled in the courtyard.They looked up as Jasper and Ihra entered the crumbled arch, leading their horses behind them.The guild members leapt to their feet in an instant, reaching for their weapons, but they stayed their hands when they saw the guild uniforms Jasper and Ihra wore. The leader stepped forward.¡°Who are you?¡± Jasper raised his hands, showing he carried no weapons.¡°We came with you to the city.Remember, with Lady Aphora?¡±He pointed to his uniform.¡°We¡¯re members of the guild, just like you.¡± The crew around the fireplace relaxed, but the leader held firm.¡°And where is the elf?¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°I don¡¯t know.We got separated when the city got sucked into the void, but I think she¡¯s still alive.¡± The leader scowled.¡°Well, isn¡¯t that convenient.A magical disaster happens, and the elf you were with just happens to disappear.Find somewhere else to go.¡± Jasper sagged, disappointment coursing through them.But as they turned to go, one of the guild members stood up from the fire.He was a large man with a shaggy beard and bulging biceps, which were offset by his equally bulging belly.He clapped his giant hand on the expedition leader¡¯s shoulder.¡°Come now, Ga¡¯on, be reasonable.They are guild members like us, and sending them away would be tantamount to a death sentence.¡± Ga¡¯on turned, an irate look on his face.¡°We can¡¯t trust them,¡± he hissed.¡°They could kill us all in our sleep.¡± The man snorted.¡°Last I checked, the city is filled with the undead, not shapeshifters.Selene¡¯s Grace, Ga¡¯on.They traveled to the city with us.Even if the elf is somehow responsible for what happened here, do you really think that that little mage, who struggled to burn down some brambles on the city gates, is a threat to us?¡± Jasper squirmed, as his pride took a blow, but he held his silence. After a moment, the anger on Ga¡¯on¡¯s face faded away, and his shoulders sagged a little. Weariness bled into his words.¡°You¡¯re right, Omez.I just want to keep what remains of our people safe.¡±He turned back to Jasper and Ihra.¡°Alright, you can stay.¡± The mood around the fire was awkward at first, but as the wine flowed, the tensions faded away.Omez sat down beside them, a drink in his hand. ¡°Sorry about that, laddie.Ga¡¯on means well.Our expedition was going splendidly until the disaster happened.We lost seven of our own when the creatures suddenly woke up, and if that blasted horn hadn''t called them all away, we probably all would''ve perished.Our group is just a little on edge, and mourning the loss of our companions.¡± Jasper nodded.¡°I get it. I¡¯m sorry about your companions.¡± Omez grimaced.¡°That¡¯s the risk of a job like this.But none of them had died before, so it''s possible that they might be able to negotiate a resurrection.Selene willing, perhaps they¡¯ll return.But for now, we mourn.¡±He hesitated, before continuing.¡°We¡¯re going to have a little ceremony to send them off.It might rub people wrong if you participate, understand?¡± At that moment, one of the ladies returned to the fire circle, holding a lute in her hands.A hush fell across the group, as she begin to sing. The silent halls lie waiting for return of one long lost Their desire, quiet aching, for the Lord of Mirth and Frost The courts that once with silver spun reflected Selene¡¯s rays Whose walls bounced back the joyous songs of winter solstice days Are now left dark and desolate, the sacred log lies cold The tallow lights which bled so bright have crumbled into mold The music stilled, the dance undone, the ritual fulfilled The Winter Warrior¡¯s peace was won, his victory was sealed. But when dark days again shall fall, when Sol¡¯s in cairn enclosed The Lord of Winter steadfast stands against the dark ones¡¯ boasts His mirth and cheer drew all beings near, their love his sword of woe That shines amidst the sunless skies, a warning to the foe And there within his splendid halls, where joy and pleasure flow, The endless tides of summoned souls set free the warrior Sol. His work now done, his time now passed, regretfully he goes. The Lord of Mirth and Frost lies down, to slumber neath the snow. The entire group joined in on the chorus. All hail the Lord of Mirth and Frost, valiant peer of Sol His victory bought at utmost cost, he slumbers neath the snow The songs flowed, one into the other, like rivulets merging into a mighty river, and Jasper listened, spell cast.When the bard finally fell silent, Ga¡¯on stood up and held his cup high.¡°To the Victorious Dead!May the Halls of the Dead embrace them!May their forces ever aid the righteous!¡± ¡°To the Victorious Dead!¡±The group all drank deeply from their cups, but did not fully drain them.Instead, each one tossed a portion of their wine into the fire, muttering a blessing for their lost companions. ¡°May Barkha feast in the halls of the dead.¡± ¡°May Marah ever find favor before our Lady.¡± ¡°Tsia?hu watch over my brother.¡± Jasper and Ihra watched the ceremony in silence.Guilt ate at his heart.Logically, he knew that there was nothing he could have done to stop Aphora, but he still felt responsible for their plight.Beneath his breath, he muttered a wish.¡°Kas?dael, let me right the wrongs done today.¡±The goddess, if she heard, gave no response, but a peace fell over him.What was done, was done, but there was always another day, another chance to do things better. The Threshold The group drank late into the ¡°night,¡± as the members slowly collapsed into a booze-fueled slumber. Jasper stayed up, keeping watch just in case the creatures returned. But the city streets remained silent and empty. Time passed slowly, and eventually was forced to pace back and forth in front of the inn in an attempt to remain awake, so it was a relief when Ihra showed up. ¡°Go grab some sleep; I¡¯ll take over for now.¡± A few hours of dreamless slumber later, he was awoken by the buzz of conversation around him. He yawned, stretching his arms wide as he shook the drowsiness off. Omez waved at him. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up. Come, have a seat.¡± A man and a woman stood with Omez, and as he joined them, he saw the three of them were huddled over a handful of scrolls. He hung back slightly, not wanting to impose, but Omez waved him closer. ¡°No need to be shy, lad. We¡¯ve been scouring what ritual manuals we have, looking for a way to break out of the void. You¡¯re a mage, correct?¡± Jasper nodded. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not very experienced, truthfully.¡± Omez shrugged. ¡°Eh, none of us have any experience at escaping an extra-dimensional space. This is uncharted territory for all of us.¡± He clapped a giant hand on Jasper¡¯s shoulder, with a force that made him wince. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll have some useful insight that will break us out of here, lad.¡± He leaned closer, lowering his voice a bit. ¡°And even if you don¡¯t, at least you¡¯ll get out of chopping old furniture into firewood.¡± Omez boomed with laughter as he pointed to the two mages with him. ¡°This lassie is Yariha. She is a lunar mage currently, although she aspires to walk the path of the Spectral Spiders. And this man here is the true feather in our cap. Somehow Ga¡¯on managed to talk the only available runic mage in southern Sapiya into coming with us on this trip. If anyone can get us out of here, Koa?hu can. Lastly, there¡¯s just little old me. I¡¯m not strictly speaking a mage, but as a warrior priest of Tsia?hu I know more than my share of magic. What about you, lad?¡± Jasper''s cheeks reddened in embarrassment. ¡°I really just know a few fire spells.¡± He paused, remembering Eternal Night. "And a stealth spell, I guess." ¡°Eh, nothing wrong with that. You may not be the prince of the study hall, but you¡¯ll end up a terror on the fields. Am I correct in thinking you¡¯re only on your first class?¡± Jasper nodded. Omez laughed again. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just have to make sure you live long enough to get your second.¡± He turned to the others with a more serious expression and nodded at Koa?hu. "With any luck, this one here has a plan that will work." The runic mage cleared his throat. ¡°As I was saying, I think I have a way out of here. I¡¯ve never actually used it, but many years ago I found a ritual book in the ruins of Is?dul. It contains a ritual to create what it calls a ¡®threshold,¡¯ which I believe - at least I hope - is a portal. The ritual was always too expensive, and to be honest, too dangerous, to try before, but given our current situation, those are no longer a concern.¡± He pulled a grimoire out of his bag and laid it on the ground before them. ¡°This is what we need.¡± The ritual was far more complex than anything Jasper had seen Aphora use, and the next few hours were spent laboriously replicating the complex rune in the inn¡¯s courtyard. Every detail had to be checked and rechecked. The runic mage¡¯s face grew more and more dour as he poured one expensive vial of material after another out on the ground. When the rune was finally completed, the mage looked as if he was ready to cry. Omez patted Koa?hu on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If we get out of here, I¡¯m sure the guild will pay you back for the spell. And if we don¡¯t, well, then I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The runic mage slowly shook his head. ¡°They better repay me - that¡¯s ten years¡¯ worth of wages scattered on the ground.¡± He turned to the group. ¡°As I said, the ritual is both expensive and dangerous. There¡¯s the expense,¡± he waved at the rune, ¡°but the danger still remains. In order to power this spell, we need the blood of a full-grown mage.¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡°All of it.¡± His eyes lingered on Jasper a little too long, before darting away. Omez growled, his hand reaching for his mace. ¡°That sounds like forbidden magic, Koa?hu. Dark magic.¡± Koa?hu held his hands up in a placating gesture. ¡°No, no. If I thought it was dark magic, I would have turned the ritual book into the guild long ago. Runic formulas are always very carefully worded. If the ritual required us to sacrifice a mage, it would have said so - but there is no mention of killing. Over the years, I¡¯ve pondered the requirement, and I think I''ve come to understand it." "The ritual needs a certain amount of essence-infused blood - the amount that a full-grown mage would have - but nothing says that all the blood has to come from one person. It was probably meant for a larger group to cast, but we have four magic users here." He paused and looked at Omez. "I know you''re not technically a mage, but if my theory is correct, your blood should be sufficiently essence-rich to work. If we all donate a portion - a significant portion,¡± he admitted, ¡°of our blood, I believe it will fulfill the ritual without any loss of life.¡± Omez relaxed his grip on his mace. The thunderous look on his face eased, but tension still creased the corners of his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous line to walk, Koa?hu. I hope your interpretation is correct.¡± He sighed, massaging his temples with a weary look. ¡°Very well, I guess we¡¯ll have to try. The monsters may have temporarily left us alone, but I doubt that will last.¡± With the plan agreed upon, they gathered four large basins, setting one before each of them. Koa?hu approached him, knife in a hand. ¡°Just hold your wrist out.¡± Jasper''s mind flashed back to the Tower. Had it all really been just one night ago? The feeling of powerlessness swelled up within him as his pulse pounded in his ears. "Jasper, you okay?" Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Omez'' voice broke through the haze. Swallowing hard, Jasper closed his eyes and held out his arm. It¡¯s the least I can do to atone. He gasped as the blade sliced through him, and the blood gushed out. He kept his eyes clamped tight, refusing to watch his life spill into the bowl once again. His head grew dizzy, and he fought to remain standing, when a large hand grabbed his arm, wrapping a bandage around him. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Koa?hu. You¡¯re going to drain him dry.¡± Omez wrapped the bandage tight and muttered a few words under his breath. A pulse of energy surged up his arm, and he felt the bleeding stop. ¡°Healing''s not really my strength, but what sort of priest would I be if I couldn''t do a little? That should patch up the worst of it." He patted Jasper on the shoulder. "Have a seat, lad.¡± Each of the three mages followed his example, and Jasper felt a bit better about his performance after Yariha fainted, and the runic mage fell to the ground, unable to remain standing. Only Omez was apparently unaffected by the blood loss, although his skin was a bit paler than before. Eventually, Koa?hu summoned his strength. He set the four basins of blood to face each of the four cardinal directions, and drew the last set of runes around them, connecting them to the larger formation. Standing up, Koa?hu gave it one final inspection, nodding his head in satisfaction. ¡°Everything looks alright. All we need to do now is power it up. If each of us pours our essence into one of the bowls, we should have more than enough power to activate the formation.¡± Jasper wearily walked over to the bowl of his blood. Two successive days of being bled was really starting to get to him. Grimacing in disgust, he plunged his hand into his blood, forcing his essence out in a wave of blue flames. The runic formation begin to glow as the first hints of a breeze slithered through the courtyard. The winds quickly picked up their pace, howling as they tore at the walls of the inn and the courtyard. Large chunks of rock and mortar were ripped from their perch and pulled towards the center of the formation into a tornado of broken fragments and debris. Slowly the shape of a large arch emerged from the maelstrom. When the arch had fully materialized, the winds fell silent. The four mages slumped over, utterly drained of essence. Eventually, Koa?hu recovered enough to examine the portal. His voice shook with excitement as he inspected their handiwork. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it really worked. I never thought I¡¯d get the chance to do magic on this scale - a portal?" He shook his head, running a trembling hand down the side of the arch. "That''s the sort of thing you read about in books, that only the ancestors of old got to do.¡± Pressing his hand on a rune at the base of the arch, he fed a trick of essence into it. The portal activated immediately, briefly giving them a glimpse of a city, but almost immediately a wall of light sprung up, filling the arch. Koa?hu frowned and tried to shove his hand into the light. His hand bounced off, and he wrung his fingers, cursing. "Selene''s Grace, why isn''t this working." With a growl of frustration, the runic mage pounded his fists against the wall, his swings growing increasingly frantic. "Let me out!" The others watched in silence as he wailed on the barrier, but the wall of light didn''t budge. Eventually, he dropped to his knees, cradling his now bloodied fist. He leaned his head against the barrier, muttering to himself. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. The ritual worked; the portal formed; Gis?-Izum should be right there. Why won¡¯t it let me through?¡± Omez finally reacted, all trace of his former hearty cheer now drained from his voice. ¡°So there is really no escape from the void.¡± Jasper sat quietly against the wall, his head still pounding from the double whammy of bloodless and mana exhaustion. Somehow, the outcome didn¡¯t surprise him. It had just seemed too easy, after all. His mind wandered as despair washed over the group. He wondered what separated this void from Kas?dael''s realm. Her realm was cold and dark, but there was nothing sinister about the darkness. He shuddered as he remembered the insanity lurking in the clouds above them. At least it''s warm here, he comforted himself. Suddenly a memory returned to him unbidden, a few fragments of a conversation he had once had with a mage player back in the original game. Jasper had never rolled a mage character, so the lore about magic hadn¡¯t mattered much to him then, but a friend of a friend he had delved with a few times had been really into it. And as he pried the memories loose from his mind, the pieces started to fall into place. ¡°Where exactly did you try to open the portal?¡± Koa?hu blinked, shaken out of his misery. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Jasper repeated himself. ¡°Where exactly did you set the coordinates for the portal? Gis?-Izum proper, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, a long time ago, I remember having a discussion with a friend about cosmology. He argued that our world is modeled a bit like the solar system.¡± Their eyes glazed over at the unfamiliar reference. Shaking his head, he moved on. ¡°The world we all live in is the inner, or central, dimension. But the inner dimension is orbited by a bunch of small outer dimensions, pocket universes, and other spatial anomalies. For some reason, the void is blocking us from going home - going from an outer dimension to an inner dimension.¡± He gestured at the wall of light filling the portal. ¡°But sometimes restrictions have loopholes. What if, instead of moving vertically, we tried to go horizontally? If we could portal from one outer dimension to another, less hostile dimension, maybe from there we could get back home.¡± Yariha interjected. ¡°Why not just try to portal directly to the Sanctum? If the fire mage¡¯s idea is right, it would count as an outer dimension.¡± The light in Koa?hu¡¯s eyes rekindled. ¡°That might work. At the very least, it¡¯s worth a try.¡± He scurried over to the formation, and carefully amended a few lines. ¡°Now we just need to feed our essence in.¡± The four took their positions and tried again. The arch shook violently as its sides twisted and contorted, the wind whipping furiously around it. But after a moment, it stilled. The door was subtly different, slightly smaller, and definitely less ornate than before. With shaking hands, Koa?hu slowly cracked the door open. With a shout of joy, he flung it wide. The soft sunlight of Sanctum streamed through the portal. ¡°It worked. It really worked.¡± Their cries of joy brought the others running, as the group celebrated in the courtyard. Some of the members started to run towards the portal, but Ga¡¯on shouted at them, calling them back. ¡°Stop. Three of our crew are out scouting for supplies. I know we all want to go home immediately, but we¡¯re not going to abandon them. We go home together.¡± His sharp gaze swept over the crowd and slowly, begrudgingly, they backed away from the portal. Ga''on walked over to the group, an unquenchable grin on his face. "Well done, Koa?hu, well done." His eyes fall on Jasper, and he nodded in his direction. "I see Omez was right about you," he admitted. "Thanks for your help." Jasper shrugged modestly. "No need to thank me; we all want to get out of here." He glanced around the courtyard, looking for Ihra, but there was no sign of her. A hint of worry sprung up in him. "Is Ihra one of the scouts?" ¡°Yes, she insisted on going out to look for supplies.¡± The leader saw the look of worry on Jasper¡¯s face and clucked his tongue softly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about her, lad. For the time being, the creatures have disappeared, and there¡¯s not too many other threats in the lower city. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± They had to wait a few hours for the three scouts to trickle in, and the crew waited on pins and needles, only Ga''on''s firm command keeping them there. But, finally, the last of them - Ihra - walked into the courtyard. She stopped dead in her tracks as she stared at the glowing arch, and the soft sunlight dappling the worn cobblestones. ¡°Selene¡¯s Grace, that¡¯s an impressive work of magic.¡± The Queen Ihra smiled at him, a teasing look in her eye.¡°No offense, fire-boy, but I assume this wasn¡¯t primarily your handiwork.¡± Jasper laughed.¡°Nah, they have a runic mage.¡± Her eyes widened.¡°Really?I thought the Barracks pretty much gang-pressed all of them into service.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They did?Well, clearly, Koa?hu escaped their grasp somehow.¡± Their conversation was cut short by a sound like thunder. Jasper turned around just in time to seeGa¡¯on clap his hands again, the impact rumbling through the courtyard. The streets fell silent again, as the small group clustered around the guild leader.¡°Alright, guilders.Let¡¯s get out of this hellhole while we can.Omez, take Nissaba through first, please.After that, the mages should go through next.For the rest of you, please help with the supplies and mounts.¡± The brawny priest disappeared into the inn, and returned a moment later, cradling a woman in his arms.Her head hung limp - unconscious - and her right arm and leg had been reduced to little more than stumps.Despite the healing potions she had undoubtedly consumed, it was clear that she was barely hanging on to the land of the living.Omez crossed the threshold quickly and his form soon disappeared into the hazy sunlight of the Sanctum.Koa?hu and Yariha followed behind, but Jasper hung back.If Ga¡¯on noticed the young fire-mage hadn''t joined the others in safety, he didn¡¯t care. Then came the arduous task of transporting supplies back into the sanctum.The hardest part was getting their mounts through the glowing arch.The horses were terrified of the portal, rearing back on their hindlegs, and stubbornly digging in their feet as their masters tried to pull them through the portal. Ultimately, Jasper was only able to coax Dapplegrim across with the promise of a whole bag of sugar cubes if she would just follow him for a few steps.The little pony finally, begrudgingly, crossed through the threshold. As soon as she stepped into the sunny meadow, she zoomed through the tall grass and wildflowers, whinnying with joy. After giving her a handful of sugar cubes, Jasper headed back to the inn for another load of cargo, a wide smile on his face. he crossed the threshold, his eyes inadvertently were drawn to the maddening void above. Flinching, he quickly averted his gaze with a shudder. Ihra sat on one of the few remaining boxes. She mopped the sweat dripping off her brow with the edge of her sleeve, and waved him over.Ga¡¯on and another guilder approached the portal entrance, hoisting a heavy cauldron between them.Jasper quickly stepped to the side to let them pass and casually jogged towards Ihra. But his next step never reached the ground. Jasper''s foot plunged forward, feeling nothing but air.His stomach dropped with the sudden sensation of falling, and he looked down in panic.His foot hovered a foot above the ground. Time seemed to stand still, as he slowly drifted further and further above the ground. He thrashed his arms about, trying to propel himself down, but ended up merely spinning in the air. As he slowly flipped head over heels, in the corner of his vision, Jasper saw Ihra floating in a sea of boxes. The panicked shouts of a few other guilders echoed somewhere around him. And then, gravity returned.He smashed into the ground, the breath driven out of him in an instant.The earth trembled as dozens of cracks ripped through the cobblestone courtyard.A hoarse cry rang out behind him. Picking himself up slowly, Jasper turned just in time to see the guilder who had been helping Ga¡¯on with the cauldron jump through the crumbling portal. The arch leaned to one side, and a steady stream of small rocks and dust fell from it. Jasper watched in horror as the light flickered, then died. We''re trapped. Ga¡¯on lay pinned beneath the cauldron, one of his arms wedged deep beneath it. He groaned as he struggled to lift it off himself with only one arm.Jasper glanced back at Ihra, who was pulling herself from the wreckage of wooden crates.Behind her, he saw two other guilders laying on the ground, not moving.She waved him off.¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. Got a few splinters but nothing serious - help Ga¡¯on and I''ll check on these two.¡± He ran over to the man and grabbed hold of the cauldron.¡°Hold still, Ga¡¯on.I¡¯ll get it offyou.¡± Ga¡¯on grabbed hold of Jasper''s leg with his one free arm.¡°Wait.¡±He croaked out the words, wheezing in pain.¡°You need to lift it up off of me.If you try to roll the cauldron off my arm, my arm will get pulverized.¡± Jasper nodded.¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±He crouched load and grabbed hold of the two sides of the cauldron.With a mighty heave, he tried to stand up, the muscles in his back tightening as he pulled with all of his now-inhuman might.The cauldron moved slightly, but he couldn''t straighten his legs. His fingers lost their grip, and the cauldron rocked slightly on Ga''on''s arm, as the leader whimpered in pain. Jasper frowned. "I don''t think I can lift it all the way off you, Ga''on. If I can get it high enough for you to pull yourself free, can you do that?" The guild leader nodded mutely, and Jasper bent down again. I can do this - just got to dig deep. His muscles screamed in pain as he slowly inched the cauldron up again. His fingers bit into the metal sides, refusing to let go, as he managed to lift about six inches above the ground, just high enough for Ga¡¯on to drag himself out of the way.¡°You clear?¡± ¡°Clear.¡± Groaning in relief, he let the cauldron slam back into the ground.Jasper shook his arms out, feeling the burn of his muscles.¡°Damn, that was way heavier than it looked.¡±He glanced over at Ga¡¯on.¡°You okay, man?¡± The guild leader stiffened slightly at the informal address, but nodded curtly.¡°I¡¯ll live.Thanks for the assist.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Uh, Jasper?I think we may have a problem.¡± He turned to Ihra, shivering with cold as a snowflake drifted past. A second followed a moment later, burying itself into his cheek.Ihra was backing up slowly, her eyes trained on the two guild members lying on the cobblestones.Their bodies writhed on the ground, their mouths covered in foam.He approached them slowly, Ga¡¯on following behind them. ¡°What the hell?¡±Jasper watched in horror and disgust.¡°How do we help them?¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± The leader''s voice shook with rage.¡°Look up.¡± Jasper tore his eyes away from the two troubled guilders, and his mouth fell open.Great mountains rose around them, and the sky hung heavy with clouds as the first flurries slowly floated down.We¡¯re no longer in the void. ¡°They¡¯re already dead, or close enough. The ritual has clearly failed, just like it did when this whole strategy started, and now they¡¯re turning into one of them.¡±He limped forward, anger burning in his eyes.He spat on the ground.¡°That damned elf did this.I told the guild that she was up to no good, but they wouldn¡¯t listen, and now we¡¯re the ones paying the cost.¡± He strode forward, fumbling as he drew his sword with his good hand.He knelt down beside the two men and whispered some prayers.Then, with two quick thrusts, he stabbed each of them in the heart, twisting his sword around until their convulsions ceased.He staggered to his feet, a grim look on his face as he gazed down at his crew members.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my friends.I failed you.¡± He turned to face the two of them, a glare in his eye.For a moment, Jasper feared that Ga¡¯on was going to attack them, and he tensed, his mind reaching for his spells, while Ihra¡¯s hands fell on her dagger.But Ga¡¯on merely glared at them, sorrow and rage overflowing, before dismissing them with a contemptuous snort. ¡°What¡¯s the point in killing two pawns,¡± he muttered.¡°The guild would have my head if I lost them one of their precious mages.¡±He limped to the ruined entrance of the courtyard, and peered out into the streets, before staggering out.He paused after a few steps and looked back.¡°Well,¡± he demanded.¡°Are you coming or not?¡± They exchanged glances.¡°What do you think?¡± Ihra twirled her hair between her thumbs in a nervous tick, before whispering to Jasper.¡°I don''t think we have a lot of options. The city seems quiet enough now, but I don¡¯t want to be here when night falls.¡± Jasper watched the thick clouds above them, heavy with snow. The light of day was already fading as the shadow of the mountain stretched over the city, an unnatural fog creeping through the streets again.¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right,¡± he admitted.¡°Why not follow the guy who wants to kill us?¡± The three made their way through the empty city streets.When the expedition had first arrived at the city gates, Jasper had marveled at its almost immaculate preservation.But now the streets were buckled and ruptured, large cracks making the walk more difficult than before. Many of the buildings had been damaged, and chunks of rock littered the ground.Why is the city so much more damaged this time?Was something different about the way we left the void? The inn the guild had been camping in was not far from the city gates.One of the giant gates hung on its side. Its top hinges had been ripped out when the city fell.The other lay in the field, almost fifty feet away from the gate, as it if had been thrown free by an angry giant.How did that even happen? Night was falling fast as they tore across the meadows as quickly as Ga¡¯on could manage.It was clear the expedition leader was suffering.His pace slowed, and his cheeks were pale, as his breathing came fast and furious.But he pressed on silence, never speaking a word to them. They were still far from the entrance to the mountain tunnel when day passed into night.As they pressed on down the road, the great horn rumbled again.ts sonorous rumble washed over them, its force was so great that even far from the city, Jasper felt like his very bones were being vibrated apart.We should keep moving, he thought, but he couldn''t bring himself to move. When the horn finally fell silent, they stood frozen, their eyes glued to the city¡¯s gates. The night was silent.Gusts of winds drove little pricks of snow into his cheek as the ground was slowly covered with a pristine white blanket, but no sound was carried on the wind to his ears except for the faint noise of his own breathing. And then he felt it.The earth shook lightly.And again.And again. And carried on the wind, the howls of the wraiths filled the silent valley as they marched out of the city gates.They no longer shambled aimlessly around the streets of Als?arratu, but marched in array, clad in the armor of war, and at their head was a Queen.She rode on a great skeletal stag.Its bones gleamed like silver in the dim moonlight, and its horns glowed with an arcane light.Jasper squinted, his eyes peering far beyond the extent of human vision as he examined her.At first, he thought it was Aphora, but as he studied her face he realized the truth.It''s her mother.The ancient queen seemed to notice his gaze and turned towards him, her eyes glowing with an eldritch fire. He stumbled back, terror gripping him.¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±The three ran mindlessly, racing towards the tunnel entrance.The ground beneath them shook as the mighty army continued to stream out of the broken gates of Als?arratu.The undead gave no chase but continued their inexorable march. They reached the entrance to the tunnel, Ga''on wheezing so loudly his breathing sounded like a battle cry.Jasper''s heart beat wildly in his chest as he fled down the dark corridor.But the sound behind him ceased.Turning back, he saw Ga¡¯on had stopped and was standing still at the entrance of the tunnel, facing into the valley. ¡°What are you doing, man?Come on!¡±Jasper shouted back at him. Ga¡¯on turned to look at him and dismissed him with a slow shake of his head.¡°Go back to Gis?-Izum; warn the city.¡± ¡°Come on.We can do it together.¡± A sad smile crossed the expedition leader¡¯s face.¡°Even if I could reach the city - and I can¡¯t - I still couldn¡¯t go back.I can feel it within me, a change.I lasted longer than the others did, but my mind is slipping further and further into darkness." He spat on the ground, a touch of anger returning to his voice. "I''m turning into one of them.¡± Behind him, Jasper could see the spears of the wraiths approaching fast, their heads reflecting the mana lights of the tunnels.Ga¡¯on drew a potion out of his bag and uncorked it.He weighed it in his hand for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.¡°You know, I found this potion in my second year of adventuring.The expedition was a fiasco, but we found a cache of ancient potions that were worth more than any of our lives.I¡¯ve carried it with me ever since then, more than a hundred years.¡± He smiled bitterly.¡°I was starting to think I was never going to have to use it. Thought I''d pass it down to my grandchildren someday.But I guess I¡¯ll get to experience it for myself after all.¡± The guild leader threw his head back as he drained the portion in one go.He tossed the bottle on the ground, where it shattered with the tinkle of glass. He looked up at Jasper.¡°If I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m going to die on my own terms.Go - warn the city.I¡¯ll delay the creatures as long as possible.¡± Ga¡¯on dropped to his knees, an anguished howl erupting from his throat.His hands dug into the stone floor, leaving giant gouge marks from the razor-sharp claws that erupted from his fingers.He screamed again as his back exploded in a shower of gore. Two leathery black wings burst through his skin, brushing against the narrow tunnel¡¯s walls as they slowly flapped. ¡°Go!¡± The guild leader''s last command, spoken from a mouth not meant for words, was almost incomprehensible. Jasper turned and ran, his pace fueled by terror.The creature roared and charged toward the ranks of the queen''s army. The screams and howls of the wraiths chased him down the dark corridors, as he blindly ran.Jasper swiftly caught up to Ihra and, grabbing hold of her hand, dragged her along behind him.The sounds of the combat slowly faded away as they fled deeper into the tunnel. But the soft tremble of the earth beneath them left little room for doubt. The Queen was coming. A Reluctant Partnership They fled through the tunnel, quickly putting space between them and the horde marching behind, but even inhuman endurance has its limits. As they neared the end of the tunnel, Jasper could already feel his strength beginning to flag. It was all he could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other.His feet were battered and bloodied, blisters grew and burst, and his heels ached from their relentless abuse.He staggered against the wall, struggling to breathe.His vision swam in front of him, but he shook his head.Got to make it to the city. With a strangled cry, he fell backward as the wall opened up behind him. He hit the ground hard and gasped when something loomed over him.olled to his feet, already channeling essence into his hands to bombard his attacker with spells. ¡°Wait!¡± The thing stepped into the light and he finally saw its face.Aphora? She held her hands out, trying to placate him.¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡± A torrent of anger pulsed through his veins, and Jasper raised his hands, Sacred Star on his lips. But a hand grabbed hold of his elbow, yanking it back. ¡°Stop! Think about this, Jasper.¡±Ihra cocked her head back towards the dimly light tunnels.The vibrations still rumbling through the tunnel floor reminded him of the approaching army.¡°Even if we could defeat her - which we can¡¯t - do you really think we need more enemies right now?¡± He growled, the frustration leaking into his voice.¡°You weren¡¯t the one she tied up and bled.¡± ¡°No, but I am the one that¡¯s going to die if we get into a hopeless battle, and So. Are. You.¡±She thumped him on the chest as she spoke the last words, driving her point home. He blinked as her words sunk in, getting past the anger. Damn it, she''s right. He turned back towards Aphora, his words still thick with anger.¡°So, what the hell do you want?¡± ¡°We need to warn the city.Chances are good that the guild will have already warned them to be on the lookout, thanks to the portal which you opened to the Sanctum, but that-¡° she choked on her words, finally spitting them out, ¡°that horde could destroy the entire city if they don¡¯t have time to activate the defenses." ¡°Portal?How did you know about the portal?¡± She let out an exasperated sigh.¡°Is that really important right now?I screwed up, okay?I just wanted to save my people, to save my mother, and instead, I unleashed an undead horde into the world.I¡¯m sorry - but right now, which do you think is more important: taking your anger out on me, or trying to save Gis?-Izum?¡± His mind flashed to the children at the orphanage, to little Kefir and Aryah.Taking a deep breath, he forced the rage down.¡°Fine.How do we save the city.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡±She turned and walked into the darkness, her left leg trailing slightly behind her.Jasper followed reluctantly, his muscles screaming at the effort.As he stepped away from the tunnel, he realized that they were back in the guard post, or at least, in a guard post. ¡°My mother spent many years fighting in the Desolyton before she founded Als?arratu.So, when she built these guard posts, she didn¡¯t want the guards to get trapped in here if the worst were to happen.¡±Aphora led them over to the small pond at the back of the cavern.Without stopping, she waded into the water.¡°There¡¯s an escape tunnel in the pond that will take us to a portal.From there, we can get back to Gis?-Izum well before the wraiths arrive.¡± Jasper watched as she disappeared beneath the surface, then cautiously approached the pond.The pond was deep, and he could easily see the bottom through the crystal clear water. There was no sign, though, of Aphora or of a tunnel.Crap.Where did she go? With a sigh, he waded into the water.It was shockingly cold, and he winced as pins and needles danced along his body, but he pressed on.When he reached chest-heigh, the gentle slope of the pond suddenly dropped off, plunging into the depths.Taking a deep breath, he dove down. He soon realized that the pond was even deeper than it looked.The pressure built up in his ears to a painful level, and he paused to equalize them.Ihra shot past him, slicing through the water with enough speed to outrace a shark., she simply disappeared. His ears relieved, Jasper dove deeper, leveling out at the bottom.From above the floor looked completely solid, but now he could see that a small portion of the floor rose above the rest.And, set into that ledge, was a narrow tunnel. He pulled himself through the small opening, fending off the rising wave of claustrophobia as best as he could.The narrow tunnel quickly expanded into a spacious tube. A fast current of water ran through it, propelling him quickly through the dark, and he swam with it with as much speed as he could muster.Already, he could feel his lungs start to burn, as his need for air slowly overwhelmed all other impulses. An iron cage of pain wrapped around his chest when he finally spied an opening in the water.Shooting upward, he broke through the surface, gasping for air.A hand grabbed hold of him as Ihra hauled him out of the underground stream.He flopped onto the cold, stone floor, panting like a dog in summer. When he finally caught his breath, he stood up, shaking the water off him, as he surveyed the small cavern they were in.The freezing water clung to his skin, but the fires within quickly rose to banish the cold.He glared at the submerged tunnel, but his lips quirked up in a smirk as he turned to Ihra.¡°I always said water levels were the worst.¡±
A look of confusion crossed her eyes, but she politely smiled.Another one of his oddities.Ihra watched with a touch of envy as his clothes quickly dried.Within minutes, he was completely warm and dry, while her wet clothes still clung to her, the freezing water of the tunnel made even colder by the occasional drafts of air in the dark cavern. Aphora stood in the corner, her back slumped against the wall by a passageway that led up.Ihra didn¡¯t know what to make of her presence.She had been mostly out of it when the incident occurred in the Tower of Ysagila, and Jasper hadn''t really wanted to talk about what happened.She knew the elf had forcibly taken some of his blood to perform a ritual to try to save the city''s inhabitants. The undead horde currently marching toward Gis?-Izum was a pretty clear indication of how poorly that had gone.But, although she had never fully trusted the mysterious elf, Ihra felt a touch of sympathy for her actions. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Her eyes swam with unshed tears as her memory rushed back, unbidden, to the shabby orphanage where she had grown up.She could barely remember her parents.The only real memory she had of them was of her fourth birthday.They took her outside the city walls to a sunny meadow and had a picnic.She remembered the warm pie, her mom¡¯s laughter, and her dad holding her in the air as he twirled in a circle until she got dizzy.And the butterflies, so many butterflies. Two weeks later they left on an expedition.They never returned. That wasn¡¯t when she went to the orphanage.Her older brother took her in and welcomed her into his little family.She could still picture his big gruff beard, and hear his loud, booming voice.Whatever elf heritage they had, had clearly missed him.But then he was drafted by the Barracks. It was right after the empire lost the capital, and they mounted a hopeless attack to bring it back.Her brother died before the iron walls, a Zalancthian pike through his heart. Unable to afford the care for her husband¡¯s sister and her three young children, her aunt had left her at the orphanage.At first, they come to visit her regularly, bringing little toys and treats to spruce up her grey little room. Then her aunt remarried and the visits stopped. Ihra felt the tears brimming in her eyes and blinked them away, mad at her weakness.That¡¯s all in the past now. But still, Ihra couldn''t bring herself to judge Aphora too much.How could she really hate her, when she knew what lengths she''d be willing to go to, if it would bring back her family? Her reveries were interrupted by Aphora¡¯s soft voice.¡°Come, we must keep going.¡± She followed the elf up a narrow corridor, Jasper following closely at her heels.Her muscles, worn out from the hours of running, groaned at the effort of dragging herself up the hill, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they emerged into a small chamber. ¡°Selene¡¯s Grace.¡±The words tumbled out of her mouth, as she gazed in wonder at the portal before them. Aphora shot her an amused look.¡°Yes, my mother spared no expense when arranging the security for the city.¡± The entire wall was plated in hammered gold.A great empty doorway stood in the middle, flanked on two sides by statues of Ayyalu and Selene.In front of the door, a small pillar rose up from the ground, with a bowl on the top. She stumbled forward, her eyes glued to the statues.Do these move too? As if Aphora had read her mind, she spoke up.¡°Don¡¯t worry about the statues.While they are a fitting vessel for the gods, I sense no presence within them.¡±Aphora walked over to the bowl, her steps faltering a bit, and placed a hand on it.¡°We¡¯ll need one of you to supply some blood and essence.¡±
Jasper flushed with renewed anger.¡°You¡¯re more powerful than both of us put together.Why don¡¯t you do it?¡± A sad smile crossed Aphora¡¯s face.¡°Unfortunately, my escape from the city came at a cost.I am unable to provide the energy needed to power the portal.¡± She leaned against the wall, bathed in the golden light of the statues¡¯ torches.For the first time, Jasper could see her clearly.Her body was crisscrossed with dozens of cut marks and wounds, and her left leg was mutilated particularly heavily.Two fingers were missing from her right hand, and her antlers had lost several tines. ¡°What happened to you?¡± She smiled bitterly.¡°Needless to say, the reunion did not go as planned.When the city was sucked into the void, the people were not changed back to the elves they had been.But they also weren¡¯t the same mindless monsters, either.Their minds slowly returned - and with it, I think, their mortality. But they woke to find themselves trapped in new, monstrous, forms.I found my mother it was the happiest day of my life. She embraced me, hugging me tight to her chest, as the light of sanity returned to her eyes.¡± Tears ran down her cheeks.¡°But I was a fool. I¡¯m sure you heard the horn, yes?My mother, or what¡¯s left of her, summoned the people to the temple.I went along - a festival of celebration, I thought.Instead, she stood before her people and proclaimed that Als?arratu was marching to war:¡®Blood demands blood.We shall scourge them from the lands for their treachery, and punish them for the ruin wrought upon us.¡¯¡± ¡°I tried to object. "What treachery, except for the Fey, who have long since been cast from these lands?''" "That is when she revealed her true nature.¡®Little girls should not talk in the presence of their elders,¡¯ she said as she scourged me in front of the horde.¡± ¡°When I had been thoroughly punished for my ''transgressions,'' they locked me in my childhood room.Fortunately, ¡®little girls¡¯ don¡¯t need real security, so I was able to escape once their attention was elsewhere. I headed for the tunnels, hoping to run into either you or the guild.¡± Jasper winced, his anger with her abating slightly, but not assuaged.ritting his teeth, he offered her a healing potion. Aphora turned him down.¡°It wouldn''t do anything to heal these wounds.They were inflicted by Avoni weapons, weapons forged specifically to torment prisoners; they will not be easily healed.If I can just get back to my compound, I can gather the necessary resources to perform a ritual that will remove them.But until then, I cannot provide the essence to open the portal.Most of my magic is sealed within me right now.I¡¯m sorry, but one of you must do it.¡± Jasper sighed and stepped towards the bowl, but Ihra grabbed his arm.¡°Wait, let me do it.You¡¯ve already been bled twice in the last two days - you can¡¯t keep losing blood.¡± He was more than happy to let her pass, watching with relief, as she walked over to the basin.Aphora joined her at the pillar and crouched down beside it.¡°Before you open the portal, let¡¯s make sure the coordinates are right.¡± Aphora examined the pillar for a moment and then twisted it to the right.It clicked three times before she let go.¡°Alright, it should take us near the central marketplace in Gis?-Izum now.Go ahead, Ihra.¡± Ihra stood by the basin, and with a calm hand, slid a knife across her wrist.A stream of blood poured out in the basin, splashing against the bowl as if it was a fountain.When it reached the marker, she drew her hand back and tightly bound her wrist with gauze.Plunging her other hand into the basin, she expelled what little essence she had.The blood boiled for a moment and then, with a blinding flash of light, the portal activated. He shrank back, as a swarm of stars danced across his eyes.When his vision finally cleared, Jasper saw the small room was glowing with an eery green light. dark emerald liquid hung suspended in the middle of the portal, slowly rotating around the center in a spiral pattern.There was something mesmerizing about the movement, and Jasper found his thoughts drifting away.He contemplated the lights, watching their intricate patterns.He felt as if the secrets of the universe were revealed before him, that he could spend an eternity studying them without unlocking the depths of their meaning. Pain flared in his forehead as the emerald light was transformed into a forest consumed with flames.With a start, he came back to his senses, clutching at his head, where the diadem burned like molten lava. It cooled almost immediately, leaving him confused.He suddenly realized he was sitting on the ground. When did that happen? Looking up, he saw Ihra and Aphora surrounding him, worried expressions on their face.¡°What happened to the lights - the emerald lights? The secrets of the universe-¡± he trailed off. Ihra sighed in relief when he spoke. "Selene''s Grace, I was worried. When the portal activated, you just stood there like a statue." She turned to Aphora, "What the hell was that?" The elf swayed slightly on her feet, and placed a hand against the wall, steadying herself.¡°Apparently my mother installed another line of defense on the portal.It was trapped to ensnare the minds of those who are not elves.¡±She bowed her head.¡°I¡¯m sorry.I did not know the portal was unsafe.¡± ¡°Is it safe for Jasper to go through?¡± She frowned.¡°Hopefully?Truthfully, I was not aware of the first trap, so I cannot promise you that there aren¡¯t any others.But,¡± she gestured helplessly, ¡°what other options do we have?¡± Jasper sighed. Go back and face the horde, or go through a possibly dangerous portal. The decision wasn''t hard. He pushed himself off the ground and,ot giving himself any time to second-guess his decision, he threw himself through the portal. He passed through it painlessly - thank Selene - and emerged in a small chamber. Hasty Preparations He slowly lifted his hands up.¡°Whoah, easy.We come in peace.¡± "The city is in danger. You need to activate the defenses." "That wasn''t my question. Who are-" His words cut off as the last of their group stepped through the portal. His eyes widened in confusion.¡°Lady Aphora?¡± ¡°You can put the blade down, Captain Gullul.They¡¯re with me.¡± He sheathed his sword slowly, and when he realized the full extent of her injuries, he rushed forward.¡°Your hurt, my lady.Let me help you to a healer.¡± She waved his attempts to help off.¡°There¡¯s no time for that now.Send word to Lord Tzur; the city¡¯s defenses must be activated immediately. An army of undead from Als?arratu march against us.¡±She pushed a ring into his hand.¡°Take my seal as proof of my words.Hurry.¡± ¡°Very well, my lady.¡±He turned to the guards and nodded at his second in command.¡°Nafshah, you¡¯re in command in my absence.Prepare the guard for combat, and help Lady Aphora with whatever she needs.¡±Without another word, he turned and ran out of the chamber. Aphora sagged against the wall, weariness flooding her face, as she closed her eyes. ¡°My lady?¡± Aphora did not open her eyes as she responded.¡°Can you please get me a mount?I need to get to my home to heal before the battle.¡± ¡°We have a healer here in the temple.Let me send for her.¡± She shook her head.¡°No, your healer will not be able to help me.My wounds are¡­special.I just need a way to get home.¡±She pried her eyes open, the blue flame of her eyes dimmed, but still burning with power.¡°Focus on preparing your soldiers.Disaster marches against the city. I will join you on the walls when I can.¡± Nafshah bowed.¡°Very well, my lady.¡±A guard hurried into the room and whispered in her ear.¡°It seems we have a mount waiting for you by the back gate of the temple.Do you need help getting there?¡± Aphora stood up, holding herself stiffly.¡°No.Your men have more important things to do now.Go - I¡¯ll be fine.¡± The guards left the room, Nafshah turning back with a lingering look of concern before she disappeared down the corridor.As soon as the sergeant was out of sight, Aphora collapsed back against the wall. Her legs shook as she slowly limped towards the doorway. Jasper and Ihra had been shunted off to the side while Aphora dealt with the guards, their presence all but forgotten.As he watched Aphora struggle to walk out of the room, he sighed.Damn it.He walked over to her and put her arm over his shoulder.¡°Help me out here, Ihra.¡±The two of them half carried Aphora through the temple hall.Some of the priestesses approached, offering aid, but he waved them off.¡°Just need to get her to the horse.¡± Exiting at the back gate, they found the mount she had requested waiting. It was a beautiful chestnut horse, although nothing compared to the stag she had ridden in the fallen city. I wonder what happened to it? Was she forced to leave it behind? He carefully propped Aphora up in the saddle, and gestured for Ihra to mount up.¡°Here, you ride with her, and I¡¯ll follow along behind.¡± Ihra shook her head.¡°No, you should ride.I have a higher endurance stat than you, so I¡¯ll have an easier time keeping up.¡± He started to argue and then shook his head. No time for false pride. Jasper dragged himself onto the horse, and made sure that Aphora was on securely. She had clearly been pushing herself beyond her limits and, now that they were out of immediate danger, was flagging fast.¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He galloped down the streets of Gis?-Izum, Ihra loping along beside him.The temple¡¯s back exit opened out onto a street behind the marketplace, so they were able to avoid the worst of the crowd.But the street bustled with people, who scrambled to safety, as they dashed past. "Sorry!" He apologized, as he nearly side-swiped a middle-aged woman carrying three towering baskets of baked goods. He winced as he heard her curses following after him. To his surprise, Ihra easily kept pace. Has she always been this fast? Despite his exhaustion, he found his eyes frequently wandering over to his attractive partner, but his gaze sharpened when he noticed something unusual on her head. Nestled among her hair, there were the faintest traces of something emerging. Is that the start of horns? He wasn''t sure; riding on horseback through the quickly darkening city streets didn''t provide the best view, but he promised himself to ask her about it later. Almost an hour had passed when they finally saw the gates leading into the elven quarter. As they slipped past the enclave''s walls, a great horn rumbled somewhere deep in the south of the city.The ominous sound couldn''t hold a candle to the supernaturally unsettling horn of Als?arratu, but its effect on the population of Gis?-Izum was equally profound.The people scattered immediately; stalls slammed shut and mothers pulled their screaming children inside. Soon citizens emerged from their houses, dripping in weapons and armor, and ran down the now abandoned streets toward the wall. After the horn blew three times, silence fell over the city.Jasper watched in amazement as a clear, diaphanous shield slowly begin to form above the city.The shield began in hundreds of spots across the sky, slowly expanding outwards to merge with the others and seal the city off.By the time they finally thundered down Aphora¡¯s street, the city had been closed off in a protective bubble. He clattered to a stop in front of Aphora''s home and, hopping off the horse, waited for Aphora to get off. er chest was slightly glowing in the dark night sky. Jasper glanced down at his own guild uniform which, after recent events, had seen better days.A soft glow emanated from a clear gem set into the guild emblem. What the hell? "Looks like we''re being summoned." Ihra spoke with a forced cheeriness, but he could detect the edge of worry hiding within them. Summoned? Oh. He frowned as he remembered the training course he had taken in the Hargish guild.In times of emergency, the Guild has the authority to temporarily draft guilders into the conflict.If summoned, please report to the nearest Guild, Barrack or guard authority. Jasper turned back to the horse. Aphora was slumped over its neck. He tried shaking her, and when she did not respond, was forced to lift her off the horse. I am not carrying her princess style, he fumed. Tossing the unconscious Aphora over his shoulder like a sack of wheat, he carried her over to the elven conclave.He banged his fists against the wall in a furious staccato.But the wall remained closed.Again, he hammered the wall, raining down a relentless hail of blows, until the walls suddenly slid open.He flinched, barely able to draw back his hand before it smashed into the surprised elf¡¯s face. ¡°Here.¡±He hoisted Aphora off his shoulder and shoved her into the man''s arms. It was the same elf who had let them in when they had applied for the job.His supercilious air was entirely gone, as he stared at Aphora in concern.¡°What happened to her?¡±His words turned to anger, as he stared up at them, light gathering on the tips of his antlers.¡°What did you do to her?¡± Jasper snorted.¡°Try asking her mother.¡± ¡°Her mother?Her mother is dead-¡°The elf¡¯s eyes widened, and he bowed his head low, muttering beneath his breath.¡°Lady Aphora, what have you done?I tried to warn you - we all did.¡± The elf hung his head silently for a moment, the light gone from his eyes, and Jasper shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether they should go.At last, the elf looked up.All traces of anger had left his face, replaced with an ancient sorrow. ¡°Thank you for bringing her to me.Do you know what caused her wounds?¡± Jasper hesitated.¡°I wasn¡¯t there when it happened, but she mentioned something about weapons forged for punishment - Aoni? Avoni? - if that means something to you.¡± He nodded.¡°It does.To think that the Queen would have fallen so far to use them against her own daughter.Her mind must truly be corrupted.¡± He bowed to Jasper and Ihra.¡°If the city survives this attack, be sure to come back.I will reward you greatly for her life.But now, I must tend to her wounds.¡±He disappeared into the room, the walls closing by themselves behind him. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Jasper sighed.The dark night around them was lit up by the gently glowing light of their uniforms.He was bone-tired; the unending stress of the last two days and their relentless flight before the undead army overwhelmed him, as he swayed on his feet.I just want to sleep, damn it. He placed a weary hand on the horse, and dragged himself onto the horse.¡°Hop up, Ihra.I guess we have to go report into the guild.¡± She pulled herself up on the horse, wrapping her arms around him, too tired to even respond.He spurred the horse into a gallop, and they clattered through the dark streets.The city was all but deserted now. Most of the inhabitants had already taken refuge in their homes or had joined the forces on the walls.The only people they passed were a handful of guards driving carts of supplies or delivering important messages.It was a long ride back to the guild, almost two hours, and he found himself drifting in and out of sleep. Back on earth, he had spent more than a few late nights driving through empty countryside, and as he snoozed, off and on, he had to admit that the horse had a few advantages of its own. I''d be dead in a ditch by now, back home. He started to perk up when the horse turned down the great road that belted the city, running beneath the long shadow of the walls.This street, and the walls looming above it, were bathed in a warm, pleasant light. Fires burned at regular intervals along the walls, and, far above him, Jasper could make out large crowds of soldiers milling about in the flickering light, their forms barely larger than ants. When they finally reached the Sanctum, he was surprised to find a large crowd assembled outside its gates.Guards barred the way into the entrance, as guild leaders shouted at the crowd.¡°Citizens of Gis?-Izum, return to your homes.In the event of an evacuation, the city will sound the horn seven times.If that happens, make your way to the Sanctum.Until then, please return to your homes.¡±The crowd ignored him, pressing against the line of guards as much as they dared - neither side quite willing yet to commit to violence - and the man sighed as he turned away. His gaze fell on Jasper and Ihra, picking up on the glowing emblem on their uniforms.Bending down, he spoke to one of the attendants, pointing at them. The attendant pushed his way through the crowd, which had stubbornly refused to disperse.¡°You guilders?¡± Jasper nodded wearily. ¡°Follow me.¡±The crowd begrudgingly opened up to let them pass.¡°Were you outside the city when the alarm began?Most of the guilders arrived a while ago.¡± ¡°We were on the far side of the city, and had to take someone to the healers first.¡± The man¡¯s face tightened.¡°Ah, we all know how that goes.Hopefully, your team member heals quickly.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t bother to correct the misunderstanding.The guards parted, and they found themselves in front of one of the guild leaders.The man was dressed in full armor and moved with a quiet confidence that was betrayed by the nervous tic in his right eye.Recognition crossed the man¡¯s face as he looked over the pair. ¡°Wait a minute - I remember you.You¡¯re the two that informed us about the village of cultists.¡±He clicked his fingers, trying to recall.¡°Khiryat, was it?¡± Jasper nodded, ¡°That was us.¡± The man scanned down a list of guild members, giving up in defeat a moment later.¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your names have slipped my mind.¡± He chuckled lightly. "I''ve always been good with faces, but names just aren''t my strongpoint." Jasper nodded. ¡°No worries. I''m Jasper Welles and this is Ihra¡­¡± He trailed off as he realized he didn¡¯t know Ihra¡¯s last name, assuming she had one. Probably should know that, he realized. ¡°Aka?mu.Ihra Aka?mu,¡± she filled in. The guild leader froze when he found their names.¡°You¡¯re listed as missing in action, trapped in the city of Als?arratu when the portal collapsed.¡±The man looked up with a manic energy.¡°How did you escape - no, screw that.¡±He looked frantically around the crowd. ¡°Is Ga¡¯on with you? Merkab or Alilu?¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°Ga¡¯on stayed behind in the mountain passage to delay the Queen¡¯s army.¡±He hesitated.¡°I didn¡¯t see his death, but I don¡¯t think he could¡¯ve survived, and if he did, I don¡¯t know if he would still be a friend.After the city reemerged from whatever hell hole it was sucked into, two of those with us were immediately turned into something like the wraiths, and Ga¡¯on said that he felt the corruption eating at his mind.He chose to stay behind, rather than turn into a monster.¡± The man bowed his head.¡°May Shamsha light his path to the halls of the dead.So the others are lost as well?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know their names - we weren¡¯t actually part of the expedition - but the other two that were trapped with us turned immediately.¡± The guild leader¡¯s eyes were hollow as he wrote on his list.With a sigh, he laid down his quill.¡°Come with me.You can fill the council in on the details before the enemy arrives.¡± The great doors rumbled open as they approached.The gentle daylight of the Sanctum filtered through, lighting up the dark streets of Gis?-Izum.The crowd erupted in a commotion as the door opened.The sight of safety, so tantalizingly out of reach, was the spark the mob needed to incite them to action. With screams and cries, the frightened citizens surged forward, smashing against the thin line of guards who tried to push them back without harming them too much. Jasper turned to watch the conflict, but the man called him forward. "Come on, the wall of steel and iron will not break." The screams of the crowd were cut off when the gate shut behind them with a shudder.The man half-walked, half-ran down the path to the village, with Jasper and Ihra jogging at his heels. ¡°Why is the guild not allowing the people into the Sanctum?Isn¡¯t that the whole point of Sanctums?¡± The man did not let up his frenzied pace as he replied.¡°You think us cruel?¡±He paused too briefly to allow Jasper to reply before continuing.¡°Perhaps it is cruelty, but it is also necessary.Tzur, the lord of the city is the one who must allow the inhabitants to flee into the sanctums, and he has decided to defend the city.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The man glanced over his shoulder.¡°Because any other course of action would be folly.The walls of Gis?-Izum are strong and well defended.Behind them, we have a real hope of repelling the Queen¡¯s forces.But if we abandon the walls, and hide in the Sanctum, we might be safe, but we¡¯ll have no hope of reclaiming the city on our own.¡± ¡°Gis?-Izum doesn''t have many allies it can rely on. The empire¡¯s eyes are focused on reclaiming the capital city.The imperial army lies far to the east, and even if the city falls, there¡¯s no guarantee that the emperor will divert forces to save us.A single city far from the frontlines is not a high priority.If we¡¯re lucky, the emperor might send a single battalion to our rescue, but it¡¯s more likely he¡¯d just ask the lords of Harei Miqlat to help us.Whether they¡¯d listen to his plea is another question altogether; they rarely leave the limits of their mountains. So we cannot rely on the empire to save us." ¡°And, while I have no doubt that our king in Yas?peh will try to save us, his forces are probably insufficient to oust a hostile force if we allow them to entrench themselves behind the walls of the city, nor can he afford to pull all of his troops from the border with Stryn, lest they take advantage of the situation. Stryn is always looking for an excuse to seize Birnah.¡± The man stopped, his abrupt halt kicking up clouds of dust as he turned to face the startled Jasper and Ihra.¡°In other words, we either defend the walls of Gis?-Izum, or we trap ourselves in the Sanctum and pray that sometime in the next few years, someone will come to save us.That is why we must be cruel.¡± With a wave of his hand, he resumed his jog.¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±They raced past the guild''s welcome booth - the stall was now closed and shuttered - and turned down a side street lined with stately residences.Reaching the third one on the left, the man pounded on the door. The door swung open almost immediately. A rather short woman stood before them. Her long brown hair was pulled back behind her ears and her brown eyes, which normally sparkled with mischief, were dull and weary. Dwarven heritage? Jasper wondered. She ushered them in quickly. "Alright, I''ll take them in." The three stepped inside, and Tiras darted into another room. "I''m just going to grab some food before heading back to the gate." The woman sighed as she watched him disappear. "That''s Tiras for you. Always looking for an excuse to sneak into the kitchen. I suppose, though, after two hundred years, I really can''t be surprised." She turned to them. "Come on, I''ll take you to the council." She led them down a marbled corridor. They passed two staircases, leading further up into the mansion before the hall dead-ended into a large stateroom.A group, clad in an array of exotic armors, was gathered around a large table, loudly debating over a map. ¡°My troops at the north gate need reinforcements immediately.We¡¯ll be the ones taking the brunt of the attack.¡±A brawny man with jet black locks and emerald eyes pounded on the table. A woman glared back at him, bracing her weight against the large oak table, which bent slightly beneath her.¡°And leave my troops hanging?Not on your life, Elle?s?u.Until the army arrives, we don¡¯t know where they¡¯re going to attack.Perhaps they¡¯ll assume we¡¯ve sent all of our defenders to the north and will swing south to attack a weaker gate.¡± The man snorted, an angry reply on his lips, but he was cut off as the guild magister slammed his staff into the ground.The noise reverberated with an unnatural force as he roared.¡°Enough.¡± The room fell silent, and he pointed his staff towards the woman accompanying Jasper and Ihra.¡°It seems M¨ºya has found two of our missing guilders.Why don¡¯t we find out what they have to tell us.¡± Jasper gulped as the attention of the entire room locked on him, suddenly struck with a stage fright he hadn''t felt since high school.¡°Uh¡­¡± Ihra stepped forward, inclining her head to the left in a gesture of respect.¡°What do you already know about the threat, sirs?¡± The magister smiled.¡°Very little.The city lord received a warning from Lady Aphora that the forces of the Als?arratu had left their city and were marching against us, led by the Queen.¡± He tilted his head to the side, scrutinizing her with a curious air as he fingered a large onyx ring on his left hand.¡°I have no doubt that her words are true-¡° he waved his hand towards the group - ¡°hence, the commotion.But, I sense that there is much we have not been told.¡±He leaned forward on his staff, his fingers wrapping so tightly around it that they turned white. Ihra took a half-step back, as the fear of punishment for their role in the event suddenly became very real to her. The magister snorted.¡°I have already deduced, lass, that the disaster marching against us has something to do with your quest for Lady Aphora.We¡¯ve already questioned the members of our expedition who escaped, and they did nothing out of the ordinary.¡± The magister¡¯s hands relaxed as he released the death grip with which he clutched the staff.His face softened, and he spoke again in a soothing tone.¡°Listen, lassie, there¡¯s no need for you or your partner to fear.Lady Aphora is a power beyond any of us, even far beyond me.¡± A rueful chuckle, bereft of any true mirth, escaped his lips.¡°If I tried to punish her for her role in whatever happened, she¡¯d bend me over the knee like a petulant toddler.Rest assured: there is nothing you could have done that she did not allow, nor is there any desire of hers that you could have thwarted.The responsibility for what happened lays at her feet, and hers alone, not yours. The empire may see fit to punish her - I hope they do - but right now, we''re just looking to survive.¡± He paused and leaned forward again, the light gleaming in his eyes.¡°So don''t hold back - I need to know exactly what happened.Any details you can recall could prove to be crucial.¡± All Along the Wall Over the next few hours, they poured out the story of their trip to Als?arratu. barrage of questions that came their way was a painful reminder of the aftermath of the ill-fated expedition to Yarr-Khennor. But unlike the last time, the questions, while probing, weren''t pointed. It had been nearly two days since they had slept, and as the interrogation dragged on, Jasper struggled to remain awake.Finally, Magister Mazor, noticing him swaying on his feet, took pity on them and let them go.¡°The enemy will be here soon enough, and we¡¯ll need you for the walls.Go, sleep for a few hours.Someone will fetch you when it¡¯s time.¡± Jasper stumbled through the streets of the village, barely aware of his surroundings.Letting himself into their cottage, he didn¡¯t even make it to the bed, but settled for the rich velvet sofa, nestling his face into the plush cushions before drifting off to sleep. He could have sworn only a few seconds had passed when he stirred at the sound of vigorous pounding on the door. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he flung the door open. A man in a guild uniform stood at the door. He frowned as he took in Jasper''s sleepy eyes and tousled hair.¡°You¡¯re not in armor yet?Get dressed, quickly.The army has been spotted from the city walls.¡± he retrieved their armor and weapons, and the two hastily fumbled with their gear, while the man stood in the door, tapping his foot impatiently. When the last buckle on his armor was fastened, the man tossed something at Jasper.¡°Catch.¡± Caught by surprise, he barely managed to snag the wrapped object out of the air.Pulling back the wrappings, he revealed a small short sword.¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±He held the sword up in the air, giving it a test swing. The man nodded at the glaive leaning against the couch. ¡°Your backup weapon is a glaive, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.Is that a problem?¡± ¡°You''re not going to have a lot of room on the walls to swing that thing around.Hopefully, you won''t even have to fight, but if you do, you''ll thank me for the sword.¡± The man pulled a list out of his pocket and ran his finger down the page until he came to a stop.¡°Alright - it looks like you have been assigned to the southern gate.Report to Captain Aniya as soon as possible.¡± Jasper and Ihra followed him out the door, but he came to an abrupt stop as a welcome sight met his eyes. There, safely nestled in the small stables attached to the cottage, was Dapplegrim, her face firmly ensconced in a trough of oats.He ran over to greet the small horse, fishing in his satchel for a cube of sugar. The attendant cleared his throat.¡°Ahem.Do you know the meaning of asap, guilder?And, unless your class requires a mount, leave the horse behind.As I said before, the walls will be crowded.¡± Jasper blushed, and patted the horse gently, slipping it a sugar cube.¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± he whispered. Reluctantly, he headed out the cottage gate and started running down the street towards the Sanctum''s entrance.Ihra kept pace beside him, effortlessly matching his strides, as she slowly drew ahead of him.He watched her lithe form, sleek muscles undulating beneath the surface as her glossy flaxen hair bounced off her shoulders, and once again, his eyes were drawn to the nascent antlers. Those are definitely new. Fortunately, despite the city''s vast size, the gate they had been assigned to was fairly close to the guild hall.They made fast progress down the streets, still utterly bereft of life, as they followed the wide curving road that circumscribed the city. Within twenty minutes, he caught sight of the southern gate ahead. A few guards manned a small barricade that faced into the city, perhaps designed to prevent foolish citizens from trying to escape.The guards tensed slightly when Jasper and Ihra came into view, the two running at a good clip toward the gate, but their shoulders eased when they spied the bright blue guild uniform peaking out from beneath their armor. ¡°Reinforcements?¡±they called. ¡°Yes, sir.We''re supposed to report to a Captain Aniya?¡± One of the guards waved them through, jerking his head back over his shoulder in the direction of the gate.¡°She¡¯s up on the wall.There''s a staircase in the left tower that will take you to the top.¡±The two thanked him and headed to the tower. As Jasper trudged up the slender spiral staircase that rose to the top, occasionally getting glimpses of the outside through the narrow slits cut into the wall reminded, Jasper found his thoughts drifting back to a family vacation long ago, of the cramped and narrow staircase of a lighthouse they had climbed.Back then, by the time he had reached the top, his legs and lungs had been burning, but now he dashed up the steps with an effortless ease he could never have dreamed of.Am I even the same person? But he had no time to dwell on his doubts, as they crested the top of the staircase.The walls were lined with a mix of soldiers, guilders, and citizens, standing shoulder to shoulder behind the crenellation.The motley crew struck Jasper as rather unprofessional, used to seeing the standardized gear and uniforms of modern militaries, and he wondered if they could really be effective.Last I checked, the soldiers back home weren''t actually supersoldiers. He eyed one of the closet recruits, a somewhat portly citizen, whose chubby jowls shook with more than a little bit of fear. But the man picked up a massive crate of ammo - far too heavy for even the strongest back on earth to lift - and ported it down the wall without even a stagger to his step. A yell broke through his trance and Jasper turned to see the woman who had been fighting with the man - Elle?s?u? - back at the guild. They trotted over to her.¡°Captain Aniya?¡± The captain was an Amazon of a woman, with muscles that put even his system-granted biceps to shame, and as Jasper stopped in front of her, he was surprised to realize he was looking up at her. She wasted no time getting to the point.¡°Have either of you ever been in organized combat - not a battle against a monster, but war?¡± They shook their heads. ¡°Then listen closely.I do not want to see any heroics from you on the wall.Stay in line beside your fellow soldiers.Do not step back and leave a gap for the enemies to fill.If one of your fellow combatants falls off the wall, do not try to rescue them.Your job is to defend your tiny portion of the wall at all costs - nothing more.Understand?¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± She looked at Jasper more closely, and he could see the exhaustion in her eyes.¡°You¡¯re a mage, right?¡± She frowned.¡°You really shouldn¡¯t be on the front lines at all. But¡­¡± she gestured at the motley crew of fighters around her ¡°my objections were overruled, and the bulk of our forces was sent to the north gate.I simply don¡¯t have enough warm bodies here for you to remain behind the lines.If we get attacked, don¡¯t waste your magic on the horde.The twenty or so fireballs, or whatever spell it is you know, that you could cast before running out of essence would barely make a dent on the enemy.Save your spells - only use them when it can make the difference between life and death for yourself, okay?¡± Jasper saluted, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± She looked at him oddly, and Jasper cringed as the realization struck him. They probably don''t salute here. Dismissing him with a slight shake of her aide, she summoned her aide.¡°Take them to their stations.¡± Jasper and Ihra were led to a spot on the wall far from the shadow of the tower.Jasper heaved a sigh of relief when they were stationed together, and they silently slipped into their spots. The minutes soon slipped into hours as the wait grew agonizing, and the sun beat down on their heads relentlessly.Shortly after taking up their positions, the great horn of the city had blared, and a messenger ran along the walls declaring that the north gate was under attack.Jasper had relaxed a bit at the news - thank Selene - but Captain Aniya had sent another messenger commanding them to remain vigilant. Thus the awkward waiting continued - coughing, quiet conversation, the shuffling of feet as the fighters tried to relieve the pressure of standing still for hours.But above all, was the sense of paranoia, which only grew as the dusk slowly gathered. any moment the enemy would emerge through the twisted boughs. A faint vibration ran through his body.The tremors were so light that he dismissed it as nothing more than the shaking of his tired limbs. What I wouldn''t give for a chair.But then cries of alarm broke out along the walls.¡°Enemies approaching.¡± Suddenly fully alert, Jasper leaned over the edge of the walls, straining his eyes as he tried to pierce through the shadowed trees. He futilely searched but saw nothing.Giving in, he turned to Ihra.¡°You see anything?¡± She didn''t answer at first, but after scanning the night sky, slowly shook her head.¡°Not yet.¡± He breathed a sigh of relief, but a few minutes later, he winced as she elbowed him in the ribs. He followed her finger, as she pointed to something in the gathering gloom.¡°There.¡± He saw nothing but trees, but he believed her.¡°How many?¡± he asked in a subdued tone. She turned to him, her eyes wide with fear.¡°It looks like the whole army.¡±
Elle?s?u batted down another wraith with a lazy flick of his arm.He frowned as he looked out into the shadowed forests below.A steady stream of the accursed wraiths and wights pounded against the wall, enough to keep his soldiers busy, but the fight was going far too well.Lady Aphora had warned them that this force was a serious threat to the survival of the city, but as far he was concerned, this was little more than target practice.Was the real army still hiding in the forest?Was the queen just probing his defenses? Then the city horn blared.He waited, counting the blasts. One. Two. Three. Silence. Damn it.Elle?s?u whirled into action.¡°The south gate is under attack.Send reinforcements immediately.¡± He turned to his second in command.¡°Jahdiel, take the lead.¡±Without waiting for a reply, he leapt off the walls.He landed with a boom, the pavement cracking beneath his weight, and he cursed as he noticed it. Lord Tzur''s not going to be happy. He shrugged. Screw him. glance over his shoulder and saw the reinforcements just starting to stream down from the walls.They''re not going to make it on time, he realized.Making a snap decision, the seasoned captain charged down the street, his feet flying across the pavement as fast as a gazelle, as he tore through the city toward the southern towers.¡°Aniya¡¯s going to have my head for this,¡± he muttered.If she survives.He refused to acknowledge the thought and redoubled his pace.Hold on Aniya, I¡¯m coming.
Jasper ducked beneath the swiping claw of a wight, and stabbed his right hand up.The short sword easily pierced through the wight¡¯s throat but came to a halt against its vertebrae.The wight sagged on top of him as he vainly tried to pull it free.Damn it.It¡¯s stuck in the bone.He braced a leg against the body and pulled.His eyes widened as another wight crawled over the parapet and leapt at him.He let go of the sword, falling backward.As the wight soared over him, a pillar of flames erupted from Jasper¡¯s hand, scorching it.With a scream, the now-burning wight fell over the wall, plummeting to its death in the streets below.With another kick at the now dead monster, he managed to free the sword and scrambled back into his place along the wall just in time to smash his sword into the grinning face of a wraith. He had no sense of time in the battle.There was no time to think, only pure animal reaction as they desperately held off the endless swarm. They were losing. The line on the wall had grown thin.At the start, he had stood almost shoulder to shoulder with Ihra, but now he had more than enough space to use his glaive, if only he had brought it.Jasper danced back and forth across the wall, furiously slashing at any wayward hand or head that breached the top, but it was a losing battle.There were just too many. He glanced back over his shoulder, and saw three wraiths pulling themselves over the edge twenty feet away.here was no way he could get reach them in time, he reached for his magic, and cast Sacred Star.He almost fell to his knees as a piercing pain split his head - his essence already having dropped to dangerously low levels - but he forced himself to watch through the pain.The five small balls of fire crossed the space in an instant.Two peeled off at the last second, dipping below the wall as they sought targets in the swarming horde below.But the other three smashed into their intended targets.A shower of burning guts exploded along the wall and a splatter of blood splashed across his face.He was too tired to care. He took a weary step forward, back to his place on the wall, but screamed as claws raked across his back.Whirling around, a metallic ring struck his ear as his sword blocked the downward blow of a mace. A jolt of pain shot up his arm, the jarring impact almost causing him to drop his sword, but he somehow held on.Damn it.One of the armored ones.He leapt back just a moment before the wight swung the mace straight through the space he had been standing.Ignoring the throbbing in his head, he cast Fiery Shackles.The wight shrieked in anger as the burning claws wrapped around its legs.Ducking under another wild swing of the mace, he stabbed the sword through its eye.After a moment of twitching, the mace clanged uselessly on the ground.Jasper had no time to savor his victory, as he wearily slashed at a hand grabbing the top of the parapet. Slash.Duck.Stab.Sacred Star. This time the pain was too much to bear, and he fell to his knees.Screams ripped through the air, and through his mental haze, he finally realized they were his own.He went flying backward as a wight kicked him.He landed on the wall, his hand smashing into the pavement, as his sword spun out of reach.The wight charged toward him, only to be stopped a second later as an arrow sprouted through its throat.Thanks, Ihra.Scrambling backward, Jasper managed to snag hold of his sword and, with a savage swing, smashed it through the teeth of a wight clambering over the parapet.It fell backward, screaming as it plummeted into the rampaging horde below. Fighting for breath, he grabbed hold of the wall.A glance showed the simple truth.The wall was lost.Besides himself and Ihra, only a handful of the defenders for their section still stood, and already more than a dozen of the creatures were pulling themselves over the wall.He sagged against the bloodied stone, unsure what to do next.Should he try to fight his way to the tower, where he could still see Captain Aniya''s flag fluttering in the wind, or try to flee to the Sanctum? But he had no time to decide. His blood ran cold as an overwhelming pressure manifested behind him.What now? The Sea of Oblivion He turned around slowly, trying to summon the last dregs of his strength to face whatever monster lurked behind him. But a wave of relief washed over him when he saw only Aphora. She floated in the air a few feet above the wall, a strange sense of power emanating out from here.The wounds on her body were partially healed, although he could still see crisscrossing scars marring her skin wherever it peaked out from the shining silver gown she wore.Her stately antlers glowed, brighter and brighter, until, with a scream, she threw her hands forward.Hundreds of thin, silver threads peeled off of her dress, leaving her bare. The threads shot through the air, razor-sharp blades that effortlessly sliced through the monsters storming the battlements. second later, the wall fell silent. The horde below shrunk back, unwilling to clamber up the walls and face the new foe. Aphora drifted down, coming to land on the wall.Jasper watched in befuddled amazement, his head still throbbing from essence starvation.She walked over to him and placed her hand on his head.He gasped in delight as unexpected pleasure flowed through him. She pumped pure essence into his mana-starved body, and as it flooded his veins, his mental haze lifted, and the pain receded away.¡°You came.¡± A bitter smile flitted across her lips.¡°I came.¡±Aphora peered over the walls, at the horde gathered below, while the silver strands of her dress skewered any brave souls that still dared to climb up.¡°How could I stand by?happen, but I''ll will do what it takes to put an end to it.¡± Her voice lowered, and he realized she was speaking to herself, not him.¡°I have to try.Even if it means killing my mother.¡± The elf lifted her hand off his head, and Jasper straightened up.The wounds on his body still remained, but he could feel the essence surging through him like never before.Ihra had joined them, and Aphora turned to restore her essence.Aphora¡¯s eyes fell on the little nubs on Ihra¡¯s head, and she gave her a searching look, but asked no questions.Once the elf had finished restoring the handful of soldiers left on the wall, Aphora floated back up into the air. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?!¡± Jasper took a glance back over the wall, where thousands of the monsters still waited, only holding back from fear of her silver tendrils. ¡°I have to go relieve the other sections along the wall, or our efforts will be in vain.Reinforcements from the northern gate are on their way.You just need to hold out for a few more minutes.¡±Her eyes fell on Jasper.¡°Don¡¯t hold back on your magic, okay?Either you can hold the wall for seven or eight minutes, or it will fall.¡±A spark of humor lit her eyes.¡°I¡¯ve overcharged your essence, though, so I think you¡¯ll find yourself up to the task. With her barrier of silver threads lifted, Jasper had no time to watch Aphora fly away as he and Ihra bore the full brunt of the renewed attack against the wall.Jasper had always felt that he had a decent pool of essence, but the difference was palpable.If what he had normally was a pleasant pond, that power that thrummed through his veins now was a goddamned ocean.¡°Ihra, stay close to me,¡± he yelled.¡°I don¡¯t want to risk hitting you with Sacred Star.¡± She stepped closer to him, and he unleashed a barrage against the swarming foes.The night turned to day as the wall shook beneath the wave of explosions.Jasper cast Sacred Star in quick succession, flinging the spell at the slightest sign of movement.Power surged through his veins, wiping away the exhaustion from the last few days.As a Sacred Star caught a wraith in the head, exploding it in a shower of gore, he cackled with glee.This is awesome. For the next few minutes, the handful of soldiers held the line, mostly thanks to the constant flow of magic he cast.The essence Aphora had filled him with seemed an endless stream of power.He laughed in glee as he blasted another monster off the wall, but he knew this wasn''t enough.Why should I simply keep the enemy off the wall?I can do more; I can push the army back, into Als?arratu.eapt on top of the wall and roared a challenge to the swarming horde.Large spectral wings floated behind him, shadowed leathery wings that were covered in hundreds of razor-sharp black feathers, which sliced through any that came into contact with it. Pure instinct driving him now, he summoned the spell.Devouring Breath. He breathed in. Streams of essence flowed into him from the hundreds gathered around.Pure ecstasy flooded his veins as their power rushed into him.All caution flung aside, Jasper reached for more, straining to drain the last dregs of life from his foes.I am a god, he reveled. A moment later, his head rolled across the rampart.
It wandered across the frozen plains aimlessly, unaware of the deep cold that pervaded all around it. The only thing the creature knows was an eternal hunger that gnawed at its stomach, a hunger for something more than mere food.The mindless beast roamed the icy sands of the beach, futilely searching for that something that was missing. Whenever the rare wave lapped against the shores, it nervously skittered far out of its reach, a deep primal fear warning the beast that there was only death in those waters.Time flowed strangely by the banks of the sunless sea, and none could measure how long the wretched creature roamed the dunes in its fruitless search. Then something changed.One day the creature sensed the barest hint of a flicker, somewhere deep inland, but it recognized it immediately: it was the telltale pulse of the food it craved.The beast left the shores, the only home it could remember, to transverse the frozen bogs in search of the source, until it found it.The fire. The creature shivered as the fog slowly lifted from its mind.Its body felt like it had been carved from a solid sheet of ice, and try as it might, it could not feel its toes or fingers move.It inched closer to the fire, drinking in its warmth.It fell asleep, curled up just out of reach of the flames. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
When Jasper awoke, he saw a campfire merrily burning. The skies above were dark and starless, and sitting on the other side of the fire, he could see a woman illuminated by the flickering flames.Ihra? His mind felt slow and groggy, and when he pushed himself off the ground, his body was weak and unresponsive.What the hell? Where am I? The battle-As he stared up at the sky, bereft of all stars and moon, the realization finally sunk into him.I¡¯m in the void.What happened to me? He searched his mind but could remember nothing beyond leaping onto the rampart and draining his foes.He remembered his vainglorious last thought and blushed. "I am a god." What was I thinking? His mortified reflections were interrupted by a voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come sit by me?¡± Jasper started as the silence of the void was shattered.He turned to face the woman, his mind refusing to accept the evidence of his ears.Kas?dael spoke?! Catching himself before he said something stupid, he bowed.¡°Lady Kas?dael.¡± She scooched over slightly on her bench, leaving him a place to sit.Still half-dazed, he cautiously approached her, gingerly sitting down. She cocked her head to look at him, but didn¡¯t immediately speak, apparently content to simply stare at the flames.The silence stretched uncomfortably until he could stand it no longer.¡°Am I dead?¡± She turned to him, the faintest hint of a smile lurking at the corners of her lips. ¡°That depends on how one understands the meaning of death.Your body, back in Corsythia, is dead.But aren''t you here with me, sitting beside the fire?Do you feel dead?¡± He paused, uncertain.As the fire warmed his body, feeling slowly returned to his limbs, and his mind felt clear and free again.If she hadn¡¯t told him his body was dead, would he have known?He didn¡¯t think so. ¡°No?¡± She smiled.¡°And so it is.¡± She rolled her dice back and forth between her fingers before continuing.¡°The better answer is that there are two deaths.One is the death you have suffered.Your body received mortal damage, but your soul survived reasonably intact.That is a death you can return from.¡± ¡°The other is true death, when your soul sinks beneath the Sea of Oblivion, never to rise again until the universe is renewed.Fortunately, even in your mindless state, you were careful to avoid the waters of death.¡± Jasper shuddered as dim memories of wandering a frozen shore flooded his mind.¡°Wait.Was that-¡± his words trailed off into almost a whisper ¡°- was that the Sea of Oblivion?¡± She nodded.¡°Indeed.I placed a seal upon you back before the Tower of Ysagil, so that even in your mindless state you''d know to stay clear of the waters." I¡¯d prefer not to lose you just yet.¡± ¡°So, what now?Can I go back?¡±His mind raced as the memory of the battle surged to the forefront.¡°Ihra, the city - did they survive?¡± Kas?dael pursed her lips.¡°I cannot tell you what happened after you died.It is forbidden.But yes, it is my plan for you to return to Corsythia, so long as you pay my price.¡± Worry gripped his heart.He was familiar with the concept of death penalties, but there was a big difference between a game and the real world.He had no idea what to expect from her.¡°And your price is?¡± ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re here, Jasper?¡± He paused, surprised by her apparent change of topic.The question had haunted him since he arrived, but he had reached few answers that seemed appropriately tactful to tell a goddess who literally held his life in her hands. Because you kidnapped me and stole my life, you thieving harpy just didn''t seem like a wise response.¡°Uh, a mistake?¡± She laughed.¡°People don¡¯t cross universes by mistake, Jasper, but you misunderstood the question.I wasn¡¯t asking why you¡¯re here in Corsythia - you¡¯d have to ask the ones who brought you here.I¡¯m asking why you¡¯re here with me.¡± Her question fell on deaf hears, as he honed in on what she''d said. ¡°What a minute - the ones who brought me here. Didn¡¯t you bring me here?¡± She shook her head.¡°No, but that is a discussion for another time. Focus, Jasper.¡± He sighed and pondered her question.What does she want of me?His thoughts turned towards the inquisitor skills that kept being pushed on him.Is that it?Am I being forced down that path? ¡°To be an inquisitor?¡± Kas?dael winced.¡°A crude answer, but I suppose it strikes close enough to the truth of the matter.The universe is dying, far faster than it should.The fires of creation have been expended at a truly prodigious rate, and the balance of power has been disturbed.The empire is desperate, pushed to the edge by invaders as the magic they need to defend themselves slips through their fingers.Is it any wonder that the cults are returning?¡± ¡°You are here because I need someone to apply pressure to the right places at the right times.Sometimes you¡¯ll hunt cultists, sometimes you¡¯ll aid the war effort, much of the time you''ll do whatever you want.¡± She turned to him, her blue eyes shining so bright that his eyes, accustomed to the eternal night of the void, ached at the unexpected light.¡°The price of resurrection is simple.Accept the inquisitor subclass, and help me prevent the universe from spiraling into an early death.¡± Jasper¡¯s mind reeled at her offer, at last landing on the least notable thing she said.¡°Subclass?There are subclasses?¡± She nodded.¡°They are a well-kept secret, but, yes, subclasses exist.Most promising individuals eventually find their way into earning one.¡± He frowned as he pondered her offer.He thought of the hordes of undead swarming the city of Gis?-Izum, the Tanin and Atrometos lurking in the depths of Yar-Khennor, the Whispers.His mind turned to the memory of little Aryah and Kefir hiding behind the skirts of their mother, their parents ready to feast on their flesh.Maybe this world needs Inquisitors after all. But he still didn¡¯t understand her motives.¡°Why do you even care?Don¡¯t you get stronger as the world dies?¡± Clouds of anger darkened her face.¡°Do you understand my fate, Jasper of Earth?It is my fate to live as the world dies and die when it is reborn. Over. And over. And over again. I am tired of the cycle. Most who choose to follow me are the sort of people that wish to end the world and think, that by doing so, they are serving me. That is the last thing I want at this point. The death of the universe only hastens my own death, and I am in no mood to dig my own grave to resurrect the Progenitor from his.¡± She spat on the ground, fury burning in her eyes. After a few, long moments of silence, Kas?dael extended her hand stiffly toward him.¡°It is time to decide, Jasper.Will you live, and serve me, or will you swim in the Sea of Oblivion?¡± The Quickening He stared at her hand dully, before finally, begrudgingly, reaching out.It¡¯s not like I really have a choice.The interface promptly sprang up before him.
Jasper Welles (52) Level up available: x7 Exp: 575/3000 Health 1200 Stamina 1720 Essence 2040 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Class(es) Acolyte of the Secret Flame Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 40 Uplifted Purge Sling V
Vision 20 Locked Eternal Night II Glaive V
Inspiration 53 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 53 Seraph Burst
Charisma 20 Heart Stopper (Undead)
He had picked up a few new levels but decided to scan through the class description for the Inquisitor-type class first.
Hand of Kas?dael (Subclass) Level 1 Chosen to carry out the will of Kas?dael, her Hand wields the scourge of despair and the purging fire against her enemies.As a divinely granted subclass, the class only levels by completing missions for the goddess or slaying the wicked. As an Inquisitor-type class, you gain 50% resistance to fire damage and inquisitor spells deal 50% more fire damage to the wicked.
He frowned when he saw ¡°level 1¡± below the class.Leveling up an entire other class sounded like a pain; on the other hand, if he still gained stat points from the new class, it could end up a significant power boost. The rather vague description didn¡¯t tell him anything new, but his pulse quickened in excitement as he realized he had gained three new spells.
The Scales of Justice 100 essence per minute As long as the spell is active, draw upon divine wisdom to discern between the truth and lies.Let none deceive you.
Scourge of Despair 300 essence Remind your foes of their sins.Lash out with a holy flail.If attack comes into contact with a foe, the spell summons three ghosts for 15 seconds.
Hand of Judgment 3000 Essence Once per month, the Hand of Kas?dael may summon an Ophan of Kas?dael to his aid.Summon lasts until either it or the foe is defeated.
The Scales of Justice was, to be honest, not especially exciting, but he wasn¡¯t blind to its usefulness.Utility spells had their place, and he supposed the job of an inquisitor probably involved, at least in part, some detective work, so he couldn¡¯t complain. Scourge of Despair, on the other hand, was just downright cool.Summoning three ghosts to attack his enemies?Hell, yeah. But it was the third entry that drew his attention.At a cost of 3000 essence, he couldn¡¯t even cast it yet, but between the high cost and its limited usage, Jasper figured it had to be an impressive spell.He didn¡¯t know what an Ophan was, but, hopefully, it was appropriately badass. He still had seven levels worth of points to assign.Jasper did some quick math in his head.If he dumped all twenty-one points into willpower and inspiration he¡¯d still¡­come up short.Damn it.I¡¯d be at 2880 essence, still not enough to cast the Hand of Judgment.He hesitated.With one more level, he''d have enough stat points to get him up to 3000 essence, which was extremely tempting. But if he cast the spell when he only had 3000 essence total, he would be left completely vulnerable afterward.I¡¯m going to need a lot more than 3000 before I can really use this spell, he glumly admitted to himself. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. In the end, he decided to split the points evenly between willpower, inspiration, and endurance.As he drew closer to the class change at level 100, he didn¡¯t want to let endurance lag too far behind - he would almost certainly pick up some stamina-based spells then. Jasper scanned his new abilities one last time.
Jasper Welles Exp: 575/3000 Health 1340 Stamina 2140 Essence 2600 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Level: 59 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 1 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Born of Flames Sacred Star II Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 47 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 Locked Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive V
Inspiration 60 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 60 Seraph Burst
Charisma 20 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Not too bad for a few months, he mused.He closed the interface reluctantly, not quite ready to face what he knew was coming.But as he turned away, a new notification popped up.
Resonance Detected
A resonance has been detected between the racial trait Born of Flames, and the classes Acolyte of the Secret Flame and Hand of Kas?dael.As the combined fire resistance has exceeded 100%, the racial trait has been upgraded. Born of Flames ¡ú Scion of Flame The Great Djinn were birthed in the fires of creation, but you have exceeded your kin.Refined by the Progenitor¡¯s flames, you possess full immunity from fire damage and a 20% bonus to fire attacks.
Jasper barely had time to finish reading the update when he felt something slip - no, drip - off his arm onto the ground.He stared in confusion at the strange blob on the ground.What the hell?Another blob slithered down his body, splattering on the ground beside the first, and he realized it was coming from him.As he turned his horrified eyes onto his body, more skin sloughed off his arm.He screamed as his skin partially liquefied and rained of his body until, at last, he was completely denuded.He stood in front of the fire, trembling, a quivering mass of muscles and nerves, his eyes wide with terror. And then the skin grew back.There had been a curious absence of pain when his skin sloughed off, but as it regrew, pain ripped through his body as the nerves were reconnected. He fell to his knees, panting, digging his fingers deep into the dirt.When the pain finally subsided, he held a shaking hand up, examining his new flesh in the flickering light of the fire. He gently ran a finger along the edge of his hand, expecting the skin to be still raw and sensitive, but no tingles of pain ran down his arm.The skin felt a bit leathery, definitely not as soft and supple as before, but he barely noticed that change as he fixated on another: his new skin had a light reddish hue to it.Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t a gaudy red, like you¡¯d see in an illustration of a demon from medieval times, but more like he had gotten a light sunburn everywhere.Even down there, he realized. He shuddered a little at the thought of being perpetually red, but he remembered what the prompt had said. Full fire immunity. His eyes were irresistibly drawn to the fire.After a moment''s hesitation, Jasper thrust his hand forward, plunging into the flames before he had time to talk himself out of it.Might as well test it out.A gentle warmth spread through his hand, but no pain followed in its wake.When he withdrew his hand he saw that it remained wholly unblemished. ¡°Are you done playing?¡± Kas?dael¡¯s words startled him.Dropping his hand back in his lap, Jasper turned back to her.¡°Is my, uh,¡± he rubbed the palm of his hand vigorously, as if he could scrub the color off, ¡°is my skin stuck like this?¡± She nodded her head.¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a permanent change, but don¡¯t worry.Once this Als?arratu debacle has been concluded, I plan to send you south into the Harei Miqlat.Your skin won¡¯t seem unusual at all there as most Djinn eventually reach fire immunity.¡± A flicker of amusement flashed through her eyes.¡°In fact, I think you¡¯ll find that it makes you rather fetching in the eyes of their maidens.It is rare for someone as young as you to have already reached fire immunity and, as they say, power attracts.¡± He opened his mouth, another question on the tip of his tongue, but she shook her head.¡°I know you have many questions, but now is not the time to tarry.The world outside marches on without you; it is time to return to your body.Deal with the queen, and when she is dead, visit me before you enter the mountains.¡± There was a tone to her words that brooked no dissent, and he swallowed his questions reluctantly. Kas?dael extended her arm to him.He flinched, knowing what was coming. The fear of pain overwhelming her commanding tone, Jasper decided to press the issue.¡°May I ask one last question?¡±Jasper hurried on, not giving her time to say no.¡°Why the heart?¡± She hesitated for a moment, and he feared she would not reply.But, after a pause, she spoke.¡°You can thank whoever originally summoned you for that.When a bond is formed between a deity and their follower, a bond mark is established. Usually, the mark is placed on the hands or head, although, some of the more ''lusty'' deities place them," she paused, smirking, "well, you can guess where.But when I snatched you away from them, you already had an incomplete bond mark on your heart. Once a bond mark has been established, a second can''t be placed, so I was forced to use it.¡± Kas?dael shrugged her shoulders.¡°Perhaps its placement on your heart was a mistake, perhaps there was a more sinister intention behind the placement, but either way it is most unfortunate for you.¡± She beckoned him over.¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you know what must happen.¡± Closing his eyes, he grabbed her hand.
He awoke with a scream.Soft pillows cushioned his form, and his arms were cradled in a plush, velvety covering.He was in bed. Jasper¡¯s eyes swept across the room, taking in the soft sunlight that filtered through the open windows.A gust of cool air blew through the window, gently kissing his cheek as a lark sang outside.I¡¯m in the Sanctum, he realized. He dragged himself out of bed and stumbled out into the common area.¡°Hello?¡± The house was silent, and he found himself grabbing hold of the couch for dear life as his legs buckled beneath him.With shaky arms, he pulled himself onto the couch.What the hell is wrong with me?As he asked the question, he remembered Rashpa¡¯s wan face after her resurrection.Oh, yeah.Probably not really supposed to be walking around much yet. He sat there for a time, mustering his strength.The house was empty, but from the peaceful sounds outside the cottage, it was clear that the Sanctum, at least, was still secure.Did the city hold?He winced as he remembered his foolish actions at the wall.What was I thinking?¡®I am a god?¡¯He flushed with embarrassment.More like an idiot. Feeling a bit of his strength return, he scooched along the couch towards the wall.Supporting himself on the couch, he lurched over to the wall, pressing the panel to call the guild.¡°Hello?Is anyone there?¡± The room fell silent.He pressed the button again.¡°Hello?¡± A moment later, it flared to life.¡°Sorry, operations are a bit of a mess right now.May I ask who¡¯s calling?¡± His throat itched as he spoke his name.¡°Jasper.Jasper Welles.¡± There was a momentary pause, before the operator started talking excitedly.¡°Jasper Welles - our records indicate you were deceased.I take it you were resurrected then?¡± Jasper stared dumbly.¡°Uh, I¡¯m talking to you, aren¡¯t I?¡± The operator ignored his snide words.¡°Guilder Welles, please remain in your cottage.Resurrection is a taxing process, and there¡¯s no need for you to overexert yourself.I¡¯ll be sure to notify your partner as quickly as possible of your return.¡± Jasper sighed in relief.¡°So she¡¯s alive - thank Selene.Does the city still stand?¡± A few moments ticked by in silence before the operator replied.¡°I¡¯m sorry Guilder Welles but I don¡¯t have time to fill you in on the situation right now. Your partner will join you as soon as possible and can give you the details.For now, you should lie down and rest.¡±The speaker fell silent, and Jasper turned away. The couched beckoned to him like a long-lost lover, but he ignored its embrace.He slowly dragged himself through the room, stopping often to gather his strength.Eventually, he reached his goal, the bathroom.The face of a stranger stared back at him.His skin still glowed a light red, but his cheeks were drawn and haggard.Deep bags lay under his eyes, and a weariness born of more than just exhaustion haunted them. But his eyes quickly passed over those details, zeroing in on another.A large scar ran across the middle of his neck.What the hell?He probed the lumpy skin, following it around the back.The scar goes around my entire neck.What happened to me?He eyed the scar with distaste, but there was little to be done about it now.Maybe a healer could fix it. Finally satisfied, he dragged himself back to bed and lay down to wait on Ihra''s return. He felt his eyelids begin to droop, and he tried to force them open. Got to stay awake. He succumbed to sleep instantly. Ihra Jasper awoke when he was seized in an enthusiastic embrace.Long blonde hair draped over his face, and he coughed as he breathed in a few strands of hair. ¡°You¡¯re alive.You really came back.¡±Ihra drew back, and despite the joy in her face, Jasper noticed a momentary tremble in her lower lip, as she mumbled,¡°Why couldn¡¯t they come back.¡±He winced, remembering what she told him of her family.But she pushed the thoughts away as she bounded up from the bed, the smile already back on her face. ¡°So what happened?Did the city survive?How long have I been dead?¡±Jasper peppered with all the questions that had been eating away at him. Sitting at the edge of the bed, she ticked off his answers.¡°Four days, yes, and that¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°Four days?!¡±His hands shook as he took the news in, and he absentmindedly rubbed the new scar on his neck.I¡¯ve been dead for four days? She waited patiently as he composed himself, brushing her hair back behind her ears.The nubs on her head had grown just a little bit longer, and her ears seemed a touch pointier than before.At last, he shook his head.¡°Alright, so long story short, what happened?¡±
Ihra watched in horror as her partner¡¯s head fell on the wall, joined moments later by his headless torso.¡°Jaaasper!¡± A wight stood above him, its back to her, with a crescent sword raised high above its head.The silver sword shone in the pale moonlight, and a thin cloud of icy vapors rose from its edge.Without thinking, she loosed an arrow at the creature''s head.Even though the wight wasn''t facing her, it somehow sense the incoming projectile and, with a deft flick of its sword, deflected the arrow into the wall. The arrow plowed deep into the stone battlement, quivering as it finally came to a halt. Not stopping to breathe, Ihra grabbed another arrow from her quiver and aimed at the wight.At the last moment, she diverted its course, plunging into the head of a wight clambering over the wall a few feet in front of her.esperation flooded her.Damn it.I¡¯m going to be overrun.Her eyes fell on his body.I¡¯ve got to get his body back.It¡¯s his best hope for a resurrection.As the next wight pulled itself up, her arrow burrowed into its chest. It exploded out the back in a shower of gore, narrowly missing its heart, and the wight fell, screaming, back into the embrace of its comrades. Perhaps the scream attracted its attention, for the tall wight holding the frozen sword slowly turned to face her. Her blood ran cold as she saw it clearly for the first time.The creature towered above her, at least eight feet in height.It was almost naked, a tattered silk gown doing little to conceal its voluptuous breasts, but the body was not quite that of an elf. Its legs ended, not in feet, but in the hooves of a deer, and large patches of its body were covered in mangy fur.Two massive antlers swept up from its head, a silver diadem nestled between them. The undead deer lady took a slow step toward Ihra, and she shrank back as a supernatural fear swept through her veins, paralyzing her. Is that the Queen? The creature stared at her for a moment, cocking its head to the side in curiosity.Then it spoke, its voice rumbling like the sound of an avalanche crashing down the mountain slopes, smashing all that stood before it.¡°Why are you fighting me, my child?Come, take your place with us.¡±The creature held out its hand with a welcoming gesture. Ihra shuddered as she looked at the misshapen hand, half-covered in fur thickly matted with blood. She wanted to scream, to cry, to run as far from the creature as she could. Instead, she took a halting half-step forward, her mind in horror screaming as her body betrayed her. One step, then two, as she neared the creature''s outstretched arm. Her hand stretched out towards the creature''s blood-stained mitt.But her progress was stopped when a weight fell on her shoulder.A feeling of warmth surged through her frozen limbs as a torrent of essence raged through her body, lifting whatever hold the creature had on her. Her body her own again, Ihra stepped back hastily, finding herself pressed against her savior. ¡°Leave her alone, mother.¡±There was a caustic bite to her tone as Aphora spat the word out.Her eye fell on the headless corpse of Jasper on the wall.¡°And the boy too.They¡¯re mine.¡± The queen frowned.¡°What¡¯s yours is mine, daughter.Clearly, I¡¯ve been gone for far too long.¡±She stalked forward slowly.¡°I guess you didn''t learn your lesson from the Aoni. Perhaps you¡¯ll learn once I deprive you of your toys.¡± The queen raised the frozen sword in her hand and muttered a word beneath her breath.Time seemed to stand still as Ihra watched the sword morph into a giant spear that shot straight toward her chest.She tried to move, but her limbs betrayed her; she couldn''t move a muscle.Ihra stared helplessly as her death approached her.And then dozens of thin silver strands swarmed around her.With a screech of metal, the spear was pushed off its trajectory, harmlessly slashing through the air. An instant later, she was jolted backward as the strands dragged her fifty feet behind Lady Aphora, who walked forward with a slow, confident gait. ¡°Last time you took me by surprise.I expected my mother¡¯s warm embrace and was met with a half-crazed doe.This time, things will be different.¡± With a wave of her hand, the spear shrank back into the queen¡¯s hand as she glared at her daughter.¡°So be it.¡± She launched a relentless flurry of attacks at Aphora, her weapon rapidly switching back and forth between the spear and sword, striking with a speed so fast that Ihra could not track her movements.But no matter where she struck, she was thwarted by the silver cords that floated around Aphora.The cords wrapped around the weapon, trying to tear it from her grasp, but the ancient queen could not be so easily overpowered. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. After a few seconds of their frenzied battle, the queen roared in frustration.¡°Enough, you troublesome child.¡±She leapt backward along the wall, landing far out of the reach of Aphora¡¯s cords.The queen lifted her hands up as a cold, pale light slowly spread across her body.In a moment she was entirely submerged in an aura of moonlight. The world around her felt heavy and distorted, as if the moon itself had descended upon the wall. Ihra was forced to her knees, as she struggled to keep her head up and watch.The queen''s voice echoed above the din of the battle, garbled and corrupted.¡°I didn¡¯t want to do this, but you have left me no choice.¡± She paused for a moment, and what might have once passed for a smile broke across her face.¡°I must admit, daughter, once you¡¯ve learned your place, you will make an excellent addition to our forces.You are stronger than I could have ever hoped.¡± As the queen spoke, Ihra could see the faintest sheen of silver spreading across Aphora¡¯s skin, covering every inch.She¡¯s drawing on her soul, she realized.Selene grant her strength. The queen slashed out with her sword.Fueled by her soul, the crescent blade stretched across the space between them with the inevitability of an asteroid strike.The air ruptured in its wake with a sonic boom as the blade reached out to consume Aphora. single silver strand. It floated up in front of her, a thin thread against the hungry blade, and the queen smiled in victory. And then the sword shattered.The queen was flung back as shards of metal showered the wall, embedding themselves into the stone.The pale light covering her form was quenched, and she slammed into the ground with an ear-shattering boom. Aphora stared passively at the scene before, and a moment later the queen arose, cradling her right arm. ¡°I am no child, mother.¡±A pleading tone entered her voice.¡°Go home, back to Als?arratu.These people here have done you no harm. Why are you doing this?¡± The queen staggered slightly on her feet, still clutching her arm., she leapt off the wall, landing in the gathered hordes of her army.he din of combat fell silent as the creatures slipped away into the shadowed forests, following their mistress.When the queen had disappeared from sight, Aphora fell to her knees, her wails echoing through the night. Ihra watched in silence, unsure of what to do.Aphora was weeping inconsolably, but Ihra didn¡¯t dare approach the unstable elf.She didn¡¯t think Aphora would try to hurt her but¡­Aphora could probably kill her with a simple backhand.And then she remembered Jasper. His body still lay on the wall, where the queen had slain him. Creeping carefully around Aphora, she approached him.His head had fallen near his torso, and thankfully it had been spared the worst of the damage from the fight.A few shards of metal from the shattered sword had buried themselves into his body.Drawing a knife, she dug them out as carefully as she could.A few treacherous tears burned in her eyes, but she willed them away. ¡°How are you doing, lassie.¡±She looked up to see a captain looming over her shoulder.She recognized him from the guild meeting.What was his name again? ¡°I¡¯m okay, Captain-¡° ¡°Elle?s?u,¡± he provided. ¡°But my friend.¡±Ihra gestured at his head and corpse.She looked up, unable to keep a quiver out of her voice.¡°Will he resurrect?¡± The man shook his head, the memory of past regrets lurking in his tone.¡°I cannot tell you, lassie.Some do, some don¡¯t.¡± "Most don''t," he muttered to himself. Elle?s?u patted her on the shoulder, and she tried not to flinch, not wanting to give offense.If the captain noticed her reaction, he made no mention of it.¡°I recognize the two of you.You¡¯ve helped us out twice now.¡±He paused.¡°Tell you what, I¡¯ll make sure his body gets taken back to the Sanctum.We¡¯ll cast a preservation spell on it.If he comes back, his body will be waiting for him, and he¡¯ll have an easier time of things.And if not, well, you can stay in the cottage till you find a new group.¡± His eyes lost focus as he stared into the forests where the creatures had retreated.Finally, he sighed, turning back to Ihra.¡°I¡¯m sorry, lassie.I got distracted there.I just have this feeling that the crisis is far from over.¡±He patted her on the shoulder again.¡°I¡¯ve got to go now and check on my man, but I¡¯ll make sure someone is sent to take care of your friend.¡±He moved off into the night as Ihra sat frozen beside the body.Please come back. The first rays of dawn were peaking through the trees when a man came for Jasper¡¯s body.She followed him back to the Sanctum, numbness gripping her heart.Although the fighting had ceased, the streets were still empty.Aside from a few scurried glances out the window, she saw no signs of others.They reached the Sanctum without issue, and the man laid Jasper¡¯s body on the bed.A few hours later a mage stopped by the cottage.She used magic to stitch his head back on his body, although a thick scar remained, and cast a preservation spell on him.And then Ihra was left alone. Her solitude did not last long.Unable to bear sharing the house with a silent corpse, she headed out into the village, gathering food for the orphanage.The children were delighted to see her, clinging onto her neck with sticky fingers.When they asked about Jasper, she evaded the question.¡°He¡¯s on a trip, but he¡¯ll hopefully be back soon.¡±Please don''t leave me alone again. When night fell, Ihra couldn¡¯t bring herself to sleep in the cottage, just a few feet away from his dead body.Eventually, she fell asleep in the stable, curled up in the hay. She awoke the next morning to hear a loud banging on the cottage door.A tall man was pounding on the door, his long black hair bouncing on his shoulders with the force of his blows.Clearing her throat with some effort, she spoke.¡°Yes?¡± If the man was surprised to see her stumble out of the stables, straws of hay haphazardly poking out of her hair, he hid it well.The guild attendant gave the faintest hint of a bow before replying.¡°Sorry Miss, uh, Ihra?¡±She nodded.¡°Good.The guild just sent me to check on the situation.I take it your partner hasn¡¯t risen?¡± She started to shake her head, then caught herself.¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know.I slept outside last night.Let me check.¡±Her hand paused at the door, dread rising within her, but she pushed through it. I have to check.He lay on the bed, his position unchanged.She closed the door gently behind her, forcing a sad mockery of a smile on her face.¡°No, he¡¯s still there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss.¡±To his credit, the words seemed sincere.She waited for him to leave, but he lingered at the doorstep. ¡°The guild was wondering if maybe you¡¯d like to take a job?You don¡¯t have to-¡° ¡°Yes,¡± she cut him off. The man paused in surprise.¡°But you don¡¯t even know what the job is.¡± She shook her head firmly.¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.I can¡¯t stay here.¡± Understanding flooded his eyes, and he just nodded.Reaching into his bag, he handed her a slip of paper.¡°The details you need on this.We¡¯re sending out scouts to keep an eye on the Queen¡¯s army.The guild isn¡¯t sure if she¡¯s really given up, and Lady Aphora has locked herself away in her enclave.Until we¡¯re sure the coast is clear, the city remains under lockdown.¡± Ihra scanned the paper idly, the words barely registering in her brain.Folding it up, she nodded.¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± Rose Red Ihra frowned as she scanned the tracks.The trail left behind by the retreating army was not exactly subtle.The vegetation was thoroughly crushed, small trees and shrubs lying on their sides, trampled into the dirt.No, the path was easy enough to follow.The problem was where it led. When she first picked up the trail, it seemed like the queen¡¯s army was heading a bit to the northeast, in the general direction of Als?arratu.But after a few miles, it took a sharp turn to the west.Apprehension rose within her as she ran through the forest.The normally vibrant sounds of the woods were silent, as the critters had hidden away from the undead horde, and she ran ever faster, eager to escape the eery woods. The shadows of the trees had grown long by the time she finally broke free from the woods.In front of her was the imperial road leading west, the road they rode on from Hargish.She hurried down the smooth, paved stones, hoping to see some sign that the queen''s army had left the path and turned back into the wilderness. But she needn¡¯t have bothered.The moon was high in the sky when she reached the village of Khiryat.The cultists¡¯ village.She knew the guild had already dealt with the inhabitants, sparing a few innocent souls, but the smoldering pile of ruins that stretched out before was not the guild¡¯s doing.Almost nothing remained of the buildings, and when she examined the well, testing a drop of it on her skin, the caustic pain that blossomed out told her that the waters had been tainted.She followed the path of the army a little further down the road, before finally turning back. She had seen enough.The army of Als?arratu was marching into the interior of Sapiya.Depending on the path it took, it would either turn south, to attack Ikkarim, or continue straight ahead...to Hargish. When she stumbled through the gates of the Sanctum the next morning, half-dead on her feet from exhaustion, the guild was already in an uproar.The other scouts had returned with similar reports.The army was definitely not heading back to its home, but further west.She ended up passing out on a bench as she waited to hand in her report.When her time came, she was woken up by a familiar face. ¡°Captain Aniya - you survived.¡± ¡°Aye, that I did, although no thanks to Elle?s?u.¡±The gruff lady paused before begrudgingly correcting herself.¡°Well, perhaps a little thanks to Elle?s?u.He did come through with reinforcements.¡±She scanned Ihra quickly.¡°Honestly, lass, the other scouts have already reported.According to them, the queen¡¯s army is heading into central Sapiya.Do you have anything different to add to their reports?If not, you can go to sleep and fill out a proper form later.¡± Ihra shook her head.¡°No?I saw they sacked the village of Khiryat, and it looked like they might be heading in the direction of Hargish.¡± Aniya¡¯s widened.¡°You went as far as Khiryat?No wonder you got back so late.¡±She jotted some notes down on a piece of paper.¡°That¡¯s a bit more than we knew, but it seems to confirm what we already feared.You might as well head back home now.Sleep it off.¡± Ihra shuddered a bit, thinking of the body back in the cottage.¡°Do you know if¡­¡± she trailed off. Aniya¡¯s gaze softened.¡°No lass, we''ve had someone check in on him from time to time; he¡¯s still not woken up.Would you like to sleep here instead?¡± Ihra nodded slowly.¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯d prefer that.¡± A few minutes later, she collapsed in a travel room, the thin cot feeling like the softest bed in the world.he eventually was awoken by the buzz of activity outside her door. meeting hall packed shoulder to shoulder, the hall ringing with the clatter of raised voices and murmured thoughts.The guilders had gathered around the door to the council''s meeting room, and more than a few had their ear pressed up close, or even a spell cast, in an attempt to listen in on the discussion.Ihra squeezed through the crowd and found herself by a small group, who stood at the edges of the assembly.¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The leader of the group, a short man with green eyes and chestnut hair flashed a toothy grin at her.She schooled her expression carefully, as she tried not to shudder at the sight of his razor-sharp teeth. It wasn''t fair to blame someone for being descended from the Fey.¡°The guild council is arguing about what to do now that the queen has left the city.Most think she¡¯s headed for Hargish, so some want to give chase and try to stop the queen before she gets there, but the council is split.¡± The news was mostly what she already knew, but she frowned.¡°Surely Hargish can¡¯t repel the queen¡¯s army like we did?¡± The man hesitated.¡°Truthfully, I¡¯ve never been there.¡±He gestured at his group.¡°We came with a caravan from Qardum, but from what we¡¯ve heard from the rest, you¡¯re probably right.Hargish is supposed to be a lot smaller than Gis?-Izum, and it doesn¡¯t have a Sanctum.If the guild doesn''t stop the army, the city might get destroyed.But, most on the council don''t think that we are strong enough to stop the queen¡¯s army in an open-field battle, without walls to shelter behind.If we try to save Hargish, and our forces end up getting slaughtered, we might just doom both cities.¡± Ihra¡¯s eyes turned to the closed doors.The sound of yelling still trickled through the walls.She didn¡¯t have the fondest memories of Hargish, but it had been her home once.Her nieces and nephews were there, the little orphanage¡­ She kept her eyes glued to the door, biting her lip.Please make the right choice.But she didn¡¯t know what that was. Ihra had been waiting for some hours, long past of actually paying attention to the proceedings, when the sound of her name finally registered in her ears.¡°Ihra?Ihra Aka?mu?¡± She slid along the edges of the crowd, squeezing through more than one party reluctant to move, to reach the attendant. ¡°Yes, that''s me.¡± ¡°Message for you: your partner¡¯s woken up.¡±
¡°So, that¡¯s when I came back here,¡± Ihra finished.She twisted the hem of her shirt nervously between her fingers, as she searched his face, something clearly bothering her.¡°It¡¯s really you?¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Jasper laughed.¡°Who else would it be?¡± He pinched his skin lightly. "Pretty sure I''m awake and in my body." She shook her head.¡°I¡¯ve waited so many times for someone to come back.You¡¯re the first that ever did.I guess¡­I guess I just didn¡¯t really believe you would either.¡±Her eyes fell to her lap.¡°I thought I was alone again.¡± He reached out gently and took her hand. She stiffened slightly, but didn''t pull away.¡°As long as I¡¯m around, you don¡¯t have to be alone.nd I am in no rush to die again.Speaking of,¡± his fingers brushed against the gnarly scar on his throat, ¡°is there anything we can do about this?It¡¯s ruining my ravishingly good looks.¡± He got the laugh out of her that he was fishing for.¡°I think you may just have to live with it for the time being - maybe Aphora could do something about it with her runes? You could always wear a scarf.¡± ¡°Ascot,¡± he corrected, ¡°and frankly I don¡¯t like taking fashion cues from anyone driving around in an old van with a talking dog.¡±He groaned as he saw the look of confusion on her face.¡°One of these days I¡¯m going to have to teach you all about my world so somebody understands my references.¡± They lapsed into silence, and he fell back on his pillow, too exhausted to keep holding himself upright. Resurrection was a really unpleasant process, as it turned out.He noticed she was taking furtive glances at his skin.Finally, she broached the subject.¡°Do you want me to close the window?You¡¯re looking kind of sunburnt. I could run down to the market and get some ointment for you.¡± Jasper sighed, raising his hand into the sunlight.¡°You mean you don¡¯t like my new skin tone?It''s got that warm, healthy glow of a boiling lobster.¡±He let it fall back on the bed.¡°I got an upgrade while I was dead.Pretty cool for the most part, but I guess I¡¯m stuck with the skin.¡± A mortified look spread over her face.¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t realize it was a heritage thing.It was rude to ask.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too bad, is it?¡± She shook her head vigorously, perhaps a bit too vigorously, he mused.¡°No, of course not.It is, how did you put it, a ¡®warm, healthy glow.¡¯¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t being serious¡­¡± he muttered.Despite himself, he laughed.¡°Oh well, I guess we¡¯ll make quite a pair.You as white as snow and me as red as a lobster. Our codenames could be Snow White and Rose Red, just like the fairytales.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that pale!¡± she protested. He snorted.¡°Back in college, I had white bed sheets that were darker than you.Of course, it probably would have helped if I¡¯d used bleach, but the point still stands.Speaking of which,¡± he hesitated, unsure if he should ask.¡°I¡¯ve, uh, I¡¯ve noticed since we came back from the city, you seem to be growing antlers.I don¡¯t want to pry but¡­¡± She flushed, and her hand absentmindedly drifted up to the small nubs peaking out of her hair, as she pondered his words.¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted at last.¡°I¡¯ve noticed them too.My parents certainly didn''t have them.Or my brother,¡± she added.¡°Their sudden growth seems unnatural but...I don¡¯t feel like a monster. I don''t think I¡¯m going crazy, like Ga¡¯on and the others, but," she paused, not wanting to continue. "But?" Jasper prodded. Ihra sighed, a look of defeat on her face. "On the wall, the Queen seemed to have some sort of command over me. She ordered me to come to her and my body obeyed.If Aphora hadn¡¯t stepped in, I don¡¯t think I could have stopped myself from following her, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Jasper frowned.¡°Alright, let¡¯s just keep an eye out for any further changes.¡±He squeezed her arm lightly, giving her a reassuring smile.¡°If something¡¯s wrong, we¡¯ll find a fix.As much as I hate to suggest it, maybe you should ask Aphora about it, though. She stopped you following the queen, so maybe she could help you.¡± stared at her lap, refusing to meet his gaze, and he sighed, not wanting to press the issue. ¡°Anyways,¡± he changed the subject, ¡°do you think the guild is going to march to Hargish?¡± Ihra shrugged, trying to project an indifference she didn¡¯t really feel.¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He watched her for a moment, trying to parse her response.¡°Your brother¡¯s kids live there, don¡¯t they?If you want to go, try to smuggle them out before the queen arrives-¡° She cut him off, wringing her hands nervously.¡°And where could we take them to?Hargish is hundreds of miles from the next closest city.If we go there by ourselves, we¡¯ll probably just end up dead.¡± She stood up, clearly agitated, but her gaze softened as she saw the barely disguised weariness on his face.¡°You really should rest.Everyone says resurrection takes a hell of a toll.¡±She stood up from the edge of the bed and walked over to the door.Her hand lingered on the knob for a moment, but she didn¡¯t look back at him.¡°Jasper?I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back.Don¡¯t die again.¡± Despite the warm rays of sun streaming through the open window, Jasper was out in moments.The room was cloaked in darkness when he awoke.Hunger gnawed at the pit of his stomach like an angry bear, and he cautiously stepped out of bed.Although he still felt weak, as he walked into the parlor, he could tell his strength was already beginning to return.He didn¡¯t have far to walk.A pair of sandwiches sat on the coffee table, a little note beside them. ¡°I thought you might wake up hungry - Ihra.¡± He scarfed them down with relish before passing out again on the couch. He awoke to the sound of banging on the door.Before he could push himself up, Ihra emerged from her room and, rushing past him, flung the door open.¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought a message for you, from Lady Aphora.¡±The attendant thrust it in her hand, and after she signed its release, scurried back down the path to the guild hall. Jaspers mouth was painfully dry, and he chewed on his lip, trying to get a hint of moisture.¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± Ihra skimmed the letter quickly.¡°It really doesn''t say anything.Aphora asks us to come visit her at her enclave.Says it will be well worth our time, but doesn''t say what she wants.¡±Her eyes flicked over to him.¡°Are you up to it?¡± He groaned.¡°All I want to do is lie down, but I think I can manage to sit in saddle.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t really what I meant.We can wait a day or two for you to recover.But you were pretty angry with her, after the Tower.Are you willing to work with her?¡± Jasper sighed.¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know what to feel about her right now.What she did at the Tower was kind of unforgivable, but she also saved our lives, and she¡¯s pretty much the only reason the city¡¯s still standing.Of course, it would never have been in danger if not for her.¡± He threw his hands up in frustration.¡°I don¡¯t know.When I died, Kas?dael told me that I needed to go south to the Harei Miqlat, after the queen was dealt with. If the guild''s not going to do anything, maybe Aphora will." He dragged himself up. "I don''t really want to see her, but I think Kas?dael will be pissed if I don''t at least her out.Plus,¡± he reminded Ihra, ¡°her servant did promise us a reward if we came back, so we might as well at least get that. Gifts are always nice.Are you willing to work with her?¡± Ihra bit her lip.¡°She didn¡¯t drain my blood, so I''ll leave the decision up to you.If you¡¯re willing to hear out, that¡¯s good enough for me.¡± He rose shakily to his feet, and staggered over to the door, gratefully leaning against the wall when he reached. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s just go.I don¡¯t think I can rest with this hanging over me.¡± Once More into the Breach When they got out to the stables, Ihra had to help him up onto Dapplegrim.The little horse whinnied in delight when he approached, nudging her head into him in a search for sugar cubes. Jasper laughed and gently pushed her head aside. ¡°Sorry, Dapple, I don¡¯t have any on me right now.¡±He tousled her maned.¡°Next time, okay?¡±He could swear he saw the pony nod her head as he dragged himself into the saddle. The ride to the elven enclave was almost two hours long, and Jasper soon realized he had overestimated his strength.They had to take several long breaks for him to recuperate before they finally arrived at Aphora¡¯s residence. The city streets were still mostly deserted, but, here and there, a few brave souls were beginning to venture out from their homes. When they rode through the main marketplace, a handful of merchants and hot-food vendors had even set up shop. The signs of life were reassuring; the city had weathered the storm. the walls opened up as soon as they dismounted from their horses. The elven man that had taken Aphora when she was injured was there to greet them, inclined his head to the left in the traditional gesture of respect.¡°Guilders Jasper and Ihra - thank you for coming.Follow me.¡± The elf turned and strode down the hall with a quick and steady stride, but he soon turned back, with more than a hint of impatience, as Jasper struggled to keep up.But when the elf saw Jasper leaning against the wall, his breath coming fast and heavy, his annoyance quickly faded away, replaced by concern.¡°You should have told me you were suffering from resurrection sickness." He gestured at Jasper''s red skin. "Normally, those with resurrection sickness are, well, a bit paler, so I didn''t notice the signs.Here, let me help.¡± Jasper started to wave away the elf''s apologies "No need-" His speech turned into a garbled shout as he suddenly found himself swept up in the elf¡¯s arms and carted off down the hall, princess-style.He blushed in embarrassment, which turned to mortification when he saw the laughter in Ihra¡¯s eyes.Damn it.futilely, in the elf''s grasp. ¡°I really don¡¯t need to be carried. Just put me down, and I''ll make it down the hall.¡± Eventually. ¡°Nonsense.There¡¯s no need to push yourself unnecessarily after death.Ideally, you¡¯d rest for at least a week before going back out into the field, although, with the current situation, that may not be possible. But for now, you can let me help you.¡± The man looked down at Jasper, whose already red cheeks had blushed an even deeper scarlet.¡°Believe me, I''ve been where you were. Dying is humiliating and scary, and then you come back and your body''s weak and helpless. I know you don''t want help, but it is foolish to refuse it." I died on an expedition a century ago, and when I came back, Aphora insisted on carrying me around for the next month, before I finally convinced her that I was okay. It took another two months before she would allow me to leave the enclave on my own.Now that was embarrassing - Torin the Undying getting carried around by the princess when I was fully recovered.But you are clearly freshly returned.There¡¯s no shame in accepting help.¡± The elf turned down another corridor and stopped in front of a door.He gently set Jasper down.Jasper swayed on his feet a little, but quickly steadied himself, holding himself rigid with pride. He knew Torin was probably right, but his pride was still wounded, and Ihra''s obvious amusement really was the salt in that wound.Torin knocked on the door, and, not waiting for a response, let them in. It was not the reception hall from their first trip.Instead, as Jasper¡¯s eyes swept across the room, he realized they were probably in Aphora¡¯s suite.She sat at a desk near them, her eyes trained on a window that looked out over the mystical lake.She seemed startled when they walked in, an unreadable expression flickering through her eyes, but quickly smoothed her face.¡°Thank you, Torin.You can stay, if you want.¡±The tall elf nodded and took a seat. She turned to Ihra and Jasper.¡°I¡¯m glad to see you both survived.¡±Her eyes lingered on the scar on his neck, and she frowned.¡°I see you met my mother." He winced. "Well, she met me anyways. Can''t say I actually saw her myself." He frowned. "But we''re not here for pleasantries, I assume. What do you want?" Aphora sighed. ¡°I know things in Als?arratu went¡­.poorly. I see now that I was wrong. I know it¡¯s a lot to ask, but I hope you can forgive me someday.¡± ¡°But to the point at hand - based on the scouting reports from my people, it seems that my mother is marching against Hargish, not Ikkarim.I know the guild wants to march after her, but the lord of the city is pressuring them to stay.I can¡¯t exactly blame him.Gis?-Izum is isolated from the rest of Sapiya, and if the guild forces attack the queen and lose, Gis?-Izum will be left extremely vulnerable.But Hargish is going to be destroyed.¡± Her eyes met Jasper¡¯s.¡°I plan to gather as many of my elves as I can, and go after her.I don¡¯t know if I can stop her, but I have to try.Will you two come with me?¡± The room fell silent as Jasper pondered the question.He could see Ihra sneaking furtive glances at him, but she stayed silent, unwilling to speak for him.He knew that the guild at Hargish was not strong enough to repel the invaders - not that the guild deserved saving. His blood still boiled at the thought of their treatment there.But did the whole city deserve to die for the sins of a few? More importantly, though, he remembered Kas?dael¡¯s parting words.She had ordered him to assist in stopping the queen and, unfortunately, it didn¡¯t look like the guild in Gis?-Izum was going to help.Damn it. Choking back his frustration, he slowly nodded his head.¡°How am I supposed to trust you?¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Aphora lapsed into silence for a moment, then held up her hand.¡°I swear by the dying light of the Lady of Morning, by the webs of the Spectral Spiders, by the halls of the Victorious Dead, I mean you no harm.My only goal is to stop my mother from harming more people.¡± The room lit up as her hand glowed, and the voice of a woman filled the room, a voice brimming with the power of unwept tears and endless tides.¡°Your vow has been acknowledged.¡± The light receded from her hand, and the elven maiden slumped back in her chair, her face creased with exhaustion.Jasper turned to Ihra.He knew what she wanted, and despite his lack of faith in Aphora, he also knew what Kas?dael would want.He rubbed his forehead, heaving an exasperated sigh.¡°I guess, for the time being, our path lies with you.¡± If Aphora was happy with his words, she carefully hid it, just nodding solemnly.¡°Thank you.¡± But Jasper still had another concern.¡°They just come back to life when we kill them, don¡¯t they?Can we even stop the queen, in the long run?¡± Aphora stared pensively at her lap, before slowly nodding her head.¡°I believe we can.Those of us who survived the first ritual without turning into monsters didn¡¯t go unchanged.¡±Her eyes fell on the small nubs rising from Ihra¡¯s head.¡°We kept our minds and bodies intact, but we became undying, just like them.But something changed when the city fell from the void the second time.I felt the difference immediately.I believe that connection that tied us to the void was severed.¡±Her eyes burned with the light of hope.¡°So, yes, I believe that if we can kill her, she will truly die.¡± She drew something out of her desk and tossed it at him.Startled, he snatched the object out of the air.A thin gold chain dangled between his fingers.Suspended at the end, a large ruby twinkled in the light.¡°Put the necklace on.Given the vitality of your soul, your resurrection sickness will pass faster than most, but this should dramatically ease your side effects.¡± His fingers fumbled to latch the necklace behind his neck, finally managing to secure the small clasp.As the ruby landed on his chest, he felt a thin but constant stream of essence seep into his body. minutes, he began to feel, while not exactly good, at least human again. Begrudgingly, he thanked Aphora, but she waved his thanks away. "It is a Djinn bauble that is of little use to me; I''m glad it works on you." ¡°Now, I¡¯ve already sent a summons to my elves.Most live in the forests and mountains to the west of the city, so we will meet them further down the road, near Khiryat.¡±She looked up.¡°I believe Torin promised you a reward for bringing me back after my mother¡­¡± she trailed off with a visible shudder.Composing herself, she continued.¡°We¡¯ve already arranged a few gifts.Hopefully, you¡¯ll find them pleasing.I¡¯ll have Torin take you to them in a moment, but first, Torin, Jasper, do you mind stepping outside for a moment?I need to talk to Ihra alone.¡±
Ihra shrunk back in her chair as the two men left the room.She jumped when the heavy wooden door slammed shut behind them with a bang.Aphora eyed her silently for a moment while Ihra squirmed.At last, Aphora spoke.¡°So, the horns.¡± Ihra finally found her voice.¡°What about them?¡± Aphora, in a shockingly unelflike fashion, rolled her eyes. ¡°I admit, I was rather focused on Jasper during the expedition, but I''m fairly certain I don''t recall you having horns.As far as I could tell, your elven heritage was not particularly strong.Did your parents have horns?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Ihra reluctantly ground out. Her heartbeat quickened as Aphora rose from her chair and, moving almost faster than sight, appeared before her.Her eyes were dragged, unwillingly, into the orbit of Aphora¡¯s eyes, which glowed with a soft lunar light.She shuddered, feeling utterly exposed, beneath the cold gaze of the moon.And then the light faded from her eyes, and Aphora shrunk back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, child, but I had to be sure the madness didn¡¯t have a grip on you.Fortunately, your mind seems clear.Less fortunately, it seems you were changed in the same way I was changed.¡±Aphora sunk back into her chair, a perplexed frown on her face.¡°Judging by the growing horns on your head, your elven heritage must have been enhanced in some way, strengthened.Assuming you¡¯re affected the same as us, you¡¯re effectively immortal.¡± Ihra leaned forward, some of the tension easing from her shoulders.¡°Immortal? That doesn¡¯t sound too terrible.¡± Aphora grimaced.¡°Unfortunately, the reality is more complicated than that.Your body is still as mortal as any other, but when you die, you will not go where the others go - you will find yourself in the void that consumed Als?arratu, albeit not within the city. Your soul will be in no danger of destruction from the Sea of Oblivion there, and you won¡¯t need to bargain with any gods to be resurrected but¡± she paused, her voice dropping to barely more than a whisper, ¡°the void is a very unpleasant place.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been there a few times - most of us have - over the years.There is no life there, no place to lay your head, no food to fill your belly. The skies above are filled with madness, an unending lunacy that threatens to overwhelm your soul if you look too deeply into its depths.Time flows strangely there and you will feel like you have spent months alone in the endless darkness.You may be immortal, but I assure you, you don¡¯t want to die.¡±She stared out the window, a haunted look on her face.¡°Many of my kin have come back a shell of who they once were, the madness eating away at their mind.¡± Goose bumps covered Ihra¡¯s skin, as she remembered the skies above Als?arratu, a sick feeling creeping into her stomach.Just one night had been disturbing; she couldn¡¯t even imagine spending months there.¡°What should I do?¡± she croaked out, her mouth suddenly dry as a desert. Aphora didn¡¯t respond, her gaze still fixed on the placid lake outside the window. ¡°Aphora, what should I do?¡±Ihra persisted. The elf shook her head.¡°That is a question you¡¯ll have to answer for yourself.It is both a gift and a curse, but you need to ask yourself what you want.If you continue adventuring with Jasper, sooner or later you will die.Jasper¡¯s goddess has a heavy hand on him, and he will not have a safe life.You will die and you will have to face the eldritch void, but you¡¯re also guaranteed to come back.¡± ¡°Or, you can retire and live a fairly safe existence in a town, never risking your life.Of course, with the war in the east and the rising threats in the west, there is no guarantee that you¡¯ll be able to escape danger indefinitely.You might find yourself facing a threat you¡¯re too weak to resist.But ultimately, Ihra, the choice is yours.¡± Aphora sighed.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ihra, but I¡¯m feeling rather shaken up at the moment.memories you lock away in your mind, and try not to think about it. I need a few minutes to compose myself.Why don¡¯t you join Torin for now, and see your gifts?¡± Ihra stood up, feeling rather numb inside.As she exited the room, Aphora¡¯s words rang in her ears.What do you want?Despite the fear clutching at her heart, she already knew the answer.She¡¯d rather face the void than go back to being alone again. Harra?nu Torin and Jasper were just outside of the door.Jasper could immediately tell that something was troubling Ihra, but when he tried to ask her, she just brushed him off.¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later,¡± she whispered. Torin, no doubt guessing the gist of Aphora¡¯s words, simply gave her a sympathetic nod, before waving his hand at the two.¡°Come with me,¡± he said. They wandered back down the corridor and descended a long flight of stairs.Jasper had to stop once or two to catch his breath, but necklace Aphora had given him had done a great deal to counter the resurrection sickness.When they finally reached the landing, the elf walked over to the wall.A gentle breeze blew across their faces, imbued with the subtle scent of springtime rain and flowers.Jasper stepped out into a sprawling grassy meadow that led down to a tranquil lake.He shook his head.This place still makes no sense. Grazing along the lake shore was Dapplegrim and, beside her, a giant hart.The beautiful deer sported a shaggy white coat and delicate silver antlers sprouted from its head.Torin grinned as he led them over to the animals.¡°I believe you do not intend to stay in Sapiya much longer, but if the two of you are going to be traveling, you need better mounts.¡± ¡°Lady Ihra, it is only fitting for you to have a mount worthy of your heritage.¡±He gave her a long, knowing stare, and patted the large deer on its hindquarters.¡°Lady Aphora has chosen to give you a deer sired by her own mount.Keresh is still growing a bit, but he¡¯s already a fine beast.We also will provide you with a full set of equipment for him.¡± Jasper examined the gorgeous animal with a touch of envy.The giant hart was almost as large as a bull moose.And it¡¯s still growing?Next to him, his little Dapplegrim seemed downright lackluster.He immediately felt bad for the thought and rubbed the little pony apologetically on the nose.¡°Sorry, girl.¡± Torin turned to him.¡°Fear not, you have not been forgotten.We intended to give you a horse more worthy of the name, but when I examined your pony, I saw that the creature had been blessed by our Lady. A gift from her should not be turned away.¡±Dapplegrim neighed, stomping her hoove against the ground, and the elf smiled, speaking a few words in a language Jasper did not understand.Did he just talk to my horse? Reaching into his bag, Torin pulled something out and offered it to Jasper. Jasper stared dumbly at the object in the elf''s hand.It was a pomegranate. ¡°Uhh, thanks?¡± Torin¡¯s grin faded as he took in Jasper¡¯s look of disappointment.¡°You don''t know what this is?¡± Jasper tried to hide his disappointment.¡°No, I¡¯ve seen pomegranates before.They¡¯re tasty enough, I guess.¡±He tossed the fruit up in the air, but before it fell back in his hand, Torin snatched it away, cradling the fruit almost reverently. ¡°No, you do not understand.¡±Torin held the fruit up. Its ruby skin glistened in the gentle sunlight of the meadow.¡°This is no ordinary pomegranate.It was grown from a tree blessed by the goddess Hetseba, from the sacred groves in the realms of St. Martin, deep beneath the earth.It will never decay and cannot be harmed - but, please, do not simply eat it,¡± he sternly warned. ¡°Because of the blessing from our Lady, we believe that Dapplegrim will evolve with you when you receive your first class change at level 100.Shortly before your horse begins its evolution, feed it this pomegranate, and whatever evolution the pony would have received will be upgraded. It may not look like much, but I assure you, this fruit is a precious gift.¡± Thanking the elf, Jasper carefully stowed the pomegranate in his bag., he realized Torin was holding something else in his face.¡°Since we have no way of knowing what your mount will evolve into, we could not provide you with appropriate gear for your mount, as we did with Ihra.Take this money and use it as you need when the time comes.¡± He peered inside the small pouch, and almost gasped in wonder.It was filled to the brim with gold coins.I could retire on this.Just how expensive is Ihra¡¯s gear?He tilted his head to the left in the elven gesture of respect.¡°Thank you, Torin.This is far more than I expected.¡± Torin shook his head.¡°I know your view of Aphora may be less than ideal, but the entire life of our community depends on her.We are all extremely grateful for your help.We have one more thing to give the two of you.¡±He pulled a letter out of his bag.¡°You plan to head south to the Harei Miqlat, the home of your people, do you not?¡± Jasper nodded slowly, his eyes flickering over to Ihra.¡°Yeah, assuming we survive the next few days.¡± Torin handed him the letter.¡°Obviously you already know this, but few are allowed to pass into the sacred mountains unless they are of the blood.would not be allowed to enter with you.his letter should smooth the path before you, and allow Ihra to pass through the gates.o doors shall be barred against you.¡±He waved Jasper¡¯s thanks off.¡°Now, I apologize for leaving you here, but there is much I need to prepare before our expedition departs.I¡¯ll send someone to get you when we¡¯re ready to leave.¡± Torin had no sooner left the meadow when Ihra leapt on her mount.The hart dashed back and forth across the sandy shores with a speed that bordered on the supernatural.At last, she drew her mount to a stop beside him.A wide grin split her face from ear to ear.¡°This is the best gift ever!¡±She wrapped her arms around the stag¡¯s neck, hugging it tightly.The deer looked offended for a moment, then, with a slight snort, it leaned into her embrace. She hopped off the deer, landing gracefully on the rippled sand.She looked a little ashamed as she saw Jasper standing by his little pony.¡°It¡¯s too bad you can¡¯t use your gift immediately, but I¡¯m sure it will be amazing,¡± she tried to console him. Jasper laughed.¡°You know what?I¡¯m not going to lie, I was kind of jealous at first.But I named her Dapplegrim because I expect big things out of her.¡±He patted the bag at his side.¡°Now, with the pomegranate, I guess my faith¡¯s been rewarded.I may have to wait a little longer, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be worth it in the end.¡±The little pony nuzzled him, neighing as if it understood. It was hard to judge the passage of time, as the sun shining over the meadow never moved, but their wait did not feel long, before a servant came to fetch them, and take them to join the rest of the expedition.A contingent of elves lined up in the streets of Gis?-Izum outside Aphora¡¯s conclave.Jasper cast a critical eye over the group.The elves looked like they had stepped straight out of the pages of a fantasy novel.Each one was arrayed in a shiny suit of armor, their helmets vaguely resembling something you¡¯d see from ancient Greece.They were all outfitted with the same weapons: a light buckler, a crescent sword, and a bow on their back, and all were mounted on stags like Ihra and Aphora''s mounts, albeit less grand. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. But their numbers were far smaller than he expected.¡°There¡¯s what, a hundred here?¡± he asked Ihra.
She sat beside him on her new mount, a wave of nervousness rushing over her when the elves saw her.Ihra had always felt a bit uncertain about her heritage.It was just one of the many question marks in her past, one of her many shortcomings.Until her antlers had begun to grow, a change sparked by whatever happened in the city, she would never have dreamed of possessing such a mount.But her doubts still lingered.Am I really worthy of such a formidable creature? As if reading her thoughts, Keresh turned its head, gently poking the tip of its antler into her shoulder as it fixed its eyes on her.She patted its head, and the hart turned away.She pushed her doubts aside and straightened up in the saddle.I¡¯m as worthy as I choose to be. ¡°Ihra?¡± Jasper¡¯s words broke through her scattered thoughts.¡°What?¡± He leaned closer, talking quietly.¡°What do you think?Doesn¡¯t this seem like way too small of a group to challenge the queen?¡± She scanned the group.They were impressive, yes, but Jasper was right.Their numbers seemed too few.But she had seen Aphora face the queen on the wall.She suppressed a shudder at the memory.If not for Aphora, she might have succumbed to the queen¡¯s commands.Jasper might not trust her - understandably so - but Ihra felt confident that Aphora really did want to defeat her mother.She shrugged.¡°Surely a hundred powerful warriors are worth more than a thousand scrubs like us.¡± Jasper frowned but reluctantly agreed with her.¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± They rode through the streets of Gis?-Izum, the clatter of their hooves filling the largely empty streets.She wondered how long it would take before the citizens felt safe to leave their homes.Their progress was unimpeded until they reached the city gates.A man stood before the gate, dressed in a full suit of armor.He held an unsheathed sword in his hand and advanced to meet them. ¡°Hold!Do not leave this city!¡± He spoke in an authoritative tone, with the easy confidence of a man used to having his orders obeyed.But when he stopped in front of Aphora, Ihra could hear the notes of desperation bleeding through his voice.¡°Lady Aphora, the city needs you here.Do not abandon the city that has so long given you succor.¡± Aphora peered down at the man.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Khur, but my mother cannot be allowed to rampage through the lands.I will pass through these gates, either as a friend or as an enemy.¡± The man puffed up for a second, his hand twitching on his sword.But then he shrunk back, his body slumped in defeat.¡°I know I have no authority over you, to command you, but, please, Aphora, as a friend, stay.I cannot stop you but to meet that army in the open field, with a hundred men, is sheer folly.¡± Aphora shook her head.¡°Even if it were folly, I must do it nonetheless.But fear not, Lord Khur, these are not all the forces at my disposal. More await me along the road.¡± The noble sighed. "I feared I would not be able to convince you, but I had to try. Very well." He slowly walked to the side, leaving the road through the gate unobstructed.¡°Let them pass,¡± he ordered his men.¡°Farewell, my Lady.May Selene watch over you.¡± They rode out of the gates and across the slow-moving river that wrapped its way around the west flank of the city.A rank odor filled the air, and Jasper was surprised to see the river was jammed with hundreds of small logs.Nudging Dapplegrim closer to the edge of the bridge, he almost gasped when the truth hit him.They were corpses.A motley array of monsters and Corsyths floated in the water, their bodies bloated almost beyond recognition, and great clouds of flies swarmed over the waters.Overwhelmed by the deadly combo of sight and stench, he heaved his guts out. It was not until the city had finally shrunk into the distance that the odious stench abated.They reached Khiryat within a few hours, where another ghastly sight awaited.The queen had burned the village to the ground, with only a few structures still standing unsteadily, but the true horror was the guild''s work. As they rode into the smoldering ruins, the main road of the village was lined with the cultists'' corpses, hung on stakes in the ground.Signs hung around their neck. ¡°Cultist.¡± ¡°Cannibal.¡± ¡°Soul-Stealer.¡± A part of him recoiled in revulsion, but the feeling passed almost as soon as it came.They deserved their fate. But despite the devastation, the village was far from abandoned.Tents were dotted throughout the ruins, wherever space was available, and, everywhere he looked, hundreds of elves were milling about.Their group drew to a halt beside the village well as the reinforcements swarmed them. ¡°Lady Aphora!¡±A large elven man rushed over to them, bowing deeply before her.His arms were covered in thick hair, his legs hooved, and as he stood up, Jasper could see that even his face, obscured beneath a stately pair of antlers, was a bit longer than normal.¡°I gathered everyone I could.¡± Her gaze swept over the crowd in an instant, a slight furrow creasing her brow as she spoke.¡°There are fewer here than I expected, Mullu-Lim.Did the others refuse my call?¡± The man-deer huffed.¡°No, my Lady, but your summons were unexpected.A large group of our finest warriors set off on a hunting trip deep into the mountains more than a month ago, and many of our people were already on their way to Ikkarim to trade at their harvest festival.I sent messengers after them, but I don¡¯t know if they can reach them in time.Shall we wait for them here?¡± Aphora shook her head slowly, the regret clear in his voice.¡°Unfortunately we cannot afford to tarry.If we have any hope to save Hargish, we must press on.Gather those that are here and we will depart.¡± Mullu-Lim bowed. "As you wish. I will gather them immediately." The massive elf vanished into the crowd, which soon burst into a hum of activity.The sea of tents disappeared rapidly, as the elves began to fall in line behind Aphora.Unlike those from her enclave, they were not dressed in identical gear, but rather a haphazard and mismatched collections of arms and armor. But despite their lack of uniformity, the reinforcements moved with the measured gait of warriors and quickly assembled into units that moved as one.Clearly, this isn''t their first time working together, Jasper realized. Within thirty minutes, the group was ready to depart. had swelled from perhaps a hundred to nearly two thousand, and Jasper felt a bit more confident in their quest.The queen¡¯s forces still heavily outnumbered them - although he wasn¡¯t sure how large her forces truly were - but he hoped that they might at least have a fighting chance. The army rode through the night and the next day without break, only stopping to rest as the sun set on the second day.This pattern continued through the next week as they chased after the queen, trying to make up for lost time.he days begin to blur together as the lack of sleep caught up with Jasper.Eventually, he ended up tying himself to his horse, nodding off from time to time as they rode, trusting Dapplegrim to stay with the group. Their forces slowly grew as small bands joined them.Most were elves that had responded to Mullu-Lim''s messengers, but Jasper was surprised to see a few that weren¡¯t.hirty or so dwarves, accompanied by a few satyrs, joined them on the eighth day - the first of either race that he had seen since arriving in Corsythia.But the true surprise was waiting for them when they finally emerged from the alpine forests, descending back into the hot, jungle-filed valley of central Sapiya. Lore Chapter III: On the Nature of the Fey A Brief Introduction to the Fey Races - Jahdiel, High Priest of Tsia?hu, in the 127th year of Emperor Eligon I As the great sage Asparna once wrote, ¡°The Fey are perhaps the most famous race to not actually exist.¡±To those only familiar with the bitter history of the Fey wars, this statement might seem extraordinary - even offensive - but anyone who has traveled through the Fey realm can attest to this simple truth: there are as many different kinds of Fey as there are leaves on a tree, and very little binds them together. Ostensibly, all Fey trace their origins back to the god Tsia?hu or one of his children.In truth, many of these claims are dubious at best, but the collective fiction of their shared origins is the primary characteristic that distinguishes a race as Fey. While no primer can hope to provide a comprehensive catalog of Fey species, the most important can be noted here.In the aftermath of the Fey wars, the empire has severed almost all contact with the surviving factions, and our knowledge of their current political situation is woefully incomplete.Only two factions still retain cordial relations with the Empire and can be encountered, however rarely, within its borders. The first of these is the Children of St. Martin.This faction of the Fey is by far the most numerous still remaining, as they refused to take up arms against the empire during the wars.In appearance, they could almost be mistaken for a human, if it was not for their curious pale green skin. The Children of St. Martin are a largely peaceful faction, rarely going to war, but their lack of aggression should not be mistaken for weakness.The location of their realm has never been discovered, for it is hidden deep underground.The few travelers who have been fortunate enough to enter their lands have returned with tales of vast cities filled with architectural wonders and strange magic, and of a great sea that lies deep beneath the surface. By all accounts, their realms rival the greatest of the elven enclaves, and there was a time when relations between them and the Empire were quite cordial.Unfortunately, since the start of the great invasion, the Children of St. Martin have increasingly withdrawn into their lands, and fewer come to the empire with each passing year.A few claimed to have heard tales of war beneath the surface, but these rumors cannot be verified. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The second race of Fey welcome within the empire is the satyrs.They are unique amongst the Fey races, as they are the only known faction that does not reside in the Fey lands.Perhaps their shared origins were not enough to permit them to dwell in peace with the rest of the Fey, or perhaps they were forced out due to some long-forgotten political intrigue, but the satyrs had already migrated far to the northwest by the time the first Corsythian settlers founded Sicya. The satyrs eventually found refuge in the halls of the dwarven lords, and like the Children of St. Martin, took no part in the wars.Much like their dwarven allies, the satyrs rarely venture to our shores, although a small and valiant contingent serves in the Imperial Guard. Of the hostile Fey, their numbers are too vast to be counted.The most powerful of their kind are those we call the Ya¡¯ari, although they call themselves the Ta?r-Antuh?s?a.With their dual affinities for earth and wood, the Ya¡¯ari are masters of their environment, able to turn even the simplest battlefield into a deadly trap.Even with the aid of the Mwyrani, the Empire was unable to remove them from their strongholds.As a result, their power over the other Fey only grew in the aftermath of the three great wars. Their ruler, the Is?h?a of the great fortress of As?awar, is said to be immortal, a god dwelling on earth.He has gone by many names through the years, but his most enduring title is Taks?ulatar, ¡°peace,¡± as only the fear of his power keeps peace among their people.In the Empire¡¯s final war against the Fey, Taks?ulatar did not appear in battle, so there are some who claim he is dead.But the sway of As?awar over the Fey shows no signs of weakening, so I believe those claims are misguided, and Taks?ulatar will be seen again. The only other faction believed to have power equal to the Ya¡¯ari are the H?uedar.Little is known about these Fey, as they live far to the south, in regions that we have never mapped.Legends claim that the H?uedar are ruled by a Queen, H?atalkis?, who is, depending on the version, said to have either been the spouse or the daughter of Taks?ulatar. It is unclear whether such a ruler actually exists, but there are a handful of verified encounters with H?uedar, including battles with the Ya¡¯ari, which suggests that there is some truth to the legends.During the Fey Wars, the Empire sent scouts looking for the H?uedar, hoping to forge an alliance, but they never returned. Tes?ha-Is?tana A large group of warriors waited beneath the tall trees that lined the road.They looked much like humans, except for their jade-colored skin, sharp teeth, and eyes that were just a little too large.The Children of St. Martin.One of only two Fey factions that didn¡¯t participate in the Fey wars, the Children were still free to roam the empire.But they were a rare sight indeed.Jasper had heard tales of the magnificent realms they had built beneath the surface from a few players lucky enough to experience them, but they were notoriously closed off behind quests that were almost impossible to unlock. As the elves approached the Children, a few of them came out to greet them, led by a tall woman with raven hair. She wore a simple black tunic, unadorned except for the emblem that spread across her chest, perhaps a sign of her people. She had no armor, and only the large mace that hung at her side suggested she was capable of fighting. As she approached Aphora, she inclined her head in the elven gesture of respect.Aphora returned the favor, baring her teeth, and the jade beauty grinned in delight, exposing a mouth full of uncomfortably sharp teeth.¡°Greetings, elf.It is rare to meet overlanders familiar with our customs.¡± The fey''s words, spoken in a rich baritone, came haltingly, an unidentifiable accent breaking through. Aphora¡¯s eyes shifted to Torin, who rode beside her.¡°I had a good tutor.But it has been two centuries since I last saw any of the Children roaming these lands.Tell me, what brings you this way?¡± The leader approached with a lazy confidence stopping just short of Aphora''s stag. ¡°My h?as?s?a?tar, uh, my clan is migrating to the west. Our priests, the s?ankunnie?s?, sent us to seek a realm of ours lost in the lands beyond the river.When we stopped in Ikkarim for provisions, my h?as?s?a?tar told me that your people spoke of an undead tuzzis? threatening the land¡­¡±Jasper hung on her every word.Her big, beautiful black eyes, framed by luscious locks, filled his vision, as the gorgeous woman pled her tale. ¡°Oof.¡±He grunted as something hard slammed into his ribs. ¡°Snap out of it.¡±Blinking his eyes, he turned to find Ihra watching him, a mix of annoyance and concern on her face.What was I-?His thoughts were interrupted as the leader¡¯s melodious voice filled his ears, and he turned back to catch another glimpse of her eyes. The second blow was a lot harder.He winced in pain as the dulcet tones were broken by a slightly shrill voice.¡°Hey, look at me.¡±Ihra waved her hands back and forth in front of his face. "Focus, Jasper." The bewitching tones rang in his ears as he begrudgingly focused on her. All trace of annoyance was gone, replaced by worry.¡°Put your fingers in your ear and close your eyes.I¡¯ll let you know when it''s safe.¡± He sat there for a while, his eyes tightly shut, and his fingers in his ears, feeling like an idiot.What sort of witchcraft was that?The feeling of being utterly ensorcelled, deprived of his own will, was deeply unsettling.What¡¯s worse was that he didn¡¯t know how to defend against it. It was not like plugging his ears was a real option in most situations.His morose musings were eventually interrupted when someone shook him on the shoulder. ¡°What the hell happened?¡±He started to complain to Ihra, but his eyes widened when he saw it was not her. Instead, the woman stood before him. She opened her mouth to speak, and he felt a moment of discomfort as he saw her razor-sharp teeth - the teeth and black eyes reminding him of episodes of Shark Week - but the discomfort slid away beneath the gaze of her big black eyes. dismounted from Dapplegrim and bowed at her feet. His heart thrilled with joy when he felt her fingers graze his cheek, as she lifted him up from the ground. He wanted to object when she took his hand - he was unworthy! - but watched mutely as the divine being traced an emblem into his palm. A moment later, blushing furiously, he snatched his hand away from hers, glaring around in confusion.A sea of amused elves surrounded him, but it was the pity he saw in the woman¡¯s eyes that truly mortified him.He backed away, reaching out a comforting hand for Dapplegrim, blanching as a searing pain rushed through his head, emanating from the diadem on his brow.Too little, too late, pal. The woman extended her hand to him, and he blanched as he saw her black eyes and sharp teeth.¡°Please, there¡¯s no need to be afraid.I etched a h?ukmais? onto your hand that will protect you from whatever enchantment is upon you¡± Jasper looked at his palm and saw an elaborate seal had been branded into the skin.He probed it carefully, expecting a burst of pain, but the symbol, though new, was fully healed.Not trusting himself to speak in front of the crowd of onlookers, Jasper bowed his head in thanks and pulled himself up on the horse. The fey woman stepped forward, looking as if she wanted to say something further, but thought better of it. She returned to her group, and they stood aside as the elven forces began to march down the road. When the last of them passed, the Children of St. Martin followed behind. Jasper didn¡¯t speak for a while, and Ihra didn¡¯t push him.The moon was high in the sky before he finally broached the question.¡°So what happened back there when I, you know, lost my mind?¡± Ihra shook her head.¡°I don¡¯t know exactly; no one felt the need to fill me in.But from what I overhead of the discussion between the Fey and Aphora, I gathered it had something to do with your blessing from the seraph.The Fey woman said something about how the seraphs had once served the Children of St. Martin.She seemed very confused by your reaction.¡± Ihra''s lips pursed into a frown as she watched him. The light of the moon slipped through the canopy of tall trees, lighting up his face and shoulders. His brown hair, once merely shaggy, now fell on his shoulders, and the scruff along his chin was well on its way to a beard. He held his hand up, examining his palm in the moonlight.¡°Do you think this symbol will really work?¡± ¡°Well, you did come to your senses.You aren¡¯t drooling all over another woman, so I guess it worked.¡±A hint of irritation crept back into her words. With a sigh, Jasper let the hand fall back into his lap.When he had the chance, he¡¯d ask Aphora to look at it.If the mark was harmless, so be it, and he even allowed himself to nurture the faint hope that maybe it would provide protection against other types of mind magic.But if it didn¡¯t, he really needed to find some sort of defense.That woman had apparently dominated his mind without even trying. They rode through the night and into the day, only stopping as the second night began to fall. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. After a quick supper, Ihra disappeared into her tent. Jasper watched her go, knowing he should follow her and grab some precious sleep while had the chance, but the events of the previous day still preyed on his mind. He sat down by the fire watching the logs crackle and pop beneath the flames, the sparks flying up into the dark night sky.eaning back against Dapplegrim¡¯s belly, he felt the sleeping horse stir and absent-mindedly rubbed her head. "Go back to sleep, Dapplegrim," he whispered, staring up at the unfamiliar stars.What am I doing here?He wanted to kick himself as the thought crossed his mind and shook his head vigorously, as if the action could dislodge it from his thoughts.I can''t afford to indulge in some dark night of the soul. A movement in the firelight caught his attention, and Jasper dragged his eyes away from the stars in time to see the Fey woman sitting down across from him. The fire''s reflection danced in the black void of her eyes, and Jasper immediately stumbled to his feet, his pulse racing, his mind already reaching for a spell. Alarmed, she held out a hand.¡°Please, sit.I mean you no harm.¡± He paused, pushing down the panic, and after a moment of indecision, slowly sat back down.But as he began to sit, the doubt surged through his mind.Did I sit down because I wanted to, or because she influenced me? She''s controlling me!Panic renewed, he stood up and started to back away, sacred star lingering on the tips of his fingers.But as he took steps back into the dense jungle brush, the prickly bushes futilely scrapping against his toughened skin, the realization kicked in. He had ignored her words. She was not controlling him. The fey was still beautiful, even if her greenish skin was rather strange, but he was no longer held captive in her eyes. In fact, the wholly black eyes were just a touch creepy, he realized.Confident that whatever hold she had had on him was truly broken, he finally spoke.¡°What do you want?¡± The fey leaned forward with a toothy grin.¡°Truthfully, I was mostly just curious.I¡¯d never seen someone react to me like that before, but it reminded me of stories I''d heard in my childhood.¡±She wrapped her arms around her knees and cocked her head to the side, watching him.¡°What do you know of the relationship between seraphs and the Children?¡± Jasper snorted.¡°Honestly?Absolutely nothing.¡± A frown crossed her lips.¡°How can you know nothing of your people?¡± He shook his head, "Tell me what you know, and perhaps I will tell you in turn." She laughed, but when she saw he was serious, gave a resigned sight.¡°Very well. The history of our peoples is one of trust and betrayal.Long ago the seraphs were forced to flee from their home among the stars.They came to the land, and after wandering for a time, arrived in our courts, begging for refuge.The elders of the Children took counsel and agreed to offer refuge in exchange for a price.Few of the Children delight in war, preferring to sail the sunken seas and build great halls, so they asked the seraphs to serve as our warriors.¡± ¡°It seemed a reasonable request to the seraphs, veterans of many battles, but they were not used to dealing with the Fey.The seraphs were tricked by my people, deceived into making a deal that extended far beyond what they imagined.Their wills were bound to my people, their whole being utterly devoted to our protection, a legion of champions at our command.With the prowess of the seraphs, the Children forged their underground realms, conquering the forgotten lands and scouring the darkness from them. For millennia, the seraphs served our people, but creatures so powerful can not be bound forever.They chafed at their restrictions, growing ever more clever at evading them.Eventually, a new generation of Children chose to sever the contract, fearing that when the seraphs broke their shackles, they would turn and slaughter us.¡± The woman leaned forward toward him.¡°All of that was long ago now, long before even my great-grandparents were born.The seraphs have been free for a long time, but your reaction to me was straight out of one of the old stories.Why were you affected? How can you not know this story? Did you escape from a faction of Children still keeping seraphs in chains?¡± The questions tumbled out of her, and he sensed the earnestness in her words. ¡°I¡¯m not really a seraph.Or at least I don¡¯t think I am.¡±Jasper fumbled with his words.¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m not sure what I am.¡±Perhaps the weeks of barely sleeping finally caught up to him, as without really thinking, the truth spilled out of his mouth.¡°I¡¯m not from this world.¡± Her eyes widened.¡°So you¡¯re a summoned?¡± Jasper sat forward, suddenly alert, as he realized the woman before him might know what had happened to him.¡°Do you know how I came here?¡± She shook her head, her long raven locks rippling over her shoulders.¡°Only rumors, I¡¯m afraid.There are stories, though. I''ve heard of rituals that can drag people from other worlds, either to serve as warriors or to steal their souls.Supposedly, a large number were summoned during the Empire¡¯s Desolyton and were one of the reasons the empire was able to secure its victory." his world is slowly dying, and the number of grays grows in each generation.But people like you, who come from worlds where magic is all but forgotten, still have rich, vibrant souls. It is a tempting prize for those who are desperate for power - whether to rule or merely survive.¡± He growled. ¡°That doesn''t make it right. I had a life, friends, family and they-" He cut himself off, grinding his teeth. The woman in front of him was not to blame, and yelling at her would accomplish nothing except possibly pissing her off. He wanted answers more than he wanted to yell at her. Carefully modulating his tone, he questioned her. "Do the rumors say who does the summoning?¡± The fey hesitated.¡°There are three groups who supposedly know how to do it, although perhaps other factions lurk in the shadows: the Mwyrani, the Sidhe, and the Fey.¡± Jasper¡¯s mind seized on the first group as he suddenly made the connection.The Mwyrani?Wasn¡¯t that the name of the company that made the games? The Fey continued, oblivious to his thoughts.¡°But you must be wrong when you say you aren''t a seraph. The summoning process simply takes souls from other worlds. reveals the potential of what was already there, but it cannot change your inherent nature. Such a task would beyond even the power of the gods, except, perhaps, the Progenitor.If the system identifies you as a seraph, then on your other world, you must have been descended from them. Perhaps some seraphs, before the shackles on their mind had been broken, fled from our world to yours.¡± Jasper shook his head, about to reject her claim. That¡¯s impossible - isn¡¯t it? received at the very beginning suddenly flashed through his mind again.¡°Resonance Found.¡±Surely it didn¡¯t mean-? She stood up.¡°I hope we can talk again before my group has to leave, but with the coming battle, that may be impossible.¡±Walking over to him, she tied a leather band around his wrist.A small jade disc, hollowed out in the middle, dangled from the band.¡°I believe we¡¯ll run into each other again someday.But for now, let me give you this token.It will identify you as a friend to any Children you meet. You may tell them that Tes?ha-Is?tana, the great Is?h?as?arra of H?as?s?atar Is?tanu granted you safety among the people.¡± Jasper nodded mutely, his mind still reeling from the revelations, as she turned to leave.¡°You should really get some sleep.Battle lies ahead.¡± Despite her advice, it was some time before sleep finally came to him. The Victorious Dead One more day passed before their frantic pace was finally rewarded. The dense jungles and low mountains that swallowed them up slowly gave way to the rolling fields of wheat and small hamlets that filled the valley that Hargish was nestled in.But Jasper''s hopes sunk as they rode past them; the fertile fields had been reduced to little more than ash, the ruins of the small cottages still smoldering lightly. A large pillar of smoke rose above the horizon and though he could not see its source, it was easy to guess - Hargish. Ihra gave a strangled cry, spurring her stag into a gallop.She swerved out of the formation, racing past the front of the line.Jasper followed behind her, little Dapplegrim gamely - but vainly - trying to keep up with the magnificent hart. They cut through the scorched fields, a few bodies scattered amongst the chaff, and Ihra finally came to a stop at the crest of a hill, far from the elven line. From the top, she could see the city in the distance, the smoke rising up from it.When Jasper caught up with her, her head was buried in the neck of the stag, her shoulders shaking as great sobs wracked her body.He sat beside her silently, unsure of what to do. ¡°The city''s been taken; they''re all dead.¡±She choked the words out through her sobs. Jasper strained his eyes, unable to see much more than the smoke rising above the walls.¡°Maybe the queen''s forces are still outside the city and are just attacking-¡° ¡°No.I¡¯ve got much better vision than you, remember? There is no army outside those walls, just the smoke rising above it.¡±Ihra thrust herself up in the saddle.Her tear-stained cheeks were red and puffy, and her big blue eyes bloodshot.¡°My nephews and nieces¡­¡± her words faltered. He awkwardly patted her shoulder.¡°Maybe they escaped?¡± She shook her head.¡°I hope, but Hargish doesn¡¯t have a Sanctum.Some people probably fled out into the countryside, but the rest?¡±The implication hung heavy in the air.They sat in silence for some time, watching the smoke fill the heavens. When the last of her tears had finally dried, and the flush of red had faded from her cheeks, they rejoined the group. The elves had quickened their pace even further, perhaps hoping that the queen''s forces were still assaulting the city, but it soon became clear that Ihra had been right; the city had already fallen. It was not until they stood in the shadow of its once pristine white walls, now blackened with soot and riddled with gaps, that Aphora finally called for a halt. The group gathered around her, unsure what to do, now that the city was destroyed and the queen''s forces had disappeared. Aphora spoke slowly, the words coming with a halting cadence as her usual confidence was replaced with a haunted look in her eyes.¡°It seems we have failed to reach the city before my mother, the queen.¡± This was no news to the group, the devastation plain to see. ¡°I summoned you to save the city, and that is the task you agreed to do.I cannot keep you here any longer.You are free to go.¡±She waited a minute.No-one moved. A small measure of her confidence restored, Aphora lifted her chin defiantly.¡°But I ask you to stay and fight with me.If we cannot save the city, then let us avenge it.My mother cannot be allowed to roam through these lands unchecked.¡± Shouts and cries echoed from the group, and she raised her hands, calling for silence. ¡°We have driven ourselves to the bone the last week, trying to beat my mother to the city. rest tonight and gather strength for the coming battle.And tomorrow?¡± She lifted her voice in a shout.¡°Tomorrow we shall call upon the Victorious Dead.May they ever shine upon us!¡±
He awoke to the cacophony of a camp preparing for battle.The meeting with the Fey woman last night seemed like nothing more than a dream, but the bracelet wrapped around his wrist testified otherwise. Ihra smiled as he emerged from his tent, and waved a cup in his direction.¡°Here.¡± He breathed in the spicy warmth, stirring memories of Christmas, as he took a grateful sip of the wassail.¡°Damn.It¡¯s not quite coffee, but it¡¯s almost as good.¡±He downed the cup quickly as Ihra saddled their mounts. ¡°Hurry up, I don¡¯t want to miss this.¡± He grumbled as he stood up.¡°I¡¯d really like another cup.Where are we off to in such a hurry anyways?" He glanced around the camp; the tents, aside from theirs, were already empty; some of them were torn down and packed up, but plenty were still standing.e did everyone go?¡± Ihra rolled her eyes. ¡°The Victorious Dead?Remember?¡± He yawned.¡°Oh, right.Some sort of religious ceremony. They mentioned them at the wake, I think.¡±Another wave of yawns hit him, as he stretched his arms out, swinging them back and forth.¡°Do we really need to attend that? We''ve barely slept in like two weeks.¡± Ihra gave him a funny look.¡°And miss seeing them arrive?Come on.¡±She hopped on her stag and rode a few feet further into camp.She stopped and looked back impatiently. Spurred into action, he hopped on Dapplegrim and rode to catch up with her. Their horses weaved through the largely abandoned sea of tents, occasionally passing someone who was still frantically scarfing down breakfast.¡°See who arrive?¡± ¡°The Victorious Dead?¡±She looked at him incredulously, and he could almost hear the implied duh. ¡°Wait - we¡¯re summoning the dead?¡±Their horses slowed to a trot as they found the place the rest of the camp had gathered. ¡°We¡¯re going to beseech them to come to our aid.Hopefully they¡¯ll accept.¡± Ihra shrugged. "The maryannu only come when they feel like it, but their aid in battle would be invaluable." This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The two fell silent as they slipped through the crowd, which roared with excitement.Sitting on top of Dapplegrim, Jasper had a good vantage point above the crowd. large cauldron had been set up. Aphora was filling the cauldron with various ingredients, while the other leaders stood around her. When she had finished her preparations, a pair of horns were blown, and the crowd''s excited buzz fell silent. a dagger gripped tightly in her hand. In an instant, Jasper found himself flashing back to the scene at the top of the Tower.Despite the jungle heat, a shiver ran down his spine, and he felt his chest tighten as he gasped for air. ¡°We are here to summon the maryannu. You know the price that must be paid.¡±The elf raised her hand high in the air, for all to see, and pricked her thumb with the dagger.A single bead of blood formed on the tip, hesitating a moment, before plunging into the cauldron. The soldiers in the crowd fell into line.ach one passed before Aphora, contributing a drop of blood to the cauldron.Jasper found himself carried along in the press of the crowd, unable to escape. Eventually, he stood before the cauldron, unable to meet the eyes of Aphora.She handed the dagger to him, but leaned forward.¡°You don¡¯t have to cut yourself, Jasper,¡± she whispered.¡°Just pretend to, if you want.¡± He hesitated, but finally pricked his finger.It¡¯s just a drop, he told himself. When the last of the soldiers had contributed, the sacrifices were brought forth.Five deer were brought to Aphora. She cut their necks with the ceremonial dagger, and their blood was drained into the cauldron. Aphora bowed to the ground, addressing the river. Dayya?nu Naha?ru, pet? ba?bi?ka The leaders carefully poured the cauldron''s contents into the river.reat clouds of steam rose up as the river caught fire.The flames quickly spread across the surface of the water, but they did not touch the banks on either side, only burning the river.Aphora raised her hands to the heavens and screamed at the top of her lungs. Alsika, maryannu mu?ti.Di?nu? puruss?nu wet?eru?! Damu ana ers?eti, lahmu ana eka?lli.Yequmu?! The sky darkened as she spoke the incantantion. Clouds covered the heavens, and a stiff, cold wind begin to blow, a wind quite out of place in the tropical environemnt. When Aphora fell silent, the army picked up her refrain.Beating their weapons against the ground, they chanted the words over and over again, their cry like the rumble of the heavens. Damu ana ers?eti, lahmu ana eka?lli.Yequmu?! Damu ana ers?eti, lahmu ana eka?lli.Yequmu?! Damu ana ers?eti, lahmu ana eka?lli.Yequmu?! The wind howled, rain drops driving into their faces, the cold water splashing against Jasper''s face as the soldiers continued their chant, screaming into the winds. As it reached a feverish frenzy, the earth beneath their feet begin to shake. Yequmu?! Yequmu?! They screamed, and then a bolt of lightning fell from the heavens. The chant fell silent as soldiers watched the thunderbolt slam into the bloodied waters. It crackled across the surface, a surge of energy ripping through the smokey haze, quenching the flames in an instant.With a shudder, the riverbed split apart, as a gaping hole emerged.And, as the river''s water poured down the new wound in the earth, the Dead emerged. Jasper watched in awe as the first warriors emerged from the netherworld.He¡¯d expected zombies, or maybe skeletons, but the creatures resembled strange man-birds more than anything else.All of them seemed to be in a slow state of change, some further along than the rest.Their legs ended in sharp talons, much of the surface of their skin covered by feathers, and some even sported wings or beaks. But all were dressed in gleaming armor, its hue closer to copper than steel. They wielded a wide assortment of weaponry, perhaps what they had favored in life, but they moved as one, with almost mechanical precision.The earth shuddered again, and the gap widened further as a giant rose from the depths, even more birdlike than the rest.It hung over the forces, its wings flapping far too slowly to support it in the air, and yet, it flew. ¡°What the hell?¡± The words had no sooner left his mouth than the creature swiveled its head and looked him in the eye.Jasper shivered as a ferocious cold invaded his body. Sorry?The cold receded as the beast looked away, dismissing him. When the last of the dead emerged from the netherworld, the river sealed behind them.Their numbers were surprisingly small, perhaps no more than 100, and despite their impressive appearance, Jasper found himself a little disappointed.Can so few make a difference? With a calculated and terrible efficiency, the warriors fell into formation.The maryannu did not speak to or acknowledge the gathered elves, but simply turned to the north and began to march away from the burning city. ¡°Where are they going?¡± Ihra tore her eyes away from the spectacle to look at him.Her face was flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkling with wild glee, marred slightly by hints of lingering sorrow.¡°To track the queen.She must have gone north.¡±His eyes followed the maryannu as they disappeared into the jungles.The mountains soared high above the plains surrounding Hargish, their tips covered in eternal snow.Why would she go north?Isn¡¯t there just wilderness up there? When the last of the maryannu had passed through their ranks, the elves followed close behind them. Their stags strained to keep up with the swift pace of the dead, and Jasper soon found himself falling behind, as Dapplegrim was, in turn, unable to keep up with the elves¡¯ mounts.It was more than a bit frustrating; Dapplegrim''s evolution could not come soon enough. When night fell, the sky glowed with a red haze from the burning city.The Dead never stopped, never faltered in their pursuit, plunging deeper and deeper into the jungle, away from all signs of civilization.The trek through the jungle was hazardous, with drops and snares concealed in the ruby darkness.But the elves¡¯ mounts never wavered, navigating every treacherous path with an envious ease.Somehow, Dapplegrim managed to navigate the dark jungle, carrying him safely through the night.And then the Dead came to a halt. When the sun rose, Jasper could finally see where their destination.Their nighttime pursuit had carried them much higher and further into the mountains than he had realized.They stood near the peak of one of the lesser summits.There, hidden at the top of the mountain, was a giant caldera and in the deep valley, the queen¡¯s army waited. As his eyes focused on the valley below, he realized that the ruins of the city stretched beneath them.Towering buildings were carved into the caldera¡¯s high walls, buried deep into the mountainside, and in the large open hollow, hundreds of buildings still peaked out of the jungle which had consumed them.There was no sign, however, of any road or path that down into the caldera.The valley floor appeared to be at least three hundred feet below them and, even with his improved endurance, he didn¡¯t think he could survive that sort of a fall. ¡°How the hell did they get down there? What even is this place?¡± he muttered beneath his breath. Ihra heard him and just shook her head.¡°I never knew there was another set of ruins so close to Hargish.It must have still been settled when the queen died.¡± The Dead stood at the edge of the rim, their movements so thoroughly stilled that they resembled statues. Why aren''t they moving, he wondered, but as he watched them he realized their leader, the giant that flew above them was missing. The early morning hours ticked by slowly, but it was not until the sun was high in the sky that the maryannu finally made their move. The Battle in the Caldera, Part 1 The clouds hung heavy in the sky, obscuring the sun from view. The Dead stood on the rim of the cliff not moving, their eyes fixed on the sky. An hour passed, and then, the clouds broke. Shamsha blazed forth with light and the maryannu prostrated themselves before their god. Their strange, bird-like bodies begin to subtly glow as they embraced their lord''s blessing. Then, they leapt off the cliff. The maryannu soared through the air, their flimsy wings propelling them far beyond a normal jump, hundreds of feet out over the open caldera. At the apogee of their leap, they lingered for a moment. Their wings and weapons now blazed with a light so dazzling that Jasper was forced to avert his eyes. Then they plunged downwards, burning with golden light, as they accelerated straight into the ground. A shockwave ripped across the valley floor, pushing the queen''s forces back. Without pausing for even a moment, the Dead charged into their ranks. The maryannu''s sudden attack left Aphora scrambling for a response. While the Dead were powerful, they were not invincible, and even a hundred elite troops would eventually be overwhelmed by the queen''s thousands. There was still no path down into the caldera, but unable to waiter the rest of her army, she and the elite among her warriors - at least, those who were able to survive the fall - leapt over the edge, plummeting down three hundred feet. Taking advantage of the chaos the maryannu had spread in the queen''s army, they were able to form a defensive line, slowly advancing against the foe, forcing the queen''s army to turn their attention to the new threat while the maryannu rampaged through them. The rest of the elves were left at the rim to find their own way down. Some begin climbing down the cliff face, their bodies looking like ants against the massive caldera walls, but most gathered around a group of three mages. Working together, the mages slowly shaped a mass of roots and earth into a ramp that trailed down into the depths of the caldera. Jasper watched the furious battle below, a tinge of worry in his heart, as he saw the tiny knot of Aphora''s warriors surrounded on all sides by a vast sea of wights. They''re going to get overwhelmed before the rest of us get down there, he feared. The Victorious Dead, powerful warriors though they might be, had pretty much flushed all chance of a battle strategy down the toilet. He drummed his fingers against Dapplegrim''s saddle, his eyes impatiently watching the incomplete bridge. Damn it. The start of an idea came to him. ¡°Ihra, how good are you at holding on tightly?¡± A few minutes later, as Jasper stared nervously over the edge of the cliff, he deeply regretted mentioning his idea to Ihra. The combatants on the valley floor milled about like insects, and he peered over the edge, looking down the face of the towering buildings that lined the walls, he gained a new appreciation for their size. They are as tall as a small skyscraper, he realized. But when he looked at Ihra, he saw no signs of nervousness. She looked at him, her eyes burning with excitement. ¡°You ready?¡± He grabbed his glaive from Dapplegrim''s saddle. The heavy weapon felt good in his grasp, the cold metal a welcome relief in the steamy jungle heat. Reaching into his bag, he slipped the horse a sugar cube, rubbing her nose. "Stay here, girl. I''ll be back after the battle." Then, feeling a little reassured by her faith in him, he nodded. ¡°Hop on and hold tight.¡± She hopped on his bag, wrapping her legs tightly around him. "I''m good." He took one last glance at the mages, in the faint hope that their bridge was completed; the ramp still hung above the valley floor, no more than halfway to the bottom. A long line of elves and Fey were gathered behind them, waiting to enter the fray, but it was obvious to Jasper that they wouldn''t be getting down that way any time soon. Shoving his hesitation aside, he reached for the spell. ¡°Alright, here goes nothing.¡± Jasper leapt off the rim of the caldera, his white boy jump falling far short of the distances the Dead, or even Aphora, had reached. As soon as their downward descent began, he cast the spell, not wanting to smash into the cliff walls. Seraph Burst. They shot further away from the walls, propelled through the empty air like a bat out of hell. The forward motion of the spell stopped, and they spun in the whirlwind of razor-sharp wings that was so effective at tearing through enemies. This was the part he had feared, but Ihra clung to his back for dear life, his ribs groaning from her iron embrace. They fell through the air, spinning wildly, as he desperately tried to keep track of the direction of the queen¡¯s forces. If he timed it wrong, they''d rocket into the cliff-face, and he was not eager to imitate a bug on a windshield. The moment came, and he cast the spell again. Their fall was arrested as they once again shot through the air, racing towards the battle below. All too soon the spell''s burst wore off, and they begin to fall. As the ground rushed up to meet them, he cursed himself. What the hell was I thinking? I could have stayed up on the cliff top, where it¡¯s safe, but no, I just had to jump off the cliff. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he found himself laughing as he realized he finally had the answer to every parent¡¯s question. Yes, mom, if my friends jump off a cliff, I¡¯d follow them. He held the spell on the tip of his fingers to the last possible moment. Shortly before they would have splattered on the ground in a bloody mist, Jasper released the last spell. Seraph Burst. Mere feet above the ground now, they zoomed straight towards a cluster of wights. Gripping his glaive tightly, Jasper held it out to his side as he prepared to smash into their ranks. The razor-sharp wings tore through their lines, sending them flying back in a shower of gore and blood. Seizing her chance, Ihra leapt off his back, vaulting high up through the air to land safely out of reach of the deadly whirlwind of wings. She fired a volley of arrows as she fell into their midst, drawing her daggers at the last possible moment. Jasper had no time to watch her fight. Seraph Burst plowed through the wraiths like a bowling ball through pins, but when the spell ended, he was left on his own, surrounded on all sides by the enemy. He was slowly getting used to the disorienting spell, but his head still swam as he tried to find his bearings. Slashing at a wight that charged at him, he caught a glimpse over its shoulder of a shiny Corinthian helmet, the helmet Aphora¡¯s troops wore, a hundred feet away. A blade slashed at his throat, and he barely managed to block it on his glaive. Without thinking, he cast Purge, and kicked himself as he remembered how ineffective it had been in the city. To his surprise, the wraith attacking him fell to the ground, clutching its throat as fire spread through its semi-diaphanous body. ¡°Huh. I guess even some of the ¡®normal citizens¡¯ were bad guys.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Looking up he realized that the creatures, who had been scattered by the force of his spell, were quickly closing in around him. Time to go. A wizened head rolled past his feet, the short horns clanking noisily against the ruined pavement, and he whirled to see Ihra had joined him. The front of her armor was covered in red mist, blood still dripping from the daggers clutched in her hands. With a silent nod, the two sprinted forward, running toward the gleaming helmets of their allies. Their semi-controlled fall had landed them near the edge of the queen¡¯s ranks, but a handful of wrights stood between them and the relative safety of Aphora''s line. As they ran, Ihra pulled an arrow out of her quiver and shot it at one of the monsters ahead of them. It missed, and she fired again. The arrow passed harmlessly by a wight, whistling past its head. ¡°Damn it - the running is throwing off my aim. Catch me,¡± she yelled. Jasper barely had time to react before a heavy weight landed on his back. He stumbled, almost face planting, but somehow stayed on his feet. Catching his balance, he charged toward the scattered foes while, perched on his back, Ihra peppered the wights with her arrows. Within seconds, she had decimated their ranks, and the few that didn¡¯t fall before her deadly aim, scattered as the two ran past. She leapt off his back, resuming her run beside him with a long steady stride. "Thanks." They broke through the unprotected flank of the queen''s lines, and, running through the empty ruins of the city, swung in a wide arc around the side toward the small knoll where Aphora''s troops had set up their defense. Lady Aphora floated in the air above her troops. The elf was all but nude, as her silver dress had unraveled into thousands of metallic strands with which she struck at the enemy, piercing through their armor with an unnatural sharpness. The leader of the Fey, Tes?ha-Is?tana, was no less impressive. The green-skinned woman had entered the battle with no armor at all. But within seconds of reaching the valley floor, she had encased herself in a suit of stone. Somehow, a thin layer of rock flowed over her, still allowing her to move with ease. She plowed through the enemy ranks, a statue come to life, leaving nothing but slaughter in her wake as the enemies'' swords bounced off her stone skin. But they were slowly losing the battle. The small numbers of elves and Fey that had already reached the bottom were too few to deal with the thousands of undead warriors. The maryannu had devastated the queen¡¯s ranks in their initial charge, but it soon turned out that their attention was solely focused on the queen, whom they surrounded all sides. To his surprise, the queen was giving them a fight. Like a bear surrounded by a wolf pack, the queen was somehow keeping them at bay. The queen¡¯s weapon constantly changed back and forth from a sword to a spear, the length altering to whatever she needed, as she deftly parried the blows of the marryannu. At the same time, she unleashed a never-ending barrage of spells, her body glowing brightly as she burned through her soul. A crescent moon hung upside down above her head, rivers of blood dripping from its ends, and any of the maryannu touched by its liquid screeched in agony as the caustic liquid burned through them. Slamming her spear into the ground, she drove them back with a shockwave, but in another instant, they closed in around her again. No, Jasper realized, the maryannu weren''t going to save them from the wights. He hung in the back of the line, slashing out with his glaive when an opening presented itself, saving his limited essence for a moment of great need. Ihra stood beside him, her arrows raining down new death on the undead. Despite their overwhelming numbers, morale amongst the queen''s forces was beginning to break. For centuries they had been unable to die; now they were unprepared to stare death in the face. A sharp cry rang out from his left, and Jasper spun in time to see one of the fey being dragged across the ground. A towering wight, much larger than most, stood over the fey, its sword resting against the screaming fey''s neck. The creature laughed, apparently relishing the tears of the fey, as it dragged it back into the queen''s ranks. Seraph Burst. Without thinking, Jasper cast the spell. He shot past his line, tearing a hole through the ranks of the undead toward his target. He had aimed well, and his razor-sharp wings bisected the wight in half as he slowly spun to a halt above the fey. The fey stared up at him, wide-eyed, but wasted no time in scrambling to her feet. Snatching up her sword, she cast a grateful nod to Jasper, as she leapt. The fey gracefully soared over the heads of the wights, landing safely in a cloud of dust behind enemy ranks. "Damn it." As Jasper spun around, he realized the spell had taken him a bit further away from the ranks of Aphora''s troops than he had realized. Unable to match the Matrix-like leap of the fey, Jasper began to run back towards his allies, gripping his glaive tightly in hand. But these wights must have been better trained than the previous ones. Although his Seraph Burst had torn through them, they quickly closed ranks around him, cutting him off from his allies. He shot two bursts of Shooting Star, killing ten of them outright, but more stepped in their place. He desperately fended off the flurry of blows that came toward him. Thankfully, the glaive¡¯s extended reach afforded him some advantage over the creatures, as their crescent swords were not long enough to break past his guard. But it wasn''t enough; the creatures were faster and better trained than him. He was simply outclassed. Jasper found himself backpedaling, being pushed further away from the front lines, as he fought for his life. The battle seemed endless, although in all probability it was no more than a few minutes, but his backward flight was eventually halted when he staggered into the wall of a ruined building. With his back to a wall, he was able to defend himself somewhat more easily, but as he surveyed the situation, he could see it was grim. The wights crowded around on him all sides, and although could cast Seraph Burst again, in the mayhem of the battle he had lost all track of where his allies were. He vainly searched for a glimpse of their gleaming helmets but saw nothing. Damn it - if I guess the wrong direction, Seraph Burst would just push me further behind enemy lines. Distracted, Jasper failed to block one of the swift blows that arced toward him. A scream of pain burst through his lips as a wraith slipped its sword beneath his guard, slashing him across the ribs. The sharp weapon ripped through his leather armor, but its impact was dampened on his newly toughened skin, cutting far less deep than it should have. Roaring in anger, he kicked the creature away as he almost mindlessly cast a new spell. Scourge of Despair. As soon as he spoke the words, a giant spectral flail materialized in his hands. The whip-like tendrils were so long they dragged across the ground, but when he swung his hands, there was no resistance to his movement. The flail carved a path of destruction through the frenzied mob, leaving in its wake a mass of burning corpses. For a second, the wights shrank back, giving him a little breathing room. As the fiery whip disappeared, a bone-chilling howl of despair echoed in the air around them. Terrified for a moment, Jasper pressed tight against the wall as three specters appeared, only relaxing when he remembered they were from his spell. The specters materialized out of thin air, their visage the stuff of nightmares. Three rotting corpses floated in between him and the wights. Tattered robes covered their body, and long, wispy strands of hair floated behind them on an illusory wind, as they stretched their arms toward the wights. The specters howled again, and the queen¡¯s forces stepped backward, fear evident on their faces. Jasper didn''t stick around to watch any further. The summons only lasted for fifteen seconds, and he had already used a lot of essence. A quick glance up showed him that the ruined building had a gap in the wall about ten feet above his head, opening onto a second floor. He heaved his glaive up through the hole and heard it almost immediately clank on the floor. Then he leapt up. His first jump missed, but on the second, his fingers managed to close on the ledge. Pushing off against the wall, he hauled himself up into the building. Wails and screams echoed behind him as the specters fed on the queen¡¯s forces, but he knew their time was almost up. Moving quickly, he dove to the floor, out of sight of the hole in the wall. The Battle in the Caldera Part 2 The ghostly wails outside finally ceased as the summons vanished, and he threw himself on the ground, stifling his breathing. He wasn¡¯t sure if the wights, preoccupied with dealing with the specters, had seen him escape into the building, but as the moments ticked by, there was no sound of shuffling at the wall, and no monster''s faces peaked through the gap. After a long few minutes of silence, Jasper peeled himself off the gingerly, and carefully crept over to the hole in the wall. He peaked through cautiously, and his heart sunk. The wights had moved away from their building, their backs turned to him, but he saw no sign of the elven line. Either he had gotten turned around in the chaos of the battle and was facing in the wrong direction entirely, or he had been driven back so far that he could no longer see his allies. Either way, Seraph Burst wasn''t really an option, as it might very well take him even further away from Ihra and the others. Reluctantly, he turned and examined the room. Like many of the buildings in the valley, the ruined building abutted the cliff face, which curved around the valley floor. Aside from the gaping hole in the wall that he had climbed into, the room was in pretty good condition. The cold stone floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, disturbed where he had lain in it. Behind him, a staircase led down into the darkness, while along the back wall, an arch opened up into the cliffside. A few careful steps down the staircase revealed it simply led out to the ground floor where, through the windows, he could see the queen''s forces milling about. Damn it. With a sigh, Jasper retreated to his only remaining option. The room beyond the arch was cloaked in gloom, only the faintest strands of the dim sunlight trickling beyond the passage. He stepped through cautiously. The light quickly fell away, and the darkness closed around him suffocatingly. Willing a trickle of power into his hands, Jasper let the blue flames dance along his fingers. In the light of flames, he could see the room was empty except for a few rotting boxes, but another door was set into the back wall, leading deeper into the cliff. He hesitated, half-tempted to turn back and take his chances with the horde, but he knew he didn''t have enough essence to fight for long by himself. There¡¯s got to be another exit somewhere, right? Reluctantly, he pressed on. As it turned out, the next room was not a room at all. The door led out into a natural cavern, the unnaturally flat floor - still covered with a thick layer of dust - the only sign of human craftsmanship. A passage led to the left, in the direction he hoped his allies were - assuming the hole in the wall was facing the wrong direction - and Jasper broke out into a light jog. The air was cold, far colder than even a normal cave, but, thanks to the fires burning within, the cold didn''t bother him anymore. Still, as he hurtled down the tunnel, he was haunted by the sense that something was wrong. The tunnel curved slightly, clearly following the rim of the cauldron, and a faint breeze began to blow on his face, telling him an opening must lie ahead. But the sense of paranoia only grew. He paused, his neck itching with the creepy feeling of being watched, and he strained his ears, searching for even the slightest noise that would reveal he was not alone. He heard nothing, but as Jasper¡¯s eyes turned back to the path that lay ahead of him, he finally realized what had been bothering him. A trail of footprints, sunken into the dusty floor, led into the darkness ahead. They were not his footprints. He took a step back, as a sudden desire to flee overwhelmed him. Jasper whirled back and forth wildly, the blue light of his hands casting eery shadows down the pitch-black tunnel. His blood froze when he saw a shadowy figure caught in the flickering light. Its eyes glowed a feral red and, gleaming a dull scarlet in the flame-light, Jasper saw blood dripping from its fangs, the viscous liquid pooling in the thick layer of dust at its feet. He recognized it immediately - the creature in the tunnel to Als?arratu, a qebru. A rock rolled in the darkness behind him, bouncing off the tunnel wall, and he whirled around to see another monster emerge from the darkness, its glowing eyes no more than ten feet away. Jasper immediately threw himself against the tunnel wall. Raising his hands up to keep both qebr¨¹ in the light, his mind raced as he tried to devise a plan. Purge probably wouldn¡¯t work. Qebr¨¹ were the hungry ghosts of the unburied or dishonored dead, so even though they very much wanted to kill and eat him, they weren¡¯t technically evil. After all, the unthinking deeds of the undead couldn¡¯t exactly be held against them. Seraph Burst was also out of the question in the narrow confines of the tunnel. He shuddered at the thought of the wings slamming into the stout stone walls, being ripped out of his shoulders. As he frantically raced through his options, the two qebr¨¹ slowly crept closer to him, but neither seemed quite willing to commit to an attack as long as he was looking at them. Ambush predators, maybe? He moved his feet, readying his stance in case of attack, but stiffened in surprise when his foot brushed up against something hard and sharp. Daring only to take a quick glance down, Jasper saw what his foot had touched. A broken stalactite lay on the floor, flushed tight against the wall until his foot had disturbed it. Its sharp, pointed edge shone in the blue light, and his pulse quickened as a plan finally came to him. Slowly, he crouched down, keeping his eyes fixed on the qebru?, which edged closer and closer. As his hands closed around the stalactite, he sprung into action. Casting Fiery Shackles on the two, Jasper charged towards the qebru blocking his path forward. As he neared it, he tried to activate Heart Stopper. Please let this count as a dagger. His silent plea was rewarded as the stalactite begin to glow. Guided by the spell, his hand plunged the dagger straight into the heart of the shackled qebru. He rushed past the wounded qebru?, the howls echoing behind him in the tunnel, so loud that it hurt his ears. He fled, pell-mell, down the passage. After a few moments, it opened up into another cavern. He skidded to a stop, his eyes searching for an exit. Dozens of red glowing eyes stared back at him, but he saw what he was looking for. A door led out of the cavern, the faintest hint of sunlight streaming into the dark cavern. Not stopping in his mad flight, Jasper threw himself through the door as the cavern behind him erupted in horrifying, screaming laughter. Despite knowing better, he looked back over his shoulder and saw the red eyes following him, the first hints of their form revealed in the light. Compared to the qebru? behind him, the queen¡¯s army held no fear for him now. He raced through the new building, heading towards a window. The window was in surprisingly good condition, most of the glass still clinging to the frame, but he didn''t slow down, flinging himself through it without a second thought. As he began to fall, he cast Seraph¡¯s Burst. He tore through the air, narrowly passing above the astonished heads of some wights, before smashing back down to earth. Spinning like a raging hurricane from the force of his spell, Jasper tore through the front ranks of the queen¡¯s army. When his spinning finally came to a halt, he stumbled dizzily, but his heart flooded with relief when he saw the gleaming silver helmets of the embattled elves, their forces dug in on a small hill a few feet away. He rushed past the dazed wights and raced up the mound towards his allies. Piles of corpses surrounded the hill, and the ground was slick with spilled blood that he hoped belonged to the wights and not the elves. Time moved interminably and he could hear the cries of the wights as they rallied behind him but their pursuit was too late. Jasper reached the elven line, breathless, and it opened to let him pass. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. While he had been gone, Aphora¡¯s forces had been slowly forced back. Now they occupied a small mound at the edge of the caldera, hemmed in on three sides by the larger horde of undead. Their small numbers had only held their own thanks to Aphora¡¯s and the Fey leader¡¯s prowess, but Jasper saw the grim exhaustion on their faces. They couldn¡¯t hold out much longer. But a quick glance above told him that hope was not lost. The elven mages had continued crafting a ramp that led down from the cauldron¡¯s rim, and the unfinished bridge now stood only 50 or so feet off the ground. Realizing they could not afford to wait any longer for the ramp to be complete, the hardiest of the warriors took the leap. As reinforcements trickled in, their presence quickly bolstered the flagging ranks of Aphora¡¯s troops. With the prospect of relief buoying their spirits, the elves reestablished their lines, fending off the endless assault of wights. But their even renewed surge still might not have been enough on its own to insure victory. In the end, it was the qebru? that turned the tides of the battle. Thousands of qebru? slumbered in the caverns - the massacred inhabitants of the ruined town - until Jasper¡¯s mad dash through the dark caverns had woken them. Although qebru? were mostly ambush predators, the blood-soaked battlefield drove them into a frenzy. Not entirely abandoning their instincts, the hungry ghosts creeped out of the caverns behind the queen''s army and fell upon the turned backs of their prey. Caught unaware, and trapped between two hostile forces, the queen''s left flank collapsed in complete disarray. Aphora capitalized on the opportunity as soon as it presented itself. Leading her troops behind her, she swept through the disordered ranks of the left flank, meeting little resistance, and slammed into the unguarded side of the central column. Her silver ribbons tore through their ranks, and the courage of the queen¡¯s army quailed as the central column found itself under attack on two sides. Perhaps if the queen had not been fully occupied defending herself against the maryannu, she might have succeeded in rallying her troops but, left leaderless, her army crumbled. The wights and wraiths turned and fled, pursued by the ravenous qebru?. The elves began to break rank as they chased after the queen¡¯s army, the turned backs of the fleeing undead providing a tempting target. Realizing she was about to lose control, Aphora dashed along the line on her stag, screaming at them to get back in formation. ¡°Stay in your ranks. Reform the battle lines. The battle is not over!¡± Her voice thundered across the battlefield, somehow rising above the mayhem of the battle. The elves reluctantly obeyed her command, although a few, ignoring her cries, broke free to pursue the fleeing foes, the lure of easy experience too great to ignore. Jasper stayed where he was, at the back of the line. As much as he wanted to chase down the fleeing wights, his pool of essence was far too low to risk wading into the chaos of wights and qebru? on his own. The battle line was quickly reformed, and expanded, as the ramp down was finally completed, allowing the last of the reinforcements to join them. Slowly, they begin march forward, toward the queen, executing any of the qebru? or wights they came across. The queen was still surrounded by the remnants of the Victorious Dead, but dozens of their bodies littered the ground around her, their numbers much reduced. As they approached, a number of the elves flung spells and arrows her away; a few of the lesser carefully aimed hit the Dead, who turned and hissed at them, before flinging themselves again at the queen. Raising her hand, Aphora called for her forces to stop, just out of range of the battle. Dismounting from her stag, Aphora dug through the packs on its back. Jasper stood on his toes, straining to see, as she slowly unsheathed a sword. Visually, the sword looked much like the khopeshes most of the elves bore, but there was something deeply unsettling about the weapon. She held it above her head, for all her forces to see, and Jasper watched in fascination as the air around it rippled, as if even the heavens shrank back from contact with the sword. The elven forces fell silent, many of them prostrating themselves on the ground before the sword. ¡°Behold the Avoni, fell weapon of the gods, cursed instrument of punishment, the last great relic of Als?arratu. Such a weapon should not be wielded lightly.¡± She slowly swept the sword through the air towards her troops, and Jasper choked down a wave of vomit as its aura passed over him. Aphora faced the center column. ¡°I call you to witness today against the Queen, my mother. She has slaughtered friend and foe alike, with no regard for innocence. Is my judgment just?¡± ¡°May the Avoni curse her,¡± the elves roared back. She turned to the right. ¡°I call you to witness today against the Queen, my mother. Is my judgment just?¡± ¡°May the Avoni curse her.¡± She turned to the left column. ¡°I call you to witness today against the Queen, my mother. Is my judgment just?¡± Jasper found himself speaking the words with the rest. ¡°May the Avoni curse her.¡± As the last of them spoke, the ripples emanating from the sword grew in strength, its oppressive aura reaching out over the crowd. Unable to control himself any longer, he emptied his guts out. Aphora raised the sword high again. ¡°Three times have I asked, and three times you have answered. May the Lady of Mourning uphold our judgment.¡± The elven princess turned and walked towards the battle that still swirled around her mother. As she approached the queen, the Victorious Dead backed off, scattering out of reach of the sword. Their leader, the giant bird-man, bowed his head to her as she passed. With a word, he led the maryannu away, sweeping out across the valley floor to hunt down the remnants of the qebru? and wights. Aphora approached the queen alone. The queen¡¯s form had degraded even further since the wall. Little was left of her human features; her body was covered in fur and even her face was warped and distorted. With the maryannu finally gone, she leaned on her spear, her breath coming heavily as the watched her daughter slowly approach, but a haughty look still rested on her brow. But the queen''s eyes widened when Aphora brought the blade from behind her back. ¡°How? I left the Avoni back in the city,¡± she gasped. Aphora came to a halt a few feet away from her mother. ¡°Yours is no doubt back where you left it, after using it on me. Unjustly - for daring to disagree with you. But this?" She held the sword up, the air rippling around it. "Do you not remember? Your Avoni was a wedding gift from the Djinn. A pair. We found father¡¯s half amongst the ruins, shortly after the fall.¡± She pointed the sword at her mother. ¡°There¡¯s still time to end this. Surrender.¡± Her voice choked. ¡°Please.¡± The Queen snorted, crazed laughter bursting through her lips.¡°I will never surrender to a treacherous daughter, to one who betrays her mother and her people.¡± Aphora shook her head sadly. ¡°Then you leave me no choice. The people of Als?arratu have spoken; your fate is sealed.¡± Before her words were finished, the queen struck. She moved like lightning, but her blade was blocked by another, the Avoni. The two fought in a silent duel, their blades moving faster than Jasper could follow. Perhaps the queen still retained some small sense of honor, for, following the ancient custom, no magic was cast by either, only a relentless rain of steel. The queen seemed to have the upper hand, slowly forcing Aphora back across the battlefield, but the elf¡¯s resolve never wavered, and no matter how hard the queen pressed, she could not deliver a crushing blow. Roaring with rage, she swung wildly at her daughter, and seizing the opportunity, Aphora nicked the edge of her mother¡¯s arm. The queen screamed and fell to her knees, her agony from the wound clearly far greater than the tiny nick should have merited. But she stumbled up almost immediately, deflecting the next blow that arced down at her head. It was a downward spiral from there, though. Her swings slowed and her parries arrived just a moment too late; slowly, the queen accumulated a small collection of minor wounds. Aphora did not escape punishment, as the bloody wounds that crisscrossed her body attested, but the queen¡¯s weapon was ultimately no match for the Avoni. Finally, the queen collapsed to her knees, unable to lift her spear, which lay on the ground before her, any longer. Her body bled from half a dozen weeping wounds, their edges already turning a necrotic black. Reluctantly, Aphora stood before her, the sword shaking in her hands, as she pled with the queen one last time. ¡°Surrender, mother. You''ve lost.¡± The queen spat on the ground. ¡°Never.¡± Her hands surged forward, reaching for the spear again, and she managed to lift it up, aiming straight for Aphora''s head. With a lightning-fast movement, Aphora deflected the blow, sending the spear spinning away out of reach of the queen. A silence fell between the two, broken only by the rippling of the sword in the air. And then Aphora plunged it through her mother¡¯s heart. Aftermath The elves fell deathly silent as the queen gasped, choking as she slid forward on the sword. Her eyes were wide, her scornful pride finally chased away by the fear of a death long avoided. Gently, Aphora ran her hand down her mother''s face, a few treacherous tear rolling silently down her cheeks as the queen breathed her last. What remained of the queen''s forces, harried on all sides by the qebru and maryannu, fled, clinging to the caldera''s walls as they sought the shelter of the jungles beyond, while Aphora''s forces advanced across the valley floor. Meanwhile, the maryannu and a portion of Aphora''s forces continued to chase the fragments of the queen''s army. Carried aloft on their spectral wings, the maryannu soared beneath the dense canopy, striking with all the swiftness of a hawk when their prey was spotted. But no summoning lasts forever.When the last rays of the sun sunk beneath the horizon, the slain maryannu arose again, and accompanied by the rest of their comrades, the Dead to the Palace, their hunt concluded. As the shadows grew across the caldera''s floor, Aphora ordered a retreat.fraid that the qebru? would launch an assault against the camp under the cover of darkness, the elves marched through the night, not stopping until morning found them miles away from the site of the battle.When a halt was finally called, Jasper did not even bother to set up a tent, choosing instead to simply pass out on the ground. The next two weeks were difficult.Thanks to the maryannu, the elves'' victory had come with relatively few losses on their side, but despite their success, the mood of the camp was subdued.Many of the elves in Aphora''s contingent were old enough to remember the days of Als?arratu¡¯s glory, and had walked its streets with their friends and family - the very wights they had been forced to kill - so there were few that celebrated the victory. Although the queen had been defeated, she had devastated the region in the few short days before the elves had caught up with her, and even with the collapse of her army, the danger had not entirely passed.A decent number of wights had escaped the clutches of the maryannu and now roamed through the jungles and plains surrounding Hargish, attacking the civilians who had survived the first attack. Thus Aphora¡¯s troops were sent on constant patrols through the valleys, searching for survivors and slaughtering the remaining undead.Those skilled in craftsmanship stayed behind in the ruined city, rebuilding as many homes as possible, and salvaging whatever food and other necessities they could find, as they struggled to support the growing population of refugees. Jasper and Ihra were run ragged, riding out every day with Aphora¡¯s forces on patrols. While Jasper''s pool of essence was still small enough to be a liability on the battlefield, his skills were perfect for fighting the small groups of monsters they now encountered, which made his services in great demand.omehow, Jasper kept finding one excuse after another to put it off - there was always some more pressing need, real or imagined. Ihra was lost in her own world. Her every possible moment was dedicated to scouring the countryside, searching for any trace of her nephews and nieces.At first, she was hopeful; far more of the city''s population had managed to escape the city¡¯s destruction than it originally appeared, and she redoubled her search with renewed confidence. But more and more survivors trickled in, many of them brought back by her and Jasper¡¯s trips, with no sign of her family. Time and again, she''d interview the ones they''d rescued, hoping to find someone who knew them, but the answer was always the same.By the end of the second week, Jasper watched her hope fade daily, her search ever more perfunctory and moribund.And then one day, Ihra chose not to go out on patrol. She didn¡¯t come out of her tent until supper.Perhaps tempted by the savory aroma of venison and plantains grilling over the fire, she finally emerged.Her pale white cheeks were suspiciously blotchy, her eyes rimmed red, as she quietly sat down beside him. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±She ignored him.¡°Ihra?¡± ¡°No.¡±She said, in a still, small voice.¡°As long as I don¡¯t know for sure, I can tell myself they escaped." She stared for a long time into the fire, her lips quavering, refusing to meet his eyes.Let¡¯s just talk about something else,¡± she finally muttered. She wasn¡¯t very talkative that night, but Jasper kept the conversation going. She stayed in her tent the next day too, but on the third, she joined Aphora''s forces again - not on patrol, however. Instead, she remained in the city, helping the craftsmen fix up shelters for the refugees. By the end of the third week, a portion of the city had been restored enough to provide homes for the survivors.As the number of survivors brought in begin to slow, it became clear that perhaps a third of the city¡¯s inhabitants had survived, as well as a much larger proportion of the population of the surrounding valley.But the majority of the crops in the field - only scant weeks from harvest - had been lost, leaving food a real concern for the coming winter. Aphora sent her swiftest emissaries to the handful of cities closest to Hargish - Ikkarim, Gis?-Izum, Birnah - requesting food and aid; reluctantly, she also sent news of the disaster to the king in Yas?peh.The number of elves camping outside the city slowly swelled as new elves trickled in daily, many of them, curiously enough accompanied by women and children, wagons and baggage.The new arrivals joined the camp of the Children of St. Martin, and Jasper did not have much opportunity to interact with them, but it was clear to him that some other plan was afoot.In the end, Jasper was forced to wait another two weeks before things finally fell into place. The tall banners were the first thing the handful of guards clustered on the ruined walls saw.A golden pike, the symbol of the king, gleamed against the dark sapphire canvas, and the low rumble of drums echoed across the plain as his men marched to their beat.Column after column of troops emerged out of the jungles, their pikes gleaming in the sunlight with an almost blinding light.It was the largest display of military might Jasper had seen since coming to Corsythia, but, he had to admit, the king¡¯s army just didn''t inspire the same fear and dread as the undead queen¡¯s had.
She ran her fingers through her hair nervously, gently tracing the large antlers that swept up from her head, as she waited for the king to arrive.She wanted nothing more than to ride forward, leaving her troops behind, and greet her old friend.But that was not her part to play, not anymore.This was not a meeting of friends, but a parley between two heads of state, and, unfortunately, the outcome was predetermined. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The king rode on a large grey stallion, accompanied by a suite of attendants.A silver crescent sword - a gift from her, long ago - hung at his side, and his chestnut hair was swept back from his face, his long locks held back by the golden diadem that rested on his brow.His armor, despite its golden sheen and lustrous state, was no ceremonial suit, but a relic of the kings of Yas?peh, one of their most prized spoils of the victory in their long conflict with Stryn.She noted, with a touch of sorrow, the whisper of grey within his hair, the wrinkles that creased a brow once unblemished. Steeling her emotions, she tilted her head in respect.¡°Lord Kaba?ni, the forces of the undead Queen have been defeated, and we have begun the task of rebuilding the city.Many of the inhabitants have been rescued, but the city will need provisions to survive the winter.¡± He sat stiffly on his steed, his normally kindly face stony and grim.¡°And the city that is burned, Lady Aphora?Was it not your actions that awoke the queen?Show me the city and we shall talk.¡± A pang coursed through her heart at his gruff tone, but she simply nodded.¡°Of course, Lord Kaba?ni.¡±The elves led the king¡¯s officials through the ruined city while his army begin to set up tents outside the walls. The king¡¯s face darkened as he surveyed the devastation.The formerly white, plastered walls of Hargish were sundered; large gaps had crumbled in many places, and their white coat was stained with soot and blood.The guild hall and barracks, the pride of the city square, had been demolished and, out of all the most important buildings in the city, the temples alone remained largely untouched, the undead having shied away from the divine presence. The people roamed the streets, most of them clad in elven cloaks, with hollow cheeks and flat expressions. In the city square, long lines waited for the daily rations, the children playing quietly around their elders'' feet. When the tour was complete, they rode back to her camp, the two leaders side by side.The silence hung between them with an almost palpable presence, and Aphora fretted as she waited for him to speak. ¡°What am I supposed to do with you, Aphora?¡±The king sighed as he spoke.¡°You have put me in an untenable position.Your actions, no matter how unintentional, have destroyed a city of my realm.No matter our past, no matter how much I want to, I cannot just overlook this.You and I both know that I cannot afford to fight you if you should choose to resist - not with Stryn constantly watching for even the slightest sign of weakness to swoop down on Birnah - but neither I can return to my people without punishing you.My nobles are watching, and they will demand vengeance.¡± Aphora watched his face, futilely trying to read his eyes.They were a pool of darkness, the inky voids a testimony to the Sappiyan royal family¡¯s proud claim to fame - Mwyrawni descent. Privately, she had always suspected that they were actually descended from the Sidhe, but that was a heritage no one wanted to claim.But she saw nothing in those black depths, though the lines that creased his face told of sorrow more than anger. ¡°I know, Kaba?ni.I sought to save my people, but in the end, all that happened was that yours were harmed." She reached out a hand, patting his gently.I know you cannot just overlook the situation, and I will not complicate your position any further. My counselors and I already reached a decision. Once we have finished stabilizing Hargish, our conclave will leave Sapiya and go into exile.This will surely please your nobles.¡± Kaba?ni nodded gruffly. ¡°Thank you; I do not wish to see you go, but your exile will solve many problems for me." He turned to her, curiosity in his eyes. "Where are your people going?Surely the elves of Onkodos Laos will not welcome you back, and there are few provinces these days that will welcome a new autonomous enclave.¡± Aphora shook her head, a wan smile crossing her lips.¡°No, I''m sure we would be far from welcome in our beloved homeland - we will neither settle in the empire nor go to the north.I have cast the edakk? again and again, and their message is clear.We shall depart into the west.¡± All anger dissipated from his face, replaced by shock and horror.¡°No!" He shook his head vehemently. "Absolutely not - I can¡¯t let you do that.Even for a human, to go into the west is to court death, but for an elf?It is a death sentence.None come back alive from the banks of the great river.Aphora, no matter how my nobles may complain about Hargish, I will not send your people to die to ease my burdens.¡± Aphora pursed her lips, resolve in her eyes.¡°It was not a decision I came to lightly; we will not be going alone.On the road to Hargish, we encountered a company of the Children of St. Martin on a sacred quest.The bones have told me to accompany them.¡± He cocked his head, a frown spreading across his face. ¡°Really?The Children are roaming in my lands?¡± Anger flickered in his eyes again, not at Aphora, but at his nobles. "It is their duty to inform if Fey are roaming my kingdom, friendly or not," he grumbled. Aphora nodded, ignoring his complaints. group of the Children was sent by their elders to reclaim an ancient colony, now long lost beyond the river. But they are confident they know its location and that it can be reclaimed.¡±She turned to him, the passion clearly writ across her face.¡°Think about the possibility, Kaba?ni.The chance to establish a realm with the Children of St. Martin, hidden deep below the surface, where we will be safe from the wars to the east and the terrors that roam the western plains.If we can find their fallen city and restore it, we may be safer in the west than we are here.¡± She sighed as she saw his brows darken, and pressed her case.¡°The empire is falling, Kaba?ni.Perhaps the Gonian emperors will push back the invaders - if they do not succumb to the civil war brewing beneath their noses - even now the rightful heir parades through the streets of Celestia, his supporters bending the ears of the elves in Yammaqom.But even if the emperors push back the Zalancthians, and drive them into the sea, will the empire have any strength left to face the next conflict?The fallen empire of Gemliria and its allies are stirring again and their troops have already delved deep into your own borders on expeditions.¡± Kaba?ni shook his head.¡°The empire has pushed them back before and will do so again.Has not my house stood against the treacherous forces of Stryn for generations?Why flee into the west, into the territory of the enemy itself?¡± ¡°Because they are not the enemy I fear.¡± The king fell silent. ¡°Is it true then?The dwarves?.¡± ¡°The edakk? do not lie.Since the capital fell, every lot I¡¯ve cast tells the same story.The dwarves, every greedy of their power, ever loathe to cast a spell, have realized that they alone among the known races still wield the power of yore.Their lords now dream of empires, and they have turned their eyes on the empire. Are our flocks not ripe for the taking, with no shepherds left strong enough to protect them?¡± ¡°The dwarves will march from their halls - I am sure of it - and ruin shall follow in their wake.That is why, Kaba?ni, I¡¯m leading my people into the west.If we can establish a realm there, away from the coming conflicts, we can offer safety to the coming flood of refugees, and perhaps, in some small measure, I can find atonement.¡± ¡°But the west - Aphora, if you are wrong, if this underground realm is not hidden well enough, the Sidhe will hunt you down.Their hatred of elves knows no bounds.There isa reason that the elves consider the lands beyond the river to be the domain of death.¡± He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to look at him.¡°Don¡¯t do this, Aphora.What am I supposed to tell Keturah?¡± She shrugged his arm off, refusing to look him in the eye, but despite herself, a few tears escaped.¡°She is safer with you in Yas?peh, at least for the time.¡± ¡°And when I tell her that I let her mother march off into likely death, what then?You know she will blame me.¡± She angrily brushed away the treacherous tears.¡°Tell her what you have to.We both have a part to play, Kaba?ni.You must be seen to punish me in front of your people, and I must try to establish a safe haven for the future.¡± ¡°Besides, you know me.Let the Sidhe come.They will soon learn the same lesson my mother learned-" her words deepened to almost a growl ¡°-I am no easy prey.¡± Decisions When Jasper awoke the next morning, the camp was abuzz with the news: the king had banished Lady Aphora and her kin from his realm, sending them into the west. At first, most dismissed the news as mere rumors, but when the king''s formally confirmed the judgment, reading the proclamation in the ruins of Hargish''s central market for all the crowd to hear, all doubt was banished. The crowd''s reaction surprised Jasper, a mixture of horror and pity predominating throughout the assembled masses. "The penalty is too harsh," a tall man with sunken cheeks shook his head as he talked to his neighbor. "To send them all to die like that? Where were the king''s troops when the city fell? Where were his troops when we were hiding in the jungle?" Jasper eavesdropped on the discussions, his curiosity slowly transforming into concern. Exile hadn''t seemed like such a harsh penalty to him, but to the crowd, it was seen as essentially a death sentence. He had always thought that the lands beyond the river were the domain of the three fallen realms, chief among them the empire of the Gemlirians. But, if the whispered conversations among the crowd were to be believed, the true power in the west was the Sidhe, the mysterious race that had slaughtered most of the Mwyrawni and destroyed their empire. No one he talked to seemed to know much about the Sidhe, or even what they looked like, but all agreed on one aspect. The Sidhe hated elves and hunted them down for sport. While there were some who delighted in the elves getting their "comeuppance," most were unsettled, a feeling Jasper shared as he left the market. The next day, before he was able to head out on yet another patrol through the countryside, a messenger from Aphora came to them. It was an elf he didn¡¯t recognize, but the handwriting on the brief letter was Aphora''s. Curious, he and Ihra followed the messenger through the crooked lanes of the camp before finally arriving at Aphora¡¯s tent. Her tent was bustling with activity when they entered, Torin and Aphora besieged on all sides with people bringing all manner of requests, so they were forced to wait for a few minutes. But eventually, the others were dealt with, and the pair was left alone in the tent. Aphora sunk into a chair, heaving an exhausted sigh, as she waved them over. ¡°Thank you for waiting. I didn¡¯t expect that to take so long - there''s always another fire to put out. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the news by now?¡± Jasper nodded. ¡°Yes. Are you really going into the West?¡± She nodded wearily, taking a long drink from a goblet, before responding. ¡°I am.¡± He hesitated, unsure what to say. ¡°People are saying that the king''s punishment is too harsh." He looked her in the eyes. "They''re saying that going to the West is a death sentence.¡± Aphora sighed. ¡°Elves do not cross beyond the river. We may sojourn through the tundral forests, traverse through the realms of the Fey, even set sail across the eastern seas in search of shores unknown, but no elf wishes to set foot on the western banks of the river." Her face hardened, determination sparking in her eyes. "But we seek the lands below, a realm where even elves may dwell securely, far beneath the reach of Sidhe. Whatever the people may say, I do not believe we are riding to our deaths." The light in her eyes died, and she leaned back in her chair, taking another draught from her goblet. "But that is not why I sent for you.¡± ¡°Back in Als?arratu, I promised that I would try to teach you runic magic. At the time, I did not think that either of you was likely to possess the ability to power the runes - few are, after all. However, it seems I was wrong." She turned to Ihra. "I strongly suspect that you, my dear, will indeed be able to power the runes.¡± Ihra had been sitting to the side, her thoughts drifting as Aphora hashed out whatever business she had with Jasper. It took a moment for Aphora''s words to register, the shock evident on her face. ¡°Me? I can¡¯t even cast spells, unless you want to count weapon arts. Don''t you mean fire-boy?¡± Aphora¡¯s lips quirked in a faint smile as she watched Ihra''s eyebrows disappear beneath her bangs, and shook her head gently. ¡°The ability to use runes is not connected with the ability to cast spells; while the results may seem similar, the abilities are separate. I admit, I did not expect you to have the talent, though, until you survived Als?arratu¡¯s fall from the void with your mind intact - changed but not consumed.¡± Ihra¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Is that relevant?¡± Aphora spread a blank canvas across the table as she spoke. ¡°In the immediate aftermath of the first disaster, the community was far too shattered to make any sense of the situation. But as the centuries passed, we gradually came to a realization. Almost everyone who had survived possessed one of two talents: either they were capable of transforming into an animal form, like my commanders, Mullu-Lim and Torin, or they were capable of using runes, like me. I don¡¯t know which talent you possess, but I would like to test you.¡± ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be able to use runes too?¡± Jasper butted in, the excitement evident in his voice. Aphora finished pinning down the edges of the canvas, carefully smoothing out even the tiniest of wrinkles, before replying. ¡°It is possible but unlikely. Tes?ha-Is?tana told me something very strange - she said that you were summoned from another world. Is that true?¡± Jasper nodded slowly. ¡°Yes.¡± Aphora clucked her tongue. ¡°Well, then my suspicions are confirmed. Our records of summoned are obviously not complete, but as far as I am aware, none has ever manifested the ability to use runes.¡± His face fell, disappointed. ¡°So why I was not changed?¡± Aphora shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but you probably have Kas?dael to thank for that. From the start, I was intrigued by the strange seal you have on your heart, quite unlike the usual bonding marks; perhaps the unusual nature of that bond protected you. However,¡± she turned back to Ihra, ¡°you bear no such mark. Do you wish to be tested?¡± Ihra didn¡¯t hesitate, her head bobbing enthusiastically. ¡°Absolutely. The healing rituals alone would be invaluable.¡± Aphora placed a tome on the table and opened it up. ¡°Let¡¯s try to sketch a rune of protection.¡±Jasper watched as, for the next hour, Aphora helped Ihra carefully duplicate the rune. The rune had to be drawn with a special silver-rich paint, which magnified the current of essence running through it. Dried herbs were then pounded into a fine powder and blown over the formation, and five drops of blood were added to the center. When Aphora finally gave her approval to Ihra¡¯s rune, the moment of truth arrived. He held his breath, knowing that normally Ihra was unable to channel any essence. But Aphora¡¯s faith in her proved justified; when Ihra¡¯s hand touched the rune, power welled up within her, as she drew on something beyond their ken. A disorderly wave of essence gushed out of her hands into the runic formation. But the formation held strong, its walls taming the chaotic wave, as a small shield sprung into life above the canvas. Aphora smiled as she saw the look of disbelief on Ihra¡¯s face. ¡°It seems I was right.¡± She lifted a large bag from beneath the table, and placing the tome in the bag, thrust it into Ihra¡¯s hands. ¡°I wish I had time to properly train you to use runes, but we will soon depart for the west. With this manual, though, you should be able to figure most things out. Be very careful when you reproduce the forms; it won''t kill you if you make a mistake, but, even for me, ingredients are expensive, so don''t waste them.¡± As they rode through the muddy lanes back to their tents, Ihra bubbled with excitement for the first time in weeks as the cloud that had hung over her head was - temporarily, at least - banished. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. I can actually do magic - magic?! Just think how useful real healing spells will be - potions taste great, but they leave you so weak....¡± Jasper smiled as he listened to her chatter, glad to see her spirits lifted. When they arrived back at their camp, Ihra promptly disappeared into her tent, shutting herself away to examine the tome. For the first time in weeks, Jasper was left to his own devices. It was too late in the day to join a patrol, and with Ihra busy, he was finally forced to be alone with his thoughts. It was the first time since dying that he had been alone for any real length of time, his life a constant hectic mess from the moment he had reawoken, but he had been glad of that. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Most nights, he dreamed that he was back along the shores of the frozen, dark sea, the waves crashing dangerously close to his feet. Sometimes, he felt the wind whip the spray against his hands, horror spreading through him as he was deleted from creation. An involuntary shudder ran down his back, and he pushed the thoughts away. Steeling his will, Jasper resolved to do what he had been putting off for weeks: visit Kas?dael. Sitting down by the fire, he closed his eyes and begin to meditate. I am the rock; all things flow around me. I am the river; I flow around all things. To his surprise, Kas?dael was not seated by the fire. Her black dice lay on the ground, their shiny faces reflecting the flickering flames. She stood a few feet away, her back turned to the fire, as she searched the darkness. He slowly walked over to her, cautiously clearing his throat as he drew near. ¡°Kas?dael.¡± She held out a hand, shushing him, and he fell silent. She stood there for a long time, searching the inky depths while he waited, uncertain if he should be alarmed by whatever she was searching for. Whatever it was, she did not share it, but eventually turned back with a sigh, a troubled look on her face, as she stared down at her newest devotee. ¡°I am glad you have come, Jasper of Earth. You have been avoiding me,¡± she accused. He shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Well¡­¡± he searched for an excuse, but standing before the goddess, they were all stripped away. ¡°I have," he admitted. "I keep dreaming about the Sea, about these waves. If just one of them had touched me, I would have been lost. I just...¡± he trailed off, "I didn''t want to come back here." Kas?dael''s face softened. ¡°I know. All life fears its end - you are not alone in this, Jasper. However, while I have allowed you to take your time, my enemies have not ceased their actions. We cannot afford to wait forever. Harden your will, Jasper; the road ahead will not be easy but you have the strength to walk it.¡± The goddess held out her hand to him, the fire creating the illusion of color on her deathly-pale flesh. ¡°Level up first, and then we will talk.¡± Reluctantly, he took her hand and frowned as he scanned the table. He had gained several levels in Acolyte of the Secret Flame, finally getting past level 60, but, for some reason, he hadn¡¯t gained even a single level in Hand of Kas?dael. What the hell? Didn¡¯t killing all those undead, and helping kill the queen count for something?
Jasper Welles Exp: 2875/3000 Health 1340 Stamina 2140 Essence 2600 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Level: 59 Level up: x12 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 1 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Scion of Flames Sacred Star II Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 47 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 Locked Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive V¡úVI
Inspiration 60 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 60 Seraph Burst
Charisma 20 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Disgruntled, he broached the question. ¡°Kas?dael, why hasn¡¯t my subclass leveled up?¡± The goddess had resumed her seat by the fire pit, casting her dice at her feet. They skittered across the ground, and she examined them for a moment, before gathering them again. ¡°Your subclass is an extension of my power. In order to level up, you must either complete missions for me, or kill those I consider to be evil.¡± He scratched his head, confused. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the undead count? The qebru??¡± She shook her head. ¡°Evil, Jasper, is not merely an act; it is a choice. The undead were the victims of tragic circumstances: the destruction of a city, dead left unburied and dishonored. They are mindless creatures, capable of causing great harm if left unchecked, but not capable of evil. Would you call the tiger that hunts the deer in the jungle a murderer?¡± She smiled. ¡°Fear not - you will have plenty of opportunities to advance soon enough.¡± Grumbling slightly, he returned to the screen. The battle with the queen¡¯s forces had been a wake-up call. While he had more than enough essence for short duels with other people or monsters, on the battlefield he had very quickly found himself running dry. He dumped the vast majority of his points into inspiration and willpower, saving only a few, which he put into charisma, which was falling uncomfortably far behind the rest of his stats. Then, he eagerly turned to the reward box he¡¯d earned for passing level 60. Last time, he had been able to upgrade a spell and choose a new one, but he was surprised to find something different waiting for him. Please select a racial trait to unlock (Note: these traits can influence future evolutions and may not be available to choose in the future). He scanned the options quickly. Hard-Boiled (unlocked by the trait Scion of Flame): Your skin, already toughened by fire immunity, will become highly resistant to all but the strongest of slashing attacks, although you will remain vulnerable to blunt force. Warning: feeling in your skin will be heavily desensitized. It was a strong choice, but he was a little worried about the warning. Depending on how much his skin was desensitized it could be no big deal or a real problem. Would it desensitize me down there, too? Perhaps he was thinking with the wrong brain, but he wasn¡¯t sure that was a risk he was willing to take. Ruby-Skinned (unlocked by the trait Scion of Flame): Your skin will darken to the deep ruby glow that is regarded by most Djinn as the pinnacle of beauty. Due to your beauty, your charisma will achieve a percentage bonus of 10%. Jasper was already not too thrilled with his new red skin, so the last thing he wanted was to become even redder. He had to admit, though, that if he had a different class, like a bard, the charisma bonus would be a powerful incentive indeed. The Wings of Gavu¡¯el (unlocked by the trait Uplifted): Unlocks your first set of basic wings, allowing you to take flight into the sky. Wings require strength and endurance of 100. Due to your Seraph affiliation, this trait will remain permanently available. His heart sank as he read the stat requirements. The idea of flying through the heavens was amazing - who hadn¡¯t dreamed of flying as a kid? - but those stats were a real obstacle. Strength wasn¡¯t an important stat for his class, and he¡¯d need another seventy points in it. Reluctantly, he set it aside for the time, but he promised himself that someday he would unlock those wings, optimal stats be damned. The Horned Lord (unlocked by the class Hand of Kas?dael and your association with the Queen of Als?arratu) - You have learned much from observing the queen¡¯s forces, and gained an affinity with the dead. Once per day, you may summon the spirit of a mortal deceased for less than two days and ask them three questions. Warning: may cause changes in physical appearance. It was an intriguing ability. It had an obvious synergy with his inquisitorial skills, so he could definitely see its usefulness. However, judging from the name, he had a sneaking suspicion that it might cause him to grow horns. He was already unhappy with his red skin - did he really want to add horns into the mix? However, the ability seemed too good to dismiss, so, reluctantly, he filed it away as a real possibility. Just two more options were left now. Moon-Kissed (offered by Selene) - Most of the Djinn revere their father, Shamsha, but some turn to his consort. Embrace the blessing of Selene. Warning: this trait will dramatically affect all future evolutions, and your magical affinity will change from fire to lunar. This trait will remain available in the future. Jasper frowned. Truthfully, he had always preferred the moon to the sun - or at least, cool autumn nights to hot summer days - but the description was aggravatingly vague. He was pretty sure that Aphora¡¯s spells were lunar-based, and they were certainly quite impressive, but changing your affinity seemed like a really big deal. Plus, he wasn¡¯t sure how Kas?dael would feel about him accepting the blessing of another goddess. Kas?dael must have read his mind, as she replied before he could even get the words out. ¡°You are welcome to select the trait if you wish, Jasper of Earth. There is no war between Selene and I. But I would suggest you wait until you are stronger. There are a number of political factions in the Harei Miqlat, of which the Moon-kissed are one and the Seraphs are another; your task will be easier if you do not let yourself get dragged into petty political quarrels. Once you''ve completed my mission there, however, the trait is certainly worth considering.¡± Jasper put it into the maybe category and turned to the last option. The Broken Chain (unlocked by Tes?ha-Is?tana) - The Seraphs were once enslaved by the Fey until they broke their chains. Trait greatly enhances resistance to all forms of mental manipulation. Will remain available as long as you have the charm of the Child of St. Martin. As soon as he saw it, he wanted it. But he hesitated, unsure if it was the right decision. The trait would remain available as long as he had the charm while the other trait he had been interested in, the Horned Lord, had no such disclaimer, so he had to assume this was his only chance. He ran his fingers through his long shaggy hair as he weighed his options. What the hell do I do? Keturah In the end, perhaps it was stupid, but vanity won out.No matter how useful The Horned Lord might be, Jasper just didn¡¯t want to be stuck with both red skin and horns.He¡¯d only need a pitchfork, spiked tail, and goatee to complete the ensemble.With that fashion choice emphatically rejected, he selected The Broken Chain.As he closed the menu, satisfied with his decisions, another box popped up before him.
Reward Box
For assisting in the defeat of the Queen of Als?arratu, you have received a title and (1) upgrade skill point. Title: Champion of Sapiya.For participating in the defense of Gis?-Izum and Hargish, the bearer receives a 10% charisma when interacting with residents of the province of Sapiya, and a 5% charisma boost when interacting with Imperial nobles and officials.
He shrugged his shoulders as he read through the title.His charisma was fairly low, so the boost didn¡¯t really do much, but free stat points were never a bad thing.The upgrade point, on the other hand, was a fantastic surprise. The real problem was that he had no idea what to spend it on.Jasper was up to nine spells now, and he had only been able to upgrade three of them so far.He used both Purge and Seraph Burst regularly, so upgrading them made sense, but his eyes wandered over to the new inquisitor spells. He stroked his chin distractedly, running his fingers through the thick stubble.Damn, I need a shave, he realized.Dismissing the idle thought, he considered upgrading Scourge of Despair.The spell had saved his bacon in the battle against the Queen¡¯s army, and it also filled a gap in his skills, providing him with a reliable close-range spell that was the perfect counterpart to the ranged Sacred Star. But, in the end, he decided to stick with his old favorite.From the beginning, Sacred Star had been most his reliable spell, but he had started to feel like it was a little lackluster.Even though the spell attacked five targets, the explosions were too small and localized to do serious crowd control, and he had found himself forced to run away with Seraph Burst more times than he cared to admit.Praying that the upgrade would fix the problem, he selected Sacred Star. To his surprise, the spell was not merely upgraded; instead, he was offered a choice.Please select your path (warning: future upgrades will follow the chosen path). There were three options to choose from, and he quickly scanned through them. Starfire -Sends five small explosive orbs with medium tracking abilities.If a foe is slain by the spell, there is a 30% chance that a wave of fire will explode from their body.Cost: 300 essence. Nova - Sends five medium explosive orbs with minor tracking abilities. Cost: 300 essence. Shooting Star - Sends ten small explosive orbs with medium tracking abilities.There is a 10% chance for each orb to ricochet, hitting an additional target.Cost: 300 It seemed the system had been listening to him vetch: he wanted all of them.Nova was the safest choice, pretty much a straight upgrade on Sacred Star II, just with bigger explosions.But he felt like the others perhaps had more potential, even though both of their special abilities only had a percentage-based chance. If he got lucky, the explosive bursts from Starfire had the potential to cause absolute chaos in enemy lines.However, if he got unlucky, well, the spell was otherwise identical to his current spell. Shooting Star seemed to split the difference nicely.It would, at a minimum, hit double the amount of targets, plus the chance to ricochet.He wondered what an upgrade of Shooting Star would look like.Would it hit 15 or 20 targets?If he followed that path he might just end up with the equivalent of a magical machine gun with homing capabilities.The image of him mowing down ten of the queen¡¯s wights at a time, devastating her ranks, sealed the decision for him, as he selected Shooting Star. He took one last look over his stats.
Jasper Welles Exp: 2875/3000 Health 1340 Stamina 2660 Essence 3640 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Level: 71 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 1 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 47 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive VI
Inspiration 73 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 73 Locked Seraph Burst
Charisma 30 Locked Heart Stopper (Undead)
He was pleased to release he finally had enough essence to cast Hand of Judgment, although he¡¯d only be able to cast a few spells after that.Resolving to check it out soon, he turned to Kas?dael. She patted the bench, and he sat down beside her.¡°So, why am I going to the Harei Miqlat?¡± She smiled.¡°Partially, you¡¯re going there for yourself.You are not of this world, yet its blood flows in your veins. need to meet the Djinn and learn something about the people and culture you now belong to. Right now, you are too insignificant to attract much attention, but as you grow more powerful, there will be those who notice that you are not truly of the Djinn, unless you learn their ways.¡± ¡°But there is also something I require of you. A darkness stirs within those mountains, its form hidden from my sight.¡±A sheet of her paper manifested in her hand and she handed it to him.¡°While the Djinn are primarily devotees of Shamsha, their creator, there has always been a small cult among them that honors me under the name of Nahremah, the Lady of Ruin.¡± Jasper interrupted.¡°So are they the type of followers that think you want to end the world?¡± She shook her head.¡°Despite the name, no.They merely worship me as a goddess of war.In all honesty, the cult of Nahremah was little more than a devoted dueling club, far too concerned with getting their next fighting-fix to plan any world-ending plots.¡± Her mouth twisted in a grimace.¡°But in the last few decades, something within the group has changed.They still speak in my name, but their prayers rarely reach me, and their teachings have grown increasingly darker.I believe that the followers of one of the dark deities may have infiltrated them, and are using my name as a cover for whatever vile plot they are concocting.¡± She leaned forward, her pale blue eyes blazing with fury.¡°And that is entirely unacceptable.Those blasphemers must be crushed.¡±As she spoke, the dice she gripped in her hand exploded in a shower of dust.Dusting herself off, Kas?dael continued. ¡°When you reach the Harei Miqlat, I want you to join the cult of Nahremah.I do not want you to reveal your status as my hand, so they will no doubt force you to undergo an initiation test of some sort." Once you¡¯ve successfully infiltrated the group, I want you to investigate the leaders I listed on that paper.At least one of them, perhaps more, must be followers of the dark god.¡± Jasper nodded slowly as he read through the short list of five targets.¡°Okay. Where should I start?¡± Kas?dael smiled.¡°That, at least, is easy enough.The chief temple of Nahremah lies on the western shores of Lake Yarhab, just a few miles outside the walls of the province¡¯s capital, S?adda?nu.I¡¯m sure they will be more than happy to accept a new battle junkie.¡± She reached out and grabbed his hand.¡°Do be careful, Jasper of Earth.Cultists of a dark god, no matter which one they serve, are dangerous opponents who will happily feast on your soul.I would prefer not to lose my new Hand on his first mission.¡±She hesitated.¡°My vision of the future is imperfect, but I believe you will encounter much danger there.When the time comes, do not be afraid to summon the Ophan.¡± After he had committed the names of the suspects to memory, Jasper reluctantly accepted her embrace.Opening his eyes with a gasp, his heart aching with the phantom pain, he sighed as stared into the fire.Why couldn¡¯t I get a nice, easy mission like, kill 10 rats in the tavern basement?Why does everything in this gods-blighted world want to eat my soul? Despite his grumbling, as he wrote the names down in his notebook, Jasper couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch of excitement.A new province, a new quest, and a class evolution?There was a lot to look forward to.His eyes fell on Ihra¡¯s tent.The sun shone through the thin canvas walls, illuminating her form.She was waving her arms around wildly, no doubt practicing with her new rune manual, and a smile broke across his lips.Yes, there was a lot to look forward to.
Epilogue Keturah stared at her father with mounting anger.She ignored the vein throbbing in her head as she scanned the letter her mother had sent her again, before tossing it away with a dramatic yell.She paced back and forth across her room, while her father sat on the edge of her bed, clearly nervous.¡°I can¡¯t believe it.I just can¡¯t believe it,¡± she finally spat.¡°How could you?¡± Kaba?ni raised his hands placatingly.¡°You know your mother, Keturah.What would you have me do?¡± ¡°Toss her in chains?Drag her back here and chain her to my bed, so she can¡¯t go off and do something so stupid!¡±Her voice grew increasingly high-pitched as she vented, stomping her foot ineffectually against the cold marble floor.Despite himself, he cracked a smile.¡°I don¡¯t think you would enjoy sharing your bed with your mother." Keturah rolled her eyes.¡°You know what I mean.¡±She stopped pacing, and for a moment, he caught a glimpse of the fear and pain lurking behind her anger.¡°You could have at least tried to stop her.Damn the nobles.Let them complain.¡±She turned on him, the anger overtaking her face again.¡°But, let¡¯s be honest.It¡¯s more convenient for her to disappear.Your little dalliance with her was an embarrassment to your precious family line, and so am I.I¡¯m sure your wife will be thrilled.¡± Kaba?ni started to object, but she cut him off.Stalking over to the door, she flung it open.¡°Just leave.¡± Kaba?ni rose and walked over to her.He tried to give her shoulder a comforting squeeze, but she shook him off.Smiling sadly, he left, pausing at the door.¡°Despite what you think, Keturah, none of this is what I wanted.It¡¯s a lesson you have yet to learn: being a ruler is rarely about what you want.¡±She slammed the door behind him as he left. Keturah paced back and forth in her room, her fists tightly clenched, her fingernails digging deep gouges into her skin as anger and tears fought for control.¡°How could she do this?How could she just leave me, again.¡±In a fit of rage, she kicked over the chair of her desk, the wooden arm cracking as it smashed into the hard marble.Regret washed over her as she saw the chair¡¯s damage.Damn it.As she bent down to pick it up, her eyes landed on the crumpled letter. Reluctantly, she picked it up.Sitting down at her desk, she smoothed it, resolved to finally finish her mother¡¯s letter.It was hard to force herself to read the words. My dearest Keturah, I know that I promised you that you could join me once you reached the end of your studies at your father¡¯s court.I have always wished for you to be at my side, and have long had rooms prepared for you in Gis?-Izum.Unfortunately, my time in Sappiya has come to an end. You have no doubt heard already of the events at Als?arratu and of your grandmother¡¯s rampage through our land.While I am sure the accounts you have heard have been exaggerated, the simple truth remains that my attempt to fix the ritual that doomed my people failed, and, as a result, many have died.And thus, I am forced to leave these lands. The edekk? have shown me the path I must follow, a path that leads beyond the river.Although it may be a land of much sorrow and death for our people, I believe that my mission has a real chance of success.Together with the Children of St. Martin, we will establish a secure realm, beyond the reach of the Sidhe and their hunters. I wish that you could join me, my daughter, and I pray Selene that that day will come and soon, but for now, it is best if you stay with your father in Yas?peh.The capital will not fall easily, even if the province is eventually invaded as I fear. For the time, you will be safe there, which is my greatest wish for you. However, because I know that you are your mother¡¯s daughter, I doubt that you will listen to my words.If you choose to leave the capital, there is another path you may take.I have met a most curious pair: a Corsyth born of the elves, who was cursed as I am, known as Ihra Aka?mu, and a Djinn not born of this world, on whose shoulder rests the heavy hand of Kas?dael, who goes by the name Jasper Welles.(He clearly does not understand the concept of hiding his identity; if you meet him, you should urge him to take on a proper Corsythian name). They have already departed along the road to the Harei Miqlat, their course set by the goddess herself.Though the future can never be glimpsed with certainty, the edekk? predict that my path shall cross with theirs again.Perhaps I shall find you with them. If you choose to follow their steps into the sacred mountains, my name will get you past the border. There are many there who owe me favors, and you can invoke them as you see fit to secure your position as, whether I find success or death, I will not return from the lands of the West.If you join them, treat them well.Both bear the mantle of greatness on their shoulders.You have few allies in your father¡¯s court - a few friends might be good for you. I pray that I will see you again, that the edekk? have shown me a true path, and not the road to death.But if I should find myself on the shores of oblivion, know that I love you, my daughter.Stay in your father¡¯s court, or follow the two nascent kakkabu?, but do not attempt to trace my path. The ink smeared on the page as her tears rained down, and she pushed the letter aside, not wanting to get it any wetter.Burying her face in her hands, she wept freely. The Shalgu Jasper shivered as he prodded Dapplegrim further down the path. The little horse neighed and he rubbed her neck reassuringly. ¡°I know this sucks, but we need to keep going. It¡¯s just a little further.¡± An icy gust of wind buffeted him in the back, spraying small shards of ice on his exposed neck which melted instantly, evaporated by the fires within. Begrudgingly, the little horse plodded forward, slowly catching up to Ihra who waited idly. Great clouds of steam rose from her stag¡¯s nostrils, quickly swept away by the winds that howled through the narrow chasm. She was huddled close to her mount, trying to preserve her warmth, and Jasper watched her with a touch of worry, knowing she was more affected by the cold than him. ¡°You alright?¡± he asked. She nodded stiffly, her usually ruddy lips bordering on blue. ¡°Dandy. This is my favorite type of weather.¡± Jasper laughed as their mounts slowly labored through the drifts of snow. ¡°You know, in my world, there was a country nicknamed the Great White North. I think these mountains might give it a run for its money.¡± He sidled close to her and held out his hand. ¡°Here, give me your hand. I think I might be able to channel some warmth into you.¡± She slowly slipped her hand in his, and he closed his eyes, concentrating. The essence flowed through his body, marked by the fires of creation that smoldered in his soul. Carefully, he guided a thin trickle through his arm and down into hers. After a few minutes, her teeth stopped chattering, and the blue receded from her lips, replaced by a rosy glow on her cheeks that was not entirely from the warmth. ¡°Thanks.¡± He nodded cheerfully. ¡°No problem, glad it worked. I figured there was like a 50/50 chance it would either warm you or set you on fire from the inside out.¡± She playfully punched his shoulder. ¡°Not funny, fire-boy,¡± but the sparkle in her eyes belied her words. Another gust of wind rushed over them, howling so loud that their voices were carried off deeper into the rift, not even able to travel the short distance between them. Huddling closer over their mounts, they rode on in silence. It had been a long few weeks since they had parted from Aphora. He wondered how she was doing. The elf must have reached Stryn by now, and would be only a few weeks away from crossing into the west, a land fabled for a death trap for elves. Despite what she had done in Als?arratu, he didn¡¯t wish for her or her people to die. Absentmindedly, his hands reached into his bag, rooting around until they closed on what he was looking for: the letter she had given him. Reassured he had it, he pushed it back deep within the bag. They were going to need it to get through the citadel that guarded the pass. After leaving Aphora, they traveled back to Gis?-Izum. They checked in with the guild, and gave their report, for which the guild paid them well, and purchased the supplies needed for their trip. It turned out that financing your own expedition to another province was crazy expensive; without the gold Torin had given him, Jasper wasn¡¯t sure they could have afforded it. Before they left, they stopped at the orphanage to check on the two children. In just a few short months, they had grown a couple of inches. It was hard to leave them behind, but they deserved a safety Jasper just could offer them right now. He shifted in his saddle uncomfortably, a tinge of regret eating at him. They¡¯ll be fine, better off than coming with me, to chase cultists who may or may not want to eat my soul. But he couldn¡¯t shake the image of their tearful goodbyes, as they clung to Ihra¡¯s leg. Another gust of wind slammed into his back, the icy burst temporarily overwhelming his internal warmth. Dapplegrim neighed nervously, edging away from the sides of the narrow corridor. His eyes watered from the cold as he scanned the top of the chasm, looking for any sign of danger. For the last two days now, he had had the feeling that something was following them, something lurking just outside the edges of his vision. No matter how hard he tried though, neither he nor Ihra had managed to catch a glimpse of the mysterious presence. The heavy clouds overhead slowly grew dark with the coming night, and Jasper cursed as he realized they weren¡¯t going to make it to the citadel. It was a relief, then, when Ihra spotted a small cave dug into the towering cliff side which, on upon inspection, proved large enough to accommodate them and their mounts. Thanks to his magic, it was easy enough to start a fire. Finally sheltered from the wind, the merry fire soon warmed the small cave as the smell of roasting taters filled the small chamber. It was a simple meal; lacking butter or sour cream to put on them, the roasted potatoes were a bit too dry for Jasper¡¯s tastes, but after two long weeks on the road, he really couldn¡¯t complain. Before falling asleep, he and Ihra blocked the cave¡¯s opening with snow, hopefully hiding them from any prowling predators. They awoke early in the morning and, after eating the now stone-cold potatoes, unsealed the cavern entrance. Jasper¡¯s heart sank when he saw the footprints outside. The feet were massive, almost like the footprints of humans except for the sheer size and the clear outline of just three toes. Three toes? Human prints, or hooves, I¡¯d understand, but three toes? Ihra''s normally pale face grew - somehow - even whiter as she examined the prints. Standing up hastily, her hands shook as she saddled her mount. ¡°We need to leave, quickly.¡± Jasper listened to her, hastening to saddle Dapplegrim and gather their supplies. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A shalgu, maybe?¡± He cocked his eyebrow, waiting for her to go on. ¡°And that is?¡± She hopped on her mount, urging Keresh out of the cave. ¡°A type of troll that lives high in the mountains, never venturing out of the snow. They say they prey on unwary travelers, their white fur coats blending so seamlessly into the snow that some believe they have the ability to turn invisible." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Jasper shuddered as he scanned the large snow drifts that surrounded them, as the sudden realization hit him. They could be all around us. They rode down the road as fast as they could, which was not very fast, thanks to the thick banks of snow that lay across the path. Fall turned fast to winter in the mountains outside of Gis?-Izum, and a snowstorm three days earlier had left the road barely passable. Still, as the hours stretched on with no further sign of danger, he began to relax. The winds had calmed down slightly, and a light flurry fluttered down around them, here and there the deep green of pines peaking through the blanket of snow. Thoughts of home floated through his head, as he began humming, ¡°I¡¯ll be home for Christmas¡­.¡± Suddenly Dapplegrim reared up on her hindlegs, whinnying in terror. Ihra, who was a little bit ahead of him on the path, hung on for dear life as her hart leapt to the side. A second later, a large boulder smashed into the ground between them. ¡°Waaarrgh!¡± A roar echoed through the narrow chasm as a second, smaller rock was launched at them. It smashed into Jasper¡¯s shoulder, the force twisting him painfully as it flung him off Dapplegrim¡¯s back. He landed in the snow, screaming as his shoulder crunched. But he had been in more than a few battles by now. Ignoring the pain, he immediately rolled to his feet, his hands already forming a spell. He managed to fire Shooting Star as another boulder plummeted toward him. The orbs slammed into the boulder, the small explosions doing just enough to knock it off its trajectory, causing it to fall harmlessly to the side. The ground shuddered, a spray of snow rising into the air as something large landed beside them. ¡°Waaarrgh!¡± The creature towered above him, easily ten feet tall if not higher. Shaggy white hair covered most of its body, except for its face, which looked nearly human, and the two spiraling black horns that rose from its head. The creature charged at Jasper, swiping at him with razor-sharp claws. He rolled beneath the blow, stumbling as he scrambled out of its reach. Turning, he cast his spell again. Shooting Star. Ten small orbs of fire shot at the beast, and he followed it up with Fiery Shackles, unsure if a single spell would be enough to take the fell beast out. The fiery orbs collided with the beast, hitting him square in the chest, and Jasper watched, in shock, as they simply fizzled. The fiery shackles closed around its legs a moment later, trapping him in place. But the beast simply rolled its shoulders and stepped out of the traps. Then it laughed. Its booming laughter thundered throw the chasm, reverberating off the walls, as it stepped forward menacingly. A deep sense of fear and despair exuded from the creature as it approached them. ¡°Did you think a candle could stave off eternal winter?¡± Its voice was grating, almost painful to the ears, and Jasper cast another fire spell as he shrank back. It too fizzled uselessly against the creature¡¯s snow-white fur. And then an arrow buried itself into its chest. With a roar, it ripped the arrow out, throwing it straight at Jasper, who barely dodged to the side. But as Jasper looked up, he saw the faintest trickle of red on its breast. It bleeds. His hands fell to the side, reaching for his glaive, but found nothing but air. His eyes fell on Dapplegrim, who had bolted a hundred feet down the road, the shalgu in between her and him. There, on her back, he saw the glaive sticking up. ¡°Cover me!¡± He yelled back to Ihra as he threw himself forward. As he drew near, the troll swiped its claws at him, nearly clipping him on the shoulder. But its size came with certain drawbacks, and Jasper slipped past the deadly blows, sliding on the slippery snow between its legs. He ran, straining with every fiber of his strength, as he fought through the thick snow to reach Dapplegrim. But snow was not his natural environment. He had made it no more than half the distance when a blow caught him in the back. He screamed as the sharp claws ripped through his leather armor, shredding them, and digging slightly into his back. It was only thanks to the toughened skin he had gained from his fire immunity that he wasn¡¯t eviscerated. Instead, the force of the blow propelled him through the air, throwing him twenty feet forward. He landed face-first in the snow, spluttering as he pushed himself up. He heard the creature roar in pain behind him, the sound of heavy impacts tearing into it, as he kept running towards Dapplegrim. Hands closing on the glaive, he tore it out of its holster, spinning to face the creature. It had fallen behind, its torso now sporting three arrows, the blood staining its once pristine fur. But it quickly closed in on him, screaming in a language he did not recognize. He braced himself for impact, ducking beneath a swing, as he plunged the glaive up into its chest. It sunk in slightly before coming to a jarring halt as it something hard. Another arrow slammed into the creature¡¯s back as it swung again at Jasper. He barely managed to withdraw the glaive enough to block the blow, but the power behind the blow threw him off his feet. Landing on his back, he rolled to the side just before the creature¡¯s two massive fists slammed into the ground where his head had been. Jasper ran past the shalgu, slashing at the back of the creature¡¯s leg and drawing another long, bloody wound. The creature charged after him but stumbled as Ihra sunk an arrow deep into the wound that Jasper had created. With a roar, the beast ripped the arrow out, but its leg crumpled as it stepped forward. Finally having a moment to catch his breath, Jasper reached for a spell he had forgotten about. The fiery whip of Scourge of Despair tore through the air. It fizzled harmlessly, but not before making contact. And contact was all that was needed. An eery howl split the air as three ghosts emerged. Suddenly the tables were turned, as the crippled shalgu desperately tried to fend off its new assailants. A steady hail of arrows fell upon it, passing harmlessly through the specters as Jasper charged at the shalgu, screaming at the top of his lungs. He danced around the wounded beast, careful to keep out of reach of its deadly claws, while the ghosts tore into its flesh, unharmed by its attacks. When the spell ended, the beast lay on the ground, a pool of blood staining the pure white snow. Jasper leaned against the glaive, breathing heavily as Ihra approached. Adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, dulling the pain, but he knew what was coming.She hopped off her mount, running over to him, worriedly checking his back.¡°Are you alright?I saw it hit you.¡± He nodded his head wearily. ¡°Tis but a scratch,¡± he quipped. Truthfully, the long claw marks on his back burned like a hell, and he was more than happy to let her bandage them up. Once he was patched up, Ihra insisted on harvesting the tongue and hands of the creature. ¡°Most places will pay a bounty for killing a shalgu.¡± She gazed longingly at the white fur coat, now stained with blood. ¡°I wish we could skin it - it would sell for a fortune, but¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do it by yourself, and I don¡¯t know how to do it,¡± Jasper finished for her. She nodded sadly. ¡°Pretty much.¡± The two resumed their trip down the road, and despite the aching wounds in his back, Jasper felt lighter than he had in days, the ominous presence that had haunted them now gone. Still, he wouldn''t feel entirely safe until they reached the fortress. Sella? A few hours later, a welcome sight loomed over the pass ahead. Du?r-S?innu - the fortress of the tooth - was nestled between two towering peaks.Like the famous walls of the capital city, the fortress¡¯ battlements were covered in a thick coat of iron, impenetrable to even the best siege weapons or earth mages.Three great walls surrounded the central citadel which guarded the mountain pass, and as they drew near, he could see the guards patrolling on the walls, despite the increasingly hard snowfall.This was no ordinary fortress.Du?r-S?innu guarded the only entrance into the Harei-Miqlat, the sacred homeland of the Djinn, surrounded on all sides by impenetrable mountains.Few passed through its fabled doors. As he stood beneath the gates, Jasper felt puny.The massive metal doors towered forty feet high, flanked by two towers bristling with archers.The doors were closed, and he struggled to shout over the wind, as he waved his letter from Aphora at them.Finally, the guards decided to open the doors.They slid open slowly, the wet metal screeching as it dragged across the stone pavement. A handful of guards were waiting for them as they stepped through the gates.They weren¡¯t hostile, but their hands lingered close to their weaponsOne stepped forward, a short man with pale skin and a pair of curved, black horns that swept back along the sides of his head.¡°Hold up, travelers.What business do you have in the Harei?¡± Jasper undid the scarf wrapped tightly around his face, letting the guards see his red skin.¡°I am of the people.¡±The guards¡¯ postures immediately relaxed, and the guard bowed slightly towards Jasper.¡°I meant no disrespect, my lord.¡±My lord?Why did he call me that?The guard turned towards Ihra.¡°And the lady?¡±He hesitated.¡°I don¡¯t mean to presume, but given the stag she is riding, I assume she is elven.Even for a noble, I cannot simply let her pass.¡± Jasper dug in his bag and fished out Aphora¡¯s letter.¡°I believe this will be sufficient to let her enter.¡± The guard scanned the letter quickly and turned to one of the other guards.¡°Go get the captain, Ros?ah.¡±She scurried off into the depths of the castle as the guard turned back to Jasper, apologetically explaining.¡°I do not have the authority to allow anyone not of the people to enter but,¡± he waved the letter, ¡°I¡¯m sure the captain will allow your lady to enter once he sees your letter.The Silver Lady is a great friend to our people.¡± Jasper started to object that Ihra was not ¡°his lady,¡± but thought better of it and bit his tongue.Best not to make waves.They waited for a few minutes, the snow-laden winds swirling about them, building up quickly now that the jostling motion of riding no longer brushed the snow off, until the captain emerged through the mists. He was a massive specimen of a man, his bulging muscles visible even beneath the thick winter garb, but it was the four wings sprouting from his back that drew Jasper¡¯s attention.The wings were covered in a thick blanket of feathers and fluttered softly, back and forth, even though the captain was not flying.He strode up to the two, and after perusing the letter, ushered them in.¡°Welcome home, my lord, my lady.¡± The fortress gates slid shut behind them as they followed the captain across the courtyard.Two guards took their mounts and they were led inside.As they first stepped through the door, the welcome warmth rushed over them.The room was a tavern and a line of guards were drinking at the bar.In one corner, a guard was strumming a guitar, a merry band of drunkards singing raucously along, and the center of the room was dedicated to a roaring fire.Jasper examined it curiously, the fire pit resembling the one deep below the temple of Selene, the fire fed, not by wood, but by the strange amber liquid. ¡°My lord?¡±The captain¡¯s words started him out of his reverie, and he realized the captain was looking at him expectantly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized.¡°I¡¯m afraid I drifted off there.¡±He waved his hands at the room.¡°After several days in the snow, the warmth of your tavern is welcome indeed.¡± The captain smiled.¡°It is fortunate indeed that you made it here in time.The snow outside will probably continue for several days.I merely wished to know if you wanted to eat here, or go to your rooms.¡±He pointed to a small staircase in the corner of the tavern.¡°We can have a maid bring up your meals if you¡¯d prefer.¡± Jasper glanced at Ihra, and she shrugged.¡°I don¡¯t care; whatever you prefer.¡± ¡°No need, then, captain.I¡¯m happy to eat down here and enjoy the music and fire.¡± The captain bowed slightly.¡°Very well, my lord.I must depart now and check on my men.Please, let me know if there is anything you need in the next few days.¡± They got their food at the bar, the guards nodding at them, but Jasper wanted to sit closer to the fire.At first, it appeared that there was no one in the tavern except for the guards, who kept a respectful distance from the two of them. But as he neared the fire, he saw, seated on the other side, a traveler alone at a table.Jasper couldn¡¯t get a good glimpse of them; their head was bent down over a map, scrutinizing it closely as they, from time to time, wrote down notes.Curious, he walked over to their table. ¡°Do you mind if we join you?¡± The traveler looked up from the map.It was a woman.Her big brown eyes were framed by her equally brown hair which only fell to her shoulders in a cut that was almost like a bob.No antlers rose from her head, and a smattering of freckles ran across her upper cheeks and nose.She was, Jasper realized, the most normal-looking woman he had seen in months, the sort of girl you¡¯d see strolling through the mall, or grabbing their mail in the apartment down the hall.He immediately felt comfortable with her. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After a long moment, she shrugged her shoulders, waving her hand at the empty seats.¡°Why not?Be my guest.¡± They sat down opposite her, digging in with relish to the hot beef stew.It was much better than the dry potatoes of the other day, and it was until he had scraped the last of his bowl clean, that he looked over at the woman again.Is she Djinn?She doesn¡¯t exactly look it, although, he had to admit, neither did I until I got the red skin.She must be, though, or how else would she get here? The woman ignored them while they ate, continuing whatever she was doing with the map, although Jasper could swear he had caught her surreptitiously peeking from time to time.He leaned back in his chair, listening to the music, tapping his foot to the beat. ¡°Could you quit that?¡± Surprised, he turned to see the woman looking at him.Despite the frown on her lips, she didn¡¯t look particularly annoyed.¡°Eh, sorry about that.¡±The ice broken, he leaned forward.¡°Do you mind if I ask what you''re working on?¡± She sighed, then pushed the map towards him.¡°I¡¯m charting out some ruins I¡¯d like to visit, if the goddamn snow ever stops, that is.¡± Jasper glanced around the room, double-checking that there was no one else there. "By yourself? Is your crew in their rooms." She shook her head. "Don''t have a crew right now, but no, I''m not planning to go by myself. Once the snow stops, I''ll probably head to Ya''ura and see if I can''t find a crew." Jasper hid a frown; something about the girl, despite her pleasant smile seemed a bit off to him. Djinn rarely traveled outside the mountains, so why was she here, alone? ¡°Have you been here long?¡± Ihra asked, perhaps eager to keep the conversation flowing. The lady shrugged.¡°I got here just before the first snow, so a couple of days, I guess.From what the captain said, though, it sounds like we¡¯re going to be stuck here for a few more days.¡±A lock of hair fell across her eyes, and with a quick breath of air, she pushed it away.A lopsided grin spread across her face.¡°Sorry, mother always said I should act more ladylike.¡± Jasper laughed.¡°You look perfectly ladylike to me.¡±He sensed Ihra¡¯s scowl from the corner of his eyes and hastily moved on.¡°Anyway, I¡¯m Jasper and this is Ihra.We just got here, obviously.¡± The woman nodded.¡°I know.It¡¯s big news around here when someone shows up at the gates that isn¡¯t scheduled.We¡¯re the only travelers here right now.¡±The rebellious lock of hair fell back in her eyes, and she brushed it away.¡°You can call me-¡± she hesitated for a fraction of a second ¡°-Sella.Musella, really, but no one calls me that.¡± She locked eyes with Jasper, a mischievous glint in her eyes.¡°So I told you why I¡¯m here; it¡¯s only fair for you to do the same.¡± Jasper shifted uncomfortably.He couldn¡¯t exactly talk about his secret mission from Kas?dael, and he could only help no one would question him too closely about his connections in Harei Miqlat, seeing as how he didn¡¯t actually know hardly anything about them.He reached for a half-truth instead, awkwardly fumbling with his words.¡°Hoping to, uh, find an old acquaintance, uh, a Sir Jakaryus.Not sure where he is these days, though.¡± Sella winked at him.¡°Sure you are.¡±She leaned forward.¡°You should probably work on your story; you are trapped here for a few days with all these guards, after all.¡±She slipped the map into his hands.¡°Keep the map for the night and study it.You can return it to me tomorrow.¡±With that, she got up from the table and sashayed her way out of the room.Jasper only stared for a second at her shapely rear before hastily looking away. Curious, he examined the map.The Harei Miqlat was a giant valley encircled on all sides by the highest mountains in the empire.A large lake lay in the middle, on whose shores the capital city, S?adda?nu, rested, and dozens of settlements were carved deep into the mountains.Sheltered away from the depredations of war that had ravaged the empire time and again, the Harei Miqlat was much more densely populated than most of the Empire, although most of the central plains lay untouched, the inhabitants preferring to settle in the mountains. She had indeed marked ten or so ruins onto the map, and her notes detailed what she expected to find. Ruins of a temple to Selene Ruins of As??ili His breath caught as he reached the third. Ruins of a temple to Nahre?mah, in the highlands outside Tawwertu.Supposedly destroyed in a fire a few decades and never rebuilt.Suspected foul-play. His thoughts raced as he examined the entry.A temple to Nahre?mah, destroyed a few decades ago?The timeline added up.He carefully wrote it down in his own notebook.Kas?dael had sent him to the temple in the capital, but perhaps he could swing past this on his way. He read through the rest of the entries, none of them as exciting as the third.Sella was obviously some sort of treasure hunter, or at least, that was how she chose to present herself.He frowned as he examined the map, memorizing the names of the cities and settlements as best as he could, hoping to hide his total ignorance of the region from the guards.She had been a little too eager to help, he thought.Why would a treasure hunter give him her notes?She seemed friendly enough, but he resolved to keep a wary eye on her, just in case. With a sigh, he folded the map back up, suddenly very tired. His short time in Corsythia had left him feeling a bit jaded. Sure, there were bad people on earth too, but for the most part - for the average person, anyways - the worst you''d really expect is to be back-stabbed by a friend, cheated on by a partner, hurt by a jealous spouse. You didn''t have to worry that the friendly person you met at the pub might just want to sacrifice you and consume your soul. "You all right?" Ihra nudged him out of his thoughts, and he nodded slowly, suddenly realizing that the music in the tavern had fallen silent and most of the guards had long since returned to their barracks.The flames still burned low in the amber pit, but the tavern had become all but deserted while he examined the map. She eyed him skeptically. ¡°Really?" He didn''t respond further, and she chose not to press. "Well, I''m headed up; you should really get some sleep yourself.¡±Reluctantly, he followed her, his dreams that night filled with images of treasure and cultists. The Moon-kissed Maiden When they entered the tavern the next morning, Sella was already there, curled up on a chair by the fire.The guards were already at their posts, so the room was otherwise empty.Despite the blizzard raging outside, the fortress maintained its normal schedule, never leaving a post unmanned. The tradition seemed odd at first to Jasper, especially considering that there weren''t any hostile forces threatening the valley. But when Ihra pointed out that the Harei Miqlat had escaped the Desolyton and Fey wars entirely unharmed, Jasper was forced to concede that perhaps their caution wasn¡¯t so dumb after all. Based on Sella?''s map, it was obvious that the mountains held a population at least ten or more times larger than the province of Sappiya. Sella? waved the two of them over with a smile and held out her hand, expectantly.Fishing it out of his bag, he handed the map back to her.¡°Thanks.It''s been a while since I¡¯ve been home,¡± he lied. She raised an eyebrow, but let it pass, settling back down in her chair.¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve looked outside, but a storm is raging.We''re all stuck her for the time being.¡±She pulled a box out from under her chair and held it out to them.¡°Anyone want to play a game?¡± The next few days were pleasant enough, although, by the end of them, Jasper was beginning to get more than a touch of cabin fever.Their time was mostly spent with Sella, but the guards sometimes joined in their games, more than happy for any diversion on the long cold nights.He was still puzzled by their almost obsequious behavior towards him; without fail they called him ¡°my lord¡± and were ever eager to please. Even the captain stopped by from time to time to make sure they were comfortable, but Jasper couldn¡¯t figure out why they treated him so nicely.After all, it wasn¡¯t like he could ask - at least not without possibly revealing that he was, in fact, a fraud.He slowly realized though that Kas?dael had underplayed the importance of his fire immunity, his red skin at such a young age leading others to assume that he was the carefully cultivated scion of a noble house. But despite how slowly the days passed, he appreciated them in the end.Jasper was able to quietly observe their customs, hear stories of their people, and pick up little details about the regions the guards grew up in.By the time the pass was finally cleared enough for them to leave, he was no longer totally ignorant of the land. Finally, after almost a week of being trapped within the fortress, the pass had been cleared enough for them to leave.The captain himself informed them, pulling Jasper aside for a few minutes of quiet conversation.Then, not wanting to waste any time, lest they get trapped by another storm, they rode out of the gates at the first light of dawn.Sella tagged along with them, the three having agreed to investigate a few of the nearest ruins together. The fortress of Du?r-S?innu stood at the highest point of the narrow canyon that slithered through the impenetrable mountains.Behind the fortress, however, the land gradually opened up, spilling into a large, gently sloping plateau.The weather here was still quite cold, the ground covered in a thick blanket of snow, but the towering mountain peaks that surrounded them sheltered them from the worst of the raging winds.After a few hours of riding through rocky and wind-scorched plains, the road leading steeply downward, they finally emerged below the tree line. Jasper could think of no better word to describe the scene that stretched out before him than magical.The slopes, although still draped in a fresh blanket of snow, were sheltered from the worst of the weather that ravaged the far sides of the mountains. was covered in trees, many the all-too-familiar evergreens that dominated alpine landscapes on earth.But another tree was also scattered throughout the forest.Its bark shone in the cold winter sun like silver, and its leaves were a gentle pink, like the flowering of cherry blossoms in the spring.Wherever these trees sprouted, the snow had melted away, and a rich blanket of deep green moss, spotted with hundreds of tiny mushrooms, wrapped in a ring around the tree. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Hmmh?¡±He was startled out of his daydreams.¡°Yes, yes they are.¡± ¡°They¡¯re called warodim trees, named for the color of their leaves.The Djinn have many legends about them, but the most famous is the tale of a girl named Damqa.¡±Sella fell silent, the tranquility of the empty forests only broken by the sounds of the hooves of their mounts clattering across the icy pavement. After a few long moments, Jasper couldn¡¯t bear it.¡°Well?Don¡¯t leave me hanging.¡± She flashed him a teasing grin.¡°Surely a native like yourself knows the story of Damqa better than me?¡± He frowned as she laughed.¡°Like all good stories, they say that Damqa, despite being nothing more than a milkmaid, was one of the fairest maidens in the land.Many sought her hand, from village farm boys to rich merchants.Even scions of noble lines, bringing shame to their house, pursued the porcelain beauty.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°But Damqa eschewed all of them.Her heart longed, not for the radiant fire of Shamsha, which beat in her veins, but for the cold, still light of the moon.She wandered through the forests at night, singing beneath the stars, and unbeknownst to her, the stars watched her back.¡± ¡°One of them, a son of Selene and Shamsha, fell in love with her.e descended from the heavens, taking on the appearance of a fair elf.He approached the girl during one of her moonlit vigils and there, beneath the snow-kissed pines, he enchanted her with his songs. ¡®Ah maiden fair, with silver hair, with skin as white as milk With ruby lips, and comely hips Your hair as soft as silk Come dance with me, my lover be Beneath the stars above Away, we¡¯ll flee, across the sea I offer you my love.¡¯¡± Sella paused, wrinkling her brow.¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t remember the rest of the song; it¡¯s been a long time since I have heard it.¡± ¡°In any case, the maiden¡¯s heart was melted by the starry prince¡¯s songs.She lay with him beneath the moonlight, sheltered beneath the pines.But despite the prince¡¯s plea with her, to sail across the seas, Damqa did not want to leave her home, afraid to leave the craggy tops that were all she had ever known." "So they stayed, but the prince had been right. There on the mountaintops, he could not long escape the gaze of heaven¡¯s court.Furious with her son for running off with a mere mortal, a milkmaid at that, Selene - worshipped under the name Yarha by the Djinn - dragged Damqa¡¯s lover dragged back to the stars.The lovely Damqa was left alone again and - unbeknownst to Selene and the prince - pregnant.¡± ¡°As her condition slowly begin to show, no longer did suitors seek her door.Spurned by those around her, Damqa ended up wandering through the frozen wilderness alone, beneath the light of the moon she had so loved.Eventually, the time for the child drew near.She gave birth to a girl, whose skin shone like silver, and from whose head faint strands of pink locks grew.But the child was weak, and died in the icy wastelands where Damqa had been exiled.¡± ¡°Weeping, she buried the infant in the shadow of the pine tree, wailing against her fate.Her cries attracted the attention of Selene who found, with sorrow, the grave of her grandchild.The child¡¯s soul had already passed into the Sea of Oblivion so, unable to bring her back, the goddess blessed her grave so that her memory would never be forgotten.From her bones, the first warodim tree sprouted, a tree that would never wither or die, even in the greatest depths of winter, for around its boughs a perpetual spring flourished.¡± Ihra had been listening silently to their conversation but butted in as Sella finished the story.¡°Is there any truth to the story?It¡¯s so sad, the poor girl.¡± Sella shrugged, her hair bobbing against her shoulders.¡°This is a land of many legends, and no one can say for sure which ones really happened.But I think this one is probably true, for that was not the end of Damqa¡¯s story.¡± ¡°You see, after Selene blessed her granddaughter¡¯s grave, she also took pity on the lass who had, for so long, loved her light.She descended from the heavens, appearing to the mourning mother, and offered her a boon.¡± ¡°They say Damqa became the first of the Moon-kissed, Djinn who eschew the sun¡¯s heat for the moon¡¯s soft light.She returned to her people, her former beauty enhanced ten-fold, as she spread word of her encounter with the goddess.Some followed her and received the moon¡¯s blessing also, changing their very nature.The Moon-kissed are scattered, here and there, throughout the Harei Miqlat, but the bulk of their faction dwells in the northwest corner of the province.I¡¯ve never seen it for myself, but my mother told me that in their greatest city, Du?r-Yarha, the tomb of Damqa can be visited to this day.¡± ¡°So, yes, I think the story might be true, at least in part.¡± Jasper stared at the beautiful trees as they passed, now bittersweet monuments to lost love. On the second day, they turned off of the main road, which would have led down to the settlement of Ya¡¯ura, on the edge of the frozen lands.Instead, they headed west towards the frozen Lake Hurbas?u.There, along the icy shores, were the ruins of an ancient colony of the Moon-kissed, that Sella? had on her list.It was, admittedly, a bit of a detour, but Jasper didn''t think his mission from Kas?dael was particularly time-sensitive.The problem, whatever it is, had arisen a few decades ago; he figure a few more months wouldn¡¯t make a difference. There was a rugged beauty to the land, and as the elevation slowly decreased, there were more and more signs of life.Unlike the almost abandoned heartland of Sappiya, the tundral forests were dotted with small hamlets. Most of the population was, surprisingly, farmers; apparently there was a type of root that grew beneath the snow and could be harvested with some regularity, but there was also a wealth of natural resources.Harvesting rich furs from the wildlife, mushrooms from the warodim trees, timber from the forests, and rare minerals from surrounding mountains, the Djinn dwelling in the frozen woodlands were surprisingly prosperous.Like him, they were largely unbothered by the cold, the fire within chasing away the icy tendrils of Imhullu. Ihra was far less appreciative of the weather, although once Ihra found a formation in her rune book that allowed her to erect a temperature-proof barrier around her tent at night, her mood decidedly improved. After more than a week of riding, Lake Hurbas?u came into view.The lake was far larger than it had appeared on Sella¡¯s map, its size really impressing on Jasper the sheer scale of the province.The shore stretched out of sight in both directions, the lake backing up all the way to the roots of mountains.Much of the surface was covered in large sheets of ice, speckled by large brown dots that, as Jasper grew closer, proved to be a creature that looked a bit like a giant otter. But the lake, though beautiful, was a harsh environment.The winds tore down the mountain slopes and, unobstructed by any trees, raged across the frozen lake, making the region far colder than even a few miles back.A brisk snow started up as they rode across the hoar-seared sands, and even Jasper was greatly relieved when they spotted the welcome sight of humble homes looming out of the encroaching darkness. The Sunken Ruins of the Moon-kissed By the time they reached them, the narrow streets were only illuminated by the hints of light spilling out through shuttered windows.There were no more than perhaps fifty homes, but no hamlet would be complete without a tavern.It stood out like a beacon in the dark streets, the light pouring through its windows, and the faint smell of savory pork was carried aloft on the winds.No one was attending the stables when they arrived, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, they settled their mounts down for the night before trekking inside. The savory smell of roasting pork and warm beer almost knocked them off their feet as they stepped through the tavern doors, the cold winds sucking out the warmth in a torrent of air until they slammed the heavy wooden doors shut.Half of the village must have gathered in the tavern that night, and almost every table was crowded with boisterous patrons, the conversation so loud that it drowned out the man half-heartedly playing a lute by the fire.Unlike the small taverns he had been in before, the villagers largely ignored them, aside from a few friendly nods that were cast their way. Jasper walked up to the barkeep.He was a tall man with a large drooping mustache and a bit of a pot belly; if it weren''t for the two small horns whose tips peaked up through his thinning hair, Jasper thought he''d look like a middle-aged accountant in medieval cosplay. as Jasper glanced around the room, he was surprised to realize that, once again, he was the only one with red skin.I¡¯m starting to think Kas?dael underplayed the significance of my red skin. Or, maybe a goddess just isn''t a good barometer for "normal." The man finished rubbing dry one of his glasses before greeting them.¡°What can I get for you?I haven¡¯t see you around before?Are you here to hunt the kalm??You should really check in with the head of the village first.He¡¯s not here tonight, but you can catch him in the morning.You need a room, right?¡± The man chattered on, barely stopping breath, while Jasper and the rest stripped some of their layers off.As Jasper unwrapped the scarf that covered up his face, the barkeep suddenly fell silent.¡°My lord, I apologize - I meant no disrespect.¡± Jasper waved him off, feeling uncomfortable.¡°You were saying something about a room?¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯re welcome to any of the rooms in my inn.¡±The man hesitated, ¡°Perhaps it would be more appropriate for you to stay with the head of the village - I can send one to fetch him.¡± ¡°No, no-¡± Jasper hastily cut him off.¡°I''m happy to stay here.¡± The djinn looked uncertain but bowed his head.¡°Very well, my lord.¡± Jasper sat down at the bar with his two partners, and fished in his bag for some change, dragging out a gold coin, which he set in front of the barkeep.¡°Three of whatever you got to eat and drink.Oh - we also put our mounts in your stables.¡±The man quickly swept the coin up and hastened out of the room. He returned a few minutes later with steaming bowls of stew and frothy mugs of beer, setting down a handful of coins in front of Jasper.¡°Just let me know when you¡¯re ready, and I¡¯ll have someone escort you to your room.¡± Jasper hesitated a moment. ¡°Do you have three rooms available?It¡¯s been a long trip, and a little space to ourselves would be nice.¡± The man nodded.¡°Certainly, that can be arranged." He called over a maid, whispering in her ear quickly. Jasper didn''t notice it, but a few minutes later, two sleepy men stumbled down the stairs, clutching their belongings, as the maid led them into the kitchen. Satisfied, Jasper dug into the hearty meal, relishing the savory stew. The culinary options in Corsythia had been, thus far, rather lacking, but on a cold night like this, the stew hit the spot.As he was nearing the bottom of his bowl, he became aware of a presence standing behind him.Jasper turned to find a man waiting patiently, his hat literally in hand.the man bowed as Jasper turned to him.¡°My lord, will you need someone to help you hunt the kalm??I¡¯m one of the best hunters in the village.¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°Thank you, but we¡¯re not here for the kalm?.¡± The man¡¯s face fell, but he merely bowed, ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± and turned to leave. What the hell are kalmu?? ¡°Wait a moment!¡±Ihra interjected, and the man half-turned back, a hopeful look in his eyes.She turned her attention to Jasper and Sella.¡°Our map of this area isn¡¯t that detailed.Maybe one of the locals could guide us to the ruins.¡± Sella frowned.¡°We don¡¯t need them-¡± Jasper shrugged, cutting her off.¡°Do you know exactly where we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Well-¡° ¡°You haven¡¯t been here before, right?¡± he pressed. Sella ground the words out reluctantly.¡°No.¡± Jasper turned back to the man.¡°Are you familiar with any ruins in this area?We¡¯re looking for an abandoned village that once belonged to the Moon-kissed.¡± The man nodded.¡°I know of several abandoned ruins close by; I don¡¯t know their history, but there is one that has a statue of Damqa in it - perhaps it is the ruins you are seeking?I¡¯d be happy to lead you to it." Jasper looked over at the barkeep.¡°Is this man the skilled hunter he says he is?¡± The man bowed.¡°Indeed, my lord.There is no one else in the village, except perhaps for the village leader¡¯s son, who is a better hunter than he is.If you are not here to hunt the kalm?, perhaps you are unaware, but the villages along the coast get a steady stream of hunters from the south during the winter and Ba?¡¯er is one of our finest guides.You¡¯ll be in safe hands with him.¡± Perfect.Jasper turned back, grasping the confused man¡¯s hand with a smile.¡°Well then, consider yourself hired.¡±Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sella sulking and suppressed another smile, throwing a subtle nod at Ihra. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. After a hearty breakfast - a spread that seemed truly extravagant for the humble inn - they departed with Ba?¡¯er.The snow had stopped, leaving the world covered in a spotless white coat, unmarred except by the tracks of their mounts.The beach was piled high with icy shards that washed in on the waves, slowly accumulating into oddly shaped mounds.The coastline was still free of ice, although sheets of ice floated further out on the lake, their surface crowded with the large, furry kalm?.Jasper was surprised to see a few boats leaving the dock, venturing into the icy waters. ¡°Aye, it¡¯s dangerous work alright, but once falls fully slips into winter, it is our most profitable time of year,¡±Ba?¡¯er explained at Jasper¡¯s query.¡°In the summer, the kalm? shed their coats, so we just have to rely on fishing.But their coats start to regrow once fall hits fall comes, and by winter our docks are full of hunters from the south.It¡¯s mostly rich merchants from the cities around Lake Yarhab, but there¡¯s a few nobles like yourself too; most of the nobles go further down the road to H?ama or Ka?r Kuppu?, where there¡¯s fancier lodging, though.¡± The man turned around in his settle, eyeing the three speculatively. ¡°But you¡¯re really not here for the kalm??Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever noticed anything particularly special about these ruins.¡± Jasper shrugged, a lie coming surprisingly easily to his lips.¡°I came across a reference in the family records to an ancestor of mine that joined the Moon-kissed, and ran off with her lover to a village up here, back before it was abandoned.I guess I¡¯m just curious, really.¡± Ba?¡¯er laughed.¡°That¡¯s good; I was afraid you were going to be disappointed when you didn¡¯t find anything and want your money back.¡± After a few hours of steady riding, the first signs of the village appeared.Although it had been abandoned for nearly three hundred years, the harsh climate along the lake had prevented vegetation from swallowing it up. Instead, the half-frozen muck had preserved much of the ancient village.uined homes, their walls built of thick stone, rose up all around them, their roofs and insides having long since succumbed to the elements. Their travel through the village was slow and painstaking; the lake waters were slowly rising up to reclaim the boggy land, and the ground was coated in a deep layer of cold, slushy muck, which even their mounts struggled to walk through. In more than one place, the walls had collapsed on their side, the soft earth no longer able to support their weight. Once they reached the ruined town, the group asked Ba?¡¯er to wait for them, a concession to Sella, who was still pouting over the guide.As Ba?¡¯er retreated back down the path with their mounts t wait for their return, Jasper turned to the fetching brunette.¡°Alright, Sella.Where is this vault?¡± She peered down the trail, waiting until Ba?¡¯er had disappeared, before springing into action.¡°The papers I found said to start at the statue of Damqa in the city square, take a hundred strides to the left, and then fifty strides to the right.There should be a sepulcher there, and, hidden inside of it, a passage that leads down into a chamber stocked with arms and valuables.¡±She looked up excitedly.¡°Supposedly, this place served as a safe house during an extended conflict between two of the noble houses in the area.¡± Jasper frowned.¡°Wouldn¡¯t the nobles have already emptied it out?¡± Sella shook her head vigorously, her stiff hair - half frozen from the cold winds and flurries - rustling noisily against her coat.¡°It¡¯s unlikely.In the middle of the nobles¡¯ little feud, Mt. Bel?, a volcano on the far side of the lake, exploded.The explosion melted a glacier, releasing a vast amount of water into the lake; the waters rose dramatically, submerging the village beneath the frozen waves.he waters didn''t recede enough for the village to reappear until long after the conflict had ended.¡± ¡°Well, I certainly hope you¡¯re right.¡± The three rode through the partially sunken village, finally arriving before the statue Ba?¡¯er had mentioned.The statue of Damqa was in a ruinous state, covered in lichens and moss, leaning precariously to the side as its base sunk into the muck.But it was still striking, nonetheless.A beautiful woman stared back at them, and though her hands were missing, the two wide horns that swept up from her head were still preserved, a full moon suspended in the middle.Fragments of paint still clung to the statue, testifying to the colorful presence it must have had, and a long inscription, worn with age, ran along its base.Her eyes, once no doubt made of precious gems, were empty, but a small basket sat in front of the statue, its sparse contents showing that even now there were some that visited the sunken ruins to venerate her. Jasper bowed slightly to the statue, his eyes widening as he felt a faint tingle run down his spine.Sella ignored it, impatiently striding away from the statue.They trailed behind her, following the instructions in her notes, and found the sepulcher.Jasper stiffened in surprise when he saw it.The giant sepulcher looked almost like the ones in the trial when he first arrived in Corsythia.The sides were carved with images of six-winged beings, and the top was adorned by a colossal statue of a horse. It took the full strength of all three of them to budge the top, the sepulcher firmly sealed shut with muck after decades of slumbering beneath the frozen waves, the muck further reinforced by the sheer weight of the stone horse.But they finally managed to push the lid back a few feet, creating an opening just large enough to slip through.Sella had been right - a ladder led into the darkness. ¡°After you.¡±Jasper waved her forward, but Sella shook her head.¡°It¡¯s pretty dark down there, but you can set your hands on fire, right?You should go first.¡± Unable to object, he crept down the ladder.The rungs bowed beneath his weight, the wood ravaged by the passage of time, and he held his breath as he descended, expecting the fragile ladder to collapse at any moment.But he made it safely to the bottom, the room plunged in almost absolute darkness. With a thought, Jasper forced the flames out through the faint tattoos on his hand.The blue light danced along the walls revealing a large room.Weapons hung on the walls, and row after row of boxes were lined up beneath them.¡°You were right - looks like the stuff''s still down here,¡± he called up.¡°Careful, though - the ladder¡¯s pretty rickety.¡± He started to move towards the nearest weapons, but something in the shadows caught his attention.A door was partially hidden behind some boxes.Sella and Ihra joined him a moment later, the two sliding down the ladder¡¯s sides rather than testing the rungs¡¯ strength, and he waved them over.¡°Help me move these boxes - there¡¯s another room." The three swiftly cleared the door, and Jasper reached to open it, but Sella caught his hand.¡°Wait!¡± she warned.¡°This place could have booby traps.¡±She bent down and carefully examined the door.Finding something, she retrieved some tools from her pouch, and carefully cut away at a portion of the frame.A contraption was hidden beneath the wooden panel, and she disabled it, examining it closely.¡°Looks like it was so water damaged that it wouldn¡¯t have worked, but you can¡¯t be too careful.¡± Jasper nodded gratefully.¡°Lead the way.¡± Sella slowly opened the door, examining the entrance before stepping through it.A shaft plunged down into the darkness at a steep angle.¡°You¡¯re going to have to stick close so I can see.¡±The three slowly moved down the narrow ramp, a few steps at a time, as Sella watched for traps.She spotted several, disabling them before they proceeded.They were all too damaged by water to work, but when they reached the bottom, another door barred the way.This door was made of metal, and although its face was covered in corrosion, it remained tightly sealed. The Entombed Sella tried the handle, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.¡°Damn it, it¡¯s locked.¡±She turned the knob, feeling the resistance, and shook her head.¡°I can try to pick the lock, but I don¡¯t recognize the make.It¡¯s a lot older than what I¡¯ve generally seen.¡±She bent down and started fiddling with the lock. After a few minutes, Ihra stood up and headed back up the ramp.¡°I¡¯m going to check the upper room - maybe there was a key up there.¡±She disappeared up the shaft, swallowed up in the overwhelming darkness, and the two were left alone in the flickering blue light. Eventually, Sella stood up, defeated.¡°The lock¡¯s too hard for me - I can¡¯t get it open.I guess we¡¯re just going to have to be satisfied with the weapons in the upper room.¡± ¡°Nope!¡±Ihra emerged out of the darkness, a triumphant look on her face.A key was clutched in her hands.¡°I spotted some empty hooks on the wall when we came down, and as I¡¯d hoped, the key had fallen behind a few boxes.¡± Hands shaking with excitement, Sella inserted the key. It didn¡¯t work.¡°Argh.¡±She kicked the door hard, bouncing back with a cry of pain as she clutched her foot.¡°Damn it.¡±With a sigh, she leaned back against the wall, favoring her foot.¡°Maybe we should head back up into the village and check the captain of the guard¡¯s house; there might be a key there.¡± Jasper shook his head as a different idea occurred to him.¡°Do you think the door is trapped, Sella?¡± She frowned as she looked up at him, clearly eager for him to accept her suggestion.¡°I don¡¯t know.Maybe?Why don''t we go check the captain''s house?¡± ¡°Get back, both of you, up the ramp.I¡¯m going to try to shoot the lock off.¡± Ihra looked at him, a bemused expression on her face.¡°With an arrow?, although, I really don¡¯t think it will do anything.¡± He shook his head, holding up a hand glowing with blue flame.¡°Nope, with magic.¡± After the two girls had retreated a safe distance up the ramp, he readied the spell.Shooting Star normally automatically selected the nearest targets, but he concentrated, willing the spell to focus on the lock.It resisted him at first, but eventually, he felt something click in his mind.He released the spell. A series of small explosions cascaded against the door, briefly lighting up the dark shaft like the sun itself.He shielded his eyes against the spell until the darkness returned, only to be chased away in turn by the blue flame of his hands.The door stood firm. Disappointed, he crept down to examine it.Heat radiated off the iron frame, the door still slightly glowing from the force of the explosion.The lock was still attached, but it was twisted and mangled.Another blow might do it. ¡°Did it work?¡±Ihra called down. ¡°No, but it damaged the lock.Stay up there.I¡¯m going to try again.¡± Retreating back up the ramp, he took aim again. This time the enormous clang of metal ringing against the stone floor told him of his success before he saw it.When the fire cleared, the door lay on the ground, a passage beyond exposed. A soft hand fell on his arm, giving it a flirty squeeze.¡°Well, look at you.Proving your worth already.¡±Sella smirked up at him, slipping past.¡°Let me check the path for traps.¡± They advanced slowly down another ramp, much shorter this time.At the bottom, they could see an arch opening into a room.But a few steps away from the entrance, Sella held a hand up, signaling for them to stop.¡°Wait, there¡¯s a trap here, and it seems to be in working condition.I guess the water didn¡¯t breach past that last door.¡± She examined the area carefully, finally shaking her head.She pointed to a panel in the wall beside the arch.¡°I think you can turn the trap off there, but I don''t see any way to trigger it from here.¡±She turned to Jasper.¡°I can¡¯t be a hundred percent certain, but I think it¡¯s a fire trap.Given your, you know,¡± she pointed at his red skin, ¡°I assume you have fire immunity?¡± He nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place.¡°So, you just need me to walk through the flames.¡± She nodded.¡°I think so.¡± He held a hand out over the trap, and the passage in front of him erupted in a torrent of flames.The girls shrank back from the oppressive heat, and he hastily withdraw his hand, furiously patting down his sleeve which had caught fire.After a moment, he looked at his scorched sleeve with some regret. His arm, however, was entirely unharmed. Alright, I can do this. ¡°Look away,¡± he called back as he stripped off his clothes, piling them out of reach of the trap.Jasper could swear he heard some giggling behind him, and blushed, self-consciously trying to hide himself.Then, he stepped into the flames. The wall of flames swirled around him, as if hell had risen to earth - and, boy, did it feel good.He paused, his form entirely consumed by the flames that engulfed him, but did not burn.A deep warmth spread through him, a sense of well-being, as he soaked the flames in.He closed his eyes, relishing the sensation, and the flames gushed into him, joining the fire that burned within.Within moments, the trap was consumed, without him ever touching the panel.The tunnel was plunged back into darkness, although the heat still lingered.He walked back to his clothes, fumbling in the dark to put them on before he relit his hands.¡°Alright, I¡¯m pretty sure the trap¡¯s been cleared.¡± Sella cautiously poked her sword over the line, waving it furiously back and forth.¡°I really wish you would have just pushed the button off,¡± she complained. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Jasper shrugged, and without hesitating strode across the scorched pavement.No fire rose up to meet him, but he pushed the panel anyways.It clicked ineffectually.¡°There, you happy?¡± The two girls joined him, dancing across the still-smoldering pavement as it scorched the bottom of their shoes.¡°Hot, hot, hot!¡±Ihra leaped across the rest of the pavement, unable to bear the residual heat.She landed unsteadily beside him, and he was forced to catch her when she almost fell backward onto the hot stone.¡°Thanks.¡±The two shared a look as Sella slowly advanced, placing down small sheets of paper that somehow resisted the harsh heat. ¡°Those seem awfully handy,¡± Jasper observed.¡°Were you expecting a fire trap?¡± She shook her head carelessly, her hair bouncing as she completed the last jump.¡°Never hurts to be prepared.¡± The three peered into the room.The room was pentagonal in shape, apparently excavated out of the rock itself.Chests and casks lined the walls, their aged and rotting wood lids closed tightly, hiding their treasure from sight.Three statues, ensconced in the three vertices on the far side of the room, watched over the abandoned hall. But Sella ignored the rest of the room as she focused on the object at its center.A great lyre sat on a pedestal.Gold, gems, and faded flowers were strewn all around it and a bowl filled with a long-dried dark red substance was set before it.The instrument was black, ornamented with gold embedded into the wooden frame.On one side of the base, a head peered out, adorned with a massive pair of horns between which sat the moon.¡°One of the lyres of Damqa,¡± Sella muttered beneath her breath excitedly. She stepped forward cautiously, pausing as she nervously looked around the room. ¡°Are you expecting something to happen?¡± She took another slow step forward.¡°I didn¡¯t find any references to one, but it used to be pretty common for nobles to set up some sort of treasure guardian.¡± As she stepped forward again, a loud crack echoed through the room.The three froze, scanning the abandoned hall. Jasper saw nothing, aside from the three statues, that is.He looked at them closer.The statues were of three maidens.Although carved of stone, the sculptor must have been extraordinarily skilled.Their gauzy dresses floated around them, as if blown by the cold winds of the frozen lake, and their arms were stretched out in front of them.The statues would have been beautiful, if not for the frozen expressions of fear on their face.Aw, damn it. Before he could speak, Sella stepped forward again. The sound of shattering stone filled the room as the fronts of the statues crumbled, something leaping forward.The spell had left his fingers a moment later, the ten orbs of Shooting Star on a collision course with the blurred motion racing toward him.The explosion came almost immediately, the creatures closing in on them fast, and he leap back, casting Fiery Shackles. Screams ripped through the room as the creatures were suddenly rooted in place and, for a second, he was able to get a good look at them.Strips of flesh hung off their faces and limbs, exposing the bone below, their fingernails were long and dirty, and their teeth were far too sharp, but there was still something there that was recognizable.They were the maidens. He had no time to examine them further.An arrow zoomed past him, plunging into the head of the nearest maiden, where it simply passed through, harmlessly.Without warning, the three maidens shifted forward, leaving his fiery shackles behind. One of the maidens appeared directly in front of him, her talons sweeping down towards his neck.She was far too close to him, but he let loose another Shooting Star anyways, trusting in his fire immunity to keep him safe.The force of the explosion rocketed him backward, slamming into the wall, but he immediately lashed out with the Scourge of Despair.The flaming whip sliced through the creature in front of him, and it fell - broken but clearly not dead to the ground - as his own specters manifested. ¡°Can you cast Fiery Shackles again?¡±Ihra yelled. Trusting her he cast the spell, briefly pinning the three maidens down, as Ihra slammed something into the chest of the creature nearest to her.A gurgling scream echoed through the room, and when the maidens shifted a moment later, only two of them moved. Daring a quick glance toward Ihra, Jasper saw the rotted corpse on the ground at her feet, a gleaming silver dagger buried in its heart.The misericorde, he realized. A shout of alarm from Sella drew his attention, and he whirled to see the third maiden inches from his face, her razor-sharp teeth curled back in a snarl.He managed to get up a hand up, her teeth sinking into his arm instead of his throat.With a roar of frustration, he shook the creature violently, the maiden refusing to let go of his arm as he bashed it in the head, doing no damage.A moment later, Ihra was by his side, the misericorde plunged into the creature¡¯s heart as it fell dead. All that was left then was to finish the one he had bisected - though alive, it was of little threat to them in its current state.When the three maidens lay dead, Jasper examined his arm.It was a bit roughed up, bloody tooth marks clearly visible, but thanks to his toughened skin the damage was minimal. ¡°Such a shame,¡±Ihra said. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The maidens.What was done to them was barbaric. At least they can finally rest now.¡± He dismissed his arm, looking back at the crumbled statues.¡°What was done to them?¡± Sella chimed in.¡°The noble must have had them entombed in stone, enchanted so they¡¯d be unable to die by anything but magic.¡±She bent down beside one of the corpses, gingerly pulling at some of the strips of flesh to reveal the bones more clearly.¡°See these - the bones in their legs and arms are engraved with runes.It must have been done while they were still alive, then a geomancer covered their bodies in a thin layer of stone, turning them into tomb guardians.¡±She shuddered, suddenly hugging her arms to her chest.¡°What a ghastly fate.¡± Jasper looked around the abandoned hall, disquieted.He suddenly wished to get out of the room, out of the sunken chambers, and back into the sunlight as soon as possible. Standing up, Sella walked back over to the lyre in the center of the room.Somehow, despite the fight which had scattered the offerings laid before it, the lyre was untouched.She bowed before it, before reaching a trembling hand out to touch it. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± Sella started as Jasper spoke, broken out of her reverence for the lyre. ¡°Plan?¡± He gestured at the room filled with treasure.¡°There¡¯s just three of us here, four if you count Ba?¡¯er.How we are going to cart all this stuff away?¡± ¡°There¡¯s more here than I expected.¡±She shrugged casually.¡°I guess we¡¯ll just have to make a lot of trips.¡±Her eyes shifted away, back to the lyre.¡°Gather what you want, but let¡¯s take this first.A relic of Damqa will be of great value to the Moon-kissed.¡± The three filled their pouches up with treasure, before heading back up the room.¡°No, no, you go first.This lyre¡¯s a bit unwieldy.¡±She waved them forward, and they acquiesced.The trip up the ramp was much faster, no longer concerned about traps. Ihra and Jasper stepped into the upper room, Sella just behind them. ¡°What the hell?!¡±Sella cursed, and they turned around. A slow grin crept across his face.¡°Trouble?¡± She tried to move her feet, but they would not lift off the ground, and she almost face-planted. ¡°Here, let me help.¡±He grabbed the lyre out of her hand, setting it down out of reach. ¡°Why can¡¯t I move?Did I miss a trap?¡±Sella struggled, trying to pull her feet out of her shoes, thinking that that was what was stuck, but they would not budge. ¡°As a matter of fact, you did.¡±Jasper pushed more essence into his hands, the fire on them blazing brighter as the shadows fled from the room, revealing the hard resolve in his eyes. The Hunters and the Hunted Sella looked down. She hadn''t seen it in the darkness but, illuminated in the light of the blue flame, she could the runic ring she was standing in.¡°No, no, no!" She lunged forward, trying to pull herself out of the seal, but her feet were glued to the ground. Realizing her struggle was futile, Sella? turned back to Jasper.¡°You¡¯re a bloody runic mage?¡±he spat. ¡°Actually, that would be me.¡±Ihra loomed behind him, a stony look on her face. "I took the opportunity to draw this up when I ''went to look for the key.''" Sella tried, ineffectually, to shrink back.¡°Go, take the treasure - it¡¯s all yours.Just let me live.¡±She raised her hands beseechingly. But Jasper stepped forward, a threatening tone in his voice.¡°And what about your friends?Will they let us just waltz away with the treasure?¡± Sella blanched, real fear creeping into her eyes now, as she begged.¡°Please!¡± He raised his hands, casting a spell.Scales of Justice. The trapped girl shook as the spell passed over her, and he bent down beside her. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Five,¡± she blurted out, but he shook his head. ¡°Lie.You might as well tell the truth, Sella.As long as Scales of Justice is active, you cannot deceive me.So let¡¯s start again.How many?¡± ¡°Thirteen.¡± ¡°Any mages?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Will they attack us as soon as we step out of the sepulcher?¡± ¡°Yes.That was the plan, anyways,¡± she said bitterly. He leaned forward, a subdued fury burning in his eyes.¡°How many have you killed?How many have you lured away with the promise of wealth?¡± She looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. After a long minute of silence, he sighed.¡°Silence only makes it worse, Sella?. Tell me this, at least - why us?¡± She responded dejectedly.¡°We couldn¡¯t figure out a way past the fire trap.The flames were just too intense for anyone without fire immunity to pass through them.But then you showed up.You had fire immunity, but I could tell you had no idea about our culture.I don¡¯t know why the guards thought you were someone important, but it was clear to me you had no real backers, nobody that would miss you too much if you disappeared.It was perfect.¡±She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.¡°How did you know?¡± He snorted.¡°You¡¯re not the first person who¡¯s tried to take advantage of me.Also, your little operation hadn¡¯t exactly gone unnoticed.The guards at Du?r-S?innu didn¡¯t have any evidence against you, but their captain and I had a little chat before we left. According to him, we weren''t the first group to leave with you, but somehow, you always reached the next city alone.¡± ¡°Honestly, though?Giving me a map with a bunch of potential treasure spots when you just met me was way too on the nose.Perhaps I¡¯m a little naive, but I¡¯m not that stupid.Speaking of which,¡± he renewed the spell, ¡°are any of the other treasure spots marked on the map real, or was this the only real one.¡± ¡°Nooo,¡± she ground out reluctantly.¡°They¡¯re all potential places.There¡¯s no guarantee somebody hasn¡¯t got there first, though.¡± He stood up, releasing the spell, and her eyes widened.¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me - I¡¯ll do whatever you want!Bind me, and I¡¯ll serve you - I''ll share your bed, scrub your toilets - whatever you want, I''ll do. Just don¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°How many did you kill?¡±She pursed her lips, her eyes wide and quivering. He knew what that meant. Jasper sighed, reluctant to do what came next.¡°I¡¯m going to cast a spell on you, Sella.¡±He spoke gently, his heart racing within him.¡°If the spell passes over you, then once we¡¯ve dealt with your friends, I¡¯ll release the runes and let you go.You can¡¯t stay with us, but I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Her voice shook.¡°And if the spell takes?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m sorry.¡± He cast Purge. For a second, he thought it had failed.Then the telltale ring around her neck begin to glow, her mouth opening in a silent scream as she flailed, vainly trying to escape the runic circle, and the fire that burned within.Moments later, her withered corpse fell across the floor with a dull flood. He choked back the vomit as he turned away, his heart sick within him.He had realized from the start that she was playing a game with them, but he held out hope that he was wrong.The image of the teasing, vivacious brunette flashed before his eyes again, and he couldn¡¯t hold it in, heaving his guts empty in the corner of the room.Groaning, he wiped his mouth.God, I hate this world. Straightening up, he turned to Ihra.¡°You ready for this?¡± She nodded grimly.¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±
The Previous Night
After hiring Ba?¡¯er, the three headed up for the night.Jasper stretched out on the thin straw bed, staring up into the darkness as he strained his ears to hear into the other room. After a couple of days of sleeping on the ground, even the worn-out pallet felt good, and he struggled to keep himself from drifting off to sleep.Eventually, his persistence was rewarded when the sounds of silence were replaced by the faint rumble of snoring from the nearby rooms. He crept slowly out of bed and made his way across the floor to the door.Jasper froze as the wooden beams creaked beneath his weight, wincing at the noise, but the snoring continued unabated.Slipping out of the door, he silently descended the stairs.Many of the patrons had already left for the night, but the tavern was still humming with hearty cheer.If worst came to worst, he''d just talk to the innkeeper but, to his relief, Ba?¡¯er still sat in a chair near the fire, a flagon of ale clutched in his hand. Stolen story; please report. The man¡¯s eyes widened as Jasper approached, and he started to stand up, rocking unsteadily on his feet as he tried to bow, but Jasper pushed him back in his chair.¡°Sit, sit.¡± Ba?¡¯er took another swig of his ale, wiping the froth from his mouth before he spoke.¡°You aren¡¯t thinking of canceling on me, are you, my lord?¡±A guilty look spread across his face.¡°I may have already spent some of the money.¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°On the contrary.I still want you to come with us; I just want to make a few changes.¡±He dug a handful of gold coins out of his pocket and waved the barkeep over.¡°Yes, my lord?¡± ¡°Ba?¡¯er here seems to be a little tipsy, so I want to make sure you¡¯re aware of my plan too.¡±Jasper held up the gold coin.¡°I want to hire a bunch of hunters, as many as you can gather.¡± The men blinked, surprise evident on their faces.¡°So you are here to hunt kalm??¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°Oh, I¡¯m here to hunt all right, just not kalm?.Here¡¯s what I need you to do.¡±
Present Day
Ihra reached into her bag and drew out a small doll whose face was painted with three blue runes.Without hesitation, she tore its head off, only a few strands still connecting it to the base.¡°Alright, I sent the signal.Let¡¯s give them a few minutes to get into position.¡± Ihra leaned against the wall, idly sharpening her blade, as she kept an eye cocked on the doll, which lay on the floor before her, its head lolling off to the side. It was hard not to worry. The runes, for the most part, did what they were supposed to, but she had never had the chance to test this one out - just one mistake would ruin it.The minutes seemed to pass by interminably, but just as worry was starting to get the best of her, it finally happened.As if torn asunder by an unseen hand, the doll¡¯s right arm suddenly fell off.She pushed off the wall, sliding her knife back into its sheath as she reached for her bow. The two slowly crept up the ladder, holding their breath as the weakened rungs bent beneath their weight.But against all odds, the rotted wood held.Jasper was in front of her, but he paused at the top of the ladder, just below the sepulcher¡¯s top.This was the biggest gamble in their plan.Hopefully, the village hunters had already taken out some of the ambush squad, but they had no way of knowing whether or not the exit had been booby-trapped. They had decided, therefore, that a quick departure was the best departure. ¡°Ready?¡± Ihra nodded, and slowly climbed up onto Jasper¡¯s back.The ladder bowed dangerously beneath their combined weight.¡°Hurry, it¡¯s going to break.¡± She wrapped her legs around him as best as she could, awkwardly hanging on, and tapped him on the shoulder.Not waiting a moment longer, he placed his hands on the sepulcher and vaulted up, activating Seraph Burst the instant he passed the stone lid.They shot up into the air as a hail of arrows slammed into the spot they had just vacated.The spell¡¯s forward momentum quickly sputtered to a halt, the upward trajectory suffocated by gravity¡¯s cruel grip, but it carried them just out of range of the projectiles.Ihra flung herself off him, as Jasper begin to spin through the air, hurtling back down toward the ground. She landed deftly on top of one of the crumbling buildings, her hands already reaching for an arrow.A battle had broken out below them, as the hunters fell on the backs of Sella¡¯s unprepared crew.Ba?¡¯er charged across the ground with a roar, a harpoon tightly gripped between his hands, straight towards the back of an unsuspecting bandit.The man turned just in time to be skewered through the chest, Ba?¡¯er lifting him up in the air like a trophy, before tossing the corpse against the wall. Ihra scanned the melee quickly, loosing her arrow at a bandit that stood up above a hunter, his falchion swinging down at the villager¡¯s head.Her arrow struck first, smashing through his skull in a shower of bone and brain, his swing falling limply.An explosion rocked the street below her, a plume of smoke blowing past her on the icy winds, and she smiled.Fire-boy is doing fine. The only warning she had was a slight dip in the shadows at her feet. Reacting on pure instinct, Ihra flung herself to the side a fraction of a second before a battle-axe swished through her shadow.he weapon clanged harmlessly against the stone. The battle ax rebounded from the mighty blow, but its bearer had it under control in an instant.A hulk of a man stood before her.Dressed in a vest of furs, his massive arms were naked in the icy weather, the faintest whisps of steam rising off them. Screaming in rage, he whipped the axe right at her chest, and she threw herself backward, landing with a cry of pain as her ankle buckled beneath her.Her bow fell from her hand, skittering just out of reach as the man rushed at her.She managed to roll away from his swing, her ankle throbbing, and reached for her daggers.She thrust them up just in time, the two daggers blocking the blow descending on her head. With a roar, the man pushed down, and it took every fiber of her strength to nudge the blade to the side.It slammed into the ground beside her, its edge nicking her shoulder, which begin to bleed.She kicked at the man with her good leg, smashing into his jewels, but he simply laughed at her.¡°Good one, little lass.That might have worked, fifty levels ago."He hefted the axe into the air, spreading his legs wide, as he leveraged every ounce of his massive strength for a final, killing blow. Time seemed to slow as the blade descended down to her.Ihra knew she could not block that blow, having barely deflected the last.Her ankle screamed as she threw herself forward, narrow squeezing between the giant¡¯s legs, her dagger thrusting upward. The man screamed, the blade dropping from his hands as he fell to his knees, clutching his sundered testicles.Limping as fast as she could, she pulled herself over to him.Grabbing his long, shaggy hair, she yanked his head back and sliced through his throat.She collapsed on the ground beside him, as, now that the worse of the danger was passed, the pain flooded through her. The sounds of fighting echoed through the streets below for a few minutes longer, the sound of explosions assuring her that Jasper was still okay.And then the ruins fell silent. ¡°Ihra?Ihra, where are you?¡±She could hear the worry in his voice, coming from somewhere down below.She called out, the words catching in her throat, as she suddenly became aware of how very dry her mouth was. ¡°Ihra?¡± Clearing her throat, she waved her arm as she pushed herself up, leaning over the wall while gingerly babying her ankle.¡°I¡¯m up here - I could use a little help.¡± ¡°Are you okay?Where are you hurt?You¡¯re covered in blood!¡± She waved him off.¡°I¡¯m fine - most of it is his blood." She nodded at the corpse of the giant man.He got the drop on me.Nicked me on the shoulder, and I think I broke my ankle, maybe my leg too - I can¡¯t put any weight on it.¡± He rummaged through his bag, pulling out a potion.Ihra shook her head, pushing it away.¡°No, we should save the money and use the runes instead.¡± Jasper scowled.¡°And how exactly do you think that¡¯s going to work?I can¡¯t use the runes, remember?¡± Overriding her objections, he pressed the bottle to her lips.The sweet drink poured down her throat, and she groaned in relief and pleasure as the felt the bone begin to snap back in place, the skin on her shoulder knitting itself back together.Within minutes, the worst of the damage had been healed, but she lay against the wall with her eyes closed, her body utterly worn out by the accelerated healing process. That was the worst thing about the potions; they healed you but, boy did they kick your ass. Doing her best to ignore the bone-aching exhaustion that now flooded her, Ihra cracked an eye open.Jasper had sat down beside her, responding as soon as he saw her move.¡°So I take it we won?¡± she asked. He nodded.¡°Sella¡¯s crew has joined her in the netherworld.¡± ¡°And the hunters?¡± ¡°A couple of them were hurt pretty bad, but none died.¡±He hesitated, ¡°Once you¡¯re feeling a little better, maybe you could heal them?I''d rather not see any of them die unnecessarily.¡± Ihra nodded, bracing herself against the wall, as she pushed herself up. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and go to sleep, but sleep could always come later. For now, there were people to save. "Alright, let''s get to it." The Lady of the Lake The wind roared as she clung to the side of the building, making her way down from the roof. A few groans, mingled in with the sound of the wind and crashing waves, reached her ears, spurring her on, and she dropped to the ground, her feet sinking into the frozen slush. Lucky bastard. When she stepped into the dank room, she gasped in relief as the icy winds fell away, and almost choked as the metallic scent of blood filled her nostrils. Six of the hunters were laying on the ground, their blood splattered across the frozen muck, and she quickly examined them. Most of them had minor wounds, but two were in need of immediate attention - one whose bowels had been torn open, the other having lost his leg below the knee. The hunter''s shredded bowels were enough to make her lose her lunch but, steeling her nerves, Ihra set to work. A few months ago, she would have been powerless to do anything, but now? No one was going to do if she could help it. The next two hours passed by in a blur of powders and potions. Ihra felt like she was racing against the clock the entire time. Runic magic was a marvel, but it was also as slow as hell compared to true healers. If she hadn''t had Jasper there to cauterize the worst of the wounds, even the men with relatively minor wounds might have bled out before she could finish the formations. She traced them faster than she had ever done before, praying to Selene that she hadn''t made any crucial mistakes. Perhaps Selene had heard her or perhaps her many hours of practice in her tent had done the trick; in the end, Ihra sat back with a satisfied sigh. The six men - even the one who had lost a leg - were all on their feet again, very much alive.
Jasper smiled as Ihra begin to snore, looking around the room with more than a touch of satisfaction. Their plan had been a rousing success. Thanks to the hunters, the bandits hadn''t really even had a chance. Sella?''s vivacious eyes danced before him, and he suppressed the surge of guilt that sprung up. It was stupid, really; she was going to kill them, but somehow, dumb it was, it was a lot harder to kill a beautiful woman than the rest of her gang. She deserved it, though, he consoled himself. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Looking up, he saw Ba?¡¯er had joined them. The hunter bowed lightly as he addressed Jasper.¡°Everyone¡¯s been patched up, my lord, thanks to your partner.¡±He paused, scratching his head.¡°We were just wondering what we''re supposed to do next.¡±Unable to help himself, he rather unsubtly probed Jasper for information.¡°Did you find what you were looking for, my lord?¡± Jasper rolled his shoulders, sighing with relief as his stiff neck finally cracked.¡°Were there any survivors, Ba?¡¯er?¡± The burly man shook his head.¡°They all fought to the death.¡± A sigh escaped his lips.¡°That¡¯s too bad. The captain wasn''t sure if this was just an isolated band of bandits, or if they belonged to some larger group.¡±He pursed his lips, thinking for a moment.¡°Your men already stripped the bodies, right?" ook through the stuff; see if there''s anything that might provide some clues about their group or the identities of the men.I¡¯d like to know if we''ve put an end to this problem, or if we''ve stirred up a hornet''s nest.¡± Ba?¡¯er nodded, and turned to leave, but paused when Jasper spoke again.¡°Also, send someone back to town.We¡¯ve got a lot to transport back to town.¡± The grizzled hunter turned around slowly, an avaricious gleam in his eye.¡°Ah, so you did find something.¡± Jasper studied him for a moment, trying to judge if he could trust the man not to turn on him. His faith in mankind had been swiftly shaken during his brief time in Corsythia.In the end, though, he decided he had to roll the dice.After all, there was no way Ihra and he could transport even a tenth of what they¡¯d found on their own. Gold was shockingly heavy, even with enhanced strength.¡°Yes, we¡¯ve retrieved an old storehouse of the Moon-kissed, including one of the lyres of Damqa herself.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened, but Jasper continued on, seemingly oblivious.¡°The gold and weapons are ours to dispose of - if you and your fellow villagers help with the transport, I¡¯ll give you a ten percent cut of the profits.¡±He paused slightly before pressing on with his ruse.In for a penny, in for a pound.¡°But the lyre belongs to the lord of Du?r-Yarha; he will be most glad to see me return successfully from our mission.¡± Whatever fevered gold dreams might have tempted Ba?¡¯er¡¯s mind were promptly crushed by the name of Jasper¡¯s "backer." The hunter bowed with renewed respect.¡°I did not realize you were with the Moon-kissed.¡± Curiosity was evident in his eyes, though, as he scrutinized Jasper''s skin. Moon-kissed were generally quite pale, after all. Jasper saw the sliver of doubt on the hunter''s face and scrambled for an explanation.¡°Obviously, I am only affiliated - it is the fire of the sun and not the light of the moon that burns within my heart.But as I told you before, one of my ancestors once lived in this village. My family has long ties with the devotees of Yarha.¡± ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±.¡°Is the amount of gold we need to transport significant?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much your beasts can carry, but, yes, I imagine quite a few horses and carts will be needed to move the loot. This will be no small task.¡± Ba?¡¯er paused, his mind reeling with the thought of the village¡¯s sudden windfall. A frigid gust of air beat against their faces, and the hunter licked his painfully dried lips.It would no doubt only make the chaffing worse later, but it brought temporary relief. ¡°May I suggest hiring a boat?One of our hunting vessels could transport the goods easier and faster than trying to get beasts of burden through the frozen bogs.You won¡¯t be able to sell the merchandise in our village either - we should really head down the coast a little bit.Ka?r-Kupp? is the largest settlement in the area, and has a market often frequented by merchants from the cities¡± Jasper glanced over at Ihra to get her opinion; she was still asleep, so he was forced to decide himself.¡°Fine, a boat sounds like a good idea.¡± Ba?¡¯er smiled slyly.¡°Of course, for the cost of a boat, me and my men will need a larger share of the goods.I¡¯m sure my lord will find twenty percent acceptable.¡± Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Jasper countered.¡°Thirteen.¡± Ba?¡¯er shook his head, his tongue clucking in mock regret.¡°I¡¯m afraid my men cannot possibly afford to do it for less than seventeen.¡± He lifted his hands helplessly. "All of our boats are already reserved to hunt the kalmu?, and it will take much to convince their crew to abandon their hunt." ¡°Fifteen, and I will let each of the men here today select a weapon of their choice in addition.¡± The hunter sighed dramatically.¡°Surely, my lord does not wish to take food from the mouths of our women and children?Sixteen percent-¡± Jasper¡¯s amiable grin slipped into a frown, a storm gathering on his brow, and Ba?¡¯er hurriedly corrected himself. ¡°Err, fifteen percent is more than fair.¡± With the deal settled, the hunter quickly fled the room, not keen to annoy one in the good graces of a lord from one of the major factions.He immediately sent a messenger back to the village with the good news before making plans to set up camp for the night.A night out on the lake was also miserable, but this time it was more than worth it. The next morning all of them labored to bring the loot up from below.The ancient ladder was not up to the task, the wood unable to bear the weight of the men burdened with gold, and they were forced to waste some time improvising a new one.When the boat arrived at the sunken harbor, its horn blaring over the wild winds, no more than half of the goods were waiting at the ruined docks. The work continued throughout the day, and as the sun hid behind the mountain peaks, Jasper found himself by the shore, a dissatisfied look on his face.The boat sat low in the waters, its sides rising mere inches above the surface.Loot was piled high on the deck, but more still sat on the shore; there was simply no way it was all going to fit.Shaking his head, he complained to Ihra.¡°Damn it - we¡¯re going to need a bigger boat.¡± As it turned out, a bigger boat was not really an option. But the next morning, after reluctantly promising the hunters another percentage point of the spoils, another boat sailed up the coast from the village.After splitting the loot more equitably beneath the two vessels, they were finally ready to depart. The day was fairer than most along the frozen lake.The sun shone brightly, in a sky largely bereft of the ever-present cloud cover, and the wind that brushed against his ears was cool rather than freezing.The two boats, each about thirty feet in length, bobbed back and forth among the waves, the breeze slowly pushing them westward toward Ka?r-Kuppu.Rows of oars lay ready, in case the boat was becalmed, but that was rarely the case on the storm-best lake. Jasper wandered to the side of the boat, watching the waters rush past, small white caps forming on the crests of the waves.The floes of ice, crowded with the strange, tawny kalmu? had been pushed deeper into the lake, barely in view of the ship. But the waters were full of kalmu?, their brown heads regularly popping up between the waves, or even swimming over to examine the boat. They were large, closer in size to whales than the seals he had seen back home, but they sliced through the water with a speed and grace that belied their size. It was a delight to watch them, though, once, he could have sworn he saw an ominous fin breaching through the surface, trailing behind one of the kalmu?. His thoughts were disturbed when a presence loomed at his side. Jasper turned to find Ba?¡¯er standing beside him, his long, greasy hair somehow undisturbed by the relentless gusts buffering the ship.The man¡¯s face was ruddy and wind-whipped, but a broad smile cracked his face.¡°It¡¯s a beautiful sight, is it not?I enjoy my time on shore, but there¡¯s nothing that compares to being cradled in the bosom of Lady Hurbas?u, to watch her children slip beneath the waves, while her breath whispers against my ear.¡± Jasper cocked an eyebrow at the gruff hunter.¡°That was oddly poetic.¡± The man just grunted, his eyes fixed on the waves.¡°How else should one speak of one¡¯s goddess?Lady Hurbas?u provides all we need - water to drink, fish to eat, the kalm? that adorn our shoulders. Shamsha and Yarha may rule the heavens, but how often do they bother to look down from their celestial thrones? Lady Hurbas?u tends to our every need, as a loving mother ought.¡± He suddenly looked over at Jasper, unease on his face, as he remembered who he was speaking to.¡°I was forgettin¡¯ my place, my lord; I meant no disrespect to the Moon-kissed¡¯s Lady.¡± Jasper shook his head, a smile on his lips.¡°I¡¯m sure Lady Hurbas?u is touched by your devotion.¡±He watched a kalm? dive beneath the waves, its great, brown flippers rising into the air before they sunk below the surface, leaving behind only a trail of bubbles. The man shifted uncertainly.¡°I know you didn¡¯t come here to hunt the kalm?, but are you sure you don¡¯t want to give it a try?Folks come from every corner of the land to join the sacred hunt.Truthfully, most of them aren¡¯t successful, but you?¡± Ba?¡¯er looked him in the eyes, sincerity in his tone.¡°I think the Lady would grant you favor.¡± Jasper watched the waves for a few minutes, pondering the offer.He had had more than a few wild adventures since arriving in Corsythia, but there hadn¡¯t been much time for fun.For the most part, he¡¯d been so busy trying to survive, he hadn¡¯t found the time to live. ¡°How long would it take?¡± The hunter chewed his chapped lips, a spray from the icy waves splashing across his lips.¡°A hunt can be a long ordeal, but that¡¯s usually because the Lady hides her face. It should take no more than a few hours.¡± ¡°Then, why the hell not?Let¡¯s do it.¡± The burly man grinned, clapping Jasper on the shoulder.¡°As soon as I set eyes on you, I knew you were a man called to the hunt.¡±He shook him lightly, excitement brimming in his eyes.¡°I¡¯ll make the preparations - make sure you and your lady are ready to start come nightfall.¡± "We''re hunting at night?" Jasper looked back at the waves, a kalmu?''s head swiftly slipping back beneath the surface as he made eye contact. "Can''t we see them better now?" Ba?''er smiled. "I think you''ll find, my lord, that this is not that kind of hunt." He looked up at the clouds which hung low overhead, the gloom gathering quickly. "You won''t have long to wait - the night is coming quickly." The Kalmu? As night fell, the ship slipped deeper and deeper into the heart of the lake.Far from the rocky shores, the waves calmed, the surface of the lake suddenly tranquil.A thin crescent moon hung in the sky, its form reflected in the still waters. With their mast lowered, the boat slowly drifted towards the ice floes.Hundreds of kalm? were piled up on the ice, their brown bodies turned a barely visible black in the dark night.Jasper stood at the ship''s bow, Ihra at his side.Even the light breeze of the day had fallen still, and the only sound to break the silence was the rise and fall of their breaths. Ba?¡¯er appeared behind them, two cloaks gripped firmly in his hand.¡°Come, put these on.¡±Jasper examined the heavy mantle in the moonlight, the long cloak dragging against the rough planks of the ship.It was the skin of a kalm?, preserved in its entirety; the long, glossy hair felt slick and oily to the touch, and the giant head lolled to the side with a toothy grin. There were no sleeves, nor any other means to tie the cloak down, which only left one other option. Jasper lowered the kalmu''s head onto his own. The giant skull slipped easily over him, the cloak rippling as a sudden gust of wind raced past. The kalmu skin was shockingly heavy, his neck crying out in pain from the weight, but he held his head high as the boat closed in on their target. The ship rocked, as it gently bumped into an ice floe.The hunters erupted in a flurry of activity, throwing hooks over the railing to tie the boat tightly against the sheet of ice.This particular floe was smaller than most. Only a few kalm? were resting on its far edge, and they quick slid away into the water as the hunters leapt over the side of the boat. ¡°Come, follow me,¡± Ba?¡¯er called.Jasper turned to grab his weapon, but the burly hunter shook his head, gesturing for him to put it down.¡°You won¡¯t be needing any weapons tonight, my lord.¡± His curiosity at a boiling point, Jasper followed him over the side.He landed heavily, a thin layer of snow crunching beneath his feet, Ihra landing lightly beside him.She was swallowed up in the cloak, the voluminous kalm? skin billowing around her, but despite the heavy weight of the leather and fur, she rushed ahead of him, her feet dancing across the slippery ice as light as a feather and as sure as a billy goat.He followed more slowly behind, the treacherous ice more than once threatening to cast him on his face. In the center of the ice, the hunters begin to build a pile of wood, hauling loads of silvery-grey logs from below the deck.He cautiously slipped across the ice, joining Ihra and Ba?¡¯er around the growing circle.¡°What¡¯s all the wood for?¡± Ba?¡¯er responded solemnly, his usual gruff cheer replaced by reverence.¡°We are preparing the ritual for Lady Hurbas?u.Do not fear, my lord - we are only using the finest of warodim wood for the fire.¡± After about fifteen minutes, the circle was completed, the wood piled high in a mounding heap. Ba?¡¯er approached the impromptu altar, a flask clutched in his hand.Opening the top, he drizzled the wood with a clear, amber liquid.When the heap was thoroughly drenched, he took a swig of the liquid and passed it around the group. When Jasper¡¯s turn came, he reluctantly pressed it to his lips.A foul taste flooded his mouth, and he gagged, spluttering.The man next to him grabbed his arm.¡°You must swallow it, my lord - to waste the oil of a kalm? would give offense to the goddess.¡± Somehow he choked the noxious liquid down, passing the flask to Ihra.Once everyone had drunk, Ba?¡¯er waved Jasper over.¡°My lord, would you do the honors?¡±He gestured at the pile of silver wood, and after a moment, Jasper realized what he was asking.Bending down, he willed the fire through his hands.The pyre erupted in a flash, thick clouds of black smoke drifting up into the night as the foul smell of the oil filled the air. The fire burned red hot, the orange flames licking the night sky, but Ba?¡¯er reached into his pouch.Drawing out a handful of salt, he danced around the pyre, tossing in one handful after another.Slowly the color of the fire changed from a reddish-orange to a yellow bordering on gold.As the flames changed, the hunters begin to dance in a circle around the fire, dragging Jasper and Ihra along with them. Holding hands, each clad in a kalm? skin, they whirled around the golden pyre, whooping and yelling, while Ba?¡¯er knelt on his knees, his voice rumbling in a low prayer. Jasper raced around and around the fire, the stars spinning above him, as the hunters surged across the ice. His vision blurred as the face of a woman appeared in the midst of the golden flames, her lips moving in an unheard speech.A strange heaviness filled his body as he stumbled along, the feeling of inexorable weight growing stronger and stronger. The cloak wrapped tightly around him, the kalm?''s head shrinking against him - and then, he was sliding across the ice in a body not his own. A voice entered his mind, cold but soft, like the waters of the lake.Hunt well, child of earth. Acting on an instinct not his own, his body slipped over the edge of the floe, plunging into the icy depths of the lake.He was dimly aware of dozens of forms splashing into the water all around him.With a mighty thrust of his flippers, he shot deeper into the lake.Thousands of towering strands of kelp reached up toward him, and he dove down, sweeping through the watery forest. A scent crossed his nostrils, and he growled.Intruder.The great beast shot forward, chasing after the offending scent.Giant boulders littered the floor of the lake, the moon above no longer visible in the inky depths, but the kalm? needed no light to chase its quarry in the dark.Dodging through the craggy rocks, it pursued the one who had dared to threaten its territory. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. And then it spotted it.A hundred feet above, a giant silhouette slowly circled through the waters, sharp fins sweeping back from its massive body.A karish.A thousand razor-sharp teeth gleamed in its gaping maw, its skin covered in overlapping plates of protective cartilage, but the kalm? knew no fear. It idled beneath its quarry, unspotted by the mighty fish.Then it struck.Its mighty flippers propelled it forward, racing toward its prey.Driven by ancient instincts, the kalm? arched its back, its teeth tearing at the solitary weak point of the armored predator, a patch of unarmored skin beneath its jaws. The karish reacted immediately, rolling through the water, as it thrashed wildly.The kalm? clung on, its teeth digging into the skin, a trail of bloody bubbles left behind in the thrashing.But the karish¡¯s might was too great for the kalm?, shaking it off.Instantly it struck back, its toothy maw narrowly missing the kalm? who squirmed just out of reach. Suddenly on its heels, the kalm? shot towards the surface, every muscle in its body straining as it fought to stay ahead of the armored predator chasing after it.In a shower of spray, the kalm? broke the surface, its body arching above the waters, before it landed with a gut-crunching thump on the floe of ice.Not stopping for a moment, it wriggled across the slippery surface. A moment later, the ice where it had been ruptured as the armored karish slammed into the floe.The mighty fish hit the ice sheet so hard that it split in half, and the kalm? was sent, spinning wildly across the ice, back into the frozen waters.It darted away immediately, the karish not far behind, racing towards its last hope: the kelp forest. Slipping between the towering plants, the kalm? dove and swerved around the boulders.While it could not match the karish¡¯s speed in open waters, its maneuverability was unmatched.Able to turn on a dime, the kalm? managed to slip away, leaving the wounded predator searching. The beast hid between the rocks, following the thin trail of blood the karish left behind as it waited for its chance.Finally, the karish begin to ascend higher into the lake, leaving the kelp behind.Its wounded throat lay bare, small trickles of blood still washed away in its path. The kalm? surged forward, determined to make its chance count.It was a trick.At the last moment, the fish snapped downward, the spikes on its fins scraping against the back of the kalm?, as it wildly spun out of reach of the gaping jaws.Rather than fleeing, the kalm? stood its ground, circling around the armored predator, as it played a dangerous game.Could its maneuverability outmatch the karish¡¯s brute strength and speed? Like a mongoose fighting a cobra, the kalm? struck again and again, each time opening the wound a little further.The blood began to flow more freely, the icy depths turning a deep scarlet as the kalm? harried the great fish. The karish fought to the bitter end, its instincts never allowing it back down even as it knew it was dying, but, at last, the kalm? was left victorious.It hummed beneath the waters, the sonic waves announcing its victory over the intruders.And then, latching on to the hole beneath the karish¡¯s chin, it dragged the hulking monster up toward the surface. He broke through the waters, dragging his prey up onto the battered sheet of ice.His flippers flopped against the frozen surface, as the weight of the beast begin to grow, and he cried out in pain as his bare hands stuck to the ice.He yanked it away with a curse, leaving behind some skin.¡°What the hell?¡± Jasper stared in shock at the giant corpse that lay on the ice behind him.Something like an armored shark lay on its side, its throat turn out by vicious fangs.He felt his cheeks, the memories flashing through him. My fangs?The water-logged kalm? cloak was still wrapped tightly around him, feeling like it weighed a hundred tons.He struggled to push it off, chattering slightly from the cold, despite the fires within. A moaning noise gurgled over to his left, and he turned.Ihra lay on the ice a few feet away, another of the great fish beside her.Her lips were blue and she shook violently.Stumbling it his feet, he slipped and slid across the surface over to her.Dragging the cloak off of her, he furiously pumped his essence through her, the warmth burning away the cold.His light blazed forth, great clouds of steaming rising into the tranquil night, until the last of moisture was chased away. Her eyes opened up, and for a second, he half-expected her to punch him.But a grin broke across her face, as she sat up, taking a wild look at the armored sharks lying next to them.¡°That was bloody awesome!¡± He laughed, his enthusiasm returning as he saw she was okay.¡°I don¡¯t know what I was expecting, especially after he didn¡¯t let us take our weapons, but it definitely wasn¡¯t that.It was pretty amazing.¡± As the minutes passed, more and more of the hunters joined them.Most dragged a karish behind them, although a few returned, bloodied and successful.When Ba?¡¯er finally returned, bringing along a beast that dwarfed the others, he idled over to Jasper and Ihra.The wet cloak clung to his body, but he appeared entirely unbothered, the water dripping into puddles on the ice floe. He nodded with satisfaction when he saw their kills and clapped his hand on Jasper¡¯s shoulders.¡°Did I not tell you you would find favor with Lady Hurbas?u?Tell me, truly, do you regret taking the time to do it?¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°Not in the slightest - it was one of the coolest things I¡¯ve ever done.I can see why so many people travel here for the kalm?.¡± Ba?¡¯er laughed.¡°There are few indeed who get to experience this.¡± Jasper frowned.¡°I thought lots of people came for the kalm? hunt.¡± The husky hunter leaned forward conspiratorially.¡°Ah, but you see, there¡¯s the kalm? hunt and then there¡¯s the kalm? hunt.Most come simply to hunt the kalm? for the many things they give us - food, oil, and furs.But very few outsiders earn the privilege to hunt as a kalm?.¡± Jasper inclined his head to the left as he thanked the man.¡°I had no idea it was such an honor.¡± The hunter waved his thanks away.¡°No need to nod - you Moon-kissed have always been a little too fond of elvish customs.¡±His expression grew serious.¡°But in all honesty, it is you who deserve our thanks.A noble like yourself probably doesn¡¯t understand how much this haul means to us.I expect our share of the treasure to equal ten, maybe twenty, years of harvests.his was the least we could do in return.¡±He nodded at the karish, which lay sprawled against the ice.¡°I¡¯m glad Lady Harbas?u showed you favor.These fish should fetch a fine price at the market.¡± The hunter stood back up, stretching his legs out, as he twisted back and forth, wincing slightly.¡°If you make the transition a lot, it starts to become more painful, as if your body¡¯s resisting the change,¡± he explained.He started to walk back towards the ship, but paused.¡°By the way, I think next time you meditate you¡¯ll find a welcome bonus - at least we always do.¡± Ka?r-Kuppu? The next few hours were filled with arduous labor as the hunters dragged their kills over to the boat.Rather than piling the dead fish on the decks, the armored beasts were tied to the side of boast, turned upside down so that their only weak point was kept out of the water, away from fish that meant be tempted to take a nibble. When their catch was finally secured, the crew departed.During the hunt, a stiff wind had risen over the lake, and their sails billowed with gusts of wind, as the ship''s prow sliced through the choppy waves.The vessel was tossed to and fro in the stormy weather, but Ba?¡¯er remained unconcerned. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± he reassured Jasper and Ihra.¡°Lady Hurbas?u has blessed us tonight - her hand guides our vessel.¡± Feeling more than a little green at the gills, it took some time before Jasper slipped to sleep.Fur and fangs filled his mind, his dreams of flying replaced for the night with visions of gliding beneath the frozen waters, soaring through the forest of kelp in search of prey. When he awoke, the waves were crashing over the bow while a cold rain, somehow just above freezing, fell.Ihra had retreated below, seeking refuge from the freezing water, but Jasper stayed on the deck. The ship rocked back and forth in the waves, rushing up the crest and falling back down into the trenches, almost like an amusement park ride - if the ride came with a risk of drowning, that is. The sleet rained down in his head relentlessly, but the fires within chased away the worst of the colds.The hunters scurried to and fro across the deck, their actions swift but unconcerned, as they tied the freight securely and brought the sails down. Fighting his way across the decks, the wind blowing at his back, he reached Ba?¡¯er, who stood at the steering wheel.Jasper raised his voice shouting into the wind.¡°Is this normal?¡± Ba?¡¯er grinned back at him, the wind whipping his greasy long hair behind him in wild contortions.¡°Aye, it¡¯s a bit chippier than normal, but nothing this ship can¡¯t handle.¡±He patted the wheel fondly.¡°We¡¯ve been through many a storm together, she and I.¡± He pointed to something in the distance, and Jasper squinted fruitlessly, unable to discern anything through the icy drizzle and haze.¡°Not sure if you can see it, my lord, but the harbor of Ka?r-Kupp? lies a little bit past that peninsula up ahead.The storm is driving us in the right direction, so I reckon we¡¯ll make it more quickly than not.¡± Jasper stayed beside the captain, his clothes cycling between wet and dry as his fire fought the continual spray and drizzle.More than once, the waves swept across the middle of the boat, the water draining out through the railings as the hunters fought to regain their footing.One of the hunters was dragged overboard by a particularly large wave, but the men were tied to the ship''s mast.Straining to drag him through the frothing waters, they managed to heave their comrade back on the deck, coughing and spluttering. Eventually, the peninsula Ba?¡¯er had described came into view.A rocky promontory jutted out into the lake, jagged boulders peeking up through the rising and falling waves.They steered far to the right, keeping clear of the treacherous waters, before finally cutting back to the left.The waters begin to calm as they sailed into a protected cove, the waves no longer splashing over the sides. As if to compensate, the rain picked up, driving against the deck with a steady staccato, and Jasper was finally forced to seek shelter below the deck, his fire completely unable to keep up with the icy downpour of the heavens. The situation below was far wetter than he expected, a layer of freezing water sloshing across the floor, not enough to sink the boat, but more than enough to make things unpleasant.He reluctantly trudged through the waters, brightening as he saw Ihra.She was bundled up in a hammock that swung wildly to and fro as the boat crashed through the waves, her bag from Aphora tightly to her chest as she strove to keep its contents out of the water. ¡°Where the hell have you been?¡±She had to scream to be heard over the winds that still howled outside the vessel. He gave her a lop-sided grin.¡°Where do you think?Was up on the deck.The storm is pretty awesome actually, assuming, of course, that we don¡¯t sink.¡± Ihra shook her head.¡°You and I have very different ideas of fun.¡±She pointed to the ceiling, and he followed her direction.¡°I tied the lyre to the ceiling so it wouldn¡¯t get damaged.¡± His grin faded.¡°Thanks - I should have thought of that myself; it kind of slipped my mind, ¡° he admitted. ¡°No problem - wouldn¡¯t want Ba?¡¯er to start wondering if he and his men should have all the loot instead of just a share.¡± He nodded, bracing himself against the wall, out of reach of the worst of the water.¡°Why don¡¯t you get in a hammock,¡± she called. ¡°No way.¡±He pointed as she twisted and turned in the air, swinging freely as the boat jostled around.¡°I feel queasy enough as it is; nothing on earth could induce me to crawl into a hammock right now.¡± She winked at him, making fake kisses in the air.¡°Nothing?¡± He laughed.¡°Not a chance - dry land is my lady right now.¡± She pretended to pout before dissolving into laughter. Quieting down, she asked more seriously, ¡°So what¡¯s our plan once we get to the harbor?¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure.¡±He nodded his head over to the lyre.¡°We¡¯ve got to decide what to do with that; if it really is what Sella thought it was, it might be worth it to actually take it to the Moon-kissed.I¡¯d also like to find the crafter of my glaive and finally fulfill that quest, but I really don¡¯t even know where to begin to search for him.And of course, there¡¯s the mission from Kas?dael, although she encouraged me to explore the province, so it can¡¯t be too time-sensitive.I guess let¡¯s wait and see what happens in the city.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Their conversation was interrupted by a tremendous thump against the hull.Alarmed, he leapt up, afraid they had crashed into rocks or ice.Another thump, gentler this time, vibrated through the wood, but no water came gushing through.The two climbed up the ladder, the freezing rain immediately drenching them as it poured from the heavens.Through the torrential downpour, he could see the faint outlines of buildings, as the hunters scampered around the deck, tying the boat to the dock. He squinted, trying to make out the town.It was larger than he had expected, especially since the town hadn''t been considered important enough to even be marked on the map Sella had given him.But the port was large, dozens of docks jutting out into a large, sheltered harbor, and the town clustered around seemed nearly as large as Hargish. ¡°My lord!¡±Jasper turned to see Ba?¡¯er bearing down on them, a stranger accompanying them.The new man was shrouded in a thick, oiled coat, the rain sliding off it easily without finding purchase.He approached them with quick, hurried steps, bowing lightly to each of them.¡°Greetings, lord, lady.I¡¯m the assistant to the harbormaster.The captain said this ship was hired by you, with another close behind, and bears cargo for the market.Is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The man¡¯s face brightened.¡°Good, a larger crop of merchants than usual has shown up for the coming market and we feared we¡¯d be short on wares.¡± He leaned forward, talking quietly to Jasper.¡°I would strongly suggest, my lord, that you allow the harbor guard to watch your ship.If you leave the ship alone with these villagers, they might be tempted to help themselves to some of your merchandise.¡± Jasper slowly, unsure what to think.His trust had been shaken, time and again, since arriving in Corsythia, so the clerk''s words struck a nerve.Of course, for all he knew, the harbor guard might be corrupt itself. The man continued.¡°If you are willing to brave the weather for a few hours longer, I¡¯ll send for the auctioneers immediately.They can inventory your stock and that way you can be certain that my men will not steal from you.¡± ¡°Alright, that sounds fine.¡±He turned to Ihra.¡°Do you want to find somewhere to stay, while I wait with the boat?¡± She hesitated.¡°Are you sure?It would be nice to get out of this weather, but I don¡¯t want to leave you to do all the work.¡± He shrugged.¡°I don¡¯t like being wet, but the cold doesn¡¯t really bother me like it does you.There¡¯s no need for you to stay here being miserable.¡± She nodded, more than eager to depart.¡°All right then, you¡¯ll get no argument from me.When I find a place, I¡¯ll send a messenger.¡± The next few hours were long and miserable.The rain poured down relentlessly, without even the slightest sign of stopping, and he was relieved when he saw the second ship finally pull up to a nearby dock with the rest of the treasure.Part of him had feared that the hunters would take the opportunity to slip away with the loot, but it seemed that he either had unfairly misjudged them or their belief that he was connected to the Moon-kissed was sufficient to cow them into good behavior. Still, Jasper didn''t rest easy until the auctioneers had completed their inventory, and the harbor guard had been stationed on the dock.It cost more than a few gold coins for their services but, unless the auction was a complete disaster, he would make that money back at least a hundredfold. It was late in the night when he finally reached the tavern Ihra had found.After quickly gulping down the waiting food, he made a beeline for the bed, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. The room was empty when he woke up.Heading down the stairs, he was surprised to see Ihra deep in conversation with a woman at the bar.Although her face was lit with a smile, her laughter peeling through the room, he could tell from the tension in her shoulders that she was not entirely comfortable. ¡°Jasper!¡±She turned to him with a smile.¡°Come, have a seat.¡± He sat down slowly, examining the woman.While few of the Djinn bore his ruddy skin, the woman in front of him was paler than most.Short, curly black horns peaked out of her auburn hair, and when she smiled, he was surprised to see two short fangs in her upper teeth. She held her hand out to him, and he took it, unsure what was expected.Am I supposed to kiss it?Shake it?Her hand didn¡¯t move, so he went with the first option.Her pale grey eyes widened and she yanked her hand back swiftly, confusion on her face.Damn it. Clearly, that was the wrong choice. After a moment of indecision, she introduced herself.¡°I am Qarda Batinu?r.¡±She gazed at him expectantly, her lips drooping a bit when she realized he didn¡¯t recognize the name.¡°I¡¯m sorry, I assumed you would have heard of me.¡±She searched his eyes, curious.¡°Which Moon-kissed lord do you work for?¡± Jasper groaned internally as the pieces begin to fall into place - she must be a Moon-kissed herself.He debated for a moment whether to try to brazen the lie out, but decided to risk telling the truth.He had a bargaining chip, after all. He leaned forward, a wry grin on his face.¡°The same lord as you, I hope.Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere¡­more private.¡±She scrutinized for a second, understanding dawning in her eyes, and nodded curtly.¡°Very well.I assume you have rooms upstairs?¡± She entered the room cautiously, and while she tried to hide it, Jasper could tell that her fingers were contorted in an uncast spell.But she relaxed when she saw the room was empty. ¡°Have a seat,¡± he offered.She examined the tavern bed, brushing at it gingerly with the corners of her skirt before sitting down on the edge.He cocked his head, amused, and she stiffened, her words sharp. ¡°Perhaps you have gotten used to slumming it with commoners, but some of us prefer not to sleep in beds graced by a hundred whores.¡± Jasper winced, the mental image hard to erase.He had always hated hotels for the same reason, always wondering how many sweaty couples had made love on the same mattress he was trying to sleep on, but he forced himself to shrug, dismissing her words.¡°So tell me, how did you even hear about me?¡± She snorted.¡°How could I not?The taverns by the ports were full of hunters bragging that they helped a lord from the Moon-kissed defeat an army of bandits and confiscate their hoard.More quietly, a few spoke of a sacred relic that was the true cause for your trip.I admit, I was curious.For the most part, my brethren prefer to remain in our corner of the province so I was interested to meet you.Now, though, I don¡¯t know what to think.¡± She cast a critical eye over him, her lips pursed in a scowl.¡°Judging by your skin, you¡¯re either a lord or a prodigy, but I doubt you¡¯re one of ours.Who do you really work for?¡± Jasper sighed as he sat down on the bed beside her, ignoring her shocked expression as she pulled away.¡°You¡¯re right," he admitted. "I¡¯m not actually affiliated with the Moon-kissed, but the rumors you heard aren¡¯t all lies.We really did find something interesting in the ruins.¡± Immediately, she began to bombard him with questions - ¡°What is it?A relic of whom?¡± - and he held up a hand for her to stop. ¡°I can''t promise you it''s a relic. The people we took it from called it the lyre of Damqa.¡± Qarda leaned forward, her sense of propriety forgotten as she grabbed his hand.¡°Please, let me see it.¡± He smiled, gently pushing her hand off of him.¡°I¡¯m sure we reach sort of an agreement.Now, it¡¯s time for you to answer some of my questions.¡± A Storm Brewing For the next few minutes, Jasper quizzed her on the politics of the Moon-kissed, eager to gain some insight into their internal structure.The Moon-kissed, as it turned out, were dominated by the descendants of Damqa.Apparently, after the death of her legendary first child, she had gone out to have eleven more children: four sons, and seven daughters.Three of her grandchildren had also risen to prominence, together forming the fourteen great houses that ruled over the Moon-kissed. Of the fourteen, three, including the house of the eldest, had fallen into almost complete ruin. Their ranks had been devastated by a mysterious plague that swept through Du?r-Yarha two centuries ago, leaving the house of the second daughter as the strongest amongst their faction. Qarda belonged to the house of the seventh daughter.With less land and fewer men to command than most, her house had turned to mercantile matters, finding its power in wealth.While they weren¡¯t the strongest of the houses, their wealth and connections were not to be underestimated. ¡°So you¡¯ll let me examine the relic?¡± the Djinn asked, when the last of his questions had been exhausted. "I''ve been most accommodating." Jasper nodded.¡°Yes.¡±He stood up from the bed, wincing as he cracked his head against a low-lying wooden beam.¡°In fact, if you¡¯re willing to come now, I see no reason to wait.¡± Qarda stood up, brushing imaginary dirt off her skirts.¡°Very well.Lead on.¡±Although she tried her best to look indifferent, Jasper could practically feel the excitement vibrating off of her.He could only imagine the sort of coup it would be if she brought back a sacred relic from a mundane market trip.He would have to find a way to make the most of his leverage. As they left the tavern, he was relieved to find the torrential rain of the prior day had ceased, replaced now by an ominous grey sky that threatened - but did not deliver - precipitation.The streets of Ka?r-Kupp? were narrow and dirty.Here and there, patches of cobblestone peaked through the grime, revealing the surprising fact that the street was actually paved, but most were hidden beneath layers of dirt and half-frozen muck.Qarda minced her way through the streets, her nose wrinkled in disgust, and, truth be told, he couldn¡¯t blame her.An overwhelming scent of fish wafted through the air, blown inland from the docks by a steady cold wind off the lake. But despite the dirt and smell, the city was not without its charms.The city was built on a hill overlooking a large harbor, and the view of the lake was simply phenomenal.The cottages that lined the streets were bright and cheerful, painted in a wide variety of colors that popped in the grey, cloudy landscape, while the hills that surrounded the city were densely populated with beautiful warodim trees. He didn¡¯t have much time to enjoy the sights, however.They turned onto a narrow street that sloped sharply down towards the harbor.A leisurely crowd had strolled along the streets of the upper village, but this road lay empty and silent.Still, Jasper experienced no sense of danger, until the moment a dagger sliced into him. The dull weapon caught against his toughened skin, tearing more than cutting as the attacker tried to rip it back it out.Spinning around with a tremendous backhand, he sent his assailant flying to the ground, the knife falling uselessly into the muck.A muffled cry beside him told him the others were under attack as well, but he had no time to look as another blade whistled toward his neck. He ducked under it, the knife passing so close that a lock of hair fluttered to the ground as he lashed out at the new opponent, catching him in the throat.Fiery Shackles, he roared, and the two assailants screamed as the fiery manacle clamped around them, their skin burning from the heat.Snatching the dagger off the ground, with a single move, he slashed it through the mangled throat of the second assailant as he threw it towards the one that had fallen on the ground.It flew through the air, turning end over end, before burying itself in the attacker¡¯s eye. Jasper turned before the blade even hit, worried about his companions, but the fight was already over.Three more assailants lay on the ground, one clutching an arrow buried deep in his throat, slowly choking on his own blood.Ihra was unharmed, a furious expression on her face, but the Moon-kissed woman was pale and shaking, a bloodied hand clamped tight over her arm. ¡°Can you reach into my bag?¡± she asked.¡°I think the dagger nicked something important; the blood is really gushing.¡±Ihra rooted through the Djinn¡¯s bag and pulled out a healing potion.Qarda chugged the sweet liquid down and after, waiting a few minutes, cautiously removed her hand.Her arm was a bloody mess, although the dark blue tunic she wore was better than most at hiding the blood stains. ¡°Do you want to do this another day?¡± Jasper asked, but she shook her head vehemently. ¡°No, it¡¯s just a minor wound; I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He cast a wary eye up and down the silent street but saw no sign of further attackers.Where the hell is the guard?Five people just got killed in broad daylight, and there¡¯s no sign of them? Jasper bent down and examined one of the men that had attacked him.They were all dressed in plain black clothes, masks covering their face.He peeled the mask off, staring at the blank eyes beneath.The man looked perfectly normal but he noticed the faint tip of a tattoo peaking just a bit above the collar.He pulled the collar back, examining the tattoo on the man¡¯s neck.Two long scythes were tied together at the base, each facing the opposite direction, and in the middle was a skull, surrounded on all sides by some sort of plant. Something about the tattoo seemed familiar.I¡¯ve seen this somewhere, haven¡¯t I? This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Did you find something?¡±Ihra knelt down beside him, and he moved his hand to let her see the tattoo.Her eyes widened in recognition.¡°We¡¯ve seen that before, havent we?¡± ¡°You remember it?It seems familiar but I can''t place it.¡± She nodded her head, fumbling in her bag.¡°It was something Sella had; I kept it because it seemed unusual.She found what she was looking for, holding a thin silver chain up in the dim daylight.A small charm dangled from it - two scythes bound together, a skull placed in the middle.The charm wasn''t identical to the tattoo, but the similarities seemed too close to be mere coincidence. He whistled softly as the implication hit him.¡°If these guys have the same symbol, that probably means-¡° ¡°We¡¯re dealing with a larger group,¡± Ihra finished. ¡°Damn it.¡± He stood up, grumbling as he brushed the muck off his knees.¡°Sounds like we need to talk to Ba?¡¯er again.I asked him to have the men gather the bandit¡¯s possessions, but between the hunt and the storm I forgot to ask him if they found anything interesting.¡± The three resumed their walk toward the harbor, now keeping a vigilant eye on the dark shadows that lurked between the vibrantly-colored homes.They reached the quay without further difficulties, but the tension in Jasper¡¯s shoulders did not relax until they walked past the harbor guards, who greeted them with a nod. Despite the cold breeze continually blowing off the lake, the sky was bright and clear, the sun falling warmly on his cheeks.A flock of birds scattered into the air as they walked down the dock, some of them finding refuge beneath the eaves of a nearby building.He hadn¡¯t noticed the building the previous day, no doubt due to the deluge of rain, but he headed towards it as soon as he read the word inscribed on the side - Harbormaster. ¡°Where are you going?¡±Ihra asked, and he half-turned back.¡°We need to talk with Ba?¡¯er, but I don¡¯t know where he and his men ended up staying.¡±He threw a thumb over his shoulder at the building behind him.¡°But I bet these guys do.¡± The heavy door creaked open with the whine of hinges that needed oil, but it slammed shut quickly behind him, as a gust of wind collided with it.A man sat at the desk, transcribing a row of numbers into a journal, but looked up as Jasper approached.Recognition flooded his eyes, and he bowed his head slightly.¡°Ah, the young lord from yesterday.Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°I was hoping that Ba?¡¯er had left some word on his lodgings with you.¡± The assistant stood up and walked over to a row of shelves that lined the back wall.After a moment¡¯s searching, he found the slot reserved for their boats¡¯ docking site and pulled a pile of papers out.¡°Here it is.¡± Jasper grabbed the paper and quickly read the brief message left for him by Ba?¡¯er.It seemed that the men had split up between two taverns, the Kalm? Lodge and The Mermaid¡¯s Tail.He handed the paper back to the assistant.¡°Thanks.I¡¯m not really familiar with Ka?r Kupp?.Are these pubs nearby?¡± ¡°Not especially, but then men don¡¯t really visit them for their convenience.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The clerk smiled.¡°They are brothels, my lord, although probably far below the standards of what you¡¯re accustomed to.These docks here are for men of better ilk - lords like yourselves, traders, priests, and the like.The rest of the ships dock at the larger wharves further down the shore.To reach these inns, just follow the road to the right.You¡¯ll know when you¡¯ve arrived by the smell.¡±The man wrinkled his nose. ¡°The smell?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rather large fish market there - the lifeblood of our city, of course, but far from pleasant.¡± Thanking the man, he headed to the door but stopped with his hand on the handle.¡°Actually, one more thing.Does a symbol with two scythes bound together by a skull mean anything to you?¡± The assistant harbormaster frowned.¡°Without seeing it, I can¡¯t be certain, but it sounds like a symbol associated with the cult of Nahremah.Why?¡± Jasper shook his head slowly, not willing to give out the information.¡°Just curious.Thanks.¡±He stepped out of the administrative building, the wind slamming the door shut behind him, and rejoined Ihra and Qarda.¡°Did you get what you needed?¡± He nodded.¡°Yes, they¡¯re staying in two inns further down the shore, although,¡± he felt a little embarrassed to bring it up to Ihra, ¡°apparently they¡¯re brothels.If you, uh, feel uncomfortable, I can go by myself.¡± Ihra frowned.¡°Why would you need to go by yourself?Are you unsatisfied with your current sleeping arrangements?¡± ¡°What?No, no, I, uh-¡± Jasper spluttered, missing the twinkle in her eye. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m kidding.I¡¯m more than happy to accompany you, though; if we¡¯re facing a real threat we need to know sooner than later.Besides,¡± she said slyly winking at him, ¡°maybe we could pick one together, to share.¡± ¡°To share?¡± If it was possible, his already red skin turned even redder and Ihra begin to laugh, slapping him on the shoulder.¡°Honestly, you are too easy to rile up.I didn¡¯t know you were such a prude.¡± He stiffened.¡°I¡¯m not a prude.¡± She rolled her eyes.¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever, my lord.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡±Their banter was cut off as Qarda cleared her throat.¡°Can we go see the lyre now?¡± He blushed.¡°Right - the lyre.¡±The boat was nearby, two guards watching the gangplank.After verifying his identity, they passed through, descending below the deck. Jasper let out a sigh of relief when he saw the lyre still bound to the ceiling.Despite the guards outside, he had been a little bit afraid that someone, somehow, would have found the lyre and vanished with it.Together, he and Ihra cut it down from the ceiling and placed it in front of Qarda. She bent down excitedly, running her fingers over the large wooden instrument.¡°The style is ancient, the paint and wood seem old.¡±She carefully placed it on its side, scrutinizing the base carefully.She dug a small tool out of her bag, gently scraping at something on the bottom for several minutes until a small mark was revealed. The Djinn leaned back with a smug smile. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s genuine.The experts in our house will have to examine it, of course, but I believe my lady will be very pleased.What do you want for it?¡± Jasper shared a glance with Ihra.The truth was he didn¡¯t know.The sale of the other merchandise would provide more than enough funds for the time, so he really didn¡¯t need more money. ¡°Perhaps we should come with you,¡± Ihra said.¡°We can meet your lady, and discuss it in person.¡± Qarda¡¯s lips turned down slightly, but she nodded.¡°Okay.Arranging a meeting with the lady of our house can be difficult, but for this,¡± she gently ran her fingers along the gold trim of the lyre, ¡°I think she¡¯ll make an exception. After the auction, you can come with us to Du?r-Yarha.¡± The Temple of Yarha Jasper bent down, taking the lyre out of her grasp.¡°Until then, we¡¯ll be holding onto this.¡± Her lips tightened, but she didn¡¯t object.¡°You really shouldn¡¯t just leave a precious relic on the boat.If you take it to the merchants¡¯ guild or one of the temples, it will be much safer.¡± He hesitated.¡°But the harbor guard is watching it.¡± Qarda cocked an eyebrow.¡°Do they know they¡¯re guarding a relic?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t specifically mention it,¡± he admitted. ¡°The guard is literally guarding the gangplank right now,¡± Qarda pointed out.¡°That¡¯s good enough for mundane goods, but for something really valuable?People will go the extra mile.They¡¯ll take a potion that lets them swim through the icy waters, they¡¯ll recruit a mage who can become invisible or cast illusions - they¡¯ll find a way.Thanks to the villagers¡¯ big mouths, half the town no doubt has heard the rumors.I insist that you place this relic somewhere that has proper wards, like a temple or the merchant''s guild.¡± ¡°All right, all right.¡±He conceded, raising his hands in defeat.¡°I¡¯ll take it to one of the places you mentioned, but - I hope you don¡¯t take offense - but I¡¯m not going to be telling you where I take it.¡± Qarda nodded primly.¡°Good - you shouldn¡¯t tell me, but I¡¯m glad you listened to reason.¡±She stood up, brushing away imaginary dirt from her hems, while she studiously ignored the all-too-real blood stains on her sleeve.Reaching into her bag, she drew out a small card and wrote on it.¡°Here, this is where am I staying.My group is here for the auction, so I hope you¡¯ll be amenable to staying in the city at least that long, but let me know when you¡¯re ready to leave - even if it¡¯s before the auction.The relic is more important.¡± He took the card, placing it with Aphora¡¯s letter.¡°Do you need help getting back to your rooms?¡±Ihra asked, concern on her face. The Moon-kissed started to refuse, but paused, glancing down at her wounded shoulder.¡°Perhaps traveling in a group would be safer.¡±She shivered a little.¡°You know, I¡¯ve been to this city at least a dozen times and never been attacked.It never even occurred to me that I might be in danger when I left to visit you. I should have asked Labbu to accompany me.¡± Jasper and Ihra shared a glance. that the attack had been purposefully targeted at them, but he decided to accompany Qarda anyways. If some group really was gunning for him, they might attack Qarda again in the hopes of getting to him.Taking the lyre with them, tightly wrapped in thick coverings so that not even a trace of it could be seen, they escorted Qarda back to her lodgings, a magnificent estate near the market district. When the Djinn had disappeared safely inside, Jasper turned to Ihra, awkwardly shifting the bulky lyre between his arms.¡°Well, where should we take this?¡± It was only a short walk to the central market. The wide open pavilion was filled with stalls, residents hawking their wares, dressed in loud colors and shouting with even louder voices. But many of the people bustling through the market were not there for trade, but for spiritual reasons. Although Ku?r-Kupp? was a small city, straddling the line between a large village and city as narrowly as one could, thanks to its importance as a regional center, it was a major cultic center, with temples dedicated to nearly every deity the people of Lake Hurbas?u worshipped.One of the temples was even a local chapter of the cult of Nahremah.Of course, given the potential connection between the cult and their attackers, Jasper had no intention of depositing the lyre there. Instead, they decided to head to the temple of Selene, or Yarha.The temple of the moon goddess was a small affair, the majority of the population being first and foremost devotees of Shamsha, but the shrine was still surprisingly lavish.The square building¡¯s walls were pure white, the entire building focused around an open-air central courtyard.In the middle of the courtyard was a statue of the goddess. She stood on a crescent moon, clad in a silver silk robe that fluttered in the wind blowing off of the lake.Hundreds of candles stood around the statue, on the floor, stuck into the walls of the building, and, above all in the shrines.More than a dozen shrines were set into the courtyard¡¯s walls, each one dedicated to a different hypostatization of the Celestial Queen. A few attendants scurried past them as they walked through the temple, but no one drew near, except for a few who gawked curiously at Ihra¡¯s antlers.A man dressed in a simple white tunic was bowed low before the statue, the rising and falling of his prayer barely reaching Jasper¡¯s ears.Cautiously he approached the man, his footsteps ringing loudly across the glossy obsidian floor, in whose surface shone the light of a thousand candles. ¡°Pardon me?¡± The man didn¡¯t respond, his words still echoing across the stone floor.Jasper waited patiently, and after a few minutes, the man fell silent.Standing up, the man turned to face them.His face beamed with a gentle calm.¡°Ah, good, you¡¯re still here.I¡¯m sorry to ignore you, but I¡¯m sure you can understand it would be rude to interrupt my communion with the goddess for mortals.¡± Jasper nodded.A few months ago, he wouldn¡¯t have understood.Now, he sort of got it.Kas?dael seemed rather laid back, all things considered, but he doubted every deity was the same.¡°No problem.¡±He held the package up.¡°I was told that your temple might be able to secure a valuable possession.It¡¯s just for a few days, till after the auction.¡± The priest smiled.¡°Most of the merchants store their goods with the merchant guild, but we still offer our services for those who are more traditionally minded.Come.¡±He led them through the courtyard, back into the main building of the temple. 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He stopped them when they reached an ornate arch.Through the arch, Jasper could see another shrine, larger than those in the courtyard, but the priest gently restrained his arm when he tried to step through.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, but this is the main shrine for our Lady Yarha.I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not grand as what you¡¯re used to seeing, but, like the others, only priests may approach it.¡±He pointed through the arch to the back wall.A matching arch was set in the wall, this one closed by a glowing wall of light.¡°That is the temple¡¯s vault, protected by the goddess herself.No one will get through there short of divine intervention.¡± Jasper handed him the lyre, and the priest carried it past the shrine, disappearing through the wall of light.He returned a few moments later.¡°Now, for the matter of payment.Normally the temple asks for a small donation to the coffers, but I was wondering if I could implore you to do a small favor instead.¡±The priest paused, looking between the two, his eyes lingering on Ihra. Jasper waved his hand for the priest to continue. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you know, outside of the city of the Moon-kissed, the cult of Yarha is not one of the most prominent in our lands, so I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw you, my lady - an elf!¡± Ihra protested.¡°I¡¯m not really an elf, just some distant descendant.¡± But the priest shook his head.¡°Your lineage is your secret to share, my lady, but even amongst the Celestians, there are few who can grow antlers.If you are not a full elf, then you must be blessed by the goddess.¡± She looked uncomfortable but didn¡¯t object.¡°All I ask is that you come to one meeting of ours, so that the devotees of Yarha may have the rare chance to meet one of her children.¡± Ihra shrugged, looking at Jasper helplessly.¡°I guess that¡¯s fine, as long as it happens before the auction.¡± The priest beamed, bowing to her.¡°Excellent, excellent - if you¡¯re available for tomorrow tonight, I¡¯ll arrange the meeting then.¡± Ihra sighed, defeated. ¡°All right, let me know the time.¡± When they exited the temple, the two shared a bemused look as they strode through a crowded market. ¡°Well, that was interesting,¡± Jasper drawled. Ihra peered back, making sure no one from the temple was watching, before responding.¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m exactly thrilled about it, but I guess it¡¯s not really that much to ask.¡±A shiver ran down her spine as a thought suddenly occurred to her.¡°You don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to ask me to do something, do you, like sing?¡± she gasped. Jasper kept his face perfectly straight, nodding solemnly.¡°I assumed they wanted you to lead the worship - who better than one blessed by the goddess.¡± She gaped at him, horrified, until he dissolved into laughter. Pouting, she punched his arm lightly.¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡± He laughed harder.¡°You¡¯re right - it¡¯s hilarious.¡±Quiet down, he patted her on the shoulder.¡°You¡¯ve forged deals with faceless horrors in forgotten cities, fought undead queens, and slain shalgu?.Surely you aren¡¯t afraid to perform in public?¡± Ihra nodded stoutly.¡°I would rather fight three shalgu? at once than sing in front of a crowd.¡± He snorted.¡®You know, I was just joking, but, in all honesty, they probably are wanting you to do something more than just show up.¡± She glared at him.¡°Don¡¯t even say that!¡± He laughed again.¡°All right, all right, I¡¯m dropping it.Speaking of dropped topics,¡± he continued, ¡°we still need to catch up with Ba?¡¯er and see if we can find any more information on our mysterious assailants.¡±He glanced up at the sky.The formerly clear day had given way to a dense thicket of clouds that blotted out the sun, the wind whistling off the ice-encrusted mountains, but there was enough light in the sky to make it clear that night was still a few hours off.¡°Why don¡¯t we go now?¡± As they made their way through the busy streets of Ku?r-Kupp?, he kept a wary eye on the bustling crowd.More than once, he almost convinced himself that someone was following them, their face hidden behind a winter hat or scarf. But without fail, the suspect would eventually peel off onto another street, leading him to doubt himself.There was a big difference, it turned out, between watching spy movies, and actually knowing how to spot a tail. Still, Jasper couldn''t shake the lingering sense of paranoia.I wonder if there¡¯s some sort of tracking spell I could learn. That seems like the sort of spell an Inquisitor might eventually get. The crowd grew heavier as they approached the fish market and, so too, did the smell.Jasper liked fish as much as the next guy, but as he waded through the marketplace, gagging on the overwhelming fishy odor, he was pretty sure it was going to be a long time before he was in the mood for some fish and chips. ¡°Fresh fish - blessed by Hurbas?u herself!¡± ¡°Hot Karish-fin soup - two silver for a bowl.¡± ¡°Kalm? skins - warm and waterproof.¡± The market rang with the cries of the hawkers, each waving their wares at him as they passed by their stalls.All manner of fish were on display, lying on slabs of thick lake ice; some of them looked familiar, but many were strange.He paused at one that look a bit like an octopus, except for the vast number of legs that sprouted from it, far more than a mere eight.The creature was indeed fresh, the tentacles still slightly twitching on the icy slab. As he examined the odd beast, Jasper felt it more than he saw it - a momentary flash of ill intent.He turned in time to see a short man stabbing a long, thin needle at him, the man¡¯s eyes widening in surprise as Jasper stared down at him. His hands moving like a flash, Jasper redirected the man¡¯s thrust. Purely by accident, the needle thrust downward into the assailant''s own hand.Jasper immediately closed the distance, blocking the man from the sight of the crowd. The assailant shook his hand in a panic, trying to withdraw the needle, but Jasper clamped down with an iron grip, forcing the contents of the syringe into the man''s hands as the two fought for control. The struggle was short-lived. Within seconds, the man began to sway as a dopey grin spread across his face.He took a staggering step towards them and would have faceplanted if the two had not grabbed him.¡°Here, help me carry him,¡±Jasper whispered to Ihra.¡°Let''s take him to Ba?''er''s tavern. Maybe we can learn something useful from him¡± Supporting the man between them, who staggered around like a drunkard, they pushed their way through the crowd.No one gave a second glance to the three, drunken sailors a more than common sight along the rough docks - the few who might have had suspicions not willing to insert themselves into any shady business. Still, Jasper heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the Mermaid¡¯s Tail emerge through the fog.A two-story tall wooden statue of a mermaid stood beside the brothel, painted in gaudy colors and embarrassingly obscene.It wasn¡¯t the naked, Rubenesque torso of the mermaid that drew his attention though, but the rather delicately detailed privates that adorned her piscine half.He had often wondered how mermaids were supposed to be enchanting seductresses when they had nothing but a fishtail down there, but now, seeing a more accurate depiction, Jasper had to admit that the fishtail was better - nobody wanted to see that. The Mermaids Tail As they stumbled through the doors of the tavern, dragging the man between them, they were met with a pungent odor of sour beer and old sweat mixed with smoke.A small desk was set up near the door, a young woman standing behind it.She was clad in nothing but a beaded skirt, but blue and white fish scales were painted (or tattooed - he couldn¡¯t tell) over a large percentage of her skin.She held some sort of cigar in her hand, a swirl of smoke wafting from tips up to the rafters.Her skin gleamed with perspiration, her eyes were red and bloodshot, and a faded flower was stuck in her raven hair, pinned behind her ears. Taking a long drag from her stogie, she exhaled slowly, the smoke filling the space between them before she finally addressed them.She looked at the two men, the assailant propped firmly against Jasper¡¯s shoulder, and then at Ihra. ¡°If you want to bring the fun with ya,¡± she drawled, nodding at Ihra, ¡°it¡¯s going to cost you extra.Ten silvers for the room, fifty for a girl, a hundred to bring your own.¡± Jasper shook his head quickly, cutting off Ihra before she began an angry tirade.¡°We¡¯re not here for that; I believe an employee of mine is staying here - a man named Ba?¡¯er, along with some other hunters?¡± The woman stared dully for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders, pointing through the arch beside her.¡°The tavern¡¯s through there - don¡¯t be thinking you can do anything with the girls for free though - if you want the fun, you¡¯ve got to pay.¡± Jasper stepped through the arch, almost choking as the smoky air hit him.The tavern was dark and crowded, the babble of voices, laughter, and drunken singing filling the large room.They slipped through their crowd, supporting the man between them, as they searched for their compatriots. ¡°Heelllo, my lord.¡±A big hand fell on Jasper¡¯s shoulders as the slurred greeting reached his ears.Turning around, he found Ba?¡¯er standing behind him, a large glass of grog in his hands, a grin plastered across his face. He gently pried the burly man¡¯s hand off him.¡°Can you take us to your rooms?¡±Jasper nodded toward the subdued man leaning against his shoulder. Ba?¡¯er looked at the man, confusion in his eyes, as he shifted back and forth between the man and Ihra.¡°I did not think you went that way, my lord.¡± Jasper blushed as he realized the implication.¡°No, no-¡° he hastened to object, but the hunter waved him off, stumbling as he turned around.¡± ¡°No worries, my lord.I¡¯m not one to judge.Follow me.¡± His ears burning, they followed the drunken hunter through the crowded tavern.They exited into a long, dingy corridor.A faded scarlet rug lined the floor, its once plush surface now nearly threadbare from the endless stream of customers tromping through the hall.Strips of wallpaper had peeled off the walls, revealing the smoke-darkened plaster behind, and only a row of candles lit the dark hall. The man raised the mug of grog to his lips, guzzling a long draught as he led them down the corridor.¡°Can¡¯t say I expected to see you here, my lord.A place like this is fine for me and the boys, but for a lordling like you?¡±The man shook his head.¡°I expect you¡¯re used to a little finer of an establishment.Unless, of course,¡± the man turned, winking, ¡° you like slumming it.¡± He stopped at one of the dingy doors, swinging it open.¡°Here we are.¡± They pushed past the hunter.The room was awash with a dozen competing colors, a riotous assortment of odds and ends.A nude woman lay sleeping on the dingy bed, and Ba?¡¯er shook her awake roughly.¡°Time to go.¡± A rope was attached to the headboard and, cringing a bit as he touched it, Jasper and Ihra quickly tied the man from the market up while Ba?¡¯er slurped down his drink, a bemused look on his face.When Jasper was satisfied the knots were tightly bound, he turned back to the hunter. ¡°Do you remember what I asked you to back at the ruined village, Ba?¡¯er.¡± The man scratched his shaggy beard.¡°Uh, hire some boats for you?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but no, the other thing.I asked you to gather the possessions of the bandits?¡± The man nodded slowly, shuffling his feet.¡°Yeah, about that¡­¡± Jasper frowned.¡°What?¡± ¡°Weelll,¡± the hunter slurred, ¡°You didn¡¯t ask about them when we got to port, so me and the boys kind of figured you forgot them.We already pawned them off.¡± Jasper sighed, rubbing the space between his rub.Damn it.Truthfully, he had forgotten about it, until they were attacked, so he couldn''t exactly blame Ba?''er too much. The hunter held out an unsteady hand, a look of worry on his face.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord.I¡¯m sure we can scrape together the money; we didn¡¯t think you¡¯d care much - there was nothing too valuable there.¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°No - I don¡¯t care about the money.¡±Sighing, he fished the amulet out of his bag and held it up.¡°Did any of the men have something like this - an amulet, a tattoo, anything.¡± Ba?¡¯er squinted at the amulet, which gently swung back and forth between Jasper¡¯s fingers.¡°Yeah, that looks familiar.¡±He reached into his pockets and pulled out a long chain.A ring dangled from the chain, which he handed over to Jasper.¡°I kept this to give to my woman.It¡¯s got something similar on it.¡± Jasper examined the ring.Made of silver, a large shard of black onyx was set into its face, on which was inscribed a familiar emblem - two scythes and a skull.He tossed the ring back to the hunter.¡°Keep it - that¡¯s all I needed to see.Ba?¡¯er, do you mind stepping out?We need to have a private chat with this gentleman here.¡±He nodded at the man bound on the bed and Ba?¡¯er grinned. 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Read this novel on the original website. ¡°No problem.Let me know if you need me, my lord.¡±Taking another long draught of the grog, the man sauntered out into the hall. ¡°Well that¡¯s not good,¡± Ihra said as the door closed behind the hunter.¡°Looks like we stumbled into something a bit larger than we realized.¡± Jasper sighed, scratching his head.¡°This was supposed to be a simple little quest to take out some bandits, but it¡¯s starting to look like a hornet¡¯s nest.¡± He scrutinized the amulet again, before tossing it back in his bag in disgust.¡°I don¡¯t get it though.The harbormaster thought this belonged to the cult of Nahremah, the same cult Kas?dael sent me to investigate.Is it just coincidence that we happened to stumble onto a criminal gang somehow associated with them, or is there a connection?¡±He sat down on the well-used bed, which sagged beneath his weight.¡°If it isn¡¯t just a coincidence, how could they possibly know I was coming?¡± Ihra sat beside him.¡°Divination, maybe?¡± she offered. He shook his head.¡°Divination would help them find us, I suppose, but they shouldn¡¯t know they need to use divination, right?They shouldn¡¯t know we¡¯re coming.¡± ¡°Maybe they don¡¯t, and it''s just a big coincidence?¡± Jasper''s eyes fell on the man, who was lying there quietly, the dopey grin still on his face. ¡°I guess let¡¯s find out.¡± It turned out that getting the drugged-up man to respond was more difficult than he anticipated.The man¡¯s grin didn¡¯t fade as they shook him, not even when they slapped him across the face.Ihra even held a knife to the man¡¯s throat, threatening to slit him open, with no results.At last, they sat back, defeated. ¡°How long do you think this lasts?¡± She snorted.¡°You mean if it doesn¡¯t just kill him?¡± Jasper¡¯s eyes widened, and he sat forward with a renewed agency.¡°You¡¯re right, it might just be a slow-acting poison.¡±Looming over the man, he grabbed the hand where the syringe had entered.Flipping it over, he saw the area around the insertion was slowly turning black, where a dark pool had grown beneath the skin.It squished beneath his fingers, and he reached his hand out to Ihra.¡°Here, hand me your knife quick.I want to try something.¡± With her knife in hand, he cut into the black spot on the man.A black, oily substance spilled out onto the bed, a horrible, acrid smell accompanying it.Lifting the man¡¯s hand up in the air, he drained the liquid, cutting away at the rotting flesh.Slowly the grin faded off the man¡¯s lips as comprehension returned to his eyes.A scream broke out, quickly muffled as Ihra clapped her hands over his mouth. He bit her, and she pulled back, cursing, before slamming a pillow over his face.His muffled screams continued until he felt the cold prick of steel against his throat.Slowly, she lifted the pillow off him, the man glaring murderously at them, despite the fear welling up in his eyes. Jasper sat down beside him, a spell on his fingertips.¡°Now, we just have a few questions to ask you.¡± In a bluster of bravado, the man spat at him.¡°I ain¡¯t telling you nothing.¡±Jasper pressed the dagger harder, the sharp steel cutting into the man¡¯s skin, releasing a bead of blood. ¡°There are other things I can cut.¡±He let his eyes trail downward, and the man paled, catching his implication. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Jasper raised his hands, allowing a bit of fire to play between his fingers, the fear growing in the man¡¯s eyes.¡°I¡¯m an inquisitor - I will know if you tell me a lie - so I expect you to stick to the truth.¡± The man nodded glumly.¡°Whatever you want, boss.¡± Casting the Scales of Justice, Jasper leaned back.¡°So, what group do you belong to?¡± The man¡¯s eyes darted nervously between the two of them.¡°You¡¯ve seen the amulets, no doubt.I¡¯m from the Cult of Nahremah.¡± Jasper felt the hesitation in the spell.It was the truth, but also, not the truth.He shook his head, clucking his tongue, as he slowly dragged the dagger down the man¡¯s chest towards his nether regions.¡°Now what did I tell you about lying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth, the truth I swear.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were wide with panic, as Jasper cocked his head.¡°But not all of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also part of the Brotherhood of Yas?gah, within the Cult of Nahremah¡± the man blubbered.The words resonated in the spell, and Jasper leaned forward, his interest peeked.¡°And who is Yas?gah?¡± ¡°The hypostatization of Nahremah we worship, the goddess of the maddening darkness.¡±He frowned.Darkness could describe Kas?dael, but maddening?It sounded more eldritch than anything else. ¡°Who sent you after us?¡±Ihra asked. ¡°A priest of the brotherhood.I don¡¯t know him, someone from down south.¡± ¡°Why we were targeted?¡± The man shook his head.¡°I don¡¯t know.I was told you were a blasphemer who had offended the goddess; I was supposed to capture you and bring you back to the priest.¡± Jasper pressed the dagger down a bit, as he growled out the words.¡°Where?¡± ¡°Outside the city.¡± He stood up.¡°You¡¯re going to take us there.¡± But the man shook his head.¡°There¡¯s no point.I was supposed to have already sent a signal if things went well.No one will show up now.¡± Jasper cursed as the spell confirmed the truth of the man¡¯s words.He sat back down slowly, resuming the interrogation.¡°Did you know Sella?¡± Genuine confusion was mirrored in the man¡¯s eyes.¡°Who?¡± ¡°Do you know anything about a group of bandits, fellow cult members, whatever, that were luring people out to ruins and killing them?¡± The man shook his head.¡°We¡¯re not like that.The Cult of Nahremah is an officially ordained cult.¡± The words were true, but Jasper could sense there was some hesitancy in the spell.¡°And the Brotherhood?¡± ¡°We¡¯re part of the cult!¡± the man wailed.¡°I¡¯m just an initiate.¡± Jasper and Ihra shared a look.The interrogation had revealed less than he hoped, although perhaps it had given them a place to start on Kas?dael¡¯s mission.Now, though, they had to deal with the man bound on the bed. He sighed, preparing himself for what was to come.¡°I¡¯m going to cast a spell on you.It¡¯s probably going to hurt.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened as he struggled vainly against his bonds, slamming the headpiece of the bed against the wall in a cruel mockery of the sounds of pleasure.¡°No, please, no.¡± Jasper cast Purge. Nothing happened.He waited.Still, nothing happened.Frowning, he cast Purge again.The man¡¯s throat remained curiously unburned.Jasper stepped back, unsure how to proceed.The man had tried to kidnap them, but if Purge wasn¡¯t working, that meant he wasn¡¯t evil.Could he really just kill him? Motioning for Ihra to follow him, the two stepped out into the hall.¡°What do we do?¡± he asked. Ihra shrugged.¡°Kill him.¡±Her tone was more uncertain than her words, though. Jasper sighed.¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting Purge to backfire.I''m not really comfortable letting him go free and have the chance to come back and harm us later but...killing someone you know isn¡¯t evil?That''s a hard pill to swallow.¡± "If a tiger attacks you in the jungle, is it evil?" Ihra asked. "No?" "But you still kill it, because it''s a threat to you." "It''s not the same, though-" Their discussion was cut short by the sound of a crash in the room.Yanking the door open, they rushed back in.The bed was empty, the severed ropes sprawled uselessly across the well-worn mattress.Shards of glass lay across the floor, scattered from the now-shattered window. ¡°Whelp.I guess that solves that issue¡­for better or worse.¡± He grinned halfheartedly. "Here''s hoping it doesn''t come back to bite us." Nabul Ihra stepped over to the bed, examining the ropes.They were frayed through, and she yanked back her finger with a curse as she brushed its edges.¡°Damn, there¡¯s some kind of corrosive element on them.¡±She wrung her hand, wincing in pain. Boisterous laughter boomed outside in the hall, and a second later burst open.Ba?¡¯er stumbled into the room, a fresh mug of grog in his hands and an almost nude woman clinging to his arm.He ground to a halt, gently swaying back and forth, when he spied the two of them.A long belch escaped him when he started to speak.¡°You¡¯re still here, my lord?¡±His eyes fell on the empty bed.¡°Looks like the fun¡¯s over.¡± Sighing deeply, Jasper stood up.With their assailant gone, there was no reason to stick around.¡°The room¡¯s yours, Ba?¡¯er; we¡¯ll get out of your hair.¡± He and Ihra slipped past the burly man into the dingy hall, the sounds echoing behind them painting an all too vivid picture. When they exited the brothel, the fish market was still bustling with action, but the quickly darkening sky foretold the impending approach of night.Racing against the setting sun, the two ambled back to their own, more respectable, tavern. Jasper''s stomach rumbled, visions of the tavern''s hearty stew dancing before his eyes, as they neared their place. But his dreams of R&R were cruelly crushed when they reached the tavern.The priest of Yarha sat on a bench outside, a worried look on his face.Leaping to his feet when he saw them, the priest plastered on a broad smile as he rushed to greet the pair. ¡°My lady, I was hoping to find you before you retired for the night.¡± Ihra frowned, and his smile wilted a little.¡°I thought we agreed I¡¯d come to your service tomorrow night?¡± The man bowed.¡°Indeed, indeed - you remember correctly my lady.But-¡°He hesitated.¡°When I was delivering the news of your visit to my congregation, the temple¡¯s most important patron was quite excited to meet you.He insisted I come and invite you to dine with him tonight.¡± Ihra¡¯s frown deepened.¡°It¡¯s been a long day.I¡¯m sure we can meet him tomorrow.¡± A distressed look creased the priest¡¯s face as he wrung his hands.¡°Please, Lady Ihra, I beg you to reconsider.Lord Nabul will be most displeased.¡± Jasper cut in.¡°Is this an invitation or summons?¡± The man looked uneasy.¡°Lord Nabul is a powerful man in the city.Technically, he has no power to compel a free citizen to come, but he could certainly make things difficult for you.A few words from him in the right ears, and he could cut off your access to the auction house.¡± Ihra groaned.¡°Fine, I guess we have no choice.¡± The priest smiled apologetically.¡°I really am sorry, my lady.I didn¡¯t expect Lord Nabul to take such a keen interest.¡± She shook her head.¡°What¡¯s done is done.Do we have to go now?¡± The priest nodded.¡°I¡¯m happy to escort you.¡± The two turned to follow him, and the priest paused, clearly reluctant to speak up. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Well, uh-¡° he fidgeted, ¡°technically, my lord, only Lady Ihra was invited to dine with Lord Nabul.¡± Jasper¡¯s brow darkened.Well, that doesn¡¯t sound sketchy at all.He glanced at Ihra, and she shook her head.¡°Either Jasper comes with me, or I¡¯m not going at all.No offense to this Lord Nabul, but I don¡¯t know him, and someone tried to kill us earlier today.¡± The priest¡¯s eyes widened.¡°Of course, of course, my lady.I¡¯m sure Lord Nabul will understand.¡±His eyes said otherwise, though. Reluctantly, they issued back out into the city streets.They followed the priest along same route that had taken them to the commercial district earlier, passing Yarha''s shrine again.In the gathering dusk, the temple¡¯s door glowed with the light of dozens of candles, the silver and bronze decorations glinting like the moon and stars whose image they bore. Fortunately, it did not take them long to reach the noble¡¯s residence.It was a large, rectangular building, three stories high with shockingly little ornamentation on the outside, aside from the fine craftsmanship of the stonework.They were met at the door by a servant, who was most reluctant to let Jasper in, but finally succumbed to a mixture of the priest¡¯s pleading and Ihra¡¯s threats to leave. The inside of the mansion was in complete contrast to the exterior.The walls were lined with intricately carved wooden panels, the bas-reliefs outlined with gold and silver.Plush, vibrant rugs covered the floor and exquisitely crafted golden lamps and incense burners hung from the ceiling.Everything about the place told the tale of indulgent wealth. To Jasper¡¯s surprise, when they were finally introduced to Lord Nabul, the noble didn¡¯t throw a fit when he spied his uninvited guest.Instead, with a few quiet words to a servant, another place was set on the table, next to the priest.There was a silent tension in the room as they all sat down, and Jasper scrutinized their host with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.Hopefully, we didn¡¯t just walk into the lion¡¯s den. He was surprisingly young in appearance, his long hair pulled back in a tight bun.The horns that sprouted from his head were not particularly large, two short back horns that flared back ever so slightly, but the deep red color of his skin testified to his power.Jasper wondered if perhaps Lord Nabul had taken the Ruby-Skinned upgrade he¡¯d passed on. An opulent feast was spread across the table.Jasper spied more than dozen different types of fish and fowl laid out, surrounded by a mixture of strange savory pies, sides, and desserts.Most of it was unrecognizable and, if he was being honest, not entirely appealing.When a servant slid a fish head onto his plate, the wide eyes goggling up at him, he knew it was going to be a long meal. ¡°So tell me, Lady Ihra, about the elves.¡±The man¡¯s voice was cold and stern, but a subtle current of enthusiasm was hidden beneath. She blushed, pushing at the food on her plate.¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not really the right person to ask.As I told the priest, I¡¯m not really an elf.¡± The noble shook his head.¡°Your modesty does you credit, but your antlers say otherwise.Your lineage must be strong indeed.Have you ever met the Silver Lady?¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°The Silver Lady?¡± ¡°The elf queen in Sappiya.I once had the pleasure of training under her, long ago.¡± ¡°Do you mean Lady Aphora?¡± Nabul nodded, his face lighting up.¡°So you do know her?¡± ¡°Yes, we worked together for a time.¡±She hesitated.¡°How much do you know about current events, outside the mountains?¡± The tension in the room eased as the conversation began to flow more freely.Lord Nabul had not heard of the undead queen¡¯s rampage through Sappiya, but listened with rapt attention to the story, eventually deigning to acknowledge Jasper¡¯s presence once Nabul realized Jasper had worked closely with the elven queen.The news, though, was distressing to him. ¡°I had no idea things had gotten that bad in the empire.¡±The noble frowned as their tale reached its conclusion.She should never have been allowed to head into the west.Perhaps, if I reach out to some of my superiors, we could send emissaries to intercept her before it''s too late.She would be most welcome here.¡± ¡°But would her people also be allowed to settle here?¡±Ihra asked. The lord looked uncomfortable.¡°No,¡± he finally admitted.¡°Probably not.I¡¯m sure the Moon-kissed would advocate for them to be allowed entrance, and perhaps the lords of Ya¡¯ura and Arad as well.Those of us in the north have always had respect for the goddess Yarha.But the nobles in the south would be passionately opposed, and they far outnumber us.¡± Jasper couldn¡¯t hide his curiosity.¡°I knew she occasionally worked with the Djinn, but she never really talked about it.What exactly did she do for you?¡± The man gave Jasper a once-over.¡°Surely you would understand yourself - judging by your skin and age you must have received the sort of special training she offered.¡± Jasper squirmed in his chair, nodding.¡°I received some training from her, but not, perhaps, what you¡¯re thinking of.¡± The man scrutinized him for a moment, his head cocked to the side, and then comprehension flooded his face.¡°Ah, I understand now. You¡¯re clearly of the people, but you were born outside of the mountains, just like her, weren¡¯t you?¡± Reluctantly, Jasper nodded.¡°You¡¯re right.How did you know?¡± The man shrugged.¡°You have the skin of a noble but not the knowledge.You don¡¯t seem to understand our politics and you don¡¯t know our eating customs.¡±Blushing, Jasper looked at his plate.I wonder what I did wrong. ¡°I would have assumed you were from one of the ultra-isolated clans in the mountains, but if you worked with Aphora, that¡¯s simply not possible.Those clans barely interact with us; they would never dream of sending their children beyond the walls of Du?r-S?innu.That really left only one possibility.¡±He paused, cocking his head to the side.¡°I don¡¯t want to be rude, but do you mind me asking, are you her child?¡± Ihra''s eyebrows hit the roof, as Jasper choked on his food.¡°What on earth would lead you to think that?¡± he spluttered. Nabul smiled.¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no, then.Lady Aphora had a reputation for being¡­let¡¯s just call it adventurous. There are more than a few of her descendants scattered throughout the provinces - if the rumors are to be believed, even one of the current princesses of Sappiya is her daughter.To return to your original question, though, the Silver Lady was extremely important to those of us who believe that we are too isolated.¡± ¡°The days of the Djinn fighting each other on the field of battle have thankfully passed, but, make no mistake, the conflicts still rage in the shadows.The Djinn are deeply divided on many issues, although the one relevant to Aphora is our connection to the world beyond.¡± ¡°Many of the northern lords wish to establish closer ties to the empire.We want to allow our people to travel beyond the walls more easily, to trade in the city of Gis?-Izum, even to allow people like you, Lady Ihra, limited travel within our borders.We do not think it is healthy to close ourselves off from the rest of the world.¡± ¡°For the last few centuries, we have sent the most promising of our children beyond Du?r-S?innu, entrusting them into the care of Lady Aphora.Most of the nobles in the north, myself included, have learned at her feet.She was our connection to the outside world. Without her, I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ll proceed.¡± The next few minutes passed in silence.Lord Nabul pushed at the food on his plate, obviously troubled by the news, and the two ate silently, unsure whether they should speak. Eventually, the lord roused himself, looking up with a forced smile.¡°My apologies - our troubles are none of your concern.¡±He leaned forward, facing Ihra.¡°I must admit, I was so distracted by your news, that I almost forgot the reason I invited you here.You are¡­unattached, my lady?¡± Ihra looked confused.¡°Unattached?¡± Nabul¡¯s eyes darted over to Jasper, the slightest hint of a frown crinkling the corners of his eyes.A faint blush crept into his cheeks.¡°Pardon my indiscretion, but you don¡¯t have any romantic entanglements, do you?¡± Ihra frowned, glancing over at Jasper.¡°No?¡± she said haltingly.¡°Pardon me, Lord Nabul, but why are you asking?¡± The noble leaned back, obviously relieved.¡°I know this is sudden, but I have a proposition for you.¡± She opened her mouth to object, and he raised his hands.¡°Please, hear me out first,¡± he pled. Ihra snapped her mouth shut, still utterly confused, and Nabul took her silence as assent.¡°My house belongs to the Zaphonite faction but, due to the nature of our trade - kalm? - we have always had close ties with the Moon-kissed traders.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to bore you with the details, but the long and short of it is this: merchants from the south have started to cut heavily into our trade.Every year our profits diminish, while the southerners grow wealthy at our expense.Ka?r-kupp? simply does not have the wealth to resist the cities of Yarhab.But if I could form an alliance with the lords of Du?r-Yarha?¡±He shrugged, taking a sip of wine from his goblet.¡°All our problems would be over.With their backing, we could undercut the southern merchants until they had no choice but to leave.¡± Ihra wrinkled her brow.¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°The Moon-kissed, as you no doubt know, worship the goddess Yarha, or as you call her, Selene.They also revere her children, the elves.They claimed that Damqa, after the loss of her lover and the death of her child, wandered in the outside world before returning to the sacred mountains with an elven husband.Elves are highly esteemed among their ranks, but, as you also know, there are very few foreigners in this land.I doubt there are more than ten elves, including you, in the entire province.Four of those are married to the lords of Du?r-Yarha, and another two of them to the royal family.¡± Horror shot across her face.¡°You want me to marry you?¡± The lord shook his head. ¡°I am, regrettably, already married.¡±His nose wrinkled in disgust as he continued.¡°But I have a son.He¡¯s still a little young, but an elf is all but ageless.In a few short years, he¡¯ll be old enough.¡± ¡°How would me marrying your son even help you?¡± The noble snorted.¡°With an elf in my house, I would have my pick of alliances among the lords of Du?r-Yarha.¡± He paused.¡°I realize this is perhaps sudden for you, but rest assured, this is the best path forward.You¡¯ll live a life of luxury and ease, free from danger, from hunger, from cold.¡±He stared down at Ihra, his eyes piercing through her.¡°I can see your life has not been easy, but you can leave all of that behind.Security, safety, comfort - whatever you need.¡±His eyes flickered over to Jasper.¡°If it¡¯s love you crave, once you''ve born a few heirs, I¡¯m sure certain things can be¡­overlooked.¡± Jasper watched the lord¡¯s plea in horror, the anger pulsing through his veins doing its best to drown out the fear that lurked beneath.She wouldn¡¯t leave me, would she?The thought of having to brave Corsythia alone was, honestly, kind of terrifying. Ihra forced a smile, choosing her words carefully.¡°You¡¯ve given me a great deal to think about, Lord Nabul.I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m simply not worthy of such an honor.¡± The noble¡¯s smile did not reach his eyes.¡°You are here for the auction, correct?Take some time to think about it.I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make the right decision.¡±He stood up, tossing his napkin on the table.¡°I really must take my leave now - I have a meeting to attend.Please help yourselves to the rest of the food, and when you¡¯re ready to leave, the servants will show you out.¡± Gilded Cages As soon as he had left the room, the two of them got up to leave.The priest trailed along behind them, obviously distressed, but no words were spoken until they had left the building and passed through the market. It was then that the priest finally broke his silence.¡°I am sorry, my lady.If I had known-¡°He bowed his head.¡°He has been a loyal supporter for many years, currying favor with the Moon-kissed.I merely wanted him to have the chance to meet you.If I had known he would make such a demand-¡° She frowned.¡°Demand?It was an offer, no?An offer I do not intend to accept.¡± Jasper could not hide the sigh of relief that escaped him, but the priest looked at her with pity in his eyes.¡°An offer?No, my lady.It is a demand.Lord Nabul is not used to being told no.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡±Jasper asked with concern. The priest hesitated, scanning the crowd, and leaned in closer, speaking in a low tone.¡°Lord Nabul is, for the most part, a fair ruler, but those who oppose him have a tendency to disappear.If you do not wish to accept his offer, leave before the auction.To stay would be folly.¡± ¡°Do you plan to inform on us?¡±Ihra asked quietly. The priest looked shocked.Placing his hands on his head in the shape of a crescent, he swore.¡°Yarha¡¯s grace, no.I truly had no idea that Lord Nabul would do this - I merely thought to win favor with the lord of the city. But I am a servant of Yarha, not the Zaphonites, and the Celestial Queen would never permit me to betray one of her children.¡± He paused, clearly fighting some battle within himself; then, with a guilty look, he continued.¡°My lady, are you still willing to come to our meeting tomorrow?¡± Ihra stared at him frostily, her eyebrows arched in disbelief at the audacity of his request.¡°Surely I¡¯ve paid enough for your services.Your little favor has nearly gotten me married off, and now we may not even be able to stay for the auction, the sole reason we came to this city.You¡¯ve caused me no end of trouble, and yet you ask for more?¡± The priest blushed, but he held his ground.¡°Please, my lady.At least meet the children.¡± Her glare softened.¡°What children?¡± ¡°Our temple runs an orphanage near the lake shore for the children of, well,¡± he coughed, looking embarrassed, ¡°the establishments near the fish market.The children were so excited to meet a child of our goddess.¡± Ihra sighed, looking away.¡°I will make no promises, but if I¡¯m still in the city, perhaps I will come.You can send a messenger to our tavern.¡± The priest bowed, gratitude in his eyes.¡°Thank you, my lady.It is more than I deserve.I am sorry about Lord Nabul.¡± He quickly scurried into the crowd, perhaps afraid that Ihra would change her mind.Ihra watched him disappear into the throng of people and turned back to Jasper.¡°Well, what do we do now?¡± Jasper started walking back toward their tavern, and she hurried to catch up to him.He wasn¡¯t sure what to say, finally settling for the wholly inadequate.¡°What do you want to do?¡±He stared at her, fear eating at his heart.¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take Lord Nabul¡¯s offer?¡± She shuddered from more than just the biting winds.¡°Selene¡¯s Grace, no!¡± The question was frozen on his tongue.There was a conversation they needed to have, a conversation they had needed to have for a long time, but he had been afraid to ask, afraid to risk ruining their partnership.¡°Why not?It¡¯s not¡­because of me, is it?¡± Ihra bobbed her head back and forth.¡°Yes, but also no.¡±She saw the look on his face and hastened to add, ¡°Not the way you''re probably thinking.¡± ¡°So, in what way?¡± She pulled her coat tighter around her as they headed down a largely deserted street.The moon had broken through the thick clouds, its light falling on her head almost like a halo.¡°I¡¯ve probably been sending you some mixed signals.¡± He nodded, and she sighed.¡°The truth is, I didn¡¯t know what I felt.I¡¯ve been alone for so long.You know, the orphanage gives you basic training in a trade.You apprentice with someone for six or seven years, and then eventually, if you¡¯re lucky, you¡¯ll make a solid but unremarkable living.¡± ¡°Or you can do what a lot of the girls do, and join a brothel.You make great money, at least at first, so much more than you make at your trade, so a lot of girls choose to do that.It¡¯s a nonstop party at first, but sooner or later you end up on the streets with a few bastards and no trade." "I could have been one of those girls.Hell, I almost was one of those girls." Her cheeks blushed, and she looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes. Jasper shook his head. "I really doubt that. Why would a badass archer like you ever even think twice about such an arrangement?" Ihra snorted. ¡°Who I am now and who I was aren''t the same thing. The truth is, the only thing I was ever really good at was the bow, so the orphanage arranged an apprenticeship for me with a fletcher.I was ecstatic to finally be out of the orphanage, but the whole thing went to hell.After the first few weeks, the old fletcher started to make it clear that he had certain¡­expectations.¡±The words were bitter on her tongue, her face involuntarily contorting. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I quit.I figured I was going to do that kind of work, I might as well get paid for it.The orphanage couldn¡¯t find another apprenticeship for me - the craft guilds blacklist apprentices who quit - so I really had no other options.A few weeks before you arrived, I even had an interview set up with a madame.¡± Jasper frowned.He knew she was an orphan but had no idea things had been so dire.¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°On the way to the interview, I ran into an old friend of my parents who worked for the barracks.He must have guessed where I was going - you had to dress for the part, after all - but he didn¡¯t say anything bad.He just offered to set me up with an interview for the guild.¡± She looked Jasper in the eyes.¡°I had no qualifications.I was a level 2 in my twenties whose only real combat skill was being slightly above competent with the bow.But he must have pulled some strings because, somehow, the guild took me in.He even paid for my mandatory training, spouting some complete bull about how my parents had lent him money, so he was just repaying the offer.It was nonsense, but I was too desperate to refuse.¡± Her eyes grew distant with the memories. "Poor Barqu; he''s probably dead now, along with the rest of the guild at Hargish." They walked in silence for a few minutes, Jasper not wanting to prod. Eventually, she spoke again. ¡°Anyway, I graduated the course, doing just well enough to unlock my skill, Executioner¡¯s Arrow.I was all set to start adventuring.¡±She smiled bitterly.¡°You weren¡¯t in Hargish long enough to realize this, but there just weren¡¯t that many jobs in Hargish, and most of them paid like crap because they weren''t very dangerous.The crews were already established, and nobody wanted to take on a low-leveled rookie who would eat into their pay.Until the job in Yarr-Khennor.¡± ¡°I should have died there, but you saved me.e¡¯ve been on this whirlwind of a trip ever since. So, yeah, I guess my emotions have been pretty mixed up.¡± ¡°But now they¡¯re not?¡±He paused, afraid of what she might say next. Ihra shook her head.¡°No.Funnily enough, I think it was Sella that helped me sort out my feelings.¡± Jasper felt a pang of regret pierce through his heart, her face flashing in from of him again, as she pled for her life, the tears streaming down her cheeks. Ihra carried on, oblivious.¡°You were so obviously smitten with her and so obviously feeling guilty because you were afraid you were hurting my feelings.And I guess, that¡¯s what finally made it click.I wasn¡¯t jealous - I was afraid.¡± Jasper looked at her, confused.¡°Afraid of what?¡± ¡°For the first time since my brother died, I¡¯ve had someone to rely on.I was afraid to lose you, that you¡¯d find someone else and abandon me.I want to be your partner, fire-boy, but not your partner.¡± Relief washed over him.Thank God.His lips quirked up in a smile.¡°So you¡¯re not madly in love with me?¡± She laughed merrily but sobered up quickly.¡°No, and unless I¡¯m mistaken, you aren¡¯t in love with me, either.¡± Jasper nodded.¡°No, you¡¯re pretty much the only person in this world that hasn¡¯t tried to screw me over in one way or another. I guess I''d like to keep it that way.¡± She smiled.¡°So we¡¯re good?¡± ¡°We¡¯re good.¡±He hesitated.¡°So if you don¡¯t have feelings for me, why are you so opposed to Lord Nabul¡¯s offer?¡± Ihra''s brow darkened.¡°A gilded cage is still a cage.I¡¯d be nothing more than an exotic pet to them, whose main purpose in life would be to pop out elvish heirs to marry off for alliances.It would have been better to die in Yarr-Khennor than be cloistered in Ka?r-Kupp?.¡± She sighed.¡°I don¡¯t know what to do about the auction, though.If Lord Nabul is as powerful as the priest says, do we just need to leave?¡± A grin slipped across Jasper¡¯s face.¡°But Lord Nabul doesn¡¯t know our cards.¡± Ihra looked at him blankly.¡°Our cards?¡± ¡°Lord Nabul wants to garner favor with the Moon-kissed, but what he clearly doesn¡¯t know is that we already have favor with at least one of the Moon-kissed.At least the priest kept his mouth shut about that.I think we should pay a visit to Qarda tomorrow.I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be interested to know that her plans for the lyre of Damqa might be¡­interfered with.¡± It was a long and sleepless night, and the sun could not rise fast enough to please Jasper.After a hurried breakfast, the two set out for the market district.They had been to Qarda¡¯s place once before, so it was easy enough to find it. The Moon-kissed traders were not staying in a tavern.After years of traveling to the auction at Ku?r-Kupp?, they had established a permanent base.Their home was an elegant, if reserved, mansion.Like most of the great homes in the area, the outside was fairly simple and unadorned, the stout walls providing protection against the blustering winds that swept off the lake.But inside, the house was built around a large enclosed courtyard. There, resting beneath the boughs of a small warodim tree, they found Qarda.The pale Djinn rose to greet them, the confused look on her face swiftly replaced by concern. ¡°Jasper, Ihra, you¡¯re not thinking of renegotiating our deal?¡±She bit her lower lip, her two short fangs peeking out, as she glanced nervously between the two.¡°Our house was most pleased to hear the news.¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°No, we still wish to travel with you to Du?r-Yarha, but there is a complication.Are you familiar with Lord Nabul?¡± She nodded.¡°Of course.He is the most prominent lord in the city.He¡¯s not technically the lord of this town, but he might as well be.Why?¡±Her eyes widened as reached a conclusion.¡°He¡¯s not trying to buy the lyre from you, is he?¡±She grabbed Jasper¡¯s hand, a pleading expression in her eyes.¡°Whatever he offers, we¡¯ll more than match it.Surely favor with us is more important than favor with him.¡± He wryly shook her hand off.¡°Not exactly.I¡¯m not sure if he even knows the lyre exists, but there is something else he wants from us, and he¡¯s applying a great deal of pressure, the sort of pressure that might screw up our deal.¡± Qarda relaxed a little, her brow wrinkling.¡°What else do you have that he would want?The gold and weapons were nice, but nothing remarkable.Do you have another relic?¡± Jasper glanced at Ihra.¡°Do you want to show her?¡± With a sigh, Ihra undid the clasp around her hat, pushing it back.Her long blond hair tumbled over her shoulders, covering up her pointy elvish ears, but it did nothing to hide the two small antlers, little more than two inches high currently, that peaked through her hair. Qarda gasped, her mouth gaping open as she swiveled back and forth between the two.¡°H-how?¡±She finally managed to stutter out.¡°It¡¯s almost impossible for an outsider to be allowed into the mountains unless they¡¯re on a direct mission from the Emperor.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°I have friends in high places, I guess.But they are far away right now, and Lord Nabul is very close.He is demanding that Ihra marry his son - something about trying to curry favor with the Moon-kissed.Obviously, if Ihra stays here, we can¡¯t accompany you to deliver the lyre of Damqa to your mistress.¡± Worry crossed the Djinn¡¯s face.¡°I see the problem.¡± Yarhas Tears Standing up, Qarda led them across the courtyard to a small, paved pavilion. A large table stretched out beneath the white linen tent, on which sat a small silver bell. She rang the bell and, after a few moments, a servant came running over. Breathlessly, the maid bowed before Qarda, brushing away a few errant strands of hair that escaped her bun.¡°Yes, my lady?¡± ¡°Fetch Captain Labbu,¡± the Djinn commanded.As the maid hurried off, Qarda turned back to them.¡°We¡¯ll figure out a way to help you, but it will be...tricky.The Moon-kissed hold a decent amount of sway in the north, but ultimately this is Zaphonite territory.I¡¯m sure the lady of my house would be willing to risk much to get her hands on a relic of Damqa, but only if we can do it quietly.Open conflict with Lord Nabul must be avoided if at all possible.¡± The pale Djinn looked past them, her wrinkled brow melting into a radiant smile as she rose to greet the newcomer.¡°Sir Labbu.¡±She held out her hand, and he kissed it gently, lingering a bit longer than was generally considered proper. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Qarda?¡±He looked at Jasper and Ihra, his eyes widening when he saw the horns on Ihra¡¯s head.He swiftly bowed.¡°Madame elf, it is an honor to meet you.¡± Qarda cut in, speaking softly.¡°These, Labbu, are the two who brought the you-know-what to us.¡± He paled, immediately jumping to the same conclusion Qarda had.¡°You¡¯re not thinking of backing out on the deal.I¡¯m sure we can work something out.¡± There was a slight aggressiveness to his tone, the faintest hint that more than mere words might be used to persuade them. But Qarda laid her hand on his, pulling him back.¡°No, the problem is Lord Nabul.¡± Labbu¡¯s confusion lasted only a second, understanding dawning in his eyes almost instantly.¡°And he wants an elf in his House. Such an honor would immediately elevate his position amongst his clan.¡±The captain turned to Jasper.¡°Surely your patron can help you?We have a diviner who can send a message to whomever you need.¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°My patron is associated with the Zaphonites, but she is currently far from our mountains, headed towards the land beyond the river.I doubt she can do much from there.¡± ¡°A patron beyond the mountains?¡±Labbu¡¯s gaze sharpened.¡°Do you mean the Silver Lady?Are you her son?¡± Jasper¡¯s lips quirked at the strange assumption.Apparently, Aphora had quite the reputation among the Djinn.If he ever saw her again, he¡¯d really have to ask her about that.¡°Yes to the first, no to the second.¡±He waved at Ihra.¡°Aphora used her connections to allow Ihra to pass beyond Du?r-S?innu, but unfortunately, she¡¯s in no real position to help us right now.Is there anything you can do?¡± The captain nodded.¡°Give me a moment to talk with Qarda.I¡¯m sure we can come up with a solution.Did Nabul give you a date for his ultimatum?¡± Ihra was the one to respond.¡°He said I could think about it until after the auction.¡± Relief spread across the two Djinn¡¯s faces.¡°Excellent, that gives us two more days to plan,¡± Qarda exclaimed.She tapped her nose thoughtfully.¡°The attack on the street the other day - was Lord Nabul behind it?¡± The captain¡¯s expression darkened, as he turned to the Moon-kissed maiden.¡°What attack?Were you hurt?Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± She brushed him off.¡°Shh!That¡¯s not important right now. Obviously, I''m fine.¡±She turned back to Jasper and Ihra.¡°Do you think Nabul might have been trying to kidnap Ihra?¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°No, Nabul learned about Ihra through the priest of Yarha, who we hadn¡¯t even met then.¡±He smiled.¡°Actually, none of this would have happened if it weren''t for you.If you hadn¡¯t insisted we move the lyre to a more secure location, we wouldn''t have visited the temple district or even met Lord Nabul.¡± Qarda frowned, her back stiffening.¡°I hardly think that¡¯s my fault.So you¡¯re sure it wasn¡¯t him?¡± He hesitated.¡°100% positive?No, but we did a little investigating of our own, after a second incident occurred, and it seems the Cult of Nahremah, or at least a sub-group within the cult, is wrapped up in it.So, I¡¯m pretty sure Lord Nabul is innocent of this, at least.¡± She arched an eyebrow.¡°My, my - aren¡¯t you popular.ou¡¯re already making all sorts of new friends.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°What can I say?It¡¯s a gift.¡± Qarda sighed.¡°It¡¯s most unfortunate Lord Nabul wasn¡¯t behind the attack¡­that would make our task so much easier.¡±A sly grin spread across her face.¡°Of course, what people think happened is usually more important than what actually happened.There¡¯s a saying amongst the Moon-kissed, ¡®Perception is truth.¡¯¡± She plopped back into her chair, gesturing at the two of them.¡°You might as well have a seat - this could take a while.¡± The hours slipped by quickly as the four devised their plan.Lord Nabul had a reputation for using ¡°unaffiliated¡± ruffians to take care of problems.As long as he did things quietly, the Zaphonites were more than happy to overlook his actions.But if he was seen to be attacking upstanding citizens publicly?Well, he¡¯d be placed in a difficult position. As the sun begin to slip beneath the horizon, the two finally left the Moon-kissed¡¯s estate. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "My-my lady, it''s an honor to meet you." The man paused, wiping the sweat off his brow, before he continued. "The priest of Yarha was hoping you would make it tonight. For the children?" Ihra stared at the man for a long moment, her face inscrutable. But Jasper already knew what her answer would be. Finally, she let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, whatever." She turned to face Jasper. "Are you coming?" "Of course; it''s not safe for you to wander the streets alone right now." ¡°Let''s get this over with then.¡± The two rushed through the streets toward the temple of Yarha, the laborer quickly falling behind.The first stars were peaking through the purple and amber skies, but the streets still thronged with people.Jasper had noticed that, unlike the cities in Sappiya, the port of Ka?r-Kupp? stayed busy well into the night.He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a characteristic of the city, or if the Djinn in general preferred the night, but he had to admit he felt safer with a crowd of people around him. When they reached the marketplace that the temple overlooked, it was lit up like a carnival.Blue fire burned in censers atop poles, reminding Jasper of streetlamps you¡¯d find in Victorian England, or at least an alternative steampunk version thereof.The air was heavy with the smell of food - roasted nuts, broiled fish, exotic spices he couldn¡¯t name as the people bustled back and forth.He stopped at a few of the stalls, buying bulging bags of varied nuts and candies, before they proceeded into the temple. He paused at the door, turning to Ihra.¡°You ready for this?¡± She shrugged, her mouth twisted in a wry grin.¡°It was always my dream to be a sideshow in the circus.¡±, Ihra stepped into the temple. The courtyard was absolutely packed with people.The crowd was jammed together as tightly as sardines in a can, but a path was still open, leading toward the statue of Yarha.The priest stood in front of the goddess but rushed to greet them as soon as he saw them, unable to hide the relief that washed over his face, as he bowed before them. ¡°Thank you, Lady Ihra,¡± he murmured.¡°The children will not forget this.¡± She let him take her hand and lead her in front of the statue.A group of about fifty children was clustered in the front row; all of them were dressed in identical simple tunics, their clothes a bit threadbare but clean.At least he didn¡¯t lie about that, Jasper thought. Jasper hung back as the priest led Ihra in front of the crowd. ¡°We have been blessed tonight by the presence of one of the goddess¡¯ children.¡±The crowd hushed instantly as the priest begin to speak.His words were calm, honeyed even, his face glowing with more than mere joy.To his surprise, Jasper could feel the presence of something more in the courtyard, of something divine.He knew the gods here were real - hell, he¡¯d held the hand of a goddess more than once - but he¡¯d gotten used to meeting Kas?dael in the void.Encountering the gods in the real world, rather than some mystical other realm, was still kind of shocking. The priest bowed before the statue, Ihra following his lead, and he raised his hands. Bele?t-Yarha, as?bat sissikta?ki.S?em?, S?a?pirtu rab?tu.S?em?, Ilat-s?am?¡­ As the priest prayed, attendants spread a feast before the statue.Heaping piles of food were set at its feet and a new cloak was draped across its shoulders.If it hadn¡¯t been for the heavy feeling in the air, Jasper might have found it absurd, but he still was unprepared for what happened. The statue moved. Bending down, it touched the plates of food, the offerings disappearing in a flash of light.When the last of the offerings had been consumed, the goddess floated up in the air, her feet resting on a crescent moon, her hands spread in benediction over the gathered crowd.He found himself on his knees before her, a sense of awe pervading every fiber of his body. And then the statue began to weep.The priest stood up, a chalice clutched in his hands as the tears flowed from her eyes, carefully catching each drop that fell in the cup.The courtyard was utterly silent - no one, from young to old, daring to make a sound as the goddess wept.When the chalice brimmed with her tears, the statue slowly descended to the ground, the crescent moon setting back down on its pedestal as it stiffened in place, and the feeling of the divine suddenly vanished. It was once again just a statue. The priest lifted the chalice above his head.¡°Lady Yarha has given us her blessing.Remember this day with reverence.¡± He lifted Ihra up to her feet and held out the chalice to her.¡°Please, Lady Ihra, take the first sip.The goddess honored your presence today.¡± She took the cup in her hands, letting the tears fill her mouth, and handed it back to the priest.She staggered as the effect hit her.Her skin grew slightly paler, the hair on her head lengthening past her shoulders, and even the short antlers that peaked out of her hair stretched ever so slightly.Ihra fell on her knees before the statue, utterly wrought. The priest then took a sip from the cup. No obvious changes manifested as the chalice was passed through the crowd, each one taking a draught of the goddess'' tears. When it reached Jasper, he lifted it to his lips.His mouth tingled, almost with a burning sensation, as the tears touched his tongue.For a moment, he could swear the statute moved again, turning its eyes to look at him, but the vision vanished as the tears slid down his throat.He passed the chalice on, as a deep feeling of warmth and comfort swept over him. When the last of the crowd had drunk, the chalice was returned to the priest.A few dregs were left in the cup, which he offered to Ihra.Shaking her head, she tried to refuse, but the priest insisted.¡°The gift of a goddess should not be wasted, Lady Ihra. Besides,¡± he bent low to her ear, "I have no doubt that you will find a blessing when you next meditate." Succumbing to his pleas, Ihra lifted the cup again to her lips, draining it dry.The chalice fell from her hands, clanging against the ground as she slumped over unconscious. Worried, Jasper bolted forward.The priest waved him off.¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lord - she¡¯s fine. To take the divine within oneself can be a draining experience.¡±The priest¡¯s words proved correct as, after a few tense moments, Ihra stirred. She had a dazed look in her eyes as she stood up, wobbly.¡°What happened?¡±Her body stiffened as she saw the crowd gathered around her, but Ihra relaxed when she saw the statue.¡°Oh, right, the temple.¡±Composing herself, she bowed toward the statue, offering a murmured prayer of thanks to Selene, while the priest placed the chalice back at the base of the pedestal. When she was done, the priest dismissed the people.A few left immediately heading for the temple exit, but most hung around, still curious about the ¡°elf.¡±The orphans had no such qualms, crowding around her excitedly.With a smile, Jasper dug the treats he had bought in the marketplace out of his bag.The smell of roasted nuts filled the air, and the children squealed in glee as they saw the candies spread out before them.All thoughts of Ihra were quickly forgotten as they dug into the treats, allowing the two of them to sleep through the crowd toward the temple exit.The rest of the congregation followed close behind, streaming down the steps of the temple. Jasper had only taken a few steps into the marketplace when a rod smashed into his ribs. A Skirmish in the Market The club rebounded off the armor hidden beneath his cloak, bouncing back towards the attacker. Without a moment''s hesitation, Jasper spun around, smashing his fist into the assailant¡¯s face. falling to the ground, his hands twitching in involuntary spasms. But Jasper had no time to finish him off as a mob of attackers swarmed him. Their faces were covered in masks, their weapons nothing more than a simple club, but that didn''t make them any less effective. If he had been out in the countryside, a few simple Shooting Stars would have wiped them off the map.But in the midst of a crowded marketplace, full of civilians and children, Jasper quickly found himself on his back heels. A club whistled toward his head. Somehow, he managed to snatch the attacker¡¯s arm at the wrist, wrenching it to the side with an audible crack. the club fell harmlessly to the ground, another smashed into his ribs, while, from behind, a third slammed into the back of his knee.His knee buckling, Jasper fell on the pavement. He lashed out wildly to the left, his fist connecting with the attacker beside him, who retreated with a pained yelp, even as the man behind him rained blows down on his back. With a desperate heave, Jasper threw himself forward, knocking the man with the broken wrist to the ground. They rolled across the cold pavement, Jasper kicking the man free of him, but as he struggled to get to his feet, a net was tossed over his head.It hit him like a pile of bricks, the net lined with hundreds of lead balls that drove him down into the pavement.His face slammed into the rocks, slicing his cheek open. With a scream he pushed himself up, fighting to get back to his knees as clubs slammed down onto his back.Up till now, he had been holding back, not wanting to harm any onlookers, but adrenaline overrode all his concerns.Seraph Burst. Jasper surged up a foot, as the net strained to hold him down. To his surprise, the net won. The force of the spell, having nowhere else to go, smashed him back into the pavement.But the spell was not over yet. As the razor-sharp, spectral wings exploded out of his back, his body was twisted into a violent spiral, the wings raking across his restraints.ead balls and metallic rope, the next was ripped asunder, the wings quickly expanding to their full, deadly length. A shower of blood spattered across his face as the assailants surrounding him were ravaged. Shaking, Jasper stood up, surveying the carnage. Screams filled the market as the crowd fled, pushing and shoving to get away. The bodies of a dozen men lay around him, and to his relief, more lay around Ihra, who was struggling against the net. ¡°Can you pull this thing off me?!¡± He ran over her, dragging the weighted net to the side.The men around her were dead, sprawled on the ground with contorted faces, their hands grasping at their throats.¡°How did you-¡° She shook her head.¡°Just get me out of here.¡±He managed to pull one side of the net off the ground, and she crawled beneath it.Behind him, the loud clatter of footsteps echoed across the market, the armored sabatons noisy on the bloodied pavement. ¡°Halt, criminals!¡± They turned to see a squad of men rushing toward them.ong spears similar to harpoons were clutched tightly in their hands, but Jasper relaxed when he saw they were wearing the colors of the city.The guard. He raised his hands non-threateningly, speaking calmly.¡°We¡¯re not criminals.These men,¡± he nodded at the corpses surrounding them, ¡°attacked us without provocation.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± the captain barked.The guards fanned out around them, their spears held at the ready.¡°Throw your weapons on the ground, slowly.¡± Jasper was beginning to feel a touch concerned.He wasn¡¯t sure he was willing to just surrender.¡°We¡¯ve done nothing wrong.We just defended ourselves.¡± The captain jerked his hand, a whip suddenly materializing in the air.It snapped against his cheek with a painful sting but failed to break through his toughened skin. Jasper¡¯s worry turned to anger in a second, a spell quickly forming in his hand as he stepped toward the captain.¡°What the hell do you think you''re doing? We were the ones attacked-" The captain lowered his spear, light quickly gathering around its head. "Stand back-" ¡°Stop! Stop!¡±The priest of Yarha came racing toward them, waving his arms in the air. "Captain, please stop! These two were only here at my request, as honored guests of our temple."
The captain groaned internally as he turned to face the new nuisance.As soon as he had seen the two strangers standing over a gang of dead ruffians, obviously beaten up, but victorious, the captain had understood what had happened.Somehow, one of Lord Nabul¡¯s little ¡°operations¡± had gone wrong, and now he had a mess to clean up, as quickly and quietly as possible.He needed to get the two out of sight and into a cell.He¡¯d arrange a little accident for them and, with any luck, after just long enough for it to not seem like an obvious reward, he¡¯d receive a promotion. It was his lucky day. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Of course, this stupid priest just had to interfere.He quickly realized the man was from one of the lesser temples, Yarha, but the captain, ambitious though he was, wasn''t willing to do his lord a favor at the cost of pissing off a deity.Muffling his sigh, he acknowledged the priest, ¡°You have something to report, s?angu?¡± The priest come to a stop, his eyes wide and frightened as he glanced at his honored guests.The captain could see a moment¡¯s hesitation in his eye as the priest no doubt drew the same conclusion as he had.He held his breath, hoping the priest would retract his word, and the situation could get back on track.But it was not to be; as the priest¡¯s eye fell on Ihra, the tip of her antlers just peaking from beneath her cap, his resolve stiffened. ¡°Yes, captain.These two were honored guests at our service - they were attacked shortly after leaving the temple.They have done nothing wrong!¡± The captain of the guard frowned, his irritation leaking into his voice.¡°Perhaps, s?angu, you have been deceived.Who knows what mischief these two have been up to in the city?¡± ¡°The only ¡®mischief¡¯ these two have been up to in the city, captain, is bringing a large shipment of merchandise to the auction. I''m sure the merchant''s guild would be interested to know they''re being detained for protecting themselves.¡± A cold and imperious voice rang out behind him.Almost afraid to look, the captain turned to face the speaker.Even if he hadn¡¯t known her, her milky white skin left no doubt as to her identity, but the captain knew her all too well.Cursing internally, he bowed.¡°Lady Qarda.You know those two?¡± She swept forward, accompanied by her partner, Labbu, who smirked at him.The guard captain pushed down a wave of irritation; he¡¯d lost nearly a year¡¯s wage to the Moon-kissed captain in a game of cards but, rather than collect, the man had opted instead to mock him.It was, of a sort, a mercy, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow. ¡°Indeed, I do captain.They are trading partners with my house, here on my invitation.They are not criminals." She pointed at the shredded remains of the nets scattering the ground. "Unless you think the two of them were attempting to capture slaves in the open market-" the sarcasm in her tone was clear - ¡°it is obvious that they were the wronged party.¡± The captain knew when he was beaten, the crowd around them quickly growing as more and more of the citizens gathered to watch the drama.Lord Nabul will just have to take care of his own mess this time, he realized. With a sigh, he ordered his men to let the prisoners go, their obvious jubilation at their victory like sandpaper to his soul. As they dragged the bodies back to the morgue, he could only relive, over and over again, the moment he watched his promotion slip between his fingers.¡°You alright, captain?You seem kind of glum.¡±He turned to find the rookie standing beside him.¡°Just been a long day, kid,¡± he rumbled.Damn Moon-kissed.
Jasper breathed a sigh of relief when the priest came running to their rescue, but it wasn¡¯t until Qarda showed up that he knew the captain would have to let them go.Once the fight had ended, a steady stream of curious onlookers had trickled back into the market. When the captain finally released them, the two pushed through the crowd as quickly as possible, following Qarda and Labbu back to the Moon-kissed¡¯s estate.They were only blocks away, but it wasn¡¯t until the ponderous doors slammed shut behind him, that Jasper finally felt safe. ¡°What the hell was that?¡±The rage that had been building up inside him spilled out. ¡°Yeah, seriously guys, what the hell?¡±Ihra growled. Qarda just smiled.¡°The plan worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± Jasper massaged his ribs, which screamed in protest at the lightest of touches.¡°You are supposed to fake an attack, not actually attack us.¡± Qarda shook her head primly.¡°The attack needed to be convincing.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t need to be that convincing,¡± he grumbled.Jasper paled as another thought suddenly occurred to him.¡°Oh my God, did I kill your men?¡± ¡°No,¡± Labbu cut in, a smug smile on his face. ¡°We hired some of the same ruffians that Nabul uses, men that are known to be connected to him.As far as they knew, they were really supposed to kidnap you.¡± Jasper groaned.¡°So that¡¯s why it hurt so bad.Those nets were tough.¡± ¡°They were designed to trap people; you did well to escape.News of the attack will spread quickly, and soon everyone will know that Lord Nabul dishonorably attacked you.He¡¯ll have to think twice before trying it again, if he¡¯s even willing to take the risk.¡± Ihra frowned.¡°Are you sure he won¡¯t just deny it?¡± Qarda shrugged.¡°So what if he does?His operations are an open secret; even his own men won¡¯t believe he wasn¡¯t behind it.¡± Labbu begins to snicker.¡°Honestly, right about now, Lord Nabul probably thinks that he was responsible.He¡¯s likely interrogating his men right now to find out which one of them jumped the gun and tried to kidnap you early to garner his favor.¡± ¡°So do you think I¡¯m safe,¡± Ihra asked, a note of worry still in her voice. Qarda pursed her lips, reluctantly shaking her head.¡°As much as I would like to believe that, I can¡¯t in good conscience promise you that.People will risk a great deal when power is at stake and you, my dear, are a tempting prize to a Zaphonite who just learned that their elvish patron has left on a suicide trip.¡± ¡°Then what was the point of this?¡± ¡°We made sure the entire city knows that he is plotting against you and, far more importantly, we made sure that were seen in the company of our faction.Lord Nabul will no doubt try again, desperate to salvage the situation and save face, but he will be forced to do so alone.The other lords in his faction will not want to risk upsetting us.Come,¡± she turned and walked deeper into their compound.¡°You might as well spend the night here.It will be safer than at that tavern.¡±Her nose wrinkled.¡°Not to mention much cleaner.¡± The Forgotten City They kept a low profile for the next two days, staying in the Moon-kissed¡¯s estate.A more-than-usual number of patrols marched past the house, but beyond that, things remained peaceful. But there was little else for him to do but wait. With nothing but time to spare on his hands, Jasper finally sat down to meditate. He slipped easily into the void, the familiar bonfire greeting him when he opened his eyes.The flames burned lower than usual, the outer edges of the pit smoldering more than burning, as a chill wind raked across the tiny camp.As always, Jasper arrived on the opposite side of the fire from where Kas?dael sat, so he walked around the partially burning pyre ready to greet her. But the words fell unspoken from his lips.The bench was empty.Her dice were scattered across the ground, but there was no sign of the goddess. Worried, he rushed over.There were no signs of footprints in the dirt, no indication of a struggle. She was simply not there. Jasper bent down, looking at the dice scattered across the ground.He had never really gotten a close look at them before, as Kas?dael was never parted from them.The black dice must have had twenty or more sides on them, and as he loomed over them, he realized there were small, almost invisible, symbols on each side. On each of the seven die, the same symbol faced up.It was a relatively simple shape, two tall vertical lines were connected by another which ran from the bottom of the first to the top of the second.The third line was curved, almost like an extremely stylized ¡°s¡± and was bisected in the middle by a fourth, much shorter, line, also at an angle.The symbol meant nothing to Jasper and, curious to see the other symbols, he picked up the die. It was a few seconds before he realized the sound echoing in his ears was his own screams.A torrent of energy surged up his arm, exploding into his body as he thrashed on the ground.His fingers cramped around the die, his muscles stubbornly refusing to obey his commands and let it go.Finally, his hand smashed against a rock, jarring it just enough that the die slipped out of his grasp, rolling across the ground. He woke up sometime later.His throat felt hoarse and raw, like he¡¯d been gargling sandpaper and topped it off with a cigarette and whisky, but it was nothing compared to the throbbing in his arm.The pain was radiating from a large, black scorch mark in the center of his palm.Reflexively, he reached for his bag, looking for a healing potion, only to remember that his bag didn''t come with him to the void.Damn it.He stared at the blackened wound, pain racing up and down his arm.Some perverse instinct urged him to touch it, but he resisted, afraid of how much pain it might bring. The small camp was still empty.The fire had died down further, the cold, dark void creeping ever closer.Stumbling to his feet, he saw the die he had picked up had rolled back towards the rest.But something had changed.A new symbol faced up, an eight-armed star bound by a circle. Clutching his arm closely to his side, Jasper staggered back to Kas?dael¡¯s bench, looking for any sign of her.The ground was still bare of prints, but without her, he had no idea how to return back to his body.Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to search the surrounding area, slowly spreading out in a spiral pattern away from the fire. The cold was indescribable.After months of fending off the elements with the fire inside, Jasper had forgotten what true cold really felt like. The void reminded him. It invaded every cell of his body, clamping down the fire within until it was little more than a spark.He staggered out into the plains, his limbs moving stiffly like a mannequin.¡°Kas?dael!Kas?dael!¡± The words tore at his throat, the sound quickly dissipating into the darkness.But though he could find no signs of her, something more guided his steps.He trudged further and further into the void, until the last light of the fire was swallowed up, driven forward by an unexplainable certainty of where he needed to go. The void, he gradually realized, was not just empty land.Gentle hills rolled up and down, the ground now barren of any cover.But the further he walked, the more the hills were covered in tall, spindly shafts.It was tough to see in the darkness, but he would have thought they were dead trees, if not for their rock-hard exterior.Here and there, dry channels twisted and turned through the land, where, perhaps once, rivers had flowed.His arm continued to throb, the scorched mark on his palm burning with so much pain that he barely noticed the endless cold. Cresting the top of a hill, he came to a halt as an unexpected sight met his eyes.There at the base of the hill was a road.He charged down the hill, stumbling as a clod of dirt gave way beneath his feet.Rolling down the hill in a shower of dust, he sprawled out across the road.With a groan, he gingerly pushed himself up, cradling his arm.The road was constructed on a colossal scale, made of monolithic stones set into the dirt.Each one of the stones must have been at least fifty feet in length and almost as wide, somehow carved from a single block. The impulse which had guided him thus far led him down the road.As he wandered along the path, the dirt hills and stone trees slowly gave way to flat plains and then to buildings.More and more sprung up around the road, their construction matching its monumental scale. His thoughts flowed slowly, numbed by the cold and pain, but eventually, his dulled brain reached the obvious conclusion: he had wandered into a city.There were no great walls to bar his way - the only city he had encountered in this world without walls - nor were there any signs of life.An eerie and endless silence prevailed over all, broken only by the steady beat of his steps against the stone. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The buildings, though abandoned, looked almost untouched by the ravages of time.No dust covered the road, and no walls or roofs had fallen down.It was as if the city¡¯s inhabitants had merely stepped away, and would return any second to find him snooping through their homes. The road emptied out into a large pavilion, once no doubt a bustling market.The center of the pavilion was hollowed out, clearly once a lake, and multiple deep channels split off from it, heading out into the rest of the city, ornate bridges arching over the gulleys. He wandered over one of the bridges, stopping for a moment to admire the ornate craftsmanship.Two tall pillars descended into the channels, sculpted into a grotesque statue. Humanoid but not quite human, the face leered back at him with a wide and toothy grin, a long tongue lolling out of its mouth.The eye sockets, perhaps once filled with gems, were empty, the first thing he had seen in the city that appeared damaged. Suppressing a shudder, he passed over the bridge.Reaching the far side, Jasper found the road continued further into the city, suddenly sloping upward at a steep angle.He dragged himself onwards, driven by the almost unconscious compulsion, the inexplicable knowledge that somewhere in this city he would find Kas?dael. The change was subtle at first, barely noticeable, but as he ascended higher up the hill, the temperature gradually rose, the darkness of the void slowly lifting, revealing more and more of his surroundings.His thoughts cleared as the cold began to fade away, releasing him from his almost-fugue statue. Confused, Jasper stopped and surveyed his surroundings.What the hell is this place?Did people use to live here? In the end, Jasper was forced to continue his trek.He had no idea how to return to Kas?dael''s bonfire, only the pressure on his chest that urged him onwards, like a dog following the scent of a juicy bone. The hill seemed that it would never end, relentlessly sloping upwards until even his super-human calves burned with pain.But when he finally reached the top, his breath was taken away. The largest temple - no, the largest building - he had ever seen rose before him.A ring of domes, each one more than enough to dwarf the Hagia Sophia, surrounded an impossibly high central tower.The only thing he had ever seen like it was the Tower of Ysagil in Als?arratu, but in comparison, it felt like a pale, cheap imitation of the temple that stood before him. But the temple was not directly before him.It was built on another hill, connected to the one on which he stood by a thin, narrow bridge.Unlike the others back in the city, the bridge was made of nothing more than rope and planks, swaying slightly back and forth on an almost imperceptible breeze. Despite its rickety appearance, Jasper felt driven to cross it, as the certainty that what he sought was in the temple blazed within him with the force of the sun.As he drew near, he saw that bridge was flanked on each side by a statue of a dog with four eyes and a mouth full of bared teeth.A presence lurked within them, an almost unbearable presence that made him want to flee, but the compulsion would not let him. Trembling he set foot on the bridge.It swayed beneath his feet, and he found his eyes drawn to the chasm below.The cliffs plunged into the darkness, no sign of a bottom to be seen, although there was a faint murmur echoing below that suggested that somewhere down there a river still ran. Squaring his shoulders, he willed himself forward.With every step, the bridge swayed dangerously, but he pressed on. ¡°Jasper?¡±A voice he hadn¡¯t heard in months broke the silence.Layla? ¡°Jasper, where are you going?Come over here.¡±He turned slowly to face the voice, the world around him changing as he saw her.He was standing in a restaurant back home.Layla sat at the bar, a drink in her hand.It was her favorite, a strawberry hennessy.She fished one of the strawberry slices out of the drink, licking it slowly, deliberately, her eyes fixed on him. The lights on the bar flashed merrily - reds, greens, and whites - as the music drifted past his ears, he recognized it immediately.Auld Lang Syne.This was the place they¡¯d had their first date.He started to take a step forward, ready to join his girlfriend at the bar, but before he could move, an unimaginable cold erupted on his wrist.Yelping in pain, he looked down. ¡°Jasper, come here, now.¡±Layla¡¯s tone was sharp, her exasperation barely hid as he fumbled with his wrist. There¡¯s nothing here - why does it hurt? And then his fingers touched on something and the vision around him flickered. ¡°Jasper!¡± Jasper stared at the bracelet on his wrist, his mind clearing as he touched the charm the Fey woman had given him.The cold returned with a vengeance, and he stumbled back as he found himself staring directly down into the endless void of the chasm.Glancing around, bewildered, he finally remembered where he was.What the hell was that? A shudder ran down his spine as the realization hit him.If I had taken a step forward, I would have fallen into the abyss.Gulping, he weighed his options.The thought of continuing down the bridge terrified him, but the intense knowing that Kas?dael waited on the other side burned within him, urging him on relentlessly. Shakily, he took a step forward, unable to turn back. The bridge swayed his feet ominously, the planks creaking with every step he took. ¡°Jasper?¡± He flinched as the voice hit him, the world around him dissolving before he had time to prepare his defenses. ¡°Mom?¡±She was sitting on their couch, a startled look on her face. ¡°Jasper, are you okay?¡±Standing up, she ran over to him, wrapping him in a tight hug.¡°You¡¯ve been gone for months - we thought you were dead.¡±She held him tight, crying into his shoulder.¡°Where have you been?¡± He stood stiffly, awkwardly patting her on the back.His mind was clearer than before, the band on his wrist radiating cold up and down his arm.Gently, he pushed her away. She looked up, hurt and confused.¡°Jasper, what¡¯s wrong?Why are you pushing me away?¡±She grabbed his hand.¡°Come, sit down with me on the couch.¡± He shook his head.This isn¡¯t real.¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom - I can¡¯t.I¡¯ve gotta go.¡± He took a step forward, trusting where he knew the bridge to be. ¡°Jasper?¡±Her voice broke.¡°Where are you going?¡± Steeling his heart, he stepped forward, the vision finally shattering as he trudged further down the bridge.The visions bombarded him constantly - friends, family, even long-forgotten acquaintances rose to greet him.He steadfastly ignored them all, shrugging off his best friend¡¯s pleas, closing his ears to his long-dead grandmother¡¯s greetings, easily dismissing his childhood rival¡¯s taunts. The end of the bridge loomed in front of him.Just a few more steps, he promised himself. ¡°Jasper?¡±He froze as the voice hit his ears, his heart aching within him.Slowly, tentatively, he turned, suddenly more terrified that he wouldn¡¯t see her standing there than that he would. The void disappeared as found himself back in his childhood room. The last rays of sunset streaming through the windows, leaving purple stains along the pale blue walls.She was there, leaning against the door, a smirk on her face.A pair of car keys jingle in her hands.¡°Are you coming or what?Everybody¡¯s waiting on us.¡± He choked back the tears that sprang into his eyes.¡°Jenny?¡± The City of Eternity She cocked her head to the side, her long, honey-brown hair falling across her eyes, which she brushed away impatiently. ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t respond, not trusting himself to speak as the memories came flooding back to him. This was the day - the day she died. He lurched to his feet, taking a shaky step forward.¡°Jenny, you can¡¯t go to the party.There¡¯s going to be an accident.¡± Her brow wrinkled in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He babbled on, the words spilling out of his mouth incoherently, as he took a step closer to her. ¡°You can¡¯t go. You¡¯re going to be going too fast around a curve, and a combine is going to be crossing the road, and-¡° His voice broke off, as the scene of the ruined car, its top sheared off by the combine flashed again through his mind. Jenny raised her hands in defeat. ¡°Alright, alright - we don¡¯t have to go to the party if you don¡¯t want to. We can stay home tonight.¡± Her tone softened. ¡°Are you alright, Jay? You¡¯re acting kind of strange.¡± He couldn¡¯t stop the tears that begin to stream down his cheeks as he took another step forward.¡°I never thought I¡¯d see you again.¡± Worry crossed her face. ¡°You saw me fifteen minutes ago, Jasper.¡± She leaned back into the hall. ¡°Mom?" Her voice echoed down the empty corridor, dampened by the plush beige carpet. "Mom, can you come here? I think something¡¯s wrong with Jay.¡± He took another step forward. Cold blossomed through his arm, the bitter frostbite spreading throughout his entire body with a cold so fierce that even the fires within could not vanquish it. Jenny turned back to him, the concern evident in her dark, chestnut eyes.¡°Jasper-¡° At that moment, something changed. Her warm brown eyes suddenly widened, her body jerking as a look of confusion and fear crossed her face. ¡°Stop!¡± Her voice was sharp and scared. ¡°Stop walking right now, Jay!¡± The room around him flickered as Jenny straightened up, looking around her in bewilderment. He reached out a shaking hand toward her. But she shook her head. ¡°No, stay back.¡± She looked around the room, her eyes seeing what he did not. ¡°You¡¯re going to step off a bridge into a chasm.¡± Her gaze swept upward, utter shock reflected in her face as she spied the ancient temple on the cliff above them. ¡°What the hell-? Where are we? We¡¯ve got to get to the party-¡° her words trailed off. "The party," she muttered. Her eyes turned to him, searching for an answer she did not want to hear. ¡°Jay? What happened at that party? Am I-" He forced out the words, the tears still flowing, as the vision of the room melted away, leaving nothing but the empty chasm. She floated above it, her body now thin and ethereal, her face troubled. ¡°It¡¯s been fifteen years, Jenny¡­fifteen years.¡± Her lips parted, no words coming out. He teetered on the edge of the bridge - just one more step and he would have fallen. Finally, she found her voice. It was shaky, trembling, but it was hers. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, Jay, but you have to get off this bridge. Just ten more steps and you¡¯ll be safe.¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°But it¡¯s you - somehow, it¡¯s really you - isn¡¯t it? The others were just facsimiles, but you¡¯re really here.¡± His gaze turned down to the bridge, her spirit floating just beyond his reach. Just one touch. His foot lifted up, his hand reaching out to grasp hers. ¡°No - stay back!¡± Her ghost darted away, out of his reach, her voice shrill. Jasper hesitated, his mind slowly clearing. With a muffled sob, he put his foot back down. His voice choked up. ¡°I never got to say goodbye, you know. We hit the combine and, well, you were dead and I was almost dead. I was in the hospital for weeks after it. They had the funeral without me, Jenny. I didn''t even get to go.¡± Her face fell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jay, I really am." She hugged her ethereal arms close to her chest, her eyes once again flickering up to the temple above. "But you can¡¯t step off the bridge.¡± Pushing the pain down, he squared his shoulders. ¡°I know. Will you walk with me?¡± Together the two walked the last few steps of the bridge, Jenny floating just beyond his reach. Stopping on the last step, he turned to face her. ¡°I wish it had been me, Jenny.¡± He didn''t wait to hear her reply, stepping off the bridge while he still had the strength to do so. As his foot left the rickety wood, Jenny faded away, her eyes brimming with tears that could never be shed. The emptiness of the dark, abandoned city once again consumed him. Jasper sat by the edge of the cliff for quite some time before he was finally able to move on. Wiping away the tears from his eyes, he surveyed the plateau he had reached. It towered above the lost city, connected only by the bridge. The only building was the massive temple in front of him, whose domes touched the sky, but the rest of the plateau wasn¡¯t empty, the land around him clearly having once been an opulent garden. The entrance to the temple surprisingly did not face the bridge that he had crossed. Instead, he was forced to wind his way around the exterior. He wandered through the frozen ruins, past empty fountains and abandoned benches, through long-fallow beds. The temple loomed above him, its size so large that it was hard to wrap his mind around it, the scale something that simply did not fit in the world of men. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The entrance finally came into view; three massive arches were cut out of the facade, their space filled with wrought metal gates that glowed faintly in the darkness. As he drew closer, he was relieved to see that one of the gates was slightly ajar. He slipped inside, wincing in pain as his scorched hand brushed against the shining metal. One of the domes of the great temple soared above him, so high that he had no doubt that a Boeing could have flown through the temple with no problems. The floor was paved with intricate mosaics - marble, gold, and gems all woven together to tell tales he¡¯d never heard. He studied their forms for a while, unable to follow the story they were trying to tell, no doubt the mythology of a long-dead race. Eventually, he moved on, drawn towards the center of the dome. The middle of the temple, the place where the tower should have been, was occupied by a deep pool, somehow still filled with water, from whose depths rose a colossal statue. It was Kas?dael. A veil covered her eyes, a dice sitting in her outstretched hand, a black robe falling from her milky shoulders like a waterfall of shadow and smoke. ¡°How did you get here?¡± For a moment, Jasper thought the statue had spoken, stepping toward it with a growing sense of awe. ¡°Jasper?¡± He realized the voice was behind him and turned. Kas?dael stood perhaps a hundred feet, dressed the same as the statue. Shadows pooled at her feet, moving and stirring with a mind of their own, but the veil across her eyes did not hide the smile on her lips. Jasper breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her. Thank God - I was afraid I was stuck here. Her lips quirked up. ¡°No need to thank me, Jasper,¡± she said, responding to his thoughts. She walked forward slowly, her footsteps echoing in the silent cathedral. ¡°Did you cross the bridge?¡± He nodded, the pain clutching at his heart again. ¡°Yes. What was that?¡± The goddess sighed. ¡°You should have not come here. That bridge was not meant for the incarnate to cross. It is a miracle you survived it.¡± ¡°Is it real?¡± he demanded. ¡°Most of them seemed to just be illusions, but Jenny-¡° his voice shook - ¡°it seemed like she was really there; she even tried to save me.¡± Kas?dael frowned. ¡°The spirits summoned should not be the real thing but¡­stranger things have happened." She leaned closer to him, her eyes searching. "There is a trace of unusual energy on you. Perhaps, as you were summoned from another realm, so too was she. You say she tried to help you?" He nodded. "I would have died if not for her." She patted his hand gently. "Then perhaps you truly have seen a miracle." He winced as her fingers touched the scorched mark on his palm, and her eyes widened as she saw the wounds on his hand. ¡°What happened here?¡± He held his palm out to her gingerly. ¡°I, uh, touched one of your dice back at the bonfire.¡± Kas?dael stared at him incredulously. ¡°What possibly possessed you to make you think that picking up a god¡¯s possessions was a good idea? You¡¯re lucky to be alive.¡± Jasper smiled weakly. ¡°I was worried. You were nowhere to be seen, and I was afraid I was going to be trapped in the void. I just wanted to find you.¡± He held his hand out. ¡°Can you heal it?¡± With an exaggerated sigh, Kas?dael took his hand. A pulse of essence flowed into him, a bitter, unending cold before which his fires quailed. But the wound on his hand healed up, the scorched flesh sloughing off, revealing fresh, new skin below. ¡°Do you even know what those dice really are?¡± She asked. He shook his head. ¡°They were forged for me long ago, crafted from the eyes of a Spectral Spider I slew in combat." She fixed her eyes on him. "They are the very flesh of a god, Jasper, objects not meant to be wielded by a mortal.¡± She let go of his hand, and he wrung it out, the pain finally dissipating. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my things, Jasper. You might not survive the next time. I would be very disappointed if you damaged your soul so badly that I can''t resurrect you. Now, follow me.¡± She swept past him, her long black dress trailing on the floor behind her. He followed behind her, struggling to keep up with her quick pace. His eyes roamed the magnificent temple, soaking in the elaborate mosaics and enormous statuary. ¡°What is this place? I mean, I know it¡¯s a temple to you, but the city in general. Did people use to live in the void?¡± A weary smile graced her lips. ¡°Do you think I always sit beside a fire, with nothing but a bench to my name?¡± ¡°I guess I never really thought about it,¡± he admitted. ¡°You were just always there.¡± ¡°This is my home, S?uhruru, and its city, A?l-Da?r?, the city of eternity. Many have been the days when its streets rang with song and laughter and many have been the days of deathly quiet.¡± She smiled sadly. ¡°The eternal cycle, you know.¡± ¡°When I am young, I dwell out in the void, but as the world grows old, I am drawn back to my city.¡± Her eyes grew distant, staring sightlessly past him. ¡°I should not be here, Jasper - not now. It is too soon. A great disaster has befallen the Us?umgalli?.¡± He trailed behind her, intrigued.¡°The Us?umgalli??Who are they?¡± She shook her head. ¡°There are limits to what I can tell you without angering some of the other gods. Personally, I prefer to stay out of such petty feuds if I can help it. Suffice it to say that there are lands far beyond the empire, far across the eastern sea, that the empire has not even heard of. The catastrophe that occurred in those lands pushed the universe even closer to its end, and has reawakened A?l-Da?r?, pulling me out of the void.¡± Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. "It''s ironic, really. The Zalancthians only fled into the west, invading the empire, because of the Us?umgalli?, entirely unaware that their enemies have been all but destroyed." They passed beneath an arch that soared far above his head, supported on pillars far too thin and ornate to hold its weight. A large room stretched before him, dominated by a throne fit for a giant. A hundred steps lead up to the massive throne, whose sides were flanked by the same four-eyed dogs that guarded the bridge. Kas?dael approached her throne, growing with each step she took as she ascended the stairs. When she finally sat down, she was a match for the great statue in the central hall. ¡°Now tell me, Jasper of Earth, how are things going in the Harei Miqlat?¡± For the next hour, he filled her in on the details of his time there. She showed little interest in the lyre of Damqa or the Moon-kissed, but Sella and the Brotherhood of Yas?gah were another matter altogether. ¡°I have never received prayers under the name of Yas?gah,¡± she finally stated.¡°My fears must be correct - another god has infiltrated my cult.¡±She drummed her fingers against her throne.¡°But the name is not familiar to me.Yas?gah?The goddess of maddening darkness?¡±Kas?dael shook her head.¡°I know of no such goddess. Another enemy must lurk beneath her mask.¡± She stood up from her throne and slowly walked down the stairs, shrinking as she approached him. Kas?dael held her hand out to him. ¡°Are you ready?¡± The Auction Reluctantly, he took her hand and the screens popped up before him.It had been, he suddenly realized, a shockingly long time since he had leveled up.The biggest surprise, though, was that he had gained levels, even if only two, in his secondary class.I guess Kas?dael must have considered some of the bandits to be her ¡®enemies.¡¯
Jasper Welles Exp: 350/3000 Health 1340 Stamina 2660 Essence 3640 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Level: 71 Level up: x8 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 1 Level up: x2 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 30 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 47 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive VI
Inspiration 73 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 73 Seraph Burst
Charisma 30 Heart Stopper (Undead)
He split his stat points from Acolyte of the Secret Flame between Inspiration and Willpower, noting with disappointment that he was one level shy of reaching the level 80 reward, and turned to examine the Hand of Kas?dael. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that he received 5 stat points per level from the class, rather than the usual 3.After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he added the points to Strength.He knew he was still a long way away from meeting the requirements to unlock the racial trait The Wings of Gavu''el, but the temptation of someday flying was too great to simply pass up. But the real surprise, though, was the reward box waiting for him.Now that he saw it, Jasper remembered that Ba?¡¯er had hinted at there being something special for the kalm? hunt, but it had completely slipped his mind in the mayhem of the city.He read through it eagerly.
Reward Box
Blessing of Hurbas?u By successfully participating in the kalm? ritual, you have found favor with Lady Hurbas?u.You have unlocked the ability to perform the kalm? ritual and have earned a new title. Blessed of Hurbas?u - when in the vicinity of the lake, gain a 10% increase to health and stamina.
While he wasn¡¯t planning to stay in the area for long, Jasper could easily appreciate how useful the title could be.No wonder the hunters had had no trouble taking on the bandits. As he closed the reward box, another appeared.Confused, he opened it up.
Divine Path Unlocked
The Blessings of Nature Unlocked by: Blessing of Hurbas?u A minor nature deity has taken note of you, and given you her blessing.Earn the favor of nine more nature deities to unlock a major reward.
He read the short note with surprise, not really sure what to make of it.If this had been an option in the game, it had been a well-kept secret.Ten nature deities, though?He had only stumbled into Lady Hurbas?u by accident.He wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin finding others.He closed the box, taking one last look over his new stats.
Jasper Welles Exp: 350/3000 Health 1540 Stamina 3140 Essence 4600 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Level: 79 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 3 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 40 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 47 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive VI
Inspiration 85 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 85 Seraph Burst
Charisma 30 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Then, his eyes meeting Kas?dael¡¯s, he steeled himself for what was to come.¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Kas?dael didn¡¯t immediately pull him into her embrace.Instead, fixing him with a serious stare, she spoke carefully, almost haltingly, as if she was struggling against constraints.¡°There will come a day¡­soon¡­when you will need help.Do not forget you have a Hand.¡±Then, not giving him time to respond, the goddess drew him into her embrace, her lips cutting off his screams as his heart was ripped out.
When the time finally came for the auction, Jasper sent a messenger to Ba?¡¯er and his men, inviting the villagers to meet them at the auction house.Then, accompanied by the Moon-kissed, they set out.It was a beautiful day on the shores of the frigid lake.The skies were uncharacteristically cloudless, the cheerful sunlight wrapping them up in its warm embrace. Even the winds had largely fallen silent, with only an occasional gust finding its way off the mountains. If the city had seemed busy before, it was positively bustling now.The streets were jammed with people, the vast majority of them all streaming in the same direction, the auction house. ¡°So what exactly happens here?¡±Jasper asked Qarda.¡°This just seems a lot busier than I expected.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the biggest events in the city, basically their harvest festival.Twice a year, people gather from all around for the ''auction.''Most of the stuff is actually just sold in the marketplace - only high-quality merchandise is featured in the actual action itself - but it¡¯s still a time for revelry.¡± They passed by a trio of performers, one of whom was slowly sliding a flaming sword down his throat, while the others threw knives a target behind him. ¡°If it¡¯s a harvest festival, then why twice a year?¡± ¡°There¡¯s two harvests here, the harvest of land, where they bring in the crops before winter, and the harvest of sea, where they sell the bounty of the lake,¡±Qarda explained.¡°Now, when we get to the auction, unfortunately, you can¡¯t sit with us.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Ihra objected, a look of dismay on her face.¡°What if Lord Nabul tries something?¡± Qarda grimaced.¡°He probably will, but we¡¯ll just have to keep an eye out for you.Without the approval of my lady, there are limits to how much support we can be seen giving you.¡± ¡°The seating at the auction is divided up by the factions - Moon-kissed, Zaphonites, Seraphs, and so on.Letting you stay at our house the last few days was pushing it, but letting you sit with us at the auction would be basically the same as declaring you belonged to our faction.I simply don¡¯t have the authority to authorize that, and frankly, considering the fact that you aren¡¯t a Moon-kissed, it¡¯s not really in your best interests.You¡¯ll have to sit in the unaffiliated section.Your hunters can sit with you and provide a little extra security.¡± Her instructions were cut off as the auction house came into view.It was a stately building; the large dome in the middle, flanked by two sizable wings, reminded him of capitol buildings back on earth, but unlike those, the building was made entirely of wood - unusual even here, where most of the grand buildings were constructed from stone.¡°Why is it made of wood?¡± he asked Qarda. ¡°The auction house predates the city.It was the home of a minor lord who, unable to afford to import better material, constructed it out of the local warodim wood.But as the city sprung up around it, it became an iconic symbol of the town.¡± They passed through the doors, the crowd slowly inching its way into the building.The area beneath the dome was a single large amphitheater, rows of seating blocked off into different sections over which banners hung.¡°Alright, we have to take our leave now.¡±Qarda pointed at a large section not the far side of the room over which a simple, blood-red banner hung.¡°That¡¯s the section for the unaffiliated.We¡¯ll be on the opposite side, but if anything happens we¡¯ll come running.I doubt Nabul will make his move during the auction, though, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± When the Moon-kissed had left, Jasper turned to face Ihra.¡°Well, are you ready for this?We could still cut bait, and run for it now.¡± Ihra shook her head.¡°If we¡¯re going to leave, we should have done it sooner.Let¡¯s find the hunters.¡± When he finally spotted the burly man through the crowd, Jasper had to admit that a feeling of relief flooded through him.While he didn¡¯t think the Moon-kissed wanted to hurt them, he didn¡¯t entirely trust them to have their best interests in heart, either.It was nice to see someone who wasn¡¯t mixed up in all that political crap. ¡°My lord!¡±The man waved him over, greeting him heartily, as the other villagers quickly gathered around.Ba?¡¯er hoisted a full mug of beer in his hand, the liquid sloshing around as he led them over to their seats.¡°Today is a great day, my lord, a great day indeed for our village.¡± Jasper smiled.¡°I hope you haven¡¯t already spent all your profits on women and booze.¡± The man laughed.¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating just how much we¡¯re about to make, my lord.It would take years of money and booze to waste this windfall, not a few days.¡± They settled down in their seats, long wooden pews that were sadly bereft of any sort of padding.Jasper couldn¡¯t help but notice that the faction seats were much nicer - small private enclosures with padded pews and space to stand.He found himself scanning the crowd anxiously, looking for any sign of suspicious behavior.But the mood in the room was relaxed, the crowd buzzing with a thousand loud conversations, the rise and fall of their voices like the waves crashing against the shore. The center of the room was occupied by a large stage where a group of Djinn was milling about in red robes.The merchant guild, maybe?The crowd noise was almost deafening, but Jasper was impressed at how quickly the room fell silent when one of the red-robed men raised his hands. ¡°Greetings, lords and ladies of the mountains, traders of the guild, citizens of the city.The auction will begin in a moment.As always, the wares have been split into four lots: agriculture, livestock, clothing, and luxuries.Today, however, we have a special, final lot: antiquities.Two groups have submitted a large number of goods retrieved from ancient sites.I have examined them personally myself and I assure you, they are of the highest quality.This is an opportunity you won¡¯t want to miss, my lords.¡±He addressed his final words to the faction seating, many of whom had appeared bored up until that moment. He left the stage a moment later, the crowd¡¯s noise swelling to an even higher crescendo at the news of the special goods. Jasper surveyed the excited crowd contently, the dollar signs in his head flashing as he realized even the lords and ladies had perked up at the announcement. A few minutes later, the auction began, the room falling silent immediately.It was¡­not stimulating.Jasper had read more than a few books where the auction scenes dragged on for chapter after chapter, the protagonist somehow snagging one miraculous potion or pill after another from underneath the nose of a rival faction, and he supposed that those tales had colored his expectations a bit. Sadly, the auction was unprepared to meet his expectations.The first two lots were completely uninteresting.Large amounts of crops, livestock, and farming implements were sold off, primarily to the crowd in the unaffiliated section, with relatively little bidding actually occurring, as it seemed there was a general sense of what a fair price was, and few were willing to go past it.The only real excitement came when one of the horses got spooked and made a mad dash down the aisle before being reined in. Clothing was not much more interesting, at least for him.Ihra was more intrigued, even bidding on a few lots whose clothes were supposedly made by the finest tailors in town.She won two of the lots, the parcels being set aside until the end of the auction, much to her disappointment.But it wasn''t until the luxuries came on the block that Jasper finally became interested. It quickly became apparent that ¡°luxuries¡± was an extremely comprehensive category.Everything from jewelry to furniture, large shipments of exotic spices to finally carved ivory was put up for sale, the bids flying hard and fast as the faction merchants and lords joined the fray.There were some truly remarkable works of craftsmanship on display, but, in the end, Jasper had no place to put them, so he had to pass.Maybe one day I¡¯ll have a home. But gradually the furniture and furs were replaced by a parade of exotic pets that passed through the stage.Many of the creatures were entirely unrecognizable to him: strange, ethereal birds that flickered in and out of phase, cat-like beasts with scales instead of furs, miniature horses whose manes were made of fire rather than hair - a particularly popular creature with the Djinn lords, whose frantic bidding spiked the prices far beyond his means. He was tempted to bid on some of them, but stayed his hand, until a small bird was brought on stage.The auctioneer lifted the cage up in the air, letting the room get a good look at the creature.It was nothing special really, a snowy-grey bird a bit smaller than a crow, although the edges of its wings were stained a deep midnight blue. ¡°We¡¯ve got a rather rare find here today, a ri?maka?l, fresh from the plains beyond the River.This little bird isn¡¯t for you - it¡¯s for your mount.The ri?maka?l bounds with your mount, keeping it company when you¡¯re away, and grooming it, as best as it can. Jasper furrowed his brow.That really didn¡¯t seem useful, unless you were neglecting your animal. The auctioneer continued.¡°A popular choice amongst the cavalry of Stryn, a bounded ri?maka?l also provides a slight boost to the evolution of a mount, if it evolves.¡± That got his attention, his hand absentmindedly patting the bag where the pomegranate from Aphora was stored.On impulse, he joined the bidding.Fortunately, the little bird didn¡¯t attract the same kind of frenzy that the ghostly birds had, but he still found himself down five gold crowns at the end.The bidding continued for another few hours before the antiquities lots finally came up. The weapons they had found in the vault - more than a thousand axes and spears - proved to be the highlight of the show, much to Jasper¡¯s surprise, when the auctioneer revealed they had been made by a famous, long-dead craftsman from the south.The prices soared quickly, but one bidder was particularly persistent - Lord Nabul.He sat in his own stall in the Zaphonite section, calmly matching each and every bid until he was left with the entire lot. When the last of the treasures had been auctioned off, Jasper and Ihra had raked in well over 60,000 crowns, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to be excited.As Nabul watched them, with the smug smirk of the cat that ate the canary, the sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. Something''s wrong. Panic! At The Auctiono With the auction over, it was time to settle up.The crowd immediately surged out of the room, the citizen racing to be the first in very long lines, but Jasper and Ihra had no such concerns. The nobility and important merchants didn¡¯t need to wait in line: they simply sat in their seats until the auctioneers had prepared a private room for them. They had waited no more than a few minutes when one of the men in the dark red robes approached their benches. He bowed lightly to Jasper and Ihra, his hands clasped in front of him.¡°My lord, lady, a room has been prepared to settle your accounts.If you would follow me?¡± The two trailed after the merchant and the hunters, who were eager to get their share of the loot, followed close behind.The merchant didn¡¯t hide the touch of distaste on his face when he looked at the villagers but didn¡¯t dare openly object, opting to ignore them instead. Exiting the rotunda, they walked through the narrow halls, passing row after row of doors, as they headed further away from the crowd.Jasper couldn¡¯t shake his growing sense of unease as the hubbub of the auction faded into silence. Their private room seemed a little too private and Kas?dael¡¯s parting words began to echo in his head.The merchant led them out of the main building into the left wing that flanked the rotunda, finally coming to a stop before a set of ornate double doors. The merchant bowed again.¡°Here we are, my lord.A clerk is waiting for you inside.The villagers will need to wait outside.¡± Ba?¡¯er¡¯s brows scrunched together, a storm brewing, but Jasper cut him off.¡°We¡¯re just going in a room, Ba?¡¯er.You¡¯ll get your pay.¡± After a long pause, the man nodded, his voice gruff.¡°Aye, my lord.We¡¯ll be waiting just outside.¡±Jasper stepped close to the burly hunter, whispering in his ear as he slipped something into the man¡¯s hand.The hunter nodded, slipping the object into his coat. The large wooden doors swung open grudgingly, the hinges making their displeasure known with loud squeals, as Jasper and Ihra stepped inside.The auctioneer was standing by an ornate desk, carved of the same ruby-toned warodim wood as the auction hall. But he was not standing alone.Labbu and Qarda were there as well, Lord Nabul with him. Ten guards were stationed along the room¡¯s periphery, their hands fondling the grip of their weapons, ready to pull them out at a moment¡¯s notice.Jasper¡¯s heart sank as his fears were confirmed. "Damn it." With a strangled curse, Ihra spun on her heels, reaching for the door, but the handle jiggled ineffectively, the door refusing to budge beneath the hail of blows she rained down on it. "Ihra, don''t worry about the door." Muttering curses beneath her breath, she came to stand by him as the Djinn nobles watched them with smug faces. Despite himself, a grim smile worked its way onto his face.Kas?dael¡¯s veiled warning had not been in vain - Jasper had been expecting this. He walked over to the desk with a confident stride, nodding at the Moon-kissed, as he accosted the auctioneer.¡°Well?Where is my money?And our purchases?¡±He waved his hands at the empty desk. The merchant squirmed uncomfortably, his eyes darting over to Lord Nabul for help.The local lord obliged, stepping in with a cocky grin. ¡°Come now, there¡¯s no need to be coy.You played the game and you lost.Did you really think it was a good idea to come to the auction?¡± Jasper¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver.¡°Let me guess - the noble who originally built this auction hall was your ancestor.¡± The man smiled.¡°So you¡¯re not entirely stupid, just foolish.I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be getting the money from the auction.¡± ¡°I¡¯d guessed as much.¡±He turned to the two Moon-kissed, a simple question on his lips.¡°Why?¡± Qarda looked uncomfortable, but Labbu appeared unbothered, speaking for the two of them.¡°He doesn¡¯t want the lyre, and we do; we don¡¯t want the girl, and he does.Why should we quarrel with Lord Nabul and the Zaphonites over you?¡± Jasper sighed.¡°That kidnapping attempt in the marketplace was the real deal, wasn¡¯t it?You just didn¡¯t expect us to escape.¡± The Moon-kissed captain shrugged.¡°It was a miscalculation, but it worked out in the end.¡± Nabul scowled.¡°It was an unnecessary blemish on my reputation, Labbu. If you had warned me before your little stunt, I could have had a backup plan in place. Still,¡± his face smoothed over as he looked at Ihra, ¡°every risk has its reward.¡± Ihra spat at the ground at his feet.¡°Screw you.I¡¯m not going to marry your son.¡± The man shrugged, unconcerned.¡°Choice is for the powerful, my dear, which you are not.¡± She leapt forward, her hands reaching for her dagger, but one of the guards intercepted her, slamming her into the ground.She tried to roll to her feet, but a powerful kick to her ribs threw her back, as the guard slammed his foot down into her chest, pinning her against the floor.¡°Stay down,¡± he ordered. Nabul cleared his throat.¡°Do be careful with the goods, Pitru.¡±The guard grunted, keeping his foot firmly on Ihra. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Labbu stepped towards Jasper, his hand on his weapon.¡°Where do you place the lyre of Damqa? Obviously, you didn¡¯t place it with the merchant guild, so you must have given it to one of the temples.¡±He scowled at Qarda, blaming her for mentioning the temples when she had told Jasper to secure the relic.¡°Did you put it in Yarha¡¯s temple?The priest denied it but I don¡¯t believe him.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°Why should I tell you?¡±The scream of metal on metal filled the room as the captain whipped his sword out, the tip resting against Jasper¡¯s throat a second later. Quelling the tremors that ran down his back, Jasper stared obdurately at the man for a moment.Then he slowly turned to face Lord Nabul.¡°You were right earlier.Choice is for the powerful.¡± The noble smirked.¡°It will be a quick death.¡± The grim smile crept across Jasper¡¯s face.¡°Actually, I can¡¯t promise the same for you.You see, I do have power.¡± Nabul''s wrinkled in confusion at his prey''s confidence and at that moment Jasper released the spell he had been holding. Hand of Judgment. A second later he was sprawled on the floor, his shoulders digging in painfully to the hardwood, as an explosive burst of air sent everyone in the room flying backward.he space between them and the Djinn nobles tore open. Reality itself was ripped asunder as the void broke through, its icy winds howling through the small room. And then, something stepped through. The gap tore wider as the Ophan emerged.The whole room froze as they stared at the terrifying creature.From the chest down, the creature looked much like a man, aside from its burning flesh and jet-black wings, lined with thousands of small, needle-like feathers.But the head was the stuff of nightmares. A single flaming eye floated above the torso, two golden rings rapidly rotating around it at dizzying speeds. Over every inch of its giant sclera blue runes were carved deep into its flesh.The eye turned to Jasper, its voice somehow emanating from all corners of the room. ¡°What is your wish, lord?¡± Fury pulsed through his veins as he looked at the treacherous group.¡°Kill¡¯em.¡±He barked.¡°All of them.And help us get out of this city.¡± ¡°As you will,¡± the creature rumbled. With a strangled cry, Labbu threw himself at Jasper, his sword glowing with an arcane light as it arced toward his neck.In an instant, the creature appeared in front of Jasper, catching the blade with his bare hand.The sword sunk in slightly, a trickle of blood forming on the Ophan¡¯s palm.And then, with a slight twist of its hands, it tore Labbu¡¯s head from his shoulders, slamming the bloody skull on the ground before Qarda. A primal scream filled the room, fury and despair mingled together. Tears streaming down her face, Qarda cast a spell, a shimmering silver moon begin to manifest behind her as Nabul charged at the Ophan. But Jasper didn¡¯t stick around to watch.Shooting Star at the barred doors. The aged wood crumbled like paper beneath the spell as he and Ihra fled into the hall. The sounds of explosions echoed behind them, and to his surprise,ire raced in their footsteps. The creature''s flames rapidly spread through the ancient auction hall, hungrily consuming the dry and ancient wood as they booked it toward the exit. But the chaos did not escape the crowd¡¯s notice, the screams quickly filling the air as the people poured out of the accounting rooms, fighting to reach the exit. Ihra jogged along behind him, taking frantic glances over their shoulders.¡°What the hell was that?¡± ¡°Just a little spell Kas?dael gave me.¡± She scowled.¡°Clearly I need to upgrade deities.¡±Ihra shuddered, looking up at the ceiling with a guilty expression.¡°Just kidding, just kidding¡± she muttered.Their progress was slowed to a crawl now, as the halls were jammed with people. The fire was spreading rapidly, the walls already beginning to smolder as thick clouds of smoke filled the air.The people were frantic, fighting and clawing to get over each other, trampling any underfoot who stumbled or fell.The sound of explosions in the left wing of the hall continued unabated, and Jasper wondered whom the Ophan was still fighting.Were Qarda or Nabul really powerful enough to stand up to that thing? His thoughts were interrupted as Ihra grabbed his hand.¡°Come on, help me out.¡±She threw her weight against one of the walls whose timbers had not yet caught fire. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ihra threw herself against the wall, over and over, the wood buckling slightly beneath her blows.¡°We¡¯re getting the hell out of here,¡± she said through gritted teeth.¡°You may be a fire-boy but I. Am. Not.¡±Her words were broken up as she slammed herself into the walls. Grasping her plan, Jasper joined her, the crowd around them quickly joining in.Within moments the weakened walls gave way in a shower of splinters.A gust of cold wind whipped past them, pushing the smoke away as welcome oxygen flooded their lungs. They were on the third floor, the earth below looking uncomfortably far, but Jasper had no time to second guess the decision to jump, as the crowd surged forward.Bodies filled the air as they tumbled to the ground, away from the quickly burning building. He landed hard on his ankle, the pain almost bringing him to his knees, but he somehow stumbled forward, avoiding being trampled beneath the crowd.A hand grabbed his arm - Ihra - and the two fought their way forward, fleeing toward the still somewhat open marketplace. It took a few minutes of fighting - sometimes quite literally - before they broke into open space.The two sprinted past the merchant stalls, most abandoned by their vendors who were gawking at the spectacle behind them, as the fire consumed the ancient manor. ¡°Where are we going?¡±Ihra screamed over the mayhem. ¡°To the temple of Yarha.I told Ba?¡¯er to meet us there.Hopefully, the priest believed the message I gave him, and handed over the lyre.¡± ¡°And our mounts?¡± Jasper grinned.¡°They¡¯re at the harbor with the boats.We pick up the lyre, and get the hell out of town while the getting is good.¡± The two raced toward the temple, the squads of guards running past them toward the burning building barely giving them a second glance.But when the temple came into view, a most unwelcome sight awaited them. Ba?¡¯er and his men were there.But so was Lord Nabul.Battered and dirty, his clothes singed from the flame, and a limp in his step, the noble had a victorious glint in his eyes as he thrust the hunter forward, his sword held tight against Ba?¡¯er¡¯s throat. Jasper and Ihra came to a halt, close enough to see the terror in the hunter¡¯s wide eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve gone far enough,¡±Nabul warned.¡°Lay down your weapons.¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°And why I would do that?You heard the command I gave to the Ophan.Once it¡¯s killed Qarda, it will still come for you.¡± With a sudden jerk of his hands, Nabul sliced through the hunter¡¯s throat, ignoring the fountain of blood that splattered across his face.¡°Not if I kill you first,¡± he sneered. A Grim End Nabul sprang forward, so fast that he was almost a blur.On pure instinct, Jasper threw himself toward the ground, rolling forward as Nabul¡¯s sword whistled through the space he had just occupied.Turning swiftly on his heels, he cast Seraph Burst just before Nabul closed in on him.He rocketed forward about three feet, the black wings unfurling behind him, their obsidian feathers glistening in the cold daylight. His progress was almost immediately stopped as a translucent protective barrier sprang up around the lord.Groaning, he struggled to stand up, his muddle mind struggling to cast a spell as Nabul stepped over him.An arrow whizzed overhead, deflecting off the noble¡¯s ward harmlessly, two more hitting in close succession with equally disappointing results. A deranged chuckle escaped the lord¡¯s lips.He pointed his sword at Ihra, who stood frozen with the useless bow in her hands.¡°Feisty, aren''t you?Maybe I¡¯ll get to know you better before passing you off to my son.¡±Nabul crunched his foot down on Jasper¡¯s chest, grinding his heel into his ribs. An image flashed before Jasper¡¯s eyes - a tiger looming over him, teeth bared, long strings of saliva dripping out of its ravenous mouth - and he did something he swore he wouldn¡¯t do again.He cast Shooting Star at close range. Nabul¡¯s shield prevented the explosive orbs from reaching the lord; what it couldn¡¯t do, however, was negate the explosion altogether.Cramped into a tiny space between Jasper and the noble, the force of the blast had to go somewhere. A wave of fire rushed over his body harmless as Jasper was pushed deeper into the pavement, the paving stones cracking beneath him, a small crater forming around his body.But the majority of the explosion rushed upwards, slamming into the shield.The protective barrier held, but Nabul was sent flying through the air like a spiked beachball. Jasper lay in the burning pit, the stars dancing across his vision as the flames licked at his skin.This warm bath feels good, he thought.Something slammed into his cheek, and he lazily brushed it away.It hit again, far harder this time, as a screech entered his ear. ¡°Snap out of it!¡± His brain clicked back into gear as the stars coalesced into the face of Ihra.She looked over her shoulder nervously, and turned back to him with more urgency.¡°Come on - move it.¡±She pushed him to his feet, the world spinning around him.What¡¯s going on? Then he saw him. Lord Nabul had survived his fall, but the shield, it seemed, did have some imperfections.It blocked any attacks from breaking through but didn¡¯t protect the noble from being damaged inside the shield.The Djinn limped toward them, his left leg dragging awkwardly behind him, no doubt smashed against the very shield meant to protect him. ¡°Come on.¡±Ihra dragged him towards the temple steps, which offered a sanctuary that even most nobles would think twice before breaking. But their steps were arrested as burning claws sprang up from the ground, red-hot manacles closing around their ankles.Jasper''s ears burned with Ihra¡¯s screams as he struggled against the restraints, the fire doing nothing to harm him.He recognized the spell immediately. It was his own, Fiery Shackles. ¡°Running away so soon?¡±The lord laughed bitterly, as Jasper frantically tried to free himself from the shackles.¡°That¡¯s the problem with empire mages.There are so few of you left that most of you don¡¯t even know how to fight another mage.¡± Jasper could only growl in frustration as he struggled, futilely, to break through the bonds.The Djinn''s smile widened.¡°Clearly, Aphora didn¡¯t teach you much, so let me give you a tip.If you should be fortunate enough to resurrect, learn todispel a spell.¡± He raised his sword above his head, a mocking smile on his lips.¡°Any last words?¡± A silver blur shot past Jasper.It slammed into the Djinn¡¯s shield, the shield bending beneath its impact. Then the shield shattered. Nabul staggered backward, clutching at his chest.His sword clattered to the ground as he wrested a silver dagger out of his shoulder.¡°By the fires of Shamsha,¡± he swore. He instantly dropped the dagger which clanged on the ground noisily as the lord wrung his hands in pain.It was the misericorde Ihra had gotten from Aphora.The Djinn''s eyes met Jasper¡¯s at the moment the two reached the same realization - the barrier had been destroyed. The two were ill-equipped to fight each other; two pyromancers with flame immunity had about as much chance of hurting each other with foam swords as with their spells. But only one of them had a second class. ¡°Shamsha''s Wrath¡± the lord screamed as Jasper stepped forward, his spell on his fingers.The flames of the Djinn''s spell engulfed him, disintegrating his clothes while lapping harmlessly at his skin. Then he cast Scourge of Despair.The glowing whip lashed out, grazing the edge of Nabul¡¯s jaw before disappearing into the ether as the howl of the summoned specters echoed across the abandoned marketplace. The specters fell on the wounded man like lions on a gazelle, tearing and ripping at his flesh, while Nabul let loose a string of fiery explosions.The shackles dissipated as the spell ended, and Jasper sprinted forward, racing toward the chaotic melee.The waves of fire passed over him harmlessly, his wraiths phasing in and out of existence. In the light of the fire, he saw a glint on the ground. The misericorde. Bending down, he picked it up and, the rush of pain that raced up his arm, Jasper stepped beside the frenzied noble. With more than a hint of savage satisfaction, he buried the dagger deep into Nabul''s chest. The man fell to his knees, struggling to pull the dagger out again, but Jasper gave him no chance. Grabbing the noble''s head by the nape, he slammed his knee into the face of the noble over and over again until the Djinn finally went limp, his face a shattered mess.Jasper stood over his quarry, struggling to catch his breath. ¡°Is he dead?¡±Ihra limped over to him, her legs scorched by Nabul¡¯s spell. Picking the dagger up again, he stabbed it through the noble''s ruined eye, wiggling it around. "He is now." Ihra spat on the corpse, kicking the noble in the ribs, wincing in pain as her burnt flesh protested at the impact. Then, gingerly, she bent down began to run her hands over the Djinn''s body. ¡°What are you doing?¡±His voice came out hoarse and raspy. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Looking for his purse.We didn¡¯t get paid for the auction; we might as well get something out of this.¡±Ihra fished a bag out of his coat and stashed it in her own, placing the misericorde there as well.She stood up with a wince.¡°Come on, we¡¯ve got to keep moving.¡± Shaking himself out of his fugue, he followed Ihra to the temple, ignoring the screams and mayhem that echoed through the market.A squadron of guards ran past, headed for the burning auction hall, but stopped when they saw the corpse of their lord sprawled out on the pavement.Jasper turned around, wearily summoning another spell as he prepared for a fight.But the guards, after taking a long look at the battered pair who had probably killed their lord, chose the better part of valor, averting their gaze.A mage strong enough to defeat their lord was not an enemy they were equipped to handle. As he reached the steps of the temple, Jasper nearly stumbled over a body.Ba?¡¯er lay in a pool of his own blood, his eyes staring sightlessly at the heavens.A pang of guilt pierced Jasper¡¯s heart.This is all my fault.Bending down, he closed the man¡¯s eyes, muttering a fleeting wish beneath his breath. ¡°My lord!¡±He looked up to see the priest and most of the hunters standing at the top of the steps, just inside the temple¡¯s walls.Making a split-second decision, he hoisted Ba?¡¯er¡¯s body over his shoulders, staggering into the temple.He laid the body down gently on the pavement as the men gathered around them. The bandit¡¯s ring fell out of Ba?¡¯er¡¯s pocket, clattering across the stones, and Jasper snatched it up absentmindedly as he turned to the priest.¡°Can you perform his rites?¡± The priest nodded, his face distressed.¡°The villagers worship Lady Hurbas?u, do they not?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will make sure the priests of Hurbas?u take care of him,¡± the priest promised.He waved his hand, and a servant came rushing over, carrying a large package.The servant thrust it into Jasper¡¯s hands.¡°You must go to the harbor, my lord - quickly.The guards won¡¯t ignore you for long.¡± The priest pushed a pouch into Ihra¡¯s hands.¡°I am so sorry for the trouble Nabul caused, all over a simple favor.Please, take this money - it¡¯s the least I can do.¡±She shoved it back at him.¡°Use it on the orphanage.¡± He bowed deeply before her, slipping it back in his pockets without protest.¡°Thank you, my lady.Lady Yarha¡¯s blood runs true in you.¡± ¡°Will you be okay?¡±Jasper asked.¡°Will the, uh, house of Nabul come after you?¡± The priest shook his head.¡°Times will be hard for the temple, but they will not dare directly attack us, merely hassle us. I have a deity on my side, after all.¡±He waved his hands toward the temple entrance.¡°You really must go.¡± Taking the hint, the two fled the temple, the hunters running beside them.As they raced down the muddy streets, Jasper glanced at the villager next to him.It was one of the hunters who had joined them in the kalm? ritual.He vainly racked his mind for the villager¡¯s name, giving up after a moment.¡°Are the boats ready to leave?¡± The young man turned to face him, sorrow mixed with a spark of anger in his eyes.¡°Yes, my lord, father sent Ri?mu and Akk? ahead to gather the others and your mounts.¡± Father?It took a moment for Jasper to recognize the same high cheekbones and dark smoldering eyes that Ba?¡¯er had possessed.He choked back the words that sprang to his lip, renewing the speed with which he ran. Ka?r-Kupp? was not a large city in the first place and, with the streets all sloping down towards the sheltered bay, their flight was hastened by gravity.They reached the harbor unimpeded, blowing past the started harbor guards, who were standing around gawking at the pillar of smoke rising from the hills above them. ¡°What is happening in the city?¡±Jasper ignored the harbormaster¡¯s questions, helping the villagers cast off the ropes. ¡°Answer me, or we will be forced to hold you until an inquiry can be made!¡± Jasper slowly turned to face the man, willing the essence into his hands.The blue flames leapt into the air, spreading up his arms and across his naked torso. The man backed away, unable to hide the fear that sprang up in his eyes.Not bothering to answer the harbormaster, he rejoined the crew¡¯s efforts and, moments later, they cast off. They slipped into the harbor, backs bent blow over the oars, as they sailed against the wind.As night fell over the shores of Lake Hurbas?u, a red glow could be still seen above the city. It was only when they finally crested around the edge of the harbor, out of sight of Ka?r-Kupp?, that the villagers relaxed, releasing that no pursuers followed in their wake. Jasper and Ihra sat apart from the hunters, the men stealing sullen glances at them from time to time, but no one approached them.The ship bobbed between the gentle waves, the sail still furled along the mast. ¡°What do we do now?¡±Ihra asked quietly. Jasper shook his head.¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted.His hands fell on the heavy package sitting beside him.¡°What do we do with this?This lyre has caused more trouble than its worth.¡± She tucked an errant strand of her behind her ear.¡°Obviously the deal we had with Qarda¡¯s house has fallen through.Is it worth trying to take it to another Moon-kissed noble?¡± Jasper groaned in frustration, running his fingers through his head.¡°Honestly?I have half a mind to just throw the damn thing overboard and be done with it.None of this would have happened if we hadn¡¯t taken it to the temple in the first place.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not be hasty,¡± Ihra objected.¡°It could still be a good bargaining chip.¡±She stole a glance at the brooding crew.¡°Right now,¡± she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m more worried about them.They lost one of their own and didn¡¯t get the money they were expecting.¡± Jasper looked at Ba?¡¯er¡¯s son, who stared over the prow with a dead look in his eyes.It bothered him that he hadn¡¯t even bothered to learn the man¡¯s name.¡°What about the purse you took from Lord Nabul?¡± Ihra fished it out of her bag, pawing through the contents.¡°There¡¯s quite a lot of gold here.¡± ¡°Let them have it.It¡¯s blood money to me.¡± Ihra shook her head.¡°No, we have to pay them, but we need some of the profits ourselves.¡± He started to protest, but she cut him off.¡°Have you ever gone to bed hungry? I have, and I''m not doing it again.We need money to survive, whether there''s blood on it or not, and, quite frankly, we need money to avoid more situations like this.None of this would have happened if we were more powerful. Money is its own form of power.¡± Unable to argue her point, Jasper subsided, watching as Ihra split the coins into two piles, tossing two coins in the left pile for each one she threw in the right.As the piles grew higher and higher, it quickly became obvious that the amount of the coins that continued to spill out of the bag was far more than the bag would hold. ¡°A bag of holding!¡± she whispered excitedly.¡°At least we got something good out of this mess.¡± By the time the last of the money was separated out, the hunters had gathered around the pair, their previous ill mood buoyed by the wealth glittering before them.The sum, in the end, amounted to nearly 80,000 gold crowns, slightly more than they should have made at the auction.Perhaps, Jasper guessed, the auctioneer gave Nabul our share of the profits. While Ihra swept the larger pile back into the bag, Jasper dispensed the villager¡¯s portions.Only one of the hunters didn¡¯t come to collect his money; Ba?¡¯er¡¯s son stood silently at his post by the prow.Reluctantly, Jasper approached him. The young man gave him a stiff nod, the anger that had been in his eyes before largely replaced by sorrow. ¡°You gave the men well over the percentage my father bargained over.¡±He finally spoke, his voice barely reaching over the howling wind. Jasper grimaced.¡°It was the least I could do.¡±He hesitated, not sure what to say.He barely knew any of them, and yet the death of Ba?¡¯er weighed heavily on him.¡°I¡¯m sorry about your father.He seemed like a good man.¡± The young hunter barked with bitter laughter.¡°He was a drunk and a lech who chased every skirt he saw.¡±He shook his head, the lines on his face deepening.¡°He was also one of the greatest hunters our village ever had.¡± Jasper suddenly remembered the ring that had fallen out of the hunter¡¯s pockets.Rummaging through his bag, he held it out to the man.¡°Here - your father was planning to give this ring to your mother.¡± After a long moment of indecision, the hunter grabbed it, giving him a curt nod.The two stood at the prow, watching the waves crash against the boat as they slowly idled in the waves. Interlude: Kas?dael One moment Kas?dael was holding a throbbing, pulsing hunk of meat in her hands, and the next it was gone. She sighed as her new Hand disappeared from the void, the avatar he possessed dissolving into a cloud of dust.She wasn¡¯t quite sure what she thought of him.He had the potential for great power but just didn¡¯t seem to have the drive to reach the heights he was capable of. The fact that he had survived holding the eyes of a Spectral Spider relatively unharmed?Clearly, she had underestimated him.Kas?dael only hoped the little favor she had called in with Lady Hurbas?u would end up lighting a fire within him. But she couldn¡¯t deny that Jasper was proving useful enough, even if the news he had brought had been deeply troubling.She ran through the list of ancient enemies in her mind.One after another, she discarded them.Most of the so-called dark gods were males, sires of trolls, Atrometos, and the far worse things that lurked in the darkness, but none, as far as she recalled, claimed the maddening darkness as their domain. She could understand why the members of her cult had been tricked into thinking they were worshiping a manifestation of their goddess - after all, the darkness of the void was kind of her thing, and most mortals tended to find it distressing.But she reached the end of her list without finding any likely suspects. Kas?dael paced up and down the silent halls of S?uhruru, the city below still dark and dead.She paused at a balcony overlooking the city, searching in vain for any pinpricks of light amongst the empty houses that would signal her people had begun to reawaken.But no light greeted her eyes, only darkness. With a sigh, she returned to her pacing, running over the list of potential suspects once again.It was pointless.And then, from the farthest corners of her mind, a faint memory surfaced, the crazed ramblings of a mad cultist that she had dismissed as nothing more than lunacy. Kas?dael raced down the halls with renewed purpose, heading towards the shuttered archives.She flung the colossal doors open, their unimaginable weight no obstacle for her, but descended into a fit of sneezes as a cloud of dust flew up her nose.The cold, abandoned room was caked in dust, as the priests that once tended it were long dead and yet to be reborn.It¡¯s dreadfully inconvenient for all your servants to be dead half of your existence.Not used to having to find things for herself, it took the goddess some time to search through the scrolls and books that lined the walls, but her search was not in vain.Hands trembling with excitement, Kas?dael laid a small book on the carved ivory table. Her lip curled in distaste as she opened it, sensing immediately that its binding was made from human skin.But ignoring her disgust, Kas?dael eagerly flipped through the pages, searching for the half-forgotten musings of her fallen follower. The true dark gods were those who, like her, were born from the Progenitor and his heirs - born and not created.Not content to abide by the rules the Progenitor established, the dark gods were a mix of harmless, if obstinate, rebels and dangerous, twisted perverts.None of them, though, claimed the maddening darkness as their domain. But there was another group some worshipped as dark gods - the fallen of Gemliria. Gemlir had forged his own road to demi-godhood, carving a bloody path to ascension that laid the groundwork for the cultists that had followed in his footsteps.But two more in that first generation had risen with him - his most faithful lieutenant, Malkob?, and his scorned mistress. Matqa had once been the brightest mage of her generation, the wife of the Emperor himself, and a faithful devotee of Kas?dael - until Gemlir seduced her, promising her an immortal reign of power. Abandoning everything, including Kas?dael and the Emperor, Matqa had helped Gemlir ascend, joining his side and his bed.Then he cast her aside for a Sidhe, who bore him his sons of terror. Something in her mind broke.Splitting off from Gemlir, Matqa and her followers founded their own kingdom further to the south.There she took the name Me?s?u?ta, the scorned, as her crown of glory, a perpetual thorn in the side of both Gemlir and the Empire.But, when the Desolyton had scourged Gemlir and Malkob? from their lands, she had been forced to flee deeper into the West, and, thanks to a particularly industrious Hand, Kas?dael had managed to secure her former follower¡¯s notes. The goddess¡¯ heart froze as she reread the scrawled scribbles from her lab.Mortals were only supposed to be able to ascend to demi-god status - whether granted from the favor of the gods or stolen by bloodshed as the cultists did. But Me?s?u?ta had set her sights higher.Not content to consume the souls of mere mortals, she dreamed of gods instead, believing that if she could successfully trap and kill a true god, she could ascend in its place. After a moment of reading, Kas?dael found the passage she was looking for. ¡°The Progenitor has erred, granting the power of true creation to the unworthy, ignoble gods born to their power, rather than allowing the illustrious to rise.But surely that was not his original intention.As Gemlir showed, the path to power is available to all with the will to wield it.Are we, those who have stormed the heavens by force, not more worthy than those born in purple?¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°No, I cannot believe that the path does not exist.Where the Progenitor has erred, I shall correct his mistake; with slaughter and bloodshed I shall restore the balance he intended.¡± Kas?dael read the lines again.The language in the diary was archaic - archaic even when the diary was written.S?aga?hu and s?aga?¡¯u are ¡®to err¡¯ and ¡®to slaughter.¡¯Is Yas?gah derived from them, an allusion to both the Progenitor''s error and the "remedy" of slaughter? She slammed the book shut, the sound echoing in the silence of the temple.Could it be that simple?Millennia had passed since Matqa had fallen, but she had always enjoyed word games - the thrill of hiding her meaning in plain sight.Reluctantly, Kas?dael admitted to herself what she had to do. She had to go see her sister. Damn.
While she could have simply opened a portal by herself, Kas?dael opted to find the long-silent gateway in her temple instead.Her sister¡¯s guards could be a pain to deal with when people dropped in unofficially.The gateway responded quickly to her command, the golden liquid filling the triangular frame from top to bottom, a luxurious warmth washing over her as she stepped through.And then, with a slight pop, she was on the other side, immediately taking off down the path at a brisk pace.The sooner this is done, the better. Selene¡¯s court, as usual, was bustling.Gods and demigods, Mwyrani and Spectral Spiders, and even a few Fey and Elves with powerful patrons wandered the lush gardens of the moon.The courtiers scattered out of her path as Kas?dael pushed her way through the crowd, her black veil fluttering behind her like a wisp of smoke.She could hear the whispers around her, but there was none foolishness enough to bother the goddess of the end when she was on a mission. Her sister sat on her throne, the crescent moon beneath her feet, flanked on both sides by two Spectral Spiders.The massive beasts surveyed the crowd silently, a thousand eyes ferreting out every secret,revealing every hidden flaw, as they spun the webs of fate across the starry heavens. Their gaze swept over her, cold and furious, and Kas?dael allowed herself a little smile, lifting her hand up to give them a good view as she rolled the dice through her fingers.If hatred could be felt, her skin would be smoldering, but she gave them a cheeky little wink. As she drew near the base of the throne, Selene stood up.A gauzy robe of silk and wind fluttered around, a mantle of stars hanging from her shoulders as the horned goddess walked down the stairs, her arms held wide. A second later, Kas?dael was drawn into a warm hug.Her arms stood awkwardly at her side but, after a moment, she returned the hug. Selene released her, taking a step back.¡°It¡¯s been far too long, sister.You always ignore your duties at court.¡± Kasdael rolled her eyes, waving at the crowd of courtiers.¡°You know why.¡± Selene frowned.¡°Gods don¡¯t get to ignore their responsibilities, Kas?dael.¡± Kas?dael let out an exasperated sigh.¡°You and I both know my only real duty is to die.But enough of this; how many times shall we have the same conversation.¡± With a pained look, the goddess of the moon let the subject drop.¡°Why, then, are you here, Kas?dael?Sadly, I¡¯m pretty sure you did not come just to see me.¡± With a wave of her hand, the diary of Me?s?u?ta manifested in her palm.¡°Actually, I¡¯m here about those very responsibilities you mentioned.¡±
¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±Selene slammed the diary down on the table.They had retired into the Celestial Queen¡¯s private chambers, away from curious eyes and prying ears.Her room was open to the elements, the dark night sky lit by the light of the goddess herself, the pale light streaming over the carefully manicured garden paths that winded through the rocky spires. ¡°It¡¯s simply impossible.Gods cannot be killed - we return to the Progenitor, yes, but to be murdered?And by a mortal at that?¡± Silently, Kas?dael laid her die on the table.The black, faceted orb sparkled in the moonlight as the Spectral Spiders hissed with impotent fury. ¡°Gods die, Selene.Your husband makes a habit of it.And she¡¯s not a mortal, she¡¯s a demigod.¡± ¡°But he comes back!Like you, he plays the part the Progenitor assigned to him; he isn¡¯t just killed by some jumped-up mortal.¡± ¡°Yes, he comes back, but others don¡¯t.¡±Kas?dael tapped the die, punctuating her point. Selene stared at the object crafted from the bones of one of her Spiders, her response dying mutely on her lips. Kas?dael leaned forward, pushing her advantage.¡°I know it¡¯s a long shot, I know it¡¯s the musings of a half-crazed murder - but it¡¯s the only lead I have.I¡¯m not asking you to believe Me?s?u?ta¡¯s theory.¡± ¡°Just,¡± she sighed, her hands falling back into her lap,¡°just look into it for me, please?Have a few of your courtiers put out some feelers.There¡¯s only a few thousand of us left.If everyone¡¯s accounted for, and no one''s gone missing, then fine: I¡¯ll have to figure out which one of the dark gods is masquerading as Yas?gah.But if something¡¯s wrong¡­¡± She trailed off, looking at her sister pleadingly,¡°don¡¯t you want to know?What if it was Shamsha?¡± With an exasperated sigh, Selene gave in.¡°Fine.I¡¯ll make sure everyone in the Celestial Court is checked up on, just in case.You know, though, that she could have killed one of the Forgotten - I cannot check on that.¡± Kas?dael nodded.¡°I know, but it¡¯s something.¡± ¡°It shall be done,¡± the moon goddess promised.Her hand hesitated on the ancient diary, her voice turning cold.¡°And if your fears come to fruition?We shall teach this Me?s?u?ta the meaning of divine wrath.¡± As Kas?dael left her sister¡¯s court, returning to the silent halls of S?uhruru, she couldn¡¯t help but pat herself on the back for having had the foresight to arrange Lady Hurbas?u¡¯s little favor.If her fears proved correct, her new Hand was going to need every drop of power he could get. A savage smile crossed her lips, her teeth growing sharp and sinister.And if Me?s?u?ta really is Yas?gah?Well, my long-lost follower is going to learn a very painful lesson about why it is a bad idea to impersonate the Goddess of the End. Those Who Wander ¡°So where do you want us to take you to, my lord?¡±The hunter broke the silence. ¡°I still think we should head to the Moon-kissed.¡±Jasper turned to see that Ihra had snuck up behind him. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± A particularly large wave smashed into the bow, a cascade of frigid water washing over them.Spluttering, Ihra shook the water off of her, shivering with cold.¡°Selene¡¯s grace, this land sucks,¡± she complained, as she wrung her hair out. Jasper just shook the water off like a dog, the warmth instantly surging back through his limbs.Grabbing her hand, he pushed some essence into her, the fires burning off the worst of the freezing water in a cloud of steam. She shivered with relief, smiling up at him. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°No problem.So, why should we go to the Moon-kissed,¡± he persisted. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t know how much pull Nabul has with the Zaphonites, or how close-knit the faction really is, but we have probably ticked them off big time.I mean,¡± she looked away guiltily, ¡°I think we burnt down a large section of the city.¡± Jasper winced. The Ophan''s fire and the ancient wooden auction house had been a bad combination. He''d do it again if that''s what it took to survive, but he hadn''t expected the collateral damage to be quite so extensive.¡°Fair enough, but why not go straight south?After all, we didn¡¯t exactly leave on good terms with Qarda and Labbu, either.¡±Though probably - hopefully - they¡¯re both dead, he thought. ¡°Yeah, but to get to the south we have to travel through Zaphonite territory, unless we cut west into the Moon-kissed lands and head south from there.nlike the Zaphonites, we know the Moon-kissed faction is heavily fractured. multiple houses that compete with each other and we,¡± she tapped the lyre Jasper had rescued from the temple, ¡°have something to offer them.¡± After a moment''s thought, Jasper nodded his head, unable to refute her logic. ¡°Alright,¡± he conceded, ¡°you¡¯ve convinced me.Let''s head to Du?r-Yarha.¡± He turned to Ba?¡¯er¡¯s son, who watched them with a peculiar expression on his face.¡°Will you take us that way?¡± The man nodded slowly.¡°I¡¯ll take you to the far side of Hurbas?u.After that, you¡¯re on your own though.It¡¯s a fairly long trip to Du?r-Yarha.¡±He hesitated a moment before continuing.¡°But, have you ever been to Du?r-Yarha, my lord?¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°No, this will be the first time.¡± A flicker of concern crossed the hunter¡¯s face.¡°They¡¯re uh... a, uh...strange people.More like elves than like us, really.Just keep an open eye, my lord.Du?r-Yarha is said to be the most beautiful city in the mountains, but it has another name as well, an older name.¡±His voice trailed off, his muttered words lost beneath the thunder of the wind and waves. ¡°What was that?¡±Jasper prodded. Reluctantly, the man spoke louder.¡°We call it S?admu?ti.¡±The man¡¯s hands flashed in a quick gesture that reminded Jasper of the sign of the cross.Perhaps some superstitious warding ritual of the villagers, he thought.Although, he immediately corrected himself, maybe it¡¯s not so superstitious. The lake we¡¯re sailing on is literally alive, after all. Ihra wrinkled her nose, her brow creased in worry.¡°The mountain of death?Why do you call it that?¡± The hunter shook his head, refusing to speak.¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re just stories, my lady.Just be careful.¡± As the ship turned towards Du?r-Yarha, the sails billowing with the cold wind that stormed across the icy waters, the chill that invaded Jasper¡¯s soul was not from the weather.
It had been a long few months on the road alone.Well, not really alone, I guess.Her eyes drifted over to her trustworthy servant, Ne?s?u.He rode ahead of her, his head slowly panning from side to side as he searched for any sign of danger.But it was still the most alone the princess had ever been before. A gust of cold wind raked across her face, driving a hail of icy pellets into her cheek, which she wiped away with a grimace.It is so damn cold here.Thoughts of her conservatory back home, filled with lush plants and vibrant birds and the constant rumble of the small waterfall, a world warm and inviting, invaded her mind.For the hundredth time, she wondered again if she had made the right decision. ¡°No.¡±She shook her head vigorously, speaking out loud in defiance. She would not give her doubts a voice. Ne?s?u turned to look at her.¡°Did you need something, Lady Keturah?¡± She blushed.¡°No, sorry, I was just speaking out loud.¡±The retainer looked at her knowingly, his horse slowing as he allowed her to catch up with him. ¡°Thinking of home, my lady?¡± ¡°No-"She started to deny it, but then caught herself, seeing the calm certainty in his eyes.¡°Yes,¡± she admitted. ¡°We can always turn back if you like.¡± Her heart quickened at the mere idea - to say yes, to turn tail, and to flee back to the welcome warmth of the Sapiyan jungles. Maybe even to see her father. ¡°And what waits for me there, Ne?s?u?Tell me truly, who there, besides my father, is happy to see my face?The queen has poisoned everyone against me, and the occasional, fleeting glances of pity are no more welcome than her open scorn.¡± Her servant was silent for a long moment, the truth of her statement difficult to deny.¡°Your younger brother, Apila?ni is quite fond of you.¡± ¡°My half-brother,¡± she corrected him, almost automatically.¡°Besides,¡± her words were choked with bitterness, ¡°when he is old enough, she will no doubt infect him too with her venom.No, there is nothing in my father''s courts for me, except to be shipped off to some noble¡¯s house for an alliance.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. She squared her shoulders, setting her face against the wailing winds.¡°This was the right decision.¡± ¡°As you say, my lady.¡±Whatever his private thoughts, Ne?s?u knew there would be no changing Keturah¡¯s mind.She was like her mother that way, an immovable rock that braved the stormy waters unchanged. They rode through the night, pursuing their quarry.The pair they were following had passed through Du?r-S?innu several weeks before them, making it through the narrow pass into the Harei-Miqlat before the worst of the storms had made travel all but impossible.When she finally reached the fortress, the captain had warmly welcomed her, mentioning that another had recently entered the mountains under her mother¡¯s banner.But to her great surprise, rather than heading south towards the capital - and towards the warm, hot central plains - Jasper had turned to the west, towards the frozen shores of Hurbas?u, on a favor for the captain. The trip through the icy wastes had been tough; despite her mother''s Djinn heritage, she hadn¡¯t inherited even a hint of the fires within, her talents reflecting neither of her parents¡¯ strengths, drawn instead from some long-forgotten ancestor.But she had managed to brave the cold, her spirits bolstered by the hopes of snatching hold of the last thread of connection she had to her mother.Almost by luck, they had stumbled on the village where Jasper and Ihra had stopped after dealing with the bandits. There the village elder had been able to direct them toward their next destination.The market was supposed to be today, so with any luck, she¡¯d be able to catch up to them before they left town. As they finally reached the top of the great hill their mounts had been struggling up for an hour, her breath was taken away.Their destination, Ka?r-Kupp?, lay before them.But the night sky glowed an ominous red, the raging light of the flames reflecting off the low-lying clouds.A large portion of the city was burning, and even from here, she could taste the thick, acrid smoke that billowed up to the heavens. Keturah leaned forward, a pulse of excitement warming her veins.Somehow, she had a feeling that whatever was happening in the city had something to do with her quarry.After all, her mother had called them kakkabu?, and what do stars do but burn in the heavens? ¡°Come, Ne?s?u - quickly!¡± They spurred their horses into a gallop, thundering down the slope of the hill towards the port town.When they neared the walls, they could see the gate was closed.A single guard stood atop the tower, his eyes fixed not on the plains below, but within the city. ¡°Guard!Guard!¡±Ne?s?u tried futilely to get the guard¡¯s attention, his rumbling voice carried away in the wind.But the guard¡¯s eyes did not turn away from the conflagration. With a sigh, she reached for her magic.The winds bent beneath her will as she sent a small gust rushing past the guard.She spoke softly, quietly, but her voice echoed in his ears as if she were standing right behind him.¡°Guard of Ka?r-Kupp?, I require entry into the city.¡± The guard lurched in surprise, suddenly losing his balance as he teetered dangerously over the edge of the walls.His weapon slipped out of his hands, the spear rushing toward the ground. He flailed his arms, struggling to regain his balance, his face a mask of terror as he stared at the ground a hundred feet below.With a flick of her hands, the wind roared again, pushing the guard back onto the safety of the wall.¡°Open the gate, guard.¡±She demanded again. After a moment to collect himself, the man disappeared into the tower, and after another few minutes, the ground begin to shake as the large metal doors slid apart.The movement stopped almost immediately, the gates just far enough apart to allow them entry, and she and Ne?s?u slipped in quickly.As soon as they had passed through, the doors rumble to a close behind them.She waited patiently until the guard appeared. Despite the cool of the night, the man¡¯s chubby face was dripping with sweat, the front of his trousers suspiciously wet from more than just the flurries of snow.He stumbled over to her, bowing deeply.¡°My lady, thank you for saving me.¡± She brushed his thanks aside, impatient to learn of her quarry.¡°Tell me, guard, what is happening in the city?Is there war between the houses?¡± The man shook his head.¡°In truth, my lady, I don¡¯t know.The fire started at the auction and wild rumors have been spreading ever since.¡± She waited for him to continue, but he just looked at her expectantly.¡°And?¡± The guard shifted on his feet.¡°I¡¯m not sure I should really discuss city business with you, my lady.¡±His gaze drifted towards her bag, and she caught his meaning.Rolling her eyes, Keturah rooted through her purse, her fingers numb and aching.Finding what she was looking for, she flipped a gold coin at the guard. He bowed again.¡°Thank you, my lady.The city appreciates your donation.I¡¯m sure my captain won¡¯t mind me sharing with a friend of the city.¡± She sighed wearily.¡°Just tell me what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡±He hesitated.¡°This is just rumors, my lady, but they say that there was a precious artifact at the market today.Lord Nabul, the patron of our city, bought it as a gift for the Moon-kissed, to establish an alliance with House Sebetta.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with the fire?¡± ¡°The artifact was my stolen, my lady.Supposedly a powerful mage from the south crashed the auction, summoning a monster of fire and death, and in the chaos escaped from the city with the artifact.¡± She frowned, something about the story not sitting right with her.She doubted that her mother¡¯s friends were violent thieves.Violent?Yes, but thieves?That didn¡¯t sound like her mother. ¡°Is that really what happened, guard?¡±Her voice was cold as she questioned him. His eyes again slid to her purse.Grinding her teeth in frustration, she tossed another coin in his direction, which he deftly snatched out of the air without taking his eyes off of her. The guard glanced over his shoulder warily, and even though he saw no sign of others, he still lowered his voice as he leaned closer to the two of them. ¡°There is another version of the story.Some say the artifact actually belonged to the southern lord. They say that he came to the city, accompanied by an elven princess, on a mission of peace to the Moon-kissed.¡± His voice dropped to almost a whisper.¡°Lord Nabul conspired with a rival Moon-kissed house to steal the artifact and take the elf for himself.But they underestimated their foe - the southern lord was far more powerful than expected. He summoned a fell guardian and escaped with the princess through the harbor while the city burned.¡±The guard stood back up, straightening his shoulders.¡°Obviously, those are just rumors though,¡± he said, winking. Elven princess?She couldn¡¯t fathom how the two could have come across an elven princess.Maybe this isn¡¯t my pair, after all.¡°Tell me, guard, are there any names for these criminals?¡±This time she didn¡¯t wait for him to beg, flicking another coin in his direction. ¡°Yes, my lady.Lady Ihra and Lord Jasper.¡±Then again, maybe they are my pair. He leaned closer again.¡°If you ask me, my lady, he must be a bastard of the royal house.They¡¯re the only ones outside of the Moon-kissed who consort with elves.¡±The guard shuddered, licking his lips nervously, as he once again scanned the empty shadows.¡°If the Zaphonites and Moon-kissed really made a move against the royal house, well, it¡¯s a grim day indeed for the North.Far more than this city will burn. It''s been a long time since the factions have gone to war, my lady. May the Bright Lord save us from that fate.¡± He nodded at the two of them.¡°I won''t bar your entrance into the city, my lady, but I would strongly advise you to leave.The nobles of the city are not going to welcome you with open arms right now.etter to spend a cold night outside the walls than spend a warm night inside a cell.¡± Reluctantly, Keturah followed the guard¡¯s advice.The gate rumbled open again, and the pair slipped out into the darkness, swiftly blending into the shadows.As she rode beside the frozen shores of Hurbas?u, her eyes searched the empty waves.It was folly, of course - the waters preserved no sign of passage, deftly hiding every trace of its travelers.With a sigh, she pulled her horse to a stop.Her eyes trailed up to the heavens, her gaze fixed on the moon.Guide me, Selene, she prayed. Show me the path I must walk. And the goddess heard. A Cathedral of Pines The voyage to the western shores of the lake was a fast affair, the wind blowing fiercely at their back the entire way.Less than a day had passed before they clambered out onto the frozen sands, the icy winds eddying around them as they climbed onto their mounts.As the ship disappeared behind them, hidden beneath the gentle rise and fall of the foothills, Jasper felt a touch of relief.He had been afraid the villagers, especially Ba?¡¯er¡¯s son, might be tempted to betray them, but, in the end, they had held up their end of the bargain. The next few days passed by slowly.They followed the remains of a ruined road which, though ravaged by the passage of time, led west toward the Moon-kissed stronghold.The wind rushing from the icebound mountains rarely ceased, often bearing in its wings snow and ice that beat against their face while the wind pushed and pulled the snow into deep banks that blocked their path. Ihra¡¯s mount, Keresh, had little trouble navigating the obstacles, but Dapplegrim struggled, her much smaller legs fighting to push through the deep drifts.Only the warodim trees, their pink leaves and vibrant green moss standing out like a beacon in the icy wastes, provided warmth and shelter, the cold of the mountains fading away beneath their outstretched limbs. But, as the first week slipped into the second, the snow began to recede, gradually giving way to an evergreen forest.The trees here were large, more akin to the towering redwoods of Yosemite than Christmas pines, and the forest bed was covered in a thick, brown carpet of discarded pine needles.Their progress became easy as the ground beneath the soaring pines was largely clear of brush. Still, Jasper could not shake the sense that they were intruding, somehow.The enormous pines, with trunks as thick as a large car, rose around them like the pillars of a temple, the distant light of the sun breaking through the tops of the trees to dapple the floor like sunlight spilling through the stain-glassed of a gothic cathedral.There was something almost holy about the forest, and he urged Dapplegrim forward, galloping across the sea of brown. But as the beams of sunlight faded, replaced in turn by shafts of Selene''s rays, the forest stretched on endlessly before them.And when they rode into the moonlight, the ineffable fear lurking in the shadows of his mind was realized. Their mounts froze, suddenly unmoving, unresponsive to all their commands.Then the beasts begin trotting away from the broken remains of the ancient path, moving deeper into the forest.Unable to stir their beasts, Jasper and Ihra followed behind, their footsteps muffled in the thick bed of needles. ¡°What do we do?¡±Even though it had been days since they¡¯d seen another living soul, Ihra spoke softly, an intuitive sense warning her that something was watching, even if she couldn¡¯t perceive it. Jasper sighed, shrugging his shoulders.¡°I¡¯m not abandoning Dapplegrim - at least, not without a fight.But¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what¡¯s happening.¡± Ihra looked at him sharply, scrutinizing his face.¡°You know something!¡± she accused him. Jasper shook his head.¡°No, but I do have a guess.A couple of days ago, I visited Kas?dael to level up¡­¡±Quietly, he filled her in on his journey through the void, the forgotten city, and the temple of S?uhruru.He didn¡¯t mention the bridge though; some things weren¡¯t meant to be shared. ¡°So anyways, for earning the favor of Hurbas?u, I got a quest - something about earning the favor of ten nature deities.¡± Comprehension flashed in Ihra''s eyes, even as a pout formed on her lips.¡°Oh, I get it.You think we¡¯re being led somewhere by a nature spirit.But why didn¡¯t I get the quest?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡±He couldn¡¯t keep the surprise out of his voice. She shook her head, her long blonde hair flying back and forth.¡°Nope.I earned the same blessing that you got, but I didn¡¯t get this ¡®divine path.¡¯¡± He didn¡¯t know what to say.¡°That sucks.¡± She looked at him, curious.¡°Sucks what?¡± He blushed, looking away.¡°Uh¡­nothing, nothing,¡± he quickly repeated. She shrugged, dismissing it as yet another one of his strange sayings. The animals plunged deeper and deeper into the forest, the trees growing even larger and closer together as they wandered far from the path.But as Jasper found himself hiking up yet another rolling hill, he spied their destination ahead. The crest of the hill was bare, the towering trees arranged in a ring around its crest, save for a single tree that sat in the middle.Unlike the rest, the needles of the tree shone with an almost golden gleam, as the moonlight reflecting off them made the tree appear to be shrouded in a halo of light.Their mounts came to a stop in the clearing, Jasper and Ihra halting at their sides. As they watched, the trunk of the golden tree split, a crack widening rapidly until it was large enough to permit a person to pass through. Jasper turned to Ihra.She stood waiting, her hand caressing the curve of her bow.¡°Are you coming?¡± ¡°And if you¡¯re wrong?¡±he asked. He tugged again on Dapplegrim¡¯s reins, but the beast stood frozen, completely unresponsive.¡°It would be one hell of a long walk to Du?r-Yarha without a mount.¡± With a sigh, she slipped her quiver off her stag, slinging it on her back and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, snatched the misericorde out of her bag.¡°Just in case.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Then the two approached the tree. The opening proved to be a bit shorter than Jasper, and he was forced to duck beneath the boughs.He slid through, his shoulders brushing against the rough wood of the tree.One step, then two¡­twelve steps into the darkness he took. On the twelfth, he felt something pressing against his skin.The air itself resisted him, pushing back gently.He stepped forward, determinedly, and as he breached through the barrier, he found himself somewhere else. It took him a moment to comprehend what he was seeing.The sky rose above him, stars suspended in the heavens and, yet, something was above them, bounding them.Wooden walls rose around him on all sides, giant striations swirling in unfamiliar patterns.Roaring waterfalls tumbled down their sides, spilling into silent pools which reflected the starry light. He was in a tree - an impossibly large tree. Jasper and Ihra stared at the scene before them, enraptured, until a high-pitched warble caught his attention.In a flurry of feathers, a small bird landed before him.Its bright blue feathers stood out against the deep green moss, a stripe of white running down its back.The bird cocked its head, looking at them with a curious intelligence, and chirped again. It fluttered back up into the sky, landing a few feet further into the enchanted glade. Jasper smiled.¡°Looks like we¡¯ve met the butler.¡± They followed the bird through the meadow.The air was filled with the roar of the water and the song of birds, the glade high with grass on whose tips blossomed white and pink flowers.But as they ventured deeper into the glade, the rushing water slowly gave way to the low hum of voices.At first, it was nothing more than an incomprehensible babble of sounds, a language unknown to the tongues of man, but as he listened, the meaning begin to seep into the crevices of his mind. How sweetly sway her boughs beneath the light of sun and moon How gracious are the winds and rain which make the flowers bloom Within the hallowed halls doth lie our queen, our lady strong Her bones have brought our songs to life have healed our every wrong When sun and moon and stars shall die then shall Lady Tirra rise The Spectral Spiders at her side, Within her boughs, we shall survive The choir of voices grew louder and louder, the thunder of their song drowning out the roar of the water as he came to stand before her. A great throne rose out of the pools of water, its back stretching up the trunk of the great tree.The throne was made of gold and ivory, two great deer guarding its sides, their horns sweeping back to form the armrests.And there sat Lady Tirra. Her skin was a pale silver, her eyes a deep violet that set off the cascade of ebony locks that tumbled down her shoulders, doing nothing to hide her ample bosom.Beneath her breasts, a sumptuous gown flared out, embroidered in gold and scarlet threads.Two arms sat in her lap, another two on the throne.As her eyes pierced through them, Jasper realized, with a shock, that he knew what she was. They weren¡¯t, as far as he knew, actually in the game, but they were part of its lore - the ancient race of the Mwyrani.While the gaming community had always poked fun at the Mwyrani corporation for naming one of the most powerful races in the game after themselves, there was no denying that the Mwryani were pretty cool. Jasper racked his brain, trying to remember anything useful.Supposedly the Mwyrani were, somehow, literally stars from heaven.Long, long before the empire existed or Corsythians came into being, some of the stars had descended to the surface, taking on a corporeal form.They had established a great empire far to the south, whose grandeur had never again been matched.It was a golden age of peace and prosperity, the Mwyrani ruling as living gods over the ancient men of the south. Until, that is, the Sidhe broke the ancient covenant and attacked, apparently unprovoked.In a single day, most of the Mwyrani were slaughtered, the survivors scattering into the wind.A handful of Mwyrani eventually reestablished a kingdom in the ruins of their empire, Yatru, and another band of Mwyrani led a group of human refugees north.There, under their care and protection, the first cities of the Corsythian empire were founded, ruled by men this time, rather than gods. But Jasper had thought the Mwyrani were little more than myth by now, dead gods that had fostered the growth of the Corsythians before their light had faded.But Lady Tirra was not dead. As he drew closer, he could see tendrils from the tree wrapped around her ankles, draped across her back, the flowered vines and roots so tightly enmeshed with her body that he could not tell where one begin and the other ended.Is she the tree, or a prisoner of the tree? It was a question he couldn¡¯t answer. Suddenly, her four arms slammed together, the clap of her hands ringing like the sound of thunder.Instantly the invisible choir fell silent. She peered down at him, the interest obvious on her face.¡°Tell me, what world were you taken from?¡± He was surprised by her question, managing to stammer out his response.¡°Uh, earth?¡± The Mwyrani nodded her head, her eyes growing cloudy.¡°I knew a few who escaped there, after the fall.Are you one of their servants?¡±She cocked her head, answering her own question.¡°No, your bond is not with one of us¡­you are Kas?dael¡¯s?¡± He nodded. She frowned.¡°I was unaware she poached other¡¯s servants.¡± He flushed.¡°I have never served anyone else.¡± One of her hands floated up til a finger gently rested on his chest.¡°And yet our mark lies on your heart.¡±She shook her head, her hand returning to her lap.¡°But that is not why I brought you here.You have been offered a divine path, have you not?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady." A smile flitted across her face.¡°Very well.Perform a favor for me, then, and I will grant you another step along the path.¡± Jasper hesitated.¡°Do you mind, my lady, if I ask you a question?What exactly is a divine path?The system didn¡¯t really explain it.¡± Disappointment welled in her eyes.¡°You¡¯re one of those system-bound fools?¡±She tutted her tongue.¡°What a pity.Your soul needs no such constraints.¡± Constraints? ¡°A divine path is the first step to ascension, the very path that those pathetic little cultists attempt to ape.¡± ¡°Wait - this has something to do with the cultists?¡± ¡°Do you understand what the cultists are trying to do?¡± Jasper paused to think.¡°Well, they eat souls to make themselves more powerful.¡± She nodded.¡°Technically true, I suppose.The cultists steal souls to augment their own, which in turn does indeed make them more powerful and longer-lived.But their ultimate goal, at least for the knowledgeable amongst them, is ascension.¡± ¡°And what is ascension?¡±He asked, not recalling any mention of ¡°ascension¡± in the game. The Mwyrani did not respond immediately.She cocked her head to the side, silently watching him.He squirmed the pressure of her gaze, feeling much like a rat trapped beneath the watchful eyes of a hawk. ¡°Tell me, summoned - are you familiar with Gemlir¡¯s story?¡± Lets Make a Deal Jasper nodded. ¡°Vaguely. He founded the empire, well, named after him - Gemliria - and was the primary enemy of Corsythia for millennia.¡± Lady Tirra sighed. ¡°In other words, no. Gemlir was not always the enemy of Corsythia. Although the blood of an Atrometos ran in his veins, he was, in fact, a highly skilled general in the Corsythian army. Eventually, he rose to the head of the military, second only to the Emperor in power. And then, he was offered a divine path.¡± ¡°I do not know the details of his path, but, in the end, he failed, found unworthy of ascension. Enraged, he sought a secondary source of power and he found it in his Atrometos ancestors. And so, Gemlir ascended on a pile of corpses, forging the cultists¡¯ path.¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t explain what ascension is.¡± The Mwyrani ignored him. ¡°And when Gemlir ascended, he rewarded his followers with transformation, creating a new race forged in his image. That is what ascension is. It is to wake up the embers of the Progenitor within yourself, to claim the power of creation, to cross the line from mortal to demigod.¡± His mouth fell open. ¡°And I¡¯ve been offered that?¡± Booming laughter echoed from the silver-toned sylvan on the throne. ¡°Do not get your hopes up, servant of Kas?dael. Completing the divine path is only the first step on the path to ascension - there are few indeed who ever come close to completing it. Still,¡± her mirth subsidized, ¡°that does not mean you should ignore it. Completing even a part of the path will still enhance your power.¡± A cold smile crossed her lips. ¡°And you¡¯ve found yourself rather lacking in power, haven¡¯t you?¡± One of her four hands reached out to him. ¡°Aid me, and I will grant you a step along the way.¡± He didn¡¯t take her hand, regarding it suspiciously.¡°What do you want me to do for you?¡± She withdrew her hand, letting it fall back into her lap. ¡°I need you to take a message to another god.¡± He blinked. ¡°That¡¯s it? What¡¯s the catch?¡± ¡°Arut? will not allow you to easily deliver the message. You will no doubt have to fight your way to him, but if you reach the top of his mountain, I believe he will listen to you.¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°How much fighting are we talking about?¡± A look of amusement flickered in her eyes. ¡°Does it matter? Consider the fights an extra bonus, fuel on your path to power. All you need to do is reach the top of the mountain and deliver this message.¡± She held out her hand again, an envelope suddenly appearing in her grasp. He glanced over to Ihra, who was watching him with an odd expression on her face. ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked her. ¡°About what, Jasper?¡± He waved towards the goddess. ¡°About her offer?¡± ¡°Whose offer? Jasper, you¡¯ve been talking to a pile of bones for the last fifteen minutes.¡± He glanced back at the throne, where the Mwyrani waited with an outstretched hand. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°The little fawn can¡¯t see me.¡± He jerked his head up to look at the goddess. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Arut? and I had¡­.a little disagreement in the past. Really, he overreacted, but he placed a minor curse on me. Now I can¡¯t see my followers, and they can¡¯t see anything but an unmoving skeleton when they look at me.¡± ¡°Your followers?¡± He looked around the empty room. ¡°Who do you think was singing?¡± He scratched his head. ¡°I hadn¡¯t really thought about it. It just seemed like a mystical experience.¡± Suddenly his vision changed. The throne before him was old and run down, draped in thick vines that twisted and contorted through the bones of a giant four-armed skeleton. Hundreds of eyes peered back at him from inhuman faces, beings who looked almost as if they had jellyfish on their head, long glowing tendrils hanging down around their shoulders. He only glimpsed them for a moment, before Lady Tirra reappeared. ¡°Thanks to your divine path, you can see me, but as long as you see me, you can¡¯t see them.¡± She waved the letter in his face. ¡°Please, take this to Arut?. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll see reason once you get there.¡± After a brief discussion with Ihra, Jasper finally reached up, placing a hand on the envelope, but not removing it from her hand. ¡°One last thing - if I fail, is there a penalty?¡± A pained expression crossed her face. ¡°Generally speaking, yes.¡± His hand snapped away from the letter. Spinning on his heels, Jasper turned to leave. ¡°But I will waive it this time - I promise,¡± she hastily added. Jasper hesitated, still not taking the letter. With a sigh, she continued. ¡°I, Tirra Belet-Ani, promise that I will enact no penalty on you or any others if you fail to complete the task, beyond not granting you my blessing.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Jasper took the letter. ¡°Just out of curiosity, what would the penalty have been if I failed?¡± A cold smile crossed her lips.¡°You would have joined my followers, of course.¡± An image of the jellyfish heads flashed across his mind, and he couldn¡¯t suppress his shudder as he left her throne room. As they wandered back through the flowered meadows towards the gap in the tree, Ihra pelted him with questions.¡°What was that all about?Did you see those creatures?What did she look like?¡± He just shook his head, refusing to answer. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when we leave,¡± he whispered and, reluctantly, she let it drop. Their mounts were waiting for them by the door. To his surprise, Dapplegrim and Keresh had been freshly groomed, their saddles cleaned and polished so thoroughly they shined. And there, perched on Dapplegrim¡¯s head was a small grayish bird with dark cobalt wings. A ri?maka?l? A note was tucked into his saddle. I may not be able to leave my realm, but I see far beyond its borders. Consider this a gesture of goodwill. Beside the note was a map, showing the path from the forest to the mountain of Arut?. He glanced over it quickly, a sense of relief flooding him when he saw the mountain was quite nearby. At least she¡¯s not sending me halfway across the province. ¡°Ooo, what a cutie.¡± Ihra leaned over the little bird, attempting to stroke it on its back. The ri?maka?l fluttered out of her grasp, landing on Dapplegrim¡¯s back, where it squawked indignantly at the stranger. Jasper chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think it likes you, Ihra. I guess you¡¯re not Disney princess material.¡± Ihra mock-pouted, sticking her tongue out at the bird before she leapt up on Keresh¡¯s back. ¡°What¡¯s a Disney princess?¡± Jasper pulled himself onto Dapplegrim¡¯s back, the little bird fluttering back to the horse¡¯s head, where it kept a cautious eye on him. And Jasper decided to have a little fun. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard of the fair rulers of the Magic Kingdom? Let me tell you about them.¡± A few minutes later, Ihra leaned closer, a hint of doubt in her eyes. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me there¡¯s no male rulers? Only women rule this Magic Kingdom?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s, uh-¡° he paused, his mind going blank. ¡°Um, Hercules and also Prince¡­Eric, I think? Commander Lightyear and Sheriff Woody, I guess. But the princesses are definitely the stars of the show.¡± She shook her head. ¡°What a strange kingdom. I would very much like to go there someday.¡± Jasper laughed. ¡°No, Ihra, it¡¯s a magic kingdom.¡± But behind his laughter, a bit of sorrow lurked. Ihra¡¯s words had, unintentionally, hit home - a home he could never return to. They followed the map that had been left for them, cutting a path through the enchanted forest. It was an easy ride as the trees were spaced far and wide between. The massive pines blocked the chill winds rushing off the icy mountains, the air pleasantly cool rather than cold. Despite the relatively short distance, it took them another two days to reach the base of Arut?. The mountain was taller than those around it, its ice-encrusted peak thrust high into the heavens like the finger of an angry god and, to their surprise, it was not uninhabited. As they left the shelter of Tirra¡¯s trees, a road emerged from beneath the sea of pine needles, leading toward the base of the mountain. They followed it, arriving quickly at a village. It was a breathtakingly picturesque scene, the sort of bucolic beauty that practically begged to grace the front of a postcard. The town was nestled against the flanks of the mountain, a river wrapping around a small bulge of flat land, protecting the village on all sides. The golden dome of a temple peaked above the rest of the buildings, its roof gleaming in the warm light of Shamsha, and herds of cattle grazed along the shores closest to them. ¡°Well, she certainly didn¡¯t mention this.¡± The two hesitated, reining their mounts in as they surveyed the town. ¡°Didn¡¯t she tell you you¡¯d have to do lots of fighting?¡± Ihra questioned him. ¡°Yeah¡­maybe this town is secretly full of bad guys?¡± She raised her eyebrows, looking back at the peaceful scene. ¡°Really?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Shall we proceed?¡± The two rode forward, and as they neared the town, some of the workers in the field spotted them. One begin running back toward the town, while the other approached Jasper, a wide-brimmed straw hat clutched in his hand. His eyes widened as he took in Jasper¡¯s red skin, and he bowed deeply. ¡°Greetings, my lord. Have you come to visit the shrine of Arut??¡± Jasper nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve brought a message for Lord Arut?, from Lady Tirra.¡± The man¡¯s eyes flickered to the forest behind them, neither fear nor enmity in his eyes. ¡°Of course, the goddess Tirra once often communed with our lord. You should talk to the priests in the temple - I already sent my son ahead to let them know of your arrival.¡± Jasper flipped a coin at the farmer, ¡°My thanks,¡± and the man bowed again. ¡°It was nothing, my lord.¡± The path led to the banks of the river. The skeleton of an old bridge could still be seen, its stone posts rising up from the water, but it had long since fallen into ruin, and they were forced to ford through the shallow river to reach the other side. As they rode up the main road leading toward the temple, the villagers went about their day, largely ignoring them besides the occasional stolen glance. But when they reached the golden shrine, a handful of priests were already standing on its steps. Jasper couldn¡¯t help but notice that their robes, made of pure white and emerald green, had been hastily pulled over their everyday clothes, and their long hair tied back in simple buns. One of them stepped forward, bowing again. ¡°My lord, it is rare for a southern noble to make a pilgrimage to our small shrine. May I ask what your business with the temple is?¡± Jasper pulled the envelope out of his bag, waving it in the air. ¡°I bring a message from Lady Tirra.¡± The priest¡¯s face grew troubled. ¡°Perhaps you should come inside.¡± They were ushered into the heart of the temple. A small garden blossomed in the center of the courtyard, a riot of blues and purples peppered with the occasional white face of daisies. A table was set before the statue of Arut?, laden with food and drink, which the priests led them to. ¡°Please, have a seat. The food is for all pilgrims to the house of Lord Arut?.¡± Tentatively, Jasper sat down across from Ihra, accepting the glass a servant thrust into his hands. A moment later, another filled it with spiced wine, the pungent, fragrant smell filling his nose with an almost irresistible scent. When the priests saw his hesitation, they poured wine from the same pitcher, taking a draught themselves. ¡°Tell, my lord, what do you know of the relationship between Lady Tirra and Lord Arut??¡± Jasper shrugged, finally taking a sip of the wine. ¡°Absolutely nothing.¡± ¡°They were - perhaps are? - lovers. When I was a child, Lady Tirra¡¯s followers often came to our mountain and we played in her forests. But they seem to have had a bit of a falling out - why I do not know - and it has been some time since we¡¯ve received a messenger from Lady Tirra. Do you happen to know what her message says?¡± Jasper leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing the priest for a moment, before answering. ¡°I haven¡¯t read it, no, but as I understand Lord Arut? put some kind of a curse on Lady Tirra, which she is hoping he will lift.¡± The priest sighed. ¡°That seems¡­.harmless enough, I suppose. You wouldn¡¯t be willing to allow us to read the message by any chance, would you, my lord?¡± Jasper waved the sealed envelope before them. ¡°If I haven¡¯t read it, I am certainly not going to allow you to.¡± The priest frowned but bowed his head. ¡°Very well. Allow me to convene with my associates for a few moments.¡± The Mountain God The five priests stood up from the table, retreating from the courtyard back into the temple building. ¡°What was that about?¡±Ihra asked, helping herself to a treat that looked a bit like a scone. He shook his head.¡°Who knows?They don¡¯t seem hostile but¡­¡± She smiled, patting the bow resting on the chair beside her, in easy reach.¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m ready to spring into action if need be.¡± Jasper sighed, scrutinizing the scrumptious treats laid out on the table before him.Finally, he selected one of the faux scones, topped with rich, amber-colored fruit.The first bite was sheer heaven, the crust perfectly buttery and flakey, and the fruit unlike any he had tasted on earth. As he devoured the scone, the crumbs spilling out of his mouth, he asked the question that had been bothering him since fleeing Ka?r-Kuppu?.¡°Is it always like this, or is it just me?¡± Ihra looked up from her own treat.¡°Pardon?¡± Jasper waved his hand.¡°The betrayal, the bloodshed.Outside of you, Ihra, I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ve met even one other person whom I could completely trust.Sella, Aphora, the guild at Hargish, now even Qarda.¡±He sighed.¡°She seemed like such a nice person.¡± Ihra set her scone down, a thoughtful look on her face.¡°I¡¯m not sure Qarda really wanted to betray us; I think Labbu was the one calling the shots.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°Does it matter?In the end, she chose to go along with him.She could have at least tried to warn us.But seriously, are there no nice people in this world?People on earth weren¡¯t the greatest, but at least I didn¡¯t have to worry that everyone I met might try to kill me.¡± Ihra frowned, her brow darkening as she set her scone down on the table.¡°But there are good people.Yarha¡¯s priest may have accidentally screwed us, but he also put himself on the line to protect us from the guards and refused to give the lyre to Nabul.Ba?¡¯er would still be alive today if he had just abandoned us.Ga¡¯on sacrificed himself to give us a chance to get to Gis?-Izum and raise the alarm.¡± ¡°These are the dark times, Jasper.People are scared.Usurpers sit on our throne, our capital is in the hands of invaders, and no Shamshadi?n has arisen to save us.Magic is dying, and perhaps our world with it.But there are still good people.¡± The fire of her response surprised him.Maybe, he mused, I¡¯m too used to seeing the darkness.His thoughts were interrupted as the priests returned to the courtyard.The priest they had been speaking to bowed again.¡°My lord, we have decided to permit you access to the mountain.You may attempt to deliver Lady Tirra¡¯s message to our lord.¡± Jasper hid his frown, offering a simple thanks in return.He hadn¡¯t been aware that he needed their permission - he had every intention of going with or without it - but, in the end, there was no point in offending them. The priests sat back down at the table.¡°Did Lady Tirra tell you about the trials you will face?¡± He shook his head.¡°She mentioned there¡¯d be fighting.¡± The priest smiled.¡°Yes, I suppose that¡¯s true.To seek an audience with Lord Arut? you must climb to the top of the highest peak where he dwells.But three champions bar your path.There are various ways you can pass the first two without fighting, but the third must be defeated.I myself have never made it past the third.¡± Jasper¡¯s brow shut up in surprise.¡°Really?Even his priests don¡¯t have access to his temple?¡± The man hesitated, choosing his words carefully.¡°Lord Arut? is¡­particular.He is a great believer in rewarding merit, and values prowess in combat greatly.If you wish him to regard Lady Tirra¡¯s request favorably, I strongly suggest you fight all three guardians.To pass his champions through other means may displease him.¡± Jasper nodded, taking another sip of the spiced wine.¡°Very well.Are you able to tell me anything about the guardians I¡¯ll be facing?¡± The priest shook his head regretfully.¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot help you much there, my lord.The first two guardians are spirits; they have no natural form but will adapt to the individual challenger.The tests have never, to my knowledge, been repeated twice.The final guardian, however, is always the same.In order to enter the temple on the peak, you must defeat a creature of the shadowed moon.The beast is much like a Shalgu, only far greater.¡± Jasper grinned, taking another bite of the delicious delicacy.¡°Well, I have fought a shalgu before; hopefully that will serve me in good stead.¡± At the priests¡¯ insistence, they spent the night in the temple.It was a simple building; aside from the luscious garden and finely carved emblem of Arut?, the temple was positively spartan in its decorations.But to Jasper¡¯s surprise, the thin cotton pallet offered to him was as soft as a cloud, and he soon slipped into a peaceful sleep. The mountain towered above him, the pale, snow-covered peak almost glowing when set against the ominous storm clouds that covered the horizon.A chill rain fell from the heavens, punctuated by flashes of lightning that bridged the gap between heaven and earth.He was standing at the base of the mountain, a narrow path leading up the sides from the flat plain.The wind howled through the tall, purplish-gray grass which swayed back and forth, the blades glistening from the endless rain. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Where am I?Ihra?Jasper glanced around, confused, as the realization slowly sunk in.I¡¯m in a vision again.His eyes fell on the path leading into the mountain, and he knew where he had to go. He stumbled up the path. The bare rocks were slippery in the cold rain, making his every step treacherous.The world around him twisted, warping and distorting as he hiked up the trail.ne step would cover a hundred feet, another only ten, as the mountain beneath his feet tremble.Within minutes, he had reached the peak.A cliff overlooked the valley below and, despite the pelting rain, it offered a breathtaking view.He could see the village, nestled at the foot of the mountains, the Mwyrani''s forest sprawling across the river, and even the frozen shores of Hurbas?u gleaming in the distance. A man sat on the cliff, his legs dangling over the side.His skin gleamed silver in the flashes of lightning, and the four arms that sprouted from his back left no doubt as to his identity.Jasper approached cautiously, bowing respectfully.¡°Lord Arut??¡± The Mwyrani didn¡¯t turn to face him but patted the ground beside him with one of his giant hands.¡°Have a seat, boy.¡± Jasper sat down carefully, staring rather apprehensively at the sheer drop off the cliff.He would stoutly deny that he was afraid of heights, but he sure as hell didn¡¯t like them, either.How far down is it?A couple of thousand feet at least. ¡°So, Tirra has finally seen reason?¡± Jasper shifted uncomfortably.¡°Truth be told, Lord Arut?, I haven¡¯t seen the message and know nothing of your conflict beyond her¡­difficulties being seen.¡± The Mwyrani snorted.¡°She and I fled the ruins of our empire together, bound ourselves to these lands together, and when we pass into Oblivion, we shall cross those shores together.This is nothing more than a passing quarrel. I knew she''d eventually apologize." Jasper decided to take the plunge. "What was the quarrel about?" The mountain boomed with laughter. "You''re a bold one, aren''t you? Tirra had the gall to transform one of my faithful servants into one of those ugly hammu?ti of hers, so I decided if she was going to steal one of my followers, she could spend a little time separated from hers." The Mwyrani grinned, revealing a mouthful of jet-black teeth.But I will happily lift the curse, if you successfully beat my champions.¡±The silver-skinned god turned to face him.¡°I warn you, though, I will not make it easy.Merit must be earned, not given.¡± The god slapped his hands against the ground, pushing himself up awkwardly.He stopped a few feet away, calling over his shoulder.¡°Do be sure to win, Jasper.I want this little feud to be over with.¡±Then he disappeared into the mists. Jasper pushed himself away from the edge, not daring to stand up until he was several feet away from the fateful ledge.A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dark plateau, and a flash of something on the ground caught his eyes. Curiously, he approached it.There, embedded in the giant handprint of the god, was a small silver object.He hesitated before touching it; his experience with Kas?dael¡¯s dice had been a very, very painful lesson in the dangers of curiosity.But he had a feeling that the object had been left on purpose -fter all, it seemed like Lord Arut? wanted him to win. So cautiously, he let his fingers brush against the thin silver ornament.A small prick of pain blossomed on his finger and he jerked it back immediately, half-expecting to be writhing on the ground in agony.But aside from the single drop of blood that welled up, nothing further happened.ith a shrug, he picked the object up and shoved it in his pocket. The moment he pulled his hand free from his pocket, the ground beneath his feet crumbled, as the cliff face suddenly gave way to the endless pull of gravity.With a scream, he tumbled through the air, plummeting toward the distant base of the mountain, the cold air whipping through his hair with the force of a hurricane.And then, just as he was about to smash into the ground, he awoke on the cot, gasping for air. The full force of daylight flooded the small room, the shudders open just wide enough to let the light in while still barring most of the cool mountains winds.It took a few minutes of deep, conscious breathing before Jasper¡¯s heart finally stopped racing and, as before, the line between the vision and reality was blurry at best.His finger ached where it had been pricked, a small scab covering the minor wound, and in his pocket, a small silver object dug into his leg. He fished it out, finally able to examine it in the light.The metal, despite its overall silver sheen, was covered with subtle swirls of an orangey color, the object itself little more than three inches long and half as wide. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ihra rose sleepily from her pallet, blearily wiping the sleep from her eyes. He tossed it at her, and her eyes lit up as she examined it.¡°Hey, I think I recognize this.¡±She dug through her bag, pulling out the rune book Aphora had given her.After a few minutes, her fingers came to rest on a page.¡°Here it is.It¡¯s an ingredient for a powerful combat rune.Aphora has a little note in the margins - ''very expensive, only use in emergency.''¡±Ihra closed the book, examining it more closely. "If Aphora thinks it''s expensive, it must be really outrageous." She looked up expectantly.¡°So how did you get it?¡± Jasper smirked.¡°Let¡¯s just say Lady Tirra isn¡¯t the only one hoping for our success.¡± After scarfing down a sumptuous breakfast that the priests insisted on serving them, the pair left the temple and promptly headed down the main road of the village.The priests had not permitted them to take their mounts, insisting the trail was sacred and could not be fouled by unholy animals.So they were forced to carry their own gear.It was with some reluctance that Jasper had strapped the heavy glaive to his back; he didn¡¯t use it often, preferring his spells to the clash of cool steel, but it was always a good thing to have options.Plus, the Shalgu we fought was pretty resistant to my spells, he reasoned. Within minutes, they had reached the edge of town.A large stone gate, made from three giant slabs of rock that looked as if they had been stolen right out of Stonehenge, loomed above the base of the trail leading up the mountain. He turned to Ihra, who had slung her bag off her shoulder and was spreading items all across the ground. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked, confused. ¡°Just making sure I''ve got everything,¡± she replied, checking on each item before she begin to stuff them back into Nabul¡¯s bag of holding.¡°I''d hate to get all the way up to the peak and realize I left some important ingredient behind.¡±She stood up, brushing the dust off her palms, as she slung the bag back over her shoulders.¡°Alright, I''m ready now.¡± Jasper didn''t need to be told a second time, turning quickly back toward the gate. But just as he was about to step through the stone arch, the sound of a shout echoed behind him. ¡°Wait!Wait for me!¡± An Old Enemy Confused, Jasper turned around, a spell already beginning to form on the tips of his fingers as he searched for the source of the voice.Who the hell could it be? A young woman raced down the street toward them, waving her arms vigorously, as her long brown hair bounced up and down on her shoulders.A slightly older man trailed behind her, a large pack protruding from his back like the hump of a camel. The woman stumbled up to them, her breaths coming fast and hard. Far from the pale but perfect beauty of the elves or Moon-kissed, she had that typical girl-next-door look, her long, brown hair offset by a smattering of light freckles that highlight her wide, doe eyes. Her age was hard to guess, but Jasper thought she wouldn''t seem out of a place at a college kegger. Or she could be eighty, he admitted to himself. Aphora looked about thirty and was at least a couple hundred years old, so who knows? ¡°Thanks - huh - thanks for waiting,¡± she finally managed to say between breaths.¡°I was afraid I was going to miss you again.¡± ¡°Again?Do we know you?¡±Ihra shot an incredulous look at Jasper as she asked the question, and he shrugged in response.The girl didn¡¯t look like anybody he knew - although, on second thought, he decided that there was something slightly familiar about her face.Somebody we met at the guild, maybe? The woman shook her head, straightening up as she caught her breath.¡°Nope, you never met me.¡±She nodded her head to the left, imitating the elven custom.¡°But I¡¯m a friend of a friend.¡± ¡°Pretty sure my only friend in these parts is standing right here.¡±Jasper pointed at Ihra. But the girl pressed on, apparently unperturbed.¡°My m-,¡± she cut her words off abruptly, ¡°uh, Lady Aphora suggested I meet up with you.I¡¯m Tsia?qa, but you can call me Tsia.¡± Reflexes die hard.Despite knowing better, Jasper found himself thrusting out his hand for a friendly handshake.Which, of course, they didn¡¯t do in Corsythia. The girl stared at his hand for a second, and then, with a little shrug, took it, kissing the back of his hand.He jerked it back in surprise, feeling more than a bit embarrassed, but her dark brown eyes were sparkling with amusement as she looked up at him.¡°What strange customs you Summoned must have - around here the men kiss the women''s hands.¡±She looked at the man who had joined her and nudged him in the side.¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Ne?s?u.Offer your hand to the lady.¡± Reluctantly, the manservant offered his hand to Ihra, who, with an equal share of reluctance kissed it, her cheeks blushing. Seeing the scowl she threw at him, Jasper quickly hid his amusement, preferring to brush the misunderstanding. ¡°So you know Lady Aphora?¡± The brunette nodded.¡°Yes, she was supposed to¡­¡± she paused.Is she searching for the right words or searching for a lie? Jasper wondered.¡°She was supposed to mentor me, but now that she has chosen to cross the River, she suggested I seek you out.¡± Jasper couldn¡¯t hide the surprise in his voice.¡°Why?I¡¯m hardly equipped to mentor anyone." She glanced meaningfully at his red skin, and he scoffed. "Believe me - despite my appearance, I barely know what I¡¯m doing myself.¡± Tsia shook her head.¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that.Aphora believed that your paths were destined to cross again in the future, and she promised that once she had created her safe haven in the West, I could join her.¡± The woman couldn¡¯t keep the pleading out of her eyes.¡°Do you mind if I tag along with you guys for the time being?I promise I''ll be useful.¡±She lifted her hands, and immediately a gentle breeze sprung up, the wind swiftly picking speed, twisting and turning, as a small whirlwind formed in her palms. Jasper caught Ihra¡¯s eye and this time she was the one to shrug.¡°It''s fine with me, but I''ll do whatever you want.¡± He remembered the conversation from earlier in the day and made his decision.I¡¯ll give the light a chance.¡°Alright, Tsia, you can come with us - conditionally.¡± She positively beamed with delight, releasing the little tornado with a wave of her hand.¡°Wonderful.You¡¯ll have to catch me on what you¡¯re doing here.¡± As they began the hike up the mountain, the three chatted, Tsia¡¯s servant staying relatively silent.While forthcoming in most areas, Tsia dodged questions about Aphora, her answers vague and noncommittal.But the more Jasper talked with her, the more his concerns ebbed away, as he started to put the pieces of the puzzle together.Her reluctance to talk about Aphora, the familiarity of her face, Nabul¡¯s insinuations about Aphora¡¯s romantic habits - they all added up to a single, compelling picture. She was Aphora''s daughter. In the end, Jasper decided he was content to let Tsia keep her little secret.He¡¯d still keep one eye cocked, but he didn¡¯t think she meant them any harm. The trail up the mountain was steep.A thick forest of trees blanketed its slopes, nothing like the massive redwood-esque pines that filled Tirra¡¯s lands.Giant boulders were scattered here and there beside the path, the rocks providing a break in the tree line that offered some truly specular views.But Jasper had a hard time enjoying the hike as the prospect of the three fights awaiting them hung over his head like the sword of Damocles. It was already midday when they reached the first clearing.The steep incline leveled off, allowing a relatively flat plateau to emerge from the mountain''s side.The trees had clearly been cut back - whether by the villagers or the guardians of Arut? he could not tell - and a small shrine had been erected near the edge of the overlook. The group peered cautiously into the clearing. After determining that there was no sign of any enemy, they approached the shrine.It was a simple affair. A small pagoda, open to the air on two sides, sheltered a stone altar quite similar to the one on top of the Tower of Ysagil.A basin was carved into the rock face, ringed by runes cut deep into the rim.Jasper couldn¡¯t read the runes, but he didn¡¯t need to.He knew what he had to do. Why is it always blood? He grumbled to himself. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Reluctantly, Jasper made a small cut on his arm, allowing a few drops of blood to drip into the basin.He waited expectantly for the runes to light up, but nothing happened. ¡°Maybe we all have to offer some?¡±Ihra suggested.The three followed suit, each donating to the basin. As soon as Ne?s?u had made his contribution, the runes lit up.With a sudden whoosh, the blood burst into flames as an acrid, metallic scent filled the air. Above them, hidden in the rafters of the pagoda, a bell began to ring. As Jasper turned to face the clearing, a whirlwind of leaves rose from the ground.The cyclone whirled in place, a miniature tornado of wind and leaves in the center of the clearing, for several minutes. Then it ceased. As the leaves fell listlessly down, the spirit emerged from the whirlwind. Jasper¡¯s heart caught in his throat as he saw it: the fallen Queen of Als?arratu stood before them.She looked, if possible, even more deranged than the last time he had seen her.The majestic antlers on her head were dirty and broken, with clods of dirt clinging to her shattered tines.The deer fur had spread even further across her skin, looking like a mottled and moth-bitten pelt, and her face was unnaturally long and deformed.But there was still no mistaking her. He stepped back reflexively, almost cowering as the woman who had killed him emerged from the cyclone.Ihra and Tsia were as shocked as he as the ghost of their past strode across the clearing.The beast''s gait was confident, its hooves digging into the soft turf as it waved the colossal spear clutched in its right hand. His stupor was broken as a fierce cold begin to spread up his armor, emanating from the charm the Fey leader had given him.Shaking the unnatural fear off, Jasper finally sprang into action.This was not the Queen, after all: just an imposter wearing her face. Getting a tight grip on his glaive, he cast the spell.Seraph Burst.Jasper shot across the clearing, bridging the space between him and the spirit in an instant.But with a calm, measured movement, the spirit simply stepped to the side, allowing him to shoot past her harmlessly. He landed in the dirt, the spell ripping the soft turf to shreds. Ignoring his hapless attack, the spirit blurred forward, the spear suddenly lengthening as the Queen jabbed it straight at Tsia¡¯s throat. The princess stood frozen, staring with horror as the grandmother she¡¯d never known but always heard about, suddenly descended upon her in a storm of wrath.But the blade was turned aside as Ne?s?u stepped in.Shrugging the pack of his shoulders, he managed to swing his sword up just in time to parry the blow, as he drug Tsia back with his other hand, pulling her roughly by the hair.¡°Snap out of it,¡± he roared. Jasper picked himself up, spitting a mouthful of dirt on the ground as he cast Fiery Shackles. The queen lurched to a halt as the manacles sprung up around her ankles, her fur igniting in a shower of sparks.Snatching up his glaive, he began to race back toward the fray, not trusting that he could successfully cast Seraph¡¯s Burst without accidentally harming one of his comrades. With the initial moment of shock gone, the four flung themselves into the battle.While they would have been no match for the true Queen of Als?arratu, the spirit was not her equal.The creature''s prowess with the spear, which like the queen¡¯s could quickly alter in shape and length, was exceptional, but it seemed unable to cast any spells.Still, her vastly superior speed made it a difficult battle. Ne?s?u flung himself into the forefront of the fight, doing his best to keep the queen away from Ihra and Tsia, who barraged the spirit with their arrows and spells.But the queen¡¯s speed was so overwhelming that the warrior struggled to defend himself from the relentless hail of blows that rained down on his head. Jasper closed the distance quickly, refreshing his spell as he neared the queen. When the blazing manacles sprang up around its feet, the queen suddenly pivoted her attention back to him, a baleful glare on her face. The enchanted spear ripped toward him, its shaft tripling in length as it whistled straight toward his heart.Somehow, Jasper reacted, throwing himself to the ground ashe spear passed mere inches above his head. He rolled forward, stumbling back to his feet as the queen was forced to swing the spear back toward the rest of his group, blocking a blow from Ne?s?u. Jasper''s mind raced through his spells as he reached the queen.He had been afraid to use Shooting Star - Qara¡¯s words of warning about friendly fire still rung in his ears - but at close range he had more options.He cast two spells both in quick succession.Purge.Scourge of Despair. The first, as he had rather expected, failed; he wasn¡¯t surprised the champion of Arut?, regardless of whose skin it was wearing, wasn¡¯t considered evil.The scourge, however, connected.He winced as the fiery lash cracked against the creature¡¯s back and bounced off, narrowly missing smashing into Ne?s?u¡¯s face who, fortunately, managed to duck.Oops. The welcome wailing of the specters filled the air as he slashed at the queen with his glaive. The fight turned into a war of attrition.Even with the specters¡¯ aid, the spirit¡¯s speed was so fast that it was difficult to land a blow, her ever-changing spear capable of clearing a wide swath around her.Jasper¡¯s alternate casting of Fiery Shackles and Scourge of Despair helped to keep the spirit pinned down while he and Ne?s?u kept her occupied, allowing Ihra and Tsia to try to pierce her defenses.One small wound after another opened up, thick viscous blood matting the mottled fur, but the fight dragged on as none of them were capable of landing a killing blow. In the end, the blood loss got to it.The faux queen¡¯s movements grew sluggish and sloppy, and the openings became larger and easier to exploit.When the creature finally fell to its knees, its fearsome spear clutched listlessly at his side, Jasper got the death blow in, slashing his glaive through its neck in a shower of viscera. The queen collapsed on the ground, her body a mess of fur and blood, as the four gathered around it.Excluding the final battle against the true queen, it was the longest fight Jasper had ever been in.Leaning against his glaive, it was all he could do to keep standing as his head pounded with the sort of fury only felt when his essence had bottomed out. As they watched, the corpse begin to dissolve into a pile of leaves, which fluttered through the air, spinning and flying as the whirlwind returned. With a groan, Jasper pushed himself upright, readying his glaive.Please don¡¯t let there be a second phase to this boss. But his worries were for naught.The spirit emerged from the whirlwind, but no longer wore the skin of the queen.Its body, a living mass of constantly shifting leaves, was vaguely humanoid in shape, aside from four gauzy wings that fluttered on its back, and its eyes burned with an eldritch fire as it approached them. The four tensed, preparing for a fight, but the creature offered no hostility.Instead, as it approached Jasper, the spirit held a bundle in its outstretched hand. the creature melted away. Within seconds its leaves had drifted back into the waiting forests, indistinguishable in the thick foliage. The Entrance to Arallu? It had rained for three weeks. Three. bloody. weeks. The trail across the plains had vanished into the mud long ago, leaving their caravan¡¯s mounts to struggle as they plodded through the muck day after day. As the rain ran down her back in full-fledged rivulets, Aphora could not help but question her choices. They had crossed the River yesterday. After the weeks of rain, the river was frothing, raging against the banks which sought to constrain its fury.She had never actually visited it before; it was, after all, a river associated with death for her people - not exactly a popular tourist destination - but the river''s sheer size had blown her away.Even without the rain, the river was so wide that the other side could only be seen on a clear day. Now, with the weather?It had been all but impassable, the river dangerously swollen, its waters swift and rushing.No ferry or captain had been willing to take them across, and she doubted even the best of her mages would have been able to create a temporary bridge several miles long. But the Children of St. Martin had more tricks up their sleeves than Aphora had expected.After a few fruitless days of searching for someone willing to ferry them across, Tesha-Istana¡¯s crew had ¡°discovered¡± a passage leading underneath the River. Aphora had no idea how they managed it, and she doubted Tesha would answer if she asked.But their underground passage had done the trick.Although the ground above them shook from the raging waters overhead, the tunnel held, and they had emerged on the other side. Into the West. Aphora had heard all the stories about the West, and she knew they were more than just stories.When the Desolyton finally came to an end, and the triumphant armies of the Empire marched deep into the West, sacking the capital of Gemlir and Malkob, thousands of elves had accompanied them, dismissing the legends about the West as ancient myths. But the Sidhe, the gods of the West, were all too real.For reasons no one understood, they completely ignored the Corsythian troops; even as the Empire burned down the cities of the Gemlirians - the Sidhe¡¯s own allies, they did not lift a finger to harm the Corsyths.But of the thousands of elves that crossed the River, only a few hundred had returned, each one haunted by the horrors that had stalked them. No, Aphora believed the stories, but she had still been unprepared for what awaited them on the other side.From the moment her mount had emerged from the underground passage and taken its first step on the surface, an unrelenting feeling of fear and malevolence had hung over her and the rest of the elves in her company.Nothing had attacked them thus far, but her confidence in her plan had been shaken.Reflexively her hand patted her bag, searching for the comforting feel of the edekk?; she could only hope they had guided her true.
Months Later ¡°Lady Aphora?¡± She looked up from her makeshift desk toward the opening of the tent.A trickle of water flowed through the flaps, muddying the rug stretched across the dirt.She sighed, reluctantly closing the book she had been working on. ¡°Come in.¡± A man ducked through the flaps, rain dripping off his coat onto her floor.She closed her eyes for a moment, struggling to recall his name.Over the last few months, she had gotten to know her people better than before - many of her elves in the past preferred to dwell deep in the jungles, far from the Corinthian cities - but a few thousand names was still not easy to pick up.But the messenger¡¯s name came to her. Opening her eyes, she smiled at him.¡°Well, Ma?rs?ipru, what do you need?¡± The messenger straightened up, happy at the recognition.¡°Commander Tesha sent me for you, Lady Aphora.She believes she has found it.¡± Aphora nearly knocked the table over as she abruptly stood up.¡°She found the entrance?¡±she demanded. The messenger nodded.¡°She thinks so - Commander Tesha needs your help to open it.¡± Aphora immediately turned, heading toward the back of the tent for her gear.Hastily pulling on her boots and a shawl to block out the worst of the rain, she joined the messenger.¡°Take me to her, Ma?rs?ipru.¡± The instant she left the tent, the rain pelted down on her, the constant, cold precipitation driving against her with the fury of the gods.They had only encountered a few locals on their trips - the lands of the former Gemlirian empire had been largely depopulated after the Desolyton, although some were now returning - but the locals, glaring at them with hatred in their eyes, had told them that the constant rains were not natural.They were the wrath of the Sidhe. Aphora had done her best to keep her people safe and, thanks in large part to the Children of St. Martin, she had largely succeeded thus far.A thousand tents full of elves surrounded her, their white exteriors standing out like beacons in the dark, stormy day. Yes, they had mostly succeeded - but not entirely. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Although there had been no major attacks against them, more than a few of their number had mysteriously vanished in the night.Some, perhaps, had merely lost their nerve, fleeing back toward the safety of the lands beyond the River - although Aphora doubted that they would survive long enough to reach those shores.But others had been¡­found. She shuddered as the image of their mutilated bodies flashed before her eyes.Flesh carved with cruel sigils, eyes gouged out, limbs hacked off and reattached in unnatural positions for some unknown dark ritual. Aphora pressed on through the rain with renewed urgency.They had to find the entrance, as soon as possible.Maybe, once beneath the surface, they would finally be out of reach of the dark gods. As they reached the gate of the camp, a squadron of soldiers was already waiting for them.Most were the Children of St. Martin, but a few of her trusted warriors greeted her as well.Aphora mostly trusted the Children; thus far they had been reliable allies, but she still preferred to keep a few elves around her, just in case.Compared to the rest of the Fey, the Children were downright angels, but at the end of the day, they were still Fey.Just ask the Seraphs, she thought, her lips twisting into a wry smile. The excavation was an hour¡¯s ride from camp as the site was situated at the top of a craggy hill on whose peak sat the ruins of a Gemlirian city, destroyed no doubt during the Desolyton.They had been forced to chase away a group of Gemlirian settlers that were slowly rebuilding the city, which only added to their urgency. While still a mere shadow of their former glory, a number of Gemlirian lords further to the west had recently banded together and it was possible, albeit unlikely, that they might send forces to investigate the intruders.Aphora hoped they would be safely underground by then. As she road up the shattered hill, her mind drifted, visions of her mother and her children fighting for space.With a shake of her head, Aphora dismissed the specters haunting her, hardening her resolve.She had to do this; she had to save them. When they reached the dig site, Aphora left her stag behind, descending deep into the pit that the crew had dug out over the last few weeks.The rain poured down the walls unrelentingly, and the bottom was filled with two feet of cold, muddy water.Sandbags peeked out of the water every few feet, forging a relatively dry path through the pit. But Aphora didn¡¯t care about the water or the mud, as her attention was completely transfixed by the gate that rose before her. A jade triangle was set into the wall, 80 feet below the city''s ruins.Seemingly made of a single piece of rock, runes covered every inch of its surface.As she got closer, Aphora could tell that not a trace of power remained in them.The runes were dead. Tesha-Istana stood by the door, bundled up far more heavily than the elves - the Children of St. Martin were not used to dealing with weather - but she beamed as Aphora approached.¡°My elders were right!We have found the gate where they predicted.¡± Aphora closed the distance, staring up at the giant portal with a slight frown. The Fey picked up on it.¡°Is there a problem?¡± Aphora grimaced, running her hand along the chiseled face of the jade door.¡°The runes are dead.Whatever power was in them has long since been drained away.¡± Tesha¡¯s enthusiasm deflated in an instant.¡°There must be a way to open it.¡± The rain pelted down on the pair as Aphora studied the runes, the muddy waters swirling around them as the pit transformed into a pond.Despite her years of training in the arcane arts, Aphora still struggled to decipher the full meaning of the runes.The script was archaic and the Fey runes, although similar to the ones she knew, differed just enough to make things difficult. But a few hours later, as she turned to face the Child of St. Martin, Aphora allowed herself a smile.¡°I believe I have a solution.¡±
Performing a ritual in perpetual rain at the bottom of a water-filled pit proved to be a bigger challenge than Aphora had initially expected.After trying unsuccessfully to drain enough water from the bottom of the pit to allow her to form the ritual circle, they had been forced to come up with a new plan.Their solution?Roofing over the top of a pit as big as a colosseum. The task was too much for the Children of St. Martin to do on their own and thus, despite her better judgment, the elves had been forced to leave the relative safety of their fortified camp and work in ruins and surrounding forest, gathering the wood needed to complete the task.The workers in the forest had suffered almost constant attacks. Wild animals, enraged beyond all reason, launched suicide attacks against them, traps set by unseen hands closed in around them, and even spells cast by hidden assailants rained down in them. In the space of a few days, their losses were doubled. But they had succeeded. Once the pit was dried out, Aphora herself crafted the ritual circle before the Fey door, sacrificing enough ingredients to ransom a king.It was the largest and most complex ritual she had ever performed and as she stepped into the circle, she couldn¡¯t quench the shiver of fear that ran down her back. Most people who could harness the power of runes never advanced beyond minor spells, held back by a lack of knowledge, a lack of talent, or a lack of money.Or for most, all three.As a result, few had ever had the opportunity to perform higher-level rituals. Aphora didn¡¯t know exactly where the energy the runes used came from, but she had long since realized that what made runic mages special, what allowed everything to work, was their ability to serve as a conduit for that power.And when an unimaginable amount of power flows through your body, it¡¯s accompanied by an equally unimaginable amount of pain. She pushed the fear away as she sat down to begin the ritual, opening her soul to the power.I hope I don¡¯t blackout this time. Aphora didn¡¯t remember much of what followed, as the torrent of power rushed through her, channeled through her body into her carefully crafted formation, and, from there, into the silent jade gate.She couldn¡¯t hear the screams coming from her lips, the blood leaking from her eyes and ears as she focused her will on the runes.But at some point, the pain stopped. As the runes on the door glowed with eldritch light, a hand fell on her shoulder.Looking up, she saw Tesha standing beside her, a wide grin on her face as her lips moved silently. My ears are blown out, she realized. Stumbling to her feet, the elf and Fey leaders approach the arch. They stopped before the now-glowing jade gate, and the Child of St. Martin drew an incantation out of her bag - a password of sorts to the door. The Fey looked over at the elf, a newfound measure of respect in her eyes.¡°Are you ready, Lady Aphora?¡± Aphora nodded wearily, her throat protesting as she croaked out her response.¡°Indeed.Let¡¯s open Arall?.¡± The Yelekki Jasper examined the object the spirit had given him with more than a speck of curiosity. Is this¡­loot? The bundle proved to contain a small shortsword, bound in a simple leather sheaf. The sword''s hilt was simple and unornamented, but when he drew the blade from its scabbard, Jasper could tell that the weapon was finely made. He gave it a test swing, swishing the sword through the air, and resheathed it. ¡°Anyone want a sword?¡± Ihra patted her hip, from which Aphora¡¯s misericorde now dangled. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Ne?s?u and Tsia rejected it as well, so, with a shrug, Jasper fastened the shortsword to his belt. He didn¡¯t see himself using it much but at least he¡¯d be able to activate his Heartstopper ability with it. There was really no reason for them to linger any longer in the clearing. Reluctantly the four found the path again, heading higher up the mountain. If the previous trail had been steep, this section made the prior look like a Sunday stroll through Central Park. They scrambled across sharp rocks and fallen trees, the gravel all but disappearing as the trail melted into the wilderness around them. Only the small stone cairns, erected every few hundred feet, reassured them that they were headed in the right direction. The sun was already threatening to dip beneath the mountain peaks when they reached the second clearing. It was smaller than the first, the trees crowding the edges of the clearing like a crowd of eager onlookers at a soccer game. But the setup was the same - a small shrine perched on the edge of the overlook. Jasper paused at the altar, turning to the rest. ¡°Do you want to do this now, or wait till the morning?¡± Ne?s?u, surprisingly, was the first to speak. ¡°Let us do it now. It is always better to enjoy a night of rest after a hard battle won than to go to sleep with the battle yet to be fought.¡± Ihra nodded, her hand absentmindedly fondling the misericorde. ¡°I¡¯d rather get it over with. If we hurry, we can get it done before the sun sets.¡± He looked at Tsia, who simply shrugged. With a sigh, Jasper reopened the wound on his arm, allowing a few drops of blood to drip into the basin, and the others followed suit. The same scene played out before them. The gentle breeze whispering through the tips of the trees turned into a gale, a storm of leaves coalescing into a whirlwind within the meadow. But unlike before, no fell beast stepped out of the storm. Instead, the whirlwind exploded, shooting hundreds of leaves out in every direction. As they fell, the shower of green and golden leaves changed, each one morphing into small, humanoid creatures.Their skin was a bright blue, and their eyes glowed yellow in the fading sunlight. Despite the fact that most of them barely came up to Jasper¡¯s waist, when their baleful eyes turned on the four a sudden shiver of fear ran down his spine. This was practically a small army. ¡°Yelekki,¡±Tsia whispered beside him. Ne?s?u nodded, clapping Jasper on the back. ¡°This is good. They are weak to fire, my friend.¡± ¡°We still need to control the battlefield,¡± Ihra pointed out. ¡°If we just run out into the middle, they¡¯ll overrun us with sheer numbers.¡± ¡°We can use the shrine for cover. I¡¯ll get their attention and lure them back here. Then Ne?s?u and I can try to hold the steps of the shrine while you two pick them off from behind.¡± Jasper started walking toward the meadow. ¡°Do you need help?¡± Ne?s?u called. A grin crept over his face, hidden in the dying daylight. ¡°No, I think I¡¯ve got this.¡± He lifted his hands up, fire crackling at the tips of his fingers. ¡°For a change, I have the perfect spell.¡± After the battle at Als?arratu, Jasper had learned two important lessons.First, he had nowhere near enough essence to keep going in a long battle.That was a problem that only levels could solve, although his essence pool had improved significantly since then. But the second was that he needed a spell that could deal damage to large numbers. He hadn¡¯t really had the chance to try Shooting Star out for what it was intended, but as he stared at the little blue, goblin-like horde surrounding them, he knew that chance had come. Shooting Star. Shooting Star. Shooting Star. Shooting Star. Jasper unleashed a veritable barrage of the spell and forty small fiery orbs smashed into the horde, ripping through it like grapeshot. The little blue beings thrashed around on the ground, the fire spreading across every limb of their bodies, but their screams of agony were quickly replaced with roars of rage. As one, the horde charged at him. He booked it back to the shrine, his long legs outpacing the enraged yelekki. Reaching the steps of the shrine, he whirled into place and unleashed another two rounds of Shooting Star.Another swathe of the enemies fell screaming, the fire spreading quickly from through their front row, but Jasper couldn¡¯t afford to keep casting the spell; already, his essence had fallen beneath fifty percent. Taking a defensive stance, he readied his glaive as the horde surged through the flames. Your turn, Ihra. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Ihra couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch of envy as she watched her partner practically melt through the enemies.With a few simple spells, he had killed nearly a hundred of the little critters. She aimed her bow at one of the yelekkis¡¯ heads, hesitating for just a moment. The little blue humanoid had big wide eyes, with two tiny fangs jutting out of its oversized mouth. It even wore a little vest, and its neatly trimmed hair was tossled by the wind as it waved its small sword in their direction. They¡¯re so damn cute. Then she released the arrow. A second later its head burst in a shower of gore, but Ihra had already moved on, her next target selected. Once Jasper stopped casting spells, and was forced to rely on his glaive, swinging it back and forth through the enraged horde, Ihra was reminded of the downside of being a mage. As long as you have essence, you¡¯re a god. And once you run out, you¡¯re a cut-rate soldier. Jasper stumbled backward as two of the small creatures slipped beneath the swing of his glaive. One of the cute little goblinoids leapt on his head, burying its teeth in his ear while another latched onto his leg like an enraged toddler. Ihra fired off a judicious arrow, dislodging the one attached to his ear, while Jasper, with a prodigious kick, shook off the other, sending it flying back into the night. She shook her head. The glaive was a fantastic weapon for holding off normal-sized foes, but the horde of little buggers was another matter altogether. Once they managed to slip beneath the long reach of his weapon, the glaive¡¯s primary strength became a weakness. She sent an arrow through the head of another goblinoid leaping toward Jasper¡¯s head. ¡°Use your sword.¡± She had to scream to be heard over the screeches and hollering of the horde. He unleashed another spell, melting the yelekki near him, as he cast a wild eye back at her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The sword the spirit gave you - use it!¡± Dropping the glaive at his feet, he drew the sword and, in one swift motion, plunged it through the heart of one of the yelekki that had braved the fires. Still, as the fight dragged on, Ihra couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was falling behind. Jasper needed more essence, but his spells were already extremely powerful; what he lacked would come with time and more levels. But how long would her arrows stay useful? She had felt useless in the fight against the fake queen. No, what she needed was a class change. Ihra suddenly released that the petite brunette beside her had gone silent for a few minutes, no more spells blasting into the horde. Out of essence, perhaps. She surveyed the horde as reached for another arrow; it had thinned considerably, but there were still too many for her liking. That¡¯s one good thing about my class at least; as long as I have stamina, I have arrows, and I have a hell of a lot of stamina. She snuck a glance over to Tsia. The girl had an intense look of concentration on her face, magic swirling between her outstretched hands. Ihra was forced to look away, picking off a yelekki clinging to Ne?s?u¡¯s arm. But a moment later, a shrill scream erupted beside her. ¡°Everyone get down - Meh?zaqqiqu.¡± Jasper and Ne?s?u threw themselves to the ground as the spell left her lips. A giant arc of wind shot forward from the mage; it could only be described as wind made solid and forged into the wickedly sharp sword of a giant. It sliced through the horde, its onslaught separating limb from a limb before the spell guttered out fifty feet away from them. The yelekki had been decimated, mere handfuls left of the hundreds that had thronged the shrine. With renewed energy the four fell on them, Jasper sacrificing the last of his essence to release a deadly barrage of fire. With an exhausted sigh, Ihra dropped to her knees. Two battles down, one to go. She could only pray to Selene that her runes would prove useful in the final battle.
This time, when the spirit reformed into an avatar of leaves, Jasper was ready. The forest spirit approached him, an offering held out in its hand. But it waltzed right past him, bowing to Tsia instead. Is it rewarding the ¡°MVP¡± of the battle? A delicate silver necklace was entwined in its fingers which it, bending down over her, place around the mage¡¯s neck. Once the gift was around Tsia¡¯s neck, the spirit disappeared in a flurry of leaves. ¡°Does it do something?¡± Ihra asked, peering over Jasper¡¯s shoulder to get a better look at the necklace. Tsia touched it, rubbing her fingers over the small charm that dangled at the end. ¡°No description box popped up, but I feel kind of¡­refreshed? It probably provides either essence or health. I bet the next time I meditate I¡¯ll be able to figure it out.¡± Jasper looked around the empty clearing. The final rays of the sun had all but disappeared beneath the snowy peaks, and already the night air was growing heavy with frost. His breath billowed up in great clouds of steam as he spoke. ¡°I guess we¡¯re spending the night here.¡± He hoped Arut? wouldn¡¯t take offense, but they ended up setting up camp in the small shrine. The two walls of the shrine offered a slight, if insufficient, respite from the winds that buffeted the mountain plateau. While the cold didn¡¯t bother him anymore, the other three in his party were grateful indeed for the roaring bonfire he started, huddling around it with their backs to one of the shrine¡¯s walls. With the battles of the day behind him, Jasper took the opportunity to examine their new comrades. Tsia showed few signs of her elven heritage, her ears rounded as normal, her head bereft of any hint of her horns. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and she met his eyes with an amused smile when she sensed he was checking her out. He looked away, feeling a bit embarrassed at being caught staring, and turned his attention to Ne?s?u. The man was clearly her subordinate, but he was no simple servant. He had more than proved his skill with the sword in the day¡¯s battles, and his bulky torso and ripped arms testified to his strength. His hair was cut much shorter than the average Corsythian, most of whom grew it long, but his beard was big and bushy and his eyes sparked with keen intelligence. If I''m right about Tsia¡¯s identity, Ne?s?u is more of a bodyguard than a servant, he mused. ¡°So tell me, Tsia, how did you track me down? Even if Aphora had told you that we were heading into the Harei Miqlat, I don¡¯t see how you found me. I didn¡¯t know myself that I was coming here.¡± Jasper gestured at the mountains as he asked the question that had been bothering him all day. Tsia laughed. ¡°You may not have known where you were going, but the gods did. After I missed you in Ka?r-kupp? by mere hours, Selene told me to head straight to the mountain of Arut?. As it was, I very nearly missed you again.¡± She leaned forward, staring into the fire. ¡°Do you mind telling me about your adventures with Aphora? It¡¯s been some time since I got to see her. I¡¯ve heard the stories, of course - rumors fly as birds to the south - but you were actually there, weren¡¯t you?¡± And so he told the tale of their ill-fated adventure to Als?arratu and its aftermath. Tsia listened silently, her smile a bit sad as he told of Aphora¡¯s actions in the tower of Ysagil and of her final battle against the Queen. When he was done, she merely murmured her thanks and went to bed. Despite the wind that whistled through the ancient shrine, Jasper could swear he heard her muffled sobs. The Mwyranis Champion Deep in the shadow of the mountains, the sun set early and rose late, as even Shamsha¡¯s brilliant rays were forced to bend to the unwavering will of earth and stone. But despite the still darkness that covered their camp, Jasper awoke early, his thoughts troubled. He stole a glance at his sleeping comrades; the faint sound of snoring now drifted up from Tsia¡¯s blankets, the other two unmoving. He tiptoed through the shrine, careful to avoid them, and wandered over to the lookout point. Despite the night, the world that stretched at his feet was not particularly dark. The snow-blanketed mountains glistened with the fading light of the moon and stars, the earth mirroring the heavens. As above, so below, he thought. Footsteps crunched in the snow behind him. He turned, expecting to see Ihra joining him, or maybe Ne?s?u; he didn¡¯t know the man well yet, but he struck Jasper as an early riser. Instead, a giant blue form emerged through the darkness as, with surprising grace, the Mwyrani lord came to stand beside him. Jasper bowed lightly to the unexpected presence. ¡°My lord.¡± The god of the mountain looked off into the distance, his breath rising like the smoke of a chimney on a cold winter morning. ¡°It is beautiful isn¡¯t it?¡± Jasper nodded mutely. ¡°And yet, it is nothing compared to the beauty I once knew.¡± Grief crossed the Mwyrani¡¯s face as he gazed at the heavens from which he had come. He reached one of his giant, blue hands out into the empty void of the cliff, tracing a symbol in the air. For a second the scene before Jasper dissolved, replaced by an image of a dazzling court. Ineffable chords filled the air, and an intense, burning longing sprang up in his chest as the achingly beautiful image wavered in the air before him, before it vanished back into the darkness. Jasper spoke slowly, contemplatively, to the silent Mwyrani. ¡°In my world, we had a mountain range called the Rockies. We visited them when I was younger. I don¡¯t remember exactly where it was, but there was this place where you could drive up to the top of a particularly tall mountain, far above the tree line. There was nothing but rocks and grass and the heavens above us. There was something about that place that resonated with me, an almost intoxicating feeling of being so close to the heavens that you could almost reach out and touch the stars.¡± He sighed. ¡°But heaven is always out of reach.¡± The blue lord turned to him, understanding etched into the furrows of his face. ¡°Perhaps that is true in your world - the shroud over it hides much from my sight. But here, the heavens are not closed, merely dying. All shall fade, until only the Mourner is left to nurture the seeds of life with her tears.¡± With one large finger, he gently poked Jasper in the chest. ¡°I see why she chose you.¡± Arut? did not elaborate; instead, he begin to walk into the fading night. ¡°My lord?¡± The Mwyrani turned to look at him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why make us go through all this? Why not just makeup with Lady Tirra?¡± Sorrow creased his eyes. ¡°We may be gods, but we are still bound by the unseen shackles of the Progenitor. There are rules that must be followed.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re bound by the system too?¡± Jasper persisted. A snort broke the silence. ¡°No, child. The system is our own creation, a last-ditch attempt to preserve this world after a series of calamities pushed it to the brink of early destruction.¡± He shook his head. ¡°This entire cycle has been cursed from the very beginning, from the moment the Sidhe first crossed over.¡± He spat their name out venomously. ¡°But the system was, I suppose, inspired by the rules which all of us gods must follow. We all have a part to play and cannot deviate too far afield.¡± His gaze grew distant. ¡°But I have said more than I should. Use what I have given you and win tomorrow.¡± Jasper listened to the crunch of his footsteps fading away, watching as the night melted beneath the rays of the rising sun.
The trail up to this point had been difficult. After the second clearing, it became almost nonexistent. Aside from the occasional short stretches where the mountain leveled off enough to allow a path to emerge, the only signs of a trail were the cairns still scattered along the slopes. Instead, Jasper found himself climbing up one ice-encrusted rock face after another; thankfully, his enhanced strength and endurance allowed him and the others to complete a hike that made Mt. Everest look like training camp. Still, he was constantly lagging behind. Ihra¡¯s vast wells of endurance and stamina allowed her to scamper up the cliffs with ease, while Tsia more often than not simply floated herself up to the top, born aloft by the winds she tamed. Even Ne?s?u had it easier than him, the warrior¡¯s investments in strength serving him well. Sadly, Jasper¡¯s magic wasn¡¯t well suited to the task. Although more than once he found himself staring at another rock face, dreaming of using Seraph Burst to ascend up the mountain, in his heart, he knew it was far more likely he would rocket himself off the mountain than on. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Thus, when they reached the final clearing, he could not have been more overjoyed. For about a second. The group was speechless as they stared at the monstrosity before them. Like the previous two challenges, a small shrine was set up overlooking the deep valleys below. And in plain sight, only a few hundred feet above them, the golden dome of Arut?¡¯s true temple gleamed in the brilliant sunlight. But unlike the others, there was no need to summon the guardian of the clearing. Aside from the cheerful, snowy-white color scheme of the beast, it looked like something that had come straight out of Dark Souls - a giant, hulking monster that towered over the pesky gnats which had come to assault it. The beast looked as if someone had taken a shalgu, made it ten times larger, and added an assortment of extra appendages. Large, spiral horns sprouted from its head, sharp bone blades running down the forearms of each of its eight arms that waved ominously behind its back, and no one could miss the slobbering fangs peaking from the corners of its mouth. When it saw them it roared, its voice ringing off the mountains like thunder, but the beast did not leave its corner of the clearing. The four stood in stunned silence. ¡°Well¡­¡± Jasper finally ground out. ¡°At least we have that metal from Lord Arutu?¡± Ihra drew the ingredients out of her bag, looking at them uncertainly. ¡°I have never done this ritual before - I hope I don''t screw it up.¡± Jasper flashed her quick smile. ¡°I believe in you.¡± He turned to face them all. ¡°But, if this is going south, run. This is my quest - there¡¯s no reason for any of you to risk your lives for it.¡± Ihra and Tsia started to protest, but Ne?s?u nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Do not worry. If things ''go south,'' as you say, I shall be sure to cart Tsia off to safety.¡± Ihra shook her head, her lips tightening with resolve. ¡°It¡¯s going to work. It has to.¡± She looked at Jasper. ¡°I could use your help, though.¡± The next two hours passed in a blur as the group helped Ihra set up the most complicated ritual she had ever tried to perform.There was a reason runic magic was rarely used in personal combat, and there was also a reason that it was greatly feared on pitched battlefields.While far too slow to be useful in the average fight against monsters and bandits, with enough time to prepare, it could be a real game-changer. As Jasper helped Ihra check the runes one final time, carefully fixing a small error he spotted, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit like Batman preparing to take on Superman. He was pretty sure, though, that saying ¡°Martha¡± wouldn¡¯t help. It¡¯s too bad it hasn¡¯t been a month yet; I¡¯d bet the Ophan would come in handy. With the preparations finally made, the four approached the mutant shalgu. Tsia and Ihra hung back, charging their wind magic and Executioner¡¯s Arrow, respectively. Jasper had other plans. If the last shalgu was anything to go on, he was at a disadvantage in this fight, as the shalgu had been staunchly resistant to his flames. The only spell that had proved useful had been Scourge of Despair but to use that, he would have to get in close enough range to actually hit the beast. Thus, reluctantly he found himself running straight at the monster. The beast was deceptively fast. Reacting in an instant, his bladed arms crashed down toward Jasper at almost blinding speeds. But Jasper had anticipated the move, casting Seraph Burst as soon as the arms hurtled toward him.He shot beneath the attack, the earth shaking from the force of the blows as the arms pummeled the frozen ground, and hurtled straight toward the beast¡¯s legs. When facing huge monsters in Dark Souls, he had always preferred to close the distance, using the boss¡¯s size against it while he stuck like glue to their backside, chopping away at their legs. Jasper could only hope the strategy would transfer until Ihra was able to activate the runes. He rocketed past the beast¡¯s legs, lashing out with the Scourge of Despair right before Seraph Burst pulled him into a tight spiral. He skittered the frozen ground, desperately throwing himself to the right as he regained control, dodging just out of reach of another of the beast¡¯s arms. The impact tossed him back on the ground, but he maintained his focus, raking the flank of the beast with a second Scourge of Despair. The mutant shalgu¡¯s roars were joined by the wails of his hateful specters, as the mountain¡¯s silence was shattered by the sounds of conflict. The beast swung its bladed arms at the new annoyances bothering it, but its bladed arms passed through the specters harmlessly as a projectile buried itself deep in its back. With a roar, it ripped Ihra¡¯s Executioner''s Arrow out of its shoulder, tossing it to the ground, where it stomped on the offending item for good measure, only to take a blade of wind to the chest. It staggered backward, the specters surging around it, their frenzied attacks accompanied by the two mortals who hacked at its legs. But the champion of the mountain was not so easily defeated. Leaping into the air with a roar, the creature landed with an earth-shaking thud, the impact tossing the pests to the ground. Jasper rolled to his feet, ignoring his aching bones, as he targeted the beast again with Scourge of Despair. He spared a glance at Ihra, who was charging up another of her arrows - her normal ammo completely unable to pierce the shaggy fur of the shalgu. She mouthed something at him, and he shook his head, unable to hear. He hacked at the beast¡¯s legs, barely dodging as one of the deadly arms whistled past him. A second later, Tsia¡¯s wind brushed his ear, Ihra¡¯s words born aloft. ¡°Hold on for one minute.¡± The next sixty seconds were perhaps the longest of his life. Unable to waste more of his essence before the ritual activated, he danced and dodged his way around the beast like a circus monkey forced to perform for Sheogorath. The last of his specters dissipated back into the void halfway through that time, leaving him and Ne?s?u alone to occupy the monster¡¯s attention. Jasper had no idea what level Ne?s?u was, but his opinion of the warrior quickly skyrocketed, as the man put on a show. In the previous battles, he had assumed the man was a dps-dealer like himself, forced into a sub-optimal role to protect Tsia. But as he watched the warrior activate a quick succession of skills, focusing the beast¡¯s attention on himself, he realized that, despite Ne?s?u¡¯s lack of a shield, his class must be some sort of a tank. It was truly impressive that Ne?s?u somehow managed to survive the almost unending hail of blows that rained down on him, but the streams of blood flowing down his face and arms told Jasper that the man couldn¡¯t hang on much longer. He caught Ihra¡¯s eyes, and he didn¡¯t need Tsia¡¯s spell to understand what she said. Now. Index Gods met thus far: (Major) Shamsha (Sol/the Warrior/Lord of Light) - the sun god and consort of Selene, Shamsha is also the father of the Djinn and human races. Selene (Yarha/Celestial Queen/Mistress of the Tides/Lady of Mourning) - the moon goddess and consort of Shamsha, Selene is the mother of the Spectral Spiders, the Mwyrani and the Elves. Tsia?hu (Lord of Mirth and Frost/Winter Warrior) - the younger brother of Shamsha and Selene, Tsia?hu is the father of the Fey races Kas?dael (Nahre?mah/The Lastborn/Goddess of the Void/the Mourner) - the younger sister of Selene, Kas?dael is the goddess responsible for the rebirth of the universe. Fated to be the last of creation, this goddess holds a central role in Corsythian religion but is not particularly popular with the masses. (Minor) Mwyrani - a minor race of gods that descended from the heavens and found a prosperous empire until they were destroyed by the Sidhe. While many were killed in the Shuddering, some have survived by binding themselves to the land as nature deities or returning to the heavens. The Mywrani played a role in the establishment of the Corsythian Empire which was founded by refugees from their earlier domain. Sidhe - dark gods of unknown origins, these cruel and sadistic lords are characterized by a hatred of the Mywrani and elves. Although they are the progenitors of the Troll and Atrometos races, the Sidhe have at times shown favor to the Corsythians for unknown reasons. Ayya?lu (the Stag Lord) - Supposedly the offspring of Tsia?hu and Selene, his worshippers believe that Ayya?lu, not Selene, is the true progenitor of the elves. Empire Geography Cantons - the empire is divided into three large cantons, named after their capital cities, each of which contains numerous kingdoms. In the south is the canton of Sicya, in the center is the canton of Corsythia, and in the north is the canton of Celestia. The lands thus far visited (Sapi?ya and Harei Miqlat) are both part of the central canton. Provinces mentioned thus far Central Canton: Sapi?ya - this province of jungles and mountains shares close ties with its northern neighbor, Hapi?ya, while being locked in constant struggles against its western rival Stryn. Once heavily populated, the province was ravished during the Fey Wars. Hapi?ya - this province once ruled over the lands of Sapi?ya as well until they were split by inheritance, but it continues to share close ties with its southern neighbors. In the north, Hapi?ya borders the Inland Sea. Stryn - one of the six great provinces within the empire, Stryn is a hotbed of cultists and dark magic and was devastated during the conclusion of the Desolyton. However, despite the dark rumors about the land, the might of its cavalry, feared within and without the empire, has also allowed the rulers of Stryn to operate with impunity. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Yelkala - close allies with its northern neighbor Stryn, Yelkala is one of the three provinces that shares close borders - and often close ties - with the empire of Gemliria. Known as a haven of cultism, Yelkala has a dark reputation within the empire. Western Corsythia - a small province on the eastern border of Sapi?ya, Western Corsythia was once part of the large royal lands but split off in an inheritance. With the Empire¡¯s capital in the hands of the Zalancthians, the Emperor is currently ruling from this province. Harei Miqlat - the mysterious homeland of the Djinn, few foreigners are ever allowed to step foot within the vast valley. Encircled by mountains on every side, with only a single entrance to the empire, the Harei Miqlat function with almost complete independence, ignoring the rest of the empire except in times of most dire need. Northern Canton: Celestia - the strongest province in the empire and the homeland of the true royal house, Nu?rili?, Celestia has always had close ties with the elves of Yammaqom. With lifespans that approach those of the elves, many Celestians do not consider themselves to be Corsythians and feel little loyalty to the empire, especially now that the empire is ruled by the House of Gonia. Hadi?n - the second most powerful province in the northern canton, the king of Hadin holds sway over most of the surrounding provinces.His province, which borders the Inland Sea, enjoys a rich trade with the kingdoms of the dwarves and strythani. Merom - a member of the northern canton, although Merom is technically independent, this northern neighbor of Sapi?ya is essentially a vassal of the king of Hadi?n. Southern Canton Sicya - the capital province of the southern canton, Sicya¡¯s ports were once famed throughout the empire. Now the entire province is in the hands of the Zalancthian invaders. Important Historical Characters/Events The Shuddering - the cataclysmic attack of the Sidhe which destroyed the Mwyrani¡¯s empire. Often confused with the subsequent War of the Dragons, the Shuddering is remembered within the Empire with a day of mourning. The War of the Dragons - In the aftermath of the collapse of the Mwyrani empire,refugees of all races fled thousands of miles to the north, pursued along the way by the Sidhe and their allies, the dragons.It was in this cauldron, forced to rely on each other alone, that a new race emerged - the Corsythians, who blended the blessings and strengths of the created races. The Rebellion of Gemlir - Once the second-most powerful man in the empire, the troll-born Gemlir turned to dark magic when he failed to ascend. Discovering to power, he tore the empire apart, stealing the Empress as his own. He eventually lost the war, and was forced to settle across the River, where he founded his own empire, nurturing an ever-seething hatred against the Corsythians. The Desolyton - The dark teachings of Gemlir, which offered an easier path to true power, found a welcoming audience within the empire, their poison eventually infecting even the emperor himself. But when intrigue within the palace landed an unexpected heir on the throne, the resulting power struggle resulted in a centuries-long civil war that ultimately eradicated the bastions of cultism in the Empire and culminated in the destruction of Gemliria, albeit at a high cost to the Empire. Shamshaddin - the most revered Emperor in the history of the Empire, Shamshaddin was the second emperor of the Desolyton, who sought vengeance for the murder of his father. Some worship him as an avatar of Shamsha. The Fey Wars - In the aftermath of the Desolyton, the southern Fey took the opportunity to launch a series of devastating attacks. They were initially successful, conquering deep into the heartland of the Empire. But the Empire, making extensive use of soul magic, eventually defeated them, crushing the Fey forces. The devastation from the wars left both nations on the brink of collapse. The Zalancthian Invasion - several hundred years after the Fey Wars, a weakened empire was suddenly invaded by an unknown enemy from across the sea. The rightful emperor died in the initial onslaught, leaving a mere child to inherit. In the resulting crisis, a general from the House of Gonia seized power, whose descendants are still warring against the invaders. The Lord of Mirth and Frost The emperor tossed the letter back on his desk, anger pulsing through his veins.More bad news.Why is it always bad news? Eligon stared out the window, taking deep, measured breaths.Flurries of snow swirled outside, coating in a fresh coat of spotless white.There¡¯s nothing more peaceful than a snowstorm. Slowly his anger ebbed into resignation, and he picked the letter back up, forcing himself to peruse the contents. My Lord, The rumors of unrest in Celestia have proven to be true.One of the heirs of House Nu?rili? has gathered much support among the northern nobles.They do not speak of rebellion openly, nor were my agents able to gather evidence that proves their treachery, but there can be little doubt of their intent. My Lord, if you proceed with your campaign to reclaim the capital city, I am afraid they will seize the opportunity to revolt and proclaim the return of the former Royal House. Your servant, Ardus?ar He tossed the letter into the read pile with a sigh, drumming his fingers across the desk.The fireplace opposite him crackled merrily, its bright flames lighting up the dark room. When the capital had fallen into the hands of the enemy, Eligon had been left with few options.Of the three ancient capitals of Corsythia, only Celestia remained free, the proud bastion repelling any and all invaders.He doubted the city would ever fall - surely the elves would march to protect it if need be - but the streets of Celestia were not a safe haven for a Gonian emperor.Wonder how long I¡¯d survive up there?A few days, a week or two?He shook his head, dismissing the thought.There was nothing that could be done about it. With no other options, he had been forced to fall back to his father¡¯s old hunting chateau, high up in the mountains of Western Corsythia.It was safe enough, for now at least, but the chateau was never meant to accommodate the hordes of soldiers, servants, and courtiers that now filled its halls.A racket in the halls outside his door broke his concentration, and Eligon stood up, agitated.Is it so impossible to give me one room of silence? Frustrated, he threw a rich, ermine cloak over his shoulders and, grabbing another letter from the pile, stormed out onto the patio.His steps marred the perfect canvas nature was painting, ugly brown blotches blossoming on the pristine lawns.But the cold air, punctuated by the gentle pinprick of the snowflakes brushing against his cheeks felt good.The noise of the halls behind him fell away, replaced by nothing but the soft crackle of the falling snow. Reluctantly, he opened the letter he had snatched, almost afraid to see what new set of bad news he¡¯d find inside.Had more cities fallen?Had their Summoned turned against them?Or - he could hardly even acknowledge the possibility - will the king of Hadi?n refuse to contribute troops to our campaign? More and more, the king of Hadi?n had been writing him, concerned about the movements of the dwarven kingdoms across the inland sea.Eligon couldn¡¯t tell if the king was actually concerned, or simply wished to shirk his duties to the empire.But if the dwarves were to attack?There was no way they could fight a two-front war. But the letter was not from Hadi?n.He frowned as he struggled to break the seal, recognizing the pattern in the silver solder as the emblem of the royal house of Harei Miqlat.What could they want? The metal finally crumbled beneath his fingers, and he tore the missive out, scanning it anxiously. Lord Eligon, He frowned, annoyed that they refused to address him as the emperor.It¡¯s been three generations now - get over it, but he kept on reading. I write to you with both good and bad news.As you may have heard, the empire has lost one of the Kakkabu?.Following a series of unfortunate events, Lady Aphora and her kin have left the bounds of the empire, seeking sanctuary in the West. Eligon frowned.If this was the Djinn¡¯s bad news, it was pretty outdated.Of course, they are rather isolated in their mountains.He¡¯d heard of the elf¡¯s folly, which was only matched by her decision to take her people to certain death.If the empire wasn¡¯t in such desperate straits, he would have intervened and sent troops to save them.But in the end, Lady Aphora, much like the Djinn, was in the Empire, not of it.He doubted she would have fought on their behalf unless her own people were endangered.But as he read on, his heart stopped. Before she departed, the elven queen sent me a secret message.Lady Aphora, as you undoubtedly know is famed as a great scholar of the runic arts; what is perhaps less common knowledge is that she is equally skilled in the arts of divination.She has in her possession a set of the divine edekk?, a gift from the royal house of Yammaqom itself. Her letter, my lord, told of coming disaster.Her edekk? spoke with one voice - the dwarves are gathering their forces for war. With a silent scream, Eligon put his fist through the patio door, the shattering of glass breaking the still peace of the snowy night.Damn it.With a bitter smile on his lips, he looked up to the sky.The moon hid its face behind the thick clouds, but he knew she was watching.Have you abandoned us, my lady?Is it really our time to slip into the Sea of Oblivion? The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Selene held her peace, and no words of comfort fell on his ears.Reluctantly, he turned back to the letter. Our House made a deal with your emperors long ago, and although their House has not yet returned to its rightful seat, we will not sit by and watch the empire fall. His knuckles whitened, clutching the paper tightly, but he ignored the insult and pressed on. We are currently attending to some minor issues amongst the factions, but when they are concluded, we shall send troops to aid your campaign, along with a young scion of our House.Although currently still quite young, we believe he has the potential to join the ranks of the Kakkabu?. Your royal cousin, S?ars?ad? VII Eligon read the letter again, barely able to believe his eyes.The Djinn were actually going to send aid?Even a single unit of their famed cavalry might be enough to make a real impact.If they could push back the Zalancthians before the dwarves made their move - maybe they wouldn¡¯t even attack.He found himself staring up at the stormy sky, almost afraid to nurture the faint seed of hope that had sprung up in his heart.Maybe she hasn¡¯t forsaken us yet? ¡°Ahem.¡±The sound of someone clearing their throat disturbed his thoughts, breaking him out of his reverie.Eligon turned to see his faithful servant standing by the now-broken door.¡°It¡¯s time, my lord.¡± Eligon nodded.¡°Very well.I¡¯ll be right with you.¡±He cast one last doubtful look at the hidden moon and reentered his study.The welcome warmth of the fire rushed over him as he tossed the letter back on the desk and shook off the layer of snow that had accumulated on his ermine cape.At last he was ready.¡°Alright, Ki?nu, lead on.¡± As he exited into the hall, the cacophony of noise that had irritated him earlier slowly morphed into a cheerful melody, accompanied by a chorus of boisterous singers.They quickly reached the end of the hall and, with a step composed and confident, Eligon descended to greet his court, slipping on a cheerful smile with practiced ease. His elegant entrance was interrupted as two small rockets launched themselves up the stairs at him, latching onto his legs and arms with squeals of glee.¡°Daddy!Daddy - we thought you were never going to come down to start the feast.¡±Two beaming faces peered up at him, ringed by delicate, lavender curls.He scooped them up in his arms, hoisting them onto his shoulders as a genuine smile broke his lips.¡°Well, I¡¯m here now, aren¡¯t I?¡±As he lumbered down the rest of steps, the gathered courtiers bowed as they greeted their lord. He waded through their midst, the courtiers scampering to get out of his way as if he was Shamshaddin himself, as Eligon headed for the great hall, from whose doors the constant stream of music flowed.Stopping in the entrance, he turned to face his loyalists, lifting his hands in benediction. ¡°Welcome, my friends, to the feast of the Lord of Mirth and Frost.May Tsia?hu¡¯s Star ever shine upon you.¡± The night passed in revelry.Wine flowed free as the guest feasted on the bounty the land had to offer.That¡¯s one good thing about our current location, Eligon mused.At least the food is plentiful and varied - a soldier with an empty stomach is no soldier at all. Great flanks of boar and bear, of deer and bull, sat side by side with more exotic dishes, like tiger tongue and pickled ri?ma?kal feet.The hall glowed with the light of a thousand candles, and the amber halls rang with cheer and laughter.The shadows of dancers pirouetted across the walls as the guests made merry, while outside the winter storm raged impotently, the sharp fangs of the icy winds scratching harmlessly against the ancient walls. But the feast was only the start of the night.As the food was cleared away, the temple actors were ushered in, their customs glittering with gold and silver and jewels.In an instant, the hall fell silent. It was the same play every year, but the spectacle put on by the priests never grew old.The court watched enraptured as the sun and moon were born from the eyes of the Progenitor.They watched the courtship of Shamsha and Selene, and the birth of the stars that filled the heavens. They watched the rise of the dark gods, whose voracious hunger could never be satisfied, and the war that Shamsha waged against them, the fiery light of the sun driving back the encroaching darkness. And as always, they watched as Shamsha fell beneath the blade of the dark god As?i?tu.With a flicker of their hands, the priests sent gusts of wind racing around the hall, extinguishing every candle save one.A single light burned against the darkness, as the Lord of Mirth and Frost emerged. Taking up his lord¡¯s blade, Tsia?hu continued the endless battle against As?i?tu.But he had not the strength of his elder brother.His light flickered, buffeted by the winds the priests sent against it, but it would not go it. But when dark days again shall fall, when Sol¡¯s in cairn enclosed The Lord of Winter steadfast stands against the dark ones¡¯ boasts As the crowd sung the hymn of the Winter Lord, the solitary candle blazed brighter and brighter, until its light was so blinding that they were forced to avert their eyes as every shadow was scoured from them. Tsia?hu drove the dark god back from the body of his brother, the brilliance of his light burning every trace of darkness from the sun god''s vanquished form.And Shamsha arose, bursts of flames pouring off the priest as the heat filled every corner of the silent hall. Reclaiming the sword from his brother¡¯s hand, Shamsha renewed his fight against As?i?tu, once again holding the darkness at bay.With his purpose fulfilled, the lone candle reverted to a simple flame, as the other candles in the hall sprang back to life. All hail the Lord of Mirth and Frost, valiant peer of Sol His victory bought at utmost cost, he slumbers neath the snow As Eligon watched the yearly spectacle, he found new meaning within.Was his House, the House of Gonai, not like the Lord of Mirth and Frost?Are we just a placeholder, a weaker light thrust into the battle against the mighty darkness, he mused.But like Tsia?hu, he would not back down: he would stand against the darkness. Whatever it took, no matter the price, Eligon vowed to save the empire.And if the time came when his Shamsha arose, then like the Lord of Mirth and Frost, he would step aside. If the Djinn truly sent the aid they had promised, Eligon felt confident he could shame the king of Hadi?n into sending his troops as well.With their support, they could take the capital and, more importantly, what lay within.Once he opened the vaults, even the gods themselves would tremble beneath the wrath he would raise. Arutu?s Offer The ritual activated. The world turned white as a blinding wave of light rolled across the clearing.The light disappeared almost immediately, and with it, the colors.The world was cast in black and white as Jasper unloaded everything he had against the god¡¯s champion.Got thirty seconds to take him down. Shalgu? were a tough counter to most of Jasper''s spells, their resistance to the flames allowing them to shrug off all of his best spells.But for every problem, there was a solution, especially when you had runic magic at your disposal. The metal Arut? had left for Jasper was perfect for one very special ritual - a ritual that for thirty seconds reversed the target''s strengths and weaknesses. Jasper cast Shooting Star again and again, as a veritable swarm of fifty small fireballs shot toward the beast. He staggered, blinding pain shooting through his head as his essence nearly guttered out, but he fought through the pain as he channeled every last dreg of his strength into one final spell.Seraph Burst. The beast roared in pain and confusion as a barrage of explosions rippled across its body; in seconds, the very fire he was used to shrugging off engulfed him as his white fire blackened with the wildly spreading flames.In its pain, it didn¡¯t even notice the small attacker shooting toward it. In a feat of agility Jasper could not have dreamed of, even in his wildest dreams back on earth, he somehow managed to land on the beast¡¯s face, just beneath the eyes. He had no time to stabilize his land, as the second part of the spell whipped him in tight circles. The jet-black wings flared out as their razor-sharp fathers carved deep ravines into the beast¡¯s eyes. Howling in agony, Arutu?''s champion toppled backward, landing on the ground with an earth-shaking thud; its body had been transformed into a fiery inferno, its thick, lush fur going up like old books in a library, but the beast ignored all that as it desperately tried to remove the lancing pain in its eye. Jasper saw the flaming hand flailing down toward him, but he couldn''t afford to dodge.I either win this battle now or we all lose when the ritual ends.His essence was completely guttered out, his head was throbbing so bad his vision swam before him, but as Qara had taught him, a mage always had a last resort - soul magic. He poured every ounce of his will into his glaive, begging his soul to fuel the fire, and it responded. Blue flames exploded off the dark, black metal as spectral wings ripped from his back. He fluttered in the air for a single second and then, with a scream of fury, Jasper plunged the glaive into the shalgu¡¯s eye.he glaive, wreathed in the fires of the soul, shredded through all resistance, piercing deep into the brain as the shalgu¡¯s hand slammed down on him and darkness consumed him. Jasper awoke to find himself lying on the burning corpse of the shalgu.Fire and smoke billowed all around him, obscuring everything else from view as he struggled to remember where he was, his head still throbbing. ¡°Jasper?Jaaspper?¡±A woman''s voice rose over the crackle of the flames. "Jasper?" Ihra. His mind suddenly clicked back into gear as the events of the fight roared back into place.stumbled to his feet, ignoring the tongues of flame that licked harmlessly at his skin. He nearly fell, his head screaming in protest as he stood up, but he managed to keep his balance as he looked for his weapon. After a moment, he found it. The glaive still protruded out of the beast¡¯s eyes, which had been mangled and shredded almost beyond recognition.The glaive''s shaft was snapped in two, the blades still buried deep in the beast''s eyes while most of the shaft lay on the face of the beast.It must have taken the brunt of that last blow, Jasper realized.Bracing himself, he pulled the blade out of the eye and, picking up the broken haft, half-walked, half-stumbled down the burning corpse. His armor hung loosely around him, the flames having burned off the clothes underneath. I''ve got to get some fireproof clothes one of these days. Of course, they''re probably made of asbestos around here. The smoke begin to clear as he tumbled onto the scorched grass, pushing his way into the clearing. Jasper almost fell back into the flames as he was hit by a blur of blonde hair.¡°Selene¡¯s Grace.You were in there so long I was afraid you had died again.¡±He patted Ihra on the back awkwardly, prying her off after a few seconds. He held up the two pieces of the broken glaive.¡°Yeah, the shalgu got in one last good hit, unfortunately. Took the wind out of me.¡± Ihra''s face fell as she looked at the damaged weapon.¡°Well, at least you¡¯re alive?¡± Jasper just nodded, too tired to respond, and stumbled a few feet away from the still-burning beast before he plopped on the ground in exhaustion. The two halves of the glaive fell beside him, the noise muffled by the soft grass.¡°I have a quest to find the weapon¡¯s maker anyway; he can probably fix it.¡±The four sat in silence, gathering their strength as the champion of the mountain burned like a sacrifice to the gods. He lay on the ground for some time, the throbbing in his head slowly ebbing away as a trickle of essence returned to him. Beginning to feel better, he pushed himself up. That was when it finally clicked. "For god''s sake - can someone get me some clothes?!" When he was once again dressed, the four gathered at the base of the clearing, their eyes fixated on the golden dome that shone above them.¡°Well, shall we finish it?¡± The path from the clearing to Arut?¡¯s temple was well maintained; a narrow set of steps was carved into the cliff face that allowed them to quickly scale its heights. The temple, though it paled in comparison to Kas?dael¡¯s S?uhruru, would have felt unashamed to stand next to the finest on earth.While the dome he had seen from below looked it could have belonged to the Hagia Sophia, as he drew closer he saw the temple looked closer to Asian architecture than the west. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The dome was actually part of a tiered pagoda that was the central building, and the temple grounds were surrounded by low-lying red walls, every inch of which was decorated with exquisite carvings.Despite the frigid environments on the mountain peak, the courtyard was filled with gardens, through which pillars of moving leaves - spirits like the champions - slowly drifted. No one greeted them as they stepped through the gates, but their destination was immediately clear. A hundred stairs led from the courtyard to the entrance of the pagoda, as obvious as any highway sign. The pale marble steps were shrouded in shadows cast by two of Tirra¡¯s trees, whose great limbs offered the courtyard shelter from the harsh winds. They walked in silence up the stairs, all four of them together struggling to push open the two colossal doors that barred their way. When the doors finally moved, they gave way without a sound, ushering them into the temple''s great hall. Lord Arut? awaited them at the end, the blue god sitting on a throne that matched Tirra¡¯s in grandeur.o ethereal voices echoed in his halls - the silence of the mountain and the wailing of the wind were his songs of praise.Jasper knelt before him, offering the goddess¡¯ letter to the lord of the mountain. He tore it impatiently, reading through it cursorily, before tossing it aside with a pleased smile.¡°Please, stand up.¡±The four stood as the god fixed Jasper with his gaze.¡°You have fulfilled Lady Tirra¡¯s quest and proceeded another step along your divine quest.Well done.¡± ¡°I wish I could offer you my blessing as well, but,¡± he shrugged, ¡°only one blessing may be earned per quest.Still, you deserve some reward for defeating my champions.¡± Two of the leaf spirits floated through the hall, pausing before Jasper.¡°I offer you a choice.Do you desire a boon for yourself?¡± - the god paused dramatically - ¡°or a boon for your companion?¡± Jasper frowned as he stared at the two spirits.¡°What are the boons?¡± The Mwyrani laughed, his voice echoing in the silent hall.¡°Not knowing is half the fun.I warn you, though, one is more valuable than the other.¡± Jasper hesitated.Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ihra quickly glance away, hiding her face from him, but not before he saw the spark of hope that lit up in her eyes.He had sensed she had been feeling down ever since the fiasco in Ka?r-Kuppu?. Her arrows couldn''t keep up with his normal spells, let alone ace cards like the Ophan, and although her runic magic had been decisive in the last battle, he knew she was questioning her usefulness.On the other hand, his own path felt more certain - he needed more levels, would always need more levels, but his path to power was clear. And so was his decision. ¡°I choose the boon for Ihra.¡± Lord Arut? looked taken aback, but, after a moment''s hesitation, the Mwyrani waved the spirit on the right forward.It thrust a piece of paper into Jasper¡¯s hand, which after a brief inspection, proved to be nothing more than a map of the Moon-kissed territory, with a small x placed in the lower part of Du?r-Yarha and a name written beside it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Jasper looked up, confused. Treasure, maybe? The blue god chuckled.¡°Your friend¡¯s class is a bit pedestrian, is it not?She cannot become a mage, but she can become a warrior to be feared.The map shows the location of a trial much like the one Kas?dael provided you.If shecompletes it successfully, she will earn a class well-suited to her talents, able to stand proudly by your side.¡± Jasper bowed his hand as he passed the map to Ihra, who clutched it with wide eyes.¡°Thank you, Lord Arut?.¡± The god waved one of his four hands dismissively.¡°It was nothing.Now leave me to enjoy the peace of my mountain.¡± As the four neared the exit of the pagoda, Arut?¡¯s voice drifted past his ear.¡°Do you not want to know what you would have received, Jasper?¡± He shook his head, suffocating the annoyance rising up in his heart.¡°You said it yourself, Lord Arut?.Not knowing is half the fun.¡± If ¡°not knowing¡± was part of the fun, the hike down the mountain was definitely not.Climbing up icy cliffs had been difficult as hell; climbing down them was on an entirely different level, as gravity did its utmost to help Jasper make a fatally speedy descent down the mountain.It was not until they reached the base of the second clearing, where the path - though still steep - became visible again, that Jasper was able to breathe a sigh of relief. The four trudged down the path toward the small village in silence, each lost in a world of their own - for a few minutes at least. ¡°So where are we heading now?¡± Tsia¡¯s question didn¡¯t immediately register with him, as Jasper watched the rough path before, wondering if he had made the right decision. ¡°Jasper?What are you plans now?¡± He snapped out of it.¡°Uh, I don''t know.We were planning to go to Du?r-Yarha and try to get rid of this stupid lyre.And, now we have to find the trial there.¡± Jasper glanced over at Ihra, who had safely tucked the precious map into her bag of holding.¡°Where is that trial anyways?¡± The excitement sparkled in her eyes as she looked up from the trail.¡°Somewhere in the city itself - it''s not super clear, but we have the name - Nah?as?s?innu.¡± He turned back to Tsia.¡°So I guess that means we¡¯re heading first to Du?r-Yarha, unless you have some other suggestion?¡± She shook her head.¡°This place is as new to me as it is to you.¡± But the usually reserved Ne?s?u spoke up.¡°Perhaps we should visit the House of the Third Son first.Their estate lies a short distance outside the city walls, at the base of Mt. Qaitz.¡± Jasper glanced over, surprised both that the quiet warrior had spoken and that he had spoken with an apparent familiarity with the region.¡°Have you been there before?I thought almost no one was allowed to pass Du?r-S?innu.¡± Ne?s?u shrugged.¡°At the request of the king, I apprenticed with Aphora for a time. As one of my duties, I accompanied her on a trip to Du?r-Yarha.I do not know the nature of her business, but we stayed at the estate of the Third Son for a few months - we never even entered the city itself - but they seemed to be on good terms.¡± Tsia was a few feet ahead of them on the path, her eyes trained on the road before her.Ne?s?u took a long, meaningful glance at his ward, repeating his words softly as he met Jasper¡¯s eyes.¡°Very good terms.¡± Jasper caught his drift, nodding subtly.¡°So you think they might be amenable to a deal for the lyre?¡± The warrior shrugged.¡°Even the most honorable of nobles sometimes dirty their hands for politics, but I think the Third Son is our best hope for a favorable deal.What house did the Moon-kissed merchants work for?¡± Jasper had to think for a moment, his brain struggling to remember Qarda¡¯s faction.¡°The Seventh Daughter, I think?¡± Ne?s?u grinned.¡°Even better.The Third Son and Seventh Daughter support different factions; they will be unlikely to cooperate with each other.¡± Jasper raised his voice, making sure Ihra and Tsia could hear.¡°So it¡¯s settled then?Shall we head for the House of the Third Son?¡± With a chorus of assents, their course was charted. The Lost Son The return trip through Tirra¡¯s forest was uneventful. They passed beneath the ancient trees in peace, making good time across the endless sea of fallen pine needles.On more than a few occasions, Jasper caught a glimpse of watchers following them - Tirra¡¯s strange jelly-fish-headed followers stuck out like a sore thumb in the sylvan landscape - but none ever approached them, and no Djinn appeared to reside in her mystic forest. Gradually the giant trees faded away, replaced by a more traditional forest, and signs of civilization reappeared.Although it did not rain once in the weeks that they traveled, the land remained green and verdant, amply watered by the myriads of small rivers and streams fed by the mountain glaciers.The terrain slowly sloped down and the decrease in altitude was accompanied by an increase in temperature that - although it made little difference to Jasper - was greatly appreciated by three native Sapiyans, who were more accustomed to jungles than ice and snow. The sheer abundance of animal life that surrounded them was astounding, but far more surprising was the complete lack of fear and skittishness that the forest creatures displayed.Almost every night, a few critters would ventured into their camp, luxuriating in the warmth of the fire or even curl up in their empty sleeping bags. Jasper felt like he had stepped into a Disney movie - but the sheer fearlessness of the creatures came with some unexpected downsides. ¡°I don¡¯t get why these animals are so friendly,¡± Jasper complained as a bird landed on his lap one night, boldly helping itself to some of the food on his plate.He tried to shoo the bird away gently - he wanted to discourage it, not hurt it - but it was no use. The bird fluttered just out of reach of his hand and, landing on the other side of his plate, resumed pecking at the bowl of foraged berries.¡°Is the whole forest bewitched by some nature deity?¡± Ne?s?u, who had been watching with quiet amusement, shook his head.¡°There is no spell.These animals don''t fear us because the Moon-kissed have never taught them to fear.¡± Jasper snorted.¡°Don¡¯t tell me - the Moon-kissed are some sort of tree-loving, one-with-nature vegans?¡± Just like every elf-stereotype in the books. The warrior¡¯s brow knotted in confusion.¡°I am not familiar with those terms.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t eat meat?¡±Jasper clarified. Ne?s?u laughed.¡°On the contrary - the Moon-kissed are avid hunters and nobles of their Houses have dedicated entire mountains to the sport.But the Moon-kissed have a strict code of honor.They believe it dishonorable to kill any creature that is not capable of killing them.There are many predators in this region - and those are the Moon-kissed¡¯s prey - but these little creatures of the wood?The Moon-kissed never hunt them.¡± ¡°Do they not even keep livestock?¡± Jasper asked, curious. The warrior refilled his plate before answering.¡°Some do; livestock provides many goods beyond meat, after all, but it is not particularly common. The great herds of Kubarru and Kibtah in the south, where the land is much drier and less suitable for cultivation, produce enough wool and cheese to fill the markets of the entire province.¡± In the end, Jasper lost the battle with the bird, the little thief stubbornly sticking with his meal ticket throughout the night before returning to the forest with a belly full of stolen goods. Their pace sped up significantly once they stumbled across the main road that connected Du?r-Yarha to the cities of the south.heir nights from then on were spent in inns, their meals accompanied by the sounds of laughter, music, and free-flowing drink. But Jasper and Ihra came to miss the quiet peace of the forests more quickly than expected. In Ka?r-Kupp?, Jasper¡¯s red skin had drawn respect bordering obeisance, but in the Moon-kissed villages, his appearance was met with unease. The villagers were never openly rude or hostile, but even the tavern owners interacted with him as little as possible, preferring to deal with other members of the party instead. Ihra, on the other hand, attracted a great deal of attention; most nights the taverns were crowded with villagers eager to catch a glimpse of the rumored "elf." The Moon-kissed drew the same incorrect conclusions about the unlikely pair as the guards in Ka?r-Kupp? and rumors spread ahead of their party about the mysterious southern noble and his elven partner. Finally, after a fortnight of travel, the spires of Du?r-Yarha appeared on the horizon.Even from a distance, Jasper could tell that the city dwarfed Gis?-Izum.Although a set of walls encircled the settlement, the residences spilled out on every sides, covering the surrounding roads and fields with a vast urban sprawl.I guess in a province that''s avoided all the empire¡¯s wars, the security of a wall isn¡¯t important, he realized. The architecture vaguely resembled the elven conclave Aphora had built - tall spires, curved walls, an emphasis on aesthetically pleasing forms.But the homes outside the walls possessed none of the same uniformity, the edifices painted in a dazzling array of every conceivable color, much like the bright houses in Ka?r-Kuppu?. The group skirted around the edges of Du?r-Yarha, not entering the city proper, and when night came, Jasper was even more surprised by the city''s transformation. The buildings of the central city faintly glowed beneath the moonlight, a pale, green halo rising above its towering spires. Their destination lay a few miles to the north of the city.The House of the Third Son possessed a sprawling estate, nestled at the base of Mt. Qaitz, from whose peak the city could be seen in all its glory.A low-lying wall, meant merely for demarcation rather than protection, ran around their lands, and a small guardhouse overlooked the road that led to the city. ¡°Halt!¡± One of the guards stepped in front of their party, waving for them to stop.The man walked over to them with a careless stroll, utterly unconcerned about the threat of violence. ¡°This is the land of the Third Son.What is your business here?¡± Jasper and Tsia both reached into their bags at the same time, rooting for the letters of recommendation that Aphora had written them, but Ne?s?u pushed past them. ¡°We are associates of Lady Aphora, the Silver Lady.I believe one of your lords - a Lord Ra?¡¯imu - will wish to meet with us.¡±He stepped close to the guard, whispering something in his ear. The guard scamped into the guardhouse, returning a moment later with his captain.The captain was dressed in gleaming armor inscribed with the emblem of his house and sported a large, drooping mustache that did little to hide his receding hairline.But the pale, almost silvery, cast of his skin - the Moon-kissed equivalent of Jasper¡¯s own trait - testified that he was not a man to be trifled with. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The captain bowed respectfully toward Tsia and Jasper.¡°I have sent one of my men to notify Lord Ra?¡¯imu.Unfortunately, without an invitation, I cannot allow you to pass until the lord responds.Please, accept my hospitality in the meantime.¡± A few minutes later, the four found themselves ushered into a small garden behind the guardhouse where a table waited, already set with cups and what Jasper could only describe as a teapot. It was not tea.It was, however, a delicious - albeit far-too-sweet - hot beverage that could almost pass for one of the myriads of ¡°herbal¡± teas that always appeared around the holidays.The captain politely interrogated them as they waited - or, as he no doubt would have protested, made ¡°small talk.¡±But they did not have long to wait, as a messenger arrived shortly after Jasper had finished his drink. Lord Ra?¡¯imu had granted them passage. The captain gave them instructions before allowing them to leave.The ¡°estate¡± was really comprised of dozens of manors, each of them bound by their allegiance to the central house.The Third Son¡¯s lands skirted around the entire mountain, while the mountain itself was covered in a largely untouched forest that served as the hunting grounds for the House nobles.A short way down the road they came across a village - almost a small town, really - where the various servants and employees of the House resided, and it took them nearly another hour before they finally caught sight of the manor of Lord Ra?¡¯imu. The servants had already been forewarned of their arrival, ushering them in without protest.As their mounts were taken off to the stables to be tended to, the four were brought into the central hall. A Djinn stood waiting to greet them.He was a young man with piercing blue eyes and a shock of tawny hair; despite his rank, his skin showed no signs of the silvery hue that would distinguish him as a true talent.Two thin, small horns jutted out of his head, although they looked closer to the antlers of an elf than the horns of a Djinn.He stepped forward eagerly, his eyes raking across the assembled party with a shrewd cunning. Ne?s?u frowned, clearing his throat.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, but where is Lord Ra?¡¯imu?I was sure he would wish to meet us.¡± The Djinn gave an easy smile.¡°Lord Ra?¡¯imu, at your service.¡± A puzzled look crossed the warrior¡¯s face, and the Djinn waved his hands impatiently.¡®Yes, yes - no doubt you wanted my father.nfortunately, he died in a hunting accident a few years ago -Shamsha shine his light on him.I am his heir.¡± His eyes fixed on Ihra, taking in her golden hair, through which the stubs of her nascent antlers peaked.Stepping forward, he grasped her hand enthusiastically as Ihra¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Oh crap, not again, Jasper thought. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, sister,¡± Lord Ra?¡¯imu said. It took a moment for the noble¡¯s words to compute, but Jasper quickly realized the mistake Ra?¡¯imu had made - an understandable one really.Tsia and Ihra gaped at him in shock, but Ne?s?u hastily stepped forward, removing Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s hand from Ihra. ¡°No!No, my lord,¡± he led the Djinn over to Tsia, ¡°this is your sister.Lord Ra?¡¯imu, may I introduce you to the daughter of Lady Aphora and the King of Sapiya, Princess Keturah.¡±The warrior shot a pleading glance at Jasper and Ihra, begging them to not make a fuss over the false identity.Jasper shrugged, having already guessed her secret, and watched in silence. Tsia stared up at the man, her jaw still agape in shock.¡°Sister? What are you talking about?¡± She turned to Ne?s?u with questioning eyes. The warrior blushed.¡°When we stayed here, your mother and Lord Ra?¡¯imu - the elder, I suppose - were quite¡­friendly with each other.Our trip stretched on longer than intended, as a result.¡± The Djinn laughed, his voice booming in the quiet hall.¡°There¡¯s no need to be so coy, servant.Our dear mother had me here and, at the urging of the House elders and my father, left me behind to be raised as a proper Djinn.Unfortunately, much to my House''s disappointment, I did not inherit my mother''s strength.¡±He gestured helplessly at the empty hall around them.¡°When my father was alive, this hall would have been packed with servants and sycophants.But my skills are not valued by the House.¡± His words dripped with bitterness and the room descended into an awkward silence as he finished speaking.After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he took Tsia¡¯s hand, squeezing it gently, as he shot her a quick smile.¡°But that has nothing to do with you, sister.Whatever hospitality I can offer is at your service.¡± That night, they ate in the courtyard garden of the estate.It was a beautiful building - large, decorative walls wrapped around the enclave, enclosing a decent chuck of land.The great hall sat in the middle of the courtyard; its sturdy base was elevated above the rest, with obvious defensive measures in place which suggested that, at least at some point in the past, this area was not as peaceful as it seemed. Only the lord had his chambers in the hall, while the servants and guests stayed in any one of the numerous smaller buildings were scattered throughout the carefully tended gardens.No one was ever far from a place of beauty and tranquility within the walls of the estate. Jasper struggled to get a good read on Lord Ra?¡¯imu.Their young host was charming - funny, eloquent, good-looking - but he couldn¡¯t hide the occasional flashes of bitterness that broke through.The one thing that seemed utterly sincere about the young Djinn, however, was his obvious fascination with Tsia. He quizzed her long into the night about every aspect of her life - her father¡¯s courts, her training, her other siblings, and - above all - their mother.Jasper was honestly surprised at how active Aphora had been in Tsia¡¯s life.Apparently, the princess had often gone to stay with her mother when she was in Gis?-Izum - in fact, Jasper and Ihra had just missed her most recent visit, the princess leaving mere weeks before they arrived in the city.He also couldn¡¯t miss the pain and envy in Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s eyes. ¡°So, why did you come here?¡±Ra?¡¯imu finally asked.¡°When the guard delivered me your message, I thought my sister had come to meet me, but it¡¯s clear now she didn¡¯t even know I existed.Why enter Harei Miqlat at all?Why come here?¡± Tsia hesitated, unsure if it was her place to tell Ra?''imu about the lyre; after a moment''s thought, she nodded her head in Jasper¡¯s direction.¡°You should probably ask Jasper.¡± The Djinn turned his eyes on Jasper, curiosity burning intensely in their depths.¡°Ah yes, the mysterious southern noble.¡±Not for the first time, Jasper wondered why everyone assumed he was from the south. Jasper started to speak, but the Djinn raised his hand, cutting him off.¡°I already know much of your activities, Lord Jasper and I hope we can find time to discuss them further - your motives have been most perplexing.But what is your connection to Tsia?¡± Jasper felt a momentary flash of confusion at Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s words.My activities?My motives?What the hell is the Djinn talking about¡­unless.He shuddered as the image of Ka?r-Kupp? wreathed in flames popped into his head.That wasn¡¯t on purpose! ¡°Um, I don¡¯t really have much of a connection to Tsia.Ihra and I worked for Aphora briefly and apparently she suggested that Tsia join our party, but I only met her a few weeks ago myself,¡± he finished, lamely. Ra?¡¯imu cocked his head to the side, scrutinizing Jasper for a moment, then nodded as a slow smile crept across his face.¡°A player of the game, I see.I look forward to talking to you more - but not tonight.¡±He stood up, stretching his arms languidly.¡°I am headed off to bed.The servants will guide you to your quarters whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±As he disappeared into the shadows, headed for the central hall, one thought kept running through Jasper¡¯s mind.What game? Challenge Accepted The next morning, Jasper stirred sleepily in his bed.A gentle shaft of sunlight lit up his form, the warmth seeping deep into his bones as he flipped onto his stomach, nestling deeper into the welcoming cushions.Hands begin to massage his back, digging into the tense muscles and knots along his shoulders and neck.¡°Hmmh¡­¡± he muttered.¡°That feels good, Layla.¡±He was on the edge of drifting back to sleep when his mind cleared enough to remember that he hadn''t been on earth in a long time; whoever was rubbing his shoulders was definitely not his ex. Jasper flipped over, startling the woman who had been massaging him, who stepped back with a quickly muffled shriek. As soon he saw the uniform she wore, he relaxed though.Just one of Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s servants, he realized. With a sigh of relief, he plopped back onto his pillows, wallowing in the cozy blankets.. ¡°Did the massage not please you, my lord?I can offer you other services, if you wish.¡±Her hand rested on her hip, where her robe was tied tightly shut. Jasper hesitated for a moment - it had been an awfully long time for him.The servant was a ravishing beauty, thick raven hair tumbling down her shoulders, her luscious form barely hidden by the thin silk robe she wore.But he didn¡¯t feel comfortable accepting the servant¡¯s offer, as he could not be sure how voluntary her offer really was.Nor, for that matter, was he sure he wanted to accept Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s ¡°gifts¡± - the Djinn¡¯s comments from the previous night about the game had put him on edge. Reluctantly, Jasper shook his head, forcing an awkward smile.¡°No, the massage was more than good enough.¡± The servant stepped closer, her hips swaying as she ran a gentle finger down his forearm.¡°Are you sure, my lord,¡± she practically purred.Any hesitation Jasper had previously had disappeared in an instant, replaced instead with the certainty that she had been sent to seduce him. He pushed her hand away firmly, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice.¡°No thanks.¡± She withdrew her hand, her sultry invitation immediately replaced with prim professionalism.¡°Very well, Lord Jasper.Breakfast awaits you in the garden and, once you are finished eating, Lord Ra?¡¯imu is hoping you will join him on a hunt.¡± A hunt?Jasper was a bit surprised that the noble would want to go hunting after his father died in a hunting accident, but he was game for it.Although, he mused, I highly doubt it can live up to the last one. The rest of his party was already in the garden when he emerged from his private cottage.It was a beautiful day.The sky was a brilliant blue, with nary a cloud to cover the heavens, while a gentle breeze wafted off the nearby mountain, the playful zephyrs brushing past his cheek. A table was spread for them, piled high with dishes and treats of every type imaginable and a pot of the same sickly-sweet drink the captain had served them. He sat down beside Ihra and begin piling food on his plate.She leaned over to him, speaking in a hushed tone.¡°Did you have a visitor in your room too?¡± He arched an eyebrow.¡°So it wasn¡¯t just me, then?¡± The pretty elfling shook her head.¡°No, all of us had a visitor.Well, not Tsia,¡± she amended, snickering quietly.¡°I guess Lord Ra?¡¯imu didn¡¯t feel comfortable arranging sex for his sister.¡± Jasper choked on the scone he was devouring, the dry crumbs going down the wrong direction as he fought to keep his laughter down.After his fit of coughing had subsided, he raised his voice.¡°So are we setting off on the hunt directly after breakfast?¡± Ihra begin bobbing her head as puzzled looks crossed Ne?s?u and Tsia¡¯s faces. "What hunt?" Tsia asked. beloved sister and her servant aren''t going on the hunt - just the two of us. I just hope this guy isn¡¯t another Nabul.¡±
The three departed shortly after breakfast, riding toward the heavily forested mountain.To Jasper¡¯s surprise, the three rode alone, no servants accompanying them.Ra?¡¯imu chattered on incessantly, acting like a tour guide as he pointed out each and every interesting point along the way - and a good many uninteresting things as well.It was only after they left the main path, heading into the forest, that he fell silent. ¡°So, what are we hunting?¡±Jasper finally ventured, his eyes scanning the shadows for any signs that they were being led into a trap.The Djinn reached into his saddlebags drawing out two bundles, tossing one to each of them.Jasper opened it up cautiously.Inside was a set of five small daggers.He pulled one of them out, examining it.¡°What are these for?¡± Ra?¡¯imu leaned back in his saddle, pointing to an opening in the trees ahead.¡°I don¡¯t know how familiar you are with the customs of us northerners, but we Moon-kissed only hunt beasts that offer us a challenge.There¡¯s a cave up ahead filled with little critters we call Qara?hi." He winked at Ihra. "They''re actually kind of small and cute, but don''t be fooled by their appearance. Qara?hi are surprisingly dangerous and highly territorial.They¡¯re also weak to fire magic, so when we hunt them, those are off-limits.¡±He grinned at Jasper.¡°You think you''re up to the challenge? If not, I suppose you could use your fire.¡± Jasper found himself smiling back.¡°Challenge accepted.¡±
As he crawled through a tiny, cold, cramped tunnel deep beneath the earth two hours later, Jasper''s initial spark of enthusiasm had long since been thoroughly quenched.Ra?''imu''s claim that the cave was filled with the creatures turned out to have been a bit of an exaggeration.Thus far, he had encountered only one. A Qara?hi, it turned out, was something similar to a frost slime, but far more annoying.He had just pulled himself through a tight opening in the rocks when he stumbled upon the creature.It was no more than two feet high, a brilliant blue, and obviously gelatinous.To his shame, Jasper had let his guard down - after all, slimes weren¡¯t exactly a dangerous enemy in most games. They were usually what you fought after the obligatory rat quest. The creature had not shared his hesitation.It dashed towards him with surprising speed, latching onto his arm where he discovered, much to his shock, that the Qara?hi had a wicked sharp set of teeth. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. With a yelp of pain, Jasper slashed his knife through the slime now sucking on his arm.he blade passed through harmlessly, the wound sealing up immediately without even a trace of damage.But the Qara?hi did let go of his arm, dropping to the floor.Its mouth opened wide and a shard of ice suddenly shut straight into Jasper¡¯s face.His toughened skin tanked the brunt of the blow, the icicle shattering without harming him, but by the time Jasper had succeeded in brushing the ice out of his eyes, the Qara?hi had disappeared, leaving him with a slightly bleeding arm and a rather battered sense of pride. Since then, he had yet to see another.Smothering a sigh, Jasper pushed further down the passage, forced to turn to his side to squeeze through a tight section. Jasper glared at the tight walls with disfavor, dismayed to see the passage was even more cramped up ahead.If it comes down to a battle, I barely have room to swing my arms. Still, Jasper felt confident that the next encounter would go better; the fight may have been a bit of a disaster, but he had noticed one key detail.Although most of the creature had been gelatinous, a small, hard object floated in the goo. It''s got to be a core.Weighing the dagger in his hands, he smiled.Ra?¡¯imu had only said he couldn¡¯t use fire spells but, thanks to Aphora, he had the perfect spell for these monsters - Heartstopper. When he finally crawled out of the cave hours later, Ra?¡¯imu was already waiting by the entrance, a proud smile on his face.The Djinn sat beneath a tree, four cores arranged at his feet.Ihra was not there, although, from the sounds echoing behind him, Jasper guessed she was on her way up.He sauntered over toward the lord, who looked at him smugly.¡°Well,¡± Ra?¡¯imu asked, ¡°did you manage to get any?Don¡¯t feel ashamed if you didn¡¯t.Most people struggle on their first hunt - the Qara?hi''s cores are constantly floating around, so they''re surprisingly hard to hit.¡± Jasper shrugged, keeping his face straight as he reached into his bag.¡°Oh, I guess I got a few.¡±Slowly, he dropped his trophies beside the Djinn.One, two, three¡­when he was done, nine cores lay on the ground. Ra?¡¯imu snatched the cores up, an incredulous look on his face as he examined them.¡°They aren¡¯t scorched,¡± he reluctantly admitted.He tossed the cores back to Jasper, grudgingly with respect.¡°I take it you¡¯ve hunted Qara?hi before?¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°Nope, first time.¡± ¡°Then how?¡±Ra?¡¯imu looked flabbergasted and Jasper took pity on him.¡°I have a skill that was perfect for it.Learned it from your mother, actually.¡± A pained look briefly flitted through the Djinn¡¯s eyes before he quickly looked away.¡°Of course you did,¡± he muttered softly. Jasper plopped down beside the Djinn, leaning back against the tree.A gentle breeze blew against his voice while a chorus of birds warbled unseen in the branches above him.An awkward silence filled the space between them as they waited on Ihra to emerge from the cave.Ra?¡¯imu broke first. Rummaging in his bag for a second, he pulled out a letter and slid it across to Jasper, who picked it up with a bemused look.¡°What is this?¡± The young lord shrugged.¡°It came for you a few days ago, sealed shut, affixed with the royal emblem.¡± Jasper frowned as he weighed the paper in his hand. The wax seal on the letter was broken. ¡°We were also told to prepare for a royal emissary to arrive in a few days and keep you here until he did. I must admit, I was most confused when you arrived with my sister, and my curiosity got the best of me.¡± He grinned weakly. "Hope you don''t mind." With shaking hands, Jasper opened the letter and scanned its contents. His pulse quickened as he skimmed through the handful of lines.What the hell? Lord Yas?peh, The King was most pleased to hear your mission in the north was successful. this missive reaches you while you are still at Du?r-Yarha, please remain in the city until our messenger arrives; otherwise, please return to the capital city. Through your service, you have brought much honor to our house, my nephew, and in return, the King has decided to grant you the recognition you have sought for so long. A new assignment already awaits you. The Steward of Flames Jasper''s brows nearly reached orbit as he read the brief letter. Successful mission? Steward of Flames? Recognition? What the hell is this crap? He reread the letter, looking for the missing punchline. ¡°An interesting letter, no?¡± Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s voice floated past his ears, shaking Jasper out of his thoughts.He waved the letter in the air.¡°Is this a joke?¡±He flatly demanded, looming over Ra?¡¯imu rather aggressively. A flicker of confusion passed through the noble¡¯s eyes, but he raised his hand placatingly.¡°I admit, I may have¡­taken it upon myself to verify the letter''s content, but I would never, ever, forge a royal missive.Personally, I¡¯m rather attached to my head.¡± The Djinn patted his small, spindly horns fondly.¡°Besides, aren¡¯t you happy about the letter?It sounds like your house is prepared to recognize you. bastards have to stick together.¡± Jasper''s mind was reeling, but he somehow managed to compose his face.ntil he figured out exactly what was going on, Jasper decided the best course of action was simply to play along. He nodded curtly, releasing his grip on Ra?''imu. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a touchy subject.¡± Ra?¡¯imu nodded, his usually breezy attitude suddenly serious.¡°I understand.My father acknowledged me at birth, so I never had to fight for recognition, but now that he has passed, many in our House feel free to make their disdain for me known.If I had only inherited my mother¡¯s strength-¡±He trailed off, his lips twisting in a grimace.¡°Anyways, I¡¯m sure it was tough being a bastard of the royal house.¡± Jasper scrutinized the Djinn closely, searching for some hint of dishonesty, but saw nothing but sincerity.The letter, he concluded, hadn¡¯t been made by Ra?¡¯imu, which meant someone else was involved.¡°When is this emissary supposed to arrive?¡± Ra¡¯imu lifted up a second letter.¡°They sent us directions too; the emissary should arrive in the next few days and until then I was to keep you two entertained.¡± Their discussion was interrupted as Ihra emerged from the cave.The blonde looked somewhat worse for the wear.She was plastered in mud and blue slime and her usually beautiful hair lay limp and flat against her neck as she trudged over to them. Ra?¡¯imu stood up in an instant, rushing over to her with a genuine expression of concern as he took in the sorry state of the "guest" he was supposed to be taking care of.¡°What happened to you, my lady?¡± ¡°Yeah, what happened, Ihra?¡±Jasper trailed behind, curious but not concerned. He''d known Ihra long enough to recognize the satisfied glint in her eyes. ¡°I had been in the cave for about two hours and hadn''t seen anything. I was starting to get a little thirsty, so when I came across a lake, I bent down to get a drink.One of them must have been hidden somewhere behind me because, as I knelt beside the pond, something smashed into my back and tossed me into the lake where, as it turns out, a ton of the little slimes were chilling.¡± Jasper winced.¡°Yeah, I let the first one get the drop on me too.¡± She waved off the Djinn noble¡¯s attempts to help her, as she opened Nabul¡¯s bag of holding, a victorious glint in his eyes.¡°Worked out for me, though.¡±She tossed a handful of cores on the ground and then another and another.More than twenty cores rolled across the grass, coming to a stop beside the tree.¡°Well, did I win?¡± Jasper begin to laugh as the Djinn¡¯s jaw dropped. The ride back to Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s was a little more relaxed as Jasper now felt confident that the Djinn did not intend to hurt them.Of course, he had a new wrinkle to worry about, but he did his best to push it out of his mind.It''s a trouble for another day, he reassured himself. Can always come up with a plan tomorrow. But sometimes tomorrow comes early. S?arra?bi? When they drew within sight of the estate, they could see a large group of people milling about the entrance. More than twenty horses were being wrangled together as the group unloaded their gear and handed them off to Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s servants. Fluttering in the gentle winds off Mt. Qaitz, a pennant displaying the same symbol as on the letter was held by one of the guards. His heart sank. The royal emissary. ¡°I thought you said he was coming in a couple of days.¡± He growled at the Djinn, as Ihra looked on in confusion, having missed their earlier conversation. Ra?¡¯imu shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s what the letter said. Obviously, they arrived ahead of schedule.¡± For a brief second, Jasper was tempted to spur Dapplegrim into a gallop and race off into the wilds. But he dismissed the idea as soon as it arose. Even if he could escape the royal emissary for a moment, there was only one exit from the Harei Miqlat; there was really no possibility of escape if they were determined to meet him. As they rode up to the gate, a few of the servants helping the royal party split off to usher their lord inside. The Djinn in the royal livery stared at him as they passed, and Jasper took the opportunity to study them. All of the horses were covered in thin plates of armor that protected their chests, heads, and necks. The armor was made from an amber-toned material that appeared to be some form of carapace rather than metal and gleamed brightly in the sun. Long lances were attached on the right side of the horses, while on the left, bows and quivers dangled from the ornate saddles. The warriors were clad in armor made from the same carapace material, sabers swaying at their sides. They walked with the confident, jaded stride of experience and met his gaze with a friendly but unabashed curiosity. No, Jasper concluded, running is not an option. Ihra rode up beside him, poking him in the ribs.¡°What the hell is going on? Who are these people?¡±She hissed, under her breath. Wordlessly, he handed her the letter, which she quickly scanned. ¡°Huh? You''re not a-¡± Jasper shook his head, shooting her a look that practically begged her to stay silent. She picked up the hints; biting her words off, Ihra handed the letter back to him without further comment. When they reached the main building, they found the royal emissary had already taken up residence in Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s hall. The estate''s servants intercepted their lord at the entrance apologetically, refusing him entrance into his own hall. ¡°Lord Ra?¡¯imu, the king¡¯s emissary is waiting in the grand hall to meet with Lord Jasper. He wants to meet in private.¡± The servant, a pudgy, balding man was positively dripping with sweat as he turned the lord away from his quarters. Ra?¡¯imu frowned, his face darkening like a thundercloud, but he nodded tightly; Ra?''imu knew his place, even if it left a bitter taste on his tongue. The servant turned to Jasper, bowing deeply. ¡°Lord S?arra?bi? will see you now.¡± The large wooden door to the hall creaked open slowly, opening just enough to let him slip in before it slammed shut behind him. The sound echoed down the empty, pillared corridor, as Jasper¡¯s eyes struggled to adjust from the bright sunlight of the day to the dim darkness of the hall. A man sat on Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s throne, thumbing through the piles of documents that were scattered all around him. Jasper walked toward the emissary slowly, his eyes drinking in the details. Like himself, the lord¡¯s skin was red though it was not the pale red he possessed, nor even the bright, ruby red that Nabul had sported. Instead, the lord''s skin was a dark, almost rusty, shade that reminded Jasper of dried blood. His thick black horns flared back with a gentle curve and his long black hair was tied neatly behind his ears. He wore a deep emerald-colored tunic that had the royal emblem - a forest consumed with flames - emblazoned across the front. To Jasper¡¯s surprise, when the Djinn looked up at his approach, a smile spread across his face. Tossing the papers to the side, the lord rose from the throne and swept Jasper into a hug. ¡°How good to see you, nephew.¡± Jasper froze as the Djinn thumped his back enthusiastically, his mind reeling. I don¡¯t know this guy. Do I? His thoughts were restored when the Djinn whispered in his ear. ¡°Play along until I finish casting this spell.¡± Awkwardly, Jasper hugged the Djinn back. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too.¡± A second later, the man released him, dropping a charm on the floor. When the charm hit the floor, a bubble burst up around them, quickly expanding to fill the room. Then he turned to face Jasper. ¡°It should be safe to speak freely now. I take it you read my letter.¡± His voice was clipped - brusque and professional without crossing the line into unfriendly. Jasper nodded, drawing the letter out of his pocket. ¡°I read it - can¡¯t say I really understood what I read - but I read it.¡± The Djinn¡¯s expression was unreadable. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have many questions, and I will answer them. But first, tell me what you think is happening.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He blurted out, not thinking, before hastily adding, ¡°Why do you want to know, my lord?¡± The Djinn frowned, ¡°Consider it a test. If I''m working with a dolt, I¡¯ll have to adjust my plans accordingly. On the other hand, if you show some signs of intelligence, that opens up my options.¡± Jasper hesitated, his mind quickly running through the details. The letter had addressed him as if he was part of the royal house, seemingly - if Ra?¡¯imu had understood it - an unacknowledged bastard on the cusp of being promoted. He knew too, from Tsia¡¯s story of interrogating the guard at Ka?r-Kupp?, that at least some rumors had associated him and Ihra with the royal family. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The real question, though, was why the royal family would want to claim him. Unless¡­. As he opened his mouth to speak, he noticed the ring the Djinn lord was wearing. It was a gold ring with a black onyx gem - a gem inscribed with the symbol of the cult of Nahre?mah. He spoke slowly, still assembling his thoughts. ¡°After the unfortunate events in Ka?r-Kupp?, rumors started to circulate that I was somehow connected to the royal house.¡± The lord nodded. ¡°And why would they make that assumption?¡± Jasper winced. ¡°Probably because of my partner, Ihra. I don¡¯t know that much about your internal politics, but my understanding is that there are really only two factions of Djinn known for associating with elves - the Moon-kissed and the Royal House. Since we were in conflict with one of the Moon-kissed houses, people assumed I must be connected to your faction. Plus,¡± he added, ¡°my red skin also suggested that I wasn¡¯t associated with the Moon-kissed.¡± The lord¡¯s face gave away nothing, but he gestured for Jasper to continue. ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t know much about your politics, but one of the few things I picked up from Nabul is that there is a good deal of tension between the North and the South over opening up the border to the rest of the empire. Perhaps, once rumors started that the Zaphonites and Moon-kissed had attacked a member of the royal house, you saw an opportunity to apply some pressure.¡± ¡°I also noticed you¡¯re wearing a ring from the cult of Nahre?mah, so it¡¯s possible that there¡¯s some other angle here too - maybe Kas?dael sent you to help me, or maybe you¡¯re connected to the cult of the dark goddess and are here to kill me.¡± He lapsed into an awkward silence, doing his best not to squirm beneath the Djinn''s piercing gaze. After a long moment of silence, S?arra?bi? snorted. ¡°Passable. Barely. However, you clearly know very little about our culture and politics, so your mistakes are forgivable. I suppose Kas?dael was not wrong to suggest you would prove useful.¡± The lord removed the ring from his hand and tossed it at Jasper. ¡°The ring is for you - it will mark you as a legacy applicant and make your quest for Kas?dael a little easier.¡± Jasper slipped the ring onto his finger. ¡°It isn¡¯t yours?¡± The Djinn shook his head. ¡°No, but it belonged to your new mother.¡± He bent down and picked up one of the files, holding it out to Jasper. ¡°Welcome to the family.¡± Jasper perused the file quickly. His mother was Princess Da¡¯iqta who, some forty years earlier, had a fling with a low-ranked noble of the Seraph faction and gotten pregnant. It had been a minor scandal at the time, although it had largely died down when it was announced that both the mother and the child had died at birth. The father had died in battle a short time later. According to the file, the child had actually survived and been raised as a member of the household, serving in the royal guard until recently, when he had successfully completed a mission for the House, earning acknowledgment as a reward for his service. Stuffing the file into his bag, he looked up to find the Djinn watching him intently. ¡°So what exactly is it you want me to do? I understand that claiming me allows you to put political pressure on the Zaphonites but, then what? Are you going to use me for a little while and then have me ¡®die¡¯ in battle.¡± The Djinn grinned, exposing his jet-black teeth. ¡°Yes, I made sure that bastard got what was coming to him after he dared to seduce my sister. But for you, as long as you prove competent, I have long-term plans.¡± Jasper raised his eyebrows. ¡°Really?¡± Lord S?arra?bi? settled back on the throne. ¡°Indeed. Although the Royal House cannot be seen bending to the pressure of the Zaphonites and their ever-unreliable allies, the Moon-kissed, we are not blind to the events outside our hallowed mountains. The position of our House has always been that the Harei Miqlat are in the Empire not of it.¡± ¡°But it is the Empire - not Du?r-S?innu, for all its strength - that is the true shield of our lands. We aided the empire in the Desolyton and we eventually provided aid in the Fey wars." His face darkened, a flicker of shame flitting through his eyes. "Perhaps if the Djinn had intervened sooner, the Fey wars would not have escalated to such a devastating extent. The king cannot fix the mistakes of the past, but he does not intend to repeat them.¡± ¡°The Royal House is gathering troops even now to send to the aid of the empire. The emperor, as you may know, is preparing a campaign to take back the capital, but I believe their plans will fail unless we or the elves help them. And if you, in the coming months, prove your worth to the House, then you too will accompany them as a duly acknowledge scion of our House.¡± The lord met Jasper¡¯s eyes, sincerity blossoming in their depths. ¡°Play your part well, Yas?peh, and you truly will become one of us.¡± Jasper sat in stunned silence, his mind whirling at the implications. The Royal House? Getting sent to the war? Did he even want those things? And lurking in the background, another question lingered. Do I really have a choice? If S?arra?bi? noticed Jasper''s doubts, he paid no attention to them. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Jasper, turning his attention back to his stack of documents. ¡°You can go now, Yas?peh - we¡¯ll talk more later.¡±The Djinn glanced up, his voice growing deeper as he caught Jasper¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can count on your discretion.¡± But Jasper didn¡¯t turn to leave. Instead, he positioned himself before the Djinn, demanding his attention. ¡°Lord S?arra?bi?, even if I agree to play the part you have in mind - and I have not yet agreed - there are quests of my own I wish to fulfill.¡± The Djinn looked up impatiently. ¡°Yes, yes - I know Kas?dael may assign quests to you from time to time. Who are we to stand in the way of gods? Your quests for Kas?dael will of course be accommodated. Now, go!¡± Jasper shook his head, stiffening his resolve. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± His mind immediately went to thoughts of his ascension quest and the trial to change Ihra¡¯s class. ¡°I have goals of my own to complete. I¡¯m willing to help you, but as a partner, not a servant.¡± The Djinn¡¯s eyes darkened, boring into Jasper with an almost physical weight. But Jasper held firm, meeting the lord¡¯s gaze with steady eyes. Finally, S?arrabi? spoke. ¡°What are these goals?¡± Jasper hesitated. Do I tell him about the ascension quest? He dismissed the idea immediately; he''d need to know S?arra?bi? much better before trusting him with that. Instead, he filled him in on the glaive¡¯s quest and the information about the trial for Ihra that Lord Arut? had given them. After a long moment of silence, the Djinn lord nodded. ¡°Fine - you can do these quests. I may even be able to help you with the first one. I am not personally familiar with this Lord Jakaryus, but I¡¯m sure with a few subtle inquiries I can track him down for you. As for the second¡­¡± The Djinn sighed. ¡°Your friend¡¯s abilities are really not my concern, but if you insist on chaining yourself to her, I suppose it¡¯s for the best if she receives an upgraded class, otherwise she¡¯ll be simply a millstone around your neck. The trip from here to the capital takes about three weeks if you charter a vessel at Qara?nu.¡± He paused, humming thoughtfully beneath his breath. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two months to join me in the capital. And if you¡¯re not there, well,¡± an amused grin graced the Djinn¡¯s face ¡°as you know, there¡¯s only one exit from these mountains. If you try to run, you will merely meet me in Du?r-S?innu instead of the capital and I promise, I will be in a much worse mood then.¡± Du?r-Yarha With a twist of his hand, S?arra?bi? dismissed the barrier. An audible pop filled the room as the eerie silence of the spell was immediately overwhelmed by the familiar bustle of the estate.As Jasper made his way out of the audience chamber, he couldn¡¯t decide if he was excited by the possibilities that S?arra?bi? had offered him or pissed off that he had been essentially gang-pressed into service.Both, he admitted to himself. Ihra was waiting for him outside.She sat by herself on the lacquered wood steps that lead up into Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s hall.Her eyes were fixed on the great mountain that loomed over the estate, apparently lost to the world, but she whirled around as soon as he approached, unable to hide her worry.¡°Well?What did he want?¡± Jasper plopped down beside her with an exaggerated sigh, handing her the dossier wordlessly.She read through it quickly, her hands flying through the pages with increasing speed.¡°Why?Just¡­why?¡± With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his long, shaggy hair.What I wouldn¡¯t give for a proper barber.Do they even exist here?They must, in the big cities at least.Outside of a few pleasant days in the Sanctum, he had yet to spend any quality time in a city, he realized.Always rushing from crisis to crisis. ¡°Jasper?¡±Ihra poked him in the side, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand it either.¡±He shrugged his shoulders.¡°Like, I sort of get it.Nabul and his cronies belong to a faction that has been applying pressure on the royal family to open the borders.The southern factions, on the other hand, are bitterly opposed to making any changes, and the royal family is caught somewhere in the middle.They sympathize with at least some of the northern demands, but can¡¯t afford to look weak to the more powerful southern lords.So they need to find a way to shut the north up.¡± ¡°And then I came along and rumors spread that we were attached to the royal house.Attacking a member of the royal house, even one that¡¯s just an unacknowledged bastard, is a grave insult at best, borderline treason at worst.Since members of both northern factions participated in the event, S?arra?bi? can use this ¡°insult¡± to force them to back down on the border issue, which will win him favor with the southern tribes, and in turn, he can leverage that favor to get what he really wants. ¡°And what is that?¡± Ihra asked quietly. ¡°To send troops to help the empire reconquer the capital, with me accompanying them, apparently.¡±He scowled.¡°The real question is if I¡¯m being sent along in good faith, or as a sacrificial lamb.¡±With a groan, Jasper laid back against the steps, ignoring the sharp wooden edges that pressed against his back.¡°God, I hate politics.¡± The next few days passed in a blur.The royal contingent stayed only two more days, before departing for the capital again.¡°Two months,¡±S?arra?bi? warned Jasper as his knights rode out of the gates. ¡°Two more months,¡± he muttered, as he watched them depart in a cloud of dust.With the timer ticking down, the group couldn¡¯t stay long at Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s place.But they had come there on a mission, and Jasper was not prepared to allow a potential advantage to slip through his fingers.After all, you never knew when you want to call in a favor. So they waited, impatiently, for the elders of the House of the Third Son to deign to meet with them.Jasper was somewhat surprised that the elders, despite Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s relative unimportance in his House, were not more eager to get their hands on the relic.Ra?¡¯imu himself was a charming host; he took them on hunts almost daily, treated them to sumptuous meals, and spent nearly every waking second with his sister.As the days slipped past with no summons, Jasper begin to wonder if the elders had even been informed of their presence, suspecting that Ra?¡¯imu was delaying them on purpose. When two weeks had passed with no meeting, Jasper knew they could afford to wait no longer.The four met as usual in the garden for breakfast, the one time of the day when Ra?¡¯imu, a late riser, left them alone. ¡°I think we just have to leave.¡± ¡°I can be ready to leave in an hour,¡± Ihra replied, half standing up from her seat. ¡°What?Why?¡±Tsia stopped buttering her scone mid-stroke as she looked up, startled.¡°We still haven''t met with the elders. Plus,¡± she said hesitantly, "it''s been nice getting to know Ra?''imu." Ihra replied before Jasper could.¡°We only have six weeks left to do the trial and make it to the capital on time.Ra?¡¯imu is clearly stalling us at this point.Probably because of you.¡±Her tone wasn¡¯t harsh, but she shot Tsia a pointed look. ¡°Me?I-¡±Tsia paused, flustered.¡°I, uh¡­maybe you¡¯re right,¡± she conceded.¡°I don¡¯t think Ra?¡¯imu is trying to harm us; he just wants to spend time with me." ¡°Maybe," Jasper agreed, "but we can¡¯t afford to keep delaying. The royal family has given me a deadline, and as much as I was hoping to get a nice reward from the Lyre of Damqa, it''s definitely not worth pissing off the royal family.We¡¯re just going to have to leave.¡± Ne?s?u, who had thus far been eating in silence, cut in.¡°There might be another option.I think you¡¯re correct, Ihra, that Ra?¡¯imu is in no rush to arrange a meeting for us with the elders.¡±He patted Tsia¡¯s hand fondly, smiling down at his charge.¡°But he is still a noble of the realm - he will not dare risk angering the Royal House.It¡¯s about a three-week trip from here to S?addanu, so he will not delay us more than another three weeks.¡± ¡°But if we wait, we won¡¯t have time to do Ihra¡¯s quest,¡± Jasper pointed out. Ne?s?u drained his cup, setting it down with a satisfied sigh.¡°And that is why we should temporarily split.Tsia and I can stay here, and deliver the lyre to the elders when Ra?¡¯imu finally stops stalling.You and Ihra can go do her quest, and we can all meet up in the capital.¡±He smiled wryly, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes.¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to be hard to find, ''my lord.''¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Tsia perked up at Ne?s?u¡¯s suggestion, glancing at Jasper with hopeful eyes, which he studiously ignored.Jasper turned to Ihra.¡°What do you think?¡± She swept her long, golden hair back, gathering it up with a bow.¡°Like I said, I can be ready to leave in an hour.The trial¡¯s more important to me than the lyre.¡± ¡°Well then, I guess it¡¯s a plan.¡±He glanced back at Tsia and Ne?s?u.¡°Tell me something - are you truly planning to meet us in the capital?¡± Surprise flickered across her face.¡°Of course I am.I want to spend time with Ra?¡¯imu, but I want to see my mother more.We will meet you at S?adda?nu.¡± Jasper still wasn''t sure how much he trusted the two, but Ihra''s quest was more important than lyre, so there was no reason to not give them the chance to prove themselves. Ra?¡¯imu, predictably, offered no objections when Jasper informed him that he and Ihra were leaving.Ever the gracious host, he provided them with generous supplies, gathered promptly by his servants.And thus, well before the sun had reached its noontime zenith, they were on the road again. After passing through the enclave¡¯s gates, they settled into a steady gallop, aiming for the city.The spot marked on the map Lord Arut? had given them was in Du?r-Yarha itself, in a section on the lower south side. He was looking forward to seeing the city for himself - when they had passed it from a distance the city had seemed truly impressive. s Jasper rode toward the city, he couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling that had settled over him, remembering what Ba?''er''s son had called the city - S?admu?ti, the mountain of death.He hoped he wouldn¡¯t find out why it was named that. As they drew closer to the city, Du?r-Yarha''s ethereal beauty became more and more pronounced.It was late in the night when they finally reached its gates, but the pale green rock that lined the city walls glowed faintly beneath the moonlight.The entire city was illuminated in a gentle light and, just like in Ka?r-kupp?, the city streets bustled with traffic well into the night. The guards ushered them in without complaint, their eyes widening with respect and wonder when they saw the short antlers peaking out of Ihra¡¯s hair.The pair didn¡¯t even have to search for a room to stay in as the guards insisted on escorting her to a reputable inn.They ate in their room, away from prying eyes, and despite the fact that the inn could not match the opulence of Lord Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s estate, Jasper had the best night of sleep he had in ages, secure in the knowledge that no one was likely to be spying on him. But they were there on a mission, not vacation. After a quick breakfast in their room, the pair headed out to find the spot marked on Arutu?''s map.Ihra bound her hair with a scarf, hiding the tell-tale antlers away from prying eyes.They very quickly realized that the city was vast, far beyond even Gis?-Izum in extent, and, unfortunately, they were nowhere near the spot Arut? had marked. They had to stop at more than a few stalls before someone was willing to tell them where to go.The old merchant stared at them indecisively, his eyes flickering back and forth from the map to them.¡°Do you know where this is?¡± Jasper resisted the urge to snap at him. No, I¡¯m just asking for directions for the fun of it. The man perhaps saw the annoyance in his eyes, as he clucked his tongue reluctantly.¡°I¡¯m just asking.Tis a bad spot in town, that¡¯s all.Not a place for proper folks like you to be seen.¡± ¡°Be that as it may, we need to examine something there.Can you help us or not?¡±Ihra demanded. The merchant shrugged his shoulders.¡°Fine, buy something from my stall, and I will tell you how to get there.¡± After a few minutes of attempting to buy the cheapest item the merchant sold, and quickly discovering no such item asked, they finally managed to wring directions out of the merchant.Perhaps the old man scammed them even more than they realized, for as they turned to leave, he stopped them.¡°A free piece of advice - I noticed you¡¯re wearing Guild uniforms under that armor.There¡¯s no Guild in our mountains - no empire troops at all - but the Royal House operates a similar organization known as Shamsha¡¯s Light.If you insist on going to that part of town, perhaps you should stop by there and hire a few guards.Just a thought.¡± It was a thought that was quickly discarded as they walked away.¡°Guards?¡±Ihra laughed.¡°I¡¯m not some delicate flower that needs protecting.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°At least the old man told us where to go; nobody else would even do that.¡±They set a good pace through the crowded streets, as the merchant had explained that their destination was almost a two-hour walk away. The city was like nothing Jasper had ever seen before, in large part thanks to its inhabitants.. But many among the citizens of Du?r-Yarha looked downright alien.While about half of the Moon-kissed Djinn around them were normal-sized, much like Qarda and Labbu, the others were far stranger.Tall, thin, and pale - these Moon-kissed towered over Jasper, standing at least 8 or 9 feet tall.Their bodies seemed too thin for their size, and as Jasper and Ihra fought their way through the crowd, he noticed the citizens always made way for them, subtly parting before the tall Moon-kissed to allow them to pass or even yielding their place in line with the merchants.Whoever they are, they must be important. What confused him the most though was the relative flatness of the city.The village hunter had referred to the city as S?admu?ti, but although the city had a few hills that rose slightly above the other sectors of the settlement, it was certainly not built on a mountain as the name implied. Instead, Du?r-Yarha crouched some distance away from the mountains that encircled the province, its flanks closing around a small lake that occupied its center.Jasper simply couldn¡¯t see where the name had come from, unless the hunter had simply been mistaken. It wouldn''t be surprising if none of the villagers have ever actually been here, he concluded. As they drew closer to their destination, the buildings slowly became more dilapidated.The facades were, if anything, far more detailed and complex and it was clear that the buildings had once been amongst the grandest in the city - at least compared to what Jasper had seen thus far. Still made from the pale-green stone that filled the city, the homes towered over the street, four or five stories tall.But everywhere were the small signs of decay - engravings that were cracked and crumbling, pavement broken by weeds and roots, windows left shattered and unfilled.It¡¯s like I somehow walked straight from Manhattan to Detroit, he mused. The crowded streets thinned out and, much to his surprise, the number of the tall, thin Moon-kissed increased, slowly replacing their more normal-sized kin until at last, none were left.As the gaunt Moon-kissed passed them, glaring at the pair with undisguised hostility, Jasper begin to regret not listening to the merchant¡¯s advice.Maybe hiring a few guards wasn¡¯t such a crazy idea. But the time to do that was in the past, and the time when Jasper would have cowered in fear from a few ruffians was also in the past.Being able to throw fireballs and walk through flames had really done a lot to cure his insecurities.Squaring his shoulders, Jasper met the hostile glares of the crowd with a defiant grin, staring them in the eyes until they looked away.Most of them, at least. A few, however, turned and followed them, straggling just far enough behind the two that Jasper couldn¡¯t be entirely sure they were being tailed.He leaned over to Ihra, talking quietly.¡°I think we¡¯ve got company.¡± S?admu?ti Ihra nodded, her hand clutching the grip of Aphora¡¯s misericorde tightly.¡°Yeah, I see ''em.Do you think we can avoid a fight?" Jasper glanced over his shoulder. The group had continued to swell and, perhaps emboldened by their numbers, had abandoned all pretense of innocence. The leader met Jasper''s gaze with an easy grin and a naked sword. "Yeah, I don''t think we have a choice." Jasper lifted his hands, wreathing them in pale blue fire as he grinned back at her.¡°But I bet they weren''t expecting to run into a mage.¡± As one, the two stopped, spinning around to face their attackers.With a single smooth motion, Ihra unhitched the bow from her back, notching an arrow at the leader. With Ihra covering his back, Jasper approached the gang that had been following them; he let the fire lapse, not wanting to waste his essence needlessly, but prepared a spell. Just in case. Moon-kissed''s confidence turned to confusion as their would-be-prey approached them with utter unconcern, allowing him to approach unharmed, Jasper was surprised at how he felt calm as he faced down the pale, giant hooligans.They outnumbered him and Ihra ten to one and yet¡­ Jasper wasn¡¯t a betting man, but if he was, he¡¯d happily place a bet in his favor. He plastered on a friendly grin as he stared up at the gangly Moon-kissed.¡°Now I¡¯m sure you gentlemen don¡¯t mean to be unfriendly, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d stop following us.Go find some other targets.¡± ne of the crowd pushed his way to the front. towered over Jasper, peering down at the smaller Djinn with undisguised malevolence.The pupils in his eyes were so large that the sclera was barely visible, giving the impression from a distance that his eyes were pure black. Jasper realized with a sinking feeling that this particular bully wasn¡¯t going to back down.¡°That pretty red skin might mean something where you came from, but you ain''t in the south." The Moon-kissed grinned, revealing a mouth bereft of teeth save for four especially large fangs, two at the top and two at the bottom. He waved at the crowd, which scurried past them with averted eyes. "No one''s going to save you." Jasper shrugged, willing the essence out of the faint, blue tattoos on his hand.lames wreathed his hands, their tongues early licking their way up his forearms as he met the leader¡¯s eyes with a calm, steady gaze.¡°I don''t need saving.¡± At his sudden display of magic, most of the Moon-kissed darted away into the welcoming shadows of a nearby side street. A handful, though, were made of sterner stuff, closing ranks around their leader as they drew their weapons. A flicker of uncertainty passed through the Moon-kissed¡¯s eyes, but it was replaced almost immediately by bravado.¡°Parlor tricks won¡¯t save you,¡± he sneered.Raising his voice, he yelled into the side street.¡°And I¡¯m coming for you cowards next if you don¡¯t get your asses back over here.¡± One or two started to slink out of the shadows, guiltily trying to sneak back into the group, but Jasper had had enough. I tried, he told himself. Lifting his hands, he cast the spell.Purge. For a second, Jasper feared the unreliable spell had once again failed.The leader began to laugh, his voice booming through the street.¡°You see, boys - I told you he was bluffing.His little ¡°spell¡± does nothing-¡°The strong voice suddenly cut off, only a strangled noise escaping his mouth. The Moon-kissed fell on his knees before Jasper, his kneecaps slamming into the stone pavement with a sickening crunch.He clutched at his throat as his lips parted in a silenced scream. Panic coursed through his wide, black eyes, begging for relief as the fires of judgment ate him from within.econds later, his withered corpse collapsed on the street. Fire bloomed on Jasper¡¯s hands as he met the rest with a steady gaze, daring them to attack him.There was a moment of hesitation.Despite their leader¡¯s gruesome demise, the thought no doubt ran through their mind that if they all jumped him at once, they could take him - he can¡¯t kill all of us, right?But no one wanted to be the one that died.Their will broken, the group scattered. The crowd on the street disappeared with them, leaving Jasper and Ihra alone. Moving quickly, Jasper frisked the withered Moon-kissed, snatching out his coin purse.Then he ran back to Ihra.Grabbing her hand, the two raced down the street, not wishing to discover what would happen if the crowd regained their courage.Plus, Jasper admitted to himself, I don¡¯t want to be here when the authorities arrive. Technically I struck first. Their headlong flight down the street was unimpeded; even when they turned the corner into a street still bustling with the giant-sized Moon-kissed, the crowd parted before them like waves before the sandals of Moses. - the entrance to Nah?as?s?innu. What must have once been a magnificent palace dominated the site.Towering over its neighbors, the massive stone edifice tapered up from a wide platform with a shape that reminded Jasper of Devil¡¯s Tower. The manor was enormous, its base dwarfing every other building he had seen thus far in the city.Hundreds of ornate windows were set into its tower, most long ago shattered or cracked, while two large statues, tall enough to make even the giant Moon-kissed look small, guarded its steps.The statues were odd, depicting humans mixed with animalistic features. One had the head of a hawk with a snake clutched tight in its talon-like feet while the other had the horns of a deer wreathed in moss, a bow dangling from its back. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. A large wall enclosed a courtyard before the building, but its ornate gate hung slightly ajar, the once bright metal now dulled and listless. But above the gate a single sign was posted, its simplicity a stark contrast to the tarnished opulence. ONLY THE DEAD ENTER THESE GATES. Jasper and Ihra were undeterred, deftly slipping through the crack left by the open gate.It was a tight squeeze for Jasper, the gates groaning in protest as he shoved his way through.But as they stepped into the courtyard, hidden from the view of the street, his breathing begin to calm.Well, at least we didn''t get mobbed.For a second, he¡¯d been sure the rest of the gang was going to jump him. Jasper was confident he and Ihra could¡¯ve beaten them - fairly easily even - but not without collateral damage, and he really didn¡¯t want to attract unnecessary attention from the local dignitaries.Thus far, his experience with Djinn nobles had been largely negative.But we should be safe now. The instant the thought crossed his mind, he cursed himself. Let¡¯s not go jinxing ourselves.The idea of a jinx had always seemed like a silly superstition on earth, but here he wasn¡¯t so sure. Quite frankly, he was in no mood to test it.Kas?dael watch over us, he thought. Kas?dael watch over us.
Ihra glanced around the ruined courtyard skeptically.Is this really the place Arut? sent us?Her eyes trailed up the shaft of a finely crafted pillar; the gold that had once ordained its capital had now been largely scraped away, although faint traces of it remained visible to her enhanced vision. This place must have been magnificent once, but is there still a trial here now?Maybe Arut?¡¯s information was out of date.Her heart sunk at the thought.She didn¡¯t truly understand how the gods worked, but Arut? was tied to the mountain - he was the mountain, in some sense - so perhaps his map was too old to be useful. With a vigorous shake of her head, Ihra pushed the doubts haunting her away.Surely a god wouldn¡¯t offer us something worthless. The two walked together across the ruined pavement.The untended grass had grown waist high, obscuring the ground, but Ihra noted the tips of small saplings peaking their heads over the fronds of grass.If this place has been abandoned as long as it looks, there should be trees by now.Maybe someone occasionally tends the place.She resolved to be more watchful. Two giant red doors led into the building which, after a moment¡¯s pressure, gave way, swinging open with an ear-aching shriek.But what waited inside the building was not what either of them had expected.But as her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, the realization struck her.Nah?as?s?innu was not a building: it was an entrance. What lay before them was a city within a city.A massive crater plunged into the earth.Its sides flared wide at the top, gradually narrowing as it sloped inward. Even with her superior vision, though, Ihra was unable to catch a glimpse of the bottom which was swallowed up in the shadows. Thousands of pale white buildings lined its walls, their open windows overlooking the gaping void.The city appeared abandoned, at least at the top, but as Ihra stared into the depths below, she thought she saw something moving in the corner of her eyes.But when she turned her head, squinting into the darkness, there was nothing there.Guess my eyes are playing tricks on me. Jasper mumbled something beneath his breath, and she wrested her eyes away from the unexpected sight.There was something eery, unsettling about that darkness that filled her with a desire to run away and forget all about the trial, but Ihra was not so easily spooked.¡°What did you say?¡± He spoke up this time, pointing at the vast crater.¡°S?admu?ti - this is the missing mountain.¡±It took her a moment to understand his words.But as his finger traced the outline of the crater she saw it: the crater formed the shape of an upside-down mountain, a mountain of darkness rather than stone. And a mountain of death. A chill ran down her spine as she stared into the abyss.Somewhere down there was the trial, but who knew what else lingered down there.And how are we even supposed to find this sepulcher in a city this big?Ihra dug Arut?¡¯s map out of her bag, plastering it across the ground.Maybe there was something I missed? To her surprise, the map had changed.Where previously the map had depicted the upper city, marking the location of Nah?as?s?innu in one of the southern sections, the upper city had been replaced by the void that stretched before them. There weren''t many details on the map, but a spot was marked close to the bottom of the pit. Kaksu?''s Sepulcher. A wave of relief washed over her as she saw the new mark. With her faith in Arutu?''s directions restored, she waved Jasper over.¡°Looks like we got new marching orders.¡± But finding a path that actually led down into the city proved to be more challenging than expected.They almost immediately stumbled upon a set of stairs that led up, leading no doubt into the tower of broken windows that they had seen outside. The entrance to the lower city, however, was nowhere to be found.For two hours they circled around the perimeter of the abyss, looking in vain for a means of descent, before finally arriving back at their original point of entry. Ihra chewed on her lip as she scanned the shadows again.¡°I don¡¯t get it - there has to be a way down.¡±Jasper wandered over to the rim, peering down into the underground city.¡°Guess we could get a rope and let ourselves down that way - although the nearest landing looks kind of far; it would have to be a really long-¡°His words cut off, and he leaned over the railing, craning his head in an awkward position. ¡°Hey Ihra, come here.¡±A second later she joined him.¡°You¡¯ve got better eyes than me - is that a staircase?¡±Jasper pointed to the darkness directly below them.It was difficult to see from this angle, so Ihra hopped the fence, leaning out over the void as she fought to get a better view. A wide stone staircase lead down into the depths, its top almost directly beneath where they were standing.She swung back over the railing, scampering into the center of the room.She hadn¡¯t paid any attention to it previously, but a large circular mural decorated the floor in the area where the stairs should be. Great. A hidden entrance. The City Below Ihra bent down, examining the mural closely. The faintest sliver of a crack ran down the middle, almost undetectable to even her sharp eyes. ¡°It looks like the mural opens.¡± Somehow. She followed the crack across the mural, looking for any sign of a button or trigger that would open it, but there was nothing. With a sigh, Ihra stood up, brushing the dust off her hands, as her eyes swept over the mural one last time. It was a map of the upper city; all ten sectors of Du?r-Yarha, one for each of the ruling Houses, were clearly marked, but there was an eleventh sector as well, centered over the very area where they were standing. And, Ihra realized, each sector contained a large, clear crystal that stood out from the rest of the mural. Could they be the triggers? But how do they work? Her eyes scanned the room again, looking for any sign of a switch or button. Nothing. ¡°No luck?¡± The silent darkness of the room was broken as Jasper joined her, staring down at the mural intently. ¡°Nope." She pointed out the crystals to him. "I bet they''re the key, but I don¡¯t know how to activate him. Maybe we¡¯ll just have to go get a rope." She frowned at the thought, not relishing the idea of having to brave the hostile streets a second time. Ihra plopped down on the floor, sprawling her legs out across the mural. And as she stared up into the darkness, her mouth dropped. ¡°Look at the ceiling.¡± She bolted upright, her eyes darting back and forth between the ceiling and the floor. ¡°One, two, three¡­there are eleven lamps and eleven crystals - that has to be the key.¡± A series of glass globes clung to the ceiling, their rippled glass glistening weakly in the dim light. ¡°Here, help me up.¡± She scampered up on Jasper¡¯s shoulders, the two of them together just barely tall enough to allow her to get a look at the fixture. The globes were larger than they looked, at least twice as large as a person¡¯s head. Near the base, hidden by the curve of the globe was a small opening and inside was a partially melted candle. ¡°We can light these up!¡± Ihra hopped off his shoulders jubilantly, although her smile faltered as a realization struck her. ¡°I guess you¡¯re going to have to stand on my shoulders, though.¡± To say Jasper was heavy proved to be an understatement. He was certainly not fat, but while elves tended to be light and airy, Djinn had thick bones and tough skin, which only hardened further as they leveled up. Ihra could have sworn she was supporting a full-grown tiger on her shoulders. But she toughed it out, her mind firmly set on the reward waiting for her. As each globe was lit, the corresponding crystal in the mural begin to shine in response. Slowly the darkness in the room was pushed back by the lights above and below, and when the last one was lit, the floor begin to rumble. The mural rose a few inched up above the floor, the crystal shining brightly. Then it split down the center as each side slid across the floor, revealing the staircase beneath. They had found their entrance.
Nothing had bothered them thus far, but as they crept down the stairs into the hidden city, Ihra found her eyes constantly drifting to the shadows, sure more than once that she had seen a flicker of movement. The buildings were dug into the side of the cliff, but a ledge had been built out over the void, containing a road that spiraled down the slopes. ¡°So where are we headed to?¡± Jasper asked. Ihra consulted Arut?¡¯s map again. "It looks like Kaks?¡¯s Sepulchre is near the bottom of the pit.¡± She leaned over the edge of the rampart, peering down into the darkness. ¡°Guess we¡¯ve got a ways to go.¡± The temperature in the cavern was surprisingly warm, closer to the tropical temperatures Ihra was accustomed to than the mountainous terrain of the Harei Miqlat, and the architecture of the homes reflected the balmy warmth. Rows of large windows opened up onto the street. In some, ancient, rotting wooden shutters still hung in the windows or clung to their fixtures, but most of the windows now stood wide open. Along the street, stone stalls, where vendors once must have hawked their wares, faced the open windows. It was impossible to tell how long the city had been abandoned - the lack of weather in the underground realm preserved vulnerable materials far longer than the natural - but the complete absence of any signs of life was deeply unsettling to her. She peered over the edge of the road, looking into the depths of the pit that was lined with thousands of small homes. ¡°This must have been a bustling city once.¡± ¡°Kind of makes you think, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Jasper flashed her a grim smile. ¡°How does a once beautiful city like this, right beneath the thriving heart of another city, get abandoned? Something must have happened. Something catastrophically bad.¡± Jasper hesitated, the words clearly on the tip of his tongue. ¡°Have you....seen anything odd?¡± He quickly hastened to add. ¡°Not ¡®seeing things¡¯ like you¡¯re crazy, it¡¯s just¡­¡± he trailed off. ¡°I keep thinking I see something out of the corner of my eyes, but whenever I turn to look, it''s vanished.¡± Ihra gripped her bow more tightly, pulling back from the ledge, as she hastened to catch back up to him. ¡°Yeah, I''ve thought I''ve seen something a couple of times. I don¡¯t think we''re entirely alone." She swallowed hard. "Something''s lurking in the darkness.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. He chuckled weakly. ¡°Well, at least I''m not going crazy or if I am, you''re coming with me." He winked at her, trying to lighten the mood, but the tension weighed heavy on her shoulders. Their trip into the depths slowed the further they got. The homes and streets close to the surface had been in largely excellent condition, but the lower they descended into the city, the worse its condition grew. Large chunks of the road had crumbled away in numerous places, forcing them to find alternate ways around. Some were easy enough to cross. For short gaps, they were often able to find a way through the abandoned homes. The homes extended far deeper into the sides of the cavern than was immediately apparent and were often connected to the homes on either side. Ihra suspected that if they ventured deep enough there might be another, interior, road that paralleled the one they were following. But every time they set foot in the homes, a deep sense of unease hung over them, a persistent feeling that they were not alone. She and Jasper never discussed it; the two of them just weren¡¯t willing to spend any time longer than necessary within the homes, let alone search for the interior road. In other places, the gaps were wider, too long to be quickly detoured around through the homes¡¯ interiors. Jasper had thus far gotten them across those gaps. With her latched tightly onto his back, Seraph¡¯s Burst had been enough to close the distance, but as Ihra stood at the edge of another crumbling precipice, she knew their run of luck had come to an end. A large stretch of road had collapsed, at least two hundred feet of rock and stone that had crashed down into the city, taking with it a section of the road beneath it as well. ¡°Any chance you can go that far?¡± she asked hopefully. ¡°That¡¯s like four times the distance I''ve gone with you on my back thus far, and the drop if we don¡¯t make it?¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ihra, but I''ve already died once and I''m really not looking to repeat the experience.¡± The two of them turned to face the cliff. A nearby home welcomed them, its rotting wooden door swung wide open, but an inscrutable darkness pooled within. With a sigh, Ihra wiped the sweat off her brow. It¡¯s getting ridiculously hot, even for me, she noted. ¡°I guess we have no other choice then. We have to go through the houses.¡± Reluctantly, she slid her bow back onto her back as she stepped into the home, unsheathing Aphora¡¯s dagger instead. Bows just weren¡¯t made for close-quarters combat. She clutched the dagger possessively, welcoming the familiar warmth that rose up her arm. Jasper went before her, his hands wreathed in a halo of blue flames that lit the way. The darkness retreated obstinately, as if reluctant to give way to the light, and the shadows clung to the corners of the room. The homes had been carved out of the solid rock, and despite the many years that must have passed since their abandonment, there were still traces of their furnishings. A tattered rug, more holes than whole, led down the dark passageway which was lined with dilapidated bookcases. Idly, Ihra pulled one of the books out. A cloud of dust rose to greet her as she opened the cover, and as she thumbed through the pages, they crumbled beneath her touch. She could glean a small fraction of what it once recorded, but it was nothing special - indeed, nothing more than a cookbook. She placed it back on the shelf and moved on. Whatever secrets this place was hiding were not going to be found in rotting books. ¡°Hey, over here.¡± Jasper had kept walking as she examined the books, but he was now frozen in place as he bent over something in the far corner. She walked over to him, almost tripping over the broken remains of a table that was hidden in the gloom. ¡°What did you find?¡± The words died on her lip as she peered over his shoulder. A corpse was curled up in the corner - the first definitive signs of any creature, dead or alive, they had encountered thus far. But it was no normal corpse. The body was almost mummified, the skin dried and shriveled but still preserved. It was a woman, and from the pale silvery tint of her now leathery skin, it was clear that she had once been a woman of some power amongst the Moon-kissed. But she had clearly met a grisly end. No clothes were on her body, but her skin was covered in scrapes and cuts from head to toe which - from the dried blood that still coated her fingernails - appeared to have been self-inflicted. None of her wounds, however, seemed to be deep enough to be life-threatening. ¡°What do you think she died of?¡± Jasper asked. ¡°Some sort of disease? Drugs?¡± Ihra reached out with her misericorde and gently prodded the mummified corpse. After a moment of resistance, it plopped forward unto its face. The corpse''s back was similarly covered in cuts, except for the base of her neck. As she nudged the Moon-kissed¡¯s long black hair out of the way, four large fang marks, two on each side of the spine were revealed. ¡°I¡¯d guess these have something to do with it.¡± But Ihra couldn¡¯t help but notice that the fang marks were partially scabbed over. Whatever had caused them must not have killed the noblewoman, or at least not immediately. A shiver ran down her spine as she swept her gaze across the dark room as a vision of fangs burying themselves in her neck raced through her mind. Jasper walked over to the broken table and set the dried wood alight with a wave of his hands. The eery blue light of his fire was quickly replaced by the cheery warmth of natural flames, but the shadows were still not entirely chased from the room. Bending down, he picked up a broken table leg and held it out to her. ¡°We need more light - whatever did this to her must have attacked her from behind.¡± Their progress halted to a crawl as they slowly tunneled deeper into the cliff¡¯s interior. Not only were they forced to stop frequently to gather new material to use as torches, but the number of corpses continued to pile up. They were always the same - naked Moon-kissed covered in cuts and scrapes, with fang marks on their neck. Eventually, they stopped examining them, numb to the landscape of death that surrounded them. But Ihra¡¯s earlier intuition proved correct. The homes did indeed connect to an interior road. A broad avenue spiraled down into the depths and to her surprise, in the red light of her torch she could see rows of windows and doors lining the far side of the road. Just how big was this city? If we cut through those homes would there be yet another road for us to find? And then she saw it. It disappeared as soon as her eyes fall upon it, but this time she was sure she was not just seeing things. A face so pale that it put the pure snows of Arut? to shame had been illuminated in the light of her torch. On reflex, she slashed out with her dagger, meeting nothing but air, and she waved the torch back and forth as she spun in a circle, looking in vain for any sign of the creature. A Sea of Crimson Kas?dael had a bone to pick with her new follower.As she paced back and forth in her palace of silence, she couldn¡¯t shake the little shiver of frustration that ran up and down her spine.With a rather dramatic sigh, she plopped back down on her throne, surveying the empty hall with a dissatisfied frown. She never truly enjoyed the long periods of time she was forced to spend alone while the rest of the universe thrived.s long as she sat by the fire the isolation didn¡¯t really bother her.It felt fitting - a lone traveler seeking shelter from the frozen wastes, secure in the knowledge that when the sun rose, they would rejoin civilization. But the loneliness was much harder to ignore when she was forced to preside over the abandoned metropolis. The silent streets and shadowed halls were a perpetual reminder of the emptiness that filled her realm. A city should not be silent. Yes, she was annoyed with Jasper.The least her new Hand could do was visit her a little more frequently.Was that really too much to ask? A faint prickle blossomed in her mind as one of her lesser followers entered the void to meditate.She moved to dismiss the notification reflexively.It was no one special, no one that demanded her personal, hands-on attention: the system could handle it. But at the last moment, her hand paused.She was bored anyway - why not check this person out? Flicking the notification open, Kas?dael turned her attention to the new supplicant.A wealth of information flooded through her mind as, in a matter of seconds, her follower¡¯s whole life was condensed into a few pithy sentences and a box of full stats.She scanned the profile absentmindedly: a mere level 9, 17-year old female; class: waterwitch; race: Gemlirian; stats:¡± Kas?dael froze as the last category finally sunk in.She reread it.Race: Gemlirian.Her interest in the random follower suddenly ratcheted up a notch.Since when do I have followers amongst the Gemlirians? She decided to grace the little witch with a visit.
Qas?pahti really hated meditation. And it wasn¡¯t a mild sort of hate, like the loathing she felt for the disgusting, never-ending crops of tubers her people eked by on.No, this was the full-fledged, real-deal hatred. After all, every time she meditated, she took her life in her hands. Not only was there no one to watch over her while she meditated, she knew that if anyone happened to stumble upon her while she was meditating, they¡¯d probably just slit her throat and be done with it.And thus, as usual, she found herself sneaking out of the cottage in the night and crawling beneath the foundation where she curled up in the small hole she¡¯d dug for herself. Then she began to meditate. She was just starting to get the hang of the process.Peace was not really a feeling that Gemlirians were taught to value nor was it, as she had quickly discovered, an emotion that could be simply forced.The more she wanted to meditate, the harder it was for her to actually slip away. And, the longer it took for her to successfully sink into the meditative trance, the more she worried about being discovered. It was a vicious cycle. More often than not, Qas?pahti failed to break through to the other side.But after months of planning, she had successfully trapped and killed a ma¡¯akkavish.The shiver of excitement that ran down her spine did little to help her meditation, but she indulged it anyways.If the books were right, killing a ma¡¯akavish would unlock a special class.She wasn¡¯t entirely clear what a waterwitch was - the description was sorely lacking - but it had to be better than farmer. With a flicker of irritation, she pushed away her distracted thoughts and reached for the sacred nothingness.The book she¡¯d found had suggested meditating on a peaceful field, a babbling brook, the stillness of a forest after the first frost.But none of those had worked for her. The only thing she could connect to, the only image that was successful at banishing her constantly wandering thoughts - temporarily at least - was the endless void, the cold, still darkness that encompassed all. The End. She had yet to meet the presence that dwelt in that darkness, but she had sensed her the few times she had successfully crossed into the void.Enough, she chided herself, stilling her thoughts.Rather than reaching out for the void, she waited for it to come to her.A veil slipped over her mind as the sweet embrace of silence enfolded her.
She opened her eyes, expecting to see the now familiar fire.It was always the same: a roaring wildfire engulfed the sandy dunes, the sparks flying high into the night sky only to be quenched as they plummeted into the frozen turf.Like the stars that fell from heaven.She spat into the sand at the mere thought of them. A black, obsidian sea stretched along the shore as far as the eye could see; the water was calm, so placid that its unmarred surface could almost be mistaken for a mirror aside from the faintest tumble of waves that splashed against the icy sands.She glanced away from the sea quickly, struggling to suppress the intense feeling of nausea that surged up in her. There was something about the sea that was deeply disturbing to her, an ineffable feeling that if she were to step foot into its shallow pools, her life would wither away.Perhaps it is where the River goes to die. The fire raged as always, burning fronds of grass waving in the icy winds that howled from the dark interior of the void. But she was not alone this time. A figure stood at the top of the dune, the fires swirling around her form. The tongues of fire lapped harmlessly at the dark silhouette, burning but not consuming. Qas?pahti staggered back; tripping over herself, she sprawled across the sand mere feet from the silent waves.Terror overwhelmed her as the figure approached her.She could see no features in the dark, but the ribbons dancing in the blustering wind, backlit by the fire, suggested that it was a woman. She tried to make herself move, torn between running away or throwing herself on her knees in worship, but her body would not obey her commands.The being loomed above her, her face hidden in the darkness save for the deep cobalt eyes which glowed ever so lightly. ¡°Come, child.Let us talk.¡± She struggled to free herself from the hand that closed around hers, but the woman¡¯s fingers wrapped around hers with an iron grip.She was unceremoniously yanked to her feet, away from the disconcerting sea. ¡°Pet?.¡±The woman spoke the word with a casual flip of her hand.The darkness of the void was suddenly shattered; in a burst of light, the very air before them was sundered, as the being tore a hole in reality.And before Qas?pahti could even protest, she found herself dragged through. One minute she was in the icy void, the next she found herself in the heart of an ancient temple.Her mouth dropped open as she stared up at ceiling as high as the sky, the opulent pillars that rose to dizzying heights, the murals and paintings, statues and relics that met her every glance.But all paled compared to the vision that stood before her. A woman in black, with skin as pale as bone, much of it covered in delicate, nigh invisible, silver tattoos stared back at her.A gauzy veil hid much of her face, although her ebony locks tumbled freely down her shoulders, but the veil did nothing to hide the piercing blue eyes that raked across her soul. Qas?pahti trembled at their touch and fell to her knees.Truly, this must be one of the enemies¡¯ gods, she thought.
Kas?dael stared at the scrawny young troll with a rather bemused expression.Her supposed follower was clearly terrified and had yet to speak a word.She¡¯s practically a child. The troll stared up with wide eyes, the lips trembling.She had the typical grey, ashen skin of the Gemlirians.Well-adjusted to see in the dark, the pupils of her eyes had expanded so wide that the iris was all but hidden, just a sliver of a red halo surrounding the dark pupils like an eclipse of a dying star.Pale, lilac hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But the longer Kas?dael stared at the young troll, the more fascinated she became.Her troll heritage was heavily diluted, with clear signs of recent Corsythian ancestors, and a shadow marred her aura - the mark no doubt of one of the accursed Sidhe. But it was the scent of elves that clung to her, the strands of fate that spiraled of the young troll, connecting to some unknown band of her sister¡¯s progeny, that troubled the goddess.What elves would be foolhardy enough to interact with a Gemlirian in the lands beyond the River? Kas?dael spoke softly, her words nonetheless causing her follower to tremble.¡°Tell me, child, how did you come to know of me?¡±She leaned forward, lifting the troll¡¯s chin with one finger, forcing it to meet her eyes.¡°Tell me of the elves.¡±
Qas?pahti struggled to speak, the words dying unspoken on her lips as she was forced to stare into the depths of the goddess¡¯ eyes.In a flash, she saw the entire world - nay, the universe - parade before her.The glory of all things that existed, the grandeur of what was and would be - everything came to its end at the feet of the dark goddess, consumed by the endless void.She shone in the void, the final star in the heavens, the final gasping breath of the Progenitor, the Mourner from whose tears the world was reborn. She quailed, her mind overwhelmed by the vision.Who was she to stand before such divinity?But a sliver of her rejoiced.When she had first found the book, she had taken the chance of using it because, above all else, Qas?pahti wanted - no, needed - power. Determination flooded through her, fueled by desperation.She must have this power.Her tongue came unbound, as the words spilled out of her. Qas?pahti told the dark goddess that loomed over her of the large group that invaded their lands - the hated elves, who had aided the Corsythians in the destruction of their empire, and another group she did not know, green-skinned folk who dug their tents deep into the earth. She told the goddess how the group had suddenly appeared, and driven her people out of their home - out of the ruined of their ancient city that they had begun to rebuild.er people had fled into the plains, the rain beating down on them endlessly. But the elves, curiously enough, had not pursued them, instead settling in the ruined tell.For weeks her people had kept watch over the place, while they sent messengers to the lords across the plains, begging for troops with which to drive the enemies back. But before the troops could come, the elves and their strange friends simply vanished.One day they were there, and the next all traces of them had disappeared, save for the new door her people found in the depths of the city, sealed by an emerald barrier that resisted all of her elders¡¯ attempts to dissolve it. And she told the goddess how she had found the book, abandoned in a portion of the ruins her people had not bothered to reclaim but the more populous elves had been forced to inhabit. And though she tried to hide it, she confessed to the goddess the shameful truth, the weakness that drove her to such desperate measures. In the heyday of Gemlir¡¯s empire, descent from the Corsythians had been a mark of honor.The lords of Stryn and Yelkala had intermarried heavily with the Gemlirians, adopting the dark gods and Gemlir''s rites of ascension as their own.But those days were long gone, forever burned to ash in the cleansing fires of the Desolyton.Ties still lingered with the Empire¡¯s western provinces, but those descended from the enemy were scorned, not honored. Qas?pahti had never known her mother.She only knew what little the other villagers had told her.Her father had passed beyond the great River, serving as a mercenary in the armies of Strynn, and when he had returned he had brought back a small bundle, a halfbreed tainted by Corsythian blood. Her. He had eventually left again, seeking employment amongst the Gemlirian lords to the west, leaving her behind with his sister.Her aunt was kind enough, taking her in despite the shame she brought to the family, but Qas?pahti knew she was weak.The gods of her people did not listen to her prayers the way they listened to the other villagers. Unable to channel their power properly, she fell behind the rest.While the other children hunted the dangerous beasts that roamed the plains and skirmished with the Yelekki tribes, unlocking their classes well before they reached their maturity, her own power barely grew.By the time she was seventeen, Qas?pahti had only hit level 4, the only class available to her the useless farmer.Even if she hadn¡¯t been half-Corsythian, no one in the village would want to marry someone so weak. And then she found the book.At first, she hadn¡¯t realized what it was.Her father had taught her the basics of her mother¡¯s tongue before he left for the West, but her speech was rusty, her comprehension lacking.But curiosity, mixed with a desperate hope, drove her forward. Slowly she had come to realize that it was a primer for children, its pages full of gods to be worshipped and classes to be unlocked.Most had requirements that were beyond her abilities, but one class seemed within her reach. She just had to kill a ma¡¯akkavish by herself. It was easier said than done.The dreaded water spiders didn¡¯t live particularly close to the tell, residing in the forest beyond the plains.Their levels outstripped hers, too, eliminating any chance of her defeating them in a fair fight.But she had not let that stop her.Day by day, she slipped away from the village, watching the ma¡¯akkavish, observing their patterns, and slowly she had formulated a plan. Digging the pits all by herself was hard work, her body not buoyed up by the unnatural stats that came with levels, but she had done it, and filled the bottoms with stakes.And then, she had played bait, luring one of them after her. It almost killed her.Qas?pahti had drastically underestimated how fast the beasts could strike when properly motivated, her clever ruse almost undone before it began.But somehow, she had escaped and led the beast right into the waiting pit.The spikes weren¡¯t sufficient to kill it though, but the enraged beast was unable to scale the walls.And thus, Qas?pahti was forced to pelt it with stones, raining one blow after another on its head until, finally, she felt the rush of strength she had so rarely known before - the creature had died and she had earned her class.
Kas?dael listened to the girl¡¯s story quietly.It explained much, but was lacking.She was curious about the girl¡¯s father - Gemlirians rarely sojourned in the Empire these days - but was far more interested in the child¡¯s Corsythian heritage.If the Gemlirians¡¯ gods, the Sidhe, were ignoring her, it suggested the girl¡¯s heritage was more complicated than she realized. But there was something else about the child that escaped her - a lingering, but familiar essence. With her story finished, the girl once again bowed down on her knees.A flash of light caught Kas?dael¡¯s eye as something tumbled out of the young troll¡¯s shirt.A simple necklace swayed back and forth, the dull metal caught in the light of a thousand candles. Kas?dael was transfixed, her eyes glued to the simple charm.It was one well known to her.The corrupted version of the rune was a popular symbol amongst the Gemlirian tribes, the divine sign of one of their so-called dark gods.But the rune dangling from Qas?pahti neck was different - it was the original.It was a symbol once used by her talented pupil, the seal of an empress. She burst into action.Grabbing the child by the hand, she practically dragged her down the empty corridors of S?uhruru.Qas?pahti stumbled after her, her eyes once again wide with fear, but Kas?dael could not afford to be bothered by that right now.If what she suspected was true, then fate had intervened on her behalf, a fickle thread that must be seized before it disappeared. She breached through the doors, leading her into the portal room.Kas?dael was competent enough with blood magic, but it had never been her strength.She forced her essence through the runes, tearing a hole through the fabric of space as she concentrated on her destination.The child was in luck - today she would meet not one god, but two. An acrid smell hit her nose as she stumbled through the portal, the child in tow behind her.She wrinkled her nose, disgusted.Kas?dael loved each of her sister¡¯s manifestations, of course - they were family, after all - but that didn¡¯t mean she liked them all equally. A sea rippled before them, colossal waves cresting and falling back into their graves.No sign of land could be seen, but it was no problem for the goddess.With a wave of her hand, she cartedher new follower beside her as she strode across the waters. Night blanketed the dark sea, broken only by the single great object that dominated the sky - a blood moon.Its red light suffused the world, the sea turned into frothing blood beneath her feet, but Kas?dael ignored it, hiding away her distaste.She was here to ask for a favor, after all. The Queen of Bloodshed sat on her throne, decked out for a war.A mighty spear was clutched in her hand, its shaft spattered with the blood of her foes, a shield lying at her feet.The goddess of the stryhtani couldn¡¯t hide the surprise that blossomed across her face as Kas?dael appeared before her.¡°How unusual to see you here, sister.¡±She paused, scrutinizing the mortal hiding behind her sister¡¯s skirts.¡°Have you found something useful for our quest?¡± Kas?dael pushed the young troll forward.¡°Just examine her.¡± With a sigh, the Blood Moon rose from her throne and approached the child.Seizing its hand, she slit open its grey skin with her iron fingernails, letting the blood pool in the palm of its hands.Channeling her essence into the precious lifespring, the faces of her ancestors appeared.A parade of trolls, Corsythians, even elves flashed across the scrying surface. So, too, did the face Kas?dael sought. A young woman with raven hair, with lips as red as rubies, with the rune of power she had discovered dangling between her breasts. A woman who had once been an empress and forsaken all in lust for power. A woman who would call herself a god. Matqa, Me?s?u?ta, Yas?gah - she went by many names, but Kas?dael recognized the greatest of her students immediately. Selene¡¯s search had yielded more questions than answers.A few of the lesser gods had disappeared and, despite their determined search, no sign of their fate could be detected.They had simply been removed from the webs spun by the Spectral Spiders.Kas?dael still had no proof that Yas?gah was behind it, that her long-forsaken follower now hid within her shadow, but her certainty in her hypothesis had only deepened. And now, it seemed, fate itself had intervened, the Progenitor turning over in his slumber.A descendant of Me?s?u?ta had appeared before her, the child''s blood quite possibly the key to tracking down the fallen empress. As Kas?dael led her younf follower back to her realm, she mulled over the possibilities.She wasn¡¯t certain yet how to turn this to her advantage, but one thing was clear.The child could not remain in her current village.Her own people would no doubt kill her if they knew she had contracted with a Corsythian goddess, and that was nothing compared to the nightmarish fate that would befall her if the Sidhe or Me?s?u?ta learned of her existence. Normally her hands would be all but tied, the child trapped deep within enemy territory.But a new path had opened up. A door with an emerald barrier. The Serpents Tooth ¡°Did you see something?¡±Jasper¡¯s voice was strained as he turned to her, glancing over his shoulder every few seconds. ¡°A white face - nothing more.¡± ¡°A Moon-kissed?¡± Ihra swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dried and parched.¡°I don¡¯t know. was really, really pale.¡± Jasper pressed up against her, putting his back against hers, as he channeled even more essence into the fire dancing along his fingers.¡°Are we close to the trial?¡± he asked quietly. Ihra set her torch on the ground and pulled Arut?¡¯s map out of her bag. Once again the map had changed.A dazzlingly complex graph of the city was sketched out, showing seven rings around the central crater - they had barely scratched its depths.But more importantly, a small oval was marked on the second ring, more than halfway down the pit.¡°I think this might be our position.¡± ¡°So are we almost there or not? She struggled to read the map.¡°Two more levels down?¡±She said, hopefully. Ihra shifted uncomfortably, her eyes ever scanning the darkness, as she waited for his response.In truth, she no longer knew what their best option was. Without an upgraded class, she would wither away into irrelevancy as Jasper continued to level; maybe he¡¯d keep her around out of pity, but Ihra wanted to be a real partner, not a burden. On the other hand, she also really, really, didn¡¯t want to die down here - to become just another of the withered corpses waiting in the darkness for the next unfortunate adventurer to stumble across.Sure, Kas?dael had resurrected Jasper, but Ihra knew it was unlikely that she¡¯d receive the same treatment from the gods. Kas?dael met with Jasper every time he meditated; Selene, on the other hand, had never even spoken to her. The gods played favorites and Ihra wasn¡¯t one of them. After a long pause, Jasper agreed to continue.¡°We''re too close to turn back now.I don¡¯t think Arut? was trying to kill us, so he must have thought we could do this.¡± Their journey into the depths of the city slowed down even further, though. Afraid of letting the mysterious creatures sneak up on them, the two inched down the tunnels, their backs pressed tightly together. No more pale faces emerged in the torchlight, but it did little to quench Ihra''s fear.A deathly hush lay over the silent catacombs, but every time the two stopped walking, the sound of scraping, shuffling footsteps continued for a short time afterward, leaving little room for doubt that something, or perhaps some things, were following them, lurking beyond the reach of the torchlight. The heat continued to rise as they descended lower into the city.Ihra could feel the sweat dripping of Jasper¡¯s back and, truth be told, she was not much better.Her hair clung to her head like a wet blanket, soaked through and through, and her eyes stung from the sweat.How did they live like this?It couldn¡¯t always have been this hot, could it? One revolution, then two.Ihra¡¯s hands shook as she examined the map again.They were on the right level.But her heart sunk as she scrutinized it - Kaks?¡¯s Sepulchre was buried deep within the heart of the city, on the fourth rung.¡°We¡¯ve got to go through the homes,¡± she croaked, her mouth parched from the heat. She almost hoped he would say no, that he would insist on going back to the safety of the surface. But Jasper just nodded, turning toward the hewn-out homes with a grim set in his eyes. The sound of footsteps increased as they weaved their way through the homes, as all attempts at subtlety were abandoned by their mysterious followers.So too did the number of corpses.For some reason, the first two streets had been almost entirely clear of the dead, suggesting, perhaps, that at some point the streets had been purposefully cleared. But as they passed the third ring of the city and begin to navigate through the final set of homes between them and their destination, the sheer number of bodies was shocking.The population of this city must have rivaled or even surpassed the one above ground, Ihra realized.And to be left like this?Why were they never buried?No one left corpses unburied, at least not where she had grown up, out of fear that the dishonored dead would rise again as qebru?.But thousands of unburied - and unrisen - dead surrounded them. By the time they reached the fourth rung of the city, the sweat was rolling down her freely.Her skin itched from the heat as the wet garments chaffed her skin.If not for the mortal peril lurking in the shadows, Ihra wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to strip her armor and clothes off - anything to get some semblance of relief from the suffocating heat. As the thought crossed her mind, Ihra¡¯s torchlight fell on another corpse.A withered manlay slumped against a door frame, a sword still clutched in his hand, and his naked, withered body was covered in the all too familiar cuts and scrapes.And end up just like him, she realized. Naked, scarred, and dead.Despite the heat, a shiver ran down her back.I don¡¯t care how hot it gets, I¡¯m not taking my clothes off, Ihra vowed. Looking up, Ihra screamed as a pale face loomed before her.She lashed out with her torch, the fiery brand whipping through the air with such speed that the flames almost guttered out.But there was nothing there.Her breath came hard and ragged, her shoulders shaking as she pressed tight against Jasper¡¯s back. Ihra forced herself to breathe deeply, running her mantra through her mind over and over again as she calmed her nerves.The gentle rainfall of a fleeting spring shower pattered across the tranquil sylvan pond, rings expanding across its surface as a newborn fawn, its leg still wobbly, drank from it - the life-giving pond, the mirror of the heavens.Her shaking stopped as peace flooded her. ¡°Did you see it?¡± She asked, finally finding her voice. Jasper¡¯s voice was hoarse and low, but his words rang loud in the silent city.¡°Yes.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. He hesitated.¡°I turned when you screamed and caught a glimpse of it from the side.It looked sort of like them, Ihra - the really tall Moon-kissed - just a lot bigger and more bestial.I don¡¯t know if it moved so fast I couldn¡¯t see it, or if it faded out of existence, but it disappeared as soon as I saw it.¡± She shook her head, barely daring to blink as she held the torch up.¡°Let¡¯s just find this sepulcher and get out of here.¡± For a change, something actually went right.They had only walked a short distance down the fourth inner avenue when they found what they were looking for.The homes had, for the most part, the same relatively simple structure although the architecture had varied slightly from rung to rung.Ihra wasn¡¯t sure if those differences reflected changes in style over time, the newer portions presumably having been built deeper into the earth, or if there was some sort of class structure at play. But they had also passed a handful of grander entries where, unlike the homes, elaborate facades of wood and stone jutted out into the avenue.And their destination proved to be one of those. Decorated with the same pale green stone as the upper city, a soft glow emanated from the building, the light welcome in the endless domain of darkness.Eight pillars decorated the entrance, each carved in the shape of a woman with a single pair of wings drooping at her side. The faces on each were unique, the statues so lifelike that Ihra wondered if they had been crafted from the same horrific ritual that had been used to create guardians for the abandoned safehouse they had pillaged.Only their sheer size - the pillars rose from floor to ceiling, at least twelve in height - made Ihra think that they couldn¡¯t possibly be anything more than statues. Still, as they walked beneath the frieze-decorated arches, Ihra remained as tense as a fine-strung bow, ready to spring into action at any moment if the statues unexpectedly surged to life.But the pillars were soon the least of their concerns. Unlike the hundreds of homes they had passed, whose wooden doors and windows had long since fallen into decay, Kaks?¡¯s Sepulchre was much better guarded.A sturdy copper door, covered in a thick coat of green patina, barred their way, its edges still sealed shut tightly.Jasper lifted the handle, even bracing his foot against the wall as he strained against the door with all his might, but it was no use.The door wouldn¡¯t budge. After fifteen futile minutes of fighting with the door, Ihra felt ready to cry.It was hard to keep track of time in the endless darkness - their sojourn only prolonged by the fear and terror that had stalked their every step.o be so close to their goal, to have risked death itself only to be stymied by a door, was almost more than she could bear. The scraping, shuffling sounds in the darkness, just beyond the reach of the fire didn¡¯t help either. Jasper pounded at the door again, but his blows - more than powerful enough to shatter bone and limb - barely made the frame even shudder.The handle still glowed slightly, small clouds of steam rising from it as it cooled from the spell he had unsuccessfully cast on it. What are we missing? She thought, futilely scrutinizing Arut?¡¯s map in the hopes that it had changed again.And then Jasper groaned, banging his head gently against the door.¡°Of course.How could I be so stupid?he pillars - it''s all about the pillars.¡± Ihra followed him to the base of the first pillar, for the first time taking a closer look at the unsettling statues.A beautiful woman stood before them.Frozen tears ran down her cheeks, and two large wings drooped at her side, the downy feathers covering her feet from sight.A viper was coiled around her arm, its fangs buried deep into her flesh. The second featured another winged woman.Although her wings still drooped below her waist, her face was frozen into a defiant snarl.The scars that marred her skin, and the necklace of jagged teeth that dangled in her bosom testified to her fierce character. Jasper clapped his hands together, wincing immediately as the loud noise echoed in the silent graveyard.In a more subdued tone, he continued.¡°Look at the first two statues - it''s a word. They must be clues to some sort of password.¡± Ihra wrinkled her brow, as she glanced over the two statues again.¡°I don''t see any words¡­oh!¡±The serpent and the necklace of teeth - nah?as?-s?innu, the name of the city. They worked their way down the row of pillars, taking turns watching their back as the pair struggled to crack the code left by the stone women. The third clutched her chest, grasping with both hands the hilt of a dagger buried deep within her bosom.¡°A dagger - so patru?¡± Jasper guessed. The fourth was harder.The stone woman cradled a statue in its arms.There were no identifiable symbols on the statue - even the face itself was left unfinished - but the elaborate pedestal gave Ihra an idea.¡°I think it¡¯s supposed to be a statue of a divine image, but the face is erased - so not any particular deity, but just the gods in general?¡± ¡°Nah?as?-s?innu patru ili?¡­the serpent¡¯s tooth is the dagger of the gods?¡±Jasper shrugged.¡°It makes sense at least.¡± The fifth held a mountain between her palms, while the sixth cradled a broken body to her bosom in a form that reminded Jasper much of medieval pietas.¡°So, it¡¯s got to be S?admu?ti?, right?Mountain of the dead?¡± They turned to the last two statues.A long, rectangular box leaned against the knee of the seventh pillar, while the last was bedecked in glorious robes with a crown of stars upon her brow. ¡°So¡­kakkabu? for the last word?¡±Ihra ventured.¡°But I don¡¯t know what the box is supposed to be.¡± ¡°Switch with me.¡±The two changed positions, Ihra taking up the watch against the darkness as Jasper contemplated the statue.He ran through one word after another, discarding them almost immediately.¡°Chest?Reliquary?¡­¡±. She fidgeted, her pulse racing as she shifted her eyes back and forth, terrified that any moment another face would loom out of the darkness.It would seize her by the hair, tossing her to the ground before its teeth clamped tight around spine, draining the very lifeblood out of her. ¡°It¡¯s a coffin.¡±Jasper interrupted her dayterror.¡°Mountain of death, coffin of the stars - maybe a reference to the slaughter of the Mwyrani?¡±He concluded thoughtfully. Confident of his solution, he spoke the phrase into the darkness.¡°Nah?as?s?innu patru ili?; S?admu?ti ara?nu kakkabi?.¡±The doors shuddered as he spoke the phrase, the frame glowing faintly in the darkness.But they did not open. ¡°Damn it.¡±With a muffled scream of frustration, he slammed his shoulder into the door, bouncing off with a pained whimper.¡°I thought we had it.¡± But Ihra felt a glimmer of hope pulse through her.¡°But the door did respond - we must have been close.¡± Jasper sighed.¡°Maybe ara?nu was the wrong word.Qebru?¡±They tried a number of variations and each time the door responded, but did not open. In despair, Ihra muttered a half-hearted prayer to Selene, looking for any sort of insight.And, as usual, the heavens remained silent.She glanced down the row of pillars, her eyes suddenly drawn to the third statue.Ihra felt certain that Nah?as?s?innu and S?admu?ti were right; she also pretty confident that kakkabi? was right which, assuming the phrases were roughly parallel, meant that ili? was most likely correct itself.If ara?nu wasn¡¯t the problem, then that only left one other option. She stared up at the woman clutching the dagger to her breast.Agony was writ across her face, her mouth opened in a scream that could never be uttered.And in a flash of inspiration, it came to her.¡°She¡¯s not trying to draw a dagger out of her chest, she¡¯s plunging it in herself.¡±Ihra turned to face the door one more time.¡°The word¡¯s not patru, it¡¯s da?i¡¯ku, slayer.¡± Nah?as?s?inu da?¡¯iku ili?; S?admu?ti ara?nu kakkabi?. Kaksu?s Sepulcher A blinding flash of light drove away the darkness, disappearing almost as quickly as it came.Ihra''s vision swam as her eyes struggled to adjust back to the pitch darkness of the city. She pressed hard against Jasper¡¯s back, swishing her dagger back and forth through the air in front of her fruitlessly.But no attacks came. As her vision cleared, a welcome sight met her eyes.The copper door stood ajar and, within its chambers, the darkness of the city was replaced by a pale, gentle light. The two surged forward, throwing themselves into the waiting sanctuary. No sooner had their feet crossed the threshold, then the door of the vault slammed shut behind them. Kaksu?''s Sepulcher was lined with the same pale green stone that dominated the architecture of the upper city and here, surrounded by a sea of eternal darkness, the stone¡¯s supple light was never quenched.Ihra''s heart beat rapidly as she searched the corners for any sign of the hideous, pale monsters, but the room was empty. Ihra sagged against the vault doors as relief flooded through her veins.She knew she¡¯d had to brave the dark corridors of the city again, but for now, she did her best to put the thought out of her mind.After all, she had a trial to complete. Before they did anything else, they ate.Ihra wasn''t sure how long they had been down in the city, but judging from the ferocious knotting in her stomach, she guessed it had been at least a day, perhaps more.Their progress through the city had slowed to barely above a crawl once they were forced to leave the main road behind. But hunger, at least, was a problem easily solved.Nabul¡¯s bag of holding had quickly proven itself to be her most prized possession; while its capacity was far from endless, it eliminated most of their logistical concerns.They could be trapped down here for weeks, and they¡¯d still have food to eat and water to drink.Ihra had been disappointed to discover it wouldn¡¯t keep food hot, but she supposed that was too much to ask.Can¡¯t complain. When she had finished scarfing down a few sandwiches, Ihra finally turned her attention back to the room.Compared to the elaborate facade outside, the interior was surprisingly austere.The walls were crisp and clean, utterly unadorned by any sort of bas-reliefs, and the only furniture in the room was a series of benches that lined the walls - in surprisingly good condition, compared to the furniture in the ruined homes - and a statue.The titular Kaks?, I suppose? She walked over to it, examining it curiously.Despite the masculine name, the statue was that of a woman.Highly stylized, the woman sported two large wings that arched behind her back; their tips met above her head, forming a circle, while she aimed a taut bow off into the distance.A dagger hung at her side and a necklace of long, jagged teeth dangle from her neck.Were the pillars outside representations of her? Perhaps to the original inhabitants, each one would have represented some story from the heroine''s life. Ihra stared at the statue for a long moment, as a sudden feeling of melancholy washed over her. There''s something rather sad about this place, she realized.Whomever Kaks?u once was, she must have been a legendary warrior at the time, her trial a treasured monument in a bustling city.Now, her story was forgotten - her tomb lost to the ravages of time.Ihra wondered how long it had been since someone had come to face her challenge and how long it would be before another would find their way here. Everything fades, save for the Mourner.She suppressed a shudder as her thoughts turned to Jasper¡¯s goddess; she didn¡¯t know how he could stand being around a being of such fate, although, she supposed, he didn¡¯t really have a choice. The only other objects in the room were the three doors in the back wall.Miniature versions of the verdigrised copper door at the entrance, these doors still shone as bright as if they had been polished yesterday.Nothing was written on them, but Ihra knew that they must lead to the trial.Or at least one of them. She found herself drifting towards the one on the left.Her hand hesitated over the pull, afraid she¡¯d try to open the door only to find another lock, another puzzle, barring her way.She ran a nervous hand down her side, feeling the bow and quiver attached to her back, the dagger hanging from her hip.I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯m going to be.With a final muttered prayer to Selene, her hand closed around the handle.The door swung open easily, and she stepped inside.
Jasper almost choked on his sandwich as Ihra disappeared through the door.Dropping it on the floor, he dashed to the door, forcefully yanking at the handle.The door didn¡¯t budge. Damn it.Guess she''s doing the trial by herself. With a sigh, he wandered over to one of the benches that lined the walls; he cautiously lowered himself down on it, afraid the ancient furniture would it break at the first sign of stress, but the wood held. Exhausted, he slumped against the wall, keeping one eye cocked on the door Ihra had disappeared through and the other on the main entrance. Feeling himself drifting off, he slammed his hand into his leg, letting the pain wake him up; he couldn''t let himself fall asleep.. If I ever get out of here, I am never, ever going underground again, he vowed to himself, butven as he uttered the words, he knew how silly they were. Still, it felt good to say them - truth be damned. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! He let himself rest his eyes for just a moment, but one moment turned into two as he slipped into a sleepless slumber, haunted by visions of a pale, gangly body and an even paler face.
Boom.Boom.Boom. Ihra emerged through the door, flinching as the ominous thuds met her ear. Her bow sprang into her hand with practiced ease, and she quickly strung an arrow as she scanned her surroundings for the source of the sound. Boom.Boom.Boom. She was standing in a great hall with architecture quite unlike any she had ever seen. If Jasper had been there to see it, he would have described it as a Gothic cathedral on steroids.The roof soared far above her head, born aloft on rows of delicate pillars. The floor of the cathedral was shattered, the grass having reclaimed most of the land, and thick vines wound their way up the soaring shafts of the pillars, covered in thousands of pale, white flowers. was shockingly bright, the rays of the sun brushing against her face with a warm, almost gentle, caress.Is this place real?An illusion? Ihra stepped forward uncertainly, her eyes searching for the source of the thunderous sound. Boom.Boom. Boom. With slow but steady steps, a giant humanoid form approached her.Thick plates of golden armor covered every limb of its body and the ground shook beneath the weight of its steps, but it held no weapons.A golem. Ihra''s hand hesitated on the taut bowstring. The trial was probably a combat test, but a hint of doubt slowed her actions - after all, sometimes trials were designed to make you think outside the box.She didn¡¯t want to fail because she attacked some friendly guardian. Any lingering doubts were shattered a moment later when the golem roared at her.A gust of wind shot from its mouth, smashing into her with a force so great that Ihra was tossed to the ground.She landed hard, the arrow tumbling from her hands as her nose was buried deep into the soft grass that broke her fall.It took a second for her rattled brain to reset, but as the fog begin to clear, Ihra realized the grass was growing around her.Already, small tendrils were wrapping around her legs, her arms - her throat. The sudden pressure on her windpipes shook her out of her fog.With a mighty heave, Ihra shoved herself off the ground; the still-fragile vines snapped beneath her strength as she rolled off the grass onto the damaged pavement, snatching up her fallen bow. Alright, message received - stay off the grass. The golem¡¯s jaw opened again and Ihra had no time to think further, throwing herself to the side as another blast of wind rushed past where she had been standing.She stumbled as she rose but somehow managed to keep her balance.Running as fast as she could, Ihra circled around behind the golem. It turned, trying to track her, but its movements were ponderous, unable to keep up with her speed.Coming to a stop, she snatched an arrow out of her quiver and aimed for its head, holding her position until the first of the golem¡¯s eyes was visible.Despite her quivering hands, Ihra¡¯s aim was true as she fired off an arrow at the golem. The arrow slammed into the ruby-red eyes of the golem with a loud clang and bounced off, landing harmlessly on the ground.With another roar, it charged forward, the hulking set of armor moving at a far faster clip than before.Great, I just made it angry. The next few minutes passed in a blur.The enraged golem was surprisingly fast, but not quite fast enough. Pushed to the edge of her abilities, Ihra somehow managed to stay just out of reach of its flailing arms and wind-infused screams. But she wasn¡¯t making any progress either.Her arrows were useless against the creature¡¯s heavy, plated armor. She wasn¡¯t sure she had even managed to make a scratch in its golden sheen. And then the inevitable happened.Ihra fired another useless potshot at her adversary, the arrow pinging off into space harmlessly and, as always, the golem shot toward her, the ground shaking beneath its rampage feet.As she had done dozens of times already, Ihra dove to the right, her arms tucked close to her chest as she prepared to roll her to her feet.Except, instead of her typically graceful landing, she sprawled face-first on the ground. She hadn¡¯t noticed when a small part of her heel had slipped off the broken pavement, too focused on her aim to feel the grassy tendril that snaked its way up her thigh.She lay on the ground, stunned; her head rung from the impact with the pavement, the trembling of the ground beneath the golem¡¯s charge only making her thoughts more muddled. Ironically, the tendril that tripped her also saved her. As Ihra lay there, helpless before the golem¡¯s approaching charge, the vine pulled her further into the grass. Its tendrils quickly wrapped around her as it pulled her out of the path of the golem''s charge.Her mind still foggy, Ihra struggled weakly against the bonds that were quickly closing in around her, even as a tendril begin to slither over her mouth. The golem, however, quickly noticed the absence of a warm, sticky goo coating its feet.The ground shook as it turned its head, searching for its adversary.And then it roared. The blast of wind smashed into her like a load of bricks, turning her already ringing head into a veritable choir of bells, but the vine wrapped around received the brunt of the attack.The wind tore through her grassy shackles, ripping her free of her binds. Somehow, Ihra managed to roll to her side, rolling off the grass back onto the pavement. Her body driven by instinct more than thought, Ihra crawled across the pavement.Her knees scraped against the broken shards of stones, leaving a trail of smudged blood behind as the ground began to shake again.She fumbled for her bow, her mind still unclear, as she turned to face her foe. Then the shaking stopped.The golem had charged right at her, but its path had led directly through the damaged vine.As the golem''s feet stepped onto the grass, dozens of tendrils surged around it, bringing its momentum to a sudden, grinding halt.ines snapped beneath its ponderous weight but it was enough to throw it off its balance. With a thud, the golem landed on its knees, more vines surging forward to wind their way around its limbs. And there, on the top of its head, Ihra saw her target.A large blue crystal was lodged in the top of its head, a single place unarmored.Somehow, she managed to fire a shot. The arrow flew true.It smashed into the crystal, bouncing off like every arrow before it - except this time, there was a scratch.The crystal didn¡¯t shatter, but a crack ran across its face. She didn¡¯t have time to fire a second arrow.With another scream, the golem blasted the vine of its body, the wind slicing through the fragile tendrils.A moment later, Ihra was once again running for her life, narrowly diving out of reach of the golem¡¯s rampage. But now she had a plan. The Endless Pursuit Coming up with a plan was easy enough - actually executing it was another beast altogether. Ihra quickly realized that it wasn¡¯t enough to bait the golem into the grass.The vines and the golem weren''t working together to harm her - as the vines¡¯ inadvertent rescue of her had shown - but neither were they exactly enemies. After unsuccessfully routing the golem through the grass twice - the vines doing nothing to impede its progress - Ihra was forced to conclude that the vines would only attack the golem if the golem had attacked them first. Which meant she had to let herself get caught again. Purposefully surrendering herself to an enemy in the heat of a battle went against every instinct in her body.It was all Ihra could do to not tear herself free as she felt the vines wrap around her limbs, the tendrils slithering up her body toward her neck and throat. But her gamble paid off; the golem was not prepared to let the vines claim its prey.Another blast of wind slammed into her, the pressure of its force squeezing the very breath of her lungs.But this time she was ready, rolling into the pavement as she prepared her shot. Executioner¡¯s Arrow was the one decent skill she had, but the several seconds it took to charge up made it almost impossible to employ in single combat. She had no other choice, though - Ihra could only hope that the vines would delay the golem long enough for her to use it. The golem turned to face her.Its golden armor gleamed brightly, as polished and unmarred as when the fight began, her arrows little more than toys against its bulk.But she only needed one shot. With a bellow of rage, the golem charged toward her. Its path cut directly through the vines that had just been torn to shred; as before, they lashed out at the creature that had attacked them.The ground shook as the golem was brought to its knees, the crystal plate on its head once more exposed.Executioner''s Arrow wasn¡¯t ready. One second.Two seconds.The golem roared at the vine, its breath supercharged with essence.The raging tempest tore through the tendrils that bound it to the earth as the brunt of the blast struck deep at the core of the plant. Three seconds.Four seconds.The monstrously heavy golem struggled to push itself to its feet. A few stubborn tendrils still clung to its legs and feet, fighting futilely against the golem''s overwhelming strength. Five seconds.With a defiant scream, Ihra let go of the bowstring.The arrow surged forward, closing the distance between them in a flash and, propelled by far more strength than she could muster on her own, it smashed into the crystal plate.Blue shards whizzed past her ear as the arrow burrowed deep within the golem¡¯s head. It clawed futilely at the arrow, but its giant hands were not nimble enough to yank the offending object out.The arrow''s shaft snapped off, leaving the head remained buried deep within the crystal as the ability activated.he arrowhead expanded into a molten blade that ripped through the fragile connections that filled the golem¡¯s head.It slumped back down on its knees as the light was finally extinguished from its eyes. Ihra could barely believe it. The odds had been stacked against her -he golem all but immune to her arrows - but she had found a way.She stepped forward and almost plunged to the ground as her legs screamed in protest.Glancing down, she saw her knees were a bloody mess.Shards of stone had dug into the skin and little rivulets of blood caked her lower legs.Adrenaline had masked her pain during the fight, but now that the danger had passed, it came roaring back with a vengeance. She fumbled through her pouch, looking for a healing potion.She was beginning to feel panicked when her fingers finally clasped around the rubber-sealed lid.Yanking it open, she let the sweet liquid slide down her throat, gasping in relief as her shredded knees begin to close up and little chips of stone rained down on the ruined pavement. Ihra looked around the strange, ruined cathedral.No screen had popped up to congratulate her on passing the trial.Maybe I need to get something from the golem. She approached it cautiously; she was pretty sure it was dead but there was no benefit to taking unnecessary chances.As soon as she stepped foot on the grass, the vines begin to snake around her feet.She leapt back, snapping through the weak tendrils with ease.So much for that.There must be something else I need to do.Her eyes fall on the platform the golem had originally stood on.Maybe there? Bow in hand, she walked through the cathedral.A winding path of ruined paving stones charted a safe course through the treacherous grass, and Ihra made sure to keep well clear of the foliage.It would be pretty sad, after all, to kill the golem and then die to a plant. She found herself admiring the view.The cathedral must have been abandoned long ago.Large segments of the wall had fallen, allowing the bright sunlight to spill into the central nave, while a cascade of colored lights spilled across the broken pavement and grass, the gift of the elaborate stained glass windows which still clung to their frames. Yet, despite the state of the decay the building was in, Ihra somehow suspected that its current beauty would have put its former state to shame.Thousands of flowers covered the floor and the pillars, while small trees with white trunks and golden leaves dotted the once grand hall, a natural beauty that rivaled the best mankind could craft. As she approached the front of the ancient temple, a shrine came into view.A splendid sarcophagus, its size far beyond that needed for Djinn, Elves, or Corsythians rose above the central hall.Made of pure copper, its sides sported a riot of colors.Every inch was filled with meticulously painted scenes of life, the colors still as fresh and vibrant as the day they had dried.The story of Kaks?¡¯s life? Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But it was what stood behind the coffin that truly arrested her gaze.The statue of a god loomed above the giant sepulcher, an all too familiar god.¡°Ayya?lu,¡± she whispered. The Stag Lord rose above her, his form frozen in a state of partial transformation.His lower haunches had the hooves of a deer, and coarse hair coated the sides of his legs and arms.A massive rack of antlers stretched over the chapel, the sweep of his horns wider than the length of the massive sepulcher, and his arms were spread in a gesture of benediction.She stumbled backward, eyes wide, as she felt the pressure emanating from the statue. She was not alone.He was here. Ihra fell on her knees, her head bowed before its relentless gaze.How long she lingered there she could not tell, but the pressure eventually subsided, the divine presence leaving without speaking a word to her. She staggered to her feet, looking blearily around the fallen chapel.What the hell was that?What would Ayya?lu want with me? Her limbs responded stiffly to her commands, her legs groaning in protest as she approached the sepulcher and -she hoped - the reward for her trial.Her hands shook as she reached toward the coffin.This was it - this was her best shot at becoming something better than just another mediocre archer. Ihra muttered a prayer to Selene, wishing for a good class, and then, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, added an invocation to Ayya?lu.Can¡¯t hurt to cover my bases. Her fingers brushed against the painted images on the copper sepulcher. The world trembled as the sonorous sound of a bell chimed through the cathedral. DING. DING. DING. The ringing of the bells swelled to a furious crescendo, the vibrations ripping through her with an almost physical force, but Ihra stood her ground. A savage grin spread across her face as she read the message that appeared before her. Lady Kaks? has judged you worthy. Phase 1 of the trial is complete. Her grin slipped as she reached the second sentence.Phase 1? The bell continued to ring, the pressure of its vibrations so great that she found herself forced to her knees, struggling to stand against the presence. DING With a shudder, the ground beneath her collapsed.A single shriek echoed through the empty cathedral as Ihra was swallowed up into the darkness. It wasn¡¯t much of a drop.One second, Ihra was falling into the darkness, her screams for aid falling unheard as she plummeted into the heart of an abyss; the next, she had fallen on her knees in a forest. She stood up cautiously, scanning her surroundings.A small hollow surrounded her.The rocky walls rose perhaps twenty feet above her, while the glen itself was filled with ferns and saplings.The hollow wasn¡¯t very big, no more than fifty feet or so in length, but a small pond rested on the far side, its waters shaded from the dappled sunlight that filtered through the canopy of leaves. Ihra froze as she realized she was not alone.A stag bent down beside the pond, its tongue lapping at the crystal-clear waters of the spring. She crouched down behind a fallen log, reaching for her bow and arrows. They weren¡¯t there. Her heart pounding frantically, she searched the ground around her.There was no sign of her weapons. Despite her attempts to be stealthy, the stag heard her.Lifting its head up from the water, it met her gaze. It was a beautiful beast.Its tawny fur was thicker and more luxuriant than that of any deer she had ever seen, even her beloved Keresh, and the unusual grey dappling that lined its belly and neck would have made it the prized pelt of any noble.Its antlers, too, were unique, their color closer to the shiny copper of Kaks?¡¯s sarcophagus than the usual pale bone.But its eyes were what removed any doubt in Ihra¡¯s mind that this was no ordinary beast. Green eyes, sparking with a keen intelligence stared back at her.Human eyes. The stag snorted, pawing at the ground with one hoof. She froze, looking desperately around her for anything she could use as a weapon when the territorial buck charged her.But Ihra had misunderstood its intent. With another stamp of its hooves, the stag leapt into the air, but not at her.It soared over the pond, landing easily on the top of the small cliff.It disappeared into the woods, swallowed up by the thick foliage, but returned a second later.With another snort, the beast met her gaze and Ihra understood what it wanted. Erupting from her crouched position, Ihra raced across the small glen.She scaled the cliff quickly, her high dexterity allowing her to easily leap from one ledge to the next.Within seconds, she had reached the top, rolling to a stop beside the waiting beast. The magnificent stag didn¡¯t spare her glance, bolting into the woods as soon as she reached him.Dodging back and forth, it wove its way through the thick underbrush and tangled thickets that covered the forest floor.Ihra dashed after it, a thrill of excitement pulsing through her veins. The beast ran.And ran.And ran. At first, the terrain was flat - the stag and Ihra dashing unhindered across the shaded plains.But slowly the gentle swells grew into rolling hills, that in turn gave way to daunting cliffs and yawning chasms.The buck navigated through the treacherous terrain with ease, leaping higher and higher as it soared above the obstacles that barred its way. Ihra, however, started to lag behind; her endurance was high, but not endless.he distance between her and the stag grew, and when the beast soared to the top of a forty-foot cliff with two simple bounds, she felt her heart quail.How can I hope to keep up with this beast? Suffocating a sigh, she leapt up, catching hold of a lower ledge.Pulling herself up, she jumped toward the next ledge.Her fingers closed on the edge of the rock, her tips trying to gain traction, but her hand slipped off.With a muffled yelp, Ihra fell to the base of the cliff, smashing her face into the loose dirt. She glanced up blearily, spitting the gravel out of her mouth.The stag had paused at the top of the cliff, looking down at her and although she knew she was probably just imagining things, Ihra could swear she could feel the disappointment radiating off it. She pushed herself up shakily, she turned to face the cliff, gnawing on her swelling lip.I will not give up.She stamped her foot against the turf, the resolve hardening within her.Once again, she scaled the cliff, pulling herself up the ledges with renewed vigor.I can¡¯t get left behind, she chanted to herself over and over again, not quite sure if she was talking about the stag, Jasper, or her parents. But it gave her the strength she needed to push on. As she pulled herself over the cliff, tumbling across the grass, the stag bounded off into the forest, and she chased after it, hot at its heels. Phase 3 The chase was on. As she followed the beast''s mad flight through the overgrown forest,n armada of dark clouds sailed across the sky, their black faces blotting out the distant sun.A frigid wind howled between the trees, their heavy-laden boughs shaking and swaying beneath the rising storm. The heavens wept. Freezing cold rain poured down upon her head, the wailings winds blowing so hard that the blinding rain was nearly horizontal.The ground beneath her feet grew soft and slick, the mud sloshing beneath her ever step, as she slogged after the stag, but it was the cliffs that proved the true challenge.The water poured down the bare rock face like new-sprung waterfalls, threatening to sweep her off the narrow ledges.Again and again Ihra tumbled down and despite the driving rains, blood and mud coated every inch of her body. But she did not give up; she could not give up. Somehow she found the strength to press on, to keep her eyes fixed on the forest spirit even when the rolling hills gave way to the steep mountain slopes.Ihra lost track of how long she chased the stag as the minutes blurred into hours or even days. The rain turned to ice that pelted down against her head with a steady staccato, its radiant crystals clinging to every fold of her clothes and hair.Her lips blue, her limbs stiff and sluggish, she fought through the blinding gale, almost weeping when she finally lost sight of the stag. Her eyes swept across the dark mountain¡¯s slopes, looking in vain for any signs of the stag¡¯s track.But his path had been washed away, whatever trail he had left covered up by the quickly accreting ice. With an anguished sob, she collapsed on the ground, no longer able to keep forcing herself forward now that her last hope had been extinguished. She slumped against a rotting stump, the ice that glazed her cheeks melting beneath the torrent of warm, salty tears.It¡¯s over.I failed.The words tasted bitter on her lips as she finally admitted to herself what she had feared all along.¡°I am just not good enough.¡± The heavens rumbled, and Ihra looked up, startled by the thunderclap.Lightning struck again, smashing into the forest a few hundred feet away with an ominous crack.Ihra shrank back against the stump, as a new fear suddenly overwhelmed her other problems. BOOM. A blinding flash of lightning lit up the area around her with a pale light, the roar of the thunder so loud it hurt her ears.But in the flash of light, Ihra saw something - a large rectangular shape, one clearly not made by nature. Hope swirled in the pit of her stomach.Could it be?She dragged herself through the icy muck, her bloodied legs screaming in protest as sharp shards of ice dug into her flanks.She flinched as another bolt of lightning slammed into a nearby tree, her ears ringing from the force of the aftershock. Stumbling, slipping, sliding, the ice impeding her every movement.But she made it. Lightning lit up the sky behind her as Ihra reached a trembling hand toward the object, a copper gleam glowing in the flicker of light.It was a coffin. A thick layer of ice covered the sepulcher, blurring the images that wrapped around its base, but it did not matter; when her fingers brushed against the ice, a new message popped up. Lady Kaks? has judged you worthy. Phase 2 of the trial is complete. Ihra could have cried with relief, but watched the box with bated breath, half-afraid to see what would come next.This last test had all but done her in; if there was a phase 3, Ihra didn¡¯t think she could make it. You have earned the inheritance of Lady Kaks?. Class Granted: Hex Archer OR Windstrider Two classes?Ihra could believe her luck - she¡¯d actually have a choice.Her thoughts were cut off, though, as a final passage appeared. Conditions Met for Further Testing Begin Phase 3: YES/NO Ihra read the message uncertainly.Would she lose her rewards if she tried, and failed, to beat phase 3?She stared at the two classes she¡¯d been offered, and reread the waiting prompt.No mention was made of either reward or penalty, but she couldn¡¯t be sure.Finally, Ihra reached a decision. Among the many harsh lessons Ihra had learned at the orphanage, one of the most important was that nothing in life was guaranteed.When a golden opportunity came along, you took what you could get while you could still get it.She had barely beaten the first two challenges - it was sheer luck she had collapsed so close to the goal.No, she decided, it¡¯s better not to press my luck.What is that saying Jasper always uses?Something about a bird in a pie? Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. She chose NO. The message faded, leaving her hands frozen in place on the ice-bound casket.But a second later it reappeared. Input Overrode Begin Phase 3: YES/NO Ihra barely had to time to mutter a curse before the floor beneath her collapsed. The fall felt much longer this time.She braced for impact immediately, but it didn¡¯t come.Darkness surrounded her on all sides, and if it wasn¡¯t for the wind that whistled past her ears, nothing would have suggested to her that she was falling.When she finally smashed into the ground, her legs buckled beneath the force of the impact, pitching her face-first, but she stumbled up moments later, unharmed. Reflexively her hands reached for her weapons, and this time, she found what she was looking for. Another combat test?Drawing her bow, Ihra crouched low as she surveyed the room she had found herself in.It looked nearly indistinguishable from the many rooms they had tromped through in the city. Ihra flattened her back against the wall as her pulse begin to raise.Did it just drop me back in the city?Without Jasper? But as her gaze swept across the room, she realized there were subtle differences. A set of wooden shutters was flung wide, an open-aired window looking out over the streets.A gentle green light filtered through, the shafts of light driving the shadows from the room.The furniture was in far better condition - it was certainly not new, but neither was it the rotting messes they had stumbled through in the upper city.Even the air seemed fresher and lighter, she realized, noting the absence of the overwhelming heat.This must be how it looked before the city was abandoned, she realized. Relaxing slightly, she stepped away from the wall.Sheathing her bow, she drew the misericorde and cautiously proceeded down the hall.Each room she checked was empty, with no sign of friend or foe to be seen, as she worked her way deeper into the heart of the city. As her search dragged on, Ihra¡¯s frustration only mounted.She hadn¡¯t wanted to do this part of the trial in the first place; now, she couldn¡¯t even figure out what she was supposed to be doing.If there were any enemies to fight, she couldn''t find them, and if there was some puzzle she was supposed to solve, apparently she was too stupid to even recognize it. Finally, Ihra turned around, determined to make her way back to where she started - maybe I missed something at the start.But she soon realized she couldn¡¯t retrace her steps: everything looked the same.The same simple homes cut into the rock walls, the same shutters flung open to let in the same pale light that shone from the ceilings.Sure, there were other structures also - temple, manors, stores - but the unique buildings were lost in a sea of sameness. In a thoroughly foul mood, Ihra stalked down the street, her misericorde held loosely in her grip.The hours of searching through empty buildings had eaten away at her caution; lost in her thoughts, Ihra almost walked into the being. But the flash of snow-white skin finally kicked her brain back into gear; with a startled shriek, Ihra leapt back, clutching her dagger tightly as she finally came face-to-face with one of the creatures. The face that stared back at her resembled the ones she had seen in the city.Its pitch-black eyes were sunk deep into its milky skin, long fangs peaking out of either side of its lips.Long, silver hair spilled down its back - in surprisingly good condition, Ihra noted - and despite the almost sickly thinness of the beast, Ihra could feel the power radiating from it. The pale creature was hunched over, walking on all fours, but even bent over, its size was so large that it stared down at her.She stumbled back, almost dropping her misericorde as its gaze pierced her; there was an intelligence there, a knowing that she had not expected to see. This was no beast Ihra hesitated, not sure if the paleface was really an enemy.Then it opened its mouth.¡°Palali?-¡° A second later, something smashed into her from behind, driving her to the ground.An agonizing pain spread through her body as four fangs sunk deep into her neck.She tried to fight, tried to move, but her body utterly refused to answer her demands.Waves of pain surged through her, only receding when something ripped the presence off her form, the sound of a thud echoing down the halls.And then she lost consciousness. Phase 3 Failed Trial Complete The words blinked before her as she pried her eyes open.Ihra was sprawled across a cold, hard floor; she rolled to her side, still groggy.Her neck was throbbing, waves of pain radiating up and down her spine although, when she clapped her hand over it, she felt no signs of any wounds. ¡°Are you okay?¡± A familiar voice rang in Ihra''s ears, as a pair of gentle hands clasped beneath her shoulders, pulling her to her feet.She blinked, her eyes struggling to adjust to the dim light, as Jasper¡¯s face finally swam into focus. ¡°What happened?¡±His eyes were dark with worry.¡°You just disappeared on me. You''ve been gone for...days, maybe? It''s impossible to tell time here.¡± Ihra shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.¡°I-I, uh.¡±The memory of the fangs closing around her neck flashed before her eyes.¡°I think I failed.Or maybe, not?I don¡¯t know.¡±She stumbled over to one of the benches that lined the walls, collapsing on it with a sigh of relief.Utter exhaustion flooded every fiber of her body, as she closed her eyes, willing the throbbing pain in her neck to go away. She barely noticed when he pried open her lips, choking down the sickly sweet healing potion before she drifted off to sleep. When she opened her eyes again, Jasper sat across from her.He jumped up as she stirred, reaching out to offer a steadying hand, but she brushed it away.She was feeling much better.¡°I¡¯m fine now, thanks.¡± He settled back down on the bench, studying her face.Judging from the deep bags beneath his eyes, Ihra wondered how long it had been since he last slept.I hope he¡¯s okay. Jasper spoke slowly, his words carefully chosen.¡°So you said that it might not have gone well?¡±The word fail didn¡¯t leave his lips, but it sat between them with an almost physical presence. Ihra sighed.¡°I¡¯m not really sure.There were three tests, I guess.I passed the first one, a combat test, and barely passed the second, which I guess was maybe a test of endurance?At the end of the second, a notification told me I had earned two class options, and then asked if I wanted to do a third test.I picked ¡®no,¡¯ Jasper, I swear I did, but it sent me to the third test anyways and I guess I was killed by something.¡±She winced, her fingers running lightly over the back of her neck.¡°I never even saw what hit me.¡± He frowned, patting her hand.¡°Well¡­at least you¡¯re here now. Hopefully, you still have the two classes you earned.Why don''t you meditate; I can keep watch.¡± She nodded, closing her eyes again.¡°I''ll try to be quick.¡± Ihra summoned the still pond to her, imagining the breeze that brushed against her cheek, the sunlight that danced its dappled beams across the crystal-clear waters, the deer that nestled in the verdant bushes while the forests rang with a choir of songbirds.The door opened and she stepped through. The Hexing Hind Ihra stood in a forest, beside a still pond.A dapple fawn was curled up beside the waters, nestled beneath the lush ferns, and she strolled over to it. She gently stroked its fur as the system''s screens popped up before her.Please be there. Ihra skipped past her info, ignoring any levels she had gained, as she looked for the notification box. Her breath caught in her throat as she opened it, half-afraid to look. Then she saw her options.Three choices. Please select a class.
Hex Archer Although Lady Kaks? was famed for her skill with the bow, it was her runic magic that made her a truly fearsome opponent.Raining down a hail of enchanted arrows, many of her foes died without ever even seeing her face, driven mad by her cursed runes. The Hex Archer class provides a 30% bonus to damage by bows and daggers and unlocks new runes that can be used to enchant arrows. Evolution possible.
Windstrider Lady Kaks?¡¯s secondary class, the Windstrider relies on speed, dexterity and wits, to outstrip its opponents.With enhanced movement, the class can always control the field of battle. The Windstrider class provides a 30% bonus to dagger and unarmed damage and a 20% bonus to bow damage. Evolution possible.
Fawn of Ayya?lu Lady Kaks? honored Ayya?lu and in turn, Ayya?lu honors her proteges.A powerful class, the Fawn of Ayya?lu is most at home in the wilderness, able to slip with ease between their human and animal form. The Fawn of Ayya?lu specializes in speed, dexterity and close combat and provides a 50% bonus to dagger and unarmed damage. Evolution possible.
She wanted them all. Ihra read through the descriptions over and over, torn between her options.Hex Archer leaned into her current skill set; she really did love her bow and, depending on how thoroughly runes were incorporated into the class, it might allow her to almost approximate a mage.It was unfortunate that she couldn¡¯t see the class¡¯ starting skills, but she could already imagine the possibilities - fire, ice, shock.Although, she admitted, the class seems to hint at something perhaps darker - ¡°driven mad by her cursed runes.¡±Maybe it¡¯s more illusion-based? Windstrider, on the other hand, seemed closer to some sort of rogue-class.It still provided a bonus to bow damage - despite being a lesser bonus, it was equal to what her current Archer class provided - but she suspected that most of the skill would push her in the direction of daggers.But maybe, if I get a choice of skills at level up, I could still tailor the class towards the bow. And then there was the final class. Fawn of Ayya?lu. Ihra was baffled by its presence.She wasn¡¯t even sure if it came from the trial - at least, the notifications she¡¯d received hadn¡¯t mentioned it as one of the rewards. Her mind flashed back to the statue of the Stag Lord in the strange temple, to the way that its eyes bored into her soul as she bowed before the coffin.Ihra wasn¡¯t a devotee of Ayya?lu; like most Corsythians with elvish heritage, she had never really made a choice of her personal deity, defaulting to Selene, the supposed mother of her ancestors. So she wasn¡¯t quite sure what to think about this class connected to Ayya?lu.If she chose it, would her personal deity change?Ihra had to admit, she was a little jealous of the way Jasper got to interact personally with Kas?dael.She herself had never seen the goddess, instead always interacting with the little fawn from her mantra that spawned beside the pool.Maybe, if she picked Ayya?lu¡¯s class, that would change. But she also wasn¡¯t clear what type of class it actually was.A number of the details seemed like upgraded versions of the Windstrider class, perhaps a deity-specific variation, but two factors made her hesitate. The first was the lack of bows; she had largely stumbled into the archer class by accident, as it was the only weapon she had any minor proficiency in.But Ihra did love the bow; frankly, she preferred to keep as far away from enemies as possible.No one enjoyed being wounded, after all - or, at least, she didnt. The second was the larger concern, however.What exactly did it mean by her ¡°animal form?¡±A class that allowed one to transform into an animal could be a powerful boon, but it could also be a poison pill, depending on how much control one had over the transformation. Ihra stroked the fawn¡¯s back absentmindedly as she pondered her choice.Hex Archer called to her, but could she really turn down a class offered by a god? She glanced over the screen again, her brow wrinkling in confusion as she saw something had changed.Fawn of Ayya?lu was gone.A new class stood in its place.
Hexing Hind A hybrid class, the Hexing Hind carves runes into their body to provide a myriad of buffs. The class provides a 30% boost to bow and dagger damage in base form, and a 50% boost to unarmed damage when transformed.
Ihra stared at the class.It appeared to be a direct answer to her desires.She still felt wary about the concept of transformation, not to mention the sudden inclusion of carving runes into her body - the mere thought made her skin crawl.But, when the system offered you a personalized class, it seemed like a good idea to take it. With a shaking hand, she selected Hexing Hind. Recalculating Stats Allocating Unassigned Levels. Ihra frowned as she suddenly realized she had forgotten to assign whatever points she had gained in the fight against Arut?¡¯s champions.Well, crap.There was nothing to be done about it now, though; she could only hope that the System assigned them well. After a moment, her screen popped up.
Ihra Kaks?lat Exp: 19,782/60,000 Health: 5240 Runes: 0/2 Piercing: 20/100 Heritage Corsythian (Elven) Class Hexing Hind Level 81 Level up available: x0 Titles Voidbound Survivor Blessing of Hurba?s?u
Stats You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Racial Traits Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 85 Adaptable Fawn Archery XX
Endurance 84 (+20) Moonborn Runic Arrows Dagger VI
Vision 42 Locked Moonlit Shards Unarmed I
Dexterity 53 Locked Executioner¡¯s Arrow
Willpower 10 The Still Pond
Charisma 10 (+10) Aegis of Ayya?lu
A gasp escaped her lips when she saw her health.5240?How had she leaped up so high?The mystery was resolved when she saw the +20 beside her endurance.Almost afraid to look, she checked the Moonborn trait. Everyone knew that Corsythians with elven heritage would eventually unlock the Moonborn trait.If you were a mage, Moonborn was a true blessing, a trait that granted +10 to Willpower and Inspiration.For everyone else, it was pretty much worthless. For years Ihra had a useless +10 to Willpower, a stat that affected nothing in her class, and she didn¡¯t have even access to Inspiration.But now a +20 sat beside her endurance. The description popped up as she selected Moonborn.
Moonborn Born beneath the light of the moon, the fawns of Ayya?lu are blessed with heightened endurance and an increased lifespan.
With a little shriek of joy, Ihra bounced around the small clearing, celebrating.Ihra had always felt a smidge of irritation when saw the Moonborn trait, a subtle little reminder that she was an unworthy heir of glorious ancestors, unable to wield the magic she should have inherited.Now, though?She read the description again, barely able to believe her eyes.Twenty points was just shy of seven levels worth of stats.If anything, the trait had gone from basically worthless to downright OP. Settling herself down, Ihra forced herself to examine the rest of the list.Piercing was already familiar to her.Unlocked by her previous Archer class, piercing was a stacking modifier that increased damage after consecutive vital hits; thanks to her vision, she now started at 20.Exactly the same as before.Uninterested, she moved on. The runes, on the other hand, were definitely new.Curious, she clicked on the entry, hoping for some sort of explanation.But nothing popped up except a notification that she would unlock a new rune slot per 50 points in endurance and dexterity.Shouldn¡¯t I have three slots, then?In the end, Ihra could only conclude that her bonus 20 points in endurance must not count towards the rune slots. When she was done examining her new stats, Ihra finally turned to the notifications she had been ignoring.With a slightly shaky breath, she opened the box to see her new class skills.Please be good.
Fawn Automatically activated once per day if the user drops below 20% health. In fawn form, all wounds are healed, while strength and health are doubled.While in fawn form, the user cannot cast offensive skills or equip weapons, but unarmed attacks receive a 50% boost to damage.The time of transformation is 5 seconds per level.
Fawn was not at all what she expected.As she had feared, she couldn¡¯t control when she transformed.On the other hand, it didn¡¯t sound like it would send her into a berserk rage, either.If anything it seemed like an odd healing spell, but she couldn¡¯t deny that it would probably be useful.She couldn¡¯t quell the lingering worry, though, that it might morph into something more difficult to control when she reached level 100.I guess we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we come to it.With a shrug, she moved on
Runic Arrows Can summon an unlimited number of basic arrows.As a Hexing Hind, the nature of these arrows can be influenced by the runes you have slotted.
The first was a twist on a familiar skill.For the most part, classes had pools of skills that they randomly drew from; thus, two level 1 archers might start with a slightly different set of abilities.But there were also skills that everyone in the class received.For Archers, the first of those was Arrows.There was certainly nothing exciting about the skill, which simply insured that an Archer would never run out of ammo, and most high-leveled Archers preferred to purchase powerful enchanted arrows.But Ihra had always thought the skill was a bit underrated.After all, without arrows, an Archer was basically just a gal with a curvy stick. But the new skill looked intriguing.She remembered coming across a rune in Aphora¡¯s grimoire that summoned a poisonous mist.Could I combine something like that with my arrows?The possibilities seemed exciting.Might just be able to mimic enchanted arrows on my own.
Moonlit Shards Upon a successful strike, the arrow¡¯s head will shatter, covering the ground with razor-sharp shards. Can only activate when Piercing is at 80 and costs 10 Piercing
With no mention of how much damage the shards would inflict, it was hard for Ihra to judge how powerful the ability was.Although, I guess it could be useful for crowd control, she decided. The next ability was a welcome surprise - her old friend, Executioner¡¯s Arrow.Really, the only powerful ability she had previously had, she read through the description quickly to just make sure nothing meaningful had changed.
Executioner¡¯s Arrow Shoots an arrow that deals double damage.If the arrow hits the heart or head, the arrowhead will expand into a red-hot blade dealing massive damage. Charge Time: 3 seconds Can only activate when Piercing is at 100 and costs 20 Piercing.
It had changed; the charge time had dropped significantly, but that tradeoff was that it now required a 100 piercing.It would be much easier to use in battle now, but she couldn¡¯t use it from stealth.Unless I got my vision all the way up to 200.
The Still Pond Even in the fiercest battle, the Fawn of Ayya?lu can still find peace.Sacrifice health to provide a 30% bonus to strength or dexterity. Cost: 200 health per second.
The massive increase in her health now made sense.While it was always a risk to sacrifice your health in the midst of battle, a 30% increase to her strength or dexterity would massively increase her damage or speed, allowing her to - temporarily - hit well above her level.More than satisfied with the skill, she turned to the last one.
Aegis of Ayya?lu If you have a rune equipped, you can sacrifice the rune and all its benefits in exchange for a 5 minute shield.User is able to move freely while the shield is active and is impervious to all damage, but cannot attack.Can only sacrifice one rune per day.
She stared at the last ability, almost unable to believe her eyes.A shield like this was far beyond anything she had heard of Archers getting.Hell, a lot of mages would be jealous of this.With no essence of her own, she wasn¡¯t entirely sure how the ability was even powered - was Ayya?lu himself protecting her? - but its strength was undeniable.If the description was accurate, it was a better shield than the one Nabul had used. There was a limiter though - a rune.With a frown, she searched in vain for some sort of an explication of how she was supposed to equip the runes.Was there a set list she had to choose from?Some object she had to find? After a few minutes of fruitless searching, she was forced to admit defeat.The screen told her nothing about the runes.Maybe it will become clear when I return to my body? With a sigh, she stretched out beside the still pond of water, nestling close to the little fawn that always waited for her.The exhaustion of their delve into the accursed city overcame her as her eyes closed in sleep.
Jasper shifted uncomfortably on the bench, glancing over at Ihra with the faint hope that she had stirred, but her eyes were still closed in meditation.Or sleep?She had been meditating for several hours already and he was starting to suspect that the tranquility she had sought had simply put her to sleep. With a sigh, he stood up, twisting his arms back and forth as he struggled to stay awake.Ihra had been in the trial for almost two days, and although the door to the sepulcher seemed secure enough, he had struggled to catch more than a few moments of fitful sleep - images of pale faces looming over him haunting his fitful dreams.Far worse, however, had been the lack of food. The bag of holding they had seized from Nabul was definitely the single best thing they owned, and really simplified packing necessary essentials for trips unlike these.Unfortunately, Ihra had been wearing the bag when she walked through the door to the trial.To be fair, it had never entered his mind that it would take so long, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that, between the lack of sleep and the lack of food, he was nearing his breaking point.At least I was finally able to eat something while she meditated. He plopped back down on the bench, slumping against the wall.He let himself rest his eyes, just for a few minutes, while he waited.Slowly, he drifted off, his mind wandering into the vast, nearly thoughtless void of near-sleep.It was only the knowledge that he was supposed to be keeping watch over Ihra that prevented him from surrendering that final tendril of consciousness. THUMP His eye twitched, his mind registering but not really responding to the sound.Silence prevailed for a time. THUMP THUMP He stirred again, reluctantly prying an eye open.Ihra still sat facing him, her eyes closed in ¡°meditation.¡± THUMP He turned his head lazily toward the source of the sound. In an instant, all drowsiness fled his body as he bolted upright. Although the top and the bottom still stubbornly clung to the frame, the thick copper door that barred the entrance to the sepulcher was almost bent in half.The heavily verdigrised door bulged in the middle revealing the dark, dead city beyond.And there, illuminated in the pale light of the strange green stones was a hand. The hand was pitch-black, so black that at first it seemed like nothing but a void to Jasper, who struggled to make sense of what his eyes were seeing.A wave of heat flooded through the room, the sweat rolling off him in waves as he stared at the damnable hand. A wail keened in the streets beyond the sepulcher, and the hand withdrew.Another cry, further off, echoed in response.More and more voices joined the chorus as the silence of the city was broken. He sat, frozen in horror, his eyes glued to the door where the hand had been.What the hell? As the strange, keening wails died out, he finally snapped out of it.Leaping to his feet, he rushed over to Ihra.Her eyes were still closed - in meditation or sleep, he could not tell - but it no longer mattered. She needed to wake up. Now. A Business Transaction Tsia stretched lazily, her arms sweeping across the soft, silk sheets as she struggled to contain a yawn.It had been a wonderful day in a wonderful week. Once Jasper and Ihra left, Ra?¡¯imu had arranged for her to have breakfast in bed each day.They¡¯d gone riding in the mountains, painting on the terrace, even hunting little blue slimes in a cave - she wrinkled her nose, remembering with a hint of disgust the goop the creatures had left all over her.And today, he¡¯d even taken her on a trip to Du?r-Yarha. She had grown up in the royal city of Sapiya, Yas?peh.The only city in the province that wasn¡¯t devastated during the Fey Wars, Yas?peh had, ironically, enough been saved by an army from the Sapiyans ever-irksome rival, Stryn, and had managed to hold out long enough for the imperial army to arrive. As a result, Yas?peh was the largest and most beautiful city in her father¡¯s realm.Tsia thought herself quite the cultured cosmopolitan.But when she had rode down the streets of Du?r-Yarha, she felt like a peasant from the hills on their first trip to a city.The population must have been double, or even triple, that of Yas?peh and the sheer wealth that was on display throughout the nobles'' districts made her mouth water a little. Ra?¡¯imu was ostensibly in the city on business for his House, so they¡¯d visited a few of the industries the House of the Third Son owned before visiting their suppliers.Without meaning to, Tsia had found herself joining in on the negotiations, haggling with the merchants, even pounding out a new deal with a minor house.It was a familiar world to her. A sudden pang of homesickness sprung up in heart. The tumbling waterfalls of her little conservatory back home splashed through her mind, followed by a cavalcade of all too familiar faces.Her father, his greying hair hid beneath the crown, a warm crinkle in his eyes as he greeted her with a hug.Little Apila?ni, always begging her to play with him, to tell him stories of the kings and gods of old.Even her other half-siblings, for as much they tormented her at the urging of their mother, still made an appearance.There had been a time, after all, when they had played together in the gardens of the palace. Tsia sighed.Nostalgia was an incorrigible liar, ever keen to present rusting steel as shining silver and smoky quartz as diamonds. A few moments of sunlight were not sufficient to banish the dark storms that had hung over her life in Yas?peh.She had made her choice and there was no turning back. Still, until she met Ra?¡¯imu, Tsia hadn¡¯t realized how sorely she missed aspects of life in the courts. She felt out of place in their little group.Ne?s?u did his best to take care of her, but he was just a retired guilder who had been appointed by her father as a guard.He pressured her, from time to time, to return to court, as was his duty, but truthfully, he was far happier roughing it out in the wilds, fighting monsters and meeting gods, than lounging around the courts of Yas?peh. Ihra was a bit of a mystery to Tsia.When she had first met the pretty blond elfling, Tsia had hope they would quickly become fast friends; unfortunately, Ihra barely acknowledged her.She was friendly enough with Jasper, even with Ne?s?u, but whenever Tsia tried to have a conversation with the archer, it was about as much fun as pulling teeth. And then there was Jasper.He was cordial enough.She blushed, her cheeks turning crimson.Maybe a bit more than cordial.He had definitely been a bit flirty at times, but whenever she started to think there might be something there, he¡¯d grow distant.Unlike Ihra, he was quite talkative, willing to talk about anything and everything - except himself and the world he came from.There was a wall there that she had yet to pierce. Tsia just didn¡¯t fit in the group.A princess who had never camped a day in her life until she ran away from her father¡¯s courts; a mage who had never used her magic to kill anything until that battle on Arut?¡¯s mountain.The life Ra?¡¯imu offered was everything she missed about home, and everything she had dreamed about having as a child - a loving family. Everything except for her mother. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. ¡°Come in.¡± Ne?s?u opened the door cautiously, averting his eyes as he stepped into the room.¡°Are you decent, my lady?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal, Ne?s?u.Nobody cares anymore.¡± The warrior sighed as he strode over to her.His brown hair was pulled back tightly behind his ears, his face clearly freshly shaven, and he wore a richly embroider tunic in place of his usual armor. ¡°Someday, my lady, you will return to your senses and wish to go back home.Until that time, you should still behave with propriety.¡± She rolled her eyes.¡°Why are you all dressed up, Ne?s?u?We just got back from the city and I doubt Ra?¡¯imu is going to want to do anything else tonight.¡± The worry on his brow lifted as a rare smile broke his lips.¡°Ah, that is why I came to see you.The elders of the House have finally agreed to see us.We¡¯re meeting them in a hour.¡± Tsia sat up with a shriek.¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that immediately.I can¡¯t go looking like this!¡±She leapt out of bed, regretfully abandoning the warmth of the silky sheets as the chill mountain air washed over her.¡°Out, out.I need to change¡±She shooed Ne?s?u out the door.Slamming it shut, she leaned against the door with a sigh as she ran through in her mind her limited dress options. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Packing your life up on a single horse had its downside, even if she did have a small bag of holding.The scarlet dress will do, I suppose. It turned out to be a bit more of a struggle to get into on her own then she had expected, so when a welcome knock came on the door - a maid sent from Ra?¡¯imu - she was more than happy to accept the proffered aid.Together, the two barely managed to get her ready in time; indeed, the maid was still putting the finishing touches on her hair when Ne?s?u reentered the room. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± The two hurried through the gardens that surrounded the main hall.The winsome scent of flowers filled the air as the delicate blossoms of Damqa¡¯s Breath opened beneath the pale moonlight.But Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s servant did not lead them to the hall, heading instead toward the stable.Ra?¡¯imu was already there, mounted up on his usual chestnut horse, and their mounts were there as well, already saddled by the servants. He waved them over with a friendly smile.¡°Sorry about the short notice, but the elders suddenly wanted to see you.¡±His smile slipped slightly.¡°I thought they¡¯d be waiting another week, but I guess something changed.¡± A servant came rushing over, the all-important package cradled in his hands.The servants tied the lyre to Tsia¡¯s horse, and then they were off. The three trotted out the gate into the night. ¡°So where are we headed?¡±Tsia asked. Her brother nodded toward the mountain that loomed above the House of the Third Son¡¯s many estates.¡°All the important stuff happens up there, on the top of Mt. Qaitz.¡±He grinned as he saw a flicker of concern in her eyes.¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s a road that leads all the way to the top - we won¡¯t be hiking in the dark.¡± They rode in comfortable silence, the gentle moonlight illuminating the peaceful countryside almost as bright as day.The moon seemed to shine brighter here, Tsia thought, then it did back home, although she preferred Shamsha¡¯s warm rays to the pale, but cold light of Selene.Still, the unnatural brightness of the moon seemed a clear sign from the divine.The Moon-kissed loved their goddess and she, in turn, shone her favor on them. Low stone walls edged the road on either side, clearly demarcating the path ahead and every few feet one of the pale green stones was planted into the ground, lighting the way. Their path smoothed before them, the three reached the top of the mountain far faster than Tsia would have guessed was possible.An estate rested there - the only house on the mountain.Tsia had been expecting some grand edifice, a physical statement of the power, wealth, and majesty of the House of the Third Son.Such was the nature of nobles, after all. But she was surprised at how comparatively humble the abode was.It wasn¡¯t a hovel - your average commoner would certainly consider it a mansion - but for an important noble''s house, it was supremely unimpressive. Ra?¡¯imu read her thoughts, or perhaps her expression.¡°This manor was the very first home of our clan, built by the Damqa¡¯s heir himself. It is a sacred place, the only home we allow to be built on the mountain,¡± he explained. A bevy of servants rushed to help them of the mounts as they rode into the cobblestoned courtyard, swiftly leading their steeds off to the stables.Her hands shook slightly as she gave the lyre to Ne?s?u, who hoisted it in his arms with an easy grace.Tsia wasn¡¯t sure quite what to expect from the elders, but the sudden summons had her a bit on edge.Still, she had not grown up in the palace without picking up a few tricks along the way.Chewing on the inside of her cheeks, she concentrated on the pain to force the jitters away.Her brow cleared, her worry replaced with a mask of confidence as she strode into the hall. They were just elders after all; she was a princess twice over.Who cares what they thought of her? The meeting dragged on forever.Tsia had sat in on more than a few occasions while her father parlayed with his nobles.The king of Sapiya was far from an iron-fisted tyrant.To the east, Gis?-Izum governed itself with almost complete autonomy, while the fortress city of Birnah, responsible for guarding the frontier with Stryn, was ever haughty in its demands, the lord of the city secure in the knowledge of its importance to the province.Their meetings had often dragged on for hours but there, at least, Tsia hadn¡¯t been forced to be an active participant. Tonight, though, she found herself thrust into her father¡¯s role and quickly realized it was harder than it looked. The elders of the Third Son definitely wanted the Lyre of Damqa.Their eyes practically shone with greed when it was presented to them, the court clustered around the ancient instrument as their scholars examined it.When it was confirmed as genuine, not even the head of the house could hide his avarice. The problem, however, was that the Moon-kissed held pretty much all the cards in the negotiation.The lyre was already practically in their possession, sitting on a table an isolated manor on their sacred mountain.hey weren¡¯t inclined to outright steal the lyre, feeling the need to over some recompense in exchange.Ra?''imu''s House proved to have some sense of honor which, Tsia was reluctantly forced to admit, was to their credit; there were certainly nobles in her father¡¯s court who would have simply taken the lyre and not bothered negotiating. But the unspoken threat was very much on the table.If they really wanted to, they could cast her and Ne?s?u out, and nobody would care enough to punish them. Or, at least, that would have been true if Jasper had not been gang pressed into the Djinn royal family.The elders weren¡¯t quite certain how entrenched her partner was in the royal house, how important of a position he held, and the ambiguity gave her room to maneuver. Tsia threw herself into the negotiations wholeheartedly, the honeyed words falling from her lips with surprising ease.This was her chance to prove her worth to Jasper, to prove to her whole party that she was more than just a pampered princess. That she had a place in the party. The moonlight had long faded beneath the burning rays of the sun when the final details of the deal were hammered out.And as Tsia scanned the contract one last time, it took every ounce of her skill to keep the gleam of pride out of her eye. She had done well. The Dead Gods ¡°Ihra.¡±Jasper grabbed her shoulders, shaking her violently.¡°Ihra, wake up.¡± She didn''t stir from her position, her eyes closed as tight as a coffin''s lid. THUMP The thick copper door behind him rumbled again.Jasper spared a wild glance over his shoulder, his mind already reaching for a spell.The door was almost bent in half now; truly Jasper had no idea how a few edges still managed to cling to the frame - truly, its durability was a ringing endorsement of the artful craftsmanship the ancient city must once have possessed. He could see a blob of darkness through the ruined door; somehow blacker than the dark streets that loomed behind, even the pale green light of the stone did nothing to illuminate the endless darkness that stared back at him.Four black hands reached through the gap; grabbing fast the edges of the bent door, they strained against its failing constraints. Jasper stood frozen, unaware that he had let loose the spell he had been holding in until he saw the orbs of fire ricochet off the copper door. Most bounced off harmlessly, but a few smashed into the dark being. A shriek echoed through the empty streets, the creature emitting a desolate, keening wail that set his teeth on edge. Jasper fell on his knees, gasping for air, as pure despair flooded through him.The bracelet on his wrist flared to life, surging ice through his veins as he struggled to fight off the mental attack.Barely keeping his grip on consciousness, his vision floated before him. With a simple flex of its four arms, the dark being ripped the door out of its frame, the walls rumbling as pieces of rubble collapsed all around.Jasper tried to form another spell, but his concentration was shattered as another keening shriek threw him to the ground. I¡¯m not going to die like this.A single cogent thought echoed through his mind.A deep calm fell over him as he reached for soul magic; unlike the first time, it came eagerly, as a nearly overwhelming flood of power surged through him. His body wreathed in flames, shadowy wings flickering behind him, he pushed himself off the ground and stood to face the city¡¯s doom.But the creature no longer stood in the empty entrance.Its keening wail echoed further down the street and its endless darkness had been replaced by a sea of pale white faces. Jasper raised his hands, prepared to blast them from existence.But one hastily stepped forward, its hands raised in a placating gesture.¡°Batlu, batlu!¡± They can talk?His mind reeled, trying to parse the meaning of the phrase.He hesitated, no longer sure if they were truly an enemy.he flames that had consumed his body guttered out.His last vision before he slipped into unconsciousness was a menagerie of pale, alien faces looming above him.
*Splash* Jasper awoke with a splutter, coughing as he spat out a mouthful of lukewarm water.is body was slick with sweat, and the room so unbearably hot that he would have sworn he had fallen asleep beside a volcano. But a pulse of panic shot through his mind as Jasper recalled the pale faces that had encircled him at the end.Panicking, he tried to sit up but stumbled as his arms jerked to a halt. Manacles encircled his wrists, their short chain attached to a nearby wall. He glanced up at the source of the water and recoiled as he saw one of the creatures standing beside him.It was the first time he had gotten more than a fleeting look at one of the pale-faces. Nearly ten feet tall, the being was extremely thin.Its proportions were odd.The creature¡¯s limbs were a bit too long and gangly - the arms appeared to be slightly longer than the legs - and its skin was as pale as milk, utterly untouched by the sun¡¯s harsh rays.It stood on two legs, a bucket clutched in its hand, but when it placed the bucket on the ground, the creature settled back on all fours. But the face was not that of an animal.It bore a marked resemblance to the pale Moon-kissed in the upper city, a set of fangs peaking out of the edges of its lips, but its eyes shone with keen intelligence and the simple tunic wrapped around its waist told Jasper that he was dealing with a civilized being. ¡°Tahdi?tu ili? - atta ne?hu?¡± Jasper wrinkled his brow, struggling to understand what the being was saying.The pale-face must have seen his confusion, as it spoke again, this time in the common tongue, although its word came haltingly, as if it was unused to the language. ¡°Are you peaceful?¡± Jasper¡¯s eyes flicked over to the manacle chaining him to the wall.Was he peaceful?Truthfully, he wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the situation, but he decided to play along.He nodded at the creature. It stared him in the eyes for so long Jasper had to force himself not to look away.His mouth grew dry, his skin itching, but he forced himself to meet the being¡¯s eyes, offering a half-hearted smile as proof of his friendliness. At last satisfied, the pale-face lifted up a hand, unlocking the manacles that bound Jasper to the wall with an idle twist of his wrist.A mage?Jasper was surprised. He was about to mutter a word of thanks when the creatures slapped a new, albeit much lighter, pair of handcuffs across his wrists and motioned for him to follow. Without another word, it turned and left the room.After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Jasper obeyed. They were still underground - how far, he could not tell - but the unbearable heat assured Jasper they could not be far from the city.But the tunnels the creature lead him through were unlike the wide streets of the city; tall, but quite narrow, the floor of the tunnel glowed with the now-familiar pale green stone, lighting the way before them. They walked in silence.Jasper couldn¡¯t stop himself from fretting about Ihra, but he tried to remain calm; thus far, the pale-faced being hadn¡¯t shown any signs of malevolence. Maybe they were just unfortunate people, some sort of mutants cast out of polite society.The dark creature, on the other hand?His stomach churned at the mere memory of the being, and he choked as a bit of acid made its way up. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The pale-faced being must have sensed his distress.It turned around, gazing at him with those big, black eyes.One of its long arms reached out, brushing a finger against him.A deep sense of calm begin to well up in Jasper, although it was quenched seconds later as the Fey charm sprung to life. ¡°Do you have a name?¡±Jasper blurted the words out, surprising even himself. The being simply turned back to the tunnel, continuing to lumber down the path.But a single word met his ear:¡°Tia?lu.¡± Their walk was not long.The path continuously sloped downward, deeper and deeper into the dark womb of the earth, but it made the going easy.Slowly, the claustrophobic walls of the tunnel widened until at last they emerged into a large open chamber.Like the entry room of Kaks?¡¯s Sepulcher, the chamber was dimly lit.A large number of the beings were clustered inside and - to Jasper¡¯s great relief - a familiar blonde-haired elfling awaited him, her hands free of the binding chains. ¡°Jasper!¡±Ignoring the creatures¡¯ protests, she ran over to hug him.¡°Thank Selene.When I woke from the meditation, you were gone and the nizirtu? were hovering over me.I was afraid you were dead.¡±She squeezed tight, his ribs groaning beneath the pressure. ¡°Geez, you¡¯ve gotten stronger.¡±He gently pushed her hands away, releasing the death grip on his lungs. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that means the trial was a success.¡± She nodded, a response clearly on the tip of her tongue, but one of the pale-faced creatures - nizirtu?, I guess - stepped forward. It spoke far more clearly than Jasper¡¯s guide, its words firm and unhesitating.¡°You have angered the dead gods. You must pay the penalty.¡± Uh-oh.Jasper¡¯s heart leapt into his throat.That doesn¡¯t sound good.He swallowed hard, ignoring the lump in his throat.¡°De-dead gods?What are those?¡± The leader rared up on two legs, towering over the pair.¡°What are they?¡±Its voice thundered in the room, ripe with anger.¡°What are they? They are the lords of this city, the fallen stars, the crumbled heavens.¡± But just as suddenly as it exploded, the being deflated, its anger suddenly melting away like the first frost on a warm autumn day.¡°Truly we are the Forgotten.Follow.¡±It barked the command at them, turning away with a lumbering gait. The pair followed the nizirtu into a nearby room.Jasper shot Ihra a questioning look, and she just shrugged.¡°They haven¡¯t exactly been talkative.¡±She mouthed quietly at him. But as Jasper glanced around the new chamber they had entered, he realized his questions were about to be answered.The room glowed with the cheery light of fire, as the hundreds of candles burning in their sconces offered a welcome relief from the cold, pale light of the green stones.The walls were covered in vibrant frescoes, a multi-colored menagerie of fantastic beasts and folk that wrapped around the entirety of the chamber.It was clearly a chapel of sorts, Jasper realized. The leader pointed at one of the closest frescoes on the wall. A pale woman, dressed in a simple white tunic, stared back at them.¡°When our Mother first fled to the north, the other Djinn looked down on us.¡±The leader glanced sharply at Jasper¡¯s red skin, and he felt his cheeks heating up.¡°The Moon-kissed were considered traitors then, children who had turned their back on the light of our Father.¡± He led them to the next mural.¡°Desperate for sanctuary, Damqa prayed to Selene and received a vision - a city beneath the surface, safe from the persecution of our brothers.¡± ¡°Led by her visions, Damqa found the city.Then, as now, it lay in ruins, cloaked in darkness.But Selene herself graced us with her light, gifting us the uska?ru that drove the night away. And in the depths, at the bottom of the great pit, Damqa found something else.¡± Jasper stared up at the next fresco, needing no explanation from the nizirtu leader to decipher what he saw.A ring of blue and silver corpses lay in state, the tell-tale four arms leaving him little doubt as to their identity.The dead Mwryani were arrayed in a circle around a central podium in which an oversized dagger, its blade resembling a fang more than a traditional edge, was displayed.The password from Kaks?¡¯s Sepulcher flashed into his mind. "Nah?as?s?inu da?¡¯iku ili?; S?admu?ti ara?nu kakkabi?,¡± he whispered. A second later he was tossed to the ground with a violent backhand.The pale-faced leader loomed over him, the anger blossoming in his eyes.¡°Do not say those words.¡± it hissed. It let go of him, turning back to the frescoes, and Jasper picked himself up gingerly, utterly taken aback by the being¡¯s response.An awkward silence settled over the party, but after a long moment, the leader resumed. ¡°No one knows how the dead gods came to be there, or who killed them, and all of Damqa¡¯s entreaties for information fell on deaf ears as the goddess refused to answer.Many of our people, however, came to believe that the dead gods were the builders of the city.For generations, our priests taught that we were the blessed guardians of their tomb, caretakers of the fallen stars.But we were wrong.¡± ¡°No one knows how it happened, but the shadow awakened.Gods do not die, not fully. Unbeknownst to our kin, their shades lingered on as their corruption seeped throughout the city.The darkness grew, as if it was a living entity, quenching Selene¡¯s grace and in the shadows, the shades stalked our people.¡± ¡°They attacked from behind, latching their fangs into their victims'' necks.But they took nothing from their prey, merely injecting them with their venom.Most who were bit died, driven violently insane before their passing.Burning with fever, they¡¯d claw at their bodies, gouging great furrows in their flesh as they sought to rid themselves of the bugs they believed were buried in their skin.¡± ¡°But some of their victims survived; rather than succumbing to fever and eventual death, those who survived were changed.¡±The nizirtu turned to face them.¡°Most of our kin abandoned us, fleeing to the surface where the light of the Father we abandoned kept the beasts at bay.But we could not follow, no longer able to bear Shamsha¡¯s burning wrath.We were the Forgotten.¡± Jasper shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to ask the question lest he bear the brunt of another blow, but needing to know just the same.¡°And the dead gods?Why did you accuse us of angering them?¡± A thundercloud passed over the nizirtu¡¯s face, disappearing almost as quickly as it came.¡°Our kin do not avoid us merely out of shame.The shadows of the dead gods mostly ignore us, slumbering in their graves, but whenever fresh blood enters the depths of the city, they stir again. If they are able to claim their sport, they return to their slumbers; if not, our people suffer.¡± Jasper began to get an uneasy feeling in his stomach.¡°Claim their sport?¡± The nizirtu cocked his head as a cold smile spread across his lips.¡°You, of course.¡±The being sighed, clucking his tongue.¡°It¡¯s an unenviable task, but as Keeper of Memories, it is my job to inform you of these things.¡± Ihra reacted immediately, her hands already reaching for the bow on her back, but the guards surrounding them were faster, slamming shackled around her wrists Ihra. Jasper struggled to break free, but the bindings held firm; whatever the shackles were made from seemed to hinder the flow of his essence as his every attempt to form a spell dissipated uselessly. The nizirtu sighed again, a genuine expression of regret pooling in his eyes.¡°I am sorry, but if I must choose between my people¡¯s safety or your life, there is no choice at all.My people will always come first.The dead gods must be satiated.¡± The Serpents Tooth The Keeper continued, a note of pity in his tone.¡°Those killed by the dead gods seem to meet the same fate as those who enter the shores of the Obsidian Sea; no one comes back.¡± Jasper surged forward, fighting against the iron grip of his captors, but it was no use.His magic was cut off and his strength, while more than enough to crush anyone on earth, was unremarkable here.The priest turned his back on them, training his eyes studiously on the magnificent frescoes as the pair were dragged from the chapel. As they were led back into the narrow tunnels, Ihra almost managed to break free.She slammed the back of her head into her guard¡¯s face with such force that the nizirtu let go, falling, stunned, to the floor.She dashed down the narrow corridor, her hands straining to break the manacles that bound her wrist, but her flight was cut short as more guards appeared ahead, quickly cutting off any avenue for escape.Then came the punishment. The nizirtu? rained blows down upon her head, beating her to her knees.Blood flowed freely from a dozen open wounds as her cries of pain echoed down the dimly lit halls.Jasper surged forward to help her, desperately trying to grasp any shred of magic, but his attempt was cut short as a crushing blow smashed into the back of his head, plunging him into darkness.
He awoke with a gasp.His head was throbbing so badly that every beat of his heart seemed magnified, sending an accompanying pulse of pain through his temple.He was in darkness, but not complete. The room felt like a furnace, the pavement beneath him feeling like the desert sands on a scorching day, but the heat barely registered as his eyes struggled to focus on what lay before him. A dim, amber light pervaded the room, emanating from some unseeable source, but Jasper got the sense that the large chamber was roughly circular.His hands were tied behind his back, most likely to one of the coffins that surrounded a central podium - a podium in which was lodged a strange dagger. He was in the tomb of the dead gods. Ihra was slumped against a coffin on the far side; her hands, like his, were tied down.He couldn''t tell from across the room if her eyes were open or not. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words died on his lips.He tried again, and again, but no sound left his mouth.Silence reigned supreme amongst the ancient sepulchers. Jasper then tried to summon a spell, but the essence refused to enter his hands, cut off somehow by the manacles that circled his wrists. Damn it.He cringed as his frustration sent another wave of pain coursing through his head, but he did his best to push through it.The pain could come later; for now, he had to find a way to get out of this room. His eyes were drawn back to the dagger.Well out of his reach, there was something magnetic about its presence. As he stared at it, a deep, aching desire swelled within his heart, a longing to ascend the steep marble steps and pull the dagger from its sheath. Another pulse of pain tore through his temple, and he shrank back against the coffin, cursing.The icy cold that spread up his arm, emanating from the Fey charm, told him all he needed to know.Stay clear of the creepy dagger.Check. He forced his eyes away, staring fixedly at the tiled floor as he tried to assess the situation.If he could just get his hands free of the manacles, enough time had passed that he ought to be able to summon the Ophan again.He wasn¡¯t sure the being was strong enough to fight whatever had emerged from the shadows of the dead gods, but it might give them enough time to run.And maybe kill a few of the Nizirtu? while I¡¯m at it.As the face of the Keeper flashed through his mind, a snarl of rage escaped his lips, although it quickly turned into a pained whimper as an agonizing spasm of pain lanced through his forehead. Focus.His eyes swept across the room, searching for anything he could use to break free, as he tried to fight the rising tide of panic swelling in his heart. His ears pricked up as the silence of the chamber was disturbed by the distant patter of feet against tone.It was still far off, the sound carried further than normal by the unnatural stillness that suffocated the room, but as he listened intently, he became certain that something was approaching. A fresh wave of panic swept through him, and he strained again at the manacles.They would not budge, but a vague memory popped into his head, of a tv show where the character was able to pull his hands free of handcuffs after breaking his thumbs.He pounded his fists blindly against the coffin, his gasps of pain stifled as his fingers finally succumbed to the force. But, apparently, the trick only worked on cheap handcuffs. Despair flooded his soul as the patter of approaching feet slowly grew louder.He closed his eyes and waited for the end to come, begging Kas?dael, Selene - any of the gods to come and save them. A loud noise rocked the silent room, the rumble of rocks scattering across the floor, and a moment later, a hand fell on his shoulder.He nearly had a heartache, his mouth opened in a silenced scream as he stared up at his doom. It was Ihra Streams of half-congealed blood dripped down her face, her eyes were wide and unfocused, her nose was clearly broken, but she reached behind him with determination.Grabbing hold of the shackles that bound him to the coffin, she closed her eyes and, after a moment¡¯s pause, pulled. A shower of rubble bounced silently along the chamber floor as the shackles gave way.Essence flooded back into his fractured hands, the blue flames immediately springing into life, as Jasper reveled in the return of his power. But as quickly as the strength came to her, it left.She collapsed onto his shoulder, hitting him like a load of bricks, as her consciousness faded.He stumbled beneath the unexpected burden but managed to keep her from hitting the ground. The footsteps were drawing closer now, and Jasper had no doubt about as to what was coming - a soul-devouring monster, the shadow of a dead god come to claim its prey. Desperation is a powerful motivator.Despite the pounding of his head and his broken hands, despite the days without sleep or food, a burst of frenetic energy filled him.Tossing Ihra over his shoulder, he snatched up the bow which had fallen from her hands. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. As he turned to run, his eyes fell on the dagger again. He froze, as that wild, desperate need to possess it surged through his heart again.Unwittingly, he took a step forward, his eyes glued to the destiny that lay before him.He would take the dagger and slay the beast - nothing in the world could stand against him once he held it in his hands. Even the gods will tremble at my rage.Jasper took another step toward the dagger, ignoring the bitter cold that spread up his arm, as his red skin turned a nearly frosty blue. But as he stepped forward, Ihra slipped from his arms.His eyes were drawn away from the dagger as she plummeted toward the floor.er head did not hit the pavement. The world came rushing back to him as he stopped her fall, mere inches from the ground.The approaching doom rushed back to the forefront of his mind as Nahas?s?innu''s charm was broken. Tossing her across his shoulders, he fled into the darkness, away from the chamber and the dagger that sought to lure him. Jasper raced down the dimly lit corridors of the nizirtu?, looking for the endless darkness of the abandoned city.His breath came hard and heavy as he left the seal of silence behind, each step he took sending another jolt of pain pulsing through his brow, but he pushed on.He had to, after all. To stay behind was death.
She crept down the dimly lit corridor, her feet lightly padding against the pale uska?ru stones that lined the cramped tunnels.Normally, they¡¯d prefer to proceed more quietly, but time was at a premium right now.Her fingers cramped around her naked blade, itching for a taste of combat, as her group neared the chamber where their quarry had been bound. Anatta couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of worry that sat in the pit of her stomach, but she didn¡¯t need to - the thrill of a potentially epic battle was more than enough to outweigh the shameful fear. After all, how often did one have the chance to battle some sort of corrupted Mwyrani spirit?If she survived, the glory she¡¯d reap would earn her free drinks for years to come.Maybe even a promotion. But as her leader entered the chamber before her, Anatta could sense that something was wrong.Zaht?¡¯s shoulders were tensed, his fingers wrapping tightly around the shaft of his battle-ax, but it was not from fear of battle.Zaht? relished a fight more than any man she¡¯d ever known - he was no doubt hoping to run into the corrupted shade.No, whatever¡¯s upsetting him is something else. Suddenly worried, Annatta pushed her way forward to get a better view.And as she peered around her commander¡¯s shoulders, the thrill of an impending battle was replaced with true panic. Their quarry wasn¡¯t there. The chamber lay empty.The cursed manacles the nizirtu? had bound their prey with were scattered across the floor, surrounded by a pile of rubble from two damaged sepulchers.A few footprints, preserved in the dust of rubble, led into a tunnel on the far side. But the room itself was empty - save for the strange dagger suspended above a podium. Resembling the fang of some ancient fell beast, the dagger¡¯s jagged edges glimmered in the dim light with an almost mesmerizing sparkle. Nahas?s?innu.A name appeared in her mind, but it meant nothing to her.Annatta watched as Zaht? approached the podium. His massive arms shook as he reached out, his hand slowly closing around the hilt of the dagger. Zaht? stood still, frozen like a statue, his back turned to the rest of his group.After a few minutes had ticked by, and he still hadn¡¯t moved, Zari?ya crept forward, placing her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Zaht??¡± He moved in a blur, his motions so fast that Annatta didn¡¯t even realize he had moved at first.Until a head rolled to a stop at her feet.Zari?ya¡¯s wide, red eyes stared at up her, her mouth still open with words she would never speak. Zaht? - no, not Zaht? - glared at his former squad.His once-ruby eyes were pools of liquid darkness, the rage on his face quite uncharacteristic of the always genial battle junkie. For a long, terrible moment they were in a standoff.Annatta stared at her former friend in horror, unable to process what had just happened. And then he moved. How she deflected his first blow, she¡¯d never know.Quick as lightning, speed accompanied by overwhelming strength, he crossed the space between them in a flash, the dagger aimed straight for her neck.But she was not a member of the Royal Guard for nothing, nor was the emblem of Nahre?mah that dangle between her breasts merely for show.No, Annatta had earned her stripes fair and square, and the long years of hard training saved her, her reflexes responding even as her mind struggled to catch up. The dagger slammed into the wall behind her, bouncing off the uska?ru with a deafening clang.But she was already on the move.She slid beneath his legs, slashing at his flanks as she passed.Her former friend bellowed in rage, but Annatta didn¡¯t allow herself to hesitate.She activated one of her abilities.Backstab. Powered by the skill, she moved with a speed that almost matched Zaht?¡¯s, her dagger arching.Almost. Her dagger sliced toward his back, guided by the ability to slip into between the vertebrae and sever the spinal cord, but it never even touched his skin. Zaht?¡¯s massive hand wrapped around her neck, yanking her off the ground with casual ease.Black mist seeped from the corners of his eyes as he stared down at her.Annatta tried to force herself to meet those eyes, to meet her death with the bravery worthy of a devotee of Nahre?mah. His fingers tightened, cutting off her air, as he slowly lifted the strange dagger up, the ghost of a smile on his lips.She whimpered and a flood of warmth trickled down her legs.Not like this. And then she fell to the ground as a beam of light dissected his arm. Annatta lay on the ground watching the rays of light dance across the pale marble floor.Her oxygen-starved brain struggled to make sense of it, her breath coming in shaky rattles through her crushed throat.Somehow, she managed to lift a healing potion to her lips, the sickly sweet liquid flooding into her mouth. Her mind cleared almost immediately, and she jerked upright. The room was almost blindingly bright as the darkness was driven away by the goddess battling her former friend. No, not a goddess.Her stomach dropped as Annatta recognized her friend.Marata?ni. The squad¡¯s mage was barely recognizable.Her body glowed with unrestrained power, her eyes filled with the starlight that she channeled.Marata?ni¡¯s movements were swift and decisive, matching Zaht? blow for blow.But the state of her body told Annatta all she needed to know. Huge fissures had opened up all over her skin, weeping blood and pus, and her usually curvy friend looked as if she had spent a year without food.She¡¯s burning her soul. Marata?ni met her eyes, her voice garbled and distorted as she spoke.¡°Run.I¡¯ll hold him off as long as I can.¡± Annatta hesitated, looking in vain for the fifth member of their squad.She felt the bitter bile creep up in her mouth as she spied a crumbled heap in the far corner, dressed in the bright green cloak that Ze¡¯ev so loved. ¡°RUN.¡± A physical beam of light smashed into Zaht?, driving him into the walls of a chamber with a sickening thud.The enchanted stone held, unmarred by the conflict raging within, but so too did Zaht?.With a snarl of rage, he plunged the dagger into the light, exploding the beam from within. Marata?ni fell to her knees, her withered chest gasping for air.But she pushed herself up with determination, summoning again her beloved starlight as she deflected the blow aimed at her head. Annatta fled. Into the tunnels, into the darkness, but no distance could carry her away from her shame.It burned inside her chest, a shadow of her heart, but her feet did not slow down.It was her duty to survive now, to make sure that the families of her squad mates weren¡¯t left forever waiting for their loved ones to return. And maybe, if Nahre?mah was merciful, she¡¯d even find her quarry on the way. Arallu? It was as lovely a dinner as she could manage.Her cook had managed to scrounge up a few leftover potatoes from somewhere, carrots they had scavenged from the Gemlirian village, accompanied by some fish from the sea.It was decidedly lacking according to her standards, Aphora admitted, but it was the best she could do until the first of the crops were ready for harvest. She scrutinized Tesha-Istana as they talked, her wit and charm mere covers for her true purpose. It had been several weeks since they opened the door to Arall?.Every moment spent on the surface was a danger to her elves, and even the Fey, if the Gemlirian villagers succeeded in gathering support from the lords to the west.But, even with the door open, they had to scout the area first before bringing the noncombatants through. Aphora wasn¡¯t sure what she was expecting when she first passed through the emerald door.She had heard the stories about the Children¡¯s magnificent realms beneath the surface but had always thought them to be a bit exaggerated, more fairy tales than truth. Arall?, however, simultaneously exceeded and undershot her expectations.It took several miles of winding through narrow tunnels before they finally reached the city, but when they did, she was forced to question if they were really still in the same realm, or if they had somehow crossed over into another dimension.An immense cavern stretched above them, the roof so high that it would have been plunged into utter darkness if not for the swirling strands of glowing gems that covered its surface. While not as bright as the world above, the cavern was surprisingly well-lit, allowing her to see a strange violet-colored sea, whose bio-luminescent waves gently tossed against the abandoned docks of the city. The former opulence of the city was plain to see.Marble, gold, and silver met her sight at every turn, and most of the homes were topped by shallow domes crafted from an unfamiliar purple crystal that emitted a gentle light.Salt from the sea? But there was no denying the grim state of the city.From her conversations with the Fey leaders - most of all Tesha - she had been led to believe that the city was merely abandoned after the rise of the Gemlirian empire, which had made communications with their homeland difficult.That was clearly not the truth. Signs of battle were everywhere.Giant boulders still lodged in the walls of buildings, streets scorched by fire and ash, and, of course, the corpses.Many of them were still clad in armor, their weapons in the dirt beside them.The bodies of the Children of St. Martin were in surprisingly good condition, preserved, perhaps, by the salty winds that blew off the strange underground sea. It was obvious that the city had been destroyed in battle but, much to her annoyance, the Fey had stubbornly refused to admit it, sticking to the same old story that they had originally told her, which was why they were having this dinner.She had known from the start that their attempt to build a settlement deep in the heart of Gemliria would be fraught with danger, but dangers could be planned for.It was impossible, however, to prepare for a danger one didn¡¯t even know existed.It didn''t matter if the Fey wanted to share the truth about the city¡¯s past; for the sake of her people, Aphora needed to know what they were keeping from her. She shook herself alert, laughing graciously at the anecdote Tesha had just shared, only allowing her eyes to creep for a second over to the clock.It had only been an hour.She needed to give her man more time to search the Fey leader¡¯s quarters. ¡°So how are the crops growing?Does the salt from the sea interfere with their growth?¡± As expected, Tesha¡¯s eyes grew wide with interest.The Children were very fond of their plants.Aphora zoned out as Tesha babbled on, already knowing the answer.To her surprise, the crops were growing exceptionally well.The unfamiliar salt, far from being an obstacle to growth, appeared to nurture the plants, whose growth was already weeks ahead of schedule.It was a good thing, too.While they were in no danger of running out of food, few enjoyed the dried rations passed out daily.Fresh food would be a massive morale booster. But her dinner party was interrupted when an envoy stumbled into the room.One of her own, the elf was almost dripping in sweat as he bowed before her.¡°Lady Aphora.The door is knocking,¡± he gasped out. She frowned.¡°The door?What door?¡± Her envoy didn¡¯t get the chance to speak as Tesha bolted up, spilling the contents of her plate across the table, as she leaned over the envoy, her eyes burning with intensity.¡°Describe the knocking.¡± He faltered, and she grabbed his chin with her hand, forcing him to meet her eyes.¡°Tell me. Now.¡±The last word resonated in the air, a hint of compulsion in her tongue. Aphora rose, unhappy that the Fey had resorted to mind magic, but the envoy begin to babble.¡°I don¡¯t know.It¡¯s just knocking.Three taps, then it stops.Three taps, then it stops.¡± Tesha relaxed, a hint of a blush creeping up her cheeks as she avoided Aphora¡¯s eyes.¡°Good, good.Still, we should go and check it out.¡± The envoy stumbled as she released her grip, his cheeks suddenly turned pale and ashen.With a sigh, Aphora summoned a servant.¡°Take care of him while I¡¯m gone.¡±Her eyes fell on the table and its meager feast.¡°Let him have some of the food, too.¡±Someone might as well enjoy this "feast." The Fey had bolted immediately, rushing out to the stables where her steed stood waiting.Aphora followed behind, reluctance and curiosity waging a war within her as she saddled her own mount.A few minutes later, they rode out the gates of the ruined estate she had taken residence in, heading down the street that led back towards the tunnels and the emerald door. ¡°So, do you want to me tell what that was about?Why you were so upset about something knocking on the door?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°No.¡±Tesha responded flatly, refusing to expand any further. Aphora decided to let it drop.Somehow, she had a feeling that whatever knocking the Children had feared was connected to the city¡¯s destruction. At least this distraction would help Mullu-Lim¡¯s mission; judging from Tesha''s panicked reaction, she needed to learn what secrets the Fey were keeping from her. Once they reached the tunnels, the pair was forced to dismount and trek the last few miles on a foot.The miles flew by quickly as the two possessed nearly boundless endurance, and they soon found themselves standing before the door. It shimmered softly, a hazy, emerald fog roiling a few feet across the floor.The guard stationed there, just in case - or so Aphora had thought - gave them a friendly nod as they approached, and then they waited.The silence extended for several minutes, and then the knocking came.It was just as the envoy had said, three simple raps.But he had failed to mention the blossom of deep violet ripples that spread across the door with each knock. Aphora frowned, concerned by the dark color of the light, but the Fey actually relaxed.¡°Thank Tsia?hu,¡± she muttered. Aphora cocked an eyebrow at her.¡°I take it you know what is happening?Do you plan to share this knowledge?¡± The Child of St. Martin ignored her barb, nodding her head vigorously.¡°Aye, I know what¡¯s happening.A god is trying to get our attention.Or more accurately,¡± she amended herself, ¡°a goddess.¡± The Fey turned to the guard, pressing a token into his hand.¡°Please, take this back to the city and tell Adappa to bring me the scrying bowl.¡±The guard disappeared down the tunnel, leaving the two of them alone. I hope he¡¯s not going back to her home, Aphora thought, worried about Mullu-Lim.She decided to probe further.¡°So, what is the knocking?¡± Tesha frowned, clearly debating whether or not to explain, but she decided to share.¡°We are not truly beneath the plains of Gemliria.The door is a portal to another realm, the one in which all the Children''s cities are built.No one truly knows where it is, if the great caverns and glowing sea are buried somewhere deep, deep within the world¡¯s interior, or if we have breached into some other universe, but no one can enter our realms without our permission.¡± Her eyes slid away as she said the words and Aphora knew they were not true, at least not entirely.The Fey, in her experience, did not lie, but what was technically true was often functionally a lie. ¡°So the knocking is?¡± ¡°Someone who has the strength to pound on the doors of our realm.Judging from the purple of the void, I would guess it is the Lady of Last Light.¡± Aphora frowned, not immediately recognizing the title.¡°Do you mean Kas?dael?¡± she finally asked. Tesha shrugged.¡°Perhaps?The Children worship few of the elven gods, but I believe she is known to your kind.¡± An hour passed before the guard returned, accompanied by a small squadron of soldiers.Aphora watched as the Fey leader arranged the items before the door.A large silver bowl was filled with a pitcher fresh from the purple sea and placed in the center of a chalk rune.Unlike her own rituals, no blood was involved.Instead, the Fey smeared an unfamiliar cream beneath her eyes.Her tears flowed freely into the bowl, steam rising as they hit the surface. Slowly the surface bubbled, clouds of vapor rising as more tears fell into the bowl, until Tesha leaned back.The water calmed immediately, the surface as smooth as a mirror as the face of a goddess appeared. A black veil hung over her blue, glowing eyes, giving off a mysterious, almost sinister air, but the illusion was popped as soon as she spoke, the annoyance coming through quite clearly.¡°Finally.I¡¯ve been knocking for hours.Clearly your elders did not teach you how to greet a deity.¡± Tesha¡¯s greeting faltered, as she bowed to the dark goddess.¡°I am sorry, my lady.We are only a small settlement.¡± A hint of a smile quirked at the edge of the goddess¡¯s lips, and Aphora realized she was merely having fun with the serious Fey. Tesha bowed again.¡°What can we do for you, my lady?¡± ¡°I need you to open the door for a guest of mine. Tomorrow, at midnight¡± The Child of St. Martin nodded.¡°Of course, my lady.Who should we expect?¡± This time the goddess¡¯s smile was plain to see.¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a Gemlirian child.Sort of a disciple of yours, actually.¡±Her eyes turned to Aphora, who gazed blankly at the Mourner.Aphora was rarely at a loss for words, but the insinuation that she, an elven queen, was in any way connected to a Gemlirian child was so absurd that her mind drew a blank.For a brief, horrible second she wondered if maybe one of her many lovers had secretly been of Gemlirian descent, but she discarded it just as quickly.Surely not. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±She finally managed, inadequately. ¡°She belongs to the village you chased away from the ruins of Du?r-Amagallu.After you entered Arall?, she found a primer of magic that had somehow been left behind, and begin to practice it in secret.¡± Tesha found her tongue at last.¡°My lady, surely you cannot ask us to welcome a Gemlirian within our realm?¡± Kas?dael¡¯s gaze grew frosty.¡°I can and I do.Let me be clear - this child is very important to me and my sister, Selene.You will keep her safe and train her until I can arrange for her to be retrieved.If anything happens to her¡­¡±Her words drifted off but the meaning was clear. Aphora was the one to respond, simply bowing her head to the goddess.¡°Very well, my lady.My people can look after her.¡±It was a tough sword to fall on - the elves had far more reason to hate the Gemlirians than the Fey - but she wasn¡¯t confident in the young, idealistic Fey leader¡¯s ability to make sure that nothing bad happened to the child.Tesha was barely more than a child herself. With that, the goddess left, the waters of the bowl roiling one last time before reverting to the simple, purplish water of the sea. Tesha looked over at her, aghast.¡°We can¡¯t just let an enemy into our camp!¡± Aphora shrugged.¡°It¡¯s a child, Tesha, not a Gemlirian lord.Besides, if a Gemlirian can successfully practice our magic, she must have a significant amount of some other heritage - she can hardly be a full troll.¡±The Child of St. Martin didn¡¯t look entirely convinced, but in the end, it didn¡¯t matter.No child, however inconvenient, was worth offending a goddess. The trip back to the ruined city was a quiet one, Tesha worrying about the Gemlirian interloper, while Aphora fretted about Mullu-Lim¡¯s mission.They parted ways at the city gates, and Aphora returned to her estate alone.She stopped at the door, hesitating a moment before pushing it open, but breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her left hand sitting at the table. Mullu-Lim was digging into a full plate of food, happily helping himself to the leftover remains of the feast, but the thick file sitting at her seat told her his mission had been a success.Sitting down, she met his eyes.¡°Did you find out what the Fey are hiding?¡± He nodded, washing down his food with a draught of wine before responding.¡°Yeah, and it¡¯s big.¡± Her eyes narrowed.¡°How so?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not plotting against us, if that¡¯s what you feared, but their situation is a good deal different than they¡¯ve presented.The truth is, they¡¯re desperate as hell. You know those elders Lady Tesha is always talking about?¡± Aphora nodded. "Obviously." He sighed. Showdown Jasper had no idea how long he¡¯d been running.On earth, it had never been a strength of his. Sure, once upon a time he¡¯d been an exceptional sprinter, even participating briefly in track and field in high school, but he was all speed and no stamina. Run long enough, and he''d quickly find himself bent over, his chest aching as if an iron ring was being tightened around his ribs as he wheezed for air.That wasn''t so much of a problem any longer. The system had made him a good deal stronger than before, even if he was still weak in comparison to dedicated warriors. Indeed, Jasper had a feeling that if he return to earth now, his endurance would put even the greatest of Olympic athletes to shame. But his strength was still limited, and after hours of running, he was far, far beyond his breaking point. Ihra had yet to awaken, her body slumped over his shoulder as he ran, but her weight grew more unbearable with every passing step, his breath coming rough and ragged.His chest heaved as he fought for air, but somehow he managed to stumble on.Fear was a powerful motivator, especially when you believed that soul-devouring monster was hot on your heels. He had somehow made it out of the nazirtu?¡¯s narrow, but lit, tunnels, and emerged back into unfathomably dark streets of the abandoned city.t was easy enough to light his way. Raging torrents of blue flames flowed off his outstretched hand, pushing the reluctant shadows back as he raced down the streets.But his heart sank as he rounded the corner. There were relatively few unique buildings in the depths of the city.Most of the homes looked the same, at least from the outside, with only minor differences to distinguish them.But Jasper recognized the empty storefront that loomed ahead of him.He¡¯d seen it before. Hell, he''d seen it just a few minutes before.Damn it. He spun around, surveying the darkness.Somehow, he must have gotten turned around.He eyed the rows of houses that lined the empty streets, suddenly unsure which direction he should head - one side leading deeper into the earth, the other back toward the light of day. His ears pricked up as heard the quick patter of steps racing in his direction.With a groan, he shifted Ihra¡¯s weight, his shoulders screaming in protest beneath their burden.Which way? He hesitated too long, afraid to delve deeper into the subterranean realm, and almost shrieked as a face came into view.In the blue light of the fire, the woman¡¯s skin looked nearly purple, but the black, curling horns on her head calmed his nerves.It wasn''t a Nizirtu at all, but a Djinn, a normal one, even. She was in rough shape.Her throat looked mangled, a massive, hand-shaped welt covering it entirely, and her armor was spattered with blood and mud.Her thick, black locks had come loose from their binding, framing her face in an unruly heap.The Djinn skidded to a halt in front of him, her eyes widening in shock as she stared up at Jasper. ¡°You!¡±The words came out sharp, almost accusatory in their tone, and he stumbled back, suddenly confused. ¡°Me?Do I know you?¡± She shook her head.¡°There¡¯s no time to talk.¡±Grabbing his hand, she pulled him after her, towards the homes on the right.¡°We¡¯ve got to get out of here.¡± He slipped his hand free, and she turned to glare at him.¡°Come on.¡± ¡°Who are you?Do you even know where you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Not important right now, and yes.I have a skill.¡±She snapped.¡°Are you coming or not?¡± Jasper only hesitated for a second.Whoever the Djinn was, he could either follow her and hope she led him to safety, or continue to stumble around in the dark city, running in circles until eventually either the Nizirtu? or the dead god¡¯s shade found him and finished the job..¡°Lead on,¡± he snapped. She pushed her way into the darkness, plunging far ahead of the light of flames as he struggled to keep up with her.Ihra had still not stirred - whatever she had done to set them free must have pushed her to the brink - but buoyed by renewed hope, Jasper found the strength to carry on.With her guidance, they broke free of the homes in minutes, tumbling out onto another one of the city¡¯s rungs. But the Djinn wasted no time, cutting straight across the street for the next row of homes.She navigated the darkness flawlessly, every turn precise, every obstacle avoided.She must be able to see in the dark, he realized. ¡°So, who are you?¡±He broached the topic again as they circled around the center of the city, the upward slant of the street reassuring him that they were heading in the right direction. ¡°I work for your uncle,¡± she called back.He wrinkled his brow.My uncle?S?arra?bi?.It suddenly clicked into place. ¡°So what, you were spying on me?¡±He accused, suddenly feeling angry. ¡°Just making sure you made it to the capital.For some reason, Lord S?arra?bi? wasn¡¯t sure you¡¯d stick to the plan.¡±She glanced back at him, her eyebrow raised.¡°Although why a bastard about to be recognized wouldn¡¯t want to return home is beyond me.Is it because of her?¡±She nodded at the unconscious bundle over Jasper¡¯s shoulder.¡°Love does make you do stupid things. You don''t have a bastard of your own cooking, do you?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. When your ruddy skin can put an apple to shame, blushing becomes a thing of a past, but Jasper¡¯s cheeks still burned with heat as he denied Annatta''s accusation.¡°What?No!¡± The Djinn shrugged.¡°Fine, don¡¯t tell me.But when you disappeared down here, we had to come looking for you.¡±A tinge of bitterness laced her voice.¡°Because, you know, your life¡¯s more valuable than ours.¡± Jasper spluttered, angry at the insinuation.¡°No one asked you to follow me.I don¡¯t even know who the hell you are.¡± After a moment of silence, she responded, the anger mostly replaced by resignation.¡°Someone did ask us to follow you, but you¡¯re right - it wasn¡¯t you.But Marata?ni, Ze¡¯ev, Zaht?-¡±Her voice broke off, suddenly feeble.¡°May the Lord of Mirth and Frost watch over them,¡± she finally finished. They ran in silence, the pounding of their feet against the pavement the only sound to break the accursed city''s vigil. When they finally breached the final rung of the city, spilling onto the street which hung suspended above the yawning chasm, the frantic pounding of Jasper¡¯s heart begin to slow.They were going to make it.Ihra stirred against his shoulder, finally coming to consciousness, and they slowed to help her up.Her eyes were wide and a bit unfocused as she glanced at the red Djinn in obvious confusion, but she didn''t waste their time making them explain. Without a word, she fell in line behind them as the group resumed their race up the winding road that led back to the safety of the upper city. We''re almost there, Jasper thought, as he hurtled them across a gap in the avenue with the help of Seraph''s Burst. But as they turned the corner and the last stretch of the road finally came into view, Annatta slid to a sudden halt.¡°Damn it.¡± The two caught up to her moments later, flanking her on either side, as Jasper saw what awaited them.A group of Nizirtu? blocked the street as an all-too-familiar priest stepped forward, the irritation plain on his face. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you leave.The dead gods must be appeased.¡± With a flick of his wrist, the Keeper tossed a few small objects toward them.They landed well short of the group, slowly skidding down the sloping stone street.Jasper braced, unable to tell what the objects were.They don¡¯t have some sort of magical grenades, do they? But when the objects came into view, he almost laughed at the absurdity.Three sets of handcuffs slid down the street - the same handcuffs that had cut off his access to essence.He shot an incredulous look at Ihra, before turning back to the gathered Nizirtu?. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m putting these on without a fight.¡±He lifted his hand, letting the flame roll across his fingers.¡°But you¡¯re free to try and put them on us.Give it your best shot,¡± he sneered. The nizirtu¡¯s face darkened, and he stepped forward, drawing a long golden pendant from beneath his robes.Something dangled at the end, too far away for Jasper to make it out in the dark city, but the pendant begin to glow as the priest muttered a few words. Jasper had no interest in finding out what the pendant did.His hands moved fast, drawing out the shortsword he had earned on Arut?¡¯s mountain - it was no glaive, but it would have to do - as he cast his spell.Seraph¡¯s Burst. He bridged the gap between them in a streak of feathers and light, the deadly wings already exploding from his back. The Keeper¡¯s eyes widened, hastily struggling to form a spell with his left hand while he continued to channel power into the necklace.A moment later Jasper arrived. A half-formed shield sprung into existence around the nizirtu as the Keeper was forced to cast the spell early.It wasn¡¯t enough to block Jasper¡¯s momentum entirely, but it shielded the priest from the brunt of the blow.The two rolled across the ground, tumbling through the assembled nizirtu? like a bowling ball through pins. Jasper landed on top, smashing his sword down at the face of the priest.But the nizirtu was strong.With lightning-fast speed, he snatched Jasper¡¯s wrist, wrenching it to the side.Jasper felt the bones snap as the sword clattered to the ground.The nizirtu punched up with his knee, slamming into Jasper¡¯s rib cage repeatedly and Jasper was forced to let go. He stumbled back, his lung screaming for the air, but the nizirtu gave him no space to recover.The pale, elongated fingers closed around his wrists in an iron grip and then, the Keeper pulled. Like water circling the drain, Jasper¡¯s essence was slowly torn from his body as the Keeper fed on him.He struggled to get himself free, helpless in the face of the priest¡¯s far greater strength.His spells wouldn¡¯t cast, the essence cut off before it could reach his hand, and the priest loomed over him, his savage fangs bared in a leering grin. But Jasper had one more trick up his sleeve - and it really was a trick.As a kid, his older cousins had amused him by putting lit matches in their mouths. Once he had become a fire mage, the memories of their party tricks had appealed to him - after all, who wouldn''t want to breathe fire?Despite his hopes, he had never gotten a spell to do it properly. But given that Jasper was able to exude fire from his hands, he had been confident he could force a few flames through his mouth, and he had succeeded after a fashion.It was certainly no dragon¡¯s breath, but it was all he had right now. Closing his eyes, Jasper strained to summon of every last drag of essence he could muster, any shred that he could tear free from the nizirtu¡¯s iron grip.And then, he breathed it all straight into the face of the priest. It was far more essence than he had ever attempted to use when practicing his little trick, and Jasper fairly quickly realized he had made a grave miscalculation.His mouth, apparently, didn¡¯t have the same fire-proof protection as his ruddy outer skin - resistance, yes, but not immunity.His skin blistered and popped as Jasper cooked his mouth in a torrent of flames, but at least he wasn¡¯t the only one suffering. The fire washed over the priest¡¯s face for no more than a second or two, but it was enough.Skin doesn¡¯t really catch on fire; it burns, peels, even melts at high enough temperatures, but fire generally doesn¡¯t spread across the skin.Human skin, that is. The pale-skinned nizirtu lit up like a torch, the fire quickly spreading across its body.With a garbled scream, the Keeper dropped his grip on Jasper¡¯s wrists as he let out a garbled scream.Ignoring his ruined mouth, Jasper snatched up the short sword with his left hand and activated his skill.Heartstopper. The blade flickered forward, guided by the skill as it thrust deep into the flaming being¡¯s torso, emerging on the other side.But it wasn¡¯t enough to kill the powerful being.Despite the fire raging across its body, despite the blade stuck in its heart, it managed to lift the pendant again, the dark words tumbling uncertainly from its mouth. Swish With another swipe of his sword, Jasper lopped the priest¡¯s hand off.The pendant crashed against the stone, the glow dissipating as it rolled across the ground, and, with his last hope vanquished, the nizirtu succumbed to the flames. The Interloper Ihra¡¯s hand was already reaching for an arrow when Jasper rocketed toward the priest.Her arrow shot towards the glowing pendant, arriving a second before he collided with the nizirtu, only to ping uselessly off a flickering shield.Damn it.But with the priest occupied with Jasper, she turned her attention to the rest of the crowd.She hadn¡¯t the chance yet to figure out how to slot a rune for her class, but one of her new spells didn¡¯t need it - Moonlit Shards. The nizirtu? charged past Jasper and the priest as they rolled around on the ground, headed straight toward her and the new Djinn, and Ihra quickly fired off a steady stream of arrows at the oncoming horde.The unenchanted arrows did little more than chip damage to the massive beings, but her real goal was to build up piercing.Her ninth arrow hit one of the nizirtu? directly in the knee, causing it to stumble.It plunged to the side, knocking over its companion as the one behind it plowed right into it. Her piercing hit 80, and she activated the shards. Ihra held her breath as the silver arrow blurred forward; her aim proved true as the arrow smashed into the eye of one of the nizirtu? in the front.Then its head exploded.A shower of silver shrapnel rained down around them, the sharp edges embedding themselves in the ground before the charging beings.The massive nizirtu?, unable to halt their momentum on a dime, plowed through as the shards sliced and tore at their limbs. It wasn¡¯t enough to stop them, but it delayed them long enough for her to cast her new and improved Executioner¡¯s Arrow, her arrow slicing off the head of one of the leaders, while the Djinn flickered forward, executing another of the beings with what appeared to be a Backstab.The two worked well together - the Djinn danced between the pale giants like an annoying gnat, her strikes more irritating than deadly, while Ihra peppered them with arrows to build up piercing before executing them with a stronger skill.They were handling the mob fine, but Ihra couldn''t help but feel a touch of worry. She had lost sight of Jasper and the lack of booming, fiery explosions was concerning. But the nizirtu? gave her no space to hesitate, as one of the pale giants slipped past the Djinn''s reach to charge straight at her. She managed to fling herself to the side, wincing as a sharp, broken pavement stone ripped open her flesh, but as she rolled to her feet, her left hand had already drawn Aphora''s misericorde. The nizirtu closed on her a second later, but she was ready. Activating The Still Pond, she slammed the blade into the being''s chest, and with enhanced strength, somehow managed to flip the beast over her head. A horrified howl echoed behind her as the nizirtu plunged into the depths of the pit. Snatching her bow up, Ihra took aim again, firing another Executioner¡¯s Arrow at one of the last of the nizirtu?.She winced as the arrow missed its target, slamming into the leg, rather than the head of the giant.The smoldering arrowhead glowed for a second; then it expanded into a giant crescent blade, slicing through tendons, muscle, and bone like a hot knife through butter.With an anguished scream, the beast fell onto its side, utterly unable to move as its legs were cut out from beneath it.She shrugged.Guess that works, too. With a final flurry of her blades, the Djinn finished the last of the nizirtu? off and silence prevailed again in the dead city. To her relief, Jasper was limping back down the road toward them. ¡°I hweeb a heawlib popshin,¡± he yelled out.His speech was utterly incomprehensible and as he approached, she saw his lips looked almost black as burnt charcoal. ¡°What?¡± He pointed at her bag, and leaned his head back, miming taking a drink.Realizing what he was asking, she fished one out of Nabul¡¯s bag and tossed it to him.¡°Drink up - it''s the last one though.¡± Jasper uncorked the bottle with an urgency she rarely saw from him, tossing the cork over the side of the pit, as he let the sweet liquid fall into his mouth.He winced in pain as the liquid passed through his scorched mouth, but the potion did its job.Within moments, his lips glowed a rosy pink again, although his skin was a touch paler than usual as the potion drained his energy.He tossed the bottle back to her.¡°Thanks.It turns out my fire immunity doesn¡¯t extend to the skin in my mouth, just the outer layer. Probably won¡¯t be doing my dragon impression again any time soon although,¡± he grinned at her, ¡°it was kind of cool.¡± She followed after him, toward the steps that led back into the upper city.¡°Wait - what?What dragon impression?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see it?¡± She shook her head.¡°I was a little busy killing the rest of the mob while you killed - what was that? - one,¡± she teased. ¡°Yes, but surely the leader counts for more than one, not to mention having the best loot. You should choose your targets more wisely. Speaking of which,¡± he held the pendant in front of her.It dangled back and forth across her vision in an almost dizzying pattern.¡°This has got to be worth something.No idea what it actually does, but maybe someone in the city can identify it for us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that.¡±The Djinn snatched the pendant out of his hand, promptly stuffing it into her bag. Jasper stared dumbfounded at Annatta.¡°What the hell?That¡¯s my loot.Get your own.¡± To her credit, she had the grace to look almost embarrassed, but the Djinn still met his eyes defiantly.¡°Believe me, you don¡¯t want it.If you took this to a merchant, they¡¯d call the guard immediately.Best case, you just get arrested and roughed up; worst, they execute you.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Jasper¡¯s brows knit in confusion.¡°Huh?It''s just some sort of spellcaster isn''t it, like a wand in Harry Potter.¡± She scrutinized him for a second, the deep, angry lines on her face smoothing out as the realization hit her.¡°I don''t know who this hairy potter fellow is, or why he is casting spells, but no, it is not a mere spellcaster. Do you really not know what the pendant is?¡± He shook his head, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice.¡°Evidently not.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a soulsnare.Souls are forcibly bound to the medallion, allowing the wearer to burn others'' souls in place of their own.It is dark magic - cultic magic - that no one, except you, apparently, would be foolish enough to brandish in public.¡±She cocked her head to the side, a sudden suspicion lurking in her eyes.¡°How do you not know this?You know, I don¡¯t recall ever seeing you around the royal court.¡± Jasper shrugged with feigned casualness.¡°I guess I was never very interested in dark magic.¡±Remembering his supposed background, he decided to take a shot in the dark.¡°Spent a lot of time with my father¡¯s family, the Seraphs, and you know how they feel about dark magic.¡± The doubt diminished as the Djinn nodded thoughtfully.¡°True, the Seraphs despise any form of control; I imagine your education in magic was¡­unusual.¡± He forced a laugh.¡°I guess so, but I think I¡¯m doing fine for myself.¡± Annatta couldn¡¯t deny that.It wasn¡¯t exactly unheard of for bastards to be recognized, but usually they weren¡¯t as young as the strange Djinn she¡¯d been assigned to; whatever he¡¯d done for their house must have been a doozy.Or he¡¯s just lucky.But she dismissed the thought as soon as it came.She had worked for the royal family for a long time now and of one thing she was certain: the royal family always had a plan.Luck was for lesser beings. She snapped back to attention, as Jasper stared at her demandingly.¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said, ''If the necklace is so evil, why do you want it?''¡± Annatta pulled the pendant back out, showing it to him.¡°See the gleam in the gem?There¡¯s at least one soul already trapped in here.I¡¯ll be handing it over to my commanding officer so that a competent mage can release the soul before destroying the amulet.¡± Jasper sighed, feeling the fight leaving him.¡°Fine, whatever.Let¡¯s just get out of this hellhole before any more nizirtu? show up.¡±But he still grumbled to himself as he lumbered up the stairs leading to the upper city:she could have at least told me before snatching it out of my hands.
The trip back to their lodgings was surprisingly uneventful.Jasper had feared there might be some repercussions to their scuffle with the street gang and, truth be told, he was so dog-dead tired that he dreaded the thought of getting into another fight. But he need not have worried. Spattered in mud and blood, their faces as stormy as a thundercloud, they looked a gang of desperadoes, and the crowd responded appropriately. Most averted their eyes quickly or took a quick turn down the side streets to keep away from the rough-looking trio; even the tall, pale Moonkissed who were kin to the nizirtu? let them pass without challenge. The group swept through the streets unhindered, arriving at the lodgings they had hired in a surprisingly fast time. Actually getting into the inn proved to be the hardest part of the trip.The inn guard took one look at their sorry state and, reluctantly, refused to allow them to pass.It was only after Ihra had flashed a handful of gold that the guard finally agreed to fetch the innkeeper who, upon recognizing them, ushered them in with effusive apologies. Within minutes, Jasper was soaking in a warm tub where, despite the attractive maid the innkeeper sent up to ¡°help¡± him, he promptly fell asleep. Eventually, the maid decide to disturb his slumber, gently shaking him awake when his face nearly slipped beneath the water. He wasted no time in getting out of the tub - the hot, steamy water had long since turned arctic - and drowsily stumbled the few feet down the hallway back to his room.Eyes still half-closed in sleep, he didn¡¯t even register that he had a guest as he slipped into the darkness. Brilliant sunlight flooded through the inn¡¯s dusty windows, lighting up the room with a cheery glow.He awoke with an exaggerated yawn, stretching his arms out wide as he luxuriated in the soft bed.He started as his hand brushed against something and, losing his balance, spilled across the cold, wooden floor. He popped up immediately, his heart racing on overdrive until he recognized the unexpected interloper. ¡°What the hell are you doing in my bed?¡± The Djinn frowned back at him, her arms crossed tightly.¡°Wishing I had my own bed.If you and the god of thunder battled to see who could make the loudest noise, you¡¯d win handily.Your snoring was intolerable.¡± He scoffed.¡°Ihra''s never complained.Seems like a you problem.But that didn¡¯t answer my question.Why are you here?¡± She scowled up at him.¡°Unfortunately, the inn was full and I¡­.may not have any money,¡± she finished quietly. Jasper begrudgingly sat down on the edge of the bed.¡°And why don¡¯t you have any money?¡± ¡°Our leader, Za-Zaht?,¡± she choked on the name, ¡°handled the expenses for our group.This was supposed to be a quiet mission so we carried very little on us except our weapons; didn''t want anything unnecessary weighing us down. All the money I brought with me was in his bag of holding, which...was lost with the rest of my group.¡± He choked back a sigh. "What happened to your group?" blamed him for her partners'' deaths. Stealing the amulet without asking him, and helping herself to his bed, had merely been the icing on the cake. "I''m sorry about what happened to your party," he said when she had finished. "Perhaps you should swing by the Djinn¡¯s guild.What is it called again?Shamsha¡¯s Rays or something like that? I''m sure they''d be happy to help a member of the royal guard.¡± He rose from the bed, prepared to leave the room. ¡°Wait!¡±The urgency in her voice made him hesitate.¡°Please, let me come with you to the capital - then you guys can be rid of me.¡± "I''ll think about it," he said, without the slightest intention of even considering the possibility. But even the tiniest trickle of water can eventually carve a mighty canyon.By the time he and Ihra had finished their preparation to leave the city, after three days of peace and rest, her unceasing persistence had done him in. ¡°Fine,¡± he snapped.¡°You can come with us to the capital.¡± Falling Short The days of rest had been largely uneventful.After their harrowing escape, the two wanted nothing more than a few days to relax before making the trip to the capital.But Jasper had found the time to do one very important thing.After weeks of putting it off, he could no longer ignore the need to meditate. Leveling up was supposed to be a fun experience, but thus far, his trips to Kas?dael¡¯s void had been more traumatic than anything else.Whether it was getting his heart ripped out, almost wandering into the Sea of Oblivion, or being forced to encounter his dead loved ones, more often than not his trips were¡­.eventful.So, when Jasper finally forced himself to sit down and reach for the gentle, babbling brook, he could only pray that nothing would go wrong. For a change, his prayers were answered.When he entered Kas?dael¡¯s realm he found he had left the campfire behind, reappearing once more at the sacred temple he had last visited.Surprisingly, Kas?dael was nowhere to be found, but unlike before, this time no deep-seeded impulse pushed him to search for her.Instead, he found himself prompted to approach her enthroned statue where, as soon his hands came into contact with her hem, his usual skill box popped up.
Jasper Welles Exp: 17/5000 Health 1540 Stamina 3140 Essence 4600 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Level: 79 Level up: x17 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 3 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 40 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 47 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive VI
Inspiration 85 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 85 Seraph Burst
Charisma 30 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Jasper scanned the info quickly, fingers crossed that he had finally reached level 100, but he had fallen a few levels short.He had, however, flown past level 80, which meant he had unlocked the last of the sub-100 milestone rewards. He started to assign his stat points, prepared to simply dump the majority into inspiration and willpower, but changed his mind at the last moment.Maybe I should check out the reward first. He clicked on the waiting box.
Reward Box
Please Select one of the Following Rewards: Quest Receive a quest that will unlock a new class option upon evolution if successfully completed. Weapon Receive an enchanted weapon whose damage will scale off a chosen attribute from level 100-200. Skill Receive a weapon skill that scales off of stamina.
He weighed his options carefully.With how vague the descriptions were, the choice wasn¡¯t easy.The quest was the easiest to dismiss, for multiple reasons.Given his current situation with the Djinn Royal Family, there was no guarantee he¡¯d have the freedom to complete a quest.Probably they¡¯d accommodate him; if they actually intended to use him as their agent in the future, they wouldn¡¯t want to harm his development, but he wasn''t sure yet how much he trusted them and, clearly, the lack of trust was mutual, as Annatta''s party had proven., even if they let him do the quest, he actually had to complete it to earn the reward. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Besides, he had a feeling his class was already going to evolve into something special. The reward simply felt redundant. The second option was more appealing.With his glaive broken, he¡¯d been forced to rely on the short sword, which while beautifully crafted, didn¡¯t really fit his style.If he could get a weapon that did physical damage but scaled off his inspiration, it could be a massive boon.But the description didn¡¯t specify which attributes could be chosen, and the weapon would eventually become obsolete. The last option was simultaneously the least interesting and the best choice.The skill mentioned no level cap on its scaling, which meant it could, at least theoretically, still be useful 300 levels from now.Plus, it used stamina rather than essence.That alone made it valuable, considering how frequently he found himself running dry of essence in prolonged fights.Not giving himself time to second-guess his decision, he clicked the third option. The box disappeared, replaced a moment later by a new one.
Reward Box: Weapon Skill
Into the Valley of Death (Mounted/Glaive/Lance) For 30 seconds, your speed and damage are enhanced 200% as you charge into the fray, while damage received from projectiles is reduced by 50%.Must be on mount to activate.Has a small chance to inflict temporary paralysis on a successful critical strike. Cost: 600 Stamina Into the Valley of Death (Unmounted/Glaive/Spear) Charge forward fifty feet, delivering three powerful thrusts with your weapon.Has a small chance to inflict temporary paralysis on a successful critical strike Cost: 400 Stamina
Jasper was surprised to see that the skill had two versions, mounted and unmounted.He had yet to ride Dapplegrim into battle, but if this skill was any indication, that was about to change.Acolyte of the Secret Flame is supposed to evolve into a mounted class, after all.It wasn¡¯t quite what he had been hoping for, but it was hard to be too disappointed.He was just 4 levels away from level 100, after all.Pretty soon, he¡¯d get his first evolution. He brought inspiration and willpower up to 100 and, after a moment¡¯s debate, brought strength and endurance up to 50.The last few points went to charisma.If he was going to be forced to wade through the shark-infested waters of politics, a little charm would be necessary.
Jasper Welles Exp: 17/5000 Health 1800 Stamina 3800 Essence 5800 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Level: 96 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 3 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 50 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 50 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive VI
Inspiration 100 Locked Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 100 Seraph Burst
Charisma 38 Heart Stopper (Undead)
He closed the box reluctantly, and took one last glance around the temple.A deathly silence hung over the place, and if it was not for the complete absence of dust on the spotless floor, he could have easily believed the shrine had been abandoned for years.He wandered through the halls aimlessly for a few minutes, peaking into the many empty rooms and corridors.The sheer size of the place still took his breath away, the complex built on a scale beyond anything he had ever seen on earth, but after an hour of searching, he was forced to give up. There was no sign of Kas?dael.He wondered where she was - she had never not been there to meet him, after all.There was one upside to her absence, though.She wasn¡¯t there to take his heart. Ready to leave the realm, Jasper realized he didn¡¯t know how to send himself back without Kas?dael.The statue, maybe?He traced his steps backward, breathing a sigh of relief when he found the statue again.Jasper felt silly as he grabbed hold of the statue¡¯s hand, hoping that something would activate and return him to his body.Before he even had time to react, the statue¡¯s stone hands blurred into motion.mashing through his ribcage, they ripped his still-beating heart out as he vanished from the void with a scream of agony. Jasper was still screaming when he awoke in the inn, his hands thrashing against the soft pillows.Gasping for air, he sat up, rubbing at the phantom pains on his chest, as he focused on the cheerful, sunny view through the window, trying to block away the pain.I am never going to get used to that. A knock pounded on the door.¡®You okay in there, Jasper?¡± Ihra¡¯s voice filtered through the thick wood.Choking down a bit of bile, he responded gruffly.¡°Yeah, come in.¡± She swept in, looking at him accusingly.¡°You were meditating, weren¡¯t you?You¡¯re supposed to have somebody watch you while you do that.Why didn¡¯t you ask me?¡± He shrugged, waves of illusory pain rippling across his chest from the movement.¡°I was in a locked room.It was fine.¡± Ihra sighed, looking away.They both knew it wasn¡¯t fine, but Jasper was grateful that she let the matter drop.¡°The stablehands have prepared the mounts.We can leave whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± He nodded, his voice rough and raspy from the screams.¡°Just give me a minute and I¡¯ll be up.¡± She turned to leave, but paused at the door, facing him with a half-smile.¡°You ready for this, your highness?¡± Despite himself, he chuckled, wincing as the laugh sent more pain through his ribs.¡°Not in the slightest.I¡¯d feel a lot better, though, if I could have pick up those last four levels before we hit the capital.I just don¡¯t want to find ourselves dealing with another Nabul.Maybe a new class would give me enough power to keep the worst of the predators away.¡± Her mouth dropped open.¡°You''re only four levels away from 100?Damn it!How did you get so far ahead of me?I even killed more nizirtu? than you.¡± He laughed for real this time, a teasing note entering his vote.¡°Yeah, but I killed the important ones.You just tidied up the chaff.¡±
They were on the road within the hour, Annatta tagging along with the two of them despite Jasper''s reluctance.Their course, at least, was relatively simple.A well-maintained road stretched from Du?r-Yarha to Kibra?ti, where another road split off to the west shortly before reaching the great central lake.The western road would take them to Qara?nu, the third-largest city in the province.There the journey would almost be at its end, as a quick boat trip would be the only thing that separated them from the capital. It was a simple plan, whose only downside was the sheer drudgery of a three-week trip.But Jasper didn¡¯t trust things to go smoothly.The horror in the city had shaken him. It wasn¡¯t the first time he and Ihra had encountered a monstrous terror deep beneath the earth¡¯s surface.But Yhar-Khennor had been different.The Whispers, dangerous though they were, had been able to be reasoned with, and the helplessness he had chalked up the helplessness he had felt down there to his inexperience, to having been forced into an expedition well above his pay grade on his very first adventure.He had told himself that next time would be different. But it hadn¡¯t.Ihra had been fortunate enough to never see the dead god, but the black void of the slaughtered Mwyrani haunted his dreams at night.here was no bargaining with that beast, whose eldritch eyes bled with pure madness. They should not have survived.He knew that now.If he had not run into Annatta, he would have wandered in the darkness, futilely searching for the way out until either the monster or the dead god hunted them down.It was pure luck, coupled with a touch of Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s distrust, that had saved them.He had entered the dead city, confident in the knowledge that Lord Arut? wasn¡¯t trying to kill them, but now he had his doubts.Had he misjudged the mountain god?ad the Mwryani misjudged him? Stifling a sigh, he did his best to push the thoughts aside.He had to focus on the task ahead: the royal city. Despite his fears, or perhaps hopes, that something would go wrong - Jasper did want those last 4 levels, after all - they reached the port city of Qara?nu without encountering even a hint of trouble.One of five cities that dotted the central lake, Qara?nu stood right at the border between the northern and southern factions¡¯ territories.A city of merchants, Qara?nu was ruled by House Kubabbar, who steadfastly refused to join either side, thus depriving the north of the power of its greatest city. Despite being more populous than Du?r-Yarha, the city was far less remarkable.The ports were crowded with fishing boats, whose cargo stunk in the hot winds blowing off the southern plains, while farms stretched on both sides of the lethargic river that flowed through the lowlands into the sea. The markets were crowded with Djinn from around the province.The ranchers of Kubarru with their great herds of livestock, artisans from Du?r-Yarha, miners from Ya¡¯aqir, and even hunters from the frozen shores of Lake Hurbas?u all hawked their wares in the shaded plazas that overlooked the waters.As one of the hawkers proudly proclaimed, ¡°I have something for everyone, and if I don¡¯t have it, I guarantee that you don¡¯t want it.¡± But the city was, in fact, lacking one thing that the three sorely needed: a ship to take them to the capital. Tzah-Nu?r Despite the vast fleet of fishing vessels arrayed along the coast, they struggled to find a charter that would take them to the capital. The merchant ships, Jasper discovered, sailed at set times around the lake, making the circuit from the capital to each of the five cities in turn. And they, apparently, had just missed the boat. ¡°You have got to be kidding me,¡± he fumed, as they marched down the docks yet again in search of transport. ¡°Look at all these boats. There must be two hundred, three hundred easy, with more out to sea right now, and you¡¯re telling me none of them will take us to the capital?¡± Annatta shrugged. ¡°If we leave soon, we can take the road from Qara?nu to the capital and still make it in time.¡± ¡°Yes, but a boat would be nicer,¡± he countered. As much as he appreciated Dapplegrim, after a few weeks of riding on a horse - hell, after a few days - Jasper was more than happy for a break. Horses were magnificent, noble creatures. They were not, however, the most comfortable ride in the world for someone who had spent the majority of their life accustomed to cars. ¡°What about that boat?¡± Ihra pointed off into the distance and Jasper strained his eyes, struggling to make out the fuzzy outline on the far side of the harbor. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like a fishing boat, at least.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s check it out,¡± he agreed. It took nearly an hour to push their way through the crowd, but as the boat drew into view, Jasper was relieved to see that Ihra was right. It was no fishing boat nor, for that matter, was it a pleasure yacht. Its sides were glossy from a fresh coat of whitewash, and an ivory banner adorned with the rays of the sun fluttered from its mast. The ship''s deck was scrubbed clean, and an endless stream of crew raced back and forth along the gangplank, their arms piled high with luggage. A handful of people were gathered on the deck, each wearing a clean white uniform marked by the same emblem adorning the sails. Annatta¡¯s face brightened as she saw the group, leaning over to Jasper. ¡°They are Priests of the Divine Warrior. Their main temple is near the capital city, so perhaps we can catch a ride with them. I¡¯ll handle the negotiations - just stay here,¡± she whispered. Not giving Jasper time to object, she rode ahead of the two. Reluctantly, Jasper stayed behind, watching with curiosity as the Djinn dealt with the priests. She was like a different person. She had been depressed on their trip, her sobs drifting past the thin fabric of her tent every night, but all of that dropped away as the Djinn charmed the white-robed warriors with swaying hips and coy glances. She returned quickly, an unfamiliar smile on her face. ¡°I was right - the priests are indeed heading to the capital and have agreed to let us tag along for a small fee. There is one catch, though. They aren¡¯t headed directly to S?adda?nu. They¡¯re stopping first at the temple of Tzah-Nu?r.¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± Annatta cocked her head, her lips parted in undisguised surprise. ¡°How do you not know that? Tzah-Nu?r is the only temple on the only major island in the lake, and you aren¡¯t familiar with it? Where did you grow up again?¡± Glad his ruddy cheeks hid his embarrassment, Jasper dodged her question. ¡°Forget I asked. Will we still make it to the capital in time?¡± After another moment of confusion, the Djinn nodded.¡°Yeah, even if the priests stay at Tzah-Nu?r for a few days, we should be fine. It¡¯s a much quicker journey by boat than by land.¡± He glanced at Ihra, and his friend shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Why not? Maybe we¡¯ll get to do a little sightseeing along the way.¡± She opened up her bag of holding, looking back at Annatta. ¡°How much is the fee.¡± ¡°Twenty gold coins. Per head." Jasper almost choked. ¡°I thought you said it was cheap.¡± Annatta shrugged. ¡°The capital¡¯s expensive, as you should know. Anyway, by the time we pay for inns along the way, we won¡¯t save much going by land.¡± Ihra fished the money out, handing it off to Annatta who, after a moment¡¯s quick counting, held out her hand for me. ¡°Per head,¡± she repeated. A baffled expression crossed Ihra¡¯s face. ¡°There¡¯s three of us, so sixty coins, which I gave you.¡± Annatta shook her head, rubbing Keresh¡¯s head gently. ¡°No, there¡¯s six of us. You, me, Jasper, and our mounts. We need another sixty.¡± With more than a touch of irritation, Jasper watched as Annatta carted their hard-earned spoils off to the priests. 120 gold coins for a single trip was madness. Madness! But it was the only ship they¡¯d found willing to take on passengers, so his hands were tied. The last thing he wanted to do was risk pissing off the royal family by arriving late over a few gold coins. With the exchange complete, the crew of the ship waved them over. The mounts were quickly settled in with the priests¡¯ horses, and they were shown to their room. Singular. Jasper¡¯s lip curled in disgust as he surveyed the cramped room meant to accommodate all of them. Two hammocks were slung against the wall, but there was no third; somebody would be sleeping on the floor. 120 coins and there isn¡¯t even a bed for all of us. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. But as the ship sailed out of the harbor and the suffocating smells of ripening fish were replaced by a warm, salty breeze, Jasper could feel his spirits lifting. As the bright light of the sun kissed the top of his head, while his hair rippled in the soothing breeze, the horrors of Nahas?s?innu faded into the distance, for a time at least. Sometimes, the simple pleasures of life were the best ones. It took no more than two days for them to cross the sea from Qara?nu to the island on which the temple of Tzah-Nu?r sat. The western winds blew briskly at their back, propelling them across the placid waters of the lake. In truth, it was closer to an inland sea. Despite the perpetual crystal-clear water that flowed down from the mountains, the lake was slightly salty. Worthless for irrigating the hot southern plains, the lake still provided a bounty of food from the enormous schools of fish that roamed the ravines and caverns that lined the lake¡¯s surprisingly distant depths. The priests largely kept to themselves, but the ship''s crew was friendly enough, happy to chat with Jasper over the long hours he spent on the deck enjoying the sun and the spray of the sea. Temples in Corsythia were a dime a dozen. Every city had at least a few, and Jasper had seen more than a few magnificent ones in his brief sojourn in the land. But the temple of Tzah-Nu?r broke his every expectation. Eschewing the domes and brightly colored walls of the vaguely Romanesque architecture so common in the land, Tzah-Nu?r proved to be altogether different. Surrounded on all sides by a massive walled courtyard, a single square tower soared above the lake, its sides gently sloping in, save for the series of balustrades that encircled it at regular intervals. At the top was a large, open-air temple in which a great fire perpetually burned. It was essentially a lighthouse, just at a far grander scale than he had ever seen. A bustling settlement had sprung up around the temple, although, judging from the sea of white robes with sunburst emblems, the majority of the crowd seemed to belong to the same order as the priests. But the true marvel of the island was not the temple that guarded its harbor, but the caves that lay below. Succumbing to Annatta¡¯s relentless pleading, the priests let them enter the sacred salt caves - once they had purchased and donned the robes of pilgrims, that is. Millennia of mining had delved deep into the heart of the earth, but no monsters lurked in the shadows here - indeed, there were no shadows to be seen in the caves. Thousands of rune-enchanted sconces lined the walls, their lights reflecting off the white and pink crystals that had been left behind by the miners. Elaborate sculptures had been carved into the salt, decorating the many chambers, halls, and chapels which were guarded by the priests, while in the depths below, miners still labored. Ihra, as it turned out, had been right. It was indeed a lovely sightseeing trip. By the time they left the island on the third day, after a day spent relaxing in hot springs that overlooked the salty lake, Jasper no longer regretted spending the 120 coins. They had been worth every cent. But as he sailed toward the capital, he couldn¡¯t quite shake the worry that ate at his heart. Jasper didn¡¯t know what to expect from the capital city, from the royal family, from the cult of Nahre?mah. And frankly, he was worried he was going to screw it up. His lack of knowledge was a real Achille¡¯s heel, and he could already tell that Annatta was suspicious of him. How was he going to bluff everyone? He could only trust that Lord S?arra?bi? had a plan.
Lord S?arra?bi? paced back and forth in his study, his fists clenched tightly at his side. His eyes drifted back to the report he had just read. It couldn''t be. It simply couldn''t. Reluctantly, he picked up the letter again, racing through the few simple questions. Love played second fiddle to duty when one was royalty but, despite that, he had loved Da''iqta a great deal. His baby sister had always been a bit headstrong, a hopeless romantic whose dreams were filled with running away from her duties to live a life of adventure beyond the mountains. At his intercession, she had been allowed to join the cult of Nahre?mah in the hopes that the group''s battle junkie lifestyle would fill her desires. It had been a terrible mistake. She had met that seraph bastard there, his honeyed words filling her head with nonsense. And then, the inevitable had happened. Dai''qta had hidden her pregnancy as long as possible, but such a secret could not stay hidden forever. The dumb bastard who knocked her up no doubt thought his meal ticket was punched, but their father would never allow the union. She had been shuffled off to a small town in the south of the province, while S?arra?bi? was away dealing with a monster infestation bothering the outskirts of Ya''aqir. It was only when he had returned that he learned of his sister''s death in childbirth and, with her, the child as well. Unable to do anything further, he had made sure the seraph paid the price. All that was in the past, though, or at least it had been until the king summoned him a few months ago. S?arra?bi? had been upset when the king detailed his plan to pass off Nahre?mah''s protege as S?arra?bi?''s nephew, but he had lived with it. Duty came first, and he shared the king''s worry about the empire''s situation. No matter what the southern nobles might think, the Djinns'' security depended on imperial armies. If the empire fell, they would not last forever on their own. So, he had made his peace with the king''s proposal, despite the shame it brought to Da''iqta''s memory. Then he had met the lad. It had been all he could do to keep his composure in the meeting. Nahre?mah had told them that her protege was a summoned, someone who, despite his Djinn appearance, was not really of their world. It explained why the king was interested in claiming him; the summoned were stronger their most, especially if taken from a world where magic was barely used. But Jasper was the spitting image of his sister. Her face stared back at him; his eyes danced with the same flicker of annoyance when S?arra?bi? tried to tell him what to do, the lad acting with the same obstinate refusal to just obey orders that his sister always had. Shaken, S?arra?bi? had caved to Jasper''s demands, giving him the freedom to make his own way to the capital, a concession he had almost instantly regretted. He had tried to dismiss the questions. After, it simply wasn''t possible. The Djinn, despite his appearance, was a summoned. But as the lord made the journey back to S?adda?nu, he found himself unable to shake the tiny sliver of doubt that had crept into his heart. Was the king playing some sick game with him? Could it really be his sister''s son? Eventually, he succumbed to his doubts, quietly dispatching one of his agents to the town where his sister had died. He just needed to be sure. But not now he was less sure than ever. The agent had quietly arranged for the tombs to be exhumed. He needn''t have bothered though. Both graves were empty. With a sigh, S?arra?bi? settled into his chair, staring dully at his agent''s letter. Maybe Jasper was really his nephew, maybe he wasn''t, but one thing was now clear. He had been lied to from the start and maybe - he could barely allow himself to think the thought, but hope bloomed in his chest nonetheless - Da''iqta wasn''t really dead. But if she wasn''t dead, then where had she gone? A Skirmish in the Woods Tsia pushed at the food on her plate, keeping her eyes studiously trained on the table as she tried to ignore Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s plaintive stare. ¡°Please, stay with me.¡± The slight tremble in his voice broke her resolve, and reluctantly she raised her eyes to meet his.Her brother reached out his hand, grabbing hers with a tight grip. ¡°You can share the estate.Everything I have will be yours, too.If you want to live in Du?r-Yarha instead, I¡¯m sure the elders of the House will grant me a position in the city.Just stay.We¡¯re family - isn¡¯t that what you always wanted?¡± Hope clashed with the pain in his eyes and despite herself, Tsia very nearly said yes.It was what she wanted - what she had always wanted since she was a child.The long lonely nights when she had hidden away from the servants, playing house with her dolls - a make-believe world where the father paid attention to her and the mother was always there, a house where her siblings did not torment her - came rushing back to her.The same yearning shone in his eyes, and thus she hesitated, not wanting to crush his hope. A long silence prevailed between the two.Then he released her hand, retreating to his seat.¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking.It wasn¡¯t fair.¡±His voice was gruff, the pain bleeding through his words.Tsia simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak.The awkwardness abated, but never entirely fled as the night came to a close. The next morning, she and Ne?s?u left at the first glimmers of dawn.The sun peaked its head above the frozen mountains, the world bathed in glorious purple and pink as they rode out of the gates of the Moon-kissed¡¯s estate. Ra?¡¯imu had not gotten up to see her off. As they skirted around the city, a few silent tears trickled down her cheeks.She promised herself that she¡¯d be back, that she¡¯d come to see him again, but the words rang hollow to her.If she truly found her mother again - if her path took her into the West - Tsia doubted there¡¯d be any coming back.Few crossed the River, and even fewer returned. They rode far and fast through the day, not even stopping when the sun slipped back into its slumber beneath the mountain roots.No longer slowed down by Jasper¡¯s little pony, they made good time, the miles stretching behind them silently. It was not until they finally stopped for a brief rest, pausing by the side of an icy mountain brook, that Tsia spoke.¡°Did I make the right decision, Ne?s?u?¡± Her retainer stirred the fire, tumbling the coals, before he responded.¡°What does Lady Va?ya tell you?¡± Tsia shook her head, her long, brunette curls falling loose around her face from the motion.¡°Va?ya and Selene are silent.I wanted to stay, so much, but¡­¡± Ne?s?u stood up, tossing more kindling onto the flames, stoking the fire until its heat drove the chill mountain night away.She shuddered gratefully as the warmth washed over her.Tsia despised the cold; she could not wait until Jasper was ready to leave this accursed province and return to the warmth of her jungles. ¡°Va?ya is never silent, Tsia; you must simply learn to hear her.The wind howls across the scorched plains of Stryn, whistles through the mountain peaks of the Djinn.Va?ya blows on Elf and Fey alike, her wings stretch from north to south and back again - wherever life may dwell, there she is, her voice always whispering in your ear.You simply must learn to listen.¡± As if responding to his words, a stiff breeze picked up, gusts of wind racing through the treetops above them, the mighty trees bowing beneath the presence of their sovereign. Tsia stared into the fire, trying to hear the goddess whose magic she wielded.But all she was left with was the aching in her heart. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn''t hear Va?ya. Ne?s?u must have sensed her failure.Patting her on the arm, he gently lifted her up and led her over to the tent he had pitched for her.¡°Get some rest, Lady Tsia.Things always feel brighter in the morning.¡± Things did not feel brighter in the morning, nor the morning after that, but as the week turned into the next, the ache eased. For better or worse, her decision was made. As they traveled south, the heat rose quickly, and with the rise in temperature, the land blossomed.The great province of Harei Miqlat was really divided into two sections.To the north, was a high plateau, colder but also much wetter than the southern portion. As the crow flew south, the elevation dropped rapidly, the land morphing into the dry, hot plains that were the home of the southern Djinn.And in the middle, between the two portions, lay Lake Yarhab, on which the capital rested. Tsia had never seen the sea - most of Corsythia¡¯s coast having fallen into the hands of the Zalancthian invaders long before she was even born - and only once had she visited the great lake of Ikkarim in the south of her father¡¯s land.She was unprepared, therefore, for the sheer size and beauty of the water.Great cliffs towered above the lake on its northern shore, awe-inspiring waterfalls tumbling down the steep cliffs filled with the icy waters of the mountains, while thousands of cattle and sheep grazed along the plains to the south. When they reached Qara?nu, Ne?s?u was disappointed to learn that the merchant fleets had already moved on, the former Sicyan looking forward to a voyage upon the waters, but Tsia was more than happy.It suited her plans perfectly, after all. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Kibra?ti. We can still catch a boat from there to the capital and be there on time.Plus,¡± she pointed out, ¡°Jasper has a deadline.The royal family doesn¡¯t give a flip about us.If we¡¯re a little late, no one will care.Let¡¯s go to Kibra?ti,¡± she begged. She stared up at her retainer, who regarded her cooly, no doubt sensing that she had an ulterior motive.¡°And why not just take the road from Qara?nu to S?adda?nu - the distance is only slightly longer than the trip to Kibra?ti, with no second trip needed.Is there some reason you want to go to Kibra?ti?¡±e questioned. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Tsia¡¯s cheeks flushed as she looked away, biting her lip.¡°Fine,¡± she relented.¡°I just want to see the Tsuss?.¡±She looked up at him, excitement shining in her eyes.¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fun?To fly from the cliffs, soaring across the sea.¡± ¡°But we couldn¡¯t take our horses with us.Surely you don¡¯t want to leave your favorite mount behind.¡±Ne?s?u pointed out. ¡°No-oo,¡± she admitted reluctantly.¡°But come on, Ne?s?u, how often do you get the chance to ride a flying horse?We could always pay one of the merchants to ferry our own horses across.¡± The smile he¡¯d been fighting back won the battle as he chuckled.¡°Somehow, I had a feeling you''d find an excuse to see the Tsussi?.Very well, we can go to Kibra?ti.¡± The road between Qara?nu and Kibra?ti, although maintained by the royal family, received far less traffic than the one from Du?r-Yarha.Most merchants preferred to travel via the lake, the boats offering a quicker and easier method of transporting large amounts of cargo than the roads.But Tsia felt certain that she had taken the most scenic route, the view from the top of the cliffs providing an absolutely stunning vista. The haze of heat coming off the southern plains obscured most distant objects, but at night the air cleared, allowing her to see for miles in all directions.Most nights, she was able to see a great light shining in the middle of the lake, which Ne?s?u told her was coming from the temple of Tzah-Nu?r, one of the most famous landmarks of the Djinn.But the lack of traffic on the road had its downsides, too. Her horse ambled down the path at a respectable trot, a pillar of dust trailing off behind her, as Tsia rounded a sharp corner in the path.Suddenly, Ne?s?u¡¯s hand shot out.Grabbing her horse''s bridle, he forcefully yanked it to the side.The horse reared up as its head was suddenly ripped backward and, with a shriek, she tumbled out of the saddle. Tsia landed hard on the dirt, a constellation of stars flooding her vision as the back of her head smacked into the ramshackle stone.¡°What the hell?¡±Tsia struggled to stand up, only dimly conscious of her surroundings as Ne?s?u leapt off his horse and stood over her.With an ominous whoosh, his sword slid free of the scabbard and flickered across her field of vision. A metallic ping echoed through the silent forest, followed a second later by a thin, metal strand that fluttered to the ground beside her.Ne?s?u moved quickly, positioning himself between the horses as his eyes scanned the forest.¡°Are you okay, my lady?¡± Her head still swimming, she accepted his hand, grasping the metal strand in confusion.¡°What-?Why?¡±She struggled to speak, and he shushed her, talking quietly.¡°A metal wire was strung up between the trees.Someone - probably bandits - set up an ambush along the road.¡± She leaned against her horse, struggling to pull herself up into the saddle to run, but he grabbed her arm.¡°Wait, TsiaI barely noticed the wire in time.There could be more traps strung across the road.¡± A twig snapped in the forest behind him, and Ne?s?u whirled around.His sword flickered out as fast as a serpent''s tongue, another ping echoing through the forest as he turned the arrow from its flight. ¡°Stay between the horses,¡± he whispered, and then Ne?s?u sprung into motion. With a howl, he charged in the direction the arrow had come from, his sword flicking aside another one of the projectiles, another from the side narrowly missing his head, and then he disappeared behind a tree.A shrill scream echoed in the woods, painting a vivid image in Tsia¡¯s mind, and a second later her guard remerged, charging along the side of the path toward the source of the second arrow.Blood trailed from his blade, the thick, rusty drops congealing in the dust. But despite Ne?s?u''s attack, the bandits were not simply ignoring her.An arrow whistled toward her, bouncing harmlessly off the armored flank of her horse, but a second followed hot in its heels, its aim true.Time seemed to slow as Tsia reached for her magic, her head still pounding from being smacked into the pavement.The wind answered her call, blossoming in her palm. She released it immediately, an unaimed burst of essence erupting skyward as the arrow raced toward her heart.At the last moment, its flight was diverted upward, the tip of the arrowhead carving a thin, bloody trail up her cheek as it was flung into the air. Tsia cried out in pain, her concentration slipping as she tried to take a shot at the hidden archer.She flooded essence into the spell, far more than she had intended, and a veritable column of wind erupted from her hands. smashed into the nearby trees, whose trunks snapped like kindling beneath the force of the blow, but the muffled shriek told her that despite her lack of control, she had gotten her man.Reluctantly, Tsia edged out from between the horse, feeling the need to make sure that the archer was truly down and not merely injured. But the minute she stepped out from between the horses, another arrow buried itself between her shoulders. The pain was excruciating, a guttural howl tearing through her throat as she collapsed on her knees.Another arrow zipped over her head as she fell, burying itself harmlessly in the road a few feet beyond her.Somehow she managed to cast her prized spell. She could feel the strain on her essence as a whirlwind sprang to life around her, following her as she dragged herself back between the horses.Several arrows disappeared into the spell, only to be spat out harmlessly by the whirlwind, as Tsia struggled to pull a potion out of her pouch. A hand latched onto her wrist, jerking it violently away, and the potion tumbled out onto the road.A Djinn stood above her, a sword clutched in his hand.A scarf covered his mouth, but his eyes were young, with no sign of the wrinkles that came with age or care.Tsia didn¡¯t know what the bandit wanted.She also didn¡¯t care. His sword arced down toward her, but her spell was faster.A thin blade of wind erupted from her fingers, effortlessly slicing through flesh and bone.His hand faltered, his eyes glazing over as he stared down at his would-be victim.And then the bandit''s head slid off his neck, a trail of blood and guts splattering across the ground. Tsia renewed her wind barrier, ignoring the furious pounding of her head as mana exhaustion neared, and crouched between the two horses. Keeping one eye cocked for any further attackers, she reached for the healing draft again. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡±The voice was rough and gruff, but Tsia could have cried in relief as Ne?s?u appeared before her. ¡°But Ne?s?u, it hurts,¡± she whined. Her guardian was covered in blood from a small wound in his side that was ripped open, but he ignored it for the moment, focusing his attention on his ward.¡°I know, my lady, but healing the wound with the arrow still inside you will only make things worse.Give me a moment.¡± He bent down over her, grabbing the shaft of the arrow.He gently tugged at it, but it resisted.¡°Damn, the arrow must be barbed.¡±He patted Tsia¡¯s hand.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tsia, but this is going to hurt.One.Two.¡± He ripped the arrow out of her shoulder in one smooth motion, her screams echoing through the forest as her flesh was shredded.A second later, a potion was being held to her lips, the sickly sweet taste flowing down her throat.It did the trick, closing the wound up, but she was pale and wan when she finally managed to stand up.The more a healing potion had to heal, the worse the aftereffects. She met her retainer¡¯s worried eyes, offering him a shaky smile.¡°I guess this wasn¡¯t my best idea after all.¡± He snorted, helping her climb back up into the saddle.¡°Sadly, it''s definitely not your worst.¡± Somehow, she managed a weak laugh.¡°Yeah, but we don¡¯t talk about that day.¡± Ne?s?u relaxed, the lines of stress on his face easing as he saw she was, relatively speaking, okay.¡°My lips are sealed, my lady,¡± he bantered back. ¡°Plus,¡± she pointed out.¡°Any decision that lets me ride flying horses is automatically a pretty good decision.¡± The First Rule The voyage from the island of Tzah-Nu?r to the capital took several days longer than Jasper had expected.During their stay at the temple, the winds had changed, now prevailing to the West, back from where they had come.Fortunately, their vessel did not rely on sails alone.Built much like a Grecian galley, the crew took the oars. As he watched them, Jasper suspected that they must have a class skill helping them.The oars moved in perfect rhythm, thrusting the ship forward with greater speed than seemed possible.No drums were played nor shanty called to keep them in time, yet the crew moved with the precision of a machine, the ship''s prow cutting through the waves with enough speed to leave behind a wake.But if it was a skill, it had a time limit; the crew was forced to stop every hour or two, slowing their progress down considerably.Rather than force their way across the open lake, where the winds were free to gather their strength, the captain charted the short distance to the southern shore; from there, they hugged the coast, where the ship was sheltered from the worst of the wind. Jasper was surprised to see how different the south of the province was from the northern plateau.andy dunes dominated the shoreline, he caught glimpses of the sun-parched plains that lay beyond.Miles upon miles of grassland stretched as far as the eye could see, the golden sheaths of tall, wild grasses bobbing in the wild winds.Amber waves of grain, he thought, suddenly feeling homesick. But the reminders that he was not back at home were all around him.Great herds of cattle lined the shores, grazing on the grassy dunes and plains, but above them were their ranchers, who flew a few feet above the herd.Mounted on flying horses with black, glossy manes and eyes of fire or sleek grey coats with wings of gossamer silver, the ranchers darted back and forth above their herds like hummingbirds, quite unlike the cowboys of old. After two days of slipping along the shallows of the southern shore, they arrived at their destination. It was not, as Annatta had said, the capital, S?addan?u.Instead, the ship docked at a small town a few miles outside the royal abode. was a quaint village.The sun gleamed off the white, plastered roofs, while rows of flowers lined the harbor entrance.Everything about the town screamed of wealth and luxury, but it was not the capital. Jasper couldn¡¯t hide his frown as he approached Annatta.¡°Why are we stopping here?I thought this ship was taking us to S?adda?nu.¡± The Djinn shrugged.¡°We¡¯re basically there.The capital¡¯s just a few miles further down the coast, a couple of hours'' ride at most.What did you expect, anyway? priests'' main temple is here, not the capital.¡± Jasper reined his questions in immediately, sensing he had stumbled upon some piece of knowledge he was expected to know.¡°I guess you¡¯re right; I just wasn¡¯t thinking,¡± he lied. Annatta smirked up at him, a knowing look in her eyes.¡°Of course, my lord.¡± When their mounts were brought up from the decks below, Annatta was quick to take her leave.After she finished fixing the bags of her former party on the back of her mount, she bowed in Jasper¡¯s direction.¡°Thank you for letting me come with you.¡±She hesitated a second, clearly struggling to decide if she should say something further.¡°My lord, when you get to the capital city, ask Lord S?arra?bi? to arrange a tutor for you.I don¡¯t know what your true background is, but there are gaps in your knowledge that could raise some difficult questions.¡± She hopped onto the horse with an acrobatic grace that Jasper could only envy.Grasping the reins, she turned its head toward the city, but at the last moment, she looked back.¡°Oh, and don¡¯t rush to the capital immediately.You still have a few days before you need to arrive, and I think you¡¯ll find the amenities in this village quite relaxing.¡±With that, she cantered down the dock, quickly disappearing down the streets. The priests and crew milled about them, ignoring the pair as they carried out their work.For the first time in weeks, Jasper and Ihra were alone.¡°Come on.¡±Ihra tugged on his arm, dragging him over to their mounts.¡°Let¡¯s check this place out.¡± Once they left the harbor, it quickly became clear why the Djinn had advised them to stay.The village hugged the coastline, but as they left the harbor, the homes quickly gave way to temples.Temple after temple overlooked the waters, but most were clustered around a single central site: a giant hot spring whose waters trickled into the lake. The spring was bustling with people, hundreds of pilgrims relaxing in the soothing, salty waters.Bathing suits had clearly not been invented, which Jasper was alternately grateful for and horrified by, depending on which direction he looked, the pilgrims milling about in various states of undress with a complete lack of shame. But the spring was merely the focal point of the central plaza.Food stalls had sprung up on all sides, from whose pots a dizzying array of exotic aromas filled the air, although the merchants were surprisingly quiet, not hawking their wares with the vigor that often filled the marketplace.Instead, the spring was dominated by the rumbled choir of chants that echoed from the hearts of the temples where the priests served their gods with food and song.And there, on the far side of the springs, Jasper recognized an all too familiar symbol. Two scythes bound together by a skull. The cult of Nahre?mah.Kas?dael¡¯s description suddenly came back to him.The main temple, the place where he was supposed to go, was a few miles to the west of the capital.his must be the place. He pushed through the crowd with renewed determination, although he spared a few longing glances for the sultry spring.Unlike most of the temples they passed, the shrine to Nahre?mah had no songs ringing from its chamber.Instead, a pair of guards stood at its steps. He approached them cautiously, but they did not appear hostile, bowing to him respectfully as he approached. One of the guards stepped forward.Clad in simple leather armor, whose scuffed appearance showed clear signs of use in combat, the temple guard showed no signs of the decadent opulence that surrounded them. ¡°My lord, do you have business with the temple of Nahre?mah?¡± Jasper nodded, dragging the ring Lord S?arra?bi? had given him out of his bag, the ring that belonged to his supposed ¡°mother.¡± ¡°Yes, I was hoping to join.¡± The guard took the ring from Jasper, examining it for a moment, before handing it back to him.¡°Let me fetch a Keeper for you.¡± He disappeared up the steps into the temple, but the pair were not left waiting for long.The guard returned accompanied by an elderly woman dressed, much like the guard, in simple leather armor.Despite her apparent age, there was nothing feeble about her.She walked with a steady, confident stride, her lilac eyes sweeping over Jasper with a skeptical air. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Are you sure you want to join us?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°Of course, Keeper-.¡± "Hayil," she finished. The old woman sighed, rubbing the wrinkles from her brow.¡°Look, my lord, I mean no disrespect, but from time to time we get candidates like you - mages who perhaps don''t understand the nature of our duels.Mages may be the kings of the battlefield, but the majority of our members are warriors.If you want to participate in our duels, magic will not be allowed unless you are facing another mage.So, I¡¯ll ask you again, are you sure you want to join us?¡± Jasper held the ring out to her, meeting her eyes with a firm resolve.¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Lady Hayil took the ring reluctantly, but her face softened as she tumbled it through her fingers.¡°Da¡¯iqta,¡± she murmured, looking up at him with renewed interest.¡°How did you come by this ring?I assume you¡¯re a relation of some sort.¡± ¡°She was my mother,¡± he replied, putting as much conviction as he could into the lie. She cocked her head to the side.¡°Yes, I do remember there were¡­rumors to that effect. died in a horse-riding accident - well, let''s just say I had my doubts.¡± The Keeper handed the ring back to him.¡°I understand now.You are not the first to come here chasing the ghosts of your past.¡± The old warrior patted his hand, for a second replaced by a kind, elderly woman.¡°You are welcome to attempt the membership trial.I must warn you though - it will not be easy.To join the cult of Nahre?mah, you must fight three battles in a row.No healing, no breaks, no magic, no running.You don¡¯t have to win these battles, just tough them out for two minutes.You can quit at any time, but if you do, you will not be able to try again for membership for another year.Do you understand the rules?¡± When Kas?dael had described the cult, he had really had in mind the duels of Harry Potter, not the brutality of Fight Club.He was quickly feeling disillusioned, but it wasn¡¯t like he had a choice.He had a feeling Kas?dael would not be content to let him sit this one out.Ignoring the sinking feeling in his heart, Jasper nodded resolutely.¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± she said.¡°Come with me.¡± The guards stepped aside, allowing them to pass up the steps into the temple.A courtyard occupied its heart, a columned portico offering welcome shade from the hot sun beating down on their heads, but the central area was open to the elements.Rather than the gardens so typical in Corsythia, the courtyard was entirely undecorated, save for the statue of Kas?dael set into the back wall.Instead, the ground was covered in a layer of sand.A fighting ring, Jasper realized. The Keeper gestured for him to stop near the statue, ringing a small bell suspended from the wall.They waited as its chimes echoed through the sandstone corridors.The response was prompt, as the temple¡¯s residents poured out from the chambers surrounding the courtyard. The Keeper waved them over, pointing to Jasper.¡°We have a new supplicant who wishes to join.He is a legacy but, given his circumstances, I doubt he has received any special training, so keep that in mind.¡± Several faces turned to him with interest, but most looked on impatiently, eager, perhaps, to return to whatever they¡¯d been doing.But they were not able to leave.The Keeper reached into her bag, drawing out a black object.Jasper almost gasped when he saw it, recognizing it immediately.It was one of Kas?dael¡¯s dice, although judging from the Keeper¡¯s complete lack of writhing around in agony, he was willing to bet it was nothing more than a replica. She tossed it high in the air, the black dodecahedron sparkling in the sun as it tumbled into the sand.Leaning over it for a second, she looked up.¡°Alright, Abnu,¡± she barked, ¡°you¡¯re up.¡± Jasper gulped as the first of his opponents stepped out of the crowd.aller than most, the Djinn¡¯s red skin was a testament to his power.Muscles rippled up arms large enough to support a small village, the veins straining against the skin like a roided-out gym rat.Two big, thick black horns spiraled up from his head, and his hands ended in fingernails that were closer to claws than anything else.The Keeper shot Jasper a sympathetic look.¡°That was an unlock roll - Abnu is a bit of a challenge.emember though, you don¡¯t have to win, just endure.¡± Jasper was completely caught by surprise when the massive Djinn suddenly blurred into action.He had been expecting some sort of formal start to the duel, even if just the ringing of a bell.But Abnu gave him no time to prepare, the Djinn''s fist snaking out in a swift uppercut.If the hit had landed, Jasper quite possibly would have been knocked out immediately, but he managed to dodge in the nick of time, leaning back just far enough that the strike missed. Unfortunately, it also wrecked his balance.With a startled yelp, Jasper fell on his back as another ruthless swing swished through the empty air where he had been standing. Jasper was hardly an expert in physical combat, but neither was he quite the wilting mage the warriors of the cult expected.In the last few months he had seen more than his share of danger and very rarely had he had the luxury of raining down his spells from behind the protection of a shield wall. He went with the fall, rolling backward in a graceful tumble that landed him back on his feet.Another jab shot toward his head, but Jasper had expected it this time.Lightly shifting to the side, he grabbed Abnu¡¯s arm and, using his momentum against him, propelled himself forward, sinking his fist into the man¡¯s abdomen. A whoosh of air expelled from the Djinn''s lungs, but it barely slowed him.With a howl of excitement, the man smashed his horned forehead down on Jasper¡¯s head.A loud crack rang through the courtyard, and Jasper staggered back, releasing his grip on the Djinn¡¯s arm.Abnu, however, seemed unaffected by the blow, springing forward to press his advantage. The first blow smashed into Jasper¡¯s chin and sent him flying to the ground, ironically saving him from the second which whistled harmlessly through the empty space. The soft sand cushioned the worst of the blow, but Abnu was relentless.Leaping into the air, he hurtled toward Jasper, his knee prepared to deliver the knockout strike.Jasper turned to his side a split-second before the Djinn landed, rolling to his feet.His head was swimming, but he somehow managed to block the next fist that came racing toward his face and deliver a punishing kick to the Djinn¡¯s shin.Overbalanced, the warrior tripped, falling into the sand, but Jasper hung back, letting the seconds of the fight tick down.I don¡¯t have to win, just survive, he reminded himself. Abnu wasn¡¯t down long.With a roar of anger, he leapt to his feet, bull-rushing Jasper, but he spun out of the way, tripping the warrior again.The Djinn wasn¡¯t easily foiled twice, however.With a surprising show of grace, the warrior managed to avoid falling, recovering his balance as he spun around. Any semblance of a friendly fight was gone when Abnu turned to face him.His eyes danced with rage.¡°You are not fighting back - you are doing nothing but running!¡±He roared. ¡°Time!¡±The Keeper called out. Abnu ignored her voice, stepping forward with clenched fists.¡°A weakling like you doesn¡¯t deserve to join Nahre?mah¡¯s faithful.¡± ¡°Abnu-¡°The Keeper began, a warning note in her voice. But Jasper didn¡¯t need her to fight his battles.He willed the essence through his hands, a fiery inferno rippling his arms in an instant.Fire alone wasn¡¯t enough to scare a red-skinned Djinn, however; after all, Abnu was likely near immune, so Jasper summoned two spells in quick succession. Fiery manacles sprang around Abnu¡¯s feet, locking him in place as a long, barbed whip sprouted from Jasper¡¯s hands.He didn¡¯t swing the Scourge, not wishing to kill the Djinn, but the threat was clear. Anger, mixed with a bit of fire, surged through his veins in frenzy, but Jasper did his best to force it down, purposefully flattening his tone as much as possible.¡°Weakling?The only weakling here is you.This entire battle is slanted in your favor - a warrior versus a mage not allowed to use his magic - and you still couldn¡¯t get it done.In a real battle, you¡¯d be a smudge in the sand before you even got close to me.¡± ¡°Enough.¡±The Keeper¡¯s hands grabbed his harms, pushing his hands down.¡°I will overlook the use of spells as it happened after the duel ended, but I cannot allow you to attack him.And as for you, Abnu-"her voice rose sharply - ¡°you are banned from participating in duels until you have demonstrated you can control your anger.This candidate broke no rules in the battle.¡± The Djinn bowed his head respectfully, squeezing the words out through clenched teeth.¡°Very well, my lady.I will meditate on my actions.¡±He got up stiffly, pushing his way through the assembled crowd, but Jasper did not miss the hateful look the Djinn shot him on the way out.Great.I hope I didn¡¯t make an enemy. The Dark Armada It had been several months since the feast of Tsia?hu, and the harsh winter winds had melted beneath the warm breath of springtime zephyrs. Eligon was thankful for the warmth, at least. Unfortunately, the warmer weather meant the enemy was once again on the move. With a sigh, he handed the spyglass back to his aide. ¡°It is as the reports said. Just a small group of the stoneflesh, perhaps 2000 strong. It¡¯s not a strong enough band to really do anything, though. Probably just meant to irritate us,¡± he grouched. ¡°Damn Zalancthians.¡± His aide, Lord Vaya?bi? stuffed the spyglass into his satchel, glancing over at his childhood friend with a wry grin. ¡°Well, I¡¯d say they¡¯re succeeding.¡± Eligon glared back at him, his brows clearing as he broke into a bark of laughter. ¡°Aye, I guess they are.¡± His grin quickly faded as he turned his attention back to the foe. ¡°But they really should know better by now. When something irritates me, I remove it.¡± Vaya?bi? nodded, needing no command from his friend to understand his intent. ¡°I¡¯ll summon the soldiers.¡± Eligon nodded grimly, not bothering to respond as he fingered the mighty mace hanging from his saddle. Let¡¯s crush some skulls. It took no more than a few hours to assemble the necessary troops; the Zalancthian forces had ventured well behind the established lines of command, but Eligon waited long enough to insure a few mages could join. The Zalancthian¡¯s brazen expedition near his castle was probably just meant to taunt him, but Eligon had not lived to brave a hundred battlefields by being a fool. The possibility that it was some sort of trap did not elude him, so he was content to wait until the mages arrived. The moon was high in the heavens when his forces finally slipped around the stoneflesh army. They had set up camp in a strong position, on the crest of a hill whose back was nestled tight against the Da?yu river. Reluctantly, he was forced to have his men dismount from their horses. With his class, he could spur his horse full throttle up the hill, but most of the troops would be unable to keep up. Sneaking up the hill under the cover was the better option, even if the inglorious nature of it rankled beneath his skin. The hardest part was dealing with the guards. While the Zalancthian lords were prone to turn against each other in petty civil squabbles, their soldiers were the epitome of professionals. As always, a ring of guards encircled their game. Every 10 minutes they would call out to each other, each guard responsible for the next; if anyone didn¡¯t respond the alarm would be raised immediately. The Corsythian forces waited patiently, hidden in the thick grass, as the guards cried out to each other. As soon as cries left the guards¡¯ throats, they sprung into action. It would be an easy enough task, if Eligon was able to use rogues, but they, like so many other classes, had ceased to be useful when the Zalancthians invaded. To this day, no one knew where the stoneflesh had come from. One day, a few of their ships had arrived at the province of S?amni?, on the great eastern isle. The Zalancthians had been welcomed warmly. In appearance, they looked much like the ancestral humans of the Corsythians, many of whom still dwelt in the lands far to the south where the Mwyrani had once ruled. But the few ships had merely been a sign of the gathering storm. A few months later, an armada appeared off the coast of the great eastern isle. They swept across the five provinces in a matter of days, conquering all of them except for one - the rocky crags of Urpa?ti whose hordes of Tsussi kept the invaders at bay. The emperor at the time, Adi?r IV of House Nu?rili?, had rushed to assemble a fleet of his own. He was a good ruler, by all accounts, but he was not a warrior. Not waiting for reinforcements from the north and elves to arrive, he set sail for the island. On the way, his forces received news that another armada of Zalancthians had appeared off the coast of the southern capital, Sicya. Abandoning the island, he set sail to the south, rushing to intercept the new threat. No one knew what exactly happened in that battle. By the time the northern reinforcements arose, Adi?r¡¯s ships slumbered on the ocean floor, their hulls the tombs of the flower of the empire¡¯s troops. Sicya had already fallen. The empire was plunged into chaos after that. Adi?r left behind a young child, not fit to lead the country in war, and Eligon¡¯s grandfather, the commander of the Royal Guard had seized control, usurping the throne. The North and elves, in response, had abandoned them. It had been a long, losing battle since then, although after conquering the royal capital, Corsythia, the Zalancthian¡¯s progress had stalled out. Perhaps, finally, they had overextended themselves. But they were a tough enemy nonetheless. Despite looking like normal humans, the Zalancthians were unnaturally tough. Their skin was like stone, unable to be pierced without specialized weapons, while the strength of even their common soldiers outstripped all but the strongest of the Corsythian warriors. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. If the Empire could still summon the magic of old, they could have swept the Zalancthians back into the sea, but the Fey Wars had left them utterly spent.It had taken many generations for the Empire to adapt, entire classes - like rogues - becoming all but useless for the battlefield, but eventually, the system had evolved.They were no longer so helpless, but every inch of ground they regained came at a steep cost. ¡°Eligon.¡± Shaking his arm, his aide whispered in his lord¡¯s ear. ¡°Eligon, the guards have been dealt with.¡± Snapping out of it, Eligon sprang into action. They crept quietly up the hill, the few mages they had gathered up casting shrouds of darkness over the emperor¡¯s forces as they approached the tents. It was a shame he hadn¡¯t had a fire mage on hand, but sometimes one didn¡¯t magic to get spectacular results. Their noise muffled by the spells, his troops quickly slid into position, communicating with silent hand gestures. Then, as one, they lit the tents on fire. The still night descended into chaos as the drowsy Zalancthians streamed out of their flaming tents. They were met in the face with hard, Corsythian steel. One of the many changes that had emerged in the aftermath of the invasion was the rise of heavy, armored forces as the Corsythians learned to crush what they could not pierce. Eligon waded into the fray with glee, his blood thrumming with excitement as he smashed through the disordered ranks of the foe. He dodged to the side as a massive boar spear thrust through the space he had just occupied, barely missing a beat as he smashed his mace into the skull of the unarmored Zalancthian. His monstrous strength tore through the resistance, leaving behind little more than bloody paste as the body dropped to the ground. Eligon did not consider himself a bad man, but when it came to killing the enemies of his people, whose lords sat in luxury in his capital, he didn¡¯t feel even an ounce of pity. With a roar, he triggered one of his skills, the mace slamming into the ground with such force that the three Zalancthians soldiers rushing him were thrown on their backs. His left foot lashed out, the heavy, spiked sabaton caving in the ribs of one, while his mace took care of the second. The third had time to stumble to his feet, but there was no escaping the enraged emperor, who swept the man¡¯s legs out from under him. A second later the Zalancthian was no more. The Corsythian forces swept through the scattered foe with chilling efficiency; any who escaped the fiery inferno and made it down the hill were cut down by the waiting troops. But Eligon¡¯s fears had not been entirely in vain. A bellow of rage rose above the fury of the battle, the sound so piercing that Eligon felt a shiver run down his spine. He turned in time to see the Zalancthian commander charging toward him. The man had had no time to throw on armor, his skin glistening in the light of the burning camp as the sweat rolled down his chest. He wielded a massive axe in his hand, with a shaft so long that it rivaled a spear. With a roar, he swept his blade through the Corsythians in front of him, the axe slicing through the heavily armored infantry as if they were blades of grass. That¡¯s not normal. Eligon barely had time to think before the commander was on him. With a surge of strength, his mace smashed into the axe. It took all his might to shove it to the side, the sharp blades swishing a hair¡¯s breadth from his face. But he could see something was not right with the man. The bloodshot eyes that stared back at him were an all too familiar sight for any overburdened leader. The two sets of pupils staring back at him, one a strange, vertical slit, was another. thing altogether. What the hell is wrong with him? Eligon had no chance to ponder the question, as the heavily armored man desperately summoned every ounce of strength and experience to deflect, dodge or direct the endless hail of blows the Zalancthian rained down on him, his endurance seemingly endless. It was enough. Barely. Just when Eligon thought his arms would drop off if he had to swing the increasingly heavy hammer one more time, his mages came to his rescue. Great stone claws clamped around the Zalancthian¡¯s ankles, binding him to the earth. The commander shrugged them off, smashing through the stone, but as soon as they were broken new ones formed, time and time again. And then the real attack occurred. The night was briefly driven away as a flash of light shot from a trio of mages. Selene¡¯s grace fueled their magic as the lunar rays sliced through the Zalancthian¡¯s hardened skin. The magic lasted but a second, but when the light faded, a large smoking crater filled the commander¡¯s chest. He dropped to the ground at Eligon¡¯s feet, instantly dead. But the emperor shrank back when he saw the second set of pupils continue to move a fraction longer, filled with a baleful hatred. ¡°Are you alright, my lord?¡± The mages ran over to him, their leader stepping forward with obvious concern. Eligon nodded, his strength suddenly exhausted. ¡°Yes, thanks for the assist.¡± He hesitated a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the quartermaster to let you pick something special from the warehouses.¡± The unpleasant task of sorting through the ruined encampment lasted into the wee hours of the morn. Thankfully, Eligon was able to rest, his strength utterly expended in the battle. While the emperors of Corsythia might not possess the glory they once wielded, they had not fallen so far as to be reduced to menial tasks. But when they searched the commander¡¯s tents, he was forced to rouse himself again. ¡°What is it, Vaya?bi??¡± His old friend was clearly troubled, as he sorted through a pile of large wooden crates. His Right Hand lifted up a vial in which a black, oily-looking liquid sloshed back and forth. ¡°There¡¯s a few hundred of these potions, my lord. We aren''t sure yet what they do, but the mages fear that they might have been what the commander was using. They said he was unnaturally strong, even for a Zalancthian?¡± A spasm of fear clutched Eligon¡¯s heart as the four pupils flashed across his mind again. Hundreds of potions? If the mages were right¡­ He could barely bring himself to complete the thought. A few hundred Zalancthians fighting like the commander could have slaughtered his army. But he controlled his emotions, nodding tersely at his friend. The last thing they needed was to start a panic. ¡°He was a little stronger than usual, I suppose.¡± Vaya?bi?, as always, read between the lines, his brows gathering like looming thunderclouds as he turned back to the potions. ¡°Very well, my lord. I¡¯ll have the mages investigate them carefully. Oh, and there¡¯s one other thing. My page arrived this morning with an urgent message for you. A delegation of elves is waiting for you back at the castle. They claim they¡¯re willing to help, for a price.¡± Laylah An awkward silence prevailed over the courtyard. The mood in the crowd had shifted, many now watching him with a less than friendly glare, but the Keeper ignored them, rolling the dice again. It danced across the tossled stands, coming to a stop at the feet of the next combatant.¡°Alright, Laylah, you¡¯re up next,¡± the Keeper called. Jasper was relieved to see the thin, if rather curvy, woman step forward - not because she was a woman, but because she wasn¡¯t one of the crowd shooting daggers at him.The Djinn flashed him a quick smile, even greeting him with a cutesy wave.¡°Well, you certainly know how to make an impression,¡± she noted. ¡°Begin!¡±The Keeper shouted, cutting off his response. The fight was in many ways the reverse of the previous battle.Laylah was small and exceptionally fast; no matter how hard Jasper tried, he could not block all of her blows., blood was trickling from half a dozen nicks on his skin.But Laylah didn''t have the brute strength to overcome his skin''s resistance to slash damage. Sure, her blows stung but they were far from crippling and unliked Abnu, she couldn''t afford to merely shrug off his blows.A much more even fight than the first, this time she was the one constantly dancing out of his reach, although he managed to get a few punishing blows in. When the time ended, Laylah ceased immediately, performing a little half-bow in his direction before sauntering back into the crowd.The Keeper didn¡¯t wait long to cast the dice again.Unfortunately, this time it did land on one of the less friendly faces in the crowd. A burly Djinn strode forward. Dressed in simple leather armor, his long black hair was pulled away from his cheeks to reveal that a face that Jasper would usually have described as remarkably handsome, if not for the ugly set of his eyes, which roiled with barely suppressed anger. He nodded tersely at Jasper, tossing his sword and scabbard to the side as he took his stance. "Begin!" The Keeper had barely spoken the words when the Djinn launched himself at Jasper. He raced across the sands so fast his feet barely touched the ground, but Jasper was a little better prepared this time. Expecting the attack, he feinted to the side, pretending to dodge, and the Djinn took the bait. His fist whipped through the air where Jasper was supposed to have been with an audible crack, but what the Djinn had not expected was for Jasper to actually go on the attack. Mustering a roar of his own, Jasper tackled his opponent around the waist. With a twist of his hips, he tossed the started warrior to the ground, but not before the Djinn managed to snag his leg, dragging Jasper down with him. The two rolled across the sand, fighting to come out on top, while the Djinn warrior bellowed in anger, a steady stream of incomprehensible words flowing from his mouth as he activated some sort of skill. Jasper knew he was no match for the burly Djinn''s strength - he had to get out of there as quickly as possible. His one free hand flailed around, looking for something to use, and his fingers grazed the sandy floor of the arena. Snatching up a handful of the stuff, he tossed it straight in the man''s face. Some of the sand got into his eyes, blinding the warrior, but the vast majority went straight down his open mouth. Whatever skill the Djinn had been trying to activate was cut off as the warrior''s words devolved into a fit of coughing and spluttering. Thus the Djinn failed to block the knee that was slammed into his face, and the follow-up blow to his ears. Jasper pressed his luck a little too far, though, as he grabbed the man''s shoulders, prepared to deliver another knee to the nose. But the Djinn was ready this time. Intercepting, the incoming leg, he jerked it to the side. With a screech of pain, Jasper was slammed into the ground, his toughened bones somehow holding together, but the Djinn gave him no time to respond. Leaping on top of him, the warrior rained down a flurry of fists on his head. "Time." The warrior''s hand, already raised high above his head, faltered. Then, after a long, tense moment, he dropped it to his side. Without speaking a word, he released Jasper. The Djinn didn''t offer him a helping hand up, but slipped back into the crowd silently - not before, however, shooting Jasper one final angry stare. The Keeper stepped forward and, offering Jasper a hand, lifted him up to stand beside her. "Well done, applicant. You have endured the threefold trial, and earned the right to call yourself one of us - on a probationary level, of course," she added as an afterthought. The wrinkles that lined her face disappeared as the old woman flashed him a quick smile. "I must admit, I had rather low expectations for you, especially after you drew Abnu, but you did well to persevere. I''m sure your mother would have been of proud." She patted his hand, before turning back to the rest of the onlookers. "I trust you all will join me in welcoming our new member," she said, with the warning note plain to hear in her voice. The cult members dispersed quickly. Most of them disappeared out the front entrance in the direction of the hot springs, and Jasper tried to ignore the unfriendly glances shot his direction. There was one bright spot though - Laylah gave him a friendly wave before she departed, her hips swaying rather exaggeratedly as she sauntered across the sands.But the Keeper gave him no time to watch her leave. As soon as the majority of the crowd had left, she tugged on his hand impatiently. "Come, follow me." Curious, Jasper trailed after her, taking in the scenery of the temple as they walked. Now the combat was finished, it was surprisingly quiet in the temple; their footsteps were the only sound echoing down the smooth sandstone corridors, the walls built of blocks so large that Jasper surmised they must have been built with the use of magic. The sanctuary''s architecture was much simpler than the almost baroque style that dominated most of the cities he had seen, reminded Jasper closely of the temple to Selene in Als?arratu, whose sleek, minimalistic style felt more appropriate to some sci-fi space opera than a fantasy setting. The Keeper, however, was not interested in his architectural musings, dragging him into her office. Closing the door behind him, the old woman sighed as she settled into her chair, fixing her lilac eyes on him with a hint of irritation.¡°That was most unfortunate.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Jasper didn¡¯t bother hiding his scowl.¡°Yes, it was.Do your members normally attack applicants?¡± The Keeper looked startled.¡°No, nott that.Yes, Abnu lost his temper but that is to be expected.He is actually one of our better warriors but in the heat of battle, he sometimes loses¡­perspective.I suppose that was unfortunate, but I was talking about what you did.¡± ¡°What?¡±Jasper nearly fell out of his chair.¡°What I did?I was only defending myself.¡± ¡°Sit down." She waited for him to comply, and reluctantly he settled back into the chair, biting back his surprise and anger. "You¡¯re not in trouble.You are, however, naive.¡±The Keeper''s eyes turned toward the window, staring blankly out for a moment, before meeting his again.¡°I suppose it is not really your fault. You may be a legacy, but your mother died before she could teach you about the cult.¡± ¡°Magic is a sensitive topic here.The cult is not merely a group devoted to the worship of our goddess; it is also a group of warriors who are dedicated - nay, passionate - about testing themselves in battle and improving their skills.They work very hard to be the best that they can." A slightly bitter smile broke across her lips.They also live with the knowledge that no matter how hard they try, unless they¡¯re fortunate enough to unlock a special class, a powerful mage can erase them with a wave of their hand, not to mention living under the constant shadow of more powerful ancestors.¡± ¡°You took that insecurity and rubbed it in their faces.Some won¡¯t care, but for many, it will be a long time before they are willing to welcome you into the group.You should have let me handle Abnu.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s done is done.¡±The Keeper pushed some papers toward him.¡°You did as well as any mage could be expected to do, especially given your unfortunate luck in combatants.You have more than earned the right to join our brotherhood.¡± Jasper picked up the papers, flipping through them curiously.Paperwork?I guess even in another world you can¡¯t escape bureaucracy. He filled out the forms as best as he could, turning them back into her a few moments later.The Keeper didn¡¯t even bother to check them, tossing them onto her desk.¡°You can now wear your mother¡¯s ring or, if you prefer, you may commission a new one.Your ring will grant you access to all our temples.¡±She hesitated.¡°There are also free rooms here that you and your partner,¡± she nodded at Ihra, ¡°can stay in, if you wish.Given the events of the duel, it¡¯s possible some might hassle you, though.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t need to weigh his choices.Whatever Kas?dael wanted him to find was going to be here at the temple, not at some inn in the resort town.¡°I¡¯ll stay here,¡± he smiled up at her. The Keeper¡¯s expression might have been mistaken for a frown, but she didn¡¯t object, simply nodding briskly.¡°Very well.I¡¯ll have a servant guide you to the rooms.Feel free to grab whatever¡¯s empty.¡± He stood up to leave, but she stopped him before he left the room.¡°Before you go, I feel I should warn you about Laylah.She¡¯s a talented warrior, whose skill with the dagger rivals the best among us, but she¡¯s also a cunning schemer.She has no doubt pegged you as a naive young lord who might serve as her meal ticket.Unless you wish to find yourself with a bastard of your own, you would do well to reject her advances.I knew your mother long ago, and she was a fine woman.She was also a naive romantic and it cost her a great deal.¡±The Keeper¡¯s gaze softened.¡°Don¡¯t make her mistakes, Jasper.¡± He nodded respectfully, staring back at the old woman with new interest.¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Keeper.¡± As Jasper crawled into the uncomfortable cot later that night, he spared one glance around the room.Unlike the luxurious town outside, the cult of Nahre?mah clearly had little use for comfort.The decor was downright spartan; the cot, a small table, an old dresser, and a basin for water were the only furnishings in the large sandstone room, but Jasper was too tired to care about luxuries right then. It had been a long day.In addition to the regular duels fought in the sandy courtyard, the cult members were also expected to attend mandatory morning and evening exercises.Jasper rubbed his aching shoulders ruefully, cringing at the thought of them.brutal. He may have been a mage, but after months of adventuring, he was reasonably fit, but it had been all he could do to keep moving - and he hadn''t been the only one. Even some of the regulars had struggled to keep up, leading him to suspect that the instructor might have been going harder on them than usual. Because they hate me. He sighed, pushing the thought away with a spark of annoyance. The real trouble, however, was that he had no idea what he was supposed to do next.Kas?dael¡¯s instructions to him had been rather vague.Finding the cult of Nahre?mah had been easy enough, but finding a secret cult within the cult was another matter altogether.How was he even supposed to begin to track them down? A soft knock sounded on the door.It¡¯s probably Ihra, he thought. Dragging himself away from the comfort of his cot, he padded over to the door quietly.Jasper opened it cautiously, peaking an eye out into the hall - after all the assassins in Ka?r-Kupp? had been connected to the cult of Nahre?mah somehow. But it was only Laylah.He relaxed a little but still kept his guard up as she greeted him with an easy smile. The gossamer silk gown she wore clashed with the spartan aesthetic of the temple and she leaned forward as she spoke, giving him a clear shot of her chest all the way down to her belly button.¡°Just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed for the night.¡±Her hand rested gently on his arm.¡°I know the rooms they provide are not very comfortable.If you need anything, just let me know.¡± Jasper smiled awkwardly, the Keeper¡¯s warning ringing in his mind.¡°I¡¯m good.Thanks, though.¡±But he also didn¡¯t really want to alienate one of the few friendly members of the cult, so he decided to throw her a bone.¡°But thanks for stopping by - it¡¯s nice to see a friendly face around here. I¡¯m afraid I may have stepped on a few toes today.¡± The Djinn''s face lit up.¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.They¡¯ll get over it in a few days.¡±She leaned a little closer, smiling coyly.¡°Besides, you don¡¯t need to worry about what these fools think.If you impress, maybe the real brotherhood will take notice.¡±She stepped back, letting go of his arm.¡°I¡¯ll let you sleep.If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± Jasper watched in silence as she sashayed down the hall to her room, aroused despite his better judgment.God, it¡¯s been too long, he thought as he pounded his head against the wall.But the import of her words had not escaped him.Could she be part of the Brotherhood of Yas?gah?He barred the door tightly, making sure the lock was well secured, before crawling back into the small cot where he fell into a fitful rest. The Serpents Kiss The sun had risen when he finally gave up on sleep, but he lay there in the bed for a time, watching the light and shadow shift back and forth across the ceiling.Jasper''s muscles still ached from the workout night before, and he felt no particular desire to rise and face another round of exercise. Then something cold and rough brushed across his skin.is heart leaping into his throat, Jasper shot upright, searching the dimly lit room for what had touched him. He didn''t have to look long.A thick, black snake was curled up beside him, nestled close to his body for warmth - at least, that is, until Jasper¡¯s sudden movement had disturbed it. The snake reacted to his movements aggressively. Rearing up, a large frill extended from its neck as it swayed to and fro.Unlike a cobra''s hood, the frill had multiple bony protrusions sticking around its head and two stubby, vestigial wings protruded from the serpent''s back. Jasper froze, not even daring to breath as the serpent swayed before him.He had no idea how long he sat there, the minutes flowing as quick as mud, but his lack of movement seemed to calm the serpent.Eventually, its frill retracted, and the snake once again curled contently against his leg. Jasper had no idea what to do.As much as he¡¯d loved the Crocodile Hunter as a kid, he was in no mood for a reenactment.And that wasn¡¯t even taking into account the sheer size of the snake.He vaguely remembered documentaries about king cobras that could stand six or so feet up in the air, and he was pretty sure the current specimen snuggled up to him could give the king a run for its money.But, it wasn¡¯t like he could just stay in his bed forever, either.Reluctantly, he forced himself to move.He inched slowly away, his movement calm and controlled, but it was all for naught.The snake, sensing its source of heat was leaving, slithered back up to him. Stiffening, he weighed his options, remembering a spell he hadn¡¯t used in a long time.Eternal Night. He cast the spell cautiously, his hands beginning to glow as the essence leaked from the blue tattoos.The snake reared up again, curious, but not afraid, and then the spell took hold.The sunny room dimmed - Jasper was still able to see clearly enough, but it was as if he was wearing a pair of sunglass indoors - and the temperature dropped as his body heat was erased.Confused, the snake swayed back and forth looking for its source of heat.He scooted back slowly, casting the spell again and again as he inched across the room.When his back pressed against the wall, he finally sprung into action, throwing aside the bar on the door, and squeezing out into the hall. Jasper let the spell end, leaning against the door as he waited for his pulse to stop racing.He didn¡¯t know how the snake had gotten into his room.The door had been shut and, save for an open window ten feet above the ground, the room had been entirely sealed.Had the serpent crawled through that window on its own, searching for a source of warmth? Or - it wasn''t a possibility he wished to acknowledge, but it was one he couldn''t ignore - had someone purposefully slipped the serpent into his room?Someone in the brotherhood had tried to assassinate him in Ka?r-Kupp?, after all. It took a few minutes to calm down, but when his breathing had finally come back under control, Jasper tiptoed down the hall quietly.The compound was still silent, and as he slipped past the sandy courtyard, he was glad to see that the others had not yet risen to begin their morning exercises.The Keeper¡¯s room lay in the corridor beyond the courtyard, and he knocked softly, hoping to avoid waking the rest of the group. He''d rather not become the focus of attention Sounds of shuffling murmured the door after he knocked, and after a few moments of waiting, the old wooden door creaked open a few inches.The old woman stared up at him, her eyes still bleary with sleep.¡°What do you want?Can¡¯t an old woman enjoy her rest?¡± she grouched. But her eyes grew serious as Jasper told her about the snake in his room.Disappearing into her chambers for a second, she emerged holding a long, sharp spear.Its obsidian head glistened in the light of dawn and the long, scrawling rune on its face glowed like embers of coal.¡°Let us see this snake,¡± she said. They were back at his room within minutes.The Keeper opened the door carefully, the strange spear held in front of her.A pulse of light burst from the spearhead, and she swung the shaft to the left just in time to knock the snake¡¯s strike aside.The old woman moved with surprising alacrity as she pinned the creature down. The snake writhed back and forth on the ground, but with its head trapped, it was unable to do any real damage.Reaching into her bag, she drew out a small piece of netting.With a muttered word, she tossed it at the snake.But she lost her firm grip on the spear as she threw the net.Seizing its opportunity, the snake surged forward, sliding free as the expanding netting clanged against the stone uselessly. Ignoring the Keeper, the snake zeroed in on Jasper.Its frill flared as it reared up before Jasper, tall enough that its eyes met his.Its tongue flickered in and out of its mouth as it swayed back and forth, and then it struck.The snake¡¯s reflexes outclassed Jasper¡¯s by a mile, but its sheer size worked against it, slowing it down slightly.He twisted to the side as the snake¡¯s head slammed into the sandstone wall behind him.He threw himself to the ground, aware the snake was already rearing up to the strike again, and snatched up the enchanted net, tossing it blindly behind him. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The attack never came.His aim had flown true, and the net had wrapped around the serpent.Made of twisted metal fibers, with thick ball bearings weighing down its edges, the snake thrashed futilely against its bonds.With a quick thrust of her spear, the Keeper pinned the beast down again and,eaching into her bag, withdrew a bottle.It only took a few drops of the milky-white substance on the snake¡¯s head for it to fall into a slumber. Only then did the Keeper look back at Jasper, her eyes clearly troubled.¡°Why is someone trying to kill you?¡±She demanded flatly. Jasper blanched.¡°What makes you think that?the snake just have come through the window?¡± he demanded. The old woman nodded.¡°Aye, the serpent could have slithered through that window, but not without help.¡±She tapped the ground near the serpent¡¯s head with her spear.¡°I recognize the beast from my days of adventuring.It¡¯s quite common in the eastern wetlands near the coast, a wickedly venomous pest known as the siren¡¯s kiss.¡±She fixed with him a stony glare.¡°It¡¯s a most unpleasant death.The beast¡¯s venom rots your organs from the inside out; you¡¯ll die hemorrhaging blood and ichor from every orifice, screaming in agony.But this snake does not live in the Harei Miqlat.So, I¡¯ll ask you again: why is someone trying to kill you? Jasper felt his stomach drop at the horrific description, but he shook his head resolutely.He doubted the old woman meant him any harm, but he couldn¡¯t afford to risk trusting her with his mission from Kas?dael. She frowned, worry clashing with irritation as he refused to speak.¡°Fine,¡± the Keeper relented, ¡°don¡¯t tell me.But you must be more careful.This snake could not have been cheap to procure - whatever enemies you¡¯ve made must have deep pockets.¡± Scooping up the pacified snake, she turned to leave the room, pausing at the threshold.¡°If you change your mind and want to talk, my door is open.¡±With that she left the room, padding down the quiet corridor. ¡°What was that about?¡± Jasper almost leapt out of his skin as a familiar voice broke the silence.Spinning around, he clasped a hand to his heart as he smiled weakly at Ihra.¡°Selene¡¯s grace, you scared me.I didn¡¯t hear you at all.¡±Ihra grinned.¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been working on my stealth.But seriously, what was that about?Did I just see the Keeper walking away with a giant snake?¡± Her grin faded as he filled her in on what had happened. ¡°We should leave.¡±Ihra snapped, shifting uncomfortably as her eyes scanned the dark recesses of the corridor, perhaps fearing that another of the beasts was lurking in the still dimly lit corners of the tempe. Jasper shook his head.¡°We can¡¯t just leave.I have to do this quest for Kas?dael,¡± he objected. ¡°Yes, but there are other temples to Nahre?mah.I¡¯m sure there¡¯s one in the capital.You haven¡¯t even been here a whole day and somebody already tried to kill you.¡±She spoke quietly, not wanting to wake up the rest of the temple, but her words were fierce. "How you are even supposed to investigate this secret brotherhood if they already know who you are and are trying to kill you?" He sighed.¡°Believe me, I get it; I definitely don''t want to stay, but Kas?dael told me to check out this temple specifically. There must be some reason she sent me here.Plus, I think I already found a lead.¡±He told her what Laylah had said the night before.¡°It sounds like she might be part of this Brotherhood of Yas?gah, or at least has heard of it.I have to check it out.¡± Ihra scowled, her brows knit together like thunderclouds, but his partner reluctantly relented.¡°Fine, we¡¯ll stay another day.But we have to go to the capital soon anyways.A certain someone is expecting you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jasper agreed.¡°I¡¯m sure we won¡¯t finish the quest today, but maybe I can make an inroad with Laylah before we have to meet S?arra?bi?.¡± Ihra didn¡¯t hold back her snort.¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have to do anything to make an ¡®inroad¡¯ with that woman.Her overtures couldn¡¯t be any more obvious.¡± Jasper blushed, his red skin doing its best to hide the incriminating evidence.¡°She¡¯s not that bad.¡± Ihra just laughed.¡°Whatever you have to tell yourself.¡± The morning exercises were torture.Jasper¡¯s muscles were already in agony from the previous day, but the instructor had not a shred of pity, zipping through one form after another with brutal efficiency.His legs were quivering like jello by the end, the sweat coating every inch of his body, but he managed to finish the exercise, ignoring the occasional scornful looks cast his way. He willed himself out of the courtyard, finding a quiet nook out of sight of the others, before allowing himself to collapse. His peace did not last long, however, as a shadow loomed over him. A spell had already leapt to his fingers when he realized he recognized the Djinn.It was Abnu.His hand stiffened, ready to release the spell at the slightest twitch. But the Djinn giant bowed his head, mumbling something softly. ¡°Pardon?¡±Jasper hadn¡¯t caught a word of the Djinn¡¯s speech. Reluctantly, the giant spoke up.¡°I wanted¡­to apologize.¡±He stamped his foot awkwardly.¡°I got carried away in the heat of battle.My actions were dishonorable.¡± ¡°Oh.¡±Jasper was nonplussed, not quite knowing what to say. He certainly hadn''t expected the angry Djinn to apologize.¡°Um, that¡¯s alright, I guess?¡± The large Djinn perked up.¡°Will you ask Lady Hayil to reinstate me in the duels?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know how your rules work, but I guess I don¡¯t care-¡± he smiled ruefully - "as long as I don''t have to fight you again." A grin split the face of the Djinn.¡°That¡¯s great!¡± he exulted with all the enthusiasm of a certain toon tiger.But the giant¡¯s face sobered almost immediately.¡°I really did mean what I said, though.I promise that if we do fight again, I¡¯ll control myself better.¡±With that, he disappeared down the hall with an undeniable bounce in his step. Jasper watched him leave, bemused.Sometimes first impressions can be deceiving, I guess. With a groan, he forced himself to stand up.Despite how much fun he was having with the cult¡¯s endless enthusiasm for exercise, he was here on a mission.It was time to track down Laylah. The Hot Springs Despite the temple''s relatively modest facade, the actual complex was surprisingly large. The area near the entrance was dominated by the spacious sandy courtyard where the duels and exercises were held, but the temple grounds stretched well beyond the courtyard, the majority of it seemingly dedicated to the rows and rows of empty chambers.He and Ihra had snatched the first available rooms they had found, but as Jasper walked down the shady colonnade, he realized that the number of temple recruits he had seen was a mere fraction of what the temple could house. As a result, tracking down Laylah proved to be a more difficult task than anticipated. His hand was worn out from knocking by the time he finally stumbled on her room. Her door was slightly ajar, and through the crack Jasper could see the petite Djinn sprawled across her bed. Her glossy brunette hair spilled across her pillows as she held a book above her face, intently focused on whatever she was reading. She clearly didn''t hear him coming, for when Jasper knocked gently on her door, Laylah practically leapt off the bed, quickly stuffing the book beneath her pillow as the hint of a blush rose to her cheeks. ¡°Um, come in?¡± She said tentatively, peering through the crack in the door, but she relaxed when she saw her guest, a pleased smile slipping across her face. ¡°Jasper, how delightful! Decide you want something after all?¡± She winked at him, arching her back not so subtly. He knew better, but couldn''t stop himself from smiling back, his eyes lingering a moment before he managed to respond. ¡°Actually, yes. These daily exercises are killing me - my muscles haven¡¯t been this sore in years. I thought I¡¯d check out the town¡¯s famous hot springs, if you wanted to come along.¡± She quickly agreed, pulling the door shut behind her as she joined him in the hall. An awkward silence hung between them as they headed back down the colonnade toward the temple entrance. Uncomfortable, Jasper fumbled for a conservation starter. ¡°So¡­what were you reading? Anything good?¡± To his surprise, the usually forward Djinn blushed, quickly averting her eyes. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s...nothing.¡± ¡°No, really,¡± he persisted. ¡°I''m genuinely curious. I used to read all the time back when...where I came from," he corrected himself, "but nobody seems to read much around here.¡± ¡°It was just a romance,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve read much better books in the royal library.¡± ¡°Royal library?¡± he laughed. ¡°Whatever gave you that idea?¡± She smirked. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a secret. One of our members saw you arrive in town with a member of the royal guard, then you requested entrance as a ''legacy.'' Normally, the parentage of a legacy isn''t a secret, but the Keeper wouldn''t tell us, which really got the rumors mills started. It wasn''t particularly difficult to put the pieces together.¡± ¡°Hmmh,¡± Jasper responded non-committally. ¡°In truth, I wasn¡¯t talking about the royal library. I¡¯ve spent most of my life outside the province until recently.¡± He grinned. ¡°So, a romance, huh? Tell me about it.¡± As Jasper gently teased Laylah, he found himself questioning the image he had formed of her. Unless she was a consummate actress - one fit to grace the stage of the Oscars - her brazen overtures struck him as a rather clumsy facade hiding a surprisingly naive romantic. The Keeper had been correct, on one thing though - he had no doubt that she would fling herself into his arms if he asked. She did see him as a meal ticket, of sorts, but it was a ticket to fantasies of love, not wealth, that she sought, the sort of person who was in love with the idea of being in love. He kept the questions casual as they relaxed in the springs. The water was amazing; suffused with some sort of sweet-smelling mineral, the spring was piping hot and exactly what his aching muscles needed. The company wasn¡¯t bad either, he had to admit. Indeed, Jasper had to force himself to remember that he was here for a reason other than flirting with the perky brunette leaning against to him. He felt a bit of guilt as he did it, but keeping his hands hidden beneath the waters, he cast one of his inquisitor spells. Scales of Justice. ¡°So, last night you mentioned something about the real brotherhood of the temple? What¡¯s that?¡± Laylah¡¯s shoulders stiffened at the question, pulling away from him slightly. ¡°Oh, nothing really important. I probably shouldn¡¯t have mentioned it, but I....¡± She trailed off. He persisted. ¡°Come on - you can¡¯t say something mysterious like that and just leave me hanging.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. She hesitated a second longer, but he could already see it in her eyes. She was going to tell him. ¡°Well¡­I really don¡¯t know that much about the brotherhood of Yas?gah. I¡¯m just an initiate,¡± she explained. ¡°But the cult of Nahre?mah is just the first rung of the order, the part that deals with the temple visitors and pilgrims and such. But if you display sufficient devotion to the goddess, the brotherhood will eventually contact you and teach you her sacred rites. At least, that¡¯s how it was for me.¡± He cocked his head to the side. ¡°You¡¯re a true devotee? No offense, you just don¡¯t seem quite as devoted to the battle-junkie scene as the rest of them.¡± She blushed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not really here for the battles,¡± she admitted. She twisted her hands nervously, refusing to meet his gaze. He grabbed her hand gently. ¡°So why are you here?¡± She wilted. ¡°I guess you were going to find out eventually.¡± She finally turned to face him, and he could see a few tears trickling down her cheek. Jasper stared at her in confusion, no longer able to track what was going on. The spell told him that this was no act, that was she speaking the truth. ¡°The warriors worship Nahre?mah as nahrah-re?mah, the goddess of withered mercy, she who brings the final end to the world so that it might live again. But for women, Nahre?mah has another meaning. She is nahru-re?mu, the withered womb, who may become a na?ru-re?mu, a river of mercy.¡± Suddenly, it clicked into place for him. "Are you saying you can¡¯t have children?¡± He asked, gently, not sure how to broach the sensitive topic. She nodded bitterly. ¡°My father was one of the merchants who ply Lake Yarhab and, from birth, I was engaged to the son of my father¡¯s business partner. I grew up my whole life, knowing we were intended for each other, and when the day came, I thought it was the start of everything I had dreamed of. But then two years passed with no children. Healers and potions followed, but still the goddess didn''t bless my womb until," she paused, struggling to finish. "I was set aside." "I had to return to my father''s house in shame. Eventually, I decided to join the temple in hopes that Nahru-re?mu would take pity on me, that she would heal me. I''m sure Qas?tu would never take me back, but if I was healed, maybe somebody would want me.¡± She abruptly stood up, the water raining down from her curves like a storm cloud over the sea. ¡°I''m sorry for trying to deceive you - I''ll just leave. No one¡¯s ever interested in me once they learn the truth.¡± Jasper grabbed her arm. ¡°Wait, you don''t have to go.¡± Laylah hesitated, looking down at him with a bitter smile. ¡°Do you really wish me to believe you''re still interested in me as a partner?" She scoffed, "Were you ever?¡± Seeing the raw pain in her eyes, Jasper debated telling her the truth for a moment, but he couldn''t bring himself to fully trust her. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t entirely know what I¡¯m looking for. I was just hoping to learn more about my mother when I came here, but this place isn¡¯t exactly what I expected.¡± He frowned. "What I want doesn''t seem to matter much these days." The moment of vulnerability was enough. Slowly, she sat back down, managing a weak smile. ¡°I guess I can stay a bit. I still pray daily that the goddess will heal me,¡± she ended, unable to hide the hopeful look on her face. She looked so dejected, Jasper found himself leaning over. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find someone,¡± he assured her. ¡°You¡¯re a beautiful woman.¡± A second later, she latched onto him, her lips finding his with a passion fueled by desperation. His resistance melted immediately, his body betraying him as he kissed her back. It didn¡¯t take long for them to make it back to the temple, settling for the nearest empty room before succumbing to their desire. When the fires of their passion were finally extinguished, they lay entwined together, exhausted and sweaty. The thick sandstone walls kept the worst of the day¡¯s heat away as a warm breeze wafted through the small, barred window. He looked over at the beautiful woman laying next to him with a mixture of relief and regret. It had been a long time - since he had left earth, in fact - but he didn¡¯t want to hurt her. He was barely in control of his life right now, and the relationship she was hoping for just wasn¡¯t in the cards. But as he lay there, his mind clearing from the fog of lust, the nagging little detail that had been lurking in the back of his mind the entire time Laylah told him her story finally came into focus. Thanks to the Scales of Justice, Jasper knew that she had told him nothing but the truth, yet everything she said clashed with what the Keeper had told him. Laylah was hardly a brazen hussy eager to trap him with a bastard - hell, she was only at the temple because she couldn¡¯t have a child - so why had the old woman lied? Suspicion sprung up in his mind. ¡°Laylah, who recruited you to the brotherhood?¡± The pretty Djinn gave him a pouty look, annoyed that he had returned to quizzing her about the secret cult, but she responded nonetheless. ¡°The head of our temple, Lady Hayil, of course. Who else would recruit the faithful?¡± Jasper shot up, grasping her hand. ¡°You¡¯re sure - the Keeper is the one who recruited you.¡± She nodded, confused. ¡°Yes - why?¡± He sprang up from the bed, hopping on one foot as he struggled to pull on his pants. ¡°Laylah, I can¡¯t tell you the details of my mission, but I promise you - this brotherhood is dangerous. Yas?gah is a dark goddess, not a hypostatization of Nahre?mah. Please, if you value your life, leave. I think the Keeper tried to kill me last night and she might just kill you.¡± She started to object, and he grabbed her hand again, finally telling her the truth. ¡°Look, I am not really here because of my mother. I¡¯m here because the goddess herself asked me to investigate the brotherhood. I can¡¯t give you the relationship you want, but I promise you, if you leave the temple, I will personally deliver your request to Kas?dael. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll at least hear me out.¡± Her lips parted in shock, but she finally managed to nod. ¡°You really will beseech the goddess for me?¡± ¡°I promise,¡± he assured her. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go.¡± Satisfied with her word, he released her hand, tugging on his shirt, before he ran out the door and down the hall. If the Keeper really was with the brotherhood, then Ihra might be in trouble. And Laylah, for the first time in years, felt a flutter of hope stir within her. Predator and Prey After the morning exercises, Ihra had gone looking for Jasper.She had found him just in time to see him slipping out of the temple with the curvy Djinn, clearly headed for the hot springs.She hadn¡¯t let him go in peace, knowing that he planned to interrogate the woman - although Ihra had a sneaking suspicion that the interrogation might not be as one-sided, or as strictly professional, as he expected.Laylah clearly had designs on her friend, but truthfully, Ihra didn¡¯t think it would be the worst thing if he succumbed.Sometimes a little stress release was exactly what the doctor had ordered. But with Jasper occupied, she found herself at odds and ends.Unlike Jasper, she was not a member of the cult, merely a guest in the temple. The vast majority of the members had disappeared after the morning exercise, and the few that she did see walking around the grounds largely ignored her besides occasionally tossing a friendly nod in her direction. aimlessly wandering around the temple until, to her surprise, she came across a small library. The library wasn¡¯t much to talk about, a single room barely larger than the many empty bedrooms that filled the temple''s silent grounds, but the room was used to its fullest potential - every inch of the walls, from floor to ceiling, was stacked high with books.The library had a small desk that perhaps housed a clerk but it was abandoned. Seeing no guards to stop her, Ihra decided to browse through the books, driven more by idle curiosity than anything else. But her interest grew sharper when she discovered a small section on magic.Despite having successfully completed Lady Kaks?¡¯s trial, she hadn¡¯t figured out how to fully activate her class.She had read and reread Aphora¡¯s book on runes, but still had no idea how to carve the runes onto her body as her class required. Aphora''s book didn''t even mention the possibility.But the temple library, small though it was, did have one book on runic magic.A new one. Ihra felt a little guilty as she pulled the book off the shelves; she had the sneaking suspicion that if the clerk was here to man the desk she would not be welcome to browse the library. But she didn''t let it stop here. After all, she reasoned, if they really cared that much, they should have set security. They had no one to blame but themselves. But her rationalizations didn''t stop her from leaving the library as soon as she had snatched up the volume, not wanting to read it there and risk the clerk returning.he found a secluded nook in the colonnade, tucked out of sight of the library, and curled up with the book.She flipped through the early chapters quickly, skimming through the pages disinterestedly.It was all stuff she knew already: musings about the origins of the power that field the runes, a list of known runes that spanned several pages, and rituals for basic healing ceremonies and combat spells.But the book changed halfway through as a second title page appeared.Fifty Years Amongst the Huedar: A New Runic Language. The Huedar?Ihra wrinkled her brow, struggling to remember why the name seemed familiar.Curious, she flipped the page over. The meaning of the name came rushing back to her as she scanned the introduction.The Fey that the Empire usually dealt with were ruled by the hostile Ya¡¯ari, the ruling clan that had initiated the devastating Fey wars.But it had long been believed that there was another powerful Fey faction, the Huedar, rivals of the Ya¡¯ari who dwelt in the depths of the uncharted south.The empire had even tried - and failed - to reach them during the Fey wars in hopes that the Huedar would prove an ally.But if the author of this book were to believe, the Huedar were very real.A Djinn who had once belonged to Nahre?mah¡¯s cult, the scribe claimed to have found himself in Huedar territory after a portal ritual had malfunctioned. It is an incredible claim, but not an entirely unbelievable tale, Ihra mused.Portal rituals had a reputation for being expensive and unreliable, not exactly a winning combination unless you were daring or desperate.But as she thumbed through the book, her doubts begin to slip away. Page after page was filled with runes and rituals she¡¯d never seen, an entirely new script that resembled the one she¡¯d learned from Aphora but was different enough to make its decipherment difficult.If the author was a fraud, he¡¯d put a considerable amount of time and effort into it. And then she found a section on runic enhancements. Some of the Huedars¡¯ classes incorporate runic magic directly into their body.While the runes thus employed sacrifice a portion of their strength, unable to match the power of a properly prepared battle ritual, what they lose in strength is made up for in flexibility.No longer forced to rely on long, complicated rituals, a Huedar runic warrior is able to deploy weaker versions of the runes in direct combat. The runes are indirectly inscribed on the flesh of the warrior.Most runic warriors I have observed have runes tattooed on them, usually just two at a time, although more powerful warriors may eventually be covered in them.Others employ a different process, using acid to scar the skin into the desired pattern.These warriors claim the scarring produces more powerful effects, although the priests I am staying with have assured me that these claims are baseless. The most important part of the process, as far as I can determine, is the use of modified runes.The priests would not teach me the runes used by the runic warriors, but after years of observation, I have succeeded in recording some of them and the effects they appear to produce.All attempts to replicate their power on my own body, however, have been unsuccessful; perhaps a suitable class is required in order to activate them. What followed was two pages filled with runes.Smaller and less complicated than those used in most rituals, their swirls and whorls were quite unlike the runes she already knew.Yet another script? Ihra wondered. But it was worth a try, she decided.She pulled her notebook out of her bag of holding, jotting down the runes and their description as quickly as possible until the echo of footsteps rang down the hall.Acting quickly, she stuffed the two books into her bag, leaning back against the wall with a studied casualness. Her shoulders knotted up in tension as a familiar face came into view.Abnu.The giant oaf may have done no harm in the end, but he had certainly tried to hurt Jasper, a deed she could not easily forgive.Ihra straightened up in her seat, mentally preparing herself to spring into motion at the slightest sign of trouble. But the Djinn only flashed her a friendly smile, bowing his head slightly as he came to a stop before her. ¡°Lady Ihra?¡±He spoke nothing but her name, but she could hear the question trailing off at the end. She responded reluctantly.¡°Yes?¡± The Djinn smiled broadly, apparently taking her response as an invitation to sit down beside her.Suffocating a sigh, Ihra squeezed over to accommodate the massive warrior. ¡°I was just...wondering if the rumors were true?¡± She arched an eyebrow.¡°Rumors?What rumors?¡± The giant shifted easily in his seat, leaning back against the cool sandstone wall.¡°The whole temple has been abuzz with talk since you and Jasper arrived.Qatlah swore she saw a member of the royal guard with you when you first came into the city, Jasper is clearly some sort of young mage prodigy, and then there¡¯s your horns - err, antlers,¡± he corrected himself.¡°Surely, you must be an elf.Everyone¡¯s saying Jasper must be a prince and you his elven betrothed.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Ihra didn¡¯t bother to hide her sigh this time, rolling her eyes.Not this again.Why does everyone assume a guy and a girl can¡¯t just be friends? ¡°You know, Abnu, there are really only two types of rumors - rumors that are nothing more than the fantasies of idle minds and rumors that have an element of truth to them but will never be confirmed because the subject of those rumors wish to keep their private lives private. In either case, rumors aren''t worth spreading.¡± Abnu grinned back at her, his enthusiasm seemingly unaffected by her obvious irritation.¡°Okay, okay,¡± he relented.¡°But tell me one thing at least - you are an elf, aren¡¯t you? One of Yarha¡¯s kin?¡± Even if Ihra felt inclined to answer his question - and she didn¡¯t - she wasn¡¯t sure if she could.Before meeting Jasper, the answer would have been easy - hell, she never would have been asked the question in the first place.Her parents and brother were certainly no elves and neither was she.But the void had changed her, altered her in ways she still didn''t understand, but one thing seemed clear.The mark it had left on her soul had somehow activated her elven lineage.The antlers were the most troubling evidence of this. Ihra had certainly been born a Corsythian, but Corsythians didn¡¯t have antlers.Even the Celestians, who prided themselves on millennia of intermarriage with the elves of Yammaqom and enjoyed a plenitude of boons to their lifespan and power still didn¡¯t grow antlers.It just didn¡¯t happen. Which left her facing an uncomfortable truth - Ihra simply didn¡¯t know what she was anymore.She was certainly an elf in appearance, possibly after her class change equal to one in power too, but not in culture.Would the elves accept her as one of them, or was she trapped between identities, neither one nor the other?Ihra was saved from having to answer Abnu¡¯s question as someone else appeared in the corridor. The tension in her shoulders eased as she saw the old woman making her way toward them.The Keeper¡¯s silver hair paired well with her almost wine-colored skin, and her simple white robe was gathered at her waist beside her sword.Strong and thick, the simple falchion was a warrior¡¯s weapon, focused on overwhelming strength. The Keeper smiled gently.¡°Ihra?I was wondering if you wished to join me for maqta in my office.¡±Ihra recognized the term after a second, remembering the sickeningly sweet beverage the Moon-kissed had served them. ¡°Um, I guess?¡± But Abnu reached out, grabbing her wrist gently but firmly.His friendly exuberance was replaced by a sudden seriousness.¡°Actually, Keeper Hayil, Ihra and I were just about to begin a friendly duel.The challenge was already issued and accepted, which as you know, must be carried out.¡± Ihra opened her mouth to object to Abnu''s bald-faced lied, but her mouth closed with the words yet unspoken.For just a split second - but that was all it had taken - the old woman¡¯s friendly mien had flickered.Anger - pure, unfettered rage - surged through the Keeper''s eyes before the tempest was smoothed away. Something isn''t right with her, she suddenly realized. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can fight your duel later, Abnu.¡±Lady Hayil''s words were stiff, but Abnu shook his head obstinately.¡°Surely, you know better than that, Keeper - our code of conduct must be rigorously upheld.I¡¯m sure you can have tea with Ihra on a different day.¡± An awkward silence stretched between the three as the Keeper hesitated, no easy rebuttal leaping to her lips.urning heel, the old women took a few steps down the corridor as if she was departing. Before her class change, Ihra would never have seen the blow coming.Stats could decay with old age, but the woman, even if she had lost a step, was still a monster.Ihra barely managed to react, her head only sliding a few inches to the left as she started to fling herself off the seat.It was just enough.The falchion whistled past her ear, the thick sword propelled by so much power that the blade buried itself into the soft, sandstone walls. The Keeper didn¡¯t even struggle to remove her weapon, yanking the sword back out with casual ease as she launched a slash straight toward Ihra.She desperately fumbled to draw Aphora¡¯s misericorde, but the Keeper''s blow was blocked by another.With a roar, Abnu knocked the falchion¡¯s swing off its trajectory, his clawed fist smashing straight into the old woman¡¯s chest. The force of his strike was truly prodigious, knocking the Keeper off her feet.She was flung several feet down the corridor, landing with a thud as the falchion fell out of her hands, spinning across the stone pavement out of her reach. Abnu leapt toward her, swinging his fists straight toward her head. An audible crack rang down the halls as the paving stones crumbled beneath the weight of his blow, but the Keeper had already rolled out of his way.Nor did the loss of her weapon faze her.As she sprung to her feet, she drew another falchion out of her bag, surging forward to deliver a powerful thrust.Somehow, Abnu managed to intercept the blade. Closing his monstrous hand around it, the two fought for control of the weapon, although the blood dripping on the floor told Ihra his struggle came at a price. Dropping the misericorde, she drew her bow, firing an arrow straight at the Keeper¡¯s head.Another falchion appeared in her left hand as, with a flick of her wrist, the old woman deflected the arrow.But the moment of inattention was enough to give Abnu an opening, his clawed hand raking across her face.The pain seemed to give her strength, though.Her weapon surged forward again, the sharp tip plunging into Abnu¡¯s shoulder.He roared in rage, his grip slipping off the Keeper. Ignoring the Djinn, she flickered forward, her blade dancing in a wide arc as it swung straight toward Ihra¡¯s neck. Ihra tried to throw herself backward, but this time it wasn¡¯t enough.The tip of the Keeper¡¯s blade sliced through the soft tissues of her throat.She landed on the floor hard, her strength rapidly ebbing as an eruption of blood gushed from her ruptured arteries. And then her new skill activated. A tremor convulsed her body, her back arching wildly as she thrashed on the floor.And then she was standing up again, the wounds in her neck healed.Well, not standing up exactly.Utterly disoriented, Ihra stamped her hooves - wait, hooves? - against the ground as an angry snort echoed down the hall. The Keeper, taken aback by the unexpected transformation, hesitated for just a second.Rearing up on her hind legs, Ihra lashed out.Her hooves, unlike a natural deer, were forged from sharp iron with rows of cruel barbs protruding along the side.The hooves smashed into the old woman, shredding her leather armor as if it were made of wax paper. But adventurers did not make it to old age by being incompetent. The Keeper''s momentary hesitation was overridden as her reflexes kicked in to save her.She slid to the side, avoiding the worst of Ihra¡¯s blow, and lined up her own strike as the awkward deer struggled to pivot.She had, however, forgotten about Abnu.Her strike never landed as the Djinn giant tackled her to the ground, roaring with rage.His body seemed stuck in a partial transformation, large clumps of shaggy, striped fur clinging to his form, his clawed hands now closer to paws. Somehow the Keeper, despite the many blows she had taken, found the strength to toss the half-transformed giant off her, staggering to her feet, as she reached into her bag again.But she never got the chance to draw the falchion she was searching for as Ihra took the opening Abnu had gift her.The hexing hind charged across the narrow corridor, hitting the woman like a runaway freight train.Ihra slammed the Keeper against the wall, her iron antlers skewering the woman''s rib cage and, with her internal organs utterly shredded, the Keeper breathed her last. Ihra tried to pull back, to remove herself from the corpse attached to her, but she couldn¡¯t move.Her head was somehow stuck to the wall.Panicking, the deer begin to thrash violently until a giant paw patted it gently on the back.¡°Calm down. Calm down.Your antlers are stuck in the wall, but I¡¯ll get them out.¡±The voice was deep and guttural, the words difficult to understand, but the soothing tone and gentle patting broke through the deer''s panicked instincts, bringing Ihra back to her mind.It took some effort, but he managed to pry her loose. The two looked at each other awkwardly, a deer and a partially transformed tiger standing over the shattered corpse of the temple¡¯s priestess.Ihra wanted to speak, wanted to know why Abnu had helped her, but her mouth simply couldn¡¯t form the words, and she had no idea how to transform back, only dimly recalling that the skill was perhaps on a timer. The deer¡¯s ears pricked up as the heavy clatter of steps echoed down the corridor.he broadened her stance, prepared to charge the new threat when a familiar face came into view.Jasper. Reluctant Allies Jasper nearly skidded to a halt as a strange scene unrolled before him. It was like something out of one of those absurd, utterly nonsensical dreams, the sort of dream where you find yourself back in college, manning the registers in a retail store with your best friend, a flying turtle, and somehow never think to question it. A large deer stood in the hall, its legs spread over an oddly shaped bundle of white and red that Jasper realized belatedly was a corpse. The deer¡¯s metallic horns and hooves were slick with blood and beside it, with one paw gently stroking the deer¡¯s back, stood¡­some sort of weretiger? Still mostly human save for the mottled patches of fur that covered his skin and the two giant paws that were formerly his hand, it took a moment for Jasper to recognize his overly-enthusiastic sparring partner. What the hell is going on? The deer rushed forward to greet him, gently nudging its bloodied antlers against his chest like a horse begging for sugar cubes. He rubbed its head uncertainly, trying not to cringe at the spattered gore that painted its fur and antlers. ¡°Uh, Ihra?¡± Abnu limped over to him. ¡°Your elf is truly a match worthy of you, my lord. I had no idea she was powerful enough to shapeshift.¡± The deer¡¯s head whipped around, and despite her inability to vocalize, her glare spoke volumes. The Djinn raised his paws placatingly. ¡°My apologies, Lady Ihra, I misspoke. I meant no offense in referring to you as ¡®his¡¯ elf.¡± Jasper scratched his ear awkwardly, struggling to piece the situation together as he bent down to examine the mangled corpse.¡°Is this the Keeper?¡± Abnu nodded. ¡°Lady Hayil attacked us and we were forced to defend ourselves. She must have been on to me. I cannot say it was unexpected, but I had hoped for a different outcome.¡± Damn, grandma really did get run over by a reindeer. But something Abnu said caught his attention. ¡°Wait - you said she was on to you? What are you talking about? Why are you even here?¡± Jasper leaned forward, squinting up at the massive Djinn, as an almost forgotten incident sprang to the forefront of his mind. ¡°Wait a minute¡­the tiger in the jungle¡­are you a seraph?¡± The giant Djinn shrugged, waving a half-paw up and down and his body. ¡°Are you just now figuring this out? Surely my size was a dead giveaway.¡± He stuffed his paws into his bag, struggling to pull something out. One of his claws got caught on the edge of the pack, but after a moment of thrashing, he succeeded in pulling it out, holding a small bottle out to Jasper. ¡°Any chance you can pop this open for me? My paws have a serious lack of thumbs.¡± Jasper grabbed the healing potion, twisting off the cap. The still partially transformed Djinn leaned backward letting Jasper pour it down his throat. He was startled, though, when a strangled bleat echoed behind him, followed by the sound of flesh hitting the pavement. Whipping around, he saw Ihra sprawled across the ground in a tangle of limbs, and ran over to her. ¡°You all right?¡± he asked, helping her sit up. Ihra moved slowly, as if in a daze, her eyes still half-glazed over. ¡°That was the strangest feeling ever.¡± He could feel a shudder run down her back as her gaze fell on the Keeper¡¯s mangled body. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace,¡± she cursed. ¡°Did I really skewer somebody with my¡­antlers?¡± He patted her back sympathetically, leaping back with a muttered curse when a second later she bent over and vomited. When her stomach was cleared, he helped her over to a bench carved into the walls, and she leaned back, closing her eyes from the sight. He hesitated a moment, his eyes darting back and forth between the corpse and the corridor, half expecting at any moment for the rest of the temple to come swarming out to investigate the racket. Where the hell is everyone? But no one appeared, and after a few tense moments, he looked back up at Ihra. ¡°So¡­what exactly happened here?¡± Abnu butted in, answering for Ihra. ¡°The Keeper attacked us - I assumed because of me, but now I¡¯m not so sure; it seems you and your elven friend had some business with the Keeper as well?¡± he continued, in a questioning tone. Jasper frowned. ¡°Wait, so you weren¡¯t here because of me? Once I realized you were a seraph¡­¡± He trailed off, suddenly feeling embarrassed. As soon as he had realized Abnu was a seraph, he¡¯d just assumed that the seraph, who kept hovering around him, was somehow there because of him - either due to his fictional background as a bastard prince with a seraph father or his strange encounter with the shapeshifting seraph in the jungles of Sapi?ya. But Abnu stared back at him with a genuine expression of confusion. ¡°Why would I be interested in you?¡± The giant Djinn questioned, cocking his head to the side. Jasper¡¯s ruddy cheeks hid his blush as he shook his head. ¡°Err - never mind. Forget I said that. So why are you here then?¡± Abnu hesitated, clearly debating whether to respond, but his gaze shifted to Ihra, who was still leaning against the wall half-dazed. ¡°Your friend has earned the right to a few questions,¡± he finally said. ¡°I belong to the Namurru clan,¡± he said, puffing his chest out proudly. A moment later he look a little deflated as he saw Jasper¡¯s questioning look. ¡°I am surprised you do not know of us. We are¡­I guess you could call us troubleshooters.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Jasper raised an eyebrow at the use of the strangely modern-sounding term, but didn¡¯t comment on it. ¡°And what trouble were you shooting here?¡± ¡°The seraphs have a long history of joining the cult of Nahre?mah. We enjoy fighting and have a physical advantage over most Djinn so,¡± he shrugged, ¡°it¡¯s no surprise that many of our youth join its ranks for a few years.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°In the last few years, some of our kin in the cult have gone missing. It¡¯s not exactly unheard of for our young to be seized by wanderlust and take off for a few years so, at first, it went unnoticed, but as the years stretched on and they still didn¡¯t return, questions started to be asked.¡± He hung his head in shame. ¡°It took us far too long to recognize the pattern. The Namurru are supposed to protect the other clans, but we failed. Looking back, we now believe that the cult may have been preying on members of our clans for several decades, but the numbers taken were low enough that we didn¡¯t notice until the number of missing rose over the last few years.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re targeting seraphs specifically?¡± Jasper asked. Abnu shrugged, rolling his shoulders. ¡°Who knows? The Namurru are only concerned with the seraphs; we do not keep records of other Djinn, although I see no reason to assume that we have been singled out.¡± He waved his hand toward the long, silent corridor. ¡°Surely you¡¯ve noticed how empty this temple is; a few decades ago, all these rooms would have been filled. We have very few answers currently, but we have reason to believe that some or all of the cult may have been coopted into the worship of a dark goddess.¡± His face darkened like a tempest. ¡°I fear our missing brethren have been sacrificed.¡± ¡°You mean the brotherhood of Yasgah?¡± The Djinn¡¯s brows shot through the ceiling. ¡°I am, although I¡¯m surprised to hear that name from your lips.¡± His gaze sharpened as he glanced down at the mangled heap between them. ¡°Was Hayil indeed attacking your friend and not me? I take it that means you have some enmity with the brotherhood.¡± Jasper barked a laugh. ¡°You could say that. I¡¯m pretty sure she already tried to kill me last night - after being here for all of a single day - and the brotherhood has definitely made some attempts on my life in the past.¡± ¡°Then we have a shared interest, it seems.¡± The Djinn glanced venomously down at the body, spitting on the mangled corpse of the old woman. ¡°So be the fate of all cultists,¡± he snarled. Then, bending down, he scooped up the Keeper¡¯s body off the floor and, to Jasper¡¯s astonishment, managed to stuff her corpse into his bag of holding, the body seeming to shrink as it slid through the opening. With the corpse disposed of, the Djinn glanced up at him impatiently. ¡°Why are you just standing there? Come, help me clean this floor up. We have much to do and not much time in which to do it.¡± Springing into action, Jasper bent down and helped the man scrub at the viscous coating of blood and gore that spackled the sandstone tiles. He couldn¡¯t help glancing over his shoulder from time to time, still confused that no one had come to inverstigate. ¡°Where is everyone anyways? Didn¡¯t they hear the fight?¡± Abnu shook his head, rubbing hard at a particularly stubborn spot. ¡°I am not the only one from my clan investigating the cult. One of my friends arranged for the members to perform exhibition duels for a local orphanage after the morning exercises. The Keeper was supposed to go with them, giving me the opportunity to search her office for evidence. Until she didn¡¯t.¡± He peered over Jasper. ¡°I¡¯m guessing now that you had something to do with that.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Jasper offered halfheartedly. But even the most zealous of scrubbing couldn¡¯t erase every trace of blood from the porous sandstone. The Djinn, however, had a solution for the problem. Taking a pouch of sand from his bag, he covered the stained patches thoroughly then poured a clear, yellow potion over the sand, smoothing it out with gentle strokes. Within the second the mixture had soaked in, covering all signs of the crime with a fresh coat of sandstone. It was perhaps a little too clean, Jasper thought, but it was definitely better than a bloodstain. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty neat trick,¡± Jasper observed. The cheerful Djinn grinned, baring his sharp black teeth. ¡°Aye, it¡¯s actually a skill usually learned by maids but our clan has long appreciated it for its more creative uses.¡± Standing up, he brushed the remnants of sand off his hand. ¡°It will be difficult to explain the Keeper¡¯s sudden absence but perhaps you, my friend, can help.¡± The Djinn pulled a piece of paper out of his bag, handing it to Jasper. ¡°You are of the royal house, correct?¡± Jasper nodded reluctantly. ¡°Go back to your home in the capital, then. I will tell everyone that the Keeper decided to accompany you to the palace. Everyone already knows that she knew your mother, so it won¡¯t be too unbelievable. It will keep the questions at bay for at least a few weeks.¡± Jasper frowned.¡°But I have my own investigation to attend to.Kas?dael, uh Nahre?mah,¡± he corrected himself, ¡°is counting on me.¡± Abnu grunted in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re working for the goddess herself?¡± Jasper reluctantly nodded, kicking himself for his slip-up, but the Djinn simply looked impressed. ¡°So you¡¯re not totally unimportant - connections with the goddess and the royal family. Good to know.¡± He shoved the paper back in Jasper¡¯s hands. ¡°Go ahead, take it. I¡¯m sure my clan will feel the need to investigate you further, but for the time being, we can work together. The name of one of my associates who works in the capital temple is on there. Give things a few days to calm down, and then swing by there. They can fill you in on whatever we¡¯ve learned.¡± ¡°But what about her office?¡± Jasper objected. ¡°Whatever I find, I will share, regardless of what further cooperation my clan will or not agree to. Unless, of course,¡± he growled, ¡°I discover you played me for a fool and were really working with her. In which case, being a member of the royal family won¡¯t save you from our vengeance.¡± Jasper rolled his eyes. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m totally working for the woman who tried to kill me and my partner. However did you catch on to my clever, clever plan?¡± The Djinn scowled at his sarcasm, as Jasper weighed the paper in his hands. Absolutely nothing about the situation had gone the way he¡¯d planned, and he wasn¡¯t sure how much he trusted the seraphs to actually share information with him. But with S?arra?bi?¡¯s deadline hanging over his head, his choices were pretty limited, not to mention the problem of dealing with the potential fallout from the Keeper¡¯s disappearance. He decided to take a leap of faith. S?ams?a?du?r ¡°Adar the Third, S?ams?a?du?r the Fifth, Abna?el the Second-¡± S?ams?a?du?r - the sixteenth of the name - smiled as the droning voices of the children drifted past his ear.It didn¡¯t feel like that much time had passed since he was sitting among them, learning the history of the great durgu?. If only I was still there, he thought ruefully. Those were the days. But time stands stills for no one, and his smile slipped as the events of the past few hours surged back into his mind.He suppressed his shudder, though, not wanting his father¡¯s guards to see it. despised interrogating prisoners, but weakness was not tolerated amongst his kin, especially not in the third prince of the dwarven kingdom of Bira?na?ti. Unfortunately for him, his skills were too useful to allow him the freedom his younger brothers got to enjoy.It was rare, after all, for a dwarf to gain a class from the inquisitor tree, and rarer still for it to be a mage-oriented variant.It wasn¡¯t all bad; thanks to his class he wielded a power that few third sons of second wives would ever see, but S?amsa?du?r wasn¡¯t blind to the costs. He saw the muttered curses and dark glances thrown his way when the guards weren''t looking, the looks only reinforcing the impenetrable stain he felt on his soul.Truly his god had cursed him. But S?ams?a?du?r immediately vanquished the thoughts, balling up his dark musings and shoving them into the furthest corners of his mind where they could not disturb him any longer.For a change, his father, King Hals?u?tu had given him the rest of the day and the next two off, a pleasant relief from the endless stress of the last few months. S?ams?a?du?r already had it all planned out.His friends and mistress were waiting for him at the harbor, and if he knew them, they were no doubt already on his boat and halfway through a keg of beer.From there, they¡¯d cruise along the coast of the inland sea drinking, partying, and - if he wasn¡¯t too drunk to hold a pole - perhaps fishing. But his dreams were dashed when he felt the necklace dangling around his throat begin to heat up.Damn it.He knew too well what it meant - his father was summoning him.S?ams?a?du?r could only grit his teeth in silent fury as he reluctantly turned around, heading to the throne room.His only hope was that whatever his father wanted would be brief. The throne room lay at the top of the great fortress, built into the highest peak of the mountain they called home.It would have been a daunting trip if anyone was forced to walk there, but the dwarves were too paranoid to allow such easy access to the heart of their kingdom.No walkways had been built to the throne room, which was protected on all sides by sheer cliffs.The only access, or at least the only access that was public knowledge, was through the runic lifts which made the ascent up the mountain quick, easy, and completely controlled by the crown. The lift mage offered S?ams?a?du?r a friendly nod as his entourage stepped onto the platform.He ignored it for a second, in a decidedly foul mood, but his better senses prevailed and he nodded back.S?ams?a?du?r had enough enemies in the castle; there was nothing to be gained from making more. The platform rose swiftly, soaring past level after level of the capital city, before reaching the icy heights where his father dwelt.Today¡¯s mage was more skilled than most. Rather than the usually abrupt jerk, the platform came to a smooth halt at the top, and S?ams?a?du?r tossed him a coin in gratitude as he stepped off the platform, making sure to fix the mage''s face in his mind for the next time, before continuing into the grand hall. The ceiling vaulted far above his head, held aloft by polished pillars carved from the very rock that the dwarven kingdom''s wealth was founded upon - black granite streaked with thick, rich veins of silver.Each pillar was unique, carved in the shape of long-forgotten durgu? heroes who watched over their descendants with disappointed expressions.The floor was the true marvel of the fortress, though.Every inch of its surface was covered in layer upon layer of interlocking runes, weaving a spell of protection that their best mages could not even begin to understand. Despite having roamed these halls since he was but a lad, S?ams?a?du?r never got past the feeling of awe the ancient hall inspired in him.The dwarves built nothing unless it was on a grand scale, a testament to their power and wealth. Privately though, S?ams?a?du?r had always felt that the sheer size of their architecture was also a testament to their not-so-subtle insecurity about their height. Still, whenever he was called to the throne room, whose hallowed halls were built long before the kingdom¡¯s foundation, he couldn¡¯t help but call to mind the myths he had been taught as a child.His nanny, a positively ancient old relic, had told him many stories of the days when dwarves were giants. The mightiest and most warlike of the races beneath their father¡¯s light, the durgu? had ruled all the lands from the inland sea to the western shores until the elves, jealous of their power, cursed them to be forever bound close to the earth. Diminished in a quite literal sense, the dwarves had withdrawn into their fortresses, biding their time until they could take their revenge.It was a ridiculous story, of course, but sometimes, when wandering through the oversized halls, he wondered if the old woman¡¯s myths had contained a germ of truth. But if the dwarves were shadows of what they had once been, they had become as gods compared to the races that surrounded them.Ever parsimonious with their use of magic, in large part because few dwarves were even born with a talent for essence, they had not suffered the precipitous loss of power that the Empire had, which was, no doubt, the reason his father had summoned him.The dwarves had long grown restless in their mountain homes, no longer content with kingdoms in place of empires. More and more, the nobles spoke of reclaiming their lands of old, even if those claims were little more than myth. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As he approached the great throne, S?ams?a?du?r saw his father was not on it.Instead, a table had been set up at the base, around which a host of dignitaries were gathered.e recognized a few of them immediately, nobles and heads of the important clans from around his father¡¯s kingdom, but a large group quite literally stood out from the rest. Enormous men and women draped in thick fur cloaks, there could be no doubt as to their identity. Strythani, he realized, but what the hell are they doing here? The strythani, or skinchangers as the dwarves often derogatorily called them, were their neighbors to the north.A collection of largely independent clans - although they claimed to all be ruled by an unseen divine ancestor - the strythani were valiant warriors, nearly unkillable on the battlefield thanks to their healing transformations.They would prove valuable allies indeed if his father could win them to his side, but S?ams?a?du?r was skeptical.Although they lived outside the empire¡¯s borders, the strythani had longstanding ties with the Corsythians. What is father doing? His elder brother, Abna?el, already engaged in close conversation with the delegation, caught his eye, and S?ams?a?du?r headed over to join them.Smothering his irritation, he plastered a smile as he approached the group, his hands carefully hidden in his cloak as he begin to cast the spell that had stolen his freedom.S?alas?i?nu. The meeting stretched long into the night. The idle chatter, the fake smiles, the hollow laughs - everything about these events grated on S?ams?a?du?r, with the sole bright spot being the magnificent feast spread before them.His father, whatever other faults he may have had, was a generous host.The table was piled high with every imaginable delicacy, while a troupe of dancers, deep under the influence of illuru? swayed and twirled to the singing of the bards. But he plastered on his brightest smile, and mingled with their raucous guests. He focused his attention on the strythani, lurking on the edges of the crowd as his older brother - ever the charismatic one - held them spellbound. S?ams?a?du?r was the one casting the real spells, however, spamming S?alas?i?nu over and over again, as he sought to catch a glimpse of their minds.As always, most of what he saw was useless - men leering at the scantily clad dancers, thinking of home, of the next bite of food they were about to eat, of their desperate need to relieve themselves - but S?ams?a?du?r had long ago discovered that if you cast your net out often enough, you eventually would catch a fish. It was nearly dawn when the festivities finally drew to a close, and the Strytahni delegation, most of them deep in their cups by now, were led back by the servants to their rooms.No such rest awaited S?ams?a?du?r.He sat on the steps to the throne, his eyes half-closed in exhaustion, until his father finally made his appearance. Hals?u?tu was a large man - for a durgu, that is - with shoulders as broad as an ox and muscles that rivaled a Gemlirian¡¯s.His nose with red with drinking and his steps were uncertain as he sat down beside his sun.S?ams?a?du?r waited patiently as his father drained a potion.The effects took effect almost immediately, driving the degradations of the drink away. With suddenly clear eyes, the king turned to face him.¡°Well, can the Strytahni be trusted to hold up their end of the deal?With their aid, we could crush the king of Hadi?n¡¯s forces before the emperor has time to reinforce him.As long as the elves and Djinn stay out of it, the war would be as good as won.¡± S?ams?a?du?r closed his eyes, contemplating the various thoughts he had managed to steal throughout the night.He knew the answer his father was hoping for, but the information he had gathered painted a more complicated picture.The leader of the Strytahni, a woman calling herself Naqmah, was completely sincere in her offer.S?ams?a?du?r hadn¡¯t succeeded in uncovering the reason for the Strytahni¡¯s hatred, but he had gained enough information to be certain that Naqmah bore a deep-seated grudge against the Empire, a grudge that she was eager to satiate in blood. But few in her delegation share her hatred.The Strytahni were the only race of men to dwell on the western shores of the Inland Sea, surrounded on all sides by the many dwarven lords, and they had long looked to the empire as their natural allies.Despite the empire¡¯s current weakness, those feelings did not die easily, and she was not the only heir to her clan. ¡°No,¡± he finally concluded, opening his eyes.¡°I don¡¯t think you can rely on them as allies, father.¡± The king scowled but gestured for him to continue. ¡°I believe Naqmah is completely sincere in her hatred of the Corsythians, but her leaders can not be trusted to support her.I detected in more than one of them thoughts of treachery against her.If she concludes an alliance with you, father, I doubt she will live long enough to see it through.¡± After a long moment of silence, the king grunted in acknowledgment.¡°Very well, it was too much of a stroke of luck to hope for I suppose.Our plans will proceed as usual then.¡± ¡°Are you going to warn her father?¡±S?ams?a?du?r wasn¡¯t really sure why he¡¯d asked; maybe, if he was able to be honest with himself, he could have acknowledged that the beautiful barbarian had caught his eye, but S?ams?a?du?r was never a big fan of self-reflection. His father simply shrugged.¡°Why?If she cannot deliver on her promises, what use do I have for her?The strythani will someday crawl at our feet, but not until we have dealt with their shield.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think their divine king will stop you?¡± The king snorted.¡°No one alive today has ever heard or seen their supposed protector.He is nothing more than a myth, son, a tall tale they tell to fill gullible minds with fear.Their only true shield is the empire, and once that has fallen, they will have to bow to us - with or without Naqmah¡¯s support.Let her sort out her own problems - what good is an ally who cannot manage her own people?¡± With a sigh, the king stood up and begin the long trek up the cascade of stairs that rippled down from the great throne.But he paused a few steps up, looking back at his third son with a rare expression of fondness.¡°You know, Du?ra, you should really be running to your boat now.My messages can¡¯t thwart your plans if you aren¡¯t here to get them.¡± S?ams?a?du?r didn¡¯t need to be told twice, and this time he made it out of the palace without the necklace summoning him back to the throne room.But not before stopping at a certain leader¡¯s room and whispering a few quiet words of warning in her ear. His father was wrong - even a weak ally was better than none at all. S?adda?nu ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll play along,¡± Jasper agreed, accepting the information Abnu offered him.¡°I do have one condition, though.¡± The Djinn¡¯s jubilant smile grew wary.¡°Oh?What''s your condition?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you know Laylah?¡± The Djinn snorted.¡°Of course.There¡¯s only a few score of us left in the temple.There¡¯s no one here I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Well, she was vaguely associated with the brotherhood-¡± Jasper saw the tempests begin to form on Abnu¡¯s brow and spoke faster, the words tumbling out of his mouth as he sought to reassure the Djinn.¡°Laylah knows nothing of value.I promise.¡± ¡°Perhaps the little vixen deceived you,¡± Abnu countered, but Jasper shook his head emphatically.¡°No, I have an inquisitor spell that lets me know if someone is telling the truth or not, and she was entirely honest with me. She was barely an initiate with the group. Frankly, based on what you¡¯ve told me, it wouldn''t surprise me if she was intended as one of the brotherhood¡¯s victims, just like your kin.¡±Abnu¡¯s face softened, and Jasper pressed on.¡°Can you make sure she gets taken somewhere safe?I don¡¯t want to see her get hurt.¡± The giant¡¯s face relaxed, and he shrugged his shoulders easily.¡°Fine.That won¡¯t be a problem.he¡¯ll be safe enough with our kin for a few months until the situation is resolved.¡±The man thrust his hand out.¡°Deal?¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Jasper agreed, shaking the man¡¯s hand, but he had to fight to control his expression as a sudden torrent of doubt raced through his mind.They didn¡¯t shake hands in Corsythia - hell, he¡¯d embarrassed himself on more than one occasion by acting on that reflex.So, where, exactly did Abnu learn to shake hands? He was still mulling the discrepancy as they clattered down the wide streets of the village, leaving the sacred springs in the dust.
Sarra?bi? leaned over his desk, his fists pounding into the ancient, nearly-petrified wood, as he yelled at his subordinate.She shrank beneath his gaze, as his eyes burned with nearly incandescent rage.¡°You did what?!¡± Annatta tried to speak, but he cut her off.¡°How could you leave him alone?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just at the hot springs of Balat?.What could possibly happen to him there?¡± S?arra?bi? scowled.¡°I don¡¯t know.That¡¯s why I had your group watching him.¡± Annatta felt the anger build in the pit of her stomach at the mention of her friends.They had died because of that mission, because that blundering idiot had charged straight into the arms of ancient horrors, and they had to follow him.She knew it was a bad idea, but she couldn¡¯t stop the words from slipping off her tongue.¡°Why does it even matter?He¡¯s just another royal bastard.¡± S?arra?bi?¡¯s wrath chilled, as he stared down at her quite calmly.¡°No, you¡¯re just another royal bastard.He, on the other hand, is someone that the king himself has plans for.You were given a crucial task and you failed to do it because you didn¡¯t. think. it. was. important.¡± His words were punctuated with rage, and she shrank back in her chair.The king knows who he is?Clearly, she had made a miscalculation. S?arra?bi? settled back into his chair with a heavy sigh.¡°Fortunately, you are probably correct that he will be okay.He is apparently a reasonably competent mage who summoned a guardian in Ka?r-Kuppu? that was powerful enough to protect him from two mages.But the question of your punishment remains.¡± The frantic beating of Annatta¡¯s heart slowed as she realized S?arra?bi? had exhausted the worst of his rage.Punishment was something she could handle. As long as he doesn''t kick me out of the guard.The mere thought of such a fate was enough to make her pulse quicken again. She fidgeted in silence as S?arra?bi? restacked the papers on his desk that had been scattered by his tirade.The moment stretched on interminably, her fear growing with the ticking seconds as he continued to ignore her.She was on the verge of breaking down, of throwing herself on her knees and begging for mercy, when her lord finally addressed her. ¡°I have decided on your punishment.Since you failed to fulfill your duty of watching Jasper, it is only fitting that you have another opportunity to do the job correctly.While he is in the capital, you will be assigned as his royal guard.¡± Annatta¡¯s mouth fell open.¡°I, uh, I don¡¯t think he likes me,¡± she managed to stammer out.As a matter of fact, I¡¯m fairly certain he actively dislikes me. But S?arra?bi? just shrugged.¡°Then make him like you.Or deal with it.I really don¡¯t care.¡± Pulling a file from the bottom of his stack, he hesitated a moment before pushing it toward her.¡°And while you¡¯re with him, I want you to keep a careful eye on a few things.Since you apparently don¡¯t feel the need to follow orders if you think they¡¯re unimportant, let me be very clear with you, Annatta.¡± He forced her to meet his eyes.¡°Do the job properly this time, or die.That¡¯s the level of importance I place on this.Do I make myself clear?¡± Annatta¡¯s tongue clung to her suddenly dry mouth as she nodded sharply. After a moment of staring into her eyes, S?arra?bi? relaxed.¡°Excellent.Despite your failure, Annatta, you are generally a good agent.Don¡¯t make me regret putting my trust in you.¡± As Annatta closed the door behind her, she had to will herself to walk down the silent hall, her legs shaking from the sudden stress.But that fear was accompanied by a certain amount of curiosity.Lord S?arra?bi? had a well-deserved reputation for being an excellent, if cut-throat, agent of the king, but he wasn¡¯t usually that on edge.Whatever had stirred him up must be something major, and the heart of that mystery, she realized, was centered on her new charge, Yas?peh.
The capital really was as close as Annatta had indicated.They had only been on the road a few hours when the first signs of the royal city came into view.The wide-open plains that dominated the southern shores of the lake turned here into a small area of rolling hills, two of which jutted out slightly into the waters. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. It was on these two hills that S?adda?nu was built, although the city had long since stretched out past their bounds, into the surrounding countryside.It was clear that at one time they had been peninsulas, but three wide canals had been dug into the land, separating the city from the mainland.The canals were clogged with traffic; large, flat barges, piled high with grains, furs, and bleating cattle shuttled cargo from one section of the city to the next or made the long trek around the city to the harbor on the side facing the lake. They were spared having to charter a boat, though, as twin bridges, reserved only for travelers, led into the heart of the city.The city positively bustled with life, the roads clogged with as much congestion as the rush hour Jasper used to so dearly hate, but the further Jasper got into the city, the more he became impressed. It wasn¡¯t the architecture - although the city was constructed on the same opulent scale he had come to expect in Corsythia - nor was it the exotic sights, smells, and sounds that accosted him at every opportunity.No, what impressed Jasper was the peace and order that filled the city.Although the canals offered some measure of protection, no walls enclosed the city and he spied only the occasional guard patrolling its streets.Unliked the Moon-kissed, who had shied away in fear from their mutated kin, the citizens of S?adda?nu roamed its streets in utter security, a city in no fear of being attacked, with no thought given to the need to protect themselves. It was surprisingly modern, he realized.Minus all the horses, wagons, and melee weapons, of course.Still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit more optimistic about his coming appointment as he neared the palace complex.If the royal family were responsible for the city¡¯s prosperity, then they at least did some things right. The palace, at least, was easy enough to find.The majority of the buildings were constructed from the sandstone plentiful to the region, the soft stone lending itself well to the many ornate carvings that decorated the city.But the palace stood out from the rest.Occupying a prime position along the shore, towering walls, painted a deep azure blue, encircled the complex.A sea of tree tops peaked above the walls, and their green and pink foliage contrasted with the vibrant waters of the lake beyond to form a truly picturesque scene. The gate to the palace was flanked by two monumental towers that surveyed a wide plaza.Like the rest of the city, the plaza was swarming with people, but there were no merchants or restauranteurs hawking their wares there.Instead, most of the people were assembled around a shining copper fountain, from whose spouts poured a never-ending flow of a dark blue liquid - far too dark to be mere water, Jasper thought. He had no time to investigate the mystery liquid, though, his thoughts increasingly preoccupied with a growing worry as he neared the moment of reckoning.He had no idea what to expect from the royal family, nor, for that matter, was he even sure how to enter the palace - S?arra?bi? had failed to mention that little detail.Jasper nervously pulled the files out of his bag as they approached the monumental gates, prepared to have to beg his way into the complex, but he needn¡¯t have worried. ¡°Lord Yas?peh, over here.¡± At first, he ignored the call.The plaza rang with the chatter of thousands and, though he was familiar with the Corsythian variant of his name, it still didn¡¯t really register as his. ¡°Lord Yas?peh!¡±More insistent this time, he still might not have turned if Ihra hadn¡¯t tugged on his sleeve, pointing to his left.¡°Look, it¡¯s Annatta.¡± He followed her gaze, his mouth dropping in surprise.He was barely able to recognize their former travel companion in the immaculately dressed lady that approached them.The battered leather armor and dusty pack were replaced by a dress that vaguely reminded him of an old-fashioned qipao.The same rich blue as the walls, the dress was covered in hundreds of amber scales crafted from the same strange material that S?arra?bi?¡¯s knights had worn, and a thin sword dangled from her hip.Dark raven hair tumbled out from beneath a scaled cap that matched the dress, and the rounded edges of a buckler peaked above her shoulder like the stubs of two primordial wings. She bowed as they approached, speaking up to be heard above the crowd.¡°I am relieved to see you made it to the city safely - Lord S?arra?bi? is most anxious to see you.¡± ¡°Somehow, I doubt S?arra?bi? is ¡®most anxious¡¯ to see anyone,¡± he responded dryly. Annatta shook her head, sidling up close to them.¡°Lord S?arra?bi?,¡± she corrected him quietly.¡°Don¡¯t let anyone hear you speak of him so disrespectfully.But you are incorrect.Lord S?arra?bi? was furious that I let you come to the city alone.¡± ¡°Why?Isn¡¯t the city safe-"The raven-haired Djinn raised her hand, cutting him off.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Yas?peh.I¡¯ll be happy to answer your questions later but, for now, I need you to follow me.¡± She led them through the thronging masses, heading away from the monumental gates which overlooked the fountain.The crowd eased up as they wound their way around the palace complex, following a shaded side street whose gentle slope revealed a stunning view of the nearby lake.A much smaller entrance awaited them there, with a handful of guards keeping watch.The men recognized Annatta, or at least recognized the uniform of her station, stepping aside with respectful nods as the three approached and, with the squeal of metal against metal, the gates rumbled open. The cacophony of the city dropped away as they entered the palace grounds, overwhelmed by the sweet songs of birds that filled the air, a hundred competing trills and whistles that accompanied the babbling of a brook.S?adda?nu had been built on the far side of a small river delta, and one of the smaller streams wound its way through the complex.Thousands of red and white flowers covered the river banks and above them soared lofty trees, whose shady boughs brought a welcome shelter from the relentless sun and offered shelter to its many winged residents. They were forced to surrender their mounts immediately, handing them into the care of the guards who promised to deliver them to the stables, and then they followed Annatta further into the complex.The extensive grounds were dotted with dozens of small manors, over which a single great building - the palace itself - stood guard.The manors, aside from the blue walls, resembled the homes Jasper had seen throughout the city, constructed in a vaguely oriental style with flared, sloping roofs and garden courtyards. But the palace was yet another anomaly. Two giant blue mastabas were stacked on top of each other, each fringed by pillared porticos, whose rectangular, angled pillars were unlike anything he had seen save for the temple of Nahre?mah and the innermost ring of Als?arratu.Was there another culture here, something before the Corsythians?He itched to ask Annatta, but didn¡¯t dare ask - after all, he was supposed to be already familiar with the palace, not a gawking tourist.But Ihra spoke his thoughts for him. ¡°Annatta?Why does the palace look so different from the rest of the buildings?¡± Their guide glanced back with a teasing smile.¡°Do you wish to explain it to her, or should I, Lord Yas?peh?¡± ¡°Feel free,¡± he replied dryly, knowing she was needling him. It sucked that his cover was already partially blown before he had even set foot in the palace. Annatta shrugged.¡°We call it the As?rukkat Adda?r, the eternal halls.When the Djinn first came to these mountains, the palace was already here, although whoever had built it had long since vanished.The priests teach that the Mwyrani built it but,¡± she winked at them, ¡°they would not think that if they had ever seen its depths.¡±She shook her head.¡°Perhaps people more important than I know the truth about its builders, but you¡¯d have to ask them yourselves.¡±Annatta turned off the main path, leading them into the courtyard of one of the small manors.¡°But enough idle chit-chat; you¡¯ll soon be presented to S?arra?bi?, but first you need a few lessons on court etiquette and,¡± she swept a critical gaze up and down Jasper¡¯s body, ¡°entirely new clothes.¡± The Sacred Boughs The next week flew by in a flash.For the most part, they stayed in the manner, receiving a crash course from Annatta and a few trusted servants on virtually everything - culture, politics, religion, history, manners.Annatta was a harsh teacher, though generally fair.Privately, Jasper suspected that she still nursed a bit of a grudge about the death of her party members.He wanted to blame her, but he understood to an extent; even though he didn¡¯t feel that their deaths were truly his fault, emotions were rarely rational and one couldn¡¯t simply logic oneself out of a feeling.But he still was unprepared for how much he was expected to change. At the end of the week, he could barely recognize himself when he looked in the mirror.His shaggy brunette hair had been trimmed and pulled back in a style similar to a manbun.His scruffy facial hair had been shaved off and potions forced down his throat that grew a fresh, almost silky beard, which left him looking, at least in his opinion, like a parody of a hipster, but Annatta and the servants had assured him that this was the style in court. She¡¯d been equally ruthless with his clothes and armor.When Annatta had first insisted he remove his clothes, almost as soon as they¡¯d entered the mansion, Jasper had assumed she was joking.He¡¯d assumed wrong.His old, battered guild uniforms were burned while the armor he¡¯d purchased back in Hargish was thrown away.A tailor had been summoned and a host of new clothes provided.Jasper had to admit, though, that they were an improvement. The tunics he was provided shared much in common with Annatta¡¯s dress, a richly brocaded fabric whose armored scales were reinforced by inscriptions quilted into the back, providing a level of protection far superior to what he had before.The majority were made in red and black, although for the time being Annatta only allowed him to wear the same blue she herself wore - ¡°blue,¡± she explained, ¡°is for members of the household, red for members of the house.¡± It is an improvement, he had to admit, as he examined himself in the mirror.The scruffy adventurer had been transformed into a handsome devil, but the change didn¡¯t sit easily within him.How much could you change before losing yourself?
On the far side of the palace, another Djinn was also examining himself in the mirror.His jet-black hair was tinged with a touch of salt and pepper along the edges, but his face showed few signs of the passage of time.Suffocating a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair, tying his long locks up in a respectable bun behind his horns before donning the black robes that signified his office. It was supposed to be a fairly routine meeting with the king, just one of many bastards being acknowledged after appropriate service, but S?arra?bi? couldn¡¯t still the frantic beating of his heart.To see her face again was.¡­he really didn¡¯t know how he felt.Excited? Sad? Afraid?They weren¡¯t emotions fitting of his status, but he couldn¡¯t entirely smother the embers of anger that burned inside him.If the king had lied¡­ He sighed again, dismissing the foolish impulse.If the king had lied, so what?What was he going to do?The answer didn¡¯t even need to be verbalized.His liege was as cold as the frozen mountains and just as powerful. More importantly, the old man was generally a wise leader. If he had hidden the truth about Da''iqta, there must have been a good reason.No, S?arra?bi? would do nothing unseemly, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t nurse his anger. His attendants were already waiting outside the door and fell in place around him like a well-oiled machine. With four in front and four in back, his guard kept a wary eye out for any sign of danger although, in truth, they were more for show than anything else; S?arra?bi?¡¯s position was important enough to command respect but not so important to attract the kind of envy that often turned fatal.Still, he believed in the importance of being prepared. As usual, his concern was unnecessary.He reached the throne room unhindered and, after a moment of waiting, the massive doors rumbled open before him.Three stories tall, the ebony doors were emblazoned with the flaming tree of their family, hundreds of crystal fire opals gleaming in the light of the braziers. The hall waited beyond, its ceiling soaring so far above the floor that there was ample room for the sacred trees within.A remnant from their forgotten homeland, the trees¡¯ green leaves were tinged around the edge with red, as if they were set aflame. But all eyes were naturally drawn to the throne.Built on a massive scale, forty-four steps led to the top, one for each of the sons of Shamsha, while two giant statues watched over the hall.Great relics of their people, the statues were said to be gifts from the Divine Warrior himself, guardians that would come to life to protect the king in times of danger. It was all very impressive - S?arra?bi? knew that the pomp and ceremony of the As?rukkat played a crucial role in keeping the rambunctious tribes in place - but after seeing it a few thousand times, it had long lost its charm.He took his place at the foot of the throne quietly and waited impatiently for the ceremony to begin. Their young recruit entered with all the confidence of a newborn fawn.He could tell his young protege was trying. Jasper steadfastly ignored the many wondrous sights that filled the hall, resisting the urge to gawk that so many visitors fell prey to, but at the end of the day, he was still young and callow, unable to hide the wonder that charged his every move.That will change, though. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! But the moment of truth came when the young Djinn finally drew close enough for S?arra?bi? to clearly see his face.For weeks he had been trying to convince himself that his memory was flawed, that he had not seen what he thought he saw.But one glimpse was all he needed to expose those words for the lies they were.The resemblance to his sister was simply too great to be ignored, especially knowing what he now knew.He didn¡¯t have the slightest idea how it had happened, but he no longer doubted that it had. A little fount of anger bubbled in his heart, but he suppressed it quickly, knowing the king would see through him as easily as he saw through the lad.He was still a loyal servant, but this time he would have answers.He¡¯d just have to ¡°misunderstand¡± the king¡¯s orders a bit.
The ceremony was, if anything, a bit underwhelming.Jasper¡¯s fears had run wild, conjuring up nightmares of a hall filled with vicious nobles, judging every aspect of his dress and behavior, and plotting how to stab him in the back at the first sign of weakness.The reality fell a bit short of that. The throne room was truly impressive, but that was to be expected, given the magnificence of the palace complex.But the room was disappointingly free of onlookers.Aside from the guards stationed at regular intervals around the hall, only the king and S?arra?bi? awaited him. He followed Annatta¡¯s instructions to a t, bowing each time he passed one of the exotic-looking trees.Something about the trees called to him, the essence stirring in his veins whenever he passed away with an almost giddy feeling of excitement, but he kept his composure.And then he reached the base of the throne. S?arra?bi? awaited him, and Jasper didn¡¯t miss the brief flash of anger that surged through his eyes when he looked at him.Damn it.What did I do wrong?But, placing his hands behind his back, he bowed his head respectfully, repeating the words Annatta had taught him. ¡°I have come, my lord, to serve beneath the sacred boughs.¡± S?arra?bi? walked over to the nearest tree and plucked one of the leaves.Jasper held out his hands as the Djinn placed it gently in his palms, folding Jasper¡¯s fingers over the leaf. A surge of ecstasy, of manic energy flooded through his veins as the world dissolved before his eyes. Jasper wasn¡¯t sure how long it took for him to reclaim his mind, but a strange new world met his sight.He was still standing in the hall, of that he was sure, but nothing about the statement was entirely accurate.The blue walls of the hall had been replaced by giant obelisks of black, cracked obsidian, whose open-top let him see the starry sky above.But the stars looked nothing like those he knew - neither from the earth nor from Corsythia. The trees were still there, but the illusion of fire had been replaced by the real thing.A steady flame flickered along the green leaves, always burning but never consuming.But the greatest change was in himself. The burning leaf he had held floated in the air in front of him, his hands no longer wrapped around its stem.Instinctively, Jasper tried to grab it.But no hands came at his mental command.Frustrated he gazed down, and his mind almost failed again as it took in the reality of his situation: he had no body.Currents of fire swirled and rotated around a single burning ember that he somehow recognized as himself. The Djinn are the embers of creation, the very fire of the Progenitor himself. The words were coming from within him, Jasper realized, spoken into his mind, but he wasn¡¯t the one speaking. All things end.All things burn.And from the fire, the world is reborn. The burning leaf quivered, shaking violently in front of him as if being throttled by some unseen hand.Then it plunged deep into the heart of his fire. The reaction was immediate.Blinding pain resonated through every part of his consciousness. He wanted to scream, but he had no mouth; he wanted to close his eyes, to will himself away from the fires that surrounded him, but he had no eyes to close.The pain suffused his soul as the world around him changed yet again. A small sapling sprouted from the ground at his feet.It grew rapidly at first, its roots popping out of the ground like the knobby knots of cypress trees until it wrapped a tendril around the small burning ember that was his core.The flames spread rapidly down the small tree, its leaves bursting into flames that did not consume.The pain intensified, and he passed out. His knees ached from the cold stone floor as Jasper returned to his senses.Feeling flooded back through his body, the glorious sensation of having arms and legs again.With a yelp of joy, he leapt to his feet, patting his body down. ¡°Ahem.¡± He froze as the gruff voice echoed in the ancient hall, suddenly remembering where he was.Hastily composing himself, he bowed to S?arra?bi?.¡°Forgive, my lord, I forgot myself.I had no body, and the pain-¡± The Djinn scowled down at him severely, and Jasper had a sinking feeling that he had just blown it.But after a moment, a smile breached the lord¡¯s defenses.¡°You are hardly the first to lose your composure after holding a gis?a?tu leaf.Your mother had a much worse reaction as I recall.Although,¡± he frowned, suddenly looking concerned, ¡°you should not have been in pain.¡± Ezba? ennungallu?ya. A voice thundered from the throne, its power swelling to fill every corner of the mighty hall.As one, the guards stationed around the room left their posts, exiting through the monumental gates in perfect formation. Confused, Jasper turned to leave as well, but S?arra?bi? grabbed his arm and shook his head.¡°Not us,¡± he whispered, ¡°only the ennungallu?.¡± When all the guards had left, the king of the Djinn descended from his throne.Most of the Djinn Jasper had met looked roughly like humans, with a few cosmetic changes - horns and various shades of red skin chief among them.The more powerful they got, the less human they looked, and if appearance was a good judge, then the king was truly on another level. He flew, not walked, down the stairs of the throne.Four black wings sprouted from his back and another two down fluttered near his feet.The wings were covered in sharp feathers with a dull, metallic gleam, and beat far too slowly for any aerodynamics to keep him suspended in the air.His skin was dark, the red so deep that it could almost be mistaken for black, and a double pair of horns sprouted from his head. The king stopped before Jasper, scrutinizing him silently for a moment, dismissing him. Instead, the king turned to S?arra?bi?, with a bit of a frown on his face. ¡°So you know?¡± The Truth? The king''s voice was quiet, lacking the thunder that had dispersed the guards, but there was no hiding the power that thrummed through every syllable. S?arra?bi?¡¯s expression was stony, giving away no sign of the storm of emotions that raged within, as he shook his head. ¡°I know little and suspect much, my lord.¡± The winged Djinn growled.¡°If you were wrong, you would have killed him. Then what would have become of my plans? You risked endangering the good of many for your own selfish desires.¡± S?arra?bi? remained stone-faced. ¡°But I was not wrong, my lord, was I? And even if I was, if he really was a fraud, you could always have found another to play your part.Few have met him.¡± Wait - what?Jasper had no idea what, exactly, they were talking about, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to realize that he was probably the one who could have been killed.What the bloody hell did you do to me, S?arra?bi?? S?arra?bi?''s reply displeased his liege. The burning embers that were the king''s eyes smoldered as he glowered down at his subordinate. ¡°There was more risk than you knew, as your suspicions are only partially correct.You could very well have killed the lad.¡± S?arra?bi? paled, the defiance in his stare finally dropping away as he bowed his head.¡°I am sorry, my lord. I-¡± The king cut him off.¡°In the end, you have done him a boon, so I will overlook it. But let me make myself clear, S?arra?bi?. There will be no further ¡®misunderstandings¡¯ of my orders.¡± The Djinn nodded curtly, a sick look on his face as he glanced back at Jasper.¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The king dismissed him, his piercing gaze turning now on Jasper.He trembled beneath the Djinn''s gaze. An inexplicable feeling of sorrow swelled in his chest and his legs shook like a newborn foal struggling to stand for the first time.But he persevered, forcing himself to meet the king¡¯s eyes. The Djinn smiled, revealing rows of black, razor-sharp teeth.¡°Good, you have courage.¡±The king paced around Jasper like a hungry lion examining its prey.¡°Still rather weak, but the potential is there,¡± he continued.¡°And my, my - that skin.No one will doubt now that you are a royal.Nor should they,¡± he added, almost as an afterthought. Confused, Jasper stole a glance at his hand and let out an audible gasp as he realized his tone had changed again.The pale red had deepened in color to match the almost wine-toned skin of S?arra?bi?.e was unprepared when the king reached out his hand and grabbed his shoulder.The king pushed him down, not unkindly, on his knees, and bending over, kissed the crown of his forehead.Despite Jasper¡¯s fire immunity, the Djinn¡¯s lips burned, leaving a stinging sensation even after the king had released him. ¡°Rise, Yas?peh, rise a branch of the gis?a?tu.May your leaves blossom and your flowers bloom.May S?ams?a¡¯s light succor the flame you bear within, and may your seeds spread far and wide.¡±The king spoke solemnly as he lifted Jasper to his feet. ¡°Now, go.Speak with S?arra?bi? and do not forget to meditate on what you have learned,¡± the king admonished him, his tone brooking no opposition.Silently, the pair retreated from the throne room, but Jasper could feel the king¡¯s gaze burning at his back until the monumental doors closed behind them. He followed the Djinn blindly, the two winding through a series of halls and corridors and back out into the garden complex before they finally stopped at one of the manors that dotted the forest.S?arra?bi? did not speak as he lead Jasper into his office, settling into his chair with a pensive look. ¡°I-" the Djinn begin, but Jasper could not hold in his anger any longer. ¡°What the hell?Did you try to kill me?Did you think I would just forget that?!¡± He exploded.His hand quaked as he raised it, still shaky from the vision he had experienced. S?arra?bi? froze at Jasper¡¯s outburst, taken aback by his sudden daring, but he recovered quickly, the Djinn''s lips curling into a scornful scowl.¡°I did what I had to, and I will not apologize for it.But no, I wasn¡¯t trying to kill you.I was fairly confident you would live.¡± Jasper scoffed.¡°Fairly confident?When it¡¯s my life we¡¯re talking about, fairly confident isn¡¯t good enough.wrong. What did you do to me?af?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± S?arra?bi? snapped, glaring back at him. Jasper met the Djinn¡¯s eyes for a second as an unspoken battle of will raged between them.Then, abruptly Jasper stood up and headed for the door, leaving the Djinn to gape in shock.¡°Stop!Where do you think you going?¡± He paused, glancing back at the lord.¡°I¡¯m primarily working with you because I was afraid that if I didn¡¯t cooperate I would be killed.But if you are going to kill me anyways, why should I waste my time helping you?Just get it over with, or let me leave in peace.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± the Djinn relented, speaking through gritted teeth.¡°Sit down, and I will tell you what little I know.¡± Satisfied, though still fuming, Jasper took his seat. Suffocating a sigh, the Djinn ran his fingers through his hair.¡°There¡¯s not much to tell really.You remember, of course, the background I gave you?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°Yes, I am supposed to be the bastard son of a Princess Da¡¯iqta and a minor Seraph noble.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Da¡¯iqta was my sister, and everything in the story is true, or at least, I believed it was true until quite recently.A few months ago, the king summoned me and told me of his plan to use you to leverage support for the empire. He also ordered me to use my sister¡¯s background as your own.At the time, I believed it was nothing more than a convenient, if rather inconsiderate, ploy from the king.¡± Jasper wrinkled his brow in confusion.¡°Do you mean you¡¯ve now changed your opinion?¡± The Djinn nodded.¡°Everything changed when I met you." He hesitated, his hands gripping the edge of his desk so tightly the wood threatened to splinter. "You are the spitting image of my little Da¡¯iqta," he finally managed to say.I didn¡¯t know what to believe. It was impossible - it had to be - but I couldn¡¯t drive the doubts from my mind. So, I had the graves of my sister and her child exhumed, just to make sure that they were really in there, but the tombs were empty.¡± ¡°Oh.¡±Jasper wasn¡¯t sure what to tell the Djinn, but the mere idea was absurd.¡°Well, I hope you find out the truth about your sister, but I can¡¯t possibly be her child.I¡¯m from another world.I¡¯m not even really sure how I got here in the first place - maybe the Mwryani - but I¡¯m not from here.I¡¯m not really a Djinn.¡± S?arra?bi? smiled wryly.¡°I agreed with you, which was why I devised a little test.In our family, the difference between those acknowledged by the House and those left as bastards is whether or not they have partaken of the gis?a?tu tree.A sacred relic preserved from our homeland, the tree bonds with those of our blood.¡±He paused dramatically.¡°Everyone else, it kills.¡± ¡°The king told me to give you the leaf - he meant, of course, a fake leaf - but I decided to misunderstand his command and give you the real thing.I had to know that my suspicions were correct, and your survival has confirmed that, although,¡± the Djinn frowned, his brows darkening, ¡°I do not understand the pain you spoke of. is supposed to provide the supplicant with an ecstatic vision of the fires of creations, but it is not meant to bring pain. I am at a loss to explain that.¡± Jasper shook his head in denial.¡°That¡¯s impossible.The system must have done it - I¡¯m not from here.¡± ¡°No.¡±S?arra?bi? spoke with quiet confidence as he contradicted Jasper.¡°The system only expresses what you are. It shapes the potential for what you could be, but every possibility is ultimately limited by you.It simply cannot make you what you aren¡¯t.You would not have survived the gis?a?tu tree if you were not related in some way to our House and, given your striking resemblance to my sister, I can see no other reasonable explanation than to assume you are indeed my kin.¡± Jasper was grasping at straws by now.¡°But didn¡¯t the king say you were only partially correct?¡± S?arra?bi? nodded reluctantly.¡°Yes, that is true, and perhaps the cause of your pain, but it does not negate my conclusion.You are indeed connected to this house.¡± Jasper started to speak, but S?arra?bi? shook his head, cutting him off.¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that is all I am going to say on the matter, for now at least.I will have one of the servants take you back to your manor.Be sure to meditate when you get there,¡± he warned him, ¡° and then will we speak again.¡± Jasper was in a bit of a fog as he followed the servant back to his quarters.S?arra?bi?¡¯s claim was simply unbelievable.It must be some sort of con, he reassured himself, but doubt lingered in his heart.But what if it isn''t? Feeling a bit shaky, he didn¡¯t go inside the manor immediately, flopping himself down on the carefully curated grass that surrounded the manor¡¯s gardens, as he fought to compose himself.Despite having spent the last week there, he saw the slightly dilapidated manor through new eyes.Just two stories high, the rich dark wood of its walls was ornately carved and lacquered, and the gardens were carefully tended, even if some of the rooms showed their age.But none of that registered now. It was his mother¡¯s house - well, his supposed mother¡¯s, he reminded himself.The connection had meant nothing to him before, but now¡­he simply didn¡¯t know.With a sigh, he roused himself from the grass, brushing off the few errant blades that clung to his robe, and forced himself through the doors.Since both the king and S?arra?bi? had commanded him to meditate, he suppose he couldn''t put it off. The instant he stepped through the door, Ihra pounced on him, eager to learn how his meeting with the king had gone.She sensed his mood almost immediately, though, the sparkling of her eyes turning to concern.¡°What happened?Did it go poorly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he responded dully.¡°It went fine, I guess, but¡­¡±He filled her in on the ritual in the throne room and its aftermath.¡°S?arra?bi? is now pretending that I¡¯m really related to him which¡­it¡¯s impossible, right?He¡¯s got to be just playing mind games with me, but why?I don¡¯t know what to make of any of it.¡±Jasper sighed, forcing a smile as he met her eyes.¡°I guess I¡¯m going to meditate.Maybe Kas?dael will have the answers I¡¯m looking for.¡± It was quiet in the manor, save for the soft creaking of the old wooden stairs, as he headed up to his room.Ihra followed along, insisting on keeping watch this time, and he let her, knowing she was right.Sitting down on the plush scarlet rug, he crossed his legs and focused on his mantra. I am the river; I flow around all things.I am the rock; all things flow around me. The fear and confusion roiling within him were roadblocks to his meditation, stubbornly resisting all attempts at calm. He didn''t fight it, knowing that such a struggle would do nothing but make matters. Instead, he focused on his breathing, letting the world rise and fall with the beating of his chest. And slowly, the fear melted away beneath the endless waters of the stream.As his breathing calmed, almost to a stop, he slipped peacefully into the void. He came to in the temple, spinning around the room in a tight circle as he searched for Kas?dael.his time, he was not left disappointed. Though the goddess was not on her throne, she was perched on one of the many marble benches that lined the walls of the room.Kas?dael was hunched over, her sheer black veil falling low across her face as she tossed her fable dice.They rolled far across the polished stone floor, one skidding to a halt at Jasper¡¯s feet.He stared down at it, reading without comprehension the glowing rune that had landed face-up. With a twitch of her fingers, Kas?dael summoned the dice back to her, tossing them back across the floor as soon as they brushed her hands.He walked carefully around the dice, not wanting to risk even the slightest chance that he would bump into one.He had no idea if his shoes would protect him from them, but the mere memory of the pain he¡¯d experienced when he picked one of her die up was strong enough to send a shiver down his spine. The goddess didn¡¯t look up until his shadow fell across her lap, casting and recasting the die with an urgency he hadn¡¯t seen from her in some time. ¡°Kas?dael?¡± With a flicker of her fingers, the die scattered again.The gauzy black veil did little to hide the amused smirk on her lips as she glanced up at him.¡°Been having fun?¡±She asked sweetly. Jasper squirmed uncomfortably.¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you have something to ask me? For a certain sultry someone?¡± She teased. Before he could respond, she waved him off with a laugh.¡°Don¡¯t worry.I already fulfilled the lass¡¯ request.¡±But her mood turned on a dime, sobering instantly.¡°But that is not why you are here, is it?So, tell me: which question shall you ask first?¡± The Cliffs of Kibra?ti Despite Tsia¡¯s lighthearted words, their run-in with the bandits put a pall over the rest of their trip to Kibra?ti. Ne?s?u was already a bit overprotective of her, but after she was nearly beheaded by a trap - and was shot by an arrow - his watchfulness was downright suffocating. Abandoning the road, they cut through the woods parallel to it, traveling quietly and quickly.Ne?s?u was hardly the talkative type, but Tsia had never cared about that, more than happy to carry the conversation entirely on her own.Now, though, her silent guardian insisted that she too hold her peace, as the stoic warrior kept a constant ear cocked for even the slightest hint of danger. Annoyed, she found herself fantasizing about sneaking out of the camp at night and heading for Kibra?ti by herself, but Tsia wasn¡¯t quite that foolish. Despite her irritation with her guardian, she knew that traveling by herself would be a very bad idea. So, she put up with it, suffering through a quiet few days until finally - thank the stars - the thick pine forest began to thin out. The trees shrunk as new growth replaced the primordial forests before they, in turn, gave way to the open fields that encircled the port city of Kibra?ti. The land here was surprisingly marshy; dozens of small streams, swollen with the icy runoff of the mountains, webbed their way across the fertile fields, before plunging off the plateau into the lake far below. The elevation had perpetually risen as they approached the city, the cliffs that overlooked the great lake towering further and further above the waters to a nearly dizzying height. Now, the merchant fleets below looked like ants, and beside them, far below the bluffs sprawled one portion of the city. Along most of the northern side of the lake, there was no shore, merely the cliffs rising out of the water, but here at Kibra?ti, a good-sized promontory jutted out from the side of the cliffs. So densely crowded that the quarter¡¯s roofs blended together as if the buildings were one single mass, all three sides of the promontory were crowded with ships, their masts forming a makeshift forest around the port. The back side of the city was set against the cliffs whose face was obscured by rows of giant elevators, operated by a system of enchanted pulleys and gears, that ferried the incoming merchants to the waiting markets of the upper city. It was an impressive sight, but Tsia barely noticed it, her attention wholly transfixed on the steady trickle of small black objects flitting through the air above the lake. The tsuss?m. Despite the city¡¯s bustling trade, when they reached the city gates, there were relatively few waiting to enter, all trade focused through the lake. The guards called for them to stop, but as soon as their eyes fell on Tsia and Ne?s?u¡¯s sumptuously equipped mounts, the grey-dappled horses that had been the pride of her father¡¯s stables, the Djinn waved them through without any further questions. Wealth has its perks, Tsia had to admit herself. From there, it was an easy enough matter to find their way to their destination. Though neither had ever been to Kibra?ti before, it was impossible to miss the tsuss?m rising above the rooftops from one particular corner of the city. As they wound their way through the bustling streets, her heart beat fast with excitement, mixed with a touch of pain. Tsia had loved the flying horses from the moment she had first heard; still, she had never expected to have one of her own. The tsuss?m had become quite rare in the empire as there were only two steady sources of the beasts: the Djinn, who rarely felt the need to trade, even with the Sapiyans, and the southern provinces in the Canton of Sicya, who had long since fallen under the control of the Zalancthians. She had been content, thus, to only read of them in books, never expecting to have one of her own, until her father had promised her one as her debutante gift. In truth, Tsia had never even expected to be thrown a debutante ball. The queen and her sibilings, save for Abila?ni, treated her as an embarrassment, and most of the court followed their lead. So when she had learned that not only would she receive her ball, but that her father had arranged such a wonderful gift for her, Tsia practically floated on clouds for months after that. It wasn¡¯t just about the recognition, either; the gift itself was immensely meaningful.Wind magic was uncommon amongst her people - neither her father nor her mother had even a shred of talent in that direction - so Tsia¡¯s connection with the wind had been unexpected.She really had very little idea what to expect from her future classes, and while she suspected that her mother had some idea of what long-forgotten heritage had resurfaced in her, Aphora had refused to ever tell her. Some things are best left forgotten, her mother had told her whenever she¡¯d begged for information. Still, Tsia might not have had all the information she could have desired, but she felt confident of one thing: having a flying mount would be a marvelous boon to her and would most likely even enhance the class options offered to her once she leveled up. Thus, Tsia could barely contain her excitement as the date of her debutante ball approached, but when the day came, no tsuss?m awaited her. King Kaba?ni could barely look her in the eyes as he fastened the glittering pendant around her neck, the meaningless bauble given in place of the promised gift. But Tsia didn¡¯t miss the queen¡¯s triumphant smirk, the tell-tale titter of her elder sister, as she stood before her father. She barely remembered the rest of the night. Oh, she had smiled and laughed and mingled with the guests, done all the things expected of her so perfectly that even the queen couldn¡¯t find fault, but everything had seemed so hollow. It was only later that she learned the truth. Her father had indeed arranged a tsuss?m for her, until his wife had thrown a fit, demanding the horse be given to her eldest daughter instead. Her father had tried to make amends later, even giving her the horse she now rode, but that had been the day Tsia finally realized that her father¡¯s courts would never be her home. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Are you alright, my lady?¡± Ne?s?u stared at her knowingly, and Tsia blinked back a few unexpected tears which threatened to breach their dams. ¡°Of course, Ne?s?u. Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± She flashed him a crooked smile. ¡°I¡¯m finally going to ride a tsuss?m!¡± The stables, once they found them, were quite unlike any she had ever seen. The flying beasts, though they resembled horses, were native to mountain environments, mostly relying on their wings, rather than their legs to get around. Though tamed, the tsuss?m still chafed in confinement, so the stables¡¯ pastures had been built to accommodate their needs. Much larger than most pastures, the fields were dotted with man-made piles of rock, on whose summits the creatures slept when their services were not needed. She found it strange that their pastures were bounded by fences - surely the tsuss?m could just fly away? But rushed forward eagerly, crowding close against the fence to get a closer look. ¡°Ahem.¡± She turned reluctantly to face the source of the sound. A city guard, clad in thick leather armor painted with the rather bright pink and green colors of the town, nodded his head respectfully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry my lady, but I have to ask you to step away from the fence.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry - I¡¯m not going to cross it,¡± she promised, but the guard shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that, my lady. The tsuss?m get nervous around large crowds of people, so we have to ask that people not gather near the fences.¡± He jerked his head to the right. ¡°Now, if you have business with Kalla?t-S?ams?ah stables, just head down the road and ask to speak with one of the stewards.¡± He hesitated a moment, glancing surreptitiously at her horse, before continuing. ¡°You might want to ask to speak to Steward Nekelm?. He¡¯ll treat you right.¡± A frown flitted across her lips as the rather negative meaning of the steward¡¯s name registered. ¡°Nekelm?? The ¡®malevolent glare?¡¯¡± She asked uncertainly, not wanting to be rude, but put off by the name. This was the man that would treat her right? The guard grasped her meaning immediately. ¡°Ah, his parents cursed him with a rather long name - Ilzaq-nekelm?-umi? - and you know how kids are. The name just stuck, but really, he¡¯s a very nice man and he¡¯s well-used to dealing with nobles like yourself.¡± Thanking him, the two turned away from the pastures, Tsia shooting one last longing look behind her, and headed toward a cluster of buildings from whose sides swung the telltale sign of a horseshoe. They followed the guard¡¯s advice and asked for the services of Steward Nekelm? who, after a short wait, ushered them into his office. For a man named after the evil eye, Tsia had to admit the young Djinn was quite the handsome devil. Though his skin lacked even the slightest sign of the reddish hue that would signify he had advanced high in levels, his long back horns were striated with streaks of silver and gold that glittered in the sunlight in an almost mesmerizing fashion, clearly the result of some unlocked racial trait. He helped her into a chair before taking his place behind his desk. His dark, cobalt eyes sparked with keen interest as he leaned forward. His charisma must be off the charts, she thought. ¡°It¡¯s a strange sight indeed to see two foreigners, accompanied by no Djinn, traveling in the lands. There must be a story there,¡± he prodded. Tsia glanced uncertainly at Ne?s?u, who subtly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just interested in renting some tsuss?m to make the trip to the capital. We do have two horses, however, that must make the journey as well. Safely.¡± she emphasized. A flicker of disappointment flit across his face, but Nekelm? nodded professionally. ¡°Very well, I¡¯m sure we can accommodate you. Although¡­¡± He drummed his fingers against the desk, looking off into the corner for a moment, before turning back to her face. The glint of his horns dimmed as the sun fled behind a cloud. ¡°Let me be honest with you, my lady. My attendants already notified me about your horses, and as soon as I saw them, I recognized their breed. I will not ask where you got your hands on genuine Stryn destriers, but those mounts are worth a fortune around here.¡± ¡°Most of our merchants are honest enough, but you must understand that those mounts would likely be worth as much as the rest of their cargo combined and, well," he shrugged eloquently, "you are foreigners. You have no faction, no clan, that will intervene if someone steals from you. The city guards will not help you as the crime will have happened outside its borders, and while the royal guards might help, there are many more important matters demanding their attention. To be blunt, if you send your horses to the capital alone, and fly separately on our tsuss?m, I cannot in good faith promise that you will ever see your mounts again.¡± Tsia¡¯s heart sank. Did I come this far only to be denied? ¡°Surely, there are some honest merchants,¡± she protested. The Djinn nodded. ¡°Many, but if you do not intend to accompany your mounts, you will need to find not one honest man, but an entire crew of them. Personally, I recommend you simply charter a boat to S?adda?nu. You could not have entered our mountains without some sort of sponsor, so perhaps, once you have joined them, you could leave your horses with them and charter a flight with us.¡± He pushed some papers toward her. ¡°These are the names of some of the merchants our stable uses; you should be safe enough with them.¡± Ne?s?u watched as his charge wilted, sadly filing the papers away in her satchel. ¡°Are there any other options,¡± he suddenly blurted out. The Djinn was surprised when her servant spoke but, after a long glance at Tsia, finally nodded. ¡°There is one other way, but I warn you - it¡¯s very expensive.¡± Hope begin to shine again in Tsia¡¯s eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Our company mostly carries small items or passengers, but occasionally we need to transfer large, high-value items that we don¡¯t wish to entrust to others. For that, we have a very special bag of holding that can preserve even living beings. However, the bag must be recharged every time it is used, so you¡¯ll understand that it¡¯s quite expensive.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Tsia asked. Her eyes bulged as she saw the price. 8,000 gold coins. Technically, she had the funds to pay for it, but she knew it was a bad idea. It wasn¡¯t like she was getting an allowance from her father any longer. Reluctantly, she pushed the contract back to him. ¡°Any chance you¡¯d accept the services of a mage as payment?¡± she asked, throwing one final gambit out there. The Djinn shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady, but we have little use for fire or lunar mages in our business.¡± ¡°What about wind?¡± He paused, glancing back at her with renewed interest. ¡°I¡¯ll need to see a demonstration of your skills, of course, but we might be able to come to an agreement.¡± Tsia could barely contain the squeal of joy that surged through her, but constrained herself to a simple, professional nod. ¡°Of course,¡± she agreed. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy with what you see.¡± The Sapling Jasper didn¡¯t even have to think about which question he wanted to aks first.¡°Am I somehow¡­from Corsythia?¡±He hesitated a moment, unable to bring himself to acknowledge the absurdity of his question.¡°I¡¯m not actually related to this Da¡¯iqta, am I?¡± The goddess clicked her tongue in disappointment as she surveyed her young recruit.¡°Tell me, Jasper, what was the first message you saw when you came to our realm?¡± He knit his brow, struggling to recall it.¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted.¡°When you held out your hand?But you didn¡¯t speak then.¡± Kas?dael shook her head.¡°No, before that.The very first message, when your so-called ¡®game¡¯ malfunctioned.¡± The words flashed into his mind again.¡°Resonance found?¡± he asked tentatively. ¡°That¡¯s right.I told you long ago that the system would not have recognized you as Djinn unless you really were one of them, but it seems you did not believe me.¡± ¡°So, it is true?But I - I had a mother.She was..normal. I was normal!¡± he protested. Kas?dael begin to speak, and then thought better of it, shaking her head reluctantly.¡°I can¡¯t tell you.Even if I knew all the details of your past - and I don¡¯t - there are limits to what I¡¯m allowed to tell a mortal.If you wish to know the truth, you must find the ones that tried to summon you here.¡±She tapped his chest lightly, dragging her fingernail across his toughened skin.¡°The ones who gave you that defective anchor.¡± Jasper couldn¡¯t hide the scowl that sprang to his lips.¡°How can you keep this from me?¡±He demanded.¡°Don¡¯t I have the right to know the truth about my past?¡± Her gaze grew frosty.¡°The right?Tell me, Jasper of earth, don¡¯t I have the right to not be fated to an endless cycle of death, to not sacrifice myself to rebirth the Progenitor?Don¡¯t I have the right to mold the world in my image, to claim the power sealed within me as my own?Do not speak to me of rights.¡± He wilted, his anger tucking tail in the face of her cold fury.¡°But¡­¡± Unable to think of a rejoinder, he quietly asked.¡°Can you tell me anything else, anything at all?¡± She watched him for a moment with pursed lips, finally relenting.¡°Da¡¯iqta was your mother.If you wish to know more, you must find it for yourself.¡± How? was the only cogent thought he managed to muster.But Kas?dael was impatient to learn about the brotherhood.¡°Now, you have something else to tell me, do you not?¡± He blinked, her words passing in one ear and out the other like the buzzing of a bee. ¡°Jasper?¡± she prodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what were you saying?¡± ¡°The Brotherhood of Yas?gah?What have you learned about them?¡± Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and struggled to regain his composure.¡°Honestly, practically nothing.I found your temple in Maha?zi?nu and joined the cult, but I was only there for two days before circumstances forced me to leave.Apparently the Keeper there was a member of the cult, but I didn¡¯t pick up on it until a little too late.By the time I figured it out, she was dead.¡± Kas?dael¡¯s frown deepened.¡°Lady Hayil served the brotherhood?¡±Her brows knit in confusion and distress.¡°That should not be possible.Her prayers still rose to me from time to time, perhaps not quite as often or devotedly as when she was younger, but to think that she was part of the cult is¡­disturbing.If even those still praying to me are also praying to Yas?gah, the dark goddess¡¯ corruption may have spread further than I had realized.¡± She paused, clearly fretting, as Jasper continued.¡°There¡¯s also another party involved, the seraphs.¡±He quickly filled Kas?dael in on his conversation with Abnu.¡°I¡¯m not really clear what their motivation is, though,¡± he concluded.¡°They seem to be enemies of the brotherhood, but I know nothing about these Namurru beyond that.I do have a potential contact in the capital with them, though.¡± Kas?dael did not reply immediately, tossing the dice on the floor again.She watched silently as the dodecagons wobbled across the marble until they came to a stop, then with a flick of her wrist, returned them to her.She cast two more times before turning back to him.¡°They are not your enemies.¡±The goddess spoke with confidence, buoyed by whatever she divined within the runes, but her knowledge was imperfect.¡°Whether they are friends is more than I can tell.¡± She lifted one of the dice up carefully, showing its face to Jasper.He leaned back, his skin crawling at the memory of the pain, but still examined the symbol with curiosity.A curved sword was lodged in the base of a flaming tree, claw marks marring the trunk.Then the image faded away, the die returning to the shiny, seamless black. ¡°There is a source of conflict between the royal family and the seraphs though, whether it will lead to hostilities or not, is beyond my ken. with the servant the seraph told you of, but be careful,¡± she warned.¡°I do not think they mean you harm, but the future is still unclear.¡± Dropping the dice, she held her hand out to him with a smile.¡°And now you must do what you¡¯ve been putting off.¡± Reluctantly, he clasped his fingers around hers and waited for his status to open.The box popped up quickly enough and there, waiting for him, was a set of boxes.There¡¯s more than one?Jasper had been expecting some sort of notification from the ritual in the palace, but not multiples.Almost afraid to look, he selected the first one.
Sapling of the Gis?a?tu
For generations, the gis?a?tu has watched over the Djinn of Kis?a?da?n, guarding their young as its own and bestowing its saplings on those with the strength to bear it.You have successfully bonded with a sapling and received a tithe of its strength. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Rewards: Fire immunity, new class options.
Jasper couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed when he saw one of the rewards was fire immunity.¡°Damn, I already have that,¡± he muttered.But as he scrolled further down the box, he realized the system had already accounted for that.
Sapling of the Gis?a?tu
For generations, the gis?a?tu has watched over the Djinn of Kis?a?da?n, guarding their young as its own and bestowing its saplings on those with the strength to bear it.You have successfully bonded with a sapling and received a tithe of its strength. Rewards: Fire immunity, new class options. Error: subject already has fire immunity.Alternate reward required. Equivalent reward supplied: New racial trait unlocked.
Well, that explains the multiple boxes.With a growing sense of excitement, he clicked on the next notification.The same message he had seen before popped up: Please select a racial trait to unlock (Note: these traits can influence future evolutions and may not be available to choose in the future). He quickly scanned past the two traits he had been already offered. The Wings of Gavu¡¯el (unlocked by the trait Uplifted): Unlocks your first set of basic wings, allowing you to take flight into the sky.Wings require strength and endurance of 100.Due to your Seraph affiliation, this trait will remain permanently available. Moon-kissed (offered by Selene): Most of the Djinn revere their father, Shamsha, but some turn to his consort.Embrace the blessing of Selene.Warning: this trait will dramatically affect all future evolutions, and your magical affinity will change from fire to lunar.This trait will remain available in the future. The Wings of Gavu¡¯el was still something he desperately wanted.Seriously, who wouldn¡¯t want to fly?But sadly, the strength and endurance requirements were still quite a ways off for him.Someday, he promised himself again. The Moon-kissed, on the other hand, seemed a good deal less tantalizing after his experiences in Du?r-Yarha.Jasper knew that it wasn¡¯t really fair to lay the blame for the twisted nizirtu on their kin, but, at least for the moment, he simply couldn¡¯t imagine accepting the trait.Fortunately, there were new options to choose from. Magma-veined (unlocked by Scion of Flames):The fires of creation burn brightly within you, replacing your blood with a thick, viscous plasma.Trait dramatically reduces all bleeding damage, but blood will become dangerous to others.Requires 50 endurance.Upgrades available. The Watchful Eye (unlocked by Hand of Kas?dael):The Divine Warrior sees all from his throne in the heavens and nothing can escape his watchful eye.By praying to Shamsha, the Watchful Eye allows you to divine the location of one person, being, or monster per day.Multiple upgrade paths available. The Forgotten (unlocked by M3tas?@m?m):Embrace the call of the Fallen and become one with it.Claim Nahas?s?innu as your own.Multiple upgrade paths available.WARNING: This trait may have dangerous and unpredictable consequences. A shudder ran down his spine as he read the description.Yeah, no, definitely not picking that one. The Bramble Crown (unlocked by Sapling of the Gis?a?tu): Bond more deeply with your sapling, allowing you to externally manifest traits of the gis?a?tu tree.Once per hour, you may summon a second skin of fire-resistant wooden armor at the cost of a thousand stamina.Armor will last until unsummoned or destroyed.Upgrades available. Choir of Hammu?ti (unlocked by Lady Tirra¡¯s blessing): Having served Lady Tirra, she wishes to bestow upon you a generous blessing.Trait grants you the ability to summon a choir of her loyal followers, the Hammu?ti, to join you in singing praises to Lady Tirra whenever you wish.If enemies are present, the Hammu?ti might assist you.Upgrades available, Wow.He couldn¡¯t believe - well, actually, on second thought maybe I can - how conceited Tirra¡¯s offering was.At the same time, Jasper¡¯s eyes kept drifting back to the final sentence of the description.Maybe it isn¡¯t as worthless as it seems. The strange, jellyfish-headed beings that worshipped flashed back through his mind.If they would actually assist him in battles, he¡¯d happily suck it up and sing Lady Tirra¡¯s praises. If was doing a lot of heavy carrying in that sentence, though.The description said the Hammu?ti might assist you, but that wasn¡¯t exactly a promise.Who knew how dependable their aid might be? Designating the trait as a ¡°maybe,¡± he looked back over his other options.He didn¡¯t even bother to reread the Forgotten.No way, no how was he ever picking that choice, but the other three had seemed decent.Magma-veined was a nice boost to his survival, although he had been doing a better job of avoiding grave injuries recently, not that one could exactly depend on that to continue - it wasn¡¯t like one ever planned for a life-threatening injury.The warning about his blood becoming dangerous to others was slightly concerning though.It wasn¡¯t like he went around bleeding on people purposefully, but with potential upgrades available, he didn¡¯t want it to lead him on the path of turning into some sort of magma monster, either. The Bramble Crown was also enticing.He didn¡¯t have many spells that utilized his stamina pool, so despite the steep cost, he could see it becoming immediately useful.And then there was The Watchful Eye.It appealed to him less than the others, but he couldn¡¯t deny the potential usefulness.Being able to scry the identity of, say, a cultist could be a game changer.Plus, he couldn¡¯t help but notice that the final notification was different.Ignoring the Forgotten, the Watchful Eye was the only skill that spoke of ¡°multiple upgrade paths¡± rather than simply ¡°upgrades.¡±It suggested, at least to him, that the trait might be more valuable than the rest. His hand hovered over The Watchful Eye, about to select it when Kas?dael placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You should not be so quick to dismiss The Bramble Crown.¡± Jasper glanced up in surprise.¡°Really?I assumed you¡¯d want me to pick The Watchful Eye as it seems to synergize with your class.¡± A light smile flitted across her lips.¡°You know, I am right here - you could simply ask me my opinion.I will not command you to select any of them, although,¡± her eyes grew serious, ¡°as I think you realize, it would be a very poor decision to choose The Forgotten.But I am happy to give you advice.¡± ¡°So, why The Bramble Crown?It honestly seems a little boring.¡± Again she smiled.¡°And in some ways, it is.But you must remember, Jasper, that this is not a game.The choices you make are not merely for the sake of the ¡®cool factor,¡¯ nor for optimizing the most broken ''build.''The Bramble Crown is a prized trait of the Kis?a?da?n royal family, a mark of belonging.They will be expecting you to choose it and may take offense if you don¡¯t.You will have other traits to pick in the future, but for now, it is the best choice.¡± ¡°Plus,¡± she added after a moment¡¯s pause, ¡°an added layer of protection is always a good thing for a mage.¡± Much as Jasper resented feeling pressured by his ¡°kin¡± into making the choice, he couldn¡¯t deny the logic of Kas?dael¡¯s advice.With a touch of sadness, he selected The Bramble Crown.A jolt of electricity ran through him as he made the choice, his skin feeling tingly and numb after it passed, but nothing else happened.He examined his hands quickly, relieved to find that his skin didn¡¯t exhibit any further changes.Not that it really matters at this point, he concluded gloomily, staring with dissatisfaction at his wine-colored skin.There was a big difference between playing a non-human race in a video game, and actually leaving behind your humanity, and it was a difference he was still struggling to come to grips with. Nakirtu ¡°What?!¡±Aphora leaned forward, as her fingers curled around the lip of the table with a crushing grip.¡°What do you mean they¡¯re all dead?¡±Tesha¡¯s reaction to the knocking at the door, the signs of battle in the abandoned city - it all came rushing back to her in a single moment of epiphany as she answered her own question.¡°The Fey are being hunted by something, aren¡¯t they?¡± Mullu-Lim nodded grimly.¡°The details were scarce, but as far as I could gather, the Children of St. Martin have been fighting some sort of war beneath the surface for at least the last hundred years.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why they¡¯ve become more and more reclusive,¡± Aphora surmised. ¡°Maybe.Or maybe the more friendly ones are just dead.¡± He shrugged.¡°From what I gathered, their realm is fairly disorganized, a bunch of mostly independent city-states who don¡¯t have any one ruler over them, at least until recently.The war seems to be forcing them to work together more closely, but that cooperation didn''t come soon enough for Tesha¡¯s city.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± He sighed.¡°Not entirely sure.Almost nothing in Tesha¡¯s papers even mentioned the enemy; it¡¯s like they¡¯re afraid to speak of them.It appears that the elders of her city did actually plan this expedition, as she said, but the original plan was for their whole city - man, woman, and child - to flee.But before their plans were completed, the city got wiped out., Lady Aphora, buthere¡¯s no one left waiting for them back home.¡± Aphora drummed her fingers across the table, lost in thought as a grave new threat yawned before her.¡°What do we know of this enemy?¡± ¡°Little to nothing.¡±Her commander leaned forward, the table groaning beneath the weight of the mostly transformed stag.¡°They just call them the ¡°knockers¡± - if their enemies have a real name, I didn¡¯t find it - but aside from that I learned very little, save for one disturbing detail.¡±He paused, taking a long draught of wine until Aphora couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°And?¡±she snapped. He set the goblet down slowly, his hand lingering for a moment on the stem.¡°The Fey believed them to be a race created by the Sidhe.¡± ¡°Selene¡¯s grace,¡± she swore, slapping the table with her palm so hard that a small crack ran down its face.¡°Selene¡¯s grace.The Sidhe?Tell me you¡¯re joking,¡± she demanded fiercely.The deer man shook his head grimly.¡°I am sorry, my lady; I only wish I could.¡± Aphora swore again. "So an unknown foe that is most likely predisposed to hate us as well." Forcibly quieting herself down, Aphora threw herself back in her seat with a weary sigh.¡°Do not tell anyone of this news, Mullu-Lim, save for Torin, of course.There is no point in worrying the people until we know more.Perhaps these ''knockers'' have been left behind, in whatever distant lands the Fey dwelt in.¡± ¡°Very well, my lady.¡±Nodding his head to the left, he stood up and departed her chambers. As soon as he had left, Aphora locked the door and searched through her bags.She found what she was looking for quickly enough and, with shaking hands, she cast the edekk? across the floor.The first result was nonsense, the carefully inscribed bones providing a message that she could not decipher in the slightest.But as she cast them a second and a third time, the message slowly grew clearer.The bones spoke of danger, perhaps even death, but not disaster.Nothing has changed, she reassured herself, feeling a little better about Mullu-Lim¡¯s news.But she was still going to have a heart-to-heart talk with Tesha the next morning. The Fey could not be permitted to continue hiding such dangerous secrets. The heart-to-heart talk, as it happened, had to wait.While living in Gis?-Izum, Aphora had been relatively insulated from the constant demands of leadership.The majority of her elves had lived outside the city, in small settlements and glens dotting the Sapi?yan countryside, where relatively little government input was needed.The reality of adjusting to living together in a single large settlement - with a group of unfamiliar Fey on top of it all - had been more difficult than she had expected. All day long she was besieged by one request after another, forced to intercede in mostly petty disputes.She had more important things to be doing, more important things she needed to do, but at the same time, Aphora couldn¡¯t afford to let the tensions between the Fey and elves blow up into a real quarrel.She was confident they¡¯d all learn to get along given time, but until then, she found herself playing the peacemaker. Still, the day came and went without her having a chance to corner the Fey leader, and as night fell she knew she had a more pressing engagement: the time had come to fulfill Kas?dael¡¯s request. ¡°Are you ready, my lady?¡±Torin knocked on the door gently, not waiting for a response before he let himself in. Aphora groaned, burying her face in her hands.¡°Not in the slightest.I can¡¯t believe the goddess is forcing us to shelter a Gemlirian, but I suppose we can¡¯t just leave her waiting.Can we?¡± His lips pursed in a thin smile.¡°I¡¯m afraid the gods don¡¯t generally take well to being told ¡®no.¡¯¡± With a final groan, she lifted her head.¡°Fine, give me a minute.¡± Once her long locks were safely tucked behind her antlers, the pair quietly slipped out of the manor.Not wanting to alert the servants of her departure, they skipped the stables, relying on their own stamina to carry them the distance.Until Aphora had had the chance to judge the child for herself, she didn¡¯t want to risk bringing her around the Fey or the elves. Torin noticed her frown as they trotted toward the tunnels.¡°Something wrong, my lady?¡± She smiled wryly.¡°We have an unknown enemy lurking in the darkness, and are about to welcome another into our midst - and if I fail to keep this enemy safe the Goddess of the End herself will be angry with me - but no, nothing major.¡± His laughter rang off the rocky ceiling.¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage, my lady.You always do.¡±
Qas?pa?hti waited long into the night for her kin to fall asleep, concentrating on the relentless chorus of crickets that had taken up residence behind their humble hut.When their breathing had finally grown calm and steady, the raucous snoring now clashing with the chirping crickets for dominance, she cautiously rose from her straw pallet. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! There was no need to tiptoe across the pressed dirt floor, as the ground muffled all about the loudest of footfalls, but the true test came in getting through the door.The winters grew cold on the western plains and she had to fight to drag the thick, wooden door the few inches needed to let her slip through.It scratched against the ground, squealing as it ran over a pebble embedded in the dirt.For a moment, the sound of snoring ceased and she heard someone stir on their mats.Qas?pa?hti froze, her heart beating so loudly in her chest that she was sure the whole room could hear it, but no one emerged from the darkness to grab her. After a few minutes had passed in peaceful silence, she finally worked up the nerve to push through the door.The roughhewn wood scraped against her skin painfully, but she soldiered on, not daring to open the door any further lest it make more noise and, after a bit of frantic wiggling, she managed to pop free. The moon shone brightly overhead as she crept through the tall grass behind the hut where she had dug her small passage.She just had to drag herself down into the small tunnel of dirt to retrieve her precious spellbook, and then she would be free to run to the strange door in the cliff, the door the goddess had told her off. A shower of dirt fell across her face as she pulled herself through the small tunnel, her shoulders brushing against the narrow confines, but she tumbled out a moment later into the tiny hollow she had carved out for herself - or, if she was being honest, she had largely stolen from a warren of rabbits she¡¯d ousted from their home.But her heart sank as she swept her gaze across the small, dark hole. There was no sign of her book.By the fallen stars.Pure instinct took over her as Qas?pa?hti threw herself up the tunnel.All attempts at being stealthy were abandoned in her headlong dash up the cramped corridor.She had been discovered. As her head breached the top of the hole, she struggled to pull herself out, her shoulders caught on the lip of the opening.But she needn¡¯t have bothered.A giant hand closed around her neck as she was yanked free in a shower of dust and dirt.She struggled uselessly in the grasp, kicking and flailing against her captor.¡°Let go, let go-¡° Her face slammed into the ground with a bone-crunching pop.She screamed, her cries of pain muffled as he slammed her again and again into the ground.Through her haze, she recognized the face of her aunt¡¯s husband, an ugly scowl on his face.With one last slam, he tossed her onto the ground.She rolled through the tall grass, landing in a tumbled heap.She didn¡¯t even see the book he threw at her until it hit her in the cheek. ¡°What is this treachery, girl?¡±He snarled.Qas?pa?hti struggled to stand up, pushing herself up the ground, but collapsed as her arm gave way beneath her.Searing pain lanced through her body as the splintered bone poked through her flesh. His kick landed in her chest, and she was thrown backward, screaming as her already broken arm was bent backward.Somehow, whimpering, she managed to crouch to her feet, her hand reflexively grabbing the spell book that had fallen beside her. ¡°You¡¯re consorting with the enemy, betraying our people, our GODS!¡±He roared, globs of spittle flying everywhere.¡°Despite the shame your father brought to your family, I took you in.I fed you, I clothed you, and you repaid our kindness by betraying us.¡± His hand closed around her neck, and he yanked her up to his height.Qas?pa?hti¡¯s eyes struggled to focus on his.They glowed in the dark like two burning embers, as he glared at her with pure scorn.¡°You are our kin no more.You are nakirtu.¡± He spat, his spittle smacking across her face. ¡°Please! Don''t-¡± she wailed, knowing what his words meant.He was going to kill her.His grip tightened around her throat and her vision begin to swim.Her instincts took over and she failed wildly. Her strength was no match for his, her blows bouncing off his tough skin ineffectually, but, by chance, her fingernails found something soft - his eye.With a howl, he let go of her as he clutched at his face and she dropped to the ground like a load of bricks. She could barely see, could barely think, her lung screaming for the oxygen they had been deprived but somehow Qas?pa?hti found the strength to stand. Her legs shook like jelly, her shattered arm throbbing with hot, white pain, but she pushed on, hobbling with single-minded determination toward her only hope - the nearby river. She was a water witch, after all. Her strength gave out as she neared her destination, and Qas?pa?hti tripped by the bank, but her headlong fall took her into the waters as her uncle caught up with her.Barely conscious, she managed to flood all her essence into the water as she begged it to listen to her.Please, take me to the door. The river listened to her. out of his grasp, as a thin plume of water breached the banks that limited it., slipping and sloshing through the thick grass faster than her uncle could run. The pain alone served to keep her conscious, her screams echoing in the darkness as her shattered arm was smashed into the ground over and over again.But the water did as she asked; within moments, she reached the ledge that overlooked the pit beside the emerald door. The river spilled over the ledge, and she fell, helplessly, into the pond waiting below, toward whatever servant the goddess had sent to meet her.Please be there, she prayed, to whatever god was listening. Aphora had exited the door promptly at midnight as Kas?dael had asked her, but there was no sign of the child.She waited impatiently as the minutes stretched into hours. Indeed, if it had not been a personal command from the goddess, Aphora would have hours earlier, but she was still on the verge of leaning when the first screams broke the silent night.They came from above the pit, somewhere in the upper village.Is that the child? She hesitated, not wanting to rush blindly into an enemy village and risk blowing their cover.Her decision was made for her when a few moments later, a column of water erupted above the cliff, releasing a small bundle toward the shallow pool at the bottom of the pit. She sprung into motion, intercepting the child before she hit the ground.It took Aphora no more than a quick glance for her to see the extent of the young Gemlirian¡¯s damage.Blood covered her pale, grey face, gushing from her nose, and her arm hung limply beside her, broken in at least a dozen places. Her eyes were dull and listless, buthe stirred slightly in Aphora¡¯s arms, her lips moving noiselessly. She was a Gemlirian, yes, but in that moment Aphora could only see a battered child, as a cold fury stirred in her hurt. Who did this to her? ¡°Nakirtu! Arrat-ila?ni!¡±Aphora''s gaze shot upward to the troll screaming at the top of the cliff.He cut an imposing figure, a solid mass of muscles and brawn that testified to his skill as a warrior.I think I found my answer. Aphora¡¯s lips curled in anger.Pushing the child into Torin¡¯s arms, she leapt across the shallow pond to the cliff''s face, clearing the thirty or so feet in a single bound. Soaring into the air, the strands of her dress unspooled around her rapidly.A hundred threads glimmered beneath the moonlight as the Gemlirian stared dumbfounded at the sudden enemy that had appeared.It was the last thought he had.The threads shot forward, punching through his flesh and bone with a supernatural force.Squirming and wriggling, they tore through his body, erupting out his back in a shower of gore.Aphora landed beside him as he slumped over, lifeless. She kicked the body off the cliff, hearing the splash as it landed in the water below.Aphora hesitated a moment.The better part of valor would be to leave now, to return unseen to their quiet hideaway.But her resolve hardened as the bloodied face of the child flashed across her mind.She stalked toward the village quietly, her hands twitching as the threads squirmed around her, like a swarm of flying snakes.Tonight the Blood Moon would feast. A Friendly Shade Jasper glanced over his stats quickly, noting with pleasant surprise that he had picked up a few more levels in Kas?dael¡¯s subclass.I guess she decided to reward me, even if I did kind of cock it all up. Jasper tossed the points into inspiration and willpower and watched in surprised satisfaction as his essence and stamina skyrocketed far past what he had expected.The value of the stats after a hundred must go up again, he realized. After messing around with the numbers a little, he came to the conclusion that the value of each point in inspiration had doubled once again, now adding 80 essence. It was a welcome boost to his mana reserves, although he had the sneaking suspicion that whatever new spells he received for his class change would require a lot more essence. With the last of his business concluded, he could no longer delay the inevitable. Knowing all too well what was coming next, his hand shook slightly as he closed the menus.
Jasper Welles Exp: 17/5000 Health 1800 Stamina 4600 Essence 7000 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Acolyte of the Secret Flame Level: 96 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 6 Level up: xO Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities Weapon Skills
Strength 50 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice Improvised Weaponry I
Endurance 50 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair Sling V
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment Glaive VI
Inspiration 105 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II Dagger III
Willpower 110 Locked Seraph Burst
Charisma 38 Heart Stopper (Undead)
But the blow he was bracing for didn''t come. Instead, Kas?dael grabbed his chin, pulling his eyes up to meet hers.¡°Before you go, we need to talk.¡± Jasper¡¯s heart was still racing, every nerve in his body on edge, but he met her gaze cooly.¡°Those generally aren¡¯t words any man wants to hear from a woman.¡± Kas?dael rolled her eyes.¡°I am your mistress, not one of your little vixens.¡± He managed a weak chuckle.¡°Actually, those words aren¡¯t so different where I¡¯m from.¡± Her lips turned down in a frown, but the light in her eyes shone more with regret than with any trace of irritation. ¡°Tis not a pleasant thing that we need to discuss, but it is necessary.¡± Damn, she sounds serious. ¡°I need you to be prepared for the possibility of dying again as part of this mission.¡± ¡°No, nope, no way.¡± Jasper shrank away from her, as his fingers subconsciously crept up his neck to the faint scars where his head had been severed the last time.¡°I almost died - I mean, I did die - I mean,¡± he faltered struggling to express the horror that the mere thought of the Sea of Oblivion inspired in him. His skin crawled as the memory of wandering mindlessly along those icy shores flashed through his mind.¡°I was almost obliterated.I can¡¯t face that again.¡± Kas?dael patted his hand.¡°I know it¡¯s a lot to ask, and I hope it won¡¯t be necessary, but if my suspicions about Yas?gah¡¯s identity are correct, she has not yet fully crossed the threshold to ascend to true divinity. Instead, she stands on the cusp, a ravenous demigod devouring whatever souls she can come across - whatever souls the brotherhood offers up to her. We must insure that she does not succeed in her plans.¡± ¡°And you want to offer me up?!¡± He protested, trying to snatch away his hand.¡°Hell no.Aren¡¯t the souls of those consumed by the cultists utterly destroyed?Not dead as in the ¡°wander like a mindless animal around a sea of destruction with a slight chance of being resurrected¡± dead, but dead dead?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Normally that is the case, but I am no paltry adventurer. If Matqa wants to devour souls, then shall I give her one to feast on.¡±Kas?dael grinned wolfishly, a savage light shining in her eyes, and for the first time Jasper caught a glimpse of the terrifying being that inspired such devotion in doomsday cultists. ¡°I''m afraid she''ll find it a bit hard to digest though.¡± She placed a gentle hand on his cheek. "I cannot promise you absolute safety, but I believe I can protect your soul and, at the same time, use it to poison her plans." Jasper shook his head again, feeling betrayed as he stared up at the goddess.¡°I don¡¯t want to die.I already did that and, believe me, it wasn¡¯t all it was cracked up.¡± She grabbed his chin again, forcing him to meet her eyes. ¡°Matqa¡¯s plan must be stopped." Kas?dael spoke her words with a quiet conviction he had really seen from her. is not some matter of petty divine pride, of simply wanting to keep her out of power; Matqa''s plain is a real threat to the very order that sustains us all.You have in your world weapons of terrifying power - nuclear, I believe you call it?¡± Jasper nodded slowly, ¡°Yeah.How do you know about that?¡± Ignoring him, she continued.¡°Allowing Matqa to ascend would be like letting a dangerous, megalomaniacal psychopath have their own personal arsenal of warheads.In the face of grave danger, sometimes sacrifices have to be made, but I promise you, I will do everything possible to insure you come through safely.If my plan works, you will die, but you will not die." After a long, silent moment, Jasper shrugged his shoulders helplessly.¡°It¡¯s not like I have much of a choice, is it?¡± Kas?dael shook her head.¡°I will not force you, Jasper; that is not my way.But I have faith that when the moment comes - if it comes, that is - you will find it within yourself to make the right decision.¡± He didn¡¯t respond as she finally pulled him into her embrace, not even screaming as her hand tore out his heart. With a shaky breath, he opened his eyes.Ihra was standing over him, having insisted this time on keeping watch.¡°Well, did you get anything good?¡± He took a moment to compose his thoughts, trying not to dwell on what Kas?dael had asked of him. He just wasn''t ready to talk about it. ¡°New racial trait,¡± he grunted, trying for the first time to activate the ability.He had never cast a spell using his stamina pool before, and he found the new mana type responded slightly differently than essence.Whereas his essence flowed through him, like a calm, steady mountain stream, the stamina moved more erratically, resisting his initial efforts to corral it.But eventually, he managed to snag a strand of the essence, forcing it through the runes on his hand as the spell activated.¡°Bramble Crown,¡± he whispered. A thin, rough bark quickly blossomed from the pale, blue tattoos on his hands. The bark spread rapidly across his body, covering his torso and limbs in a protective film, although it did not - much to his surprise, cover his head. Nor, for that matter, are there any signs of thorns.Mostly pale, the streaky white bark reminded him of the picturesque birch tree, but it was not all what he had expected. ¡°Is that¡­the bramble crown?¡±Ihra asked hesitantly. Jasper moved his arms slowly, pleasantly surprised at how much mobility they offered.It might have looked like wood, but it certainly wasn¡¯t constraining.¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not quite sure what the crown in the name is referring to.Maybe something from a future evolution? Or maybe just because it''s a perk connected to the royal family?¡±He shrugged.¡°Why don¡¯t you hit me?¡± A momentary flicker of confusion passed over her face, but Ihra complied with his request.Almost faster than he could see, her hand flickered out, catching him directly in the nose. ¡°Ouch,¡± he yelped.He leapt back, holding onto his bleeding nose, as he stared at her accusingly.¡°The armor.Hit me in the armor.Why would you hit me in the face?¡± She blushed.¡°Oh.I thought it was one of those armors that improve as you get injured, you know, like a bloodied build?¡± ¡°Well, actually,¡± he admitted, ¡°I suppose that''s not the worst idea, but,¡± he examined the thin bark that covered his body again, ¡°it doesn''t seem to haven''t gotten any thicker.Just trying hitting the armor this time.¡± The initial tests were quite unsatisfactory.The wood splintered and chipped quite rapidly beneath her blows.Ihra was strong, certainly stronger than the average level of the population, but Jasper couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed.¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± he complained ruefully.¡°Kas?dael said this was a prized trait of the royal family, but honestly, the armor seems like crap, especially for the high casting cost.¡± ¡°Maybe it massively improves on evolution?¡± She suggested tentatively. ¡°Maybe.¡±He flopped into a nearby chair, idly letting a small trickle of fire flow across his fingers as he gazed discontentedly at his new perk.As the fire brushed across the wood, the thin white bark darkened, but not as if it was being burnt.Silver strands spread across its face wherever the fire touched it.¡°Wait a minute.¡±Willing more essence through his hands, he allowed the fire to spread up his arms, turning the white bark into a constellation of silver and ivory.¡°Try again.¡± This time the armor held.Sure, it eventually gave way beneath Ihra¡¯s blows, but it was more than strong enough to turn at least the first few arrows that came his way.¡°You¡¯d think the description would tell you that,¡± he groused, but truthfully, Jasper was just glad the trait wasn¡¯t a waste of an upgrade. ¡°True, but as a family trait, that knowledge is probably expected to just be passed down. Do you think-"Whatever Ihra was going to say was cut off as a series of sharp raps echoed off the thick wooden doors of the manor.Or, at least, that was what Jasper thought at first.He waited a moment for one of the servants to come and open the door, before remembering that they had already departed for the night.The raps echoed through the room again and, heaving himself off the cozy couch, he headed for the door.The old wooden door of the manor creaked loudly as he nudged it a few inches open, peering outside cautiously. No one was there, and he opened the door a little further, swiveling his head from side to side as he looked for any sign of visitors.Do they play Ding Dong Ditch in Corsythia? As he held the door open, the rapping sounded again, but this time he could tell that it was definitely coming from further inside the house. ¡°Uh, Jasper?¡±Ihra¡¯s voice drifted out to him.¡°You might want to come and see this.¡± Closing the door quickly, he rejoined her in the salon. But the room had changed in the few seconds he was gone.A small section of the wall had disappeared, replaced by a gaping maw of darkness. "What happened?" Ihra shrugged. ¡°Not sure. As soon as you left the room, this little panel in the wall just opened up.¡± Jasper approached it cautiously, peering through the small hole.Barely more than a foot and half in width, he could see a cramped flight of stairs leading down into the darkness before he retreated back into the light. Again, the knocking sound rang through the room, this time clearly drifting up from the darkness pooling beyond the panel, and just for a moment the image of a man appeared.Too tall to properly fit in the cramped space, his shoulders so broad that he was forced to crouch diagonally, the translucent figure turned to face them. Jasper stumbled back, his heart beating rapidly as the ghost stretched a single hand out and, silently, beckoned them to follow.It vanished a moment later, and the knocking begin again.He stared down at the dark passage, dread pooling in his heart.But the knocking would not cease, and it became clear what he needed to do. ¡°Damn it,¡± he sighed, grinning ruefully at Ihra.¡°I guess we¡¯re going to have to see what the ghost wants.Hopefully, it takes after Casper.¡± Ihra shook her head, a bemused grin on her lips.¡°One of these days,¡± she threatened, ¡°one of these days, I¡¯m going to tie you to a chair and make you tell me everything about your world till it actually makes sense.¡± ¡°Good luck with that,¡± he jibed back. ¡°Hey now, I¡¯m stronger than you, so I like my chances. Plus, you would want really want to use your spells on a friend, would you?¡±She batted her lashes exaggeratedly, and Jasper burst out laughing. But a moment later, his eyes were dragged back to the dark tunnel as another series of raps echoed up from the shadowed corridor.¡°I guess we can''t just keep it ignoring,¡± he said reluctantly, not enthused in the slightest about venturing into the darkness again away.He waved his hand at the tunnel, gesturing for Ihra to proceed.¡°Women and children first.¡± Ihra¡¯s eyebrow quirked up.¡°Oh?And why am I being lumped in with children?¡±Her tone was still mostly playful, but there was a subtle undercurrent of irritation. ¡°Uhh-¡±Rather than finding a response, Jasper decided to take the lead, plunging into the darkness. I never thought I''d be as dumb as a horror movie protagonist, but here I am. Despite his doubts though, the frantic beating of his heart was already beginning to calm down. He had no way to explain it, but somehow, in that split second of seeing the ghost, he had gotten the very strong impression that it meant him no harm, that it simply wanted to show him something. He would have just to hope his intuition was correct. It was a tight squeeze into the passage and, like the ghost, Jasper was forced to edge down sideways, inching his way down the narrow stairs.The passage was roughhewn, the walls so haphazard that he doubted they had been made professionally, and his armored tunic scraped noisily against the rough walls of the passage whenever the confines narrowed.Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a long trek into the darkness.The steps quickly curved, torquing into a tight spiral, before finally opening up into a small room. He let his essence spill across his hands, lighting the room up, as he searched the room in vain for any sign of the ghost. But the shadowed corners hid nothing but cobwebs and dust.he room was entirely empty save for a small bed, a desk, and its accompanying chair.And one more thing, he realized after a moment. Laying on the desk, covered in a thick layer of dust, was a small, leather-bound book. The book quivered as Jasper reached his hand toward it, bouncing up and down on the wooden desk, producing the now familiar knocking sound.He yanked his hand back, staring down at the book uncertainly.Is it a mimic?Some sort of cursed object?The thumping ceased as the book stilled and Jasper reached out his hand again, but Ihra grabbed his hand.¡°Let me get it.I¡¯ve got higher vision than you, so if it¡¯s trapped I might be able to avoid it.¡± The book remained inert as she grabbed it, unwinding the leather knot that bound its cover.¡°Well?¡± he asked. She hesitated.¡°It¡¯s just a journal, but¡­¡±She flipped through the pages more quickly.¡°I think you''ll be interested in what it has to say.Might just give you some of those answers you¡¯re looking for.¡± Daiqta loves Abdiel Da¡¯iqta ran through her checklist one last time, her hand drifting toward her belly as she felt the faintest flutter within. The slight bulge was quickly growing, and she knew she could not hide it for much longer. The repercussions...well, she wouldn''t be the first or the last in the royal house to bear a bastard. Hell, she knew her brother probably already had one of his own running around somewhere, but expectations for her were different. She had been elevated to the status of princess, and was expected to act like one. No, there would be no hiding her condition soon, but Da''iqta had no intention of sticking around to face the music. She picked up the letter she had written to her brother. It was everything she had wanted to say to him. Every word was perfectly crafted, the simple truth she had been dying to tell him spilled out on a few pages. Then she ripped it up and tossed it into the smoldering fire. The flames sparked to life, the edges curling as the fire ate the proffered sacrifice. She watched in silence, a few tears spilling past their dams to trickle down her face. She wanted to tell him, but she couldn¡¯t. If he knew, he¡¯d try to stop her, and then? Her resolve hardened. As much as she loved her brother, she couldn¡¯t face living in this gilded cage any longer. Standing up, she thumbed through her wardrobe until she found something that cloaked the telltale bump, and headed out the door. Morning exercises at the temple would start soon, and she couldn¡¯t afford to be seen missing them. The sweat was running down her back like mountain streams by the time the instructor finally called for them to halt. The heat had never really bothered her before, but the pregnancy was definitely messing with her systems. She wanted nothing more than to collapse in the soft sands of the courtyard, but she forced herself to remain standing, as she waited for her friend. After a few moments of idle chatter, the older woman approached. A faint tinge of gray peppered her friend¡¯s lilac hair, but she carried her age gracefully, her face as of yet utterly untouched by the ravages of time. Da¡¯iqta grasped her friend¡¯s hand anxiously, for the moment not caring what others might think. ¡°Did you get it?¡± she asked breathlessly. ¡°Tell me you got it, Hayil.¡± Hayil laughed, pushing her friend¡¯s hand away. ¡°Relax, princess. Everything has been arranged.¡± Relief flooded through her. ¡°Thank you, Hayil.¡± Her friend scoffed. ¡°It was nothing,¡± but Da¡¯iqta persisted. ¡°No, really. I couldn¡¯t have done this without you.¡± For a second, doubt flashed through Hayil¡¯s lavender eyes. ¡°I hope I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡± Her eyes drifted down to Da¡¯iqta¡¯s belly and, despite the fact that her friend already knew the truth, she reflexively sucked in. A slightly sad smile crossed the woman¡¯s face. ¡°But I¡¯ve been where you are; I couldn¡¯t stand by and not at least try to help. So, as I said, it was nothing.¡± She patted Da¡¯iqta¡¯s hand again, subtly slipping a small locket into her fingers. ¡°Just activate at the appropriate time, and everything else will be handled.¡± Sliding the locket into her pocket, Da¡¯iqta headed back out of the temple. She cast a longing look at the bubbling hot springs, her aching muscles begging her for a relaxing soak, but it was out of the question. There would be no hiding her condition there. It was a long, anxious wait until the Divine Warrior had returned to his slumber, leaving the Celestial Queen to take her throne in the heavens. As the time approached, she finally bound the slender, silver locket around her neck, feeling it gently burning against her skin. She hastened to combine the ingredients for the ritual. In a cauldron over a fire, powdered bauxite and iron were mixed with salt and blood before the more exotic ingredients were added. Da¡¯iqta cringed a bit as she watched several years'' worth of her allowance disappear into the slightly bubbling mixture, but she pressed on, pouring every drop of her essence into the potion. The ritual was torture. Da¡¯iqta had always had an enormous essence pool, rarely even getting close to running low when in combat, but this blessing only magnified the horrendously splitting headache that cracked her skull open as her essence bottomed out. She pushed through the pain, though, driven by necessity. When the last drop of her essence was forced into the potion, she swayed, propping herself against the cauldron as she struggled to stand on her feet. She felt the baby kick within her and placed a protective hand on her belly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, s?erri?. They promised me this wouldn¡¯t hurt you,¡± she murmured as she stared at the still-unchanged potion with a touch of worry. Did I do something wrong? Her doubts were assuaged a moment later as the reaction kicked in. The reddish concoction darkened as the boiling rapidly increased. Then, in a wave erupting from the center, the concoction turned a deep, rich blue that reminded her of the halls of As?rukkat. Dipping a goblet into the water, she muttered one final prayer to Shamsha before she drank. As the liquid graced her lips, Da''iqta was surprised at how sweet it tasted, the elixir so pleasant that it could have fetched a high price in the market. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. But a second later, the sweet liquor was replaced with an odious, noxious taste. She gagged as she choked it down her throat, dry heaving as her body tried to reject the potion, but she managed to hold it in, even forcing herself to swallow the vomit that flooded her mouth again and again. The next hour was an exercise in agony. One cup of the mixture was not enough - she had to drink the entire cauldron, every last drop of the foul potion. By the time she was finished, her still relatively flat stomach was swollen and distended and she felt sick to her very core. But as she looked in the mirror, she could see the concoction was working its magic. Already her skin was a shade lighter, her horns a touch smaller, her thick musculature a tad softer. She dragged herself up the stairs to her roof and somehow, fell asleep beneath Selene¡¯s watchful gaze. The next morning she woke up a different person. The warlike princess, whose pale, milky skin, golden hair, and stately horns had filled the dreams of many a prospective suitor, had been replaced by a small, raven-haired human. No longer contained by her abs of steel, her belly had popped, far beyond the state in which it could be hidden. But there was no need to hide now. Her lip quivered as she stared at herself in the mirror. The princess was gone - she was gone. Even her beloved brother wouldn¡¯t recognize her now. She felt a stirring in her chest as the gis?a?tu sapling she had bonded with struggled against the potions constraint, and guilt flooded her heart. I am sorry, my friend, but this is for the best. Once we are safely there, I will figure out how to release you. The sapling ceased its struggles at her reassuring words, but she could sense its unhappiness through their bond. The locket around her neck heated up again, and she gathered her things. Her stuff had already been packed. Most of her clothes had to be left behind - where she was going, they would be utterly unusable anyways - but she had been quietly selling her belongings since she¡¯d discovered her predicament. Between that and her usual allowance, she would have plenty to sustain herself on the other side. Hayil¡¯s connections had come through for her. She slipped through the still silent streets of the city as the sun just begin to peak its crown above the distant mountains, finding the carriage waiting patiently near the docks. By the time the sun had finished its ascent into the heavens, Da¡¯iqta was already far away from Maha?zi?nu. The trip was exceedingly unpleasant. Her new human body forced her to remain hidden in the carriage and, worse, was far more susceptible to the pangs of pregnancy. But after a few weeks, they arrived. The clans deep within the mountains never paid more than lip service to the king¡¯s rule, a source of much aggravation to her family. But their autonomy was to her benefit now. Nestled deep below the city of Katm?, one of the clans guarded a lost ruin of the Mwyrani or some other ancient race, a true portal. As she stepped out of the carriage, Abdiel was already there, waiting for her. She blushed as he swept her into his arms, embarrassed by the public display of affection. ¡°How do I look?¡± Dai¡¯qta forced herself to speak with a levity she didn¡¯t feel, afraid of what he might say. She knew she looked nothing like the Djinn beauty she had been. But all her worries fled as Abdiel flashed her a radiant smile, pulling her tight against him. ¡°You¡¯ve never looked more beautiful, my love,¡± he whispered, and though she knew it wasn¡¯t true, she melted against him. ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t come?¡± Abdiel shook his head. ¡°The king himself gave me an order. If I flee, my entire clan will face punishment.¡± He ran his fingers through her now brunette hair gently. ¡°I am sorry. When the command is finished, I can try to join you¡­¡± Fighting back the tears, Da¡¯iqta shook her head. ¡°No, don¡¯t. They say time flows differently through the portal. If you can¡¯t come with me now, there¡¯s no point.¡± He hugged her tighter and, this time, she could not choke back the tears from her treacherous eyes. How long they stood there, she didn¡¯t know, but traveling through the portal was not an easy endeavor, and the magic waited for no one. Far too soon, she felt a tap on her shoulder. ¡°My lady, it is time to go. We cannot hold it open any longer.¡±Dragging herself out of his arms, she followed the clan mage over to the glowing doorway. Already the runes around the edges had dimmed, the lights flickering ever so slightly. She hesitated on the threshold, then turned around. Grabbing something out of her bag, she tossed it at Abdiel. Startled, her lover still caught it easily, looking at the leather-bound book with surprise. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my journal. Just¡­¡± she struggled to speak through her tears, ¡°just put it back in my study; maybe my brother will find it one day. Maybe, if he wants to follow me¡­¡± She trailed off, knowing it was a pipedream. Her older brother, fiercely as he loved her, was a slave to duty. He would never disobey the king, not even for her. Silence stretched between them as, squaring, her shoulders she stepped through the portal to her new home, a planet near the old Mwyrani colony of ''Adammu?ni. She wrinkled her nose, trying to member the name her briefing had taught her. What do the locals call it again? After a moment, it came to her. That¡¯s right, earth. The glowing liquid washed over her, flooding every opening with a smooth, soothing warmth as she left the shackles of her former life behind, the endless expectations of her royal status exchanged for the freedom of a brave, new world.
Jasper let the diary fall back on the rickety old desk. A small cloud of dust erupted as it landed, billowing into the air, but he barely noticed it. ¡°Wow¡± was all he had to say. ¡°Did it answer your questions?¡± Ihra asked, placing her hand on his back. His brow furrowed as he shook his head. ¡°For every question it answered, it simply raised a new one. I have an older brother and¡­¡± his voice choked ¡°I had a sister. So, I can¡¯t possibly have been the child in the diary. And as for my mother," he hesitated, "Honestly, I can¡¯t remember a single thing about her that would make me think that she was anything other than a normal human. I know this journal mentions some kind of potion, but it''s pretty hard to believe.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°Assuming this is true, I really only see two logical possibilities. Either I am not the child in the diary, but my older brother was, or,¡± he hesitated, not wanting to acknowledge the possibility, ¡°I was adopted. And it''s not clear at all if this Abdiel is actually my father or the father of some half-sibling of mine.¡± A Mission from S?arra?bi? It was a long and restless night.Jasper''s mind would not quit racing as he ran through the contents of the diary, and the many questions it had raised, over and over again. Before he knew it, the first rays of dawn were peeking through his windows.With a grown, he pulled a pillow over his head, banishing the light into darkness as he desperately sought even a few minutes of sleep¡¯s sweet nectar. But it was not to be.A confident knock thudded against his bedroom door.He squirmed deeper into his covers, ignoring it.Whoever was at the door knocked again and then, after he continued to ignore them, the sound of the door swinging open echoed through the room as someone let themselves in.Their steady stride beat against the parqueted wooden floor and reluctantly, Jasper was forced to pull his head out from under the pillow and meet his intrusive guest. It was Annatta. She was clad in a leather jerkin, thoroughly armored by the bright blue scales used by the royal House, and two silver daggers, long enough to be bordering on short-sword status, swayed at her hips. ¡°My lord, it is time to get up.¡± He didn¡¯t even bother to try to hide his scowl.¡°I didn''t sleep at all last night; leave me alone,¡± he grouched, turning away. But the Djinn was undeterred. A little smirk flitted across her lips, as she shrugged.¡°Oh well, it''s still time to get up. Lord S?arra?bi? has a task for you.¡± Damn it.Flipping over, he turned to face her, rubbing the bleariness out of his eyes as best as he could.¡°Fine, what does he want?Let me guess, more etiquette training.¡± ¡°Actually, I think you¡¯ll be rather pleased by this particular task.¡± He perked up a bit, looking at her expectantly. ¡°So what is it?¡± Jasper persisted. The Djinn just shook her head, giving him another little smirk.¡°I guess you¡¯ll just have to wait and find out.¡± Within the hour, they were on the road.This time, rather than slipping out the secluded side entrance of the palace complex, they waited for the monumental gates to open, riding out into the pavilion with the copper fountain to the clatter of hooves.here were just the three of them, Jasper felt a bit self-conscious using the big gate, and that was only exacerbated when the crowd gathered around the strange blue waters turned as one to watch them leave, bowing respectfully as they passed. While the inhabitants of the city endeavored to give them room to pass, the city streets were crowded by the thronging masses, and their progress was quite slow until they crossed the great twin bridges that led out of the city.Free at last of the city¡¯s restraints, they set off at a gallop into the countryside, where Jasper resumed his interrogation of Annatta. ¡°So are you ever going to tell me what we¡¯re doing?¡± Annatta glanced over with an amused look but, perhaps seeing his genuine irritation, relented.¡°S?arra?bi? was rather surprised to realize you were still short of your first evolution.He decided to fix that.¡± A little thrill of excitement ran down his spine.¡°Oh?So we are going to fight something?¡±He frowned as another realization hit him.¡°Wait - he can see my level?Can he see my classes?My stats?¡± She rolled her eyes.¡°Obviously not, or he would have realized that, wouldn''t he?" .Anyways, a village a few hours outside the capital has been having a problem with some sort of beast preying on their cattle.Their complaints have been getting more and more frequent, so S?arra?bi? thought it was a good opportunity for you to build a little goodwill while also picking up the last few levels you needed.Now, wasn¡¯t I right?Tell me you aren¡¯t the least bit happy about this assignment.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.Maybe this time - for the very first time ever -¡± he shot an only half-serious glare at her, ¡°you were right.Any idea what we¡¯ll be fighting?¡± She shrugged.¡°There¡¯s lots of creatures that are happy to help themselves to a meal that can¡¯t really fight back, but whatever this is, the villagers'' tsuss?m riders haven¡¯t actually seen it.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s invisible?¡±He ventured. The Djinn scoffed.¡°It¡¯s unlikely.Probably just attacks at night.The tsuss?m don¡¯t like the dark, so the herders are a lot more limited once the sun sets.¡± ¡°They¡¯re afraid of the dark?¡± Annatta rolled her eyes.¡°Educating you is a never-ending task, isn¡¯t it?How Lord S?arra?bi? ever thinks you could deceive anyone at court is beyond me.¡± ¡°Just answer the question,¡± he snapped, feeling his irritation with her grow. She huffed, but complied. ¡°The tsuss?m can only fly during the day, and while they can also be ridden like a normal horse, their night vision is quite poor.Most herders prefer not to risk their tsuss?m¡¯s health by riding them in the dark,¡± she explained.¡°It¡¯s a difficult situation for the villagers.Their flocks are being attacked at night, but if they try to pursue them, they¡¯re risking their far more valuable mounts.That¡¯s why they need someone like us to deal with it.¡± As the hours slipped away, the paved road sunk into the dusty plains that stretched from Lake Yarhab to the southern borders of the province.The largely flat terrain was perfect for their mounts, but Jasper found the actual ride far less pleasant. The plains themselves were dominated by grasses that reached nearly as high as his head, but wherever the grass didn''t reach - such as the road - was covered in thick layers of loose dirt and dust.Great clouds of the stuff billowed around them as they galloped down the path, infiltrating the very air they were breathing, and Jasper, very suddenly, gained an intense appreciation for just how nice it must be to have a flying mount.Fortunately, Annatta had bandanas for them, and the brightly colored kerchiefs cut the worst of the dust down to a manageable level, but it did little to protect their eyes from the irritating particles. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The sun was already past its peak when the stubby homes of the village loomed above the horizon.Perched on the banks of a lazy river, the dusty plains were broken up by large green fields.Hundreds of shallow canals ferried water from the river to the fields whose lush greenery and open fields seemed like a welcoming oasis.But their objective did lie not in the town itself, but in the pastures on the far side of the river. Annatta led them around the outside of the village to the shores of the river.There, after a bit of searching, she found the ford she was looking for.Though the waters reached nearly to the horses¡¯ chests at their highest, their mounts plowed through the sluggish river without issue, and there, on the other side, their welcoming committee waited. A handful of rather dusty Djinn bowed their heads as the three approached, barely discernible from humans aside from a pair of stubby horns sprouting awkwardly through two holes in the leader¡¯s hat.But it was the Tsuss?m standing beside them that attracted Jasper¡¯s attention. He had seen them from afar, flying low over the fields as they rounded up the cattle, but he had yet to see one up close and they weren¡¯t quite what he expected. The Tsuss?m had rich, glossy black coats, a long mane tumbling down their necks just like a horse, and two large, feathery wings sprouting from their backs, the feathers ranging in color from charcoal grey to a white as pure as the mountain snow.But they weren¡¯t, as he had thought from afar, just horses with wings.The differences were subtle but noticeable.Their skulls were not quite as long as horses, their jaws were a bit too wide, and their feet did not end in hooves but in paws, albeit with no sign of the sharp, vicious claws of felines. But he had no time to examine them further as the head ¡°cowboy¡± stepped forward.¡°Are you the folks the palace sent to help us?¡±A slight quaver in his voice testified to his sudden spike of nervousness, as he attempted to glance surreptitiously at Jasper¡¯s wine-colored skin.¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting them to send someone of your stature.¡±He continued, uncertainly. Jasper opened his mouth to speak, but Annatta beat him to the punch.¡°Lord Yas?peh is here on behalf of the animm? and decided to handle your case personally.¡±She ignored the questioning look Jasper shot her, but her words seemed to reassure the villager, who glanced up at Jasper with a respect now mixed with confidence rather than fear.¡°Thank you, my lord.The animm? are always welcome at our hearths.¡±Sweeping his hat back onto his head, he turned back to his mount, waving for them to follow.¡°Let me show you where the attacks have been taking place. An hour later, Jasper was hunched over a series of odd tracks sunk deep into the soft mud beside the river.The villagers had finally disappeared back into the fields, unable to stay away for long from watching their herds.¡°I work with the animm?? What the hell does that even mean?¡± Annatta was unruffled as she crouched beside him, running her fingers across the tracks with a baffled expression. ¡°It was Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s idea; complain to him, not me.¡± He squelched the rising tide of annoyance that surged him at her continual snippy remarks.¡°Fine,¡± he snapped, ¡°but what does it mean?¡± With a sigh, the Djinn tore herself away from the tracks.¡°Nothing bad.The animm? is a group of nobles in the south that are dedicated to helping the poor.They perform many of the same duties adventurers would, like killing dangerous creatures, but they don''t charge any money for it.S?arra?bi? thought it would be good for you to be associated with them.You know, get people to like you, that sort of thing.Although frankly,¡± she muttered beneath her breath, ¡°that seems like a lost cause.¡± Jasper scowled.¡°What the hell is your problem with me?Surely you can¡¯t still be blaming me because your leader went mad and killed your group.¡± Annatta froze, her fingers clamping into fists so tight that her reddish skin almost looked white, and for a second he wondered if he had pushed her too far.Then she exhaled, her hands slowly unclutching as she spoke, her words slow and careful.¡°Of course not, my lord.You had no idea that we were following you, that your reckless deeds were putting anyone else in danger than yourselves, so how could you be to blame. my friends'' bodies are rotting in the depths of the earth, unburied and unhonored, perhaps doomed to turn into accursed qebru?.¡±She paused, clearly struggling to speak, and then apparently decided against it. Instead, she pointed at the tracks left behind in the muddy banks of the river, not giving him any time to respond to her words.¡°Tell me, what do you see in these tracks?¡± After an awkward pause, Jasper turned his attention back to the mud.The tracks weren¡¯t at all what he¡¯d expected.Not paws, not even hooves, the tracks had three long fingers in the front, with a fourth pointing to the back.Deep gouges in the mud suggested some sort of claw.Or talon, he realized.¡°Is this a bird?¡± He glanced up and down the river bank, seeing that it was covered in the tracks. "And a lot of them." Annatta nodded.¡°That is my guess, too.I¡¯ve never actually encountered one of those creatures, so I¡¯m not certain, but I suspect that these are the tracks of a dore?sah.¡± The name meant nothing to Jasper.¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She rolled her eyes, but responded without snark this time.¡°A fairly dangerous bird that hunts in packs.They have vicious teeth and talons, but their most dangerous feature is their ability to use a sonic attack.I had a mentor who told me about hunting one of their flocks.He was a warrior past his 200th level, but he said that when the combined blast of their screams hit him, he wasn¡¯t even able to pick himself up off the ground.¡± ¡°He was over 200?¡±Jasper asked, feeling the alarm bells go off.¡°Can we even take them?¡± ¡°Probably?¡±Annatta shrugged.¡°My mentor was an excellent swordmaster, but he had no magic. Even a beginner mage will be better equipped to fight these beasts than a skilled warrior, if that warrior is unable to make his hits connect with a swarm of birds flying overhead.We should be fine as long as we¡¯re careful.The real problem is tracking them down.Dore?sah like to roost in caves during the day, and only come out at night to hunt if they¡¯re hungry.We¡¯ll just have to hope that some of them haven¡¯t eaten recently.¡± Standing up, she wiped the mud off her hands.¡°Unfortunately, we won¡¯t be able to follow these tracks back to wherever they came from, so I guess we need to go talk to the villagers again.They ought to know if there are any caves in the area.¡± A Night Hunt The sun¡¯s rays crowned the distant mountain peaks with a halo as they rode toward the small village.The sky was quickly darkening, the clouds hung heavy with the threat of rain as a cool northern wind from the upper plateau chased after them, gnawing at their ears.The cold gale couldn¡¯t pierce his skin but as the first drops of rain begin to dance across his back, Jasper couldn¡¯t repress a shudder. They reached the village before the dams of heaven fully burst, and as they approached, Jasper could the creaking rumble of waterwheels born aloft on the gusting winds.The village was small, a few houses clustered around a row of mills perched by the river bank where the village¡¯s bounteous harvests of grain were ground into flour.A few other industries were dotted amongst the houses, one which made Jasper¡¯s eyes light up with joy.A tavern. The heaven¡¯s gates opened as they rode into the small courtyard.He barely took the time to toss the reins to the stableboy, before he dashed inside, but even that brief moment was enough to thoroughly soak every fiber of his being. Still, as he stepped through the door, his spirits lifted immediately.The savory smell of roast pork nearly overwhelmed him, accompanied by the merry sounds of song and laughter that filled the small tavern.The villagers gazed at the newcomers with curiosity, mixed with a touch of caution, but the mood relaxed as the leader they had met earlier in the day waved them over. ¡°Please, have a seat, my lord.The maid will bring you something to eat.¡± Conscious of the trail of water he was leaving across the tavern floor, Jasper sat down awkwardly, feelings his clothes squelch beneath him.But almost as soon as he had sat down, the maid indeed appeared, bringing plates piled high with thick slices of succulent ham and a large serving of some sort of grain-based mush which, despite its unappealing appearance, proved to be quite tasty. The leader waited patiently as they dug into the food, only speaking once the bottoms of their plates begin to appear. ¡°Were you able to track down the creatures hunting our flocks?¡± Jasper responded quickly this time, not wanting to give Annatta the opportunity to speak for him.¡°Not yet, but we found tracks of the creature.We believe they might be¡­¡± he hesitated, struggling to remember the unfamiliar name. ¡°Dore?sah,¡± Ihra whispered, and he shot her a grateful smile. ¡°Yes, dore?sah.Do you have any caves around here that might serve as their nest?¡± ¡°No,¡± The leader started to shake his head but paused as another thought hit him.¡°Well, not anywhere close,¡± he amended himself.¡°About twenty miles up the river, it runs through a small range of hills.There¡¯s probably a few caves up in those bluffs.¡± ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll have to check them out.Tomorrow, though.¡± Sinking back into the hard wooden bench, Jasper sipped the warm beer the maid had brought him as he let the music wash over him. Upon the distant frozen shores, our sacred lands long lost We gathered round the gis?a?tu, whose fire emblazed our hearts Until the stars, they tumbled down, until the night grew long And the sacred fire that warmed our souls sputtered and was gone Arose a hero in our midst, the mightiest of Djinn Anointed prince of all our kin, the warrior Nu?radi?n With lustrous locks of raven hair, with eyes as sharp as steel He gathered ¡®round the ''ruly tribes and brought them all to heel Across the endless gulfs of void, he chartered our new course And led our people to a land twas filled with mead and horse The hallowed halls of As?rukkat, the waters of Yarhab Lord Shamsha blessed our people then, and altered all our lot Enthroned as king, he reigned o¡¯er all, the bringer of new life The ¡®ruly tribes¡¯ revolt he quashed, brought peace from all the strife But in his heart, a shadow grew, a sigh of discontent The azure halls of As?rukkat he abandoned for his tent When Nu?radi?n wandered ¡®yond the hallowed peaks of Miqlat In fallen realms, in eldritch runes, e¡¯er ease and rest he sought The shadows cast upon his heart, no lover¡¯s touch could blot No Mwyrani could stay his hand, no Sidhe his mind besot On down the coast, down to the south, forgotten paths he trod Through valleys dark and caverns deep, across the frozen sod This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Before the elf, before the Fey, laid claim to their great lands Lord Nu?radi?n wound his way to the final stretch of sands Obliv¡¯on¡¯s shores, the frozen sea, the end of every soul The waves that all men sink beneath, their tombs the icy floes The silent heavens hid their face as Nura?din drew nigh And there, in land unknown to all, he breathed his final sigh But Obliv¡¯on¡¯s icy waters rejected his request They cast him out upon the shores, did not grant his bequest The clouds were split, the Warrior came, Lord Nu?radi?n he took The waters burned, the mountains caved, the earth beneath him shook Lord Nu?ra?din in Shamsha¡¯s halls enthroned forever reigns And guards o¡¯er all his lesser kin until the end of days O Winged Lord, Gis?a?tu¡¯s heir, arise to our aid May all our enemies be crushed and by your blows unmade. The bard was nothing more than a young woman from the village, some farmer¡¯s daughter lucky enough to be graced with a special class.But despite her lack of training, her high, clear voice carried a certain subtle charm, like the halcyon cries of a nightingale.Despite his exhaustion, he found himself listening with rapt attention, his interest only sharpening as he realized what the song hinted at.Did the Djinn come from some other world?Were they not natives?It was an intriguing idea, but he wasn¡¯t certain if he was understanding it properly.Maybe I am just reading my own situation into it. His mind drifted back to the revelations about his mother, and he felt a twinge of anxiety surge up immediately.Yeah, I¡¯m probably just worried about that.Not wanting to lose himself down that particular rabbit hole, Jasper excused himself from the table and, after tipping the young bard, headed straight to bed.And despite the endless stream of obtrusive thoughts that threatened to undermine his rest, exhaustion won the battle that night. The morning was still young when they set out from the tavern.The uncommon rains had turned the pounded dirt and gravel of the village roads into a swampy mess, the mud splattering high across their cloaks as their mounts thundered out of town. Even pacing their mounts at a steady trot, the journey to the hills took much of the day.But their destination soon loomed in the distance.The hills they were headed toward stood out against the endless plains, reminding Jasper a bit of the sudden eruption of the Black Hills in the flat expanses of the Dakotas. Their progress slowed as they reached the base of the hills.The easy plains quickly grew rough and treacherous, sharp rocks peaking through the tall grasses that covered the region.Craggy bluffs, dotted with twisted trees, overlooked the rivers winding path, offering stunning vistas, but they also presented a problem. ¡°This is a lot bigger range than I expected,¡± Jasper observed.¡°How are we supposed to track down just a few animals in all of this?Especially with how treacherous the terrain is.¡±He patted Dapplegrim¡¯s flanks fondly.¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt her.¡± Annatta shook her head.¡°You¡¯re right.This terrain is too rough to keep pressing forward, but there¡¯s always another option.¡±She chewed on her lip as she scanned the rough hills.Then she reached a decision.Hopping off her horse, she bid them follow her.¡°If we can¡¯t go to the dore?sah, we¡¯ll make them come to us.Hurry up,¡± she snapped, ¡°we only have a few hours before dusk and much to prepare.¡± Annatta¡¯s plan was simple enough.While Ihra and Annatta ventured into the hills on foot to hunt the many beasts that roamed the crags, Jasper stayed behind to prepare the place.He had objected at first, but begrudgingly had to admit that Annatta was right - his skills were ill-suited for quiet hunting, and his essence was better saved for the coming fight. Instead, he prepared the trap.Finding a reasonably flat bluff overlooking the river, he cleared the thick grass away, using carefully controlled fire to burn the hill clean.He secured their mounts a good distance away from the space, not wanting to risk the chance that the birds would target them.The rest of the time was spent whittling rows of thick wooden stakes, which he planted into the soft loam, as he waited for the women to return. Night was fast approaching when he finally saw the tips of their horns emerge above the grass, before the rest of them came into a view.But they bore no carcasses on their shoulders. ¡°No luck?¡±He asked in surprise.Even in the darkening gloom, he could still see a herd of wild goats gamboling across the slopes on the other side of the river.How had they not gotten a single kill? But Ihra just laughed.¡°No luck?It was the most successful hunt of my life.¡±She nudged Annatta in the ribs.¡°Alright, you had your little joke.Go on now, and open the bag.¡± Jasper¡¯s eyes bulged as the Djinn drew one carcass after another out of her bag of holding.The item, clearly far more valuable than the one they had taken from Nabul, expanded easily as they dragged a small mountain of dead goats and deer into the clearing he had made.They worked quickly, rushing to get the bait in place before the last rays of the sun were swallowed up by the hungry night. It was nasty work.Annatta insisted that the more blood there was, the better, so they were forced to rip into the carcasses, splattering the cold, viscous blood across the clearing while the meat and guts were carefully positioned over the treacherous stakes.By the time they were done, Jasper¡¯s clothes were drenched in a myriad of foul liquids and slime, his appearance perfect for a part in some two-bit horror show. But they had no time to clean up.The three ran in a mad dash for the tall grass beyond the clearing, as hidden in the thick clouds gathering above, they heard the heavy beat of wings. Whoomph.Whoomph. Whoomph. Jasper held his breath as he peaked through the grass, a spell simmering at the edges of his fingertips.The dore?sah were massive, at least for flying birds.While they were certainly no match for a dragon, the winged beasts were closer in size to elephants than to the villagers¡¯ tsuss?m.Wicked black talons gleamed in the moonlight, cruel daggers nearly a foot in length, and a strange, sharp-looking horn extended from the base of their skull, curved above their head like some sort of weird, futuristic space helmet. The dore?sah descended into the clearing slowly, the noise of their ponderous wings overpowering the other sounds of the night.At first, they were cautious, taking tentative nips at the proffered feast. Jasper was on the balls of his feet, ready to spring into action, but Annatta held him back, shaking her head quietly.¡°Wait till they take the bait,¡± she whispered.He sunk back into the grass, and the three bid their time, as they waited for the moment of opportunity.The tentative bites turned into a frenzy as the birds finally flopped down into the clearing. As the birds settled down on the slaughtered carcasses, the hidden stakes tore into them, ripping into their belly and tearing at their flanks.But they were unable to enjoy the fruit of their success.The three fell to the ground, writhing in pain, as the dore?sah¡¯s screeches tore through the night. Get it together.Somehow, he dragged himself to his knees, ignoring the pressure of the sound waves as he cast his spell.Shooting Star, he screamed, though it was faint to his deafened ears.The small orbs of fire shot forward, more slowly than usual, as the sound pushed them back, but they broke through, slamming into the crowd of wounded birds.The dark skies lit up as a ripple of small explosions spread through the clearing. For a moment, the hideous screaming was overwhelmed and the three pressed their advantage.Jasper charged toward their quarry, spamming Shooting Star with his right hand as his other hand prepared the Scourge of Despair.Just a few more feet, he thought, and I¡¯ll be in range. But he never got there. The Patriarch Over the deafening cries of the wounded birds, none of the party had heard the thick thump of another pair of wings hovering n the sky above them.One moment Jasper was racing toward the gathering of dore?sah and the next he was face-first in the dirt.He couldn¡¯t even find the air to scream as one of the dagger-like talons tore into his chest, puncturing his lung, and ripping a hole out of his back. The newcomer reared up with an agonized screech as Ihra loosed a volley of arrows into his chest. With its heavy wings pounding against the air, it lifted up from the ground, with Jasper clutched in its claws. His vision was spinning as the blood poured freely from him, but he vaguely saw a blur of motion whiz past him as someone leapt onto the beast''s back, hacking at its neck and head. Another screech raked across the ground as the beast flailed its limps, but Jasper was flung free by the motion and tossed across the clearing, the razor-sharp talon taking one last devastating shot at his torso. He landed in a heap, his breath refusing to come to him, but he could feel the ground growing damp beneath him, his muddled brain somehow grasping that it was his own blood.Bramble Crown, he managed to gasp, pouring his stamina into the spell.The bark quickly spread over his skin, sealing the deep wound, and he managed to push himself to his feet. Every breath ached and nowhere near enough oxygen was reaching his brain but the bleeding, at least, was staunched. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he struggled to assess the utter chaos unveiled before him.Despite clearing away most of the tall grass, in just a few moments of conflict, the fire quickly spread to the tall, green grass.The unfamiliar grass of the plains seemed resistant to the flames; rather than bursting into fire, the edges merely smoldered, but the threat of fire was replaced by an unforeseen danger. Copious clouds of thick black smoke billowed off the smoldering grass, quickly cloaking the entire clearing in an almost impenetrable veil.The corpses of birds and deer were scattered around him, but somewhere through the smoke, he heard the sound of a woman¡¯s cry, though whether it came from Ihra or Annatta he could not tell. Damn it.Jasper stumbled forward, plowing through the haze as best as he could.A beak lunged at him out of the darkness, tearing into his bark-encrusted skin.The armor, not hardened by his flames, crumbled, but it had born the brunt of the hit.Barely thinking, he roared back at the creature, a pillar of flames erupting from his mouth to engulf the dore?sah¡¯s head.The flames faltered as the piercing agony of his mouth being once again flame-broiled brought him back to his senses. Oh. my. god. The pain was searing, and he fumbled blindly for a potion, but his attention was drawn away as another scream echoed through the haze. At that moment, a gust of wind tore across the bluff, temporarily pushing back the smoke, and he saw his friends.A bloodied deer rose up on its hind legs, its barbed hoofs lashing at the throat of a truly massive bird while a small bundle he dimly recognized as Annatta clung to the creature¡¯s back, ineffectually hacking at its neck with her daggers. The bird screeched, and the deer was thrown by the forces of its attack onto its back, rolling across the ground, where it struggled to rise to its legs.Ihra.Abandoning his search for a healing potion, his hands reached for Aru?t?¡¯s sword.The starlight danced along its blade as Jasper cast his spell.Seraph¡¯s Burst. He rocketed through the air, the blade of the sword held in front of him like the head of a spear.Damn I miss my glaive, he thought as he shot between the deer and the bird.His arms screamed in agony as he smashed into the chest of the beast, his limbs crumpling beneath the force of the blow, but the blade sunk in, only to be torn from his hands a moment later as the spell spun him in a tight whirlwind. The spell-forged wings raked across the dore?sah¡¯s chest, a hundred small but inconsequential wounds opening up, and the bird reared back, its ponderous wings beating against the hair.The spin stopped and he swayed, dizzy.His arms fought his commands, struggling to rise, but he managed to cast another spell.Scourge of Despair.The spectral whip clumsily lashed out, but it did the job, drawing a score of bloody welts across its legs that summoned the hungry ghosts. The bird''s keening wails were matched by the frantic screams of the wraiths, who latched onto the beast, tearing and ripping at its flesh. He stumbled backward, throwing himself to the side as a thundering of hooves raced toward him.Ihra charged past, lowering her horns as she slammed into the dore?sah, although she was clearly favoring her hind leg. Shooting Star. He guttered his essence in a matter of moments, throwing one spell after another at the colossal beast. But in the mayhem, he had forgotten about Annatta, who was still latched onto the creature¡¯s back, hacking her way through the thick plumage and armored skin along its neck.Her ineffectual attacks finally struck home as her daggers slipped past the thick layers of fat to reach the nerves in the spinal column and, with a final dreadful shriek, the colossal bird collapsed onto the ground. He watched it warily at first, prepared to spring forward at the slightest twitch, but the beast lay still.Jasper hacked and coughed as the thick, acrid smoke once again begin to spread across the clearing as the brief wind died down. The deer limped forward to the dead giant, the left leg dragging behind the rest, and bowing her head begin to lick at the pool of blood forming around the creature.¡°Ihra, what the hell are you doing?¡±His voice was cracked and hoarse, and he descended into another fit of coughing as he breathed in.But his question was answered nonetheless.As the deer drank the blood, the wounds on its body healed, and the leg slowly straightened.Yuck, but¡­.whatever works, I guess.With its wounds healed, the deer bolted into the night, quickly hidden from his sight by the roiling smoke.His lungs were positively screaming for fresh air now, and Jasper turned away, prepared to leave.Wait, was that-? If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Reluctantly, he turned to look at the fallen beast one last time.A small figure was slumped over its neck, the faint glint of steel peaking out from beneath her body.Crap, Annatta isn¡¯t moving.For just a moment the thought occurred to him that he didn¡¯t have to push through the smoke again, that didn¡¯t have to go save her.He would be free of her snide remarks and her annoying presence. A deep, roiling knot of shame bloomed in his heart immediately at the thought.Damn it.Pulling his fancy tunic higher, in an attempt to filter out some of the smoke, he forced his way back through the clearing.His foot got caught in one of the legs of the dead deer and he stumbled, almost falling face-first into the pool of gore, but he managed to correct himself, bursting through a patch of burning ground to reach the dore?sah¡¯s body.Tongues of flame were already licking at its flesh, but the thick feathers that coated the bird were surprisingly resistant to fire, only now beginning to smolder. He had to pull himself up the carcass one hand after another, his feet sliding uselessly off the beast¡¯s glossy feathers, but with a final heave, he pulled himself on top. Rolling on his front, he nearly slid of the bird¡¯s back, his hands desperately latching on for dear life until he steadied himself.¡°Annatta?¡± he called, but there was no response.Carefully, he crept forward, until he could place a hand on her back.¡°Annatta?¡± He rested his fingers on her neck, and after a second''s nervous pause, was relieved to feel a faint, sluggish pulse.He shook her shoulders vigorously, but the Djinn didn¡¯t stir.She did, however, begin to slide down the slippery feathers of the beast.Jasper flopped on his belly, trying to grab her securely, but she slipped between his fingers, shooting like a toddler down a slide to the ground, where she remained slumped over.Well, I guess that worked? He started to move to the edge of the corpse, prepared to slide after her, but his gaze fell on the twin blades still buried deep in the bird¡¯s neck.¡°I should get those for her,¡± he muttered to himself.Inching forward, his hands closed around the hilt.He released them immediately as a faint jolt, like electricity, raced up his arm.What the hell?Cautiously, he wrapped his hand around it again, wincing as the shock raced up his arm, but he held on this time realizing that the sensation, while strange, was not truly harming in.The blades were buried deep in the creature¡¯s neck, lodged tight against its vertebrae, and he struggled to pull them free, unable to get any meaningful traction on the slick feathers, but both finally gave way.Tossing them in his bag, he slid down the beast¡¯s back, landing beside the unconscious Djinn. His head was growing groggy as the air was starved of oxygen, but he managed to sling her across his shoulders and stumble toward the edge of the clearing.The smoke grew thicker as he reached the tall grasses that were the source of the haze.Smoldering, but not quite consumed by the fire, massive pillars of smoke rose above the strange grass.His eyes wept from the smoke as he pushed through, but eventually, he broke free from the circle of fire. The cool night air felt like heaven to his damaged lungs.Dropping Annatta to the ground, he pried her lips open and poured a healing potion down her throat.Then, taking one of his own, he flopped down onto the ground, allowing himself to embrace the sweet call of unconsciousness. He awoke to the sound of sizzling flesh.The smell of smoke still clung to him like a heavy cloud, but it was laced with a savory scent.Prying one eye open, he caught a glimpse of a familiar blond head.He sat up, wincing as he rubbed his painfully dry eyes.¡°Ihra?¡±His eyes widened as he realized scanned the small campsite he was sitting in. This isn¡¯t where I passed out. Ihra held a plate out to him, piled high with slightly charred flesh.¡°Hungry?¡± The gnawing pit of hunger in his stomach needed no further excuse to dig in.The flesh was a bit tough and chewy, in desperate need of marination, but the flavor was amazing.¡°Where did you get this?This isn¡¯t deer.¡± ¡°The fruit of our victory, of course.¡± ¡°This is the bird?¡±He glanced down at the meat in surprise.¡°If this was just a little more tender, this would be a delicacy.Even with no spices, it tastes great.¡± She shrugged.¡°I think you¡¯re just hungry; I thought it was fine but nothing special.After I dragged you over her, I went back to the clearing to harvest some of the meat.No point in letting it all go to way waste.¡±She patted her bag of holding.¡°Hopefully, the people of S?adda?nu will agree with you and pay a good price for it.¡± He nodded in agreement but paused mid-bob as he finally remembered dragging Annatta out with him.Glancing around the small camp, he saw no sign of Djinn.¡°Uh, Ihra, where¡¯s Annatta?¡± ¡°Hiding probably.¡± ¡°Hiding?¡± Ihra smirked.¡°My bad, I believe she said she was scouting.What she was scouting, who can say?¡±She laughed.¡°Annatta was pretty confused when she awoke. she ended up passing out on top of the dore?sah from the smoke?¡±Her voice trailed off questioningly, and Jasper nodded in confirmation.¡°Evidently, she briefly came to at some point, as she had a vague memory of you carrying her, and then she woke up in the camp after I dragged you both here. feeling mortified, and slunk off to lick her wounds in private.¡± Jasper stuffed more of the delicious bird in his mouth, struggling to speak with a full mouth.¡°Mortified?Why?¡± Ihra shrugged.¡°I mean, she''s supposed to be your bodyguard, but you¡¯re the one that saved her.Plus, it wasn''t like she was exactly subtle about the fact that she dislikes you, so having to be rescued by you is probably a bit galling.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was just going to let her die,¡± he said, suffocating the small fount of shame as he remembered that he had, for a moment, considered it. She clucked her tongue. ¡°Of course not, but that doesn''t make it any less embarrassing for her.¡± Not knowing what else to say, Jasper let the conversation fall silent, and the two feasted on the dore?sah as they awaited the Djinn''s return. An Unwelcome Offer It took more time to sort through the burnt-out wreckage of the Zalancthian camp than Eligon would have preferred.Vaya?bi?¡¯s news - that a delegation of elves awaited him back at the castle - had set him on edge, but given the strange potions they had discovered in the camp, Eligon knew their search couldn¡¯t be anything less than thorough.Every scrap of evidence, no matter how small, needed to be collected. Thus it was not till the following day that his forces finally set their sights on home.Even as he thought the word, Eligon felt its wrongness, wincing.Home? The very thought of calling the mountain fortress of Du?r-S?ade or even his capital of Qud-Urudur his home left a bitter taste in his mouth.Corsythia, the gem of the eastern sea, the pride of the Corsyths, the throne of Shamsha¡¯s heirs - that is my home, not my family''s old hunting lodge. But he knew the truth was more complex than that.The capital had fallen many decades ago, during his father¡¯s reign.Eligon had been nothing but a child then, his brothers not even born yet, and his memories of the city were sparse; he had rarely ventured beyond the walls of the palace complex until the day the Zalancthians emerged in the heart of the city. No one had believed that the enemy could have ever pierced the city¡¯s fortifications. The ten great walls of enchanted iron that ringed the city were one of the greatest magical workings of the age before the gods set the system in place, a working that even the elves and Fey admired.Indeed, its long history, the city had never fallen to outside foes - although the walls had not saved the empire from the occasional struggle for the throne. But the Zalancthians had simply bypassed the walls.he enchantments had utterly prevented any portals from being opened within the city, but some unknown power, some unknown god, had smashed through those protections like they weren¡¯t even there.Utterly caught off guard, with most of the city''s guard stationed on the outer walls, far from the heart of the city, the capital had fallen within hours, and all attempts to reclaim it had failed.No, as much as it pained Eligon to admit it, even his own memories of the city had begun to fade, while his own children had never even caught so much as a glimpse of its fabled walls. Perhaps Qud-Urudur really is my home now, he was begrudgingly forced to concede.But Eligon promised himself that would change.I will not permit the stoneflesh to sully our shores forever.It would have been an empty promise at the beginning of his reign, but the tides of war had changed.He did not know what had unified the Zalancthians in their relentless war against the empire, but fractures had begun to appear.From what few informants he still possessed in the south, a long-brewing rivalry amongst the Zalancthian governors there was rapidly progressing into a full-fledged civil war. Eligon would not - could not - afford to let such an opportunity pass him by.He had to strike in their moment of weakness.But, his lips turned down as the delegation of elves, and the king of Hadi?n¡¯s frantic warnings about the dwarves, returned to the forefront of his mind.Assuming outside forces don¡¯t stop me, he thought, bitterly. The messenger from Du?r-S?ade hadn¡¯t tarried long enough to learn from which realm the elves came, departing as soon as the elves had appeared, but if they were from Yammaqom, Eligon had a pretty good idea of what they wanted.Every few years, a delegation from there came with the same list of demands, the same petty conditions.Return House Nu?rili? to the throne.Accept your punishment.He muttered the words mockingly. The demands were a complete non-starter. His father¡¯s penchant for throwing these emissaries into the deepest, darkest dungeons he could find had put a stop to the delegations for a time, but it had also put a serious crimp in the trade between their realms.As much as the elves'' demands annoyed him, Eligon was not his father. He would not harm what remained of his empire merely to save face and so, begrudgingly, he had tolerated their disrespect. Suffocating a sigh, he pushed the thoughts away.There was nothing to be gained by speculating about the elves¡¯ intentions.He would know soon enough. As if mimicking his gloomy thoughts, the heavens opened up as they marched. A steady rain poured down on them with an unexpected ferocity.The warmth of summer dropped quickly in the hills, as the wind and rain scoured the land.The weather did little to slow them down as long as they followed the old imperial roads, but once the troops turned off the path to head into the mountains that sheltered Du?r-S?ade, the mud transformed their march into a crawl. Fortunately, they did not have much further to go.Soon enough the welcome sight of Du?r-S?a?de''s lofty spires peaked above the trees, the usually shiny, burnished roofs dull in the gathering gloom.nce nothing more than a humble hunting manor - a possession of his family from a time when they were still just dukes in the province of West Corsythia - Du?r-S?a?de had been radically transformed over the course of two centuries of war. Backed up against the face of a sheer cliff, a small city had sprung up around the lodge, as its proximity to the front lines made it the perfect staging ground for the empire''s campaigns against the Zalancthians.ncircled by a stout pair of curtain walls, Du?r-S?ade¡¯s true strength lay in the moat whose deep waters wrapped around its base.No bridge spanned the moat, with the only access to the fortress provided by the group of water mages that perpetually manned its walls and - in times of danger - turned those very waters into a force of destruction. The fortifications would have done little against the elves or Fey, but against the Zalancthians, whose magical abilities were borderline nonexistent, it was an almost impenetrable line of defense. Despite the torrential downpour, the guards had seen them coming.Eligon was relieved to see a bridge of ice already stretched across the moat as the castle came into view.Even with several mages working together, such a major working took a considerable amount of time, and he was glad to not have to wait.The already slick ice was made even more treacherous by the torrential downpour, but Eligon made it safely across, shivering with pleasure as he abandoned his horse at the stable and was embraced by the pleasant warmth of his manor. Servants met him at the door, ushering their lord up the back stairs to his room, away from the prying eyes of his unsolicited guests.fter a long, warm bath that Eligon prepared to meet his guests.Vaya?bi? was already waiting for him as he left his room, his friend¡¯s hair still obviously damp. ¡°Any more news on our elves?¡± Eligon asked as he cut a brisk pace down the paneled hall.¡°Just the usual?¡± Vaya?bi? fell into stride beside his liege.¡°No, my lord.I don¡¯t know what they want, but it is not the usual delegation.¡± Eligon¡¯s stride faltered nearly imperceptibly as he turned his full attention to Vaya?bi?.¡°In what way?¡± ¡°It is a much larger group than normal, and only a few are from Yammaqom.I spied some wearing the sigils of Onkodos Laos, and even some bearing the emblems of the more northern cities, ones that rarely venture to our lands..¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Damn it,¡± Eligon sighed.¡°Well, I guess let¡¯s find out what they want.¡± The delegation awaited him in the great hall, rising from their seats around the grand table as he entered.The air was chill, and although the elves showed no sign of discomfort, used to the frozen wastes of the north, Eligon ordered the servants to stoke the fire before taking his seat at the head of the table. His eyes swept down the length of the hall, quickly noting the varied emblems adorning their cloaks.The Lady of the Tides.The Lady of Mourning.The Stag Lord.The Blood Moon¡­.There were a few sigils mixed amongst them that he did not recognize, perhaps members of some of the lesser tribes, but seven of the eleven elven realms sat before him.Vaya?bi? was indeed correct, he realized.This is no normal delegation. ¡°Welcome, children of Selene-¡± the delegate from Na?l-Halab, worshippers of the Stag Lord, snorted - ¡°and Ayya?lu,¡± Eligon added, trying to ignore the irritation that surged through him.¡°Tell me, what brings you to my humble halls?¡± To Eligon¡¯s surprise, it was an elf wearing the dark cloaks of Onkodos Laos that stepped forward.The ambassador was clearly ancient; the pair of antlers that sprouted from his head the largest Eligon had ever seen, and his long, pale hair was the color of spun moonlight. ¡°We have come to negotiate a renewed alliance. We will grant you aid in your war against the Zalanctoi, in exchange for certain confessions." Really?This again.Eligon didn¡¯t even bother to hide his annoyance.¡°Concessions?¡± he barked.¡°Concessions?! Let me guess - you want me to abandon the throne.¡±. "If the heir of Nu?rili wants the empire, he is free to take it - if he can." Only the faintest curl of the ancient one''s lip told Eligon what the ambassador thought of his outburst, but the elf merely shook his head slowly.¡°Your dealings with Yammaqom are not our concern. Hear us out first.¡± ¡°Fine," Eligon conceded.So what is your offer, and why now?Little has changed on the warfront, aside from the Zalancthians being a bit preoccupied with the strife between them in the south.¡± The Onkodan emissary shook his head vehemently.¡°It is the west that troubles us.¡± Eligon¡¯s brows knit together.¡°Gemlirians? Or do you mean the dwarves?¡± ¡°The dwarves,¡± the delegate confirmed.¡°Not long ago, we received a message from a minor lord of the Strythani. A new queen has arisen among them, taking the name Naqmah - vengeance - she approached the king of Bira?na?ti with the intent to forge an alliance.¡± ¡°But the Strythani have always been our allies," he objected.What vengeance does this Naqmah seek?¡± The elf shook his head. ¡°The Strythani lord did not say, but he did reveal the dwarf king''s plans. The lord of Bira?na?ti plots a strike against Hadi?n, believing that he could crush it before the empire''s forces could even respond.¡± And with a base secured on our side of the Inland Sea, a full-scaled invasion could be launched. Not even the roaring fire behind him could warm the chill that spread through his veins.¡°No,¡± Eligon muttered.¡°Surely, the Strytahni would not turn against us.¡± The Onkodan delegate allowed himself a thin smile.¡°I believe you are correct, Lord Eligon - at least for now.The lord who informed us of their plans believed that the queen¡¯s attempted alliance had fallen through, but the dwarves are still proceeding with their mobilization. But the Strytahni reside in the midst of the dwarves, far from the empire''s borders. With the empire weakened,¡± he shrugged, "they may turn to new allies." So the Djinn King¡¯s fears were warranted.¡°So, why offer aid now?¡±Eligon asked, but he could already guess the answer.There was little love lost between the dwarves and the elves, at least on the dwarves¡¯ part. The emissary confirmed his suspicions.¡°The dwarves have long blamed our kin for their own fall from grace; if we allow them to crush you, we will certainly be the next target of their ire.¡± ¡°And these conditions you spoke of?Long have the delegates of Yammaqom demanded that House Gonya surrender the throne, surrender our homes and our lives to the judgment of House Nu?rili?.¡±His voice swelled, thundering through the hall as he stared down the elven delegation. "If those are the terms you have come to offer me, you may as well leave now, while you can." The old Onkodan priest met Eligon''s wrath with a steely gaze.¡°As I told you before, we are not Yammaqom. We have already brokered a compromise with them, an agreement quite different from their previous demands, one that I believe that you will not easily turn down.¡± At a wave of his hand, a servant carted a file from him to the emperor. Eligon scanned through the pages rapidly quickly. in many ways far better than he had expected, but the fundamental condition still galled at him. The entire agreement hinged on one immutable factor - in exchange for elven troops, the Gonyan emperors would be required to surrender the throne back to the ancient dynasty of Corsythia, House Nu?rili?. The rest of the details were different, surprisingly fair even. All the punishments that previous delegations from Yammaqom had threatened him with had been removed, replaced instead with a number of guarantees.As long as the Gonyan House surrendered power peacefully, the family¡¯s rights to their ancestral lands - the lands they had ruled before seizing the throne - would be upheld, and even the current capital Qud-Urudur, which they had not held until the fall of the city of Corsythia, was also guaranteed to them. for those that might preferr to leave the confines of the empire, as three of the elven realms, including Onkodos Laos offered them permanent sanctuary. In return, the elves promised to provide a small force to support his campaign to reclaim the capital city and, more important for their concerns, committed to providing a sizable army to defend the provinces of Hadi?n and Celestia against any and all dwarven incursions. The one provision that surprised him, though, was saved for last. Neither Eligon - nor his heirs - were required to surrender the throne until after the Zalancthian threat was defeated.That could be decades from now. The implication was clear, though. The elves'' concern about the dwarves was genuine enough that they were willing to delay the return of House Nu?rili? in return for his agreement. They must not have much faith in the current heir¡¯s ability to finish the conflict, either, he realized.Eligon wasn¡¯t surprised; he had never met House Nu?rili?¡¯s heir, but by all accounts, he was witty, charming, and completely inept in battle.Of course, he also knew that his courtiers might not be the most unbiased source. It took more than an hour for him to thoroughly probe the finer details of the contract, but when Eligon finally set it down, he was keenly aware of the sea of eyes trained on him.His mind was in turmoil.very fiber of his body revolted against the mere idea, against the sheer audacity of being asked to surrender the throne. But with both the Djinn and the Elves warning him of the dwarves'' intentions - when both races'' felt moved to offer military help - Eligon knew he would be a fool to dismiss the threat.And they don''t even know yet about the strange potions I discovered amongst the Zalancthians. His thoughts from the march home returned to him.I am not my father.Eligon had promised himself, time and again, that he would not sacrifice the best interests of the empire for his own personal gain.He had never considered Yammaqom¡¯s demands anything more than a nuisance, but this deal¡­. He was forced to concede that this deal was different. No, Eligon just couldn''t bring himself to agree to the deal, at least not immediately. Finally meeting the eyes of the Onkodan emissary, he returned the gesture of respect the Onkodan elf had given him, inclining his head to the left.¡°I will consider your proposal. Perhaps we can reach an agreement, with emendations.¡±Eligon didn¡¯t miss the flicker of surprise in the ambassador from Yammaqom¡¯s eyes.¡°In the meantime, I have something of my own to show you.I¡¯m afraid the dwarves may not be the only threat to worry about.¡± Annatta It was an hour later when Annatta finally returned to camp.Her eyes avoided his as she took a seat by the fire, helping herself to some of the roasted dore?sah. ¡°Unfortunately, yes. I headed deeper into the hills, following the course of the river for quite some ways. Given all the tracks found, the dore?sah are clearly very active in the area.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°So? Didn¡¯t we just kill them all?¡± Annatta refused to look at him, shaking her head as turned back to the fire.¡°I don''t think so. There were tracks in the mud from much smaller dore?sah.Younglings, I believe. We certainly saw none of those last night, and if there are young, then it is likely that at leastome of the adults stayed back to watch over them while the rest of the flock hunted.¡± ¡°So do we have to track the cave down after all,¡± Ihra asked. She hesitated, toying with her food before answering.¡°Have to? I suppose not. Last night''s slaughter probably thinned the flock enough that they will leave the villager¡¯s flocks alone, at least for the next few years. There is a decent amount of game available in these hills, and animals that large generally do not breed quickly.But if we leave the rest alone, it is only a matter of time before their population rebounds, and they start preying on the cattle again." If you want, we can head back to the capital.¡± Jasper had no desire whatsoever to face more of these birds.The last fight had just about cooked his goose, but even though Annatta hadn''t asked them to stay, he could tell she thought they should. "What about those, uh-" he paused as his mind drew a complete blank on the name of the noble group Annata claimed they belonged to. "Uh, whatever that group was, what they would do?" he finished, lamely. "They''d stick around until it''s done." Well, crap. But it was what he had expected to hear. It just wouldn''t feel right to accept the villagers'' thanks knowing he hadn''t truly fixed the root of their problem. ¡°Alright then. I guess we need to go finish the job.ow are we going to go track the rest down?¡± Annatta¡¯s gaze snapped up to meet Ihra¡¯s.¡°Lord S?arra?bi?''s dossier lists you as a runic mage. Is that true?¡± Ihra shrugged. "I''m not sure I''d call myself a runic mage - that seems like a title for someone much more accomplished than I - but I''ve done a few rituals.¡± The Djinn nodded thoughtfully. ¡°There''s a few runic mages in the guard. On a mission I took a few years back, one of them was able to cast some sort of tracking spell on a corpse.Can you do anything like that?¡± Ihra frowned. "Maybe? I''ve never done anything like that, but I can look." Annatta''s eyes widened as Ihra reached into her satchel and pulled out the ritual book Aphora had given her, as well as the one she had taken from the temple of Nahre?mah. Ihra bobbled her head back and forth. "Eh, let''s just say they owed us, big time. It was more of a guilt payment than anything else." She flipped through the pages quickly, letting a triumphant yell only a few minutes later. "Got it." She held the book open, showing to the two of them. "This ritual should do the trick." ¡°Good. Can you do it by yourself?¡±Annatta asked. She shrugged. "I suppose. Why?" The Djinn reluctantly turned to face Jasper.¡°Then perhaps we should leave Ihra to perform the ritual and head back to the village in the mean time.If there¡¯s a nest of young birds as I suspect, this is a golden opportunity to make some money and meet your peers.¡± ¡°My peers?¡±Jasper echoed, not grasping her meaning. ¡°Other members of your House.Aside from the manor your mother left you, you have little in the way of possessions.Most of her wealth was liquidated before her unfortunate departure, and while the royal house will pay you a stipend for your service, you''ll likely find yourself wanting some more money. Unless you want to beg Lord S?arra?bi? for it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, definitely not. So, these birds are valuable?¡± She nodded briskly. ¡°I imagine so. Nobles always appreciate exotic pets, and I had never even encountered a dore?sah before yesterday. We can sell most of them for a tidy profit, and perhaps set a few aside to be given as gifts. It wouldn''t hurt you to make a few friends in the court.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be in the province very long,¡± he countered. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The Djinn shrugged.¡°The choice is yours.¡± In the end, Jasper agreed to her plan.Ihra stayed behind at their camp, slowly prepping the area for the ritual, while Jasper and Annatta made the trip back across the plains to the small village in hopes of securing cages, or at least milled wood. As they galloped across the flat, dry lands, little Dapplegrim struggled to keep up with the brisk pace set by the Djinn¡¯s royal steed.But Jasper wasn''t bothered by it; the guild at Hargish may have given him the little horse as an insult, but the prospect of hitting a hundred and with it, Dapplegrim¡¯s evolution, was finally right before him.For a change, he was even looking forward to meditating; the prospect of reaching that milestone was sufficiently exciting to outweigh the dread he usually felt anytime he had to enter Kas?dael''s realm and face the inevitable torment of having his heart ripped out. What did bother him, though, was the awkward silence that stretched between him and Annatta.Once or twice he tried to start up a conversation, but the Djinn would barely look at him, let alone speak to him beyond the bare minimum required to answer his questions.At first, he let it go, understanding that she probably felt awkward after the events of the previous night, but as the hours ticked by, his impatience slowly mounted, until at last it bubbled over. ¡°Why are you avoiding me, Annatta?¡± ¡°How am I avoiding you, Lord Yas?peh?Are we not riding side by side?¡± Jasper rolled his eyes.¡°You know what I mean, Annatta.You¡¯ll barely even look at me. Or speak to me. I know you''re not my biggest fan, but honestly, I can''t stand this anymore. Either you find a way to work with me, or I''ll be asking Lord S?arra?bi? to assign someone else when we get back to the capital." Her shoulders stiffened, the words tumbling out of her mouth immediately.¡°Don''t do that." Jasper shrugged. "Believe me, I have no desire to do that. He and I are not exactly compadres, but this isn''t working." She bowed her head. "You should not have had to save me.¡±He started to speak, but she cut him off.¡°I completely failed at my duties last night.I didn''t notice the dore?sah¡¯s patriarch until it was too late, and it very nearly killed you. Then, to add insult to injury, I passed out from the smoke, and rather than protecting you, you ended up saving me.Do you realize that if you had died, I would, mostly likely, have been killed too?¡± A touch of pity, mixed with disgust, welled up in him.¡°Why? It wasn''t your fault the dore?sah patriarch attack me. None of us could see anything through all that smoke.¡± She snorted. "Perhaps, but my commanders in the guard will not see it that way, and Lord S?arra?bi?...¡±he said quietly, finally meeting his eyes. He wasn''t sure what to say. "I''m sorry?" She shook her head. ¡°You don''t need to apologize. You''ve saved my life last night. After months of resenting you, you saved my life." Her words piqued his curiosity. ¡°You''ve resented me pretty much from the start, haven''t you? Was it just because of your party?¡± Pain blossomed in her eyes as he mentioned her partners'' deaths, and the Djinn glanced away, though not quickly enough to hide the tears that had sprung up. Damn it. Why did I have to bring that up again? He cursed himself out as silence fell over the two again, with nothing but the howling of the wind across the flat plains to break up the monotony. But to his surprise, after a few moments, Annatta replied.¡°No, I understand that the blame for my friends'' deaths does not lie at your feet although,¡± she smiled bitterly, ¡°the truth is rarely a balm for pain.¡± ¡°But if I am being honest with myself, blaming you for their deaths was easy because I already disliked you.¡± Jasper cocked his head to the side, trying not to feel offended.¡°Why?Am I really that obnoxious?¡± She shook her head.¡°No. It''s nothing you''ve done; it''s simply who you are.I¡¯m a royal bastard, too, just like you, just like so many of us in the royal guard.But unlike you, I¡¯ve lived in the palace my whole life.I joined the royal guard as soon as I was old enough to hold a sword, and have served the king faithfully ever since.¡± ¡°Then you came along.Where had you been while we were training for the guard?Where were you when we rode from one end of the province to the other, carrying out the crown¡¯s every order?It was obvious you knew nothing of the palace." She paused, meeting his eyes searchingly. "Had you ever even been to the palace before the last few weeks?" He shook his head reluctantly, and she nodded. "That''s what I thought. You had no real connection to the palace, yet you were given the ultimate reward that many of us wait our whole lives hoping to receive.¡±She glanced up at him, and Jasper was surprised to see tears streaming down her cheek.¡°There were even rumors that you were being groomed for something more, a position with considerable power and honor.If this is all my hard work has accomplished - watching strangers receive honors while my own father will not even acknowledge me - what am I even working for?¡±Her voice trailed up in a laugh bordering on hysterical. ¡°And then, after resenting the hell out of you, it was you who ended up saving me.Sure, the fire wouldn¡¯t have killed, but the clouds of smoke from the arantu-grass?¡±She sighed, biting her lip, before reluctantly acknowledging the truth.¡°I doubt I ever would have woken up.Now, I don¡¯t know how to feel.¡± Jasper wasn¡¯t sure how to respond.He had had no idea that Annatta was a bastard.And many of the others in the guard? Do they resent me to?He suddenly realized how little he really knew of the new world he had been forced to.¡°I did not know,¡± he said quietly. She frowned.¡°I know you didn''t; isn''t that the problem?You know nothing of the palace, yet the king himself showed you favor.But only a churl could still begrudge you now.¡±A faint smile graced her lips.¡°And I may be a bastard, but I am no churl.¡± The rest of their ride to the village still largely passed in silence, but the ominous cloud that had hung over them had lifted.The villagers were surprised to see them return so quickly, and even more surprised to learn that they had already killed most of the beasts.Unfortunately, they had no traps sufficiently large to ensnare even the smallest of dore?sah, but when they learned that the three needed them in order to thoroughly eradicate the issue, the villagers were more than willing to help them construct some. In the end, they had to stay the night, but by the time they left in the morning, thirty or so brand-new crates sat in Annatta¡¯s bag of holding.Jasper could only hope that they would work and, more importantly, that he finally brokered peace with the Djinn. A Quiet Wind One mission and twenty-five essence-infused crystals.That was the price Tsia had finally managed to negotiate Nekelm? down to, in exchange for the use of the company¡¯s special bag of holding.He had wanted more, of course -who wouldn¡¯t - but Tsia was no novice in negotiations. His initial demand for three missions and fifty crystals was, honestly, not that unreasonable.Tsia might even have agreed to it with relatively little squabbling if Nekelm? hadn¡¯t underestimated her.Not wanting to blindly agree to take any and all missions, she had asked for a few details of what they wanted her to do and he had complied a little too well for his own good. ¡°A small group from one of the mountain tribes has migrated to the area recently and been giving us trouble.You know how they are,¡± he said perfunctorily. Tsia nodded agreeably though, in fact, she had no idea what he was talking about. ¡°Anyways, they¡¯ve been helping themselves to our merchandise occasionally, but mostly just food so we¡¯ve been ignoring it.But a few weeks ago, they took something more valuable, something we want back.We¡¯d like you to retrieve our merchandise and handle them." She arched an eyebrow. "Handle them?" He waved his impatiently. "Bloody their nose a bit, or kill them all - I don''t really care. We just need them to think twice before they come after our caravans.¡± Tsia wrinkled her nose, biting her lower lip coquettishly.¡°Why me? fire mages the Djinn are so famous far?¡± And there Nekelm? made his blunder.¡°We can¡¯t get to them,¡± he admitted ruefully.¡°The tribe carved a cave deep into the side of the cliffs overlooking Yarhab. Our Tsuss?m can¡¯t land there and, well, fire mages can¡¯t fly.They can''t even fall gracefully.¡± ¡°Now normally, we have a contractor from the royal guard that could handle the situation, but he got sent away on a mission to Kubarru.So, can you do the job?¡± Tsia grinned.¡°Of course.I¡¯ll do this mission, and then you¡¯ll ferry our horses across the lake?¡± Nekelm?¡¯s brow creased.¡°No, that¡¯s just the first mission.You¡¯ll still need to do two more missions.¡± She laughed lightly.¡°I think if you search your memory you¡¯ll find we''ve discussed just the one mission.Unless, of course, you have some other wind mage to call upon?¡± The man¡¯s smile slipped.¡°Eight thousand gold coins is utterly out of the question as your payment for a single mission,¡± the steward snapped. Tsia shrugged, standing up.¡°Oh well.In that case, I guess I¡¯ll just have to take the boat to S?adda?nu.Maybe, once I get there, I¡¯ll do as you suggested and hire a tsuss?m on the other side.¡±She winked at him.¡°It was a pleasure meeting you.¡± She made it out the door and partway down the hall before Nekelm? broke.¡°Wait,¡± his voice thundered from his office. Tsia walked back, craning her head around the doorframe.¡°Yes,¡± she said sweetly. The steward¡¯s face was as red as a cherry tomato as he waved her back in.¡°Fine.One mission,¡± he agreed.¡°But I¡¯ll need you to sweeten the deal.Fifty essence-infused crystals as well.You can give them to my men once you reach the capital.¡± ¡°Five,¡± she countered flatly, suppressing her smirk as the Djinn audibly groaned. In the end, she was forced to bend a little.While Nekelm? was eager to regain whatever trifle the company had lost, there was a hard and fast limit to how low he was willing to go, and frankly, at a certain point, it wasn¡¯t worth it to Tsia to try to wring water out of a stone.After all, she didn¡¯t want Nekelm? to be incentivized to screw her over.So she eventually agreed to provide twenty-five of the crystals and the contract was forged. ¡°When can I leave?¡± she asked, as she signed her name with a flourish. The steward took the contract back, perusing it with pursed lips, before filing it away.¡°Whenever you want.¡±His irritation ebbed slightly as he glanced back at the petite Corsythian.¡°Are you sure you can handle this by yourself, Lady Tsia?The mountain tribes are no pushovers.They are highly dangerous and must have at least one talented earth mage.While the company would like our merchandise back, I would prefer not to have your blood on my hands.¡± Tsia suppressed the rumbles of her doubt in her stomach, flashing him a cheeky grin.¡°The only blood that will be spilled is theirs.¡± He gave her an uncertain look, but she didn¡¯t falter.With a shrug, he dismissed.¡°Very well, then.Good hunting.¡± As they left the stables¡¯ offices, Tsia could feel the silent pillar of disapproval walking beside her.¡°What?¡±She asked, an accusatory note in her voice. ¡°You know what,¡± Ne?s?u responded calmly.¡°I was more than happy to help you clear out a few missions, but taking a job where I cannot watch over you was foolish and impulsive.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t afford to pay him 8,000 coins, Ne?s?u, and I didn¡¯t want to stick around for weeks on end to do a few jobs.Who knows how long Jasper will stay at the palace?If he leaves before I get there, I might never get the chance to see my mother again.It was really the only option.¡± ¡°We could have taken the boat.¡± She ground her teeth, unable to dispute his point.¡°Fine, you¡¯re right, but did you really think I was going to pass up the chance to finally ride a tsuss?m?¡±She glanced up at him appealingly, and Ne?s?u¡¯s resistance crumbled up. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°No,¡± he admitted with a sigh.¡°When you were younger, I held out hope that one day you would become less impossible, but it seems you have too much of your mother in you to ever be that reasonable.¡±He smiled as she begin to scowl.¡°Thankfully, you¡¯ve also inherited many of her better attributes as well.Just promise me one thing, Tsia.¡± ¡°What?¡±She asked suspiciously. ¡°Before you go, promise that you¡¯ll try again to speak to Vaya.¡± She wanted to say no, the words already on her lips, but they died unspoken as she saw the genuine light of worry in his deeds.¡°Fine,¡± she conceded begrudgingly.¡°I will try again tonight, and then I will go.¡± Relief washed across his face.¡°Good, good.I will feel much better knowing the goddess is watching over you.¡± But he won¡¯t be, she thought glumly. They found a tavern near the edge of the bluffs to stable their horses.It was a charming little establishment, with an open-air pavilion that offered its guests stunning views of the lake while they dined.As the heat of the day cooled, and the haze over the lake lifted, Tsia could even see, far off in the distance, a dim glow on the horizon that the tavern owner explained came from the lights of the capital city. She ate quickly though, tearing through her meal with the speed of a ravenous wolf, not wanting to delay the inevitable any longer than necessary.As the maid cleared away her dishes, she stood to leave and Ne?s?u, though not done with his meal, rose to accompany her, but grabbing him by the shoulder, she pushed him back. ¡°No, I should go myself.¡± The warrior shook his head.¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± he insisted.¡°I may not be able to follow you into the caves, but what if you get injured?¡± Tsia¡¯s unruly locks tumbled into her face as she shook her head.¡°No.If I have any hope of hearing Va?ya, I need to be alone.¡± He hesitated, clearly torn, but she had targeted his soft spot.She knew he¡¯d cave.¡°Fine.May Vaya watch over you tonight.¡± Tsia waited until she was facing away from him before rolling her eyes.Such a worrywart. Once she¡¯d left the city¡¯s walls behind her, she¡¯d made a beeline for the spot Nemelk? had marked on the map he¡¯d given her.It was only a few miles away, so she reached it well before the final rays of the sun had slipped beneath the mountains.And then, she¡¯d sat down to meditate. She knew it was pointless, but Tsia had promised Ne?s?u and, whatever other flaws she might possess, she was a woman of her word.was hopeless. Despite being blessed with a talent for wind, Tsia had never been able to communicate with Vaya - not once.The god of the wind was a favorite among the Sicyan sailors Ne?s?u had grown up with, and though Ne?s?u had not even a spark of magical talent, he had always insisted that Lady Va?ya spoke to him through the wind. It was not just some idle boast either. When her father rode out to war against Stryn, Ne?s?u was one of the soldiers that went with him. The man had risen fast through the ranks in large part due to his uncanny ability to sniff out hidden dangers and unseen threats, dangers he claimed the wind had told him off.Indeed, it was because of Ne?s?u¡¯s well-known connection to Vaya that she had been placed as his ward when she manifested her unexpected abilities. But try as she might - and she had tried many, many times over the years - Tsia¡¯s attempts to communicate with the wind had always gone unanswered.The ever-fickle lord of the air simply paid no heed to her. She sat down near the edge of the cliff, closing her eyes as she let the world sink away.The winds were wild along the rim.From the north, a cold, damp breeze from the ice-encrusted mountains battled with the dry warmth of the south, the gusts pushing back and forth as they fought for dominance.She let herself drift, her essence leaking slightly into the winds, bolstering them to new heights of fury.The grass bent and swayed around her, even the trees groaning beneath the weight of the wind. But Vaya was not there.He never was. With a sigh, Tsia finally opened her eyes, giving up.Night had crept up on her while she meditated, and her eyes were drawn to the fulsome light of the moon above.Its radiance danced across the gentle waves of the lake, driving the darkness away.She drank in its beauty, feeling a peace wash over her as the rays of her mother¡¯s goddess crowned her head.Well, I tried, Ne?s?u.One of these days you¡¯re going to learn I just can''t do it. Tsia nearly screamed, leaping to her feet like a startled jackrabbit, as a soft, frigid hand fell on her shoulder. ¡°Peace, child.Sit.¡±A calm voice echoed behind her, and she spun around to face her assailant, her essence already racing toward her fingers. But the essence ceased to obey her as the cold hand patted her cheeks.¡°Peace,¡± the woman repeated. Tall and pale, with locks as black as endless night and pale eyes that glimmered with the light of the stars, Tsia instantly recognized the pair of uneven horns that crested high above her head and fell to her knees.¡°Lady Selene.¡± The goddess smiled down at her, patting her cheek again.Then she sat down on the cliff ledge, dragging Tsia down beside her.The two sat there, their legs dangling in the air as Tsia gazed at the light of the moon that sat by her, unsure what she was supposed to say. A lock of hair tumbled free, swaying back and forth between her eyes, and Tsia nearly shrunk back when the goddess reached out, and tucked it back in place.¡°Tell me, child, why do you seek Lord Vaya¡¯s favor?¡± Tsia shook her head sadly.¡°What sort of a wind mage am I when the god of the air won¡¯t even acknowledge me?¡± Selene cocked her head to the side inquisitively.¡°Do you feel you are lacking in power?¡± ¡°Well, no-o,¡± Tsia responded.¡°Not exactly.I¡¯ve always been able to hold my own.Except for flying,¡± she glanced uncertainly over the edge of the cliff, forced to confront her own uncertainty about her ability to complete the mission she had undertaken.¡°I¡¯ve never really gotten the knack for that down.¡±She glanced up at the moon.¡°Why won¡¯t Vaya respond to me?Ne?s?u isn¡¯t even a mage, yet the goddess favors him.¡± The goddess bent close to her, so close that her lips were nearly grazing Tsia¡¯s ear.¡°Maybe,¡± she whispered, ¡°it¡¯s because you aren¡¯t summoning his wind.¡± Tsia whirled to face her.¡°I¡¯m not summoning his-¡± Her words died as she saw the space was empty.¡°What does that even mean?¡± she muttered.As she stood up, a piece of paper fluttered from her robe.A gust of wind snatched it away, carrying it out of her reach and above the lake. But all it took was a simple twitch of her fingers, as, with a strand of essence, she willed it back to herself. Her hands shook as she tore at the sealed waxed edges of the letter, not sure what she expected to find in it.Selene left it, didn''t she? After a brief resistance, the wax crumbled beneath her fingers, and the paper flopped open. It was no letter at all, just a single word scrawled across the parchment. Imh?ullu. The name meant nothing to her, not even sparking so much as a hint of familiarity. "Imh?ullu?" She whispered. A ripple of warmth spread across her chest as she muttered the word and eddies of wind, unprompted by her, swirled at her feet.No voice whispered in her ear, but as she repeated the name to herself, Tsia felt a growing certainty that she had attracted the god''s or goddess'' attention.Selene¡¯s grace, she murmured, bowing her head reverently towards the moon. And then, unable to put the task off any longer, Tsia turned her eyes to the cliff.Somewhere below lurked the entrance to the cave.Hopefully, she¡¯d actually be able to get there. A Nest Discovered Ihra watched until Jasper¡¯s head was finally swallowed up by the sea of blue-green grass that rippled endlessly beneath the gusts of wind whipping off the shores of Lake Yarhab.hen the last sign of her partner was gone, did she turn to the task at hand.. Trimming the tall grass far enough back to provide her with a clean, open space in which to set up the ritual took more time than she expected, but Ihra wasn¡¯t willing to rush it.he still had most of the ingredients Aphora had gifted her, Ihra had stopped in the market in a few of their stops, just to see what it could cost to replenish her supplies, and every time she had been positively horrified by the prices.So she took her time preparing the ritual, carefully trimming down even the smallest blade of grass before she begin the delicate task of tracing the runes. A few hours later, it was complete., the hardest part of the task had been tracing the string of runes that adorned each of the wheel''s spoke. In the center sat the ¡°sacrifice.¡± Lacking a complete corpse, Ihra had been forced to compensate with a pile of dore?sah limbs, each one smeared as best as she could manage with the partially dried blood from the site of the slaughter. Then, with her preparations finally complete, she knelt in the center circle, closing her eyes as she opened herself to the unknown power.responded quickly - Ihra had noticed that as she performed more rituals, the strange essence had become increasingly responsive - and flowed through her body into the ritual circle, spiraling down the spokes of the wheel until the entire formation was ablaze with power.he sacrifice burst into flames as a torrent of dark smoke erupted into the sky.But rather than escaping to the distant heavens, the black cloud pivoted to the side like a living being, slithering its way through the tall grass in the general direction of the rocky crags that overlooked the river. Wiping her hands clean as she stood up, Ihra tossed her bag over her shoulder and, grabbing her bow, followed the smokey serpent into the thickets. It was easy enough to keep up with the strange smoke at first, but once she left the grassy plains behind, the going got rough.he smoke wound its way above the river chasm, undeterred by any and all obstacles, but no such path was available to Ihra.Scaling up and down rocky cliff faces, she was often forced to push herself far faster than was safe, relying on her agility alone to save her as she leapt from ledge to ledge. And then, abruptly, the serpent stopped, hovering for a moment over a tall bluff, before the smoke unraveled, dissipating into the winds that whistled through the ravine as she wearily pulled herself up to the top of one of the higher hills. Thank Selene, Ihra sighed in relief, pulling herself to the top of bluff with one final heave. But her heart sank as she glanced around the cliff, realizing there was no sign of a cave.Did the ritual fail?Did it run out of power? After a brief and fruitless search, there was only one possibility, really. The cave must be somewhere below, closer to the riverbed. Damn it. But there was nothing to be done but go for it. Grumbling beneath her breath, she lowered herself over the side.The face of the bluff was nearly sheer, with only the smallest of ledges available for her to cling to, and whenever the gusts of wind that raced through the canyon rammed into her, she was tossed to and fro like a rag doll. But the wind was no match for her strength and stubbornly, slowly, she made her way down. It was only when she was nearly halfway down the bluff, that she spied her goal.Hidden from view from the top of the hill by a large overhang, a wide cave opening yawned before her.Her hands clung to the stone with an iron grip as she swung back and forth above the river chasm, finally letting go and trusting her momentum to carry her to the ledge below.She landed hard, rolling to her side as her momentum pushed her forward, but she had made it.She was in the cave. Ihra glanced nervously into the darkness, her suspicions confirmed when she heard the faint sounds of weak squawks echo from somewhere far below, but as looked back out at the river canyon, she realized she couldn''t stick around any longer.Already, the light of day was beginning to fade, and she dared not face whatever birds were left by herself.The fight with the dore?sah patriarch had been tough enough, and while Ihra knew little of the birds¡¯ habits, she was willing to bet that where there was a patriarch, there would also be a matriarch. Suddenly afraid, she swung herself back onto the cliff and began the long, painstaking trek back to the top, shuddering a bit when the errant winds brought the discordant sounds of the dore?sah¡¯s chirps and squawks to her ears.She only felt a sliver of relief when she reached the top, knowing how easy it would be for the birds to reach her if they became aware of her presence.But she had a task to fulfill, and fulfill it she did. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Slowly, Ihra worked her way back toward the camp, carefully marking her progress as she went.There was no need this time to rush this time, leaving her to truly appreciate how precarious her earlier flight had been.The terrain was rough; Ihra didn¡¯t know much about rocks, but the stone that dominated the craggy cliffs was far too soft.er handholds beneath her weight, leaving little behind to grasp but sharp splinters, but she persevered.Night was fast approaching, and she didn¡¯t want to be too close to the cavern when it came. Her fears proved well-founded.Once the final rays of Shamsha slipped beneath the craggy peaks, it was not long before she heard the telltale shrieks of the dore?sah.It was nothing compared to the wild cacophony of the previous night - they must have slaughtered the majority of the flock - but she felt no confidence in taking on the beasts alone. She was sure she could handle one, but it wasn''t like the birds were going to line up for a series of honorable duels. So she crept along slowly, hiding in the bushes whenever the thunderous slap of wings circled overhead. Fortunately, the remaining birds, perhaps needing to tend to their young sheltered in the cave, stayed closer to the cave than the patriarch''s horde, and slowly the cries and caws fell behind her, leaving her to navigate through the dark cliffs in relative peace.Still, Ihra didn''t breathe easy until the welcome sight of a still faintly smoldering fire loomed through the dense grasses of the plateau.There was no sign of any further danger, but just to be safe, she waited in the bushes, keeping a watchful eye over their camp, and her mount, until the morning light came.Only then did she let herself fall into the slumber her body so desperately craved. She still woke up before the rest of her party finished the miles-long track back across the plains.It was easy enough to snag a few fish from the river, whose succulent flesh was sizzling merrily in the rebuilt fire by the time they finally appeared.¡°Well, any luck?¡±She asked as Jasper slid off his horse.He loosely looped the rope around a tree beside Keresh, giving Dapplegrim plenty of space in which to graze on the sea of grass that surrounded them, before he joined her by the fire. ¡°Yep, I think we got what we needed.¡±He slid a fillet of fish off the skillet and promptly dug into it, not needing to wait for it to cool.Ihra couldn¡¯t help but be a tad bit jealous as she was forced to wait on her own to reach a more acceptable temperature.In between bites, Jasper glanced up at her, curiosity sparking as he noted the deep bags beneath her eyes.¡°I saw the runic circle, so I¡¯m guessing you tracked down the cave.Did you spend the whole night in the hills?¡± Ihra shook her head.¡°No, but by the time I found the cave, it was almost dark and, suffice it to say, there were at least a few dore?sah left.Didn¡¯t feel entirely safe to sleep till the day came.¡± He looked a little guilty.¡°That sucks.We spent the night at the inn again, and that local bard sang another song.Some legend about a guy named Yahdiel?You know that one?¡± She started to shake her head almost reflexively, but paused as an old memory surfaced, of the days before the orphanage.On one of the feast days of Hulmit?t?u, her brother had taken her and his kids to Selene¡¯s temple in Hargish.She was too young to remember the details, but there must have been something special about that particular feast of Hulmit?t?u; that day a traveling troupe of priests from Sapi?ya¡¯s capital was there and had put on a show for the children.¡°Actually, I do remember that story.He was¡­¡± she struggled to pull the details out of the past, ¡°one of the human heroes in the war of the dragons, in the days before the empire was founded.Didn¡¯t he supposedly kill a Sidhe on his own, and become a demigod?¡± Jasper nodded, ¡°That sounds roughly similar to what the bard said, although, in her version, he had a very important Djinn friend who shared all of his adventures with him.¡±He smirked.¡°That¡¯s probably some local flavor, though.¡±He glanced over at Annatta, who had been entirely silent since they had returned to camp.¡°Did he have a Djinn sidekick?¡± Annatta shook her head.¡°Probably not. The Djinn, to my knowledge, played no part in the war of the dragons.We settled in these mountains long before the collapse of the Mwyrani¡¯s empire drove their former subjects north.¡±A grin broke her lips. ¡°But whoever trained the young villager certainly taught her taught well.While there are many great epics sung in the empire, any bard in our lands who spins too many tales bereft of a Djinn hero will quite find themselves a talented, but hungry, beggar.¡± Jasper snorted. ¡°That seems a little vain.¡± The Djinn simply shrugged.¡°So? The Djinn are the firstborn of Shamsha.Have we not earned the right to our pride, to place ourselves above our younger brothers?¡± Jasper felt like pointing out that being created first was hardly a status the Djinn had earned, but held his peace. There was no point, after all, in risking the still tentative peace he and Annatta had brokered over such a meaningless quibble. They did not leave the camp that night. With the location of the cave identified, there was little need to face the birds in the cover of the darkness, and Jasper even allowed himself to hope that a daytime attack would catch them asleep., the distant cries of the dore?sah kept them on edge, the three taking turns keeping watch in case the winged beasts happened upon them. Jasper¡¯s watch came last, in the few final hours of bitter dark before the dawn.The moon had already finished her voyage across the sky as he took his place, nestling himself against one of the trees whose long branches trailed into the river below.The night was clear though, the sky ablaze with the light of thousands upon thousands of stars.Their light was reflected back by the slow-moving waters, whose tranquil surface formed a veritable mirror.It was an almost mesmerizing beauty, and Jasper felt a deep sense of peace overcome him as the myriad of problems that beset him on every side for a moment slipped away, carried off into the night by the river. The Dore?sah Matriarch When day broke, his nerves returned. The fight against the patriarch had been tough, and none of them knew what to expect from the matriarch. Annatta¡¯s limited pool of knowledge about the dore?sah had run dry, and she simply didn¡¯t know whether the patriarch or matriarch of the mighty beasts would prove the greater threat. So the three proceeded cautiously once they reached the cave where the dore?sah roosted. Since Jasper was unable to match Ihra''s free-climbing scramble down the cliff, they anchored ropes to the scraggly trees at the top of the bluff, slowly lowering themselves down the face of the cliff. The descent was easy enough, although when they reached the area where the cave¡¯s mouth yawned, the three were forced to swing out over the canyon to get enough momentum to reach the landing. Jasper''s dislike of heights roared back with new urgency as he found himself suspended perpendicularly in the air, staring face down into a chasm of several hundred feet with nothing but a flimsy rope to hold him up. The rope swung down, and he barely let go in time, landing with a grunt in the dust a bit too close to the edge for his comfort. Damn, about six more inches and I''d have just kept going. Somehow, he managed to keep a firm grip on his rope, dragging it over to a fallen boulder that he fastened it to. The sound of the gurgling river below echoed off the cave¡¯s roof, but the soothing rhythm was regularly interrupted by low, squeaky chirps emanating from somewhere deeper within the cave. Well, at least we''re in the right place. By the time he was done, Annatta and Ihra had already ventured deeper into the mouth of the cavern. He fell into place silently behind them, and they began their descent into the interior. The cave¡¯s shaft plunged down at an incline so steep that it was a constant struggle to keep his balance. His feet slid treacherously in the thick layer of grit and dust that covered the floor and a stench filled the air. Jasper was familiar enough with the "fresh country air" of farm animals, but this was far worse, an odiferous mix of dung, rotten flesh, and unwashed bird that grew ever more unbearable as the fresh breezes that swept through the canyon were left behind. The passage was truly enormous. Perhaps Jasper shouldn''t have been surprised; after all, the dore?sah patriarch was a monster of a bird that couldn''t possibly have fit through any small passage. But the size was larger than even the patriarch would have needed, large enough that Jasper suspected a skilled pilot could have flown a plane through it - well, at least until they inevitably crashed into the bottom. For the most part, the cave looked natural, but something about the dimensions seemed off. The walls were a bit too regular, the ceiling a bit too consistent, and sometimes, peeking through the dust of the incredibly steep slope, well-worn ledges emerged that might once have been stairs. But the going got worse as they delved deeper into the cave. About halfway down the slope, a steady stream of water joined the path, replacing the slippery layers of dust with terrifyingly slick stone. Their progress was slowed to nearly a halt as they were forced to inch their way down wading through the icy waters as the distant sound of squawks slowly crescendoed. When they finally reached the base of the slope, a short, flat passage led forward, opening up quickly into a vast chamber. The ceiling vaulted high above them like a cathedral, its surface dimly lit by large clumps of glowing moss. And there, a few hundred feet before them, deeply cloaked in shadows, was a truly gargantuan form. Its sides rose and fell with a reassuring regularity, but that was the only thing reassuring about it. Ihra gasped quietly under her breath when she saw the beast. ¡°Well, I guess that answers that question.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he whispered back. ¡°The matriarch is easily twice as large as the patriarch, maybe more. She¡¯s a goddamned dinosaur.¡± ¡°Dinosaur?¡± Ihra raised an eyebrow, dismissing her question just as quickly. ¡°Never mind, you can tell me later.¡± The three skirted quickly around the slumbering form, quickly counting the handful of birds that were curled up on the ground around the matriarch. ¡°So there''s ten adult dore?sah, plus the matriarch. But where are the infants?¡± Ihra questioned. The heavy breathing of the slumbering birds was broken up by the repeated squawks echoing off its walls, squawks not made by the beasts before them. Annatta pointed to a tall crevasse running up the face of the chamber wall behind the matriarch. ¡°I think there might be another room beyond there.¡± But Annatta¡¯s face looked troubled as she examined the mother bird. ¡°But I am not sure we can take her. Lord S?arra?bi? wants you to reach a hundred, but not at the cost of your life.¡± Jasper allowed himself a small smile. ¡°Well, you would be rid of me, then,¡± he whispered back. She snorted. ¡°We already discussed this. If I returned with you dead, I would very quickly be following you into the afterlife, or else I¡¯d be forced to flee to the protection of one of the mountain tribes and, well,¡± she shuddered, ¡°Let¡¯s just say I don¡¯t wish to live amongst those barbarians. I¡¯d rather take my chances at resurrection after an execution. So, as much as it pains me to suggest this, I think we should turn back.¡± He glanced back at the slumbering giant before him. No part of him desired to fight the monstrous bird, but the thought of just giving up irked him. He didn''t exactly see eye-to-eye on much with his newfound uncle, but he definitely agreed with S?arra?bi? on at least one matter - he needed to hit level 100 as soon as possible. But could they defeat the matriarch? Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. His mind flitted back to the battle in Ka?r-Kupp?, and a wolfish smile graced his lips as he turned back to Annatta. ¡°Actually, I think I have just the plan for this.¡± The next half hour of preparation was among the tensest moments of his life. The three worked in silence, their movements measured but swift, but the everpresent threat that the birds might wake up before they were ready weighed heavy on all their minds. Still, once he had outlined his plan, even Annatta had agreed it was possible. The first part of their plan relied primarily on Ihra. Runic magic wasn¡¯t as fast or as flashy as the spells he could cast, but given enough time to prepare a runic mage could potentially outstrip even a caster in damage. Thus far, the two had rarely had the opportunity of such leisurely preparations, but that was not the case here. As Jasper pointed out, as long as the birds stayed in their slumber, there was no reason not to take advantage of her runes. Taking a page out of Aphora¡¯s playbook, the three worked to set up the same ritual that Aphora had used in Als?arratu to destroy the warren of sleeping wraiths and wights in the upper city. Jasper hoped the explosion would be enough to take out the lesser beasts, but he was under no illusion that it would kill the truly impressive monster curled up before him. That was where his part of the plan came into place. Well more than a month had passed since he last cast the most powerful spell Kas?dael had given him. It was time to summon the Ophan again. Just hope I don¡¯t need it for something more pressing. But if his long experience with games had taught him anything, it was that every time he¡¯d reach the end with a vast collection of powerful potions and enchantments that he¡¯d kept on hand for just the right moment - a moment that never came. Might as well use it. With the three of them working together, it did not take too long to set up the rune, Ihra at least feeling satisfied that she had, at least as far as she could tell, successfully replicated Aphora''s ritual. Since she lacked the shield relic Aphora had used to protect herself from the explosion, the best they could do was position her as far away from the sleeping matriarch as possible and pray it was far enough. Fortunately, the scaled armor provided by the royal house was, perhaps predictably, fireproof, so they hoped it would be sufficient to protect her from the brunt of the damage. It wasn¡¯t enough to entirely still Jasper¡¯s concern, but Ihra remained upbeat. ¡°If worst comes to worst, my healing transformation should kick in. I don''t exactly love turning into a deer, but it¡¯s already saved my life twice, so I guess I can''t complain,¡± she insisted. Unlike Ihra, Jasper and Annatta didn¡¯t need to fear the fire. The explosive concussion of the blast was still a small concern, but as he had survived it at a much lower level, he wasn''t particularly concerned. Instead, before the rune was activated, the two crept silently across the vast chamber, to take up their positions near the slumbering beasts, ready to strike the moment the ritual ended. With her stealth-oriented class, it was a breeze for Annatta even carrying a few bags of flour, She quickly scaled the giant dore?sah¡¯s frame, without evoking even as much as a murmur from the matriarch, only to be forced to wait impatiently as Jasper snuck close to the beast. It was much slower going for him, as his class offered no bonuses to stealth. He did though have one useful spell, though: Eternal Night. It pained him to waste the essence before the battle on casting the non-combat spell, but it was a necessary sacrifice. His brief attempt to cross the distance without it had resulted in such a stirring of the sleeping birds that he feared he had roused them. Finally reaching the foot of the beast, he cast Eternal Night again and followed it up with The Bramble Crown, feeling the strange sensation of the thin bark armor sliding over his skin. And then, with her two partners finally in place, Ihra began the ritual. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands on the edges of the runic circle and reached out with her mind for the unnatural energy. It flowed through her, little more than a trickle compared to the flood that greater spells required, but it was enough for this. Slowly the fetid air in the room began to circulate, as the wind swirled faster and faster around the giant cavern. The dore?sah did not sleep through it. As the wind began to circulate, the great birds were roused; hopping up on their hindquarters, their heads swiveled back and forth, looking for any sign of a threat. But they settled down quickly; the birds could not see through Annatta''s stealth or Jasper''s spell and the wind, unnatural though it may have been, did not register to the animals as a threat. Still, Jasper held his breath as he and Annatta begin to pour one bag of flour after another into the underground whirlwind. But even when so much white powder clung to their oily feathers that the birds could have been mistaken for giant murderous seagulls, the birds still did not react, unable to spot any obvious danger. And when the air was sufficiently infused with the flour, Ihra drew her misericorde across the runes and turning, begin, to scamper as quickly as she could up the steep, waterlogged shaft that led into the cavern. That was a mistake. Hidden in the darkness on the far side of the cavern, she had escaped the birds'' notice, but her sudden movement attracted the matriarch¡¯s attention. Immediately, the great bird lurched forward, moving with a speed entirely unexpected for such a massive beast. The sudden jolt nearly threw Annatta from her perch on the bird''s neck, but she managed to hold on, clinging to the bird''s feathers for dear life. Jasper, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Completely hidden by his spell, he had been crouched by the matriarch''s feet, and, in truth, she hadn''t even noticed him. But that didn¡¯t stop him from being flung through the air like a volleyball when she suddenly surged after Ihra, as her feet plowed directly through the area of his spell. Eternal Night failed as he soared up into the chamber, and time seemed to freeze. Jasper frantically reached for his essence, pouring it through the pale tattoos on his hand as he sought to fire off the spells that would ignite the flour. But his unintentional flight had attracted too much attention. He never even saw the matriarch¡¯s head move. One minute he was flying through the air headed for a painful impact; the next, he was wiggling in her beak like a worm in a robin¡¯s mouth. Her mighty jaws crunched down on him, and the bark armor promptly splintered beneath the overwhelming pressure. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Annatta furiously hacking at the thick plumage covering the bird¡¯s neck, but he knew there was no way she could break through before the bird snapped him in half. Please let this work. With a final surge of will, he abandoned the broken spell he had tried to cast, and simply forced as much essence as he could gather in a plume of fire that jetted haphazardly out into the cavern. It barely damaged the matriarch, but that was not his goal. With a boom like thunder, the flour-suffused air ignited. A Trapped Rat Tsia stood up and nearly pitched over the edge of the cliff as her leg, which had fallen asleep, promptly buckled beneath her weight.But she managed to catch herself on one hand, and shoved herself back up, shaking her leg vigorously until the feeling returned, while she surveyed the cliff that hid her destination.At a certain point, the shaking of her leg became nothing more than a delaying tactic, as she tried to work up the courage to throw herself over the edge. The confidence in her abilities that she had expressed to Nekelm? had been a bit of an overstatement. never been a strength of her.Oh, she had more than enough power to lift herself above the ground and clumsily thrust herself forward, but what she did was more like clumsily catapulting herself through the air than true flying.She simply lacked the fine control that was needed for a more guided approach. It also didn''t help that Tsia couldn¡¯t actually see the entrance to the Djinn''s base, leaving her no spot to even aim for. But she couldn''t put it off forever.ither she jumped, or she¡¯d have to slink back to the merchant with her tail between her legs, and that was out of the question.Taking one last deep breath, Tsia flung herself out over the void. The wind answered her call immediately, rushing up to embrace her.But she had been a bit too forceful in her call and a veritable hurricane rushed up to meet her. In a split second, she left the top of the cliff behind as she was she rocketed skyward.Panicking, Tsia lost control of her essence and the winds promptly died. She plunged downward, leaving the clifftop behind her just as quickly as she had soared above it until she came to a sudden, jerky, halt no more than fifty feet above the water. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, but as she glanced above her she saw, cloaked, the faint outline of a cave. Got it. Slowly, this time, she ascended up the side of the cliff toward her target. The cave was hidden in the cleft of a small promontory. The entrance was so small that she was surprised she had seen it, as the narrow ledge was barely large enough to accommodate more than one or two men.It took her a few failed attempts to land on the ledge, including one particularly painful miss where she smashed herself face-first into the cliff about three feet to the left of the ledge, but she did eventually stick the landing. Tsia took a moment to compose herself before heading in.Her nose had been crushed by her unintended make-out session with the cliff. In a matter of moments, a steady stream of blood had dripped down her face and pooled around her mouth, leaving the pale girl looking like a bloodthirsty vampire caught in the act.The only blood that will be spilled is theirs, huh?She shook her head ruefully, as her overconfident words from just a few hours earlier surfaced to taunt her.Haven¡¯t even gotten to the fighting yet and I''ve mucked it up. She awkwardly wiped at the blood with her sleeve, but it accomplished little save to smear the blood on her face and her clothes so, in disgust, she gave up.It wasn¡¯t worth wasting a healing potion, at least not yet.After the fight, on the other hand - well, there was simply no way Tsia would let her face be marred by a mangled nose. Once the worst of the bleeding had slowed, Tsia ventured into the underground chamber.A narrow passage led into the heart of the cliff, as small and cramped as the landing outside, but the passage extended no more than fifty feet before coming to an abrupt end. Tsia glanced around, confused by the apparent dead end.Is this the wrong cave? Is it an illusion?She reached out a tentative hand, pushing against the walls to just make sure they were solid, but they resisted her charms.She was about to give up, to head back out to the cliff and search for another opening, when a faint sound echoed above her. Far above her.Her eyes darted up, and relief flooded through her vein when shesaw the way forward. The small, rough cave she¡¯d been standing in had looked completely natural, but the ceiling above her was definitely not.A long slender shaft soared up through the cliff, high enough that its peak was completely shrouded in darkness. was a perfect square, with the sides so unnaturally glossy and smooth that Tsia recognized it immediately as the work of a mage.So that¡¯s why they needed me - not climbing up that. Fortunately, while she wasn¡¯t the greatest flyer, ascending up in a straight, completely bounded line was a relatively easy affair.Tsia rocketed up the shaft with a bit more force than she¡¯d intended, but it didn¡¯t matter this time.It proved to be taller than she¡¯d expected, rising a good two hundred feet before the first sign of a landing appeared, illuminated by a flood of light that poured out into the dark shaft. The light wasn¡¯t the only thing that appeared, though. The landing opened up into a fairly spacious room, carved out of the rock with the same care and skill that the shaft had displayed.A crackling fire in the middle of the room lit up the space, with the smoke ventilated by a perfectly positioned hole in the ceiling. But the room was not empty. Rows of tables circled around the fire pit, and their benches were occupied by a handful of men digging eagerly into some savory substance.he whirlwind of air that had lifted her up the shaft, now free of its narrow confines, exploded into the room like a rogue wave, knocking their plates and chairs aside. Time seemed to slow as Tsia and the Djinn stared at each other, her own shock only slightly less than theirs. One of the Djinn moved first.Lurching to his feet, his hand flickered forward so imperceptibly that Tsia wouldn''t have seen the projectile until it was too late, if not for the faint reflection of the flames that glimmered on the edges of the dark, steel blade.ind exploded from her hands, sending the blade flying harmlessly across the room, but it came at the cost of her concentration on her other spell. With a startled shriek, Tsia plunged down the shaft, this time catching herself well before she neared the bottom. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The shouts and cries of the Djinn echoed down the shaft as she steadied herself mid-air.Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment, and Tsia wanted nothing more than to run away until the shame melted away.But she couldn''t afford such petty feelings. She needed to act.Now. The wind howled behind her as she rocketed back up the shaft, far faster than she had gone before.As soon as the opening loomed above her, she smashed a blade of wind into the wall behind her. The force of the gust altered her momentum, and she was flung sideways into the middle of the room, and into the midst of the men.Tsai landed hard, smashing through a wooden table and its benches with such force that they splintered beneath her, and she rolled to the floor, landing in a tangled heap with one of the Djinn. The mountain Djinn was fast to act. His hand latched around her neck in an instant, clamping down on her windpipe with unnatural strength while the rest raced to aid himBlack dots swelled to fill her vision as her air and blood flow were cut off, and Tsia knew she only had seconds of consciousness left if she didn¡¯t do something fast.Fortunately, she had just the answer. With one hand, she cast her windshield.A spherical vortex of wind sprung up around her and the Djinn sprawled on top of her, the winds spinning with such velocity that the other Djinn racing toward her were flung aside when they came into contact with it.With the other, she cast her favorite spell.S?elzaq. An extremely thin blade of air erupted from her fingers, smashing directly into the face of the Djinn that loomed above her, his powerful hands still clutched tight around her throat.The wind hit him and he blinked, his hands loosening slightly as a final moment of horrified confusion flitted through his mind.And then the upper half of his skull slid off, sliced clean through by the deadly spell. It landed with a plop on her chest. Ewww.Trying not to retch, Tsia pushed him - and it - off of her, gingerly massaging her crushed windpipe as she took stock of the situation.The rest of the djinn were beating against the barrier with near-frenzied energy. Their blows bounced off ineffectually, but Tsia knew it was only a matter of time before their screams attracted more attention. ¡°Time to finish this,¡± she murmured. She didn¡¯t even need to cast another spell.Most mages thought of defensive spells as just that, a fantastic tool for preserving your own, usually squishy, life, but they gave relatively little thought to its offensive potential. They had other spells for that, after all.But Ne?s?u was no mage.¡°There is no defensive ability,¡± he told her time and again, ¡°that can¡¯t be used as an attack, given a sufficiently creative mind.¡±Tsia wasn¡¯t sure if he was entirely right about that, but he was definitely right when it came to her windshield. She dumped more essence into the spell and the whirlwind ballooned outward. Before the seven men attacking her even recognized the danger it posed, the impenetrable barrier of wind swelled to fill the room until there was nowhere else for them to go.Tsia averted her eyes as the Djinn were crushed against the walls, but she didn''t relent, not daring to release her grip on the spell until the cyclone-speed winds had ground her adversaries into a handful of bloody smears along the magically smoothed walls. The wind fell silent immediately, but her head snapped up instantly as the sound of thudding footsteps raced away from the room.that one of the Djinn had survived. Perhaps he was more durable than the rest, or perhaps he had been fortunate enough to be thrust through a doorway rather than being ground against the wall.All desire to face her had been utterly broken as he fled down the passage, limping with every step,ut Tsia had no intention of letting her quarry escape and raise the alarm.She fired off another wind blade, cringing as, a second later, the Djinn¡¯s legs were cut out from beneath him.Oops, I missed. Tsia was a little shaky as she leaned against the wall. Every breath she took was a challenge, her lungs wheezing as they fought to pull air through her crushed windpipe.But she ignored her wounds for the time, keeping her eyes trained expectantly at the door that led deeper into the underground settlement, with two wind blades waiting on the edge of her fingers.They must have heard that, didn''t they? It was only after fifteen minutes or so had passed in silence, that she finally dropped the spells.Glancing around the room, Tsia felt an odd mixture of pride and disgust.Even after losing the element of surprise, she had managed to take out 8 combatants before they could raise the alarm, but that pride was tempered by the knowledge of how close she had come to disaster.A few more seconds the other way, and I would have been dead.A shudder ran down her body.Or worse. Fishing a potion out of her bag, she downed it, sighing in satisfaction as she felt her nose and throat mend themselves.She cast the vial on the ground a moment later when sound echoed in the corridor beyond. All other concerns fell aside, as she quickly tiptoed over to the entrance, pressing herself tight against the wall. A flickering shadow stretched across the threshold into the room, and a moment later its owner emerged.The Djinn stopped, stunned by the carnage of the chamber.ut he never got that chance. Narrowly missing her feet, his head joined his kin¡¯s on the floor. With a frown of distaste, she stepped over it, into the passage that led into the heart of the cliff. The underground enclave proved to be far more extensive than she had expected.Unfinished passageways trailed off in a bewildering variety of directions, with no apparent floorplan, but she encountered surprisingly few Djinn compared to the massive size of the base.Where the hell is everyone? She was grateful for it, though.While Tsia had no problem killing in combat, she wasn¡¯t especially fond of the prospect of cold-blooded murder.The mountain Djinn had a well-deserved bad reputation, so she didn''t feel too bad killing them but, still - it wasn¡¯t like they were Gemlirians. So she kept to the shadows, moving as quietly as possible as she swept through one passage after another. Her strategy paid off.came across, passing them by without a need for further death until, turning down an unremarkable passageway, she found what she had been sent to retrieve.Rows and rows of crates marked with the logo of the Kalla?t-S?ams?a lined the back walls of a small warehouse.A handful of Djinn sat around a fire, so thoroughly engrossed in a game of dice that they did not even notice as she crept close to them, but she saw absolutely no way to reach the crates without going through them.Guess I¡¯m going to have to fight them after all, she realized. It took little effort for her to craft a wind blade and, with a somewhat heavy heart, she cast it toward the guards in a wide arc. But as soon as the spell left her fingers, the earth shook violently. She was tossed to the ground as a wall of stone burst through the ground in between her and the guards, intercepting her spell. Her windblade bit deep into the rock, but it did not have enough force to penetrate. She struggled to push herself to her knees, already summoning more essence to her fingers, but her efforts were futile. In an instant, the stone around her liquified. She sunk into it, attempting to throw herself free, but it solidified as rapidly as it had melted, trapping her in the rock. Tsia pulled frantically at her limbs, as the panic surged through her, but her strength was no match for solid stone, and her struggling ceased as a shadow loomed over her, a raspy voice echoing in the dark chamber. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got a rat loose in our granaries." The Eye of the Storm Come on, come on, come on.Her desperate struggles only increased as the mountaineer mage approached her, but Tsia''s efforts were futile. Her hands, feet, and even her knees were trapped in the now-solid stone. No matter how she struggled, she could get no leverage to pull herself free.In the end, her struggle only served to harm herself, as the bone in her left arm snapped beneath the stone¡¯s unyielding grasp. With a whimper, she collapsed on her chest as her arm gave out, unable to support her weight. Struggling to blink back the tears of pain and fear, Tsia finally looked up to see her captor. The mountain Djinn may have been a mage, but he was clearly no stranger to leg day.An eight-foot statue of muscle and brawn that could have made even a Seraph jealous, the man¡¯s high level was evident at a glance. The semblance of humanity had been left far behind as his skin gleamed like marble in the low light, a greyish white striated with streaks of bright red.A pair of massive black horns rose from behind his ears, curling low around his head like a ram¡¯s horns rather than sticking straight up like most of the Djinn she had seen.But it was his eyes that demanded her attention, drawing her to him with all the force of a black hole.More like cats¡¯ eyes than humans, his deep amber pupils glared down at her with an almost palpable force. He crouched down to her level, examining her with an unabashed smirk.She shrank beneath his gaze, babying her broken arm as she backed as far away from him as the unyielding stone would allow her to move.His smirk only grew as he saw her reaction. Tsia wouldn¡¯t have said that the cave was particularly cold, but steam rose from his lips as he spoke, wafting up in lazy spirals toward the roof.¡°What are you doing here, little girl?The halls of Haliqti? are no place for your kind.¡± She shook her head, struggling to speak through the pain, but she did not respond fast enough for the Djinn.A massive hand closed around her throat, yanking her forward.His fingers dug into her with an iron grip, and a guttural scream of pain was forced from her lungs.¡°Never mind,¡± he said.¡°I¡¯ll just find out for myself.¡± His jaws opened wide as an impossibly long tongue snaked forward.She shrank back as the tongue licked her face, an odious mixture of rough and slimy that scraped across her skin like sandpaper, but there was no avoiding its touch.After a second or two that felt like an eternity, the mouth serpent retreated. The Djinn cocked his head to the side with a curious expression.¡°Well, well.Aren¡¯t you a little mutt - elf, Djinn, and Corsyth are not so unusual, but the Sidhe?¡± He clicked his tongue in mock disapproval. "Somebody''s family''s been cavorting with the enemy." Her mind was a jumble of pain and terror, but Tsia still audibly gasped at his words.¡°No,¡± she managed to choke out. His laugh rumbled through the cavern at her shock.¡°Didn¡¯t know about that little secret you?not too many empire rats that would boast about being descended from the Sidhe.¡± The Djinn stood up abruptly, running his giant hand through a waterfall of grey locks.¡°Let me guess, our ¡®kin¡¯ up top got tired of our presence and sent you to deal with us." She nodded gingerly, feeling the welts around her neck twinge at even the slight movement. He snorted.¡°As ever, our brothers are weak," he sneered. "To think they''ve fallen so low as to send a little girl to do their dirty work.I guess we just need to send a real clear message to them.¡± With a wave of his hand, the ground around her shook as, with an ear-piercing shriek, the stone entrapping her tore free from the ground.Like an iceberg of stone, she rose into the air, trapped on a floating platform of rock that trailed behind the old Djinn as he headed back into the tunnels. Her thoughts begin to wander, as the pain and terror consumed her mind completely. You really put your foot in it this time. Ne?s?u¡¯s face swam before her, shaking his head as he looked down at her with a mixture of pity and disappointment.How many times did I tell you you had to listen to Vaya?Why didn¡¯t you fulfill your promise? ¡°I tried,¡± Tsia murmured, as the deep shame she felt at her inability to communicate with Vaya welled up once again. Trying¡¯s not good enough, Ne?s?u scolded her.I won¡¯t always be there to save you. She whimpered, loud enough that her captor glanced back. He dismissed her a moment later, though, when he saw her bonds still held her tight.The only blood that will be spilled is theirs. The tears slid down her cheeks as she cursed her overconfidence, her own words mocking her. But even as the tendrils of despair wrapped her ankles, ready to drag her down into the shadowed depths of the abyss, another name, unbidden, rose to her tongue.Imh?ullu. A burst of warmth spread across her chest as she muttered the mysterious name Selene had given her.Imh?ullu, she repeated.o voice whispered in her ears, but something did respond. Her shaking ceased as an unnatural calm fell over her, a calm that felt burdened with the promise of violence. Ne?s?u''s disappointed visage dissipated into the mist as her thoughts were cleared by the calm, and she tried to pull herself together.Think, Tsia.How do you get out of this? Another face immediately sprang to mind, this time no mirage but a memory.Jasper. Most mages could only cast through their hands, guided by the runes that focused the flow of the essence.Sometimes classes or races could provide alternate means of casting, like Djinn fire mages, who were well known for their ability to temporarily burst into flames, but those abilities were never really targeted. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. But a few times, on those chilly nights as they sat around the campfire, Tsia had seen Jasper experimenting with casting small plumes of fire through his mouth.It was just a party trick, or at least that¡¯s what she thought, but she was desperate.Could I do it?She knew the answer as soon as it came to her.Can¡¯t hurt to try.She didn¡¯t know what the mountain Djinn had in store for her, but she doubted that his plan to ¡°send a message¡± would mean anything good for her. Tsia struggled to lift herself up, a surprisingly difficult task with only one working arm.The essence responded to her sluggishly at first; despite the unnatural calm, her pain-riddled mind still fought any attempts at focus, but Tsia could not afford to give up. She demanded the essence to listen to her, commanded it to follow her orders and slowly, begrudgingly, it responded, pooling in her mouth.Her first attempt to release the essence as a spell was a complete failure; the second and third were as well.f the Djinn noticed her failed attempts, he gave no sign of it, so she had ample time to try again. She wasn¡¯t sure what she did differently, but this time the essence responded to her command, spilling out of her mouth with an angry howl.Tsia had intended to cast one of her traditional spells, windblade, hoping the silent spell would cleave her captor''s head from his shoulders before the Djinn even knew he was under attack. What actually came out of her mouth was something else altogether. The spell tore at her, shattering teeth and bone, as it forced its way free, but her screams of pain were lost to the roar of the maelstrom that surged down the tunnel.An unstructured mass of wind slammed into the back of the Djinn, throwing him down the tunnel like a rag doll.It wasn¡¯t enough to kill her tormentor, but it was more than sufficient to destroy his focus, severing his connection to the spell that bound her. She plummeted back to the earth in a tumble of rock and limb that smashed into the tunnel¡¯s floor with a roar like thunder.Her throat was raw and her ears rang with the sound of screams she only vaguely recognized as her own, as her broken arm was slammed into the ground.But the mage¡¯s rock, no longer held together by the spell, crumbled beneath her, releasing her from her bonds. For a moment, Tsia lay there stunned, as her senses were utterly overwhelmed with an avalanched of pain.Her face had been eviscerated; most of her teeth had torn from their roots and her already injured arm was now shattered in a dozen places.Barely able to think through the haze of pain, she somehow managed to fumble with her other hand in her bag, her fingers slow and clumsy as she dug for a potion.But she was forced to abandon her efforts when a groan echoed down the narrow corridor, accompanied by the sound of a heavy, if halting, footstep. The Djinn.Time slowed to a crawl as she struggled to rise, pulling the essence toward her one good hand.Her captor was moving slowly. His left leg dragged behind him, and he was forced to place a steadying head against the wall, but despite that injury, the old mage had clearly taken less damage from her spell than she had.His eyes met hers at the same time, his amber orbs glowing ever so slightly in the dimly lit passage. lifted his hand to cast a spell, but Tsia was quicker on the draw.Windblade.It was perhaps the worst-formed windblade of her life, far too large and wide to preserve its usually keen edge. The mage cast his own a fraction of a second later, discarding whatever his original spell had been to raise a protective shield of rock around him. Perhaps if Tsia had been less injured the outcome of the battle would have been different.For years her tutors had beaten into her head the importance of precision and focus.Her spell lacked all of that, but whatever Tsia lacked in precision, she more than made up for in sheer power.Her dull, malformed windblade roared down the narrow shaft, crashing over his rock shield like a tsunami. He staggered, as the sheer force of her spell pushed him back a few spaces. raised his hand again, prepared to trap her in his quagmire, but his focus was shattered as another tsunami washed over them.Cracks formed across the face of his shield, and he was forced to divert his essence into stabilizing the spell. Another hit.And another.And another.In seconds, every drop of the mage''s essence was used up.Unable to reinforce his barrier, the Djinn was betrayed by his own spell.As the next blast of wind smashed into it, the rock shield shattered into a hundred shards.Most of the shards skittered off his toughened skull, painful but not deadly.ne shard passed through his eye, burrowing itself deep into his brain.His face was still frozen in shock as he keeled over. When the Djinn collapsed, Tsia let go of her essence, dropping back to the ground with a pained whimper.With the most immediate danger gone, every ounce of pain came rushing back to her.She struggled to stay conscious as her only working hand rooted through her bag for a healing potion. couldn''t even use her arm well enough to tear the lid off, and had to settle for banging the vial against the ground until the narrow neck broke.Ignoring the sharp glass edges, she let the sweet liquid drop into her mouth. One wasn¡¯t enough.By the time she¡¯d drained the first, her arm had healed enough to be semi-functional, but the damage to her mouth had barely been touched.She downed a second quickly, an immense feeling of relief washing over her as her lips knit back together and her teeth remerged.Utter exhaustion washed over her as the potions fed on her energy, but she fought to stay awake.She couldn¡¯t afford to fall asleep. To her surprise, as the pain of her injuries faded, she felt the faint tingle of a headache that the potion hadn¡¯t been able to touch, realizing with surprise that it must have been the start of essence deprivation. It wasn''t a feeling she was used to.Pushing herself to her feet, she swayed dangerously, steadying herself with one hand against the stone wall as she fought to keep her eyes. Can''t fall asleep here, she muttered to herself. A faint whimper from further down the hall broke the silence.There could only be one source., relying on the wall''s support to keep her upright until she reached the Djinn. She was surprised to see the old man''s eyes - well, one eye really, as the second had been obliterated - were still wide open.The mage''s hands tremored as with palsy, and he did not stir as she moved over him, save for his eye that tracked her movements. ¡°He-help,¡± he managed to gasp, his voice barely above a whisper. With a quick twist of her hand, Tsia obliged as her windblade neatly freed his head from his shoulders.he raised her heel, prepared to stomp in his face, but after a long moment of hesitation, Tsia lowered it, unbloodied.She had won; there was no need to sully herself. She swayed again, as her knees buckled beneath her, overwrought by the potion-induced exhaustion, but she caught herself and, after a few long moments lean against the wall, she summoned the strength to push on.She still had a job to complete after all. Time passed in a blur.Barely conscious of her own actions, she swept through the rest of the base on a mission. Her hesitation at killing the mountain Djinn was gone, and death followed closely in her footsteps for any misfortunate enough to encounter her.When she finally broke from the depths of the cliff, the company¡¯s wares were safely stored in her bag and, if there were any survivors, they had had the good sense to hide from her. She rose up the side of the cliffs in jerky jumps, the minor strain in her head now a full flung storm but somehow she reached the top before she lost consciousness, only dimly aware as she slipped into the dark of the strong hands that wrapped around her, the worried face of her guardian floating above her like a vision. The Matriarchs Last Stand The dim light of the luminescent fungi was replaced as a fiery inferno tore through the air.Jasper screamed in pain as the ball of fire surrounded him, not from the fire which surged uselessly around his form, but the brilliant flash of light that blinded him like a flash-bang.But at least he was not the only one to suffer. The matriarch, whose jaws of death had clamped tight around his torso, was not so fire-proof. The bird screeched in pain as the inferno washed over her, releasing her grip on him.He plummeted to the cavern floor below, still blinded from the light, as a truly deafening shriek rose above the fray.The bird¡¯s sonic attack rebounded off the chamber¡¯s ceiling with enough force to smash back into him, sending him spinning sideways across the room. He landed hard on the rock-strewn floor, and his shoulder crunched painfully as he staggered to his feet, but he ignored it. Time seemed to slow as he waited for the dark spots across his vision to clear, but the matriarch wasn''t waiting. The cavern floor shook as the enormous beast flailed and, though he could not see it, Annatta clung to its neck, stubbornly trying to rack up enough piercing to activate a backstab that would cut through its thick, smoldering plumage. He was thrown to the ground again as one hideous shriek after another rent the air, the cave vibrating so much that it seemed like the very walls would tumble down.Jasper smashed face-first into the ground, the blood trickling from his ears as the relentless cries washed over him, but his vision begin to return and, with it, his presence of mind.I''ve got to cast the spell. The bird¡¯s relentless screams did their best to drive every cogent thought from his mind, but Jasper clung to his goal obdurately, pulling the unwilling essence to his fingers and releasing it.Hand of Judgement. As soon as the essence left him, he could feel the drop in temperature around him.The cavern air, superheated by the explosion, plummeted rapidly as, with a concussive boom, a large rip was torn through the fabric of reality. The cries of the bird fell silent, as the great matriarch turned to face the strange new threat. The ophan¡¯s hand thrust through the opening, its flesh blackened and smoldering like charcoal.With a twist of its hand, the gap tore open further, and the being emerged fully.Its metallic wings shifted back and forth, as the wind that poured from the rip whistled through its feathers with an eerie cry. Unconcerned with the bird, the great eye turned to its gaze on its master, Jasper. ¡°What is your wish, my lord?¡± it asked as before. His head was still ringing from the bird''s screams, but he managed to choke out the two simple words the being needed. "Help me." The words were barely out of his mouth when the ophan flicked its wrist, casting a spell. In an instant, he was dragged across the cavern floor toward the guardian,nseen hands lifted him up to stand beside the strange being.Jasper winced in unexpected pain as the ophan placed one of his charcoal hands on his shoulder, as the fires of the hand somehow broke through his immunity, scorching him, but the pain was washed away as soon as it came. A surge of essence flooded through him and, in seconds, every wound in his body, every broken bone and ruptured vessel, were knit back together. He gasped as the hand lifted from his shoulder, removing the flood of revitalizing essence from him.And then the Ophan blurred into motion, shooting across the cavern floor to bridge the gap with the matriarch.It spun in a tight circle much like his Seraph''s Burst, and its razor-sharp metallic wings scored a dozen wounds across the neck of the matriarch, shredding through her plumage like paper.But the great dore?sah was not as easily defeated as the Moon-kissed captain had been. A full-throated scream erupted from its mouth, hitting the Ophan squarely in the chest.Its feet dug into the ground as the being was pushed back, its wings blown astray from their target, but when it turned to face the matriarch, the Ophan''s fiery eye looked little more than annoyed.It lunged forward again, smashing into the bird, who met its attack with razor-sharp talons.Clouds of steam boiled over the surface of the Ophan¡¯s skin as the charcoal flesh was torn open, and Jasper, not daring to wait around anymore, rejoined the fray. Calling the short sword Arut? had given him into his hands, he cast Seraph¡¯s Burst. He streaked across the cavern floor, raking his sword and wings across the back of the bird¡¯s hindlimbs.Her left talon lashed out, narrowly missing him as he passed, and he landed hard beyond her, another spell already on the tips of his fingers. He whipped the Scourge of Despair through the air, slamming the spectral weapon into the matriarch¡¯s singed plumage.But the spell failed to summon the specters as the whip cut harmlessly into her feathers, failing to draw even a single drop of blood with which to call the ghosts.A pillar of fire blew past his ear as the Ophan roared past him, and the cavern descended into chaos. From then on, Jasper had no time to think, no time to plan his next moves, or even to keep track of his allies.Every ounce of his focus was poured into simply surviving, pure instinct taking over as he dodged and weaved between the flurry of blows that the enraged dore?sah threw his way, only stopping briefly to fire off a spell whenever he was given a chance.The matriarch was more powerful than he had expected; perhaps, on her own, she could have even fought the Ophan to stand still, but, mighty though she was, could not fend all of them off at the same time. Even then, she still likely could have escaped the battle if she had just fled, but the bird refused to do so, stationing herself in front of the crevice that guarded the path to her brood and fighting with a vicious intensity. But that only sealed her fate.Unable to avoid the barrage of blows, spells, and arrows that came her way, with a final, keening wail the bird breathed its last.Silence fell over the cave then, broken only by the muffled warbling of chirps coming from the chamber beyond and the party''s own heavy breathing. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Pushed to the point of sheer exhaustion, Jasper sank down beside the beast, leaning against its still-smoldering feathers.He cringed as he felt the warm, viscous blood that had spread across the cave floor coat his legs, but he was too tired to care.He turned his eyes to the Ophan, murmuring his thanks.That was definitely harder than I expected. But he also knew, that as long as he hit a hundred, it would be worth it. The giant hole the Ophan had torn in the air still remained, spinning ever so slightly on its axis.Nothing could be seen through it, nothing but endless darkness and a chill breeze that circulated through the monumental chamber. The Ophan stood, unmoving, over the felled beast, and Jasper noted with a bit of surprise how much worse for the wear the Ophan looked.Its scorched flesh was riddled with gaping wounds and its metallic wings bent but, despite its wounds, the floating eye appeared untroubled.The eye met his gaze resolutely, and though it seemed ridiculous to attribute any emotions to the floating orb, Jasper felt a sense of friendly curiosity invade him, coupled with a tinge of impatience. Oh, it¡¯s waiting for me to release it, he realized. He hadn''t had to do that last time as the Ophan must have, eventually, been defeated by the city guards. ¡°You can go now.¡± He obliged the being¡¯s desire and was immediately rewarded by a sense of gratitude that flooded his mind. The creature bowed to him as its inexplicable voice - for it had no mouth - rumbled through the chamber.¡°May I eat first?¡± His brow furrowed at the strange question.It wouldn¡¯t turn against us and eat us, would it?In truth, he knew nothing about the bizarre being save that it was connected, in some way, to Kas?dael. He decided to clarify.¡°Eat?Eat what?¡± One of the creature¡¯s metallic wings bent forward, brushing against the bloodied corpse of the bird. ¡°Sure,¡± Jasper agreed.¡°You can have the bird, and only the bird.¡± Best not to leave any loopholes. Gratified, the Ophan bent down to the floor, placing its charcoal hands on the bloodied limestone.Slowly at first, and then faster, like an avalanche gathering speed on its frenzied path down the mountain, the dore?sah¡¯s blood flowed into him.Within seconds the battered wings unfurled and the torn flesh knit over.The body of the dore?sah withered, collapsing in on itself, as every drop of moisture was wrung from its flesh, until it was left as withered and tough as aged leather.Then, with its wounds fully healed, the Ophan returned through the torn rent in the air.With an audible boom, the gap sealed behind him, and they were left alone. Ihra and Annatta joined him as the relentless warbling of the baby birds once again filled the cavern.He glanced up at them, casting a worried eye over Ihra, but relaxed when he saw no signs of blood. ¡°Everyone alright?¡± ¡°Yep.Didn¡¯t even have to turn into a deer this time, so that''s progress,¡± Ihra quipped.Annatta just nodded as she stepped over him and approached the giant crack that stretched up the cavern walls.The birds¡¯ cries were clearly coming from there, but the corpse of the matriarch, withered though it was, still proved a decidedly effective obstacle to the path forward.Planting her feet firmly against the ground, she heaved with all her might. To Jasper¡¯s surprise, the matriarch''s corpse did indeed budge.But her strength wasn¡¯t enough to cast the bird aside. The Djinn tried again, her feet slipping and sliding against the cavern floor as she futilely attempted to push the beast aside, and Jasper shared a look of wry amusement with Ihra.Guess she doesn¡¯t want to ask for help.He decided to take pity on her though.Stepping up beside her, the three of them fought to push the matriarch¡¯s body away from the opening, one painful step at a time until enough space was cleared to allow them to enter the passage. Slipping inside the chamber, he was hit almost immediately by the overpowering stench of ammonia, not unlike that of guano.He was hit as well by a torrent of angry screeches.Rearing up on their hind legs and flapping their wings vigorously but ineffectively, the little birds bombarded hit him with sonic attacks.They packed a surprising punch, and Jasper was willing to bet they''d be downright dangerous to a low-leveled villager, but they were little more than an annoyance to him. Ignoring the chicks¡¯ attacks, the three worked quickly to the cages Jasper and Annatta had built in the village. Slowly, the birds fell silent, perhaps exhausting whatever sort of mana their attacks relied on, and Jasper was able to get a better glance at them.While the adults may have been a viciously tough foe, the little birds were much smaller, roughly the size of a shetland pony, and more than cute enough to give Li''l Sebastian a run for his money.Unlike the adults, their feathered coats were a riot of colors, dappled with bright blues, reds, and greens, and a white, ruffled frill wrapped around their necks that looked for all the world like the collar from some seventeenth-century noble.If he hadn¡¯t known they were the young of the dore?sah, Jasper would never have guessed that they were even the same bird. Annatta, in particular, was entranced by them.Exhibiting a side of her he hadn¡¯t seen before, she ignored their futile attempts to bite off her hand, as she patted their heads.¡°I had no idea dore?sah hatchlings were so cute.These birds will be an enormous hit on the market.¡± Jasper had to admit that the birds were fairly cute.¡°Too bad they¡¯re just like Pokemon though,¡± he grouched.¡°I still remember my disappointment the first time my cute little Mudbray evolved into a Mudsdale.And these little critters?¡±He shook his head, glancing out at the withered corpse of the matriarch.¡°That was one ugly mother.¡± Annatta blinked as she scooped one of the little birds up in her arms and stroked the back of its head until it calmed down.¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m familiar with those beasts.¡± Ihra rolled her eyes.¡°Don¡¯t worry, nobody else has either.It¡¯s one of those things from his world that he casually mentions like we''re supposed to know what it means.¡± Understanding bloomed in the Djinn¡¯s eyes.¡°Ah, I see.Well, regardless, I¡¯m not so sure that these dore?sah are doomed to look like her.¡± He blinked in surprise, looking down at the brightly colored chicks.¡°Really? Why not?¡± She shrugged, ¡°Like I told you before, I don¡¯t really know that much about the dore?sah, but it would surprise me if the "adult" form is actually some sort of evolution, perhaps after the first hunt.I bet there is some way of keeping them every bit as cute as they are now.¡±She patted the bird¡¯s head fondly.¡°It really is too bad they were nearly hunted to extinction.¡± ¡°They were nearly hunted to extinction?¡±A little bit of guilt seeped into his heart as Jasper glanced down at the rather reluctant hatching he was struggling to nudge into a cage.¡°Were the dore?sah hunted down because they preyed on the cattle?¡± The Djinn shook her head, pushing a lock out of her eyes as it tumbled free.¡°Actually, no, it was for religious reasons. An act of kindness, supposedly.¡± Those Who Were Cursed Jasper glanced at the Djinn in surprise. ¡°Religious reasons? For a bird?¡± Annatta nodded. ¡°There¡¯s an old myth about the dore?sah. Well,¡± she amended herself, ¡°Perhaps it''s a myth, perhaps not. The story took place not long after the reign of Nu?radi?n, and not many records have survived from that time. Anyways, the myth claimed that the dore?sah were not always birds.¡± "They were what, dinosaurs?" Jasper jibed, but Annatta simply ignored him, continuing with her story. ¡°Although the Djinn came to the land between the mountains long before the Corsyths or even the elves had migrated to the north, we were not the first to make our homes here. There was another race here, men not so different from the Strytahni. This much of the story, at least, is true, as there are many ruins perched on the mountain peaks that were definitely not built by us.¡± ¡°You said they were like the Strytahni, so, shapechangers?¡± Ihra butted in. ¡°Something of the sort,¡± Annatta agreed. ¡°For a long time, the Djinn and the ancient dore?sah lived together peacefully. They preferred the mountain peaks, so there were few quarrels over land, and though they worshipped different gods than us, they were not malevolent ones-¡± the Djinn paused - ¡°or at least, not at first. From here, the details of the story vary a bit from one version to the next. Some versions say that one of their gods was secretly one of the fallen, others that a dark god infiltrated the cult of one of their major deities, and still others claim that the dore?sah turned from their old gods to worship a new one. Whatever version you believe, they all agree on what happened next.¡± ¡°Relations between the dore?sah and the Djinn were good for many centuries until the Djinn spiraled into a war of succession. A younger son of the royal house tried to seize the throne and, for some reason, many of the dore?sah flocked to his support. Most of the royal house was slaughtered in the conflict, but ultimately the eldest son prevailed.¡± ¡°Once the new Djinn king had reestablished control, he wished to punish those among the dore?sah who had participated in the slaughter of his kin. It was a reasonable request, but the dore?sah''s elders refused to cooperate. Angered, the Djinn declared war.¡± Annatta clucked her tongue regretfully.¡°The dore?sah were fools. Aside from their ability to shapeshifter, they had very little magic. A few weak shamanic rituals that were of little use in battle, a few soul-bound animals, but certainly nothing remotely comparable to the abilities of the Djinn. We were simply stronger in every way." "Within months, their elders had realized that the war was already lost. All they needed to do was surrender, to simply hand over those who had supported the rebels, but still they were unwilling. Rather than acknowledge defeat, the dore?sah turned to their gods for aid, and one god in particular - Lord Ilmask. Gathering beneath the lightless heavens of the new moon, their leaders petitioned their god for a great boon, pleading with him to enhance the might of their shape-shifting abilities enough to crush us on the battlefield.¡± ¡°And Ilmask gave them the power they sought. Their previously meager powers were elevated, allowing them to transform into these birds. Great swarms of the dore?sah filled the sky, so many that they blotted out the heavens and the light of our father, and thousands upon thousands of Djinn died beneath their assault. The outcome of the war hung on a knife''s edge, and perhaps, if the dore?sah had won, there would be no more Djinn in the land, but the dore?sah were not the only ones with gods." "Driven to desperation themselves, the Djinn summoned the Victorious Dead. The ghost of Nu?radi?n himself answered their call, and together they crushed the dore?sah''s armies. It was only then that the dore?sah realized the terrible price they had paid for Lord Ilmask¡¯s ¡®gift.¡¯¡± ¡°Once they died in battle, they found themselves trapped in a permanent cycle of death and rebirth.¡± Jasper frowned. "Immortality doesn''t sound that terrible." Annatta shook her head. "As men, perhaps not, but as birds? Once the dore?sah died, they were born again and again with the minds of men but the body of animals, utterly unable to shift back to their original form." ¡°Most of the dore?sah, once they realized their fate, returned to their former gods and begged for a cure and one of them, a Lady Pith?alla, took pity on them. Unable to fully lift the Ilmask''s ''gift,'' she did her best to blunt it. Dulling their minds so that they would not know their suffering, she transformed the dore?sah who came to her into the tsuss?m.¡± ¡°But not all turned to her for aid; some stubbornly clung to their false god, slowly slipping further into madness with each death until their minds were fully lost, becoming nothing more than the animalistic dore?sah that remain to this day.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Jasper whistled. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty dark story. Why did the Djinn continue to hunt them down, though? Just revenge for the Djinn killed in the war?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Annatta shook her head as she ran a gentle finger down the back of the hatchling¡¯s head, smiling as it cooed with delight. ¡°No, there was a widespread belief that if every one of the birds was hunted down, that if no bodies remained to house their tortured souls, then the cycle of death and rebirth would be broken, and the dore?sah. Their near extinction was, strangely enough, a matter of mercy. But that was all a long time ago.¡± ¡°As time passed, and the historical truth of whatever actually happened faded beyond recollection, people stopped hunting them down. Their numbers have never really rebounded, though, since they are a bit of a pest to ranchers.¡± With a final pat, she put the bird she was holding in the last empty cage, securing the latch tightly. ¡°And now we get the fun task of carrying them up that slope.¡± Jasper glanced back at her in surprise. ¡°Uh, aren¡¯t we just going to put them right back into your bag of holding?¡± he asked. The Djinn laughed. ¡°How rich do you think I am? It took me years to save up enough money just to buy this bag, but I¡¯d be an old woman before I could earn enough to buy one that could transport living beings. Unless you want a collection of feathered carcasses, we¡¯re going to have to haul these up ourselves.¡± ¡°Great¡­¡± he muttered, as he glanced around at the nearly twenty cages that surrounded them. ¡°Just great.¡±
The next few days flew by peacefully. Getting the cages up the slippery cave tunnel proved to be every bit the herculean task Jasper had feared, not to mention carting them back all the way to their camp across terrain too rough for their mounts to pass. But from there on, it was smooth sailing. They stopped by the village one last time just to let them know the good news. The villagers were predictably grateful and, at their insistence, the three spent the night in the village. That night was little more than a blur to Jasper, a collage of vague memories of drinking and dancing around a bonfire whose flames reached nearly as high as the rooftops. And then, nursing a killer hangover, the party hit the road that led back to S?adda?nu. But not even a hangover was sufficient to kill Jasper''s growing excitement, which reached a fever pitch by the time the twin bridges leading into the capital came into view. At long last, level 100 was calling his name. The journey through the crowded city streets seemed interminable, so as soon as they rode through the great blue gates that guarded the palace complex, Jasper urged Dapplegrim into a trot toward the quiet manor his mother had left him, eager - perhaps for the first time - to begin his meditation. ¡°Lord Yas?peh, stop!¡± Reigning in his exasperation, Jasper swiveled in his saddle, glaring at Annatta. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You intend to meditate, do you not?¡± He nodded impatiently. "Of course." ¡°Reaching level 100 is an occasion for celebration, Lord Yas?peh, not something one does alone in one¡¯s bedroom like a shameful secret. Come,¡± she spurred her horse in the opposite direction from the manor, waving for them to follow behind, ¡°traditions must be observed.¡± Curious, the two followed after her, winding their way through the shady paths of the palace enclave. They soon approached the As?rukkat, which Jasper assumed was their destination. But they bypassed the grand edifice, circling instead around its base until they reached a portion of the enclave he had never seen before. The densely forested grounds gave way to sparser trees, whose flowered boughs hung low over a series of ponds and inlets that stretched their way down to the shores of the lake. A winding path of delicate bridges arched high over the ponds, clearly built more for beauty than purpose. Intricately carved wooden panels sided them, covered in thick coats of glossy blue and black paint, while delicate roofs soared above, sheltering their occupants from the sweltering sun. The ponds positively swarmed with life; hundreds of birds floated in the still waters or slumbered in the grassy knolls that watched over the ponds. But the true focus of the area was the shrine that lay on the far side of the park, rising out of the sandy shallows of Lake Yarhab. The shrine was only connected to the shore by a thin, swaying bridge that had as many gaps as planks. ¡°Welcome to Nu?radi?n¡¯s Inlet,¡± Annatta said, as she slipped off her horse. ¡°You''ll have to walk the rest of the way,¡± she explained. The Djinn tied her mount to a nearby hitching post with a few, quick knots, and waited as the two followed suit before continuing. ¡°Nu?radi?n? Like the king from the story,¡± Ihra asked, glancing around with interest. The Djinn nodded. ¡°The same. The shrine was the first temple the Djinn built when they settled around the As?rukkat, dedicated then to Nu?r.¡± ¡°Nu?r? Is that Shamsha?¡± Annatta bobbed her head back and forth uncertainly. ¡°You would do well to ask someone else that question, my lord. The priests would tell you that Nu?r and Shamsha are both One and Not One, but I never truly understood the distinction. Lord S?arra?bi?, on the other hand, could no doubt wax eloquent for hours on the subject.¡± She paused to collect her thoughts, ¡°Anyways, as I was saying, the shrine was the original temple to Nu?r. Once the city grew in size, a more fitting palace was built for the god, and the shrine was dedicated to the royal family''s use. Whenever one of the ten steps is reached, it is customary for the royal family to meditate.¡± The Djinn stopped at the entrance to the walks, and let Jasper move in front of her. When Ihra tried to follow in his footsteps, she grabbed her arm, shaking her head lightly. "Not us," she whispered. Hearing her words, Jasper paused, glancing back. ¡°You aren''t coming?¡± He didn¡¯t miss the brief flicker of pain that shot through Annatta''s eyes, but she stifled it almost immediately. ¡°I can¡¯t. Only recognized members of the house are allowed to enter the shrine," she explained. "We will wait for you here.¡± Jasper frowned as the meaning of her words sunk in. The hierarchical structure of Corsythia rankled him a bit; the mere idea that his friends weren¡¯t fit to follow him simply because of an accident of birth clashed with every value he had been brought up to believe in, but he also wasn¡¯t naive. He had no illusions that he, no matter how hard he protested, could do anything meaningful to shake up the fundamental inequity of a system established long before the first humans summoned fire. I doubt the emperor himself would have the power to change things. So he held his tongue, flashing the pair an unhappy smile. ¡°Don¡¯t I need someone to watch over me while I meditate?¡± He asked, throwing out one last hope. ¡°The shrine watches over its own,¡± she replied. ¡°Now, go. Find out what path you have earned.¡± A Door of Black and Yellow Whatever hopes she¡¯d had of a stealthy execution were shattered as she descended on the village.Dozens of sleepy trolls were already milling around outside their huts, looking for the source of the screams that had rent the air mere minutes ago. Aphora allowed herself a thin smile.They had found it. She descended upon them in a flash, a hurricane of deadly ribbons that ripped through their flesh with an unnatural sharpness.They tried to fight back, for a while at least, but they were hopelessly outmatched.She knew it - and so did they. It did not long for them to break, to flee into the night like rabbits before a wolf.Few reached the woods though, as the ribbons of her dress stretched out and dragged them, screaming, back to the heart of the village. When the last of Aphora¡¯s wrath was finally appeased, the moon had turned a deep scarlet, drinking deep of the proffered sacrifice.Just one household remained untouched.Dozens of frightened eyes peered out of its open windows, many of the trolls having run there once they realized that it alone was safe.Aphora hesitated, considering destroying the hut too, but her better judgment won out.The hut had the smell of the half-Gemlir child on it; she didn¡¯t know if the child cared about any of her family, but there was no point in poisoning the well before she drank from it. Turning on her heel, she headed back toward the emerald door and the realm beyond.She lingered for a time outside the portal, enjoying the fresh cool air of the night.She had a feeling it would be a long time before she would get to enjoy it again.The remnants of the village would no doubt send for aid from the Gemlirian warlords to the west, and they would come, ever eager to pursue the race hated by their gods.It did not matter, though.They would not get through the door. When she could not put it off any longer, she slipped inside, back to the realm buried beneath the surface, far from the light of her beloved moon. Torin was already waiting for her at the mansion, and so too was an unexpected guest. Tesha. The young Fey woman was bent low over the form of the child, her hands placed on either side of her temple. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±Aphora asked, letting a subtle note of menace enter her voice. The Fey jumped, looking up guilty.¡°Uh, nothing.Just tending to her wounds.¡± Selene¡¯s grace, she¡¯s young.Aphora resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the Fey¡¯s clumsy lie, and, grabbing hold of her wrists, gently pulled the offending hands away from the child.¡°Healing her mind, you mean?Of any and all desires to harm us?¡± The Fey¡¯s pale green skin darkened, and she looked away hastily. "Is that such a bad thing?" ¡°You cannot alter her mind,¡± Aphora chided her. ¡°She¡¯s an enemy,¡± Tesha protested, but her voice lacked conviction. ¡°She¡¯s a child - and a child a goddess herself asked us to protect.Do you think Kas?dael would appreciate you casting chains on her mind?¡± ¡°We do not worship the Lady of Last Light,¡± she muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worship her to be punished by her.Besides, this child is barely half-troll.You could find thousands of Corsyths in Stryn with as much Gemlirian blood as she has.¡± The Fey snorted derisively.¡°Ah yes, the good people of Stryn, famed for siding with the Gemlirians in the Desolyton, renowned as a stronghold of cultists - this is your argument?¡± Aphora¡¯s irritation boiled over.A few strands from her dress untangled themselves, sliding up the arms and shoulders of the Fey until they tickled the soft, vulnerable flesh beneath her chin. ¡°I don¡¯t need an argument,¡± she stated flatly. The last bit of resistance in the Fey crumbled, her shoulders wilting as she shrank back.¡°Fine,¡± she said sullenly. ¡°And make sure that the rest of your group keeps their hands to themselves,¡± Aphora warned.¡°I¡¯ll be personally examining the child¡¯s mind for the foreseeable future, just to make sure no¡­¡¯accidents¡¯ happen.¡± Sulking, the Fey slipped her hands free of Aphora¡¯s grasp, turning toward the door.A silver strand shot in front of her, barring her exit.¡°Actually,¡± Aphora continued calmly, ¡°we have other matters to discuss as well.I¡¯d love to learn more about your people¡¯s traditions and mythology.Like, for example, the knockers?¡± Tesha whipped her around in a flash, her long, black hair swinging violently, as she stared at the elf in shock mingled with anger.¡°Where did you hear that name?Which one of my worthless kin dared speak of them?¡±She demanded. Aphora¡¯s snarky remark died unspoken on her lips as she saw the real terror lurking behind the anger.She¡¯s barely more than a child herself, she suddenly realized.¡°Come,¡± she said, offering the Fey her hand, ¡°why don¡¯t we talk about it over a cup of maqta?¡± A few minutes later, four - Aphora had sent for Torin and Mullu-Lim to join them - sat clustered around the fire in the child¡¯s sickroom.Aphora forced herself to brush the cup against her lips from time to time, but the sickeningly sweet beverage had never been a favorite of hers.The others, however, imbibed with relish and Aphora did not raise the subject of the knockers again until the rigid posture of the Fey leader relaxed, indicating that the brew¡¯s calming herbs had taken effect. Only when the last dregs of the maqta were gone, and a row of four cups lined the mantle, did Tesha meet Aphora¡¯s gaze.¡°How much do you know?And how?¡± she asked, subdued. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Aphora didn¡¯t glance at Mullu-Lim, barely allowing herself to even think of his name, but the Fey somehow picked up on it, turning an accusing glare on the massive stag.¡°You?¡± He shrugged. ¡°We know very little,¡± Aphora intervened.¡°Which is why you need to tell us.¡± Tesha suddenly became very fixated on the wrinkles in her dress.¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± Aphora pushed down the anger that surged up in her, balling it up a nice, tight bundle and throwing it into a dark corner.¡°My people joined yours in search of safety, with the dream of building a home safe from the coming storm.We came in good faith, only to discover that you had failed to mention you were fleeing from danger yourself?A danger that could harm my people?It is most definitely my concern.¡± The two stared at each other, a silent battle of wills raging between them. had the upper hand, but Aphora¡¯s experience was more than a match for Tesha''s innate talents and, like a river breaching its dam, her will washed away all opposition. ¡°We¡¯re¡­we''re the knockers,¡± Tesha finally admitted. ¡°Come again?¡±Aphora didn¡¯t even bother trying to hide her confusion.¡°I had not met many of your kind before you, but I have dealt with them occasionally, and you are clearly a Child of St. Martin.¡± Mullu-Lim piped up.¡°Your own papers claim the knockers were a race created by the Sidhe, so how can you claim to be one of them?¡± Tesha held up her hands in exasperation.¡°You misunderstand me. I am not a knocker, but I could be.Any of us could be, and all of them were once one of our own.¡±She paused a moment, collecting her thoughts.¡°A few hundred years ago, around the time of the first Fey wars was when the knockers first appeared.¡± ¡°It seemed innocent enough at first. A Child might hear a random knock, a sound so soft that they brush it off as hearing guests outsides pounding at a neighbor¡¯s door.But slowly, the frequency of the knocks would increase, coming faster and faster, loud and louder, until they could not be ignored - until a door appeared.¡± Torin leaned forward in his chair with a frown.¡°A door?Like a portal?Some sort of teleportation magic?¡± Tesha shook her head.¡°No, purely in the mind as far as we can tell.Even those suffering from it know the door is not truly there.But it cannot be merely a figment of imagination, either, for all see the same thing - a black door covered in yellow runes.Once the door appears, the knocking never truly ceases. Some fight it longer than others but, in the end, the result is always the same.¡± She lapsed into silence, staring into the fire as she wrung her hands together.¡°My mother saw the door.She said it was the most beautiful thing she¡¯d ever seen, the glory of the endless expanse of the heavens knit together with the light of the stars.Power,¡± she whispered the words almost reverently. ¡°What happens,¡± Aphora gently prodded her. ¡°Once they open the door, the changes begin.They all see the same place.A great endless void, where up and down, north and south have no meaning, a place where the very laws of the universe are shattered and reformed with every waking breath. And there, in the midst of it, rules a single great orb, an eye of purple and gold surrounded by a sea of writhing tentacles.¡± ¡°The knockers develop new powers.Every one of them, whether they were previously blessed with magic before or not, becomes a mage, bestowed with strange new spells unlike any we¡¯d ever seen.hey aren¡¯t insane,¡± she explained, ¡°Not exactly.But they become violent, cruel, cold.The person you knew dies and all that is left is a stranger wearing their face.¡± ¡°Nothing fixes them.No spells can heal, no blessings from our gods can cure, no charms or potions can suppress.Once the knocking begins, you are lost.¡± ¡°Our people made the mistake of being merciful in the beginning.We let them live; we tried to help them adjust, to help them curb the violence their hearts craved.But their numbers only multiplied; whatever it was, disease or curse, it spread rapidly and the knockers had no desire for our aid.We¡¯ve been lost in war ever since.¡± A visible shudder shook the pale woman¡¯s body, and Aphora grabbed her hands, pushing a thread of essence into them.¡°I see why you don''t want to talk about it.¡±Tesha nodded mutely.¡°Are you safe from them here, then?¡± The Fey frowned.¡°Not entirely.Once a Child opens the door in their mind, the contagion seems to be spread, but the knocking can still appear even to one who has had no exposure at all.It¡¯s rarer, though, much rarer.¡± Aphora¡¯s brows knit in confusion.¡°Why come here then?¡± ¡°Our elders - my mother,¡± she said with a pained smile, ¡°were afraid that the war could not be won, an endless battle of attrition that would eventually see our defeat.The very act of fighting the knockers, after all, encourages the spread of the sickness.That is why they decided to come here.This colony was one of many abandoned because the settlers were never able to find a connection back to our kingdoms.¡±She shrugged.¡°There probably is one, somewhere across the lilac sea, but few wanted to be cut off from the other cities.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s perfect for us.There are no knockers here to spread the contagion.And if any hear the knocking in their mind,¡± she continued grimly, ¡°the rot will be immediately cut out.¡± She glanced up at Aphora, finally meeting the elf¡¯s eyes.¡°We¡¯re not a danger to you, I promise.A danger to ourselves, yes, but no visitor of ours has ever succumbed to the madness, only us, and we will not make the same mistake of mercy as our ancestors.¡± Aphora glanced over at the now-sleeping child on the bed.¡°Hence why you¡¯re so afraid to let the child live among us.¡± Tesha¡¯s face soured.¡°Mercy has not done well by us.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Aphora acknowledged.¡°But do not place your own fears of madness on an innocent.I will keep my knowledge of the knockers amongst my commanders for the time and you will keep your people away from the child.¡± The Fey sighed.¡°Very well.¡±She grabbed her empty cup from the mantle, holding it out to Torin hopefully.¡°Any chance of a refill?¡± The tension in the room relaxed as Torin, with a laugh, led the Fey out toward the kitchen. Aphora and Mullu-Lim were left alone.In the flickering light of the fire, his massive antlers cast a perpetually moving bramble against the old stone walls, and the chair groaned beneath his weight as he leaned back.¡°Do you believe her, my lady?¡± Aphora bobbled her head.¡°Mostly.There were still things she held back, but I think most of what she said was true.Have your men keep an eye on them though.Tesha¡¯s plan seems a bit¡­naive.Perhaps some will turn themselves in if the knocking starts, but for many the drive to survive will be too powerful to resist.¡± He nodded.¡°Very well, my lady.And what do you want to do the child?¡± Her gaze shifted to the sleeping form on the bed.Long waves of knotted lilac hair spilled across the ashen cheeks, but the worst of her hands had been healed - at least those of the body.The mind was not so easily fixed. Aphora was surprised, though, by the dull ache that spread across her chest as she gazed at the child, as the memories of her own - those lost and those dead - weighed heavily upon her.Perhaps Tsia, at least, will find her way here, she consoled herself. ¡°My lady?¡±Mullu-Lim persisted. She surprised herself with her decision.¡°She can stay with me.¡±She turned to him with a genuine smile as the excitement of a new challenge appeared.¡°Let¡¯s just see what sort of magic this little water witch can do.¡± The Shrine to Nu?r Reluctantly, Jasper left the two behind as he headed down the narrow path that wound its way to the shrine in the lake. By the time he reached the first bridge, he had already gathered that it was no simple garden.The air was suffused with a lingering sensation, with the heavy sense that something watched his every move. The feeling only grew as he took the first step onto the bridge.he birds fell silent, their heads craning to follow him as he trekked up the spine of the bridge. His footsteps dragged as he neared the top. There was no there - at least no one that could be seen - but a deep, primal corner of his mind screamed at him that something stood in his path. Plucking up his courage, he pushed through the top. The air there was as cold as the frozen mountaintops, and a feeling of electricity ran up and down his armors, but the unseen being let him pass unhindered. He didn''t look back as he scrambled down the far side of the bridge. As soon as his foot hit the ground again, the hundreds of eyes that prickled at his back disappeared and the birds begin to sing again.But each time he crossed one of the bridges, they fell silent, and each time he had to pass through the cold. He let out a sigh of relief when he left the last of the eleven bridges behind, and ventured out onto the sands that stretched along the shores of Yarhab.The comfortable cool of the shady trees disappeared, replaced by the nearly blinding rays of the sun, but the steady, salty wind off the lake drove away the worst of the heat. The shrine was built further into the lake than Jasper had realized, although he could tell from the pale blue water surrounding it, which stood out in stark contrast to the dark blue of the depths beyond, that the shallows extended a fair way out. One more bridge remained, butnlike the rest.an almost haphazard collection of rope and planks that swayed precariously in the wind.Each plank was separated by a gulf of empty space, near ten or more feet in length, and he was forced to leap his way across. The difficulty wasn''t in making the leap - his newfound strength was more than enough to launch him across the space; the trick was in successfully landing on the small plank of wood swaying in the wind without overshooting it and landing in the lake. As it was, he ended up taking more than one impromptu bath before he finally pulled himself up into the shrine, victorious. His victory was short-lived though. An overwhelming pressure washed over him, forcing him to his knees on the hard stone.The pressure probed his mind, pain lancing through his skull. Blood trickled out his eyes and ears, but he was utterly unable to move or resist.s suddenly as it had come, the presence withdrew and he was left alone again. Picking himself up shakily, he wiped away the blood, glancing around the small shrine futilely for any sign of his attacker.. The ancient shrine was a simple affair, a single, small room bereft of any furniture save for its altars.Built from a luminous white stone, whose blocks were so weathered that the images that covered them were almost lost to the pages of time, the shrine was only enclosed on three sides.The fourth lay open, looking out over the expanse of the great lake.The floor only rose a few feet above the lapping waves, whose consistent thumps against its foundation echoed noisily in the empty shrine. Now that the pressure was gone, a deep sense of peace pervaded him.Taking a deep breath, Jasper sat down and, closing his eyes reached for the void.I am the river¡­.The images sprung to life around him almost immediately, far more vivid, far more real than ever before, and then he was in the void. The temple of S?uhruru was awash with light as he opened his eyes.He found himself not in Kas?dael''s throne room, but rather in the giant rotunda he had seen once before.The ceilings¡¯ distant arches were still cloaked in the familiar gloom of her home, but the lower level was a riot of light as the glow from a thousand candles danced and swayed across the lower walls of the chamber. No longer obscured in darkness, Jasper was surprised to see the floor was covered with tender sprouts of grass, whose spiraled curls thrust through the dark paving stones with stubborn defiance - the first signs of life he had seen in her domain.He bent down, running a tentative finger down their blades.Things are changing here, he realized. But he wasn''t here to look at grass. With a sigh, Jasper stood up and surveyed the giant chamber.There was no sign of Kas?dael, but a path of lights led deeper into the temple.He followed them through the silent halls, the lights leading him further and further away from the throne room. The candles did not lead him astray, though. Eventually, the hall opened out onto a terraced pavilion.Jasper braced himself as he prepared to step outside of the temple, remembering all too keenly the bitter, unyielding cold of the void outside.And indeed, the moment his foot crossed the threshold, the very blood in his veins would have frozen over, if not for the fires that burned deep within him.But the air was not quite as cold as he remembered.Another change? The pavilion ran up to the edge of the chasm that sat between the temple and the city below.A low stone balustrade ran along the rim and there, perched on top of the ledge sat Kas?dael.He approached the edge cautiously, a deep feeling of nausea rising up from the pit of his stomach when he glanced over the edge into the unfathomable depths below.A fair distance away he could see the faint outline of the bridge dangling above the heights and beyond it, but it was what he saw beyond it that truly arrested his attention. Most of the abandoned city still sat in darkness, but scattered throughout were a handful of lights, the lights dimmed as if they were peaking through gathered curtains.He paused a few feet away from her, watching the scene in silence, while he waited for Kas?dael to acknowledge him. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. He did not know how long he waited, but eventually, she turned to face him.¡°So you finally reached a hundred.¡±Her tone was inscrutable, her face mostly hidden beneath the veil, but he flashed her a cheeky grin nonetheless. ¡°I certainly hope so.I would be pretty disappointed to come all this way only to discover I stalled out on level 99.¡± His words earned him a faint smile.Shaking her head, Kas?dael patted the stone ledge beside her.¡°Well, there''s no need to worry; you did indeed reach a hundred.Come, sit.¡± Rather unwillingly, he followed her command, moving forward the last few feet to reach the balustrade that she sat on top of, and, doing his very best not to look down, hopped up beside her. Immediately, a fierce gust of wind roared up from the void, wrapping its tendrils around his chest.His arms windmilled as Jasper tried fought to regain his balance, but the wind pulled him from the ledge. But Kas?dael reacted just as quickly; her hand snatched the edge of his cloak before he was dragged into the depths and yanked him back to safety, plopping him on the balustrade beside her. She glared out into the darkness, muttering a few words beneath her breath, and something responded, as a hideous shriek rent the air. But the wind ceased. Kas?dael turned back to him with a rueful smile.¡°Sometimes the lemuttaka?la get a little hungry when mortals come to visit,¡± she said. "Oh, well that explains everything," he quipped back with false confidence, but the shaking in his voice gave him away. "Damn lemutta-somethings." Kas?dael rolled her eyes.¡°They''re a spirit of the void, eager to consume the flesh of the living.You encountered one of them when you crossed the bridge, remember?¡± He didn''t need to be reminded of the specters that had haunted him at the bridge. "Yeah, I remember," he responded flatly. ¡°Can we uh, can we sit somewhere else, somewhere without dizzying heights and hungry ghosts?¡±He asked, hopefully. The goddess just laughed.¡°No need to fear, Jasper.There are few indeed with the might steal what''s mine from my grasp.Now,¡± she said, grabbing his hand, ¡°Shall we see what paths lie before you?¡± Accepting her hand, he waited on pins and needles for the screen to appear.More than one notification awaited his attention, but he ignored all but one, immediately focusing on the one whose special borders told him what lay inside. He hesitated just a second before clicking on it, half afraid of what he was going to see.What if he got stuck with a bunch of bad options?Or worse, what if the system¡¯s level-up options deviated from what he remembered of the game? But there was no point in waiting any longer.He selected it.
The First Step Rewards: class evolution, skill exchange (optional), racial trait exchange (optional)
You have reached the first of ten possible class evolutions.Potential evolutions are offered to you on the basis of your initial class, your deeds, and your deity(ies).The system guarantees you a minimum of one (1) option, even if your actions have invalidated your original class, but more will likely be available. Please pay careful attention to the stats provided by each class.You will be refunded any lost stat points if you choose a class that lacks a previously unlocked stat, but associated skills may be lost if equivalent skills cannot be found as substitutes.
Jasper¡¯s concerns eased a bit as he read through the notification.It was largely what he had expected, with one minor difference.The game, wishing to provide players with as flexible of an experience as possible and not wanting them to get bored, had given players the ability to completely reassign their stats, in case they wanted to take their character in a different direction. That didn¡¯t seem to be the case here, though.It looked like he would only have the option to reassign his stats if he chose a class that, for instance, lacked Inspiration - not that he could see that happening.There was no way he was giving up his primary magic stat. Satisfied he had understood the rules, Jasper scrolled down to the first of his options. Guardian of the Secret Flame - Wielding fire and steel, the Guardian of the Secret Flame is well-equipped to scour his enemies from the face of the earth.Similar to the Firebirds of the southern clans, the class is a heavy-cavalry, mage-warrior hybrid.This class provides exceptional mobility and defense, but essence usage will be more oriented toward physical transformations than spells.The class receives a 20% buff to strength and endurance when fighting alongside other Guardians and a 30% bonus to the damage of lances, glaives, and maces. Note: All current spells and bonuses may be retained, and three new spells or skills will be selected. Unlocked Stats - Strength, Endurance, Vision, Inspiration, Willpower, Charisma Jasper frowned as he read the second sentence.¡°Essence-usage will be more oriented towards physical transformations than spells¡±? Is it some sort of shapeshifting class? He glanced up at Kas?dael.¡°Anything further you can tell me about this class?¡± he asked hopefully.¡°I don¡¯t even know what a ¡®Firebird¡¯ is, so the description doesn¡¯t help me that much.¡± Kas?dael clucked her tongue in mock disapproval, but her eyes sparkled with a touch of amusement.¡°How can you not know of the pride and joy of the southern clans?The clans would be outraged if they knew any royal was so ignorant of their power.¡± Jasper rolled his eyes.¡°Well, maybe if the Djinn were playable in the game I would know something about them, but they weren¡¯t.So are you going to tell me anything helpful or not?¡± She laughed.¡°Very well.Firebirds ride tsuss?m rather than horses, and they are famed for their ability to set both themselves and their mounts on fire.Although they are capable of learning spells, their skills are usually more oriented towards using essence and stamina to enhance their capabilities - temporarily boosting their strength, toughening their skin, healing wounds.¡±So, not a shapeshifting class he thought as she paused.¡°The Guardian sounds like an excellent class, but I suspect it¡¯s intended to be used used as part of a military unit, so if you continue traveling in a small party, it is probably not the right choice for you.¡± Jasper nodded gratefully.¡°Thanks.On to the next one, then.¡± Decisions, Decisions... Jasper turned to the next entry on the list. Messenger of the Sacred Flame - Armed with a slew of spells and a trusty blade, the Messenger of the Sacred Flame always has some tool to deal with his foes, whether by fight or flight. An extremely versatile class, the Messenger is a variant of the Explorer class. The class provides a 10% bonus to inspiration, willpower, and endurance when fighting with four or fewer allies, a 30% bonus to the damage of daggers and swords, and quadruples the experience earned whenever you kill a new type of foe. Note: All current spells and bonuses may be retained, and three new spells or skills will be selected. Unlocked Stats - Strength, Endurance, Vision, Inspiration, Willpower, Charisma While the description wasn¡¯t great, Jasper had toyed around with an Explorer character in the game before eventually re-rolling so he had a pretty good idea of what this class would look like. Basically a spellsword with a lot of bonuses orientated toward stealth and healing, the messenger would be a pretty safe pick, but it didn¡¯t really call his name. Moving on. Priest of the Sacred Flame - A holy warrior of the light, the Priest of the Sacred Flame eschews physical violence, embracing instead the all-consuming power of the hidden fire. For every two points you invest in Inspiration or Willpower a free point will be added. Note: Although this class is incapable of using Stamina-based spells or abilities, the Stamina pool can be used to cast Essence-based spells. Two (2) currently known spells are incompatible with this class. If this class is selected, replacements for these spells will be provided. Unlocked Stats - Strength, Endurance, Vision, Inspiration, Willpower, Devotion Priest? Jasper had never really given much thought to the name of his class. He supposed an acolyte was a term for an initiate priest, but his class had never felt remotely religious. He wasn¡¯t even exactly sure what the ¡°Sacred Flame¡± was, but he had certainly never been asked to worship it. He wanted to reject it out of hand, the religious aspect thoroughly unappealing, but Jasper had to admit that the bonus seemed especially strong. A free point in inspiration and willpower for every two invested was pretty hard for a mage to pass up. ¡°Kas?dael?¡± He didn¡¯t even need to voice his question. She just shook her head. ¡°I would prefer you not to select that class.¡± Doubt bubbled in the pit of his stomach. ¡°The Sacred Flame¡­it isn¡¯t something bad, is it? There¡¯s just something about the ¡®all-consuming power¡¯ that sounds a bit - I don¡¯t know - crazy?¡± She didn¡¯t bother to hide her surprise. ¡°Of course not. Do you think I would have arranged for you to receive a starting class from a dark god? The Sacred Flame is simply another name for the original god of the Djinn, one now all but forgotten.¡± ¡°The original god - do you mean Nu?r?¡± He frowned as she nodded. ¡°But Shamsha''s a good guy, isn''t he? Why don''t you want me to take this class?¡± Kas?dael''s eyes darkened slightly. ¡°Is that really a mystery? You are mine. I might share you with my sister, but certainly not with her husband.¡± Suddenly feeling very awkward, Jasper dropped his eyes back to the list. O-kay. Priest of Selene. He didn¡¯t even bother to read the rest of the description, glancing up at Kas?dael with a wry grin. ¡°Let me guess, not this one.¡± ¡°Not this one,¡± she agreed amiably. He skipped to the next, wrinkling his brow as he read the name. Heir of Zaginnu. The name didn''t ring a bell. Some sort of ancestor? Curious, he read on. Though the Djinn are counted amongst the oldest races of the land, the Children of Shamsha were not always of this world, once walking beneath the light of another sun. Preserved in the sacred gis?a?tu trees, the spirit of that world lives on in the hearts of the chosen. A mage-oriented class, the heir of Zaginnu relies on powerful fire and plant-based spells. The class provides a 25% bonus to strength, endurance, inspiration, willpower, and light when in combat during daylight. Note: While Essence and Stamina Spells can still be cast by this class, the primary mana pool for the Heir of Zaginnu is Nuska (governed by willpower and light). If selected, you will have the opportunity to reinvest points from willpower or inspiration into your new stat. Unlocked Stats - Strength, Endurance, Inspiration, Willpower, Charisma, Light ¡°Damn,¡± he whistled.¡°That¡¯s quite the list of bonuses.There¡¯s no negatives for fighting at night, right - just a buff during the day?¡± Kas?dael shrugged. ¡°This class is a favorite among the Djinn''s royal house, and they are hardly weak. If they had a vulnerablity at night, I imagine that weakness would have been known and exploited long ago.¡± ¡°Alright, so that¡¯s a definite possibility, then.¡± He turned to the next entry on the list. The Bloodied Blade of M3tas?@m?m. A shiver ran down his spine. This again? It seemed that the shadow they had encountered beneath Du?r-Yarha was determined to not let him go. He didn¡¯t bother to read the entry, not even wanting to know what the dark power offered. The next entry was only a little more palatable. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The Winnowing Fire - The dark grows ever stronger; daily its tendrils snare the heart of young and old, rich and poor alike, luring them onto forbidden paths. Embrace the winnowing fire and burn the darkness from their hearts. The Winnowing Fire is a combat-oriented Inquisitor class. Class provides a 20% bonus to fire damage, and 40% bonus damage when fighting worshippers of a dark god. It also unlocks a new mechanic, Dread which scales off charisma. Note: All current spells and bonuses may be retained, and three new spells or skills will be selected. Unlocked Stats - Strength, Endurance, Vision, Inspiration, Willpower, Charisma. He frowned as he read through the description. He had only reluctantly accepted an inquisitor class in the first place, and the existence of a mechanic called ¡°dread¡± did little to change his opinion of their nature. But he had fought more than his share of cultists already and, given his connection to Kas?dael, he couldn¡¯t entirely dismiss the useful choice. Please let there be a better option. He was surprised when he saw the next entry was once again named for the Sacred Flame. Pilgrim of the Sacred Flame - While the Djinns¡¯ days of wandering have long been left behind, their nomadic past has never been forgotten. The Pilgrim is equally at home on horse or on foot and specializes in spells, glaives, and swords. The class receives a 10% bonus to endurance, inspiration, and willpower when fighting alone or in groups of less than ten and is guaranteed to receive a healing spell. Note: All current spells and bonuses may be retained, and three new spells or skills will be selected. Unlocked Stats - Strength, Endurance, Vision, Inspiration, Willpower, Charisma. While the bonuses weren¡¯t amazing, the flexibility was appealing. Jasper loved the idea of a cavalry class in theory, but the reality was that a significant part of his combat thus far had been in buried cities and caverns deep beneath the ground, and he wasn¡¯t really sure how that would work with a mount. The last thing he needed was to be regularly debuffed for fighting on the wrong terrain. But he wasn¡¯t at the end of the list yet. Royal Dragoon - While the Firebirds represent the elite of the southern tribes¡¯ armies, the dragoons are no less respected. Capable of fighting on horse or on foot, the dragoon remains primarily magic focused. Often utilized as scouts, dragoons receive a 25% fire damage bonus when fighting alone or in small groups, and receive the signature skill, Dragonbreath. Note: In addition to stamina and essence spells, the Royal Dragoon, if one satisfies certain conditions, is also able to unlock gilding. All current spells and bonuses may be retained, and three new spells or skills will be selected. Unlocked Stats - Strength, Endurance, Vision, Inspiration, Willpower, Charisma. As he read over the description, Jasper realized that it covered almost everything he had wanted. Even the signature skill, Dragonbreath, sounded like the trick he had used a few times and, perhaps, if it was a proper skill, it wouldn¡¯t barbecue his mouth every damn time. The possibility of unlocking gilding was nice, too. The magic, which scaled off of charisma plus strength, was mostly used for buffs or illusions, so it wasn¡¯t crucial that he unlock it, but a little flexibility never hurt anyone. That meant there really only two choices he was interested in: Royal Dragoon or Heir of Zaginnu. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he decided to throw Pilgrim in there too. The choice was too hard, and he stood frozen in indecision for quite some time. The bonuses offered by the Heir were almost too good to pass up, but Jasper wasn¡¯t particularly interested in plant magic. Meanwhile, the bonuses offered by Royal Dragoon were, by contrast, almost underwhelming, but they played into his natural strength - fire - and the idea of a mounted class was intriguing. And then there was Pilgrim, which seemed a very solid jack-of-all-trades option. In a game, those sorts of classes were rarely optimal, but in the real world, having a useful tool for every situation and a guaranteed healing spell might just be the difference between living and dying. It was an impossible choice. He had no idea how long he had been standing there when Kas?dael finally reached the end of her patience. ¡°Do you intend to make a decision at some point before I end the universe?¡± He rolled his shoulders exaggeratedly, meeting her gaze with a rueful grin. ¡°Nope. I want to pick Dragoon, but the Heir of Zaginnu just seems better. If this was just a game, I¡¯d pick what I wanted and not worry about it, but this is my life now. Picking a potentially weaker choice just seems¡­well, stupid,¡± he admitted. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve overlooked a better option,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°No?¡± His brow wrinkled as he looked back at the box. ¡°I¡¯ve read through all the-'' His sentence fell unfinished as he noticed another entry below Royal Dragoon. That wasn''t there. Was it? He glanced up at Kas?dael in confusion. ¡°Did you add this,¡± he demanded. She smiled innocently, ¡°Maybe you need to get your eyes checked.Go on now, why don¡¯t you read it?¡± Suffocating a sigh, he did as she said. Watchman of Alda?ru - Universes come and go, but Alda?ru remains as a reliquary for the souls of all life. Few amongst the living can claim to have walked the sacred streets of Alda?ru, and fewer still have crossed the bridge of the Dingirugg? to gazed upon the beauty of S?uhruru, but you are counted among them. Take your place, Djinn, amongst the chosen few. As a guardian of the dead, the watchman is skilled in both spirit and fire and famed for riding the feared tsuse?kur. The class provides a 30% bonus to strength and endurance when mounted and a 30% bonus to inspiration, willpower, and intuition when in the dark. Warning: Not all spells and stats currently known are compatible with this class. Substitutes will be provided. Unlocked Stats: Strength, Endurance, Vision, Inspiration, Willpower, Intuition. As soon as he had finished reading, he glanced up at Kas?dael. ¡°Well?¡± she asked, with an expectant smile. ¡°It sounds pretty cool,¡± he admitted.¡°But I¡¯m not exactly clear what it does.It¡¯s not some sort of a necromancer class, is it?¡±His nose wrinkled in disgust at the mere thought of being forced to mess around with zombies and corpses. She laughed, a few of her ebony curls shaking free from her veil as she shook her head. ¡°No, there will be no zombies involved, nor any other sort of dead that you can raise back to life or unlife. The watched is not a necromancer class, at least not in the normal meaning of the word, but it does have a number of skills that involve summoning ghosts.¡± He chewed on the side of his lip absent-mindedly. ¡°Just ghosts?¡± She nodded. ¡°You already have a skill that is shared with the class, Scourge of Despair, and there will be others like it.¡± The thought reassured him. The spell was one of his new favorites and not remotely creepy - unless, of course, you considered summoning three hungry specters to feast on your enemies "creepy." ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad then," he agreed. "I''m guessing this is the class you want me to choose?¡± Kas?dael nodded. ¡°You are free to choose any of the classes - other than the Bloodied Blade of M3tas?@m?m. Even the priest ones, much as it would upset me, are yours to choose, but this is the class I¡¯d recommend. Not only is it the strongest, but it works well with the subclass I¡¯ve already given you.¡± Jasper paused with his hand over the button as he ran through the options one last time. But in the end, the choice was fairly simple. He¡¯d trusted Kas?dael thus far, so why ignore her advice now? Before he could second-guess his choice, he selected the Watchman of Alda?ru. On Spectral Wings The box promptly disappeared, replaced by emptiness.He waited impatiently for a new notification to pop up, but as the seconds dragged into minutes, he begin to feel just a touch nervous that something had malfunctioned. So when a new box finally popped up, he clicked it as fast as his fingers could move. Congratulations, Watchman.Your previous class has now been adjusted for compatibility.
Jasper Welles Exp: 78/10,000 Health 4000 Spirit 4000 Essence 8600 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 102 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 6 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 50 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 50 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 105 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II
Willpower 110 Locked Seraph Burst
Intuition 38 (+12) Heart Stopper (Undead)
Into the Valley of Death
The changes were more numerous than he expected.Stamina had been replaced by Spirit, and his essence and health had both risen substantially, despite the fact he had yet to allocate any of the points from his new levels.His weapon skills had disappeared altogether, and several of his class abilities were highlighted in a deep red, with several notification boxes blinking for his attention. Taking a deep breath, he began to wade through the changes.The first thing he noticed was that the requirements for most of the spells he already possessed had been altered.With stamina gone, he had expected the few stamina spells he had to be replaced, but instead they appeared to have been moved into spirit along with, to his surprise, some of his other spells.
Essence (8600) Spirit (4000)
Shooting Star - 500 Scales of Justice - 100 per minute Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Fiery Shackles II - 500 Scourge of Despair - 500
Purge 500 Heart Stopper (Undead) - 500
Seraph Burst - 500 Into the Valley of Death - 500
Hand of Judgment - 4000 Bramble Crown - 500
So, I can cast around 16 essence spells and 8 or so spirit spells before running dry, he quickly calculated.Not too bad.The absence of his weapon skills was baffling though, until he opened the next box. Please select your new class spells.Three spells are free, and further choices can be selected (or upgraded) from the list with any refunded points. As your new class is no longer designated as a hybrid mage, you are no longer eligible to learn weapon skills.You have been refunded fifteen (15) points to spend as you please.Do you wish to sacrifice any of your current spells?Y/N Oh right, the sacrifice system.In a moment, it all came rushing back to him.The original game had featured an almost dizzying array of available classes, so it was no surprise that many people wanted to experience more than one or two of them.At the same time, most players had a hard time abandoning their high-leveled character and all the mounts and gear they¡¯d acquired. The company¡¯s solution, introduced in the very first patch they rushed out, had been the sacrifice system.Every hundred levels, players were given the chance to do a soft reroll of their character.It wasn¡¯t complete freedom - you still had to choose from the classes offered to you - but it vastly expanded your choices.If you started as a nature-based ranger and were offered a class at 100 that was a stealth archer, you¡¯d get refunded points for any skills no longer usable in your new class, points that could be used on skills from your new one. Ignoring the button that begged him to select spells to abandon, Jasper scrolled down the list of abilities offered to him.Might as well see my options before making any decisions.The list was longer than he expected, but many of the abilities he rejected outright.Kas?dael may have said the Watchman wasn¡¯t a necromancer class, but the number of spells that dealt with corpses in one way or another was too damned high.But despite his pickiness, he wasn¡¯t hurting for choices, only narrowing it down after a considerable amount of deliberation. He locked in his three free choices first. Flame Charge (mounted) - Set yourself and mount on fire for 1 minute as you charge into the fray.Any target your weapon touches will be set on fire for 30 seconds unless extinguished.Cost: 500 essence. Spectral Succor - For ten minutes, harness the spirits of the dead to revive your strength.While active, each enemy killed will restore 200 points to health, essence, and spirit.Cost: 1000 spirit. Speaker of Alda?ru - For two minutes, interrogate the ghost of any recently deceased corpse.Cannot be cast twice on the same target.Cost: 400 spirit. The Speaker of Alda?ru was, in Jasper¡¯s opinion, hardly an exciting choice.But after some rather persisting hinting from Kas?dael about the many, many uses an inquisitor would have for such an interrogation spell, he had reluctantly selected it.It¡¯s not like utility spells aren¡¯t, well, useful, but they sure as hell aren¡¯t sexy, he griped to himself. The first two, on the other hand, were considerably more exciting.It was impossible to deny the cool factor of being able to charge into your enemy like a human torch, and the value of a spell that could restore both health and essence need not even be defended.he still had fifteen points to spend on something else. For his starter spells, he had only been able to pick from spells that cost 5-10 points, but the whole list was available for him to choose from now. He didn''t need to search long, though; his mind was made up as soon as he saw the option. Spectral Wings (20 points) - For ten minutes, summon a pair of ghostly wings.Though the wings do not inflict any physical damage naturally, if infused with fire essence, enemies touched by them will be burned.This spell can also be cast on party members or mounts, though no more than two casts of the spell may be active at any given time.Cost: 1000 spirit or essence. The ability to fly - or make his horse fly - was too tempting to pass up, but he didn¡¯t have 20 points.Frustrated, he scrolled back up to his list of spells.The prompt was still there asking him if he wanted to sacrifice one of his spells.Do I?He clicked yes, and experimented with the list, finally settling on one he was willing to surrender.Heartstopper gave 5 points, just enough to enable him to purchase the Spectral Wings.Not giving himself time to talk himself out of it, he made the transactions in quick succession and threw all his points into his new stat, intuition, before closing the box. ¡°Happy with your choices?¡±Kas?dael smiled down at him, knowing the answer to her question already. He grinned.¡°I think so.¡±He hesitated a moment before continuing, ¡°And, uh, thanks.For, you know, the class.¡± The goddess patted his hand fondly.¡°You have yourself to thank, then.If you had not successfully crossed the bridge on your own, you could not have been offered the class. I had nothing to do with that.¡± He nodded, not entirely sure he believed her, but there was no need to look a gift horse in the mouth.¡°And Dapplegrim?She should evolve now, right? ¡°Once you return to your world, feed her the pomegranate and it will trigger her transformation.¡± He cocked his head to the side as he looked up at her, curiosity glinting in his eyes. ¡°Any chance you know what she¡¯ll become?¡± Kasdael''s lips quirked up in a faint smile.¡°You want me to spoil the surprise?¡± He nodded eagerly. "Absolutely." "I''m afraid I''ll have to disappoint you, then," she said with a laugh. "It is not my gift to spoil, after all." And with that, not giving him time to pester her with any further questions, Kas?dael''s hand plunged deep into his chest. As usual, Jasper awoke with a gasp, bending over as he clutched a hand to the phantom pain in his chest.But this time, the pain was smoothed away almost instantly, as the strange calm of the small shrine washed over him.He tarried in the shrine for a few seconds, lulled into inaction by the gentle lapping of the waves against the rocky stilts of the foundation.A warm salty breeze blew off the waters, tousling his hair with a gentle hand, as he let his eyes wander the small chamber. He could have sat there forever, listening to the subtle lullaby of the wind and the waves, but not everyone was so patient.He barely noticed when a light weight landed on his shoulder, paying no heed to it until a sharp peck nipped at his cheek.¡°What the hell?¡±Startled out of his reverie, he whipped his head around to see a small, very impatient bird hopping back and forth between its two legs. As soon as it saw it had caught his attention, the grey bird bolted from his shoulder, fluttering to a stop at the threshold of the shrine. He chuckled.¡°Wait your turn, little bird.I¡¯ll give Dapplegrim the pomegranate as soon as I get back.¡±He closed his eyes, letting the feeling of peace wash over him again.But his promise had fallen on deaf ears, as a series of sharp pecks assaulted his cheeks. With a good-natured groan, he stood up.¡°All right, all right, you¡¯ve won, little bird.I¡¯ll come now.¡±He didn¡¯t know if the rima?kal could understand him, but the pecks, at least, ceased as the grey bird flew ahead of him out of the shrine. As Jasper stepped across the threshold, his feet paused at the base of the strange bridge.A gap of ten feet yawned between him and the next plank, and he tensed his muscles, prepared to launch himself across the gap, but paused as another idea struck him. Why not?A grin slipped across his face as he summoned his new spell - Spectral Wings. An unexpected spasm rippled down his back as the essence left his fingers, not pain so much as a strange sensation, but it was enough to pitch him forward face first toward the warm waters below.But his lips never tasted the salt, his fall stopped nearly as soon as it had begun. The wings responded instinctively to his bidding, slowly lifting him back above the bridge.He craned his head to get a better look, realizing with surprise that the wings were passing through the ropes and planks of the bridge utterly unhindered.Well, I guess they are ¡°spectral.¡± The wings looked much like those he had manifested twice before - at the cost of burning his soul.Large, glossy black feathers covered them from end to end, the feathers moving and shifting with the sea winds as if they were actually affected by them.But it was obvious that the wings had no real substance.Dark and wispy, as if formed by smoke, Jasper had no idea how they managed to lift him in the air, but they eagerly responded to his every impulse. He shot forward, pirouetting through their air in a series of tight rolls and turns that would have put a stunt flier to shame.His arms prickled with excitement as he soared up into the sky, ignoring the rather angry little bird that followed along beside him.He quickly rose above the city, the wings beating with a slow, steady rhythm that seemed entirely insufficient for his speed.Remembering after a moment that the city had some sort of equivalent to a ¡°no-fly-zone,¡± he turned away, zooming low above the surface of the water, as every fiber of his body thrummed with exhilaration. Time ceased to have all meaning as Jasper finally fulfilled the dream that had haunted mankind from the first moment they had looked up to the stars that twinkled just beyond their reach.And then, in an instant, his exhilaration was replaced with an equally thrilling moment of terror as his wings dissipated into the winds and he was sent plunging down toward the water. He failed to recast the spell before he smashed into the lake.The surface of the water felt like concrete - indeed, the fall might just have killed him back on earth - but his new skin tanked the blow like a champ, and when his head broke the surface moments later, he was laughing as he wiped the salty water from his eyes.¡°Holy hell, that was awesome."The spell definitely needs some sort of timer though, he admitted to himself. A little grey bird fluttered just out of reach above his head and Jasper felt a slight twinge of guilt as he remembered he was supposed to be following it.¡°You¡¯re right, I promised, didn¡¯t I,¡± he said, flicking a little water its way.The bird dodged it, squawking indignantly at him as the laughter took him again.But he kept his word this time, casting the spell once again.Another shudder ran down his spine as the smoky wings reemerged, but they passed through the waters unhindered, lifting him above the waters with strong, steady beats.He wanted nothing more than to soar back into the heavens, but he ignored the temptation, turning his sights back to the shore where his friends, and his little pony, patiently awaited him. Grimsborken Much to his relief, Jasper didn''t have to cross the creepy bridges this time. He soared above them, the brisk wind from the lake at his back, as he silently swooped down toward his friends, landing between them in a flurry of wings. They hadn''t seen him coming, and scattered with a shriek before their unexpected attacker Snatching her bow off her mount, Ihra notched an arrow, drawing the string taut, until she saw his face. "Damn it, Jasper," Ihra lowered her bow with a frown. "I could have shot you." He grinned sheepishly, scratching his head. "Yeah, I didn''t think that all the way through." He flexed the wings, strutting like a model. "Pretty cool, huh?" She grinned back. "Do you even have to ask?" Annatta, though, made no attempt to hide her surprise and concern, as she circled around him. ¡°I''ve never seen this spell before. What sort of class did you choose?¡± She asked, as her eyes flicked back and forth between the smoky wings and his face. ¡°Surely you were offered one of the royal family''s classes?¡± Jasper¡¯s brow creased in thought. ¡°I had¡­maybe one or two? I think the Heir of Zaginnu was maybe a royal class. Royal Dragoon might have been one too.¡± The Djinn''s eyes widened. ¡°You had the Heir of Zaginnu and didn¡¯t pick it? That¡¯s one of the best mage classes our House has,¡± she protested. ¡°Lord S?arra?bi? himself took that class when he was your level.¡± He shrugged. ¡°The one I chose was better.¡± She frowned, clearly skeptical, but she kept her doubts to herself. ¡°So what class did you pick? I¡¯ve never seen wings like that before.¡± She reached out a hand to touch the smoky feathers, but it fell right through them. ¡°They look a little like a Seraph¡¯s wings. Something from your father¡¯s tribe?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he shook his head, not bothering to correct her assumption that the Seraph was indeed his father - an assumption he had increasingly come to doubt. ¡°It came from Kas?dael, I guess. Watchman of Alda?ru?¡± His voice ended on an inquisitive note, as he looked down at her, wondering if she could tell him anything further about the class. She couldn''t. Instead, Annatta''s brow furrowed as she gazed up at him. ¡°Watchman? That''s normally a type of warrior, a class similar to a guard." Alarm grew in her eyes, and her voice raised. "You are still a mage-¡° She trailed off sheepishly as Jasper gestured to his wings. ¡°Ah, yes, obviously you are. It''s not the usual kind of watchman, then.¡± He shrugged. ¡°No idea. What about Alda?ru? Does that ring a bell?¡± He pressed, curious to learn more about the abandoned city that surrounded Kas?dael¡¯s temple in the void. Annatta shook her head distractedly as she continued to examine his wings. ¡°It¡¯s a name for the tomb of the Progenitor, isn¡¯t it? But I never really paid much attention to the priests in school," she admitted. "Anyways, tell me more about this class that''s apparently so much better than the Heir of Zaginnu. What archetype does it belong to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m honestly not entirely sure,¡± Jasper confessed. ¡°Is there a name for a pyro- and ectomancer that also rides horses?¡± Her eyebrow arched delicately upward. ¡°Ectomancer?¡± The Djinn repeated the words uncertainly. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Er, maybe that¡¯s not a word around here. Ghosts, specters, that sort of thing,¡± he explained. The Djinn nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of shamans that primarily interact with ghosts, and of course, necromancers with the undead¡­¡± He shook his head, cutting her off. ¡°I don¡¯t think it''s either of those.¡± ¡°Ah, well. I guess we¡¯ll see then.¡± She smiled predatorily. ¡°I¡¯m sure Lord S?arra?bi? will be very eager to learn every detail of your class.¡± Jasper hadn¡¯t even considered his ¡°uncle¡¯s¡± reaction until then, but he frowned as her meaning sunk in. Damn it. The less time I have to spend with him, the better. But he knew there was little point in protesting. He was still unclear exactly what the Djinn and his lord, the king, wanted from him, but he was under no illusion that he had any real choice in the matter. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will,¡± he agreed dryly. ¡°Can¡¯t tell him what I don¡¯t know, though.¡± The wings suddenly dissipated in a cloud of vapor as the spell ended, and he grinned as he remembered one of the perks of the spell. He turned to Ihra. ¡°Bet you wish you could have wings too.¡± His friend laughed, her blonde hair flying fast free as she shook her head. ¡°Of course, I would. If I could fly as an archer, warriors wouldn''t even be able to touch me. I could just float around the battlefield, raining death down on them - at least until a mage barbequed me. But,¡± Ihra smirked, ¡°whoever heard of a flying deer? I¡¯m pretty sure that path doesn¡¯t lie in my future.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡± He placed his hand on her shoulder, and though he felt her stiffen slightly, she didn¡¯t pull away. At least not until the essence passed into her, sending a spasm down her back. ¡°Ouch! What the-¡° Her words fell unspoken as a pair of smokey wings swirled around her. ¡°Wow,¡± she whispered. ¡°Can cast it on other people too, even mounts supposedly,¡± he explained, as he pushed past her to root around in his saddle for the pomegranate Torin had given him. ¡°Really?¡± Annatta leaned forward, new interest sparking in her eyes. ¡°You can imbue the spell on others? That¡¯s actually quite an unusual ability. Although,¡± she glanced down at Ihra¡¯s feet, which were still firmly rooted on the ground. ¡°Can she actually fly with them?¡± As if in response, the spectral wings fluttered, lifting Ihra a few feet above the ground to squeals of delight. Grabbing her by the shoulder as well, he cast the spell on Annatta. A pair of spectral wings burst from her back, fluttering back and forth through his chest harmlessly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try them out?¡± he suggested. The pair hesitated, fluttering a few feet off the ground. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ihra asked. He grinned. ¡°Absolutely. I need to evolve Dapplegrim now anyways.¡± They didn¡¯t need to be told twice, rising rapidly above the trees, though not before Jasper turned back with a word of warning. ¡°Ten minutes!¡± he shouted. ¡°You¡¯ve got ten minutes before the spell ends. After that - well, you¡¯ll be on the ground one way or another.¡± When they had soared out of sight, Jasper finally turned to face his little mount. The pomegranate sat heavy in his hand, and he rolled it between his fingers absentmindedly. The dark red fruit still looked as vibrant and fresh as the day it was picked, and some small corner of his mind practically begged him to eat it. What benefits would it give me? he wondered, but Jasper ignored the selfish impulse, patting Dapplegrim¡¯s sides fondly as he waved the fruit in front of her. ¡°Well, girl, you ready to level up?¡± The small horse sniffed the fruit cautiously, nuzzling his hand rather than snapping it up immediately. ¡°Go on,¡± he laughed, pushing the pomegranate back toward it. ¡°It¡¯s not going to hurt you; it will help you get big and strong.¡± His soothing tone reassured her, and snatching the fruit up in its teeth, Dapplegrim quickly gobbled it up. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. For a moment, absolutely nothing happened. Then the little grey horse collapsed to the ground as spasms wracked its body. Horrified, Jasper dropped to his knees beside her, cradling Dapplegrim¡¯s head as she writhed in the dirt. Her eyes were glassy and dull, her coat glistened with thick sweet, and foamy lather spilled from her mouth. Was the pomegranate poisoned? Confusion, fear, and anger wrestled within him, as he tried to fight back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. I didn¡¯t mean to kill her. Then the convulsions stopped, and she lay perfectly still. Is she-? With a shudder, Dapplegrim began to move again, and his fears were quickly put to rest as the little horse''s body started to change before his eyes. Selene¡¯s grace, he sighed in relief. It wasn¡¯t poison. In the course of just a few minutes, her body underwent a complete transformation. Dapplegrim''s limbs grew long and thick, until her giant flanks rippled with truly impressive musculature. Her coat, formerly a light mottled grey, deepened in color until it was nearly charcoal, save for a faint dappling of the former color that ran along her back. Her hooves changed too; the dull keratin was replaced with a substance that gleamed like burnished bronze, and the edges were sharp as knives - sharp enough, even, to slice through Jasper¡¯s toughened skin as he found out to his regret while he did his best to protect the once again spasming horse from hurting herself. And then it was over. Her sides rose and fell like the crashing of the sea as she gasped for air, her coat was thick with a layer of sweat and dust, and her eyes were shut tight, but she was okay. Fishing a brush out of his bag, he gently rubbed down whatever parts he could reach, murmuring little reassurances to the now not-so-little horse. When he had finished cleaning one side, the horse finally moved, rising to its feet. Its metallic hooves clanged against the pavement like the beating of drums but Jasper barely noticed it. All his attention was wholly consumed by the sheer size of his formerly small horse. Jasper clocked in a solid few inches above six feet, but the top of his head didn¡¯t even come close to Dapplegrim¡¯s withers. Her body rippled with unbridled power, and her size was large enough to make a Clydesdale look like her little brother. That was not all her changes though. Her eyes, which had been closed while he rubbed her down, were now open, glowing ever so softly with an amber light, which when paired with her charcoal-colored skin gave the illusion of smoldering coal. An armored plate covered much of her head, made of the same burnished bronze as her hooves, and he yelped in surprise - and mild pain - when she head-butted him gently, nudging her now massive head against his shoulder. ¡°What do you want, girl?¡± She grabbed at his bag with her teeth, and he yanked it away.¡°Uh-uh. The bag is not for eating. Do you want something in it? Like sugar?¡± he said, with a sly grin. Needless to say, Jasper wasn¡¯t actually expecting Dapplegrim to answer him, so a stiff breeze could have knocked him over when she vigorously shook her head back and forth in response. ¡°You understand me? Sugar?" He held out the cubes, but she shook her head again, refusing to accept them. "Not sugar then. What else could you possibly want?" A thought struck him. "You don''t want another pomegranate, do you?¡± Dapplegrim nodded yes, and Jasper had to laugh. ¡°Sorry, don¡¯t have any more of those.¡± Her ears drooped in apparent disappointment, and he had to stand on tiptoes to rub her head, as he waved the sugar cubes in front of her again. Dapplegrim might have turned her nose up at them the first time, but with the prospect of another pomegranate again, she lapped the cubes eagerly, with such vim that Jasper was half-afraid she might just take his hand with them. He was about to reach into his bag for more when his hand froze. She¡¯s changing colors again. It was certainly not a fast change, but the light gray that dappled her skin slowly blossomed out until it had spread across her entire body. Even her eyes were changed, turning to an almost milky white, although her hooves remained untouched. What the hell? Did the sugar somehow cause that? Or is just part of her new evolution? As if in answer to his questions, a box popped up above her.
Young Farm Pony ¡ú Grimsborken *normal evolution altered by Selene
A legendary breed on Earth famed for its power, size, and above-average intelligence, the Grimsborken is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Possessed of the peculiar ability to change between two separate forms, the breed has minor talents in earth and fire magic which it may cast independent of its owner¡¯s instructions.
Huh. Breed on earth? As in the fairytale, or was there a real Grimsborken? Jasper had never seen so much as a lick of real magic on the earth, and he certainly hadn¡¯t believed in it. Then again, he had also had absolutely no idea that the game he was playing had been designed by literal gods - the Mwyrani - that had fled from another universe to live on earth or that he himself was part-Djinn, so clearly he hadn''t been the most observant. He shelved the question for another time though, as a series of jubilant cries drew his attention. Turning around, he saw Ihra and Annatta approaching fast. As they hurtled toward the small clearing, the spectral wings beat far too slowly for their speed, swishing through the air without even a whisper of a sound. I guess they paid attention to the time. Or not, he amended as a second later the wings dissipated in a puff of smoke, leaving the two to plunge the last forty feet to the ground. Ihra rolled to her feet immediately, laughing as she pushed the hair out of her eyes. ¡°That was amazing-¡± she started up, stopping as she noticed the giant horse standing beside him. ¡°Wow, is that Dapplegrim?¡± Jasper beamed as he proudly patted the flank of the horse, unable to easily reach her neck. ¡°Yep, not so small any longer, huh?¡± The horse nodded its head as if in agreement. ¡°Nope. I think Keresh might just get a little jealous now,¡± she grinned. ¡°He was used to being the top dog.¡± Annatta joined her a second later, circling around the horse slowly before flashing him a nod of approval. ¡°Truly, this is a mount you won¡¯t need to feel ashamed of.¡± She attempted to pat the horse, but Dapplegrim shied away from her with a snort, perhaps taking offense at the implication that he should have been ashamed before. With a sigh, the Djinn aborted her attempt to pet her, contenting herself to view her from afar. ¡°What breed is she? The baritteannu the lords of Kubarru breed are similar in shape and color, but they don¡¯t have amber eyes or bronze hooves.¡± ¡°It¡¯s apparently a breed from my world,¡± he supplied with a shrug. She nodded briskly, ¡°Well then, I suppose it¡¯s no mystery I¡¯m unfamiliar with it. Either way, she¡¯s positively stunning.¡± Producing an apple out of her bag, Annatta tried to bribe the horse to let her touch her, but Dapplegrim obstinately backed away, stomping her hooves when the Djinn tried to get close. ¡°I think you offended her,¡± Jasper observed with a smile. ¡°Why?!¡± Annatta looked more exasperated than penitent. ¡°Twas no insult to acknowledge that it was a bit unseemly for a noble of the royal house to be riding around on an undersized farm pony.¡± Dapplegrim stomped her hoof again, and a small shockwave rippled through the ground directly toward Annatta. Catching her by surprise, she lost her footing, landing hard on her butt, much to the amusement of Jasper and Ihra. Rubbing her bruised buttocks gingerly, she glared at the horse for a moment before joining in with the laughter. ¡°All right, all right,¡± she conceded, bowing her head respectfully toward Dapplegrim, ¡°I spoke out of turn. You are the same wonderful horse you have always been, and I was a fool not to see that.¡± With a toss of her head, the horse whinnied in acknowledgment and finally deigned to accept the proffered apple. Peace restored in their party, the Djinn turned back to Jasper with a teasing grin. ¡°You know, there¡¯s one more tradition for reaching a hundred that still needs to be observed.¡± ¡°There is?¡± he asked in surprise. ¡°What else? Some sort of sacrifice to Shamsha, or something like that?¡± ¡°No, nothing of that sort. You and the king just have to fight a duel,¡± she replied innocently. ¡°What?!¡± Jasper¡¯s jaw dropped as he stared at the Djinn in shock. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± The mere memory of the king was enough to send a small shiver of dread up Jasper¡¯s spine. He had no idea what level that monster had reached, but even his brief meeting with the man had been sufficient to convince him that he was, by far, the most powerful warrior he had met. Even Aphora''s deranged mother, he suspected, would have snapped like a sapling in a hurricane before his strength. Annatta dissolved into a fit of laughter, Ihra joining in as she saw the look of horror on his face. When the Djinn finally managed to stop laughing, wiping the tears from her eye with the hem of her tunic, she shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just kidding, but there really is another tradition. I think you¡¯ll like this one, though.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, suspiciously. She smiled. ¡°A party.¡± A Return to the Cult When Annatta had said there would be a party, Jasper¡¯s mood had sunk a bit. It wasn''t that he didn''t like parties, but a royal party drew up images of eloquent courtly affairs, stilted conversation, and the occasional duel to the death. He could not have been more wrong. Annatta must have had some way to signal her employer of their return to the palace enclave, as when she led them to Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s manor, the party - and Lord S?arra?bi? - already awaited them.Jasper suffered through the unwelcome hug his uncle lavished on him - appearances were necessary to keep up - but he didn¡¯t have to suffer through the party. The night passed in a haze of music, drink, and dancing more suited to a nightclub than a ballroom.in a few hours he met more of his peers than he had the entire rest of the time he had been at the palace - and, in his drunken state, may have promised more than a few random strangers a chance to buy one of the dore?sah babies they had captured.he sun was already high in the heavens by the time he finally crawled into his bed and passed out. Jasper awoke with a groan, realizing with some surprise, once he managed to pry his eyes open a crack, that he had somehow made it back to his house.His head felt like it had been run over by a semi and the veins on the side of his temple pulsed with every beat of his heart.The curtains, at least, had been drawn by some kindly servant, preventing the blinding light of morn from adding to his torture. He lay there for a few minutes, unmoving, before he managed to work up the will to actually move.A healing potion should fix me right up, he realized. It took him a while to find his bag, as his befuddled mind was slow to come to the realization not only did he not know where his bag was, but he was also no longer dressed in the clothes of the previous night.Instead, he was dressed in a simple red silk tunic, cut in the fashion the Djinn wore to bed.¡°Selene¡¯s grace,¡± he swore to himself.¡°Someone else dressed me?¡±His head pounded with every step, but his efforts were rewarded when he spied a neatly folded pile of clothes sitting on a lounge that stretched beneath the window and, beside them, perched his bag. His tongue felt swollen and parched, but the instant the potion made contact, it began to work its magic.Within seconds the frenzied throbbing of the bongoes in his mind was silenced.Jasper bottled the rest of the potion back up, and shoved the vial into his bag carelessly. He was about to close it up, but paused when he noticed the small folded letter lying beside it.Oh yeah, I was supposed to meet with Abnu¡¯s contact to find out more about the cult. Curious, Jasper fished the letter out of the bag and checked it, quickly confirming his memory of the name and location of the contact.Why not go do it now? he decided.Tossing his clothes back on, he slipped quietly into the hall, his footsteps padded by the plush carpet.When he peaked into Ihra¡¯s room, he found her still asleep.She was splayed across the bed in a tangle of limbs, her long hair sprawling across the pillows, and a dribble of drool had mounted an expedition from her mouth.She, too, had been changed from her clothes of the previous day which, silly as it was, made Jasper feel a smidge less embarrassed. He tried shaking her shoulder gently, but she didn¡¯t even budge, her snores resolutely filling the room with a steady cadence.I guess I¡¯ll let her sleep, he decided and retreated from her room, closing the door softly behind him.Not wanting to meet Abnu¡¯s contact alone, Jasper considered inviting Annatta to join him - hell, he knew she would be upset if he went without her; she was, after all, technically his bodyguard.But after a moment¡¯s consideration, he realized he actually had no idea where Annatta lived - she just sort of showed up at his manor most days. Are there barracks? Does she have a house?Unsure, he decided not to wait around. Instead, he slipped out of the house quietly, though, not without leaving a note on the table to let Ihra know where he went, in case she woke up before his return. By the time he reached the palace gate, the morning light had just begun to peak above the mountain peaks.Jasper generally wasn¡¯t a morning person but even he had to admit that it was a perfect morning.The air was pleasantly cool, still hours before the heat of the day would reach its zenith, and a gentle zephyr played with his hair as he rode along the shady path.Caught in the morning sun, the trees¡¯ leaves glowed with light, giving an almost magical feel to the forest. He avoided the main entrance of the enclave, choosing instead to leave by the smaller gate Annatta had first taken him through.The guards nodded respectfully as he approached; they may not have known him, but the red, scaled tunic he wore and the impressive horse he rode left no doubt in their minds as to his importance.They hustled to open the gate and, after only a few moments of waiting, the great metal doors slid wide to let him pass. The streets outside were already bustling.A handful of wagons were still out making their final deliveries before their traffic was shut down for the day, but already they were fighting to make progress through the crowds of pedestrians that occupied the streets.Jasper didn''t have that problem though, as the people parted before him and his giant horse like the waves at Moshe¡¯s feet; it wasn''t necessary, but many even bowed their heads respectfully as he passed, just in case the unknown noble was more important than he appeared. But that didn¡¯t mean his progress was slowed down for other reasons.Despite having spent several weeks at the palace, this was the first time Jasper had ventured out into the capital by himself and it wasn¡¯t long before the familiar icons that surrounded the palace enclave faded away.He had expected that, of course - he wasn¡¯t stupid - but he had assumed he could simply ask for directions. Very quickly, though, he realized that he had been sorely mistaken.S?adda?nu was a city whose size rivaled the metropolises of earth, and the majority of the population were devotees of S?ams?a, not Nahre?mah.So his dismay only grew as one by-passer after another told him, with a regretful shake of their heads, that they simply didn¡¯t know where the temple he sought was. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Jasper was beginning to think he would be forced to turn back to the palace - hopefully, he could sneak in before his friends realized he was gone - when an unexpected voice rang out behind him.¡°Going somewhere?¡± Whirling around in his saddle, Jasper met Annatta¡¯s gaze with a guilty grin. Her lips were drawn tight in a scowl, but the twitch in her upper lip betrayed her.Selene¡¯s grace, he sighed in relief, realizing with surprise that he was actually happy to see her. That''s a first.He reined Dapplegrim in so she could sidle up beside him.¡°How did you find me?¡± The Djinn rolled her eyes but, as they were out in public, she responded with the appropriate show of deference.¡°You¡¯re not exactly a subtle figure, Lord Yas?peh.The guards let me know you had left, and it wasn¡¯t hard to follow the trail of passerbyers that had seen a noble on a strange horse asking for directions.But why are you looking for a temple to Nahre?mah?¡± Her brows were creased as she asked the question, and he was surprised to notice a hint of worry in her eyes.¡°Why not?I have a mission to fulfill, after all.¡± ¡°Mission?Is Lord S?arra?bi? investigating her cult?¡±It hit Jasper then that he had never actually told her about his mission from Kas?dael, and he filled her in quickly, although he didn¡¯t mention Kas?dael¡¯s backup plan.t was barely something he could even acknowledge to himself. ¡°Huh. Maybe that¡¯s why the guard are no longer allowed to join the cult,¡± Annatta commented when he finished explaining the situation. His ears pricked up.¡°Really?Were there a lot of guards that belonged to the group?¡± ¡°A decent amount, I guess?I mean, the cult of Nahre?mah caters to warriors, so it¡¯s not surprising that they had a following among us. I know my mentor and some of his friends used to belong to the cult, until the guard banned it around the time I was in my first year of real classes.Never gave a reason for it, at least officially.¡±She shrugged.¡°So, what¡¯s your plan?Go to a temple, by yourself, that¡¯s potentially filled with wicked cultists who want to kill you?¡± He frowned.¡°Well, when you put it like that, it sounds stupid,¡± Jasper admitted.¡°But I¡¯ve already survived more than a few attempts on my life without your help.¡± To his surprise, she didn¡¯t respond snarkily.Instead, the Djinn nodded her head in agreement.¡°Yes, you¡¯ve proven yourself more capable than I expected, but it¡¯s always a good idea to have a little backup on hand.¡± He conceded the point.¡°Fine, you can come.¡± Annatta smirked.¡°I¡¯m glad I, your bodyguard, have permission to accompany you, my lord.¡± He laughed, raising his hands in mock defeat.¡°Stop, stop - you¡¯ve already won.Speaking of which,¡± he continued more soberly, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t by any chance know where the temple is, would you?¡± ¡°Indeed, I do, Lord Yas?peh,¡± she replied with mock primness. ¡°And?¡± he questioned after a moment of silence. ¡°You''re going the wrong way.¡± The temple, as it turned out, lay on the far side of the city.Most of S?adda?nu rested on the western shores of the river Balt?u, but a portion of the settlement had spilled out onto the delta across the river and it was there that the temple resided. It was actually smaller than the complex at the village springs, lacking the extensive wings of rooms that the other temple had offered, but despite its size, the temple Nahre?mah bustled with a crowd far larger than the Keeper¡¯s temple. Tying Dapplegrim up to a hitching post outside, he flashed his mother¡¯s signet to the bored guards watching the steps, and they stepped aside to let the two of them pass. Loud shouting echoed down the dim hall as they stepped into the temple, the reason for which quickly became clear when they reached the large, sandy courtyard.A few hundred Djinn filled the court, moving in lock motion with each other as they followed the routine demonstrated for them.¡°Guess we arrived in time for the morning exercise,¡± he explained to Annatta. He skirted around the edges, ignoring the judgmental glances cast his way by the instructors when he didn¡¯t join the routine. Privilege had its perks though.The temple''s staff may not have known who he was, but his rich clothes and wine-colored skin left little doubt as to his association with the royal house, so the instructors let him pass without so much as a peep. Not wanting to flaunt his special treatment, the two quickly passed through the courtyard and ventured into the larger temple complex beyond, not stopping until they stumbled upon a small, shaded garden.Large lush bushes covered the garden, with tall flowery stalks whose sticky, sweet smell vaguely reminded him of ornamental pear or, perhaps more accurately, what ornamental pears smelled like.But the centerpiece of the garden was an elegant copper fountain, decorated with a heavily patinaed sculpture of three heroic figures Jasper didn''t recognize.. After half an hour, the first few trickles of the crowd begin to flow past the smaller courtyard.Jasper thought about getting up to search for Abnu¡¯s contact, but the seraph found him first. Much like Abnu, the seraph was a giant of a man, with shoulders so broad that they nearly scraped against the edges of the arch that opened into the garden.The Djinn approached them cautiously, taking a seat near the fountain and flipping a coin into the waters before he spoke. ¡°They say if you cast a prayer into the fountain, the goddess will send you a reply.¡±He fixed one eye on Jasper.¡°Has the goddess sent you any letters recently, my lord?¡± Jasper hesitated a moment, suddenly wishing Abnu had given him more thorough instructions but decided to hand the letter over, hoping that wasn''t misunderstanding the man''s cryptic statement. A gleam of recognition appeared in the Djinn¡¯s eyes when he saw the letter, but he didn''t immediately reply to Jasper.ulled a small vial from his bag and, uncorking the lid, blew a thin layer of powder from it across the letter. Putting the vial away, he channeled a tiny bit of essence into the paper. immediately, as a glowing sigil shaped like a jagged claw manifested on the page.Satisfied, the seraph handed the letter back to Jasper. An Unsettling Name After a pause, the Seraph spoke. ¡°I was expecting you a few weeks ago, my lord.¡± Jasper shrugged awkwardly, gesturing at his royal tunic.¡°Business got in the way.¡± The man nodded, giving Jasper a cheeky wink.¡°Ah, I see; not all business is by choice, is it?¡± Jasper started to speak, but the Djinn raised a finger to his lips.Stepping over to the fountain, he placed his hand in the water, touching the coin he had thrown in.The volume of the fountain raised rapidly until a veritable roar of the water echoed the walls so loudly that it sounded like they stood beside a mighty waterfall. But then, just as suddenly as the roar had begun, the fountain fell completely silent.The water continued to tumble into the basin, but not a sound reached his ears, nor could Jasper hear any of the other sounds that filled the busy temple. ¡°There,¡± the Djinn sat back down a few yards away from Jasper, training his eyes back on the water as if fixated on the fountain.¡°Now we can talk without any unwanted ears.¡± Jasper started to stand up, to move closer to the seraph, but the man shook his head.¡°No, my lord, stay where are you.Anyone who passes by won''t be able to hear what we''re saying now, but they''d still be able to see us sitting together, so it''s better to stay apart.¡± Dropping back in his seat, Jasper cocked his head to the side as he examined the Seraph curiously. As enormous as Abnu, the Seraph was otherwise quite unremarkable, with the same black hair, with just a touch of curls, and the same dark eyes that the majority of Djinn sported. Two respectably large horns peaked about half a foot above his ears, but his skin was still quite pale, indicating the man was either not at as high a level as Jasper would have expected, or else he had undergone some alternate form of evolution. Can a Seraph become a Moon-kissed? He didn''t know. Turning away, he stared at the fountain as he spoke to the man. ¡°So did Abnu find anything of use in the Keeper¡¯s office?¡± The Djinn¡¯s lips twisted in a grimace.¡°Not as much as we had hoped,¡± he admitted.¡°He found a few suspicious letters - we think they''re written in some sort of code, but we haven''t cracked it - but he found nothing that gave us any new information on the cult.Well,¡± he corrected himself, ¡°there was one thing of interest.¡±He pulled a letter out of his bag.¡°Here.We think it might be referring to you.¡± Jasper flipped the letter open, skimming the contents quickly.The few, brief lines said little beyond telling the Keeper that she should keep an eye out for a legacy that might show up at the temple in the next few days and deal with him, ¡°in one fashion or another.¡± was the description of the legacy: ¡°a mage, a child of another sun.¡±Another sun? How would the cult even know I wasn''t born here? There was nothing else of note, save for the simple signature at the bottom of the page, a one-word name: Barbartu. The Djinn watched Jasper carefully as he read through the letter, his eyes boring into him with an unsubdued intensity, but he spoke with a careful casualness.¡°Did anything stand out to you?¡± Jasper folded the letter up slowly, thumping it thoughtfully against his palm.¡°Why would you think this refers to me?¡± he asked, carefully, not sure how much he trusted them. He hadn''t kept the fact that he was from another world a true secret - after all the phenomenon was well enough known on Corsythia, even if it wasn''t particularly common - but neither had he gone around trumpeting the fact. Why would the Seraphs associate the letter with him? Unless they know more about me than Abnu let on? The man cocked his head to the side, his gaze sharpening.¡°Abnu said there was something slightly strange about your fire.Like S?ams?a¡¯s rays, but not quite.Are you a child of another sun?¡± Is that true? No one else has mentioned that to me. Jasper shrugged noncommittally, dodging the question.¡°And what about this Barbartu?That¡¯s ¡®she-wolf,¡¯ isn¡¯t it? Is she a leader in the cult?¡± The Djinn hesitated a moment, perhaps pondering whether or not to press his question, but let it drop.¡°The Keeper had quite a few letters from this Barbartu, spanning nearly twenty years; like this one, the language of the letters was always quite vague. There wasn''t much information that could be gleaned for them, nor much that could incriminate them to the royal guard, just...." he trailed off, searching for the right words, "insinuations and implications, I suppose." Curiosity sated, Jasper tried to hand the letter back to the Seraph, but Abnu''s associate waved it aside.¡°Keep it.Maybe you¡¯ll see something in it we didn¡¯t.¡±The man paused before continuing.¡°Our investigation did find one other thing.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°We found one of their cult sites,¡± the Seraph explained grimly.¡°We¡¯ve been keeping a subtle eye on those of ours who are still members in Nahre?mah''s cult." "You didn''t make them leave?" Jasper asked, surprised. The Djinn frowned, as a stormy looked seeped into his eyes. "Our elders have deemed it ''unsafe'' to warn them; they fear that even some of our own might be working with the brotherhood of Yas?gah, so if we warn our brethren, we run the risk of exposing our whole operation. The wisdom of their words cannot be denied but yet... it troubles me to leave our kin unaware of the snakes lurking in the grass." He sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes wearily. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "And the cult site?" Jasper reminded him. The man shook it off, "Right, as I was saying, we haven''t been allowed to warn our members of the danger from the brotherhood, but we have recruited a cadre of mages to cast tracking spells on them every few days, just to make sure they¡¯re still safe and sound and where they''re supposed to be. couple of days ago. One of our kin in the cult disappeared, a young woman belonging to the Us?s?urtu clan. Lah?anta," he spoke the name softly. "We tracked her down by the next day and rescued her, or at least her body.Who knows how much is left of their mind.¡±A visible shudder shook the seraph''s form, and he struggled to speak. Suffice it to say, we gave them a taste of their own medicine. Even if they''re fortunate enough to somehow resurrect, those cultists, at least, won''t be bothering anyone ever again.¡± "Oh?" Jasper inquired, "you can prevent resurrection?" The Seraph smiled grimly. "No, no mortal can prevent resurrection if their god so wills it; we can, however, alter its nature. The soul naturally wishes to return to its original body, as long as that body wasn''t destroyed and is in a theoretically safe place. We made sure those conditions were met, burying them in a large chamber deep, deep below the earth, a chamber with no access. Even if they awake, they will die alone in the dark." The two fell silent for a moment, before the Seraph begin to root around in his bag, dragging something out of it. ¡°And that, I believe, is more than enough information to fulfill Abnu¡¯s promise to you.¡± He thrust the object - another letter - into Jasper¡¯s hands.¡°Our elders are inclined to be willing to share more information with you - any enemy of the brotherhood is a friend of ours - but they wish to meet with you first. To get a measure of the man," he explained.All the information you need to contact them is there.I hope to hear from you again, but if not, well," the man grinned, "good luck hunting those bastards.¡± Jasper accepted the letter with a sigh, shoving it into his bag. Of course, they want to meet with me. Nothing can ever go easy, can it.¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised, but I making no promise right now.I¡¯ll think about it.¡± The man nodded, ¡°Fair enough,¡± and stood up to leave. ¡°Wait,¡± Jasper stopped him.¡° Abnu was also supposed to watch over a...a friend of mine, a girl named Laylah.Is she doing alright?¡± The Djinn''s cheeks reddened, and he scratched his ear awkwardly, suddenly uncomfortable.¡°About that¡­she, um, well, she disappeared about a week ago.Left some note about someone coming to get her.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡±Jasper stared at the man, disbelief fighting with anger for dominance.¡°You just let her go? Where is she? Her life could be in danger.¡± The man shifted uncomfortably.¡°Well, she was with us for a few weeks and, then, she was just gone one morning.What were we supposed to do about it?¡± Jasper snorted.¡°Look for her?You were supposed to be watching her because someone might want to kill her and you just let someone waltz in and abscond with her?¡±His voice rose in anger.¡°The one thing I asked Abnu to do, the one thing and¡­¡± Taking a deep breath, he cut himself off, releasing the air after enough seconds had passed to compose himself.Speaking more calmly, Jasper continued.¡°What did this letter she left say? Did it say who took her? Where she was going?¡± The Seraph looked relieved at his questions, clearly glad there was something he could give Jasper.¡°Yes, it didn''t say anything about where she was going, but there was the name of who she went with. It was¡­¡±His brow crinkled in thought.¡°I can''t remember it, damn it. The name was something strange, not a language any of us knew.Maybe a name from one of the lesser Fey?Just a minute.¡± Giving up on remembering it, the Djinn rummaged through his pouch and pulled a small notebook out.He flipped through the pages rapidly, stopping near the back with a triumphant shout.¡°Found it!¡± ¡°The name was Jacinda.Jacinda Welles.¡± Jasper could feel the blood leaving his face as the roar of his heartbeat swelled to block out every other sound.¡°Jacinda. Welles.¡±He repeated the words dumbly.¡°You¡¯re sure about. Sure.¡± ¡°Here.¡±The man tossed the notebook to Jasper.He caught it, tracing a trembling finger down the page until he found the entry.The name stared back up at him, taunting him silently. After a long moment, he handed the book back to the Djinn with a forced smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± The man hesitated.¡°I¡¯m sure you could ask our elders to look for her, when you meet them.¡± ¡°If I meet them,¡± Jasper corrected, shaking his head.¡°But no.If this name is accurate, I doubt you''ll be finding her anywhere near here.¡± ¡°So the name means something to you," the Seraph observed. "Are they Fey, as we thought?¡± ¡°No, no they¡¯re not.¡±He replied quietly, offering nothing further. They didn''t deserve to know. Curiosity bloomed in the Djinn¡¯s eyes but, sensing Jasper''s quiet fury, he wisely chose not to pursue the question, tucking the notebook away silently instead.¡°Very well.¡±Standing up, the seraph walked over to the fountain and, bending over, plucked the coin up from the bottom.For a split second, a sound like static filled the air, and then all the sounds of the temple come rushing back.With a final nod, the Djinn left the courtyard. Jasper stared at the tumbling water with unseeing eyes, the sound rushing over him unheard until he nearly jumped when a soft hand brushed against his shoulder. ¡°That name meant something to you.¡±Annatta''s words were more of a statement than a question. Jasper nodded mutely.¡°Who-¡° ¡°Not here.¡±He muttered, and the Djinn dropped it.The tow waited in the courtyard for another few minutes, engaging halfheartedly in idle chatter until a handful of temple recruits wandered in. The recruits took up spots around the fountain, their hands piled high with street food, as they laughed and chatted.A few curious glances were sent their way, but no one dared bother the sullen noble and his bodyguard and, after a sufficient amount of time had passed since the Seraph''s departure, they too got up from their seats and headed out of the temple, hoping no one had observed their little rendezvous. The Corpse of the Moon Tsia awoke briefly in the night to every fiber of her body aching.The healing potions she had taken forced the body to heal at a rapidly accelerated rate, but the backlash was never pleasant.She lay there on the ground listening to the crackling of the fire.A cold breeze ran its soft fingers down her back, and she shivered, but Tsia was too tired to even open her eyes, let alone contemplate moving.A heavy weight settled over her, gentle hands tucking the corners of a blanket around her, and bathed in new warmth, she slipped again into unconsciousness. The savory smell of bacon woke her the second time.She moved slowly beneath the heavy blanket, her body still incredibly sore, as she forced herself to sit up, prying her eyes open a slit. ¡°Ne?s?u?¡± she croaked. ¡°Va?ya¡¯s blessings, you¡¯re finally awake.¡±Hopping up from the other side of the fire, Ne?s?u loomed over her seconds later, his face a mix of concern and anger.¡°What happened down there?When you flew above the cliff, you were barely even conscious.If I hadn¡¯t decided to follow you, you might have tumbled into the sea and drowned.¡± His words tumbled out one after another, too quick for her still exhausted brain to comprehend, so she just ignored him.She was too tired to argue, and right now the only thing she cared about was the delicious scent tormenting her starving stomach.Stretching out her hands, she beseeched him with just one word.¡°Bacon?¡± Tsia finished off three heaping plates before she finally felt up to talking.Ne?s?u listened quietly to her story, asking a few pointed questions as she described her fight in the caverns below.She did her best to gloss over her capture, but the old warrior sussed out that she was hiding something, and made her tell him the truth. ¡°You are lucky to be alive,¡± he concluded. ¡°Selene only knows what they might have done to you.¡±He shook his head.¡°The mountain tribes have a bad reputation and as a young woman, by yourself..." He shook his head.If only you would listen to Va?ya when he talks to you, then maybe-" But he isn¡¯t talking to me - Selene herself said as much, but she let Ne?s?u babble on, trying to ignore the anger that pulsed through her veins.He''s only pushing me so hard because he wants me to be safe, she told herself. Forcing a smile, Tsia cut him off.¡°There¡¯s no point in worrying about what might have happened. It didn¡¯t. I survived. I¡¯m fine.And now we just need to turn the quest into Neqelm?.¡± Ne?s?u looked unconvinced, but he let the matter drop, and as soon as breakfast was finished, he packed up and they returned to town. Neqelm? face held a hint of annoyance when she strode into the office, but he hid it well, greeting her respectively. "Did you decide you wanted a different mission, my lady? I''m sure we can arrange-" He trailed off as Tsia pulled one box after another from her bag of holding, piling them up around his desk, along with a few severed heads as proof the ne''er-do-wellers had been punished.incredulous shake of his head, he turned back to her with newfound respect gleaming in his eyes. ¡°I must admit, my lady, I wasn¡¯t exactly expecting to see you again.¡± ¡°Why not? I signed a contract, didn''t I?¡± Tsia frowned. The Djinn had the grace to look ashamed.¡°Taking on a whole base by yourself is a tall task for all but the most advanced mages; when you accepted the contract, I assumed you were just saving face, but would head down to the docks and take a boat.¡± ¡°You will honor the contract,¡± she began aggressively, her voice rising stridently, and he quickly raised both hands to mollify her. ¡°Of course, of course, my lady.I¡¯m merely impressed.You went above and beyond my expectations.¡± Tsia''s eyes sharpened, as gold coins danced before her vision. ¡°Enough for a bonus?¡± The steward smiled wryly.¡°I¡¯m afraid not.Your formidable negotiating skills already squeezed out every last ounce of profit from this transaction in the first place.¡± For a moment, Tsia consider pressing the issue, but her heart just wasn¡¯t in it.Despite what she had told Ne?s?u, she was more shaken by the encounter than she wanted to admit.She couldn¡¯t be certain what the Djinn mage had intended to do to her, but in some ways that made it worse, as her imagination ran wild with one horrific possibility after another. ¡°My lady?¡± She blinked, suddenly feeling a bit woozy.¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you alright, my lady?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine,¡± Tsia snapped.¡°What were you asking?¡± The steward looked like he wanted to say more, but he held his tongue.¡°Just wondering when you are wanting to leave.We have five caravans leaving today if you wish to join one. Some of the men say it looks like a storm is brewing, so if you¡¯d prefer to wait to another day...¡± he trailed off. Tsia shrugged.¡°No, today¡¯s fine.The sooner the better.¡± The weather was still quite pleasant when they headed out to the fields where the Tsuss?m were kept.As she stood in the sunny meadow, with the breeze warm blowing gently against her face, Tsia¡¯s spirits began to lift, and her excitement at finally riding a Tsuss?m returned. The creatures proved to be a strange mix of neurotic friendliness.They were easily spooked, darting away from her when she and Ne?s?u approached with the rest of the company¡¯s workers, but once their handlers had soothed the nervous creatures, they warmed up to her surprisingly quickly, licking at her face like a dog as they rubbed against her shoulders.But the real fun came when they finally lifted off the ground - her mounts safely scarfed away in the company¡¯s special bag of holding - and soared into the sky. The constant winds that raged over the lake now prevailed against them, and the wind¡¯s fury only stiffened as they ascended higher into the heavens.Her hair blew like crazy, rippling behind her like a banner on a battlefield, but Tsia was ecstatic, waving her arms and there and swirling her essence as the tsuss?m bravely labored against the winds. Ne?s?u was a bit less enthusiastic.His face was as pale as a ghost, and his hands clutched the reins with the grip of death, despite the fact that he had insisted on tying himself down. Still, whenever she looked in his direction, he flashed his ward the best mimicry of a smile he could manage. Their trip was only supposed to take a couple hours, but the storm Nekelm? had warned her off arrived faster than anticipated.he sun from the heavens, as the winds whipped themselves into a frenzy, howling like a pack of wolves driven mad with bloodlust.hen the storm arrived. Lightning and thunder preceded the rain, great bolts arching back and forth between the clouds with such frequency that the group was forced to dive closer to the surface of the lake.Whipped into a fury by the winds, huge waves rolled across the water, smashing into the many small islands that dotted the lake with such force that columns of spray were sent flying hundreds of feet into the sky, drenching the group before the rain even began. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Yet the weather held no terror for Tsia.The winds that spoke of death and terror to those around her only whispered in her ears, the voices muttering a chorus that grew louder and louder with every beat of the Tsuss?m¡¯s wings. Imh?ullu. Imh?ullu. Imh?ullu. The world lit up as bright as day as a tremendous bolt of lightning cleaved the sky in twain, aimed straight at her group.And, completely unbidden by her, her essence surged forward.Latching on, it pulled the lightning into her, a torrent of heat and light. There was a moment of searing pain, and then nothing.The pain vanished, the rain ceased - even the comforting warmth of the Tsuss?m between her legs disappeared. I¡¯m¡­standing?Did I - did I die?Slowly, Tsia cracked an eye open, surveying her surroundings. She wasn¡¯t in the void. Tsia stood in a large, dimly lit room.Her feet sank into the floor every so slightly, and when she bent down to touch it, she realized that a strange spongy black substance covered the floor as far as the eye could see.The walls were even more curious, covered in large black metallic panels whose surface was lit up by thin strands of warm, yellow lights.On her left side, there was no wall at all, or rather, as Tsia realized once her brain finally made sense of what lay before her, there was the most enormous window she had ever seen.The unbroken glass pane must have stretched at least a hundred feet in both directions, and the view it offered her was utterly alien. What the hell?The building she stood in was dizzyingly high up in the air, the ground below hidden by the darkness of the night.Hundreds of smaller black towers surrounded hers, their shiny exteriors twinkling faintly from dim lights that glowed in their windows.There was no other source of light though, save in the heavens above. Tsia¡¯s mouth dropped open as she looked up at the source of light.It was the moon. No, her corpse, she corrected herself.Still glowing softly with the faint red light of the Blood Moon, the shattered shards of the goddess watched over the silent city. ¡°It¡¯s quite something, isn¡¯t it?¡± Like a mouse trapped before a viper, she froze as a voice echoed behind her.A deep rumble accompanied by a faint rasp, her soul quailed at the power that emanated from the unknown speaker.A god? The footsteps were muffled by the strange floor as the being came to stand beside her and, somehow, slowly, she forced herself to look. Terror flooded her veins as she saw who stood beside her.Ten feet tall, with skin as pale as the first snows of winter, eyes as blue as the darkest seas, and his long blonde hair tied neatly behind his perfectly rounded ears - Tsia knew immediately what she was looking at it.A Sidhe.Her knees trembled, and she was forced to place a hand against the window as she struggled to remain standing. The bitter cold of the glass bit her hands, and she yanked it away with a yelp. The Sidhe stared down at her impassively, only the slightest crinkling at the corner of his eyes suggesting any emotion.¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid,¡± he said. Tsia fought to keep the wavers out of her voice, as every fiber of her being screamed for her to run - but to where? She didn''t even know how she had gotten there, let alone how to escape.¡°Why am I here, my lord?¡± A bemused smile flit across his lips.¡°You called me.¡± ¡°I did?¡± She started to speak, but her words trailed off as the realization hit her.No¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve had many names over the eons.Meh??. Ilra?du. Igibru.¡±His voice softened, ¡°Even once, long, long ago, Ivan.But you know me as Imh?ullu.¡± Why would Selene give me the name of a dark god?Tsia¡¯s mind swam as she looked up at the giant beside her. ¡°She didn¡¯t.¡±It took Tsia a second to realize he had responded to her thoughts, but as soon as she did, she shrunk back against the glass, her body shaking like a leaf.Bending down, the Sidhe took her hand in his.It felt like the hand of a corpse, the pale hand''s grip cold and slightly clammy, but he held her gently. ¡°I told you already, there¡¯s no need to be afraid, little one.My kin and I split long ago.¡± A soothing calm emanated from his hand, and her thoughts began to clear.There are a few Sidhe who aren¡¯t evil, a few whose worship isn''t banned.Is Imh?ulllu one of them? She couldn''t remember. The god smiled, but there was a sadness lurking in his eyes.¡°I cannot claim to be good, but I am no enemy of your gods these days.¡±His eyes drifted to the destroyed moon floating above the silent city.He reached out his other hand and pressed it gently on her forehead.She stiffened, fear again surging through her, but nothing happened except a brief flash of heat.Removing his hand, he stood up again, peering out the window. Silence stretched between them, as the god was apparently in no rush to continue speaking to her. Finally, Tsia simply couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.She needed to say something, anything to fill the void, and she spoke the first words that came to her. ¡°Why won¡¯t Va?ya respond to me?¡±Crap, why did I ask that? She moaned to herself. Imh?ullu frowned.¡°You know why, child.¡±His deep blue eyes fixed on her.¡°You are my descendant, not his.¡± Despair flooded her heart.So the Djinn really wasn¡¯t lying to me. ¡°He wasn¡¯t,¡± the god replied to her thoughts mildly, apparently not taking offense from her poorly hidden distress at discovering she really was descended from a Sidhe. She twisted her hands awkwardly.¡°Why didn¡¯t my parents tell me?Do they know?¡± ¡°Your mother has long suspected it, but your father refused to consider the possibility.Our kind has few fans amongst your empire, and your father¡¯s throne is unstable enough as it is.dmitting he had Sidhe heritage would only serve to hand ammunition to his enemies.¡± Tsia''s eyes drifted back to the enormous city that stretched beneath.¡°And this place?What is it?¡± ¡°It was my home once, the crown jewel of our kind.¡± ¡°Was?¡± ¡°Do you see any signs of life?¡± She looked across the expanse of the shiny, black towers.¡°There are lights?¡± she offered. ¡°Mere relics, ghosts of a long-dead past,¡± he rumbled. ¡°And the moon?¡± ¡°Another casualty of the war.¡±He looked down at her wryly.¡°You doubtless think it is night, do you not?¡±She nodded uncertainly.¡°There is no night, for there is no day.It was not just your goddess that was destroyed during the Mwryanni¡¯s attack.¡± ¡°What-?¡± The Sidhe placed a finger against her lips, shushing her.¡°But enough of this.It is time for you to return." Remember this when you call on my powers, little one: yours is not the wind that fills the merchant¡¯s sails or dances across the open plains.Yours is the wind that scours the frozen wastes, that drags ships down to the depths of the abyss with all their crew intact. It is the storm that ever fills the heart of man and threatens to spill forth.¡± He touched her on the forehead again, and the world around her faded. The sound of screaming filled the air and, as searing pain coursed through her body, Tsia dimly realized she was the one screaming.A second later, the pain disappeared as the lightning bolt withdrew into the heavens. ¡°Tsia!¡±She blinked rapidly, her eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness, and her ears rang like a bell, but she could still hear Ne?s?u¡¯s panicked screams over the maelstrom.¡°Tsia!¡± ¡°I¡¯m-¡° her voice cracked, her mouth suddenly as dry as the southern deserts, but she tried again.¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she screamed back, with as much force as she could muster. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she repeated to herself, "Aren''t I?" gust of wind slammed into her mount, tossing the Tsuss?m head over heels, but with a mere thought, she stilled the wind and steadied the beast. That was...easy. The winds swirled around her, their voices so loud they drowned out all other signs, but she suddenly knew they would listen to her. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Tsia laughed, and she reached out to the storm.Essence flooded out of her, more than she had ever spent before, more than she had ever had to spend.the storm around the group stilled.The winds calmed, the lightning ceased, even the rain did not dare to touch them.The storm continued to rage above the lacker, but wherever they flew it stilled, and they made their way to S?adda?nu in peace. But the peaceful weather was a poor reflection of her inner state.No matter how hard Tsia tried, she couldn''t shake the image of the ominous Sidhe from her mind, nor could she escape the worried glances Ne?s?u continually sent her away. Damn it.Why does life never go easy? The She-Wolf Jasper headed back down the long temple corridor with a steady but unhurried stride, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to himself.Although these stupid clothes are doing it for me.Despite his best efforts, heads craned as he passed, staring at the unfamiliar noble wearing royal colors, and he promised himself that next time he would find something different to wear. Still, he succeeded in his plan well enough until he reached the courtyard of the temple. The courtyard was an absolutely massive affair, a bit like a Roman arena if they had been built as squares.A pillared colonnade ran along three of the four sides, providing a welcome relief from the searing heat of the midday sun, while along the back wall rose an impressive faced that led into the central sanctuary of the temple, a three-storied hall where a larger-than-life statue of Nahre?mah held court. The courtyard was filled with a thick layer of dark, grey-colored sand that brought back memories of trips to Maine.With the morning exercise now done, the majority of the space was now occupied by a group of servants with long, spindly rakes who were smoothing its surface.But a few of the instructors and cult members were still hanging out on the far side of the courtyard, and one of them begin to move in his direction as soon as Jasper stepped into view. Picking up his pace, he and Annatta skirted around the edges of the arena, staying in the pleasant shade of the colonnade, but his attempt to avoid the instructor was all for naught.With movements so quick that Jasper suspected she was using some sort of skill to aid her, the Djinn suddenly appeared in front of them. ¡°My lord, perhaps you were too busy to intend the mandatory morning exercise, but surely you don¡¯t intend to sneak out of here without so much as a friendly duel?¡±Her voice was low, the husky voice of a woman who¡¯s smoked one too many cigarettes and chased them down with more than a few shots of liquor - not that Jasper had seen any evidence of cigarettes in Corsythia.That was one vice, at least, they didn¡¯t possess.But there was still something about her that was immediately arresting. Her skin was a dark red, not the wine-colored tint of the royal house, but a muddied, brownish-red that reminded him of dried blood, and her eyes were as black as the void itself.The two horns sprouting from her head stood straight up, rather than curling, suggesting to Jasper that she belonged to some tribe he was unfamiliar with.She was neither beautiful nor ugly, but she radiated an almost irresistible charm nonetheless.It was a quality he had encountered once before. Back in college, Jasper had known a girl who had always reminded him of a fierce lioness.It was hard to pin down exactly why - in all likelihood, his impression of her was driven by nothing more than the woman''s unusual combination of cheekbones so sharp they could cut through stones, eyes that burned with unspoken passion, and the constant nervous energy in her wirey frame. But all logical explanations aside, Jasper had never quite been able to shake the feeling that she was a predator shackled in human form, a lioness trapped in human skin who viewed the world through the calculating eyes of a huntress.If one day, she had transformed in front of his eyes and hunted down a pudgy fratboy like a wounded gazelle, he would have barely blinked in surprise. The girl hadn''t exactly been beautiful, but there was a dangerous allure to her that had always drawn him in. The Djinn standing before him gave him that same sense of fascinating danger.Her body was tense, coiled like a leopard waiting to pounce, and her eyes watched him like a hawk, but there was no hint of fear - or respect - in her. ¡°Uh, I was just leaving-¡°The instructor grinned lazily as Jasper stalled for time, suddenly feeling for all the world like he was a mouse trapped by a playful cat.A small crowd had gathered around them, many of them wearing the olive-colored garments of the instructors. On a few, he could see the excitement of an expected fight, but on many faces, he just saw scorn. They think I''m going to turn it down. She ignored him, continuing blithely on.¡°Will you do me the honor, my lord, of fighting a duel with me?¡± With a sinking heart, he realized couldn¡¯t say no.If he intended to continue investigating Kas?dael¡¯s quest, he couldn''t garner a reputation as a cowardly noble who was afraid to fight, and if he didn¡¯t continue the investigation...A shudder ran down his spine as Jasper remembered Kas?dael¡¯s plan B.I do not want to be offered up as a sacrifice.I¡¯ll just have to play along and hope this woman isn¡¯t trying to kill me. Pasting on a smile, he offered the barest hint of a bow in her direction.¡°Of course - after all, is that not why we¡¯re all here?What would a visit to the temple be without a fight to rouse the blood and, of course, honor the goddess.¡±The surprised looks and nods of satisfaction from the small group of onlookers told him he had made the right decision.But Kas?dael better appreciate the hell out of this, he thought to himself. Following her out into the sands, he ignored the furious pounding of his heart as he studied his opponent.A pair of daggers swayed at her hips, their wavy blades resembling that of a kris, but she also bore a large battle-axe that appeared almost comically oversized in comparison to the relatively petite Djinn. They separated in the middle of the courtyard, walking a few paces away before turning to face each other. ¡°Any rules?¡±Jasper asked hopefully.Please say no weapons, please say no weapons! She arched a lazy eyebrow.¡°You are a mage, aren¡¯t you, my lord?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded slowly. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She grinned.¡°Feel free to use your magic, any of it.It will make the fight more interesting.In fact,¡±she reached behind her back and unclipped the axe.With a slight shrug of her shoulders, she launched the massive weapon halfway across the courtyard where it landed in a cloud of sand, ¡°I won¡¯t use that either.¡± Oh crap, I got a bad feeling about this. ¡°One, two-¡°A loud bell rang, drowning out the last word.Jasper never even saw her move.One minute the Djinn was standing twenty feet away from him, the next he was flying through the air.She was already waiting for him when he landed, and her dagger slid beneath his chin, grazing the skin just lightly enough to release a faint trickle of blood that painted the sand. ¡°Come now, my lord, I¡¯m sure you can do better than that.¡±His challenger chuckled throatily. The spell was off his fingers even as she spoke.Fiery Shackles.Burning claws sprung up from the sand, clamping around her as he thrust himself backward, away from the blade and into her body with every ounce of strength he could summon.A loud pop echoed in the courtyard as he rolled head over heels across her, landing on his knees in the sand.A quick glance up confirmed what he expected to see - her leg, held in place by the spell, had been snapped badly enough that a sharp, jagged piece of bone stuck through the skin, glinting in the sun.So she¡¯s fast but fragile.Maybe I can do this. But his hopes flagged a moment later.Unperturbed by her injury, the Djinn casually swiped one of her daggers through the claws that bound her, and his spell fell apart.Reaching down, she grabbed hold of her leg and yanked the bone back into position.The skin closed up as soon as the bone disappeared and the Djinn showed no sign of injury as she took another step closer to him.Damn. ¡°Better, but still not good enough,¡±she smirked. Seraph¡¯s Burst.He didn¡¯t wait for her to make a move before casting the spell.In a blur of fire and wings, he shot across the arena, Arutu¡¯s shortsword gripped tight in his hands.But he had forgotten how fast she was. Her movement was so fast she was barely visible, as the Djinn simply stepped out of his way, waving at him with a mocking smile while he shot past her.He landed harmlessly in the sand beyond, the spell pulling him into its usual tight whirlwind of razor-sharp feathers, but they diced up nothing but air.Another spell was already on the tips of his fingers before the Seraph¡¯s Burst ended, but he didn¡¯t get a chance to cast it as she descended upon him. As soon as the spell-forged wings disappeared, her foot landed squarely in his back with enough force to make Superman jealous.Jasper was sent flying through the air again, his progress only halted when he collided face-first with one of the colonnade¡¯s pillars.His nose crumpled, and his head rang from the force of the blow.He was tossed back into the sand, landing hard.He struggled to breathe, dark spots swimming across his vision, but he somehow forced himself to stand, his legs shaking like jelly.Is she trying to kill me? His opponent was already standing beside him. Leaning against a nearby pillar, she waited idly as he struggled to his feet, twirling her twin daggers through her fingers with the ease granted by many years of practice. He swayed on his feet, pretending to be dizzier than he felt as he summoned another spell.Scourge of Despair.His play-acting must have deceived her, as the spectral whip reached her before she could blur her away.It lashed across her face, drawing an angry, bloody welt, and with it, three hungry ghosts. The watching crowd backed away as the wailing specters descended on her, and Jasper took the brief moment of respite to down a healing potion, rejoicing as the buzzing in his doubtless concussed brain faded into silence.But while he may have taken her by surprise, the Djinn was more than up to the task of facing the specters.Her double krises lashed out in a fury of blows, blocking the angry claws of the specters, and while the daggers did not immediately banish the ghosts, as it had his fiery shackles, the specters faded a little with each blow they took until they were banished, dissolving well before the timer ran out. With a flip of her hair, she turned back to face himself.Jasper expected her to be angry - few appreciated having their faces scarred - but the wound on her face had already healed up and the look in her eyes bore more amusement than wrath.She blurred forward again, bridging the gap between them in the space of a heartbeat, and rested her dagger against his throat. ¡°I assume you¡¯ll grant me the victory, my lord?Unless you have something else up your sleeve?¡± Jasper nodded mutely.He wasn¡¯t out of spells, but he was out of spells that wouldn¡¯t endanger the bystanders or, in the case of Purge, run the risk of outright killing her. She released him, though her daggers nicked the skin of his throat again as she removed them from his mouth - and Jasper knew she was far too skilled for that to be anything other than intentional.But the Djinn smiled broadly, patting his shoulder enthusiastically.¡°I hope you won¡¯t be a stranger to our little community,¡± she murmured.¡°I¡¯m sure we can teach you a thing or two.¡± He nodded mutely.Yeah, ¡°teaching.¡±That¡¯s totally what was happening here, but he kept his gripes to himself. With the show over the small crowd dissipated as Jasper and Annatta headed towards the temple¡¯s exit.As they walked, Jasper could feel the Djinn warrior¡¯s watchful gaze burning a hole in his back, but he didn¡¯t turn to look.It was only when they had left the temple, that he dared to stop. ¡°Are you alright?¡±Annatta asked. Jasper shrugged, rubbing at the faint scabs of blood-forming along his neck.¡°I¡¯ll live.It was more humiliating than anything else.¡± His guard frowned, starting to speak, but stopped as something caught her eye.¡°Turn around.¡± Bemused, he followed her instructions, frowning as she drew a small slip of paper from beneath his tunic.¡°Where did that come from?¡± ¡°Where did you think?¡±She replied wryly.¡°Look.¡±She held out the piece of paper to him.There was nothing written on it, save for two small symbols in the upper right corner.One was a pair of scythes bound together by a skull, the other a paw print of an animal.Jasper was no wildlife expert, but if he had to guess, it was a wolf.Barbartu? His gaze snapped back to the temple, half-expecting to see her watching from the top of the stairs, but there was no one there except for the guards, who oversaw the crowds with obvious boredom. Stuffing the paper into his pocket, he turned to Dapplegrim, heaving himself up into the saddle - a feat of strength these days, given her colossal size.¡°We should go.Now,¡± he snapped, and Annatta sprang into action.A moment later they were clattering out of the temple¡¯s plaza. A Horses Cantrip The twisting roads quickly took them out of sight of the temple, but Jasper couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling that lingered in the pit of his stomach.Why bother revealing herself to me?What game is she playing?The only answer that came to mind, at least the only one that made sense, was that she simply didn¡¯t take him seriously as a threat - she was just toying with him.It was a bitter pill to swallow. Lost in his thoughts, he didn¡¯t notice at first that Annatta was trying to catch his attention, until she sidled close to him, elbowing him hard in the ribs. ¡°Ow,¡± he yelped, looking over at her in surprise.¡°What the hell was that for?¡± But she just laid her hand on his wrist, squeezing it tightly.¡°Look behind you, quietly,¡± she muttered just below her breath. Following her instructions, he angled his head just far enough to the left to allow him to see down the street.The road still hummed with a certain amount of traffic, but much of the crowd had dissipated once the morning cool had given way to the heat of the day. And there, trailing perhaps fifty feet behind them, was a group of men.But they were no mere ruffians.Decked out in gleaming armor and riding on elegant steeds, the group could perhaps have been mistaken for a noble out with his entourage, if not for the all-too-familiar emblem etched into their tunics - two scythes joined by a skull. What?Why?Jasper¡¯s brow wrinkled in confusion as he quickly turned his eyes back to the road before them.He didn¡¯t understand why they were following him but, surely, he told himself, things were different here than they were in Ka?r-Kupp?.The royal armor and magnificent steed he rode made it clear to all they passed that he was a member of the royal house and under their protection.They wouldn¡¯t dare attack me out in the open, would they? As one street flowed into the other, he began to relax a little, especially once they crossed the bridge that led into the western side of the city without any problems. Pretending to be unconcerned, Annatta kept up a steady stream of lighthearted chatter, but eventually, she circled back to a topic he had been dreading. ¡°So about that name,¡± Annatta said with deliberate casualness. "It clearly meant something to you. You know her, don''t you?" Jasper didn''t answer immediately, as his heart began to race with a frenzied beat that could have made the energizer bunny jealous.A bitter taste filled his mouth, but he knew there was no point in refusing to answer. In the end, Annatta didn''t really work for him, she worked for S?arra?bi?, and he had no doubt she tell his uncle about the name. One way or another, he was going to have to explain. Still, it was almost a struggle to get the words out. ¡°I guess you could say that," he responded dryly, "seeing as Jacinda Welles is my mother.¡± ¡°Like an adoptive mother?"Glancing over at the Djinn, Jasper was surprised to see confusion more than shock mirrored in her eyes. A lightbulb went off in his head.¡°Oh, S?arra?bi? hasn¡¯t told you, has he?¡± ¡°Lord S?arra?bi?,¡± she corrected him gently.¡°And given that I have no idea what you''re referring to, I suppose not?¡± Jasper hesitated, debating whether to fill her in or not.¡°I¡¯m not really sure if I should tell you then; if S?arra?bi? wants it to be a secret-¡° As the heat of the midday sun had begun its rise to dizzying levels, the streets had slowly cleared out. A few brave souls, those with duties that couldn''t be put off until the evening or those with high-enough levels to ignore the sun''s piercing rays, still wandered the streets, but most of the bystanders had disappeared into the welcome cool provided by the thick, stone walls of their homes. And Jasper''s words cut off as the sudden sound of thundering hooves echoed from behind them. Whirling around in his saddle, he was surprised to see the armored cultists charging toward them. I guess I was wrong. Apparently they would dare to attack us. Dapplegrim didn''t even wait for him to respond. One minute, she was at a sedate trot; the next, she was charging down the road in a full-flung gallop. Annatta''s horse lagged slightly behind - the royal house certainly didn''t skimp on the mounts they provided to their guard, but the horses were no match for Dapplegrim. Despite her enormous size, she possessed a deceptive speed, and as her metallic hooves clashed against the cobblestones with a racket like thunder, little sparks flew in her wake. For a moment, it seemed as if the two would quickly outpace the cultists as within seconds, the gap between them had doubled. But whoever had outfitted their pursuers hadn¡¯t been miserly with their money.The cultists¡¯ mounts may not have been the equal of Dapplegrim in power or prowess but, for every problem, there was a solution. With an almost mechanical unity, the cultists pulled potions from their bags, dumping an unknown liquid over the horses'' heads. The response was immediate. Their eyes reddened, tribbles of foam spilled out of their mouths, and their veins bulged against their skin as if trying to escape, but the potion did the trick. With redoubled speed, the horses quickly began to gain ground, blowing past the handful of onlookers as if they were standing still and, in the case of one unfortunate soul, trampling them beneath their hooves. They reached the end of the street first, veering wildly to the left. It took a second for Jasper to realize Annatta was longer riding beside him. Twisted around in his saddle, he saw she had turned to face their pursuers. Her dagger clutched tight in her hand, she fought to steady her horse. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Get to the palace,¡± she screamed, not bothering to turn around and look at him.¡°I¡¯ll hold them off and follow when I can.¡± In the space of a second, a thousand competing thoughts flooded through his mind.She¡¯s a skilled warrior.But so are they.It¡¯s her duty as a bodyguard.he can just escape.But every scenario that flitted through his thoughts eventually arrived at one inescapable ending.Their horses, with whatever potion had been given them, were far faster than hers and there were simply too many of them for her to handle on her own.If I leave her, she''s going to die. He and Dapplegrim responded as one.Rearing up on her hind legs, Dapplegrim twisted around, slamming her front feet into the pavement.The stones cracked beneath the force of her blow, a sound like thunder echoing down the streets, and then, directly in front of the pursuers a wave of earth rose up. The low-lying wall was no more than two feet high, and the riders in the back of the group were able to soar over the impediment with no troubles.The horses in the front row, on the other hand, had no time to react.As they smashed into the rock at full speed, they and their riders went flying through the air. One of the Djinn was catapulted within arm¡¯s reach of Annatta and his screams were cut short as, with a simple flick of her wrist, her knife sliced through his throat.The rest of them landed in a tangled heap behind her, the street quickly ringing with the screams of the injured horses and their riders. One of the riders was instantly killed as her skull was smashed into the cobblestone road. The other couldn¡¯t stand, trapped beneath their horse whose front legs had snapped like twigs, although their panicked screams made it clear that they had survived the fall. For just a moment, their attackers hesitated, slowing down the mad flight of their horses just a smidge as doubt flooded them. Jasper couldn''t blame them; he was almost as taken aback by Dapplegrim¡¯s first use of earth magic as the cultists, but that didn¡¯t stop him from immediately capitalizing on the opening - he was no longer a wet-behind-the-ears rookie.His focus held firm as he released in quick succession the two spells he had already begun to summon. Fiery Shackles. Three more of the riders came to an abrupt halt as the fiery manacles clamped around their horses¡¯ hooves.The fire was little threat to the beasts or Djinn, but the sudden stop was just as effective as Dapplegrim¡¯s spell had been.More screams filled the air, but Jasper didn¡¯t wait to see where the men had been flung before casting the second spell.Flame Charge. A wave of fire exploded from his chest, covering every inch of his skin in a split second and from there quickly expanded across Dapplegrim¡¯s enormous form.He barely managed to snatch his sword free from its sheath as she reared up on her hind legs once again, neighing so loudly and deeply that it could almost be mistaken for a roar.Then, thudding back to the ground with the force of a miniature earthquake, Dapplegrim charged toward the cultists, fire and flame billowing behind them. Jasper needn''t have worried about dealing with the rider who had survived Dapplegrim¡¯s spell; the horse¡¯s rampage took her directly through the tangle of corpses, snuffing out the screams of the injured horse and rider.oosted by the spell to greater speeds than she had previously reached, they roared past Annatta and smashed into the ranks of the surviving attackers like a bowling ball through pins. He swung his sword at the closest Djinn, nearly dropping it with a scream of pain as the blade caught the Djinn square in his armored cuirass.the full power of Dapplegrim¡¯s momentum, and Jasper¡¯s bones groaned in agony as his shoulder was nearly wrenched out of the socket. The Djinn, however, bore the brunt of the blow.A crack like thunder echoed in the street as the Djinn was flung free from his mount. He landed, unmoving, his arms still rigidly clutching for the reins. A moment later, Jasper joined him on the ground. His sudden charge may have taken the Djinn by surprise, but they weren¡¯t totally unprepared for him.Hidden safely at the back of the group was a mage who cast his spell with the sure and steady hand afforded by years of experience. An enormous orb of fire smashed into Jasper, tossing him off Dapplegrim¡¯s back onto the rocky street.He landed on his back, the flames washing over him harmlessly, and promptly flipped over onto his knees. Stretching out his hand out towards the mage, a spell surged toward his fingers. But spindly purple tendrils, wreathed in a perpetual fire, erupted from the ground, wrapping around his wrists with an iron grip.His spell went awry as the tendrils dragged his hands to the ground, shooting harmlessly above the mage''s head.Jasper yanked at the vines, struggling to pull himself free, but the purple tendrils held firm, quickly growing stronger and thicker as they enclose his entire hands, cutting off his spells. But Jasper was not so easily deterred.His head snapped up as he pulled his essence to the mouth.His mind cringed at the thought of the coming pain - of once again broiling his mouth from the inside out - but it was better than dying. ¡°Stop!¡± Jasper''s lips parted to release the torrent of fire building withing him as Annatta¡¯s panicked cry rang out again. ¡°STOP!¡± The vines around his hands loosened as the mage¡¯s body sagged limply to the earth.Annatta stood behind the mage, blood dripping down the blade clutched in her hand. He nodded gratefully, rubbing his wrists ruefully as he stopped. ¡°Thanks for the assist. It¡¯s not like the fire would have hurt you, though,¡± he observed. The Djinn rolled her eyes.¡°Me, no.But that¡¯s no reason to barbecue my clothes.Not all of us get endless free uniforms from the royal house, you know.¡± She tossed him a healing potion, which he gladly accepted, as the two surveyed the impromptu battlefield. Aside from the mage she had just killed, three of the attackers lay on the ground where they had been thrown.They weren¡¯t moving, but Jasper thought he could detect the slightest hint of breathing coming from at least one of them.Another two lay facedown in pools of blood, their backs torn to shreds by blows he had no doubt were Annatta¡¯s handiwork.But there didn¡¯t seem to be enough bodies. ¡°It was a bigger group than this, wasn''t it?¡±He said, turning to Annatta with a frown. She nodded grimly.¡°Yes.¡±She swung into her saddle with a single graceful leap.¡°We should get moving.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stay for the guard,¡± Jasper objected, as he turned to face her. ¡°No, we need to go.Maybe they fled - or maybe they just went for reinforcements.We can¡¯t afford to find out.¡± She¡¯s right, he realized.Without another word, he pulled himself back up onto Dapplegrim with a decidedly less-than-graceful heave.Not stopping to check the dead, the two thundered down the street and away from the scene of the crime.More than a few glances were cast at the blood-stained pair as they galloped through the streets, but not even the guards they passed stopped them, their hands falling wordlessly to the side as they took in the wine-colored skin and red-scaled armor they wore.They rode hard, until their horses¡¯ flanks gleamed with sweat, but they did not slow their pace until they reached the palace complex. Family Ties It was only when the colossal metal gates slammed shut behind them that Annatta allowed them to stop, finally confident that they had left the danger behind.The guards clustered around them as they slipped off their panting horses and, after Annatta had filled them in on the details of their encounter, their commander immediately dispatched a group to investigate the scene of the attack. A few guards lingered around them protectively, but Jasper ignored them as he led Dapplegrim into the shade of the palace¡¯s forests, flopping down with a groan on the soft moss nestled between their roots. ¡°What the hell even was that?Why attack us in the open like that?Why attack us at all?It doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± he muttered.¡°If that ¡°Barbartu¡± had wanted me dead, she could have just killed me then and there, in the guise of a duel gone wrong.So why attack me like that?¡±Closing his eyes, he massaged his temples, futilely attempting to placate the piercing pangs of borderline mana deprivation, brought on by the back-to-back battles. Annatta stood above him, impatiently nudging him with her foot.¡°Come, Lord Yas?peh, get up.Lord S?arra?bi? will want to hear our report immediately.¡± He shook his head, unwilling to budge.¡°Give me a minute,¡± he barked. Stifling a sigh, she sat beside him, letting her hand trail in the pond''s cool waters.¡°Are you sure this Barbartu is your enemy,¡± she questioned. Jasper grunted.¡°If that¡¯s her idea of friendship, count me out. Besides, remember the letter she sent to the Keeper? She told her to deal with me, and the Keeper then tried to kill me, so I think it''s pretty safe to conclude she¡¯s my enemy. Unless,¡±He hesitated, before throwing out his own theory.¡°I guess there could be some sort of power struggle in the group?Maybe the brotherhood¡¯s not as unified as we think.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a possibility,¡± Annatta conceded, ¡°if she¡¯s even in the cult.¡±Jasper still had his eyes tightly shut, so he couldn¡¯t see her face, but that didn¡¯t stop him from hearing the doubt in her voice. He forced himself to sit up, ignoring the piercing pain in his head.¡°If? What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± Annatta frowned.¡°Well, I know the letter led the Seraphs to believe that this Barbartu belongs to the cult, but they hadn¡¯t actually seen her, had they?¡± Jasper¡¯s mind flickered back to the woman he had fought.Aside from her almost feral charm, nothing had seemed that strange about her.¡°Okay,¡± he said slowly, ¡°and?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a S?add?¡¯a, a mountain Djinn,¡± she said simply, as if that explained anything at all. Jasper resisted their urge to roll his eyes.¡°And that¡¯s relevant why?¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± the Djinn responded drolly.¡°You know, Lord Yas?peh, every time I forget you aren¡¯t exactly one of us, you find a way to remind me.You know the mountain Djinn mostly keep to themselves, right?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°I know they have a rather dark reputation.I¡¯ve heard them accused of everything from sacrificing children to casual cannibalism.I kind of assumed those tales weren¡¯t exactly accurate, though; surely the king wouldn¡¯t just let them get away with that.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Annatta bobbed her head from side to side.¡°Yes and no.Not every story you hear about them is true, but far too many are.Their reputation is well-deserved.My point, though, is that the S?add?¡¯a mostly keep to themselves.They live in bastions carved deep into the heart of the mountains and ignore the rest of us, including the king.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Jasper was surprised, finding it difficult to believe that anyone would dare to ignore the almost god-like being he had encountered in the palace.¡°And the king allows them to do that?¡± ¡°They''re not worth the trouble,¡± she explained.¡°Like us, the mountain Djinn generally attain fire immunity as they level up, but unlike us, their mages are generally blessed with various types of earth magic. "So they''re basically immune to your magic, but you''re not immune to theirs?" "Pretty much," Annatta agreed. "We could probably beat them into submission on the strength of sheer numbers alone - or if the Moon-kissed agreed to help - but any campaign against them would likely have exceptionally high casualties.So for the most part we just leave them alone.¡± Jasper frowned, wanting to object - if the mountain Djinn really committed some of the atrocities they were accused of, how could they be allowed to continue? But even as the thought crossed his mind, he released the hypocrisy of the sentiment.How many times on earth had humans simply looked away while dictators oppressed their people or even committed genocide? Unaware of his conflicted thoughts, Annatta continued on.¡°Anyways, as I was trying to say, I was shocked to see a S?addu?''a of them in the temple.There are probably no more than a few dozen of them in this entire city and, so far as I know, no S?add?¡¯a would be welcome in our temple cults, whether that be the cult of Nahre?mah or a more secretive - and exclusive - brotherhood.¡± ¡°But she was wearing the cloak of an instructor,¡± Jasper pointed out. Annatta shrugged.¡°And perhaps she really does belong to the brotherhood, but it¡¯s not as if those clothes couldn¡¯t have been stolen.All I¡¯m suggesting is that just because the Keeper was in the brotherhood doesn¡¯t necessarily mean her contact was as well.¡± ¡°Hmmh,¡± he grunted.¡°So maybe she didn''t want to kill me and someone else did?¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Maybe,¡± she agreed, ¡°It''s just a thought, my lord.But now,¡± the Djinn said, standing up and brushing away a few errant pieces of moss that clung to her tunic, ¡°it really is time to meet with Lord S?arra?bi?.He will likely be angry enough by our delay as it is.¡± Giving in to her better judgment, Jasper begrudgingly followed her. Annatta went in to talk with the Djinn lord first, leaving him waiting outside in the hall, feeling a bit like a naughty child waiting to see the principal.His office door was as stout as an ox and covered in runes burnt deep into the wood. He wasn''t sure at first what the runes did, but as the sound of raised voices echoed from the room, Jasper quickly discerned their purpose.o matter how hard he listened, he could not decipher a single word that was being said, every sound that fell on his ears merging into an incomprehensible jumble. It was only after more than an hour of waiting that Annatta finally emerged from S?arra?bi?¡¯s chambers.She looked a little worse for the wear, her usually pristine hair knocked astray and a crease of worry between her usually smooth brows.¡°I see you¡¯ve been holding out on me, my lord.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Jasper asked, raising his head.¡°About what?¡± ¡°Your mother.¡± Jasper grimaced.¡°Yeah, sorry, didn¡¯t even know that was a secret, to be honest.¡± The Djinn shook her head, ¡°No, you did the right thing.I just..well-¡° she lowered her voice, glancing over her shoulder at the now-closed door, ¡°his sister¡¯s death was something Lord S?arra?bi? never really got over.He always blamed himself for not being there, so to find out that it was all a lie-¡± she hesitated, a frown forming on her lips. "I guess I understand now why he''s been so temperamental lately. Anyways,¡± she continued more loudly, ¡°Lord S?arra?bi? is ready to see you now.¡± Reluctantly, he slipped past her into the room.He fastened the heavy, rune-ridden door behind him securely before he turned to face his uncle. The study was as opulent as he had remembered.Despite the heat of the day, a fire crackled in the hearth, its orange flames reflecting off the burnished copper tiles that lined the floor.The walls were burdened with a motley assortment of books and artifacts, including an impressive display of weapons, save for the northern wall whose large box windows overlooked the gardened forest below. S?arra?bi stood at the window, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed out onto the palace grounds.He didn¡¯t speak, but Jasper knew what he wanted, joining his side reluctantly. ¡°Annatta¡¯s report was¡­enlightening.¡±S?arra?bi?¡¯s voice was low and thick, almost a rumble, as he glanced down at Jasper, and his amber eyes smoldered with barely restrained rage.¡°You have hidden things from me, important things.¡± Jasper said nothing, staring out the window studiously while S?arra?bi? glared at him. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to begin.Shall we start with the Seraphs you are consorting with?The trollop you cavorted with?Or perhaps that your mother, my sister, somehow, someway has access to this realm?¡± He took a step closer to Jasper, his fists clenched with a rage that threatened to boil over.¡°Are you in contact with her?Are you keeping her from me?¡± ¡°Woah, hold your horses,¡± Jasper took a step back, raising his hands.¡°That was as much of a surprise to me as it was to you.You don''t think the first thing I asked myself when I realized that she maybe has access to this world is why the hell she hasn¡¯t tried to contact me?Why she hasn¡¯t tried to save me?¡±His voice bled with unadulterated pain and anger. A long tense silence stretched between the two, and then, as suddenly as it had arisen, the rage dissipated, leaving in its place only sorrow. S?arra?bi?''s shoulders slumped and he sighed deeply as he turned away, staring out the window with unseeing eyes.¡°Why didn''t you just come to me, Da¡¯iqta?I could have made it all go away¡­¡± After a moment, he turned back to Jasper with an almost apologetic expression.¡°Perhaps I was too hasty in my assumptions - but don¡¯t try to pretend you didn¡¯t hide your association with Seraphs from me.You know that my sister¡¯s lover was a Seraph and you know too that I had him killed for his role in her supposed death.The Seraphs are not our friends, Yas?peh.¡± Jasper shrugged, not entirely willing to accept his uncle¡¯s spoken apology.¡°They might not be your friends, but there¡¯s no bad blood between us.¡± S?arra?bi? frowned, but he didn¡¯t contradict him.¡°Just tell me about your mother,¡± he said with a sigh.¡°Everything this time - whether you think it relevant or not.Annatta said her name on earth was something like Jakanda Welles?¡± ¡°Jacinda,¡± Jasper corrected.¡°Like the flower.¡± His uncle raised his brow,¡°What flower?¡± ¡°You know, hyacinths?Short little pillars of blue, purple, or white?¡±His uncle shook his head.¡°Oh, I guess maybe you don¡¯t have them here,¡± Jasper realized.¡°On earth, they¡¯re named after a mythological prince who was lovers with the sun god Apollo.I don¡¯t really remember the details of the story, but at some point, the god accidentally kills him.¡±He screwed up his face, trying to remember the details.¡°Was it in a hunt? Or¡­a discus,¡± he finally remembered.¡°He was killed in a discus-throwing competition.Anyways, after his death, the god was inconsolable.Not even the ambrosia of the gods was sufficient to bring him back to life and, then, as Apollo wept over his lover''s grave, flowers sprouted wherever his tears hit - hyacinths.¡± ¡°A sad story,¡± S?arra?bi? observed. Jasper shrugged.¡°Eh, that¡¯s not really the end.Somehow or other, Prince Hyacinth ends up getting resurrected and becoming an immortal himself, taking his seat on Mount Olympus.So I guess the flowers are not just a symbol of grief, but also rebirth.¡± S?arra?bi?¡¯s lips twisted in a wry grin.¡°Then Da¡¯iqta chose her name well.And what is her connection to the merchant¡¯s daughter you slept with?Laylah, was it?¡± Jasper shrugged his shoulders helplessly.¡°I¡¯m completely baffled.That was the first time I had ever met Laylah, and I had nothing more than a brief fling with her.¡±He hesitated.¡°I didn''t want her to get killed as a way to get to me.But I have no idea where she would have heard that name.I certainly never told Laylah anything about my mother and, of course, it would have been impossible for me to have told my mother about Laylah.Perhaps some sort of mental magic was used to read my mind, or maybe¡­,¡± he trailed, unable to think of a decent explanation. His uncle clucked his tongue in disappointment.¡°Why are you ignoring the most likely explanation?¡± he pointed out.¡°I have not yet determined how my sister crossed over to the world in which you were born, but apparently she did.f she was able to go there, then clearly someone other than the Mwyrani has figured out how to travel back and forth.Is it not possible that she really did take this lover of yours?¡± ¡°But why?How would even she know about her?¡±Jasper protested.¡°I never saw my mother do anything abnormal on Earth.¡± Turning away from the window, the Djinn sank into the plush leather chair at his desk.¡°We never have discussed your previous life, have we?Tell me what she was like while you were growing up.Perhaps there are some clues to be gathered.¡± Lord Ishkas Enclave Joining him at the desk, Jasper began his story.No father, just a single mother in a home bit too small; one older brother and a twin sister, now deceased.A boring office job for too little pay and too many loans.It wasn¡¯t the best of lives, but neither was it particularly horrible.Indeed, if Jasper had to choose a single word to describe his past, it would have been ¡°unremarkable.¡± S?arra?bi? kept silent as he spoke, only asking a few questions, but he never stopped writing in his notebook, filling one page after another with a hastily scribbled scrawl.When Jasper finally finished, he waited expectantly while S?arra?bi? shuffled through the pages he had written.At last, the Djinn looked up.¡°I¡¯m not certain, but I think your memories have been altered. Jasper frowned.¡°What do you mean they¡¯ve been altered?¡± The Djinn circled one of the paragraphs in his notebook, shoving it across the desk to Jasper.¡°This was your description of age six.Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡± Picking up the book, he scanned it quickly.It was a bit difficult to decipher the Djinn¡¯s handwriting - clearly, he had missed his true calling as a doctor - but beyond that, Jasper saw nothing wrong.¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting at,¡± he reluctantly admitted. S?arra?bi flipped through the pages to another entry.¡°Read this one.¡± Jasper skimmed through the second entry, shaking his head in confusion as he reached the end.¡°It looks normal enough.What are you wanting me to see?¡¯ The Djinn¡¯s frown deepened as he took the notebook back.¡°It appears you have some sort of mental block in place, then.By my count, there are no less than five instances in your life - two in childhood and three as an adult - where your mother disappeared for a significant length of time.¡± Jasper furrowed his brow.¡°What are you talking about?¡± S?arra?bi? shook his head.¡°Yas?peh, when you were six, you and your siblings spent the entire year with a friend of yours'' parents.Where was your mother during this time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.We just spent a few nights with them,¡± he protested. ¡°A few nights?¡±S?arra?bi?¡¯s eyebrows nearly shot through the ceiling.¡°Reread what you told me, Yas?peh.It was a year, a full year.¡± That can¡¯t be right.Once again, he glanced over the pages, trying to remember where his mother was.But the harder he tried to concentrate, the more his memories of that year slipped through his grasp like a greased pig at a gallop.They were there, but much like the word that lingers unspoken on the tip of your tongue, he just couldn¡¯t quite remember it.¡°I don¡¯t know where she was,¡± he conceded unhappily. ¡°Do you really think my memories have been tampered with?Shouldn¡¯t the Fey charm protect me?¡±He patted the bracelet on his wrist which was utterly inert. ¡°The charm likely can only protect you from current attacks, not fix damage from the past.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°But if your memories have been tampered with, it tells us something else important, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The Djinn paused, clearly waiting expectantly for Jasper to fill in the blank.Closing his eyes, Jasper forced his mind to go back over the details.As long as he kept clear of the handful of moments S?arra?bi? had identified, he had no trouble remembering his mother.But it wasn¡¯t immediately obvious to him what the Djinn meant; his only memories of her, after all, were as a seemingly normal human. Absentmindedly, his hand rubbed the signet ring on his fingers, the ring from the cult of Nahre?mah, and the ritual from her diary came roaring back to him.¡°She may have altered her appearance, but she was still able to use essence on me,¡± he said abruptly, ¡°Or else she had an accomplice,¡± ¡°That is my assessment,¡± S?arra?bi? agreed.¡°Whether she or a friend tampered with your memories, Da¡¯iqta clearly has access to magic, and if she has access to magic, there is no telling what the current limit of her capabilities would be.I think it best to proceed under the assumption that your mother really did take this Laylah girl.¡±He grinned.¡°And if she did, that implies she is keeping tracking of you in some way or another.¡± S?arra?bi? was clearly elated by the prospect that his sister may be more reachable than he had thought, but Jasper couldn¡¯t share in the Djinn¡¯s jubilation.One thought kept running through his mind instead.If she really took Laylah, why couldn¡¯t she rescue me? But he had little time to brood on that question.¡°And that brings us to the Seraphs.¡±S?arra?bi? circled back to the earlier question.¡°Tell me again why are you working with the Seraphs?¡± Jasper hesitated a moment before replying, unsure whether to trust S?arra?bi? with the details of his quest for Kas?dael.But the cat¡¯s pretty much of the bag anyway, isn¡¯t it?¡°Well, I¡¯m investigating the cult of Nahre?mah¡­.¡± Jasper quickly filled S?arra?bi? in on the details, explaining how he had gotten in touch with the Seraphs.¡°So you see, it¡¯s all just a coincidence.¡± S?arra?bi leaned back in his chair as Jasper ceased speaking, a deep frown on his face.¡°You are right - it seems like it must be nothing more than a coincidence, but¡­¡± The Djinn lord¡¯s voice trailed off.¡°Something does not sit right with me.¡± Leaning forward, he continued.¡°You said you had an older brother, correct?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So you cannot be the child my sister bore when she fled.Nor,¡± he added after a moment¡¯s pause, ¡°can you be the child of her seraph lover, Abdiel.He died only a few months after her disappearance and his death, unlike my sister¡¯s, was no ruse.¡±A slightly guilty look flickered into his eyes, disappearing a second later.¡°Of that, I am, unfortunately, all too certain of.The logical conclusion, then, is that you have no actual connection to the Seraphs.You are likely only half-Djinn, the child of some human my sister met on your world.That would explain, too, why you experienced such pain when I gave you the gis?a?tu leaf - the tree was meant to bond with full-blooded Djinn, but it must have judged you worthy anyways, sparing your life.¡± ¡°All of which,¡± the Djinn pounded his desk, ¡°only serves to make your story more baffling.If you truly have no connection to the Seraphs, why do you continue to run into them?¡± Jasper frowned.¡°It¡¯s just been twice really - the shapeshifter at Hargish and Abnu.¡± S?arra?bi? tossed a file in Jasper¡¯s direction.¡°Make that three.¡± Curious, Jasper perused the file while the Djinn continued speaking.¡°If you remember, I promised you that I would try to track down the quest attached to your weapon - the Sir Jakaryus who crafted it?¡± ¡°You found him for me?¡±Jasper¡¯s head snapped up, and he shifted forward eagerly.¡°My shortsword just isn¡¯t cutting it.¡± ¡°I found his grave,¡± S?arra?bi? corrected him.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yas?peh, but he died several decades ago.I¡¯m afraid your quest cannot be completed.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Jasper settled back.¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The Djinn nodded sympathetically.¡°It is always disappointing to receive a quest you can¡¯t complete.The System tries to account for it, but sometimes things slip through the cracks; the gods can¡¯t see all, after all.¡± ¡°You say you need a weapon?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°I received a short sword from a Mwyrani, but it¡¯s not my favorite.I really miss the range the glaive provided.¡± His uncle raised a brow.¡°A Mwyrani?You¡¯ve been in contact with one of the star gods?¡± ¡°Well, more than one, actually,¡± he admitted. S?arra?bi? leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples.¡°Every time I think I¡¯ve wrung the last secret out of you, I learn something else.¡±He looked him at sharply.¡°You don¡¯t have anything else you want to disclose, do you?A few Sidhe at your beck and call, a secret portal that leads back to your homeward, an encounter with the Progenitor himself?¡± Jasper shook his head no, but his mind immediately flitted to the quest he¡¯d received from the gods - the quest to pursue apothesis. S?arra?bi?¡¯s eyes narrowed, no doubt seeing something in Jasper¡¯s expression, but the Djinn let it pass.Instead, grabbing a piece of paper, he quickly scribbled something down on it and tossed it at him.He scribbled something down quickly on a piece of paper and tossed it at him.The paper fluttered through the air like a drunk butterfly, but Jasper scooped it up easily enough.¡°Well, any nephew of mine needs a decent weapon.Take that note to the smithies, and they¡¯ll take care of you.¡± Jasper started to express his thanks, but S?arra?bi? waved his hand impatiently.¡°Yes, yes, as I said: if you¡¯re going to work for me, a good weapon is a necessity.¡±He paused to collect his thoughts, ¡°But to return to what I was saying before you distracted me, once my agents found Jakaryus¡¯ grave, I decided to do a little digging on the compound where you first arrived.I¡¯m sure you can already guess what I discovered.¡± ¡°They were Seraphs?¡±Jasper ventured. ¡°Indeed,¡± his uncle confirmed.¡°Which is quite unusual.While there are a few merchants who regularly trade with Gis?-Izum, aside from them, it is rare for any group of Djinn to choose to live outside our lands.Fortunately, everyone who leaves the provinces must depart through Du?r-S?innu, so it wasn¡¯t a particularly difficult task to track down records of this group.¡± He flipped through his notebook until he reached the relevant entry.¡°Let¡¯s see, about two hundred years ago, a small group of Seraphs - Jakaryus among them - split from the Namurru clan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same clan Abnu belongs to,¡± Jasper interrupted. ¡°Obviously mere coincidence,¡± S?arra?bi? replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.¡°As it happens, the members of this particular group were in some sort of religious cult.¡± Jasper knit his brow together.¡°As in dark cultists?¡± The Djinn snorted.¡°Hardly.By all accounts, they were eccentric, obstinate, and querulous, but there is no insinuation that these Seraphs were mixed up in any type of dark arts.¡± ¡°So why did they leave?¡° ¡°The Seraphs elders hold a much tighter grip on their power than most of our clans do these days; they''re a very traditionally minded group.¡± Jasper kept his expression neutral, but he couldn¡¯t but wonder just how bound by tradition the Seraphs were if the Royal House found them too extreme. ¡°This particular group apparently followed a leader named Lord Ishka, a rather talented mage who was completely unable to get along with the Namurru elders.Once this Lord Ishka managed to get himself banished, his friends chose to leave with him.They established the enclave you stumbled across in Sapi?ya and dwelt there for a bit over a century until the leader died, or perhaps disappeared, under unusual circumstances.After his death, the commune seems to have dissolved.¡± S?arra?bi? leaned back in his chair, propping his legs up on his desk. ¡°As far as I can tell, most of the Djinn that belonged to the commune were never heard from again.A single group of about twenty of them - Jakyarus among them - was recorded passing through Du?r-S?innu and eventually reconciled with the Namurru elders, but as for the rest?They vanished like smoke in the wind.¡± ¡°Perhaps they moved deeper into the jungles; surely the tiger I encountered outside Hargish was one of them,¡± Jasper pointed out. ¡°It is quite likely that this ¡®Namrah¡¯ was a former member of the enclave,¡± S?arra?bi? agreed, ¡°but I¡¯m skeptical that the majority are living in the jungle.Even if they could entirely avoid detection by both Aphora¡¯s elves and the empire, which I doubt, it is more likely that they achieved Lord Ishka¡¯s goals.¡± Jasper cocked his head to the side.¡°That¡¯s right.You never did say what their beliefs were.¡± S?arra?bi? grinned, revealing his row of jet-black teeth.¡°As a matter of fact, they were rather relevant to you.¡± Jasper arched an eyebrow in surprise.¡°Me?How?¡± ¡°There was a prophecy,¡± the Djinn said, his tone somber and serious, ¡°of a mighty and powerful Djinn who would come to save the empire from danger and carry them off to the land of Nu?r.¡± Jasper just blinked, unsure what to say.¡°Uh-¡° Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s booming laughter echoed off the study¡¯s walls with such force that even the noise-muffling runes were likely not sufficient to mute it.¡°Shamsha¡¯s light,¡± his uncle gasped, slapping the table, ¡°You really are gullible.¡± Jasper could feel his face burning with embarrassment - even if his wine-red skin hid the tell-tale signs - as the Djinn laughed.But he took it in good humor.¡°Fine, fine, you got me.¡± When S?arra?bi? finally stopped laughing, he once again leaned back in his chair.¡°Obviously, the prophecy stuff was a joke, but there really is a connection between their beliefs and you.¡± Jasper crossed his arms, not willing to take the bait again so soon.¡°And that connection is?¡± ¡°Lord Ishka¡¯s followers were true devotees of the old faith, of Nu?r.the distinction between Nu?r and Shamsha?¡±S?arra?bi? asked. ¡°The subject¡¯s come up,¡± Jasper replied, after some thought.¡°Annatta said something about them being both ¡®one and not one.¡¯¡± Surprise bloomed on the noble¡¯s face.¡°So she actually was paying attention during temple,¡± he mused to himself.¡°That is essentially right.Although the Djinn are one of the oldest races in this world, unlike the Fey and Elves, we are not natives.Our kind was born on another world, beneath another sun - Lord Nu?r.The priests teach all suns are simply the manifestation of a singular entity, be he S?amsha, Nu?r, or-¡° he hesitated a moment, ¡°I believe your world calls him Sol, no?¡± Jasper nodded slowly. ¡°But there are some amongst us, the so-called ''old believers,'' who maintain that Nu?r and Shamsha are entirely separate gods.They will participate in the worship of Shamsha, but they acknowledge only Nu?r as our father and maintain many rites that have long since fallen out of usage.¡± ¡°And this particular group shared those beliefs.Lord Ishka was obsessed with the idea of returning to our original homeworld, Zaginnu, believing that, quote, ¡®no Djinn bereft of Nu?r¡¯s rays can ever reach their true potential, but only those blessed by his holy light.¡¯¡± ¡°This is related to the Nu?radi?n myth, right?¡±Jasper questioned.¡°But wasn¡¯t Zaginnu destroyed?¡± S?arra?bi? shrugged.¡°Who knows?What few texts we have from the time only confirm that we fled from our homeland after a series of terrible disasters, following in the footsteps of the Mwryani to arrive here.It is true that the priests teach that Zaginnu perished, but much knowledge has been lost or distorted over the many millennia since our arrival. there are none living amongst the Djinn,¡± his mouth twisted wryly, ¡°at least as far as I know, that possess the knowledge or means to return and verify if Zaginnu was truly destroyed.Lord Ishka, however, was completely obsessed with the idea.¡± ¡°And as absurd as the man¡¯s ideas were, Ishka was not crazy.Just three of the twenty who returned to our lands are still living and, after going over my agents conversations with them, I think it possible that this Seraph enclave may have genuinely rediscovered a method that would allow them to consistently and regularly pass between worlds, searching for our lost homeland.Unfortunately, those who were left behind did not belong to the inner circle of the cult and don''t know how it worked.¡± ¡°So, the enclave I arrived at was doing experiments on traveling between worlds¡­¡±Jasper began slowly, ¡°That seems unlikely to be mere coincidence.¡± ¡°Highly unlikely,¡± S?arra?bi? agreed.¡°I¡¯m not sure what binds you to them, but I firmly believe that the Seraphs and that enclave are in some way connected to your arrival to this plane.¡± ¡°Should I meet them, then?¡±Jasper blurted out.¡°The elders, I mean.Abnu¡¯s friend said they wanted me to meet with them.¡±He paused a moment to collect his thoughts.¡°But Abnu really didn¡¯t seem to have any idea who I was.¡± S?arra?bi? frowned, steepling his fingers.¡°Perhaps he didn¡¯t,¡± the Djinn offered.¡°Perhaps the Seraphs are playing some game with you, or perhaps you are merely caught in the webs of the Spectral Spiders, fated to encounter them again and again.At this point, no possibility can be ruled out.¡± ¡°I think you should go,¡± he added after a moment¡¯s thought.¡°If Da¡¯iqta really is alive, I want to see her again, and these elders might just hold the keys.¡± ¡°Be careful though,¡± he warned.¡°If Abdiel is not your father, then you are no kin to them, but you are kin to me.It is possible that some of the Seraphs might harbor thoughts of revenge for Abdiel¡¯s death.Do not go alone.¡± Jasper smiled.¡°I think I learned my lesson on that.¡± The Djinn laughed, shaking his head in denial.¡°Somehow I doubt that.If you take after your mother, it will take more than one lesson to teach you anything.¡± E?gidim The soft light of the morning sun reflected off the damp stones, beaded with water, of Du?r-S?ad¨º¡¯s ramparts as the elves made their way across the great moat.Not wanting to wait for the stronghold¡¯s ice mages to reconstruct the bridge, their own mages bent their wills to the task.Their sheer numbers were more than enough to accomplish the trick - and more.Within minutes an elegant, arched bridged had risen from the waters, the sides lined with one crazy statue after another, each mage striving to outdo their rivals. Bunch of showoffs.Eligon stood at the top of Du?r-S?ad¨º¡¯s highest donjon.A stiff, cold wind blew against his cheeks, bringing with it great black clouds whose faces promised rain.But Eligon did not budge, even when the first drops of rain begin to fall on his head, but steadfastly watched their departure until the last of their caravans disappeared into the misty hills. Only then did he return to his manor, his guards with him.Leaving them outside the door, he slipped into his study and shrugged off the thick ermine mantle draped over his shoulders. ¡°Well?¡± He glanced up in surprise, but the tension in his shoulder relaxed as he saw his friend.The room was dark, the curtains still drawn from the night before - not that opening them would have admitted much light in the face of the coming storm.But Vaya?bi? sat by the crackling fire, his face almost hidden in the shadow while the light of the flickering flames danced across his legs. ¡°Are they gone?¡± The Emperor sighed heavily as he settled into a seat opposite Vaya?bi?¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡± His friend shrugged.¡°You didn¡¯t have to watch them depart." Eligon snorted.¡°If I didn¡¯t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it.They must have taken an oath not to leave before the last shank of beef had departed from my cupboards and the last flagon of ale was drunk as dry as Stryn¡¯s summers.¡±He grinned wryly.¡°As it is, a few of them have stuck around.¡± ¡°And whose fault is that,¡± Vaya?bi? laughed. "If you''d just told them no..." Eligon, frowned, not joining his friend¡¯s laughter. ¡°They ask for too much.¡±Quieting down, Vaya?bi? didn¡¯t reply, his eyes growing watchful as he waited for the emperor to continue. With a groan, Eligon put his face in his hands, running his fingers through his damp hair.¡°How can I do it, Vaya?bi??To give up my birthright, my father¡¯s and grandfather¡¯s before me claims, without a fight?What of my children?Do they not deserve a father who will fight for their futures?Or the empire?Even the elves have so little faith in the heir of Nu?rili?¡¯s competence to finish this war that they are actually willing to let me remain on the throne until victory is won.How can I entrust the empire to a man like that?¡± Standing up, Vaya?bi? walked to the sidebar while his friend ranted, and flipped a cup over.With a flourish of his wrist, he poured a steady stream of brandy into the cup before offering it to his friend. Eligon accepted it mutely, and the two sat in silence by the fire until the last dregs of the cup were drained. ¡°I¡¯m going to ¨¦gidim,¡± he said abruptly. Vaya?bi?¡¯s head snapped up.¡°What?You can¡¯t, my lord.¡± Eligon stood up, and the calm certitude that gleamed in his eyes as he turned to face his friend told Vaya?bi? everything he needed to know.The decision had been made; there was no point in arguing. ¡°When are you going?¡±He asked, more calmly. Placing the empty cup on the buffet, Eligon snatched up his damp ermine mantel and wrung the moisture out of it before responding.¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°That soon. Am I going with you?¡± The emperor shook his head.¡°No, you are needed here.¡±He placed his hand on Vaya?bi?¡¯s shoulders.¡°We need to figure out what those Zalancthians potions do, and how to stop them.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Vaya?bi? agreed.The emperor turned to leave his study but paused at the door as he heard his friend speak one more time.¡°Are you sure?Even most priests avoid visiting ¨¦gidim.¡± With his hand on the knob, Eligon turned back to his friend with a bitter smile.¡°Well, it is fortunate, then, that I¡¯m no priest.¡±
The following morn was one much like the previous, but there was no fanfare when Eligon slipped out of the stronghold¡¯s gates, accompanied by just a handful of his guards.No sooner had they turned to the south than the rains began again, turning the roads into a morass of mud that even their finest stallions struggled to push through. In a strange way, it is fitting, Eligon decided; the rains matched the turmoil in his heart, the fear that rose at the mere thought of visiting ¨¦gidim. One day turned into a week and then into a month.The rainy season was in full force now, but they labored on, in misery and mud, until they reached their destination: the portal of Almakka?r. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Situated on the banks of the Dayya?nu, whose wide, navigable course flowed directly to the eastern seas, Almakka?r had once been a bustling port.Its Agami?nite merchants had carried on a brisk trade with the capital city and Sicya, their reach even extending as far as Yammaqom in the north and the great isle of Be?rs?ad? to the east.But like so many of the empire''s cities, it had been destroyed in the Fey Wars.Almakka?r''s entire population had been killed or enslaved, save for the few merchants who escaped on the fleets, never to return.All that remained now of the once great city was its portal. A marvel of magical architecture, built in the early days of the empire, the mighty edifice was barely touched by the ravages of time. Not even a brick was out of place on the three enormous towers that rose above the landscape, joined together into a single structure by black walls that curved steeply inwards. Eligon¡¯s lips quirked in a bitter smile as he gazed at the towers; every time he saw them, he was torn between wonder and anger.Rather than shape stone native to the region, the builders had created their own stone, whose jet-black surface was resistant to all attempts to destroy it.It was a true testament to their power and yet... Our fathers gorged themselves on magic and left us to scrounge beneath the table for scraps. In the end, anger was usually the feeling that won out. Ignoring the tower closest to them, Eligon charted course for the southernmost tower.Presiding over a bluff that bordered the great river, the tower kept a mournful watch over the crumbling homes.Twin gates barred the entrance to the tower, their faces filled from top to bottom with scores of elaborate bas-reliefs that many a scholar had dedicated their lives to studying. But the gates would not bar his passage.The pendant of the emperor weighed heavily on his chest as he and his guards approached the foot of the tower, and Eligon could not escape the feeling that he was unworthy to bear the ancient insignia, but the towers passed no such judgment on him.With a rumble of gears, the twin doors swung open before their master, shutting behind them as soon as they were safe inside. The portal itself lay silent, a spiraling arch of solid black rock whose threshold no longer brimmed with the magical effusion that would allow them to pass.There were no caretakers to power it these days, no guards to watch it save for the impenetrable rock itself, but for this, too, he had come prepared.Mer?m wasted no time setting up the ritual circle, her hands steady and confident as she etched the runes that would channel her eldritch essence into the portal.Her confidence was well-earned; the portal flared to life almost as soon as she begin her meditation. A low rumble echoed through the dark tower, as the black portal filled with a golden liquid whose surface bubbled and steamed. One by one, the small group passed through. The guards went first, in case there was any danger waiting for them on the other side, and he was left alone with Mer?m.Eligon hesitated beside her, his eyes drawn to the internal gates of the tower, which led deeper into the fallen stronghold.¡°You should set up a protective barrier when I pass through,¡± he warned her. The mage nodded, her eyes still closed in concentration as she focused on channeling the strange essence into the portal.¡°Of course, my lord,¡± she replied slowly. ¡°But please, my lord, do not tarry any longer - the ritual is drawing to an end.¡± ¡°Just stay in the tower.There are rumors that dark things have taken up their abode in the fortress,¡± he warned her again, and then he stepped through. The cold rains of the last month had not been sufficient to prepare him for the blast of cold that met him the instant he stepped free of the nearly scaldingly-hot golden liquid.Va?ya howled across the barren mountain peaks, unshackled by the forests that tamed her wildest impulses or the sturdy walls that brought her to her knees.Damn.He pulled his cloak tighter around him, as he joined the rest of his guards. ¡°You have all the supplies you need to open the portal from this side?¡±He asked At?.The other runic mage in the group bowed respectfully.¡°Indeed, my lord,¡± he replied softly.¡°I have prepared everything we need.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Eligon grunted.¡°Stay here till we return.¡±Not waiting for the man¡¯s reply, he began to stumble down the snowy slopes toward their destination - the halls of ¨¦gidim. The nine of them walked in silence, dread hanging ominously above the group like a summer stormcloud.The snow drifts were piled high, the fickle winds constantly pushing them to and fro, covering up their tracks as soon as they had passed.Fortunately, the group did not have far to go.Slowly the snow receded, despite the wind¡¯s best attempts to cover the ground, as an entrance in the ground emerged.Not a trace of ice, not even a single drop of snow survived long on the hot, black rock, and the wide, circular set of stairs that led deep into the ground. To Eligon¡¯s surprise, they were not alone.A small group of priests, laden with gifts for the residents of ¨¦gidim were making their way down the steep slopes.The priests ignored them until they draw near, then darted to the side with deep bows as the Emperor passed.¡°My lord,¡± they cried, prostrating themselves.He passed them in silence, their reverence feeling like a bitter mockery given the purpose of his mission. They continued their downward descent, deeper and deeper into the crater on the side of the mountain.The winds were left howling futilely above them; the cold too was left behind, with the black rock of the crater emitting a constant, smoldering heat.Pausing to wipe the sweat from their brows, the group bundled their cloaks into their bags of holding before continuing to the bottom. The great circular steps led to a small temple, the destination of the priests.There, the statues of the dead watched over the barren slopes.Their monstrous forms were draped in fresh silk coats, and bowls of food laid at their clawed feet.Sword and shields were clutched in their hands, feathers sprouting from their limbs and behind them rose great feathery wings. Prostrating himself before the greatest statue, the emperor unsheathed his sword.¡°All hail the Maryannu,¡± he muttered softly.¡°All hail the victorious dead.¡± Sliding his hand across the sword, he did not allow himself even a whimper as he twisted the blade into his palm. The blood gushed forth, dripping freely down the blade onto the base of the statue. Eligon remained prostrate until a low rumble in the ground told him his unspoken request had been answered. Standing up, he wiped his blade clean before sheathing it. The wound he left unbandaged, allowing it to bleed until it stopped; such was the way of a sacrifice to the spirits. Only when he was done, did the emperor turn to see the fruits of his offering. A small fissure had opened up behind him.A faint vapor rose from the yawning crevice, and even from a few feet away, he could feel the searing heat.The crack was small, just large enough to accommodate one person. Guess I''m going alone. With a sigh, he plopped down by the crevice, placing his legs inside the earth¡¯s hungry mouth.Then, he thrust himself down, surrendering himself to ¨¦gidim - surrendering himself to the Halls of the Dead. Lady Kas?i?tu?ma When Jasper finally left S?arra?bi?¡¯s study, he was surprised at the feeling of relief that washed over him.He had been dreading seeing his uncle again.He resented the Djinn thoroughly - for forcing him to work for him, for risking his life by feeding him the gis?a?tu leaf, even for forcing him to work with Annatta, although now that the worst of their disagreements had been ironed out he really didn¡¯t mind having the pretty Djinn around. But the discussion had gone better than he expected.Perhaps it won¡¯t be so bad working with him after all, he admitted to himself. Annatta was waiting for him outside the door. He half-expected her to pounce on him with questions, but she held her peace instead as they headed back out to their horses. Hopping up on Dapplegrim, Jasper was about to start down the road toward his home when he remembered the note his uncle had given. Why not? "Annatta, can you take me to wherever the palace smithies work?" "Of course, my lord. Looking to buy something?" She led them down a path he hadn''t been on before that curved away from the As?rukkat back towards the heart of the city. Jasper just shrugged, "Maybe. S?arra?bi? gave me some sort of note for them. Said they could help with a weapon." "Lord S?arra?bi?," she corrected him, trailing off with a sigh. "Why do I even try," she muttered to herself. Jasper ignored her, as his thoughts drifted back to the discussion he and S?arra?bi? had had.It had been a few weeks since he''d discovered that his mother might have been a Djinn.But the realization that his memories had been altered had blown that shield to pieces.Where did she go all those times?What sort of magic could she do?Did she even try to rescue me?The painful thoughts buzzed through his mind like pesky flies, obstinately refusing to leave no matter how hard he tried to shoo them away.Did I ever really know her?Was it all a lie? Consumed by his doubts, Jasper didn¡¯t even notice they had arrived at the smithies until Annatta shook him by the shoulder. ¡°Lord Yas?peh!¡±He blinked, surprised at the slightly peeved tone in her voice.Annatta, for all her faults, was generally extremely careful to be obsequious in public. ¡°Yes?¡± He snapped sullenly. ¡°The groom is waiting to take your horse.¡± Glancing down, he realized a servant was waiting for him.Sliding out of the saddle, he slipped Dapplegrim a sugar cube or two before handing the reins over to the servant.As the groom led her away, Jasper surveyed his surroundings. The palace smithies were a surprisingly large complex.Rows of bulky warehouses flanked every side of a central square and a steady stream of smoke spiraled from their chimneys.Hidden from sight by the forests, the work buildings made no attempt to use the blue stone of the As?rukkat or imitate the strange, almost futuristic architecture of the palace, but they certainly weren¡¯t plain either.Faced in fine brownstone and guarded by rows of statuesque pillars, the warehouses would have been the envy of many a lesser noble. But instead of posh finery, the relentless clank of metal against metal and the scent of sawdust and oil filled the air.He followed Annatta as she led him across the square toward the building on the left flank of the plaza.A large sign hung above the door, marked with the familiar symbol of a hammer and anvil.His guard opened the door for him with a stiff curtsy, and he slipped past her into the building. The inside was a bit more modern than he expected.Rather than stepping directly into the workplace, he found himself in a clean, if sparsely decorated, waiting room that, if it had a cheap TV and some very outdated magazines, might not have felt too out of place on earth.A large ebony desk was manned by two young women.One was a rather typical Djinn, whose Jasper¡¯s eyes passed over with barely a second glance; the other, however, was far more exotic, with pale blond hair and milky skin, unusual for a Djinn, clashing with a pair of short, black horns. He approached her with a smile, holding out the paper S?arra?bi? had given him.¡°I was told you could help me replace a broken weapon?¡± A brief flicker of surprise flit across her face, but it was gone as soon as it came.Taking the paper from his hands, she scanned it idly, before placing it flat on the desk.She grabbed a seal from the desk and, dipping it in a small, bubbling bowl of red wax, stamped the top of the paper before handing it back to him.¡°Very well,¡± she responded, her voice simmering with subdued amusement, ¡°your request has been approved.Please have a seat, Yas?peh, and I¡¯ll summon someone to help you.¡± The clarion tinkle of a bell echoed in the small room as he took a seat along the wall.The fact that the receptionist had called him by name - not ¡®my lord¡¯ - didn¡¯t escape his attention, and he shot a few cautious glances at her as he waited.I wonder what¡¯s up with her.A low table ran in front of the row of chairs, stacked high with a variety of unfamiliar treats, and he snatched one up, nibbling at it absentmindedly.If elevator music had begun to play right then, he wouldn¡¯t even have blinked in surprise. But he didn¡¯t have long to savor his treat.With a bang, the door behind the receptionist''s desk flew open with enough force to smash the handle into the wall.A tall woman stepped into the room, and stopped at the desk, running her fingers playfully through the receptionist¡¯s hair.¡°We have a request from Abi?, bati?ya?¡± she asked, in a low tone. Even if Jasper hadn¡¯t heard her words, he would have understood their meaning immediately.The tall woman was as lithe as a deer, and if her light hair and pale skin weren¡¯t sufficient evidence, the twin pairs of antlers that rose above her left no doubt that she was an elf.The receptionist - her daughter, Jasper suddenly realized - pointed to him, and the woman waved her hand carelessly in his direction. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Come, follow me,¡± she said, turning to the door without waiting to see if they would follow.He heard a surprised gasp from Annatta but had no time to question her as the woman disappeared through the door.Bolting to his feet, Jasper hurried after her, with the Djinn close on his heels.The walls of the waiting room must have been enchanted with noise-muffling runes, for as soon as they stepped foot through the door, the sounds of work rose to meet them - the steady clank of hammer against steel, the sizzling of hot iron in water, the hum of powerful furnaces. The elf led them across the warehouse floor, past rows of craftsmen bent low over their work.She stopped at a station a bit larger than most, surrounded by tables stacked high with weapons and armor in various states of repair.She hopped up on a stool by one of the tables and beckoned for them to join her. He took his seat slowly, his mind running overtime, as he inspected the elf.There was a certain timeless beauty to the woman, but when he met her ice-blue eyes he could feel the weight of years in her stare.¡°So, tell me,¡± she spoke with a soft, almost-exaggerated drawl, ¡°what can I help you with?¡± Annatta tugged sharply on his sleeve, but Jasper ignored her.He had already figured out what she wanted to tell him.¡°Well, my lady, I was hoping you could either fix a broken weapon for me or, if it can¡¯t be fixed, craft me a replacement.¡± Annatta¡¯s frantic tugging ceased as a grin broke across the elf¡¯s face.¡°Did Abi? tell you about me, or are you just that clever?¡±She asked, with her accent all but gone. Abi??It took him a second to put the pieces together, but he spoke up quickly, hoping he hadn¡¯t jumped to the wrong conclusion.¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s wife?¡±He ventured, his voice strong with a confidence he didn''t entirely feel. She grinned again, clicking her tongue.¡°No, Abi? wouldn¡¯t tell you, would he?He likes to have his little games.So, I guess you¡¯re just clever.¡±She leaned her head to the left in the elven gesture of respect.¡°I¡¯m Lady Kas??tu?ma but you,¡± she winked, ¡°can call me Auntie Kas??.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t a receptionist, was she?¡±Jasper blurted out abruptly. The elf burst out laughing.¡°No, S?anukkat was on her way out after visiting me.But don¡¯t worry - I¡¯m sure she¡¯s only a little offended.¡± He was glad, for once, that his ruddy cheeks hid his embarrassment.At the same time, though, he didn¡¯t think his assumption was that unreasonable.¡°Lord S?arra?bi? failed to mention he was married.Or had a daughter,¡± he explained. ¡°You did fine,¡± she said graciously.¡°Not great - you probably should have realized sooner that a half-elf was unlikely to be working the desk, but you caught your mistake quickly.¡± He nodded, as a sudden curiosity bloomed within him.¡°So you are a smith?Are the other craftsmen here also nobles?¡± ¡°Selene¡¯s grace, no,¡± his ¡®aunt¡¯ replied with a laugh.¡°But it¡¯s not like Abi? was going to tell me ¡®no¡¯ to anything.¡±Her voice sobered.¡°Not after what happened to your mother,¡± she explained, with a suddenly apologetical tone.¡°He¡¯s always blamed himself for her death or¡­¡±She didn¡¯t finish the sentence, jerking her head pointedly in the direction of the other workers, and he understood.His mother¡¯s death - or rather her lack thereof - was apparently a bit of a secret.¡°There are few wishes he would deny me or S?ani needlessly.¡± In a more subdued mood, she grabbed his hand in hers.¡°But come, tell me what it is you want, and I promise, you will not get a finer weapon from these halls.¡±Against the blazing heat of the forge - for the Djinn, immune to the fire felt no need to cool the room - her hands felt cold as ice, and he couldn¡¯t suppress the shiver that ran down his spine.But ignoring it, he turned to Annatta.¡°Can you grab my glaive, please?¡± The Djinn fished the broke weapon out of her bag of holding, and he laid the pieces reverently on the table.¡°I had a quest that I hoped would be able to fix this, but S?arra?bi? told me I couldn¡¯t complete it. I guess the man I was supposed to find is dead.¡± Kas?? tapped the shaft of the blade with her fingernails, listening intently as the metal vibrated, and weighted in her hands, giving the broken shaft a few experimental swings.Her form was immaculate and Jasper realized her talents extended to more than just smithing.Placing the shaft back on the table, she turned back to him.¡°Honestly, I¡¯m surprised you manage to break this,¡± she admitted.¡°Whoever crafted this did an excellent job, although,¡± she said as she pointed to a few blemishes in the metal, ¡°the piece was clearly never fully finished.Perhaps there was a fault in the metal somewhere. What were you fighting?¡±She inquired, curiously. ¡°A Mwyranni¡¯s champion.¡± The elf¡¯s laughter tinkled above the noise of the workshop.¡°No, really.What were you fighting?¡± ¡°A Mwyranni¡¯s champion,¡± Jasper repeated. Her laughter died out as she studied his face. After a moment, she nodded her head, apparently satisfied with whatever she had seen.¡°My apologies - now I¡¯m the one with egg on my face. Abi? never mentioned you were such an accomplished mage.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°It was before I met him, or her¡± he pointed at Annatta, ¡°so perhaps he didn''t know about it.¡± She smiled, good humor sparkling in her eyes.¡°I¡¯ll go easy on him then.¡±But she swept up the broken pieces of the glaive from the table and thrust them back at Annatta.¡°I could fix this glaive for you, but it would be a waste.It¡¯s a fine weapon for fighting bandits or even your average monster, but if you¡¯re fighting opponents like a Mwyranni¡¯s champion, the quality of the metal simply isn¡¯t sturdy enough for such powerful beings.Tell me about your class, and I will craft you the perfect weapon,¡± she insisted. The minutes passed quickly as she quizzed him about every detail of his class, stats, spells - she even demanded he read the class¡¯ description to her, explaining that if she was going to make a weapon from scratch, she might as well customize its appearance to his class.When the last of her questions were exhausted, several pages of notes and hastily scrawled sketches were sprawled out on the table before her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure the glaive is the best weapon for you,¡± she finally said.¡°On horseback, a lance is the best weapon for your fire charge spell, with a saber to back it up - once you find yourself caught in a melee, you may not have the space to adequately wield a glaive.It¡¯s not a bad choice on foot,¡± she mused ¡°although, again, at a range, your spells are your greatest weapon and, up close, the glaive¡¯s length turns from a boon to a liability.¡± ¡°Normally I¡¯d suggest you just carry two weapons, but since you¡¯re family, I suppose I can do a little better.¡±Flipping over one of the pages, she hastily sketched out a new design and thrust it out to him.¡°Consider it a gift from Abi? and me.¡± TANSTAAFL He examined the sketch, but his brows soon knit together in confusion.¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t really understand what I¡¯m looking at,¡± Jasper admitted reluctantly. She shook her head in mock disappointment.¡°Not familiar with enchanting, I take it.¡±She guided him through the sketch then, explaining her design.¡°Essentially, I¡¯ve split the difference.The shaft can grow and shrink, allowing it to perfectly reach any position.¡±He tried to keep the smirk off his face as that¡¯s what she said ran through his mind, nodding seriously.¡°At its full length, the weapon will be just a bit shorter than a lance, but when shrunk down, you should be able to wield it one-handed.¡±She scrutinized him for a second before clucking her tongue.¡°Perhaps with a bit more strength,¡± she amended herself. ¡°But that¡¯s not the best part.The best part,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°is my specialty.¡±She pointed to the blade, whose entire face was covered in a row of symbols that vaguely resembled the runes Ihra used.¡°You¡¯ll have to track down a mage every few months to recharge them, but I promise you they¡¯ll be worth it.¡± ¡°A mage?¡± he questioned.¡°Like me? Or do you mean a runic mage?¡± Kas?? laughed.¡°Don¡¯t let an enchanter hear you say that!These are not runes, they¡¯re glyphs.¡± ¡°And the difference is?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t channel any energy of their own,¡± she explained.¡°They simply hold the energy, and release a trickle each time the weapon hits with sufficient force.These particular glyphs are keyed to ice, so you¡¯ll need to find a mage with appropriate powers to recharge them when they get low.I can do it for you whenever you¡¯re around.¡± ¡°Why not fire?Then I could fill it up myself.¡± His aunt shrugged.¡°Surely you¡¯ve had a few battles with other Djinn by now, haven¡¯t you?¡±He nodded.¡°And what has been the single greatest obstacle?¡± He hesitated only a moment."Most of them are resistant to fire?¡± She smiled broadly.¡°Correct!Refilling the glyphs may be a hassle at times, but you already have plenty of ways to inflict some fire damage.This,¡± she tapped the design, ¡°will be far more useful for you.¡±She lapsed into silence, and he realized after a moment she was waiting for him to respond. ¡°Uh, thanks,¡± he said awkwardly.¡°This looks great.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the elf said smugly.¡°Everything I make is great.And now we come to the matter of payment.¡± ¡°Payment?¡±He glanced up hurriedly.I thought this was a gift. She smiled sweetly.¡°Ah, Yas?peh, you are still so young.Don¡¯t you know there is no such thing as a free lunch?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked suspiciously. Her smile broadened.¡°As a matter of fact, just dinner.¡±With a flourish of her hand, she produced a card.¡°Abi? can¡¯t hide you away any longer - you¡¯re dining with us tonight.Feel free to bring your elven friend, too.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not really an elf,¡± Jasper started to protest. Kas?? shrugged.¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯ve heard.But with or without her, I expect to see you at 8.¡± As he took the card from her hand, Jasper couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he would have vastly preferred to be asked to go slay some monsters.
As they headed out of the smithy, Jasper shook his head in mock disapproval.¡°You couldn¡¯t have warned me about them?I made a fool out of myself in front of my¡­I guess she¡¯s my cousin?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, my lord, I couldn¡¯t possibly have warned you as I¡¯ve never met her myself.At least you figured it out quickly with your aunt,¡± Annatta pointed out. ¡°Still, it¡¯s pretty embarrassing I mistook her for a clerk.I hope I didn¡¯t offend her.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose every noble needs a rival.¡± He laughed.¡°I think I¡¯ve got enough enemies.Should I get her a gift?What does she like?¡± Annatta arched her eyebrow.¡°I think you¡¯ve gravely overestimated how familiar I am with Lord S?arra?bi¡¯s family, my lord.He¡¯s my boss, not my friend.¡± ¡°Come on,¡± he persisted.¡°You¡¯ve really heard nothing?Surely the guards talk.¡± Annatta replied slowly, choosing her words carefully.¡°I¡¯ve heard she rather takes after Princess Da''iqta.¡± ¡°What does that mean?" ¡°Personality-wise,¡± she clarified, winking at him. It took a second for the meaning of her words to sink in.Personality wise?Oh, headstrong and - as much as it pained him to admit this about his mother - perhaps a bit too popular with men. Guess I''ll bring a gift, just to be safe. When they got back to the manor, a surprise awaited them.As he opened the door, Ihra¡¯s cheerful laugh echoed from the parlor, joined a moment later by a second voice.That¡¯s odd.We haven¡¯t really had any visitors.He shot a curious glance at Annatta, wondering if it was someone sent by S?arra?bi?, but she shrugged.¡°No idea,¡± she mouthed. The mystery was solved when he entered the parlor and spied an all-too-familiar pile of messy brown hair peaking above the tall back of the couch.Tsia.He tiptoed up to the couch quietly, prepared to jump out and give them a scare. ¡°Ahem.¡±A man cleared his throat noisily behind him, and Jasper whirled around to find Ne?s?u leaning against the back wall, a smug grin on his face.The two girls, startled by Ne?s?u¡¯s harrumph, turned and spied Jasper. The jig was up. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Tsia shouted. Ihra greeted him more subduedly, suspicion lurking in her eyes.¡°Why are you crouched on the floor?¡± Grateful his skin concealed his blush, Jasper opted to just ignore her question. He walked past them quickly, plopping down on a couch opposite them with a sigh.eaned back against the luxurious cushions, he placed his hands behind his head.¡°So, when did you get to the capital?I was starting to wonder if you¡¯d ditched us,¡± he asked Tsia. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The girl blushed, her dark curls swinging violently as she shook her head.¡°Of course not.I wouldn¡¯t abscond with your money.¡± ¡°Oh?¡±He replied with a grin.¡°So the Moon-kissed elders finally deigned to see you.Did you get a good deal?¡± ¡°100,000 minas, 10 horses, and a potential future favor.¡± ¡°Ten horses?¡± he asked, confused.¡°What do we need those for?¡± Tsia shrugged.¡°We didn¡¯t, but apparently it was some sort of local custom for every major trade, and they insisted I take them.Ne?s?u and I immediately sold the horses in Du?r-Yarha.Anyways,¡± she rooted in her bag, pulled out ten pouches of gold, and tossed them toward him.The heavy bags didn¡¯t make it across the room, landing in a series of thumps on the floor. ¡°Here''s your money.¡± Ihra bent down and quickly stuffed seven of them in her bag.Her hand hesitated on the eighth bag, but after a moment¡¯s pause, she pushed the other bags back toward Tsia.¡°You should keep some of it.¡± Tsia looked at the three bags dubiously.¡°Are you sure?¡± Tsia protested.¡°I know I negotiated the deal, but I had nothing to do with getting the lyre.¡± Ihra looked almost physically pained to part with that much money, but she firmly pushed the bags into Tsia¡¯s hands.¡°I¡¯m sure.You¡¯re part of the team now.¡±With a happy smile, Tsia returned the money to her bag. ¡°So, how was the trip?¡±Jasper asked.¡°Uneventful?¡± Ne?s?u, who was still leaning against the wall, snorted.¡°She almost got herself killed just to ride some tsuss?m.Not once, not twice, but three times.¡± Tsia raised her chin defiantly.¡°And it was worth it,¡± she replied emphatically. The man just rolled his eyes.¡°Maybe if you could have just listened to Va?ya but, no, Va?ya wasn¡¯t good enough-¡± he began to grumble under his breath, but he fell silent when he saw the stormy look in her eyes. ¡°I guess it sounds like you had fun?¡±Jasper offered tentatively. Her grin was so wide it could have given the Cheshire Cat a run for its money, though she certainly lacked its talent for disappearing. ¡°You could say that - I even got a new patron.¡± ¡°Really?¡±Ihra smacked her shoulder.¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Tsia hesitated.¡°It¡¯s a little bit tricky.He¡¯s, uh,¡± she lowered her voice to barely above a whisper, ¡°a Sidhe.¡± Jasper straightened up, gazing at her with newfound interest.¡°A Sidhe?Aren¡¯t they like, evil or something?¡± he asked.¡°You aren¡¯t going to turn into a little Sith Lord on me, are you?¡± ¡°A Sith Lord?¡± ¡°You know, the Force, your wind, they¡¯re pretty much the same thing.¡±Noting Tsia¡¯s baffled stare, he hastily moved on.¡°Uh, never mind.The Sidhe are bad guys, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Ye-es, kind of?¡±Tsia admitted hesitantly. Ihra snorted.¡°Kind of?They started the War of the Dragons with the slaughter of the Mwyrani, are the patron gods of the Gemlirians, and have a well-known hatred for the elves.¡±Her hand drifted up protectively to the small antlers peaking through their hair, as she glanced at Annatta for support. The Djinn shrugged.¡°I know their reputation in the empire is¡­questionable, but the Sidhe have never been much of a concern for the Djinn.We stay in our mountains, they stay in the West; in truth, we hardly ever interact.There are certainly some Sidhe who are evil and, of course, they are worshipped by the Gemliriains, but you can''t paint them all with the same brush. It¡¯s not as if the empire is exactly blameless either.After all, Gemlir himself was once a Corsythian.¡±Ihra frowned as Annatta failed to back her up, but Tsia quickly capitalized on her speech. ¡°Yes, some of the Sidhe are evil, but there are also some among them who have rejected the deeds of their kin; there are even a few whose worship is condoned by the priests.¡± ¡°So your patron is one of those,¡± Jasper interjected. ¡°Well, not exactly,¡± Tsia fussed with the hem of our skirt, steadfastly ignoring Ihra¡¯s disapproving gaze.¡°But Selene herself told me to seek him out,¡± she protested.¡°I never even would have heard his name without her.¡± Ihra pursed her lips, doubt creeping into her eyes.¡°Selene sent you to this Sidhe?¡± Tsia nodded vigorously.¡°So he must be good or, well, at least not evil,¡± she ended lamely. Jasper could tell Ihra was still not quite convinced, but if Selene had vouched for the Sidhe, that was good enough for him.He was certain the goddess was far more knowledgeable on the topic than he was.But he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why the goddess would have suggested a Sidhe to Tsia. She¡¯s not telling us everything, he realized. But he decided to let her keep her secrets; thus far, Tsia had given him no reason to distrust her. The rest of the afternoon passed in idle chatter and before Jasper knew it, the moment he had been dreading arrived: dinner with his relatives. Annatta dragged him up to his room, forcing him to change into a tunic he hadn¡¯t noticed in his closet.The long, black robe was made from the finest spun silk and emblazoned on the front with the emblem of the gis?a?tu tree, but Jasper felt ridiculous wearing it.I look like some sort of cut-rate cosplayer, he thought as he gazed in the mirror. He had to wear a sword too - not the short sword he had won from Arut?, but a rather flashy piece that Annatta produced from her bag of holding.She insisted on pulling his hair back in the tight bow that seemed to be fashionable, but he put his foot down on the next thing she produced. ¡°No.Absolutely not,¡± he stated flatly. Standing up on her tiptoes, Annatta tried again to reach his hair, as long strands of pearls swung violently from her hand.¡°But this is all the rage right now.Every young noble is wearing them,¡± she protested. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but no, I¡¯m not wearing pearls in my hair.What¡¯s next, a bridal veil?¡± The Djinn frowned.¡°Of course not.Grooms don¡¯t wear veils, they wear a qurpissu, of course.There¡¯s one in your closet.¡± He rolled his eyes.¡°While I don¡¯t know what that is¡­wait-¡°His mind suddenly latched on to the second thing she¡¯d said, filling him with a terrible fear.¡°I have one?But I¡¯m not a groom.This dinner isn¡¯t some sort of romantic set-up, is it?¡±He grasped her arm beseechingly. Annatta gently extricated her arm, looking at him puzzled.¡°No?Not that I¡¯m aware of.¡± He sagged in relief.¡°Selene¡¯s grace.Why would you even bring that up, then?¡± The Djinn shrugged.¡°I didn¡¯t - you¡¯re the one who brought up brides.I was just correcting you, since I¡¯m sure, given your unique heritage, that you¡¯re not terribly familiar with our marriage customs.Although,¡± Annatta frowned thoughtfully, ¡°if the rumors about your cousin¡¯s wild behavior are true, it wouldn¡¯t shock me if your aunt arranged this dinner tonight to explore the possibility of such a pairing in the future.¡± She ran a scrutinizing eye up and down his form.¡°Your cousin could probably do worse than you, I suppose.You look almost handsome in these clothes, and your natural talents for magic will certainly garner you respect as you get stronger.Plus, with your magic and her elven heritage, your children would have a high probability of being blessed with magic.¡± Jasper¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re just pulling my leg?¡± She gestured helplessly with her hands.¡°What?I¡¯m not even touching you.¡± Argh, he groaned to himself.Guess that idiom doesn¡¯t translate.¡°Just tell me you¡¯re joking, right?My aunt wouldn¡¯t really consider marrying me off to my cousin, would she?¡± Annatta shrugged. ¡°Why not?It¡¯s perfectly common.Is it not in your world?¡± ¡°No,¡± he responded quickly, but then he corrected himself with a grimace.¡°Well, I guess it depends.It¡¯s actually fairly normal in a lot of the world, but where I¡¯m from it¡¯s considered downright scandalous, with the consequences ranging from actual jail time to a never-ending torrent of jokes about being from ¡®sweet home Alabamy,¡¯¡± ¡°Well, you won¡¯t have to worry about that here," she reassured him. ¡°What a great comfort,¡± he muttered, burying his face in his hands. Yet another reason to dread this dinner. Annatta seized the opportunity to grab hold of his head, quickly tying the strings of pearls into his hair.He squirmed futilely in her grasp, but his strength was no match for that of a warrior.Giving in to his fate, he finally relaxed as she weaved the pearl strings into a fringe that hung down around his ears. ¡®There - perfect!¡± Hesitantly, he examined himself in the mirror, stifling a groan.¡°That¡¯s not the word I¡¯d use.I look ridiculous.¡± She patted him half-mockingly, half-genuinely, on the back.¡°No, Lord Yas?peh, you look fashionable.¡± ¡°Same difference,¡± he muttered beneath his breath, but begrudgingly he allowed the pearls to remain, trusting that Annatta knew more about this sort of stuff than he did. A Gaggle of Suitors When Annatta was finally satisfied that he was ¡°presentable,¡± Jasper was left with nothing else to do but twiddle his thumbs while she tended in turn to Ihra. What I wouldn¡¯t give for a TV, he griped to himself. Ihra had, not surprisingly, been more than amenable to joining him for supper. ¡°As long as there¡¯s good food, I¡¯m in,¡± she¡¯d agreed promptly. There were certain things one learned when growing up in an orphanage; one of them was never turning down a meal. But as the minutes ticked by into an hour, Jasper grew restless. What the hell is taking so long? He didn¡¯t get his answer immediately. Another half hour passed before Ihra emerged from her room, with Annatta close behind. All signs of his rough-and-tumble friend had been thoroughly scrubbed away. Her usual leather armor had been replaced by a gauzy yellow dress, and her blonde hair had been woven into delicate tresses interlaced with deep red flowers, with the hair carefully pulled away from her small antlers in an attempt to make them more prominent. Perhaps the most striking feature, though, was the little gems that now studded the exposed skin on her arms and face. Wow, she actually looks like a noble. The illusion was shattered the moment she opened her mouth.¡°I look ridiculous. Tell her I look ridiculous, Jasper.¡± He laughed. ¡°Nah, you look nice, Ihra. You look kind of like Belle if she had, well, horns,¡± he blurted out. ¡°Who?¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Never mind.¡± She lifted her arm up, prying at one of the little studded gems. ¡°Look at me. She glued these to my skin.¡± ¡°Stop complaining - they¡¯ll come off after a good, hot soak,¡± Annatta interjected. Jasper just pointed to his hair, interlaced with strands of pearls. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly escape unscathed.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s just a dinner - it can¡¯t be that bad.¡± Ihra was still scowling as they headed out to the stables. Dapplegrim was already geared up, with a cage containing one of the dore?sah¡¯s hatchlings securely tied to the horse¡¯s back and it didn¡¯t take long for Ihra to prepare Khoresh, and then they were off. Despite what he had said - ¡°it¡¯s just a dinner¡± - the truth was he was surprisingly nervous about the dinner. A nice family dinner just wasn¡¯t the same when you hadn¡¯t even known two of the members existed until a few hours earlier. The dore?sah certainly did nothing to help ease his nerves. The little creatures were undeniably adorable; unfortunately, they were almost as equally annoying. With every jolt and bump, the creature squawked indignantly, firing off weak little sonar attacks that pounded, much like a kid who won¡¯t stop kicking your seat. Fortunately, the ride to S?arra?bi?¡¯s manor wasn¡¯t particularly long. The palace grounds extended about a mile on the western side of the As?rukkat, and a bit further on the eastern side, but his uncle¡¯s manor was fortunately on the same side as his own little estate. S?arra?bi?¡¯s home was far larger, however. Nestled beneath a canopy of trees, the stately manor boasted stunning views of the salty lake, and as they drew close, Jasper even caught glimpses of brightly colored sails peaking through the canopy of leaves. The lucky bastard has a boat. Pillared verandas wrapped every side of the home, offering spectacular views of the gardens that stretched out on either side of the home, their beds a riot of colors provided by flowers largely unfamiliar to him. Bright green trees also poked their heads up from the center of the home, revealing the hidden courtyard that most Djinn homes seemed to possess. But the true symbol of status lay in the bright blue stone from which the home was built - the same blue stone as the As?rukkat. Wonder where they get that stuff, anyways? Wasn¡¯t the palace built before the Djinn even arrived in the land? As soon as the pair rode through the gates, they were swarmed with a host of helpful servants who helped them dismount, carted the dore?sah into the manor, and whisked a rather reluctant Dapplegrim and Khoresh away to the stables. It was all a bit overwhelming. Annatta had arranged for a maid to swing by his home occasionally and cook dinners on days they were around, but aside from that he and Ihra were largely left to their own devices at the manor, so Jasper had little idea how to deal with the half-dozen attentive servants that buzzed around him. By the time he entered the manor, Jasper¡¯s hands were clammy, not from the heat - which no longer bothered him - but from the roiling pit of uncertainty that sat in the bottom of his stomach. I¡¯d rather fight a monster than do this, which is kind of ludicrous, he admitted to himself. Forcing a smile on his face, he followed the servants into the entry hall. He had no sooner stepped through the hall then he found himself swept unwillingly into a hug. ¡°Ah, you actually came.¡± He struggled awkwardly against the embrace, finding to his surprise and embarrassment that he was as weak as a newborn babe compared to the arms that bound him. The arms released him, revealing his aunt. She wore a long, white dress, crafted from a rather sheer material that Jasper feared would in the right, or perhaps wrong, light be entirely too revealing. A delicate silver circlet graced her brow, holding back her bounteous blonde hair which, much like Ihra¡¯s, had been pulled into long locks interwoven with pure white lilies. Standing back, she ran a critical eye up and down his body. Jasper rubbed his arms ruefully, his skin still stinging from her iron grip. Man, she¡¯s strong. Nothing like being manhandled by your aunt. ¡°Was the invitation optional?¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. She beamed.¡°Of course not. But I half-expected to have to send some of my servants to drag you over here anyways.¡± She ran a playful hand through his hair, toying with the pearl strands. ¡°I see someone is up on their fashion. But not you, am I right?¡± she winked. If Jasper could have blushed he would have, but he just shook his head. ¡°Annatta suggested them.¡± A genuine look of surprise crossed his aunt¡¯s face. ¡°Really? I wouldn¡¯t have expected the guards to keep up on noble trends.¡± She shrugged. ¡°She led you right, though. You look suitably dashing.¡± ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know if all the guards do, but Annatta¡¯s a bastard like me,¡± he offered. Pity flashed through her eyes. ¡°Ah, I didn''t realize she was one of those guards. No wonder she studies the fashions, then. The poor thing probably hopes one day they¡¯ll matter for her.¡± To his surprise, Jasper found himself irritated on Annatta¡¯s behalf, but he held his tongue, not wanting to start the night off poorly. Nobody wanted to be pitied, but he knew his aunt meant no harm by her words. Kas?i?tu?ma, unaware of his thoughts, dismissed him as she turned to face Ihra. The elf studied the young woman for a few tortuously long seconds until finally the first hints of a blush begin to spread across Ihra¡¯s cheeks. ¡°What tribe were your parents descended from?¡± she finally asked, abruptly. Ihra just shook her head, brushing the hair from her eyes as it fell askew. ¡°I don¡¯t know. My parents and brother didn¡¯t have any particularly strong elven features; I didn¡¯t either, until we got trapped in the void in Als?arratu. We managed to escape, but ever since then¡­¡± She touched her antlers awkwardly, ¡°things have changed, I guess. I don''t know why.¡± The elf¡¯s eyes flashed with recognition at the mention of Als?arratu, but she didn¡¯t comment on it. ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t offer you any explanation, but there¡¯s no way anyone would take you for anything but an elf now. Whatever changed must have awoken your heritage in a most unusual way.¡± She cocked her to the side contemplatively. ¡°There¡¯s something about you that seems faintly familiar, like it reminds me of someone I used to know, but I just can¡¯t quite place it.¡± ¡°Really,¡± Ihra asked in surprise. His aunt nodded. ¡°It¡¯s quite odd, actually. My memory is usually better than this¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°That¡¯s it! When I was a child in Yammaqom, my parents occasionally hosted delegations from the other elven tribes. We once had some merchants from the most northern tribe, Nal-Halab, stay with us. That¡¯s who you remind me of. Your features are quite similar. It¡¯s rather unusual, though, for a Corsythian to be descended from one of them. They¡¯re so far away that they rarely interact with the empire.¡± Whatever else she might have said was cut off as a bell rang from somewhere deeper in the house. Its sonorous tones swelled in the spacious corridor, echoing off the stone walls to a nearly deafening level before they faded into silence. With a chagrined smile, Kas?i?tu?ma clapped her hands together. ¡°Ah, but that is a question for another time. Come, the others will be waiting for us and I¡¯m sure Abi? is champing at the bit to get started.¡± The elf spun around on her heels, heading down the hall without waiting for them to respond. Jasper hurried after her, catching quick glances at his surroundings. The hall was truly impressive. A rich, green stone, faintly resembling marble, filled the floor while the walls were made of large panels of pure white marble broken up by finely carved pillars of some rich, chestnut-colored wood. Glass panels in the coved ceiling let a flood of light into the room, making the whole place feel light and airy. But to her, the magnificent manor was simply home, so his aunt gave him no time to stop and enjoy the view. She swept down one hallway after another, passing the large courtyard he had observed from outside, before finally leading him out onto the veranda in the back that overlooked the lake. A low stone table was piled high with food, of every sort and variety. The crown gem of the table was the entire roast boar that straddled the center, but heaping helpings of other dishes surrounded it on all sides - a brace of brightly colored and still feathered birds, whose plumage reminded him a bit of a peacock, dozens of pies, so piping hot that steam still spiraled from the slits in their crusts, and a veritable cornucopia of other dishes, many of them strange and unfamiliar. Well, they certainly didn¡¯t spare any expense. What he was not expecting was the number of other guests. S?arra?bi sat on the far end of the table and beside him was the girl from earlier in the day - Jasper¡¯s cousin. What was her name again? S?anukkat? The girl¡¯s long blonde hair wasn¡¯t woven with flowers like the others but fell loosely around her face as she crouched on the ground beside a small cage from which rattled an all-too-familiar series of shrieks. Really? How did the servants already get it there? The girl, however, seemed unbothered by the racket, cooing at the little monster. No one else occupied any of the seats near his uncle and cousin, but that didn¡¯t mean the table was empty. The steady staccato of conversation filled the plaza from the more than twenty guests that filled the seats closest to them, save for a single seat in the center that had been left empty. In the sea of red skin, twisty horns, and features not quite like those he had grown up around, it took Jasper a moment to pinpoint what was unusual about the crowd. It became quite clear though, when Kas??tu?ma grabbed Ihra¡¯s hand. Startled, his friend didn¡¯t even have time to object before she found herself seated in the open space. The hubbub of conversation stilled as the other guests all turned to look at her. That¡¯s when it finally clicked. They¡¯re all men. Every single one of the Djinn on that side of the table was a man. It was all Jasper could do to suffocate the laugh that forced its way up his throat. Holy crap - I guess it was a setup. Just not for me. ¡°Jasper?¡± Ihra glanced back at him, wide-eyed as the realization set in for her. But his aunt was already on the move. ¡°Come,¡± she said. Grabbing his hand, she started down the table toward her husband, dragging him along after her. Jasper struggled for a second but quickly determined that resistance was futile. The elf¡¯s grip was gentle but her strength was undeniable. He would have had a better chance of beating the Terminator in a fistfight than wiggling free from her grasp. ¡°Um, isn¡¯t Ihra going to be sitting with us?¡± He threw one last gambit to the wind, hoping to free Ihra from the clutches of her would-be suitors. His aunt laughed. ¡°Of course not. You don¡¯t want to deny your friend her treats, do you? She''ll have her pick from some of the best lads in the House." She winked, "And presents too. Be sure to tell her not to decide too quickly." Judging from Ihra¡¯s half-panicked expression, Jasper was willing to bet Ihra wasn¡¯t exactly enjoying her ¡°treats,¡± but he knew when he was beaten. Shoulders sagging, he allowed himself to be dragged down the table toward the rest of his ¡°family.¡± Some Quality Family Time As they drew close, S?arra?bi rose to greet them. ¡°I see you brought a gift.A very noisy gift,¡± he added wryly. Releasing Jasper¡¯s hand, Kas??tu?ma slid next to her husband, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.¡°Now Abi?, is that any way to say thank you?¡±She scolded him.¡°It was very nice of Yas?peh to bring a gift.¡± The Djinn just grunted, patting her arm fondly as the two sat down together. Jasper hesitated, unsure where he was supposed to sit.The decision was made for him as a servant pulled a seat back, bowing respectfully. He slipped into the seat, leaning back as the servant promptly covered his lap with a napkin. The three of them were seated, but his cousin was still playing with the dore?sah. Surprisingly, she had set it free from its cage, but her trust in the bird appeared to be awarded. Although it dashed back and forth across the small pavilion like some sort of deranged Pokemon, the little monster made no attempt to escape. I guess she has a way with animals.¡°Come, ba?ti?ya, sit with us,¡± S?arra?bi? called to her. With a sigh, the young woman scooped the bird up and, cradling it in her arms, took the seat next to him - a fact he noted through narrowed eyes.This is only a setup for Ihra, right?Right?His reassurances felt a bit hollow. The four lapsed into an uncomfortable silence as the servants piled food on their plates.Jasper kept sneaking glances down the table toward Ihra.To his surprise, she had recovered her composure.He couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying, but the group around her appeared positively spellbound.Of course, she could probably read them a phonebook and they¡¯d act interested.Still, he felt a little better about leaving her to her fate.e had his own to worry about. ¡°Ahem.¡±His thoughts were cut off by the sound of his uncle clearing his throat.Tearing his eyes away from the rest of the table, he found the three all staring at him. ¡°As I was saying, Yas?peh, I am quite curious to know more about you.What was your world like?What did you do there?What sort of magic do they have?¡±His aunt leaned forward excitedly, peppering him with one question. ¡°Um, it¡¯s really not that interesting,¡± Jasper hemmed, suddenly feeling very put on the spot. He really wasn''t in the mood to share much about the world he''d lost, the home that, as far as he knew, he might never be able to return to - especially with practical strangers, even if they were technically his family. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best we don¡¯t speak of it,¡± S?arra?bi? cut in, rather hastily.¡°The details of his former life contain sensitive information.¡±S?arra?bi? was the last person Jasper expected to save him, but he sent a silent prayer of thanks to his uncle.Unfortunately, his aunt wasn¡¯t so easily dissuaded from her goal. ¡°Ah, no worries, Abi?¡± she replied cheerfully.¡°Of course, Yas?peh shouldn¡¯t discuss anything confidential, but surely there is much he can tell us about his world.You know,¡± she said contemplatively, turning her gaze back to Jasper,¡°The elves of Yammaqom have welcomed many travelers over the years who have, in one way or another, been summoned from or wandered away from their own worlds.Last I heard, well over three hundred such worlds were recorded in our libraries.Perhaps yours was the same as one of theirs?¡± He hesitated a moment before answering.In truth, it was a possibility that he had often pondered.There had always been rumors of other players disappearing and, given what had happened to him, he could only assume that he wasn¡¯t entirely alone here.There were probably, somewhere out there, other ¡°players¡± from Earth.But despite that possibility, he had yet to encounter any signs that that had actually happened.Maybe he was interested in his aunt¡¯s information. ¡°I don¡¯t know.Our planet¡¯s just called Earth, I guess, or if you are one of those crunchy, New Age types, Gaia, maybe?¡± His aunt squinted her eyes.¡°Gaia?Isn¡¯t that the Halabite name for Ummaddamah?¡± She glanced around the table as if looking for confirmation.S?arra?bi? patted her hand fondly.¡°Only you would know, my dear.¡± She frowned, bobbing her head in assent.¡°You''re right, of course. So this Earth of yours, what is it like?¡± The dinner passed by in a blur as Lady Kas??tuma pelted him with one question after another.At first, Jasper took her interest for mere curiosity.The elf was a genius at keeping the conversation flowing, and her cheery pleasantness quickly put him at ease.But as the dinner progressed, he slowly realized a very keen mind lurked behind her bright eyes, a mind that was carefully and methodically wriggling all manner of information out of him.She¡¯s interrogating me, he realized - though it was by far the most genial interrogation he had ever heard of, her touch so subtle that he had almost failed to even realize what was happening. S?anukkat, on the other hand, was as silent as a tomb.She fussed over the little bird like it was a child, but barely touched her food, complaining she wasn¡¯t feeling well when her father pushed her to eat. She also barely glanced in his direction, even when his aunt dragged the details out of him of some of his more exciting adventures, such as the Whispers in the darkness or the horror that stalked the forgotten city beneath the streets of Du?r-Yarha.Even when her mother tried to pull her into the conversation, she offered no more than the bare minimum reply. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Jasper found himself stealing glances at her from time to time, curious about the sulking girl next to him; her demeanor didn''t seem to match the party girl reputation Annatta had mentioned.The half-Djinn was legitimately stunning.Save for the slightly twisted black horns that rose a few inches above her ears, she clearly favored her mother¡¯s genes with pale skin unfit for the hot, sun-baked climate and delicate, flaxen hair.He had no doubt that many a man would melt beneath her smiles, but tonight, at least, there were no smiles to be seen.If it is a setup, she¡¯s definitely not interested. Neither was he, of course, but silly as it was, it was hard not to feel a *touch* offended at being totally ignored.Hey, I¡¯m not that ugly. Perhaps the most surprising revelation of the dinner, though, was his uncle.In the few weeks since he had first met him, Jasper still hadn¡¯t spent that much time with the man.To a large extent, that was by his own choice.S?arra?bi? was a truly intimidating character.While he didn¡¯t come close to matching the sheer size and brawn of the Seraph men, the Djinn was certainly no mewling cub.A certain ever-present sense of danger emanated from the man, and while Jasper recognized it was a bit prejudiced of him, the Djinn¡¯s jet-black teeth, massive horns, and tough red skin likely played a role in his perception of his uncle.He looked like a devil - a very sophisticated, eastern-influenced devil, perhaps - but a devil nonetheless.And quite frankly, the fact that Jasper was slowly transforming in that direction did little to calm his dislike.He had a hard time admitting it to himself, but when he looked at his uncle, he was afraid that he was looking at his future self. And he hated it. But a totally different Djinn sat at the table tonight. his wife and daughter, the man was warm and witty. The quick temper that constantly lurked just beneath the surface in their previous actions was nowhere to be seen as the man leaned back in his chair with a relaxed smile. And the look in his eyes as he watched his wife - there was no mistaking the genuine devotion there.Clearly, this isn¡¯t just a marriage of convenience, he realized. It was a side of his uncle he hadn''t realized existed, and it brought a small measure of comfort to him.. By the time the last of the dishes were cleared from the table, the sun was drooping low over the distant peaks.The servants had set out rows of paper lanterns around the pavilion - magic being too valuable to waste on conveniences that could be just as easily achieved with a candle - whose light softly danced along the stone panels as the shadows grew longer and longer.He slumped back in his chair, as thoroughly stuffed as any Thanksgiving, but there was no chance for a little football-infused nap here. His aunt rose from her seat, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as she clapped her hands together.¡°And now for the main event of the night.¡± S?arra?bi? must have eaten as much as Jasper, as he shook his head with a groan.¡°Not tonight, my love - surely we can do it some other night.¡± Kas??tuma mock pouted, grabbing his hand playfully.¡°Oh, and what night would that be?I think you just don¡¯t want to come with us.I¡¯ll make it worth your time.¡±The Djinn shook his head, starting to protest, but stilled as the elf bent her lips to his ears.She muttered something too low for Jasper to hear.A moment later, his uncle shot to his feet with a not-too-subtle grin on his lips.¡°On second thought, I¡¯ll come too.¡± With a victorious gleam in her eyes, she clapped her hands again, this time much harder.The sound echoed across the little pavilion like a clap of thunder, and the hubbub on the other side of the table stopped, all eyes turning to her. ¡°Thank you, my lords, for joining us tonight, but now I¡¯m afraid I must steal the elf away from you.¡±A few grumbles arose from the nobles, but she chased them away with a smile.¡°Don¡¯t worry - I¡¯m sure Lady Ihra will be happy to see you again, but the primary purpose of this night is for a ritual welcoming my dear nephew to the family and the time for the ritual is fast approaching. Whenever you''re ready to leave, the servants will fetch your mounts.¡± His aunt didn''t bother to wait for their reaction. Spinning on her heel, she headed into the shaded gardens that bordered the pavilion, accompanied by her husband and daughter. Bewildered, Ihra jogged up to Jasper, who hadn''t risen from his chair. ¡°A ritual?What is she talking about?¡± ¡°No idea," he shook his head. "She certainly didn¡¯t say anything about a ritual to me-¡° ¡°Yas?peh,¡± his aunt¡¯s voice echoed from the quickly encroaching darkness.¡°Come on - we have much to do before the night is finished!¡± A moment later, the two of them were jogging down the path to catch up to the others.A ritual?A wedding¡¯s a ritual, right?He quickly banished the offending thought from his mind.He¡¯d rather experience Aphora¡¯s ritual again than that.Hell, with my luck, it¡¯s like a 50/50 chance she¡¯s really a cultist who wants to eat my soul.He didn¡¯t think his uncle would allow that, though, not to the child of his beloved lost sister.Probably not? Their destination became clear as the bright sails Jasper had spied through the trees earlier came into sharper focus. A magnificent yacht rested at the dock.It wasn¡¯t enormous, at least not by Earth standards, perhaps no more than a touch over forty feet if Jasper had to guess, but the ship was a thing of beauty.Crafted from a pale lavender wood that Jasper recognized as the wood of the warodim tree and covered in fine ivory inlays, the whole ship glowed in the gathering gloom, lit by dozens of delicate lanterns which hung along its sides and from its twin masts.The air had quickly cooled as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, but the water was still warm from the heat of the day.Thick tendrils of fog rose from the lake''s surface and coiled around the boat, forming an image that was equal parts ethereal and eerie. His aunt paused at the base of the ramp, gesturing at the beautiful ship with a beaming smile.¡°Welcome to my pride and joy, Yas?peh - the greatest thing I¡¯ve ever made.¡±Her eyes softened as she looked at her daughter.¡°Well, the second greatest thing,¡± she amended. Jasper was genuinely impressed as he swept his gaze from stern to bow, taking in every facet of the impeccably crafted vessel.¡°Wow, you built this boat yourself?¡± ¡°Not every board and plank,¡± she explained, ¡°but I designed it and personally crafted all the important pieces.¡±As she led them on board, she pointed to the lanterns that hung from every surface.¡°Like each of these lanterns.Each one has a unique design that honors one of the named Spectral Spiders.¡± He bent close to one of them, examining the fine detail as he tried to remember what he knew about the Spectral Spiders.Lesser gods, servants of Selene, something to do with fate.His well of information quickly ran dry, but he had no time to linger as his aunt swept down the deck, continuing her spiel.While his aunt gave him the grand tour of her boat, a small crew cast off from the dock and, trimming the sails, set the ship¡¯s course into the heart of the fog. The H?alab-S?ami?m The fog quickly surrounded them, the dense cloud so thick that even the lights of the palace and capital were blotted from existence.A single light pierced through the veil, the gentle glow of Selene high on her celestial throne. Thus it was that once the tour was done, the five found themselves on the top deck, staring up at the moon.A waiter was already there to greet them, bearing a tray with five goblets brimming with a dark, rich wine.Surprisingly, the crew were also served drinks at the same time, albeit in significantly less fancy cups. Jasper accepted the drink gratefully, sipping at it thoughtfully as he stared into the fog.The wine tasted odd - not bad, but definitely unusual.He was hardly a sommelier, but there was a certain grassy, bitter undertone to it that reminded him of dandelions, not that he had seen any of the cheerful little flowers since leaving Earth.The conversation lulled as the group drank their wine, and Jasper noticed the three Djinn in particular scarfed it down eagerly. Feeling awkward in the silence, he finally decided to broach the question that had been eating away at him since the dinner.¡°So, uh, what¡¯s this ritual about? Is there somewhere in particular we are going?¡± To his surprise, it was S?anukkat who answered him.His cousin¡¯s previous sullenness seem to have been left behind on the dock, and her eyes sparkled with an enthusiasm that matched her mother¡¯s.¡°Why we¡¯re going to the stars, of course!¡± ¡°To the what?¡±Jasper cocked his head to the side.Surely I misheard that.His eyes darted around the paneled wooden deck of the vessel.This definitely isn¡¯t a spaceship. His uncle grunted.¡°He doesn¡¯t know what that means, S?ani.Remember, he has not been in our world for long.¡± The girl rolled her eyes.She drained the last dregs of wine from her cup, before continuing.¡°Fine, father, I¡¯ll explain.Are you familiar, Yas?peh, with the Anzuzu ritual?You know, the one for the Spectral Spiders?¡± He shook his head reluctantly, trying to smother the irritation that arose in him as she openly smirked.¡°Well, you¡¯re going to be soon.Drink up.¡± He paused with the glass on his lips, as a newfound suspicion arose in him.¡°Why?¡± His aunt cut in then, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.¡°It¡¯s for the ritual.Don¡¯t worry aboutit - nothing bad will happen. Just finish your wine.¡± He wasn''t entirely convinced, but he decided to extend them a measure of trust. Thus far, they had shown no ill will toward him; besides, if they really wanted to stop him, he doubted could escape S?arra?bi? and Kas?i?tu?ma at the same time. Lifting the cup to his lips, he finished it off with a final massive gulp. Nothing happened at first but, within a matter of minutes, the first effects of the wine begin to make themselves known.An almost unassailable giddiness rose within him. He wasn''t sure if it was really happening or not, but he could have sworn that the mist that surrounded the ship begin to swirl and dance around them, plunging its tendrils into their bodies. The fog closed in around them, blotting out all light, but Jasper just laughed and laughed, the whole deck ringing with merriment as the others convulsed with the same laughter.e to stop laughing even to breathe, he was soon gasping for air, his entire body shaking as his lungs screamed for the oxygen of which they were deprived.Some small part of Jasper knew he should be concerned, but the laughter washed all other thoughts away until his body slumped unconscious on the wooden deck.
He awoke on the ground, sprawled out on his stomach.Cold, hard stone pressed against his cheek, and he quickly pushed himself up onto his knees.But Jasper froze when he saw his hands.The floor beneath his hands appeared to be fashioned from a single, enormous crystal that glowed with a subtle lavender light.But that wasn¡¯t what caught his attention.He was seeing the floor through his hands. With a startled cry, he stumbled to his feet.The world swayed and swirled around him as he stood up, and he could have sworn the floor rippled beneath his movements.Strange sounds swelled all around him, as if an unseen symphony was playing some distorted parody of classical music, but for the moment his eyes were glued to his hands.They looked as if they were crafted from a clear amber-colored crystal.When he held them up before his face, they glowed in the light, revealing a thick webbing of blueish veins that moved in rhythm to his pulse. What the hell?Did they poison me?Am I dead?His heart racing, Jasper quickly yanked up his sleeves.The strange flesh continued unbroken up his arm until it disappeared beneath his shirt with no sign of change.A moment of panic set in, as he clawed at his clothes, trying to pull them free and reveal the hidden flesh.But his scaled tunic resisted his attempts to tear it.Still, his thoughts began to calm as another realization sunk.Despite the semi-translucent appearance of his body, he was perfectly capable of interacting with his environment.So, I¡¯m not a ghost. Curious, he gently ran a finger over his translucent palm and was surprised to discover that the crystalline substance was every bit as soft and supple as flesh.Weird. Shaking his head, Jasper finally looked up, letting out an audible gasp as he saw his surroundings.The gasp, though, was instantly swallowed up by the sheer vastness of the space. He stood beside a pillar. The dark, amethyst-colored pillar, so large that it would have made a sequoia look like a sapling, erupted from the crystalline floor with no trace of a seam. It towered into the heavens, soaring up until the enormous column looked no wider than a toothpick. surrounded him on every side.But though their shafts soared into the darkness of the nighttime sky, the pillars were not supporting any roof.With unfettered access to the heavens, the pillars gleamed brightly in the light of an enormous silver moon. The moon must have been at least fifty times the size of Earth¡¯s, and its face was bent so low over the horizon that it nearly kissed the tops of the pillars.But the pillars were not all that Selene illuminated. Thick silvery webs stretched back and forth between the pillars, as dense as the canopies of the Amazon, and suspended on them were some of the most hideous creatures Jasper had ever seen.Despite the fact that the pillars that rose beside him could have rivaled skyscrapers, the spiders skittering across the webs still managed to look enormous.They¡¯d give King Kong a run for his money.Their black carapaces swirled with the light of stars and galaxies, supported on legs as white as freshly-fallen snow.Each fang was the size of a school bus, and above them sat row upon row of eyes that glittered in the moonlight with a terrifying beauty - far more eyes than any spider should have. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Oh my god.¡±Jasper didn¡¯t even realize he was speaking out loud, but as soon as the words left his lips, one of the spiders turned its gaze on him.When its eyes latched onto him, it felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head.tumbling backward, a shudder ran down his spine as something pressed against his mind.Hard. A gibbering, shrieking static filled his thoughts, and he fell to his knees, his hands pressed uselessly against his ears as the spider probed his thoughts. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the pressure vanished.Apparently finding him uninteresting, the spider turned away, skittering further up the web without so much as a second glance in his direction.He lay there, shaking, until gentle hands wrapped around his shoulders, lifting him to his feet. "Who-" Jasper turned around to find a most unexpected savior.S?anukkat, was the one who had lifted him up. There was no trace of her former sullenness as she nodded at the enormous beast above them, her voice barely above a whisper.¡°They¡¯re kind of terrifying, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he managed to croak out, his voice cracking as he discovered his mouth and throat were as dry as the Sahara.¡°So these are the Spectral Spiders?¡± She nodded.¡°Yes, the Anzuzu.If you believe my mother¡¯s kin, it is their webs that hold the sun and moon and stars in their places, their webs that chart the course of Selene¡¯s ship across the cosmic seas, their webs that bind the dark gods in silent slumber.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± he said, suddenly reevaluating his opinion of his cousin.¡°That was surprisingly poetic.¡± A smile crossed her lips.¡°Thanks, but I''m just repeating my mother''s words. has always been deeply devoted to them. Something to do with her family back in Yammaqom.¡± She started to walk forward, ambling across the luminous earth, and Jasper stumbled after her.His limbs were still slow a bit slower to respond than normal after the spider¡¯s piercing mind probe, but she kept up a leisurely place, not leaving him behind.They walked in companionable silence for some time, past one colossal pillar after another, like they were lost in a crystalline forest. ¡°You should be grateful, you know,¡± S?anukkat suddenly piped up.¡°The herbs needed for this vision are hard to come by in our province.My mother has to import them all the way from Yammaqom, and from what I''ve gathered, it''s very expensive.I¡¯ve only gotten to experience this twice myself.¡± He nodded, surprised his aunt had gone to such great expense for him. I wonder why.¡°I¡¯ll be sure to thank her, then.But why me?¡±He spun around as he walked, his arms spread wide as he gestured at the horde of Anzuzu above.¡°I mean, what the hell even is this place?¡± ¡°Really?¡±The half-Djinn stared at him incredulously.¡°You don¡¯t know where you are?¡± He shrugged.¡°You know, where I came from, this was all just a game.Well,¡± he corrected himself, ¡°given what I know now, maybe it was never just a game, but we didn''t know that.I¡¯m sure there were all sorts of religious texts available to read if I had been interested, but aside from a little online research to make sure I picked a patron that would benefit my class, I never really paid much attention to all that religious stuff.¡±He grinned.¡°There were way more entertaining ways to spend my time - you know, murder, mayhem, loot.¡± She shook her head, bemused.¡°You visited our world in a game? How?¡± ¡°They weren''t games like yours, that''s for sure," he admitted. "We didn¡¯t have magic, or maybe we did and it was just really well hidden, but some of our technology might as well have been magic.It was like being able to step into a completely different life, a better life, free of all the petty concerns and work and sorrow that weigh you down.A world where all your desires could be accomplished.¡±He sighed as an unexpected wave of homesickness washed over him. ¡°It sounds wonderful.¡± ¡°It was, but dangerous too.All too often, the real world sucks, and the temptation to just escape into another world was¡­too much for some,¡± he admitted.He shook his head, trying to clear the melancholy thoughts away.¡°Anyways, what I was trying to say is that I have no idea where we are or why.¡± ¡°Well,¡± she pursed her lips thoughtfully.¡°The elves call this place the H?alab-S?am?m, the ¡®forest of the heavens.¡¯It¡¯s one of the outer reaches of the Celestial Court, where the third rank of gods dwell.¡± ¡°Third rank?¡±He said, crinkling his nose. She sighed.¡°You don¡¯t even know this?There are three ranks of gods.At the top are the great gods, the offspring of the Progenitor himself - Shamsha, Selene, Tsia?hu, Ummaddamah, and so on.Below them are the gods of the second rank.The category is a bit more porous, and some priests would argue that there is no second tier, only higher and lesser lords but most acknowledge some sort of in-between.¡± ¡°What sort of gods are they?¡± ¡°Direct offspring of the great gods, like Selene''s son Ayya?lu, gods whose parentage is unknown, local hypostatizations of the great gods - like the Mistress of the Tides, the Blood Moon, and Lord Nu?r - or individual members of the third rank who have gained a sizable following.¡± ¡°I met two Mwyranni in the north who were being worshipped.Would they be second-rank gods?¡± he asked. She spun around to face him.¡°You met two Mwryani - actually met?¡± she questioned.¡°Or do you just mean you encountered them in a vision?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it was in person.¡± S?anukkat shook her head in disbelief.¡°Wow, I guess my mother was right.You¡¯re more interesting than you look.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± he objected, half-offended. A teasing light entertained her eyes.¡°No offense, Yas?peh, but without a nice pair of horns, most Djinn women are going to find you a bit¡­lacking.¡± He snorted.¡°I¡¯m perfectly happy not having horns.This damned skin is bad enough.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s literally your best trait,¡± she protested.¡°Everyone who sees you knows at a glance you''re a reasonably talented member of the Royal House.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have red skin.¡±He winced as soon as the words left his mouth, suddenly afraid he had pointed out a sore point but fortunately she didn¡¯t appear to be offended. ¡°Amongst our clan, elven women are deemed the pinnacle of feminine beauty; a tradition of intermarriage dates back all the way to the third heir of Nu?radi?n.Daughters, like myself,¡± she said with a smug smile, ¡°who take after their elven mothers are considered highly blessed.¡±Her smile slipped into a frown.¡°Unfortunately, male offspring who grow up to favor their mother¡¯s appearance tend to have a much harder go of things.There are few noble women who would willingly choose a hornless mate,¡± she explained.¡°Usually, they end up being sent north to find a bride amongst the Moon-kissed.¡± Jasper frowned, a bit disheartened to realize he wasn¡¯t exactly considered attractive for a Djinn.I still don¡¯t want horns, though. ¡°Anyways,¡± she continued, ¡°It¡¯s really unusual to get to meet a Mwyrani in person.¡±Her eyes grew distant.¡°Before the War of the Dragons, they lived ruled over men, living side-by-side with them.But after the Sidhe slaughtered them, those who survived fled.Many crossed to other worlds, some hide, and a few even bound themselves to the land, sacrificing a portion of their power to Ummaddamah for their safety.But few these days get to meet one face to face.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Jasper grunted, noncommittally, unsure how to respond.He hadn¡¯t realized his encounters with Lord Arut? and Lady Tirra had been so rare.¡°And the third tier of deities?¡±He asked, remembering what they had been discussing before they¡¯d gotten off track. ¡°The veritable swarm of lesser gods more distantly descended from the progenitor.The Mwyrani, the Anzuzu, the Victorious Dead,¡± she rattled off a short list of names quickly. Jasper¡¯s mind flashed back to the Sidhe Tsia was apparently descended from.¡°And how did the Sidhe fit into the picture?¡± S?anukkat shrugged.¡°The priests would put them in the third rank, but no one really knows.Many believe that the Sidhe are not descended from the Progenitor at all, that they are gods from another world whom the Mwyrani somehow pissed off.¡± ¡°Then why stay here?¡± ¡°Maybe, once they came, they couldn¡¯t return?Maybe the great gods intervened?¡±She rolled her shoulder indifferently.¡°The Djinn care little about the Sidhe.¡± Jasper had been content to let his previously silent cousin talk, finding the discussion more interesting than he¡¯d expected, but he hadn¡¯t failed to notice that she still hadn¡¯t answered his second question.¡°And why are we here?¡± The humor dropped from her eyes.¡°If we''re lucky? To catch a glimpse of the future.¡± Aphora and Qas?pahti Aphora sat at her desk, sorting through the pile of manuscripts her commanders had brought her.Her fingers rubbed circles on her forehead as she tried to ignore the headache that was swelling up quickly.It never ends. Things had mostly gotten back to normal in the weeks after Aphora had finally dragged the truth out of Tesha.She had kept her promise to the Fey; other than warning her commanders of the affliction that threatened their fellow colonists, Aphora had otherwise kept silent about the malady, not wanting to spread panic and distrust through the community.That didn¡¯t mean she hadn¡¯t taken some precautions, though. Tesha might want to believe that any Fey who began to get sick would turn themselves in, but Aphora wasn¡¯t that naive.More than anything else, what most people wanted was to survive.The will to live was too powerful of a motivator for many to ignore, even if their lives came at the cost of others.So she set Mullu-Lim to gather a small group of watchers to keep an eye on the Fey.Just in case. But the majority of her attention was focused on other matters.The crops had finally come in, replenishing their quickly depleting stores.In Arall?, wherever that was, they didn¡¯t have to worry about seasons, either.A new bounty was already sprouting in the fields.The lack of light, though, was proving more troublesome than she¡¯d expected.The Children were used to it; her elves not so much.Used to roaming free in the forests, bathed in the light of their goddess, they found the darkness suffocating. At first, Aphora hadn¡¯t realized how seriously the lack of regular light was affecting her people.It was definitely not her preference, but she had the age and strength to ignore the discomfort.It was until a string of suicides rocked the younger generation that she realized that if their underground colony was going to survive, they needed a solution.Fortunately, she knew exactly what they needed. They needed a hypostatization of their own. If only it was that easy. Pushing away the paperwork, Aphora leaned back in her chair as she let her eyes drift to the window.It was wide open - there was no need for glass here; the temperatures remained steady year-round, warm with a touch more humidity than she would have preferred, thanks to the vast purple sea that stretched into the uncharted depths of the caverns. I guess I can¡¯t put it off any longer.With a yawn, she roused herself from her seat and, slipping on some clothes, headed into the hallway.A painter was set up there, surrounded by a sea of brightly colored pigments and oils, and she paused to look at their work. The abandoned estate had come a long way in just a few short months.The broken walls and partially fallen roof were restored as good as enough - indeed, privately, Aphora felt they were better than new.The elves were simply better craftsmen than the Fey, not that she¡¯d say that to Tesha.But that was only the bare minimum for her dwelling; her home was the center of the elven community, at least until the temple was finished, and that meant it needed to be stunning - a symbol that the life they were building here could be just as good as the life they¡¯d enjoyed in Sapi?ya. She stopped beside the artist, peeking over her shoulder.¡°How is it coming, Pera?h?¡± The painter looked up excitedly, holding her brush frozen in position on a partially completed upper torso of a man with extremely hairy forearms.¡°Excellent, my lady.I¡¯m working on a mural of our war against the Satyrs, one of our most popular stories.I¡¯m sure it will make quite an impression on our visitors.¡± Aphora skillfully hid her frown.The young elf wasn¡¯t wrong.The story of how the elves of Yammaqom and Onkodos Laos banded together to repel the satyrs when they migrated north was indeed a popular tale with the bards.But the satyrs, like the Children, were Fey, after all, even if they hadn¡¯t lived in the same regions for millennia.She wasn¡¯t quite sure about the wisdom of portraying this particular legend where it might be seen. But as she gazed at the youthful enthusiasm in the maiden¡¯s face, she bit her tongue.Who was she to squelch art?¡°Just make sure you keep it tasteful, Pera?h - for our fellow colonists¡¯ sake.¡± Understanding blossomed in the young woman¡¯s eyes, and she nodded vigorously.¡°Of course, my lady.I¡¯ll be sure to add a scene showing the elves and satyrs working peacefully together now.¡± Brushing past her, Aphora made her way to the end of the hall, pausing before she knocked on the door.¡°Qas?pahti?Are you awake?¡± The rapid sound of shuffling gave her her answer.¡°Just give me a second, momma - I¡¯ll be right out.¡± Aphora leaned against the wall, as a bemused smile flit across her lips.When Qas?pahti had finally awoken, the child had immediately latched on to her.Originally, Aphora had just kept her close in order to mentor the young troll in magic and keep her safe, as Kas?dael had commanded, but Qas?pahti had seen in her savior at the village the mother figure she¡¯d never had.Aphora wasn¡¯t quite sure how she felt, but she hadn¡¯t had the heart to reject the child. A moment later, the door was thrown wide open.Blessed with the trolls¡¯ natural strength, the child sent the door rocketing into the wall where the handle made a perfectly formed dent. Qas?pahti burst through the door, wrapping her arms around the elf¡¯s waist. ¡°I¡¯m ready.Are we going to train now?¡±Her lovely lavender hair was all-askew, sticking up every which way like the quills of a porcupine, and her all-too-wrinkled dress was very clearly the same she had worn the day before. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Chuckling to herself, Aphora tousled the girl¡¯s hair.¡°Come now, child.How many times are you going to put that same dent in the wall?¡± The girl glanced over at the broken plaster and her eyes widened as she took in the damage.¡°Oops?¡±She offered.But her focus snapped back to the promise of magic immediately.¡°Are we going to train now?¡± Aphora shook her head.¡°Later,¡± she promised.¡°But first we¡¯re going to visit the temple.And,¡± she said with mock sternness, ¡°before we do anything else we¡¯re going to get you cleaned up.¡± Half an hour later, Qas?pahti finally emerged from the room.The knots and tangles of her hair were straightened, and she wore a clean, linen dress much like Aphora¡¯s. ¡°Much better,¡± Aphora smiled. Heading to the stables, she lifted the girl up on her great stag and, hopping up herself, they set out for the temple. The child chatted ceaselessly the entire way there.Aphora tried to pay attention, but her thoughts were consumed with the enormous task that lay ahead of her - establishing a hypostatization of the goddess that would provide the light her people craved. Fortunately, there was no need for her to do anything to keep the conversation going, aside from the occasional muttered ¡°uh-huh¡± and murmur of agreement. The Children of St. Martin already had their temples set up.Since they¡¯d resettled the ruins of a former colony, it had been a simple enough matter to simply repair those their predecessors had built.The elves, on the other hand, had no such good fortune; there had been no temple to Selene in the ruined city and for the first few months, the more pressing needs of food and shelter had had to be attended to first.It was only now that the building had begun. As she rode into the construction sight, she could tell how much progress had been made in a short time.After much searching for a suitable location, they¡¯d settled on a raised plateau a few thousand feet outside the city¡¯s walls.Its location was no problem; assuming they survived, Aphora felt sure it would not be long before the city swelled to include the temple. The plateau was genuinely beautiful, a raised peninsula that jutted out into the lavender ocean.White, chalky bluffs rose a score or so feet above the sunless seas, offering a breathtaking view of the faintly luminescent waters that surrounded it and the many large and wondrous fish that swam beneath its crystal-clear surface. If they possessed any earth mages, the temple would have been already constructed.But the elves had long ago come to realize that ice could be almost as useful in carving monumental blocks from their quarries and sliding them into place.Though it had been little more than a week since construction began, the foundations were already laid.There were even a few stubby pillars beginning to rise from the chiseled stone. Torin was already there, bent low over a table with a handful of the workers, but he waved her over as soon as he saw her.¡°My lady, I wasn¡¯t sure if you were coming today.¡±As she hopped off the stag¡¯s back, he saw the child behind her.¡°Ah, and the young mistress.Have you been practicing your spells faithfully?¡± The girl waved back eagerly as Aphora lifted Qas?pahti off the giant stag.With the young Gemlirian under her aegis, none of her elves had dared to mistreat her.But she knew there were far too few who viewed her kindly.Torin, though, made a point of being friendly with the girl, which she much appreciated.It wasn¡¯t the child¡¯s fault, after all, that she¡¯d had the misfortune of having a troll for a father. Qas?pahti rushed over to stand beside the old elf.¡°Yep, I¡¯ve been practicing lots and lots.See!¡±Lifting her hand, she started to form a spell.Essence gushed out of her, quickly transforming into a slim, watery blade whose edges oscillated back and forth with exceptional speed.The blade lasted for about a second, before dissolving into a mass of water that landed on the elf¡¯s shoes with a splash. ¡°Crap,¡± the girl complained.¡°I managed to hold it for a lot longer than that the other day!¡± Torin smiled indulgently as he shook the water from his feet.¡°Well, you¡¯ve clearly improved.The last time I saw that spell, it was more a dagger than a blade.¡± The girl brightened immediately.¡°That¡¯s true - it has gotten a lot longer.Maybe if I keep at it, I can make a blade as long as Nam?tu¡¯s girgal.¡±Her enthusiasm faltered as some of the workers glared at her, upset by the mention of the Gemlirian god.¡°Err, just a really long sword,¡± she amended. Aphora patted her shoulder fondly, not wanting the child to feel bad.¡°Isn¡¯t Nam?tu¡¯s girgal supposed to be a hundred feet long?¡± Qas?pahti perked up.¡°Yep.They say with a single blow, he took out the whole front row of the durgu? army.¡± Aphora hid her smile.¡°Well, dear, I¡¯m not sure how practical that would be, but you can try.¡±The girl nodded vigorously, her jaw set in determination.¡°I can do it - I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Torin cut in.¡°So, my lady, what brings you by today?¡± She glanced at the temple rising around her.¡°Well it seems clear the construction is going according to schedule.What about the ingredients for the offering?Were you able to track down the list I provided?¡± The old elf winced.¡°No.Most of what we needed we have in store, and the rest I was able to get from the Children.All but two.¡± Aphora suffocated a sigh.I¡¯m not surprised.I suppose it was too much to hope for.¡°Which two?¡± she asked. He glanced at the girl, who had wandered a few feet away, and lowered his voice.¡°Well, we need the hand of a you-know-what, suitably embalmed, of course.¡± She nodded slowly.¡°I suppose I can hunt one down.¡± ¡°You should send Mullu-Lim,¡± Torin immediately objected.¡°If a Sidhe were to come against you¡­¡± he hesitated.¡°Your life is too valuable to risk on this.¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied firmly.¡°Mullu-Lim¡¯s mission is critical.If the sickness emerges in the Fey, it must be stopped immediately.I will go - the chances of encountering a Sidhe are nonexistent.What was the other ingredient you couldn¡¯t get?¡± ¡°We need to sacrifice something called a labat-h?urru,¡± he admitted reluctantly. Aphora frowned.¡°A what? That wasn¡¯t on my list.¡± The old man nodded.¡°You¡¯re right, it wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why add it?¡± He hesitated.¡°While overseeing the construction of the temple the other day, I fell asleep.In my dreams, the goddess came to me and told me if our mission was to be a success, we would need to hunt one of these creatures down, somewhere in the depths of these caverns.¡± Aphora stared at the elf for only a second, before nodding in acceptance.If Torin said they needed it, they needed it.It was as simple as that. ¡°Well then, I guess we''re going hunting.¡± The Specter of Things to Come Jasper wasn¡¯t entirely surprised by what she¡¯d said.He had figured out the Spectral Spiders were connected to fate in some way or another.So if his cousin was hoping for a big reaction, she didn''t get it.¡°I see,¡± he said simply.¡°How does it work?¡± S?anukkat gestured to the colossal beings above them.¡°There¡¯s no guarantee we¡¯ll see anything at all,¡± she explained.¡°Basically, the herbs we drank allow us to walk in this realm for a short period of time.If you¡¯re lucky, one of the Anzuzu may choose to share a fleeting glimpse of the future with you.¡± couples can do together, but I don''t think we''re there." hen I first found you, it looked like one of the Spiders was already communing with you.It wasn''t sharing a vision with you?¡± Jasper shook his head.¡°No, or if it was trying to communicate something, I couldn¡¯t understand it what it was saying.¡± "How strange. I wonder what it wanted with you, although," a wry grin twisted her lips,¡°perhaps it would be for the best if you saw nothing.Knowing the future can be as much a curse as a gift.¡±There was no strange hitch in her voice, but as Jasper glanced over at her, one of those rare moments of intuition came to him. ¡°I am guessing you were shown something you wish you hadn¡¯t seen on one of your earlier trips.¡±It was a statement, not a question, and his cousin blinked in surprise at his confidence. ¡°You could say that,¡± she replied with a forced lightness. Not wanting to pry into something so personal, he simply nodded, letting the matter drop.Jasper was surprised, therefore, when she continued.¡°The last time I was here, one of the Anzuzu showed me something. wasn¡¯t much to the vision.Just an image of my father weeping over my grave.He didn¡¯t look much older than he does now.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t know what to say.¡°Oh, uh, that¡¯s, uh¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± She smiled sadly.¡°It is what it is.Only time will tell if the vision actually comes to pass.¡± ¡°Oh?It might not?¡± S?anukkat shrugged.¡°The visions the Anzuzu show you are what is most likely to happen, but fate is not entirely fixed in stone.There are other forces that can intervene.¡± ¡°So you can try to avoid it?¡± She snorted.¡°That would probably be the worst thing I could do.Hell, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell my parents about it.You¡¯ve seen how my father is about your mother.If he knew the fate I had seen, he would be unable to help himself.He would do everything in his power to save me, and in the process, all he would accomplish would be damning me.¡± Confusion knit his brows.¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The priests always say that the more you struggle against fate, the more tightly it wraps its chains around you.It¡¯s like falling into quicksand.If you thrash and flail, the only thing you''ll accomplish is ensuring you sink that much faster.But if you¡¯re calm, if you accept it, then there¡¯s the chance that someone will come along in time to save you.Ironically, inaction is the best action I can take.¡± He frowned, not entirely sure if he accepted her explanation or not.The idea of just sitting around, waiting to die, clashed with his every instinct.But she knows a lot more about this world than me. Maybe she''s right. ¡°So¡­all the partying, then.That¡¯s why?¡± S?anukkat groaned.¡°Shamsha¡¯s light - even the guards are gossiping about me now?¡±Suffocating a sigh, she shook her head.¡°Oh well, I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter.It¡¯s only a matter of time before they¡¯ll have plenty more to talk about.¡±Her left hand rested protectively over her belly. There was no hint of a bulge on her flat stomach, but Jasper didn¡¯t need to be a genius to recognize the familiar action.¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early, but, yes, I believe Nahre?mah has quickened my womb.A bit of a surprise, all things considered, but a blessing, I think.¡± ¡°All things considered?¡± ¡°It is a great source of pride in the Royal House to marry an elven woman,¡± she explained, ¡°but the average fertility between the unions of a Djinn and an elf is quite low.Given enough time, most couples will eventually produce a child or two, but it is rare to have any more than that.My own mother did not conceive me until nearly a hundred years into their marriage, and in the decades since then, has been unable to produce another.She may never.Your mentor was Lady Aphora, was it not?¡± He shrugged noncommittally.¡°I guess?¡±Jasper wasn¡¯t really sure he would call what Aphora had done to him ¡°mentoring¡± but he had an appreciation for the respect her name garnered from others. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Her parents were together for over three hundred years before conceiving her, and she was the only child they ever had,¡± S?anukkat explained.¡°Now their offspring, like myself, are a little more fertile, but it¡¯s still quite rare for them to ever have more than a few children.I was quite surprised to realize I had conceived in such a short time.¡± ¡°It is a good thing, though.It may bring some shame to my parents in the short term, but if I¡¯m fated to die soon, I¡¯m happy that I can at least leave some small piece of me behind.The child will comfort them in my passing and can serve as an heir in my stead, since my father won¡¯t resort to the usual methods.¡± Jasper raised an eyebrow.¡°The usual methods?¡± ¡°You know, the bastards?¡±He blanched slightly at the word, and a flicker of regret passed through her eyes.¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to give offense.Why do you think there are so many, uh, illegitimate children in the Royal House?¡± He shrugged.¡°I hadn¡¯t really given it much thought.I kind of figured you all were just a bunch of randy nobles.Plus, in my world, the idea of ¡®bastards¡¯ isn¡¯t really a thing any longer.Probably half the population is *technically* bastards, but no one really cares these days.¡± ¡°What a strange place your world must be,¡± she replied, shaking her head in bemusement.¡°Here, bastards often serve a purpose.Some, of course, are just the fruit of passion, like, well, you, by all accounts,¡± she twisted her eyes away awkwardly, ¡°but many are conceived on purpose.Most important nobles in the royal clan choose to marry elves, but with fertility so low, there is a serious risk that they could die in battle without ever producing an heir.¡± Jasper caught on quickly.¡°Hence the bastards?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded.¡°Most choose to have a few spare heirs.That way if they die in battle without producing an heir in their marriage, or if the legitimate heir dies before producing children, the house isn¡¯t left desolate.My father should have sired a few of his own but has always refused to.¡±She lifted her hand off her belly.¡°So if my fate truly comes to pass, at least now they won¡¯t be left alone.¡± Unsure what else to say, Jasper let the conversation drop.The two walked in silence betwixt the forest of purple pillars, aimlessly wandering beneath the hordes of divine beings.From time to time, one would lift up its head, probing his mind with a piercing shriek, but as the minutes dragged on, Jasper began to think that none were going to share any visions with him.Thank heavens. He jinxed it.As they passed beneath another tangled web of spiders, he felt a chill ripple down his spine.Jasper ignored the creepy sensation, not even turning around to look behind him. Instead, he picked up his pace, trying to leave the being in the dust.But no matter how fast he walked, the feeling only grew stronger until, to stand it any longer, he finally spun around. It was like a jump-scare out of a movie as he came face to face with one of the beings.I didn¡¯t realize they came down from the pillars. A spider stood only a few feet away from him, and he had no idea how he hadn¡¯t heard the skittering of its feet against the hard crystalline floor.It was smaller than most, its scale closer to that of an elephant than to the behemoths that scampered above his head, but that was still more than large enough to tower over him. Its carapace was a solid black, lacking the starry galaxies that swirled on its larger peers, and its eyes were almost milky in color, quite unlike the obsidian eyes of the others.A long, jointed leg stretched out toward him, each of the hairy bristles on it as large as a toddler, but he forced himself to hold still, not daring to give offense to the being as the leg grazed his shoulder.No sooner had it touched him than the world fell away. His vision was dark and blurry, and Jasper squinted his eyes as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.He was crouched down on his knees, his hands tied behind his back by thick cords cutting viciously into his wrists.A cowled figure, dressed in a pitch-black tunic loomed above him.Their face was obscured in the shadows, but the voice was unmistakably masculine.¡°Choose,¡± the unknown man thundered. Lifting his eyes, Jasper saw two altars on either side of his captor.A body was bound on each.Their faces were blurred, and no matter how hard he tried to focus on the captives, he could not discern any of their features.There was one detail he could see, though - one had pale, fair skin; the other, the dark red of a djinn. The man moved his hands, and as he did, a silver medallion fell from beneath his sleeve.It swung wildly in the candlelight, showing one side and then the next.Jasper could make out the signs.One side was two sides bound with a scythe; on the other, a winged lion with the face, and certain other features, of a woman.¡°Choose,¡± the cultist thundered again. He tried to reply, tried to fight back, squirming against his bonds, but the image before him suddenly faded away, replaced by another. Jasper sat astride Dapplegrim, clad in a gleaming suit of armor.Dozens of armored warriors surrounded him, but all their faces blurred, save for one - an unknown man with the physique of a bear and a giant mace swinging from his waist. ¡°Today, we reclaim our heritage,¡± the man roared, drawing a cheer from the onlookers.¡°No more shall we let this indignity stand, to let the stoneflesh foul our sacred halls - no more!Today, we shall drive them back to the sea from whence they came.¡± A roar resounded from the hills surrounding them, and as Jasper turned his eyes away from the unknown man, he saw a mighty city lying before them.Nestled in the hills along the shores, ten great walls encircled it.The walls gleamed in the light of the sun, obviously forged from metal, and he recognized the place immediately.This is the capital city.Isn¡¯t it in the hands of the Zalancthians, though? The cheers were interrupted though as a messenger galloped across the crest of the hill.¡°My lord, my lord,¡± the man cried, throwing himself off the back of his horse.¡°An army approaches from the west¡­¡±The vision faded again. He found himself sitting in a hard stone chair, pulled close against a matching table.Aphora sat across from him, a strange child sitting beside her with skin the color of stone and hair the color of lilacs.Behind them, a luminous sea glowed faintly.Aphora started to say something, but Jasper heard only two words before the vision faded.¡°The Sidhe-¡° He came to his senses.Jasper was bent on his knees before the strange spider, his body shaking like a leaf as a chill colder than anything he had felt since the first time he had visited Kas?dael¡¯s realm gripped him.He gasped as the being lightly tapped his shoulder, and a quiet voice echoed in his ear, a voice that was not his cousin¡¯s.Sesseru, it whispered. ¡°What?¡±He choked out, not understanding it.But his time in that realm had come to a close.The floor beneath him cracked, then shattered like glass.With a scream, he fell into the void.A moment later his eyes snapped open as the rough feeling of wood grated against his cheek.He was back on the boat. The Isle of the Dead With a groan, he pushed himself up on his knees.His muscles responded slowly, stiff and aching in a way he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time.He paused on his knees, as the visions the Anzuzu had shown him once more flooded through him.What the hell was that? ¡°You¡¯re the first to awake.¡± Surprised, he craned his head.His aunt was slumped against the ship¡¯s railing.A silver goblet sat on the deck beside her, and she rubbed her finger slowly around the rim before taking a sip. He forced himself to his feet, ignoring the protests of his still half-asleep leg as he limped over to her.¡°Clearly not.You¡¯re awake after all.¡± A wan smile crossed her lips as she lifted her cup again.¡°I didn¡¯t drink the herbs.Just wine in this cup.¡± Jasper eased himself beside her, resting his head against the railing.¡°Really?S?anukkat said you were pretty devoted to the Anzuzu.¡± She swirled the wine in her cup.¡°I was.Am,¡± she corrected herself, ¡°but¡­¡± ¡°One of them showed you something you wish you hadn¡¯t seen,¡± he realized. The elf nodded glumly.¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s worse: to know a future that will likely happen, or to be able to delude oneself with the sliver of hope - faint though it might be - that it won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Hope can be a cruel mistress,¡± Jasper agreed.His eyes drifted across the deck where three bodies were still slumped.¡°Why haven''t the others woken up yet?S?anukkat said the herbs were supposed to last only a short time.¡± ¡°I may have slipped a little something extra into their drinks.Into the crews¡¯ drinks too,¡± she admitted.¡°Nothing much, just a little sleeping potion.¡± Jasper furrowed his brow.¡°Why''d you do that?¡± She sighed, taking another sip of her wine before responding.¡°I wanted the chance to talk with you alone.¡± ¡°And you have to drug people to do that?¡± Her laughter drifted out over the stilled waters.¡°You are still new to this world, Yas?peh, so you don¡¯t get it yet.Back there, in the palace,¡± she jerked her head toward the mist-shrouded city, ¡°You are never truly alone.The servants, the guards, hell, even the animals could be watching you, reporting everything you say or do.Spells, enchantments - those sorts of things can help, but they¡¯re hardly foolproof.But here on the lake,¡± she gestured to the very gentle waves that lapped against the ship, ¡°here you can be at peace.Here, only the gods are your witness.¡± He waited for her to say what she wanted, but his aunt seemed in no mood to spill her mind.She stared intently at her cup, swirling the wine back and forth, until a few drops spilled over the rim and dripped onto her white dress.¡°Damn,¡± she muttered.As she rubbed absentmindedly at the stain, the fog above their heads begin to clear, allowing the silver shafts of the moon to fall on her head, somehow missing him completely. The elf abandoned her efforts, turning her eyes toward the goddess.She closed her eyes, letting her face bask in the moonlight.As Jasper watched, the dark red stains on her dress faded into nothingness.The moment passed; again the fog covered the face of the moon, and they were left in the light of the lanterns.When she turned to face him, he saw the turmoil that raged in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to be asked to make a decision,¡± she finally said, her words thick with emotion. ¡°What decision?¡±He asked calmly, but Jasper already had a sinking feeling he knew what she was talking about. ¡°A choice of whom to save.Damn it,¡± she cursed.Draining the dregs of her goblet, she tossed it across the deck.With a clang, it bounced along the wooden planks, rolling to a stop next to the still-slumbering form of her daughter.¡°I was going to ask you to save¡­¡± she cut herself off, finishing the sentence awkwardly, ¡°someone.But Selene has forbidden it.¡± She leaned back against the railing, looking up to the heavens where the moon was once again obscured.Burying her face in her hands, her voice was muffled as it came through, but Jasper could still hear the tremors.¡°Just¡­promise me you¡¯ll make the right decision.¡± Jasper stared at his aunt, unsure what to say.Unsure what to do.Is my vision related to S?anukkat¡¯s and to whatever choice my aunt is talking about?Is the choice I have to make between my cousin and¡­someone else?He remembered the two bodies from the vision - one with pale skin, the other red.If one is S?anukkat, who is the other?Annatta?Laylah?He felt queasy at the mere thought of being forced to choose who to save. Reaching out, he awkwardly patted her hand.¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±The words were wholly insufficient, but it was all he could say. After a long moment, she lifted her head.Her cheeks sparkled in the light of the lanterns with suspicious wetness, and she glared at him, daring him to mention it. He didn¡¯t. ¡°I had another motive, too.¡±She rose to her feet decisively, banishing all signs of weakness.¡°Selene may have forbidden me to ask you what I wanted, but there are things I can do.Are you ready for a fight?¡± Surprised by her sudden change of mood, he stared at her suspiciously.¡°A fight?What sort of fight?¡± She ignored his question.In the space of a few strides, she took her place at the wheel of the ship and wrapped her hands tightly around it.The rest of their party, and the crew as well, were still slumped motionless on the deck, but the vessel responded promptly to her guidance.There was barely a breath of wind on the lake that night, the still surface suffocated by a thick layer of fog, but the ship still responded to her wiling, moving, albeit rather slowly, deeper into the night. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°What sort of fight?¡±He repeated impatiently. The elf half-smiled, though it was not enough to hide the turmoil that still roiled in her eyes.¡°To get an ingredient that will improve your weapon.That, at least, Selene did not forbid me to do.¡±And no matter how much Jasper pestered her, his aunt refused to say anything further. An hour slipped by in silence and slowly the wind begin to pick up.It was subtle at first, nipping at their cheeks with a playful caress, but it grew into a steady, stiff breeze that began to push the fog away.And as the fog lifted, Jasper caught his first glimpse of their destination. A small island loomed before them, bathed in the light of the moon.It was a peculiar place, almost unnatural.Tall, alabaster cliffs rose in a shattered semi-circle, pocked with dozens of black dots that, as the ship grew closer, Jasper realized were doorways. In the center of the island, enclosed by the towering cliffs, a forest sprouted.Hundreds of tall, thin cypresses reached their boughs toward the heavens in a thick tangle of roots that would have reached the shore if not for the small harbor whose three docks, built from the same alabaster that lined the cliffs, jutted out into the lake. Guided by her steady hand, the ship came to a stop a few hundred feet away from the docks.A thunderous shaking gripped the boat as the anchor plunged into the depths of the lake, not stopping until it hit the distant floor. ¡°Why are we stopping her?¡±He asked, confused.¡°Why not use the docks?¡± ¡°If it was just you and me, we''d dock, but with the others passed out, it isn¡¯t safe.They would be helpless before the utukku? and qebru? that swarm these shores.¡± ¡°Qebru??¡±Jasper cocked his head.¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m familiar with whatever utukku? are, but I¡¯ve fought qebru? before.How did a bunch of unburied corpses end up on this little island?¡± His aunt smiled grimly.¡°No one knows.For thousands of years, this island was one of the most sacred possessions of the Mars?e?ru clan.¡± ¡°The Mars?e?ru clan?¡± He questioned, feeling a bit like an echo. ¡°One of the lesser tribes of Kubarru; not as much of a thorn in the side of the Royal House as most of the southern tribes are, though.They¡¯re all about horses these days, but when the Djinn first came to the Harei Miqlat, the Mars?e?ru actually settled on the northern cliffs overlooking the lake - a fact they very much wish the other southern tribes would forget.But though they eventually migrated south, they never abandoned the island.¡± ¡°What was so special about the place?¡± Kas??tu?ma shrugged.¡°Who knows what drew them to the island in the first place, but the reason they were unwilling to abandon it is simple enough.This is where they buried their most honored dead.¡± ¡°You mean their leaders?¡± ¡°Sort of. Their priests and nobles were indeed entombed here, but they were only a small number of those buried on the island.The honored dead I was referring to, the majority of those interred on the island, were children or women who died in childbirth,¡± his aunt explained.¡°If any among their clan lost a child, the elders would bury them on the island, to forever be honored and watched over.¡± Jasper glanced at the unruly forest that threatened to consume the docks. he didn¡¯t know the shores were filled with the undead, there was a deeply unsettling feeling to the place that would''ve turned him away.¡°Clearly not forever.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed, ¡°Not forever.It¡¯s hidden by the forest now, but a commune of priestesses watched over the island at all times.They tended to the graves, presented offerings to the dead, and ran an inn for those who wished to visit their ancestors.For generations, they watched over the island with no sign of trouble.¡± He leaned against the balustrade, his eyes fixed intently on his aunt¡¯s.¡°So what happened?¡± The elf frowned.¡°As I said, no one knows.Up until a few hundred years ago, around the time that the Empire was being ravaged by the Fey Wars, the temple was still in operation.The Mars?e?ru clan would send ships out to the island once a week, to bring new visitors and supplies, and ferry back those ready to return.And then one day, the ship arrived to find the island silent.Thinking nothing of it, they disembarked, only to be immediately attacked by a horde of undead - the qebru? and a new kind of undead, one they had never seen before, the utukku.The whole crew was slaughtered in a matter of minutes.¡± ¡°When the vessel never returned, the Mars?e?ru sent more ships to investigate, only then revealing the true extent of the horror.All the dead who had been buried on the island had risen as qebru?, while those who had been alive - the priestesses and the pilgrims - appear to have been transformed into the utukku.¡± ¡°To this day, the mystery of what happened to the island has never been solved.Those who had left the island on the last ship before the tragedy had noticed nothing unusual at all.No cause for the disaster was ever officially determined.¡± Jasper was surprised that Djinn hadn¡¯t tried to put the undead spirits to rest. ¡°And they never cleared the island? Why not?¡± ¡°The Mars?e?ru wanted to, but the king at the time forbid it.Fearing that the tragedy was the result of either a deadly disease or a direct punishment by the gods for some blasphemy that was committed, all travel to the island was forbidden.¡± He cocked an eyebrow. "So why are we here then?" His aunt chuckled.¡°Forbidden for a minor clan and forbidden for the Royal House are two very different things, Yas?peh, but regardless, the order no longer stands.It¡¯s just that no one wishes to come here any longer.The amount of adventurers this island has claimed over the years is so high that even they are no longer willing to risk it.¡± He swallowed hard, suddenly not eager to get a better view of the shore.¡°You¡¯re not exactly selling this place to me.You said we came here to get an ingredient for my weapon.Can¡¯t we get it somewhere a little less deathtrap-py?¡± She shook her head firmly.¡°Nope.If I¡¯m going to craft you a weapon, I¡¯m going to make the best weapon I can, and to do that there is something I can only get here - the blood of an utukku.Now change into your armor, while I go inside and grab my gear.¡± The elf vanished into the interior of the vessel, leaving him to change.Walking over to Ihra, he tried futilely to wake her up, but she wouldn¡¯t budge.Damn it.The others were equally sound asleep.Giving up, he fished his gear out of Ihra¡¯s bag of holding.Ripping out the strands of pearls Annatta had forced on him, he pulled the scaled royal armor over his head and bound Arut?¡¯s shortsword to his hip.His aunt had not yet reappeared. Suffocating a sigh, Jasper walked over to the ship¡¯s railing.Leaning against the carved wooden balustrade, he felt the wind rustle through his hair, as his eyes were inescapably drawn to the island.Despite what his aunt had said, he couldn¡¯t see any signs of undead swarms, but neither were there any other signs of life.The strange, towering cliffs lay empty, the docks silent and abandoned, and in the forest, there was no sign of movement, save for the swaying of the twisted cypresses in the wind. But it was the silence that got to him.No bird songs were carried aloft on the swirling breeze; no crickets or toads conducted their ceaseless symphonies - even the whistling of the wind seemed muted and distant.An impenetrable wall of silence hung over the island, a suffocating quiet that inspired in him an almost palpable feeling of dread. Maybe I could just make do with my short sword after all.Or buy a weapon at the market.Nothing wrong with that.With a shake of his head, he dismissed the ridiculous thought.It wasn¡¯t like he had much of a choice, anyways. going to take no for an answer. Oh well, he sighed. In for a penny, in for a pound, I guess. The Forsaken The stifling silence was broken by the light patter of footsteps on the deck behind him as Kas??tu?ma finally emerged from the bowels of the ship.She had exchanged her gauzy white dress for a simple linen tunic.A long wooden staff, weighted on both ends with metal, swung in her hands, but other than that she bore no weapons or armor. He cocked an eyebrow.¡°Little underdressed, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kas?i?''s laughter echoed across the stilled sea.¡°The only reason I¡¯m wearing anything at all is because you¡¯re here.Didn¡¯t want you to die of embarrassment.¡±She smirked, ¡°Or, you know, jealousy.¡± ¡°Jealousy?What do I have to be jealous of?¡± ¡°Nobody said it would be your jealousy that would kill you.¡±She quipped, as she joined him at the railing.¡°We can¡¯t bring the ship any closer to the docks without risking the safety of the others, but I have a spell that lets me walk across water.I guess I¡¯ll just have to carry you over." She turned to him with a glimmer of amusement sparkling in her eye.Any preferences?Piggy-back?Princess style?¡± Jasper snorted.¡°Princess, obviously.¡±His aunt started to grab his waist, and he rapidly twisted out of her arms.¡°Wait, wait, I was kidding,¡± he protested.¡°I don¡¯t need your help to get to the island.Got a spell of my own that will get me there.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± she conceded, letting go of him.¡°You should have me sooner. If I had known I didn''t have to carry you, I wouldn¡¯t have needed this tunic.¡± ¡°Ah, no, I''m pretty sure you need it either way. I don¡¯t really feel like we have a no-clothes-needed sort of relationship, to be honest.¡± The elf frowned.¡°I guess your world must be as prudish as the Djinn are.We elves are not quite so concerned about such things.¡± He quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Really? Don¡¯t most of you live in the frozen north?¡± His aunt rolled her eyes.¡°Tell me, Yas?peh, do you feel the cold these days?¡± ¡°Well, no,¡± he admitted. ¡°Neither do we.¡± ¡°I guess you could say the cold never bothered you anyways,¡± he offered with a sly grin. Ka?s?tu?ma just looked puzzled.¡°Yes, that¡¯s literally what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Nevermind,¡± he muttered to himself. After another puzzled glance, she shrugged him off and slipped over the side of the boat.¡°Alright, let''s head out -I¡¯ll meet you on the docks.¡± Jasper watched silently as she set off across the water, curious about her powers.With each step she took, the water beneath her feet froze into place. The ice lasted only as long as her feet were in contact with the water, melting back into the sea as soon as she moved away.It was definitely a useful skill, but slower than he would have expected.Cool, but no match for my wings. Bored with watching her spell, a wide grin split his face as Jasper summoned his own spell.A spasm tore down his back as the strange, spectral wings emerged from his core and a moment later he was soaring through the air. He zipped past his aunt, buzzing low enough overhead for the wind from his wings to ruffle her hair and, ignoring her angry ¡°Hey,¡± left her behind in the dust.In less than a minute, he had reached the abandoned dock.He landed softly at the end of the pier, the spectral wings fluttering silently behind him. There was still no sign of danger, but as soon as he landed, Jasper was all business.Don¡¯t want to get killed before she even gets here. With a sword drawn and a spell on the edge of his fingers, he searched the shadows vigilantly as he waited for her to catch up.But nothing so much as moved until his aunt arrived. She pulled herself up onto the dock and crouched down beside him.Her dress was soaked and she paused to wring out her hair. ¡°Decided to take a swim?¡± ¡°The water looked simply irresistible,¡± she quipped, as she pulled her hair back.¡°In truth, I misjudged the time on the spell - must be getting a little bit rusty.There¡¯s not exactly a lot of opportunities for combat when you¡¯re stuck at the palace all the time.¡± Grabbing him by the shoulder, she shoved him forward.¡°Here, unless you want to be embarrassed, turn away.¡± ¡°What-¡°He started to turn back to look at her, but quickly averted his eyes, albeit not before seeing a bit more flesh than he would have preferred as she begin to strip off her dress. ¡°Just me give me a moment to cast the spell.¡±A strange clinking echoed behind him as she spoke, but he didn¡¯t turn around until she tapped him on the shoulder.¡°All right, let¡¯s track down an utukku.¡± She brushed past him, heading down the dock with a long and confident stride.The soaked tunic she had worn was neatly folded up on the dock beside him, but she had been right - she didn¡¯t need it.Almost her entire body, save for her head and her hands were covered in a protective layer of deep blue ice.So that¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t need armor.Some sort of spell similar to my own Bramble Crown.Speaking of which¡­Reminded by his aunt, he cast Bramble Crown, relaxing as he felt the thin layer of bark creep across his skin. He hurried to catch up with her as she neared the end of the dock. ¡°So where are all the monsters,¡± he whispered.¡°Didn¡¯t you say this place was so dangerous even adventurers didn¡¯t want to come here?¡± She pointed up to the encircling cliffs, whose steep faces were lined with row upon row of tombs.¡°Fortunately, most of the qebru? stay close to the cliffs.The utukku wander a bit further afield, but they normally stay near the temple.Follow me,¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The elf stepped off the dock and into the tangled forest, with Jasper close at her heels. Despite the oppressive silence that covered the island, the air on the docks had been fine, refreshed by the same subtle breezes that swept across the lake.But as soon as Jasper¡¯s foot touched the needle-covered dirt, the air changed.A thick, cloying smell filled his nostrils, a stench that was somehow simultaneously both revolting and appealing.He gagged, clutching his arm tight over his mouth as he slunk after her.¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°Death,¡± she replied simply. The forest was an almost impenetrable thicket.The cypress grew so close together that in most places progress was impossible.They were forced to wriggle and squirm their way through narrow openings, winding back and forth between trees.All sight of the sea was quickly lost and, with it, the gentle sea breeze, making the stench even more unbearable. Stumbling over a twisted root, he tumbled to the ground.He pushed himself back up immediately, annoyed rather than hurt, but froze when he heard a sound.Far off, to the left and behind him, the cry of a child echoed in the woods.¡°What-?¡± His words were cut off as his aunt¡¯s hands clamped tight around his mouth.¡°Shh, don¡¯t respond,¡± she whispered in his ear.¡°There are worse things than even the utukku on this accursed isle.¡±They waited as the cry sounded again, and then a third time.Then silence returned to the island. The minutes ticked by slowly until, finally, his aunt released him and turned back to the forest. Jasper followed her, casting nervous glances over his shoulder.¡°What the hell was that?¡± ¡°Some adventurers claimed to have encountered a child with skin of porcelain and empty sockets in place of eyes, a child whose very touch was death.¡± ¡°Like a possessed doll?¡± ¡°No, much worse than that.A gall?, a shade that has escaped the Sea of Oblivion, cursed to wander aimlessly until Nahre?mah fulfills her sacred purpose.If you see one, run.They cannot be killed, or even hurt, but even the slightest touch from them will destroy your very soul.¡± He suppressed a shudder.¡°All right, so ignore crying children in the woods.Got it.¡± ¡°Shh,¡± she hushed him.¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The tangle of cypresses began to open up, forced apart by alabaster walls that emerged from the ground.Thick clumps of moss clung to every crack and crevice in their buildings, but they had stood the test of time better than could be expected. The temple complex was less monumental than he¡¯d expected.Everything in Corsythia seemed to be done on the sort of grand scale that had been all but forgotten on Earth since the time of the Pyramids, but the little village here was more humble.Save for the exotic alabaster from which the homes were built, a stone which in this case appeared to be native to the island, there was nothing ostentatious about the settlement. A row of buildings lined a broad avenue, whose thick stone tiles had held the forest at bay.Most of the homes were no more than a story high, with small courtyards at the front that enclosed garden beds in which a motley assortment of now wild vegetables still sprouted.At the end of the street were the only real buildings of note.One was a rather large three-story affair, with one corner of its roof crumpled in upon itself; if Jasper had to guess, it was the inn for pilgrims his aunt had mentioned.The other was the temple. The sanctuary was a study in simplicity. The white alabaster tiles of its facade coupled with the smooth, clean lines to provide an image of peaceful serenity.A shallow flight of stairs led up a slight incline, flanked on either side by overgrown gardens that once must have been beautiful.But whatever other architectural details the temple featured were lost on Jasper as he immediately zeroed in on the beings walking around its grounds. They were women, or perhaps more accurately, parodies of women.Their limbs had been strangely altered, so that their legs and arms no longer matched each other in length.Thus, the temple¡¯s lost priestesses staggered as they walked, their motions stiff and jerky like marionettes. Their heads lolled to the side, their necks far too long to be natural, so long that on many the heads hung upside down over their shoulder, and their long, tattered hair swayed to and fro with every step they took. Unlike their bodies, the clothes they wore were unnaturally preserved.Their white dresses flared out into poofy skirts, a style quite unlike the slim tunics and dresses the Djinn usually wore, and were adorned with hundreds of delicate, hand-stitched flowers, all of which were in pristine condition as if untouched by dirt, decay, or the ravage of time.Guess they¡¯ve got a good dry cleaner. Jasper moved slowly forward to stand next to his aunt, his footfalls mostly muffled by the detritus of fallen needles and moss.He froze as a twig snapped beneath his foot.In an instant, the utukku closest to them whirled around, the jerkiness in their movement suddenly replaced by an almost lightning speed.And for the first time, he saw their faces. Their eyes were gone, but not simply missing.No, the scratches and scars all around their sockets told the story clearly enough - they had gauged their own eyes out.And sprouting from those empty sockets were thin, thorny vines that waved up and down with a will of their own. His gasp was suffocated as his aunt clapped her hand over his face, pulling him down into a crouch.Utterly silent, save for the wild beating of their hearts, the two didn¡¯t dare move a muscle until the utukku finally looked away, returning to their aimless meanderings. ¡°What the hell was that?What happened to those women?¡± he whispered as loudly as he dared. Kas??tu?ma shook her head.¡°How many times must I tell you - no one knows.Now,¡± she slipped her bag off her shoulder, ¡°we need to draw one of them away from the rest.¡±She rifled through the pouch, pulling out a small pile of items - a thick piece of meat, two unfamiliar potions, and two sets of what would have looked like handcuffs if not for the long stakes attached to them. I guess she and S?arra?bi? are into some kinky stuff.Jasper might have laughed, but any levity within him died when he caught another glance of the utukku out of the corner of his eyes.Focus, Jasper, he reminded himself.¡°What are these for?¡± he whispered. Reaching down, she pushed just enough of the brown pine needles aside to trace a rough outline in the dirt.¡°This was the main settlement area, but there was another smaller section of housing to the left.¡±She pointed back to the forest.¡°A few hundred feet in that direction.According to the information I purchased, there should be an open area there where we¡¯ll have room to fight.I want you to take these ingredients and set them up, while I try to lure one of the utukku over there.¡± ¡°All right, anything special I need to do with these?¡± She shook her head.¡°Just find an open place to set up the meat, pour the potions over it, and plant the shackles in the ground on either side of it.Then hide and wait for me.¡± He swept them up into his arms, turning back to the forest, but hesitated.¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?I know I haven¡¯t known you long, but I¡¯m pretty sure S?arra?bi? will kill me if I get his beloved wife killed.And frankly,¡± he added with a wry grin, ¡°the monsters here might just beat him to the punch.Without you, I¡¯m not sure I could even find my way off this island.¡± She squeezed his hand hard, offering him an amused smile.¡°I may not be a match for your mentor, Aphora, but I think you¡¯re underestimating me a bit.I am much more than a blacksmith.Now, go, do as I told you, and wait for me to arrive.¡± It would have been a convincing performance if Jasper hadn¡¯t noticed the faint twitch in her cheek and the ever so slight widening of her eyes.She¡¯s afraid.Damn it.He wanted to protest - hell, he wanted off the island right here, right now - but he knew it was no use.As long as she believed that what she was doing might save her daughter¡¯s life, nothing he could say would shake her determination.¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go set up,¡± he agreed. The Gallu? Within seconds, the forest had enveloped him.The trip to the abandoned temple had been nerve-wracking enough, but at least he hadn¡¯t been alone.Now though, he was keenly aware of just how isolated he was. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint sounds his feet made as they brushed against the thick bed of needles.Progress was slow; the trees had grown so tight together that in many places they formed almost impenetrable walls, but he pushed on, breaking down branches when necessary to form a makeshift path that Kas??tu?ma could follow. Jasper''s trip was uneventful, though.He saw no signs of the dangerous qebru? nor the even more monstrous utukku.Once he thought he heard the faint cry of a child echoing from the woods behind him.The blood in his veins turned to ice as he stood there, paralyzed, but the cry didn¡¯t come again.Must have been my imagination, he consoled himself. Still, he was beginning to fear that, misled by the twists and turns of the dark forest, he had strayed from his course when he finally broke free into another clearing.The architecture was the same as that of the abandoned village, but the settlement was far smaller. I wonder who lived here? Why not with the others? About eight houses were clustered in a semi-circle around a small village square dominated by an old well.A large metal rod with a crank attached to it ran across its top, with a few broken chains hanging down from it, but they had long ago lost their buckets.Perhaps the well had been abandoned even before whatever tragedy had consumed this island and its inhabitants, for the top was covered with thick planks firmly bolted in place. He lurked on the edges of the village for a few minutes, watching from the dense thicket of woods.There was no sign of movement. When he was satisfied that he was truly alone, he moved.Jasper dashed across the open space, feeling oddly exposed, and looked for a place to set up the supplies Kas??tu?ma had given.He settled on the well. Putting the meat down, he uncorked the first of the two potions.A sickly sweet smell wafted from the bottle, though he thought he detected just a trace of something bitter hidden within.A poison, maybe?He poured it over the meat, careful to keep his hands away from the liquid, just in case it really was poisonous.Then he opened the second. In a moment his stomach turned inside out.He narrowly moved his head to the side in time to avoid hurling on the meat.He hit his shoes instead.Yuck.The smell was horrible, pungent beyond anything he had ever had the misfortune to encounter.The only thing he could think to compare it to was a Vietnamese fish sauce an old college roommate of his had loved to cook with.This was definitely worse though.He threw up again, thoroughly emptying his stomach this time. Then, once his stomach had nothing more to give, Jasper managed to pour the liquid over the meat.It bubbled as it came into contact with the other potion, soaking deep into the meat though, sadly, it did nothing to improve the smell.All that was left for him to do, then, was to affix the strange handcuffs. Beating them into the cracks of the paving stones was harder than he expected but, eventually, he managed to get both of the manacles standing upright.Examining them closer, he realized they were covered in the same not-rune symbols - glyphs? - that his aunt had sketched out for his weapon, but he saw no way to activate them.Hopefully, they activate themselves.Somehow. Then, done preparing, he retreated from the small courtyard.Ensconcing himself in a corner of a broken-down home, he hunkered down out of sight and waited on his aunt. At first, he mistook the sound for the faint rustling of branches in the wind.But the trees were not moving nor, as he realized after a moment, had the unnatural silence of the island been lifted.But something was moving in the forest, hidden just out of sight.Kas???Please be Kas??, Nerves racing, he kept his eyes glued to the trees.Then another sound echoed, from the opposite side of the clearing.Well, unless she failed to mention she could teleport, that¡¯s not her. Crouching down even lower in the thick grass, he barely dared to peek out.The sounds grew louder, now coming from both sides of the little house he was hiding in until something finally emerged from the trees. A pale being shuffled out from the trees.Half erect, half scampering on all fours, it paused as it emerged into the clearing.Fully standing up, it sniffed the air. Still hidden, Jasper could see the being clear enough to recognize it.Its eyes glowed with a familiar red glare, shadowy fangs peaking from between its lips, with wickedly sharp claws extending from its hands.It was a qebru, though much smaller than the ones he¡¯d encountered before.It was only when he saw the shabby cornhusk doll clutched tightly in its fist that he understood.It¡¯s one of the children who were buried here. Slowly he summoned his essence, a spell forming at the tip of his fingers as he watched the undead child wander around the clearing, stopping regularly to sniff the air.Once or twice it looked in his direction, and he was afraid it had spotted him, but it never came his way.Instead, it circled round and round the tainted piece of meat, clearly entranced but unwilling, for some reason to touch it. With the appearance of the qebru, Jasper had all but forgotten the second source of sound.Until the wail of a crying child echoed through the air. For a moment, he thought it had come from the qebru before him.It was, after all, a child.But the qebru was not so simply confused.Starting like a deer, it immediately bolted away from the well, back towards the shelter of the trees.It never got there. The gall? materialized in front of it.It was exactly as his aunt had described.Glistening in the light of the moon, Jasper could just barely make out the pale, porcelain sheen of its skin.Long blonde hair, unkempt but not ragged, hung loosely around its face, hiding it from view.The qebru froze in its tracks, the doll still clutched tightly in its little arms. Cocking its head to the side, the gall? stretched out its arm and grabbed hold of the being¡¯s hand.The moment it came into contact with the qebru¡¯s skin, the sound of crying intensified, louder and louder until it filled the air.Wincing, Jasper shrank back, clutching at his ears as the forest¡¯s silence was banished.Then it ceased. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Hesitatingly, his heart beating with fear, he crept forward to look.The gall? stood alone in the clearing, bathed in the pale light of Selene.There was no sign of the qebru, but a shabby, cornhusk doll lay at its feet.Bending down, the creature picked up the doll.It ran a trembling hand through the cornsilk hair, awkwardly patting it down in place, before cradling it in its own arms. Jasper held his breath as the little porcelain child wandered across the clearing, afraid to even think.It peered cautiously at the tainted meat but turned away with a shake of its head as if it could sense the poison. Doesn¡¯t seem as mindless as Kas?? said. The instant he thought it, the being swiveled its head to look at him.His aunt¡¯s warning echoed in his mind.RUN! he screamed at himself, but his limbs refused to obey his commands. Kas??tu?ma had said that the gall? had only empty sockets in place of eyes, but the child staring back at him clearly hadn¡¯t gotten the memo.A pair of all-too-human eyes stared back at him.Dark, chestnut-brown eyes that saw through his hiding place in an instant. Half-haltingly, the being took a few steps closer as his treacherous body still refused to move, and for the first time, the gall?¡¯s face came into full. ¡°Jenny?¡±He whispered.As soon as he said it, he knew it was impossible.She had died long ago, on a different world, in a different universe.The resemblance was there, but there were differences.It wasn¡¯t Jenny, not quite, but he had a hard time believing the resemblance was a mere coincidence. Is it trying to taunt me? Still, despite his inability to run, the gall? made no move to attack him.It crept within a few feet of him, standing face-to-face with him in silence.Minutes felt like hours as the deadly being stared at him. Then it swiveled its head around.Cocking its head it stared into the woods for a second before, as suddenly as it appeared, it simply disappeared. Feeling returned to his body as the gall? left.He was covered in so much sweat his tunic clung to his body like the aftermath of a wet t-shirt contest, and his limbs were shaking like a sapling in a hurricane.But he was alive. A moment later, he heard what had driven the gall? off.The sounds of boughs breaking and trees groaning echoed from the trees as something smashed through the forest. ¡°Yas?peh!You better be ready,¡± an unseen voice roared.¡°Use your darkness spell.The cloaking one - whatever it¡¯s called.¡± Hands shaking, Jasper released the spell he had prepared as he fought to summon Eternal Night.It took him two attempts, his focus all but shattered by the horrifying encounter, but the spell was waiting on his fingertips when his aunt finally appeared. Her ice-infused armor sparkled in the moonlight as the elf broke free from the trees.She raced across the clearing, so fast that her feet barely grazed the ground.¡°Cast it, now,¡± she screamed. He released the spell, letting the chilling void of darkness flow over him as she flung herself down beside him.His aunt was shaking, her eyes wide, but she tried to flash him a reassuring smile.¡°Thanks, that was a little closer than I expected.¡± Whatever else she might have said was lost as, barely a second later, her pursuer emerged.A utukku. The accursed priestess was not as fast as the elf, but she possessed speed in other ways.As if alive, the trees of the forest twisted and squirmed out of her way, opening a path before her as she burst into the clearing. But there was no sign of her prey, hidden as she was beneath the cloak of Jasper¡¯s spell.Confused, the creature stumbled forward, her movements once again awkward and jerky now that she was no longer running.Her head lolled to the side grotesquely, bouncing with every step she took as she wandered around the ruins. It did not take the utukku long to notice the offering laid out on the well.Jasper held his breath as she approached the bait, afraid she would shy away.But whatever sixth sense the gall? had possessed that warned them away from the poisoned meat, the utukku did not share. The shambling priestess circled twice around the offering before drawing near.Then, its movement stiff and jerky, it bent low over the meat.Suddenly its neck opened up, swinging wide as if on a hinge.Row upon row of razor-sharp teeth glinted in the moonlight, many of them entwined with thin, rootlike tendrils as it fell upon the offering, tearing into it like a shark in a feeding frenzy. Entranced by the utukku, Jasper hadn¡¯t been paying attention to his aunt.But now she stepped forward out of his protective spell.With a flicker of her wrist, she threw two small daggers, so thin and narrow that they were really closer to needles, at the shackles Jasper had planted in the ground. When the daggers clanked into the shackles the utukku jerked up, immediately alert, but it was already too late.A wave of light spread across the instruments as the glyphs activated.Suddenly growing in length, the shackles slithered the short distance between them and the creature.Then, striking like a viper, they clamped hard around the being¡¯s wrists and ankles. Pulling back hard, the creature was suddenly pinned down tight against the well.He hadn¡¯t heard the cursed priestess utter any sounds up until then, but now, its screams filled the silent night. ¡°Quick, help me,¡± his aunt snapped as she rushed over to the well.It thrashed violently against its restraints, as the stakes that clung to the ground shook suspiciously.¡°We only have a few minutes before this place will be crawling with them.¡± He ran over to help her as she pulled a serrated crescent blade from her pouch.Holding a vial close, she sliced the skin open and let the creature¡¯s blood flow in.The creature¡¯s writhing smashed into her hand, and the vial went flying.It rolled across the pavement stones, landing on its side.Jasper moved to grab it, but she shook her head.¡°Leave it.Just hold her down,¡± she said, producing another vial from her pouch. The moment his hands came into contact with the utukku¡¯s skin, he felt physically ill.If he hadn¡¯t already voided the contents of his stomach, he would have then.Gagging and wheezing, he somehow managed to hold on.The creature was simply too strong for him to truly keep still, but he slowed the worst of her movements long enough for Kas??tu?ma to fill the vial. Snapping a lid on it, she tossed it in her pouch and turned to leave.¡°Come-¡°She hesitated as her eyes fell on the partially filled vial.¡°Hold her another minute.¡±It took but a second for her to reach the spilled vial and, snatching it up, she pressed it again to the being¡¯s flesh, digging in with her dagger. The screams filled the air and, still a distance off, Jasper could hear howls returned.The others were coming.¡°We should leave.¡± She ignored him, pressing tighter against the flesh.The vial filled, and she tossed it too into the pouch.¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They had taken perhaps five steps away from the well when it happened.The thick boards that covered the well had stood the test of time for far longer than could have ever been expected.Generations had come and gone since those trees had given their life for those sturdy planks.But they were not built to withstand the thrashing of an utukku. In a shower of splinters, the wood finally gave way, and as the utukku plunged downward, the stakes binding her pulled free.They stood frozen as they watched the creature disappear down the well shaft, the metal shackles clanging against the old stone dully.The creature¡¯s screams ceased and there was a moment of silence. Then, a chain spiraled out of the opening.It hung in the air, suspended for a moment, before clanking to the ground.It was the handcuffs. ¡°Run,¡± his aunt hissed. He was already running. Clash with the Utukku, Pt. 1 S?anukkat awoke with a gasp, sucking the air into her lungs like a diver who had gone without for far too long.She breathed too deeply and too greedily, though.Coughing and hacking, the girl rolled onto her knees, recoiling in disgust as she vomited out most of the wine and herb potion on the deck, narrowly missing the hem of her dress. Damn it.Wiping her mouth dry, she settled back on her haunches.Feeling a flutter in her stomach, she rested her hand on the barest hint of a bump as she scanned the deck.Her father and most of the crew were still sprawled out on the wood; the strange elf was there too, although a faint stirring in her limbs suggested she was beginning to come to.But of her mother and her ¡°cousin,¡± there was no sign.Where the hell are they? A cursory search of the vessel turned up no clues.Which means-Her eyes fell on the creepy island rising a few hundred feet away from the ship.Why would they go there?To grind out a few levels?She shook her head.No, that can¡¯t be it.She didn¡¯t know her newfound relative enough to make any judgment calls about him, but her mother was brave, not foolhardy. S?anukkat may not have paid much attention in school, but everyone knew the stories of the accursed island.There were far, far safer ways to earn a bit of experience.But short of them having fallen overboard and drowned, the island was really the only option.But why? There was no point in trying to figure it out.If her mother and Jasper had gone to the island alone, then they needed to get there.Now.She started to lurch toward the steering wheel, eager to set the ship in motion before remembering one little thing.She wasn¡¯t much of a warrior.Oh, her father had drilled the basics into her, time and time again but, much to his distress, S?ani had never seen the value of practicing combat.Unless you went looking for trouble, the palace was safe enough, so she didn''t see the need. Damn it. Why didn''t I take those lessons more seriously? S?ani cursed herself out but regained her control in a moment, forcing herself to refocus. Now was not the time to dwell on the past - as her grandmother always said, there was no point in dwelling on clouds that had already passed over the mountains.Desperate for options, the girl¡¯s eyes wandered back to the sprawled-out body of the elf, whose arms spasmed in her sleep.I may not be a warrior, but she is. Springing into action immediately, S?ani jogged over to the elf, shaking her shoulder.¡°Hey, wake up.¡±The girl stirred again, rolling over on her back.Her long blonde hair tore free from its constraints, spilling across her shoulders and onto the deck like a waterfall of grain.¡°Wake up.¡± She leaned backward as the girl¡¯s hand shot toward her face, clawing blindly at the air.¡°Leave me alone.Just a few more minutes.¡± S?ani suppressed a sigh as the elf turned over on her side, away from her.Clearly not a graceful riser.But she was not going to be deterred.She didn¡¯t know why her mother had decided to visit the island, but they needed to go save her.Shaking the girl¡¯s shoulders more forcefully, she practically screamed this time.¡°WAKE UP!¡± The elf¡¯s eyes flew open, revealing her pale, ice-blue eyes.¡°What-where am I?¡± S?ani shook her head impatiently.¡°You¡¯re on my mother¡¯s boat.But my mother and your friend have gone off by themselves and I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re in danger.¡± That got Ihra¡¯s attention.Bolting up, she met S?ani¡¯s gaze with a level stare.¡°Fill me in.¡± It took some effort, but ten minutes later, the others on the boat had been roused.Forcibly. Her father had been the hardest to wake, so hard that S?ani suspected he had been given a double dose of whatever drugs her mother had slipped into their drinks.It was only when, much to Ihra¡¯s shock, S?ani resorted to slicing open his hand that the knocked-out Djinn finally woke from his unnatural slumber with a bellow of rage.That anger dissipated, though, as soon as he caught sight of the island lying off the ship¡¯s bow.¡°Damn it, Kas?i?.Why didn¡¯t you tell me what were you planning? At the very least I could have gone with you.¡±He groused to himself. The crew had already raised the anchor and set the sails toward the dock, but S?arra?bi? forbid it.¡°We can''t take the risk of docking and letting the qebru? sneak on board,¡± he thundered, prowling up and down the deck like a caged tiger.¡°Prepare the rowboats.¡± It delayed them further, but not by much. In a display of strength S?ani had rarely seen from her father, the Djinn lord set the anchor himself and snapped the chains that bound the boats to the deck. As they slipped across the waters, the eerie silence of the island was only broken by the splashing of the oars and the heavy breathing of the crew.Splish.Splash.The sound grated on her, only amping up S?ani¡¯s nerves.Her hands twisted together as the dock grew closer and closer, far too slowly for her liking, as she tried again and again, failing more often than. not, to summon the handful of spells she actually knew: Icicle and Frostfire.The same spells I had when I was twelve. Her cheeks flushed with shame at the realization.Unconsciously, her hand drifted again to her belly as she vowed to herself that, if her mother lived, she would earn some levels.For her mother. For her child.
Jasper¡¯s feet raced across the broken pavement stones, somehow deftly avoiding the ruts and crevices, as he charged toward the forest.The forest where more utukku? were already making their way toward them.Crap. Then he remembered his new spell.Idiot.Why am I running?A second later the essence surged through his fingers as he cast Spectral Wings.A ripple of pain ran down his spine as the pinions emerged and then the ground fell away.He could see his aunt running in front of him; the elven woman looked as if she was halfway transformed into a deer.Her limbs were a bit too long, her arms swinging dangerously close to the ground, and patches of fur covered her skin, but she ran with a grace he couldn¡¯t hope to match.But his wings were more than a match for her speed.He was almost to the edge of the forest. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Swick. A chain wrapped tight around his ribs, squeezing the breath out of him in a guttural scream of agony that broke the silent vigil of the woods.His cry lasted only a half-second before he was slammed into the paving stones.The ancient alabaster cracked beneath his impact, sinking into the soft soil below.The chains loosened, sliding back toward their mistress, and he struggled to get to his feet.He had barely risen to a crouch when the chains came slicing back toward him, hitting him square in the chest.Jasper was thrown backward, tumbling head over heels from the force of the blow.He landed facedown, groaning as his hands fought to gain purchase against the ground.I¡¯ve got to get up. The fast patter of steps echoed close behind him and, spurred by desperation, he managed to rise.But it was too late.A second later, he was tossed up in the air, landing hard on a bony shoulder. He struggled awkwardly against the iron grip that held him, but it was no use.The utukku¡¯s strength was overwhelming.Screaming in frustration, he pulled on every shred of essence he could summon, prepared to release it all in a devastating, do-or-die, spell, but his captor shook him violently against her shoulder. ¡°Yas?peh, stop!It¡¯s me.¡±It took a second for him to recognize the voice and then he realized who his captor was. His aunt had come back for him. Releasing the essence he had gathered, he let his head fall down against his shoulder.It wasn''t a momentary lapse of judgment as, with every bounding leap she took, his head smashed into hers with a painful crunch. Snapping his head back up, he struggled in her grasp. ¡°Put me down,¡± he managed to rasp out.¡°I can fly us out of here.¡± ¡°No,¡± his aunt snapped.¡°There''s no time to stop. Besides, I''m faster.¡±And as he watched her navigate through the trees, he realized the elf was right.Jasper thought he had been flying fast, but the speed with which his partially transformed aunt raced through the forest made him look like he¡¯d been stuck in molasses.He still didn¡¯t exactly like being slung over her shoulder like a fussy toddler, but survival was more important than his dignity.I¡¯m never telling this story to Ihra, though, he vowed to himself. His aunt quickly veered off the little path he had carved out on his way to the smaller village, turning back toward the lake and their waiting ship.It was shorter, as the crow flies, but the trees here hadn¡¯t been broken down.Instead, their boughs and limbs crossed to and fro with an almost impenetrable thickness that seemed sure to slow them down.What is she doing? Kas??tu?ma answered that question decisively.A blade of ice tore from her fingers, slicing through the foliage ahead of them to forge a path.Whatever the spell didn¡¯t clear, she simply forced her way through, ignoring the sharp, broken shafts that poked and scratched at them.Time and again, she cast the spell as she continued her headlong flight toward the docks. The previous silence that had hung over the island was thoroughly shattered now.From all sides, howls and cries filled the air.A shadow appeared behind them, quickly growing as it came into view.With every step it took, the chains flailed wildly in the underbrush, but the utukku was unhindered as it charged after them. Though his head was banging relentlessly against her shoulder, Jasper still managed to cast the spell.He¡¯d been through worse.In seconds, burning claws sprang up from the ground, snapping tight around the creature¡¯s ankles. For a moment, it held, and his aunt gained ground on the beast.The utukku screamed in pain, clawing at the fiery manacles clasped around her legs uselessly.But then her hands being to glow like the stars above; a veritable stream of essence gushed out of her into the manacles and in a cloud of ash and flame they burst asunder. It had bought them time, but not enough. ¡°Fiery Shackles,¡± he screamed, casting the spell again.But the utukku knew how to defeat the spell now.Her progress was hindered but for a moment before she resumed her headlong pursuit.And in the trees around them, Jasper could hear the sounds of crashing logs and breaking limbs.The others were almost upon them.Crap. The next blast of his aunt¡¯s spell released an almost blinding ray of moonlight into the dark forest.The open, rocky beach yawned before them and, not too far away, the dock.We¡¯re almost there.A handful of figures stood there, and he squinted his eyes, unable to make out their features in the darkness. With a groan, the trees to their left parted, revealing a utukku.The creature rocketed into his aunt, sending them all flying toward the beach below.He bounced along the craggy boulders with enough momentum for the sharp rocks to pierce his toughened skin in a half dozen places and landed hard.His head, smashed into one rock after another, was ringing as he stumbled into his feet, blinking his eyes. Two utukku stood before him, crouched over his two aunts.My two aunts?It didn¡¯t sound right, but he couldn¡¯t think clearly.All he could focus on was the creature.Its head was bent low over her chest, and he could see the thorny tendrils from its eyes extending toward her skin.I have to stop it. Stepping forward, he fumbled for his essence.It moved sluggishly and, confused by his jumbled mind, the spell refused to take form.Dimly he was aware in the background of what sounded like human voices screaming, but he couldn¡¯t understand them. Abandoning his efforts, he snapped his sword free from its sheath and swung it straight at the creature¡¯s neck.The undead priestess hadn¡¯t even been looking at him, but her hand snaked out to catch the blade anyways.The sword dug deep into the utukku¡¯s palm, blood flowing freely, but her grip held firm.With a sudden twist, she wrenched her arm into a wholly unnatural angle, taking the sword, still clutched tightly in Jasper¡¯s hand, with it.The utukku¡¯s arm wasn¡¯t harmed; Jasper, on the other hand, screamed in pain as multiple bones snapped. The pain was good for one thing, though.Like a bucket of cold water, it snapped him out of his fugue.It took only a second for the essence to answer his call as he breathed fire directly on the creature, praying he wasn¡¯t harming his aunt who was trapped beneath the utukku. The creature stumbled backward, screaming in pain as the fire quickly blossomed across her body.She thrashed frantically against the ground, her long, unnatural limbs twitching awkwardly, but Jasper paid no attention to the being.Cradling his broken arm, he dashed forward and frantically grabbed Kas??tu?ma.A huge gash ran down the side of her head, so badly torn that the bone beneath was revealed, and the ice armor she was encased in was torn and shattered by thick wooden splinters that skewed her.Somehow she was still conscious.Though his aunt''s eyes were barely open more than slits, she managed to latch onto him as he pulled her away from the creature. But he wasn''t alone.He had taken no more than five steps when he was thrown onto his back, landing hard against the rocky beach as another utukku leapt from the trees.In a moment, it had pinned him down.Its strength overpowering, but he already knew that now.Wasting no time on trying to shake off the creature, Jasper summoned the essence to his mouth, releasing another belch of fire. Blistering pain bloomed in his mouth as his skin melted beneath the steady stream of fire, but he persisted.I have to get it off me.Perhaps this utukku was more powerful than the last, for it stubbornly clung to him despite the fire that raged across its body. Until, that is, a blur of red and black smashed into the two of them, sending them spinning to the ground. A Deal with the Dead The earth closed around him the moment Eligon''s head slipped beneath the surface. shower of dirt tumbled down on his head as the opening closed, and then there was nothing but silence and the endless expanse of darkness. Dropping on his hands and knees, he felt around cautiously for the exit.He was in a small, cramped fissure, crumbling walls of earth and mud that barely extended higher than he stood, but after some fumbling he found a slope leading downward, down to ¨¦gidim. He hesitated.Not exactly the welcome I was envisioning.Then again, maybe I should have.In truth, Eligon had been nervous about his reception. Every emperor of House Nu?rili?, even those whose names had been blotted from all records after the Desolyton, had made the sojourn to ¨¦gidim at least once.It was a time-honored pilgrimage to the Halls of the Victorious Dead, an affirmation of their sacred claim to the throne. But House of Gonya had no such claim.Not since his fathers had seized the empire had any descended into the depths of Ummaddamah.As a child, he had often fantasized about undertaking the pilgrimage - meeting the greatest of their kind, the heroes ripped straight from all his favorite tales, the demigods at whose feet the very earth had trembled.As an adult, he knew better.How many lords of House Nu?rili? commanded the forces of the maryannu?How many of their faithful servants swelled the ranks of the Victorious Dead?No, a lord from House Gonya could not count on a warm reception in the Sanctuary of the Dead. Suffocating a sigh, he began to crawl down the slopes, down toward the unseen world below.He thought wistfully of the lights in his bag, the enchanted orbs that would allow him to stroll down the incline safe and secure, rather than crawl in the darkness, potentially inches away from a deadly drop-off, but he didn¡¯t dare use them.His knowledge of what to expect in the realm of the Maryannu was not complete, but he knew the utter darkness was not normal.They want to humiliate me. And thus, he crawled, one hand after another deeper and deeper into the depths of the earth.He had no doubt his father would have objected angrily, that he would have struck a light, or demanded release from their grip, but Eligon was not his father.If the Maryannu wished to humiliate them, he would let them - as long as they gave him what he needed. The incline of the slope steepened, to the point that even on his hands and knees Eligon struggled to maintain his balance.The earth and mud gave way to rocks that were so sharp that, despite the battle-earned toughness of his skin, they slipped their way past his defense, covering in him minor gashes.They''re really stooping that low?The maryannu''s petty tricks bolstered him, urging him forward more eagerly than ever.e would prove them wrong. In the sheer darkness, the passage of time flowed strangely.Eligon couldn¡¯t say how long he was crawling.There was no way to track the moments that passed by, nothing but the painful crunch of one step forward at a time. When the first glimmers of light appeared, Eligon felt like a man lost at sea, spotting the first birds overhead that told of land at hand.Finally able to see where he was going, he lurched to his feet, struggling to keep his balance as he jogged down the remainder of the trail. The light grew steadily as the halls of ¨¦gidim finally revealed their secrets.A vast city stretched out before him, cradled in a plain surrounded by cliffs.Silent as a tomb, street upon street of palaces and temples stretched as far as the eye could see.The city walls were grey and dull, lit by dim blue orbs that flickered in the abandoned streets.But what the city lacked in color, it made up for in the dazzling, chaotic array of strange buildings.Mismatched architecture, homes from every age and culture - elves and dwarves, Fey and Corsyth, and dozens more he could not recognize crammed every nook and cranny of the great plain.¨¦gidim. Above it all, situated on a rocky plateau that jutted out from the ground like the fist of an angry god, stood an acropolis.A great statue, its base starting below the acropolis, towered above it.With a domineering sneer, its stony gaze transfixed the city. Eligon recognized the figure at once.Yah?kar, the Crusher.The first and greatest of the Victorious Dead, the lord whose furious onslaught had put an end to the War of the Dragons and allowed the battered survivors of the fallen Mwyranni empire to start anew in the sheltered waters that would become the city of Corsythia. Yah?kar had been but a man, gifted more with the shapeshifting talents of the strythani than the feats of magic his ancestors would come to wield, but of the human he had once been, there was little trace.Four colossal feathered wings rose above his head, with the feathers spread wide, revealing dim traces of faded paint that still clung fast to the chiseled rock.His face was gone, replaced by a vicious beak and narrowed eyes whose unblinking stare had an almost physical presence, while in his clawed hands, he wielded the monstrous mace that gave him his name.With talons for feet, and skin as scaly as a dragon¡¯s, Yahkar¡¯s transformation into a maryannu was complete. Despite being irritated by his treatment, Eligon could feel the giddy schoolboy rising up in him.Would he get to see Yah?kar in person?He wasn¡¯t certain, nor was he certain if he wanted.One of the hero¡¯s descendants was the founder of House Nu?rili?, after all. Hidden in the statue¡¯s shadow, high upon the crown of the acropolis lay the true namesake of ¨¦gidim, the great temple of the dead.A thousand pillars supported its crystal dome and there, hidden from sight, he knew his destination lay. Half-running, half-jogging, Eligon set out through the streets.They were empty; no traffic flowed through the narrow, twisty corridors that separated the maddening cavalcade of temples and manors, but he was not alone.He could sense the weight of their eyes on his back, following him with every step he took, and the relentless gaze of Yah?kar.No, he thought with a shudder, I am definitely not alone. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Eligon may not have wielded the magic for which House Nu?rili? was so famed, but he was a warrior tried and true, tested in the anvil of conflict more times than almost any other.The streets fled behind him as he begin the steep ascent up to the acropolis.A thin trail wound its way to the top, circling thrice around the jagged cliffs.He sped up it, his breathing even and steady. When he had circled more than three times without reaching the acropolis¡¯ crest, he knew the Dead were toying with him again.Around and around the rim he ran, not stopping.Four times, five, seven.Only on the twelfth circuit did they finally allow him to reach the top.Irritation gripped his heart, the dreams of a dragon smoldering with rage, but he suppressed it. So long as they gave him an audience, they could play their petty games. He was unprepared for what awaited him in the hall.Ten rings of columns encircled the central hall, supporting the massive crystalline roof above the sanctuary or - as it really was - the throne room. The reason for the empty streets became clear as he made his way through one ring after another.His path was lined with the maryannu.arriors, each in varying levels of transformation awaited him, staring at him silently. The weight of disapproval rested on his shoulders, but not from all.Eligon noticed a few who watched him without judgment, even a few who tilted their head in a gesture of respect.I suppose that¡¯s the best I could hope for, he admitted to himself. But there was no welcome waiting for him in the throne room. The great council sat on their thrones.More powerful than the other maryannu, their forms were monstrous in size - titans rather than men. Yah?kar reigned in their midst, slouched in a throne carved of gilded bone.His mighty mace leaned against the throne, a pool of poison seeping from its head onto the pure white marble.Eligon had no way to measure the maryannu¡¯s height, but if he had to guess, Yah?kar, even seated, must have towered thirty to forty feet above him. Before him sat a long table, set with just a single chair.The table was piled high with every delicacy and treat known to man - candies and fruits, meats and pasties, flagons and casks - every inch of its wooden planks was covered with success. ¡°Sit, eat.¡±Yahkar commanded, gesturing to the table. The emperor shook his head.¡°No, my lord, I am not hungry. ¡°Eat.¡±He commanded again. ¡°I am not here to feast.¡± The maryannu twisted his wrist, and a goblet flew from the table, brimming with a frothy, golden brew.It kissed Eligon''s lips, and he felt the moisture of the froth spraying against his cheeks. ¡°At least have a drink,¡± the maryannu persisted. Eligon pushed the goblet away.He knew all too well if he touched their nourishments he would never be allowed to leave.Besides, it¡¯s probably nothing more than mud and water.¡°No,¡± he responded curtly. A thundercloud passed over the god¡¯s face, but the goblet dropped to the underground, spilling its contents across the floor. It wasn''t beer.¡°If you won''t eat, then tell me, h?amma?¡¯u, what gives you the right to enter these halls, to deny my hospitality?¡±Yahkar¡¯s voice boomed across the rotunda, scorn and venom dripping from every word like the rains of a summer storm. Eligon suppressed his anger and, steeling his strength, he raised the signet of the empire that hung around his neck.¡°It is my right as Emperor to seek audience with the Lord of the Dead.¡± Yah?kar scowled.¡°Those trinkets do not belong to you, h?amma?¡¯u.¡± Ignoring the wild racing of his heart, Eligon kept his words calm.¡°And yet I hold them.¡± The maryannu shifted in his seat, his hand fondling the shaft of his mace.For a second, Eligon feared he would be its next victim.But eventually, the rage in his eyes simmered down. Leaning back against his throne, Yah?kar released his grip on his weapon. ¡°For now.¡±He spoke with a measured certainty.¡°Why have you come?¡± Eligon began to tell him of the elves¡¯ offer, but the maryannu waved him off patiently.¡°I know these things already.¡±He scowled.¡°The elves¡¯ terms are far too generous to a family of h?amma?¡¯u.¡± Finding a bit of steel in his spine, Eligon fired back.¡°Perhaps the fault lies in the heir of House Nu?rili?.Even his own allies do not trust him to put an end to this war.¡± Yah?kar snorted.¡°You are bold, false one, I¡¯ll give you that.But the elves have not taken proper measure of that man.He hides behind pretty smiles and soft words, but there is a fire in his soul, nurtured well and hidden. He is more capable than he seems.But enough of our banter - if you agree to their deal, I will listen to your request.¡± ¡°So tell me,¡± he thundered, ¡°why is it you have come?¡± Eligon suffocated his smile.Got you.¡°If we are to win this war, we must reclaim the capital.Untold treasures and priceless artifacts, enough to alter the course of the conflict still lie within its storehouses, untouched.Despite whatever miracle allowed the Zalancthians to slip past the city''s defenses, they do not appear to have been able to replicate it; the wards on our treasuries are intact.¡± He stepped forward, forcing himself to unflinchingly meet the maryannu¡¯s angry glare.¡°Until now, the Victorious Dead have refused to answer the call of House Gonya, but if we cannot reclaim this city, there will be no victory.Answer my call, help me reclaim Corsythia and when the time comes¡­¡± he hesitated, each word piercing his soul like a barb, ¡°when the time comes, I, or my heirs, will return House Nu?rili? to the throne.¡± The hall fell silent as the titan rose from his throne.Eligon had misjudged Yahkar''s height - the mighty being towered nearly fifty feet above him. The silence stretched on for an uncomfortable length, the unyielding pressure of the god¡¯s gaze grinding down against him, but the emperor held his ground, refusing to back down before the maryannu. ¡°Very well.¡±Eligon was almost surprised when Yah?kar spoke.¡°We will help you reclaim the city.And if you do not keep your end of the deal?Well,¡± he gnashed his beak with a cruel cackle, ¡°then the waters of oblivion will not be the one to claim your soul.¡± Eligon suppressed his shudder.¡°So be it,¡± he affirmed. ¡°Now get out of my realm,¡± the titan thundered.At the clap of his hands, the temple shuddered.Debris rained down around him as Eligon was tossed to the floor.Beneath his hands the ground changed from marble to dirt, the light snuffed out as darkness enclosed him.He was buried alive. Gasping for air, he felt around him, realizing he was in the same small fissure as before, though this time there was no path leading down.Then a shudder shook the ground, breaking loose a shower of dirt on his head, but Eligon didn¡¯t care, for with the dirt came the light of Shamsha''s rays. ¡°My lord,¡± a voice cried as hands reached down into the earth to drag him into the sunlight. Clash with the Utukku, Pt. 2 Tumbling to its feet, the red blur tossed the utukku back to the ground with a roar of rage. ¡°GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER.¡± The utukku spun free of his grasp, ducking beneath a furious haymaker that whistled mere inches above its head.Its pale, spindly arms shot forward with all its unnatural strength and its fingernails lengthened into several inches long black claws. With an ear-shattering scream, it punched its claws straight into the throat of its assailant. They broke against his skin. For a fraction of a second, it hesitated in surprise. It was a fatal mistake. Seizing the opportunity, S?arra?bi grabbed hold of the utukku''s shoulders and pulled.The undead priestess fought back, struggling fiercely in his grip, but it couldn''t escape in time before, in a surprisingly goreless shower of dust and bone, the utukku¡¯s body simply disintegrated. Jasper¡¯s jaw dropped.He had never seen his uncle in a fight.Sure, he had reckoned the Djinn was a reasonably powerful warrior, but S?arra?bi? was - or at least he had assumed he was - a mage.But if he could casually pull the utukku apart like that, his strength was on a whole another level.Maybe he isn¡¯t a mage. His speculation was crushed a moment later as another utukku broke free of the forest.Moving so fast that it appeared as nothing more than a pale blur in the moonlight, it latched onto his uncle¡¯s back, burying its face in the man¡¯s neck.S?arra?bi?¡¯s arm burst into flames as he grabbed hold of the creature.Jasper wasn¡¯t sure what spell his uncle used, but a moment later the demon ghost exploded in a burst of fire and ash.He noticed though, glinting faintly in Selene¡¯s light, a row of teeth sticking out of the Djinn¡¯s neck.He¡¯s powerful, but not invulnerable. ¡°Jasper!¡±ough hands closed around him, dragging him and his still-unconscious aunt back toward the docks, away from the monsters.And away from his uncle who, now enshrouded fully in flames, was fighting furiously against an ever-growing number of utukku?. Somehow lurching to his feet, Jasper brushed away the helping hands as he turned to face the newcomers.Ihra and S?anukkat, accompanied by a handful of the ship''s crew. Grabbing Ihra¡¯s hand, he jerked his head backward, miming drinking a potion.His charred lips couldn''t form the words, but by now she knew the routine.Uncorking a bottle, she let the sweet liquid pour all over his face until enough of the potion trickled down his throat to do the trick.A wave of relief washed over him as the healing took effect but, as always, it came at a cost. As his litany of broken bones clicked back into place, the sweet relief of healing was followed by an almost crippling wave of weakness. Ihra caught him as he swayed on his feet, and he steadied himself against her shoulder. After a few deep breaths, he managed to force himself upright and take stock of the situation. The servants clutched a motley variety of weapons in their hands, but their eyes were wide with terror as they watched battle raging beyond, their bodies frozen like deer in headlights. They''ll be worthless in battle, he realized.¡°Take her back to the boat,¡±They were slow to respond, their eyes glues to the unfolding carnage. A mound of bodies surrounded his uncle, but the number of utukku had not thinned in the least.¡°Now!¡±He screamed, his throat raw and raspy, waving his arms in front of their face until they finally snapped out of their fugue, and leapt to help his aunt. Turning his back on them, he stumbled toward his uncle, his legs still weak and woozy from the potion. Ihra ran to follow him. So, too, did S?anukkat. He watched as she struggled to form a spell, a small icicle that promptly slipped from her grasp and shattered on the beach. Damn, she''s going to get herself killed trying to help. ¡°Go help your mother,¡± he ordered, abruptly. His cousin hesitated. "The crew can help her," she started to protest, but Jasper had no time to coddle her. "You''re not going to help him by dying," he snapped. "Go, help her, get to safety." the Djinn took off after with the crew who, cradling her mother¡¯s unconscious body between them, were racing toward a small rowboat tied to the end of the dock. Not waiting around to watch her, he half-ran, half-stumbled across the beach. Sheer exhaustion infused every inch of his body, but he focused on keeping one foot moving in front of the other.Just need to drag away from the fight, and we can get the hell off this island, Jasper realized, brightening at the thought. But he had spoken too soon. As he ran toward his uncle, another monster emerged from the shelter of the twisted cypresses. It was a utukku, or at least it resembled the others that swarmed around his uncle, but this one was noticeably different.Towering a full head above the rest, the new utukku¡¯s neck was not grotesquely distorted like the others. The creature paused at the top of the short bluff overlooking the rocky beach, and a bright light split the darkness as a delicate, crystal diadem on her forehead began to glow.The two of them flinched back, physically displaced as the creature screamed, and for a second, the melee on the beach paused as both his uncle and the other utukku? turned to look at her. Then the high priestess blurred forward, her arm stretched out before her in the same attack the first utukku had tried against S?arra?bi?.But her nails didn¡¯t break. With a strangled cry, the Djinn sunk to his knees as she dug her claws into his flesh.S?arra?bi? hadn¡¯t given up, though; his hands desperately grabbed her arms, fighting to pull them free as she reached to snap his spine.His bellows of rage were reduced to a wet gurgle, but slowly, painstakingly, he forced her hands back an inch at a time. But Jasper wasn¡¯t watching any longer.Slapping a hand on Ihra¡¯s back, he pushed his essence into her, casting Spectral Wings on her a split second before his own pair of pinions blossomed from his back, and shot across the beach toward his uncle. The spectral wings were fast, but he was still afraid he wasn¡¯t going to get there in time.His uncle might be winning the test of strength for the moment, but he was losing blood fast.How long could he hold on?Jasper¡¯s hands twisted in the air as he cast a second spell.Seraph¡¯s Burst. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He had never tried to cast the spell while flying before, but it worked as he had hoped.Accelerating him to new heights of speed, Jasper bridged the gap between him and his uncle in a blur.His bones groaned as the sharp, metallic wings replaced the spectral ones, throwing him into a tight spin.¡°Duck,¡± he managed to roar out, hoping his uncle heard him in time.Then he collided with the priestess. The collision was like that of a runaway truck smashing into a solid concrete barrier.Despite the enormous speed he was going, the utukku barely budged when he rocketed into her.She took the blow like a champ, while Jasper received the brunt of the impact.His wings, on the other hand, were another matter.Spinning like a rotary saw blade, the razor-sharp feathers shredded her skin. Screeching in pain, the being released her grip on his uncle, taking a half-step back. Propelled by the spell, Jasper spun past her landing in a sprawl at the feet of the lesser utukku?.Crap.But his uncle, despite the waterfall of blood gushing from his throat, had seized the moment of opportunity presented to him.Lurching to his feet, a prodigious ball of fire blossomed at his fingers, exploding into a miniature shockwave that rippled through the crowd.Screeches filled the night as many of the priestesses caught fire, but the high priestess remained untouched.Surging forward, she tried to snatch S?arra?bi? by the throat again. This time, he managed to duck her strike, delivering a powerful blow of his own to her ribs. Jasper had other concerns.The utukku? who weren''t on fire had promptly piled on top of him, pinning down his arms in an attempt to prevent him from casting a spell.It was a tactic that would have worked on many mages but, fortunately, Jasper had a counter.Less fortunately, that counter didn''t come with the benefit of a fire-proof mouth.Damn it - twice in one night! I have *got* to get a skill for this.But there was no hesitation as he loosed the spell - pain was better than death, after all. The utukku? released him, beating at their burning flesh, as Jasper jerked his head violently back and forth, billowing flames pouring out of it. The moment his hands were free, Jasper cast a different spell, lashing out with Scourge of Despair.New shrieks filled the air as his own summoned specters emerged.There.Evened the odds a bit.Stumbling to his feet, he looked for his uncle as he tried to cast his ace in the hole.Hand of Judgment.The spell failed.Damn it.I wasted it on the dore?sah. Two new utukku raced out of the darkness toward him, but they fell to the ground before they could even get close, pierced by a dozen arrows. Ignoring them, Jasper whipped his head around, looking for his uncle. I''ve got to help him before he bleeds out. His uncle proved easy to find.The darkness was split again as the high priestess¡¯ diadem begin to glow, drawing his attention like a lighthouse on a stormy night.She and S?arra?bi? were locked in a fierce struggle, the two fighting for dominance, but Jasper could tell his uncle was beginning to fail.His arms shook beneath her pressure, and his legs were slowly sliding across the pebbled beach.He¡¯s lost too much blood. The light from the priestess grew and grew, diffusing throughout her entire body.It was as if a star from the heavens themselves had descended to stand upon their beach.His eyes burned as he gazed upon her, but Jasper forced himself forward, racing toward his uncle.She¡¯s going to kill him. Someone else got there first. In the chaos of battle, he had all but forgotten about Ihra.Able to escape the melee of the battle thanks to his spectral wings, she had fluttered above the conflict, sending volley after volley of arrows into the crowd. So when the priestess began to glow, Ihra saw it first. She landed beside S?arra?bi? a second before Jasper could reach him. She hesitated only a moment before she made her decision, sacrificing her graven rune for the Aegis of Ayya?lu. The priestess was pushed across as a golden shield exploded outward from Ihra, wrapping its protective barrier around her, the Djinn, and Jasper, but the utukku''s focus never wavered. Regaining her footing, she shone like a star as she released the storm of essence. An inferno roared around them, wave after wave of fire beating against the golden shield.At any second, he expected the fire to dissipate, for the shield to give out, but both held firm.I hope the others got out of range of the blast. ¡°Here, help me,¡± Ihra called.His uncle, no longer locked in battle, had slumped on the beach.Blood was still gushing out of his throat.Far too much of it. Clamping his hands tight around the Djinn¡¯s throat, Jasper did his best to hold the severed flaps of skin together as Ihra tried to pour a potion down it, but most of the liquid simply leaked out of his ruined throat onto Jasper¡¯s fingers.All the while, the fires continued to rage around them.Just what kind of spell was that? It took a second potion, and then a third, before enough of the liquid must have made it down his throat that the skin begin to stitch itself back together.Slowly.I hope he¡¯s okay.Gently setting his uncle down, he turned to look at the shield.¡°How long do we have?¡± ¡°Five minutes.¡± Jasper started to say, ¡°Surely that will be long enough,¡± but he bit his tongue. Now was no time to jinx things.¡°Guess you finally got one of those runes,¡± he added, after a moment''s reflection. Ihra winked.¡°Maybe I just finally learned magic.¡± Too tired to quip back, he just raised an eyebrow at her. "Or the rune thing," she admitted. As fast as it had come, the inferno blinked out, revealing a scene of devastation.Unable to see anything but the ball of fire, Jasper had dramatically underestimated the magnitude of the utukku''s explosion.Most of the trees along the beach had evaporated in the blast, while a swathe of devastation stretched at least a hundred feet into the forest, where the cypresses that had survived smoldered with sickly, green flames. Of the lesser utukku?, there was no sign.Jasper was unsure if the undead specters had been caught in the blast or if they had fled but, at the very least, they weren¡¯t waiting for them. The priestess on the other hand was crouched on all fours before Ihra''s shield.She looked a bit the worse for the wear; her formerly spotless linen tunic was black as soot and steam rose from her skin, but she was still very much alive.Well, undead. Her head raised slowly up to look at them and, for the first time, he got a real look at her eyes.They glowed a brilliant emerald that Jasper, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the priestess was doing her level best to murder them, would have described as achingly beautiful.As it was, they only filled him with a bone-chilling fear. ¡°How much longer before the shield runs out?¡± Ihra shrugged.¡°It doesn¡¯t come with a timer.Another minute or two?¡± she guessed. He glanced over at her.The spectral wings still sprouted from her back, but for how much longer, he didn¡¯t know.They¡¯re on a ten-minute timer, but I can¡¯t recast the spell till it¡¯s ended.¡°As soon as the shield comes down, take my uncle and fly toward the boat.I¡¯ll try to hold her off till you get free, and then follow.¡± She made a face, clearly not happy with his plan, but nodded her head.¡°Don¡¯t be a hero,¡± she warned. He snorted.¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m not one.But if the spell runs out, I can recast my wings; you can¡¯t.Just get to safety.¡± Escape from the Island While they talked, the priestess continued to crouch just outside the protective bubble. Her glowing eyes were riveted to theirs, filled with an unblinking, unyielding hatred.Just got to distract her long enough for Ihra to escape. But the priestess''s unyielding stare was finally broken when the sound of a child¡¯s cry echoed amidst the smoldering trees.Immediately, her head swiveled away, searching for the source of the sound. The cry echoed again, and Jasper''s blood ran cold. It''s the gallu?. But why? ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±Ihra started to ask, but he shushed her. The cry grew closer as the pale figure of a porcelain-skinned child wandered out of the ruined forest.The three of them froze as she approached, her footsteps clattering over the rocky pebbles. Then, in a blur of frantic limbs, the priestess bolted from the beach, abandoning her trapped quarry. The gallu? made no move to intercept the utukku, ignoring it in favor of casually approaching them. ¡°What''s a little girl doing here?¡±Ihra asked, unable to see in the darkness that the child''s skin was unnatural. ¡°That¡¯s not a little girl,¡± he managed to choke out as the being slowly approached them.It was the same one as before.The doll she had stolen from the qebru child was clutched tight in her fist, and her face still resembled Jenny¡¯s.He felt a surge of anger against the being for stealing her face, but it was quickly snuffed out by overwhelming fear. Stopping in front of them, she reached out her little hand to touch the shield.As her chubby finger traced the outline of the glowing runes, the shield flickered, then went out. For a moment, the two stood frozen, staring at the child.She stretched her hand out to him, and he tried to shrink back, but his treacherous body refused to budge.Closer and closer her hand came to him, only to pause so close to his skin that he doubted anything more than slip of her paper could have been slid between. He could feel the endless, unyielding cold of the void radiating out from her as she looked him in the eye.Why is she hesitating? The hand withdrew and he flinched as a high-pitched giggle broke the silence of the night.The girl bent down and, in a small patch of sand between the rocks, traced the outline of a large paw.Then clutching the doll tightly to her chest, the gall? wandered back into the forest, leaving the two of them on their knees, petrified. ¡°What the hell was that,¡± Ihra finally managed to gasp out, when the last sign of the not-child had disappeared into the trees. He stumbled to his feet as his body came to life again.¡°I don¡¯t know, and frankly, I don¡¯t care.Let¡¯s not wait around to find out if she comes back to finish us off.¡± Realizing the Spectral Wing spell had finally run its course, he cast it on the two of them again.His uncle¡¯s skin was paler than Jasper had imagined possible, but he stirred weakly in his arms as Jasper scooped him up, reassuring him that he was still alive.Slowly lurching into the sky, with his uncle propped up between them, the pair headed out toward the boat, finally leaving the accursed island behind.He could only hope that the rest had made it back in safety.
Ihra¡¯s arms were tingling with pain by the time they finally drew close enough to the ship to actually make out a handful of black forms dancing across the deck.Good, they made it.She shifted uncomfortably, struggling to keep her hold on the dead weight sagging over her crooked arm.Selene¡¯s Grace, how bloody heavy is his uncle. She cast a glance down at the still unconscious Djinn, who was so heavy she could have sworn he was carved from a solid block of granite.Just a little further. Jasper had it worse than her, his breath coming hard and fast as he continually shifted and reshifted his uncle''s weight.He wasn¡¯t exactly a weakling, but strength wasn''t much of a priority for a mage. Or at least, most mages - judging from his uncle''s weight, the Djinn must have put a substantial amount of points into the category. As they flew closer to the ship, her eyes narrowed.Two, five¡­ There were too many forms on the ship, far too many.She bit back a curse, forcing herself to remain calm.¡°Jasper, I think we have a problem.¡± The next few minutes proved her right.As the ship came into view, the gentle light of the moon illuminated a small ring of fighters.Standing back to back around the body of a woman - Jasper¡¯s aunt, no doubt - the crew and S?anukkat were fending off the attacks of a small horde of monsters.How did they get on the boat?She shook her head, willing herself back into focus.It doesn¡¯t matter. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it They weren¡¯t utukku at least - they were far too small for that - but whether they were qerbu? or something else was hard to tell in the darkness. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± She yelled over to Jasper. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve still got some essence left, so I could fly overhead and strafe them with my fire spells. "You know the boat¡¯s made of wood, right?" On reflex, Ihra tried to shrug. Her shoulder, weighed down by the Djinn didn''t move, though she nearly lost her grip on the unconscious man in the process. Once she''d stabilized her hold, she finally answered. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn''t, but it''s a hell of a gamble?" After a moment, Jasper sighed. "Crap, you''re right. I don''t know how far away we are from the capital, but I¡¯m pretty confident we''re too far away to swim.¡± Ihra agreed; now that the worst of the fog had cleared, she could see the lights of the city on the edge of the horizon, but they certainly didn¡¯t look very close. Plus, as everyone knew, distances over water could be deceptive. Jasper shifted his uncle¡¯s weight again.This time, though, his hand slipped, and his uncle tumbled out of his grasp.Ihra¡¯s arm was nearly yanked out of its sockets, her shoulder screaming in agony as the full weight of the ponderous Djinn dragged her down.Somehow, she managed to hold on and prevent the unconscious man from falling into the waters.It only took a second for Jasper to regain his hold, but it was one of the longest seconds of her life. ¡°Sorry,¡± he barked out, sheepishly.¡°Anyways, I think I better stick with my non-fire spells, which means I¡¯ve got to get up close.Drop him on the deck, and I¡¯ll land.¡± She nodded in understanding.¡°Got it.¡± The handful of fighters on the deck didn¡¯t even dare to look up as the two swooped low overhead.¡°Now,¡± he shouted, and Ihra let go, gasping with relief as the onerous weight was lifted from her aching shoulders.Rising up into the air, her bow was already drawn taut as she turned to face the deck. Jasper had timed it well.Lord S?arra?bi? plummeted like a rock straight toward the deck, landing with a crash in the center of the circle, next to his wife. A second crash followed swiftly as Jasper accelerated into the deck, squashing a child-sized qebru beneath him like a bug.A pang of pity plucked at her heart, but Ihra brushed it away, forcing herself to focus.Whatever blasphemy had caused these poor souls to rise was a tragedy, but they weren¡¯t children now.They were monsters. Giving them death would be a mercy. Her hands flickered like lightning as she fired one arrow after another, doing her best to avoid Jasper, who was dancing around outside the ring with a short sword in one hand and his spectral whip in the other.His specters had joined the fight, but it wasn¡¯t enough to even the odds. She rained down volley upon volley, eschewing careful aim for speed.It wasn¡¯t like she was going to run out of arrows.The blows added up, and with it, her piercing rose quickly, but the damage was less than she could hope for.An arrow through the head would put down a human pretty quickly; for an undead child, it was a minor inconvenience.If only I had my rune still, she thought bitterly, remembering the poison rune she had finally, painstakingly carved into her flesh only to immediately have to sacrifice it. She choked the thought immediately.There was no need for regret.If she hadn¡¯t sacrificed the rune for the Aegis of Ayya?lu, they would have all died.It was the right decision. Still, without the rune, she was a poor match-up for the monsters. From time to time, little flashes of ice magic would strike out from the ring of the crew, impaling one of the qerbu? - probably the daughter, she figured - but the rest of the crew were struggling simply to fend the attacks off.Turtled up, they were surviving, but barely making an impact. Jasper, though, was making a quick impression.Her arrows might not be doing a good job of killing the creatures, but they sufficed to give him an opening.He followed her shots like a woodland trail, taking advantage of the qerbu?''s momentary flinch when they were hit to sever one head after another.But it was coming at a cost.The deck was quickly growing red, and it wasn¡¯t coming from the crew. A dozen open wounds crisscrossed his face and arms, torn open by the razor-sharp claws of the monsters. She wasn''t sure how long he could keep it. Damn it.Wake up!She wanted to scream at the unconscious couple, guarded by the crew, but what was the point? It''s not as if they can hear me.Her hands flew faster than ever and her movements became almost frantic as she tried to pin the swarming beasts down, cursing her inability to do serious damage. Then, as if in response to her inner screams, one of the bodies lying on the deck lurched upright.Lady Kas?itu?ma. In a matter of seconds, she had forced the frenzied qerbu? away from the others, skewering half a dozen in place with large, icy shards.For a second, the qerbu? drew back, intimidated by the display of power, and the elf took the opportunity afforded to her.Leaping out of the ring, she grabbed Jasper by the arm and pulled him back to the rest.Then she cast an icy dome. With the brutal attacks suddenly gone, the qerbu? once again sprang into action, hammering and beating at the protective shield. Ihra tried pelting them with arrows, but as the only one still attacking them, the qerbu? simply ignored her. Redoubling their attacks, the shield began to flicker. What''s she playing at? The shield''s going to collapse at any minute. As Ihra watched, the hundreds of intricately carved lanterns that lined the ship begin to flicker in unison.Once, twice, five times.Then they exploded in a shower of icy water that washed over the entire ship from bow to stern.. In a single moment, the battle was over. Ihra sighed in relief. Selene''s Grace, that was close. Sheathing her bow, she began her descent toward the deck, eager to check in on Jasper. It was at that moment, that her spectral wings finally dissipated, plunging her straight into the freezing waters.It just wasn¡¯t her night. The Seraphs Invitation It only took a few minutes for the crew to execute the frozen qerbu?, removing their heads one after another with cold efficiency and tossing them overboard into the warm waters of the lake.After nearly dying to the qerbu?¡¯s assault, the crew was in no mood for mercy.Still, more than a few hands hesitated, even if just for a fraction of second, before cleaving the qerbu?¡¯s heads from their shoulder.They may have been undead, but the majority of them were undead children, and Jasper wondered how many of them would have nightmares in the days to come. He had other concerns, though, as he trotted over to his newfound family members.S?ani loomed over her parents, her back turned toward him.¡°Is everyone all right?¡±He called. His foot faltered as S?ani turned to face him, giving him a clear view of his aunt and uncle.Whatever armor spell his aunt had been using had worn off, leaving her bare - not that it mattered.Her pale skin was covered in bloody smears, so much blood that Jasper wondered how she was standing.She was clinging tightly to S?arra?bi?, who having finally woken up, was hugging her back. His cousin intercepted him.¡°They¡¯re going to be fine.¡± He cast a worried glance over her shoulder.¡°Are you sure?That¡¯s a lot of blood.¡± She smiled faintly.¡°Unfortunately, no one has invented yet a healing potion that also cleans you up, but the wounds are closed.¡± He sighed in relief, running a grimy hand through his hair.¡°Thank heavens.Listen, I¡¯m sorry-¡° S?ani cut him off.¡°For what?My mother dragged you out there, didn¡¯t she?¡± He nodded reluctantly, not wanting to cast his aunt under the bus. She leaned closer, her long blonde hair spilling around her shoulders, and lowered her voice.¡°It was because of me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Jasper hesitated.¡°I don¡¯t know - maybe?She started to tell me about something she¡¯d been shown by the spiders, something bad, but she never finished.¡± S?ani frowned.¡°See, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t tell them about my vision.I knew she¡¯d go and do something to try and save me.¡±His cousin glanced over her shoulder at her parents, who were still wrapped in each other''s embrace.¡°It''s just like I said - she tried to do something to save me, and the result was that we almost all died.¡± But you didn¡¯t.Jasper kept the thought to himself, though.Obviously, Kas??tu?ma¡¯s plan had hit a few rough bumps, but in the end, she had procured the ingredient she¡¯d been looking for.And if it helped save her daughter, he had a feeling his aunt would do it all over again.e also had the suspicion that S?ani wouldn¡¯t appreciate it if he pointed that out. It was a long trip back to the capital.The boat, weighed down by the thick layer of ice t?hat his aunt¡¯s trap had coated it in from bow to stern, wallowed through the waters with all the speed of a pregnant hippo.But the true reason the trip felt so long was that no one was in the mood to talk.His aunt and uncle retired into the vessel¡¯s inner chambers, the crew wandered around the deck like shell-shocked zombies, and even S?ani and Ihra abandoned him, each lost in a world of their own thoughts. Thus Jasper found himself alone.Leaning over the ice-laden balustrades, Jasper watched the island like a hawk until the tips of its white cliffs finally sunk beneath the waves.As the sun slowly peaked its head over the ring of mountains, its rays quickly burned away the last of the fog, washing the world in light. But Jasper barely noticed the change; his mind was wholly occupied with replaying the events of the previous night over and over again - one scene in particular back to haunt him.Was the gall? helping us?He couldn¡¯t explain the actions of the strange porcelain child.Twice it had come close to him, and twice it had let him go.Hell, if it hadn¡¯t come to the beach and scared the utukku high priestess away, Jasper wasn¡¯t sure if they would have successfully escaped.But why help them?It must have just been curious or¡­ The image of the paw-print the being had sketched in the sand floated before his eyes.Could it be connected to Barbartu, somehow?But why on earth would she want to save me?Jasper couldn¡¯t quite bring himself to believe that the two were connected, but neither could he offer any better explanation.Nor, for that matter, could he escape the face of not-quite Jenny that haunted him until sheer exhaustion finally overcame him. The next two days were quiet ones.The morning after the trip, he awoke to find a small box waiting at his doorstep.A simple piece of paper was attached to it, with just a few words scrawled across the front.Thank you for not abandoning her.They were written in a strong, steady hand, the letters thick and large, with an excess of ink, but despite the lack of signature, Jasper had no trouble figuring the author out.S?arra?bi?. He carted the box inside and, plopping down on one of the plush, cushioned couches, began sorting through its contents, curious to see what his uncle had sent him.It wasn¡¯t quite what he expected. A few old dolls were on top.Their porcelain faces showed long years of love, though the dresses they wore looked almost like new.Somebody¡¯s toys?Confused, he dug deeper.It was an eclectic group of items.A cozy blanket.Several dresses, in various sizes.Some handcrafted items whose use he couldn''t puzzle out.What even are these things?And then, carefully wrapped in silk, he found a series of miniatures. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. There were twelve in total; each was painted in vibrant oil colors, sporting a different image.Scrutinizing them closely, Jasper realized he recognized a few of the places.That¡¯s the As?rukkat.And that¡¯s the fountain pavilion.The people in the paintings varied from scene to scene, but two remained the same in all of them.A young, ruddy Djinn with small black horns and a much smaller girl with pale skin and flaxen hair.Flipping one of the portraits over, he found a short inscription.Happy 12th birthday - Abi?. What S?arra?bi? had sent him finally clicked.These were my mother¡¯s things, he realized, as he started thumbing through the items again, this time with more interest.But the detail that truly stood out the most to him was his mother¡¯s appearance - her fair skin and hair.Was she half-elven?He couldn¡¯t be sure.Low-leveled Djinn did not look particularly different from humans - the red skin was earned rather than given - so perhaps he was reading too much into her appearance.She was a child in these portraits, after all. is mind turned to the conversation about bastards he had had with S?anukkat.Was S?arra?bi? a ¡°spare heir¡±? He suddenly wondered about his grandparents, realizing he knew nothing about them at all.His uncle had never even mentioned them.Were they dead?Alive?Was one of them an elf?A million questions surged through him as he filed the box away in his room, but he decided to wait a while before bringing them up to his uncle.The man deserved a few days to rest after his near-death experience. Plus, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s exactly a tactful way to ask someone if they¡¯re a bastard.That wasn¡¯t a conversation he was particularly eager to have. Aside from the box, the rest of the week passed in relative peace.He and Ihra went hunting one of the days, in a series of marshes that lined the lake shore a few hours away from the city, and he sparred with Annatta in the barracks, but no grand adventures were had.He was just starting to get bored when another letter arrived for him. This one was clearly not from his uncle.An ornate wax seal decorated with the symbol of a rampart tiger adorned the front.Grabbing the seal, he tried to break the wax.Despite his near superhuman strength, it stubbornly resisted him.What the hell?Fine, I¡¯ll just melt it off.Letting a flame flicker on his fingertips, he ran it back and forth across the wax.It didn¡¯t even soften.Beginning to get frustrated, he went for brute force, banging the seal against the wooden lip of his desk.With a crack, a splinter of wood chipped off the edge; the seal, however, was unmarred.Seriously? It was then that Annatta, curious about the banging, poked her head into the room.¡°Banging one out in here?¡±She asked, with a smirk. Jasper rolled his eyes, waving the letter at her.¡°Ha-ha.Got a letter I¡¯m trying to open, but the damn seal could give Superman a run for his money.¡± She took the letter, flipping it over in her hands.¡°I think it¡¯s essence locked,¡± she finally decided, tossing the letter back at him. ¡°Which means?¡± ¡°Try channeling your essence into it.I¡¯d open it for you if I could, but,¡± she offered him a lopsided grin. "you know. Kind of lacking on that whole magic thing.¡± Jasper nodded sympathetically and tried to push his essence into the wax.The seal didn¡¯t budge.¡°It didn''t do anything.¡± The Djinn chewed on her lip as she stared at the unyielding seal.¡°Huh.Maybe it needs blood in addition to essence?¡± she offered hesitatingly.¡°We could always ask Lord S?arra?bi? to open it.¡± Why is it always blood? he griped to himself. But, with a frown, Jasper pricked his thumb and smeared the droplet of blood across the body of the tiger.The wax soaked in the liquid greedily, quickly darkening in shade until it was nearly black.Satisfied, he channeled a little essence into it.This time, it did the trick - as soon as he removed his finger, the seal simply dropped off.nfolding the letter, he quickly scanned its contents. The letter was an invitation from the Seraph elders, inviting him and Ihra to meet with them later that night.He scowled as he studied the small map that decorated the bottom of the letter. bright red x marked their meeting place, smack dab in the middle of nowhere, a location a few miles outside of S?addanu along the banks of the Yadda?m River. Jasper tapped the letter against his desk absentmindedly, as he stared out the window, pondering the invitation.Is it safe to go?S?arra?bi?¡¯s warning about the Seraphs echoed in his mind and the isolated meeting spot did little to ease his concern.It could be a trap. ¡°Is it from the Seraphs?¡±Annatta butted in, finally succumbing to her curiosity. He nodded.¡°Yep.An invitation to meet with them.Tonight.Outside the city.¡±He spoke in a short staccato, as his face twisted in a frown.¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure if I should go or not.Abnu seemed nice enough - aside from that time he tried to kill me, of course - but S?arra?bi? thought that the Seraphs might try to harm me because of him.o you think I should go?¡± Annatta plopped down on the edge of the bed.¡°Lord S?arra?bi? has a bit of a negative history with them, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ Jasper nodded.¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°And you may or may not have Seraph heritage?¡± He shrugged, shifting uncomfortably in his chair as he turned to face her.¡°Right again.Although, frankly, given what I¡¯ve learned about my mother and her timeline, I¡¯m guessing I¡¯m not related to the Seraphs.Or, at least, not to her lover - he died well before I should have been conceived.But S?arra?bi? is convinced that there''s still some sort of connection, so..." he sighed bitterly, "I guess I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± The Djinn pursed her lips.¡°If you have Seraph blood in you, it doesn¡¯t matter how they feel about your uncle - the Seraphs take care of their own.If you don¡¯t¡­well, the Seraphs take care of their own,¡± she ended wryly. ¡°Thanks for that brilliant synopsis,¡± he snarked, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t answer my question.Is it safe to accept their invitation¡± Annatta hesitated, her mouth screwing up as she mulled the question.¡°In an ideal world, I wouldn¡¯t accept that invitation but¡­¡± she bobbled her head, ¡°You don¡¯t much have a choice, do you?You have a quest from Nahre?mah herself, and they hold answers you need - or so they claim.¡± He grimaced, dropping the letter on the desk.¡°I know,¡± he admitted quietly.¡°I was really hoping you¡¯d talk me out of it.But I guess it is what is.To the lions¡¯ den I go.¡± ¡°Lions?¡±She quirked her brow inquisitively.¡°You know they shapeshift into tigers, right?¡± Jasper could only groan.No one understands my references. The Right to Blood Although Jasper and Ihra were the only two invited to the meeting with the Namurru elders, Jasper had learned his lesson after the ambush at the temple of Nahre?mah. There was no way he was going there without some backup. Just in case.As much as it pained him to give up a measure of freedom, getting killed was a worse alternative. Therefore, when he and Ihra finally thundered down the twin bridges that guarded the flanks of S?adda?nu, they were accompanied by Annatta and a small detachment of guards.he Seraphs wouldn''t let them join the meeting, they wouldn''t be able to stop them from hanging around the general vicinity. As they followed the river¡¯s course, it wounds its way inland. Soon, the pleasant breezes that wafted off the lake were quickly behind, replaced by stagnant air thick with the heat of the dying day and the nearly suffocating clouds of dust their mounts kicked up from the parched plains. The terrain reminded Jasper a bit of the savannah, or at least how it had looked on tv; he had certainly never had enough money to visit it for himself.While the banks of the river were lush and verdant, completely overgrown with all manner of strange plants, once one rode beyond the river¡¯s reach, the land quickly became dry, filled with grass, shrubs, and the occasional gnarly trees.The only breaks in the dusty plains were the occasional farms that dotted the countryside, whose crops were fed by shallow troughs that channeled the river¡¯s water wherever it was needed. Dusk was fast approaching when they finally spotted the meeting place.A small sea of large white tents that Jasper could only describe as yurts dotted both sides of the Yadda?m''s banks.A few hundred people were milling about the encampment.Children raced up and down the streets, chasing hoops they hit with sticks, while men and women cleaned up their work of the day. There were no guards posted outside the village, so they rode in unhindered, but that didn¡¯t mean they felt welcomed.The villagers turned to stare at them as they passed. Their eyes were hard and unfriendly, and mothers scurried into the streets to pull their children away.No one spoke to them until they neared the center of the camp. Small groups of men were scattered around a large campfire, trying their hands at a game of dice.Their gazes were friendlier than those of the other villagers, and as they drew close, one of the men, a colossal hulk of a Djinn rose to meet them.¡°What brings y¡¯all to our camp tonight?¡± he asked, flashing a pearly white smile at the pair. Yanking the letter out of his bag, Jasper showed it to the man.¡°We were invited to meet with some of your elders,¡± he explained. The man barely glanced at the letter before his eyes focused on the seal.¡°Yep, that looks like their insignia all right.¡±He tossed the letter back to Jasper.¡°The elders¡¯ tents are just on the other side of the river, but I can show you the way.Follow me.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Jasper replied, nudging Dapplegrim into a gentle canter. As they left the group of men behind, venturing back into the crooked streets of the tent village, Jasper was again struck by the unfriendly stares of the Seraphs.He didn¡¯t ask the guide, not wanting to unnecessarily give offense, but the Djinn must have noticed something in his expression. Dropping back a few paces, he sidled up beside the pair.¡°Don¡¯t mind the others,¡± he said, in a low voice.¡°They aren¡¯t the most welcoming bunch, but once you get to know them, they¡¯re really not that bad.¡±He shrugged.Well...mostly.¡± Jasper allowed himself a faint grin.¡°So it¡¯s not just my imagination, then.I was starting to get a complex.¡± The Djinn snorted.¡°Believe me, it¡¯s nothing personal.You familiar with the history of our people?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Jasper began, then cut himself off, remembering the story the Fey woman had told him.The story of how the Seraphs had been trapped in servitude for centuries by a contract with the Children of St. Martin.¡°You mean what happened with the Fey?¡± Their guide winced.¡°We don''t generally talk about it quite so casually but, yeah, that¡¯s what I meant.If you''re familiar with the story, I''m sure you can understand why there''s not a whole lot of trust amongst Seraphs for strangers.¡± Jasper frowned, surprised by the man''s admission.Abnu and his contact at the temple had seemed normal enough. ¡°But you¡¯re not like them?¡± The Seraph shrugged.¡°Those of us who have left the clan for a while tend to feel differently.Me and most of the men I was hanging with served in the king¡¯s scouting corp.I''ve been all over this province and met lots of great people." He winked at Ihra. "Lovely, too. know outsiders aren¡¯t some kind of boogeyman, but convincing some of the more traditionally minded among us is, well,¡± he hesitated for a second before continuing with a wry grin, ¡°let¡¯s just say it¡¯s a task for someone considerably more eloquent than me.¡± ¡°Anyways,¡± he paused at the foot of the river, whose waters rushed past at a surprisingly swift pace.A series of stakes raised their head above the waters, marking the path to ford across.¡°The elders¡¯ houses are on the other side.Just show your letter to the guard, and they¡¯ll take you where you need to go.¡± He hesitated a moment, shuffling his feet, and Jasper started to reach into his bag, thinking the man wanted a tip. ¡°You belong to the Royal House, don¡¯t you?¡± the Djinn suddenly blurted out. ¡°I guess so,¡± Jasper agreed.Truthfully, he felt like an imposter, but it was technically true, and technicalities were the best kind of truth. ¡°You ever meet the king?¡±The Djinn asked. Jasper¡¯s mind flashed back to the almost god-like ruler.A little tremble passed down his spine - not of fear, but awe.¡°Just once.¡± The man studied his face for a moment, nodding in satisfaction at whatever he found.¡°I thought so.¡±He rubbed his arm absentmindedly.¡°You got that same skin tone their nobles get.ou¡¯re a mage too, aren¡¯t you? Don''t look strong enough to be a warrior, no offense.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Jasper nodded, and the man grimaced.¡°Damn.Listen, a word of advice then.Our people follow a strict code of honor but what we consider honorable is not always fair to outsiders.¡± ¡°Oh?¡±Jasper asked, feeling a chill.So they are planning a trap for me? The man stepped closer, lowering his voice.¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that the elders have reluctantly agreed to allow someone to challenge you to a duel.Something about a blood debt?¡± Jasper¡¯s brow darkened.Damn it, S?arra?bi?. ¡°So I''ll turn it down. Why should I agree to it?¡± The former scout shrugged.¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from the elders, so I can¡¯t tell you if the duel''s worth the risk or not.epends on how desperate you are.What I do know is that if you don¡¯t agree to honor the tradition, they won¡¯t make a deal with you.Point is,¡± he continued, ¡°if you get challenged to a duel, they¡¯ll probably offer to make it ¡®no weapons allowed.¡¯Sounds good, right?¡± ¡°Let me guess, there¡¯s a catch,¡± Jasper ground out, between gritted teeth. The Djinn nodded.¡°Indeed.Most of us are warriors, with no ability to use magic. Pretty much all of us, though, can shift, and since everyone can shift, in our traditions, shifting is not considered to be using a weapon.Claws and teeth are ¡®natural,¡¯ after all.But if you try to use your spells, that will be counted as using a ''weapon.''¡± ¡°Why? Pretty sure magic¡¯s just as natural as shifting,¡± Jasper objected. The Seraph shrugged. ¡°Perhaps, but as I said¡­¡± ¡°Your rules aren¡¯t fair to outsiders,¡± he finished for the man. ¡°Just don¡¯t agree to fight without weapons.¡±The guide insisted.¡°Do that, and assuming you''re a half-decent mage, I''m sure you''ll have no problem defending yourself.¡± Jasper smiled tightly.¡°Thanks for the tip.I probably would have fallen for that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± the Djinn replied.¡°Like I said, I served the king for quite a few years. Without him, the other tribes would have forced us to settle down and stop roaming their lands long ago.¡± He offered Jasper a lopsided smile. "Wouldn''t want to see him pissed off because you lost your head. The elders may be bound by tradition, but some of the rest of us have a bit more perspective. Take care now."With that, their guide said his farewells and headed back into the now-dark streets. Ihra cast a worried glance at him.¡°You still sure you want to meet with them?Doesn''t exactly sound like these elders are exactly negotiating in good faith.¡± Jasper sighed.¡°Nope, I definitely don¡¯t want to do this, but what are my other options?Kas?dael wants me to investigate this dark brotherhood, but I can¡¯t get close enough to them to investigate.hey know exactly who I am and, even if they didn¡¯t, now that I got roped into the nobility, it¡¯s kind of hard to move around without being noticed.If these Seraphs have anything that can help me complete Kas?dael''s quest, then I¡¯ve got to take that chance.Otherwise, I am going to have to go along with her brilliant backup plan of serving me up on a silver platter as a poisoned sacrifice.¡± She offered him a wry grin.¡°Not a fan of that plan, I take it?¡± He laughed.¡°You could say that.¡± ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡±She shot him a teasing glance.¡°Lead on, O fearless leader.¡± Chuckling, Jasper spurred Dapplegrim into the river.The rushing water was colder than he expected.Though the glaciers that capped the mountain peaks were some distance away, their runoff was cold enough that even in the sun-scorched plains the water remained uncomfortably frigid.Maybe there¡¯s some sort of magic involved?e hypothesized, remembering the spirits that had haunted the forests in Sapi?ya.But despite the cold, the crossing was easy enough, as the stakes charted a safe course through the rapids. A handful of guards was waiting to meet them on the other side.¡°You Jasper?¡±One of them yelled, and he could only nod, half-surprised not to hear the increasingly familiar ¡°lord¡± in front of his name.¡°The elders are waiting for you,¡± the guard said, and led them up a mild slope to one of the largest yurts in the village.Unlike the other tents, this one wasn''t starched white.Instead, its broad panels were decorated with vibrant scenes of hunting and combat, though Jasper couldn¡¯t tell if they were depicting scenes from everyday life, or simply narrating a story he was unfamiliar with. In any case, the guards gave him no chance to examine the panels. Dapplegrim and Kheresh outside, the group ushered him and Ihra into the tent. A woven reed rug covered the floor, died a deep red color that he hoped wasn¡¯t from blood, and on the far side a group of heavy wooden chairs was arranged in a semi-circle.The rest of the tent, though, was largely empty, save for the sides of the tent where a collection of furniture was piled up on top of each other.They cleared it away for the duel, he realized. Seven men and women occupied the chairs.Two of the elders'' appearances fit their name. With greyed hair and wizened faces, they perfectly matched the image of the wise, older leader. The others though certainly didn''t look old or, if they were, they hid it well - as Jasper had quickly learned, age in Corsythia was not so easily guessed as it was on Earth.A few other Djinn stood around the rim of the room, including Abnu, but the room was largely empty. As he entered the tent, the elder - one of the two that actually showed their age - occupying the center seat rose to meet him, beckoning him forward with an unexpectedly friendly smile.She wore a simple robe, stained with the same dark red as the floor, and had a crop of unruly white hair that was cut shorter than most of the women he had seen in Corsythia - shorter even than most of the men. ¡°I see you decided to accept our offer, Jasper of Earth.¡± Jasper completely forgot what he was going to say, as her words sunk in. Of Earth? Where did she hear that name?Sure, Kas?dael had called him that a time or two, but he doubted the goddess had snitched on him - so where did the Seraph¡¯s information come from?¡°Who told you where I came from?¡± he demanded. The elder smiled enigmatically as she took her seat.¡°You¡¯re not the first of your kind we¡¯ve met,¡± she explained. He started to ask more, but she cut him off.¡°There will be time for questions later but, for now, we have business to discuss.We are most grateful for the aid you provided to Abnu, and hope you appreciated the information we gave you in return.¡± Jasper suppressed the urge to shrug.In truth, the information they had given him had not been nearly as useful as he had hoped, but there was no point in starting off the conversation on the wrong foot. The Seraph flashed a smile.¡°Good.Now, we are open to further collaboration, but before anything else can be negotiated, certain other matters must be attended to.¡± As she spoke, one of the onlookers stepped out of the crowd.Jasper had thought Abnu was huge, but this Djinn made Abnu look like his annoying kid brother.Nearly ten feet tall, with shoulders as broad as an ox and arms as big as logs, his size alone was enough to give Jasper pause - and that was before Jasper saw the axe the Seraph was wielding. There was nothing ceremonial about the weapon.A tarnished silver color, dulled by years of hard use, the axe had a savage simplicity to its two twin blades which, each as wide as Jasper¡¯s torso, sprouted from the unadorned staff.The man stepped forward, dropping the shaft of his weapon on the floor with a heavy thud, and Jasper gulped as he realized the axe was nearly as tall as he was.Damn, that¡¯s a big boy. The elder scowled at the Djinn.¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to step forward yet, Abdi?lu?.¡± The Djinn rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck with an audible pop.¡°Didn¡¯t need to,¡± he grunted.¡°I know my rights.¡± With one hand, he lifted the colossal axe and pointed it straight at Jasper.¡°And I have the right to blood.¡± Of Hoof and Claw Jasper tried hard not to roll his eyes.To his surprise, he felt more annoyed than afraid, but he kept a loose leash on his anger.he Seraph elders may have agreed to spring a duel on him, it was clear from the irritation in the older woman¡¯s eyes that she, at least, was displeased with the Djinn¡¯s behavior.He might as well let the man dig his grave. ¡°If you wish the traditions to be upheld, then you must observe them yourself,¡± the elder snapped. The two locked glares and after a long pause, the Djinn took a half-step back, lowering his weapon.¡°Then on with it,¡± he spat. The Seraph elder turned back to Jasper with an apologetic glance.¡°The Seraphs are not like the other Djinn; unlike them, we still follow the old ways including, against some people¡¯s better judgment,¡± she said sharply, ¡°the right to demand blood as vengeance.¡± ¡°Vengeance for what,¡± Jasper asked, with mock innocence. ¡°Abdi?lu? believes that your kinsman - your uncle - killed his father.In the absence of the accused, he demands the right to exact justice from his kin.¡± Jasper¡¯s eyes sharpened as he stared at the angry Djinn.Wait - his father? was no spring chicken; his hair sported the same salt and pepper coloring as S?arra?bi?, which forced Jasper to reassess his knowledge of his mother¡¯s relationship.If this Seraph was Abdi?el¡¯s son, then clearly it wasn¡¯t a case of ¡°young love.¡± More like a Hugh Hefner-Holly Madison relationship. Yuck. But it also complicated things.Even if he had no blood relation to the Seraphs at all, the man was still, in an odd sort of fashion, a relative - he was his brother¡¯s half-brother, after all. Unable to hide his annoyance any longer, Jasper snorted at her words.¡°Justice?That¡¯s what you¡¯re calling it?Even if my uncle is responsible,¡± he raised his voice as he forced the other onlookers to meet his gaze, ¡°and I suspect there¡¯s no proof to that effect - all of this happened before I was even born.Until a few months ago, I was living in another world altogether and didn¡¯t even know he existed.So tell me, what justice is being served?¡± A mixture of reactions crossed the elders¡¯ faces.Two made no attempt to hide their scowls, but on a few of the rest, he saw fleeting glimpses of approval.The head elder shook her head.¡°I am sorry, Lord Yas?peh, but it is our duty to enforce our traditions and we cannot ignore Abdi?lu?''s claim to vengeance.If you choose not to fight, you are free to leave and return to the capital - he will not be permitted to harm you.But if you wish to do business with us, you must accept the challenge.¡± Jasper sighed as he glanced back at the imposing warrior.His gambit had failed, but it had been worth a try.¡°Is it a duel to the death?¡± he asked. A grimace flickered across her lips.¡°Not necessarily; the decision is up to the victor.¡± The Djinn stepped forward again, ignoring the elder¡¯s protests.¡°If you¡¯re afraid of my axe,¡± the man sneered, ¡°let me make it easier for you.¡±With an almost causal swing, he buried the weapon into the ground, its blade slicing through the thick rug like butter.¡°Fight me man to man,¡± the Djinn challenged. Well, that¡¯s exactly what the guide warned me about. Jasper sent a quick prayer of thanks to the man as he shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to handicap yourself.Pick up your weapon, and I will bring mine.¡±He let a flicker of flames run along the edge of his fingers and for the first time, Jasper saw a hint of uncertainty in the old warrior¡¯s eyes.But after a moment of hesitation, the Djinn wrenched the axe out of the ground.¡°Your funeral,¡± he grunted. Jasper turned to the elder.¡°Before we begin, my magic is, well, fire-based.¡±He gestured at the tent and the reed rugs.¡°Perhaps we should take this outside.¡± The elder laughed.¡°No need to worry.If our materials weren¡¯t fireproof, the village would have been burned to the ground by every precocious toddler.Feel free to use whatever spells you possess.¡± ¡°All right then,¡± Jasper shrugged.The reeds certainly didn¡¯t look fireproof to him, but he decided to take the elder at her word.In the end, if the tent burns down, it¡¯s no skin off my back, he decided as he turned to face his adversary.¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Following the elder¡¯s instructions, the two took their stands at opposite ends of the tent, facing each other.The Seraph bowed stiffly and Jasper begrudgingly returned the favor.Then the duel started. Jasper barely had time to throw himself to the ground before the giant axe, whirling end over end, ripped through the space he had just been standing.Abdi?lu? had thrown it, but it passed overhead harmlessly and buried itself in the ground. Seraph descended upon him. Already the man was half-transformed.His human hands and legs were gone, replaced by fur and claws that slashed across Jasper¡¯s torso.But the Royal House¡¯s lamellar armor held, as the claws skated off it harmlessly.Jasper lashed out with his Scourge of Despair. The spectral whip curled around Abdi?lu''s ankles, drawing blood as it slid free. A moment later, the half-tiger''s angry roars clashed with the shrieks of Jasper''s summoned specters. Not waiting for the man to regain his advantage, Jasper quickly cast Fiery Shackles, binding the Seraph in place, and prepared another Scourge of Despair. Well, this battle was short. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. But Jasper had underestimated the Seraph.Abandoning all attempts to block the specters¡¯ blows, the man leaned as far backward as the manacles would let him.His fingers could barely grasp the tip of his axe¡¯s shaft, but even though his leverage was non-existent, the axe could not resist his sheer strength.With another angry roar, the Djinn pulled the axe free as the specters scratched and tore at him. In a sudden flash of light, the dull grey blade glowed a subtle white as the man swiped the axe through the three specters surrounding him.As soon as his blade came into contact with the beings, Jasper''s summons were banished.With a crunch, the man demolished the manacles around his ankles and lifted his eyes to meet Jasper¡¯s. ¡°Not bad for a bastard,¡± the man growled.¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know anything but fire magic.¡±He offered Jasper a lopsided grin.¡°But not good enough.¡± Jasper stood frozen.He hadn¡¯t expected the man to have the ability to use magic. Hell, he wasn''t quite sure if the man had used magic, or if it was some sort of enchanted weapon. But either way, it was a problem. didn¡¯t recognize the ability that had banished his specters and he definitely didn''t know how to stop it.Some sort of holy magic? The Seraph took his time, strolling forward casually.¡°Give up now, and I¡¯ll let you live.¡±The man chuckled.¡°You may find yourself a few parts shy, but I¡¯m sure your uncle can pay someone to replace them.¡± Yeah, I don¡¯t think so, buddy. He didn¡¯t have time to respond, though, before the man suddenly lurched into motion again.Sprinting forward like a rampaging bull, the man whipped his axe around so quickly that a crackling sound filled the air. Throwing himself to the ground, Jasper cast another Fiery Shackles.They barely impeded the man for a second before his axe arced through the restraints, but by then he had managed to fire off two rounds of Sacred Star.The volley of small fire bombs burst forth from his fingers, curving to meet the Djinn¡¯s oncoming rampage as Jasper rolled away from his assailant.The force of the explosions was enough to stagger him back a few feet, but as the flames disappeared Jasper was disappointed - albeit not surprised - to see the Djinn was completely unharmed. Stupid fire immunity. So both my fire and my ghosts are worthless. Great. His opponent leaned on his axe, letting loose a mirthless laugh.¡°You mages always think you¡¯re so far above us until you meet someone immune to your magic.Then what are all your fancy tricks good for?¡±He took a menacing step forward.¡°Last chance to surrender, little mage.Losing your legs is better than losing your head.¡± As Jasper stared at his adversary, his anger flared white hot.¡°Screw you,¡± he spat, as his mind desperately raced for a way out.But whatever else he might have said fell unspoken as a commotion arose outside the tent.The sounds of men shouting mixed with a furious neighing as the door to the yurt was torn to shreds beneath the metallic hooves of his horse.Dapplegrim charged past the stunned onlookers, pursued by a handful of guards, and thundered to a stop beside him. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±The Seraph scowled, pointing his axe at the horse.¡°Get this creature out of here.¡±Dapplegrim stomped her foot, and he lost his footing as the ground beneath him rumbled, dropping him to one knee.¡°She¡¯s interfering with the duel,¡± he roared. Jasper had no idea how Dapplegrim had known he was in trouble, but he saw his moment of opportunity.Turning to the Seraph elder, he bowed respectfully.¡°Actually, this horse is closely tied to my class - some of my spells require her to work.¡±He pointed at Abdi?lu?.¡°If he can have his weapon, surely I should be allowed mine.¡± The ghost of a smile manifested on the woman¡¯s lips before dissipating as quickly as it appeared.¡°That seems reasonable,¡± she agreed, ignoring the outraged cries of his adversary.¡°If this young Djinn was a firebird, no one would argue that he should fight without his mount.Why should it be any different for this mage?¡±Given the way she emphasized the word, Jasper wondered if she had taken offense to Abdi?lu?''s criticism of mages. And fortunately, if any of the other elders disagreed with her, none dared to speak up and voice their objections. She waved for him to proceed, and Jasper, suppressing a grin, hauled himself up into the saddle, patting the giant horse¡¯s neck fondly.¡°Good girl,¡± he murmured as he turned to face his opponent. Whatever good humor Abdi?lu? had been in had vanished.Pure, unfettered rage burned in his eyes now.¡°So you¡¯re as dishonorable as your uncle then,¡± he snorted.¡°Very well.I shall send you to oblivion myself.¡± Roaring like a lion, the man charged across the room.He held the axe low behind them, the blade burning bright and brighter as he approached.Leaping into the air, he swung the axe viciously toward the horse, but he hadn¡¯t accounted for Dapplegrim¡¯s skills. The horse danced nimbly out of his reach, and as she did, the ground shook beneath her hoofs.Rippling outward like a boulder in a pond, a low wave of dirt crashed into the man, throwing him off balance.He recovered quickly, not as easily defeated as the cultists had been, but it had given Jasper time to cast his new spell.Flame Charge. Jasper had low hopes for the spell.Abdi?lu? was immune to fire, after all, but perhaps Dapplegrim''s charge would be enough to damage him. As the spell took hold, an inferno exploded around him.Within a second, he, Dapplegrim, and his sword were covered in flames.But though Jasper was too preoccupied with the duel to notice, there was something different about this fire. Neither the hearty red of a roaring fire nor the uncanny blue that his own flames took, the flames of the spell burned so hot they were nearly white. Matching Abdi?lu?''s angry roars with a scream of his own, Jasper spurred Dapplegrim forward, nudging the giant horse straight toward his opponent. The yurt was huge, but Dapplegrim was no ordinary horse. In just a few strides, she had bridged the difference. The blood pounded in his veins, in time to the beating of her hooves as they closed in on the Djinn. Jasper didn¡¯t see the flames quickly spread across the floor; he didn''t hear the alarmed shouts of the onlookers.He only saw the face of his enemy. Rearing up on her hind legs, Dapplegrim lashed out with fiery, metallic hooves at the Djinn. abandoning his weapon, the Seraph sprang back, his body contorting as he shifted fully into an enormous tiger. Claws clashed against hooves for a second, but the tiger lost the test of strength. He wasn''t completely outclassed, though. While Dapplegrim was fast, her form was still not naturally inclined to excessive agility. Abdi?lu? was. Twisting and turning away from the horse¡¯s attack with an uncanny grace that bordered on prescience, Abdi?lu? somehow dodged her flurry of blows, managing to always stay one step ahead of her heavy, metallic hooves, but the Djinn had Jasper to contend with as well.Firing off a Sacred Star with one hand as he swung the white-flame-infused sword with the other, Abdi?lu was forced to choose which blow to tank - the hooves, the spell, or the sword. The Seraph chose poorly. Te?te-a?-te?te It was lonely in the void. Oh, Kas?dael was used to it at this point.The loneliness wrapped around her like a well-worn cardigan.You know, that one sweater you have whose sleeves are ragged from age, with a small hole beneath the arm that¡¯s *mostly* hidden that you just can¡¯t bring yourself to throw out because it so damn comfortable. Loneliness had been her companion for many an eon.It wasn¡¯t enough to spend one eternity alone.No, she had presided over the collapse of one universe after another, each time forced to play the part of the lonely goddess. As the final gasp of the Progenitor, the golden age of the universe was already long crumbled into dust by the time she came into being.Sure, Kas?dael was every bit as strong and powerful as the mightiest of the great gods.And that was only at first - while their power waned, hers would only grow stronger and stronger until she was the final light in a dead universe, the last great spark that would ignite the Progenitor¡¯s flame again.But she wasn¡¯t one of them.Not really. Other than her sister, Selene, the other gods largely ignored her, unless they had a favor to ask.And Kas?dael got it - she really did.She was an uncomfortable reminder that even the gods eventually had their end, a reminder best brushed away into a dark closet never to be thought of again until the end was truly nigh.But it still rankled her. With a sigh, the goddess tore her eyes away from the dark chasm overlooking the city.A faint speckle of lights lit up the eternal night of the void and she contemplated descending into the city, to discover who the first of her inhabitants were. But she suspected it was the Us?umgallu; she knew the great lizards all too well.They would need time to adjust to the reality of their people¡¯s destruction.She would visit them later. But that left her with nothing but the endless emptiness to keep her company.Her thoughts turned briefly to her new Hand, Jasper.He didn¡¯t come around as much as he hoped though, given the unfortunate placement of his soul anchor, she understood why.No one enjoyed getting their heart ripped out and if they did enjoy it¡­well, they had a whole other set of problems.Oh well. Wrapping the loneliness around her closer, Kas?dael¡¯s eyes clouded over as she let her mind wander.A thousand prayers reached her, their chorus swelling up around her, but she let her unconscious deal with them.Her attention wasn¡¯t needed; only her power.Twas all anyone ever really needed from her. Who knows how long she sat there by the void.Time has little meaning for the immortal.But eventually something came to break up the monotony. Kas?dael stirred as the winds that swirled in the chasms below here slowly begin to circulate.It wasn¡¯t uncommon for the dire spirits that dwelt in the darkness to stir up trouble, but she sensed no sign of them.This was something different. The rotation of the winds picked up speed, whirling faster and faster.Dozens of tornados formed, tearing fruitlessly at the frozen cliffs before slowly merging, one into the other.And as the colossal remnant rampaged down the chasm, the very air above it flickered and shuddered, as if the whirlwind sought to tear a hole in reality itself. Huh.Kas?dael sat up, suddenly interested.She knew what was happening in an instant.Someone was trying to enter her domain by force.She knew, too, she could put a stop to it.A simple command would be all it would take to quell the unnatural storm, but Kas?dael had no intention of chasing away a would-be visitor unless there was a damned good reason. Straightening her lacy, black dress, she hid her face behind the veil.With a flick of her wrist, she consulted her dice, just to make sure she wasn¡¯t making a mistake.They bounced and skittered across the paving stones of the temple¡¯s still-frozen outer gardens, rolling to a stop only a few feet away from the boundless drop-off.She examined them hastily.A friendly foe?For a second, she contemplated closing the still nascent portal, but curiosity won out. Propping her feet up on the ledge, she awaited her visitor. The portal above the tornado finally manifested fully.It was a strange looking one, quite unlike the u-shaped arches the gods usually used - a massive triangle filled with a green, eldritch fire that Kas?dael recognized immediately.An enemy indeed. He emerged from the fire.Ten feet tall, with skin as pale as snow and eyes as blue as the ocean depths, she watched the Sidhe cautiously as he approached.He seemed¡­familiar, but she couldn¡¯t quite place him.Perhaps we met on the battlefield, long ago? He strode across the empty chasm as if a paved road lay before him.An arrogant smile rested on his lips as he bent the very void beneath his will, but she saw no sign of weapons in his hand.Still, she sent her power out into the world around her, letting it seep into every inch of her surroundings as he approached her.Just in case. The mysterious stranger walked right past her and took a seat on the balustrade opposite Kas?dael.Mimicking her, he propped his feet up on the ledge, ignoring the spirits that howled at him from below, angered by his disruption of their chasm. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. She waited for him to speak, to introduce himself, but the unknown Sidhe seemed more than content to wait in silence, smirking at her.Fine, she decided.Two can play at that game.So the two sat in silence for quite some time, interrupted only by the howling of the tornado whenever it approached them. He broke before she did.¡°So you really are as stubborn as they say,¡± he observed. Kas?dael raised an eyebrow.¡°Normally guests introduce themselves before they insult their host.¡± The Sidhe chuckled, flashing her an easy smile.¡°No one said stubbornness was a bad thing.As it happens, it''s rather a defining trait of mine.¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t introduced yourself,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he apologized, with mock sincerity, ¡°I¡¯m Imhullu.It seems we share a common enemy.¡±He offered her his hand, but she pointedly ignored it.I¡¯m not shaking the hand of a Sidhe.Now chopping it off - that¡¯s a much better idea. Dismissing the worst of her impulses, Kas?dael shifted her back against the balustrade in order to prop herself up into a more upright position.¡°Oh?I¡¯ve found as a general rule that an enemy of a Sidhe is a friend of mine.¡± The blonde giant grimaced.¡°Come now, how long are the kith of the Progenitor going to hold a grudge?¡± She shrugged.¡°Your kind slaughtered your worlds¡¯ versions of my brothers and sisters.You even came to our world and destroyed our descendants'' empire.What time limit would you put on such crimes?¡± He met her gaze with a smirk.¡°How could I forget - your side definitely never killed any of us.It was only our side that committed atrocities, while you were perfect little angels, just protecting your beloved Mwyranni from the big, bad bullies.¡± Kas?dael began to laugh.¡°Fair enough - I¡¯ll give you this, strange Sidhe, at least you¡¯re entertaining.But I have a feeling you wouldn¡¯t dare say that to my sister.Does her shattered corpse still haunt your world?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact,¡± he countered, ¡°I would indeed say it to your sister.Now your brother,¡± he grinned, ¡°probably not.As it happens, however, your sister and I had a rather lovely chat a few months ago.Twas about a different topic altogether, but she happened to mention your little problem with a certain, upstart dark god.¡± Kas?dael cocked her head, regarding him with new interest.She was skeptical that Selene would have met with the Sidhe, but if any of her brothers and sisters would, it would be Selene.She was always the most forgiving of them. But just because he claimed that didn''t make it true - the Sidhe were well known for deception.¡°Who?¡± she demanded, not willing to give him any information without verifying what he really know. Imhullu rolled his eyes.¡°Ever distrustful, your kind.It¡¯s a most undesirable quality.¡±He hummed beneath his breath, ¡°What name should I use?Me?s?u?ta?Yas?gah?¡±He paused for effect, grinning slyly, ¡°Or perhaps I should invoke the name of the greatest follower you ever had, the fallen Empress Matqa?¡± Kas?dael frowned.¡°So you know her name.But since when are the Sidhe concerned about dark gods?You¡¯re generally rather cozy with them.¡± He shrugged, and Imhullu¡¯s casual impertinence fell away, revealing the eyes of an ancient and very tired warrior.¡°That war was a long time ago, Kas?dael.I admit the heart of many of my kin still burns with anger, with the desire for vengeance, and once I was the same.Once I wanted nothing more than to burn every home, destroy every planet, explode every star until your kind paid.¡± For a moment, she could feel the faint ghost of wrath emanating from him, but it disappeared as he shook his head.¡°But my wrath has long since withered away - I simply can''t bring myself to care any longer.s long as you are willing to live in peace with me, I¡¯m willing to live in peace with you.Your sister and I have already come to an understanding, and I hope we can reach a similar agreement.¡± She scrutinized him for a second, unsure if she believed him.That was the trouble with gods - they¡¯d had unlimited time to practice their lying.¡°Very convincing, but that didn¡¯t really answer my question.Why would you want to get involved?¡± ¡°If Yas?gah succeeds in her plan for true ascension, she will threaten our fragile peace.My kin may not see it, but I believe if she succeeds, she will be just as willing to attack our kind as yours in her quest for ascension.I would see her fail.¡± He spoke with a measured sincerity, but Kas?dael still didn¡¯t entirely buy it.¡°You know, the name you used threw me.Imh?ullu.I couldn¡¯t place it - there certainly were no great leaders during the war that went by that name.Perhaps you wanted me to believe you were a minor Sidhe, but unfortunately for you, we have met on the field of battle, haven''t we, Meh?h?aw??¡±She met his eyes knowingly.¡°I find it difficult to believe that the same Sidhe who shattered the moon is afraid of an upstart dark god.¡± Imh?ullu shrugged.¡°I¡¯m only Imh?ullu now.And no, perhaps I¡¯m not afraid for myself,¡± he admitted.¡°But I can be afraid for others, can¡¯t I?¡± He sighed,¡°You know, in the world I grew up in, the world before the breaking, we believed in real gods.Omnipotent, omniscient beings whose fury none can escape, whose knowledge none can trick, but you and me?We¡¯re nothing like them.Even with all our power, those we care about can slip through the cracks. We have blind spots." s it happens, I believe a certain descendant of mine is endangered by your former servant.She¡¯s a talented mage with a greater resonance with my skills than I have seen in a dozen generations.I¡¯d like to see her survive.¡± Kas?dael finally cracked a smile.¡°Now that I can believe.Perhaps we do have something talk about it, Meh?h?aw?.¡± ¡°Imh?ullu,¡± he corrected her.The goddess just shrugged.¡°The day you can defeat me in battle is the day you can change your name.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re agreeing to call me Imh?ullu,¡± he countered.¡°I seem to recall winning that battle.¡± Kas?dael shot him a pitying look.¡°Is your memory going so soon?I¡¯m quite certain I was the victor.¡± ¡°I literally exploded the moon,¡± he argued.¡°Its ruins are still there to this day.¡± But Kas?dael just laughed.¡°So you beat Selene. But last I checked, I¡¯m not my sister.¡± And to that, Imh?ullu had no answer. Victors Choice Betting that Jasper¡¯s strength would be unable to even pierce his skin with the sword, Abdilu stepped closer to Jasper, allowing the sword to sweep across his skin. His claws stretched out for Jasper¡¯s throat, razor-sharp instruments of death that would rend his adversary from throat to sternum, but his hands never got there. A roar of agony ripped free from his vocal cords as the white flame blossomed across his skin.The Seraph hadn¡¯t felt the kiss of flames in decades and he had forgotten its agony.Screaming and thrashing he beat at his fur.Large chunks of skin sloughed off like melted plastic, as he rolled across the floor, his transformation slowly reverting. Jasper stared, in shock and horror, at the damage his spell had caused, as the raging fire of his spell expanded through the tent.For a moment, he had wanted to kill the man but this was different.This was torture. Summoning his will, he fought to cut off the spell.The fire resisted him, the spell not wanting to end before its time was complete, but he persevered, demanding the essence listen to him.As suddenly as they had begun, the flames ceased and a sliver of essence returned to him, leaving a tent charred and burned, and a tiger scorched almost beyond recognition. A woman, sobbing hysterically, ran toward Abdi?lu?, but the elder stepped in front of her, and snatching up her arms, forced her to a stop.¡°Let me through,¡± the woman howled, beating against the elders.¡°Let me through.We have to heal him.¡± The elder shook her head.¡°The outcome of the duel was victor¡¯s choice.Your husband chose to invoke the old ways on one that does not even belong to our tribe.Shall we ignore the rules for him now?¡± The woman only struggled hard, weeping and wailing, but the elder wouldn¡¯t let her pass.She did, however, turn her head toward Jasper.She asked nothing of him, but the entreating look in her eyes did the talking for her. He hesitated for just a moment, while the man continued to thrash across the ground.His first impulse was simply to put the Djinn out of his misery.In general, Jasper wasn¡¯t fond of letting his enemies live.The many books he¡¯d read over the years where the hero showed his rival mercy, only for his enemy to come back and attack him, again and again, had positively driven him up the wall. But this Seraph was his brother¡¯s brother.He didn¡¯t want that blood on his hand.Finding his voice, Jasper nodded his head.¡°Let her pass,¡± he said hoarsely. The elder stepped aside, and the woman rushed over to the man, and several other Seraphs ran to join her.They pinned his limbs down as she emptied two potions directly onto his skin.The man¡¯s screams only increased as the liquid washed over his ruined flesh, but she ignored him, sprinkling a third potion of powder over him and herself.The others quickly drew a circle around the injured Djinn while she sketched two large runes in chalk onto the charred rug.She didn¡¯t even bother to check it before she began to channel her injury through it, but it quickly became clear that she hadn¡¯t needed to. The man¡¯s thrashing slowly calmed as his skin began to regrow.But the woman was clearly struggling.Coughing and hacking, the glowing rune finally crumpled as she bent over, vomiting blood.The others moved to help her, but she waved them off, as she wrapped her arms around her husband. With the show over, Jasper slipped off of Dapplegrim and cautiously approached the elder, not entirely sure how they were going to react. The woman frowned as he approached, pursing her lips judgmentally.¡°You should have told me you were a Firebird.I would have forbidden Abdi?lu?¡¯s foolish request or, at the very least, insisted on holding the duel outside.¡± Jasper glanced around the ruined tent.The formerly white walls were charred from soot and smoke, with large holes letting in the dark of night where the flames had burned all the way through.The red reed rug had been mostly consumed by the fire, and what was left was black as night.The tent was indeed a mess, but Jasper was annoyed at being blamed. ¡°I¡¯m not a Firebird and as for the tent,¡± he gestured at the devastation, ¡°I did ask.You assured me it was fireproof.¡± The woman¡¯s frown intensified.¡°Do you think me stupid?That was a classic firebird spell,¡± she snapped. Jasper shrugged.¡°I¡¯m telling you I don''t have the Firebird class, and I don¡¯t know what a ''classic Firebird'' spell is.You said it yourself, I¡¯m ¡®Jasper of Earth.¡¯You¡¯re the one who chose to allow him to challenge a guest to a duel.¡± The elder searched his eyes for a long moment, her skepticism plain to see, but eventually, with a sigh, she conceded his point.¡°Perhaps you truly did not know. The reason Firebirds are so respected is precisely because their class provides them with a spell that ignores fire immunity. I have never heard of any other class having such capabilities, but you are a Summoned, so I suppose stranger things have happened." She frowned. "And as for the duel, it was most certainly not my desire to let it happen, but I was outvoted.In any case,¡± her eyes drifted back to the injured man, ¡°thank you for not killing him.¡± Jasper returned her frown, uncertainty rearing its ugly head.¡°I hope I made the right decision.Do you think he will come after me again?¡± She shook her head.¡°Abdi?lu? has long nursed a grudge against your uncle, a desire for vengeance that thanks to your uncle¡¯s high position he could never pursue, but is he also an honorable man.He will respect the results of the duel.But come,¡± she turned away, gesturing for him to follow.¡°We promised you a discussion, but we can hardly do it here, now that you¡¯ve destroyed the place.¡± He rolled his eyes but followed after her.Dapplegrim followed close behind, stubbornly refusing to be separated from his side - not that he could blame her.His level of trust in these Seraphs was at rock bottom. Instead of taking them to a nearby tent, the elders led him away from the small village.It didn¡¯t long to leave the tents behind as they scaled the crest of a minor hill overlooking the river.It was mounted by a tree much larger than most of the shrubby vegetation in the area, whose heavy-laden boughs sheltered the entire top.A few scattered benches were set up in a circle beside the tree, surrounding a small fire pit. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Have a seat,¡± the elder directed as the seven grabbed seats on the far side of the dormant pit while Jasper, with Ihra and Dapplegrim, took the other. ¡°What is your interest in the brotherhood of Yas?gah?¡± the elder began. Jasper frowned.¡°Didn¡¯t Abnu tell you?¡± The woman shook her head.¡°Of course, he passed on everything that you said, but there wasn¡¯t much to tell.You claimed to work for the goddess, Nahre?mah, and to have a desire in destroying the Brotherhood, and that was about it.¡± After casting his mind back to his brief, frenzied conversation with the Seraph in the aftermath of the Keeper¡¯s death, Jasper realized she was right.He really hadn¡¯t told them much about himself. He leaned forward on the rough wooden bench and, with an idle flick of his fingers, lit the bonfire.The flames crackled to life as he pondered his response. ¡°Nahre?mah - Kas?dael as I know her - is very concerned about this brotherhood.She believes that a dark goddess, masquerading as her, has led her followers astray, and has given me a quest to deal with it.¡± ¡°Can you show me the quest?¡±The woman asked, cautiously. He shrugged.¡°I don¡¯t know.Can I?¡± It took her a minute to show him how to do it, but soon the elders were able to read the brief description Kas?dael had given him and as they read it, the tension in the group eased. When the chief elder finally tore her eyes aware from the quest, her relief was clear to see.¡°By Shamsha¡¯s light, this is good news.¡± Jasper moved back to the other side of the fire, his brow raised inquisitively.¡°From your reaction, I feel like there¡¯s something I¡¯m missing.¡± The Seraphs exchanged glances before the elder responded.¡°In truth, as our investigation progressed, we discovered that the majority of the leaders of the cult of Nahre?mah were also members of the Brotherhood of Yas?gah.Not all, of course, but so many that we began to fear that perhaps the Brotherhood really was a legitimate offshoot of the cult.¡± He frowned, not entirely understanding what she was implying.¡°In what way?¡± The elder shifted uncomfortably.¡°It occurred to us that perhaps the goddess herself had fallen into darkness, and was endorsing the perverted rituals of the brotherhood.How else could she be so blind to what even her most powerful followers were doing?¡± He wrinkled his brow.¡°Fallen?Is that really something that happens?¡± ¡°Lesser gods have been known to do so.Not so much the great gods, but it¡¯s Nahre?mah, after all.If any of the great gods were to fall, surely she would be the first - she¡¯s always walked the closest to the darkness.¡± Jasper understood then.The goddess¡¯ tendency to attract doomsday cultists made it easier to suspect she might be involved in something nefarious.But he believed people had sorely misjudged her.Kas?dael was a bit more whimsical than he would have preferred, but he had never sensed any malice from her.¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s behind it,¡± he assured them. ¡°Indeed, after seeing the quest she gave you, it seems our fears were baseless," the elder agreed,ut surely, if you have the goddess¡¯ support, don¡¯t you have access to more information than what we can give you?¡± ¡°You¡¯d think, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±Jasper sighed, shaking his head.¡°Unfortunately, Yas?gah seems to be quite good at covering her tracks.It took far too long for Kas?dael to even realize there was a problem. And my own investigation - well, it hasn''t gone well,¡± he admitted with a sigh. ¡°The cultists seem to know everything about me.The first time they sent assassins against me I had yet to even set foot in one of Kas?dael¡¯s temples, and since then, they have tried several more times.I don¡¯t know where the Brotherhood got their information about me, but with my identity thoroughly blown, I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m supposed to investigate them.That¡¯s why I need you.¡±e paused, and flashed the elder a grin, ¡°Unless, of course, you have some polyjuice potion to offer me?¡± ¡°Polyjuice potion?¡±The elder wrinkled her brow.¡°That seems¡­familiar.¡± Jasper froze, caught by surprise. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s real. A second later, her face cleared.¡°Ah, I remember now - it¡¯s a potion from your world.¡± This time, it was his turn to furrow his brow.¡°Not a real potion,¡± he clarified, ¡°but, yes.But how did you know that?First, Abnu shook my hand, now you recognize a Harry Potter reference?Just how much do you know about my world?¡± The elder smiled.¡°The question you should be asking is how we know. That, I suspect is the root of your problem with the cultists.¡± "Oh?" Jasper leaned forward eagerly as the elder paused, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. ¡°Now, it seems you already know your mother was originally from this world, correct?¡± Jasper grimaced.¡°As hard as it is for me to believe, that is what I¡¯ve come to understand.¡± ¡°And do you know how she fled to your world?¡± He nodded, remembering the diary he had found.¡°There was some sort of portal; she was kind of sparse on the details about it though.¡± The Seraph hummed in agreement.¡°Yes, that makes sense. She probably used the portal of Et?e?ru.According to some stories, it¡¯s the portal that Nu?radi?n led our people through when we fled the destruction of Zaginnu.¡± ¡°Are you saying Zaginnu was Earth?¡± The woman shook her head.¡°Definitely not.Afraid that the destruction of Zaginnu might cause a reaction even through the portal, Nu?radi?n himself severed the connection to Zaginnu was severed and smashed the portal into pieces.¡± ¡°It lay there, forgotten, for thousands of years until one of the mountain tribes, the lords of Du?r-Qarna?nu, stumbled upon it purely by accident.Since then, they¡¯ve done their best to restore the artifact, but the portal was damaged too severely to repair it entirely.¡± ¡°It functions now, but it requires far more essence to power it than it''s supposed to, and the destination can''t be controlled, only partially predicted.Earth is one of the places it sometimes goes to, but there are other worlds as well.The portal is simply too expensive in its current state to be used often.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve used it?¡± A bittersweet smile crossed the woman¡¯s lips.¡°No, I¡¯ve never had the chance. a handful of our people over the years have managed to scrounge up enough money to bribe the mountain Djinn into activating it, including one you know.¡± Jasper frowned, thinking over the list of Seraphs he knew.It was a pretty short list.¡°Abnu?¡± He ventured. ¡°No, but he certainly grew up hearing the tales from his uncle, Abdi?lu?, tales which I¡¯ve listened to myself plenty of times.I remember the stories he used to tell of a troubled child at a school for magic with a shapeshifting potion.That is what you were referencing, wasn¡¯t it?¡± He could only nod, stunned by her revelation.¡°So Abdi?lu? has been to Earth?Why?¡± ¡°When Abdiel died, his son was distraught with grief.Our kind is quick to anger in the best of circumstances, but his wrath burned brighter than most.Like many who suffer an unexpected loss, he needed someone to blame, and he very quickly fixated on your mother - the royal vixen who lured his father to his doom.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t bother to hide his scowl.¡°That hardly seems a fair characterization.¡± The Seraph elder shrugged.¡°I simply telling you how he felt; personally, I never met your mother.Anyways, he eventually managed to gather enough money to pay to use the portal.He was even fortunate enough to be sent to your world on his first try and spent quite a few years living there.¡± ¡°What about his vengeance?¡±Jasper asked.He knew he had some missing memories, but he certainly could recall an angry Djinn showing up to try to kill his mother. ¡°If he ever found your mother, he never spoke of it.And given the fact that you exist, I¡¯d say it¡¯s pretty clear he didn¡¯t kill her.But even if he didn¡¯t get his vengeance, Abdi?lu? made his peace with his father¡¯s passing.When he finally returned, more than a decade later, the anger that had consumed him was gone and he was full of exciting stories to tell.I thought it was all in the past, until you showed up.¡±Pity crossed her eyes.¡°I¡¯m afraid your presence stirred up old wounds.¡± The Road Not Taken "Why did you even allow the duel?" Jasper persisted, still annoyed with the elders about the whole affair. The older woman grimaced. ¡°You must understand, if it was up to me, the duel would never have happened. I know there is some perception amongst the other Djinn that our elders rule the clan with an iron fist, but that is not really how it works. Tradition rules our clan, and we are merely its enforcers. If any of us would refuse to uphold the laws of our people, we would not be elders for long.¡± Jasper did his best to hide his frown, not entirely satisfied with her answer.In theory, he understood what she was saying.In practice, it was hard not to resent being forced to fight a duel with his life on the line, even if he had won it. They hadn''t known that would happen, after all.But after a moment''s hard thought, he decided to let the matter drop. His mission was more important. ¡°So you didn''t finish explaining it - how are the portal and the cult connected?¡± The Seraph hesitated.¡°You must understand that this is purely conjecture on my part,¡± she began slowly, ¡°but there have long been rumors that the portal has been used to forcibly kidnap people from the worlds that it opens to.The mountain Djinn that control it have no qualms about such things - as long as you have the money to pay them, they¡¯ll let you do whatever you want. And Summoned, given their usually strong magical talent, are a valuable commodity." ¡°Still, I never really believed the rumors until we raided the Brotherhood den to rescue our taken sister. Amongst their papers, we found a few scattered references to attempts to summon residents of those worlds and bind them to do their bidding. Nothing concrete enought to tell if it definitely happened, but the idea, at least, was being considered.¡±She raised an eyebrow.¡°You are a Summoned, aren¡¯t you?¡± A chill ran down his spine as he remembered the unusual anchor point he possessed, positioned right over his heart.He had never learned who was responsible.Was it the Brotherhood who tried to summon me? Would I have been bound to their will if Kas?dael hadn''t snagged me away? The thought of such a fate sent a ripple of unease down his spine. The elder matched his grim expression.¡°I see you¡¯ve reached the same conclusion I have.I suspect the reason that the cultists knew who you were is because they¡¯re the ones who tried to bring you here in the first place.¡± After a moment, the fear was replaced with anger.They stole my life.My friends.My family.¡°You think they did this to me?¡± The old Djinn nodded subtly.¡°That would be my guess.¡± His fists curled so tight his knuckles grew white. ¡°Then help me find them,¡± he growled. ¡°That, I think, we can do.¡±Shifting in her seat, she leaned forward, warming her hands over the fire before she continued.¡°After we rescued the girl they kidnapped, we did an intensive search of their hideout, and uncovered many, many graves.¡±Her eyes met his.¡°Hundreds at a minimum.¡± ¡°How?¡±Jasper asked, incredulously.¡°How is no one noticing that many people go missing?¡± Her lips twisted in a mockery of a smile.¡°Look how long it took us to notice.Our tribe is one of the few that follows the old ways, and it still took us years to realize what was happening, because they targeted members of our tribe who had largely abandoned us." "On the other hand, S?adda?nu by its very nature is a place that breaks down those sorts of social ties, separating families from their kin.The royal guard does its best to protect the city''s residents, of course, but the cult chose its targets wisely.They took the poor, the young, those on the margins of society - the sort of people who have no one that will notice or care when they go missing.¡± He wrinkled his brow.¡°Then why take people from the cult of Nahre?mah?¡± ¡°They are not as different from those marginal groups as you might think.The cult of Nahre?mah is a haphazard group of battle junkies who routinely go off on dangerous adventures.If a few of them should happen to go missing from time to time, no one will find it suspicious.It¡¯s to be expected from that lifestyle.¡±The elder frowned, tapping her fingers thoughtfully against her leg. ¡°Plus, I still believe that brotherhood must have some sort of connection with Nahre?mah.It seems we were wrong to think Nahre?mah was behind it, but why should her cult be so thoroughly corrupted if there was not some connection?¡± Jasper hesitated, unsure if Kas?dael would want him to share the identity of Yas?gah. After a moment''s thought, he decided against it.¡°Let¡¯s just say that Yas?gah holds a grudge against the goddess.¡± The elder glanced up quickly, a keen interest sparking in her eyes.¡°I take it that means you know who Yas?gah is?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He shrugged, ¡°Kas?dael believes she knows, but I think it''s supposed to be a secret.¡± Disappointment shadowed her face, but she nodded reluctantly.¡°Who am I to argue with a goddess?Anyways, during our investigation of the sight, we brought in a number of blood mages and diviners to sort through the remains left behind. After several days - and a positively enormous sum of gold - the mages were able to identify a few splashes of blood that didn¡¯t belong to any of the victims buried there.And after an even larger pile of lucre, they scried the location of the blood''s owners for us.¡± ¡°So you found another one of their hideouts?¡± The elder grinned wolfishly.¡°Not just one of their hideouts - we''re pretty sure we found the base of their operations.We¡¯ve had it under surveillance for the last few days, and the number of cultists visiting the site is ten times higher than the previous location.The only difficulty is that this new place is ensconced in a small village at the foot of the mountains. Our scouts have been unable to determine if the entire village is part of the cult, or if the Brotherhood is simply using it as a cover for their activities.¡± ¡°Are you going to take it out soon?¡± The elder shook her head.¡°Yes and no. Unless something happens to force our hand - like another one of our own being kidnapped - we won¡¯t attack the site until we can determine the status of the villagers. I do not wish to have the blood of innocent villagers on my hands. But as soon as we have a clearer idea of the situation, we will¡± She hesitated a moment. "I''m guessing you wish to join the attack?" Jasper nodded, feeling the tight knot of anger still churning in his chest. "Yes. Kas?dael will expect it of me." And frankly, even if she didn''t, if they''re really responsible for dragging me here...I want them to pay. ¡°That''s fine - the Namurru clan is rather lacking in mages, so we''re more than happy to have you come along. We''ll send you word when we''re prepared to attack - although we will not tarry long for you. You can bring your friends too, but don¡¯t bring the royal guard," she added.This is Seraph business.¡± The night was well advanced by the time the deal was finally agreed upon.The Seraphs offered Jasper and Ihra a place to stay for the night, but he refused.A tent, however cozy, was no match for the plush, down cushions of his bed and even if it were, he didn¡¯t quite trust them.He was convinced that the elders - or at least the head elder - were genuinely interested in hunting down the cult, but there was something that kept bothering him, some little detail that he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on that made him believe that the Seraphs were still keeping secrets from him. It wasn¡¯t until they began the ride back to the palace, that he finally figured out what it was. ¡°Lord Ishka¡¯s cult,¡± he suddenly blurted out. Surprised, Ihra turned to look at him.¡°What?¡± ¡°I kept getting the sense that the Seraphs were hiding something from me, but I couldn¡¯t put together it till now - but it¡¯s Lord Ishka¡¯s cult. That''s what was bothering me.¡± Ihra laughed.¡°I think you¡¯ve skipped a few steps in your explanation there.¡± ¡°S?arra?bi? told me that Lord Ishka¡¯s group, which was composed of Seraphs that split off from the Namurru clan, was obsessed with the idea of returning to the Djinn''s original homeworld, Zaginnu. And because I arrived in this world at their enclave, S?arra?bi? felt certain that there must have been a link between their research and my abduction. At the very least, it makes sense,¡± Jasper explained. ¡°But the Seraphs just claimed the cult was responsible,¡± Ihra filled in, catching on quick. ¡°Exactly,¡± he agreed.¡°Now maybe my uncle''s guess is wrong, but as far as I can tell, he has no motive to lie to me about this. He was generally heartbroken about my mother''s ''death'' and had no idea about the portal. These Seraphs, on the other hand, have a definite connection to a group that may be responsible.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t the elders exile Ishka¡¯s followers from the tribe,¡± Ihra objected. ¡°They did, but after the majority of the group vanished - god only knows where - a few of them came back and rejoined the clan.What if the remnants of Ishka''s group continued their research in private? What if they joined the cult or maybe even founded it?¡± She frowned.¡°It''s a bit of a stretch, isn''t it? Although¡­it would explain why they don¡¯t want you to bring the guard. They don''t anyone to know that a group of Seraphs is responsible." ¡°Bingo,¡± Jasper agreed.¡°I could be wrong, but it makes sense." He groaned in frustration. "Damn it.Why is no one on this bloody planet capable of just telling the truth?All these lies and secrets - it¡¯s bloody exhausting.¡± ¡°Now I have to guess if they actually intend to let me go, or if they¡¯ll try to dispose of me to protect their reputation with the other tribes.¡± ¡°Maybe if you were unimportant, but as Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s nephew?¡±Ihra shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think they''d be stupid enough to try to kill you.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± he replied darkly.¡°And more importantly, I hope they don¡¯t launch the attack until after the Hand of Judgment has reset.I¡¯ll feel a lot better knowing I have an ace up my sleeve, just in case they get any funny ideas.¡± "You''ll have me there, too," Ihra reminded him. He flashed her a grin. "I was counting on it." The two subsided into a comfortable silence for a few minutes, until Ihra piped up again. "Is that how you really feel?" "Huh?" Jasper turned in his saddle to face her. "About what?" "Back with the elders. I saw how angry you were when the Seraphs said the cult were the ones who took you. You said were you ''abducted.'' Do you really hate it here? Are you going to try to take the portal back to your world?" He didn''t answer immediately. The truth was, he didn''t know. Do I want to go back? On the one hand, he had lost everything. Friends, family, and all the many conveniences of a modern world that one just took for granted. Of course, in reality, his relationships there hadn''t been the best. His relationship with his girlfriend had been in cruise control, continued more out of habit than anything else. He''d never been close to his older brother, his sister had died, and while his relationship with his mother had been okay, he was starting to wonder how much of his past was a lie - had he ever really known her? And then, there was this world. Sure, danger had become a constant companion, and there was a severe lack of internet, tv, and video games, but there was also magic. There were gods who actually answered when you prayed, money and power that he had never come close to possessing on earth, and adventures straight out of the pages of a book. Did he really want to give it all up? "Jasper?" "I don''t know. Maybe someday? It''s nice to know I have the option to go back if I really wanted to," he admitted, "but honestly, for now, I think I''m happy where I am." The Curse of a Bad Name Erin was having a bad day.Scratch that - a bad life. It had all been downhill ever since the moment the nurse had started to fill out the birth certificate with the name ¡°Aaron¡± and his mother had corrected her.¡°No, you spelled it wrong. E-R-I-N.Erin.¡± The way his grandmother had told it in later years, the nurse had tried to do him a solid.¡°Are you sure?That spelling is normally used for girls.¡± But his mother had insisted the name was unisex, that she was determined to name her baby after her ¡°homeland.¡±She was an Irish-American after all.The fact that neither she, nor her parents, nor even her parents¡¯ parents had ever actually stepped foot on the Emerald Isle did nothing to change her mind.His embarrassment had only grown when, once he was old enough to wonder why he didn¡¯t have a dad, Erin had discovered his mother had conceived him after getting drunk off her ass on green beer for St. Patty¡¯s Day.Yeah, a classy start for a classy life. Unfortunately, naming him ¡°Erin¡± hadn¡¯t been good enough for his mother.Most kids who have a bad first name, at least have the good fortune to possess a middle that they can use later in life but his mother, in her infinite wisdom, had seen fit to ruin that too, blessing him ever so greatly with yet another unisex name, Jessie.And yes, she spelled it with an i. And thus, unable to budge his mother from her unreasonable demands, the nurse had finally acquiesced - it wasn¡¯t worth getting fired over, after all - and that was how Erin Jessie had come to be cursed to a lifetime of being stuck with a girl¡¯s name and all the crap that came with it. Teachers who didn¡¯t believe he knew how to spell his own name.Kids who - you guessed it - bullied and teased him.Hell, when he went to get his passport for his senior trip, even the clerk at the county office had given him a hard time, refusing to accept that that was actually his name until he showed her his birth certificate and social security card. But as much as that had sucked, it paled in comparison to the situation he found himself in.Pressing himself so tightly against the wall his bones protested, he was just able to squeeze enough room in the tiny cell to straighten his legs.He let the feeling of relief wash over him, savoring it as long as he could, but it wasn¡¯t long before the pain in his back outweighed the pain in his knees, and reluctantly he pulled his legs back up. His eyes idly scanned the tiny room again.It was the same, of course, as always.The same as the day before, and the day before that.The same as tomorrow.Damn it. Crouching forward, he leaned his head against the bars, peering out into the narrow corridor of cells.He couldn¡¯t see much in either direction, save for his mate in the cell directly across. ¡°Psst,¡± he whispered.The guards didn¡¯t pay much attention to them down here, save for the occasional crumb of food they deigned to give them, but every few days the guards would come down and make an ¡°example¡± of a prisoner.The last one had been left with a face so mangled, Erin doubted a plastic surgeon could have fixed it.¡°Hey, Gu?zu.What are you doing?¡± Huddled over a small pit, he¡¯d dug in the floor, the Djinn finally looked up.His large, black horns scraped against the confines of the narrow cell.¡°Getting us out of here,¡± he replied calmly. Erin shook his head in disbelief.¡°You¡¯re going to tunnel out of here with your bare hands?No offense, man, I know you¡¯re pretty strong and all, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work.I know the guards around here aren¡¯t the most observant, but I¡¯m pretty sure even they will notice a hole large enough to fit you in.¡± The scout ignored him, continuing to work on whatever hopeless project he had.After a while, Erin gave up, and leaning awkwardly against the wall, tried to drift off to sleep. Despite the painful angle of his neck, eventually sleep came for him.When he woke up, feeling entirely unrefreshed, he had no way to judge how long he¡¯d slept.He¡¯d been knocked unconscious when they¡¯d been taken prisoner, so Erin wasn¡¯t really sure where they were being kept, but he hadn¡¯t seen even a hint of sunlight since arriving, nothing but the dim and smoky light of a pitch-covered torch.But given that Gu?zu was still bent low over his work, he figured that he had either barely slept or had been asleep a long time. Shuffling awkardly in his cramped quarters, he cursed as his foot brushed against a hard roll, dragging it across the dirt.Crap.He brushed the dirt off the bread as best as he could, sighing in relief when he saw the small flash of water placed just outside his cell door.Reaching his bars, he dragged it in, and let the welcome liquid flood his parched mouth.At least they didn¡¯t forget this time. When he had finished off the last of his paltry meal, he pressed his face again against the bars.¡°So, if it¡¯s not a tunnel, what are you working on?¡± Gu?zu flashed him a small object held in the palm of his hand.With a rather portly torso and four stubby legs, it looked like some sort of kindergartner¡¯s pottery project.Erin stared at it, dumbfounded.I thought he said he was trying to get us out of here.Has he lost his damned mind? Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. A touch of pity welled up in him, initially for Gu?zu, although it quickly spiraled into self-pity.¡°That¡¯s, uh, real nice, Gu?zu.Are you going to try to bribe your way to freedom?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a votive,¡± the man finally explained.¡°The goddess willing, it will bring aid to us.¡± Erin frowned.Like a lot of people with his upbringing, he was vaguely Catholic.And by that, he meant he attended mass on Easter and Christmas, plus the occasional extra service his grandmother guilted him into.She was good at that. He sighed, feeling the bitterness surge up in him again.And right now, I¡¯d give *anything* to be able to go to mass with her one last time.Stupid freaking game. Unable to do anything else, he once again leaned against the wall, leaving Gu?zu to do his work unimpeded.Erin wasn¡¯t quite sure what to make of these ¡°gods,¡± but his brief time in Corsythia had been enough to convince him that there was something there.He didn¡¯t quite understand them, he sure as hell didn¡¯t worship them, but if Gu?zu¡¯s goddess, Umma-something-or-other, was able to get them out of here - well, Erin certainly wouldn¡¯t turn down a rescue. But Gu?zu wasn¡¯t the only one working on a plan. The relative quiet of the dungeon was broken by a crashing sound further down the corridor.Quiet cursing followed it, and Erin threw himself against the bars again, desperately trying to get enough of an angle to see what was happening.It was too far down the hall to see.Damn it. A moment later, though, the reason became clear.Footsteps raced toward him as a handful of Djinn dashed into view.Squinting his eyes, Erin could barely make out the leading man¡¯s features.It was one of their own, he realized, one of the scouts of the Dore?sah Squad, but the name wouldn¡¯t come to him.He hadn¡¯t been with them that long, after all. He stretched an arm out as they approached, beseechingly.¡°Take us with you!¡±The men didn¡¯t even slow down, roaring past him toward the end of the hall.Aren¡¯t they going in the opposite direction the guards come from? The frenzied sounds of rock against rock soon filled the dark passage.He couldn¡¯t see what the men were doing, but when the first rays of light filtered through the hall, he understood.He shrunk back as the bright light stung his eyes, but tried calling out once again.¡°Take us with you!¡± A snort from the cell opposite him caught his attention.¡°Fool.¡± Annoyed, Erin turned on Gu?zu.¡°Some of us don¡¯t want to rot down here until the days the guards decide to make an example of us.¡± The Djinn huffed, his horns scratching again against the narrow walls.¡°The king will rescue us,¡± he said, with quiet confidence.¡°But he cannot rescue us from a grave.Only the goddess¡¯ merciful touch can do that.¡± A new sound filled the dungeon, as the thick iron doors creaked open with a whine that - regardless of what Gu?zu? had said - was loud enough to wake the dead.The Djinn had clearly never heard of WD-40.A moment later, the squealing of the iron was replaced by the angry shouts of the guards and the rapid thunder of footfall. In a glint of metal, their captors charged past his cell. About half a second later, one of the guards flew past Erin''s cell again - this time going in the opposite direction, with a chunk of masonry the size of a boulder buried in his breastplate.Another joined him a moment later, his body somersaulting at an entirely unnatural angle before burying himself in the dirt. But the escapees were outnumbered, and while the scouts were no pushovers, their chances of beating the heavily armored guards with no weapons were slim.Maybe if we had one of those mages, Erin thought bitterly.Or if I could just actually cast a spell. It was a bit of a sore point.Supposedly, as a Summoned, he was supposed to have great magical potential.Erin didn¡¯t exactly understand everything the priests had said, but from what he gathered this world was experiencing sort of a magical apocalypse where magic was slowly dying, but people from other worlds were supposed to be different.They¡¯d even confirmed that he had gobs of essence.Too bad he hadn¡¯t managed to successfully shape it even once. It just wouldn''t listen to him, and none of the classes he''d been offered had come with any spells. He snapped back to attention as the sounds of combat were replaced with bloodcurdling screams. The scouts had lost. A few minutes later, the guards passed by his cell again.A few of them dangled the severed heads of the escapees from their gauntleted hands, gripped tight by the long hair the Djinn seemed to favor.The others held one of the survivors firmly between them. He was beaten almost beyond recognition.Blood covered his face and chest; long stripes ran down his back, and his eyes were nearly swollen shut.Whatever fight the man had possessed had been squashed; he hung between them limply. The guards came to a pause in front of their cells.Erin shrank back, afraid for a moment they had come for him, but their captors didn¡¯t even spare him a glance.Instead, suspending the escapee between them, they turned to face Gu?zu. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing,¡± the guard captain sneered.¡°We¡¯ve caught a few of your little votives, you know.¡±Reaching into his bag, he drew out a small little bird and crushed it between his fingers in a puff of dust. Gu?zu¡¯s face didn¡¯t flicker. Perhaps disappointed at the lack of reaction, the captain spat at the Djinn.¡°You¡¯re lucky the chief said not to harm you.But,¡±a savage grin spread across his lips, ¡°he said nothing about this one.¡± Turning to the captive held between the guards, he grabbed the man¡¯s chin and swiveled his head to face Gu?zu.Prying the captive¡¯s eyelids open, he revealed the empty sockets.He raised his voice to a roar.¡°Take a good look, prisoners.Such is the fate of those who try to escape.¡±With a lazy backhand, he slammed his gauntlet into the captive¡¯s face.¡°Take him back to his cell,¡± he ordered.¡°And have a mage is sent to attend him.I want to make sure he lives.¡± Dismissing the other guards, the captain hesitated a moment before following them.His gaze turned to Erin¡¯s cage, and he shrunk back, suddenly afraid. Pleased by the reaction, a smug smile crossed the captain¡¯s face and, turning on his heels, he finally left the dungeon.The grating squeal of the iron filled the corridor again and then there was silence. Yes, Erin was definitely having a bad day. An Urgent Mission Dawn was fast approaching by the time their group returned to the palace gates.Already the shaded path was dappled with light, and the cool breezes that brushed against his cheek were tinged with the first hints of the coming heat.Exhausted, Jasper¡¯s thoughts were wholly occupied with the silken blankets and plush pillows that awaited him.But those dreams were dashed as soon as he entered his manor¡¯s courtyard. His uncle was stretched out beneath one of the trees in the small garden.Propped up against the trunk, his eyes were closed as if in sleep, but they flew wide open as soon as the three clattered through the gate. Not bothering to stand up, the Djinn waved his hands urgently.¡°Yas?peh, come quickly.¡± Damn it. What now? Stifling a sigh, Jasper slipped off Dapplegrim, dawdling just long enough to slip the horse a handful of sugar cubes, and trotted over to his uncle.Ihra moved to follow him, but the man shooed her away.¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ihra,¡± he said, not unkindly, ¡°but this conversation needs to be private.¡± Curious now, Jasper plopped down beside his uncle.With a flip of his wrist, the man cast a small charm in the grass.It bounced twice before rolling to a stop, at which point a small, see-through bubble exploded in place around them. ¡°There.Can¡¯t have people listening in to this conversation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so secret that Ihra can¡¯t hear?¡± The Djinn shrugged.¡°I don''t care if your friend hears or not, but I don''t want to risk the chance of other eavesdroppers and the more people the charm has to muffle, the thinner its protection is stretched.And what I have to say must not be overheard.¡± The man leaned back, fixing Jasper with his enormous black eyes.¡°I know you have been rather frustrated with my unwillingness to reveal the plans the king has for you, but I believe the time has come to explain them.¡± ¡°Really?¡±Jasper sat forward eagerly.His uncle continued on smoothly, not acknowledging him. ¡°Now, I¡¯m sure during the time you spent in the outer provinces, you learned of the war that the Zalancthians wage against the Empire.After many years of victories, the balance of power has finally begun to shift against the Zalancthians - much to our king¡¯s satisfaction.The Empire has been gaining ground and many believe that an end to the war may finally be in sight. But they do not know that a new threat is gathering in the West.¡± Jasper scratched his ear pensively, trying to remember what he knew of those lands. ¡°Are you referring to the Gemlirians?¡± S?arra?bi? shook his head dismissively.¡°No, surprisingly enough, the Gemlirians seem to have finally abandoned their dreams of taking over the Empire.Though their lands have finally begun to recover from the Desolyton, their new lords do not appear to have any interest at all in the Empire. Instead, their focus seems to be fixated on lands even further to the West, some sort of newly discovered island, from what my agents have gathered.The threat Corsythia faces is from the Durgu?, not Gemlir¡¯s spawn.¡± ¡°Unlike the Empire - and even the elves - the Dwarves have hoarded their power most jealously over the years.Without help, the Empire is unlikely to survive a war on two fronts and, although we Djinn rarely venture outside our mountains, we are not blind to the protection that the Empire offers us.Thus the king, after months of negotiation, has finally succeeded in forcing the tribes to agree to send aid.¡± ¡°Each of the tribes will be contributing troops and it was our intention, as long as you proved to be an honorable and capable warrior, to appoint you as one of the representatives from our own House.While the king has not yet officially appointed you, after your actions on the island, I am confident that he will. With your Spectral Wing spell, you could have fled with your friend at any time and abandoned us to our fate, but you choose to stay and fight. You have proven your character to me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Jasper objected. His uncle smiled, revealing his jet-black teeth.¡°I know, and that is why I¡¯ve decided to reveal the plan to you now.¡± ¡°As it stands, the biggest challenge I forsee you facing is getting the troops to willingly follow you.Although officially, you¡¯ve been an undercover agent of mine for many years, your lack of a service record with the military is unfortunate.I can fake records for you, but it¡¯s not so easy to fake a reputation.Soldiers talk to each other; they know the officers they respect and they know the officers who are only there due to an accident of birth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I sent you to help the villagers with the dore?sah and had Annatta tell them you were with the animm?.The animm? are a well-liked faction amongst the troops, at least as far as nobles go, so I hoped word would get around.I had hoped to send you on another mission or two before the king officially appoints you but, as it happens, an even better opportunity has come along.¡± Jasper cocked an eyebrow.¡°And that is¡­?¡± The Djinn grinned.¡°A small squad of scouts - a group of soldiers who have already been earmarked as part of the aid the king intends to send to the Empire - has run afoul of a tribe of mountain Djinn.My agents were not able to tell me what exactly they did to piss the mountain folk off, but apparently they¡¯ve been captured and interred somewhere in the vicinity of Du?r-Ekal, south of Tabi?nat.¡± ¡°What do you need me for, then? It sounds like a ransom demand has been sent.¡± His uncle shook his head. ¡°On the contrary, the mountain Djinn have said nothing of the matter to us. We wouldn''t even be aware of the situation yet, if one of their troop hadn''t managed to send a plea for aid." S?arra?bi? withdrew something from his bag and tossed it at him. "Fortunately, while none of the scouts are mages, one of them has a minor talent with votives.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Catching the strange object, Jasper examined it curiously.It was a small, crudely shaped bird, crafted from hand-pinched clay.A touch of blood served to color its ¡°plumage,¡± with long scratches carved into it to form feathers.On the bottom was a very short message with a plea for help. Confused, he glanced back up at S?arra?bi?.¡°I don¡¯t get it.What does this do?It looks like a poorly made toy.¡± ¡°The scout has no magic of his own,¡± his uncle explained, ¡°but he¡¯s apparently a very devoted follower of Ummaddamah.He must have crafted that little ¡®toy,¡¯ as you called it, while in his cell, and dedicated it to his goddess.¡± ¡°And what?It teleported?Came to life?¡± ¡°The second,¡± his uncle confirmed.¡°Several of these were picked up by my agents.I made sure all the rest were destroyed.¡± Jasper quirked his eyebrow.¡°Why would you destroy them?¡± His uncle sighed exasperatedly.¡°Come now, Yas?peh, I know you¡¯re more intelligent than that.Why do you think I wouldn¡¯t want them following into anyone else¡¯s hands?¡± He weighed the small votive in his hand for only a second before answering.¡°You want me to rescue them, don¡¯t you?¡± S?arra?bi? nodded.¡°Precisely.This is the perfect opportunity for you to endear yourselves to your future troops.Unfortunately, if I send you to their rescue with a contingent of royal guards, it will look like I simply prevented anyone else from coming to their aid, so you¡¯ll have to go alone.¡± ¡°But you did just that,¡± Jasper pointed out. The Djinn shook his head.¡°On the contrary, you and your friends were out riding near Tabi?nat when you stumbled across that little bird.As members of the animm?, you promptly sprung into action and set off to rescue them.he other votives must have been destroyed by their captors or lost in the wilderness.¡± Jasper leaned back against the trunk of the tree, trying to suppress his frown.¡°We both know that¡¯s not what happened.¡± His uncle shrugged.¡°Perception is reality, Yas?peh.Who cares how you happened to discover their plight?All that really matters is that you rescue these scouts, without the aid of the royal guard.You can, of course, bring your friends along; Annatta too," his uncle added after a moment''s hesitation.As your bodyguard, her presence would likely be expected, but that is all the help I can offer you. The rest you¡¯ll have to manage on your own.It will be worth it, though -ke I said, soldiers talk.¡± Jasper ran a hand down his face, feeling the rough stubble, and tried to think of some way to get out of it, but his sleep-deprived mind could come up with nothing.¡°Fine,¡± he agreed, reluctantly.¡°When do I have to go?¡±Somehow, he had a feeling the cozy pillows he had been dreaming of for hours were drifting out of his reach. S?arra?bi? laughed.¡°I think you know the answer.¡± He made no attempt to restrain his groan, as he stumbled to his feet.¡°Damn it.¡±He shot a hopeful glance at the Djinn.¡°Any chance you have an espresso?Maybe a triple-shot latte?¡± ¡°Some sort of energy potion?¡±His uncle guessed, and Jasper nodded. ¡°As close as you can get without being magic.¡± The Djinn flashed his black teeth again.¡°Well, in that case, why settle for an inferior product.¡±He pulled three vials out of his bag of holding and handed them to Jasper.¡°There, one for each of you.I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll put that ¡®latte¡¯ of yours to shame,¡± he promised.
His uncle was a liar.An hour later, Jasper found himself riding out of the palace again, this time accompanied by Tsia and Ne?s?u in addition to Ihra and Annatta. Oh, his uncle definitely hadn¡¯t lied about the energy potions.Within minutes of drinking the potions, his exhaustion had cleared, his eyes perked up, and even his skin had started tingling.And whatever his uncle had given him didn¡¯t just figuratively energize him - it literally did.As he jostled in the saddle, the rubbing of his skin and clothes was providing a semi-continuous series of static shocks that, though not strong enough to actually hurt him, were more than annoying enough to convince him to never touch that potion again. Probably. But the potions certainly didn¡¯t put a latte to shame.Jasper had never especially loved the slightly bitter taste of espresso, but in comparison to S?arra?bi?¡¯s potion, it tasted like the sweet nectar of the gods.He had thrown up the first mouthful and gagged down the rest, and he wasn¡¯t alone.Annatta admittedly had taken it like a champion - he suspected she probably had drunk one before - but Ihra had straight up refused to finish it.She¡¯d opted instead to tie herself down to Keresh, on whose back she dozed in and out of consciousness, rather than suffer through the rest of the potion. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Jasper?¡± Choking down a little bit of the drink that had worked its way back up his throat, he turned to face his inquisitor. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree,¡± Tsia persisted.The girl¡¯s face was flushed with excitement about something, and Jasper desperately racked his brain, trying to remember what on earth she''d said.Usually, Ihra was the one who rode beside him, but with her soundly asleep on Keresh''s back, Tsia had happily snagged the spot and had been merrily chatting his ear for the last hour. After a second, he came to the conclusion he had no idea what Tsia had been talking about.But her question demanded an answer.¡°Umm, yes?¡± The woman''s eyes narrowed.¡°Really?¡±she asked suspiciously.¡°You agree that the Sidhe are probably just misunderstood?¡± Oh god, Jasper cursed himself.Please don¡¯t let Ihra have heard that.His friend was understandably less than enthused about Tsia¡¯s new Sidhe patron, given the Sidhe''s well-known hatred of elves.And for once, the gods were merciful - Ihra didn''t even stir in her slumber. ¡°Ah, maybe?¡±He quickly backpedaled.¡°I don¡¯t, uh, really know that much about them.¡± Her eyes followed his to Ihra¡¯s sleeping back, and disappointment crossed her face.¡°You weren¡¯t listening, were you?¡± For a moment, he considered bluffing his way out of it, but decided just to admit the truth.¡°Sorry, Tsia.That potion really didn''t agree with me.¡±At that moment, another jolt of static electricity arced between him and Dapplegrim. Her expression softened.¡°I could probably do something about that,¡± she offered, and he nodded, more than happy to accept help. ¡°Feel free.¡± Reaching out, she placed her hand on his.A jolt of electricity arched up to meet her palm, but she didn¡¯t flinch back, and as her skin touched his, he could feel the excess of energy surging toward her.Lifting her other hand into the air, she shot a small bolt of lightning toward the sky. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could do that,¡± Jasper commented, impressed. The girl shrugged casually.¡°I''m still pretty limited in what I can do, but ever since I found Imh?ullu, I¡¯ve been able to do a little bit with lightning.Speaking of,¡± she grinned.¡°Now that I have your attention, let me sketch out again a brief history of the Sidhe.I¡¯m sure this time you¡¯ll actually agree with me.¡± Suffocating a groan, Jasper slumped his head against the saddle.This is going to be a long trip. But this time, he did his best to pay attention.Just think of it like a book on tape. Du?r-E?kal It took six days of hard riding before they reached the outskirts of Tabi?nat.Six days of sleeping no more than the absolute bare minimum required to stay in the saddle.But before they¡¯d departed, S?arra?bi? had emphasized the importance of speed. ¡°The mountain tribes are unlikely to kill them without ¡®provocation,¡¯ but what they consider provocation is¡­flexible,¡± he warned them.¡°Every day you waste is a day one of them might die.¡± And thus they had ridden hard and fast, only stopping for the occasional brief respite. The landscape stayed much the same from S?adda?nu to Tabi?nat.Great, rolling plains covered in coarse grass and the occasional grass were broken up only by the occasional river that wound its way down from the frozen peaks.The only thing that really changed was that the mountains gradually inched closer, dominating the sky even more thoroughly than before. It was when they reached Tabi?nat that things truly began to change.Sitting at the cusp between the plains and the higher, more fertile elevations on the northern side of Lake Yarhab, Tabi?nat¡¯s location was nearly ideal. The temperatures were cooler, but not yet cold.Fresh water was plentiful, broad, irrigated fields spanned the city on every side, and the lake provided easy access to the capital.By all accounts, Tabi?nat should have become a booming city for trade. Unfortunately for Tabi?nat, the merchants had gravitated toward Qara?nu instead.Located on the far side of the lake, Qara?nu occupied a similarly blessed geographical location.But its proximity to both the Moon-kissed¡¯s capital, Du?r-Yarha, and the mining mecca of Katm? had given it an advantage that Tabi?nat just couldn¡¯t match. Thus Tabi?nat had languished, the Cleveland to Qara?nu¡¯s Chicago.It was still a reasonably large city, though.As they skirted around the city¡¯s walls, Jasper could see at least a dozen grey towers rising above the city, built in an architectural style quite unlike that of the Djinn.Hundreds of feet tall, the towers flared out at the top so widely that it was a wonder they managed to stay upright.You could probably build a small village on those. ¡°Like the towers?¡±Annatta asked. He nodded.¡°What are they?¡± ¡°Remnants of the dore?sah, supposedly, from the time before they were cursed.¡±She nudged her horse closer to his, the poor creature struggling to keep up with the same pace that was for Dapplegrim a leisurely trot.¡°You can¡¯t tell from here, but the towers have no path up to the top.The only way to get up there is by flying.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re abandoned?¡±He asked. ¡°Nah,¡± the Djinn replied, shaking her head, ¡°the firebirds have claimed the towers now.If you¡¯re lucky, maybe you¡¯ll see one of them.¡± ¡°That would be cool,¡± he agreed, eagerly turning his eyes back to the skies.After the duel at the Seraph camp, Jasper had finally gotten around to asking about the firebirds.Widely considered the most elite Djinn warriors, the firebirds were famous for two things: their special breed of tsuss?m that were larger, stronger, and more violent than their cousins, and their famous fire spell - a spell, which much like the one Jasper had recently acquired, ignored fire immunity.Feared and respected, the firebirds rose above the social hierarchy of the clans, answering only to the king. But his hopes of seeing the strange warriors went unfilled.None of the firebirds streaked across the sky as they wound their way around the town.At the river, they were forced to take a ferry - the rushing waters from the mountain were too deep and wild to ford, and even then there was no sign of the warriors.It was not until the last glimmers of the towers faded into the haze that he was forced to admit that it wasn¡¯t going to happen. From Tabi?nat, they turned to the south.Like the rest of the province, the borders were entirely enclosed by mountains, but the peaks here were different from those in the north.Technically belonging to a different range, the northern peaks were taller, their summits capped with almost perpetual snow and impassibly high cliffs that were difficult even for mages to cross over. In the south, however, it was not so much the height of the mountains that made them impassible as it was their sheer numbers.Far shorter than the northern peaks, the spine of rocky ridges extended nearly two hundred miles to the south.Pocked by small valleys warmed by volcanic activity, they were full of monstrously large creatures and the ruins of a people that even the Djinn knew nothing of.None lived there save for the few hardy Djinn tribes who called it their home. Fortunately, the name written on the votive was that of one of the closest settlements.Perched high up on a ledge of Mt. Gevulat, the tallest peak in the region, was the fortress of Du?r-E?kal.More civilized than most, Du?r-E?kal had a tempestuous but not necessarily hostile relationship with Tabi?nat and Appa?ra.The current lady of Appa?ra was even said to be the daughter of Du?r-Ekal¡¯s king. They¡¯d be allowed to enter the fortress city, but tracking down the prisoners was a more difficult task.If only S?arra?bi? wasn¡¯t hellbent on having me do it alone.Jasper understood his uncle¡¯s reasoning, but without being able to check in with the troops¡¯ commander to find out where they had been sent, it left him floundering in the dark. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Where do you think they¡¯re being held,¡± Jasper asked Annatta. His guard frowned.¡°It¡¯s hard to say.If the soldiers were taken by the king of Du?r-E?kal, then they¡¯ll be in the palace dungeon.Honestly, if that¡¯s the case, you might as well give up and ride home.Maybe your uncle could engineer a prison break, but I wouldn¡¯t be willing to place any bets on it, and you definitely have no chance.The palace extends deep into the heart of the mountain and, of course, with their talents leaning towards earth magic, the terrain very much favors them.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°I¡¯m assuming S?arra?bi? isn¡¯t sending me on a suicide mission, so let¡¯s rule out the palace for the time being.Where else?¡± ¡°One of the smaller villages?¡±She offered hesitantly.¡°Most of their tribe lives in Du?r-E?kal now, but there are a bunch of smaller settlements scattered around the general area.Maybe one of them snatched the scouts?¡± ¡°Either way,¡± she continued, ¡°we¡¯ll have to start in the city.I¡¯m sure somebody will have seen something." ¡°Yeah,¡± Jasper agreed, ¡°but will they talk about it?¡±And to that, she had no answer.
It took another two days of riding before they reached the base of Mt. Gevulat.Aside from the ancient towers, Tabi?nat had been thoroughly unimpressive.Du?r-Ekal was the opposite. Two-thirds of the way up the mountain, an enormous ledge sprouted from its side like fungi on a fallen log.If its unnatural nature wasn¡¯t made clear by its shape and size, the towering walls that seamlessly rose from its lip left no doubts as to its manmade origins.Bristling with towers, the city was completely cut off from the rest of the world save for a single bridge that spanned a deep chasm. The far side of the bridge was guarded by a stout fortress, with the path to the bridge barred by two stone doors that rose almost a hundred feet in height.How many thousands of tons must those weigh?And why even make them that big? The doors were shut though, and a small crowd of people were gathered at their base.The travelers were a mix of mountain Djinn and the Djinn Jasper was more used to.A few clusters of red-skinned merchants mingled with those at the gates, along with a small squad of royal soldiers that Jasper hoped would stay out of trouble. Don''t need another group to rescue.Aside from them, there were a few other travelers who appeared to be independent groups much like themselves. The guards eyed them with disinterest as they approached, utterly ignoring them.Closer in size to the normal Djinn than the Seraphs, their skin was marked by just a hint of grey.Strong, but not that strong, Jasper decided, guessing that he probably out-leveled them.It was a good feeling. It wasn''t until a few more groups of merchants arrived, that the guards finally sprung into action. ¡°Everyone line up,¡± a sergeant, decked out in a full suit of greenish-tinted armor thundered.¡°The toll to enter Du?r-E?kal is fifty silver per head.Have it ready.¡± They weren¡¯t the first to go through; the soldiers got pride of place, followed by the merchants, but, eventually, their time came.Ihra had rummaged through her bag while they waited, counting out the necessary fees, and held out to the waiting guard. He took a long look at them before sweeping up the coins in his hand.¡°For you, it will be a gold coin a head,¡± he grunted. ¡°What?Why?¡±Ihra began, clearly upset, but Annatta grabbed her arm, yanking it hard. ¡°Just pay it,¡± she hissed softly.¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± The guard smirked.¡°You should listen to your servant.¡±Ihra shot Jasper a questioning look, as the unspoken question passed between them.Do I pay it? After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he begrudgingly nodded, and she fished out a second set of coins, reluctantly handing them over. The guard flashed them a cocky grin as he waved them forward to join the rest. ¡°Don¡¯t cause any problems,¡± he warned. Leaving the group of visitors waiting in the fortress¡¯ small courtyard, the guards took their places on either side of the colossal gates.The giant stone doors had no obvious chains attached to them, but their method of opening soon became clear.Several of the guards were mages.Working together, they slowly, painstakingly pulled the doors to the side.The fortress shook as the doors moved, stone sliding over stone with the thunder of a rockslide, but after five chained spells, the gates were open wide enough to allow the merchants¡¯ carts through and, together, the visitors finally set foot onto the bridge. Though the bridge only had a gentle arch, it was long enough that they couldn¡¯t catch their first glimpse of the city until they reached its crest.Then, Du?r-E?kal stretched out before them.The settlement reminded him of Tibetan cities.Tall walls overshadowed narrow, cramped corridors, with the buildings clustered so close together that yards were all but non-existent. It was a city built to block out the ravages of an unfriendly environment. The unnatural ledge was split into two halves: the lower city, which occupied the bulk of the land, and the upper, where a second set of walls guarded a truly magnificent building - the titular E?kal.It was there, outside of the palace, that Jasper spied the only open plot of land he could find in the entire city.The place felt claustrophobic. A second set of towers watched over the far side of the bridge, supporting another side of doors, but they weren¡¯t forced to wait a second time.These ones lay open. The small crowd scattered as they entered the city, with the merchants heading down one of the branching roads while the squadron of soldiers turned toward the upper city.I wonder why they¡¯re here? Their own group paused, unsure where to go.¡°Anyone have any ideas where to start?¡±Jasper asked, as he watched the backs of their fellow travelers disappear into the cramped streets.To his surprise, it was the least likely suspect who responded. ¡°Give me a few minutes to meditate, and I can tell you,¡± Ne?s?u grunted. ¡°Oh?¡±Jasper quirked an eyebrow, confused.The generally silent warrior ignored him.Sliding off his horse, he led them over to a cramped corner near the gate and sitting down, closed his eyes. ¡°So what is he doing?¡±Jasper pursued the question again, this time directed at Tsia. A half-amused, half-bitter smile passed her lips.¡°What I could never do - listening to Va?ya.¡±Her expression cleared almost instantly, though.¡°But lightning is cooler.¡± Va?yas Whispered Witness They were waiting longer than Jasper expected.Tsia guarded Ne?s?u as the warrior meditated, leaving Jasper free to wander around their surroundings.There wasn¡¯t much open space in the cramped city; where most settlements would have strategically placed a marketplace next to the city gates, here there was nothing but a very small plaza from which half a dozen roads branched out toward the east. The buildings towered above him here, large, blocky buildings whose unnaturally smooth gray walls spoke of magical construction.Their ugly, unadorned exteriors also spoke of a complete lack of creative vision, with a style aesthetic - if it could even be called that - that was vaguely reminiscent of Soviet Russian brutalism if their buildings had been topped with thatched roofs. Though there was no marketplace, stalls had been squeezed up and down the lengths of the crowded streets.He idled through the stalls, ignoring the persistent overture of their vendors.Most of it was food, strangely enough, and pre-cooked food at that.Large pots of constantly boiling stew, loaves of bread, piles of dried meat - most of it wasn¡¯t very appealing, but as Jasper watched the crowd he realized the food vendors were doing a surprisingly brisk business.Maybe they don¡¯t have kitchens in their homes? His wanderings were interrupted as Ihra called out to him.¡°Come on,¡± she jerked her head back towards the rest.¡°Ne?s?u found something.¡± The warrior and Tsia were already halfway out of the small square by the time Jasper caught up with them.Swinging up onto Dapplegrim¡¯s back, he urged her into a canter, attaching himself to the end of his group.¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Ne?s?u grunted.¡°Found someone who knows what happened to the soldiers.Tavern on the far side of the city.Got to get to them before they leave.¡± Jasper tried not to roll his eyes at the laconic response - I know he can carry on a normal conversation - and, in a fit of pettiness, opted to merely nod his head in thanks.Their progress through the crowded streets was slow.In the capital, the people, as soon as they caught sight of his clothes, parted like the waves at Moshe¡¯s feet.Here, the royal clothes earned him nothing but indifference or, on rare occasions, hostility. Eventually, fed up with the crowd, Ne?s?u simply spurred his horse into a trot.As it turned out, the crowd, when given the choice between stepping aside or being trampled, chose the former and their progress finally sped up to something above a crawl.Still, by the time they reached the tavern, Va?ya had shown Ne?s?u, more than an hour had passed. ¡°Hope they¡¯re still here,¡± the man muttered, as he dropped off his horse.Taking a few seconds to tie up their mounts to one of a mere handful of hitching posts the tavern offered, the four of them hurried toward the tavern, while Annatta stayed behind to watch their horses - the city didn¡¯t exactly strike Jasper as a bastion of law and justice. Like most of the city, the tavern occupied a part of one of the many depressing cell blocks that lined the streets.A half-dozen stories rose above it, no doubt filled to the brim with apartments, and from the looks of the tavern, it seemed as if every one of their residents had decided to visit the tavern at the same time.The place was bustling like Times Square on New Year¡¯s Eve, with the crowd spilling out onto the street. The scene was one of unabashed debauchery, with most of the crowd so deep in their cups that Jasper was surprised they could walk..Barmaids in Minoan dresses wandered through the crowds, refilling the cups and they were amongst the most modest of the groups - many of the revelers had long since shed the bulk of their clothes.On its own, that might not have been so bad if many of the drunks weren¡¯t also engaged in the sort of activities that tend to accompany nakedness.Jasper barely glanced over the crowd for a second, before he glanced away, his eyes already scarred by the sight of more old men¡¯s balls than he had ever hoped to see in a lifetime.And for the record, that¡¯s zero.Well, two, if you count your own. Ne?s?u ground to a halt, his head swiveling back and forth through the crowd uncertainly as the others came to stand beside him. ¡°See ¡®em,¡± Ihra asked, peering curiously over his shoulder. The man hesitated, his cheeks blazing like a boiled lobster, much to Jasper¡¯s amusement. I would not have pegged the man for a prude. Ne?s?u shook his head.¡°No.I wasn¡¯t expecting there to be¡­so many,¡± he finished awkwardly.¡°Tsia, maybe you should go back to the horses,¡± he continued awkwardly. His ward ignored him, surveying the crowd with considerably more interest than Jasper would have expected.Maybe I¡¯m a prude too. Feeling desperate to resolve the situation, Jasper sprung in.¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us whom you¡¯re looking for, Ne?s?u?Given the general state of the crowd, it seems like a reasonable guess they¡¯re still here.¡± Jerking his eyes away from the crowd, the warrior scratched his ear thoughtfully.¡°Va?ya showed me the faces of several people who could help us, but she impressed one in particular on me.But why on earth would they be here¡­¡± the man trailed off, not finishing his description. Jasper tried not to roll his eyes.¡°Details, man.What do they look like?Man, woman, young, old, proud owner of illustrious assets?¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°A young child,¡± the man finally offered.¡°Not sure if it was a boy or girl.The poor thing was too young, too malnourished for me to tell.Had grey skin like most of them, but dirty blonde hair that suggests they¡¯ve got a touch of something else in them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±Ihra screwed up her face.¡°Not much to go on.¡± ¡°If you¡¯d like a more detailed description, you¡¯re free to ask Va?ya yourself,¡± Ne?s?u growled. Jasper reluctantly scanned the crowd again.Ne?s?u was right; it was definitely not a place one expected to find a child.Or at least it shouldn¡¯t be.¡°Must be one of the staff.We should head aside.¡± The others nodded in agreement and, with Ne?s?u leading the way, started to worm their way through the sea of drunken sots that barred their path to the entrance.But when they were only halfway there, Ihra let out a little half-gasp. ¡°There!¡± Grabbing Jasper''s arm, she yanked his attention to where she was pointing. On the edges of the crowd, a young child with grey skin and an unkempt mane of dirty yellow hair was struggling to help a very drunk man stumble down the street.Leaving him to grab the others¡¯ attention, she darted back in the direction they came, slipping through the revelers like a greased-up pig.
Ihra was not enjoying her trip to Du?r-E?kal thus far.It had started out rather interesting.The city was quite different from what she¡¯d seen before.A city clearly built on the backs of stone mages, the sheer regularity of the giant blocky buildings was a fascinating departure from what she was used to.But it had all taken a rather nasty turn when Ne?s?u lead them to the tavern. Tavern. Please.She knew what she was looking at all right. It was a brothel, plain and simple and not one of the relatively "nice" ones, but the sort you end up at shortly before an early grave.If not for the intervention of her parents¡¯ old friend, a place just like this might have been her future.She watched her partners closely as they took in the crowd, each one having a different reaction, just another subtle reminder that she wasn¡¯t like them. Tsia, rather predictably, was more titillated than scandalized.The pampered princess probably had never seen anything like the place.The drunken revelry might look like fun, but she had no real comprehension of the dark toll a place like this took. Ne?s?u¡¯s cheeks were ripe with embarrassment.A less skilled observer might have mistaken him for being a prude, but Ihra recognized his embarrassment for what it was - regret.He¡¯s been to places like this many times before, but he feels bad about it now.I wonder why. And then there was Jasper.His red skin might hide the telltale signs of a blush, but it did nothing to obscure his obvious discomfort. He mostly kept his eyes averted although she noted, with some amusement, that when he thought no one was looking, he kept sneaking a peak.Ihra had no real feel for her friend¡¯s background; his world was simply too hard for her to understand.She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d had a pampered upbringing like Tsia - he had been surprisingly quick to adapt to the brutality of combat - but there were times, like this, when he showed an almost baffling innocence.Maybe he¡¯s just a prude, she decided. When Jasper suggested the child they were looking for might be part of the staff, the others had accepted his proposition readily enough, heading for the tavern.Ihra had followed along too, but she kept her eyes scanning the crowd.She¡¯d eat her sword if that child was actually part of the staff.Probably an unwanted bastard of one of the prostitutes. Her intuition paid off when she spied a pin-prick of blonde in the sea of black heads.Grabbing Jasper¡¯s arm, she pointed the target out, and then she was off. Without the others to slow her down, her progress through the crowd was much faster.Small and lithe, all she needed was a small gap and she could wriggle her way through.The young child, burdened down by the drunken sot it was supporting, had managed to get no further than halfway down the street before she caught up. ¡°Wait,¡± she called out.¡°I want to speak with you.¡± Startled, the child turned its head.Its eyes were wide with the sort of fear that was all too dearly earned, and its body trembled beneath the weight of the adult it was struggling to hold up.Ihra could practically see the gears in the child¡¯s head turning as it decided whether to see what the stranger wanted or abandon its customer and bolt.Like Ne?s?u had said, it was impossible to tell whether the child was a boy or girl, but if she had to guess she¡¯d say it was a boy. Ihra slid to a stop, showing her hands slowly - revealing she held no weapons - and angled her head to the side, letting the child catch a glimpse of her antlers. ¡°I mean you no harm.¡± The boy hesitated, curiosity waging a war with fear, and Ihra gently slipped a coin out of her purse, holding it up in the light.¡°I just want to talk.¡± Greed won out. ¡°¡®Bout what?¡± the child asked, still struggling to hold up the drunkard. She stepped closer, moving slowly lest the child bolt.¡°Why don¡¯t I help you first, and then we can talk?What are you doing with this man?¡± The child shifted the weight uncomfortably.¡°Old man Elias paid me to carry him home,¡± he explained. ¡°And where is that?¡± ¡°Up on floor six.¡± Ihra surpassed her sigh.Of course, the drunken lout lives at the top of the building.She finally closed the distance between the child, and with a heave, hoisted the man on her shoulders, grunting at the weight.Why are these Djinn so damn heavy? ¡°Alright-¡° Her words were cut off as Jasper and the others finally caught up to her. The child¡¯s eyes widened again, as the boy turned to run. ¡°Wait,¡± lurching like a drunken sailor beneath the weight of the Djinn, she somehow managed to grasp hold of the boy¡¯s wrist.The child turned on her like a banshee gone mad, screaming and biting, but she held on.¡°Wait, please.They¡¯re just my friends.We mean you no harm,¡± she pled.¡°I¡¯ll give you another coin.¡± The fighting stopped as a pair of suspicious eyes rose to meet her, still swallowed up by fear.¡°Really?¡± Ihra smiled, shifting the weight of the Djinn on her shoulder again.¡°Really,¡± she promised.¡°Why I don¡¯t deliver old man Elias to his room, and then we¡¯ll get something to eat.We just want to ask you a few questions.Okay?¡± After another moment¡¯s hesitation, the child finally nodded.¡°Okay.¡± Great.Now I just need to carry this drunken lout up six flights of stairs.Yay. The Childs Tale After dropping off the old drunkard, the group reconvened further down the street, away from the rowdy brothel. A quick stop at a few of the vendors that lined the streets scored them veritable feast of food with which they bribed the frail child. With eyes as big as dinner plates, he scarfed down the food so fast Jasper doubted he had even taken the time to chew. Ihra waited patiently until the boy reached the point he couldn¡¯t shove any more into his stomach.He cast a worried look at the plates, more than half of which were still full.¡°Can I take the rest for my ma?¡± Ihra wrinkled her brow.She¡¯d assumed the boy was an orphan of one of the brothel¡¯s workers, but clearly she¡¯d been wrong.¡°Yes, if you¡¯ve eaten your fill.¡±She hesitated, her eyes narrowingly sharply. ¡°So your mother is still alive?Where is she? A young child like you shouldn¡¯t be wandering around at such a place.¡± The boy¡¯s back stiffened.¡°She can¡¯t help it,¡± he shouted back, defiantly.¡°Ever since those men hurt her, Ma can¡¯t walk no more.¡± ¡°Woah, woah, calm down, little fella,¡± Jasper cut in.¡°You can take the food to your mom.Maybe,¡± he shot a meaningful glance at Ihra, ¡°we can even see if we can help her. My friend here knows a little healing magic.¡± ¡°Really?¡±The boy brightened up, mollified. ¡°Really,¡± he promised.¡°But first, we just have a few questions to ask you.¡± The boy turned his eyes back to Ihra, clearly more comfortable talking to the woman.¡°What do you want to know?The best dancers?Which women are the most popular?¡± ¡°Uh, no, nothing like that,¡± Ihra said, uncomfortably.¡°Have you seen a group of soldiers around the tavern recently?¡±She pointed at Jasper and Ihra.¡°They were probably wearing armor a bit like that.¡± The boy shrunk back immediately, suspicion brewing in his eyes.¡°Why are you asking about them?¡± ¡°So you have seen them.Can you tell me what happened to the soldiers?¡± The child shook his head adamantly, wiping his nose with the hem of his sleeve.¡°I don¡¯t want no trouble with the guards.¡± Suffocating her sigh, Ihra drew another gold coin from her bag of holding and waved it in front of the boy''s face.¡°We won¡¯t tell the guards what you told us.We just need to know what happened to them. That''s all.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll help my ma?¡±He demanded, indecision flickering in his eyes. Ihra sighed.¡°I¡¯ll look at her.Maybe I can help, maybe I can¡¯t, but I¡¯ll do my best. That''s all I can promise.¡± He hesitated a moment longer, then bobbed his head. ¡°Alright,¡± he conceded.¡°The soldiers hit the tavern about two weeks ago¡­¡±
Erin could not have been more excited for his first mission.The first few months since coming to this world had been a pretty dark time for him.Barely out of high school, he had never gotten around to playing the original game.Hell, he probably wouldn¡¯t have ever bothered to play the sequel either, if his best friend hadn¡¯t browbeaten him into getting it.¡°It¡¯s more fun with friends!I¡¯ll even buy the game for you if just agree to play with me.¡±And so, reluctantly, Erin had given in.Scifi was more his speed, but Tony had worn him down. So when the Summoning happened, at first he didn¡¯t realize anything had gone wrong.The game had a weird glitch, something about ¡°resonance,¡± and then he¡¯d found himself talking to a very pretty goddess.A very pretty goddess whose starlight-infused robes were practically sheer.He¡¯d decided right then and there that he liked this game very much after all. But he didn¡¯t hold that opinion for very long.It had been hard to wrap his head around what she¡¯d told him.She claimed that a group of gods had set up the game in order to recruit warriors to help some Empire fight off its enemies.That he had been chosen because he was descended from Djinn somehow. Blah.Blah.Blah. Thinking it was all just part of a very elaborate set-up for the game¡¯s plot which he really wasn¡¯t that interested in, Erin hadn¡¯t paid very close attention to what she¡¯d said.His friend could fill him in later if there was anything truly important. Then once her spiel was finished, the goddess granted him a quest to join the ¡°royal guard¡± and plopped him down in the middle of S?adda?nu.He¡¯d spent the first few days just messing around, trying and failing to get in contact with his friend.Of course, online support was generally not great on opening day, so he had been worried at first. It was just another glitch. It was until after a couple of days had passed in the game without him being able to get in contact with anyone or leave the game, that Erin had come to realize that the goddess¡¯ speech hadn¡¯t been part of some narrative, that he was really, truly stuck here.This wasn¡¯t a game and he wasn¡¯t on Earth. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. That was when the darkness had taken over. Erin had spent weeks wallowing in despair, barely making it on the streets of the capital city until the goddess had, once again, taken pity on him.Coming to him in the middle of the night, she reminded him of the quest she had given him, the quest that he had completely blown off - joining the guard. The next few months had been an exercise in agony.The guards had very rigorous expectations of physical fitness, expectations based on a lifetime of training for the position.He had a few years of track. The few times they had taken him out hunting, he''d earned levels that had helped.Immensely.But while the levels could make him stronger than the most dedicated bodybuilder on earth, learning how to use that strength was a more challenging prospect.Sadly, Erin quickly discovered this was not the Matrix; there were no fighting programs he could use to hack his progress. And all of it would have been so much easier if he could just figure out how to access his magic.But no matter how hard he, or the guard, or the priests, had tried, he had yet to successfully cast even a single spell.If the usual Summoned was the equivalent of a stealth jet, he¡¯d turned out to be a paper airplane. In the end, he¡¯d failed the goddess'' quest.Without the ability to use his magic, and lacking any rare class that would make up the difference, Erin just hadn¡¯t been able to cut it with the guards.The king wanted only the best, after all. It was a blow to his pride, but it wasn¡¯t as much of a disaster as he initially feared.His instructor, impressed by how hard Erin had worked, arranged for him to be transferred to the scouts and, as it turned out, Erin loved the scouts. Far more easy-going than the guards, once he joined the scouts, Erin finally got to see a bit of the world he had found himself trapped in.His first posting had taken on him a trip around their lake - though inland sea would be a better name.Jaw-dropping beauty was around every corner; natural wonders, ruins so old they made the Pyramids look new, and creatures unlike any he had seen before.He''d still go back to Earth in a heartbeat, but he started to realize that this place wasn¡¯t so bad. And thus, when he¡¯d received his first real mission - his first mission with the possibility of combat, that is - he¡¯d been over the moon.And it had been exciting, too, with a few rousing fights against bandits and low-level monsters that really got the blood pumping. It had been fun right up until they¡¯d been dispatched to Du?r-E?kal. The commander at Tabi?nat had asked them to investigate complaints against some clan of the mountain Djinn called the Qatpu?.Villagers near Tabi?nat had accused the clan of cursing their fields.Ridiculous, right? Erin had thought it was all just a silly superstition until he saw how seriously the scouts took the villagers'' claims. And thus, they''d set off for the mountains. From a distance, the fortress city was one of the coolest places he¡¯d ever seen, but up close, it was kind of depressing.It didn¡¯t help that they were met with hostile stares from the moment they stepped foot on the bridge.Erin only had a hazy understanding of the political situation, but it was clear that the royal troops were tolerated, but definitely not welcome. After some asking around, they had finally been directed to a tavern that members of the clan supposedly patronized on a regular basis, and that was where it had all gone wrong. They¡¯d found the ¡°tavern¡± easily enough.The place made the rave he and his friends had snuck out to one time look like a meeting of a book club in comparison.Splitting up, the group had fanned out through the bustling brothel in search of the Qatpu?.The crowd outside was hard enough to search through, but the ¡°tavern¡± was even worse; more than a hundred small rooms were set aside for those with more¡­private desires.But Erin had found their targets. It was all his fault really. He¡¯d stumbled into the room and found two of the Qatpu? straddled over a prostitute.Her eyes were already swelling with bruises, her lip was cracked and bloodied, and she was clearly on something.Maybe the choices she had made had her down the path; he didn¡¯t know, but it certainly wasn¡¯t the life the wide-eyed little kid in the corner of the room had chosen. Erin didn¡¯t consider himself a particularly good person, a back-sliding Catholic who¡¯d been more interested in watching Hail Marys on a football field than saying them.But he couldn¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. He¡¯d thrown himself on the tribesman, and gotten in two good hits.Just two.He¡¯d been in the world a few months; they''d been there a lifetime.The patrons of the tavern had just stood by and watched as he and his squad were gathered up and beaten into a bloody pulp.The dogs had even taken it out on the woman, forcing him to watch as they broke her back.And then the Djinn had carried them off, out of the city and away to whatever hellhole they had thrown them in, while the city guard just looked the other way.
¡°Ma hasn¡¯t been able to walk since,¡± the boy concluded.¡°Du?ri?li said the healers might be able to fix her up, but he couldn¡¯t afford to pay for it.He said we had to leave our room, too, but he¡¯s been letting me hang around the tavern and do odd jobs, as long as I don¡¯t bother the guests.¡± ¡°Du?rili??Is that the tavern¡¯s owner?¡±Ihra frowned, a murderous expression on her face.There had been sketchy establishments in Hargish, but this was far worse than she¡¯d expected.Allowing guests to seriously harm the women?To kidnap other guests?¡°Why did no one stop them?¡± The boy shot her an odd expression.¡°Don¡¯t you know?Du?rili? is the son of the captain of the guard.He can do whatever he wants.¡± Ihra shot to her feet, startling the child.Plastering a smile on her face, she offered the boy her hand.¡°Why don¡¯t you take me to your mother?And then, perhaps, I¡¯ll have a little chat with this Du?rili?.¡± ¡°No,¡± a soft hand tugged on her from behind.¡°Look at yourself.¡± Ihra glanced down, not understanding Tsia¡¯s objection.¡°You¡¯re wearing the armor of the royal house, just like Jasper, just like Annatta.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Ihra snapped.¡°Someone needs to deal with him.¡± Tsia continued on, seemingly unperturbed by the interruption.¡°But I¡¯m not.Go, see if your runes can heal the mother.Ne?s?u and I will stop by the tavern.¡± Ihra hesitated for only a moment, her doubts disappearing as she saw the cold steel in the usually bubbly girl¡¯s gaze.¡°Alright,¡± she agreed.¡°Just don¡¯t get yourself caught.¡± Runes and Potions As Jasper watched Tsia and Ne?s?u disappear into the tavern crowd, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch worried about them.The two were more than capable fighters, but this city was proving to be more hostile than he¡¯d expected. Plus, Tsia seemed like a little bit of a wildcard; he could only hope that Ne?s?u would be able to restrain her. The boy led and Ihra him away from the relatively wide main streets into a winding mess of narrow corridors that lay behind the giant, blocky buildings.The backside of the edifices was crowded so close together that in some places the ¡°streets¡± were barely wide enough to fit two people walking side by side.Even that space was often unavailable, occupied by beggars who lay stretched out in the shadow of the building, making the journey through the streets difficult. But the child navigated the obstacles with ease, steadily guiding them in a direction away from the tavern and closer to the city walls.The possibility that this could be some sort of elaborate trap had not eluded Jasper - he kept a spell close to the edge of his fingers - but when the boy finally came to a stop, it was clear he had told the truth. A rickety scaffolding on the backside of one of the apartment buildings led up to a row of shabby doors.The boy only led them up one set of stairs before stopping.His eyes were dark and worried, but tinged with the light of hope.¡°Do you really think you can fix her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Ihra promised.Pushing past him, she opened the door. A foul, pungent odor immediately assaulted Jasper, the smell of rot, feces, and the promise of death.A little bit of vomit worked its way up his throat, but he choked it down and followed his friend inside. A woman lay on a pile of straw on the floor.Her skin was a pale grey that possessed the almost bluish tint that some shale can get and her long black hair was matted and dirty.Her features were haggard, but there was still a touch of youth in them that told of her true age.Damn, she¡¯s barely old enough to even have a kid.A touch of anger ticked up in Jasper¡¯s heart, and from the thunderous look on Ihra¡¯s face, he suspected she felt the same.Probably sees herself lying there, he realized, remembering what she had told him of her past. But the woman''s injuries were far more grievous than he had expected. The source of the smell was immediately obvious.The men who had harmed her apparently hadn¡¯t been content with merely snapping her spine - her broken back was just the beginning of her injuries.The Djinn was covered in wounds from head to toe, most of which festered with angry inflammations and pus that had spilled out from every corner. From the way the straw had been mounded up around her, it was clear that the boy had tried his best to help her, but it had been no use.A small wooden bucket sat beside her, from which emanated the faint smell of watery alcohol.¡°I¡¯ve tried to wash her off,¡± the little boy explained.¡°But the bad stuff keeps coming back.¡± Ihra bent down softly beside the woman and gently pried open her eyes, sighing in relief a moment later.¡°Selene¡¯s grace, she¡¯s still alive.¡± Jasper crouched beside her, lowering his voice so the child couldn¡¯t hear.¡°Can you heal her?¡± Ihra grimaced.¡°I think so, but it¡¯s going to be hard.Her wounds are so full of pus, we¡¯re going to have to clean them out before we give her a healing potion - and frankly, I¡¯m not sure how much the healing potion will be able to do for.The ones we have only accelerate the body¡¯s natural healing process; does her body even have anything left to give?¡± He frowned, casting a worried glance back at the boy. No child should have to be an orphan. ¡°Why not just skip the healing potions then?¡± he questioned. "Surely your runes can heal her wounds." Ihra chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully.¡°Perhaps, but it would be better if we could get her to consciousness.According to the notes Aphora left me, it is technically possible to heal an unconscious subject, but it''s more effective if they¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Really?Why?¡± ¡°You know how the ritual needs a connection between the injured person and a healthy one?¡±Jasper nodded, remembering the one-time Aphora had performed the ritual on himself.¡°According to her notes, something about the patient being aware of the connection seems to have a positive effect on the healing.We have to try to heal her with the potions first.¡± Jasper nodded briskly, accepting her explanation.¡°Alright then, let¡¯s get started.¡±Rolling up his sleeves, he tried not to cringe as he lifted up the woman¡¯s inflamed, oozing arm and began to gently scrape the pus away. The work took them a few hours.The little boy had to run back and forth to the closest well, returning with buckets of water that Jasper then heated to the boiling point, before they used it to rinse out her wounds.Once the worst of the pus was cleared out, they forced healing potions down the unconscious woman¡¯s throat. It was less effective than they had hoped.Some of her wounds closed, but many of them remained open, with only the inflammation significantly lessening.¡°I guess she didn¡¯t have enough energy left to give,¡± Ihra commented.t was enough, however, to achieve their main goal - getting the woman just conscious enough to be vaguely aware of their presence.She latched onto her child¡¯s arm desperately, her eyes wide and afraid as they darted back and forth between the two strangers. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Jasper let Ihra speak - the woman was clearly more afraid of him than another woman.It took some time for her to understand what they wanted, for despite the healing potions she was still in a grievous state, but eventually she let go of the child, surrendering herself to their care. Then it was a matter of setting up the runic circle.Ihra frowned as she poured out the ingredients, upset at seeing the precious powders Aphora had left her drop well below the halfway point. Jasper couldn¡¯t read her thoughts, but he could guess well enough what she was thinking.It¡¯s going to be extremely expensive to replace them.But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to object to the expense; the woman wasn¡¯t going to live much longer without it and, though he didn¡¯t know her, the forlorn little boy watching them from the corner was more than enough to tug on his heartstrings. When the last of the circle had been arranged, Ihra anchored herself to the woman, smudging the powder on the bother of their heads.Then, closing her eyes, she reached out for the essence. For a moment nothing happened.Then it unleashed like a flood.Ihra gasped, her back stiffening as the unknown power surged through her, but she kept her eyes closed, willing it into the waiting runes.The dark, shabby room filled with light as the chalk and salt began to glow.The wounds on her skin healed first, slowly knitting back together until her skin was left reforged without a blemish.But the essence kept flowing, as the broken bones and ruined organs demanded more and more power. Ihra¡¯s breath was hard and ragged, the strain of the channeling almost too much to bare, but she perserved, digging her nails into the soft stone of the floor until, finally, the runes guttered out. Reaching out, he gently tapped her on the shoulder.¡°You alright?¡±She nodded faintly, too exhausted to respond, and his attention was pulled away as the woman struggled upright. ¡°Ma!¡±The little boy rocketed from his corner, throwing his arms around her.Still weak, she fell backward on the hay, but her arms wrapped around her child tightly as she stroked his hair.Sitting up gingerly, she eyed the two of them.¡°Who are you?What did Ramu promise you to heal me?I don¡¯t have anything to pay you with.¡±Her eyes widened as a horrible thought flashed through her head, and she clutched the boy possessively to her chest.¡°You can¡¯t have him.¡± Jasper glanced to Ihra, expecting her to respond, but her head was drooping on her chest, too tired to care.I guess it¡¯s up to me. ¡°It¡¯s already been taken care of,¡± he responded soothingly. Confusion flashed through her eyes.¡°How?Did Du?rili?-¡° she cut herself off immediately, ¡°No, that bastard wouldn¡¯t open his purse strings for me.¡±For the first time, she noticed his clothes.¡°You¡¯re a lord.¡±Understanding flooded her eyes then, and she dropped her head dejectedly.¡°I see.I will do my best to please you, my lord, as long as you take care of Ramu.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Jasper shook his head vigorously.¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.Truly.¡± She raised her head slowly, shooting him a baffled look.¡°I don¡¯t understand then.Why would you help me?¡± The name his uncle had mentioned came back to him, offering a convenient excuse.¡°I¡¯m with the animm?,¡± he lied. Some of the wariness fled the woman¡¯s body.¡°Really?Then you have my thanks, my lord.I¡¯ve heard of them, but they don¡¯t come to our lands often.¡± Jasper smiled bitterly.¡°No, I imagine they don¡¯t.¡±He glanced around the small, shabby room.The mother and her child had nothing.Straw in place of beds, a dirty fire pit with a single pot, a single low table with no chairs to accompany it.How do you even live like this? ¡°Do you have some way to support yourself?¡±She blushed, and he hurried on, ¡°Other than the broth- err, tavern.¡±She shook her head, continuing to run her fingers through the child¡¯s hair. ¡°No, Ramu and I are alone.I¡¯m sure once Du?rili? sees I¡¯m better that he¡¯ll take us back.¡± He frowned at the thought.He hadn¡¯t even gotten inside the tavern, but from what he¡¯d seen outside, it was no place for a child.And from the story the boy had told, it was no place for the women either.I can¡¯t just leave them here. He hesitated, mulling over his options.But what can I do with them?If it was the capital, I could just call the guard, but that¡¯s definitely not an option here. His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of Ihra¡¯s voice. ¡°You can¡¯t go back there.¡±Opening her eyes slowly, she struggled to her feet stiffly, shaking out her limbs with a groan.¡°That man did nothing to protect you from the customers, and then cast you out when you were on the brink of death.You can¡¯t go back there, you understand?¡± The woman blanched at Ihra¡¯s forcefulness.¡°I-I know,¡± she admitted softly, ¡°but I have nowhere else to go.¡± ¡°Were you an orphan,¡± Ihra asked, her voice softening. The djinn nodded.¡°I was apprenticed to a tailor.One of the fortunate ones, I thought, but it turned out he wasn¡¯t interested in teaching me.Not about tailoring anyways.Once I fell pregnant with Ramu, he sundered the contract and turned me out on the streets.No other tailor would accept a failed apprentice, and I had nowhere else to go.¡± Ihra shot Jasper a pleading glance, and he suffocated his groan.Damn it.How am I supposed to help her?Fine.Making a snap decision, he turned back to the Djinn.¡°Gather up your stuff.You¡¯re coming with us.¡± Suspicion darkened the woman¡¯s eyes again.¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you to my uncle.I¡¯m sure he can find you a job, something that doesn¡¯t require you to do, well, that.¡± ¡°Your uncle?¡± the woman persisted, understandably not predisposed to trust strangers.And Jasper realized, with a start, that though she¡¯d recognized him as a noble, she hadn¡¯t recognized the clothes he wore.I guess the mountain Djinn don¡¯t serve the Royal House, do they?He gestured at the emblem on his chest, the burning gis?a?tu tree.¡°I¡¯m from As?rukkat,¡± he explained.¡°My uncle works directly beneath the king.He isn''t the friendliest of dudes, but he''s a decent enough sort.He won''t take advantage of you.¡± The Djinn hesitated, clearly not entirely convinced, but Ihra, still slightly staggering from the exhaustion, grabbed her hand comfortingly.¡°He¡¯s a good guy,¡± she vouched for Jasper.¡°Besides, do you really want to go back to Du?rili?, after he abandoned you?¡± It only took a few moments for the woman to gather what few belongings she had.It turned out that Du?rili?, when he cast them out of the brothel, hadn¡¯t bothered to send most of their belongings with them.Then the four departed. The Troublemaker The light of day was fading early, the mountain peak casting a long shadow over the city on a ledge, and the streets were already dark as he hurried over, eager to catch them before they could leave. Stepping into their path hastily, Jasper waved the merchants down, hoping they would stop in time. They did, but one of the small caravan¡¯s guards leapt down from the wagon and stormed over to them.¡°What the hell are you doing?Get out of the way or we¡¯ll call the guards.¡± But the anger in his face was promptly extinguished when he noticed the black and red armor Jasper wore.¡°My lord,¡± he bowed stiffly, ¡°Forgive me; I had no idea there was a member of the Royal House in this accursed city.¡± Jasper waved the caravaneer''s apology off, and pushed the woman and her child into the light.¡°Is there room in your wagons to take these two with you?I¡¯m happy to pay their fare.¡± The man bowed again.¡°I believe so, my lord, but I cannot authorize it myself. Let me fetch one of the merchants for you.¡±He scuttled back to the wagons and returned a few moments later with another man in tow. The new Djinn was a much older man, dressed in a luxurious blue robe.The lack of even a faint reddish hue to the Djinn''s skin was a pretty clear indication that the man had little to no combat prowess. Yet, what the merchant lacked in strength was more than made up for unflappable confidence that great wealth bestows.Dipping his head just far enough to satisfy social requirements, he regarded Jasper coolly.¡°How can I help you, my lord?We wish to leave for the gates close for the night.¡±He glanced around quickly and seeing, no guards around, lowered his voice.¡°We¡¯d rather sleep on the road than spend another night here.Our rights here are one angry guard away from being non-existent.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry - I have no attention of holding you up.he sooner you can leave, the better.¡± Jasper quickly agreed. His mind flitted back to whatever Tsia was doing, and he sent a silent prayer to Kas?dael that she wasn''t stirring up too much trouble.I hope she isn¡¯t planning to kill that guy. The merchant raised his eyebrow, taken aback by Jasper''s vehemence.¡°Oh? Not a fan of this place either.hat is it you want me to do then, my lord?¡± Once again, Jasper thrust the young Djinn woman and her child toward the man.¡°Can you take these with you to the capital? You can drop them off at the palace with my uncle, Lord S?arra?bi?. e¡¯ll handle them until I return from my trip.¡± A sly grin slipped across the merchant¡¯s face, and he shared a conspiratorial wink.¡°Ah, now I see. My lord has had a bit too much fun on his trips to Du?r-E?kal?Very well - I''m sure I can find room to take them with us for..." he hesitated, screwing up his face as he ran through the numbers, "let¡¯s say, ten gold a piece? I know it''s a bit expensive, but I expect the guards at the bridge will try to extort us because of them.¡± A bit too much fun?What the hell is he talking about - oh.His blush was lost in his already red cheeks as Jasper realized the merchant¡¯s mistaken assumption.¡°I''m not in a relationship with this woman," he snapped abruptly "I''m just trying to help her - I¡¯m with the animm?.¡± ¡°Really?¡±The merchant¡¯s head tilted to the side, as he analyzed the young lord standing in front of him anew.¡°So you are one of those do-gooder nobles?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°The woman was nearly beaten to death at one of the local brothels, partially because of some scouts I''m looking for.I just want to make sure that she and her child don''t suffer because of us.¡± A fleeting moment of respect flitted across the merchant''s face. ¡°Then I will personally deliver them to the palace,¡± the merchant promised. He held out his hand. "I still want the money, though." After a brief negotiation with Ihra, who was ever loathe to part with her money, the merchant agreed to lower the price to 8 coins.Jasper provided the man with a wax impression of his mother¡¯s ring to present to S?arra?bi?, and then the guards trundled the mother and child into the back of one of the caravan''s wagons. The whole deal was carried out in a matter of minutes, with the caravaners working with a pace bordering on frenetic, and for good reason.s only as the last rays of light returned to their slumber, that the merchant train crossed the bridge, narrowly making it out of the city just before the final closing of the gates. Jasper watched until they disappeared into the gloom of night.Then, he turned back to Ihra.¡°Well, shall we see what trouble Tsia has cooked up?¡±
¡°Damn it, Tsia, wait for me,¡± Ne?s?u snapped, struggling to push through the inebriated masses to catch up with his ward.The young woman, a mere slip of a figure in comparison to him, slid through the crowd with ease while he fought his way through.Finally, abandoning all pretense of civility, he bulldozed through the rest, grabbing her by the elbow.¡°Stop.¡± She looked up at him, the irritation plain to see in her eyes.¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±He lowered his voice, glancing at furtively at the crowd around them.Fortunately, everyone seemed to be far too drunk to care what they were saying.¡°What¡¯s your plan here?Track this Du?rili? fellow down and do what exactly?¡± Her lips hardened in a firm line.¡°I¡¯m going to punish him.¡± Ne?s?u held in his groan. ¡°And why is that?¡±He pressed on.¡°Ihra will heal that woman with her little runes, and she''ll be good as new.¡± ¡°Maybe in body,¡± Tsia fired back. The warrior frowned. you ¡®punish¡¯ Du?rili?. Then what?Do you think this brothel is going to go out of business?¡±He swept his hand around dramatically, accidentally backhanding one of the revelers who was sent sprawling to the ground, unconscious.Oops.He held his breath for a second until he saw the Djinn subtly stir, and heaved a sigh of relief.Good, I didn¡¯t kill him. Last thing we need is to get in trouble with the guards. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Dismissing the drunkard he turned his attention back to Tsia.¡°Well?¡±He demanded. The girl hesitated, refusing to meet his eyes.¡°I just wanted to help them.¡± Ne?s?u sighed.¡°Not everyone can be helped, Tsia.Killing Du?rili? will only bring trouble down on our heads.For these women, it will probably be nothing more than a blip in their day.Someone else will step in to run this tavern, and the next owner could even be worse.¡± She bit her lip, clearly wavering.¡°How?Look at this place - how could it be worse?¡± ¡°Du?rili? didn¡¯t hurt that woman; sure he didn¡¯t protect her sufficiently, sure he didn¡¯t pay for a very expensive mage to heal her, but it would be very easy for another boss to be worse.That¡¯s one of those things you have yet to learn about life, princess: no matter how much someone¡¯s life sucks, there¡¯s almost certainly a hundred ways it could suck even harder.¡± Ne?s?u paid her arm softly, smiling down at his ward.He took a little bit of pleasure in winning the argument - it was hard to get through to the lass.But his moment of victory was quickly soured. The uncertainty in her eyes vanished, replaced with newfound determination.¡°No,¡± she said, brushing his arm off, ¡°I refuse to stand by and do nothing.You say it could get worse, but what if it got better?Are we supposed to help no one simply because we cannot help everyone?¡±She turned away from, and started jogging toward the tavern entrance. Ne?s?u chased after her.¡°Stop.It¡¯s not just Du?rili?.What about his father?The child said he was a very powerful noble in the city.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll deal with him too.¡± Feeling desperate, he pressed on, playing his trump card.¡°And what about Jasper?We¡¯re here to help him.If we cause an uproar in the city, it could endanger his mission.¡±It was a calculated risk.Tsia certainly hadn¡¯t said anything to make him think she liked him, but the warrior had noticed that anytime he was around, she practically glued herself to his side.Well, when the elf doesn''t get in the way.Personally, he had no idea what she saw in the man - the burgundy-colored bastard was ugly as sin, if you asked him - but he was willing to bet that his ward wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint him. Tsia did slow down, hesitating for just a moment.Then she shook her head, turning to look at him.¡°I think he¡¯d do the same, and if he wouldn¡¯t¡­then I guess he isn¡¯t who I thought he was.Now you can either help me, or wait here, but either way I¡¯m paying Du?rili? a visit.¡± Ne?s?u suffocated his groan.Damn it, Aphora.Your daughter grew up to be just as stubborn as you. Too bad she doesn''t have the power to back it up.But he slowly nodded his head, resigning himself to what was about happen.She was his responsibility, after all.¡°Very well, my lady.Lead on.¡±
Raising his mug to his lips, the Djinn drained every last drop before setting it down again. Shaking the tension out of his shoulders, he let out an unceremonious belch before reluctantly turning his attention back to the troubling matter at hand.Ten contracts lay sprawled across his desk, each a contracts for one of the prostitutes - or as he preferred to term them, the courtesans - that worked in his tavern. Contracts that he had already sold. A few months back, a chief from one of the smaller villages further into the mountains had come to him, wanting to buy a few of the contracts. Du?rili? had been hesitant at first.Legally, there was nothing stopping him from selling the contracts to the chief, but that didn¡¯t actually mean that the women had to go with them - they weren¡¯t slaves.Selling the contract only meant that he would no longer employ them, but the chief would have the opportunity to offer them the same deal. Of course, given the economic situation most of the women were in, they usually went along with it. You could almost guarantee, though, that there would be at least one who refused to move, and Du?rili? had learned from hard experience that many of the village yokels were outraged when that happened, no matter how often he explained it to them.Du?r-E?kal may have banned slavery, but he suspected it was still practiced in at least some of the smaller settlements. So he¡¯d refused the deal at first, but the chief had been incredibly persistent, upping his offer with more and more gold until Du?rili? had finally been unable to refuse his greed any longer.He¡¯d sold the man ten contracts, to be transferred two months later.The chief had chosen the women he wanted and departed. Almost two months had passed and now Du?rili? was staring at one particular contract.It¡¯s that damn woman.He wrinkled his brow, trying to remember her name, but nothing came to him. She was fairly unremarkable, all things considered, save for that blond-haired kid she¡¯d spawned.Where he¡¯d come from had always been a bit of a mystery, a mystery that had intrigued him just enough to keep her on even though she¡¯d been a chronic underperformer.The woman had rarely indulged in the vices most of the women here chose to drown themselves in, taking just enough customers for her and the boy to survive. she was gone.One of the customers had roughed her up pretty good. The Djinn felt a momentary flash of pity for the woman.It wasn¡¯t unheard of for the customers to get a bit too rough with the women, but these ruffians had gone too far.They¡¯d left the poor thing crippled, snapping her spine like a twig.That wasn¡¯t supposed to happen - not on his watch - but keeping track of two hundred rooms at the same time just wasn¡¯t possible. At least that¡¯s what he told himself. He¡¯d even felt guilty enough to summon a healer before evicting her, but the price they''d asked had just been too damn high.There were a grand total of three mages in the city with a spell strong enough to heal a broken spine, and they were well aware of the concept of scarcity.he cost they''d demanded would have been more than the woman could have made in five years.So he¡¯d had no choice but to evict her.It was just one of those things that had to be done. But the matter of his stupid contract had completely slipped his mind.Even if she was still alive, it¡¯s not like she could perform with a broken back.Maybe I can make a substitution without the chief noticing?His mouth soured.Somehow, he doubted that would work.The chief had been sharper than most of those hicks. Damn it.He will probably demand I provide additional contracts in compensation. Du?rili?¡¯s musings were interrupted by the start of a curse word that was abruptly cut off by a muffled thump in the hall outside his door.His head jerked up, suddenly alert.Thanks to his father, there weren¡¯t many in the city who would openly attack him.Outside the city was different, though.Could the chief somehow have already learned what happened? Leaping to his feet, his sword was already half-way drawn when the door burst apart in a shower of splinters.Slowed down by the door, the blade of wind that slammed into his chest was blunted.It still sliced through his thin leather armor, but it didn''t have enough force left to cleave through his reinforced skin, drawing a mere scratch rather than a deadly wound.It still had enough force, though, to flip him head over heels on the floor. A Painful Loss Du?rili? landed hard, letting out a pained "oof" as his hands and knees slammed into the floor but, with his years of martial training kicked in, he managed to keep his balance.He was on the move immediately, rolling to his side where he snatched his fallen sword up and, in one liquid motion bolting across the room mere microseconds before another blade of wind slammed into the space he had just left. Despite the near miss though, Du?rili? pretty confident about his chances.His family had once been one of the proudest lineages of stonemages in the city, but like many other noble lines, their magic had slowly declined.his father, on the other hand, had been blessed with exceptional abilities.Most warriors hadn''t had the advantage of training for decades against one of the most powerful mages in the city. This mage is as good as dead. Moving with lightning quick speed, he zagged back and forth across the room, three blades of wind whishing mere inches away from his head as he closed the distance on his unknown assailant. Still, despite his confidence in his victory, Du?rili?''s mind was working overtime as he scrutinized his strange attacker.His mind drew a blank. A petite woman with curly brown hair and angry eyes, and a skin tone far too pale for the level of power she was showing.She¡¯s not a Djinn, he realized with shock.Nor an elf, he was guessing, based on her complete lack of antlers or pointy ears.His confusion only deepened; it was almost impossible to gain entrance to the Harei Miqlat without being a Djinn or an elf.Guess I¡¯ll find out when I kill her. He dodged one last time.She had picked up on his pattern, and thrown her spell exactly where she expected him to be.It was a good effort.It showed intelligence, an ability to adapt quickly. But he had more years of training. Breaking his pattern, Du?rili? had hurled himself even further to the left.There was no more room left in his study, but that didn¡¯t bother him.Launching himself in the air, his feet temporarily defied gravity as he raced on tiptoes across the bookshelves that lined the walls.Throwing himself forward, he aimed his sword straight at her neck.With a twitch of his thumb, he activated the small gem inserted in its hilt, and a ripple of electricity surged around the blade. He had her dead to rights. The edge of his sword was only a few inches away from her neck when the unexpected happened.A nearly circular sphere of wind exploded in place around his assailant, turning his sword to the side. Caught up in the howling gale, he was sent sailing, for the second time that day, across the room. In a stroke of luck, Du?rili? landed on the plush, green velvet couch beneath his study window, and for one last time, the couch did its job, cushioning him so softly that he wasn''t even injured.Of course, a moment later the couch was destroyed as a blade of wind sliced it in half, but by then the Djinn had already spun away, sprinting to his feet with an alacrity born of well-trained instincts rather than any conscious decision. Suddenly onthe defensive again, Du?rili? danced across the floor like a ballerina, narrowly dodging the hail of spells that came his way, all the while watching as the unknown mage maintained the perpetual whirlwind rotating around her.is confidence was beginning to wane. By all accounts, Du?rili? should have ended the fight already - few mages could have countered his strike in time. But even if they had survived, he would have expected most mages to be on their last legs by now. Mages were an all or nothing sort of fighter - they either won quickly with overwhelming power or they lost once they ran out of essence. The petite woman had tossed out close to twenty spells, not to mention the shield that had to be draining her with every passing moment.She ought to be close to collapse - her essence thoroughly exhausted, her head spiking with the sort of excruciating pain he had seen his father suffer occasionally.But the mage showed no sign of slowing down.There was no hint of pain in her eyes as she continued to bombard him with her savage blades. And that wasn¡¯t even the worst of it.He could clearly see the tall warrior standing beside her, leaning back against the shattered remains of the door as he watched the mage attack him.They weren¡¯t even taking this fight seriously!She was toying with him. Truly desperate now, Du?rili? decided it was time to pull out all the stops.Sure, he wasn¡¯t the favorite son, but Lord Ilzaginni? had a reputation to protect; his heirs might not have been mages, but that didn¡¯t stop them from using enchanted items, and Du?rili? had one very special item - a golden necklace with a large amber gem. On his own, the Djinn could never have activated the soulsnare.It required a great deal of essence after all, but his father had spent good money paying an enchanter to jury rig a half-dozen infused crystals that could power up the necklace just as well as a mage.Spinning on his feet, he narrowly dodged another one of her spells as he fished the soul snare out of his bag.With a quick spasm of his fist, he crushed the gems into dust, releasing a flood of stored essence into the necklace. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The massive burst of essence powered up the soul snare far more quickly than even most mages could manage. Almost immediately, the necklace began to glow like a star, banishing every shadow from the room.Its amber eye gleamed brighter than the rest, so bright that it was difficult to even look at. Then a beam of light exploded from the gem, lancing out with a single devastating strike aimed straight at her soul. Time seemed to slow as the light erupted.Du?rili? saw the girl¡¯s eyes widen a fraction of an inch, reveling in the fear reflected in them.He wasn¡¯t generally the sadistic sort, but after all the trouble she had put him through, it was hard not to take a bit of pleasure in her final moment before retribution.Besides, it was her own fault.She was the one who had attacked him after all. Her hands lifted in slow motion, essence pooling at the tip of her fingers as she tried to cast a spell, but he knew it didn¡¯t matter.Nothing she could cast would make a difference; not even the shield still orbiting around her would be enough to stop the soulsnare¡¯s spell.Maybe an archmage could do it, but not this slip of a girl. But his triumph turned to ashes as an enormous black hand flickered to life in front of her.As tall and wide as a Seraph, the strange hand was as dark as the depths of night, almost as if it was made from the void itself.Lightning crackled along its fingers and, in an instant, all the color was drained from the world, leaving nothing but the darkness and the light. The beam from the soul snare smashed into it and Du?rili? watched helplessly as the the light was wholly consumed by the darkness. dissolved back into the air, and color returned to the world. Du?rili? was too confused to even form coherent thoughts.He stared dumbly at his assailant, overwhelmed by what he had seen, and she stared back mutely at him.For a moment there was an unwitting truce betwixt the two. What the hell sort of spell was that?As his brain finally clicked back into gear, he suddenly realized she hadn¡¯t cast the spell.Her hands were frozen in place, with the essence of whatever spell she had been trying to cast still burning at her fingertips.Another second passed before he realized it didn¡¯t matter. If that was the sort of protection she had, nothing he did was going to make a difference.Years of father¡¯s drilling served him well at that moment.Seizing the brief moment of opportunity her shock had afforded him, the Djinn turned to flee. Maybe father can save me. He made it three steps before the bolt took him in the back.It was the first head-on hit he¡¯d taken in their brief clash, and for the third time that day he was sent flying.This time, though, his skin didn''t bear the brunt of the blow so well.No longer cushioned by the heavy wooden door, his assassin''s wind blade cut a gnarly gash deep into his back. He bit back a whimper of pain, and tossed an amulet his father had given him behind him.He stumbled as the explosion buffeted his back, but kept running, not daring to look back.The window was only a few steps away.He wasn¡¯t too thrilled about throwing himself out a window three floors up, but his chances of survival were still better than they were here.If he could just make it to the streets, surely the guards would notice. One step.Two.His stomach lurched as he suddenly pitched forward.For some reason, his foot had failed to make contact with the floor.He slammed into the lacquered tiles, sliding across the shiny finish.The excruciating pain hit him a moment later. Gritting his teeth, he tried to push himself through it, to push himself up and limp the last few steps to the window, but his damned feet just wouldn¡¯t cooperate.Glancing down frantically, he finally saw the reason.His legs had been sheared off just below the knee.A shadow loomed over him, and somehow, he found the strength to desperately lash out in a last-ditched attempt to save himself.The electricity on his blade flared to life again as he activated the crystal button, but his assailant deflected the strike with a wind blade of her own. Snatching hold of his arm, she twisted it relentlessly until the sword dropped limply from his fingers. ¡°Hmmh, what an interesting weapon.¡±Through a haze of pain, Du?rili? watched as his killer picked up the sword and ran her finger along its edge.Rather than harming her, the electricity seemed to be suctioned up into her. A torrent of blue sparks arcing up her arm, slowly dulling the crystal powering it until I shattered. ¡°Oops, I guess I broke it.¡±Dropping the now worthless sword on the ground, the woman knelt down beside him.Essence blossomed on the edge of her fingers - another one of her windblades, he guessed - and she pressed her head against his neck. So this is it. ¡°I have a few questions for you, Du?rili?.Answer them, and I might let you live.¡±His mind was so deluged by pain, he could barely think.Every moment, his lifeblood was draining away, but he nodded frantically, hope blooming in the pit of his stomach. Would she really let him live? ¡°Anything," he managed to rasp out, and the ghost of a smile flickered across the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Ne?s?u, if you will?¡±A moment later the warrior knelt beside him, pouring a potion across his severed legs.Du?rili? could tell immediately that the worst of the blood loss had been stemmed. The pain was slightly dulled too, enough to allow the thoughts to once again cascade into his mind. My legs. She took my bloody legs. He glanced around the room frantic for what he had lost. If I can get to a healer fast enough, they can reattach them.But the woman wasn''t interested in his legs. He reeled back as a light punch caught him on the cheek. "Hey, listen up. You can worry about your legs later." Numbly, he glanced up at the small woman, and nodded his head feebly. Smiling grimly, she started to speak again. ¡°Now, tell me about a band of scouts who visited your establishment a few days ago¡­¡± What Lurks in Darkness (+ temporary schedule announcement) BOOM. A blur of fire and smoke soared into the sky, exploding into a shower of arcing lights that trailed back down toward the city. Jasper watched as the firework fizzled out, drawing Dapplegrim to a stop.¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± ¡°Some sort of celebration, maybe?¡±Ihra offered. He cocked an eyebrow.¡°Just one firework, every few minutes?Not much of a celebration.¡±He glanced around at the street.The crowds had been slowly thinning out as they made their way back toward the brothel.Once the sun had set, most of the vendors had closed up shop, save for the taverns whose cheery lights dappled the dark, cobbled streets.But there still had been a steady stream of travelers alongside of them, at least until the first firework had exploded above the rooftops. It had actually been rather exciting at first.While the firework didn¡¯t feature any of the fancy, multi-triggered designs that had become so common back on earth, it was still something normal.If anything, it had awoken in him a brief wave of homesickness.But after the third firework had gone off, each one broken up by five-minute intervals, his spider-sense had begun tingling. Something was wrong; the emptiness of the streets was simply not normal. Ihra grimaced.¡°You¡¯re right, I suppose.It is suspicious, but what are we going to do about it?¡± He glanced behind them.A good distance down the street, a row of lights was slowly bobbing in their direction.Lanterns?Guards maybe? ¡°Maybe we should get off the main streets,¡± he suggested.¡°And find Tsia.Somehow, I have a sneaking suspicion this might be connected to her.¡±The angry look that had festered in the girl¡¯s eyes as she left to pursue the brothel owner flashed through his mind again.Did she kill Du?rili?? Adopting his own suggestion, Jasper nudged Dapplegrim toward one of the cramped alleyways.The large horse was barely able to squeeze through the narrow streets, but it pressed on gamely. And once they turned the corner onto one of the narrower avenues, thoroughly hiding them from the source of the approaching lights, he breathed a sigh of relief. They rode as fast as they could along the back corridors of the buildings.The streets there were plunged into nearly pitch darkness, the massive stone buildings so tall that the light of the moon and stars couldn''t reach the bottoms. Unable to see clearly in the dark, Jasper was forced to rely on Ihra and their mounts to lead the way. Eventually they reached another alley, one that led back toward the main road. A tavern on the corner flooded the narrow street with a welcome, cheery glow, but it also revealed a problem.Ihra reined her stag in, before she peered cautiously around the corner, but she yanked her head back almost immediately.¡°There¡¯s a bunch of guards barricading the end of the street,¡± she hissed. ¡°How many?¡± She craned her head cautiously around the corner, trying to get another look.¡°At least ten, but there could be more on the main road.¡±At that moment, another firework exploded overhead, this time close enough to them that the narrow alley was briefly illuminated. And Jasper suddenly realized they were not alone. He only saw it for a split-second, the brief moment of time that the firework¡¯s light filled the alley.A massive creature was slunk low against the ground.It looked like no creature he was familiar with, sporting an almost cone-shaped head with a wicked set of fangs, and a long, sinewy body that was supported on far too many legs.Its dark grey skin blended into the stonework of the monotone buildings so seamlessly that it wasn¡¯t for the sudden eyeshine caused by the light of the fireworks, Jasper wasn¡¯t sure if he would have spotted the creature even in broad daylight. He blinked as the firework fizzled out, plunging them back into darkness.That was just a trick of the eyes, right?Was it following us?Did we ride right past it?Keeping his voice low, he nudged his horse closer to his friend, knowing she had much better vision in the dark than him.¡°Uh, Ihra?Do you see anything strange behind us?¡± he muttered as softly as he could. ¡°What?¡±She tore her eyes away from the waiting guards, glancing over her shoulder.She shook her head.¡°I don¡¯t see-¡° She stopped breathing, her body stilling immediately.After a long heartbeat, she finally spoke.¡°What the hell is that thing?¡± Jasper cursed under his breath at her confirmation.¡°Damn it.So I wasn¡¯t just seeing things.Is it creeping closer?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tearing his eyes away from the darkness, he peeked his head around the corner.The guards were still waiting at the intersection with the main road.Cocking his ear, he could just make out one of them speaking. ¡°What¡¯s taking the puh?mah?h?u so long?¡± ¡°Who cares?It will get ¡®em sooner or later, or else it''ll chase ''em right to us.¡± He pulled his head back as Ihra frantically began tugging on his arm.¡°Jasper, it moved.¡± Stolen novel; please report. He turned back to the dark, utterly unable to distinguish the creature in the alley.The puh?mah?h?u? ¡°Where?¡± ¡°It took a step forward,¡± she hissed. His eyes flicked back to the intersection before them.One alley led back toward the light of the open streets.A group of guards awaited them, and if he¡¯d understood their conversation correctly, the creature might well be working with them.The other led deeper into the darkness, toward the tavern and, hopefully, Tsia.But for all I know, there could be another one of those things waiting on the other side. ¡°Jasper, it¡¯s inching closer.¡± He reached his decision.Better to face the creature in the darkness beyond, than face both the guards and the creature in the streets.Spurring Dapplegrim into action, he snatched Kheresh¡¯s reins up as he bolted past Ihra.¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± Abandoning any attempts at hiding their presence, they thundered past the intersection, plunging into the darkness of the opposite alley.Guards shouted as they passed, but his ears were trained on the rumbling roar that echoed behind them. Completely unable to see in the dark alley, he put his trust in Dapplegrim, abandoning all attempts to steer her.¡°Find Tsia,¡± he whispered, and turned his attention back toward the pandemonium erupting behind them. With their armor gleaming in the reflected light of the tavern, three guards sprinted past the intersection, turning down the alley.A moment later they went flying through the air as the puh?mah?h?u bulldozed through them.The ground trembled beneath the thunder of its feet, and Jasper fired off a spell.Sacred Star. Ten small orbs of fire streamed through the alley like a swarm of murderous fireflies, and a ripple of explosions lit up the creature¡¯s back, briefly exposing it to the light once again.The puh?mah?h?u didn''t even react. Can''t say I¡¯m surprised.If the creature''s skin is any indication, it probably has some stone affinity. His guess was affirmed as Ihra screamed a shout of warning in his ear.¡°Jump!¡± He nearly lurched out of his saddle as Dapplegrim responded instantly, soaring into the air, with Kheresh just behind him.The giant horse easily cleared the earthen barricade the puh?mah?h?u had raised, and when her hooves clanged down on the cobblestones, she cast one of her own on the alley behind him.The rumble of falling rocks echoed loudly a moment later as the puh?mah?h?u plowed through the barricade undeterred. The creature roared again, and a blast of hot, putrid washed over him. ¡°Damn it,¡± Ihra yelped, clutching her shoulder.¡°Something just hit me.¡±The creature roared again, and Jasper joined her cries of pain as a baseball-sized rock smashed into his lower back with the speed of a fastball. Dapplegrim surged forward again, leaping over another low wall the creature had erected, and slammed down hard on the other side, rocking Jasper in the saddle.Ignoring the aching in his back, he focused on casting another spell.Fiery Shackles.It was as worthless as he feared.The puh?mah?h?u tore through the fetters as if they were made of paper. Do I try fiery charge?The image of Abdi?lu? thrashing on the floor, skin sloughing off him, revealing the muscle and bone beneath flashed through his mind again.He reacted viscerally, acid eating at his throat, but he forced the images away and started forming the spell.Let¡¯s see it shake off this fire. He never got the chance to fire the spell.A voice in the darkness ahead of them suddenly caught his attention.¡°Jasper, turn to the left.Now!¡±Dimly recognizing Tsia¡¯s voice, Jasper jerked hard on the reins. Running neck and neck, Dapplegrim and Kheresh swept to the left, plunging into a slightly larger street that shot in the opposite direction from the main thoroughfare.Long shadows were suddenly cast in front of him as light bloomed behind.Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Tsia illumined in the light. Her face was set in a scowl of concentration as she cast what he could only describe as a web of lightning across the narrow alley. The spell was tested almost immediately when the puh?mah?h?u charged face-first into it, but it held. The creature''s low rumbling roars were replaced by an almost high-pitched scream as the beast stumbled back, with waves of lightning arcing down its back. Tsia didn¡¯t wait to see how long her spell held.Swinging herself back up on her horse, she and the others charged after Ihra and Jasper.Another scream filled the city as the creature bashed its head into the net once again, and Jasper had the sinking feeling that it wasn¡¯t going to last long.At least it bought us some time, though. Her horse built for speed above all else, Tsia quickly caught up to Jasper, and he glanced over at her, yelling in order to be heard over the clatter of Dapplegrim¡¯s metal hooves.¡°Any chance this all has something to do with you?¡± Even in the dimly lit alley, he could see the dark blush that spread across her face. ¡°Does that really matter right now?¡± ¡°Kind of,¡± he yelled back. She ignored him.¡°Just keep riding.This street deadends into the city wall.¡± He glanced back at her."And that''s a good thing?¡± ¡°Just follow,¡± she screamed back.¡°I have a plan.¡± Spurring her horse faster, she pushed into the lead.The light behind them was suddenly extinguished as the puh?mah?h?u dismantled the electric net. Hope she knows what she''s doing.But he fell in line behind her, urging Dapplegrim forward. Tsia¡¯s spell may not have held, but it had bought them space.When they broke out into another one of the main streets a minute later, the thunder of the puh?mah?h?u¡¯s footsteps had not yet caught up with them.A handful of guards were waiting for them though, springing forward with angry shots and a quick volley of crossbow bolts. With a swish of her hands, Tsia knocked them off course with a gust of wind as her horse smashed through the little group.Dropping their crossbows in favor of maces, they closed in around her, and she might have been in trouble, but Jasper had already prepared a spell. With two quick casts of fiery shackles, the guards were frozen in place, unable to move as the group of five bound through them.He winced, though, as Tsia twisted around in her saddle, firing off a wide, crescent-shaped blade of wind that permanently dispossessed them of their heads.Damn, she¡¯s not playing around. Spinning back into place, Tsia guided her horse straight toward the wall, where a narrow flight of stairs led up to the ramparts.The others followed close behind, their mounts slowing as they struggled up the stairs.Glancing back, he could see the puh?mah?h?u emerging from the alley, illuminated fully for the first time.It was far larger than he had realized, and despite working with the guards, it was clearly not entirely under their control - the beast paused long enough to snap up a few of the fallen guards, their suits of armor crumbling ineffectively beneath its fangs.He jerked away from the horrifying sight, diverting his attention back to Tsia. ¡°So, is there like a plan here?¡±He screamed into the wind.¡°I can fly two of us out of here at a time, but I can¡¯t recast the spell until the timer¡¯s up.¡± Tsia''s curls flew wildly to and fro as she shook her head.¡°That Du?rili? fellow said there¡¯s a hidden exit from the city.¡± An Angry God Vaya?bi? stared at the letter in his hands, rereading the unwelcome words once again. If you do not aid us, harm will befall your family. After a moment, he dismissed the missive.Crumbling it up into a ball, he launched the parchment into the slowly dying embers that still smoldered in the fireplace.Provided with fresh fuel, they quickly reignited into flames as the paper dissolved into charcoal and ash. He leaned back in his chair, a contemplative look on his face as he pondered the threat from the Zalancthians.I wonder what poor bastards they kidnapped this time. Even after all these years of war and conflict, of Zalancthians living side by side with and ruling over millions of Corsythians, the two peoples didn¡¯t really understand each other.The stoneflesh were practically indistinguishable from them in appearance, but their minds did not seem to work in quite the same ways. They possessed some sort of instinctual link to each other, a bond from birth with both their kin and comrades that only deepened as they aged.It wasn¡¯t a hive mind, as far as the Corsythians had been able to tell.Captured prisoners were able to function just fine cut off from the rest, and the psychic bond would decay and weaken the longer they were kept from their people, with no obvious ill effects.But it led to a very different understanding of kinship and social ties than the Corsythians possessed. Vaya?bi? had no idea who had been kidnapped, but judging from previous experience, it was probably some unfortunate soul who once had shared a great-great-great-great-great-grandmother with him, or something to that effect.Poor bastards. With a final shake of his head, he dismissed the thoughts, after jotting down a reminder to ask his aide to see if he could find out who had been abducted.Vaya?bi? wasn¡¯t going to betray the empire for some random seventh cousins, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t try to send some troops to rescue them if it wasn¡¯t too dangerous. His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp rapping on the door.¡°Come in,¡± he shouted, sitting up quickly in his chair.It wouldn¡¯t do to let the men see him slacking off. It wasn¡¯t a soldier, though, that came stumbling through the door, but a young man with a shock of bushy red hair and the gleaming green eyes of the Fey.Still small in frame, the faint jade tattoos around his hand testified to his talents as a mage.It took a second for him to place the lad¡¯s face, but when he did, Vaya?bi? relaxed, sinking back into his chair. ¡°Ah, Bas?mu, is it?Where is your master, lad?¡±He remembered the man¡¯s last visit and the rather loud row that had ensued when the mage had had the gall to ask for double the amount of funding he had already received - funding that thus far had produced no results.Vaya?bi? smirked.¡°Is your master too cowardly to ask for more money himself?¡± The young man took a half-step back as a look of uncertainty crossed his face.¡°Uh, no, my lord,¡± he ventured after a moment.¡°Master Es?ida?nu sent me to tell you that there has been a breakthrough.He believes he understands now what the Stoneflesh potion is doing.¡± Vaya?bi? was on his feet in a flash, brushing past the startled lad as he hurried down the hall. It was a short walk down the stairs and from there out of the building.Es?ida?nu¡¯s lab was on the far side of Du?r S?ad¨º, closer to the palace than the soldier¡¯s barracks, so Vaya?bi? set a brisk pace.As he exited the building, a burst of cold wind assaulted his face, followed by the all-too-familiar globs of rain that poured down from the rivers. He frowned at the unpleasant greeting - the rainy season had stretched on longer than usual this year - but he bound the winds to his will with a quick twitch of his fingers.As he strode down the cobblestone roads, cutting through a few stretches of muddied yards, the winds swirled around him, flinging aside any raindrops so foolhardy as to dare aim for him. The lab loomed tall through the downpour, a large, three-storied shale building with two expansive wings and a circular tower toward the back that rose another three flights into the sky.He swept through the doors, his feet leaving a trail of muddy tracks across the immaculately clean pavement, much to the servants¡¯ chagrin, but Vaya?bi? no mind to that. Heading straight down the stairs, he was finally forced to pause at their base where something new confronted him.A thick set of doors reinforced by solid metal poles barred the way into the lab.His face scrunched up in confusion as he examined them.What the hell are these for? The sound of running echoed down the stairs, followed a moment later by the reappearance of the ginger.He skidded to a stop at the base, panting heavily as he rummaged in his pouch.¡°My lord, you left so quickly I couldn¡¯t give you this.¡±After a moment¡¯s fumbling, he drew out a bronze key. Vaya?bi? took it, flipping it over in his hand as he turned to the large doors barricading his path.¡°What¡¯s up with the door?¡±He questioned the lad, as he undid the first of three locks. ¡°There have been a few, err, incidents with my master¡¯s experiments.They¡¯re for the safety of the town.¡± Vaya?bi? paused in his task, looking back at the boy with a flicker of irritation mixed with concern.¡°Incidents?I¡¯ve heard nothing about any incidents.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes shifted to the side uncomfortably.¡°I¡¯m sure Master Es?ida?nu just didn¡¯t want to bother you,¡± he said, hesitatingly.His face brightened up.¡°Anyways, now with the doors, we haven¡¯t had any further problems.¡± He frowned but kept his thoughts to himself.Whatever his master had done - and Vaya?bi? had a strong suspicion he was going to be angry with E?sida?nu - the lad certainly wasn¡¯t to blame.He glanced down at the boy.He was at that age that was hard to judge, nearly the height of a man but still lacking the bulk and strength that usually came with time.Almost the same age as my son, he guessed. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. The lad offered him an uncertain smile, afraid he was about to be yelled at, but Vaya?bi? simply smiled back.Fishing a coin out of his bag, he flipped it to the lad.¡°Why don¡¯t you go get a treat from the vendors,¡± he suggested.¡°Master Es?ida?nu and I need to have a private conversation.¡± The boy nodded and needed no more encouragement to flee back up to the stairs.Left alone, Vaya?bi? finished unlocking the bolts and stepped inside the lab. It was in¡­.far worse shape than he remembered.The usually pristine stones walls were still clean, but the large blocks were marred by deep cuts, shattered panes, and missing chunks that had not been there the last time he had visited the lab.What was that- two weeks ago? There were other things that were new.A large space had been cleared in the center, now occupied by three massive steel cages.A number of the bars were bent and distorted, but another row of poles had been hammered into the ground around them, providing an extra layer of protection. The cages were not empty. Each cage held an occupant, and while Vaya?bi? couldn¡¯t see the faces of the prisoners from where he was, that hardly mattered.I don''t remember authorizing him experimenting on prisoners.His pace quickened as he charted a coarse straight for the elderly man who had his back to him, his focus entirely invested on the cages before them. ¡°Master E?sida?nu,¡± Vaya?bi? voice thundered through the basement, echoing off the damaged panels.¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± The man, so engrossed in his work that he had failed to notice the lord¡¯s entrance, started violently, but when he turned to face Vaya?bi?, it was not a look of fear that gleamed in his eyes but the glint of triumph. ¡°Lord Vaya?bi?,¡± he bowed, just low enough to fulfill social expectations, ¡°I have discovered what the the stonefleshes¡¯ vials do.¡± Vaya?bi? paused beside the man.His eyes quickly swept over the occupants of the cage.The prisoners were in shabby condition.Large wounds on their body were wrapped in clean gauze but the eyes that stared back at him were vacant.They were also most definitely not Zalancthian eyes; these were his own men. Anger quickened in his hearts as he bent down beside the cage.There was no sign of the second set of eyes that had appeared in the rampaging Zalancthian commander, but neither was there any indication of intelligence in any of the prisoners.He waved his hand in front of one of them, but they registered no response.Their chests rose and fell regularly, their bodies twitching occasionally in seemingly uncontrollable spasms, but they appeared to be nothing more than an empty shell. ¡°What did you do?¡±He growled, his words thick and choked with anger.Responding to his outrage, a current of wind sprung up in the dark basement, and for the first time the mage seemed to notice Vaya?bi?¡¯s fury.¡°Who gave you permission to experiment on these men?¡± Es?ida?nu raised his hand rather flippantly.¡°Calm down, my lord.Each one of these men volunteered for the work, and willingly took the risk for the sake of the empire as well as,¡± he grimaced slightly, ¡°a rather large sum of money that will set up their families for generations to come." So that¡¯s what he needed that money for.The wind stilled as some of Vaya?bi?¡¯s anger dissipated, but he still scowled down at the mage.¡°You should have asked me.¡± The man shrugged.¡°Perhaps, but¡­¡± A sardonic smile lifted the corner of his lips.¡°Is that not why you put me in charge?You needed results, and I delivered.Don¡¯t pretend you didn¡¯t know what sort of a man I am.¡± The mage¡¯s words burned at his gut, but Vaya?bi? bit back the angry retort that leapt to his tongue.There was a certain amount of truth to what the man had said, and even if there wasn¡¯t - well, there weren¡¯t too many mages in the empire capable of working glyphs, runes, and spells.Those sorts of assets had to be protected. Swallowing his pride, he settled for shooting another angry glance at the researcher.¡°I suppose the deed is done.So tell me, what do the vials do?¡± All traces of irritation left Es?ida?nu¡¯s face as he turned his attention back to the caged subjects.¡°I believe it¡¯s only in the experimental phase for them too,¡± he began, pacing back and forth across the floor.¡°As best as I can tell, the purpose of the potion appears to be to temporarily suppress the conscious thoughts of the individual, allowing someone else - or perhaps something else - to step through and take control of the body.¡± Vaya?bi? raised a skeptical eyebrow, glancing at the vacant eyes of the prisoner.¡°Temporary?¡± Es?ida?nu nodded vigorously.¡°Hence why I said the potion is only experimental.At first, the potion has no observable side-effects once it wears off, aside from extreme fatigue and, as one would expect, a certain amount of confusion on the part of mind that was suppressed.But with repeated doses, the potion¡¯s effects become more and more exaggerated until, unfortunately, the process seems to be permanent.¡± He paused in front of one of the volunteers, frowning down at the woman¡¯s empty eyes.¡°Perhaps this is the effect that the stoneflesh desire; one can never be certain how their minds work.But in any case, the effect is certainly not dependable.¡± He descended into a fit of coughing, his lungs gasping under the torture of an old curse he had never been able to entirely cure, until he spat out some blood.Wiping his lips clean, he finished his thought.¡°This poor lass, for example, snapped after merely two doses of the potion.On the other hand,¡± he pointed to the man in the corner.¡°His mind seemed entirely intact for a remarkable twenty-three uses of the vial.¡± Vaya?bi? grimaced.¡°So an incomplete potion.And what of this ¡®other¡¯ that comes through, the second set of eyes?¡± he pursued.He was surprised to see something that almost looked like fear flicker through the mage¡¯s eyes, but it disappeared so quickly he couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Ah, that.¡±The man sighed deeply.¡°As you know all too well, our knowledge of the Zalancthians¡¯ very limited magical capabilities is sorely lacking.¡± Vaya?bi? nodding in understanding.As far as they could tell, only the Zalancthian nobility were capable of performing any magic - if it was even magic - and even those few wielders were quite rare. Es?ida?nu continued.¡°So, I cannot be certain of this, my lord, but I believe that whatever is coming through may just be one of their gods.¡± The meeting with the mage continued well into the night, increasingly bogged down by the man¡¯s arcane theories.Vaya?bi? did his best to keep up, but he was no researcher.As much as he disliked the man, Es?ida?nu was as brilliant as he was talented and the level of his magical understanding far surpassed his own.Yet another reason I have to put up with that annoying git. The rains had finally stopped when he reached his room, and he fumbled in the darkness, undressing.It was only when the pale light of the moon peaked through his window, that he saw another letter laying on his desk. Almost idly, he opened it up, expecting some sort of busywork for the morning.But it was another letter from the Stoneflesh, this time with the names of the abducted.He scanned them quickly, coming to a screeching halt at the second to the last name on the list. Vaya?belti?. His heart stopped beating. Trapped "A hidden exit?" Jasper snorted. "How cliche. Where?" Tsia leaned low over her horse''s neck, whispering something in its ear, and it picked up its pace. Its legs flying so swift they were a blur, she shot past him to take the lead, twisting in the saddle as she passed. "Du?rili? said to ride along the ramparts until you reached the upper wall, and then keep riding." Jasper spurred Dapplegrim on, eager to keep pace with her, but the horse slowed as a commotion behind them caught their attention. An unwitting traveler, goading a slow-moving cart of produce, had crossed the street below, straight through the path of the puh?mah?h?u. The beast smashed through it, sending an avalanche of goods across the street to which was swiftly added the splattered blood of the partially devoured worker. It roared again, spraying its foul breath and a shower of rocks futilely in their direction, before charging after them. Dapplegrim turned her head back, tugging at the reins with an imploring look, but Jasper just shook his head. "C''mon girl, I really don''t think we want to fight that thing." She hesitated for just a moment, her reluctance obvious, but then she obeyed. With a final short, she turned back to the ramparts and redoubled her efforts, her metallic hooves clanging like a gong against the stalwart ramparts as she charged. Two minutes hard ride led them to the end of the lower city''s wall. The ramparts seemed dead-ended into the cliff that the upper city was built upon, a jagged and sheer precipice that rose another fifty feet into the heavens.But of the path Du?rili? had spoken, Jasper saw no sign. There appeared to be nothing there at all, save for a few hundred-thousand tons of earth and stone. But Tsia was undaunted. Spurring her horse even faster, she charged directly toward the sheer precipice - at least until the last second, that is.At the last moment, her horse reared up on its hindquarters, nearly throwing her off its back as it refused to slam into the cliff. ¡°Kawwwooooorrr.¡±The wall beneath them shook as the vicious beast creature surged up the stairs onto the rampart, bellowing with rage. It was gaining ground quickly. Ne?s?u sprung into action immediately. Swinging himself off his steed, he practically threw himself through the wall, dragging along behind him his frightened mount by the power of pure brute strength. Copying him, Tsia and Annatta followed close behind. The willowy princess chose a different method, producing a bribe of sweets that was enough to lure her reluctant filly into tentative steps after her, while the Djinn, who was determined to copy Ne?s?u''s feat, drug a kicking and fighting horse through with decidedly less panache than the warrior. Jasper''s and Ihra''s mounts were a little easier to convince. In fact, Dapplegrim needed no convincing at all. After seeing the other horses pass through the wall, it took nothing more than a nudge for her to follow, with Keresh close on her heels. "Kawwwoooorrr." The sound faded slightly as Jasper rode through the illusion, revealing what lay on the other side. The illusion had hidden only a small cleft that sat between the upper and lower walls. It wasn''t a large place, but it did offer the salvation Du?rili? had promised. A narrow path branched off of the cleft, plunging downward at a positively frightening incline for nearly a hundred feet before it leveled out on a shallow trail that had clearly been carved into the side of the plateau the city rested upon.Less than four feet wide, the path was completely invisible from above but it was wide enough, if only just barely, for the five of them to pass on their mounts. The horses thundered down the descent at breathtaking speeds, and onto the makeshift path. Jasper could tell immediately that this was no official entry; whoever had carved the slender path out was clearly a far less-skilled stone mage than the masterful workmen of the city. The ledge was uneven in size and slope, with its edges crumbling in many places and gentle rise and falls that, with a little more speed, would have allowed them to recreate the Dukes of Hazzard. It did absolutely nothing to inspire his confidence. Man I hope this holds. He held his breath as the five of them begin their race across the path, but aside from a few small tumbling rocks, nothing dramatic happened. Glancing over his shoulder, he kept an eye on the entrance above, allowing himself the small hope that the monster would be fooled by the illusion. Or, even if it sees through the illusions, surely it can''t fit on this narrow path, right? Both hopes were dashed nearly as quickly as they had arisen. The puh?mah?h?u plowed through the fake wall without even a flicker of hesitation - perhaps, in retrospect, Jasper realized that it really wasn''t surprising that a creature with the ability to manipulate stone wasn''t fooled by a fake - and it charged straight down the steep ramp, bellowing over and over like a car alarm that just won''t shut up.Kawwwooooorrr. Kawwwooooorrr If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Harsh blasts of hot air washed over the group, carrying with them a hail of small stones.The armor Jasper wore was enough to prevent any serious injuries, but much like bulletproof armor, it couldn''t save him from the pain of the impact. I''m going to be one walking bruise tomorrow. Kawwwooooorrr.Jasper braced himself for the oncoming blasts, as he risked another glance behind him.The ledge was barely wide enough to accommodate him and a horse, so how the hell was the creature still following them? Illuminated in Selene''s bright rays, he finally saw the creature in its entirety.The puh?mah?h?u looked like someone had taken a giant earthworm, a saber tooth tiger, and a centipede and thrown them into a blender.Most of its upper body was covered in a dark, grey shell whose composition he could only guess at, but its multitudinous legs sported black, shaggy hair.Large fangs bracketed both the top and bottom of its mouth and a stubby, furry tail perked up from its rear that was entirely at odds with its otherwise terrifying exterior.Easily exceeding thirty feet in length, the beast was relatively skinny for its length, but it was still far too wide to easily fit on the narrow ledge. That wasn¡¯t a problem for it, however.As soon as the puh?mah?h?u reached the start of the makeshift ledge, it flipped onto its side.Long, sharp claws sprang forth from beneath its shaggy fur and dug deep ravines into the side of the cliff.The beast''s pace didn''t even slow as its charge transformed into a writhing, pendulous motion that Jasper could only compare to the slithering of a snake.If anything, the new form of locomotion was faster, and the creature began to rapidly gain ground on them. Crap.He bent low over Dapplegrim, bracing himself as another rock blast washed over them.Ne?s?u¡¯s horse screamed in pain as one of the rocks smashed into its leg, but it kept running, and a moment later, a giant wall of wind erupted from Tsia¡¯s hand, flinging the rest of the rocks back towards the beast.The rocks bounced off the creature¡¯s bony armor uselessly, but it flinched from the unexpected spell, allowing them to regain a few feet of ground before it resumed its pursuit. As they thundered round a tight corner, Dapplegrim''s hooves just barely staying on the path, Jasper saw their goal appear before them.The great promontory on which Du?r-E?kal had been built had been slowly arcing back toward the bulk of the mountain, and a few hundred feet away, the narrow ledge came to an abrupt end, leading to a drop off of a solid thousand feet to the valley below.The only way forward was a narrow, arching bridge of stone that connected the ledge to the bluffs that faced it. There, on the other side, a small clearing had been carved out in the woods with a winding path that led further into the wilderness. Almost there.As if responding to his thoughts, the puh?mah?h?u surged forward with a fresh burst of speed.It caught up to them in a matter of seconds, but rather than leaping upon him, and tearing him off his horse, it simply rushed right past Jasper. It passed them all in turn, ignoring the volleys of arrows, poisoned daggers, and the blades of wind, the group launched its way, all of them ineffectual against its armored carapace. It¡¯s trying to cut us off, Jasper realized.He dug his heels into Dapplegrim, urging her forward even faster as he tried to reach the small bridge before the puh?mah?h?u could get there, but it had already left him in the dust.to notch a few small scores in the creature¡¯s armor, but it was little more than an inconvenience to the monster.ts legs moving in a blur of motion, the puh?mah?h?u threw itself into the air, flipping back over end before landing directly in front of them with an earth-shaking impact, blocking the end of the path. Kawwwooooorrr.Jasper flinched as the beast''s roar caught them dead-on, a larger-than-usual flurry of rocks beating them black and blue. Pulling hard on the reins, Dapplegrim slid to a stop in a cloud of dust, with the others gathered around him. His fingers were already twisting with a spell, but it went uncast. To his surprise, the puh?mah?h?u, now that they were trapped, made no move to attack them. Instead, it settled down on its haunches, gazing at the group with an expression that Jasper would have almost called smug if it didn¡¯t seem absurd to attribute emotions like that to such a beast. Is it waiting for the guards? The realization filled his mind with both desire and opportunities. We just have to kill the beast before the guards arrive, he decided, but that was a resolution easier said than done.The puh?mah?h?u had shrugged off Jasper''s fire spells like they were nothing, and his spectral whip would require him to close the range. Even that didn''t seem downright suicidal - especially on this tiny ledge where there was certainly no place to dodge - he doubted it would work anyway. The whip needed to draw blood to summon the ghosts, and he doubted it would be able to get through the creature''s thick armor.That left only one real option - fiery charge.Will it work? Jasper eyed the beast uncertainly.Fiery Charge had ignored the Seraph''s fire immunity, but he wasn¡¯t certain the puh?mah?h?u actually had such a trait; if his armored panels were formed from some sort of stone like they appeared to be, the beast''s ''immunity'' might be nothing more than stone''s natural resistance to fire. And if I close the gap with Fiery Charge and it doesn''t hurt the beast, I''m screwed. He swallowed hard, as the image of the beast''s enormous fangs snapping him in half much as they had the poor farmer flashed through his mind, but his hesitation lasted only a moment. Guess I''ll know in a second. A Fall to Remember Abna?du?r had been having a very pleasant day. He''d had a relaxing ''bath'' with his second-favorite wife, followed by a supper supplemented with the exotic fruits the Djinn merchants from the capital had brought. He''d even followed it up with an unplanned rendezvous with his first wife. She was...not his favorite any longer, but it was still a pleasant enough time. All that had come crashing down when a messenger stumbled through the doors, panting like a dog in heat, with an urgent message about his son. Du?rili?. A lesser son of a lesser wife, Abna?du?r had still once held such hopes for the boy. He had a faint trickle of essence, enough to notice, enough to give him hope that when the time came he could follow in his father''s footsteps as a mage. They''d had many a bout of combat in his manor until the disappointing realization came that the boy simply didn''t have enough essence to cast spells. After that, he''d been shuffled off to lesser duties. Rather than serve the house, the lad had moved into business for himself, carving out a bustling little business in the underworld as a mostly respectable brothel owner and to reward his initiative, Abna?du?r had instructed the guards to look away. So when the messenger stumbled into his home, the first thing he had thought had been a feeling of shame. Du?rili? must have gone too far, done something that the guard - or a true crime lord - couldn''t overlook. Instead, the message brought to him had been baffling. His son had been brutally attacked by an unknown and extremely powerful wind mage. What the hell? His mind immediately leaped to thoughts of political assassinations, but who even had the budget to bring in such expensive talent? Wind mages weren''t exactly common amongst the Djinn, and hiring an outside contractor would probably be enough to bankrupt him. No, that can''t be it. Confused, he had nonetheless sprung into action. An insult had been offered to his house that could not be ignored. But his confusion had only deepened when he''d questioned his guards, and learned that the mage in question had entered the city with a motley crew - two Corsyths, two Djinn dressed in royal colors and...an elf? Immediately, he discarded all thoughts that he or his son had been the target. Abna?du?r had no idea what was going on, but one thing was clear: a powerful noble from the royal house was operating in the city, and Du?rili? had just gotten in their way. Frankly, by that point, Abna?du?r wanted nothing more than to turn a blind eye to the whole affair. Damn his honor - fighting against one or more powerful mages was a risk at best and quite possibly a death sentence. But it had become a matter of duty. As the captain of the guard, he couldn''t let the royal family run amok in his town. Du?r-E?kal did not belong to them, not now, not ever. At least I have the puh?mah?h?u.
The puh?mah?h?u crouched on its haunches, grinning at Jasper like a Cheshire cat. A long, rough tongue lolled out of its mouth and languidly ran along its upper fangs as it waited for him, entirely unconcerned by the approaching threat. It might have been enough to give him pause if Jasper wasn''t already committed to his course of action, but it wasn''t like there was much room for him to change his mind. As Dapplegrim thundered straight toward the beast, he released the essence he had summoned. With a whoosh, the white flames rapidly spread out from his hands, covering him and his mount in a halo of fire and heat. The beast didn''t move. Drawing his sword - he''d have killed right then to have his ruined glaive back - he prepared himself for the impact. The hooves hit first, a clang of burning metal against the smooth, grey panels that covered the puh?mah?h?u. It finally responded to the attack, snapping with its vicious fangs at Dapplegrim''s legs, but received a sword to the face for its efforts. Neither attack did much damage. But the beast¡¯s laissez-faire about Jasper''s spell was only partially well-founded.swept over its form like a tsunami. could hurt it, given enough time. It would just be a matter of staying of its way long enough to take it down, a war of attrition. But on the narrow ledge, that wasn''t an option. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Dapplegrim obeyed immediately. Backing up a few paces from the beast, she slammed her hind hooves deep into the narrow ledge. Like a jackhammer, she rained one blow in quick succession after another on the path, infusing what little earth magic she possessed into each hit.The horse was far from an accomplished mage; at this point, she certainly didn''t have enough power to fully cleave the ledge from the cliff, but Jasper wasn''t expecting her to. . The puh?mah?h?u was fast. So fast that it nearly defeated his plan. Desperately writhing its body, it managed to snag one claw into the cliff''s face, where it clung on precariously. Unfortunately for the beast, Jasper and Dapplegrim collided directly into it.The claw held for one agonizing second, and then the puh?mah?h?u was separated from its salvation. Leaving the quivering claw still buried in the rock, the three adversaries plunged into the depths of the ravine. The wind rushed up to meet him, whipping at his cheeks with the fury of angry god as they as Jasper and Dapplegrim tumbled head over heels into the chasm below.The beast flailed wildly and its remaining claws scored a trail of bloody marks across Dapplegrim¡¯s belly, but the puh?mah?h?u paid in turn. The white fire spread to its exposed flesh and that - unlike the carapace - did burn.urled up on itself like a pillbug, trying to quench the flames, and the two were finally left alone. Taking a deep breath, Jasper reached for his essence to summon the Spectral Wings.It took a second for the essence to pool - it was an interminably long second of watching the rock-strewn landscape rush up toward him with dizzying speed - but despite losing his concentration at first, he finally managed to complete the spell, letting it blossom iff the tips of his fingers.Wasting no time, he slapped his hand against Dapplegrim¡¯s back and released the spell. The wind raged against the two of them as they plummeted towards the earth, tearing and pulling at them with harsh and icy hands.hen Dapplegrim''s back spasmed and the wind ceased just as suddenly as their fall. The change in momentum hit him hard, nearly ejecting Jasper out of the saddle like the aftermath of a car crash.His stirrups saved him from the fall, though the excruciating pain that accompanied their iron grasp was enough to wrench a scream of agony from his lips. But then the pain passed, replaced by an almost overwhelming relief, as he glanced wildly between the two shadowy wings that sprouted from either side of his mount''s belly.It worked.It actually worked. test the wings out on Dapplegrim for the first time while falling to his doom. Thank Kas?dael. The dark shadows beat with an almost lackadaisical rhythm that should have been entirely unable to support them, but he didn¡¯t care how they functioned.As long as it worked, that was all that mattered. His legs protested as he craned his neck over the side of Dapplegrim''s flanks, trying to get a view of their still-falling adversary. The puh?mah?h?u had curled its body so tightly against itself that its head and furry legs were completely hidden, leaving nothing but its hard grey shell visible.It collided with the ground with a sound that echoed in the narrow chasm like an explosion, and the sheer momentum of its fall buried it partway into the rocky soil, throwing up a shower of dirt and gravel.Running a calming hand down Dapplegrim¡¯s neck, Jasper tarried just a moment over the impact site, feeling a rather savage satisfaction from the beast¡¯s death. Good riddance. But his moment of victory was quickly tarnished.With a shudder and a spasm, the body of the monstrous stone beast began to very slowly uncurl, stretching itself out across the ruptured earth. The puh?mah?h?u looked like hell.The boney panels that Jasper¡¯s fire had scorched and cracked had been further hammered by the fall.A good half of its panels were shattered or had fallen off altogether and lay on the ground, revealing large patches of the creature¡¯s skin for the first time - a blue so deep that it bordered on midnight.Several of its legs also dragged uselessly as it lumbered to its feet, but for all the damage the beast had taken, it was very much still alive. Rising up halfway on its haunches, the puh?mah?h?u roared defiantly at the now-winged horse hovering above it.Rocks flew up to meet them, but gravity claimed them before they could do any damage.A grudging feeling of respect for the beast rose in Jasper¡¯s chest, and he raised his still-flaming sword in a half-hearted salute. If the puh?mah?h?u shared the sentiment, it certainly gave no indication of that, responding with another roar, but Jasper ignored it. His friends were still up on the ledge after all, and the guards were closing in upon them. Pulling sharply on the reins, he guided Dapplegrim into a soaring ascent that skimmed across the precipitous cliff. With the wings beating with a steady, almost hypnotic rhythm, it took less than a minute for the two to rise back in sight of their friends. They hadn''t been gone long, but even seconds can be an eternity in a fight, and an unwelcome sight awaited them. Dapplegrim¡¯s earth magic had taken out the puh?mah?h?u, but it had also crumbled a portion of the ledge that led to the stone bridge and - across that narrow stretch - the freedom of the forested slopes.They perhaps could have jumped the gap, aided by physical stats no earthling could hope to possess, if the formerly pristine arch, once it was no longer supported on one side, had not promptly cracked in half, tumbling into the ravine and leaving his friends stranded on the ledge with a quickly approaching group of guards. And judging from the encroaching columns of stone that had snaked their way up the legs of their mounts, binding them in place, one of those guards was a stone mage. Crap. Buying Time Ihra nearly had a heart attack when she watched Jasper plunge over the edge, tangled up in a death spiral with the puh?mah?h?u.it all came rushing back to her, all the pain of the ones she had lost. Her parents.Her brother.Now Jasper. Then she remembered his new spell and hope blazed forth.Her heart was still thumping like a steam engine as she leaned out of her saddle, watching the pair plummet to their doom, but her faith was rewarded when a shadowy set of wings erupted from Dapplegrim¡¯s back. The beast continued on to the ground, landing in a cloud of dust and debris, but Jasper was safe.Thank Selene. It was only then that Ihra turned her attention back to the situation at hand.Now that the ledge where the puh?mah?h?u had been standing had crumpled, a more than twenty-foot gap from the unscathed portion of the ledge to the section of the bridge that had collapsed.We can jump that.Maybe? She glanced around at their little group assessingly and quickly corrected herself.Keresh, the magnificent stag Aphora had gifted her, could certainly jump that far. She was also pretty sure that, on foot, Annatta and Ne?s?u could make it as well, and Tsia could probably use her wind to fly herself over, but their mounts were another question.Horses could leap a surprisingly far distance, nearly three times their own body length, but that was with a running start.That wasn¡¯t going to be happening on a four-foot-wide ledge. A second later, even that plan went up in smoke - or rather, dust - as what was left of the bridge collapsed under its own weight, sending several more tons of rock and stone plunging into the depths, and leaving a gulf of nearly fifty feet between them and the safety of the forest. Ihra was nothing if not decisive. Abandoning all hope of escape, she promptly twisted around in her saddle where she the line of guards was quickly catching up to them.overed from head to toe in thick steel armor that tinged with just a hint of a pale-green shine, doubtless some sort of alloy she wasn''t familiar with. Her lips quirked down in a frown; they were a less-than-ideal matchup for her, but she could make it work. As long as she chose her shots carefully and got her piercing up, she could get her arrows to punch through the armor. Slow and steady, she told herself. With one smooth, practiced movement, Ihra unclasped her bow from the saddle and notched an arrow, sending it flying.It tore through the air like a diving hawk and found its prey just as surely - the small seam between the torso and the arms on the guard leading the front.The guard barely acknowledged the attack. His measured pace didn''t even slow as he, with a grunt, ripped her arrow out and flung it over the edge of the ravine like a piece of trash. It was far enough away that Ihra couldn¡¯t be certain, but she was disappointed to see no sign of blood on its tip.Probably has some sort of skin-toughening perk.No matter.Another three arrows were already flying through the air, one destined for each of the first three guards. This time, she struck gold.With the sort of pin-point precision she always strived for - but didn¡¯t always attain - the second arrow landed almost exactly in the same spot as before, tearing through the already weakened armor of the leading guard, its momentum barely slowed by the thick metal.This time when the guard yanked the projectile out, a dark red coated its edge. With his hand clutched protectively over his injured shoulder, the guard left Ihra no clear shot at the weakened spot, but she no longer needed one.er piercing had hit 80.Taking careful aim, she made the next shot count.Executioner¡¯s Arrow. It rocketed across the quickly closing gap. It was visually no different from the arrows that had come before, but this time it was aimed straight at the thick gorget that protected his neck.Trusting in his armor to tank the blow, the guard didn¡¯t even try to block her arrow.It was the last mistake he made. Executioner''s Arrow shredded his armor like paper, tearing through his battle-hardened skin to bury itself halfway into his throat.Abandoning all attempts to shield his injured arm, the guard stopped dead in his tracks. Both hands clasped tightly, he frantically tugged at the arrow embedded in his neck, trying to pull it free, but it was too late.With a whir of steel and a fountain of blood, the arrow¡¯s head rapidly expanded into a giant, smoldering blade that severed his head and cauterized the wound. For a split second, the guard¡¯s eyes met hers. There was an incredulous look in his eyes, the look of a man who had not yet fully realized that he was dead.Then his head slid forward along the blade and toppled into the chasm below. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Ihra hadn¡¯t paused in her attack.Already her next arrow was flying toward the guard behind him. It hit true, and she felt a smidge of satisfaction as her piercing inched back up, but something nagged at the back of her mind.What the hell are the others doing? No wind blades joined her attacks, no warriors rushing past - there was nothing but silence. Unable to spare too much attention to the rest of her group, Ihra tried to angle herself to the side, so she could take a quick glance between arrows, but her leg refused to follow her directions.Something was binding it firmly against Keresh¡¯s flanks.She cast a quick glance down, and the problem became clear. A thin layer of stone had crept up her stag¡¯s legs and lower belly.Part of it had even begun to creep over her leg, gliding so softly she hadn¡¯t even felt it.Immediately, she activated the Still Pond, and her strength surged.Gritting her teeth, she yanked hard against the layer of stone, gasping as her leg burst through the rocky shell.Freeing herself from the saddle, she leapt on top of Keresh¡¯s back, staring down sympathetically at her trapped beast.¡°Watch out - they got a mage,¡± she yelled back to the others, finally taking a glancing backward. Her warning had come too late.The stone had progressed much higher on the other three, and Annatta and Ne?s?u¡¯s arms were frozen to the reins of their horses.The mage had clearly noticed the danger sooner - Tsia''s hands remained free, but she was frantically occupied with blasting away at the stone that imprisoned her legs. She wasn''t strong enough to break free of the stone on her own, and while her wind blades were certainly capable of freeing her, doing so without maiming herself was a far more difficult process. Crap.They¡¯re going to be no help.Glancing down at her legs, Ihra saw the stone had already crept up again and begun to cover her feet.She leapt up in the air, breaking through the fragile restraints, and stamped down hard on the rocky shell, shattering it.Damn, I knew it was coming and I still couldn''t feel it. Her eyes swept back to the approaching guards.They had almost caught up with the group, and with the others bound, it was on her to save them. She knew now that one of the guards must be a stone mage, but she couldn''t tell which one. They looked identical.Where the hell is he hiding? Ihra allowed herself to fall into the flow, her hands working almost on automation as she fired off a steady stream of arrows toward the approaching line of guards, her eyes frantically searching for the source of the magical attack. In theory, it should have been an easy task.Mages rarely wore heavy armor as devoting enough points in strength for them to still nimbly move around the battlefield while wearing a few hundred pounds of metal generally came at the cost of enhancing the far more valuable attributes that boosted essence, but her task was not that simple: all the guards were decked out in the same slightly-green armor. She watched their hands too, looking for any signs of the caster. Most mages had to use their hands, and the subtle tattoos upon them, in order to release the essence. Sure, some were more subtle than others, but pretty much all at least moved their fingers.But all the guards wore heavy gauntlets that would prevent any such finger flexibility.There was simply no sign of the mage.Unless. Ihra¡¯s released the thought for a moment, focusing all her concentration on her next shot as she released another Executioner¡¯s Arrow.It flew true, quickly relieving the next guard in line of his head. she wasn¡¯t going to be able to beat them that way; another ten guards were still fast approaching. She couldn''t possibly get her piercing up that many times before they closed in. Her mind turned back to the idea that occurred to her - the image of Jasper breathing fire through his mouth.True, mages almost always cast with their hands, but it was technically possible to cast from other places. What if her mage was doing just that? Ihra abandoned her search for any telltale signs of mages. Instead, she let her eyes simply take in the group as a whole. She wasn''t looking for anything in particular, just for something, anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Another arrow flew sure, and another. With a strangled cry, one more of the guards plunged into the depths, killed surprisingly not by her Executioner''s Arrow but by his own clumsiness - when the Djinn tried to yank out an arrow embedded in his armor, he''d stumbled and, overcorrecting, lost his footing. There.The eighth guard in line looked no different from the rest, but there was something ever so subtly different about the cadence of his march.With each step he took, his left foot lingered just a touch longer than the others.Perhaps he had a minor limp or perhaps¡­ Chewing her lip, Ihra abandoned her other targets, focusing all of her arrows on the eighth guard.He didn¡¯t react to the first two arrows that came his way, but the third he blocked.With a harsh stomp of his foot, a wall of stone suddenly erupted from the cliff beside him, closing him off from the rest.Her arrow bounced ineffectually off the rock, slightly lowering her piercing, but it was worth it.She had found her target.Now all she had to do was kill him which, she was forced to admit after a moment¡¯s reflection was going to be a wee bit of a problem with the mage protected in a cocoon of stone.Aargh.I have *got* to get another rune engraved on me. She didn''t regret sacrificing it on the island - they''d have died otherwise, after all, but now she was regretting not making replacing it a priority. As soon as I get back to the capital, she promised herself. Her arrows bounced uselessly off the mage''s cocoon, and then a flicker of movement in the corner of her vision caught her eyes. She whirled around, an arrow already notched and ready to fire, but she stayed her hand as a wide smile split her grin.Jasper had returned.Good. He can have the mage. A Battle of Souls Dapplegrim had only closed part of the distance between him and the rest of his group when Ihra revealed the mage. With a stomp of his feet, the Djinn tore a wall of rock free from the side of the cliff, completely blocking the arrows that Ihra had already sent flying toward him. Clever, Jasper had to admit, but the mage clearly hadn¡¯t seen him - he¡¯d left his back completely exposed. Jerking on Dapplegrim¡¯s reins, he swung around and above the others in a wide arc, hoping the mage wouldn¡¯t notice him. As for the rest of the guards, who continued charging toward his four friends, he could only hope that Ihra could hold them off a little longer. The stone mage didn¡¯t see him. The spectral wings were as silent as a whisper, offering no sound to alert the guard until Jasper attacked. Swooping high up into the air, Jasper renewed the fiery charge spell before he spurred Dapplegrim forward. The wind whistled in his ears, fire billowing behind him in great plumes, as the two dove toward the unprotected back of the mage. The stone wall complicated things. Sure, he could splat the mage against the rock like a bug on a windshield, but Jasper was pretty sure that would hurt him and Dapplegrim just as much. Instead, he readied Scourge of Despair on the edge of his fingertips, and prepared to jerk Dapplegrim away at the last second. But as the old poet said, the best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley. As the two descended on the unsuspecting mage, something unexpected happened. The guard stepped into the wall. The rock bulged and stretched around him like a piece of saltwater taffy forgotten on a hot summer day. Then the wall snapped back into place around him, obscuring him entirely from view. What the hell? Frantically jerking on the reins, he managed to swerve Dapplegrim to the side just in time. He wasted his essence, though, as the Scourge of Despair whistled harmlessly through the empty space, smacking uselessly into the stone wall. As he shot past the impromptu barrier, he saw what had happened to the mage. There was no sign of his greenish armor, nor was even so much as a single scrap of his skin left visible. Instead, a thin sheet of grey rock covered him from head to toe, encasing him like a suit of armor. The rock bent and crackled with each step he took, but there were no vulnerabilities - Ihra¡¯s arrows bounced off it uselessly. Sweeping his gaze back to his friends, he saw their situation was well in hand. Ihra had dropped another two guards, and though the remaining five had almost caught up to them, she was no longer alone. Tsia had managed to break free from the stone shackles that had bound her and had planted herself - hovering a few feet in the air above the path - between the guards and the others. They can handle themselves, he quickly decided, and started to turn his head back toward the mage. His head rocked back as a small boulder smashed into his chest. His armor held, spreading the force of the impact across his entire body, but he could still feel the cracking of his ribs. Worse, For a moment, he hung, suspended only by his stirrups until the leather. Somehow they held, and despite the explosion of pain working its way across his body, he managed to grab hold of Dapplegrim¡¯s tail and try to pull himself back up into the saddle. ¡°Gamla?bnu.¡± The stone mage screamed again, tearing an even larger boulder from the cliff face. Struggling desperately, he yanked harder on Dapplegrim¡¯s, ignoring the screaming in his ribs as he pulled himself back into the saddle and Dapplegrim, responding entirely on her own dove out of the trajectory of the rock. But like a locked-on homing missile, the boulder swerved back toward him, mere feet away now. There was only one thing he could do. Jasper threw himself out of the saddle as the bolder shot overhead. The horse screamed in pain as the rock clipped the back of her neck, but he had been the target and as he fell, the boulder adjusted again in his direction, speeding up. Damn it. His hands shook as he hastily pulled every thread of essence he could snag toward him, weaving it together into Spectral Wings. A spasm of pain tore across his ribs as the spell took hold; then the wings emerged. He darted away from the rock, leaving it in his dust as he turned a tight spiral back toward the cliff. Shooting past Dapplegrim, he yelled for the horse to head back to the cliff - not wanting the horse to be dashed on the rocks whenever the spell wore off - and aimed his sights at the mage. Gamla?bnu. Gamla?bnu. Gamla?bnu. Stomping his foot in quick succession, the mage tore one boulder after the other from the cliff, hurling them toward Jasper. He dodged the first, barely skirted past the second, and cried out in pain as the third clipped his arm, sending him into an uncontrolled dive. He recovered almost immediately and willed himself forward. Sweeping mere feet above the narrow path, a quick glance over his shoulder confirmed the mage had managed to regain control of the boulders, which shot after him in close pursuit. Damn it. Focusing on the mage, he fired off a Sacred Star, only to watch in disappointment as the fire exploded harmlessly against the man¡¯s stony shell. Yanking his sword free from its scabbard, he let the flames of Fiery Charge spread down the blade, agilely dodging one of the boulders when it got too close, and then dove in for the attack. Let¡¯s see if he can shrug this off. But his instincts were screaming for him to stop. Unsure why, he swerved to the side when he was mere feet from the mage. It was the right decision. With a wave of his hand, the stone mage summoned another wall of rock into the space between them.At the speed he was going, Jasper¡¯s turn wasn¡¯t fast enough to entirely thwart his momentum.His legs slammed against the wall and dragged across the rough rock painfully, tearing into his flesh, before he managed to break free into the open air. Still, the mage¡¯s trick ended up benefitting Jasper. He didn¡¯t know whether the mage was unable to guide the rocks without seeing them or if he simply couldn¡¯t alter their trajectory that fast, but the three boulders collided with the stone barrier with a resounding boom. And as he spun himself in a tight circle, he saw a small portion of the wall had crumbled. It wasn¡¯t a large opening, no more than three or so feet on either side, but it was enough. He squirmed through before the mage had time to recast the spell; the spectral wings glided seamlessly through the rock, fluttering with the same heavy beat as always, despite his enhanced speed. He spun to the side in a sharp curl and lashed out with the edge of Arut?¡¯s sword, ablaze with the white flames of Fiery Charge. The sword scored a long, charred channel across the breadth of the mage¡¯s stone breastplate, but it couldn''t penetrate all the way through and though a few tongues of fire burned briefly in its wake, they guttered out quickly, as the stone offered no fuel for the fire. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Abandoning his attempts to recast the boulder spell, the mage lashed out with his own weapon, a stone-encrusted mace whose head outsized Jasper¡¯s by a large measure. Aided by the wings, Jasper easily ducked beneath the blow and thrust straight at the Djinn¡¯s heart, aiming for the already damaged section of the breastplate. He missed his target, landing a few inches to the left, but his strike still scored a hit. Empowered by the unnatural flames, the sword¡¯s tip pierced through the stone armor more deeply this time, sinking deep enough to slice into the Djinn¡¯s pecs. The mage¡¯s grunts of pain were muffled by the stone shell that covered him, but his actions were unaffected. Reacting with the well-honed instincts of a trained warrior, the captain''s left hand immediately clamped down on the flaming sword and pinned it against his body. A frantic tug-of-war ensued as Jasper struggled to wrest his sword free from the Djinn¡¯s grip, but the stone mage had the advantage of long years of training and more levels. Keeping the sword tightly pinned, the mage planted his right leg firmly on the ground and swung his enormous mace straight toward Jasper¡¯s chest. Jasper abandoned the tug-of-war in the nick of time, dropping to his knees a fraction of a second before the mace tore through the space he had been standing in.But the mage had been expecting that too.Lashing out with his other foot, he caught Jasper square in the ribs. A cry of agony tore free from his mouth as his already damaged ribs gave way. He was tossed backward like a ragdoll, straight into the remnants of the stone wall the mage had summoned. His head snapped hard against the rock, sending a myriad of shooting stars across his vision, and he fell to his knees. Jasper tried to move, to get out of the way the blow he knew must be coming next, but his hands and feet responded only haltingly to the screaming in his head. As he struggled to rise, the rock beneath him dissolved into a viscous liquid that wormed its way up his limbs, binding him in place. I...Have¡­.To....Move... Barely able to form conscious thoughts, dark spots swam across his vision as the guard knelt down and grabbed him by the throat. The rough, rocky shell of the Djinn¡¯s armor tore at his skin like sandpaper as the man squeezed, but after a moment, the captain released him. Slowly the rock covering his head receded, allowing Jasper to catch his first glimpse of his opponent. The Djinn¡¯s skin was a darker grey than any Jasper had seen before, more stone than flesh, and his eyes were equally strange, a faint pink possessed of an almost crystalline essence. His straight black horns towered nearly two feet above his skull, indicating his age and prowess. The man was a monster. ¡°Why did you maim my son?¡± The man slapped him across the face with a hand encased in stone. ¡°Who sent you? What game is your House plotting against our city?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­.what you¡¯re talking about.¡±Jasper managed to rasp out haltingly, his brain only dimly remembering¡­something about Tsia. An arrow shot over Jasper¡¯s shoulder and struck the man¡¯s cheek.It dug in just deep enough for the tip to find purchase.With a muttered curse, the man yanked it out and, stomping his foot, summoned enough stone to repair the protective wall. He returned his attention to Jasper, grabbing him by the throat again. ¡°My son.¡± He growled. "Why?" His interrogation was interrupted again as a blade of wind smashed into him from the side. It shattered uselessly against his armor and with a grunt of annoyance and a flick of his fingers, the Djinn pulled a bolder from the cliff and flung it in the direction of the attack. Not bothering to watch if his blow had connected, the man shifted his leg again, and raised another wall of stone, completely cutting them off from the rest of the world. Jasper was barely conscious at this point. What little air was getting to his lungs was wasted as, with every shallow breath, his ribs screamed in agony. The man shook him again, yelling something angrily at him, but he barely noticed. A peace reached out to him - a feeling he had felt once before - and he eagerly accepted it. It washed over him faster this time, the ceaseless flowing of a babbling brook in a sheltered mountain glen. A soft wind blew against his cheek as a silent deer stalked by, bending its head to drink from the icy waters. I am the river; I flow around all things. I am the rock; all things flow around me. The words floated through his head, strange sounds that in his oxygen-deprived state bore no meaning that he could comprehend, but they felt right. A trickle of power begin to flow through him, the first rains of spring that quickly turned into a flood. Then a sense of surrealism swept over him as he once again found himself floating above his body as his unconscious took control. The response was immediate. The stone shackles around his hands and feet burst into a thousand broken shards as a wave of blue fire erupted from his spine. Wordlessly, he rose to his feet. To the Djinn¡¯s credit, he responded decisively. Letting go of Jasper¡¯s throat, he swung his stone-encrusted mace straight toward his head. It was a crushing blow that if it had connected would have likely exploded his skull like a melon hit by a baseball bat. But Jasper¡¯s body responded faster. Possessed of a strength fueled by the burning of his soul, his hand reached out and stopped the mace dead in its tracks. With a simple squeeze of his fingers, the weapon shattered. Black, feathered wings fluttered in and out of existence behind him as he floated slightly above the ground. Slowly, almost theatrically, he extended his hand toward the mage. ¡°FEED ME YOUR SINS.¡± A booming voice issued from his lips, both his voice and yet not, that reverberated against the narrow walls of the hastily-created chamber. With a pained cry, the stone mage arched his back, clutching at his side as his essence was forcibly ripped out of him. But Du?rili?¡¯s father was still not done fighting. Blood flowed freely from his mouth as he chomped down on his tongue, and slowly, painfully, he straightened himself out. His eyes were wild and crazed, and if Jasper had still been in full possession of his body, he might have turned and run. But his subconscious ignored the man¡¯s rage, pulling harder on the veteran warrior who glared at him balefully. ¡°You want to burn your soul, weakling? Fine. Two can play at that game,¡± he snarled. The air grew hazy, full of silt and soot, and the ground beneath them dissolved into a bubbling pit of mud. It quickly spread across the Djinn¡¯s armor, reinforcing and expanding it, and stretched out its tendrils to the blazing being floating above it. The blue fire scorched the liquid stone, withering it to nothing but it kept coming and coming, growing closer and closer to latching onto his skin and while the battle between stone and fire raged, the Djinn had not been idle. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the shattered pieces of his mace back into his hand, fusing it together like new, and, with a mighty roar, swung it again at Jasper. Jasper blocked the blow again, intercepting the mace''s shaft with a steady arm. This time, though, he could not so easily remove it from the Djinn¡¯s hand. Empowered by the burning of his soul, the two wrestled for control in a near deadlock; their arms shook like leaves in a summer storm, but the mace barely budged. Joining his second hand to the effort, the Djinn slowly bent Jasper¡¯s hand back, inching it closer to his skull, and as it moved, the mace head began to bulge, with long stone spikes erupting from its base in every direction. The Djinn seemed on the cusp of victory. Until that is, he crumbled to the ground as the last dregs of his soul were consumed by the magic. The spell continued to take from him, devouring his armor and withering his corpse as he sank face-first into the viscous mud he''d created. Jasper had won - a fact he barely had time to absorb before he himself fell unconscious. Power and Skill The little girl crept down the hall silently, dancing across the paving stones on the tip of her feet as gracefully as a ballerina.Pausing just outside the door, she leaned against the wall and ever so slowly peeked an eye into the room. She let out a shriek as another eye met hers and jumped back quickly.She turned to run but only made it a few steps before a strong pair of arms swept her up in their grasp, and her shriek turned to squeals of laughter as her captor tickled her. ¡°Stop!Stop!Let me down!¡±er, her captor relented and dropped her on the ground. Qas?pahti whirled around to face the tall man who towered over her.His arms and legs were mostly covered in fur, with only the occasional patch of skin showing through, and his antlers were wide enough that they scraped both sides of the hall - as one of the buildings reclaimed from the Fey ruins, it had not originally been built with dimensions in mind. She stomped her right foot on the ground indignantly.¡°How did you hear me this time, Limmy? How?" She gesticulated wildly. I was silent as a fox!¡± The elf, more properly known as Mullu-Lim, the third in command of Lady Aphora¡¯s troops, let her indiscretion slide.With a low chuckle, he ruffled her hair.¡°Ah, little one, you were quite silent indeed.I¡¯m sure you could have sneaked up on many a warrior but,¡± he tapped the long, deer-like ears sprouting from his head, ¡°I am not so easily tricked.You need a proper muffling spell in order to sneak up on me.¡± The girl looked slightly mollified at his praise, and he grinned wider.¡°Plus, there¡¯s your smell.No missing that.¡± ¡°I do NOT smell,¡± Qas?pahti reinforced her words with another stomp. Mullu-Lim laughed and sniffed the air with an exaggerated motion.¡°Are you sure about that? Ah, let me see.This morning, when you woke up you used the new soap Aphora gave you - the one scented with those odd little green flowers our scouts found in the caves the other day. Feygrass, I think they dubbed it?Then you had breakfast which was, let me see..." He breathed in deeply, pretending to concentrate, "Eggs, fresh baked bread, and¡­¡± a genuine smile crossed his lips, ¡°I''m guessing our hunters tracked down some wild boars? I''m going to have to get myself some of that bacon before it disappears.¡± The girl deflated.¡°Damn it.How could you possibly tell all that?¡± He clucked his tongue reprovingly.¡°Now, now, child, you know what Lady Aphora always tells you¡­¡± ¡°Noble ladies don¡¯t curse,¡± she mumbled, begrudgingly.¡°But she does!¡±The girl protested.¡°I hear when she thinks I¡¯m not around!¡± The elf craned his head around theatrically, pretending to look to see if anyone was around.Finding the coast clear, he leaned closer to her, his antlers scraping against the wall with a noisy shriek, and whispered to her conspiratorially.¡°Let me tell you a little secret, Qas?pa.Aphora is a noble, and she is a lady, but she¡¯s certainly no noble lady.¡±He laughed heartily at his own jibe, only wilting when he saw Qas?pahti¡¯s puzzled expression.¡°Never mind, child,¡± he said as he patted her on the head. Qas?pahti shrugged it off. It was just one of those silly things he liked to say that made no sense. Besides he hadn''t answered her question.¡°Why are your senses so much better than mine?¡±A shadow flickered across her eyes, and she hung her head despondently.¡°I try and try, but all the kids in class are better than me.Ilqi?pah says her doll is more observant than me. She said I was just wasting the teacher''s time.¡± As Mullu-Lim watched her head droop, pity welled up in his heart.The teacher should not be allowing the students to say such things but he knew it was an uphill battle. The poor kid was a bit of an outcast.There was no hiding, after all, her grey skin or lilac hair, no hiding the lack of long ears or green skin.She looked like the enemy, and though she was but a child, well¡­children can be cruel and it did not help that there were genuine reasons that elves hated the Gemlirians. As far as he knew, the adults had scrupulously observed Aphora¡¯s commands to not harm the child, but attitudes were harder to change than actions. His levity dropped away, and he bent down beside the child.¡°True, you can¡¯t see, or hear, or smell as well as we can, but you have your own strengths, Qas?pa.We elves are as fleet of foot as our brethren and our senses are keenly honed to detect all threats, but your father¡¯s people-¡° he avoided using the name ¡°are strong and hardy, as solid as the mountains and just as tough.¡± She shied away from his grasp, and met his eyes with a serious expression. ¡°What about my mother?¡± The elf hesitated, surprised by the question.Qas?pahti knew nothing of her mother, other than that she had likely been a Corsythian, and she certainly didn¡¯t speak of her.She had promptly latched onto Aphora instead as the mother she¡¯d never known.¡°Well, we don¡¯t know much about her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the source of my magic, isn¡¯t she?" Mullu-Lim nodded.¡°Perhaps.With people like yours - races like the Corsyths and the Gemlirians who have arisen through generations of intermingling - it can be a bit hard to tell where your talents originate from.Given how naturally talented you are in magic, I suspect your mother was most likely a water mage herself, but it¡¯s also entirely possible she had not a shred of essence to spare and by some strange quirk you inherited the talents of a grandmother or a great, great grandfather or someone even further back.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. She frowned, not meeting his gaze, and Mullu-Lim suddenly frowned as he remembered what time it was.¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in class?¡± ¡°¡­.¡±She didn¡¯t respond.He watched her for a second, debating in his heart whether he had it in him to send her to that class. Then, with a sigh, he relented.¡°Fine.Tell you what - today, I''ll be your teacher.¡± The girl brightened instantly, a fire leaping into her slightly reddish eyes.¡°Really?Can we practice my water-blade?¡± The pall that had fallen over the pair lightened, and he laughed.¡°You wish!Come,¡± he said, standing up.¡°I have just the set of exercises in mind.¡±
Two hours later, Qas?pahti¡¯s enthusiasm had dulled.¡°Again,¡± her tormentor commanded, and a frown spread across her lips. ¡°Can¡¯t we do something fun, Limmy?¡±she pleaded. She gestured at the pile of limestone in front of her.On her left-hand side was a large pile of boulders several times her height; on the right was a much smaller pile of thin, frequently misshapen tiles.¡°This sucks.¡± The elf smirked.¡°Form your water blade again,¡± he instructed her. She complied begrudgingly.Focusing her essence, she produced a much smaller blade of oscillating water than she preferred.She wanted to work on making a sword bigger, not making it smaller. Who wants a small sword? ¡°Too big.¡± She pouted, but mentally tugged at the shape, compacting it in on itself slightly. ¡°Good,¡± he complimented her.Mullu-Lim grabbed a boulder twice as large as her from the pile to her left and, hefting it as easily as if it was made of paper, set it down in front of her.¡°Now let¡¯s try cutting it again.Remember what I told you.Slow and steady.¡± Biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, Qas?pahti tried to focus.She really did.She cut the first three sides of the tile out in crisp, straight lines - well, almost straight.But then something flickered in the corner of her eye, and she turned her head to watch as a large grey bird with a speckled white underbelly flitted across the meadow.Her blade promptly grew in size, slicing off the rest of the tile in a jagged, diagonal line - another mistake for the pile. ¡°Argh.¡±She stamped her foot impatiently against the ground.¡°This is stupid.Please, Limmy,¡± she grabbed hold of his arm and offered him her most entreating look, ¡°please teach me how to spar.¡± The elf stared down at her, then nodded his head slowly.¡°Very well.Take your stance. The girl scampered eagerly in place about ten feet away, the appropriate distance away for a duel.She carefully adjusted her feet, making sure they were planted firmly in the ground before she started her spell.The essence responded to her call quickly, and a much larger blade of water than the one she had been using on the limestone sprung to life in her hand. She stared at the sword proudly; despite being little more than a beginner, its size and the speed of its oscillation were far superior to what the other two water mages in her class could produce.It was already a dangerous weapon, and she knew she could greatly improve on it if Mullu-Lim would only show her how. Her instructor didn¡¯t bother to prepare himself.Instead, he waved his hand casually.¡°Alright, come at me.¡± She lunged into action, two quick steps racing across the ground, her blade held at the ready.Then a sound like thunder filled the air as the elf clapped his massive palms together. She flinched, her focus slipped, and the water blade she was holding collapsed in a puddle on the ground.His hand shot forward like lightning and came to a pause just beneath her chin.¡°And¡­you¡¯re dead.¡± She squirmed away as he tickled her.¡°That was a dirty trick,¡± she pouted.But the elf just shook his head.¡°Child, a battle is full of ¡®dirty tricks.¡¯It¡¯s full of loud sounds and unexpected movements.Any and every advantage your opponent can find, he¡¯ll take, and you should too.¡± He bent down beside her.¡°Now, do you understand why I am having you cut those rocks?Why I want you to focus on making a smaller blade?¡± Qas?pahti stared at the hated pile of rocks and screwed up her face.¡°You want me to concentrate?¡± ¡°Partially,¡± he agreed.¡°You need to learn not to lose control of your blade just because you hear a loud noise or because,¡± he grinned down at her, ¡°you see a bird.Once you earn your true class, you¡¯ll get spells that are a little easier to cast, but your water blade has true potential, and it meshes well with your natural predisposition to strength.¡± She frowned at his oblique reference to her hated Gemlirian heritage.e was right, of course - her spell was well-suited for melee combat.Most elven mages tried their best to avoid - or evade - it, but with her naturally tough skin and enhanced strength, she was better suited than most for the thick of battle. But she didn''t have to like it. ¡°But it¡¯s also about learning to be precise.¡±Mullu-Lim rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts.¡°You were blessed enough to be born with far more essence than most begin with.Discounting the increases that come with levels, there are probably less than twenty amongst my forces that started with as much essence as you.You are not lacking in power, Qas?pa, but in order to be a truly great mage, it is not enough to be powerful. To be truly great, you must be both powerful and skillful.Your spell must be precise, your will so focused that even if an Atrometos comes charging straight toward you, your blade won¡¯t so much as even flicker.Do you think you can do that?¡± Qas?pahti stared at the rocks again.Oh, how she hated them.But she nodded her head slowly, meeting his eyes with an unwavering gaze.¡°Powerful and skilled,¡± she repeated.She walked back over to the boulder that was now missing a jagged piece at its top and summoned her essence again.The sword flickered into shape, much larger than it should be, and she forced it to obey her commands, molding it to be smaller and faster.Then she started cutting. She messed that tile up too.But the one after that was almost straight and as she worked the rest of the afternoon, the pile of useable tiles gradually grew larger - even if only slightly - the pile of cast-offs.She was improving. ¡°Powerful and skilled,¡± she vowed to herself.¡°Just like my mother.¡±She wasn¡¯t quite sure which mother she meant - Lady Aphora or the one she had never known - but it didn¡¯t matter.She would make them proud. Aftermath *SLAP*¡°Wake up!¡±Jasper''s hand reached fumbled for his sword as the guard captain violently shook him, but it fell impotent almost immediately as the crushing, blinding pain in his temples overwhelmed his other senses.Resigned to his death, he kept his eyes closed and waited for the final blow to descend. His shoulders were shaken vigorously.¡°Damn it, Jasper, we need to get out of here, and to do that, we need your Spectral Wings.Wake up!¡±A soft hand - not the guard captain''s hand - gripped his mouth and pried open his lips. A moment later he started to choke as a sickly sweet liquid dripped down his throat.¡°I killed the other guards, Jasper, but more will be coming.We have to get to the far side.¡± ¡°The Far Side?That¡­.that was a good cartoon¡­¡± he mumbled drowsily. ¡°What?¡±The hands shook him again, each shake sending a wave of pain through his skull and he finally gave in, cracking his eye open. Ihra - though it took him a second to recognize her - was crouched above him.A bloody gash ran down one side of her face, but she seemed unconcerned with her injuries as she stared down at him with a mix of concern and exasperation. ¡°Thank heavens," she sighed in relief. "Last time you entered that strange state, you were out a lot longer." If Jasper had his way he''d still be out, but it didn''t feel the effort to say so. He settled for closing his eyes, blocking out the hateful light that tormented his head.cast Spectral Wings to get across. Can you do that?¡± He breathed deeply, and even that tiny amount of movement was enough to send a railroad spike of pain through his skull, but after a few long seconds, he managed to summon the strength to push himself up against the cliff face and pry his eyes open. Ihra was right, after all. Their fight hadn''t exactly been subtle; the guards in the city above were sure to have seen and heard the signs of the battle, and even if none of the others were still mages - there was a whole city of them and just five in his party. They needed to escape. So though his body felt like it had been beaten black and blue, and his head throbbed with every pulse of his heart, he reached for his essence anyway. Please don''t be empty. He was met, not by emptiness, but by an overflowing pool of essence, as if it had not even been touched in the battle. What the hell? His brain was a bit fuzzy on the details of what had just happened, but it all came rushing back then. The wings. The booming voice. Feed me your sins. He winced.Damn it. the overwhelming amount of pain he was in suddenly became clear and he hoped that was the only real damage caused. It was hard to focus through the pain. His first few attempts to cast the pain failed, the essence slipping out of his grasp as spasms of pain shot through his temple, but he pushed through until he managed to cast the first set of spells, a pair of wings on Tsia¡¯s and Ne?s?u¡¯s horses.It took them barely a minute to sweep across the yawning chasm between the broken ledge and the forest on the opposing cliff, but unfortunately the party''s progress then came to a grinding halt. Spectral Wings lasted for ten minutes and he could only cast it on two targets at a time, so there was nothing to do but wait. Ten long, anxious minutes of waiting. But Jasper¡¯s head was throbbing too much for him to really care. He leaned it back against the hard cliff face, his eyes closed tight and drifted off to sleep almost instantly, only to be awoken seemingly a second later as Ihra shook him again.¡°The spell¡¯s worn off, Jasper.¡± With a groan, he pried his eye open and cast the spell again on Annatta''s horse, but when he tried to set the spell on Kheresh, Ihra refused to let him.¡°No.I''m waiting right here until both of us can cross,¡± she insisted. "I''m afraid you won''t wake up on your own." He was too tired to argue, so she got her way and the waiting began again. This time it was not quite so uneventful. Only a few minutes of the spell had passed when the first signs of trouble appeared - athat led to the smuggler''s ledge. Ihra promptly leapt to her feet and, nocking an arrow, readied her aim. "I''ll hold them off as long as I can," she promised, but Jasper knew their numbers were too much for her to handle alone. Somehow he summoned the strength to rise and, bracing himself against the wall, he summoned a spell. Damn it. Just a few more minutes and we would have escaped. But the expected battle never happened.he guards swarmed across the ledge like an army of fire ants about to inflict their wrath on the unfortunate traveler whose foot disturbed their home, but their progress came to a sudden and grinding halt when they reached the ruins of the impromptu room the stone mage had summoned.ries and wails that pierced the air as the guards gathered around the desiccated corpse of their captain. Jasper expected anger, outrage, a thirst for revenge - but there was only mourning. Glances were cast their way, but only one of the guards pushed past the rest to pursue them - and he had not gone more than a few steps before his mates charged after him, and locking his arms behind his back, forcefully dragged him back.What the hell was that? Why aren''t they attacking us? His head hurt too much for him to think, and he settled for gratefulness. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It was then that the wings on Annatta''s horse dissolved back into the mists from which they had come, and summoning one last burst of strength, Jasper cast it on his and Ihra''s mounts. The wind roared around them as they darted across the chasm and swept into the waiting forest, finally leaving the city of Du?r-Ekal in their dust.
Jasper wasn¡¯t aware of passing out again, but he must have slipped into unconsciousness sometime during the flight. When he awoke again, it wasn''t to the filling of Dapplegrim''s sturdy flanks between his legs, or the steady rise and fall of her breaths but to the warm rays of Shamsha caressing one cheek while hard, stone dirt pressed uncomfortably against the other.Forcing himself up, he was distressed to find his head still throbbing, but he consoled himself that it was better than before.At least I¡¯m conscious. As he sat up, he saw their location had changed more than he''d expected. The rest of his party were clustered around a small firepit, and their mounts were tied to a row of mighty pines behind them.They sat in a small clearing, surrounded by a forest on all sides that, save for a few plants he was unfamiliar with, looked rather similar to those he¡¯d seen in northern climates.Tall evergreens were mixed with smaller, deciduous trees, while a surprisingly thick and lush filled every available gap. There was no sign of the cliffs from which they''d escaped, but a cool breeze wafted through the trees - a welcome relief compared to the heat of the region''s lower plains.We must be pretty high up on the mountain, he decided. ¡°So I guess we made it?¡± a lopsided grin slipped across his face, only to wilt as another spasm of pain ripped through his temple. "We made it," Ihra confirmed. Standing up from the fire, she hurried over to him. "You feeling alright? Any side effects from, well, you know?" Ne?s?u snorted, shifting on the ground to stretch out his legs. "He''ll be fine, Ihra. The man slept damn near a whole day." "Actually," Jasper interjected, "My head''s still throbbing pretty badly. My essence seems to be perfectly full, but I feel like I''m running on empty," he complained. There was a moment of silence from the three warriors before Tsia, the only other mage, piped up. "You consumed some of your soul when fighting the stone mage, didn''t you?" Jasper frowned, not happy at the reminder. "Unfortunately, yes." He knew from what little history of magic he''d been able to learn that the mages of the past had once regularly relied on soul magic. Pretty much all of the great magical works that dotted the land had been constructed by that power, from the sanctums to the portals to the enchanted walls. And as far as he knew, there had been little to no serious side-effects for the mages themselves - unless, of course, you accidentally expired the entirety of their soul, which would kill you. The effects instead had mostly been relegated to the long-term, as the dramatic decrease in magical talent testified. Still, given the throbbing in his head, he was finding it hard to believe that everything was just fine. How the hell did they handle the pain? I barely did anything compared to creating something like a sanctum. His respect for the ancient mages'' abilities increased. Tsia''s lips pursed into a frown. "I know you didn''t get to train very long with my mother...I''m guessing she didn''t teach you how to properly use soul magic?" He wasn''t sure that he would consider his time with Aphora "training," but he didn''t correct the woman. "No," he admitted. "I''ve only used it twice, both times more on instinct than anything else." Her face cleared. "Ah, that''s your problem. You let your subconscious take over, didn''t you?" He nodded, wincing in pain from the movement. Tsia stood up and, after brushing a few crumbs off her skirt, sat down beside him. "Abandoning yourself to your instincts can save you if you''re desperate," she explained, "but it''s a lot easier if you remain in control." She winked at him. "A lot less painful too, but I think we can fix that. Here, let me help you." She didn''t give him to agree before she slipped her hands under his shirt. He squirmed immediately, shocked at how cold they were, and quite frankly, a little bit uncomfortable with the unexpectedly intimate contact. But whatever objections he might have made fell unspoken as he felt her essence worm its way into him. The difference between her essence and his was immediately noticeable. Perhaps, since he knew already what sort of spells she could cast, he was only imagining it, but Jasper could swear he could almost feel the faint sizzle of electricity and the changing, ever-fickle nature of the wind imbued in her essence. His own essence responded to hers almost violently, fire and wind swirling together in a maelstrom. But her essence made him notice something else inside of him, a flavor to his own essence he didn''t entirely recognize. "That''s interesting," she murmured. "But I guess it explains it. Don''t resist," she commanded him, as she began to push more and more essence into him. Her essence into many different tendrils that tugged and pulled at the slightly strange essence in him, splitting it off from the rest. Then she began to push it out of him, and he gasped in surprise as a grey, almost smoky mist leaked from the tattoos on his hands. But the feeling of relief that accompanied it was almost instantaneous. When she finally withdrew her hands, Jasper flashed her a grateful smile.¡°Thanks - I feel a hundred times better already." She shrugged his thanks off. "You saved all of our lives back there - or at least saved us from imprisonment. This was nothing. But before you do this again, I''ve got to teach you how to control the soul magic." He leaned forward interestedly. "You know how?" The princess nodded. "Of course. My father''s mages wouldn''t teach me, but my mother insisted I learn. ''Only use it in life or death situations, but don''t hesitate when it''s necessary,''" she parroted. She wore a grin on her face, but Jasper detected the flash of sorrow in her eyes as she spoke of her mother. "Think of it this way, Jasper - in a fight between a beast and a mage with equal magical prowess, who''s going to win?" "The mage," he responded instantly, and the girl nodded in agreement. "Yep. If you let your subconscious guide the magic, it will do whatever it takes to save you, but it''s not really capable of thought, you know? It''s just pure, animal instinct, and sometimes it can hurt itself - you - in its frenzy. That''s what happened here - it must have drawn more heavily on your father''s heritage than your mother''s which, given your body clearly takes after your mother''s. left you feeling sick." Ze?l-Qabu?ri Jasper blinked. "Huh? My father''s heritage?" She waved her hands impatiently. "Yeah, you know you weren¡¯t born to a virgin, right?¡± His red cheeks hid his embarrassment.¡°Of course not,¡± he snapped.¡°But my father was a Seraph.Why would that cause any problems¡­¡± Jasper¡¯s words trailed off as he realized what he was saying probably wasn¡¯t right. True, he had originally thought Abdiel was his father, but given the timeline, he knew now it was impossible.Abdiel was perhaps his older brother¡¯s father, but he wasn¡¯t his.And though the Seraphs seemed to have some sort of strange connection to him, he didn¡¯t actually know if he was related to them by blood.The memory of his painful bond with the gis?atu tree floated back to him - and his uncle¡¯s suggestion that he was only half-Djinn. Jasper paused a moment to collect his thoughts.Discovering his mother was not quite who he¡¯d thought she was had been an earth-shattering revolution, but he¡¯d had an entire lifetime of not knowing who his father was.He knew he ought to be curious, but he almost didn¡¯t care.He was used to it.Still, he felt compelled to ask.¡°Are you saying you can tell me about him?¡± ¡°Nope!¡±She responded promptly.¡°Other than that grey mist, whatever it was, is probably something you inherited from him.¡±She paused a moment, screwing up her face in thought.¡°Actually, I can hazard a guess as to what it was, at least.The class Kas?dael gave you - watchman or something like that - comes with both fire and spectral spells, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Classes can give you access to spells you don¡¯t share a natural affinity for, but after seeing that mist, I¡¯m guessing Kas?dael was simply capitalizing on your natural talents.I don¡¯t have a clue what race your father came from, but I¡¯m guessing he had a talent for spectral spells.¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± a rather loud and entirely unnatural cough interrupted their conversation.Confused, Jasper glanced over at the interloper. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Perhaps we can discuss the past at another time,¡± Annatta said, more quietly.¡°Are you forgetting the reason we¡¯re here?Each day that passes, the chances the scouts will be killed only grows.¡± Feeling like a chastened toddler, Jasper suppressed the rather petulant response that rose to the tip of his tongue and settled for a brisk nod.¡°Very well,¡± he agreed.¡°My uncle is counting on us.¡±He turned his gaze promptly back to Tsia, and a smile small played along the corners of his lips.¡°So tell me, judging from the very angry father I had to fight, I¡¯m guessing your meeting with the brothel owner didn¡¯t exactly go smoothly.Were you able to learn anything about our missing troops before killing him?¡± Tsia puffed up her chest indignantly.¡°Kill him?I didn¡¯t kill him,¡± she protested. He arched an eyebrow.¡°So the guards were after us because you and he had such a nice chat over tea that he just couldn¡¯t live without getting your phone number?¡± ¡°No-o,¡± she admitted.¡°But I didn¡¯t kill him.Sure he¡¯s short a limb or two at the moment, but it¡¯s nothing a healer can¡¯t grow back.Eventually.¡± Ne?s?u butted in, offering her a supportive nod.¡°Actually, for her, she was surprisingly restrained.Clearly, that scum called the guard after we left, but we did leave him alive - and, we got what we needed.¡± ¡°According to the brothel owner, the scouts had visited the place a few days before.¡±The warrior grinned wryly.¡°You know how it goes - a group of all men wanting to blow off a little steam before heading back into the wilderness.Apparently, one of the scouts stumbled upon one of the prostitutes being beaten up by a few Djiin, men who serve a local chieftain who goes by the name of Leh?malpu.¡±Ne?s?u frowned.¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened next.You would think one of the royal scouts would have been able to hold his own but, evidently, he got beaten up pretty badly and the rest of his crew got arrested in the resulting scuffle.Money was exchanged, bribes were paid, and Leh?malpu¡¯s men absconded with our scouts.¡± ¡°Where did they go?¡±Jasper asked. The man shook his head.¡°The Djinn was a little hazy on the details, but apparently, this Leh?malpu rules over a small city on the far side of the mountain, right at the edge of the true wilderness.¡±The warrior hesitated a moment, and a grimace passed over his lips before he continued.¡°They call the place Ze?l-Qabu?ri.May Va?ya grant that the name isn¡¯t an omen.¡± Jasper frowned, trying to parse out the meaning of the name.Ze?l-Qabu?ri.¡°I don¡¯t recognize the words,¡± he was finally forced to admit. Ne?s?u snorted.¡°I¡¯d be surprised if you would.You¡¯ve only been around northerners and Djinn, but the name is pretty clear in a dialect similar to what I grew up hearing in Sicya.It¡¯s probably not exactly the same, but if I don¡¯t miss my guess, the meaning of the name is something along the lines of ¡®the corpse¡¯s shadow.¡¯Let us hope the soldiers¡¯ corpses are not waiting to greet us.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Of course,¡± Jasper sighed.¡°Of course, it¡¯s something ghastly.What else could I expect?Even if I managed to stumble across a village named Butterfly Crossing, it would probably turn out to be filled with monstrous Monarchs the size of houses, whose every wingbeat summoned a hurricane.¡± He started to laugh, a bitter laugh filled with more frustration than mirth, but when he settled down, he had to admit he felt a little bitter.¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± The village, though on the far side of the mountain, would take no more than a day or two to reach, but Ne?s?u and Tsia had been able to gather very little information about what to expect.Unfortunately for the group, Du?rili? had always been more interested in indulging the lusts of the flesh than traveling the country, and he had never visited this Ze?l-Qabu?ri. But the day passed quickly, the wheel of time turning to the next, and, refreshed, the five set off.It was a more cautious trip than before.After a bit of scouting, they were able to find the main road again, both the road that had led to Du?r-Ekal and the network of winding paths that connected the great fortress to the web of smaller settlements that surrounded it, but they steered clear of the path. Ne?s?u doubted that the city would have sent more guards in pursuit, but it wasn¡¯t worth risking another battle, nor did they wish to give the guards of Ze?l-Qabu?ri notice of their arrival.Thus, as they picked their way through the heavily forested slopes that guarded the roads, their progress was slower than Jasper would have preferred.Still, by nightfall, the first signs of their destination came into view. The settlement was larger than he¡¯d expected.Sitting at the base of the mountain, part of the village was set into a small hollow that was surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs, but the homes had long since expanded past those narrow confines, spilling out on all sides like a bag of burst jellybeans.It was a motley mix of homes, arrayed with no real sign of order or intent, but there were indications that the settlement had, at one point in the past, been built by a much more intentional hand. The chief of those was what Jasper could only assume was also the source of the name - Ze?l-Qabu?ri. Lofted high above the original hollow, held in place by thick chains, was a truly enormous Dore?sah.He had no idea how the colossal corpse had been preserved so perfectly, but it looked as if it was merely asleep, its body showing no signs at all of decomposition. The bird was different from those he had fought.Its size dwarfed both the Patriarch and the Matriarch, and its coloring resembled more the vibrant plumage of the baby birds than the ugly maws of the adults.Bright feathers coated its enormous wings and the whole city was covered by its shade.As long as one didn¡¯t dwell on the fact that it was a corpse, it was actually rather lovely. They stopped for the night well beyond the boundaries of the village, trekking deep into the heart of the forests.They lit no campfire that night, just in case the guards might see the fire and come to investigate, although, frankly, Jasper thought that was a bit of overkill.It wasn¡¯t like they were in forbidden territory after all, even if they were in semi-hostile territory.But he listened to Ne?s?u¡¯s insistence, deciding it was better to be safe than sorry. All they needed now was some intel on the village - and that was Annatta¡¯s time to shine. The moon¡¯s light was barely visible when she finally worked her way free of the tangled pines and aspens that covered the mountain slopes.Even though the village lay at the base of the mountain, they were far higher up the central valley of Harei Miqlat, and the Djinn¡¯s breath rose in steady puffs of vapor in the cool night air as she surveyed the village. Their vigilance, it seemed, had been unnecessary.The security at Ze?l-Qabu?ri was as shoddy as the many rundowns that spilled out of the hollow.A low rampart encircled most of the homes, but the wall had broken down in a number of places, covered in thick vines that made her entry a piece of cake, and there were no signs of any guards left on watch. She snuck in quietly, without meeting even a hint of resistance.The homes, despite their poor condition, were certainly in use.The silent vigil of the night was interrupted by the steady rumble of snoring that drifted through many of the open windows, and she nearly ran headlong into a few drunken villagers who were wandering back to their homes from deeper inside the hollow.There must be a tavern. Still, Annatta faced no real challenges until she reached the hollow.The village occupied a strange quirk of landscape.Unlike a normal ravine, the hollow was nearly circular in shape, a naturally-formed bowl that offered a good deal of protection.The cliffs had been supplemented by ramparts much better crafted than those in the external wall that combined together to provide a decidedly formidable defense - and this time there were guards.Damn it. Pausing in a shadowed alley, she studied their movements for a few minutes, breathing a sigh of relief after a bit.The guards were lazy.Rather than staying at their assigned positions, they merely visited them for a few moments before returning to the closest tower where - if the sounds that drifted out of the loopholes in the wall were any indication - they were indulged in a rather boisterous game of dice. Waiting out their next lackluster patrol, she scaled the wall deftly and dropped down into the true heart of Ze?l Qabu?ri.All she needed to do now was locate where the soldiers were being kept. That proved a more difficult task than she¡¯d expected. The house of the village chieftain was immediately obvious.One of the very few houses in the settlement that was taller than one story, it stood above the others like a man amongst hobbits. The construction was surprisingly elaborate, with a brightly painted mural on its facade that suggested the settlement had had a more prosperous past than present.It depicted a scene of a small group of Djinn slaying a terrifying Dore?sah, which she strongly suspected was the founding myth of the village.But as Anatta snooped around the outskirts of the building, she could find no sign of a dungeon. The village temple was her next stop.If the chieftain wasn¡¯t the one holding the power in the village, than surely it had to be the priests.The temple, too, pointed to better days for the town.A stately colonnade of pillars surrounded a larger-than-life statue of the goddess Ummaddamah.Crafted from black granite, the statue was bedecked with a well-maintained tunic and a crown of fresh-cut woven flowers.Her hands were raised in a position of benediction, and if it had not been for the human skull placed beneath her right foot, the statue would not have looked out of place in the capital.Barbarians. But her search of the temple proved just as fruitless as before.Hauling herself up onto the roof of the temple to get a better look, her eyes scanned the village, looking for any sign of the dungeon.What the hell am I missing?But nothing stood out to her.With a sigh, she dropped back down and headed further into the village.She was running out of ideas. Infiltration It was then that the gods intervened.As she slunk through the overgrown meadow in the town common, she noticed a faint movement in the grass out of the corner of her eye.That wasn¡¯t unusual in itself.The tall, greenish-grey grass that covered most of the common wherever the livestock hadn¡¯t trimmed it down was swaying gently in the wind that descended from the mountain¡¯s peak, but this movement was different - a few blades of grass that moved against the wind. She wrote it off as a small critter, probably just a mouse, and took a few more cautious steps forward, her eyes continuing to scan for any signs of the village¡¯s dungeon.But with each step she walked away from the little creature, a nagging feeling in her chest blossomed more and more rapidly, an overwhelming sense bordering on a compulsion that she must go back and investigate the movement in the grass.With a muffled sigh, she gave in to the feeling.Turning around, she silently crept through the swaying meadow. The unnatural movement was hard to track.Whatever was causing it was small enough that only the callowest blades of grass were disturbed by its passing, and it took her a few moments of watching before she zeroed in on it again.After that, it was a simple matter to catch it.Not giving it any chance to escape, she pounced on the creature as soon as she spotted it, her hands gripping tightly around it, but to her surprise, it offered no resistance and felt strangely hard. Crouching low to the ground, she opened her hand and examined her prize.It was a small, rather crudely formed clay tortoise.Just like the votive S?arra?bi? showed us.It was a welcome sight - proof positive that they were indeed in the right place, but it still didn¡¯t tell her where the dungeon was.The little trinket was too small to have left a traceable path through the brush.Fortunately, that didn¡¯t matter. This wasn¡¯t magic, after all.This was the gods'' power.Annatta set the tortoise back down in the grass and bowed her head - not to the votive, but to the god enlivening it.¡°Lady Ummadammah,¡± she murmured softly, ¡°Take me to your captured child.¡± For a moment, the tortoise stood as still as the clay it was crafted from.But then a faint pinprick of light glowed in its hollowed-out eyes as it slowly, deliberately, turned around and waddled back in the direction it had come from.The pace was anything but fast - the little clay tortoise was definitely faster than its fleshy kin, but it certainly wasn¡¯t going to be winning any races - and she tried to suppress her impatience as she followed close behind it, scooting a few feet per minute at a time. It was hard not to shoot nervous glances at the clouded-over moon whose face was already beginning to slip again behind the horizon.There were still a few hours before night would end, but day was approaching fast. ¡°Lady Ummadammah,¡± she whispered again.¡°Is there any chance you can speed this up?If I can find the dungeon quickly, we still might be able to free the prisoners before the night is up.¡± The tortoise paused and, with its right foot still suspended in mid-air, craned its little head to look back at her.Hope surged in her heart as she awaited whatever miracle the goddess was sure to perform.Then it shook its head slowly from right to left.No words entered her mind, but the message was clear enough.Turning its head back, the tortoise continued its slow plod across the commons. It led her past the temple and the village chieftain¡¯s house.It led her past the other fine homes that were clustered around the manor, where whoever passed for nobility in the little settlement doubtless resided.And it led her past even the more common homes until she reached a downright decrepit neighborhood that bordered the back of the cliff wall. The homes here were in shambles.Large chunks of their walls and roofs were missing, with charred edges and soot-stained mortar that told the story clear enough.The trees were blackened skeletons, though a few bright green saplings that dotted the ground served as a testament to nature¡¯s resilience.And there too, hidden in the shadow of the cliff, was a three-story facade carved straight into the stone. The front was scorched with burn marks, and the apertures that had once ensconced delicate windows were now thoroughly bricked up, but there was something else there that she hadn¡¯t seen elsewhere in the village - two guards posted at the door whose eyes were actually alert and watchful. She shrunk back into the foliage immediately, waiting with bated breath to see if the silent night would soon be shattered by the shouts and cries of the guards, but she had gotten lucky.They hadn¡¯t seen her. With its task fulfilled, the little tortoise waddled back toward her and nudged her leg with its head.Unsure what it wanted, she reached down and picked it up.The pinpricks of light in its eyes glowed more brightly, and she quickly clasped her other hand over it.A brief tingle ran across her palm, a trickle of essence from the votive, and when she lifted her hand again the light had gone out.She had a feeling the next time she meditated, she would find a blessing from the goddess on her status, and she bowed her head in thankfulness.Now to prove I¡¯m worthy of it. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. She tucked the tortoise into her bag and weighed her options.The plan had been for her to find the dungeon, count the guards, and then hurry back to the group with the hopes of completing the rescue in one fell sweep, but she could tell that plan was dead.Already, the night was beginning to lighten and soon Shamsha¡¯s rays would crest the mountain peaks. Her eyes flitted across the facade, honing on an aperture where it was clear the brickwork had been recently damaged.The opening had only been partially rebricked, and a small gap was left at the top that looked wide enough for her to wriggle through.She hesitated a moment, considering just heading back to the group. There was a real risk of getting trapped, and she had no desire to join the scouts in their cells.However, she hadn¡¯t gathered the intel she needed to know.The facade might be burn-out now, but she could still tell that it had once been an impressive edifice, and it was difficult to guess just how deep into the cliff it might stretch.And then there was the question of the guards. Just two stood outside, but more were likely hidden inside. No, she decided reluctantly, I need to get inside.Her gaze swept back to the two guards standing at the front day.Try as she might, she could see no way of reaching the broken window without being spotted by them. Her hands drifted to the knives strapped to her waist, fondling their grips.It would be a simple enough matter to take them out and, frankly, she itched to do so.The S?addu¡¯a disgusted her - savage brutes who rejected everything she believed in and sullied the good name of the Djinn.Their deaths would be no loss.But¡­. She let the blades drop back into their sheaths.Killing the guards would undoubtedly attract too much attention.No, she needed something subtler. Placing her pouch on the ground, she rooted in its depths until she found what she was looking for.A small glass orb, only an inch or so in width, was perfect save for the small hole on one side.She pulled out two small vials, one with a pinkish-looking powder, the other with a clear liquid that, if held up in just the right light would glow with a faint greenish hue, and set them down on the ground.A small cork plug was next, and then she was ready. The powder and liquid were quickly combined, and her hands flew like lightning as she hastened to snap the cork in place.Annatta shook the mixture up and watched in satisfaction as vapor began to swirl around the small glass bulb.Then, she took careful aim. The small grenade flew true.With the tinkle of breaking glass, it smashed into the grass about a foot away from the guard on the left.Both of them responded immediately, one bending down to examine the source of the noise while the other stood watch beside him, furtively searching for any signs of an attacker. ¡°It¡¯s nothing but a bit of glass¡­¡±A soft slur crept into the guard¡¯s words as he examined the mysterious object, completely unaware of the gas that crept unhindered through his armor.His mate breathed in it, too, and when the two retook their posts, it was already working its way through their systems. Annatta waited a few minutes before sticking a cautious hand out of the brush.There was no reaction from the guards.They stood at attention, their backs as stiff as board, their eyes wide open, but the alertness was gone, replaced by a dull, vacant stare.She smiled.The dubbubis? potion had done the trick. She dashed quickly across the clearing, knowing she was on a timer.The potion only lasted for a few minutes before dissipating, leaving the guards entirely unaware of their brief lapse save, perhaps, for a slight headache.She scaled the facade quickly and pulled herself into the opening on the second floor.Dropping down onto the ground, a grin split her face. A narrow hallway stretched in front of her, filled with row upon row of barred doors.She had found the prison, and the dumb mountain Djinn had even seen fit to provide a convenient exit.Things were looking up. She slipped down the hall as silently as a wraith.Her footfalls made no sound on the chipped stone, and even her breathing was so controlled that none save the sharpest of ears could have detected even a trace of it.The prisoners in the cells were not blind, however. Gasps and cries for help rang out as she passed, most of them, fortunately, muffled almost as soon as they began as the prisoners realized the folly of raising a ruckus at their potential savior.One of them was clearly possessed of less sense than the others, banging on the bars while screaming for help.She silenced him immediately, striking him hard in the temple with the pommel of her blade.He fell mutely to the ground; whether dead or alive she could not tell. But she hadn¡¯t found her quarry yet.The prisoners here were a motley mix of Djinn and their mountain brethren, with a heavy percentage of men of a certain age that suggested to her that the villagers of Ze?l-Qabu?ri were preying on merchant caravans.I doubt the lord of Du?r-E?kal would be too happy to learn about that.She filed the suspicion away for the moment, wondering if it could be used for leverage in the future.But she still had not found the scouts. A hundred feet passed, and then another hundred before she finally stumbled across them.The first two she encountered were an odd pairing.On the one side was a young lad who leaped to the door with eyes full of hope corrupted by bitter doubt.He seemed vaguely familiar to her for some reason, and despite the ragged scouting uniform he wore, a veritable cloud of essence seemed to surround him.A mage?She dismissed the thought immediately.No mage would be wasted in the scouts. On the other side was a much older man.He made no move to rise and beseech her for release, no move at all safe to offer a quiet nod of his head.A calm, confident light shone in his eyes, and in his hands, Annatta spied the unfinished start of a clay deer.The votive maker. She paused, crouching down beside him. ¡°It seems your goddess has sent you some help.What can you tell me about the guards?¡± A Gallu? in the Night ¡°Wake up.¡±Jasper awoke to a gentle nudge against his shoulder, and the cold, wet kiss of the early morning dew.Suppressing the grumble that immediately sprang to his lips, he nodded cordially to Tsia as she laid down and he rose to take his turn at the watch. Swinging his arms from side to side, he shook out the aches and pains one accumulated from sleeping on the ground.Then he took his place at the edge of the camp, turning his eyes toward the village.There was no sign of movement there and, frankly, he doubted there was much need for a watch at all, but¡­better than sorry.It was sort of cliche, he knew, but Jasper had already died once.He had no desire to die again over something stupid, like underestimating a bunch of village hicks. The night air on the mountain was a cool that bordered on cold.He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how long he¡¯d been in Corsythia now - and the constant changing of biomes had not helped him keep track of the seasons - but the air reminded him of the crisp cold of a late October night.Like one of Pavlov¡¯s dogs, the mere thought gave birth to a sudden craving for jack o¡¯lanterns, scarecrows, and - most of all - a piping hot pumpkin spice latte.Probably never have that again. The thought was rather melancholy, and he wondered if pumpkins existed here.He certainly hadn¡¯t seen anything but Corsythia was a pretty big place, and they even had some sort of contact with Earth.So there¡¯s hope. Jasper lost track of time as he stared at the village, his thoughts ebbing and flowing with no discernible pattern.There were no signs of activity in Ze?l-Qabu?ri, no frantic yells or lighting of torches that signified an intruder had been discovered, and he took that as a good sign.But as the hours stretched on without Annatta¡¯s return, he couldn¡¯t help but be a touch concerned about her. It took him a while to realize he was being watched.An embarrassingly long while.It started slow, nothing but a faint pricking on the nape of his neck that, in his idle state, he failed to fully acknowledge.But the sensation lingered so long that, eventually, he had to notice.Craning his neck around, he found he had a visitor. ¡°Holy crap!¡±Jasper lurched backward violently, and his foot caught against one of the roots of the tree he had been leaning against, sending him tumbling to the ground.He sprang to his feet immediately. ¡°Watch out!¡±He tried to warn them, but though he could hear his voice, there was a strange quality to it he could not identify, and there were no signs of any response from his friends.They can¡¯t hear me.Slowly, warily, Jasper settled into a crouch, keeping his eyes glued to the visitor.His heart raced like a steam engine about to explode, but he didn''t dare look away. A porcelain face glowed in the dying moonlight, with a set of chestnut brown eyes that he had once known better than his own.The little being held a ratty doll clutched tightly in one arm. What the hell is she doing here?Wasn¡¯t she bound to the island? The gall? smiled broadly at him, revealing a set of teeth that, much like a young child¡¯s, had a few conspicuous gaps, and stretched her other arm to him.He flinched back, fearing her touch.He didn¡¯t know if his aunt¡¯s information was entirely accurate, but the elf had said their touch was death.But in the darkness, he had failed to see what her hand was holding: a small, sealed package. He eyed the package suspiciously, utterly baffled by the offering.Why would this spirit want to give me anything? And what?He didn¡¯t particularly want to offend the creepy little girl, but for all he knew it was just a ruse to get him to put his hand close to her skin. She held her arm out obstinately, the wide smile still pasted on her lips.If she wanted me dead, she could have killed me three times already, he decided and gave in. The gall? made no move to touch him as he claimed the package, and he reluctantly tore his eyes away from her to examine it. It was a small parcel, wrapped in a thin bolt of leather and tied with coarse string.It was entirely unremarkable save for one small detail: a paw print of a wolf embossed into the leather.His brow wrinkled.Barbartu again?Is she controlling this thing? Jasper¡¯s gaze snapped back to the little girl, but the space was empty and there was no sign that she had ever been there, not even a footprint.No sign save for the package he held. His hands shook as he wrestled with the string until, unable to untie the knot, he snapped them in two. The leather unrolled, releasing two objects: something heavy that landed by his foot, and a letter that fluttered in the wind.Snatching the letter out of the air, he opened it up quickly, curiosity burning in his heart. To the mewling cub, If you follow the Seraphs into battle against the Brotherhood of Yas?gah, you will die.You should follow them. A bemused smile crossed his lips as he read the line again.What the hell?Is she trying to scare me?He read on. I know you likely think of me as your enemy, but ask yourself this question - why have I spared your life so many times?The Brotherhood does not see eye to eye on many matters; all wish to see you die, myself included- He stopped reading, staring incredulously at the letter.Seriously?You were just claiming not to be my enemy.Shaking his head in disbelief, he started up again.-but there is a fundamental difference between them and me.They wish to see you die the eternal death, to see your soul consumed in sacrifice to the rising goddess.I wish to see you die so that you may live. Stolen novel; please report. He rolled his eyes.Got it. So you¡¯re just crazy. Two paths lay before you.Tell your uncle of the Brotherhood¡¯s plot against you, and he will send you away from this province now.No sacrifice will be required, but you will fail to prevent Yas?gah¡¯s ascension. Or, you can stay.Follow the Seraphs in their raid and descend into the darkness. You will die, but the nature of that death is up to you.Will you choose the lure of power or accept the call of sacrifice?When the time comes, I hope you¡¯ll find my gift useful. A paw print marked the end of the letter, in place of a signature.Jasper read the letter again, struggling to make sense of her message.He couldn¡¯t quite decide if she was actually trying to help, if she was trying to trick him into killing himself, or if she was just plain crazy.Giving up on puzzling it out, he bent down and retrieved the object that had fallen to the ground. It was a thick torc. Its woven bands of silver gleamed brightly despite the fading moonlight, and when he examined closer, he saw a thin string of letters, barely visible to the sight, engraved on the inside.Anaddin da?mi? lers?e?ti ki? aklam.Li?kulu? mutu? u lu?li ki? darr? a?kilu ba?rbara. ¡°I offer my blood to the netherworld as food.May the dead eat of it so that I might arise as a sheep that consumes the wolf.¡±Damn, she really is crazy.The words seem barely better than gibberish - although, with the apparent references to some sort of blood rites, he had a feeling there was a meaning to them he just didn¡¯t understand.Grabbing his bag of Dapplegrim, he started to stuff the necklace inside, but paused, second-guessing himself.Should I wear it? Jasper had no idea what Barbartu¡¯s game was at this point.But she didn¡¯t exactly seem to want to harm him.Sure, she wanted him to die so that he might live, whatever the hell that meant, but she didn¡¯t want him to die now.She seemed to think she was giving him something valuable, something that would give him a choice, and not knowing quite what to do, Jasper decided to try the torc on. He attached it gingerly around his neck, and his hands lingered on the clasp.He half-expected to immediately feel the tingle of the fey charm on his wrist as it sought to fight off some mind-control effect the torc had been enchanted with, but the charm stayed quiet.The silver necklace felt cool against his skin, slightly cooler than seemed entirely natural, but aside from that there seemed to be no obvious effects.He waited a few minutes but noticed nothing off.He took the necklace off and again felt no difference. Finally, he decided not to decide.He would consult with the others when they awoke and until then, he simply slipped it into his pocket. After that, Jasper returned to his futile watch over the village.Nothing had changed while he¡¯d been distracted.There were still no signs of watchful guards and, much to his concern, by the time the sun had risen, there was also no sign of Annatta.Thus when the others rose at the first light of day, he had much to discuss. ¡°Where¡¯s Annatta?¡± Ihra asked promptly, stretching herself out with a yawn. He shook his head.¡°Not sure.There¡¯s been no commotion in the village though, so hopefully¡­¡± Ne?s?u grunted.¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about her.She may not be the best warrior among us, but she¡¯s a competent enough rogue.She probably just ran into some unexpected roadblocks.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°You¡¯re probably right.And speaking of unexpected encounters¡­¡±He fished the necklace out of his pocket.¡°I had a rather unusual delivery last night.Look what the gall? brought me.¡± ¡°The what?!¡±The energy around the camp shifted as the three others immediately sprang to alert.¡°We were visited by a gall? and you didn¡¯t wake us?¡± ¡°I tried.¡±Jasper offered them a lopsided grin.¡°I screamed at you all to wake up but apparently y¡¯all couldn¡¯t hear me and by the time she left, I figured you might as well sleep.But that¡¯s not the most interesting part.¡±He tossed the necklace and the letter on the ground.¡°The gall? was apparently bringing me a message - and a gift - from Barbartu. Ihra¡¯s brows gathered in concern.¡°Barbartu?Why would she send you a gift?¡± He nudged the letter with his foot.¡°Read that.Maybe it will make more sense to you than to me.And Tsia, do you think you can examine the necklace?You¡¯re a more skilled mage than I.¡± She shrugged.¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that Jasper.¡±She offered him a teasing grin.¡°I¡¯m definitely more powerful than you, but you¡¯ve come up with some pretty clever tricks.Magic seems to come naturally to you.But I can look at it.¡± Picking up the necklace, she examined it carefully for some time, probing at it with her essence.Eventually, she tossed it back on the ground.¡°I¡¯m no expert on enchantments, but I can''t detect any enchantment on it at all.¡±She frowned.¡°There is something about the torc that seems a little strange though.It¡¯s almost like¡­ it''s asleep or something, and it¡¯s just waiting to be woken up.. It''s probably safe to wear.¡± Ihra shook her head emphatically.¡°That woman tried to have you killed!¡± she reminded Jasper, referencing the letter the Seraphs had found in the Keeper¡¯s office. "Why on earth would you wear anything she gave you?" ¡°Maybe it was just some sort of miscommunication," he countered. he didn¡¯t technically say to kill me; she said something like ¡®take care¡¯ of me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a euphemism for murder,¡± Ihra replied flatly. Jasper grimaced.She had a point but at the same time¡­ ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she kill me when she had the chance?She beat me up at the temple, and let me go. I don''t know how she controls that gallu?, but that demon could have killed me three times now and, again, each time she''s let me go.Not only did she not kill me, she saved our lives, Ihra.Do you really think we could have chased off that utukku on our own?¡± Ihra scowled, picking at her feet. ¡°Maybe she just didn¡¯t want to let someone else kill you. By the void, Jasper ¨C she straight up said she wants you to die. What more proof do you need?¡± Bending down, he picked up the torc Tsia had discarded and rolled it between his fingers. Do I trust Babartu? The answer came to him almost immediately: no. But to some extent, he did believe what she had said. Ihra was right ¨C the strange woman made no attempt to hide the fact that she wanted him to die. If that was an attempt at deception, it was a truly incompetent one. No, Jasper believed what Barbartu had written. She didn¡¯t want to kill him herself; she wanted him to die in the right way - to choose to die. His decision made, he carefully slipped the torc back around his neck and fastened the binding. Makeshift Plans With the question of the torc decided, there was nothing to do but wait for Annatta''s return. But the morning slipped into the afternoon in silence, and when the afternoon gave way in turn to the gathering dusk with no sign of the Djinn, the group began to concerned. But when the three discussed going after her, Ne?s?u persuaded them to wait. ¡°She must have run into some unexpected trouble,¡± he reassured them, ¡°but the Djinn is a professional and these yokels¡± he sneered, ¡°are not. Just have a little faith.¡± It was against his better judgment, but Jasper allowed himself to be persuaded by the older man''s words. In truth, he didn¡¯t particularly like Ne?s?u. The warrior was only there because of Tsia, and Jasper knew he would happily sacrifice them all if it meant saving his ward, which made it hard, if not impossible, to truly trust him. But there was also no doubt in Jasper''s mind that Ne?s?u was the most skilled warrior in the group. As a veteran of the Imperial Guard - the true elite of the Empire - who had retired to serve the king of Sapiya, the older man had probably seen more action than all of them put to guard. If Ne?s?u trusted in Annatta¡¯s abilities, then he would too. Thus, by the time the first watch of the night rolled around, the group was still waiting for the Djinn''s return. Since Jasper had taken the later slot the night before, this time he got the first watch. He took his post at the edge of the woods while the other members of his team curled up against their mounts to drift off to sleep. It was another dark night, with the moon mostly obscured by the clouds, and the only light he could see provided by the distant, twinkling lights of the village. Now and then he¡¯d see a wandering light move in a set pattern ¨C most likely some guard¡¯s torch ¨C but other than that, there was nothing for him to focus on. With the others asleep, the isolation and darkness began to prey on his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he could not shake the strong impression that a creepy little girl was standing just behind him. Or maybe she was watching him from the woods, totally hidden behind the trees save for the tiniest sliver of an eye peeping from behind a trunk. It was sheer paranoia - at least that¡¯s what he tried to tell himself - but Jasper''s attempts to reassure himself felt a bit hollow. How did the gall? find me? Has she been stalking me the whole time? They were the sort of questions you shouldn''t ask yourself, especially on a dark, cold night. Finally giving into his paranoia, Jasper glanced over his shoulder. The woods were empty, and he breathed a sigh of relief. But the air caught in his throat as he saw something else at the edge of his vision. It was a peaceful night; the stars and moon were hidden behind a thick layer of clouds and there was barely any wind at all, but Jasper had seen a clump of tall grass move. He watched the area like a hawk for any further sign of movement; his heart raced wildly, but he ignored it as he began to pool a spell on the tip of his fingers. Probably just an animal. The grass shook again, and he stormed forward aggressively, determined to banish the fear from his heart. Shooting Star waited on the edge of his fingertips, just in case, but he doubted it was necessary. But when he yanked the grass aside, prepared to blast his foe into eternity, it was neither the gall? nor an animal ¨C unless a clay animal counted. A small, crudely shaped deer stopped walking and craned its head up to look at him. It¡¯s one of those votives, he realized. Bending down, Jasper picked the deer up and flipped it on its belly. His eyes scanned the message written there quickly, and his previous fear was replaced with a grin. Looks like we¡¯ve got our marching orders. Tossing the deer in his bag, he turned back to the camp and raised his voice. ¡°Ihra, Tsia ¨C time to get up!¡± A chorus of groans met him.
Annatta was regretting her decision to explore the rest of the prison. Well, maybe regret was too strong of a word, but it had certainly proved to be a questionable choice. She¡¯d been excited when she¡¯d stumbled upon the scouts. That enthusiasm had quickly dampened when she¡¯d heard about the casualties. Apparently, the half-patched window she¡¯d used to slip inside was the site of a failed prison break. Three of the scouts had managed to bust open their doors and break through to the outside, but that was as far as they had made it before the guards caught up. Now there were five dead scouts ¨C the three who tried to escape, and two more who had been executed afterward as a demonstration of the risks of angering the S?addu¡¯a. Bastards. Her lip curled in an angry sneer, but she held her emotions in check. They¡¯d get what was coming to them - she''d make sure of it. Unfortunately, however, her interrogation of the imprisoned votive-maker had been interrupted by the sounds of rapidly approaching footfalls. That was when she¡¯d made a mistake. Her eyes darted up and down the hallway, down to the broken window she¡¯d climbed through, and up to a smaller passage that branched off the main cell block. The passage was nearby and the window was quite far down the hall. Afraid the guards would arrive before she could reach the exit, she''d scampered to the closer passage. She made it with only a few seconds to spare. Four guards entered the prison block, three carrying baskets heaped high with crusty bread while the fourth was burdened with a half-dozen flagons of water. The S?addu¡¯a villagers were a ragged bunch, but she was reluctantly forced to admit that they were not actually as shabby as she¡¯d hoped. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. While most only sported breastplates and helmets rather than a proper set of armor, the pieces they wore were well-tended to, cleaned and polished so thoroughly they practically sparkled. Clearly either the guards'' commander or the village chief had some experience with actual martial training, and passed it on to their crew. Begrudingly, she had to give the barbarians a little respect. But the care they showed their equipment was not extended to their prisoners. Rolls of bread were carelessly tossed onto the dirty floor before the cells, while water was poured into outraised cups. In a matter of minutes, they had walked down the entire line of prisoners and returned to where they had started. It was then that things became truly inconvenient. Rather than returning down the hall they¡¯d come for, the guards gathered up the now-empty baskets and headed down the small passageway, straight in her direction. Crap. Sticking to the shadows, Annatta fled down the hall as quickly as she could while still striving to maintain absolute silence. She reached the end and was faced with a split. One small passage branched to the right, while a larger tunnel continued to the left. Forced to make a decision, she dashed down the one to the right. The narrow passage offered few places to hide, but when she heard the sounds of the guards¡¯ footsteps approaching the turnoff, Annatta quickly ducked behind a supporting pillar and waited in its shadow. She held her breath and waited for the guards¡¯ footsteps to drift off into the distance. Instead, much to her horror, the patter of feet and chatter of the guards turned toward her. Her options were rather limited now. Annatta was reasonably skilled at stealth, but without any magic skills to draw on, there was no way she could simply disappear, nor were than any places in the tunnel that offered a truly secure hiding spot. She could see only one solution ¨C the one she had hoped to avoid. Damn it. But Annatta was nothing if not decisive. She thrust her hand deep into her bag, feeling around for one of the many pockets she knew were sewn into the side. The first one was wrong, but in the second she found what she was looking for. Tearing the compartment open, she retrieved two small glass balls. They were pre-made this time and swirled with a dull, charcoal-grey liquid. She flicked them down the hall in the direction of the guards and pulled the hem of her shirt above her mouth into a makeshift mask. The tinkle of breaking glass echoed down the hallway, followed by the guard''s cry of surprise. ¡°What the hell are-¡± the S?addu''a?''s words were caught off by a fit of smoking, and she tore herself free from her hiding spot. A cloud of thick black smoke had consumed the guards and was rapidly expanding down the tunnel. She probably hadn''t really needed to sacrifice two of the very expensive smoke bombs, but things had not been going her way the last few minutes, and Annatta wanted to ensure that none of them could break free and raise the alarm. She charged toward the smoke, still careful to be as silent as possible, and unsheathed her blades. The prison guards had been trained better than she¡¯d expected, but they hadn¡¯t been trained to fight an opponent they could neither see nor hear. The first guard was eliminated before they even realized they were being attacked. His shiny breastplate and helmet did nothing to protect his exposed neck. The dagger in her left hand, its edge slightly curved and gleaming with a waxy poison, tore through the tendons and veins like they were barely even there, while the one in her right whistled through the air toward the next guard. Unfortunately, the first guard didn¡¯t die immediately. His strangled cry as he choked on his own blood alerted the second one. To his credit, the S?addu''a? reacted swiftly, turning to his side to present a smaller target. It wasn¡¯t enough to spare him entirely, but instead of landing a killing blow straight through the throat, Annatta¡¯s blade lodged itself in the small space between the neck and collarbone. He stepped forward, and his arm reached out to grab her.She twisted the blade in, digging deeper, and his arm dropped limply.Her left hand tore the blade free from the first guard and swept it across the second¡¯s neck.Two down. But the other two Djinn had heard the sounds of combat.Possessed of more sense - or perhaps it was just cowardice - than she¡¯d expected, the two in back simply turned tail and fled.Their footsteps echoed loudly in the narrow hall and Annatta gave chase, pushing through the black smoke that obscured her vision. The black smoke had stretched far down the tunnel by now, thanks to the second ball she¡¯d committed, and the guards had yet to break free.She ran silently, allowing the sounds of their steps to act like a homing beacon through the darkness.The fourth guard had looked a bit young, and his age soon showed as she caught up with him almost immediately.Poor bastard simply doesn¡¯t have the stats to keep up.She took care of his problem promptly.In the smoke, her first strike failed to cut cleanly through his jugular, but the second finished the deed. Another scream echoed through the hallway, and the steps in front of her quickened.She sped up too, forced now to abandon her attempts at silence.The guard ahead of her was clearly more experienced, his stats allowing him to nearly match her pace.So he made it out of the smoke, made it past the tunnel turnoff, and dashed back toward the prisoners, bellowing at the top of his lungs.¡°Intruder!Intruder!¡± His warning cries were cut off as surely as his mates¡¯ had been, but the damage had been done.Shouts and cries echoed throughout the compound as the alarm was raised, and when she reached the broken window, there were dozens of guards milling about outside. Annatta was faced with a choice: try to make a dash for freedom through the mob, or find a safe place to hole up and wait for things to die down. It was an easy decision. As her instructors at the As?rukkat had drilled into her, time and time again, ¡°Always play to your strengths.¡±Annatta was a decent fighter with her blades, but her skills were better suited to the shadows.She turned back toward the depths of the prison, determined to find a hiding place. But before she left the prison block, she had had just one stop to make - just long enough for a quick chat with a certain votive maker. So Called Victory It took several hours of sitting by the fire before the warmth began to creep into Eligon¡¯s extremities.He hadn¡¯t even known he was cold until his men dragged him from the womb of the earth, hadn¡¯t felt the chill of death that had silently stolen up his limbs until, all at once, he¡¯d collapsed like a puppet with its strings sliced through. The group waited there patiently, in the strange, hot crater that barred the path to ¨¦gidim until the worst of the shivers had passed.There were no attempts at conversation; Eligon was in no mood to share and his guards were savvy enough to recognize it.Instead, the time ticked by in silence until enough strength had returned to his legs that he could stand.Then his servants fetched him new clothes from his bag - clothes not marred by mud and frost - and the group began the hike back up the mountain to the waiting portal. The unnatural heat of the sunken valley quickly gave way to the frosty peaks of the Almakkarian range.The path they had forged through the thick snow mere hours before was already all but blotted out, their footsteps refilled from the nigh perpetual flurries and winds that swirled on the frozen crests, and Eligon was more than glad when the tall spires of the portal finally loomed through the haze. At? was waiting for them.The man¡¯s coat was crusted over with snow and ice, and his lips were a shade of blue not entirely healthy, but he had already prepared everything in their absence.He¡¯d erected barriers to block out the worst of wind and etched a runic pattern deep into the ice. Lined with the appropriate powders, everything was ready to power up the portal. The mage took his position at the circle and glanced expectantly at Eligon.¡°The crystal, my lord?¡± Reluctantly, the emperor rifled through his bag and withdrew what the mage was asking - an essence crystal worth enough gold to buy a manor back home.He hesitated a moment before tossing it to the man, thinking of all the provisions for troops it could buy, but it was necessary. At? could open the portal just fine without the crystal¡¯s help, but the mage couldn¡¯t cross through the portal while simultaneously powering it.In the end, it pained him to waste the crystal, but runic mages were too rare to simply be abandoned on distant mountaintops - the journey back could take months. At? snatched it out of the air and bowed gratefully.Then he bent down and slotted the crystal into the formation.As he circulated a little of his own essence into the rock, the crystal began to glow, the light spreading along the lines of the rune until the portal flared to life. Eligon¡¯s men trotted through the portal one after the other, but the emperor waited to let the mage pass first.He trusted At? more or less, but the man was a Sicyan and after more than a century under off-and-on Zalancthian control, the loyalty of many natives to the southern provinces was more mixed than one might hope.When the Zalancthians had conquered the capital city, so too had they gained access to the vast hoards of wealth the empire had accumulated over the millennia, so the prices they were able to offer were always higher than Eligon could match, and as the saying goes, ¡°money talks.¡± It was only after the runic mage had crossed to the other side that Eligon joined his men.The icy gusts of wind fell away as he stepped down into the abandoned tower, but the air inside was far chillier than it should have been, the sort of damp cold that clings to your bones like glue.His heart rate ratcheted up as his eyes swept across the room, filled with an unspoken fear that was quickly confirmed. There was no sign of Mer?m, the runic mage they had left behind.Her possessions lay beside a burn-out fire, one that had died down so thoroughly that even its ashes were cold as stone, but the room was otherwise empty. Unlike At?, Eligon had no fear that Mer?m had run away - the emperor knew her better than that.The runic mage was a villager he¡¯d personally recruited from his family¡¯s ancestral lands in the northern Almakkarian range.She was as loyal as they came, and he knew she¡¯d rather die than abandon her post. His eyes landed on the third side of the tower - the side that led into the abandoned fortress.A thin, black pair of doors stretched high along the wall, many times higher than any human had need of, and the left one was cracked slightly ajar. No, Mer?m had not run away.She had been taken. Damn it - I warned her to set up a protective shield.Eligon sighed as he ran his fingers through his thick curls.His hair was sopping wet from the melting snow and, ignoring the worried stares from the men waiting for his orders, he shook the moisture off as best as he could as he thought through his options.Do I risk it? Eligon knew all too well what lurked in the shadows of A?lmakkar¡¯s once mighty fortress.With the city abandoned, there weren¡¯t too many travelers that passed this way any longer, so when the reports of the missing had slowly trickled in, it had taken some time to attract the Empire¡¯s attention but, eventually, they had noticed. The commander at Du?r-S?ad¨º had despatched a troop to investigate, but the soldiers found the fallen fortress empty.There were no beasts to slay, no monsters to kill.The large pile of bones, whose ends had been gnawed off and whose marrow had been sucked dry told a poignant story of the being who haunted the fortress - a s?izbu. The troops had staked out the fortress for nearly a month, but the creature had not returned and eventually they were forced to return to Du?r-S?ad¨º with empty hands.The killings had stopped for a time, and Eligon had thought the creature must have moved on, but, clearly, he¡¯d been wrong. With a sigh, he dropped his bag on the ground and began to pull his armor out.¡°Get suited up, boys.We¡¯ve got a battle ahead.¡± An hour later, the nine filtered through the black doors.A deep gloom hung over the ruined halls.Here and there, the enchanted lights still worked, but many had been destroyed when the Fey armies sacked the city, and signs of that battle loomed all around them - the walls were scorched and battered, riven with deep cuts and cracks, but for all the damage they had taken, the ancient enchantments still held strong. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Their progress was slow, and his men were paranoid.To their frightened eyes, the s?izbu lurked in every shadow, stalking in them every creak of the wind and stone. Eligon, though, was calm.He''d fought a s?izbu once before - one he¡¯d once called a friend.Maris? in the guard. The Fey had been exiled from his homeland and, disdaining the Zalancthians'' ineptitude at magic, had eventually made his way up north to the Empire. It was unusual for a Fey to join the guard, but he''d proved his loyalty time and again and the two''d become close. But something had happened on a hunting trip in the mountains. There were differing opinions on what caused the change - a possessing ghost, a vicious curse, or some sort of undiagnosed illness - but the symptoms were always the same. The changeling would become obsessed with the need for marrow, and animal marrow just wouldn''t suffice to quell their craving. Maris? had hidden his symptoms well. Perhaps he was a bit more withdrawn than unusual but no one - not his friends, his family, not even his commander who should have seen the signs had noticed anything wrong until the day the need for marrow overcame him.On that day, Eligon''s friend died and the s?izbu was born, the beast who slaughtered his wife and newborn child, drank their blood, and fed on their bones before fleeing into the wilderness. It wasn¡¯t the duty of the empire¡¯s heir to hunt down the monster, but when the adventuring party was formed, Eligon had insisted on going, and it was his mace that dealt the final blow. Several hours of searching ensued; the abandoned castle was a labyrinth of winding staircases and narrow halls that made their progress slow.The lower floors were filled with cramped barracks that had once housed the city¡¯s guards, while the upper gave way to more luxurious tenements, but as they scaled higher and higher up the tower, the soldiers no signs of the creature - none of the blood and bones that Eligon expected to see around every corner. He was beginning to wonder if he''d been mistaken, that perhaps some other monster had moved into the tower and abducted his missing mage when the smell hit him.As he crossed the threshold into the tower''s final floor, the damp, cold air that filled his nostrils was rank with the gut-wrenching scent of rotted flesh and defiled blood. Nearly overpowered by the stench, Eligon wretched out the contents of his stomach, his men quickly succumbing too.But as he wiped his mouth dry, hope was rekindled in his heart.The s?izbu was here - if they hurried, perhaps they could still save Mer?m. Pulling his mace free, the emperor charged through the empty rooms with reckless abandon.One hall after another was left in his dust, each as empty as the first, but the smell continued to worsen.And then, as he breached into the long-abandoned steward''s hall, Eligon¡¯s hopes were dashed. A misshapen beast of green and white was hunched on all fours in the middle of the room.The hair was long and matted, a blonde that looked almost brown from dirt and filth. The s?izbu was hunched over a crumpled form, and its long, dagger-like claws were dug deep into its victim''s chest. A head lolled on the ground nearby, with a wide set of familiar brown eyes staring back at him. Damn it. Time slowed to crawl as Eligon weighed his options.The beast glanced up at the approaching soldiers but ignored them, too preoccupied with sucking the marrow dry to care about anything else.He knew killing the s?izbu wouldn¡¯t bring Mer?m back. He knew, too, that the life of the emperor was too important to risk on meaningless revenge.He could turn around now and the beast would likely let them leave.He could always send another troop of soldiers to deal with it.And if they can¡¯t find it again? Eligon''s hesitation vanished, and he began to sprint straight toward the beast.Sweeping his mace high above his head, Eligon leapt into the air, roaring with rage as he descended on the s?izbu. The beast, ever greedy for more marrow, waited until the last second before darting to the side with preternatural speed.Eligon¡¯s mace smashed into the floor hard enough to carve a small crater, but it missed the beast.The beast lashed out with its claws, but Eligon deflected them with his paldron and drove his armored elbow straight into the s?izbu¡¯s face.His mace followed the swing, slamming into the creature¡¯s side. It was only a glancing blow, but it forced the beast to leap backward.It landed spryly on its feet and opened its maw.An ear-piercing shriek filled the air, followed by a thick, green miasma that seeped out from its pores. ¡°Stay away,¡±Eligon commanded his men as he once again closed the distance; unlike them, his armor was encrusted with more than enough glyphs to protect him from even a s?izbu.The glyphs flared into life as the miasma closed in around him, and a thin aura of air filtered it out. arced his mace straight toward the creature¡¯s skull, but again the creature dodged out of the way. Selene''s grace, he swore.The creature was older and faster than his friend had been, and the years of experience showed.The s?izbu suddenly went on the offensive, lashing out with a flurry of blows that Eligon strained to block and reminding him just why the s?izbu were so feared - they were as strong as they were fast. He missed a strike, and a panel of his armor caved in as the man was tossed halfway across the room.His foot dragged across the ground, and he dug in fiercely, stopping his momentum, but the creature chased after him. himself, Eligon braced for the blow, but it didn''t come. The s?izbu flinched back as a hail of arrows rained down upon it. His men were still stuck on the far side of the room, unable to cross through the miasma, but they fought back with what they could.Their arrows pounded into its flesh, sinking in just far enough to stick but - if the lack of blood pouring out from the wounds was any indication - not far enough to do any serious damage. The s?izbu¡¯s head swiveled between Eligon and his guards, contemplating. Eligon snarled and shook his mace defiantly.¡°Come on - let¡¯s finish this,¡± he roared, but the s?izbu decided to pursue easier prey.Spinning on its heels, it darted straight toward the soldiers. Crap.Eligon was forced to activate the skill he hated so much, a blessing and a curse rolled up in one. Burden of the People. Waves of pain radiated through his body, the cries and pleas of the hundreds and thousands he¡¯d failed to protect.But that pain was accompanied by an equal measure of power. Eligon surged across the room on a direct intersection towards the s?izbu, buoyed by a borrowed strength.The two collided.Metal and flesh, mace and claw clashed, and then the beast collapsed.The two rolled together, end over end across the floor, as the Emperor rained down blow upon blow on the s?izbu¡¯s body, empowered by the might of those he¡¯d failed. The two crashed into the wall with a thunderous boom and a cloud of dust.There was a moment of silence, and then slowly, painfully, Eligon staggered to his feet.His mace rose and fell, and shards of bone flew as the s?izbu''s skull was crushed. Exhausted, he leaned against the wall to catch his breath and his eyes unwillingly drifted back to Mer?m¡¯s crumpled form. Eligon knew he''d won, but, somehow, it was hard to feel a sense of victory. Prison Break Prison Cliff Face Behind Leader Home. Scouts here. 60+ guards. Annatta¡¯s message had been terse. There wasn¡¯t much room for writing on the belly of the little clay deer, but every square inch of it was occupied. Jasper whistled in surprise as he read the number. ¡°Sixty or more guards? There''s what - three or four hundred people in the village? How can it possibly have that many guards?¡± ¡°They shouldn''t.¡± For once, Ne?s?u agreed with him. ¡°A village of this size could not normally support that many guards. Either the village has some sort of outside patron or there is something we are missing.¡± His gaze darted to the giant preserved dore?sah that was suspended high above the village and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± he murmured. ¡°Any ideas?¡± Jasper asked him. The warrior hesitated, then shook his head. ¡°Probably nothing,¡± he admitted. ¡°When I first joined the Imperial Guard, I was stationed in a barracks on the far side of those mountains, in the province of Aga?min. A few of the mountain Djinn live there too, and I remember hearing a story from one of the old-timers at the camp about a village they¡¯d raided.¡± ¡°It was supposed to be a simple rescue mission. The S?addu''a? had kidnapped a handful of women from one of the villages near the barracks, and the Guard was sent to get them back. They¡¯d run similar missions a half-dozen times, but this time was different.¡± ¡°My sergeant claimed that when they reached the S?addu¡¯a? village, everything seemed pretty normal until they got to the prison. It was buried deep into the side of a mountain and filled with way more guards than made any sense for the size of the village. But this was a troop of Imperial Guards, the best of the best, so they weren''t worried. Despite being heavily outnumbered, they cut down the mountain Djinn like so much chaff, right up to the moment that something¡­else appeared.¡± Ne?s?u paused, and his eyes met Jasper¡¯s. ¡°Now keep in mind, this old sergeant of mine was a man who loved to tell tall tales. I don¡¯t think he was even capable of telling a story without exaggerating at least a few of the details. But when he told this story, there was always something different about it. He didn¡¯t tell it often, and when he did, I could swear there was still the shadow of fear in his eyes.¡± ¡°He claimed that what came out to meet them was a being of living stone. It wasn¡¯t like a golem ¨C big, dumb, strong but kind of clumsy. No, this creature was shaped just like a man or Djinn, but instead of flesh and bone, its body was formed of pure white stone. Little drops of blood continually wept from its eyes and it wielded the stone around it effortlessly.¡± ¡°The stone statue decimated his crew. The ground dropped from beneath them, boulders were flung at them - within seconds half the guards were dead. The ones that survived, however, quickly adapted. The being''s attacks were powerful, but limited in variety, and the empire had equipped them with a wealth of charms to counteract magical attacks.¡± Ne?s?u grimaced. "This was back when they could actually afford that crap." ¡°Anyways, the sergeant said he could never remember how long the battle went, just the frantic frenzy, the certainty that they were all going to die - but somehow, they won. The creature seemed to eventually run out of juice, and they were able to smash it to smithereens, but it wasn''t much of a victory. Less than a third of the troop returned to the barracks that night.¡± Ne?s?u concluded his story with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing. What you said about the guards just reminded me of the story.¡± Ihra leaned forward on her haunches, her blonde hair spilling into her eyes. ¡°Did the sergeant ever say why there were so many guards?¡± The warrior frowned. ¡°Not that I recall. Although, he did say something else unusual happened. After the battle, the remaining men were so badly beaten up, they were afraid the villagers might just take the chance to finish them off ¨C the S?addu¡¯a? weren''t any bigger fans of the Empire than their fellow Djinn ¨C but the opposite happened. The villagers almost seemed happy to see them ¨C they fed ¡®em, bandaged ¡®em, and sent them on their way without any attempt to harm them.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Jasper cocked his head to the side. ¡°Maybe this stone creature was something they were afraid of too.¡± Ne?s?u shrugged. ¡°Maybe.¡± Tsia yawned and stretched her arms out as wide as she could. ¡°Or maybe the old man was just pulling your leg. If you''re done telling campfire stories, let''s go rescue Annatta and the scouts.¡± She grinned, "And who knows, maybe if we''re lucky will run into that thing." Ne?s?u frowned at his charge. ¡°The Imperial Guard are highly trained warriors and that monster nearly killed them all.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Did they have any mages?¡± He scowled, but his silence was as good of a response as any, and she smiled smugly. Clearing his throat, Jasper stepped in. ¡°Well, it¡¯s something to keep in mind.¡± He shot a reproving glance at Tsia. ¡°A stone elemental isn''t exactly a good matchup for either of us, so I certainly hope we don''t encounter it. But it''s not like we have much of a choice; we need to retrieve Annatta and the scouts, so let''s just get going.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! They packed up quickly and headed out. Unfortunately, the group was forced to leave their mounts behind. As much as Jasper wanted to take Dapplegrim with him, he knew there was no way the monstrously large horse would be able to fit through the cramped halls of the prison. Plus, stealth seemed the way to go, at least in the beginning. Better to thin the herd than fight sixty at once. Thus, a few minutes later found the four wading through the meadows that led toward the village. The grass swelled around them, tall enough to reach Jasper¡¯s chest though, thankfully, it was far less sharp than the blue-green grass he¡¯d encountered on the dusty plains to the south. The village was as sleepy as ever. The outer wall was patrolled by just two guards whom they had no problem sneaking past, and then it was simply a matter of scurrying down the dark and winding streets. They had no difficulties finding the place. They snuck past the leader''s home, past the abandoned and partially burnt-out neighborhood, and arrived at the steep cliff face that soared above the village. The suspended body of the dore?sah stretched its wings above them, plunging the streets in a darkness far thicker than normal, and Jasper once again marveled at its sheer size. The thing¡¯s a goddamned dinosaur. The prison was somewhat less impressive. It was clear that the building had once been a place of great wealth, but its best days were long behind it. And unfortunately for them, the lax guard Annatta had encountered had been greatly bolstered. Ten guards stood in front of the doors. Unlike the sleepy patrollers they had slipped past on the village outskirts, these Djinn stood tall and wary, with their backs to the prison entrance as they scanned all avenues of approach. The usual breastplate and helmets they wore had been supplemented by a mishmash of unmatched pieces, with particular attention given to protecting the neck. Unfortunately, a row of small bonfires had also been arranged in a semicircle around them; their light pushed the night away and prevented all hopes of sneaking up on them. Well, crumb. Jasper bit down discontentedly on his lower lip as he surveyed the scene before them. His dreams of a stealthy entrance had gone up in smoke. I have my Eternal Darkness spell, but¡­ He dismissed it as an option. The spell shrouded them in the cover of darkness ¨C perfect if you¡¯re in darkness, but thanks to the guards¡¯ bonfires, they¡¯d stick out like a sore thumb. Maybe I can¡­ Scooting next to him, Tsia nudged him on the shoulder. ¡°How quickly can you cast that binding spell of yours,¡± she whispered. ¡°Fiery Shackles? Pretty quick, I guess. I usually try to follow it up with another spell as quickly as possible, so I¡¯ve gotten pretty good at casting it.¡± ¡°Do you think you could catch all ten of the guards in 2-3 seconds?¡± He pondered the question a second, then nodded. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Good. Wait for my signal.¡± Turning on her heels, she disappeared back into the brush. Jasper stifled a sigh. You could have told me your plan first. But he turned his gaze back to the guards and waited. It took a few minutes till Tsia reappeared, and if he hadn¡¯t been expecting her, Jasper was sure he would have missed her ¨C certainly the guards did. A black speck rose in the sky above them. Her movement was slow and jerky ¨C Tsia¡¯s flying was about as graceful as the Flying Nun ¨C but she eventually maneuvered into position above and slightly behind the guards. They never looked up, not even as she slowly dropped down into the small space between them and the door. With a grin, she waved her hand at Jasper. He began to summon the spell in both hands. A few moments later, burning shackles rose from the ground and bound themselves around the feet of six of the guards. Shouts and cries of alarm were raised, and the other four ran to help their imprisoned brethren, only to be stopped a second later as a second row of shackles emerged. Your turn now. Jasper watched, curious to see what Tsia would do. He expected her to summon her wind blades, but instead a whirlwind suddenly roared to life around her. A protective spell? The spell stabilized in a circle that extended about five feet away from her in all directions. Then, as suddenly as it had sprung to life, it began to expand. The Djinn, preoccupied with trying to pull themselves free of the shackles, noticed the shell only when it made contact with the first guard. A hideous, metallic shriek filled the air as the whirlwind fought with the armor and then, shearing it off, cut deep into the Djinn¡¯s flesh. He was eviscerated as the whirlwind pushed past him, and continued expanding toward his fellow guards. Their efforts to free themselves grew more frenzied, but it was useless. In a matter of seconds, the guards had been disposed of ¨C but it was entirely lacking the silence and subtlety Jasper had been hoping for. As Tsia dropped her shield, lights were already flickering to life throughout the village behind them - the villagers awakened by the terrified screams of the men. ¡°Come on,¡± she shouted, waving them forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Abandoning all attempts at subtlety, the three bolted from cover and raced for the gates. The doors were unlocked - apparently, the villagers had deemed the guards sufficient protection - and they charged inside. A large forum greeted them. A number of doors were imbedded in the walls, leading to unknown destinations, but Jasper swerved immediately to his left, where a sweeping staircase spiraled up to the second floor. His foot had barely reached the top floor when fresh guards appeared, drawn by the ruckus outside. He released the spells he had been holding, and shackles sprung up to bind them. Drawing the sword at his waist, he leapt at the nearest, swinging his blade toward the Djinn¡¯s neck ¨C these guards didn¡¯t have gorgets. Guess there weren¡¯t enough for all of them. His sword was wrenched to the side as the guard parried his sword, and Jasper fired off another spell ¨C one he hadn¡¯t used in a while. Purge. Hope these S?addu¡¯a? are as wicked as everyone claims. Shoving Jasper¡¯s blade aside, the guard swung his own weapon at Jasper¡¯s chest, only to drop the blade, and begin grasping at his neck, his eyes bulging wide with pain and fear. Jasper snatched his sword back off the ground and turned to the next guard, but his head was already missing, cleaved through by one of Tsia¡¯s wind blades. Ne?s?u finished off the last of them with a thrust of his sword, and their mad dash resumed. A balustrade at the top of the stairs offered views of the forum below, but they wasted no time on sightseeing. Racing to the end of the hall, the group was met with a choice. Two passages branched off, barred by sets of closed double doors; one continued in the same direction as the hall while the other led deeper into the heart of the prison. ¡°Any idea which way to go?¡± ¡°Va?ya says to go straight,¡± Ne?s?u barked, shoving him forward. Trusting the warrior¡¯s strange connections to his deity, Jasper slammed the doors wide open. The Throne Room The passage beyond the doors narrowed rapidly, shrinking down to be just wide enough for two men to walk shoulder to shoulder ¨C and unfortunately, that space was already occupied by a row of six guards that were only a few feet away. For a change, the Djinn wore matching sets of armor, sporting a full kit of boiled leather covered in metal plates that was coupled with a helmet that covered everything but their eyes. They each carried short but stout boar spears, whose wide blades were supplanted by twin, barbed lugs. The guards were startled when the party surged through the doors, but despite their initial surprise, their response was swift and orderly. Squaring their shoulders side by side, they lowered their spears and charged. Their stride was even and steady, their steps in perfect lock with each other. Jasper had no time to summon a spell, and as the guards closed the handful of feet between them, he realized he was about to be shishkabobed. A second later, he was sharply tossed to the side, his shoulder cracking painfully against the wall, as Nesu shoved himself into the space between Jasper and the guards. ¡°Sicya adda?r!¡± the warrior cried as he tore the black kite shield from his shoulders. His arms moving in a blur, Nesu swung the shield into position a fraction of a second before the guards¡¯ spears would have skewered him and the metal rang like a gong as the spears¡¯ heads rebounded uselessly off it. Seizing the momentum, the warrior swung his sword straight for the closest guard¡¯s neck, but the Djinn diverted the blow with the shaft of his spear, and Nesu was forced to quickly retreat back behind the shield¡¯s protection. The guards surged forward, pressing the attack and Ne?s?u staggered beneath the heft of their blows, but he was not alone in the fight. Springing into action, the party fired a motley mixture of arrows, wind blades, and fiery orbs over his head. The guards¡¯ plated leather was strong enough to blunt a few blows, but it was never intended to withstand a hail of fire. Within seconds, the armor was beginning to disintegrate and Jasper pressed their advantage. Extending his arm past Nesu¡¯s shield, he cast Scourge of Despair at the closest guard, who already sported a bloody wound on his side. The man tried to block the blow with his spear, but the spectral whip simply spiraled around the spear''s shaft and lashed deep into his flesh. The man staggered back as the blood began to gush out faster, but that was the least of his concerns. The angry shouts of the mountain Djinn shifted to a higher pitch as three hungry ghosts manifested them. The specters'' claws tore deep into the exposed flesh, rending and tearing with glee, and what little order the S?addu''a? possessed collapsed in an instant as their weapons passed uselessly through their attackers. Willing to sacrifice their compadres, the two in the back turned to flee, thundering down the hall as fast as their legs could carry them. It wasn''t fast enough. One fell to his knees as Executioner¡¯s Arrow removed his head, while the other¡¯s steps faltered, then stopped, as Purge rendered its judgment. As suddenly as the battle had begun, it was over. Dropping the spell he had been about to cast, Jasper leaned against the wall and gingerly rubbed the shoulder Ne?s?u had crushed. He frowned, feeling surprisingly let down by the brief battle. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining ¨C but don¡¯t these guys seem kind of weak?¡± The Sicyan warrior slid the shield back over his shoulders before nodding his head. " Their attacks were pitiful,¡± he agreed. ¡°Their strikes showed some skill, but they lacked the power to execute them. New recruits perhaps.¡± "Who cares?" Tsia pushed past the others impatiently. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go ¨C the scouts have got to be close,¡± and Jasper and Ne?s?u turned to follow her, picking their way past the collapsed corpses. But Ihra lingered a moment longer, a frown marring her face. Setting her bow against the wall, she bent down and examined the bodies. ¡°They were pretty weak,¡± she muttered to herself as she struggled to yank off one of their helmets. Jasper had his back to her, but he turned around when he heard her gasp. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace ¨C they¡¯re just kids!¡± Black, shaggy hair spilled over her lap as she cradled the fallen body, but he could see clearly what she meant. The body was the size of an adult, but the face that stared up at them, eyes wide and sightless, certainly looked childish. The features were rounded and soft, the cheeks displaying none of the hard, angular set that the adult Saddu¡¯a he had seen possessed. The strangeness of the face was further magnified by the strange purplish striations that streaked from cheek to cheek, almost like the marbling on a rock. Jasper looked away quickly. ¡°Some people just look young, Ihra. Let¡¯s go.¡± She ignored him and pulled at the helmet of the next one. More wide, innocent eyes stared back, framed by gentle curls and soft, chubby cheeks that would have made a cherub jealous. ¡°These look like children, Jasper...though, they have the body of adults.¡± ¡°That would explain the weakness of their attacks,¡± Nesu observed. ¡°But¡­how?¡± Jasper protested, feeling a bit sick in the stomach. It was easy to kill the mountain Djinn, so long as one believed they were wicked barbarians with a predilection for all sorts of unsavory acts. But discovering the enemies you just killed might be children was a bit unsettling. Purge worked though, he reassured himself. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Ne?s?u suddenly glanced at the floor. "Did you feel that? I thought-" his words were unceremoniously cut off as the floor beneath them vanished. Jasper slammed hard against the wall. His momentum was enough to toss him in the opposite direction, where he promptly ricocheted off the other wall. Bramble¡¯s Crown, he managed to gasp out as he was bounced back and forth between the narrow chasm, and the protective armor spread across his skin. It did little to stop the enormous bruises that were quickly covering him from head to toe, but at least it kept the blood in. Then, as suddenly as the fall began, it came to a stop. In truth, the fall likely should have killed them. If the rocky ground below them had only stayed solid, Jasper likely would have splatted across the dirt like a bug on a windshield, but the stone liquefied beneath them. It still hurt like hell ¨C as anyone who¡¯s done a high dive into water can attest ¨C but it kept them alive. His screams were cut off as the wave of liquid stone flooded his mouth, and he choked on it. Coughing and spluttering, his body feeling like one giant bruise, Jasper dragged himself out of the unnatural mud. ¡°What the-¡° He descended into a fit of coughing as he bent over and heaved out a mouthful of the silty mixture. Then he froze as his mind suddenly caught up to the reality of their situation. Floors don¡¯t just evaporate. There''s a stone mage here. His head snapped up and his gaze swept across the room, searching for their foe. He saw the rest of his party first. Nesu and Tsia were scrambling out of the mud on his right, while on his left, a deer was struggling to free itself from the muck. Jasper dimly registered that Ihra must have been hurt badly to trigger the transformation, but everything else faded away as he spotted their foe. The party had fallen into a cavern. Dim lights flickered around its edges, and carefully curated stalactites and stalagmites had been joined into stately pillars that swept from floor to ceiling. The whole place was as large as an amphitheater, but one thing dominated the space. In the center of the cavern was what could only be called a shrine. The stalactite pillars had been layered so closely together that they had practically merged into one, forming a canopy that vaguely looked like a pile of melted wax. And there, occupying a stony throne beneath it, sat a man. No, not a man, Jasper quickly corrected himself. The man¡¯s skin was a pale white that on closer inspection appeared to be stone. The pure white was marbled by the same angry purple streaks that had marred the dead Djinn, and his eyes glowed a deep violet. Jasper could barely breathe as the details of Ne?s?u¡¯s story flashed through his mind again, but after a few, tense breaths, he began to doubt himself. There was no sign of movement at all, not even the rhythmic rise and fall of breath required for life. Movement registered in the corner of his eye, and his heart skipped a beat until he realized it was simply a rather bedraggled pair of humans and a mud-soaked deer coming to join him. ¡°Do you think that thing''s what your sergeant fought?¡± he whispered to Ne?s?u. A grim look passed over the Sicyan¡¯s face. ¡°Must be,¡± he grunted. ¡°Only a truly powerful mage could collapse the whole floor.¡± The four stood frozen in place, an oppressive silence hanging between them as they observed the statue. They were afraid to move, afraid to antagonize the powerful being that sat before them, and each second that passed moved so slowly it might as well have been an eternity, but the statue didn¡¯t budge an inch. Jasper wrinkled his brow. What is it waiting for? As the seconds turned to minutes, the doubts started to creep in. Were we just spooked by the story? The thought of being held hostage by an actual statue was both absurd and a little pathetic, but as he shared a glance with his friends, he could see the same doubt reflected there. Ever impetuous, Tsia was the first to move. Straightening up, she meticulously shook the drying mud off her skirts, dragging the task out longer than necessary as she worked up her nerve. But when the last cloud of dust had settled, she stepped forward hesitantly. Her footsteps echoed ominously in the giant cavern as she walked toward the limestone throne, but there was no reaction from the man of stone. The others began to follow her, slowly at first, and then picking up the pace as they got closer to the throne. Still a few dozen feet ahead of them, Tsia began to stray from her path as her eyes focused on a spot in the corner of the cavern. ¡°Tsia, be careful. You¡¯re not your mother,¡± Nesu hissed, as he tore his shield free of its clasps. She rolled her eyes, but her hands began to faintly glow as she summoned her essence and a moment later, a small cyclone of wind sprung into place around her. ¡°There, happy?¡± She snapped back. Not giving the warrior time to respond, Tsia pointed her hand toward the left corner. It was draped in a darkness so thick that Jasper couldn¡¯t see anything, but a faint breeze from that direction brushed across his cheeks. The air was cold and damp, but it smelled reasonably fresh. ¡°I think there¡¯s an exit over there,¡± she started to say. A cracking sound filled the hall, and they all froze, looking for its source. Jasper saw it at the last second ¨C an unnaturally large stalactite had broken free from its base and, like the spear of an angry god, it thrust down with reckless hatred for all in its path. ¡°Tsia-¡° His cry of warning came too late. The tip of the stalactite collided with her shield and the cyclone rose to meet it. The wind and stone fought for a second, but gravity''s force was too great for her shield to resist. The spell exploded in a flurry of winds that flung both Tsia and the stalactite across the room. It saved her life - the projectile landed a few feet away from her, but as the stalactite collided with the floor, the limestone exploded into a shower of shards that pelted her like a medieval shrapnel grenade, drawing blood from a dozen different places. The cavern shuddered as if an earthquake sought to rend it in two. A cracking sound filled the cavern, and Jasper looked up to see a half dozen more stalactites drop from the ceiling - one aimed straight at him, and another headed towards Tsia who, stunned by the force of the blow, hadn''t stirred from her spot. He dashed forward, leaving the one aimed at him behind, as he raced the other to Tsia. He arrived a fraction of a second first; dragging her free, he managed to turn his back to the thing before it too exploded in shards that tore at his back. Ignoring the pain, he scooped up her and spun on his heels, desperately searching for the exit Tsia had pointed out. Where was it? His eyes passed over the throne, then darted back. It was empty. Crap. On Shaky Ground Jasper ran like a man possessed, Tsia''s head thudding into his chest with every step he took, as he dodged between the falling boulders. A faint breeze brushed across his cheeks, coming from the left corner of the cave, and he spun toward it, praying it would lead to the exit the wind mage had detected. Ihra, still trapped in the form of a deer, bounded past him with a speed he had no hope of matching and he heard Ne?s?u¡¯s heavy footfalls thundering close behind him. The stalactites continued to rain down from the ceiling. He dodged as best as he could, managing to stay clear of their deadly points, but there were too many for him to escape from the showers of razor-sharp splinters that exploded from them. Most were stopped by Bramble¡¯s Crown, which he was forced to cast again, but enough of them broke through that he was soon dripping blood from a half-dozen small wounds. Almost there. His steps quickened, spurred on by hope, as he drew near enough to the dark corner to make out the faint outline of the tunnel Tsia had seen. Ihra had pulled far ahead, nimbly dodging through the stalactites with an almost prescient grace, but he knew they were not alone. Where the hell is that thing? Jasper glanced behind him, expecting to see the statue lurching toward him, but it wasn''t there. "Look!" Tsia tugged on his shirt, and he whipped his head around in time to see the statue step out of the wall a few feet in front of Ihra. His violet eyes shone like headlamps in the dark, casting an almost eerie glow on the pale limestone, as it turned to face them. The deer splayed her four legs frantically, trying to come to a stop, but her hooves failed to get purchase on the slippery limestone and she slid straight toward the statue. Silently, it plunged its hand into the wall; when it pulled it out, a massive stone sword was clutched in its grip, which it swung directly toward Ihra. Jasper dropped Tsia on the ground as he raised his hands to cast a spell, desperately trying to think of something in his repertoire that could save his friend. Tsia beat him to it. Zaqu?, she murmured as a blade of wind tore free from her hand. It instantly bridged the gulf between them and Ihra and slammed into the deer¡¯s side. The blade cut deep into her flesh, carving a nasty gash along the entire length of her side, but the force of the blow also pushed her out of the way of the monster¡¯s strike. The floor shook as the stone sword crashed into the ground and the blade shattered, only to reform in the being''s hand a moment later. Ihra slammed into the wall a few feet past the being. Somehow, she managed to regain her footing in time to nimbly dodge to the side as the monster lurched forward, with his sword extended in a piercing strike. He missed again, burying the sword''s blade in the wall all the way up to the hilt and Ihra darted past him, back in the direction of her friends. If the being was frustrated, it showed no signs of it. As silent as the stone it was made of, the statue withdrew the sword and turned to face them. It lifted its hand high in the air, and the shaking in the cavern stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Sweeping its sword into a high stance, the being took a step forward and then froze in place. What the hell? Jasper shared an uneasy glance with Tsia. ¡°Should we¡­attack?¡± The girl''s earlier bravado had been shaken, but she still nodded her head. ¡°We''re going to have to,¡± she observed quietly. "It''s blocking off the only exit." Jasper tore his eyes away from the statue as a cry of pain echoed behind them. His heart ticked up as he saw Ihra splayed across the floor, her transformation having run out. She clutched her side tightly with both hands, but a large pool of blood was already seeping across the limestone from the wound Tsia¡¯s spell had inflicted. His eyes darted back and forth between the statute and Ihra, expecting it to lurch into action and take advantage of her, but it remained frozen in place. Abandoning his caution, Jasper raced over to her. Dropping to his knees, he fumbled through his bag for a potion and held it to her lips. She guzzled it down, not removing her hands from her side until the last of the flesh had knit itself back together. ¡°Thanks,¡± she rasped, her throat still phlegmy from the sweet liquid. ¡°Don''t worry about it," he said distractedly, keeping his eyes glued to the statue. "Are you alright?¡± She offered him a lop-sided grin. ¡°Never been better. But what''s up with our host over there?¡± Jasper frowned. He felt certain that the creature was the same type of being as Ne?s?u''s sergeant had fought, but the stop-and-start nature of its attacks was baffling. Was it just playing with them? His eyes lingered on the purple streaks that marred its otherwise pristine white flesh. Is it sick? Screams echoed somewhere far above them, and the purple striations briefly glowed as the being snapped back into motion. The massive stone sword in its hand dissolved into dust as the statute spread its stance wide and slammed its right foot hard against the stone. The cavern shook from the force of the blow. Ihra realized what was happening faster than him and launched herself into the air, screaming for him to jump. Jasper followed her blindly, his feet pushing off mere seconds before the floor beneath them crumbled into a yawning chasm whose floor was hidden in the darkness, but he was a mage, not a warrior. Jasper¡¯s momentum warred with gravity and came up short. As soon as his foot left the ground, he knew he wasn''t going to make out. He stretched out his arm as far as it could reach and squirmed frantically, desperate for even an inch. He got it. His hand missed the top of the ledge, but smacked into the stone just below it and his fingers clamped down instantly, digging deep into the soft limestone. He could feel the bones cracking as the full force of his weight descended on them, groaning as his body slammed into the wall, but he refused to let go. Flinging his other hand up, he fumbled desperately for a grip, only stopping as a warm hand wrapped around his. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "Gotchya," Ihra grunted as she tugged him up. The whole cavern shook as the statue stomped again, and Ihra¡¯s eyes darted to the ground behind her. Making a snap decision Ihra grabbed Jasper with both hands and launched herself into the air as the ground beneath them collapsed. Dragged down by the extra weight of another, much heavier person, her hand missed the ledge and the two plunged toward the bottom of the chasm. But Jasper had already begun to cast his spell - their descent was unceremoniously halted as a pair of shadowy black wings erupted from Jasper¡¯s back. Grabbing hold of her, he soared back toward the cavern above. His essence surged into her, casting Spectral Wings a second time, and he released her as another pair of black shadows emerged. Together, the two crested the edge of the pit, and Jasper¡¯s lip turned down in a bloodthirsty grin. Our turn.
Tsia could feel the blood pooling on her lip as she stared at the creature attacking her. Her arms ached with the heavy load she was carrying ¨C she had barely managed to snatch Ne?s?u up in a bear hug before the floor dropped out from under them again, taking Jasper and Ihra with it. She wasn''t worried about them though - he had that wing spell after all. No, she was in the trouble. Her skill at flying was lacking at best and, weighed down by her bodyguard, she was doing good to move at all. Worse, the statue¡¯s attention was now wholly fixed on her. It pivoted rather slowly and stared at her, its face utterly expressionless. Its hand raised, and Tsia frowned as nothing visible happened. What is it doing? She was flung head over heels as a boulder smashed into her from behind. Her arms slackened, releasing Ne?s?u as she was sent spinning through the air, with waves of pain washing up and down her back. The warrior latched onto her leg and, trusting in him to hold on, she dedicated her attention to stopping the fall. The winds answered her quickly, slowing her descent, but the creature gave her no time to rest. It raised its hand again, and Tsia craned her head frantically. She saw the boulder coming this time and dodged to the right, while with her free hand, she cast a wind blade at the being. It slammed into the statue with enough force to send a crack through its torso, but as soon as it appeared it was gone, filled in by a surge of stone from the ground. The violet eyes fixated on her again. As expressionless as ever, the being raised both hands and two enormous boulders tore free from the cavern walls. With a flick of its hands, it flung both of them toward her - one on either side. The stone blocks were as long and wide as the barges that plied up and down the river in her father¡¯s capital, and Tsia realized immediately she wouldn''t be able to dodge both. Committing herself to the left, out of the path of one, Tsia channeled every ounce of strength into a single spell - one she''d learned from Imh?ullu. Lemmuh?h?u. What erupted from her hands could barely be called a spell. It was a wild, unconstrained burst of wind and electricity that blinded her vision. She flinched as an earshattering boom shook the cavern, and raised her shield just in time to deflect the shower of rubble that came her way. With her ears ringing and her vision swimming, Tsia was blind to the world around her. All she could do was pump essence into her shield and pray that Jasper would intervene.
His ears were still ringing from the thunderclap as Jasper reached the statue. Circling in a steep dive above the monster¡¯s head, he bombarded it with chained casts of Shooting Star. Light bombarded the dark cavern as dozens of small fireballs exploded on the creature¡¯s body, and a plume of smoke rose around it. But through the smoke, Jasper was relieved to see the statue''s formerly pristine skin was covered in scorch marks and fractures. So we can hurt it. He pressed his advantage, sending another wave of fire against his foe, but it was a waste of essence. The purple light in the creature¡¯s eyes brightened and it stomped its foot again. Rather than summoning a boulder, a tidal wave of stone tore from the ground and washed over the creature''s body, healing all of its wounds in an instant. Damn. Jasper abandoned the spell he''d been preparing and soared up in the air. He skirted around a boulder the statue hurled at him and cast Purge. Hope surged in his heart as the being clutched at its throat, and he cast it again, just to be sure. Please work, please work, please work. It bent over, clutching at its throat, and he started to believe - right up to the point that began to laugh. Like the bellow of a war drum, its laughter echoed off the cavern walls. Anger seized his mind as he circled the hateful being mocking him. I just want to pick it up and smash it into the ground. And then it hit him. Wait a minute, that''s exactly what I should do. Acting on impulse, Jasper dove toward the creature. Tucking his wings tight behind him he screamed for Ihra to follow. The statue was still bent over in laughter when the two latched onto its arms and it didn''t realize what was happening until the two of them pulled. The living statue was unfathomably heavy. His muscles begged and cried for mercy, his arms shook like he had palsy, but Jasper refused to let go. His teeth ground together as every fiber of his being willed him higher into the air. Suddenly realizing their plan, the statue thrashed frantically in their arms, but the two held on doggedly as they slowly but surely rose into the air. From behind them, Tsia summoned an endless flurry of attacks, wild, blustering gusts of air that she barely took the time to form. Many missed their mark; slicing into Jasper and Ihra they tore jagged wounds into their flesh, but the creature sustained the brunt of the blows. Suspended in the air, unable to free itself from their grasp and unable to summon the earth to heal, the previously almost invincible being was rendered all but helpless. Cracks spread across its surface, quickly deepening into gaping fractures. The statue''s struggles weakened but Tsia didn''t let up. Wave upon wave of wind smashed into it until the tipping point was passed - the cracks widened too large to support its weight, and the thing collapsed on itself. In a shower of dust and dirt, it fell into the void it had created. Relief flooded through his veins as the creature''s unbearable weight dissolved, and Jasper shot Ihra a weary smile. ¡°You know, I never thought I¡¯d say this, but I¡¯m really starting to miss that cubicle.¡± The Reluctant Inquisitor With the fight finally over, the four headed towards the passage still hidden in the corner. For Jasper and Ihra, the flight was a short one; in a matter of seconds, they reached the part of the cavern floor that the strange being hadn¡¯t destroyed, and set down. For Tsia, the trip was a bit more difficult; with Nesu still clinging to her left leg like a toddler to his mommy¡¯s, her attempts at flight were even slower and jerkier than usual. But it was worse for Ne?s?u. When the Sicyan warrior finally dropped down to the ground, his face was flushed with a mixture of shame and irritation. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I missed the whole bloody fight,¡± he groused, to no one in particular. ¡°Not one hit ¨C I didn¡¯t even get one hit in. All that experience, just gone to waste.¡± Tsia scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve got more levels than any of us, Ne?s?u. Would you prefer I let you fall into the chasm?¡± The man¡¯s scowl deepened for a second, but then his irritation seemed to vanish like the early morning fog, and he nodded his head. ¡°Probably,¡± he agreed cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I would have survived that fall and if not ¨C well, at least I would have died with my dignity intact.¡± The girl rolled her eyes. ¡°Well then, I¡¯m sorry for saving you. Next time I won¡¯t.¡± Her guardian grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that promise, my lady.¡± But his cheerful mood vanished as suddenly as it had come. ¡°We really should get going, though. If the guards realized we killed that creature, they might panic and try to kill the prisoners." Reminded of their mission, the four began to jog into the darkness, following the faint current of fresh air that wafted through the cavern. Ihra led the way, as her eyes were better suited than the others to the lack of light, but the going was slower than Jasper would have preferred. The passage was cramped and uneven, a winding pathway full of large boulders and cramped squeezes that indicated it was part of a natural cavern system. But it rose steadily upward, twisting and turning until it opened out into a large hall ¨C they were back in the dungeon. The room was some sort of dining area. Nearly a dozen long, rectangular tables filled the center, each one ringed by a low-lying ridge of stone that functioned as a bench. But that wasn''t the only thing that filled the room - dozens upon dozens of S?addu¡¯a? were waiting for them. A row of guards stood in the front, decked out in the same strange bassinets as the strangely childish guards had worn, but the bulk of the crowd that stood behind them bore little in the way of arms and armor. A few sported the light leather armor and weapons hunters sometimes used, but most of the crowd carried nothing beyond spears, clubs, or the occasional pitchfork. Billowing waves of blue flames bloomed on his hand as Jasper took in the foe. There were so many - and yet. They are just villagers. Most of the Djinn stumbled back at the display of magic, their faces filled with fear and their weapons shaking, and a sick feeling swelled in the pit of his stomach. He knew the Saddu¡¯a weren¡¯t the nicest of folks, but killing largely defenseless villagers just wasn¡¯t something he wanted to do. Hell, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure he even wanted to kill the guards; if Ihra was right, they might be little more than children. As he hesitated, one of the guards stepped forward. The boar spear in his hand shook like a leaf, but he planted his feet resolutely. ¡°Is the Ila?bun dead?¡± ¡°Ila?bun?¡± Jasper questioned. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not familiar with that word, but if you¡¯re referring to the living statue in the cave below, yes.¡± A wave of murmurs washed over the crowd, but the guard ignored them. ¡°You killed the Ila?bun?¡± He persisted. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Ihra stepped beside him. Pulling her cloak down, she let the crowd see her small antlers, sending another wave of murmurs through the villagers. ¡°We watched him crumble and fall into the void,¡± she confirmed. ¡°The Ila?bun is dead.¡± The spear dropped from the guard¡¯s hand first, followed by the clatter of dozens of other weapons as most of the crowd prostrated themselves on the ground. Advancing a few feet, the guard dropped to his knees right before Jasper. ¡°Please, my lord mage, spare us. Take whomever you want, whatever you want, and go in peace. Just let us live.¡± Jasper hesitated. He remembered the bodies of the scouts outside, displayed like trophies for all to see, and his voice hardened. ¡°And what about the soldiers you killed? Should we simply forget about them?¡± The guard removed his helmet, revealing a child-like face. Glossy brown curls tumbled like a waterfall down soft, chubby cheeks that were marred by purple streaks. Yet Jasper also noticed a change ¨C already, the purple was beginning to turn on the edges, a sickly yellow color that seemed to diffuse across the cheek. ¡°Forgive us, lord mage ¨C we only did what we were told. How could ones like us disobey the will of Ila?bun¡¯s will?¡± He gestured to the purple flesh. ¡°Is his mark not upon us even now?¡± The guard¡¯s words left a sour taste in his mouth. ¡°We were just following orders.¡± It wasn''t a good excuse back on Earth, but in this world ¨C where magical compulsion was a real possibility and where the gulf between those who wielded power and those who did not was magnified to an even greater extent ¨C Jasper recognized that assigning blame and responsibility was more complicated. Did they have a choice? He honestly didn¡¯t know. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Ihra, unaware of his inner turmoil, stepped forward and reached her hand out to the guard¡¯s face. She gently traced a finger across one of the purplish streaks, but she yanked her hand back quickly when he winced in pain. ¡°What did he do to you?¡± A few tears rolled down the cheeks of the guard, but he didn''t respond. Instead, it was one of the villagers who stepped forward. Unlike most, he was clad in a full set of armor and had carried a well-crafted sword, before he¡¯d laid it down in surrender. A series of silver chains were strung between his long, black horns, and an ornate torc sat around his neck. The village chief, Jasper guessed. The man bowed low to her. ¡°It is rare to see a child of the Crimson Goddess in our mountains.¡± Ihra wrinkled her nose but said nothing ¨C the Blood Moon was certainly not the hypostatization of Selene that she worshipped, but it was hardly surprising it appealed to the mountain Djinn. She gestured for him to continue. ¡°When the Ilab?un ascended from the depths, he took control of our ¨C my ¨C village. Our men were tasked with guarding his sleep and securing his prey and our women ¨C¡° Pain flashed in his eyes, and he quickly lowered his gaze in shame. ¡°Their task was to bear his seed.¡± ¡°The children born to him were¡­strange. They bore the same marks as he but lacked his power. They grew far faster than they should, reaching adult size in just a few years, yet something was wrong with them. No matter how hard the men of the village trained them, his offspring barely gained any levels at all.¡± The Saddu¡¯a chieftain hesitated. ¡°I think, perhaps, he was feeding on them somehow, stealing the levels they gained for himself, but the ways of an Ila?bun are mysterious.¡± The man¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°Do not worry, lady elf. When you leave, we will dispose of the abominations properly.¡± A woman in the back wailed at his words, only quieting when the man standing next to her clapped a hand over her mouth, and silence fell over the room. Jasper locked eyes with the chieftain, a mixture of anger and confusion roiling inside him. A part of him agreed with the Djinn¡¯s sentiments. These guards had killed the scouts he¡¯d come to save and were the offspring of that vile thing ¨C who knew what corruption might lurk within? But another part of him recoiled at the thought. One look at the guard kneeling before him, at the tears streaming down his chubby cheeks, and Jasper knew he couldn¡¯t do it. These were little more than children. Lifting his hand, he released the spell he¡¯d been holding and cast another instead. Purge. The guard shifted uncomfortably, his hand touching his throat, but there was no sign of any damage. He may not have been innocent exactly, but he hadn¡¯t done anything bad enough to be judged by the gods. Jasper sighed. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean to tell me that if I choose to spare their lives, you¡¯ll kill them anyway?¡± The chieftain sensed his mistake immediately. ¡°Of course not, lord mage,¡± he agreed immediately, but Jasper could see the shifty look in his eyes. Yep, he¡¯s going to kill them as soon as I leave. Crap. He turned to face the rest of his team and lowered his voice to a whisper. ¡°He''s going to kill them. Should we intervene?¡± ¡°We should take them with us,¡± Ihra immediately replied. ¡°They¡¯re practically children.¡± ¡°Children of some sort of monster. Who knows what sort of¡­¡± Tsia paused, searching for the right word, ¡°desires might overtake them as they mature. But..." Tsia hesitated, "descent isn''t destiny. They don''t deserve to be killed just because of their parentage.¡± Jasper glanced at Ne?s?u, who had stayed silent. ¡°Any thoughts?¡± The Sicyan shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d kill them all, here and now. But why bother asking us? You¡¯ve already made your decision.¡± Jasper scowled at the man''s blunt answer but, if he was honest with himself, he had to admit the warrior was correct. He had made his decision. He felt no qualms about killing the guilty, but killing the potentially guilty was a little too Minority Report-esque for his tastes. Turning back to the waiting villagers, Jasper raised his voice. ¡°I have a counter-proposal,¡± he stated. Deciding to put on a show he raised his hand and pumped essence into it, until a steady stream of blue flames flickered along his fingers, reminding them that he was a mage not to be messed with. ¡°Any of the Djinn born from this Ila?bun may come with me as long as they are willing to pass one test. I have a spell, a spell that judges the soul and passes judgment on the wicked. If you fail, it will devour you whole, but if you pass, you may come with me to S?adda?nu.¡± Fear passed across the face of many of the guards, and Jasper worried they would refuse. He couldn''t exactly blame them - he''d basically offered them Russian roulette, but it was still more of a chance of life then they would have if the chieftain had his way. Desperate to convince them, Jasper pointed to the guard still kneeling before him. ¡°This one has already passed the test,¡± he reassured them. The guard lifted his head, eyes wide with surprise and sudden hope, and Jasper plastered on a gracious smile. ¡°One little test is all it takes. Or you can stay here in the village.¡± His eyes shot to the Djinn chieftain, and his message was not lost on those gathered. One by one, Djinn marked with the purple streaks trickled up to him. They weren¡¯t all guards; a number of true children were brought to him, still clutching their mother¡¯s hand, but he cast the spell on them one and the same. He cast Purge again and again until his head began to throb with the impending onset of essence starvation. He had to rest then, but once his essence recovered, he continued. Thirty-one passed the test. Four died. The village chieftain watched with a scowl as Jasper tested the Ilabun¡¯s offspring, but he did not intervene. If he¡¯d had any thoughts of protesting, they were thoroughly crushed when Annatta appeared leading a band of freed scouts. Fighting two mages was a poor decision, but perhaps in a cramped room, they could have won with enough sacrifices; fighting two mages backed by a small troop of royal soldiers, on the other hand, was just a death sentence. When the last of the volunteers passed the test, a few of the Saddu¡¯a still remained who sported the strange purple streaks. Perhaps they knew they wouldn¡¯t survive Purge or perhaps they were simply too afraid to take the chance, but Jasper let them go. He wasn¡¯t willing to take the untested with him. A Duel Dodged It was hard to keep track of time in the prison.The guards¡¯ rounds were fairly predictable, which allowed Annatta a decent amount of freedom to go where she wanted, but unfortunately, after her little brawl in the hallways, they had redoubled the guard outside.She thought she might be able to take them all out, as long as she caught them surprise, but she didn¡¯t fancy her chances at taking them down quickly to escape before the rest of the village was roused.Thus, she haunted the halls like a ghost as she waited for Jasper and others to show up. She was left waiting far longer than she¡¯d expected.She¡¯d assumed Jasper would be worried enough about her to rush right through the village, consequences be damned, but apparently cooler heads in the party had prevailed.When they finally did appear, it was only after a full day had passed. Curled up on a small ledge hidden in a dark corner, Annatta was woken from slumber by screams and shouts that pierced the stillness of the village.She roused herself immediately and ran to join her friends, but with two mages, the group made short work of the guards; the fight was over before she¡¯d even made it to one of the windows to watch.She arrived just in time to see them charge through the front gates. Her route was delayed when she caught up with a group of guards that was also racing toward the entrance.There were eight of them this time, more than she was really comfortable taking on by herself, but the element of surprise was on her side - it never even occurred to the guards that the foe was already lurking behind them The first three died quietly, her strikes landing fast and true, but the sound of their bodies hitting the ground alerted the others. The fourth spun around with his weapon already in hand, a boar spear stout enough to gut her from head to toe.She deflected the blow with her left dagger and lashed out with the right, killing the guard instantly, but a frenzied melee broke out as the remaining S?addu¡¯a? descended upon her.Anatta¡¯s skill and levels won the day - it certainly helped that many of the guards seemed strangely weakened - but she still ended up taking two sizable gashes to her left leg that she had to tend to before she could continue.The time lost was more precious than she realized. Downing a healing potion, Annatta finally reached the hall that led to what had once been the foyer of the opulent manor before it was transformed into a prison, and rounded a corner just in time to see the tops of Jasper¡¯s and the other¡¯s heads disappearing through the floor that had melted like wax.The Djinn darted forward, and peered anxiously over the edge, trying to assess how far the drop was.Her heart was racing - she could only imagine Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s reaction if she had let his precious nephew die - but her hesitation had cost her again. Like a carpet being rolled out in a procession, the floor reformed right before her eyes.Abandoning her caution, Annatta tried to jump through the quickly closing hole.Unfortunately, the spell was faster than her, and she bounced off a fully reformed floor.She stomped on the floor speculatively, just in case it proved to be fragile, but the stone didn¡¯t even budge.Crap.Now what? Annatta hesitated for only a second.She quickly dismissed the idea of trying to go after her party.She had no idea where they had fallen to, but she felt confident that between Jasper and Tsia, they¡¯d find a way to survive - two mages ought to be more than enough to handle whatever this crappy little village could throw at them.But with her backup having fallen through - quite literally - there was no one else to free the prisoners, and if she knew the cowardly S?addu¡¯a as well as she thought she did, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use them as hostages. Spinning on her heels, Annatta raced back down the hall toward the prison block. Her intuition was quickly validated.The sound of frantic footsteps chased after her.Magnified into a cacophony by the cramped, arched stonework, Annatta couldn¡¯t tell how many guards were racing toward the cells, only that it was far more than the few she¡¯d fought.She redoubled her pace, trusting that the sound of their own running would be loud enough to drown out her own thudding footsteps, and tried to gain as much space between them as possible. Just before the hall entered into the main prison block, it intersected with another passage that ran perpendicular.It was clear that at one time, back when it was still a manor rather than a prison, the area had been the entry to something grander. A twin pair of doors guarded the entrance to what was now a prison, but the area in front of the doors, where the passages intersected, was ornately decorated.Each of the four corners was held up by twin pillars, from whose tops four arches rose to meet in a vaulted ceiling. A series of masterfully carved statues lined the walls on both sides of the doors.A series of torches burned behind them, backlighting their faces which had been purposefully obliterated, but they remained marvels of artistry that would have turned many a head in the capital. Annatta¡¯s soul, however, was not that of an artist.Ignoring the sculptures, she raced straight for the doors that were wide propped open.She quickly dislodged the stones holding them and pushed them shut.She ran along the row of statues, snuffing the torches out, and then rifled through her bag. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. She pulled out a row of glass orbs, laid them down in a row beside her, and then retrieved the two vials.She filled each of the orbs about halfway up with the pink powder before she opened the green liquid.Her hands shook, a mixture of haste and nerves, as she poured it into the first orb and immediately stopped it up. The clatter of footsteps and shouts approached fast as she moved down the line, and by the time she¡¯d reached the third to the last, she knew she wasn¡¯t going to finish.Abandoning the last two, she scooped the orbs up and dashed into the dark shadows behind the statues. About twenty guards charged into the entryway, but they weren¡¯t alone.A motley mix of other S?addu¡¯a crowded close on their heels, pushing and shoving to such an extent that the doors barred their way more effectively than she could have ever hoped - pressed tight by the crowd, the guards were unable to swing the doors open. ¡°Get back,¡± they roared, turning on the villagers, and Annatta took the initiative.Taking one last deep breath, she pulled her shirt above her lips and tossed the orbs out in quick succession. Perhaps if the crowd had known what the gas was, most of them could have held their breath and run away before its toxic fumes took hold.But in the chaos, the mountain Djinn didn¡¯t even notice the debilitating mist until one body after another began to slip unconscious to the floor. The guards lasted a few seconds longer than the villagers as their helmets filtered out some of the gas, but it was their training that betrayed them.Once they realized they were under attack, rather than immediately fleeing, they turned to search for their foe.Their search was in vain.Almost in unison, the guards joined the villagers on the ground without ever catching sight of the Djinn ensconced in the darkness. Annatta waited a few breaths to ensure that they were truly incapacitated before emerging from the protective shelter of the statue.She stared at the unconscious S?addu¡¯a for a moment, feeling a slight bit of distaste for what she was about to do.Then, slipping her daggers free of their sheaths, she got to work. She¡¯d disposed of about half the guards when an alarm went off in her head.Years of training had taught her the value of trusting in her intuition, and she rolled to the side immediately.It saved her life, but she was not quite quick enough to avoid the large stone spike that erupted from the ground where she¡¯d just been crouched.It tore a deep gash into the side of her arm, ripping a scream of pain from her lips.¡°Shamsha¡¯s Rays,¡± she cursed as she leapt to her feet. Her eyes met her attackers; it was one of the villagers, but judging from the bright yellow tunic and the ornate silver belt the man wore, she guessed he was probably the village chief.He was also a mage. Damn it. Her feet moved faster than her mind, throwing her free of the ground a fraction of a second before another spike rose from the ground. In a perfect world, she¡¯d never be forced into single combat with a mage, but the Royal Guard didn¡¯t simply train for ideal conditions.Abandoning all her usual tactics, Annatta embraced the one strategy that might save her life - being utterly erratic. Rather than trying to close the gap with the mage, she flipped backward.It was the right move; expecting her to charge him, a pillar of stone thrust its head impotently from the earth, nowhere near where she was. She zigged to the left, hoping the mage wouldn¡¯t predict that, and committed another crime against good sense - she threw her weapon.The dagger from her left hand spiraled end over end toward the mage. Reacting promptly, a shield of earth surged from the ground in front of him, but her dagger missed the mark anyway.A small smirk crossed his lips as the dagger flew a foot to the right of him. ¡°That¡¯s the best you can do-¡° he started to say, but his eyes narrowed as a ping echoed behind him.He didn¡¯t get a second shield up in time to block the dagger as it rebounded off the wall and into him.The dagger cut a nasty gash down his upraised arm before falling to the ground.It wasn¡¯t a killing blow, but still, Annatta was proud to have drawn first blood. Taking advantage of his distraction, she darted closer to him, zagging to the right shortly before a pillar of earth rose in her previous path.She might have successfully closed the distance with him if fate had not intervened. But she lost her footing as the ground shook violently beneath them, so violently that the mage too was thrown down beside her. She quickly rolled to her feet, ready to renew the battle, but the mage thrust out his hands with his palms raised non-threateningly. ¡°Wait,¡± he commanded.She darted to the side, expecting some trickery from him, but the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s eyes were glued to the unconscious guards.They stirred in their slumbers, groans rumbling from their throats, and Annatta watched with fascination as the purple streaks that striated their skin suddenly flared with light. The glow subsided shortly, but once the light had faded, it was clear something had changed.The edges of the marks were stained a dark yellow, almost the color of festering pus. Annatta¡¯s grip tightened on her daggers, her body slowly tensing as she pondered making an attack on the distracted mage, but she was too slow.His eyes snapped up to meet hers with a knowing smile. ¡°No need for that now,¡± the S?addu¡¯a stood up and waved his hand dismissively at her.¡°It seems your master has won his battle against the Ila?bun.¡±The man spat on the ground. ¡°I ask that you leave my people alive, but the prisoners are yours to take.¡± Her brows knit together in confusion.¡°You¡¯re giving up?¡± The mage shrugged.¡°If your master can kill that thing, he can certainly kill me, and personally, I¡¯m rather attached to my life.¡± Her gaze hardened in understanding, confirming what she¡¯d always known about the mountain Djinn - they were a bunch of cowards.¡°What about your guards?¡± she asked. ¡°Those purple bastards?¡±The man snorted.¡°Do with them as you will.¡±Not bothering to wait for her response, the village chieftain turned his back on her and started to walk away. She contemplated plunging her dagger straight into the cocky bastard¡¯s back, insulted by his obvious dismissal, but Annatta wasn¡¯t quite certain who¡¯d win in that battle.In the end, practicality won out over pride.She disposed of the remaining guards but, as he¡¯d asked, she left the villagers alive.Then she entered the cell block. Arallu?s Fall It was good to get away from the city.With her legs crossed, she closed her eyes, and let her arms fall loosely to the side.They brushed against the cool, soft moss, and she breathed in deeply.The air was slightly salty, flavored by the vast, glowing sea that stretched past the horizon. In and out.Rise and fall.Tesha felt the world fall away, and with it, all the troubles that rested on her shoulders.The knockers, the elves, that troublesome troll child, even the coming wave of reinforcements - all were forgotten as she felt that deep, inexplicable peace settled over her, that communion with the realm of Arall? that all the Children craved. There was nothing but the quiet lapping of the waves against the shore, the rustling of the trees in the wind.Nothing but peace. A knock disturbed her meditation.Tesha froze, even her heart unable to beat as horror stole over her.No - it couldn¡¯t be, not to me.Not like my mother.Another knock sounded, and she nearly leapt out of her skin. ¡°Tes?s?haaa.¡±A rather childish voice called out, dragging the end of her name out in a sing-song fashion.The Fey spun around, and her eyes narrowed as she saw the troll child standing a few feet behind her.She was leaning with one hand propped against a tree. Leaping to her feet, the Fey approached the child quickly.¡°Did you knock against the tree,¡± she demanded harshly.¡°Tell me quickly.¡±The girl backed up, her confusion evident.¡°Uh, yes?¡±She responded hesitantly. A wave of relief washed over Tesha, so intense it left her dizzy.Placing her hand on the tree to steady herself, she shook her head.¡°Never do that again to a Fey, do you understand, child? A slight frown wrinkled the corner of the girl¡¯s lip.¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just. don¡¯t. do. it.¡±Tesha growled, with a touch more ferocity than she intended. The child¡¯s head bobbed up and down quickly.¡°Okay, okay.No knocking,¡± she agreed.¡°But why not?¡± Tesha closed her eyes and ignored the question.She hoped the child would take the hint and go away, leaving her to once again attempt to summon the sacred peace.But as the seconds ticked by, she heard no sound of crunching leaves or breaking twigs.The child was clearly not leaving.Reluctantly, Tesha opened her eyes to find the girl had moved to within just a few feet of her, staring up at her with an expectant look. She sighed but gave in.¡°What do you want?¡± The irritating child took her question as an invitation to make herself at home.She practically bounded forward and, crumpling her nice, clean white skirt into the damp moss, plopped herself right down where Tesha had been sitting.¡°I was hoping you could help me with my magic.Momma says you guys are really gifted with nature spells.¡± Momma.The first time she¡¯d heard the child use that word for the elven queen, she''d expected her to be punished.Hell, Tesha had even hoped that perhaps it would be an offense grave enough to expel the troll¡¯s unfortunate presence from their midst.Instead, Aphora had ignored it; she certainly never used the term herself, but neither did she forbid the child to use it either. And while Aphora might not have exactly acknowledged it, it soon became clear to everyone that she did indeed dote on the little troll.So, reluctantly, Tesha had come to the realization that she¡¯d just have to tolerate the Gemlirian''s presence. She sighed again - it was becoming a bad habit - but sat down beside the child.¡°Some of us perhaps, but our talents mostly lie in mind magic.¡± The girl shook her head vigorously, her lilac hair bouncing to and fro on her shoulders.¡°Momma says that''s just what you want people to think; she thinks your real power comes from this realm.¡± Tesha bit her lip in aggravation - this time at herself more so than the child.She had done her best to keep her people alive and their secrets safe, but she¡¯d failed, time and time again, on the second task.Despite her best attempts, the savvy elven queen had sniffed out one secret after another and Tesha was simply no match for her.Maybe if the elders hadn¡¯t died it would be different, but she wasn¡¯t convinced that even they would have been a match for Aphora.The woman was one of those occasional anomalies that popped up - a throwback to a time when mages were far more powerful. ¡°Lady Aphora is mistaken, but we do have some small talents in nature magic,¡± she lied. The girl cocked her head to the side, and Tesha could swear she saw a knowing smile in her eyes, but she simply nodded.¡°Can you help me with a spell?¡±Not waiting for an answer, the little girl lifted her hands and twirled her fingers in a spell.The essence responded to her promptly, and moments later a glimmering blade of water was clutched tight in her hand. Tesha frowned, scrunching her brows together.¡°It looks¡­.fine?What is the problem, child?¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Qas?pahti swished the sword back and forth through the air, dangerously close to Tesha''s head, before letting the blade rest, pointing to the vast purple sea that surrounded them.¡°See how it¡¯s blue?Momma says I¡¯m supposed to be able to control water, but the sea won¡¯t listen.¡± Understanding dawned on her then.She''s trying to connect to the sea.Tesha chewed on her lip, unsure if she should share the truth with the girl.On the one hand, she knew it would please the queen, but on the other¡­it would be just another one of her people¡¯s secrets the elf had wormed out of her. She sighed again and fixed her eyes on the girl.¡°If I explain it to you, do you promise to only tell Lady Aphora?¡± The girl nodded, but Tesha wasn¡¯t satisfied yet.¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± she insisted.¡°It is a secret of the Children, not something to be shared with others.¡± Qas?pahti nodded again, throwing her hands up enthusiastically.¡°I promise!¡± Tesha curled her legs up and leaned against a nearby tree.¡°The children did not always live in this world.We were born in the realm of Arall?.¡± The girl interrupted her, ¡°You mean this place?¡± The Fey frowned.¡°Please don¡¯t interrupt me.But, yes, the name is the same.Arall? - the original Arall?, that is - was once part of three interconnected realms - As?ratu, Adammu, and Arall?.The inhabitants of As?ratu and Arall? were beings of great power - our ancestors and the ancestors of many other races too - while the inhabitants of Adammu were beings similar to the Corsythians.¡± Tesha paused, grimacing in discontent.¡°I wish I could remember the exact details of the story but, it was our priests¡¯ job to relay the story and all but the youngest of them were¡­¡± She trailed off, searching for the right words, and settled for a euphemism.¡°¡­left behind.¡±There was no need for the child to learn about the destruction of their city. ¡°Something caused a war to break out between As?ratu and Arall?, and millions upon millions died.Adammu, trapped between As?ratu and Arall?, suffered the worst of the destruction but eventually even the other realms were affected.Our ancestors were allied with a number of races there, the Sidhe-¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened in recognition, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Tesha shushed her.¡°Don¡¯t interrupt,¡± she reminded her.¡°As I was saying, they were allies with the Sidhe and a number of others, but our elders came to believe that the war was a lost cause.Fearing our people would be destroyed, they searched for a way out.¡± ¡°They devised a spell to cut us off from the rest of Arall? for a thousand years - hoping that peace would have been restored by now - and abandoned the Sidhe.¡± ¡°Their spell was a failure.Rather than cutting our people off from the war, the elders¡¯ spell shattered the realm of Arall? into a dozen splinters.Most of our people died outright, but a few survived trapped on a small portion of our world.Perhaps we would have been perpetually imprisoned if the god Tsia?hu had not noticed us.Though he did not belong to the pantheon of the three realms, he took pity on us; he stabilized our realm and attached it to his own.¡± Tesha gestured at the world around them - the glowing purple sea, the verdant, mossy earth, the thousands of pale yellow trees that raised their leaves futilely towards a sun that never shone.¡°This realm, our Arall?, is but a shadow of the world from which we came, but it is ours.We are the people born from it, and it only answers our call.That is why you cannot control the sea, child.¡±Tesha knew that wasn¡¯t quite the truth, but it was close enough. ¡°Oh. You''re sure?¡± was all the girl said, but the dejection on her face was so overwhelmingly evident that, much to her surprise, Tesha found herself feeling a smidge of pity for the little troll. She nodded, ¡°I am.You would need to be descended from one of the races that originated in Arall? to draw on this realm¡¯s magic.¡± ¡°Why can I feel the water so strongly then?¡± the girl finally asked. The Fey cocked her head to the side.¡°What do you mean?¡± The girl raised her hand and, letting a bit of essence pool up, stretched it toward the nearby sea.She tried to cast something on it, but the water didn¡¯t obey her desire - or at least, so the little troll thought. But Tesha¡¯s eyes widened as she spotted something the girl hadn¡¯t seen.Three drops had risen ever so slightly above the waves.It was barely anything, certainly not enough to fuel a spell, and yet¡­the sea had responded to her. ¡°Do it again,¡± she snapped suddenly.The child glanced over at her, confused, but complied.The essence called for the sea and again, a few droplets rose in response.¡°Again,¡± she commanded, and again the sea responded. ¡°You can stop now.¡±She turned to face the child, examining her with new eyes.In truth, given her distasteful lineage, the Fey leader had spent as little time as possible with Qas?pahti.She was vaguely aware that she was only half-troll, but as her appearance unfortunately favored her Gemlirian father, that was the only half that really mattered. There was nothing at all to indicate that the child had even a shred of Fey heritage in her; not even a smidge of green could be detected in her eyes, skin, or hair, nor did her essence feel akin to her people.The essence felt to her like the crisp cold of a glacial stream rather than the gentle warmth of a babbling brook.And yet - the sea had acknowledged her. Could she actually learn to control it like us?Tesha didn¡¯t know, nor was she sure if she was willing to teach the child.Her nose crinkled slightly in distaste as she gazed down at the grey-skinned and lilac-haired child, but she couldn¡¯t deny that the mystery intrigued her.She was willing to bet that the child had no ancestors from the Children of St. Martin lurking in her family tree, even if it stretched back a thousand years, but she hadn¡¯t quite told the child the truth when she¡¯d said only they could control this realm. There were the others, after all.The ones her people had abandoned in the war.Could she have been born to a summoned?Despite herself, Tesha found herself drawn in.¡°You can go now, child, but tell Lady Aphora that I wish to speak to her.¡±She hesitated, then threw the child a bone.¡°It¡¯s possible that I might be able to teach something after all.¡± The girl perked up, her face practically glowing with excitement.¡°Really?!¡± ¡°No promises,¡± Tesha quickly clarified, ¡°but sometimes there can be exceptions, and you might just be one.¡± The girl wasted no time scampering off into the forest, back toward the city.Left alone, Tesha reclaimed her seat and closed her eyes, trying to summon that all-consuming peace again. It was a fruitless battle. An Inquisitors Interest Just keep one foot in front of the other. They¡¯d only been walking for two hours, but Erin was already beginning to drag. The last few days had been a rollercoaster of horror and hope, coupled with barely enough food and water to survive. When the lady from the royal guard had reappeared and began opening their cell doors, he¡¯d been ecstatic - at first. When she placed that key in his door, and turned the rusty lock, his heart had swelled with so much emotion that for the first time in his life he had finally understood why someone might cry from joy. Granted, he still hadn¡¯t cried, but he sort of got it now. But then, when he¡¯d stepped out into the hall, his legs shaky from nerves and lack of food, his joy had been tempered by fear. She had no backup, no other soldiers, nothing. She¡¯s going to get us all killed. The visceral images from the aftermath of the scouts¡¯ attempted escape flooded through his mind again. Of the escapees who had lost their heads, and the innocent scouts who were executed simply because of them. To send a message. Erin¡¯s body had begun to shake uncontrollably. Stepping backward, he¡¯d fumbled desperately with the door to his cell, trying to pull it shut again. The guards could arrive at any moment, and what good could one warrior do? But then the Djinn, who was busy unlocking the cell opposite to him, had turned her head. Her long hair was pulled tightly behind her horns, and most of her face was hidden in the shadows, but he could still see the kindness in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, ah?urr??¡± She''d asked, pulling at the cell door, which screeched noisily as it rubbed against the stone floor. ¡°Th-the guards¡­¡±. He¡¯d tried to explain, but words failed him. Gu?zu stepped out of his cell, and spoke softly to the Djinn. ¡°The scouts who tried to escape were executed right in front of us. The boy is¡­well, he¡¯s new to this world. Got dragged over somehow.¡± the man explained. ¡°He¡¯s had a hard time adjusting, but he was doing well in the scouts.¡± A momentary flash of interest sparked in the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Really? He¡¯s a summoned? Do you know what world he came from?¡± Gu?zu shrugged and looked to Erin, who was watching mutely. ¡°Where were you from again, boy?¡± Erin wrestled with the door, trying to shut it. ¡°Earth,¡± he responded shortly. Preoccupied, he didn¡¯t see the Djinn¡¯s eyes widen. His efforts to close the door were thwarted as the woman grabbed his arm and dragged him out to stand beside her. ¡°Come, ah?urr?, stick close to me, and don¡¯t worry about the guards. My fri-¡­my lord has dealt with them and their lord. They won¡¯t be bothering us now.¡± He didn¡¯t entirely believe her, but his half-starved frame was in no shape to resist her.She slowly worked her way down the hall, making no attempt to hide the noise she made as she freed the prisoners.When they reached the end of the hall and all the scouts had been freed, plus a variety of random travelers who had had the misfortune to be snatched, and there were still no sign of the guards - the overwhelming joy crept back into his heart. This time he really did cry - only a tear or two though which he carefully brushed away while pretending to yawn. The Djinn had led them through a labyrinth of passages, up and down, from left to right, that completely destroyed any sense of direction he had before leading them into a large hall filled with shelves. ¡°Your weapons and armor should be in here, if they haven¡¯t taken it for themselves. Spread out and search.¡± The other scouts had quickly dispersed, and Erin had started to stumble after him, only to be arrested by her hand again. ¡°You can stay with me,¡± the woman said. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out one by one the pieces of exquisitely crafted leather gear and shoved them toward him. ¡°Put these on for the time being.¡± Erin had hesitated, stealing a glance toward his fellow scouts who were currently rummaging through the shelves looking for their stuff. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I, uh, just get my own armor? These, uh, look pretty expensive.¡± She shrugged. ¡°They were, but I¡¯ve got a much better set now.¡± She ran a hand down the beautiful lamellar armor she wore in a way that accentuated her curves rather distractingly, and Erin¡¯s gaze lingered a second too long, before he quickly glanced away, his cheeks burning. She laughed and shoved the armor in his hands. ¡°Put it on, ah?urr?. I have a feeling my lord will want to meet you, and until then I want you as well protected as possible.¡± Her words sent a chill down his spine. My lord will want to meet you? Erin hadn¡¯t exactly been a bad kid growing up, but with a name like his, he¡¯d gotten in trouble on a pretty regular basis.Authority figures weren¡¯t exactly friends in his book, and try as he might, Erin could not come up with a single good reason he might have attracted her lord¡¯s attention.Hell, he hadn¡¯t even met the man, had he? His mind went into overdrive, imagining a litany of increasingly worse possibilities. Was he going to be punished for trying to save that woman? It had seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but it had gotten them all in trouble. It was his fault they''d been taken prisoner, after all. Visions of being fined, flogged, forced into servanthood flashed through his mind - along with fleeting fancies of trying to run away - but Erin knew there was nothing he could do. Even if he wasn¡¯t half-starved, there would be no escaping from this Djinn. She was just too powerful. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Reluctantly, he accepted the leather armor she¡¯d offered him and fastened it on. Then it was just a matter of waiting and fretting as the rest of the scouts retrieved what they could find of their gear. The Djinn¡¯s patience ran thin quickly; clapping her hands, she called the scouts back together - with or without their gear. ¡°Come on, we need to get going,¡± she shouted over the hubbub. ¡°I don¡¯t expect a fight ahead of us, but be prepared.¡± She led them back into the maze of halls and headed deeper into the dungeon. It was a shorter walk this time; soon a crowd of voices echoed ahead - only to be quelled by a loud, booming voice whose speech was too distorted by the twisting tunnels for Erin to understand. He guessed, though, that it might just belong to his rescuer¡¯s lord, and a pulse of anxiety pierced his heart. They reached their destination a few moments later. Under normal circumstances, it was probably some sort of dining hall, but it was currently filled to the brink with a sea of their captors. The S?addu¡¯a. Erin¡¯s heart seized - and he wasn¡¯t alone this time. The other scouts shrank back, looking to their rescuer with a mixture of fear and betrayal. The Djinn only laughed.Shaking her head, she pointed to a man standing at the front of the crowd - a Djinn dressed in the armor that only the royal house was allowed to wear.¡°You¡¯re fine,¡± she reassured them.¡°My lord is right there.¡± True to her word, neither the villagers nor the guards assembled toward the front of the crowd made any move to seize them, and Erin¡¯s heart began to calm. Maybe they really were going to be okay. He watched curiously as one of the guards stood up and walked over to the noble. Erin hadn¡¯t been in this world for long, but the noble scion wasn¡¯t quite what he was expecting. He¡¯d quickly learned that most Djinn looked roughly human at birth, only changing in appearance as they gained levels. Usually, the first thing they¡¯d gain was horns - which would slowly grow with power - and, if they were strong enough, the red skin that indicated they¡¯d become immune to fire. But this lord was different. His skin was a much darker shade of red than most, but there were no horns sprouting from his head - not even a hint of nubs. Almost absentmindedly, Erin¡¯s hand ran over the small stubs that had sprouted from his own scalp, despite his still quite pale skin. The guard knelt on the ground before the strange noble, and the Djinn lifted his hand, allowing blue flames of essence to flicker to life along his fingers. So he¡¯s a mage. A pang of envy gripped his heart as the man¡¯s voice swelled again to fill the room. PURGE, the man thundered. The flames blossomed along his hands in a fashion that, despite his own inability to successfully cast spells, Erin knew was unnecessarily theatrical, and he frowned, curious to see what the spell would do. Nothing happened, and the guard began to stand to his feet with a relieved smile on his face. I wonder what that was about. Then the guard paused.His hand shot to his throat and fear filled his eyes.Erin watched in horror as the S?addu¡¯a writhed in agony across the floor, his body collapsing in upon itself until nothing but a withered husk was left. There was a small, ignoble part of his heart that rejoiced to see his captors slaughtered, but that was quickly overridden by the fear. This was the man who would be interested in him? Suddenly, the worst-case scenarios he had imagined seemed frightfully optimistic. The noble frowned but said nothing as two of the villagers came forward and, with silent tears streaming down their faces, dragged the body away. But when the body had been removed, he waved another guard forward. This guard¡¯s legs were shaking so badly that she almost fell on his face as she tried to kneel before the mage. The noble raised his hand, letting the flames flare forth, and spoke the spell again. PURGE. Holy hell - he¡¯s executing all of them? Even the women? Erin wanted to avert his eyes, wanted to avoid seeing the guard¡¯s grizzly fate, but somehow he couldn¡¯t bring himself to look away. Again nothing happened at first, but Erin knew what was coming. But the seconds ticked by uneventfully. The guard slowly began to rise on legs that shook like a sapling in a hurricane. Her hand brushed the side of her neck, almost speculatively, and a look of pure joy flooded her face. ¡°I¡¯m - I¡¯m okay?¡± The noble smiled. ¡°Looks like it. You coming with me?¡± The noble¡¯s unusually informal speech struck Erin as odd, but the guard barely noticed. Bobbing her head enthusiastically, she practically ran to the left where a large group of S?addu¡¯a made room for her. What the hell? Erin watched the scene in utter confusion, struggling to make sense of what was happening. His distress must have been evident on his face as Gu?zu leaned over and whispered in his ear. ¡°The royal scion must be an inquisitor,¡± the scout whispered. ¡°Only those who are guilty will be punished.¡± He''s an inquisitor? Which means...an inquisitor wants to see me? Erin¡¯s heart froze with terror as he suddenly realized why the noble wanted to meet him. He must know I don¡¯t worship their gods. They don¡¯t kill people for that, do they? Terror laced his veins again, but he could do nothing but watch. A dozen more guards were tested by the inquisitor. Only one of them died, but their fate was just as horrible as the last. Erin watched through averted eyes, unable to tear himself away from the spectacle. And then, when there were no more S?addu''a? left to test, the noble decided to leave. They were all herded out of the prison together - not just the scouts, but for some reason beyond comprehension, their captors as well. Erin could only imagine what fate must await them in the capital, and he worried his own life might be in danger too. An hour passed on the road without trouble, and then his fears came true. His rescuer spoke to the noble for a few moments, pointing him out, and the mage¡¯s gaze fell on him. The man waved him over and Erin reluctantly obeyed. Trotting over, he was surprised when the noble flashed him a wide grin. ¡°So, Annatta tells me you¡¯re from Earth? You from the greatest country on Earth, or one of those other places?¡± The man winked, and stuck out his hand. ¡°Just kidding. It¡¯s great to meet someone else from home. I¡¯m Jasper.¡± Erin¡¯s mouth fell open. Home? Sterner Stuff Jasper stared down at the scout, a broad smile on his lips, but the man just gaped up at him, saying absolutely nothing. Jasper supposed he could understand. It would be a bit of a shock. Jasper had been here for months now and it was the first time he¡¯d encountered someone else from home, and perhaps the scout hadn''t even known that other summoned existed. While he waited for the scout to snap out of his stupor, he subtly examined him. Erin was a bit shorter than he¡¯d expected. Even if Jasper hadn¡¯t been riding on Dapplegrim, he doubted the scout would have reached much higher than his chest. And since he actually was mounted, the man was pretty much at eye level with his feet. The scout was a bit on the scrawny side too - perhaps wiry would have been a more charitable description - and his pale, milky skin and bright red hair looked out of place amongst the Djinn. Do they even have sunscreen here? He realized he didn¡¯t know - his skin was thoroughly burn proof at this point - but somehow, he doubted the scout had the same perks. His skin was already looking a bit flushed. ¡°Ho-home?¡± Jasper stirred as the man finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯re from Earth?¡± ¡°West Coast, baby. San Diego, true home of the Chargers. Where are you from?¡± The scout ignored him, repeating himself like a broken record. ¡°You¡¯re from Earth? How? You don¡¯t even look human.¡± Jasper winced. ¡°Yeah, about that. It¡¯s probably going to happen to you too. As Djinn level up, they tend to look less and less human. Few months ago, my skin didn¡¯t look like a giant wine stain, and I hope to god I don¡¯t start sprouting a pair of horns¡± - Jasper ignored Annatta¡¯s indignant side-eye and hurried on - ¡°but it¡¯s got its perks, too. My skin is fireproof now, so that¡¯s pretty dope.¡± The man squinted his eyes. ¡°Who¡¯s the president of the US?¡± ¡°Randall Thorne.¡± ¡°What was your favorite Disney movie growing up?¡± ¡°Little Mermaid.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a blackberry?¡± ¡°The food or the phone?¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You really are from Earth.¡± ¡°That what¡¯s I¡¯ve been telling you,¡± Jasper agreed amiably. ¡°Got dragged over here somehow when the sequel launched. Did the same thing happen to you?¡± The scout nodded. ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t even want to play the stupid game, but my friend insisted and now,¡± he waved his hand helplessly, ¡°I am stuck here. Forever, apparently.¡± Should I tell him about the portal? Jasper discarded the idea quickly. He didn¡¯t even know how to access the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s portal, but he did know that it was incredibly expensive. There was no point in giving the dude false hope. Instead, he returned to his previous question. ¡°So you never did answer me. Where are you from?¡± The scout frowned, rubbing at the peeling skin on a nose that was already being fried to a crisp. ¡°Nowhere really, but I guess you could say Baltimore. My mom and I kind of moved around a lot.¡± ¡°Oh? Was she in the army?¡± Erin blushed. ¡°I wish¡­¡± he muttered beneath his breath, before speaking up louder. ¡°No, she was¡­well, she was the sort of woman who always had to have a man - you know what I mean? It was the same cycle over and over again; meet a man and move in way too quick. By the time I was eight, I¡¯d lived in Maryland, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Arizona.¡± The scout grimaced. ¡°Her whole life would revolve around the dude for a few months but it never lasted. Usually within the year, the relationship would fall apart, and we¡¯d be left scrambling for a place to live. Most of the time, we ended up back at my grandma¡¯s place, in Baltimore. But then she¡¯d find another man and it would happen all over again.¡± The scout paused, suddenly realizing he had overshared. ¡°But she wasn¡¯t that bad of a mom,¡± he added, scrunching his shoulders together defensively. ¡°Just a little flighty.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°Eh, my mom had four kids and none of our dads were ever around, so, yeah, I know exactly what you mean.We did mostly stay in one place though.¡± The tension in the scout¡¯s shoulders relaxed a little.¡°Yeah, I guess you''d understand then.¡± The conversation lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. In truth, Jasper had assumed that after months of being separated from his home, he¡¯d feel some sort of instant connection with anyone else from Earth. He¡¯d imagined it''d be a bit like a family reunion, but, instead, there seemed to be an unspoken wall between them. The man kept glancing up at him, clearly wanting to ask about something, but Jasper couldn¡¯t tell what was bothering him. ¡°So¡­¡±. Jasper fumbled around, searching for something to fill the silence. ¡°What made you sign up with the scouts?¡± Erin scratched his head awkwardly, wincing as bits of burnt skin peeled away. ¡°Well, to tell the truth, I kind of washed out of the Royal Guard.¡± He glanced up at Jasper, expecting to see judgment in his eyes, but the man just looked intrigued. ¡°How did you get connected with the Royal Guard in the first place? I thought their recruitment was pretty closed off?¡± He shrugged. ¡°When I first got here, that moon goddess gave me some sort of quest to join up with them, so they decided to give me a chance. I did okay with the physical training, but when it came to magic, I just couldn¡¯t hack it. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t figure out how to actually use my essence.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Really?¡± It was Jasper¡¯s turn to be surprised. ¡°I thought all of us summoned were supposed to be super magically gifted.¡± The scout bobbed his head. ¡°Yup, that¡¯s what they say.¡± A touch of bitterness laced his voice. ¡°To be fair, the priests assured me time and again that I actually had loads of essence. But in the end, having essence you can¡¯t use is pretty much the same as not having it at all.¡± ¡°And they kicked you out of the guard for that? I didn¡¯t think they required you to be a mage.¡± Jasper glanced at Annatta. Unless she had hidden it well from him, she was definitely not a mage. ¡°No, but you do have to have a real class.¡± Jasper straightened up in his saddle, gawking incredulously. ¡°You don¡¯t have a class?¡± His brow wrinkled. ¡°But you¡¯re a soldier. Shouldn¡¯t you be pretty much as weak as a baby if you can¡¯t level up?¡± Erin bobbled his head. ¡°It¡¯s complicated. The way the trainers in the guard explained it to me, because I have so much essence, the system won¡¯t give me a warrior class, but because I can''t use my essence, it also won¡¯t give me a mage class. I guess the system knows something is wrong because I¡¯ve been given a placeholder class - ¡®undefined.¡¯ I can level up and assign stats, but it doesn¡¯t let me learn any skills or spells. And without either of those¡­¡± he shrugged. Jasper understood then. Stats were nice, but it was skills like Spectral Wings that had saved his life time and time again. Unless that could be fixed, the scout was effectively handicapped. ¡°Well that certainly sucks,¡± he agreed. ¡°And there¡¯s really nothing they could do for you?¡± The scout shrugged. ¡°Not that the guard could come up with. Believe me - I¡¯d try anything. Truthfully, all I want to do is just go back home, but if I¡¯m going to be stuck here, at least magic would make a hell of a consolation prize. Instead, I got the worst of both worlds.¡± Jasper nodded sympathetically. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises, but I can ask my uncle to look into it for you when we get back to the capital.¡± Erin perked up. ¡°There''s someone else here from Earth?" "Well..." Jasper hesitated. "Not exactly. Apparently, my mother was from this world originally, and somehow she went to Earth and had me, but she still had family here. It''s all rather complicated, but the short of it is that my uncle is a pretty powerful noble. He might be able to help you." The man''s brows nearly rocketed off his face. "Wait, you''re actually a noble? I thought you were just, like, knighted or something. And your uncle is a noble too? Is he like a real fat cat?¡± Annatta, who had been riding silently beside them until then, gaped in outrage. ¡°Fat cat? Lord S?arra?bi is not fat, and certainly is not one of those wandering Seraphs.¡± With a laugh, Jasper shushed her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Annatta. People on Earth aren¡¯t quite so stuffy about these sorts of things. Though,¡± he cocked an eyebrow at the scout. ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to let anyone in the capital hear you call him that. He''s actually rather well respected." ¡°But, no¡± Jasper grinned, ¡°I don''t think you could call him a ¡®fat cat.¡¯ He''s more of a ¡®well-fed tiger'' sort of guy. I¡¯ve seen my uncle fight, and while he definitely enjoys his silk robes and fabulous feast, he¡¯s actually kind of a badass when the situation calls for it.¡± ¡°I, uh, didn¡¯t mean any offense,¡± Erin hastily replied. He glanced nervously at Annatta who was still giving him the stink-eye, and babbled on. ¡°I guess, to be fair, most of the nobles I met in the guard were surprisingly competent. Nothing like my bosses back home.¡± ¡°Well, back home, the only thing the rich needed to be good at was taking our money to line their pockets. Here, the nobles are the first line of defense between the people and whatever enemies or monsters are threatening them.¡± A smirk crossed Jasper''s lips as an image of Zuckerberg, Musk, and Bezos squaring off against a horde of charging trolls flashed through his mind. ¡°But when you¡¯re regularly thrown into life-or-death situations, it tends to weed out the incompetent people pretty quickly,¡± he continued. Erin¡¯s face sombered ¡°Life-or-death situation, huh?¡± He fell silent, looking off into the distance, before finally finding the courage to ask the question that had been bothering him since they¡¯d left the prison. ¡°How do you do it? The killing, I mean,¡± he quickly added. Jasper was startled. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I saw you casting that spell on the guards,¡± the scout explained. ¡°I saw two of them die. I¡¯ve killed a few monsters since getting trapped here, but I haven¡¯t had to kill, like, a person. I think I could do it in the heat of the battle, in a life-or-death situation, but that was just a straight-up execution. Why did you kill them?¡± Jasper pondered his words for a few minutes before replying. ¡°The spell only kills people that have done really bad things - or at least that''s what its description claims. I mean, I figure I wouldn''t have any qualms about killing someone like, I don''t know, a serial killer or an SS soldier, so I try to tell myself that''s what it''s doing.¡± ¡°But honestly, I didn¡¯t have many options. I hate using that spell, but the village chieftain was going to kill all of the guards as soon as I left. So the way I choose to see it, I didn¡¯t kill four of the S?addu''a? - I saved thirty-one of them.¡± Erin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The chieftain was really going to kill his own people? Why?¡± ¡°Because they weren¡¯t his people.The guards were sired by that monster, the Ila?bun. Apparently, once the creature appeared he pretty much enslaved the village and forced himself on the women. Evidently, he used those offspring as some sort of food source until we came along and killed him.¡±Jasper sighed and ran his fingers through his thick mop of hair. ¡°Honestly," he admitted, "I''m just hoping I didn¡¯t make a mistake by letting them live.¡± He jerked his head toward the back of the group where Ne?s?u was riding. ¡°Ne?s?u, by far the most experienced warrior in our group, thought we should kill them all, but..." his words trailed off. "I don''t know. It just doesn''t feel right to kill someone because of who they were born to, or what they might do.¡± He met the scout¡¯s eyes. ¡°But this world is different, man. It¡¯s full of cultists who will kill you to eat your soul, monsters who will happily settle for just chomping on your tenders, gods who will command you to kill in their holy name, and all sorts of other crap. Life is cheap here, and the world is a hell of a lot more violent than Earth. If you can¡¯t find it in yourself to kill, you aren¡¯t going to survive long.¡± The scout swallowed visibly. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out if I have what it takes then.¡± The story the little S?addu''a? boy had told him came to mind, and Jasper shook his head. "I don''t think you need to worry about that. You know, I heard what you did back in Du?r-E?kal - when you tried to save that woman." Erin grimaced. "Lot of good that did. All I accomplished was getting me and everyone else in my squad captured. Some of them died because of me." "You''re not responsible for their deaths," Jasper disagreed. "The Ila?bun is. You tried to do a good thing and unfortunately it didn''t work out, but that doesn''t make it your fault." The scout nodded his head in agreement, but Jasper saw the disbelief mirrored in his eyes. I suppose he just needs time to process it. Letting the matter drop, he continued on. "Anyways, my point was that that wasn''t the act of a coward. When the time comes, I think you''ll find you''re made of sterner stuff." A Bowlful of Trouble ¡°Lord Yas?peh! Lord Yas?peh! They¡¯re at it again.¡± ¡°Aargh.¡± Tossing his plate of food on the ground, Jasper didn¡¯t even bother to contain his groan of frustration. The seared boar meat rolled off the plate into the dirt. He quickly scooped it back up on the plate. Won¡¯t make much of a difference in taste anyways, he grumbled. Tsia had been the designated cook that night and, well¡­she tried her best. Unfortunately, her best was closer to charcoal than meat. I suppose princesses don''t take cooking lessons. After freeing the scouts and the guards with relatively little trouble, he¡¯d been riding pretty high - but it had been a long two weeks. He had drastically underestimated the animosity between the Djinn and their S?addu¡¯a cousins. Sure, the scouts had done their best to honor his commands and not start any unnecessary fights, but their disdain was evident in every interaction. To be fair, the guards were not easy to get along with. They''d quickly discovered that most of the Ilabun¡¯s progeny were only a few years old. The eldest in the group was merely eleven. Their bodies were, for the most part, adult-sized though, because the Ilabun had been stealing their levels for himself, they lacked the stats that they should have possessed. But whatever strange aging process had caused them to grow unnaturally fast had not equally affected their minds. They weren¡¯t stupid - far from it - but they were stunted. As long as Jasper provided them regular orders, they faithfully obeyed, but the moment they were left to their own devices they acted like, well, children. Children who unfortunately thought it very funny to pester the scouts who hated them. Brushing the crumbs of his lap, Jasper turned to face the messenger. ¡°What¡¯s the problem this time?¡± The woman doubled over, gasping for air, and he waited patiently until she caught her breath - the weeks spent starving in prison had not been good for the scouts¡¯ conditioning. He cocked his head to the side as he noted a subtle swelling in her belly that he definitely didn¡¯t remember. Surely they didn¡¯t send a pregnant soldier on a mission? Almost immediately, he dismissed the notion as absurd, but his mind flashed back to the brothel at the S?addu¡¯a city. Perhaps she had a little too much fun there. Either that or she¡¯s just been eating well. His musings were cut off as the scout finally caught her breath. She bowed deeply before straightening up. He waited impatiently for her to speak, but she was in no rush. Carefully brushing her long, raven hair out of her eyes, she arched her back in a way that accentuated both her chest and horns - though Jasper really didn¡¯t have a thing for horns, to the Djinn it seemed to be one of the most important attractive features, and the scout was clearly proud of her pair which were slightly larger than most her age. Jasper groaned internally. This had been yet another trial of the trip. The few noble women he¡¯d met in the capital had ignored him - he suspected his own lack of horns was the problem - but the handful of female scouts they had rescued, on the other hand, had all but thrown themselves at him from the moment they left Ze?l Qabu?ri in the dust. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was from some misguided sense of gratitude for their rescue, or if the Djinn women simply saw him as their meal ticket to a life of luxury, but their attempts to gain his attention had been a continual frustration. He had no intention of taking them up on their unstated offer, but he was also a man with needs that had definitely not been met since his arrival in Corsythia - save for his brief fling with Laylah. His patience reached a breaking point. ¡°What is the problem, scout?¡± he snapped, perhaps a bit more testily than was really necessary. She bowed low again, her carefully arranged hair falling forward, and hastily apologized. ¡°Sorry, my lord, but I fear a fight is about to break out between the scouts and the guards. Certain members of the guard thought it funny to sneak some e?slu berries into our stew. Some of the scouts are very unhappy about it, but the S?addu¡¯a have refused to apologize.¡± Jasper hid his grin as the mystery of the scout¡¯s swollen belly was suddenly solved. E?slu berries were plentiful in the mountains they were passing through, and they tasted quite good, reminding him of a raspberry that had a subtle undercurrent of a flavor very close to chocolate. He had no doubt the berries would have been considered a delicacy if it was not for just one little problem - e?slu berries, while delicious, caused you to bloat like an over-inflated balloon. If you made the mistake of indulging in them, you could count on a long and noisy night. As if on cue, the scout squirmed as a faint but noticeable noise broke the silence. Her cheeks flared a brilliant crimson, but she held his gaze steadily. Jasper bit back his laughter, not wanting to trample on her wounded dignity any further. ¡°E?slu berries, huh? That doesn¡¯t really seem like a good reason for a fight,¡± he replied mildly. The scout¡¯s ears were still burning, but she held her ground. ¡°We would like an apology. Please, my lord - surely you do not want to see the people of your house humiliated by these, these savages,¡± she sputtered. Stupid freaking honor. Thankfully, the Djinn weren¡¯t quite as obsessed with honor as your average Xianxia antagonist, but they still cared about it a good deal more than Jasper did. Frankly, he thought the whole idea was a load of crap, but as much as he wanted to ignore the scout''s plea, he knew he couldn''t. If he let the S?addu¡¯a humiliate the soldiers under his banner without reproof, the scouts would see it as a mark against his honor. Given the whole point of this little rescue mission was to win the respect of the troops, he had to defend them. Damn it. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Lead the way,¡± he commanded reluctantly. The scout¡¯s visage brightened, and she darted ahead of him, leading the way back through the camp. As she walked, her hips sashayed with a swagger that Jasper was a hundred percent confident was not her usual walking stride, and he looked away. Well, mostly. It took only a few minutes to reach the campsite, and he could tell immediately that the scout had been right to come and get him. Twelve very angry scouts, decked out in their leather armor, were shooting nasty glances across the fire at a similar-sized group of the S?addu¡¯a. Their fists were clenched tight at their sides, lingering a little too close to their weapons for Jasper''s comfort. The former guards, on the other hand, stared back with wide grins and muffled laughter, which only added to the scouts¡¯ frustration. The refugees looked a little different than they had in Ze?l Qabu?ri. Over the last two weeks, the purple streaks had continued to morph into a deep, almost sickly-colored yellow, and now only a thin thread of purple remained. Their bodies were bulkier too; each night, Jasper and his party had led small groups of them out on hunting parties, killing whatever small monsters they could find. Their levels were too low to be of any benefit to him, but to the guards - whose levels had been stolen by the Ila?bun - they represented a massive and immediate improvement. Unfortunately, Jasper had also quickly realized that the S?addu¡¯a guards might be adults in body but were closer to kids in mind. Though the extra levels made them tougher, unfortunately, the system couldn¡¯t cure someone of immaturity. The large cauldron squatting over the fire was the center of the disturbance. It was filled with a thick brown soup whose top roiled with big, lazy bubbles. Perhaps in the light of day, it would have looked more appetizing, but as it was, barely lit by the light of the fire, the brown slurry looked more like a boiling bowl of crap than anything edible. Stepping closer, Jasper sniffed the soup and promptly understood. Scratch that, this smells amazing. His gaze turned to the S?addu¡¯a guards. ¡°There¡¯s been some complaints about e?slu berries being put in the soup. Did you have anything to do with that?¡± He thought it was about fifty-fifty if they would cop to the deed, and they immediately began to shake their heads. One of the scouts immediately stepped forward and, practically shaking with rage, pointed their finger at one of the S?addu''a?. ¡°Liars. I saw you picking berries on our march today, H?e?spah.¡± A guilty look flashed across the accused guard¡¯s face, but she lifted her chin defiantly. ¡°I ate those berries myself,¡± she boldly lied. Several of the S?addu¡¯a began to snicker as the scout rubbed his visibly swollen belly and a noise rumbled across the campsite, but he just shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t hear any noises coming from you,¡± the scout grunted, "and there ain''t no curve to your stomach either." The guards'' laughter abruptly stopped. ¡°I, uh-¡± He?spah hesitated a moment, searching for a better lie, but the Djinn wasn¡¯t quick on her feet. ¡°Uh, perhaps I may have added a few berries to the soup tonight,¡± she admitted, drawing the words out as slowly as possible. Inspiration struck. ¡°But it was purely to add a touch of flavor, h?etteru, I promise.¡± She added hastily, turning to Jasper with eyes as wide and hopeful as the moon. He was not deceived, but neither did he know what to do. He really didn''t want to be forced to take sides. Spinning on his heels, he walked over to the cauldron. Jasper could feel their eyes burning a hole in his back, awaiting his judgment, but he needed time to think of a way to satisfy the scouts without coming down too hard on the guards. The shockingly tantalizing aroma of the soup hit him again. Dipping his finger into it, he sampled a little taste of the brown slurry. It was as good as it smelled, heavy laden with meat from a boar they¡¯d slain that evening and a medley of roots and herbs the scouts had foraged. Damn, this is loads better than what I was eating, he realized in surprise. What it didn¡¯t have, however, was any noticeable flavor from the e?slu berries. Poor guys had no idea what they were in for. An idea came to him, and he spun on his heels. ¡°I agree, He?spah. The soup really is quite delicious.¡± Her eyes lit up with hope, and she nodded her head eagerly. ¡°Yes, yes, h?etteru, I was only trying to help.¡± Jasper shook his head sadly. ¡°Indeed, the soup is so good, that I can only imagine whatever supper you had must have paled in comparison. Hell,¡± he chuckled, ¡°this soup tastes better than my own meal did.¡± He cast an appreciative look at the scout closest to him, which by chance the woman who had run to fetch him. ¡°Perhaps I should have one of you come cook for me.¡± The scout''s cheeks flushed, and Jasper promptly cursed himself. Crap. I didn¡¯t mean it like that. But the show had to go on. Turning back to the guards, he waved them closer. ¡°Come, I think you should all partake in this wonderful soup He?spah helped prepare.¡± Their faces suddenly paled, but they shuffled forward reluctantly. ¡°Hold out your bowls,¡± he commanded, and he dipped the ladle into the cauldron, waiting expectantly. The scouts watched with amusement as the crestfallen S?addu''a? moved through the line, each receiving a heaping bowl of the tainted soup until the last one, He?spah, received an extra large serving. But then Jasper did something neither group expected. He gestured to the scout standing beside him. ¡°Can I borrow your bowl?¡± A look of confusion crossed her face, but she handed it over to him. Dipping the ladle in one last time, he filled it to the brim and walked over to the guards. "Got any room?" They quickly scooched aside, and he plopped down and dug his spoon into the soup. It was honestly delicious, and despite the night of tossing and turning he knew was coming, Jasper enjoyed it far more than the burnt boar Tsia had prepared, and bolstered by his presence, the guards downed their own bowls with gusto. There were many times Jasper felt completely over his head in this world. It had only gotten harder since his uncle had found him and forcibly thrust him into the role of a noble, but tonight was not one of those nights. He¡¯d actually managed to make both groups happy. Take that, Kirk. The Costs of Heroism The journey to Du?r-E?kal had taken a little less than two weeks. The trip back to the capital took nearly two months. True, for most of that journey they had ridden long and hard, sleeping only when their mounts were unable to continue on, but still Jasper hadn¡¯t expected the return trip to take quite so long. Since neither the scouts nor the guard owned mounts, Jasper had realized, of course, that the party could not keep the same frantic pace he and his friends had maintained. Still, it wasn¡¯t until he saw how fast the stamina of the troops was worn down that he truly began to appreciate just how quickly he had leveled up and just how big of a difference those levels really made. Fortunately, the initial clashes between the Djinn scouts and the S?addu¡¯a had gradually simmered down into a mutual dislike. They weren¡¯t going to be fast friends any time soon, but at least Jasper wasn¡¯t forced to mediate nightly disputes. The only high point of the trip was when they passed through Tabi?nat again. This time they spent two nights in the city of towers, putting up in one of the nicest taverns in the city, one with a beautiful overlook of Lake Yarhab. The cost of the place was nearly enough to make Ihra, who was ever loath to loosen the purse strings cry, but the cozy bed and good food made it more than worth it to Jasper. The wisdom of his decision was only reinforced on the second night when he finally got to see a squad of firebirds soar across the nighttime sky to roost on their lofty perches. Thus, when the twin bridges that barred the way to S?adda?nu finally stretched in view, he felt that familiar feeling of relief that sweeps over you when you pull into your drive after a long, hard day. Home. It was a nice feeling, but Jasper did his best to suffocate it. Despite the roots he had begun to grow here, he knew his uncle¡¯s plans would soon send him out of the province altogether - it was best not to let himself get too attached. They earned more than a few stares as they rode back to the palace. It wasn¡¯t too unusual to see nobles riding through the busy lanes of the capital, even ones decked out in the colors of the royal house, but a troop of armed S?addu¡¯a marching through the streets was another matter altogether. Some stared back with blatant hostility, others with mere curiosity, but nearly all in the crowd turned to gawk at the strange parade even if none dared to question them The guards at the palace gate, however, were not so agreeable.
¡°I don¡¯t understand, my lord.¡± Jasper tried not to sigh as he stared down at the third guard he¡¯d spoken to. This one was some sort of captain who had arrived after the first two guards he¡¯d spoken with had refused to let the S?addu¡¯a enter. The man had the mustache of a walrus, but his figure was lithe and trim, rippling with the quietly restrained strength of a skilled warrior. The captain shook his head with a grimace. ¡°Why do you want to bring these¡­these S?addu¡¯a into the palace? Can you not just stash them in some tavern by the docks, my lord? Surely that would be a more fitting place for them.¡± Jasper¡¯s eyes glanced past the man, hoping to see some sign that Annatta had returned with authorization from his uncle, but the forest trail beyond the gate was still empty. Instead, he was forced to repeat the words the Djinn had coached him on during their trip back. ¡°I already explained, captain. During my mission to rescue some imprisoned scouts, I also rescued these S?addu¡¯a-" he thought it best to leave out the little fact that they had been the ones who had imprisoned the scouts in the first place - ¡°and decided to recruit them as auxiliary troops under my command. There is no reason that they should be unable to enter with me. Surely you are not afraid that a few scrawny soldiers will be a threat to the palace?¡± he asked with a smile. The captain chewed on the edge of his lip, getting a good helping of his hefty ¡®stache. ¡°Well¡­¡± he hesitated. ¡°Of course not, my lord, but they are S?addu¡¯a. They are not citizens of our kingdom-¡± ¡°Which is why I recruited them as auxiliary troops,¡± Jasper smoothly interrupted. The man frowned again, but Jasper stopped caring as salvation appeared on the horizon. Annatta was riding his way, accompanied by a particularly svelte Djinn on a horse. When S?arra?bi? arrived, the captain could not have been more obsequious. Jasper found it both amusing and a bit annoying. Though he may have worn the royal colors, he was not well known amongst the guards or the nobles of the palace. S?arra?bi?, on the other hand, commanded instant respect. Within minutes they were all ushered inside and, led by S?arra?bi?, were headed down the sylvan path to the manors. It was a long, quiet ride. Despite a few aborted attempts by Jasper to start up a conversation, his uncle did not speak at all until the two were alone together in his studio, with the enchanted door firmly shut. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. With a sigh, his uncle settled into his plush, leather chair, and cast a quizzical look at Jasper. ¡°Care to explain how you ended up rescuing the scouts and their captors,¡± he asked, raising his eyebrow imperiously. "You do know the S?addu¡¯a are not exactly well-loved in the capital, right?¡± Jasper could feel his cheeks burning but, fortunately, his red skin was at least useful for something. He met his uncle¡¯s eyes steadfastly and lowered his voice. ¡°The chieftain was going to kill all of them,¡± he explained. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much Annatta was able to tell you, but they¡¯re basically kids. I couldn¡¯t just let them die.¡± His uncle humphed. ¡°You could have - you chose not to. And speaking of kids, I was also quite surprised when a young woman of, well, let¡¯s just say, uncertain character arrived at my doorstep with a child in tow and my name on her lips. Kas?? was the only one at home when they arrived and it was a very frosty evening until the woman clarified that it was in fact you who had sent her.¡± ¡°I¡¯d assume you¡¯d just been a bit indiscrete, but you haven¡¯t been in this world long enough to make that sort of mistake. At least, not one that old.¡± The Djinn squinted up at him. ¡°You are amassing quite the collection of S?addu¡¯a. You don¡¯t have some sort of fetish for them, do you?¡± ¡°What? No,¡± Jasper gasped out hastily. ¡°I, I-¡± His stutter stopped as he noticed the spark of humor in his uncle¡¯s eyes. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace, no,¡± he laughed. ¡°I was just trying to help.¡± But the humor in S?arra?bi?¡¯s eyes faded away. ¡°You do realize you can¡¯t adopt every stray you meet?¡± Jasper winced. ¡°I know, I know but they needed help. What I was supposed to do, just let them die?¡± The old Djinn sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t save everyone, Yas?peh. I will let you attach these S?addu¡¯a as auxiliaries to your detachment of scouts but I¡¯m afraid I will not be authorizing their payment from royal funds. If you wish them to accompany your command, their pay will have to come out of your pocket.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jasper blurted out in surprise. ¡°The S?addu¡¯a bear no loyalty to our house, Yas?peh. I will admit, they seem to bear you in some regard. I¡¯m even impressed you managed to get them and the scouts back to the capital without any bloodshed, but they cannot be relied upon as troops, nor were you authorized to recruit them in the first place. If they prove their loyalty after a year or two of service, perhaps the question of their pay can be revisited, but until then, it''s on you.¡± A brief smile flitted across S?arra?bi?¡¯s black lips as he gazed up at Jasper. ¡°Next time, perhaps you will think twice before you volunteer my resources to pay for them.¡± Jasper opened his mouth to protest but closed it just as quickly. His uncle had a point. ¡°You know what, that¡¯s fair,¡± he agreed. ¡°I was the one who offered them shelter, so I should foot the bill. But I¡¯m still going to try to save people,¡± he added. His uncle nodded wearily. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will. If you are even half as stubborn as your mother, you¡¯ll probably adopt the next stray you meet out of pure spite.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that stubborn,¡± Jasper protested with a laugh. His uncle shrugged. ¡°And what of the woman and her child? What are your plans to take care of them?¡± Jasper hesitated. ¡°Uh, I hadn¡¯t really thought about it. I guess she could, uh, cook? If she knows how?¡± S?arra?bi? smiled. ¡°I doubt you want one of the S?addu¡¯a to cook for you. Their cuisine is a bit of an acquired taste.¡± The man hesitated a second, before continuing. ¡°Have you considered taking her as your mistress?¡± ¡°What? No!" Jasper gasped incredulously. "Just because she was a whore-¡± ¡°Yes, because she was a whore. You do realize, Yas?peh, that she has virtually no marriage prospects? She is a destitute S?addu''a? woman with a bastard child and a past few men would overlook. I am quite certain the woman would happily welcome such an arrangement and it would be to your benefit as well. It would be wise for you to sire an heir.¡± ¡°Sire an heir?¡± Jasper stared at his uncle in shock. The man has lost his damned mind. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t take a mistress to have more heirs. Why the hell should I take one?¡± ¡°My personal affairs are not under discussion,¡± his uncle replied frostily. ¡°Nor are they comparable. I have both a wife and an heir; you have neither.¡± ¡°But-" S?arra?bi cut him off with an exasperated sigh. ¡°Perhaps I broached the subject poorly. Tell me this, Yas?peh, how many times since coming to our world have you come close to death?¡± Jasper paused. The Atrometos. The dead god. The dore?sah. His severed head bouncing down the rampart of Gis?-Izum. ¡°There might have been a few times,¡± he admitted soberly. His uncle nodded. ¡°It¡¯s only going to get worse. We will be sending the reinforcements to the empire soon, Yas?peh. You¡¯re headed to war.¡± ¡°Many people, when they find themselves facing mortality, start to think of what legacy they might leave behind. For many, they think of a child.¡± The Djinn¡¯s black eyes bored into Jasper. ¡°I won¡¯t command you to sire an heir, Yas?peh. Make this woman a cook or pay her to do nothing - I don¡¯t care. But I hope that you will seriously consider what I said.¡± The man sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame your little fling vanished into thin air. Clearly, she managed to attract your interest somehow.¡± The memory of Laylah¡¯s sensuous curves flashed through his mind, and Jasper was glad he couldn¡¯t blush. Shaking his head, he rejected his uncle¡¯s suggestion. ¡°I¡¯m not planning to have kids right now, and I¡¯m certainly not taking advantage of that poor woman.¡± S?arra?bi? frowned, but he didn¡¯t push the issue. ¡°That reminds me, Yas?peh. Kas?? insisted on having you and your elf friend over for dinner again.¡± ¡°You mean Ihra?¡± Jasper asked, annoyed his uncle hadn¡¯t bothered to remember her name. ¡°No, I meant exactly what I said,¡± his uncle rejoined. ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain Kas?? has already arranged another round of suitors eager to marry a fair elven maiden.¡± Jasper groaned. ¡°I really don¡¯t think Ihra¡¯s looking for a mate.¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± his uncle agreed, ¡°but I am not going to be the one to tell Kas?? that.¡± ¡°Do we have to come?¡± he asked. The man shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not the only reason for the dinner. Or have you forgotten the weapon she was crafting?¡± Jasper perked up. ¡°She already finished?¡± His uncle smiled. ¡°I had a feeling that would lure you out. I guess your elven friend is going to be meeting some more Djinn.¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Jasper agreed shamelessly. If I can talk her into it, that is. A Goddess Ignored Jasper didn¡¯t head straight back to the manor after meeting with his uncle. Instead, after hauling himself up onto Dapplegrim¡¯s lofty back, he took a little detour. It was time to do something he¡¯d been putting off for a while: meditate. He circled around the As?rukkat, marveling once again at the palace¡¯s strange architecture.The colossal, spartan lines, coupled with the blue and white building material made it look like something ripped right from the pages of some sci-fi adventure novel, entirely incongruous with the rest of the world. Once he reached the far side of the palace, his destination came into view. The carefully manicured forest garden stretched down toward the lake where the ancient shrine squatted in the waves. The sheer number of birds in the park had only risen since last time - Jasper had noticed on his trip back to the capital that the southern plains had been drier before, like some sort of seasonal variation, but the water in this river still flowed freely, providing a fertile band of land that sported a staggering diversity of fauna. Slipping off his mount, Jasper tied Dapplegrim up at the post and slipped her a few sugar cubes before heading down the path to the shrine. As soon as he stepped foot on the first bridge, the eerie sensation of being watched returned. The birds didn¡¯t even budge as he approached, but their heads swiveled in unison to watch him pass. This time, though, Jasper decided to not just ignore it. Detouring off the path, he walked straight up to one of the closest birds. It was a squat little thing that reminded him of a duck, aside from its jet-black plumage and a bright blue beak whose upper jaw had little serrations that resembled teeth. The bird didn¡¯t even flinch as he bent down in the mud beside it, and there was a gleam in its eyes that was not quite natural. ¡°What are you?¡± He questioned the spirit watching through its eyes. Are they possessed? He reached out and patted the bird on the head. For a second, it didn¡¯t react at all. Then, with a terrified squawk, the bird came to life and its beak clamped down on his fingers. The little bird¡¯s strength was no match for his toughened skin and after a second, it wisely opted for flight instead of fight, flitting off in the direction of the lake as fast as its little wings could flutter. So the spirit in the shrine doesn¡¯t have complete control over them. Standing up, he brushed the mud off his knees and walked over to one of the bird¡¯s mates. The gleam in its eyes disappeared immediately, and the bird flew off before he could get close. Guess the spirit didn¡¯t like me touching the birds. Shrugging his shoulders, Jasper decided to return to the path. He hastened over the remaining bridges until all that was left was the derelict rope bridge that spanned above the waters from the shore to the shrine. It flopped back and forth in the winds blowing off the lake, and Jasper opted to skip it altogether. Spectral Wings. He soared into the air, landing safely a moment later. The shrine was unchanged. The weathered white stone offered shelter from the hot winds that sometimes blew off the southern plains, but the side facing the lake was wide open to whatever gusts came down from the cooler north. A cool wind rose to meet him, offering a refreshing respite from the city¡¯s heat, but so too did the silent presence. An almost physical pressure weighed down on him, like the stern glance of a disapproving father. Oops. Guess I annoyed the spirit. Doing his best to ignore it, he plopped down on the floor and crossed his legs. His eyes closed as he began to meditate. I am the river; I flow around all things. I am- His meditation was interrupted. Roiled by a particularly large gust of wind, the lake¡¯s waters beat against the open shrine, rushing right over the low threshold and washing over him. They retreated a moment later, leaving him wet and sputtering. Okay, I guess the spirit is very annoyed. After Jasper wrung the worst of the moisture out of his tunic - being sure to keep a wary eye on the lake for any more rogue waves - he bowed his in defeat. ¡°O spirit of the shrine, forgive me for any offense I may have caused.¡± He felt ridiculous, the words tasting like chalk in his mouth, but when he sensed an almost immediate decrease in the pressure of the air, he realized that maybe it wasn¡¯t so foolish after all. Bowing his head deeper, he thanked the spirit for its generosity and only then did he try to meditate again. I am the river- This time, he suffered no impromptu baths. Instead, the world around him slowly slipped away until he opened his eyes in Kas?dael¡¯s realm.
Kas?dael paced up and down the empty halls of S?uhruru. A knot of tension sat heavy in her belly, one that just wouldn¡¯t go away. Very little was going to plan these days. Her old apprentice was apparently trying to transcend the bounds of the Progenitor and ascend to true godhood. One of her old enemies, that irritating - and perhaps, slightly intriguing - Sidhe was making overtures of friendship. Her chosen hand was dragging his heels about actually completing her quest. Kas?dael sighed. That one, at least, was partially her fault. She had scared him off with the talk of potentially sacrificing himself, and now he was avoiding her. Fortunately, from what she¡¯d gleaned when watching him, he finally had a solid lead. Maybe - just maybe - that problem would resolve itself soon. That is, if he actually got around to doing it. She¡¯d had to haunt the Seraphs¡¯ dreams to prevent them from attacking the cultists without him. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. And then there was her newest problem. The goddess had noticed a sizable uptick in the amount of prayers and sacrifices offered to her over the last few months. For most of her siblings, that would be a source of pride, a strong indicator that one of their priests or priestesses had been particularly devoted to their service. For Kas?dael, nine times out of ten that meant some nutcase had founded a new Doomsday cult and adopted her as their patron. In all honesty, she really didn¡¯t mind that much. She was the Goddess of the End, after all. The doomsday cultists were entirely wrong about her, but they still gave her a bad name amongst the common folk. Too many of the cultists weren¡¯t content to simply wait for the end but got it in their head that it would be honoring her to hasten its approach - even over her protests. She sighed, as memories of the last cult meltdown flooded her mind. Their leader had seemed so reasonable in the beginning. Unlike so many others, he had taught that she didn¡¯t desire the end - true! - and that the Lady of Last Light was tired of the endless cycle of death and rebirth - true again. He¡¯d seemed so reasonable she¡¯d very nearly officially endorsed him as her priest. But then his mania had revealed itself. He¡¯d started to teach that she would overthrow the cycle - that she would slay the Progenitor and put an end to his madness, establishing a utopian world that would never end. Kas?dael had intervened at that point, revealing herself directly to him. It was true, of course, that in the deepest, darkest corners of her mind, she had considered doing exactly that. Kas?dael was tired of watching the world end, tired of sacrificing herself, tired of always missing out on its rebirth. But she wasn¡¯t quite ready to rebel. Hell, she wasn¡¯t even certain if she actually could. No matter how much the others might believe the Progenitor dead, she always felt as if the faintest vestiges of him lingered even to the end, and she knew not how much power might actually remain in him. Unfortunately, her would-be prophet had been undeterred by her message. Instead, he brought a new revelation to her followers: the goddess was unchained by the commands of the tyrant Progenitor and it was their duty to free her so that she could establish her world without end. Sigh. Yet another group of her followers had become a crazy, doomsday cult - one more for the chalkboard. So while her brothers and sisters might be pleased by the uptick in prayers they received, for Kas?dael it was just another worry to add to her plate. I need something to distract me. Suddenly, she felt a familiar tug on her soul, and her boredom fell away. Look at that - my hand has finally decided to make an appearance.
There was no need to search for the goddess. As Jasper opened his eyes, a dark shadow loomed over him - the dark shadow of a woman with her hands on her hips and a glint of reproach in her eyes. Her long, black hair flowed freely around the wispy veil that covered the lower half of her face, and her hands clutched a familiar pair of dice. ¡°It¡¯s about time you came to visit,¡± she snapped. ¡°It¡¯s been months. Months, Jasper!¡± He blinked, taken aback by the almost petulant note in her voice. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m sorry?¡± He ventured, halfheartedly. Kas?dael shook her head. ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± It was true. The goddess seemed nice enough, but no matter how many times it happened, he just couldn¡¯t get past his dread of having his heart ripped out. He knew it didn¡¯t actually hurt him, but that didn¡¯t change the fact that it felt like he was actually dying. ¡°I¡¯ve been, uh, busy?¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°With other people¡¯s quests. Did you even notice you passed the Seraphs¡¯ timeline? They were supposed to raid the cultists¡¯ headquarters weeks ago?¡± Jasper froze. He had been so wrapped up in the constant struggle of herding the scouts and S?addu¡¯a back to the capital that the Seraphs¡¯ offer had completely slipped his mind. ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m sorry, Kas?dael-¡° The frown lines around her eyes melted away at his now genuine apology. ¡°Fortunately for you, they decided to wait on your return. Unlike some people, they actually listen when a goddess speaks.¡± He winced. ¡°Hey, I wasn¡¯t trying to get out of it!¡± She rolled her eyes, but her demeanor softened. ¡°Look, I realize I may share a small portion of the blame - only a teeny, tiny portion, mind you - but I shouldn¡¯t have suggested the possibility of sacrificing your life unless it was truly necessary.¡± She reached her hand out to his, but something strange happened. When her hand was only about a foot away, an opaque bubble popped into place around him, and her fingers bounced off. Kas?dael paused, her eyes squinting. ¡°What spell is this? I don¡¯t remember this on your class list?¡± Jasper¡¯s eyes were wide as he examined the strange barrier suddenly surrounding him. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± he quickly protested. Concern washed over her. ¡°You didn¡¯t cast this?¡± She clarified, and he shook his head, holding up his hands to show that the faint blue tattoos lay dim and lifeless. ¡°That should not be - wait!¡± She stopped speaking and leaned closer to him. ¡°What¡¯s that around your neck? Open your shirt.¡± Jasper¡¯s hands flew to his neck, suddenly remembering the torc Barbartu had given him. ¡°Oh, this?¡± Crap, was Ihra right? He pulled it out from beneath his shirt and let Kas?dael look at it. She was silent for a long moment, and as much as Jasper tried to guess what she was thinking, the goddess¡¯ expression was inscrutable. ¡°Who gave that to you?¡± She finally asked. ¡°Well, uh, a woman named Barbartu who is, uh, kind of my enemy? I guess?¡± Jasper fumbled with his words, suddenly feeling like an idiot for wearing the necklace. But Kas?dael just shook her head. ¡°This is quite the gift, Jasper - rare and valuable. I don¡¯t think this woman is your enemy.¡± She held out her hand again, pressing her fingers against the shield. ¡°I need you to grant me permission to touch you. Just think it,¡± she instructed. Jasper followed her instructions, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, the bubble disappeared. Her hand flew forward and grabbed hold of the necklace. Lifting it up, she examined it more closely. ¡°I wonder where she got this,¡± she murmured to herself. He stood still as Kas?dael rolled the torc between her fingers. ¡°So, is it safe to wear this necklace? I asked Tsia to look at it, but she couldn¡¯t sense any enchantment. She said it felt strange, but not sinister.¡± The goddess smiled as she let the torc drop. ¡°No, I¡¯m sure she couldn¡¯t. It wouldn¡¯t even register as magic to her. Honestly, that she could sense anything at all is a testament to her talent.¡± She tapped his chest with her finger. ¡°Tell me about this Barbartu,¡± she commanded. Homecoming The journey back to Du?r-S?ad¨º was just as miserable as before. There was a time when imperial stone mages would have traveled up and down the empire¡¯s length, repairing even the tiniest of cracks long before they had the chance to turn into craters.There were even a few places, like the northern capital of Celestia, where that was still the case, but the roads through the hinterlands that surrounded the once bustling port of A?lmakkar had been long abandoned. Cold rains poured down relentlessly on them. Day after day, the rain ate away at what remained of the old stone roads, turning them into little more than a chilly, rocky bog. was an exercise in misery that, despite its best efforts, was unable to match the pall that hung over Eligon¡¯s heart.He¡¯d achieved what he set out to accomplish - gaining the promise that the maryannu would come to the empire¡¯s aid in the fight against the Zalancthians - but his victory had been poisoned by Mer?m¡¯s death. Still, when the walls of Du?r-S?ad¨º once again loomed upon the horizon, it was hard not to feel a bit of cheer.After weeks of cold rain, a warm fire, a soft robe, and a cup of brandy were just what the healer had ordered. The mages were already hard at work raising the temporary bridge when they arrived at the base of the moat.The mages wasted no effort on extra flourishes - there were no elven delegations to impress this time - so they were not left waiting long.As soon as the ice reached the muddy shores, Eligon and his remaining guards clattered across. They paused beneath the gates, the walls above offering a welcome relief from the chilly rain, and he dismounted.Tossing the reins to a waiting guard, Eligon headed toward the guard station, choosing to walk the rest of the way back to the castle in the shelter of the walls. He smiled as he saw the tall, blonde man who was leaning against the doorway.¡°Vaya?bi?,¡± he called out enthusiastically.¡°Did everything go alright well we were gone?¡± His friend laughed.¡°Better than ever, my lord.Perhaps you should take trips more frequently - I¡¯ve never seen things run so smoothly.¡±Vaya?bi? smirked, and Eligon matched his smile with a hearty chuckle - but a murmur of doubt rose in his heart.His friend said many things in jest, but there was a subtle sharpness to his tone that the emperor wasn''t used to hearing. Strange. Hiding his doubts, he wrapped the noble in a big hug. ¡°Stop, stop, you¡¯re soaking me,¡± Vaya?bi? protested, and the Emperor released him with a laugh. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s just a little taste of my last three weeks,¡± he boomed as the two turned, and started their walk.The guards stayed behind, tending to the horses, and Eligon lowered his voice.¡°And what about our little project?Did Es?ida?nu figure anything out about those vials?¡± Vaya?bi?¡¯s smile soured.¡°I guess you could say his project was a success.¡± The emperor¡¯s gaze sharpened.¡°Oh?You don¡¯t sound very happy.¡± His friend¡¯s lips twisted in a scowl.¡°You know how I feel about that man, Eligon.He has no respect for authority, neither yours nor the empire¡¯s.¡± Eligon understood Vaya?bi?¡¯s frustration, but frankly, it didn¡¯t matter.Es?ida?nu was one of the most powerful mages alive.He didn¡¯t respect their authority because he didn¡¯t have to.¡°What did he do this time?¡± ¡°He experimented with the vials on our own troops, my lord - soldiers that were under my command,¡± Vaya?bi? complained. ¡°Forcibly?¡± The noble frowned.¡°Not exactly.They volunteered for the job, in exchange for a sizable amount of compensation to be delivered to their families if anything happened to them - that¡¯s why he was constantly begging for more money. They had no idea what they were truly signing up for, though.They all died, my lord, all of them.¡± Eligon sighed.He wasn¡¯t much happier about the mage¡¯s actions than his Vayya?bi? was but, on the other hand, the men had made their choice and, really, how could he blame them?Anyone who signed up to serve in the empire''s armies was making a similar choice - to accept a steady paycheck in exchange for a very real risk of death.In the end, the offer Es?ida?nu had made them was not so different from what they offered recruits every day. ¡°What did he learn?¡± he asked brusquely. ¡°The mage believes the potion allows something else - a spirit, perhaps even a god - to possess them.It temporarily grants them an enormous boost in strength, but repeated doses seem to inevitably kill the user, whether sooner or later.He also suspects the potion is incomplete in some way.¡± Eligon mulled over Vayya?bi?¡¯s news.An incomplete potion?He wasn¡¯t sure if that was good or bad.The warrior he had fought had been an absolute monster, but still beatable.If the potion could be improved upon¡­Eligon didn¡¯t want to consider that possibility. On the other hand, though, there would always be a limited supply of volunteers for a potion that could kill you at any time. If the Zalancthians couldn''t perfect it, it might just work in their favor. Lost in thought, the two fell into a comfortable silence as they walked back to the castle.Only when they reached his study did they speak again. A steady flow of flames already danced across the tiled hearth as they stepped into the room.A maid quickly hastened forward and helped Eligon out of his drenched clothes.Vaya?bi? turned around, a mocking smile on his lips, as the nude emperor changed into something dry, and then the maid departed. With a sigh, Eligon sank down into a chair beside the fire. The soft down pillows embraced him like a comforting hug and he closed his eyes, trying to fight off the urge to just drift off to sleep.¡°Every year, I hate traveling a little bit more,¡± he groused to his friend. Vaya?bi? snorted.¡°Good thing your job never requires it then.¡±The men laughed as Vaya?bi? headed over to the large buffet that lined the wall.Turning his back to the emperor, he grabbed a flask of brandy from the top shelf and split it between two glasses.He snatched the glasses up and returned to the fire. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°My lord?¡±He held out a snifter of brandy.A slight tremor ran through his hand, so subtle that Eligon barely noticed it - barely. He accepted the glass and raised it in a silent toast, but he simply watched as his friend sipped his own drink.Something seemed off. ¡°What else happened while I was gone?¡± The noble shrugged.¡°The same as usual.The elves sent another emissary, but I told them you were still considering their offer.The Zalancthian general in Aga?min launched a small campaign but ran into a few troubles.Apparently, they somehow stumbled into S?addu¡¯a territory.¡± Eligon crinkled his brow.¡°So?¡±The S?addu¡¯a were a bloody nuisance, but outside of the handful of major settlements they possessed, their villages shouldn¡¯t be strong enough to defeat a military campaign, even if it was a small one. Vaya?bi?''s smile didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes as he explained.¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the stories about rural S?addu¡¯a villages that get overtaken by bloodthirsty ¡®gods¡¯?Evidently, they¡¯re not just stories.The Zalancthian army was almost completely wiped out by a strange creature and a horde of mutated Djinn.¡± Eligon tapped his finger against his glass thoughtfully.¡°Are these beings a threat to us?¡± His friend shook his head.¡°We sent some scouts to check it out.Whatever the creature is, it¡¯s powerful but seems content to stay where it is.For the time being, it seems safe to ignore it.¡± ¡°Well, then,¡± the emperor smiled, ¡°I guess it¡¯s nice the S?addu¡¯a annoyed someone else for a change.We should make them honorary citizens.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be delighted.Truly, the S?addu¡¯a are known far and wide for their great love of authority,¡± Vayya?bi? replied in a deadpan.He continued on more seriously.¡°But in all honesty, it worked in our favor.After the Zalancthians¡¯ defeat, their general in Se¡¯arah decided to move against the general in Aga?min. A full-fledged war for control has broken out between them.¡± Eligon grinned vulpishly.¡°I assume you pressed the advantage?¡± Vaya?bi? smirked and drained his cup before responding.¡°Of course, my lord. Our forces from Merom are already on the attack and we should be able to regain a large chunk of Aga?min before the other generals can react.¡± It was good news.Aga?min, one of the provinces that bordered the Harei-Miqlat to the south, had still been in the hands of the empire when he was a child but had been lost long before he took the reins of the power.If Eligon could reclaim it without many losses, it would be a welcome victory to boost morale for his true goal - the campaign to reclaim the capital.¡°Send the troops from Stryn too,¡± he commanded. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Vaya?bi? questioned.¡°Pulling them away from the borders-" Eligon waved his hand dismissively.¡°What borders?Gemlir is dead and gone, and his empire with him.Stryn¡¯s nobles guard a border that no longer exists.We both know the true reason for their ridiculously high levels of militarization is their ever-constant desire to steal Sapiya?¡¯s land.¡± ¡°Granted,¡± the man shrugged.¡°But they won¡¯t be happy.¡± ¡°No, they won¡¯t,¡± the emperor agreed.¡°But regaining Aga?min is more important.They can go guard the dead when they¡¯re done.¡± The two lapsed into a silence that was only disrupted by the noise of Eligon tapping his finger against the still-full glass of brandy. Vaya?bi? was the first to break.¡°I take it you¡¯re not going to drink the brandy?¡± he asked with a sigh. Eligon arched his brow.¡°Should I?¡± His old friend¡¯s face scrunched up.¡°No,¡± he admitted.¡°Of course, I never really expected you to drink it.You¡¯ve always had an almost preternatural sense for danger.¡± Eligon set the glass down.¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what actually happened while I was gone.¡± For a few long moments, Vaya?bi? stared into the fire.¡°They took her, Eligon.The damned stoneflesh finally abducted the right person.¡± The emperor understood immediately.Like many nobles, his friend had been forced to marry young, a marriage made for the sake of politics rather than love.He¡¯d had three wives and a dozen children, but there was only one that was truly dear to his heart - his second daughter, Vaya?be?lti?.Vaya?bi? had never revealed who the child¡¯s mother was, but from the moment the infant had been brought to court, he had doted on the child above all the rest. ¡°Where did they take her, Vaya?bi??We can send troops to get her back.¡±He tried to reassure his friend, but the man snorted derisively. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, Eligon.They didn¡¯t take her to Aga?min or Se¡¯arah or even Sicya.They took her to the E?kalli?.They said they''d kill her if you attack the capital.¡± The emperor didn¡¯t reply; truly, there was nothing to say.If the Zalancthians had taken Vaya?bi?¡¯s daughter to E?kalli? - the sacred palace of the emperors in the fallen capital - then there was no chance of rescuing her.He felt for his friend, he truly did, but Eligon could not stop the war for the sake of a single girl.He had a duty to all of his people, not just one, and Vaya?bi? knew that.Hence the decision he had made. Eligon stared at the poisoned brandy as the silence stretched on between them, watching as the flames¡¯ reflection danced along its edges, and waiting for what he knew was coming. Vaya?bi? struck.Leaping from his chair, a long, jagged dagger materialized in his hands.Its wavy edges dripped with black, viscous ooze as he struck toward the emperor''s neck. A glass of brandy collided with the blade.Shards of glass and drops of liquid rained down on the carpet, pushing the blade off its trajectory and it cut harmlessly into the emperor''s chair.Sweeping his arm beneath his friend''s guard, Eligon¡¯s other hand flicked forward and caught Vaya?bi? in the throat. The noble choked as his air supply was crippled, but he fought through the pain.His hand barely faltered as he yanked the dagger out of the chair and slashed it back toward his friend.At such short range, Eligon wasn¡¯t sure he could deflect it without being hit by the mysterious poison. Burden of the People, he muttered.His friend¡¯s movements seemed to slow ever so slightly as the power washed over him, but it was enough for Eligon.Snatching Vaya?bi?¡¯s, he wrenched the dagger to the side and pushed back with all his strength. His friend¡¯s eyes widened as the blade buried itself in his own stomach.He tried to withdraw the blade, but Eligon¡¯s hands were firm and his eyes implacable as held the dagger in place.lack, rotting flesh began to spread from the wound and Vayya?bi? collapsed at the emperor''s feet.¡°You always were better than me,¡± he rasped out. Eligon blinked away the moisture that threatened his eyes.¡°Why did you have to push it, Vaya?I would have ignored the brandy.¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to die.Am I supposed to just let that happen?¡± ¡°And now?¡± The man clutched his rotting belly with a groan of pain, his eyes closed tight in agony.Eligon waited patiently until the spasms of pain passed and Vaya?bi? summoned the strength to speak.¡°If I die, they might just let her live.Nobody else gives a damn about her.Promise you¡¯ll try to ransom her.¡± The emperor bowed his head.¡°I promise.¡± A look of relief washed over Vaya?bi?¡¯s face.¡°Shamsha bless you,¡± he murmured softly.His hands fumbled with the dagger still buried in his stomach, and for a second, Eligon thought the man might try one last time to complete his mission, but the noble had a different request for him.Pulling the dagger free, he extended the handle to the emperor.¡°Can you finish the job? The pain is...¡± Eligon took the dagger and did the deed. Tears fell freely as he let it fall on the blood-stained rug and, with a trembling hand, closed his friend''s eyes. "May Kas?dael have mercy on you," he muttered softly. More Questions than Answers Jasper filled in her quickly on what little he knew and as he spoke, the concern in her eyes gradually faded away. ¡°How odd,¡± she murmured to herself. ¡°It seems like she devised a scheme to kill Yas?gah similar to the one I¡­suggested.¡± She flashed him an apologetic smile. ¡°I still think it might be necessary, in a worst-case situation, but I should have broached it more carefully.¡± It took a second for him to piece together what she meant. ¡°A similar plan - oh,¡± his voice rose, ¡°you mean the one where I¡¯m supposed to let myself be sacrificed to Yas?gah as some sort of poison pill? That brilliant plan?¡± ¡°Yes, that one,¡± she agreed.¡°If the Seraphs¡¯ plan works, it won¡¯t be necessary.¡± He sulked, but didn¡¯t reply. There was no point in going over old ground. ¡°So how is the necklace related to her plan?¡± he asked. The goddess replied with a question of her.¡°What do you know of your own world¡¯s magic?¡± Jasper hesitated. ¡°Nothing, really. I mean there¡¯s a million stories, everything from gods and angels to gnomes and aliens and funny old men in blue point hats, but honestly, there was never any compelling evidence that any of it was real.¡± Pausing, he flashed her a rueful smile. ¡°Obviously, I know now that there at least Mwyranni and Sidhe on Earth, so clearly I was wrong. Maybe it was all real.¡± She shook her head.¡°Sometimes stories are just stories.To my knowledge, there are not any hairy apemen haunting your planet, but there is a core of truth to some of the stories.Much like our world, your earth once had a wide variety of magic and races who lived in three interconnected realms: As?ratu above, Arall? below, and in the middle lay the largest realm, Adammu.¡± ¡°Unfortunately for your world, quite early in its history a great war broke out between the three realms. The leaders of Arall? eventually won, but their victory came at a terrible cost. The worlds were left devastated. Many races had been wiped out entirely during the war, while others hid themselves away or fled to worlds like ours. Those who survived did not have it much better; survival was harsh for a long time, and connections between the three realms were almost completely severed.¡± ¡°In the end, while the realms eventually stabilized, their population never recovered to its former glory. Ironically, this loss preserved the magic in your world better than our own world - with so few remaining practitioners, Adammu¡¯s pool of essence has remained all but untouched.¡± Jasper arched an eyebrow. ¡°Okay. Why the history lesson?¡± Kas?dael tapped the torc around his neck again.¡°Because this torc bears a remarkable resemblance to the ones the races of Arall? crafted for their most skilled warriors during that war.¡± ¡°The necklaces were intended as a measure of last resort, a way for their warriors to slay foes that would otherwise be far above their own abilities. Some claimed they could even kill gods.¡± She paused meaningfully, and Jasper got the unspoken message. Like Yas?gah. ¡°How does it work?¡± ¡°During the battle, you must draw the blood of your foe and, mixing it with your own, smear it on the torc,¡± she explained. ¡°It will forge a tether between your souls, a chain that when you die, will drag your slayer¡¯s soul with you to the netherworld.¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°But Barbartu said she wanted me to die ¡®that I might live,¡¯ or some crap like that.¡± The goddess nodded. ¡°The lords of Arall? told many stories about those who used the torcs - stories of heroes being resurrected having stolen the strength of their foes, but¡­¡± Kas?dael sighed, ¡°I do not know how true those stories are. While I may be ancient compared to you, I am the lastborn of the high gods. This war was before my time.¡± She examined the necklace thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s also theoretically possible it is of a later date. The Sidhe crafted similar torcs but less effective torcs when they invaded our realm in their quest for vengeance, but I doubt it would have been strong enough then to repel my touch. I suspect that this Barbartu has somehow gotten her hands on a relic from that ancient war.¡± She paused, and her brow knit together. ¡°Could she be¡­?¡± Jasper tried to reign his frustration.¡°Could she be what?¡± The goddess frowned.¡°After your mother fled to your world, it¡¯s quite likely that she would have made contact with the magical remnants in Adammu.A relic like this is quite rare in our world, but in yours, perhaps not so much.Maybe this Babartu shares some sort of connection with them, either through your mother or¡­¡± Kas?dael trailed off and cocked her head to the side. ¡°Do you know anything about your father?¡± She asked, seemingly going off on a tangent. ¡°Well, he probably wasn¡¯t a Djinn, but that¡¯s pretty much it,¡± Jasper admitted. ¡°Why?¡± Kas?dael pursued the question. ¡°Your mother never mentioned him at all?¡± He scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°Not that I remember, but S?arra?bi? made me realize that my memory has probably been altered, so¡­¡± he shrugged helplessly, ¡°who knows?¡± Her eyes grew distant for a moment, then she tossed her die on the temple floor. They skittered across the pavement like it was made of ice, only coming to a stop against a pillar on the far side. Kas?dael walked over, and bending down, examined them. Scooping them up, she tossed them, this time more carefully, and then a third time before straightening up with a smug smile. ¡°It seems my intuition is correct. As usual.¡± ¡°The dice were unable to tell me who your father is, but they could confirm one thing. Barbartu is the same race as he. I doubt that¡¯s a mere coincidence.¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°But she¡¯s a Djinn, and I¡¯m only half-Djinn; the gis?atu leaf proved that.¡± The goddess¡¯ lips quirked up in a smile. ¡°And your mother was a human. Appearances are easy to change, Jasper, but my dice never lie.¡± Damn it. Jasper bit back an exasperated sigh. The last thing he needed was another mystery in his past and, frankly, he was unwilling to even consider Kas?dael¡¯s suggestion that he might not have any human ancestry at all. Talk about a loss of identity. ¡°She probably just got it from the Sidhe,¡± he said, with a certain willful hopefulness. The goddess¡¯ eyes crinkled in a knowing smile, but she let the matter drop. ¡°Perhaps.¡± She reached out her hand to his again, and this time it passed through the barrier without difficulty. His hand clasped hers, and the menu popped up. It had been a while, a lot longer than he had intended, and thanks to the S?addu¡¯a captain¡¯s, the puhmah?h?u¡¯s, and the Ila?bun¡¯s generous contributions, twenty-three new levels awaited him. That should take me past level 120, he realized, and a grin spread across his face. Reaching the next benchmark for a class reward was almost enough to make it worth having his heart torn out. Almost.
Jasper Welles Exp: 78/10,000 Health 4000 Spirit 4000 Essence 8600 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 102 Level up: x23 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 6 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 50 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 50 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 20 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 105 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II
Willpower 110 Locked Seraph Burst
Intuition 50 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Into the Valley of Death
He quickly assigned his stat points. Dumping ten in strength, endurance and intuition, he was pleased to see his health and spirit rise to 4800. That still left him with 65 points. He quickly dumped them all in 35 in Inspiration and 30 in Willpower, but paused with his finger on the button. His vision, still stuck at a mere 20, was looking a little pathetic. Should I raise it? After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he doubled the number. Sure, vision wasn¡¯t a primary stat for his class, but he was getting tired of always having the worst sight in the group. After the fight with the Ila?bun, he¡¯d been blind as a bat in the tunnel except, unlike said bat, he had no echolocation to guide him along the way. Maybe it wasn¡¯t the optimal choice but, then again, neither was dying to an enemy he couldn¡¯t see. He pushed the button before he had time to second-guess himself, and quickly assigned the remaining points between Inspiration and Willpower, causing his essence to soar up to 10,000. I wonder if that¡¯s enough to beat Tsia? Probably not, he quickly decided. Unlike himself, she constantly used barrier spells in addition to her wind blades, but he had yet to see her succumb to any sort of essence starvation. She really is a monster, he thought, with a touch of envy.
Jasper Welles Exp: 78/10,000 Health 4800 Spirit 4800 Essence 10000 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 125 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 6 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 60 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 60 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 40 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 125 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II
Willpower 125 Locked Seraph Burst
Intuition 60 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Into the Valley of Death
Satisfied with his new stats, he turned to the reward box. To his surprise, he wasn¡¯t offered a new spell. Instead, a different choice awaited him.
Choose one of the following spells to upgrade:
The Bramble Crown - ?
Fiery Shackles II - Fiery Shackles III
Scourge of Despair - Scourge of Despair II
All three spells were ones he used regularly, and all of them could honestly use a boost. It would be great if Fiery Shackles either got stronger or could bind more foes. A longer time on the ghosts the scourge summons would be nice too. And the Bramble Crown¡­ Jasper hesitated. The spell was probably his least favorite on the list, but on the other hand, there was no such thing as too much defense. A shudder ran down his spine as the image of his head bouncing down the steps of Gis?-Izum¡¯s rampart flashed through his mind. But why does it have a question mark? Is it not just a normal upgrade? Damn, this is a tough decision. Running a hand through his hair, he glanced up hopefully at Kas?dael. ¡°Any tips?¡± She arched an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°I thought this was a rather obvious choice.¡±¡¯ ¡°Bramble crown?¡± he guessed, and she nodded. ¡°The others will simply provide a slightly better version of your spell. But the Bramble Crown?¡± She shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it will do exactly, but if the name changes it will likely offer a more significant improvement.¡± He hesitated a moment longer, casting a rather longing look at the Scourge of Despair - summoning ghosts was simply more cool - but he hadn¡¯t asked for Kas?dael¡¯s advice just to ignore it. Making the sensible choice, he selected Bramble Crown. A new box popped up.
Bramble Crown Please choose the direction in which you wish to bond with the sapling of the gis?a?tu tree.
Thornflesh (500 spirit) - The armor of the base spell will be reinforced and a prickly layer of thorns will be added. Future upgrades may include poison.
Regal Aura (750 spirit) - the armor of the base spell will be reinforced substantially and those around you will perceive you more favorably. Future upgrades may include a variety of paths for perception.
Gis?a?tu¡¯s Embrace (750) - the armor will remain unchanged, but when damaged will now sprout leaves that will provide limited repairs. Future upgrades may include healing options.
Jasper knew immediately what he wanted. Future upgrades may include healing options? Yes, please. He selected Gis?a?tu¡¯s Embrace and closed the menus. His body tensed up as then, knowing all too well the pain that would come next.But it didn¡¯t come immediately. Instead, the goddess plopped a finger beneath his chin and dragged his eyes up to meet hers. ¡°You need to contact the Seraphs. Soon,¡± she instructed him. ¡°I held them off as long as I could, but they¡¯re getting impatient. Every day they delay is another day that one of their people might get taken.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Maybe they could do it without me?¡± He ventured halfheartedly, knowing she wouldn¡¯t agree. Kas?dael didn¡¯t bother to grace his comment with a reply. ¡°Soon,¡± she reiterated. ¡°Yas?gah must not be allowed to ascend.¡± Her eyes flitted back to the torc around his neck. ¡°I hope it will not be necessary, but if you must, use that torc. It should kill Yas?gah and if you¡¯re lucky, it might even make you stronger.¡± He nodded his agreement, and she let him go. ¡°Are you ready to return?¡± Her eyes softened. ¡°You can stick around for a while if you¡¯re not ready to go back. Time passes much slower here.¡± Jasper just shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± he grunted. She pulled him close to her chest, and her lips brushed his cheek as pain blossomed in his chest. An unbearable, agonizing pressure spread quickly. Then there was only darkness. S?anukkat Jasper opened his eyes in the shrine and stared dully at the lake as he massaged the phantom pains in his chest. Never going to get used to that. It was a scorcher of a day.As far as Jasper could tell, the region seemed to be entering some sort of dry season, and the sun¡¯s rays, once they¡¯d left the cooler mountains, had become downright oppressive.But the shrine was pleasantly cool.The roof extended beyond the floor, offering a welcome relief from the light, and the open side facing the lake acted as a perfect funnel for the occasional cool breeze that wafted down from the northern plateau. He knew he should get up; there were a million things waiting for him to deal with. The S?addu¡¯a guards and the woman and her son at his manor. Kas??¡¯s party. And the one he really didn¡¯t want to think about, dealing with the Brotherhood of Yas?gah. Isn¡¯t adventuring supposed to be fun? Feels more and more like a job every day, he griped. Instead, he lingered. Closing his eyes, he let his feet splash in the lightly lapping waves and the winds play with his hair, enjoying the rare moment of peace. ¡°Fancy finding you here.¡± A vaguely familiar voice echoed behind him, a voice he knew he ought to recognize, but Jasper couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes to greet the newcomer. A woman with pale skin and long, blonde hair sat down gingerly next to him. ¡°Oh, hey, S?anukkat,¡± he greeted his cousin. ¡°Just call me S?ani,¡± she corrected him, with a smile. The wind blew at her long, white dress, and she readjusted, revealing the small bulge in her belly. It had grown considerably in the two months he¡¯d been away, and there was no hiding her condition now. ¡°Is your pregnancy going well,¡± he asked. She offered him a half-hearted grin. ¡°Well enough, I suppose. There was a bit of gossip around court at first, but that faded pretty quickly. Bastards are pretty common around here, after all, what with the need for spare heirs, plus I¡¯ve been the subject of gossip for years now. Honestly, I¡¯m kind of old news at this point. The only one who really cared was Mother.¡± S?ani sighed deeply. ¡°She¡¯s still pretty upset, a lot more so than I expected.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jasper was surprised. The elf had struck him as a bit conniving, but she had also absolutely doted on her daughter. ¡°Your mother was the one upset? I would have assumed S?arra?bi? would have been the one to have a conniption.¡± S?ani shook her head. ¡°Nope, Dad never said a word.¡± She splashed her feet in the water, kicking up a row of spray that the wind blew straight into their faces. ¡°I think after what happened with your mom, the only thing he cares about is keeping me close and safe.¡± ¡°And your mother doesn¡¯t?¡± Jasper¡¯s opinion of his aunt plummeted. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize she cared that much about what other people thought. She seemed so free-spirited.¡± ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not it at all - she¡¯s upset because she cares about my safety,¡± his cousin protested. ¡°Just as much as Dad. Unfortunately, she¡¯s leapt to the conclusion that maybe the reason the Anzuzu gave her a vision of my death is that I¡¯m going to die in childbirth, and nothing I can say can calm her fears. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll have a moment¡¯s rest until the baby comes.¡± Jasper was surprised. ¡°Do a lot of women die in childbirth here?¡± He knew, of course, that it did still happen on Earth but it was also fairly rare. But with magical healing available here, he would have thought it was pretty rare. His cousin bobbed her head back and forth uncertainly.¡°It depends, I guess.It used to be pretty much unheard of, unless you lived in a really remote village.Every decent-sized temple would support a healer whose services would be available for any who needed them.¡± ¡°But as the number of mages has continued to shrink, that¡¯s just not possible anymore.There aren¡¯t enough healers to go around, and those who are blessed with the class find themselves in high demand.Most of them are snapped up by the army or guard for mandatory service, and once they¡¯ve retired, they tend to sell their services to the highest bidder.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Only the largest of temples can still afford to have a healer on staff these days. The rest hand out healing potions now, but those can only heal you if your body has enough energy to provide. They work great for high-leveled adventurers like yourself, but for a farmer¡¯s wife who has maybe four levels?¡± S?ani shook her head. ¡°They can heal small injuries, but they¡¯re probably not going to be good enough to save you from death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad,¡± he commented sympathetically. Jasper had heard, time and time again, about the gradual decline of magic in Corsythia, but he had rarely thought about it outside of the context of battle.Frankly, having fewer mages to fight made things easier on him, but he hadn¡¯t considered the repercussions for society at large. ¡°I had no idea it was such a problem.So I guess your mother¡¯s really not wrong to be concerned.¡± ¡°Nah, she¡¯s being ridiculous,¡± S?ani huffed. ¡°Sure, if I were the average citizen, it¡¯d be a valid concern, but the As?rukkat employs a dozen healers. The chances of something going wrong with the birth and none of them being able to help is basically nonexistent but,¡± she shrugged, ¡°no one said worry had to be rational.¡± ¡°It rarely is,¡± Jasper agreed with a smile. The conversation between them lulled as he cast his eyes back toward the waves. The roar of the wind and the crash of the waves swelled to fill the ancient shrine, and his eyes slowly slipped closed again as he embraced the moment of peace. ¡°So¡­are you almost done here?¡± S?ani finally piped up. He cracked his eyes back open and glanced over at her. ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± she responded slowly, ¡°I was hoping to meditate here.¡± ¡°You hit level 100?¡± He asked in surprise. S?ani¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly and she looked away, her hands twisting uncomfortably in her lap. ¡°Not even close,¡± she admitted quietly. ¡°But remember when I told you I wanted to earn a few more levels, back at the island.¡± Jasper nodded, vaguely remembering the conversation. ¡°I did manage to earn a few levels. Father¡¯s arranged for me to join a few hunting trips, and I think - at least I hope - that I¡¯ve gained enough to reach level 40. I was hoping meditating in the shrine might give a boost to my reward.¡± ¡°Gotchya.¡± Jasper hopped to his feet. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave you to it then. Best of luck with your reward.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± she smiled up at him. ¡°And I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Jasper began to ask. Then he froze as his uncle¡¯s invitation - really, his summons - popped back into his mind. Oh crap. I still have to break the news to Ihra. He flashed an uneasy grin at her, ¡°Uh, yeah. See you then.¡±
Convincing Ihra turned out to be an easier task than he¡¯d expected. ¡°There will be presents again, right?¡± His friend had been lolling on the couch when he¡¯d arrived back at the manor, but she bolted upright when he¡¯d broken the news about his uncle¡¯s invitation. ¡°Probably?¡± Jasper shrugged. ¡°You tell me. You¡¯re the only one around here who seems to be getting any attention. I¡¯m apparently invisible,¡± he sniffed, pretending to be hurt. Ihra¡¯s eyes sparkled with mischief. ¡°Invisible? What are you talking about? Barely a day went by without one of those scouts offering you something: gifts, food, themselves.¡± He rolled his eyes.Technically, Ihra was right.After the night with the e?slu berries, the women in the division had realized he wasn¡¯t too fond of the food his little party knew how to prepare.Each day after that, they showed up, fresh kills in tow, to prepare him a tasty meal. Jasper had protested a bit, but not that hard. He didn¡¯t take advantage of the other sort of services they offered, but he just couldn¡¯t bring himself to turn down the food. The simple truth was that despite their many other talents, no one in their party was a particularly good cook. ¡°I meant presents that aren¡¯t corpses or food,¡± he clarified. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my own aunt is more interested in hooking you up than me. I¡¯m an eligible bachelor too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.The ladies around here don¡¯t seem very interested.Maybe when your horns come in,¡± she teased him. ¡°Hopefully never, then,¡± he quipped back, and Ihra just laughed. ¡°You really don¡¯t mind?¡± he persisted, more seriously. A grimace flitted across her face. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t exactly love the attention but¡­as long as they keep bringing me presents, your aunt can throw me as many parties as she wants. Do you know how much money I made selling them off?¡± I should have known. If ¡®love languages¡¯ were a thing in Corsythia, Ihra¡¯s would definitely be money. I suppose if I¡¯d spent my childhood in an orphanage, I¡¯d value that security pretty highly myself. Jasper sighed. ¡°You realize those presents come with strings attached, right? Sooner or later, they¡¯re going to expect you to pick one of them.¡± The elfling shrugged. ¡°And when that time comes, we¡¯ll be far, far away. Your uncle is sending us off soon, isn¡¯t he?¡± He nodded. ¡°Supposedly, yes. So, yeah, you¡¯ll probably get away with it. Although¡­¡± He offered her a sly grin. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to become a Djinn trophy wife? I bet it''s a pretty Posh lifestyle. You won¡¯t even have to pretend to sing - just got to find your Beckham.¡± Ihra just raised her eyebrow. ¡°You know I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, right?¡± Jasper just sighed. One of these days, somebody¡¯s going to get my references. Getting Down to Business The next day passed in a blur.Jasper didn¡¯t know how long he would get to stay in S?adda?nu, but there was a lot he needed to accomplish before he was sent away again.By the time the first rays of the sun had peeked their sleepy heads above the distant peaks, he¡¯d been up for hours. Task one was dealing with the S?addu¡¯a guards he¡¯d recruit.His uncle¡¯s interference had gotten the S?addu¡¯a guards into the palace complex and registered as auxiliary troops under Jasper¡¯s command, but that was as far as S?arra?bi? was willing to help.The rest was up to him. Unfortunately, although the guards may have been forced to tolerate the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s presence, their hostility toward the mountain Djinn was disguised only by the faintest pretense of civility, as Jasper quickly discovered when he tried to secure bunks for his guards in the barracks.The captain - the same Djinn whose mustache could make a walrus green with envy - turned him down flat. ¡°The barracks are only for the Royal Guards, scouts, or other soldiers officially employed by the Royal House.Auxiliaries are simply not allowed,¡± he¡¯d objected.The Djinn¡¯s mustache drooped so low over his lips that they were almost hidden from sight, but Jasper felt sure there was a smug smile. Jasper let out an exasperated sigh.He had a feeling his uncle could sort out the issue with a few words, but after his last chat with S?arra?bi?, he knew the man would want him to solve it for himself.¡°Then where exactly am I supposed to put them, captain?¡± The captain repeated his suggestion from the gate.¡°Have you considered the taverns by the docks?¡±This time Jasper definitely did see a smile on the man¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s not an option,¡± he growled, but the captain just shrugged.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, but those are just standard regulations.¡± Scowling, Jasper changed the topic.¡°What about training then?Surely, even auxiliary troops need at least some training?¡± The Djinn captain took his time responding, his face scrunched up like he was sucking on an unripened lemon.¡°I suppose that would be the usual expectation,¡± he begrudgingly conceded.¡°But since they¡¯re supposed to be auxiliaries to the scouts, it wouldn¡¯t make much sense to have them train with us, though,¡± he added. Jasper shook his head.¡°No, there will be scouts and soldiers under my command.I want my auxiliaries trained with the best, and that would be your men, would it not, captain?¡± The Djinn wasn¡¯t taken in by his flattery, but he slowly nodded his head anyway.¡°If that¡¯s your wish, my lord, I suppose we¡¯ll have to accommodate it.Training begins sharply at dawn.If your men are late, they won¡¯t be included.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be there,¡± Jasper promised. But even though he had their training arranged, Jasper faced a larger issue: accommodations.Stationing the S?addu¡¯a somewhere outside the palace complex was a bad idea for a host of reasons.Somehow, he doubted the royal guard would happily let them in each morning; if he had his guess, they¡¯d ensure the mountain Djinn were late to training.But even if he was wrong and the guards didn¡¯t cause any problems, he still didn¡¯t feel comfortable leaving the S?addu¡¯a so far away.Despite their size, they were borderline children, after all. Unfortunately, seeing as how the only piece of property he owned was his mother¡¯s old manor, he wasn¡¯t exactly blessed with a lot of choices.By early afternoon, a small tent city had blossomed in his back garden.For now, the tents were neat and orderly, freshly bleached by the manor¡¯s maids, but he had a feeling that wouldn¡¯t last long. That still left the young woman and her son.As part of his monthly stipend from the Royal House, the manor was already lightly staffed with a permanent maid and groom, and gardeners who occasionally stopped by to tend the flower beds.Which meant that, despite his uncle¡¯s warning, the only position he really felt a need for was a cook. She¡¯d been nervous when he approached her, her hands twisting nervously as she rose to meet him.But when he¡¯d asked if she knew how to cook, her grey features had brightened immediately.¡°Of course, my lord.My mother ran a food stall in the city and I helped her out from the time I first started to walk.¡± ¡°Oh?Why¡¯d you stop?¡±Jasper immediately regretted the question when the woman blushed and cast her eyes downward.¡°Never mind, I shouldn¡¯t have asked that,¡± he quickly apologized over his faux-pas.¡°But you¡¯d like to cook?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± she nodded eagerly.¡°Although¡­¡± she trailed off into silence, an uncertain look on her face. ¡°Yes,¡± he prodded. ¡°I thought, perhaps, that you had a different role in mind for me,¡± she finished awkwardly, not wanting to meet his eyes ¡°A different role?¡±His confusion lasted only a second as his uncle¡¯s words came back to him.¡°Oh, that.¡±He paused, unsure how to respond.Surely my uncle wasn¡¯t right? The S?addu¡¯a woman came to his rescue.Brushing her hair out of her face, she offered him a weak smile.¡°It¡¯s fine, my lord.I¡¯m happy to be your cook.And Ram??¡± she asked uncertainly.¡°He can stay with me?¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Jasper nodded vigorously, relieved to have been spared the awkward conversation.¡°Of course!I wouldn¡¯t dream of separating a mother and her child.Ram? can stay with you here in the manor, and I¡¯ll talk to Annatta about arranging some sort of schooling for him.¡± Her eyes brightened, and she bowed her head.¡°Thank you, my lord.I¡¯ll get started right away.¡± The lunch he sat down to later that afternoon was¡­interesting.Somehow, in the space of an hour, she¡¯d managed to hit the markets and track down a wide variety of food he hadn¡¯t even seen in his time here.What appeared to be a filleted and roasted serpent was coiled around his plate, with the snakeskin artfully wrapped around the edges.The center was filled with small boiled eggs that were a sickly yellow color, and it came with a bowl brimming with a dark red dipping sauce that Jasper hoped wasn¡¯t blood. Fortunately, his uncle¡¯s warnings had been a bit over the top.Sure the food looked weird as hell, and it was a bit of a mental struggle for Jasper to get past eating a meal composed of snake meat and, as he discovered much to his chagrin, boiled viper eggs.And unlike the chicken eggs he¡¯d grown up with, these had been allowed to mature long enough to contain vaguely recognizable embryos.But the truth was that the food, as long as one could wear a blindfold, actually tasted surprisingly good. Plus, the sauce was definitely not blood. He hoped. After learning about the viper eggs, Jasper decided not to ask about the sauce¡¯s strange metallic flavor.Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss. It was late when he and Ihra finally departed for his uncle¡¯s manor.Once again, Annatta had insisted on preparing them.He still didn¡¯t like it, but this time he acceded to her demands more gracefully. His usual lamellar armor was exchanged for a black, silk tunic emblazoned with the gis?a?tu emblem.He expected the Djinn to insist on weaving his hair with pearls like before, but she¡¯d laughed when he brought it up.¡°Fashions change fast, my lord.None of the lords are wearing pearls now.¡±She held something behind her back, and Jasper stared at her suspiciously.He was almost afraid to ask.¡°So what¡¯s in style now?¡± Annatta grimaced.¡°Actually¡­some of the young lords at Shamsha¡¯s temple have started wearing horn scarves.¡± ¡°Horn scarves?¡±Jasper cocked an eyebrow and waved his hand through the free and empty space above his head.¡°While I certainly can¡¯t wear that, whatever the hell they are.What even is a horn scarf?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A faint smirk rested on her lips as Annatta revealed what she had been hiding behind her back. ¡°No.Absolutely not,¡± he snapped.The Djinn held in her hands a pair of short black horns with a wide verve in the middle.They were both adorned with a blindingly bright piece of apparel that Jasper could only describe as the unholy offspring of a fuzzy sock and an ugly Christmas sweater.¡°There is no way that is fashionable.A crime against fashion, I¡¯d believe.And where the hell did you get a set of horns from anyways?¡± The Djinn shrugged.¡°They¡¯re a gift from your aunt, actually.You¡¯d have to ask her where she got them.¡±She sidled up to him and started to try to attach the first of the horns. ¡°Stop!¡±Jasper squirmed out of her grasp and glared down at her. ¡°What?¡±She asked with an innocent expression; he didn¡¯t miss, however, the hint of mischief in her eyes. ¡°I am not wearing those,¡± he ground out.¡°You got me to wear the pearls last time and I admit you were right about that, but I draw the line at fake horns.¡± Annatta started to speak but cut herself off almost immediately, and the mischief died in her eyes.¡°Look Yas?peh, you¡¯re not the first noble to be embarrassed by their lack of horns.It sometimes happens to those with elven mothers, too, but these can suffice until your real horns come in,¡± she held them up hopefully. Though her attempt at compassion completely missed the mark, it did soften his irritation.With a sigh, he pushed the horns away.¡°I¡¯m not wearing fake horns just to impress woman, Annatta.It would be dishonest.It would be like¡­¡± He floundered for a moment, trying and failing to think of a suitable equivalent on earth.Even a wonderbra only exaggerated what was there; it didn''t invent it entirely.¡°I don¡¯t know, wearing prosthetic boobs or something,¡± he finished lamely. His guard¡¯s eyes softened with pity.¡°The women on earth prefer men with boobs?Are you considered unattractive over there, too?¡± Jasper could only groan.¡°I¡¯m not wearing the horns, Annatta.End of discussion.¡±
An hour later, Jasper met up with Ihra by the stables.She took one look at him and burst into peals of laughter.¡°Selene¡¯s grace, Jasper, what happened to you?¡±She managed to gasp out as she bent over Keresh. He scowled back.¡°Same thing that happened to you.Annatta.¡± Ihra had always clearly been dressed by the Djinn guard, and women¡¯s fashion must have changed as well.Rather than having her skin studded with pearls and gems, her arms and what showed of her torso had been painted with an intricate pattern of green, thorn-laden vines.Her antlers had also been decorated, wrapped tightly with a medley of grass and flowers that wound around the bottom of their bases. ¡°Nuh-uh,¡± she shook her head.¡°I got a little touch-up.You developed whole new body parts.By the maryannu¡¯s blood, Jasper - how did she get you to agree to that?¡± He hesitated a moment, then shook his head.He was glad his ruddy cheeks hid the telltale signs of shame.¡°I have no idea,¡± he admitted ruefully.¡°I told her no.I told her no again, more firmly.But somehow, by the time I was done getting dressed, the horns had gotten attached to my head.She¡¯s a wizard, Ihra - that¡¯s the only explanation.She put a spell on me that I couldn¡¯t resist.¡± Ihra smirked.¡°Nah, she played on your heartstrings.Let me guess:After all she¡¯s done for you, after the wonderful weapon she crafted for you, would you really want to disappoint your aunt over something so small?Can¡¯t you just wear the horns this one time?¡±Jasper narrowed his eyes as Ihra mimicked Annatta¡¯s speech surprisingly accurately. ¡°Were you listening outside,¡± he demanded suspiciously. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just a psychic,¡± she laughed. ¡°And I¡¯m Harry Potter.¡±He grinned back ruefully.¡°I guess I¡¯m just a softie.¡± She flashed him a wicked grin.¡°I don¡¯t know.Those horns don¡¯t look soft to me.Bet you¡¯re going to get all those Djinn ladies all riled up.¡± Jasper groaned.It was going to be a long night. All Out of Ruby Slippers ¡°Aargh.¡±Tsia flopped back on her belly and hit her pillow in frustration.The silk sheets around her legs were as cool and luxurious as any she had owned back at home, but her body remained hot and sticky.It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t used to heat - her father¡¯s capital, Yas?peh, wasn¡¯t particularly cool either, laying just a few days¡¯ journey north of the jungles that occupied the lowlands of Sapi?ya.But the heat there was partially ameliorated by the low-lying hills on which the city sat and was nowhere near as bad as the absolutely stifling temperatures of the last few days.How can they even stand it? She twitched her fingers and a subtle current of wind began to swirl around the room.It felt good against her damp skin, bringing a moment of relief but in the end, it couldn¡¯t cool her enough to let her drift back to sleep. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace, this place sucks.¡±Giving up on sleep, she slipped out of the bed and padded over to the window.Drawing the gauzy curtains aside, she gazed up.Selene held court in the heavens, her crescent shining bright as the stars gathered around her in adoration and Tsia muttered a brief prayer beneath her breath.Maybe I¡¯ll take a walk.Her mind flitted to the lake, and the cool winds from the northern plateau that sometimes brought relief.Perfect. She quickly changed into a dress and headed out into the hall.Her footsteps were muffled by the soft carpet, but she still tiptoed past Ne?s?u¡¯s door, careful not to wake him up.She knew he meant well enough, but his constant presence was a bit suffocating.She didn¡¯t need a babysitter. Before heading down the stairs, she peeked in on Jasper¡¯s room, but it was still empty.Guess he and Ihra aren¡¯t back from the party yet.She was disappointed, but not surprised.Instead, Tsia scurried down the stairs as quietly as possible and hit the kitchen for a quick snack before sneaking out the back door. The air outside was only slightly less oppressive than the temperature within.The towering trees that covered the palace complex blocked out most of the starlight, plunging the path into a fiercer darkness, but between the fragments of light and the steady trickle of wind that she kept circulating around her, Tsia was able to avoid whatever obstacles lay in her way. Her mind wandered as she walked, weighed down by all that happened.The last few months had been a whirlwind she hadn¡¯t had time to process.Her mother leaving.Meeting her half-brother.Discovering she had Sidhe ancestry.And then there was Jasper. She didn¡¯t know quite how she felt about him.Barring herself, he was easily the most talented younger mage she¡¯d ever met.Most of the so-called mages around her father¡¯s court were barely worthy of the title.Oh, they were capable of casting the spells their classes granted them, but they lacked the power or imagination to step beyond those limitations.The first time she¡¯d seen Jasper experimenting with casting without his hands, she¡¯d known he was different.And she still hadn¡¯t really appreciated his potential until he killed the stone mage at Du?r-E?kal with soul magic.That had been a revelation. And then he¡¯d saved her life.It was almost enough to make a girl¡¯s heart flutter, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he simply didn¡¯t seem all that interested in her. She wanted to stick around, to see that potential become a reality.And maybe, if she was being completely honest with herself, she fantasized about returning to her father¡¯s court with Jasper in tow.She could just imagine the sick look of envy on her stepmother¡¯s and half-siblings¡¯ faces when she flaunted the new heights of power that she and her would-be beau possess.Forget her father¡¯s little kingdom, always beset by their stronger neighbors, and screw the empire.With Jasper at her side and her mother at her back, Tsia felt certain they could carve out a realm of their own in the west, safe and secure from the cursed stoneflesh. Unfortunately, despite the potential he possessed, Jasper had thus far not shown as much ambition as she¡¯d hoped.His uncle planned to send him into the empire¡¯s war, and for some reason she couldn¡¯t conceive, Jasper seemed to be actually planning to go.She supposed it would be a good opportunity to level up quickly, but it would also take her in the opposite direction from her mother. Tsia simply wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to follow.She didn¡¯t give a damn about the capital or the empire, but¡­With a sigh, she pushed the thoughts away.It¡¯s not like I have to make any decisions right now.And her mother was the one who suggested she follow Jasper. I guess I¡¯ll just have to trust her. The sound of crashing waves reached her ears, followed a moment later by a welcome breeze from the lake.The air was actually cooler, no doubt coming down from the northern plateau, and she beckoned it to her, opening her arms wide as the wind crashed down upon her.Her hair flew wildly, and she could feel the static of gathering charge as Imhullu¡¯s power surged within her.She only released the winds once the beads of sweat had all dried up and her skin was pleasantly cool. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± A voice echoed from the darkness further down the beach and she suddenly realized she wasn¡¯t alone.A small dark blob had risen from the sands. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said as she walked closer to the figure.¡°I was just using the wind to cool down.¡± ¡°Holy crap, that was impressive.Are you some sort of wind mage, like that avatar dude?¡± ¡°Avatar?¡±Tsia stepped closer and finally got a look at the person¡¯s face.It was a rather small, pale man who looked vaguely familiar.She crinkled her nose, trying to remember, and recognition dawned.¡°Oh, you¡¯re that scout that came from Jasper¡¯s world.¡±The cripple, she added in her head, but didn¡¯t say.Instead, she offered him a warm smile, feeling a bit bad for the man.¡°He talks nonsense like that a lot too.What was your name again?¡± His cheeks flamed red.¡°Erin - and it¡¯s not nonsense,¡± he protested.¡°It¡¯s just, well¡­ never mind,¡± he said, shaking his head.¡°I guess it probably does sound like nonsense, and it would be wicked hard to explain.¡±He craned his head up at her and thrust his hand out.¡°You¡¯re one of the people in his party, aren¡¯t you?We never really got the chance to talk.¡± She accepted it with an amused smile and gave it a little shake.¡°You know, we don¡¯t really shake hands here.¡± His cheeks burned brighter, and he jerked it back quickly.¡°Right, right.I knew that from training with the guards.It¡¯s just, well - you seem a lot more normal - no red skin, black horns, none of all that crap that¡¯s constantly screaming at me ¡®you''re not in Kansas any longer and you''re never going back.¡¯ Unfortunately, I''m all out of ruby slippers." She plopped down on the sand beside him, and offered him a cheeky wink.¡°I seem normal, eh?You hang out with a lot of princesses back home?¡± ¡°Princesses-" he gasped out.¡°You¡¯re, you¡¯re a-" Tsia laughed merrily.¡°What¡¯s that expression Jasper likes to say?It¡¯s cold.I¡¯m not offended.¡± ¡°Uh, I think ¡®cool¡¯ is probably the word you¡¯re looking for,¡± Erin said cautiously.¡°Is everyone in your party some sort of noble?¡± She shook her head.¡°Just me and Jasper.¡±Tsia hesitated a moment, unsure if she should broach the question of the scout¡¯s magical impotence.It was probably a sensitive topic, but she decided to ask.¡°I heard you can¡¯t use your essence?¡± The scout bobbed his head, showing no signs of embarrassment.¡°Yeah, that¡¯s just my luck.The only redeeming feature of getting stuck on this crap world - uh, no offense,¡± he hastily added ¡°-would be magic.Apparently, my gun¡¯s all loaded but it just won¡¯t fire.¡± Gun? Is he talking about his you-know-what Tsia felt a little scandalized, but she nodded her head with what she judged to be the appropriate amount of sympathy. The poor man just doesn''t know how to speak in polite society., she was burning up with curiosity - the prospect of a magical mystery was always tantalizing bait.¡°Do you mind if I probe your essence?¡± she asked. The man laughed nervously.¡°Probe my essence?That doesn¡¯t require you to go anywhere near my butt, does it?¡± Tsia was genuinely flabbergasted this time.¡°Of course not.Why ever would it?¡± Erin shrugged helplessly.¡°It¡¯s one of those things you won¡¯t understand - Jasper would get it.¡± She eyed him with a bit more caution, still shocked by his suggestion.¡°I would just need to touch your hand and inject a bit of my essence into your essence streams,¡± she clarified.¡°I don¡¯t know if I can figure out why your essence is blocked, but I was curious to give it a try.¡± The scout¡¯s hand shot forward like lightning.¡°By all means.If you can help me cast magic, I¡¯d be forever in your debt.¡± ¡°I guess we can work out a payment plan,¡± she replied solemnly, and the man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Uh-¡° Tsia cracked a grin.¡°I¡¯m just yanking your leg.Give me your hand.¡± ¡°Pulling,¡± he corrected her, as he offered her his hand. His fingers were hot and clammy, but she ignored that as she slowly sent a tendril of her essence up into his arm.His own essence reacted immediately. It withdrew from hers, fleeing like a rabbit before a wolf, and yet there was something about it that seemed simultaneously strange and familiar.Tsia pushed harder, pursuing his essence until it could flee from her no longer.She made contact and understood. ¡°Erin, what does your screen say your heritage is?¡± ¡°Djinn and human,¡± he quickly responded. ¡°And?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a question mark,¡± he admitted. Tsia released his hand.¡°I think you and I have something in common after all.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re descended from the Sidhe.¡± Erin¡¯s brow scrunched up.¡°You mean like the Aos S¨ª?¡± It was her turn to be confused.¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You know, the Irish fey, people of the mounds, fairies and all that jazz.¡± She squinted.¡°The Sidhe aren¡¯t Fey, as far as I know.¡± The scout shrugged.¡°In my world, they are.I guess I am a little bit Irish.¡±The man scratched his head.¡°My grandma always claimed to have a touch of the sixth sense in here, but I always thought she was full of it. Now, though.¡± Tsia understood very little of what the man was saying, but the idea wasn¡¯t so farfetched.She knew from meeting Imhullu that the Sidhe had come from another world once, so perhaps there was some sort of connection.¡°I don¡¯t know anything about these Aos S¨ª,¡± she admitted, ¡°but the Sidhe in our world are powerful being, second only to the gods.Many perceive them as malevolent, but the truth is they¡¯re more ambivalent than anything else.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think I can fix the problem.I¡¯m not quite sure why you can¡¯t use your essence properly, but I¡¯d be willing to bet it has something to do with your Sidhe heritage.The magic they use can be quite different from that of our gods, and I suspect that is why the system is struggling to give you a class.¡± A look of dejection washed over the scout¡¯s face when she said she couldn¡¯t fix him, but he nodded his head gamely.¡°Thanks for trying.¡± Tsia hesitated.She couldn¡¯t fix him, but she had a feeling she might know someone who could.But do I really want to ask him? The scout turned his gaze back to the lake and let out a muffled sigh.He¡¯d put on a brave face, but his body language betrayed him.Pity filled her heart, and she found herself making the offer.¡°I might know someone who could help.¡± ...The Medicine Go Down Night had long fallen by the time they reached S?arra?bi?¡¯s manor, but the grounds around his home were anything but dark.Row upon row of paper lanterns, much like the ones his aunt had crafted for his hip, were strung between the trees, across the lawns, and even high up into the branches.It was a beautiful scene that Jasper would have appreciated a great deal more if the light had not also revealed a veritable crowd milling between the lawns. He reined Dapplegrim in as watched the party below them in disbelief.¡°What the hell?I thought it was supposed to be an intimate party with just a few of us.¡±He glanced over at Ihra, and a small grin played at the corners of his lips.¡°And your suitors, of course.But this¡­¡±He looked back at the crowd and let out a low whistle. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±. Ihra drew out the word slowly, as if reluctant to finish it.¡°This is a lot more than I expected but,¡± her tone cheered, ¡°more suitors just means more presents, right?¡± Jasper laughed.¡°Who says they¡¯re all for you,¡± he teased back.Internally, however, all he could think about was the stupid horns currently sprouting from his head. How could I let Annatta talk me into this?It was one thing to make a concession to his aunt¡¯s feelings when he was expecting that only a fairly small group would see him wearing this world¡¯s equivalent of a toupee.It was quite another when she¡¯d apparently invited a small village.Oh well, nothing that can be done about it for now.Pasting a forced smile on his face, Jasper nudged Dapplegrim into a trot.Once more into the breach¡­ They were met at the gates by a throng of servants who helped them off their mounts and whisked them away so quickly that Jasper didn¡¯t even have time to give Dapplegrim a parting snack.She¡¯s going to be grumpy about that later. His thoughts were interrupted as a pair of arms from behind draped around his shoulders, wrapping him in an iron hug.¡°Yas?peh, I¡¯m so glad you decided to accept my little gift.I was worried you would refuse to wear the horns, but your servant seemed confident she could persuade you to wear them.¡± He offered his aunt a halfhearted grin as she released him.¡°Well, I guess Annatta wasn¡¯t wrong about that.Apparently, I¡¯m a sucker.¡±He winced as his hand brushed against the horns attached to his skull.¡°I look ridiculous.¡± The elf shrugged.¡°Beauty is a relative thing, Yas?peh.Perhaps where you grew up, the women didn¡¯t care if the man sported a stately pair of horns, but that is not the case in S?adda?nu.A Djinn male with no horns is almost certainly either very young or very weak, neither of which is an attractive quality to a woman of good breeding.You certainly won¡¯t be the first noble to cover up a temporary deficiency in the hopes of attracting a suitable mate.¡± Jasper snorted.¡°I¡¯m not in the market for a ¡®suitable mate.¡¯¡¯ His aunt just smiled.¡°Perhaps not, but sometimes love comes looking for you instead.¡±The trite platitude annoyed him, but before Jasper had time to object, his aunt produced two cards from her bag, one of which she handed to him.¡°Here¡¯s your schedule for the night, Yas?peh, and here¡¯s yours, Ihra.¡± He scanned it reluctantly and quickly realized there was nothing on the card but a list of thirty names.Thirty feminine names.¡°What is this,¡± he asked, with a growing dread in his heart. His aunt promptly confirmed his fears.¡°The young ladies you¡¯ll be dancing with.¡± Crap. ¡°I really don¡¯t dance-" he started to protest, but the elf cut him off with an amused smile. ¡°Now Yas?peh, I know that¡¯s not true.As soon as you arrived here, Abi? arranged for you to be tutored in court etiquette.I¡¯m quite certain that included dancing.¡± Jasper scowled, but he knew she had him.¡°Fine.Any chance we can at least chop a few of these names off the list?¡± Kas?? shook her head.¡°Just follow the list, and see how it goes.And when you¡¯re done, your reward is waiting.¡±He understood immediately what she was referring to - the weapon she had crafted for him.Well, I guess a spoonful of sugar does make the medicine go down. With his spirits buoyed by the proffered bribe, he nodded his head a touch less reluctantly.¡°Alright, where are these ladies?¡± His aunt clapped her hands, and two servants who had been waiting nearby scurried forward to lead him and Ihra off in opposite directions.As Jasper followed his guide to the left, he was astounded by how much had changed since the last time he¡¯d visited his uncle¡¯s manor. S?arra?bi?¡¯s home was usually surrounded by stately rows of lush flower beds tended by a dozen gardeners, but the space those gardens usually occupied was now claimed by a long, rectangular deck.Dozens of fiery torches lined its perimeter, their light dancing in the reflection of the deck¡¯s black, lacquered wood, and in the center rose a large fountain whose tumbling waters were the dark yellow of honey mead. Couples twirled and thrust across the pavilion at an almost frantic pace as unseen musicians produced a tune that to Jasper¡¯s ears sounded like a chorus of wailing women set to a heavy drumbeat.Not exactly the waltz was envisioning.Then again, I guess the Djinn were tribal at one point. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The guide stopped on the left side of the pavilion, where a group of men were clustered together, while on the right, Jasper could see a crowd of waiting women.He lingered a few minutes, helping himself to the tables heaped with food and a few shots of liquid courage before, after examining the card in his hand with a heavy heart, he set off across the dance floor. He scanned the crowd as he wove through the dancing couples.Most of the nobles already dancing were Djinn like him, sporting variations of red skin and black horns that reminded him a bit too much of devils.A few like his cousin were also mixed in, with pale skin and thin white horns or antlers that suggested their mother had probably been an elf.But amongst the crowd of waiting women, there was a third group he was surprised to see - Moon-kissed. The Moon-kissed women were immediately noticeable, not so much from their wide black eyes and porcelain skin, but from the general lack of horns they sported.He wondered for a second why they were there - they were the first Moon-kissed he¡¯d seen since leaving the region of Du?r-Yarha - but then S?anukkat¡¯s words came back to him.When sons of elven mothers take after their mother in appearance, they usually have to be trundled off to the north to find a spouse amongst the Moon-kissed. Jasper suddenly realized that his aunt might be more serious about finding him a spouse than he thought.Did she bring them here just for me?He felt a little queasy at the thought. Swallowing hard, he examined the paper and read the first name off the list.¡°Is there a Lady Nu?rilat here?¡± The conversation among the women stilled and there was a moment of silence.No one stood up, and for a moment Jasper allowed himself to hope that he could cross the first name off his list.Then one of the women in the back - one of the ones with red skin and curly black horns - stood up with a heavy sigh.¡°That would be me, my lord,¡± she responded primly.She bowed politely and extended her hand. Jasper bowed back respectfully and, taking her hand, led her onto the dance floor.The two spun across the floor to the frantic music, the Djinn sticking so close to him she was practically glued on.He had to admit, that despite himself, he was actually having fun. Then the night took an unfortunate turn.While Jasper had had a few weeks of training with Annatta, a few weeks of training were not enough to turn him into an expert dancer.As he swooped in a low turn, his foot missed.If the woman dancing with him hadn¡¯t been clinging so tightly, he might just have been able to recover; instead, her weight dragged him down, and his head connected with the floor.The cracking noise was covered up by the thundering music, but as soon as Jasper stood up, the disgusted expression on Nu?rilat¡¯s told him something had gone wrong.Glancing down, he saw one of the horns lying on the ground. With a contemptuous humph, the woman spun around and headed back to the crowd of women, who promptly gathered around her like a pack of piranhas, poking and prodding to learn what had happened. ¡°Well, crap.¡± Jasper was left alone to survey the scene of the disaster.Ignoring the other couples still dancing around him, he bent down and retrieved the horn.It was in perfect condition - it had simply come off its attachment point - but his efforts to set it back in place were in vain.Oh well - it¡¯s not like I really wanted to wear it anyway. Reaching up, Jasper grabbed hold of the second horn and snapped it off too.He tossed both into the bushes beyond the pavilion and headed back to the gathered women.Only 29 more names to go. His reception this time was quite a bit chillier.When he read the next name off his card, the Djinn lady, an admittedly fetching beauty, didn¡¯t even bother to hide her exasperated sigh.She didn¡¯t bother to bow as she presented herself to him, but just offered her hand mutely. The rest of the night passed fairly quickly.None of the Djinn women danced with him long, and only a few even bothered to be polite.Sticking to the bare minimum required for decorum, they trotted around the pavilion once or twice and returned.Another name was read off the list, and another duty checked off.The only ones who didn¡¯t regard him with subtle (or not-so-subtle) disdain were the Moon-kissed women.Unfortunately, after the loss of his horns on the dance floor, their eyes were filled with pity rather than interest, which Jasper almost worse. By the time the last of the thirty names was crossed off his list, Jasper¡¯s ego was as bruised as a peach that bounced down the basement stairs.While he was definitely not in the market for a mate - regardless of his aunt¡¯s scheming - it was hard not to take the outpouring of rejection a bit personally. With the last of his dances finished long before the night was over, Jasper was left with not much to do.He made one final bombing run past the delicacies, relishing the opportunity to eat food that was a little less exotic than what his S?addu¡¯a cook preferred, and then wandered off to find his aunt. His wanderings were in vain until he broke down and asked one of the servants.The maid led him back toward the front of the house and around to the other side where his aunt was presiding over a much smaller - and quieter - dinner.Her eyes widened as he came into view, and she hastily stood up and, grabbing his arm, dragged him off into the dark gardens. ¡°What happened to your horns?¡±She whispered as soon as they were out of earshot of her guests. His ears were burning as he told her what happened, but in the end, she just clucked her tongue sympathetically.¡°Tis a shame, but perhaps the Anzuzu had other plans for you tonight.Did anyone catch your eye tonight?¡± His laughing response carried a slightly better undertone.¡°What do you think?After I lost the horns, most of the women didn¡¯t even want to dance with me.¡± The elf shrugged.¡°Surely you realize marriages amongst nobles are often just a political matter. They don¡¯t necessarily have to like you.¡± He scowled.¡°Yes, yes they do.I¡¯m not marrying someone who doesn¡¯t want me.¡±The absurdity of what he¡¯d said hit a moment later.¡°Hell, I¡¯m not marrying anyone, period.At least not right now.¡± Kas?it?ma ignored him, patting his back with a sigh.¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yas?peh, we¡¯ll just have to try again with a different group of women and a stronger pair of horns.¡± ¡°No,¡± he quickly snapped.¡°I think I¡¯ve had enough rejection to last me for quite some time.¡± he blurted out.His aunt opened her mouth to protest, but he didn¡¯t give her the chance.¡°Besides, aren¡¯t you forgetting something important?Like, the only reason I agreed to this in the first place?¡± The brief flicker of annoyance in her eyes was quickly replaced by amusement.¡°Ah, so you finally confess to your mercenary motives,¡± she teased.¡°And here I thought you just cared about family.Very well, come with me.¡± A Spoonful of Sugar... The raucous laughter and music faded into the background as Jasper followed his aunt into their home. Save for the occasional servant who scurried past them, staggering under a half-dozen platters of food, the manor was all but abandoned. She led him down the hall, through the foyer, and to the far side of the manor before she stopped before a small, unassuming door. A key appeared in her hand, and she slipped it into the door and turned it to the left until it clicked into place. A row of glyphs manifested above the frame, and she reached up her hand. ¡°Look away,¡± she commanded and Jasper did. A moment later, he heard a loud clank as the bolt sprang free. ¡°Alright, follow me.¡± The room beyond the door could be charitably described as a chaotic mess. It was a large space, far larger than the apartment Jasper had possessed back on Earth, and was dominated by a hearth wide enough to park a car on, from which a merrily burning fire illuminated row upon row of cluttered work tables. He stared curiously at his aunt¡¯s work as she wound her way through the tables. There were hundreds of hastily scrawled plans, a host of strange plants, unknown minerals, and glowing potions, and he passed at least a half-dozen unfinished weapons. ¡°Are these all your projects?¡± Jasper stopped to examine a pair of strange-looking gauntlets. They seemed to be made from finely spun silver that was almost as flexible as cloth, but their front and back were embroidered with a tightly woven circle of glyphs. If he didn¡¯t know better, he could have almost mistaken them for mittens. ¡°Be careful!¡± His hand was snatched away from the gauntlets with an iron grip. ¡°You don¡¯t want to touch those, I promise. And yes, everything here is mine.¡± Wringing his hand out, Jasper peered closer at the silver mittens. ¡°Why? What do they do?¡± The elf frowned. ¡°Unfortunately, not what they¡¯re supposed to. I intended them to be a birthday gift for one of S?anukkat¡¯s friends, Nu?rilat. She¡¯s a pretty girl - one of the ones you danced with tonight?¡± Her voice raised in a half-question. Yeah, I remember her all too well. He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°She was the one I was dancing when the horns broke.¡± ¡°Too bad.¡±Disappointment flickered in her face.¡°Anyways, her family lives not too far away from a S?addu¡¯a stronghold, so I wanted to give her something that would provide a little bit of protection, just a simple barrier spell.But the woven silver proved rather hard to work with, and I messed up the glyphs.¡± The few wrinkles that creased her eyes disappeared as her face lit up with excitement. ¡°It was quite a fortunate mistake, really. Most of the time if I make a mistake, the glyphs simply don¡¯t work but, every once in a while, I get lucky and create something new by accident - a glyph that doesn¡¯t work as intended but does do something. ¡°Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t quite figured out what that is. Body parts that get a little too close get sheared right off.¡± She waggled her fingers dramatically. ¡°Ask me how I know.¡± ¡°Nothing missing that I can see.¡± His aunt offered him a wry grin. ¡°Thanks to the court healers, I¡¯m afraid. Anyways,¡± she turned away from the table bearing the gloves and beckoned for him to follow. ¡°How about we look at a project that didn¡¯t fail.¡± The table she¡¯d led him to was far less cluttered than the others.Save for a few papers scattered across its surface, its only occupant was a glaive.Crafted of wrought steel that had been shined so bright it almost looked like silver, the blade had a gentle curve that ended in a sharp spike.Both sides of the blade were covered in an intricately interlaced series of blackened, almost sinister-looking glyphs. The shaft was similar. A bit shorter than the one on the glaive he¡¯d previously owned, the weapon¡¯s shiny haft was covered by the same black glyphs. ¡°Can I touch it?¡± He asked hesitantly, remembering the unfortunate gloves. The elf laughed. ¡°That¡¯s kind of the point, isn¡¯t it? Go on.¡± The blade swished through the air as he gave a test swing and he smiled.The size felt a bit awkward, but he could feel the power and sturdiness of the weapon. ¡°Do you want to resize it?¡± his aunt asked. ¡°Say kar? to shorten the haft or warku to lengthen it. Feel free to test it against the table - I¡¯ve got dozens of them.¡± ¡°Kar?,¡± Jasper commanded, and a faint silver light emanated from the black glyphs as the steel shaft retracted into itself, leaving him with a sword resembling a particular hefty falchion. He tested it out again, and this time the balance felt perfect. The blade slashed through the air in quick succession of cuts before Jasper slammed it into the wooden table. The metal sunk deep, and frost spiraled along its edges as the glyphs engraved on the blade activated. He yanked it out with satisfaction. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°What was the other command again?¡± ¡°Warku.¡± As smooth as silk, the shaft spiraled down unto it stretched a good three feet above his head. ¡°Longer than I expected,¡± he commented as he lashed out with a sample stab. ¡°If you want the haft to stay shorter, just repeat warku and it will stop. But I wanted you to have the option to use it as a lance,¡± his aunt explained. ¡°I know most of your fighting has been in small parties thus far, but fighting in formation with thousands of troops is a very different thing. I suspect you¡¯ll find yourself participating in a cavalry charge or two. At least I did.¡± ¡°You served?¡± Jasper asked as he fiddled with the glyphs until he shortened the shaft into the perfect length for a glaive. ¡°In the Royal Guard?¡± ¡°No, not in the royal guard - or at least, not the one you meant.¡± A small, sad smile flitted across her lips. ¡°Before I married S?arra?bi?, I served in Yammaqom¡¯s army. I didn¡¯t see much action - my skills as a craftsman were in too high of demand - but I did participate in one campaign.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He leaned the weapon against the table, his fingers brushing against it almost reverently, and glanced over at his aunt with renewed interest. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the elves were involved in any wars currently.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t.¡± Her response was curt, her tone uninviting, and Jasper winced as he realized he''d hit a sore spot. Oops. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to pry,¡± he apologized. After a long beat, the ferocity in her eyes faded and the elf''s lips twisted in a wry grin. ¡°No, I''m the one who''s sorry, Yas?peh. It was a perfectly reasonable question, just one that brought back memories of a time I do my best not to think about. If you really want to know, you could ask S?arra?bi?.¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°It doesn''t like something I need to know." He reached out a hand to stroke the magnificent weapon she''d crafted before continuing. "Thanks for making this. A weapon like this - even with my newfound wealth, I imagine it would strain my resources.¡± The elf patted his hand fondly.¡°Don''t worry about the cost - it was very important to Abi? that you were well-equipped before you left.He¡¯s quite worried about sending you off, you know?¡± ¡°He is?¡±Jasper blinked in surprise. ¡°My uncle doesn¡¯t strike me as very sentimental, except perhaps when it comes to you and S?anukkat.¡± ¡°Ah, Yas?peh," she sighed, "I don¡¯t think you really comprehend how important your mother was to Abi?. Her mother died when she was barely a babe and their father was never very involved, leaving Abi? to pretty much raise her. He was devastated when she ¡®died,¡¯ always placing the blame on himself. And he was so, so angry when the king ordered him to declare you his ¡®nephew.¡¯ ¡°But now that he knows you really are Da¡¯iqta¡¯s child?¡± She laughed, though there was little merriment to be found in it. ¡°If S?anukkat wasn¡¯t pregnant, I think he would have insisted on accompanying the troops to war, just to keep an eye on you. That¡¯s why I offered to make this weapon. Do try to stay alive, won¡¯t you? I don''t want my husband to have another loss to mourn.¡± ¡°Believe me,¡± Jasper assured her. ¡°I¡¯ve already died once and I¡¯m in no rush to do it again.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Jasper started as the elf clapped her hands loudly. ¡°Well then, shall we go rescue your friend? She¡¯s probably about to drown under the sea of gifts her admirers have brought her.¡± The next morning, Jasper sent a letter to the Seraphs letting them know he had returned to the capital. Kas?dael had told him they were growing impatient, but as one day slipped into another with no news from them, he began to wonder if she had exaggerated. The days passed quietly. In the mornings he visited the barracks to watch the S?addu¡¯a train. Jasper didn¡¯t entirely trust the royal guard to treat the mountain Djinn fairly but, to their credit, they trained the guards with as much rigor and fairness as their own recruits - even if they did have a scowl on their face every time they were forced to look in their direction. He participated himself most days, having received little formal training in fighting other than for those few short weeks at the Hargish guild. As a mage, he didn¡¯t necessarily need to be a master of weapon combat, but he was determined to pick up what pointers he could with his new weapon - it was too nice of a gift to be squandered. The evenings were usually spent with either Ihra or Tsia, as the two girls rarely spent much time together, or with S?anukkat who stopped by to chat surprisingly frequently. In such a manner, two full weeks flew by before he even knew it.
Then one afternoon, shortly after finishing another one of the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s cook¡¯s interesting concoctions - this time a salad garnished with what Jasper could only guess was a medley of pickled flowers - a knock sounded on the door. He didn¡¯t answer it of course - that¡¯s what maids were for - but a few minutes later a tall man with the shoulders of an ox eased his way through the door frame. Abnu. The Seraph¡¯s usually cheerful visage was an inscrutable mask as he stepped into the room and bowed lightly toward Jasper, and an awkward silence stretched between them as Jasper struggled to respond. The last time they¡¯d seen each other had been at the duel with Abdi?lu. While Jasper didn¡¯t feel any guilt for what he had done to the man - Abdi?lu had tried to kill him - he imagined it was just as awkward for Abnu - he had set the man¡¯s uncle on fire, after all. Are we still on speaking terms? After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Abnu hefted himself into a seat opposite. ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t ask me to leave, so I¡¯ll take that as a good sign. Sorry about my uncle - I really did try to talk him out of it, but, well¡­¡± The Seraph trailed off. ¡°Our people can be a bit stubborn when it comes to tradition.¡± ¡°Tradition?¡± Jasper arched an eyebrow. ¡°More like attempted murder.¡± He saw the man wince, and he decided to rub it in. ¡°But it would be totally unreasonable for me to blame you for what your uncle did, wouldn¡¯t it? I can¡¯t imagine blaming anyone for something that happened years before they were even born.¡± Abnu¡¯s cheeks burned, and the man hung his head. ¡°Aye, I get your point loud and clear. But you¡¯re still willing to work with us?¡± Jasper nodded. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t try to kill me again, I¡¯m game.¡± The Seraph perked up. ¡°Good, good - I¡¯m glad we can put it behind us.¡± ¡°But,¡± the word rang out throughout the room. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have a bone to pick with you. What the hell happened with Laylah, man?¡± A Would-Be Goddess Abu¡¯s grin faded as quickly as it came.¡°Well, uh, you see-" With a heavy sigh, the Seraph leaned back in the chair and ran a hand down one of his spiraling horns.¡°My clan messed up,¡± he admitted candidly.¡°I sent her to stay at one of our camps, not the one you visited, but one further south. I thought she''d be safe there, far, far away from where we knew the cult to be primarily operating. And she was, for a few weeks. She seemed to be settling in well though, making friends with a few in my clan until one morning she was just gone, with nothing but a note about someone named Jacinda Welles. My man said you told him that was your mother?¡± Jasper nodded, and Abnu continued. ¡°I questioned everyone, Jasper, I swear did, but no one saw her interacting with anyone strange before her disappearance. I don¡¯t have a clue what happened.¡±The man frowned and picked his words carefully.¡°Now, I admit I don¡¯t pay much attention to the royal court, but I was under the impression your mother was dead?¡± ¡°Well¡­rumors of her death may have been a bit exaggerated.As far as I¡¯m aware, she¡¯s still alive and kicking.Now how she would be aware of Laylah or why she would have any interest in her is another issue altogether.Honestly, it¡¯s baffling.¡± Abnu straightened up.¡°You mean your mother really might have taken her?I kind of just assumed the not was a lie and,¡± the man shrugged awkwardly, ¡°well, that Laylah was dead.¡± ¡°Nah.¡±Jasper shook his head emphatically.¡°Even if the cult has some contact with my world, I don¡¯t see any way they would have known her name over there. It makes no sense to me, but I think she must have gotten in contact with Laylah, somehow or other.¡± Relief flooded the Seraph¡¯s face.¡°I hope you¡¯re right - I felt bad about getting your woman killed.¡± My woman? Jasper decided to ignore the last part of Abnu''s speech, but he wasn''t willing to let the matter drop. ¡°It may have worked out alright,¡± he added rather sharply, ¡°but we both know that¡¯s total luck on your part. We had a deal - your men were to keep her safe in return for my silence about the Keeper''s death. The way I see it, that deal is no longer in operation.fter it''s done, I think we need to have a little discussion about my new compensation.¡± ¡°Shamsha¡¯s light,¡± Abnu cursed and his hands dug into the armrests on the chair so tightly that Jasper feared they would break. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± he asked in surprise. ¡°No,¡± the Djinn reluctantly growled out. The tension eased out of the man¡¯s shoulder as he let go of the armrests, and he flashed Jasper a rueful grin.¡°You just lost me a bet, that¡¯s all.Elder H?urbastu seemed certain you''d bring it up the matter of compensation, butI guess I didn''t really think you cared that much about the girl; thought she was just a fling.¡± Jasper laughed.¡°I mean, you''re not wrong - she pretty much was just a fling. But I¡¯ve never had my mother kidnap one of my dates before.Believe me, once that happens, it¡¯s kind of hard to forget about.¡±And maybe, he was willing to admit to himself, if not to Abnu, I would have liked her to be more than a fling. The Seraph barked with laughter.¡°I guess your mother was easier-going than mine.Any time I so much as looked at a girl, the poor thing was practically dragged back to our tent for a family dinner.¡± ¡°The Italian family experience,¡± Jasper agreed with a grin.¡°But I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not here to swap tales.Are your men ready to clear out the brotherhood?¡± Abnu sobered up immediately and leaned forward, his eyes blazing with new intensity.¡°Aye.We¡¯re ready when you are.¡± Jasper wasn¡¯t remotely ready.Frankly, knowing the plan had a good chance of ending in his death, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever be ready.But he also knew he couldn''t keep putting off Kas?dael''s mission.Plastering a grin on his face he didn¡¯t feel, he rose to his feet.¡°Well then, what are waiting for?Let¡¯s go kill a would-be goddess.¡± A savage grin spread across Abu¡¯s face.¡°Aye,¡± he growled in agreement and shot to his feet with enough force to knock the chair he¡¯d been sitting on to the ground.Emotion gripped his face, a pain and fury so strong that his features began to slowly morph closer to that of a tiger. ¡°It¡¯s time to make those bastards pay for what they¡¯ve done and teach them a valuable lesson: a Seraph is nobody''s prey.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Jasper to gather his party.Though he still questioned why the Seraphs didn¡¯t want the help of the Royal Guard, not needing to wait for them to assemble made things move faster.With Abnu¡¯s help, the five of them - Jasper, Ihra, Tsia, Ne?s?u, and Annatta - were ready to depart. The day was already quickly drawing to a close as they rode across the great twin bridges that led the way into S?adda?nu.Though the sun was not quite hidden beneath the mountains, Selene had already risen high in the heavens.It was a full moon that night, and as Jasper stared at her bright, peaceful face, he hoped it was a sign of good fortune.¡°Selene watch over us,¡± he murmured softly. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
If the Seraph guards surrounding the little village of Nib¡¯u had been more skilled in magic, they might have detected the tall, stately woman who snuck out of the cultists¡¯ compound that night.In the dim light of the night, her usually dull red skin looked almost chocolaty, and the two black horns that peaked up from her head were unusually straight.But as it was, the guards possessed no great skill in piercing through barriers, and even when she passed within fifty feet of them, they failed to see her. Her stride grew faster as she left the village behind and hiked up a steep slope into the wild forests beyond.The thick underbrush stretched out probing fingers toward her clothes and skin, but they found no purchase as the Djinn phased through them unhindered.Her pace was relentless, her feet flying over the rough terrain as if it were a paved highway and she did not pause, even for a second, until she reached a small clearing high up on the mountain slope. A few rotting stumps still stubbornly stuck their heads above the ground, testifying to the relatively recent construction of the circular space, but other than that the ring had been fully cleared.Whatever vegetation had once thrived beneath the trees was long gone too, replaced by giant scorch marks that crisscrossed the upturned dirt. The woman paused in the forest just beyond the clearing and hastily removed her clothes.Her bare skin gleamed in the light of the moon, revealing a form that had inspired desire in many men, and jealousy in just as many women.But when she stepped across the threshold, a wave of light rippled down her spine. Slowly, the wave of light expanded across her body, tearing away the illusion and revealing what lay beneath. A tall woman still stalked through the forest clearing, but she was no Djinn.Her red skin was replaced by a warm, olive complexion and her wide, black eyes mellowed into a softer brown.Her horns melted away to reveal long, perky ears that jutted well above the crown of her head, lined with soft tufts of fur inside and out.Her already fierce face grew harsher, as twin fangs peaked out from between her lips, and her finely manicured nails morphed into razor-sharp claws that glinted dangerously in the moonlight.Wildness clung to her like a cloak, yet for all her fierceness, her beauty remained undeniable. The woman slowly approached the center of the scorched ring and bent down in the dirt.Her clawed hands tore at the soft soil as she dug three deep channels into the earth in the shape of a triangle with its corners unconnected.Once she was satisfied with their depth, she left the ring.The form of a Djinn snapped back into the place as she headed out into the forest. An hour passed before she returned, dragging behind her the muddy carcass of a boar.Its sides were ravaged with claw marks, and a trail of blood led into the forest beyond.Heaving the creature on its side with unnatural strength, she poured the remaining liquid into the channels and grunted with frustration when it failed to fill them up.She was forced to search the forest again and did not return until the moon¡¯s descent was nearly complete.Draining the last of the blood into the three channels, the woman knelt between them. Pet? ba?bi? Adummi.S?uturam ba?bu lummunu, s?erru nizirti, gall? mutu. As the woman chanted, she fed her power into the air around her.It was a magic quite unlike that practiced by the Djinn, a spell fueled by the overwhelming demands of spirit rather than the thin requests of essence. The air around her grew hot and parched, blurring like the desert sands on a summer scorcher, and slowly but surely the blood in the channels turned a sickly, pale color and began to boil.An unnatural fire flickered to life along its surface, a flame that burned both black and white. At? Adummi, s?em? daba?bi?ya.Lipt? ba?bi? Adummi u liptaru? Kuri?bu aga?s?u s?e¡¯aku. As she spoke, the burning blood breached its channels and quickly spread its way across the clearing¡¯s surface, slithering and sliding its way back and forth like a horde of angry serpents with their tails bound together.It spread and spread until the fire filled all the clearing, but the flames did not cross the threshold. The woman¡¯s voice grew higher and higher, repeating the words more and more frantically as the world around her was flooded with her power. The flames danced in ecstasy as with a final, almost bestial scream, the ceremony reached its climax. A grinding shudder shook the clearing and the ground between the channels cracked open.Her screams fell silent, and the woman watched expectantly until a small hand reached out of the ground and grasped the ledge.The hand was soon followed by a familiar, cracked porcelain face that glowed faintly in the dying starlight, and as the gall? ascended from the netherworld, the woman saw the creature clutched a very battered doll tightly between her arms. ¡°I thought I told you to get rid of that,¡± the woman¡¯s harsh voice filled the small clearing. The creature cocked its head to the side but made no move to drop her prized possession.¡°Mine,¡± it responded defiantly. ¡°Ugh, fine.¡±Deciding it wasn¡¯t worth wasting the limited summoning time on such a pointless argument, the woman moved on.¡°Tell me, have you kept a close guard on your quarry?¡± The gall? didn¡¯t speak, but a series of jumbled sentences and images were promptly projected into her mind.The woman sifted through the memories meticulously before finally nodding her head in satisfaction.¡°Good,¡± she spoke more to herself than the gall?, ¡°so he decided to wear the necklace.Perhaps my sacrifices for him won¡¯t be in vain after all.¡± Fixing her eyes back on the girl, Barbartu¡¯s voice softened.¡°You did well, child.¡±A high-pitched giggle escaped the little girl, but she didn¡¯t bother to reply.The woman drummed her fingers against the ground for a moment as indecision rippled in her eyes.¡°Do I dare risk it?¡±She murmured softly to herself.¡°The visions of the Anzuzu are not always accurate, but¡­¡± With a brisk shake of her head, she dismissed her hesitations and turned her attention back to the gall?.¡°I¡¯m afraid I have one more task to ask of you.¡± The creature scowled and stamped its foot on the ground petulantly.¡°No. Tired of work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the woman apologized, ¡°but you understand this is important, don¡¯t you?¡± Silence fell across the clearing as she waited for the child to respond. It was a long wait, two stubborn wills colliding with each other, but eventually the gallu? relented and offered her a small, barely perceptible nod. Barbartu sighed in relief.¡°I''m glad you¡¯d understand.¡±She leaned forward, and even though there was no one else for miles around in the forest, she lowered her voice.¡°The last task I have for you is a bit tougher than the rest, but I¡¯m sure you are up to the task.I need you to¡­¡± Been There, Done That Aphora picked up the letter again.Her eyes perused its contents almost aimlessly as the words leaped off the page effortlessly though their meaning didn''t really sink in. It had to be a trap.It had to be. But what if it isn¡¯t? The day before, the door that led to their little realm had been shaken beneath a short-lived but thunderously loud flurry of knocks.The watcher at the door had run himself ragged to deliver the message and she and Tesha had rushed to investigate. Aphora hadn¡¯t expected much; she assumed it had been a futile attempt by the Gemlirians to break through the emerald barrier, though Lady Kas?dael¡¯s little intrusion was not entirely forgotten.Surely the goddess wouldn¡¯t have another ¡°request¡± so soon. But when they unsealed the barrier to Arall?, there was no one there.No angry, armor-clad trolls, no dark, mysterious goddess -nothing at all, save for a small letter sealed with a wax imprint that Aphora immediately recognized from her history books. Meh?h?aw?.The emblem of a sidhe. No one had ever accused her of being a coward, but it had taken Aphora an embarrassingly long time to work up enough courage to even touch the letter.The sidhe¡¯s hatred of the elves was legendary, after all, and she more than half-expected it to be cursed or poisoned. Instead, she¡¯d opened it to find a confusingly polite message.An invitation, in fact. To Aphora Antall?, the Lady of Arall? I know you seek to create an avatar of Selene to watch over your realm, and I know too just what that requires.I am no longer on good terms with many of my kin, but I do not wish to openly strike against them - not till the time is right.If you attack a target of my choosing - one significantly easier than you would otherwise have to fight - I will provide the relic you so sorely need. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering if this is a trap.But though the old hatred may yet burn strong in many of my old friends, I simply don¡¯t care anymore.It is my own legacy that I care about now, and it is there that we share a bond in common - the desire for the safety and good fortunes of your daughter, and my descendant, Keturah - or as she calls herself currently, Tsia. If you decide to listen to my offer, simply activate the sigil below. Imh?ullu Aphora¡¯s mind was in turmoil as she tossed the letter down.She¡¯d never actually encountered a Sidhe, but like most elves, from the earliest moments she could recall, she¡¯d heard of their implacable and mysterious hatred for her people.No one even knew why the Sidhe hated the elves so much, but that hadn¡¯t changed the fact that entering the western plains had been for many a generation almost as good as a death sentence for her people. Her finger gently traced over the swirling sigil inscribed on the bottom of the letter.Is it worth the risk?Aphora couldn¡¯t even begin to guess how this Imh?ullu had learned of her plans for Selene¡¯s temple.Nor could she understand why he¡¯d used the sigil of one of the greatest warlords of his people, Meh?h?aw?.But she¡¯d known immediately what item he¡¯d referred to. The mummified hand of a Sidhe. It was a tempting offer.It was not that such items did not exist - many Sidhe had died in the ancient war against the Mwryanni, and eventually, against the gods themselves.The Sidhe¡¯s level of power varied greatly - from warlords like Meh?h?aw? who had gone toe-to-toe with Selene herself to lesser ones that perhaps even Aphora might have had an outside shot at defeating, but the war had ended in what could be best described as a draw.The Sidhe had retreated into the west, and they¡¯d taken their dead with them. It would not be impossible, at least in theory, for her to track down such a relic, but she would be forced to travel deeper into the West, and Aphora knew all too well the dangers of such a trip.They had been lucky to make it to Arall? without heavy casualties. Is it worth it?She picked the letter up again.One path led to the almost certain risk of encountering a hostile Sidhe while the other offered the chance of encountering a supposedly friendly Sidhe.Emphasis on supposedly. She decided it was worth the risk. Aphora pressed her hand to the sigil and let the essence trickle into it.The swirling arcane symbol glowed a vibrant yellow, and the room filled with the scent of summer flowers and the lingering promise of rain.She poured more essence into it and the air before her wavered.Small bolts of lightning crackled, striking down at the floor as a golden door materialized before. Aphora placed her hand on the door, hesitating one final time; then she yanked it open. As the elf stepped through the portal, she looked around in wonder at her surroundings.Aphora didn¡¯t think of herself as old, but it was no secret that she¡¯d already enjoyed a few centuries of life, and as the years piled on, it was hard to avoid feeling a bit jaded.Who wouldn¡¯t, after all, when everything in life turns into another round of ¡°been there, done that¡±?But the room that waited beyond the portal was like nothing she¡¯d seen before.This is a whole new world. The room that surrounded her was forged of metal combined with a number of softer substances that were unfamiliar to her - blacks and reds that were definitely neither stone nor metal.A vast window overlooked a city as big as the imperial capital, or even, she suspected, the lost city of the Mwyranni. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. But the world was dark and dead.Lights still shone in the buildings below her, but she could feel the intense, burning cold radiating from the enormous window, and in the night sky, Aphora saw the shattered corpse of the moon. The tale of the mighty warlord¡¯s victory over the moon goddess - though incomplete - wasn¡¯t one told around the campfire, but Aphora knew it well enough.This must be Meh?h?aw?¡¯s realm.But who is Imh?ullu? Her ears flicked to attention as the faint thudding of steps approached her, and she whirled around in time to see a man emerge from the darkness of the hallway.His long, blonde hair was draped around shoulders large enough to support an ox, and though the grizzle on his chin had more than a few specks of grey mixed in, there was no sign of the impending approach of old age.He moved with a sure and steady gait toward her and reached out a giant hand. Her heart raced violently, but she didn¡¯t allow herself to budge.She met his eyes calmly and took his hand.He pumped it up and down vigorously, clamping down uncomfortably hard against her palm, then let it go. A light smirk played around his lips as he stared down at her.¡°So you¡¯re the legendary Aphora, huh?¡± A sense of relief washed over her.She still didn¡¯t trust the Sidhe, but it was clear now that whatever game he was playing didn¡¯t involve immediately trying to kill her.She could work with that. ¡°Legendary?¡±She flashed him a flirty smile.¡°I¡¯m afraid whoever you¡¯ve been talking to must have hit their head.I¡¯m just a simple rune mage.¡± The walls of the dark hall rang as the man tossed his head back and laughed.¡°Now, now - we both know that isn¡¯t true.Surely, you wouldn¡¯t want to contradict the word of a goddess?¡± ¡°Goddess?¡± She asked carefully.¡°What goddesses do you possibly know.¡± The man pointed a hand to the shattered moon above.¡°Well, you can see one of them right there, but I was referring to Kas?dael.¡± Aphora narrowed her eyes.¡°Didn¡¯t you say your name was Imh?ullu?Meh?h?aw? was the Sidhe who smote Lady Selene.¡± The man smiled again - he does that too much - and shrugged.¡°I felt like a change.¡± Her heartbeat slowed as the implications crashed down here.This wasn¡¯t just some random Sidhe; this was one of the mightiest.Any thoughts of attempting to fight her way free if something went south vanished in an instant. Instead, she offered him the sweetest smile she could muster as she bowed her head.¡°Lord Meh?h?aw?-¡° ¡°Imh?ullu,¡± he interrupted her, disregarding her attempts at formality.¡°Just Imh?ullu.Come.¡±Waving his hand casually, the man spun around and walked straight toward the closest wall.It separated silently before him and she was forced to dash after him, only narrowly managing to squeeze through before the walls closed again. She stopped and placed her hand on the wall.It didn¡¯t budge.Selene¡¯s grace, she cursed.Her eyes swept back to the Sidhe, who had continued on unperturbed.The room she¡¯d found herself in was much larger than the hall, and she realized almost immediately where she was. Row upon row of enormous black columns soared into the air, holding up a ceiling of smoky glass through which the heavens¡¯ light dimly shone.There was but one seat in the room, and Imh?ullu was already sinking into it.This is Meh?h?aw?¡¯s throne room, she realized with a heart simultaneously paralyzed by fear and throbbing with excitement.For as dangerous as the Sidhe was, Aphora couldn¡¯t deny the thrill of meeting such a legend.She certainly hadn¡¯t ¡°been there, done that.¡± The Sidhe offered an easy smile and waved her.¡°Come on, no need to be shy.Don¡¯t you want to hear my offer?¡± She approached the throne slowly, bowing again, and the blonde man¡¯s smile disappeared.¡°Enough of that,¡± he snapped irritably.¡°I heard you were a woman of action, not some simpering maiden.Was I told wrong?¡± Aphora dropped the formality immediately and straightened her spine.¡°That, at least, was true, Imh?ullu.¡± The man¡¯s grin returned.¡°Good.Now, about my offer¡­¡± He messed with something on the arm of his throne, and Aphora started as a loud noise whirred beside her.A moment later, a small table rose from the ground, bearing on its top a glass-encased box.She leaned forward excitedly as she saw the shriveled, pale hand encased within. ¡°You need the arm of a Sidhe to summon a hypostatization of Selene for your temple, yes?¡± It pained Aphora to start a negotiation at such a disadvantage, but there was no point in denying it - he clearly knew the truth.¡°Yes,¡± she admitted reluctantly. He pressed something else on his chair, and another display rose from the floor.Inside, it held an intricate topographical map quite unlike anything she¡¯d ever seen before.The elf examined it carefully, taking note of a small fortress that was highlighted in red. ¡°I assume this is who you want me to attack?¡± Imh?ullu nodded.¡°The Gemlir lord of this city is getting a bit too ambitious for my tastes.He¡¯s planning to invade his closest neighbor - and current ally - and by my estimations, he will succeed in the attempt.I have no desire to see another Gemlir kingdom arise, but some of my fellow Sidhe might take offense if I¡¯m seen to intervene.Crush him, and you can have your hand.¡± Aphora frowned.¡°Won¡¯t they take offense if I intervene?¡± The man grinned.¡°Attack in two months, and they won¡¯t be around to object.There¡¯s a certain¡­situation further to the west that has drawn our attention and, much to my kins¡¯ surprise, I¡¯ve agreed to lend a helping hand.You should have no problems escaping back to Arall? long before they could lend assistance, leaving the destruction of their pet lord by an unknown elf a sad mystery.¡± She eyed him distrustfully.¡°Why should I believe this is anything other than a plot to kill me?¡± Imh?ullu smirked.¡°If you really believed that, you wouldn¡¯t be here, would you?It¡¯s not like you could escape.But, by all means, I encourage you to ask your goddess about me.I¡¯m sure Selene will verify that I¡¯m, as they say, on the side of the angels these days.¡± Silence stretched between them until Aphora nodded her head.¡°I will be checking with Selene.Perhaps even Kas?dael,¡± she insisted firmly, ¡°but I will consider your offer.¡± ¡°I expected nothing less,¡± the man grinned.He suddenly rose from the throne and swaggered closer to her.¡°You know, I heard you were a woman of action in more ways than one.¡±She felt her heart speed up as the stunning man practically posed.¡°Care for a little diversion before you leave?¡± There was a reason Aphora had left a string of abandoned lovers dotting the Corsythian countryside - the word ¡°no¡± was rarely part of her vocabulary. And as she looked at the hunk of a god offering himself to her, she didn¡¯t think it was going to be part of her vocabulary that day either.I mean, who turns down the chance to get with a god? The Consuming Fire After crossing the bridges that guarded the entry to S?adda?nu, it was only a short ride to the crossroads where the highway branched off to the east and west, and as they approached, Jasper saw a small cluster of tents had popped up like mushrooms after springtime rain.A lone Seraph stood watch at the perimeter but, when he saw them coming, he turned and raised the alarm.By the time they had reached the impromptu camp, a good half of the tents had already been torn down. Raucous cries of welcome rang from all sides side as they rode into the little camp.Abnu greeted them all cheerfully, but a touch of dissatisfaction was on his face as he surveyed the men, and he stopped one of the Seraphs long enough to inquire how long it would take before they could depart. "Half an hour, if that," the man promised before he scurried back to his tasks. With a satisfied grunt, Abnu leaned back in the saddle and closed his eyes, content to rest while waiting. "You should rest while you can," he warned. Ignoring the man''s advice, Jasper watched the milling crowd in silence.At first, the camp had seemed a veritable hive of activity, but as more and more of the tents were rolled up, Jasper started to realize the group was smaller than he was expecting.¡°Is this all your elders are sending," he asked Abnu, interrupting the man''s meditation. ¡°There¡¯s what, maybe 30 warriors here?¡± The Seraph didn''t bother to open his eyes as he shook his head.¡°Nah, the others have already gone ahead.After your meeting with our elders, most of our camp packed up and began a slow migration toward the village - they should¡¯ve reached a week or two ago.I would have gone to, but I volunteered to stick around with a few of the men from my household in the hopes that you¡¯d show up. ¡°Aw, I didn¡¯t realize you cared so much,¡± Jasper jibed. The Seraph snorted.¡°I don¡¯t.But your bloody goddess wouldn¡¯t stop haunting my dreams. Night after night, I kept dreaming that I was trapped in that frigid, empty void of hers, while a voice whispered in my ears that I must wait for the return of her ¡°hand.¡±I ignored it the first few days, but when I woke up one morning so cold my lips were blue, I decided maybe it was time, for my own health¡¯s sake if nothing else, to give the goddess what she wanted.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Jasper grunted in surprise.Kas?dael had mentioned she¡¯d made the Seraphs wait for him, but he hadn¡¯t realized she had taken such a forceful approach.¡°That sucks.¡± ¡°It really changed my perspective, I can say that.I was a little jealous of your special connection to the goddess, but now?¡±The man shook his head with a laugh.¡°I am glad I don¡¯t have her attention.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°Eh, she¡¯s really not that bad.¡±As long as she¡¯s not ripping my heart out, he silently added.Deciding to change the topic, he turned his eyes back to the road.¡°So where is this cultist village anyway?¡± The Seraph jerked his head toward the west.¡°Nib¡¯u lies a few day¡¯s journey that way.It¡¯s nestled in the southern foothills on Kalmu?¡¯s southern flank, if you know where that is.It¡¯s a long journey if you follow the roads, but once we pass Iradom, we¡¯ll cut through the plains and get there a lot faster.¡± Jasper vaguely recognized the name Kalmu? from his training with Annatta; the city had made its money from the copper mines in the hills that surrounded it and had a bit of a reputation for making under-the-table deals with nearby S?addu¡¯a villages. Not having any real understanding of the geography, he just nodded, but Annatta leaned forward with a frown.¡°Why are we cutting through the plains at Iradom?Sure, the ride will be shorter but following the highway will be safer and easier.It will only take a day or two longer, if that.¡± Abnu smirked.¡°Is the royal guard too afraid to journey off-road?I thought you guys were supposed to be made of tougher stuff?¡± She snorted. "As if you would have any chance against me. Believe it or not, the reason we guards live long enough to retire is because we don''t take foolish risks. The highways are safer, free of monsters and bandits, and nearly as fast as cutting through the countryside." Jasper tuned them out as the two descended into a petty squabble.He was inclined to entrust Annatta''s advice although, with a group of nearly forty soldiers, he doubted they would run into any serious trouble. The two of them can figure it out. In the end, the Seraph¡¯s promise proved overly optimistic.Nearly two hours slipped by before the last of the Seraphs¡¯ belongings were packed up and the group was able to hit the road again.In the meantime, Abnu had won his argument with Annatta.Though she remained convinced her path was better, once Abnu expressed his intention to cut through the plains with or without their party, there was little discussion left to be had. Thus they rode west along the well-maintained royal highways for little more than a few hours before turning off onto a much smaller path.Their new road was barely better than a deer¡¯s trail, a narrow ribbon of open space that wound its way through the thick grasses of the southern plains like an invisible river. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Two days of hard riding followed.When they had ridden to Du?r-E?kal to save the scouts, Jasper had thought he and his group had pushed as hard as possible.They¡¯d barely stopped to sleep or rest, outside of occasionally pausing to give their mounts time to recover.But the pace they¡¯d set was nothing compared to the mad dash of the Seraphs. Though none of them had the talent to be mages, they¡¯d learned to funnel what little essence they had into their mounts, allowing them to exceed all usual bounds.It wasn¡¯t until the third night that the party called a stop. When Jasper finally slid off Dapplegrim¡¯s back, his body still felt like it was vibrating.His eyes could barely stay open, after two days of no sleep save for whatever brief naps he could catch while on horseback, and he didn¡¯t even bother to try to set up his tent.Wading into the tall grasses a few feet away from dusty road, he trampled them down just enough to make an almost comfortable bed, and flopped down.A moment later, Dapplegrim sunk down beside him, and he nestled closer to the welcome warmth before drifting into a deep sleep.
An enormous tree towered over him, a colossal version of the gis?a?tu he¡¯d seen only once before.Small tendrils of fire crept along its trunk and limbs and swelled along its many-colored leaves, an endless fire that burned but never consumed.Its warmth called to him and, shivering with a sudden, deep cold, Jasper answered.His hand reached out to touch the tree, to revel in the warmth of the flickering flames. Pain swelled through his body as his hand brushed against its rough bark.A thousand fiery needles tore through him, and he frantically tried to pull back, but the tree would not let him.His hand sunk into the trunk as the bark around the tree sucked him in.He thrashed and flailed, his screams unheard, as dozens of tendrils sprung from the ground and wrapped around him.The trunk opened wide to swallow him whole.No spells would answer his call and no help came at his cry; undeterred by his efforts at resistance, the tree¡¯s trunk closed around him. Darkness and flames surrounded him on all sides and in them he sensed a presence.No words passed between them, but Jasper¡¯s struggles calmed as a feeling of peace, mixed with confusion, flowed into him.He realized then that, despite the pain he¡¯d felt, the tree hadn¡¯t meant to harm him.Still trapped in its grasp, he tried to force himself to relax.The welcome heat washed over him again, driving away the bitter cold he¡¯d felt and, though he was in darkness anyway, he closed his eyes in meditation.I am the river¡­ In the distance, a cacophony of screams echoed.Shouts and cries grew louder and louder, the flames around him burning ever hotter, driving all attempts at peace away. With a gasp, Jasper lurched upright.His lungs begged for air but found none as he breathed in the thick clouds of smoke.The world around him was a sea of red - the thick grasses in which he¡¯d fallen asleep were rapidly crumbling to ash as the fire consumed them. His chest screamed in pain as he stumbled through the burning brush, desperate for a breath of fresh air.Shouts and cries echoed from every side, and he fumbled awkwardly with the sheath by his side until he managed to yank out the weapon his aunt had given him, now shortened into the length of a sword.Pushing through a not-yet burning crest of grass, he burst out of the fire and sucked in gulping breaths of still smoky air. Tears streamed from his eyes from the acrid smoke, and he brushed them away and tried to get his bearings.What the hell is happening?His mind struggled to come to grasp.Where¡¯s the gis?a?tu¡­was I asleep? Something flickered in the corner of his eye, and instinct kicked in.His right arm slashed up, and a clang filled the air as his blade collided with the shaft of a spear, knocking the blow aside. The essence surged through his body as Jasper spun toward his attacker.Scourge of Despair.The spectral whip manifested in his left hand, and he swung it with all his might.Only then did he catch his first glimpse of the threat. A thin, withered woman was backlit by the burning grass.He could make out no signs of her features, but her eyes burned with an eldritch flame.Her wan lips were drawn back in a perpetual snarl revealing jagged, yellowed teeth that oozed with a thick black ichor.The scourge slashed across her face, riving the skin in twain, but no hungry ghosts appeared - not a drop of blood dripped from the wound. She leapt forward, thrusting the spear straight toward his heart with a vigor that far exceeded her frail frame.He knocked the blow aside again and lashed out with his own weapon.It struck the side of her temple, which caved in like crumpled wax paper and exited out the far side undeterred. She didn¡¯t even acknowledge the blow, nor did the light in her eyes flicker as she lashed out with her spear again. This time he failed to block the blow fully, and the spear¡¯s head carved a jagged canyon along his right side.Damn it.A grunt of pain escaped his lips as he danced out of reach of the spear. Summoning his essence, he cast Fiery Shackles.Blazing claws rose from the earth and clamped tight around its ankles, arresting its pursuit.It screeched in outrage and beat the butt of its spear against the shackles, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to shatter them. Pressing his advantage, Jasper leaped forward, muttering warku under his breath.The shaft of the glaive expended as he swung, and the extra reach was enough to connect.With a sickening crunch, the blade sliced through the creature¡¯s neck and tossed its wizened into the burning grass.The eldritch fire in its eyes continued to burn as the head bounced and rolled along the ground, and Jasper rained down blows on the defenseless body until it collapsed in a pile of skin and bones. Breathing hard, he leaned against his glaive and surveyed the chaos around him.What the hell was that?Some sort of undead?The being reminded him vaguely of draugr, but the Djinn didn¡¯t mummify their dead - at least, not as far as he had seen. There were more of the creatures all around - fifty, a hundred?Jasper couldn¡¯t tell at a glance, but it was clear the battle was far from over.Hell.Pushing off his glaive, he ran to aid the others. The Withered Flame The camp had descended into chaos.Billowing clouds of smoke stretched into the heavens, which, when combined with the flickering light of the flames, made it almost impossible to see.He scanned the darkness in vain, looking for any sign of his friends, but there was nothing, nothing at all. The entire camp had caught fire, not just the grass but the Seraphs¡¯ tents and supplies as well, and the group had scattered into the winds.Everywhere he looked he saw isolated groups of half-transformed Seraphs frantically fending off a surging crowd of attackers.The creatures looked much like the withered woman who had attacked him, most of them wielding spears and wearing tattered armor. On their own, they were weak opponents, their arms frail and their weapons old, but they vastly outnumbered the Seraphs - and numbers are their own form of strength. ¡°YAUGHH!¡±A frenzied scream echoed behind him and Jasper swiveled his head in time to see an explosion of flame burst from one of the hands of the withered corpse and completely engulf the Seraph it was fighting.Okay, maybe that¡¯s not their only strength,¡± he realized.Guess that explains the wildfire. He broke into a run toward the withered mage and drew on his essence.Sacred Star, he murmured. A volley of small, fiery orbs shot from his hand like a swarm of angry lightning bugs and rocketed through the space between them.They smashed into the mob of withered attackers around the Seraph and detonated in a series of bright flashes. But as the light faded, the gushing flames from the withered mage didn¡¯t waver.Great. I guess these things have some sort of fire resistance.At least I have a weapon for that.Gripping his glaive tight, Jasper charged toward the creature, but he was still a few seconds away, and the Seraph had not reappeared from the flames.His hands writhed with a second spell as he cast Purge. The withered mage swiveled its head to look at him, and its hands followed its gaze.A wave of fire raced across the plains toward him, but Jasper didn¡¯t even pause in his stride.As the fire engulfed him, filling him with a pleasant warmth, he coiled his body and struck with all his might.The flames parted before the glaive¡¯s icy breath and then fell silent as he cleaved the mage¡¯s head from its shoulders. The remaining attackers, none of them apparently able to wield the fire, pounced on him.With a sweep of his blade, he pushed two of their strikes aside and turning to his side, made another miss, but the fourth hit home.His armor blocked the worst of it, but the blade¡¯s head buried itself against a rib.With a yell of pain, Jasper swung the glaive wildly in front of him.It cut through two of the withered corpses effortlessly, and their torsos, ridden with ice crystals that quickly began to melt, fell to the earth, but the remaining three danced out of his range. Where did that Seraph go?Why the hell isn¡¯t he helping me?A flurry of blows came his way as the surviving creatures threw themselves upon him, and Jasper desperately backpedaled.Damn are they fast. Another blow slipped through his guard, and he bit down on his lip as pain blossomed in his leg, but he managed to keep his concentration and finish the spell.Fiery Shackles.Burning manacles erupted from the ground and clamped tightly around the corpses¡¯ legs and though the fire may have done nothing to harm them, their temporary binding made them sitting ducks.Two swift strikes later, they had joined the mage in a second death. Gasping for air, Jasper leaned on his glaive and looked over to where the Seraph had been and his heart sank.A charred black figure occupied the spot.Crouching low on the ground, its two great paws were raised above its head in a plea for mercy that had not been granted.I guess he - she? - wasn¡¯t high enough level to have fire immunity. Feeling a little bit queasy, he averted his gaze. His eyes stung from the acrid smoke, as he surveyed the ground around him, looking for the next group of combatants.It was too thick to see clearly, but the clash of steel against steel echoed from the left, and he took off on a run. This time there was no fountain of fire to deal with.Instead a group of three seraphs were being swarmed by at least five times that number.The Seraphs were faster than he was; fur and fang flew as they batted away the attacks and struck at the withered whenever an opening appeared, but, unless you¡¯re the Flash, there¡¯s a limit to how many angles you can protect at the same time. As he drew near, one of the creature¡¯s spears found its mark on the Seraph standing in the middle.Slipping past the man¡¯s frenzied paws, the withered¡¯s blow struck straight through his eye and buried the spear¡¯s head deep in his skull. The creature paid the price the next second, as its head was ripped straight from its shoulders by another one of the Seraphs, but the damage had already been down.The middle Seraph collapsed on the ground unmoving, and the mob of creatures surged into the gap, separating the two remaining Seraphs. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Fiery Shackles.Fiery Shackles.Fiery Shac¡­. Jasper lost count as he cast the spell over and over again.For a few brief seconds, the withered mobs were frozen in their tracks, and he and the two Seraphs descended on the group like a school of piranha.His own blade cleaved a half-dozen of them in twain, and the Seraphs tore the rest apart, ripping them limb from limb until there was none left alive. No words were shared between them as the three fought to catch their brief, just a simple nod of thanks thrown in Jasper¡¯s direction.Their respite was brief.A few seconds later, another seraph emerged from the smoke.Her clothes were wreathed in flames, and she flung herself to the ground, rolling end over end across the rough terrain.A heartbeat later, the first of the withered manifested, chasing after her. They were fast, but Jasper¡¯s spells were faster.As the two seraphs raced toward the new foe, his iron shackles rose to bind the undead in place.Fiery Shackles.Fiery Shackles. Fiery Shac¡­ His head was already beginning to throb, but Jasper ignored it.Helping the woman up, the four dispatched the new foe and set off in search of the rest. Jasper still found no sign of the other members of his party, but he and his small group were able to rescue a few more Seraphs, and they soon fell into an established pattern.With some reluctance, he found himself assuming the role of a control mage - casting nothing but Fiery Shackles to bind the enemy in place - while the Seraph warriors took advantage of the enemies¡¯ temporary plight.It was a winning, if rather inglorious combo, but by the time the sounds of battle finally began to quell Jasper had cast more spells in a shorter space than he had ever done before - and his head was paying the price.Stars danced across his vision, and pain pulsed through his temple with every breath he took as the group finally came to a stop.And here I thought I finally had enough essence. After a few minutes of searching without finding any more of the strange withered beings, the group finally began to relax.A few, too exhausted to keep moving, dropped to the ground where they stood, while others raised their voices and cried out into the darkness, calling out for their missing comrades.One of them, the young woman who had caught in form, began picking through the mounds of corpses that surrounded them, her face filled with the fear of whom she might find amongst the dead. Jasper ignored the others and slowly trudged his way up a small mound that stood nearby, one of the few points of elevation on the mostly flat plans.Though his head throbbed with essence deprivation with every step he took, the pain was not so great that he was unaware that danger that might still threaten them.He had no idea where the creatures had come from, and until he knew, he refused to believe the threat had gone away. Did the cult track us down somehow?Jasper was skeptical that the attack could be just a coincidence, but at the same time, he remembered Annatta¡¯s concerns about leaving the safety of the royal highways. Was it just a random attack? A pang of guilt gripped his heart.I should¡¯ve tried harder to convince Abnu¡­with a shake of his head, he cut off that line of thought.There was no value to be had in recriminations, at least not now. Reaching the summit of his little mound, Jasper, the smoke cleared just enough to allow him to see the wide, vast plains that stretched on every side.The night had been a dark one, bereft of moon and stars, but the darkness was rapidly swallowed up by the billowing pillars of fire and smoke that raced in every direction - the fire had gotten completely out of control.He saw no more signs of their attackers, but his breath caught in his lungs as he saw on the horizon a small cluster of lights that was quickly being encroached by the raging fire.Crap.A town. ¡°Jasper!¡±A voice called to him from below, and he turned to see a dark form slowly clambering up the hill.The voice was raspy and out of breath, but judging from the almost singular lack of horns on her head, he recognized her immediately and relief flooded through his veins.¡°Tsia - thank heavens!Are you okay?¡± The form paused and descended into a fit of coughing before replying.¡°Yeah.Give me a hand up, won¡¯t you?¡± He scrambled part way down the mound, picking his way carefully through a few dozen crunchy, charcoal corpses before reaching her side.As he descended, the smoke grew heavier, until it was so thick that his eyes wept and his breath came hard and labored.Jasper suddenly had a new worry.Would be pretty pathetic to survive the attack and end up dying of smoke inhalation. His voice was that of a man who¡¯d smoked a pack a day for thirty years as he took his place beside her.¡°Have you seen the others?¡± She coughed so hard she spit up blood before managing a response.¡°No,¡± she croaked.¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to them, but it doesn¡¯t matter.If we don¡¯t put this fire out, we¡¯re all going to die.¡± ¡°I can cast Spectral Wings on us.¡±Without thinking, Jasper reached for his essence - the essence he didn¡¯t have - and fell silent as his head felt like it had cracked in two.Tsia just shook her head.¡°And what about the others?Can you cast it twenty times?¡± Jasper knew she was right.¡°There¡¯s a town over there too,¡± he admitted, pointing to the cluster of lights on the horizon. ¡°Any chance you can summon up a storm,¡± he asked, half-jokingly.Jasper didn¡¯t really expect her to say yes - she wasn¡¯t exactly Thor, god of thunder - but to his surprise, Tsia nodded her head. ¡°Actually, yes. We¡¯re not that far from the Lake yet.With your help, I think I might just be able to whip up a big enough windstorm to carry along some water.¡± ¡°I¡¯m basically out of essence,¡± he began to explain, but she cut him off. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of essence.What I need is a little something else.¡± Jasper understood what she meant then.Soul magic.It was an option Jasper preferred not to use, but he was even less interested in dying to smoke.Talk about an embarrassing way to die. ¡°What do I do?¡± She held out her hand, and he took it.¡°Just funnel the energy to me - I''ll handle the winds.¡± Child of the Corn Rather than waste precious oxygen replying, Jasper simply nodded and reached for the power within.I am the river; I flow round all things.I am the rock; all things flow around me. That odd sense of detachment slowly crept over him, but this time Jasper didn¡¯t let it seize control.Fighting against the sensation, he willed the power that welled within to flow through his arm and into Tsia. At first, the only sounds Jasper heard were the labored breaths he heaved, but his eyes flew open when the first crackle of thunder roared above his head.The wind whipped up, quickly accelerating to the point it became hard to stand.Lightning fell from the heavens, striking at the burning plains again and again and he began to be concerned that they were, if anything, only going to succeed in making the fire worse.But then the rain began. Warm and salty, just like the river from which Tsia had stolen it, the rain pounded down on their camp.It was impossible to tell how long the spell lasted; minutes, hours, a few seconds - time seemed to blur as an endless, torrential downpour beat relentlessly against the two of them.He struggled to breathe, no longer because of the smoke, but because so much water rained down that it was hard to fill his lungs with air.The angry red glare of the night sky once again faded into darkness and Jasper knew they had succeeded. A flush of victory rushed over him, which was quickly erased as Tsia¡¯s legs buckled.He snagged her arm before her head smashed into the ground, and gently lowered her to the ground.The beating rain had ceased when she fell, but Jasper barely noticed as he bent over her, suddenly panicking as he called the death of the stone mage.She wasn¡¯t burning her soul, too, was she? But a finger to her neck confirmed her pulse still beat strong and after a few moments had passed without her skin shriveling in on itself, he decided she¡¯d be okay.She¡¯s just unconscious.He waited a few more minutes for her to wake, but when she still didn¡¯t stir, he decided to just take her with him.It¡¯s time to find the rest of my party.Scooping Tsia up in his arms, Jasper headed back down the hill. He found Ihra and Abnu, along with many of the Seraphs he¡¯d saved, clustered around the ruined nucleus of his camp. When she saw him coming, Ihra ran to greet him.She had a slight limp - her left leg still lagging slightly behind the other - and a long jagged hole had been torn in her breastplate, revealing quite a bit more of her than usual.Perhaps some eyes might have lingered, but Jasper only felt a rush of concern as he eyed the gaping hole in her armor.¡°Looks like they got you good,¡± he observed as she drew close. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine.Just got mobbed by like ten of those things and one of them got a lucky blow in.My transformation saved me, but¡­¡± she sighed exasperatedly, ¡°they totally ruined my armor.¡±She glanced at the girl cradled in his arms.¡°I see the little princess found a way to end up in your arms again,¡± she teased.¡°What happened this time?¡± Jasper grinned.¡°I think essence deprivation.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t go around passing out,¡± Ihra pointed out. ¡°True,¡± he agreed, ¡°but unfortunately I seem to make a habit of running out of essence; it royally sucks, but I¡¯m getting used to it.She, on the other hand, has so much essence it might just be the first time it happened to her.¡± His friend smirked.¡°So you¡¯re saying she popped her cherry.¡± Jasper snorted.¡°Don¡¯t let Ne?s?u hear you say that.Speaking of which,¡± he gently lowered Tsia onto the ground, and glanced around the small group of Seraphs. ¡°Where are the others?¡± Ihra¡¯s smirk vanished, and she nodded toward the unconscious girl sprawled between their feet. ¡°Ne?s?u wasn¡¯t with her?The dude¡¯s usually glued to her side.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Jasper shook his head reluctantly. ¡°I didn¡¯t run across Tsia until after the fight, but she was alone when I found her.I haven¡¯t seen hide nor hair of Ne?s?u or Annatta since last night.¡± Jasper heaved himself back to his feet, and swayed violently as his head, still recovering from the effects of essence deprivation, objected vigorously to the sudden movement.His cheeks turned green and he bent over, vomiting on the ground. A soft hand patted his back as Ihra looked on in concern.¡°Are you sure all right,¡± she asked. He spat out mouthfuls of acid before replying.¡°Yeah, just a little more essence deprivation than I¡¯m used to,¡± he rasped out,¡°but I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She pursed her lips and started to speak, but apparently thought better of it.¡°Never mind,¡± she said with a sigh.¡°Are you up to searching for the others?¡± He straightened up and wiped his mouth clean.¡°I guess we¡¯d better.You want to go together, or split up?¡± She gazed into the darkness and shook her head.¡°I¡¯d rather go together but¡­it¡¯s going to take forever to search.I¡¯ll check the left and you check the right?¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed.His eyes flickered to the still-unconscious Tsia and, scooping her back up in his arms, Jasper stumbled over to where the Seraphs had clustered.¡°Hey, Abnu, two of our party are missing and Tsia¡¯s unconscious.Can you keep on her eye while we search?¡± The Seraph¡¯s face was somber as he took the girl from Jasper¡¯s arms.¡°We¡¯ll keep watch over her,¡± he promised.¡°Do you need help searching?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing you have missing of your own, no?¡±When the man nodded, Jasper rejected his offer.¡°We¡¯ll manage, then.¡± Leaving the small encampment behind, Jasper ventured into the darkness.The search proved to be an even more difficult task than he¡¯d expected.With the wildfire quenched, the darkness had returned with vengeance.Whatever moon might have shone that night was hidden by a thick layer of clouds, leaving barely any light by which to sort through the piles of blackened corpses that lay on every side.Even the fields themselves seemed determined to thwart his progress, for the torrential rains had turned the previously flat plains a muddy, boggy mess that clung to his ankles like glue. Still, Jasper persisted in his search, determined to find the missing pair. In truth, he found it tough to believe that Annatta or Ne?s?u had fallen during the battle.The enemies, save perhaps for the mage, had been rather weak, relying on sheer numbers to overwhelm the Seraphs, but Ne?s?u and Annatta were both leveled high enough that he doubted that even a small horde of the creatures would have been sufficient to bring them down. But that wasn¡¯t enough to untangle the knot of worry that sat in the pit of his stomach.No matter how skilled a warrior was, no one was immune to the risk of a lucky strike like the one that had almost killed Ihra, nor being murdered in one¡¯s sleep, a fate he himself had nearly suffered.Please be okay. Jasper¡¯s worry waxed as the search stretched on with no results.He slowly spiraled outward, heading further and further away from the camp until he was far enough from the mourning Seraphs that he could no longer hear their cries.The silence of the scorched plains was almost oppressive; there were no insects or birds left to weave their nighttime symphony, nothing but an endless, silent dark broken up only by the company of corpses that did little to assuage the growing sense of paranoia Jasper felt. At least one thing was working in his favor, though.Slowly but surely, the throbbing in his head slowly improved as his reserves of essence began to refill and he started to feel human - well, Djinn - again.But his mood quickly grew to match the storm skies above as, no matter how hard he searched, he could find no trace of Ne?s?u or Annatta.Where the hell are they?Even if they¡¯re dead, I should be able to find them. With a groan, he straightened his back and surveyed the empty fields around him.Dozens of blackened corpses lay behind them, none of them his friends, but he saw no more ahead.Where the hell are they?If they¡¯re alive, surely they would have found us by now; if they¡¯re dead, then where are the bodies? He stomped his foot in frustration and immediately froze as the silence around him was broken.Somewhere to the north of where he stood, a voice called his name, begging for assistance.¡°Jaasssper!Jaasssper, come quick!¡±He recognized Ihra¡¯s voice immediately, but he made no move to answer her call for, at the same moment, the soft giggle of a child echoed behind him. Jasper¡¯s blood curdled and a sicking feeling roiled in the pit of his stomach as he slowly turned to face the gall?. The porcelain-faced girl beamed up at him with a broken smile.Her chubby little hands still clutched tight a straw doll with edges singed with soot, and her white tunic was wrinkled and caked with mud.He eyed her uncertainly but tried to reassure himself that she¡¯d made no attempt to hurt him thus far.It was technically true of course, but technicalities make for a cold comfort when you¡¯re facing a creature that can kill you with a single touch - especially one playing the role of a capricious child. She stared up at him silently, her arms swaying back and forth as she cradled the little doll until he finally spoke.¡°I¡¯m guessing you have another message for me?¡± The girl¡¯s head bobbed vigorously up and down, and then she crouched low to the ground.Her hand traced something in the mud and she leaned back to let him see.Careful to keep his distance from her deadly touch, Jasper crouched down and, letting a small flicker of flame spring up on his hand, examined the simple symbol she had drawn. It was the Corsythian sign for ¡°1.¡±His brows knit together in confusion.¡°One?One what?Surely you¡¯ve got more than that.¡± A mischievous smile flashed across her face and the girl stood up and walked closer to beside him.Jasper fought the urge to pull away as she crouched down beside him and her hands dug into the mud a second time.When she stood up again, he examined the additions. ¡°One plus one?What the hell?¡±Irritation surged through him as he lurched to his feet, partially overriding the fear.He was still very careful, though, to keep his distance as he turned to face her.¡°Are we doing math homework now?¡± The child shook her head and spoke haltingly.¡°Save. One. Save. None. Save. Both.¡± Jasper struggled to connect the dots.Save one? Save¡­both? His thoughts turned to his two missing partners, and a new fear gripped his heart.Was this whole attack nothing more than a ruse to kidnap Ne?s?u and Annatta? He towered over the child menacingly, his anger suddenly overriding his fear.¡°What did you do to them?¡±He demanded roughly.¡°Was this all your mistress¡¯ doing?Did you take my friends?¡± The child shrugged her shoulders, completely unperturbed. He clamped down on his anger with an iron grip and took a step back.Now is not the time to do something stupid.And trying to threaten a being he had no chance of beating was the very definition of stupid.All it has to do is touch me. ¡°JAASSPER!¡±The second cry echoed again and, on instinct, Jasper glanced over his shoulder.Remembering who was standing beside him, he immediately whipped his head back, but the ground in front of him was empty.He glanced frantically to the left and right, and spun around on his heels, desperate to pin down where the gall? had gone, but it had left no trace behind. ¡°JAASSPER!¡± Damn it.I¡¯m never going to find it anyway.Abandoning his search, Jasper ran toward Ihra, hoping against hope that he had misunderstood the gall?¡¯s message, and that Ihra had found their missing party members. The Missing Ihra had wandered quite far in the opposite direction from him. He charged through the Seraphs'' makeshift camp, where they''d managed to get a small fire reignited and back into the darkness on the other side. It was hard to see anything in the deep night, but when she heard the sound of his footsteps approaching, she cried out again, and he followed the sound of her voice until he could see her shadow looming in the night. ¡°Did you find them?¡± he called out. ¡°Can you give me some light,¡± she replied. ¡°I tried to start a fire with some of this grass, but everything¡¯s utterly soaked.¡± He obligingly let the flames roll along his hand and lifted it up, illuminating a small area around him.Ihra was crouched low over a body that lay face-first in the dirt.The body was large and well-built, clearly that of a man, but a veritable lake of blood had formed around him.Jasper couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face, but he recognized the rough, green surcoat immediately.That¡¯s Ne?s?u.But then¡­ his mind stuttered to a halt as he realized he¡¯d misunderstood the gall?¡¯s message - or at least in part. ¡°Can you please help?¡± Ihra asked, with more than a touch of exasperation in her tone.Snapping out of his reverie, he crouched down beside her. ¡°Is he still alive? That''s a hell of a lot of blood.¡± ¡°Somehow, barely,¡± she confirmed.¡°There was so much blood I thought he was dead for sure when I found him, but he still had a faint heartbeat.¡±Ihra jerked her head over her shoulder.¡°Can you get my supplies out of my bag?I managed to stem the worst of his bleeding with some pressure, but if I move, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll lose what little blood he has left.¡± Jasper unfastened the bag from her back and, following her directions, quickly tossed a small mountain of supplies onto the ground.The bandages came first.Ihra kept up the pressure as Jasper carefully wound layer upon layer of gauze around the wound on Ne?s?u¡¯s neck.Only when the blood had stopped soaking through the layers was Ihra finally able to let go.A healing potion followed, but despite their best efforts to pour it down his throat, the potion did little to ease his suffering. ¡°I was afraid of that,¡± Ihra observed with a sigh.¡°He doesn¡¯t have enough energy left for the potion to draw on.Help me set up the circle, won¡¯t you?¡± Together, Jasper and Ihra struggled to mark out the necessary runes in the mud and ash that surrounded them.When they were done, it was by far the worst circle they¡¯d ever made, a sloppy mess of mud, powder, and chalk that Jasper feared wouldn¡¯t even work, but it was the best they could do.Ihra anchored herself to the circle and, closing her eyes, reached out to the mysterious force that powered the runes. The runes stayed dark.A minute ticked by, then two, and Jasper was about to give up hope when a subtle glow flared to life.It wound its way out from her body, across and through the roughly sketched runes, and flowed into the wounded warrior. Slowly, the dozens of small wounds that crisscrossed the Sicyan¡¯s body began to seal up, but the man did not stir. Ihra didn¡¯t give up; keeping her eyes closed, she continued to meditate, channeling the power through the runes until with a low groan, Ne?s?u¡¯s body shuddered. ¡°What-What-¡±The warrior struggled to sit up and, still too weak to manage it, fell back on his elbows.His eyes were wild and afraid as his gaze bounced between their faces.¡°Tsia! Where¡¯s Tsia?" ¡°She¡¯s alright,¡± Jasper reassured him.¡°She was knocked unconscious, but she¡¯ll be okay.Abnu¡¯s watching over her.¡± Like a puppet with its cords cut, all the tension in the man¡¯s body eased out, and he flopped back to the ground. He shot a worried glance at Ihra, but she just shook her head.¡°He¡¯ll be fine - he¡¯s just worn out.¡± ¡°Almost dying does that to you,¡± he agreed with a weary smile. Ihra slowly staggered to her feet and glanced around the small space lit by Jasper¡¯s flames.¡°Where¡¯s Annatta?Did you not find her?¡± Jasper shook his head reluctantly.He thought he had understood the gall?¡¯s message, but finding Ne?s?u had made him doubt himself. If Ne?s?u wasn¡¯t taken, then maybe Annatta wasn¡¯t either?But then where the hell is she?The only answer that came to him was that Annatta had been taken and someone else - someone other than Ne?s?u - must have been the second.But who?S?anukkat? He replied hesitatingly.¡°We should look searching for her, but I think¡­I think she may have been taken.¡± ¡°Taken?¡±Ihra cocked her head in confusion.¡°What do you mean?¡± Jasper grimaced.¡°You know that vision the Anzuzu gave me?I think Barbartu may have just taken it upon herself to make that a reality.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Jasper and Ihra remained by Ne?s?u¡¯s side until the warrior had recovered enough strength to rise.His first question was again about Tsia.¡°She¡¯s really alright,¡± the Sicyan asked as he struggled to rise.Jasper bent down, and grabbing him beneath his arms, dragged the man to his feet. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± he reassured him once again.¡°She was just a little essence-deprived, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re lying-¡° the warrior began harshly.Jasper rolled his eyes.He was tired of putting up with the warrior¡¯s crap but reluctantly he sucked it up, for Tsia¡¯s sake.Blessed are the peacemakers, blah, blah, blah. Ihra, however, had had enough.¡°Why would we lie to you?¡± She snapped.¡°Your precious little princess is fine.And so are you, not that you¡¯ve bothered to say thanks for the dozens of gold coins I spent saving your life.¡± The man¡¯s face twisted into an angry scowl, and he took a small step forward.¡°Why you-¡± His words trailed off as his foot sank into the marshy, blood-soaked ground he was standing on.He gazed at the pool of his own blood and the large, hastily etched runic circle strewn around him in silence for a long minute.When he looked up at Ihra, his anger had been replaced by shock.¡°Is all of that mine?¡± She nodded curtly.¡°It¡¯s a miracle you were still breathing when I found you.¡± He carefully lifted his foot out of the bloody puddle and bowed deeply toward her.¡°It seems I do indeed owe you my thanks.¡±He glanced over to Jasper and bowed again.¡°To both of you, it seems.I doubt even potions could have saved me from that much blood loss.¡±Straightening up, he dragged a very blood-stained pouch out of his armor.¡°How much did the ritual ingredients cost?¡± Greed briefly flickered in Ihra¡¯s eyes, but she waved the proffered money away.¡°No one¡¯s asking you to pay us back.You¡¯re a party member - just act like one.¡± With a shrug, Ne?s?u shoved the pouch back into his armor.¡°We all know I¡¯m not really a member of your party.If I could convince Tsia to return to her senses but I am grateful nonetheless.Now where is Tsia?¡± Then, supporting the man between them, the three limped back to the camp.Their trip was guided by the rosy glow of a fire that the Seraphs had somehow managed to get started despite the soaked conditions of everything around them.The light did little, however, to bring cheer to their position.Instead, the dancing flames revealed in full the extent of the damage that had been wreaked. It was a sorry group that awaited them. Few of the Seraphs had escaped without wounds and a good half a dozen were stretched out on the ground, writhing and contorting with injuries too serious to just walk off.As they approached, Ihra darted off to help them, leaving Jasper and Ne?s?u alone to find Tsia. To his surprise, she wasn¡¯t sitting by the campfire. ¡°Where is she?¡± Ne?s?u growled, and Jasper could only shake his head.¡°I don¡¯t know.Maybe she¡¯s with Abnu?¡±It didn¡¯t take long for them to find the man. He was on the edge of the small camp¡¯s perimeter, bent low to the ground over a row of Seraph corpses.At their hail, the Seraph turned to greet them.¡°I see you found one of your missing.Where¡¯s the Djinn?¡± ¡°Gone, I fear,¡± Jasper replied curtly.¡°I¡¯m afraid she was taken by the enemy.¡±He felt Ne?s?u¡¯s impatience rising, but he decided to be polite and ask about the Seraph¡¯s casualties before inquiring about Tsia.Abnu was standing over the corpses of his own men, after all.¡°How many did you lose?¡± Abnu¡¯s face was a mask of grief as he rose from the ground.¡°At least five are dead, and another two are missing.We¡¯re still searching through the bodies, but¡­¡± They both knew it was unlikely there were survivors.¡°Sorry about that,¡± Jasper offered. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± the man grunted.¡°Somehow, those damned Is?beru?ti took out both of my guards and killed a couple more in their sleep before the alarm was raised.Can¡¯t figure it out honestly.Is?beru?ti are a threat to farmers, but not warriors.Unless, of course, the guards fell asleep on their post.¡± He spat on the ground with disgust.Jasper hesitated for a moment before replying.He wasn¡¯t quite sure he wanted to reveal what he knew about the attack, but he knew it was unlikely the guards had simply fallen asleep on the job - not when there was a far simpler explanation.The dead don¡¯t deserve to have their name sullied like that. ¡°Well¡­we were attacked by more than just the Ish-whatever,¡± he fumbled with the unfamiliar name. ¡°Is?beru?ti,¡± the man corrected. ¡°Yeah, those.There was also a gall? here; maybe something else, too - who knows? The gall? could have killed your guards pretty easily.¡± ¡°A gall??¡±The Seraph¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously and his voice incredulously.¡°A gall?? I thought those were something from a children¡¯s storybook, or maybe, just maybe something monstrous you might encounter if you were stupid enough to go looking for one.You¡¯re telling me you saw one last night?How do you even know what one looks like?¡± ¡°There may have been a gall? following me, off and on, for the last few weeks,¡± Jasper admitted. The Seraph¡¯s face darkened.¡°I take it back.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I take it back,¡± he repeated firmly.¡°It sounds like this attack was your fault after all.If you¡¯ve attracted the attention of such a being¡­¡± The Seraph glanced around almost nervously, as if he half-expected the being to manifest from the air beside him, ¡°then perhaps none of us are safe around you.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s never tried to hurt me,¡± Jasper protested.¡°Hell, if anything it saved my life once.I think it¡¯s being controlled by Barbartu.¡± Abnu furrowed his brow.¡°Barbartu?The same Barbartu who wrote to the Keeper?If a cultist was capable of controlling such a being, why wouldn¡¯t they just kill you?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to,¡± Jasper explained.¡°I¡¯m still not quite sure why, but she claims to be sort of a friend.¡± ¡°The cultist.¡± The Seraph responded flatly, his skepticism plain to see.¡°The cultist claims to be a friend.The same cultists who tried to kill you.¡± Jasper was beginning to feel annoyed.¡°Last I checked, your elders didn¡¯t have any problem letting one of their own try to kill me, so I guess you¡¯re in good company.¡±The man¡¯s nostrils flared, but Jasper ignored.¡°But Kas?dael believes she¡¯s telling the truth, so I¡¯ve been giving her the benefit of the doubt.¡± Frayed Ties For the first time hesitation entered Abnu¡¯s eyes. ¡°The goddess believes this woman? But why? Why attack us if that¡¯s true?¡± ¡°Believe me,¡± Jasper admitted dryly, ¡°that was a total surprise for me, and quite possibly for Barbartu as well.¡± ¡°You mean she wasn¡¯t involved?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°I definitely think she planned it; I just don¡¯t think it went according to plan. Like I said, she¡¯s hasn¡¯t really tried to harm me, and based on my interaction with the gall? last night, I don¡¯t think anything¡¯s changed in that regard. I still don¡¯t quite get what her game is, but I know she¡¯s hoping I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± ¡°Then why attack us?¡± The Seraph replied with a frown. ¡°How would that possibly help?¡± ¡°I think it was just supposed to be a distraction, something to keep us busy while she achieved her true goal - kidnapping Annatta. Unfortunately, thanks to your refusal to stop riding for the last two days, we were all too exhausted to wake up quickly when the Ishberu?ti started their attack. I don¡¯t think she meant it to be deadly, though. As you said yourself - those creatures were little more than pests.¡± Thunderclouds eclipsed Abnu¡¯s face. ¡°Are you trying to suggest it was my fault my men died?¡± ¡°No, no - I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Jasper sighed. ¡°It was just one of those things, you know. Kind of a series of unfortunate events?¡± The man¡¯s expression did not lighten. ¡°The death of my household is not merely ¡®an unfortunate event.¡¯ If this Barbartu is responsible, she will pay.¡± Somehow, Jasper didn¡¯t think the man¡¯s threat would amount to much. He knew very little about the strange woman, but if she was really powerful enough to control a gall?, she was on an altogether different tier from the two of them. Maybe Aphora could handle her, but not Abnu. He held his tongue though, not wanting to irritate the already irascible tiger further. At that point, Ne?s?u interrupted as what little patience he had was burnt to a stub. ¡°Who cares bout this wretched woman? Where is Tsia? Is she safe?¡± Taken aback by the sudden change of conversation, Abnu hesitated a moment before replying. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. Probably by the fire, I reckon.¡± ¡°Are you blind, Seraph?¡±The warrior¡¯s tone was icy.¡°She is clearly not there.Nor,¡± he gestured to the ruins of the camp around, ¡°can I see her anywhere else.¡± Abnu¡¯s eyes flared with anger, but before he could respond Jasper cut him off, feeling surprisingly angry himself. ¡°You don¡¯t know? You. Don¡¯t. Know? What the hell, man? You said you¡¯d watch her.¡± ¡°She was asleep, with a half-dozen people by the fire. Did you expect me not to search for my people?¡± A wave of fear rushed over Jasper as the pieces finally fell into place. Idiot. 1 + 1. Why would she take Ne?s?u? I don¡¯t care about him, but Tsia- Not bothering to respond to Abnu, he turned and began to race through the camp. ¡°Tsia! Tsia!¡± He shouted at the top of lungs, straining his ears for an answer he didn''t expect to hear. Ne?s?u followed close on his heels and Jasper could practically feel the anger radiating off the man. ¡°You said she was safe,¡± he spat. ¡°She was. She should¡¯ve been. I left her with the-" ¡°The Seraph.¡± Ne?s?u finished with a growl. ¡°The same fool who lost your lady love, no? Why would you leave her with him?¡± "Would you prefer I left you to bleed out?" Jasper snapped back. "And don''t try to pretend like you knew better; you weren''t worried about her being with the Seraphs until we couldn''t find her." The man scowled, but nodded his head in begrudging agreement. ¡°Va?ya willing, there''s still a chance she just wandered off somewhere for some fresh air. It wouldn¡¯t be out of character for her.¡± It wouldn¡¯t have been, but an hour of searching later, Jasper and Ne?s?u had reached the same conclusion. Tsia was gone. The two paused on the perimeter of the camp, and as Ne?s?u turned to face him, Jasper briefly wondered if it was even safe for him to be alone with the man. He¡¯s not going to try to kill me, is he? His eyes wandered to the nearby fire where the Seraphs were still clustered. Nah, there¡¯s too many witnesses here. Right? As if answering his thoughts, Ne?s?u spoke first. ¡°I¡¯m not going to try to kill you, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking. Not yet, anyway." Jasper cracked a half-hearted grin. "Thanks? Not gonna lie, I''m kind of surprised." The warrior frowned. "Why? The Seraphs bear most of the blame here. All that matters now is finding her, and as quickly as possible. Do you have any idea why they would take her?" Before Jasper could respond, a long shadow loomed over the two of them which quickly morphed into Abnu. ¡°Did you find your friend,¡± the Seraph asked. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°No,¡± Ne?s?u growled. ¡°You let the cult kidnap her.¡± The Seraph''s temper flared immediately. ¡°You¡¯re blaming me?" He roared. "If your precious little mage really gone, there¡¯s no way she was kidnapped from beside the fire. She must have woken up and wandered off into the darkness by herself and if she¡¯s that stupid-¡° Abu¡¯s angry rant came to a sudden halt as a metallic click filled the air and in the faint light of the flames, Jasper could see a narrow blade pressed tight against the man¡¯s throat. ¡°You better think really carefully about how you finish that sentence. A princess of Sapi?ya was under your care, and you let her get taken, for what? To mourn a few mangy cubs?¡± Abnu¡¯s hand was already halfway morphed into a claw as he struck straight for Ne?s?u''s heart, but the Sicyan warrior contemptuously blocked the blow with his shoulder and slid his blade across the Seraph''s throat. Fortunately for Abnu, his partial shift had toughened the skin enough to prevent a fatal wound, and the Sicyan''s strike only drew a thin trickle of blood. Yanking his sword back, Ne?s?u spun beneath another of the Seraph¡¯s blows and thrust forward with his sword. But the blow never arrived, as the two¡¯s fight was unceremoniously stopped by a pair of fiery claws that erupted from the ground and clamped around their legs. ¡°Enough,¡± Jasper screamed. ¡°You''re really going to start killing each other now? You think this is going to help?¡± To his surprise, Ne?s?u was the first to sheathe his sword. ¡°Very well,¡± he agreed. ¡°But if Tsia is killed¡­¡±. He let the threat hang. Abnu took longer to relent, but eventually, he released his claws.¡°That man is no ally of mine, but for the sake of the mission, I¡¯ll let it pass,¡± he said as he turned to Jasper. ¡°Thanks but,¡± Jasper hesitated a moment before continuing.He didn¡¯t want to interrupt the fragile peace he¡¯d just negotiated, but he also knew he couldn¡¯t just ignore the Seraph¡¯s failure.Not again. ¡°You know, Abnu, Ne?s?u isn¡¯t exactly wrong. First, you lost Laylah, and now you let Tsia be kidnapped right out from under your nose. How are we supposed to work together like this?¡± Anger reignited in the Seraph¡¯s eyes. ¡°Oh? And I suppose the gall? following you, the gall? you failed to mention, is just a friendly pet?¡± He snapped back. ¡°Maybe if I had known about that, none of this would have happened in the first place.¡± ¡°And maybe if you had listened to Annatta¡¯s warning and followed the highways, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to attack us.¡± Jasper retorted. ¡°You could see how someone might feel a little suspicious.¡± The man¡¯s eyes flared angrily but then, much to Jasper¡¯s surprise, the fight went out of Abnu. His shoulders sagged as exhaustion and sorrow flooded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should¡¯ve paid more attention, but the night¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°So many of my men died tonight, Jasper. To you, they¡¯re little more than a face. But I¡¯ve grown up with them. I know every one of their families, their wives, their children. I just¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°I needed to gather their bodies, to make sure that their families at least got that, and I failed to watch her.¡± He shrugged helplessly. ¡°Who would have guessed she''d be kidnapped? What do they even want with her, unless...¡± His eyes narrowed. "Was she your lover too?" Ne?s?u''s snort of laughter spared Jasper from answering. ¡°Lovers? The man¡¯s a borderline monk. Hell, he rescued a S?addu''a? woman from a brothel and made her his cook rather than his concubine. He certainly isn''t Tsia''s lover, but," a knowing gleam glinted in his eye as he turned to face Jasper, "you do know why she was taken, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I do, or at least, I think so,¡± Jasper agreed. ¡°When I encountered the gall? tonight, she had a message for me: ¡®Save One. Save None. Save Both.¡¯ At first, it just seemed like gibberish, but then I realized it was connected to a vision I¡¯d be shown a few months ago.¡± ¡°Vision?¡± Though despair still wreathed his face, a hint of interest sparked in the Seraph¡¯s eyes. ¡°Has Kas?dael been granting you visions of the future?¡± ¡°Not her,¡± Jasper corrected. ¡°The Anzuzu.¡± As the name rolled off his tongue, an explosion of pain erupted in his head. The world swam around him as a small, jet-black spider swiveled its head toward him, revealing row upon row of pale, milky eyes whose gaze pierced through his temple like an iron spike. He fell on his eyes knees as the vision consumed him again. As before, a cowled man dressed in elaborate black robes stood above him. A silver medallion swung freely from the edges of his sleeves as the man stretched his arm two altars behind him and commanded Jasper to choose. But the vision had slightly changed this time. In the spectral realm, Jasper had only been able to see that one of the potential sacrifices had the dark red skin of a Djinn while the other was pale and pasty; now, though, he lifted his eyes just long enough to see their faces clearly. One was Annatta. Her eyes were wide and frightened, but her lips moved silently as she mouthed two words. ¡°Not me.¡± Tsia was there as well, but she lay motionless on the altar and did not appear to see him. Though the vision began to fade, the pressure from the spectral spider only increased. ¡°Do. Not. Tell.¡± A voice echoed in his mind. ¡°DO. NOT. TELL. SERAPH.¡± It thundered. Its image expanded in his mind until the whole sky was consumed by a single, milky white orb. Then as suddenly as it had appeared, the being vanished. ¡°Ouaegh.¡± Jasper found himself on his knees, heaving his guts out. His whole body shook like a leaf, but he struggled to his feet and, hastily wiping the vomit from his mouth, scanned the skies anxiously. ¡°Where did it go?¡± ¡°Where did what go?¡± Their previous argument was forgotten, or at least temporarily set aside, asvAbnu offered him a steadying hand. ¡°The Anzuzu¡­¡± Jasper trailed off as the spider words echoed in his mind. DO. NOT. TELL. SERAPH. ¡°Did you experience the vision again?¡± Abnu asked. Jasper laughed shakily. ¡°I guess that¡¯s all it was. Man, it seemed so real. So bloody real.¡± He waved Abnu¡¯s hand off as the tremors began to subside. The Seraph clucked his tongue sympathetically.¡°The attention of the gods is both a blessing and curse.Today is a curse, but tomorrow¡­¡± he shrugged expressively.¡°Perhaps it told you something of our mission?¡± Jasper hesitated only for a second before the lie slipped off his tongue. ¡°No. It was a vision of my trip to the Empire.¡± He didn¡¯t know why the spectral spider had forbidden him from telling the Seraph of his vision, but he had no intention of ignoring a command from a being he was pretty sure could kill him with a thought. The man grimaced. ¡°A pity. We could use a vision from a god - our intel is clearly lacking. But,¡± his features perked up, ¡°I¡¯ll suppose it''s a good sign nonetheless. If the Anzuzu are giving you visions about events in the future, then clearly our mission must be a success. Or at least,¡± he added wryly, ¡°you¡¯ll live.¡± A voice hailed him from the campfire and the man turned to go. ¡°I guess I¡¯d better check on my men. We won¡¯t be leaving till the morning.¡± With that, he stomped off through the thick mud. Ne?s?u watched until the Seraph had joined the others at the fire before he turned to Jasper, and spoke quietly. ¡°What was the vision really about?¡± No One Three hours.That was all the time the emperor had to mourn.In the solitude of his study, the tears flowed freely for his friend.His sorrow was mixed with anger; the pain of the betrayal was bound so tightly to the image of his childhood friend that he had neither the time nor the leisure to unravel the two. But the burdens of a ruler never end.His servants had allotted him a brief respite after his weary travels, but soon enough the dreaded knock echoed on his door.¡°My lord?It will soon be time for supper.¡± Pulling himself together, he replied in a voice entirely free of tremors.¡°Are there any guests tonight?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.The lord of Gis?-Izum and his wife came to thank you for the rebuilding efforts.There is also an elf from Onkodos Laos here to see you.¡± Damn it.Suffocating his groan, Eligon staggered to his feet.¡°Very well.Send for the maids, but do not let them in until a captain from the guard arrives.¡± The voice on the other side of the door hesitated.¡°A captain of the guard?Is everything alright, my lord?¡± ¡°Just do it.And make sure it¡¯s done quietly.¡±He commanded. Eligon paced the room as he waited.His eyes trailed to the waiting cabinet of liquor, from the many rows of exquisite brandies that weren¡¯t poisoned, but he refrained from pouring himself a drink.His guests tonight deserved his full attention.The lord of Gis?-Izum was a relatively minor noble, one who normally wouldn¡¯t have merited a dinner alone with the emperor, but the attack his lands had endured at the hands of the returned queen had nearly brought the city to its knees.It was a miracle they had survived - and that miracle was no thanks to the empire¡¯s troops.Eligon had promptly diverted funds to help the city rebuild, but he knew it wasn¡¯t enough.It¡¯s never enough, not since the day the accursed stoneflesh appeared. When the captain from the guard arrived, accompanied by two of his men, the body was removed.At first, he¡¯d intended to keep the true nature of Vayya?bi?¡¯s death a secret - to let the man die an honorable death in a hunting accident or a skirmish with the Zalancthains. But as Eligon had paced back and forth across the room, he¡¯d slowly come to realize he couldn¡¯t hide the news of his friend¡¯s betrayal, not unless he was willing to betray his own final promise to the man.The Zalancthians will not be willing to trade for the girl unless they know he is dead and why.Only once they realize I¡¯m more than willing to let her die will they consider a reasonable offer.Thus, by the time the guards arrived, he¡¯d concluded that it couldn¡¯t be kept a secret. The rest of the night passed in a haze.News of Vaya?bi?¡¯s treachery spread quickly through the castle, so quickly that by the time he entered the banquet hall, a mere two hours later, he could tell his guests, the lord and lady of Gis?-Izum, had heard.They were too polite to bring it up - even minor nobles were well-trained in etiquette - but their awkward body language and the sympathetic glances they shot him were hard to bear. Once dinner had concluded, and he¡¯d said his last farewells to the lord and his wife, Eligon had reached his end.When the servants came with the elf in tow, all he could do was shake his head.¡°Tomorrow,¡± he promised. To his surprise, the elf acquiesced with grace.¡°Of course, Lord Eligon.The death of a friend, no matter the circumstance, is always a tragedy.Do not feel that you must meet with me tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± he promised again, but the elf bowed his head with a smile. ¡°Whenever you''re ready, my lord.¡± Eligon did not meet with the elf the next day. Instead, he had barely managed to steal a few hours of sleep before the family of Vaya?bi?, who had been summoned by the guard, arrived at the castle. Their eyes were wide with terror as they were dragged before him - afraid, no doubt, that they would suffer the repercussions of their father¡¯s treachery. They weren¡¯t entirely wrong.With a heavy heart, Eligon stripped them of all their lands and titles.It wasn¡¯t what he wanted to do; despite Vaya?bi?¡¯s betrayal, he had no desire to punish his heirs.He understood why his friend had done what he¡¯d done - hell, he might have done the same in his place. But no man is greater than the crown.No matter how much Eligon wanted to look the other way, with the news of the assassination attempt already spreading far and wide, he knew could not afford to respond lightly.Not unless he wished to embolden every mercenary-minded noble or adventurer into trying their hand at the deed in the hopes of currying favor with the Zalancthians. Punishment must be doled out. The halls of his castle rang with weeping and wailing that night.It was the children¡¯s cries that hurt the worst.While they may not have been quite as close as family, Eligon had known most of the younglings since the moment they were born, and the hurt and betrayal that flooded their faces when he cast them out of their lands was something he would not easily forget. But he had truly done his best for them.Vaya?bi?¡¯s family left Du?r-S?ad¨º that morning impoverished but alive - something his father would never have allowed.He could do no more to aid them, not right now; still, Eligon promised himself that after a few months, once the worst of the scrutiny had died down, he would make sure that a few small fiefs would be quietly assigned to them.Somewhere up north, where no one supports me anyways, he mused.I¡¯m sure the king of Hadi?n can arrange something. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Thus it wasn¡¯t until the third day that he finally sent for the elven ambassador.Normally, he would have welcomed the man into his study - the intimacy of the meeting location intended as an apology for the abnormal wait - but Eligon could not bring himself to step foot in the room.Instead, he had two horses prepared and waited for the man in the courtyard. The wait was shorter than expected. The guest quarters were on the northern third of the castle, situated near Du?r-S?ad¨º¡¯s market district and far from the courtyard near the city¡¯s gates. It would have taken him a half-hour''s light jog to make the trip, so Eligon was surprised when the elf strolled into the courtyard a mere five minutes later.Though the man must have run nearly the entire distance, he had not a hair out of place nor even the faintest sheen of sweat on his brow. The emperor had been too tired on the night he¡¯d first met the ambassador, but he paid closer attention to the elf now, realizing the man was more skilled than expected. The man moved with almost ethereal grace, though his figure was as robust as only those elves who fully committed themselves to their shapeshifting abilities could usually achieve.Yet his broad shoulders and rippling muscles were marred by no patches of fur and his legs showed no signs of hooves.A stately pair of horns stretched wide on either side, but that was the only concession to his deer-like nature. He wore a bleached leather jerkin, reinforced with row upon row of tightly woven silver scales, coupled with one of the stiff, armored skirts that the northern tribes preferred.It was crafted from a pale, blue carapace whose source Eligon could only guess at, but the high quality of the material and craftsmanship was evident. No, this is no ordinary emissary, the emperor concluded. The elf was undoubtedly someone quite high in the realm of Onkodos Laos and, judging from the armor he wore, he was probably hoping for a spar. Eligon hesitated only a moment before he abandoned his own plans for hunting and lowered himself from the saddle.His mind quickly raced through the names of the elven princes as he approached the man with a friendly grin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the other day.I¡¯m afraid the hospitality of my house is not quite up to its usual standards.¡± The elf laughed.¡°Compared to the wretched cold of my homeland, I assure you, it¡¯s practically paradise.¡± ¡°Not a fan of the cold?¡±Eligon replied easily.¡°I would have guessed you were an ice mage.¡± ¡°A safe guess,¡± the man replied with a twinkle in his eyes, ¡°but you¡¯d be wrong.But forgive me, my lord,¡± he bowed his head to the left in respect, ¡°I haven¡¯t introduced myself.I¡¯m Lord Kane?nas.¡± The emperor frowned.¡°Kane?nas?As in, ¡®no one¡¯?I¡¯m no expert with the language of your people ,but why give me an obviously fake name?¡± The elf¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver.¡°Unfortunately, that is indeed my name.My father had a rather twisted sense of humor when he was presented with a son he''d rather not have and my mother, Selene bless her, was not around to object.You may have heard of me by a different name, though; some call me the Bastard Prince.¡± ¡°The Bastard Prince?¡± Eligon parroted the man''s words in surprise.Though the elven tribes had not marched to war against an external foe since the last days of the Fey Wars, that hadn¡¯t stopped the occasional skirmish from breaking out between their cities. A particularly bitter rivalry had emerged between Yammoqom and its northern neighbor, Onkodos Laos over trading rights, a rivalry that had quickly spiraled into a nearly full-blown war until a general named the Bastard Prince had destroyed the bulk of the Yammoqan army in a single sneak attack.¡°You¡¯re the one who defeated Yammaqom¡¯s guard?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they say,¡± the elf replied casually. That¡¯s not actually a confirmation, Eligon noted, but he kept the observation to himself.¡°Well, then, before we get down to business, perhaps you¡¯d care for a spar - warrior to warrior.¡± Kane?nas grinned.¡°It¡¯s like you read my mind.¡± An hour later, rivulets of sweat streamed down his back like the rising waters of the spring melt.Eligon ignored it all; every fiber of his concentration was focused on the elf as he swung his axe straight for his adversary¡¯s head. A resounding clang echoed in the courtyard as the elf deflected the blow with crossed sabers.The two struggled against each other, their strength evenly matched, until the weapons slipped free. Eligon¡¯s lungs were screaming for air as he disengaged from his foe, but he forced his breathing to hold steady.He¡¯d hoped to win the clash outright, but as he examined the elf he knew the elf had beat him.A faint sheen of sweat glittered on the man¡¯s brow, and a few hairs were out of place, but his attacks had lost none of their earlier vigor.For a brief moment, he contemplated activating Burden of the People and crushing the elf¡¯s resistance in a whirlwind of power, but Kane?nas had scrupulously from using whatever magic he¡¯d possessed and the emperor knew he could not stoop so low.Twould be a hollow victory. But before he could concede, the elf bowed.¡°A grand spar, my lord, but I fear my arms are shaking like jelly after that last block.Shall we call it a tie?¡± Eligon was under no illusion that the man was actually too tired to continue, but he was more than happy to accept the gesture.¡°Aye, we can call it that if you like.¡±The two lined up and bowed to each other, officially ending the spar. Then with a sigh of exhaustion, Eligon flopped down on the grass, the elf following his lead.The emperor leaned over and lowered his voice.¡°Just between you and me, if both of us were going all out, who do you think would win?¡± Kane?nas pursed his lips.¡°It¡¯s hard to say, my lord.You have the edge on me in strength, but I can endure longer.Obviously, my magic would have helped even the odds, but the power of the emperor¡¯s Burden is legendary with good reason. activated that skill, I¡¯d like to believe I could drag the battle out long enough to steal a win, but perhaps you¡¯d simply overpower me immediately.¡± The emperor chuckled.¡°A tactful answer indeed.But as much as I enjoyed our spar, I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t travel all the way from your frozen wastes just for that.Tell me, Kane?nas, why are you here?¡± The elf¡¯s carefree demeanor melted away, and he leaned forward with a savage grin.¡°Tell me, my lord, have you heard what happened amongst the Strythani?¡± A Fork in the Road Ne?s?u watched until the Seraph had joined the others at the fire before he turned to Jasper, and spoke quietly. ¡°What was the vision really about?¡± ¡°In the vision, I¡¯ve been captured by the cult.Two women are lying on an altar, and a man asks me to choose.¡± ¡°Tsia and Annatta?¡± Jasper nodded.¡°Yeah.What I don¡¯t get, though, is why he wants me to choose.Aren¡¯t these sacrifices being used to fuel Yas?gah¡¯s ascension?You¡¯d think she¡¯d just want to kill all of us.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s something we¡¯re missing,¡± Ne?s?u surmised. ¡°Got to be,¡± he agreed.¡°And there¡¯s something else.Just now, when I saw the vision again, the Anzuzu forbid me from telling Abnu.¡± ¡°But why?Unless¡­do you think they¡¯re part of the cult?¡±Surprise flickered in the Sicyan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jasper admitted.¡°Maybe Abnu¡¯s just a really good actor, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s on the side of the cult, and I definitely don¡¯t think he¡¯d sacrifice his men just to get at us.But, he was the one who pushed to take a riskier route, and he was also the one who should have been watching over Tsia.Maybe it¡¯s just bad luck or¡­¡± Jasper hesitated.¡°It could be something worse.¡± Ne?s?u shook his head.¡°I don¡¯t know the Seraph that all well, but he doesn¡¯t seem devious enough to pull off such a trickery.If anything, he¡¯s a hot-headed fool, but an honest one.But that doesn¡¯t mean there couldn¡¯t be someone near to him that¡¯s cooperating with the cult.¡± ¡°They could have a mole,¡± Jasper agreed. ¡°A what?¡± ¡°Someone in their organization who¡¯s working for the other side,¡± Jasper explained.He stroked his chin thoughtfully.¡°When I met with the Seraph elders, there was just something about them that made me feel a little uneasy.Maybe I was just a bit prejudiced against them after they let someone try to kill me, but I got the distinct feeling that there was something they were hiding.The only real evidence I had, though, was that they didn¡¯t want help from the royal guard.But if they had a mole, it could explain how Tsia was kidnapped with no one noticing.¡± ¡°Mere incompetence could explain that,¡± Ne?s?u grunted, ¡°but you could be right.¡± ¡°It raises another problem, too.If the Seraphs can¡¯t be fully trusted, who¡¯s to say the location we¡¯re being taken to is even the right one?¡±A thought struck him, and he shot Ne?s?u a hopeful glance.¡°Any chance Va?ya could confirm where Tsia and Annatta were taken?¡± ¡°I thought of that myself, but¡­¡± he hesitated, then shook his head.¡°I will try,¡± he affirmed.He plopped down in the mud and crossed his legs.¡°Will you keep watch while I meditate?¡± Jasper agreed, and the Sicyan closed his eyes. The minutes ticked by slowly as Jasper waited.It really didn¡¯t take Ne?s?u that long to slip into meditation, but as the adrenaline worked its way out of Jasper¡¯s system, sheer and utter exhaustion followed close in its path.It was all he could do to stay awake.Fortunately, Ne?s?u stirred before Jasper lost his battle with sleep, and the words he spoke were more than enough to jolt him wide awake. ¡°She¡¯s not heading west.¡±The warrior got to his feet - or at least he tried to.Instead, his legs buckled beneath and he fell headlong into the muck.Snapping out of his fugue, Jasper rushed to help him.To his surprise, Ne?s?u didn¡¯t try to brush his hand off but accepted his aid to stand. ¡°You alright?¡±Jasper asked with a touch of concern. The man took a moment to respond.¡°I¡¯m fine.It just¡­Va?ya¡¯s request took more out of me than I expected.¡± ¡°Va?ya¡¯s request?¡± Jasper wrinkled his brow.¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Va?ya is a fickle god.Sometimes she grants aid with no expectation of payment and sometimes he expects sacrifice.Today, she wanted something in return.¡± Jasper knew he probably shouldn¡¯t pry, but curiosity burned within him.¡°What did Va?ya ask for?¡± Ne?s?u chuckled wryly.¡°Nothing much.Just the sacrifice of one of my skills.¡± He saw the shock in Jasper¡¯s eyes and shrugged.¡°I¡¯d sacrifice all my skills if it helps me save the lass.And the boon he granted was much greater than usual.I can sense her, Jasper, both her and the Djinn; I don''t know where they''re headed, but they are being taken north, not west.¡± The North?Jasper thought back to their trip to Du?r-Yarha.He¡¯d done his best to suppress his memories of his time in Nah?as?s?inu, of the nizurtu? and the dead gods, but as it all came rushing back, he called himself an idiot for the second time that night.Of course.Idiot - how did I not see the connections?A dagger that kills gods would be the perfect gift for a demigod looking to ascend with the help of a little deicide. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. He didn¡¯t know why the Seraphs believed the cult was headquartered in the village of Nib¡¯u.Maybe there really was a settlement there; maybe they¡¯d been fed false information by moles; maybe it was all a trap.But none of those possibilities really mattered. The two men reached the conclusion at the same time.¡°We have to go north.¡±
When the morning arrived, Jasper faced the difficult task of telling Abnu that they wouldn¡¯t be accompanying the Seraphs to Nib¡¯u.He¡¯d expected an angry confrontation; the Seraph had a short fuse in the best of situations, and after the previous night, Jasper doubted any of them had a shred of patience left.What he didn¡¯t expect was apathy. ¡°Alright,¡± Abnu replied laconically. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Jasper blurted out in surprise. The man shrugged.¡°After everything was over last night, I couldn¡¯t get back to sleep.And as I lay there awake, with nothing to do but think, I realized you¡¯d lied.You said that the vision had something to do with why your friends were taken and then, after you experienced the vision again, you said it was something to do with the Empire.¡± Crap.¡°I can explain,¡± Jasper started to say, but the Seraph shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to.The answer¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?You don¡¯t trust us.¡±Jasper started to protest, and the man raised a skeptical eyebrow.¡°Come on. Tell me I¡¯m wrong.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Jasper¡¯s rebuttal fell silent; they both knew the truth. A slightly bitter smile creased the man¡¯s lips, but it vanished quickly.¡°You know, I was pretty angry when I realized that.Damn near stormed over and demanded a duel right then and there.But as I cooled down a bit, I guess¡­I can¡¯t really blame you.The trust was already damaged after Laylah, and it was made ten times worse after the elders let my uncle pull his little stunt.If you still trusted us after last night,¡± Abnu cracked a grin, ¡°honestly, I¡¯d probably think you¡¯re an idiot.¡± Jasper chuckled back.¡°The way the last few days have been going, I¡¯m not so sure you¡¯re wrong.¡± A moment of silence passed between the two before Abnu spoke again.¡°Wherever you¡¯re going, I hope you track down the cult.Make ¡®em pay for what they¡¯ve done to my people, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Believe me,¡± Jasper vowed, ¡°When I¡¯m done with them, they¡¯ll wish they¡¯d never heard my name.¡± The Seraphs departed soon after, though not before carefully tying the bodies of their dead comrades to their horses.Only then did they trot off in the quickly drying muck, leaving the three of them behind.
With a sigh, Barbartu stepped away from the table she¡¯d been leaning over.After hours of bending over, the slight ache in her back and pressure in her temples were enough to remind her that she wasn¡¯t as young as she used to be.The word old would never leave her lips, though. Her hand lingered on the large bronze basin, and the water in it tremored.In truth, she felt the urge to flip it over; her attempts at scrying had been trying.Though much of her magic worked reasonably in this god-forsaken land, scrying was a far less informative and far more mana-intensive process than back home.But refusing to indulge her own petulance, she lifted her hand cleanly off the bowl and walked away.I¡¯d just have to clean the water up anyways. As she exited into the hall, she pondered what she¡¯d seen.Her plan had accomplished everything she¡¯d hoped.Even now, Jasper should have split off from the Seraphs and begun to head in her direction.And unless she¡¯d overestimated him, he¡¯d probably already divined the true site of the ritual. But that wasn¡¯t to say the plan had gone perfectly.She¡¯d expected more from the Seraphs; the mu?tu? she¡¯d summoned were hardly fearsome foes, but if Jasper and his friends hadn¡¯t intervened, the whole group might well have ended up perishing.If they have any hope of success in their assault on Nib¡¯u, they better be tougher than that. Her lip curled down as she thought of the trap the cult had prepared for Seraphs in the little village.The fools had failed to realize that some of their own belonged to the cult.It was obvious, in her opinion - how else had the brotherhood managed to prey for so long on Seraphs without being noticed? - but that was what happened when you picked leaders by how old they were rather than how capable. The cult had transformed the little village into a veritable fortress and had led the Seraphs straight to it, like a lamb to the slaughter.Pathetic.Still, Barbartu probably would have tried to save them if it had been possible to do so without drawing attention to her own schemes. In the end, though, she decided the risk was too large to take. The Seraphs would simply have to save themselves and if they didn''t, well...que sera, sera. One of the brethren was waiting for her at the end of the hall and bowed low as she approached.¡°My lady, the Mistress has asked to see you.¡± Her heart skipped a beat, but she was no amateur.Not a sign of trepidation appeared on her face as she lifted her hand imperiously and commanded the cultist to lead her there.He quickly led her out of the hall and then, as she had feared, toward the great staircase. The brotherhood had taken up residence at the entrance to Nah?as?s?inu; though the outside still looked decrepit and abandoned, the inside had been scrubbed until it sparkled - and it did indeed sparkle, as the brotherhood had also replaced the hundreds of lamps whose essence stones had long since burned out.It was only natural, she supposed, an unconscious defense against the hideous darkness that lay below. They¡¯d ventured there too, albeit more reluctantly.Technically, the nizirtu? were their allies, but there was little love lost between the two groups, and they avoided each other as much as possible.Still, they¡¯d been forced to carry out repairs along the great winding staircase that descended into the pit and reinstalled lights which, though unable to wholly banish the unnatural shadows, had done something to soften the fear they invoked. Barbartu was no coward, but she hated the pit as much as the rest of them.They all knew what lurked in the shadows and though the Mistress had promised to slay it upon her ascension, Barbartu was not wholly convinced that she was actually capable of the deed.Me?s?u?ta - or Yas?gah as she styled herself now - was no doubt the most powerful mortal in the province.Even the Djinn king, mighty though he was, was not her equal.But was she really equal to a god - even a dead one?Barbartu was skeptical, but she knew expressing such doubts would not be good for her health. Yas?gah As they circled around and around the pit, the temperature rose continually.The heat didn¡¯t bother her any longer, but her guide was less fortunate.A rather chubby man, even his shaved head wasn¡¯t sufficient to stop the rivulets of sweat that streamed down him and drenched his tunic so thoroughly that it clung to his ample curves like some sort of unfortunate wet t-shirt contest.Ugh. There¡¯s an image I didn¡¯t need. They were still a few floors above the bottom when the man finally paused.The brotherhood had clearly not delved this far down yet - at least not consistently - as the road was covered in piles of rubble that were pockmarked by the occasional holes that would drop an unwary traveler a few hundred feet to their doom. It was the deepest into Nah?as?s?innu that Barbartu had ever descended, and despite her own misgivings, she found herself looking around with interest.The humble homes that lined the streets at the top had been replaced by more regal manors, which in turn had been replaced by far larger edifices whose purposes were not always immediately clear, such as the one she now stood before. It was perhaps the largest building she had seen thus far in the ruined city, and the amount of work that had gone into it was truly impressive.The cliff face had been cut away, leaving behind a double row of massive octagonal pillars that stretched for several hundred feet.Even though the cultists had lit a dozen bronze braziers before the building, the gloom that hung over the city was so deep that Barbartu couldn¡¯t even see the intricate murals that covered the building¡¯s entrance until she was nearly upon them. Ignoring her guide¡¯s anxious impatience, she tarried a moment to examine them.While she was no expert on art, Barbartu had hung around the Djinn long enough to be familiar with their work.The Djinn, much like the Egyptians of her home world, were proud traditionalists; their artwork had changed little since they were forced to flee their homeland, even if that style varied slightly from tribe to tribe.Thus she felt certain that the strange, grotesque images that adorned the walls were not made by the Djinn, nor even their cursed descendants, the Nizirtu.This must have been made by the original inhabitants of the city.She studied the murals a moment longer until the man cleared his throat.¡°My lady?The Mistress is still waiting.¡± ¡°Of course.¡±Barbartu flashed him a smile more gracious than she felt and turned to follow.They walked between the row of pillars for another hundred feet before they reached a monumental arch guarded by a twin pair of statues.The faint flecks of blue paint that still clung to the stone and the four arms that sprouted from their side identified the pair as Mwyranni, but any further signs of their identity had been deliberately effaced - their faces had been smashed to smithereens and a line of rubble surrounding their base suggested that an inscription had been destroyed. The cultist stopped at the entrance, and in the still faint light of the braziers, Barbartu could see the thick sheen of sweat that lined his brow.Curiously though, the light failed to penetrate the darkness that lay beyond the arch.¡°Do you want me to wait for your return, my lady?¡±The man asked.To his credit, his voice was firm and steady, but the panic in his eyes at the mere thought of being left alone in the depths of Nahas?s?innu was obvious. She took her time responding, feeling a perverse pleasure in watching the man¡¯s panic spiral out of control as he began to believe she would ask him to wait.Barbartu knew it was a bit cruel, but if her strategy went according to plan, he was dead anyway.Who said you can¡¯t play with your food? Finally, she cut him loose.¡°No, you may go.¡± Reaching into her pouch, she flipped him a coin and watched in amusement as the man practically sprinted up the ramp, racing toward the relative safety of the others, and leaving her alone in the darkness. She took a moment to compose herself before entering the ancient ruins.It was hard to ignore her knowledge of what might be lurking in the shadows, to ignore the shiver of fear that ran down her spine at the mere thought of encountering the dead gods that haunted the accursed city.But Barbartu forced herself to focus.She didn¡¯t have time to worry about monsters that might be lurking, not when she was about to face another monster - even if it was one that wore a pretty face and a happy smile. The darkness overwhelmed her, so thick that even with her high level of perception, Barbartu could barely see her hand in front of her face, but despite that, Yas?gah¡¯s presence was obvious from the moment she crossed the threshold.The stale, hot air of the pit dissipated immediately, replaced by a refreshing breeze that smelled of spring rains. But beneath the breeze, Barbartu sensed an almost imperceptible pressure that bared down on her, pushing and prodding against her mind.Knowing Yas?gah wouldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d failed to notice the probe, Barbartu pretended to resist.Their minds clashed for a few seconds before Barbartu allowed her defenses to ¡°buckle.¡±The demigoddess swept through her mind like a flood, and despite Barbartu¡¯s skill, it was all she could to prevent Yas?gah from discovering anything other than the ¡°secrets¡± she wanted her to find. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! When she was finally satisfied, the pressure withdrew, leaving Barbartu alone in the darkness.She took a few uncertain steps forward, uncertain if this was the only purpose she¡¯d been summoned for until a pale, violet-colored light began to blossom in front of her.Rising up from the floor like a delicate flower, the light rapidly expanded until it towered from the floor to the ceiling, a mighty pillar of pulsating violet that split the darkness in twain.The pillars¡¯ rays banished the impenetrable gloom, gathering in brightness until not a single shadow could be seen. Despite herself, Barbartu was impressed as she searched the newly lit hall for the being who had summoned her.The space was even larger than she had guessed from the outside.A semicircle of empty thrones radiated from a central portico where an enthroned statue had once held a court.Like the statues outside the temple, this one too had been vandalized.Cast down from its throne, the giant blue statue lay prone on the ground, its smashed face buried in the pavement.And in its place sat a small, diminutive woman. Yas?gah¡¯s story ran through Barbartu¡¯s mind as she approached the would-be goddess. Yas?gah.Me?s?u?ta.Matqa.The woman staring down at her had not always been the terrifying presence she now was. Indeed, unlike most imperial queens, Matqa had no noble blood flowing through her veins. Her parents had been simple commoners whose distant elven heritage had barely left a trace in appearance for generations on end, only for it to reappear in their child in full force.From birth, she had born the silver eyes and curved ears that marked her as different, and as she had grown magic had come to her as naturally as breathing.She¡¯d barely been a teen before her antlers had appeared and she¡¯d attracted the attention of outside forces.Recruited into the Imperial Guard, she¡¯d shot up the ranks so quickly that even the emperor, S?ams?aka?s?id IV, had taken an interest in her.And when he¡¯d met her, he¡¯d fallen for the raven-haired beauty. Ignoring the scandal it raised amongst the noble families of the empire, S?ams?aka?s?id had wed her, and a simple commoner had become empress.For a time, all seemed well.Her skill in magic was so exceptional that even the gods had taken interest in her.Kas?dael herself had chosen the empress as her hand, and even the Fey¡¯s Tsia?hu had granted her quest. But a relentless ambition lurked in her heart, one unsatisfied by the amiable emperor.When the commanding general of the Imperial Army had returned victorious from his conquest of the eastern isles, Matqa had been enchanted.Here was a man who matched her peerless ambition, a man who many believed had already taken the first steps to ascension.Thus started a passionate affair. In truth, Gemlir had already failed his quest to ascend, but unwilling to accept his failure, he had sought out ancient and dark paths, turning to sacrifice to cover his own deficiencies.For a time, the two were content to grow their power, a creeping corruption that spread its roots deep throughout the empire.But Matqa wanted more.Why sit at the right hand of a man she despised?Emboldened by her words, the two plotted to seize the throne. The emperor never saw the attack coming.Yet, for as much as she disdained him, Matqa had failed to take the true measure of her husband.S?ams?aka?s?id was not the weakling she¡¯d believed him to be and though taken by surprise, he managed to fend the two of them off long enough for the guard to rally to his rescue. Fleeing the capital, they¡¯d rallied their followers instead.Large chunks of the army followed their general, and hundreds of lesser lords, craving the chance to seize greater power than what they were born to, chose to accept the tenets he preached.Bitter war followed, and Matqa''s and Gemlir¡¯s power only grew as they sacrificed thousands of their enemies on the field of battle, but it was S?ams?aka?s?id who was the victor.When the war finally ended, all that remained to them were the sparsely settled lands across the great river, lands the empire simply didn¡¯t care enough about to be worth the loss of life. There Gemlir founded his own kingdom, one that would be a thorn in the empire¡¯s side for generations to come.And there, driven by his own relentless drive for power, he betrayed Matqa, casting her aside to marry a Sidhe.But his heart was softer than hers; he let her and her followers depart freely, where they¡¯d settled in the south.Taking the name, Mes?u?ta, the former Empress had ruled as an undying queen until the Empire eventually Gemlir and his kingdom and had turned their eyes on her kingdom. Supposedly, she had died in battle, but the woman sitting before her was no ghost.The enchantress that had stolen the emperor¡¯s heart was as beautiful.No wrinkle marred her brow nor did any silver fleck her hair.There was no trace at all of the millennia that had passed her by and if it had not been for the overwhelming sense of power that emanated from the small woman, Barbartu would have found it hard to believe that this was a being who had slaughtered millions. Yet as soon as she spied Yas?gah, she swallowed her pride and prostrated herself on the ground.¡°You summoned me, mistress?¡± A frown flickered across the demigoddess¡¯ lips.¡°There¡¯s no need to lie,¡± she said.¡°We both know I am not your true master.¡± Barbartu¡¯s heart began to beat erratically.Did I fail to conceal my thoughts?She dismissed the absurd notion immediately.Long before she¡¯d been dragged to this wretched realm, she¡¯d been trained by the best on Adammu where the art of subtle magics was far more advanced than in Corsythia where, ironically, their own strength had stunted their growth in certain areas. With renewed confidence, Barbartu lifted her eyes to meet the demigoddess and affected an air of bewilderment.¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry, my lady?What other mistress are you referring to?There is none but you.¡± Yas?gah didn¡¯t stir as an invisible force slammed into Barbartu and flung her across the room. Yas?gah II She rocketed into the hard stone floor and before she could even react, the force picked her up again and hurled her into the wall.Thrown to her knees, Barbartu tried to gain control of her body but the force tightened her neck like an unseen noose and dragged her across the temple.Her progress finally stopped mere inches away from Yas?gah¡¯s feet.She tried to stand up, but the force pressed down on her, flattening her into the ground.Only when she had ceased her struggles did the pressure release. It took Barbartu a few moments to find the strength to rise to her knees, and her movements remained slow and cautious, for she fully expected the demigoddess to punish her again. But when she finally looked into Yas?gah¡¯s face, there was no sign of anger to be seen.If anything, the petite woman stared at Barbartu with the cruel curiosity of a child about to pry the wings off a dragonfly. ¡°You¡¯re quite the strange creature, aren¡¯t you?¡±Her long, raven hair tumbled to the side like an avalanche as she cocked her head.¡°Whatever transformation skill you possess is truly quite remarkable.Even I failed to realize you weren¡¯t a Djinn until quite recently.¡± Transformation skill?It¡¯s an illusion skill, bitch.Barbartu bowed her head meekly, not fully trusting herself to successfully hide the tidal wave of relief that washed over her.She knows nothing of my plans then.If anything, this works in my favor; now she thinks she¡¯s discovered my secrets, she¡¯ll relax her guard.¡°I was foolish to try to hide it, my lady,¡± she simpered. ¡°Yes, now release that form, and let me see what you truly are.¡± Begrudgingly, Barbartu let the illusion fall, revealing the long, tall ears, the sharp, jagged claws, and the teeth of a predator. Yas?gah leaned forward with a small frown.¡°Curious.I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever encountered your kind before.You¡¯re not from this world, are you?¡± ¡°No, my lady,¡± Barbartu agreed.¡°My world was Arall?.¡± The demigoddess tapped her hand thoughtfully against the ruined throne.¡°Arall?¡­that name seems familiar to me, but where¡­¡± Barbartu was suddenly yanked off her feet as the invisible noose tightened around her throat.She flailed violently in the air as thunderclouds formed on Yas?gah¡¯s brow.¡°I remember now.That whore of a Sidhe,¡± she spat the word out as if it was poison, ¡°was from Arall?.Are you one of them?¡± For the first time, fear took root in Barbartu¡¯s mind.Yas?gah didn¡¯t seem to know of Barbartu¡¯s plot against her, but she was psychotic enough she might just kill her by accident.¡°No, no,¡± she gasped out, and this time no acting was needed to convey her desperation.¡°I¡¯m not a Sidhe.¡± The woman hesitated, and the madness in her eyes slowly receded.Cocking her head to the side, she stared at Barbartu for a long minute.¡°No.I suppose you don¡¯t look like a Sidhe,¡± she finally concluded, and dropped Barbartu to the ground.¡°You are not beautiful enough to be one.¡± They also don¡¯t have the ears of a doberman and the claws of a bear, but sure, call me ugly.Ignoring the insult, Barbartu did her best to quell the shaking in her limbs as she picked herself up. ¡°What are you, then?The Children of St. Martin were also from Arall?, but you¡¯re clearly not one of those green freaks,¡± Yas?gah continued.¡°And do not think of lying to me - I shall surely know.¡± She nearly replied with a lie, ¡°A lamas-¡± It was a habit thoroughly ingrained by centuries of hiding her identity.On Arall?, her people were feared and hated more than anything else, and she had long since learned that it was easier to claim to be a lamassu than a lamas?tu, but she didn¡¯t want to test the demigoddess¡¯ ability to catch her in a lie.¡°-shtu.¡± she finished flatly. ¡°A lamas?tu?Ah, yes, I¡¯ve heard of them.¡± Barbartu felt quite certain Yas?gah was lying, but she bowed her head subserviently.¡°Of course, my lady.¡± ¡°Why hide your identity from me,¡± the woman abruptly demanded.¡°Do you serve another?¡± This time Barbartu couldn¡¯t hide the bitter smile that forced its lips.¡°My lady, I was stolen from my world - I¡¯m sure you know as well as I that my gods are not with me.Whatever lords I might have served in Arall?, here there is only you, my lady.¡± Yas?gah¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously.¡°But you have served others.Tell me, how do I compare to your former masters.¡± He would crush you beneath his heel and raise you his thrall, she immediately thought, but not wanting to test Yas?gah¡¯s ability to detect her lies, Barbartu picked her words carefully.¡°They shared neither your beauty nor your ambition, my lady.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. A smug smile crossed the demigoddess¡¯ face and she leaned back against the throne.¡°Do not lie to me again, little wolf.I shall generously overlook your deception this time, but no more will be tolerated.¡±Amusement rippled across her face.¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the tales of the dead gods that haunt this place.If the Nizirtu? are to be believed, dying to them destroys the soul completely, preventing you from rejoining what lord it is you wish to hide from me.So lie to me again, and I shall feed you to them.Understood?¡± Barbartu bowed her head.¡°Yes, my lady.¡± ¡°Then leave.¡± It was a long, lonely trip out of the pit.Barbartu was not prone to flights of fancies, but in the almost complete darkness, even she had a tough time not imagining that one of the dead gods might be lurking behind just behind her shoulder.Yet, as terrifying as that image was, she had a new fear to worry about.She had underestimated Yas?gah. True, she was vain, petty, and cruel, not to mention being far too arrogant to see the doom that gathered around her.Yet, her arrogance wasn¡¯t entirely undeserved. Yas?gah had proven far stronger than Barbartu had realized.Before her encounter with the demigoddess, she would have wagered her very soul that she could escape from any conflict, but now¡­ I really don¡¯t know.Clearly, the sacrifices the cultists have been offering her are working.Perhaps only a god can face her now. In the end, Barbartu decided it didn¡¯t really matter.She was committed to her path now and there was no looking back.She would either die or finally make her way back home. Her foot caught on something hidden by the bitter gloom of Nah?as?s?innu and she bent down herself.Barbartu froze as her hand touched something soft and warm and oh-so-plump.The cultist.Flipping him over, her blood ran cold as she saw the marks on his neck.The dead gods.All pride forgotten, Barbartu ran the rest of the way, not stopping even once until she¡¯d ascended the final staircase that returned her to the safety of Du?r-Yarh?a.
Their trip had been nothing short of miserable.After separating from the Seraphs, they¡¯d cut up toward the north, racing to get back to the relative safety of the royal highway.None of them felt like talking, albeit for different reasons. For Ne?s?u, his sole obsession was getting Tsia back.Nothing else mattered to the man, but Jasper knew better.He¡¯d been to Nah?as?s?inu and knew all too well the horrors that lurked within.His mind was a tumult of guilt and fear as they drew closer and closer to a place he¡¯d hoped to never see again.For Ihra, it was perhaps even worse, as the fear she felt was not countered by any particular concern for the lost princess.Though she¡¯d never objected to their plans, Jasper had a feeling that the only reason she¡¯d agreed to attempt the mission was out of loyalty to him - a loyalty that only added to his feelings of guilt. And, as if there was some karmic connection between them and the weather, the metaphorical cloud that hung over the party became all too real.As they rode north, storms rising from Lake Yarhab buffeted them day after day, first as rain and then, once they ascended up into the northern plateau, as a chilling mix of ice and snow slowed their progress to a crawl. The only good news - if it truly deserved to be called that - was that Jasper¡¯s and Ne?s?u¡¯s predictions proved to be true.Still able to sense Tsia via the bond Va?ya had granted him, the warrior was able to track her journey north until it ended in the city of Du?r-Yarha. It was night when the pale, green walls of the city finally loomed into view above the snowy banks.Halting at the crest of a mountain, the three stared down at the Moon-kissed stronghold.The spires of Du?r-Yarha were as magnificent as Jasper had remembered; glowing with a sickly light that defied the darkness, the vision the sacred fortress offered them walked a tightrope between ethereal and unsettling. And below it¡­Jasper felt his stomach turn at the thought.¡°Are you sure she¡¯s there,¡± he forced himself to ask. Icy gusts nipped at their noses as the Sicyan closed his eyes and listened to the wind.Ihra¡¯s lips were beginning to turn blue before he finally nodded his head.¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± A heavy sigh escaped Jasper¡¯s lips.¡°Oh well, I guess there¡¯s nothing to be done about it.We¡¯ll have to enter Nah?as?s?innu.¡± Ne?s?u turned his head to look at them.¡°Was it really that bad?¡± He asked.¡°Worse than the Ila?bun?¡± A visible shudder ran down his back, one not caused by the cold.¡°Far worse,¡± was all he said.¡°But there¡¯s no point in waiting.¡± Patting Dapplegrim¡¯s shoulder, he urged the horse back toward the road but paused as Ihra finally spoke up. ¡°No.¡± He turned back to face her.Part of him was surprised, perhaps even hurt that she was refusing to help him save Tsia, but there was another, larger part of Jasper - the part that feared they were all going to their doom - that was glad.At least one of us will survive.The warrior kept silent, leaving him to respond.¡°Will you at least come with us to the city,¡± he asked quietly. Her mouth fell open, and a look of hurt pooled in her eyes.¡°No, no - that¡¯s not what I meant at all.Selene¡¯s grace, Jasper - did you really think I¡¯d abandon you?¡± ¡°Well, no, but...¡± Jasper stared at her in confusion.¡°I don¡¯t understand what you meant then.¡± She rolled her eyes.¡°You¡¯re both so worried about your little princess that you¡¯ve forgotten something important.Before we go charging into Nah?as?s?innu by ourselves, there¡¯s someone else we should visit here - someone who could help us.¡± Of course.The name rolled off his lips immediately.¡°Ra?¡¯imu.¡± She nodded.¡°She¡¯s his sister, after all.Plus, there¡¯s the small matter of that favor his house promised us in exchange for the lyre.¡± For the first time in days, a smile graced Jasper¡¯s lips.It lasted but a second before disappearing, but the hope that fueled it lingered on.His eyes turned to Ne?s?u, who had remained silent thus far.¡°You okay with waiting a day.¡± The warrior didn¡¯t hesitate.¡°If your visions speak the truth, the cult will not attempt to kill her until you are there.Until then, she should be safe.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Jasper nudged Dapplegrim toward the western foothills that lay outside the city.¡°Looks like we have a new destination.¡± Ra?imu This time, when they arrived at the gates to the enclave of the House of the Third Son, the captain didn¡¯t make them wait.It wasn¡¯t that he recognized them - indeed, Jasper doubted it was the same captain at all - but as soon as Moon-kissed Djinn caught a glimpse of the royal colors Jasper wore, he hastened out of the guard house to welcome them. ¡°My lord,¡± he said, bowing stiffly, ¡°what brings an emissary of the royal court to our humble House?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here on private business, not as royal emissaries,¡± Jasper clarified.¡°But I believe Lord Ra?¡¯imu will want to see us as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the man¡¯s stiff posture eased upon learning that they were not there on royal business.¡°Lord Ra?¡¯imu has many visitors these days.I¡¯ll send some of my men to alert him that you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Jasper replied easily.¡°We know the way to his estate.¡±The captain of the guard hesitated a moment as his obligation to his House to not let uninvited strangers wander their grounds clashed with his desire to not offend a member of the royal house.¡°Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t prefer to wait while we send messengers? My men serve an excellent cup of Maqta,¡± the man ventured hopefully. Jasper suppressed a shudder at the thought of the sickly sweet beverage and turned the man down flat.¡°No thanks.We¡¯re in a bit of a hurry, actually - a mutual friend of ours has been taken and we were hoping Ra?¡¯imu would want to lend a hand.¡± The man hesitated a moment longer, then caved.¡°Very well, my lord,¡± he said resignedly.¡°You¡¯ll find Lord Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s estate about an hour¡¯s ride down the road.Although,¡± he muttered beneath his breath, ¡°you clearly don¡¯t know Ra?¡¯imu very well if you think he¡¯ll be any use in battle.¡± Pretending he didn¡¯t hear the captain, Jasper waited patiently as the guards pulled back the gates before spurring Dapplegrim onward. The group¡¯s progress was slow as the weather from the night before had not improved in the slightest.Instead, the sleet had morphed into a snowstorm that was only a touch below a blizzard in its intensity.The winds raged against them so fiercely that, rather than its usual, languid drifting, the snow pelted against their bodies at a nearly horizontal angle. As they progressed higher up into the foothills, the snow grew deeper until it blanketed the road so thoroughly enough that three normal horses - Ne?s?u¡¯s along with Tsia¡¯s and Annatta¡¯s mounts that they had brought with them - were slowed to a crawl, trudging through the drifting banks through sheer tenacity.But as the first, low-laying walls of Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s estate came into view, the path began to improve, trodden down by a truly surprising amount of traffic. The grand old edifice and its grounds had been nearly a ghost town the last time they¡¯d visited.Lacking the talent for combat that his father possessed, the elders had left Ra?¡¯imu nothing more than the bare minimum of servants to man his father¡¯s estate, but that had clearly changed in the meantime. The estate now was a bustling hive of activity, with wagons and servants streaming in and out of the gates loaded down with shipments of planks, stone, and earth, while from the northern side of the enclave, the clink and clang of construction shattered the silence of the snowfall. As the three rode through the estate¡¯s gates, the source of the noise became obvious.Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s main residential hall was ensconced in scaffolding on all sides and from the size of the construction, it was clear it was undergoing a significant expansion. Cloaked by the driving snow, they passed through the clustered servants unhindered and rode straight up to the gate.Only then were they stopped by guards. This time, the guards would not let them through the doors without consulting with their lord.Their wait in the bitter cold stretched on for longer than Jasper had expected before the doors finally burst open. Ra?¡¯imu still sported the thin, skinny horns and mop of tawny hair, but it was clear some things had changed with him as well.His previously pale skin now possessed a subtle silver hue shine that suggested he¡¯d leveled up, and his bright blue eyes sparked with a genuine joy he hadn¡¯t displayed before. ¡°You came back,¡± he exclaimed, stretching his arms out in welcome.¡°I knew you would.I¡­¡± His head swiveled between their three faces, and his brow knit in confusion.¡°Where¡¯s Tsia?¡± He asked.¡°Isn¡¯t that why you returned? To see me again?¡± Jasper grimaced.¡°It is, but not the way you think.Can we discuss this inside?¡± Worry etched in his eyes, the Moon-kissed quickly ushered them in, and as soon as the doors had closed behind them, barring out the frigid weather, he turned to Ne?s?u with a demanding look.¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡± The Sicyan bowed his head.¡°She was taken,¡± he rasped out.¡°Snatched by a group of cultists who have set up camp in Du?r-Yarha.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The Djinn¡¯s eyes widened.¡°Taken?By a cult?¡°His brows knit together in confusion.¡°What cult?The only cult I can think of in the area is those accursed Nizirtu?, but they don¡¯t leave their hole. Surely they weren''t the ones who kidnapped Tsia?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jasper answered for Ne?s?u, ¡°The nizirtu? are not the ones who took her, but we do think she was taken by a group working with the Nizirtu?, a cult known as the Brotherhood of Yas?gah.And unfortunately, we''re pretty sure they took her to Nah?as?s?innu.¡± Sorrow swept across Ra?''imu''s face.¡°Then she is likely already dead. Few who enter there ever return." He paced back and forth around the room nervously. "But why? Why would this group take her? Was it something our beloved mother did?¡± ¡°No¡­it was because of me,¡± Jasper admitted reluctantly. Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s eyes hardened.¡°This is your fault?¡± He demanded. To Jasper¡¯s shock, Ne?s?u spoke up in his defense.¡°No, if it is was anyone¡¯s fault, it is the gods.Kas?dael, Yas?gah, the Anzuzu, even the Mwyranni have taken an interest in Lord Yas?peh.And while I fail to see what¡¯s so interesting about him, Tsia knew and chose to stay close to him.Blame the gods if you wish to blame anyone.¡± The Djinn¡¯s mouth opened, then snapped shut.¡°They say the men of the south are more cynical than most, but I didn¡¯t know it was anything more than slander.¡± The warrior shrugged.¡°Our people bore the brunt of all three Fey wars and had barely begun to rebuild when the Stoneflesh invaded.There¡¯s no denying the power of the gods, but they¡¯ve done precious little to help us. That''s why I worship Lady Va?ya. There''s no pretense there - she gives with one hand and takes with the other.¡± Ra?¡¯imu pursed his lips.¡°I¡¯d suggest you not say that too loudly around these parts.Lady Selene is quite beloved amongst our kind.¡±His gaze darted back to Jasper.¡°Is that why you came then?To redeem the favor our elders promised you? Do you really intend to enter Nah?as?s?innu?¡± He nodded.¡°I was hoping they could provide help, any help at all really, in rescuing Tsia.¡± The Moon-kissed spun on his heels and hastened over to one of his guards.A brief conversation ensued and then the guard took off into the dark and snowy night. ¡°I¡¯ve sent word to my elders,¡± Ra?¡¯imu explained.¡°But they will not make any decision tonight, so you might as well stay with me.Have you eaten?¡± The three shook their heads, and the man led them deeper into the hall.The construction evident from outside was also visible in the interior; large portions of the inner walls had been ripped out altogether, making a much roomier space, while along the perimeter intricate new murals were being assembled. ¡°What¡¯s with all the construction,¡± Jasper asked as they followed the Djinn. ¡°For my part in procuring Damqa¡¯s lyre, the elders decided to overlook my failures as a warrior.They reassigned my father¡¯s servants to the estate and even arranged a bride for me, an alliance with a daughter of one of the elders from the House of the Seventh Daughter.¡±The man waved his hand toward the rubble around them.¡°Hence all the construction.Apparently, the house that was perfectly good for me wasn¡¯t fitting for her.¡± There was a slightly bitter undertone to his words that Jasper understood all too well.His older brother Tyler had tormented him growing up, constantly picking on him, relentlessly criticizing every little thing he did, and above all, blaming him for every little thing that went wrong in their family.Jasper had learned to weather it; with their mother often gone, there¡¯d been no one to keep Tyler in check, and protesting had only made it worse.He learned to keep his head down and take his opportunities when they came. But that had all changed after Jenny¡¯s death. Perhaps Tyler had been shaken up by the tragedy more than he was willing to admit, or perhaps, like many bullies, he¡¯d simply grown out of the behavior.In any case, Tyler had eventually managed to become a halfway decent human being.It hadn¡¯t come quickly, but as the years passed Jasper and Tyler had managed to establish something of a relationship: never truly close, but cordial, maybe even caring.The two adorable children Tyler had eventually had had certainly done their part to mend the relationship as well.But just because things had improved between them didn¡¯t mean the past had been rewritten.With some wounds, the best you can hope for is a scar. Ra?¡¯imu ended his explanation with a forced laugh and a smile that did not reach his eyes.Both vanished quickly though, replaced by genuine worry.¡°This cult¡­what do they even want with Tsia?¡±He asked the words almost hesitantly, afraid of what he would hear. Jasper sighed.¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure.In the vision the Spectral Spider showed me, it seems like she and another friend of ours are about to be sacrificed and I¡¯m being asked to choose, but everything else is unclear.Am I being asked to choose one to save?Or does the cult want me to kill one of them?Why am I being given a choice at all?And then there¡¯s another player, I guess, a woman named Barbartu.She¡¯s part of the cult, but also seems to be working against it, and has tried to drag me into her plans. I don''t have the foggiest idea what her goals are, though.¡± He shook his head in frustration.I¡¯m probably playing right into the cultists'' game, but I can¡¯t just leave my friends to die, you know?¡± Their conversation lulled as Ra?¡¯imu led them into the dining hall.The normally glossy black, lacquered floor and pillars were covered in a thin layer of dust from the construction, and one side of the room was missing a wall altogether, but the table was clean and already laden with food, although some of the dishes appeared to have been partially eaten. A gorgeous woman with long black hair that was tucked behind her slightly pointed ears, and a head bereft, or as Jasper preferred to think of it, not spoiled by any horns or antlers sat at the far end of the table.A slight pout graced her lips as she toyed with the food on her plate, but she glanced up as their footsteps echoed down the hall, revealing big, doe-like eyes as she stood up to greet them. ¡°Ra?¡¯imu, my love, you¡¯ve returned.¡±Her voice was low and breathy, reminding Jasper of the sultry femme fatales in noir films from the 40s whose voices had been tempered by a steady diet of cigarettes and alcohol, but, despite her words, there was little affection in her voice.Her eyes slid languidly off her betrothed and fixed on the newcomers.¡°And who are your guests?¡± A Day at the Beach ¡°Concentrate, child.¡±Tesha bit back the sigh that rose to her lips as she stared down at the little girl sitting beside her.After witnessing Qas?pahti tap into the realm of Arall?, even if it was only for a brief second, she had reluctantly agreed to mentor the girl. For three weeks, they¡¯d met by the lilac waters and she¡¯d tried to teach the child to meditate. It had not been a winning experiment.They¡¯d only been sitting for twenty minutes, and already the child¡¯s legs were bouncing up and down like a pan of corn roasting oe¡¯r the fire. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the little half-troll had succeeded in reconnecting with the lake twice since, Tesha would have checked the whole thing up to her imagination.Despite Tesha¡¯s best efforts, Qas?pahti didn¡¯t seem any closer to being able to reliably influence the water than before.There was clearly something about the child¡¯s abilities she didn¡¯t understand.At least for now, the Fey¡¯s curiosity was stronger than her annoyance. The child¡¯s leg stilled, and her eyes screwed shut even harder.All was quiet for a few minutes, and then the jostling began again This time, Tesha didn¡¯t bother smothering her sigh.This isn¡¯t working.¡°Qas?pa, why don¡¯t you take a break for a few minutes?¡± A pair of wide lavender eyes popped open immediately and the girl leapt to her feet.¡°You sure?¡± Tesha chuckled.¡°Yes, run along¡­¡± The girl zoomed off, and she had to raise her voice to be heard.¡°But come back in a few minutes - we¡¯re not done!¡± She watched as the child scampered down the craggy child and into the shallows of the rocky beach.The purple waves rushed to meet her, nearly knocking off her feet, but the girl recovered in balance and splashed happily. Tearing her eyes away, she tried to concentrate on the problem at hand.Qas?pa¡¯s training wasn¡¯t going well but, in truth, Tesha wasn¡¯t sure if the fault lay with the girl or with her.She had barely been out of training herself when her city was lost, and though she¡¯d been groomed for leadership, she had never expected to have it thrust upon her so suddenly. I wasn¡¯t ready for any of this.Unbidden and unwelcome tears wet the corners of her eyes, and she brushed them away hastily.Tsia?hu¡¯s beard, she scolded herself, get it together. She forced herself to comb through the memories of her own training.She¡¯d been avoiding it thus far, afraid to face the pain that remembering all who had died brought - not one of her former mentors had survived the city¡¯s fall, choosing to sacrifice themselves on the walls while the remnant escaped - but if she wanted her people¡¯s traditions to survive, she would have to remember.Not for the little troll¡¯s sake, but for her own. The tears ran freely down her cheeks as she searched through the ruin of happier days, and as she did, Tesha understood her mistake.She¡¯d done a fine job of replicating the exact lessons she¡¯d been taught, but true understanding couldn¡¯t be achieved by mere mimicry; even a golem could copy simple spells, but that did not make it a mage.I¡¯ve been going about it all wrong, she realized. She took a moment to compose herself, brushing her tears dry and blowing her nose on a handy leaf before she went to fetch the girl. Qas?pa was still frolicking in the waves as Tesha climbed down onto the beach.Spying the approaching Fey, she rushed out of the ocean, furiously brushing the beads of water off her arms and legs as she ran.¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she called out apologetically.¡°I forgot.Am I really late?¡± Tesha allowed herself a small smile.She still had a hard time allowing a Gemlirian - even a half-blooded child - to live in their community, but she had to admit the child had slowly grown on her.Like a fungus.¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she reassured her.¡°It gave me time to reconsider how I¡¯ve been teaching you.We¡¯re going to something different now.¡± The girl¡¯s worried expression slipped away, only to be replaced by suspicion.¡°Something different?¡±She questioned.¡°You aren¡¯t going to make me cut stones like Limmy, are you?¡± Limmy?She couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she realized Qas?pa was referring to Aphora¡¯s third-in-command, the tough and brawny Mullu-lim.I¡¯ve got to remember to call him that at our next meeting.¡°No, child, I¡¯m not going to make you cut stones.In fact, we¡¯re going to have some fun.We¡¯re going to go for a swim.¡±
The Fey¡¯s words had done nothing to ease Qas?pahti¡¯s apprehensions.The last few weeks had been tough.She was supposed to be attending school, but the kids still teased her nearly every day, so she played hooky more often than not.Most days, she¡¯d pester Limmy relentlessly until he agreed to train her, but momma had recently left on a mission, and he¡¯d refused. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Qas?pa, but until Aphora gets back, I just don¡¯t have time.You really should go to school.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. She¡¯d shot him a look like he¡¯d gone stark-raving mad, and the elf had simply laughed.¡°You¡¯re not even going to pretend to listen, are you?Tell you what, I think if you go bother the pretty green lady, she¡¯ll eventually give in.¡± Qas?pa had listened to his second piece of advice and Limmy had been right.Tesha had turned her down at first, but she came back each day until finally the Fey had agreed.But the training thus far had been hard, much harder than even the chores Limmy made her do.And even worse, it had been boring. Each morning they¡¯d hiked out into the small, strange forest that rose between the city and the small cove of the purple sea that Tesha seemed to especially love.And then they¡¯d just sit around, ¡°meditating.¡±If she didn¡¯t know better, she¡¯d think the Fey was trying to trick her into taking a nap; as it was, she simply didn¡¯t understand what the point was.How was sitting around and breathing going to help her be a mighty magician? It didn¡¯t help, either, that the green woman clearly didn¡¯t like her.Oh, she never said anything, not like the children at school, but Qas?pa wasn¡¯t stupid.She¡¯d seen the look in the Fey¡¯s eyes when she¡¯d squirmed and wiggled and the frown she wore when Tesha thought she wasn¡¯t looking.A look of distaste. A look that said the Fey only saw a Gemlirian sitting before her, not a child. So when Tesha proposed going for a swim, she had her doubts that it was actually going to be a fun excursion. An hour later, those doubts had proven correct. ¡°Come on, child, keep up!¡± The shore was nothing but a thin, barely visible line now.Even the scraggly, twisted pines that dotted the cliffs were too small for her to really make out.Worse, a squall had risen along the water as they swam.At first, it had brought nothing but light rain and a rather chilling wind, but the waves had soon been stirred up and now Qas?pa found herself tossed to and fro between the increasingly high crests and the troughs below them. ¡°Come on,¡± the woman called again, waving her arm from fifty feet away.And, though perhaps it was just a trick of her eyes, Qas?pa could swear she saw a smirk on the Fey¡¯s face. ¡°Aargh.¡±Growling in frustration, Qas?pa¡¯s arms flailed like windmills, and her legs fluttered bravely against the flow of the water.Utterly wrapped up in her angry, frenetic swimming, she saw the wave too late to dive beneath the surface, too late even to close her mouth. A wall of purple water, now hued a deep violet in the storm, crashed over her far.She was tossed on her back, choking on a mouthful of water, as the wave carried her along.Flailing desperately, coughing and spitting, she managed to right herself just in time for another wave to wash over her head.She was dragged beneath the water as the currents pulled her down toward the ocean floor.A sea of slimy plants enveloped her, their arms wrapping around like slithering snakes and she slammed into the bottom.It was mostly sand, but a sharp rock sliced into her back, releasing a ribbon of blood that blossomed around.Her eyes flashed open, and Qas?pa flailed her arms, desperate to ascend back to the light shining down from the surface. It was useless.The plants wrapped tight around her limbs with a strength that far surpassed what the little girl could muster.She was trapped.Her lungs screamed for air as she struggled, her eyes desperately searching for any sign of salvation, too scared to even form coherent thoughts. Then something peaked through the kelp.Fear paralyzed her limbs as a long, twisting serpent rose from the violet depths and shot straight toward her.Its dark, blue scales glistened in the dim light as it wriggled its way toward her, propelled by two thin fins that tapered off into jagged claws.It grew closer, opening its mouth to reveal row upon row of thin, needle-like teeth. She screamed, expelling the last of her air, and then, something clicked.A burning seared down her spine but Qas?pa barely noticed. She could feel the water.No, not just feel it.She could command it. She made no attempt to control the magic she hurled toward the fast-approaching serpent.Her essence poured into the world around, and the lilac waters shifted.An underwater wave collided with the beast, knocking it off course.It righted itself, gnashing its teeth, and continued its charge. Black spots swam across her vision, and she realized she was about to pass out.The water swirled around again, slicing through the kelp that bound her, and dragging her toward the surface, but the sea serpent followed in hot pursuit, its speed faster than hers.She wasn¡¯t going to make it. And then, the waters above her head split in two, and she was dragged to the surface as a green blur dashed between her and the beast.Suddenly wielding a long lance, the Fey smashed into the serpent head first.The beast shuddered, and the sea around turned it red, but with a violent shake of its head, it succeeded in dislodging the spear and the Fey that wielded it. It struck fast, its needle-like teeth glinting in the light as it went in for the kill.The Fey blocked the blow with the shaft of her spear, but the creature¡¯s strength could not be denied so easily.The spear shattered, and its teeth nipped her, drawing blood.She squirmed away from its grasp, diving into the kelp below and the beast followed. Qas?pa watched in horror, sure Tesha was about to be consumed - and her soon after.But then something happened she hadn¡¯t expected.The sea of grass that had swayed and swerved with the rise and fall of the waves, suddenly defied their nature.The Fey shot out of their grasp but the serpent was not so lucky.The kelp tightened around it, dragging it down into their embrace, wrapping around and around the beast until it was wrapped as tight as a mummy. Tesha waited in the waters above it until its imprisonment was complete; then, drawing a new weapon from her pouch, she dove.Again and again, her spear struck down releasing fountains of blood that turned the lavender water a deep violet.Only when the serpent¡¯s struggles ceased did she turn her eyes back to the surface. When her head broke the waves, she fixed her eyes on Qas?pa.¡°Are you okay?¡± Was she okay?She really wasn¡¯t sure.The fear and terror of the last few moments was not something she¡¯d forget soon, but she was alive and¡­ The realization of how she¡¯d attacked the serpent suddenly hit her, and she quickly reached out with her essence.The connection still felt faint, nowhere near as strong as before, but she could feel the ocean.A smile lit up her face.¡°Yes." Is?mah As they drew closer to her, the four stepped into the light of the candles and the woman¡¯s boredom vanished instantly. Her eyes lingered a moment on Jasper¡¯s red and black lamellar armor and a slight edge entered her voice. ¡°You did not tell me we were expecting important visitors, Ra?¡¯imu.¡± Imitating the elven gesture of respect, she inclined her head to the left as she hurried to greet them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord and lady, for the state of the hall. If I had only known you were coming, I could have prepared some more fitting.¡± Ra?¡¯imu rolled his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal, Is?mah. They¡¯re old friends. Come, have a seat, eat up,¡± he invited them and plopped down in the chair next to where the woman had been. Old friends? Dude is hard up for friends if we count. Keeping his thoughts to himself, Jasper bowed lightly to the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Ra?¡¯imu told us the happy news.¡± A touch of enthusiasm sparked in the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s still so much to do before the festivities can commence and the hall, well, it simply had to be expanded..¡± She trailed after him as he took a seat at the table and loomed over his shoulder. ¡°Do you intend to stay till the ceremony, Lord-¡± she trailed off, clearly fishing for his name. Jasper obliged, flashing her a smile, as he helped himself to a heaping serving of the next best thing to mashed potatoes. Corsythia, as far as he could tell, didn¡¯t have true potatoes, but the Djinn grew a starchy tuber that, though it looked much closer to a carrot than a potato, came close to matching the taste when mashed into a paste. ¡°Yas?peh,¡± he filled in. ¡°And no, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re here on rather urgent business.¡± Abandoning her former seat, she slid down beside him, and Jasper noticed a flicker of irritation pass through Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s face. Well, this certainly looks like the start of a long and happy marriage. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re unable to come?¡± She persisted. ¡°We would be honored to have you and your wife join us for the ceremony.¡± ¡°Wife?¡± Jasper nearly choked on a spoonful of mashed alluzu. Confused by the question, he shot a questioning glance at Ihra, and then it hit him. She thought Ihra was his wife. Ihra began to laugh as he stammered out a quick rejection. ¡°No, no, Ihra¡¯s not my wife. She and Ne?s?u members of my party. And we¡¯re here because the other two members of our party were unfortunately taken captive by a local cult that¡¯s ensconced themselves in Nah?as?s?inu.¡± ¡°Nah?as?s?inu,¡± the woman sucked in her breath sharply.¡°That place has a foul reputation indeed, but I did not think the nizirtu? left its depths.And why come here?¡± ¡°My charge was one of the ones taken,¡± Ne?s?u butted in. ¡°Princess Tsia of Sapi?ya, a member of Jasper¡¯s party and Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± Curiosity was etched on her face as the woman craned her head around to gaze at her betrothed. ¡°You have a sister?¡± She paused as another realization hit her. ¡°And she¡¯s a princess,¡± she repeated, in disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied reluctantly. ¡°She has a different father, obviously, so we don¡¯t really know each other very well, but we met a few months ago. At the time, I hoped she would stay with me, but she chose to follow Yas?peh instead. Still, I have no intention of letting her be killed by this brotherhood of, of-¡° he paused, unable to remember the name. ¡°Yas?gah,¡± Jasper supplied. ¡°Do you think your elders will help?¡± The Moon-kissed bobbed his head sharply. ¡°I¡¯m certain of it. They owe you a favor, after all, and the House of the Third Son has always prided itself on its honor. They will try to help you out, and they will not be alone.¡± His eyes fixed on his betrothed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid, Is?mah, I have to go with them.¡± For the first time that night, Jasper saw something genuine in the woman¡¯s expression, and what he saw surprised him. There was real panic in her eyes as she shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t go and leave me.¡± ¡°The wedding¡¯s not for another month,¡± Ra?¡¯imu pointed out calmly. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re not-¡± her gaze flickered to the party watching them and Jasper thought she might stop. Instead, her voice lowered almost to a hiss. ¡°You¡¯re not a fighter, Ra?¡¯imu,¡± she finished. ¡°I¡¯m from Du?r-Yarha, Ra?¡¯imu, and no one goes to Nah?as?s?innu except for those too stupid to know better, and those fools don¡¯t return." ¡°Then I suppose you¡¯ll be rid of me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rid of you,¡± she snapped back. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Setting his fork down, Ra?¡¯imu glanced up at her. His face was an inscrutable mask, but Jasper could sense his surprise. ¡°No, you fool.I-¡°Again her gaze darted back to the others at the table and this time, she decided not to continue.¡°We shouldn¡¯t be having this conversation now.¡± Her movements were stiff and jerky as she turned back to Jasper, and offered him another elven nod. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my outburst, Lord Yas?peh. I should not have burdened you with our dispute.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no problem,¡± he reassured her, lying through his teeth. Is?mah smiled weakly, hardly received, and rose from her chair. ¡°I think I shall retire for the night. I suppose I shall see you all in the morning?¡± She asked, pointedly looking at Ra?¡¯imu. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°I¡¯m sure will still be here,¡± he replied. The Moon-kissed looked like she was on the verge of making one last entreaty but then she turned and hastened out of the hall. Her footsteps were not loud enough, however, to drown out her sobs. When the door slammed behind her, the four of them were left alone in awkward silence. ¡°She seems nice,¡± Jasper finally ventured, not knowing what else to say. Ra?¡¯imu sighed. ¡°Is?mah is very much a woman from Du?r-Yarha. Their noble houses are more concerned with social standing and polite niceties than those of us who live outside the city.¡± He waved his hand toward the construction that surrounded them. ¡°Hence why my house is being torn down in the middle of winter because she couldn¡¯t possibly be expected to host a wedding in a hall so small. But¡­¡± he toyed with the food on his plate before continuing, ¡°given her upbringing, I suppose she¡¯s really not that bad.¡± Finishing off his plate, he pushed away and looked up at Jasper. ¡°I was serious about what I said, though. I want to come with you. I am not going to lie; it hurt when Tsia chose to go with you rather than stay with me, but she¡¯s still the closest thing I have to family.¡± A shiver ran down Jasper¡¯s spine as the horrors they had encountered in Nah?as?s?innu replayed in his head. It was no place for someone who was weak. Hell, if Jasper didn¡¯t feel obligated to go, there was little on earth that could have compelled him to return. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ra?¡¯imu. That place is¡­terrifying. It¡¯s almost impenetrably dark, hot as hell, and full of strange mutants who tried to sacrifice us. And all of that is just the icing on the cake. The real terrors of Nah?as?s?innu are the undead gods who haunt the place. Are you sure you want to go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Ra?¡¯imu replied firmly. Jasper started to argue, not wanting to drag the man along to his death, then closed his mouth. I would have done anything to save Jenny. How can I deny him the chance? Swallowing his objections, he raised his glass. ¡°Welcome to the team, then.¡± They finished eating in silence. Days of hard riding in the wet, cold conditions had caught up with him, and Jasper barely made it to his room before promptly passing out on the bed, his clothes and armor still on. Mere seconds seemed to pass before he was shaken awake. Startled, he bolted to his feet, knocking the maid who loomed over him to the floor, where she landed with a pained yelp. ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± he apologized and hastily bent down to help her. ¡°You caught me by surprise. Are you okay?¡± The maid was favoring her wrist as she got back to her feet, but after gingerly flexing it up and down to reassure herself that it wasn¡¯t broken, delivered her message. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she reassured him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb you, but Lord Ra?¡¯imu wanted you to know that the elders have agreed to help you retrieve your friends. The group should be ready to depart in about an hour.¡± ¡°Already?¡± Jasper blinked in surprise, but then his eyes drifted to the window. The rays of the midday sun reflected off the freshly fallen snow with an almost blinding light. Guess I slept in. Apologizing again, he hastily gathered his weapons before hurrying off to the hall where they¡¯d eaten the night before. Ne?s?u was already there, his plate piled high with strips of bacon and leftover alluzu, and a few minutes later, a rather bleary-eyed Ihra joined them. Is?mah was there as well. The noblewoman was dressed far more simply than the night before, in a simple, blue wool dress that brought out the color of her eyes. She waited until Jasper had finished the food on his plate before taking the seat next to him. ¡°Is Ra?¡¯imu really going with you?¡± She asked quietly. ¡°It seems that way.¡± Turning to face her, Jasper studied the Djinn¡¯s face. There was little sign of the passion that had caused her breach of decorum the night before, but the slight red puffiness around her eyes betrayed her true feelings. ¡°I know we don¡¯t really know each other, so maybe it¡¯s none of my business, but why do you care if Ra?¡¯imu comes? It''s just a political marriage, isn''t it?" Her eyes narrowed, and for a second Jasper feared she¡¯d taken offense. But then she emitted a decidedly unladylike snort of amusement. ¡°I had no idea the members of the Royal House were so blunt. Do you really not have to worry about political games?" She paused thoughtfully. "Or maybe, you¡¯re just one of the animm?? They do tend to spurn convention.¡± Jasper shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t spend a lot of time in the palace. Going to be spending even less soon, once the troops are ready to leave.¡± Her eyebrows arched up in surprise. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re one of the officers being sent to help the Empire?¡± She smiled wryly. ¡°You must be either very in favor or very out of favor.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He cocked his head in confusion. ¡°Why both options?¡± She smirked. ¡°So you¡¯re definitely one of the animm?, then, as you clearly haven¡¯t paid attention to the scuttlebutt around court, seeing as how there¡¯s been very little talk of anything but the campaign. Since you don¡¯t know, there are two types of nobles being sent to join the king¡¯s forces: those whose families expect they will receive an important command and come back showered in glory and honor, and those whose families see the campaign as a convenient way of getting rid of unwanted or troublesome youth.¡± She paused, and her smirk faded. ¡°Until quite recently, Ra?¡¯imu would have fallen into the second category.¡± ¡°And there it is again,¡± Jasper pointed out. ¡°Do you actually care about him?¡± The Djinn¡¯s hands twisted in her lap. ¡°I know it¡¯s not exactly a marriage of love, and I¡¯m probably being dreadfully selfish to try to prevent him from saving this sister of his, but Ra?¡¯imu has proven to be¡­.surprisingly decent. Sure, his house is a bit small and he¡¯s not much of a warrior, but he¡¯s been kind, even after learning that I had been betrothed before.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think betrothals were usually broken.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± she agreed. ¡°Not unless one of them dies. The man before Ra?¡¯imu was, well, more illustrious than him. He was the eldest and only son of one of my father¡¯s primary business partners and a favorite son of Du?r-Yarha¡¯s social circle. He was also an angry drunk.¡± She pushed on the sleeve of her dress, and it slipped down, revealing more than a bit of cleavage. Jasper barely noticed it though as his eyes focused on the five-inch-long, gnarly scar that ran along her breast. ¡°He gave me this one night because he thought my eyes lingered too long on another man. I¡¯m only a level 7, so I very nearly bled out before one of his maids finally took pity on me. My father broke the engagement after that, but S?akartu - that was his name - spread rumors about me throughout the entire city, telling everyone that I had slept around on him. My prospects in Du?r-Yarha were ruined after that.¡± Is?mah yanked her drew back up, and met Jasper¡¯s eyes. ¡°So yes, I do care if Ra?¡¯imu dies. Promise me you¡¯ll bring him back.¡± The power of her pleading look was almost enough for the words to slip off his lips, but Jasper managed to stop himself.Never make a promise you can¡¯t keep.¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± he said.She accepted it gracefully enough, but they both knew how empty those words really were. Return to Du?r-Yarh?a Yas?gah watched in silence as the strange creature departed. Lamas?tu. She¡¯d lived long enough to meet nearly every type of being that walked these lands at least once or twice. Well, not counting whatever lay across the eastern oceans.From there, she¡¯d heard rumors occasionally of great beings like the Us?umgallu, but the only communications the western lands had with the east was in the form of occasional survivors who¡¯d floated untold fathoms from shipwrecks, and a handful of unsuccessful trade missions that were so long in the past that, even when she had been a child herself, they had seemed nearly mythical. Thus Yas?gah couldn¡¯t deny that it had brought her a bit of pleasure to run into something new. Novelty was fun, and was probably the only reason she¡¯d allow the deceitful creature to live. As the little wolf departed, her faithful servant stepped out of the shadows from where he¡¯d been watching. ¡°Do you think she can be trusted?¡± She turned to stare at the seraph, whose long grey hair flowed freely down around the staff he leaned on for support. The robe the old warrior wore hid his missing right leg and the mangled, twisted ruins of his left, but he was not as crippled as it seemed - many an enemy had made the mistake of underestimating Kurkuzan mere moments before he¡¯d bashed their skulls in with his enchanted cudgel. A smile lit her face. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think she can be trusted at all. Her mental defenses are much too good for someone who has nothing to hide. But¡­¡± she shrugged, ¡°she can try whatever scheme she pleases; she is far too weak to harm me.¡± The old Seraph huffed. ¡°Are you sure, my lady? I can rid you of her, just to be safe.¡± ¡°No.¡± The demigoddess voice raised near to a screech. ¡°I told you to leave her alone. She¡¯s a curiosity, not a danger.¡± Mutiny roiled in his eyes, but the Seraph bowed his head in submission. ¡°Very well, my lady. And what of the dead gods? Do you truly intend to hunt them?¡± Reaching into her bodice, Yas?gah pulled out the fulcrum of all her plans. For millennia, she¡¯d searched for a way to break the barrier between immortal and divine that Gemlir had floundered upon. She¡¯d even began to despair herself of her own search, as the centuries had slipped by with nothing to show but one failed scheme after another. Until she¡¯d heard of the Nah?as?s?innu. At first, the tale had seemed like just another story about an ancient city destroyed by a mysterious curse. In a world so close to its dying breath, there were enough cities like that to be barely remarkable, and thus Yas?gah foolishly ignored it for many, many years until one day, in a blessed turn of fate, she¡¯d decided to research it out of sheer boredom. It was the dead gods that had caught her attention.The majority of the Mwyranni had been extinguished before her time, eons before the establishment of the Empire, but she¡¯d still run into a few survivors from time to time and even clashed with them.So she knew all too well what a monumental task it was to even consider killing one of them - how the Sidhe had slaughtered them, she¡¯d never been able to tell. Thus Yas?gah had been intrigued by the story of a city plagued by undead Mwyranni. Something had killed not just one of them, but an entire group, an overwhelming powerful alliance of beings, and given the city¡¯s location, the murderer had likely not been a Sidhe. Driven by curiosity, she¡¯d investigated the site. It took a while before she realized the true magnitude of what she¡¯d discovered. She still didn¡¯t know who had killed the Mwyranni, but she hadn¡¯t cared once she¡¯d seen how they¡¯d done it - once she¡¯d seen the dagger. The foolish inhabitants of the pit thought it the name of their city, but Yas?gah knew the minute she¡¯d laid eyes on the strange, fang-like dagger that glittered with an unnatural light that this was the true Nah?as?s?innu - the serpent¡¯s tooth. And when she¡¯d held it in her hands, she¡¯d known she¡¯d found her path to divinity. The Seraph shrank back as Yas?gah held the dagger up in the light. His knuckled turned white and he clung to his staff so tightly that the ancient pavement stone of the temple cracked beneath the stress, but he resisted its lure. Only when the temptation had passed, did he dare look up at his mistress. A wicked smile rested on her lips as she brandished the dagger. ¡°Oh yes, I shall hunt them, Kurkuzan, and I shall slay them anew. The last wielder of Nah?as?s?innu failed to finish the dead, but I shall remain of every last drop of power. And then, when my old mistress comes, I shall drain her to.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And if she brings aid,¡± the Seraph dared to ask. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the old warrior flying into the wall, creating a cloud of dust and rubble. ¡°If she brings aid, then I shall slay them too,¡± Yas?gah snarled. ¡°Do you not understand, Kurkuzan? I shall kill them all. And when all the gods have fallen beneath my blade, then I shall do what my old mistress hasn¡¯t the guts to do - to slay the Progenitor and put an end to his fetters. All shall be mine, Kurkuzan. Do you dare to doubt me?¡± A light of mania shone in her eyes, and the Seraph hastened to press his forehead to the ground. ¡°No, my lady. Forgive me.¡± He half expected to feel the knife pass between his shoulders but as the moments of silence stretched on, he eventually realized she¡¯d had forgiven him. Picking himself up, he retrieved his crutch and brushed the dust off his clothes. There was no sign of Yas?gah in the temple, and he pondered whether he should ignore her instructions and kill that woman - Barbartu, was it? - anyway. Perhaps if I hadn¡¯t angered her. Against his better judgment, he decided to let the threat stand. What harm can she get up to anyway?
As they rode out of the gates of Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s enclave an hour later, Jasper couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the Moon-kissed¡¯s efficiency. The Djinn had woken up early that morning to meet with the elders and they, sure to his word, had agreed to offer them assistance. That alone would have been enough to impress him; since arriving in Corsythia, he¡¯d met far too few people who actually upheld their word, and in all honesty, he¡¯d expected the elders to refuse, or at least drag their feet. A favor was such a vague promise, after all. Thus, he¡¯d been absolutely blown away when they not only agreed to his request but did so promptly.The three of them, plus Ra?¡¯imu who, despite Is?mah¡¯s pleas had insisted on going, were not departing alone.A hundred men followed behind them, dressed in the colorful Irish-green tunics of the House of the Third Sun and wielding a mixture of spears and bows.The elders had even sent along two mages, whose power bolstered their ranks far more than mere numbers could represent.The group was a well-trained machine, marching in near unison despite the heavy snow that still covered the roads.Frankly, the whole thing put the Seraphs to shame. A shadow fell over his heart as he thought of them. Despite the way they¡¯d separated, he hoped Abnu and his men would be okay but, either way, he doubted he¡¯d ever see them again. Perhaps it¡¯s for the best, he mused. It¡¯s hard to forget they let one of their own try to kill me. The snow slowed their progress as they marched to Du?r-Yarha, and thus they were unable to reach the shelter of its walls before night fell. Jasper didn¡¯t sleep a wink that night, afraid of a repeat of their night attack. Instead, he slowly rotated between the guards that the Moon-kissed had set to keep watch over their game. It was a long, cold night, but the sun rose without incident. After packing up, the group resumed their march. They were stopped temporarily at the gate by the city guard who were, perhaps understandably, concerned about a squad of a hundred-plus armed soldiers entering the city. But the elders had thought of that too. Ra?¡¯imu produced a letter sealed with their signets and, after a brief perusal, the captain of the guard waved them through. They wound through the bustling streets of Du?r-Yarha, slowly fighting through the crowd the filled the rich market districts that clustered around the gates of the city. The traffic eased as they left the markets behind and ventured into the residential areas. Here, the quality of the homes quickly dropped off until they once again reached the old, faded district in which the entrance to Nah?as?s?innu crouched. It was then that Jasper led them into a side street and signaled for the group to stop. ¡°What¡¯s the holdup?¡± Ihra asked as she sidled Keresh next to him. ¡°He is going to send scouts.See if they¡¯re waiting for us,¡± Ne?s?u replied, and Jasper nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I was thinking. With a group this big, subtlety¡¯s kind of out of the picture, but it would be good to know if we¡¯re walking into a trip. Hell, if we¡¯re lucky, maybe we can catch them by surprise.¡± He turned to Ra?¡¯imu. ¡°Any of these guys scouts?¡± The Djinn shrugged.¡°I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t spent much time with our retainers.You¡¯d have to ask them yourself.¡± He doesn¡¯t even know their warriors? The dude¡¯s going to get himself killed. Ignoring the pulse of worry that flickered in his heart, Jasper turned to face the men gathered around them and raised his voice. ¡°Are any of you scouts? We think our targets are holed up in Nah?as?s?innu, but we¡¯re pretty sure they don¡¯t know we¡¯re coming. We¡¯d like to keep it that way.¡± A few hands went up, and Jasper waved them forward. After a moment two men and a woman pushed their way to the front. Surprisingly, it was the youngest of them who stepped forward as their leader. ¡°Our House doesn¡¯t have dedicated scouts, my lord, but when it comes to the hunters in our clan, we¡¯re as good as any,¡± the man declared. "Even a shalgu would be hard pressed to find us." Jasper stared dubiously at the young man, who looked barely old enough to grow some peach fuzz on his chin, and the man grinned back, positively brimming with confidence.¡°Don¡¯t worry -they¡¯ll never even know they were there, my lord,¡± he promised. Impressed by the Djinn¡¯s ebullience, Jasper couldn¡¯t help but grin back. ¡°Alright, just scout it out and return to us. If there are any guards, don¡¯t try to take them out - we don''t want them to raise the alarm.¡± The scout agreed and, followed by the other two volunteers, headed down the road that led toward Nah?as?s?innu¡¯s entrance. Then all that remained was to wait on their return. An Unexpected Ally An hour passed, then two. When the third hour dawned without any sign of the scouts, Jasper began to fear the worst, but just as he was about to spring into action, the three missing Moon-kissed turned down their street. Jasper waited anxiously as they wound their way through the crowd. ¡°Well,¡± he called out. ¡°Are they expecting us?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± The young Djinn shook his head triumphantly. ¡°There¡¯s definitely people there, but they weren¡¯t on the lookout for us. Didn¡¯t see us, either.¡± It was good news, but also confusing. ¡°Then what took so long?¡± ¡°Well,¡± the lad pulled his helmet off and scratched behind his ear. ¡°Like I said, there weren¡¯t even any guards posted. They were paying so little attention that we thought it just had to be a trap, so we kept waiting and waiting, but never saw any signs of a lookout. I guess they reckon they¡¯re safe, my lord.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re probably right,¡± Ra?¡¯imu cut in. ¡°The reputation of Nah?as?s?innu is well known in Du?r-Yarha. The Nizirtu? don¡¯t leave its depths and we don¡¯t enter them. Even the most desperate of criminals wouldn¡¯t take refuge in there, lest they run afoul of the dead gods.¡± A shiver ran down Jasper¡¯s spine as the creature¡¯s unearthly shriek echoed in his mind, but he suppressed it and flashed the group a smile he didn¡¯t really feel. ¡°Unfortunately for them, we¡¯re more desperate.¡± Turning his attention back to the scout, he asked one more question. ¡°Any feel for how many of them there were?¡±¡¯ The young man started to shake his head, but one of the other scouts, an older gentleman with a touch of grey in his beard, spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many are in the complex right now, my lord, but there¡¯s at least three hundred and forty-eight of them.¡± ¡°Three hundred and forty-eight? That¡¯s an awfully specific number.¡± It¡¯s an awfully large number, too, he thought privately to himself. Suddenly his army of Moon-kissed felt frightfully outnumbered. And they have a god on their side. Or at least, sort of one. The older scout shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a hunting skill, my lord. Let¡¯s me see every unique track in the snow. Granted, I¡¯ve never had it give me such a high number before, but it¡¯s never failed me in the past.¡± Jasper thanked the man and waited until the scouts had rejoined the rest of the troops before turning to his friends. ¡°Three hundred and forty-eight is¡­a lot,¡± he said slowly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, I¡¯d understand.¡± ¡°Is there anyone else we could turn to,¡± Ihra asked. He thought about it for a moment, then reluctantly shook his head. ¡°My uncle might be willing lend us some troops, but it would take weeks to get there and back. I don¡¯t know if they have that long.¡± ¡°And even if they do,¡± Ra?¡¯imu added, ¡°I don¡¯t think my elders would be willing to lend our aid for that long. They honor their favors, but no favor is unlimited.¡± ¡°Forget the numbers,¡± Ne?s?u butted in. ¡°Sure, the numbers aren¡¯t in our favor, but most of these cultists are probably low-leveled chaff. How many men can you kill with a single one of your Sacred Stars, Jasper? Ten? No,¡± he shook his head resolutely, ¡°the numbers never mattered. The real threats are Yas?gah and the dead gods, and that was never a battle we were likely to win.¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s hopeless?¡± The Sicyan shrugged. ¡°It should be, but you¡¯ve received other visions from the Anzuzu, haven¡¯t you? Visions of a time after this battle.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jasper admitted. ¡°The Anzuzu are rarely wrong. Sure, there¡¯s a few people who manage to escape their fate, but their visions usually come true. I don¡¯t see how we win this battle, but if the Anzuzu foresee your future, then there must be a way.¡± ¡°And that way would be me.¡± The group started as an unknown voice broke into their conversation. And there, right before their eyes, a man simply phased into existence, like he¡¯d been beamed up by Scotty. The dude looked like an NFL quarterback, albeit one that could also moonlight as a model. He had short, curly blonde hair and blue eyes that might have been described as piercing if it wasn¡¯t for the good-natured grin on his face. He was a bit taller than most, and his body rippled with a muscle mass that few outside of dedicated bodybuilders sported, but what was perhaps the most surprising about him was that he looked completely and totally human. How the hell did he even get into the province? Jasper immediately realized the question was a stupid one - the dude could phase, after all. ¡°So you¡¯re the way? The rest of your name wouldn¡¯t be the truth and life, would it?¡± Jasper joked nervously, and perhaps a bit blasphemously. The man¡¯s grin widened. ¡°As a matter of fact¡­¡± he paused dramatically and then began to laugh. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. But you can think of me as your own personal savior on this mission.¡± Stepping forward, he offered Jasper his hand. ¡°You can call me Ivan,¡± he introduced himself. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Jasper¡¯s eyes narrowed as he shook the man¡¯s hand. That¡¯s not a Corsythian name, and Corsythians don¡¯t shake hands. ¡°So, Ivan, what world are you from,¡± he asked casually. ¡°And where exactly did you come from just now? ¡°Ah, you caught on to that, did you?¡± The man shrugged. ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t exactly trying to hide it. I came from Earth, just like you.¡± ¡°Who told you I was from Earth?¡± The blonde smirked. ¡°Hold your horses, Jasper. You haven¡¯t even given me the chance to answer your second question. As for how I got here, I suppose ¡®phase¡¯ is a perfectly good word. I¡¯m afraid there''s no Scotty waiting to scoop me up, however.¡± Can he read my thoughts? Jasper stared at the man uncertainly. ¡°Why would you want to help us?¡± The man¡¯s grin didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Does Superman need a reason to save one?¡± ¡°Are you saying your Clark Kent,¡± Jasper countered. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can understand, Ivan, why I¡¯d be wary of accepting help from a total stranger. Why would you help us? How do I know you aren¡¯t with the Brotherhood?¡± Ivan¡¯s face sobered. ¡°Suffice it to say I have a vested interest in the outcome. If you¡¯re really concerned, you can always ask Kas? about me.¡± He calls her Kas?? Before he had a chance to respond, the man continued on. ¡°Fortunately for you, I don¡¯t actually need your permission to help you out. I just thought I¡¯d swing by and introduce myself so when you see me you don¡¯t waste your essence trying to kill me. Focus on the cultists, Jasper, and leave the dead gods to me.¡± The man¡¯s body began to phase out again, starting from his legs and proceeding up toward his head. But he paused when his body was half gone. ¡°Oh, and one more thing. The next time you see me, I might be a tad larger. But don¡¯t worry - it¡¯s still just little ol¡¯ me.¡± The man laughed as the rest of his body phased out of existence. A moment of stunned silence passed between the four of them. ¡°Okay, what the hell was that?¡± Jasper finally blurted out. ¡°I think¡­¡± Ne?s?u spoke almost hesitantly. ¡°I think that might have been a Sidhe.¡± ¡°A Sidhe?¡± Ihra¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°But the Sidhe are evil. Why would they help us?¡± ¡°Not all of them,¡± Jasper pointed out. ¡°And besides, isn¡¯t the answer obvious? Tsia is descended from a Sidhe. If that really was a Sidhe, maybe it¡¯s her ancestor.¡± Ihra scowled. ¡°How are we supposed to trust one of those things?¡± Jasper shrugged. ¡°Who says we have to? But unless you have some pretty big tricks hidden up your sleeve, I don¡¯t really see how we can stop a being who can phase in and out of reality from tagging along.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± she admitted with a sigh. ¡°But I don¡¯t like it.¡± Jasper wasn¡¯t quite so sure he agreed with her, though. If a quasi-god wanted to lend them a hand, he was more than willing to accept the help. And after a brief discussion, the four decided there was no point in putting off the mission any further: it was time to march on Nah?as?s?innu. It did not take long to reach their destination, and when they did, Jasper was once again blown away by how impressive it was.The portal to Nah?as?s?innu, a monolithic pale-grey tower that rose above the city slums, was as grand as he¡¯d remembered.Even though its glory days were long behind it and most of its windows were shattered and cracked, there were few other buildings in the city that could hope to compete with the sheer force of its presence.The building was large enough to house a small town with room to spare, and he could only imagine how magnificent it must have been before its abandonment. Jasper¡¯s eyes wandered to the twin statues guarding the site, strange beings that looked like humans mixed with animalistic features; one had the head of a hawk, a snake clutched tight in its talon-like feet while the other had the horns of a deer wreathed with moss. Did something like that really exist? He certainly hadn¡¯t met any hawk-headed humanoids, but he supposed it wasn¡¯t any more outlandish than anything else he¡¯d encountered. Probably did, he decided. Realizing he was allowing himself to be distracted, he shook his head and refocused his thoughts. The group approached the compound¡¯s gates slowly, expecting to be attacked by enemies at any moment, but the courtyard that surrounded the building was dead silent.They entered cautiously, scanning the perimeters for any sign of danger, but it lay completely empty. There were signs of life, however. A thick layer of snow covered the abandoned gardens that stretched on either side of the entrance, but the path that led to the thick, iron-rimmed doors had been trampled down by into a solid sheet of muddied-brown ice, supporting the scout¡¯s reports. And if there had been any doubt that the building was once again inhabited, it was thoroughly shattered when the doors burst open. Four Djinn shuffled out of the door, cradling between them a long, pine sepulcher.The two in the front, who were slowly walking backwards didn¡¯t see the small army waiting by the gates, but the other two certainly did.With cries of alarm, the two cultists dropped their end of the coffin on the hard ice and turned to run. The other two, confused by the compatriots¡¯ reactions, quickly twisted their heads around to see what was happening. A loud crack filled the air as the pine box smashed into the ground and its flimsy side splintered, releasing an overweight and very pasty corpse to spiral across the ice. The remaining two cultists ignored the corpse of their brethren and, slipping and sliding, raced after their friends. It was only a few steps back to the entrance, but none of them made it that far. With a twist of his fingers, Jasper released Sacred Star, and a burst of small orbs shot across the space between them, like a swarm of fiery hornets. He needn¡¯t have bothered, though, as Ihra and a good dozen or so of the Moon-kissed archers released their own fire. Within seconds, the four fleeing cultists had joined their friend on the icy turf, and the muddy ice was further stained by a deep red. Unfortunately, there was nothing silent about their encounter. Before the last of the bodies had hit the ground, a half-dozen more cultists ran into view of the entrance. The archers quickly shifted their aim, but more and more swarmed into view and Jasper realized where they were headed. Breaking into a run, he raced for the door, followed by the Moon-kissed warriors, but the brotherhood made it their first. With a heavy thud, the mighty iron-rimmed doors slammed shut, followed quickly thereafter by a faint ripple in the air as Ihra¡¯s arrow ricocheted away from the door without having ever even touched it. Great. Some sort of barrier. The Mage *clang* *CLANG* *CLAANG* The last strike of the bell was so loud that Abru?til¡¯s bed practically shook.Stirring from his sleep, the man groggily stared at the half-darkened room.He could still see a touch of sunlight shining through the small window perched high on the wall, and he frowned.It¡¯s not time for my shift yet. *CLAANG* The bell rang again with urgency and Abru?til leapt to his feet.The bell.We¡¯re being attacked.Dashing over to the rickety chair that held his belongings, he quickly pulled the long black tunic over his head.His hands shook as he tried to attach his sword to his belt and it took him three tries before he successfully closed the latch.He paused at the door a moment and took a deep breath, trying to summon his courage.What if I just don¡¯t go?It was an appealing, if ignoble, thought.He was a damned good swordsman, but he had yet to breach past level 50; what could he do that his stronger brethren couldn¡¯t do far better? But he hesitated only a moment before yanking the door open and stepping out into the hall.Maybe he wasn¡¯t the strongest warrior in the group, but you didn¡¯t get chosen by the goddess if you were a coward.Live or die, he would serve Yas?gah with honor. He jogged lightly down the hall, nodding to a few of his brethren as they emerged out of their own rooms, woken like him from their slumber.Ahead of him, a bleary-eyed woman stumbled out of her room.Her usually immaculate hair was sticking up wildly in every direction, and she was still struggling to adjust the quiver on her back as she pulled the door shut. Abru?til slowed up as he approached her, and despite the gravity of the situation, his heart beat a little faster from something other than fear.¡°Do you need help, Ilbana?h?¡± The woman, who had her back turned to him, literally started in shock, but she turned to face him with a warm smile.¡°Can you help me buckle this cuirass?¡±He quickly laced the leather breastplate up, tightening it snuggly against her, and then the two continued down the hall, though not without glancing down at his own unarmored chest in discontent. He¡¯d had armor until recently; unfortunately, after a night of a bit too much drinking, he¡¯d gambled away his cuirass and hadn¡¯t quite managed to scrounge enough money to buy it back.Well, he actually had, but had chosen to buy a gift for Ilbana?h, a gift he was rather regretting now that he was about to be thrown into battle without armor.Yas?gah, watch over me. When they reached the entry hall, it was already milling with people. ¡°Squad 3, fall into formation!¡± ¡°Squad 4, around me!¡± Dueling voices roared over the crowd, summoning the brethren to their assigned positions, and Abru?til was forced to take his leave from Ilbana?h.As an archer, her spot was behind the lines, in squad 12.His was, unfortunately, at the front. Following the voice of his squad leader, he pushed, shoved, and squirmed his way through the mass of bodies, while shooting curious glances at the door.The thick, iron-barred doors stood as proud and sturdy as ever, both still and silent, without any indication that they were being assaulted.Where are the enemies? ¡°Squad 7!¡± A voice roared practically in his ear, and pushing aside one last man, Abru?til reached his squad leader.The man was a monster of a Djinn; one of the barbaric Seraphs, he towered a good foot taller than Abru?til and stared down at him with a scowl. ¡°Where¡¯s your armor, Abru?¡±The man demanded. ¡°Don¡¯t have it,¡± he grunted out. The Djinn snorted.¡°Let me guess, you gambled it away again.¡± Abru could feel his cheeks burn with shame, but he stared the leader down stolidly.¡°Where do you want me?¡± The man shook his head, massaging the space between his brows with a pained expression.¡°I wanted you on the front line, but without your armor¡­¡± He sighed.¡°Stand behind Labs?adammu, and be prepared to step in if he falls.¡± Brushing past the squad leader, Abru?til took his place in line and tried to ignore the glare his usual second offered him. The hall continued to buzz with excited, frenzied activity for the next fifteen minutes as more and more of the brethren joined the halls, many of them swarming up the stairs that led down to the lower levels. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. A shiver crossed his spine at the mere thought of the oppressive darkness.Thankfully, he¡¯d only been sent down there once, and that had been with a group of nearly twenty delivering dozens of boxes of food and weapons to the Nizirtu?.The ruins might have been fascinating if it wasn¡¯t for the sheer terror that they exuded, and that terror proved to have been more than a mere trick of the mind when his group returned one man short.They hadn¡¯t even seen him taken, but his body was eventually discovered by another group, pale and drained of blood as always. But slowly, the rush of reinforcements slowed down to a mere trickle, and the frenzied hubbub died down.The minutes ticked by almost excruciatingly slowly as Abru?til stared at the door.It hadn¡¯t so much as shaken as he arrived.Did they really drag me out of bed for nothing?He began to feel annoyed.His shift was supposed to start in just a few more hours, and his frustration only mounted as he watched his chance to sleep slip through his fingers. The frenzied excitement died down as the hours passed, transformed into a mixture of nerves and annoyance.Abru?til kept craning his head, trying to catch a glimpse of one of the Brotherhood¡¯s esteemed elders, but he was disappointed.Apparently, they hadn¡¯t deigned to show up.The rational side of him suggested that they might just have set up a second line of defense deeper in the pit, but the part of him that was beginning to think this was a false alarm, couldn¡¯t help but be annoyed.Do they think they¡¯re too good to fight with us? Three hours of silence had passed since the alarm, and the mutterings in the crowd had begun to wax louder when the squad leader still refused to let them leave. KABOOM Abru?til had been staring down at his feet when it happened.With a boom loud enough to shatter every remaining pane of glass in the foyer¡¯s windows, the doors rocketed off their hinges His eyes snapped up just in time to see the doors smash through their gathered lines and transform a solid score of his brethren into mush.Fury of Yas?gah, he gasped.They must have a strong mage. His intuition was proved correct as the enemy charged through the door.At their head was a tall man with almost burgundy-colored skin riding astride a massive grey horse.Strangely, the Djinn¡¯s head was bereft of horns, but from the volley of fireballs that quickly shot in front of him, it was clear he was a mage.He must have released a half-dozen spells in a matter of seconds, as dozens of small fireballs shot in every direction toward the enemy.At least he¡¯s just a fire mage. One veered straight toward them and Labs?adammu blocked it with his shield.He was thrown back a step from the force of the explosion, and Abru?til reached out to steady the man.¡°You alright?¡± He asked.The man only answered with a grunt, holding up a shield that now bore a charred and singed hole.Powerful for fire mage, but still¡­ Abru?til couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch of relief as he watched his brethren surge forward to plug the hole in their lines that the doors had created and lower their spears.Most of the brethren were high enough level to have at least some fire resistance.We can weather him. Perhaps Abru?til jinxed things, for no sooner did he think that thought, then the mage cast a different spell, and spurred his horse straight toward the still weak portion of their line.He watched in fascination as a pale white flame quickly spread over both the mage and his horse, but he wasn¡¯t too concerned. The mage collided with the line.Their formation was strong, but the monstrous-sized horse was too powerful to be denied, and smashed through the front lines, creating an opening.His followers should have been close on his heels, but strangely enough they stayed away from him, choosing to slam into the shield wall on either side instead.It seemed a clear tactical blunder, a saving grace that would give them the opportunity to close ranks and perhaps even isolate the mage - right up to the moment, that is, that the Djinn gathered around the man and his horse began to scream. Abru?til watched in sick horror as the warriors swarming the mage stumbled away, desperately trying to beat out the white flames that quickly spread across their limbs.But it was of no use.The warriors burned like candles dipped in pig grease, and the strange fire spread to anyone who tried to help them.The mage raised his hand again, and a long, black whip appeared in his hand.With a flick of his wrist, it smashed through the mass of burning men and new screams filled the air, unearthly shrieks as three phantoms manifested around him and latched their gaping maws on the brethren. Whatever semblance of order the squad leaders had managed to maintain crumbled as the brethren closest to the burning mage turned and fled.The two flanks tried to hold firm, but with the center collapsed, their Moon-kissed attackers were able to attack from two sides.Labs?adammu fell as a spear was thrust straight through his damaged shield and into his chest, and Abru?til lost sight of the mage as he was forced to step into the gap. His mind fell into a flow as he blocked one thrust of his opponent¡¯s spear after another with his sword and shield.He may not have been the best warrior, and he might not have had his armor, but he was a damn good swordsman.He was at a disadvantage in reach, but he bided his time patiently, waiting for the moment to strike.When it came, the Moon-kissed¡¯s thrust was just a bit too high.Angling his shield perfectly, he deflected the strike up and above his shoulder.His opponent was pulled forward, overextended, his body vulnerable.Abru?til¡¯s blade struck through, stabbing straight for the only unprotected portion of the warrior¡¯s body - the eyes.The brown eyes widened in terror and then were obliterated. Yanking his sword free, Abru?til quickly sheltered behind his shield as a new attacker filled the spot of the fallen.This one wasn¡¯t wielding a spear, though.He blinked in confusion as a Corsythian, of all things, leaped into the gap, and it didn¡¯t register until too late what weapon he held above his head.His shield splintered as a massive axe slammed down it with enough force that he was sent flying backwards, out of the formation.He slammed into the ground hitting his head hard, and the last thing he saw before he passed out was the Corsythiandecapitating his squad leader.Yas?gah save us. The Descent Getting into the tower proved a more difficult task than any of them had guessed. cultists clearly hadn''t been expecting an assault, they unfortunately weren''t entirely incompetent as they had possessed enough foresight to put a magical lock on their door, and a damn good one at that. At first, Jasper had assumed they could just power their way past the barrier.In theory, any such spell had to have to been powered by something - perhaps a mage, perhaps an essence crystal - but if a power source existed, presumably that source could also be exhausted. after a good ten minutes had gone by without the spell so much as even flickering, Jasper realized they needed a new solution. Whatever the power source was, it was going to be so easily exhausted. Fortunately, Ihra had found a solution in the grimoire Aphora had left her, a ritual that claimed it could disrupt "spells of protection" - they could only hope this counted.Less fortunately, she didn¡¯t have all the required ingredients.By the time they¡¯d trekked there and back from the market square and set up the required runic circle, Jasper knew all hope of a quick assault had been thoroughly lost.The cultists had had hours to prepare for their entry.They¡¯ll be waiting for us. By that point, he¡¯d questioned whether they should even continue the assault; fighting through three hundred some cultists had already seemed like an uphill battle, but if there was the possibility of Yas?gah personally joining them, he feared it would turn into an outright slaughter.Jasper wasn¡¯t even sure if they could beat Yas?gah one-on-one, let alone if the would-be goddess was backed up by a small army.Yet he also knew that if they left, even if it was only for the sake of pursuing a more advantageous opportunity a few days later, they would likely be condemning Tsia and Annatta to death.And that wasn¡¯t a decision he could bring himself to make.We have to at least try, he decided reluctantly. But if the barrier had proven far more difficult than he''d expected, the battle was just the opposite.Before the rune was activated, the troops had gathered in formation around him, prepared to charge through the moment the barrier fell.Fortunately, the builders of Nah?as?s?innu didn¡¯t believe in doing anything on a small scale; the great doors were more than large enough to let them pass through on horseback, and he hoped a cavalry charge, backed up by the power of his new spell, would be enough to break the cultists¡¯ morale. What none of them had accounted for, though, was the sheer power of the runic formation Ihra activated.Rather than simply lower the barrier, it blew straight through it with enough force to send the massive, iron-rimmed doors flying into the gathered ranks of the cultists.Almost as surprised as the members of the Brotherhood, Jasper had still managed to spur Dapplegrim on in time to take advantage of their confusion. Rounds of Sacred Star softened their ranks even further before he¡¯d plowed straight into their midst, consumed by the pale, white flame.With every blow he struck, the fire spread, latching onto the Djinn around him like a supernatural napalm.If anything it was a little too effective; despite the fact that he was fighting cultists, some of whom no doubt were guilty of human sacrifice, watching their skin literally melt and shrivel beneath the all-consuming flames of Fiery Charge was tough for him to stomach.But he did it anyways. The center of the cultists¡¯ ranks wavered, then utterly broke as the Djinn literally trampled each other in their efforts to escape the spreading flames, and with the center collapsed, the flanks were unable to hold on much longer.He¡¯d feared the battle would turn into a bloodbath for his own troops, but instead it was the cultists who were slaughtered.Yet, when the last of the cultists had fled deeper into the building, or retreated down the steps that led into the pit, Jasper felt more confused than relieved.Sure, they¡¯d beaten the bulk of the cultists¡¯ forces - at least for now - but these were merely the chaff.Where the hell were all the leaders?
With a twist of her fingers, Barbartu renewed her spell.The air around rippled for a moment, briefly revealing her true form, before the illusion closed around her, making her as near to invisible as her skills allowed.True invisibility, alas, was not in the domain of illusion, but her spell was more than good enough to deceive anyone who hadn¡¯t heavily invested in their vision stat. Then, fully cloaked, she crept down the stairs to investigate the site of the very unexpectedly one-sided battle.When the bells first rang the alarm, Barbartu had been quick to act.Most of the more powerful brethren were down in the cavern with the Nizirtu, but there were, of course, a few staying on the surface to keep watch over affairs.She¡¯d made certain they didn¡¯t reach the battle. Her strikes had been nearly unopposed - the fools never anticipating that an attack would come from within - so she¡¯d fully expected to arrive in time to watch the battle and, possibly, if Jasper and his friends were being overwhelmed, to be forced to intervene.She wanted him to win the first battle, after all. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Instead, after assassinating the handful of brethren mages, she had reentered the halls to find them crowded with cultists fleeing as if the devil was at their back.She¡¯d had to fight her way against the crowd like a salmon swimming upstream, and by the time, she¡¯d reached the entrance, her curiosity had swelled to a crescendo.How the hell had Jasper and his two friends routed the brethren so thoroughly? But as she peered over the weathered balustrades down into the tower¡¯s grand entrance, she found her answer.The hall was piled high with the bodies of the brethren, and the once dirty white floors were stained a new color.But despite the cultists¡¯ flight, the hall was far from empty - a small army of Moon-kissed warriors dressed in green tunics were rooting through the bodies. It was an unexpected wrinkle to her plan, and a well-worn crease formed between her brows.Where did he even get these troops?He hasn¡¯t even been in this blasted province that long.She shifted her position to get a better look and her heart stilled as she spied something else - something far more disturbing. A tall blonde man stood in the midst of their group.On its own, he might not have seemed particularly remarkable, but judging from the way the others walked past - and even through - him, it was clear they weren¡¯t even aware he was there. A Sidhe?As if reading her thoughts, the blonde man turned to look in her direction.Barbartu trusted in the strength of her illusions - even Yas?gah had been deceived for quite some time by them - but when the man offered her a cheeky wink, she knew he had seen right her through.She tensed, expecting him to attack her, or at the very least expose her presence, but he just looked away. She watched in silence as the group finished their search - retrieving the bodies of a few of their brethren - before reforming their ranks and beginning the descent into the pit itself.She followed in their footsteps, careful to keep far behind them, but a knot of worry sat heavy in her stomach.Despite the fact that everything had gone the way she wanted thus far, between the presence of the Moon-kissed warriors and - above all - the blasted Sidhe, she couldn¡¯t help but feel that her plan was spinning out of control.May Irkalla and Nergal watch over us.
Jasper stared at the set of the stairs that led into the abandoned city.The wide flight curled to the left, hiding the city and its ever-present darkness from sight, but he knew all too well what lay beyond.After the first wave of the cultists had fled, the Moon-kissed had wanted to search through the bodies to retrieve their own.Despite his reservations, he¡¯d agreed and the search hadn¡¯t taken as long as he feared.Within fifteen minutes the soldiers had regrouped and were ready to descend into the pit.Just have to take this first step. Refusing to give in to his fear, he took a step down.He felt a brush of movement at his side, and turned his head to find Ihra beside him. They walked in silence for a moment, then she turned him to with a pensive expressive. ¡°Do you think there waiting for us down there?¡±She spoke barely above a whisper, trying to prevent the soldiers from hearing. He didn¡¯t answer at first, and the loud footfalls of the soldiers echoed behind them as they continued down the stairs.¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he finally admitted.¡°That battle was pretty much a cakewalk, but¡­that can¡¯t be it, right?There¡¯s got to be some pretty high-leveled cultists somewhere.¡±Not to mention a demigod, he thought bitterly. She frowned. ¡°Maybe we just caught them at the perfect time.¡± Jasper snorted.¡°I doubt they all went for cigarettes and milk. That would be way too good of luck or,¡± he paused as a horrifying thought occurred to him, ¡°actually, maybe it would be pretty rotten luck.We just assumed their leaders would be here, but what if they aren''t?¡± Ne?s?u, who had been listening silently thus far, piped up.¡°Tsia is down there.That¡¯s all that matters,¡± and Ra?¡¯imu bobbed his head in agreement. ¡°That is why we are here, is it not?As long as we retrieve my sister, who cares what a few barbarians squatting in the darkness get up to?¡± ¡°Those ¡®barbarians¡¯ have been sacrificing innocents for years,¡± Jasper countered.¡°Freeing Tsia and Annatta is important, but we need to stop the cult too.Killing a few low-ranked followers isn¡¯t going to cut it.¡± The man shrugged dismissively.¡°There were always be those who lurk in the dark, Jasper.You cannot kill them all.¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± Jasper disagreed, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you have to look the other way.Besides, I don¡¯t really have much of a choice.Kas?dael herself gave me a quest to stop their cult. What am I supposed to do - just ignore a goddess'' personal request?¡± The Djinn frowned but held his peace, and silence settled over the group. When they reached the landing of the stairs and turned down the final flight that led into the bowels of the earth, the fallen city once again loomed into view. The handiwork of the cult was evident immediately.The darkness was still oppressive, pushing down upon Jasper¡¯s shoulders with an almost physical presence, but it was no longer absolute.Hundreds of large metal braziers had been set up along the edge of the mighty road that wound its way down to the bottom of the pit, and though the light they offered was dim and meager, it was still a significant improvement. The elevated highway too was in better condition than on their last trip.The large gaps that had forced Jasper and Ihra to detour through the cliffside homes and into the hidden streets that were carved deep into the earth now had makeshift bridges spanning the yawning chasms, which made their navigation through the city far easier than before. But there was still no sign of the remaining cultists.Were the men we fought upstairs really the cult¡¯s only forces here?Jasper doubted it, but as they spiraled deeper and deeper into the pit with no opposition, he began to wonder if it really was possible.Either that or it¡¯s all a trap. Birat-Burumu? The last ten days had been hell. After her trip to the Sidhe lord¡¯s realm, Aphora had debated for weeks whether or not she¡¯d accept his offer.Part of her feared it was a trap; true, the man had made no attempt to keep her there, nor had he made any attempt to harm her.But that wasn¡¯t quite enough for her to trust him. He might go by the name Imh?ullu now, but Meh?h?aww? had been one of Sidhe¡¯s strongest - and most famously blood-thirsty - warlords.She knew the man had likely slain thousands of elves by his own hand, and far, far more than that had died at his orders.Plus, most of the Sidhe were famed for their predilection for deception.Sure he could have killed her at any time, but perhaps he simply found it more fun to trick her into thinking she could trust him and only then kill her. Thus, she¡¯d put off making any decision until Imh?ullu¡¯s deadline had forced it on her. She¡¯d led her people here in the hopes of establishing a sanctuary from the war that was tearing the Empire apart, a war she feared she was about to spiral even further out of control if the dwarves really did attack.But while Arall? seemed to be relatively safe, it had its own share of problems: isolation and darkness. The city, while completely protected the emerald barrier, was far behind enemy lines.There were no neighboring cities to visit, no trade caravans stopping by, just the elves and the Fey, who didn¡¯t mingle as much as she¡¯d hoped. The darkness was a problem too.It wasn¡¯t even that the caverns were particularly gloomy; enough of the rocks and vegetation had luminous qualities that it was never truly dark, and even the ocean¡¯s waters glowed with a pale purple light.There was more than enough light to see by, but while though it was never truly dark, neither was it ever truly light.The land seemed stuck in perpetual dusk, and the lack of light, specifically the blessed light of their goddess, wore on her people¡¯s mood.The isolation from friendly cities was something she couldn¡¯t fix, at least not right now, but she did have a solution to the darkness.She just needed to actually be willing to a risk. Thus, a rather reluctant Aphora had left the safety of Arall? behind to fulfill Imh?ullu¡¯s request.The journey had been nerve-racking.This region of Gemlir¡¯s former empire was mostly low-lying plains which, thanks to the relatively rare rains that fall on them, were largely bereft of large trees to provide cover.She¡¯d felt exposed the entire time, and at one point, had been nearly certain that a Sidhe was following her.But somehow, she¡¯d made it across the plains and reached her destination, a re-emerging town in the foothills of the Parzilli mountains unscathed. Aphora crept to the edge of the cliff on her hands and knees and crouched down behind a small boulder to survey her target: Birat-Burum?.The so-called ¡°fortress of the heavens¡± didn¡¯t live up to its name these days.It had been almost completely demolished by the Corsythians in the Desolyton, but over the last two hundred or so years, one of Gemlir¡¯s surviving spawns had begun the slow task of restoring the stronghold.It had yet to reach a tenth of its original size, but Aphora had to admit that it was still far larger than she had expected.For generations, the Empire had prevented the Gemlirians from rebuilding, but now that they could barely hold their own against the Zalancthians, it seemed the trolls had been quick to take advantage. Damn it.She stared there for hours watching the guards come and go, looking for any signs of weakness.If Imh?ullu¡¯s information was to be believed, most of the soldiers had been sent west to deal with a rampaging clan of emarukku? - apparently, a Gemlir lord had dammed up a river, and the dragons that dwelt with it had taken offense - and, after a few hours of counting, she concluded he was right.There were perhaps no more than a hundred soldiers still manning the walls of Birat-Burum?.I can probably do this, she decided. The next few hours were spent in preparation.Aphora had no intention of attacking until Selene had risen, so there was no point in not putting her runic magic to work.Runes weren¡¯t generally great for combat; they were neither fast enough nor flexible enough to adapt to the frenetic pace of battle, but, if given enough time to prepare, they could make for a devastating opening salvo, and Aphora had plenty of time. It took nearly three hours of crawling on the ground before the circle was finally complete - three hours and Selene only knew how many thousands of gold coins worth of ingredients.Then, in order to truly capitalize on its effectiveness, she was forced to sacrifice even more materials, rigging a half dozen essence crystals to power the runes rather than channeling the energy herself.Tearing a page out of her notebook, she left a set of directions outside the runic circle and set a delayed fuse to active in an hour. Aphora then raced across the clifftops as quickly as she could and circled around to the other side of the fortress, where she hunkered down just beyond Birat-Burum?¡¯s moat.All that was left was to wait. When the crystals finally activated, there was nothing subtle about it.Even though she¡¯d ensconced herself just on the far side of the valley, Aphora could see the show begin. A halo of blue light glowed above the runic circle.Lightning struck the ground again as the air above it cracked and split, revealing a void through which stretched a massive horned head that sported a mouth with a double row of razor-sharp teeth and eyes that sparked with lightning. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. A ridiculously long neck followed the head out, more than three men in length, and then the creature¡¯s body emerged.It was built like a tank.Massive plates covered its sides and belly, supported by four legs as stout as cedar trees that ended in white, ivory claws.It staggered out of the circle, spinning around until its equally long tail had fully emerged from the void.She couldn¡¯t see clearly enough to tell if the abu?bu had read her note, but she received her answer soon enough.The enormous head dipped back into the runic circle, and the halo of light abruptly vanished as the creature consumed the essence crystals, accepting her offering. Rising up on its hind haunches, lightning flashed on every side as the great beast roared into the night and the heavens answered its call as a deluge of rain fell from the sky. From her hiding place, she could hear the shouts and cries of terror as the Gemlirian guards spotted the great beast, and a smile curved their lips.Let them cry - it won¡¯t save them. The abu?bu stayed raised on its hind quarters for nearly a minute as the rain continued to pour down on the parched grounds.Then it slammed its feet back into the ground and the entire cliff-side crumbled into a wave of mud dirt.It surged down toward the castle walls, lightning and rain following in its wake and the guards abandoned their posts fleeing in terror. Taking advantage of the confusion, Aphora vaulted over the moat and quickly scaled up the curtain walls, confident there was no watching her.She reached the top at the same moment the abu?bu slammed into the fortress in an ear-rending explosion, followed by a tremor so large that she was nearly thrown off the walls. Recovering her balance, she leapt down from the castle walls into a small courtyard, straight into the midst of a pack of guards fleeing from their abu?bu¡¯s assault.In their panic, they never even saw her coming. As she fell, the silver strands of her garment unraveled and exploded in every direction around her as she landed.Blood spattered the courtyard¡¯s tiles as the majority of the guards were skewered instantly.The few that survived her initial onslaught made it no more than a few steps before death descended upon them. Standing to her feet, Aphora saw there was no left moving.She was almost surprised at how easily their deaths had come.I guess the Corsythians aren¡¯t the only ones who are no match for their ancestors.The abu?bu¡¯s roar echoed off the walls, and she broke into a run.She wasn¡¯t sure how long the great beast would choose to aid her, and she needed to make the most of every minute. What followed could only be described as slaughter.She rampaged through the halls of Birat-Burum? nearly untouched.The Gemlirians were so overcome by their fear of the monster that most of them failed to even discern the other danger that lurked within their midst until their bodies sprawled across the ground.Indeed, Aphora encountered no resistance at all until she reached the far side of the castle. The eastern side of the stronghold¡¯s walls had been caved in by the mud flow.A massive gap of nearly fifty feet now stretched between the drawbridge gate and the walls of the nearest tower, and it was there that a handful of the castle¡¯s elite were engaged in a desperate last stand against the Abu?bu. Aphora reached the entrance courtyard just in time to see the beast rise up on its hindquarters.Latching on to the walls tight, she watched as the Gemlirians soldiers steadied themselves for the blow.Thunder cracked as the beast slammed down on the ground, and a wave of mud and water surged toward the soldiers. Digging their long kite shields into the ground, most of them withstood the blast, save for two that were washed away in the flood.As they floated near her, her silver strands struck swift and true, slitting their throats. The men rallied as the men began to recede, and the tallest of them, a truly massive troll decked out in ornate gilded armor roared back in defense.A surge of essence poured out from him as he lashed out with a long, smoldering whip that coiled around the abu?bu¡¯s neck.The creature bellowed in pain and Aphora broke her cover. She sped across the bloodied pavement as surefooted as a gazelle, and her fingers writhed as she summoned her essence into a shining moonlight axe that she raised high as she leapt toward him. The Gemlir lord must have heard her coming; abandoning his fiery whip, he yelled for his men to rally, and turned to face her.The two men closest to him made it there in time, raising their thick, black shields to meet her blow.Her blade cut through them like chaff, slicing deep into the ground, but Aphora had already dismissed it. She barely danced to the side in time to avoid the blazing whip that cracked through where she was standing, and the silver strands around her flared out and latched on to the whip as it retracted. His men were forced to block again as the abu?bu struck from behind, but the troll lord¡¯s attention was firmly on her now.He fought to wrest his whip free from her grip, no doubt expecting it to be an easy fight - the Gemlirians were generally not as magically talented as the elves, but their physical prowess was unmatched by any of the civilized races, unless once counted the Atrometos.But Aphora was far older and stronger than she appeared, and her grip didn¡¯t waver. Abandoning his attempt to wrest his weapon free, the man sought to release the spell, but the silver strands dug in, continuing to pull his essence out of him.That was when panic set in.She smiled cruelly as their eyes locked, and she could feel his essence surge as he attempted to find something, anything to save himself.But her smile disappeared as a giant head closed over his body and, with a loud crunch, separated his torso from his legs. ¡°Hey,¡± she glared up at the abu?bu.¡°Get your own kill.¡±The great beast simply ignored her; it crunched up the bones and armor and returned for the legs before turning around, and lumbering off.Oh well; it more than earned its keep.She watched until it disappeared and then she decided it was best that she too disappear.The attention of the Gemlirians and their Sidhe protectors should be trained on the west, but there was no point in tempting fate.By the time the sun rose on the ruins of the fortress, she was already far, far away. The Seraph As they delved deeper into Nah?as?s?innu¡¯s depths, the temperature continued to rise. The heat didn¡¯t bother Jasper, but he could see the beads of sweat rolling down the faces of the Moon-kissed warriors, who did not share the flame affinities of other Djinn. Even Ne?s?u and Ihra, despite their higher levels, had a clammy cast to their cheeks. If we don¡¯t find the enemy soon, half of these troops aren¡¯t going to have the strength to fight. Worried, Jasper picked up the pace and they soon reached a point far lower than he and Ihra had ever ventured. A particularly large expanse of the road had crumbled here, revealing a chasm that was now only a few hundred rather than a few thousand feet. The cultists had bridged the gap here too, with a long, narrow rope bridge that swayed ominously back and forth when Jasper stepped on it. Not fully trusting the bridge¡¯s ability to support a hundred men, they crossed over in small batches. When he reached the other side, Jasper realized they had found something remarkable.The small homes carved into the cliffside had been left behind long ago, with the buildings gradually growing larger and more opulent, but the one that lay before them was more impressive than all the rest.The perpetually downward-sloping street had been leveled out for several hundred feet as it ran along the side of a massive complex fronted by a double row of octagonal pillars that had been hewn out of the sheer rock. Behind the pillars, Jasper could see bright flashes of color glinting in the dim light of the braziers, revealing a wall decorated with images of all manner of strange beasts and beings. There was a pair of gilded doors too, whose frames towered nearly thirty feet from floor to ceiling. Some sort of a temple? Or maybe a palace? He couldn¡¯t quite tell the purpose of the building from the outside, but whatever its purpose had been, it was clear it had once been important and, perhaps, still was, for the line of braziers the cultists had set up ended here. At the edge of the ornate complex, the road continued further on, resuming its downward slope into a darkness that would have made the nighttime skies look bright as day. Raising his hand, Jasper called for a pause and turned to Ne?s?u. ¡°Do you have any sense of where they are? Could they be in that temple?¡± The Sicyan closed his eyes for a beat, concentrating on the connection Va?ya had granted him, then slowly shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re so close now, I¡¯m having a hard time sensing the right direction, but I think Tsia is still somewhere below us.¡± Great. A sour expression twisted his lips as Jasper looked at the unyielding gloom that waited beyond. It was the last place he wanted to go, but¡­I can¡¯t just abandon them. ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed. ¡°I guess we have to keep going. The Moon-kissed brought torches, right,¡± he asked Ra?¡¯imu. Right as the Djinn opened his mouth to respond, the enormous gilded doors of the temple swung open with a harsh, metallic squeal. As Jasper spun around to face the ancient temple, his heart was beating so hard it felt like it would jump right out of his rib cage. He half expected to see one of the dead gods - a being he had only heard the last time - slither out of the darkness or perhaps Yas?gah. What stepped out instead was a little disappointing. An old man shuffled through the gates, followed by about a score of followers. He leaned heavily on a thick metal staff that clanged against the pavement with each step he took. He had a pile of thick, grey hair that fell well past his shoulders, and the tips of two black, feathery wings peaked just above his head. He wore a long black robe, and from the hem, Jasper could see a small silver charm dangling. Is that the man from my vision? Unconsciously, he took a step back, and the old Seraph let out a low chuckle. ¡°Heh-heh-heh. It seems the gods have smiled on me today.¡± He walked forward laboriously, and when the folds of his robe shifted, Jasper realized that he was missing a leg. How is he even moving? ¡°See, our lost lamb has come home,¡± the man¡¯s voice was rough and husky as he turned and spoke to his followers.¡°He¡¯s even brought gifts, fine sacrifices for the goddess.¡±Pausing in his stride, he waved his staff theatrically toward the Moon-kissed soldiers and raised his voice.¡°Fear not, children of Selene, your sacrifices will be remembered.The whole world will benefit from the glory that shall be revealed when Ya?s?gah takes her rightful throne and crushes the great tyrant.¡± The great tyrant? Though the Seraph¡¯s words sounded like the babbling of a lunatic, his eyes were cool and calculating, without any hint of mania, and Jasper began to regret coming here. He¡¯d always known the battle would be a long shot, but this dude wasn¡¯t even the demigodess. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. His eyes darted to the side, looking for any avenue of escape, only for his heart to sink when he saw a line of the pale, elongated Nizirtu? emerging from the shadows by the rope bridge, with their numbers swelling by the minute. Damn it. We¡¯re completely surrounded. Summoning a false bravado he didn¡¯t feel, he whispered to Ihra to spread the word to attack and raised his voice. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think so, buddy. I have no idea who this ¡®great tyrant¡¯ is, but we aren¡¯t going to be your sacrificial lambs and - just for the record - Yas?gah ain¡¯t no goddess.¡± The Seraph¡¯s eyes flared with anger. ¡°You think you have a choice? You are whatever Yas?gah wills,¡± he spat. ¡°Now come here, little lamb.¡± Jasper felt an impending sense of doom descend on him as the man raised his staff, and he released his spell at the same time as the Seraph. Purge. Summon. The man winced as Jasper¡¯s spell hit him, but he finished his casting nonetheless. A long silver whip, glowing with the pale light of the moon, manifested in the man¡¯s hands and with a flick of his wrist, Jasper was unceremoniously yanked away from his group as it latched around his neck like a lasso. He landed on the ground with a painful bellyflop and was dragged across the rough pavement as the man wound his hand like a crankshaft. The cultists surrounding the Seraph charged past him, cutting him off the rest of his party, as Jasper futilely tried to stop his progress. His hands scraped against the rough paving stone, grabbing onto their edges, but his strength was no match for the wizened mage. Then an arrow flashed over Jasper¡¯s head and sliced through the silver whip, releasing the pressure around his neck. Muttering his thanks to Ihra, Jasper lurched to his feet and reached for his essence. He didn¡¯t have Dapplegrim now to charge the Seraph with but, unsheathing his weapon, he cast Fiery Charge anyway. White-hot flames rippled across his body and down the shaft of the glaive as he leapt forward and thrust the blade straight toward the man¡¯s heart. Spinning his staff horizontally, the man blocked the blow. Ice crusted around the edges of the blade as it bit down into the Seraph¡¯s staff, only to immediately be vaporized by the flames, but the staff held firm. And, with a sudden surge of strength, the man thrust his staff forward with such strength that Jasper was tossed backwards. He landed hard on the pavement, and his glaive skittered a few feet out of reach. Still, for a moment, it seemed as if his ploy had succeeded.With a whoosh, the white-hot flames began to spread down the Seraph¡¯s staff and toward his hands.A scowl flickered across the man¡¯s face, and he flung the weapon away, inadvertently sending it straight into the midst of his own allies, where a Nizirtu promptly began to howl in pain. ¡°That¡¯s an annoying little trick,¡± the man grunted. He took a step toward Jasper, somehow supported by an unseen leg, and another staff manifested in his hand. ¡°But that¡¯s all it is.¡± A volley of arrows shot towards the Seraph, but the old man, with an almost lazily swing of his staff, sent them spinning off their course. ¡°There¡¯s no point in fighting me, little lamb.¡± The man¡¯s voice grated on Jasper¡¯s ears. ¡°You¡¯re cut off from your men, and your spells are not strong enough to hurt me - not yet anyways. Give up.¡± Despite his words, his hand rubbed his throat gingerly where Purge had hit. Jasper ignored the Seraph. Rolling to his feet, he blindly flung Sacred Star in the Seraph¡¯s direction as he scampered to snatch up his weapon. His hands closed up on the glaive, and he whirled around to find the Seraph had closed the distance. The Seraph grunted as Jasper¡¯s blade slammed into his side. The blade sliced through the cultist¡¯s black tunic like it was nothing, but buried itself into thick chain mail that was hidden below. A flash of steam erupted again as the fire and ice mingled. ¡°Gods damn you, boy,¡± the man screamed. The tip of his staff lashed out faster than Jasper could even track and smashed into his throat, crushing his windpipe. Choking, he tried to block as the man brought his staff down again, but his arms failed as the staff struck between his neck and shoulder and Jasper collapsed to the ground. He lay there motionless, his vision blackening as the old Seraph struggled to tear off his burning robes. Can¡¯t breathe. His hands fumbled blindly in his bag for a potion and closing around a glass lid, he pulled it out and lifted it to his lips. Sweet liquid flowed into his mouth, and the pressure on his windpipe began to ease. ¡°None of that.¡±The crack of glass and bone echoed through the air as the Seraph, who had finally managed to tear his burning clothes off, smashed his staff into Jasper¡¯s hand.Searing pain tore through his right hand, but Jasper rolled out of reach. He noted with grim satisfaction the large patch of half-melted flesh on his adversary¡¯s torso as he raised his left hand and summoned his essence. Do I really want to do this? He hesitated a moment, as the spell he¡¯d intended to save for Yas?gah lingered on his fingertips. Then the Seraph charged toward him, his staff held at the ready, and his hesitation evaporation. Can¡¯t cast it if I¡¯m dead. ¡°Hand of Judgment,¡± he wheezed out. His breath billowed up in white puffs of vapor as the temperature plummeted and the sound of thunder echoed as the space between them was torn in half. A pair of large, charred hands stretched through the opening and, latching onto the sides, tore it open as the Ophan stepped through. It seemed larger than before; the giant torso of a man with smoldering flesh and jet-black wings whose metallic feather glinted in the light of the braziers. And floating above its torso was the great, flaming eye. Two golden rings circled it at dizzying speeds, covered in blue, glowing runes. The Ophan fixed its glare on Jasper, and despite having no mouth, its words rumbled above the melee. ¡°What are your commands, master?¡± Jasper didn¡¯t even need to think about it. ¡°Kill him,¡± he snapped, pointing to the Seraph with his mangled right hand. A Seraphs Demise The wings on the Ophan¡¯s back whirred to life as the being darted toward the Seraph.Muttering beneath his breath, the old man cast his spell again, and the silver whip coiled around the Ophan¡¯s waist.Bracing himself, the man pulled with all his might and, pivoting his hip, tried to fling the Ophan off the precipice.But the strain was more than the spell could bear.With a snap, the whip was shattered, and two staggered back. Dragging its clawed feet across the floor, the Ophan skidded to a halt mere feet away from the road¡¯s edge.Its wings beat in a frenzied pattern as it rose back into the air, but then it seemed to second guess itself. Pulling its wings tight against its back, the Ophan dropped back to the ground. The Seraph began to mutter beneath his breath as the Ophan charged toward him, preparing another spell, but he¡¯d forgotten, though, about Jasper. With a groan, he staggered to his feet and, snatching his glaive up with his one good hand, limped toward the Seraph from behind.The old man, preoccupied with casting whatever spell he planned, didn¡¯t notice him coming, but the Ophan did.Planting himself a few feet behind the Seraph, Jasper lodged his glaive firmly against the ground and waited for the impact. The Ophan¡¯s arms suddenly lengthened and morphed and, dropping unto all fours, the being shot toward the Seraph like a bolt.With a grunt of annoyance, the Seraph dropped the spell he¡¯d been weaving and lashed out again with his whip.But the Ophan was ready this time; flattening against the pavement, it skidded beneath the whip''s arc untouched.Leaping forward, it caught the Seraph squarely in the chest and the two flew backward, straight toward Jasper''s readied glaive. The old man¡¯s skin was tough as boiled leather, but the sheer momentum of his fall was enough to overcome his defenses.A hoarse cry of agony echoed above the fray as the glaive¡¯s icy blade rampaged through his rib cage and organs in a wave of frost and blood and erupted out the front. Summoning his essence, Jasper cast Fiery Shackles, and the blazing manacles clamped around the Seraph¡¯s legs, holding him in place as the Ophan hammered blow upon blow on the man¡¯s face and torso, driving his body further down the stake.The Seraph tried to block, but his arms crumbled beneath the blows.He tried to cast spells, but his fingers shook so badly that he couldn¡¯t release his essence. Jasper could barely believe it.Sadly there was no identify skill to tell him how the old Seraph was, but he knew he was heavily underleveled, and yet¡­ Are we¡­winning? Pressing the advantage, Jasper renewed Fiery Shackles and then started to cast Spectral Whip.There was more than enough blood now to summon the hungry specters, though he wasn¡¯t even sure if it was necessary.The Seraph¡¯s struggles were growing weaker, his movements more spasmodic. The Ophan lashed out again and the Seraph¡¯s whole body shook from the force of the blow, dislodging something from his clothes.A pale glass orb, filled with a milky white substance streaked with something as black as coal, popped out of his satchel and rolled down his arm.It had nearly reached the end of the old man¡¯s fingers when his hand convulsed.Closing around the orb, the tattoos on his hands flared for a brief second as essence poured through them.Then he crushed the orb. In an instant, an enormous pressure descended upon the three of them.Utterly unable to resist its power, Jasper was plastered to the ground so thoroughly he couldn¡¯t even twitch his fingers.The Ophan resisted the effect a little better.Pushed down to its knees, it fought to rise, its limbs shaking and its movement extremely slow as the pressure bore down on it.The Seraph did nothing.His body hung limp, almost as if he was dead, but from Jasper¡¯s spot on the floor, he could see a slow smile cross the man¡¯s lips. The Ophan had just managed to stand erect when the second wave of the spell hit.Like a hammer striking a gavel, an unseen force smashed into them.The Ophan and Seraph bore the brunt of the blow, their limbs bending and cracking in unnatural fashion as they were driven into the pavement, but it spread outward, washing over Jasper too.Glued down by the unrelenting pressure, Jasper was unable to even open his mouth to scream as he felt the bones in his body crack beneath the stress, and black spots danced before his eyes. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the pressure vanished as the spell ran out of power.Jasper lay on the ground, utterly unable to move, but the Ophan was still struggling.The fire around the great floating eye had dimmed greatly, but grabbing hold of Jasper¡¯s glaive, it slowly dragged itself to its feet, favoring its right leg which was now pointing in the wrong direction.But the ground rumbled as it stood, shaking as it took a step toward the Seraph.And then, in a cloud of dust and rubble, the street collapsed beneath them, dropping them into the chasm below.
¡°Jaasspeer.¡±Ihra¡¯s scream was cut off as one of the nizirtu? loomed in front of her and swung his axe straight for her head.She deftly dodged beneath the blade and, stepping close to his side, buried her dagger in his unprotected neck.She felt it scrape against the spinal cord and yanked with all her strength.A satisfying crack followed and the man fell forward, unmoving. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. She tried to take another step toward the Seraphs that had dragged Jasper away, only to be forced to drop to her knees as one of the cultists charged from her side.Damn it. The man¡¯s sword whistled above her head, followed by a second whistling sound as she stabbed him straight in the nethers.He dropped to his knees beside her, and she slit his throat as she stood.Her eyes found the Seraph this time, and drawing her bow, she fired off an arrow.It tore through the air, narrowly missing being ¡°intercepted¡± by a cultist¡¯s head and gently dropped down on a perfect arc to intersect through the silver threads coiled around Jasper¡¯s throat. She notched her bow, prepared to again, but something in her intuition screamed at her to move out of the way.Her arrow fell to the ground as she twirled to the side and a spear thrust straight through the spot she¡¯d been standing.Her foot lashed up instantly, shoving the spear up higher, as she tried to close the gap.But the nearly ten-foot-tall nizirtu who had been holding it was a bit more skilled than her previous adversaries. With a nimbleness that belied its size, the warrior dropped his spear and danced out of the way of her dagger, even as its exceptionally long arms lashed out and struck her side in the head.Ihra dropped like a rock, stars flashing before her eyes, as the dagger fell from her clasp.She struggled to rise as the nizirtu stared down at her with its enormous black eyes, but her limbs didn¡¯t seem to want to obey her commands.Bending down, the warrior picked up his spear and held it above her head.Ihra closed her eyes. A fraction of a second later, they popped again as a warm trickle rained down on her face.The nizirtu still held the spear above her head but sported a new fashion look - a long, silver blade that jutted out from its abdomen.The creature was suddenly tossed to the side, falling behind her, and another took his place.A young man with tawny hair and piercing blue eyes crouched beside her, a bottle in his hand.Her scrambled mind couldn¡¯t place him, and she struggled futilely as he pressed the bottle to her lips, but he preserved and the sickly sweet liquid invaded her mouth. ¡°Ihra, stop fighting me.¡±Her mind began to clear as the potion trickled down her throat and she stopped. ¡°Ra?¡¯imu?¡± She croaked out incredulously. The young Djinn offered her his hand and pulled her to his feet.¡°You alright?¡±She started to nod yes, when she suddenly remembered something else she¡¯d forgotten.Jasper.Pushing past her rescuer, her eyes scanned the field.The formation of Moon-kissed had quickly shattered when they realized they were about to be pushed right off the street, into the chasm below, and from there, the battlefield had dissolved into chaos.Small clusters of Moon-kissed were scattered everywhere, fighting off cultists and nizirtu? alike, but all wasn¡¯t entirely harmonious between those two groups either.To her surprise, she noted several of the cultists engaged in a desperate battle with a much larger group of the giant, pale freaks. But she ignored them all as her eyes latched on to her quarry.Jasper lay on the ground, wreathed in a halo of white flames, as the Seraph closed in upon her.She unleashed her arrows, ignoring Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s cries of warning as more cultists charged toward her, but the old man batted them away as if they were nothing more than annoying gnats.Readying her stance, she tried to charge Executioner¡¯s Arrow - surely, he can¡¯t just ignore that - but her arm was yanked to the side. ¡°I kind of need your help here,¡± Ra?¡¯imu screamed at her.Raising his sword he blocked the blow that had been aimed for her throat, and with a rapid rotation of his wrist, he disarmed the cultist.His blade flickered forward, burying itself in the man¡¯s stomach.The cultist fell but there were a dozen right behind him.Damn it. Snatching another arrow, she loosed immediately and dedicated all her piercing to Moonlight Shards.It struck true, burying itself into a chink in one of the cultist¡¯s armor, and the arrow shattered.Its remains multiplied rapidly, spreading a fine layer of razor-sharp shards across the ground.The ones in front were unable to stop in time, howling in pain as the caltrops punched through their armor and her arrows swiftly cut them down.But one of the cultists was not like the rest. Ihra didn¡¯t notice the faint glow on his hands until it was too late.A fireball exploded from the back of the group, taking with it one of his compatriots, and rushed towards her.She tried to dodge, but it tracked her motion and collided.Searing pain washed over her, followed quickly by the now not-so-unfamiliar feeling of growing a second pair of legs. Her bow fell uselessly to the ground as the deer rose from the fire.Stamping its foot on the ground angrily, its hindquarters tensed and then it soared above the caltrops.It landed directly on one of them, driving the cultist to the ground, where its hooves carved bloody ravines in his flesh.But the deer was on a mission.Lowering its head, it charged straight for the mage. His eyes widened, his hands twisted desperately to summon a spell, but the deer arrived first.The unnaturally sharp antlers tore through the man¡¯s leather tunic and into his torso.With a snort, it raised its head, carrying the man with it, and tossed the mage aside.The enemies closed in around it, but the beast whipped its antlers back and forth driving them back while its ally attacked them from the back.Within moments they had all fallen or fled, save for the battered mage. He lay on the ground, body broken, but his hand still twitched as he tried to cast another spell.The deer approached, carefully tiptoeing through the remaining caltrops, and, placing its hoof on his neck, ended the man¡¯s suffering. It looked up at his ally who stared at it with wide eyes.¡°Are you¡­are you in there, Ihra?¡±The man waved his hand uncertainly before its eyes, and the deer snorted impatiently.It wasn¡¯t blind, just a deer.He started to speak again when something nicked the deer¡¯s ear.The source of pain became clear a second later as a long, narrow shaft embedded itself in the man¡¯s abdomen and, with a cry of pain, the Djinn crumpled over. Party of Three The deer spun around, searching for the archer, and another arrow ricocheted off its wide antlers.A mass of black cloaks and pale, gangly bodies - more and more of them fighting against each other - making it difficult to find its quarry.It flinched back as another arrow carved a half-inch deep gash into its legs, but this time it was able to follow the projectile¡¯s trajectory.A lanky nizirtu, sporting a pair of long, nearly silver-colored horns, held a battered recurve bow.An angry grimace split his face, revealing a row of wickedly sharp teeth, as the creature reached for another arrow. Stamping its foot on the ground, the deer charged recklessly.Its own shards cut at its hooves and feet, but it ignored them.The arrow thudded into its flank, but it ignored that too, as it leapt toward the being.It dodged to the left, raking a long dagger down the deer¡¯s side, but the nizirtu¡¯s speed was not enough to escape.Spinning around with an unnatural deftness, the deer¡¯s tines dug into his rib cage and got tangled up.Shaking its head furiously, the deer beat the man against the ground until he stopped moving. It struggled briefly to remove the corpse from its rack; then, giving up, it dashed back to where its ally had fallen.The Djinn lay sprawled across the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood.A long, black shaft stuck out of his torso, but the head of the arrow was buried too deep to be seen.Clamping its teeth around the shaft, the deer struggled to yank the arrow out.It came reluctantly, the barbed head ripping and tear at the flesh, and the deer stopped its efforts.Nudging its head against the bag lying next to him, it tried to knock a potion out; one finally fell, and it snatched up in its mouth.It had no thumbs to open the potion, so it did the only thing it could.Bashing the bottle against the ground until the glass neck snapped, it poured the sweet liquid over its face and hoped he¡¯d swallow. Then its limbs began to tremble and with a pained gasp, Ihra fell to her knees.Selene¡¯s Grace.The wounds she¡¯d received as a deer vanished along with the fur and hooves, but the pain lingered on.Her hands unconsciously clutched at her side, where the archer had torn her open, but there was no blood there.Her eyes dropped to the pool of blood she was kneeling in, and her focus snapped back.Ra?¡¯imu. The man¡¯s face was covered in sticky, pink fluid and bits of broken glass, but she could see how dreadfully pale his skin had become.He lost so much blood.Fishing a potion out of her bag, she poured it properly down his mouth, before gingerly lifting his chest off the ground and propping him against her long.¡°It¡¯s alright.Just get this arrow out of you.¡± With her mind no longer addled, she grabbed hold of the shaft and, rather than trying to pull the arrow out, pushed it deeper in.She murmured soothingly as he groaned, but her hands held steady and slowly but the barbed head emerged from his back.As soon as the metal barbs were fully freed, she broke the head off and slid the rest of the shaft out.Sensing a presence approaching behind her, her hand snapped to her bow and she whirled around. ¡°Easy.¡±Ne?s?u held his hands up.He walked with a slight limp, favoring his left leg, but otherwise seemed unharmed as he bent down beside her and Ra?¡¯imu. ¡°Where are the others?¡± She asked. ¡°Headed towards the rope bridge,¡± he grunted. ¡°For some reason, the cultists and nizirtu? suddenly turned on each other, like we weren''t even here. I don''t know what happened, but it gave them a chance to regroup and they decided to leave.¡± She frowned. Their departure was certainly inconvenient, but she couldn''t really find it in herself to condemn them. Asking them to die in a conflict they had no real stake was just too much. ¡°Can you blame them?¡± she replied. ¡°Nah." Ne?s?u grimaced. "I would have done the same back in my days in the Guard.hat¡¯s why I came looking for you.If you and the little lord want to leave, now¡¯s your chance.¡± Ihra started to shake her head.¡°Jasper won¡¯t want to-¡°She lurched her to her feet, spilling Ra?¡¯imu on the ground, as she remembered the Seraph.¡°Wait, where is he?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t see it?¡± ¡°See what?¡± Ne?s?u pointed behind her and she spun around.A hundred feet further down the temple, a large, circular crater now occupied the middle of the road. ¡°He fell, Ihra.He summoned something huge-¡° ¡°The Ophan?¡± she asked, immediately remembering the terrifying creature Jasper had summoned in Ka?r-Kuppu?. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Maybe?¡± Ne?s?u shrugged.¡°Never seen its like before, but whatever it was, it was powerful.It seemed like they might even beat the odds and win but then¡­¡±He hesitated.¡°I¡¯m not really sure what happened.I could only catch glimpses of the fight, but suddenly there was a huge explosion, and when I looked over, they had all disappeared - and a big chunk of the street with them.I can¡¯t say for certain he died but¡­¡± the warrior trailed off.¡°It would¡¯ve probably killed me,¡± he finished awkwardly. A pulse of pain ripped through Ihra''s chest as she stared at the gaping hole in the street. No. Not him. He can''t have died. He wouldn''t leave me alone.She barely even noticed dropping to her knees as she struggled to catch her breath, gasping for air that just didn¡¯t seem to reach her lungs.She flinched as the Sicyan laid his hand on her back, but he patted her with a surprising gentleness. ¡°Slow and steady breaths, Ihra, slow and steady breaths.¡±As she fought to fight the panic, Ne?s?u continued.¡°You should leave, Ihra.Take the Djinn with you and follow the Moon-kissed to safety.I¡¯m sure Jasper''s uncle will make sure you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°No,¡± she rasped out.¡°Even if he died, I have to find his body.He came back once already.What if he comes back again, only to be eaten by one of those - by one of these things.¡±She couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak of the dead gods. Pity welled in his eyes.¡°Most people never resurrect, Ihra, and you know it gets less likely every time it happens.¡± ¡°But he will.¡±She responded fiercely.¡°Besides,¡± she tilted her head up at him.¡°Who are you to talk? You¡¯re not planning on fleeing, are you?¡± ¡°No,¡± he admitted simply.¡°I vowed to protect Tsia with my life.I¡¯ve failed in that oath once.I can''t fail again.¡± ¡°Then you should understand,¡± she retorted.¡°I¡¯m not leaving this city unless I¡¯m certain he¡¯s dead.¡± The Sicyan didn¡¯t try to dissuade her further.¡°Alright then.But what about him?¡±He nodded toward the Djinn who was still stretched out on the floor. His usually pale skin was white enough to make a ghost envious and the wounds on his body were only half-healed, but the faint rise and fall of his chest indicated that life still lingered in him. Ihra¡¯s eyes darted to the bridge where the Moon-kissed warriors were already beating a hasty retreat.¡°Surely they¡¯ll take him.Here, help me carry him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here, you know.¡±The two started as Ra?¡¯imu spoke.His eyes fluttered half-open as he struggled to prop himself.His arm gave out beneath him the first time, but on the second attempt, he managed to half sit up.¡°And I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± ¡°You¡¯re in no condition to continue.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself killed, boy.¡± Ne?s?u and Ihra spoke overlapping, but the Djinn just scowled.¡°You¡¯re not my father,¡± he snapped at the warrior, ¡°and you,¡± his voice softened slightly as he turned to Ihra, ¡°are not my nurse.Tsia is the last living family member I have any connection with at all.I can come with you, or I can trail in the shadows after you, but I am not leaving.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± The Sicyan snarled.¡°Get yourself killed.What do I care.¡±Offering a hand to Ihra, he helped her up and turned his back on the Djinn.¡°But we best get out of here before these scum stop fighting each other and finish us off.¡±
Cloaked in the shadows of the cursed city, Barbartu watched as the Moon-kissed retreated across the rope bridge, back toward the safety of the upper city.For now.If Yas?gah succeeded in her plan, she wasn¡¯t so sure the city would survive. Dismissing the warriors from her mind, she turned her attention back to the three members of Jasper¡¯s party that remained - the Sicyan, the elfling, and a Djinn she didn¡¯t recognize.The Sidhe was there too, lurking over them like a gargoyle, not that they noticed him.She watched impatiently as they made their way over to the hole and peered down.Damn it.Get a move on. They lingered for a few minutes, clearly debating amongst themselves and then, pulling torches out of their bags, ventured into the darkness that swirled beyond the brethren¡¯s braziers.As soon as they were out of sight, she scrambled over to the pit herself. Hidden by her illusions, she allowed herself a small smile as she waltzed through the still-brawling cultists and nizirtu?.That had been a stroke of brilliance on her part.She¡¯d known the old Seraph would be waiting for Jasper - hell, she¡¯d counted on it.But the ambush by the nizirtu? had been unexpected, and she¡¯d quickly realized the group was about to be completely overrun. Fortunately, the brethren and nizirtu? were begrudging allies at best, both only playing nice with each other because of Yas?gah.A few illusions, here and there, of them attacking each other was all that was needed to turn the fake bloodshed into something real as months of stored-up aggression burst their dams. Thankfully, it had been enough to save what remained of the Moon-kissed warriors. She should have been celebrating, except Jasper had proven to be a little too successful.The Seraph was supposed to capture him and take him to Yas?gah, where her little plot could finally be brought into play, but against all odds, he¡¯d actually managed to bring the old mage to his knees.Barbartu had watched in disbelief as Jasper and his strange summon had beat the crap out of the mage, right up to the point of the explosion. Sure, her plot called for him to die, but in the right way - in a way that would both benefit him and punish Yas?gah.If he was dead, well...so were all plans.And I¡¯ll be stuck here for even longer.Picking up her pace, she raced toward the hole.His party was going to take the long way down, but she¡¯d just have to take a shortcut.Please be alive. In Darkness Alone ¡°Eaaugh.¡±With a gasp, Jasper woke up.His ribs groaned in protest as he sucked in a deep breath of air, and he released the air immediately.Okay, shallow breaths only.Gingerly, he rolled onto his side.His right arm didn¡¯t respond properly to his commands, and his ribs sent shooting pain with every breath he took, but aside from that he felt surprisingly well.What happened? Dragging himself into an upright position, he glanced around.An immeasurable gloom surrounded him, unbroken by any light save for a faint flicker above.He suddenly remembered the fall, and his heart rate spiked.Crap.The seraph.Calling on his essence, he let blue flames flicker along his left hand, revealing the room he was in. He was not alone. The room was much larger than he¡¯d expected.The light flickered off shiny, white pillars that seemed to run in a circle around where he¡¯d fallen and the floor was covered in thick layers of mud and silt.A bare patch in the corner, though, revealed the remains of a brightly colored mosaic decorated with what appeared to be giant blue birds fighting something that looked an awful lot like a dragon.His eyes lingered on the mosaic for only a moment, though, before he caught sight out of the corner of his eye of the other inhabitant of the room. The Seraph lay in a crumbled heap.His big, black wings were splayed on either side of him, like an angel fallen from heaven, but there was no sign of movement.Jasper watched him cautiously for a few moments, afraid the old mage was playing dead to lure him over.Except¡­I was unconscious.Surely he could have killed me if he wanted.Comforted by that logic, he worked up the courage to go investigate the Seraph. The old man¡¯s face was frozen in the position of an endless silent scream and his eyes remained wide open, but he didn¡¯t appear to be breathing.Cautiously, Jasper reached out and touched him only to find the body was stone cold. Huh.As Jasper leaned back against the wall, cradling his broken arm, confusion dominated his mind.Thanks to the fires that had destroyed the man¡¯s clothes, his torso and arms were bare, but Jasper could see the thick bracelet dangling at the end of his right arm, the same bracelet he¡¯d seen in the vision the Anzuzu had given him.He was nearly certain the Seraph was the man from his vision, and yet¡­he was dead.Has the vision changed?He knew from what his aunt had told him that it was theoretically a possibility, but he couldn¡¯t be sure.I couldn¡¯t see the cultist¡¯s face in the vision, so perhaps it¡¯s another. Uncertainty gnawed at him, but he realized he had to move on.He needed to get out of the darkness fast, before the dead gods came looking.And to do that he needed to heal himself.He limped back over to where he had woken up, and sighed as he saw his bag and glaive had been trapped underneath a small pile of rubble. He struggled, one-handed, to roll the rocks away, cringing each time they bounced onto the floor with a clatter that seemed, in the utter silence of the darkness, loud enough to wake the dead - hopefully, not literally. Finally, he unburied the bag enough to drag it out.Forced to douse the flames roiling of his hand, the darkness closed in on him as he rooted around the bag.Unlike Ihra, he didn¡¯t have a bag of holding, and he quickly realized the fall had taken its toll on the contents of his bag.The leather sides were wet and gooey and small shards of glass futilely scratched at his toughened skin.Five bottles of potion had been thoroughly smashed, but when he reached the sixth he found that, though the neck of the bottle had shattered, the bulk of the vessel remained intact. Dragging it out, he relit his hand and examined the contents dubiously.He could see small bits of glass floating in the pick potion, and he tried to fish them out, for though his outer skin had been significantly toughened, he wasn¡¯t certain if the same toughness had been applied to his innards.After removing all the glass he could find, he chugged the drink. A tickle of pain ran down his throat as a shard of glass he had missed scratched his way down his gullet, but the overall feeling of relief that washed over him was immediate.With a crack, the bones in his shattered right hand realigned themselves and his skin healed over.Willing a bit of essence into his hands, he let the fire wash over both of them. The darkness slithered back almost begrudgingly, sending long flickering shadows dancing along the walls of the room.His eyes immediately were drawn to the Seraph¡¯s corpse, half-expecting him to have risen, like some sort of cheap horror flick, but the man¡¯s mangled body hadn¡¯t moved.He seemed to be alone, but the thought of the dead gods weighed heavily on his mind.I¡¯ve got to get out of here.He glanced down at the floor, where his glaive still lay trapped beneath the rubble.Crap. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Bending down, he began to move the broken bricks and rocks as quickly as he could while still balancing his need for silence.His ears strained to their limits, listening for any sound of something lurking in the darkness, and his movements were punctuated by repeated glances over his shoulder.Slowly the shaft emerged and, grabbing hold, he tugged it free.Then, scampering over to the side of the room, he placed his back against the wall and looked for an exit. The room¡¯s shape was odder than he¡¯d realized at first.He and the Seraph had fallen into the center of the room, on top of a large rectangular block buried in too much debris for Jasper to tell if it was an altar or a sepulcher.A ring of pillars surrounded the rectangle, but the actual walls of the room appeared to be in an almost rhombus shape, with two long spikes that narrowed sharply.The light of his fire was not sufficient to illumine the dark recesses of the room, and he was forced to choose a direction.Unable to discern north from south in the depths of the city, he chose randomly and walked toward the narrowing passage. As he reached the end of the spike, a pale door came into view.It was strangely tall and thin, perhaps as much as six or seven times as high as it was wide, and was reinforced with dozens of thick bars made from the same substance as the door.At first, he mistook it for ivory, but as he stepped close, Jasper could tell it lacked the rich, yellow hues of ivory.Is this¡­bone?He stared at the grisly door reluctantly, then reached out his hand to open it.It didn¡¯t budge. He tried again, straining with all his strength, and it did shake a bit, but it still wouldn¡¯t open.After a few futile minutes of effort, he gave up and turned his attention to the other direction.Please let there be another door.One that will open. He walked back through the ring of pillars and skirted past the dead body of the Seraph again.Venturing into the darkness beyond, his guess was proven correct as another pale door came into view - or at the least, the remains of one. The door¡¯s bars still stubbornly clung to the sides of the passage, but the center had been riven in two.Large chunks of bone lay scattered on the far side of the exit, causing Jasper to cast a nervous glance back at the half-buried rectangle in the center of the room.Did something¡­break out of here?Perhaps he was jumping to conclusions, but he immediately wondered if he¡¯d stumbled across one of the graves of the dead gods.Let¡¯s hope they¡¯re not sentimental. Advancing slowly into the passage beyond, Jasper found the space quickly widened out.It was hard to find his bearings at first in the darkness which, as before, seemed to resist the light in an almost supernatural manner, but as he slowly followed the wall, he realized he had exited into one of the streets that the ancient residents of the city had carved deep into the cliffs. Pausing, he stood motionless and tried to determine if he could sense anything that would guide his steps.At first, he thought the street was perfectly level, but after a few moments of standing, he realized his weight was slightly favoring his left leg.Turning to his right, he started to head up the street, hoping that the slight incline would eventually lead him out of the city, but he had only taken a few steps when he ground to a halt again. What about Tsia?And Yas?gah?He wasn¡¯t exactly sure where they would be, but he remembered what Ne?s?u had said - that Tsia was deep in the heart of the city.He took a few steps further up the road, toward the promise of escape, and stopped again. ¡°Damn it.¡±His words echoed off the silent streets of the city, and he immediately cursed himself out - this time, silently, in his head - for the lapse in judgment.Then, begrudgingly, he turned around and started in the other direction. Jasper''s sense of paranoia grew as he walked through the darkness.Without the minimal amounts of light provided by the flames flickering on his hands, the darkness was so thick that he would be completely unable to see where he was going - it was, quite simply, necessary.But he knew too, how dangerous it was.His hands stood out like an angler fish in the depths of the ocean, a lure to everything that hid in the darkness.But the angler fish was a predator seeking prey, and Jasper knew his own situation was quite different; the only thing the light would draw to him would be danger. But the minutes ticked by, and despite his frequent furtive glances, Jasper saw no sign of anything else around - neither of the pale, gaunt faces of the nizirtu? nor that which he truly feared, the as-of-yet unseen dead gods.There was nothing but silence, and his pace slowly picked up as the road¡¯s incline steepened. The temperature continued to rise, and as he ventured further down, he was finally able to see its cause.A faint light glowed in the darkness ahead, a dull, orangey-red glow that strengthened as he approached.Large crevasses began to rive the road, miniature chasms whose bottoms churned with liquid rock.The heat roiling off the magma was nearly unbearable and though Jasper knew he had fire immunity, he wasn¡¯t quite sure if magma would count. He picked his way through the field carefully, but despite the danger that magma posed, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit cheered by his presence.Sure, falling into it was a probably death sentence, and he had no desire to repeat Gollum¡¯s last moments, but there was also light - glorious, glorious light. Still, Jasper was beginning to fear that he¡¯d headed in the wrong direction when the silence of the dead city was broken an unexpected noise.He paused a moment, listening intently to the sound, but it was too distant to make out.Picking up the pace as fast as he dared in the dark streets, he headed toward the sound, hoping against hope that Tsia and Annatta would be there. The Forgotten Tomb ¡°Raaeweergh.Ish Yrgh Awwerda.¡±The creature¡¯s loud screams distracted her just long enough that its blow snuck beneath her guard.She went flying back, but steadied herself in mid-air before she smashed into the wall.With a muttered word, she darted higher into the air and stared down at the thrashing creature.Curious.It almost seems like it¡¯s trying to speak.She listened to the garbled syllables, but could make no sense of it.She wasn¡¯t exactly fluent in the Mwryanni tongue, a language mostly lost to the pages of time, but she decided after a few moments that this wasn¡¯t quite it.Perhaps the creature was trying to speak something else, or perhaps it had lost the ability to speak altogether and its body was simply mimicking its old patterns - it was undead after all.Still, it seems more intelligent than I expected. Gripping the dagger tightly in her hand, Yas?gah felt its strength flow through her, and she met the creatures warbled cries with a raucous laugh that bounced off the walls.¡°Fear not, fallen star - I shall lay your sufferings to rest.¡± She murmured beneath her breath and the sepulcher behind the beast rose silently from the floor.¡°You can¡¯t reach me up here,¡± she taunted and the creature roared in rage.Crouching down, its limbs snapped upwards as the dead god soared into the air, its four pale blue arms straining for her throat.Its leap was a bit more athletic than she¡¯d expected, but it had still done what she wanted.With a wave of her hand, the giant stone sepulcher crashed into the creature¡¯s back and drove it into the ground.She dove after it, aiming the dagger straight for the heart of the beast. ¡°Kra¡¯¡¯an hasigh ikannah.¡±In a flash, the dead Mwyranni leapt to its feet and spun around, backhanding her.The dagger went flying from her hand as she flew about five feet straight into a pillar which, with a shudder, collapsed from the force of the blow. ¡°Oof.¡±She landed on the ground hard, the wind knocked out of her, but a few thousand years of instinct brought her immediately to her feet, and she darted back into the air a split second before the creature charged through where she had fallen.With rising frustration, her eyes searched the darkness for the dagger. But her attention was diverted again as a painful tingle ran down her spine.Kurkuzan.Disbelief coursed through her veins as she realized her most devoted follower had just died.How?She was tossed backward as the undead Mywranni crashed into her and the two rolled head over heels across the ground.Yas?gah might have looked like a frail, petite woman, but with a few millennia of stat changes under her belt, her strength far exceeded what one would expect from a mage. She lashed out with her leg, trying to kick the creature free, but it clung stubbornly onto her with a strength that matched or even exceeded her own.Pinning her arms down, the creature bent over her and opened its mouth far wider than should have been possible.The obnoxious darkness that haunted the city seemed to snake and coil its way around the creature¡¯s limbs as if it was a living creature - perhaps it was - and she watched with some measure of curiosity as four teeth in the top and bottom of its mouth slowly lengthened.Interesting. Surging her strength, Yas?gah tried to dislodge the creature from her, but, finding the task impossible, resigned herself to the inevitable.Summoning her essence, she opened her mouth wide and screamed.It was as unpleasant as ever; her jaw and teeth shattered instantly from the force emanating from her mouth as she sustained it, the damage spread further up her face.She could feel the hot, sticky blood dripping from every orifice on her head, but she forced her essence on. The dead god was tougher than her.His skin resisted the first strike - and for a brief moment, the faint fear that she might have misjudged her strength clouded her heart - but at the second scream, it backed away, releasing her arms. For most, the pain that tore at her would have been nearly unmanageable, but Yas?gah had suffered worse.Much worse.Ignoring the fact that half her face had been blown by her own spell, she immediately rolled to her feet and sprinted away from the Mwyranni.A glint of metal caught her eyes, and she adjusted her trajectory slightly to scoop the object up.A welcome swell of strength rushed up her arm and she knew without looking that she had reclaimed the dagger. The thunder of heavy footsteps echoed behind her, and she picked up the pace.Running straight toward one of the few pillars that hadn¡¯t been knocked down in their brawl, she leapt into the air a few paces she reached it.Her foot kicked out, intercepting the pillar, and she flipped up and over the oncoming Mwyranni.With a scream fueled by pain and rage, she plunged the dagger deep into its chest as she landed on its back.It failed to reach its target, and she yanked out, stabbing again and again. The dead god¡¯s screams were so loud she could feel her bones vibrate.Its four arms desperately flailed behind it, trying to dislodge her, but its own muscles worked against it. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Yet, once again, it showed itself to be more intelligent than she¡¯d expected.Giving up on grabbing her, it flung itself on its back. Yas?gah barely managed to leap clear before it smashed the ground.Her ankle crumpled beneath her weight as she landed, sending her sprawling.Cursing, she summoned enough of her essence to dart into the air seconds before the Mwyranni plowed through the spot she had fallen.Circling high above of its reach, the two regarded each other warily. She was beginning to regret her plan to hunt the dead gods.The nizirtu? had assured her there were only seven of them, plus the three that hadn¡¯t risen, and she had felt confident of her ability to kill them. But if this one - the first she had hunted - was any indication, they were a more dangerous foe than she had reason to believe. Undead were supposed to be stupid, but these still possessed a certain animalistic intelligence that gave her pause.Still, if this was the price she had to pay for apotheosis - so be it.Her hand gripped the dagger more tightly as she summoned her essence to attack again.It was time to stop holding back.
As the sounds grew louder, Jasper became more and more certain that he was headed in the right direction.The noise turned into words which, although he couldn¡¯t quite grasp their meaning, sounded like a chant.Dousing the light from his hands, which was really no longer necessary thanks to the dim glow of the magma, he slowed his pace to a crawl as he searched for the source of the sound. The street dipped down sharply one last time, and then widened out.A huge cavern, undoubtedly of natural origin rather than carved out like the city, stretched above his head.Pits of boiling magma dotted the floor, but there was clear path forward that wound through the darkness.He followed it cautiously, and the sound of chanting increased with every step until a shape emerged out of the gloom. It was a freestanding building, the first he¡¯d seen in the ruined city that wasn¡¯t carved straight into the bedrock. Perched on a small rise that overlooked bubbling pits of lava, the building was a simple square, though it walls were so disproportionately taller than its overall size - just like the curious doors in the tomb - that it seemed almost surreal. Crouching down beside the bolder, Jasper surveyed it in silence.There was no sign of life outside the walls, but light streamed out from a pair of open doors and so too did the noise. Jasper stared at the building reluctantly, feeling like he was waiting just outside the boss¡¯ chambers in a Dark Souls game.True, there was no swirling gate of fog to bar his entry, but he knew his task was borderline folly.What could one man do alone - especially when he¡¯d already been forced to use Hand of Judgement.There would be no Ophan to save him this time. Getting myself killed isn¡¯t going to help anyone, his mind began to rationalize.Surely they wouldn¡¯t want me to die just for them. His back stiffened as he rejected the thoughts.Just shut up and move, he snarled at himself, and slowly his body obeyed his commands.He reached the portico of the strange building unhindered, and crouching beside the doors, peered inside. An enormous statue presided over the room.Carved from pure alabaster, the four-limbed being was bent over, with each of its four arms gripping the ceiling as if it was holding the roof up.It gleamed white in the light of the braziers below, but large flecks of blue paint still clung to much of its skin.Beneath its protective embrace lay three more sepulchers nearly identical to the one he¡¯d seen earlier and there - chained to their top, Jasper saw two prone bodies and even though their faces were frustratingly hidden from him, he felt certain he¡¯d found his friends. Unfortunately, the room was also full of cultists.Their backs were turned toward him as the cultists milled around the central sepulcher.At first, he couldn¡¯t see what they were doing, but as he watched them shuffle to and fro, retrieving items from somewhere out of sight, he realized they were decorating it with flowers and fruit.Not exactly what I expected. He watched in silence for a few minutes, unsure how to proceed.The number of cultists in the group wasn¡¯t very large - he counted just 18, although he couldn¡¯t be certain there weren¡¯t a few more lingering out of sight - but it was enough to give him pause.If he got lucky, he might be able to beat them, but that was only if there wasn¡¯t anyone like the Seraph amongst their group.If there was, he was screwed. Rejecting the idea of a full-on assault, he decided what he needed was a distraction.Retreating from the door, he glanced around for ideas.The deep gloom made it impossible to see what lay hidden in the dark reaches of the cavern, but as he looked at the roof of the strange building, he found his inspiration. A half-man, half-bird statue much like the one that stood outside the gates to Nah?as?s?innu, guarded the center of each wall, a silent sentinel of the dead.One of them looked in near-perfect condition, but the others had taken some damage.A large rock had fallen from the roof of the cavern, snapping one half and tearing off the arm of another, before it had come to a stop at the third.The statue had been partially lifted off its base, leaning precariously over the roof, but somehow it still clung on.Perfect.Just need something to bait them out with.But as he finished his survey of the surrounding area, he found nothing to work save for fallen rocks and sluggishly boiling magma.There was nothing much in his bag either; there were the broken potions, a bit of rope, soggy maps, brushes for Dapplegrim, some jerky and hardtack, along other odds and ends, but his bag was sadly lacking in dynamite, fuses, or grenades.Guess there¡¯s still one way I can get their attention, he decided. Christmas Miracle, For Hire ¡°Chestnuts roasting on an open fire¡­¡± Laylah tiptoed down the hall, cradling a cup between her hands.The hot, black liquid sloshed dangerously back and forth, splashing onto her fingers and she bit back a yelp.But she held on, not wanting to risk the fragile ceramic mug, and reaching her destination, she set it down safely on a small table. With a contented sigh, she plopped down into a plush leather armchair beside it.The cushions embraced her, and she practically purred in contentment as she pulled the heated blanked-up over her.She idly stared around the room as she enjoyed the crooning of the magic box. Outside, the snow was falling fast and she watched the snowflakes flutter down.It wasn¡¯t quite the first time she¡¯d seen snow - when she was still a child, her father had once taken her on a business trip to the Northern Plateau, where snow and ice were common features of life.But aside from that, she¡¯d lived her life in and around S?adda?nu; there, the only time you might encounter snow was in the tricks of a traveling mage. She nestled deeper under her blankets and, taking a long sip of coffee, sighed contently.The snow was pretty enough to look at, but Laylah didn¡¯t particularly like the cold.That didn¡¯t mean it was entirely without its merits though.There was something about the bitter cold outside that seemed to heighten the cozy comfort of her small apartment. Tearing her eyes away from the snow, she stared at the pine tree that Jacinda - or Jaz, as she preferred to be called - had insisted on erecting.Cutting down a tree just to drag it inside struck her as a rather strange custom, but she had to admit that the lights and spun glass ornaments that festooned the pine were rather festive. *Brrrz* *Brrrz* The little black box sitting beside her mug - a phone, she reminded herself - vibrated, shaking the whole table and sending more coffee sloshing over the side of the mug.Cursing, she dragged herself out from beneath the blankets and fetched a towel.She carefully wiped the table dry and then checked the phone. Laylah couldn¡¯t read the squiggles of text in the message - unfortunately, this world had no system to help her magically learn the language and her progress in mastering English had been slow - but she unlocked the screen and, typing in her code, used the helpful text-to-voice feature Jaz had installed on it. ¡°Hey Laylah, this is Darren with the Consortium.¡±The man spoke quickly, as if there was some prize for spitting out his message as fast as possible and she struggled to follow along.¡°Jaz gave me your number, said you¡¯ve been doing some odd jobs around town to help out.Don¡¯t know if you¡¯re interested, but I had someone come through my office earlier today that needed a bit of help.Didn¡¯t sound serious enough for the Consortium to handle, but I thought maybe you could check in on them.I could authorize a small consulting fee if you chose to help out.Let me know.¡± She listened to the message two more times, scratching notes down in her own language, before she felt certain she understood.A job?Laylah eyed the cozy chair where the heated blanket and coffee still waited for her with a bit of regret.She had no desire to leave the comfort of home behind for the whirling snows of the storm but, though Jaz hadn¡¯t charged her rent thus far, she felt a bit uncomfortable leaving on the other woman¡¯s largesse.I guess I can hear him out.
An hour later, her ride pulled up to a huge building, one large enough to put the royal palace to shame, although nowhere near as fancy.Hundreds of cars surrounded it on all sides and a steady stream of people flowed in and out of the doors.Getting out of the cab, she stopped beneath the doors and sounded out the letters carefully.¡°T-W-E¡­¡± Twelve Oaks, she finally decided in relief.It was the right place. ¡°Oof.¡±Someone slammed into her from behind.She turned her head to find a young man rubbing his shoulder gingerly.¡°Damn girl, are your bones made of metal?¡± ¡°Sorry-¡° she started to apologize, but he shook his head.¡°Nah, it¡¯s cool.I wasn¡¯t looking.Have a good day now.¡± Picking his bags up, he brushed past her into the building. Following him in, she shivered in delight as the warm air gushed over her.She strolled down the wide corridor aimlessly, taking in the multicolored lights, the bustling crowd, and the rich, sweet smell of cinnamon and roasted nuts.A sudden, intense craving took hold of her, and she paused long enough to purchase a few bags. Feeling a bit guilty about spending more of Jaz¡¯s money, Laylah resumed her search for the contact in interest, munching happily on her bag of hot almonds. A few minutes later, she found her objective.The corridor she¡¯d been falling merged with another hall, creating a wide open space in the middle occupied by what appeared to be a small cardboard village.A rotund old man whose cheeks were stained with the ruddy flesh of alcohol and excess sat on a throne, surrounded by a few scrawny courtiers dressed in bright green and red outfits.Must be the local lord.He seemed a bit unfit to be a warrior, but the long line of people waiting to see him suggested that he was a fairly popular ruler.She watched in surprise as a small child clambered up on his lap and whispered into his ear.What an odd custom. But forcing herself to focus on the task at hand, her eye roved over the garishly dressed courtiers again.A small, thin man with curly brown hair and piercing green eyes stood beside the throne.His hands moved nervously and his body twitched as he led the child away from the lord, to be replaced by another. She waved at him, but he ignored her.Waving her hand more vigorously, she called out this time.¡°Gareth?¡±His face wrinkled in confusion as he looked up at her, but he still didn¡¯t move.¡°Gareth?Darren sent me.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. His eyes squinted, examining her more carefully, and then he leaned over and spoke to his lord.The noble graciously allowed him to depart, and the brightly-colored man weaved his way through the crowd over to her. ¡°You said Darren sent you.¡±He looked her up and down skeptically. ¡°Yes, from the Cons-¡° He grabbed her arm, squeezing tightly.¡°Lower your damn voice,¡± he hissed.He glanced around nervously and then dragged her toward a much smaller hallway that branched off of the great corridor. He stopped at a door and, after punching a few buttons on the handle, swung it open.He stuck his head inside, then waved her in.¡°Here - it¡¯s empty.We can talk in private.¡± The room was empty save for a single large table with a chair on either side and a small object in the upper corner of the room.Taking his brightly colored cap off, he tossed it over the black object before plopping himself into the seat. ¡°Here, have a seat.Sorry about the room,¡± he apologized.¡°It was just the closest one.¡± She cocked her in confusion.¡°Is there something wrong with it?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s an interrogation room,¡± he started.He paused and a light entered his eyes.¡°Oooh.You¡¯re one of those.¡± Laylah blinked in confusion.¡°Those? Those what?¡± His eyes squinted tightly and he sat up in his chair.¡°You did say Darren sent you, right?¡± ¡°Yes, from the Consortium,¡± she repeated. He laughed.¡°Man, you are some hick.You not grow up around normal folk?You know, humans?¡± She paused a moment, unsure what hick meant, but decided to answer the second part of his question.¡°Until coming here, I hadn¡¯t met any humans.But now I¡¯ve met a few like you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± The man looked startled.¡°You¡¯re telling me you can¡¯t see through my glamour?¡± Laylah bit her lip in frustration.Damn it.Jaz had largely kept her away from the community of ¡°magical beings¡± as she called it, but from her few interactions, Laylah had surmised that the magic here was quite a bit different than in her own world.It was far rarer, surprisingly stronger, and decidedly more hidden.But the most distinct difference was the prominence of illusion magic, or as the community preferred to call it, glamours. Illusion magic certainly existed in Corsythia, but it was rare.Of the many races she knew of, only the Fey had any particular talent with it, and even they put relatively little value in it.Illusion magic was perceived as weak and lacking in combat, not to mention the fact that most high-leveled warriors and mages could see right through the illusions as long, at least as long as they had enough points in vision. On earth, though, it had been elevated to an art form.Almost every mage or magical being seemed capable of at least enough illusion magic to hide themselves from the humans they lived amongst, or if they did not, then they paid through the nose for someone else to provide that service.The magic seemed stronger too; despite having a reasonable amount of points in vision, she had quickly discovered that she was unable to pierce through their glamours. ¡°No-o.¡± She admitted frankly. ¡°I suppose, living so isolated from humans, there was no need to use glamours where you grew up.Except¡­¡± A frown crossed the man¡¯s lips.¡°You seem pretty skilled in using them.I can¡¯t pierce your glamour.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± His frown deepened.¡°You¡¯re saying you''re human?¡± Laylah shifted in her seat, her impatience rising as the conversation, which she struggled to understand, stretched on.¡°Do you need my help or not?¡± He stared at her suspiciously, then drew a black box of his own out of his pocket and dialed a number.¡°Hey Darren¡­¡± A brief conversation later, he hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair.¡°So you¡¯re an outworlder, eh?I suppose this is pretty confusing.¡± She nodded politely but asked again.¡°Can I help you?¡± The man shrugged.¡°Well Darren vouched for you, so why the hell not?¡±He twitched his fingers and the illusion dropped away. Laylah stifled her gasp as she stared at the odd, funny-looking creature that now sat opposite her.His skin was somehow wrinkled and saggy, his ears flopped down nearly to his shoulders and his nose seemed a bit too large for his face.His size too had shrunken down by nearly a foot, closer to the size of a durgu - not that she¡¯d ever met one of them.After a moment¡¯s hesitation, though, she decided that the creature fell into the category of so ugly it was cute. He chuckled at her startled reaction.¡°I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t seen my kind before.I¡¯m a brownie.¡± The word meant nothing to her, but she gestured for him to continue. ¡°Now since you¡¯re not from around here, you wouldn¡¯t know, but back in the old days, brownies weren¡¯t exactly at the top of the ladder.A couple of weeks ago, a new guy showed up in town, a redcap by the name of Callum.Unfortunately, he¡¯s nothing like his name.The dude grew up in one of those isolated communities where the old traditions are still kept and turned up on my doorstep demanding tribute.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t do that here, and even if I was willing to pay him, I straight up don¡¯t have the money.¡±The man gestured to his brightly colored uniform.¡°I told him, ¡®Like damn, dude.I am working as an elf in a mall.I don¡¯t have the money to be paying no tribute.¡±He yanked up the sleeves of his outfit and showed her a dark mass of bruises on both shoulders.¡°We didn¡¯t exactly see eye to eye.I need you to scare him off, take care of him, whatever.¡± Laylah hesitated.¡°What about your lord?¡± She asked.¡°Surely he should bear the responsibility of caring for his courtiers?¡± ¡°My what now?¡±The man stared at her in confusion for a second, then started to laugh.¡°You think that old lush is my lord?Nah, girl, we just playing a part.It¡¯s just a show for the kiddies.You know, Santa Claus?¡± She focused on the part she understood.¡°So he¡¯s not your lord?¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t have lords around here.That¡¯s the whole problem.This damn Redcap sweeps in and thinks he owns the place.Can you help me or not?¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡± she agreed slowly.She didn¡¯t understand the situation at all, but Jaz had set it up and that was good enough. The man grinned.¡°Great. It took a little digging, but I managed to find his address.Give me your number.¡± ¡°My number?¡± ¡°Your phone,¡± he clarified.She scrolled through the odd device until she found what he was looking for and read it out and a few seconds later it vibrated with a new message. Standing up, the brownie twitched his fingers again and the illusion reassembled.¡°Man, I don¡¯t have a lot of money, but if you can get this guy off my back, I¡¯ll owe you one.Seriously, it will be a goddamn Christmas miracle.¡± Mele Kelikimaka ¡°Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright, Hawaiian Christmas Day¡­¡± Laylah stared out the window of her Uber as the song played on the radio.The snow was still falling fast, and her driver¡¯s Kia was beginning to struggle in the conditions.Pausing at a red light, the car fishtailed as they turned right and the driver shot her a half-smile of apology.¡°Sorry, we¡¯re almost there,¡± he promised. Five minutes later, he pulled to the curb and unlocked the doors.¡°You sure this is where you want to go, ma¡¯am?¡± She pulled out the phone and, rather than struggle to read the message the brownie had sent her, just showed it to the driver.He scratched his head and checked Google Maps.¡°Yeah, this is the right address.Do you want me to wait for you?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Laylah responded, shaking her head.The man looked uncertain as she got out, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he put the car in drive.His tires spun uselessly in the snow, gaining no traction at all, and he hopped back out a moment later, looking sheepish.¡°Hey, uh, can you maybe give me a push?¡± She shrugged and, when he got back in, gave the back of the car a shove with one hand.It shot a good fifteen through the snow before the tires gained traction and the car slowly spluttered down the street.Laylah turned, not noticing the man¡¯s incredulous stare, and surveyed her destination. The street had once been filled with row houses, grand three-story stone edifices that in their heyday spoke to wealth and luxury, but that time had long since passed.Empty lots now littered the street, while here and there the shell of one of the old buildings still stood.Just three remained on her side of the street and only the one she was standing in front of displayed any signs of life, where a dim glow in the front room spilled out from between gathered curtains. Laylah slipped the indigo backpack Jaz had given her off her shoulders and set it down in the snow.She rooted around in it for a moment and pulled out her gear.She tied the twin daggers around her waist, frowning a bit as the belt strained to buckle, and then added the short sword.The jerkin followed, not made of leather as she was used to, but some sort of strange synthetic fabric that Jaz had assured her was ten times better.She was about to affix her greaves when the door to the building flew open. ¡°Get out!And don¡¯t come back till you have my money!¡± A voice roared.A moment later, a young man was sent flying through the door. He landed on his back in the snow a few feet away from her and his eyes widened as he caught sight of her.¡°Who the hell are you?Some sort of cosplayer?¡± Ignoring him, Laylah marched toward the still-open door and the source of the yelling appeared. A tall man with gangly arms and an almost comically large potbelly stepped out of the building.Despite the cold weather, he wore nothing but a pair of ratty jeans and a white wife-beater that revealed arms covered in hair nearly thick enough to braid.¡°Who the hell am I?Who do you think you¡¯re talking to¡­¡± The man trailed off as he caught sight of Laylah.¡°Oh, so you weren¡¯t talking to me. Run along,¡± he waved the man off and turned his attention to her.¡°Are you one of my subjects?¡± He stared at her for a second, his eyes squinting into nearly vertical slits, then he shook his head.¡°That¡¯s a damn good glamour,¡± the man grunted, ¡°but don¡¯t think that means you won¡¯t have to pay.Rules are rules.¡± Laylah approached the man slowly, keeping her hands within easy reach of her daggers.¡°Are you the red hat who is demanding payment of the browns?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a redcap, damn it, not a red hat.What sort of moron doesn¡¯t know the difference?¡± The man snapped. ¡°You should stop.Gareth¡¯s red lord may not protect him, but I will not let you rob him.¡± ¡°Rob him?The only one robbing anyone is him.I¡¯m owed my due and if he thinks he can just weasel out of it, he¡¯s got another think coming,¡± he snarled.¡°What are you anyway?Some sort of do-gooder human who got dragged into this by a dumbass brownie.Leave now, little lady, while you can.¡± Laylah shifted her position, readying her stance, and the daggers leaped into her hand.¡°Last chance,¡± she warned. With a snort, the man waved his hand.The illusion around him shattered as he cast the spell, revealing a creature with a bulging pot-belly, gangly arms, teeth as sharp as knives, and two eyes that glowed red with murderous rage.He wore a knitted redcap on his head, and a long pike was affixed to his back.But Laylah had no time to stare as a giant block of stone was ripped right out of the house and sent flying toward her head. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. She dove forward, somersaulting head over heel.The block flew harmlessly over her head, smashing into the middle of the street in a shower of snow, as she rolled to her feet.With her dagger, she lashed out straight toward the redcap¡¯s jugular, but her foot slipped in the snow.She fell, and the dagger careened down the side of the man¡¯s leg, drawing an ugly, but unfortunately shallow, wound. ¡°Morrigan take you,¡± the redcap hissed angrily, leaping aside.His hands twitched again and another block of stone tore free from the wall.It whistled toward her and Laylah knew she couldn¡¯t move in time.Blind Strength, she muttered.Temporarily dumping her points in vision into strength, she intercepted the block with her hand.A crack split the night and a cloud of dust followed. The redcap only gaped.¡°Okay, you ain¡¯t no human,¡± he admitted, ¡°but I still won¡¯t be denied my dues.¡±Unclipping the pike from his pike he leapt toward her, with the great spear aimed for her chest. Laylah rolled to the side, and grabbing hold of the pike¡¯s shaft, yanked it toward herself with all the might of her still-enhanced strength.The man was launched forward, straight into her waiting fist.With an angry yell, she drove him into the ground. ¡°Oomph.¡±The redcap sank into the snow with a pained grunt, and she raised her fist again, ready to strike.¡°Stop, stop,¡± he begged, rolling on the ground as he struggled to get up.¡°You win.¡± She hesitated, her fist still held at the ready, as he scrambled out from beneath her.¡°I win?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you won.¡±The redcap clutched his ribs and chuckled literally.¡°You won the award for being a dumbass,¡± he laughed.His hands splayed wide and five blocks of stone rushed past him. Laylah screamed in pain as two smashed into her.She could feel her leg bend unnaturally upon itself, could feel her arm wobble uselessly as she was hurled back into the snow.Snatching up his pike, the redcap laughed maniacally as it ran toward her. She struggled to breathe, the snow sending icy fingers curling down her back, but with her one good hand, she managed to unclip the second dagger dangling at her waist and, with a hope and prayer sent to Nahre?mah, sent it whistling through the air. Perhaps the goddess heard her prayer, for it was the throw of a lifetime.The redcap swung his pike to intercept the oncoming missile, but it slipped past his guard and buried itself in his left eye.He staggered, the pike falling from his hands, and fell on his knees in the snow a few feet away from her. The two injured combatants stared each other down, and the redcap raised his hand.His fingers begin to move, and Laylah, knew she had to act. Agony lanced up her shoulder as she used her broken arm to thrust herself forward while she unbuckled the short sword.The sheath refused to slide off, and she was forced to swing it, leather and all, at the man¡¯s hands like a club.The first blow wasn¡¯t enough, but at the second, the crack of bone followed and his concentration dropped. Cradling his hand, the redcap stared at her balefully as she finally managed to fling the sheath free.¡°You should have just surrendered,¡± she said, and the sword thrust forward. With a groan of pain, she collapsed into the snow beside him, staring up at the heavens.Great, big snowflakes landed on her face, melting nearly as soon as they arrived, and her breath went up in clouds of steam.She lay there, panting for breath, as the snow piled up around until she finally managed to muster enough strength to root through her bag. It was hard to find what she was looking for, a small package with an even smaller white, ring-shaped object that Jaz had called a livesafer.Eventually, her fingers closed around it, and tearing the plastic packaging off, she popped it into her mouth. The taste was a bit more pleasant than the healing potions in Corsythia, but it certainly did the trick just as well.With a pop, her bones snapped back into place and Laylah gingerly rose to her feet. The dead redcap was sprawled next to her, with the pure white snow around him changed to a bright red.After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she dragged him deeper into the snow, and buried him in the drifts.It took a little effort, but she shoveled more snow unto the blood until it stopped seeping through and then, recovering her weapons, she called an uber. A different driver answered her summons, this time in a vehicle more suited to the weather.The man cast an odd look at her white jerkin and the daggers dangling at her waist.¡°There a big convention somewhere?¡± She smiled politely, unsure what a convention was, and handed him her phone with the address.A half-hour later, she dragged herself back into her apartment. ¡°I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus¡­¡±. A high-pitched child sang cheerily about his mother¡¯s adultery as she sank into the welcome warmth of her armchair.She promised herself that in a few minutes, she would get up and get herself some supper.Instead, beneath the warm embrace of her electric blanket and bespelled by the dancing lights of the tree, she drifted off into sleep. When she awoke the next morning, her stomach rumbled angrily with hunger.Rubbing her eyes drowsily, she stumbled into the kitchen.There was still no sign of Jaz, but she decided she couldn¡¯t wait to eat any longer.Setting a skillet over the strange, hot counter, she cracked a few eggs and tossed a few strips of bacon on.As they began to sizzle merrily, the smell began to assault her nostrils.She choked with a sudden sense of revulsion and then, clutching her stomach, raced to the bathroom. She was still on her hands and knees when the door swung open.¡°Hello,¡± a merry voice called out.¡°Just thought I¡¯d bring some food by and we could keep working on your English.¡± Footsteps echoed behind her, but Laylah kept her head hovering over the toilet as Jaz entered the room. ¡°Oh?Did morning sickness finally hit?I was beginning to think you weren¡¯t going to suffer that.¡± Morning sickness.It took a moment for Laylah to process what Jaz had said.Morning sickness.But I¡¯m infertile¡­aren¡¯t I?She paused, remembering what she¡¯d begged Jasper to do for her, and hope flared in her heart.Did Nahre?mah really answer my prayer? Another wave of nausea hit her, and she hurled again into the porcelain throne.When she finally lifted her head up, Jaz met her with a cheery smile.¡°Merry Christmas, dear.Looks like your present came early.¡± The Former Hand He considered casting his Spectral Wings, but decided it was best to preserve his essence for the coming battle.Scurrying over to the side of the building, he began his climb.If the ancient mausoleum had been in better condition, his task would have been impossible; it was only the cracks and crevasses that had been opened up by age and damage from falling rocks that allowed him to cling to the sides of the nearly sheer walls and even then, footholds were far and few between. His progress was slow and his path meandering. Despite his unnatural strength, by the time Jasper managed to drag himself onto the roof, his limbs were shaking like leaves in a hurricane. Flopping on his back, he took deep, ragged breaths before summoning the strength to stand. He reached the statue and crouched down beside it. Balanced precariously along the ledge, it wobbled as he brushed against it and he quickly withdrew his hand, sighing in relief when it steadied itself. Almost wasted it for nothing. Hiding out of sight of the ground, Jasper began to scream at the top of his lungs. He did his best to imitate the mournful wails of the dead god he had heard the last time he was in the city. It wasn''t quite the result he had hoped for, sounding more like a strangled cat than a god, but it got the cultists'' attention nonetheless. The sound of shuffling ensued below, and he craned his head cautiously over the ledge. None of them emerged, and he crouched back down again, and resumed his screaming. The nose from below grew louder, as indistinguishable voices were raised in quiet bickering, but eventually the cultists were unable to ignore the strange screams any longer. They emerged in groups of two and three, clutching their weapons tightly in their hand, as their ears searched the darkness. Jasper watched as they entered the range of the statue. Unfortunately, he wasn''t going to be able to wipe out the entire group with one blow, but it was better than nothing. Grabbing the bird-man statue, he shoved it over the edge. For a brief moment, the half-bird monstrosity flew through the air, swooping down on its victims like an owl chasing mice. Then, with a thunderous roar, it smashed into the group. Those in the middle were crushed outright, but those on either flank survived, despite being showered by stone shards. Jasper struck quickly, his hands twisting in multiple casts of purge and he watched with grim satisfaction as the cultists fell to their knees, clutching at their throats. One of them spotted him and, pointing with a shaking hand, gave a garbled cry. Footsteps pounded beneath him and five more cultists emerged from the building. Following the pointed hand of the dying Djinn, they glanced up at the roof as Jasper continued his attack. Purge. Purge. Purge. Purge. Purge. Two of them dropped to their knees beside their brethren, but the other three just glared up at him and Jasper felt his heart sink. Crap. They¡¯re too high of level for it to kill them. Abandoning Purge, he started to summon the essence for a different spell one of them lifted his hand. Immediately, a silver beam of light shot toward Jasper. He tried to dodge, but it was about as pointless an effort as dodging a bullet. The silver light slowed as it sliced through part of the roof, but it still struck him in the shoulder with enough force to send him pirouetting like a ballerina. He staggered like a drunken sailor on the edge of the roof, arms windmilling as he tried to maintain his balance. Another beam of light shot toward him and, ironically, saved him from the fall, sending him sprawling backwards. Oof. The landing forced the air out of his lungs and his head smashed hard against one of the rocks that littered the rooftop, sending stars shooting across his vision. His chest burned and shoulder burned where the spells had hit, but Jasper knew he had no time to wallow in his agony. Somehow he lurched to his feet and, being careful to stay out of sight of the ground, began to draw on his essence. ¡°Aha! There are you, maggot. Did you think you could hide from me!¡± One of the cultists shot high above the ledge and crashed down on the roof a few feet away from him. A thick cloud of dust erupted around him, sending them both into a fit of coughing. ¡°Achg..Achg¡­Fiery Shackles.¡±Jasper managed to wheeze out as the man lunged toward him.The claws bit down hard around the warrior¡¯s ankles, binding him in place, but it wasn¡¯t enough to prevent his long spear from whistling straight toward Jasper¡¯s heart.He threw himself backwards and rolled to his feet as the man broke free of the chains. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Sweeping the glaive in front of him, he forced the man to block as his mind raced for a way to end the fight. Already, he was beginning to feel the strain of essence deprivation and below he could hear shouts and cries indicating that at least a few other cultists had survived. They exchanged blows, and Jasper was driven back by the warrior¡¯s superior might. With a roar, the Djinn activated some ability and shot forward with unnatural speed. Jasper tried to bring his blade up in time to block the blow and succeeded in shoving it slightly to the right. He screamed in pain as the man¡¯s spear pierced deep into his chest, but it missed the heart. Dropping his glaive, he grabbed hold of the spear with both hands and stubbornly clung on as the Djinn tried to withdraw it, and he cast his spell. Flame Charge. The white flames boiled out of his hand, quickly sweeping across his body and, just as quickly, rushing across the spear embedded in his chest toward the Djinn. The warrior was too slow to respond and his cries of pain joined Jasper¡¯s as the two were wreathed in flames. Ignoring the cultist now writhing on the ground, Jasper snapped the shaft off of the spear, leaving the head embedded in his chest. Snatching up his glaive, he quickly cast Spectral Wings and threw himself off the roof. Flame and shadow billowed around him as Jasper dived straight toward the enemy mage. The cultist¡¯s hands moved fast, sending another beam of silver light that gauged a hole through his left leg, but Jasper persevered. Colliding with the mage, the two rolled head over heels into the group of cultists. Stumbling to his feet, Jasper swept his burning glaive in a circle around him. The warriors blocked his blows with ease, but the fire was not so easily thwarted. Their weapons caught fire which quickly spread to any who weren¡¯t fast enough to drop them. Jasper was sent flying forward as a blow hit him from the back. The rough pumice tore at his skin as he skidded across the ground and slammed into one of the fallen boulders. Flipping on his back, he saw the mage had risen. The man was completely nude now, his cloak still burning on the ground beside him, and large angry welts crisscrossed the vast bulk of his body, but his hands were already twisting with another spell. Jasper reached for his essence, but he knew he wasn¡¯t going to get a spell off his own off in time. I¡¯m going to die. Silver light glowed in the mage¡¯s hand as he aimed them toward Jasper; then, in the blink of eye, the man was suddenly flung backward by an unseen force. He splatted against the wall of the ancient tomb like a bug on a windshield and the few cultists who still survived dropped to their knees as one. What the hell? Footsteps crunched behind him as Jasper struggled to stand. He paused as a light hand rested on his shoulder, and turned to look. It was a dainty hand; though currently smeared in blood, the softness of the skin and the long, painted nails told a tale of luxury. Following the arm up to the face, Jasper recoiled in horror. A small woman stood beside him, though save for her breasts, her gender would have been nearly impossible to tell due to the fact that her face was all but ripped off. Strips of flesh hung loosely around a jaw that sagged impossibly low and there was no sign of her nose at all. The creature laughed, a light, tinkling noise entirely incongruous with her image, and twisted the finger of her hand. Jasper could sense the enormous surge of essence that flooded through her body, far more in a single quick cast than his entire pool of magic, and watched in spellbound awe as her face knit itself back together in a matter of seconds. When the healing was complete, a woman with silver eyes and delicate antlers peered down at him. Her long black hair was still streaked with bits of blood and gore, but there was no denying her almost ethereal beauty. He stared up at her in confusion. Who the hell are you? The woman clicked her tongue disapprovingly.¡°Now, now, there¡¯s no need to curse, Yas?peh,¡± she responded to his thoughts.Her hand left his shoulder and lifted his chin up with one of her long fingernails.¡°And as for who I am, I¡¯m the one you¡¯re here to kill.Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Jasper¡¯s blood froze as he stared up at the demigoddess. Yas?gah. With a burst of strength, he tried to rise to his feet, to break from her grasp, but her hand clamped around his shoulder and thrust him back on his knees. ¡°Sorry, little one, but you¡¯re going nowhere.¡± Her eyes darkened as she stared down at him. ¡°You know, I¡¯m actually rather impressed. Kas?dael has had a few Hands since she and I¡­parted ways, but none of them ever amounted to much. But you actually managed to kill Kurkuzan.¡± Jasper cried out in pain as her grip on his shoulder tightened, and she wormed her fingers into the wound opened by the spear. ¡°Yes, I am impressed. Perhaps if you had lived longer, you could have accomplished something, but Kurkuzan, despite his flaws, was my favorite servant. I¡¯m afraid that by killing him you¡¯ve signed your death warrant.¡± Her fingers flicked against the spearhead still embedded in him, sending it tearing through flesh and bone to erupt out the other side. He bit down hard on his tongue, tasting the blood, as he fought to keep from screaming. ¡°Although¡­¡± the woman paused, and cocked her head to the side, examining him as if he was something stuck to her shoe. ¡°When I ascend, I shall need a servant of my own. Stealing Kas?dael¡¯s would be,¡± she giggled, ¡°delectable.¡± A cold, cruel smile crossed her face, and she withdrew her hand from his wound. Grabbing his arm, she yanked him to the feet with such force he could feel his shoulder pulled out of its joint. Dragging him behind her, she started to walk toward the ruined tomb. ¡°Come with me, Yas?peh. I shall grant you the chance to save yourself, to make the same choice Kurkuzan intended to give you. We shall see what stuff you are made of." The Endless Dream Ihra stumbled as something bumped into her from behind. ¡°Oof - sorry. Tripped on a rock.¡±Shoving Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s arm off of her, she still held on long enough for him to catch his balance.The Djinn¡¯s face was ashen.Beads of sweat lined his brow, and rivulets ran freely down his cheeks.She was miserable too - it was hot as a forge in the depths of the pit - but she knew he was worse off than her.The potion had done enough to stop his wound from bleeding further, but he had been left considerably weakened. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he lied. ¡°Be quiet,¡± Ne?s?u grunted from a few paces ahead.¡°We have to be nearing the bottom now, and the last thing we need is your chitter-chatter attracting one of those dead things.¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯re close to where he fell,¡± she asked more softly. The warrior shrugged.¡°Dunno. Wasn¡¯t looking for him. But we¡¯re close to Tsia. Maybe he¡¯ll be nearby.¡± A flare of irritation pulsed through her chest at the realization that Ne?s?u hadn¡¯t been leading them toward Jasper.She glared angrily at his back but suppressed the bitter comments that threatened to spill forth.She wasn¡¯t happy - not at all - but it was an argument for another time.Right now, no matter how angry she was with the Sicyan, his company was still a million times preferable to being left alone in the accursed darkness of Nah?as?s?innu. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your friend,¡± Ra?¡¯imu whispered softly.¡°I know how much it hurts to lose someone you care about. But we can''t save a corpse. Tsia, though...¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± she snapped.The other two had given up on Jasper, but they hadn¡¯t been there when his head went bouncing down the steps of the city walls.They hadn¡¯t been there when he¡¯d woken up days later.He¡¯s not dead, she repeated stubbornly to herself. The Djinn smiled wryly.¡°Perhaps not,¡± he humored her, ¡°but even if his goddess revives him, do you have any idea where to find him?¡±He waved at the suffocating darkness around them. ¡°At least the warrior has some sense of direction.¡± She didn¡¯t. Unable to do anything else, she followed the two in silence. There was no more talking as the group delved deeper and deeper into the darkness, unaware of the fourth man that trailed in their wake.
Jasper struggled to stay on his feet as Yas?gah dragged him behind her.He wanted to fight back, but her grip on his shoulder was so tight, the strength she displayed so overwhelmingly beyond his own, that he had the sinking feeling that if he attempted to wriggle free of her grasp, he would be leaving his arm behind. She marched through the scattered ranks of the few cultists who had survived his attack without giving them a second glance.They were a mangy bunch now, with robes burnt clean through in many places, and skin charred by the white-hot flames of his spell.Their eyes kindled with open hatred as he passed by them, but none dared lift a hand to harm him.He belonged to their goddess now. When she reached the short flight of stairs that led into the forgotten tomb, she didn¡¯t bother walking up them.Instead, she floated a few feet into the air and drifted forward like a balloon set free in the summer skies.Jasper dangled beneath her, still clasped in her iron grip.Her feet touched down at the door to the building, and she paused at the threshold.¡°Why is the ceremony not ready?¡± Yas?gah didn¡¯t raise her voice, but the cold, clipped tone with which she spoke sent shivers down Jasper¡¯s spine - and he wasn¡¯t even the one her ire was directed at. One of the cultists stepped up, nervously dabbing at the beads of sweat that rolled down his head.¡°My lady, this one attacked us before we could finish our preparations.¡± Jasper bit down hard on his tongue, fighting the urge to cry out in pain, as her fingernails sunk deep enough into his flesh to draw blood.¡°He is just one mage - how could you not take care of him.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened in protest.¡°But my lady, didn¡¯t you say he slew Kurkuzan?How are we supposed to-¡°Jasper never even saw Yas?gah move, but the cultist¡¯s speech came to an abrupt stop as his head slid off his shoulders.It bounced on the ground and rolled down the stairs to the lava pits below.In her right hand, a black, jagged dagger had appeared.Blood dripped down its blade onto the floor below, but Jasper barely noticed as the dagger seemed to swell in size until it filled his entire vision.It thrummed with power and promise, beckoning and calling for him to pick it up and fulfill his great destiny. ¡°Uhhh.¡±With a shudder, Jasper snapped out of it.The charm the Fey had given him burned fiercely on his wrist, purging all thoughts of answering the dagger¡¯s insidious call.The remaining cultists were still bound in its thrall, drool dripping from their gaping mouths as they stared at the dagger with undisguised hunger. A few staggered forward, driven by desire but she froze them in place with a wave of her hand. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Yas?gah looked down in surprise.¡°You¡¯ve seen this before, haven¡¯t you?¡± she guessed. He nodded silently, not meeting her eyes, and a wide smile cracked her face.¡°And yet you left it for me!" she responded exuberantly. What a thoughtful gift from my newest servant.¡± I¡¯m not your servant. Jasper was smart enough to contradict her out loud but, unfortunately, the demigoddess was able to pick it up from his thoughts.Her smile vanished in an instant and her nails dug deep into his chest as she loomed over him.¡°You¡¯re either my servant or a corpse,¡± she spat.¡°I know which one I¡¯d choose.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t see her hand move, but the dagger disappeared from her hand with a crack, and the cultists around him snapped out of their trance.¡°Finish the preparations.Now,¡± she commanded the dazed brethren. The two stood in silence, watching as the injured cultists scrambled to finish wreathing the three sarcophagi in flowers and fruit.Tsia and Annatta were still chained to the coffins with their heads facing away from Jasper, but from the occasional twitching of their limbs, Jasper guessed they had awoken. They must be terrified. But there was nothing he could do. As soon as the cultists¡¯ task was complete, Yas?gah entered the room, dragging Jasper behind her, and stopped in front of the middle sarcophagi. ¡°Kneel,¡± she commanded.Jasper hurried to do so, but his efforts weren¡¯t fast enough to suit her.He gasped in pain as her hand, still tightly clutching his shoulder, pile-drove him into the floor hard enough to crack his knees. ¡°Are you going to stay and listen to what I have to say, or shall I just kill you,¡± the woman asked coldly. Probing his essence, Jasper knew he had no hope.Still barely above empty.Gotta stall. In truth, he knew it was pointless.Even if had all his essence and the Ophan spell to use again, now that he''d met her, Jasper was fairly certain that Yas?gah could crush him like an ant.He highly doubted there would be any silver bullet coming his way, but¡­as long as he had breath, there was hope. Or at least, that''s what he told himself. ¡°I¡¯ll listen,¡± he agreed. Releasing his shoulder, the diminutive woman circled round to face him and hopped up on the coffin like it was her kitchen counter. ¡°Tell me, Yas?peh, what do you know of the sacred rites of ascension?¡± ¡°Like the quests the gods give?¡± Jasper asked, thinking of the quest he himself had received. ¡°No,¡± the woman spat.¡°Not those false promises.The true rites of ascension.¡± ¡°Oh.Like killing people and eating their souls.Those ''sacred'' rites?¡±He responded sarcastically, not bothering to hide his disgust. She smiled broadly, showing immaculate rows of pearly-white teeth.¡°You know, Yas?peh, the only reason I haven¡¯t snapped your neck yet is because Kurkuzan thought you¡¯d make an interesting disciple.But Kurkuzan is dead.¡±The implication of her words was clear and Jasper bowed his head hastily. ¡°But yes," she continued, "that is what those foolish priests have no doubt told you, the lies that they¡¯ve whispered into your ears.But those who follow the sacred rites kill no one, Yas?peh; they merely reclaim what was already theirs in the hope of overthrowing the great Tyrant.¡± Jasper looked up cautiously.¡°You know, I ran into a few cultists shortly after I arrived here.I am pretty damn sure they were killing people.¡± Yas?gah sighed, and she clucked her tongue like a disappointed mother scolding her rambunctious toddler.¡°I see you do not understand.¡±Hopping off the sepulcher, she slowly walked toward him.¡°What do you think the world is, Yas?peh?¡± Thrown by the sound change of topic, Jasper¡¯s mind spun to come up with an answer.¡°The-the world?¡± he stuttered. "What sort of question is that?" ¡°What is the nature of our reality?¡±She continued, pausing in front of him. ¡°Um¡­I don¡¯t know? The cave of shadows?¡± he floundered. Yas?gah sank down beside him and grabbed Jasper¡¯s chin.Her nails drew blood as she forced him to look deep into her charcoal eyes.They blazed with ardent passion as she spoke.¡°We are all one, Yas?peh.There is no you or me, no Fey nor elf.There is only the great Tyrant and we, the shattered fragments of his mind.As long as he sleeps, we are bound and broken, forced to live this little charade, eking out a sad existence in the shadow of a dream.¡± ¡°When you follow the sacred rites of ascension, you are not killing anyone, Yas?peh.You are merely breaking the shackles of the Tyrant to reclaim a piece of your own soul.¡± Jasper desperately tried to keep the horror out of his mind, knowing she could read his thoughts.He must have succeeded well enough as, releasing her grip on his chin, she stood up and walked back toward the coffin. ¡°Where does the ascension come in,¡± he asked, trying to keep the conversation going. ¡°What do you think the gods are?¡± Yas?gah replied.¡°The gods are just like us, the only difference being that they possess a far greater share of the Tyrant¡¯s spirit than us.One need only accrue an equal measure of spirit to become like them.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said slowly.¡°But why?Why bother?If we¡¯re all living in a dream, why even bother?Just for power?¡± ¡°Why bother?¡±Intensity smoldered in her glare.¡°Why bother?Are you really still so blind?We are trapped, Yas?peh, in an endless cycle, bound in a web of lies and shadow, but there is a path to freedom, a way to break the chains wrapped tight around our wrists.And your goddess, my former mentor,¡± her voice dripped with scorn, ¡°is the very one that could free us.But since she is too much of a coward to fulfill the role she was clearly meant to play, I shall bear her burden.When the last light falls, it is I who shall remain, and I will not sacrifice myself.The Tyrant shall fall and a new world, a true world shall be born from the ashes of his dream.¡± ¡°But enough of this dithering.There shall be plenty of time for you to learn the truth of things, Yas?peh, if you only choose to follow me.¡± She gestured to the sarcophagi on either side of them.¡°Choose one, and I will let the other go free.Choose one and take your first step on the road to ascension.Or,¡± she shrugged her shoulders casually, ¡°you can refuse.I will then kill both of them in front of you, slowly and methodically - we wouldn¡¯t want to mess up any aspect of the ritual, after all - and then, when they are finished, you can join them.Your choice.¡± The Sacrifice ¡°Can I have a moment to decide?¡± Jasper asked. ¡°A private moment?¡± Yas?gah smirked. ¡°How cute. Do you really think you can plot against me?¡± She drummed her fingers against the coffin, then nodded. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not as if you can hurt me. I will give you a moment - a brief moment,¡± she warned, ¡°to make your peace with what you have to do.¡± Jasper hadn¡¯t even noticed the subtle pressure that had slowly built up in his head, thoroughly unaware that Yas?gah was worming her way into his mind until the pressure suddenly vanished. I¡¯m a frog in a pot, he realized with disgust. But Jasper knew he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it; suppressing the shiver of horror that ran down his spine, he forced himself to focus on his options. There really weren¡¯t many. He could try to fight Yas?gah, but his previous delusions of having any chance of defeating the would-be goddess had been shattered. She wasn¡¯t just a higher-leveled mage, that he could kill with a bit of luck or cleverness; no, Yas?gah¡¯s power was on a different magnitude altogether. He had about as much hope of beating her as he did of defying the heavens and - seeing as how he wasn¡¯t a character in some xianxia - that was no hope at all. He could, of course, refuse to participate in her sacred rites and they¡¯d all just die. Or he could always go along with it¡­ He rejected that possibility instantly. Even if it would save his life, he¡¯d rather die than become Yas?gah¡¯s servant. But it would also let me save at least one of my friends. Jasper hesitated slightly. Which is worse? Killing one to save another, or letting both die? It was a moral quandary he couldn¡¯t easily answer, but he also wasn¡¯t sure if he trusted Yas?gah to honor her word. She might kill them both anyways. Reluctantly, his mind turned to the only other option that remained, the option he¡¯d refused to consider from the start - Barbartu¡¯s plan. His hand toyed with the torque bound around his neck as he remembered the inscription inscribed upon it. Anaddin da?mi? lers?e?ti ki? aklam. Li?kulu? mutu? u lu?li ki? darr? a?kilu ba?rbara. ¡°I offer my blood to the netherworld as food. May the dead eat of it so that I might arise as a sheep that consumes the wolf.¡± He pondered the words for a moment, still not fully able to grasp their meaning. He didn¡¯t trust the strange cultist as far as he could throw her - which given the woman¡¯s brawny bulk, was probably only a couple of inches - but compared to the veritable buffet of bad choices he had to pick from, hers seemed like the only choice that offered a sliver of hope. At worst, I die and at best, I rise as a ¡®sheep that consumes the wolf¡¯, whatever the hell that means. At least there¡¯s a chance. Dropping his hand from the torque, Jasper did his best to drive every hint of his intentions from his mind. He knew that Yas?gah would soon worm her way back into his thoughts, but he didn¡¯t think she could read everything he thought - at least not immediately. Hoping she could only glean his surface intentions, he focused his mind on fulfilling her sacred rites as he turned back to face her. ¡°You win,¡± he said flatly. Yas?gah grinned smugly. ¡°My victory was never in doubt - only your future. Tell me, little Hand, have you decided to forsake your goddess?¡± Struggling to keep his face composed, Jasper bowed his head in apparent submission. ¡°There seems no other choice,¡± he growled. ¡°I¡¯m not ready to die.¡± Her nose wrinkled in disgust. ¡°A coward¡¯s response,¡± she hissed. ¡°It should not be fear of death that drives you into my arms but lust for power, the desire for righteous vengeance against the great Tyrant that manipulates us all. But perhaps you are not worthy of the chance I offered you.¡± Realizing he¡¯d made a mistake, Jasper¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about this tyrant, but if you think I don¡¯t care about power, you are sorely mistaken. In barely a year I¡¯ve reached levels most Corsythians will never reach their lifetime. But I¡¯m still being forced to play others¡¯ games, forced to fight in wars I don¡¯t care about for people I barely know. I¡¯m not ready to die until I have the power to be free, the power to trample all who would constrain me beneath my feet.¡± The vehemence in his voice was reinforced by a touch of true emotion as he glared up at her. Yas?gah cocked her head to the side, and Jasper could feel enormous pressure fill his mind as her eyes pierced through him. Overcome by its weight, he fell on his knees before her as she tried to read his thoughts. He focused on the anger he¡¯d been suppressing - the rage of being stolen from his world, of being abandoned by a mother who apparently could rescue him but simply didn¡¯t want to, of being forced into service of the royal house - and prayed Yas?gah would believe him. After a moment, the pressure retreated, allowing him to stagger his feet. A cold smile graced the demigoddess¡¯ lips as he forced himself to meet her eyes. ¡°Perhaps I misjudged you.¡± She sighed. ¡°Kurkuzan always was a better judge of character than I, and he believed in your potential so¡­ draw your weapon and take your first step on the path to ascension,¡± she commanded. Yas?gah beckoned to sepulchers on either side of her. ¡°Both of have already been prepared; all you need to do is choose.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. He jerked his head toward the left. ¡°That one,¡± he grunted. ¡°The Djinn?¡± Yas?gah followed his gaze. ¡°You think to the sacrifice the servant rather than your lover. No, Yas?peh, that won¡¯t die. That would hardly be a sacrifice at all, would it.¡± He stiffened as she grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the sepulcher on the right, where Tsia was bound. For the first time, he caught a clear view of the princess. For some reason the cultists had changed her clothes, dressing her in a simple green shift whose thin fabric did little to hide what lay beneath. Her wavy hair was sprawled across the coffin¡¯s top, intertwined with flowers and fruits, and chains around her ankles, wrists, and neck prevented her from doing anything more than twitching. ¡°She¡¯s not my lover,¡± he protested. ¡°Lover, friend,¡± Yas?gah shrugged. ¡°Either way, I can tell she means more to you than the other.¡± She paused in front of the sepulcher. ¡°Prove to me that you are serious about the path.¡± Tears trickled from the corner of Tsia¡¯s big brown eyes as she stared up at him. Her eyelashes fluttered quickly, fear and betrayal in her gaze, as he started to lift his glaive above her. ¡°No.¡± Jasper lowered the weapon. ¡°No?¡± Yas?gah turned to him with a triumphant smile. ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t serious-¡° ¡°Not like this,¡± he interrupted her. ¡°If I¡¯m to take the first step on the path to godhood, no mundane weapon shall do.¡± Jasper pointed to the dagger dangling from her waist. In the dim light of the tomb, its jagged, wicked edge gleamed, casting dim lights dancing across the domed roof of the mausoleum. ¡°Let me use that.¡± Indecision played across her face. ¡°Nah?as?s?innu?¡± Her hand clutched the dagger¡¯s hilt almost protectively. ¡°I doubt you can withstand its power. Just use your glaive.¡± Jasper persisted though. ¡°Your men were besotted, but I was not,¡± he pointed out. ¡°It is a god slayer, is it not? Is there a more fitting weapon with which to defy your Tyrant?¡± Slowly, her fingers undid the clasp around the weapon. Jasper could feel the Fey bracelet burning against his wrist as Yas?gah held the dagger in front of her. A beckoning power swelled out of the dagger, calling for to Jasper to seize, to hold, to possess. Living flames seemed to dance along its black blade as the dagger¡¯s siren call entranced all in the room save for Yas?gah and Jasper. Her cultists staggered forward, frenzied with desire for the blade, but with a wave of her hand, she froze them in place. But Jasper didn¡¯t move. The demigoddess waited a few moments, expecting him to be overcome by its call and try to seize it from her, but he stood by patiently, focusing on the burning in his wrist. ¡°Perhaps you can resist it,¡± she finally admitted. Flipping the dagger in the air, she extended the hilt toward him. ¡°Very well, you may use it.¡± As his fingers closed around the dagger, a wave of ecstasy washed up his arm. He staggered a step backward, drunk on the feeling of power that coursed through his veins. Why am I bowing to her? I should just kill her. A vision of him standing above the severed head of the demigoddess danced through his head. The dagger burned in his hand, black flames rippling up and down his body as his eyes glowed with eldritch power. I can do it. His hand spasmed, but the feeling of invincibility that suffused him suddenly faded as a burning pillar of pain tore up his other arm, emanating from the charm. Smoke rose from the bracelet as the charm cracked and charred, but the pain persisted, fighting against the wave of ecstasy. Recovering his senses, Jasper pushed back against Nah?as?s?innu¡¯s power and the dagger¡¯s influence suddenly retreated from him, like a cobra fleeing a mongoose. Grabbing the sepulcher¡¯s edge with his hand, he steadied himself and stared down at the wicked object. Flames still flickered up and down its blade, but it otherwise felt completely inert. ¡°Well that was tougher than expected,¡± he commented wryly. Yas?gah clucked her tongue, cocking her head as she looked at him. ¡°I must say, I still expected you to dry to stab me with it. Again you surprise, Yas?peh.¡± Jasper laughed weakly. ¡°The thought might have run through my mind,¡± he admitted. The look of knowing in her eyes made him uneasy, and he quickly glanced away. He hefted the dagger in his hand, feeling its weight, as he prepared himself to do what came next. Kas?dael had told him how to activate the torque and he was still lacking one thing, Yas?gah¡¯s blood. ¡°Before we proceed, there¡¯s one more thing I want to do,¡± he said slowly, as his mind latched on a plan. The demigoddess scowled. ¡°Are you backing out after all?¡± Her hand lifted threateningly, and Jasper shook his head quickly. ¡°No, no,¡± he protested. ¡°You are to be my master, right?¡± ¡°Mistress,¡± she corrected. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°In my world, there is a ritual we share when such bonds are joined.¡± Jasper dragged the blade across his palm and a fountain of blood spilled forth as the black metal split his skin. Rolling the dagger in his blood, he held it out to her. ¡°We mingle our blood to symbolize the bond that is between us. One drop is all I ask.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°You want my blood?¡± ¡°My blood is already on the dagger, and it is your dagger,¡± he pointed out. ¡°You need not fear that I will do anything harmful with it.¡± ¡°Fear?¡± She snorted derisively. ¡°I don¡¯t fear anything from you, little one.¡± Goaded by her pride, she grabbed the dagger and pricked her thumb. A bead of blood pooled out and she dragged it down the blade before tossing it back at him. ¡°There. I did your little ritual. Now stop stalling, and do mine.¡± Snatching the dagger out of the air, Jasper turned to face Tsia and raised the weapon over her heat. Tears still pooled in her eyes, but anger burned alongside the fear. ¡°You know my mother will track you down,¡± she rasped out. ¡°She won¡¯t rest until you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°Then I guess she¡¯ll get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± With one swift motion, his hand plunged, curving straight toward his own chest. The god-slaying weapon tore through his ribs as if they were made of wax paper and pierced his heart. A deep cold took hold of his limbs as he lurched over her, his blood raining down on Tsia¡¯s uncomprehending face. Dimly, Jasper heard Yas?gah¡¯s scream of fury. Her hand clasped tight around his wrist, and he was thrown backward through the air, but he was dead before he landed. City of the Dead Coughing and hacking, Tsia strained against her restraints just enough to turn her head to the side and spit out the blood that had spattered across her face.Jasper¡¯s blood. She watched in confusion as the horrible little woman stalked toward Jasper¡¯s crumbled body, unable to comprehend what had just taken place.Why did he do that?She¡¯d been enraged when she thought he''d succumbed to Yas?gah''s demands, but a sliver of her had understood.Perhaps, loathe as she was to admit it to herself, she¡¯d even have taken the deal. After all, why should everyone die?But what she couldn''t understand was why he¡¯d chosen to kill himself.Was the guilt too much to bear? Tsia watched as Yas?gah stalked toward his body, her face a mask of fury.With a wave of her hand, his body lurched up into the air and the woman slammed it against the wall again.¡°Did you think you could make a fool of me?¡± She screamed. Jasper¡¯s body bounced across the ground and landed beside the sepulcher where Annatta was bound.Her anger still not sated, the demigoddess raised her hand again when a dull, crimson light erupted from the torque around his neck.The body resisted her commands as a red mist seeped across his body, shrouding it in an inscrutable haze. She tried again to raise his body from the ground, but it would not budge.¡°What sort of magic is this,¡± she muttered to herself as she took a cautious half-step back.Her caution was well advised, but profited her nothing, as a long, red tendril exploded from the mist.Yas?gah threw herself to the side with supernatural speed, rolling across the ground well out of the tendril¡¯s reach.And yet, Tsia watched in confusion as the tendril, instead of missing her as it should have, somehow wrapped itself around the demigoddess¡¯ neck. A tug of war ensued as the red vine pulled Yas?gah toward the body.She did not go without a fight.Grabbing hold of the sepulcher, she hacked at the tendril with her dagger, slicing through it time and again, but it reformed the instant it was destroyed, and the sepulcher¡¯s stone crumbled beneath her grip as she was dragged toward the red mist.Her fingers clutched at the pavement, carving deep grooves in the ground, but the tendril was inexorable, and with a final scream of fury and fear, Yas?gah disappeared into the haze.
The first thing he felt was the cold.Not the biting, endless cold of Kas?dael¡¯s realm, a cold so deep that it vanquished even the faintest memory of warmth.No, this was the cold of a 90s supermarket in the summer, a chill that only felt good if you were already dripping with sweat. Jasper lay on his back, staring up at a dark ceiling above that faintly glimmered with a metallic sheen.The absence of pain puzzled him; he had only foggy recollections of what had happened after plunging the dagger into his chest, but he had still been alive long enough to feel half the bones in his body being shattered by Yas?gah.His hand inched down his chest, feeling in vain for either a dagger or a hole.What the hell? Flipping onto his stomach, Jasper pushed himself off the floor and looked around.It was only then that he realized how truly odd the place he¡¯d found himself in was. On his left side a rough, stone roof stretched a few feet before ending in a precipitous cliff.The floor was covered in dust and cracks, with a pair of footprints winding around his body.The only thing on the clifftop itself was a small, clay object that looked a bit like an abandoned bird bath.A large, jagged crack extended halfway across its basin, preventing it from holding any moisture, and he quickly ignored it to focus on the view below. A great city lay at the bottom of the cliff - great in size, that is, though certainly not in majesty.Small squat buildings of mud and thatch that rose more than two or three stories high stretched for as far as the eye could see in every direction.There was no sign of plan or order to them, nor of any artistic design; in flagrant disregard of fire codes, the houses were clustered right on top of each other without any breaks save for the haphazard streets that occasionally broke them up. The cramped roads swarmed with life, thousands upon thousands of inhabitants whose shuffling, jerky walk reminded him more of zombies than humans.Here and there, strange beings with the torsos of men but the head, feet, and wings of birds, flitted through the air, squawking and screeching at the city¡¯s inhabitants with enough of a cadence that Jasper guessed it to be a language rather than mere animal sounds. Above the city was just blackness - no sun or moon bent their light to the misery below, nor could even the faint glimmer of the stars be seen.The only light to be found was the thousands upon thousands of tiny pin-pricks that gleamed through the tattered windows of the mud abodes. As Jasper gazed down on the mud-brick city, a bitter breeze brushed against his back and he spun around.The rough pavement on which he was standing continued for perhaps a hundred feet past where he¡¯d fallen before being slowly submerged in the gentle rise and fall of sandy dunes.Spiky blue grass waved frantically in the gusts of wind that buffeted the dunes, and between their peaks he could see glimmers of a sea so dark it was almost black - awakening a primal fear.It was sheer luck, after all, that his mindless wanderings had not taken him into the icy and eternal grip of those waters the last time he had been here. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Jasper¡¯s stomach churned and he dropped to his knees as he heaved his guts out on the ruined pavement.There was little to empty, but that did not stop his retching from producing burning mouthfuls of acid that he spat out in the dust. ¡°Pathetic.¡± Spinning around, Jasper was already reaching for his essence as he turned to face his enemy.The petite brunette looked a bit worse for the wear.Her neck was swollen with a large red welt and a large chunk of her robe had been torn to shreds, but fire still burned in her eyes. ¡°To think I was prepared to take you as my apprentice.You are weak, unfit to seize the reins of power,¡± she spat scornfully.Yas?gah flicked her hand toward him, and Jasper felt his feet leave the ground.As he soared backward, he desperately drew on his essence, struggling to cast Spectral Wings, but his progress was halted in mid-air before he could even release the spell.For a moment, it felt as if his body would be torn to shreds as two, opposing forces fought for control, but the new presence won, and he was gently lowered down onto the sands. ¡°You?!¡± Yas?gah snarled.¡°So the cowardly mistress finally shows her face.¡± Soft steps crunched in the frozen stands as someone walked up beside him, and a long, black dress brushed against his arm.¡°Kas?dael,¡± Jasper gasped in relief.¡°Thank god.¡± "Goddess," she corrected with a smile. As he stared into her deep, blue eyes, it took him a second to realize she wasn¡¯t wearing her usual veil, revealing for the first time her full face.Her skin was pale as the moon itself, highlighting the deep red, blush of her lips, but that, at least, he¡¯d been able to surmise from the glimpses he¡¯d caught through the black lace.What the veil had hidden though were the pale, blue tattoos that extended from the corners of her lips along the breadth of her cheeks.Though seemingly similar in purpose to the ones that graced his hands, the intricacy of their whorling patterns made his own look as elegant as a stick-figure drawing taped next to a Raphael. ¡°New look?¡± He asked flippantly as he rose to his feet and brushed the sand off his clothes. Ignoring his question, Kas?dael brushed past Jasper and positioned herself between him and Yas?gah. ¡°Been doing some renovations, Cassie?¡±The woman laughed mirthlessly, gesturing over her shoulder to the strange mud city beyond.¡°Got to say, never thought you¡¯d abandon your marble temples and spacious pavilions.Did S?uhrurru get a little too quiet for you?¡± ¡°Tis not my realm,¡± the goddess replied.A flicker of concern creased Yas?gah¡¯s brow, but she smoothed it away quickly. ¡°Something to do with that damn necklace, I''m guessing?¡±Kas?dael stayed silent, and the woman shrugged.¡°Fine, don¡¯t tell me.It doesn¡¯t matter, because whatever you were trying to do, it didn¡¯t work.She raised her other hand, and a dark, black object glinted ferociously in the dim light.¡°I¡¯ve even got the damn dagger with me.All you¡¯ve done, my lady, is serve yourself up on a plate.¡± Readying the dagger in her grasp, the small woman shifted into a fighting stance.¡°You know if you just had agreed to do what you¡¯re supposed to do, none of this would have happened.¡± ¡°Who are you to decide what I¡¯m supposed to do?¡±The goddess responded frostily. ¡°Someone who has the guts to do what needs to be done.How long will you bend to the will of a dead god?How many times must the universe die - how many times must you die - before you were shaken into action?No more!¡±The woman yelled. ¡°What difference does it make to you?I am the one who sacrificed myself time and again, not you.I am the one who suffers alone in the darkness while the reborn gods create life anew, not you.No wrong has been done you, yet you drape your words in righteousness to disguise the truth.You only worship power, power for yourself, and nothing more.If I¡¯d realized that then, I would have smote you down the moment you prostrated yourself before me.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t, and now,¡± the woman flipped the dagger in her hand, ¡°the only one smiting anyone today is going to be me.¡± Plumes of dust trailed behind her as she shot across the plains toward Kas?dael.Jasper reached for his glaive to help but stopped as Kas?dael waved him off.¡°I will hold her.You need to finish the ritual.¡± Finish the ritual?I thought I did. With a crackling boom, Yas?gah vaulted into the air and held the dagger high.Time seemed to slow as she arced down toward Kas?dael, the glittering serpent¡¯s tooth aimed straight for the goddess¡¯ heart. Kas?dael tried to dodge, but invisible walls closed in around her.Jasper watched in sick horror as she bounced off the force fields back into the trajectory of the blade a mere fraction of a second before Yas?gah descended. Then a horror of another kind filled him a massive black vine erupted from her mouth.Gleaming like the dark waves of the oblivion sea, the column of darkness intercepted Yas?gah.Thick, thorny tendrils wrapped tight around her torso as the vine drove her into the ground.It flung her back in the air, preparing to smash once her again, only for the vine to fall limp as the petite woman slashed the jagged blade through its core.With a wave of her hand, she sent a shower of rubble flying toward the goddess which was promptly intercepted by a dozen new tendrils. ¡°Come now, my lady, weak tricks like that won¡¯t save you,¡± the woman laughed shrilly. Focus. Tearing his eyes away from the divine combat, Jasper wrenched the torque of his neck and read the inscription again. ¡°I offer my blood to the netherworld as food.May the dead eat of it so that I might arise as a sheep that consumes the wolf.¡±What didn¡¯t I do?Wasn¡¯t it just a metaphor for self-sacrifice?Frustrated, Jasper¡¯s eyes roved around the frozen hellscape, looking for any sign of something that might help him finish the ritual.He paused as he noticed the strange, broken bird-bath again.Its presence seemed incongruous in the otherwise barren lands.Could it be? Death of the Divine Jasper broke into a run, stumbling through the frozen sands.A blast of power knocked him off his feet, only for a tendril to swoop him up and set him down safely, and he continued his run without stopping, trusting in Kas?dael to keep him safe. She struck twice more, but each time Kas?dael blocked the blow, and as the frozen sand gave way to the ruined pave stones of the other realm, he was able to pick up the pace and escape their conflict.Clouds of dust rose around him as he skidded to a halt before the small, broken basin and stared down into the dismal city once again. The endless, dreary homes.The shuffling inhabitants.The watching spirits.Tis not my realm.Dim memories of studying the Epic of Gilgamesh in college survey classes struggled to the surface, and the pieces clicked into place. ¡°Is this the netherworld?¡± It was hard to believe.Sure, others had hinted from time to time that magic had existed in some nature back in his world, but he¡¯d imagined it as little more than the occasional talented individual who was capable of, perhaps, hurling something like a fireball, not the bloody realm of the dead.But as he watched the inhabitants of the dreary city mill around the streets, their movements slow and jerky, the doubts ebbed away.¡°So it¡¯s not a metaphor at all.I actually need to feed the dead.¡± Retrieving the glaive from his side, Jasper held his arm above the font and sliced down.Blood gushed from his wrist, wetting the bottom of the basin.A small amount accumulated, but nearly as much spilled out of the ruined crack as remained.It¡¯s not enough.He sliced the other wrist, wobbling with dizziness as the blood poured out far too fast.He was stronger than a mere mortal now but there was a limit to how much blood he could lose.Please let this work. ¡°Anaddin da?mi? lers?e?ti ki? aklam.Li?kulu? mutu? u lu?li ki? darr? a?kilu ba?rbara,¡± he screamed into the void.Steam rose from the basin¡¯s surface as the blood turned black and began to boil. ¡°Anaddin da?mi? lers?e?ti ki? aklam.Li?kulu? mutu? u lu?li ki? darr? a?kilu ba?rbara.¡± He screamed again, and an overwhelming presence filled his mind. FEED US. His limbs moved under a power not his own as he cast the boiling blood into the depths below.The wounds on his wrist healed as the presence released him and he fell on his knees before the city.His heart beat so loud it echoed in his ears as he stared into the endless expanse. There was only silence. Silence. And then, the sound of thunder. A single cloud formed on the dark expanse above the city.It was small at first, barely more than a speck of fluff.But fog and mist spewed forth from it, rapidly growing until it covered all could see.The roar of thunder echoed once more, but no lightning arced down, and then the heavens opened.Rain poured down on the city, not of water, but of blood. The hordes of residents shambling down the streets turned their faces to the heavens, drinking in the sustenance.More surged out of the crumbling abodes, fighting and clawing to reach the offered sacrifice, and the city exploded into a cacophony.Howls and screams drowned out the patter of the rain, shattering the silence of the void. Jasper¡¯s hands spasmed as a current of power flooded into him.Like a flood it overwhelmed him, driving him to the ground, where he writhed in agony.His lips grew parched, his limbs quailed, and his body burned with hot as an endless surge of something - not quite essence, but close in nature - poured into him.arkness began to blur his vision, he frantically fumbled through his bag for a potion, only to find it empty. Then a husky voice echoed in his mind. Sorry Jasper, but I¡¯m going to have to steal this from you. sudden feeling of relief washed over him as the power that had been destroying him began to rapidly ebb away.His vision cleared as the strange essence was siphoned out, and he struggled to his feet, watching in confusion as a spiraling chain of white erupted from his chest. It rose into into the dark sky above, soaring higher and higher until it disappeared from sight. What the hell was that?The voice - which he suspected belonged to Barbartu - had claimed that she had stolen from him, but as Jasper rose to his feet, free of the agony that had consumed him mere moments before, he found it hard to be too upset with her. Instead of pain, he felt good.Amazing actually. Jasper bounced up and down on the balls of his feet as so much energy coursed through his body that he felt like he was the goddamned energizer bunny.He held his arms in front of him as he bounced, flexing taut new muscles he¡¯d never seen before. But his brief moment of ecstasy was disturbed as a scream of pain tore through the heavens.Jerking his head upward, Jasper sobered up as the reality of the situation sunk back in. The battle between Yas?gah and Kas?dael still raged.Both looked worse for the wear, with their clothes torn and blood flowing freely from multiple wounds.At first glance it even seemed as if Kas?dael was winning; where Yas?gah¡¯s right arm should be was now occupied by nothing but empty space. Yet as Jasper watched their exchange of blows, he began to grow concerned. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Despite her missing limb, Yas?gah struck like lightning.Again and again, she hammered at the goddess¡¯ defenses, an endless hail of blows that Kas?dael was increasingly slow to block.The black vines still surged around her, blocking, deflecting, grabbing at Yas?gah, but they fell like wheat before the dagger¡¯s wild thrusts. He watched in horror, feeling helpless, as Yas?gah sliced her blade deep into Kas?dael¡¯s thigh.The goddess fell; black vines swelled from the ground to break her fall, wrapping her tightly in a cocoon as Yas?gah descended upon her.The demigoddess sliced through the veins like they were made of string, scattering their protection to the wind, but a few tendrils sneaked past her guard and grabbing hold of her ankles tossed her away from Kas?dael.It gave her some space, but Jasper knew it wasn¡¯t going to be enough.She¡¯s killing her. ¡±You can save her.¡± The husky voice spoke again into his mind.Do as I say, and Kas?dael will live. Jasper hesitated.¡°What¡¯s the catch?Going to try to steal my soul?Take possession of my body?¡± Barbartu snorted.¡°No. I already got what I wanted from you." "I want to see Yas?gah die just as much as you do.¡±Irritation seeped into her voice.¡°We have a score to settle.¡± Jasper still wasn''t sure he trusted her, but her necklace had worked and, really, what other option did he have? ¡°Alright, what do I do?¡± he agreed reluctantly. ¡°Draw on your essence and repeat this chant:as?assi mu?ti? s?a adammi, aqerri et?emmi? s?a arall?.El?.El? u h?ep? ba?bi? s?a ers?eti.El? u daku ayyabti?ya, el? u daku Mes?u?ta. His essence responded eagerly as he began to utter the chant, but as it surged through him it was quickly followed by waves of pain that cascaded through his body.Blood pooled in his mouth as sores opened on his cheeks and tongue and Jasper spat it on the ground, wincing. ¡°This isn''t your way of trying to kill me, is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only a half-blood, so the summoning will hurt, but you will survive.Continue,¡± she ordered. Gritting his teeth, Jasper fought through the pain, repeating the words as she spoke them. El? u daku ayyabti?ya, el? u daku Mes?u?ta. a faint glimmer appeared in front of him, an emerald spark of flame. The dot of light flickered in and out of existence like a lost firefly, rising and falling in the air. Six times it emerged and was extinguished, but on the seventh, the emerald spark remained.The fire spiraled rapidly outwards, shooting sparks into the black night until a glowing green door manifested before him.Its handles were barred with thick chains that rattled as something struck the door from the other side. ¡°Open it, quickly,¡± the voice commanded.But Jasper hesitated once last time.¡°You¡¯re sure not some eldritch being trying to break your way into reality?¡± ¡°You know damn well who I am,¡± Barbartu snapped irritably.¡°Now stop dragging your feet or your precious goddess is going to lose, and then we''ll all be screwed.¡±Glancing at the battle still raging, Jasper saw it was true.A dozen new wounds decorated the pale goddess¡¯ skin and her movements seemed almost sluggish in comparison to Yas?gah''s lightning-fast strikes. Charging forward, he yanked at the chains.The door shook beneath the blows from the other side, but the chains refused to slip free.Dragging his glaive out, he hammered at the chains blindly.The links cracked and then gave way.The doors flung open, tossing him to the side, and a mob streamed out. The shuffling dead of the city below moved with a speed and vigor they had not possessed before.They poured out of the door unceasingly, howling and screaming as they charged toward Yas?gah. Uncertainty crossed her eyes as she turned to see them, but it was quickly replaced by smugness.¡°Is this what you¡¯re reduced to, my lady?Relying on the weak and witless?¡±With a final jab at the goddess, she turned her attention to the onrushing horde.¡°Wait there - I will quickly return them to their graves.¡± The black vines rose around Kas?dael again, sealing her off in a cocoon, as the demigoddess pivoted toward the new threat. With one swipe of her dagger, she robbed the nearest of its head.It dropped to the ground harmlessly, only for another head to emerge.She slashed again, retreating a step, and another limb fell to the earth replaced just as quickly as it fell.She spun and twirled as they closed in around her, a maelstrom of power and might.Hundreds fell beneath the dagger¡¯s bite, only to be restored immediately, while more poured out of the door with every passing instant. For the first time, fear sparked in her eyes.Slashing a circle free around her, Yas?gah turned to run.A dozen hands grabbed hold of her.They fell to the ground still twitching, but the dead were inexorable.They piled upon her, grabbing and pulling, pinning her in place.She lashed out with her magic, with great bursts of kinetic energy that sent them flying through the air, but she found no relief. As soon as one fell, another took its place.Still, she struggled fiercely, slowly dragging herself further from the emerald door. But then her essence guttered out. Yas?gah thrashed and fought as they dragged her back, reclaiming in seconds the progress she had made.Dozens fell to her blade, but no wound she could inflict did any real harm, for the dead could not die again.Slowly her strength failed, her arms weakened, her body trembled. And when she could fight longer, the dead, like ants carrying their spoiled plunders back to the colony, bore her toward the emerald doors. As they streamed past Jasper, Yas?gah''s eyes were wide and frantic, her right hand flailing up entreatingly. ¡°Help me, Yas?peh.Help me, and I will give you all the power you could dream of.Anything you want would be yours, even me,¡± she begged. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not really into cougars." watched with grim satisfaction as they bore her over the threshold.As she passed through the doors, something fell from her hands, landing on the ruined pavement. A moment later, the last of the dead crossed through the portal, and the chains he¡¯d shattered knit themselves back together, link by link. Rising from the ground like snakes, they wound their way through the handles, sealing the door once again.A click echoed through the void as they latched into place, and then the emerald door blinked out of existence. A Little Faith Jasper bent down to pick up the object that had fallen at his feet.Hidden in the shadow of his body, he couldn¡¯t tell it was at first, but as he held it before his eyes, Nah?as?s?innu¡¯s jagged black blade glinted darkly, reflecting the light of city. He nearly tossed it away, but before his fingers let it slip from his grasp, Jasper realized something about the dagger had changed.There was no siren call for power, no sickly sensation emanating from it.here was nothing at all.With a shrug, he tucked it into his bag before turning to check on Kas?dael. The goddess had been fully swallowed up by her black cocoon and, even with Yas?gah gone, there was no sign of motion from it.¡°Kas?dael?¡±Breaking into a jog, Jasper left the mud city behind.As soon as he crossed back into the sands, into the void, the bitter cold rose to greet him, but his steps didn¡¯t falter. ¡°Kas?dael!Are you alright?¡±There was no response and, with numb hands, he beat on the black vines, ignoring the thorns that tore at his flesh.¡°Kas?dael? Are you okay?¡± The cocoon finally shuddered beneath his blows, and a seam slowly opened down the middle, revealing the goddess.The vines crisscrossed much of her body, sealing the worst of her wounds, and her usually milky skin was even paler than usual.¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she reassured him.¡°That accursed dagger she found was more dangerous than I expected.When she called it a godslayer, I thought it mere bravado, but now¡­I do not doubt that foul thing is what killed the Mwyranni in Du?r-Yarha." She smiled weakly.¡°It will take some time to recover, but I¡¯ll survive.¡± Relieved, Jasper sagged against the cocoon.¡°So she¡¯s dead then?¡± ¡°Perhaps not yet, but she will be,¡± Kas?dael replied.¡°The dead of Arall? shall not let her go, and even if she could shake them off, Lord Nergal would surely bind her.¡± ¡°And what about me?¡±Jasper plopped down beside her and rested his head on the shattered remnants of her cocoon.¡°I guess I¡¯m dead too, for the second time.Do I get to go back or¡­¡± he trailed off awkwardly.¡°Am I stuck here?¡± ¡°Would it be so bad to be stuck here with me?¡± She asked with a smile. ¡°You are pretty good company, so long as you¡¯re not ripping my heart, that is,¡± he grinned back.¡°I kind of wasn¡¯t ready to die, though.I don¡¯t know.There was just so much more I wanted to do,¡± he sighed.¡°I guess I¡¯d thought I¡¯d have kids, find a partner, and, if I¡¯m being honest, do a whole lot less fighting undead, eldritch horrors, and other crap like that.Killing a demigoddess wasn¡¯t exactly on my bucket list, you know?¡± Kas?dael laughed softly.¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a great many things that didn¡¯t turn out the way you planned.So you¡¯ll be pleased to know, then, that you aren¡¯t dead.¡± ¡°What?¡±Jasper cocked a brow, staring at her incredulously.¡°I plunged a dagger into my heart and while I don¡¯t remember a whole lot after that, what I do remember of my last moments is being bashed against the floor over and over again until my bones were pulverized.I¡¯m pretty damn sure I¡¯m dead.¡± ¡°You should be,¡± she agreed.¡°But I told you I¡¯d find a way to save you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Jasper nodded hesitantly.¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And where do you think we were?¡± ¡°The void?¡± ¡°Then¡¯s what that?¡± She asked, pointing to the cliffs beyond the sand. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admitted.¡°If it¡¯s part of your void, I haven¡¯t seen it before.I kind of thought it might be some sort of netherworld?¡± he ventured. ¡°Indeed.But the city you saw is not the land of the dead for our world, but for yours.Barbartu¡¯s ritual would have sent you and Me?s?u?ta there.Her plan, I think, was for you to command the dead to imprison her.¡± ¡°I assume that¡¯s what happened with the whole emerald door thingy?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kas?dael confirmed.¡°Your bloodline - the one from earth, not here - allowed you to call on the dead.Her plan was a good one, with a high chance for success, but it still would have led to your death, to a true separation of your soul from your body.The relic she gave you does provide its users a better-than-usual chance at resurrection, but it wasn¡¯t a certainty.Thus, when you showed it to me in S?uhrurru, I decided to tweak the odds a bit in your favor.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡±He glanced around at the partially familiar surroundings.¡°Something to do with summoning the void, I guess?¡± ¡°After a fashion,¡± the goddess agreed.¡°I modified the runes so that they would try to deliver you to my realm instead.In truth, I thought the ritual would still kill you, but I intended to be here, waiting to intercept your soul so I could safely guide you back to S?uhrurru.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I also thought,¡± she admitted with a pained smile, ¡°that I would have an easier time of dealing with Yas?gah.Her power has grown rapidly in a short time and with that dagger¡­¡± A small shudder rippled down her back.¡°I can only imagine how many people she must have sacrificed to have achieved that strength.¡± ¡°As you can see, it fortunately didn¡¯t go quite to plan.¡±She gestured at the strange fusion of her realm and the netherworld that surrounded them.¡°Apparently, I failed to fully override the torque¡¯s instructions and the relic ended up trying to send you to two places at once.As that was impossible, it brought the two places to you instead, and because both realms sought to claim your soul, neither could fully restrain you.¡± ¡°You should be dead, Jasper, but instead you linger in a state somewhere in between.I can send you back to your body whenever you¡¯re ready.Though,¡± she warned, ¡°you¡¯ll only have a few seconds to be healed before your body once again dispels you.If you heal quickly enough, though, you should survive.¡± Jasper grimaced.¡°Yeah, about that.I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m out of healing potions.And even if I¡¯m not, my bones were pulverized.I¡¯m just going to die again.¡± The goddess simply smiled.¡°Oh Jasper, have a little faith.¡±She stretched out her hand and he took it hesitatingly.Drawing him close to her bosom, her lips brushed his hair as her hand plunged into his chest and ripped out his still-beating heart.
An awkward silence filled the room as everyone, cultists and sacrificial prisoners alike, stared at the spot where Yas?gah had vanished.Tsia had only been in the woman¡¯s presence for a short few minutes, but even that had been enough for her to sense just how strong she was.She¡¯d always thought her mother was powerful, but next to Yas?gah¡¯s overwhelming flame, Aphora¡¯s magic seemed like a flickering candle.And yet, the strange red mist had simply consumed her.And Jasper. A stab of regret filled her heart as she stared at the cloud of mist that obscured his body.He wouldn¡¯t have died if it wasn¡¯t for her and now¡­a treacherous tear broke free from its restraints and tumbled down her cheek.Now I won¡¯t see my mother again.The cultists¡¯ backs were still turned to her, their long black cloaks hiding the disbelief and shock that marred their faces as they watched the mist that had stolen their goddess, but she knew she was still doomed.Sooner or later, they would snap out of their shock; then, they¡¯d either finish the job, sacrificing her to steal a bit of her soul, or they¡¯d flee in terror, leaving her helplessly chained to the sepulcher.Either way, her fate was sealed.She whimpered quietly, fat tears running down her face, and for the first time in a long time, her thoughts turned back home. Papa.Her father¡¯s warm brown eyes, deeply creased by the ever-present demands of the throne, not to mention his ill-fated marriage.The brief smile that lit up his face when she came into the room, temporarily smoothing away a century¡¯s worth of worry.No longer able to stay quiet, she wept for all she had lost, for the ones she¡¯d never see again, as her last faint vestige of hope for salvation withered on the stem.I¡¯m not ready to die. Fear empowered her weakened body temporarily and she thrashed against the chains that held her down.But it was all in vain.The foul glyphs that covered the chains drained her essence away as quickly as it returned, and days of starvation rations had deprived her of all her physical strength.She collapsed again, weeping freely at the inevitability of her fate. ¡°My lady?!¡±Her cries choked off mid sob as the cultist in front of her started.For a brief, confused moment, she thought he was talking to her, but as the man quickly dropped to his knees, the object of his reverence was revealed. A tall, well-toned woman walked through the doors of the mausoleum.Her skin was a dusky red and her eyes, which were black as midnight, matched the two dark horns that jutted above her head.There was something about the way she walked that reminded Tsia of the lions that stalked the western plains that bordered her father¡¯s lands, a constant tension in her limbs that hinted at barely restrained violence. The woman¡¯s eyes swept imperiously over the small room.¡°Where is Yas?gah?¡±She demanded, but her gaze had already turned to the red mist still roiling where the demigods had tossed Jasper¡¯s body. ¡°She¡¯s-she¡¯s gone,¡± one of the cultist¡¯s stuttered out. ¡°But I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be back soon, victorious as always,¡± the first man replied.Tsia couldn¡¯t see his face, but the faint tremor in his voice belied his bravado. ¡°He actually did it.¡±A sly grin slipped across the Djinn¡¯s face.¡°79 years wasted in this hellhole, but he actually bloody did it.Except¡­¡± her lips pursed in a frown.¡°I don¡¯t feel any stronger.Did he not finish the ritual?¡± ¡°My lady?¡±The cultist took a cautious step forward.¡°What are you talking about?It almost sounds as if¡­you were working with him?¡±He held his hands behind his back in an apparent gesture of respect, but Tsia saw his fingers twisting with the start of a spell. Reaching the same conclusion as the cultist, she cried out in warning.¡°Watch out!¡° The man¡¯s hands blurred forward, releasing a spout of fire that washed over the Djinn woman. The flames swirled around her, completely hiding her from sight, but as the spell wore off, she reappeared unscathed¡°Really, Abarakku?¡± She asked with a smirk, gesturing at her ruddy skin.¡°You thought that would hurt me?¡± ¡°No, but this will.¡±The cultist¡¯s fingers twisted again and the world turned white.Tsia¡¯s ears rang as rubble bombarded her, cutting ugly gashes in her flesh, and she blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the black spots that danced before her eyes. A row of black robes huddled together behind the cover of the middle sepulcher, coughing and hacking on the smoke that drifted away from the explosion.¡°Did you get her?¡± one whispered. A high-pitched peal of amusement answered his question.¡°Using the fire to disguise your actual method of attack.Quite clever, Abarakku.I imagine you¡¯ve killed quite a few unwary brethren over the years with that one.Unfortunately for you,¡± the Djinn woman stepped into view and her husky voice lowered ominously, ¡°I¡¯m not a Djinn.¡± The Princess and the Wolf Barbartu stepped forward with a menacing glower, but her progress was stopped when her body suddenly went stiff.With a jerky movement, her spine arched backward to an unnatural, and she gasped.¡°Ahhhhh.¡± ¡°Are you doing that?¡± One of the other cultists hidden behind the sepulcher whispered to Abarakku.The Djinn mage shook his head, his brows furrowed as he inspected the woman frozen in a strange, contorted position. ¡°No,¡± he replied slowly.¡°It could be a trick.Unless¡­¡± Like a ray of sun breaking through on a storm day, his face brightened with joy.¡°It must be the goddess¡¯ punishment.Yas?gah lives!She lives!¡± he crowed victoriously, dancing to his feet. Fear coursed through her veins at his words, but as Tsia watched the frozen woman, still bound herself to the sepulcher, she began to doubt his conclusion.A slight blush colored her cheeks as the woman¡¯s cries of pain - or as she suspected they actually were, cries of ecstasy - filled the room. Her cries intensified, louder and brasher, until her skin began to glow.The illusion around her dissipated rapidly, the dusky red skin of the Djinn swiftly replaced by a golden tan.Her oddly straight horns melted into long, wolf-like ears and her dutifully painted nails morphed into long, black claws that glinted in the faint light as if they were made of obsidian.Fangs erupted from her mouth, peaking over her plump lips as the woman¡¯s transformation was complete.Fear pulsed through Tsia again, but this time it had nothing to do with the goddess.Instead, it was inspired by the aura of danger that practically radiated from her as, with a final whimper, the woman¡¯s frozen limbs uncurled.The woman¡¯s eyes swept past Tsia without interest and fixed on the jubilant cultists gathered around the sepulcher. ¡°Now he really did do it,¡± she grinned, stretching her body like it. At her words, Abarakku spun around.His face turned ashen when he saw her walking toward him, but to his credit, the cultist immediately sprung into action.His fingers twisted and a ball of fire rocketed toward Barbartu.The small mausoleum magnified the noise of the explosion to a painful degree, but Barbartu walked through the fire unharmed and bared her fangs with a wicked grin.¡°That¡¯s not going to save you.¡± Not bothering to respond, the cultist cast the second spell he¡¯d been preparing.This time, A veritable pillar of fire erupted from his body, a raging inferno of destruction that far exceeded anything he had produced thus far.Flames wreathed his entire body, red flames mixed with an almost pure white, and as the fire billowed towards Barbartu, it slowly morphed into the shape of a dore?sah whose fiery pinions stretched from one side of the mausoleum to the other.Is he burning his soul? The woman didn¡¯t flinch as the mighty bird of fire clamped its jaws around her.It tugged and pulled, sparks flying from its wings as it sought to drag its prey into the air, but she could not be moved.Tsia¡¯s guess was proven correct as the man¡¯s ruddy skin turned pale. His limbs began to shake, his skin withered and, in a final act of cowardice, he cut the spell off and dropped to his knees in defeat.¡°Spare me, my lady, and I shall serve you,¡± he gasped out.¡°I don¡¯t know why you turned against our lady, but, surely, if you could engineer her defeat, then you must be a goddess yourself.Reveal your power to me, I pray, and I should serve you faithfully.¡± Barbartu snorted.¡°She was never a goddess, Abarakku.She was a raving lunatic who cloaked her homicidal tendencies in a whole lot of philosophical gunk.And as for me, well,¡± she grinned broadly, ¡°I suppose you could say I''m a goddess temporarily embarrassed.But unfortunately for you, I¡¯m not really in the market for any servants.¡±Her hand came to rest on the side of his head, her claws cradling his throat.¡°Not when all the dead are mine.¡±With a flex of her fingers, her black claws tore his throat to shreds. The room stilled in a moment of shocked horror; then panic descended on the few remaining cultists.A few brave souls charged toward her, wielding sword and spear.Others turned to flee.It did not matter. Moving so fast that Tsia could barely track her motions, the woman tore through their ranks in a matter of seconds, felling the last one before he could even reach the threshold of the tomb.But no sooner had she achieved her victory, then she froze in place once again.Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she stared blankly at the wall, muttered words beneath her breath that were too low for Tsia to decipher.Maybe she¡¯s not all there. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. As Tsia watched the strange woman mutter and gesture at the air, she couldn¡¯t begin to guess her intentions.Mere moments before she¡¯d reconciled herself with the inevitably of her demise, but with the cultists dead¡­No, she rejected the wayward thought, not daring to let hope twist its tendrils around her heart.There was no point in letting herself believe she might live.Even if she had killed the cultists, the woman was clearly unstable.There was a good chance she¡¯d just finish the job herself.And yet, hope is a weed that grows unwanted; despite herself, Tsia couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from Barbartu. Her odd mutterings continued for a few minutes before the woman snapped out of whatever fugue she was in and swept her eyes over the room.Her gaze lingered briefly on the still form of Anatta, who was chained on the opposite side of the mausoleum, but resumed its voyage until it came to her. Tsia quailed as Barbartu¡¯s eyes locked on her, her gaze pressing against her with a nearly physical presence.Stalking over to the sepulcher, the woman came to a stop beside her and raised her hand.Her thick claws glittered in the dim light, still covered in the blood of the cultists she¡¯d slain. Tsia flinched as the hand chopped down, but no pain followed.With a crack, the chains that bound her left arm shattered, and she hastily pulled it free.The woman slashed down again, severing the ones wrapped tighter around her middle and again. Slowly, methodically, the woman worked her way down Tsia¡¯s body until the last of her restraints was gone. She sat up painfully, her muscles and bones protesting after days of not being allowed to move, and rubbed her arms stiffly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your essence will return quickly enough now that those blasted chains are gone.Ediddu chains, cruel weapons,¡± the woman commented. She glanced up at the woman, surprised she had spoken, and the question just slipped out.¡°Why?Why would you help me?¡± Barbartu looked amused.¡°Is that how you say thank you?Boy, you princesses really are a spoiled bunch.¡± Tsia stammered.¡°No, uh¡­uh¡­¡±Two weeks of receiving just enough food and water to survive had taken their toll on her faculties, and her mind spun uselessly. ¡°Relax,¡± the woman took pity on her.¡°I was just kidding.¡±Reaching into a bag that hung at her waist, she tossed a small object toward Tsia.¡°Here, try this.It¡¯ll perk you right up.¡± Tsia stared at the small, crinkly item dubiously, but obediently lifted it toward her mouth and the woman snatched it out of her hand. ¡°No, dummy.Don¡¯t eat the package.¡±She tore it open and yanking Tsia¡¯s jaw open, popped a small white disk into her mouth.¡°Suck it, chew it, swallow it.Whatever you prefer.You¡¯ll be feeling better in no time.¡±Turning her back on Tsia, the woman headed toward the final sepulcher. A sweet taste filled her mouth as the strange medicine dissolved, and Tsia dutifully sucked on it as she watched the woman tear off the chains that bound Annatta. And Barbartu was right - strength flooded back into her veins as the days of malnutrition and dehydration were wiped clean.Feeling a thousand times better, Tsia wriggled off the tomb and cautiously approached the woman. ¡°Is she okay?¡± Still feeling a bit cautious of the woman, Tsia circled around to the far side of the sepulcher rather than stand beside her and stared down at Annatta with concern.¡°Why hasn¡¯t she woken up?You gave her that pill, right?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in worse shape than you,¡± the woman grunted.¡°The perks of being a commoner I suppose.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they fed her at all.¡±Tsia twisted her hands nervously as she watched Barbartu force another of her odd pills down the unresponsive Djinn¡¯s throat.She still didn¡¯t stir, but after a few moments, the rise and fall of her chest become more pronounced.At least she¡¯s still alive. ¡°We¡¯re gonna need stronger medicine than what I¡¯ve got,¡± the woman decided.Turning her back on Annatta, she walked over to the second sepulcher and began to stuff her ingredients back into her bag. ¡°You aren¡¯t just going to abandon her, are you?¡±Tsia blurted out.A second later, her brain caught up to the sheer folly of upsetting the savage woman and, clasping her hands over her mouth, she shrank against the wall. Please don''t kill me. With an amused smile, Barbartu cocked an eyebrow.¡°You don¡¯t think before you speak, do you child?But that¡¯s okay; you don¡¯t have to be afraid to speak your mind around me.Unlike Yas?gah, I¡¯m not a homicidal maniac.¡± Her gaze turned to the sepulcher where Annatta lay in repose.¡°I¡¯m not giving up on her just yet;I¡¯ll promise I¡¯ll do my best to get her out of this damn city, but not yet.You can do what you want, but I¡¯m not going anywhere until he comes back.¡±She nodded her head toward the corner where the red mist still lingered over Jasper¡¯s body. ¡°What do you mean?¡±Tsia questioned, barely able to hope. The woman shrugged.¡°I may have stolen most of the power that the sacrifice provided, but I left him enough to finish the job with Yas?gah.He clearly succeeded on that front, so unless I missed my guess, he should be coming back to us any minute now.We just have to make sure that he actually stays alive when he wakes.¡± A Death Not Died ¡°Eaugh.¡± With a gasp, Jasper came back to himself. His first impression was pain. His only impression. Hot, searing pain filled every molecule of his body, an active, vibrating sensation that left him feeling like a balloon about to burst. Even the dim light in the mausoleum was enough to sear his eyes, and he quickly sealed them shut, whimpering as a brand-new pulse of pain lanced through his skull. Jasper flinched - or at least his body tried to flinch - when a hand closed around his chin, but the myriad of broken bones in his body refused to budge. The hand tried to open his mouth and shove something inside, but Jasper resisted with what little strength he had left. Can¡¯t¡­.let¡­.the¡­.cultists¡­win. ¡°Selene¡¯s Grace, Jasper. Stop fighting me.¡± A familiar voice rang in his ears but, deciphered through a veil of mind-numbing pain, he couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning. ¡°Move aside,¡± someone else spoke. A rougher hand grabbed hold of him and yanked at his jaw. It opened with a painful crack and the hand shoved something inside. He tried to spit the thing out, but the hand crimped his jaw closed. ¡°You know who I am, Jasper. Unless you want to die for real, swallow the Lifesaver now.¡± He didn¡¯t know who she was, but the urgency of her brusque tone breached through his confusion just enough for him to cooperate and, with some effort, he managed to choke the pill down his throat. His jaw was yanked open again and something else was shoved in his mouth. ¡°This one too,¡± the voice that he was starting to recognize as Barbartu commanded. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Realizing there was little point in continuing to distrust the woman at this point, Jasper dutifully swallowed the second pill. As it slipped down his throat, the pain began to slowly ebb away. He lay there, his eyes shut tight, his breath rough and ragged, until the pain in his head had diminished enough for him to risk it and, tentatively, he cracked an eye open. Tsia loomed above him like a nervous mother hen. Her eyes were full of concern as she reached down and gripped his hand, squeezing so tight her knuckles turned white. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jasper didn¡¯t answer as his gaze locked on the¡­thing that stood beside her, something that his addled mind could only interpret as a monster. It was a strange man-beast hybrid with short fangs and pointy black ears and dangling¡­boobs? He stared at it in utter confusion, unable to make sense of what he was seeing, and something like chagrin flickered across its face. ¡°I forgot you haven¡¯t seen me in my true form before,¡± she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s still me, Barbartu.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a Djinn?¡± He asked dumbly, his still injured brain unable to reconcile the strange woman standing beside him with the red-skinned warrior he¡¯d fought in the capital. ¡°Congratulations, Sherlock. You found me out,¡± she replied dryly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not a Djinn and, yes, I did reference something from Earth.¡± He opened his mouth again, a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue, but the not-Djinn cut him off. ¡°How about you hold your questions till after class,¡± she smirked. ¡°For now, I need you to drink this.¡± Reaching into her bag, she pulled out what appeared to be a can of Orange Crush. A familiar pop and sizzle echoed in the room as she pulled the tab, and held it to his mouth. ¡°Drink up,¡± she commanded. Jasper pulled his mouth away. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± He demanded. Barbartu rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes, but also no. It¡¯s soda, or pop as you midwestern barbarians call it, but it¡¯s also a little something special. Believe me, it¡¯s a way better healing potion than the medieval crap they have around here.¡± She held it back to his lips, and this time he didn¡¯t resist. The sickly sweet, carbonated taste of artificial orange flooded his mouth. ¡°Chug, chug, chug,¡± Barbartu chanted with a laugh. Unamused, Jasper gulped it down. After more than a year deprived of any modern drinks, the sugary soda tasted like heaven and he drank greedily. That is, until, a blinding flash of pain lanced through his right arm, accompanied by a crack loud enough to be mistaken for a gunshot, and he jerked his head away. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± He gasped out. ¡°That was your ulna snapping back in place. Believe me, you would not want to have seen the angle it was at before,¡± she reassured him. ¡°That hurt like hell,¡± he protested. ¡°I thought you said this stuff was better.¡± ¡°It may hurt, but unlike the healing potions here, it doesn¡¯t leave you half dead on your feet,¡± she retorted. ¡°Now chin up, and chug like a man.¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. She pressed the can to his lips and reluctantly he choked it down, wincing as waves of pain radiated from every part of his body, punctuated each time by the same noisy crack. Yet, by the time he had drained the last dregs from the can of Crush, Jasper had to admit he felt like a new man. He sat up gingerly, not quite trusting his newly reformed bones, and flinched as Tsia wrapped up in a hug. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace,¡± she gasped out, tears forming at the edge of her eyes. ¡°I thought I was dead. I thought you were dead. I-I-,¡± she stuttered to a stop, overwhelmed by her emotions, and buried her face in his shoulder. Unsure how to respond, he patted her back awkwardly and shot Barbartu a mute cry for help. The strange-looking woman crossed her arms with a smirk and ignored him. As he tried to pry Tsia off of him, Jasper¡¯s eyes trailed to the other side of the room and he froze. From the angle he was sitting at, he couldn¡¯t see her face but, even though the chains that had bound her dragged loosely on the ground, Annatta lay motionless. ¡°Is she¡­¡± he began and trailed off, turning to Barbartu. ¡°She isn¡¯t dead, is she?¡± The words tasted like ash in his mouth. Annatta was only here because of him, collateral damage in a conflict she wasn''t even involved in. And the last time she was here, her entire party was wiped out. Because of you. ¡°No, but she seems to be in a coma,¡± Barbartu replied. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems the brethren weren¡¯t bothering to give her food and drink. Really, it¡¯s astounding she didn¡¯t die before we got here.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you heal her,¡± he asked. ¡°Give her some of that pop you just gave me?¡± Tsia unburied her head from his shoulder and glared up at the woman. ¡°Yes, why can¡¯t you?¡± she demanded. ¡°I thought you said you needed stronger medicine, but Jasper was in way worse shape, and you healed him.¡± ¡°And if I had helped her, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to help Jasper. I had one only can of Crush left and it was earmarked for him.¡± Barbartu gestured towards Jasper. ¡°Would you have preferred me to let him die?¡± She crossed her arms and waited expectantly. ¡°Well, no¡­¡± Tsia admitted hesitantly. ¡°But-¡° ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± the woman cut her off. ¡°And frankly, I think I¡¯ve earned the benefit of the doubt. Besides, I already promised you I¡¯d help get this Djinn back to the surface. There will be healers there who can help her, for a price. A price I¡¯m sure his uncle will be willing to pay.¡± Jasper watched the conversation between the two of them with mixed emotions. The whole thing was Barbartu¡¯s fault. Well, maybe only in part, he corrected himself. Kas?dael was the one who had set him on the collision course with Yas?gah and the cult, after all, not Barbartu. But she had been the one who had orchestrated Tsia and Annatta¡¯s capture. Without her, their lives might not have been in danger. Without her, maybe he wouldn''t have had to die. And yet¡­Barbartu had also freed his friends from their chains and saved his life. Not to mention the fact that she had basically handed Yas?gah to him on a silver platter, for reasons he had yet to deduce. Quite frankly, he didn¡¯t have a damn clue what to make of her. ¡°Are you done staring?¡± Raising her eyebrow, the woman jiggled her chest. ¡°Like what you see?¡± Jasper quickly looked away, thankful for once that his red skin hid the blush that rose to his cheeks. ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring at that,¡± he protested. ¡°I was just trying to figure out why you helped us. You say you¡¯ve earned the benefit of the doubt, but honestly, I don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s your game? Were you one of them? A double agent?¡± ¡°How ever could I have misjudged your noble intentions,¡± she replied with a smirk. ¡°But no, I was never one of them - not by choice anyway. I was simply playing the part I had to play. I promise, before I leave, I¡¯ll explain everything to you. But for now, maybe let¡¯s focus on getting out of this hellhole before one of those dead things comes sniffing round. Yas?gah started to hunt them down, but thanks to you, she didn¡¯t get to finish the job. Unfortunately, I¡¯d imagine the ones that are left are pretty riled up and - I don¡¯t know about you - but I¡¯d really rather not feature on today¡¯s lunch special.¡± Bending down, she snatched Annatta off of the coffin and heaved the Djinn over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. ¡°You coming?¡±
Their progress was slow and uncertain. The drink Barbartu had given him had healed most of his wounds entirely, but the candies she had fed Tsia were not as powerful. The princess struggled to pick her way through the uneven lava fields that surrounded the mausoleum, stumbling often on the loose rubble and fallen boulders that littered the all-but-ruined road. And her physical weakness alone wasn''t the only factor; while Jasper was immune to the oppressive heat that swelled around them, the sweat poured down Tsia''s cheeks like rain in a summer storm and her breathing came hard and labored. Like Jasper, Barbartu seemed unaffected by the heat. Even with Annatta dangling over her shoulder, she plowed through the rough terrain as nimbly as a mountain goat, and quickly drew some distance ahead. From time to time she¡¯d stop, glaring impatiently as the two struggled to catch up with her, and then she¡¯d take off again. Eventually, an arm latched onto his, followed by the full weight of her body, as Tsia sagged against him, struggling to keep going. At first, he tried to help her along but eventually, giving up, he swept her up in his arms and trotted after Barbartu. The broken lava plains slowly faded behind them, replaced by the endless dark of the fallen city, and as the first homes began to appear, the formerly flat road began to slope upwards once again, indicating that they had stumbled on the way back to the surface. The two soldiered on in silence, each bearing their burden, for what felt like hours until Barbartu finally called for a stop. ¡°I had hoped we could make it out immediately,¡± she sighed, ¡°but clearly the girl needs to rest. If we run into any enemies on the way, the last thing we need is two unconscious bodies to protect.¡± She clucked her tongue in disappointment, but led him towards one of the ruined homes that lined the street. She slid Annatta to the floor and returned to the door, her hands twisting with the start of a spell. ¡°Sleep,¡± she bid them, ¡°and I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± Jasper laid Tsia down on the ground and sat down a few feet away. He had no intention of going to sleep, but as he sat in the silent, endless night, his eyes flickered closed and he succumbed to the sandman''s charms. The Banished Prince A month sailing the Affi?yan Sea had been exactly what the doctor ordered. Freed from the constant intrigue, turmoil, and toil of the palace, S?ams?a?du?r had finally had the chance to relax. There was no tingle of his damned necklace to summon him before the king, and no one listening to every word said looking for signs of weakness. It was perfect. Well, nearly so. There had been a minor blip on the otherwise halcyon trip. When they sailed south, close to the isle of Affi?ya, they¡¯d run afoul of pirates - pirates! Even a century ago, the empire would never have suffered such rapscallions to run free, but the durgu? had dealt them with relative ease. The durgu? may not have been known for their skill in sailing, but the powerful ballistae they¡¯d mounted on the ship¡¯s upper deck had punched enough holes through the pirate¡¯s hull to make it look like miqqu cheese. The pirates had sunk beneath the waves before they even got close enough to attempt to board. But all good things eventually end and S?ams?a?du?r knew he had already pushed his leave longer than he was supposed to. His father would no doubt be irritated already, but if he tarried much longer, that irritation would slip over into true anger - and an angry King Hals?u?tu was a durgu no one wanted to face. Thus, with great reluctance, he¡¯d given the order to back a few days ago. Standing at the prow of his ship, he watched as the harbor of Birana?ti came into view. The ship rocked violently back and forth as the waves beset it - the weather had turned rough nearly a month before the usual summer storms took hold - and his fine clothes were thoroughly drenched by the sea¡¯s spray, but he ignored it. His hands gripped around the railings so tightly his knuckles turned white as he stared at the grand fortress of his father. I don¡¯t want to go back. The thought almost surprised him. Birana?ti was all he¡¯d ever known. True his father was harsh, his brothers no doubt were plotting against him, and the perpetual intrigue of the court made the whole thing feel like a pressure cooker but still¡­ He frowned. Why would I want to go back? For a brief moment, he considered giving the order to turn around and sail away. But then he remembered the reasons he served. Sure his father was harsh, but he also had a surprising soft spot for his third-born son. And sure, the court was a hotbed of intrigue, but there were many in the courts he cared for nonetheless. And his brothers - well, they still sucked. The blood returned to his hands as his knuckles unclenched. Home wasn¡¯t everything it was cracked up to be, but it wasn¡¯t that bad either. He¡¯d had his fun, but now it was time to return to his duty. Maybe Father will let me go again in another few years. A faint hope flickered in his heart, but he knew it was unlikely. If his father started his war, there would be no vacations for years to come. Two hours later, they reached the harbor. As the ship slipped into port, S?ams?a?du?r noticed with surprise how quiet the dockhands tying the vessel down seemed to be. Due to his abilities, he wasn¡¯t well-loved in court. Court was, after all, a hotbed of intrigue and a man who could steal the thoughts from your mind was a threat to any aspiring schemer. Thus, S?amsa?dur had always gone out of his way to curry favor with those around him, and the usual shower of free drinks and generous tips had done much to endear him to the labor around town. But today their movements were stiff and rigid, and none of them seemed willing to meet his eyes. Worried, he cast his spell as they waited to disembark. S?alas?i?nu. A swell of random thoughts rose up to greet him like the briny waves of the ocean, and he sifted through them carefully. Most were irrelevant, but a few raised his hackles. Poor bastard¡­does he know?¡­no more free drinks. Perhaps he was just being egotistical, but S?ams?a?du?r was pretty sure the dockhands were thinking of him. Know what? Making a split decision, he turned to his friends and mistress. Most of them were still drunk, so when he suggested they remain on the ship and keep partying, he was met with cheers. The captain of the ship was not so easily deceived though. ¡°Is there something wrong, my prince?¡± S?ams?a?du?r shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing, but¡­just keep your men ready to depart.¡± The captain nodded and S?ams?a?du?r reluctantly walked down the plank, followed only by his two bodyguards. The docks of Birana?ti were a madhouse of activity; fishmongers and merchants, poor and rich rubbed shoulders there in one of the busiest markets on the Appi?yan Sea, and above all loomed one of the oldest and most venerable establishments in the city, the grand auction hall of the Tamka?ri clan. As the richest merchants in the city, though they might not have been technically nobility, the power they wielded was undeniable. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. And as S?ams?a?du?r passed by the hall, he picked up more concerning thoughts from the guards lined up outside. Should we intervene?¡­might be nice to have a prince in our pocket¡­not worth the risk though. The tension in his shoulders intensified, and his steps slowed. Did one of my brothers finally make a move against me? Their relationship was rocky at best, but the usefulness of his spell had always given him a certain amount of protection from their father. They might scheme to humiliate him but generally stopped short of harm. But if something had changed. He wondered for a fleeting second if his father had died while they were away, leaving his eldest brother to ascend the throne. He might want to rid himself of any competition but¡­ He discarded the thought. News that big could not have been kept secret - even if his brothers had conspired against him, it would be in the minds of all the people around him. So what is it then? His paranoia only grew as they neared his father¡¯s fortress. The busy docks were left behind for the quiet streets of the residential district, and then the base of the mighty acropolis on which the palace was seated, loomed above him. ¡°S?ams?a?du?r!¡± A voice echoed from a side street, calling his name, and he craned his neck around. A large man with a thick black beard and eyes as dark as coal waved from the shadows. Abna?el. Instinctively, S?ams?a?du?r stepped away from his eldest brother. The man¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Now S?ams?a?du?r!¡± He commanded imperiously. Glancing at his bodyguards, S?ams?a?du?r whispered for them to be prepared before heading toward his brother. Surely he won¡¯t brazenly attack me in the open, he consoled himself, although he couldn¡¯t help but notice that the streets were more empty than normal. ¡°What is it Abna?el?¡± He snapped irritably. The man pursed his lips. ¡°Shamsha¡¯s light, you really are an annoying little snot. You know that, right?¡± He just shrugged. With a sigh of annoyance, the man pulled a letter sealed in wax out of his breast pocket and, drawing on a chain around his neck, yanked free a gleaming signet ring. S?ams?a?du?r¡¯s face froze. That¡¯s my father¡¯s signet. But then¡­. He tried to keep his calm as he glanced up at his brother. ¡°What¡¯s in the letter?¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± The man waved it in front of his nose. ¡°It¡¯s a warrant for your arrest, little brother. You screwed up big time.¡± ¡°What!?¡± S?ams?a?du?r couldn¡¯t keep the shock out of his voice as he stared at the warrant. ¡°What could I have possibly done to upset father so?¡± He asked in genuine confusion. Abna?el snorted. ¡°Word around court is that you paid a visit to a certain strythani queen. Whispered a few words in her ear - words that our father told you not to say.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me not to speak to her,¡± S?ams?a?du?r spluttered. ¡°He just wanted to give up on the possibility of an alliance. I thought it couldn¡¯t hurt to warn her of the treachery in her midst - earn some goodwill, if nothing else.¡± ¡°Earn some goodwill.¡± The man replied mockingly. ¡°What you actually did was incite a slaughter. When good queen Naqmah learned of her vassals'' true feelings, she decided to deal with the discontent lords by offing them.¡± ¡°So? Why would that upset father? She¡¯s a stronger ally now, and should be grateful to us.¡± Abna?el laughed. ¡°No, what she is is dead now. You know the strythani don¡¯t have a hereditary monarchy. The rest of their nobles cut off her head and now a new, very angry lord is on their throne. And can you guess where his anger is directed?¡± S?ams?a?du?r had a sinking feeling he knew, but he held his silence. ¡°Us, that¡¯s right,¡± Abna?el replied to his own rhetorical question. ¡°With her in charge, the strythani might have helped us against the empire, but at worst, they were going to stay neutral on the sidelines. Thanks to your blunder, we have a new enemy at our doorstep.¡± He tapped the warrant of arrest against S?ams?a?du?r¡¯s chest. ¡°Brilliant move there, little brother.¡± His mind raced. Can I escape in time? His eyes drifted to his bodyguards whose bodies had grown stiff and rigid. Or will they turn against me? Trying to buy time, he bowed his head in apparent submission. ¡°I guess you finally got your wish, Abna?el.¡± The prince just sighed. ¡°Honestly, S?ams?a?du?r, for a durgu with the ability to read minds, you¡¯ve always been painfully obtuse. Yeah, you¡¯re an annoying little snot, but you¡¯re still my brother.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°If I thought you had any intentions on the throne, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to cut you down, but that¡¯s not who you are, is it? Chasing skirts and chugging beers is all you really want to do.¡± S?ams?a?du?r looked up with genuine surprise. ¡°You don¡¯t want to kill me?¡± ¡°Not right now. And frankly, I don¡¯t think father does either. But you know him. Right now he¡¯s so angry that if I take you back to him, you might just lose your head. And then, once he¡¯s cooled down and come to regret it, he¡¯ll blame me.¡± Abna?el stuffed the letter back in his pocket. ¡°So here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do. You and your bodyguards are going to beat us up and make a break for it. You¡¯re going to hop back on that ship of yours and sail far, far away before I have recovered enough to raise the alarm. Understand?¡± ¡°Will someone send for me when it¡¯s safe to return?¡± His elder brother shook his head. ¡°I said I didn¡¯t want to kill you. That doesn¡¯t mean I want you hanging around and giving Father any ideas about changing up the order of succession. And Duppuss? probably really does want to kill you. Do what you want, but for your own health, it would be wise to stay away.¡± For the first time, S?ams?a?du?r looked at his brother in a new light. He''s letting me go? ¡°You know¡­thank you, for this.¡± He said hesitantly, unsure how to respond. A spark of emotion flickered in the durgu¡¯s eyes, but he shrugged the thanks off casually. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± he replied, waving the three forward. ¡°It¡¯s time to lose a fight.¡± Ancient Enemies ¡°Wake up.¡±Jasper was yanked out of his dreams as someone shook his shoulders firmly. ¡°What?What?¡±He sputtered, still half-asleep, and stiffened as two arms wrapped tight around him and a head of hair was plastered across his face. ¡°Thank Selene,¡± a familiar voice murmured in his ear.¡°I knew you weren¡¯t dead.¡± ¡°Ihra?¡±He relaxed as he recognized his friend and squeezed her back gently. After a moment, she released him and as she pulled away, he could see a faint glimmer in the corner of her eyes.¡°You know, those two had given up on you.Ne?s?u,¡± she glanced over her shoulder angrily, ¡°wasn¡¯t even willing to try to find you, but I knew you¡¯d make it.¡± ¡°It was a bit touch and go,¡± Jasper said wryly.¡°Ended up in the city of the dead and everything, but thanks to a meddling goddess and her, I guess,¡± he said, pointing to Barbartu who still stood guarding the door, ¡°I survived.¡± Ihra leaned closer and lowered her voice.¡°I was surprised to find you with her,¡± she admitted.¡°Can she be trusted?¡± Jasper just shrugged.¡°If she wanted me dead, all she would have to do is stand by and watch. When I came back from the Void, I would have died in a few minutes from my wounds.he saved me. And Tsia. And Annatta," he added slowly.I still don¡¯t understand what she wanted with me, but I don''t think she means me harm.¡± He propped himself up against the wall and waved at Barbartu.The woman smirked and looked away without acknowledging him.¡°What about you?How did you find us?¡± ¡°Ne?s?u was still able to sense where Tsia was, so we were forced to follow him.I wanted to split off and look for you, but¡­¡± she hung her head. ¡°I glad you didn¡¯t,¡± Jasper reassured her.¡°You¡¯d never have found me in the dark, and god only knows what might have found you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she chewed on her lip nervously.¡°There were times I thought I sensed someone following us,¡± she admitted.¡°But as soon as I sensed them, it disappeared.Maybe it was just nerves, but¡­¡± The two shared a glance, knowing all too well what lurked in the darkness.It wasn¡¯t just nerves.Staggering to his feet, Jasper made his way over to where Tsia lay, still asleep.Ne?s?u and Ra?¡¯imu were hovering over her like a pair of mother hens, but the Sicyan looked up as he approached. ¡°So you survived,¡± he grunted. ¡°No thanks to you, I hear.¡±Jasper tried to speak the words lightly, he didn''t quite succeed in preventing a touch of irritation from seeping into his tone.He''d known the man was loyal to Tsia above all else, but he''d thought the man had started becoming part of the group. But to hear that he wasn''t even willing to try to search for Jasper was a hard pill to swallow. The warrior rolled his shoulders indifferently.¡°Eh, you know why I¡¯m here,¡± he grunted again. Jasper grimaced, but biting his tongue, focused on Tsia.¡°I think it¡¯s time to wake her up.¡± ¡°She needs to sleep,¡± the warrior objected. ¡°She needs to get out of this hell-hole of a city,¡± Jasper countered.¡°There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of nizirtu? that live down here, and they aren¡¯t even the worst of its residents.We need to get out while we still can.¡± Ne?s?u scowled, but slowly nodded his head.¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right.¡±Bending down, he shook the girl awake. She resisted at first, flipping on her stomach and burying her head beneath her arm, but he persisted.Slowly her cracks opened, trembling beneath the dim light the torches provided, until she saw the warrior.¡°Ne?s?u?!¡±She leaped up and wrapped her arms around his waist.¡°You came!I thought I¡¯d never see you again, or Papa, or¡­¡±She trailed off, overcome by emotion. Clearing his throat, the man patted her back awkwardly.¡°It¡¯s, uh, good to see you too, lass.I thought I¡¯d failed you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here too,¡± another voice piped.Releasing him, Tsia whirled around.¡°Ra?¡¯imu?¡±She asked, bewildered.¡°What are you doing here?It¡¯s too dangerous for you down here.¡± The man shrugged and stepped forward carefully, trying to hide his limp.¡°I got this far, didn¡¯t I?¡± The girl wasn¡¯t deceived, and her eyes zeroed in on the long strip of armor that was torn asunder.¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± she accused, grabbing at his armor to see the wound. He squirmed out of reach and shoved her hand away.¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± he reassured her with a weak grin.¡°Might take a few weeks to truly recover, but the bleeding¡¯s been stopped.Really, the only damage that¡¯s been done is marring my beautiful body with a scar.The ladies of my house will be devastated,¡± he replied, pressing his hand over his heart in mock sorrow. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Are you girls done gossiping?¡±Barbartu¡¯s husky voice cut through their chatter.She stood at the door, with Annatta once again slung over her shoulder.¡°If you¡¯re done filling out your dance cards, it might be time to escape this city.You¡¯ve got 5 minutes to get ready before this train leaves the station, with or without you.¡± The group fell silent as they hastened to assemble their items.Save for a nearly empty bag and his glaive, Jasper had little to retrieve, and he joined Barbartu¡¯s side mere moments later.¡°The train¡¯s about to leave the station?¡±He asked quietly.¡°Last I checked, there aren''t any trains around here. Are you from Earth?¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied bluntly.¡°At least not really. But I have lived there for more than a few centuries.¡±The others finished their packing, and she broke off their conversation.¡°I told you - I¡¯ll tell you everything before I leave, but now''s not the time.¡± The group followed her out of the building and began the long trek toward the top of the pit.The first hour passed peacefully, but as the second commenced its reign, an uneasy feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach. There was something in the darkness, hiding just out of reach of the dim torch lights.He couldn¡¯t catch it, no matter how often he glanced over his shoulder, nor he could hear its footfalls, even when he called for the group to pause.But he knew it was there. ¡°You sense it too, don¡¯t you?¡± He asked Barbartu. ¡°Yes,¡± the woman replied flatly.¡°But it¡¯s not what you fear.Just ignore it,¡± she commanded. Unable to detect the threat, there was nothing he could do but follow after her, but Jasper''s sense of paranoia spread throughout the group.They walked in silence, sending uneasy glances as the presence followed them. In their third hour, they finally emerged from the depths of the city onto the grand, spiraled highway that led out of Nah?as?s?innu.With the prospect of escape visible, if only from afar, their mood picked up.They scurried after Barbartu with renewed strength and quickly ascended through the first two rotations of the road.But when they reached the fallen temple again, an unwelcome sight awaited them. The road was thick with the black robes of the cultists, but the brethren were not lying in wait for them.Instead, the brethren lay back to back, bound and gagged from one side of the road to the next.The noxious stench of rotting meat filled the air, provided by the unidentifiable organs strewn haphazardly on top of them.The cultists squirmed frantically, trying to loose their bounds, but even if they could, there was no escape. The roped bridge hung limply on the far side of the road, its severed ends pointing down to the bottom of the pit.And there, clustered around the edge of the road, stood a small horde of the nizirtu?.The tall, pale freaks roared with laughter as Jasper¡¯s party came into view, hoots and hollers filling the air. ¡°What is this?¡±Tsia whispered, peering at the bound cultists that lay before them.¡°Some sort of peace offering?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Jasper replied grimly.¡°That¡¯s exactly what it is.A peace offering for the dead gods.¡± *THUD* The group spun around as the doors of the temple flung open.They could see nothing through the darkness, nothing but the thud, thud, thud of heavy footfall.And then the being emerged. The dead Mwyranni¡¯s once vibrant blue skin had faded into a pale blue that bordered on grey.Jagged, unhealed cuts crisscrossed much of its body, from which silvery blood still dripped on the floor, but it moved with no sign of pain.Its head scraped against the temple¡¯s roof, which was barely tall enough to let it pass, and as it walked slowly toward them, it muttered beneath its breath.¡°Gawrusha Ky¡¯therak ag Nash.Ish Yrgh Awwerda.¡±Over and over again, it repeated its ramblings, paying little heed to the world around it.But its path led directly toward them. Just one?Maybe we can handle this.Drawing his glaive, Jasper readied himself for the confrontation, but his heart sunk as more thuds echoed from the direction they had just come and another form stepped into the torchlight.So much for handling it. Stepping beside him, Barbartu laid Annatta down on the ground and drew her sword.Looking to her left, she stared into the empty space behind Tsia and called out.¡°You going to keep hiding, or are you going to help?That''s why you¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jasper raised a brow as the space remained empty.¡°Uh, who are you talking to?¡± ¡°The ¡®presence¡¯ you sensed,¡± she responded quietly.¡°A Sidhe has been following your party since you descended into the pit.I sense a connection between him and that one,¡± Barbartu said, nodding toward Tsia. With an exaggerated sigh, the blonde man they¡¯d encountered in Du?r-Yarha - Ivan - materialized in front of them.He towered over the petite brunette, a mass of muscle and brawn, but his casual clothes had been replaced by a tight-fitting suit of black armor.The pieces flowed together, each one interlocking with the next in a nearly seamless structure.Golden, glowing bands wrapped around his forearms, stretching from his wrists all the way up to his elbows.Only his head remained unarmored. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to spoil the surprise, you know,¡± he griped at Barbartu. ¡°I held my peace, Sidhe, as long as I could.But even if I could kill both of them, I certainly couldn¡¯t keep these ones alive during the fight.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±He looked at her speculatively.¡°You stole quite a bit of power from the lad." The Lamashtu shook her head.¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, Sidhe, but I can feel the power practically radiating off you.You remind me of Yas?gah, and I was nowhere near strong enough to defeat that bitch on my own.¡± ¡°You¡¯d benefit more from killing them than I would, but fine,¡± the Sidhe shrugged.¡°I won¡¯t make you eat your veggies.¡±He pressed his hand to the side of his neck and the black armor surged upwards; within moments, his head was encased in a streamlined black helmet with glowing gold eyes.¡°Ya¡¯ll stay put and I¡¯ll hand this,¡± he ordered the group.¡°But before I go,¡± he paused and winked at them, ¡°anyone got a can of spinach?¡± The Corsythians stared back at him uncomprehendingly, but Jasper managed a weak grin.¡°Want some Olive Oyl with that?¡± The man brightened up.¡°Ah, a man of culture.Do they still make Popeye?It¡¯s been a few thousand years, give or take, since I saw it.¡± A few thousand years?Jasper stared at the Sidhe dumbfounded.He wasn¡¯t exactly sure how old the show was, but he was damn certain it wasn¡¯t around in the time of the Pharaohs. efore he managed to stammer out a reply, the Mwyranni crouching in the temple slammed its fists against the pillars and roared. "Gyera Dakanna Sidhe." And, with all thoughts of Jasper forgotten, the Sidhe spun around to face his opponent. Dead Gods Shouldnt Move The tall blonde man strode toward the two dead gods with utter unconcern, with his hands in his pockets and a swagger to his steps.Indeed, if it wasn¡¯t for the strange, sci-fi-esque suit he wore, he could have easily been mistaken for a man on a stroll through the park. Pivoting sharply on his heels, turned toward the closest of the two, the wounded Mwyranni that leaned against the hewn pillars of the temple.The creature¡¯s mumbled, incoherent rambling grew louder, spit spewing from its mouth as it screamed invectives at the approaching Sidhe.¡°Gawrusha Ky¡¯therak ag Nash.Ish Yrgh Awwerda.¡± Sidestepping the gross projectiles, the man paused about fifty feet away from the beast and squared up against him like a cowboy in the Wild West. His hands twitched at his sides, and a glowing blade of light descended from his right hand.Sparks radiated off of it, blue surges of electricity that crawled up his arms and side, but the Sidhe showed no signs of pain. With an angry roar, the undead Mwyranni lurched off of the pillar it leaned against and shot toward the Sidhe.Between its enormous size and wounded condition, Jasper had expected the creature to favor power over speed, but his assumption was promptly shattered. The Mwyranni surged forward in a blur of blue.Dust erupted from the ground as it landed before the Sidhe and its massive arms windmilled through the place where he had stood.But the Sidhe had already moved. Dodging toward the Mwyranni, he ducked beneath its blows and slashed out with his glowing sword.Bone and flesh melted beneath its power, and the creature howled.It lashed out again, each of its four arms aimed in another direction and this time it connected. A translucent shield sprang in place as the creature¡¯s hand swept toward the Sidhe¡¯s neck, stopping the blow in its track.He darted forward, slashing at the creature¡¯s wrist, but the Sidhe had miscalculated.With the barrier still erect around him, another hand smashed into his back.Cracks radiated across the barrier¡¯s face as he was flung through the air toward one of the temple pillars. The barrier failed as it collided with the pillar, leaving his body to bear the brunt of the blow.Flesh and stone clashed and, surprisingly, it was the flesh that came away the victor.The pillar collapsed in a pile of rubble, spilling the Sidhe to the floor.Landing nimbly on his feet, the Sidhe darted to the side as the blue blur surged toward him again.Another pillar was demolished beneath its attack, but its prey was not there. Dodging to the side, the Sidhe raked its radiant blade down the creature¡¯s flank and darted behind it.It spun around, slamming its fist into the ground where he¡¯d been, but he¡¯d already moved. Jasper watched in fascination as the two gods traded blows, moving at speeds to great for his eye to consistently track.The Mwyranni was fast - shockingly fast - but it quickly became clear that the Sidhe was faster.Again and again, his sword found its target, carving deep ravines into the creature¡¯s flesh and spilling forth more of its silver blood on the ruined street.And though the Mwyranni barely reacted to its wounds, its demise seemed all but certain when the second - the one lurking in the darkness of the lower road - suddenly entered the battle. ¡°Iryakath Denir.¡±Its harsh, guttural voice rose above the fray. A scream of pain tore from his lips as Jasper was driven to his knees.The others fell to the ground beside him, with only Barbartu managing to remain on her feet - though from the strain on her face, he could tell it was no easy task. But they were not the focus of the spell. For a brief second, the Sidhe froze in mid-leap, electricity arcing of the sword he¡¯d aimed at the dead god¡¯s head.Then, he was driven into the ground.With a howl, the Mwyranni leapt on top of him, its four arms pummeling the ground like a jackhammer gone crazy. The whole street quaked beneath the force of its blows, and cracks began to spider their way along the ledge.The whole damn thing¡¯s going to fall and take us with it.He fought against the pull of gravity, his muscles straining with every fibre of his unearned strength, but it was not enough. He hadn¡¯t noticed Barbartu move, but her hand closed around his collar and slowly she began to drag him behind her, one painstaking step after another. ¡°Stop!We can¡¯t just abandon them,¡± he yelled at her.But she ignored him, dragging him away from the scene.Unable to stop her, he could only watch as the dead god whaled on the prostrate form of the Sidhe.He couldn¡¯t see the man, but surely, he was dead. The air on his arms pricked up slowly as something changed in the air.The suffocating heat of the city eased as a soft breeze began to circulate through the pit, picking up force with unnatural speed.Something wet splashed on his cheeks, and Jasper stared up in surprise as a cold, bitter rain began to fall. A blinding flash of light banished the darkness in the cursed city, followed by a crack of thunder that left his ears ring, and Imhullu rose.More light than flesh, he flowed around the Mwyranni like a whirlpool.Lightning rained down on them, bolt after bolt as he bludgeoned the creature with his bare hands, the sword laying on the ground forgotten. The Mwyranni, already grievously wounded, crumpled beneath the renewed attack.One arm fell limp, another was torn from its socket, another¡¯s flesh was charred like charcoal.It raised its last arm protectively above its head, but it was not enough.Imhullu descended upon him, and tearing the arm aside, pressed his hand to its throat.Wind flashed from his hands, shearing skull from spine. A bolt of lightning followed, searing the wound shut. Imhullu didn¡¯t stop.The rain pelted down harder as he surged toward the second dead god, who stood still hidden in the shadows. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Iryakath Denir.¡±The creature¡¯s gravelly voice rumbled, and Jasper was pressed flat to the ground again.But the gravity barely slowed the maelstrom of light and wind that descended upon it.A column of lightning poured from Imhullu¡¯s hands, breaking off in frenzied arcs that shot off in every direction, but the shadows around the second Mwyranni refused to budge. ¡°Arakkan ygalth egirna.¡±Imhullu¡¯s lightning fizzled against the stoic Mwyranni as the shadows hardened around him, insulating him from the blow as effectively as a suit of armor.Undeterred Imhullu struck again; this time, his bolt of lightning was large enough to make the entire pit, for one brief moment, bright as day. Yet, the Mwyranni emerged unscathed and stretched forth his hand toward Imhullu.¡°Ygalth enanna.¡± A shadow not any cast by any man rose from the ground.It towered above Imhullu, its form a perfect silhouette of the Mwyranni, and raised its arms above its head.Imhullu blazed forward, lightning and wind swirling around him, as he struck at the shadow, but they passed through harmlessly. ¡°Erygath.¡±The Mwyranni commanded and the shadow flickered forward.Latching hold of Imhullu, it plastered itself to his body, transforming into a thick, black ooze that seeped down his form.He tried to shake it off, but the maelstrom of light and wind ground to a halt as the black ooze spread across his body, dragging him to the ground. That was when the third dead god emerged. *THUD* Jasper barely registered the noise over the sound of Imhullu¡¯s clash with the dead gods.Indeed, given the cold rain which still pounded against his head with a steady, staccato beat and the regular crack of thunder as Imhullu struggled with the Mwyranni, it was a miracle he heard anything at all.As it was, he almost didn¡¯t turn to look but, if nothing else, the oppressive darkness of the city had engrained a sense of paranoia in him.Once he thought he¡¯d heard something, he couldn¡¯t bear to ignore it.Reluctantly, he tore his eyes away from the battle and craned his head around to see what had echoed behind them. At first, his eyes could find nothing.Now that the cultists were either dead or bound, the braziers they had so carefully tended were slowly burning out.A few of the bronze braziers still glowed, their dim red coals pushing back the endless dark of the city, but the shadows had reclaimed much of the street. *THUD* This time, with his eyes already trained in the right direction, Jasper saw it.A large, dark hand with six fingers rose out of the darkness and clamped onto the edge of the street - to the section where the hanging road dropped off into the pit.What the hell? *THUD* Jasper¡¯s blood ran cold as a third hand joined the first two.Spinning around, he grabbed Barbartu¡¯s arm and tugged.¡°There¡¯s another one of them!¡± he yelled. Her body didn¡¯t move, but her head swiveled around - far, far farther than it had any right to - and looked where he was pointing.With a muffled thud, a fourth hand joined the rest, and the arms flexed against the edge of the street. Barbartu¡¯s eyes flicked back to the still-raging battle between Imhullu and the undead Mwyranni.He¡¯d managed to free himself of the black ooze, but he was too far away to intervene.¡°Crap,¡± she sighed.Her gaze turned back to the small group gathered around them, and she shook her head.¡°I can get you out of here,¡± she offered Jasper. ¡°All of us?¡±He questioned. Her grimace was all the response he needed, and Jasper just shook his head.¡°I¡¯m not abandoning them.¡± She sighed again.¡°I was afraid of that.Fine.¡±Plunging her hand into the bag hanging from her side, she pulled out her weapon, a long double-bladed axe that had no business fitting in a bag that small.¡°Help if you can,¡± she ordered, ¡°but try not to die.I can handle this.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± he heard her mutter beneath her breath. Barbartu dashed toward the ledge, her axe held ready, but it was clear she wasn¡¯t going to reach the dead god in time to send it tumbling back into the pit ¨¤ la Mufasa.Already one leg was hooked over the edge, and its gaze rose to meet them. Suppressing the chill that ran down his spine as the dead god leered at them, Jasper turned to rally the others.¡°Dead god,¡± he screamed.A crack of thunder cut off his message.¡°Behind us!¡± Tsia and Ra?¡¯imu were slow to react, their impulses dulled by the injuries they had not truly recovered from, but Ihra and Ne?s?u spun around. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace,¡± Ihra gasped.¡°There¡¯s another of them?¡± Barbartu soared into the air, her axe held above her head.Against the inky blackness of Nah?as?s?innu, the edges of the double blades glowed like molten metal as she struck down at the Mwyranni¡¯s skull. But possessed of uncanny nimbleness, it rolled forward on the ground, dragging the rest of its body over the ledge and onto the street. *CLANG* Stone crumbled beneath her axe as she landed in the space the dead god had just been - a narrow stretch of street that now trapped her between the Mwyranni and the edge of the pit. Though still lying on the ground, the two arms on its left side were free to swing at her.For a brief second, Barbartu struggled to drag the axe free of the rock it had embedded itself; then she bailed. Throwing herself clear of the creature¡¯s strike, she landed cleanly beside the Mwyranni and vaulted over its body.It turned rapidly, trying to snatch her out of the air, but she tucked herself in tight, and its hand whistled past her uselessly.And as her feet touched the ground, she disappeared. ¡°Kyrassa?¡±The dead god stared blankly at the place where she had vanished and waived a speculative arm in front of him.His hand found nothing and, grunting ignore, he shuffled forward, his arms windmilling through the space. He didn¡¯t notice the axe behind him slowly slide out of the rock. Clutched by unseen hands, the axe soared into the air and connected with the base of its skull. ¡°Gawrusha Ky¡¯therak ag Nash.¡±The creature¡¯s arm flailed behind it as the axe sank deep into its flesh.¡°Ish Yrgh Awwerda.¡± Barbartu, still invisible, dodged its blows with ease, but she couldn¡¯t stop one of its hands from connecting with the axe.The shaft shattered beneath the blow, but the creature kept fumbling until, with a mighty heave, it yanked the glowing axe head free. A pair of bloody claw marks appeared on its chest, and it roared in rage.But the dead god¡¯s intelligence, while fallen from what it once had been, was not altogether gone.Rather than blindly flail in front of it, the creature retreated and cast its spell.¡°Ygalth enanna.¡± A shadow rose from the ground, one far taller than any man.Barbartu was still hidden, completely invisible to the naked eye, but the shadow did not need to see.It surged towards the left and leapt at a patch of empty space.It landed on its hands and feet, but its arm lashed out and an ankle appeared. Barbartu yanked her leg out of its grasp, but it was already too late.The ooze followed her, exposing more and more of her body as it crept up her legs and torso.Her claws tore at the ooze, flinging it off in every direction, but nothing seemed to help.She tripped, falling on her knees, and the black substance stuck like glue.With a cry of victory, the dead god charged, murder in its eyes. Crap. A Hasty Ritual Jasper watched the dead god charge toward Barbartu; she had managed to pry her arms free of the ooze, but her legs were still bound in place. She''s not going to be able to move in time. His hands were moving before his mind even made the decision to help, and with a twist of fingers, a pair of burning shackled erupted from the ground and clamped around the god¡¯s ankles. They shattered like glass. He followed up with Purge, but the dead god showed no response. Damn it. The Mwyranni was less than fifty feet away from her now, and he reached for a spell he hadn¡¯t used in a while. Seraph¡¯s Burst. Ice crusted on the edge of his blade as Jasper rocketed past Barbartu, set on a collision course with the Mwyranni. This time the dead god did notice him, and with a lazy swing of one of his giant blue hands, swatted him out of the way like a buzzing fly. Jasper went flying in the wrong direction, his glaive thrashing uselessly at empty space as the spell violently twisted his body around. He landed hard on his back, bouncing across the jagged, broken pavement like a stone skipping across a pond before he came to a halt. Ignoring the jolt of pain that greeted him, Jasper rolled to his feet in time to see the Mwyranni reach the place where Barbartu was still trapped. A flickering shield began to rise around her, as she abandoned her attempts to free herself and hastily cast a spell, but the barrier was only partially formed. She was going to die. And then¡­Jasper watched in disbelief as the dead god thundered right past her without a second glance. Right past her and directly toward Tsia. ¡°Gyera Dakanna Sidhe,¡± it screamed in rage, as gobs of spit swung wildly from its mouth. Tsia was still woozy from weeks of deprivation, but she did her best to stop the beast. Blades of wind shot out from her hands, chopping cruelly at the creature¡¯s limbs. In an instant, a half dozen bloody wounds scored the Mwyranni¡¯s legs, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop him. She backpedaled, throwing more spells in its direction, but the dead god had already closed the distance. Time seemed to slow as Jasper watched the creature leap into the air, with its four blue arms raised high above its head, and angle down toward the girl in its best imitation of a Hulk smash. ¡°NO!¡± Ne?s?u thrust himself into the trajectory of the Mwyranni and swung his axe high above his head. ¡°Va?ya as?asi?ki?,¡± he screamed. His eyes suddenly glowed with a pale green light as Ne?s?u slammed the axe into the ground, and Jasper was thrown on his face as a burst of wind hit him in the back as, from every direction, the air answered the warrior¡¯s call. The gusts bombarded the Mwyranni, battering him around like a kitten playing with a spool of yarn. Bearing him aloft on their currents, the wind flung him over the heads of the party and into the temple beyond. With a thunderous roar, the dead god smashed through the double row of pillars like a bowling ball through pins and only stopped when he hit the temple wall, caving it around him. Dust filled the air, obscuring the being from sight, but instead of exulting in his victory, Ne?s?u dropped to his knees, his axe falling uselessly beside him. Picking himself up, Jasper ran to join the others. He paused briefly by Barbartu but she, having nearly freed herself from the ooze, waved him off, and he continued on until he reached Ne?s?u. The man¡¯s face was gaunt, his skin sallow, his formerly dark hair a dusky grey. His flesh sagged sadly around muscles that were no longer as the warrior shakily lifted his eyes toward Tsia. ¡°Tell your father I did my best.¡± Tsia¡¯s lips trembled as she stared down at him, and a fat tear tumbled down her cheek. ¡°Ne?s?u¡­¡± She ran toward him, grabbing his withered body in your arm. ¡°You can¡¯t die. You can''t. We¡¯ll get you help.¡± Her eyes snapped toward Barbartu, who had managed to stand up from the black tar and was trying to scrape it off of her limbs. ¡°Give us some of your medicine. Please,¡± she begged. Barbartu started to shake her head.¡°I¡¯m sorry, kid, but that''s not the kind of bargain you can heal-¡± when a shower of rubble erupted out of the dust.¡°Aw, crap. And it''s still not dead.¡± Abandoning her efforts to scrape the ooze off, she stalked past the party as the rocks tumbled down the small mound that had buried the Mwyranni. As she passed Ne?s?u, she glanced down with a touch of pity. ¡°You know, dude, you really did not get your money¡¯s worth with that deal. You should ask for a refund.¡± ¡°She lived,¡± was all he said. Ignoring him, Barbartu turned to Jasper and, dragging something out of her pouch, tossed it in his direction. ¡°Follow the ritual in red,¡± she snapped. ¡°Do you mean Ihra,¡± he started to question, but she cut him off. ¡°If I wanted Ihra, I would have said Ihra. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure if you can actually pull it off, but I¡¯m pretty damn sure at this point that I can¡¯t defeat this thing on my own, and you¡¯re my best bet. He''s certainly not coming to our rescue in time.¡± She nudged her chin past Jasper, and he turned to look down the sloping street. A whirlwind of lightning and rain swirled around Imhullu as he darted back and forth between three of the undead gods. Three? ¡°I guess they got reinforcements.¡± ¡°You think?¡± she replied sarcastically. She brushed past him walking toward the Mwyranni that had almost fully emerged from the rubble. ¡°I¡¯ll hold it off as long as I can. Just do the ritual.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. As she walked away, Jasper turned his attention toward the item Barbartu had given him. It was a small book, bound in a soft, creamy leather whose once light color was now stained and soiled. He cracked the book open and hastily flipped through the dog-eared pages. Elaborate gold-leafed headings named the rituals, but he only recognized a few of the names. Mu?tu. Et?emmu. Bari?ri?tu. Miqit. Guzal?. Many of the headings were defaced with a large black X whose crude form was clearly not traced by the same elegant hand as the book''s scribe. But Jasper¡¯s frantic flipping paused as he reached a page marked with a bold, red checkmark and read the heading. Gall?. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± he muttered. ¡°She wants me to summon that creepy little thing?¡± Barbartu cried out in pain behind him and he grimaced. Guess I don''t have much choice. He tossed the book over to Ihra. ¡°Can you help me set this up?¡± She scanned the page¡¯s contents and glanced up with a frown. ¡°What are you going to use for the blood? There¡¯s not exactly any animals down here.¡± Unconsciously, their eyes were both drawn toward the bound and gagged cultists who still lay perched beside the crumbled edge of the road. No. A shiver ran down his back at the mere thought of that. Desperate or not, human sacrifice was a line he wasn¡¯t willing to cross. But Ihra was right. They did need blood. He flinched as a loud crash thundered behind them, and craned his neck to look.Barbartu had lured the Mwyranni back toward the temple where she had tricked the creature into charging straight into one of the pillars.It shook its head like a wet dog, flinging dust and shards in every direction, and roared in anger. Barbartu vanished beneath her veil of invisibility and reappeared behind the dead god, slashing at his legs with her claws. It spun around, its four arms whistling toward her with the speed of a rocket. She vanished again, only for her face to promptly peak out from behind another pillar and whistle at the beast. ¡°Over here, dumbass!¡± The dead god lurched toward Barbartu - or perhaps toward her illusion - and Jasper reluctantly turned back to the task she¡¯d given him. Where am I going to get enough blood? Then his eye snagged on the scorched form of one of the Mwyranni that Imhullu had slain. A large silver puddle pooled around it, from which small rivulets slowly snaked their way down the gentle incline of the street. That might work. ¡°Ihra, can you start making the circle? I think we found our blood.¡± He ran cautiously, skirting around the edge of the conflict as near as he dared while praying the dead god didn¡¯t take notice of him. But his prayers went unanswered as the Mwyranni spotted him, and with a roar of rage, staggered after him. Pumping his legs as hard as he could, Jasper narrowly avoided the first blow. But the street bucked as the creature slammed into it, and he lost his footing. In a feat of athleticism he probably couldn¡¯t have replicated on purpose, Jasper managed to turn his fall into a roll and kept on running. Summoning his essence, he cast Spectral Wings and leaped into the air. As he leapt, the Mwyranni¡¯s hand swept through the space he had just occupied, clipping the bottom of his right foot. The bones crunched but the wings beat steadily and carried him above its reach. ¡°Damn it, Jasper,¡± Barbartu cursed below. ¡°Try not to get its aggro.¡± Abandoning her veil of invisibility, she dashed in front of the Mwyranni and vaulting into the air, slashed at its face. Forgetting about Jasper, it turned to follow her, delivering a flurry of frenzied blows that she ducked, dodged, or deflected. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his foot, Jasper swooped down beside the dead Mwyranni, and hastily scooped as much of the silver blood into the bag as he could manage. Darting back into the air, he flew high above the raging battle and landed beside Ihra. Barbartu¡¯s ritual had none of the complexities that Ihra¡¯s runes required, and the elfling, with the help of Ra?¡¯imu, had already completed the preparations. Piling up the broken rubble that lined the streets, they¡¯d formed three straight trenches, arrayed in the shape of a triangle whose corners were not formed. Around that, Ihra had formed a simple circle of salt. Jasper bit down hard on his tongue, drawing blood, as his battered foot planted on the ground, but, steadying himself, he poured the Mwyranni¡¯s blood into the first of the trenches. Not waiting for the viscous flow to settle, he soared back into the air for another load. When he returned he saw the trench was only half full, though the bottom was fully covered. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s enough?¡± Ihra could only shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re supposed to sacrifice three bulls.¡± Jasper had no idea how much blood a bull could hold, but he doubted his pouch was equivalent. He flew back and forth, spooning up as much of the silver substance as he could, and by the sixth trip he could he was running out of time. Barbartu still danced around the Mwyranni, her movements faster than anything he could manage, but there were no more illusions to help her. She¡¯s run dry. He poured the last of the blood into the trenches and plopped down outside of the circle, praying it would be enough. Ihra tossed him the book, and he started to read. Pet? ba?bi? Adummi. As the first three words departed his tongue, sores opened in his mouth, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. Pet? ba?bi? Adummi, he began again. He struggled to speak, the sores spreading across his body with each word spoke. S?uturam ba?bu lummunu, s?erru nizirti, gall? mutu. The skin on his arms and legs cracked open with weeping wounds, but he persevered. At? Adummi, s?em? daba?bi?ya. ¡°Stop. You¡¯ve got to stop,¡± Ihra cried out, but shrugging her arm off, he finished the invocation. Lipt? ba?bi? Adummi u liptaru? Kuri?bu aga?s?u s?e¡¯aku. As the last words left his lips, the salt and blood were consumed by a fire, a strange black and white flame that seemed to defy all he knew. It burned fiercely, lapping away at the offering and the street shuddered as, with an ear-deafening crack, a small, pale hand thrust through the ruined pavement. A second hand followed, and then the girl¡¯s body emerged. Long black hair fell around a pale, porcelain face as the small child - the gall? - stood up with an angry expression. ¡°You promised no more-¡± The anger was replaced with confusion as she noticed Jasper kneeling before her. ¡°You?¡± She reached out an almost speculative hand toward him, and he shrank away from her touch. ¡°Hungry,¡± she complained. ¡°Not enough blood.¡± He gestured wildly at the scattered corpses of the dead gods behind him. ¡°Feel free to help yourself to any of them. Their blood is all yours. Just help her first. Kill that thing.¡± A small smile crept across the gall?¡¯s face as it surveyed the dead Mwyranni. ¡°Yes. I help,¡± the little girl replied slowly. ¡°But first, I help you.¡± She neither walked nor ran. She simply manifested beside him and a small, cold hand wrapped around his wrist before he could even react. A Frank Talk Jasper bolted upright in his bed. His heart was pounding as he threw the covers of him, and hopped down. The soft, plush carpet felt good against his bare feet as he walked over to the wall and fumbled for the light switch. What? His hand paused mid-air, and he glanced around the dimly light room, sweat beading on his brow. This¡­this can¡¯t be real. Tentatively, he flipped the switch and winced as the room was flooded with light. This was his apartment back home. The plush beige carpet, the sage, green quilt, the firm yet soft memory foam pillows that Corsythia so sorely lacked. It couldn¡¯t be real. His mind immediately turned to the night hag that had attacked him when he first arrived in Corsythia. Am I being attacked by something like that again? But how? He glanced down at the floor, marveling again at how real it all seemed, when his eyes caught on something peaking out of his sleeve. Pulling the arm back on his PJs, he froze as he saw the pale imprint of a small, childlike hand wrapped around his wrist. The gall?. Everything flooded back to him. Is this afterlife, then? He glanced around his bedroom. Kasi had said that the gall?¡¯s touch was death, but this was certainly a far cry better than the dismal city of dust or the bitter cold of Kasdael¡¯s void. Although¡­ His pulse picked up as he jogged over to the drawn curtains. He fumbled with the strings, dropping the curtains lower before managing to yank them up. His room should have had a pleasant, if unsurprising view of the city, and, perhaps, depending on the time and weather, a decent view of sunset. Instead, rows of slightly uneven mud bricks stretched from floor to ceiling. Jasper ran out of the room, down his hall, and out into the small living room, and flung the door open. More bricks awaited him. Crap. His pulse thundered in his ears as he turned away and his mind raced. Did I die? ¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid.¡± It¡¯s a general rule of thumb that if someone tells you there¡¯s no reason to be afraid, you should probably be afraid, and Jasper nearly jumped out of his skin as an unfamiliar voice echoed behind him. Spinning around, he saw an unfamiliar man slouched on his couch. The man seemed slightly taller than most, but was otherwise unremarkable. Tussled brown hair fell around a face that might have been described as handsome if it wasn¡¯t for the man¡¯s slightly bent nose and a scar that ran down the left side of his cheek. His clothes were casual, jeans and a burgundy t-shirt advertising a drink Jasper had never heard of. As Jasper met the man¡¯s eyes, he could tell they were unremarkable too, the same, slightly muddy brown that millions if not billions shared- He physically staggered backwards as the force of the man¡¯s gaze swept over him, piercing and probing his every thought. Okay, so maybe so not unremarkable after all. He immediately diverted his eyes, and the man grimaced. ¡°So weak,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Who are you? And where am I?¡± Jasper slowly walked over to one of the armchairs flanking the couch, carefully avoiding making eye contact with the stranger, and settled in. The man¡¯s disappointment seemed to deepen. ¡°Those are not the questions you should be asking.¡± ¡°O-kay¡­¡± Jasper tamped down on his irritation. He had no idea who the man was, but there was no point in pissing him off. ¡°Then what are the questions I should be asking?¡± He continued. Jasper¡¯s heart quailed as the man¡¯s weighty gaze fell on him again, but he kept his composure and slowly, steadily, he raised his eyes to meet the man¡¯s. A ghost of a smile flickered across the stranger¡¯s lips, disappearing as soon as it had come. ¡°Perhaps there something to you after all,¡± he muttered beneath his breath, ¡°but you¡¯re not ready. Still,¡± he paused for a second, ¡°you did manage to curry favor with a marata?nu, so¡­¡± The man rose from the couch and, with his head nearly scraping against the ceiling, walked over to Jasper. The man¡¯s hand closed around the white handprint on Jasper¡¯s wrist. ¡°I suppose I should honor that.¡± A tingling sensation ran down his arm, and his vision began to blur. His body fell limply back against the chair and the last thing Jasper saw before passing out was the man walk straight through the wall.
For the second time that day, Jasper bolted upright. He blinked rapidly as his eyes struggled to adjust to the bright light blaring down on him. ¡°Good, you weren¡¯t out too long,¡± a husky voice greeted him. Squinting slightly, he gazed up at Barbartu. Her pointed ears had once again been replaced by black horns and her tanned skin had turned a dark red. Glancing around, he saw he was lying on a couch in a small, rustic room. Bright sunlight streamed in from the window, lighting up the coach and rough wooden walls, while the bulk of the room was occupied by a bed. As he sat up, he caught a glimpse of a blond head with small antlers peeking up above the comforter and a mop of curly brown hair. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°They¡¯re sleeping it off. Ya¡¯ll have had a rough few days,¡± she said with a smirk as she plopped down on the couch beside him. Jasper stared at the room with squinted eyes, not entirely able to trust his eyes. ¡°This is real, right? It¡¯s not another illusion?¡± he asked with a touch of suspicion. ¡°It¡¯s real,¡± she promised. ¡°Then how the hell did we get here?¡± His brow wrinkled. ¡°The last I remember, the gall? touched me.¡± He glanced down at his arm, where the red skin around his wrist was marred by a band of milky white. ¡°I thought you died if they touched you.¡± ¡°You usually do. Gall? are some of the most dangerous undead you will ever encounter. They are cruel, capricious, and ever hungry for sustenance.¡± ¡°And you thought it was a good idea to have me summon one of them?¡± Barbartu shrugged. ¡°Like everything, Jasper, there are always exceptions. When I found myself trapped over here, I quickly discovered that only some of my magic worked properly. My illusions fortunately survived unscathed, but many of my summoning spells just wouldn¡¯t work. You properly noticed how many entries were scratched out.¡± Jasper nodded, remembering the red x¡¯s scattered throughout the grimoire. ¡°For some reason,¡± she continued, ¡°The ritual to summon gall? was one of the few that continued to work properly. I can¡¯t be certain, but I suspect that this particular gall? must have once been someone like you, someone with a connection to both our world and this. That would explain why I can successfully summon her when so many other rituals have failed. But in any case, I found her to be, if still rather dangerous, far more reliable than your average gall?. In all the decades I¡¯ve summoned her, she¡¯s never tried to hurt me and, as far as I know, she never tried to hurt you either. It was a risk,¡± she shrugged, ¡°but it seemed one worth taking.¡± ¡°Pretty big risk, but,¡± he glanced around the room, ¡°I¡¯m guessing it paid off.What happened after I, well, passed out?¡± ¡°After the gall? ¡®blessed¡¯ you, she helped me kill the Mwyranni.Her touch wasn¡¯t instant death for the accursed thing, but he couldn¡¯t survive the two of us.¡± ¡°And the ones that the Sidhe was fighting?The nizirtu? that were waiting for us on the other side?¡± ¡°Sidhe were always good at killing Mwyranni, and this one was no exception.He slew at least four of the dead gods, and then we retreated.As for the nizirtu?,¡± her lips twisted into a wry smile, ¡°After they saw him kill their gods, they scampered back into their dark cubby holes like the cowardly rats they are.They didn¡¯t even try to attack us.¡± ¡°What about the cultists?¡± Jasper asked, remembering the brethren whom the nizirtu? had captured and left as an offering to appease their gods. ¡°We left them,¡± she replied matter of factly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of cruel,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°Cruel?¡±She raised an eyebrow.¡°The brethren regularly committed ritual human sacrifice, Jasper.Do you think they should receive parole and a cushy office job?¡± ¡°Obviously not, but¡­¡± Jasper trailed off.In truth, he wasn¡¯t quite sure how he felt about the issue.There was no doubt in his mind that the cultists deserved to die but it was hard to think of their fate - either starving to death or being fed upon by any dead gods that might remain - without a pang of pity.It was a grisly end that was hard to wish on even a truly terrible person. Deciding, he didn¡¯t want to argue about it, he shrugged his shoulders.¡°Eh, never mind.So what happened then?I assume you and the Sidhe carried us out?¡±He glanced over at the bed where Ihra and Tsia slept.¡°Did the others make it?Annatta and Ne?s?u?¡± ¡°For the time being, I left your Djinn friend in the temple of Selene.The priests there are doing the best they can to help her, but¡­¡± she hesitated. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°They¡¯ve healed the wounds on her body, Jasper, but it seems the cult experimented on her.Apparently, someone attempted to steal parts of her soul without consuming it entirely.It will be some time before she recovers, and she¡¯ll likely never be the same again.¡± ¡°And as for the warrior¡­well, he didn¡¯t make it out of the pit.It seems he sacrificed everything, his skills, his levels, even his class to Va?ya to save Tsia¡¯s life.And without those, he was a man long past his expiration date.The Moon-kissed boy survived though, seemingly much to his own surprise,¡± she added. As Jasper listened to the news, guilt mixed with anger.He¡¯d guessed Ne?s?u hadn¡¯t survived and, in truth, he wasn¡¯t too broken up about the prickly warrior¡¯s demise.But Annatta hadn¡¯t deserved to suffer like that.She was only there because of him and now, for the second time, she¡¯d been hurt. ¡°Most of this is your fault, you know,¡± he said.¡°Annette¡¯s suffering, Ne?s?u¡¯s death, it wouldn''t have happened if not for you.¡± ¡°If Yas?gah¡¯s plans had come to fruition, the death toll would have been in the millions,¡± Barbartu replied coldly.¡°Her dream of ascension involved the sacrifice of every living being to fuel her rise, all for the sake of some glorious ¡®rebirth.¡¯And even if she had failed in her attempts to ascend, the brotherhood has still sacrificed thousands over the years - the vast majority of them people like you, stolen from their own worlds.I realize my schemes caused some harm to your friends, but they were for the great good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy to say when it''s others that pay the cost,¡± he replied darkly. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me of sacrifice,¡± she snapped back.¡°You¡¯ve been here what?A year, maybe two?I have been trapped in this godforsaken realm for the better of a century.I have suffered far more than you ever have and likely ever will.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been here a hundred years?How old are you?¡± Barbartu snorted.¡°Really?That¡¯s what you focused on? How old I am?¡±The mood lightened a bit as she cracked a smile.¡°Hasn¡¯t anyone ever told you it¡¯s rude to ask a lady¡¯s age?Although,¡± she continued, ¡°I¡¯m not sure that really applies when you¡¯re functionally immortal.Honestly, I couldn¡¯t tell you how old I am even if I wanted to; I simply didn¡¯t know.¡± Jasper cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you''re immortal?" he asked skeptically. Not even the elves are that long-lived.What the hell are you?¡± Barbartu grimaced, and a trace of embarrassment flickered across her face.¡°I am a¡­Lamas?tu,¡± she finally confessed. Lamas?tu A lamas?tu? Jasper wrinkled his brow. The word seemed vaguely familiar to him and, after a few seconds of searching his memories, a vague recollection from Mesopotamian mythology surfaced. ¡°Isn¡¯t that like a demon that preys on pregnant women and infants? That¡¯s what you are?¡± he asked incredulously. The woman winced. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how the Akkadians viewed us. I¡¯d like to claim that it was all just a misunderstanding, that superstition and a lack of medical knowledge caused them to place the blame on innocent beings, but there is a smidge of truth to the claims.¡± She sighed heavily. ¡°My kind needs blood to survive and, unfortunately, there have always been a cowardly few that chose to prey on the weak and the helpless to satisfy their needs. Not many,¡± she added sharply, ¡°but a few.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re a vampire?¡± Jasper snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you sparkle in the sun.¡± ¡°God, no,¡± she shuddered, ¡°we¡¯re nothing like those bloodsuckers. And we certainly have nothing to fear from sun, garlic, or any other clich¨¦s. ¡°What about pointy stakes?¡± She raised her eyebrows pointedly. ¡°Tell me, Jasper, what sort of creature, at least of the flesh and blood type, doesn¡¯t have a problem with a stake being plunged through their heart?¡± ¡°Okay, fair enough,¡± he admitted with a grin. ¡°But you said you''re ''nothing like those bloodsuckers.'' Does that mean vampires are real?¡¯¡± ¡°Yes, unfortunately, they are real, though they are not really a distinct race. Vampires as you know them are a good example of the dangers of traveling between worlds, the victims of a plague from a realm discovered a few hundred years ago and has since been harshly quarantine. But unlike them, we¡¯re not bloodsuckers." ¡°I thought you said you needed blood to survive?¡± he protested. ¡°Nobody said we drank it. Whatever gave you that idea?¡± ¡°Well, the, uh, fangs?¡± he admitted sheepishly. ¡°Dogs have fangs. Do they drink blood?¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re a dog?" He paused and continued with a smug smile, "You do have the ears for it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not dogs either,¡± Barbartu snapped back, looking a bit scandalized at the suggestion. ¡°Alright, so you¡¯re not vampires and you¡¯re not werewolves. What are you then?¡± ¡°The cast-off children of Anu. Warriors. Guardians of the dead,¡± she replied simply. ¡°When I said we need blood to survive, I did not mean we drank it. As the guardians of the dead, it is our responsibility to winnow the living. We must shed blood to live, but we do not consume it like barbarians.¡± Jasper wasn''t sure that was really so much better, but he decided not to sidestep the issue. ¡°So you¡¯re kind of like a reaper?¡± Her face twisted like she had sucked on a lemon. ¡°No, but¡­¡± she continued begrudgingly, ¡°that is perhaps the closest you have come to the truth. We have a close connection to the dead, though valkyries would have been a more flattering comparison.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re a guardian of the dead from Earth,¡± he began. ¡°Not Adammu, or Earth as you call it, but Arall?,¡± she interrupted him. ¡°Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to,¡± Jasper dismissed her. ¡°Point is, you¡¯re from my world. So how did you end up here, and why did you glom onto me?¡± "That''s a long story." "You promised to tell me everything," he countered. ¡°Fine,¡± she replied with a sigh. Scooching deeper into the couch, she pulled up her legs up, before continuing. ¡°Tell me, Jasper, what do you know of Lord Ishka¡¯s cult?¡± ¡°A mad scientist Seraph who was obsessed with returning to their homeland, was cast out by the elders, and founded the abandoned community where I spawned,¡± he rattled off. Barbartu smirked. ¡°Yes, I suppose he was a bit of a mad scientist, and the facts are largely as you say. Ishka rejected the priests¡¯ identification of S?ams?a with the sun of the Djinn¡¯s homeworld, Nu?r, and dedicated his life to finding a way to return there. The man was definitely eccentric but he was also far from being a crackpot. If you know that much about him, then you probably know that his group succeeded in some small measure in traveling to other worlds.¡± Jasper nodded. ¡°Sarrabi thought as much. We even guessed there might be a connection between his group and the Brotherhood.¡± ¡°And you¡¯d be right,¡± she affirmed. ¡°But not, perhaps, in the way you assumed. Lord Ishka was not a cultist, nor were any of his followers when they first left the Harei? Miqlat. The Djinn are certainly not incapable of doing evil, as the S?addu''a? amply demonstrate, but thanks to their isolation, Gemlir''s teachings never really penetrated their community. It was not till after the Seraphs settled in Sapi?ya that Ishka''s followers first came into contact with followers of Gemlir.¡± ¡°Now I wasn¡¯t summoned until the very end of Ishka¡¯s commune, so I¡¯m not entirely certain how it all went down, but from what I¡¯ve been able to gather, a few of Ishka¡¯s followers began to practice Gemlir¡¯s rites in secret.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Because their commune was so close to the Imperial Highway, it was easy at first for them to snag the occasional unsuspecting traveler to sacrifice. And as his followers grew in power, so too did Ishka¡¯s experiments on traveling between realms start to bear fruit, but IIshka, himself, as far as I can tell, knew nothing of the evil growing around him.¡± ¡°So they made it to Zaginnu?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. Ishka hadn¡¯t succeeded at opening a portal to other worlds, but what he did succeed in doing was dragging someone else from theirs.¡± Barbartu smirked.¡°It wasn¡¯t what he wanted, but it was proof that he was on the right track to understanding how to travel between realms.¡± ¡°Ishka was able to replicate the process multiple times, pulling travelers from many other worlds, not just ours.But he never found anyone that came from Zaginnu, nor could he discover the mechanism to create a true portal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of messed up,¡± Jasper observed.¡°Even if he wasn¡¯t trying to sacrifice people, he was still just straight up kidnapping them.¡± ¡°True,¡± Barbartu admitted.¡°I won¡¯t say that Ishka was exactly blameless, but I did meet him briefly, shortly before the end of his commune, and I don¡¯t think he was malicious.He was an eccentric scholar who struggled to relate to the world around him, but when evil presented itself, he took action.But we¡¯re getting ahead of the story,¡± she finished. ¡°As I was saying, Ishka had found a way to reliably summon others to our world.To him, it was nothing more than an indication that his methods were succeeding, something to be studied, but not a method he used very often.¡± ¡°But to the corrupted amongst his followers, it presented a golden opportunity.They had preyed on travelers passing on the emperor¡¯s highway for some time, but it was always risky.Though the empire has been stretched thin since the Zalancthians invaded, they still at least try to take care of their subjects. Eventually, the Imperial Guard noticed the uptick in missing and began to sniff around the compound, putting a damper on the cultists'' plans.Thus Ishka¡¯s success provided a get-out-of-jail-free card.After all, if you kidnap someone from another world, who''s going to track you? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a group of inter-dimensional cops just waiting to bust you,¡± she added wryly. ¡°So who summoned you, Ishka or his followers?¡± ¡°Unfortunately for them, it was the cultists who summoned me.Our realm has relatively few magic practitioners left.The population was absolutely devastated by the wars between Arall? and As?ratu, and it never fully recovered, so after a while of summoning sacrifices from Earth and only getting humans, the cultists had come to the mistaken conclusion that our realm contained nothing but mundane mortals.Thus, they were utterly unprepared when I arrived and fought back.¡± Her eyes clouded over as she thought back to that time. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy. You¡¯ve been summoned yourself, so you know just how disorienting the process is.And then there¡¯s the problem of magic.Our worlds share many similarities, but the magic is not quite the same; even after a hundred years, I am far stronger on Earth than I am here.But I had enough to survive.¡± ¡°I killed three of them before they managed to regroup.And then, slowly, I begin to lose.There were just too many of them, each one supercharged by stealing souls, and I was simply too weak.I succumbed and was pinned against the ground, as the cultists ran to fetch the Eddidu chains that would cut my power off.¡± ¡°And then Ishka arrived.Like everything else with the man, it was pure luck.He just happened to be walking above the compound they had dug out in secret when the commotion began, and our battle was just loud enough that he¡¯d heard and decided to investigate.¡± ¡°The Seraph may have been primarily a scholar, but he was also old, and around here, old might as well be synonymous with powerful.He tore them off of me, cutting the cultists without mercy. None survived his wrath - none in that room, that is.¡±Her expression darkened. ¡°After cleansing the sacrificial chamber, Ishka brought me back to his commune and bid his followers to take care of me.The Seraph was a good man, both enraged at what his followers had done and heartbroken to learn that such darkness had taken root in his midst.Unfortunately, he was also naive.¡± ¡°I tried to warn him,¡± she said with a frown.¡°As I said, lamas?tu are not necessarily the good guys.Deceit and treachery are common amongst us, and I saw no reason to assume that every cultist amongst his commune had been gathered for the ritual.But Ishka would not listen to reason. He just couldn''t bring himself to believe that more of his beloved followers had fallen.¡± ¡°It was a few weeks before they struck.Ishka ensured that I was well cared for and taught about the world we lived in.Everything was quiet and I was even beginning to doubt my instincts, when the festival of Mirth and Frost began.You can guess how the night went,¡± she said quietly.¡°There was drinking and dancing, merriment and revelry of all kinds.By the end of the night, few remained in their senses and, unfortunately, those few were the remaining cultists.¡± ¡°Ishka died in his sleep, beheaded with a single clean stroke and many more died before someone awoke.The night descended into chaos, as half-drunk Seraphs fled through the dark halls, unable to recognize friend or foe.¡± ¡°As soon as I saw Ishka had died, I fled, and, with my illusion magic, it was easy enough for me to slip through the frenzy unnoticed. Thus, I am not entirely certain what happened during the rest of the night.But, from what I later heard from survivors, Ishka''s followers eventually managed to rally and one of them activated a portal.¡± ¡°It appears Lord Ishka had been on the brink of success after all, but had hidden it from all but a few in his inner circle.Someone from that circle must have survived and initiated the already-prepared ritual.In any case, it seems that many of the surviving faithful were able to escape through the portal, leaving only the cultists or the unlucky behind.I must admit,¡± she added thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered if he actually had found Zaginnu, or had just managed to bridge to somewhere else.But, since no one has ever returned, I suppose we¡¯ll never know.¡± ¡°In any case, once the portal closed, the bloodshed stopped.With Ishka dead and the commune destroyed there was really no point in the conflict.Many of the survivors fled, into the jungles of Sapi?ya or further west to Strynn, where perhaps they sought other cultists.But a few stuck around long enough to bury Ishka and the other dead, and when they were done, decided there was no reason to continue their exile.¡± ¡°If the Seraph elders had known the truth about what had happened, I¡¯m sure they would never have accepted them back, but it was easy enough to hide.The cultists reintegrated into their tribes and, like many Seraphs, joined the temple of Nahre?mah.I¡¯m not sure how the Brotherhood got started exactly, but it seems they were early participants, if not the founders themselves,¡± Barbartu finished. Partners The trip home was a nightmare.Aphora¡¯s plan to destroy the Gemlirians¡¯ fort had worked perfectly.Unfortunately, it also had been a lot like kicking over a hornet¡¯s nest.The soldiers manning in the fort had either died or fled, but the destruction hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed by the surrounding villages.She pushed hard across the plains, troops trailing at her heels.She was unable to stop, unable to rest, unable to do anything but run.And yet, it was not the Gemlirians she was worried about.Perhaps, by sheer force of numbers, they could overwhelm her, but she felt confident she could outrun them.No, her fear was that a Sidhe would come to investigate the commotion. She had almost reached the ruined village that housed the portal back to Arall? when that fear came true.It started with an icy feeling running down her back.That could be dismissed, perhaps, as mere paranoia, but when the tips of grain and grass that blanketed the endless plains began to glaze with ice, Aphora knew it was no mere feeling. She¡¯d been running for days by then and, while elves certainly required less sleep than most, she was nearing the end of her endurance.Fear, though, is a powerful motivator.Her legs pumped faster, and her breath came harder, as she raced across the quickly freezing ground, not daring to look behind her. A cold wind blew at her back, like the breath of winter itself.The wind howled and flakes of snow began to swirl around her, bombarding her face like tiny kamikazes.Aphora pressed on, her heart beating against her chest with an almost painful staccato, and crested a small rise.The ruined village sprawled below her.Since her rampage the night she¡¯d rescued Qas?pahti, it had lain abandoned, but now a small troop of soldiers awaited her.Their thick, black armor was dusted with the rising flurries, but the emblem on their shield was one she knew all too well.Gemlirians. Aphora¡¯s step faltered.The soldiers below were not beyond her capability to defeat, but with the Sidhe not far behind, her prospects seemed grim.I have to try. Her steps sped up, her lips murmuring a prayer to Selene, as she descended upon the waiting warriors.But it was not Selene who answered her. As Aphora ran, the snowflakes swirling around her were joined by a fat drop of rain which rolled down her cheek.One drop was followed by a second, and soon a steady rain fell from the heavens, turning the frosted grass slick with moisture.The hair on her head grew fizzy as static filled the air and then, in a bolt of lightning, Imhullu appeared directly in her path. Terror gripped her heart as the Sidhe manifested, and she spun to the side.I knew I shouldn¡¯t have trusted him.She raced across the plains, away from the gathered troops and the treacherous Sidhe.Frost and rain beat down on her as she tried to complete a circuitous route back to the emerald door and its promise of safety. A bolt of lightning struck down in front of her, closer this time.Aphora tried to dodge, but Imh?ullu was faster.She flailed as the blonde man¡¯s arms wrapped tight around her, the ribbons in her dress unspooling. ¡°Stop, stop,¡± he yelled in her ear.¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡±She pulled free of his grasp and darted a few feet away before she turned to look him, suspicion pooled in her eyes. ¡°This isn¡¯t your doing?¡± The man grinned, displaying a dazzling smile.¡°Well, I didn¡¯t say that.I did promise you the arm of a Sidhe, didn¡¯t I?Ta-da! Tell you what, I¡¯ll take care of the Gemlirians for you while you pry the arm off of my old frenemy, Frozone.It will be like we¡¯re partners.¡± Aphora stared at him flatly.After days of running, she was too tired to muster the energy to be angry.¡°The deal was for the arm of a Sidhe, not a whole living one.¡± ¡°Did our agreement actually specify that,¡± the man asked with a grin. Aphora¡¯s heart sank. No, it hadn''t.Had she done all this for nothing?Was he just going to leave her to die? Perhaps her despair showed on her face, for the man¡¯s cheeky grin suddenly vanished. ¡°Um, don¡¯t cry.I¡¯m just kidding.I¡¯ll do the hard part and you can bully the kindergarteners.Sound good?¡± Imh?ullu didn¡¯t bother waiting for her response as, in a crack of thunder, he vanished.A thousand feet behind her, a swirling wall of frost and ice lit up like a snow globe as a bolt of lightning descended upon it.She watched for a moment as the man engaged the other Sidhe, then, wearily, turned to face her own assignment. There weren¡¯t that many trolls, perhaps a hundred in total, but they were well-trained.Equipped with heavy armor, the soldiers had closed ranks, forming a shield wall penetrated by nothing save for the long, gleaming sarissas that bristled like the quills of a porcupine. Idiots.After days of running, Aphora¡¯s legs wobbled slightly as she walked toward the troop.Their discipline was impressive, and she had no doubt that they had learned their stripes facing the heavy cavalry that Styrnn¡¯s armies preferred.But such tactics were of little use against a mage. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Rain and snow continued to beat down on her as her dress unwound, thread by thread.The silver strands flared around her like the hood of a cobra, revealing her body to the soldiers.Some were foolish enough to whistle and jeer, but Aphora ignored them.It was the last pleasure they¡¯d ever know. With shouts and the crack of a whip, the commander brought them under control and the soldiers advanced toward her, spears held at the ready.She waited quietly, the water pouring down her body like a river in spring as they marched against her.And when they were close enough to see the whites in their eyes, her threads struck. Hampered by the cut of her dress, the strands¡¯ length wasn¡¯t enough to push past the bristling rows of spears.Instead, the silver threads wrapped around the spears¡¯ and pulled down.A tug of war ensued, as the soldiers fought to free their weapons.Their ranks broke as some stepped back, trying to gain leverage over their spears, while others abandoned them altogether and, drawing their swords, chopped vainly at the threads in hopes of freeing their weapons. Perhaps they could have succeeded, but Aphora didn¡¯t give them time.As the ranks cracked, she darted forward.Dim blades of light gathered in her hands and as she slipped through the broken barrier of spears, the strands abandoned their grip to follow to follow their mistress.And then, she was on them. With each blow she struck, the blades of pale moonlight passed through shield and armor unaffected.The blades cut deep, searing the flesh behind them as Selene¡¯s wrath smote the wicked.The silver strands followed in her wake, a river of death that sought every unguarded orifice and burrowed its way inside. The soldiers broke.Ignoring their commanders, they turned and fled, weapons and armor crashing to the ground as the pale death descended upon them.Only one remained. A ten-foot troll who wielded a spear longer than himself, the commander alone faced her.The strands advanced before her, slashing and grabbing at the spear, but they slid off like glass, unable to catch a hold. Exhausted, Aphora paused just out of reach of his spear.¡°You¡¯ve got an enchanted weapon,¡± she observed. ¡°That¡¯s not all I have,¡± the Gemlirian rumbled.¡°Lord H?alp? was most eager to capture you.¡± Aphora glanced over her shoulder to where the battle between Imh?ullu and the other Sidhe was raging.¡°That Lord H?alp??¡±She asked. The troll grunted in affirmation. The two watched the battle in silence for a moment. A cyclone of ice surrounded the pair, with only dim flashes of lighting picking out from between the clouds, but somehow, Aphora felt certain that Imh?ullu was winning.And even if he wasn¡¯t¡­her eyes drifted to where the emerald barrier lay hidden, just out of sight. ¡°You can¡¯t defeat me,¡± she told the troll simply.¡°Even if your lord wins, I will be long gone.¡± ¡°I know.¡±The Gemlirian readied his spear.¡°But I still have to try.Either way, I¡¯m dead.Ana dannu adda?ru.¡±His battlecry echoed across the ruined town as the commander charged. Aphora was forced to dodge as his spear thrust where she¡¯d been standing, her strands unable to grip its shaft.Twirling lightly on her feet, she ducked beneath the spear¡¯s head and closed the gap between them.Her moonlight blades glimmered in the gloom as she struck for his head. Abandoning his weapon, the troll staggered back and caught her blow on his gauntlet.The metal steamed as her blades hammered down, but it held and he lashed it out with his other hand.His blow caught her square in the chest, and she was flung backward - but the strands that swarmed around her had no need to follow.They descended on him like a plague of locusts, and though they could not burrow through any of his enchanted armor, there was no need.Slithering through the slits for his eyes, the strands dug into the commander. With a cry of agony he fell to his knees, his arms tearing frantically at his armor.Aphora took pity on him.Rising to her feet, she summoned the blade of moonlight again and took his head.With the last of the soldiers gone, she turned to check on Imh?ullu. The torrent of snow had ceased and though the other Sidhe still struggled, it was clear the lord of lightning was winning.Doesn¡¯t need my help, she decided and, allowing the days of exhaustion to finally creep on her, Aphora sunk down to the ground, and leaned against the headless troll. Despite the cold rain pounding against her skin, she drifted off to a light slumber but awoke as the sounds of steps plodding through mud and puddles approached.Night had fallen and, lifting her hand, she let the moonlight flow through her.Imh?ullu emerged from the darkness with a long, pale arm slung over his shoulder.He tossed it at her feet, blood still dripping from where the arm had been pulled free of its socket. ¡°There you go, my lady.Delivered as promised.¡± As Aphora grabbed the arm gingerly and stuffed it into her bag of holding, the Sidhe plopped down beside her, his eyes filled with a touch of lust as his gaze traveled down her still naked form. ¡°You know, I think we made pretty good partners, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°What do you want, Sidhe?¡± Aphora asked. ¡°Sidhe?¡±The man clutched his heart in fake distress.¡°Surely we¡¯re closer than that by now.You can call me Imh?ullu, or Hulli, if you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not calling you Hulli,¡± she replied flatly, though she couldn¡¯t hide the smile in her eyes. ¡°Fine, how about Ivan, then?¡± The levity in the Sidhe''s tone dropped, replaced by a sincerity that surprised Aphora. ¡°Is Ivan your real name?¡± ¡°It was.Now, I¡¯m not so sure.It¡¯s been thousands of years since anyone knew me by that name, but, yes, once I was Ivan.¡± She stared at him for a moment, unsure how to interpret his sudden burst of honesty.¡°Alright Ivan, what do you want?¡± The man raised an eyebrow.¡°I thought I was clear.We made pretty good partners.¡± Aphora shrugged.¡°I don¡¯t really myself pursuing a career of picking fights with Sidhe.¡± ¡°Not that, silly,¡± Ivan replied.¡°I mean the other day.I had a good time.Didn¡¯t you?¡± Aphora wasn¡¯t exactly an innocent schoolgirl, but her cheeks still burned as she finally grasped his meaning. ¡°Don¡¯t you have plenty of Gemlirian women willing to throw themselves at you?¡± She retorted. ¡°Absolutely,¡± the Sidhe cheerfully admitted.¡°But you know, trolls aren¡¯t exactly my type.¡± ¡°And I am?¡± He shrugged.¡°I have no objections.So how about it,¡± he added, waggling his eyebrows exaggeratedly. Despite her exhaustion, Aphora laughed.¡°Eh, why not.¡± A Tempting Proposal ¡°That¡¯s quite a story,¡± Jasper admitted as Barbartu finished.¡°But it doesn¡¯t quite add up. I mean, if you fled the compound, how did you end up in the Brotherhood?¡± Barbartu shrugged.¡°It¡¯s really not that mysterious.After I escaped from Ishka¡¯s compound, I wandered around the empire for a time.I joined the Imperial Guard and fought in the war against the Zalancthians for a few decades.The conflict offered, if nothing else, a steady diet of blood and helped me regain some of the strength I¡¯d lost when I was dragged to this accursed realm.¡± ¡°But it always bothered me that I didn''t know what had happened after I fled that night.Eventually, curiosity got the best of me and I went back to the commune.A few of the Seraphs still lingered in the jungles nearby and once I learned that the cultists had survived, I decided to take a little revenge.¡± "Thanks to my illusion magic, slipping past Du?r-S?innu was a piece of cake - when it comes to illusion magic, this realm is shockingly unsophisticated," she added with a grin. "And of course, once I found the Seraphs, none of them recognized the fanged, dog-eared woman they''d tried to sacrifice in the buff, muscular Djinn that showed up at the temple of Nahre?mah.I scouted them out for a while, working my way into their organization as I plotted their demise. I was just about ready to strike when the last thing imaginable happened - their bloody ¡®goddess¡¯ actually showed up.¡± Barbartu shook her head, the disbelief still evident in her expression.¡°I have no idea how or why Yas?gah decided to turn up in a relatively small cult in the Harei? Miqlat, but it threw my plans for vengeance into disarray. She was much too strong for me to defeat on my own, and I had pretty much decided to pull the plug on the whole project and head back to the Imperial Guard when you showed up.¡± ¡°You see, after Ishka¡¯s death, the surviving cultists had been spooked.Though the Seraph elders allowed them to return, it was not exactly with open arms. The elders kept a harsh eye on the ''heretics'' for years, so for a long time the cultists really did stop their summoning rituals. "As the years went by, the elders eased up and then something else unexpected happened - the Mwyranni launched their new ¡®game¡¯ in our realm. Of course, the game''s true purpose was to single out prospective warriors who could be used to help the Empire against the Zalancthians, but it provided the perfect cover for the cult.Knowing that if anyone escaped, it would just be assumed the Mwryanni were to blame, the brethren started summoning again en masse.¡± ¡°You were one of the first they summoned.Frankly, I have no doubt you would have died by their hands if your goddess hadn¡¯t intervened, and I would have likely remained stuck here.Fortunately, that didn¡¯t happen,¡± she added with a grin. ¡°You see,¡± she explained,¡°For so many years, I¡¯d wanted to go home, but the paths to other worlds are few and well-hidden.¡± ¡°You know there¡¯s one somewhere in this province?" Jasper interrupted her.The portal of Et?e?ru, or something like that. It''s the one my mother used.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Barbartu raised her brow. ¡°I had no idea.I suppose that sort of knowledge is one of the perks of being ¡®royalty.¡¯Like I said, the gates are well-hidden, well-guarded, and very expensive to use.But one doesn¡¯t need an established portal to travel between worlds; one only needs to know the right rituals and have sufficient power.¡± ¡°Unfortunately for me, my power here is considerably weaker than it is on earth.I had no way to get back home until you showed up.At first, I was just curious, but after our encounter in the temple, I realized that you might be able to use the torque to Yas?gah and, through that, I¡¯d have a ticket back home.So that¡¯s my story,¡± she concluded. ¡°Uh, no.No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Jasper leaned forward.¡°I have so many questions.Why did you need me to use the torque?And what do you mean you have your ticket back home?Are you saying you can go back to Earth now?¡± ¡°Aren''t you tired of hearing me talk,¡± Barbartu asked with feigned annoyance. Jasper glanced over to the bed where his two friends still slept, then shook his head.¡°I¡¯ve got nothing better to do.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she said with a sigh.¡°What do you know about the torque?¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°Very little.Kas?dael told me it was a relic left over from some war between the people of Adammu and Arall?, but other than that¡­¡± ¡°As?ratu and Arall?,¡± she corrected him.¡°Adammu, or the world you think of as Earth, was simply caught in the middle between those two.But the torque is a bit more complicated than that.It was specifically designed to be used by the races of Arall?.If you do not bear their blood, the relic will not activate.¡± ¡°As far as I knew, there were only two races in this realm that could theoretically use the torque - the Sidhe and the Children of St. Martin - and neither was a realistic option.The Children of St. Martin seldom leave their hidden realm, and the Sidhe, well,¡± she clucked her tongue, ¡°Most of the Sidhe in this world are different than in ours.Damaged.Psychotic.You don¡¯t want to ally with them unless you have no other option.So imagine my surprise when I met you and felt the call.¡± ¡°The call?¡±Jasper asked with a furrowed brow. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°We have a saying amongst my people - ¡®blood calls to blood.¡¯Perhaps due to our innate connection to blood, we can recognize any descendent of Arall?.And while you may look like a Djinn, I¡¯d guess you¡¯re only a half-blood at best.Am I right?¡±She asked with a knowing smile. Jasper nodded.¡°My mother was a Djinn, but I never knew my father.Are you saying he was one of you?A lamas?tu?¡± ¡°Not necessarily¡­¡± Barbartu hesitated.¡°There are many races in Arall? and there¡¯s an odd quality to your blood that I can¡¯t quite identify.Perhaps he was mixed, or simply something rare I''m unfamiliar with.In any case, I doubt your father was a pure-blooded Lamas?tu but whatever he was, he¡¯s certainly from Arall?.The fact that you were able to use the torque proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt.¡± Jasper mulled her words over quietly.The information wasn¡¯t entirely new; Kas?dael had already hinted that his father might not be a simple human, but it was still hard to digest.And as he pondered her words, something occurred to him.¡°You said that you needed to be a descendant of Arall? to use the torque, but aren¡¯t lamas?tu? one of the races of Arall??Why did you need me?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t use it,¡± she replied flatly. He eyed her suspiciously.¡°Can¡¯t or won¡¯t?Did you just not care to risk your life?¡± ¡°I faced down a dead god simply to spare your friends. I could have fled any time I wanted to,¡± she responded curtly.¡°Do you really think I was too cowardly to use the torque?¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± he admitted, his ears burning with embarrassment.¡°I suppose that was unfair of me.¡± ¡°It was,¡± she agreed.¡°And as for your question, while lamas?tu are descendants of Arall?, I am a bit of a special case.I was born in As?ratu; I cannot use the torque." Curiosity bubbled inside him, and Jasper opened his mouth to ask more questions, but she cut him off.¡°No, you don¡¯t need to know more about that.Besides,¡± her tone lightened, ¡°have you already forgotten your second question?¡± Second question.A second later it hit him.¡°The golden ticket.You said you had a way back home?¡± Barbartu grinned.¡°It took you long enough.I, uh, might have altered the torque I gave you a little.¡± ¡°You mean you stole my power?¡±He replied, though his words lacked any real heat.The torque was hers, after all, and without it, he¡¯d likely have died, so it was hard for him to get too angry with her over whatever power she might have taken. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t use that word but, yes, I made sure that I inherited most of what the torque succeeded in siphoning from Yas?gah.And it worked.I have enough strength now to return home.¡±She paused.¡°And if you want, you¡¯re welcome to come with me.I¡¯ll have to take you to Arall? first - there¡¯s no way we can let you wander around Earth looking like that - but then,¡± she shrugged, ¡°you could do what you want.See your family.Enjoy modern comforts.Whatever, really.I¡¯ll even help you look for your father, if you want.¡± Jasper stared at her in shock.¡°I can go back home?¡±He asked, hardly able to believe it. She smiled back at him.¡°Yep.¡± An intense feeling of homesickness swept over him.Coffee, TV, computers, cozy beds, and best of all, no monsters that wanted to suck your soul.Well, maybe not that last part, he realized.Apparently magic and monsters did exist in his realm even if he¡¯d never encountered them.But still, it was an appealing offer. And yet¡­Jasper¡¯s eye drifted over to the bed.Ihra¡¯s blonde hair spilled across the pillow like a pool of liquid sunshine.His hands twitched subconsciously as the essence stirred within him.There are things about this world I¡¯ll miss too. As the wave of homesickness ebbed away, he began to remember the other parts of life on Earth - the not-so-great times.Growing up poor.Jenny¡¯s death.Being trapped in a job he didn¡¯t like and in a relationship that had been just going through the motions. Barbartu¡¯s smile slipped.¡°You don¡¯t want to go,¡± she stated. ¡°I...I don¡¯t know,¡± Jasper admitted slowly.¡°I thought I would, but¡­I just don¡¯t know.I feel like there¡¯s more to see here. And the people,¡± he said, thinking of Ihra. ¡°Believe me, after a century you¡¯ll be sick of the place, but,¡± she flashed a grin, ¡°you don¡¯t have to decide right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not leaving yet?¡± He asked with a touch of relief. ¡°Oh, I intend to leave as soon as possible, but there¡¯s nothing that says I can¡¯t come back for you.¡±She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small box.¡°I kind of expected you to say that, so I came prepared.It¡¯s not exactly ruby slippers, but I think you¡¯ll like it.Here, open it up.¡± Jasper pulled the lid off and stared at the contents.A plain silver ring sat in the bottom, utterly unadorned.¡°You¡¯re proposing?¡± He asked with a smirk.¡°It¡¯s all so sudden - I don¡¯t even know what to say.¡± The woman rolled her eyes.¡°It¡¯s a way to get in touch with me, dumbass.¡±Lifting her right hand up, she wriggled her fingers in front of him and Jasper realized she wore a matching ring.¡°If you want to reach me, simply smear a bit of your blood on the ring, infuse it with a bit of your essence, and think of my name.My ring will react, and I will open a portal to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s,¡± Jasper broke off, overcome with emotion.¡°That¡¯s amazing.Thank you.¡± Barbartu shrugged, seemingly uncomfortable with his gratitude.¡°Eh, I feel like I owe you that much.Besides, after being trapped here for so long, I wouldn¡¯t feel right abandoning you.Fair warning, though,¡± she added sternly, ¡°This is a one-time offer.I¡¯m not going to ferry you back and forth like an Uber driver.Understand?¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Jasper agreed. ¡°Good.¡±She rose in one swift motion and arched her back like a cat stretching a beam of sunlight.¡°Then unless you have any other questions, I¡¯m going to go prepare the ritual.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know who my father is?¡± Jasper asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry.Whatever he is, judging from the spells you''ve unlocked here, he likely has some connection to the dead or the netherworld, but I have no idea who he is.I¡¯d never heard of you or your mother until I encountered you here, in this realm.¡± Jasper was disappointed, but not surprised.¡°Alright.Thanks again,¡± he said as he slipped the ring on his finger.She turned and, walking over to the door, flung it open. ¡°You aren¡¯t even going to say goodbye?¡± He asked. A playful smile danced on the edge of her lips.¡°Why?This isn¡¯t goodbye.I know you¡¯re going to use that ring - it¡¯s just a matter of time.See you around, Jasper.¡±She slipped into the hall, and the door shut softly behind her, leaving Jasper alone with his thoughts. Marching Orders After her talk with Jasper, Barbartu had a few things she needed to take care off.She headed down the stairs and paid the tavern owner for a month¡¯s worth of rooms; even if she hadn¡¯t owed Jasper, there was little point in saving her money.She had plenty of it back home, after all.From there, she headed to the market to gather the few supplies she needed. Then she returned to the tavern.She stopped back at Jasper¡¯s room to offer him a final chance to come with her, but found him asleep.Leaving him be, she returned to her room and, pausing outside the threshold, and left a few gold coins in the hall for the owner as what was coming next was going to do a number on the room. Then, letting herself in, she got to work.Compared to the intricate and time-consuming runic magic of Corsythia, Barbartu¡¯s rituals were quick and dirty.Intent and raw power mattered more than precision, and it only took her a few minutes to etch a circle into the wooden floor and fill it with salt and iron shavings.A few more lines were added here and there, completing a simple rune, and then she was finished. Dusting off her hands, Barbartu gathered the rest of her possessions and then crouched at the edge of the circle.The mana flowed through her veins with new power, the power she¡¯d stolen from Yas?gah, and poured into the formation like a deluge.The circle glowed an eery red as the mana flooded it and then, with the sound of splintering wood, the formation broke free of the floor surrounding it.Barbartu ignored the startled cries of the rutting couple in the room below as the circular disc of wood slowly righted itself in the air. The red haze around the wood intensified and then, in a single flash, consumed the substance.All that remained was a swirling ball of fire, and her limbs shook with excitement as she waited for the portal to finish stabilizing. The angry red of the portal faded into a more muted pink, and she thrust a tentative arm into the portal.The swirling fire of the portal was hot against her skin, but beyond she felt the touch of fresh cool air. A smile broke across her lips.She could barely believe it - after a hundred years, she was finally going home.As she stepped into the portal, her red skin melted away, replaced by the golden hue of her natural form.A vulpine grin crossed her lips as she stepped into Arall? and the power she¡¯d been cut off from for so long flooded back into her.At last,Lamas?tu, the daughter of Anu had returned home.And there would be hell to pay.
It was two weeks before they were able to leave Du?r-Yarha.Despite their victory, the mood was anything but celebratory.Tsia took Ne?s?u¡¯s death harder than Jasper had expected; locking herself up in the tavern room, she ignored everyone who tried to talk to her and only made appearances for dinner. Annatta, meanwhile, was recuperating slowly.The experiments the cultists had performed on her had, in some ways, imitated the sacrifice that Ne?s?u had offered to Va?ya.Though she still had her class and skills, a significant portion of her strength and endurance were gone.The priests at Selene¡¯s temple held out hope that she might eventually recover but, for the time at least, the Djinn was a shadow of her former self.And though Jasper was eager to leave the Moon-kissed city behind and return to the capital, the priests refused to let her leave until they felt certain she was stable. That left Jasper, Ihra, and a still-recovering Ra?¡¯imu to their own devices.The first days, they stayed at the tavern.After weeks on the road and the horrors of Nah?as?s?innu, a cozy bed in a well-lit room felt like heaven.But in a world without TV, games, or even much to read in the way of books, it wasn¡¯t long before cabin fever crept in. Here, Ra?¡¯limu proved their savior.While the young Djinn might not have born much love for the city of Du?r-Yarha, he had lived just outside its wall for all his life and was a more than competent tour guide. Du?r-Yarha was even more wondrous up close than it was from afar.Split into two great rings, the inner city, which supposedly traced its roots back to Damqa herself, and the outer city, whose sprawl had long since stretched along both sides of the banks of the rather small Bia?tu river, Du?r-Yarha was a booming metropolis.And, thanks to the constant, cutthroat competition between the great houses of Damqa¡¯s successors, the city was filled with architectural marvels, each one constructed in the pale green rock that glowed beneath Selene¡¯s light. All in all, it was far from the worst way to spend his days but, still, Jasper was getting antsy.And then one morning he awoke to a visitor.Quite literally. He awoke to the light filtering through the drawn curtains in a solid beam of light directly aimed at his eyes.With a muffled grunt, Jasper flipped over, his hands fumbling for a pillow to shroud him in darkness once again, but he paused as a dark blob on the couch caught his eye - a presence that most certainly had not been there the night before.The pillow plopped back on the bed as Jasper bolted upright.¡°Who the hell are you?¡± As his eyes began to adjust to the light, Jasper was able to discern the stranger¡¯s features.The tall Djinn was perched on the edge of the couch, his back ramrod straight.A naked blade sat across his lap, but despite that oddity, Jasper relaxed as he realized the man wore lamellar armor painted with the familiar colors of the royal house. ¡°I¡¯m Captain H?uh?a?ru, my lord,¡± the man replied, bowing his head to the left respectfully.¡°I¡¯ve come with a message from Lord S?arra?bi?.I¡¯m sorry for letting myself in but,¡± he glanced around the room, ¡°when I could find no sign of your guard, I decided to watch over you myself.¡±There was clear disapproval in his tone as he continued.¡°I don¡¯t know what your guard is doing, but have no fear, I shall report her derelict behavior upon my return.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that,¡± Jasper hastened to assure him.¡°Unfortunately, she was injured rather badly and is currently being taken care of by healers at the temple.¡± The man¡¯s expression mellowed.¡°I must confess, I was surprised by Annette¡¯s absence..Will she be okay?¡± Jasper grimaced.¡°She¡¯ll live, but it may be a long time before she recovers.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°It really is,¡± Jasper agreed.¡°But that¡¯s not why you¡¯re here, is it?What does my uncle want?¡± The man reached into the bag hanging at his side and pulled out a letter.Accepting it from the man, Jasper flipped it over.It was sealed with a blob of thick red wax and as Jasper examined the symbol, his brow furrowed.¡°This doesn¡¯t look like my uncle¡¯s signet ring,¡± he questioned. ¡°Lord S?arra?bi? sent this on behalf of his majesty,¡± the captain explained.¡°I wasn¡¯t given permission to read it, but I believe it contains your orders.¡± ¡°My orders?¡±Breaking the seal, Jasper unfolded the parchment.A smaller piece of paper fell out of the middle and fluttered to the floor.Picking it up, Jasper recognized his uncle¡¯s scrawl. Dear Yas?peh, I hope that your mission for your goddess has gone well.I also hope that it has reached its end, for the King has finally managed to convince both the Northern and Southern tribes to consent to send aid to the Empire.Attached you¡¯ll find a document granting you the rank of commander and placing a cohort of scouts and cavalry under your command.I also arranged for the S?addu¡¯a you rescued from Zel-Qabburi to be attached to your troops as auxiliaries though their pay, as we discussed, will remain your responsibility for the time being. Unfortunately, now that the tribes have finally agreed to help, the King is moving with all haste.For many months he has been stockpiling supplies and gathering his own share of the troops, and I believe it is his intention to dispatch the southern troops within the month. While I have hope Captain H?uh?a?ru will find you in time for you to reach the capital and join us there, I recognize that is unlikely.If it has been more than two weeks since he left the capital, do not try to join us there.Once it departs S?adda?nu, the army will be marching north toward Du?r-S?arru.It is scheduled to stop at Nu?r-S?ams?a to rendezvous with the troops from the Northern tribes and will likely be delayed there for a few weeks.Head there instead, and hopefully, you will succeed in catching them before they leave. I wish that I could go with you, Yas?peh.You have adapted admirably to the challenges thrown your way and proven yourself a serviceable warrior, but war is a different beast altogether.But, with S?anukkat¡¯s child due any day, I cannot leave.While I have faith my daughter will be fine, Kas?? has gotten into her head that S?anu will die.If I left, I fear I would never be forgiven. I hope that we shall see each other again, but if not, may Shamsha¡¯s light ever guide your way and may his rays brighten every dark path. S?arra?bi? Jasper folded the letter back up carefully and, securing it in his bag, turned to the larger parchment.It was as his uncle had said, a commission signed by the King himself giving him command of the 27th S?adda?nite Cohort and commanding him to report for duty as soon as it was received.When he was satisfied he read through it all, Jasper turned back to the captain. ¡°How long has it been since you left the capital, captain?¡± ¡°A month and a half, my lord,¡± the man replied. ¡°Really? Why so long,¡± he asked in surprise.It had been a while since he had ridden from Du?r-Yarha to the capital, but Jasper remembered the trip being closer to 2 or 3 weeks than 6. The man scratched his head.¡°Well, S?arra?bi? told me you were marching west with a group of Seraphs.I followed the Seraphs to Katm?, where I learned that you had parted ways with them.¡± Jasper leaned forward with interest.¡°You met with the Seraphs?Did you meet a man named Abnu?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± H?uh?a?ru affirmed.¡°A giant of a man with one arm?¡± ¡°He had two arms the last I saw him,¡± Jasper replied with a frown. ¡°It seemed a recent wound,¡± the captain added.¡°The Seraphs were¡­less than welcoming, but from what I gathered they had just engaged in a rather costly conflict with some mountain village.¡± ¡°Did they beat the cultists?¡± Jasper inquired. ¡°Cultists?¡±The Djinn¡¯s face twisted with disgust.¡°Surely none of our kin have succumbed to such evils.We are not the Empire.¡± ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Jasper replied with a shake of his head, ¡°that is exactly who they - and I - were fighting.¡± ¡°Then I do not know the outcome of the fight but, judging by the fact that they were alive, it seems likely that they won.If they truly fought cultists, it is unlikely that their lives would be spared.¡± While Jasper hadn¡¯t exactly split with the Seraphs on the greatest of terms, he couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved.Abnu may have been a lousy guard, but he had seemed an honorable man.Sucks he lost his arm, though. ¡°So how did you find me,¡± he prodded the captain. The Djinn shrugged.¡°Abnu told me you had split after a battle.He wasn¡¯t quite sure where it had been but, in truth, it did not prove very difficult to track down the site of a giant wildfire that had been quenched by an unnatural storm.It was all the locals could talk about,¡± he said with a smile.¡°Once I found the battle site, I was able to follow your trail to Du?r-Yarha, and from there it was quite easy to track down the only member of the royal house known to be touring around the city.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a scout, I take it?¡± ¡°Former,¡± the captain corrected.¡°I¡¯ve been in the Royal Guard for three decades now, but I got my start with the scouts and that training is not something you easily forget.Speaking of forgetting,¡± the man paused and shuffled through his bag, ¡°Lord S?arra?bi? gave me one more thing for you.Ah, here it is.¡±The Djinn pulled a small package out of his bag and held it out to Jasper. Curious, Jasper tore the package open and pulled out its contents.It was a dark leather pouch that looked fairly similar to the one he already owned, but when he opened it up and looked inside, he realized exactly what had been given.Row upon row of potions filled the bottom, sitting by side with an assortment of swords and spears, food and clothes, and even, he was pretty sure, a full-sized tent.He stared at the bag for a moment in disbelief, overcome by gratitude.¡°It¡¯s a bag of holding.¡±Jasper knew all too well how expensive they were.After Ihra had scavenged hers from Lord Nabul, they¡¯d looked into buying one, only to discover that it would have been cheaper to buy a manor. ¡°Lord S?arra?bi? thought you might have need of it on the campaign.¡± ¡°Tell him thanks,¡± Jasper replied.¡°This is way more than I expected.¡± The man grinned.¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.You aren¡¯t the only young noble being sent off on this expedition and, given the rivalry between the Southern and Northern tribes, I imagine a good many of them will be kitted out with every luxury imaginable.The Steward of Flames could hardly afford to have his nephew look poor.¡± The man¡¯s cold pragmatism wasn¡¯t enough to douse Jasper¡¯s gratitude.Whatever his uncle¡¯s reasons, this was a princely gift.¡°Tell him thanks anyway.¡± H?uh?a?ru rose to his feet and bowed.¡°I will relay all you have said to Lord S?arra?bi?.Is there anything else you need before I go?¡± ¡°What about Annatta?¡±Jasper asked.¡°The priests have still not agreed to let her go, but the letter is commanding me to depart immediately.¡± The captain hesitated only a moment.¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t delay any longer, my lord.If I had found you sooner, perhaps¡­but as it is, you will be hard-pressed to even reach Nu?r-S?ams?a in time.The army will not wait for a single commander, but I fear the King would be most displeased if you failed to reach them.¡± Jasper nodded.¡°I understand that, but I can¡¯t just abandon her.Can you make sure she gets back to the capital safely?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.I can my delay return for awhile.¡± A Bit of Brunch The two talked for a while longer. Having never been to Nu?r-S?ams?a, Jasper knew nothing of the road ahead, so H?uh?a?ru filled him in. And then, promising once again to watch over Annatta until she could return to the capital, the captain departed for the temple of Selene, leaving Jasper to prepare for the journey. He went looking for Ihra first. Once Barbartu had departed, Ihra had moved into the room she had occupied ¨C in a surprisingly generous move, the Lamas?tu had paid for a full month¡¯s stay at the tavern ¨C but after a few minutes of futile knocking on the door, Jasper was forced to conclude she wasn¡¯t there. Maybe she went to get something to eat? He started down the hall toward the stairs that led down to the tavern¡¯s spacious lower floor. The savory scent of the taverns ¨C pork and apples, if he had to guess ¨C wafted up the stairs, and his stomach grumbled. Wouldn¡¯t mind something to eat myself. He picked up the pace, but his steps faltered as a door a few feet in front of him slowly creaked open and a familiar face peaked out. Tsia had seen better days. Her cheeks looked wan and pinched and the bright red around her eyes and nose was only exacerbated by the more than usual pallor of her skin. Her hair stuck up in every which way and, while Jasper had certainly seen his share of bedhead, the savory promise of breakfast wasn¡¯t quite enough to cover up the smell emanating from her. Not knowing quite what to say, Jasper settled for the obvious. ¡°Hey. How you been doing? We, uh, haven¡¯t seen you for a while.¡± The girl ignored his question. ¡°Was that man from your uncle? What did he want?¡± Jasper pulled the paper out of his bag. ¡°He came with orders. I¡¯m supposed to report to the army at Nu?r-S?ams?a immediately.¡± ¡°So the king really is sending aid to the empire?¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± Jasper continued awkwardly. ¡°Are you, uh, coming with us? You know, we haven¡¯t had a chance to talk about what happened with, you know, Ne?s?u and all.¡± Tsia looked away, her eyes fixed studiously on the rough planks of the tavern floor. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted slowly. ¡°I guess¡­¡± A pained silence hung between them as she trailed off. ¡°I guess I am,¡± she finally finished. ¡°At least until we reach Sapi?ya. Then¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± She hugged her arms closer around her. ¡°After you stabbed yourself, I really thought I was going to die. And you know the one thing I kept thinking about?¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My dad,¡± she admitted. ¡°After he let my mother go off without even telling me, I was just so mad. Things had always been complicated between us anyways. He tried, but my stepmother was, quite literally, a royal bitch. She hated my guts and her kids followed her example, as soon as they were old enough to understand anyways.¡± ¡°Because your dad and Aphora had a fling?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± confusion flitted across her face. ¡°Why would she care about that?¡± ¡°I thought, err¡­given the ages of you and your siblings, I assumed he cheated¡­¡± Jasper fumble awkwardly. Understanding flooded her eyes. ¡°Oh, I see. No, that¡¯s not how noble marriages work. The only reason my dad married Marah is because her father is the most powerful noble in Strynn, second only to their king. With her as his wife, the king of Strynn hasn¡¯t been willing to fully commit to attacking us, just in case the duke sided against him.¡± ¡°Oh¡­so why does she hate you then?¡± ¡°Because none of my father¡¯s other children are a threat to hers. The children of minor nobles or commoners have no chance of inheriting his throne. But my mother was different. She¡¯s an elven queen, and even if the city she would have ruled was destroyed when she was a child, her rank makes me a viable heir to my father¡¯s throne. Given our province¡¯s long and bitter history with Strynn, the nobles of my father¡¯s court are none too eager to allow a half-blooded son of Strynn on the throne. Perhaps, if there was no suitable alternative, it would be allowed to happen but¡­¡± A look of sorrow entered her eyes. ¡°When my father dies, I suspect there will be a war. I have no designs on the crown myself, but I already know that most of the western lords intend to champion me, whether I will it or not.¡± ¡°Hopefully, that will not be for a long time to come, but after nearly dying, I don¡¯t want to leave things this way. I want to see him again and let him know how Ne?s?u died. Ne?s?u¡­¡± she sighed, ¡°wouldn¡¯t have died if I hadn¡¯t run away. I can¡¯t bring him back, but at least I can honor this death, you know?¡± Tsia glanced up at him. ¡°Any chance you¡¯d accompany me? You¡¯d love my father¡¯s court. It¡¯s nestled on a small crop of hills beside the Ilna?r river, high enough to be free of the harsh heat of the surrounding jungles while still enjoying the wealth of fruit and animals the tropics provide. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d feel right at home too, seeing as how the city is practically named for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what?¡± he asked incredulously. A small giggle escaped her lips. ¡°Well, maybe not, but you¡¯re both named after the stone. The yas?peh mines were the whole reason the city become prominent in the first place. Will you come, won¡¯t you?¡± she said, shooting him an entreating look. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have the choice,¡± he said with a shake of his head. ¡°If I can, I will, but if the army¡¯s anything like ours back home, I don¡¯t think I can just up and leave.¡± Her eyes darkened momentarily, but she nodded her dully. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t really blame you.¡± She sighed and leaned her head against the door. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to decide what I want more; go see dad or stick with you and hope to see mom. Either way, I¡¯m coming with you for now.¡± She straightened up slowly and ineffectively brushed at her wildly-askew locks. ¡°When are we going?¡± ¡°Today, if possible,¡± Jasper replied. ¡°The captain was worried we might already miss the army as it is.¡± Tsia offered him a weak smile. ¡°Well, then I guess I¡¯d better get ready. I can probably be packed in thirty minutes.¡± Jasper looked down at the rumpled girl and the scent wafted past him again. ¡°Uh, you know, there¡¯s no need to be in that much of a hurry,¡± he said. ¡°Like there¡¯s definitely time for you to take a bath, if you want.¡± She pursed her lips, her eyes wrinkling in an angry scowl, and shut the door in his face. Still, as Jasper headed down the hall, he had no regrets. It might not have been the most tactful thing he¡¯d ever said, but it was sure as hell better than being forced to ride next to her for the next 8 hours. As he finally made his way down the tavern¡¯s stairs, the breakfast porridge¡¯s savory scent set his mouth watering. The tavern Barbartu had placed them in sat at the heart of the market district, so the room was already packed. He stood by steps for a moment as he searched the room for any signs of his friends. ¡°Jasper!¡± A cheery voice called out behind him, and he turned to find Ihra waving her hand from a booth tucked into the corner near one of the two great hearths. He jostled his way through the crowd, which thankfully was considerably less full of irritable drunks then at night, and slid down beside her. Ra?¡¯imu sat on the other side, both of them tucking into bowls of the apple & pork dumpling stew, while a third bowl sat untouched. ¡°I¡¯d figured you¡¯d be done soon, so I ordered you a bowl. And if not,¡± she flashed him a cheery grin, ¡°more for me. So do you have any plans for today? Ra?¡¯imu suggested we rent a carriage outside the city and go berry-picking. Apparently, they have some sort of shrub that only flowers after the first snow.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Jasper helped himself to a bite of the stew, savoring the hot, sweet flavor, before he continued, ¡°I just received my orders from my uncle.¡± He slid the letter over to her and Ra?¡¯imu. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been given command of a few troops and being sent away. Effective about six weeks. We¡¯re going to have to ride hard if we¡¯re going to catch up in time.¡± Ihra perused the letter for only a minute before she handed it back to him. ¡°About time. I was starting to feel cooped up in here.¡± ¡°And here I¡¯d thought I¡¯d make good company. Clearly my charms were wasted,¡± Ra?¡¯imu snorted. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Yep, they definitely were. Besides, shouldn¡¯t you be saving your charms for a certain someone now,¡± she added, referring to his betrothed. The Djinn looked glum. ¡°Ah, yes, Is?mah. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d just be devastated if I disappeared.¡± ¡°I think she cares more than you know,¡± he said mildly. Ra?¡¯imu scowled. ¡°You¡¯re a damned good mage, Yas?peh, but you know nothing of our politics. The only thing Is?mah is concerned with is how much face she lost by being pawned off on someone unimportant like me, and how much of my money she has to spend to make for it. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be relieved to be rid of me and have the chance at someone better.¡± Does he really not know? Jasper paused with the spoon halfway to his mouth, unsure whether he should say anything. It wasn¡¯t like he knew either of them that well, after all. But as Is?mah¡¯s story played through his mind again, he reluctantly lowered the spoon again. ¡°I admit, I¡¯m not well-versed in the politics of your courts,¡± he agreed, ¡°but it sounds like you are missing certain information yourself. Do you really not know what happened with her last betrothal?¡± ¡°Her last betrothal? What are you talking about?¡± Ra?¡¯imu¡¯s brows knit together in a nascent thundercloud. ¡°Does she have some bastard child she¡¯s been heading?¡± ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Jasper replied with a shake of his head. ¡°Her story is, well,¡± he paused and decided not to share, ¡°you should probably hear it from her lips, not mine. But I think you should know, Ra¡¯imu, that she really does want to make this work. Before we left for Nah?as?s?innu, she practically begged me to bring you back safe.¡± ¡°Really?¡± the man looked up, the usual diffidence in his eyes replaced by a skepticism shielding him from hope. ¡°Really,¡± Jasper affirmed. The man leaned back in the pew and ran his hands through his hair. ¡°I suppose I have been avoiding going back. She¡¯s remodeling the whole damn manor, you know,¡± he fixed his eye on Jasper. ¡°The place was a bit rundown, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, but only because the elders wouldn¡¯t release my father¡¯s funds to me, because I wasn¡¯t enough of a warrior for them.¡± ¡°But now they will,¡± Jasper pointed out. ¡°Just because she¡¯s sprucing up the place doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s ashamed of you.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± the Djinn replied hesitatingly. ¡°I still find it hard to believe, though.¡± ¡°Just talk to her,¡± Jasper repeated. A light hand fell in his shoulder, precipitated by the faint aroma of lilac and roses. ¡°Talk to whom?¡± He glanced up to find Tsia had joined them. Her curly locks had been wrestled into submission, her cheeks glowed a ruddy red from fresh scrubbing, and her clothes were cleaned and pressed. ¡°I see you found the maids.¡± The girl slid into the seat next to her brother. ¡°Well, someone insinuated I smelled. And while I certainly don¡¯t care about their opinion, my poor horse has a very delicate nose.¡± Jasper grinned. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll appreciate your sacrifice.¡± Tsia smiled wanly, the sadness still lurking in her eyes despite having roused herself from bed. ¡°I thought you were champing at the bits to go. What¡¯s the hold up?¡± He spooned the last dregs from the bottom of his bowl into his mouth and swallowed. ¡°Figured we might as well get breakfast before we go; I imagine there won¡¯t be too much hot food for the next week or two. Plus, Ra?¡¯imu had pre-wedding jitters. Had to talk him down. You can just call me a marriage counselor,¡± he said with a wink. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ra?¡¯imu asked, leaning forward on the table. ¡°Some sort of class?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Ihra shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s some sort of nonsense from his world. Once you¡¯ve been around Jasper awhile, you¡¯ll learn that when he¡¯s in a good mood, he likes to make jokes nobody else understands. It is kind of his thing.¡± ¡°Hey now,¡± Jasper protested, ¡°it¡¯s not my fault you don¡¯t appreciate my references.¡± She smirked. ¡°Sure. Tell me, did people back home find you funny.¡± ¡°They found me hilarious,¡± he boldly lied. Ihra just laughed. ¡°Uh-huh. If you say so.¡± Standing up, she wriggled past him and out of the booth. ¡°Give me a few minutes to pack and I¡¯ll be good to go.¡± Jasper stared longingly at the hearth where a pot of the stew still boiled. Just one more bowl. But instead, he forced himself to stand up as well. ¡°I guess I better pack too. We should leave within the hour.¡± The Broken Scout ¡°Oomph.¡±The breath was knocked out of Erin¡¯s lungs as he was sent sprawling.A staff arced on a collision path straight toward his head.He rolled over and the staff¡¯s butt smashed into the ground, sending up a plume of dust.Getting to his knees, he tried to get out of the range, but his opponent was faster.Like a shot, the staff rose from the ground and caught him square in the ribs.He was flipped over by the force and landed on his back again.Erin¡¯s lungs screamed for air that just wouldn¡¯t come as his opponent lashed out at his head.This time his body refused to obey his commands and he closed his eyes.He felt the ripple of air as the staff passed above his brow. ¡°Dead,¡± a dispassionate voice proclaimed. Erin ignored it, focusing on taking short, shallow breaths in a vain attempt to stop the aching pain in his ribs. ¡°Heal him,¡± the voice commanded and a light pressed on his shoulder.The pain in his ribs receded, replaced by a warm, tingling feeling that was not nearly as pleasant as it sounded.If anything, the sensation reminded Erin of the time he¡¯d discovered he was allergic to shellfish; unfortunately, that had happened at a friend¡¯s birthday party when he was 12.Erin¡¯s mother hadn¡¯t exactly had the money to splurge on things like lobster, so when his friend¡¯s dad ordered for the whole table, Erin hadn¡¯t know any better.One lobster later, his throat and lips swelled up to twice their usual size.Instead of a goody bag, he¡¯d gotten a hospital visit and one less friend.Fortunately, the unpleasant sensation soon receded and, with it, the breath rushed back in his lungs. Erin sat up and, accepting the hand offered to him, rose to his feet.¡°Did I do any better?¡± He asked the guard who had just thrashed him. ¡°Eh,¡± The man shrugged, ¡°Perhaps a little.You lasted a few seconds longer than the last.¡± Erin sighed.¡°I don¡¯t know why I keep trying.Without skills¡­¡± The trainer cut him off.¡°Skills aren¡¯t the problem here, scout.I used no skills myself.¡± ¡°Then what is?¡± He asked unhappily. ¡°You just don¡¯t have that fire.Your stats are okay, you know your forms reasonably well, and your reflexes are actually quite good, but you fight like you¡¯re scared of hurting me.Which is absurd,¡± the man added flatly.¡°At least you¡¯re in the scouts.If you find yourself in a lot of fights, you''re doing something wrong.¡± Erin hung his head. He knew the guard''s criticism were fair.Truth was, all he really wanted to do was go back home but, if he was going to be stuck here, he needed to get better.¡°Same time tomorrow?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± the guard replied.¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?You¡¯re heading out in two days.¡± ¡°What?¡±Erin whipped his head up.¡°Headed out to where?¡± The trainer cocked an eyebrow.¡°You really haven¡¯t been paying attention?The King¡¯s sending a bunch of troops to help out the Empire.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d heard that,¡± he admitted, ¡°but I didn¡¯t realize it was happening so soon.Didn¡¯t realize we were being sent either,¡± he added after a moment¡¯s pause. ¡°Guess you¡¯re lucky,¡± the guard grinned, but then his smile slipped.¡°Or perhaps unlucky..Hope you can do it, kid.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Erin agreed dully.Gathering his stuff up, he started to head back to the barracks but was intercepted at the gate by a willowy woman wearing the yellow sash of the messengers. ¡°Lord S?arra?bi? sent for you.You¡¯re to meet him at his manor.¡± ¡°Uh, was it urgent?¡± Erin asked, swiping with his sleeve at the sweat still dripping down his brow. The slight breeze blowing off the lake shifted, and the woman¡¯s nose wrinkled in disgust.¡°I imagine Lord S?arra?bi? would not mind if you took a few moments to cleanse yourself.¡± ¡°Alright, tell him I¡¯ll be right there, then.¡± The woman nodded and disappeared back into the trees, leaving Erin to trudge back to the barracks.His mind wandered as he scrubbed off the worst of the sweat and slipped into a clean tunic.I wonder what S?arra?bi? wants this time. Truthfully, Erin had a pretty good idea.While he was still not sure how exactly he felt about the mysterious noble-slash-fellow citizen of Earth who had rescued him, Jasper had lived up to his promise to ask his uncle to help Erin unlock a class. Jasper himself seemed to have disappeared shortly after arriving back at S?adda?nu, but the man¡¯s uncle had met with Erin a half-dozen times.Each time he¡¯d had priests, mages, or other supposed experts gathered to look over him, and each time had been a failure. Frankly, Erin had come to dread these occasions.Not only was S?arra?bi? an intimidating man, who looked like the devil sprung to life, but the meetings themselves were long and hard.He tried not to get his hopes, but even faint hopes can still be dashed. But there was no point in tarrying.Fastening his short sword to his belt, Erin slid on a pair of sandals and headed out of the barracks.The messenger had waited outside for him, lying beneath a great, sprawling tree whose fulsome branches offered a welcome relief from the heat of the midday sun.She rose with a groan, and he followed after her.The messenger led him to the gates of S?arra?bi?¡¯s manor where, after she showed them the message, the guards let him in. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Cool air washed over him as he stepped inside.It was no trick of air-conditioning, though, but simply a feat of architecture, with the thick stone walls acting as a very effective insulator.A servant led him upstairs to S?arra?bi?¡¯s study and rapped on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± a deep voice rumbled. Choking down his anxiety, Erin stepped through the door and bowed his head politely.¡°My lord.¡± ¡°Ah, took you long enough.¡±Lord S?arra?bi? sat in his usual plush leather chair.His desk was besieged by stacks of paperwork tall enough to be siege towers and a small bevy of aides sat in a semi-circle around him, working through the stacks with a nearly feverish energy. The stilted language the Djinn preferred always felt awkward on Erin¡¯s lips, but he gave it his best shot.¡°I had just finished training, my lord.Given my state, I thought it best to clean up first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure my nose thanks you,¡± the man replied wryly.With a groan, he stood up from the chair and stretched his arms.¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about the army leaving by now?¡± ¡°Just today,¡± Erin agreed. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll be going with them, so this will have to be our last meeting for the time being.But you¡¯ll be placed under my nephew¡¯s command, so who knows? Perhaps he¡¯ll have better insight into your troubles than I.He is from your world, after all.¡±S?arra?bi? circled around the desk, weaving his way through his aides, and waved Erin toward the left side of the room. A small door Erin hadn¡¯t noticed before sat inside the wall, hidden in the shadow of two ebony bookcases, and the man swung it open.¡°Come on.¡± Following the Djinn inside, Erin found himself in a second, smaller study.Unlike S?arra?bi?¡¯s room, whose walls were dominated by thick, black-lacquered shelves and large, ostentatious furniture, this room was light and cheery.The side facing the lake lay almost open to the elements, with passage only barred by sheer curtains that were thin enough to let the cool breezes flow through.A row of plants sat in front of it, their green leaves burnished by bright orange and white flowers that reminded Erin a bit of lilies. The walls were lined with a cream-colored stone punctuated by a thin strip of green, and a long white table sat in the middle of the room, already occupied by three guests.Two of them Erin recognized immediately. One was a local priest from S?ams?a¡¯s temple, who had met faithfully with Erin nearly every week in a futile attempt to help him access his essence.Despite his occasional attempts to enlighten Erin about S?ams?a¡¯s wonderful radiance, he rather liked the old man; he was kind and patient to a fault. The other was less of a favorite.Though one of the most skilled mages in the king¡¯s court, Erin always felt uncomfortable around the man.It wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t eager to help - if anything, he was a bit too eager - but Erin couldn¡¯t escape the feeling that the Djinn saw him more as a particularly interesting test subject than as a person he was trying to help.If S?arra?bi? wasn¡¯t there for protection, he wasn¡¯t entirely confident the mage wouldn¡¯t bundle him up into some hidden laboratory for endless cruel expects.Okay, maybe I¡¯m letting my imagination run wild, but there¡¯s definitely something off about him. But Erin¡¯s eyes paused as he came to the third man.This one was new and, much to his surprise, not a Djinn.The new addition looked almost human, if not for a few small discrepancies.His eyes were a deep emerald green, a shade too vibrant to be natural.His ears were a touch too long, not quite pointed, but not rounded as they usually were.And his teeth - well, when the man smiled, Erin had to force himself not to take a step back as a row of unnaturally long and sharp teeth gleamed in the light. ¡°As I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed, Erin, we have a new guest today.Allow me to introduce Lord Va?y?lti?, one of the emissaries from the Empire and, as it happens, a highly skilled mage.¡± Erin bowed his head stiffly.¡°A pleasure, my lord.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± S?arra?bi? continued.¡°I really can¡¯t stay today; there¡¯s simply too many things to do before the army leaves, so I¡¯ll leave you to him.Before you leave today, be sure to check in, Erin.There are a few things concerning my nephew I want to go over while we still have the chance.¡± With that, he took his departure. Erin sat down at the table and tried not to squirm Lord Va?y?lti? flashed his unsettling grin again.It¡¯s like staring down a shark.¡°So, I hear you¡¯ve been unable to unlock a class?¡± He asked abruptly. He nodded.¡°Yeah, it won¡¯t let me unlock a warrior class because I have essence, but because I can¡¯t actually use my essence, it won¡¯t give me a mage class, so I''m stuck.¡± ¡°An interesting conundrum.¡±The man drummed his fingers against the table.¡°And there¡¯s nothing else unusual about you.No childhood injuries, unusual heritages, bloodline curses, anything that would explain it?¡± Bloodline curses?¡°Uh, not that I know of.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve ruled out those possibilities as best as we can,¡± the priest added.¡°Of course, with him not being from this world, it¡¯s hard to say for certain what secrets might lie in his past.¡± ¡°Not of this world¡­S?arra?bi? did mention he was summoned.¡±His gaze turned back to Erin.¡°Tell me, what world do you come from?¡± ¡°Earth.¡± ¡°Earth,¡± the man repeated.He stood up and began to pace back and forth across the room, his arms crossed behind his back.¡°You know, many years ago, before the capital fell, I remember reading a book about summons from Earth.What was it?¡±He stroked his chin thoughtfully.¡°Maybe Apkallu¡¯s Encyclopedia of Intelligent Beings?¡­no,¡± he decided with a shake of his head.¡°That¡¯s not it - ah!I remember.It was Araddu?r¡¯s memoirs.¡± He turned to the court mage.¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have a copy in your library?¡± The Djinn could only shake his head.¡°Araddu?r is not a name that will win you many favors around here.He was a bit of a heretic, after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯d forgotten how sensitive you Djinn could be about the whole Nu?r and S?ams?a debate,¡± he replied wryly.¡°The man was a brilliant scholar whose work deserves to be remembered.¡± ¡°And what relevance do his memoirs have,¡± the mage replied testily. ¡°As I recall, a number of the summons from Earth experienced the same issue as our young friend here.¡± Erin flinched as a heavy hand descended on his shoulder. ¡°Unless I miss my guess, the ¡®essence¡¯ you and the system are sensing isn¡¯t essence at all.It¡¯s, uh,¡± he furrowed his brow. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s been a very long time since I last read Araddu?r¡¯s work.I can¡¯t remember what he called it.But it¡¯s a magical resource quite similar to essence but nonetheless distinct.¡± ¡°So what does that mean for me,¡± Erin asked.¡°Am I unable to get a class?¡± The imperial mage shook his head.¡°On the contrary.We¡¯ll likely need to wait until we¡¯re back in the empire and I can consult Arradu?r¡¯s memoirs, but he found a way to help them.We¡¯ll just have to trick the system to do it.¡± Back to Kibra?ti They didn¡¯t leave within the hour.Though Tsia had said she was ready, when the time came to say goodbye to Ra?¡¯imu, it was hard to drag her away.Though they had not known each other that long, for both it was a connection they had longed for all their life - a family member who didn¡¯t reject them and tie to a mother whose shadow loomed large but whose presence was often wanting.Both knew also, that there was a real chance it was the last time they¡¯d see each other.Few traveled in and out of the Harei Millet and, even if by Selene¡¯s grace they met again, it would likely be many years down the road.Thus, despite the clock¡¯s incessant ticking, Jasper couldn¡¯t bring himself to cut their farewell short and waited patiently until the last, tearful goodbye had been said. It was already mid-day when they finally sallied out of Du?r-Yarha¡¯s gates.The snow that had already impeded their progress when they journeyed north had only continued to pile up.It was the peak of winter for the northern city, and the caravans of merchants from Qara?nu and Kibra?ti that usually filled the roads were nowhere to be seen.Even the king¡¯s highway had little more than a narrow, trampled-down path running down its middle. Thus, their progress was slow - and slowed down even further by Tsia and Ihra who, unlike Jasper, had no immunity to the freezing temperatures.After some debate, therefore, the group decided to turn south toward Qara?nu in the hopes of catching a boat rather than continuing straight along the highway that led to Nu?r-S?ams?a. It took a solid week before they broke free of the snow, the elevation having descended low enough that the warm winds off the southern plains drove back the elements.From there, their progress picked up and the three found themselves back in Qara?nu by the end of the second week. Despite not having Annatta there to bargain for them, chartering a boat proved to be easier than expected.A merchant fleet was already in dock and as soon as Jasper showed them his orders from S?arra?bi?, the merchants were more than willing to take them.They set sail the next day, bound for Kibra?ti first, and then Nu?r-S?ams?a.Jasper only hoped they¡¯d make it on time. Unfortunately, their plans hit a snag when they reached Kibra?ti.The merchants were there to pick up a shipment of furs from Ka?r-Kupp?, but the northern traders had been delayed, and as much as the merchants wished to oblige, they were not willing to depart empty-handed. ¡°So what are we going to do,¡± Jasper asked as he paced up and down in their small cabin.The door was bolted firmly shut as the air outside was a bitter cold, a northern wind that swept down from the upper cliffs on which Kibra?ti perched.¡°From what the merchants said, the roads are still mostly covered by snow.If we abandon the ship, there¡¯s no guarantee we¡¯ll make it to Nu?r-S?ams?a any faster than just waiting it out. But, we don¡¯t even know how long we¡¯ll be waiting.God only knows when those traders will show up.¡± ¡°We should just go,¡± Ihra said with a shrug.¡°At least then our pace will be in our hands.If we stay the fleet, like you said, who knows when the traders from Ka?r-Kupp? will show up?They¡¯re not on a timetable like us.¡± ¡°There might be another option.¡±Jasper turned to Tsia in surprise.Though she¡¯d roused herself from her lethargy at the tavern, she¡¯d barely spoken on their trip. ¡°Another option?Don¡¯t tell me you have jets?¡± He joked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what jets are,¡± she replied wearily, ¡°but there are tsuss?m.¡± Huh, maybe they do have jets, after a fashion.¡°You mean the flying horses?That might work.¡±He paused as a wrinkle presented itself, ¡°But what about our mounts?I''m not willing to leave Dapplegrim behind.¡± ¡°Nor I Keresh,¡± Ihra butted in. ¡°They have an artifact that could carry them.It¡¯s not cheap though.¡± Ihra¡¯s eyes narrowed at the thought of parting with their precious gold.¡°If the princess thinks it¡¯s expensive, it must really be out of our price range.¡± ¡°It is expensive,¡± Tsia admitted.¡°I think it was almost 8,000 gold coins.But when Ne?-¡° her voice cracked slightly.¡°When we,¡± she restarted, avoiding saying Ne?s?u¡¯s name, ¡°flew the tsuss?m, we didn¡¯t have to pay anything.Just had to do a little favor for the company.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± the story came flooding back to Jasper.¡°Didn¡¯t that little favor almost cost your life?¡± ¡°I was overconfident and went alone.I won¡¯t make that mistake again.¡± ¡°Perhaps we should check it out,¡± Ihra spoke up.¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to ask.¡± ¡°Why not,¡± Jasper agreed with a shrug.¡°So where is this guy?¡±
Before they left the ship, Jasper paid the merchants a little extra to keep watch over their mounts.He doubted the merchants would be foolish enough to steal from a member of the royal house, but greed had led many a man down the road to destruction.It was better to be safe than sorry. It didn¡¯t take them long to make their way through the narrow streets of the lower city.It was only a small portion of land that jutted out into Lake Yarbah, a glorified sand bar that over the years had been expanded and reinforced by retaining walls that pushed the water ever further from the shore.But the vast bulk of Kiriba?ti was perched on the top of the towering bluffs that overlooked Yarhab. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Great lifts bridged the space between the two sections.The lumbering wooden platforms were large enough to hold a loaded carriage or two, or a small crowd of people.They moved slowly, jerkily, up the cliff face, and were operated by brawn and gears rather than magic. But as they waited in line, Jasper noticed there were other platforms as well.Crafted of finely polished stone, the lifts were far larger than the wooden ones.Their bodies melded seamlessly with the towering bluffs, showing no signs of gears or ropes, but they sat unused and neglected.¡°I wonder why they¡¯re not using those ones,¡± Jasper whispered to Ihra.¡°They look a lot nicer.¡± An old man waiting behind them had been listening to their conversation and butted in with a polite nod of his head.¡°Ah, my lord, when I was a lad those lifts ran as regular as clockwork.Back then, the city had an agreement with a S?addu¡¯a lord to hire stone mages to operate them.But now,¡± the man shrugged, ¡°we have only two stone mages in the city, and Lord Nu?rdapi?n requires their services for his troops.We have to make do with these now, but they¡¯re really not as bad as they look,¡± he added with a shrug. Jasper eyed the wooden lifts dubiously, watching as they jerkily lifted two wagons piled high with grain up the side of the cliff.About halfway to the top, a gust of wind sent the platform smashing into the rock.The wooden rails splintered beneath the force of the blow and one of the carts rolled toward the ledge.The operators, no doubt possessed of far more than Earthly strength, managed to stop the cart from plunging over and, once it was repositioned, the lift ascended the rest of the way to the top, where it began to unload.Another, its burden already freed, began to make its way down, but Jasper saw that it, too, had a damaged rail.Yikes, talk about an OSHA nightmare.A second gust of wind battered the lift and its progress stopped as they waited it out.Screw this. He tapped Ihra and Tsia on the shoulders.¡°So, which one of you wants to be Supergirl and which one wants to be Lois?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jasper pointed at the lifts.¡°I¡¯m tired of waiting on them and, frankly, they don¡¯t seem that safe.I can cast Spectral Wings on myself and one of the two of you, so which one wants to fly and which one wants to get carried?¡± ¡°I can fly myself,¡± Tsia protested. ¡°But you¡¯re terrible at it, aren¡¯t you?¡± Her jaw set.¡°Ihra can have your spell.I¡¯ll fly on my own.¡± Jasper¡¯s hand brushed Ihra¡¯s back, releasing the essence into her, and her back spasmed as a pair of ethereal black wings blossomed behind her.His hands twisted a second time, and a second pair of wings sprouted from him.Tsia began to rise jerkily in the air, the wind swirling around her with a good deal of power but little finesse, but shrieked as a pair of arms wrapped around her. ¡°Alright, Lois, let¡¯s go.¡± Leaving the line behind, Jasper shot into the air, tailed closely by Ihra.It took a few minutes of steady flying to reach the top, the journey made more difficult both by the opposing gusts of wind from both the north and south and the squirming burden he was carrying. ¡°I can fly myself,¡± Tsia protested. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me you faceplanted into a cliff,¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t recall that at all,¡± she glibly denied. ¡°I guess that blow to the head was worse than you realized; you really should see a doctor,¡± he jibed back. Tsia rolled her eyes but stopped struggling.As they landed on the top safely, he let her go.¡°Alright, so where¡¯s this Nekelm? fellow?¡± The girl scanned their surroundings with a frown.¡°You know, I¡¯ve only been here once.I¡¯m not seeing anything that looks familiar- ah!¡±She pointed excitedly to a two-story wooden building whose plain facade was decorated by a bright red and green sign advertising the services of a tailor.¡°I remember that place.They had a lovely dress in the window that¡­he talked me out of buying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jasper offered, patting her awkwardly on the back. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± the girl said, as she brushed away a tear.¡°Now where was that in relation to the company.¡±She looked right and left.¡°I think we passed this building on the way to the stables, so we need to keep going in that direction.¡± Trusting in her memory, Jasper and Ihra followed behind her, fighting their way through the wet and muddy streets.It soon became clear that they were headed in the right direction when Tsuss?m flew low overhead, dipping and bobbing through the sky like a duck diving in a pond.The crowds thinned out as they reached the outer edges of the city and then the expansive meadows the Tsuss?m inhabited, dotted with small pillars of rocks on which the beasts slept, loomed ahead.They only had to follow the fenced-in meadows for a short distance before their headquarters loomed into view, marked by a yellow sign with a horseshoe that swayed violently in the wind. Two soldiers adorned in a garish pink and green garb guarded the entry, huddled against the building¡¯s overhang for what little protection from the wind it offered.One, though, perked up as Tsia approached. ¡°Lady Tsia, have you returned for another ride?¡± She blinked uncertainly.¡°I¡¯m sorry.Have we met?¡± The Djinn nodded vigorously.¡°I was one of the guards on your caravan.That trick you pulled with the lightning was really something.I told all the boys, didn¡¯t I,¡± he said nudging the other guard, ¡°that if we had a mage like you, we¡¯d never have to worry about storms.¡± ¡°Oh, well,¡± Tsia¡¯s cheeks blushed with the praise.¡°Thanks.I was hoping to see Nekelm?.My friend here needs to catch up with the army that¡¯s supposed to be at Nu?r-S?ams?a.¡± The guard turned a curious eye on Jasper.¡°You¡¯re one of the men being sent to help the empire?¡±Noticing Jasper¡¯s red skin, he hastily tacked on, ¡°my lord?¡± ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be,¡± he replied.¡°Unfortunately, the messenger with my orders was delayed and now I¡¯m struggling to catch up with the army.We were hoping we might be able to rent some Tsuss?m.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t normally head that way, my lord, but perhaps they¡¯ll make an exception.¡±Unlatching the gate, the man shoved it open and stepped aside to let them pass.¡°Nekelm? should be in today.If anyone can help you, he can.¡± Thanking them, the three pressed on and stopped at the steward¡¯s office.The door was closed but judging from the loud voices echoing within, a rather heated discussion was in progress.Tsia, though, was unfazed and rapped on the door promptly. A Contract Twice Struck ¡°The door is closed for a reason,¡± a voice thundered back. Unperturbed, Tsia¡¯s hand wrapped around the handle and swung it open. ¡°Just what do you think you¡¯re doing¡­oh, Lady Tsia, how good to see you again.¡±Like magic, the anger in the voice vanished, replaced by a silky sweet tone as Jasper followed her into the room.A tall Djinn sat at the desk.For his age, his skin was surprisingly pale, suggesting he had gained very few levels, though his horns were somewhat unique, the usual black being streaked through with bits of gold and silver.Maybe his pale skin and strange horns are some sort of variant.Jasper decided not to assume he was a weakling. Beside him stood another man.This Djinn had the shoulders of a linebacker and the pale, grey skin of a S?addu¡¯a. ¡°Lady Tsia,¡± the pale man said, standing up and bowing to her.¡°I-¡° His eyes widened as he noticed Jasper¡¯s burgundy skin and the colors of the Royal House.¡°My lord,¡± he hastily bowed to him too.The Djinn straightened up just in time to see Ihra join them, her nascent antlers peeking up above her long blonde hair, and his jaw dropped open.¡°And an elf?¡± The man straightened his clothes fastidiously.¡°Truly it is an honor to have you all here.I, uh, was just speaking to my associate here and, well, I hate to ask you to wait outside, but it would just be a moment longer.¡± The S?addu¡¯a standing beside him turned to look at them.His eyes were as black as the night itself, and his face had the weatherbeaten look and two-day stubble of a grizzled mobster.He sniffed the air, and his gaze focused on Tsia.¡°Is this the mage,¡± he asked the Djinn, his voice a low rumble.¡°She smells of the storm.¡± ¡°No, no-¡° the man started to protest, but the S?addu¡¯a cut him off. ¡°Are you the wind mage who cleared out a camp of my people for this company,¡± he asked Tsia directly. Jasper began to draw on his essence, fearing the man meant to attack him.But the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s gaze swiveled to him.¡°There¡¯s no need for that, fire mage.I mean her no harm, for now at least.¡±The words did little to soothe Jasper¡¯s concern, and he finished prepping the spell. Nekelm? chose that moment to find his voice.¡°Lady Tsia, this is Elder Baza?¡¯u, one of the leaders of the local S?addu¡¯a tribe.He was just wanting to discuss some business.¡± ¡°Are you the mage who cleared out that camp?The one overlooking the Lake?¡±The man asked Tsia again. She raised her chin defiantly.¡°I am.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he rumbled.¡°Then perhaps this trip wasn¡¯t a waste of time.You killed my nephew.¡± Tsia didn¡¯t back down.¡°Well, I have no doubt he would have killed me.¡± The S?addu¡¯a¡¯s grim expression cracked with a hint of satisfaction.¡°Indeed, he would do.As it happens, I have another troublesome nephew.Seeing how this company owes me for what they stole-¡° ¡°Stole?!¡±Nekelm?¡¯s voice cut in indignantly.¡°We simply reclaimed what your nephew had stolen from us.¡± ¡°Even if my nephew stole it from you originally, it was now ours.You owe us restitution,¡± the man replied placidly. ¡°That¡¯s not how it works,¡± the Djinn objected with a groan of frustration. The S?addu¡¯a shrugged.¡°I planned to demand retribution, but¡­¡± his eyes drifted to Tsia, ¡°perhaps a different arrangement could be made.If she takes care of my troublesome nephew, I will consider our debt wiped clean.¡± Nekelm?¡¯s eyes narrowed.¡°What exactly do you want?¡± ¡°My nephew Lah?a?ssu has decided he wants to challenge me for command of the tribe.He¡¯s been quietly gathering men loyal to him for a few months and the little fool thinks I haven¡¯t noticed,¡± the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s lip turned down in a snarl. ¡°You want us to kill him?¡±Tsia butted in. ¡°No.He¡¯s family after all.I want you to punish him severely, perhaps take a limb or two, but he can live.The men he¡¯s gathered, on the other hand - kill them all,¡± Baza?¡¯u growled.¡°Traitors don¡¯t deserve to live.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take care of him yourself?¡± Jasper questioned. ¡°I could challenge him to a duel for the right to rule,¡± the S?addu¡¯a explained, ¡°but when I won, I¡¯d be forced to kill him.And despite the fact he¡¯s a fool, he¡¯s also my heir apparent.When I failed to produce any sons, I married my eldest daughter to him.I don¡¯t wish to leave her a widow.¡± Nekelm? glanced hopefully in Tsia¡¯s direction.¡°Unfortunately, Baza?¡¯u, Lady Tsia is not one of our employees.I cannot order her to take this task.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°You have a caravan set to arrive from Appa?ra next week, do you not?¡± The S?addu¡¯a replied calmly, and Nekelm? paled. ¡°I might be willing to help out,¡± Tsia interjected, ¡°for the same price as before.¡± The Djinn frowned.¡°You mean the great bag of holding?¡± ¡°Yes, safe carriage for four mounts and rides for me and my two friends,¡± she replied. ¡°Just a minute,¡± Jasper tugged on her sleeve.¡°I know we need rides, but we¡¯re racing against the clock here.We don¡¯t have time to go hunt down some bandit.¡± Tsia nodded.¡°What Lord Jasper says is true.He has orders to join the king¡¯s army in Nu?r-S?ams?a.If we helped you, could you get us there on time?¡± ¡°My nephew is no more than a day¡¯s journey anyway.It shall not take you much time to complete,¡± the S?addu¡¯a offered.¡°And if not,¡± he added with a self-satisfied smirk, ¡°I hear the caravan from Appa?ra carries many gems.I¡¯m sure my wives would be delighted.¡± The Djinn ground his teeth.¡°This is extortion, Baza?¡¯u.You know you have no right to restitution.¡± ¡°Then call the guards,¡± the man replied with a shrug.¡°But they will not hold me long for mere words and, even if they did, my men already have their orders.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± the man snapped his eyes back to Tsia.¡°If you will carry out this mission, then I shall waive the costs for your flight.¡± ¡°But they will get us there on time,¡± Jasper persisted. Nekelm? smiled.¡°Ah, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve never ridden on one of our Tsuss?m.There is no faster way to travel in the lands unless, of course,¡± the man chuckled, ¡°you could talk a dragon into giving you a ride.Have no fear, my lord, we will get you there on time.And if the army has already left Nu?r-S?ams?a, then we shall carry as far as needed - up to the gates of Du?r-S?innu, that is.Past that, we shall not go.¡± Jasper turned to Tsia and Ihra.¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m game then.You?¡± Ihra shrugged.¡°If it lets us fly, why not?¡±Tsia only nodded, but as she turned back to Nekelm?, her words sparked with a touch of her former enthusiasm.¡°Alright, we¡¯ll handle the mission,¡± she agreed.¡°Now tell us where to find him,¡± she added to the S?addu¡¯a. An hour later, they left the stable with the contract signed and the details of the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s location identified.By then, it was already well past mid-day and the steward had suggested that rather than leave that night, they retrieve their mounts, and stay with him. At first, Jasper had opposed that plan, but Nekelm?¡¯s foresight proved correct.It was simple enough to fly back down the cliff face to the merchant¡¯s vessel, but returning with four mounts was another task altogether.Jasper could only cast two instances of Spectral Wings at the same time, not to mention the fact that there was no guarantee that Tsia¡¯s and Ne?s?u¡¯s horses were intelligent enough not to panic or fly away uncontrollably when a pair of wings sprouted out their backs.Thus, the group was forced to go the long way - waiting once again in line for the rickety wooden platforms. Night was already threatening when they reached the top so, reluctantly, the three took Nekelm? up on his offer. ¡°Come in!¡±The Djinn was waiting at his desk when they returned and a sheet of parchment was laid out before him as he ushered them in.¡°I take it the lifts were backed up again,¡± he asked cheerfully.¡°No problem.I was hoping,¡± he added, encouraging them to sit down, ¡°that we could reach an agreement.¡± Tsia narrowed her eyes.¡°What are you talking about?¡±She pulled the contract they had signed that afternoon out of her satchel.¡°We already have an agreement.¡± ¡°We do,¡± the man agreed, ¡°And if you choose to fulfill it, I will honor it.It is a legally binding contract, after all, and I wouldn¡¯t think of trying to defraud two such skilled mages.But, truthfully, the only reason I drew up that agreement was to deceive the S?addu¡¯a.¡±He tapped the sheet in front of him.¡°This is the contract I hope you¡¯ll agree to.¡± Jasper leaned back in his chair.¡°You want us to kill him,¡± he guessed. ¡°Perceptive, my lord,¡± Nekelm? agreed.¡°As you should know, Lady Tsia, when I last contracted your services, I hoped that this troublesome clan needed nothing more than a reminder that they should not mess with us.S?addu¡¯a don¡¯t normally live this far away from the mountains, you see.This clan is a bit of an anomaly - exiles from their home most likely - and they¡¯ve largely put on a show of being upstanding citizens.¡± ¡°If Baza?¡¯u was to be believed, his nephew - the one running the camp in the cliffs - was operating without his knowledge or consent.But I think it¡¯s clear now that the clan intends to continue extorting us.And, seeing how you are leaving with the army, the next time they come for us, I¡¯ll be hard-pressed to deal with them.¡± ¡°Why not just call the guards,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°As I said, officially the S?addu¡¯a elders have kept their hands clean.I have no doubt they¡¯re the ones giving the orders - Baza?¡¯u¡¯s demands made that clear - but the guard will not help me unless they were caught in the act.And frankly,¡± the Djinn grimaced, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I could count on them even then.I fear that some of the spoils they¡¯ve stolen from us have made their way into the guards¡¯ hands.¡± ¡°And the lord of this city,¡± Jasper pursued. ¡°I have no doubt he would help us, but at what cost?¡±The man sighed deeply.¡°Unfortunately, the lord of Kibra?ti has always been envious of our flock of Tsuss?m.We are one of the largest independent merchants in the city, and Lord Nu?rdapi?n has tried repeatedly tried to bring us under his direct command.If we are forced to rely on him, our company will become nothing more than his property.¡± ¡°That is why,¡± he said, turning back to Tsia with an entreating look, ¡°I drew up this second contract.Kill Baza?¡¯u and his son-in-law, and I will not only give you everything we already agreed to, but I will also let you choose any of our flock as your mount - even my own personal steed, if that is what you desire.¡± ¡°A tsuss?m of my own?¡±The girl¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. But Jasper was not yet satisfied.¡°You want us to kill both of them?Why?¡± Nekelm? opened a drawer on his desk and drew a letter from it.¡°There were only three heirs to this small band of S?addu¡¯a,¡± he explained.¡°There was the first nephew, whom Lady Tsia already slew.There is the son-in-law, whom Baza?¡¯u wishes to punish, and then there is the son-in-law¡¯s firstborn.The lad has grown up amongst us, and unlike his elders, is genuinely willing to live in peace.¡±The Djinn slid the letter over to them.¡°Both he and his mother have already signed a contract promising that they will not touch our caravans if, perchance, something were to happen to the current chief and heir.¡± A Stormy Outing Jasper scanned the grandson''s offer.¡°That¡¯s pretty cold-blooded.¡± ¡°Tis the S?addu¡¯a way,¡± Nekelm? said dismissively.¡°If his grandfather knew of his ambitions, he would be proud of his craftiness and then he¡¯d kill him without hesitation.¡± Tsia finished looking over the contract and turned to Jasper entreatingly.¡°Please let us do this.Surely you wouldn''t dream of turning down a tsuss?m of their own?¡± ¡°While it¡¯s not like the Ihra or I are going to give up our mounts,¡± Jasper pointed out.¡°And I have a feeling you know that.So really, you mean a tsuss?m of your own." The girl blushed.¡°Well, I certainly wouldn¡¯t object if you offered it to me.But if you chose to¡­sell it,¡± she looked almost sick at the thought, ¡°it would fetch a princely price.¡± Despite her enthusiasm, Jasper felt uneasy about the Djinn¡¯s proposition as he glanced over to Ihra and she must have read it in his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this,¡± she said with calm certainty. ¡°Not really,¡± he admitted.¡°I know S?addu¡¯a not exactly ''good guys,'' and this group may even be a bunch of bandits, but I don¡¯t fancy myself a killer for hire.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what an adventurer is,¡± Ihra questioned with a shrug.¡°Someone who is able to kill whatever - or whomever - is threatening public safety? It kind of comes with the job.¡±Ihra flicked her eyes to the steward.¡°Tell me, Djinn, how many of your men died on the last raid?¡± ¡°They killed all but one, my lady.¡± ¡°Just one escaped?¡± Jasper questioned. ¡°None escaped.But they left one alive so that he could return the tsuss?m back to their stables,¡± the man replied. ¡°Why didn¡¯t they steal your mounts?Didn¡¯t Tsia just say they¡¯re incredibly valuable?¡± Jasper asked with a touch of skepticism. The Djinn shrugged.¡°Of course they are.But the S?addu¡¯a are greedy, not stupid.If they stole our mounts, our caravans would cease and there would be nothing more for them to plunder.They returned our mounts for their own future benefit, not any kindness on their part,¡± he finished with a snort. ¡°Huh. So kind of like a golden goose sort of thing,¡± Jasper grunted in understanding. ¡°A what?¡± ¡°You know, you don¡¯t want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.¡± The Djinn¡¯s eyes lit up with greed.¡°You have geese that lay golden eggs?You know, if you¡¯d be willing to sell a few to me, enough to establish a suitable breeding stock, I¡¯m sure I could convince the company to trade you a breeding population of tsuss?m in turn.¡± Jasper sighed.¡°It¡¯s just a metaphor. I don¡¯t actually have a goose that lays golden eggs.¡± The Djinn deflated, and Ihra cut in.¡°They pretty much killed his whole crew, Jasper.I certainly won¡¯t lose any sleep about taking these guys out, but if you don¡¯t want to do it¡­¡± she shrugged, ¡°we can find another way to pay.It¡¯s not like we couldn¡¯t pay the fee,¡± she added begrudgingly, ever loathe to part with their small hoard unnecessarily. ¡°Please,¡± Tsia begged, clasping onto his arm.¡°It won¡¯t be that much extra work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the ¡®work¡¯ I¡¯m worried about, but¡­¡± he sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair.He wasn¡¯t particularly keen on the task, but he knew Nekelm? was right.If nothing else, Baza?¡¯u¡¯s visit had proven that the S?addu¡¯a group would keep coming back, time and again, to squeeze the company dry.¡°Fine,¡± he agreed.¡°We¡¯ll do the contract, with one condition.¡± ¡°Your condition, my lord?¡± The Djinn asked. ¡°If either of them surrenders, we¡¯ll take them prisoner and deliver them to you.¡± Nekelm? grinned.¡°I¡¯ll add an addendum to account for that.Pleasure doing business with you, my lord.¡±
They slept for only a handful of hours before Nekelm?¡¯s guards came to wake them.After the revised contract had been signed, the three had discussed their strategy, and it hadn¡¯t taken long for them to reach the conclusion that it was best to strike as soon as possible. Baza?¡¯u himself had proposed attacking his son-in-law during the night, arguing that the easiest route to victory would be to catch the larger group of S?addu¡¯a unaware, and Jasper had to agree.But Baza?¡¯u had also suggested striking the following night.Not fully trusting that the S?addu¡¯a hadn¡¯t plotted some double-cross of his own, the three decided to catch him off guard. Thus, they¡¯d turned in early and long before the sun hadn¡¯t even thought of stirring from his slumbers, they set off through the city.Beneath the cold gaze of the stars, the streets of Kiriba?ti lay abandoned.An icy wind raged from the north, great gusts of wind that beat against the shuttered windows with angry hands. At least, Jasper thought with some satisfaction, it¡¯s not snowing. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. A crack of thunder echoed in the distance and, as if to mock him, large flakes of snow tumbled down from the heavens, tossed to and fro on the winds like a lifeboat in a hurricane.Great. Lah?a?ssu¡¯s camp, if Baza?¡¯u was to be believed, was only an hour¡¯s ride away from the city, nestled in a small hollow near the ¡®Aqra river.Their mounts made slow progress in the snow; the drifts here were not as bad as they had been near Du?r-Yarha, for the cold northern wind was tempered by the occasional gusts from the far warmer south, but the roads were still in rough condition. A half an hour¡¯s ride took them to the bridge over the ¡®Aqua - really more of a creek, in Jasper¡¯s opinion - and from there they turned off the main road.Though the snow had covered all signs of it on the ground, a winding path of open space between the trees pointed the way.A few tracks marred the otherwise pristine surface of the snow, but even they were partially filled in. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯ve been coming or going,¡± Jasper observed. ¡°Probably not in this weather,¡± Ihra agreed.¡°But someone¡¯s been active.¡±She pointed to tracks deeper in the woods where a large section of packed-down snow colored with a dully, rusty red painted a vibrant picture.Satisfied they were heading in the right direction, they continued on. As they rode away from the great cliffs, the flat woodlands quickly dissipated into a landscape of small, rolling hills.The path roughly followed the river, sometimes deviating to avoid unnecessary climbing, but always circling back.The snow continued to fall, coating their arms in a half-frozen glaze that glistened whenever the clouds parted enough to reveal the stars. They smelled the camp before they saw it.The smell of burning wood and a stew that had been boiling far too long was the first thing to hit their noses.The smell was soon followed by the actual camp, although it was far from what Jasper expected. The river ran right through the encampment, which sat in a small hollow surrounded on all sides by the hills.But it was more of a fort than a camp. A single large building dominated the space, a roughly rectangular structure that rose two stories above the earth.Its blue-gray walls, constructed of seamless stone, hinted at the presence of a mage.On one corner of the complex, a stubby tower rose above the tree line, providing an excellent view, while a singular entrance lay on the far side of the river, barred by thick wooden doors. Yeah, definitely not a camp.Jasper squinted into the darkness, looking for any signs of life in the mini-fortress, but with the stormy weather, it was too dark to make out much of anything.He nudged Ihra.¡°See anything?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve got a guard in the tower.He¡¯s not moving though,¡± she added after a moment.¡°Could be asleep.Hard to say though.¡± ¡°Could you take him from this distance?¡± He asked. Ihra drew her bow and, notching an arrow, raised it tentatively.The wind howled with renewed fury, the snow swirling around her like a figurine in a snow globe, and she lowered her weapon with a disgusted shake of her head.¡°I wish I could, but the wind¡¯s just going to knock it off course.We¡¯ll just have to get closer and hope he doesn¡¯t see us.¡± Jasper stared at the space between them and the fort.Though the hill they had stopped on was heavily wooded, the S?addu¡¯a had cleared away a large patch on the side of the river closest to them.Whether it was for crops or simply to prevent anyone from sneaking up on the fort, the effect was the same.If the guard in the tower was awake, they¡¯d stick out like a sore thumb. I suppose it couldn¡¯t be helped.Unless¡­. Jasper pulled on his essence and twisted his fingers in a spell.He¡¯d never tried to target someone he couldn¡¯t see at all and, truthfully, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was even possible.His fingers finished their movement, but the expected rush of essence didn¡¯t leave him.Damn.Not fully deterred, he decided to try one more time.¡°Ihra, can you describe the guard to me?Anything at all.¡± She gave him a questioning glance but complied.¡°Tall. Dark or maybe grey skin - hard to tell in this light. Kind of short horns. Has an axe, maybe?¡±Closing his eyes, Jasper tried to visualize the S?addu¡¯a and willed the spell toward him.This time, his essence stirred, and then¡­damn it.The spell fizzled again. With a sigh, he started to creep down the embankment, praying the Djinn wasn¡¯t watching.Tsia and Ihra followed close behind, huddled tight in their cloaks.They¡¯d made it nearly half the distance when Ihra cursed.¡°Selene¡¯s grace, he moved.¡± Jasper glanced up, and through the whirling snow, he caught a glimpse of movement.It wasn¡¯t much, a dark figure huddled at the top of the tower, but he released the spell he¡¯d been holding just as the guard cried out.Purge. ¡°Int-¡°The cry was cut off almost immediately as the figure bent over, hands clawing at its throat as the spell burned it from the inside out.Like deer caught in the headlights, the three froze in place as they waited to see if they¡¯d been made. All seemed still, save for the winds that howled through the barren trees. ¡°I think you got him in time,¡± Tsia said. ¡°I think so,¡± Jasper started to agree when his eye caught movement in the dark.Before he had time to process what it was, Ihra¡¯s hand closed around his wrist and yanked him backward.He fell in the snow as an arrow whizzed out of the darkness straight toward him.She needn¡¯t have bothered, though, as a gust of wind caught it up and spent it spinning sideways. Jasper rolled to his feet in time to see another snatched up the wind and tossed uselessly in the rushing river.Hunkering low to the ground, the three waited to see how the S?addu¡¯a would respond.Light soon poured out of the narrow notches cut into the fortress¡¯ walls making it clear that the inhabitants had risen, but neither arrows nor men emerged from within. ¡°Welp, so much for stealth,¡± he sighed.¡°But on the plus side, it looks like their arrows aren¡¯t much use either.¡± ¡°Maybe not, but they got a fortress,¡± Ihra pointed out grimly, ¡°and those doors look pretty damn thick.They can just hunker down inside and wait for us to wear ourselves out.¡± ¡°I might be able to bust them down,¡± Tsia said, with a touch of hesitation in her voice.¡°Or maybe you could burn them, Jasper?¡± Jasper surveyed the fort in silence, weighing their options.He was willing to try Tsia¡¯s suggestion, but aged wood wasn¡¯t easy to set on fire in the first place; aged wood that was also covered in snow and ice seemed an even more difficult prospect.There¡¯s got to be another way.His mind through the list of spells, and then he smiled.Sidling close to Tsia, he spoke in her ear.¡°I know you¡¯re not great with flying, but there¡¯s not a whole lot out here to hit.Do you think you could do it for just a few minutes?¡± A Scheme With Too Many Schemers Baza?¡¯u¡¯s eyes were wide and bloodshot as he peered into the darkness, straining to see anything. It was a darker night the unusual; the storm had rolled in late, cutting off the light of the moon and stars, and the heavy snow had made visibility even worse. On the hill opposite the fort, three figures crouched in the snow. In the darkness of the night, their cloaks looked black, but Baza?¡¯u had no doubt that they were blue - the blue of the Royal House. Arr?l, he cursed to himself. I guess they saw through me. Despite his annoyance, the old Djinn¡¯s estimation of the three went up. The moment he¡¯d laid eyes on them in that fool¡¯s office, he¡¯d barely been able to keep his joy checked. The tribe had been hitting Nekelm?¡¯s company hard the last few months - perhaps a little too hard, if he was being honest. His nephew really had struck the last shipment against his orders, as Baza?¡¯u knew that if they wrung too much out of the company, it would just pass into the lord of Kiriba?ti¡¯s hands, and at that point, the guards would no longer look the other way. Still, he¡¯d seen an opportunity to apply some light pressure to the company, steal a little more money out of their pockets in exchange for letting the next few caravans through unharmed. Instead, a walking, talking gold mine had passed through the doors - a Djinn noble wearing the colors of the Royal House. The man had no assigned bodyguard with him, so Baza?¡¯u immediately judged that he couldn¡¯t be too important - not the sort of man that would bring down the whole fury of the House down upon them. But like all nobles, he undoubtedly was loaded. His mind worked frantically to finalize his plan as he persuaded them to go after his son-in-law. A bit of truth was the perfect leavening for his lies - his son-in-law really was getting antsy for power - but he knew this would be the perfect peace offering. With any luck, they¡¯d wring a king¡¯s ransom out of the noble¡¯s family. And if it did piss them off, well - with the money they¡¯d reap, his clan should have no trouble buying their way back into the good graces of Araddu?r¡¯s lord. As soon as the contract was struck, he¡¯d left the city. A touch of paranoia had forced him to initially head down the road toward the main settlement of his clan, but he¡¯d quickly realized no one was following him. The fools didn¡¯t suspect a thing. Turning off the road, he¡¯d cut through the forest and arrived at his son-in-law¡¯s compound. Their meeting was tense. When he saw the veritable fortress Lah?a?ssu had built, Baza?¡¯u realized that he had perhaps underestimated just how impatient for the rule his son-in-law was getting. His numbers had swelled too, buoyed by several S?addu¡¯a not of their clan whose loyalties, if they had any at all, were solely toward Lah?a?ssu. For a moment, Baza?¡¯u feared he¡¯d made a mistake and that his son-in-law would simply strike him down before he could even explain his plan. It¡¯s what he would have done, after all. But there was a reason Lah?a?ssu wasn¡¯t yet ruler. He let Baza?¡¯u and as he listened to the plan, the tension melted away. The group had feasted that night, not expecting the planned attack to come until the following day. Only the sentry had been forced to remain sober, and Baza?¡¯u, who pretended to drink far more than actually passed his lips, for as much he hoped a tentative peace had been reached between them, he¡¯d be a fool to trust the man. He¡¯d turned in with the others, forced to sleep on a mat stuffed with an altogether insufficient supply of hay, but had woken up in the middle of the night with a full bladder and an aching knee. Ah, the perks of old age. Stumbling into the courtyard, he¡¯d sighed in relief as a steady stream poured out, only for that sigh to be joined by a strangled scream. ¡°Int-¡° The hot liquid splattered over his hands as he jerked his head up in time to see the sentry in the tower slump over, eyes wide and desperate as he tore at his own throat. The man was dead by the time Baza?¡¯u reached him and old instincts kicked in. Hunkering down out of sight, he snatched up a bow and took a cautious peek. That was when he¡¯d seen the intruders. Yes, his estimation of them had gone up in that moment.Apparently, they hadn¡¯t been foolish enough to trust him, but Baza?¡¯u felt confident his plan would succeed nonetheless.Clambering down the stairs, he roused Lah?a?ssu and his men from their slumber.The S?addu¡¯a might have been still half in their cups, but they were hardened warriors.In moments, they¡¯d assembled and taken position at the notches cut into the fort¡¯s walls.The storm¡¯s fierce winds prevented their arrows from being of much use, but Baza?¡¯u knew they had the advantage. There were thirty of them to just three. The numbers alone might not have been to their advantage as Baza?¡¯u suspected that at least two of the three were mages, but his group was not bereft of mages themselves. Despite Lah?a?ssu¡¯s many flaws, he was the second most talented stone mage in their clan, second only to his own son. With the two of them, Baza?¡¯u felt assured his trap would succeed. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. But his jubilance slipped as the three, rather than advancing against the fort, turned away and disappeared back into the forest. ¡°It seems these Djinn were not so easily duped,¡± his son-in-law remarked, a slight sparkle in his eyes as he watched Baza?¡¯u¡¯s face cloud over. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for them to turn away,¡± Baza?¡¯u fumed. ¡°They¡¯re mages! Surely this little fort wasn¡¯t enough to scare them off.¡± Baza?¡¯u¡¯s grandson spoke up. ¡°Why not send a party after them? I can take some of the men and hunt them down. They can¡¯t have gone far in this weather.¡± Disappointment welled in his heart as he listened to his grandson¡¯s proposal. He''s a talented mage, but he simply doesn¡¯t have the cunning to be a leader. Oh well, at least I¡¯ll be dead by the time he takes the reigns. ¡°It would be foolish to leave the protection of these walls in a storm,¡± he chided his grandson. ¡°Perhaps that even explains their actions - they may be hoping to draw us into an ambush, but we shall not be that stupid. We will wait them out. If they want to finish the contract, they must return.¡± ¡°Yes, we must.¡± Baza?¡¯u¡¯s heart thundered in his chest as the voice echoed behind him. He spun around, his hand fighting to drag his axe free of its sheath, but his reaction time, slowed by age, was not fast enough. As he turned to see the door, he saw dozens of red, fiery orbs swarm from the mage¡¯s hands.They darted straight toward him, filling the cramped room where the S?addu¡¯a had gathered.A shield of stone slammed into place in front of him and then the world went white as the orbs exploded. His son-in-law¡¯s spell held firm as the room shook. In truth, the explosions themselves were not that strong, but in the small chamber, the sound alone was deafening. Blood dripped from his ears, but Baza?¡¯u ignored it; preparing his axe, he darted forward the instant Laha?ssu let the spell drop. I guess I owe you one after all, he admitted begrudgingly. The others in the room had not been so fortunate. Half their number lay dazed or maimed on the floor, but Baza?¡¯u felt sure the tide could be turned. In a flash, he closed the gap on the mage and swung straight for the jugular. His strike went awry as a pair of shackles clamped around his feet, causing him to lose his business. The mage danced out of his reach and swung his own weapon, a glaive whose blade was ridged with frost. Baza?¡¯u batted it out of the way with his axe, the warrior¡¯s strength more than enough to prevail against a mage, and smashed his weapon into the shcackled binding him. Breaking free, he staggered back as an arrow lodged in his side and fell to one knee. Laha?ssu rushed past him, covered from head to toe in a solid sheet of rock, and launched himself against the mage. The mage backpedaled frantically, and Baza?¡¯u grinned as he saw his son-in-law land a crushing blow, only for the stone mage to be picked up by a sudden gust of wind and tossed across the room. Shaking himself out of his stupor, Baza?¡¯u rose to his feet and left the fight against the mages to Laha?ssu and his grandson. Instead, he focused his attention on the one member of the party who had shown no signs of magic - the elf. Standing behind the Djinn noble, her arrows had made short work of the S?addu¡¯a injured by her partner¡¯s blast.But after the first bout of surprise, the men who were still left standing had hunkered down behind their shields and were slowly advancing upon her. A pair of shadowy wings matching the ones on the Djinn noble stretched above her, giving the elf a rather exotic look, but she was still just an archer - the Djinn¡¯s pet or consort, no doubt. A savage grin stretched across his face as Baza?¡¯u angled himself closer to her, moving slowly lest he catch her attention. The girl didn¡¯t seem to notice him, occupied fully by the approaching S?addu¡¯a. She whispered something as she released her next arrow, and it fell apart midair landing on the ground in front of the men. The S?addu¡¯a ignored it, advancing confidently with their shields upraised but a cry of pain rang out as the first in line stepped on something unseen. His shield slipped and her arrow struck true, burying itself in his neck, and his body killed over, her hands moved like lightning, sending another two men to the ground before the rest managed to scamper back into a huddled protection. Baza?¡¯u chose that moment to strike. Leaping over whatever danger lurked on the floor, he raised his axe above his head and, going against every instinct in his bones, he choked down his battlecry, not wanting to give the little elf even a second of warning before he arrived. He was already committed when she pivoted on one heel. Her bow clattered to the ground as she swung to face him and a silver dagger with an unusually thin blade, sprang into her hand. Baza?¡¯u slashed wildly at her, but the elf ducked beneath his blow with preternatural grace and, springing back up, stabbed her dagger through a chink in his armor. The blade burned as it sunk in, but Baza?¡¯u pushed through the pain. Grabbing her hand in his gauntleted fist, he slammed his helmet down on her head. Her hand went limp and he smiled grimly. Got her. With a sudden surge of strength, the elf¡¯s hand pulled free of his grasp as she dug her heels into his torso and flung herself backward. Her flip was low, her hands grazing the ground, and she snagged hold of the bow. Baza?¡¯u only hesitated for a moment before charging after her, but it was a moment too long. The arrow in her bow glinted red as she released. Trusting in his armor to tank the arrow, Baza?¡¯u ignored it. But the arrow punched through his armor like paper and stopped in his throat. He fell to his knees again, choking as blood filled his throat. Trying to staunch the bleeding with his fingers, he searched the room for any sign of succor. His eyes stopped on his grandson, and his already fading mind struggled to reconcile what he was seeing. The stone mage leaned against the wall, flipping a coin in his hand. There wasn¡¯t a speck of blood on his clothes, no sign he¡¯d joined the struggle at all. What¡ª? The elf bent down himself. With a rough shake, she drew the burning dagger out of his side. Her hands flashed again and Baza?¡¯u knew no more. Unsettling Rumors Their discussion lasted long into the night, and when the emperor finally closed himself in his room, he still could not fall asleep.Instead, he paced back and forth through the room, only pausing from time to time by the mantel to stoke the dying fire. Kane?nas had no doubt thought he had brought the emperor good news.And, in a way, Eligon supposed he had.The knowledge he had offered stirred both fear and hope in him. But Kane?nas had also exposed a flaw in the Empire¡¯s intelligence network - a danger that Eligon hadn¡¯t even been aware existed.Were the Strythani really thinking of abandoning us?And of joining the dwarves? The thought seemed almost absurd.Though the Strythani lived outside the Empire¡¯s borders on the far shores of the Affi?yan sea, they had always borne close ties with the Corsythians.Sometimes an ally, sometimes a protectorate, the relationship between the two peoples varied over the ages, but one fact had always kept them close: the Strythani were a small kingdom of men surrounded by a sea of unfriendly neighbors - including the many fractured lands of the dwarves.The thought of them allying with the dwarves was almost unbelievable. And yet, if the news Kane?nas had brought was true, that was very nearly what had happened.A new queen had risen to power amongst them, a landholder from the far western reaches of their lands.And unbeknownst to him, she had nursed a grudge against the empire. From what Kane?nas had gathered, her reasons were ridiculous.When just a child, a tribe of the always hostile Akkannu? had raided her family¡¯s hold.Her father and elder brothers had died in the fighting, but their sacrifice had not been in vain.They¡¯d held the Akkannu? off long enough for reinforcements to arrive and rescue those who had hidden in the fortress¡¯ keep.And apparently, she¡¯d blamed the Empire. Eligon snorted.I can¡¯t even oust the invaders from my own blighted capital, and she wanted to blame us for not preventing an attack on the far reaches of civilization itself.Naqmah¡¯s reasons for hating the Empire were absurd, the twisted perspective of a little girl who needed something, anyone to blame for the tragedy that befell her family, but failed to ever grow up and recognize the truth.Ultimately, though, her delusion didn¡¯t matter.What mattered is that his agents had failed to prevent the danger - had failed to even recognize that it existed. But, he supposed, there was one fragment of good news.Only a few of the Strythani lords had agreed with her and Naqmah¡¯s attempt to ally with the dwarves had been a step too far.She was dead now, a victim of her own need for vengeance. Eligon came to a stop before the fireplace.His hands rested above the flames, drinking in the welcome warmth that unfortunately failed to reach the chilly corners of the room, but his eyes were fixed on the portrait above the mantel. An older man with eyes much like his stared back at him.Greying chestnut hair, a long, fulsome beard, a missing hand replaced by the most expensive gauntlet money could buy.There was no kindness in those eyes, no warmth to fill the soul, just the judgmental glare of a father who had always found his son too soft. Eligon¡¯s lips twisted wryly as he looked away.He could almost hear the angry lecture in his head and yet¡­this time, he really had screwed up.He¡¯d been so focused on reclaiming the capital, that he¡¯d nearly allowed an ally to slip out of their grasp. Then, there was the other, more disturbing news Kane?nas had brought. Eligon decided that could wait till the morrow.The night was half gone already, and he knew the next day would be a long one.With a sigh, he stalked over to the bed and crept inside.The sheets were bitter cold, but, slowly, a cocoon of warmth formed around him and he slipped into slumber. A few hours later, when Sol peaked his head above the horizon, Eligon was already up.First, he joined the soldiers in their morning exercises.He¡¯d always been a man of the people, but after Vaya?bi?¡¯s betrayal, Eligon realized even more the value of loyalty. Kane?nas was there as well, the elf flowing through the difficult routine without even a drop of sweat on his brow.Show off. When the last of his morning torture was done, Eligon followed up with a quick stop at the bathhouse to scrap off the dirt and the grime and perhaps, if he was being completely honest with himself, to spend a few moments luxuriating in the hot, steaming waters.But he didn¡¯t tarry long. Half an hour later found him in his study, surrounded by a group of diplomats and generals. ¡°So Qi?pu?tu, do you have any updates on the situation in Strythani?I hear they have a new queen - Naqmah, is it?I¡¯m sure we sent congratulations.¡± Qi?pu?tu, a rather tall man with a body a bit too thin for his frame and dusky hair that despite his attempts at artful combing was no longer thick enough to hide his scalp, jolted up in surprise.¡°Uh, yes, my lord.There¡¯s really nothing much to say, my lord.They elected this Naqmah last year, I believe.We sent the usual gift, of course.¡± Eligon smiled graciously.¡°Would it surprise you to know that Naqmah is no longer the ruler?¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°We have no news of that, my lord,¡± the man replied nervously. ¡°But I do.And that¡¯s a problem, don¡¯t you think?¡± Qi?pu?tu was slow to respond.¡°Well, I¡­I haven¡¯t heard anything from our agents.From whom have you heard this news?¡± Eligon ignored the question.¡°When was the last time you visited the Strythani, Qi?pu?tu?Last year?The year before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been, err, 4 or 5 years, my lord.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Eligon lifted a document from his desk and held it to the man, who accepted it begrudgingly.¡°I took the liberty of looking it up myself.Nine years, Qi?pu?tu.Nine years and just two agents on your payroll?¡± The man began to tremble.¡°Nothing ever happens there, my lord,¡± he protested feebly.¡°They are just a small kingdom that keeps to themselves.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Qi?pu?tu.They are a small kingdom,¡± Eligon replied coldly.¡°A small kingdom with warriors who can change into house-sized monstrosities.Did you even know their queen hated us?¡± The man gaped up at him, his eyes wide, his mouth open like a brainless goldfish.Eligon felt like smacking the man but suppressed his urge.¡°Did you know that she tried to ally with the dwarves?The same dwarves that have been threatening our borders with war?¡± ¡°No, my lord, I did not,¡± he admitted.¡°But, how was I to know, that after decades of inaction-¡± ¡°Did you know,¡± Elision¡¯s voice lowered dangerously, ¡°that there are reports - numerous reports, credible reports - that their Ilrab?, their demigod ancestor, walks among them again?Did you know that I had to learn all of this from an elf, the last group I wanted to be indebted to?¡± he hissed. All fight went out of the man, as he hung his head against his chest.¡°No, my lord.I failed you.¡± ¡°Yes, you did,¡± Eligon agreed.¡°It¡¯s been nine years since you last visited the Strytahni, Qi?pu?tu.Nine years, and yet I see you¡¯ve found plenty of time to visit your new manor in Mer?m.Curious, that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dismissed from your post, and when the results of our audit are complete, I hope for your sake I haven¡¯t funded the construction of your new home.Take him away, Hams?a,¡± he commanded one of the captains. When Qi?pu?tu had left the room, he turned his attention to the remaining members of his cabinet.¡°You will complete audits of all of your staff,¡± he ordered.¡°Any diplomats who have not personally visited their assigned courts in the last two years must arrange a trip immediately.Those who have not visited in five years shall be dismissed unless they can provide compelling evidence of competence.And all of their expenses must be examined.Am I clear?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± the nobles quickly assented. ¡°As for the ambassador to Strythani,¡± Eligon sighed.¡°Give me time to consider who to appoint.We need someone we can trust, someone who can mend the bridges that have been ignored for too long.¡± With their instructions clear, the remaining diplomats departed, leaving Eligon with the commanders. ¡°Is it true, my lord,¡± S?alas?i?n asked.¡°Were the Strythani about to turn us on?¡± The emperor grimaced.¡°From what I learned, it seems like only a small portion, those most devoted to this Naqmah woman, were on board.Most of their chiefs resisted the idea.It seems that one of the dwarven princes is some sort of mind reader and warned her about her people¡¯s true feelings.She responded by launching a sneak attack against them.It failed, and she was the one who lost her head.All in all, a very fortunate series of breaks for us.¡± ¡°Thanks to Qi?pu?tu¡¯s corruption we were unaware of the danger she posed, and yet, she is not what I¡¯m worried about.¡± ¡°The Ilrab??¡±Ada?ru, a short man with the body of an ox, shifted forward, his voice rife with skepticism.¡°Surely that¡¯s just a myth.¡± S?alas?i?n shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and with obvious reluctance, piped up.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, but what is an Ilrab??¡± ¡°Not what, but who,¡± Eligon corrected, feeling bad for the commander who, unlike all the others in the room, had not had the benefit of a noble¡¯s education.¡°You know the origins of the Corsythians, do you not?¡± The commander nodded.¡°Our ancestors were once humans, the offspring of Sol, descended from the fallen empire of Albwyn who fled north and after centuries of intermarriage with the elves and fey emerged as something new.¡± ¡°And the Strythani?¡± the emperor prodded. ¡°They also diverged from humans,¡±The man replied, after a moment¡¯s thought. Eligon smiled.¡°That¡¯s certainly the story that our allies to the south tell.But the Strythani tell a different story.They claim that they were the first of us, from whom first humans and then the Corsythians diverged.They also claim that it was not Sol who fathered us, but Ilrab?, the divine prince.¡± ¡°The name of this prince has been lost to time, with only the title remaining, but the Strythani worshipped Ilrab? as their divine progenitor.The humans, on the other hand, dismissed him as nothing more than a demigod.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s a myth, isn¡¯t he,¡± Ada?ru repeated. Eligon shook his head.¡°No.I do not know if there is any truth to the rumors of his appearance, but of one thing I am certain - Ilrab? did exist.When I was a child, before we lost the capital, I would often wander through our archives.¡± The emperor chuckled.¡°Back then, I would do anything to get out of the endless hours of sparring my father required.I wasn¡¯t much of a scholar, but sometimes I¡¯d look through the files.There were all sorts of treasures there - letters between S?ams?addin and Gemlir, the original prophecies of Nu?rili?, the charter of Utt?¡¯s ill-fated final expedition.¡± ¡°And amongst those documents, there were also records from Ilrab?.I admit, I was fascinated by them most of them all - the so-called god who lived directly amongst his people.His presence in our records was always spotty.He¡¯d appear and disappear frequently, often hundreds of years apart, but he made quite a few trips to the capital and met in person with many of the earlier emperors.There can be no doubt that Ilrab? was more than a myth.¡± ¡°But then, about two thousand years before the Desolyton, he disappeared.Just vanished from the records - and unlike before, he did not return again.From time to time, there were rumors he was sighted, but not definitive and very little that even seemed credible.¡± ¡°If he was indeed just a demigod, then perhaps he died.But if he was a god?¡±Eligon shrugged expressively.¡°Let¡¯s just say, we can¡¯t ignore that possibility.We need a new ambassador to the Strythani and we need them now.¡± The Next Generation Jasper backpedaled frantically as the angry Djinn charged straight toward him.The stone mage was still clad from head to toe in a solid coating of rock that, if anything, had seemed to grow thicker as the fight wore on.The ground shook beneath his weight as he swung his axe toward Jasper¡¯s chest. ¡°DIE ALREADY!¡± Lah?a?ssu screamed. Jasper blocked the blow with his glaive and immediately regretted it as the force of the blow shook him to his very core.With an angry growl, the Djinn pressed down harder and Jasper¡¯s knee buckled, sending him to the ground.The Djinn lifted up the axe and slashed down at Jasper¡¯s head.Somehow, he managed to raise the glaive in time to block the blow, groaning in pain as it crunched down further on his damaged knees.The S?addu¡¯a warrior leaned into the blow, and his axe¡¯s blade inched closer to Jasper¡¯s head as Jasper strained with every fiber of his being to keep him at bay. I¡¯ve got to distract him somehow.It was clear now that in a test of pure strength, Jasper was lacking.And he wasn¡¯t too sure how he stacked up against the man magically either.The stone mage had thus far displayed no spells beyond the seemingly impenetrable sheath of stone he wore, but that was enough.And, with his hands currently occupied in a desperate struggle to prevent a new canyon from being carved in his skull, Jasper''s options for casting spells were rather limited. He bit the bullet.Pushing the essence to his mouth, a blast of flame washed over the S?addu¡¯a¡¯s head and torso.Though the Djinn wasn¡¯t harmed by the flames, it had the desired effect.Surprised by Jasper¡¯s ability to cast a spell without using his hands, Lah?a?ssu hesitated, and his hands let up on the unrelenting pressure, Jasper flung himself to the side.The axe crashed down into the ground with a clang as he scurried out of reach.He darted into the sky, born aloft on spectral wings, and paused at a safe distance above the stone mage. ¡°Come back here, coward,¡± the S?addu¡¯a roared, with an angry shake of his axe. Ignoring him, Jasper searched the area for something he could use to his advantage. Their first strike had gone better than he¡¯d expected.The S?addu¡¯a, never dreaming that the three of them could fly up and over their sturdy stone walls, had foolishly gathered in a cramped inner chamber.And while the explosive orbs of Shooting Stars weren¡¯t that powerful, in a small room like that, their power had been used to devastating effect.A good half of their opponents had died in the first five seconds of the fight. After that, he¡¯d sort of lost track.Laha?ssu had immediately focused on him and Jasper had found himself slowly but surely driven backward through the compound.Fire vs. stone just wasn¡¯t a good matchup. Where did Tsia go?His question was answered as a furious wind howled through the fort¡¯s open courtyard, battering into the stone mage.But this time, he wasn¡¯t sent flying.With a grunt, he crouched over and his stone armor melded to the ground, sealing him in place.A bolt of lightning followed the wind but, save for leaving a scorch mark on the Djinn¡¯s shoulder, it did no harm.Damn it. With a twist of his fingers, Jasper cast Flame Charge, and as the white flames spread across his body, he dove toward the S?addu¡¯a still kneeling in the courtyard.He struck before the man could unseal his armor from the ground, raining down a flurry of blows on the Djinn¡¯s back.The glaive did little to damage the rock armor, but the white flames lingered with each blow, slowly spreading across the surface. Laha?ssu hands tore free from the ground, and he swung his axe in a wide arc, forcing Jasper to retreat.Gusts of wind washed over him again, spreading the white flames further, but the Djinn seemed unaware of the danger.He rampaged forward, the earth shaking as he charged, and Jasper darted up and over.He landed behind the Djinn and slammed his glaive into the man¡¯s back.Again, it did little damage, but the flames spread. For the next few minutes, they played tag, staying just out of reach of the S?addu¡¯a.It seemed at first that the white flames were doing nothing, but once he was fully enwreathed in the fire, his movements began to slow.The previously elastic rock began to crack as he lumbered around, and though the Djinn could fix it easily enough, that required essence.At that point, the battle became a race to see who would bottom out first and with two mages versus one - well, the outcome was no longer in doubt. Laha?ssu must have realized that too as he suddenly turned and fled to the far side of the courtyard, flames billowing in his wake.Pressing his back against the wall on the far side, he seemed to freeze into position.For a moment, Jasper waited for the Djinn to make his move, but the Djinn stood frozen like a statue.Did he die?He wasn¡¯t sure how hot the flames had made it, but he figured the stone armor had to be practically an oven now.Of course, if he¡¯s like me, the heat won¡¯t bother him that much. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. After another minute with no sign of the movement, the two cautiously approached the S?addu¡¯a.Though he feared a trap, the armor didn¡¯t budge and when Jasper got closer, he saw why - the back side of the armor was now fused to the fort¡¯s sculpted walls.¡°Damn it.He escaped through the walls.You go left, I go right?¡± ¡°Wait!I surrender,¡± a voice said from behind.Spinning around, Jasper found the Djinn kneeling in the muddied snow.His formerly grey skin was mottled from angry red burns and one of his horns had been snapped clean off two inches from the base, but the man still possessed a certain dignity as he bowed. ¡°You surrender?¡±He asked skeptically.¡°Are you sure this isn¡¯t just another trick?¡± The S?addu¡¯a seemed unperturbed by the accusation.¡°I¡¯m out of essence,¡± he replied simply, ¡°and I¡¯m not so foolish as to burn my soul.¡±His eyes seemed to light with fire.¡°With Baza?¡¯u dead, I have much to live for.¡± ¡°Father, so good to see you lived.¡±Another S?addu¡¯a stepped out of the inner rooms of the fort, accompanied by Ihra.Her face was a mess of blood and bruises, but aside from that she seemed fine. The S?addu¡¯a, on the other hand, seemed unscathed.His tossled hair was a good deal lighter than Laha?ssu¡¯s and his clothes were finer than his father and grandfather had worn; somehow, too, they remained completely free of blood.Indeed, there was no sign he¡¯d engaged in the battle at all. Laha?ssu looked up at the newcomer and his eyes grew dark.¡°You¡¯re no son of mine,¡± he spat.¡°I put up with you for Baza?¡¯u¡¯s sake, but I am no fool.You and your whore of a mother will never succeed me.¡± An amused smile played across the man¡¯s lips.¡°You¡¯re certainly right about one thing - you¡¯re not my father.But as for the other, I¡¯m afraid you couldn¡¯t be more wrong.¡±The man raised his hand, wagging his finger like he was scolding a disobedient toddler.And then his hand suddenly twisted, releasing a spell. A narrow spike exploded from the ground, tearing through Lahassu¡¯s body from bottom to top until the tip erupted from his mouth, splattering blood across the man¡¯s immaculate robes. ¡°Ugh,¡± his face twisted in disgust.¡°You can¡¯t keep anything clean out here.¡± ¡°Your robes?¡±Jasper stared at the man in disbelief.¡°You just murdered your father - my prisoner - and you¡¯re worried about your clothes?¡± The man shrugged.¡°Since you failed to kill him like you were supposed to, I had to step in.Besides, I was the rightful heir and he would never have let me become chief.Once he realized I wasn¡¯t his son, the only reason he didn¡¯t kill me was because he was afraid of my grandfather.With Baza?¡¯u dead, only one of us was going to survive.I picked myself,¡± he said with a wink. Jasper stared down at the impaled corpse of Laha?ssu and felt a bit sick.God, I hate these S?addu¡¯a.But as the milk was already spilt, he reluctantly decided not to press the issue.¡°I take it you¡¯re the one who wrote to Nekelm?¡¯s company.¡± ¡°I am,¡± the man confirmed.¡°Tell them I will uphold the agreed-upon terms.¡± Jasper looked around the small fort, now littered with a score of S?addu¡¯a dead.¡°Will you really,¡± he asked skeptically.¡°I¡¯m not seeing much here to inspire confidence in your word.It¡¯s hard to believe anyone will follow you after this.¡± ¡°Yes, you Sappannu? always prattle on about honor and such things,¡± the man sighed.¡°But S?addu¡¯a are not so foolish; we honor pragmatism and cleverness.My kinsman will mourn their dead and then they will follow me.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll actually leave Nekelm?¡¯s company alone,¡± he pressed. ¡°But of course.Unfortunately, my grandfather and ¡®father,¡¯¡± his lips curled at the word, ¡°were prisoners of tradition.Though exiled from our lands, they were always so short-sighted.Our men are skilled warriors and we had several stone mages against us whose work would have been highly valued by the city, but rather than live in luxury they chose to squat in the wilderness and engage in petty banditry.They were unable to see how much better things could be.¡± ¡°For whom?Your men are dead,¡± Jasper argued. ¡°My father¡¯s men,¡± the Djinn corrected him.¡°This is only a fraction of our clan¡¯s people - there are several settlements like this scattered throughout the hills.And now, thanks to my plans, they will have profitable jobs in Kibra?ti.¡± Finally understanding the Djinn¡¯s motives, Jasper felt strangely reassured.Trusting the young S?addu¡¯a chief was likely an exercise in foolishness, but as long as it was in his best interests to keep the peace, he could likely be counted on to follow the contract.But something else the man had said stuck out to me.¡°You said there a lot more of you?Why the hell weren¡¯t they here tonight?Your grandfather clearly intended to double-cross us.¡± The man shrugged.¡°As I said, they were shortsighted.They felt certain two stone mages with a score of men to back them up would be more than sufficient to capture one mage.¡± ¡°One?There¡¯s two of us - he knew that.¡± ¡°Well,¡± the man smiled wryly, ¡°yes, but you¡¯re a fire mage, and generally speaking, they¡¯re not much of a threat to a stone mage.But you¡¯re right to judge them.If my grandfather had simply gathered the rest of his men, his plan might well have worked.But fortunately for you and me, he didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°And now,¡± he said, doing his best to wipe the blood off his garment, ¡°I really must go.I am the only eligible heir to our clan, but if I wait too long to press my claim, others might get the wrong impression.Tell Nekelm? my men will report for duty starting next week.¡±With that, the Djinn turned and picked his way through the messy courtyard, leaving the fort behind. They didn¡¯t stay much longer themselves.The three searched through the fort quickly, looking for any valuables and, with some reluctance, checked the ravaged bodies as well.Those were stacked carefully in the courtyard where Jasper, unable to dig into the frozen ground, burned them to ash.Then they headed back to the city. Nu?r-S?ams?a The storm had not abated in the slightest, making their trip back even more difficult than before.Keresh and Dapplegrim were able to navigate the deep snowbanks reasonably well, but Tsia¡¯s thoroughbred struggled, and their pace slowed to crawl.Thus it was nearly day when the city walls finally loomed out of the whirling snows before them. The city guards eyed them with suspicion as they approached and Jasper could hardly blame them.Only Tsia had escaped without any wounds and though a healing potion was more than enough to heal what harm they¡¯d suffered, it did nothing to scrub their clothes clean.Bloody and covered in snow, they looked like ruffians. But as soon as the guard spotted his burgundy skin and the colors on his armor, their demeanor changed.They were ushered in forthwith, and from the gates, it was not too long of a trip to reach Nekelm?¡¯s stables. Their business there was brief as well; after Tsia¡¯s previous performance, the Djinn had never doubted their ability to succeed and the contract stood ready to be marked complete.But unfortunately, there was one fly in the ointment - with the thick cloud covered and swirling snow, the tsuss?m were unable to depart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nekelm? apologized.¡°As soon as the storm clears, I will have a team ready to carry you to Nu?r-S?ams?a, but for now, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re stuck.¡± Crap.Jasper suffocated his sigh.As much as he was annoyed by the delay, he knew that the tsuss?m were likely their best hoping to catch up with the army.And besides, he consoled himself, a little extra sleep won¡¯t be so bad.
It turned out to be a little more than a little extra sleep.One day turned into another and three full days had passed before the snow ceased.But Nekelm? had not lied.As soon as the sun peaked through the dissipating clouds, the Djinn had their tsuss?m ready to go. Their four mounts were lured into Nekelm?¡¯s spatial case, and then they departed - Tsia proudly riding on her brand new prize, a dappled grey tsuss?m with a frosty-white mane and a pair of matching wings. And Jasper had to admit, the trip was a blast.Granted, before he¡¯d had access to Spectral Wings, he probably would have been scared out of his mind - though the Djinn did use ropes to tie the riders down to the horses, the thin rope was hardly reassuring when you were several thousand feet up in the air on the back of an animal prone to sudden movements. And it wasn¡¯t like there weren¡¯t occasional accidents.Indeed, on one of the days they¡¯d been stuck due to weather, Jasper had wandered around the company¡¯s extensive grounds and stumbled upon a small memorial site where fallen members were honored and, judging by the epitaphs, some of them had quite literally fallen. But with the warm reassurance provided by Spectral Wings, he was free to enjoy the dazzling views, the roaring winds, and the swoops and dives of the stocky beasts. They made good time, too.While the tsuss?m were no match for a jet, the beasts were surprisingly fast.Indeed, if Jasper was forced to bet who would win a race between them and a small plane like a Piper Cub, he¡¯d place his bets on the tsuss?m. Thus, they crossed a journey of several days in the space of mere hours and reached Nu?r-S?ams?a before evening fell.It was then, lit by the dying rays of day, that Jasper gained his first glimpse of the King¡¯s army. Set on the banks of Lake Yarhab, Nu?r-S?ams?a was a bit smaller than Kiriba?ti.The high cliffs of the northern plateau slowly descended as the lake sloped south, and the resulting change in climate was obvious.Though a smattering of snow laced the brown grass, the city was surrounded more by mud, muck, and barren trees than the winter wonderland that had adorned Kiriba?ti. A large fleet filled its harbor, the ships bristling with flags of every different size and color from the many merchants that plowed the Lake.On most days, it would have been an eye-catching sight, but next to the army, the trading fleet seemed small. It flanked the city on all three sides.Endless rows of bleached, leather tents filled the land, between whose rows the men milled around like insects.It was hard to guess how many had gathered, but Jasper felt certain it was in the tens of thousands. There was a surprising amount of heterogeneity amongst them, too.There were many small, organized sections discernible in the vast gathering, marked by different colored tents or banners, and the tents closest to the city gates were even protected by a temporary wooden barrier that had been raised around them. Judging that to be the center of command, Jasper directed their guides to take them there.The tsuss?m swooped low over the city, and as they approached the wooden encampment, a small detachment rose to meet them, no more than fifteen or twenty warriors.They rode tsuss?m as black as the night itself, and when they drew closer, Jasper could see that the beasts¡¯ eyes glowed like burning embers.These must be the firebirds I¡¯ve heard so much about.He watched them with a tinge of envy.He had no idea how they¡¯d stack up against him in a fight, but he had to admit they were definitely winning the fashion battle.Got to step up my game. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Halt.¡±The one in the lead raised a warning hand.Though it was impossible to tell in the heavy armor the warriors wore, the voice was that of a woman.¡°Turn back to the city, merchants.You are not authorized to be here.¡± With a wave of his hand, Jasper bid Nekelm?¡¯s men to stay and fishing his orders out of the bag, nudged the tsuss?m he was riding on closer.¡°I was told to meet my command here.I was hoping you could direct me to them.¡± ¡°Stay put,¡± the warrior snapped instantly. He reined in his mount begrudgingly and waved the letter again.¡°My orders.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, the armored woman approached and snatched the letter out of his hand with as much care as if she were trying to defuse a bomb.She seems kind of on edge.She pushed the plate on her helmet up, revealing a face that was both surprisingly young and surprisingly pale.Either she¡¯s not very high-leveled or firebirds have a different evolution. As she examined the letter, seconds stretched into minutes, and as the wait still continued, Jasper became downright uncomfortable.What¡¯s the holdup?Unless¡­he paused as the thought struck him.Can she maybe not read?Despite how long Jasper had been stuck in Corsythia, the vast majority of his time had been spent around adventurers or nobles, arguably the elites of the society.But he actually had very little idea how widespread literacy was. ¡°Is there anything I can help you with,¡± he asked amiably, not wanting to insinuate anything. Her cheeks flushed scarlet, though whether it was from embarrassment or anger, Jasper couldn¡¯t tell.¡°I¡¯m fine, my lord,¡± she replied icily.Folding the letter back up, she handed it to him.¡°It seems everything is in order.We will escort you to a landing place, but the merchants will have to leave as soon as you are unloaded.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Jasper agreed with a shrug. She prodded her mount back into position with the other firebirds and waved for them to follow.They flew past the wooden encampment and landed on the north side of the city, where a large stretch of pasture had been kept free of the endless tents.The firebirds waited in silence as they unloaded their bags and mounts from the tsuss?m, neither interfering nor offering to help.The merchants worked fast, spurred on by the unfriendly watchers, and were back in the air in fifteen minutes, soaring back over the encampment toward the docks. When the merchants were gone, the firebird captain finally slipped off her mounts and approached Jasper again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, but would you be willing to submit to a search of your person and belongings?¡± Jasper eyed her dubiously.¡°Why I would need to do that?You saw the orders from the king, did you not Captain...?" he woman responded firmly.¡°I truly don¡¯t wish to give offense, my lord, but there have been a number of incidents since we left the capital and our orders are to search all newcomers thoroughly before they enter the camp.¡± ¡°Incidents?¡± He questioned with a frown. ¡°Sabotage, Lord Yas?peh.It seems there are those among us who are not keen to march to the empire¡¯s aid.Every night this week, a different section of the camp has been set ablaze and many other smaller attacks have been carried out as well.I do not doubt you, my lord, but if I let you wander free without checking, and I was wrong, my head will be on the line.¡± Jasper sighed. After a long ride on the tsussi?m, the last thing he wanted to do was go through the equivalent of a border check, but the woman was just doing her job.¡°Fine.Look through our stuff, but you won¡¯t find anything.And while you¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t you tell me more about this sabotage.¡± When the firebirds finally finished checking through their stuff, the captain volunteered to lead Jasper to his station.The information she¡¯d shared had been troubling.The attacks thus far had only been perpetrated on the camps pitched by the king¡¯s troops and those from the northern tribes.The southern tribes had been left unscathed.This, of course, had done much to elevate tensions between the army, with many in the northern tribes believing the southern were to blame. It was certainly possible; the southern tribes had long resisted the king¡¯s desire to aid the empire, so it was a believable accusation.Yet, Jasper had to admit, the southern tribes were also a convenient scapegoat.Even if they were innocent, few would be inclined to believe them.Unfortunately, this meant the army was already on the edge of breakdown before it had even left the province - hence, their less-than-friendly reception by the firebirds. The captain was apologetic - indeed, a bit more than apologetic.Despite his protests, the young woman practically twisted his arm into agreeing to join her for a drink later that week - though whether she actually intended it as an apology or had found a stealthy way to hit on a noble, Jasper was unable to tell. And yet, Jasper had to admit that the Djinn, whose skin was thankfully not that unfortunate red he so disliked, was reasonably attractive.His mind turned to Laylah, and for a moment, he felt almost a touch of guilt, but he dismissed it as unreasonable.She¡¯s not even in this world any longer, and it¡¯s not like we were an item.After a moment, he shrugged his shoulders.Eh, maybe I¡¯ll let her buy me a drink and see what happens. But by the time they reached the encampment where his men had been sent, Jasper couldn¡¯t bring himself to care.The flight, though exhilarating, had left him sore in places he never knew existed and he was more than ready to hit the sack.Dark had already fallen, so bidding farewell to Ihra and Tsia, he hastily tied Dapplegrim to the post outside his tent.He took care of her first, removing the tackle, rubbing her down, and providing a generous helping of oats and a few stolen sugar cubes, and then he stumbled into his tent, fiddling with the latches on his armor. He nearly had his armor off when he realized he had an unexpected guest. Farewell and a Warning The tent was far nicer than Jasper had expected.Tall enough for him to comfortably walk upright, the tent was as large as a decent-sized bedroom.The ground was covered by a large reed mat and in one corner a cot was already set up.But his attention was solely focused on the small desk and chair on the other hand, where a dark figure lurked. There was little light in the tent, for night had nearly fallen, and he was unable to make out any distinguishing features on the person, save for a large pair of black horns.Letting the flames run across his left hand, he lifted it up in the air, lighting up the small tent. The figure was slumped over on the desk, apparently fast asleep.His face was hidden, but he wore the colors of the Royal House, and as Jasper moved inched forward cautiously, relief washed over him as he realized he recognized the intruder. ¡°S?arra?bi? - what the hell are you doing here?¡± His uncle didn¡¯t stir when he spoke and he shook the man¡¯s shoulder.¡°S?arra?bi?!¡± With a start, the man¡¯s head lurched up, his horns whistling dangerously close to Jasper¡¯s jaw.¡°Ah, Yas?peh, you¡¯re finally here.¡±The Djinn rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with a groan.¡°I saw your tsuss?m arrive several hours ago.Where were you?¡± ¡°Apparently the guards are a bit skittish.They held us for a while, wanted to look through our stuff,¡± Jasper replied with a shrug.He sank into a chair opposite S?arra?bi?¡¯s with a gratified sigh and, stretched his legs out, began to massage his thighs which were throbbing after the long ride on the tsuss?m.¡°Something about sabotage, I gathered.¡± S?arra?bi? let out a long sigh.¡°So the men are talking about it now?We¡¯ve tried to keep the incidents under wrap.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what other incidents might have happened, but the fires that keep breaking out are kind of hard to hide.Seems most are blaming the southern tribes.¡±Jasper paused and then corrected himself.¡°Well, that¡¯s what the firebird I spoke to thought.I suppose I can¡¯t assume that everyone agrees.¡± His uncle winced.¡°That¡¯s exactly what the king feared.Everyone knows that the southern tribes didn¡¯t want to help the empire, and if these incidents keep occurring, the king is worried that his army will disintegrate into chaos before it even leaves our borders.¡± ¡°Are you afraid they¡¯ll attack each other?¡± ¡°No,¡± S?arra?bi? dismissed the thought immediately.¡°As much as the northern lords resent the southern, they are not suicidal.The southern tribes have nearly three times their population and while the North has comparatively more mages, the numbers are simply too stacked against them.Their lords are no fools.¡± ¡°But this problem must be solved.If the northern lords believe the southern lords are sabotaging them, they will refuse to work with them.And as for the southern lords,¡± S?arra?bi? tapped the table irritably, ¡°they never wanted to come in the first place.They are only here because the king strong-armed them.They will happily take any excuse to abandon this campaign.¡± ¡°So you think they are behind it too,¡± Jasper questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± S?arra?bi? admitted.¡°They¡¯re the obvious suspects, of course, but that¡¯s hardly evidence of guilt, and without proof, the king is not going to start accusing nobles of anything.¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose not,¡± Jasper agreed.¡°So that does mean you¡¯re coming with us after all?¡± His uncle shook his head.¡°No. I cannot go with you, not before S?anukkat has given birth.¡± ¡°The king didn¡¯t order you to go?That¡¯s kind of nice of him.I¡¯ve got to say, I¡¯ve only met him one time, but he really didn¡¯t strike me as the caring type.More like the ¡®scary as all hell type.¡¯¡± ¡°The caring type?¡±S?arra?bi? snorted.¡°You should have trusted your initial instincts, Yas?peh.S?ars?ad? is a good king in many ways, certainly better than his predecessor.Under his rule, our people have prospered, not least because of his surreptitious support for the animm? nobles, who have done much to better the common people¡¯s lives.But S?ars?ad?, like most who have lived for a thousand years or two, is a man of cold practicality.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t care in the slightest whether or not S?anukkat lives.But he knows that I am already quite angry with him for deceiving me about my sister¡¯s ¡®death¡¯ and has rightly assessed that if S?anukkat died while I was away, he would make an enemy of me.And since I am useful, he has made an exception.Someone has been appointed to investigate the matter.¡± ¡°Wait - you¡¯re not running the investigation?¡±Jasper stared at his uncle in surprise.¡°Then why are you here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to warn you, Yas?peh.I don¡¯t know who the king has sent to look into these incidents, but you have several skills that could be useful in such an investigation, do you not?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± he agreed.¡°I do have a spell that lets me detect if someone¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°You also have a spell that lets you question the recently deceased,¡± his uncle added. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Jasper furrowed his brow.¡°How do you know that?I don¡¯t remember telling you that.¡± A thin smile crossed his uncle¡¯s lips.¡°We have our ways.I¡¯m quite certain the king knows all of your spells, and unless I miss my guess, there is a good chance this investigator will want to use you.¡± ¡°Are you telling me to refuse,¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± S?arra?bi? sighed.¡°It¡¯s unlikely you¡¯ll be given a choice.I am telling you, however, to be careful.Despite your spells, you haven¡¯t been trained in subterfuge and have but the barest grasp of noble etiquette.That¡¯s why I came bringing gifts.¡± S?arra?bi? pulled a parcel out of his bag and tossed it to him¡°It¡¯s not much, but at least it should help.¡± Jasper unwrapped the package carefully and laid them on the table.The largest item was a leather-bound book whose title, A Brief Survey of Djinn Customs, told him everything he needed to know about its contents.But the other objects were more interesting.He placed three small vials side-by-side, each filled with a thick white ooze that looked a bit curdled milk, followed by a small copper ring whose sides glowed with green-colored glyphs.¡°What are these?¡± He asked his uncle. ¡°The potions are antidotes,¡± his uncle explained.¡°Since I can¡¯t predict what poisons they must use, I was forced to supply the closest thing we have to a cure-all, the milk of the bas?mu.It doesn¡¯t cure everything, but it will heal the vast majority of ills.¡± Jasper held the potion up in the flickering light of the flames.It moved ever so slightly in the jar, so thick that it was closer to a solid than a liquid.¡°This is milk?¡± His uncle grinned.¡°That¡¯s what they call it.The truth is a bit more disgusting.Do you know what a bas?mu is?¡± ¡°Nope.Something nasty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a horned serpent that lives in the jungles near Appa?ra, mostly hiding in the rivers.Everything about it is toxic.Its fangs drip with venom, its skin secrets a dangerous poison, and just a splash of its blood is enough to make a man blind.And yet, in a strange twist of fate, its internal organs are protected by a thick layer of fat with extraordinary healing abilities.The fat, when mixed with an emulsifying agent, is what we call its milk.¡± Jasper shrugged.Sure, drinking a creature¡¯s fat was kind of gross, but it definitely could have been worse.It was no rocky mountain oysters, after all.¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡± S?arra?bi? visibly shuddered.¡°Oh, it is.I¡¯ve had the misfortune of having to consume it five times in my life and I pray daily there won¡¯t be a sixth.¡± ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± ¡°Crack the lid,¡± his uncle suggested. Curious, Jasper opened one of the potions.His eyes immediately wept, and acid burned his throat as his long-digested lunch surged back up.Clamping the lid shut, he raced to the tent¡¯s opening, holding back the vomit just long enough to spare his brand-new reed mat.He returned a moment later, wiping his mouth, and did not speak until he¡¯d taken several long draughts of water. ¡°That is the worst thing I¡¯ve ever smelled,¡± he said shakily.¡°In fact, I¡¯m pretty sure it could be classified as torture.¡± His uncle, looking a bit green around the gills, managed a faint chuckle.¡°I¡¯d like to say you get used to it, but honestly, you won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do you have to drink the whole bottle?¡±Jasper asked, dreading the response. ¡°No, a few swallows should do,¡± S?arra?bi?.¡°But you have to keep it down.¡± ¡°Well¡­thanks,¡± Jasper replied dubiously.¡°I guess it¡¯s better than dying.¡±He moved the potions into his bag, and then his hand came to rest on the last object.¡°And what¡¯s the ring?¡±He picked the copper band up and spun it between his fingers. ¡°Try putting it on.¡± He stared suspiciously at his uncle.¡°It¡¯s not going to do anything nasty, is it?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± his uncle chuckled.¡°The milk of the bas?mu was the only unpleasant surprise.¡±Jasper, remembering the book of etiquette he¡¯d been given, was not so sure about that, but he held his tongue and, following his uncle¡¯s instructions, slipped the ring onto his finger. As soon as the copper band closed around his skin, the green glow of the glyphs died out.He shoved it the rest of the way up his finger, and held his hand out, admiring the simple band.¡°It¡¯s a nice ring, but what does it do?¡± S?arra?bi? moved like a blur.A wicked black dagger appeared in his hand and he slashed it straight toward Jasper¡¯s throat.Throwing himself backward, Jasper and the chair fell toward the ground, but not in time to dodge the blow.But as he fell, a golden shield of light sprung up around him and deflected the blade with ease.As Jasper rolled to his feet, the shield had already dissipated, but the blow had been stopped. ¡°Really?You couldn¡¯t have just told me?¡± Jasper asked with a half-amused shake of his head.¡°Damn near gave me a heart attack.¡± The Djinn grinned.¡°This was more fun.As you can see, the barrier lasts just three seconds, but it should be enough to stop a sneak attack.After that, you¡¯ll have to defend yourself.¡± ¡°How long does it take to recharge?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s only available once per day,¡± his uncle explained.¡°Really, it¡¯s a miracle Kas?? got it to work at all; usually these glyphs would need to be on something much bigger, but I wanted something that an enemy wouldn¡¯t immediately detect. ¡°Thanks,¡± Jasper replied, this time fully sincere.¡°And tell Kas?? thanks too.This is a great gift.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t need it,¡± his uncle replied.¡°Just like the glaive, you¡¯ll have to pay to get the ring recharged by a mage from time to time, but it should last at least a few months - unless you find yourself regularly getting attacked.¡± Jasper grinned.¡°While I am with the army now.I have a sneaking suspicion I¡¯ll be doing some fighting.¡± ¡°You do seem to attract trouble,¡± his uncle agreed.The grin slipped from his face, and he leaned closer.¡°I heard some of what happened with the Brotherhood.Only bits and pieces, I¡¯m afraid, but it seems things did not go well.Are you going to be able to lead your troops?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like a choice, do I,¡± Jasper replied with a sigh, his mood sobering.¡°But I¡¯ll be fine.We won and, while I feel like a cad for saying this, the one who died was¡­.not exactly a friend of mine.Have you heard any more about Annatta?¡± S?arra?bi?¡¯s face told him everything he needed to know.¡°She has improved very little thus far.Captain H?uh?a?ru was able to get the priests to release her, and he''s chartered a boat to take her to the capital.With time, perhaps she can get back to what she was, but it will be a long road ahead.¡± Jasper grimaced.¡°I feel like it¡¯s my fault.¡± S?arra?bi? placed a hand on Jasper¡¯s shoulder.¡°You wrestled with a demigoddess, Yas?peh, and walked away with most of your crew intact.You have nothing to be ashamed of.¡± The two talked for a few more hours and, then, before the first rays of dawn appeared above the horizon, the Djinn departed, heading back to the capital. The Gallant Swan The next few days passed in a blur as Jasper struggled to adjust to camp life.As a commander and a mage, he had more freedom than most, but things were still more regimented than he was accustomed to. Each morning they woke to the sound of horns.Unfortunately, it was not the relatively cheerful if annoying reveille the army back home used.No, the horns they used sounded more like the squeals of a pig in heat, a soul-piercing cacophony that made nails on a chalkboard sound downright melodic. After that tender wake-up call came the morning exercises.Technically, Jasper wasn¡¯t required to do them.As a commander of a small number of troops, he was merely responsible for overseeing their exercises and, at first, he hadn¡¯t participated, more than happy to dodge the unwanted exercise. But as he¡¯d slowly become familiar with others in the camp, Jasper quickly came to the realization that in addition to the divide between the northern and southern lords, there was also a divide between the commanders: those who joined with the troops in their morning exercises and regularly mingled with their men, and those who rarely left their tents, unless it was to attend one of the surprisingly opulent parties they managed to throw.And as much as Jasper despised the morning exercise, he didn¡¯t wish to be associated with the second group; thus, reluctantly, he dragged himself out each morning and, with quivering limbs, joined the men in routines designed with warriors, not mages, in mind. The afternoons were a bit more free.Every other day, some of his men had to join a patrol guarding the camp, but aside from that there was little to do but wait for the order to pack up and resume their march. Yet a week passed, with three more fires set around the camp, and still no orders had arrived.And, somewhat to his surprise, Jasper had heard nothing from the agent his uncle had warned him of - which was more than fine by him. Still, it didn¡¯t take a detective to recognize that the mood amongst the men was tense.With each fire that broke out, resentment grew and a number of small fights had even broken out between northerners and southerners though, fortunately, none had boiled over into a conflict too large to stamp out.
Toward the end of the week, after marching around the camp with his men, Jasper headed back to his tent.Despite the cool air that blew from the north, his back was slick with sweat as he wiggled out of his armor. ¡°Hello?¡±Jasper froze as a decidedly feminine voice echoed outside his tent.¡°Are you in there, Lord Yas?peh? ¡°Just a minute!¡±Springing into action, Jasper grabbed a towel and rubbed the sweat off as best as he could.Deodorant, sadly, had not been invented, but Jasper did the best he could, quickly splashing some perfume over himself to cover up the stench of the morning exercise.Pulling on a clean tunic, he slowed himself down as he reached the tent flap and prepared a spell before he stepped out.Just in case. A young woman stood outside his tent.She wore a simple blue dress of thick wool well suited to guard against the elements and a white fur cap that stood out starkly against her long, black hair.Her skin was surprisingly pale, though a small pair of black horns jutted out of her head, curving back in a graceful arc. Jasper¡¯s brow furrowed and he paused at the entrance to his tent.¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met.¡± ¡°Of course we have,¡± the woman replied with a laugh.¡°I owe you a drink, remember?¡± Jasper nearly did a double take.¡°You¡¯re the firebird captain,¡± he asked in shock. ¡°I am,¡± she confirmed, ¡°though I prefer to be called Gu?la, Lord Yas?peh.Are you free for a drink?I¡¯ve heard a rumor that we¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± Jasper released the spell he¡¯d been holding and nodded his head.After a week filled with little to do but train and wait, he was more than happy to accept the offer.¡°Sure - why not?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The woman gave an amused chuckle as he fell in beside her.¡°Just what every woman wants to hear.¡± Jasper grinned ruefully.¡°Oh yes, I¡¯m well known for my honeyed tongue.I¡¯m known for dropping other killer phrases like ¡®that sounds fine¡¯ and ¡®I guess I don¡¯t have anything else to do.¡¯¡± ¡°And do you have anything else to do,¡± Gu?la asked with a smile. ¡°Not in the slightest,¡± he grinned back.¡°So where are we headed?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a tavern in town I¡¯ve visited a few times, the Gallant Swan.It¡¯s a bit nicer than most, with prices high enough to scare off my men.¡± ¡°But not you?¡± Her black hair swished back and forth vigorously as she shook her head.¡°I doubt someone from the Royal House has even heard of us, but my family are minor nobles from Tabi?nat.I¡¯m not exactly loaded, but at least I¡¯m not dependent on our rather paltry pay.¡± ¡°Tabi?nat, huh?I passed by there just a few months ago.Didn¡¯t get to stop, unfortunately, but the towers there were really impressive.I¡¯m guessing you belonged to one of them.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Gu?la nodded and brushed an errant hair back in place.¡°My family isn¡¯t really known for producing firebirds, but once I awakened my class, I had my pick of companies.I went with the 78th.¡± She spoke the words proudly and Jasper wisely guessed he was supposed to be impressed.¡°Well I¡¯ve certainly heard of them,¡± he lied smoothly. ¡°Who hasn¡¯t,¡± she replied with a smug grin.¡°My father was most pleased.Although,¡± her face fell, ¡°he was far less happy when they volunteered me as their representative to go with King S?ars?ad?.¡± The pair¡¯s conversation halted as they reached the gates of Nu?r-S?ams?a.The guards only gave them a cursory glance before waiving them through with a respectful bow to Jasper, and they entered the city.Having only flown over it, Jasper glanced around with some curiosity. It was a large city, whose gentle slope down to the shores of Lake Yarhab offered stunning views, but aside from that it was fairly unremarkable.It lacked the grand cliffs of Kiri?ba?ti, the glowing walls of Du?r-Yarha, or the monumental architecture of the Djinn capital.It¡¯s like the Cleveland of cities. Dismissing the sights around him, he resumed their conversation.¡°I suppose the lords of Tabi?nat were amongst those opposed to helping the empire,¡± Jasper probed. Gu?la shrugged.¡°Not really.Sure, we¡¯re technically part of the southern tribes, but unlike the others, Tabi?nat is right on the edges of the northern plateau.We lack both the wealth of natural resources that the north has and the rich, fallow fields of the south.If it wasn¡¯t for our Firebirds we¡¯d be altogether irrelevant, so our lords tend to stay out of such power struggles.Now the lords of Kubarru¡­¡± the woman trailed off provocatively and glanced up at him.¡°Have you seen their section of the camp?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Jasper admitted. She leaned in slightly and lowered her voice.¡°They sent the bare minimum number of troops the king requested - not a single soldier more, or so I¡¯ve heard.Their camp looks more like a hunting party than a war camp.They don¡¯t even bother setting guards at night and yet they haven¡¯t been struck by a single fire.Fancy that.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯re behind the attacks?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± she admitted cheerfully.¡°But no one can prove it.I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter now, though.From what I¡¯ve heard, we¡¯ll be leaving soon and once we leave the province, the lords of Kubarru will just have to deal with it.¡± ¡°You mentioned that before, but where¡¯d you hear that?I haven¡¯t received any such orders.¡± ¡°Tis one of the perks of being a firebird.Most of the army¡¯s messages are sent through us, so we get to know all kinds of juicy tidbits.But come,¡± grabbing his arm, she dragged him toward the far side of the street where the tavern suddenly loomed.¡°There¡¯s no need to talk business all night.¡± The large two-story structure, which was painted a cheery blue, stood out against the other buildings like an over-ripe blueberry.A swinging sign hung above the door, with an image of a black swan wearing a tiny suit of armor and holding a sword in its mouth. ¡°There¡¯s got to be a story behind that,¡± Jasper observed. ¡°You¡¯d have to ask the locals,¡± Gu?la replied with a shrug.¡°But who cares about that?Let¡¯s drink.¡±But her shoulders slumped as she stepped inside.¡°Why are they so busy,¡± she groaned. The pub was indeed packed.Every table near them sat fully occupied and dozens had crowded into the room, standing their backs toward the door as a silvery voice echoed through the hall. On, on dashed the wicked hordes, the enemies of Nu?r Who trampled all his people down, who dwelt within the tsu?r. The streets lay barren, the graves were full, the light was cracked and torn Until Lord Tsu?raddin arose all hope had been abjured. With fist of stone and flail of steel, he smashed the ancient woes Around his banner the Djinn did heal and ever stronger grow¡­. ¡°Ah, there!¡±Standing on tiptoes, she pointed to a small table in the corner that still lay empty.Her hand twined around his and she pulled him through the crowd.They arrived just in time, snagging the seats mere seconds before a disappointed group was forced to peel off, and she settled into the seat with a contented sigh.¡°I didn¡¯t realize there would be entertainment tonight.¡±Jasper glanced up at the stage where a tall Moon-kissed strummed gently on a lyre as he sang. ¡°Lord Tsu?raddin, huh?¡±Gu?la looked up with a grin.¡°You probably don¡¯t hear that one in the capital, am I right?¡± He chuckled uncertainly, unfamiliar with the story or why he wouldn¡¯t hear it in the capital.¡°Not so much,¡± he replied with complete honesty. ¡°You certainly wouldn¡¯t expect a Moon-kissed to be telling a S?addu¡¯a tale.¡±He nodded politely, still not understanding, and was relieved when the barmaid suddenly loomed over her shoulder, wanting to know their orders. The night passed quickly after that.One ale was followed by another, talk and laughter flowing freely as the Moon-kissed bard¡¯s honeyed voice filled the room, and as Selene rose high in the sky, they made their way upstairs. He awoke the next morning to find himself alone, lying on a bed whose scratchy straw pallet left much to be desired.At least I don¡¯t have any bug bites, he consoled himself.Rising from the bed, he glanced around the room and his pulse elevated as he failed to see his clothing.Surely she didn¡¯t rob me.He was starting to fear exactly that when a knock came at the door.Covering himself with a pillow, he opened it a crack to peer outside. He relaxed as he spied one of the barmaids on the other side, her hands full of his clothes.The maid offered them with a curtsy as he opened the door, ¡°The miss said you¡¯d want these washed, my lord.¡± He thanked her and as he started to dress, his mind wandered back to Gu?la.It had been too long, and if he was being honest, he was a bit disappointed the woman had already left.I wasn¡¯t that bad, was I?I mean, I am a little rusty but¡­ His thoughts trailed off as another, more horrifying possibility occurred to him.They don¡¯t sell Plan B around here, do they?His mind was a bit hazy after the fourth drink that night, but he hadn¡¯t come prepared for any action.There¡¯s got to be a spell like that, right? he consoled himself. His spiraling thoughts were interrupted as the door opened behind him.Jasper spun around, expecting to see the maid had returned, but relaxed as he saw it was only Gu?la.¡°You came back!I guess I didn¡¯t scare you off,¡± he said with a grin. Medieval Noir ¡°Were you trying to scare me off?¡± onto the straw mattress and leaned against the pillow. ¡°Not at all, but after you disappeared¡­¡± he shrugged. "To be honest, at first I thought you''d robbed him." "Why I never," she gasped in mock indignation. ¡°But no, you didn''t scare me off. I enjoyed myself, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about, and if you don¡¯t believe me,¡± a sly grin slipped across her face, ¡°you can just use your spell.Scales of Justice, is it?¡± Jasper stilled.¡°Who told you about my spell?¡± The captain only chuckled. ¡°Relax, Yas?peh, we''re not enemies." She ignored his question and counted with another. "Tell me, what is the story of Tsu?raddin?¡± Why? Jasper''s mind whirled as he tried to piece together what little he remembered from the bard¡¯s story last night.Damn it - I didn¡¯t know there¡¯d be a pop quiz.¡°Uh, he fought the, uh, enemy back on the Djinn¡¯s homeward of Zaginnu.¡±He felt proud of himself for remembering the last name, which hadn¡¯t been mentioned in the bard¡¯s poem. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± she waved her hands impatiently.¡°I listened to the bard last night too, Yas?peh.But that is not what I meant.Why don''t you hear the story of Tsu?raddin told in the capital?¡± For a brief moment, Jasper considered making up some wild story in the hope of bluffing his way out of her trap.Then he realized there was no point; Gu?la clearly knew he didn¡¯t know the answer and, besides, there was only one conclusion he could draw.¡°You''re the royal agent my uncle mentioned, aren''t you?¡± ¡°You admit you don¡¯t know?¡± She said, sidestepping his accusation. He shrugged his shoulders with fake casualness.¡°Guess I never paid attention in school.¡± Fascination glimmered in her eyes as she stared up at him.¡°So it¡¯s true then,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°What''s true?¡± he asked resignedly. ¡°When S?arra?bi?¡¯s ¡®nephew¡¯ showed up, the gossips around the court immediately decided that you must be his long-forsaken bastard.¡± ¡°Why would they think that,¡± Jasper protested with a snort.¡°We don''t anything alike.¡± ¡°It was a reasonable guess,¡± she retorted.¡°You had to come from somewhere and, despite not having a male heir, the old man¡¯s always been so uptight about not taking any consorts, everyone just figured that he was too embarrassed to admit he¡¯d finally given in. Even I believed it." here was a second, much quieter, rumor that claimed you were one of the summoned. hard to believe, but then that second summoned, the broken scout appeared, and now¡­I do believe it''s true, isn''t it?¡± He plopped down on the bed beside her.¡°I guess the cat''s out of the bag," he admitted. "What gave me away?¡± ¡°Tsu?raddin is the same as Nu?raddin,¡± she replied, as if that explained anything. ¡°Nu?raddin?Who¡¯s that-?¡±The story he¡¯d heard when he¡¯d gone to hunt the dore?sah came flooding back to him.¡°Oh yeah, the guy who brought the Djinn over to this world.?¡± ¡°The S?addu¡¯a tell a similar story of how the Djinn came to this world, but in their version, Nu?raddin is called Tsu?raddin and he¡¯s one of them, not a Djinn like us.¡± ¡°Tsu?r¡­like stone,¡± he asked, suddenly making the connection. ¡°Sort of,¡± she confirmed.¡°The name refers to Tsu?rah, goddess of the earth back on Zaginnu, though she''s worshipped here as Ummadammah.¡± ¡°So like Nu?r and S?ams?a then,¡± he clarified. ¡°Exactly,¡± she agreed.¡°The Royal House claims Nu?raddin as their direct ancestor so, of course, they take offense to the suggestion that he was actually a S?addu''a?." "It seems like a hell of a coincidence that the bard just happened to sing that song. Unless..." Jasper frowned. "You didn''t" She offered him a smile as smug as the Cheshire Cat. "I paid him off." "Holy hell," Jasper swore, recoiling from her. ¡°You were just manipulating me the whole time? Why?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± She repeated his words from the previous day back to him with a smirk.¡°Didn''t you find it awfully convenient that there was just one table in the tavern left open?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I guess, but why?Just¡­.why?¡± He asked in bewilderment.¡°If you wanted my help, all you had to do was ask. S?arra?bi? already told me about you.¡± ¡°I know that," Gu?la replied, "but I wanted to see what kind of man you are.You are a bit of a mystery back at court, you know.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Jasper replied with a shake of his head.¡°I mean, I¡¯m hardly there.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± she laughed.¡°You do realize that for most members of the Royal House, there¡¯s a comprehensive history detailing everything from their very first hiccup to their first broken heart.Sure, most of them aren¡¯t important enough to be constantly watched, but if you look hard enough, the information is there to be found.If nothing else, you can usually just hire an ectomancer and the spirits themselves will blab.But when I looked into you, I came up curiously empty.¡± He frowned, ¡°I thought my uncle had whipped up some documents.¡± Gu?la rolled her eyes.¡°Tell me, Yas?peh, are you particularly fond of maqta made with waraq petals?¡± ¡°Should I be?¡± ¡°According to your file, yes.I¡¯m sure the documents your uncle prepared were good enough to stall most questions, but once I had looked at them I realized you were a ghost until a year ago. And since then, you¡¯ve been quite the busy boy, if rumors are to be believed, yet you still had barely spent any time in the capital.Other than a few glancing introductions at your aunt¡¯s parties, I couldn¡¯t find anyone who had actually interacted with you.I wanted to get a feel for who you were before I decided if I wanted to include you in my investigation.¡± ¡°And you had to sleep with me to decide that?¡± ¡°Do you really mind,¡± she asked with a smirk. Jasper rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.¡°Yeah, a little bit.I feel kind of used,¡± he replied honestly. The smirk on her lips slipped away.¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention, Yas?peh.If it makes you feel any better, sleeping with you wasn¡¯t part of the test.I just felt like it - and given your performance,¡± she coquettishly, ¡°I might just feel like it again sometime soon.¡± Jasper frowned, unaffected by her flirtation.Sure, she was hot, but the ease with which Gu?la had deceived him was disconcerting and he had no idea what, if anything, he could believe of what she¡¯d said. Rather than respond, he decided to just get down to business.¡°Alright, so you were testing me and since we''re having this conversation, I assume I must have passed.So what is it you want from me?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to start by testing your skills,¡± the firebird replied.¡°I need to get a sense of how accurate they are.¡± ¡°What do you mean?It¡¯s just a truth spell.¡± ¡°Not all truth spells are made alike,¡± she explained.¡°With all the different classes out there, there are an untold number of truth spells that can vary considerably in accuracy and precision.Unfortunately, some of the more popular ones, like truth seeker for Bards, can also be rather easily tricked, as long you know how.Since I¡¯m not familiar with your particular spell, I want to get a feel for how it works.I¡¯m going to give you a number of sentences, and you¡¯ll tell me if they are true or false.¡± ¡°I guess I can do that,¡± Jasper agreed.His fingers twisted as he summoned his essence.¡°Let me know when to begin.¡± ¡°You can begin now,¡± Gu?la replied after a moment¡¯s pause.¡°I have three brothers and seven sisters.¡± Jasper frowned as the feeling of the spell reverberated in him.¡°Trrruuueee¡­¡± he spoke hesitantly, stretching the word out to an unnatural length. ¡°But I can¡¯t shake the feeling that there¡¯s something¡­I don¡¯t know, inaccurate about the statement.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she nodded approvingly.¡°It¡¯s the best sort of true - technically true - but it¡¯s definitely misleading.I have five brothers and six living sisters.¡± This time, the unsettled feeling in Jasper¡¯s stomach went away.¡°That¡¯s a lot of siblings.¡± ¡°Next statement.I particularly liked that thing you did with your tongue.¡± ¡°True?¡± He croaked out, feeling his cheeks burning, although thankfully his red skin hid his blush. She laughed at his discomfort.¡°Was that a question?¡± ¡°True,¡± he repeated more firmly. The next few examples Gu?la gave him were more difficult.A few of the statements were obviously false, a few more just as obviously true, but the vast majority fell within the grey line of half-truths and omitted information as the agent tested the limits of his spell. It wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d nearly run out of essence that she finally called a stop.¡°Alright, I think I¡¯ve got a good sense of your limitations.You¡¯re pretty good at figuring out when someone is being misleading, but your spell doesn¡¯t give you any sense of what they¡¯re being misleading about.It¡¯s certainly not the best truth spell I¡¯ve seen, but it will do.¡± ¡°And what about your other spell, Speaker of Alda?ru?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never used it,¡± Jasper admitted.¡°It seemed like it might be useful when I picked it, but I guess I haven¡¯t gotten around to interrogating any fresh corpses.¡± Her lips twisted in disappointment.¡°A shame, but I suppose there¡¯s no easy way to test it now.We¡¯ll just have to figure it out if the circumstances arise.¡± Jasper nodded.¡°So do you have something you want me to do?¡± ¡°I told you the nobles from Kubarru are our chief suspects, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, you mentioned it, but you were also playing a part at the time.Are they really your main suspect?They seem almost too obvious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Gu?la acknowledged, ¡°If this was one of those mystery dramas that have been sweeping the capital, then they couldn¡¯t possibly be the guilty party.But in real life, I¡¯ve generally found the obvious suspects are obvious for good reason.I haven¡¯t ruled out other possibilities, but I¡¯ve been trying - rather unsuccessfully - to investigate them over the last two weeks.¡± ¡°Found anything incriminating?¡± ¡°Not a thing,¡± she shook her head, ¡°But I have noticed something strange. There are three Kubarran lords - Kas?dam, Nas?ru, and Atr? - that never seem to interact with each other in the camp.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s strange why?¡± he asked. ¡°On its own, I¡¯d write it off as nothing more than some feud between their beliefs.But, I¡¯ve also had my agents watching who comes and goes from Nu?r-S?ams?a.These lords have each only visited the city four times, and each time on the same day the others went.I don¡¯t have enough agents to track there any movement, so I don¡¯t know for certain if they met, but it seems likely.¡± ¡°So you think they¡¯re co-conspirators?¡± ¡°Maybe.It certainly doesn¡¯t seem a coincidence that every time they¡¯ve met, a fire has been set the very next day, but it also doesn¡¯t line up perfectly, as there have been more than four attacks.I still think it¡¯s the best place to start, though.¡± ¡°And you want me to interrogate them?¡± ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t phrase it like that,¡± she laughed, ¡°and, frankly, they¡¯d never agree.But fortunately one of the lords, Nas?ru, has invited me to attend a party he¡¯s throwing tonight, a sort of final hurrah before we leave Nu?r-S?ams?a.I was hoping you would attend as my escort.I¡¯ll ask a few careful questions and you can use your spell to see if anything¡¯s amiss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°For now.I doubt we¡¯ll solve anything tonight and, who knows?Perhaps once we leave Nu?r-S?ams?a the attacks will cease.So will you be my date?¡±She asked with a smirk. ¡°Why not?¡± Jasper quipped back.Gu?la just rolled her eyes. A Rag-tag Fleet A few days earlier, the sound of the waves lapping against the hull of the boat would have brought him joy.The Durgu weren¡¯t usually known for their sailing prowess, preferring to stay on the safety of solid ground, but S?ams?a?du?r had always felt drawn to the sea.There was something about the gentle rocking of the waves, the salty breeze, and the wild, unpredictable weather that appealed to him. But right now, the sea¡¯s gentle knocking was a little more than an irritant.With a grunt, he turned away from the railing and stalked down the deck.His entourage had shrunk greatly since he was forced to flee from his father¡¯s capital. After ¡°defeating¡± his brother, he¡¯d returned to the ship unharmed and given them a choice.His friends had left as one, which was to be expected; as the sons of minor nobility, there was no need for them to go into exile.His mistress had also abandoned him and that had been a dagger through his heart.She was no noble, a simple farmer¡¯s daughter who he¡¯d taken a fancy to.He¡¯d loved her, and he¡¯d thought she loved him too, but it seemed he¡¯d been mistaken. In the end, the only ones who had stuck with him were his crew, and he half-wondered if they had been ordered to by his brother.He knew he could check, read their minds to soothe his curiosity, but frankly, S?ams?a?du?r was afraid of what he might find.I¡¯d rather not know. Reaching the end of the short deck, he mounted the stairs to the captain¡¯s wheel.The captain, who was only a half-durgu, stood a good foot taller than S?ams?a?du?r.His long black beard wiggled furiously as the western winds battered their boat. ¡°Have you decided where you going, my lord?¡± he asked, with a voice as rough as gravel. S?ams?a?du?r leaned against the railing.¡°No.Any suggestions?¡± The captain looked at him askance.¡°It¡¯s hardly my place, my lord.¡± The prince waved his hands at the empty deck around him.¡°I don¡¯t see any other advisors here.¡± The sailor bit his lip.¡°Have you considered the other dwarven kingdoms?¡± ¡°I have,¡± S?ams?a?du?r sighed, ¡°but if father is truly as angry as I fear, they will not be safe for me.Our staunchest allies, Du?r-Bariq and Amagallabnu would just hand me over as a prisoner.¡± ¡°What about Ka?p-Duh?s??, Wer?s?ad, or Du?r-Kas?ap?They are not allies of your father.¡± ¡°Indeed they aren¡¯t.I have no doubt that they¡¯d greet me with open arms.¡± ¡°And yet you do not wish to go to them?¡± The prince smiled grimly.¡°Aye, they¡¯d throw a feast in my honor.They¡¯d place me in a fine suite, grant me followers and soldiers, and offer promises of support against my father.And every moment I was there their gilded bars would be closing in around me.No, Mala?h?dan, I have no desire to start a civil war or end up their prisoner.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also the satyrs or strythani,¡± the old captain offered. ¡°The new strythani leaders are no friends of mine and the satyrs are dangerous and cruel.¡±S?ams?a?du?r leaned heavily against the railing and shook his head.¡°There are only two places that make sense: the elves or the Empire.¡± ¡°The elves?¡±The captain spat in disgust.¡°Why would you even consider going there?¡± The prince shrugged.¡°As much as we durgu may hate them, the elves care little about us one way or another.Their lands are safe and the trip there, though long, is well-traveled.They are a good option.¡± ¡°And the Empire?You know your father intends to invade them.¡± ¡°I know.If father forgives me, then I¡¯m well-positioned to aid him, and if he doesn¡¯t,¡± a sly grin slipped across his face, ¡°then I will do everything in my power to thwart him.¡± ¡°I doubt we¡¯ll find much welcome there,¡± the captain warned. ¡°Perhaps not, but the Empire is short of allies right now and my skill as a mage will open many doors.¡±He thrummed his fingers against the railing, and then nodded his head, the decision made.¡°We cannot arrive empty-handed.Chart course for my lands and we¡¯ll gather what soldiers are still loyal to me.From there we¡¯ll set sail for the Empire.¡± Distaste colored the old captain¡¯s face, but he nodded reluctantly.¡°Very well, my lord.It shall be as you said.¡± On the Appi?yan Sea, the strongest winds were those from the north and the west.A rare patch of luck shined down on them as the northern winds prevailed for several days in a row, allowing them to quickly close the distance on his lands to the south. When they arrived, S?ams?a?du?r was surprised to discover that the news of his father¡¯s decree had already reached the small city of Ka?r-S?e¡¯?.There was no way a messenger sent by land had outstripped his boat, which meant his father must have sent it by mage, which in turn meant that his father was far angrier than he¡¯d expected. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Still, no one tried to take him into custody; though S?ams?a?du?r was never a very involved lord, his benign neglect had endeared him to the locals who had suffered under the harsh fist of the previous lord.Thus, the portmaster failed to record his entrance into the harbor and the local guards developed a short-lived but severe case of blindness as S?ams?a?du?r purchased provisions and recruited those few who were willing to follow him. He left port two days later, his boat now tailed by two small merchant vessels that carried a little more than a hundred recruits.Their numbers were not the grand bargaining chip he¡¯d hoped for, but durgu were tough as nails; even a hundred would surely buy him an audience. They sailed further south, and though they avoided any of the larger durgu settlements, they stopped at many a small village where S?ams?a?du?r did his best to swell his numbers. Thus, by the time they reached the Empire¡¯s borders, his small, rag-tag fleet, had grown to nearly 300. Yet, as S?ams?a?du?r neared the great isle of As?nugal, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch nervous.The isle, which guarded the mouth of the River, was also the home of a small, but powerful, imperial fleet.Fearing the Empire might attack the durgu on sight, he judged it best to sneak past the fleet and treat with one of the local nobles first. Thus when they were a day¡¯s journey out from the isle of As?nugal, they lowered their sails and waited till night fell.With all their lights blacked out, the small fleet sailed with naught but the stars¡¯ light. It took a few hours to reach their destination.In the middle of the night, there were few up and around, though a few lights still glimmered near the bustling quays.They slipped past in silence, the oars drawn, and nothing but the quiet sails propelling them forward. They passed the city unimpeded, and S?ams?a?du?r in a sigh of relief as the captain guided the ships toward the wide neck of the river.But his relief was short-lived.As they arced round the neck of the isle, the darkness of the night slithered away. A dozen galleys awaited them, their sails flying the green and gold trim of the Appi?yan court.Towering braziers lit their decks, which swarmed with soldiers, and hundreds of oars bristled from their sides like the quills of a porcupine. Reluctantly, S?ams?a?du?r gave the order to halt and waited to see if they would attack.The durgu watched tensely as the vessels drew closer, as the chanting of the oarsmen swelled above the crashing of the waves and then a small boat was launched. ¡°They¡¯re going to parlay,¡± he said with a relieved chuckle. ¡°Are you sure about this, my lord,¡± the captain asked resignedly.¡°We could always leave.¡± ¡°I doubt they would let us,¡± the prince pointed out, ¡°And we certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun them.¡± The man grunted with dissatisfaction.¡°We should never have come here.¡± ¡°It was the best choice,¡± he replied serenely.¡°Now we only have to hope they¡¯re willing to listen to reason.¡± It took a half hour for the small ship to pull close to their side.The durgu hastened to help them tie it down, and a rope ladder was lowered. Forcing the nervousness down, S?ams?a?du?r waited with practiced casualness as the imperial soldiers climbed over the railings.Eleven men climbed up first, forming a thin defensive barrier as the twelfth joined them.Taller than the others by a head, the man¡¯s grey skin, indicating a recent Gemlirian ancestor, took S?ams?a?du?r by surprise, but he tamped it down and inclined his head respectfully. ¡°To whom do I have the honor of speaking to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Commander Amr?, head of the 19th Imperial Fleet.And you need no introduction.¡±He surveyed the prince with a cold sneer.¡°Did your kingdom send you as a hostage, or are you simply their cast-off.¡± S?ams?a?du?r fought down the surge of irritation and replied calmly.¡°Unfortunately, it seems my father and I have had a falling out.I gathered a few warriors loyal to me, and was hoping to be granted passage down the River and find safe harbor with one of your lords.¡± Amr? frowned.¡°Why should I believe you?You tried to slip past my troops in the dead of night, hardly the actions of an honest man.Perhaps you are nothing more than the spearhead of your father¡¯s invasion¡± S?ams?a?du?r let out a deep, belly laugh at the insinuation.¡°Look around, Commander,¡± he said, waving his hand at the deck around them.¡°My flagship is a private sailing yacht, and my ships are simple merchant and fishing boats.Look closely at my men; do they look like hardened veterans to you?¡± Amr? snorted.¡°It¡¯s a sorry fleet all right.I¡¯d heard of your exile but believed it to be little more than some scheme.Seeing the state of your ¡®troops,¡¯ though, perhaps it''s true.¡± ¡°I have no part in my father¡¯s plan now,¡± the prince confirmed.¡°I simply wish to get away from the front lines.¡± The soldier stared at him for a long, silent moment, then nodded his head.¡°We will allow you to sail down the River if you agree to our terms.¡± ¡°And they are?¡± ¡°You must allow us to search every boat and tally every man on board.¡± ¡°I don''t have any hidden warriors,¡± S?ams?a?du?r protested. "Then there shouldn''t be a problem." The prince''s lips twisted in a frown, but the commander was right. "Fine. Anything else?" ¡°You will allow this fleet to escort you down the River.¡± His frown intensified.¡°Are you taking me prisoner then?¡± Amr? shook his head.¡°No, but we''re not going to allow a potential enemy wander our lands with no supervision.If you choose to sail down the River, we shall take you to the King of Sapi?ya.¡± ¡°Sapi?ya?¡±S?ams?a?du?r creased his brow, genuinely confused for the first time.¡°Why there?Isn''t that a rather unimportant province?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you why, unless you agree to do it,¡± the commander replied. ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°You¡¯re free to sail north.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll let me go,¡± he blurted out in surprise.¡°I¡¯d think you want me as a hostage.¡± ¡°What hostage?You¡¯re a cast-off prince with a death sentence on your head.Sure your father may eventually change his mind, but right now, you¡¯d fetch nothing,¡± the soldier snorted.¡°That¡¯s my offer - take it or leave it.¡± ¡°You promise I will not be held prisoner?¡± The man reached into his armor and dragged out a signet ring on a chain.¡°By my power as the Emperor¡¯s representative, you shall be free as long as you do us no harm.¡± S?ams?a?du?r hesitated only a moment longer.¡°Very well,¡± he agreed, ¡°I will go to Sapi?ya.¡± For the first time, the perpetual frown on Amr?¡¯s face slipped.¡°Good.There¡¯s an army of Djinn headed that way.If you join them, you might just get a front seat to reclaiming the capital.Be a fair bit of plunder if you help out.¡± Greed kindled in the durgu¡¯s eyes as he leaned forward.¡°Tell me more.¡± A Forgettable Patrol The two went their separate ways after that.Making his way back to the camp, Jasper showed up late to the morning exercises.The men had started without him, but he joined in, huffing and puffing from the race back from the city.Feeling a bit guilty about having missed most of the exercise, Jasper decided to check in on the morning patrol as well. The patrol had already left for the day.Their assigned course took them through the closest third of the camp, looking for any sign of suspicious activity.From there, the men ventured out into the countryside where, as a favor done for the local lords, the troops marched between the small villages and hamlets that surrounded Nu?r-S?ams?a. Riding on Dapplegrim, it didn¡¯t take Jasper long to catch up with the patrol on foot.With a few hundred men under his command, he hadn¡¯t the time yet to learn the names and faces of everyone, but as Jasper scanned the faces amongst the patrol he was surprised to realize he recognized quite a few of them.But one face in particular caught his attention, that of his fellow summoned.Reigning in Dapplegrim, Jasper settled into a trot beside him. ¡°How¡¯s it hanging?¡± Erin, who¡¯d been marching along with his head hanging down, jumped at the unexpected greeting.¡°What the hell-¡°His eyes widened as he noticed Jasper.¡°Hey, man, err-¡± he froze, and then quickly hastened to add, ¡°my lord¡­commander?I¡¯m not sure how we¡¯re supposed to address you,¡± he admitted. As much as Jasper wanted to tell the man to just call him by his name, he knew that protocol wasn¡¯t entirely meaningless in the army..¡°How about commander,¡± he offered.¡°I¡¯m not too fond of ¡®my lord.¡¯So was my uncle able to help you?¡± The scout hesitated a moment.¡°He tried.Lord S?arra?bi? brought a number of specialists in to look at me, but no one¡¯s fixed me yet.There was one guy, though, some dude from the Empire, who thought he could help, so maybe?¡± ¡°I hope he can figure it out.Did the mage say what was wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember the explanation exactly.Something about how my essence wasn¡¯t actually essence - it was mana.I don¡¯t really get why that matters but,¡± he shrugged, ¡°he seemed to think it would make a difference.¡± Barbartu flitted through Jasper¡¯s mind.¡°You know, I¡¯ve run into one other person from Earth recently.¡± ¡°Really?¡±Erin glanced up in surprise.¡°Can I meet her?¡± ¡°Nah, she went home already.¡± ¡°She went HOME?!¡±The guy¡¯s eyes widened.¡°That¡¯s an option?How the hell do I sign up for that?Why didn¡¯t you tell me-?¡± ¡°Stop, stop,¡± Jasper chuckled as the scout barraged him with questions.¡°Yes, she went home and, no, I didn¡¯t exactly have a way to contact you at the time.¡±And, truthfully, it didn¡¯t even occur to me, he thought with a touch of guilt.¡°But she went home on her own power, so it¡¯s not an option for you.I mentioned her because she had a problem that was a bit similar to you.¡± Erin frowned.¡°That¡¯s nice and all, but if going home is an option, screw magic.¡± ¡°Unless you can afford an extremely expensive and hard-to-find portal that the S?addu¡¯a control, it isn¡¯t an option,¡± Jasper sighed.¡°Now try to focus.¡± ¡°Shortly before she left, Barbartu told me how she ended up here, and one of the things she said was the magic here was different than it was on Earth.In fact, she said she¡¯d been severely weakened when she first arrived, so this imperial mage you met may be right.¡± Erin shot him a funny look. ¡°Are you saying she had magic before she arrived?That¡¯s absurd.Everyone knows there¡¯s no magic on Earth, unless you count David Copperfield or that goth knock-off.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°I mean, I used to think that too, but Barbartu isn¡¯t the only person to tell me there¡¯s magic on Earth.I¡¯ve heard it from the Children of St. Martin who claimed to have migrated from there, from Djinn who¡¯ve apparently visited, and even Kas?dael herself.I may not have seen any magic on Earth, but I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s not all an elaborate prank to trick me.¡± ¡°So she was, what, a witch?¡± ¡°Not exactly.She wasn¡¯t even human, in fact, but something called a Lamas?tu.¡± ¡°You mean we¡¯re not alone?¡± ¡°Nope¡­.what¡¯s that?¡±A row of reeds stuck their wizened heads above the dirty snow, bobbing and shaking in the chill breeze that swept down from the distant mountains, but the drabness of the environment was broken up by a small flicker of bright blue hiding in the reeds.Nudging Dapplegrim forward, the two rode through the reeds until they reached the spot of color. A small child, clad in a dirty blue tunic, lay in the ditch.Her skin was pale and clammy, smeared with daubs of the frozen mud, and his heart skipped a beat as he feared the worst.Sliding off his horse, Jasper bent down low over her.Her eyes fluttered open and, with a screech, she wriggled backward through the snow and reeds. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s okay - I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±He spoke gently, moving slowly and deliberately so as not to spook her.The frantic backpedaling stopped and she looked up at him with suspicion.¡°What are you doing out here?You must be very cold.¡±Reaching up to Dapplegrim¡¯s saddle, he pulled out his mount¡¯s blanket and held it out to her.¡°Here, why don¡¯t you wrap up in this.¡± The djinn child snatched the blanket out of his hand and pulled it tight around her, smearing it with snow and mud. ¡°Where¡¯s your parents,¡± he asked. ¡°The woods,¡± the girl replied.He glanced up and looked behind her.A few young saplings peaked their head above the reeds, but the bulk of the trees had been pushed back about fifty feet on either side of the road, no doubt to deprive would-be bandits of potential shelter.But beyond that stretch of cleared space rose a forest whose thick trunks and towering heights reminded him of the rare old-growth forest he¡¯d visited once back home. ¡°What are they doing in the woods?¡± ¡°They went to buy something.¡± ¡°To buy something?¡±Jasper wrinkled his brow.What the hell can you buy in the middle of a forest? A few of the soldiers had gathered around them, and one of them cleared his throat.¡°Did they go to see a qas?pa?¡± The little girl nodded solemnly. ¡°What¡¯s a qas?pa, soldier?¡± The man scratched his head.¡°While I suppose you wouldn¡¯t have much cause to go to one, my lord, but they¡¯re kind of like a hermit.They sell potions and stuff.¡±He coughed and his cheeks colored.¡°Love potions and liquor are their real sellers though.¡± So a witch crossed with a moonshiner.Turning his attention back to the little girl, he rifled through his bag and pulled out a hard roll which he offered her.¡°When did they go into the woods?¡± She tore into the roll like a starved hyena, ripping the tough bread to shreds.¡°Two¡­nights¡­,¡± she replied in-between bites. Anger roiled in his heart.Picking up the girl, he gently placed her in Dapplegrim¡¯s saddle and turned to the man.¡°Would a few of you be willing to go look for this girl¡¯s parents?¡± A few hands were raised, including the hand of the soldier who¡¯d spoken up and, somewhat to his surprise, Erin¡¯s hand also went up.¡°Alright, check out the woods, and we¡¯ll see about getting this girl back to her village.¡±
Erin watched as the rest of the patrol continued down the road toward the nearest settlement, a little village by the name of Norma which Jasper hoped the little girl was from. ¡°You¡¯re a scout, aren¡¯t you?¡±His attention was broken as a voice echoed behind him.Spinning around, he found the soldier who had spoken up about the qas?pa was standing right beside him. ¡°Yeah, I am.I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met.I¡¯m Erin,¡± he said, reflexively sticking out his hand.Stupid, he cringed almost immediately. The soldier stared down at the hand in confusion; then, with a shrug, he stuck his own hand out in front of him, though neither hand was touching.¡°That¡¯s an odd greeting.You from one of those tiny mountain villages,¡± he asked pleasantly. ¡°Something like that,¡± Erin glossed over his past.¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Dannu,¡± the man replied.¡°Infantry.¡±He paused and stared into the foreboding woods.¡°Didn¡¯t want to tell the commander this, but looking for those parents is a waste of time.¡± Erin agreed.No one left a child alone for two days by accident.They were either dead or had abandoned her.¡°You¡¯re probably right, but Jasper is trying to help.¡±He started walking toward the woods, with the soldier in tow. ¡°Jasper?¡± Erin could hear the note of surprise in the soldier''s voice and hastily corrected himself. ¡°Sorry, the commander.¡± ¡°I take it you know him, then?¡± ¡°Not well, but we¡¯ve met.He saved me and my squad from a bunch of S?addu¡¯a.¡± ¡°You mean that story¡¯s true?¡± ¡°Yeah?Why would you think it wasn¡¯t?¡± The man grunted.¡°Huh, go figure.None of us had ever heard of Commander Yas?peh before, so we kind of assumed he was just another rich brat.We¡¯ve heard a few stories about him saving some scouts, and fighting some cultists, but honestly they sounded so ridiculous we didn¡¯t believe him.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say anything about cultists,¡± Erin hedged, ¡°but he definitely saved us.¡±He filled the soldier in on what had happened as they tromped through the forest, but he paused as he came across a set of tracks. ¡°That look like two sets of prints to you?¡±He asked, pointing at the ground. Dannu shrugged.¡°You¡¯re the scout.¡± Bending down, Erin examined the tracks closer.Unfortunately, he had no skills from the system to aid his analysis but what he had learned from the scout corps stood him in good stead.A pair of smaller footprints nestled inside a larger pair, almost hidden from sight, but he was quite certain there were two of them.¡°This could be her parents.¡± They fell silent as the two trudged deeper into the woods.The set of tracks were not perfectly preserved; here and there the wind had brushed away nearly all sign of them and when they reached a river, whose waters had frozen into a solid surface scoured clean of any snow, he nearly lost the trail.He picked it up nearly a hundred years up the river, and the two continued their trek. And then, through the shroud of thick trees, Erin caught a glimpse of something too straight and rectangular to be natural.¡°I think there¡¯s a house up ahead,¡± he whispered to the soldier. ¡°Maybe,¡± Dannu grunted after a minute¡¯s pause.¡°I can barely make it out, but I¡¯m sure your vision¡¯s better than mine.¡± Erin stood up and started to head toward the building, but the man grabbed his wrist.¡°Hey, we should be careful.¡± ¡°Why?¡± A look of disbelief flitted across the man¡¯s face.¡°Selene¡¯s grace, man.I understand the lord not knowing about qas?pa; doubt a royal has even brushed shoulders with one, but you ain¡¯t no royal.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say they didn¡¯t exist where I grew up,¡± Erin replied slowly.¡°Are they dangerous?¡± ¡°Yeah, most of them are.Some of them are nice enough, but there¡¯s a reason they usually live in the middle of nowhere and not in a village.Best take it slow and easy.¡± A few months earlier, Erin might have dismissed the soldier¡¯s words as simple prejudice.Everyone knew that witches weren¡¯t real, and were just poor, mistreated women who¡¯d been scapegoated by angry villagers - on Earth that is.But his disastrous attempt at rescuing the S?addu¡¯a woman had taught him the value of caution.And if Jasper is to be believed, there really is magic on Earth, so who knows?Maybe there really were evil witches. He pondered the idea for a moment, then dismissed it with a snort. There weren''t no witches at Salem. Still, he decided that the soldier was right about one thing: a little bit of caution would hurt nothing. ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed.¡°I¡¯ll circle round to the other side and we¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s no nasty surprises. Nu?ratili? Thanks to Dapplegrim, it didn''t take long for the two to quickly leave the patrol in the dust. There were no booster seats in Corsythia, so Jasper was forced to cradle the little girl on the saddle in front of him., fortunately it seemed Djinn were made of sterner stuff than humans. Despite being out in the cold for two days, once the blanket was wrapped tight around her, the color began to flood back into her cheeks, while at the same time, the dangerous redness on her hands dissipated, leaving behind no signs of ruinous frostbite. Though the road was icy and riddled with craters, Dapplegrim picked her way through with the surety of a mountain goat. the first signs of civilizations sprang into view.Humble farms lined the roads, accompanied by cramped fields that were far smaller than the ones back home. Some lay fallow, but despite the snowy conditions, small heads of green flourished in most of them, sprouting with a vegetable that resembled cabbage. Gradually, the farms shrunk in size as the houses clustered together to form a small village. A bit bigger than a simple hamlet, the small community boasted a few attractions:a run-down shrine to S?ams?a whose roof had caved in one side. Jasper slowed the horse as they galloped into town, and pulled up in front of the lonely tavern. Sliding off Dapplegrim''s back, he reached for the girl to lift her out of the saddle. Something cold and small bounced off his back, accompanied by a young boy''s indignant cry. ¡°Hey, what are you doing with Nu?rati?li?¡± Jasper sat her down gently before turning to face his assailant, who was already loading up with another snowball.As he did so, an older man ran up hastily. Smacking the snowball out of the child''s hand, the man bowed deeply.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord," he said, wiping an unnatural amount of sweat from his face.The boy didn''t know better. He meant no harm.¡± "Don''t worry about it," Jasper chuckled.¡°I''m hardly going to melt from a bit of snow." He bent down toward the boy. "But it sounds like you can help me. You called this girl Nu?rati?li?¡± The boy started to speak, but the man squeezed his arm tightly, and he fell silent. The elder spoke up instead.¡°Yes, my lord.She¡¯s the daughter of Ikkari?l.You must have ridden past your farm on the way into town.¡±He hesitated slightly before continuing.¡°Can I ask, my lord, what you¡¯re doing with the child? Did she give offense way?¡± ¡°Of course not," Jasper scoffed. "I don''t kidnap children." The beads of sweat on the elder''s forehead multiplied. "I meant no offense, my lord. It''s just...well, our local lord has been known to take offense to the children''s words." "Sounds like a dick," Jasper grunted, "but, I promise you, I''m just trying to help. My men were out on patrol when we found the poor thing in the ditch. It seemed like she came from here, so I was hoping there was someone in the village who could take care of her.¡± The man¡¯s face clouded over.¡°She was in a ditch alone? Without her parents?¡± ¡°There was no sign of them.She wasn''t exactly talkative, but from what I gathered, it sounded like they¡¯d gone to see some sort of¡­¡± he fumbled for the unfamiliar word for a second, and then it came back to him, ¡°qas?pa? Is that the word?But that was two days ago.¡± ¡°Those fools!¡± The elder''s face contorted in an angry grimace.¡°I warned them against visiting that witch.¡± ¡°Is she really that dangerous,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°It would seem so,¡± the man sighed deeply.¡°The local qas?pa has been part of our community since I was a small child.She used to come to the market each week to sell her salves and potions and attended village festivals.No one feared her.But in the last year or two, something has changed." "What happened?" "At first, she simply stopped coming to the village. It was odd, but not disturbing, but in the last few months, two of our people have gone missing.¡± ¡°And you think she¡¯s responsible?¡± ¡°Both men were heard talking about visiting her in the days before they vanished.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly proof,¡± Jasper replied with a frown.¡°I¡¯m sure people get lost in the forest all the time.¡± The man bent down to the little boy whose arm he was holding and whispered something in his ear.He watched as the child scampered away before continuing. ¡°That is not the only reason, my lord.In both cases, we found the bones of the missing men scattered across the road a few days later.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°They couldn¡¯t have been taken by some animals, could they?¡± He questioned. The villager shook his head.¡°There were no teeth marks on the bones, my lord.Even after they died and their bones were scattered by the road, the animals remained unwilling to touch them.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The bones were¡­corrupted.We handled them with all care and buried them beneath S?ams?a¡¯s, but even still, several of us got ill.There may be no proof the qas?pa is guilty, my lord, but I would swear it on my life.I warned Ikkaril and his wife against going - all the villagers against going.I thought they had listened, but it seems I was wrong,¡± he finished with a deep sigh. He reached out and gently patted the child on the head.¡°Do you want to go see your aunt, Nu?rati?li?¡± The girl nodded solemnly and the elder looked up at Jasper for permission to take her.Jasper knew he was probably being paranoid, but the village of cultists he¡¯d encountered shortly after arriving loomed large in his mind. Deciding he wasn''t willing to hand her off without a little investigation, he suggested an alternative. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take her to her aunt?" With the elder leading the way, the three passed through the small town square and headed toward the ramshackle shrine. He was a bit surprised to see that the shrine was not abandoned; a wizened priest in a white robe sat outside the entrance and raised his hand in blessing as the elder approached. The elder merely nodded back, but as they passed by the shrine, Jasper flipped a gold coin to the man. It was only a minute later when they reached the aunt''s house. The small cottage was a bit rundown, with the green paint that had once adorned its walls faded nearly to nothing, but the clean and orderly yard and the fresh thatch on the roof attested to an owner who took care of it as best as they could. As they approached, the elder raised his voice. "Qarah! Qarah, come quick!" The door swung open with a creak, and a thin woman with streaks of gray running through her once raven hair stepped through. ¡°Nu?rah!¡±With a joyful cry, the little girl squirmed free of Jasper¡¯s hand and raced toward the woman, who scooped her up in a big hug, and Jasper felt better immediately about leaving her there. ¡°Nu?ratili?,¡± the woman laughed, ¡°Did you come to see me all on your own?Where is your mother?¡± As she saw Jasper standing behind the elder, worry gathered in her eyes. "Why are you here, S?e?leb? And with a noble?" The elder cleared his throat. ¡°I''m afraid, Nu?rah, I have some bad news. The lord here told me that Ikkaril and Is?s?ah went to see the qas?pa." The woman''s face crumpled and she clutched the girl to her chest. ¡°I had feared they might do something like that," she admitted sadly. "I told Is?s?ah not to go, but they were so desperate.After Maraddan died, there was no one to help on the farm and with Ikkaril¡¯s bad leg, he just couldn''t keep up with the work anymore¡­¡± Sadness filled her eyes as she trailed off. Jasper shook his head. ¡°My men saw nothing but the child.I sent a few to search the woods, though. Maybe they''re still alive,¡± he added hopefully. The elder beside him stilled.¡°My lord, I don¡¯t mean to be presumptuous, but are you sure your men are safe?A qas?pa can be quite dangerous.¡± He started to reassure the man, but the words died on his lips.What do I really know about qas?pa?¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not particularly familiar with them,¡± he admitted candidly.¡°Maybe you can tell me a little more about them.¡±
The two split up and Erin circled in a wide arc around the building while keeping an eye out for any sign of trouble.As they got closer, Erin could finally see the qas?pa¡¯s building.At first glance, he took it for a log cabin surrounded by an oddly high number of small trees that had sprouted close to the foundations.Though a bit run down, the scene was sort of pretty in a rustic, pastoral sense. The soldier¡¯s concerns about danger proved not entirely unreasonable.As they got closer, Erin realized that the snow and the thick foliage beneath the trees hid a row of bear traps, cruel metal claws waiting to maim the leg of any unwary travelers.Save for the bear traps, though, there was no sign of trouble.Indeed, there was no sign of life at all, aside from the thin plume of grey smoke that rose from the hole in the top of the thatched roof. Yet, his uneasiness continued to grow.As he crept within fifty feet of the small cottage, Erin realized that the rough wooden walls had no logs in them.Instead, the rows of trees that were clustered around the home were fused directly into the building itself and their boughs stretched unnaturally wide and long to form the walls between them.Damn it.A qas?pa must be a type of mage. He crept closer to the building and saw the tracks once again emerge from the forest.The twin pair of footprints led directly to the cottage door, but none came out. Erin fingered his sword nervously, not finding much comfort in the frigid, metal grip.He hadn¡¯t come expecting a fight, but the mere presence of a mage was enough to make him nervous.There were just two of them and¡­ His eyes narrowed as he searched for the soldier he¡¯d come with.Where the hell is Dannu?Retreating from the door, he carefully crept back toward the direction they¡¯d come from, to where the soldier should have been.After a few minutes of searching, he found the man¡¯s tracks. Dannu had continued in a straight line toward the cottage, following the tracks of the villagers, but his footprints abruptly stopped.The snow around them was disturbed, as if there¡¯d been a short scuffle, but there was no sign of any other footprints, nor had Erin heard anything.We should never have split up. Something crunched in the snow behind him, and Erin whirled around, fumbling with his sword, but only darkness greeted his eyes.Darkness and a firm thump on the head.He was out before he hit the snow. A Sticky Situation Ten minutes later, Jasper galloped out of the village, hastening back from whence he¡¯d come.He¡¯d learned a great deal about qas?pa in those few minutes, much of it alarming.Qas?pa were not necessarily evil; if the villager was to be believed, a qas?pa was only formed when a child died and was brought back.Most remained unchanged save for the trauma of their deaths, but a few returned fundamentally altered. The exact nature of the change varied from child to child, but one thing remained constant -a talent for some sort of magic and the ability to see and interact with the dead.This reason alone might have been enough for many to shun them, but the second sealed their fate.Most of the qas?pa eventually succumbed to a strange psychosis, believing they needed to consume human flesh to remain tethered to the land of the living.Not all indulged in this impulse; some resisted it for years while others slew themselves rather than resort to such foul measures, but those that fell became dangerous, unhinged mages. Worried about his troops, he spurred Dapplegrim faster.It only took him a few minutes to reach the patrol, who were steadily marching toward the small village.¡°Have any of the men returned,¡± he asked the captain. ¡°No, my lord, they¡¯ve only been searching for an hour.¡± Jasper¡¯s face tightened.¡°Sound the horn to call them back.The villagers fear their qas?pa has gone mad.¡± With a sharp nod, the captain called for a halt and blew his horn.Jasper winced as it emitted the same hideous screeching that woke them up each morning directly in his ear, but he was too worried to complain.They waited by the side of the road for half an hour before the first stragglers returned.The soldiers hadn¡¯t had time to go particularly far, so by the end of the hour, five of the seven volunteers had emerged from the woods unscathed.Of the two that were missing, one was a soldier named Dannu Jasper didn¡¯t know; the other was Erin. Growing restless, Jasper decided to wait no longer.¡°Wait here in case they show up,¡± he ordered the captain, ¡°but I¡¯m going after them.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want us to come with you, my lord?¡± the soldier questioned. ¡°What¡¯s the average level of the soldiers here?¡±Jasper asked. ¡°Thirty to fifty, my lord,¡± the captain admitted reluctantly.¡°The opportunities to level during peace are limited.¡± Despite his offer, relief washed over the man¡¯s face when Jasper shook his head.¡°Then no.From what the villagers told me, the qas?pa is a deadly mage.I don¡¯t want to risk the men unnecessarily.I should be strong enough to deal with the witch myself.¡±He turned and started to nudge Dapplegrim down the road.¡°If you don¡¯t hear from me in a couple of hours, though, feel free to head back to camp and get up.¡± ¡°Very well, my lord,¡± the captain replied with a salute. Leaving the men behind, it didn¡¯t take long for Jasper to find the place where they¡¯d discovered the little girl.The snow around the ditch was well trampled down, and the original two sets of footprints had now been bolstered by another two feet, leaving an easy path below.Spurring on Dapplegrim, he dashed into the woods.
His eyes cracked open, only to slam shut immediately as a searing pain pierced his head.Erin bit down on his tongue hard, drawing blood, but he managed to hold in the whimper of pain.He waited a few beats for the searing pain to stop and tried to organize his thoughts.What the hell happened? As the scattered memories of the snowy cabin, the abandoned child, and the missing soldier drifted hazily through his mind, his spirits sank.Damn it. That witch must have caught me.Thin, scratchy ropes looped around his hands and feet, but they were strangely lax and he found he could wiggle his limbs a bit.Still not willing to risk opening his eyes again, Erin listened for any sign of the qas?pa, but the room was mostly silent - save for the steady, but barely perceptible, sound of breathing to his left.His mind conjured an image straight out of a horror movie for him - a witch standing above him, with green skin and ugly warts and a bloody kitchen knife clutched high over her head.. Squiggles and stars squirmed their way across his vision, the pain in his head pulsing with every beat of his heart, but Erin forced himself to focus on the darkness beside him where the breathing was coming from.Two large, dark lumps sat beside him, but the cabin was too dark to make out any of their features. All he could detect was the faint rise and fall of their chests. Fellow prisoners? This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Erin tried to reach out and touch the closest one¡¯s shoulder, but his hand rose only a few inches before being jerked back to the floor as the bindings around his wrist tightened.He tried again and the ropes constricted even more, dragging his hands down to the floor.What the hell?Abandoning his efforts to move, he tried whispering.¡°Hey, is that you Dannu?¡± Nothing but silence greeted him.Unable to rouse the unconscious bodies beside him, Erin turned his attention to the rest of the room.The cabin was almost completely shrouded in darkness.Its smooth wooden walls had not a single window on them, nor was any light provided save for the dying fire in the pit that sat at the center of the hut.A small hole at the top provided insufficient ventilation for the fire¡¯s smoke and, while it might have served as something of a skylight on a sunny day, with the stormy weather above, no light was let in. A small metal stand stood above the dying flames of the pit, with an oddly misshaped lump of flesh that had charred on the bottom.Still, the smell of roasting meat was enough to stir grumbling in Erin¡¯s stomach, as he hadn¡¯t had anything to eat since before the morning exercise.Until, that is, he realized that the lump of flesh cooking above the pit had a decidely human face. His stomach revolted and he vomited what little was left in him between his legs, splattering the ropes that bound him.His head throbbed at his every movement, but Erin fought to stay awake, fearing that if he fell unconscious again, he¡¯d wake up on the spit.When his stomach had calmed enough to stop the retching, he forced himself to stare at the body over the pit. In the dark of the cabin, it was hard to make out any features, but he eventually decided that the man had a large, bushy beard.At least it¡¯s not Dannu.His moment of relief was immediately followed by a surge of guilt as he realized that, if it was not the soldier, the body likely belonged to the girl¡¯s father. Tearing his eyes away from the grisly sight, he tried to think through his options.The throbbing in his head was doing little to help him think, and the ropes around his hands and legs were not helping.Though they¡¯d started loosed, it seemed each time he¡¯d tried to move, they¡¯d gotten a little tighter.Are enchanted ropes a thing here?He wasn¡¯t sure, but he tried to keep his movements to minimum, less what little give he still had disappeared, while he searched for a means of escape. The qas?pa, wherever she was, was clearly not entirely insane.She¡¯d left him his armor, now caked in sticky blood, but the sword at his side was gone.His back too was free from the weight of the bow which usually pressed into his spine, but a crooked smile slipped across his face when he realized he still felt something hard and slightly cold pressing into his thigh.Though the small knife he had strapped beneath his tunic was not standard issue for the scouts, after a childhood of constantly moving from one bad neighborhood to the next, Erin hadn¡¯t felt complete without his trusty knife and a replacement had been one of the first things he bought with his first payday. He reached for the knife, and the ropes contracted again, slamming his hand into the hard wooden floor.¡°Damn it,¡± he cursed out loud, forgetting the need for silence.He froze, and his heart rate spiked, as he waited for the qas?pa to come charging into the room and kill him.But nothing came, nothing but the continued sounds of breathing next to him. Relaxing slightly, this time Erin moved his thigh closer to his hands.The ropes had now constricted so tight that they were beginning to dig into his skin, so he did his best not to move his wrists at all, lest they tighten further.Instead, he crossed his leg awkwardly above his hand, and, moving his fingers as slowly as possible so as not to disturb the ropes, he fumbled with the latch on the knife. The latch came free easily enough, but drawing it out of its sheath proved a more difficult task.He pulled it out painstakingly, inch by inch, until gravity took control and the knife tumbled free.Erin¡¯s fingers closed around it immediately, but he released it with a hiss of pain as the sharp blade sliced into his hand, and the blade tumbled to the floor with a clunk. He struggled to pick it up, squirming in pain as the ropes tightened again around his wrists, digging into the skin so firmly that pins and needles began radiating up and down his hands.The knife slipped out of his bloodied fingers with another clunk, and then, the cabin door swung open. Erin froze as a dark shadow stalked into the room.He could see little of the qas?pa as it walked over to the pit, its body swaying back and forth in a strange motion that almost looked like a parody of a model¡¯s walk.It stopped beside the fire and, though it made no move to stoke them, the flames brightened, sending shadows dancing across the walls.Grabbing the spit, the qas?pa rotated the corpse, then stretched out its hand.Illuminated in the flickering light, Erin watched in horror as the pale, thin fingers slicked through the roasted flesh with nails as sharp as knives.Peeling off a chunk of meat, it lifted it tentatively to its lips.A moment later, it spat it out into the fire.¡°It¡¯s ruined, all ruined,¡± it muttered to itself. The qas?pa spun around and stared directly at them. Erin sat frozen in the dark, unable to do anything but peek through his partially closed eyelids as the creature stalked toward him.The first thing he saw was its eyes.The qas?pa may have started as a human, but its orbs had long lost their natural shade.In the shadowed room, they glowed a sickly yellow, streaked through with bloodied veins and black pupils that were far too wide. The glowing embers turned their baleful glare on him, and the creature laughed, a high-pitched feminine giggle that might have sounded downright charming if it wasn¡¯t for the words that followed.¡°Our food awakes!Are you so eager to join us?" Vicky Mendoza The qas?pa rushed toward him, its hips swaying back and forth like a hula girl and Erin shrank back as a pair of frigid, bony fingers latched onto his jaw.The eyes loomed mere inches in front of him, and in their pale light, he finally saw the qas?pa¡¯s face.She was¡­breathtaking.With delicate eyelashes, fine features, and golden hair that rippled down her back like a waterfall in spring, the qas?pa made Marilyn Monroe look dumpy. She was so beautiful that for a moment, he forgot to be afraid, forgot to do anything but bask in the presence of the divine creature that had graced his life. And then she spoke, her breath laced with the scent of human flesh, and she slipped right back over the Vicky Mendoza Diagonal. ¡°Yes¡­you shall join with us.¡± Her tongue flickered out and Erin squirmed as she licked the top of his forehead, but his struggles were pointless; the being held his jaw in an iron grip. Satisfied with her taste of him, the qas?pa stood up and turned back to the fire. She stalked over to the pit and began wrestling with the spit. The scorched body of the farmer was reluctant to slide off, but the being persevered until the body slid off, landing half in the flames and half on the dirty ground. It caught fire instantly, the fat in the body combusting like a grain on a hot summer day, but the qas?pa simply ignored it as she dragged the burning body over to the door and flung it open. Erin was in a full-fledged panic. Ignoring the ropes that tightened around his wrists, cutting off the circulation, he snatched up the dagger and sawed at his bindings frantically. The blood still dripping down his hand made things difficult, but he was determined. The rope frayed and then succumbed to his desperation-fueled strength. The qas?pa still hadn¡¯t returned, so with his hand freed, it didn¡¯t take him long to remove the restraints around his ankles too, and he staggered to his feet. He nearly passed out as he stood up, for the throbbing in his head swelled to previously unparalleled heights. Feeling his face gingerly, he realized he had a deep cut on the left side of his cheek, swollen and crusty. Got to get that healed. His hand reached for his bag, stocked with a standard-issued healing potion, but found nothing but air. Right. She took my stuff. His gaze swept across the dark room, looking for his belongings when a low groan rumbled beside him. ¡°Dannu, are you up?¡± Clutching the knight tight in his fingers, he bent down and began to saw through the ropes, though he kept an eye fixed on the single door that led in and out of the cabin. Should I make a break for it? His scrambled mind couldn¡¯t latch on a plan, but Erin knew that simply staggering out of the door would likely get him nowhere. He¡¯d only managed to free the soldier¡¯s hands, when the door creaked open again. Instinct took over, and Erin half-stumbled, half-fell back against the wall. Clutching his hands in front of him, he hid the knife beneath his palms and prayed that in the darkness the qas?pa wouldn¡¯t notice. She stalked past him with nary a glance, her arms full of kindling, and bent low over the fire. Taking advantage of her distraction, he hacked desperately at Dannu¡¯s bindings as the soldier began to stir, still only half-awake. ¡°Marrraah?¡± Erin tossed himself back against the wall as the words slurred out of the soldier¡¯s move. The qas?pa swung her head, and the glowing yellow eyes fixed on them again. ¡°Oh? More food awakes? But which one, which one to eat?¡± She walked over to them, her hips swaying violently, and stared down at the soldier. Her cute, button nose wrinkled. ¡°This one smells last tasty. I should save him¡­no,¡± the qas?pa shook her head violently, ¡°No dessert before dinner,¡± she giggled. Her hand shot forward, and she grabbed Dannu by the throat. The soldier jerked awake, screaming as her nails dug into his flesh, and Erin could only watch in horror. Except¡­his hand without his bidding moved as, finding a courage he didn¡¯t know he possessed, Erin swung the knife toward her jugular. Perhaps the qas?pa saw the blade coming or perhaps it was nothing more than pure chance that caused the being to lift her head at that moment. In any case, Erin¡¯s blade whistled harmlessly in front of her eyes. It nicked the tip of her nose, removing nothing but a strip of skin, before crashing into the hand that was currently locked around Dannu¡¯s throat. Blood welled around the blade as it cut deep into her flesh, but the blade came to a hard stop when it hit the bone, lacking the strength a sword would provide. With a hiss, the qas?pa dropped Dannu and turned on him. Bloody strips of skin tore free as he desperately yanked back on the knife, but she returned the favor in kind. Her long claws raked across his chest, slicing through the boiled leather armor as if it was nothing more than wax paper. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The force of her blow tossed him backward and his head smashed into the wall. His vision flickered as blinding pain shot through him. The qas?pa followed up with a second swipe of her hand, her nails poised to carve a ragged canyon across his body, but his instincts saved him again. Barely conscious, he rolled to his side, fairly avoiding her blow, and catapulted to his feet, still clutching the bloody knife. He stabbed forward blindly as she lashed out again, and a howl of pain echoed through the cabin as his knife pierced through her palm. Erin wrenched it to the side with a quick turn of his wrist and sprang forward, swinging wildly with his other hand. His blow caught her square in the solar plexus and she staggered backward, dragging the dagger out of his hand. Left unarmed, Erin could do nothing but pursue her, aiming another blow straight at her throat, but his moment of opportunity had closed. With a scream of rage, the qas?pa snatched his wrist out of the air and twisted. His arm cracked beneath the pressure, but not before his entire body was turned sideways like a corn husk in a tornado. He landed on the ground with a crack, and his efforts to rise were thwarted as a heavy foot rested on his chest and pressed down. ¡°Food should not bite,¡± she snarled. Her foot hit the side of his head, and the darkness returned. When he woke up again, Erin couldn¡¯t say how long he¡¯d been out, but things had changed. He shivered as the cold air brushed against his bare skin. His tattered leather armor was gone, and so too were the clothes beneath it, leaving him as naked as the day he¡¯d been born. Fresh ropes had been tight around his arms and legs, and his arms were stretched above his head like he was about ready to do a high dive into a pool. The only good news was that he hadn¡¯t yet been mounted on the spit, nor was there any sign of the qas?pa. He tried not to shiver as his face pressed against the cold, hard ground, but it was a losing battle and the tremors took hold as his body fought ineffectually against the barely heated air of the small cabin. ¡°Psst.¡± As his teeth chattered against each other, the noise didn¡¯t register at first. ¡°You okay?¡± The voice behind him echoed again, slightly louder this time. Erin struggled feebly to flop himself over, but his limbs failed him. ¡°Is that you, Dannu?¡± Hope surged in his heart as he heard a cautious footstep behind him, and then the cabin door flung open, slamming against the wooden wall with a thud. A gust of cold air laced with snowflakes stormed through the room, assaulting his body, and with it came the heavy clomps of the qas?pa. A moment later, he felt her claws dig into his torso and she flipped him over. Erin tried not to squirm as he stared directly into her face. The torn tip of her nose had already healed, and her hands too showed no sign of the damage he¡¯d wrought. Once again, she was a stunning image of beauty, and he found his worry easing. Why am I fighting this angel? The qas?pa picked him up, and as her claws pierced his skin, the sudden burst of pain brought him back to his senses. Erin squirmed frantically, fighting against the bonds with all his strength, even as the ropes dug tighter and tighter into his flesh as she approached the iron spit. And then, something changed. Erin thought he¡¯d been in pain before.His head had hurt worse than it ever had in his life before.His chest was torn and bleeding from her claws, his circulation was cut off in his arms and legs, and, quite frankly, he felt like he¡¯d been flogged within an inch of his life. But the pain he¡¯d experienced up till then withered and died in the face of the inferno that flooded through his veins. He was only loosely aware of the screams that tore his throat to shreds, and even less aware of the pain that followed as the qas?pa, taken by surprise, dropped him back on the ground. He writhed across the frigid planks, as a burning consumed him from the inside it, a burning which no water could put out. Regaining her courage, the qas?pa lashed out with her foot, aiming at his ribs. But her screams joined his as the floor rose around him and intersected her attack. She pulled back with an angry hiss, looking at the treacherous wood, and for the first time that day her fingers curled in a spell. With a flick of her wrist, the wood shrank back into the floor and she approached Erin cautiously. The pain within was still overwhelming, but it had subsided ever so slightly when the floor had risen to protect him. This time, he reached out on purpose, begging the wood to shield him. The qas?pa tumbled on her back as the floor fled beneath her feet, swirling like liquid as it formed a bubble around him. She landed deftly, and an angry snarl marred her angelic features as she approached. Her clawed fingers writhed like snakes as she fired one spell after another, tearing the wood away from his bottom. Erin, not really understanding what was happening, could only beg the wood to come back to him, though he noticed that the fire in his body ebbed with each answered request. Back and forth they pulled, a nonsensical tug of war that he slowly realized the witch was winning. I can¡¯t just turtle up. As panic seized his heart, the fire in his veins reignited. This time, when the qas?pa pulled the protective shield of wood away, he let her take it. This time, he willed it toward her. A savage smirk spread across the qas?pa¡¯s face as the wood abandoned her prey, surging toward her like a slow-moving tsunami. But then it didn¡¯t stop. The smirk slipped as she raised her hands and commanded the wood to halt, but she was too late. Propelled by Erin¡¯s will, a sharp spike extended from the floor and pierced through her torso. Tossed against the cabin¡¯s wall, the spike held her in place as the wood flowed around her, fusing her in place. She struggled desperately, her will pushing it back with a strength Erin could not truly match, but the blow to her heart was too much to overcome. Slowly, her struggles weakened and then they ceased. A Pyrrhic Victory Erin gazed with grim satisfaction at the body of his captor that had fused into the cabin walls. With her delicate features and her arms pinned on either side of her like wings in flight, she could almost be mistaken for an angel, or at least a fallen one.As the fire in his veins receded, so too did the pain, and he started to laugh as shock and elation coursed through his body.I won?I won!? He started to sit up with a jubilant shout, which quickly turned into a yelp of pain as the ropes still fastened around his wrists and ankles constricted.Crap. ¡°Dannu, you still there?¡±He searched the darkness around him for the soldier who¡¯d broken free just before the qas?pa had returned, but only silence greeted him.¡°Dannu?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± a raspy, high-pitched voice answered, before descending into a fit of coughing. Erin squinted into the darkness suspiciously. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°A woman from Akkaru," she rasped.Have you seen my husband? We came here together.¡± The image of the man roasted on the spit filled his mind again, and Erin tasted bile.¡°I¡¯m afraid the qas?pa...well, she killed him,¡± he admitted slowly, not wanting to tell the woman that her husband had been spit like a roast pig. Her wails filled the room, gut-wrenching cries that eventually simmered down into mere whimpering sobs.Erin let her mourn at first, not wanting to disturb her grief, but the ropes were digging into him too tightly to ignore forever. He called out for Dannu again, and the woman snapped. ¡°What do you mean, he¡¯s gone?" he demanded.Did he run away?His eyes turned to the door which remained firmly shut.He hadn¡¯t noticed the soldier escaping during the battle, but he supposed he¡¯d been in too much pain to truly notice.And here I thought he seemed like a nice guy. ¡°He died,¡± the voice replied quietly. ¡°The qas?pa killed him?¡±Erin¡¯s joy in his victory faded as he realized the soldier hadn¡¯t made it. But the woman shook her head.¡°No, mage.I think, uh..." she hesitated slightly. "I think your spell may have killed him.¡± pointed to where the qas?pa was now fused with the wall.¡°He¡¯s right there.¡± As he searched the spot where the villager was pointing, Erin finally saw it - a face partially consumed by the wood, a face not belonging to the qas?pa.For the second time that day he wretched, rocking back and forth as he realized what had happened. I freaking killed him. He nearly hyperventilated, his breath coming so fast and shallow that his lungs screamed for hair, but something had hardened in him that day.With a strength he didn¡¯t know he possessed, Erin pushed the guilt down.I¡¯ll find a way to honor him, to make it right, but for now¡­we have to live.Calming himself, he found the woman¡¯s face in the darkness.¡°Can you feel on the floor around you?There should be a knife somewhere over there.If you can find it, you can free both of us.¡± Shuffling her hands and feet delicately, the woman cried out in pain as the blade nicked her hand, but then she set to work.A few shallow cuts later, her bonds fell off.She stood up stiffly and with, the knife clutched in her hand, she stared at him for a long moment. Then, she turned away and headed toward the door. ¡°What the hell?! Are you abandoning me?¡± he cried out hoarsely. "Cut me free!" The woman paused with her back to him.¡°I¡¯m sorry, mage, but my child¡­she¡¯s been out there for two days. I have to find her. Once I do,I¡¯ll come back for you.¡± ¡°Is it a little girl,¡± he asked.¡°A child in a blue dress?¡± The villager spun around, hope flooding her face.¡°You found her?¡± ¡°We found her on patrol.It¡¯s why we came looking for you.¡±He lifted his bound hands and, trying to ignore how annoyed he was with her, plastered a winning smile on his face.¡°Tell you what, cut me free and I can take you to her.¡±
The gnawing pit of worry in Jasper¡¯s stomach had only intensified as he cut through the woods. He hadn¡¯t spent a ton of time with his fellow earthling, but he¡¯d found him a likable enough - if slightly whiney - dude.But he¡¯d also feared that the man lacked the stomach to hack it in the brutal world of Corsythia.So, when Erin had volunteered to look for the girl¡¯s parents, he¡¯d been pleased by his initiative.That was, of course, before he realized that the qas?pa might be a bit more dangerous than a hillbilly moonshiner.Poor guy doesn¡¯t even have a class and I sent him off to find a monster. Seeming to sense his concern, Dapplegrim dashed through the thick snowbanks at an almost reckless speed, though her footfalls were as sure and confident as the fleetest of deer.Thus, it was little more than fifteen minutes when Jasper caught the first signs of life - a small, oddly shaped cabin that squatted in the woods. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Reining Dapplegrim in, the two came to a halt a hundred feet away and surveyed the area.It wasn¡¯t much of a clearing.Trees seemed to be fused into the very side of the building itself and save for a minuscule patch of open land on the left side of the building, perhaps a garden in fairer weather, the forest continued almost undisturbed, as if the cabin was a natural part of the environment rather than the abode of likely horrific monster. He spied no sign of movement around the cabin, but something roughly person-shaped lay on the ground outside.Unable to make out any details from this distance, Jasper closed in slowly.The tracks took a circuitous route, and his paranoia increased as the tracks deviated around several bear traps that he was pretty sure he wouldn''t have spotted on his own.Keeping a spell ready on the tips of his fingers, he cautiously entered the small clearing. The smell of burnt meat filled his nostrils as he approached the man-sized lump, and he knew then what he would find.I guess the qas?pa succumbed to her psychosis.The side facing him was charred and blackened and, not wanting to touch the cooked corpse, he circled to the other side, hoping it wasn¡¯t one of his men.The thick, singed beard was enough to tell him that the body wasn¡¯t Erin¡¯s, but he couldn¡¯t remember if the other soldier had worn a beard or not. Could be the farmer. Finding nothing else of interest in the clearing, he crept up to the door.Unfortunately, the oddly shaped cabin had no windows through which to peak.Not wanting to rush in blindly to a potential trap, he pressed his ear against the walls, but after several minutes of hearing nothing, he decided he was just going to have to risk it. With a twist of his fingers, he cast Eternal Night, gathering a shroud of darkness around him, and opened the door a crack.It was dark inside, with nothing but a small fire to light the surprisingly roomy interior of the sculpted cabin, and there, sitting beside the fire was Erin. The poor scout had been stripped naked and blood covered his body from head to toe. A woman stood over him, her back to Jasper, and as her hands moved, Jasper could see the glint of steel flashing in the firelight.The qas?pa¡¯s going to kill him.Abandoning all pretense of stealth, Jasper pulled his glaive free and charged forward. ¡°Stop!¡±Erin shoved the woman to the side just in time to throw himself in front of Jasper.He fell to the floor with a cry of pain as the ropes around his ankles tightened, but he still managed to lift an entreating hand.¡°She¡¯s helping.¡± It was too late for Jasper to fully stop the blow, but he redirected the strike downward, plunging the glaive into the soft dirt a few inches away from Erin¡¯s head.He didn¡¯t let his guard down though, fearing the scout had succumbed to some sort of mental bewitchery from the qas?pa.¡°I saw the body outside. I find it kind of hard to believe she''s helping you.¡± Erin pushed himself up to his knees and clasped a hand to his now bleeding nose.It was far from the only injury he possessed.His left eye was nearly swollen shut from a wound that sliced halfway down his cheek, his wrists were rubbed nearly raw from the ropes that had bound him, and even his chest was marred by bloodied gauges that looked like the work of a wild animal. ¡°And that''s not even touching the state you''re in, dude,¡± Jasper continued. The scout started to shake his head, only to wince.¡°That¡¯s not the witch.It¡¯s just the farmer¡¯s wife - you know, the mother of the child we found?That,¡± he said pointing over Jasper¡¯s shoulder, ¡°is the witch.¡± Fearing the witch had snuck up on them, Jasper was already reaching for his spell as he spun around, but his hands fell still as he saw what Erin was pointing to.The walls of the cabin bulged out unnaturally in a frozen wave of wood, out of which stuck the arms and head of a gorgeous woman.¡°That¡¯s the qas?pa-" he started to ask skeptically, but Jasper paused as he noticed the sharp claws curling from the tips of her fingers.Well I guess that explains the wounds on his chest.His eyes slid down, and he noticed a second face trapped beneath the wood, one that looked vaguely familiar.Is that the soldier? A hundred questions buzzed through his mind, but Jasper decided they could wait.Turning back to Erin, he knelt beside him and sliced through the ropes around his ankles with a single stroke from his glaive.¡°Looks like you had quite the adventure.¡±
After freeing Erin of his bonds, a healing potion was enough to take care of the worst of his wounds, although the scar that ran down the left side of his face was unlikely to heal without the aid of a mage.Unfortunately, though, there was no bath to cleanse him of the dried blood and grime caked to his flesh and, while they were able to retrieve his sword and bow, his armor had been torn to shreds.Since trouncing around the winter wonderland naked wasn¡¯t exactly an option, Jasper was forced to share one of his own tunics with the scout. The task that followed was less savory.Not wanting to leave the two innocent dead to a dishonorable fate, Jasper pried the soldier out of the wooden walls while Erin gathered the fallen farmer, and the two bodies were tied to Dapplegrim¡¯s back.Then the three set off in search of the patrol. It was already late in the day when they reached the road again, and Jasper began to fret about the time, remembering he had promised to accompany Gu?la to the party.Fortunately, the captain had not left with him. Jasper hastily delivered the two bodies and the woman to the patrol, and turned to Erin. "Do you want me to take you back to camp? There''s room on Dapplegrim''s back." "I think I''ll stay," the scout replied after a moment''s hesitation. "I promised that mother I''d take her to her kid and, well, it''s the only good thing to come out of this day." Jasper nodded in understanding. "If you need to talk about what happened with the soldier..." He trailed off as Erin visibly winced. "You saw that?" "I did, but it doesn''t mean it''s your fault." The scout looked away. "That may be true, but it''s not not my fault." "Like I said, if you need to talk," Jasper offered again. The scout ignored him this time, turning to tend to the rescued villager, and Jasper realized he could delay his return to the camp no longer - he had a date to keep after all. With final adieus, he hopped on Dapplegrim''s back and the two sped off into the woods. The sun hung low above the distant mountain peaks as he reached his tent and an already disgruntled visitor awaited him.¡°You¡¯re late.Where have you been?¡± The Lonely Goddess Kas?dael paced up and down the empty halls of S?uhruru.A knot of tension sat heavy in her belly, one that just wouldn¡¯t go away. The battle with Me?s?u?ta had been a blow to her pride.True, Kas?dael was only beginning to come into her power, a power that would only increase as the rest of the world slid into ruin, and, true, her former apprentice had been souped on the powers of a half-dozen minor deities and a godslaying knife, but still¡­the battle had been closer than expected.The knowledge that she might have lost without the interference of the veiled goddess from Jasper¡¯s world galled her. But she had time to lick her wounds since then - a bit too much time, really, as Jasper had yet to return to her realm.He¡¯d promised to come more frequently, and she certainly thought he¡¯d want the rewards he¡¯d earned, but he had yet to show his face.He can¡¯t put it off much longer, she consoled herself. But the knot that filled her stomach didn¡¯t come from any of those issues.She¡¯d gotten used to them, but a new problem demanded her time.Over the last few months, Kas?dael had noticed a sizable uptick in the amount of prayers and sacrifices offered to her.For most of her siblings, that would be a source of pride, a strong indicator that one of their priests or priestesses had been particularly devoted to their service.But she wasn¡¯t like them. For Kas?dael, nine times out of ten, a rapid increase in the number of her followers simply meant that some new nutcase had founded a Doomsday cult and adopted her as their patron.Part of her almost didn¡¯t mind.She was the Goddess of the End, after all.The doomsday cultists weren¡¯t wrong to worship her for that, but, unfortunately, doomsday cultists were rarely content to simply wait for the end - an end that wouldn¡¯t come in their own lifetimes.Sooner or later, they got it in their head that it would be honoring her to hasten the end¡¯s approach - even over her protests. The goddess sighed as memories of the last cult meltdown flooded her mind.Their leader had seemed so reasonable in the beginning.Unlike so many others, he had taught that she didn¡¯t desire the end - true! - and that the Lady of Last Light was tired of the endless cycle of death and rebirth - true again.He¡¯d seemed so reasonable she¡¯d very nearly officially endorsed him as her priest. But then his mania had revealed itself.He¡¯d started to teach that she would overthrow the cycle - that she would slay the Progenitor and put an end to his madness, establishing a utopian world that would never end.Unknown to him, the priest¡¯s words had begun to echo Me?s?u?ta¡¯s first steps into madness, and Kas?dael had promptly intervened, revealing herself directly to him. It was true, of course, that in the deepest, darkest corners of her mind, she had considered doing exactly that.She was tired of watching the world end, tired of being expected to sacrifice herself, tired of always missing out on the first eras of the universe¡¯s rebirth, the golden age of its existence. But she wasn¡¯t quite ready to rebel.Hell, she wasn¡¯t even certain if she actually could.No matter how much the others believed the Progenitor dead, Kas?dael believed that faint vestiges of him still lingered - that there remained a certain amount of awareness and power within him even if he chose not to use it.She was far from convinced that she could simply choose not to revive him. Unfortunately, her would-be prophet had been undeterred by her message.Instead, he brought a new revelation to her followers: the goddess was imprisoned by the commands of the tyrant Progenitor and it was their duty to free her so that she could establish her world without end. Sigh.Yet another group of her followers became a crazy, doomsday cult - one more for the chalkboard.So while her brothers and sisters might be pleased by the uptick in prayers they received, for Kas?dael it was just another worry to add to her plate. I need something to distract me. Time flowed strangely in the halls of S?uh?ruru, and she could not say how long she continued her lonely vigil until she decided to act, but her thoughts eventually turned to her other recent visitor, Meh?h?aw?.The casual manner with which he¡¯d let himself into her domain annoyed her, and Kas?dael decided it was time to return the favor.Plus, it would give her someone to talk to. It wasn¡¯t easy to find his realm, but it was simply a matter of time - and time was one resource Kas?dael had in spades - and once she¡¯d located his world, it was a simple enough matter to open the door, which had already been weakened by his own visit to her. She expected to be met at the gate, but the mercurial Sidhe was nowhere to be found.Thus, Kas?dael wandered through the empty halls of his realm alone.His complex was vast - endless halls of steel and carbon whose dark corridors, blood-red theme, and the many sealed-off rooms gave her the sensation that she had stumbled into one of the horror flicks she¡¯d seen in other worlds - not that she was in any position to criticize. Time and again, the halls looped back to open forums, whose glassed-in courtyards offered stunning views of the world outside.The shattered remains of her sister floated in the sky, while far below a vast city stretched from one horizon to the other, an unending jungle of steel and glass as far as the eye could see.But much like her own realm, the city lay dark, with naught but a few lights scattered here and there to indicate that any sign of life remained. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Enjoying the view?Or just here to admire the handiwork of your siblings?¡± Somehow the Sidhe had snuck up behind her, and Kas?dael jumped.¡°Would I be amiss to say that I am?¡± She asked softly as the tall, blonde giant came to stand beside her.He stared into the darkness below with his hands clasped behind his back and slowly shook his head. ¡°There is a certain beauty in ruin,¡± he admitted slowly.¡°It''s a shame so few can see it, but I suppose you¡¯d know that frustration more than most.¡± She inclined her head in wordless agreement and returned her gaze to the darkened city.¡°How many died here that day?¡± His expression darkened.¡°Is that really a thread you should be pulling at?¡± But Kas?dael refused to back down.¡°I want to understand why.Why make peace now?Why agree to help us?¡± For a moment, rage seemed to ignite in his eyes, only to be snuffed out just as quickly as it had arisen.¡°Because I am tired,¡± he admitted softly.¡°Tired of the fighting.Of the endless politics.Of litigating a war that has long since ended.¡±He gestured wildly at the dark city below.¡°Who I am fighting for?Shall the dead rise to stand beside me again?¡± Kas?dael¡¯s face softened in understanding.¡°I am tired too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trapped in rebirth bullshit, aren¡¯t you,¡± the Sidhe snorted.¡°At least I, when I finally go, shall know rest.These days, I can¡¯t help but think that sounds nice.¡± She peered up at him with a touch of concern.¡°Rest?You don¡¯t mean-¡° Imh?ullu shrugged.¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand, goddess.Unlike you, I was born a simple man.I was never meant to be unending, never meant to live past the collapse of all I knew.My brethren may find meaning in the past, in their petty plans for revenge, or the various minor races they¡¯ve adopted as their own, but I can¡¯t bring myself to care any longer.Unless I can find a new purpose¡­¡± ¡°A new purpose?¡±Kas?dael replied slowly, mulling over his words.¡°Is that what you¡¯re doing with the elf?¡± The Sidhe laughed, a full-throated chuckle that did nothing to deceive her.¡°Can¡¯t a guy just wanna have fun?¡± She raised her brow knowingly.¡°What are your plans for her?She may not be one of my own, but I would not see her harmed.¡± ¡°And I chose to,¡± he asked, with a touch of sudden menace. ¡°Then I suppose we would finally settle the debate of which one of us is stronger,¡± Kas?dael replied placidly. There was real cheer in Imh?ullu¡¯s laugh this time.¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re as delusional as ever.Your brother is the only one in your pantheon I¡¯d fear, and we both know he cosplays a corpse half the year, but I admire your spirit.¡± He raised his hand mockingly, but his tone was surprisingly serious as he spoke.¡°I swear by the Holy Mother, I mean no harm to Aphora or her people.Hell, if anything, I mean to give her plenty of pleasure.¡± Kas?dael¡¯s lips twitched.¡°I don¡¯t care about your plans to bed her,¡± she said frostily.¡°What other intentions do you have for her?¡± Imh?ulllu fell silent as he turned back to gaze at the city.¡°You asked how many died that day?¡± ¡°Trillions, Kas?dael.More than have ever filled your precious world.You destroyed a people who had conquered death itself, who had settled worlds beyond their own and chained the laws of the universe to their very whims.Your people survived, diminished but unbroken, while ours were left in ruins.¡± His voice dropped to nearly a whisper.¡°What I seek with that elf is to rebuild, to leave the past behind and create something new that is worth postponing my rest.¡± Her brow wrinkled in confusion.¡°How can she help with that?Aphora is powerful enough for an elf, but I fail to see how she has the power to help you with such a grandiose goal.¡± ¡°But she isn¡¯t just an elf, is she?¡± He countered softly.¡°No, Aphora is a rare breed indeed.Half-elf, half-djinn and not particularly bound to any of your gods.¡± ¡°Your world knows little of biology,¡± he continued, ¡°at least, non-magical biology, but ours advanced far beyond that.When the idea first occurred to me, I ran many tests and, as it happens, a half-Djinn, half-elf is surprisingly compatible with my people.¡± Kas?dael¡¯s mouth dropped.¡°Then your plans for the elf-¡° ¡°Are to be the mother of my people.Our people,¡± he corrected himself.¡°My people are dead, and unlike your elder siblings, I cannot simply magic new ones into being, but life¡­finds a way,¡± he said the words with a small smile, as if it were some private joke. ¡°Does she know of your plans,¡± she asked, still struggling to process the depths of his plans.Is it actually within the bounds of his abilities, or has he simply gone mad?Her ignorance as to the limits and origins of the Sidhe¡¯s power left her uncertain of the answer. ¡°Not yet,¡± he replied with a shrug.¡°But she shall soon find herself making a choice.We shall see what choice she makes.¡± ¡°And if she doesn¡¯t choose as you hoped?¡± She asked cautiously. ¡°I will not force her,¡± the Sidhe replied testily.¡°I¡¯m not that hard up.But I have no doubt of her choice,¡± he continued more calmly.¡°I¡¯ve seen her mind.¡± ¡°She¡¯s full of regret.Of failing to save her people.Of abandoning her children.Of being too weak to make a difference when it rarely mattered.She¡¯s more like me than you realize, Kassie.¡± The goddess wrinkled her nose in distaste at the nickname but held her tongue.She wasn¡¯t as confident of the elf¡¯s choice as the Sidhe, but she wouldn¡¯t have wanted to bet against him either.She¡¯d seen how the elf had launched onto the little troll child, and the extent to which she¡¯d gone to find a new home for her people, even daring to cross the River.Perhaps he¡¯s right. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t dissuade you,¡± she questioned. ¡°Why would you even care?¡± She thought for a moment before shrugging.¡°I guess I don¡¯t.At least one of us can break their chains.¡± ¡°If you ever want help with that-¡± the Sidhe let the insinuation linger. Kas?dael was tired of it all, she really was.But she wasn¡¯t ready to rebel.Not yet.¡°Enjoy your elf,¡± she said with a growl and stepped back into her realm. No James Bond The anger in Gu?la''s eyes died down as she noticed the blood smeared across his clothes andDapplegrim¡¯s back.¡°Are you hurt?¡± she asked with a note of concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry - it¡¯s not mine.¡±He pushed past her into the tent and started to strip off his soiled garments, but she followed him in. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of blood.What happened?¡± He felt a bit self-conscious as he tore the tunic off and tossed it to the ground.¡°Ran into a bit of trouble with something called a qas?pa.¡±Not having time to go to the bathhouse, Jasper hurried over to the washbasin and started to scrub off the dirt and grime that caked his forearms. ¡°Oh, one of those poor sods,¡± Gu?la clucked her tongue sympathetically.¡°I suppose one of the locals went mad.¡± Jasper¡¯s frenzied washing paused as the image of the farmer¡¯s roasted corpse flashed through his mind again - an image he would not easily banish.¡°She was eating human flesh, Gu?la.I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d characterize her as ¡®poor.¡¯She was hella pretty though,¡± he added offhandedly. ¡°She was?¡±Jasper winced as he heard the sudden sharpness in her tone.¡°Uh, yeah, in a farm-girl sort of way,¡± he added hastily.Geeze, lady, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re dating. ¡°Well, I suppose you killed her,¡± she replied after a moment¡¯s pause. He finished scrubbing off his hands and headed to the wardrobe, keenly aware of her gaze following him as he walked.¡°Actually, she was dead by the time I found her.One of my scouts got her.¡± The captain¡¯s brow furrowed.¡°A scout was able to kill her.How weak was she?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t have any sense of how strong a qas?pa should be, but I¡¯m pretty sure Erin tapped into magic somehow.She was suffocated to death by the very wood of her cabin.¡± ¡°A mage in the scouts?Ridiculous,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Eh, he¡¯s a bit of a special case.Has essence but hasn¡¯t been able to use it thus far; I guess maybe the stress of the situation finally pushed him over the edge.¡± Pulling the new tunic over his head, Jasper started to reach for his armor, but she shook her head.¡°You can¡¯t wear armor to this party; they¡¯ll take offense.¡± ¡°Can I least have a weapon?¡± She shook her head.¡°You¡¯re a mage - you are the weapon.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°It¡¯s nice to have a backup.Essence isn¡¯t unlimited, you know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect there to be any fighting tonight.We¡¯re only there to observe.¡± ¡°Bet you have a weapon,¡± he fired back. An amused smile flitted across her lips.¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t accept that bet.¡±She pointed to the glaive he¡¯d rested against the bed.¡°Unlike you, I can hide my weapon.¡± ¡°I can put it in my bag of holding,¡± he protested. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize your uncle had been so generous.By all means, bring what you want.Actually,¡± bending down, she pulled her dress up above her thighs and pried a carefully concealed knife off of her skin.¡°If you got a bag of holding, you might as well carry this for me.¡± He accepted it with a grin and tossed it in his bag.¡°That¡¯s a hell of a lot better than carrying the purse.¡±He paused a moment to check himself in the mirror.His brown hair was a bit askew, but some water from the basin was enough to bind the unruly mop in place - at least till it dried - and his chin was covered in stubble.¡°Do I have time to shave?¡± Coming up behind, she had to stand on her tiptoes to peer over his shoulder.¡°You do, but why bother?I like the look,¡± she said running a finger down his chin. Pulling his head away from her hand, Jasper offered her a quick smile.¡°Alright, I¡¯ll guess I¡¯ll leave it then.Shall we head out?¡±He continued quickly, papering over the unease that sat in the pit of his stomach.The flashes of jealousy and clinginess were kind of disconcerting given they weren¡¯t in a relationship - or at least he was pretty sure they weren¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m ready if you are.¡±He started to head toward the door, and she cleared her throat.¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something,¡± she asked, staring up at him expectantly. ¡°It might be easier if you just tell me what I¡¯m forgetting,¡± he sighed. ¡°If we¡¯re going to the party together, you need to escort me,¡± she said, lifting up her arm. Taking her proffered arm, the two headed out into the gathering night. While Jasper had changed, one of his soldiers had scrubbed Dapplegrim down, cleaning the blood and grim off her lustrous coat.Gu?la¡¯s tsuss?m had been tethered beside Dapplegrim.Now that night had fallen, its wings were folded up and useless, but she was still able to ride it in a more mundane fashion.With Gu?la taking the lead, they set off toward the western side of the camp. The first few minutes of their ride were silent.After the day he¡¯d had, Jasper was happy to have a moment with his thoughts.When Barbartu had offered to take him back to Earth, he¡¯d been surprised at how easy it was to say no, but days like these made him almost regret that choice.The qas?pa¡¯s insanity and the death of the farmer and the soldier - the second of which he felt a bit of guilt about - weighed heavy on his mind.There was certainly evil back on Earth, but Jasper had rarely had to deal with that.Perhaps he¡¯d been sheltered, but his experience with serial killers and cannibals was mostly confined to episodes of Criminal Minds. ¡°You¡¯re awfully quiet.¡±Gu?la¡¯s words broke him out of his reverie.¡°Something on your mind?¡± Jasper shook his head, vainly wishing the movement was enough to clear the cobwebs in his mind.¡°Was just thinking about the qas?pa,¡± he admitted softly.¡°Are they really doomed to insanity?¡± ¡°Most, it seems.Perhaps there are a few who manage to escape their fate, but honestly, so few qas?pa live to adulthood, that it¡¯s hard to say anything for certain about them.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°They usually die young?Does something about their condition kill them?¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way to put it,¡± Gu?la¡¯s twisted wryly as she turned to face him, ¡°but it would be little more than a euphemism.¡± Understanding dawned on him.¡°Others kill them?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?Look at what just happened.Driven by pity, those villagers let her live amongst them and, in return, they¡¯ve lost one of their own - and she took one of ours along with him too,¡± she added pointedly. In truth, Jasper knew that the qas?pa¡¯s death count likely included at least two more villagers, but he saw no reason to make her case for her.¡°It seems cruel to kill someone for something they might do, but I guess I sort of get it.¡± ¡°Back home, we had a bit of a problem with school shooters.If there was some way to know that a kid was going to snap one day, I imagine we wouldn¡¯t treat them very well.Probably wouldn¡¯t kill them, though,¡± he grunted.¡°Lock them up for their own protection, or some crap like that, but I doubt we¡¯d kill them.¡± ¡°Do these ¡®school shooters¡¯ of yours have magic?¡±He shook his head, and Gu?la continued pointedly.¡°Then it isn¡¯t really the same.You saw how dangerous she could be.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he said noncommittally and, not wanting to argue any further, he decided to change the subject.¡°So what exactly do you want me to do tonight?Just spam my truth spell at anyone that looks suspicious?¡± ¡°Hardly,¡± Gu?la laughed.¡°There¡¯s no need to waste your essence like that.As I told you, Lord Nas?ru, the host of the party is one of my main suspects for the sabotage.If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll be able to get close enough to him to ask a few questions.Just use the spell when I¡¯m talking to him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll need to mingle.And there¡¯ll be dancing, of course.Maybe even a few fights.¡± ¡°Fights?¡± Jasper raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know, if you have to defend my honor,¡± she said with a coquettish wink. ¡°I think you¡¯re perfectly capable of doing that yourself,¡± he replied dryly. The smile on her face dissipated.¡°I¡¯m only partially joking.I don¡¯t expect this night to go smoothly.¡± ¡°Something you¡¯re not telling me,¡± he grunted. The firebird captain grimaced.¡°Nas?ru and I are not exactly strangers,¡± she admitted reluctantly. ¡°So you¡¯re what?Schoolyard chums, best frenemies forever, former lovers?¡±Jasper started off joking, but when her cheeks paled at the last words, he realized he¡¯d struck close to home.¡°Are you kidding me?Is this dude your ex?¡± ¡°Ex?¡± ¡°A former lover,¡± he repeated. Gu?la kept her eyes resolutely trained on the path ahead, avoiding his gaze with an admirable determination.¡°I wouldn¡¯t use that term,¡± she said quietly. ¡°So what term would you use?¡± he persevered. There was a long moment of silence before she finally responded.¡°My family doesn¡¯t have much money or power these days, but our ancestry traces back to one of Nu?radi?n¡¯s closest followers, Lord Quru?b.It gives us certain privileges that other families in our position might not possess.¡± ¡°How does that answer my question?¡± ¡°One of those privileges,¡± she continued coldly, ¡°is marrying into other, better off, nobility.Like most noble girls, my father arranged a marriage for me when I was but a child, to the third son of another local noble.But when I awoke my firebird class, he saw an opportunity to reach higher. ¡°He broke my previous engagement and arranged a new one with Lord Nas?ru.¡± ¡°Did you refuse?¡± ¡°How could I?To turn down the chance to benefit my family so greatly would have been selfish.I agreed to honor the arrangement, but unfortunately Lady Nahre?mah had other plans.¡± ¡°Nahre?mah?¡±Jasper¡¯s brow wrinkled.¡°What does Kas?dael have to with it?¡± Gu?la smiled sadly.¡°I was unaware of it, but I had already conceived with my former betrothed.¡± Oh, that¡¯s right - she¡¯s a fertility goddess to the Djinn.¡°So what happened,¡± he asked more gently. ¡°As soon as Lord Nas?ru learned of it, he broke the engagement.His response was understandable, although the hatred he spewed my way was not - he knew I¡¯d been previously engaged.¡± ¡°So, did you have to marry the child¡¯s father?¡±Jasper felt a sudden pin-prick of worry, as the realization that he might have unknowingly cuckolded a noble hit him.Last thing I need is some vengeful husband coming after me. ¡°No. Ma?ri?l¡¯s father was incensed with my father for breaking the engagement and,¡± she said with a bitter smile, ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t blame him.It was an insult to his honor, and after such faithlessness, there could be no hope of an alliance between our houses.He refused to allow our betrothal to resume.¡± Jasper nodded shortly, not sure how to respond to the suddenly heavy turn of the conversation.It certainly put a new perspective on Gu?la¡¯s jealous and insecure behavior.Does she even need my help at this party, or does she just not want the man who dumped her to think she¡¯s single?It also cast her judgment into doubt.Is Nas?ru really the best suspect, or is she just focused on him because he wronged her? Feeling the need to fill the silence, his mouth moved on its own.¡°So you¡¯re a mother,¡± he asked lightly.¡°Boy or girl?¡± Gu?la had been studiously avoiding looking at him, but the question seemed to catch her by surprise.Turning to look at him, she studied his face for a moment without responding.The color seemed to come back into her cheeks, and the corners of her lips lifted up in a small smile.¡°That wasn¡¯t the response I was expecting." ¡°Why?¡±Jasper replied with a shrug.¡°Bastards are pretty common in the Royal House.Hell, I¡¯m one of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not royalty,¡± she countered flatly. ¡°Sure, if you¡¯re powerful enough, there¡¯s no one to tell you ¡®nay,¡¯ but for those of us less important folks, there¡¯s rules.Manners.Decorum that should not be broken.¡± ¡°It sounds to me like you got screwed over by your father more than anything else,¡± Jasper shot back. A look of disgust flitted across her face.¡°More than you know,¡± she muttered.¡°I was forced to bring her with me on this campaign because my father refused to allow the ¡®bastard¡¯ to stay in the house without me.¡± ¡°He what?¡± Jasper asked incredulously.¡°War¡¯s no place for a child.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± she agreed softly.¡°But I had no other choice, at least not until the king himself offered this post.Now I should be able to stay off the front lines and keep my daughter safe.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t work for the king before?¡± Gu?la shook her head.¡°No.When the king commanded the tribes to provide troops, my father was quick to volunteer me.I¡¯m an embarrassment to their house, after all,¡± she spat bitterly.¡°But before I was set to depart, a messenger arrived from the king, offering me the chance to work directly for him, under Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s department.Needless to say, I took it.¡± ¡°My father, of course, was outraged as that he meant he had to send someone else from our household, but I was glad to be rid of him.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not actually an expert spy?You¡¯re a newbie just like me?¡± The Djinn stiffened.¡°I tricked you easily enough, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Touch¨¦,¡± Jasper agreed amiably, ¡°but, sadly, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s much of an accomplishment.I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m not a complete idiot, but I¡¯m certainly no James Bond.¡± ¡°James Bond?¡± She repeated blankly. ¡°A famous spy from our world,¡± he explained shortly. ¡°Well, you¡¯re certainly not that,¡± she smirked, ¡°but neither, I think, is Lord Nas?ru.If our suspects had grown up in the courts of S?adda?nu or Du?r-Yarha, I¡¯d be concerned, but the lords of Kubarru favor power over subtlety.I¡¯m confident we can catch them in the act.¡± Bright lights spilled over the dark road as a row of brightly lit pavilions loomed in front of them.Lit by dozens of torches planted in the ground - many of which, Jasper privately thought, were far too close to the tents for comfort - the night was driven back.Dozens of nobles wandered between the tents, dressed not in their uniforms, but in opulent clothes that would have looked more in place back at the courts, and above the quiet buzz of conversation rose the dulcet tones of stringed instruments.¡°Guess this is the place,¡± he said, stating the obvious. Nudging her tsuss?m over to the waiting poles, Gu?la tied her mount in place and waited for him to do the same. ¡°Yas?peh,¡± she said quietly.¡°I know this isn¡¯t really relevant to our task tonight, but can you do me one favor?¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± He asked. ¡°Can you pretend we¡¯re a real couple?¡± Damn it.She wants to win the break-up.But as he took in the pleading look in her eyes, Jasper found himself begrudgingly agreeing.¡°Of course, darling.¡± Maqta, With a Side of Blood With a final grunt of pain, Ihra pulled the sharpened quill away from her leg.There were many advantages to her new class, but the ability to carve runes into her flesh for quick release had proven to be a double-edged sword.Sure, it allowed her to buff herself above the usual limitations of her stats and to cast the truly overpowered shield that had saved both of their lives back on that accursed aisle, but it also hurt like hell.I guess that¡¯s the price you pay for power. She ran the quill through the fire, cleaning the blood and grime off, and filed it back in her bag.She stood up gingerly, limping slightly as pain radiated up her leg each time her muscles flexed, and headed toward her tent. As she passed Jasper¡¯s tent, she stopped to check inside but found it empty.Again?She knew he¡¯d gone out the previous night with that captain who¡¯d insisted on searching their bags, and had been mildly surprised when she¡¯d awoken the next morning to find he hadn¡¯t returned yet.But she certainly hadn¡¯t expected to find him gone again.Guess he must like her. A small pang ate at her heart.It wasn¡¯t jealousy - she didn¡¯t like him like that - but she couldn''t help but feel a little bit possessive.Jasper was the closest thing she still had to family and the truth was that Ihra knew, without him, she likely would have never advanced beyond a mediocre adventurer at the Hargish guild.So, as much as she felt ashamed of it, she couldn''t quite quench the part of her that feared that another woman, one who did like him that way, might steal him away from her.With a little growl of irritation, she suppressed the feeling ruthlessly and stalked back to her tent, wincing a bit as the pain continued to lance up her leg. Reaching her tent, she yanked the flap back and was about to step inside when a muffled sound caught her attention.Ihra stilled instantly, and her hand drifted to the dagger dangling at her side. But as soon as she identified the source of the noise, Ihra relaxed.She¡¯d seen little of the third member of their party since they¡¯d reached the camp.The young princess had closed herself off in the tent and had rarely ventured out, except to care for her mounts.Usually, Jasper would have come around to drag her out of her wallowing, but between his new duties with the troops and, apparently, his new paramour, he hadn¡¯t noticed Tsia¡¯s condition. Ihra hesitated as she listened to the muffled sobs, her foot still halfway through the door to her tent.She didn¡¯t particularly like Tsia.The princess was spoiled and impulsive, and her overtures to Jasper were just downright irritating.Ihra wanted nothing more than to just head into her tent, pretend she hadn¡¯t heard the crying, and get a good night¡¯s sleep. Damn it. With an exasperated sigh, she left the flap fall and stalked over to Tsia¡¯s pavilion. ¡°Hey, you awake?¡± The muffled sobs cut off immediately, and only a chilly silence greeted her. Ihra sighed again.¡°Tsia, I know you¡¯re awake.I heard you just a moment ago.¡± ¡°Just go away,¡± a voice replied petulantly. Oh, how I wish I could.¡°Why don¡¯t you come outside?I can brew some maqta, and we can chat.¡±She waived the offer of the drink before Tsia¡¯s nose with a certain amount of confidence, knowing the sickly sweet beverage was a weakness of hers, and, sure enough, the princess took the bait. A wan face, streaked with tears and a pair of blood-stained eyes, peeked out of the tent.¡°You have maqta?¡± Ihra fished some of the dried leaves out of her bag and waved them in front of her face.¡°I picked some up in the city yesterday.I know how much you like it.¡± The princess hesitated a moment longer, but her love of the sweet maqta won out.¡°Fine.I¡¯ll come out.¡±Ducking back into the tent, she rustled around for a few minutes before she emerged.In the light of the small campfire, her whole face gleamed red, irritated by the vigorous scrubbing she had just given it, but at least there was no sign of tears as she plopped down beside Ihra. The water was near boiling, but Ihra reached out her hand to toss in the leaves, but Tsia grabbed her wrist.¡°Wait.You¡¯ve got to let it boil first, or the flavor won¡¯t express fully.¡±Ihra growled with irritation but did as the princess said. If there''s one thing she knows how to cook, I''m sure it''s maqta. ¡°So, do you want to talk about it,¡± she finally brought herself to ask. Tsia¡¯s eyes fluttered to the ground.¡°About what?¡± ¡°Ne?s?u,¡± Ihra responded flatly, cutting to the heart of the issue.¡°I know how much you miss him.¡± ¡°What do you know?You didn¡¯t even like him.Or me,¡± Tsia added sullenly. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my mother, my father, my brother, my brother¡¯s kids.I think I know a thing or two about loss,¡± Ihra snapped.She paused to take a deep breath and continued more calmly.¡°And I don¡¯t dislike you, Tsia.We¡¯re just¡­very different.¡± The water chose that moment to begin to boil, and the conversation paused as Ihra stirred the leaves into the pot and began the count.After two minutes had passed, the water had begun to turn a deep, florid pink and she removed the pot.She didn¡¯t have any strainer, so she was forced to use the lid to keep out the worst of the leaves as she poured two servings into the waiting cups. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Tsia snatched hers up, and huddling the hot beverage close to her chest, hunched over.¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of selling his horse,¡± she said quietly.¡°Every time I have to care for it, it just reminds me of him.But then I feel bad for even thinking of it.¡± Buying herself time to think, Ihra took a sip of the maqta, and promptly spit it out.¡°Selene¡¯s grace, that¡¯s hot.¡± A small smile flickered across Tsia¡¯s face.¡°You know, you¡¯re supposed to let it cool a bit.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Ihra groused.She sat the cup down on the ground and turned to face Tsia.¡°I don¡¯t think you should get rid of the horse.¡± ¡°No?¡± She shook her head.¡°It hurts to lose someone you love and, especially in the beginning, it hurts to be reminded of them, so getting rid of those reminders can feel cathartic.But there¡¯s probably going to come a day down the road where you regret it.¡± She stared into the fire.¡°I know I¡¯d give anything to have something from my parents still.¡± ¡°How old were you when they died?¡±Tsia asked softly. ¡°I was just four.I barely even remember them, but my brother would tell me stories about them.But when he died too, I got sent to the orphanage.I don¡¯t think my brother¡¯s widow was trying to be awful, but she didn¡¯t give me anything from them, not a damn thing, and once the city was destroyed¡­¡±Ihra shook her head, trying to hide the tears that had unexpectedly sprung to her eyes.¡°I was never able to find their bodies, but I doubt they survived.¡± ¡°Does it ever get better?¡± Ihra blinked away the tears.¡°Of course it does.The pain may never go away completely, but it will ebb.There will come a day when you tend his horse and don¡¯t think of him. Of course, when you realize it, you¡¯ll probably feel guilty about it.But those days will slowly become more and more common and the pain will lessen. And the one day, you''ll be glad to still have something that reminds you of him.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Tsia muttered.¡°But I just feel like it was all my fault.If I hadn¡¯t run away, if I hadn¡¯t followed Jasper, Ne?s?u wouldn¡¯t have to die.He would have been safe in my father¡¯s courts.¡± ¡°Do you really believe that,¡± Ihra said with a snort.¡°Ne?s?u was a warrior through and through.He¡¯d been risking his life for decades before he met you.Sooner or later, that bill comes due.¡± ¡°Maybe, but¡­¡±Tsia stilled and peered into the darkness beyond their campfire.¡°Do you see something over there?I could swear I saw something move,¡± she said, speaking so quietly that Ihra could barely hear her over the crackle of the fire. Ihra glanced in the direction the princess was looking.She saw nothing at first, but as her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could make out the faint outline of a man crouching in the bushes.It took another second for her to realize that he wasn¡¯t alone.Two, three, four.She stopped counting at seven. She casually picked up her cup of maqta and took a long sip of the still scalding liquid.Using the cup to hide her mouth, she replied.¡°There¡¯s at least seven men in the bushes.I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re up to, but I doubt it¡¯s anything good.¡± Something crunched in the snow behind her, and Ihra whirled around.Make that eight.The man screamed as her cup of maqta caught him in the face, but his scream was cut short a heartbeat later by the slash of her misericorde. Tsia staggered to her feet as the men in the bushes broke from their cover.Three of them started to run toward their fire, while the rest bolted like scared hares.Dropping the dagger, Ihra drew her bow with a swift motion and fired off a hasty shot. She missed, skewering their assailant through his shoulder rather than his heart as she¡¯d intended, and the man stumbled back with a curse.In the dark, she couldn¡¯t see the frantic wiggling of his fingers, but it was her turn to leap back as a long, flaming whip jumped from his hand and sliced toward her. The whip sailed narrowly overhead as she rolled to the ground, only to fall inert as Tsia dissected it with a blade of wind.Without hesitation, Tsia thrust her hand forward, and a low blade of wind shot toward their three attackers.The two in the front, who had been trying to close the gap between them, fell to the ground instantly as their legs were severed just below the knee, but with a snap of his fingers, a shimmering shield sprang into place around the mage. With a growl of irritation, Tsia engaged the mage, pounding it with a barrage of wind-blades that the man¡¯s surprisingly resilient shield managed to repulse. Need to help her out.As Ihra regained her footing, her eyes fell on the two assailants whom Tsia had dislimbed.Their blood was no doubt mortal, but their levels prevented them from a quick death, and an idea occurred to her.After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she took careful aim at the two assailants who were writhing on the ground.Her hands flew as she riddled them with arrows, taking great care not to kill them immediately.It felt cruel to prolong their suffering, but she needed the piercing. When her piercing hit 90, she ended their suffering with two well-placed shots, and then she turned her attention to the mage. The Djinn had been forced into little more than a holding pattern at this point, unable to compete with the overwhelming barrage of attacks Tsia poured out on him, but kept alive by the impenetrable shield which seemed to emanate from the necklace glowing around his neck. Notching an arrow, Ihra invoked her skill.The arrow¡¯s head gleamed with a dull red glow as it arced toward the mage.Reaching the shield, the arrow was unable to fully pierce it, but the tip burrowed in deeply enough to stick.The head glowed, and then the blade of Executioner¡¯s Arrow rapidly expanded, pushing against the barrier from inside rather than without.A second arrow followed in its wake, and, slipping through the shattered barrier, caught the man in his shoulder again.The force of the blow was enough to drive the shaft through his arm and out the other side where it lodged fast into the trunk of the tree behind him.Pinned and helpless, the mage could only beg for his life.¡°Stop, stop - I surrender.¡± Ihra approached him cautiously, her eyes fixed on his one good hand - just in case he got any ideas.¡°Who are you and why did you attack us,¡± she demanded bluntly. The man kept silent, and she drew her dagger, letting the light of the dying campfire splay across its blade.¡°Cat still got your tongue?¡± An angry scowl crossed his face, but when she held the dagger to his throat, his resistance crumbled. "Fine. Ask your questions." Toasts & Threats As they neared the edge of lit pavilions, a pair of guards emerged from the darkness. The guards bowed their heads respectfully, but the left one nevertheless beckoned for them to pause.¡°Can I see your invitations?¡± Gu?la stiffened beside him.¡°Invitations?¡± She parroted the word indignantly.Letting go of his arm, she pointed at Jasper¡¯s tunic, which bore the colors of the Royal House.¡°Has the hospitality of Kubarru fallen so far that the Royal House needs an invitation these days?¡± she demanded. The two guards exchanged an uncertain glance.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord, I can see the colors of your house, but I''m afraid I don''t recognize you.¡± ¡°Yas?peh.Commander of the 27th S?addanite Cohort. Does it matter if you recognize me,¡± he added after a brief pause. The guard''s hand hesitated mid-air for a moment and then he waved them forward.¡°Please, come on in, Lord Yas?peh.I¡¯m sure Lord Nas?ru will be pleased by your presence.¡± Gu?la latched back on his arm with a self-satisfied smile as the two brushed the guards.Jasper waited until they were out of earshot of the guards, and bent his head down to her ear.¡°You know, you could have told me we weren¡¯t invited,¡± he complained. ¡°Why?¡± She shot back with a smirk.¡°You might not have agreed to come then.Plus, I knew they wouldn¡¯t turn a member of the Royal House away.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being manipulated,¡± he replied a bit testily. Guilt flashed through her eyes, but disappeared nearly as quick as it came.¡°I did what I needed to for our mission to be successful,¡± she replied softly.¡°Let¡¯s not fight.Please, darling?¡±She spoke the last word louder than the rest and, laying her head on his shoulder, shot him a look begging him to play along. Irritation surged through his veins, but Jasper promptly crushed it. her, he had agreed to help - for his uncle¡¯s sake, if nothing to else.Committing to the role of her lover, he plastered a quick peck on her forehead, before turning his eyes to examine the party. He was utterly unprepared for the extent to which the lord had managed to transform the empty fields in which they camped.The ground, which around his tent was a mixture of snow and muck, had been scraped immaculately clean and covered in thick wool rugs.The tents themselves had been painted in bright, cheerful colors, and their flaps pinned up, revealing, as the two of them walked through the party, a large number of arranged delights - gambling, music, and dancing chief amongst them.Scores of nobles wandered between the tent while servants bustled amongst them, bearing trays heavily laden with drinks and delicacies of every kind. ¡°Would you care for anything, my lord?¡±One of the servants stopped near them and bent down to display their options.The servant''s vestment, an orange and blue monstrosity that was adorned with hundreds of feathers from the strange blue ducks native to the region, was an eye-popping distraction and Jasper stared for a moment too long. A sharp elbow from Gu?la caught him in the ribs, and he hastily turned his eyes to the myriad of choices on the tray.Unfortunately, they proved to be as exotic as the servant¡¯s clothes.An odd assortment of appetizers was scattered across the tray, very few of which looked appetizing.Amongst the options was something that resembled the foot of a chicken, if chickens had pale green skin that looked like the flesh of a zombie, a long pink piece of meat that was undeniably the tongue of something, and what appeared to be a snail as red as lava topped with an unidentified brown substance. Feeling the need to take something, Jasper targeted the most unremarkable dish on the tray, a fluffy white pastry with a bit of blue stuffing seeping out of its edges, and grabbed a goblet of wine.If nothing else, it will wash it down.Gu?la, on the other hand, oohed and ahhed with delight, and by the time the servant departed, she was balancing in her hands the snail, the tongue, and a pastry matching his own. Jasper took a sip of his wine and eyed the pastry suspiciously.¡°So, uh, any idea what¡¯s in this?¡± She took a speculative nibble.¡°Tuttu berries, I think.¡±She turned her attention to the lava red snail and Jasper decided to try the pastry. The delicate puff pastry was piping hot and the pleasant sweet taste of butter and berry filled his mouth.He started to chew and froze as his teeth closed on something decidedly not a berry.While she slurped down the snail, he discretely spat it out in his hand and cringed as a small eye stared back at him.¡°What the hell?¡± She glanced over and her eyes widened with delight.¡°Ooh, they have pickled fish eyes in it too?I didn¡¯t get one in my bite.¡±She hastily took another pass at the hot pastry and closed her eyes in ecstasy. ¡°Here,¡± Jasper said, shoving the pastry in her hands, ¡°you can have mine.¡±Gu?la happily accepted it, and they continued their stroll.¡°So what are we looking for,¡± he asked quietly. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. She gestured toward a large tent whose side was occupied by a bright blue eye on a background of red.¡°That¡¯s got to be his tent, so we should start there.¡±As they meandered in that direction, Jasper watched the crowd.He had never had the chance to really get to know the Djinn nobility, so he wasn¡¯t exactly surprised by the lack of familiar faces in the crowd. What did surprise him, though, was the number of people who blatantly stared back at him, their eyes quickly focusing on the colors he bore.Their reaction varied - from respectful nods to glares rife with open hostility - but the sheer amount of attention was a bit unnerving. Feeling a bit like a zoo animal on display, Jasper sped up, intent on reaching the tent Gu?la had identified as quickly as possible.They had nearly reached the lord''s pavilion when the sound of the Djinn¡¯s sickly trumpet wailed like a goat in heat.The conversation hushed as the crowd turned expectantly toward the red tent. Aside from the Seraphs and the aberrant Moon-kissed, the Djinn that emerged from the tent was probably the tallest Jasper had seen, reaching nearly seven height.His height was further augmented by a pair of thick, spiraling horns that stretched another foot and a half into the air.A nearly sky-blue tunic fell from his shoulders, perfectly matching the pale blue of his eyes, and Jasper was forced to admit the man was a handsome devil. He greeted the crowd with a winsome smile and raised a jeweled goblet in a toast. ¡°You know, when the good king sent us all to wallow in the snow and muck, I can¡¯t say I was too pleased.¡±The man grinned as titters rippled through the crowd.¡°Really, I don¡¯t know how you Northerners stand it up here.But hey - at least some charitable soul keeps setting fires to keep us warm, am I right?¡± A rumble of laughter filled the pavilion, accompanied by a nearly equal number of angry mutterings.Jasper suspected he could divide the crowd quite neatly between the southern and northern tribes by their reaction alone, but Nas?ru continued blithely onward.¡°But tonight, forget all that.The snow is gone,¡± he beckoned to the carpets covering the ground, ¡°and the wine flows freely.Tonight, the House of Nas?riddin extends to all the olive branch.Enjoy!¡± Lifting his goblet, Nas?ru drained in the cup in a single draft and flipped it over to cheers.The hubbub of conversation swelled as the crowd turned back to its pursuits, but Jasper kept an eye trained on the Djinn. He lingered outside the entrance to his tent, his hand idly playing with the empty goblet as he searched through the bustling group.The cocky grin had stayed on as long as he held the crowd¡¯s attention, but as soon as the crowd had returned to the revelry, the Djinn had watched them with the predatory eyes of a hawk - and then he caught sight of Gu?la. His red skin may have hidden the angry blush that rose to his cheeks, but the hardness in his eyes was unmistakable as he stared at the pair. With an imperious wave of his hand, the noble beckoned them over. ¡°Just follow my lead,¡± Gu?la whispered as they weaved their way through the crowd.The Djinn didn¡¯t bother to greet them, but, spinning on his heels, stalked into the pavilion.As the two trailed after him, Jasper debated whether he should prep his truth spell or a combat one and, just to be safe, he prepared both. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The man¡¯s voice was deceptively calm, but he wasn''t able to hide the rage in his eyes. Gu?la clung to Jasper''s arm and shrugged her shoulders casually.¡°Am I not free to attend this party, Lord Nas?ru?You don¡¯t make my decisions anymore.¡± ¡°Does he know what you dragged him into?¡±Not giving her the chance to respond, Nas?ru¡¯s piercing eyes turned to Jasper.¡°I recognize the colors, of course, but I¡¯m afraid we haven¡¯t met, Lord-¡° ¡°Yas?peh,¡± Jasper grunted out. ¡°Lord Yas?peh.I do hope you didn¡¯t take offense at my little joke about King S?ars?adn?,¡± the Djinn replied with a strained smile. ¡°If a man can¡¯t joke freely over a mug of beer, when can he?¡± Jasper replied.The Djinn¡¯s eyes fell on the jeweled goblet he was holding, one filled with spiced wine and definitely not beer, and narrowed - uncertain whether Jasper''s words were sincere or the sort of carefully constructed barb the court was known for." ¡°My sentiments exactly,¡± the noble with false cheer.¡°But if I can offer you a bit of advice, Lord Yas?peh, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re being taken advantage of.This woman is..." his lip curled in distaste, "a whore.¡± Jasper tried not to wince as Gu?la''s hand spasmed and her nails dug into his arm.¡°I am not a whore,¡± she hissed.¡°I did nothing wrong.¡± The man ignored her completely, fixing his gaze on Jasper.¡°You see, she was engaged to me and yet she bore another man¡¯s child.¡± ¡°You know it was my previous betrothed¡¯s,¡± she spat. He finally turned to look at her, his gaze as cold as ice.¡°And yet, you he did not see fit to marry you either, did he?Was it perhaps not his?¡± His eyes flitted back to Jasper.¡°I don¡¯t know how she managed to glom onto you, but I assure you, Lord Yas?peh, she is trouble.Feel free to stay if you¡¯d like, but I¡¯m afraid she is not welcome here.¡± Jasper hesitated for a moment, fully expecting the fiery Djinn to speak up in her own defense, but silence filled the tent.Glancing down, he saw a few tears staining her cheeks, as she chewed on her lower lip. Irritation flared up - both at the Djinn, who seemed like a dick, and at Gu?la - for frankly, he suspected she was once again manipulating him. ¡°Perhaps, just for tonight, you can bury the hatchet. We''ll try to stay out of your way,¡±.¡°Surely there¡¯s no need to banish my date over a misunderstanding that happened years ago.¡± The man¡¯s grip around the goblet tightened.¡°I see you truly are of the Royal House.You weren¡¯t even invited and yet come around making demands.But you?You¡¯re just a hornless bastard.I doubt anyone will care to object if I kick you out.Get out - both of you, or I¡¯ll see you chased off.¡± Jasper¡¯s irritation blossomed into a full-fledged rage.¡°Better to be a hornless bastard than a sniveling traitor,¡± he fired back.¡°Maybe we should have a little chat about the fires that keep getting set around camp?You know, the ones that you found so terribly funny?¡± A metallic clank filled the room as the man unsheathed his sword.¡°Get out,¡± he growled again. A spell pooled on the edges of his fingers as Jasper raised his hand.¡°Make me.¡± The Sickly Sun The day had passed in a haze.Erin was no medical expert, but he reckoned he was likely in shock, whatever the hell that meant exactly.Sure, being held prisoner by a cannibalistic witch would be enough to shake any guy, and he knew the memory of the farmer being roasted over the fire was one that would not quickly leave his mind.Yet, it was the face of Dannu, contorted in a grotesque grimace as the wood had crushed his bones, that floated before his eyes. It was his fault and as much as he wanted to be excited about unlocking the ability to use some sort of magic, knowing he¡¯d killed the soldier in the process made the victory taste like ash in his mouth. Blinking away the ghastly vision, Erin focused on the task at hand - putting one foot in front of the other as they trudged back to camp.After Jasper had left them, the patrol had ventured back to the small village with the rescued farmer¡¯s wife in tow. Erin had thought that would be at least one bright spot in the day, but when the mother was reunited with her child and sister, there were more tears than cries of joy.He supposed it made sense; Ikkaril - their father, their husband - was gone, never to return again and for the small farming family, it was a loss not merely of a loved one, but of their entire way of life, for there was no way the widow would be able to maintain the farm on her own. Moved by pity, Erin had promptly donated a large chunk of the small stash of coin he¡¯d managed to compile from the limited scout pay.The grateful tears in the woman¡¯s eyes had moved a few others in the patrol to pitch in - most notably the captain, whose contribution more than doubled the rest put together.It would get them through the winter, and perhaps even the following year.After that, Erin could only hope they¡¯d be okay.I did what I could, he consoled himself. When they finally made it back to camp, Erin headed straight for his tent.Despite his exhaustion, despite the guilt he felt over Danny¡¯s fate, despite the sobering scene with the mother and her daughter - none of it was quite enough to wholly quench the spark of excitement that still burned in the pit of his stomach.After months of feeling like a failure, he¡¯d used magic, real magic.Surely, I can get a class now. He hastily stripped his armor and gear off and performed the maintenance required by the scouts in the most perfunctory manner possible.And then, his mind abuzz with the possibilities, he sat down to meditate. That was easier said than done, though.Meditation wasn¡¯t exactly a skill they taught you in elementary school, and even if it was, Erin was a dude with ADHD stuck in a world that definitely didn¡¯t produce his meds.Focusing was easier said than done, and despite his efforts to visualize a serene pond on a summer day, his mind flitted to and fro like dragonflies over a lily pad.And then, without quite realizing it, sleep slipped over him. Erin had never lucid dreamed before.Like most people, when dreams came to take him, he was a prisoner quite unaware.Yet, as Erin took in his surroundings he could only come to two conclusions: either he had been stolen away to another world or he was dreaming.There was a third possibility too, but he refused to even countenance the ridiculous thought. He was standing in a forest.The trees around him were enormous, not quite large enough perhaps to challenge the redwood trees he had seen on one of only two vacations he¡¯d ever gotten to go on - his mother had somehow snagged a rich guy for a change - but still far larger than any other tree he¡¯d seen on earth. Perhaps due to their size, the trees were situated further apart than usual, providing plenty of open space between their trunks and the canopy above was surprisingly sparse, allowing copious amounts of light to pour down from the heavens. The sun beat down on him, a halo of light around his head, but there was little warmth in it.Unlike the sun he knew from Earth or Corsythia, this sun was pale and weak, an almost silverly light whose beams felt cooler than he¡¯d have guessed. All of this, he could perhaps have explained away.Maybe he¡¯d been teleported into a forest.Maybe it was far enough north or south that the sun seemed different.But what he couldn¡¯t explain, was the snow. The forest was covered in a dazzling blanket of white that clung to every limb and leaf of the mighty trees.It was a thin blanket, little more than an inch or two that had draped itself across the forest like a satin tunic, yet the snow was still coming.Erin would have said it was falling, if not for the fact that the snow seemed to be flying up into the sky, in a never-ending flurry of flakes that somehow failed to noticeably deplete the thin layer covering the ground. If that wasn¡¯t enough to convince him he was dreaming, any final doubts disappeared as one of the trees began to move - and not from the simple swaying of the branches in the wind.No, with a sudden heave, the tree dislodged itself from its foundation and it roots tore free from their earthen sheaves.The top-heavy tree nearly fell on its side as it lurched forward, born aloft on a mass of roots that wriggled like tentacles, but it righted itself and charged toward him. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Erin was rooted to the spot as the impossible creature bore down on him.It was just a dream; there was no real danger to him - or at least that¡¯s what he tried to tell himself.A root shot through the air and arced straight toward his heart.Though made of naught but wood, its end was as sharp as a rudimentary spear, and Erin suddenly found himself able to move. He fled deeper into the forest as the spear impaled the ground directly where he had been standing.The crunch of his footsteps against the snow sounded as loud as gunshots - the only sound in a forest otherwise drenched in silence.Even the rampaging tree that charged after him made no noise as it bulldozed through the foliage, only him. As he ran, the trees around him seemed to awake.He danced from side to side as roots jutted from the ground before his feet, graven spears thrust toward his heart, while others sought out his ankles.He ran faster than he ever had before, his body driven forward by the sheer panic in his heart - and yet he ran with an ethereal grace hitherto undreamed.His foot always fell in the right place, slipping free of the bonds that sought to snare him and nimbly dodging the deadly spikes. The forest fled him behind and, slowly the rampaging tree was left behind in his wake.Yet Erin did not stop running.Breaking free of the trees, he raced across an open field.Its tall grass swayed and shook in a wind he could not hear, its blades encrusted with hoary frost that sliced viciously at his ankles, but he did not stop - not until he¡¯d reached the end of the field and a sudden, gaping chasm yawned beneath him.His arms windmilled as he tried to stop, but the ethereal grace that had born him thus far abandoned him.Slipping on the hoar frost, Erin plunged over the edge. The chasm seemed endless, plunging to depths that made the Grand Canyon look like the grand ditch.It was an impossible distance and Erin¡¯s screams were lost in the sheer size of it, swept away by the silent, bitter wind. But his fall was arrested almost as soon as it had begun.No sooner had he plunged over the edge and perceived his doom than his progress was reversed.For a second, Erin thought he was saved as he shot back toward the hoary plains, only to leave them behind in turn as he rocketed up into the sky. He soared above the forbidding forest and then began to descend.The winds beat furiously at him as he fell, pulling him with a force far beyond what human bodies should have to endure - and far beyond terminal velocity, for he was not merely falling.Pulled along by an unseen power, Erin flew beneath the sickly sun.He fell beneath the tree line, his trajectory narrowly missing one thick limb after another, and then plowed into the ground. He rolled across the frozen grass like a ragdoll, inertia sending him spinning across the ground far further than one would guess, only to be stopped by as a foot caught him in the chest.Grunting in pain, Erin rolled away, his hands balling into fists to protect himself.He lashed out with a quick haymaker, and a second later jumped back, wringing his hand in pain.¡°What the hell?¡± He froze as he finally processed the being attached to the foot.Before that day, Erin hadn¡¯t thought it possible to describe a tree as sexy.Sure, it was wood, and you could perhaps wring a few puerile jokes out of that, but that¡¯s not what he would call sexy. The tree that had cracked his knuckles, however, possessed a decidedly humanoid body.The colors of its skin bore a marked resemblance to birch bark, and judging from how badly his fist echoed, it was every bit as unyielding.The body, however, was that of a woman.Long black hair, interwoven with leaves of autumn plumage, cascaded down her front and back, hanging as far as her waist, but it was the only covering she had.Erin quickly averted his eyes, feeling the warmth on his cheeks. The woman - the dryad? - cocked her head to the side with a curious light in her eye.¡°Where did you come from, little sapling?¡± ¡°You can talk?¡±With the grace of an orator, Erin blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. ¡°Of course?¡± Amusement played across her features.¡°But that was not an answer to my question.¡±Her hand reached out and encircled his wrist.Her skin was as rough as it looked, but her touch was gentle.Her eyes seemed to dim as she touched him and she let go of his wrist after a brief moment. ¡°You are very far away, little sapling - far, far from home.No wonder you cannot hear us when we speak.¡± Erin frowned, not understanding what she was saying.¡°We?¡± She gestured to the trees around them.¡°Our brethren.You and I may walk like men, but most cannot unmoor themselves.Yet they can speak, for those who listen.¡± ¡°Um, I think you have me confused with someone else,¡± Erin managed to stammer out.¡°You and I are not the same.Surely you can see that.See?¡±He held his arm against her speckled flesh. The tree woman smiled.¡°Tis true, you are but a shadow of my glory, but a little sapling you are nonetheless.¡±An almost tender look stole across her face as she placed her hand on his heart, followed by a wave of pain.Staggering back, Erin tore at the leather armor covering his body, sure he¡¯d been mortally wounded somehow.There was nothing there, though, save for a small patch of flesh that now matched hers. The woman smiled serenely down at him, seemingly unaware of his reaction.¡°That is all I can do for you, little sapling, at least for now.Perhaps when you grow stronger we can talk again.¡± Massaging the painful patch on his chest, Erin tried to grab hold of her, but the world around him grew fuzzy.The snow falling upward accelerated, turning into a whirlwind of ice and frost that tore him free from her gasp and bore him up into the heavens. He lurched awake with a gasp, which was quickly followed by another as the throbbing pain in his chest made itself known.Examining his skin, he was relieved to find that the patch above his heart hadn¡¯t been transformed into bark - and yet, a giant circle of red remained where the dryad had placed her hand.Was it real?He shied away from the question immediately, afraid of the answer that came to his lips. This Party Is Lit "Make me." For a moment, all in the tent fell silent. Then the Djinn exploded into action. With a hoarse yell, Nas?ru lunged forward. Rather than stab his sword straight in Jasper''s gut, he slashed at him with an oddly awkward thrust.It gave Jasper enough time to almost dodge the blow, though the flat of the blade - rather than the edge - caught the edge of his arm and sent him spinning.The Djinn struck like lightning, and the blow caught him square in the back - yet no real harm was done, for the Djinn had once again hit him with the flat of the blade.Propelled by the force of the blow, Jasper rolled forward and landed on the balls of his feet. From the hurried footsteps behind him, Jasper knew Nas?ru was closing in fast behind him, but he had bought himself enough space to cast a spell.The problem was, it was clear now that the Djinn wasn¡¯t trying to kill him.It took a certain amount of skill to keep striking him with the blunt side of the sword, and Jasper had no desire to escalate the conflict to bloodshed.Unfortunately, very few of his spells were intended to simply disable his opponent.Buying himself a moment to think, Jasper cast Fiery Shackles and darted out of reach of the Djinn. Nas?ru¡¯s reckless charge came to a sudden stop as the burning manacles rose from the ground to clamp around his ankles.The fire did no real damage, the Djinn''s red skin a sure sign of immunity, but it was good enough to bind him in place.With an angry growl, the lord slashed at the manacles, but they resisted his blows.Must be around my level then. With the temporary reprieve granted to him, Jasper raced through his limited options.His fire spells were all but useless; Nas?ru was likely immune to all but the special fire of his Flame Charge - and using that would kill him - not to mention the fact that in the cramped confines of the tent, large flame spells were a dicey proposition.He¡¯d been sent here to investigate the fires endangering the camp, after all, not start one. Yet, his other spells seemed nearly equally useless - spells like Purge and Scourge of Despair were designed to kill, not merely disable. The shackles disappeared back into the ether, and Nas?ru closed in with an angry bellow.Jasper ducked beneath a wild blow and hammered a flaming fist into the Djinn¡¯s ribs as he rushed past him.The blow did negligible damage, but the second Fiery Shackles he cast bound the lord in place once again. ¡°By S?ams?a¡¯s rays,¡± Nas?ru cursed angrily, ¡°have you no honor?Stop dancing around and fight.¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°You sure you want that?Because I can beat you, but I¡¯m not too sure I can do it without killing you and setting fire to this lovely party of yours.¡± The man snorted angrily.¡°Kill me?Cease your idle boasting, hornless.A simple pyromancer like you can do little against me, and we both know it.Sooner or later, you¡¯re going to run out of essence.¡± Jasper¡¯s fingers writhed as he cast his two spells at once.His back arched in pain as a pair of shadowy wings tore themselves free, stretching from one side of the tent to the other, while from his right hand, a long shadowy whip cascaded across the floor.¡°Who said I only have fire skills,¡± he replied calmly. The shackles around Nas?ru¡¯s legs dissolved again, but the Djinn made no attempt to move. ¡°What is this, an illusion? Some sort of feeble party trick?¡± With a gentle flap of his wings, Jasper rose above the ground and flicked the whip through the nearby desk, which exploded in a shower of splinters.¡°Still think it¡¯s just an illusion?¡± he asked with a smirk. Wrath and caution fought a war within the Djinn, but caution won.Licking his lips nervously, Nas?ru slowly slid his sword back into its sheathe.¡°It seems I underestimated you, Lord Yas?peh.¡± As he spoke, he inclined his head ever so slightly to the left in a begrudging gesture of respect.¡°There are too few of our mages these days who can wield something other than fire, and I made the mistake of assuming you''re one of them. Fire mages are of little risk to me,¡±His gaze drifted over to Gu?la, who had watched the scene in silence, and his expression soured.¡°Aside from our beloved firebirds, of course." ¡°Shall we call a truce?¡± Jasper asked. The man nodded slowly.¡°For the sake of my party, you and that whore can stay.All I ask is that you stay out of my sight.et me enjoy what¡¯s left of my night.¡± Jasper frowned at the man¡¯s repeated insult of Gu?la, but felt there was little point in calling him out again as neither one wanted to escalate the conflict.Offering the captain his arm, he walked stiffly out of the tent, not bothering to bid the Djinn farewell. The two walked wordlessly through the crowd, ignoring the proffered treats that more servants brought by, and didn¡¯t pause until they were out of sight of Nas?ru¡¯s tent.There Jasper stopped as Gu?la pulled away from his arm. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he offered with a sigh.¡°I didn¡¯t mean to start a fight, but he kind of had it coming. There was no reason to talk to you like that. But...I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re going to question him now,¡± he admitted. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Gu?la appeared entirely unconcerned.¡°Oh well.At least there¡¯s two more suspects.Hopefully, we can get one of them to answer a few questions.Besides,¡± a twinkle entered her eye, ¡°I think we¡¯ll get what we need from these.¡±Jasper watched in confusion as she stuck her hand down her bosom.A moment later, the hand remerged clutching a small sheaf of papers she¡¯d hidden beneath her dress. ¡°Where did you get those?¡± ¡°While you were busy defending my honor, I took the liberty of rifling through his desk.Didn¡¯t have time to sort through them, but hopefully we got something useful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quick thinking." Jasper nodded his head in approval but froze as he noticed the amused glint in her eye.¡°Wait a minute - was that?¡± Jasper frowned as it dawned on him.¡°That was your plan all along, wasn''t it?¡± he accused. ¡°Why whatever do you mean,¡± the Djinn replied coyly.¡°I had every intention of having a nice, friendly conversation with Nas?ru.It wasn¡¯t my fault that he refused to cooperate.¡± Jasper gritted his teeth, annoyed that, once again, she¡¯d played him like a fiddle.¡°You could have just told me your plan,¡± he ground out. ¡°You¡¯re no actor,¡± she retorted quickly, ¡°and it needed to be authentic.Besides,¡± standing on her tiptoes, she planted a kiss on his cheek.¡°I found your response rather gallant.¡± Leaving him to stew, Gu?la flipped through the papers rapidly, her eyes shining with excitement.But by the time she¡¯d reached the end of the documents, her shoulders had slumped in defeat.¡°Drat.There¡¯s nothing here that can convict him,¡± she said as she crumpled the papers up in her hand with a scowl.¡°All that scheming for nothing.We¡¯ll have to find another way to get at him.¡± Snatching the papers out of her hand, Jasper straightened them out and glanced through them while she pouted.It was as she had said: a few letters about minor business ventures, notes from family, a list of supplies he needed to buy for his money, but there was nothing to indicate the man had any involvement in the sabotage of the camp.¡°Looks to me like he¡¯s clean,¡± he pointed out carefully. ¡°He¡¯s more clever than I thought,¡± she snapped.¡°Clearly, he must have hidden the evidence somewhere else.¡± ¡°Or there¡¯s no evidence.¡±Jasper met her eyes calmly.¡°I know you have your reasons to hate the man, and I get it - he seems like a dick - but are you sure you aren¡¯t letting your history with him influence your investigation?There¡¯s at least two other suspects we know of and, hell, it''s not like we can just rule out the northern lords.¡± ¡°Do you know why I was chosen for this job?¡±Gu?la asked abruptly. Jasper shook his head. ¡°Firebirds are primarily a combat-oriented class, but we do have a few¡­social skills we gain,¡± she explained.¡°One of these is called Rustled Feathers.It gives us a sort of premonition of danger if someone¡¯s planning to attack us.A few years ago, I received a previously unheard of variant of the skill.¡± ¡°Well that''s unique,¡± he replied wryly.¡°What''s it called?¡± The woman seemed almost embarrassed to reply.¡°It''s called....A Mother¡¯s Pinions.Don¡¯t laugh,¡± she added defensively when she saw the corners of Jasper¡¯s mouth curl up. ¡°Despite the name, it¡¯s proven to be a very useful skill.¡± "I''m not making fun of you, I promise," Jasper reassured her. "What''s it do?" Slightly mollified, she continued. ¡°Unlike Rustled Feathers, the plotter does not need to target me specifically.If someone is up to no good, there¡¯s a reasonable chance I¡¯ll pick up on it.Believe me when I say,¡± she grabbed hold of his hand and stared up with a surprising degree of earnestness, ¡°Nas?ru is up to no good.I am not targeting him just because I¡¯m some woman scorned.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Jasper relented.¡°I believe you.Lord knows I probably shouldn¡¯t, but I do.¡±He hesitated a second before continuing.¡°But it sounds like this skill doesn''t give you specific information, right?It tells you that someone is planning something ¡®bad,¡¯ but it doesn¡¯t tell you what they¡¯re planning.It doesn¡¯t mean Nas?ru is involved with the sabotage; he could be, I don¡¯t know, smuggling goods or something like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± she admitted reluctantly, ¡°but he¡¯s still the best suspect I got, papers be damned.¡± Their conversation ground to a halt as a hubbub arose behind them. FIRE!FIRE! The two spun around as a dozen voices raised the hoarse cry simultaneously.With the pavilion already brightly lit for the party, it took Jasper a second to locate the fire - but no more than a second, for within moments the small white flame that had caught the edge of a tent blossomed into a whirlwind of radiant fire. The flames'' light was almost blinding, its color almost as white as snow itself. It leapt from tent to tent with the swiftness and surety of a deer in flight, spreading to a dozen tents in a matter of seconds.The party dissolved into chaos.Some tried to beat it while others frantically tossed snow upon the tents, but their efforts were quickly abandoned as the fire made the jump from the tents to their bodies.Screams filled the air as the partygoers, transformed into flaming torches, tossed themselves in the snowy banks, rolling back and forth in futile attempts to quench the fire consuming them. Jasper could only watch in horror as the fire rampaged through the party. Sure, he was good at starting fires, but he didn¡¯t have any skills aimed at extinguishing them. Worse, the white fire that was running amok through the camp seemed more akin to the special fire of his Flame Charge than normal flames. ¡°Is this what happened before?¡± He asked Gu?la in a subdued tone. ¡°No, this is something much worse.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The firebird captain looked sick as she replied.¡°Either a firebird started this, or somebody went to a whole lot of trouble to make it look like we did.¡± ¡°Come on,¡± she grabbed hold of his hand and started pulling him toward the blaze.¡°There¡¯s no way people didn¡¯t see me at the party.We¡¯ve got to be seen helping put the fires out.¡± Jasper followed reluctantly. It wasn''t the noblest of sentiments, but he wasn''t all that eager to get close to the flames which seemed more than capable of breaching the Djinn¡¯s fire immunity.Would my Flame Charge protect me?Still, he knew Gu?la was right - there was a real risk Nas?ru would accuse her of starting the fire - and even if she wasn''t, there were people who needed help. the tents, the two fell in line with hundreds of other soldiers, working to pull the injured out, tearing down tents in the path of the flames, and digging trenches of mud and snow around the ever-spreading flames. The Lords of We?di?ni?nu It was nearly noon by the time the last embers of the fire were extinguished, and Jasper had been up all night.His clothes were charred, his skin was covered in enough soot to be mistaken for a chimney sweep, and his brow dripped with sweat despite the chill wind sweeping down from the north.Gu?la did not look much better than him, and her usually porcelain skin had grown nearly as dark as her horns from all the grime and soot that covered her. As they worked during the night, news had trickled in from around the camp.Ten more fires had erupted at the same time and while a few had been lucky enough to be stopped almost immediately, several more had spread wildly.The damage was only beginning to be estimated, but the death toll was likely in the hundreds and the loss of tents and supplies was even larger. With the fire finally quenched, the two collapsed to the ground, surrounded by dozens more of the former partiers.Jasper even noticed Lord Nas?ru not far away, but though their eyes met briefly, the Djinn was too tired to make a fuss.They¡¯d only rested a few minutes when a messenger galloped down the path.¡°Captain Gu?la?Is Captain Gu?la here?¡± With a groan, Gu?la struggled to her feet, wiping ineffectually at the soot staining her voice.¡°What is it, soldier?¡± Bringing his horse to a halt, the man saluted sharply.¡°It¡¯s good to see you survived, Captain.Command sent me to find you.They¡¯re meeting to discuss the extent of the damages.I assume you can give an update on what happened here?¡± The firebird captain nodded slowly.¡°If that¡¯s the general¡¯s wish, I guess I can go.¡±She turned back at Jasper and flashed a crooked smile.¡°Sorry about how our date turned out.We¡¯ll have to try again.¡± ¡°Do you want me to go with you,¡± Jasper said, rising to his feet with a pained groan. She glanced at the messenger, who shook his head.¡°General Turzu only asked for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Jasper shrugged.¡°Besides,¡± a frown overtook his face as a new fear suddenly occurred to him, ¡°I need to check in on my friends.What if our section of the camp got hit last night?¡± Gu?la nodded in understanding and, after hopping on the messenger¡¯s horse, the two galloped over toward the center of the camp.Jasper watched them depart and then turned ahead back to his own tent.As he passed by the Djinn lord, a hand closed around his ankle. ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m guilty?¡± The man¡¯s voice was too tired to carry any real vehemence, and Jasper was surprised to see that a large chunk of his torso had been badly burned flames. ¡°I was never particularly inclined to think you were guilty,¡± Jasper confessed.A blast of cold wind whistled across the still-smoldering tents, and he stuck his hands into his pocket, hiding them from sight.¡°When your ex is the one investigating you, you know you¡¯re in for a rough time,¡± he added with a tired grin. Nas?ru chuckled.¡°It seems she hates me nearly as much as I despise her.I know you probably won¡¯t listen, but I¡¯ll warn you again about her, Lord Yas?peh.She¡¯s the daughter of minor nobility who would do anything to get ahead.I don¡¯t believe for a minute that they didn¡¯t know she was pregnant when they engaged me to her.I think they intended to hoodwink me into claiming it as my own, but due to me getting unexpectedly called away to deal with a S?addu¡¯a incursion, by the time I returned to consummate the betrothal, she was already showing, albeit barely.Do you think me too harsh now?¡± ¡°Like I said, I didn¡¯t think you were guilty,¡± Jasper replied, avoiding the question.Nas?ru¡¯s claims didn¡¯t exactly shock him; he didn¡¯t know Gu?la that well yet, but she certainly seemed manipulative.But he wasn¡¯t too sure how much he trusted the Djinn lord either. ¡°I am curious, though,¡± he said casually, casting Scales of Justice with his hidden hand.¡°You know part of the reason Gu?la is so fixated on you is that she has some ¡®spider sense¡¯ that tingles whenever people are plotting something.It doesn¡¯t tell her what they¡¯re plotting, just they¡¯re doing something.We both know you aren¡¯t responsible for the sabotage, so I¡¯m curious what you¡¯re doing?Smuggling?Or maybe a bit of gambling?¡± he asked, with a tinge of hope in his voice. ¡°Is that all?¡±Nas?ru shrugged.¡°Me and my boys have been holding an unofficial piqru tournament on the weekends, that¡¯s all.But I assure you, we have nothing to do with the sabotage.¡± ¡°I figured it was something like that,¡± Jasper replied with a forced chuckle.Bidding the Djinn adieu, he turned away, the grin slipping from his face as soon as he was out of sight.Nas?ru had lied.Oh, he¡¯d told the truth about the piqru tournament, but he had lied when he said he had nothing to do with the sabotage.Damn it. He sighed, not looking forward to having to admit to the fiery captain that he¡¯d been wrong.But first, he needed to check in on his camp. With his pace hastened by the worry gnawing at his heart, it did not take long for Jasper to make it back to his tent.He passed the aftermath of two more fires along the way.One must have been dealt with rather quickly, for the damage had been restrained to no more than a dozen tents.The other, however, had been a calamity. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. It was tough to distinguish individual campsites in the charred ruins, but from the sheer size of the clearing, he guessed they must have numbered in the hundreds.Worse was the pile of badly burnt bodies that had been piled beside the road, many of them with features so marred that they were wholly unrecognizable.They really crossed a line this time.The fires up till now had been small, an annoyance brought about by petty politicking, but ultimately not that serious.This, however¡­he stared at the charred corpses with growing anger.This was unforgivable. As he crested the rise on which his men were camped, his heart beat wildly in his chest, afraid of what he might find.But to his relief, there were no signs of damage.That was not to say, however, that he did not have a delegation waiting to meet him.Ihra and Tsia sat outside his tent.Before them, kneeling in the muck and snow with his hands tied behind his back, was a Djinn.His clothes were torn and bloodied, with a giant hole ripped right through his shoulder where a patch of pink flesh hinted at a recent wound. Ihra¡¯s eyes widened as she took in his shabby condition, and she ran forward.¡°You were in one of these fires?That¡¯s where you were all night?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.Exhausted, but I¡¯m fine,¡± he reassured her.His mind caught on the rest of what she¡¯d said, and he frowned.¡°Where did you think I was all night?¡± Her cheeks colored.¡°I thought you were with her.Frankly, I was a little annoyed you didn¡¯t come around to check on us sooner, but you look like you walked through the void and back.Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Well, I was with her,¡± he admitted.She frowned, and he rushed to explain.¡°As it so happens, we¡¯ve been doing a little investigation into the sabotage.We were at a party last night thrown by one of the suspects and then - kaboom! - the whole place is ablaze.Spent the whole night putting it.¡± ¡°Are you hurt,¡± she asked again, checking him anxiously.¡°If those stories we¡¯ve heard were true, even those with fire immunity were hurt by the flames.¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯re definitely true.The fire ignores all immunity and is incredibly hard to quench, but I got through just fine.Can¡¯t say the same for everyone there, though.¡±His voice softened.¡°You should see the bodies, Ihra.Hundreds, maybe thousands died - and a truly awful death at that.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t,¡± she replied with a shudder.Brushing past her, Jasper approached the kneeling man.Standing above him, he could see that not just his hands, but even fingers were restrained, telling him the man must be a mage.He stared at the man in silence for a moment, struggling to repress the surge of rage he felt, and offered his two friends a crooked grin.¡°I take it you neutralized one of the saboteurs?¡± ¡°They had the misfortune of running into the two of us,¡± Ihra replied with a small smile.¡°But the princess and I cut ¡®em down quick.¡± ¡°Did you get anything out of him?¡± ¡°Oh, he talked,¡± Ihra confirmed.¡°Told us all kinds of stuff but who knows how much of it is true?¡± ¡°Does he know who¡¯s behind all this crap?¡± With a flick of her fingers, Tsia sent a small blade of wind slicing through the man¡¯s gag.¡°Maybe you should ask him yourself.You got that spell right?¡± Jasper bent down beside the man and forced him to meet his gaze.The Djinn¡¯s eyes were wide and bloodshot, and there was a faint tremor in his lip, but he had regained some sense of courage in the preceding hours.¡°Who are you, my lord?¡±He asked cautiously, his voice little more than a rasp. ¡°I¡¯m the one asking questions,¡± Jasper flatly denied him.His hands twisted with the Scales of Justice.¡°Who''s your leader?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the man shook his head tiredly.¡°There¡¯s a group of them. They call themselves the Lords of We?di?ni?nu, but I¡¯ve never seen their faces.We¡¯ve only met in the city a few times, and they always had every identifying feature covered in big blue cloaks and hoods.¡± ¡°We?di?ni?nu¡­¡± Jasper the word a moment.¡°That¡¯s not a name, is it?It means something like, ¡®ourselves alone.''So, they''re some sort of isolationist group, I¡¯m guessing?¡± The man nodded his head.¡°As far as I can tell, they¡¯re a group of nobles who are opposed to the king''s plan to send men to the empire.¡± ¡°As far as you can tell?¡± The man''s wording caught his attention.¡°Aren¡¯t you part of this group?¡± The mage shook his head as vigorously as his bindings would allow. ¡°No, my lord, I¡¯m just a mercenary. was supposed to be a simple job - just set a few small fires for a bit of gold.¡± Jasper¡¯s gaze hardened.¡°A few small fires?Have you seen the devastation those fires wrought?How many died?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that was going to happen,¡± the man protested.¡°We¡¯ve been setting fires for weeks and they''ve never been like this. They set us up!¡± As much as Jasper wanted to scoff, the spell told him the mage was telling the truth.I suppose it¡¯s easier to get people to commit large-scale treason if they don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing.¡°What about the fires,¡± he asked abruptly.¡°How have you been setting them? anything change this time?¡± Tsia was the one to answer, as she held up a red glass canister that glinted merrily in the sunlight like a Christmas tree bulb.¡°They were supposed to spread the contents of this on a tent, and then ignite it with the fire mage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the man affirmed glumly.¡°But the canister looks identical to what we were given before. How were we to guess it was different?¡± ¡°And there was no one else with you, no firebirds?¡± He probed, thinking of what Gu?la had said. ¡°If there were any firebirds following us, they kept themselves well hidden,¡± the mage replied honestly. ¡°Then they likely changed the accelerant,¡± Jasper concluded.¡°Good thing we got a sample.¡± Releasing the spell, Jasper stood up with a sigh and stretched his limbs.¡°Let me get cleaned up, and then I guess we¡¯ve got a firebird captain to track down.¡± Ihra¡¯s brow twitched, and he felt sorry for her.Poor girl must not have gotten any sleep last night either.¡°And maybe a short nap too,¡± he amended. A Higher Hand It quickly became clear to Jasper that his dreams of sleep were no more than the delusions of a pipe dream.His mind raced as he tossed and turned on his cot, unable to get the images of the previous night out of his head.Every time he closed his eyes, the flames roared again, with charred, distorted bodies dancing within the blazing tents.Giving up on the endeavor, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He half-expected to find Ihra and Tsia as wide awake as he was, but a quick trip to their tents disabused him of that notion.Ihra had curled up in her cot, fast asleep, while Tsia sat in a chair nearby.Her eyes too were closed in slumber, though it was clear she was intended to keep watch over the captive mage, who had been tightly bound to the central tentpole. The mage shrunk back as he peeked through the flaps, his eyes as wide and frightened as a panicked doe.Jasper ignored him, and leaving the two to their dreams, returned to his tent to wait.There was little point, he reckoned, in waking them up as Gu?la was likely to be occupied with the commanders¡¯ meeting for some time and he, apparently, had not merited an invitation. Jasper couldn¡¯t say he was surprised.He had little understanding of the organizational structure of the Djinn army, but he had yet to be contacted by any superiors aside from the standing orders to have his men perform their morning exercises and the patrols when their allotted time came. In truth, he questioned whether there was an organizational structure.Aside from the core of professional troops King S?ars?adn? had provided, the rest of the army seemed to have been both recruited and commanded by the various lords and clans, or in some cases, even cities or guilds.It was a haphazard collection of auxiliary forces whose loyalties lay first with their lords and only second with the kingdom.From what he gathered, even the troops under his command had received a good chunk of their equipment directly out of his uncle¡¯s pocket. That was not to say the quality of the warriors was bad - the Djinn were fierce warriors and the levees the lords had provided were not the untrained peasants of medieval myth - but they lacked the cohesiveness he expected of an army. He paced back and forth in the tent, too on edge after the events of the day to allow his body to gain the rest it needed.And then his pacing paused as he realized there was a more profitable use of his time.It has been a while. Truthfully, he needed someone to watch over him, but with Ihra and Tsia asleep, he decided to settle for simply closing the tent flaps.Then he sat down on the ground and, crossing his legs, he began to meditate.I am the river that flows around all things.I am the rock around which all things flow. It was hard to get into the peaceful flow that meditation requires, but slowly the image of the gurgling stream broke through the walls of his mind and washed away all other thoughts.Carried by the waters, he rushed down the gentle slope of the mountain stream until he found himself in the void. ¡°Well, you certainly took your time.¡± Jasper opened his eyes to find Kas?dael looming over him.The goddess looked better than when he¡¯d last seen her.Her clothes were no longer bloodied and torn, and the wounds Yas?gah inflicted upon her had entirely healed up.He felt a touch of shame when noticing that, as he realized he hadn¡¯t bothered to check up on her at all.¡°Sorry about that,¡± he said with a sheepish grin.¡°I¡¯ve been kind of busy¡­¡±. The excuse sounded lame even to him, as he remembered the three weeks he¡¯d lazed about in Du?r-Yarha, but Kas?dael let him off the hook. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have,¡± she replied, with an unexpected graciousness.¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m afraid the rewards for your deeds can only be accepted within a certain time.¡±She shrugged her shoulders helplessly.¡°Sadly, that time has already passed.You likely have a few levels to claim, though.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡±Jasper¡¯s jaw dropped.¡°There¡¯s a time limit?You never told me anything like that.¡±He was kicking himself for delaying talking to Kas?dael when he noticed the slightest upturn of her lips.¡°You¡¯re pulling my leg, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°My hands are nowhere near your leg,¡± she responded primly, but the sparkle in her eye told him he¡¯d guessed right.¡°Thank heavens,¡± he sighed with relief. ¡°If you¡¯re so eager for your rewards, perhaps you should check in more frequently,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Maybe,¡± he admitted, ¡°but¡­you know.¡±He trailed off, not mentioning the obvious flaw in that plan; getting his heart ripped out was good enough reason to avoid her. Kas?dael frowned but didn¡¯t push back.Instead, she reached out her hand.¡°Well, do you want to see what you¡¯ve earned?¡± The screen popped as he grabbed her hand, and Jasper examined what he¡¯d gotten.
Jasper Welles Exp: 3278/35000 Health 4800 Spirit 4800 Essence 10000 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 125 Level up: x9 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 6 Level up: x30 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u
Stats Racial Traits Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 60 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 60 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 40 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 125 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II
Willpower 125 Locked Seraph Burst
Intuition 60 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Into the Valley of Death
He glanced impatiently over the levels he¡¯d received.There were fewer levels for his primary class than he¡¯d expected, but it was more than made up for by finally making progress in his secondary class.Maybe completing quests for Kas?dael should be more of a priority.With the secondary class - something none but those chosen by the gods had access to - he could grow more powerful than someone at an equivalent level. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Jasper decided to put off assigning his new stats until he saw what he¡¯d earned, just in case any skills offered him required stats he did not possess.Instead, he turned his attention to the waiting notifications.There were more than he was expecting, three of them this time, and he clicked on the first eagerly. ¡°Uh, Kas?dael?¡± Jasper¡¯s brow was furrowed in confusion as he glanced up at the goddess.¡°Why am I getting a reward for level 15?Shouldn¡¯t it be level 20?¡± ¡°Secondary classes level a little differently than a primary class,¡± she explained.¡°Because they are generally more difficult to level, rewards are given 15 levels.Also, unlike a primary class, a secondary class can¡¯t evolve until it¡¯s reached at least level 120 - in the rare occasions that anyone actually manages to reach that level,¡± she added with a smile. Satisfied with her explanation, Jasper perused his choices.
Hand of Kas?dael: Level 15 Reward Please select one of the three following skills:
Hand of Glory - Summons a Hand of the Dead that may bind your foes in place for up to 30 seconds.Foes above your level are unlikely to be affected.Cost: 1000 Spirit
Consuming Fire - For five minutes, flames cast by the user will ignore fire immunities and resistances.Cost: 1000 Essence
Winnowing Flail - Strikes out with a spectral flail.If attack kills, receive 1/20 of your current health, essence, and soul per target. Cost: 500 Spirit.
Jasper considered the options for a moment.A few months earlier, he probably would have taken Consuming Fire without even a second thought.The tendency of high-leveled nobles to have fire immunity was aggravating as it negated a large portion of his abilities, but with his current situation, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was the still best option. Thanks to his Flame Charge, he already had one spell that could bypass their protections.Plus, now that he was about to leave the Djinn¡¯s homeland, he doubted he¡¯d be finding more Djinn.Are there any other races likely to have fire immunity?He wasn¡¯t sure, but, in any case, Consuming Fire no longer seemed like the slam dunk option. Instead, he hesitated between the two other choices.Hand of Glory seemed a bit similar to his Fiery Shackles, but unlike his current spell, Hand of Glory didn¡¯t seem to be limited to just three opponents.He figured there had to be some, unstated limit - there was no way the spell would let him paralyze in an entire army - but it seemed a bit more versatile and lasted longer.Overall, it was hard to go too wrong with a good crowd-control spell, especially when heading into a war.Yet, the cost of the spell - a little more than a fifth of his current spirit pool - was a bit of a problem, as was the fact that it didn¡¯t affect foes above his level.Will most of the combatants be a higher level than me?Judging from the average level of his troops, the answer was probably no, but he¡¯d be surprised if the commanders weren¡¯t equal or higher than him. The other choice was Winnowing Flail.There was no indication of how much damage the flail did, or how large it was, but the ¡°per target¡± in the description made him think that the flail was probably large enough to hit several at a time.One-twentieth of his current pool would only provide about 240 health and soul, and 500 essence, but it could add up quickly - especially if he managed to kill more than one or two enemies with a hit.I don¡¯t have much in the way of healing. Winnowing Flail seemed the most sensible choice, but Jasper found himself looking at Hand of Glory again.There was just something about the skill that appealed to him.If I can stop my enemies from reaching me, I don¡¯t need to heal.It was a weak excuse and he knew it, but he selected Hand of Glory nonetheless. The next box was also a reward for his secondary class, this time for reaching level 30.
Hand of Kas?dael: Level 30 Reward Please select one of the three following skills:
Visions of the Void - If your willpower is higher than the target, for five minutes the target will believe themself to be in the void.Cost: 2000 Spirit
To Tell the Truth - Can compel the truthful answer to a single question.This spell can be cast no more than five times on a single subject in the space of a year.Cost: entire pool of Spirit.Cannot be cast unless full.
Circle of Protection - Summons a circle that interrupts and protects from any mind-based attacks for 2 minutes.Cost 500 Essence.
Circle of Forgiveness -Summons a circle that will heal 20% of your health over 2 minutes.Cost 500 Essence.
Jasper couldn¡¯t help but be a little disappointed with the options this time.¡°Why are there no combat spells?¡± he asked Kas?dael. The goddess laughed.¡°This class is intended to help you be a more effective inquisitor for me, not the mightiest warrior in the land.Combat spells will only be offered every other reward, with more useful spells to choose from in between.¡± He supposed the spells weren¡¯t terrible; protection against mind magic and healing was never a bad thing.While the Fey charm had protected him admirably time and time again, the Circle of Protection seemed like it could be cast on other people as well.Would be nice to be able to help Ihra or Tsia if they get targeted. Circle of Forgiveness seemed similarly flexible, although the spell¡¯s lack of any combat utility almost made him wish he had chosen the Winnowing Flail after all.Still, both spells seemed decent enough. Jasper was less sure of what to make of the other spells.To Tell the Truth could be either quite powerful or frankly useless, depending on what question was asked, but he felt a bit uncomfortable with the whole idea.He could understand how useful it could be to be able to compel a truthful answer, but it also felt a bit distasteful.I suppose that¡¯s just part of the class, though. That only left Visions of the Void, which he fairly quickly dismissed.While disabling an opponent for five minutes could be useful, between the cost of half of his Spirit and the uncertainty of whether or not the target would have higher willpower than him, the skill seemed too much of a gamble to be worth it. In the end, he decided it would be foolhardy to pass up on a healing option for the second time.Circle of Forgiveness wasn¡¯t the sexiest choice, but if it saved his life - or Ihra¡¯s - it was a spell well worth choosing. Creation of a Goddess ¡°Momma!You¡¯re back!¡±The door flung open with a bang, slamming into the wall, and hurried feet scampered across the floor.The bed shook, and a second later, a pair of small arms wrapped around her neck, tearing Aphora out of the pleasant dreams she¡¯d been having. She wasn¡¯t ready to wake up.The trip she¡¯d undertaken for Ivan might have had a happy ending, but it had been a nightmare.If Aphora had her way, she would have slept for the next three days straight.But Qas?pa was already chattering endlessly in her ear.Suffocating a groan she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. ¡°-and she saved me from the monster, but Limmy was very angry with the Fey lady.¡± Aphora¡¯s brow crinkled.¡°I¡¯m sorry - what were you saying about a monster?¡± Undeterred, Qas?pa retold the story of her adventure with Tesha, and the creature in the ocean that had attacked her.Aphora kept her composure, but inside she sighed.Clearly, I need to have another talk with Tesha.She very nearly killed the child.The only good piece of news was that clearly the Fey leader had felt guilty at the last second and spared her, but it couldn¡¯t be allowed to happen again. Qas?pa, though, seemed more excited about her ability to interact with the purple sea than her brush with death, and if anything, the person she was annoyed with was Mullu-Lim.¡°You¡¯ll make Limmy let me see her again, won¡¯t you,¡± she begged. ¡°Maybe later,¡± Aphora hedged.¡°But for now, I think you should listen to ¡®Limmy.¡¯¡±The girl¡¯s entreating plea turned into a pout but, somewhat to Aphora¡¯s surprise, the usually headstrong girl didn¡¯t argue.Maybe she understands the danger she was in better than she lets on. They had a leisurely breakfast together.After weeks on the road, Aphora was thoroughly tired of hard biscuits and dried meat, so she appreciated the spread the servants had prepared more than usual.It wasn¡¯t exactly a feast, but the fried eggs, boiled tubers, and generous flank of beef tasted divine.And then, much to Qas?pa¡¯s distress, the child was sent off to a school.It was a good two hours past when she should have gone, but¡­better late than never. But Aphora was unable to catch a break.No sooner had the girl reluctantly trudged off, then Torin and Mullu-Lim appeared at the dining hall¡¯s door.¡°Were you just waiting for her to leave?¡±Aphora asked as she waved them in. Mullu-Lim surveyed the remaining food and, helping himself to a generous portion, sat down upset her.¡°I thought it best to give her a little time with you.The poor thing¡¯s missed you terribly.¡± ¡°So it seems,¡± she admitted with a smile, but the smile quickly faded as she remembered the story the girl had told her.¡°What happened with Tesha?¡± The man shifted uncomfortably in his chair.¡°In the end, nothing.I had a long talk with her afterwards, though.¡± ¡°Was she trying to kill Qas?pa?¡± Aphora kept her tone steady, but anger burned in her gut. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he admitted after a moment of silence.¡°At least, not consciously.But she dislikes the child and that manifested in dangerous, reckless behavior.I forbid Qas?pa from working with her unless there¡¯s someone else there to keep a watch.¡± Aphora nodded in agreement.¡°Very well.I trust your judgment, Limmy.¡± ¡°Limmy?!¡±The man dropped his spoon with a clang.¡°Not you too, my lady.¡± She cracked a grin.¡°You don¡¯t like your new name?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t exactly garner respect,¡± he replied drily. Aphora laughed.¡°She means no harm.¡± ¡°I know, which is why I allow it, but I must draw the line with you, my lady.¡± With another laugh, Aphora turned to Torin.¡°And what about you?Are the preparations ready?¡± The elderly elf nodded solemnly.¡°Everything is in order, my lady.The temple needs only a few more days to be completed.I have assembled everything we need for the ceremony, save for the arm of the Sidhe.Was your trip successful?¡± ¡°It was awful,¡± she replied with a sigh.¡°The entire time I felt certain the Sidhe were watching me, waiting to pounce and kill me, and at the end it seems, I may not have been so wrong.A Sidhe was waiting for me by the gate to Arall?.¡± Concern pooled in his eyes, but Torin kept his calm.¡°It seems you survived, my lady, but how?I would not have thought you were strong enough to defeat a Sidhe on your own.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± she admitted candidly.¡°In fact, I didn¡¯t even really fight the Sidhe at all.That was where things got strange,¡± she added, tapping her hand on the table with a distracted look.¡°Another Sidhe saved me - the same one who offered me the mission in the first place.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Was he just upholding the contract?¡± Mullu-Lim asked. Aphora shook her head.¡°That¡¯s the thing - he wasn¡¯t.There was nothing in our agreement that stipulated he had to come to my aid.Indeed, if one can believe anything a Sidhe says, the whole reason he wanted me to take the mission was so that he could strike at an enemy without his involvement being suspected.Helping me risked all of that, although since everyone died, I suppose his involvement remained hidden.¡± ¡°What could he possibly want then?¡± Torin replied. Her cheeks colored slightly. ¡°He has been rather¡­amorous.¡± ¡°Surely you haven¡¯t accepted his advances?¡± He asked hesitantly. ¡°Well¡­¡± she trailed off, knowing the old elf wouldn¡¯t pleased by her reply.Torin had always been disappointed by Aphora¡¯s failure to settle down.Though he wasn¡¯t her father, the elf had raised her, and her long string of lovers, as well as the handful of bastard children, had always been a source of distress to him. Torin¡¯s lips thinned, interpreting her silence all too easily.¡°You can¡¯t trust a Sidhe,¡± he countered. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that,¡± she snapped, ¡°but this one is different.He seems to be on good terms with both Selene and Kas?dael, and while it is rare, it¡¯s not unheard for a Sidhe to make peace with our people.¡± ¡°What troubles me is that I can¡¯t figure out what he wants from us or,¡± she hesitated, ¡°maybe just from me.And yet,¡± Aphora sighed, ¡°our community is quite isolated from friends and allies.If this Sidhe is willing to help us, I can¡¯t afford to ignore him.¡±Her reasoning was sound, though Aphora knew, if she was being honest with herself, that she wouldn¡¯t have ignored him anyways.Even if she couldn¡¯t bring herself to fully trust him, there was something about the man that set her blood on fire with desire. Torin looked unsatisfied, but he let the matter drop.¡°I¡¯ll just have to trust your judgment, my lady.Now, for the temple, do you wish to proceed as soon as it is finished.¡± Happy for the change of topic, Aphora pondered his question for a minute before replying.¡°No, let¡¯s put it off for a few weeks.I want everything to be perfect.¡± The days passed quickly.Under Torin¡¯s oversight, the elves finished the last touches of the temple to Selene.Though it was nowhere near as large as the temples in Gis?-Izum, what it lacked in size, they had made up for in beauty. Set a short distance outside their small settlement, the temple occupied a squat bluff that overlooked the glowing lavender sea.Only the finest of marble and alabaster had been used in its construction, and its pure white surface reflected the sea¡¯s light with an almost ethereal glow.The temple rose three stories into the air, each one stepped by like a layered cake, and a long, steep staircase descended from the top all the way down to the sands of the narrow beach. The focal point, though, was the statue of Selene.It was here that their finest craftsmen had focused their efforts.Dripping in jewels, silver, and gold, the divine mother stood on a crescent boat.Great waves of purple, crafted from amethysts mined in the caves, surrounded the sea but Selene stayed serene, her hands clutching to her breast a newborn child with long ears and deep blue eyes. Aphora was particularly proud of the statue; drawing on her own encounters with the goddess, she¡¯d sketched the initial image herself, and the craftsmen had elevated it to a whole new level.It was breathtaking, and she could only hope that the goddess would find it a suitable offering. By the end of three weeks, the preparations were finally finished.The day started off with celebration.A hundred of Mullu-Lim¡¯s warriors gathered before the temple and, with naked blades, whirled and danced before the goddess to the beating of the drums.The people watched in silence, arrayed in rows around the temple¡¯s base, while the priests spread a feast before them. And then Aphora arrived.All fell silent as she, dressed in a simple linen tunic, ascended the great stairs.Torin and Mullu-Lim, as well as Tesha and a few representatives from amongst the Fey leaders, followed behind her, each one bringing an offering for the altar.When they reached the top, Aphora spread the ingredients of the ritual across the stone slab and, adding a sprinkle of her own blood, set them ablaze. As the flames took hold, a trio of priests came to join them, bearing three gifts for the goddess.Aphora took the delicate tunic offered and wrapped it around the statue¡¯s shoulders.She took the crown of flowers too and placed it upon Selene¡¯s head, bowing deeply before it.Lastly, she took the food and drink.Portions of each were lifted to the statue¡¯s mouth and then were added to the flames, who surged heavenward with unnatural strength. With each step of the ritual, a heavy presence grew, reassuring Aphora that Selene was watching.With trembling hands, she drew the arm of the Sidhe out of her bag of holding. She held it high above the flames as she began the final step of the ritual. It?li? ummi? s?a ammi?ni. Is?ri?ni u bullit?i? gatti?ka. ¡°Look down, O Mother of our People.Watch over us and enliven your form.¡± Dummuqi?ni ki? ni?nu immuru? s?aru?ri?ka qus?s?udu? "Grant us favor, that we might see your sacred light." Aphora spoke the words alone the first time she said them, but the priests and nobles joined the second repetition, and on the third, all the people joined her as, with one voice, elves and Fey alike beseeched Selene to heed their call. Dropping the arm into the flames, Aphora barely stepped back in time to avoid getting injured as a pillar of flames exploded from the altar, hiding the statue from view. The ground rumbled and she fought to stay on her feet as the earth bucked and swayed beneath them, but Aphora kept her eyes glued toward the dark and distant ceiling of the caverns, for there, a light began to glow. It was faint at first, as unremarkable as the twinkling of a solitary star.But as the earth continued to shake, the light expanded rapidly, swelling in size until a small orb of light hung above the city.Despite the lack of sun, its light shone with the gentle rays of the moon and as its rays fell on the statue, the trembling ceased and the pillar of fire fell silent.Aphora fell on her knees before Selene, gratitude swelling in her heart. As much as she had hoped that her people could form a safe colony in Arall?, Aphora had underestimated the effects of the realm¡¯s constant twilight.But now, with the goddess¡¯ light shining down on them, she knew they could make it work.The rest of the night passed in a haze.The feasting and dancing carried on to the next day, and Aphora, as the leader of her people, passed from one group to the next, never able to catch a break.But she didn¡¯t mind; all she could feel was relief.The eddekk? hadn¡¯t lied to her - they really could make this place a home. To Know Thyself With his first choices locked in, Jasper moved on to the third box. He was pretty sure this one would be his reward for helping slay Yas?gah, and yet he was almost hesitant to open it.He reckoned the reward for helping kill a demigod ought to be pretty good, but at the same time feared he had let his expectations spiral so high that anything offered would end up feeling disappointing. ¡°It¡¯s not going to open itself,¡± Kas?dael chided him. ¡°I know.Just psyching myself up for it - I¡¯ve got high hopes, you know,¡± he added with a rueful chuckle.¡°Any chance you know what I¡¯m going to get?¡± The veiled goddess shook her head.¡°The system was made by all of us, but it is not run by any of us.While long years of experience allow me to often guess what will be offered, this was far from a usual occurrence.¡±A look of distaste disfigured her countenance as she continued.¡°It¡¯s not often one has to put down a mad demigod.¡± Jasper nodded, and his fingers brushed the box.
Godslayer Against all odds, you were able to substantially contribute to the death of a being on the brink of true ascension.For this service to the gods, you have earned the title Nascent Divine. Nascent Divine: This title will grant two points to the completion of your Divine Path.Six points remain to fulfill the first step. As a further reward, please select 1 of the following 4 paths to power.
Wrath of the Dead - You will be given a choice between a single target or multi-target variant of this soul-fueled spell.Unlike other soul magics, this spell will neither require meditation nor come with the risk of any loss of control.The power of the spell scales solely on how much of your soul you sacrifice.
Divine Aegis - You will be granted the right to call upon a god or goddess of your choice to protect you and nearby companions from any danger, no matter how grave.This may only be used once.
Memory - Restore a stolen memory of your parents.
Blood of Zaginnu - Once per month, you will be able to unlock the true form of the Djinn for 10 minutes.Warning: once spell is completed, you may temporarily fall unconscious.
This time, Jasper wasn¡¯t disappointed with the selection.It only took a glance to tell he¡¯d been offered several powerful options, and the Nascent Divine title was a nice little bonus.He¡¯d almost forgotten about the quest Lady H?urbas?u had given him, but the title alone was enough to double the points he¡¯d accumulated thus far.And who knows?Maybe I¡¯ll run into some more nature deities when I¡¯m with the army.Pursuing a chance at becoming a demigod wasn¡¯t at the top of his to-do list right now, but he certainly wouldn¡¯t object to the chance. Dismissing the title, he turned his attention to the proffered rewards.Wrath of the Dead appealed to him immediately.Though it was a bit frustrating that the description didn¡¯t really tell what the spell did, the ability to scale up the strength of the spell by using your soul sounded powerful.Be like a tactical nuke in your back pocket. Divine Aegis was similarly appealing.The downside, of course, was that it could only be used once, but despite that it was essentially a get-out-of-jail-free card.He had no idea what to expect from the war he was heading into, but the power to escape a situation of certain death was certainly an appealing one. The third option, on the other hand, simply confused him.A memory of your parents.The plural ending of that word seemed to imply that it would grant him insight into who his father was.IT had certainly bothered Jasper when S?arra?bi? had helped him realize his childhood memories had been tampered with, but he wasn¡¯t really sure what made a memory a comparable reward to the others being offered.Probably skip that one. That left the fourth option, the Blood of Zaginnu.Like Wrath of the Dead, the description was frustratingly short on details.The true form of the Djinn?Jasper didn¡¯t have a clue what that referred to, though the reference to the Djinn¡¯s original homeward was intriguing.Was there something about their former sun, Nu?r, that made them different there than here?It might explain the Nu?r cultists. Curiosity alone was almost enough to tempt him into choosing it, plus it seemed obvious that the transformation would involve some degree of a power-up.The loss of consciousness was a decided downside though, and it was hard for him to judge whether Wrath of the Dead or Blood of Zaginnu would be more powerful. ¡°Can you tell me anything more about these?¡±He glanced up at Kas?dael hopefully.¡°Wrath, Blood, and Aegis all sound great, but I don¡¯t know how to pick the best one.¡± Kas?dael¡¯s long black hair tumbled over him as she bent down to read the screen.¡°You should avoid Wrath of the Dead,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°Really? That was actually the one I was leaning toward,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°but soul magic is as dangerous as it is powerful.Your soul is a limited resource - consume too much and you will die.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t my soul fairly powerful?¡± Jasper objected. ¡°Your soul is not as diminished as most in this dying realm,¡± she conceded.¡°If careful, you could likely use this skill for many years to come, but why take the risk?The others do not come with such grave consequences.¡± Though Jasper wasn¡¯t entirely swayed by her argument, he knew she had a point.¡°Okay, maybe it isn''t the slam dunk choice I thought it was. What about the other options?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°There is no downside to the Aegis, unless one considers it a problem that it can only be invoked once, although,¡± an amused smile crossed her lips, ¡°one can hardly expect a reward that summons a deity any time you feel like it.¡± ¡°And the Blood of Zaginnu?¡± ¡°That would be my second choice,¡± Kas?dael replied.¡°Being able to take the true form of the Djinn would vastly enhance your power, even if it is only for a few minutes.The loss of consciousness is a problem, of course, but as long you are careful to pay attention and seek safety before that time runs out, you should be fine.¡± ¡°Your second choice?So you prefer the Aegis then?¡± ¡°I did not say that.¡± ¡°¡®But you advised against the Wrath of the Dead¡­¡± he fell silent for a moment.¡°The memory?That¡¯s the one you suggest?Why?I mean,¡± he scratched his chin awkwardly, ¡°I admit I¡¯m curious to know more about the many secrets my parents seemed to have hidden from me, but I''m not curious enough to throw away the chance at a powerful skill.¡± ¡°The reward says to choose from 1 of 4 paths to power,¡± Kas?dael pointed out.¡°I do not know exactly what this memory will unlock for you, but the choice would not have been offered unless it was at least equivalent to the others.¡± The goddess was right.Jasper had kind of glossed over the words, but the description did promise that all four options would grant him power.But a memory?What can that do for me?¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked hesitantly. ¡°The decision is yours.Any of these options, even Wrath of the Dead, will serve you well.But if it were me, I would pick the third.To know thyself is a power of its own.¡± He read through the choices one last time.His heart desired Wrath of the Dead, but he¡¯d already made one luxury decision.What¡¯s the point of asking a goddess for advice if I¡¯m just going to ignore it?Discarding his hesitations, Jasper selected the Memory. A new prompt appeared:Would you like to start the memory now or distribute your stats first? If you choose to wait, simply ask your deity when you¡¯re ready to begin. Start now: Y/N He pushed N and the screen for his stats popped up again.With 39 levels gained between his two classes, Jasper had 117 points to assign, more than he¡¯d ever had before.Where to point them, though, was a difficult question.When he only really had essence to worry about, inspiration and willpower had been the obvious choices, but many of the spells in his new class relied on spirit instead, which lagged far behind his essence.Hand of Glory alone costs a 1000 essence to cast. After some debate, he decided endurance made the most sense to invest in, as it fed both his health and his spirit pools.He dumped 40 points in endurance, raising it to 100.Ten points went to vision; it wasn¡¯t exactly a priority for his class, but the number of times he¡¯d been utterly unable to see something Ihra could see with ease was a bit annoying. That left just 67 points.After some hesitation, he split 60 of them 4 ways, putting 15 in strength, inspiration, willpower, and intuition, and dumped the remaining seven in vision once again.Jasper didn¡¯t really consider himself the excitable type, but even he had a hard time suppressing the thrill of joy that tingled down his spine as he watched his health and spirit leap by nearly a third in a single fell swoop.I really should stop putting leveling off.
Jasper Welles Exp: 3278/35000 Health 7000 Spirit 7000 Essence 11200 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 134 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 36 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u Nascent Divine
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 75 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 100 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 57 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 140 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II Hand of Glory
Willpower 140 Locked Seraph Burst Circle of Forgiveness
Intuition 75 Heart Stopper (Undead)
Into the Valley of Death
After taking a moment to revel in his new gains, he closed the screen.Normally this would be the moment Kas?dael chose to plunge her fist straight through his chest, and his body tensed in anticipation, but he had business left unfinished.He still found Kas?dael watching him, with a small frown on her lips that he interpreted as a sign of concern. ¡°Are you ready to see your memory?¡±She asked, offering him her hand. Jasper ignored it.¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t know.This is my memory, right?Of me and my dad?¡±He laughed coarsely, ¡°I have no memory of him.Zilch.If you asked me, I would have said I¡¯ve never met him, that I¡¯ve never even heard his name.I mean, I knew my memories had been tampered with, but I guess, it¡¯s just hard to wrap my head around it.How much of what I know is a lie?How much of my past has been stolen from me?He shook his head in disbelief. Kas?dael¡¯s hand brushed against his face in an almost tender caress, though the electric-like sensation that flowed through his body told him it was no attempt at flirting.As the energy surged through his body, her eyes seemed almost to glow, and he found himself unable to look away until her hand withdrew.¡°I cannot tell you all that you are missing, but if it¡¯s any consolation,¡± she said, ¡°I do not believe much was hidden from you.The gaps I found are few and brief.It may well be that this is the only memory of your father you possessed.¡± ¡°So he was just a deadbeat,¡± Jasper said with a snort.¡°Not sure that¡¯s much better, but,¡± his voice softened, ¡°thanks for trying, Kas?dael.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡±She offered him her hand again.¡°But you cannot put this off forever.Take my hand, Jasper.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± he replied. Grabbing her hand, he offered a wry grin. "Let''s get this show on the road." An Unhappy Reunion Jasper came to in a body not his - or, perhaps, more accurately, in a body that had not been his in a very long time.He felt oddly claustrophobic as he raised the stubby little hand in front of him, clenching and unclenching the childlike fingers in wonder.This is more than just a memory. ¡°What are you doing?Eat your food, stupid.¡±His reverie was interrupted by his older brother¡¯s chiding.His chubby cheeks gathered in a scowl as he glanced up at his brother, but he winced as an elbow caught him in the side. ¡°Just ignore him,¡± a small voice whispered beside him.Jasper could barely believe his ears.Jenny?He felt stupid as soon as he thought it; why wouldn¡¯t she be there?Judging from the small size of his body, he doubted he was more than 5 or 6; it would be another ten years before she died. At that moment, it was all he could do to restrain himself from throwing his arms around her, but his time in Corsythia had taught him some semblance of restraint.Picking up his spoon, he mechanically lowered it into the bowl in front of him and scooped some food up. He nearly spat it out as the overly processed taste of lukewarm Spaghetti-O¡¯s filled his mouth.Jasper supposed he shouldn¡¯t have been surprised; his mother had never cooked if she could help it, and when she did - well, the Spaghetti-O¡¯s weren¡¯t so bad in comparison.Then again, I suppose most princesses don¡¯t learn how to cook.He chewed the squishy noodles a few times and reluctantly swallowed, taking a sip of the bright pink Kool-Aid sitting beside his bowl to wash it down. Plopping the spoon back in his bowl, Jasper toyed with his food, taking surreptitious glances at the table around him.His brother sat on the far side of the table, a large sandwich supplementing his bowl of slop.Jenny, as always, sat beside him.A place was set for his mother, though there was no sign of her, nor was there any place set for his youngest sibling, solidifying the timeline he had guessed at.I¡¯ve got to be 5. They were sitting in the kitchen of their old apartment. 2728 San Juan Boulevard.The cracked linoleum floor was as ugly as he remembered, a once white and blue tile pattern that age had turned as yellow as an old receipt.The cabinets were old and shoddy; the door at the end sagged half of its hinges, a casualty of his brother¡¯s over-exuberant yanking. Still, it wasn¡¯t all bad; there were homey touches too.The old Maytag was covered in their artwork, proudly displayed despite the lack of even an average talent, and an upturned flower pot with feathers sticking out of its ass and the printed-out face of a turkey plastered on its front occupied pride of place in the center of the table. The quiet of the table was disturbed as a sudden knocking echoed through the entry hall.Footsteps thudded down the narrow staircase, and his mother came into view.They may have been poor, but his mother had always been a stunning woman.The long black hair that rippled down her back and the slight tan of her skin gave her a vaguely Mediterranean appearance, though she¡¯d never talked about her past - that, at least, Jasper now understood.He was curious how that conversation would have gone.So, kids, I guess it''s time I tell you the truth about me.I am an alien princess from another world.A quick trip to the loony bin would have been all that talk would have gotten her. His mother paused at the door and carefully peaked through the peephole.Most of her body was obscured in the darkness of the hall, but a shaft of light from the kitchen illuminated the back of her head like a study in a chiaroscuro - and for a brief second, Jasper could almost swear he saw horns peaking above her hair, though when he blinked, they were gone. The pounding echoed through the hall again, and his mother glanced over her shoulder.¡°Mike, take Jasper and Jenny upstairs.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± he grunted, and the chair squeaked against the linoleum as Mike stood up.Jenny popped up quickly, but Jasper tarried, curious to see who was at the door.Could it be my father?That was why he was here, after all, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Move it,¡± Mike¡¯s hand caught him on the back of his head.Jasper¡¯s first impulse was to turn around and slug him, but the feeling of his tiny fists balling up brought him back to his senses.He might be a powerful mage now, but here, Mike was 9 and he was a pudgy 5-year-old.Reluctantly, he followed the others up the stairs as the pounding on the door continued. Without a second look at them, Mike headed toward his room and slammed the door behind him.Jenny also headed toward their room, but Jasper stayed behind, crouching behind the bannister.The banging finally ceased as his mother opened the door a few inches. ¡°What do you want?¡±Her voice was cold. ¡°You know what I want.¡±A hand wrapped around the edge of the door and pushed.For a moment, his mother strained to keep the door shut.Surprisingly, she seemed to hold her own, perhaps even gaining an inch back against the unknown man, until he spoke again.¡°Damn it, Jaz, I have a right to see them.They¡¯re my kids too.¡± She froze, and then her shoulders sagged as the fight seemed to go out of her.With a muttered sigh, she swung the door open. Jasper pressed his face tight against the railings as the man stepped into their little apartment.He had a mop of unruly hair, somewhere between a dishwater blonde and a true brunette.His features were a bit harsh, an aquiline nose with a slight crook and a scar on his left cheek, and Jasper¡¯s face scrunched up in concentration.He seems¡­.familiar?But where I do know him from? If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The man cast a critical glance around the shabby hall.¡°Quite the castle you got here, princess.¡± His mother¡¯s face tightened.¡°It¡¯s not like you pay child support.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who chose to leave.All you have to do is come back, and you''ll have everything you want and more.¡± ¡°You know I couldn¡¯t let them be born there,¡± she responded tersely. Something like sadness rippled across the man¡¯s features.¡°Why?Afraid they¡¯ll turn out like me?¡± She turned away without answering him and her eyes flickered up the stairs.Jasper tried to pull out of sight, but he wasn¡¯t quick enough.¡°Jasper!¡±He darted toward the room as she tromped up the stairs, but she reached him first.Hands wrapped around his waist as she scooped him up.¡°Now what have we talked about, Jasper?You know you were supposed to go to your room.¡± Truthfully, Jasper had no memory of what she was referring to, but he offered a half-hearted ¡®sorry.¡¯Her eyes narrowed.¡°Are you mocking me, young man?¡± She asked sternly, though the corners of her lips quirked slightly upward. He shook his head vigorously.¡°I was just curious,¡± he protested. She let him down on the floor and grabbed hold of his hand.¡°Jenny, you might as well come out too.I know you¡¯re listening at the door.¡± The rusty hinges of the door squealed and his sister stepped out.They followed their mother down the stairs where the man stood waiting. It was only when Jasper got close that it finally clicked why the man¡¯s features seemed so familiar.He¡¯s the guy in that dream - vision? - I had when the gall? touched me.Either that or his doppelg?nger. His chest was a sea of discordant emotions as he stared up at the man; curiosity, anger at being abandoned, hope for something more - a hope that was swiftly crushed as his father stared down at him for barely a second before shaking his head.¡°Weak.¡± Dismissing him in an instant, the man turned his attention to his sister.This time, his lips didn¡¯t curl up in disgust.Crouching down beside her, the man stretched a cautious hand out to her.¡°Hi Jenny, do you remember me?¡± His sister, who hadn¡¯t been listening at the stairs, could only shake her head, her angelic locks swinging vigorously back and forth. ¡°I¡¯m your dad.You¡¯ve gotten so big!¡±He patted the top of her head cautiously, almost like she was a dog. Jenny shied away from his touch and looked up at him with guarded suspicion.¡°I don¡¯t have a dad,¡± she responded. The man looked stricken as he glanced up at Jaz.¡°Really?You didn¡¯t even tell her about me?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± His mother shot back.¡°You¡¯re not a part of their life and you never will be.¡± Anger radiated off his body as he stood to face her.¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.This one,¡± he said, placing his hand on Jenny¡¯s shoulder, ¡°is talented.My people¡¯s blood runs strong in her.¡± ¡°Take your hand off my daughter,¡± his mother¡¯s voice was as frigid as the darkest day of winter, but the man ignored her. ¡°She¡¯s my daughter too.And she will come to me, sooner or later.And you know, Jaz, what later means.¡± ¡°Get out!¡± She hissed.When he didn¡¯t move, she shoved him away, pushing him toward the door.¡°Stay away from her, you hear?¡± ¡°It will happen,¡± the man reiterated.¡°But I will keep my distance for now - for a price.¡± She froze, her eyes brimming with the threat of further violence.¡°What do you want?¡± Jasper wanted to scream as the man put his mouth to her ear, whispering so softly that he couldn¡¯t make it out.Damn it - I want to know! She pulled away after a moment, her face an inscrutable mask.¡°I would have to be gone for nearly a year,¡± she replied.¡°I can¡¯t be gone that long.Who will look after the kids?¡± ¡°I can arrange for that.¡±She started to object, but he lifted his hand to cut her off.¡°Someone not tied to my family, okay?¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll keep away from her?¡± She demanded. The man smiled sadly.¡°She¡¯s going to come to me, Jaz.But yes, if you do this, I will leave her be until she comes seeking.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it.¡± The man walked back to Jenny and knelt beside her again.He cupped both hands above her head, hovering just above her long blonde locks.Jasper could swear he something glinting beneath the man¡¯s fingers, like the light of a thousand little stars, before the man stood up. ¡°Jasper too,¡± his mother prodded. ¡°Why bother?¡± the man replied with a frown.¡°None will come for him.¡± ¡°Jasper too,¡± she reiterated. Grumbling, the man knelt beside him and repeated whatever he had done to his sister.Jasper felt something invade his mind, a surge of energy that probed through his body, searching for something he could not identify.He didn¡¯t know what his father was doing, but he wasn¡¯t just a 5-year-old.Not this time. His essence stirred within him, deterring the power that searched through him, forcing it away from the small ball of something inside him that it sought.The man¡¯s frown deepened, and for the first time, he truly looked down at Jasper.¡°Just what are you doing,¡± he muttered. Jasper ignored him and focused on continuing to thwart the power. An unspoken battle persisted for a few seconds and then the energy dissipated.¡°It¡¯s done,¡± the man said as he stood up, not sparing a second glance at Jasper. ¡°Good.Then get the hell out of my house,¡± his mother snapped.The man didn''t comply immediately; instead, his gaze lingered on Jenny, a gaze filled with sorrow and longing. It was only when his mother angrily demanded again that he leave, that the man finally turned and walked out the door, but not before speaking to his mother one last time. "One way or another, Jaz, she''ll come to me."His mother slammed the deadbolt in place immediately and turned to look at them.¡°Are you alright, Jenny?¡±She asked quietly. His sister nodded her head slowly.¡°Okay, then why don¡¯t you go up to your room?I¡¯ll be up in a bit to read you a bedtime story, alright?¡± Jenny started up the stairs and Jasper turned to follow, but a firm hand gripped his arm.¡°Not you, Jasper.¡± ¡°Am I in trouble?¡± She stooped down beside him, and grabbing hold of his chubby cheeks, forced him to look deep into her eyes.¡°You remember what you just saw, don¡¯t you?¡± He shook his head unconvincingly, and a worried smile stole over her face.¡°Don¡¯t try to lie to me, child.I felt the essence move in you.¡± ¡°Essence?¡± he questioned, playing dumb. A hush fell between them as she stared into his eyes, with a gaze so intent she seemed determined to read his mind.¡°I see,¡± she said simply. Picking him up again, she started up the stairs.¡°How about we start with that bedtime story?And we won¡¯t talk about this again.Promise?¡± Sukkallu Jasper opened his eyes to find Kas?dael looming over him.¡°Well, what did you see?¡± He took a moment to collect his thoughts before answering, but the task proved beyond him.¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted.¡°We were back in our old apartment, the little one we had before Alex was born.I was about 5, I think.¡± ¡°We were all in the kitchen, just eating supper, when a man came to the door.¡± ¡°Your father?¡± ¡°I suppose so,¡± he replied with a frown.¡°Frankly, he didn¡¯t seem interested in me at all.Barely even glanced at me.My sister, on the other hand-¡± he trailed off suggestively. Kas?dael¡¯s brows gathered.¡°Are you referring to the one who died?Jenny, was it?¡± ¡°Yeah, Jenny.¡± His voice thickened as he said the name, and an unexpected feeling of grief surged up again.It had been so long since she had died, but seeing her again, even if was only a memory, had brought those feelings rushing back.¡°I¡¯m surprised you remembered.¡± ¡°Gods forget little,¡± she replied.¡°So your father was primarily interested in the same sister that died far too young.I wonder if there¡¯s a connection there,¡± she added idly.¡°What else did you learn?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± Jasper ran his fingers through his hair with a deep sigh.¡°The whole conversation between my mom and him was frustratingly vague.hey were obviously trying to keep us from understanding what they were arguing about which, I get - arguing in front of the kids isn''t great - but it made it so damn hard to follow.¡± ¡°From what I gathered, my mom left him because there was something about his family she didn¡¯t like.Or maybe it was the place he lived; she said something about not allowing us to be born there.¡± ¡°Most of the conversation was about Jenny, though.y sister was gifted with whatever power he possessed, and my mom was desperate to keep him away from her.I, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t gifted, and he didn¡¯t seem to give a crap about me,¡± he added with a touch of bitterness. ¡°You seem to favor your mother''s race in appearance and magic.Perhaps your sister was the opposite,¡± Kas?dael hypothesized. ¡°Maybe.oth times he saw me, he seemed pretty disinterested and just called me weak.¡± ¡°Both times? Was there more than one memory?¡± ¡°No¡­you remember what happened when the gall? touched me?He was the same man I saw in that vision.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kas?dael asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°Pretty sure.Why?¡± ¡°It is not unheard of for talented mages in schools of divination or illusion to be able to appear in others'' dreams, but to accomplish this from another world requires an altogether different echelon of skill.¡± ¡°I mean, given the way he dismissed me for being ¡®weak,¡¯ I¡¯m not exactly surprised he¡¯s powerful, but really what good does knowing that do me?¡± Jasper griped.¡°I wish I had picked one of the spells.All this did was tell me my dad didn¡¯t give a damn about me, just Jenny.¡± ¡°The system would not have offered this choice to you unless it provided a worthy reward.Are you sure that¡¯s all you learned?¡± ¡°Well,¡± he leaned back in his chair, propping his head against the wall.¡°At the end, they made some kind of deal.My mom really didn¡¯t want him taking Jenny, and in order to get him to promise to leave her alone, she agreed to do something for him.Unfortunately, they whispered, so I don¡¯t know what it was, but I did overhear her say that it would take almost a year.I suppose that explains the year she was gone.¡± ¡°And that was it?¡± She prodded him. ¡°Not quite.After she agreed to do whatever for him, he did some voodoo crap with his hands over both of us.A protection spell, maybe?¡± ¡°It was strange, though,¡± he added with a frown.¡°When he tried to do whatever it was he was doing, this feeling of, like, crackling energy entered me.I was pretty mad at how he''d treated me, so I tried to fight it off with my essence. It felt like I succeeded, like I pushed it back out of me, but he didn¡¯t say anything to my mother, so I don''t know - maybe I didn''t. maybe he just didn''t give a damn.Like I said, the man barely even looked at me." Understanding blossomed across the goddess¡¯ face.¡°I see now what the system offered you.Come quick, take my hand,¡± she said, waving her arm in front of him impatiently. He wasn¡¯t sure what Kas?dael had deduced, but he grabbed her hand anyway and glanced at the screen.¡°What am I supposed to be seeing¡­Oh.¡±
Jasper Welles Exp: 3278/35000 Health 7000 Spirit 7000 Essence 11200 Heritage(s) Greater Djinn Sukkallu Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 134 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 36 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u Nascent Divine
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 75 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 100 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 57 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 140 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II Hand of Glory
Willpower 140 Unlocked Seraph Burst Circle of Forgiveness
Intuition 75 Locked Heart Stopper (Undead)
Locked Into the Valley of Death
His eyes fixed on the unfamiliar word that now sat below the Great Djinn.¡°Sukkallu?What the hell is that?¡±The question was mostly rhetorical, but he glanced up at Kas?dael with hopes that were quickly dashed as she shook her head. ¡°It''s not a race I''ve ever encountered,¡± the goddess replied, ¡°but I am familiar with the word.¡± ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°Before the Empire was united, the lands of Corsythia were divided into three smaller realms.Though divided, the three realms shared much in common culturally and had usually amiable relations.Sukkallu back then referred to a class of unlanded nobles, who often journeyed between the realms.They quite often held positions of great importance in the royal courts and were regularly appointed as diplomats but,¡± a trace of irritation flickered through her eyes, ¡°how that connects to a race called the Sukkallu, I cannot say.Still, I find it hard to believe that is mere coincidence.Perhaps,¡± she added, pointing to another box on the screen, ¡°this will tell you more.¡± Jasper followed where she was pointing, and his eyes widened.It had been so long since he last unlocked a new racial trait that he had practically stopped looking at them, but a new box now said unlocked.He clicked on it tentatively and waited for it to open.
Heritage Trait Unlocked
Deathmarked - when the great gods fell, the lords of the Sukkallu scattered through the three realms.Those who fled to Arall? themselves as lords among the dead and wield much power to this day.All who bear their blood have an inherent connection with the dead and are the only ones capable of opening the gates.As one marked by death, related spells will be greatly strengthened.
As always, the vagueness of the description was a bit annoying.¡°When the great gods fell?¡±What the hell does that mean?It told him little of who the Sukkallu were, aside from the fact that some of them had established themselves as ¡°lords among the dead.¡± ¡°I suppose that explains your affinity for ghost and specter-related spells,¡± Kas?dael commented, leaning over his shoulder to read the screen. ¡°I guess so.¡±He reread the description and mulled over the memory he¡¯d been shown.¡°Whatever my father did when I was 5 must have suppressed his side of my heritage, right?¡± ¡°It would seem so.¡± ¡°And now it isn¡¯t suppressed, which means,¡± he paused, thinking of the way he¡¯d fought back against his father¡¯s spell, ¡°I changed it, didn¡¯t I?That wasn¡¯t just a memory.I changed the past.Was I possessing myself?¡±A slight shudder ran down his spine, as the mere idea of possession was a disturbing one. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Kas?dael allowed after a moment¡¯s deliberation, ¡°But I¡¯m not so sure that¡¯s what happened.I think it more likely that the system showed you an advanced illusion,allowing you to have the freedom to act as you chose within the memory, while being the one to unseal whatever your father had done itself.But in either case, does it matter? It seems the damage was undone.¡±She smiled down at him.¡°Do you still regret choosing the ¡®memory?¡¯¡± He didn¡¯t respond immediately.The memory hadn¡¯t been quite what he had hoped for.Frankly, he¡¯d never spent much time thinking about his father growing up.With all of his siblings¡¯ fathers out of the picture, the absence had seemed almost normal. But just because he hadn¡¯t frequently thought about it didn¡¯t mean he hadn¡¯t ever, and it was hard not to feel disappointed by what he had seen.It was easy to fantasize about a parent who¡¯d welcomed him back, who had some good excuse for being gone all his life.Yet the memory had forced him to accept the fact that just wasn¡¯t true.He wasn¡¯t good enough for his dad.That was all there was to it, and it was a memory he could live without. Despite that, though, he had to admit that buffing all of his death-related spells was a pretty good reward, maybe even better than the spells he had wanted to choose.And while he wasn¡¯t too thrilled with what he¡¯d learned about his dad, a part of him hoped there was a silver lining there.Maybe there¡¯s more family out there waiting for me. ¡°I guess it was worth it,¡± he said slowly.¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t what I was hoping, maybe it¡¯s better to know the truth than keep deluding myself.¡± ¡°A wise sentiment,¡± the goddess agreed.¡°Knowledge is almost always worth having.¡± Jasper slowly let go of her hand and, closing his eyes, braced himself for what he knew was to follow, but the pain didn¡¯t come immediately. He cracked an eye open and stared up at her.¡°Something more you need?¡± ¡°Are you always this perceptive,¡± she asked with a wry smile.¡°But yes.I have another task I was hoping you would complete.This one is purely optional though.¡± ¡°Already?¡± He blurted out.¡°It¡¯s only been like a month.¡± ¡°Closer to three,¡± she countered, ¡°and, besides, was it not worth it?¡± ¡°Weelll,¡± Jasper stretched the word out.¡°The levels and spells are nice, but I almost died a bunch of times.¡± ¡°This should be an easier task,¡± she assured him. ¡°Alright, what is it?¡± ¡°When the army passes Du?r-S?innu, I¡¯d like you to take a detour.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kind of part of an army now.I¡¯m pretty sure I can¡¯t just go where I want,¡± Jasper objected. ¡°Not without permission,¡± Kas?dael agreed, ¡°But I believe that such can be arranged.I believe the quest I would have you take will directly aid the Empire¡¯s war efforts.Plus, the Djinn general is a pious man.If you show him the quest, he will likely agree to give you a few weeks of special leave.¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me exactly what you want,¡± he pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s a young dwarven prince currently making his way to the Sapi?yan capital.I want you to find him and rescue him before he gets assassinated.¡± Jasper raised a brow.¡°A dwarven prince? Aren¡¯t they kind of the enemy?¡± ¡°This one is in exile.In his heart, he fully intends to turn us, but when his father¡¯s assassins come for him, I suspect he¡¯ll change his tune.Save him, and not only will the empire gain a squad of warriors perfect for fighting the Zalancthians, but they will also gain access to his unique skill - the ability, imperfect though it is, to read minds.¡± ¡°Gross,¡± Jasper objected.¡°You want me to rescue a mind mage?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t manipulate others, he simply can skim - sometimes - what they¡¯re thinking.And his skills are something the empire sorely needs.There are many in Eligon¡¯s courts who wish to see him fail; this prince may make the difference between the campaign for the capital ending in success or failure.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s all there is to it?¡± Jasper asked cautiously.¡°I don¡¯t have to kill any demigods, fight any undead queens, nothing of that nature?¡± ¡°I told you it was a simple quest,¡± Kas?dael retorted.¡°Will you accept it?¡± ¡°Why not?¡±Jasper accepted the quest with a simple push of the button.Only then did her hand burst through his ribcage. The Merchants Villa ¡°Holy hell that hurts!¡±Jasper clutched his chest tightly, the phantom pains from Kas?dael¡¯s hand still tingling through his torso.¡°I¡¯m never going to get used to that,¡± he muttered to himself.Still, he knew it had been worth it.He could feel the difference within him, the new strength coiled in his tendons and the enhanced pool of essence just waiting for him to summon it.Yes, it was worth it. When the worst of the pain had dissipated, he lumbered to his feet.After the long night spent fighting the fires, he was in desperate need of a shower.His usually red skin was almost black from the layers of grime and soot that covered him, but unfortunately, tents were not equipped with such luxuries.He headed to the nearby creek instead where the water ran fast enough that, despite the cold temperatures, it remained free of ice.A chilling bath later, he returned to the tent and changed his clothes.Then he set off to find Ihra and Tsia. The two girls were right where he¡¯d left them and, judging from the matching pair of light snores that resonated through the tent, were still deep in slumber.He considered waking them briefly, but decided against it.Although he knew Ihra might be annoyed if he left them behind, there was really no need for all three of them to deliver the mage to Gu?la - and, frankly, he wasn¡¯t sure if the two girls, neither of whom were in the Djinn army, would even be allowed to enter the command center.Hell, he wasn¡¯t even convinced he was welcome there - it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d been invited. Despite being tied upright to a tent pole, the mage¡¯s head was also slumped in slumber, sheer exhaustion winning against the uncomfortableness of the situation.Jasper woke him up with a light shake of the shoulders, and the man¡¯s head snapped up.¡°Wh-what?¡±The temporary confusion of the waking mind dissipated as his eyes focused on Jasper.¡°You.¡± ¡°Yes, me,¡± Jasper agreed amiably.¡°Now if I take you to give testimony before the commanders, are you going to try to fight me?¡±His fingers moved as he asked the question, casting his truth spell, and the mage noticed. ¡°What¡¯s your level?¡± The mage asked bluntly, not immediately responding. ¡°Kind of personal information, don¡¯t you think?¡± He replied with a smirk.¡°But just a bit shy of 150,¡± he answered.It was technically the truth - though thanks to his second class, he was definitely underselling his abilities. ¡°You¡¯re having me on.¡±The mercenary¡¯s eyes narrowed suspiciously.¡°You don¡¯t even have a proper set of horns.¡± Jasper grabbed the man¡¯s arm and squeezed tightly, with all of his recently boosted strength. ¡°Shamsha¡¯s Rays, enough,¡± the mage snapped after only a moment.¡°You¡¯ve proved your point.¡±The man glared up at him as Jasper stepped back.¡°Either you¡¯re a complete idiot who dumped all his points in strength or you really are that many levels above of me.So, fine, I won¡¯t try to escape.¡± The spell told Jasper the mage was telling the truth, and he began to untie the man¡¯s knots. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to kill me, are you?¡±The mage asked abruptly. ¡°If you¡¯d known what you¡¯re doing, then, yeah, I wouldn¡¯t think twice about it,¡± he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders.¡°But¡­it was clear from our little interrogation that they played you for a fool, so no, I won¡¯t kill you.Can¡¯t speak for what the others might do, though.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll speak up for me?¡± ¡°And why would I do that?¡±Jasper asked with raised eyebrows.¡°You may not have known they¡¯d changed the accelerant, but you were still committing treason.¡± ¡°Treason?!¡± The mage¡¯s face paled.¡°It was just a bit of protest, an inconvenience to the army, nothing more,¡± he sputtered. Jasper shrugged again.¡°It¡¯s not me you need to convince.But I will tell them you didn¡¯t know about the accelerant, for what good that does.¡± The man¡¯s eyes darted to the wide-open flap of the tent and his muscles tensed.For a second, Jasper thought he was going to make a break for it, but then his shoulders sagged.¡°I hope it¡¯s enough,¡± he said dully. Keeping his hands bound, Jasper led him outside the tent where he mounted Dapplegrim.Tethering the rope to the horse¡¯s saddle, he set off for the commanders¡¯ camp.Dapplegrim, who hadn¡¯t had the chance to stretch her legs since the night before, took off at nearly a canter, forcing the mage to run along beside them. ¡°Do¡­you¡­really¡­have¡­to¡­go¡­so¡­fast,¡± the mage complained as he struggled to keep up on the pitted road. Truthfully, Jasper found the absurd sight rather amusing, but there was no need to add insult to injury.Suppressing a chuckle, he soothed Dapplegrim into a slower pace.¡°That better?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The Djinn just nodded, breathing too hard to speak. It took them nearly half an hour to reach the center of the camp.The king¡¯s forces had set up their base in a large villa outside the city walls.The home of a prominent farmer in the area, the villa was surrounded by a few hundred acres of carefully tended orchards, now out of season.The soldiers had been surprisingly respectful of the land, and though the farmer and his family had been forced out of their rooms until the troops departed, the trees had been left undamaged. He was stopped at the entrance to the villa by a small cadre of guards who manned a small log gate that barred the road.Jasper was about to explain who he was, when one of the guards greeted him preemptively, with a friendly wave of his hand.¡°What can I do for you, Commander Yas?peh?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Jasper stared at the Djinn in confusion.Nothing about him seemed familiar, but he had to admit, he didn¡¯t always pay as close of attention as he could.¡°I¡¯m sorry, have we met?¡± ¡°You are Commander Yas?peh of the 27th S?addanite Cohort, are you not?¡± ¡°I am,¡± he confirmed, ¡°but how do you know that?¡± The guard pointed at a sheet of paper pinned to the log barricade.¡°We have a list of all the commanders in the camp and their basic appearance.There¡¯s only five commanders from the Royal House, and you¡¯re the only one that¡¯s hor-¡± he caught himself, ¡°er, that matched the description, so it seemed a safe guess.Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°I see,¡± Jasper replied noncommittally, not commenting on the man¡¯s inadvertent insult.¡°Is Captain Gu?la here?¡±He tugged on the rope binding the mage and pulled him forward.¡°My party was fortunate enough to capture one of the saboteurs last night.I don¡¯t have an appointment, but I figured Command would be interested in interrogating them.¡± The Djinn whistled.¡°You got that right, Commander.I can¡¯t let you pass without official permission, but I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take long to get.¡±He nodded at one of the men standing beside him, a guard whose lack of a beard and stubby horns suggested he was still quite young, and the man took off, racing toward the distant villa. The guard hadn¡¯t lied.He¡¯d been waiting less than five minutes before the young man was headed back in their direction.¡°General Turzu said to send him on in.¡± Placing their shoulders against the walls, the guards shoved the gates of the barricade open, and ushered Jasper in.Even then, they still didn¡¯t let him wander the encampment freely; the young man trailed along beside him until he reached the entrance of the villa.Another set of guards waited there, but they were already expecting him.Entrusting Dapplegrim into their care, Jasper untied the mage from the saddle, and led him inside. From the outside, the villa bore a certain rustic charm.Constructed almost entirely of long planks of warodim wood, whose seams were bound together by thick white plaster, the white and lavender scheme of the building would have been charming even if a sumptuous garden and endless orchards hadn''t also surrounded it. Yet, its beauty came more the simplicity of its design and the nature around it than any architectural flourishes.Thus, Jasper was awestruck when he stepped inside the villa¡¯s forum.An intricate mosaic spread from one side of the room to the other, thousands of pieces of colored glass that reflected the lights of the candelabras like the stars of heaven.The walls were no less fancifully decorated, for every inch was covered in colorful frescos.Jasper wasn¡¯t quite sure what they were depicting, but it was obvious from the way the panels seemed to flow one into another that they told a story. ¡°Pretty impressive, isn¡¯t it,¡± one of the guards chuckled. ¡°This is way nicer than my own manor,¡± he admitted.¡°I thought this was just a merchant¡¯s house.How did they afford all this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy when you can make it yourself.¡±The answer came not from the guard but Gu?la, who stepped out into the hall.¡°One of the merchant¡¯s daughters is the artist.As you can see she¡¯s quite talented.¡± ¡°No kidding,¡± Jasper snorted.¡°This would be a major tourist attraction back home.¡± Her eyes narrowed at his mention of Earth, and Jasper hurried to cover his blunder.¡°But that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡±He pushed the mage forward.¡°I think this man may have some of the answers you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Let me guess, you work for the ¡®lords of we?di?ni?nu, right?¡± ¡°Or maybe you already have them,¡± Jasper quickly quipped.¡°Have you been holding out on me again?¡± ¡°No, nothing like that,¡± Gu?la said, shaking her head.She held the door open for them.¡°You better come on in.¡± The chamber off the hall was smaller than he¡¯d expected, though judging from the massive round table that dominated the middle of the room, he quickly guessed it to be the former dining hall.The center of the table was filled with one of the largest maps he¡¯d seen, while piles of documents rose around its edges like a mountain range. A dozen Djinn stood around the table, while another small group was clustered toward the back of the room, where Jasper spied two men bound to chairs.aked in blood and grime and their hands sported a number of fresh bloody stumps that told Jasper everything he needed to know about how the interrogators had gotten their information. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got prisoners of your own.¡±But did you have to torture them?He wanted to ask the question but bit his tongue.Other than Gu?la, he recognized no one in the room, and he doubted they¡¯d be receptive to a newcomer questioning their methods. ¡°The 7th wasn¡¯t able to stop them from setting the fires, but a few perceptive guards noticed these guys sneaking away.They¡¯ve been able to provide us with a bit of information, though Kas?u?d,¡± she nodded at one of the men standing above the bloodied prisoners, ¡°doesn¡¯t have as sensitive a truth-spelling as you do, so it¡¯s possible we¡¯ve been fed a bunch of half-truths.What did yours tell you?¡± She took notes as Jasper quickly filled in her on what the mage had said, mostly confirming what they already knew, but stopped dead when he mentioned the canister they¡¯d captured.¡°Wait, you have one of them?The prisoners mentioned using an accelerant, but there was nothing left-¡± she trailed as Jasper pulled the red glass canister out of his bag of holding.¡°General Turzu!¡± General Turzu Up till then, the commanders around the table hadn¡¯t spared him a second glance, but at Gu?la''s excited cry, one of the men turned around.Unlike Nas?ru, whose height had nearly rivaled that of the Seraphs, Turzu was not a physically imposing man.If anything, the general was a bit shorter than the average Djinn and his body leaned toward a thin, athletic build rather than bulky muscles that many of the warriors sported.His hair had greyed with age and, much to Jasper¡¯s surprise, his horns were also near ashen in color as well, though his skin still glowed a ruddy red that indicated he had reached a reasonably high level.Do their horns grey with age, or is it some sort of mutation? The general might not have been physically imposing, but Jasper got the distinct sense that it would be foolish to judge this book by its cover.The Djinn¡¯s face darkened with anger as he spied the red canister Gu?la was examining.¡°Is that what those bastards used?¡± he asked.Storming over to their table, Turzu came to a stop beside her, his nostrils flaring with rage. Gu?la seemed unperturbed as she answered.¡°Yes, sir - that¡¯s exactly what this appears to be.Commander Yas?peh¡¯s men were fortunate enough to stop the saboteurs before they could start the fire.¡± The general¡¯s eyes flicked over to him.¡°I see your men were vigilant.Good job, Commander.¡± Jasper accepted the praise half-heartedly, knowing it was more due to luck than any virtue on his part.If Tsia hadn¡¯t been crying, they probably wouldn¡¯t have ever seen the saboteurs.It was a chilling thought, especially when he considered the possibility that Ihra and Tsia might have died in the magically altered fire. If the general noted his ambivalence, he didn¡¯t comment on it.Instead, his eyes remained glued to the canister.¡°Has Sele?muq returned from his leave yet?¡± She shook her head.¡°No sir, he should have been back two days ago from his visit to Ya¡¯aqir, but I suspect the recent eruption of Har Aqullu has delayed him.¡± Turzu grimaced.¡°Yes, I had heard of that.They say the town was mostly spared but a large chunk of the northern route was destroyed.It likely forced him to detour to the south.What about Marh?asis?¡± Gu?la hesitated.¡°I don¡¯t know about bringing Marh?asis into the investigation, General.He¡¯s childhood friends with one of our suspects.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Turzu asked. ¡°Nas?ru.¡± ¡°Then I fail to see the problem,¡± Turzu dismissed her concerns.¡°I know you have your reasons for disliking the man, but surely he¡¯s been cleared after the events of last night.His own camp was one of those nearly destroyed.¡± Jasper had been content to watch in silence up till then, suspecting his input was neither wanted nor valued, but he knew he had to speak up - even if it didn¡¯t mean admitting Gu?la had been right.¡°Actually, sir, I think Nas?ru might be involved.¡± A thundercloud passed across the general''s face. ¡°Did I ask your opinion? I am aware of your¡­entanglement with Captain Gu?la, but that does not make you a member of my council.Now, as I was saying, send the canister to Marh?asis. Perhaps he can figure out how it works,¡± he added to Gu?la. Back on Earth, Jasper would have held his peace, bit his tongue, and let the resentment fester.But now, he was not so easily cowed.The general might be a bit more powerful than him, but he sure as hell was no match for Yas?gah. ¡°I''m sorry, sir, but that would be a mistake,¡± he interrupted the general.urzu didn¡¯t bother turning in his direction, the general''s fist blurred toward Jasper¡¯s face with an unerring aim. half-expected such a response and his hand intercepted the blow flawlessly.Strength strained against strength as the fist came to a stop two inches from his face, much to the general''s surprise. For a moment, the two locked eyes, and despite the obvious anger in the man''s face, he saw a smidge of begrudging respect. e released the general¡¯s hand immediately after, but his heart jumped into his throat as the metallic clank of swords sliding out of their scabbards filled the room.Gu?la stood frozen as the other soldiers in the tent advanced toward him, but the general waved them off with his other hand.¡°Relax,¡± he ordered them curtly. Turzu¡¯s visage was inscrutable as he turned to face Jasper.¡°You¡¯re quite a bit stronger than your file would indicate,¡± he observed. Jasper¡¯s blood was pumping so wildly he could practically hear it, but he managed to reply calmly. ¡°That¡¯s what killing a demigod does for you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Turzu raised an eyebrow.¡°That wasn¡¯t in your file either.Now tell, Commander Yas?peh, what was so important that you felt the need to interrupt me?It better be good,¡± he added with a slight growl. ¡°I was skeptical of Nas?ru¡¯s involvement myself - Gu?la can vouch for me,¡± he added, turning to the woman who bobbed her chin. ¡°It¡¯s true.He tried to convince me Nas?ru was innocent several times.I¡¯m curious what changed your mind.¡± ¡°After the General summoned you,¡± Jasper continued.¡°I had the chance to have a brief conversation with Nas?ru.With you out of the picture, Nas?ru proved willing to talk.Mostly, I think, because it gave him another opportunity to bash you,¡± he added with an apologetic glance at Gu?la. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Get to the point, commander,¡± Turzu growled. ¡°During the conversation, I told him that Gu?la was convinced he was guilty, but I thought he was innocent.¡± ¡°What?Why?!¡± she hissed themselves. Jasper raised his hands for silence.¡°You know, good cop-bad cop?¡± The blank stares told him all he needed to know, and he explained.¡°I figured if he thought I was on his side, he¡¯d let down his guard - and he did.I explained that Gu?la¡¯s skill told her he was plotting something, but that I figured it was probably something minor, like gambling, and he took the bait.¡± ¡°Nas?ru told me that¡¯s exactly what it was, just a gambling ring, and if he¡¯d stopped there, maybe he would¡¯ve tricked me.But he continued to say that he had nothing to do with the fires - and he was definitely lying.¡± The general¡¯s eyes narrowed.¡°How reliable is his truth spell,¡± he asked Gu?la. ¡°More sensitive than most.If he says Nas?ru was lying, I believe it.¡± ¡°Of course you do,¡± Turzu said with a grimace.¡°You¡¯ve been focused on him from the start. Still, if the commander is correct, perhaps it''s best to be cautious.Very well, I will not order you to turn the canister over to Marh?asis, but I do not want to be forced to wait until whenever Sele?muq returns.Who else has the skills needed to examine it?¡± ¡°Weelll,¡± she stretched the word out, ¡°you probably won¡¯t like this suggestion, but we could ask Sels?arrat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t,¡± Turzu responded drily.¡°Is there really no one better than that Moon-kissed to ask?¡± ¡°There are other mages who have some expertise in devices like this, sir, but almost all of them are from the southern tribes.The Moon-kissed have no such ties.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± the general sighed grumpily.¡°Take the canister to her, and take the commander with you.¡± ¡°Sir,¡± Gu?la objected, ¡°don¡¯t you want him to interrogate the other prisoners?His truth spell is more precise than Kas?u?d¡¯s-¡± She fell silent as Turzu''s expression visibly hardened.¡°Take the commander with you,¡± he repeated stiffly. Jasper wasn¡¯t keen to leave the captured mage in the general¡¯s hands.One look at the other prisoners gave him few doubts as to the fate the man could expect, yet he knew there was no point in refusing.He wasn¡¯t prepared to go to war with the entire army over a traitor. He followed Gu?la through the villa¡¯s opulent halls in silence, barely noticing this time the magnificent artwork.Retrieving Dapplegrim from the guards, he waited until Gu?la had saddled her tsuss?m and then the two departed.They didn¡¯t speak until they¡¯d left the barricade behind. ¡°Thank you.¡± That wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected her to say.¡°For what?¡± The firebird captain shifted uncomfortably in her saddle.¡°For speaking up.If you hadn¡¯t persisted, Turzu would have ordered me to hand over the canister to Marh?asis.And I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s in on it or not, but I¡¯d say there¡¯s a 50/50 chance the mage is the one who made the canister in the first place.¡± ¡°Is the General always that much of an ass?¡± Gu?la tried to hold back her chuckle and ended up emitting an awkward snort.¡°I wouldn¡¯t let him hear you call him that.¡± ¡°Or what?He¡¯ll try to slap me?Pretty sure that didn¡¯t work out how he imagined.¡± ¡°He must have been holding back,¡± she replied dismissively. Jasper had felt the strength of the blow and seriously doubted that, but he didn''t feel the need to argue. ¡°But he has been a bit on edge lately," she continued.Turzu is supposed to be in charge of the army, but it¡¯s a tough job in the best of times.The northern and southern tribes are barely speaking to each other at this point, plus, aside from the royal forces, the remainder of the army is recruited and provisioned by the nobles. Thus, they tend to view orders more as suggestions than commands.Even without the sabotage, it would be a difficult task, but now¡­¡± she shrugged.¡°Half the camp¡¯s in ruin and who do you think the fingers are pointing at?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still a dick,¡± Jasper repeated stubbornly.¡°Any chance he¡¯s in on it,¡± he changed the subject abruptly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Gu?la was not as quick to deny the possibility as he expected. ¡°So the thought crossed your mind,¡± he probed. ¡°Only because he¡¯s been so resistant to the idea Nas?ru might be guilty.But truthfully, I think it¡¯s because of me,¡± she said, hanging her head. ¡°Is he related to Nas?ru?¡± ¡°No, Turzu¡¯s no relation of Nas?ru.He¡¯s from Appara, so he doesn¡¯t really belong to the northern or the southern tribes - it¡¯s one of the reasons he was appointed.But he is a distant relative of the family I was originally betrothed to.For the most part, he¡¯s behaved professionally enough, but he¡¯s got it in his head that, when it comes to Nas?ru, I¡¯m just a woman scorned.He doesn¡¯t take me seriously." Jasper opened his mouth to criticize him, but the words fell unspoken.I guess I kind of thought the same thing, didn¡¯t I?¡°Well, I believe you now,¡± he offered lamely. Gu?la rolled her eyes.¡°Such great faith,¡± she replied drily.¡°But it¡¯s okay.I understand why people think that.¡± Feeling the weight of the awkward silence, Jasper changed the subject.¡°Turzu didn¡¯t seem to like the mage you recommended either.What¡¯s up with that?¡± ¡°Turzu is a very pious man,¡± she replied briefly. ¡°And that explains it why?¡± Jasper fished. Gu?la clucked her tongue.¡°I don¡¯t know they expected people to believe you grew up in court.Turzu is a fanatical devotee of Lord S?ams?a, and like many of the pious, he views the Moon-kissed as heretics.They chose, after all, to reject the favor offered them by S?ams?a and change their forms to follow Lady Selene.¡± ¡°Is that a common sentiment,¡± he questioned. ¡°These days, not so much.The Moon-kissed have been around for more than a thousand years at this point, and have developed close bonds with the North and the Royal Court.Even the southern tribes don¡¯t care any longer.You¡¯ll mostly only encounter it around Appara and Ya¡¯aqir, as their inhabitants are a bit more backward.¡± Their conversation was interrupted as they reached the start of the Moon-kissed encampments.Unlike the other nobles, whose camps sprawled one into the next like a single, overgrown suburb of Nu?r-S?ams?a, the Moon-kissed camps were set slightly apart - not just from the rest of the camp, but also from each other. They dotted the tops of a dozen small hills, whose forested tops had been chopped bare.The wood had been put to swift use, as the cleaned trunks were promptly reburied in the frozen soil to form a solid log palisade. Jasper whistled.¡°That¡¯s kind of impressive, honestly, but why? Are they expecting to be attacked?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Gu?la agreed. He glanced over in surprise.¡°Are they really that hated?¡± ¡°Not by us,¡± she laughed.¡°By themselves.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he vaguely recalled what Ne?s?u had told them about Du?r-Yarha.he conflict between Houses really that dangerous?¡± ¡°It ebbs and flows, but the Houses have a well-earned, deeply inculcated cautiousness at this point.¡± ¡°Better safe than sorry,¡± he quipped. ¡°Something like that," she agreed. Empty Flasks and Purple Masks The meeting with Amr? had gone as well as could be expected. After searching S?ams?a?du?r¡¯s ragtag fleet, the imperial commander had agreed to allow them to continue down the river. An escort tagged along with them, five well-stocked imperial galleys there to make sure he proceeded to Sa?pi?ya as he had been directed, but for the most part, they left the durgu? alone, for which S?ams?a?du?r was grateful. The River had been a revelation. S?ams?a?du?r was a bit of an oddity for a dwarf, his love of sailing a love shared by few of his kind, but even he had never made it far enough south to reach the River. There were many rivers in his father¡¯s kingdom, three alone running through the heart of the capital of Bira?na?ti, so he¡¯d always found it strange - and perhaps a bit conceited - that the Corsyths referred to the river dividing their lands from the Gemlirs as the River, a name spoken almost with reference. That changed when he finally saw it. The River was almost unfathomably large, so wide that when sailing close to the middle, the land would be barely visible, no more than a tiny sliver on the far horizon on the brightest of days. Despite its size, the current raged so strong that the ships struggled to progress against it, and if it were not for the strength of the frigid northern winds, their journey might have been near impossible. As it was, the slower speeds at which they were forced to sail was perhaps a blessing, for the navigation of the River was exceedingly treacherous. The River¡¯s raging waters were filled with obstacles seen and unseen - razor-sharp rocks lurking just beneath the surface, thousands of tiny islands, and vicious whirlpools whose raging tempests were strong enough to drag a fully loaded galley to the unfathomed depths below. As much as it pained him to admit, S?ams?a?du?r ended up almost glad the Corsyths had insisted on accompanying them. The imperial vessels navigated the treacherous waters with confidence, leading the fleet back and forth across the wide waters of the River in a winding path that avoided the lurking dangers. Indeed, without their guidance, he questioned how many of his ships would have survived the trip. The sheer scale of the Empire was almost as impressive. Like most of the durgu? realms, Birana?ti¡¯s strength lay in the carefully preserved power of its mages, rather than the size of its territories or the mass of its population. Yet, even though sailing was far faster than journey by foot, after two weeks, S?ams?a?du?r¡¯s had only progressed halfway down the Hapi?yan coast, just one of the more than forty provinces in the Empire. While they passed only a handful of bustling cities, the sheer scope of the territory made him question whether his father¡¯s plans were a bit too ambitious - a creeping doubt that was only magnified when the province of Stryn - the only Corsythian province on the far side of the River, loomed on the left side. Unlike Hapi?ya, whose steep mountains and dense forests often continued right up to the edge of the River, the wide plains on the Stryn side boasted a booming population. From that point on, every night was spent - if they chose - in the safe harbor of a new city. I see now how the Empire has held off the Zalancthians for so long. It was late in the day when they reached the first of the great tributaries which merged with the River. The great Dayya?n River was fed by the many glaciers of the Sapi?yan. Its wide banks, only a bit smaller than the River itself, were prone to widespread flooding in the springtime melts that farmers had long since learned to tame, leading to a flourishing of the bounteous crops the northern edge of Sapi?ya was known for. It was there, too, that one of the great cities in Stryn called home. Seated at the joining of the Dayya?n and the River, Du?r-Sebe occupied a vast horn that jutted into the river. The city had long since surpassed its humble origins as the seventh fortress along the province¡¯s borders to become one of the greatest cities in the Empire. Indeed, all trade that passed along the River filtered through its bustling ports, bringing in the gold that funded the Lord of Stryn¡¯s ceaseless attempts to dominate its neighbors. Even S?ams?a?du?r had to admit he was impressed as they sailed into the heavily fortified harbor. The durgu prided themselves on their fearsome architecture, but the walls here were nearly as tall and thick as those of Bira?na?ti. The flat plains of Stryn afforded few hills on which to fortify, but that had not deterred the lords of Du?r-Sebe. Instead, a stepped fortress rose above the city nearly as high as if it sat on an acropolis, its size so monstrous that the Dwarven prince doubted it could be adequately guarded by fewer than 50,000 men. Yet, unlike the lands of Hapi?ya, the power of Stryn gave him no concern for his father¡¯s success. Stryn was ever rebellious; with their lips, they served the Empire, but in their hearts, Gemlir¡¯s teachings held sway. Stryn would send a token force and nothing more; indeed, they would likely use the opportunity to finally seize Sapi?ya for themselves. The lords of Stryn held no love for the durgu, but that mattered little for their actions would aid his father¡¯s plans. Thus, when their fleet docked in Du?r-Sebe¡¯s harbor, S?ams?a?du?r was ready to hit the town. In the bustling port, the disembarking durgu? barely drew any attention. The market swarmed with not just Corsyths, but Fey, Elves, Strythani, and, in surprisingly large numbers, Gemlirians. Until his exile, finding ways to slip free of his father¡¯s men had been a challenge S?ams?a?du?r had relished in, but the soldiers that had rallied to his cause were no replacement for the watchful eye of Bira?na?ti¡¯s guard. Eschewing fine garments, it was an easy task to slip into the crowd and, for a brief time, leave free of the neverending responsibilities of power. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. He wandered the docks for a while, keeping a careful eye on the traffic to and fro the nearest taverns. Their clientele told him everything he needed to know about them, and he soon was headed to the Old Man¡¯s Hand. The tavern was all he¡¯d expected, a midline pub whose offerings were expensive enough to keep the worst of the lower classes out while being far too cheap for the merchant lords to deign to be seen in it. One flagon of ale followed another and it was not long before the prince, a few coins lighter, headed up the stairs with a comely woman who was not too picky to refuse a durgu. When his vigor was spent, S?ams?a?du?r fell asleep, resting on the softest bed he¡¯d had since fleeing his father¡¯s courts. He wasn¡¯t allowed to slumber long, though; he¡¯d paid for his time with the woman, but not for a night in the tavern, and it wasn¡¯t long before the pub owner stormed up to the room to roust him out. Partially sobered up by now, S?ams?a?du?r decided to head back to the ship, before his men began to worry too much. As he staggered out the door, wiping away the sweat that had formed in the hot upper chambers of the tavern, the crisp night air felt like the healing breath of Selene herself. Placing a steadying hand on the tavern wall, he stared up into the night. The dock lay before him, hundreds of ships crammed along the banks of the vast River. In the darkness, its water stretched as far as the eye could see, and suspended in their midst hung the great silver circle of the moon. Though the Durgu? counted themselves as the children of S?ams?a, they held his Queen in reverence too, and S?ams?a?du?r bowed his head, muttering a brief prayer. It seemed the goddess was listening, for the wind picked up, and as it blew against his face, he found his mind clearing. Straightening up, he headed down the streets with a steady gait. If Du?r-Sebe suffered in one respect in comparison to his father¡¯s capital, it was in the darkness of their streets. Though Selene provided enough light to see, the dark streets of Du?r-Sebe proved more difficult to navigate than he¡¯d expected. The market that had hummed with the voices of ten thousand traders earlier that morn was all but abandoned when he stumbled upon it, with naught but a few travelers scurrying around its edges. S?ams?a?du?r paid no heed to them, his pace slow and relaxed as he headed toward the docks. It was only when he¡¯d nearly reached the far side of the great pavilion that he realized he¡¯d picked up some followers. He dismissed them at first as travelers like himself, headed back to the waiting ships after a night spent in the taverns, until it became clear that they were gaining on him with a speed quite unsuited to a casual stroll. That was when he finally turned to look at them. ¡°S?ams?a¡¯s Light,¡± he cursed. Though the young prince had never seen them in the flesh before, he recognized the uniform instantly. Their lamellar armor didn¡¯t gleam in the moonlight, for each scale was painted black as night. Each gripped a one-headed battle axe with a shaft near as long as a spear, but it was the masks they wore that gave their identity. Each one was unique, a grotesque face mirrored after its owner, but with giant fangs and an absurdly long tongue that hung down below their chins. In the darkness, the masks looked nearly as black as the armor, but S?ams?a?du?r knew they were in truth the deep blue of lapis. The assassins made no attempt at stealthiness. ¡°Ana Mu?t-La?¡¯is?.¡± They screamed the name of their dark goddess as they charged toward him, and the heads of their axes disappeared in a cloud of crimson. S?ams?a?du?r ran. His feet thudded against the wooden docks like the thunder of distant drums as he tried to buy himself the time to summon a spell. ¡°Ana Mu?t-La?¡¯is?.¡± He felt the wind touch his shoulders as an axe flew just inches from his flesh and his steps redoubled. I can¡¯t outrun them. Altering his path slightly, S?ams?a?dur bounced off the mooring pole and flung himself high into the air. His body twisted to face his pursuers as he released a spell that consumed nearly his essence. Isru?r. A handful of assassins froze in place immediately, their mind trapped in whatever twisted illusion the spell had conjured for them. But not all of them. With an angry roar, the nearest assailant hurled an axe blazing with the necrotic furor of Mu?t-La?¡¯is? toward him, but S?ams?a?dur had expected that. A swift cantrip altered his trajectory just enough to make the axe miss, and he waved cheekily goodbye to the assassin as he poured the last of his essence into a final spell a second before he plunged into the sordid harbor waters. Naps?aps?. Altered by the power of the spell, the water flowed in and out of his lungs as freely as air as S?ams?a?dur frantically swam toward the bottom of the mighty River. The turbid waters hid him from the assassins who, lacking the spell, dared not follow him, but S?ams?a?du?r was still in danger. Though the harbor provided some protection from the River¡¯s raging current, its waters were home to all manner of predatory beasts and in the night, were so black he could not see his hand in front of his face. Suspended below the dock, the prince could only hope to wait out his assailants, silently muttering prayers to the celestial twins. And one of them was listening. Despite the sordid waters, a bright ray of the moon pierced the depths of the river. A narrow thread of light unspooled before him and the prince followed it, trusting in the goddess¡¯ guidance, and praying that the things residing in darkness stayed far away from him. With fear propelling his every stroke, S?ams?a?du?r reached his ship in record time. Breaching the surface on the far side of the ship, the dwarven prince feared he''d have to clamber up the slimy sides of the vessel, until a gruff voice called out, and something slapped the water beside him. "Grab hold," the captain commanded. Seizing the offered rope, the prince was swiftly lifted up the side of the ship. Sailors were already bustling around the deck, preparing the vessel to leave as he clambered over the railing. "Saw what happened on the docks," the captain said. "And?" It seemed a simple question, but they both understood its significance. The assassins of Mu?t-La?''is? were legendary, both for their excellent track record and for the ungodly amounts of gold it allowed them to charge. If they were after him, there was only one conclusion the prince could reach - his father was far, far angrier than he had realized and his exile might well be permanent. Would the captain stand by him, or turn over to the men? But the captain''s expression didn''t change. "Where are we headed," he asked gruffly. The Missing Mage When she reached a fork in the path, Gu?la nudged her tsuss?m to the left. They followed along the bank of a small creek whose waters, though covered by a thin crust of ice, gurgled merrily beneath the surface. They passed one miniature fort after another, each one nearly identical save for the colorful pennants that hung from their walls decorated, not that he recognized their House banners. The Djinn didn''t turn aside, though, to any of the Moon-kissed hills forts. Instead, she left them all behind, until nothing remained before the unbroken expanse of wilderness save for a cluster of shabby-looking camps pitched by the edge of the forest. ¡°So why is this powerful mage out here in the boondocks, instead of one of those palisades?¡± He asked Gu?la. ¡°She¡¯s a powerful mage, but her house, the House of the Eighteenth Daughter, is only a minor one.¡± ¡°The eighteenth daughter?¡± Jasper rubbed his chin speculatively. ¡°I admit I don¡¯t remember how many daughters Damqa had - seven, eight? - but I¡¯m pretty sure it wasn¡¯t eighteen.¡± ¡°No, you remember correctly,¡± Gu?la confirmed. ¡°There are only fourteen major Houses in Du?r-Yarha - seven daughters, three sons, and three of Damqa¡¯s grandchildren. However, several minor houses also claim descent from Damqa. The House of the Eighteenth Daughter was founded by one of the grandchildren unfortunate enough to inherit a plot of land that was both unfertile and bereft of any valuable resources. They¡¯ve continued in obscurity ever since, though perhaps in their society being unimportant has perks of its own.¡± She left the thought unfinished, but Jasper grasped her meaning easily. Unlike the other Moon-kissed encampments, the camps of the minor houses hadn¡¯t been turned into miniature fortresses. ¡°They don''t have to worry about a dagger in the back?¡± he surmised. ¡°Precisely. For the most part, the minor houses are left out of the larger house''s deadly quarrels. They may not have much power, but at least they''re safe.¡± Angling her tsuss?m toward the nearest of the small camps, they reached their destination a few moments later. Unlike the large pennants hanging outside of the Moon-kissed forts, the little camp was marked by nothing more than a single triangular banner whose dark green background sported two deer with necks entwined. A small barricade had been set up at the entrance of the camp, but there were no guards on duty to stop them, and Gu?la brushed past it without pausing. Heading straight for one of the largest tents in camp, the firebird captain called out loudly as she approached. ¡°Sels?arrat? You in there? I have something I think you¡¯ll want to see?¡± Silence was their only greeting, and after a moment, Gu?la pulled the flap aside and poked her head in. ¡°Strange, there¡¯s no sign of her.¡± ¡°Are you looking for Sels?arrat?¡± Jasper spun around to face the man who had snuck up behind them. ¡°Yes, have you seen her around?¡± The Moon-kissed stood nearly as tall as him. His skin was as pale as the moon itself, and coupled with the long black hair and dark eyes, made him look almost like a vampire from some cheesy gothic movie, though the rueful grin he offered Jasper broke that illusion. ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have.¡± He inclined his head to the left in respect. ¡°I¡¯m Lord Attal?, commander of this little camp. May I ask why you are looking for my mage?¡± Gu?la pulled her head out of the tent and joined Jasper. ¡°I¡¯m Captain Gu?la of the firebirds, and this is Commander Yas?peh. I''m sure you saw the fires last night?" The man nodded his head, and she continued. "Commander Yas?peh''s men captured one of the saboteurs, and they carried a strange contraption we were hoping Sels?arrat could identify.¡± ¡°The fires did seem different than the ones before,¡± the man agreed. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know where Sels?arrat is right now, but I might be able to point you in the right direction. Follow me." Pivoting sharply on his heels, the Djinn marched them over to the only other decent-sized tent in the camp. The House of the Eighteenth Daughter''s lack of wealth was apparent in the scant furnishings decorating Attal?¡¯s abode: a bed, a desk, and a small washbasin composed the whole sum of his possessions, and he flashed an apologetic smile as he led them over to the desk where a small map was sprawled. "I''m afraid I have no seats to offer you." Gu?la waved his concerns away, and the man turned to the map. ¡°Food prices have risen so high in the city, we¡¯ve been forced to trade with some of the local villages,¡± Attal? explained, pointing to one of the markers on the map. ¡°H?engal has been the most productive. It¡¯s a bit further than we¡¯d like, about fifteen miles away, but has plenty of cheap grain.¡± ¡°What does this have to do with Sels?arrat,¡± Gu?la interrupted him. ¡°I was getting to that,¡± Attal? replied. ¡°On one of our recent trading trips, some of our men overheard the locals talking about a nearby crypt that a local boy had fallen into. They were able to rescue the lad but were too scared to venture deeper within.¡± Turning away from the table, Attal? sat down on the edge of the bed and heaved a deep sigh. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s where Sels?arrat has gone.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you where she was going?¡± Gu?la questioned. ¡°No, but I¡¯m fairly certain that must have been her destination.¡± Attal? gestured at the small tent with a wry grin. ¡°As you can see, Commander Yas?peh, my house has more dignity than wealth. Sels?arrat is my younger cousin, and she knows we lack the money to offer a proper dowry for her. I imagine when she heard of the crypt, she saw an opportunity to supplement her coffers.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone after her yourself?¡± Jasper cut in. The Moon-kissed shrugged. ¡°Sels?arrat may not be the heir of my House, but she is the strongest mage we have, at least in the younger generation. She is used to doing what she wants, but it would still be a problem if I gave her a direct order and she refused to obey. I don¡¯t want to cause unnecessary division in my House so,¡± he shrugged helplessly, ¡°what can I do? It¡¯s best just to overlook her temporary absence.¡± Gu?la let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Shamsha¡¯s rays, nothing can go easy with this investigation. Very well, we¡¯ll go after her.¡± She glanced up at Jasper. ¡°You will come, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± he agreed, ¡°but if we¡¯re going to investigate a crypt, it might be better if we had a little backup.¡± The firebird captain chewed on her lip for a moment before nodding her head reluctantly. ¡°I suppose you''re right. But I¡­¡± she hesitated a moment, sparing a glance for Attal?, who was trying to pretend he wasn¡¯t listening in, and lowered her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone I can ask. While I still have the rank of ¡®captain,'' when I was assigned to this investigation, Turzu removed all of the troops under my command. Said that since I was on ''special duty,'' I couldn''t look after them properly. It¡¯s part of why I had to recruit you.¡± ¡°Well then, it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯ve got you covered,¡± Jasper replied with a grin. ¡°Attal?, can you spare one of your men for an hour? I¡¯d like to send a messenger back to my camp. Want to get a few reinforcements before we go look for your cousin.¡±
Attal? agreed readily, and the two were left to their own devices while they waited for reinforcements. Gu?la had certain suggestions of what to do with that time, but Jasper demurred, not quite sure how he felt about the fetching but manipulative Djinn. Thus, the wait proved more uncomfortable than expected as Gu?la sulked next to him, and he was quite relieved when he saw the white fur of Keresh flashing in the distance. It didn¡¯t look for Tsia and Ihra to reach the Moon-kissed camps, and the introductions were brief. Gu?la wasn¡¯t in a chatty mood, and Ihra and Tsia were less interested in her than they were in chiding Jasper for having left without them. ¡°You could have just woken us up, you know?¡± Ihra complained. ¡°I thought you could use the sleep - and besides you would have been welcome at the camp,¡± Jasper protested. Ihra seemed unconvinced, but Gu?la did come to his rescue. ¡°Yas?peh is right. Turzu only allowed him inside because of me, but I doubt that would¡¯ve extended to any guests.¡± The discussion turned to the general, and the stormy meeting between them, before finally returning to the goal at hand: Sels?arrat. ¡°So do we know anything about this crypt,¡± Tsia asked. Jasper could only shake his head. ¡°Attal? told us everything he knew, but it wasn¡¯t much. Apparently, it¡¯s a little more than a mile outside the village, but the villagers had no idea it existed until a child fell through the entrance. It¡¯s likely undisturbed but, as far as he knew, none of the villagers had dared to explore it.¡± ¡°So no idea if there¡¯s enemies, traps, anything?¡± Ihra probed. ¡°If the crypt is old, it¡¯s almost a guarantee there will be danger,¡± Gu?la responded for him. ¡°The northern lords used a wide variety of devices to guard their hoards, but none left them unprotected.¡± ¡°Do you think Sels?arrat is fine?¡± He asked her. The captain pondered the question for a moment before responding. ¡°I hope so, but S?arra was always too impetuous for her good.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you knew her,¡± Jasper replied quietly. ¡°Is she a friend?¡± The Djinn nodded sharply.¡°Something like that. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine, though,¡± she added, the tone of her voice was rather unconvincing. The ride to H?engal took longer than expected as, unlike the village they¡¯d encountered on the patrol, H?engal was far enough away from the city of Nu?r-S?ams?a that the royal highway didn¡¯t connect to it. Instead, they were forced to take a winding path through the woods whose boundaries clearly had not been tended during their winter snows. Fallen trees barred the way at various points and the thick forest made detours difficult. Fortunately, it was nothing a combination of Jasper¡¯s fire and Tsia¡¯s wind blades couldn¡¯t handle, but it slowed their journey enough that the threat of imminent night pressed down upon them when they finally neared the crypt. The entrance was hidden a few hundred years into a forest that bordered one of the fallow fields of a farmer outside H?engal. The brush was so thick they were forced to abandon their mountains and continue on foot. It was easy enough to find the entrance; the place where the boy had fallen through had continued to crumble, aided in part by the villagers¡¯ rescue efforts, and now a nearly twenty-foot-wide hole was opened. Ancient stairs were carved into the earth, too narrow and too deep to be easily navigated. They crept down carefully, clinging to the sides of the pit. At the bottom, the dimming sun was all but swallowed by the immense hole, with only a few shafts of light daring to brush against the crumbling wall that greeted them. The wall was clearly not natural, built of colossal blocks of a dusky pink stone Jasper couldn¡¯t identify. The facade was wholly unadorned save for the area around the entrance. The door to the crypt had been a solid wooden door, but the pieces lay shattered on the ground in front of them, a clear sign that Sels?arrat had passed that way, but Jasper had expected that. What caught his attention was the unusual shape of the frame; significantly wider at the base than at the top, the oddly trapezoidal door was decorated with a thick frieze that ran around its edges. Whatever had once adorned it was nearly worn to a stub, but when he crept closer, he was able to decipher a few of the images. Rather than Djinn, they seemed to depict humanoid beings with widespread wings that might have been Seraphs or perhaps Dore?sah. Gu?la noticed them too, and her face was troubled as she ran a gentle finger over the worn images. ¡°I don¡¯t think the villagers found one of our crypts. This is something much older.¡± ¡°More dangerous?¡± Jasper asked. The firebird captain shook her head. ¡°More unknown. I¡¯ve never been in a crypt except for my family¡¯s, which of course is still in use, but I¡¯ve at least heard the tales of how the Zaphonites used to protect their chambers. But if this was built by the dore?sah,¡± she tapped the image reluctantly, ¡°I have no idea what to expect. I didn¡¯t even know they built underground chambers.¡± She nodded at the shattered fragments of the door, which stretched into a hall cloaked in shadows. ¡°But it¡¯s clear Sels?arrat went in, so I guess we¡¯ll be finding out.¡± A Quick Descent Jasper was the first to step through the door.Not knowing what to expect, he¡¯d cast Bramble Crown first, allowing the thick crust of bark to cover his skin, and then prepped a cast of Shooting Star before crossing the threshold.It was nearly pitch black inside, and though his recent increase in vision allowed him to make out vague shapes in the darkness, it still made him uncomfortable.Holding his hand up like a torch, Jasper allowed a trickle of flames to run up his hand. The resulting light was nearly blinding, and he blinked rapidly as his eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change.Why is it so damn bright?When his eyes had suggested, Jasper could tell that the crypt was no simple cave.Though piles of dirt and debris filed portions of the crypt¡¯s entrance hall, he could still clearly tell that the entrance hall had been carved out of the rock into the same trapezoidal shape as the entrance, although the hall was slightly larger. The craftsmanship was far beyond anything he could have expected; three of the four sides were carved so smooth, so precise, that it was difficult to believe it could have been carved with any physical tools.Maybe they used mages?Or a mold of some sort? The fourth and smallest side was the ceiling and it was here that Jasper found the source of the blinding light.Hundreds of small, rough crystals were embedded into the narrow strip of ceiling.The pale orange color of the crystals resembled nothing he was familiar with, but the way they reflected and magnified the light of his flames was nothing short of magical. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace, it¡¯s as bright as day in here.¡±Stepping through the entrance, Ihra stared at the ceiling in wonder.¡°What is that?¡¯ ¡°That is keth?m, though I¡¯ve never seen so much of it in one place,¡± Gu?la answered as she joined them. Jasper waved his hand back and forth, marveling at how thoroughly it lit the chamber.¡°I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s pretty valuable?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Gu?la replied with a shrug.¡°Some nobles will use it as a decoration, but most aren¡¯t too fond of the color.¡± ¡°But this could revolutionize the lighting industry,¡± Jasper argued.¡°It''s like discovering the light bulb and refusing to use it.¡± ¡°I don''t know what a ''light bowl'' is but, like I said, this is the most keth?m I¡¯ve ever seen. The only known source of the crystal is in geodes, but they''re pretty rare.Besides,¡± the firebird captain brushed past him, her body lingering next to his perhaps a beat longer than was truly necessary, ¡°we¡¯re not here for keth?m.We need to find Sels?arrat as soon as possible.¡± For the first hundred feet, the trapezoidal corridor continued uninterrupted.Surprisingly, no halls or chambers branched off of it, nor, at least as far as Jasper could detect, was there even a gradual slope deeper into the bowels of the earth.That all changed, though, when they reached the rather abrupt ending of the hall. The walls and ceiling of the corridor disappeared as a vast, dark chasm opened around them.The floor continued slightly further, blossoming into a semicircular platform that jutted out into the heart of the ravine. With the light of his hand no longer being magnified by the strange crystals, it was hard to see through the eternal darkness of the underground realm, yet from what Jasper could tell the rift stretched at least two hundred feet in either direction; after that, the shadows were too thick for even his buffed eyesight to pierce. Below them, there was nothing but a pool of blackness that descended an immeasurable distance though, in the dim light that Jasper¡¯s flaming hand produced, he could detect hundreds, perhaps thousands, of trapezoidal entrances carved into the cliff face.There was no obvious way to reach them, but he supposed that if the place really was constructed by the dore?sah, then perhaps they had simply flown there.But what was this place?A tomb or a city? Glancing around the chasm, Jasper couldn¡¯t figure out where the mage they were chasing after could have gone.Unless she could fly, in which case, she could be anywhere.But then his eyes caught something glittering in the darkness opposite them.While the chasm was both long and deep, it seemed it wasn¡¯t nearly as wide.On the far side, perhaps a bit more than fifty away, he caught a flash of white that seemed to be a platform just like theirs.Maybe the hall continues over there? ¡°Do you see the platforms?¡±Ihra, whose eyes were far better than his, pointed confidently to the platform opposite them.¡°There¡¯s also another one below us,¡± she added, though, no matter how hard Jasper squinted into the inky depths, he could not spot it. ¡°The first one was obvious, but I doubt I would have seen the second,¡± Gu?la admitted.Bending down at the edge of the platform near where Ihra had pointed out the second platform, she seemed to search for something.¡°As far as I know, Sels?arrat can¡¯t fly.There are perhaps a few warriors who could make that jump, but I don¡¯t think she could, so she must have gone down¡­¡± She trailed off, running her hands along the platform¡¯s surface until she gave a triumphant cry.¡°Aha!There¡¯s a sticky residue here with strands of fiber caught in it.There¡¯s nothing here to tie a rope to, so she must have tried to glue it to the platform.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°But there¡¯s no rope there now,¡± Jasper pointed out.¡°Do you think it came loose while she was climbing down?¡± ¡°I think it''s likely," the Djinn admitted with a grimace. "There''s not enough residue here to have provided a good anchor, but the platform is a fairly straight shot down; she might have survived the fall. to hope she survived. get us down there, Yas?peh?¡± ¡°I can only cast Spectral Wings on two people at a time, so it will take two trips but, yeah, I can do it.¡±Reaching out his hands, Jasper touched Gu?la and Tsia on the shoulder.Their backs spasmed as twin pairs of spectral wings erupted from between their shoulder blades, flapping languidly in the darkness.Gu?la examined hers with a touch of doubt, waving her hand back and forth through the wings unobstructed.¡°This looks awesome, but are you sure they can hold me up?They¡¯re, uh, kind of insubstantial?¡± ¡°They totally shouldn''t work,¡± Jasper agreed, ¡°but somehow they do. I''ve used them many times,¡± and Ihra agreed. Whatever further confirmation Gu?la needed was provided when Tsia walked off the edge of the platform and hovered in mid-air.¡°You coming?¡± With Gu?la and Tsia gone, Jasper and Ihra had nothing to do until the ten minutes had passed and he could cast the spell again.Ihra plopped down on the edge of the platform, contently kicking her legs back and forth in the air, but Jasper kept well away from the edge.He wasn¡¯t afraid of heights per se - and having a flying spell had done wonders for his fear of falling - but he saw no point in testing fate. ¡°Soooo¡­that¡¯s her, huh?¡± ¡°Her who?¡± Jasper asked, though he knew perfectly well who Ihra was asking about. She rolled her eyes.¡°Gu?la.So are you, like, with her, or¡­¡± she trailed off awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Honestly,¡± Jasper sighed.¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in her head half the time.¡±He hadn¡¯t been speaking loudly, but he lowered his voice to nearly a whisper, not wanting to risk the firebird captain overhearing him.¡°I just have a hard time figuring out what¡¯s real with her and what¡¯s an act.¡± ¡°Do you like her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted candidly.¡°She¡¯s clever, and pretty, and manipulative as hell..But-¡± Whatever else he was about to say was cut off as Ihra bolted to her feet, clutching his arm so tightly that her fingernails dug into his flesh,blur of white exploded out of the darkness.Jasper barely had time to process a flash of pale wings and baleful eyes as Ihra leapt toward the tunnel, dragging him along with her, but it was already too late. The dore?sah¡¯s ghastly shriek disrupted her jump mid-air and tossed the two back onto the platform.Jasper stuck the landing well; rolling to his feet with the nimbleness of a cat, he immediately sprinted toward the relative shelter of the hall, but the dore?sah wailed again, much stronger than before.The two fell to the ground, pinned in place as the specter swept down on them.The force of the sonic scream was so powerful Jasper felt like his insides were turning to mush, but his body was made of sterner stuff than before.The ancient platform, on the other hand, was long past its expiration date.As it exploded into a shower of shards, the two were spent plummeting into the depths. The dore?sah was on them a moment later, and its taloned feet lashed out viciously at the falling pair.His brambled skin tanked the worst of the blow, but Jasper could hear Ihra cry out in pain.Snatching her hand, he cast the only spell he could think of.Seraph¡¯s Burst. He pulled her close as the spell surged him forward, twisting them in a tight spiral of metallic wings that slashed cruelly at the dore?sah¡¯s legs.With another screech, the dore?sah pulled back, but the spell only propelled them deeper into the darkness.He had no sense of direction left, but angling his body away from their current direction, he cast the spell again, praying it would take them toward the cliff face. They were closer than he¡¯d realized.Blinding pain blacked out his vision as he slammed head-first into the rock.He bounced off and his arms went limp as he plummeted downward.More pain followed as he landed back-first on a platform below them.Tossed in the air again, he might have gone over the edge if a pair of arms hadn¡¯t wrapped tight around him and flung him back to the platform. ¡°Got you,¡± Ihra muttered.A flash of white loomed above them, and he could feel his body scraping against the rock as Ihra dragged him toward a waiting tunnel.This time, she beat the bird there.A thunderous roar echoed behind them as the platform crumbled into dust, but she was already bolting down the hallway with him in tow. With an angry screech, the dore?sah tried to follow, but its wings hit the walls with a resounding crack.Undeterred, it poked its long head down the narrow passage.A beak filled with sharp teeth narrowly missed Ihra¡¯s back; the dry, sandpaper tongue that followed didn¡¯t. Like a prehensile tail, it curled around her waist and dragged her back to the dore?sah''s waiting maw.After the blow he¡¯d taken to the head, Jasper could barely form a coherent thought, but as her leg brushed against his hand, he instinctively grabbed on.His added weight only slowed the beast''s progress a little, but it was enough to allow him to finally fight back.Despite the ringing in his ears, he cast the only spell he could think of.Scourge of Despair. With a wild flick of his hand, the spectral whip sliced upward toward the tongue wrapped around Ihra¡¯s torso.It wasn¡¯t strong enough to slice through, but large drops of viscous, black blood rained down on his face, accompanied by the angry screams of his specters.The tongue suddenly retreated, dropping them on the ground like an unwanted toy, but the dore?sah could not flee fast enough as a swarm of specters descended upon them.His addled mind couldn¡¯t count them up, but Jasper could tell there were more than three of them this time. Painful sonic waves washed over them, plastering them to the ground as the creature sought to rid itself of its assailants, but they passed through the specters without harm.With shrieks and wails, they ripped and tore at its flesh, never ceasing in their fury until the great beast, in a blur of white, fell into the depths below. A Crypt Disturbed Jasper collapsed against the chamber¡¯s walls with a groan.His hand felt the back of his head gingerly and quickly recoiled at what he found - a mass of sticky softness intermixed with sharp shards he feared had broken off of his skull.Despite the wild pounding in his head, fuel-feared adrenaline helped him focus enough to cast the newest of his spells, Circle of Forgiveness. A wave of tingly energy spread in a wave through his body and out in a small circle around him, catching Ihra in its embrace as well.When it reached his head, he could feel a sharp stab of pain as something in his skull readjusted, but the throbbing pain in his head swiftly began to ebb.He cast it one more time to be safe and carefully checked the back.It was still wet and sticky, but the squishiness was gone. ¡°You alright?¡± He asked Ihra. ¡°More or less.¡±Supporting herself against the wall, Ihra pulled herself up and placed the weight on her left leg gingerly.She winced and quickly shifted her weight to the other leg.¡°That tingly sensation is some sort of new healing spell, I take it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess I didn¡¯t get the chance to tell you about it.¡±His fingers twisted as he cast the spell a third and after waiting a moment for it to take effect, Ihra tested her leg again. ¡°Much better,¡± she said, stomping down with satisfaction. He let a trickle of flames roll down his fingers, he blinked in pain as the world exploded into light again.¡°Guess this passageway has more of those keth?m crystals.¡± Now that it was lit, he could see the hallway was identical to the one above it, right down to the platform the dore?sah had destroyed before falling into the chasm.He crept cautiously up to the edge and stared out.Without the brilliant light provided by the crystals, the flames on his hand were only strong enough to illuminate a few dozen feet of darkness.He could see no sign of more dore?sah waiting to attack them, but then again, he had failed to perceive it the first time too.Damn darkness.What he did see was a white platform nestled against the cliff face perhaps fifty feet above their location. Is that where Tsia and Gu?la were? He glanced at the darkness, debating whether it was worth risking calling out for them, and decided against it.With my luck, I¡¯ll probably call down a whole swarm of the blasted beasts. Checking his essence, Jasper found enough time had expired that he could cast Spectral Wings again and waved Ihra over.¡°Do you want to check that platform out, see if they''re there?" he asked, pointing out the passage above them. ¡°And what if there''s more dore?sah? The hallway seems to head up; if we follow it, it might connect.¡± ¡°This way¡¯s faster,¡± he pointed out, ¡°and there¡¯s no guarantee it even connects.¡± ¡°And the dore?sah?¡± she repeated her concern. ¡°There could be monsters down those halls, too.Spectral Wings, we''ll be up there in a flash and we won''t have to worry about falling.¡± She cast a last, longing look at the passage behind her, but reluctantly agreed. "Fine, do it your way."He cast the spell in quick succession, and two darted into the air.Jasper kept a wary eye to the right as he hugged the cliff as closely as possible, but their flight remained unhindered, and as they reached the platform, a pair greeted them quietly but joyfully. ¡°Shamsha¡¯s light, I can¡¯t believe you survived that.¡±Grabbing his hand, Gu?la dragged him into the relative safety of the passage. "I thought for sure you''d fallen into the depths." ¡°I told her you¡¯d be fine,¡± Tsia commented.¡°Every time I think you¡¯ve died, you pop out alive and well.At this point, I won¡¯t believe it until you¡¯ve been dead and buried for a couple of days.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern,¡± Jasper responded wryly. Tsia grinned back unrepentantly until Ihra gave her a playful smack on the ear.¡°And what about me?Did I even merit a thought?¡± Ihra demanded. Leaving the two to bicker, Jasper turned to Gu?la.¡°Did you find any signs of our missing mage?¡± Gu?la pointed to the edge of the platform in response, where the pure white stone was splattered with a dark, rusty color.¡°I think the rope must have given way while she was climbing down but she lucked out.Hit the pavement hard, but she survived.¡±A sprinkling of blood led away from the edge to the entrance of the hallway, where it abruptly stopped.¡°Must have taken a potion,¡± she surmised. ¡°Did you explore further?¡± The ghost of a smile graced the captain¡¯s lips.¡°Tsia was more worried about you than she let on; she refused to keep moving until you returned.¡± ¡°And you agreed?¡±He questioned, surprised that Djinn had allowed herself to be thwarted in her mission. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°If you''d died, my only hope of getting back to the surface was her wind magic, so yeah, I wasn¡¯t going to argue.But now,¡± she faced the brilliantly lit passage with a hopeful smile, ¡°maybe we can salvage this mission after all." The corridor, though its walls were constructed in the same trapezoidal shape as the one above, had one noticeable difference: after the space of about fifty feet, it split off in three directions. The path directly ahead was easy enough to rule out, as it almost immediately dead-ended into a small chamber.Carved into a perfectly square room, the sole focus of the chamber was the giant stone triangle at its center. A heavy lid, cracked in two pieces, lay on the ground beside it, but it was impossible to tell from the entrance what was in the container.The party spread out as they searched the room, but Jasper headed straight for the triangle. Its purpose became clear when he saw its contents.The stone triangle was filled almost to the brim with a dark, amber liquid that, whether through age or by nature, was nearly solid to the touch. A body quite unlike anything he¡¯d seen floated in the liquid.Thin and rather short, the corpse had its arms crossed upon its chest like a mummy.In the dark liquid, he couldn¡¯t tell what color of skin the being had once possessed, but large portions of its body were covered in plumage and its hands, though quite similar to human hands, ended in long, curved claws. The feet were even stranger, more like a bird¡¯s than that of a man; the impression was only reinforced by the pair of white, feathered wings that were spread behind him, explaining the strange shape of the coffin.The dore?sah''s face was the closest thing to human, but with feathers in place of hair and the intensely sharp angle of its cheekbones, it still appeared wholly alien.This must be what the dore?sah looked like before they were cursed. He stared at the bird-like humanoid a moment longer, feeling an odd touch of pity for the thing.From the gaping wounds in its torso, it was clear the dore?sah¡¯s death had not been a peaceful one, and yet its kin had suffered an even worse fate. ¡°Sels?arrat was definitely here,¡± Gu?la interrupted his reverie. Aside from the triangular coffin, the room was stripped bare, but it was clear that was a recent development.Unlike the halls, which were almost miraculously spotless, a thin layer of dust covered the center of the floor and the broken lid of the sepulcher.Around the edges of the room, however, were patchy sections of floor that were almost dust-free, hinting that something had been removed. ¡°Does Sels?arrat have a bag of holding,¡± he asked. ¡°One of her most prized possessions,¡± the Djinn affirmed.¡°Whatever she found here must have been worth taking.¡± Abandoning the empty room, the four returned to the place where the halls had split.The path left sloped slightly downward, perhaps leading to the platform he and Ihra had fallen on.The path to the right, on the other hand, continued in a flat, straight line that ran parallel to the face of the cliff. ¡°Any guesses as to which way she went?¡± Gu?la and Tsia shook their heads, but Ihra pointed to the right. ¡°Did you find something,¡± the Djinn captain asked. ¡°I can see another chamber just beyond the reach of the kethu?m''s light.We should check there before heading down.¡± With no other leads, they progressed down the hall.Other than the solitary dore?sah that had attacked them, there had been no signs of other life in the forgotten crypt, but that changed when they stepped into the chamber. It was a near replica of the previous one, a single austere room whose only decoration was the oddly shaped coffin at its center.But this time the room was not as empty. The battered corpse of a dore?sah lay just inside the door.Its head lay beside it, severed with almost surgical precision, and one of its wings was nearly shorn through as well.It was a mystery how the beast had gotten there, for the dore?sah¡¯s wingspan was far too wide to fit in the narrow hallway, but it wasn¡¯t the only mystery in the room. While the rest of the party bent down to examine the fallen dore?sah, Jasper spied a smaller form crumbled against the chamber¡¯s far wall. Fearing it was the mage they were looking for, he hurried over to examine it, but the body was not that of a Moon-kissed. Instead, the odd hands and feet and the rumpled feathers were a match for the body of the pre-cursed dore?sah, although, unlike the previous body, it wore a beautifully woven tunic of green and red which, despite its vast age, was so perfectly preserved that Jasper could have believed it had been made yesterday. But the golden chunks of goo trapped within the feathers pointed to a different provenance, and a quick glance at the coffin, which sported a gaping hole in the amber liquid, confirmed what he had feared.hile it was still theoretically possible that the bird-man had risen in the distant past, its neatly severed head, cut with the same precision as the dore?sah¡¯s, suggested the deaths had occurred at the same time. ¡°Your friend isn¡¯t a necromancer of some sort, is she?¡± ¡°No, why?¡± Gu?la, who was still examining the slain dore?sah, glanced up with a wrinkled brow. He pointed to the now empty coffin.¡°Because this little birdie flew the coop.¡±The dead beast was quickly forgotten as the others clustered around the second corpse. ¡°This must be Sels?arrat¡¯s work too,¡± she mused.¡°I don¡¯t know all her spells, but I¡¯m quite certain she can¡¯t raise the dead.Like most Moon-kissed, her magic is primarily moon and healing-based.At least there¡¯s no sign that she was injured,¡± she concluded with obvious relief. ¡°That¡¯s nice and all, but I¡¯m a bit more concerned about the dead getting up and joining the fight,¡± Jasper replied dryly.¡°If your friend didn¡¯t raise it, then who did?Are more of them about to start leaping out of their coffins?¡± ¡°Maybe we should check the other room again,¡± Ihra blurted out. There was no further evidence of Sels?arrat in the room, so the group quickly returned to the original chamber.The amber liquid of the coffin remained undisturbed, and Jasper could detect no sign that the being within contained any life, but that wasn¡¯t enough to reassure him.Returning to the hall, the four were left with only one direction to go - further down into the crypt. But they had only traveled a few dozen feet down the corridor when signs of a fight emerged from the darkness.This time, the kills had not been made with calm precision.A half dozen of the small birdmen were scattered across the floor, many of their bodies sporting missing limbs, but it was the large pool of blood beneath them that caught their attention, a mixture of green and bright red. ¡°Great,¡± Jasper sighed, as he bent down to examine the scene.¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got more restless dead.There¡¯s no body here, so she must have survived, but it doesn¡¯t look like it was an easy victory.¡± The Way is Shut Their progress down the hall remained slow; aside from the evidence of the battle, they could find no indication of where the Moon-kissed mage had gone, so they were forced to check each of the burial chambers they passed, a task that had them all bit on edge.About half of the sarcophagi remained undisturbed, their inhabitant peacefully sleeping in the odd amber liquid, while the others had risen.There was no pattern that Jasper could detect, nothing about the bodies or the chambers that provided any clues as to why some had risen and not others, and as they left more and more chambers to fall into the darkness behind them, Jasper felt a rising touch of paranoia.What if the rest decided they¡¯re also tired of sleeping? The uncanny nature of the architecture only added to the group¡¯s sense of unease.The bright lights of the corridor, the oddly shaped and immaculately smooth walls and floors, and the rows of identical, unornamented burial chambers all seemed a bit odd.Where was the individuality?The creativity?If it were not for the fact that everything was carved from bedrock, Jasper could have easily convinced himself that he was walking through the bowels of a futuristic starship rather than long-forgotten ruins. With their pace slowed by the need to investigate every chamber, it took them an hour before they made it down the three hundred feet the hall stretched.As it turned out, Ihra had been right - when it reached the location of the broken platform, the corridor made a sharp left-hand turn, and after a short distance reconnected with the chasm outside, where a familiar broken platform and the corpse of a dore?sah awaited them. Unfortunately, that was also where the mage¡¯s trail went cold.There were no other passageways branching off for them to explore, and they had already searched every burial chamber they came across - save for a pair of unusual locked doors.Only two options for further progress remained - returning to the broken platform and searching for another one the mage could have conceivably reached, or finding a way to open the barred chamber. The door seemed the most likely place to check, so Jasper headed there first, leaving Ihra and her much better vision to scan the darkness of the chasm for other platforms.The barred chamber was the first sign of innovation - or at least of a unique design - he¡¯d seen in the crypt thus far. The usual trapezoidal shape of the hall had a circular hole incised ten feet into the pit.A giant circular door, carved from the same rock as the rest of the passage, barred the way.The door was nearly flush with the walls and ceiling, perhaps less than an eight of an inch, and there were no obvious mechanisms to open it.But the shape of the door was not its only oddity.Unlike the rest of the crypt, it was decorated by a series of pictures and a thin band of text that stretched along its entire circumference. He tried the obvious first, of course.Bracing his feet against the ground, Jasper put his shoulder against the door and pushed with all his strength, but it didn¡¯t even shudder.Pulling was simply out of the question; there were no handles on the door and the gap between the door and the rest of the corridor was nowhere near wide enough to insert his fingers and try to pry it open. That left the symbols and inscription on the door as his only clue.Unfortunately, as Jasper bent down to read the small figures, he realized the script, if that¡¯s what it was, was wholly unlike the alphabet the Djinn used.¡°Any of you know how to read, uh, Dore?sah, I¡¯m guessing?¡± ¡°Dore?sah?¡±Gu?la, who had gone with Ihra to check the broken platform for any sign of her friend, jogged over to look at the door.¡°As far as I know, the dore?sah never developed a writing system.They used a special type of magic to encrypt crystals with information, so they never had need. Before I awoke my firebird class, I was originally planning to be a maiden for S?ams?a.I spent several months in Ekalnu?r - S?ams?a¡¯s temple,¡± she explained, seeing Jasper¡¯s blank expression, ¡°working in the archives.They had an entire storeroom filled with the things.¡± ¡°Really?I thought the knowledge of dore?sah had practically fallen into myth.Is the temple just suppressing their records?¡± ¡°Why would you think that?¡± She asked in surprise.¡°If anything, the temple of S?ams?a has gone to a great deal of effort to preserve a bunch of useless relics.Unfortunately, we don¡¯t know how to activate them,¡± she admitted.¡°The priests have saved the crystals just in case any ever figures it out, but after a few thousand years, it seems pretty unlikely that¡¯s going to happen.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re that old, there might not be anything to decipher,¡± Jasper mused, thinking of how quickly the tapes and cds of his childhood had started to degrade.¡°So if this writing isn¡¯t dore?sah, what is it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t dore?sah,¡± Gu?la pointed out.¡°As far as I know, they didn¡¯t have a writing system, but, then again, as far as I knew they built all their settlements on the tops of mountains.Everything about this place makes me question what I know.¡± ¡°Maybe this place was founded by some sort of exiles?¡±Tsia asked, joining the conversation. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Gu?la nodded in agreement, ¡°The thought had occurred to me as well.Every society has a weirdo cult of its own, don¡¯t they?¡± But Jasper had a different theory.¡°What if this was built towards the end of the war?They¡¯re trying to hide from the Djinn, so they went underground - literally.They¡¯ve been exposed to a writing system, so they developed one of their own.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s just a bunch of tombs,¡± Gu?la objected.¡°This place seems more likely to have a religious significance than be a settlement.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve barely scratched the surface of this place,¡± he pointed out.¡°There could be an entire settlement down there in the darkness but, frankly, I¡¯m not convinced these are tombs at all.¡± Her eyes narrowed.¡°We¡¯ve found nothing but bodies in coffins.If that¡¯s not a tomb, what is it?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve found bodies in an unmarked container filled with an unknown substance,¡± Jasper pointed out exactly.¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re coffins.What if they weren¡¯t dead in the first place?What if the dore?sah, trying to escape the curse that was transforming them into the beasts they became, came up with a way to put themselves in some sort of, I don¡¯t know, stasis?¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying they aren¡¯t dead?¡± Gu?la asked skeptically. ¡°It would explain how Sels?arrat had a little run-in with our restless dead despite there being no signs of necromancy.They were just in stasis and she woke them up.¡± ¡°What about all the ones who remain in their coffin?¡± He shrugged.¡°Maybe it¡¯s been so long the stasis failed, or maybe whatever it is that¡¯s needed to wake them up just didn¡¯t get triggered - but it makes sense.¡± Ihra chose that moment to rejoin them.¡°Did you figure out how to get that door open yet?¡± ¡°Uh-¡° Jasper glanced at the circular obstacle still barring their way.¡°I may have gotten a little distracted,¡± he admitted sheepishly.¡°I was trying to convince Gu?la that this place may not be a crypt.¡± ¡°And the door?¡± she repeated. ¡°Well,¡± Jasper rubbed his hand over his chin, feeling the rough stubble chew at his flesh like sandpaper, as he examined the door.¡°I''d bet these symbols are somehow used to unlock the door.¡±He ran his fingers over the rough edges of one of the symbols and recoiled as a small electric shock jolted his entire arm. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s right.This thing¡¯s like a keypad, but there are way too many ¡®numbers¡¯ to guess the code.¡± He sighed exasperatedly, examining the text again.¡°If only we could read this. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a cipher, a name plaque, or a goddamned ad, but without some sort of clue, I don¡¯t see how we¡¯re going to get through this door.¡± Jasper glanced back to Gu?la.¡°Any chance your friend could have even gotten through this, or are we barking up the wrong trail?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she replied hesitantly.¡°Sels?arrat was always more of a scholar than I was, especially after I got pulled into the firebirds.I wouldn¡¯t rule it out.¡± ¡°And were there other platforms she could have reached?¡± he questioned Ihra. ¡°I don¡¯t know Gu?la¡¯s friend well enough to judge her capabilities,¡± she responded with a shrug.¡°There¡¯s another platform about 75 feet down and 20 or so to the right.Could she make that leap?¡± The Djinn shook her head.¡°Sels?arrat is the sort of mage who puts almost her points in willpower and inspiration - she wouldn¡¯t have the health to survive that fall.It¡¯s possible, though, that she could have used another rope, but any evidence of that was destroyed along with the platform.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s check it out,¡± Jasper cut in.¡°We¡¯re not getting through this door any time soon, so unless we¡¯re giving up on her, it¡¯s all we can do.Besides, who knows?Maybe that platform will connect back to this door from the other side.¡± Unable to come up with any better plan, Gu?la reluctantly agreed, although she continued to cast worried glances at the door.¡°I just know she got through there somehow¡­¡± she muttered to herself. Summoning his essence, Jasper cast Spectral Wings on Tsia and Gu?la again.They departed immediately, hugging the side of the cliff as they darted to the platform far below.Landing safely on the white semicircle, the two waved up at them and headed for the relative safety of the adjoining hall. That left Jasper and Ihra with ten minutes to kill, though, this time, there was no awkward conversation, as both were simply too tired and on edge from the ominous surroundings to risk it.Instead, as soon as Jasper could feel the spell dissolving, he cast it again. His heart raced as he flew into the chasm again, his mind conjuring the image of a mighty dore?sah lurking just beyond the edges of his vision like a great white shark hunting in the dark waters of the Pacific.But despite his worst fears, nothing came for them, and they landed on the platform without issue, though neither tarried long in the open ravine. Tsia and Gu?la were waiting for them just inside the entrance, and the four set off.As Jasper had expected, the hallway was in every respect identical to the others in the complex, and it was not long before they reached the first chamber. The thin stone slab that served as a door had glided open smoothly in the other chambers, but this one was more obstinate.The door jiggled as Jasper pressed it on, cracking open only a smidge before it caught on something unseen.He pressed harder, but the door refused to budge, and he turned to the others for help.¡°You think you can get this open, Ihra?I¡¯m guessing you have a higher strength stat than me.¡± ¡°Unless you¡¯ve been investing your stats like an idiot, I should,¡± she said, stepping forward with a smile.Placing her shoulder against the door, she dug her feet into the ground.It moved another inch before grinding to a halt. With a huff, she straightened back up and wiggled her shoulder.¡°Oof, that¡¯s really jammed.But I think I can get it with one more try.¡±Closing her eyes, she activated a skill - The Still Pond - and rammed her body against the door.The extra strength was enough to overcome the obstacle on the other side and the door swung open as a half dozen pieces of furniture crashed to the floor with a resounding boom.For a moment, they all froze in silence, staring at a chamber identical to the ones above save for the fact that it had not been pillaged. And then, a dull thud echoed from the coffin. Wake Up Service *thud* The first blow was soft enough that Jasper probably could have convinced himself it was nothing more than a flight fancy on his part. *THUD* The second broke that illusion. Used to working together, Jasper and Tsia stepped forward, spells pooling on their hands, while Ihra fell back and drew her bow, leaving Gu?la to awkwardly try to find a place in the formation. *THRWACK* The force of the last blow split the triangular lid of the coffin in two. With a final thud, the left side flipped end over end into the ground as a taloned fist stretched above the lip of the lid. Caked in slimy amber goo, the feathered hand shook violently, almost as if it had palsy, belying the strength it had just displayed, as it grabbed hold of the pod¡¯s edge. Tsia stepped forward, a wind-blade on the tip of her fingers, but Jasper held his hand up. ¡°Wait,¡± he hissed. He wasn¡¯t stupid; he knew the creature would likely attack them, but if his wild hypothesis was right, the being slowly waking up in front of them wasn¡¯t undead. It was a living creature that had been put into stasis, and that meant there was at least a chance it could be reasoned with; whatever ancient enmity had existed between the Djinn and the dore?sah wasn¡¯t something he shared. But Gu?la, who had moved to the far left side of their group, either didn¡¯t hear or didn¡¯t care. ¡°Flame Whip.¡± With a flick of her hand, the Djinn sent a long whip, glowing white-hot like molten metal, toward the creature. With surprising flexibility, the whip coiled around the outreached hand and she pulled. The dore?sah was yanked mostly free of the amber goo before the whip pulled free as the molten metal finished eating through its hand. With diplomacy no longer an option, the others struck simultaneously, sending a wind blade, Shooting Stars, and a pair of arrows arcing toward the dore?sah. But the beast had shaken off its torpor. The dore?sah moved with unnatural grace, its motions flowing one into the other with a consistent smoothness that allowed it to pirouette away from the attacks unharmed. Its taloned feet latched onto the chamber wall with a death grip and it paused for a fraction of a second. Flinging its feathered arms wide open and raising its head toward the ceiling, the creature emitted a wailing screech. Even in the chasm, it would have been a painful sonic blast, but amplified by the cramped quarters of the stone chamber, the sound was enough to cause physical damage, and as Jasper clasped his hand over his ears, he could feel the hot, sticky blood seeping out of them. The scream was cut off as an arrow slammed into its throat, and the beast turned its baleful glare on Ihra. In an instant, the feathers on its arms sprang erect, and then the beast launched itself forward - not towards Ihra, but rather at the Djinn. As it rocketed across the small chamber, dozens of feathers tore free from its arms and, suddenly glowing with a pale light, accelerated straight for the trio. With no time to prepare a true spell, Tsia exploded with a wild, uncontrolled gust of wind that not only flung many of the feathers aside, but also tossed Jasper and Ihra off their feet. Most of the glowing projectiles passed overhead, embedding themselves effortlessly in the smooth stone walls, but a few found their targets. Jasper bit down on a scream as three of the feathers burrowed into his leg and arm. It could have been worse - without the tough bark of the Brambled Crown, they likely would have cored through his body from front to back, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop them entirely. Blood flowed freely as he rolled to his feet and, ignoring the painful barbs digging into him, tried to cast a spell. As the beast reached Gu?la, a glowing red shield blossomed from her hands; like a bird hitting a window, the dore?sah bounced off it, but it was not so easily defeated. Recovering itself in an instant, it raked its claws across the glowing shield. The barrier held for a moment, though the claws tore a half dozen deep gouges into the shield, but it shattered when the dore?sah rammed its body against the barrier once again. As Gu?la was thrown backward, the dore?sah wrapped its claws around her torso and tried to lift her in the air. With a cry of rage, Tsia launched another blade of wind against the beast, so wide that it stretched from one side of the room to the other, but the dore?sah¡¯s unnatural grace saved it yet again. It flipped its body up and over the blade of wind, still dragging Gu?la in its talons - and let the Djinn take the full brunt of the spell. Gu?la¡¯s screams ended as the spell rent her body nearly in twain from head to toe, and the dore?sah let her fall to the floor with a victorious screech. As it swooped toward the remaining three, a burning arrow buried itself in the beast¡¯s chest, and a moment later, the fiery blade exploded into life, ravaging its body. Yet, even Ihra¡¯s Executioner¡¯s Arrow was not enough to bring the dore?sah down. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. A spell fizzled on Jasper¡¯s hand as the beast dove toward him, but he waited to release it. At the least moment, he twisted to the side, allowing the bird to shoot past him straight toward the wall, and a spectral whip flicked up from his wrist. Thanks to the bloodied wound Ihra had managed to deal the beast, there was no need to worry about whether or not the whip could draw blood - the second it came into contact with the dore?sah¡¯s exposed ribs, the chamber exploded with the sound of angry ghosts. This time, Jasper was able to see how many there were; seven swarmed out of the void, latching onto the wounded beast in a feeding frenzy. Not trusting the specters to be enough to finish the tough opponent, the three rained down blows of their own, not stopping until the beast was little more than a bloodied smear on the chamber floor. For a moment, Jasper stood over the beast, his chest heaving as he fought for air - and then he remembered the Djinn. ¡°Gu?la.¡± Spinning around, he staggered over to where the firebird captain had fallen. She was in bad shape; the wind blade had carved a ravine from her head all the way down her left leg, splitting the skin to the bone, many which of had also been broken. Her face was mangled, her left eye utterly destroyed and a large chunk of her cheek simply gone but, somehow, she was still breathing. Dropping down beside her, Jasper began to cast Circle of Forgiveness, but with her right hand, she grabbed hold of his wrist. ¡°No.¡± Tsia and Ihra dropped down beside him, the princess looking sick at the sight of the damage she had wrought, while Ihra more practically began to rummage through her bag. ¡°Help me set up a runic circle and we can save her,¡± she snapped. Gu?la shook her head again and pulled Jasper closer. She struggled to speak, her tongue flapping loosely in her ruined mouth. ¡°Need¡­more¡­damage,¡± she rasped out. More damage? You look like a goddamned ghoul. He stared at her in confusion, not understanding her request, and she repeated herself. ¡°Hit¡­me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± he snapped. ¡°I know it looks bad, but we can save you.¡± ¡°Hit¡­me,¡± she snarled. ¡°Will¡­help¡­heal.¡± Jasper hesitated a second, not sure if he entirely believed her. He knew the pain she was feeling must have been immense, and he wondered if she simply wanted him to put her out of her misery, but he also remembered her little girl. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what she¡¯s doing. Deciding to trust her word, he gave her a half-hearted blow. She groaned in pain but rasped out again. ¡°Harder¡­real¡­hit.¡± He struck more powerfully this time, and his stomach churned as he felt what remained of her jaw collapse beneath his fist, and then he yanked back his fist with a cry of pain. ¡°Ow! What the hell?¡± He slammed his fist repeatedly into the ground before quenching the white-hot flame that had attached itself to him. Only when he had succeeded in putting the fire out, did he notice what was happening to Gu?la. A white flame that resembled rather closely the strange fires of his own Flame Charge consumed her body. They were forced to step back as it billowed around her like an out-of-control bonfire, the flames reaching so high that at their zenith they lapped the top of the ceiling. It burned for perhaps a minute before it began dying down, slowly revealing her body. ¡°Next time, maybe do that quicker?¡± Jasper wasn¡¯t entirely surprised by the sight that greeted him. Though he certainly hadn¡¯t suspected that the firebird captain possessed such a powerful ability, once the fires had consumed her body, it had been an easy enough guess. Still, it was hard not to be a little shocked by the complete transformation that had transpired. The fire had done more than simply heal the damage; there were no signs of scars, all traces of the blood had been consumed, and her hair, strangely enough, seemed to have grown nearly a half foot. The blood wasn¡¯t the only thing that was gone - the fire seemed to have consumed her clothes leaving only her metal weapons and her bag of holding behind. He tried to avert his gaze, but he was not fast enough to avoid seeing her knowing smirk. ¡°Is that the famous Rebirth spell? I thought you had to reach level 200 hundred to get that spell,¡± Tsia gushed. Reaching into her bag, Gu?la pulled out a fresh set of clothes as she replied. ¡°Generally that¡¯s true, but I seem to break a lot of the rules of my class. I got offered the spell at level 100 and, of course, I took it without a second thought. It¡¯s saved me once or twice before, although, I must say,¡± she shot a wry glance at Tsia, ¡°this is the first time it¡¯s saved from an ally.¡± The princess blushed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I didn¡¯t mean to-¡± Gu?la raised a hand for her to stop. ¡°Look, we¡¯ve never fought as a party before and that can throw timing off, so no hard feelings. But,¡± she added, ¡°that¡¯s a special spell like Yas?peh¡¯s Hand of Judgement - a once-a-month sort of a deal, so let¡¯s try not to make a habit of it, okay?¡± Tsia blushed and tried once more to stammer out an apology, but her words were drowned out by a wailing scream right outside their door. The four of them froze, their eyes trained on the trapezoidal entrance, only barred by a thin, stone slab. A second scream promptly followed, this one a little quieter, and then a third, yet further away. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got another fight on our hands,¡± Jasper groaned. Grabbing hold of the three feathers still embedded in his body, he quickly yanked them out and followed up with a cast of Circle of Forgiveness to seal the wounds. The dore?sah outside the door screeched again, so loud that the door shook in its frame, and he glanced around the room. ¡°Anyone have any idea how Sels?arrat dealt with hers so easily?¡± ¡°They were smaller than the one we just fought. Probably a bit weaker,¡± Ihra pointed out. Jasper could only sigh; she was right - the dore?sah in the chamber above had been smaller. ¡°Guess we better pray these are the runt of the litter.¡± The stone door exploded in a shower of shards as the dore?sah wailed again. He only caught a fleeting glimpse of the beast as it hovered outside the entrance, but what he saw was enough - it was even bigger than the last one. Crap. Lady Nikla?ti Eligon prided himself on his horsemanship, but ten straight days in the saddle were enough to make any man weary.The nearly constant rains that had dogged their steps had likewise done little to help his mood.But now that they had finally reached their destination, the Zalancthian fort of Castel Flu?m - the obnoxious name the invaders had given to the ruins of the Corsythian town of Ka?r-Arh?u - the anticipation alone was enough to lift his spirits. Pausing at the crest of a hill, Eligon felt a sense of deja vu as turned to his right to ask Vayya?bi? for the details of their mission, only for the illusion to be promptly shattered by the new face that sat beside him.A pang pierced his heart as he remembered his friend¡¯s betrayal, but Eligon swept it aside and addressed his new aide with a measured tone. ¡°Lady Nikla?ti, have the scouts returned yet?¡± It had not been easy to find a replacement for Vayya?bi? and, truthfully, Eligon was still not convinced he had found one.When the position for the emperor¡¯s personal aide had opened up, dozens of noble families had pushed forward their heirs and scions.It was a position of trust and power, a position that would allow their family to whisper into the ear of the emperor himself, and that was exactly why Eligon was loathe to choose any of them. He¡¯d have much preferred to choose a commoner who had risen through the ranks of the Guard, a man who had no political agenda and no annoying family ties to concern himself with, but with the coming campaign to reclaim the capital, the emperor knew he couldn¡¯t afford to alienate the nobility.Even if the campaign was successful, their losses would be severe, and the durgu were just waiting to strike in their moment of weakness. Thus, he¡¯d toiled through an endless succession of meetings with the noble hopefuls.In some ways, the meetings had been a pleasant surprise.Few of the candidates offered him were the spoiled, pampered brats that had haunted his father¡¯s courts when he was lad.It seemed the loss of capital had sobered the nobility, and the majority of young hopefuls paraded in front of him were already hardened warriors.But the position required more than a steady sword hand and a strong class; a keen mind and a knack for tact was needed too, and those were skills far harder to judge in a brief period of time. Eventually, Eligon had been forced to settle for Nikla?ti.As the daughter of the commander of all of Celestia¡¯s western armies, he hoped the appointment would make the northern nobility more willing to throw their support behind him.With the agreement he¡¯d forged with the elves, the remaining heir of House Nu?rili? had lost his iron grip over the north, but that didn¡¯t mean the nobles had immediately flocked to his banners.Picking Nikla?ti was a peace offering, but it remained to be seen if it would be accepted. What he¡¯d failed to pick up on, however, was the depths of the young woman¡¯s ambitions.It had been several years since his wife had died in an ill-fated mission to the Fey, and Eligon, ever preoccupied with the war, had no attempt to fill her position.But his spies had intercepted letters to her father that indicated that Lady Nikla?ti fostered exactly such hopes in her heart.He would have dismissed her then and there, but he could not afford to tarnish the softening of relations with the North. He suppressed a sigh as he stared at her.Even now, as they stood on the precipice of battle, after days of travel through mud and rain, the young lady was immaculate.Her blonde hair, so pale it was nearly white, looked silky and smooth and not a speck of dirt could be fed on her armor.Shamsha¡¯s rays, I hope she doesn¡¯t muck this up. Seemingly unaware of his doubts, Nikla?ti ran down her report.¡°The stoneflesh camp is just ahead, my lord.Six of the seven scouts have returned and reported that the north, west, and south sides of the camp are heavily guarded, but the eastern side is relatively unprotected.The stoneflesh seem to be trusting in the river to protect them.¡± ¡°And the seventh?¡± ¡°Is late for reporting. It¡¯s possible he¡¯s been captured and the camp has been alerted to our presence.¡± Eligon stifled a curse.After Vayya?bi?¡¯s death, the mystery of the stone flesh¡¯s new potions had been forced to take a backseat for a time, but they had finally tracked down a camp not too far across the Agami?nian border that appeared to be producing them.There was still much they didn¡¯t understand about the potions, and he had hoped to catch them unawares. ¡°How late for reporting?¡± he asked harshly. ¡°Three hours.¡± The emperor reached his decision.¡°Then we must assume our cover is blown.If they know we are coming, attacking across the river will be a fool¡¯s errand, so we must wait for reinforcements.In the meantime, spread scouts in a circle around the encampment; we must catch any messengers they try to send.¡± ¡°My lord,¡± Nikla?ti cocked her head to the side, ¡°may I suggest a different tactic.¡± Eligon nearly brushed her comment aside, but he caught himself in time.Despite her dolled-up appearance, she had spent several years fighting durgu raids under her father¡¯s command.Unless her accomplishments were lies. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°What would you suggest?¡± The young woman clearly had not been expecting a positive response, for her face flushed with excitement.¡°If the stoneflesh know of our plans, can we not take advantage of that, my lord?If they think we are attacking from the river, let us reinforce that belief.¡± ¡°Detach a portion of our troops to ford the river during the night.I¡¯m certain the stoneflesh will have a watch set over the ford, and when they see our troops crossing, they will reassign their guards to the east.We can then feint an attack from that direction while the bulk of our troops swoop in from the west and pin them against the river.¡± He pondered her plan for a moment; in truth, the idea of a feint had already occurred to him, but Eligon had been inclined to wait for reinforcements.But Eligon knew that things were not always that simple - the Zalancthian''s response was hard to predict.With the civil war that was brewing between their two closest generals, there was no guarantee that aid would come swiftly to the camp.What if they decide to destroy their research and flee?The thought was enough to push him in the other direction; besides, it would grant him an opportunity to test his new aide. ¡°Very well, Nakla?ti, we will try your plan.And since it¡¯s your plan, why don¡¯t you take the lead?¡± Their fears were confirmed as the scout remained missing, and Nakla?ti¡¯s plan was put into action.Splitting off a fifth of their troops, she led them across the river in the dead of night, leaving Eligon behind with the rest. The fort itself was nothing impressive; squatting in the ruins of a former trading post, the stone walls that had once protected it had been breached on two sides when the stoneflesh initially took it, and the gaping holes had been repaired shoddily, with a mixture of brick and wood replacing the once sturdy stone. Still, reaching the fort was no easy task; the Zalancthians had cut the forest back a hundred yards from the walls, making it impossible to sneak up unseen, and each of the three towers had been mounted with the stoneflesh¡¯s strange ballista.Thus, the imperial forces hid in the forest scrub and waited for the signal from Nakla?ti. It was an hour before dawn when the roar of five horns shattered the stillness of the morn.In the imperial army, each unit of a hundred was assigned its own hornblower, whose instrument was used to coordinate attacks.The commanders of their small force had been loathe to part with the horns, but Nakla?ti had insisted it was essential to her bluff - and fortunately, the Zalancthians took the bait. As the horns repeated their baleful cry, most of the guards along the wall rushed toward the east.At Eligon¡¯s command, the imperial troops waited a few minutes, long enough to ensure that guards would be too far away to make it back to the walls in time, and then they charged. Hidden in the shadows of the waning night, they made it perhaps a third of the distance before the remaining guards noticed their approach; then the ballistae took their price in blood.Capable of firing four heavy javelins a thousand feet, and able to be reloaded in just thirty seconds, the bolts shredded through Eligon¡¯s ranks, but the charge did not falter. Activating Burden of the People, Eligon pulled ahead of the ranks, moving so fast that the ballista bolts aimed at him buried their heads uselessly in the dirt. 100 feet. 50. 30. As he neared the gate, he pulled his mace free and poured the strength of his spell into it.With a final soaring leap, he slammed into the wooden gates.The screech of ruptured metal filled the air as the hinges unwilling gave way, and with a slow, heavy thud, the gates pounded the ground. The Zalancthians had not been prepared for that. Abandoning the now useless ballistae, the remaining guards swarmed out of the towers, determined to make a stand on the stairs, but Eligon rushed them like an angry bull.Every step he took brought excruciating pain, the burden of the spell, but he persevered.With every swing of his mace, shield and bone shattered and the short-lived resistance immediately crumpled. It took no more than two minutes for him to detach a contingent of troops to man the ballistae, turning the mighty war machines to face the interior of the camp, and to reform the lines, and then they advanced. The Zalancthians had clustered the bulk of their troops along the eastern side where the river alone served as a border.Eligon had fully expected them to quickly realize the ruse, and turning around, build a shield wall against his approaching troops, but he found he¡¯d underestimated Nakla?ti. Despite having barely a hundred men against the enemy¡¯s thousand, his young aide had obtained a foothold on the fortress¡¯ dock. The Zalancthians¡¯ shields were well known for their stout construction and ability to take punishment, but they were unable to thwart Nakla?ti, who assaulted their ranks with dual uru?mis, guiding the flexible blades with unerring aim above, below, and beneath their guards. The enemy withered before her advance, futilely stabbing at her with long pikes that splintered with every blow, and Eligon had to admit he was both impressed and intrigued - for no matter how skill with the blades, her uru?mis should have shattered long ago. They caught the enemy unaware, smashing into the unprotected backs of the Zalancthian shield wall - and from that moment on the battle was decided.The stoneflesh were fierce warriors, fighting bravely to the end, but sandwiched from both sides with disordered ranks, there was little they could do to recover. Within minutes, Elision¡¯s troops had rejoined with Nakla?ti¡¯s and it was then he finally got the answer to her prowess.Though the light of the morning sun had obscured them from afar, as he drew near he could see a subtle silver glow to her blades, and rightly judged they had been reinforced with essence. He wasn¡¯t entirely surprised by the revelation that she was a mage; the Celestians had spent millennia intermarrying with the elves and thus the magic had not dwindled amongst them as steeply as the rest of the empire, but the girl had made no mention of being a mage during her interview.I''m sure she saw it as just another way to impress me, he thought wearily but, begrudgingly, he had to admit, he was indeed impressed - she had outperformed his expectations. ¡°Well done, Lady Nakla?ti," he said, studiously ignoring her flush at his praise. "Now shall see what we¡¯ve uncovered?¡± A Living Relic Gu?la was already running as the dore?sah entered the chamber.White hot flames rolled across her arms, swiftly spreading up and down her body, as she charged at the beast.Like the last one, it lashed out with its talons, trying to snatch her up like an osprey hunts a fish, but she slid to the side in time and raising her sword, slashed across its torso. The sword itself didn¡¯t do that much damage, unable to penetrate the thick layer of dark brown feathers that coated the bird-man, but the fire that rippled down its shaft was another story.Like wildfire in a drought-ridden plain, the flames spread across the greasy feathers.Flames billowed off it as it swooped toward Jasper, and he threw himself to the side, slashing at the beast with his glaive. Landing in the middle of the room, the beast spun around, seemingly unconcerned by the fire raging across its body - and suddenly the tables were turned.Not daring to let the contagious flames touch them, Ihra and Tsia fled to the edges of the room.Jasper didn¡¯t have that luxury; with his back already against the wall, he had nowhere to go but forward, dodging low as the dore?sah lunged for him. Scourge of Despair.As he tumbled across the ground, the spectral whip flailed upwards, wrapping around the bird¡¯s flaming body, but this time no screaming specters emerged, for just like Gu?la¡¯s sword, the scourge failed to penetrate the thick plumage. The beast had no time to stop its dive before it smashed into the wall where he¡¯d been standing, but it quickly exhibited the same unnatural grace the first bird had shown.Catching the wall with its feet, it took three steps before it flipped head over heels and darted back toward him.Jasper, who¡¯d been to cast another spell, didn¡¯t have the time to dodge. This time, it was Gu?la who saved him. The white flames still claimed her body as she raced forward and cast another spell.Flame Whip.A tendril of molten metal extended from her wrist toward the dore?sah and coiled around the beast¡¯s neck.Leaping to the side, she yanked the beast hard toward herself, pulling it away from Jasper.Gravity took hold, and the dore?sah hit the ground. A moment later, it was on its feet again, its wing expanding and its feathers glowing as it sought to cast the same spell the previous bird had used, but it never got the chance.From behind, a blade of wind sliced into its throat; the first one only made it halfway, through, and the beast¡¯s failed screech came out as a gurgle, but the second got the job done.Carried by inertia, the head rolled across the chamber as the rest of the flaming torso collapsed on the ground. There was no time to enjoy their victory.Not wanting to be trapped in the small chamber, the four raced for the door, careful to avoid the still-fiery Djinn.Jasper made it two steps into the corridor before the next dore?sah was upon him. But the birds were predictable.Just like the others, the birdman dove straight for Jasper, its talons outstretched as it sought to carve a canyon in its chest.Casting Flame Charge, Jasper twisted out of its reach and smacked the bird with his glaive.Just like the firebird¡¯s spell, his flames sped rapidly down the creature, but he had learned the lesson from the room and didn¡¯t allow the dore?sah to turn the flames against his friends.Instead, he cast a new spell - Hand of Glory. He wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d expected the spell to look like, but he certainly hadn¡¯t expected it to summon a disembodied hand.Several times larger than a normal man¡¯s, the blue hand that manifested in the space between them resembled that of a Mwyranni¡¯s.Its palm was crisscrossed by dozens of golden lines that seemed to form a symbol he couldn¡¯t recognize - not that it mattered. The spell worked even better than advertised, for the dore?sah was not merely paralyzed but frozen in place - held in mid-air unable to move as the raging flames consumed it.The four didn¡¯t back, raining blows upon it, as they cast frantic glances down the hall for any sign of the third beast. Unable to resist, the dore?sah succumbed quickly to their assault, dropping inertly to the ground when the paralysis wore off after 30 minutes. Then they waited for Jasper¡¯s flame charge and Gu?la equivalent spell to die down, nervously anticipating the next attack to come at any moment, but there was no sign of the third beast. ¡°There were three screams, right?¡±Tsia asked. ¡°Pretty sure there were,¡± Jasper agreed.¡°And honestly, I was expecting more of them.¡± After another minute passed in silence, Gu?la started down the corridor.¡°There¡¯s no point in waiting - maybe there¡¯s another beast, or maybe there isn¡¯t, but we still need to find Sels?arrat.¡±The others followed behind, spells and arrows ready for the fight they expected to come. Pieces of the door to the next chamber were scattered across the corridor¡¯s floor.A quick peak inside the room revealed one identical to the last - right down to the now-empty pod from which the dore?sah must have ridden.This time, though, Jasper got to see what else the room had contained before it had been turned into a battlefield. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. All four sides of the chamber were occupied by grave goods.Much of it was furniture - beds, chairs, tables, and vases crafted from a mix of wood and stone.Unsurprisingly, they were decorated almost uniformly, painted black and gold with relatively few decorations aside from geometric shapes and patterns.There were more interesting pieces though: piles of brightly colored clothes, mostly green, a dozen crystals that matched the description Gu?la had given, and even a small chest that was filled to the brim with gold and gems, which Ihra happily helped herself to. Jasper had played dozens of games over the years where he¡¯d happily plundered tombs, but as he stood in the shattered chamber, watching his friends fill their bags with booty, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit melancholy about it.Is this what will happen to my grave some day?To my parents, my grandparents? Sure, the dead had no need of these things, or at least, he didn¡¯t think they did - knowing the gods were real had poked some holes in his previous certainty that grave goods were worthless in the afterlife - but it wasn''t like he truly needed the goods either, and he wished they didn¡¯t have to disturb the dore?sah¡¯s final refuge.But we¡¯re mostly here to rescue that mage, he reminded himself. When the room had been thoroughly pillaged, the group moved on.There was still no sign of further attackers, but they grew wary as they saw the pieces of a stone door scattered on the ground up ahead.Preparing their spells, they cautiously crept up to the entrance of the next chamber and peered inside. Like the others, the coffin had been opened from the inside.The amber goo inside the pod sported a fresh new cavern, but there was no sign of the dore?sah nor had the room otherwise been harmed.Jasper kept watch at the door as they looted it, expecting the bird to come diving out of the darkness just beyond the keth?m lights at any moment, but their looting passed in peace. Continuing the hall, they paused as they reached the next chamber, where the door was undisturbed. ¡°Should we go in,¡± Ihra questioned.¡°There¡¯s a good chance we might wake the beast if we try, and your missing mage probably isn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± Gu?la agreed, ¡°but we have to be sure.¡±The two turned to Jasper, who frowned as he realized they both expected him to side with them. Instead, he pointed to the darkness ahead, where he could detect the faint signs of another corridor jutting up and to the right.¡°Weren¡¯t we hoping to find an alternate route through the circular door?That corridor looks like it might head in the right direction.We could always come back if it isn¡¯t.¡± The Djinn didn¡¯t look entirely mollified by his suggestion, but she also didn¡¯t object, and the four headed deeper down the hall.The new corridor was slightly narrower than the one it branched off of and ascended at a slope far steeper than any they had encountered thus far.The slope tapered off after only fifty feet and opened up into what could only be described as a small pavilion. On the left, another corridor headed off into the darkness, but on the right and in front of them were two new chambers - the second of which was marked by a circular door bearing the same writing as before, though it was not buried as deeply into the wall. Hurrying over to the door, Jasper tried futilely to pry it open, but it would not budge.¡°Damn it.It actually does connect and we still can¡¯t get in.¡± He kicked the door petulantly and turned away.¡°Well, I guess there¡¯s nothing for it but to go back and check the other chamber,¡± but to his surprise, Gu?la shook her head. ¡°As much as I want to keep looking for Sels?arrat, we can¡¯t keep wandering in this crypt forever. ¡°Are you saying you want to quit?¡± Jasper asked in surprise. ¡°No,¡± she replied vehemently.¡°But I¡¯m saying we might have to.Our primary mission is to get that canister analyzed, not to find Sels?arra, and not to get ourselves killed. There are probably things of dore?sah down here and we can''t fight them all - I don¡¯t want this place to become our tomb too.¡± ¡°Do you wish to enter the sanctum?¡±The party spun around as a high, flute-like voice echoed behind them, and combat nearly broke out as they saw who had spoken. The third dore?sah had snuck up behind them, though it hardly looked a threat.The creature¡¯s left leg was twisted and one of its wings was missing, forcing it to limp slowly up the steep corridor.Aside from its injuries, though, it looked in significantly better shape than its allies. Its brown feathers looked glossy and healthy, immaculately cleaned from every speck of the amber goo.Its hawklike eyes were clear and focused, and it spoke again as it neared them.¡°I assume we lost the war?¡± Jasper was the quickest to recover.¡°I¡¯ve met a few of your kind before, but you¡¯re the first that¡¯s ever spoken to me.¡± ¡°Is the between our people still that strong?¡±Sniffing the air, she edged closer to Tsia.¡°But I smell our scent all over you?Like us, but not quite.¡± The princess backed away as Jasper explained.¡°The war was so long ago that our knowledge of it is little more than legend, but from what I understand, your people made a deal with their god that backfired; some of you were transformed into monsters, while others became a peaceful mount called the tsuss?m.Tsia owns a tsussi?m, so that''s probably what you''re smelling.¡± The bird woman looked crestfallen.¡°Are we so diminished that we are nothing more than beasts of burden?And yet,¡± her feathers shook as a shudder wracked her body, ¡°I can still feel the madness of the wise men¡¯s foul deeds.¡±She trailed off into silence, a mute horror in her eyes as she pondered the fate of her people. Jasper waited a moment for her to speak, but the silence stretched on interminably as she stared at the ground, and he finally spoke up.¡°You asked us if we wanted to enter the sanctum.Is that what this place is?And you can help us through these doors?We¡¯re looking for a friend who got lost.¡± Ilmas?kus Curse, Part I His words seemed to wake the dore?sah out of our stupor, and a shudder ran down her body before she looked up. ¡°This place was supposed to be the last bastion for our people, a place safe from your kind.Why are you here?¡± Her words carried a hint of aggression that hadn''t been there before, and a manic light shone in her eyes. Trying to calm her down, he raised his hands placatingly, and repeated his words, ¡°Like I told you, we¡¯re just trying to find a friend that got lost here." ¡°And why was this ¡®friend¡¯ here?How many have they awoken?Did you come to kill us all?¡±Her words grew increasingly high in pitch, ending in what almost sounded like the snarl of a wounded mountain lion. ¡°Woah,¡± Jasper took a step back.¡°We''re not here to kill you. Believe me, I really don''t want to.I don¡¯t know exactly why our mage came here,¡± - he opted for a half-truth, wisely judging that the correct response was not, ¡®she¡¯s here to plunder your goods to fund her wedding,'' - ¡°but she¡¯s not here to kill your people either.¡± ¡°You lie!¡± She hissed, as a mad light danced in her eyes.¡°I saw their bodies!You are here to wipe us out.¡± ¡°They attacked us,¡± he insisted.¡°All we did was look in the room.It woke up and started attacking us, and when it did, it emitted a scream that woke more of you up - including you, I think.But we had no choice - it was killed or be killed.¡± Her body tensed, her muscles coiled with the promise of violence, and Jasper felt certain they were going to have to fight her off.Hiding his hand out of sight, he¡¯d already begun to summon a spell when the madness in her eyes began to diffuse. She shook her head dully, as if coming out of a fugue.¡°We woke up too early,¡± she muttered.¡°Ilmas?ku¡¯s curse has not run its course.¡± ¡°Are you alright,¡± Jasper asked cautiously.¡°You seemed¡­a little out of it a moment ago.¡± A weary smile flitted across her lips as she pointed at her missing wing.¡°Do I look fine to you?¡± ¡°Well, uh,¡± he stalled out, glancing at the others for help, but the dore?sah was the one that came to his rescue. ¡°I know what you meant.And no, I¡¯m not fine.After Ilmas?ku¡¯s treachery, none of us were ever fine again, but we had hoped that, given enough time, what he''d wrought could be undone.¡± Not interested in a history lesson, Jasper tried to get the conversation back on topic.¡°So, uh, can you get us through this door?We¡¯re hoping our friend might be on the other side.¡± The dore?sah¡¯s sharp features gathered in a frown.¡°You woke me from my slumber, killed my friends, and pillaged our chambers, and you ask for a favor?¡± ¡°Well, you were supposed to have been dead for a few thousand years¡­¡± Seeing thunderclouds gather on her brow, he quickly cut off that line of thought.¡°Is there something we could do for you in turn?Trade a favor for a favor¡± The dore?sah scrunched her slightly longer than usual neck tight against her chest and looked down, like a bird huddled for warmth.¡°You said our people''s history is all but forgotten?¡± He nodded.¡°I¡¯m not really the best person to ask about that, but that¡¯s my understanding.Gu?la might be able to tell you more.¡± The Djinn piped up.¡°Our priests have salvaged thousands of your crystals, but no one knows how to use them. We''ve kept them just in case somebody can figure it out.¡± ¡°No, I suppose you could not.¡±With her face buried in her plumage, the woman''s reply was muffled.¡°They are not magic in the sense you think of it, but relics of a much older age; they can only be unlocked by our blood.¡± "But I agree to your proposal, and I know the price I shall ask.¡± Jasper waited for her to continue, but only silence followed as a vacant expression clouded her eyes again.¡°Crap.¡±He waved his hand in front of her face, but there was no response. He nearly jumped out of his skin as a thunderclap echoed behind him. Tsia studiously avoided his eyes as he turned on her. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± He asked incredulously.¡°Are you trying to wake up the rest of these wannabe zombies?¡± ¡°I will open the door for you." As if unaware of her lapse into silence, the dore?sah started speaking again, and he put his conversation with Tsia on pause.¡°As long as you agree to write down the history of my people¡¯s fall.We do not deserve to be forgotten.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The four shared a look.¡°You want us to write a book about it?¡± Ihra asked. ¡°I have neither the knowledge nor the patience to dictate a book,¡± the bird woman sighed.¡°But I can provide you a short account.¡± ¡°I guess we can agree to those terms,¡± Jasper replied slowly.¡°I¡¯m not much of a scribe, but once we get out of here, I¡¯m sure we can find someone to write it all down for you.¡± ¡°No,¡± the dore?sah shook her head.¡°You must record it now. Only then will I open the chamber for you.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t we wait to do it,¡± he objected.¡°Our friend may be hurt-¡± ¡°Do it now,¡± the woman reiterated, and a spark of mania ignited in her eyes again.Maybe she fears she¡¯ll lose her sanity. With a sigh, Gu?la pulled a small notebook out of her bag and plopped down on the ground.¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with then.The sooner we do what she wants, the sooner we find Sels?arrat.¡± Mollified by her response, the bird woman tucked her head against her chest and, once again, fell into silence. ¡°So, uh, you mentioned Ilmas?ku¡¯s treachery.¡± Jasper tried to get the ball rolling.¡°Is that the god who caused your people¡¯s transformation?¡± ¡°He is no god.¡±Her feathers ruffled angrily as she peeked back up at them.¡°Do you know how the war began?¡± ¡°It started as a civil war between the Djinn,¡± Gu?la replied promptly.¡°The reason that your people got involved in our war has been lost to time, but you backed the losing side.When the rightful heir reestablished his throne, he demanded you make restitution for your part in the war, but your people refused.¡± ¡°That is correct as far as it goes,¡± the bird woman confirmed.¡°When the two brothers went to war, the elders of our people chose to back the youngest.He had taken one of our own as a spouse and I believe they foolishly thought that if he had won, they would be able to manipulate him.¡± ¡°The Djinn, however, are people bound by tradition, and the eldest had the strongest claim to the throne. While the youngest met with some initial success, once the eldest, Lord Kimil-S?amas?, began to fight back, it was not long before your nobles rallied to his cause.And when he won, Kimil-S?amas? demanded that our elders submit themselves for punishment for daring to break the centuries-long truce between our peoples.If they had only agreed, that would have been the end of it - but it was not to be.¡± ¡°I was only a fledgling shaman then, so I was not privy to whatever madness consumed our elders then, but they refused to accede to Kimil-S?amas?''s request. they had simply set aside their pride, a few lives would have been lost, but our people would have been preserved.Instead¡­¡±Sorrow pooled in her eyes and the dore?sah took a few beats to continue. ¡°When the elders refused, Kimil-S?amas? declared war.From the very start, it was an uneven conflict, for the Djinn were both stronger and more numerous than we were.Still, our people fought with determination, dragging the conflict out for enough years that I had achieved full status as a mage by the time the war¡¯s final days approached.¡± ¡°By then, there were those who would listen to my words.Our defeat was written in stone, and I begged the elders to put aside their pride and submit.Even though the Djinn were full of wrath, I still believe that even though they would have granted us mercy and that our fate could have been turned aside, but the elders, were still unwilling to humble themselves. Desperate to avoid punishment, they searched for any other way out of our predicament - and they found one.¡± ¡°Our ennig? - our priests,¡± she explained, seeing the incomprehension on their faces, ¡°told us that a new god had offered us salvation - a way to fight back against the Djinn and overwhelm them with our numbers.¡± ¡°And that was Ilmas?ku, I¡¯m guessing?¡± Annoyance flickered across her face, accompanied by just a hint of madness, though it quickly dissipated.¡°I already told you, Ilmas?ku is no god.If we had listened to the ennig?, perhaps our people would not have fallen, or perhaps this new god of theirs would have proven just as treacherous.But our priests were not the only ones to offer a solution.¡± ¡°Unlike the Djinn, our flock¡¯s magic was not especially strong, but there were a few among us who had gathered enough strength to be worthy of the title shaman.Ilmas?ku was one of the youngest of our shamans, but it was he who came up with the plan that the elders agreed to.¡± ¡°Why would your elders listen to such an inexperienced mage?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say he was inexperienced,¡± the woman retorted.¡°All of us were forged in the fires of war, and Ilmas?ku was undoubtedly the greatest of us, even more so than I,¡± she added bitterly.¡°We were born in the same hatching, but Ilmas?ku¡¯s rapid rise to power was unparalleled.In another generation, I would have been adored as a rare talent, but next to him, I was naught but an awkward fledgling.¡± Gu?la leaned forward with interest.¡°Was he a demigod?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± the dore?sah admitted after a long pause.¡°Or so he claimed.Our people believed that we were descendants of Manikku?rub, the great celestial beast who hollowed out this vale between the mountains to serve as his nest.The direct line of Manikku?rub had long since died out amongst our clans, but Ilmas?ku dared to claim that he was one of them.I don¡¯t know what evidence he produced of this claim, but our elders believed him.¡± ¡°At that time, I rejected the possibility, but now, I must admit it may be true.I can feel him even now, clawing at the recesses of my mind - a weak, pitiable existence, but an existence nonetheless.If he has survived these eons, he cannot have been a simple mortal.¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying this demigod is still around?¡± Jasper interrupted, but the bird woman ignored his question. ¡°In any case, Ilmas?ku told the elders that he had discovered how to tap into the bloodline of his ancestor. explained how he had ascended so quickly, it was easy enough to believe, but his second claim required more faith. Ilmas?ku claimed he was able to extend his power to all of us through a hidden ritual Manikku?rub had revealed to him.Ilmas?ku¡¯s plan required no devotion to an unknown god and no groveling before the Djinn, so the elders chose it rather than the plan of our ennigu?.¡± Ilmas?kus Curse Part II ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened at that ceremony," the dore?sah continued. "At the time, I wasn¡¯t considered important enough to be invited, but the change to our people was immediately noticeable.Our bodies were strengthened far beyond their former capabilities and everyone, from the eldest down to the youngest child, gained access to magic.Reinvigorated, we poured out of the mountains like a swarm of locusts, driving the Djinn back with as much ferocity as they had shown to us.¡± Gu?la''s hand hesitated on the page, and she glanced up with a skeptical expression.¡°That¡¯s not the story I¡¯ve heard.Even with your new abilities, our warriors were far stronger.¡± ¡°The lies of the victors," the dore?sah snorted. "True, the Djinn might have been individually stronger, but we were deathless and they were not. Our victory seemed assured until Djinn had not made their own desperate deal. I do not know what price they paid, but they summoned the forty-four sons of S?ams?a to fight on their behalf. And only when the demigods took the field did we truly learn the extent of Ilmas?ku''s deception.¡± ¡°When we died, we came back - not once or twice by the grace of our gods, but over and over again. At first, it seemed a mighty boon - no matter the might of the Djinn, how could they turn back a deathless army? But slowly we recognized it for the curse it was as death upon death piled up, and each time we were forced to journey through a realm of dark and endless pain.¡±She shuddered at the memory, and the mania crept back into her eyes. The four fell silent for several minutes until she finally started to speak again.¡°And as our suffering grew, there were those among us who realized that Ilmas?ku alone seemed untouched by the torture we underwent. a glorious champion who even S?ams?a¡¯s sons feared to fight; he was too strong.¡± ¡°It was our ennig? who finally figured it out, guided by the new god, Pith?alla, who had also offered us succor.The ritual Ilmas?ku had conducted bound our souls to his, and with every death we died, he stole a fraction of our power for himself.Propelled by the carnage of war, he grew ever more godlike, while our very souls were stolen from us.¡± ¡°You put yourself to sleep here, didn¡¯t you?¡± Jasper realized.¡°I assume you wanted to deprive him of his ''meal''?¡± The dore?sah nodded her head.¡°Yes, but only a small fraction of our people ever reached this place.When the elders finally realized what Ilmas?ku had done, they confronted him.¡± ¡°Save for him, they were the strongest of our kind.¡±Her face twisted with a mixture of pity and disgust.¡°He utterly destroyed them.It was not a battle, but a slaughter, and what he did to them afterward¡­¡± she shuddered.¡°Perhaps he was not unaffected by the mania of the ritual himself.¡± ¡°After that, our people¡¯s will was broken.Those who followed the ennig? turned to Lady Pith?alla, though she warned that she could not undo the full extent of Ilmas?ku¡¯s curse.What remained of the elders and their supporters still refused to bow the knee, proud to the bitter end.¡± She fixed a knowing eye on the group.¡°You tried to hide their fate from me, but I saw the body.That featherless monstrosity was once one of my kin, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard," Jasper admitted.¡°But why did you refuse Pith?alla''s offer?¡± he added quickly, hoping to distract her from his lie of omission. ¡°After Ilmas?ku had deceived us, many of our people were understandably wary of Pith?alla¡¯s offer.We knew we could not continue the war, not without losing ourselves to the madness consuming our souls, but neither could we figure out a way to break the unseen chains the ritual had imposed on us.¡± ¡°But as I said before, Ilmas?ku was no god; we decided if we could put ourselves to sleep long enough to outlive him, the ritual might be broken.¡± ¡°But you said he¡¯s still alive?¡±e asked. The bird woman nodded.¡°With each death we died, the bond between us was strengthened.Our pods were set to wake us when they could no longer detect him, but you awoke me too early.He is still alive, although his strength has withered on the vine.Perhaps another hundred years, and we¡¯d be free, but it will be too late for me,¡± she ended with a sad smile. A sliver of guilt settled in Jasper¡¯s heart.Even though he knew they weren¡¯t really to blame - there was no way they possibly could have known about the dore?sah desperate last hope - he still felt bad for the wounded warrior in front of him who, though clinging to the remnants of her mind, now faced the precipice of self-loss. ¡°Is there any way we can put you back to sleep,¡± Ihra asked. ¡°Only if we could find an undamaged pod,¡± the dore?sah replied, ¡°but I doubt there are any of those left, and if we sought these depths to find one, how many others of my kind would we doom to my fate?¡±With a final ruffle of her feathers, she stiffly waddled over to Gu?la, who had been feverishly writing her story down.Peering over her shoulder, the bird woman read it critically, providing corrections and clarifications for another hour before she was finally satisfied.Only then did she turn to the door. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Pausing in front of the door, the dore?sah turned back to face them.¡°Do you know why I insisted on telling my story first?¡± She asked them. The four shook their heads, and she continued.¡°Scattered throughout this h?urra are rooms like this where our shamans stayed behind to perform the ritual that put us to sleep.If you disturb the ritual, all the nearby rooms will likely be woken up.¡±She hesitated a moment.¡°Please, leave them alone,¡± she pleaded. ¡°We¡¯re not here to kill your people,¡± Jasper repeated one more time.¡°We had no idea they were even here.We just want to save Gu?la¡¯s friend.¡± The dore?sah didn¡¯t look convinced, but she turned to the door anyway and began touching the symbols that adorned its face. Jasper had suspected that the combination would be too complicated for them to guess by trial and error, and he¡¯d been more right than he¡¯d known.The dore?sah¡¯s hands danced across the glowing glyphs like she was playing a song, a song that took nearly two full minutes to complete.She stepped away as a rumble echoed through the room, and the door slid backward. It burrowed ten paces into the rock, before rolling to the side and finally opening the passage.he dore??sah headed inside without waiting for them. He came to an abrupt halt when he finally entered the room.Unlike everything else they had seen in the underground facility thus far, the chamber was carved in a perfect circle, though two doors on either flank seemed to lead to other chambers.Starting from the edges, the floor sloped gently down, reaching its deepest point at the center, where the remains of the ritual could be seen. A tree carved of pure white rock rose from the lowest depths of the room until its branches brushed against the roof.Like a tree trapped in the first days of spring, always on the verge of a bloom that would never come, the stone tree¡¯s limbs were covered in small tips of the orangey k¨ºthum and another gem he didn¡¯t recognize, which glowed dimly with a light of its own. Five skeletons surrounded it, their bony hands clasped in an eternal bond and their wings draped over each other¡¯s shoulders like cloaks.Their flesh had long since withered into dust, but the basin around the tree was filled with something that should not have lasted the edges - a pool of blood that fed the stone tree¡¯s roots. Gu?la and the others spread out in the massive room, searching for any sign of Sels?arrat, and Jasper left it in their capable hands. Instead, he trailed after the dore?sah, who had headed straight for the tree, curious about her motivations. Wouldn''t want her to activate some sort of security system that kills us, or something like that. When he reached its base, he realized the tree was far more complex than he had realized; thin white filaments stretched from its trunk to the shamans gathered around it, andhad woven themselves through every inch of the ancient skeletons, holding them together despite the absence of any remaining tissue.Curious, he bent down to get a closer look but leapt back in horror when he saw the white filaments immediately extend a tendril in his direction.¡°Uh, is this thing going to eat us?¡± The dore?sah ignored his question.Approaching the ring of shamans around the tree, she bent down beside them.Placing her hands on the shoulders of the two of the skeletons, she spread what remained of her damaged wings above their heads and began to murmur in a harsh, shrill language that must have been her natural tongue. When Jasper realized what she was doing, he debated whether or not to intervene. He understood not wanting to face the risk of impending madness, buthe white tendrils of the tree began to wind themselves around her fingers, he felt like he had to at least try to save her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.ou come back with us, maybe one of our mages could free you from Ilmas?ku¡¯s curse,¡± he offered. The bird woman¡¯s muttering ceased, and she craned her neck back 180 degrees to look at him, just like an owl.¡°Do not think of interfering,¡± she said with an angry hiss.¡°I do not wish to live without my people, and I dare not wake them yet - not as long as Ilmas?ku still breathes. ¡°I can tell he is near death, but there are thousands of us here.If we are awakened, I fear he may draw sustenance from our lives and be renewed.¡± He hesitated only a moment before giving a curt nod.¡°If you change your mind, we¡¯d be willing to help you, but I understand your decision.It can¡¯t be easy to be the last of your kind.¡± The dore?sah¡¯s features softened.¡°Thank you for understanding.Can I¡­can I ask one last thing of you?¡±He nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t tell your kin about this place.I believe you didn¡¯t come here to kill us, but we filled this place with all that remained of our possessions so that when we finally awoke, we would have the means to rebuild our civilization.If your kin knew of this place, they would be willing to leave us alone?¡± ¡°Probably not.Hell, the mage we¡¯re looking for came here to find treasure,¡± he admitted.¡°But the entrance to this place has been discovered now, and with no guards¡­¡± he shrugged expressively, ¡°I¡¯m afraid this place won¡¯t say safe for long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late to hide its discovery.The best we can do is reveal it to the right people.I think I can persuade my uncle to set guards over this place.¡± ¡°Is your uncle powerful enough to protect us?¡± He shrugged, ¡°If he isn¡¯t, I am sure S?ars?adu?r can; the king seems like an honorable dude.¡± ¡°The king?¡± Her eyes widened and for the first time focused on his bloodied armor.¡°Those colors¡­those are the colors Kimil-S?amas? bore.You are of the Royal House then?¡± ¡°I am.¡± An expression he couldn¡¯t identify rippled across her face, and finally settled into something like amusement.¡°How fitting that the House that brought us low would be the one to watch over us.Very well, little fledging, tell them if you must, but if they turn against us,¡± her eyes grew hard, ¡°then may our deaths be upon your head, a burden to drag you down into the depths of the netherworld.¡± With that curse, she turned to face the bodies of her brethren and laid her head down between them.As she nestled against its neck, the white tendrils of the tree slowly spread across her body.Her eyes glazed, and her body stiffened as the roots held her in place, glowing dimly as they sucked the life out of her. Feeling the need to honor her sacrifice, Jasper watched until she had stilled.Only when she had passed did he realize he had gained an audience. H?engals Defense Gu?la, Tsia, and Ihra had clustered behind him, accompanied by a fourth person he didn¡¯t recognize. With skin as pale as hoarfrost, slightly pointed ears, and long black hair, he immediately guessed she was the Moon-kissed mage they¡¯d come in search of. She¡¯d seen better days: her cheeks were wan and hollow and deep bags pooled beneath her eyes, but it was the sorry state of her armor that told the most poignant story.Two long, jagged cuts had shredded straight through her woven tunic, revealing skin beneath that was an angry, puckered red. She bowed stiffly, unsuccessfully attempting to disguise the wince of pain that flickered across her face.¡°Gu?la told me I have you to thank for my rescue, Lord Yas?peh.¡± Standing up, Jasper waved aside her thanks.¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal.I''m just helping out a friend and, besides, we have an ulterior motive,¡± he added with a wink. As the Moon-kissed straightened from her bow, she clutched a protective hand over the angry-looking wounds, and Jasper cast a glance at the others.¡°Did you not give her a healing potion?¡± ¡°We did,¡± Ihra replied, ¡°and this is all it could do for her.You should have seen how bad she was before.¡± ¡°There''s some sort of poison in her wounds,¡± Gu?la explained.¡°Something I haven''t seen before. There''s not much we can do here, but when we get her back to camp, we can hire a real healer to finish the job.¡± His eyes met Ihra¡¯s with an unspoken question - what about your runes? - and the girl shrugged.¡°She¡¯ll live,¡± she replied, and he understood.They had already used many of the supplies Aphora had left them, and the price to replenish them was enough to make one weep. ¡°Well, then, shall we get the hell out of here?¡±
The trip up was slow and treacherous.With five people to ferry out, each trip between platforms took at least thirty minutes, waiting for the cooldown on Spectral Wings - and those waits were not entirely uneventful.On the final trip, they were attacked by another of the mutated dore?sah, but this time they weren''t caught napping.hree wind blades off in quick succession. Each one hit the creature''s neck in the same place, and it fell lifeless into the void, bereft of its head.No more dore?sah emerged from the darkness, and they reached the final platform unharmed. But Sels?arrat was not doing well. her body was cold as a corpse, her flesh was also as clammy as a fat man¡¯s back in a tropical jungle and she struggled with every step she took.As they trudged up the hall, Gu?la and Jasper kept an arm tight around her waist to keep her standing up. As he stepped out of the crypt, Jasper winced at the bright light that bombarded them.They¡¯d been there longer than he realized, long enough for the sun to rise again, and he blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted, trying to make sense of the blurry figures that were waiting for them It took him a second longer to remember his name.¡°Attila?¡± ¡°Attal?,¡± an icy voice corrected him.As the heir of the House of the Eighteenth Daughter stepped forward, his hand lingered on the hilt of his sword, and the dozen or so men around him began to advance, their faces hard and unfriendly. Jasper¡¯s hands were already occupied with helping the wounded mage, so he was slow to react, but Ihra was faster.An arrow buried itself in the ground an inch away from Attal?¡¯s foot.¡°Don¡¯t come any closer,¡± she growled. The man yanked his foot back with a yelp and looked up with what was either genuine befuddlement or top-notch acting.¡°Why did you do that?We''re just here to help and clearly you need it - what''s wrong with S?arra?¡± Ihra¡¯s eyes narrowed.¡°If you just came to help, why did you have your hand on your blade?Didn¡¯t look friendly to me.¡± ¡°On the way here, we were attacked-¡° "WARRRAGH" The noble¡¯s words were drowned out by a mix between a howl and a roar that echoed in the forest a few hundred feet away.Attal? rested his hand on the hilt of his sword again with an expression that Jasper recognized this time as nervousness, and glanced over his shoulder before continuing.¡°That¡¯s why.A small group of s?algu? have been trailing us for the last half hour.We managed to fend off one attack, but Nu?ril and S?ams?a?bu were hurt.¡± Glancing at the men surrounding Attal?, Jasper saw the man was telling the truth.Two of the Moon-kissed had torn and bloodied clothes, though their injuries had been healed. "WARRRAGH" The cry sounded again, though this time in the opposite direction from the former. ¡°Sounds like they are encircling us,¡± he noted, as he shifted the weight of the wounded mage enough to allow him to free a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s us they¡¯re after,¡± the Moon-kissed replied.¡°I think they¡¯re here for the village." ¡°They attack villages?¡± he asked in surprise.He and Ihra had fought a s?algu when they first entered the province, but Jasper hadn¡¯t encountered any of the shaggy troll-like creatures in a while.He wasn¡¯t quite sure whether they were an animal or simply a savage humanoid - the one they¡¯d encountered had been able to speak - but the beast hadn¡¯t seemed like it cared much for the trappings of civilization.¡°Why would they do that?¡± ¡°Food.¡± Gu?la replied shortly. ¡°It¡¯s pretty rare, as the s?algu live deep in the mountains, but if the winter is unusually harsh sometimes they will raid nearby settlements for food.Or women,¡± she added with a shudder. ¡°And H?engal is overflowing with grain,¡± Attal? agreed.Recovering his nerve, he hastened over to them and placed a hand on Sels?arrat¡¯s brow.¡°She¡¯s burning up with fever,¡± he noted worriedly.¡°What¡¯s happened to her down there?¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Poisoned,¡± the girl croaked out, drawing away from his hand.¡°You don¡¯t have to treat me like a child.¡± ¡°Then maybe you shouldn¡¯t have wandered off by yourself,¡± he replied testily.¡°You¡¯re the best mage in our House, Sels?arrat.What would we do without you?¡± ¡°WARRRAGH.¡±This time it was clear that the howls were moving away from and toward the village.Abandoning all attempts to help the wounded mage walk, Jasper bent down till his shoulders were almost level with Sels?arrat and tossed her over them like a bag of flour.Ignoring her cries of protest, he turned to the rest of the group.¡°We''ve got to help the village out.Ihra, Tsia, can you run ahead and intercept them?I¡¯ll drop the mage off somewhere safe and be with you in a jiff.¡± ¡°Got it.¡±Darting to the sides of the crumbling pit, Ihra quickly began scaling up the sides, covering the rough ground with an easy grace that Jasper envied.Tsia followed close behind, though rather than climbing, she simply summoned enough wind to boost her to the top. Weighed down by the mage slung around his shoulders, Jasper trudged more slowly, forced to choose his footing carefully as he ascended up the pit, flanked by Gu?la and the Moon-kissed warriors.¡°Can you keep her safe?¡± He asked Attal?. ¡°Of course,¡± the man began to reply, but Gu?la cut in with an exasperated sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t let your pride get the best of you,¡± she scolded him.Turning to Jasper, she explained, ¡°None of his men are mages; if more than one s?algu attacks them, they¡¯ll be hard-pressed to keep her safe.If I go with them, can you handle the s?algu in the village?¡± He nodded mutely, and grabbing hold of the dirt ledge, pulled himself the last few feet out of the pit.A dozen new horses were tied up beside their own mounts, and he hastily draped the mage over the fanciest one, judging it to be the nobles before leaping onto Dapplegrim¡¯s back and taking off toward the nearby village.
Abandoning her attempts to fly, Tsia dropped back to the ground and began to run.With her sloppy attempts to fly, she''d experimenting with other means of boosting her speed, and she''d found more success with running.As she raced toward the town, the wind roared at her back, pushing her further and faster with every step than she had any reason to go, and she quickly left Ihra in the dust. She reached the village in less than two minutes, but that was already too late.The bucolic settlement they¡¯d seen the night before had descended into chaos.Thick black smoke billowed into the sky as fire leaped from one thatched roof to another while high-pitched screams mingled with bestial roars. WARRRAGH With an earth-shaking thud, a s?algu leapt from a rooftop to the ground and, looking her straight in the eyes, screamed a howl of defiance. She responded viscerally, flinging an unstructured blast of wind at the beast that caught the s?algu up in the air and tossed it straight through the wall of the nearest cottage.Whoops. A blur of white emerged from the building a second later, headed straight toward her.Wind propelled her off the ground, carrying her out of harm¡¯s way - or so she thought - but as the beat neared her it launched into the air.Its long white air rippled in the wind as it extended its arm long enough to snag her lower leg with its sharp obsidian claws.She landed a volley of wind blades on its head as she fell, but the beast refused to let go, slamming her into the ground with an angry roar. All breath was forced from her lungs as she made contact with the ground, and she could feel the splintering of bone in her cheek.The beast was the first to rise.As it staggered to its feet, it refused to release its grip on her leg, dragging her across the ground as she tried to regain her senses until, that is, a pair of arrows embedded themselves in its arm. Letting go, it snarled at the new threat, giving Tsia time to shove herself shakily to her knees.She blasted it with wind again, sending it flying into a field of winter wheat, but the s?algu was on its feet in an instant, and its barely untouched condition was enough to make her despair. While the white fur had been stained here and there with small blooms of blood, only the wound on its head had penetrated enough to be visibly noticeable.Its skin is too tough.With enough control, Tsia knew her blades could probably pierce the creature¡¯s fur and skin, but control was not her strength.Screw it. The winds roaring around her fell silent as Tsia pulled on the only other spell she had - the one Imh?ullu had gifted her.The s?algu broke into a dead sprint toward her, effortlessly bounding over the broken stone wall fence without missing a beat.It was fast, but lightning was faster. The bolt intercepted the s?algu and stopped it in its tracks, but she didn¡¯t relent.The s?algu writhed on the ground as she poured more essence into the bolt, not releasing it until it was little more than a charred husk. Only the shadow at her feet warned her of the incoming danger.With steps sped by the gathered winds, she darted to the side as a s?algu charged her from behind.With a grace no creature that large should possess, it took just three steps to pivot in her direction.She leapt out of range of its claws, firing off a wild gust of wind that staggered it.Carried aloft by the currents, she landed 30 feet away and began to charge her lightning. But the s?algu was not as dumb as it seemed.Seeing her hands writhe with the spell, it turned and darted behind the cover of the cottage she had destroyed.Tsia darted after it, still charging the spell, but when she reached the corner she slowed down, expecting the cunning beast might be waiting just out of sight.What she did not expect, however, was that it had circled all the way around the cottage. This time, there was no shadow to warn her before a mass of white fur attacked from behind and, as she was tossed to the ground like a rag doll, the spell she¡¯d been preparing went wild.Lightning exploded around her in a ten-foot radius, paralyzing the s?algu, who landed on top of her. Tsia struggled to pull herself free of the twitching beast, but the creature, who was far larger than the first s?algu, was not entirely incapacitated.Its arm shook violently as it lifted its body partly up and lowered its head toward her. Its face was a cross between a monkey¡¯s and a man¡¯s, with eyes that possessed hints of intelligence and high cheekbones that could have made a model jealous, but all she could focus on was the twin pair of fangs in its open maw and the smell of rotten meat as it lunged for her neck. Fueled by fear, power and control came together for her in a rare moment of cooperation, and a spear-shaped cone of wind blasted up from her fist.The s?algu¡¯s fangs shattered like glass, and then its head disintegrated in a shower of gore.Decapitated, the beast¡¯s full weight collapsed back on her, breaking a few more bones in the process. With both arms trapped beneath the body, trying to drag herself free seemed a hopeless endeavor, but she tried anyway.She managed to squirm perhaps a half-foot when unexpected deliverance came.Two men emerged from the ruined cottage and, after casting cautious glances all around, began to pull on the body.It was an easy task for the farmers, whose strength had been honed by years of hard labor in the fields, and she was free in moments. WARRRAGH Fumbling with her only good hand, she downed a potion before pulling herself to her feet.Flashing the two a thankful smile, she rose into the air jerkily, scanning the village for the remaining s?algu.It was hard to see through the thick smoke that choked the air, but one thing made it easier - the brilliant flash of white flame.Covered in fire from head to toe, Jasper and Dapplegrim charged three s?algu that were busy beating on the doors of the village tavern. The beasts, immune to fire, ignored him - but they weren¡¯t immune to this fire.His glaive pierced the first in the back, and the force of Dapplegrim¡¯s charge drove it straight through his chest.Ripping the glaive out, he spun it in a wide arc, slicing both beasts in their raised forearms.The blow itself did little damage, but the inferno that quickly spread across their white fur was another matter.He¡¯s got it handled. With a sigh of relief, she dropped back to the ground, and leaning against the wall of the ruined cottage, allowed herself to slip into unconsciousness. Family Feud The s?algu? had been easier to defeat than Jasper remembered.Of course, he¡¯d nearly doubled his levels since the last time he fought had one, but the true difference maker was his Flame Charge.The beasts could shrug off all his other fire spells with ease, and even spectral spells like Scourge of Despair struggled to penetrate through the beasts¡¯ dense fur and iron skin. They had a critical weakness, though, as the same white fur seemed to be particularly susceptible to the white flames of Flame Charge. It should have felt good to crush an enemy he''d struggled against in the past, but Jasper couldn''t enjoy his victory. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how intelligent the creatures were, but he knew they were capable of at least limited speech, so turning the s?algu? into living torches made him feel sick to his stomach.He did it anyway, unwilling to sacrifice the lives of innocent villagers on the altar of his own squeamishness, he was glad when the remnant of the s?algu? fled without a fight, and he was able to turn his attention to rescuing the village. H?engal was a mess.His party had reached the s?algu? in time to prevent them from ransacking the entire village; most of the buildings remained intact and only a single silo of grain had been destroyed, but the fire the s?algu? had started proved to be a graver threat to the village¡¯s survival than the beast themselves. Like many rural hamlets, the tradesmen''s and farmers'' cottages were spread far enough apart that the fire would not naturally have spread, but the weather was against them. cold and blustery day, and the winds that swept down from the north carried errant sparks far and wide, starting fires on the aged thatch roofs faster than he could put them out.Nearly a fourth of the village was already burning, and with each new roof that caught blaze, the sparks flying through the air increased. I¡¯ve got to find Tsia.He spurred Dapplegrim through the village, searching for any sign of the princess, and found her near the edge of the hamlet.Three of the creatures were piled up beside her, and a small entourage of farmers stood guard around her. Sliding off Dapplegrim¡¯s back, he ran over to her.The farmers parted to let him pass, and he crouched beside her, fearing the worst.She had a number of wounds across her body, especially on her face, where one cheekbone was collapsed upon itself, but the steady rise and fall of her chest quelled his concerns.He cast Circle of Forgiveness quickly and followed up with a healing potion. The bones were still knitting themselves back in place when she came to, and a grimace of pain disfigured her face.¡°Ugh, those bastards were tougher than I expected.¡± He nodded sympathetically.¡°They¡¯re not a great matchup for a mage; they seem to resist most types of magic.¡± She grinned wryly. ¡°It looked like you were handling them pretty easily." ¡°Eh, it¡¯s my second time fighting them,¡± he played it off modestly. "I already knew that most of my spells were worthless." ¡°And the village?¡± He matched her previous grimace.¡°The whole place is about to go up in flames if we don¡¯t do something.Any chance you could whip a storm again?¡± Tsia hesitated, glancing up at the stormy sky above them.Heavy clouds hung above the firmament blotting out the sun''s rays, and a cold wind scoured across the mostly fallow fields, but no precipitation was falling.¡°I¡¯m not sure. I was forced to switch to lightning to actually hurt him, but those spells use a lot more essence than my wind; I¡¯m running pretty low.¡± ¡°What if I help,¡± he offered. "Give you essence like last time." A gust of wind howled through the village streets, bearing a spark that landed on the cottage closest to them.Fire bloomed outward, rapidly expanding across the roof as thick smoke spiraled into the heavens. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll try.¡± Like before, Jasper fed her his essence.Tsia made no attempt to quell the wilds winds that raged, but focused her will solely on the ominous clouds above.Releasing their load was not enough, for snow would not quench the flames fast enough to save the village - it needed to rain. Slowly the drops began to fall, an increasing crescendo that sent the desperate villagers fleeing back inside the remnants of their cottage as a bone-chilling, icy rain descended on H?engal.She managed only five minutes before fainting again, but it was enough to quench most of the fires, while Jasper and Ihra beat out the rest. They lingered a few more hours in the village.Ihra was convinced to part with a few of her precious ingredients to save the most severely wounded, while Jasper tended to the many minor burns and wounds with Circle of Forgiveness. could do little to rebuild the homes, but Jasper promised that, once they returned to camp, he''d bring back his soldiers to help.Besides, he needed to honor his promise to the fallen dore?sah and make sure the remnants of her people would be protected.
¡°What were you thinking?¡±Gu?la glared angrily at Sels?arrat, who was currently being propped up on the saddle in front of her cousin, Attal?. The poisoned woman started to speak, but the Djinn cut her off.¡°No, don¡¯t bother.Clearly you weren¡¯t thinking.That was a suicide mission, S?arra.I didn¡¯t think anyone was stupid enough to delve a crypt by themselves, but I guess you proved me wrong.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Attal? nodded his head vigorously, taking obvious delight in the mage¡¯s rebuke. ¡°What were you thinking?¡±She demanded again. The mage didn¡¯t respond at first, clearly not expecting Gu?la, who had been ranting for the last fifteen minutes, to actually allow her to speak, but as the moment stretched on awkwardly, she realized her time to respond had come. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was going to be so dangerous.It¡¯s not like it¡¯s Nah?as?innu.¡± ¡°And as we all know, Nah?as?innu is the only dangerous place in the realm,¡± the captain replied sarcastically. ¡°Well, no, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡±Gu?la¡¯s voice softened.¡°I¡¯ve known you a long time, S?arra, and you¡¯ve never been this reckless.It is a miracle you didn¡¯t die down there.If not for that dore?sah, I don¡¯t think we ever would have managed to open those doors in time.What was so pressing that you¡¯d throw everything away?I know you need funds for a dowry, but why now?We¡¯re headed off to war anyways.¡± The young woman averted her gaze, her cheeks blushing with a red that was not entirely due to the nipping winds. ¡°You found someone?¡±Attal?, noticing his cousin¡¯s expression, spoke up for the first time.¡°Is it that southern noble that keeps coming around?What¡¯s his name?Kuruni?l?I thought you were just tutoring him in magic.¡± Gu?la watched her friend¡¯s face for a moment before snorting.¡°Oh, she¡¯s been giving him lessons alright.Just look at her; her face is about to explode.¡± ¡°But why the rush,¡± she demanded again.¡°We¡¯re headed to war.When we crush these little stoneflesh, we''ll have all the loot we can carry.There was no need to do something so rash.¡± Sels?arrat¡¯s voice was almost drowned out by the wind as she replied quietly.¡°It will be too late then.Kuruni?l¡¯s family has started talking about engaging him to another and, well¡­¡± It was hard to believe it was possible, but her cheeks flushed an even deeper red, ¡°by then my serri? will already have come.¡± ¡°S?arra!¡±Attal? groaned.¡°How could you?¡± Gu?la regarded her friend with a touch more compassion than her cousin had granted her.¡°You know there¡¯s herbs for that, right?I can round them up for you if you wish.I doubt I can get my hands on calendula right now, but there are others we can gather that will work just as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± the woman quickly retorted. ¡°My choice doesn¡¯t effect yours,¡± Gu?la replied calmly.¡°And frankly, my situation should serve as a warning. It''s not like I got a happy ending.¡± ¡°But your situation isn''t mine," Sels?arrat disagreed. "Neither Kuruni?l or I are already engaged. His family may not be happy, but as long as we have a suitable dowry, they will consent to our arrangement.¡± ¡°And what about the war?¡± Gu?la asked skeptically.¡°You can¡¯t expect to continue with the army in your condition.¡± She saw the faintest creases of happiness at the edge of S?arra¡¯s eyes, and understood.¡°I see. So this was not an accident.I suppose you expect to be released from duty.¡± ¡°And leave us without a mage,¡± Attal? cut in, his voice suddenly thick with anger.¡°Do you really think our House will be happy that you¡¯ve abandoned us?Our soldiers will be slaughtered with no mage to protect us.¡± ¡°And why should I care about the opinions of a house to poor to offer me a dowry,¡± the woman replied cooly, shaking the bag of holding that hung at her hip.¡°I got everything I need now.¡± The man¡¯s shoulders rippled with anger, and Gu?la feared she would need to intervene, but the man pulled it together.Reining his horse to a stop, his voice was curt as he snapped at the men around them.¡°Someone else take her,¡± he snapped. The scene was awkward as the poisoned mage was transferred to another horse before continuing in silence.As they did, Gu?la studied the face of her old friend impassively. It had been a long time since the two had studied at S?ams?a''s temple together, but she was surprised by Sels?arrat¡¯s cavalier and callous abandonment of her House.Attalu? hadn''t exaggerated the issue; without a mage to protect the troops from attacks by stronger foes, the casualties of their detachment would likely be doubled, or even tripled, and their share of the loot would be correspondingly diminished.Sels?arrat had hung her House out to dry despite the fact that, as far as Gu?la knew, her House, though far from wealthy, had never treated her poorly. If anything, as the strongest mage in their family, the elders had lavished what limited resources they could gather on her development. It was hard, then, to not feel a bit disappointed in her friend¡¯s selfishness.When Gu?la had chosen to keep her child, she had done so believing that, due to her previous engagement, it would be accepted.Nas?ru had knowingly taken another man¡¯s fiancee and there were certain expectations that came with that; by the time she realized that he intended to dishonor their agreement, it was too late to make another decision, but S?arra was under no such constraints.She simply didn¡¯t care. No, it¡¯s worse than that, she corrected herself.From the woman¡¯s response, it was clear she had purposefully gotten pregnant to dodge the war and abandon her House for the more wealthy southern clan.She didn¡¯t seem to care about the many that would die because of her decision, or the hardships it would bring to the House that had invested so much in her.Was she always so selfish?Gu?la hadn¡¯t thought so, but maybe she had been inveigled as thoroughly as the mage¡¯s cousin. But the firebird captain kept her judgment to herself.She still needed the mage¡¯s expertise after all, so it would do no good to piss her off.But afterwards¡­Gu?la promised herself that she would try to help Attal? and his men.There was little she could do to thwart Sels?arrat¡¯s plan, but she had some sway in the royal court.Perhaps she could persuade them to lend a mage to Attal¡¯s encampment - S?ars?ad? was always looking for a way to indebt nobles to his cause. Yes, perhaps I can turn this to my advantage after all. Heartened by her plotting, she almost didn¡¯t notice when they reached the edge of a camp until Attal? suddenly called for his men to stop. ¡°I assume you can take her to a healer,¡± he asked in a strangled voice. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to do so, my lord,¡± Gu?la replied, with more respect than his relatively irrelevant status demanded.Might as well butter him up now. He inclined his head gratefully to her before turning to his cousin.¡°Unless you change your mind, you¡¯re not welcome back in camp.We¡¯ll have your stuff delivered to your¡­partner,¡± he spoke the word with some effort. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± the woman sneered.¡°I don¡¯t need that trash anymore.¡± Trash?Attal? gave you the best he could afford in everything.Gu?la¡¯s hid her frown behind a quick cough and helped the woman up on her mount without comment.¡°Let¡¯s get you to the healer and then¡­you can take a look at this device we found.I think Nas?ru¡¯s using it to frame firebirds,¡± she explained as she kicked the tsuss?m into a gallop. A Beastly Encounter The mood in Arall? had never been higher.Aphora had known how much her people struggled with the perpetual twilight of the mystical caverns - how much she had mourned the loss of the celestial bodies - but she had underestimated just how much it had affected them until Selene had graced them with her hypostatization. The elves had quickly come to call the new divine splinter the Lady of the Hidden Heavens, and her temple had been filled with new supplicants day after day. The benefits were not limited to mood alone.The gentle light of the hidden moon had caused their crops to flourish, growing faster and better than they had when nurtured only by the strange lavender light of the caverns.Tentative attempts to introduce crops that normally required sunlight had even proved mildly successful, producing vegetables that, while not the equal of their sun-nourished brethren, provided a welcome diversity to their meals. The boost in fertility was not limited to their crops.Perhaps this was nothing more than a side-effect of the people¡¯s happier mood, but the introduction of the Lady of the Hidden Heavens coincided with a sudden boom in pregnancies amongst both the elves and the Fey.It was too early now to tell if that was a long-term trend, or simply the result of the raucous, drunken celebrations of the temple dedication, but Aphora took it as a good omen, not to mention a necessary development if their little community hoped to do more than merely survive. With a sigh, she cleared her mind of those thoughts and forced herself to focus on the task at hand.The small goblet she was hovering over was already partially filled with a pale blue liquid.She crushed dried yarrow, wormwood, and calendula together, grinding it with the mortar and pestle until it was nothing but a fine powder and mixed it into the drink. Picking up the goblet, she walked over to her bedroom window, and stared out at the little settlement.Much had changed in the year they¡¯d been there; almost all of the rundown ruins of the destroyed Fey town had been either restored like new - or better than new, as Aphora privately thought, judging the elves¡¯ craftsmanship to be superior to that of the Fey - and what couldn¡¯t be restored had been torn down. Her own villa had been meticulously restored and while it could not compare to the luxury of the one she possessed in Gis?-Izum, it was still the nicest building in the city and the de facto seat of the government, as the young Fey had proven unable to stand as a true peer. Her pride and joy, aside from the temple, was the gardens around the villa, which featured a well-blended mix of Arall?¡¯s own unique foliage, and the seeds she had brought with her.Many of the plants could only be sustained with essence, but she had made the sacrifice, and as she stared at the burgeoning community around her, Aphora couldn¡¯t help but feel a touch of pride.After dedicating most of her life to trying to restore the past, it felt good to finally focus on the future. The future.Her determination wavered as she glanced down at the goblet she was holding.Turning away from the window, she placed the goblet on the desk undrunk and left the room.She was almost late for a meeting anyway.
¡°Oomph.¡±The girl grunted lightly as she slammed into the rock face.As soon as her foot had left the ground, she¡¯d realized she misjudged her jump.If she was a bit heavier, the force of catching the ledge around her midsection might have cracked a few bones, but the girl still had the lightness of youth, and gripping on tightly, she pulled herself onto the top of the ledge with little more than bruised pride. Hopping to her feet, she dusted off her hands and took in the view.The settlement stretched out beneath her, nestled into a low patch of ground that hugged the shores of the lavender sea.The waves twinkled softly as they crashed against the grey sands far below her, and hanging far above it all was the pale, almost bluish, moon which had appeared a few months ago, after the celebration in the temple.After the settlement came a mile or two of dense forests, before reaching the cliff she had just clambered up. The cliff was certainly no Grand Canyon, but to Qas?pa it might as well have been, and she surveyed her conquest proudly before turning to explore the new lands - for this was farther than she had ever wandered before. Beside her, a tranquil creek meandered across the cliff top.She¡¯d seen the creek a hundred times before - from the thin waterfall that tumbled down the shale cliffs into the lavender waters, but this was the first time she¡¯d managed to get close to it. She splashed merrily in the water, using her essence to toss sparkling waves cascading through the air as she trounced up the creek.A few fish darted between her feet, their scales sparkling a pale green and yellow, and she paused to look at them.As she did, her foot slipped on an uneven rock and she tumbled in the crick, getting thoroughly wet. Scampering back to her feet, the girl cried out with delight when she spotted the creature her misadventure had dislodged - a small black crayfish that scurried unsuccessfully toward a new hiding place.She snatched it up, deftly avoiding its claws and played with it for a few minutes.She would have kept the creature, but she wasn¡¯t done exploring the new area and she knew she couldn¡¯t keep it alive, so reluctantly she finally let it dash back into hiding. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Qas?pa slowly meandered up the river, getting deeper and deeper into the woods on the top of the cliff, which proved to be far larger than she had guessed.I wonder if Limmy has been this far?After a moment¡¯s thought, she decided that he had probably had; Qas?pa had watched the elven scouts hunt in the forest times and couldn¡¯t help but be a little bit envious of their speed and grace, even if her mother told her that envy wasn¡¯t nice. She had wandered far from the sight of the cliff when she spotted the first strange tracks in the mud.The forests around their settlement had fewer animals in them than the ones she was used to back home; there were no wolves or lions to worry about, nothing save for a healthy population of miniature deer and wild goats. But these tracks clearly didn¡¯t belong to any of those.With just three toes, she might have attributed them to some unknown species of bird, but the depth with which the tracks had sunk into the mud suggested they¡¯d been made by something far heavier.Her playfulness temporarily set aside, Qas?pa scanned the bushes for any signs of lurking beasts. The tracks led off into the scraggly underbrush beneath the trees, and she spotted a tuft of grey fur clinging to the edges of a broken brush, but there was no sign of movement.Shrugging it off, Qas?pa headed to the other side of the river, just in case the beast had slipped her attention and continued her trek.Just a little longer. She¡¯d continued another fifteen minutes before she realized something was wrong.It was anything she could see or hear, no matter how many times she glanced over her shoulder.Instead, it was the water that warned her.Despite not being able to hear anything over the gurgling of the stream, she could feel vibrations, the whisper of the stream in her ear. With her heart beating wildly, she waded deeper into the creek, until the waters had reached well above her waist and, preparing her essence, waited for her unseen stalker. The vibrations paused, perhaps made wary by her ability to sense it, and she raised a blade of water in a threatening motion.¡°Go away!¡±She screamed, though her little voice was swallowed up by the woods. Everything was silent, and she began to believe she had frightened it off, when the vibrations suddenly returned.Faster and closer than before, they surged on a direct path toward her. She flung the blade ahead of her and immediately plunged into the water.Qas?pa had never planned to fight the beast, knowing it was likely far more powerful than her.Instead, she tried to perform the same trick she had back in her village.Reaching out to the spirit of the creek, she begged the waters to carry her away. The stream swelled around her, the waters quickening like the rampage of a flash flood as it pulled her back toward the edge of the cliff and the sea waiting below, but her escape was not meant to be.Sharp claws pierced her grey skin as she was picked up and flung out of the water. Whether by purpose or accident, her trajectory took her into the path of a tree, and she crumbled at its base with a cry of pain. The creature had finally abandoned its attempt at stealth as it rushed at her, and her eyes struggled to interpret what she saw.Alternating between running on all fours and standing up like a man, the creature was covered entirely in grey fur, save for a space around its neck which seemed to have some sort of bony carapace.Its nose resembled that of the jungle creatures she seen in children¡¯s stories, a long, swinging appendage that moved with a mind of its own, but its mouth was filled with the razor-sharp teeth of a predator. Balling her little fist up, Qas?pa called on the river and it answered her.Two long tendrils lifted from the water¡¯s edge and, wrapping themselves around the creature¡¯s legs, sent it crashing into the dust.A tug of war ensued, but the beast was stronger than she.Inch by inch, it crept closer as the water strained to hold it back until she could feel its fetid breath against her skin. She stood frozen against the trunk, cradling her broken arm, and praying to the goddess. A loud crack disturbed their struggle, and the beast howled in pain.Her control over the river collapsed as she ran out of essence, but the creature no longer cared about her.It writhed on the ground, rivers of blood pouring from its grey fur, as long silver strands shot back and forth through its body, never ceasing until the body stilled forever. She whimpered as a pair of arms wrapped tight around her, nuzzling close to the warm chest of her mother. ¡°Qas?pa,¡± Aphora sighed.¡°You were supposed to be in school!If I hadn¡¯t had Tesha put a tracker on you, you could have died.¡± She happily drank the sweet healing potion that was placed against her lips and groaned slightly as her bone popped back into place, before apologizing.¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±For a change, Qas?pa actually meant it.She wasn¡¯t remotely sorry for skipping school - the kids there sucked, and the teachers did little to address the frequent bullying, but she had no desire to ever - ever - encounter this beast again. Her mother shook her head, amusement, worry, and disappointment fighting for control in her eyes.¡°You keep saying that, but you don¡¯t mean it.¡± Qas?pa shook her head.¡°I won¡¯t come here again,¡± she promised.¡°Well, not alone,¡± she hastily added.Despite the close call, she had loved playing in the creek and wouldn¡¯t rest until Limmy agreed to bring her back. ¡°Is school really that bad?¡± Aphora asked.¡°Is it worth risking your life?¡± She hung her head.Yes, the kids bullied her, but that wasn¡¯t the only reason she skipped.She¡¯d been used to a life of freedom back in the village; there was no mandatory schooling there, and save for the brief periods of planting and harvest, she¡¯d been free to do what she wanted.The whole idea of school chafed at her, trapping her in a tiny room to study useless stuff about long-dead people and irrelevant topics.She wanted to practice her magic.To play.To explore. ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± she promised. She could tell by the look in her mother¡¯s eyes, the elf wasn¡¯t convinced, but Qas?pa held the promise in her heart.She would try.For real this time. The Fire Bird Device The next few days passed in a flash.After returning from the village, Jasper checked in with Gu?la promptly to verify that the mage had survived.But as soon as the poison had been rooted out by one of the army''s healer, she and her friend had holed themselves up with the unknown device and had yet to emerge, so there was nothing to do on that front but wait for the mage''s analysis. That was fine, though, as there were plenty of other things to do. He took a quick trip to Nu?r-S?ams?a where he paid one of the tsussi?m merchants to send a message to his uncle about the hidden crypt and then, organizing his troops, Jasper headed back to H?engal to work on rebuilding the damaged village and keep an eye out just in case the remaining s?algu decided to return.here was some grumbling amongst the soldiers, many of whom felt the task beneath them, but when he joined them in the work himself, most of the complaints ceased. Surprisingly, the MVP of the operation was Erin.His pool of essence was still fairly low, forcing him to take frequent stops, but his ability to manipulate wood allowed him to do more in a few minutes to fix up the damaged homes than the soldiers could do in a few hours. And by the end of the week, Jasper had heard back from his uncle.Rather than waste time sending letters, a small troop of soldiers had arrived, prepared to guard the entrance to the crypt.He diverted his troops¡¯ efforts then to build a miniature fort above the entrance, with housing for the soldiers and a sturdy gate to prevent access.The fort was nearly completed when he finally received a message from Gu?la: ¡°Come see me.¡± Leaving the others to continue their labor, Jasper rode back to camp.Gu?la¡¯s tents were pitched on the far side of Nu?r-S?ams?a, so he was forced to ride through the entire breadth of the camp for the first time since the last round of fires.The encampment had rebuilt quickly, swamping out the charred tents for fresh ones bought at extortionary prices in the city and burying the hundreds of dead in consecrated mounds, but the signs of devastation were still there.The fresh white tents stood out starkly against the scorched earth, and Dapplegrim¡¯s hooves thundered against the vitrified earth, where the worst of the fires had raged. It took him a while to find Gu?la¡¯s tent, as he¡¯d never been there before.Set in a minor encampment like Attal?¡¯s, the relatively humble abode matched what she¡¯d told him of her family.It was a bit larger than most of the tents in her encampment, with a smaller tent attached to its side that he guessed belonged to her child. Gu?la must have been watching for his arrival, for she emerged from the tent before he could even dismount.She greeted him with a cheery smile, but he sensed a cold fury emanating from her as he tied Dapplegrim to the hitching post.¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She shook her head.¡°Not out here.¡± He followed her inside, and she closed the tent flap carefully behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t think a bit of a fabric¡¯s going to do much for us,¡± he started to say, but the Djinn shushed him.She pulled a small charm out of her pocket and dropped it on the ground.A bubble quickly emerged from it, passing through the two of them without issue until it filled up the entire space of the tent. ¡°Oh, you got one of those,¡± Jasper grunted, recognizing the device he¡¯d seen his uncle use the first time they¡¯d met. ¡°Why the secrecy?¡± ¡°Nas?ru¡¯s crossed a line I didn¡¯t think he would, and if he¡¯ll do that¡­it¡¯s best to be safe,¡± she finished. ¡°I take it Sels?arrat has figured out how the device worked,¡± he questioned. Gu?la made a face at the mention of the mage.¡°She eventually got around to it,¡± she replied shortly.¡°After, of course, prattling on about the far more important details of her incoming nuptials for the first days.¡± ¡°Upcoming nuptials?¡±Jasper raised an eyebrow.¡°In the middle of a campaign?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.She just¡­isn¡¯t who I thought she was,¡± she sighed.¡°But when I finally got her to focus, she was eventually able to figure out how the device worked.¡±She led him to the edge of the tent where the red cylinder they¡¯d confiscated from the saboteurs had been carefully suspended above a workbench.One side of the canister had been pried removed, and its contents had been arrayed below it, mostly a menagerie of brightly colored liquids in glass vials that Jasper didn¡¯t recognize. Something remained in the capsule, and Jasper crouched to get a better look at it.Up close, the object resembled a mid-sized chicken egg, if eggs were made of flesh rather than shell.The smell, though, was enough to make his eyes water.¡°What the hell is that?¡± The cold fury ignited in her eyes again.¡°That is what¡¯s left of a firebird.¡± He lurched backward, pulling his face away from the object.¡°You mean, like one of you?A person?¡± She smiled tightly.¡°Exactly.When I saw the flames that night, they were so similar to ours that I couldn¡¯t fathom how he¡¯d accomplished it.I thought maybe he¡¯d figured out some alchemical trick to make it look like ours, or, in the worst-case scenario, that he¡¯d paid one of our own to start the fires, but it never even crossed my mind he¡¯d done this.¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°And what exactly is this?¡±As he stared at the egg-shaped object, he noticed its middle seemed to so slightly wavering, almost as if it was breathing.¡°Is it alive?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± she replied.¡°To make this, Nas?ru¡¯s men would have had to carve a chunk of flesh out of his body, while keeping him alive.You can¡¯t see it from here, but a number of small glyphs have been carved into its bottom, tethering the charm to the prisoner.¡±She picked up a small metal rod from the table stamped with a glyph on the top and bottom.¡°This is what the mage was supposed to use to start it.You insert essence into the glyph on the top, and after a few minutes, the essence is transferred from the glyph on the top to the glyph on the bottom, and boom! The accelerants in the vials go up in flames.¡± ¡°This canister just had an extra step added.Instead of igniting the vials, the rod was pressed against this flesh charm.Sels?arrat suspected the prisoner was being held in a vegetative state, so when the charm was pressed into the lump of flesh, his body responded automatically, sending our flames exploding out into the canister.With the added accelerants, the result was, well, what you saw.¡± Jasper frowned, struggling to reconcile the image of the man he¡¯d met with the image of the evil experimenter Gu?la had just painted.¡°You really think Nas?ru did all this?¡± She shook her head.¡°No, Nas?ru is a mediocre mage.His only real passion in life is horse racing and hunting which, I must admit, he is quite talented at, but there¡¯s no way he came up with this on his own.I¡¯d assumed these ¡®Lords of We?di?ni?nu¡¯ was just a fancy name for him and his friends, but this took some skill.Sels?arrat couldn¡¯t figure out how they managed to keep this flesh charm alive as long as it¡¯s lasted, although you can tell from the smell it¡¯s starting to rot.¡± Jasper hummed thoughtfully.¡°That tells us something though: if the flesh is starting to rot, then whoever made this either can¡¯t be too far away or they flew these canisters out on tsuss?m.If they¡¯d sent it any other way, it would take at least two weeks to make it here from the nearest city.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right - and ever since the fires began, General Turzu has been having us record all tsuss?m that fly in and out of the city,¡± she added.¡°If they sent it that way, there should be a paper trail.¡± ¡°Might be worth checking then, see if there¡¯s any unusual trips,¡± he suggested.¡°And if not, then we know the alchemist is somewhere in the area.¡± ¡°I already have a suspect,¡± Gu?la replied. ¡°That mage Turzu wanted to inspect the canister,¡± Jasper asked.He snapped his fingers irritably, ¡°I can¡¯t remember his name though.¡± ¡°Marh?asis,¡± she supplied.¡°But no, based on Sels?arrat¡¯s examination, I¡¯m no longer sure he¡¯s involved.Marh?asis is one of the most talented fire mages in Nas?ru¡¯s clan, but he¡¯s never been particularly skilled at magical crafting.I don¡¯t think he could have built this.¡± He furrowed his brow.¡°Then who?¡± ¡°Sele?muq - the mage who was late from his trip back home.Another week has passed now and he still hasn¡¯t reported back to camp.Even with the disruptions to travel caused by the eruption of Har Aqullu, it¡¯s starting to look suspicious and unlike Marh?asis, Sele?muq has always had a knack for glyphs.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s missing, that doesn¡¯t exactly help us.¡± A smug smile spread across her lips.¡°I said he hasn¡¯t reported - I didn¡¯t say he was missing.¡± ¡°You know where he is?¡± ¡°A general idea,¡± she replied.¡°Turzu may have been able to remove my subordinates, but he couldn¡¯t touch the stipend S?ars?adu?r is giving me.I bribed Nu?r-S?ams?a¡¯s guard to keep an eye out for a list of people, and three days ago, Sele?muq entered the city.He promptly headed for the noble district and hasn¡¯t been seen since, but he¡¯s had plenty of time to report in if he wanted to.Given what we know, either he¡¯s a captive or he¡¯s working with them.¡± ¡°So what next,¡± Jasper asked.¡°Do you want to go track him down?¡± ¡°Since we have two leads, it might be best if we split up.I can look over the travel logs for the tsuss?m.They¡¯re at headquarters and General Turzu is¡­¡± ¡°Not my biggest fan,¡± he finished her sentence. ¡°Yeah,¡± she agreed.¡°Do you think you could check out the noble district?¡± ¡°I guess, but I¡¯m not familiar with the city.Any idea where to start?¡± ¡°I¡¯d start with my contact in the guards, Captain S?ams?atnu.He can point you in the direction.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed.¡°I¡¯ll grab my party and we¡¯ll check it out,¡± he said and turned to head out of the tent. ¡°I won¡¯t recommend that,¡± she quickly called out. He glanced back.¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Your friends aren¡¯t Djinn.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed,¡± he replied drily.¡°And?¡± ¡°Nu?r-S?ams?a isn¡¯t like the places you¡¯ve been.Almost every foreigner in the province goes to either S?adda?nu or Du?r-Yarha, but there¡¯s not many non-Djinn in the other cities; a few elves, who are always the wives of prominent nobles, and the very, very occasional traveler, but that¡¯s it.If you enter the noble district with two foreigners, an elf and a Corsyth, people are going to notice.¡± ¡°Well, I''m not going into the lion''s den alone,¡± he countered.¡°That¡¯s a fool''s errand.¡± Her lips twisted in a grimace.¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± she agreed.¡°We¡¯ll just have to progress our investigation more slowly.Wait-¡°Her head snapped up.¡°What about that mage in your scouts you were telling me about?They weren¡¯t a Djinn, weren¡¯t they?¡± It took him a second to place who she was referring to, and then he nodded.¡°Yeah, Erin is a Djinn.I¡¯m not sure he''s much of a fighter though, but maybe¡­¡±He hesitated a moment longer.¡°¡®What if I just take one of them with me - if I take Ihra along, people will just assume she¡¯s my consort, right?¡± Something flickered in her eyes at the word ¡®consort¡¯ but the Djinn nodded unhappily.¡°I suppose if you only took Ihra and this Erin along, most people would just write you off as a minor noble.¡± ¡°Great,¡± he grinned.¡°Then I¡¯ll track down this S?ams?atnu while you check out the logs, and we¡¯ll meet back up.Sound good?¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± she replied, without a shred of enthusiasm. ¡°Just wonderful,¡± she repeated, as she watched him hurry out of the tent. Silver Spoons As Erin approached Jasper¡¯s tent, he couldn¡¯t quite dispel the ball of tension that sat in the pit of his stomach. The last few days had been some of the best he¡¯d had since being trapped in this godforsaken land. Not only did he finally have access to his magic, but being able to use it to restore a damaged village rather than being expected to kill someone with it had felt truly rewarding. Just think what we could do with magic if there was no war. The soldier¡¯s face flashed through his mind unbidden and he quickly forced the image away, not willing to dwell on it. Unfortunately, Erin had a feeling that whatever Jasper wanted from him was probably not going to be more charity work.He still wasn¡¯t quite sure what he felt about his fellow earthling.On the one hand, it was great to have someone else from back home, but, on the other, the gulf between their situation here - noble vs commoner and commander vs scout - had prevented their paths from crossing that often. It wasn¡¯t that Jasper acted stuck up. If anything it was the opposite - the dude had always been friendly and casual in his interactions with him, but Erin wasn¡¯t free to respond in the same way. Although Jasper wouldn''t have been offended, the rest of society had certain expectations of how someone of his stature was supposed to interact with a noble of the Royal House and if he failed to observe them, Erin knew his commanders would have no qualms about punishing him once Jasper was out of sight. That wasn¡¯t the only divide between them though.Maybe it was just because Jasper had been here longer, and the frequent brutality of the world had forced him to adapt, or maybe it was because Erin, aside from his brief stint in the S?addu¡¯a prison, had mostly been sheltered in the capital and hadn¡¯t been forced to do much fighting, but the two had very different approaches to violence. Jasper was quick to kill and, if it bothered him, he hid it well. Erin, on the other hand¡­the scout shook his head vigorously, trying to dislodge the visage of the soldier that had filled his mind once again. I¡¯ll do what I have to, he promised himself. It was a promise he intended to keep, but that didn¡¯t shield him from the guilt. Reaching the edge of the tent, he called out. ¡°Reporting for duty as commanded, Lord Yas?peh.¡± He hated how cringy it sounded, but several of his squad were within earshot and he didn¡¯t dare drop the formality. ¡°Ah!¡± A head stuck out of the tent flap, followed by an arm a second later that dragged him in. ¡°Come on in. No need to be so formal,¡± Jasper bid him. Erin smiled politely, but he knew the man was wrong. Scanning the tent, he was honestly surprised at how simply it was furnished; there was none of the luxurious furs or opulent furniture he¡¯d expected, with the only real luxury being the cozy cot which was admittedly a step above his bedroll on the ground. Jasper wasn¡¯t alone in the room. Despite himself, Erin¡¯s pulse quickened as he saw the elf sitting at the small table. She seemed absorbed in the map spread across its top, absentmindedly brushing away a lock of her luscious, blonde hair that fell across her eyes, but she glanced up when Jasper spoke to her, offering the two of them a small smile, before returning her attention to the map. Erin stared a moment too long and a guilty blush spread across his cheeks when he finally pulled his gaze away. It wasn¡¯t that he had a thing for her - sure, she was pretty but, in all honesty, the vivacious brunette that also hung around Jasper was more his type - but it was still hard not to stare. She was a goddamned elf, after all, complete with pointy ears and a small pair of deer-like antlers that were, admittedly, kind of cute. Unlike Jasper, he''d been summoned directly into the province, so he''d barely gotten to see anyone other than Djinn. Fortunately, neither Jasper nor the elf noticed his faux pas, as the man waved him over to the table. ¡°Come on, grab a seat.¡± Free from outside observers, Erin opted for a more casual greeting this time. ¡°So what¡¯s up? Any more houses to build?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± The man pointed at the map. ¡°We¡¯re headed into the city to investigate some leads on those fires.¡± That got Erin¡¯s attention. Their camp had been fortunately spared the worst of it, but he¡¯d seen the devastation left behind, not to mention the hundreds of dead left in its wake. The soldiers around camp seemed to call them ¡®saboteurs,¡¯ but Erin had a different word he¡¯d use. Terrorists. He leaned forward eagerly. ¡°You mean you¡¯re trying to catch these guys?¡± ¡°Been working on it for a while,¡± Jasper explained. ¡°We think the mage who built those bombs is hiding in the noble district. And, since I¡¯m a noble, we¡¯ve been asked to take a look around.¡± ¡°Cool, but¡­¡± Erin frowned. ¡°What do you need me for? Unlike you, I don¡¯t got no silver spoon here.¡± The elf furrowed her brow. ¡°Silver spoon? Why would we care what sort of spoon you have?¡± ¡°Just ignore it, Ihra - it¡¯s one of those nonsense things from our world,¡± Jasper cut in. ¡°And you¡¯re right, you¡¯re not a noble, but you are a mage. I thought it would be good to have a little backup just in case things went south. Are you up for it?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t just going to order me to come?¡± Erin asked. Jasper shook his head. ¡°No. I know technically I could force you, but that''s not how I want our relationship to go. Plus, I know you¡¯re still a bit¡­uncomfortable with the whole killing thing. If you¡¯re willing to come along, I¡¯d appreciate the help; if not, you''re free to rejoin your troop - no hard feelings.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Erin pondered the offer for a second, grateful to have been given the choice. Jasper was certainly right about one thing; he wasn¡¯t keen on the idea of killing, not in the slightest, but Erin also remembered the piles of charred corpses the last attack had left. He didn''t want to see that happen again. Ever. And maybe, if I help stop these guys, it can atone a little bit for what I did to poor Dannu. ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Jasper seemed almost surprised by the answer, but Erin nodded his head resolutely. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s that saying about allowing evil to prosper? If you¡¯ve got a way to stop these terrorists, I want to help.¡± ¡°Even if it means killing,¡± Jasper asked pointedly. ¡°I''d rather not,¡± he admitted candidly, "but if I have to, I will." He could tell Jasper wasn¡¯t entirely convinced of his resolve, but the man didn¡¯t press him further. ¡°Alright, then, let¡¯s get going. Gu?la set up a meeting for us with a captain in the city guard, so we''ll start there.¡± It was the first time Erin hadn¡¯t visited the city, but he wasn¡¯t particularly impressed by what he saw. Compared to the capital, Nu?r-S?ams?a was a sprawling, dull dump. Okay, maybe that was a bit too harsh, especially for a kid who¡¯d grown up in the bad part of Baltimore, but the city definitely lacked the monumental architecture and finely kept streets that S?adda?nu had led him to assume were commonplace. It wasn¡¯t quite as bad as the stereotypes about medieval life - the only dung in the streets was a bit of horse droppings, which really, were more grass than anything else, and if there was a stench, it was thoroughly masked by the breeze blowing off Lake Yarh?ab, but Nu?r-S?ams?a was still nothing to write home about. Following the map the elf had been examining, Jasper quickly led the three of them away from the busy streets of the business district toward the northern quarter of the town. A second wall awaited them there; smaller than the great wall that protected the city, this wall¡¯s primary purpose seemed to be to divide the noble district from the rest of the city, although the regular towers set every 100 feet suggested it served a double purpose as the last line of defense. He wondered idly why they even had walls. He knew, of course, that the empire was embroiled in a desperate conflict, but there didn''t seem to be any threat to cities here. Maybe it''s just tradition. A pair of stern guards watched over the gates that led to the noble district, clad in matching suits of lamellar pair whose plates gleamed in the light of the morning sun. They weren''t there to bar the way, though; surprisingly, the gates were propped wide open and though the guards jotted down every visitor who passed by on a sheet of paper, he didn¡¯t see them detain anyone. Still, Erin would have preferred to waltz right past them without a word, but Jasper immediately detoured toward them. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he hailed them. ¡°I¡±m Lord Yas?peh. I believe Captain S?ams?a?tnu is expecting me?¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± The guard on the left shot a hasty glance around the small pavilion before replying and only relaxed once he''d verified no one was near them. ¡°Sorry, my lord, but don¡¯t speak so loud. Captain S?ams?a?tnu will see you, but he doesn¡¯t want anyone to know about his¡­arrangement.¡± Jasper bit down on his frown. ¡°Okay, so where he is.¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting in a pub called The Frog and Dancer,¡± the guard replied. ¡°And where¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Down by the docks.¡± This time, Jasper didn¡¯t bother to hide his exasperation. ¡°Damn it. This is turning into a fetch quest. Every bloody time I need to talk to someone, I get sent somewhere else.¡± The guard looked uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord-¡± ¡°No,¡± Jasper sighed, ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. Just frustrating, that¡¯s all. Come on.¡± Waving his hand at Ihra and Erin, he turned toward the business district but froze in his tracks as a voice hailed him from across the street. ¡°Lord Yas?peh! What are you doing here? Come to take me up on my offer?¡± One of the tallest Djinn Erin had seen strolled toward them. The man would have been in the top 1% of NBA players without the horns, but when the majestic spiraling pair of horns that rose from his head were taken into account, he must have been pressing 9 feet. His body matched his height, with a broad frame stacked with muscle, and the confident stride of a warrior. Yet, despite the friendly smile on his face, Erin felt certain he caught a nasty gleam in his eye and he took a step closer to Jasper. ¡°Who the hell is that,¡± he whispered. ¡°That, unfortunately, is Lord Nas?ru, one of the very men we¡¯re here to investigate,¡± Jasper replied quietly. ¡°Lord Nas?ru,¡± he said more loudly, ¡°What a pleasant surprise. But no, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not here to do any gambling today. My friend here wanted to look at clothes,¡± he added, grabbing Ihra¡¯s arm. ¡°Friend, huh?¡± Up close, Erin could see the man¡¯s eyes were almost shockingly blue, bright enough that back home he would have assumed they were the result of colored contacts, but he was pretty sure those didn¡¯t exist here. ¡°I thought you were with Gu?la. Even after my warning, the gossip around camp is that you two are an item.¡± It is? That was news to him, but Jasper shrugged diffidently. ¡°Can¡¯t a man see more than one woman?¡± he managed to reply. ¡°Just as long as they don¡¯t see each other,¡± the man quipped back and the two shared a laugh without a trace of merriment.¡°Well,¡± the Djinn added after a moment of awkward silence, ¡°If you change your mind, let me know.I can get you in for a game of piqru.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jasper replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have to take you up on that sometime, but for now, this little filly,¡± he patted Ihra¡¯s hand, ¡°wants to see the stores.¡± ¡°Some other time then,¡± Nas?ru replied with an easy smile and, with a final nod of his head, ventured into the noble district. As he disappeared down the street, Jasper sighed. ¡°Well, crap. So much for exploring without being seen. I thought Gu?la said he rarely visited the city.¡± ¡°This little filly?¡± Jasper winced as Ihra ripped her hand out of his and shot him an incredulous glare." ¡°Yeah, sorry about that," he apologized, "but the dude seemed like kind of a pig. Just wanted him off our back, and the only reason that came to mind in the moment was that we were here to look at the shops.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, man,¡± Erin cut in. ¡°How could you call her a filly? She¡¯s clearly a deer,¡± he grinned, pointing at the stubby antlers that peeked out of her golden locks. The elf rolled her eyes at the bad joke, but the tension drained out of her shoulders. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right, but what do we do now? Won''t he just warn our target?¡± ¡°Now?¡± Jasper hesitated a moment. ¡°I guess now we have to shop. It will look suspicious if we don¡¯t.¡± He glanced over at the guards who had pretended not to listen in. ¡°Any chance you guys can reach Captain S?ams?a?tnu? Maybe he can bump into us while we¡¯re shopping?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try, my lord,¡± the guard replied. ¡°Do you know where you¡¯re headed?¡± Jasper shook his head. ¡°Never been here.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d recommend the tailor on Ellu?tu Street - the Thorn-Pricked Finger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an odd name,¡± Jasper replied. The guard simply shrugged. ¡°The best place in town. If Lord Nas?ru is keeping tabs on you, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll check for you there.¡± Jasper turned back to the rest. ¡°Alright, sounds like we¡¯re going shopping then.¡± Hidden Paths While the noble district was mostly free from the hustle and bustle that businesses usually bring, a small section near the gates had been aside for the most exclusive shops in town, a parade of tailors, jewelers, and perfumers whose wares were too expensive for the hoi polloi to even consider. Knowing that Nas?ru or his men might be keeping an eye on them, the three window-shopped for a few minutes, but there was little to get their interest.Ihra had no use for the fancy tunics and dresses they sold for women, while the fashions for men were a bit more flamboyant than Jasper, a solid jeans-and-t sort of dude, preferred. It didn¡¯t help that the storekeeps barely acknowledged them, judging correctly that the trio were not serious shoppers. They didn¡¯t even bother entering the jewelry shops, whose windows were filled with such ostentatious displays of wealth that Jasper guessed he¡¯d struggle to buy a single item.They stopped briefly at the store the guard had directed them to, but there was no sign of the captain, so they continued down the lane, and ducked into one of the perfume shops. Jasper descended into a fit of coughing as they stepped across the threshold.The store¡¯s atmosphere had a visible haze, a soupy mix of every conceivable scent and flavor that walked the line between tantalizing and nauseating.Hundreds of glass vials lined the walls, filled with bright liquids, while below them sat bins piled high with sundry dried herbs and flowers. Unlike most of the other shopkeepers, the man behind the desk greeted them cheerily as they entered, and shuffled forward.He walked with a slight limp, his leg dragging with every step, but moved with a deceptive speed.¡°Welcome to E?se?n¡¯s Aromatics, my lord.Is there anything you¡¯re looking for?¡± There was an eagerness to his voice that pulled on Jasper¡¯s heartstrings, and he started to look at the shelves more closely.¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m looking for any perfume right now, but I might be interested in some potions.¡± The Djinn looked crestfallen for a second but quickly composed his face.¡°Well, I do have a few potions made by my daughter.She¡¯s just an apprentice alchemist right now, you understand, so she doesn¡¯t know many recipes yet, but the potions she makes work just fine - her mentor double-checks everything we sell.¡± He escorted Jasper to the front of the store where a row of black jars filled a table. Most were simple healing potions, which Jasper already had plenty of; healing potions was one area where Ihra, despite her general reluctance to part with gold, never skimped.Plus, thanks to his new healing spell, Jasper hoped to cut down on their consumption. There were two other potion types, though, whose labels he didn¡¯t recognize.¡°What do these do?¡± ¡°This one,¡± the shopkeep replied, grabbing the jar closest to Jasper, ¡°is a warming potion.We mostly sell it to hunters who are going to be out for a few days.¡± Jasper could see it being useful for Tsia and Ihra who, unlike him, were still susceptible to the cold and snatched two of them up.¡°And what about the other one?¡± The shopkeeper seemed slow to respond.¡°That is, uh, a potion for the ladies, my lord.Prevents their monthly visitor,¡± he added with an apologetic glance at Ihra. ¡°You mean birth control?¡± Jasper asked for clarification. The man¡¯s eyes squirreled away.¡°Call it what you like, my lord.¡± Jasper bought the two potions he had already picked up and, much to his surprise, Ihra shelled out several gold coins of her own to buy a number of the second potions.Is she seeing someone?He couldn¡¯t help but be a bit curious, but he held his tongue. Even if Ihra was seeing someone, it wasn¡¯t his place to pry; she''d tell him when she was ready. With their transactions concluded, the three ventured back to the street and took a second pass by the ¡°Thorn Pricked Finger.¡±This time, Jasper spied a man in military garb through the tailor¡¯s windows. When they entered, there was no sign of the shopkeep, but the guard against the front desk.¡°Lord Yas?peh, I presume?¡± he greeted them. ¡°Captain S?ams?a?tnu?¡± Jasper responded. The man bobbed his head in reply and waved them closer.¡°I had Abd?l step out for a few minutes so we could talk.From the message Gu?la sent me, it sounds like you¡¯re looking for a mage.¡±He pulled the letter out of his pocket and tapped it against the counter.¡°But why Sele?muq?He¡¯s been in a town for a few weeks, but hasn''t caused any trouble. Has he done something I should be aware of?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the town he¡¯s causing trouble for,¡± Jasper replied evasively.The captain didn¡¯t need to know their reasons and, frankly, he found the man¡¯s prying annoying.¡°Do you know where Sele?muq is staying?¡± The captain pursed his lips, obviously annoyed that Jasper had ignored his question, but he filled them in anyways.¡°Mostly in and around the manor of Lord Ayya?lu.My men have only seen him leave that estate two or three times.¡± ¡°And where''s Lord Ayya?lu''s manor?¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°If you take this street till it dead ends, and turn to the left, you¡¯ll come across his estate.Just look for the house flying a green banner with a golden stag.¡± ¡°And are there any easy ways to, maybe, sneak in and take a long around?¡± he probed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you how to break into his house," the captain snorted, taking great delight in being able to reject them.Gu?la paid me for observation, nothing more.¡± Jasper shared a look with Ihra, who reluctantly opened the party¡¯s bag of holding, and fished a handful of gold coins out of it.She knew better than to directly offer them to the captain but piled them up on the table with the offer left unstated. ¡°Are you sure nothing come to mind?¡±Jasper questioned again. The man casually swept the coins into his bag and stood up.¡°Nope, but I¡¯ll take this as payment for your crimes.¡± ¡°Crimes?¡± ¡°Attempted bribery,¡± the Djinn replied with a smirk and headed for the exit. When the door swung shut behind him, Jasper cursed.¡°Well, he¡¯s an ass.¡± ¡°And a thief,¡± Ihra replied tightly.¡°Do you think his information¡¯s trustworthy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admitted. ¡°I know he¡¯s supposed to be Gu?la¡¯s contact, but I didn¡¯t get the impression that he¡¯s committed to any cause but his own.I don''t think Gu?la has much of a budget, so if the other side pays better, he might be setting us up. But, it''s not like we have any other leads .¡±Suffocating a sigh, he turned and headed for the door. ¡°And if it is an ambush, we might learn something from the prisoners,¡± he added as an afterthought. The captain¡¯s directions, at least, proved accurate.Though a bustling city for trade, Nu?r-S?ams?a¡¯s noble district was fairly compact.The section of high-end shopping lasted less than a block and a half, after which the street only continued for another two blocks before dead-ending into the city wall as the captain had said. A wide avenue ran parallel to the wall, trapping about an acre of land between it and the sturdy defenses.It was here that the largest manors in the city had been built.The Djinn mostly favored three-story edifices built around courtyards, and like the famous palazzos of Florence, their austere exteriors hid the luxuries within.Indeed, the only signs of opulence visible to pedestrians were the carefully manicured gardens that wrapped around the homes in a narrow strip, filled with an array of bright flowers. They passed seven manors before they found the one the captain had described.Like the others, a bright banner hung above the iron gates that enclosed its properly - a rich, verdant green across whose somber forests trekked a deer of shining gold which, upon inspection, Jasper suspected was actual gold thread. No guards were waiting outside the building but the whole manor was enclosed by a tall iron fence and a pair of closed gates that were barred shut by three long, thick poles that held them in place.Sure, Ihra could have boosted her strength enough to break through them or Jasper could have used Spectral Wings to shuttle them up and over the fence, but not without attracting more attention than they wanted. Instead, the three continued past the manor and turned down the narrow alleyway that shunted down its side.The alleyway led to an even narrower path at the base of the city walls, but though they skirted around the entire exterior of the manor, they spied no sign of a quieter place to try to break in. With a huff of frustration, Jasper paused opposite the front gates.¡°There¡¯s no way there isn¡¯t another entrance,¡± he complained.¡°Even normal houses have two doors so you don¡¯t get trapped in a fire, but where the hell did they hide it?¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Ihra shrugged.¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait for night and sneak over the fence; it won''t be too hard." ¡°Yeah, but if the captain sold us out, that¡¯s what they¡¯re expecting us to do,¡± Jasper pointed out.¡°And if I¡¯m going into an ambush, I¡¯d rather it not be at night.¡± ¡°Actually-"They both started as Erin, who had barely spoken the entire time, piped up.¡°I think I might have found a secret entrance.¡± ¡°You saw something,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°I wouldn''t call it seeing,¡± the scout denied.¡°But, sort of. You know how one of my skills lets me manipulate wood?¡± ¡°We all saw what you could in H?engal,¡± Jasper replied wryly. ¡°Well, part of that skill includes allowing me to sense wood near me.¡± ¡°Did you find a tunnel?¡±Ihra cut to the chase. The scout nodded.¡°I think so.¡±He led them back toward the left corner of the estate, which nestled close to the wall.¡°There¡¯s nothing visible here but there¡¯s a bunch of wood buried beneath us, spaced at fairly even intervals.If we follow it, maybe we¡¯ll find the end of the tunnel?¡± With no better leads, Jasper and Ihra fell in line behind him.The tunnel, if that¡¯s what it was, extended halfway down the street, before taking an abrupt turn directly into the wall. ¡°Crap, we¡¯ve got to go outside.¡± The noble district had no direct gate to the countryside, so they were forced to head back down the small shopping district and out into the city at large to reach the nearest exit.They galloped around the perimeter of Nu?r-S?ams?a until they reached the start of the noble district and began to search for the tunnel¡¯s continuation, only to realize they had a bit of a problem. ¡°There¡¯s a half dozen of them down there,¡± Erin complained as he scanned the ground.¡°I don¡¯t know which is which.¡± ¡°Was there anything that seemed different about the other one,¡± Ihra questioned. He shook his head.¡°Not really.Maybe¡­maybe the distance between the support beams?I know I said they were about 10 feet apart.¡±He turned away from the tunnel he¡¯d been standing over.¡°I think this one¡¯s beams are closer.¡± It took a few minutes to narrow down the suspects but, eventually, he decided on two that he thought were most promising.Picking the first, the three followed the trail of beams five hundred feet out from the walls until they reached a thicket of trees in a fallow field. Though the snow was beginning to melt, much was still preserved beneath the shadow of the trees, and they were forced to paw through the drifts looking for the door.It wasn¡¯t so bad for Jasper, but Ihra¡¯s and Erin¡¯s hands were raw and shaking by the time they finally uncovered the entrance.It was well hidden, covered in brown grass, fallen leaves, and mud, with a gap between the surrounding sod that was so thin only Ihra was able to perceive it.It was a team effort to pull it open, and it was only when Ihra activated her Still Pond skill that they finally managed to snap the chain that tied it down on the other side.It thumped onto the ground with a heavy thud, revealing nothing but a pool of darkness. Jasper brushed the muck of his hands and clothes as best as he could before turning to the others.¡°Well, shall we check it out?¡± The Lords of We?di?ni?nu After two hours of sitting on the cold stone bench, the pain in his back and butt had reached a near crescendo, but the Djinn didn¡¯t allow himself to stir.He couldn¡¯t afford to show weakness, no matter how small, in front of those who sat before him. The Lords of We?di?ni?nu.After more than a year of serving them, he still didn¡¯t know who they were.Twelve of the lords sat in front of him, but their identities were well obscured.They wore voluminous black cloaks, under whose shapeless forms he could not even discern whether they were man or woman.Their faces were shrouded too, covered by silver masks attached to odd-shaped helmets whose only purpose, as far as he could tell, was to hide the potentially distinctive shape of their horns.For all he knew, the people sitting before him could have been his friends.Family.Even his father. It was impossible to know. ¡°Our informants tell us that the king¡¯s men have gotten their hands on one of the devices.Why have you kept this from us?¡±The paranoid lords or ladies had even taken pains to disguise their voices, with little glyphs inscribed in the silver mask that distorted them beyond recognition. ¡°Didn¡¯t know,¡± he replied with a casual shrug.¡°Unlike you, I don¡¯t have informants in military command.The only people I know there don¡¯t trust me.¡±Thanks to you, he continued bitterly in his head. ¡°You knew one of the fires didn¡¯t go off,¡± another one of the shrouded lords rebuked him.¡°It was a reasonable assumption.¡± ¡°So did you,¡± he fired back, ¡°And if you recall, I was a bit busy dealing with the damage to my own camp - a fire you insisted I start to dispel suspicion.Thought I was going to go up in my flames myself for a while there.¡± Nas?ru¡¯s head slammed into the wall as the stone bench he was seated on rose from the floor and flung him backward.He tried to stand up immediately but fell back down as stars whirled around the edges of his vision, hitting his head again against the wall. As he struggled to recover, the stone bench melted mid-air and, separating into two separate sections, wrapped around his wrists.He was dragged into a standing position as the pair of stone manacles rose up the wall. ¡°Do you think you are clever,¡± the lord of We?di?ni?nu hissed.¡°Do not forget our deal.¡±The wall behind him bubbled as a tendril wrapped around his throat, constricting like a snake until his face had turned purple, only releasing him just before he lasted into unconsciousness. As swiftly as they had formed, the shackles disintegrated, and a new bench emerged from the ground, catching him as he fell forward.He caught himself awkwardly before he hit the floor again and, with shaking arms, carefully lowered himself onto the seat. No, he had not forgotten the deal they had forced on him.How could he?He didn¡¯t know who lay behind those masks and he didn¡¯t understand their endgame, but they had taken over his life.When they¡¯d first contacted him and demanded he serve them, Nas?ru had laughed in their faces.Who¡¯d take a bunch of creepy dudes in dress-up seriously? His family had found him two days later by the side of the road, beaten to a bloody pulp, with his head laid against the belly of the body of his favorite horse.When he¡¯d recovered, he¡¯d been as much angry as terrified, but there was no one to strike back against and no clues to their identity no matter how hard he¡¯d searched.The second time they showed up with a list of demands, he¡¯d still refused to obey, not believing that they would go so far as to kill a noble as important as him. The next day the servants had come wailing back to the house, bearing the ravaged body of his younger brother.It had been made to look like a beast attack, but Nas?ru wasn¡¯t stupid.When the lords of We?di?ni?nu contacted him again, he¡¯d had no choice but to bend the knee. Since then they¡¯d given him occasional demands.Some were criminal - simple monster-killing requests - while others had seemed downright nonsensical.They¡¯d even forced him to break off his engagement for some reason and denounce the poor girl as a whore.That one he suspected had been personal, their way of punishing him for his previous obstinance after he¡¯d made the mistake of developing actual feelings for her. But he¡¯d done it.Nas?ru was a decent warrior and a skilled equestrian, but he had no great powers with which to fight off the unknown foe.Whoever they were, they were beyond him. That didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d completely rolled over.He resisted them in whatever little ways he could find: purposefully misunderstanding instructions, failing to notify them promptly, flippant behavior.His main focus, though, had been his attempts to draw suspicion to himself.It was unfortunate that their informants in the military command had worked so hard to clear him of any suspicion, but fortunately Gu?la wasn¡¯t stupid.He¡¯d done his best to leave a trail of breadcrumbs, and all he could do now was hope she followed them in time. ¡°Are you listening?¡±An angry voice interrupted his drifting thoughts.Nas?ru started to shake his head but froze as shooting pain lanced through his forehead. Stolen story; please report. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m having a hard time thinking after you slammed me into a wall,¡± he replied wryly.He half expected the short-tempered S?addu¡¯a - for the disguise couldn¡¯t hide the fact that the stone mage was almost certainly a S?addu¡¯a - to repeat the trick, but another one of the lords raised his hand in warning. ¡°Leave him be.He¡¯s no use to us if his brains are addled.¡± His lackluster savior turned to the lord sitting beside him.¡°Stay with him until he¡¯s recovered, and make sure he understands his new instruction.¡± The masked head bobbed in acceptance, and began to file out of the room, leaving him alone with the last mage.No longer feeling any need to put on a show, Nas?ru collapsed across the bench, his eyes closing as he tried to reign in the throbbing in his head, while the lord watched impassively.They could have just healed him.A simple potion could have fixed him right up, but they didn¡¯t want that. The pain was the point.
The first tunnel they¡¯d explored had not been the right one.Sure, Jasper had known that was a possibility, but he¡¯d hoped they¡¯d realize it before committing a little light breaking-and-entering.Instead, they¡¯d followed the tunnel until it dead-ended in a cramped, forgotten corner of a dark cellar they¡¯d been forced to explore. Through the floor above them, they¡¯d heard the muffled sound of sonorous male voices engaged in unintelligible chanting, and Jasper had felt certain they¡¯d found their target.They¡¯d crept up the stairs cautiously and burst through the door expecting a fight.Instead, they¡¯d stumbled into a room full of men in white robes kneeling before a shiny copper statue of Lord S?ams?a and chanting hymns of praise. As it turned out, the manor¡¯s lord was so devoted to the sun god that he¡¯d built a private chapel in his home and paid the local priests to perform services there three times a week. He¡¯d been hard-pressed to keep the lord from calling the guard, and he reckoned it was only due to the colors of the Royal House on his armor that he¡¯d been able to persuade him not to. That and the gold.Ihra had nearly wept as she counted out the 100 gold coins the lord had demanded for his silence.It really wasn¡¯t that much money to them, not any longer, but poverty is not a condition quickly forgotten. After escaping from the wrong manor, they¡¯d been forced to once again circle around the city, though before doing so, Erin had spent more time examining the exact spacing of the tunnel''s supports inside the walls. ¡°Are you certain this is the right one,¡± Jasper asked as they stood outside the new hole they¡¯d uncovered. ¡°¡®Certain¡¯ is an awfully big word,¡± Erin replied evasively.¡°But I think we¡¯re in the right place this time.¡± ¡°Good enough.¡±Jasper hesitated only a moment before jumping in.Despite the mistake Erin had made, he didn¡¯t want the dude to get discouraged.He was just beginning to get a grip on his powers, after all. The tunnel proved nearly indistinguishable from the first one, and Jasper realized how easy it was for the mage to have mixed them up.¡°What is there - one ¡®emergency tunnel¡¯ contractor for all the nobles in town?¡± He joked. ¡°Actually, yes,¡± Ihra replied, pointing to the corner of one of the support beams.¡°This wood is stamped with the same craftsman¡¯s sigil as the other.In the gloom of the tunnel, Jasper couldn¡¯t see the sign, but he believed her. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope there isn¡¯t a third identical tunnel.Twins are fine, but triplets are too much,¡± he quipped back. ¡°I don¡¯t know about triplets,¡± Ihra replied, ¡°but somebody¡¯s been through here recently.¡±Her keen eyes picked out the tracks in the darkness, pointing at the soft, slightly muddy ground beneath their feet.¡°I¡¯m not sure how many were in the group, but there were more than us.¡± Jasper slowed his pace, glancing back in concern.¡°Coming or going?Think we¡¯re walking into a trap?¡± Kneeling in the dirt, she examined the tracks more carefully.¡°The tracks go both directions, but the ones on top are leaving.I don¡¯t think they were here for us.¡± He nodded in relief, but the three continued more slowly, just in case. As it happened, the tunnel proved to be shorter than the last one, and even with their slow pace, it took barely ten minutes before they reached its end.Rather than opening up directly into a cellar, the tunnel appeared to end in a solid stone wall.There was no obvious lever with which to open it, but after some fumbling around Erin managed to hit it by pure accident, and the wall slid open. What they stepped into was no mere cellar.They had come in about ten feet above the floor, with a narrow flight of steps that wound down to the bottom, but the ceiling was still a good ten feet above them.Thin, narrow pillars, lit by bronze braziers, supported the distant ceiling, and a large pool of water occupied one side of the room.¡°They must have built this over a natural grotto,¡± Jasper realized. A thick layer of moss and mushroom grew beside the still pond and in its crystal depths, he could see pale white fish darting in and out of view, along with certain more exotic breeds he recognized from the palace gardens. ¡°It¡¯s pretty,¡± Erin bent down and dipped a finger into the water.¡°God, that¡¯s cold,¡± he exclaimed, yanking it out a second later.¡°That¡¯s like glacier water.¡± A faint noise echoed from somewhere down the corridor, and the three fell silent, straining to hear.It didn¡¯t repeat itself, and Jasper turned to Ihra.¡°Any chance you heard that better than me?¡± ¡°It sounded like crying,¡± Ihra replied. The light of the bronze braziers cast long shadows along the cavern walls as the crying sound echoed again, and Jasper couldn¡¯t help but feel like he¡¯d inadvertently stepped onto the stage of a cut-rate slasher flick.¡°We sure that''s a real person crying and not some spooky demon-child?¡± He quipped. ¡°Pretty sure it¡¯s a man,¡± Ihra replied seriously, not understanding what he''d meant, but he didn''t bother to explain. He was pretty sure she was right - it was the sound of a man crying, but that worried him a little bit. Maybe he¡¯d just been unlucky thus far, but he had yet to stumble on one of his enemies crying..¡°Well, I guess let¡¯s go see if somebody needs a little comfort.Fortunately, I haven¡¯t done my good deed for the day yet.¡± A Royal Encounter ¡°So tell me again about this Kaba?ni.¡± S?ams?a?du?r noticed the flicker of irritation that flitted across the Corsythian¡¯s face at the question but ignored it.He knew the soldier, one of the men Amr? had assigned to keep watch over the convoy of exiled dwarves, was getting tired of answering questions, but the durgu prince didn¡¯t care. When he¡¯d fled his father¡¯s capital, he¡¯d honestly expected to be greeted with a message of reprieve before he even reached the borders of their southern enemy, but the assassins his father had sent after him in Du?r-Sebe had shattered such illusions.Corsythia was to be his home now - if not permanently, then at least for some time - and as they sailed down the great River, S?ams?a?du?r had quickly come to realize how little he truly understood of the ailing empire.It was time to rectify that. ¡°King Kaba?ni is the ruler of Sappi?ya.The province of Stryn, directly across the River is constantly pressuring them, but Kaba?ni has done a good job of keeping his nobles united.Most of the population of Sapi?ya was wiped out in the last of the Fey Wars, so the middle of the province is largely abandoned.The only heavily populated areas are the strip of land between the Kaba?ni¡¯s capital, Yas?peh, and the fortress of Birnah on the western side of the River, plus small areas of settlement around the two remaining eastern cities of Gis?-Izum and Ikkarim.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I know all that,¡± S?ams?a?du?r replied dismissively.¡°But that is not what I¡¯m asking.Who is this Kaba?ni?Is he a strong warrior, a wise sage, a cunning rogue?How has he and his predecessors kept the superior forces of Stryn at bay for so long?¡± The soldier reached his breaking point.¡°Is that all you want to know, my lord?Perhaps you¡¯d care to know about his favorite dish?Or maybe the freckles on his ass?¡± S?ams?a?du?r smiled thinly.¡°Do you talk to your commander this impertinently?¡± ¡°No, but you¡¯re not my commander,¡± the Corsyth curtly replied.¡°And the information you¡¯re asking for is impossible.I have never met King Kaba?ni, nor do I know anyone who has.¡± ¡°But how?¡± S?ams?a?dur asked exasperatedly.¡°He¡¯s an important noble of your realm, isn¡¯t he?¡± The man smiled humorously.¡°It seems you still don¡¯t grasp the size of the empire, my lord.I hail from the western shores of Celestia.We¡¯re as far north of your father¡¯s little kingdom as we are currently south of it.I have never been to Sappi?ya and if not for being forced to accompany you, I never would have gone.¡± S?ams?a?du?r suppressed his frown.He¡¯d known, of course, that the empire was far larger than Bira?na?ti, but the sheer scope of its expanse had never really registered until he¡¯d been forced to flee.They¡¯d been sailing down the river for nearly two months, and had barely charted a tenth of the empire¡¯s length on the map.The fact that large portions of it were entirely empty these days made it a bit less impressive but, still, he had to admit he had underestimated them.¡°Fine, maybe I am asking too much, but is there really nothing more you can tell me about this king?I don¡¯t like going in blind.¡± The soldier grimaced but seemed to ponder his question.¡°I guess, there is one other thing I¡¯ve heard about him.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Kaba?ni is currently married to a daughter of the Lord of Birnah, but from all accounts, it¡¯s not a happy marriage.¡± S?ams?a?dur didn¡¯t know a lot about Sapi?ya, but he did know that Birnah was the heavily fortified city that served as the province¡¯s bulwark against Stern¡¯s aggressions.¡°I assume he was essentially forced into it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard; supposedly, he had a daughter before the marriage from one of his lovers, and there¡¯s bad blood between the two families.That really is all I know,¡± he added with a warning glance. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re dismissed.¡±S?ams?a?du?r freed the man with a wave of his hand and, leaning against the rails of the ship, pondered the information he¡¯d been given.The soldier might not have seen its significance, but the story revealed much to the durgu prince. It told the story of a man who placed duty above his own thoughts and desires.Honorable, perhaps, if you had a martyr complex, but not the sort of man the prince admired.His father too valued ¡°duty¡± and ¡°honor¡± above all else - except for greed - but the prince had always thought that those ideas were little more than a convenient excuse to ignore the needs of the people you were supposed to take care of. Maybe if his father had cared less about "honor," S?ams?a?du?r would have had a childhood. That wasn¡¯t all it told him though.Kaba?ni may have been a dutiful leader, but he had been forced to marry under pressure.The unity of Sapi?ya was not as secure as it seemed, and the Lord of Birnah likely wielded more power than he ought.It wasn¡¯t much of an insight into the man¡¯s character, but it was better than nothing.And the rest, I¡¯ll just have to skim straight from his mind. With the matter resolved to the best of his abilities, the prince finally allowed himself to examine the city emerging in the distance.They¡¯d split off from the main course of the River more than a week ago, and with every day they¡¯d journeyed down the tributary - might in its own right - the weather had quickly changed.The sun-scorched plains of Stryn had been left behind for steaming jungles, and this afternoon was no exception.The sun had been downright sweltering until a mid-day downpour.Rather than give relief, the rains had only made things worse, leaving the air so muggy that the prince thought a talented water mage might just be able to swim through it. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. But Yas?peh was finally in sight.Rising above the dense jungles, the city sprawled across a series of barren hills that made it visible from a great distance.The city was almost entirely white, perhaps to keep out the heat, and two mighty walls encircled it completely, save for a small strip along the river where hundreds of ships were crammed into a bustling harbor. The city was more beautiful than he¡¯d expected, with dozens of massive domes and high towers peaking above the inner walls, but it was the extent of fortifications that surprised him.Sapi?ya was not a province known for its military strength, but then again, Yas?peh had been one of the few places in the province to survive the depravations of the Fey Wars.I suppose there¡¯s a reason for that. As they drew closer to the city, seven ships glided out of the harbor to meet them.Their sides bristled with hundreds of oars, and on their docks, the shields of a thousand warriors gleamed.This too told S?ams?a?du?r something about Yas?peh¡¯s rulers.While his ragtag fleet had continued to swell with dwarven exiles as he continued down the river, it posed no threat to the city¡¯s welfare - but the squadron that advanced to meet them spoke of a cautious ruler. Once again, S?ams?a?du?r found himself oddly grateful for the escort Amr? had insisted on sending.Sure, they weren¡¯t exactly there to do him a favor, but they had nonetheless. He let the Corsyths pull ahead, leaving it to them to explain the situation to the city¡¯s fleet. His intuition about the ruler proved correct; despite their escort by the Empire¡¯s ships, it took nearly three hours before the city fleet finally allowed them to enter their harbor.Even then, the king had not given permission for anyone but S?ams?a?du?r and a few of his men to disembark until they had met with him, and guards lined the docks, preventing the tethered boats from unloading. Returning to his cabin, S?ams?a?du?r prepped himself as best as he could.His unexpected exile had left him little opportunity to gather worldly possessions, but his yacht had a few outfits fit for the court, and he put one of them in, scouring himself in the washtub as best as he could manage with the slightly muddy waters of the river. When he stepped off the boat, the prince learned something else about the king.A finely dressed noble stepped forward, inclining his head in respect.¡°Prince S?ams?a?dur, I am Lord Et?ulni, heir of House Damu?q.Lord Kaba?ni sends his greetings and grants you welcome to his courts.¡±So the king cares about appearances. It irritated S?ams?a?du?r to be forced to incline his head in turn to the Corsyth, but he did it anyway; a Corsyth didn¡¯t deserve such honor in his opinion, but if the prince was to be stuck living amongst them, it was best to get off on the right foot.¡°I can only accept your lord¡¯s gracious offer, though I fear I have no gift to bring.¡± E?tulni seemed unconcerned by the lack of a gift and gestured for S?ams?a?du?r to join him.Flanked on either side by guards, and with a few of his men trailing behind, the two departed for the palace. As they passed the first set of walls, S?ams?a?du?r had to admit he was impressed.Thick enough for ten men to walk abreast, the white wall¡¯s crenelated top glistened in the mid-day heat, a haze gathering over its towering ramparts.From what he could see, the city streets were clean and well-kept, though the noble seemed to be leading away from the busiest parts of the city.Is he really that distrustful? Unlike in many cities, the second set of walls was equal to the first, with the only exception being that the many defensive towers were clustered even closer together.In the upper city, Et?ulni couldn¡¯t hide as much of the town from him.They walked past a row of magnificent temples, barracks for the army, and even a guild for the Imperial Guard before they reached the palace. It couldn¡¯t hold a candle to his father¡¯s - few, indeed, were the cities that could boast such an impregnable acropolis as nature had afforded Bira?na?ti - but Yas?peh was impressive in its own way, with an absolute dedication to a white and blue color scheme that was truly eye-catching. Based on what he knew of the king, S?ams?a?du?r had expected to be led inside, taken to some grand throne room where Kaba?ni would try to intimidate him, but his expectations were subverted. When they reached the palace gates, the king was waiting for them.A half dozen nobles had accompanied, along with a substantial force of guards, but the king met them with less pomp than he¡¯d expected, sitting on a shaded bench beneath an old oak tree. S?ams?a?du?r studied carefully as they approached, taking in every detail. The simple but elegant clothes.The deep lines on his face.The touch of grey in his chestnut hair.A long scar on his forearm, with a twin on his neck, nearly hidden by a meticulously trimmed beard. The man was older than he¡¯d expected, not quite at the end of his life-span, but likely in his second or third century which, unless he had considerable heritage from the elves, meant he had lived more than he had left.The scars indicated he¡¯d been a warrior, not just a king who¡¯d fought from the back row, but the prince guessed that was all long in the past.A warrior past his prime, trapped in an unhappy marriage, bound by a sense of duty.He could work with that. He inclined his head respectfully as he approached, though he was unwilling to humble himself enough to kneel. ¡°Lord Kaba?ni, I believe you have received my message but if not, let me repeat it.I come seeking sanctuary, shelter from my father¡¯s realm.¡±He didn¡¯t mention the assassins that were often; there was enough time to reveal that - after the king had accepted them. Kaba?ni was slow to reply, staring down at the prince in silence for several minutes before he spoke.¡°I see you¡¯re capable of refraining from your ¡®gift.¡¯¡± ¡°I would not dream of using it on you, my lord,¡± he responded carefully.It was a total lie, but fortunately he hadn¡¯t used his ability yet - he hadn¡¯t realized the king was capable of detecting it.Either that, or he¡¯s trying to spook me. Kaba?ni frowned.¡°Do not lie to me, durgu.I know who you are, and I know how your father used you.I will grant you entrance to the city, but only if you swear not to use your powers on me or my nobles.We will know.¡± S?ams?a?du?r swallowed a grimace.He¡¯d had every intention of using his abilities to worm his way into the good graces of the court; without them, he was a blind man wandering alone, but the king had him over a barrel.Where else he could go? ¡°I accept,¡± he gritted out reluctantly. He didn¡¯t miss the glimmer of victory in the king¡¯s eyes, but the Corsyth fortunately didn¡¯t gloat.Rising from his seat, he extended his hand to the prince.¡°Then I give you sanctuary.Welcome to Yas?peh.¡± A Taste of Your Own Medicine They crept down the dark corridor that led away from the hidden grotto and took care to walk as silently as possible.The muffled noise of sobs broke the silence occasionally, but aside from that, there was no indication of anyone else in the odd cellar.They passed three doors that only led to storehouses stacked with food and goods before they reached the fourth and final door. The sound had to be coming from there, so Jasper paused briefly to ready a spell before swinging it open. This room was no simple warehouse.Smaller than the rest, a solid half of the room was occupied by a large wooden table that stretched from one side of the chamber to the other.Only one side of the table had chairs, facing the rest of the room like a panel of judges. The floor had been carved out of the bedrock and polished until it shone, while the walls were ornately decorated with richly colored frescoes that depicted women in various stages of undress on the backs of tsuss?m. It''s like a bunch of medieval pin-up girls. Yet, the main focal point of the room for Jasper was the simple stone bench that sat in front of the table on which a badly beaten man was curled up in a fetal position.Both of his wrists were a dark purple and swollen up like a grapefruit while the back of his head glistened moistly in the warm light of the chamber¡¯s braziers. He wasn¡¯t the only one in the room.Jasper had almost missed the second occupant, who sat at the corner of the table, dressed in a voluminous black robe with a silver mask and an absurdly tall hat.But a flicker of motion caught his eye, and he turned to see the man raise his hand. It wasn¡¯t a friendly wave.Time seemed to move in slow motion as the first tongues of flame spread from the man¡¯s hand, rapidly increasing in size and strength.Spinning around, Jasper tackled Ihra and Erin to the floor as the fire expanded to fill the entire room. He did his best to cover the two up as the fire washed over him.To him, the flames were harmless, but neither of the others were immune to their fury.A gauntleted hand landed on his back and yanked him upwards, tearing him away from his friends while the fires still raged. Squirming in his opponent¡¯s grasp, Jasper landed an elbow in the silver mask, accompanied by a satisfying crunch.The unknown mage released him with a garbled cry and the flames cut out as it clawed at its face. Encouraged by the mage¡¯s apparent weakness to physical attacks, Jasper didn¡¯t waste time trying to prepare a spell.Instead, he promptly spun toward his assailant with a wild haymaker he hoped would send them reeling. But the mage cast another spell faster than he¡¯d deemed possible.His blow failed to connect as a massive fireball, far more powerful than the small ones his Shooting Stars could summon, hit him at point-blank range.The spell''s fire may not have hurt him, but he had no immunity to the force of the explosion. A concussive wave tossed him into the wall with enough force to crack his ribs.The brilliant frescoes crumbled into plaster showers as he bounced off them and plummeted toward the floor, but he somehow managed to land on itself. A second fireball was already roaring toward him as Jasper fired off a spell of his own. Seraph Burst. He rocketed forward, the dark metallic feathers wrapping protectively around him as he hit the fireball head-on.The spells clashed, but though the force of the explosion was enough to rock him, it was not enough to knock his trajectory off course.He smashed into the masked mage a moment later, his wings spinning in a tight corkscrew as the two crashed into the wall on the opposite side of the room. The razor-sharp feathers shredded the side of the black gown, revealing a flash of unexpectedly pale skin below and an equally unexpected set of curves.Jasper didn¡¯t have time to appreciate them.He tried to cast another spell, reaching for Scourge of Despair, as Seraph Burst twisted him in one final spin, but the mage was again faster.A solid orb of fire suddenly sprang into place around her, flinging him aside like a rag doll. He tried to catch himself, but his leg twisted beneath him and he sprawled across the ground. A ball of fire bloomed on her other hand as the mage took a half step forward, and he managed to catapult himself to his feet, once again reaching for a spell.The two struck at the same time - a fireball launching toward him as Jasper cast Purge. He tried to dodge the fireball, but it clipped his arm anyway, sending him spinning back against the wall.He absorbed the force of the blow with a pained grunt but kept his eyes trained on his opponent.He didn¡¯t know who exactly was attacking him - maybe one of those ¡°lords of We?di?ni?nu¡± that were supposedly behind the sabotage of the camps - but he figured anyone running around in a black cloak and mask was probably a bad guy.Either that or their tailor hates them. The effect was almost instantaneous.Another fireball was already growing on the tips of her fingers but the mage abandoned it promptly to clutch her throat.He¡¯d been a little worried she¡¯d out level him too much for the spell to truly work, so his worries were assuaged - for a moment. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Then her hand began to glow with a golden aura.He took a step forward, releasing Scourge of Despair as she drew her hand away from her throat and flung a black blur toward him. His scourge was only a few inches away when it crumbled into nothingness as the spell - his own spell - hit him. Jasper had only ever seen the results of Purge - either a complete immunity, a mild throat ache, or a devastating and gruesome death - but he¡¯d never given much thought to how the spell judged its victims. Time slowed to a crawl as the spell rebounded on him.The mage took a step forward, but she moved like she was swimming through molasses, a single step so slow that it seemed to stretch for minutes.And all the while the spell worked on him. If the world around him seemed slow, his deeds flashed through his mind like a video on fast forward.Good, bad, indifferent - a jumble of unrelated actions and thoughts stretching back well into his childhood as the spell judged him. He was paralyzed as the mage finished her step and raised her hands high above her head.White hot flames exploded from her palms, spiraling in a mini-cyclone that coalesced into a gleaming great sword.She took another step forward and her arms began to descend, swinging the sword straight toward his skull. Jasper could feel the beginning of an ache around his throat, but it didn¡¯t matter.Even if he failed the spell¡¯s judgment, her sword would surely take his head before the spell could kill him. With everything moving in slow motion, he didn¡¯t notice when the first fragments of plaster began to separate from the ceiling and drift down like snowflakes.ore filled the air, like a raging blizzard, as the wooden beams above the mage burst through the frescoed ceiling, destroying all in their path.The shower of plaster didn''t hurt the mage, but the marble floor tiles in the room above were another matter. The mage¡¯s spell fizzled as a pile of rocks landed on her head, driving her to the ground.The wooden beams followed behind, contorting unnaturally as the newly minted mage tried to wrap them around their assailant.She fell quicker than he could control the wood, and the beams landed on top of her.Despite that, the mage began to slowly rise, sending plaster, wood, and rock spilling off of her as she planted her knee. That was the moment the spell finally realized him.There was a moment of disorientation as Purge finished its judgment, leaving him with nothing worse than a scratchy throat, and the world returned to full speed, but Jasper hadn¡¯t been dragged through dozens of battles in the last year without learning to control himself.A new spell began to pool on his fingers the instant he was free, but he needn¡¯t have bothered. As the cloaked mage struggled to free herself from the rubble, two arrows buried themselves in her hands and she collapsed with a pained cry. ¡°Don¡¯t kill her,¡± Ihra warned Erin as the inexperienced mage once again tried to constrict the wooden beams around her body.The cloaked mage struggled valiantly to rise, but a third arrow put an end to her defiance. The mage couldn''t resist the timber constricted around her body, binding her arms and legs together and completely encasing her hands. Dropping his spell, Jasper cast a weary nod to his friends.¡°Thanks for the assist.¡± Ihra nodded grimly.¡°You did most of it.If you hadn¡¯t covered us, I don¡¯t know if we would have made it.¡±She wasn¡¯t exaggerating.Despite covering them as best as he could, her left arm was already a mass of red, broken blisters and in some places, outright charred flesh, and Erin¡¯s right side was a perfect twin to hers. He quickly cast Circle of Forgiveness on both of them and tossed them healing potions, before turning to examine their prisoner.She squirmed ineffectively as he knelt beside her, but her bonds held fast and with her hands fully enclosed, she was unable to cast a spell.And that¡¯s why I taught myself a backup plan. He hesitated as he reached for the mask, and glanced back at his friends.¡°Well, Shaggy, Daphne, are you ready to see who¡¯s behind this mask?¡± Ihra could only wrinkle her brow in confusion, but Erin¡¯s snort gave him the validation he¡¯d been missing for the last year, and he tugged on the mask. The great reveal did not go as smoothly as he had hoped.It turned out the mask was sewn into the ridiculously tall black hat, which in turn was there to hide the mage¡¯s horns.It took the efforts of all three of them to finally tear the mask and hat off the mage and reveal the woman beneath. There was no chorus of surprised recognition from the gang.The woman who glared back at them was someone he¡¯d never seen before.With pale skin, chestnut hair, and a pair of gently curved black horns that matched her eyes, it was obvious she was a Moon-kissed.That was a surprise - he¡¯d expected a Southerner - but it wasn¡¯t much of a clue to her identity.¡°Well, who the hell are you?¡±he demanded brusquely. The woman refused to respond.Crap.There were ways, of course, of dragging a response out of someone, but Jasper was no torturer. ¡°La-Lady Selba?rah?¡± He¡¯d forgotten about the injured man.The stone bench he¡¯d been curled up on had been smashed in the quick but destructive battle, and the man had been tossed into the long wooden table, which had splintered beneath his weights.As he pulled himself free of the wreckage, a second surprise awaited them. ¡°Nas?ru?¡± Jasper¡¯s hand snapped up, a spell rapidly pooling on the tips of his fingers, and the man dropped to his knees, raising both hands above his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy,¡± he cried.¡°They made me work for them.¡± Jasper hesitated, Scourge of Despair on the edge of his fingers.¡°The Lords of We?di?ni?nu?¡± The captured mage scowled as the Djinn frantically bobbed his head.¡°I had no choice - they would have killed me and my family.¡± Releasing the scourge, Jasper cast a different spell.¡°Say that again,¡± he commanded, casting Scales of Justice. The weight of truth rang clear as Nas?ru repeated himself, and Jasper loosed the spell with a sigh.¡°Looks like we need to have a conversation.¡± A Formerly Lovely Manor But the conversation was going to have to wait.Their little battle with the mage had been far from silent and the ambush had been sprung.As Jasper finished speaking, shouts echoed from the direction of the grotto that the room branched off, the voices of at least a dozen or more men. Racing to the door, Ihra peeked her head around the corner and quickly withdrew.¡°It¡¯s that captain,¡± she spat angrily, ¡°and a bunch of the guard.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t suppose they¡¯re here to help us round up the bad guys,¡± Jasper asked rhetorically. ¡°Their weapons are drawn,¡± she responded grimly. ¡°That¡¯s what I figured.¡±His gaze drifted over to the Djinn, who was still curled up in pain, and their captive whose previously frantic squirming had been replaced with smug satisfaction.¡°Any chance you know of another way out of here?Maybe a second secret tunnel for the ultra-paranoid?¡± ¡°No,¡± the Djinn stopped moaning long enough to reply.¡°There-there¡¯s only one tunnel that I¡¯ve seen.That or the front door.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re blocking our access to both,¡± Jasper sighed.The shouts were growing closer quickly and he knew they were running out of time.Guess we¡¯re going to have to fight our way out.He started preparing a spell as he headed for the door but froze with his hand on the handle as the seed of an idea took root. Spinning around, he fixed his eyes on the section of the ceiling Erin had collapsed.A mixture of dirt and rock clung precariously to the edges of the new void, but there were also glimpses of wood - not the mere twisting of gnarled roots, but the sort of straight, milled planks used for construction.There must be a room directly above us. ¡°Any chance you can jury-rig a way up?¡± He asked Erin, pointing out the planks of lumber above them. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±A loud creaking filled the room as the scout pulled on the exposed wood, followed by a shower of dirt and rubble.Jasper and Ihra hastened to pull the bound mage out of the way as more stones rained down into the small meeting room, but Erin didn¡¯t pause. The long wooden planks stretched and bent like they were in a Salvador Dali painting, dripping down the walls until they formed a steep but climbable slope. The growing volume of the voices told them there was no time to dally.Springing into action, Ihra tossed the bound mage over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes and bounded up the narrow pathway Erin had formed.Jasper and Erin followed close behind, supporting Nas?ru between them. As soon as they reached the top, Erin dropped Nas?ru and began to pull the wood back up.He¡¯d only close the hole halfway when the room¡¯s door flung open, swinging with enough force to slam into the wall.The familiar face of Captain S?ams?a?tnu was the first through the door with a ruby-skinned Djinn in a long, green tunic close on his heels. ¡°They¡¯re getting away,¡± he roared.To his credit, the captain was a man of action.Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he charged toward the still-open hole in the ceiling, and planting a foot on the broken table leapt toward them, but Jasper wasn¡¯t caught napping.As the captain¡¯s foot trailed above the service of the table, flaming shackles sprang from the floor and clamped around his ankles.The crack of breaking bones filled the room as his momentum was abruptly stopped, and he was yanked back to the ground. The green-robed Djinn reacted promptly; with a flick of his hand, a ball of fire up roared straight toward Erin, but the scout was too engrossed in trying to close the hole to notice the approaching danger.Jasper called out in warning, but Ihra reached him faster, yanking him to the side a moment before the ball rocketed through the hole and buried itself into the wooden rafters of the ceiling.Jasper cast Fiery Shackles again, binding the captain and the mage in the center of the room, and preventing more of the guards from forcing their way through, while Erin tried once more to close the hole. The wood surged forward, knitting back together in a fraction of a second, only to come to a sudden halt when less than half a foot remained open. With a pained cry, Erin fell to the ground, clutching at his head, despite the lack of any visible wound. Jasper knew, though, all too well what had harmed him. ¡°Damn it, he ran out of essence.¡± With a victorious cry, the captain freed himself from Jasper''s shackles and leaping up onto the table, began beating at the partially closed gap in the floor.Though the wood resisted his blows at first, the cracking and splintering sound echoing through the room told Jasper it wouldn¡¯t last long.We can¡¯t keep stalling them here forever, he realized. Even if he caught them glued to the floor with his fiery shackles, sooner or later he''d run out of essence and more guards would likely show up. We''ve got to run for it. ¡°You get the mage, I get Nas?ru?¡± He shouted to Ihra. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. With a curt nod, she retrieved their prisoner while he ran over to Nas?ru, who had been painstakingly across the floor. He grabbed the Djinn by the collar and forced him to meet his eyes.¡°If I heal you, are you going to run?¡± ¡°N-no!¡±The man stammered out, but his eyes darted nervously to the small hole, where the captain had managed to stick an arm.With a growl of irritation, Jasper spun around and fired off a round Shooting Stars.The arm disappeared back through the hole as a flurry of small explosions ricocheted around the room, igniting a handful of small fires in the opulent furniture and curtains, but Jasper ignored the damage to focus on the Djinn.¡°If you run, I¡¯ll kill you - understand?¡±He warned. ¡°I''m not going to run,¡± Nas?ru snapped.¡°After this fiasco, they¡¯re just going to kill me, so heal me already." Jasper cast Circle of Forgiveness twice and, yanking the man to his feet, shoved him toward the exit.Ihra had already raced off with the mage slung over her shoulder, but there was one more member of his team left. He noted idly the room they had found themselves in as he ran toward the scout.A stately poster bed occupied one side of the chamber, draped in plush furs and thick, green blankets.The left wall was entirely dedicated to bookcases, though its contents were in grave danger. Unlike the capital city, where most buildings were made of stone, everything in the room seemed to be made of old, dry wood that had ignited from the spills they¡¯d exchanged.The smoke swirled across the floor, already thick enough to begin obscure parts of the room, but Jasper didn¡¯t need to see him to know where the scout had fallen. He raced over to the scout, stamping viciously on the captain¡¯s hand as he passed, and skidded to a stop beside Erin.The man had curled up on the ground, clutching his head with both hands and with his eyes firmly closed, no doubt in agony from completely guttering out his essence. Jasper didn¡¯t bother casting a healing spell on him.While he had another tried to use the spell to heal essence deprivation, he knew from past experience that healing potions did little to soothe such pain, so he doubted it would make a difference.Instead, he scooped the scout up and ran toward the exit. As he left the room, the sound of splintering wood was accompanied by another angry yell, and he ducked his head instinctively as another fireball whistled past him.The only damage the spell did was to the walls of the house, which burst into flames as he hurried out of the room and into the hall. The hall was mostly full of closed doors, but about halfway down, Jasper spied an open arch and he angled toward it.He sped through the arch, which led somewhere he hadn¡¯t expected - the manor¡¯s interior courtyard. The courtyard was a complete contrast to the austere exterior.A full-fledged jungle thrived beneath a protective glass roof, complete with towering trees and small, chattering monkeys.The builders had even magicked up a trickling stream, which wound its way back and forth the enclosed space before disappearing into nothingness. Nas?ru was only a few paces ahead of him and, digging deep, Jasper managed to pull abreast of the man, though his limbs were shaking with the effort - Nas?ru was a warrior, after all, rather than a mage like him.¡°Do you know-¡± he cut off, gasping for air, ¡°the way out?¡± The man raised his arm and pointed at the sun above them.¡°That¡¯s west, and the manor faces east, so straight ahead.¡± It was hard to trust the Djinn, but with no sign of Ihra, he didn¡¯t have many other options.He took two more steps before a fireball hit him in the back. It was pure luck that the ball missed Erin¡¯s head, which was hanging over Jasper¡¯s shoulder.Neither was spared from the force of the blow, though, which sent Jasper skidding across the pavement.He somehow managed to turn the skid into a controlled roll and, landing on his hands and feet, took off again.He cursed as a second fireball landed just behind him, and cast a wild glance over his shoulder. S?ams?a?tnu and the green-robed mage were less than thirty feet away.A few of the guard trailed behind them, though their number seemed to have thinned since the basement. Another fireball neared completion as the mage lifted his hand and Jasper knew they weren¡¯t getting out of there without a fight. He pivoted hard and dropped to his knees in time to let the spell whistle overhead.He let Erin tumble to the ground as he tried to cast a spell to counter the mage, but someone else got there first. As he hadn¡¯t seen her when he entered the courtyard, Jasper had assumed Ihra had run on ahead, but she suddenly burst out of the thick foliage beside the mage.Aphora¡¯s silver dagger gleamed in her hand as she slashed it across the Djinn¡¯s throat.A ribbon of blood followed the swish of her blade as she followed it up with a blow aimed at the captain¡¯s back. It should have been impossible to parry the strike, but the captain was higher-leveled than they had expected.Her blow was deflected upward, slicing the air just above his shoulder, as he delivered a strike of his own.She cried out in pain as his sword passed through the gap between her arm and her torso, digging into both, but unfortunately failing to strike anything vital. Ignoring the pain, she clamped around the sword and refused to let go.He yanked harder, blood pooling out as the sword slid in his direction but she held firm, struggling against his other hand to dig her dagger into his neck. Preoccupied with their struggle, the captain didn¡¯t see Jasper cast his spell.Seraph¡¯s Burst.He didn¡¯t see the surging mass of flesh and iron wings that rocketed toward him.He was baffled when Ihra suddenly let him withdraw the sword and dropped to her knees before him.A moment later he was flying through the air, razor-sharp feathers tearing at his flesh as Jasper held onto him for dear life. The captain was still alive when they landed in the thick jungle undergrowth and his strength was far above Jasper¡¯s.The Djinn quickly wrapped his hands around Jasper¡¯s neck and began to squeeze, screaming incoherently, but he had forgotten one little thing - Jasper was a mage. Through flickering vision, Jasper punched the man in the face and delivered his spell right into the Djinn¡¯s open mouth.Shooting Star. The captain¡¯s head exploded like an overripe tomato, splattering all over his face and up his nose.Gross. Lucre, Mammon, and Other Vices The instant the captain and the mage went down, the rest of the guards chasing them turned tailed and fled, knowing they were too low-leveled to face an enemy mage without any backup. Not wanting any unnecessary slaughter, Jasper let them flee, and turned his attention to searching the mage. As he feared, the papers proved he was the Sele?muq they were supposed to be questioning, and he cursed his luck. Can''t interrogate the dead; well, if I had taken that other spell I could have. While he searched the mage, Ihra ransacked the rest of the falling, retrieving the gold the captain had stolen from them, and then they departed with their prisoners in tow. Though the guards may have been smart enough to flee, Jasper reckoned that they''d be back soon with reinforcements, and he didn¡¯t want to be there when they arrived. Yet, he also knew that there was no way the party could just charge down the streets of Nu?r-S?ams?a with their armor covered in blood and a bound woman slung over Ihra''s soldier without running into issues. That meant there was only one route left to take. After patching Ihra''s wounds up, the three retreated to the grotto with Nas?ru and the prisoner. They took the tunnel, taking care to close the sliding wall behind them, and quickly escaped beneath the city walls. By the time reinforcements reached the manor, it was too late; even if the guards could have found the hidden passage, the fire had consumed the manor prevented them from even entering. The sun hung low in the sky as they stumbled out of the tunnel, and the air was already laced with the chill of the coming night. Jasper snapped to alert as soon as he¡¯d pulled himself out, searching their surroundings for any signs of trouble. There was none, and the ominous red glow peeking above the city walls told him they wouldn¡¯t be followed any time soon. With a sigh of relief, he turned to Ihra and Erin. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I feel like I got run over by a truck,¡± Erin complained, massaging his forehead with a grimace, ¡°but I¡¯ll live.¡± Ihra dropped the bound mage on the ground and plopped herself down on top of her like she was a sofa. ¡°Never better,¡± she replied with a grin, though he could tell the wound hadn¡¯t fully healed from the ginger way she held her shoulder. He tossed another cast of Circle of Forgiveness in her direction and she rolled her shoulder in relief. ¡°Okay, maybe that¡¯s a little better,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m fine too, thanks for asking.¡± Though Nas?ru kept his voice light and jocular, Jasper didn¡¯t miss the slight undercurrent of bitterness as he turned to face him. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Jasper replied bluntly. Still, as he settled himself down on the ground, he gestured for the Djinn to take a seat. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure we just killed the mage we were supposed to question, so I hope you have some answers for us,¡± he began. Nas?ru sighed. ¡°I can''t promise much." Seeing Jasper''s frown, he quickly continued. "I''m not trying to hold out on you - I just don''t know that much. The Lords of We?di?ni?nu were tight-lipped; you''d be better off questioning her rather than me.¡± Jasper¡¯s gaze turned to the mage Ihra was sitting on. With her hands still encased in a solid sheaf of wood, and spirals of former beams wrapped around her body so tight she couldn¡¯t wiggle her arms, there was little she could do but glare at them. ¡°The Lords will pay you back for your impertinence,¡± she snapped. ¡°Your friends, your family - no one will be safe from our wrath.¡± ¡°My friends are right here and my family¡¯s on another world so good luck reaching them there,¡± Jasper replied dismissively. Of course, technically he knew S?arra?bi? and his family were just a few hours on tsuss?m-back away, but the As?rukkat was a nearly impenetrable fortress. Even if the woman wasn¡¯t full of hot air, he doubted the Lords of We?di?ni?nu could reach that far. ¡°But you know what I find interesting?¡± he continued ¡°Nowhere in your little spiel did you mention them coming back to rescue you. Sounds like you lords aren¡¯t that loyal to each other.¡± Whatever emotion flickered through her eyes was gone before he could identify it, but he knew he¡¯d gotten to her a little. But it was enough to quench her bravado. ¡°Vengeance is all I ask,¡± the woman hissed. ¡°And you shall not escape.¡± ¡°Then it seems we have something in common.¡± Rising from the ground, Jasper walked over to her and bent down until his face hovered just inches from hers. ¡°Because I agree - a little vengeance is in order. Vengeance for all the soldiers you killed with your little bombs. But maybe, if you tell us what you know, we can work something out.¡± Jasper recoiled as she spat in his face. Standing up, he wiped the sputum out of his eyes before continuing. ¡°Fine. Have it your way. I¡¯m not going to torture you to make you talk, but once I¡¯ve handed you over to the officers¡­well, I can¡¯t speak for what will happen then. One way or another you¡¯re going to spill your guts.¡± Jasper wasn¡¯t surprised when she didn¡¯t answer, but the almost smug flicker in her eyes when he mentioned the army¡¯s leaders told him more than she might have realized. So there is a mole. General Turzu? It was a tempting thought, but he knew that his distaste for the man was probably affecting his judgment. But, with the woman unwilling to speak, there was nothing he could do but turn his attention to Nas?ru. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Oooh, my turn,¡± the man spoke with sarcastic enthusiasm as Jasper returned to his side. ¡°You know, since you aren¡¯t going to torture me, maybe it would be best to hold my tongue.¡± Jasper ignored him. ¡°Back at the manor, you said you didn¡¯t work with them and Scales of Justice said you were telling the truth. Why?¡± The Djinn glanced at the woman Ihra was perched on and shook his head. Leaning forward slightly, he tried to whisper without moving his lips. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to talk in front of her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s captured,¡± Jasper replied quietly. ¡°For now,¡± the man pretended to yawn, covering his mouth as he continued to speak, ¡°but if you knew what I did, that wouldn¡¯t be much of a comfort.¡± Jasper studied the Djinn¡¯s face for a second, trying to decide if he was just yanking his chain, but there was no trace of levity in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Erin, do you think you could take our guest out of earshot for a few minutes? Maybe tighten her bonds a little up, see if that will loosen her lips.¡± ¡°You want me to torture her,¡± the scout started to object, but he stopped as Jasper jerked his head toward Nas?ru. ¡°Fine,¡± he spat, pretending to grumble, but he acquiesced. Ihra begrudgingly gave up her seat and the scout dragged the prisoner into the gathering dusk. When he was nearly out of sight, Jasper repeated the question. ¡°So convince me you¡¯re not such a bad guy.¡± Nas?ru spilled his guts. A long and winding story tumbled out, a story he¡¯d been holding for far too long. He explained how the Lords had threatened him, how they¡¯d killed his horse and his brother, how they¡¯d made him ditch Gu?la, and all the various random tasks they¡¯d assigned to him. It was an interesting story, but one that left Jasper with more questions than answers. ¡°So this group¡¯s been around for a couple years?¡± He scratched his ear absently, causing a bite to bleed. Even over here you can¡¯t escape the damn mosquitoes. ¡°But if they¡¯re just opposed to sending troops to help the empire, why would they have formed a few years ago?¡± ¡°You know¡­¡± Nas?ru hesitated a beat before continuing, ¡°For years I used to think the group was a bunch of southern nobles. Most of the tasks I was asked to perform were in the South, plus, I guess I always assumed that no one but another noble, a more powerful noble, would be stupid enough to threaten me and my family.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think that anymore?¡± Jasper asked. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure now. The one who attacked me in the meeting was a stone mage. I may not have seen his face, but he must have been a S?addu¡¯a. And the one you capture is Moon-kissed - Lady Selbarah. A minor noble, but certainly no one important; more of a mercantile house than anything else. And the only other time I caught a glimpse of one of them was when one of their sleeves got caught on the edge of the table. That time, the arm was dark red.¡± ¡°So Djinn, S?addu¡¯a, and Moon-kissed - it is a rather diverse group,¡± Jasper admitted with a frown. ¡°But what binds them together?¡± Nas?ru shook his head ruefully. ¡°I have no idea, but the group has more reach than you¡¯d expect. They were always secretive about their plans, but they mentioned more than once that they had informants placed high in the army when they wanted to threaten me.¡± ¡°Do you think General Turzu could be involved?¡± Jasper asked. ¡°The general?¡± The man blinked in surprise, but then a thoughtful look took over. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d heard he¡¯d been giving Gu?la a hard time - soldiers like to gossip - but I thought that was because of her, well, situation.¡± The man finished with a grimace. ¡°Even if I had chosen to end the engagement, the way they demanded I trash her reputation was most unfortunate. But perhaps there was another reason?¡± He trailed off speculatively. ¡°Without knowing their motives, it¡¯s hard to say,¡± Jasper admitted reluctantly. ¡°Maybe Gu?la can wring a confession out of this woman.¡± Ihra, who had been listening quietly up to this point, leaned forward. ¡°Can you tell us again about the monster hunts they sent you on?¡± A pensive look shadowed her face as he went over the details again, answering the questions she peppered him with as best as he could. ¡°Do you really not see their motives? It¡¯s obvious!¡± She finally exploded. ¡°Obvious?¡± Jasper and Nas?ru inadvertently echoed each other. She nodded her head. ¡°Nearly all the tasks they gave him had one thing in common - money. Some of the monsters they had him hunting provided rare and expensive ingredients, and for the more common ones, they had him hunt them in such numbers that it must have temporarily flooded the market. They had him terrorize some tsuss?m merchants, kill a baron who had just married into a rich merchant house, and waylay a caravan of the temple. These aren¡¯t lords - they¡¯re merchants.¡± ¡°But then why would they want to attack the army,¡± Nas?ru objected. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± ¡°Actually, maybe it does,¡± Jasper replied slowly. ¡°Back in my world, we have a term, ¡®war profiteering.¡¯ For the average person, war¡¯s a terrible thing, but for the unscrupulous, it can be the ladder to riches. The longer they keep this army stalled here at Nu?r-S??ams?a, the more they can sell to it. We¡¯re about ready to leave the province, but for now, they have a captive audience. We saw how high the prices were,¡± he added. ¡°I find it hard to believe they¡¯re not trying to stop the war,¡± Nas?ru objected. ¡°You¡¯ve spent no time amongst the southern nobles, Yas?peh, but there are few who wish to help the empire. S?ars?ad? may have forced the issue, but most would be glad for any excuse to wriggle free.¡± ¡°I don''t know if these lords wish to stop the war or not,¡± Ihra allowed, ¡°but I think I¡¯m right about their origins.¡± ¡°I think you are too,¡± Jasper agreed, ¡°although that means we¡¯ve been looking in the wrong places. Gu?la''s been watching the nobility, but if you''re right, the merchants are in it too. But, there''s something else we''re forgetting,¡± he added, rising to his feet. ¡°We''ve got a prisoner now. Let''s see what Gu?la can wring out of her.¡± It doesn¡¯t count if I don¡¯t do it, right? His rationalization did little to appease the pit of discomfort in his stomach at the thought of the mage being tortured, but he hardened his resolve with the memory of the smoking pile of corpses their attack had left behind. It''s like they say, Karma¡¯s a bitch. Interrogation By the time they made it back to camp, the night was far spent.If they had raced back to their tents, perhaps they could have snatched an hour or two of sleep before the sun rose to spoil their rest, but Jasper saw little point in trying.Instead, he headed for Gu?la¡¯s tents with the prisoners in tow. This time, she wasn¡¯t waiting to greet him.Gu?la was asleep, and it took a few shouts before she finally stirred.The Djinn peaked out of her tent groggily, with her hair sticking up in a half-dozen directions.¡°Would you be quiet-" she started to scold, and then it clicked who she was talking to.¡°Yas?peh!?¡± Her head disappeared between the tent flaps, emerging a moment later with the hair partially smoothed down.¡°What are you doing here in the middle of the night?And with him!¡±Her eyes shot daggers at Nas?ru, whose abnormal height made him loom over the others like a giant. ¡°We picked up a few prisoners on our mission,¡± Jasper replied.¡°And I think you''ll be interested in what they have to say.¡± ¡°Prisoners? Weren''t you just going to observe Sele?muq for a while, and see if you could get him alone to ask a few questions.¡±Standing on her tiptoes, she tried to peek over his shoulders. "Is he one of these prisoners?¡± ¡°Weelll,¡± Jasper winced.¡°Sele?muq is kind of¡­dead,¡± he finished the sentence reluctantly.¡°But we caught one of the Lords of We?di?ni?nu,¡± he rushed past the bad news hastily, beckoning for Erin to bring the captured mage into view. ¡°He¡¯s dead?¡± Gu?la¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief. "You killed him? And who is this?" She glared at their Moon-kissed prisoner for a moment before heaving a weary sigh and shoving the tent flaps open.¡°Fine, you can come in, but you¡¯ll have to be quiet.¡± As Jasper squeezed past her, he quickly saw why she¡¯d warned them to be quiet.The small cot in the corner of her tent was still occupied.The blankets were carefully tucked around a small form, whose tousled hair peeked above the covers.¡°Is that your daughter,¡± he asked softly. Fondness lit her eyes as she glanced back at the cot.¡°Yes, that¡¯s my little Kiribta.She has her own bed,¡± she nodded to the right side of the tent, where another flap led into the adjacent tent that had been set aside for her daughter, ¡°but she¡¯s always sneaking into my bed at night.¡± ¡°We can come back in the morning,¡± Jasper offered, suddenly feeling bad for imposing on her.He¡¯d known Gu?la was a mother, of course, but it hadn¡¯t really sunk in. I guess this is just a job for her. But the firebird captain shook her head.¡°No, it''s fine. We can slip her back into her bed, and use the glyphs to quiet the noise.Can you move her for me,¡± she asked. "Sure." Approaching the cot, Jasper gently scooped the little girl up in his arms.She stirred faintly as he extracted her from her blanket fort, and he feared she¡¯d awoken, but her eyes remained shut as she squirmed closer to his chest.The blankets dragged behind them as he carried her into the adjoining tent.There were two cots in this room; one was child-sized, while the other was filled with the slumbering form of a slightly older woman.Her nanny?Lowering the child onto the bed, he gathered the blankets around her in a cozy cocoon before returning to the primary tent. Gu?la placed the charms as he passed her, and she waited to speak until the bubble of silence had expanded to fill the room. ¡°S?ams?a¡¯s light, Yas?peh,¡± she exploded, ¡°you killed Sele?muq?!¡± ¡°I was kind of hoping you''d moved past that now,¡± he replied with a rueful grin. ut we weren''t given much of a choice.¡± ¡°It was my fault,¡± Ihra piped up.¡°I was the one who cut his throat.¡± ¡°Cut his throat?¡±Gu?la pivoted her anger to a new target.¡°You mean you tried to kill him?He was one of our only leads - he might have been the key to this whole operation.You were there to observe, not kill him!¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Jasper cut back in, ¡°We didn''t have a choice.Both Sele?muq and your supposed ally, Captain S?ams?a?tnu, attacked us in an ambush.We did our best to escape without fighting them, but they caught up and we had no other choice.Ihra just did what she had to.¡± ¡°S?ams?a?tnu attacked you?¡± The anger on Gu?la¡¯s face subsided into disappointment.¡°Him too?¡± She muttered to herself, a moment later the anger resurged. ¡°S?ams?a¡¯s light,¡± she cursed and slammed her hands against the table.¡°That thieving bastard took my money and went straight to them for a raise, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It seems like it,¡± Jasper agreed.¡°Either that, or he was always on their side.¡± ¡°S?ams?a¡¯s light,¡± she cursed again, though with less heat.¡°I checked him out before paying him. The captain was a commoner from the north with no known connections to the southern tribes and a spotless 50-year record with the city guard, and he still betrayed us.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Jasper leaned forward, clasping his hands together, as a thought occurred to him.¡°S?ams?a?tnu didn¡¯t happen to belong to a mercantile family, did he?¡± Pausing in her rant, Gu?la crossed her arms as she turned to face him.¡°That¡¯s a rather specific question to ask but¡­yes, he did.He¡¯s the third son of one of the trading houses in Nu?r-S?ams?a.They sell¡­horses, I think.How did you know?¡± Jasper and Ihra exchanged a glance, and he gestured for her to explain her theory. ¡°Although we failed to capture Sele?muq, we did learn a few things about their plans,¡± Ihra began. Gu?la¡¯s eyes drifted to Nas?ru and the bound mage.¡°And they have something to do with merchants?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she hedged.¡°The group is more diverse than we realized.As you can tell, our prisoner is Moon-kissed, Sele?muq was a Djinn, and another of their mages was casting stone spells so-¡± ¡°-he was probably a S?addu¡¯a,¡± Gu?la finished the sentence for her.Her mind worked quickly to fill in the details.¡°Which means this likely isn¡¯t a coalition of southern nobles and my theory was wrong.But what ties them to merchants?¡± Ihra glanced over her shoulder at Nas?ru and Gu?la followed, her eyes darkening in anger as she stared at her former fianc¨¦.¡°And why isn¡¯t he in chains,¡± she snapped. ¡°You were right that Nas?ru was working with them,¡± Jasper replied, ¡°but he wasn¡¯t doing so willingly.They were blackmailing him the entire time - even killed his kid brother to get him to comply.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Gu?la scoffed, ¡°don¡¯t tell me you fell for his lies.¡± ¡°I verified it with Scales of Justice; he was telling the truth.¡± From the spark in her eyes, Jasper could tell how much the firebird captain wanted to reject his claim, but for as much as the Djinn hated her former fianc¨¦ for his treatment of her, she was still a professional.Her sarcastic response died on the tip of her tongue unspoken and, taking a deep breath, she turned to face Nas?ru.¡°I assume, then, that you¡¯re the one who suggested the merchant connection.Why?¡± The handsome Djinn shook his head.¡°For the last few years, the Lords of We?di?ni?nu have made me do all sorts of odd tasks for them.I couldn¡¯t figure out what their motive was, but-¡° he hesitated for a moment, clearly unable to remember Ihra¡¯s name, ¡°the elf,¡± he continued awkwardly, ¡°was the one who put the connections together.She suggested they¡¯re a group of merchants conspiring to manipulate prices.¡± ¡°Several years?But then that means this group wasn¡¯t formed as a protest against the war,¡± she made the connection immediately. ¡°We think they might be delaying the army simply to make a profit; the longer the troops are stuck outside Nu?r-S?ams?a, the more the price of food and clothing skyrockets. They''ve got to be making a killing,¡± Jasper butted in. ¡°Maybe,¡± Gu?la nodded her head hesitantly.¡°But they aren¡¯t all merchants.¡±She pointed at the bound mage who up till then had escaped attention.¡°It took me a while to put a face to a name, but I have seen her before.She¡¯s Lady Selba?rah.She¡¯s a noble.¡± ¡°She¡¯s also a member of the House of the Fifth Daughter,¡± Nas?ru replied.¡°Their forges are the largest provider of armor for the royal guard.Other than the elf and I, everyone in this room is wearing at least one piece of armor they made.¡± ¡°And all of this is based on your word,¡± her eyes hardened.¡°Perhaps you''re telling the truth, but we both know that the truth can be used to deceive.You certainly tricked me into thinking you were a decent person,¡± she added caustically. The noble grimaced. "I''m sor..." he paused for a moment, struggling to force the words out of his mouth. "I''m sorry for how things went down. I didn¡¯t want to treat you that way, but that was another one of their strange commands.They were the ones who demanded I break the engagement - I had no choice.¡± ¡°I know that my father¡¯s ill-fated attempts to fill our family¡¯s coffers by funding caravans to Appa?ra angered many of the merchants in Tabi?nat, so I can almost believe you on the first part," she said, clucking her tongue.But I don''t believe that they forced you to treat me so poorly.¡± ¡°They told me to denounce you as a whore-¡± he insisted, but she spoke over him. ¡°Did they?Or did they tell you to use that as an excuse to end the engagement?I saw the look in your eyes when you found out I was pregnant, the way you stopped touching me, stopped looking at me.Did these merchant lords really command you to continue to persecute me for years after our break-up, or did they just give you a convenient excuse to indulge your own feelings?¡± She nodded grimly as Nas?ru looked away, unwilling to meet her eyes.¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± ¡°I really am sorry,¡± he repeated softly. The firebird captain ignored him and focused her gaze on the Moon-kissed prisoner.¡°So Lady Selba?rah, are you ready to tell us about the Lords of We?di?ni?nu?¡± Gu?la drew close as the woman refused to respond, and gently pulled back her long, black hair, to unveil a pair of slightly pointy ears beneath.¡°Your elven heritage shines through clearly.What are you, first or second generation?With your looks, I imagine you have many marriage prospects. For now.¡± Fear flickered through the woman¡¯s eyes at the technically unvocalized threat, but it was not enough to loosen her tongue.Crossing her arms, Gu?la tapped her foot impatiently on the ground.¡°Let me guess, you think your friends are going to rescue you when I take you to central command?¡± The Djinn smirked.¡°Well, that¡¯s not going to happen.You weren¡¯t the only ones who discovered something interesting today,¡± she added to the rest of the group.¡°While I was examining the flight logs of the tsuss?m, I noticed some very odd patterns amongst certain members of Turzu¡¯s command.I don¡¯t know if you were right, Yas?peh, and he is in on it, or if it is simply his staff that is compromised, but there¡¯s no way, Lady Selba?rah,¡± she flicked her attention back to the mage, ¡°that I¡¯m taking you to them.¡± ¡°As it happens, I already have a little arrangement worked out with my former crew.One word from me, and they¡¯ll fly you back to the capital on their tsuss?m.Good luck escaping from there.You know,¡± she paused and stroked her chin like was she struggling to remember an odd piece of trivia, ¡°I¡¯ve heard the royal guards have concocted some new ways to make people talk.Like,¡± bending down, she placed her lips against the woman¡¯s ear and whispered the rest of the sentence. The mage struggled to keep her composure, but the widening of her eyes betrayed her.¡°What do you want to know?¡±When she finally spoke, it was with an imperious tone in a last-ditch attempt to maintain her dignity, but it wasn''t deceiving anyone.¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything, but-¡± A triumphant gleam glinted in Gu?la¡¯s eyes as she leaned forward.¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me everything.Just give me the names of your leaders.Do that, and as long as he confirms you¡¯re telling the truth,¡± she pointed at Jasper, ¡°I¡¯ll let you slip out of this tent and slink back home.¡± Blindsided ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t,¡± the mage stuttered out. ¡°I don¡¯t make idle threats,¡± Gu?la replied calmly.¡°If you won¡¯t tell me who your leaders are, I will send you to S?adda?nu.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know them,¡± the Moon-kissed cried out.With her arms bound to her side, the only way she could point to the others was by jerking her head violently in their direction.¡°They saw the mask and hat I wore; our identities were mostly hidden, even from each other.¡± ¡°Mostly?¡± Jasper latched on to the word. ¡°Everyone was kept segregated - we only knew the names of a few others.I¡¯ll tell you those I know, but I swear I don¡¯t know the names of our leaders.¡± ¡°They¡¯re like a goddamn sleeper cell.Didn¡¯t think they had those here.She¡¯s telling the truth, though,¡± he added to Gu?la.¡°Unless she¡¯s found a way to trick my spell, she doesn¡¯t know the identities of the leaders - or, at least, she doesn¡¯t think she does.¡± The Djinn scowled.¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s good enough for our deal.If you can¡¯t give us something better, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to send you to the capital.¡± Fear flickered in the mage¡¯s eyes, but she steeled her gaze.¡°I only know 5, but one of them you will want to know,¡± she said calmly. ¡°Are they one of our leaders?¡±Gu?la countered. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Selba?rah admitted candidly, ¡°but they¡¯re one of yours.¡± The Djinn tapped her nails against the table pensively, before giving the mage the go-ahead nod.¡°Tell me, and as long as it¡¯s someone important, I¡¯ll honor the deal.¡± The mage¡¯s lips twisted, not entirely happy with the failure to achieve a waterproof promise, but she knew her options were limited.¡°The members I knew were S?ams?ar of House Alamittu; Se?let?er, a mage; Lady Meh?ra of the Mars?e?ru clan, and Seh?r?l of House Kubabbar.¡± ¡°That¡¯s four,¡± Gu?la pointed out.¡°Two merchants, a mage, and a minor noble.That does support the elf¡¯s hypothesis, but I¡¯m afraid none of these are important enough to merit letting you walk free.¡± ¡°I know,¡± the Moon-kissed replied, ¡°but I have one more.¡± As she paused dramatically, Jasper wondered if he already knew the answer.From the start, he¡¯d been suspicious of General Turzu.He knew his feelings about the Djinn were biased by his wounded pride.The man had tried to hit him, after all, simply for daring to speak up and correct a mistake; he was a rude, condescending, pompous dick but¡­ Jasper let out his frustrations with a sigh.There¡¯s a difference between being a jerk and being a traitor, he reminded himself. ¡°Stop stalling,¡± Gu?la commanded. ¡°Commander Dann?l.¡± The name meant nothing to Jasper, but he could tell by the sudden deep crease in Gu?la¡¯s brow she knew exactly who it was.Placing her hands on the table, she leaned forward anxiously.¡°Are you sure?Commander Dann?l?¡± ¡°He was one of our contacts in your command,¡± the Moon-kissed insisted.¡°I met with him several times.¡± Gu?la glanced over her shoulder to Jasper.¡°Is she telling the truth?¡± ¡°Seems to be,¡± he affirmed.¡°Why?Who¡¯s Dann?l?¡± ¡°Later,¡± she replied.For the next hour, Gu?la quizzed the Moon-kissed on every possible detail.Who¡¯d she met with.The missions she¡¯d been assigned.The goals of the group.Though the mage was not able to answer nearly as much as they¡¯d hoped, the details she provided seemed to confirm Ihra¡¯s hypothesis. When Gu?la had finished all of her questions, she kept her promise to the mage.Bidding Erin to loose the wooden bonds around her, she let the Moon-kissed flee into the dying night. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you let her go,¡± Jasper commented, once the mage was out of earshot. ¡°Eh,¡± the Djinn shrugged.¡°She¡¯s a noble from a Moon-kissed clan.Unless she plans to go into permanent exile, we know where to find her.And if any of what she said is true, I don¡¯t want to take the risk of turning her into our command.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense,¡± he agreed, although he wasn¡¯t entirely convinced Gu?la was right.It was hard to judge how powerful these Lords of We?di?ni?nu really were, but the idea that they might be able to offer the mage shelter somewhere out of sight didn¡¯t seem far-fetched.Then again, she seemed fairly unimportant, so I suppose it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡°And what about this Lord Dann?l?¡± he asked. ¡°Commander Dann?l,¡± she corrected him.¡°He¡¯s a lord of nothing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a noble?¡± ¡°The son of a merchant,¡± she replied.¡°But far more than that.Commander Dann?l is one of the most respected officers in the army.He¡¯s the right-hand of General Turzu and¡­¡±Her mouth twisted in a bitter smile, ¡°my former commander, the commander of the firebirds.¡±She fixed her eyes seriously upon him.¡°Are you sure, Yas?peh, that she wasn¡¯t lying?¡± ¡°If I accuse him of misconduct wrongly, my career will be over.And,¡± she chewed on her lip pensively, ¡°I find it difficult to believe he could be guilty of this.I¡¯ve known the man for many years and never had anything but respect for him.But if he is part of their group, it means he participated in kidnapping and torturing one of our own, not to mention framing us for the attack.Why would he do that?¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°The love of money twists even the purest hearts,¡± Jasper said.¡°I can¡¯t promise you that he¡¯s guilty - maybe Selba?rah had a way to deceive me - but Scales of Justice said she spoke the truth.¡± Gu?la nodded unhappily.¡°I don¡¯t have that spell, but that was the impression I got too.I knew she¡¯d spill her guts if I threatened her with an audience with S?ars?ad?.¡± Jasper eyed the Djinn curiously.¡°That¡¯s what you threatened with her?What¡¯s so terrible about that?He¡¯s perhaps the strongest person I¡¯ve met here, but he didn¡¯t strike me as cruel.¡± An amused smile curled the corner of her lips.¡°You met him as family and, dare I say, as an unwitting pawn that had furthered his efforts to force the nobles to agree to send troops to the Empire.S?ars?ad? is a good king to those who are loyal, but he shows his enemies no mercy.He would have pulled every last secret of her mind before destroying her, body and soul.¡± ¡°Which means¡­I think she spoke the truth about Dann?l, as hard as it is for me to believe.But I cannot act on her word alone; I need more proof.¡± ¡°So what do we do now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the king¡¯s guard round up the four others she named, and we¡¯ll see what information we can wring out of them.til then, we wait.¡±
The sun was already high overhead by the time they reached their tents.Ihra and Erin split off immediately, leaving Jasper to his own devices.Despite not getting any sleep that night, he was in no rush to take a nap.He stopped by Dapplegrim¡¯s stable first to give the horse a good rub and, perhaps, a handful of sugar cubes, and then he swung by the scouts in the hopes of grubbing a meal. He was in luck; a pot of stew left over from breakfast still simmered above the coals, and he helped himself to a few bowls before returning to the tent.With his belly full and his chores down, he was finally ready for sleep. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. As he stepped into his tent, he saw a blur of motion in the corner of his eye.He had no time to process the movement, but his instincts jerked him to the side. They weren¡¯t quite fast enough.With a cry of pain, he was twisted to the side as a solid block of rock slammed into his right arm.Despite the unnatural toughness of his skin, the bones cracked beneath the force of the blow, and he nearly lost his footing. The next blow caught him dead in the chest. Staggering backward, he landed against the table which collapsed as another rock hit him. Scourge of Despair.His battered lungs screamed for air as he lunged to the side and cast the spell.He flicked the whip in a wild arc around him as he tried to hit the unknown assailant. Sunlight poured in as the whip sliced through the thick canvas of his tent and through the equally thick black cloak of his attacker.With a silver mask and a ridiculously tall hat, it was obvious why they were there.Unfortunately, the black cloak, though shredded by the whip, was not the only protection the mage wore.A flash of silver armor gleamed through the torn holes and the whip failed to draw blood. Another block of stone hurtled toward him, and he flung himself to the side.Broken ribs screamed in pain as he rolled head over heels and landed on his feet, but he ignored it.Purge. The spell was a bit of a risk.Before fighting the Moon-kissed mage, he¡¯d never had Purge reflected back against him, but for all he knew, the ability was common knowledge amongst the Lords of We?di?ni?nu.But it was also one of the deadliest spells in his arsenal, and he decided to take the risk. His gamble paid off as the stone slab the mage had been forming dropped inertly to the ground and the black-robed assailant began clutching his throat.The man¡¯s cheeks turned red, his eyes bulged, and he sank to his knees with a guttural gurgle, but Jasper didn¡¯t wait to see if the spell would finish him off.Pulling his glaive out of his bag of holding, he hacked at the Djinn with all the strength a single arm and a half-dozen broken ribs would allow him to leverage. He continued hacking as the man fell face forward on the ground, not stopping until the body had ceased to twitch. Propping himself up with the glaive, he fought to catch his breath before remembering to cast Circle of Forgiveness.With the first cast, the bloody wounds and broken arm fixed themselves, but it took another two before the ribs were finally back in place, allowing him to breathe freely.And as the oxygen returned to his brain, he realized he might not have been the only one attacked. Breaking free of the tent, he raced toward Ihra¡¯s.Before he could tear the flaps open, she met him at the entrance, dragging behind her a black-cloaked form with a severed throat.She took in his battered appearance with a weary glance.¡°I see they got you too.¡± ¡°What about Tsia?¡± A few steps carried them to her tent, but a quick peek inside showed no sign of Tsia or a waiting assailant, and Jasper dropped onto her cot with a sigh of relief.¡°They didn¡¯t get her.You think Gu?la is fine?¡± ¡°I think Gu?la can take care of herself,¡± Ihra replied.¡°Did you check on the scout already?¡± ¡°Erin!¡±As Jasper bolted to his feet, the realization that he¡¯d forgotten about the man filled him with guilt.He dashed out of the tent, and his feet tore the grass up as he skidded to a halt, realizing he had no idea where the scout¡¯s tent was.¡°Wait, do you know where he lives?¡± Ihra shrugged.¡°With the scouts?¡± That much had been obvious, but with no further ideas, the two took over toward the section of tents aside for Jasper¡¯s scouts.At full speed, it took less than two minutes before they reached the area and started dashing between the tents, shouting for Erin. ¡°His tent¡¯s over there, my lord!¡±One of the scouts sitting around the fire leapt to his feet and pointed toward a tent pitched by the edge of the woods.They reached it in a whirlwind. Tearing the flaps aside, Jasper collided with a cloaked figure inside.The two went to the ground together, rolling across the floor in a tangle of flips.The mage¡¯s spell went awry as they wrestled, firing off a blazing lance that shredded through the tent walls like a knife through butter before soaring harmlessly into the ether.Jasper ended up on the bottom of the heap, struggling to bind the man¡¯s arms close to his chest, but Ihra was close behind him.Her foot lashed out, knocking the man off of him, and she followed it up with an uppercut to the chin.As the man collapsed on the ground, his body twitching helplessly, she pulled rope out of her bag and began to tie him up, leaving Jasper to help Erin. It was clear the scout had been caught unaware.There was no rise and fall to his chest, no sign of movement at all, nothing save for an alarmingly large pool of blood that surrounded him, fed by a deep wound in his chest. Dropping to his knees beside him, Jasper quickly cast Circle of Forgiveness.The wounds closed slightly, but not enough, and he cast it again.The flow of blood slowed, but his chest still wasn¡¯t rising.As he cast the spell a third time, he began to perform CPR.Ihra joined him, the two alternating between healing and breathing until the scout finally began to breathe his own.What he didn¡¯t do, though, was wake up. Echoes of the H?uedar Eligon always dreaded the clean-up after the battle.It wasn¡¯t merely taking count of the wounded and dead on their side, though that certainly played a part.It was also dealing with the stoneflesh survivors. When the Zalancthians had first appeared, nearly two hundred years ago, they took no prisoners.Their every move seemed to be calculated to exact maximum morale damage.They killed any who dared to resist them, whether they surrendered or not, butchered entire noble lines, and razed thousands of temples, shrines, and manors whose foundations dated back to ancient times. But the Zalancthians, despite their prowess in the field, were a short-lived people.Most of their warriors had already lost their vigor by their sixtieth year and even the halest rarely lived long enough to see their hundredth.The warriors who had first attacked the Empire were dead and gone, as were their heirs, and their heirs¡¯ heirs. Much had changed since then.The Zalancthians no longer killed their prisoners.No longer did they destroy temples and shrines - indeed, many of them had been rebuilt in nearly perfect replicas, though those replicas lacked the ancient magics the Corsythians had imbued them with.The Zalancthians had even begun to heavily intermingle with the population of the lands they had conquered, often marrying into the same noble lines they had almost exterminated. And that was what Eligon dreaded the most about the clean-up - the mercy he was forced to grant those bastards.The atrocities their ancestors had committed had been the forge of his childhood, but they were little more than a far-off memory to the new generation of Zalancthians.Eligon had no desire to give quarter to the stoneflesh, no desire to spare them from the wrath they so rightly deserved.But the emperor was above all else a pragmatic man; despite his hatred of the invaders, he knew that slaughtering those who were willing to surrender would do nothing to help his reconquest.He needed the Zalancthians to lose the will to fight, not incentivize them to resist to the death. So he waited in his tents while the prisoners were sorted and bundled off, sent back to Qu?d-Urudur to await an honorable ransom.But when they¡¯d departed, Eligon emerged to examine the equipment they had confiscated - the reason they had struck this fort. Nakla?ti was patiently waiting for him at the workshop where the stoneflesh had been assembling the potions.She¡¯d cleaned the worst of her blood off her armor, but her usually pristine hair was knotted and bedraggled, with clumps of blood still clinging to her long blonde locks. His new aide snapped to attention as he approached, bowing her head respectfully before she began her report.¡°We managed to secure the facility before they destroyed it, my lord.I was just about to begin sorting through them.¡± He beckoned for her to fall in step beside him and headed for the door.The warehouse was built from the ruins of Ka?r-Arh?u, and the front half of the building was almost entirely constructed from the shell of an old shrine, while the second had been built with blocks scavenged from other buildings. He paused at the door to read the faded script that ran above the arch.Time and the ravages of war had rendered most of it unreadable, but a few words could still be deciphered.Eka?llu s?a Ildas?s?u, il s?a¡­lidallu?s?u mus?te?miqus?u likrubu?¡­.¡°The temple of Ildas?s?u, god of¡­may his faithful supplicant praise him, may he bless him¡­¡± Grief washed over the emperor as he read the words out loud.He¡¯d never heard of Ildas?s?u, so the god was likely a local spirit who¡¯d been forgotten and forsaken after the city of Ka?r-Arh?u was destroyed, a fate he didn¡¯t deserve.And now, even his temple had been defiled by being transformed into a manufactory for the stoneflesh¡¯s blasphemy.How much have we lost that can never be reclaimed? Anger followed close on the heels of his grief and his fist spasmed.¡°Lady Nakla?ti,¡± he spoke with subdued rage, ¡°make sure priests are brought to examine these ruins and salvage anything that remains of Ildas?s?u¡¯s service. She nodded briskly.¡°And do you wish to set aside funds for the shrine to be rebuilt?¡± ¡°No,¡± the emperor replied with a grimace.¡°I do not intend to hold Ka?r-Arh?u for long. The population is long gone and the city naught but ruins, so there is little point in wasting the money.Perhaps, though, we can fund a small shrine in Qu?d-Urudur, and see if the priests can find any survivors who still worship Ildas?s?u.¡± He waited for Nakla?ti to hastily scrawl his instructions in her notebook, and they entered the warehouse together.A dozen soldiers were sorting through the booty, and a large number of packed crates were already clustered around the door.Eligon peeked inside the top one and paled when he saw the box was stuffed to the brim with glass vials filled with a black, oily liquid.Surely they can¡¯t all be those damnable potions.Moving the crate to the side, he searched the one below.More of them.Raising his voice, he called out to the nearest soldiers.¡°Are these boxes all filled with the potions?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord, we packed them all.¡± He cursed as he counted them.Seventeen boxes, each one filled with dozens of potions that could turn a normal soldier into a wrecking ball of destruction for a few minutes.Is this all the stoneflesh produced, or had they already sent some off?It was a question that couldn¡¯t be answered. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The rest of the day was spent in examining the workshop.As much as Eligon wished to smash the dangerous equipment, he knew such a course would be folly.They¡¯d looted the potions a few times in battle, but this was the first time they¡¯d seized the means of production; the knowledge that could be gained from studying it was too valuable to waste. Instead, he dispatched messengers back to Du?r-S?ad¨º to fetch Es?ida?nu. The next two weeks passed in a flurry of activity.While Eligon had no intention of trying to hold Ka?r-Arh?u for long, the captured fortress was a perfect staging point to strike deep into the heart of Zalancthian territory.Their forces along the border were stretched too thin to truly protect them, as the bulk of the troops had been drawn away by the conflict raging between the young General Kurus and the Protector of Aga?mi?n, General Menos.By all accounts, the conflict had started over a woman - Menos had set aside Kurus¡¯ eldest sister to take a Corsyth bride, but Eligon didn¡¯t care.As long as the bastards were killing each other, he was happy. It was the seventeenth day after seizing Ka?r-Arh?u that Es?ida?nu arrived.The black-haired mage looked miraculously untouched by the days of travel, with not his garment speckled by the endless mud of the failing roads, so Eligon wasted no time hurrying him to the warehouse - despite the mage¡¯s insistence that he needed a nap. But Es?ida?nu¡¯s protests fell silent when he entered the abandoned workshop.The place really wasn¡¯t that large.Despite the hundreds of potions they¡¯d found, the mages in his corp had estimated that a handful had worked there, which at least reassured Eligon that he had likely seized almost everything the place had produced.It was broken down into three work areas: tables where the ingredients had ground, cut, or otherwise processed as needed, a series of lidded cauldrons where the potions were boiled over a network of runes embedded in the ground, and finally what appeared to be an altar. The Zalancthians had both a smaller pantheon than the Corsyths, worshipping just 12 gods, yet the altar was dedicated to none of them.Eligon did not recognize the name inscribed on the stone monument, whose smooth surface had been charred nearly black with repeated sacrifices. T?ulepikkaku.The emperor was no expert on the Zalancthian tongue, but it didn¡¯t seem like a word in their tongue.Something foreign perhaps? ¡°Intriguing, is it not?¡±Eligon glanced up to see Es?ida?nu standing next to him.¡°Have you heard of this god of the cursed blade?¡±The mage continued. The emperor raised a brow in surprise, though perhaps he shouldn¡¯t have been; the mage was brilliant after all. ¡°And just how did you work that out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡±The mage bent down and traced a finger over the inscription.¡°They just ran the words together.T?u is ¡®god,¡¯ and kaku is ¡®evil.¡¯Unless I miss my guess, lepik is derived from the lepid, ¡®blade.¡¯The ¡®d¡¯ has simply assimilated into the ¡®k¡¯ over time.Such processes are natural in language, but they do not occur overnight - this surely means it¡¯s not a new name,¡± the mage concluded, as he rose from his haunches.¡°But neither is it among the gods the Zalancthians are known to worship.¡± ¡°Come,¡± he sauntered over to the now empty cauldrons with a lazy wave of his hand. Eligon had a good guess what the mage would say.¡°I already know that these are not the runes we normally use.And neither are they the ones the stoneflesh usually use - the Zalancthians have never shown much aptitude at magic after all.¡± Es?ida?nu smirked.¡°There¡¯s a reason your mages are in the army, my lord.These runes are rare, yes, but they are not unknown.¡±The mage paused dramatically, expecting Eligon to react with surprise, but the emperor didn¡¯t give him pleasure. ¡°Go on.¡± Scowling, the mage continued.¡°The runes are those of the H?uedar.¡± ¡°The H?uedar?¡±Eligon scoffed.¡°The H?uedar are little more than a myth.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten the Empire itself sought to establish contact with them,¡± the mage retorted. ¡°Because Emperor Attals?ams?a was desperate for any allies against the Fey.You know as well as I that our envoys never returned.¡± ¡°On that you are wrong, my lord.It is true that no alliance was concluded, but one envoy did come back.¡± ¡°Before the capital fell, I had the fortune to stumble upon his account.It seems he had found the H?uedar and even been permitted to dwell among them for a time.Sadly, much of his account was missing, but among what remained were a few dozen pages detailing the strange runes they used.I¡¯m quite certain these are a match.¡± ¡°The H?uedar are real?¡± Eligon remained stuck on the first point.The stories of a fey kingdom that rivaled the hostile Ya¡¯ari in power had always seemed a fantasy too good to be true, the wishful thinking of an empire that had found itself twice in a deadly struggle for the south. ¡°Without a doubt, my lord,¡± Es?ida?nu replied. ¡°You said you found this book in the capital before it fell.I assume, then, that it has been lost along with the rest?¡± The mage avoided his gaze.¡°Well, I might be able to remember a few of the runes.¡± A suspicion crossed Eligon¡¯s mind.¡°It¡¯s been nearly 80 years; even your memory isn¡¯t that good.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Es?ida?nu replied carefully, ¡°perhaps I might have forgotten to return it.It may have been accidentally included in my luggage when I fled.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t there when the city fell,¡± he responded flatly.¡°You¡¯re saying you stole it.¡± The mage had the good grace to look guilty, although Eligon doubted it was more than a show.¡°I meant to return it.¡± There was little point in complaining about it now.Regardless of Es?ida?nu¡¯s dubious motives at the time, his act of pilfery had benefitted them in the end.¡°So I take it you can translate them,¡± Eligon sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll need to send for the manuscript first, but, yes, I do believe I can decipher them,¡± the mage agreed.¡°But you¡¯re not asking the right questions, my lord.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°Considering how little we know of the H?uedar, where did the Zalancthians get these runes?¡± It was a question the emperor didn¡¯t want to consider.The thought of the Zalancthians allying with the Fey was one too horrible to contemplate, so he didn¡¯t.¡°Just work on translating them,¡± he grunted.¡°And I won¡¯t be paying your usual fee for this - consider it penance for your theft.¡± Forest Primeval Erin cracked an eye open as a bird warbled overhead. The sky was blotted out by enormous trees, whose shadows stretched to cover nearly all beneath them, save for a few scattered points where a break in their foliage allowed brilliant beams of light to reach the forest floor. Disoriented, he bolted upright, and his hand clutched his chest as a spasm of pain tore through him. What the hell? He pulled his hand away carefully, staring down at his chest. A 3-inch jagged hole had been carved into his flesh although there was a strange lack of blood on his palm. He placed a cautious finger against the cut and pulled it away cursing. Damn that hurts. The wound still wasn¡¯t bleeding, though. Bits and pieces of memory surfaced then. After getting dragged all over the countryside on Jasper¡¯s mission, when he had gotten back to his tent, he¡¯d fallen asleep almost the instant his head hit the cot, despite the bright sun shining through the fabric. What happened next came in chaotic flashes. A sharp pain in his chest. A black blur above him. Flailing. Shouts. I must have been attacked, but then where the hell am I? Unless¡­Erin¡¯s heart dropped to his stomach. Unless I died. Still not fully adjusted to the rapidly growing strength of his body, Erin pinched his arm hard enough to draw blood. ¡°Ow!¡± Hissing in pain, he shook his arm vigorously. That hurt like hell. I certainly don''t feel dead. Of course, there is another option. The vision he¡¯d experienced with the dryad a few weeks before flitted through his mind, but the forest wasn¡¯t the same as the one he¡¯d found himself in the last time. The chiaroscuro of the columns of light and shadow was far more pronounced, the foliage beneath the distant canopies significantly more lush, and there was a noticeable lack of snow falling upward into the heavens. It couldn¡¯t be the same place, but he guessed it was something similar. There was nothing special about the small clearing he¡¯d found himself in, and he decided not to stick around. His time as a scout had taught him something, though. Scavenging a sharp rock that was jutting up beneath a root, he scored a small mark in the bark of the tree as he passed. He didn¡¯t think it mattered where he wandered in this dream, but he¡¯d hate to be wrong. The forest had a primeval beauty unmatched by anything on earth.It wasn¡¯t just the almost unbelievable height of the trees - though the entire forest was composed of old growth that had never known the swing of an axe - but the strange vegetation and the boundless life with which the forest swarmed. Hundreds of birds flitted overhead in the canopy, their warbling songs so loud that there was never a moment of silence. Of course, a population of that magnitude could only be sustained by an equally robust food source; the sheer mass of bugs in the air, the dirt, and the trees dipped the needle a notch below paradise, but strangely the swarms seemed to ignore him. He was glad, of course, that the many mosquitoes that buzzed his past ear, often two or three times larger than those on Earth, zipped past him without trying to drink his blood, but it also left him a bit paranoid that maybe he really was dead. Please tell me this isn¡¯t some sixth-sense crap. As he wandered beneath the canopy, the sound of the birds was slowly joined by a distant, steady rumble. Recognizing the sound of water, he charted a course in that direction. He¡¯d assumed it was a simple stream, but as he got closer, the rumble swiftly grew into a thunder. When he finally reached the water, the sight that met him was one fit to match the overgrown forest. A towering plume of water fell from a cliff thousands of feet above him. The river below was full of rapids, the racing water churning around hundreds of sharp rocks and dead logs buried deep in the muck. He wouldn¡¯t be crossing the river here. A sudden wave of thirst overtook him, and he bent down the stream and gulped down mouthfuls of the icy water. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t pay for not boiling it with a bout of giardiasis, but he felt such a deep-seated need to drink that all other concerns faded away. He lost track of time as he drank from the river, not rising until his thirst was sated, and his belly sloshed uncomfortably. It was then he realized he wasn¡¯t alone. In the middle of the raging river, trapped on a small island of mud that protruded above the rushing waters, was a tall, slender tree with bark as white as snow and leaves the deep red of a Japanese maple. The tree stood out from the rest of it surroundings too prominently for him to miss, and yet Erin was quite certain that the tree had not been there when he started to drink. He could only reach one conclusion - the tree had moved, and a tree that moved was no tree at all. Call it a dryad, an ent, or something else altogether - the tree must be alive. He walked up the river¡¯s course, clambering over the rocky banks until he¡¯d drawn parallel to the slender tree, and as he got closer, his suspicions were confirmed. Though the side he¡¯d seen at first looked like a simple trunk, the side facing the waterfall contained the outline of a body, its face and limbs partially protruding through the bark. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hello?!¡± He had to scream to be heard over the roar of the river. ¡°Hello?!¡± He¡¯d known the thing was alive, but he still nearly fell on his ass when the form in the bark stepped free of the trunk and swiveled its head to look at him. There was a bit of unnatural stiffness to her hair, and her arms moved a bit slowly as she raised a hand in greeting, but thanks to her skin being the same color as the pale, white bark of the tree, she looked almost human from a distance. A flutter of joy thrilled his heart as she waved at him. He still didn¡¯t know why he was here, or where here was even, but at least he wasn¡¯t alone. But there was still a river separating the two of them. ¡°Can you come over here?¡± He yelled over the roar of the water. She shook her head stiffly, instead beckoning for him to come closer.Before his eyes, the rocks peeking out above the river¡¯s churning water shifted positions, moving just close enough to form a passable, if dangerous, path to her little island. Her intent was obvious, but Erin hesitated, as a seed of doubt germinated in his heart. He didn¡¯t know the legends of dryads well enough to know if they were dangerous or not, but he vaguely recalled stories of nymphs and sirens dragging men beneath their waters to their doom. But as she beckoned again, he found his feet moving of their own accord. With a reckless grace, he sprang forward onto the first boulder. It rocked violently beneath his feet, nearly casting him into the waters, but he caught his balance. He inched forward on the slippery, moss-covered rock until he reached the edge and leapt again. It was a long jump, longer than he ever would have dared back home, but his feet tip-tapped their way across the surface, coming to a stop in the center of the rock. He moved forward in a daze, unsure if he or his body was the one propelling him forward. As he got closer, he could see the dryad in more detail. Her body was lithe and willowy and her limbs a tad too long for her proportions, but it was her face that drew his attention. She was noticeably inhuman; her pert nose and wide eyes were accompanied by long hair composed of thin, twisted roots and yet, despite her alien appearance, there was something profoundly familiar about her visage, as if she was a long-lost friend. He reached the last boulder with a flying leap, his arms flailing wildly as he struggled to catch his balance. Icy cold spray drenched his legs, which shook like jello, as he readied for the final jump. His eyes were focused on the familiar face and on her hand that was stretched out to welcome him. He did not see the gulf that lay between, a jump far larger than any that had come before. His legs pumped into motion, throwing him into the air, and it was at that moment, that he realized he wouldn¡¯t make it. Erin plummeted toward the raging waters, toward the eddies and broken logs that cluttered the river. His feet dipped into the water, whose force was so great that it physically jerked his body to the side, carrying him down the river. But before the waters could swallow him up, vines exploded from the dryad¡¯s hand and wrapped themselves around his stretched arm. As he slipped beneath the water¡¯s surface, its freezing temperatures shocked him out of his fugue, and he struggled frantically, but the vines held. He vomited water as the vines pulled him free and dragged him, suspended in mid-air, the last few feet to the tiny island. The dryad reeled him in slowly, her arm not stopping until he hung mere inches from her face. As Erin stared into those strangely familiar eyes, he didn¡¯t know whether to be terrified or grateful. The dryad¡¯s mouth opened slowly revealing a row of teeth made from thorns, and his heart stopped. She¡¯s going to eat me. He struggled futilely in her grasp, his legs freely kicking in the air. ¡°St-o-op.¡± The dryad struggled to form the sounds, her mouth full of thorns not meant for the speech of human tongue. He continued to struggle, but then something changed. A cataclysmic roar echoed behind them, and the two swiveled through heads in time to see a wall of water rushing down the river. Twenty feet above the water¡¯s surface, it swept everything in its path, flinging boulders aside like tiny pebbles. He was torn from their grasp as the water surrounded them. He tried to hold his breath, to kick his way to the distant surface. The raging flood spun him from side to side so much that all sense of direction was lost, and when he slammed into a boulder, what little air he had left was expelled. He breathed in the water in a silent scream and sat bolt upright. ¡°Erin, what¡¯s wrong?¡± A pair of strong hands shook his shoulder and Erin, leaning over, vomited mouthfuls of water. ¡°What the hell?¡± Jasper¡¯s befuddled voice echoed distantly in his ears. ¡°It¡¯s like he''s drowning on dry land. Can you heal him, priest?¡± A pair of hands wrapped around his wrists, and he felt a pulse of warm travel up his body. He doubled over again, expelling several more mouthfuls of water before a trickle of blessed air finally began to reach his lungs. A gentle hand was placed on his back, and the warmth spread again. When he finally caught his breath, he looked up to find Jasper, Ihra, and an unfamiliar man in white robes standing beside him. ¡°You ok there, buddy?¡± Jasper asked. Erin nodded, wiping his lips dry before he spoke. ¡°The dream was...real.¡± ¡°Dream? What are you talking about?¡± Jasper blurted out. Erin didn¡¯t respond immediately, as his mind raced back to the dryad he''d seen beside the river. Was she trying to help or hurt him? He couldn¡¯t tell, nor could he rid himself of the impression that he knew her. There was something about her face that was so familiar. With a quick word to Jasper, the priest departed and returned a few minutes later with a bowl of water and a clean towel. Erin gratefully splashed warm water on his face and wiped himself dry. Grabbing the bowl, he picked it up and held it out to the priest, but he froze as he caught sight of his reflection. The dryad had resembled him. Not in an ¡®identical twin¡¯ sort of a way, but still close enough to be mistaken for a relative. Could she be related to me somehow? Truthfully, Erin didn¡¯t know that much about his family; it had pretty much always just been him, his mom, and his grandma, but he knew there had to be others out there. Maybe she wasn¡¯t trying to hurt me, but then what did she want? For that, he had no answer. The Armored Swan Jasper didn¡¯t stick around long after Erin awoke.Aside from some confused babbling about a dream, the scout seemed to have recovered just fine, and Jasper was worried about Gu?la.As far as he was concerned, they weren¡¯t an item, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to see her get hurt.So, leaving Erin in Ihra¡¯s capable hands, he took off. He could tell from a distance that her camp had been struck.The plume of smoke spiraling into the sky could have been dismissed as a larger-than-usual bonfire, but the scorched and slashed tents on the outskirts of her encampment told the tale of a struggle.But, judging from the number of Djinn clearing away the wreckage, it was also clear that the fight was already concluded. As he drew close, he hailed one of the nearest Djinn, a young soldier who was struggling to pull his cot free from a mess of scorched canvas and rope.¡°Is Captain Gu?la here? Is she alright?¡±He demanded anxiously. ¡°Aye, she¡¯s all right.The captain¡¯s a tough one, even if she is responsible for this fine mess,¡± the man added with a touch of sullenness. Jasper blinked.¡°She caused this?What happened?¡±Even as he asked the question, he realized the answer.Her firebird spell was fairly similar to his own Flame Charge, and he¡¯d seen firsthand how quickly the fire spread.Using that spell in a cramped background was just asking for trouble, but it was better than death. ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know, my lord,¡± the Djinn replied, scratching idly at the base of his left horn.¡°Was asleep when it all started and it all happened so fast.Just know the fire started at her tent and spread out pretty quickly.¡± ¡°But you said she¡¯s fine,¡± Jasper asked.¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing left of her tent, so she bundled up her tyke and headed for the city.¡± ¡°Not command,¡± he questioned with a frown. ¡°That¡¯s where she said she was going,¡± the man scoffed, ¡°but Altarru said he saw her head south, so she must have been going to the city.Ain¡¯t that right, Altarru?¡±The Djinn lifted up his voice at the end and another soldier about ten feet away bobbed his head. ¡°That¡¯s what I saw¡­my lord,¡± the man hastily added at the end. Thanking them, he headed toward Nu?r-S?ams?a.His heart beat a little faster as he neared the gates, a bit unsure if the fight between him and Captain S?amsa?tnu had made him a wanted man.Did the guards he brought to the ambush even know who I was?Were they there in an official capacity or on the down low? But the only attention he received from the guards at the gates was a cheerful nod, coupled with a respectful, ¡°My lord.¡±He wanted to ask them if they had seen Gu?la pass by but decided not to press his luck.There would be other people to ask. He stopped at a few of the stalls closest to the gate, but it quickly proved a pointless task.While Gu?la was a pretty woman, her long brown hair and short black horns were characteristics shared with thousands of other women in the city, nor was there any shortage of mothers with children in tow.Unable to think of anything truly distinctive about her, he was almost ready to give up, when he remembered the tavern she had taken him to the night they¡¯d met.What was that place again?The Armored Swan? Deciding he had nothing to lose, he set out in search of it.Fortunately, the tavern¡¯s bright blue walls made it stand out like an overripe blueberry, and if there was any doubt that he was in the right place, the painted wooden statue of a swan in black armor with a sword in its beak erased all that. The thick oak door opened begrudgingly, the wood swollen with so much moisture from the rapidly melting snow that it was practically glued to the frame, but it was no match for his newfound strength.Shoving it open, he stepped inside and swiveled his eyes across the room. The last time they¡¯d been there, the tavern had been filled to capacity with revelers, and its rafters had rung with the mixed sounds of talented bards and drunken louts.But at the moment, it was little more than a ghost town.Two men sat at a table near a dusty window, while another was slouched over the bar, his eye glazed over as he succumbed to the sandman¡¯s clutches. An elderly Djinn woman stood behind the counter, her long black hair peppered with the snow of age.She was busy polishing mugs, preparing for the crowd that would come night, but as he closed the gap, she abandoned them to greet him. ¡°What can I help you with, my lord?¡±Though her words were perfectly polite, there was a chill to her tone that baffled him.We¡¯ve never met, have we? He offered her a friendly smile as he sidled up to the bar.¡°I¡¯m looking for a friend of mine.A young woman with brown hair down to about here,¡± he held his hand just below his chest, ¡°with a little girl who looks just like her.She¡¯s a firebird captain, so she might have come here in her uniform.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Not seen anyone like that around here, my lord,¡± the woman replied, calmly picking the mug back up and beginning to scrub it again. Jasper knew it had been a long shot looking here, but there was something about the woman¡¯s caginess that made him doubt her.¡°Are you sure she¡¯s not here?She really is my friend.A few of us were attacked last night, and I think she was too.Just want to make sure she¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one here, my lord,¡± the elderly barkeep replied.¡°We don¡¯t offer rooms at the Armored Swan.¡± That, at least, he knew he was a lie, and he leaned forward on the counter.¡°Really?That¡¯s odd, because I am quite certain I spent a night here with that very same woman a few weeks ago.Are you sure your memory isn¡¯t slipping?¡± The woman nearly dropped the mug but she recovered it before it toppled to the ground.¡°I¡¯m sure-¡° ¡°It¡¯s okay, Amta.¡±A familiar voice echoed from the staircase leading to the private rooms.¡°Thank you for looking out for me, but Yas?peh is a friend.¡± The woman visibly relaxed, setting the mug down with a shaking hand.¡°And here I thought we¡¯d be coming to blows.¡± Jasper offered the woman a tight smile before heading over to the stairs.¡°Are you hurt?I saw your camp was half-burnt down.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk upstairs,¡± Gu?la replied. He followed her up to the private rooms where she led him into the same spacious room they¡¯d spent the night a few weeks back, though this time the bed was occupied by the curled-up form of a little girl. ¡°Is she all right? Ka-karabah?¡±He struggled to remember the child¡¯s name and got it wrong. ¡°Kiribta,¡± Gu?la corrected him.¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Be?¡±His gaze sharpened.¡°Did they hurt her?¡± He was taken by surprise as the usually composed woman suddenly buried her face in his shoulders, her arms wrapping tight around his waist as she began to sob.¡°They went after her first, Yas?peh.They went after a child.If Ta?ri?t hadn¡¯t been right beside her, they would have killed her before I could even stop them.¡± Jasper felt a bit awkward as the sobbing woman clung to him, but he wasn¡¯t heartless.He returned her hug, gently stroking her back as she let out the fear and panic she¡¯d been holding in.¡°Who¡¯s Ta?ri?t?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Kiri¡¯s nanny.Was,¡± Gu?la corrected herself. Jasper vaguely recalled the elderly woman who he''d seen sleeping in the child¡¯s tent the night before.¡°I take it she died?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t a warrior, but she gave her life to protect Kiri, and she stalled them long enough for me to get there.Almost.¡± Pulling free of his arms, Gu?la wiped the tears from her eyes with quick, angry jabs, as she approached her daughter.The girl clutched a thin blanket with one hand, but as Gu?la carefully pulled it aside, he saw it was just one hand.The flesh over the stump on her left wrist was so thoroughly healed he almost doubted his memory, but he was fairly certain she had not been missing a hand the day before.A deep fury kindled in his chest.¡°They did that to her?¡± He asked, struggling to constrain his voice, so as not to disturb the sleeping child. ¡°They tried to take her head,¡± Gu?la replied, ¡°but I arrived in time to yank her almost out of the way of the blow.Almost,¡± she repeated sadly. ¡°Can they heal her?¡± ¡°None of the priests here are skilled enough to restore a limb, but when S?ars?ad? hears of what happened, I am sure he will send someone to help her.But she still shouldn¡¯t have had to suffer that.¡±She stroked her daughter¡¯s hair gently, and the child stirred, nuzzling closer to her without truly awaking. Jasper was glad to learn the girl wouldn¡¯t be permanently maimed, but it did little to quell the anger within.¡°We¡¯ll make them pay,¡± he promised. She smiled grimly.¡°They¡¯ll already have.¡± ¡°More than just the assassins.We¡¯ll punish the whole organization.¡±He paused as a detail of her account finally sunk in.¡°You kept saying ¡®they,¡¯ didn¡¯t you?How many attacked you.¡± ¡°Three mages.¡±Suddenly, the destruction of her camp didn¡¯t seem so outrageous.¡°And you fought off them by yourself?¡± Her eyes turned to her daughter.¡°Let¡¯s just say I was motivated.¡± Did she burn her soul?As competent as Gu?la was, holding her own against three other mages seemed beyond what Jasper knew of her capabilities. Either she''d hidden her strength from him, or she¡¯d done something rash like burning her soul, but he wasn¡¯t rude enough to ask.At least she survived. ¡°I guess they really wanted you,¡± he added, sitting down on the edge of the bed.¡°They only sent one after me.One at Ihra and Erin too.¡± ¡°Lucky me.¡±Gu?la stroked her daughter¡¯s hair a moment longer before turning to look at him.¡°Are you sure you still want to help me?These lords are more dangerous than I thought.¡± ¡°Maybe.Or maybe they¡¯re desperate.We did learn the name of a pretty important member, after all.Maybe we¡¯re closer to sniffing them out than we thought.¡± ¡°Dann?l?¡±Gu?la¡¯s face twisted with distaste.¡°As much as I want to go after that traitor, we need more evidence first.¡± ¡°Do we?¡± he countered.¡°They sent six assassins after us.It¡¯s only fair we go after one of theirs.¡± ¡°The nobles won¡¯t approve.¡± ¡°Then to hell with them,¡± Jasper snapped.¡°I can¡¯t speak for all of them, but I do know what my uncle would do.¡±He leaned forward, his eyes blazing with intensity as he grabbed her hand.¡°He¡¯d take Dann?l out and worry about the consequences later.¡± A small smile tilted the corner of her lips.¡°S?arra?bi? is one of the most powerful lords in the Royal House.I¡¯m just the daughter of a minor noble.¡± Like a pin-struck balloon, Jasper deflated.¡°I guess¡­I suppose that would make things different,¡± he conceded slowly.¡°But we can just ignore this.There¡¯s no guarantee they won¡¯t try again.¡± Gu?la shook her head.¡°I didn¡¯t say you were wrong.We do need to take Dann?l out. can¡¯t afford to ignore the consequences.We need a plan to either take him out quietly or incriminate him.But maybe..." After a brief pause, a sly smile began to spread across her face. "Maybe I have an idea or two on how to do that." ¡°Care to share?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to need that princess of yours. She''s just the right size.¡± Setting the Bait ¡°Commander.¡±The soldier guarding the entrance to his suite bowed his head as Dann?l approached. He offered the guard an easy smile.¡°Were you stationed here all night, Kadr??¡±The Djinn nodded.¡°Yes, commander, but my shift¡¯s almost up.¡± ¡°Consider yourself relieved, then.Go get some rest.¡± ¡°Sir?¡±The guard hesitated, torn between his desire to leave and his sense of duty.¡°My relief won¡¯t be here for another hour.¡± Dann?l offered a low chuckle.¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in any danger of being attacked here.I¡¯ll be fine.¡± The guard didn¡¯t ask a second time.Bowing his head deeply, he thanked the commander and headed down the hall with as much speed as decorum would allow. Dann?l¡¯s friendly smile slipped into a scowl as soon as the guard¡¯s head had disappeared around the corner.Unlocking the door, he slammed it shut behind him, letting out an angry growl as he stalked into the middle of the room. The bed chamber was as intricately decorated as the other halls in the manor.The mosaics in this particular room had been dedicated to stories of the fantastical creatures and supposed histories of the world the Djinn had left behind - Zaginnu. Dann?l hadn¡¯t grown up taking art classes like the nobles, so their artistic virtues were lost on him, but he¡¯d enjoyed their depictions of childhood fables nonetheless.But he was not in the mood to appreciate them right now. The last twenty-four hours had been a fiasco.Everything had been going so well up to then.As the head commander of the firebird contingent, when the king appointed Gu?la to investigate the mysterious sabotage attempts, General Turzu had come straight to him, her former commander, to learn more about his new aide. Dann?l had seized the opportunity to derail her investigation before it ever began.He¡¯d been careful not to go too far, of course; he¡¯d praised her strength as a warrior and mage highly, and even pretended to commend her skills as a leader, but he made many ¡®slip-of-the-tongue¡¯ comments the painted in her a far less savory light.Turzu had walked away convinced that Gu?la was hopelessly incompetent at anything but fighting, and a slut who had slept her way into the position of captain. All Dann?l had to do was plant the seeds of distrust, and Turzu, whose low opinion of Gu?la was subtly reinforced by some of the other recruits the Lord of We?di?ni?nu had in command, had proceeded to completely dismantle her ability to pursue the mission the king had given her.Turzu had started by removing her loyal soldiers from her command, giving the excuse that she no longer needed their services now that she was on ¡®special duty.¡¯ He''d slashed her budget too, giving her not a penny more than the absolute minimum regulation required him to.Most importantly, the general had closed his ears to what she had to say, convinced they were the words of a woman scorned. The situation had been so completely in hand that Dann?l had failed to pay sufficient attention to her new recruit.Whenever an otherwise unknown scion of the Royal House made a public appearance, there were usually only two reasons for it - they were an embarrassment the family had sought to keep hidden or a bastard who had proven themselves competent enough to be elevated.When he¡¯d heard that Gu?la had promptly seduced the noble - ironically enough, fitting his description of her to Turzu - he¡¯d promptly written the noble off as ne¡¯er-do-well.He hadn¡¯t realized they were making progress on their investigation until last night when news of Selbarah¡¯s capture reached him. Dann?l had reacted decisively, dispatching every agent of the Lords at his disposal, save for the handful embedded in command, as their absence might be noted.It was overwhelming odds.Gu?la was a competent fighter, but against three other mages she should have had no chance.And while he¡¯d only had one to devote to the feckless noble, even if the noble had proven competent, the other assassins should have made short work of the archer and the newly awakened mage and finished the noble off. Instead, he had six dead agents and Gu?la was in the end. His fury boiled over, and grabbing the nightstand beside his bed, he flung it against the wall with a curse.¡°Da?s?ip.¡±The wood was no match for a warrior¡¯s strength, splintering so thoroughly that portions nearly crumbled into sawdust. She played me.The realization infuriated him.Selba?rah had chosen to flee rather than return to him, so he wasn¡¯t sure how much the captain had figured out, but she had clearly realized that somebody was slandering her to the general, and had decided to lean into that reputation.She slept with that noble so I wouldn¡¯t bother to investigate.And as for how she¡¯d managed to defeat three mages, there was only one conclusion he could draw.She must be hiding her strength - but for how long? With the rest of those under his command dead, Dann?l knew he could no longer afford to stay in the shadows.Even if Selba?rah hadn¡¯t revealed his identity, Gu?la¡¯s absence from command told him she knew it was compromised - he needed to kill her before she could get any further.I don¡¯t think Turzu will listen to her at this point, but who knows - perhaps she¡¯ll seduce him too.He growled in irritation, but as he stalked back to the campaign table, he already had formed the germ of a plan.She must be hiding in Nu?r-S?ams?a.She has no friends amongst the nobles there, and the merchants are ours, so she¡¯ll be in the taverns.I think it¡¯s time my men get a night off to enjoy the town. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
¡°You sure about this,¡± Jasper asked Tsia for the third time.¡°I think Gu?la¡¯s plan might just work, but I¡¯m not really comfortable with asking you to be bait.¡± As Tsia shook her head, her hair moved a bit more stiffly than usual.Her usually curly locks had been straightened out, and she fiddled with a pair of horns she was trying to stick to her head.¡°I¡¯m sure.If Ihra and I hadn¡¯t gotten lucky, those bastards would have burned us alive.Now, help me get this on, Jasper.¡± It took the two of them another few minutes before they finally figured out how to snap the prosthetic horns in place. With a twirl of her skirt, Tsia admired the finished product in the mirror.She wasn¡¯t exactly Gu?la¡¯s doppelg?nger, but with her pale skin, long brown hair, and prosthetic horns, she could easily be mistaken for her from a distance, and the simple blue dress she wore, a favorite of Gu?la''s, helped to reinforce the image. ¡°So I¡¯m just supposed to let one of the guards catch a glimpse of me and then wait for Dann?l to appear,¡± she asked. Jasper nodded.¡°Gu?la seemed certain he¡¯d send men to check out the inns, but he¡¯d want to deal with her personally.It¡¯s best he doesn¡¯t get a good luck at you close-up, so once you¡¯ve made a few appearances in the eating hall, head up to your room.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting down by the stables to keep an eye out for Dann?l to show up. I see him, I¡¯ll whistle for you to join me.¡±He walked over to the small, dusty window which was propped slightly ajar.A thick rope had been nailed into the tavern floor and trailed up and over the ledge, dropping down into the courtyard below where the tavern¡¯s stables awaited.¡°Just slide down the rope and hope on your tsuss?m.¡± ¡°And then we, what, wait for him to catch up?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pretty high-leveled warrior - I don¡¯t think it will take him that long to catch up,¡± Jasper pointed out.¡°But once he reaches the courtyard, he¡¯ll think he has us trapped. Everyone knows tsuss?m can¡¯t fly at night, after all.¡± ¡°Unfortunately for him, he doesn¡¯t know about Spectral Wings,¡± he added with a grin.¡°We¡¯ll fly up and over his head and lead him outside the city.Even if he tries to rally the guard, they are low-level enough that we should be able to outpace them, isolating him from everybody else." "Won''t he stop following us?" "Maybe," Jasper admitted, "but Gu?la said he¡¯s confident to a fault - she¡¯s sure he won''t back down once we''ve got him hooked.e¡¯ll lead him out to the designated spot where Erin and Ihra are waiting. Meanwhile, Gu?la will quietly slip back into her room and make another appearance in the tavern hall, so even if they suspect her, they won¡¯t be able to prove she¡¯s guilty.¡± ¡°It seems...kind of complicated,¡± Tsia replied dubiously. ¡°Not as much as it sounds,¡± he disagreed.¡°The only part we have to worry about is making sure he sees you and getting him to follow us out of the city.¡± ¡°We also have to fight him,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Okay, that too,¡± he agreed, ¡°but I think we can take him.He can¡¯t be worse than Yas?gah.¡± An involuntary shudder rippled down her spine.¡°Yas?gah is not the standard for our future fights,¡± she muttered.¡°At least not if you want me to stick around...but,¡± she lifted her eyes to the mirror and forced a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll manage.¡± Dann?l must not have been familiar with Gu?la¡¯s tavern of choice, as it was several hours before a handful of soldiers burst through the doors of the blueberry-colored Armored Swan.From the slight stagger of their steps and reddening of their eyes, it was obvious this wasn¡¯t their first stop, but the men were still in control of their senses.Sticking to their ploy of having a day off, they grabbed one of the few free tables close to the bard and ordered a round of drinks. Tsia waited a few minutes before making her appearance.Slipping down the stairs quietly, she approached the edge of the bar and ordered two bowls of stew.Gu?la had suggested she try to appear as if she was in hiding, so Tsia obscured herself behind a wooden pillar, taking care to allow a portion of her eye-catching blue dress to peek out from cover.She was forced to loiter awhile before the drunken soldiers finally noticed her. ¡°Captain,¡± one roared out, ¡°Come sit with us!¡±Raucous laughter echoed around their table as she fled up the stairs.But as Gu?la had predicted, the soldiers made no attempt to stop her themselves - going after a mage on their own would have been suicide, after all.Instead, after downing the last of their drinks, they made for the door. As the soldiers staggered into the night, Jasper took his watch by the stable gates.Dann?l did not take long to make an appearance.Less than ten minutes had passed before a Djinn matching the description Gu?la had given emerged into the light of the tavern¡¯s lanterns.The man was built like a human-sized dwarf, which is to say, he was far broader of a chest and stouter of muscle than the average Djinn without being any taller than usual. He headed directly for the tavern¡¯s entrance, and as soon as he¡¯d stepped inside, Jasper whistled for Tsia to descend.She slid down the rope in a flash and the two hopped onto the tsuss?m¡¯s back - and not a moment too soon.Dann?l must have rushed straight for the private chambers as the sound of splintering wood broke the silence of the stables, followed quickly by an angry face peering out of the upper window. ¡°Gu?la?Is that you and your man-whore?¡±More wood splintered as he forced his frame through the narrow window and leapt into the courtyard below, landing with an agile grace that belied his bulky form. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it has to end this way, but I can¡¯t let you leave,¡± he growled.¡°You never should have taken this job, but it¡¯s over now - you have nowhere to go.¡± While Tsia could be mistaken for Gu?la in the darkness, their voices were far too dissimilar to be confused, so Jasper was the one to respond.Pretending to put a quaver in his voice, he yelled out, ¡°You¡¯ll never take us,¡± while more quietly he cast the spectral wings.The commander¡¯s snort of disdain was cut short as the tsuss?m, which should have been unable to fly in the darkness, bolted into the night sky, backlight against the light of a gibbous moon. Reeling Them In Jasper was on pins and needles as the commander chased after them.It wasn¡¯t because he was afraid of Dann?l - though by all accounts the soldier was a fearsome warrior.No, what had him tense was the difficult task of setting a pace that Dann?l could keep up with while simultaneously ensuring that any reinforcements from the guard were left behind him.It was a bit like landing a big fish, a test of patience as much as strength. But it proved easier than he had expected.As Dann?l charged out of the stables after them, following them down the street and toward the city gates, several of his men quickly joined up with him, but he made no attempt to call for the city guard, and Jasper realized the commander didn¡¯t want to be seen attacking Gu?la too publicly. Like most soldiers in the camp, Dann?l¡¯s soldiers were still only in their 40s or 50s in their levels, and they simply didn¡¯t have the endurance or strength to keep pace with the flight of a tsuss?m.One by one, the men dropped out, collapsing on the cobbled streets as their sides heaved for air.By the time they reached the city gates, only two had stuck by their commander¡¯s side, but unfortunately those two didn¡¯t seem to be struggling much more than Dann?l himself.Crap, we¡¯re going to have to fight them too, Jasper realized. The city guards gawked as the tsuss?m soared above their heads, a trio of soldiers following close on its heels, but they made no attempt to intervene and thankfully Dann?l again declined to ask them to.Gu?la had been right about his arrogance. The plan nearly went awry, though, as they left the structure of the city streets.Though the light of the moon prevented the night from being shrouded in complete darkness, from midair it was still hard to discern any features on the ground below, and as Jasper headed straight toward the waiting ambush, he flew over a small chasm, about thirty feet wide, without even seeing it, until Tsia¡¯s elbow dug hard into his ribs.¡°They¡¯re falling behind,¡± she hissed softly. Jasper wasn¡¯t sure how to react.If he slowed the tsuss?m down, it would be obvious that he wasn¡¯t trying to shake the pursuit, and while Dann?l might be arrogant, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to follow them into an obvious ambush.A shadow of an idea flitted through his mind, and he went with it.Turbulence. ¡°Tsia, can you conjure up some winds,¡± he whispered back.¡°Something strong, right in our faces - make it seem like we¡¯re struggling to make progress.¡± Two seconds later, a gust of wind smacked him in the face with enough force to hurt.The tsuss?m was pushed back, its torso twisting to the side as a gale-force wind rushed over them, and it whinnied in terror.Jasper felt bad for the beast, but it was all he could do to remain on the creature¡¯s back as another gust of wind assailed them. Clutching onto the beast¡¯s neck for dear life as the winds buffeted them, he saw Dann?l finally spring into action.Grabbing both of his soldiers by the scruff of their necks, the commander backed up twenty feet and then took off at a dead sprint.He leapt a few feet before reaching the edge, but it turned out not to matter.The commander soared nearly twenty feet into the air and landed on the other side with room to spare. Tsia kept up the wind magic a few moments longer, not wanting to make it too obvious that it was a ruse, and the soldiers began to catch up.Just before they reached them, Jasper guided the tsuss?m into a steep dive.Leveling the dive off just above the tree line, the ¡®freak¡¯ winds suddenly ceased and they darted off again.He¡¯d underestimated Dann?l, though. With a guttural cry, the commander sprang forward, and yanking a javelin out of his bag of holding, hurled it after them.His aim proved true, and the projectile caught Tsia in the back.It punched through her lower torso with so much force that it continued straight into Jasper¡¯s stomach, the tip stopping just short of breaking through the flesh on the other side. Jasper swayed in the saddle as the pain hammered him, but somehow managed to keep hold of the reins.The pain of the initial blow, though, was nothing compared to theagony that followed as his pierced stomach seeped acid over the open wound, and the steady pounding of the tsuss?m¡¯s wings jostled the spear in with every beat, but he knew Tsia must have it worse. ¡°How bad is it?¡± It took her a moment to respond, and when she did her breathing came hard and heavy.¡°You don¡¯t want to see.¡± ¡°Can you get it out,¡± he asked, gritting his teeth as a gust of wind not sent by Tsia washed over them, jostling the spear further. She didn¡¯t respond, but the fresh pain that surged through him as the javelin slowly slid out of his back gave him his answer.The overwhelming pain made him want to spam his healing spell, but he forced himself to wait until the head had fully popped free, afraid that otherwise the skin would heal around the weapon. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Thanks,¡± he grunted, but received no response, save for the heavy thud of a head landing against his shoulder.¡°Tsia?¡± A single healing spell was not enough to deal with the damage, but Jasper had no time to cast another as he struggled to turn around in the saddle.As he managed to twist his body halfway around, the partially sealed wound screaming in pain, Tsia¡¯s head slipped off his shoulder and the rest of her body nearly followed her.His hands latched around her waist just in time to save her from plummeting to the ground. With a grunt of pain, he yanked her back in the saddle.The rise and fall of her chest told him she had just passed out, likely from shock and blood loss, but he knew that he needed to act quickly.Perhaps passing out is a blessing, he mused as he grabbed the shaft of the javelin that was sticking out of her back and pulled. The wound split open wider as it slid back, and he let the javelin drop to the ground the minute its head pulled free of her flesh.He spammed Circle of Forgiveness, ignoring the blood still seeping from his own wound, while his other hand fiddled with his pouch, trying to find a potion in the dark.Finally pulling one out, he cradled her head as he poured the sickly sweet liquid down her throat.Much of it spilled out, running down her cheeks in a sticky mess until she looked like a toddler playing with her birthday cake, but some of it went down and, as the wound closed over, the color began to return to her cheek.She¡¯ll be fine. But while Jasper worked to save Tsia, he hadn¡¯t been paying attention to where the tsuss?m flew.Unguided by the reins, the tsuss?m had strayed from the path they¡¯d plotted, and as Jasper scanned the dark forest below him, he realized he had no idea where Erin and Ihra were waiting.Damn it. His eyes flickered to Tsia, but the girl was still unconscious.Can I take them on my own?Without help, he didn¡¯t like his odds against the trio.Sure, mages were generally stronger than warriors, but after seeing Dann?l leap over the chasm like it was a puddle, Jasper was under no illusion that he could stay out of range and bombard the commander with spells.The commander would likely close the gap quickly, and once he did - well, Jasper wasn¡¯t keen to find out exactly how squishy he really was. Still, with Tsia unconscious and with no idea where Erin and Ihra were, he had to try.Fishing a rope out of his bag, he tied Tsia to the saddle as best as he could and then refreshed Spectral Wings on the tsuss?m.Nudging the beast to go faster, he pulled far enough head to be out of range of another javelin and dove toward the ground.When the beast was only about ten feet above the earth, he leapt free of the saddle. He rolled across the ground, head over heels, and ate dirt, but as he pushed himself to his feet, his body shaking with the effort, he was pleased to see the beast fly deeper into the forest, taking it and Tsia away from the fight.He hoped she¡¯d return to consciousness quickly and guide the beast to safety, but even if she didn¡¯t, he trusted in the tsuss?m¡¯s instinct to keep them away from trouble.He had no further time to worry about them, though, as Dann?l emerged from the darkness.
As Dann?l had chased his quarry through the half-frozen forest, something about the situation had just seemed off.He couldn¡¯t place his finger on what was bothering him, but he had come to realize that Gu?la was trickier than she seemed - he just couldn¡¯t figure out what her trick was. When the tsuss?m had suddenly sped up, leaving them in the dust - its flight another mystery he couldn¡¯t explain - he¡¯d thought he¡¯d figured it out.They had led him out here for an ambush, yet as he searched the darkness, no new threats appeared.Undaunted, he plowed forward in the direction the tsuss?m had fled, and that was when he saw the figure waiting for him - a single Djinn, shrouded in the darkness of the forest. Da?s?ip. It was too dark to see the man¡¯s features, but it didn¡¯t matter; Dann?l recognized the tall but hornless silhouette with ease.Other than the Moon-kissed, there was only one hornless commander amongst the nobles - Gu??la¡¯s lover boy.In a flash, he understood her plan to escape.She sacrificed the poor bastard to get away from me.It certainly explained why she was wasting time with him, but Dann?l wasn¡¯t going to let it work. Anger flowed through his veins, and he surged toward the man with a bellow of fury.It would only take a few seconds to turn this bastard into a bloody smear, and then he would deal with his former subordinate.Permanently.Cunning was no match for power, after all. He nearly tripped as a pair of blazing shackles rose from the darkness to clamp around his ankles, but Dann?l¡¯s inertia was enough to shatter them.A weak spell from a weak man.His anger deepened, and he muttered his own spell.The flames of a firebird erupted from the center of his chest and spread across his body like an unfolding blossom.There was a reason he was the commander - Dann?l had upgraded the spell farther than any other firebird, save for a few old monsters who had long since retired.Fiery wings billowed behind him, stretching twenty feet from one side to the other, and great clouds of steam followed in his wake as the snow beneath his feet instantly evaporated with every step he took. ¡°Ana Abkini?s?,¡± he roared and leapt into the air.The fiery wings beat twice, soaring him higher into the sky, and then he tucked them close as, raising his blazing axe above his head, he hurtled toward the foolish mage, toward the pathetic noble who had done nothing to oppose him save for a single weak spell.Not even a fight. He didn¡¯t notice the odd rippling in the air behind the mage until he was almost upon him, nor did he see the long, thin hand with gleaming obsidian claws until it intercepted his axe.Metal and flesh met, and it was the metal that gave way as, with a violent twist, the strange hand flung Dann?l off his trajectory. A Firebirds Demise Steam gushed from the earth as Dann?l¡¯s axe cut deep into the frozen sod.The momentum of his strike was enough to bury the head entirely, but the blow had missed its target due to the unknown force. Instinct told him to reposition his body, and he moved to the left a split second before the razor-sharp claws tore through where he¡¯d been standing.With a valiant heave, he pulled the axe free of the dirt and swung it to his right. His eyes followed the swing, and the commander finally saw what he was facing.He knew what it was immediately.Of course, Dann?l had never seen one in person before, but he¡¯d seen illustrations of them in tomes at the temple.An Ophan, a servant of the Lady of Mourning, a fell being of the void. Its torso was vaguely humanoid, but its flesh was melted and smoldering, like living lava.No head sat upon its shoulders, but a single burning eye floated untethered by any visible means to its torso.Around the eye rotated two glowing bands of runes, glowing with a silvery blue light. The rest of its body was no less disturbing.Its burning arms ended in thin black claws extending from unnaturally long fingers and behind its back jet black wings covered in metallic feathers whirred in perpetual motion.The creature was like something out of a nightmare. Dann?l realized then that he had completely misread the situation.Gu?la¡¯s lackey may not have horns, but no weak mage could summon a creature like this.Something resembling a smile slipped across his lips, a bit of his anger dissipating at the discovery of a worthy foe.Finally, a challenge.He ignored the mage for a moment - his two companions could deal with him - and turned to deal with the primary threat. As he swung his axe straight for the hideous beast, the Ophan intercepted it once again and a tug of war ensued.For a moment, their struggle seemed equal, and though the flames of his firebird spell rapidly spread across the body of the Ophan, the flames didn¡¯t seem to be noticeably consuming its already mangled flesh.Then with a grunt, the Ophan surged forward, and Dann?l¡¯s knee kissed the ground. He activated Flames of Rebirth, and his strength doubled.With a roar, he shoved the Ophan back, ripping the axe free of its grasp.But before he could strike again, the beast¡¯s metallic wings suddenly lurched over its shoulders and smacked him dead center.His temporarily boosted strength was enough to keep him standing, but the metallic feathers that swept across his body ripped open any patches of exposed flesh and did a number on the armor too. As Dann?l swung again, the creature lurched forward, striking toward his belly with a clawed hand that would no doubt have disemboweled him.He altered the course of his blow enough to deflect the strike with the shaft of his weapon, causing his axe to dig into the shoulder of the Ophan rather than its neck.But the creature seemed unfazed by the pain, and he was forced to abandon his axe a second later, as the beast lashed out with both clawed hands before he could pull it free. Spinning on his heels, Dann?l catapulted himself twenty feet with a single bound, buying himself some space.The Ophan tore after him, relentless in its pursuit, but while its strength may have outmatched his, its speed was noticeably slower.The brief seconds gave him time to retrieve more weapons from his bag, and as the beast closed the gap he met it wielding sword and board. A metallic screech filled the air as the creature¡¯s claws bounced off the shield, leaving only faint gouges behind, and he lashed out with his sword, targeting the same shoulder he¡¯d already hit.The axe had fallen free as the Ophan pursued him, and the sword cut deep in the wound. He quickly twisted his weapon, trying to pry the gap open as wide as possible - maybe to even tear the arm from its socket - but he had been too greedy. With his weapon stuck in the Ophan¡¯s arm and the shield covering the left side of his body, his right shoulder was left wide open.The metal feathers cascaded down his right side again, shredding was left of his armor and digging into the flesh below. ¡°Das?ip!¡±He staggered backward with an angry curse and lost his grip on the sword.Blood was streaming down his mangled arm, but he had no time to tend to it as the Ophan pressed its advantage.Dann?l barely got the shield in front of him, bracing with both arms, before the beast slammed into him. The metal held, but the bones in his arms did not.The shield slammed into his chest as his bones gave way, and he was sent sprawling into the dirt, with the Ophan on top of him.For most warriors, that would have been the end; with two broken arms and no remaining weapons save for a shield digging into his chest, Dann?l was almost of options - but the commander had always prided himself on being more than ordinary.He¡¯d had to be in order to compete with the nobles. ¡°Is?kaduh?.¡±A veritable river of fire poured from his mouth and completely enshrouded the creature that was pinning him down.Coupled with a tiny infusion of his spirit, the spell was above anything he¡¯d managed before, a never-ending torrent of flame hot enough to shame the sun and more than enough to overwhelm the Ophan¡¯s fire resistance. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. With a howl of pain, the creature lurched off of him, clawing at the flames that fiercely clung to its body.Dann?l had no time to relish his success, though, for he needed to heal himself.With his broken arms, it was a struggle to wiggle his fingers enough to cast his healing spell, but he managed it on the second try.Cleansing Flames.Fresh agony wracked his body, but in its wake followed sweet relief.Rolling to his feet, he snatched the shield from the ground and ran toward the still-flailing Ophan. Juicing the blow with the Fires of Rebirth, Dann?l slammed the edge of his shield into the creature¡¯s chest, caving it in.He followed up with a frenzied flurry of blows, feeling the essence pour out of him as he maintained the boosting spell.He was running on dregs by now, nearly out of essence, but he was so close to finishing the creature off that he dared not pull back. In his frenzy, he barely registered the stinging pain that sliced across his shoulder.The wailing scream that shattered his eardrum was not so easy to ignore.He spun around, whipping his bloodied shield through the space behind him but he hit nothing. Yet he was not alone.The black, soulless eyes of a specter stared back at him, and not just one.Six of the undead surrounded him, beings of shattered spirit and not of flesh.Their lower bodies had long since dissipated into the ether, but what remained of their form was enough to quell the heart of even the bravest warrior.Fueled by an unquenchable hunger for human flesh, the specters¡¯ jagged claws and thin, needle-like fangs were perfectly designed to tear a man to shreds, and resistant to the blows of simple blades. The shield fell loosely from his hands as the commander stared at his death, his eyes focused on the man who loomed behind the specters.The hornless noble leaned heavily against a bloodied glaive, his breath rising in quick puffs of steam in the cold night.From the state of his armor, it was clear that Dann?l¡¯s friends had given him a good fight, but their efforts, just like his, had fallen short.A headless corpse lay at the noble¡¯s feet and the body behind him had suffered an even worse fate, almost mummified by whatever dread spell the mage had cast. I misjudged him.Dann?l had a brief moment to curse the blind folly of his pride before the specters descended upon him.With the last dregs of his essence, he banished the first back to the void from which it came, but the rest were close at its heels and latched onto him like leeches. With nothing to lose, he ignited his soul, turning himself into a walking inferno.He crushed three more of them before the specters skittered back, dancing just out of his reach, and a moment of hope kindled in his heart. Then the mage lifted his hand and a long, ghastly whip unfurled from nothing.It crossed the space between them fast as lightning and flayed his cheek open.And as the blood dripped down from the wound, more of the specters gathered.He went berserk, chasing after the creatures, but they ducked and weaved between his blows, tearing chunks of his flesh with every hit they made. Dann?l could already feel the strain on his soul as he collapsed to the ground, the muscles on his legs torn to shreds by the beasts, and he knew there was nothing more he could do.If he let the flames fall, the specters would finish the job, but burning his soul would just as surely kill him.He struggled to rise, flailing feebly in the snow, as the crunch of footsteps slowly approached him. Turning his eyes to the sky, he found the noble standing above him, his glaive raised for the killing blow.It sliced down and Dann?l knew no more.
¡°Holy hell that hurts.¡±Jasper¡¯s ribs protested as he struggled to pull his glaive free of the commander¡¯s body, but the blade had gotten caught in the man¡¯s vertebrae and did not come easily.With a final heave, he managed to loosen it and, planting the shaft against the ground, sagged against its welcome support with a sigh of relief.¡°That was close.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected the commander to be nearly able to handle the Ophan on all his own, nor had he realized that both of the soldiers accompanying Dann?l had been firebirds in their own right. The battle had been touch and go from the start.All three of them had fire immunity, and though all of them also had a spell that overrode fire immunity - Flame Charge for Jasper and the firebirds¡¯ signature flame for his opponents - it turned out they were mutually immune to those too. Firebirds were as much warriors as they were mages, so the loss of their fire magic hadn¡¯t hampered them too badly; Jasper, on the other hand, had only a few spells that could damage them and nowhere near as much physical strength.While Scourge of Despair and Purge could be fatal with a bit of luck, both spells had constraints that prevented them from being fully reliable.Purge required the target to be judged ¡®evil,¡¯ whatever the hell that meant, and Scourge of Despair needed to draw blood - and unfortunately, the firebirds were heavily armored. He''d won the battle, but the struggle had eaten up nearly all his essence, and he''d been horrified to discover that Dann?l had somehow managed to survive his clash with the Ophan.Fortunately, the void creature had obliterated the man¡¯s armor and torn his left arm to shreds, allowing Jasper''s scourge to pierce the usually toughened skin, and the specters had done the rest. It had been a close thing, though, and Jasper knew he was lucky it wasn''t his head on the ground. A shudder ran down his spine at the thought, and he reflexively massaged the faint scar around his throat, remembering the last time he¡¯d suffered that fate.That was too close.Still, he felt a touch of pride as he surveyed the wreckage; he¡¯d fought three mages, one of them well above his level, and been the one to walk away. Something crunched in the snow behind him, and Jasper shuffled around slowly, wincing as his ribs protested against the effort.¡°Hello?¡± He called out. Muh?h?aka ¡°Kruvas?,¡± S?ams?a?du?r hissed, as he wiped furiously at the burning sweat that had gotten in his eyes.His hands did little but irritate them further, and he cursed again. He¡¯d been in Sapi?ya barely a month but already he¡¯d come to loathe the place.At first, Yas?peh had seemed almost a paradise.After two months trapped on his yacht, forced to flee down the mighty River from his father¡¯s wrath, simply being able to walk more than a hundred feet without being forced to turn around had felt amazing.He hadn¡¯t exactly been pleased with how negotiations with the king had gone, but simply being able to whore the night away in a local tavern and enjoy a breakfast of fresh fruits and further fleshly enjoyments had been enough to lift his spirits. Unfortunately, that lasted for all of three days.Three days before the madmen of Mut-La?¡¯is? had caught up with him.This time, S?ams?a?du?r hadn¡¯t been alone.Enjoying the company of two lovely women, when the assassins had burst into the room, he¡¯d flung himself through the latticed window into the market below. The streets at night in his father¡¯s capital had rarely been bustling, but Yas?peh was different.Though the hills the city sat in gave some respite to the blistering heat of the jungle, the humidity from the river was enough to encourage many to do their business at night rather than beneath S?ams?a¡¯s relentless gaze.So the market he¡¯d run through had been anything but empty. The followers of Mut-La?¡¯is? didn¡¯t care about collateral damage.When panicking shoppers got in their way, they cut them down, and they thought nothing of hurling their spells in his direction no matter how many innocents were trapped between them. But S?ams?a?du?r was outnumbered seven to one, and he knew that trying to fight them off was a death sentence.Fleeing the market, he took off toward the docks with the hopes of reinforcements.He was only halfway there when they arrived - though the help was not from the avenue he¡¯d expected.City guards converged on his position, supported by a few other guards whose gleaming copper straps confirmed they were from the palace. The men of Mut-La?¡¯is? had fought to the death, refusing to surrender even after they were surrounded by a full cohort of guards, and before they fell, they took more than a few lives with them into the void.S?ams?a?du?r¡¯s was not among them, but that was where the good news ended for the escapade had put an end to his brief time of freedom in Yas?peh.Kaba?ni had been outraged that the prince had failed to mention that assassins were after him and had used that oversight to blame him for the deaths of the citizens and guards. The prince felt that was unfair; he wasn¡¯t the one who had killed them after all, but the madmen of Mut-La?¡¯is?, but the king was as duty-cursed as he had feared.And, even though there was a little risk of a follow-up attack for several months since the entire squad had been wiped out, Kaba?ni had confined him back to his boats.S?ams?a?du?r had wanted to sail off, but the imperial commander had made it clear that they would treat any attempt to leave as a hostile action, so the dwarves had been forced to sit. They¡¯d sweltered on their ships for two weeks before Kaba?ni had summoned him once again and offered him a deal - his freedom in exchange for a deed of service.It was a piss poor deal and they both knew it, but by then S?ams?a?du?r was desperate to get off the boat.The very vessel that had always been his solitary escape from duty back home had become a floating prison. And that¡¯s how he found himself saddled with accompanying a slow-moving expedition headed deeper into the jungle.It seemed that a bit over a year earlier, one of the king¡¯s cities had been sacked by a malevolent entity some elves had awakened.Less than half of the city¡¯s residents had survived, and a large portion of its buildings had been razed to the ground, but Kaba?ni could not afford to abandon the city. Hargish was the only major settlement for hundreds of miles between the western heartland of Sapi?ya, which hugged the border of Stryn, and the isolated city of Gis?-Izum, which was the province''s primary connection to the heartland of the Empire.Hargish''s position along that route was simply too important to leave abandoned, but rebuilding was a task easier said than done.With few other settlements around it, almost everything needed to be brought from the capital, along with a host of both willing and unwilling settlers to repopulate the fallen city. But S?ams?a?du?r and his men would split off before ever reaching Hargish.Shortly before they reached the city, the road would split from east to west, and while the settlers would only have a short distance further to the west to reach Hargish, they were headed to Birnah. The only city Sapi?ya possessed on the western side of the river, Birnah, had time and again been the focus of Stryn¡¯s aggressions, and the king believed that their constant rival was planning another attack.Ostensibly the prince and his men were being sent to bolster the city¡¯s defenses, but the king had drawn him aside for a private audience. There S?ams?a?du?r had learned that Kaba?ni, like everyone else, wanted to use him for his skill.Even though the lord of Birnah was the king¡¯s own father-in-law, the ruler feared that he might have brokered a deal with Stryn to surrender the city in exchange for the throne of the rest of the province. 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Kaba?ni did not fear losing the throne; despite the long and uneven history of conflict between Sapi?ya and its stronger neighbor, Stryn had never succeeded in conquering the interior cities.Though their cavalry was fearsome on the open plains to the west, their troops were ineffective in the rugged mountains and overgrown jungles of Sapi?ya, and Kaba?ni did not believe they would be successful now.What Kaba?ni feared was losing Birnah, their only remaining foothold on the other side of the River.If the city fell, their lands on the far side would likely never be recovered.So, of course, Kaba?ni had asked him to spy on Lord S?arga?ni?l.Hypocrite. ¡°You do need some water, my lord?You¡¯re looking flush.¡±S?ams?a?du?r accepted the proffered canteen with a grateful nod and guzzled some down.The cool water was not enough to banish the incessant heat and moisture of the jungle around them, but it brought a moment of relief.The sound of buzzing filled his ears, and he smacked his head, feeling a satisfying crunch beneath his fingers. ¡°How much longer do we have,¡± he asked as he tossed the canteen back to the former captain of his ship. ¡°The sun should not be setting for another four or five hours,¡± the man replied dutifully. ¡°Kruvas?! Forget father¡¯s assassins - the bloody heat is going to do me in,¡± he groused.¡°How do these Corsyths stand it?¡± ¡°I imagine they¡¯re well adapted to it by now,¡± the captain replied, ¡°That¡¯s what these qanduppu? are like, after all.¡±He spoke the word, a frequent slur the durgu used to refer to the Corsyths softly, but the prince glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t use that word here.One of them might understand it, and we have no troubles already.¡±The prince could only imagine the diplomatic faux pas if one of the nobles overheard them. ¡°Sorry, my lord,¡± the captain quickly apologized.¡°Perhaps the heat has gotten to me too.¡± Choosing to ignore the captain''s blunder, S?ams?a?dur continued to complain. ¡°It wouldn''t be too bad if there was just somewhere to cool off." ¡°Well, my lord, I did overhear some of their men talking about a place they''ve stopped in the past. Supposedly, a small lake in the midst of the jungle a few miles off the road.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re not stopping?¡± He asked, though he already knew the answer.With the thousands of women and children accompanying them, and the equally large numbers of slow, lumbering carts laden with all manner of building supplies and trade goods, the caravan was lucky to travel ten miles a day.There would be no stopping for a relaxing swim. ¡°No, but they might be able to tell us where to look.¡± The captain had no trouble tracking down the soldiers who, after a brief discussion with their commander, were detached to guide S?ams?a?du?r to the hidden lake.Their ride took them another hour down the road, another hour trapped beneath the blazing sun in a suit of armor that left the prince feeling like a cooked ham before the soldiers finally turned off onto a small track that led into the jungle. The road was quickly swallowed up from sight as the thick underbrush and towering trees closed around them.Despite the overwhelming heat, the prince found himself fascinated.Birana?ti was a beautiful land, overflowing with golden fields and towering castles, set along the crystal shores of the Affi?yan Sea, but it was also a heavily populated land with a rather small territory.There were few spaces of untouched wilderness around his father¡¯s capital, and certainly nothing that could compare to the jungle that surrounded him. Everywhere he looked was life.Hundreds of birds fluttered overhead, their warbling songs mingled with the chatter of monkeys and other even stranger creatures, and he would have passed by the small herd of deer-like creatures whose green and dark brown fur blended in seamlessly with the mossy dirt of the jungle floor without even noticing them if the soldiers hadn¡¯t pointed them out.But the beauty was only magnified when they reached the lake the soldiers had told them of. The Corsyths hadn¡¯t done it justice.The encroaching jungle suddenly parted to reveal an almost perfectly circular lake.The water was as clear as glass, allowing S?ams?a?du?r to see dozens of schools of little fish darting back and forth through the shallows.Near the edge of the lake, the water was as clear as the finest pan of glass but the color quickly deepened into a dark, sapphire blue where the bottom dropped off into an unfathomable depth. With a glad cry, he slipped off his mount¡¯s back and began to run toward the water, shedding his armor as he ran.The fish scattered as his foot hit the sand, darting out of the way as the durgu let his entire body fall into the cool waters.He ducked his head beneath the pond, feeling the heat and sweat, and the layers of gunk and grime he¡¯d accumulated from days on the road, float away.Perhaps this place isn¡¯t so terrible. Flipping on his back, he let himself drift along the lake ignoring the sound of splashing as the soldiers and the captain joined him in the water, until the sound of splashing was accompanied by a sudden, high-pitched scream. Clouds of sand swirled around his feet as he stood up in the water.A soldier who had ventured deeper into the lake than the rest was thrashing wildly back and forth, his voice screaming with a rather unmanly pitch.S?ams?a?du?r hesitated for a moment, unable to see any cause for the man¡¯s distress, and then his head disappeared beneath the surface. For a long moment, the men were frozen in silence, their eyes glued to the place where the soldier had vanished.Then his head resurfaced or, perhaps more accurately, half of his head.The top of his skull was entirely missing along with his eyes. ¡°Muh?h?aka?l!¡±The Corsyths began to scream, fighting each other in a race back to shore.The name meant nothing to the prince, but he didn¡¯t need to see a second victim to know something lurked beneath the surface.He turned and dove in the direction of shore, but not before a second scream filled his ears.He didn¡¯t bother to look back but swam with all his might. As he pulled himself out onto the sands, he muttered a prayer of thanks to S?ams?a for his survival, followed by a quick curse.I was right the first time; this place is hell. An Unexpected Audience A blob of white slowly resolved into a familiar tsuss?m, accompanied by a girl whose usual porcelain skin was so pale it almost matched the snow.The ¡®horse¡¯ favored one of its legs, which was wrapped tight with bandages, and Jasper guessed that the beast had failed to land before the spell-bound wings disappeared. At least they survived the plane crash.¡°You alright,¡± he asked. Tsia stared wide-eyed at the mess of blood and ice that surrounded him.¡°You took them all out by yourself.¡±Her head whipped back and forth, searching the darkness in vain.¡°Where''s everyone else?¡± ¡°Well, after we got turned into a shish-kebab, I was a little too preoccupied to pay attention to where the tsussi?m.By the time I managed to get the javelin out of both of us, I had no idea where we were in relation to Ihra and Erin, and you were unconscious, so¡­¡± he shrugged, ¡°I did what I could.¡± ¡°That seems to be an understatement.¡± ¡°It was a closer fight than I would have liked,¡± he admitted candidly, ¡°but I survived and they didn''t.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to capture him?¡± This time, Jasper¡¯s wince had nothing to do with pain.¡°Believe me, it wasn¡¯t an option.¡± She smiled weakly.¡°Oh, I believe you.But will Gu?la?¡±
It was an hour before they were ready to leave.While Tsia still had a few healing potions left in her bag, they had to wait for Jasper¡¯s essence to recover enough to cast Spectral Wings on the tsuss?m.They also had to deal with the less savory task of searching the bodies. Despite what Tsia had said, Jasper wasn¡¯t sure if Gu?la was hoping Dann?l would live or die.While the answers the firebird might have provided were theoretically useful, he¡¯d seen the hate that burned in her eyes after the failed assassination attempt.Her former commander had betrayed her and, worse, had almost killed her daughter.He doubted the Djinn would shed any tears over the man''s death.But he also understood that killing the man would make it harder to track down the remaining moles in the army. Oh well. Like he''d told Tsia, it couldn''t be helped. Unfortunately, while firebirds carried pouches enchanted to withstand flames, the extra power Dann?l had mustered by burning his soul had burnt his belongings to a crisp.There was nothing of value to be found there, so they could only pray that what they scavenged from the commander¡¯s allies would provide some useful information. After searching the dead, Jasper cast Spectral Wings on the tsussi?m, and they took off. Unfortunately, they couldn''t head straight back for the camp;Ihra and Erin were still waiting somewhere beside the bluffs overlooking Lake Yarhab and, given their failure to show up as planned, Jasper knew Ihra was probably beside herself with worry. Fortunately, that task proved easier than expected. The tsuss?m in its panic had instinctually fled back toward its former home in Kibra?ti, charting a northwestern course that had taken them far afield of the planned ambush site, but they were in easy view of the coastline. Once there, they could simply follow the shoreline until they spied two small figures waiting in the darkness.here was only one tsuss?m between them, so they were forced to take the long way back to the city. Dawn was nearly spent when they finally reached the gates of Nu?r-S?ams?a.The party received a few odd stares from the guards, surprised to see a noble and an elf entering on foot, but not enough to cause any issues.They headed straight for the Armored Swan where Gu?la was waiting, although they paused long enough at a street-side stall to quell the pangs of hunger. By the time they reached the inn, Jasper¡¯s mind was wholly consumed with thoughts of white linen and soft pillows, but the moment he stepped through the door he could tell that something was off. The early hours of the morning were usually a bustling time for the tavern, which offered cheap, hearty meals for the dock-side workers, but the place was all but empty.There was no sign of the barkeep, but a brace of guards stood at the base of the stairs. His heart ticked up a notch, as the fear that Gu?la had been captured infiltrated his tired mind, but then his brain caught up - the guards by the stairs were wearing the proprietary blue of the Royal House. Confused by their presence, he approached them cautiously.¡°Is Captain Gu?la here?¡± The guard ran a scrutinizing eye over his tattered robes, which still sported remnants of the royal colors, before replying.¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord,¡± he finally said, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t recognize you.If you give me your name, I¡¯ll let her know you here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go up?¡±He asked, puzzled.¡°Since when does Captain Gu?la have this sort of protection.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not here for Gu?la,¡± the man snorted.¡°Your name, my lord?¡± He sighed in defeat, his dreams of a restful slumber slipping further away than ever.¡°Yas?peh.I¡¯m Lord S?arra?bi?¡¯s nephew.¡± The guard¡¯s eyes sparked with recognition at the name of his uncle, and his tone seemed slightly more respectful when he replied.¡°I¡¯ll let her know you¡¯re here.¡±With a quick nod of his chin, he headed up the stairs. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Slightly exasperated about being made to wait, Jasper turned his attention to the three silent guards.¡°So if you¡¯re not here for Gu?la, who are you here for?My uncle?¡± His irritation rose as the guards ignored him, but eventually, his tired brain caught up with the implications.If the guards refused to even tell him why they were here, there had to be somebody important up there - somebody far more important than him.He didn¡¯t have much longer to ponder the possibilities before the guard reappeared. "Our lord gave you permission to ascend,¡± he said, ¡°but you¡¯ll have to leave your friends behind.¡± ¡°Who''s your lord?¡± ¡°King S?ars?ad?,¡± the man replied, shoving him forward. More guards were stationed at the top of the stairs, and they ushered him to the door of Gu?la¡¯s former suite.Jasper paused for a second outside the room, his tired mind still reeling at the news that the king was where.He¡¯d only met the king once, but the impression the Djinn had left on him had not been easily forgotten.S?ars?ad? had seemed a being of power second only to the gods.It just didn¡¯t feel right for him to be in a random tavern, but when the guard cleared his throat impatiently, Jasper knew he couldn¡¯t wait.He turned the handle and stepped inside. He wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d been expecting, but he certainly hadn¡¯t anticipated finding the king perched on the edge of the bed with a little girl sitting on his knee.It was a miracle S?ars?ad? had even managed to squeeze into the room, and Jasper wondered if some transfiguration magic had been involved in the process.Even though his body was barely touching the bed, half-suspended above it by his three pairs of gently fluttering wings, the frame still sagged so low Jasper suspected it would never recover. The king could barely move his head either, for his stately pair of double horns had left a dozen deep gouges in the ceiling.Just as Jasper recalled, the man radiated menace, the air around vibrating with an almost physical manifestation of his power, yet there was nothing but gentleness in his eyes as he patted the girl¡¯s head.¡°This is going to hurt, little one, but if you promise to sit still and keep your eyes closed, you¡¯ll get a treat, alright?¡±His voice rumbled like thunder, but Kiribta showed no fear as she nodded her head vigorously. Gu?la stood beside him, along with an elderly priest who was dressed in the white robes of S?ams?a¡¯s temple.Though his garb was simple, the twin bracelets around his wrists were not.The bracelets glowed with a nearly white light as if crafted from molten metal, but Jasper felt no emanating from them.He recognized their make though - an heirloom supposedly passed down from one of the forty-four sons of S?ams?a, an heirloom carried by the high priest of S?adda?nu¡¯s temple.He really pulled out all the stops. Placing his hands on her shoulder, the priest closed his eyes and began to mutter beneath his breath.The light on the bangles pulsed, rapidly growing better until Jasper was forced to close his eyes and turn his head, lest the light that filled the room blind him.The girl began to sob, and S?ars?ad? murmured soothingly. Then the suffocating light retreated, and Jasper turned back to look. ¡°Momma, look!¡±Her tears forgotten, the child raised her chubby fist up in the air, wiggling the restored hand with glee.Gu?la scooped her up, hugging her close to her chest, and spun her around before she remembered herself.Setting Kiribta down, she bowed deeply to the king.¡°Thank you, my lord.This is beyond what I had hoped for.¡± ¡°She was hurt on my behalf,¡± S?ars?ad? rumbled.¡°And honor demands that I make that right.¡± ¡°But to use the relic,¡± she protested,¡°It was¡­it was more than I deserved.¡± ¡°Just take care of her,¡± the king replied. Gu?la seemed to find some deeper meaning in the words, as surprise blossomed across her face.¡°Are you sure, my lord?¡± ¡°You have fulfilled your duty to me.Now fulfill it to your daughter.¡± With a radiant smile, she bowed again and, sweeping her daughter up in her arms, hurried the room as if she were afraid the king would change his mind. Although Jasper wasn''t quite sure what exactly the king had meant, he turned to follow her, but the voice rumbled again.¡°Where are you going?¡± There was a moment of hesitation as Jasper tried to decide how to answer, and then he settled for brutal honesty. ¡°Truthfully, my lord, I have no idea. I came here to see Gu?la and since she left, I assumed I should leave too. Is there something I can do for you, my lord?¡± The ghost of a smile graced the king¡¯s lips.¡°I see the subtleties of court etiquette are still hard for you, Yas?peh. You do not leave the presence of your lord without permission.¡± ¡°I''m sorry - I haven¡¯t had the chance to spend much time at court,¡± he excused himself. ¡°A single visit,¡± the king replied.¡°As for what I said to Gu?la, you may ask her yourself if you wish.¡± Silence lapsed between the two and Jasper began to fidget.¡°And as for me, my lord.Was there something you wanted?¡±He repeated. ¡°Simply to indulge my curiosity.Your uncle has spoken surprisingly highly of you.Few of those he trains receive his praise but then, none of the others have ever been the children of his beloved sister.¡±The king¡¯s lips twisted in a slightly unpleasant grin.¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s still rather angry with me about that.¡± ¡°Forgive me, my lord, if this is an impudent question, but why didn¡¯t you tell him the truth?Why let my uncle think his sister was dead all this time?¡± The king took so long to respond that Jasper thought he¡¯d offended him, but eventually his voice rumbled again.¡°I can see from the threads of fate clinging to you that you have already encountered the Spectral Spiders.So you should understand what I mean when I say that it was for the best that he did not know until the time was right.¡± The cryptic answer aroused his curiosity, but there was something in the way S?ars?adu? spoke that told him the king had no intention of explaining further. Instead, the king stared at him for a moment longer, before raising a beckoning hand.¡°Come.The sapling in you is worth nurturing, but due to your heritage, it will not grow easily on its own. Let us see what it shall grow.¡± Jasper cringed as he saw what S?ars?ad? was holding - a gis?a?tu leaf.He remembered the pain the leaf had caused him the last time he¡¯d been forced to hold one, but it had come with its benefits too, gifting him with the Bramble Crown. He stretched out a hand to take, but before his fingers could brush the leaf, a thin sheen of light extended from the king¡¯s hand and encapsulated the leaf.¡°Not now,¡± he rumbled.¡°Take it when you have time to meditate.¡± Jasper accepted the leaf, the light protecting him from its burning sap, and slipped into his bag.¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± S?ars?ad? nodded and waved his hand dismissively.¡°There''s no need to thank me. Just try to live up to your uncle''s expectations.¡± A Not So Sad Breakup As soon as Jasper exited the room, he was ushered down the stairs by the waiting guards. The tavern was still empty, save for Gu?la who sat at a table close to the hearth, and her daughter who was playing on the floor by her feet, vigorously brushing a doll¡¯s hair with a perfectly formed hand. Jasper couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sight; as much as magic was slowly becoming normal to him, replacing a lost limb still downright seemed miraculous. Gu?la flashed him a quick smile as he pulled a chair out from beneath the table and plopped down beside her, her eyes glowing with a happiness he didn¡¯t fully understand. ¡°Care to explain what happened up there?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been released from the army,¡± she replied cheerfully. ¡°In exchange for my service and as payment for Karibta¡¯s injury, Lord S?ars?ad? has transferred me to the Royal Guard. I¡¯ll be heading back to the S?adda?nu with him.¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°What about the rest of the investigation? I, uh, I kind of had to kill Dann?l,¡± he admitted. ¡°So we¡¯re not going to be able to interrogate him.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore,¡± she reassured him. ¡°The king was already on his way to heal Karibta when he saw Dann?l¡¯s attempted attack go down.¡± Attempted? Jasper felt a flash of irritation as he realized the king could have stepped in and chose not to. I could have died. But Gu?la continued blithely on. ¡°And after he realized that one of the most important commanders in the army had been compromised by the Lords of We?di?ni?nu, the king decided the time for diplomacy was over.¡± ¡°What exactly does that mean?¡± ¡°An entire cohort of the Royal Guard should arrive in the next few hours. Five mages with truth-telling spells are accompanying them. Lord S?ars?ad? has ordered that every single commander or mage, be they noble or commoner, get interrogated by them. The Lords of We?di?ni?nu aren¡¯t going to escape this time.¡± Jasper raised a brow in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s a bit more aggressive than I would have expected. Isn¡¯t the king worried about upsetting the nobles?¡± ¡°Three nobles died in the last batch of fires,¡± Gu?la explained. ¡°And now a powerful commander has been revealed to be complicit in the act. The king has deemed this necessary to fulfill his obligation to protect the nobles of his realm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to spin it,¡± he replied dryly. ¡°But it still seems like an overreach. Won¡¯t the nobles object?¡± She snorted with laughter. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll put on a show of griping and complaining, but the truth is, they¡¯ll be more than happy to cooperate with Lord S?ars?ad?¡¯s investigation. From what we¡¯ve uncovered, it seems the majority of the ¡®lords¡¯ of We?di?ni?nu are from merchant houses. Even if a few minor nobles are also indicted, it will be seen as a minor sacrifice in comparison to the punishments that will be leveled against the merchants.¡± Jasper supposed she had a point; he¡¯d generally found that as much as people might claim to value freedom, when it came down to a choice between that or their pocketbook, money won out. ¡°So that¡¯s it then? We¡¯re done?¡± A spasm of regret flickered across her face, and she grabbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yas?peh, but I have to do what¡¯s best for my daughter. After they hurt her-¡° Tears filled her eyes, and her voice choked up. ¡°I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I let that happen again. I don¡¯t want to leave the firebirds, but S?ars?ad?¡¯s offer will ensure that she¡¯s safe. I¡¯m sorry that¡¯s how things have to end, but I wish you nothing but the best. Besides,¡± she forced away her tears with a smile, ¡°you have both an elf and a princess hanging around. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be lonely for long.¡± At first, Jasper had been utterly baffled by her response to his question, until she neared the end and it finally clicked that she was trying to break up with him. Of course, as far as he was concerned, they hadn¡¯t been together in the first place, but he didn¡¯t think it would be helpful to clarify that he had actually been asking if they were done with their part of the investigation. Might as well let her have her moment. So he offered a warm smile and patted her hand gently. ¡°The same to you, Gu?la. I¡¯m sorry things didn¡¯t work out, but I hope you can find a better man than Nas?ru, someone that¡¯s perfect for you and your daughter.¡± He lingered for a few minutes more, the two exchanging idle chatter, and eventually worked his way back to the question he¡¯d originally been asking, phrasing it more carefully this time. She confirmed that there was nothing more they needed to do - the king¡¯s guard would handle the rest of the investigation - and, with his question finally satisfied, he made his excuses and left. His exhaustion resurfaced as he left the Armored Swan behind, but with the king staying there, Jasper knew there was no chance he¡¯d be allowed to crash in one of the rooms. Thus, there was nothing to do but suck it up, and finish the hour trek back to his tents, where he promptly collapsed into his cot without even bothering to remove his armor. He was eventually woken by pangs of hunger clawing at his belly. When he poked his head through the tent flap, the reason for his hunger was evident. Already the sun was nearing the peaks of the northern mountains, and its color had changed to the orangey-red of an oncoming sunset. Fortunately, it was good timing, for sunset was when the scouts usually prepared the supper. I¡¯ll just swing by their camp and check on Erin while I¡¯m at it. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. As he strolled through the camp, Jasper felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulder. After weeks of dealing with both the saboteurs and Gu?la¡¯s often manipulative ploys, he was finally free to do what he wanted. Well, within reason. His mood soured slightly as he remembered the whole reason he was here in the first place - getting sent to help the empire in its war. But as much as Jasper wasn¡¯t sure he really wanted to fight in the war, he wasn¡¯t exactly being held against his will. The empire was a massive place and entirely bereft of CCTVs. Once they left the fortress of Du?r-S?innu behind, it would be an easy task to slip away from the army and disappear. A small part of him wanted to do just that. As a player, Jasper had almost exclusively explored the northern provinces in the empire, and he was curious to see how the real thing would stack up to the game. Was it a one-for-one reproduction, or would the cities be even more glorious in person? But he was also curious to finally encounter the mysterious invaders and explore the capital city and, ultimately, his desire to see something new was stronger than his nostalgia for the past. So for the time being, Jasper was content to stick with the army - at least as long as he didn''t get any ¡®charge of the light brigade¡¯ orders. But he never reached the scouts¡¯ camp, for as he approached Ihra and Tsia¡¯s tents, he saw them gathered around a small bonfire and, much to his surprise, Erin was with them as well. Tsia waved at him cheerfully, and though he briefly considered pretending he hadn¡¯t seen her, the jig was up when she called out his name. ¡°Jasper, come eat.¡± With his dreams of dining on the scouts'' superior cooking dashed, Jasper begrudgingly headed in their direction. The girls had erected a scaffold over the fire, from which hung a small, cast-iron cauldron. An unidentified grey goop was slowly bubbling inside it, and its aroma did nothing to elucidate its contents. Tsia tossed him a wooden bowl and he scooped some up and tried to plop it in the bowl. The gruel was viscous enough to defy gravity and he was forced to shake the spoon vigorously before it finally waved the white flag and slid off the serving spoon. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He asked, injecting a false note of cheeriness in his voice. ¡°I tried my hand at making potato soup,¡± the princess replied proudly. ¡°It turned out pretty good.¡± He tried it hesitantly and matched her smile. ¡®Good¡¯ was an overly generous adjective, but it wasn¡¯t bad either. The gruel reminded him of very salty, very watery mashed potatoes, and though it was no match for the scouts¡¯ delicious offerings, it was by far the best thing she¡¯d made. ¡°Not bad,¡± he agreed. Ihra waited for him to take another bite before chiming in. ¡°I was surprised to see you back already. I figured you¡¯d spend the night with her.¡± ¡°Her?¡± His eyes crinkled with amusement. ¡°She has a name, you know. But no, it seems that this was the last we¡¯ll be seeing of each other.¡± Her face softened with sympathy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need to be - we weren¡¯t together,¡± he replied, too busy stuffing another mouthful of Tsia¡¯s watery potatoes into his mouth to see the look of pity she flashed him. ¡°And thankfully, we¡¯re done with the mission too.¡± ¡°Done with the mission?¡± She echoed in surprise. ¡°I know Dann?l¡¯s dead, but surely we have to deal with the rest of those mages-¡± ¡°Nope.¡± He cut her off quickly and then, between bites, filled them in on everything Gu?la had said. ¡°So we might have to answer a few questions,¡± he wrapped up a few minutes later. ¡°I don¡¯t think we are suspects, but Gu?la said the king¡¯s men would question every commander and mage, so that probably includes, well, most of us," he halted, suddenly struck by the awkward realization that it included everyone but Ihra, and continued quickly on. "And once that''s done, I expect the army will finally get moving." He glanced at Tsia. ¡°And what about you? Have you decided if you¡¯re coming with us?¡± ¡°You said Kas?dael asked you to track down some durgu prince?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± He smacked his forehead. ¡°I totally forgot about that. I should have asked the king for permission when I had the chance. Who knows if General Turzu will let me go, especially now that Gu?la''s gone," he sighed. ¡°If what she told you is right, I doubt Turzu will remain in command for much longer,¡± Ihra cut in. ¡°Even if he wasn¡¯t knowingly part of the conspiracy, it sounds like Dann?l was playing him for a fool. There will probably be a new commander any day.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he agreed, and turned back to the princess. ¡°Does that mean you decided to come with us?¡± ¡°Kas?dael said to look for this prince somewhere in western Sapi?ya, yes?" she asked again. "That is not so far from my father''s courts.¡± ¡°She did,¡± he confirmed. ¡°But I can''t promise we¡¯ll see him. Are you planning to split off and stay with him?¡± Tsia was slow to respond, but when she did, there was a certainty in her voice that brooked no doubts. ¡°No. In the aftermath of Ne?s?u''s death, I wished for nothing more than to see him again, but now I realize that was foolish." "What changed?" She smiled sadly. "With a little space, I''ve realized that all the reasons I left his court are still there. My father cannot afford to anger Lord S?arga?ni?l and as long as his daughter is my father¡¯s wife, there is no room for me in their courts. My future, whatever that may be, is not with him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stay as long as you like,¡± Jasper assured her. ¡°At least as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± He shot a questioning glance at Ihra, knowing that the two girls had initially not taken a liking to each other, but Ihra bobbed her head in agreement. ¡°I have no objections - we¡¯re lucky to have another mage as strong as you. Besides,¡± she added with a slight twinkle in her eye, ¡°you still have much to learn about cooking.¡± Jasper chuckled. ¡°As if you¡¯re any better.¡± She flashed him an indignant look. ¡°Hey, cooking was the one chore we didn¡¯t have to do at the orphanage, and it¡¯s not like I see you cooking.¡± He denied the accusation promptly. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m a great cook. Just give me a refrigerator and a stove, and I could whip up something that would knock your socks off. I just didn¡¯t do a lot of campfire cooking back home. Must have missed that class in college.¡± Ihra shot a glance at Tsia. ¡°It sounds to me like he offered to cook, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It does,¡± she giggled. ¡°I¡¯ll defer to your great experience, chef.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be eating your words,¡± he warned, ¡°but fine, I¡¯ll cook dinner tomorrow.¡± The girls laughed, not believing he could, but Jasper didn¡¯t mind. After the constant stress and turmoil of the last few months, it was nice to just sit around the fire and relax. If only we could do this every day. Jasper knew it was a pipe dream but for now, he''d take what he could get. The Gis?a?tu Leaf It was late before Jasper finally headed back to his tent.The events of the last few days had put him on edge, and he entered the tent cautiously, scanning carefully for any sign of an intruder.This time, though, he was truly alone. Releasing a sigh he hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d been holding in, Jasper plopped down on his cot and used a quick flame from his hand to light the twin candles on the rickety stand beside it.As their cheery glow filled the room, he reached into his bag and pulled out the package the king had given him. The leaf sat heavy in his hands, still glowing with the arcane light S?ars?ad? had sheathed it with.The pain the leaf had brought him last time had been excruciating.He knew it wasn¡¯t supposed to hurt that bad and the king had even explained that Jasper¡¯s pain was the result of his mixed bloodline, but that wouldn¡¯t ease his suffering.Maybe if the reward had been better, it would have been easier to overlook the pain, but, frankly, Jasper found the Bramble Crown underwhelming. He¡¯d generally not deemed magical armor in games not worth the effort.They were almost always strictly worse than actual armor while wasting the same limited resourced pool one needed to cast offensive spells.And even if they were worth using, the truth was he¡¯d always had more of an ¡®offense is the best defense¡¯ sort of mindset.But Kas?dael had encouraged him to choose the skill, so perhaps eventually there¡¯d be a payoff.Maybe. Might as well get this over with.He sent a sliver of essence into the leaf and the light it glowed with dimmed slightly.He pushed harder, funneling more of his essence into the barrier, but it dissolved at a glacial pace.Sweat was dripping from his brow and he could feel the first signs of essence deprivation before the barrier finally collapsed. A surge of manic energy flooded through his veins as the leaf brushed against his palm, a tingling, intoxicating feeling that was accompanied by equally sharp pin-pricks of pain.The walls of the tent fell away, followed by the tables, the cot, and even the grass beneath his feet as the leaf''s essence infused itself into his body. In the blink of an eye, Jasper found himself on the fallen plains he''d seen once before.Towering obelisks of obsidian surrounded him on all sides.Many were damaged - though from age or ruin, Jasper could not tell - and their broken shards pointed to a sky filled with uncharted stars.Hundreds of gis?a?tu trees were scattered between the obelisks, their boughs and leaves alight with a flame that never faltered.But he was not in the same place as the first vision. This time, the ruins of a mighty city squatted on the hills in front of him.He recognized vague touches of Djinn architecture in the ruins, but they were far beyond anything S?adda?nu possessed, save perhaps for the As?rukkat.The city was too large to see its full extent, its walls wrapping around the nearest hills and ducking out of sight, nor did he see any easy path to its entrance. A large river wound its way through the plains before the city.Its waters were slow and sluggish, but the faint vapors of steam that rose from its surface warned Jasper that it might just be a fatal swim - and that was before he noticed faint ripples below its surface, caused by swiftly moving black blobs a dozen times his size.The only way across was a shattered bridge, whose middle had long since been carted off by the waters. He started to pull on his essence, thinking to cast Spectral Wings, when the leaf demanded his attention once again. The pin-pricks of pain rapidly exploded in number and severity.Though he could see nothing around him save for the desolate plains, he staggered with each blossom of pain, as if being hit by an unseen hammer.The leaf fused to his hand and its flames leapt across his skin.Wherever the flames reached, his flesh was consumed until his body was nothing but currents of raging fire, swirling around a burning ember. Blinded by the pain, Jasper didn¡¯t notice the sapling growing in front of him until its leaves brushed against his core.That brought a fresh, new wave of pain, but he watched as the sapling rose higher into the sky, quickly developing until it was the size of an apple tree.And then, finally, the voice he¡¯d heard before echoed within his soul. That which was lost can be reborn, but not by you.The disappointment in the voice was so palpable that Jasper, despite the pain he was in, almost began to feel bad for letting the speaker down, until he realized how insane that was.He had no mouth with which to speak, but somehow he managed to reply.¡°Then why do you torment me?¡± Torment?The voice seemed confused.The fires of Nu?r are only a blessing to his children, sustenance for the ember of their hearts. ¡°And I¡¯m a half-blood.¡±He said it wearily, realizing the king¡¯s hypothesis had been correct.Still, it felt unfair.Was the pain even worth the slight improvement to The Bramble Crown he¡¯d probably get?He didn¡¯t think so. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. After a long period of silence, the voice spoke again.You are not the one to rebirth the fallen, but perhaps your ember can birth something new.Jasper felt a subtle change in the pain consuming him.The fierceness of the heat seemed to die down slightly, and in the midst of the raging inferno, he saw flickers of a smoky, grey substance emerge.As more of the grey mixed into the fires, the pain subsided and the flames themselves took a markedly different appearance, burning with a white light that cast no shadow.And when it reached his core, the burning ember suspended above the tree, he blanked out. A small waterfall of sweat rippled down Jasper¡¯s back as he came to.The bed beneath him was completely soaked from his sweat and his clothes clung to his back like he¡¯d joined a very disappointing wet t-shirt contest.His mouth was as dry as the Sahara and he lurched to his feet, stumbling over to the table where a canteen sat. He downed the entire contents of the flask in a matter of seconds and, tossing it aside, searched for more water.There was only the washbasin on the table in the corner but, despite the fact he¡¯d used to wash up the day before, Jasper was too thirsty to care.He guzzled its contents too before the thirst was finally quenched.Slamming the bowl back down on the table, he froze as he glimpsed himself in the mirror. Jasper generally avoided mirrors these days, hating the sight of the dark red skin that had been forced on him, but the color had lightened significantly.The color could be almost mistaken now for an unusually deep tan that, for some mysterious reason, had a slightly reddish hue.It wasn¡¯t great, but he decided it was an improvement. Those weren¡¯t the only changes.His murky, hazel eyes now glinted with a metallic grey sheen, as if forged from solid steel plates, and his canines were noticeably longer, though not quite long enough to truly label ¡®fangs.¡¯Even his hair had been touched by the change, and his long, tawny locks were now streaked with touches of grey.One thing remained the same, though, and, despite the prejudice he occasionally experienced from the Djinn, he was still glad of it - at least there¡¯s no damned horns. But the changes were not what he¡¯d expected, and Jasper knew there was only one way to learn more about them.But before meditating, he ventured down to the nearby creek and, stripping off his sopping wet clothes, washed off the salty sweat that covered him before it crystallized.Heading back to the tent, he slipped into a fresh tunic and sat down on the grass beside the cot, not wanting to even touch the soaked mattress. I am the river¡­. His mind got temporarily caught on the image of him actually behaving like a river and soaking the bed, and he struggled to concentrate.I am the rock¡­. It didn¡¯t come easy, but eventually the world around him gave way to the world in his mind and he stepped into the void, ready for some answers. Like usual, he found himself standing in the central rotunda of Kas?dael¡¯s temple, S?uh?ruru.Things had begun to change there too.Her statue still stood at the center of the temple, its head barely scraping below the crest of the rotunda some 200 feet above, but a garden had begun to flower around it.White flowers and green moss were intermixed with winding paths of amber, whose contours were now lit by hundreds of ivory candles.The most surprising change, though, was that he was not entirely alone. The central chamber was as vast as two football fields side by side, so no one was close to him, but he saw at a distance several other figures walking through the newly sprouted garden.Their black dresses glistened with the sheen of silk and veils obscured their face, but even from a distance, he could see they weren¡¯t human.Long tails dragged behind them, tails covered in scales and armored plates, and even sported sharp spikes at the end. The monkey inside instinctively quivered at the sight of a reptilian threat, and he took a nervous step back before his conscious mind caught up.I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not in any danger here.But what the hell are those things? ¡°Jasper!¡±Kas?dael¡¯s voice rang in his ear, infused with undisguised joy.¡°Have you decided to quit avoiding me?¡± He turned to greet with her a big smile and nodded his head in the direction of the strange beings on the far side of the room. ¡°Well, I experienced a few¡­changes recently, and was hoping you could give me some answers, but it looks like I¡¯m not the only one.Who are your guests?¡± The joy in her face dimmed.¡°The Us?umgallu. While I am always happy to see the lights in Alda?ru return, they should not be here - not so soon.¡± His brow crinkled at her cryptic words.¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I am the Lady of Last Light,¡± Kas?dael explained.¡°No race comes to dwell in the city of Alda?ru until their light is almost extinguished.Only then do they join me in the void, to await the rebirth of the world.¡± ¡°Does that mean their race was wiped out?¡± ¡°The us?umgallu lived on an archipelago far across the seas from Corsythia, a land that has been cut off since the Zalancthians invaded.A few months ago, their main island erupted in an explosion far greater than any before and it ignited a chain reaction.Volcanoes and earthquakes were followed by floods, and almost the entire population was blotted out in a matter of days.Perhaps in a few years, their remnants will reach the shores of Corsythia, but their people shall never recover. Already, their souls have begun to fill my halls.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s nothing you can do to help them?¡± Jasper asked, turning around to watch the distant maidens with eyes full of pity. She shrugged.¡°Although the us?umgallu, like all others, are eventually gathered to my halls, they did not worship me. I was not even aware of their fall until it had already happened, nor do I believe I could have saved them.I am far from omnipotent in my present state, and there was nothing natural about their destruction.¡± ¡°You think another god destroyed them?!¡± ¡°Without a doubt,¡± she replied, ¡°but not one of our own.The us?umgallu had long been locked in conflict with the same peoples from whom the Zalancthians fled. It was likely one of their own gods, a long-lost scion of Ummadammah, who smote them.But come, let us discuss the true reason you are here.¡± Dayya?mu?t ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s obvious,¡± Jasper said with a chuckle, pinching a bit of his now slightly duskier skin between his fingers. ¡°In case you haven''t noticed, my skin is no longer hellfire red.¡± "That much is obvious," the goddess agreed, but she grabbed his chin and pulled his eyes up to meet hers.¡°But I''m more interested your eyes,¡± she added with a frown.¡°That metallic gleam is odd.I can think of only a single race on our world with eyes that color, and I¡¯m quite certain you¡¯re not related to them.So perhaps it¡¯s something from your father¡¯s side.What caused the change?¡± ¡°S?ars?ad? gifted me another leaf from one of the gis?a?tu¡¯s trees,¡± he explained.¡°And¡­there was something else.A voice in the vision.It showed me a city in ruins and said that I was not the one to restore what was lost, but then at the end, it said something about making something new.¡± The goddess¡¯ eyes sharpened with interest.¡°So Zaginnu still survives and is looking for someone to restore it,¡± she mused to herself.¡°I''d assumed it had long since perished.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who was speaking, but I guess I didn''t measure up. Still, it clearly did something to me." ¡°Do I detect a hint of worry,¡± she asked, with a hint of a smile. ¡°No,¡± he started to lie, but then his shoulders drooped.¡°Maybe a little,¡± he admitted.¡°As much as I hated looking like a hornless devil, I do love the fire immunity that comes with it.I¡¯m a little afraid that the skin change means I¡¯ve lost it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still enough red in your skin that I suspect you remain a Djinn,¡± Kas?dael reassured him.¡°And once you leave this province, the usefulness of fire immunity will drop dramatically. Most Corsythians are descended from Fey or Elves, and neither race has much skill with fire.Aside from the Djinn, only those descended from the Durgu or,¡± she hesitated a moment, distaste clear in her tone, ¡°trolls are likely to inherit fire spells, but neither are common in the empire¡± ¡°But either way, you might as well just look,¡±he said, extending her hand to him. He spotted the first change almost as soon as the screen popped up - Bramble Crown and Uplifted were struck through.
Jasper Welles Exp: 3278/35000 Health 7000 Spirit 7000 Essence 11200 Heritage(s) Dayya?mmu?t Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 134 Level up: x3 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 36 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u Nascent Divine
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 75 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 100 Uplifted Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 57 The Broken Shackle Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 140 The Bramble Crown Fiery Shackles II Hand of Glory
Willpower 140 Unlocked Seraph Burst Circle of Forgiveness
Intuition 75 Locked Heart Stopper (Undead)
Locked Into the Valley of Death
He hastily swept his eyes up the chart to Scion of Flames, the perk that granted him immunity from fire, and breathed a sigh of relief to find it untouched.Well, if I was going to lose something, Bramble Crown¡¯s not too bad. But he wasn¡¯t sure why the perks were still listed at all.Maybe it will let me change it?He tapped on the struck-through name of Bramble Crown, and his suspicion was confirmed as a new box popped up. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
*Error* Due to race change, you are no longer eligible for The Bramble Crown.Please select a new perk below.
Race change?Jasper clicked out of the box quickly, not even bothering to look over his options, as his eyes focused on the Heritages list.Greater Djinn was no longer listed there and neither, much to his surprise, was his father¡¯s race, the mysterious Sukkallu.Instead, a new name had replaced them both - Dayya?mu?t Djinn.What the hell? A new box opened when he clicked on the title.
Dayya?mu?t Djinn
In an attempt to ease the pain it was causing you, the spirit of Zaginnu wove your twin heritages closer together, creating something new. As a potential progenitor of the Dayya?mu?t Djinn, you are eligible to earn all generic perks available to either Djinn or Sukkallu but are not able to possess perks specific to Djinn or Sukkallu subspecies.Instead, new perks will be generated for you.
I guess that explains why I lost the Bramble Crown.As a perk of the Royal Family, it must have been tied to the ¡®Higher Djinn¡¯ subspecies.Jasper frowned, suddenly wondering how his relatives would react to his unexpected race change.But I am still sort of a Djinn. The part about having access to the perks of his father¡¯s race was interesting; he knew next to nothing about the Sukkallu, although Kas?dael had strongly hinted that his spectral spells might come from them.And maybe the name hints at that too.Unless it¡¯s a place name I¡¯ve never heard of, I bet Dayya?mmu?t is a shortening of dayya?nu mu?ti?, ¡®judge of the dead.¡¯ But one phrase in particular attracted his attention: ¡®as a potential progenitor.¡¯The implication was clear, and frankly, he found it a bit disconcerting. Is the system hoping I breed? How would that even work if there''s only one of my ''species.''Not feeling in the mood to have a ¡®birds and bees¡¯ talk with Kas?dael, he put the question on the back burner and returned to the first box he¡¯d opened, Bramble Crown.
*Error* Due to race change, you are no longer eligible for The Bramble Crown.Please select a new perk below.
Ironskin (Djinn) - In the days before the Djinn fled Zaginnu, there was no division between the S?addu¡¯a and their brethren.Capable of wielding both fire and stone, many of the warriors practiced a technique allowing them to reinforce their skin with iron drawn from the earth.Cost: variable depending on the availability of iron. Mas?s?a?ru (Sukkallu) - One of the first spells every young sukkallu learns, mas?s?a?ru summons a guardian spirit to watch over the chosen target.The spirit can intercept a single mortal blow, no matter how great.Cost: Requires no essence, but can only be cast once per day. Mas?s?a?ru (Dayya?mu?t) - The Dayya?mu?t¡¯s variant of the Mas?s?a?ru spells allows them to summon a spectral guardian for five minutes each day.Unlike the original version, the spirit cannot tank every mortal blow, but in exchange it can actively fight back against threats.If cast outside of combat, the spirit will remain dormant until conflict begins.Cost: Requires no essence, but can only be cast once per day.
Jasper skimmed through his options quickly.Ironskin was the closest to Bramble Crown in nature and also the least interesting.It wasn¡¯t a bad perk, but the variable cost made him wary.If I¡¯m in a place that doesn¡¯t have much iron, would I even be able to use the spell?Or maybe you¡¯re supposed to bring your iron with you? The other two were more interesting.He wasn¡¯t surprised to see that the sukkallu perk had something to do with the dead and, as much he was generally not a fan of ¡®armor¡¯ spells, even he could appreciate the usefulness of the skill.¡°A mortal blow, no matter how great.¡±Frankly, Jasper found it tough to believe that it could truly live up to its promise -surely, it wouldn¡¯t stop a blow from a god - but even if the description was exaggerated, the spell seemed a strong contender. But the other perk was interesting too.While it sacrificed the overpowered ability to tank any single blow, the flexibility it offered appealed to him.The Ophan was an amazing guardian, but he could only cast the spell once per month.Even if this was a weaker spirit, the ability to have a helper once per day appealed to him.Plus, if I understand correctly, the Dayya?mu?t skills were made just for me.He decided to stop second-guessing himself and clicked the third option. That left only one box more to look at, Uplifted.
*Error* Due to race change, you are no longer eligible for Uplifted.As this perk was not earned through the system, you are not eligible for a replacement.
Well, crap.He read the message with a frown, but then shrugged his shoulders.¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter that much,¡± he muttered to himself.¡°After the way things ended with Abnu and the Seraphs, I doubt we were going to be spending too much together.¡±Closing the box, he quickly split the nine points he earned in level-ups between vision, inspiration, and willpower, and checked his stats one last time.
Jasper Welles Exp: 3278/35000 Health 7000 Spirit 7000 Essence 11440 Heritage(s) Dayya?mmu?t Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 137 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 36 Level up: x0 Titles The Blood Runs True Betrothed of Kas?dael Survivor Champion of Sappiya Blessed of Hurbas?u Nascent Divine
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 75 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 100 The Broken Shackle Purge Scourge of Despair
Vision 60 Mas?s?a?ru (Dayya?mmu?t) Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 143 Unlocked Fiery Shackles II Hand of Glory
Willpower 143 Locked Seraph Burst Circle of Forgiveness
Intuition 75 Locked Heart Stopper (Undead)
Locked Into the Valley of Death
Compared to the last time, it felt a bit underwhelming, but Jasper was happy with the replacement for Bramble Crown.He¡¯d take a bit of offense over defense any day. He felt less certain about the change to his race.It seemed he was now something like the Moon-kissed and S?addu¡¯a, a noticeably distinct sub-species of Djinn with access to different abilities, and he wasn¡¯t sure the others would react.Hopefully, they won¡¯t be racist about it. As he released Kas?dael¡¯s hand, he could feel her arms start to wrap around him, and he quickly grabbed hold of her shoulder.¡°Wait, I¡¯m not ready to go yet.¡± ¡°Oh?¡±There was a hint of amusement in her eyes as she looked down at him.¡°Not ready to have your heart torn out?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve reached my quota for the year,¡± he replied drily.¡°But really, I just had a question.What does it mean to be a ¡®potential progenitor¡¯?Does that mean there are no other ¡®dayya?mu?t¡¯ Djinn?¡± Her eyes widened at the words.¡°That¡¯s what it said?¡± He nodded, ¡°It didn¡¯t really explain what my new race was exactly, but it said the ¡®spirit of Zaginnu¡¯ had combined my two heritages and marked me as a ¡®potential progenitor.¡¯¡± ¡°It means that Zaginnu imbued a portion of its power into you to ensure that any children you sire will be like you.¡± ¡°Why,¡± he asked, dumbfounded. Kas?dael¡¯s shoulders raised helplessly.¡°If the stories of the Djinn are to be believed, Zaginnu was already a dying world many eons ago.That it still survives is remarkable, but it is quite likely that its reason has long since fled.I would not put too much into its actions, Jasper.¡± ¡°And what about the other Djinn,¡± he asked.¡°Do you think it¡¯s going to cause a problem?¡± ¡°Some may care, but your uncle will not and S?ars?ad?¡­¡± she trailed off momentarily, biting her lip in thought.¡°I suspect this was his intention in the first place.I do not know what the Spectral Spiders have shown him, but your king is a man of many schemes and I would never assume that anything connected to him was a mere accident.Does that answer your question?¡± she added. ¡°Not really, but it doesn¡¯t sound like you can,¡± he shrugged and held his hand out to her.¡°So let¡¯s get this over with.¡± Her arms wrapped around him in a warm embrace that lingered for a second longer before the inevitable wave of pain as her hand shattered his ribs and ripped his heart out. Ardu?l The next two weeks were a maelstrom of chaos.Interrogating every noble and mage in the army was no small task, but S?ars?ad?¡¯s task force accomplished it in record time. As Gu?la had predicted, the nobles put on a show of resistance, voicing vociferous complaints that the king was overstepping his bounds.But, she was also right to say that there would be no serious attempts to thwart the investigation, and if there was any doubt as to the necessity of the move, the operation quickly proved its worth.In a matter of days, more than a hundred minor commanders were either implicated or had fled rather than stick around to answer the questions. Jasper, Tsia, and Erin were also eventually brought in for questioning, but it was little more than a formality.Since the royal guard was relying on the aid of mages with truth spells, there was no need for the sort of rigorous interrogation techniques that had been created on Earth.Their interviews lasted no more than a few minutes before they were sent on their way with well wishes and their name checked off on the list. After their interview, Jasper figured there was nothing left to do but wait for the investigation to wrap up, and then - at long last - the army would finally resume its march. With Gu?la gone, he started joining his troops again for their morning training and spent much of his afternoons attempting to impart similar training to the small squad of auxiliary troops he¡¯d saved from the Ila?bun. He was surprised, therefore, when a few days after his interview with the guard a letter was delivered to his tent, summoning him to visit command.There was no explanation of why, or even who, had summoned, so he headed off to the villa, a touch of unease sat heavy in his stomach. As Jasper approached the gate to the compound, the signs of spring were all around.All but the thickest snowbanks had melted, and hundreds of pale blue and white flowers had raised their heads above the damp soil, their delicate petals forming a tapestry of colors.A guard emerged from the small outpost beside the road and raised a hand for him to stop. ¡°Are you on the guest list, my lord?¡± The man asked respectfully. ¡°Um, maybe?¡±Jasper fished the letter of his bag and waved it in the air.¡°I got a letter asking me to come today.If on my list, my name should be Commander Yas?peh.¡± The friendliness dropped off the guard¡¯s face and, placing his hand on his blade, he took an aggressive step forward.¡°Aye, Commander Yas?peh is indeed on the guest list, but you¡¯re not him.I¡¯ve seen him before and he¡¯s got dark red skin just like all the royals.I don¡¯t know who you are, but I¡¯m going to have to ask you to dismount and dispose of any weapons.No sudden moves - you hear?¡± The man added with a warning tone. Jasper suffocated a sigh, but the guard¡¯s reaction was understandable.¡°You¡¯re right.If you¡¯ve seen before me, my skin was a lot redder, but I really am Lord Yas?peh.When the king came to visit a few weeks ago, he gave me another gis?a?tu leaf and it¡¯s caused, well, the changes you see.¡±He held the letter out to the guard.¡°Here¡¯s my invitation.¡± The guard didn¡¯t remove his hand from his weapon, but took a few cautious steps forward, and ripped out of his hand.Retreating to a safe distance, he scanned the letter quickly.His brow was furrowed as he glanced up.¡°Did you take this letter from Commander Yas?peh?¡± ¡°I just explained that to you,¡± Jasper groaned.¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then send one of your men to ask command.General Turzu will probably recognize me.At least I hope he will, he added silently.In truth, he doubted the dismissive Djinn had paid much attention to his appearance. But the guard shook his head.¡°General Turzu and his staff were replaced yesterday.But you do have the letter¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he snapped his fingers and another guard emerged from the small shack.¡°Yah?gur, bring me the gis?rinnu.¡± The other guard disappeared into the shack and returned a moment later carrying a small device.He handed it to the first guard, who set it down in the grass beside the gate.¡°If you want me to let you in, you¡¯ll need to dismount and take the test,¡± the Djinn instructed him. With a sigh, Jasper slid off Dapplegrim¡¯s back and, joining the guard, examined the device with curiosity.It was quite simple in design, a plain box on top of which a shallow silver bowl sat. intricate latticework of silver strands that was stretched across the top of the bowl, sporting a small hole in the center.The other guard returned a moment later and offered it to his commander, who slotted it into the hole. Then the Djinn unsheathed his dagger, and flipping it in the air, offered the hilt to Jasper.¡°Just a few drops of blood will do.¡± Jasper wanted to ask what the device did, but he didn¡¯t want to reveal his ignorance; he suspected that if he''d spent any time at court, he would know what it did.So swallowing his questions, he accepted the dagger and, pushing his sleeve up, made a shallow cut on his arm. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. As a few drops fell through the woven silver into the basin, water - or some other clear liquid - was pumped into the bowl from the black box below. a few seconds, mixing thoroughly together, and then the red gem began to glow. Visible relief crossed over the guard''s face, and he bowed his ehad to Jasper. ¡°Sorry, my lord, for doubting you.You may not look like the Commander Yas?peh I remember, but the gis?rinnu says you¡¯re of the Royal House and there¡¯s only one hornless-¡±He froze, and coughed awkwardly. ¡°Yes?¡± Jasper asked wryly, not feeling inclined to let him off the hook. ¡°Uh, other than your color, you match the description,¡± the guard corrected himself hurriedly.¡°Let me get the gate for you.¡± A moment later, Jasper was on his way again, and the villa was not much further.When he arrived, a waiting servant took his horse and, after flashing his letter, he was ushered inside. As the servant led him down the richly frescoed halls, they passed the war room where he¡¯d met Turzu; from the door, he could see a handful of Djinn gathered around the table with their backs to him.But the servant continued past the room without stopping, and, turning down a smaller passageway, stopped outside a second door.¡°General Ard?l is waiting for you in there,¡± he said, with a slight nod of his head. The room was not at all what he¡¯d expected.Instead of a meeting room, the chamber was a lavishly appointed bedroom.A pillared bed big enough for four occupied the heart of the room, facing a massive marble fireplace in which a cheerful fire flickered.Beautiful frescoes adorned the walls and beneath the windows on the far side was a black lacquered desk with a plush leather chair currently occupied by a man who could only be the general. He too was not what Jasper expected, for his fair skin and silvery eyes were those of a Moon-kissed.Compared to Turzu, who had been a bull of a man, Ard?l seemed almost effeminate.His frame was large but willowy, his jet-black hair fell halfway down his back, and his lips were so red that it almost looked as if he were wearing lipstick, though Jasper guessed that was a trick of the light. ¡°General Ard?l, I presume?¡± Jasper greeted the man, bowing his head respectfully to the left. The man cocked his head to the side with an inquisitive look.¡°You know, S?ars?ad? hinted that you might look a little different soon, but it seems he understated things.Are you still a Djinn?¡± Circling around the enormous bed, Jasper perched himself on the edge closest to the commander.¡°I am,¡± he replied.Choosing to offer no further details, he got down to business.¡°What I can help you with, general?¡± But the Djinn ignored him.¡°So you¡¯re a Djinn but not a Higher Djinn?¡± The man pressed. Jasper frowned.¡°Do we really have to discuss this?¡± Ard?l shrugged.¡°Have to?There are very few things in life we have to do.But, if you''ll forgive an old man¡¯s curiosity, I''d very much like to know.¡± ¡°Old man?¡±Jasper echoed skeptically.It was, of course, always hard to judge the ages of beings who could potentially live for hundreds of years - if not longer - but the man showed no obvious signs of age, save for the faint crinkle of crow¡¯s feet at his eyes. ¡°You flatter me,¡± the commander replied, ¡°but as it happens, S?ars?ad? and I were childhood friends.¡± That put it in perspective.Jasper couldn¡¯t remember exactly how old the king was, but he was pretty sure the Djinn was in his seventh century or more. ¡°I¡¯d still rather not discuss it,¡± he replied stoically. The silvery eyes sparked with interest.¡°You¡¯re something new, aren¡¯t you?S?ars?ad? and I had placed bets on whether you¡¯d get a simple upgrade or a complete change, and it seems I have a bet to cash in.Do tell me the name, won¡¯t you?¡± His eyebrows lifted.¡°This is just a stupid bet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hardly just a bet - it¡¯s a rare day when I get one over on S?ars?ad?.Name?¡± The question felt invasive, but after getting off on the wrong foot with General Turzu, he didn¡¯t want to repeat the mistake with his successor.¡°It¡¯s called a Dayya?mu?t Djinn,¡± he said with a defeated sigh.He watched as the general, as smug as the cat that caught the canary, jotted it down before rising from the bed.¡°Was that all you needed, general?¡± ¡°Bah, that was just curiosity,¡± Ard?l replied.¡°You didn¡¯t think that was the only reason I summoned you, did you?¡± ¡°Uh-¡± ¡°Sit, sit,¡± the man commanded impatiently, and he settled back down on the bed.¡°I¡¯ve read the reports Captain Gu?la left, and I¡¯ve thumbed through a few of S?arra?bi?¡¯s as well.You¡¯ve done a great deal in a short time, Yas?peh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just done what¡¯s necessary,¡± Jasper demurred, but the Moon-kissed shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve done far more than that.Your deeds in Nah?as?s?innu alone are remarkable, especially given your low level.General Turzu may have had his head up his ass, but I can recognize potential when I see it.I¡¯d like you to join my staff,¡± the man continued. ¡°Join your staff?¡± Jasper echoed.¡°What exactly does that entail?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll take a role similar to what Captain Gu?la should have been granted.An adjutant will be assigned to command your troops in your absence, while you help me with special projects.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t lie,¡± the man continued.¡°It is not only you I hope to recruit, but your companions as well.I don¡¯t know a princess of Sapi?ya managed to sneak past Du?r-S?innu, but by all accounts, she has shown such talent that she may one day eclipse even her mother.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Jasper replied, ¡°It seems like a decision I should probably discuss with them.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ard?l agreed smoothly, ¡°And as an added bonus, this room would be yours until we leave the city." ¡°And if I¡­don¡¯t want to,¡± Jasper asked tentatively. ¡°I won¡¯t force you, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± the general replied.¡°But I think you¡¯ll find that things are quite different without Turzu around.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask them,¡± Jasper replied.¡°But there is one problem.Kas?dael gave me a quest that would require me leaving the army for a little while. I think it''s something that would help the war effort, but...¡± Ard?l leaned forward, interest sparking in his eyes.¡°Do tell,¡± he commanded. Unwelcome Allies A knock thudded against his office door, and Eligon gave a distracted grunt, his head buried in the dozens of petitions waiting for him after the expedition to Ka?r-Arh?u.Interpreting that as permission to enter, the door creaked open as Nakla?ti slipped inside. She¡¯d abandoned the gleaming armor she¡¯d worn on their campaign for an outfit more suitable for court, a slim, sapphire dress that hugged her curves a bit too tightly - for her campaign to catch Eligon¡¯s attention was still in full force. Stifling a sigh, he gave her a more proper greeting.¡°What is it, Nakla?ti?¡± ¡°My lord, a messenger from the Zalancthians is waiting outside the walls.Do you wish to allow him to enter?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve failed to say why he¡¯s here, I assume that means he refused to tell you.¡± His aide nodded.¡°The messenger claims he can only reveal his message to you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s claiming he¡¯s been sealed,¡± he clarified. ¡°Yes.¡± Eligon leaned back in his chair with a sigh, and weighed his options.There was a reasonable chance the messenger was an assassination attempt.Over the last few decades, the Zalancthians¡¯ unity had splintered, and many enterprising young commanders had sent assassins after him.They knew the chances of succeeding were unlikely, but the rewards, if they were the one to fell the dreaded emperor, were too tempting for one to pass up. But not all messengers were a trap and, truthfully, Eligon didn¡¯t fear any assassins the Zalancthians could send.Their armies were certainly fearsome, but he had yet to meet a Zalancthian who was powerful enough to outmatch the Burden of the Peoples.And, as much as he found that particular brand of magic distasteful, he knew the Zalancthian shamans did indeed have the power to place a magical compulsion on their people and prevent them from speaking. ¡°Fine, let him in,¡± he huffed, ¡°but don¡¯t bring him here.If he tries something, I don¡¯t want to get blood all over my study.¡± ¡°Where shall I take him, my lord?¡± His gaze drifted to the window, where a crack of sunlight peaked through the gathered shades.He¡¯d shut the shades to rid himself of the torment of seeing the beautiful day he couldn¡¯t enjoy, but the messenger provided a good excuse to escape.¡°Send him to the Pavilion of St. Martin,¡± he decided. He finished reading the paper he¡¯d been working on, one of the many reports generated by the investigation he¡¯d demanded into the empire¡¯s ambassador system after discovering the ambassador to the Strythani¡¯s failures, before departing.This noble, at least, had bothered to make a few trips to the country he was assigned, and Eligon was relieved not to have to find a replacement. As he left his chamber, his guards fell into step around him, with their captain hurrying to take point in front of him.Eligon took a meandering route through the palace, glad of the chance to stretch his legs, for he knew there was little rush.Even if the messenger refused to explain his mission, the guards would certainly insist on thoroughly searching him before allowing him in the emperor''s presence. The day was every bit as beautiful as it had looked through the window, and the Pavilion of St. Martin was the perfect place to enjoy it.A gift from the enigmatic Fey faction, the Pavilion sat outside the palace proper, on a high bank that overlooked Dur-S?ad¨º¡¯s mighty moat.The winter rains were finally beginning to taper off, and the water today was clear and blue.The first flowers of spring had already begun to pop their head above Ummadammah¡¯s surface, ringing the pavilion in orderly rows of red and blue. The Pavilion itself was a marvel.Not wanting to reveal their secrets, the Fey had opted to teleport it into place fully formed rather than build it where the Corsyths could observe.Large enough to fit a hundred men beneath its roof, the wondrous building seemed to be carved from a solid piece of jade that glowed a deep, rich green next to which all other jades paled in comparison.Even the furniture was seamlessly integrated into the building; dozens of chairs, benches, and tables covered the interior of the pavilion, their design delicate and dainty despite being made of solid stone. But there was only one seat for the emperor - a glistening emerald-colored throne that was the crowning gem of the pavilion.The pleasant coolness of the stone greeted him as he slipped into the throne, and rested his elbows on the finely-sculpted cypresses that served as its armrests. The cool shade of the pavilion and the warm breeze blowing off the moat had nearly lulled him into slumber when the Nakla?ti finally arrived with the messenger in tow. His mood slipped as he scanned the obviously nervous Zalancthian.Physically, there was very little about the stoneflesh¡¯s appearance that made them stand out.They looked much like the humans the Corsythians had descended from, minus the various physical attributes that some carried - lengthened ears, emerald eyes, or several feet of extra height - that millennia of intermingling with Fey and Elves had brought.What distinguished them from Corsyths was less visible - a severely stunted talent for magic that was combined with a drastically enhanced protection against magic. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. But the Zalancthian that stood before him had piercing green eyes and, though it was so slight he almost missed it, Eligon detected a touch of Va?ya¡¯s blessing upon him.So he¡¯s a half-blood.His eyes narrowed as he gazed at the young men, his very soul offended at the thought of a Corsyth intermingling with their invaders.To his mind, it was an act barely distinguishable from treason, but Eligon was careful to school his expression for he could tell that the man¡¯s nervousness was not entirely fueled by fear.There were traces of excitement in his gaze as he bent his head to the left in the Corsyth gesture of respect, rather than kneeling as was the Zalancthians¡¯ custom.Does he see himself as one of us? ¡°I should you warn,¡± Eligon began, ¡°if you came to assassinate me, it is best to turn aside now.Lay down whatever weapons you managed to ferry in, and I will let you leave unharmed.¡± ¡°No, my lord,¡± the man protested immediately, ¡°I mean you no harm.How could I mean you harm when I come bearing an offer of alliance from the Lord Protector of Agami?n.¡± Eligon went still.Of all the things he thought the messenger might have wanted, this would never have made the list.¡°You claim to bring an offer of alliance from General Menos?And who are you, that I should believe such an outrageous claim.¡± The man¡¯s brown, curly locks fell loosely around his face as he bowed his head.¡°I am his eldest son, Lord Naslam Menos.¡± Eligon blinked at the use of a clearly Corsythian name.True, Menos was still of their tongue, but Naslam was a proper Agami?nian name.¡°You expect me to believe your name is ¡®peace¡¯?¡±The messenger started to speak, but he cut him off, ¡°And besides, I have never heard of a son of General Menos.¡± ¡°And yet I am,¡± the man replied boldly.¡°Send for one of your seers - they will see I speak the truth.Or,¡± he lifted the letter he¡¯d been holding the entire time, ¡°you may read the message my father has sent.¡± Eligon gestured for Nakla?ti to bring the letter forward, but he did not open it immediately. Though the emperor could not simply accept the man¡¯s claim without any proof, his instincts told him it was true, for it meshed well with what he knew of the conflict between Menos and Kurus.While war was rarely waged for a single reason, he knew one of the inciting factors had been Menos¡¯ to spurn his betrothal with Kurus¡¯ sister for a Corsyth bride, one that had by all accounts been his concubine for many.He¡¯d never heard any children named, but unless the man was after all, it was likely he¡¯d had a few bastards.And now he¡¯s raised one of them to be his heir - no wonder Kurus is furious. Instead, the emperor leaned forward on his throne and fixed his gaze on the messenger.¡°Tell me, Lord Naslam, what house did your mother belong to?¡± ¡°She is of House Nara?mi?l.¡± That too synced with what he knew.There had been thirty-seven Lord Naslams in the House of Nara?mil before its destruction by the Zalancthians.¡°And did she willingly marry General Menos,¡± he continued. Indignation flashed through the envoy¡¯s eyes.¡°My mother loves my father greatly, and he loves her even more.Surely you know, my lord, that he has gone to war against Kurus solely on her behalf.¡± Then he is a fool.Eligon kept the thought to himself, but it lowered his opinion of the general.A man who would wager the lives of thousands simply to satisfy his own selfish loves was not fit to be a ruler; he was no better than Vayya?bi?.The name of his former friend slipped into his thoughts with unexpected vehemence, and the emperor quickly cut off his train of thought, not wishing to be compromised by his own emotions. Not deigning to respond, he opened the letter and perused it.It was everything Naslam had promised.Though Menos tried to hide it, it was clear the war was not going well for him.Eligon wasn¡¯t surprised - Kurus was one of the youngest generals amongst the stoneflesh, a supposed genius whose meteoric rise had given his troops no end of grief.But that didn¡¯t mean that what Menos offered was worthless. The general still had an iron grip over the former province of Agami?n and more than fifty thousand veteran troops to his name.With the aid of the empire¡¯s army, Kurus would be powerless to remove him.There was one small problem with the offer though. Crumpling the letter with a simple squeeze of his hand, Eligon tossed the paper to the ground.¡°Your father¡¯s offer is a bold one.Tell me, Lord Naslam, do you think he is my equal?¡± The man¡¯s nervousness returned, this time rooted in fear, but he found the moxie to meet the emperor¡¯s gaze.¡°I think my father holds that land and you do not.You are free to take it from him, if you can.¡± The emperor snorted.¡°It is not my army you should be concerned about.Your father knows my eyes turn to the north, to restoring my people to our ancient capital.I could take Agami?n easily, but I do not desire it enough to pay the cost in blood its acquisition would require.¡± ¡°So you reject our offer,¡± the messenger demanded with a scowl. ¡°I reject this offer,¡± Eligon replied, ¡°but I will make one of my own.I will not ally myself with a Zalancthian playing lord in lands that are rightfully mine, but I am a pragmatic man.I see the benefits of aiding your father, and if he truly has, as you claim, treated our people well, perhaps another deal can be worked out.¡± ¡°If your father bends the knee to me, I will allow him to keep Agami?n - him and his successors - and I will send troops to push back Kurus¡¯ forces.¡± An uncertain look played across Naslam¡¯s face.¡°I do not know if my father will agree to this,¡± he replied slowly.¡°I was given limited authority to negotiate, but¡­¡± ¡°Have no fear,¡± Eligon interrupted him.¡°Menos will not hesitate to accept.Without aid, he knows he will eventually lose the war against Kurus.¡± ¡°Then I will¡­conditionally accept,¡± Naslam finally replied, ¡°but is ultimately up to my father.¡± ¡°Good.¡±Eligon rose from the throne and turned to Nakla?ti.¡°Have guest chambers prepared for Lord Naslam and make sure he sees the seers.Oh, and one more thing-¡± The emperor pivoted to face the envoy.¡°If your family is to rule Agami?n, they must do so as House Nara?mi?l.¡± The Return to Gis?-Izum ¡°Oooh, that feels amazing.¡±Twisting her arm above her head, Ihra rapidly unwound the scarf that had buried her face and neck, allowing herself to luxuriate in the warm breeze that was beginning to blow from the west. After a month of traveling through the frozen north of Harei Miqlat, the army had finally passed through Du?r-S?innu and begun the descent into the province of Sapi?ya.The lands around Gis?-Izum were still cool compared to the rest of the mostly jungle-bound province, but she was ecstatic to finally be rid of the endless snow. Jasper watched with amusement as, with a little shiver of joy, the elfling stuffed the scarf into her bag with panache.¡°Your services are no longer required, scarfie.¡± She glanced up in time to see his amused grin and her eyes narrowed with mock indignation.¡°Don¡¯t laugh,¡± she scolded him.¡°You may not be bothered by the cold anymore, but I remember how much you complained about the jungle before your little upgrade.¡± He laughed.¡°Oh, I would have been ten times worse than you,¡± he agreed.¡°You¡¯ve been a trooper.But what I wouldn¡¯t do is call my scarf, ¡®scarfie.¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯ve worn it so much it¡¯s practically become a part of me,¡± she retorted.¡°It deserves a pet name.But I¡¯m glad to finally feel the wind against my face again.You understand me, don¡¯t you, Tsia?¡± The princess shrugged.¡°It¡¯s an improvement, but I won¡¯t be happy to we¡¯ll get back to the jungle.Even Gis?-Izum is too cold for me.It was always the worst of visiting my mother.¡± The mention of her mother - and the city she¡¯d been exiled from - brought the memories flashing back to Jasper. The frenetic battle against the undead queen¡¯s troops. Aphora¡¯s stand on the wall. His head bouncing down the rampart¡¯s steps. A shiver of his own ran down his spine, and he quickly forced the image away. ¡°Do you know if the army will stop at Gis?-Izum,¡± Tsia continued, missing his momentary lapse. Grateful for the distraction, Jasper bobbed his head.¡°That¡¯s the plan.Thanks to the Lords of We?di?ni?nu, the army was stopped so long at Nu?r-S?ams?a that they used up a good portion of the grain that was supposed to last them till they reached¡­¡± He frowned with concentration, trying to recall the name of the city in the province of West Corsythia where more provision awaited them, but failed.¡°The name¡¯s slipped my mind.Anyways, General Ard?l wants to get more supplies before crossing the Abulmah?h?u Mountains.¡± After much debate with his party and several more meetings with the Moon-kissed general, Jasper had decided to accept Ard?l¡¯s offer to join his staff.In many ways, it had been freeing.As a member of the staff, he was no longer expected to participate in the training or command of the unit ostensibly assigned to him. But the special duties assigned to him thus far had proved rather boring - he¡¯d been sent on scouting trips, to gather provisions, and occasionally to relay messages to other nobles in the army.Despite that, Jasper didn¡¯t regret the choice as it had been the price he¡¯d paid for Ard?l to agree to allow him to pursue Kas?dael¡¯s quest.Once they reached Gis?-Izum, they were cleared to head west to search for the durgu prince. ¡°Do we have time to stop in the city,¡± Ihra asked, ¡°or are splitting off before we reach it?¡± Jasper was about to reply that it would be easiest to avoid the city altogether, but something in her tone made him hesitate.¡°Why?¡± He asked, cocking his head to the side.¡°Is there something you want to do there?¡± ¡°I wanted to check in on Kefir and Aryah.I just wanted to make sure they¡¯re being taken care of.¡± Kefir and Aryah.Jasper felt a flash of guilt as Ihra reminded him of the two small children they¡¯d rescued from the village cultists.Especially since we ¡®rescued¡¯ them by killing their family.¡°Yeah, of course, we can check in on them.I should have thought of it myself,¡± he added guilty.
It took another two days before the army reached the walls of Gis?-Izum.After one final meeting with Ard?l, the three split off with Erin in tow. The city was as unique as he¡¯d remembered.The towering brown walls, crafted from a truly enormous quantity of petrified wood, glistened with a ruddy streak beneath in the warm sun of early spring, and the river that swept around the city¡¯s western flank was swollen with melt-off. Some things had changed though in the aftermath of the undead queen¡¯s attack.The last time they¡¯d entered the city, the guards had let all enter freely; now, a long line of merchants, soldiers, and peasants wrapped across the bridge and along the river¡¯s bank, waiting for their turn to enter.Thus, it was nearly midday before they finally entered the city, and turning down the nearest boulevard, headed straight for the guild¡¯s sanctum. Stolen novel; please report. The guild had also buffed security, and an entire squadron of guards now waited outside the massive metal gates that led into the shard world.A much smaller line was queued outside it, and a guard bellowed above the crowd.¡°Have your guild passes ready.¡± ¡°Guild passes?¡± Ihra shot a questioning glance at him. ¡°Beats me,¡± he replied.¡°I don¡¯t recall needing them last time.¡± As the last party in front of them passed through the doors, the guard stepped up to them with an impatient look on his face.¡°Where¡¯s your guild passes?We said to have them ready.¡± ¡°We¡¯re members of the guild,¡± Jasper said, pointing to Ihra and himself, ¡°but I don¡¯t remember needing any guild passes to enter.¡± ¡°Been away for more than a year,¡± the guard asked. ¡°I guess so; after the attack on Gis?-Izum, we headed to Harei-Miqlat and have just returned.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± the guard stared at them with new eyes, finally looking for more than just the pass.¡°A djinn and an elf?We don¡¯t get many of your kind here.You sure you¡¯re with our guild?I don¡¯t know about y¡¯all,¡± he said to Jasper, ¡°but I know the elves have their own guild.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re members of the empire¡¯s guild.We even helped defend the city against the undead queen,¡± Jasper replied.¡°If you don¡¯t believe us, you can send for Captain Elle?s?u or Ani?ya - I''m sure they''d vouch for us.¡±But as he said it, Jasper suddenly realized he wasn''t entirely certain if it was true. He was certain the captains would vouch for them if they could recognize him which, with his changed appearance, was no guarantee. But the guard¡¯s expressions relaxed as Jasper dropped the captains¡¯ names.¡°Nah, there''s no need to call them.Ani?ya and Elle?s?u aren¡¯t so famous you¡¯d have heard ¡®em anywhere else.If you know ''em, then I reckon you¡¯ve been here before.¡±The guard taunted over to the small checkpoint blocking the gates and bent over the desk.After a moment¡¯s shuffling, he returned with two small silver sheets about the size of a credit card. ¡°Here, take these.I¡¯ll let you in for now, but when you reach the village, make sure you stop in at the guild office.They¡¯ll attune these cards to you so you can get in and out of the sanctum in the future.Don¡¯t think of trying to skip out on it,¡± he added.¡°The doors won¡¯t open without these cards.¡± Jasper palmed the cards and stuck them in his bag.¡°Thanks.And what about our friends?¡±He pointed at Tsia and Erin.¡°They¡¯re not guild members.¡± ¡°Unless they¡¯re hoping to join, I can¡¯t let them in,¡± the guard replied. ¡°There isn¡¯t any sort of day pass we can get-¡± Jasper started to ask, but Tsia cut in. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.We can wander around the market for a while.And, frankly, I wouldn¡¯t mind stopping at my mother¡¯s old home to see what¡¯s become of it.¡±She carefully avoided dropping her mother¡¯s name, rightly suspecting that Aphora was not too beloved in Gis?-Izum. ¡°If you¡¯re sure,¡± Jasper relented and gestured for the guard to proceed.Returning to the gate, the guard waved his own card in front of the massive metal barriers, and they slid back, revealing the sanctum beyond. A dark night sky awaited them beyond the gates, and Jasper remembered that the sanctum operated on its own time.Hope the guild¡¯s open. It was only a few miles ride to the guild¡¯s quaint village, but he was relieved to see the first cracks of dawn appear against the distant, and illusory, mountains as they neared the village center.Already a few merchants were beginning to haul their wares into the stalls, and the air was filled with the scrumptious scent of fresh, hot buns that one particularly industrious baker was already hawking.They stopped long enough to buy a dozen and continued on to the orphanage. The small building looked exactly as he recalled it.Although slightly on the shabby side, it was clean and well cared for.It was still early enough in the morning that the children hadn''t been sent outside to play, but as they neared the door, the high-pitched yells and chatter wafting through the walls told him they were up.He rapped lightly on the door and took a step back. A middle-aged woman with frazzled hair peaked her head out.Despite the dark bags beneath her emerald eyes, she offered them a kindly smile.¡°Hi - are you here to donate?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jasper hoisted the bag of fresh hot buns for her to see, ¡°I do have a little something to share with the children, but we were mostly here to see Kefir and Ariyah.¡± ¡°Kefir and Ariyah?¡±The woman¡¯s brow began to wrinkle, and here eyes focused on Ihra.¡°Wait, I remember you.You were the woman who brought the children here. You had a different man with you then, though¡± she added with a touch of judgment. ¡°Actually,¡± Jasper cut in quickly, "my skin changed color from a heritage trait, so I do look a little different, but it''s still me.¡± The woman scrutinized him skeptically.¡°You certainly do look different,¡± she finally agreed, ¡°but I suppose wouldn¡¯t be the first to undergo such a noticeable change.ome in.¡±With a quick nod of her head, she stepped aside to allow them to enter. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re here to renew your sponsorship of the children,¡± she asked, as she led them down the hall toward her office.¡°If I remember correctly, you left enough money for a year, so we ran out a month or two ago.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll renew it,¡± Ihra quickly cut in.¡°But we also wanted to check in on them and make sure they¡¯re alright.¡± The woman¡¯s lips thinned.¡°We don¡¯t hurt children here, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± she replied, ¡°but I grew up in an orphanage.I know how hard it is to care for so many children.¡± The caretaker seemed mollified by the reply, and her posture eased.¡°I do my best.And I do have good news about Kefir and Ariyah.One of the families in the village has expressed interest in taking them in.Sponsors have the right to object to an adoption, so we were waiting for you to either let the patronage lapse or give approval, but with you here now, there¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t move forward immediately - as long as you¡¯re willing, that is.¡± Approval was on the tip of Jasper¡¯s tongue, but Ihra beat him to it, responding more guardedly than he expected.¡°I don¡¯t think we can do that without meeting them.¡± The caretaker seemed unfazed by her objection.¡°Of course - I¡¯d expect nothing less.Why don¡¯t you join us for breakfast and I¡¯ll send for them.The sooner we get this done, the better, yes?¡± Homesick ¡°Stop dawdling!¡±With an exasperated sigh, Tsia spun on her heel to stare back at her temporary companion.¡°I want to check my mother¡¯s place out, and we don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡±With a quick jog, the young man caught up with her, though his gaze immediately began to wander back to the marketplace.¡°It just so¡­normal.¡±His voice choked up with emotion, and his eyelids fluttered rapidly. Is he going to cry?Tsia glanced around the marketplace impatiently but saw nothing worth crying over.¡°I guess so?My father¡¯s is much bigger, but¡­¡± Erin shook his head.¡°You don¡¯t understand.It¡¯s the people that are normal.I mean, I know they aren¡¯t actually human, but they look it.Sure, half the crowd would be an NBA superstar, but other than the height, they look¡­normal.¡± Tsia frowned.¡°And the Djinn don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Well, a lot of them did,¡± he admitted.¡°Maybe even most, but not the ones I was around.Most of the soldiers were high enough leveled to have the whole red skin and horns deal going on.And, yeah, they were pretty nice to me, but it was hard to feel comfortable around them.I may not be much of a Catholic these days, but they looked like literal devils, you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she replied coldly.¡°If there are any devils here, I¡¯ve certainly never heard of them.The Djinn are a noble race and don¡¯t deserve to be looked down on.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dislike them,¡± he protested.¡°I just¡­¡±He fumbled for a moment, unable to explain how he was feeling, and found a better example.¡°Devils for us are like your Gemlirians, or maybe even those Atrometos creatures I¡¯ve heard mentioned once or twice.You wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable living with them, would you?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Tsia hesitated as she pondered her words.While she took some offense to his feelings about the Djinn on her mother¡¯s behalf, he had a point.She wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable living in a village of Gemlirians, even if they were the nicest, most devoted followers of Selene in the world.She was sure she¡¯d adjust eventually, but it would be tough at first. ¡°Besides,¡± he continued, ¡°Mostly I''m just homesick.Jasper seems to love it here, but I¡¯d go home in a heartbeat if I had the chance.Sure everyone¡¯s a little tall here, but if I squint real hard, I can almost imagine I¡¯m on vacation in some Middle Eastern bazaar.It¡¯s not quite like home, but it¡¯s the closest I¡¯ve been in a long time.¡± Her features softened as he hit on a feeling she was all too familiar with.¡°I guess I understand that,¡± she finally allowed.¡°But you know the Djinn are good people, right?¡± ¡°I know,¡± he agreed.¡°Honestly, I doubt an alien would be treated half as nicely back home as they treated me.I¡¯m absolutely grateful for all they did, but¡­¡± he trailed off, not wanting to repeat the sentiments that even he felt guilty for. ¡°Well, just come on, then,¡± Tsia concluded lamely.¡°I don¡¯t know how long Jasper and Ihra will be in the sanctum, but I don¡¯t want to keep them waiting.¡±Not waiting for his reply, she spun on her heels and took a brisk pace through the marketplace.He caught up a second later, half-jogging to keep up with her pace. ¡°So where are we going exactly?You said your mother used to live here?¡± ¡°She did.Sometimes I did too.¡± ¡°But I thought you were some sort of princess,¡± he questioned.¡°Didn¡¯t your mother live with your father?¡± A trickle of irritation seeped through her veins, but she brushed it aside.It wasn¡¯t like he knew anything of her family situation.¡°My father is the king of this province,¡± she replied softly, not wanting to gather attention from the crowd around them.It was extremely unlikely that anyone would recognize her, and equally unlikely that they would believe their princess was wandering around the market unattended, but there were a few people in the city who would know who she was. Like the city lord.And Tsia wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d react to her presence, not after her mother¡¯s failed expedition to Als?arratu.¡°My mother was never married to my father, though.¡± ¡°Oh, my mom never married my dad either,¡± the scout replied.¡°But at least you knew your dad, right?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know him?¡± ¡°Nope, never met him.Honestly, my mother didn¡¯t even know him.¡±Time passed as he quickly told her the story of the St. Patrick¡¯s Day parade, and Tsia continued to pepper him with questions, preferring to keep the scout¡¯s focus on him rather than her. But their conversation ground to a halt when they finally reached their destination.The manor was everything Tsia remembered.The pure ivory wood.The graceful, swooping arches, curved spires, elegant parapets.This time it was her eyes that grew a little foggy.This was supposed to be my home.Me and mom.It¡¯s not fair. Now, she wasn¡¯t even sure where Aphora had gone.Somewhere to the west, deep in territory that most elves considered certain death.And her only hope of seeing her again was trusting in her mother¡¯s vague words that Jasper¡¯s path would intersect with hers one day. Blinking away the tears that threatened to fall, Tsia approached the main entrance.She had hoped the seamless ivory walls would part for her, but she wasn¡¯t exactly surprised when they failed to open.Though the elves had been forced to abandon it for the time, she knew her mother would have placed protective seals to preserve the space in case they returned.And, fortunately, she knew another way to enter.Hopefully, she didn¡¯t seal this one up. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Spinning around, she headed down the street in the opposite direction of the manor, leaving Erin to follow her. Awed by the elven manor in front of him, it took the scout a second to register she¡¯d left, and he was forced to break into a jog.¡°Wait, where the hell are you going,¡± he demanded as he caught up to her.¡°Don¡¯t tell me we walked for an hour just to look at the outside.¡± ¡°The doors wouldn¡¯t open, so we¡¯ll have to go around,¡± she explained. He cast a confused glance over his shoulder at the seamless ivory wall behind them.¡°What door?¡± ¡°The wall opens up,¡± she explained.¡°But mother must have sealed it when she left.Fortunately, there¡¯s another way in, but if I know her, there might be a bit of danger.¡± She headed about three hundred feet down the street, before turning into a small alleyway that ran between two manors.Thick edges lined both sides of the alley, and, from the street corner, it looked like the alley continued in a straight line for about a hundred feet before dead-ending into another avenue.But Tsia knew better. She came to a stop about a third of the way down the street and began pushing into the hedges.The thick brush resisted her stoutly, and the sharp needles even managed to draw a few pricks of blood, but she continued, knowing what lay behind them. ¡°You could ask me to help, you know?¡±As Erin spoke behind her, the hedges resisting her efforts began to bend out of her way, twisting their trunks aside until they were nearly perpendicular to the ground and revealing the small space behind them. ¡°Didn¡¯t even think about it,¡± she admitted, ¡°but thanks.¡±With Erin¡¯s magic shoving the hedges aside, it was easy enough to pick through the tangled mess of trunks and reach the hidden passage to her mother¡¯s home. A small, square trapdoor rose slightly above the ground.There was no handle on the door and the sides were sealed so tightly against each other that it was impossible to budge it, but Tsia knew the key to opening it.Drawing a dagger from her pouch, she made a small knick on her forearm and allowed a few drops of blood to spatter on the door.As the blood dripped down, the metal of the door contracted slightly, followed by a loud click.She shoved down on the door, and it followed her hand as she let go, revealing a narrow set of stairs descending into the ground. Erin peered around her shoulder at the dark shaft, and his features tightened.¡°That looks kind of¡­narrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll fit.¡±Her words did little to change his glum expression, and she raised an eyebrow.¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re claustrophobic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of tight places,¡± he protested.¡°I just prefer to be in places where it¡¯s possible to have my right and my left arm at my side.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to come,¡± she said, as she took a step down into the tunnel, ¡°but either way, please release the hedges.We don¡¯t want people knowing about this place.¡± ¡°Right.¡±With a wave of his hand, the scout guided the hedges back into place before, reluctantly, following her into the darkness. The initial tight squeeze of the passage continued for perhaps fifty feet.Once they had ducked below the foundation of the adjoining manor, the steep pitch leveled off, and the passage widened into a tunnel large enough for three or four to journey together.As her feet touched the floor, green orbs of light suspended from the wall sprang to life, lighting the tunnel in their eldritch glow. Thus far, everything was how Tsia remembered.The problem was, she¡¯d been twelve the last time Aphora had taken her through the passage.She knew there were traps, but she couldn¡¯t remember where or what.¡°Just stay behind me,¡± she warned the scout, ¡°and step where I step.¡± Ignoring her, the scout stepped up beside her and squatted down.¡°Let me guess, this tunnel is trapped.¡± ¡°It is,¡± she agreed, ¡°and I don¡¯t remember all of them.¡± ¡°I might be able to help.I am a scout, after all.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have the class,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Well, no,¡± Erin admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t have any special skills to detect traps, but they did train us to look for them.Like the one right over there.¡±He pointed to the left side of the tunnel, where a small statue of a satyr was illuminated in the green light of the orbs. Tsia strained her eyes but couldn¡¯t find what he¡¯d identified.¡°The statue?¡± ¡°No, look for the glint.¡± She searched again, and this time she noticed a faint metallic gleam near the statue¡¯s base.A tripwire.¡°Alright, maybe you can help,¡± she agreed, ¡°but I doubt most of my mother¡¯s traps will be so easy.¡± Her words proved prescient.With adrenaline running high and nerves on edge, it was hard to say exactly how long they spent creeping down the dark tunnel, but it felt like an eternity. Erin spotted a few more traps, allowing them to carefully inch their way around, above, or through the danger, but he missed a few too.The first trap he missed was a tiny crystal shard implanted in the ground.When their shadow passed over the shard, it cut off the light from the eldritch orbs, and the trap was triggered. A wall of fire washed toward Tsia, but she was faster.Casting the wind-blade she¡¯d been holding, she split the fire in two, sending it harmlessly past them. It wasn¡¯t the only trap he missed, and by the time they reached the midpoint of the tunnel, Tsia realized the task was pointless.Erin was far better at spotting the traps than she was, but he was no match for her mother¡¯s cunning. Pausing, she stood up and shook her arms out, feeling the cramps in her legs from all the crawling.Erin rose beside her and cast her questioning glance.¡°Are you giving up?¡± ¡°No, just changing plans,¡± she replied.¡°You did great, but we are still triggering traps and we¡¯re running low on time.So I think the answer is to just stop trying.¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to cast my cyclone shield and we¡¯re going to run,¡± she replied.¡°We¡¯ve got, what, thirty feet to go?¡±Hopefully, my mana will outlast whatever traps are left.¡± ¡°Are you sure your shield will hold,¡± he asked skeptically. ¡°It will hold,¡± she replied, with a bit more confidence than she actually felt.Drawing on her essence, she allowed the cyclone to whip around her, the swirling winds rising to tempest speeds as a pale orb sprung into place.Grabbing the scout¡¯s hand, she dragged him beneath the protection of the shield and took off running.Fire, blades, and blinding light bombarded them, but she didn¡¯t slow down.With every hit against her barrier, she felt her essence sapped away, but she didn¡¯t dare to hesitate.Dragging the scout behind her, she leapt the last few feet and flung herself across the threshold of the chamber beyond. They landed in a heap together, her beating so wildly in her chest it felt like it would burst out of her ribcage, but nothing but silence greeted them.Shoving Erin off of her, she sat up and stared with satisfaction at the small foyer they were sitting in.She¡¯d made it inside the manor.All she needed now was to see if her mother had left her something. The Vibe Check The orphanage matron, Ammata, ushered them into the small dining hall. There weren¡¯t many children in the Sanctum¡¯s orphanage, as it was mostly reserved for those whose parents had belonged to the guild, but perhaps fifteen were already seated at the table and digging into bowls filled with something hot and steaming. Jasper almost didn¡¯t recognize Kefir and Aryah. The boy had grown several inches in height, and his frame had filled out, but the girl had made an even bigger change. From her size and scrawny condition, they¡¯d assumed she was around 7 or 8, but after a year with sufficient food and care, he guessed she was more likely in her early teens. Their heads were bowed low over the steaming food so the children didn¡¯t notice them until Ammata cleared her throat. Aryah tore her gaze away from the food, and her brow scrunched up in momentary confusion, followed by an expression of delight. ¡°Ihra?!¡± Bolting from her chair, she wrapped her arms around Ihra, who hugged her back. Releasing the elf, her eyes darted to Jasper and there was no sign of recognition there. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± she asked Ihra. He felt a pang of disappointment but brushed it off quickly. It wasn¡¯t like they¡¯d been particularly close, and he had changed in appearance. ¡°I¡¯m still Jasper, just look a little different,¡± he replied. ¡°Oh,¡± the girl replied, seemingly at a loss for words, before she turned back to Ihra. The matron made room for them at the table and handed out the bag of treats they¡¯d brought out. The girl peppered Ihra with questions about their travels as they ate, while Jasper and Kefir sat largely in silence. And as they reached the bottom of their bowls, Ihra finally broached the question. ¡°The matron said there was a couple interested in adopting you. Have you met them? Do they seem nice?¡± ¡°They seem nice,¡± the girl replied swiftly, but Jasper thought he detected a note of hesitation in her voice. Ihra sensed it too, and leaned forward. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No-o¡­they live here in the Sanctum and Kefir and I really like them. Is?rapa? is a baker and offered to apprentice me in that, and S?ams?a?b is a smith, so he makes good money. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± Ihra prodded. ¡°Every once in a while, when he thinks I¡¯m not looking, I¡¯ve caught S?ams?a?b looking at me with an odd expression.¡± Ihra¡¯s features hardened. ¡°Then we¡¯ll say no.¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl protested. ¡°It¡¯s our best - our only chance,¡± she added with a half-sob. ¡°We have more than enough gold to support you,¡± Ihra offered, uncharacteristically unconcerned about the money. ¡°It won¡¯t be an issue-¡° ¡°But it¡¯s not a family,¡± the girl interjected. ¡°Kefir¡¯s too young to remember what¡¯s it like, but I remember having parents. I¡­I want that again.¡± Ihra started to object, but Jasper grabbed her arm. ¡°Maybe we should meet these people first.¡± ¡°But if this man is a pervert-¡± she replied angrily, but he cut her off. ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet. I¡¯ve got my truth spell, remember? If there¡¯s anything wrong, we¡¯ll figure it out and if not, this is what the children want.¡± He nodded at Kefir, who¡¯d abandoned eating a hot roll to watch them with worried eyes. ¡°That¡¯s what you want, isn¡¯t it buddy?¡± ¡°I like S?ams?a?b,¡± he replied shyly. Reaching a sticky hand into his pocket, he pulled out a small metal figurine and waved it in front of them. ¡°He makes me toys in his shop.¡± ¡°See,¡± Jasper continued. ¡°Let¡¯s talk with them first and then, if you still don¡¯t feel good about it, we can pull the plug.¡± Ihra looked unconvinced, but after a second look at the Kefir¡¯s entreating voice, she finally crumbled. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll talk to them.¡±
When breakfast drew to a close, the matron had the children start washing their dishes and, leaving an older girl in charge, led them out to meet the family. ¡°S?ams?a?b just had a big order come in for 100 spears, so he¡¯s too busy to leave the smithy today,¡± she explained, as she guided them through the village square, past the guild hall, and down a block on the other side where the quaint shops of the square gave way to tradesmen¡¯s workshops. The clank of metal against metal led them to the smithy. S?ams?a?b¡¯s forge was out in the open air, with a small shack beside that featured a sampling of his wares. A few weapons were on display, but most of the items were more mundane: nails, horseshoes, and simple metal cutlery and plates. A dozen yards behind the smith sat a modest cottage, with a cheerful thatched roof and adjoining stable. A man stood at the smithy, his hammer rising and falling with a rhythmic clang. His body was caked with sweat and grime, but Jasper could tell he was a handsome man who cleaned up, with shaggy blonde hair and dark green eyes that spoke of Fey heritage. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°S?ams?a?b,¡± Ammata called as they approached, ¡°these are Kefir and Aryah¡¯s patrons. They wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°One moment.¡± The man pounded the glowing metal spearhead on his anvil with a few more blows, evening out an unnatural bulge, and plunged into the water behind him. A cloud of steam rose up, but he ignored it, and grabbing a dirty handkerchief, wiped the beads of sweat off his face as he approached them. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± he said, offering a friendly nod. Craning his head over his shoulder, he raised his voice. ¡°Is?ripa?, Amatta¡¯s here from the orphanage.¡± There was a slightly worried look in his eyes as he turned back to face them, picking up on Ihra¡¯s unfriendly glare. ¡°Is there something wrong, Ammata?¡± His eyes met Jasper¡¯s as he continued to speak. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what your relation with Aryah and Kefir is, but my wife and I would love to take them. Unless you¡¯re planning to settle down somewhere?¡± Unsure what Ihra might say, Jasper hastened to speak up. ¡°No, nothing¡¯s wrong. We just wanted to get a chance to speak with you before we sign off - make sure you pass the vibe check and all that.¡± ¡°The vibe check?¡± The man looked puzzled but had no time to question Jasper further as his wife hurried out of the house, and nestled close to him. ¡°Did they agree, S?ams?a?b,¡± she asked breathlessly. ¡°They want to talk to us,¡± the man grunted. ¡°Well, come inside. I¡¯m sure Is?ripa? has something whipped up already.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Ihra cut in. ¡°We just to know what you want with the children, and why you¡¯ve been looking at Aryah.¡± Jasper cringed at her aggressive approach, but he also understood; she¡¯d been taken by someone that tried to exploit her, after all. ¡°Look at Aryah?¡± The man repeated slowly. ¡°What do you mean-¡° ¡°She said she¡¯s caught you staring,¡± Ihra cut him off. ¡°No,¡± he said, his nose wrinkling with disgust. ¡°I have no ill intentions toward the lass.¡± Jasper hadn¡¯t had his truth spell ready, but he jumped in. ¡°Can you repeat that? I¡¯ve got a spell that will ease my friend¡¯s concern.¡± ¡°Some sort of truth spell?¡± A touch of anger ignited in the man¡¯s eyes, and Jasper thought he was going to refuse, but his wife touched him gently on the arm. ¡°Darling, please. Don¡¯t let your pride make you do something you¡¯ll regret.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he nodded his head. ¡°Fine.¡± As Jasper cast the spell, he continued. ¡°I have no intention of ever harming Aryah or Kefir or doing anything remotely inappropriate with them. Happy?¡± Jasper was, for the spell said the man had spoken truthfully, but Ihra¡¯s suspicions weren¡¯t entirely quelled. ¡°Then why do you want them? You¡¯re more than young enough to have children of your own.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± the man replied gruffly, but again the woman brushed his arm. ¡°Just tell them,¡± she entreated him. ¡°If it will make them agree, it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°Are you sure,¡± he asked, meeting her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you wanted people to know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± The smith dabbed at his forehead again with the handkerchief before continuing. ¡°The truth is, I think the lass may be mine. I¡¯m from Khiryat myself and¡­¡± he glanced awkwardly at his wife, ¡°When I was still my father¡¯s apprentice, Damqi?selen and I were courting." ¡°Damqi?selen?¡± Jasper interrupted. ¡°Aryah¡¯s mother,¡± he explained. ¡°After I completed my apprenticeship, I had to leave. I was my father¡¯s second son, and there just wasn¡¯t enough work in the village for three smiths, so I came here and met Is?ri?pa.¡± He flashed his wife a fond smile. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the only man Damqi?selen was seeing; she also went out with a few others, including that bastard Du?rs?am who eventually married her, so I¡¯m not certain I¡¯m the father, but the time, well.¡± He grimaced, ¡°The timing fits and her eyes, they''re like my mother¡¯s. I didn¡¯t even know Aryah existed, but when I saw her, I just¡­knew.¡± Ihra glanced at Jasper, the question obvious in her eyes, and he nodded. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± The anger melted off her face as she turned back to the smith and his wife. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for doubting you. I just¡­feared the worst.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll sign off on the adoption?¡± Is?ri?pa asked. ¡°As long as the children want to - and I think they do,¡± she added with a small smile, ¡°then, yes.¡± She fixed her eyes on the smith. ¡°But you need to tell her. Aryah likes you both, but she noticed the staring. If you don¡¯t tell her, she¡¯ll assume the worst too.¡± The smith grimaced and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. ¡°I hate to do that. What if I¡¯m wrong?¡± ¡°And if you are - would that change things,¡± Ihra questioned. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°I guess not. I don¡¯t want to leave Damqi?selen¡¯s children in an orphanage - no offense to you, Ammata.¡± The matron shook her head. ¡°I do my best, but I am no replacement for a home.¡± They talked a bit longer with their villagers before departing, and Jasper kept the spell running just in case there was any chance of deception, but he spotted nothing but sincerity from the man and his wife. Then they returned to the orphanage and Ihra spoke with the children again. She didn¡¯t break the man¡¯s secret, not technically, but she told the girl enough that Jasper guessed the poor smith would be hounded until he told the truth. And then, with the children¡¯s approval, the two signed the papers the guild had provided. On the way out, they stopped by the guild and registered the cards the guard had given them. Jasper doubted they were likely going to do much work for the guild in the future, but there was no point in getting it, just in case. It was still broad daylight in the sanctum when they reached the gates, but the darkness of night awaited them in the city beyond. There was no sign of Tsia or Erin, so they headed toward the market. Many of the stalls were already packed away for the day, but a few food stalls remained open, catering to the many workers who were on their way back home. Their friends weren¡¯t there either, and, despite asking around, none had seen them. ¡°Where do you think,¡± Jasper asked, as the two paused at the center of the plaza. ¡°Do you think they found an inn for the night?¡± Ihra swallowed the chewy chunks of monkey she¡¯d torn off the skewer before replying. ¡°Bet they went to the enclave?¡± ¡°Crap.¡± As soon as Jasper heard it, he knew she was right and, unfortunately, it was an hour away. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then.¡± The Elven Enclave From the street, Erin had been impressed by the size of the elven manor. It was at least as big as the football stadium back home, and that was before counting in the handful of stately pale towers that clustered around it like a forest of dead trees. There was something about the architecture that reminded him of the almost scifiesque appearance of the As?rukkat in S?adda?nu - a focus on clean lines, generous curves, and an almost spartan aesthetic - but the fact that the building appeared to be crafted from wood, even if it was a pale, ivory colored wood he¡¯d never seen before, ruined that vibe. There was simply nothing sci-fi about wood, after all. But Erin was quickly forced to reevaluate his opinion after following Tsia inside. After an hour of tediously working through the cramped tunnel of horrors, as he had dubbed the trapped secret passage, Tsia had bolted through the manor so quickly he had struggled to keep up, and what he saw only whetted his curiosity. Many of the rooms they passed through preserved the same spartan aesthetic as the facade. These enormous chambers, with ivory walls and floors paved with the whitest marble he¡¯d ever seen, were decorated with nothing save for a few sparse pieces of furniture and towering windows whose opaque glass filtered the sunlight into giant pillars of light. There was an austere beauty to them that he appreciated but, personally, he¡¯d much prefer a cozy couch and a big-screen TV. More elaborate chambers, however, were interspersed between the spartan ones. Their walls were decorated with vibrant frescoes and the trim gilt with pure gold and silver. They were only a shadow of their former glory, though, for their furnishings and contents had been mostly packed up and carted off when the elves departed. But what truly sparked Erin¡¯s sense of wonder was the slow trickle of realization that the building was far too large compared to what he¡¯d seen on the street. That trickle of realization became a flood when Tsia led him out of one of the spartan chambers into the outdoors. There was no sign of the city of Gis?-Izum. Instead, an overgrown meadow, the tall graze bobbing in an unseen breeze, stretched at least the length of a football field before tapering down to meet the waters of a deep blue lake. A delicate walkway, supported by hourglass-shaped pillars, snaked across the lake, connecting one side of the enclave to the other, but he was unable to tell if the far shore of the lake was also enclosed by the manor or lay open. ¡°No way.¡± Erin jerked to a stop and whipped his head back and forth between the chamber they''d just exited from, and the grassy prairie before them. ¡°The house seemed too big inside, but there is no way they fit all of this,¡± he waved his hands dramatically at the scene in front of him, ¡°in that. And where¡¯s the city? What is this - some kind of Tardis?¡± Tsia paused with an exasperated sigh and spun around. ¡°No, this is not a ¡®tardess,¡± whatever that is. And, of course, you can¡¯t see the city.¡± She pointed to her left where a few mountain peaks tipped their head above the manor¡¯s wall. ¡°Do those look like the same mountains?¡± Erin automatically turned to follow her gaze but was reminded immediately it was pointless. ¡°I don¡¯t know. One mountain looks pretty similar to the next,¡± he replied drily. The princess rolled her eyes. ¡°They are not the same mountains. We¡¯re not in Gis?-Izum any longer.¡± ¡°So we teleported?¡± He asked skeptically. ¡°More or less,¡± she agreed with a shrug. ¡°My mother and her kin aren¡¯t powerful enough to craft a true shard like the Sanctum, so they did the next best thing. The entrance to the manor is a portal that connects to wherever the enclave actually is.¡± His eyes swept over the meadow again, drinking in the stunning views of the azure lake. ¡°So if we¡¯re not in Gis?-Izum, where are we?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± she replied diffidently as she turned around and began walking again. ¡°Mother took me hunting outside the walls a few times, but I never saw any other settlements.¡± Erin jogged to catch up with her and slowed down as he reached her side. ¡°So we¡¯re just in the middle of nowhere?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± she agreed. For a moment, silence fell between the two, but Erin wasn¡¯t too fond of silence. Feeling the need to fill the void, he asked the question that had been bugging him from the beginning. ¡°So why exactly are we here? It looks like most of your mum¡¯s stuff has been cleared out, and it doesn¡¯t seem like anyone lives here any longer.¡± ¡°Did Jasper ever tell you about my mother,¡± she abruptly asked. ¡°Nah,¡± the scout replied with a shake of the head. ¡°Jasper¡¯s nice and all, but we aren¡¯t really¡­close, ya know?¡± She shot him an amused look. ¡°I had noticed you seem to avoid him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding him,¡± he quickly protested. ¡°I just-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t feel comfortable around nobility and you have an aversion to killing,¡± Tsia said calmly. ¡°Jasper doesn¡¯t talk much about his life before coming here, but I¡¯ve heard enough to make a few guesses. Your world doesn¡¯t have nobility like ours and killing is viewed much more negatively.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Erin scratched his head, ¡°Jasper has a more cavalier attitude than killing than I do, but I¡¯m slowly getting used to the idea that it¡¯s a necessity here. I''m not happy about it but it is what it is. It¡¯s not the killing, it''s the difference in rank between us that makes everything awkward. Somehow, even though we both came from the good old US of A, he¡¯s some sort of royalty here and I¡¯m just a lowly pleb. Besides,¡± he added, narrowing his eyes, ¡°what does this have to do with your mother?¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Tsia offered him a crooked grin. ¡°And here I thought you¡¯d forgotten that question.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t distract me that easily,¡± he shot back. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here very often, but when I did, my mother always had something special waiting for me. Right before she was banished, I had finally reached adulthood and my father had finally agreed to let me move in with her permanently, until¡­¡± Her voice grew husky, and she quickly dabbed at her eyes. ¡°Father hid her letter from me until she was too far away for me to join her, knowing I¡¯d chase after her, so I¡¯ve never even got to say goodbye. But I thought¡­maybe there¡¯d be something waiting for me here. I don¡¯t know,¡± she finished with a shrug, ¡°maybe there''ll be nothing, but since we were already in the city, I figured there¡¯s no harm in looking.¡± ¡°No offense, Tsia, but your dad seems like a dick,¡± Erin said with a frown. ¡°Pretty cruel to keep you from saying goodbye.¡± ¡°He was trying to protect me,¡± she defended him, albeit with a grimace. ¡°He thinks mother is going to get herself killed in the West and,¡± she hesitated a second before admitting, ¡°it''s my worst fear too. The last time any elves willing crossed the River was during the Desolyton, and then they were accompanied by the largest army the Empire has ever mustered. There''s a reason they don''t wander in the West, but¡­¡± Tsia forced a quick smile, ¡°My mother¡¯s always had a touch of foresight. She made a mistake in Als?arratu, but she¡¯s led her people well otherwise. If she thinks there¡¯s a safe place across the River, then she¡¯s probably right.¡± What¡¯s so bad about the West? Curiosity gnawed at him, but Erin knew it wasn¡¯t the right time to ask. Instead, he flashed her what he hoped was a comforting smile, and tried to change the subject. ¡°So you think she left something here? Do we have to search the whole compound or-¡° ¡°No,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that. We-¡± Tsia froze midstep, and he bumped into her. Despite being significantly smaller than him, the girl¡¯s body didn¡¯t even shudder, and it was he who was sent tumbling toward the ground. And as he fell, she leaped forward, a blade of wind springing to life between her nimble fingers. For a brief, stupid second, Erin thought she was attacking him, and then the object of her ire appeared. A blur of fur exploded out of the tall, coarse grass that filled the meadow, set on a collision path straight for him. The blade of wind intercepted the creature, sending it flying to the side, but with the agileness of a cat, it landed deftly on its paws and roared its defiance. Winds howled in a frenzy around her as Tsia spun to face their attacker, firing off two more blades in rapid succession as Erin clambered to his feet. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the great beast. The creature, which appeared to be more or less related to a cat, was large enough to make a lion look puny. Its shoulders alone must have been nearly fifteen feet off the ground, and its head was the size of a small car. Thick, shaggy fur covered its body, a nearly auburn color that reminded him of an orangutang, but it was the set of double fangs protruding from both its upper and lower jaws that truly caught his attention. Barely perturbed by Tsia¡¯s attack, the cat exploded toward them again. Not having time to form a more structured spell, she struck back with a massive, but completely uncontrolled column of wind. For a fraction of a second, it lifted the creature in the air, tearing away large chunks of its shaggy hair, and then with a shudder, the wind collapsed, allowing the cat to fall back into the grass unharmed, save for a rough new haircut. The cat roared again and flattened itself against the ground, but there was no sign the wind had damaged it. In the patches where it had lost its hair, the skin below was smooth and unbroken and - if Erin¡¯s eyes were to be believed - looked more like a carapace than something squishy. Tsia¡¯s hand wrapped around his, and Erin¡¯s arm nearly popped out of his shoulder, as she shot up into the air. The cat leaped toward them, and Erin feared he was about to become a chew toy, but its leap fell short. Dirt went flying as it landed in the meadow and charged after them. On the best of days, Tsia was not a skilled flier, and with the scout clinging on to her arm and unbalancing her, it was a futile task. They made it fifty feet before the winds failed to buoy them up, and they dropped back into the meadow. She rolled to her feet immediately, a bolt of lightning crackling between her fingers, and flung it toward the creature. This time, the spell did hurt it, but it wasn''t enough to stop its charge. She desperately tried to conjure a follow-up, but she failed to cast it before the creature was on top of her. Bolstered by the wind, she leapt above its head and landed ungracefully behind it. A burst of wind intercepted its downward strike as it spun toward her. Erin¡¯s hands shook as he drew his bow and took careful aim. The creature¡¯s attention was solely focused on Tsia by now and didn¡¯t even see the arrow coming its way and, yet, by pure chance, lurched to the side in the nick of time. But the second arrow proved the attempt pointless. It bounced off the cat¡¯s carapace with no visible signs of damage and got tangled up in the thick hair. Tossing the bow aside, Erin reached for his dagger and started sprinting toward the creature, before the absurdity of what he was doing hit him. If the arrow can¡¯t hurt it, I doubt this dagger¡¯s going to do anything. He paused momentarily, helpless to do anything but watch as Tsia danced between the creature¡¯s strikes. She was too fast for the creature to hit her, but her attacks weren¡¯t strong enough to do much damage. Only her lightning seemed to hurt it, but it was still little more than chip damage. If only I had wood. And that was when Erin realized he was an idiot. The whole damn compound is made of wood. He reached out with his essence toward the building and met with immediate resistance. The building understood him, but it didn¡¯t want to comply. He focused his attention on the little half-elf dodging the monster¡¯s blows, but the building still refused to listen. Screw it. Erin had reached his breaking point. With every shred of essence he possessed, he reached out and tore. With a crack like thunder, one of the pillars erupted from its base and rocketed toward the dancing foes. Tsia saw it and soared into the air a fraction of a second before the column reached her. The cat, on the other hand, failed to react in time. With a sound as loud as a trainwreck, the cat and the pillar flew across through the meadow. They landed in a spray of dirt, tearing a deep gouge in the soft loam, and did not come to a halt until they slammed into one of the enclave walls, sending a crack up the side of the building Time seemed to slow as Erin watched the wreckage, praying the beast was dead. His head was already throbbing from the onset of essence deprivation, and he was all he could do to keep standing. Please, please, please be dead. The pillar began to wobble, then rolled to the side as a battered paw rose into view. Crap. Little Eyes See All It had been a long time since Jasper had visited Aphora¡¯s manor, but the place looked much the same as he remembered it. While it may have been abandoned, it didn¡¯t look like it would be falling into ruin any time soon. I guess that¡¯s elven craftsmanship for you. The one thing that had changed, however, was the doors. While the manor hadn''t had any visible doors when they visited, the walls had opened up to let them enter, but they had no such luck now. It seemed that when the elves had left, they had sealed the entrances shut. The two circled around the manor, looking for another point of entry, but the enclave''s walls were unbroken by door or window. They were about ready to give up, and simply wait for Tsia and Erin to emerge, when Ihra noticed a small group of young boys watching them from across the streets. These were no orphans. Though they were probably not more than seven or eight, the lads were dressed in fine silks and velvets, and their little outfits came complete with wooden swords that dangled at their sides. The bloody noses, the black eyes, and the angry glares they shot at each other made it clear they¡¯d been caught in a scuffle, but the capricious youths had forgotten the fight in order to watch the strange man and woman jog around the elven enclave, knocking on the walls in the hopes of triggering a doorway. ¡°You¡¯re not going to get in that way!¡± One of them jeered. Jasper ignored their laughter, still focused on tracking down Tsia, but Ihra abandoned their fruitless efforts and walked toward the group of children. Two of the boys took off as she approached, but most remained, eyeing her with a mixture of curiosity and defiance. As she drew near, she pulled of the cap she was wearing, allowing the boys to see her sharp ears and small antlers. ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± she said amiably, addressing the boy who had called out to them. ¡°And I also think you might know a way in. Do you?¡± The boy held his ground, but he stared at her antlers with undisguised awe. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°And can you tell me,¡± she prodded carefully. The boy shot a quick glance at his peers and, finding the courage he needed to proceed, stuck out his chin. ¡°For a price,¡± he said, with a touch of defiance. ¡°For a price?¡± Ihra repeated with an exasperated sigh. ¡°We just want to find our friends. A girl with curly, brown hair and green eyes and a rather small man-¡± She frowned, realizing she couldn¡¯t think of anything particularly noteworthy about Erin, and continued lamely, ¡°carrying a bow. Did you see them come through here?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± the boy responded again with a shrug. She rolled her eyes but gave in. ¡°Fine. What do you want?¡± The boy didn¡¯t seem to have expected to get that far, so it took a second for him to come with a demand. After a whispered convocation with his friends, he pointed at Keresh, who was tied up near the front of the enclave. ¡°We want your mount!¡± Ihra burst out laughing. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you greedy little boys? The information isn¡¯t that valuable.¡± She stood up and started to walk away. ¡°Wait,¡± a small hand slipped around hers and tugged. ¡°Can we just take a ride on the stag,¡± he pleaded. ¡°That might be possible,¡± she replied with a twinkle in her eye, ¡°but only if you tell me where you saw my friends, and how to follow them.¡± With the deal struck, they wasted half an hour guiding the young boys up and down the street on Keresh¡¯s back, and when every boy had had the chance to ride, the children led them to the alley. ¡°We saw ¡®em go down there,¡± the ringleader explained. ¡°The man split the bushes with a wave of his hand and then they disappeared!¡± ¡°And that¡¯s all you saw,¡± Ihra questioned. ¡°You didn¡¯t see them come out?¡± The boy shook his head, and Ihra let them go. The children retreated to the far side of the road again, where they watched as Jasper and Ihra began beating at the bushes. ¡°You sure they weren¡¯t just pulling your leg,¡± Jasper griped as they reached the halfway point without finding a hint of the supposed hidden entrance. ¡°They might have just conned us out of some free rides.¡± His friend shrugged. ¡°Maybe, but I don¡¯t think so. Did you see the way that boy was looking at me?¡± ¡°He was looking at you with puppy-dog eyes,¡± Jasper agreed. ¡°I guess it¡¯s that famous elf charm at work. But still, I think he saw a sucker¡­actually,¡± he paused a moment as he pried the bush he was currently manhandling far enough to one side to catch a glimpse of light behind it. ¡°There''s something here.¡± Though they lacked Erin¡¯s wood magic, between the two of them, it was easy enough to hack through the dense foliage and emerge into the small clearing beyond, where a trapdoor was propped open above a narrow shaft. ¡°I guess the boys were telling the truth after all,¡± he admitted. ¡°I told you they were ¨C how could you doubt my charms,¡± Ihra replied, with mock hurt. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯ll never doubt you again,¡± he vowed lightheartedly, ¡°but you are a bit of a softie when it comes to kids. They could probably rob you blind as long as they can pull on your heartstrings.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she allowed with a smile, ¡°but I was right this time.¡± ¡°You were,¡± he agreed distractedly, eyeing the dark shaft with a distaste. He wasn¡¯t claustrophobic, but that didn¡¯t mean he was fond of tight squeezes in the bowels of the earth. No point in putting it off, though. Fortunately, the narrow passage rapidly opened up into the tunnel Tsia and Erin had walked through. The tunnel sprung into view as Jasper let a trickle of flame run down his hand. The place looked like a war scene. The walls and floor were scorched, the statues lay shattered in pieces, and nearly all of the green lanterns had been damaged beyond repair. ¡°Looks like Tsia was in a hurry. Typical,¡± he added with a chuckle, pointing to the open door on the far side. ¡°But there''s no blood and no bodies, so I guess they got through alright.¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± A shadow of worry flickered across her face, ¡°those are some pretty serious traps, and they¡¯ve been in the manor quite a while. Do you think something further in got them?¡± ¡°I hope not,¡± he replied with a grimace, ¡°but there¡¯s only one way to know. Ready?¡± He asked, nodding toward the devastated passage. They proceeded through the tunnel cautiously, just in case any remaining traps hadn¡¯t been triggered, but reached the other side safely. From there, they found a staircase that led up into the elven manor. Jasper didn¡¯t recognize the chamber the stairs opened into, but that was hardly surprising. Though he¡¯d visited the manor a handful of times, it had been staffed at the time by a sizeable population of elves, and he¡¯d been accompanied everywhere he went. The chamber was a beautiful one, with high vaulted ceilings and giant windows that flooded the room with the slightly orange light of a waning day. But the floors were made of solid marble, and despite the lack of any maids to care for it, there was a complete absence of dust to indicate which way their friends had gone, nor were than any doors in the wall. Pausing, he glanced at Ihra. ¡°Any clue where they might have gone, O Mighty Ranger?¡± She snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not a ranger, just an archer. And no, I don''t see any tracks to follow. Maybe one of these walls will open up as we get close?¡± she offered. As if the house was listening to her words, the wall on the left-hand side suddenly slid open, but no one walked through. Jasper took a half step forward and craned his head to see better. ¡°Uh, Tsia? You out there?¡± There was no reply, nor did Jasper spy anyone on the other side. The two exchanged a glance, and then he shrugged. ¡°Maybe the house is enchanted?¡± ¡°Or haunted,¡± Ihra replied darkly, but with no other leads, there was nothing to do but investigate it. As they passed through the wall, Jasper kept a spell handy, just in case someone was trying to lead them into a trap, but there was nothing on the other side except another empty room. They¡¯d barely taken a few steps into the room before the wall on the opposite opened up. ¡°Seems like someone¡¯s trying to lead us somewhere. Hopefully, it¡¯s trying to help, not kill us¡± he added darkly. They passed through one room after the other, most of them stripped bare of whatever belongings they had had. It was a little sad, Jasper thought, to see the formerly enclave bereft of life, and his thoughts wandered to Aphora. He couldn¡¯t understand the visceral fear Tsia had of the West, but he hoped the elves were safe. Despite what Aphora had done, he thought she was a mostly good person, just one had made a mistake and paid for it. But his musings were interrupted as the wall in front of them slid open to reveal a large meadow with a lake in the background. An angry roar reverberated through the room, followed by the crack of thunder as a bolt of lightning hit something in the meadow. Much of the meadow was ravaged and torn, and the delicate bridge above the lake was partially collapsed, with one of its pillars somehow transported to the meadow. It took a second for him to locate Tsia, her form little larger than an ant from this distance, and he squinted, struggling to discern what she was fighting against. It was only then he finally spied the monstrous beast crouching in the tall, browned grass, and a second to her right that was slowly circling her, occasionally pausing to lick a wounded paw. He didn¡¯t see Erin. The two sprung into action without a word, instinctively divvying up the targets; Jasper headed for the larger of the two beasts, while Ihra whipped out her bow and began targeting the wounded one. He paused just long enough to press his hands against her shoulder, casting spectral wings on her, and then took off toward Tsia. As he ran, he cast the spell a second time and, stumbling briefly as the wings unfurled, soared into the air. As he crossed the space between them in a flash, Jasper whipped his glaive out of his bag and, casting Seraph Burst, aimed himself toward the nearest of the cats. It didn¡¯t see him coming, and he hit it with a thunderous crack as the armored carapace protecting its neck cracked beneath the icy frost of his glaive. He pulled it back, readying for a second blow, but he didn''t get the chance. Given the size and bulk of the beast, Jasper wasn¡¯t prepared for the lightning speed with which the creature spun and batted him aside, just like a cat tossing a toy. A plume of dirt rose into the sky as he landed in the soft loam of the meadow, burying him a few inches into the ground. Lightning cracked again as the beast returned its attention to Tsia, and, rolling to his feet, Jasper darted back into the sky. This time, the stone cat saw him coming and whirled to meet him. He deftly dodged beneath its paws and raked his glaive across its chest, but without the extra force provided by Seraph Burst, his blow did little more than scratch the carapace. The moment of distraction, though, had given Tsia an opportunity. Ascending into the air shakily, she targeted the cracked armor plate on its neck with a veritable pillar of wind. Her winds might not have been strong enough to crush the armored shell on their own, but they had no problem slicing through the fleshy husk below. The beast froze as nerves and bone were snapped and, as its momentum drove it to the ground, Jasper dove for the kill. His spectral whip lashed out, slicing through the exposed wound. Howling screams filled the air as he passed, and Jasper left the hungry ghosts to their feast. Soaring back into the sky, he paused above the field and searched for the second beast. It was easy enough to find, as it lay on its side whining, frantically licking at two severed front paws, which still glowed slightly with the burning light of Executioner¡¯s Arrow. Ihra was crouched on top of the downed beast, hacking at its neck with Aphora¡¯s old misericorde, each blow drawing a spray of blood. It wouldn''t be a quick death, but it was a certain one, and Jasper left her to it, not wanting to steal a share of her experience. Besides, he had other things to worry about. He staggered as a body hit him at full speed, and a pair of thin arms wrapped around him. ¡°Thank Selene you came! How did you even find us?¡± ¡°I, uh, think the house helped us.¡± The Forgotten Clan Want to lend a hand?Aphora read the note left beside her nightstand with a mixture of annoyance and amusement.Below the brief message was a familiar sigil, and he¡¯d even included a bit of bribery.A delicate platinum ring bedazzled with sparkling crystals in the shape of a bird in flight dangled from a string embedded in the wax sigil. She pulled it free and placed it on her finger.To no surprise, it was a perfect fit.Aphora reread the brief note, annoyed at the lack of even a hint of what he wanted, and debated whether or not she¡¯d accept.She still didn¡¯t entirely trust the Sidhe; a part of her feared that this was all some long, twisted con on his part, that as soon as she let herself trust him, he¡¯d kill her like all the elves he¡¯d slaughtered in the ancient wars.But he¡¯d had plenty of chances to hurt her, and he hadn¡¯t done so yet.No, what he¡¯d done had been far more enjoyable.A slight flush tinged her cheek, and Aphora knew she¡¯d made her decision. She couldn¡¯t just disappear, however.Her tasks as queen were numerous, and Qas?pa needed looking after.So she spent much of the morning getting her affairs in order.She had breakfast with Qas?pa, and spent an hour tutoring in her magic, before pawning her off to Qas?pa¡¯s second-favorite elf, ¡®Limmy,¡¯ who had slowly resigned himself to the child¡¯s nickname.Then she tore through the most pressing matters of the day, dealing with a dispute between the new temple and the Fey, before assigning the rest to Torin.Only then did she retreat to her room, and pull out the letter to activate the sigil. As she pumped essence into the sigil, the arcane symbol glowed a vibrant yellow, and the scent of summer flowers and the lingering promise of rain diffused through the room.The air wavered before her eyes and miniature bolts of lightning arced back and forth between the floor and the ceiling, slowly solidifying into a golden door of light.She yanked it open and stepped through to the now familiar hall of the Sidhe. Imh?ullu wasn¡¯t waiting for her at the entrance, but she had a good idea of where he¡¯d be.She paused in her steps a moment, though, to gaze at the desolate city below.Every time she saw the seemingly endless expanse of steel and glass and towers of unimaginable height, speckled here and there with fragments of light, she wondered what was left out there.The infrequent lights seemed to indicate that some light remained in the city, but Imh?ullu had never spoken of it, and it was one subject she was afraid to bring up with him.The loss of his people must have been a heavy burden, and she knew the elves bore a significant part of the blame.Even if it was deserved. After a few minutes, she tore her gaze away from the broken city and continued down the dimly lit halls of the Sidhe¡¯s mansion - or facility, as he called it.She didn¡¯t see the face that briefly manifested outside the window, a face whose features drooped like melting wax and eyes clouded over. She found Imh?ullu in his throne room.A cathedral of black metal and silver glass, with stately pillars rising four flights above the floor, the ancient hall must once have been capable of holding thousands, but now contained a single soul.The Sidhe was hunched over the large steel table, above which floated the map of light he¡¯d shown her once or twice before, his brows furrowed in such concentration that he didn¡¯t notice as she approached him. Aphora almost tapped him on the shoulder but thought better of it.He¡¯d never acted violently toward her, but he was a hardened warrior, and long-ingrained instincts were not easy to suppress.Instead, she cleared her throat and waited for him to look up. The lines of care eased away as he met her gaze, and offered a crooked grin.¡°Just couldn¡¯t stay away, could ya?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who sent for me,¡± she replied primly. ¡°Details, details,¡± the man replied with a wave of his hand and leaned over to her.She was a bit surprised when he planted a kiss on her lips, but it wasn¡¯t an unwelcome surprise.His hands wrapped around her, and she wriggled out of his grasp, breaking free of the kiss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong,¡± he asked with a bit of pout. ¡°Dessert comes after dinner,¡± she shot back.¡°Didn¡¯t you have something real you wanted to see me about?¡± Imh?ullu sighed dramatically.¡°Fine.If you insist,¡± he turned back to the floating map, ¡°I did have a little mission I thought you might be interested in.What do you know about elves in the West?¡± Aphora stiffened.¡°Is this some sort of a joke?You know as well as I do that your kind slaughter any who dare cross the River.¡± ¡°So testy,¡± he replied with a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes.¡°Have you taken a look at the remnants of my city recently?Your people send their regards.¡± ¡°I-¡± she flushed and looked away.¡°Obviously, there¡¯s been wrongs on both sides.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he agreed smoothly, ¡°but you¡¯re clearly misinformed on some counts.While it is true that most elves that venture West are slain by my former compatriots, not all of the Sidhe agree on how the elves should be punished.Some feel a life of servitude is more a fitting punishment than the sweet release of death.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Do you mean¡­there are living elves in the West?¡± She asked slowly. ¡°Enslaved elves, but yes.¡±He pointed to the map where four settlements were highlighted in gold.¡°Bara?ru is too far away for us to easily reach, but we might just be able to liberate Il-aba?t and Du?r-Ad?.My colleagues there are¡­well, let¡¯s just say they¡¯re not what they once were,¡± he finished, his voice dripping with scorn. She examined the map closer, noting the two settlements he pointed to would likely take several months of travel, although it wouldn¡¯t surprise her if the Sidhe had some method to speed it up.Bara?ru, on the other hand, was almost as far from Arall?¡¯s portal as one end of the empire to the next.Forgetting the map was nothing but an illusion, she tapped ineffectively on the fourth settlement, which was only slightly further than Du?r-Ad?.¡°And what about this one?¡± ¡°Oh, that,¡± he replied dismissively.¡°The ruler of Barag is an odd duck.He¡¯s been collecting wayward elves for millennia, but don¡¯t worry he keeps them perfectly safe.He¡¯s locked in a bit of a perpetual war with Il-aba?t and Du?r-Ad?.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®perfectly safe¡¯?Do you mean-¡± she broke off, not daring to hope. ¡°After the war, Abru had a breakdown and started going on and on about ¡®karma¡¯ and whatnot.He¡¯s formed a little sanctuary for the elves in Barag.¡± ¡°You mean there¡¯s an elven settlement to the west of us?¡±She asked incredulously.It flew in the face of everything she knew, but Aphora had to admit that no elves, save for her, had dared cross the River in so long it was effectively completely uncharted territory. ¡°No, there¡¯s a Sidhe settlement that happens to accept elves,¡± he replied patiently.¡°But they¡¯re doing fine for the moment.I thought you might be interested in freeing the ones in Il-aba?t and Du?r-Ad?.¡± She tore her gaze away from Barag¡¯s symbol to focus on the two enemy settlements.¡°There really are elves there?¡± ¡°Thousands upon thousands,¡± he replied with a grin.¡°You could turn your settlement into a real city.¡± ¡°Assimilating large groups of people is not an easy task,¡± she countered.¡°If they refuse to listen, it could jeopardize the safety of my entire settlement.¡± ¡°It could,¡± he agreed, ¡°but do you really want to leave all those elves to suffer.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s necessary to save my people, I would.¡±Her eyes narrowed.¡°What¡¯s your interest in this?¡± He shrugged.¡°Can¡¯t a guy want to help his beau?¡± Her eyebrows jumped up.¡°His beau?¡± Imh?ullu grabbed her hand and, for a moment, he let her see beyond the carefree mask he wore, to a being of unfathomable age and power.In that moment she remembered she stood in the presence of a god.¡°Abru isn¡¯t the only one to regret what happened in the war,¡± he said simply.¡°My people were all but wiped out and I care little for the barbarians who whisper my name.I cannot bring back the dead and, unlike your gods, I am not gifted with the ability to raise a new race from the rocks of the field, but I dream of starting something new.A new people, a new order, with you at my side.¡± Aphora rarely found herself at a loss for her words, but she stared at him thunderstruck.¡°I-we were just having fun, weren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t and I think, if you were honest, you¡¯d have to admit you weren¡¯t either,¡± the Sidhe replied. She shook her head, refusing to believe what he said.¡°Why me?I¡¯m an elf, for Selene¡¯s sake, a sworn enemy.¡± The seriousness in his face melted into an amused grin.¡°Do you usually sleep with your enemies?¡± ¡°Well, no,¡± she spluttered, ¡°but-¡± ¡°I was your people¡¯s enemy,¡± he cut her off gently, ¡°Millennia before you were born, but I have not been in a long time.I admit, I haven¡¯t been as proactive as I could have been.Despite my regrets about the past, I do not wish to go to war with my kind and wipe out what few of us remain, but I have long pondered the idea of trying to create something new.I simply hadn¡¯t found the right person til now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re serious,¡± she finally realized, her speech a statement rather than a question. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°But these people,¡± she turned back to the table with the highlighted settlements, not giving him an answer to his proposition.¡°If these elves have suffered for so long, can we save them?¡± ¡°It will not be easy,¡± he agreed, ¡°but if we are to build a true city, we need more people, and I think you will find that these elves still have fire in their bellies.¡± ¡°Fire in their bellies,¡± she replied dryly.¡°Just when I was thinking you were starting to understand us.Ice in their veins would be more appropriate.¡± He chuckled lightly.¡°These elves are not quite what you¡¯re expecting.Most of them are descendants of a tribe your people have all but forgotten, a kingdom that once dwelt beyond the river.Their magic, as it happens, is fire.¡± ¡°Is?s?am??¡± She asked quietly, enjoying the look of surprise that blossomed on his face. ¡°So you¡¯ve heard of them?¡± ¡°Barely,¡± she admitted.¡°But I have¡­had,¡± she corrected herself, remembering she had given it away to Jasper, ¡°a relic that contained the spirit of an elf who could use fire.He never wanted tospeak to me, but I gleaned the name from his shadow.¡± ¡°It was the elves of Is?s?am? that bore the brunt of the war, but their people yet survive,¡± Imh?ullu explained.¡°They will not submit to force, but I believe they might just follow the one who saves them.¡± Minutes ticked by as Aphora pondered the map in silence, the only sound in the ancient hall the click of her fingernails against the metal table.¡°Okay,¡± she finally said.¡°Maybe I¡¯m interested.¡± ¡°In the elves, or in me?¡±Imh?ullu questioned. She met his eyes calmly and offered him a guilty smile.¡°I¡¯m a damned fool for even thinking of it, but¡­¡± He bent down to kiss her and this time she melted against him.She was surprised, therefore, when a second later he pulled away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A slight smirk rested on his lips.¡°Is there something you forgot to tell me?It is mine, isn¡¯t it?" A Parting Gift Tsia held on another moment, squeezing him so tightly his ribs hurt, and Jasper patted her on the back awkwardly. ¡°Glad you¡¯re alright.¡± He glanced around the meadow, not wanting to ask the question, but he saw no sign of the scout. ¡°And Erin? Did he, uh, not make it?¡± She released him instantly and spun around with a cry of dismay. ¡°Oh no. He didn¡¯t get hurt, did he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see him, is all,¡± Jasper replied hesitantly. ¡°He passed out after hurling the pillar,¡± the princess said distractedly, scanning the ruins of the tall grass for the scout. ¡°He¡¯s the one who tore that pillar off its foundations?!¡± Jasper asked incredulously. ¡°I assumed you had done that?¡± ¡°No, he did, but he pushed himself too far and he passed out from essence deprivation. I just hope one of them didn¡¯t¡­step on him,¡± she added with a grimace. The three fanned out and began searching through the tall grass. Much of it had been mowed down by Tsia¡¯s wind blades or the vicious trampling of the mighty beasts, but there were sections that were nearly untouched and it was in one of those where Jasper was relieved to the scout curled up in a ball. Erin was unconscious, and his brow wreathed with sweat, but he was otherwise unharmed. After a few bursts of Circle of Forgiveness and greedily guzzling an entire flagon of water, the scout was back on his feet ¨C albeit with a crushing headache. It was only then that Jasper rounded on Tsia. ¡°What you were thinking, coming here by yourselves? The two of you almost died.¡± ¡°How was I supposed to know that monsters had moved in,¡± she spluttered defensively, her fists balling up against her sides. ¡°The manor was sealed up tight. It should have been empty.¡± As much as Jasper wanted to disagree, he knew she had a point. While it had been foolish to disappear without telling them where she was going, given the available information, it hadn¡¯t been that reckless ¨C he¡¯d certainly done worse. He sighed deeply, releasing the bubble of anxiety and exasperation that had been roiling in his gut, and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re both right,¡± he continued more calmly. ¡°Next time, if you want to investigate somewhere, just tell me. I¡¯m sure Ihra and I will be more than happy to help you. Even if you don¡¯t want us to come,¡± he added, understanding that the girl might want to visit her mother¡¯s place alone, ¡°at least we¡¯d know where to look for you.¡± Her hands relaxed, and Tsia nodded her head. ¡°Fine. I just¡­I thought we could be in and out before you finished with the guild. But then I couldn¡¯t remember all the traps, and then there were those beasts,¡± she spoke the word with a grimace of disgust, ¡°and it all went belly up.¡± He nodded with understanding and turned his eye back to the building that encircled them. ¡°What are you even looking for? If it¡¯s not a secret, that is,¡± he added. The princess shrugged. ¡°I thought my mother might have left something. Plus¡­I guess I just wanted to see the place one last time. I used to love coming here. Getting away from the court and my stepmother¡¯s constant intrigues,¡± she said bitterly. ¡°This was the one place she couldn¡¯t touch me, but with my mother gone and the war¡­¡± She trailed off, her lips twitching sadly before continuing. ¡°This is probably the last time I¡¯ll ever see it,¡± she finished. Thoughts of home flashed through Jasper¡¯s mind, and he understood. He didn¡¯t exactly miss his apartment back home, and he¡¯d never had a steady place in childhood, but he did miss Earth. He¡¯d done a good job of sealing away the major things, of shoving them into a box in the farthest corners of his mind that he never, ever opened, but it was the little things that usually got him. The sudden craving for a bowl of ice cream. Remembering a show he¡¯d never see again. The red leaves outside Gis?-Izum that reminded him so of the fall spectacular. With a concerted effort, he slammed the door shut on the memories and, clearing his throat, flashed her a forced smile. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s make this the best last visit ever. I¡¯ll be curious to see what this place is like without a bunch of elves escorting me around like a bunch of riff-raff from the street.¡± ¡°And this was the kitchen,¡± Tsia spun around to face them, as she led the group into the next room. Even without a tour guide, Jasper could have guessed the purpose of the room, but he was surprised by the sheer scale of the operation. The former kitchen was nearly a hundred feet in length and sturdy stone ovens occupied two full walls. Enormous stone tables dominated the center of the room where the maids had once prepared the food, but that was all that was that remained in the room ¨C everything smaller had been carted off by the elves. ¡°How many did this place serve?¡± Ihra asked, voicing the question he¡¯d been thinking. Tsia hummed thoughtfully before responding. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. Most of my mother¡¯s people only lived in the enclave for a small portion of the year, and otherwise came and went. But when we had really big feasts, there must have been thousands of us.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. She walked over to one of the massive tables and leaned against it. ¡°Whenever I woke up in the night, I¡¯d sneak down here. The maids would already be cooking breakfast, and they¡¯d always have something set aside for me.¡± She smiled wistfully. ¡°They made the best pastries I¡¯ve ever had, full of cinnamon and butter and topped with the sweetest erimtu berries.¡± She fell into silence, her hand lingering on the table, until Jasper finally prodded her. ¡°Are there any more places you want to show us?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Just the two I¡¯ve been avoiding, and I¡¯d¡­I¡¯d like to go by myself.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting if you need us.¡±
Tsia left the three waiting in the kitchen and ascended the great spiral stairs that led up to the living chambers. She¡¯d already taken through most of the hall, but she¡¯d skipped two rooms ¨C her mother¡¯s and her own. She started with her mother¡¯s room, but it was wholly empty. The ornate bed and desk that had once filled the room was gone, with no trace of its existence left save for a few scratches on the otherwise pristine floor. Nothing else remained in the room other than the frescoes on the wall. She paused to examine them one last time, her eyes slightly watery as she gazed at the familiar scenes of her mother¡¯s favorite story, the tale of Ayya?lu¡¯s lost love. Her hand reached out to stroke the gilded stag, and she froze as she felt a presence brush past her, before disappearing once again. ¡°Lord Ayya?lu,¡± she whispered to herself and bowing her head, she recited a short cant of praise. Then, after a final lingering glance, she shut the door and walked down the hall until she reached her old room. She hesitated outside the room, almost afraid to open it up. Tsia had truly believed her mother would leave something behind for her, but thus far she¡¯d found nothing. This was her final chance and a small part of her wanted to walk away ¨C preferring to nurture the hope that something was there over the finality of discovering nothing. But she was no coward. Her hand wrapped around the door and she swung it open. An immediate wave of relief hit her as she saw she¡¯d guessed correctly. Most of her room had been packed up like the others. Her canopy bed, with its sumptuous silk sheets and thick down comforter, was long gone, as was her precious collection of books. Only a simple chair and desk remained, on which sat a small box and a folded letter. She half-ran to the desk, and sinking into the chair, shoved the box aside and picked up the letter. Her hands shook as she broke the wax seal and unfolded the parchment. My little sapling, I have no doubt that sooner or later you will find this letter and I hope you have not encountered much trouble along the way. Now that I am gone, I fear the gerrabnu will turn this place into their den; the troublesome beasts always were able to sneak through our seals somehow. Did you follow my wish in the last letter? Despite my many requests, the edekku? refuse to show me if you will join Jasper on his journey or go your own way, but as before, they promise that if you follow him, he shall lead you to me. With that hope, I stand firm in the belief that this is not a goodbye, and I have taken with me all your possessions so that when you find me, your room will be waiting and ready. But I have left one thing behind, the gift I planned to give you on your 18th. Of all the many expeditions I took to Als?arratu, this was the only artifact of my mother¡¯s that I was able to retrieve. May it be yours and your daughter''s as it was mine. Setting the letter aside, Tsia grabbed the box and pulled it closer. She hesitated a moment before her curiosity won out, and she tore the lid open. Inside sat a single bracer. Made of platinum, the bracer looked more like a piece of jewelry, beset with numerous deep blue sapphires and delicate scrollwork that revealed much of the arm below. The bracer was not alone, though. Instead, it was held in the grasp of a small platinum statue of Ayya?lu. The statue felt warm to the touch as she lifted out of the box and set it on the table, and Tsia could swear she saw light glint in its ruby eyes. An accompanying note tumbled out, and she picked it up. This was one of the most prized possessions our ancestors brought when they left Onkodos Laos. The bracer was once part of a set that provided both an offensive attack and a powerful shield, but sadly only the shield remains. While you have the Bracer of Sardu?, Ayya?lu¡¯s blessing rests upon you, protecting you from most elemental attacks. It does not require any essence of yours to maintain, nothing save for a heart of honest devotion. The true blessing of Sardu?, however, is one I hope you never need. For each devotee that bears the bracer, Ayya?lu guarantees a single resurrection. Wear it every day, little sapling, and pray each night to the Great Stag, that it may bring you safely to me. Tears stained the desk as Tsia mounted the bracer on her arm. It was a bit too big at first, but the bracer adjusted on its own to her size, tightening around her muscles. Then she bowed her head to the statue, offering another prayer to Lord Ayya?lu, before placing that in her bag. She dried her eyes and took one last look around the room, but there was nothing more. Then she descended the stairs. When Tsia reappeared, the red puffiness of her eyes betrayed what she¡¯d been doing, but Jasper didn¡¯t point it out. ¡°Did you find what you¡¯re looking for?¡± He asked gently, and the girl nodded. ¡°More than I expected.¡± She didn¡¯t seem keen to share, but it was hard not to notice the new piece of jewelry adorning her arm. It was a bit flashy, and he worried for a moment about thieves trying to take it until he realized how silly that was. Anyone stupid enough to try to steal from Tsia would likely lose their arm, if not their lives. ¡°So, are you ready to go?¡± Tsia nodded distractedly, running a gentle finger down the delicate bracer. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good. And¡­¡± she dragged the word out for a moment before continuing. ¡°Thanks. For coming, and for not asking about it.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Return to Hargish They spent the night in Gis?-Izum and loaded up on provisions before heading out of the city. From Gis?-Izum, the next settlement of any size was Hargish, nearly three weeks away. From the gossip they¡¯d picked up in the market, Tsia¡¯s father had begun the process of rebuilding the city, but it was unclear whether they¡¯d be able to purchase more provisions there or not. Thus, in addition to more savory provisions, they also bought a considerable quantity of hard tack, jerky, and plain oatmeal that Jasper hoped they wouldn¡¯t actually be forced to choke down before departing from the city. For the first five days, they passed through the many villages, hamlets, and minor farmsteads that dotted the countryside around Gis?-Izum. Spring had finally arrived, and though the night air was still quite cool, the daytime rose to a pleasant 60 nearly every day. Better yet, all but one of the nights they found a tavern in which to crash, avoiding the unpleasantness of spending a night in the dirt with a lackluster meal. Their luck changed, though, when they began their descent from the elevated plateau on which Gis?-Izum sat into the jungles waiting below. Like many of the southern provinces, Sapi?ya had been devastated by the Fey Wars, particularly in its eastern half. The population of Gis?-Izum had been preserved by the Sanctum, allowing it to survive largely unscathed, and its geographical location at the gateway between the Djinn kingdom and the rest of the Empire had allowed it to prosper, but the rest of the eastern half of the province had never recovered. Hargish, which was closer to the capital of the province than to Gis?-Izum, had been the only other settlement of any size. The rest of the eastern half of Sapi?ya was largely unsettled wilderness. Only the roads remained, maintained by the regular marching of the empire¡¯s troops, and a myriad of ruins long since swallowed up by the jungle. The only signs of habitation for the next two weeks were a handful of small army outposts, but they were not permitted to spend the night there. Instead, they camped along the roadside, occasionally joining forces with merchants or small troops of soldiers, but most frequently by themselves. Only when three weeks had passed did they reach the outskirts of Hargish. Jasper had a sour pit in his stomach as they approached the fallen city. There were too many memories there and few of them were pleasant ¨C from being kicked out by the guild to inadvertently having played a role in the city¡¯s eventual destruction. Though it had been nearly a year since the undead queen had ransacked the settlement, the signs of devastation were still abundant. At least half of the fertile fields that had previously encircled the old city now lay fallow and overgrown, and many of the former hamlets had been reduced to burnt husks. Signs of restoration were visible in the city itself, though. The former walls, which Jasper remembered as being rather short and unimpressive, had been reduced to rubble by the undead swarm. Yet, in just a few short months, a large portion of the city was once again enclosed by a solid stone curtain that was nearly three times as high as its predecessor. A more sobering reminder of the rebuild, though, was the massive earthen mound that crouched outside the city gates. A mass grave for the many who had fallen, the Sapi?yan army was already hard at work constructing a temple at its summit to honor the dead, but its sheer size was a horrifying reminder of how many had died. In truth, Jasper would have preferred to avoid the city altogether, but if Gis?-Izum had been the place Tsia considered home, then Hargish, for all its flaws, was Ihra¡¯s. ¡°You sure you want to spend the night there?¡± he asked Ihra one more time. ¡°The food hasn¡¯t been that awful, and we¡¯ve got plenty to spare. And,hell, if you want, I¡¯ll do the cooking tonight, even if it isn¡¯t my turn on the rotation.¡± After their conversation around the campfire, Jasper had made good on his promise to cook for them, and while he was not quite as skilled over a bonfire as he was in a modern kitchen, he had proven himself to be the best of the four at cooking. His stuff wasn¡¯t quite good, but it was decidedly edible. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± In the aftermath of Hargish¡¯s destruction, Jasper remembered how obsessed Ihra had been with searching for the survivors, hoping against hope to find her sister-in-law and her niblings alive. She¡¯d found no signs of them, dead or alive, and eventually had been forced to stop, but he knew she¡¯d always nurtured a faint hope that they had survived. ¡°Are you sure you want to know?¡± he asked. ¡°You might not like the answer you find¡­" Ihra gnawed on her lower lip unhappily but nodded her head. ¡°I have to know. If I don¡¯t look, it will eat at me forever.¡± ¡°Then it sounds like we¡¯re stopping in Hargish,¡± he agreed. While the city''s hinterlands had barely begun their recovery, Hargish itself was once again bustling. It seemed that in addition to the city¡¯s surviving population, the king had sent a large contingent of soldiers and settlers to repopulate the settlement. Things were not quite back to normal yet, though. After passing through the gates, Jasper found himself in the formerly bustling marketplace. A handful of stalls still displayed merchandise for sale, but few buyers were browsing their wares. Instead, the vast majority of citizens were lined up at two stalls operated by soldiers ¨C one offering food and the other provisions, courtesy of the king. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. There was little point in browsing the empty marketplace, so they headed for an inn. It proved an easy search, as one of the old taverns overlooking the market had survived the queen¡¯s rampage. After stashing their goods in the tavern and their mounts in the stable, Jasper turned to Ihra. ¡°So where are we headed?¡±
Ihra had thought she was past the deaths of her niece and nephew. She would always feel a touch of melancholic sadness when she thought of them, but those thoughts rarely came to her any longer, and she truly believed she had moved past them. All it took was her first glimpse of the walls of Hargish to realize she¡¯d been lying to herself. Hargish was the site of most of her worst memories, but it was also the site of most of her best ¨C at least of those that didn¡¯t include Jasper. Memories of picnicking with her parents, of roughhousing with her brother, of her first, surreptitious kiss. But worst of all, when she saw the city being rebuilt, was the wild flush of hope that swelled up in her heart at the thought that maybe, just maybe, they could have survived. She knew it was probably nonsense; she¡¯d worn herself to the bone searching for them, but hope could not be so easily denied. After a moment¡¯s consideration, she finally replied. ¡°Do you mind if I go by myself? I just¡­if I find what I think I¡¯ll find, I¡¯d rather be alone.¡± Understanding flooded Jasper¡¯s face, and he nodded pertly. ¡°No problem. If you want me, just let me know. Otherwise-¡± after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he continued, ¡°maybe I¡¯ll pay a visit to the guild.¡± She cocked her head in surprise. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s wise after the way things ended?¡± His eyes tightened with anger. ¡°The guild master tried to have us killed, Ihra. At the time, I was glad to have just dodged a bullet, but now?¡± For a brief second, he let a flicker of flame run down his fingers, ¡°Now I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re stronger than he was. I don¡¯t know if he survived the attack or not, but if he did, I¡¯d like to have a little chat.¡± Ihra understood his anger, but this town, for all its flaws, was her home. Or at least, it used to be. ¡°Talk to him if you want, but don¡¯t kill him unless you have to. The guild may have screwed us over, but they do a lot of good work and, right now, the city needs them,¡± she beseeched him. His eyes lightened, and he flashed her a quick smile. ¡°You¡¯re acting like I¡¯m some kind of murder-hobo but if it makes you feel better, I promise I have no intention of burning the guild to the ground or anything like that.¡± It did make her feel better and she nodded her head in thanks, before heading out to see if the remains of her family had ever been found. Before the attack, she would have headed toward the northern quarter, where the city¡¯s administrative complex had been built around the manor of the city¡¯s lord, Lady Marata?nu, but she knew that the entire area had been reduced to rubble. So, instead, she stopped by the stalls the soldiers were operating in the marketplace and, choosing the one with the shortest line, waited for her turn. It was already midday and most of the city¡¯s residents had taken shelter from the worst of the heat, so the line was not very long. As she reached the table, the bored soldier barely glanced up before holding his hand. ¡°Citizen token?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one-¡± she started to say, and he cut off her brusquely. ¡°If you don¡¯t have one, lady, then you don¡¯t qualify for the handouts. Try one of the merchants over there; they¡¯ll have something to sell you.¡± ¡°I just have a few questions,¡± she replied, ignoring him. ¡°I had a family who lived here when the city was attacked, and I haven¡¯t heard from them since. I was hoping there was some sort of list of survivors or-¡± she trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. An angry scowl had begun to slip over the man¡¯s face when she ignored him, but he softened as she continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, miss. You from here originally?¡± She nodded mutely, and he continued. ¡°Then in that case you¡¯ll be wanting to talk to Mage Ilba?ru?t. Most days you can find him out at the mound, working with the priests.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, bowing her head, but he waved her off. ¡°No need to thank me, miss. I hope they¡¯re not on that list.¡± She hoped so too, but she didn¡¯t really believe it. The swirling ball of anxiety produced real pain in her stomach as she headed out the gates. The mound the soldiers had built to bury the dead and memorialize their loss was taller than the city walls, and about half of a temple was already being constructed at its peak. It was a fitting tribute to the dead, but that brought her little comfort ¨C for it was better to be alive than to be memorialized. She hesitated on the first step, her skin crawling as she was unable to shake a vision of the countless bodies lying beneath her feet. Given the time of day, it was no surprise that she was only one trudging up the stairs and the builders, sheltered beneath the shade of giant canvases, paused in their work to watch as she approached. But Ihra only had eyes for one man ¨C a tall man in a dark blue tunic who was talking to a handful of priests. He had his back to her, so she circled round until she caught his eye, and bowed her respectfully. ¡°Are you Lord Ilba?ru?t?¡± The man paused in his speaking, and looking over the shoulders of the shorter priests, fixed his eye on her. ¡°Not a lord,¡± he grumbled, ¡°just a mage. Can I help you with something?¡± ¡°The soldiers in the town said you could help me. I had family here before the attack and¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know if they¡¯re dead or alive,¡± the mage finished for her. ¡°Fine,¡± he said with a sigh, ¡°Let¡¯s take a look.¡± Leaving the priests to their work, he led her over to a desk where a large book lay open and shot her an expectant look. ¡°Names?¡± ¡°Taka?mu. Se?lena?t, Se?ldannu, and Ihra.¡± He flipped to the back of the book, and his finger ran across the pages. ¡°Don¡¯t see them here,¡± he said with a grunt, closing the book, ¡°not that that means much. I¡¯ve been out here for the last three weeks, sifting through the remains every day, but there are so many that remain unidentified.¡± ¡°Is there any way to check if they¡¯re¡­here?¡± she asked haltingly, chewing on her lip to prevent the tears that threatened to spill out. The man started to shake his head, but when he saw her face, he heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°Kevas?. Fine, give me a drop of your blood and I can cast a spell to see if anyone matching it is buried here.¡± She was moving before he finished the sentence, and held out a newly dripping arm to him. He accepted it with a grimace of distaste, scooping a few drops into a bowl he retrieved from his bag and set the table. ¡°Alright, give me a few minutes and you¡¯ll have your answer.¡± Gebor and Paal As soon as Ihra left, Tsia closed herself in her room for a long-awaited bath, and Erin, after a few moments of awkward silence, suddenly decided to take a nap. That left Jasper alone to visit the guild, which was fine with him. He headed down to the main hall of the tavern first. It was midday so only a handful of patrons sat at the bar. He considered stopping for a bite to eat, but upon realizing that the only thing currently on offer was the perpetual pot of stew slow-boiling over the hearth, he decided against it. As he stepped outside the tavern, the suffocating heat and humidity rose up to greet him, but they no longer had any power to bother him. He passed through the market again, suppressing a grimace as he felt the many curious eyes upon him ¨C for it was rare for a Djinn to leave their sacred mountains ¨C and turned down the avenue that led to the guild. Hargish had suffered severe damage during the attack in part because so much of the city was built of dried mud bricks covered in plaster. The guild hall, by contrast, had been constructed of solid stone blocks which had survived the event largely unscathed. As he approached the entrance, he fished the card he¡¯d been given at Gis?-Izum out of his pocket, but the bored guard outside made no attempt to look at it. With a shrug, he tucked it away again and pulled on the door. A rush of cool air greeted him as he stepped inside, sending a little shiver of delight down his spine. As a Djinn, the heat and cold may no longer have bothered him, but that hadn¡¯t overridden his longstanding preference for cooler weather, and the magical air conditioning hit the spot. The guild hall had never been particularly busy in his brief time as a member as the largely peaceful region had lacked any compelling draws for the more adventurous-minded. Indeed, the guild¡¯s lack of manpower was the primary reason he and Ihra had been gang-pressed into accepting the quest to Yar-Khennor in the first place. But, in the aftermath of the queen¡¯s attack, the hall had never been busier. The clash of metal against metal filled the air as dozens of guild members trained against each other, and a long line stood waiting in front of the new support desk that had been erected opposite the entrance. Jasper bypassed the line, and with a confident stride, headed straight for the guild master¡¯s office. He was nearly at the door before someone intercepted him, shoving a hand against his chest. ¡°Sorry bud, but you can¡¯t just waltz in to see the guild master. Unless you¡¯ve got an appointment, you¡¯ll want to head over to the desk. Isha can help you get checked in.¡± Jasper glanced down impatiently at the man touching him and was surprised to find a familiar face. Pa¡¯al. With a face that looked like it had been carved from granite and a long, thick braid running down his back, the stalwart tank appeared to have bounced right back to health. There was no glimmer of recognition in the man¡¯s eyes, and Jasper quickly reined his own reaction. A flicker of irritation surged through his veins at the sight of the man, but it was coupled with a touch of uncertainty. After the deaths of almost their entire party - save for Jasper, Ihra, and Pa¡¯al - the guild at Hargish had treated them coldly, questioning how the two inexperienced adventurers had survived when all the others had fallen. Pa¡¯al alone had expressed gratitude for saving their life and had even given the pair a letter of recommendation to give to the guild at Gis?-Izum. But, the two had forgotten to give the letter, and when Jasper letter opened it, curious to see what was said he¡¯d found in addition to the letter of recommendation, a second letter sealed in the envelope. This one was from the guild master at Hargish, Gebor, and had urged the guild at Gis?-Izum to kill them as suspected cultists. The man had seemed so grateful, so genuine, after they saved his life, that he didn¡¯t want to believe the man had known about the guild master¡¯s letter. And yet¡­it was hard to find an explanation that left him innocent. Carefully wiping away all signs of irritation, Jasper took a step back and flashed the man a disingenuous smile. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have an appointment, but I was hoping to see the guild master. Gebor and I are old friends ¨C he is still the guild master, yes?¡± He leaned in conspiratorially and injected a false tone of concern into his voice. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve heard from him, and with everything that happened here, I was hoping he¡¯d made it. I¡¯m only in town for a day, so I thought I¡¯d stop by.¡± ¡°Aye, Gebor is still the guild master. You say you¡¯re an old friend?¡± Pa¡¯al questioned, with a touch of suspicion. ¡°Indeed ¨C once upon a time I was a member of this very chapter,¡± Jasper replied, side-stepping the question. ¡°I don¡¯t remember a Djinn in our ranks.¡± The man¡¯s brow clouded with distrust, but Jasper was committed to the bluff. ¡°Perhaps it was before your time,¡± Jasper replied and, reaching into his bag, a ring that his uncle had given him that bore the emblem of the Royal House. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, show this ring to Gebor. He¡¯ll recognize it,¡± he said, betting that the guild master would recognize the royal insignia and agree to see him. Distrust was replaced by distaste as the man accepted the ring. ¡°I see how it is ¨C you¡¯re a noble who thinks your rank should let you waltz right in and meet with the guild master.¡± Jasper decided to go with Pa¡¯al¡¯s incorrect assumption, and shrugged with what he hoped was noblesse arrogance. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the ring to Gebor,¡± the man ground out, ¡°But I can¡¯t make any promises.¡± He stalked off toward the guild master¡¯s office and, withdrawing a key from his pouch, unlocked the door. He disappeared inside for a fraction of a second, before emerging again and waving Jasper off with a grumpy look. ¡°You¡¯re in luck,¡± he growled, shoving the ring back into Jasper¡¯s hand. He palmed it off into his bag and stepped inside the office. Whatever Gebor¡¯s other flaws were, ostentation was not one of them. The guild master¡¯s office was sparsely decorated. A nice, but not luxurious wooden desk occupied most of the room, along with three chairs for him and any potential guests, and an almost threadbare blue rug. Light streamed in from a window behind the man, but the view was as unremarkable as the room itself, offering a close-up peek into the army barracks beside them. The only trace of self-indulgence was a finely crafted suit of elven armor displayed on a mannequin in the corner and a matching sword, its blade studded with glyphs, hung on the opposite wall, but Jasper suspected those were simply the man¡¯s former adventurer gear rather than true decorations. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. A messy pile of papers was spread over the desk, but the man set them aside and rose with an ingratiating grin as Jasper entered. ¡°Come in, come in ¨C have a seat.¡± He gestured to one of the chairs in front of the desk and waited until Jasper had settled down before continuing. Taking a seat himself behind the desk, the man steepled his hands and flashed Jasper another smile. ¡°It¡¯s not often a Djinn wanders beyond Du?r-S?innu, and even rarer for a member of the Royal House. May I ask what I can help you with, my lord?¡± Jasper felt a surge of irritation at the man¡¯s sleazy, smarmy attempt at charm, but held his emotions in check. ¡°I was hoping to check some records about some of your members.¡± ¡°Well, we do keep records of everyone who joined here, but I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t just let anyone look at them,¡± the man replied easily, ¡°but I¡¯d be happy to check for you. Is there anyone in particular you were looking for.¡± ¡°A boy and a girl ¨C Jasper Welles and Ihra Taka?mu.¡± The man¡¯s smile grew thin, and he began tapping his finger against the desk nervously. ¡°I¡¯m afraid those names don¡¯t ring a bell-¡± ¡°They were here sometime last year, I believe. Part of an expedition to Yar-Khennor.¡± ¡°Ah, perhaps I do recall them,¡± the man admitted weakly. ¡°We were a bit short-staffed and were forced to send some new recruits along with a more experienced team to deal with a sighting of Gemlirians. I¡¯m afraid they didn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s wise to lie to me?¡± Jasper lowered his voice menacingly and, drawing the letter Gebor had written, tossed it on the desk. ¡°I¡¯ve read the letter you sent, and I know they made it out of Yar-Khennor alive. Why did you order them killed afterward?¡± Anger flashed through the man¡¯s eyes as he snatched up the letter and perused it, though the beads of sweat forming on his brew attested to another emotion as well. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve forgotten some details,¡± he said with a sneer, ¡°But I think you¡¯ve overstayed your welcome. You may be a noble, but you¡¯re not one of ours. Get out!¡± he barked. Jasper¡¯s fingers twisted, and the man yelped as a pair of burning manacles erupted from the ground and clamped around his ankles. Gebor screamed as the smell of burning flesh filled the room, and the door behind Jasper swung wide as Pa¡¯al charged in. Jasper ducked beneath a wild swing and, with a second twist of his fingers, bound him to the floor too. He closed the door, and locked it, before settling back into the chair, just out of Pa¡¯al¡¯s reach. ¡°Do you know who those two were?¡± he asked conversationally, renewing the spell that was beginning to waiver. Neither man replied as they struggled to free themselves from the claws, but Jasper continued unperturbed. ¡°The boy was a lord of the Royal House, kin to King S?ars?adu? himself, and the girl ¨C well, she may have been a bastard, but her father was someone important,¡± he lied, ¡°and you tried to have them killed.¡± ¡°She was just an orphan,¡± the man protested. ¡°And orphans are dispensable?¡± He asked arching his brow. He renewed the spell again and allowed a shadow of pale flame to run down his hands. ¡°Tell me, guild master, do you know what a firebird is?¡± The fear emanating from the man was almost palpable at this point, and he let out a keening cry. ¡°Just tell me what I need to do!¡± The spell ran out, but neither man moved to attack him; instead, they watched him with naked fear, flinching as he leaned forward. ¡°I want you to tell me why you tried to have them killed, and don¡¯t think of lying to me ¨C I¡¯ll know,¡± he warned, showing the spell he was casting. ¡°Did you really believe they were cultists?¡± Gebor settled back in his chair, wincing in pain as his legs brushed against the leather, and a look of utter defeat crossed his face. ¡°No,¡± he admitted quietly. ¡°The operation was a mistake from the beginning. We were misled about the number of the foe and caught completely unaware by the presence of the Atrometos. Nobody should have made it out of there alive, but those two were far too low-leveled to have arranged it all - unless they are the literal reincarnation of Lord Gemlir and Lady Me?s?u?ta,¡± he added with an uneasy chuckle. ¡°Then why accuse them?¡± Jasper pressed. ¡°The only reason we¡¯re having a conversation at all is that your scheme failed, and the lad returned safely to court, but that was luck, not your intent.¡± ¡°I had to,¡± the man ground out. ¡°Lady Marata?nu ordered it ¨C I had no other choice." Jasper frowned at the unexpected answer, struggling to recall where he¡¯d heard the name. ¡°Lady Marata?nu?¡± ¡°She was the city lord,¡± the man explained. ¡°Was?¡± ¡°She died in the attack.¡± Jasper found it hard to accept that the city lord had wanted them dead, but his spell told him the man was telling the truth. ¡°And why would she do that?¡± he demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the man sighed. ¡°Quite possibly she was cultist herself ¨C I always found it odd that such a large group of Gemlirians could have infiltrated this deep into our province, and their numbers were so underreported, but with help?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I had my suspicions about her, but could never prove them, and she carried her secrets to the grave.¡± Jasper¡¯s eyes flickered to Pa¡¯al. ¡°And what about him? Did he know about the letter you¡¯d sent? It was enclosed in the letter of recommendation he gave the youths.¡± ¡°No,¡± Gebor replied tersely. ¡°Pa¡¯al brought the letter to be sealed; he had knowledge of anything else.¡± A trick of relief flowed through Jasper, glad to learn that the man hadn¡¯t betrayed them after all, and he lapsed into a moment of silence that set the two men even further on edge. ¡°Do you plan to kill us,¡± Gebor finally asked. Jasper didn¡¯t quite know; he¡¯d come seeking revenge, but it seemed the true source of their attempted murder was a now dead noble. He couldn¡¯t question her to find out her motives, nor he could punish her for the attempt. All that was left was the lackey. ¡°No,¡± he finally ground out. ¡°It seems this Marata?nu was the one who I sought.¡± Relief washed over the man¡¯s face until Jasper raised a warning finger. ¡°But that doesn''t mean you shouldn¡¯t get out of all punishment. How much money do you have?¡± ¡°Do you mean to rob me,¡± the man sputtered, indignation replacing his relief. ¡°On the contrary,¡± he replied with a grim smile. ¡°I mean to plant the seeds of charity in your heart. Now how much do you have.¡± ¡°Ten thousand gilders,¡± the man replied sullenly. ¡°I think the local orphanage could do with a patron. Let¡¯s say a thousand ¨C I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t bankrupt you.¡± Jasper rose from his true and, after unlocking the door, paused with his hand at the handle. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow, but I¡¯ll be sure to stop by the orphanage. If you haven¡¯t made your donation¡­¡± He let the threat hang, and Gebor growled. ¡°It¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Good.¡± His eyes turned to Pa¡¯al, and he gestured to the man. ¡°And you, Pa¡¯al, step outside with me.¡± The man cast a fearful glance at the guild master, but Gebor offered him no support, so reluctantly the warrior followed Jasper outside. Jasper made sure to shut the door before turning to the man. Reaching into his bag, he fished out a healthy chunk of gold coins and offered them to the man. ¡°I needed to confirm that you weren¡¯t aware of Gebor¡¯s duplicity before giving you this. Consider it a small token of gratitude." Taken by surprise, the warrior accepted the coins shoved into his hands after a half-hearted attempt to refuse them which Jasper simply ignored. Instead, leaving the man to watch in confused silence, he strode out of the guild hall, letting the door slam behind him. The Ties that Bind ¡°They¡¯re not here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ihra drew in a breath so deep it almost hurt as the man shook his head. ¡°Are you sure?¡± She followed up quickly. ¡°I do this for a living, you know,¡± the mage scoffed. ¡°No one that bears your blood is buried in the mound.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re alive?¡± She asked the question in a hushed tone, speaking to herself more than the mage, but the man responded anyway. ¡°That I can¡¯t tell you, lass,¡± he replied more kindly. ¡°The spell only works within a certain radius of a few hundred feet. If they were buried in the mound, I should be able to sense them, but if their bodies weren¡¯t recovered¡­¡± He left the obvious unsaid, not wanting to give offense, and Ihra flashed him a quick smile. ¡°I came here fully expecting to find they were dead. Now there¡¯s at least a chance.¡± Seeing the hope in her eyes, the mage winced. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with hope, lass, but don¡¯t let it steal from you, you hear?¡± ¡°Steal?¡± She asked in puzzlement. ¡°I wasn¡¯t here when the queen attacked,¡± the man replied, ¡°but I¡¯ve seen the devastation. We¡¯re still finding bones in the surrounding fields and villages daily, and we¡¯re not even looking for them any longer. Maybe your family escaped, but it¡¯s more likely their bones are lying in a ditch somewhere. Look for them if you can lass, but don¡¯t let it become an obsession ¨C don¡¯t let the past steal your future.¡± A scalding response stormed to the tip of her tongue but died unspoken. He might have rained on her parade, but she knew the man was trying to help. More importantly, she knew he had a point. Swallowing her anger, she forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± she said, and, offering him a respectful nod, she turned to head down the steep flight of stairs that led up the massive mound. Her foot had barely hit the first step when the mage called out after her. ¡°There is one other place you could check.¡± She glanced over her shoulder, and the mage beckoned for her to come closer. ¡°You seem like a lass with a good head on her shoulders. Am I right?¡± Ihra shrugged, uncomfortable with praising herself. ¡°I try,¡± she replied noncommittally. ¡°If you tell this, you¡¯ll need to keep it to yourself,¡± he warned. ¡°Can you keep a secret?¡± She furrowed her brow, suddenly unsure if she trusted the mage. He seemed sincere enough, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what would possibly need to be kept a secret. ¡°I¡¯m not much of a talker,¡± she replied cautiously. The man glanced around, and seeing the priests were nowhere near them, lowered his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you¡¯ve been following the aftermath of the attack, but many of the current residents are not here by choice. A lot of the former inhabitants didn¡¯t want to stick around, but the king was determined to resettle the place. Most of those who have tried to leave have been rounded up and returned to Hargish.¡± ¡°Most?¡± she asked, latching on to the word. ¡°Despite the king¡¯s best efforts to keep the population here, there¡¯s been a few gone astray. Small numbers, here and there, written off as clerical errors,¡± he said with a wink. ¡°It might be worth talking to the clerk.¡± ¡°Tell me,¡± she said, leaning forward, her eyes burning intensely. The mage crossed his arms, unfazed. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll be discrete.¡± ¡°Promise,¡± she replied promptly. ¡°Talk to Abarakku?l at the Barracks. Tell him I sent you, and that the shipment of jasmine tea came in for his grandma.¡± ¡°You have code phrases,¡± she blurted out in surprise. The mage laughed. ¡°No, I actually do have a shipment of tea for his grandma, but it proves you talked to me.¡± It took slightly longer than Ihra expected to return to town. The line at the gate was too long for the handful of guards to process quickly and, as she watched it with new eyes following the mage¡¯s revelation, she realized part of the problem was that the guards were paying as careful attention to who left the city as to who entered. Is the king really treating them like prisoners? She knew she was a bit unfair in her thoughts. The strategic importance of Hargish was too much for the king to ignore. The people weren¡¯t exactly being mistreated ¨C free food, free provisions, and rebuilt houses seemed a generous deal ¨C but nonetheless the thought of being trapped here chafed at her. She was suddenly glad she had been forced to leave Hargish before the census. Stolen story; please report. When she was finally waved through the gate, she headed straight for the Barracks. From the outside, the Barracks building looked nearly identical to the Guild Hall beside it ¨C which was hardly surprising as the Empire had built them both. But the differences between them were more obvious when she stepped inside. Expecting the pleasant cool of the Guild Hall, she was instead met with the hot, sticky heat of a building denied even the slight cooling of a good cross-breeze. The air was downright suffocating, and as she approached the desk, she could see the clerks manning it were dripping with beads of sweat that refused to evaporate in the overly moist climate. One of the clerks straightened up as she approached and, daubing futilely at his forehead with the hem of his sleeve, inclined his head to the left. ¡°Lady elf,¡± he greeted her. ¡°Normally, those who walk through these doors are here to join up, but I assume that¡¯s not your purpose. Are you here with a message from the guild?¡± ¡°Nothing so official,¡± she said with a shake of her head. ¡°Is Abarakku?l available? The mage at the mound,¡± she paused for a second, searching for his name and found it, ¡°Ilbaru?t wanted him to know that the shipment of tea for his grandma had arrived.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± The clerk replied. ¡°I can pass along the message.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright - I¡¯d like to tell him myself,¡± she countered. ¡°I promise you, Lady Elf, I¡¯ll deliver the message,¡± the man began to protest, but spying the resolute look in her eye, he heaved a defeated sigh. ¡°Fine. If you want to see him yourself, he¡¯s in the office closest to the stairs on the second floor,¡± he said, pointing to a staircase in the left corner of the hall. With a quick thanks, she headed off to the stairs and bounded up them quickly, impatient to see the man. The door was closed and she rapped firmly on the frame. There was no response, and she knocked again, banging on the door with enough force to rattle its hinges. This time, she heard the sound of frantic shuffling in the room beyond. ¡°Coming, coming,¡± an irritable voice groused. A moment later, the door shuddered open just wide enough for the occupant to peek out his head. Time had not been kind to the office¡¯s inhabitant ¨C though barely middle-aged, most of his hair had long fled and deep lines around his eyes testified to either a lack of sleep or a proclivity for the bottle. Judging from the slightly yellow tint of his skin, Ihra judged it was the latter. ¡°Ilbaru?t sent me to tell you that your grandmother¡¯s shipment of jasmine tea had arrived,¡± she greeted him. He glanced at her hands as if expecting her to be carrying a package, and a frown slipped over his face. ¡°And you didn¡¯t bring it with you? What kind of a messenger are you?¡± ¡°The kind that doesn¡¯t care about your grandmother¡¯s tea,¡± Ihra replied icily, losing patience with the man. ¡°Ilbaru?t said you¡¯d understand what that means or is your brain so addled from sleep,¡± she said sarcastically, ¡°that you can¡¯t follow.¡± Comprehension finally dawned in the clerk¡¯s eyes, and he opened the door a fraction wide, just enough for her to slip inside. ¡°Come in,¡± he said begrudgingly. He shuffled back to the desk and sank into his chair with a sigh. An open bottle of wine sat beside a pair of dirty tumblers. He poured an unsteady stream into one and waved the bottle in her direction. ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°Your loss,¡± he grunted as she shook her head, but seemed unperturbed by the rejection. ¡°What exactly did Ilbaru?t tell you about me?¡± he asked, his eyes seeming to clear as he nursed a sip of the liquid. ¡°Practically nothing,¡± she responded. ¡°He did tell me a bit about the king¡¯s new rules for the citizenry. He left it up to me to draw my own conclusions.¡± ¡°At least he knows to keep his trap shut,¡± the man grunted. ¡°Why did he send you to me to ask about tea?¡± He held up his hand as she started to reply and a sly grin slipped across his face. ¡°Eh, my mind is coming back to me. There weren¡¯t any elves registered as citizens of Hargish, so I bet you¡¯re looking for someone. Maybe someone that didn¡¯t turn up dead. Am I right?¡± ¡°A shrewd guess,¡± Ihra confirmed. ¡°As far as I can tell, they¡¯re not in the city and they¡¯re not dead ¨C or at least, they haven¡¯t been buried in the mound.¡± The clerk shrugged, taking another sip of the wine. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean much, you know. We¡¯ve done our best to find the bodies but the queen¡¯s forces were like wild animals. You have no idea how horrible-¡± ¡°I was there,¡± she cut him off. The man¡¯s gaze swept over her, reassessing her, and he gave her a curt nod. ¡°So you know what I¡¯m talking about. We¡¯ve tried to find everyone, but¡­¡± ¡°I just want to know if you have any record of them being alive.¡± The man reached into his bag and pulled out a small crystal that he set on the table. ¡°I¡¯m not a mage, so I don¡¯t have any truth spells to cast on you. If you want to talk to me, you¡¯re going to have to use this and you¡¯re going to have to pay for it.¡± Her lips twisted at the thought of the expense, but she understood. An enchanted crystal was not cheap. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Cost me 10 gold and I can use it 5 times so how ¡¯bout 3 gold?¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re making a profit,¡± she accused. ¡°I am performing a service, lady,¡± he replied irritably. With a sour face, she fished the coins out and handed them over. Then she placed her hand on the crystal and repeated the words he told her. When she had proven her intentions, the man drew a small, tattered notebook out of his bag and opened it up. ¡°Alright, who are you looking for?¡± ¡°Se?lena?t, Se?ldannu, and Ihra Taka?mu,¡± she rattled off. After a few pages of flipping, the man raised his brows. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re in luck. They did indeed pass through her and have been resettled safely.¡± She leaned against the desk, relief washing over her. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Ikkarim,¡± the man replied, filing the book in his bag. It wasn¡¯t the best news she had heard ¨C for Ikkarim was too far out of their way for the group to detour ¨C but it was good news nonetheless. A small piece of her family still remained, and for now, that was good enough. Standing up, she pulled a few more coins out of her bag and tossed them at the man. ¡°What this for?¡± he asked in surprise, though he was more than happy to sweep them into his pouch. ¡°For helping my family ¨C and for you. Go see a healer before you drink yourself to death.¡± For a moment, the man¡¯s lips thinned in anger, before he released it with a sigh. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll just do that.¡± The Abandoned Enclave Jasper was waiting at the bar when Ihra walked in. He¡¯d been nursing a single ale for an hour, not wanting to be addled, when she returned seeking comfort, but it only took one look at the sparkle in her eye and the bounce in her step to realize the news she received must have been good. ¡°They¡¯re alive?¡± he asked, as she plopped onto the stool next to his. ¡°Ikkarim,¡± she said softly. ¡°They made it to Ikkarim. I don¡¯t have any information after that, but at least they¡¯re not out there¡­rotting in a field.¡± Her enthusiasm faltered for a second, as the weight of the fear she¡¯d carried for months hit her, and Jasper grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. ¡°But they aren¡¯t,¡± he reminded her. ¡°Does this mean you want to go to Ikkarim?¡± As he asked the question, Jasper struggled in vain to recall where the city was. He¡¯d certainly heard of it before ¨C as one of just 5 major cities left in the province of Sapiya, its name had come up from time to time ¨C but he was pretty sure they¡¯d never traveled anywhere near it which probably meant, he decided, that it was somewhere to the West. ¡°Where is it, near the capital? We might be able to detour there.¡± ¡°No,¡± Ihra said, with a swift shake of her head. ¡°It¡¯s to the south, across Lake S?eb?u?dag. We don¡¯t have time to go there - it would take us weeks out of our way, in both directions. But at least I know they¡¯re safe,¡± she added, regaining her enthusiasm. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to check on them?¡± Jasper offered one last time, but Ihra demurred again. ¡°Maybe someday we can check up on them, but for now,¡± she waived over the barmaid, and ordered four ales. ¡°For now? It¡¯s time to celebrate.¡±
It was pushing noon when Jasper finally woke up. Hazy memories of the previous night flickered through his head ¨C of dancing, drinking, and a particularly vivid memory of having somebody¡¯s tongue down his throat, though he couldn¡¯t visualize their face to save his life. He glanced at the pillow beside him apprehensively and was relieved to find himself alone. Hopefully whoever I kissed was a stranger. Despite the occasional, subtle attempts at flirting Tsia made, Jasper had little interest in pursuing either of them. It wasn¡¯t that Ihra and Tsia weren¡¯t attractive, but he knew that starting a relationship within the team would likely end in the sort of drama he preferred to avoid. Thankfully, when he joined the others in the dining hall downstairs, he detected no lingering awkwardness between them. With a twitch of his fingers, he cast Circle of Forgiveness on the table and the group perked up promptly, their hangovers washed away with the power of magic. Having already lost so much time to sleep, they scarfed down their food in a matter of minutes and were packed and ready to go in under half an hour. On the way out of town, Jasper fulfilled the threat he¡¯d made to Gebor and stopped by the orphanage. Fortunately, the matron greeted them with a beaming smile, gushing about their new patron, and her smile only grew wider as he slipped them a few hundred guilders of his own before departing. They rode hard the rest of the day, seeking to make up for lost time, and when night fell they had left behind the shattered environs of Hargish. Jungle swallowed them up again, and a light but steady rain beat down on their head relentlessly. They were about to resign themselves to sleeping by the side of the road, forced to lie down in the cold muck, when Jasper spied a small trail leading straight up the mountainside. The jungle had almost completely consumed it, with vines and brush encroaching on the sliver of brown dirt and broken pavement that jutted out perpendicular to the steep slope, but he recognized it nonetheless. This is the enclave. A bittersweet wave of nostalgia washed him over, accompanied by a tinge of homesickness he did his best to ignore, but the path also offered an opportunity to avoid the rain and muck. Bringing Dapplegrim to a stop, he nodded at the narrow trail. ¡°There should be shelter up there.¡± ¡°Looks more like a deer trail,¡± Tsia replied dismissively, taking a moment to wring a torrent of water out of her hair, ¡°and it goes pretty much straight up. Let¡¯s just stop here. Maybe Erin can bend some of these trees enough to give us some shelter¡± Ihra, though, stared at the narrow trail for only a second before making the connection. ¡°This is where you arrived, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jasper nodded. ¡°Ishka¡¯s enclave is up there. Unless something major has changed in the last year, at the very least we should be able to get out of this rain and sleep somewhere dry.¡± ¡°This is the Djinn enclave?¡± Abandoning her futile attempt to dry herself, Tsia studied the path with renewed interest. ¡°Anything of interest up there?¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He shrugged. ¡°Hard to say. Last time I was there, I was just focused on surviving. Other than the glaive, I didn¡¯t find anything special, but there was also an entire floor of the manor I couldn¡¯t get to because the stairs had collapsed.¡± ¡°Who cares?¡± Erin interrupted the discussion irritably. ¡°If there¡¯s a place we can be dry, let¡¯s go. You can treasure-hunting later if you want.¡± The trip up the mountain was more difficult than Jasper had expected. The trail had been easy enough to follow when he was on foot, but with four mounts, the overgrown pathway was tough to navigate. They were forced to stop repeatedly while Erin shoved fallen trunks or overgrown limbs far enough to the side for their horses to pass, and true darkness had fallen before they reached the abandoned manor. A dilapidated stable sat outside the main entrance, but they opted not to leave their mounts there. While Jasper was pretty sure Dapplegrim could take of herself, he knew plenty of predators lurked in the jungle, of which the tiger that had nearly killed him when he first arrived was probably the least. Instead, they brought the horses inside with them, carefully guiding them around the collapsed floor in the entrance hall, and barred the doors behind them. They set up camp in the library. The floor, furniture, and even the ceiling were caked in layers of dust, but Tsia fixed that easily enough, circulating a strong wind through the room that scoured it clean before dumping the dirt in the collapsed basement in the main hall. While she did that Ihra and Erin tended to the mounts, and Jasper started supper. Within half an hour, a warm stew was already bubbling in the library¡¯s hearth and its savory scent was slowly driving away the smell of rot and mildew. Changing out of their dripping clothes, they draped them over the ancient couches and crowded around the fire, relishing the warmth. Jasper, though, was unbothered by the changes in temperature, and as soon as he''d scarfed down his stew, he started to wander around the room, indulging his curiosity about the books. He¡¯d barely glanced at the books when he was last here ¨C paper, after all, could neither be eaten nor drunk, and books were too bulky to carry in the small pack he¡¯d managed to scavenge ¨C but now he had the luxury of both time and a bag of holding. Many of the books were little more than curiosities. The single largest section of the tomes was dedicated to books on farming, botany, and potions. For someone else, it might have been a treasure trove, but there was no one in their group who had any interest in the subject. Another sizeable portion of the collections was a series of histories. These were of more interest to Jasper, and he flipped through a number of them, stuffing a few that caught his attention into his bag. But while he was definitely curious to learn more about the Empire¡¯s history, he didn¡¯t exactly have a lot of reading time, at least not for things that weren¡¯t more immediately relevant. The next set of books he found was perhaps the most surprising ¨C an entire shelf of what proved to be rather steamy literature. With a grin, he stuffed several of the most salacious titles in his bag, imagining the look on Ihra¡¯s face when he ¡®gifted¡¯ them to her. But a few gems were hidden amongst the mostly academic tomes. Three books that appeared to be about rituals went in the bag as well, a suitable peace offering for Ihra after his little joke, as well as a few others that appeared to delve into the theory of magic. Again, he doubted he¡¯d spend the time to read through them, but perhaps Tsia would find them interesting ¨C or even Aphora, if he saw her again. Given Ishka¡¯s proclivity for research, there was a surprising dearth of more theoretical works, and he wondered if perhaps there was another, more secret library, waiting to be found somewhere, but with the steady rain and the lateness of the night, he wasn¡¯t inclined to look. Instead, after he was certain he¡¯d ransacked everything of interest, he claimed one of the sagging couches as his own and drifted off to sleep. He awoke to the continuing patter of rain against the panes and a steady, rasping snore. The room was nearly pitch black, but Jasper could just clearly enough to identify the black blob on the couch opposite him as Tsia, mostly from the shadowy silhouette of her voluminous curls. The girl was curled up in a ball, and as he crept closer he could see her mouth hung wide open, with a thin trail of drool dripping onto the once plush velvet couch. She was most definitely the source of the snoring, but as he stared down at her, Jasper got the unsettling feeling that she was not what had woken him up. A tingle ran down the back of his spine, and he spun around. Truthfully, he expected to see nothing, but he found a small child staring back at him. Her features were barely visible in the darkness, though the fledgling pair of horns that stuck above her slightly tousled hair identified her as a Djinn. She stared at him unwaveringly, and Jasper froze, unsure how to respond. The massacre at the conclave Barbartu had told him about resurfaced, and he wondered if the girl had been one of those slain then. She made no move to approach him and he remained equally still, not exactly counting himself as a ghost whisperer. What would I even say to her? Go into the light? Pretty sure that¡¯s not how it works here. His thoughts flicked to Kas?dael and he wondered if she could help the little spirit pass on, but he wasn¡¯t exactly comfortable with the idea of sitting down and meditating with a ghost watching him. She hadn¡¯t seemed hostile thus far, but perhaps she was just waiting for him to close his eyes and then she¡¯d be on him, in a flash of fang and fury. As if reading his mind, the girl took a small step forward and he tensed, reaching for his essence ¨C and that was when he realized there was something behind her. A monstrous tiger emerged from the inky darkness, brushing against the girl¡¯s body with a striking mimicry of corporality. Its coloring was darker than normal, but a faint glimmer of sparks occasionally rippled along its back. It took another step forward, placing itself between Jasper and the child, and bared its fangs, revealing yellow, stained teeth large enough to be mistaken for a walrus¡¯ tusks. And then, much to his surprise, it began to change form. A Chilly Welcome Seventeen days had passed since the incident at the lake, and the accursed jungle was finally behind them.There was something almost magical about the way the landscape changed as soon as they crossed the great River and reached the small enclave of land that Sapi?ya possessed on its western banks. The endless sea of trees gave way to flat plains, offering an uninterrupted view until sky and earth embraced.Most of the land was covered in fields of wheat and barley, with occasional islands of trees rising above the amber grains.There was a simple beauty about it that appealed to S?ams?a?du?r, but one flaw of the jungle still remained - the soul-crushing heat. Fortunately, Birnah stretched in front of them, an oasis of shade in the sun-stricken lands.S?ams?a?du?r had thought Du?r-Sebe was an impressive fortress, but it was a dungheap next to the city that rose before them. The city was built on the only patch of elevated land for miles around, with a wide moat fully encircling it.Three curtain walls followed after it, each one higher than the last and gleaming with the dull gray of an iron coating.Towers guarded every 100 feet, each one topped with a catapult or ballista, and soaring above all the rest was a massive castle flying the green and gold colors of the city¡¯s lord. Yas?peh, set against the backdrop of the life-giving river and the abundant jungle, was a far more beautiful city than Birnah, but the durgu prince found a certain grim charm in the fortress town, something that reminded him of his father¡¯s own bastion.Perhaps this assignment won¡¯t be so bad. The city had just two points of entrance - a bridge that led to the north and one that exited to the south, so they headed for the closest of those.A fortress protected the entrance to the bridge, along with a full staff of guards. As expected, no sooner did they reach the bridge, than the guards demanded they stopped.S?ams?a?du?r chose to keep silent as the guards questioned the Corsyths accompanying them, clearly upset by the presence of the durgu.While their people weren¡¯t technically at war, at least not yet, the tension between them was well known.But the Corsyth commander accompanying them, Takkla?ta, had the weight of the king¡¯s order behind her, so S?ams?a?du?r expected little issue.He was wrong. ¡°We¡¯re not letting those dwarves in without Lord Sargani?l¡¯s orders,¡± the guard captain declared, shoving the papers aside.¡°And he¡¯s currently out of the city.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just ignore the king¡¯s orders,¡± Takkla?ta snapped.¡°Lord Kaba?ni has gifted these durgu to bolster your defenses.Who are you to turn them down?¡± ¡°You can enter the city and speak to General Qard?l,¡± the guard relented, ¡°but I will not let them in without Lord Sargani?l¡¯s permission, letter or not.Kaba?ni is not lord of this city.¡± ¡°Kaba?ni is the king,¡± S?ams?a?du?r¡¯s escort hissed.¡°He is the lord of every Sapi?yan city.¡± The captain ignored him and simply repeated the offer to let the Corsyth speak to the general, much to his escort¡¯s ire, and the prince decided to step in.¡°You said Lord Sargani?l isn¡¯t in Birnah currently?Where is he?Perhaps we can speak to him directly and resolve this issue.¡± The captain grimaced as he looked at the durgu, but responded after a moment of hesitation.¡°There have been rumors of a sighting of an Atrometos near the village of Qara?s?s?amas?.It¡¯s probably just peasant rumors, but Lord Sargani?l went to investigate.If you really want to find him, it¡¯s to the north.¡± S?ams?a?du?r thanked him, and after calming the Corsyth commander down, the group hit the road again.When they were well out of earshot, he turned to the commander.¡°Are your king''s orders always so casually ignored?If I were back in my father¡¯s kingdom, the captain would have his head removed the first time he refused an order.¡± ¡°No,¡± Takkla?ta replied, grinding her teeth.¡°Only the lord of Birnah would dare such insolence.¡± ¡°And Kaba?ni just lets him?¡± ¡°Lord Kaba?ni,¡± the woman corrected him.¡°Unfortunately, Lord Sargoni?l has used his position as the king¡¯s father-in-law and the lord of Birnah, the most important fortress in the province, to push the boundaries of proprietary.He grows ever more bold, but I assume you already know this - Lord Kaba?ni sent you here to spy on him, did he not?¡± S?ams?a?du?r shrugged.¡°Even if I did, I could hardly tell you.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Takkla?ta grunted.¡°I am quite certain of it.¡± ¡°And when we find Lord Sargoni?l?¡± The prince picked the conversation back up.¡°Will he allow us to enter the city?¡± ¡°He used his proxy to humble us, but he isn¡¯t bold enough to refuse us entry.Not yet, at any rate - to do so would be nearly tantamount to open rebellion, and whatever the plans for the future may hold, Sargoni?l is not ready to enact them.Hopefully,¡± she added with a meaningful glance at S?ams?a?du?r, ¡°he never will be.¡± The prince snorted.¡°I don¡¯t know what you imagine I can do about it.It¡¯s not as if I have any real power here, and frankly, I don¡¯t care if your kind start killing each other.Your petty squabbles are none of my concern.¡± ¡°Yes, I imagine you¡¯d be quite happy to see our lands fall into ruin,¡± she said, glaring at him angrily.¡°That way your father and his ilk can sweep in and claim them for himself.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. S?ams?a?du?r let out a low chuckle.¡°My father has no interest in your worthless lands.I¡¯m sure he¡¯d let Kaba?ni serve him, but his eyes are on the gems of the north, not your empty jungles.¡± ¡°The Empire is stronger than your father thinks,¡± she replied defiantly.¡°His efforts will fail.¡± The prince shrugged.¡°I am beginning to think that myself.For as much as I¡¯d heard of the Empire¡¯s fall from glory, I had underestimated its sheer size and the strength of its many fortresses.I doubt the empire can beat my father in the field of battle, but attrition alone may prevent him from achieving any true victory.But it does not matter - my father and I are no longer on the same side of things.I care no more for his plans than for yours.¡±S?ams?a?du?r knew that wasn¡¯t quite true, but he figured the girl was no mind reader. Takkla?ta was, however, intuitive; she watched him pensively for a moment before shaking her head.¡°I don¡¯t believe that.I think you care a lot - you just haven''t quite decided which horse you''re going to back.¡± ¡°Believe what you want,¡± he replied curtly, but she had struck at the heart of the matter.The assassins his father had sent had shaken him to the core, and part of him wanted to strike back; another part, though, couldn¡¯t shake the decades of training engrained him, the role of the dutiful son that had been enforced on him from the moment his ability had manifested.Was he really willing to throw in his fate with the Empire?He just wasn¡¯t sure. Their conversation petered out, and they rode the rest of the way to Qara?s?s?amas? in silence. Unlike the villages across the river, Qara?s?s?amas? was protected by a fifteen-foot log palisade, with a singular watchtower keeping an eye on the plains around them.It wasn¡¯t enough to stand a long siege, but it was enough to protect the villagers until a rescue force could be scrambled from Birnah - or at least it normally would be. Smoke filled the skies as a dozen fires burned across the village rooftops.The watchtower was also consumed by flames, its logs already as black as the night itself, and it swayed dangerously in the wind coming off the River.Something massive had ripped a giant chunk in the palisade, tearing the logs out of the ground and tossing them aside like they were tinder toys, and an angry bellow echoed through the smoke, accompanied by a fell voice speaking a language S?ams?a?du?r could not comprehend. FUGYE ANUYETOS TH¡¯NETOS. His eyes met the commander¡¯s, the realization dawning on them at the same time - the Atrometos was here. Old instincts kicked in, and S?ams?a?du?r spurred his pony into a gallop.Dust mingled with the thick smoke as the durgu and their Corsyth escorts charged toward the town, but the two commanders - the only ones on mounts - pulled ahead. The gates hung ajar, and they burst them with ease.Bodies littered the ground, many torn to shreds so thoroughly by the creature¡¯s claws that the prince could not even distinguish if they had been man or woman.Choking on the smoke, he grabbed a scarf out of his bag and pouring his canteen over it, wrapped it around his face before pressing on. The smoke swirled, and then it parted as a massive black hand shot straight toward him.Wicked long claws, each as long as a short sword glimmered on the edges of his fingers.The horse reared, tossing him to the ground, and S?ams?a?dur rolled safely below the strike.He landed on his feet, and keeping to the ground, he charged forward silently, pulling his axe free of his pouch. He faltered as the Atrometos loomed out of the smoke, and struck down at him again.He¡¯d never fought one before, but he¡¯d never imagined they were this large.Its head crested above the nearest cottage, likely well over fifteen feet, and the two massive horns on its head spiraled even further.Its skin was as black as the night itself, so dark that it seemed a void, and its mouth opened to reveal a mouth brimming with endless rows of teeth.PITHANE. A shoulder crashed into his own, and S?ams?a?du?r was tossed back as Takkla?ta threw herself in front of him, her shield raised high. *CLANG* She staggered beneath the blow, but remained upright, as the creature¡¯s claws punched through the solid metal.It pulled its hand back, and she was lifted off her feet as the claws remained stuck in the shield.With an angry growl, it shook its hand, and she was flung to the side as the claws finally slipped free. Her efforts had given him the time he needed though.Regaining his senses, S?ams?a?du?r rolled to his feet, and snatching up his axe, launched himself at the creature.He dashed between its legs and slammed the blade into its haunches, twisting it violently, but he barely made a mark.With the grace of a ballerina, the massive creature spun around and swept its clawed hands at him.He flung himself to the side, but not quite enough, and the tip of the claw ripped open the back of his leg. As he struggled to stand, the muscles on his leg betraying him, Takkla?ta returned to the fight.Her blade glowed with arcane light as she danced between the creature¡¯s blows and scored a flurry of quick hits on its chest, drawing drops of black blood, but she could not land a killing blow.Abandoning all efforts to stand, S?ams?a?du?r drew on his essence and cast a spell.Lib-dala?h. The single spell sucked all his essence out, and he slumped forward, clutching at his head, but so too did the Atrometos.It faltered briefly, its eyes growing dull as the spell struck its mind, and Takkla?ta leapt forward.Her blade slashed through its root, sending waves of black blood gushing across the scorched earth, and she struck again, driving the sword through the chin and up to the head. Yet the Atrometos was not so easily dispatched.As the spell released its hold, it shook its head with an angry growl and staggered forward, swiping at her clumsily.She dodged the blow, and then the battle was over, as the rest of their comrades arrived and piled onto the creature, overwhelming the wounded being with sheer numbers. With a groan of pain, the prince forced himself upward and rummaged in his bag for a healing potion.It did nothing to ease the pain of essence deprivation, but it healed the sinews in his leg enough to let him stand.As he stumbled to his feet, he became aware of a presence behind him, and whirled around, axe firmly clutched in his grasp. The black horns of an Atrometos loomed out of the darkness, followed by a decidedly mortal hand.A group of soldiers emerged from the smoke, dressed in heavy armor, with their leader holding the severed head of an Atrometos in his hand. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not entirely useless,¡± the man said as he pushed the faceplate of his helmet up to reveal a face weathered by age, "but, frankly, I expected more." Tamping down his irritation, S?ams?a?dur offered a respectful nod. "Lord Sargani?l, I presume? Lord Kaba?ni sent us to bolster your forces." The man''s lip twisted in a mockery of a smile. "Yes, I suppose I did. Well, who am I to reject my son-in-law''s help? But I''m afraid right now, your help is most needed out here, protecting these villages. You can bunk here for the night, and then...we''ll see." A Stolen Heritage The tiger''s legs grew elongated, its head shrunk, and its rib cage caved in on itself. Fur and skin sloughed off its body in giant slabs, only to dissipate into the ether before even reaching the floor. As the fur melted off, the first signs of pale flesh emerged, slowly expanding to cover the entirety of the body. In barely a minute, a woman had replaced the tiger. Whatever magic had powered her transformation did not stretch so far as to provide her clothes, and Jasper¡¯s eyes lingered a touch too long as his brain tried to catch up with what he was seeing. The woman scowled, clearly unamused by his glance, and bent down beside the little girl, who mutely offered her a bag. She fished a tunic out of the offered pouch and dragged it over her head before speaking. ¡°What are you doing here,¡± the woman growled, as she pulled the tunic over her hips, and reached up to wring dry her hair. ¡°You¡¯re seraphs,¡± he blurted out loud, forgetting about the others who were still asleep. ¡°This place belongs to us,¡± she retorted, neither confirming nor denying his accusation. He could hear the others begin to stir but ignored them. ¡°Are you survivors from Ishka¡¯s cult?¡± The anger on the woman''s face was replaced with caution. ¡°Where did you hear that name? Unless...¡± She hesitated a moment, and then the anger surged anew. ¡°Are you here to steal the heritage?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really stealing, is it?¡± Jasper replied mildly. ¡°More than one person can earn his favor, after all.¡± ¡°It is our heritage,¡± she growled and, with her fists clenched at her side, she took a step forward. The shriek of a blade against its sheath sounded beside him as Ihra drew her dagger, and Jasper quickly held up his hands. ¡°Wait - there''s no need to fight. We''re not here to cause any trouble and besides,¡± he paused and allowed a small current of flames to run down his hand, flooding the room with enough light for the woman to see the ruddy complexion of his skin. ¡°I may not be a Seraph, but I am a Djinn. I have my own history with this place.¡± Uncertainty filled the woman¡¯s eyes, but as she glanced down at the child standing beside her, her stance softened. ¡°Perhaps we can talk,¡± she finally agreed.
It turned out that his guess had been correct. While the woman was not a survivor herself of Ishka''s cult, she was a descendant. After the conclave fell in a single night, most had fled back to Harei Miqlat to lick their wounds, but a few had stuck around in the jungles instead, preferring to live in the wilderness rather than bow to the rule of the seraph elders. And truthfully, considering Jasper¡¯s own irritating interactions with the seraph elders, it was a sentiment he could understand. Remembering the seraph he¡¯d encountered near Gis?-Izum, he asked if she¡¯d heard of Namrah, but the woman only shook her head. ¡°Most of the time, my clan lives near the capital. We¡¯re only here because it¡¯s time for my Gerrah to gain a class,¡± she explained, grasping the hand of her daughter, though a cloud passed over her face as she spoke. ¡°Something has changed since the last time I was here. When I took her to see the tomb, I found our ancestors¡¯ sleep had been disturbed. They bar the path now, threatening all who enter. Twice I tried to take Gerrah to Ishka''s memorial, but was forced to retreat." Jasper had the sinking feeling he knew the reason for the guardians'' newfound unrest. ¡°You mean they weren¡¯t guarding Ishka¡¯s tomb before? Have you tried taking her across the rafters?¡± The woman gave him a funny look. ¡°It sounds as if you¡¯ve been there, but surely you haven¡¯t. Unless¡­¡± The embers of rage that had been extinguished earlier burst back into life anew. ¡°You¡¯re the one who disturbed them, aren¡¯t you,¡± she hissed. ¡°You¡¯re the reason we can¡¯t reach Lord Ishka.¡± ¡°I don''t know - maybe?¡± Jasper admitted reluctantly. ¡° I did come here about a year ago ¨C and it wasn''t like I chose to,¡± he added defensively. ¡°I was dragged here from another world and arrived with literally nothing ¨C not even clothes on my back. When I explored the compound, I found Ishka¡¯s grave and received a class from it, but there were some guardians that sought to stop me. I didn¡¯t realize that was unusual,¡± he concluded with a helpless shrug. The woman¡¯s wrath dimmed slightly at his explanation, though it did not entirely abate. ¡°You¡¯re not from here?¡± she questioned. ¡°But you look-¡° ¡°My mother was originally from this world. After I gained a few levels, I changed to resemble her people, the Djinn,¡± he explained. ¡°But I knew none of that when I arrived here. I had no idea I was intruding on some sort of sacred place for your clan ¨C this place was abandoned and I was just trying to survive,¡± he continued. Her gaze wavered and finally dropped, her lips twisting in a sour grimace, as she stared at the ground. ¡°Perhaps you meant no harm, but the damage is done. For as long as Lord Ishka has slumbered, our clan has brought our children here to gain their class, and never once were we turned aside. Now, what will my little Gerrah do?¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°What if we take care of these guardians for you - will that fix the problem?¡± Tsia asked, interrupting their conversation. ¡°I fear it might not be enough,¡± the woman replied hesitantly. ¡°I have been unable to successfully sneak Gerrah past the guardians, but they are not the only thing that has changed in Lord Ishka¡¯s tomb. There is another presence there, something far stronger than them. It never emerged from the shadows, but I fear that Ishka¡¯s guardians are not the only thing to be awoken.¡± Jasper sighed as Tsia tossed a pleading glance his direction, but he was inclined to help too. ¡°We¡¯ll see if we can help you access the shrine,¡± he agreed ¡°but not right now. It''s been a long day and if we''re going to fight, I want at least a little sleep.¡±
It was a dark morning as the heavens continued their downpour, and the sandy courtyard that Jasper remembered was filled with giant pools of filthy water. He was forced to trudge through the muck, and with each step he took viscous sand that glommed onto his feet with enough suction force that, if he were back home, he would have struggled to free himself. Now, though, it was little more than a nuisance. By the time they reached the other side, they were thoroughly soaked, but at least the solid stone of the pyramid''s stone was an upgrade on the waterlogged muck. They trudged up the stairs to the small temple that crowned its peak, where they found the shaft that descended into the pyramid¡¯s bowels. The narrow shaft was slick with rain, with a dozen miniature waterfalls tumbling down its slope. They were forced to crouch low to the ground to keep their footing until they reached the end of the shaft, which dead-ended in a simple stone arch through which nothing else could be seen. Knowing what to expect on the other side, Jasper stepped into the gate. As before, his step slowed as a barrier rose to meet him, but it was unable to keep him out. With a sudden pop, the pressure released and he stepped into the burial chamber. A massive sunken hall stretched before him, several times larger than the pyramid that guarded its entrance. Twin staircases wound down from the elevated platform to the hall below, where the giant sarcophagi lay. Their once magnificent lids lay strewn on the ground, most of them shattered beyond repair, but the undead giants themselves seemed to be hidden again in their coffins. Though I suppose they¡¯ll arise when we come knocking. His eyes drifted up as he reached the end of the hall, drawn inexorably higher as he stared at the colossal statue of Ishka. The dead seraph sat on a throne of gold, with his hand raised in an eternal gesture of benediction. A pair of wings wrapped around his feet, two more covered his lap, and the final, largest pair flared above his head like a bird in flight. The statue seemed unchanged since the last time he saw it and yet, Jasper felt a cold tingle run down his spine as he gazed upon it. Perhaps the woman¡¯s words had simply made him paranoid, but he too fancied he could sense a presence there he hadn¡¯t felt before. While Gerrah and her mother followed directly on his heels, there was a brief pause before Erin passed through. ¡°Man, it did not want to let me pass,¡± the scout complained. ¡°It didn¡¯t?¡± Jasper wrinkled his brow in confusion, but the woman nodded with understanding. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here," she said pointedly, "but since the damage is already done¡­¡± Jasper pivoted back to the arch, from which Tsia and Ihra had yet to emerge. Is it not going to let them in? It was a solid minute before Tsia finally stepped through. Her face was red as a cherry and covered in sweat, and she slashed vigorously at the air in front of her with a glistening blade of wind while with one hand, she dragged Ihra behind her. The elfling looked even worse for the wear, with her usual lily-white skin a vigorous shade of red that would have been a Djinn noble jealous. With a final heave of effort on Tsia''s part, the barrier finally shattered, allowing them to step fully into the hall. ¡°You alright?¡± Jasper hurried over to them and preemptively started to cast Circle of Forgiveness. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your essence,¡± Ihra tried to fend him off, but he cast the spell anyway, watching with relief as her skin returned to its usual pallor. Satisfied they were okay, he shot an angry glare at the seraph. ¡°Why didn''t you warn us? We''re here doing you a favor.¡± The woman shrugged. ¡°How was I to know? I''ve never encountered a barrier.¡± ¡°It''s alright,¡± Ihra piped. "Even if we''d known about the barrier, I''d want to come." Her gaze swept over the massive burial chamber with a touch of excitement. ¡°It would have been a shame to miss this place.¡± He followed her to the balustrade, where they could see the twelve massive sarcophagi in the sunken hall. ¡°How many of the guardians remain?¡± he asked the seraph. ¡°I know I killed a few of them last time, but honestly, I¡¯m not sure how many went down.¡± ¡°There were twelve of them,¡± she replied promptly. "Twelve?" He counted the sarcophagi again, quickly reaching the number twelve, and frowned. "Are you sure there were twelve?" She nodded her head, and he grimaced. "Then it looks like I didn''t kill them after all. I must have just temporarily inconvenienced them. Oh well,¡± he sighed. ¡°Even if we don''t truly kill them, I''m sure we can get your daughter to the statue.¡± ¡°There are other children in our clan," the woman replied hesitantly. "If the guards arise again, how shall they pass?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jasper replied with a touch of irritation. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you, but I can¡¯t guard this place forever. Surely there¡¯s someone in your clan that¡¯s strong enough to help?¡± Shame flickered across the seraph''s face and she hung her head. ¡°There are few opportunities to grow strong near the capital,¡± she admitted. ¡°And our people are mere shadows of our ancestors. I do not know if there is any warrior in our clan strong enough to beat these guardians.¡± Of course. Suffocating a sigh, Jasper glanced at the rest of the party, to gauge their opinion before offering further help. Tsia and Ihra offered subtle nods, while the scout just shrugged. I suppose there''s no harm in trying. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to make sure they¡¯re truly dead this time.¡± Visible relief swept over her face, and he hurried to warn her. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises though ¨C I don¡¯t know what causes them to regenerate, so I don¡¯t know if we can actually kill them ¨C but we¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than nothing,¡± she replied, ¡°and it doesn¡¯t work¡­perhaps we can hire members from the guild to escort us.¡± Or you could use it as a chance to level up, Jasper thought, still a touch grumpy, but he left it unsaid. Instead, he gestured to the stairs as he turned to face the group. ¡°Well, y¡¯all ready to rumble?¡± The Restless Dead Before they reached the bottom of the stairs, Jasper held out his hand for them to pause. Despite what the seraph had said, there was no sign of any guardians roaming about and, instead, they appeared to be peacefully slumbering in their coffins. ¡°Last time I was here, they didn¡¯t wake until I stepped on a trap. Is there a reason you can''t just sneak your way through,¡± he asked the woman. Marata?ni shot him an odd look. ¡°Traps? There''s no traps here.¡± Jasper had a clear memory of stepping on a pressure plate which had woken the giants - for the sheer terror that had followed as the sarcophagi lids exploded into the air had been firmly crystallized in his memory. There was no way he was mistaken. Yet, he also didn¡¯t see much reason for her to lie. Remembering the barrier to the portal, he realized that perhaps the presence or absence of traps also depended on your heritage. ¡°If there weren''t traps, then what caused them to come after you?¡± he followed up. ¡°As soon as we step off the stairs, the guardians awoke,¡± she replied. "We barely made it three steps before they emerged." ¡°And then?¡± ¡°They attacked, of course.¡± ¡°I assumed that,¡± Jasper replied. He pointed to the coffins where the seraph guardians were once again slumbering, or perhaps, just pretending to. ¡°But you seem to have had a different experience than I did, so I want to make sure we get as much info as possible. Once they attacked, how far did they pursue you? And did you see how long it took for them to return to their coffins?¡± ¡°They stopped at the stairs,¡± the woman replied, confirming that this detail at least meshed with his own memory, ¡°but I cannot say about the second. We didn¡¯t stick around to watch.¡± ¡°Well, that tells us something at least," he said with a slight grimace. "Maybe..." He ran his fingers through his hair and stared at the floor. "If we don''t touch the floor, maybe they won''t attack. We might be able to take out one at a time.¡± He glanced at Tsia. ¡°Think you¡¯re up to a little flying?¡± Her lips twisted wryly, but she bobbed her head. ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡± His gaze turned to the other two. ¡°And who wants to use my second cast of Spectral Wings?¡± Ihra and Marata?ni''s hands shot up immediately, while the scout only reluctantly raised his hand after noticing the others looking at him. Not wanting an unwilling volunteer or an unknown quantity, the choice was clear. Jasper placed his hand on Ihra¡¯s back casting Spectral Wings and then cast it on himself. The wings beat silently, lifting him into the air, and he flew away from the safety of the stairs to hover a few feet above the floor of the sunken hall. He paused for a moment to see if the undead guardians would arise, but all remained quiet. So the floor probably is the trigger. ¡°We each taking our own, or are we all attacking the same one,¡± Ihra asked as she joined him. It was a good question, and he mulled it over before responding. The last time, he¡¯d managed to take out a few of the guardians by taking advantage of their inability to cross the stairs and through his own sheer persistence, but he had no idea how dangerous they''d be in actual combat or how high their level was. Still, he could make a few guesses. Having met plenty of other seraphs now, he knew they mostly looked like humans at lower levels. The guardians did not. ¡°Let¡¯s try taking one out first,¡± he decided. ¡°If it goes well, then we can split up.¡± With a nod, she darted off to the nearest sarcophagi and he followed close behind. But when Tsia went to join them, she applied a bit too much power to her spell. She zipped over and above their heads and smashed into the wooden scaffolding that connected the hall¡¯s monolithic pillars. With a yelp of pain, she fell toward the ground. Wind swelled around her, bringing her to a safe stop a few feet above the hard stone floor. What it didn¡¯t stop, though, was the ancient wooden platform that, after crumbling from the collision, smashed into her. With a second cry of pain, she was driven to the ground. A faint glint of silver in the torchlight was all the warning Jasper got as a urumi whipped out of the coffin and straight for his head. He didn¡¯t move in time, but Ihra did. Metal clanged as she intercepted the blow with Aphora¡¯s misericorde and deflected it to the side. The edge of the urumi still nicked his head, tearing off a chunk of flesh and hair as he darted to the side a half-second too late. Blood dripped down his ear, getting into the crevices, but Jasper ignored it. He shot higher into the air, hopefully out of reach of the blades, and cast Shooting Star at the rising giant. Quick flashes of fire staggered the beast as the fiery orbs bombarded it, and its body stiffened a second later as a blade of wind struck from behind. Tsia lashed out again, and the head slowly began to slide off its perch, dropping into the coffin with a thud. Jasper wasn¡¯t sure if that was enough to actually put the guardian down, but they didn¡¯t have time to stop and investigate. Eleven more were almost upon them. The nearest three converged on Tsia, their glistening urumi whistling through the air with such synchronized movement that the blades almost resembled an undulating river. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. A howling cyclone of wind rose to greet the blades, whipping them off their targets, and she leapt forward, lashing out with wild, uncontrolled strikes that sliced deep into their rotting flesh. Satisfied she had the situation in hand, Jasper did a quick cast of Fiery Shackles to bind them in place before moving on to the next target. The fourth of the seraphs had locked in on Ihra. A half-dozen arrows quivered in his flesh as he raced toward her, but he seemed unbothered by them. Then again, she wasn''t expecting them to do any real damage. Soaring higher in the air, she drew another arrow and, pouring the piercing the previous hits had piled up, released Executioner¡¯s Arrow. It missed the creature¡¯s neck as the seraph launched himself into the air toward her, tattered wings straining to bear him aloft, and buried itself in his chest instead. She spun to the side as the seraph flicked its urumi at her, unconcerned with the arrow lodged in its heart, and then the ability took affect. The guardian''s ribcage exploded in chunks of flesh and bone as the arrow¡¯s tip expanded into a smoldering blade. To any mortal, it would have been a killing blow, but the undead seraph kept moving, closing the distance on her in a flash. Her bow fell to the ground as she grabbed for the dagger, frantically parrying the second flicker of its urumi, but she had no blade nor shield with which to block the clawed hand that followed in its wake. But it never made contact, as Jasper smashed into the Seraph from the side, propelled by the full force of Seraph¡¯s Burst. The metallic wings hacked and slashed at the aged flesh as the two spiraled across the hall and collided with one of the stone columns. Unfortunately, Jasper drew the short straw, getting sandwiched between the massive guardian and the equally monumental stone pillar. His ribs popped and the breath was forced out of his lungs as the Seraph slammed into him. He pushed at the guardian, trying to shove it off, but the guardian latched on and raised a claw hand above its head. A blur of motion followed, and it took Jasper a moment to process that it wasn¡¯t his head that had been torn off. A quivering plank of wood had buried itself straight through the seraph¡¯s skull, spine, and chest. Though no hand was touching the plank, it suddenly swung to the side, dragging the impaled guardian with it. Ignoring the seraph, Eran ran forward, fumbling with his pouch for a potion, but Jasper waved him off with his one working hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me ¨C help them.¡± His fingers twisted with Circle of Forgiveness and his bones knit together. It took two more quick casts before he staggered to his feet and, taking a moment to steady himself against the pillar, darted back into the air. In the short time he''d been incapacitated, they''d beaten down several of their attackers. Ihra, after retrieving her bow, had taken down one on her own while Tsia, with a triumphant yell, decapitated the last of the three that attacked her. Only seven remained now, but as Jasper lurched back into the sky, rubbing gingerly at his hastily repaired ribs, he saw that something was changing. As one, the remaining guardians turned and ran toward the far side of the chamber. Placing their backs against the wall, six of them blocked off the entrance to the stairs in a half-circle that protected a seventh in the middle. The seventh seraph hunched over, hiding whatever he was doing, but as Jasper got closer, he saw the subtle movement of his hands. ¡°He¡¯s casting a spell,¡± he roared out in warning. Steadying his glaive, he cast Flame Charge and shot forward. Shadowy flames billowed behind him as he dove toward the undead mage, but the silver urumi rose as one to greet him. He pulled up, spinning just out of reach of the deadly blades, and as he passed harmlessly above them, the mage completed his spell. ¡°Elu? mu?tu? u urdu? kimtu?ni.¡± The creature¡¯s voice was afflicted with an almost unintelligible rasp, but the effect took. In the two times Jasper had been in the crypt, he¡¯d been too busy trying to survive to pay much attention to the sunken hall¡¯s walls. He hadn¡¯t noticed the hundreds of small stone slabs embedded in the sides nor the inscriptions on them, shrouded as they were in the gloom of flickering torchlight, but he certainly noticed when they simultaneously exploded. White clouds of rubble filled the air as the stone slabs disintegrated, and Jasper scraped the ceiling as he tried to fly up and over the cloud, rubbing at the dust that filled his eyes. Time ticked slowly as he frantically blinked and then, through the haze of the dust-filled air, he saw something that made his blood run cold. The dark walls were suddenly polka-dotted as aged, yellowed skeletons clambered out of their humble crypts. The first wave dropped to the ground and charged toward Erin who, as the closest to the explosion, had yet to clear his vision. Instinctually, Jasper dove to scoop the scout up, but, fortunately, he remembered the flames consuming him before he arrived. Instead, he swerved past Erin to intercept the skeletons. He swung his glaive like a madman, and with every blow that landed, fire and bone were sent spinning, but for each one he killed, another stepped forward. He was dimly aware of others besides him, of wind and lightning, metal and wood flashing past him, but it was all he could do to fend off the horde. Step by step he was forced back as a seemingly endless army of skeletons rose to meet him. The flames guttered out, and he cast Flame Charge again, keeping a wary eye on his essence. He wasn¡¯t out yet, but he knew the remaining guardians were still out there, seemingly content to let the skeletons grind them down, and he couldn¡¯t afford to run dry. So as much as possible, he relied on his glaive, hacking and slashing until his arms throbbed and the glaive felt like it was made of lead. He reached the brink of his endurance, and pushed past unilt, wiith a strangled cry, he thrust the glaive forward and met nothing but empty air. Is it over? He sagged against the glaive wearily and surveyed the hall around them. The floor had disappeared beneath a sea of shattered bones, but no more skeletons met his eye. He spied Tsia and Erin a few dozen feet away, their backs pressed against one of the sarcophagi for protection, while Ihra had managed to lift herself up to a small ledge on one of the pillars. He also spied the group of seraph guardians; dozens of wooden beams stuck out of their bodies in a haphazard fashion, like a grim cosplay of a porcupine, and he flashed Erin a weary thumbs up. It was a harder battle than he¡¯d expected, but at least they¡¯d won. But even as the thought flitted through his mind, Jasper felt a sudden pressure emanate from the far side of the chamber, and, as one, the torches extinguished. Ishkas Remnant One by one, the mystic sconces illuminating the chamber blinked out, plunging them into darkness, and the pressure continued to increase. With a grunt, Jasper was forced to his knees, unable to stand beneath the unseen weight pressing down on him. His knees groaned, his elbows buckled, and he struggled to keep from being plastered to the ground. From what he could see, the others weren''t doing much better, with only Ihra able to remain upright - though, from the palsy in her limbs, Jasper doubted she could maintain it much longer. After a tortorous minute, the pressure slowly receded, and as it ebbed, the enchanted orbs began to flicker with life once more. Jasper bolted to his feet, searching the darkness for their attacker. The blue flames cast long shadows against the wall, shadows that seemed almost to move with a mind of their own, but Jasper barely noticed them. Instead, his eyes were glued on the massive statue of Lord Ishka ¨C or rather, where the statue of Ishka had been. No longer did Lord Ishka raise his hand in benediction, for the golden throne sat empty. Pressure exploded behind him, and Jasper threw himself to the ground on instinct. Pain rippled through the back of his skull as something sharp grazed him, but he was spared the brunt of the blow. He rolled to his feet and half-ran, half-dove toward the questionable cover of one of the stone pillars as a second attack shot toward him. This time he saw it ¨C a shower of golden stars thrown by something incomprehensible. The statue of Lord Ishka, which before would not have looked out of place in a Hindu temple, now could have passed as a Salvador Dali original. Large chunks parts of the body were still almost perfectly preserved, but other sections had dissolved into liquid gold or even a yellowish haze which moved in complete defiance of all known physics. There was nothing to hold it together, nothing that should have allowed it to move, but the creature flung itself toward Jasper with a howl of rage emanating from a partially dissolved jaw. A sudden burst of intuition told Jasper the pillar wouldn¡¯t hold and he bolted a second before Ishka¡¯s remnant smashed into it. The column shattered like glass, and a hail of shards lacerated his back as he ran. The force almost sent him to the ground, but he kept his balance, and twisting around, fired off Fiery Shackles. It was a waste of essence. Ishka didn¡¯t even notice the shackles that sprung around his ankles, tearing through them as if they were made of wax paper. Instead, ten more golden stars leapt to his fingertips and tore toward Jasper. Jasper had nowhere to hide, but a column of wind sent the stars spinning off course and a metallic clink echoed a moment later as two arrows thudded into his torso. One, hitting one of the best-preserved parts, bounced off uselessly, while the second got stuck in the swirling liquid. The arrows did nothing to the remnant, however, which bolted toward Jasper with another incomprehensible scream. Jasper¡¯s essence dipped well below the halfway point as he cast Spectral Wings, and took off running. A spasm rippled down his back as the shadowy wings emerged, and he leapt into the air. He made it above five feet before a burning metal hand wrapped around his ankle. Then, he was on the ground, his face smushed against the pavement stones. With a flick of his wrist, Ishka tossed him in the air and slammed him back down against the floor. Bones crunched, and he felt liquid dripping down his face. Cries filled the air behind him, and the hand holding his ankle suddenly went slack, before dropping to the ground with a plop. It was hard for his addled brain to keep its focus, but he somehow managed to cast Circle of Forgiveness. Black spots danced across his vision as the spectral wings lifted him into the air, but Jasper ignored them; for now, he was healed enough to carry on and he couldn¡¯t afford to waste essence. Tsia had managed to distract Ishka for a moment, but her blows had yet to do any significant damage to the undead lord ¨C even the hand that she had severed had already regrown. He hesitated for a single second, as his mind raced through his options. Hand of Judgement wasn¡¯t available yet ¨C he¡¯d used it up in the fight against the Djinn commander ¨C but there was another spell he had yet to use, and even better, it required no essence. Mas?s?artu, he muttered quietly. The shadows twisted beside him, as the darkness and light, the air and stone, pulled together into solid form. Though humanoid in shape, the guardian that materialized beside him was noticeably inhuman. Its skin matched Jasper¡¯s in color, its legs and arms seemed a bit out of proportion, its fingers were thin and attenuated, and its height was a good three feet above Jasper¡¯s. The most unusual differences though were from the shoulders up. The creature had not a scrap of hair on its scalp and where its eyes should have been were nothing but pools of darkness. The creature¡¯s manifestation had not gone unnoticed. With another angry screech, the remnant of Ishka switched its attention from Tsia back to Jasper. Its hands joined together at the tips of its fingers and an orb of blue flame ignited between them. The blue orb shot toward Jasper and in the space of just a few feet expanded till it was the size of a small car. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. He darted up into the air, above the spell¡¯s trajectory, but it altered course to follow him. He flew faster, casting Flame Charge as he flew, and the strange white flames billowed behind him as he dove down toward Ishka¡¯s remnant, with the orb in hot pursuit. He shot past Ishka, scoring a glancing blow with his glaive, and, as he had planned, the orb also collided with the creature. But the orb did not harm its master. It phased through Ishka and continued its pursuit on the other side, slowly but surely catching up to him. He shot higher in the air, executing a tight pirouette to face the orb, but the mas?s?artu got to it first. A thin beam of white light flashed from the ground to the orb in a single wide arc and sliced it in half. A bolt of lightning followed as Tsia once again tried to get the thing¡¯s attention, and Jasper dove again, this time catching Ishka from behind. Propelled by the force of his dive, the glaive cut deep this time, sinking into the fractured, melting rib cage until it hit the solid metal of the remnant¡¯s breastplate. Ishka spun around, backhanding him, and the glaive was ripped out of his hands as Jasper was sent flying backward. Ishka turned to charge after him, but a red arrow sunk into the creature¡¯s chest, rapidly expanding into a burning blade, at the same time as a beam of white light hit from the other side. With a flaring of his wings, Jasper surged forward and a stream of burning orbs raced toward the monster as he cast Shooting Star. Beset on all sides, Ishka did something Jasper hadn¡¯t expected ¨C he ran. With a sudden burst of speed, the half-melted monstrosity bulldozed straight through the weakest member of their party, Erin, and raced toward the empty golden throne. There was a stunned moment of pause, and then the four charged after him, collectively reaching the same realization ¨C there was something in the throne the creature wanted. Still borne aloft by Spectral Wings, Jasper outstripped them all. Ishka was only halfway up the winding staircase when Jasper reached him and, grabbing hold of the glaive still embedded in his back, used all the force of his momentum to slam the remnant into the wall. He was staggered a second later as a wave of golden stars burst from Ishka¡¯s hands and punched through his armor like it wasn¡¯t there, but he¡¯d bought time for the others to catch up. A column of wind roared past him, plastering Ishka against the wall, while Ihra, shoving him aside, stabbed Aphora¡¯s misericorde into the wound already created by the glaive. Ignoring the wounds, Ishka¡¯s hands joined together again, a blue ball of flame igniting in the space between, and Jasper swung the freed glaive down at his hands. The blade sliced through Ishka¡¯s wrists, stopping the spell before it was completed, but also causing it to go haywire. A wave of blue fire rippled outward, shoving them a few steps back, and Ishka took the opportunity to escape, racing further up the stairs. With each step he took, the mangled nubs grew longer, and as the fingers reformed, blue fire began to flicker once again. Jasper darted after him, the spectral wings beating with a languid flourish quite at odds with their actual speed, but someone else beat him to it. The mas?s?artu stood between Ishka and the throne. For a brief moment, the dark hall flared as bright as day as a thin, focused beam of light punched straight through the remnant¡¯s chest. With a slight swivel of its wrists, the mas?s?artu wiggled the beam back and forth, bisecting its torso. Ishka¡¯s arms and legs twitched as the separated halves of his body fell to the ground and Jasper pounced on them, afraid that the creature would somehow mend himself. His instincts proved correct. Already tendrils of liquid gold had begun to stretch between the halves, pulling them back together. He cut through the new growth and joined by the others, the party hacked and slashed at Ishka¡¯s body until finally whatever energy was holding it together was exhausted. ¡°Well, that was closer than expected,¡± Jasper sighed, leaning hard on the glaive. His ribs were cracked again, he was missing large chunks of flesh on his scalp, and one hand was swollen twice its usual size from broken bones, but he was all but out of essence and not willing to expend the last little bit and suffer the consequences of essence deprivation. Instead, he rooted in his bag for a potion, keeping a wary eye on the body, just in case it decided to back for round two. He grimaced as he downed the sickly sweet liquid, and his eyes swept back over the scene of the battle. The stately hall was a mess. The floor was hidden beneath piles of broken bones, twisted timbers, and the rotting corpses of the guardians, and Ishka¡¯s statue lay shattered on the podium before them. They¡¯d won by the skin of their teeth and, frankly, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was even worth it. He saw the Djinn woman on the far side of the hall, with the little girl plastered to her side, and waved them over. They had to wait for the two to pick their way through the wreckage and up the winding stairs. She¡¯d seen the fight, so she knew what had happened with Ishka¡¯s statue, but she stared at the broken wreckage in horror nonetheless. ¡°Will we- will we even be able to receive a heritage now?¡± she stammered. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jasper admitted, ¡°but there¡¯s one way to find out.¡± Her face was strained with anxiety as she looked down at her daughter, suddenly uncertain if she was willing to risk testing the broken statue, but someone else made the decision for her. Wriggling out of her grasp, the daughter darted forward, not toward the broken statue, but toward the empty throne. Her arms were barely tall enough to reach the bottom of the seat, but she pulled herself up and over, collapsing in the center of the chair, and as she did, a halo of blue fire rose to greet her. The fire billowed around her for a few seconds, touching but not consuming. When the flames died down, she hopped off the throne with a beaming smile. ¡°Mommy ¨C I got a box!¡± Well, at least someone''s happy A Minor Victory S?ams?a?dur sank to the ground with a groan and rubbed his aching legs gingerly.After killing the Atrometos, the troops spent hours trying to save the burning village.Neither he nor Sargani?l had any water mages amongst their forces to put out the fires, and the only mage they did have that was of any real use was a solitary healer, who had run dry in less than half an hour. The poor mage had spent most of the rest of the day curled up in the agony of essence deprivation - an agony she continued to inflict upon herself as every time a little bit of her essence was restored, she¡¯d returned to healing the injured until her essence ran dry again.He had to give her kudos for that. But, with no other mages able to help, that meant the soldiers had been forced to fight the fires the hard way.S?ams?a?dur had helped dig fire breaks, had hoisted thousands of gallons of water in a bucket brigade, and, once the last of the fires were out, had joined the others in sifting through the wreckage of burnt-out homes in search of survivors until night forced them to stop. They¡¯d done their best, but it hadn¡¯t been enough.Half of the village was little more than burned-out timber.The other half was currently occupied by Sargani?l and his troops, who had kicked the villagers out of their remaining homes. S?ams?a?dur was hardly a man of the people, but he found the Corsyth lord¡¯s actions dishonorable.He¡¯d had his troops share their tents with the villagers, but there wasn''t enough space for all of them.Many lay on the cold ground, curled up with nothing to protect, and weeping filled the air.The only one of Sargani?l¡¯s troops still outside was the healer.I could probably help her - she deserves that much. He grimaced at the thought of having to stand up again, but it was a small enough price to pay.With a second groan, he staggered to his feet and wove his through the mounds of sleeping villagers till he reached the healer.She had just expended the last of her essence for the fifth time that night and was curled up in a ball on the ground.Despite the bonfire only a few feet away from her, her frame was wracked with shivers and her eyes were tightly shut. She stirred as he approached, but still didn¡¯t open her eyes.¡°Take a seat,¡± she mumbled, ¡°When my ess-ssence returns¡­¡± she slurred the word, struggling to finish the sentence, as the prince crouched down beside her. ¡°Actually, I thought I might be able to help you,¡± the prince replied.He suppressed a frown as a certain silkiness, honed by years of whoring in the taverns, slipped into his voice.He wasn¡¯t trying to seduce her - she was a Corsyth, after all - but old habits were hard to break. ¡°A potion won¡¯t work,¡± the woman replied wearily, still not looking at him. ¡°I know,¡± the prince agreed, ¡°But I¡¯m a bit of a mage.I might be able to help.¡± Her face scrunched with suspicion.¡°Lord Sargani?l has¡­no mages that can help.¡±Slowly, she cracked an eye open and flinched as she saw him looming over her.¡°A durgu?What can you possibly¡­do for me?¡±There was a slight trace of antipathy in her voice, but it was a decidedly smaller reaction than most of Sargani?l¡¯s men had shown.Or perhaps she¡¯s just too tired to hate me. ¡°I can¡¯t heal you, but I can take the pain away,¡± he offered. ¡°Take...pain away-?¡±Comprehension dawned on her, and her suspicion.¡°Mind mage?¡± ¡°Guilty as charged,¡± he replied, flashing her what he hoped was a reassuring grin.¡°Sadly, I don¡¯t have any healing powers, but I can convince your mind to ignore the pain for a while, if you''ll let me.¡± ¡°What else...would you change?¡± Worry and accusation seeped into her voice, and S?ams?a?dur sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t alter your thoughts, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about."He wasn¡¯t surprised she regarded his offer with suspicion.While some cultures, like the Fey, respected mind mages, both the empire and the durgu were understandably leery of their abilities. Indeed, mind mages had been almost wiped out in his father¡¯s kingdom generations before he was born.It had been a bit of a scandal in the court when he first manifested his abilities - as it was a rather telling indication that he was probably not his father¡¯s son - but King Hals?utu was first and foremost a practical man, and had seen right away the usefulness of the young prince¡¯s magic.The rumors had been hushed decisively, and S?ams?a?dur had been pressed into service. Still, even though he understood why people reacted the way they did, he was tired of the endless suspicion, of seeing the look in their eyes learned what he could do.Perhaps some mind mages were monsters, but he wasn¡¯t one of them. The woman pursed her lips, uncertainly flickering in her face, but she was in enough pain for it to override her better judgment.She nodded her chin slowly, wincing in pain even from the slight movement, and he cast the spell. Her reaction was near instantaneous.Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright, a pleased smile spreading across her face.¡°I feel so much better.I-¡±She paused, and finally examined for her real, a slight tinge of worry seeping back into her eyes.¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t do anything else?¡± ¡°You mean you haven¡¯t noticed the irresistible urge to sleep with me yet,¡± he shot back sarcastically. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. She had the good grace to look ashamed and dipped her head.¡°I suppose that was churlish of me.Thank you for healing me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a heal,¡± he reminded her.¡°I just dulled the pain, but your body still needs to recover.¡± The mage shook her head.¡°How can I?There¡¯s so many that still need me.¡± S?ams?a?dur settled down beside her, propping his cramping feet up by the fire.¡°And there always will be.There¡¯s no shortage of people that need healing, but you can¡¯t fix them all.Surely your temple taught you that.¡± She wrinkled her nose with displeasure.¡°Perhaps, but how can I just ignore them?¡±She pointed to a wounded man who was on the far side of the campfire.One arm hung limply at his side, with the bone protruding out of skin that was covered in red, angry blisters.¡°If I don¡¯t help him, he¡¯ll lose that arm.¡± ¡°Then help him,¡± he replied with a shrug, ¡°but don¡¯t forget that it comes at a cost.If you constantly push your body to the brink of essence deprivation, you¡¯re going to send yourself to an early grave.Sure, you can help a few more people now, but at the cost of helping far more in the long run.¡± ¡°You sound like Mage Babba?nu,¡± she sighed.¡°You may both be right, but I can¡¯t just ignore his suffering.One more.¡± He watched in silence as she rose and walked over to the injured man.White light briefly lit up the night as she channeled what essence had returned to her into the man.The bone slid back in place, and the ruined flesh sloughed off as new skin replaced it.She swayed slightly when she was done, and he started to rise, afraid she was going to topple over, but she staggered back to him. ¡°You ran dry again,¡± he observed wryly. ¡°I did,¡± she replied defiantly.¡°And it was worth it. A one-handed farmer¡¯s no farmer at all.¡± He studied her for a moment, puzzled by the mage who seemed to care so much, while the rest of her group slept blissfully in the very beds they had kicked the villagers out of. Her skin was a bit more tanned than most mages, and her hands, though mostly soft now, had a few thickenings where old calluses had likely been.Her hair was mostly blonde, washed even lighter from long days in the sun, but it was intermixed with strands of light lavender that pointed to a troll or two lurking somewhere not too distant in her family tree.She wore a light blue tunic that identified her as a member of Selene¡¯s temple, but he noticed the hem was a tad shorter than it should be, with faintly visible stitches pointing to a poorly done repair job.Most importantly, though, she was a few years older than a novice mage would normally be. ¡°You¡¯re from a village like this, aren¡¯t you,¡± he deduced.¡°Probably hasn¡¯t been that long since you were a farmer¡¯s daughter, or-¡± remembering the poorly trimmed and slightly too short dress, he thought better of the guess, ¡°or a barmaid.¡±A slight twitch in her lip told him his guess was on the money, and he kept going, starting to enjoy himself. ¡°It must have been quite the surprise when you unexpectedly manifested the ability to do magic.Did your mother have a wandering eye, or was it some long-forgotten heritage of your family that resurfaced?¡¯ ¡°Get out of my mind,¡± she spat, her eyes darkening with anger. ¡°Woah,¡± he held his hands up with a chuckle.¡°There¡¯s no mind reading involved here.I may not have used as much essence as you today, but I don¡¯t have any to spare for pranks.¡± Her expression softened only slightly.¡°Then how could you know all this?¡± ¡°A keen sense of observation fostered by a relentless eye for pretty girls,¡± he replied diffidently. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a barmaid,¡± she replied sullenly, and he just grinned back.¡°A different sort of maid then?¡± An uncomfortable silence settled around them, and the prince realized perhaps he had landed a little too close to the truth.¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he finally spoke up.¡°I didn¡¯t come here to pry into your past, and I shouldn¡¯t have.Do you know why I came over here?¡± ¡°You thought me an easy lay,¡± she replied bitterly. ¡°On the contrary.I thought you seemed like the only person on your team that wasn¡¯t a bit of a bastard.Someone like you shouldn¡¯t be stuck working for someone like them.¡±For someone like my father, he echoed in his head. She squeezed out a small smile but looked away.¡°Thanks, but I don¡¯t have a choice if I wish to stay at the temple.Master Babba?nu doesn¡¯t always see eye to eye with Lord Sargani?l but, in the end, he¡¯s the lord of our city.¡± For now. kept that thought to himself. Reaching out to touch her shoulder, he renewed the spell he¡¯d cast on her.She flinched as his hand brushed her, but relaxed when she felt the pain ease away again.¡°Things have a way of changing,¡± he said mildly. Her gaze sharpened, and she sent him a searching look.¡°And what does that mean exactly?¡± He was still a sucker for a pretty face, but the prince had learned something from his failed tip-off to the Strythani queen.Despite wishing to warn her of the roiling political intrigue, he kept his mouth shut.¡°Maybe Master Babba?nu would be interested in a new patron,¡± he replied slowly.¡°If my men are to be dragged into more battles like this, we¡¯re going to need a healer. ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping with you,¡± she replied abruptly. A flicker of irritation roiled in his stomach, but he tamped it down.¡°I¡¯m not asking you to.¡± ¡°Just making it clear.¡±She brushed a strand of her pale hair behind her ear and stared into the fire, seeming to contemplate the offer.¡°Will you let me heal others, or only your men?¡± ¡°My men would be the priority, but you could heal others if you have essence remaining.I will not, however, allow you to constantly exhaust yourself like this.If you are to take care of other people, it¡¯s clear you¡¯ll need someone to take care of you.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re that person,¡± she asked skeptically. "You don''t strike me as a wet nurse." ¡°I¡¯ve been called worse,¡± he replied with a shrug. She searched for his face for any sign of duplicity but found none.¡°I don¡¯t think Babba?nu can afford to anger Lord Sargani?l,¡± she finally said. ¡°Eh, money talks,¡± S?ams?a?dur brushed aside her concern.¡°Lord Sargani?l can order the temple around because he holds the purse strings. But if I can provide them an alternate means of survival, I think they''ll be willing to listen. Sargani?l doesn''t have authority over the priests, after all.¡± After she finally agreed, he left her to drift off to sleep, stepping in one last time to stop her from healing a non-urgent injury, and returned to his tent, where he mulled over what he''d seen.The situation with Sargani?l was worse than he¡¯d been led to expect, but already he¡¯d achieved a minor, but significant, victory for his mission.Sargani?l would be pissed to lose the healer¡¯s services, but he was quite confident Kaba?ni had deeper coffers.And if it happened to save the young healer from working with those swine - well, that was a nice benefit too. Aftermath Marata?ni promptly dragged her daughter over to a secluded corner of the podium, where she began teaching her how to meditate, eager - and perhaps also a bit anxious - to see what class her daughter had received. That left the others to carry out the second part of their promise, checking to see if the guardians were really dead. Jasper headed to the stairs reluctantly, the group trailing after him. By the tiniest sliver of essence, he¡¯d avoided the worst effects of deprivation, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t utterly exhausted. In truth, he wanted nothing more than to find the nearest dark corner, curl up, and go to sleep, but if there was any chance the guardians might arise again - well, he didn¡¯t want to be around for round three. The group trudged down the stairs in solemn silence. The battle had been tougher than any of them had expected and none of them had escaped without at least one close call. Erin was the first to break the silence, as they neared the bottom of the first landing. ¡°So is this usually how it is with you guys?¡± ¡°No, we bit off a little more than we could chew here, but it¡¯s not usually this bad.¡± Ihra snorted. ¡°Often it¡¯s worse.¡± ¡°Worse?!¡± He stopped mid-stride, his eyes widening in horror. ¡°I nearly died - hell, we all nearly died. How could it get worse?¡± ¡°Well, there was that time I was almost sacrificed to a demigod,¡± Tsia chimed in. ¡°As terrible as Yasgah was, I think the dead gods were worse,¡± Jasper replied, a faint shudder running down his spine as he recalled the inky depths of Nahassinnu. Hopefully, I will never, ever have to go back there again. ¡°Or, you know, there¡¯s the time you actually died,¡± Ihra replied, a bit more solemnly. ¡°You died?¡± Erin gasped. ¡°Like dead-dead, or I-need-cpr-dead?¡± Jasper pulled down the collar of his tunic, allowing the scout to see the scar that encircled his neck. Over the course of his various evolutions, the scar had faded from the gnarly knot it originally was, but it was still clearly visible. ¡°Like lose-my-head dead,¡± he replied grimly. ¡°I was dead for a couple of days.¡± The scout looked sick at the revelation. ¡°And you still kept fighting?¡± ¡°I came back, didn¡¯t I?¡± Jasper asked with a shrug, feigning a diffidence he didn¡¯t entirely feel. For the most part, he really had moved past his experience with death, but today had been a stark reminder of just how dangerous adventuring could be. He was lucky he wasn¡¯t in the void right now, a mindless beast wandering near the shores of an endless ocean that would consume him with the slightest touch. He shoved the thought aside immediately, not willing to allow it to influence him. ¡°There¡¯s no point in worrying about it,¡± he told the scout. ¡°There were a million ways we could die back on earth too, and a lot of them were barely in our control. A car accident, an allergic reaction, a school shooter. At least here, we have healing spells and the possibility of coming back from the dead. Overall, it¡¯s an upgrade.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± the scout replied, but he didn¡¯t look too convinced. Their conversation came to an end though as they reached the bottom of the stairs. ¡°Let¡¯s split up and check the seraphs¡¯ bodies, see if there¡¯s anything that might bring them back to life.¡± ¡°We should chop off their heads just to be sure,¡± Ihra added. ¡°What about the coffins,¡± Erin asked. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re bound to them somehow, like a lich.¡± ¡°We should probably check those too,¡± Jasper agreed after a moment of thought. He wasn¡¯t sure if liches existed in Corsythia, but it was better safe than sorry. The four spread out through the sunken hall, sifting through mounds of shattered bones in search of the twelve guardians. Jasper marveled at the sheer number of bone fragments; the hectic fight against the undead was little more than a blur in his mind, and he truly realized just how many they had fought. There must have been hundreds of them. Were they all slaughtered the night Ishka¡¯s cult fell? Upon reflection, he decided it was unlikely. The massive hall seemed far beyond the capabilities of a broken remnant to build, which meant that it likely already been constructed, or at least mostly so, before Ishka¡¯s death. Most of the pharaohs built their tombs before their death too. Slowly, he unearthed a small cluster of guardians, the initial three that had targeted Tsia, and he was immediately glad they¡¯d gone looking. While they still showed no signs of life, many of their wounds had already sealed up, and two of them had regrown limbs that he was quite sure Tsia had chopped off. They really are going to rise again. Reluctantly, he used his glaive to chop off their heads and then, just for good measure, he also chopped off their arms and legs. It was an unpleasant task that left him feeling like an ax murderer, but Jasper wasn¡¯t willing to risk having the guardians resurrect while they were still searching the chamber. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Once the bodies were thoroughly de-limbed, he headed to the nearest coffins. The massive sarcophagi rose higher than his head, and he had to jump up, grab the ledge, and pull himself over to clamber inside. The inside wasn¡¯t as empty as he¡¯d expected. All four walls were made of pure alabaster, much of which was covered by a mixture of pictures and runes, none of which Jasper was able to read. The bottom was lined with a padded mattress, covered in faded-red silk. In addition to the urumis the guardians had wielded, a long glaive was cradled in the crack between the mattress and the alabaster walls - though it was far too large for Jasper to conceivably wield. He looked around for anything that might serve as a phylactery, even tearing up the mattress to see if anything was hidden beneath it, but he found nothing. He was about to give up when he caught a faint glimmer in the corner of his eye. Nerves already on edge, a spell was sizzling on the tips of his fingers as he spun around, but he saw nothing, save for the empty coffin and the indecipherable text written on it. He froze for a moment, doubting his senses, but nothing moved. He was about to look away when the barest hint of light flickered again, and this time he saw its origin. The alabaster that lined the coffin was not carved from a single piece; instead, several larger slabs had been joined together with such excellent craftsmanship that the seams were nearly invisible. But the brief flicker of light he¡¯d seen had indeed come from one of the seams. Grabbing the slab, he tried to pull it out but was unable to get a decent grip on the stone. There wasn¡¯t enough room in the sarcophagi to try prying out with his glaive, so he called Ihra over. ¡°I think I found something!¡± Abandoning the guardian she was in the midst of dissecting, Ihra joined him in the coffin a moment later. ¡°There¡¯s something behind this slab,¡± he explained. ¡°I saw a light flashing-¡± As if to cooperate, the light peeked through the tiny seam as he spoke and Ihra, whose vision was much better than his, spotted it immediately. Together, they struggled to wrestle the slab out of place, but even with the leverage Aphora¡¯s misericorde added, it was a task nearly beyond their strength. Finally, with the help of The Still Pond, they managed to budge it a few inches out of place, revealing the source of the light. A dull blue gem was ensconced inside a cubby carved in the alabaster slab. Almost its entire surface was covered by tiny black glyphs that had been etched into it. As they watched, the glyphs briefly pulsed with faint white light, but before fading once again into darkness. ¡°Any chance you can read those,¡± he asked Ihra. His friend pried the gem out of the cubby carefully, and turned it over a few times in her hands, scrutinizing the glyphs, before shaking her head. ¡°These are different than the ones in Aphora¡¯s grimoire. There¡¯s a few that are similar,¡± she said, tapping on one that vaguely resembled a snake with an egg in its mouth, ¡°but not enough for me to decipher the meaning.¡± ¡°Think this is what¡¯s regenerating them?" ¡°Well, something is,¡± Ihra said with a frown. ¡°I found one of the ones I shot with Executioner¡¯s Arrow. The wound had completely sealed up. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they start walking again.¡± Suddenly, she cocked her arm back and flung the gem as hard as she could at the nearest pillar. White light pulsed as it hit the rock, but it bounced to the ground with no apparent damage. They scrambled out of the coffin and, after a little searching through the piles of bones, found the crystal again. It was indeed unharmed. Jasper tried next. A sturdy hit from his glaive did nothing but send it skittering across the floor, and the spout of fire he flung at it was equally ineffective. With each blow, the glyphs pulsed with light, and as Jasper glanced over, he saw one of the corpses he had dismembered was rapidly knitting itself back together. At least it answers that question. Seeing the spell cast, Tsia and Erin came running over and tried their hand. Her wind blade bounced off the gem with as little effect as the previous attacks, but lightning proved a different matter - with a final flare of light, the gem crumbled into pieces. It took them another two hours to finish the task, with Jasper and Ihra painstakingly prying the massive coffin slabs far enough open to slip out the gem, while Tsia scorched it with lightning, but, despite their exhaustion, they dared not take any breaks. Only when the last of the gems had been shattered, did they finally feel free to sink down beside the sarcophagi. They¡¯d only rested a few minutes before footsteps echoed in the hall as Maratani descended from the podium, holding Gerrah by the hand. She paused in front of them and waited silently until Jasper pried an eye open. ¡°Did she get a class?¡± The woman smiled. ¡°She did, thanks to you.¡± She paused, and Jasper sensed a bit of hesitation in her. ¡°Is there something wrong with the class?¡± Though a bit of worry seeped into the mother¡¯s eyes, she quickly denied the possibility. ¡°I don¡¯t think so - it¡¯s just not the class I was expecting. Ever since Ishka was entombed, our clan has received the Flame Guardian Acolyte class, but Gerrah got something else: Acolyte of the Secret Flame?¡± Oops. Jasper recognized the name of the class all too well - it was the upgrade he¡¯d received in place of the Flame Guardian class, but he hadn¡¯t expected that to be offered to the child as well. ¡°That, uh, might be related to me,¡± he slowly replied. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s a good class - an upgrade from the other one, from what I understand.¡± The worry in her eyes eased a little, but not entirely. ¡°And this secret flame? This isn¡¯t some cult is it?¡± Jasper frowned at the question, suddenly realizing he didn¡¯t know the answer himself. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the secret flame is,¡± he admitted, ¡°but there wasn¡¯t anything odd about it - just slightly better spells.¡± Mollified, Maratani bowed her head again, this time thanking him full-heartedly. Together, the six left the chamber behind, returning through the portal to the upper enclave. And though the guardians remained where they had fallen, they didn¡¯t see the mounds of broken bones slowly reknit and climb back into their cramped crypts. The Sidhe, the River, and the Fortress They recuperated at the enclave a day before hitting the road once again. The enclave was the farthest west in the Empire Jasper had thus far been, and from there, it was only another week¡¯s journey till they reached the shores of the River. Having never seen it before, Jasper was unprepared for its true size. He¡¯d certainly noticed, of course, the way people spoke of it with an almost reverent tone, and he¡¯d often wondered why it seemed to possess no actual name. He understood, though, when they finally reached its banks. It truly was the River. From where they stood, no land could be seen on the other side. Indeed, it could have easily been mistaken for an ocean if it were not for the lack of waves. Yet in their place was something even more dangerous. The waters charged past at a truly frightening pace, white froth churning against the numerous rocky pillars and tiny islands that rose above its waters. It was hard to comprehend how such a massive body of water could flow so fast and yet, from what Tsia had told him, this was one of the calmest spots on the mighty river. Indeed, Birnah¡¯s importance to Sapiya lay largely in the fact that this was the sole point in the River¡¯s entire route through the Empire where a land crossing was possible. A web of bridges crisscrossed between the small islands, connecting them in a web of ancient, enchanted stonework that eventually reached the distant shores. On the far side lay Birnah, Sapiya¡¯s solitary possession on the western side of the river and the place Kasdael had told him to look for the durgu prince. They only made it halfway across the tangle of bridges before night fell, and they were forced to stop in a small fishing village that was perched on the edge of one of the larger islands. A beneficiary of the many trade caravans that passed through, the otherwise tiny village supported not one, but two, taverns. Yet, luck was against them that night, as every bed had already been claimed by a group of merchants. With no room left at the inn, they were relegated to crashing in the stables. They barely slept and were up at the first light of dawn. The last leg of the trek over the River was a surprisingly pleasant journey. The sheer amount of water that surrounded them brought a cooling effect with it, enhanced by the strong winds that danced up above the rushing waters. The pleasant temperature quickly rose, though, when they finally reached its western shores. The midday sun beat down on them relentlessly as they caught their first views of the endless plains that stretched all the way from the shores of the River to deep within the heart of Gemlir¡¯s fallen realm. The massive blue skies and an unbroken line of sight that stretched for dozens of miles in every direction were beautiful in their own way. And though the land was every bit as hot as Sapiya¡¯s jungles, here nature had been tamed. Farms stretched in all directions, fields and vineyards, orchards and pastures. The only break in the bucolic scene was the massive fortress slightly to the north. Everything about the city of Birnah seemed to have been engineered with warfare in mind. Its walls bristled with towers, and the sun¡¯s rays bounced off the metallic coating that covered its walls with a harsh glare. It was a symbol of power, ugly and brutalist, that seemed out of place next to the quaint farms. How many battles must have been fought here? They¡¯d only traveled a few hundred feet beyond the River when a creeping sensation tingled down the back of his spine. With a sudden spike of paranoia, Jasper glanced behind but saw nothing. The presence lingered though, and when he turned a second time, it finally revealed itself. A giant blonde man with a roguish grin stared back at him, flashing pearly white teeth that would have looked a little too good for even a toothpaste commercial. His brows scrunched together as the man¡¯s name wormed its way to his tongue. ¡°Ivan?¡± Tsia¡¯s head whipped around at the name, and she nudged her horse in front of Erin¡¯s to get closer to the man. ¡°Lord Imhullu,¡± she said, bowing her head. ¡°Ivan¡¯s fine,¡± the man replied with an easy smile. While it was true that the man so far had done nothing but help them, there was a certain fakeness to the man¡¯s carefree grin and easy-going attitude that made Jasper distrustful, and he cautiously started to draw on his essence, just in case. The Sidhe¡¯s eyes flicked to Jasper¡¯s hands, and an amused grin spread across his lips. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± he said calmly, and though he cast no obvious spell, Jasper¡¯s essence suddenly ceased to move. ¡°Is that supposed to make me feel better,¡± he asked with a glare. Imhullu shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not here to make you feel better. I¡¯m here to protect my descendant and - as a little favor,¡± he added with a wink, ¡°I¡¯ll even help the little elfling here too.¡± ¡°Protect-?¡± The question died unspoken as Jasper realized what the Sidhe was referring to. Elves didn¡¯t cross the River for a reason. True, Tsia was only about 1/8th an elf and Ihra, despite how she appeared, was still a Corsythia - or at least, they figured she was. ¡°Do you really think they¡¯re in danger,¡± he asked. ¡°Tsia? No. At least not normally. If my kind tried to kill everyone with a hint of elvish descent, there¡¯d be about ten people left in the Empire. Now your little friend,¡± he waved his hand in a gesture of uncertainty. ¡°From what I¡¯ve gleaned from your minds, she isn¡¯t technically an elf, but she certainly looks like one. It¡¯s not like my old pals are going to a DNA test before killing her.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°What do you mean not normally?¡± ¡°DNA test?¡± Tsia and Jasper spoke over each other, each echoing their own concern. Ivan shot his descendant a rueful grin, answering her question first. ¡°I may have pissed off a few of my former colleagues. You should hear the things they¡¯ve been calling me. Turncoat, SOB, Elf fu-¡± He paused, and changed course. ¡°Actually, I suppose I shouldn¡¯t repeat that in front of such fine ladies.¡± ¡°And you,¡± he added, turning to Jasper. ¡°Yes, I do know what DNA tests are, and, no, I¡¯m not going to explain how - wouldn¡¯t want to ruin the air of mystery I¡¯ve worked so hard to cultivate. Works wonders with the ladies,¡± he added with a wink. ¡°But that¡¯s why I am here.¡± A halo of light began to emanate from his hands and the man placed a hand on the back of both girls, suddenly looming above them despite the fact that he was on foot and they were mounted. They both squirmed away from his touch, revealing a black handprint on their necks that slowly faded back to the normal color of flesh. ¡°There, that should obscure you from any watching Sidhe, and if one does come around, I¡¯ll know.¡± For a brief moment, the easy grin was replaced with the glare of a predator and the primal promise of violence. A shiver ran down Jasper¡¯s spine, reinforcing his opinion that the Sidhe, even if he was something of an ally, was once best kept at arm¡¯s length. ¡°Also,¡± the man¡¯s grin returned, and he scratched his head with a hint of awkwardness. ¡°There¡¯s something else I need to discuss with you, Tsia.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯ve always been something of a grandfather to you-¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my grandfather,¡± she retorted, ¡°and I just met you.¡± ¡°Well, perhaps the grandfather of your grandfather¡¯s, grandfather¡¯s, grandfather,¡± he amended, ¡°but nonetheless, I¡¯m afraid our relationship has changed.¡± Tsia raised an eyebrow but chose not to take the bait. Unperturbed, Imhullu continued blithely on. ¡°You see, sometimes people find other, special people, and well, sometimes, when you really like someone-¡± The horror of a dawning suspicion slowly crept across her face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Roguish delight glinted in the Sidhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you have to start calling me ¡®father¡¯ right away, and I think we can all agree to stay clear of ¡®daddy,¡¯ but-¡± He ducked as Tsia slipped her shoe off and threw it at him. ¡°You slept with my mother?!¡± ¡°I¡¯d hardly say we slept.¡± A second shoe came flying after him, as easily ducked as the first and he slowed a minute to pluck her shoes out of the mud, offering them to her with a flourish. Her face bore a striking resemblance to a steamed lobster as she accepted them mutely. With a little laugh, he patted her cheeks affectionately. ¡°Now, now, Tsia, it¡¯s really not that embarrassing. And even if it were, it¡¯s time to grow past that. You¡¯re going to be a big sis.¡± As the last word left his mouth, Imhullu vanished from sight. ¡°A-a what?¡± She spluttered, but her words fell on apparently empty air. ¡°I see Aphora hasn¡¯t changed,¡± Jasper replied, his voice a bit choked as he tried to hold back his laughter. ¡°I-I¡­argh.¡± With a growl of frustration, Tsia looked away, her cheeks still burning. ¡°Surely you aren¡¯t surprised,¡± Ihra cut in. ¡°For an elf, she¡¯s still quite young.¡± Tsia ignored them all, pouting with all the petty anger that only a recently dethroned youngest child could muster until they reached the gates of Birnah. The fortress town of Birnah was so heavily fortified that it had a second, smaller fortress guarding the only entrance to the bridge that spanned its massive moat, and a long line of travelers was backed up outside the entrance. Stuck at the back, they couldn¡¯t hear what the guards up front were shouting, but the line slowly began to dissolve as more and more of the people from the front turned back. And as they inched forward, they finally could hear what the guards were saying. ¡°The city is closed. You can wait at Devur until it reopens.¡± It¡¯s closed? Jasper waited patiently in the line until they got closer to the guards, and waved one over. ¡°Why¡¯s the city closed?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Djinn doing out here,¡± the man replied with a question of his own. Assuming it to be a rhetorical question, Jasper waited for the man to answer, and, after a lengthy pause, the guard gave in. ¡°The surrounding villages have been under a series of attacks from Atrometos for the last two weeks. We¡¯ve killed a few of them, but most of the time, they¡¯re gone before we can get there.¡± Jasper¡¯s brow wrinkled, failing to see why that would mean the gates were closed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be safer for the people to shelter in the city?¡± The guard shrugged, a tinge of contempt flitting across his face. ¡°The attacks are just an attempt to draw our forces out of the city. Once they see we won¡¯t take the bait, they¡¯ll stop.¡± But what about all the people being killed? Will they spring back to life? Jasper had gotten used to having a certain amount of sway amongst the Djinn, but here, he was no one particularly special. It left a bitter taste in his mouth to swallow his protests, but he didn¡¯t want to get off on the wrong foot with the local rulers. ¡°I see,¡± he replied with a forced smile. ¡°Is there any way we could get in, just for a little while? Or at least get a message in? I¡¯m looking for someone who was supposed to be here. A durgu prince, not sure what he looks like,¡± he added. ¡°You¡¯re with the durgu?¡± What was left of the man¡¯s friendly facade crumbled entirely. ¡°You won¡¯t find those dwarves in here, then. Lord Sarganil knows better than to let enemies in the gates.¡± Enemies? He knew relations were strained between the two peoples, but they weren''t exactly at war - at least, not yet. ¡°Any idea where I could find them then?¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, they¡¯re guarding the villages. Might find them there. Might find Atrometos too,¡± the man warned. ¡°Just go to Devur with the rest. It ain¡¯t much of a settlement, but it¡¯s got enough of a wall to fend off most attacks.¡± ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll do that,¡± Jasper lied, slipping the guard a few coins for his time, before turning to leave the line. Why can nothing ever go easy? Ambush at Night ¡°Kruvas?.¡± With a hasty curse, S?ams?a?dur stumbled backward as the Atrometos swung its comically large halberd in a 180-degree arc. Most Atrometos seemed perfectly content to rely on the many, bountiful blessings nature had imbued them with. their dagger-sized claws, razor-sharp teeth, massive horns, and aura of fear already granted them a place near the top of the food chain, and to add anything else on top of that was, in S?ams?a?dur¡¯s mind, just unfair. Unfortunately, the armor-plated Atrometos wielding a halberd longer than two oxen and a cart didn¡¯t agree with him. A scream filled the air as the glaive caught one of his men, and the prince¡¯s heart quickened with anger. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the slender Corsyth run forward, her hands glowing with healing magic, but he¡¯d seen the man fall - his body was split in two. ¡°Stay back, Asa?ta, he¡¯s already dead,¡± he thundered as he threw himself beneath the long shaft of the glaive. The Atrometos tried to swing it down toward him, but the weapon¡¯s size and momentum betrayed it. In a flash, the smaller durgu had closed the space between them and slammed his axe into the corner of his greave. He danced out of the way as the creature¡¯s foot lashed toward him, each claw of its foot long enough to impale him, and slashed again, at the small open wound he¡¯d created. As he did, he channeled every shred of essence he had into the axe, causing the dulled edge to suddenly burst into light. The blow missed, and the momentum of the axe dragged him to the ground. A shadow flashed on the dirt in front of him, and he rolled to the side as the glaive dissected the earth where he¡¯d been. There was a flash of light in the corner of his eyes, and he cursed as he bolted to his feet. He knew the source of the light all to well - the healer was trying to help. It was true that healing magic could wreak as much destruction as it could help, but she was too valuable to risk in a fight like this. ¡°I¡¯ve got this Asa?ta,¡± he roared, channeling the essence into his axe again. Angered by the spell, the Atrometos had turned its attention to the healer, and it didn¡¯t see him coming. ¡°Ana nu?r S?ams?a!¡± He screamed as he slammed the axe into the broken flesh, forcing every scrap of essence he had left into his foe. The Atrometos took a drunken step forward, blood pouring from every orifice as the spell took hold, and caught itself with the shaft of its halberd. It was the best blow S?ams?a?dur could deliver, but he doubted it was enough. He raised his axe again, screaming for his men to join him, to pounce on the mighty creature before it could recover. ¡°Irh?u! Irh?u!¡± The durgu surged forward at their prince¡¯s command, axes and spears tearing at the Atrometos¡¯ weeping wounds. Flashes of light accompanied them as the healer disregarded his command, but he ignored it. The monster rallied one more time, raking its clawed hands through gathered masses, but it was a wounded bear beset by a pack of starving wolves - its doom was assured. Slowly but surely it crumbled, its armor mangled beyond recognition, and its leathery skin torn asunder. With a victorious cry, S?ams?a?dur mounted the beast, shaking his axe in the air. ¡°Ana nu?r S?ams?a!¡± he repeated. For a brief moment, he basked in the adulation of his men, but the joy of victory faded as he took in the ruined village around them. They¡¯d seen the smoke on the horizon before they¡¯d even reached the village. The durgu rarely used mounts, opting for heavily armored merkabtu? instead, but his rag-tag band had none of those. All they could do was run. They weren¡¯t fast enough. The air was choked with thick black smoke that rose from nearly every building. Bodies littered the streets torn by the claws of the three Atrometos they¡¯d found attacking. Two had fallen, and the third had fled, but S?ams?a?dur knew they couldn¡¯t afford to pursue it. ¡°Spread out and search for any survivors,¡± he commanded, leaping off the broken monster. ¡°Asa?ta stick with me.¡± The mage hurried to his side as he began the grim task of clawing through the bodies, looking for any who might have survived their grave wounds. The first four were cold and clammy, but heat still lingered in the fourth. He carefully pulled it free from the others, his blood boiling with anger as he stared at the face of a young boy who couldn¡¯t have been more than ten. His stomach had been torn open by the Atrometos claws, intestines spilling out on the ground, but a faint pulse still beat. ¡°Asa?ta.¡± He didn¡¯t even need to speak her name, for the mage had already knelt beside him. Her hands wrapped around the child¡¯s hand, pumping healing essence into him. His innards pulled back in, the skin growing around the open wound, and he opened his eyes with a gasp. ¡°AHHH!¡± He tore free from the mage¡¯s grasp, his eyes widened and frightened, and stilled as he saw the bodies. ¡°Momma? MOMMA!¡± The boy threw himself on one of the bodies, weeping as he tried to pull her up, to shake her awake from a sleep that would never end. The boy didn¡¯t notice as S?ams?a?dur placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. The prince couldn¡¯t - wouldn¡¯t - take away the boy¡¯s pain, but he could ease it for a time. A pulse of essence entered the child, and he crumbled on top of his fallen mother, overtaken by a sleep. S?ams?a?dur waved one of his men over to secure the child and returned to Asa?ta. With any luck, there were more people to save. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. More of the villagers had survived than he¡¯d expected. While they¡¯d only found a few still breathing among those lying in the streets, others had managed to hide. One family had locked themselves in their root cellar and had nearly died of smoke inhalation as their burning collapsed on top of the only exit. Others had escaped into the nearby thickets and eventually mustered the courage to return when they saw the soldiers rooting through the ruins. By the time the day was waning, they¡¯d managed to gather nearly half of the villagers together. And then the unexpected happened - the Atrometos who¡¯d fled returned, with another friend in tow. Despite their massive size and monstrous appearance, Atrometos were no unthinking beasts. They were every bit as intelligent as a Corsyth, troll, or a durgu, but, thanks to their overwhelming power, rarely felt the need for a more subtle attack. The one who¡¯d fled, though, was as unusual as the one who¡¯d worn armor. With a stealth no creature its size should be able to manage, it stuck to the shadows of the dying day, sneaking past the line of soldiers keeping watch, and targeted the man who had killed its mate. A stray thought was all that warned S?ams?a?dur - a brief surge of alien, incandescent rage that his mind picked up as the Atrometos struck from behind. He spun to the side, dancing across the fallen timbers as the beast whipped its claws through the place he¡¯d just been standing. Bright light flared against the approaching night as Asa?ta attacked, but the Atrometos was focused on wreaking its vengeance against the durgu prince. Leaving its backup to deal with the other forces, it charged after S?ams?a?dur. With a frenzied curse, the prince did the only thing he could think of to help - S?ams?a?dur turned and ran, leading the Atrometos away from the village and praying that his men could handle the second one. His essence was only partially recovered from the first fight, and he knew he didn¡¯t have enough to repeat the killing blow. When he¡¯d drawn the Atrometos far enough away, he spun around and darted straight toward it. He had some familiarity with their instincts by now, and he ducked almost casually below the windmilling strike it launched at him. Sliding beneath its deadly claws, he targeted the creature''s knees with his axe. The first blow bounced off the being¡¯s tough skin, and he was forced to leap out of range as it spun to face him, moving with considerably more agility than its armored mate. Its aura of fear washed over him, telling him to drop his axe, to run, to flee, to never look back, but S?ams?a?dur was accustomed to that by now. He barely flinched as the aura activated, and with a cry of defiance, charged back in. He slid beneath the expected strike, but he¡¯d underestimated the Atrometos. Its blow was merely a feint, and its left hand plunged straight toward his chest. A metallic shriek filled the air as the claws met his cuirass, but durgu metal was as tough as its people. It buckled beneath the weight of the blow, but the claws did not pierce through. But that didn¡¯t stop the beast from pinning him to the ground. He slammed his axe against the Atrometos¡¯ arm in a flurry of frantic blows, trying to get it to release him, but he had no leverage to deliver a solid strike. The Atrometos loomed over him, and its mouth opened wide, revealing the rows of razor-sharp teeth that had feasted on so many mortals. ¡°Taksip-ma da?ku h?a?wiri? u bala?tu?¡± It asked, anger burning in its eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t know it was your mate,¡± he spat out, as he concentrated what essence he had remaining in one final attempt to knock the beast unconscious. Its eyes turned milky as the spell hit, and with a heroic effort, he shoved the massive claws pinning him down a few inches above his chest. With a frantic scramble, he pulled himself free just as the Atrometos¡¯ mind recovered. Its claw hammered into the ground as he ran, giving a moment of respite, but S?ams?a?dur was all out of tricks. His vision swam from essence deprivation, and he staggered like a drunk man as the beast chased after him. But then the creature behind him bellowed in pain. Glancing over his shoulder, he nearly fell as he saw the massive iron chain had sprung out of the ground and wrapped itself around the creature¡¯s ankles, each link glowing with the dull red of superheated metal. ¡°I got this one,¡± an unfamiliar voice thundered. ¡°Help the others.¡± He whipped his head around to see a handful of people emerge from the gloom of the darkening forest. Three took off toward the village, while the fourth took a step forward and his head began to glow. ¡°Duck!¡± It took S?ams?a?dur a second to realize the stranger was talking to him - half a second too long. A flurry of glowing orbs shot straight out of the man¡¯s hands and toward the Atrometos. Which also happened to be straight towards him. He dove to the ground slightly too late, grunting in pain as one of the orbs caught him on the edge of his shoulder, and sent him flying to the left. He rolled to his feet, hissing with pain as the fire scorched his skin, but it was a glancing blow. The Atrometos took the worst of it. The night sky lit up as the orbs exploded against its body, staggering it back a step - but only a step. With a renewed cry of rage, the beast snapped the chains binding its legs and charged toward the new threat. Deprived of all essence, S?ams?a?dur could do little but hack at the creature with his axe, so he ran toward the stranger, praying the strange mage had something stronger in his repertoire. He¡¯d only made it a few steps when the stranger blurred past him, billowing with eerie white flames and wielding a glaive seeping with ice. The mage hit the Atrometos dead center, scoring a deep cut with its glaive, but was tossed aside by the beast¡¯s great strength. He bounced back up, apparently unharmed, and the prince noticed that tendrils of flame were slowly creeping across the Atrometos¡¯ torso. The Atrometos charged after him, its deadly claws slashing through the space the squishy mage should have been, but the stranger was suddenly floating above its head, born aloft by shadowy wings the prince had missed in the darkness of the night. ¡°You know, I remembered you guys as being way scarier,¡± the stranger said. With a flick of his wrist, a long silvery whip extended from his hand, and lashed out toward the wound he¡¯d previously inflicted. It sunk deep into the bloody wound and as it did, unearthly wails rent the air. A ring of specters manifested around the Atrometos, and in a second the hunter had become prey. S?ams?a?dur watched in fascinated horror as the specters tore the fell beast to shreds, barely even noticing as the winged mage flew over and sat down beside him. ¡°Well, would you look at that - it seems like my luck has finally changed.¡± He jumped as the mage spoke to him, and eyed him warily. Just because he¡¯d attacked the Atrometos didn¡¯t mean he was a friend. ¡°I¡¯m Jasper,¡± the mage continued, seemingly unaware of the prince¡¯s caution, ¡°and I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re S?ams?a?dur.¡± The Strange Mage ¡°I¡¯m sorry - who are you?¡± S?ams?a?dur avoided answering the stranger¡¯s question, trying to buy a little time. It was true the unknown mage had helped them defeat the Atrometos, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean they were on the same side. If anything, it struck the prince as a little suspicious. They¡¯d been fighting the foul creatures for the last few weeks as the Atrometos waged a relentless war against Birnah¡¯s outlaying villages, but so far they¡¯d been unable to discover any reason for the sudden upscale in attacks. Lord Sarganil had declared it a plot by Stryn, and used it as an excuse to keep Samsadur¡¯s troops - and all other unwanted groups - out of Birnah, but the prince doubted that was true. The Atrometos were not unthinking monsters, nor were they particularly prone to ally with anyone except, in rare cases, their lesser brethren, the Gemlirians. While they may have reveled in occasional bouts of death and bloodshed, he did not think they would continue such a sustained campaign without a purpose. Could this mage be working with them? It would be a clever ploy, a trick right out of his father¡¯s court. Pay a few assassins to hit a target and then ¡®save¡¯ them, ingratiating yourself in their good graces. Then, when they didn¡¯t expect it, you¡¯d sink the dagger in, taking a little extra in the knowledge that they hadn¡¯t seen it coming. ¡°I¡¯m Jasper,¡± the man repeated, ¡°And these are my friends. Meet Ihra, Tsia, and Erin.¡± The four of them were a motley crew. There was nothing too remarkable about the two Corsyths attached to him, save for the fact that both had used spells against the Atrometos, but an elf on the Western side of the River was almost unheard of. They were either very strong or very stupid, the prince decided promptly. And then there was the man himself. The name was obviously foreign, and a bit hard to pronounce, and his ethnicity was unclear. In the darkness, it was hard to see his skin tone clearly, but it seemed to be some variant of red. The only race the prince knew of with red skin was the ever-reclusive Djinn, but he thought they were supposed to have horns. He hadn¡¯t met one, though, so perhaps that was simply an exaggeration. But why would a Djinn have left the mountains to visit the West, with an elf no less. It simply made no sense, so he discarded the possibility, stiffening as another thought came to mind. Could they be another bunch of assassins? My father won¡¯t stop just because of a single failure. ¡°Jasper,¡± he replied, his tongue stumbling slightly on the unfamiliar sound, ¡°Your party came along in the nick of time. I¡¯m afraid there aren¡¯t any rooms left in the village, though,¡± he added with a rueful grin. ¡°We got here too late. But if you¡¯d like some food, my men are getting pretty good at whipping something up.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve slept in our tents before,¡± the mage replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°But I noticed you still haven¡¯t answered my question. Are you S?ams?a?dur, prince of the durgu?¡± And there it was. Uncertain if the mage was friend or foe, he had done his best to avoid clearly answering the question until he got a better sense of whether it would spark a fight, but it was clear the mage was not willing to be distracted. Probably an assassin, he decided. He stalled one last moment before responding, summoning what little essence had returned to him. He didn¡¯t like his chances against at least three mages, possibly four - he hadn¡¯t seen if the elf used spells or not - but he¡¯d go out fighting. ¡°Aye, that be my name,¡± he replied gruffly, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Thank god.¡± Visible relief spread across the stranger¡¯s face, accompanied by a dopey grin. If this was a prelude to an assassination, it was certainly an odd one. ¡°We¡¯ve been following the trails of smoke for a couple days, but every time we found the village, we had just missed you. I was beginning to think you were a ghost.¡± ¡°Despite my father¡¯s current plans, I¡¯m not a ghost,¡± Samsadur replied drily. He kept his essence ready, just in case, but was starting to hope he¡¯d escape without a fight. ¡°But now you¡¯re the one avoiding the question. Why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± the mage apologized. ¡°I¡¯ve had like two nights of decent sleep in the last few weeks. But I¡¯m here because my goddess sent me.¡± ¡°To find me?¡± The prince knew better than to let his surprise show; in court, it would have been a rookie mistake, but he, too, was exhausted and his eyebrows had a mind of their own. ¡°What goddess is possibly interested in me.¡± ¡°Kas?dael.¡± Great. So he¡¯s a loon.
An hour later, as the group huddled around a hearth Samsadur and his men had built up, the prince had softened his judgment. He might be a follower of the Lady of Last Light, but he showed no signs of the madness that often infected them. That didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d decided he trusted the man - if anything, the mystery of the stranger had only deepened. After their brief introduction, ¡®Jasper¡¯ and his followers helped Samsadur¡¯s men rescue what remained of the villagers. The prince certainly appreciated the help, especially after Sarganil¡¯s men had left a bad taste in his mouth, but he hadn¡¯t been prepared for how effective they were. It was rare, but hardly unheard of, for a mage to have inherited two strands of magic, so he¡¯d already been impressed by the mage¡¯s command of both fire and that strange, spectral spell. He¡¯d been gobsmacked when he whipped out a healing spell as well. Between him and Asata, every single villager who still breathed was healed by the end of the night. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The miracles had not ended there. One of the mages following him proved to be a nature mage with a particular adeptness at manipulating wood. Even though nearly every home in the village had burnt down, with a few flicks of his finger, this second mage - Erin, another foreign name - had torn down the wreckage of the homes and, after fishing out what good lumber remained, had constructed two massive shelters. No one would be sleeping in the dirt tonight, and there was enough space for the villagers to remain in until they repaired their ruined homes. But all of that was nothing compared to his other discoveries. S?ams?a?dur had always been frustrated by his inability to do true mind reading, but his ability to ¡®eavesdrop¡¯ on the thoughts of others was still usually enough to give him a good read on a person, but not with this group. The elf and the Corsyth were the closest to normal, but that wasn¡¯t saying much. Throughout the night, both girls¡¯ thoughts had repeatedly flicked to a Sidhe. An apparently friendly Sidhe. And that didn¡¯t include the brief glimpses of undead giants, Djinn, or abandoned ruins he picked up on. It definitely didn¡¯t include the one, brief thought the Corsyth had of a perfectly normal woman whose gaze filled him with terror. But the women¡¯s thoughts at least made a certain amount of sense to the prince. They were clearly adventurers, and had run into a great many beings he¡¯d never encountered, but, fundamentally, it was a world he understood. The same could not be said for the men. Most of their surface memories were the same as the girls¡¯, but there were others mixed in there too. Visions of massive cities that sparkled in the light. Of giant beasts soaring through the sky. Of boats large enough to house a hundred villages. The prince was no rube. Travelers from another world were rare, but not so rare as to be mythological. In the years he¡¯d served in his father¡¯s court, he¡¯d met three and had found the images of the worlds he¡¯d gleaned from their minds truly fascinating. But none of those three had come from the same place, unlike these men, which made him doubt whether or not they were truly travelers - or at least that they were alone. His thoughts turned to the Zalancthians, an unknown people who had simply appeared off the Empire¡¯s shores one day. Could another invasion be coming? That thought, more than any, chilled his bones. His father might be able to take down the wounded empire, but if another people like the Zalancthians attacked, Biranati could not beat both. As the mage finished whatever he¡¯d been saying, he stared at the prince expectantly, and Samsadur realized he had missed something. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what were you saying?¡± ¡°I was just thinking that now that we have the villagers fed and bedded, we could talk about why I¡¯m here. I know you got a funny look in your eye when I mentioned I worked for Kasdael, but I promise I¡¯m not one of her crazy followers. Honestly, she¡¯s not like that at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gathered you¡¯re not crazy,¡± the prince replied with a halfhearted grin. ¡°But there¡¯s clearly something - maybe a lot of somethings - that you¡¯re hiding and I have good reason to be conscious.¡± ¡°Is it the assassins,¡± the man asked casually, as he dipped a hunk of crusty bread into the bowl of stew the durgu had prepared. ¡°You know of them?¡± All of S?ams?a?dur¡¯s fears came bubbling back to the surface, only for him to stamp on them ruthlessly. If they were assassins, the level of control it would require to allow him to glean their thoughts without catching even a whiff of their intent would place them far beyond his ability to defeat, and likely beyond the limits of what his father was willing to spend. ¡°Not really,¡± the mage replied with a shrug. ¡°But Kas?dael sent me here to save you from assassins, so I figured there must be some around.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what your goddess wants? Why?¡± He didn¡¯t bother to reign in his surprise this time. ¡°She seemed to think that you might prove a useful asset to the Empire. As long as you survived, that is.¡± ¡°Just because my father and I are currently at odds doesn¡¯t mean I want to help the Empire,¡± the prince snorted. ¡°The three villages you just saved would probably disagree,¡± the mage replied mildly. ¡°I¡¯m helping people, not the Empire,¡± he shot back dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m sure my father will change his mind after he¡¯s had a little time to cool off.¡± The mage started to speak, paused, then shook his head. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m in no position to be giving you advice, but do you want to serve someone who tried to kill you?¡± The prince ignored the impudent question, digging into his bowl of stew rather than answering. ¡°Fair enough,¡± the man said when it became clear he wouldn¡¯t speak, ¡°but I¡¯m still here to help with the assassins. Do you know anything about them?¡± ¡°Plenty,¡± he replied abruptly. ¡°If your goal was to protect me from them, you¡¯re too late. The followers of Mut-La¡¯is have already struck twice.¡± ¡°Mu?t-La?¡¯is?¡± Jasper¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°That name seems familiar,¡± he continued, more to himself than to the prince. ¡°But why¡­ahh.¡± Recognition dawned in his eyes. ¡°When I played an elf, I-¡± He froze as S?ams?a?dur turned to stare at him, and hastily amended himself. ¡°I ran into them once when I traveled up north. Nasty little buggers and highly determined. They won¡¯t give up after just two attempts. Played an elf? Choosing not to pull on that thread, the prince settled for nodding his head in agreement. ¡°Aye, those madmen don¡¯t like to lose. But like I said, my father and I are currently at odds. I¡¯m sure, given a little time, he¡¯ll come around.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the man said simply, though the doubt in his eyes was obvious. ¡°I hope for your sake that¡¯s true. But in the meantime, I¡¯m here to help. We¡¯ll keep those assassins off of you and maybe - just maybe,¡± he said with a sly wink, ¡°we¡¯ll convince you to help the empire.¡± Great. He¡¯s a spy. For the third time that day, S?ams?a?dur adjusted his opinion of the mage. ¡°Not going to happen,¡± he replied bluntly, ¡°but¡­I suppose I won¡¯t refuse the help - just so long as you realize I am not agreeing to help the Empire.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you,¡± the frustrating mage replied. ¡°This is a divine quest, not a political one. Although,¡± he added with a slight frown, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice something strange is going on in Birnah. Know anything about that?¡± The prince suffocated a groan. ¡°Too much, far too much,¡± he admitted. Whispers of Rebellion The meeting with the prince had not gone as smoothly as Jasper had hoped. After getting turned away from Birnah¡¯s gates, they¡¯d spent the better part of the week wandering the countryside in search of the prince and his men. Unfortunately, the durgu¡¯s path proved easy enough to follow; while Jasper couldn¡¯t help but view the lord of Birnah¡¯s decision to close the gates to the city with a certain degree of judgment, it was undeniably true that the territory really was under attack. The fertile farmlands immediately in view of the city remained untouched, but as soon as they were out of sight of the guard, devastation reared its ugly head. Plumes of smoke rose on the horizon in multiple directions, skybound pillars far too large to be caused by simple bonfires. They¡¯d charted course for the nearest, where they¡¯d found the burnt-out husk of a village. There were no survivors left, though a series of tracks in the road headed north suggested at least some of the village¡¯s inhabitants had managed to flee elsewhere. The second pillar of smoke led them to a settlement that had only lost a few homes, along with a sizable section of its wooden stockade. The villagers were already busy rebuilding their fortifications, but after Erin stepped in and did the work of days in an hour, they were more than happy to regale them with tales of a heroic rescue from a horrific monster. The description of the monster seemed familiar, and when the Corsyths showed the team its rotting corpse, Jasper recognized it with a touch of horror. It was an Atrometos, the very monster that had decimated the first expedition he¡¯d joined. It was little more than luck that he, Ihra, and Pa¡¯al had made it out of that cursed city alive, but at least he hadn¡¯t seen one of the foul beasts since. He saw a lot more of them over the next few days. They found two more villages the durgu had saved, each with their own rotting corpses, and saved a village of their own on the day after, arriving shortly after a pair of Atrometos began their attack. He¡¯d been surprised how easily the creatures had fallen, not living up to the memory of the undefeatable boogeyman they¡¯d encountered in Yarr-Khenom. Then again, he had grown considerably. Round two of the fight had come later that night when they¡¯d finally tracked down the durgu. This village had not gotten so lucky. Nearly every building was burnt down, and the Atrometos were still on the rampage. At the edge of town, a man fought alone against one of the beasts while further away, a ring of soldiers surrounded what remained of its inhabitants. They¡¯d split up and defeated them with no further loss of life. Their intervention had been met with overwhelming gratitude from the villagers, but the durgu had viewed them with suspicion. Jasper shifted uncomfortably on the hard wooden floor and helped himself to another serving of the stew the dwarves had cooked. For food whipped up in the burnt-out ruins of a village, it was downright delectable, the sort of food that Jasper wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to rate 5 stars back at home. He paused to savor a few bites and took the opportunity to scrutinize the man that sat opposite him. If one counted his previous experiences with the game, then S?ams?a?dur wasn¡¯t the first durgu he¡¯d seen, but he was certainly the first Jasper had encountered since arriving in Corsythia. While the durgu were a foot or two shorter than their neighbors - the elves, the Corsyths, and the trolls (Gemlirians) - they really weren¡¯t that short; back on earth, S?ams?a?dur would have been only a couple of inches shorter than the average male. But what was unique about the durgu?¡¯s appearance was their breadth rather than their height, and the prince was no exception. S?ams?a?dur was built like a bull, with shoulders that would have made a linebacker weep with envy and the sort of muscular mass that only the most reckless of steroid users could have hoped to match. His eyes glowed with a tawny gold that perfectly matched the wild mane of hair that tumbled around his shoulders. In stark contrast to the long hair was his immaculately manicured beard, which was trimmed close to the cheek. He wore a suit of heavy armor, crafted in large, solid plates rather than the lamellar style the Djinn preferred, and his arms were in dark blue tattoos whose swoops and swirls seemed to carry a meaning Jasper couldn¡¯t quite grasp. A roguish air lingered around the prince, and Jasper suspected he¡¯d broken more than a few hearts, but currently his eyes were not filled with charm but hooded suspicion. ¡°Too much, far too much,¡± the prince replied to his question. ¡°Did your goddess tell you why I¡¯m in this kruvas? pit?¡± Kruvas? pit? He mentally translated the unfamiliar curse to hellhole, and shook his head. ¡°No, she was actually rather vague on the details - you know how gods are.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± the prince replied with an amused grin. ¡°I can¡¯t say that I¡¯ve ever found Lord Samsa to be the talkative type, but perhaps the Lady of Last Light is different. So she really told you nothing?¡± ¡°She was more focused on the assassins,¡± Jasper replied, leaving out her not-so-subtle hints about the prince¡¯s potential usefulness to the Empire¡¯s cause. The durgu had already shown a decided lack of interest in that path.¡± ¡°Well, after my father and I had¡­a little disagreement,¡± the prince replied, ¡°I decided it might be time to take a vacation. See the sights. Survey the lands that will soon be ours.¡± Though Samsadur did his best to keep his voice playful, he could entirely expunge the bitterness that laced his words. ¡°Unfortunately,¡± he continued, ¡°after a little run-in with some assassins in Yaspeh, King Kabani sent me here as a ¡®payment of service.¡¯¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°You met the king?¡± Tsia interrupted the man¡¯s explanation, and leaned forward, her hands fumbling nervously. ¡°How did he look? Was he well?¡± ¡°Uh, yes?¡± The prince paused at the unexpected interruption, shooting the girl a strange look. ¡°I met him a few times. Can¡¯t say I paid much attention to how he¡¯s looking though. Why? Do you have some sort of crush,¡± he added with a sly wink. ¡°Into the silver fox type?¡± ¡°Ew! Gross - he¡¯s my dad,¡± she blurted out before her brain caught up with her lips. ¡°Your dad?¡± The prince echoed in disbelief. His eyes sharpened, and though his hands did not twitch, Jasper got the sense the durgu briefly cast some sort of spell. ¡°Kruvas?, you¡¯re not lying, are you?¡± He said, his body stiffening as he spoke. ¡°Did your father send you to check up on me?¡± Crap. Jasper sighed internally as he watched the man¡¯s suspicion return full throttle. ¡°I know it¡¯s a mighty suspicious coincidence, but, honestly, our coming here had nothing to do with her father,¡± he intervened. ¡°Tsia ran away from the court about a year ago, so she was eager to hear about him. That¡¯s all it is.¡± Frankly, Jasper doubted he would have believed himself on that matter but, to his surprise, after another moment of scrutiny, the man relaxed. ¡°Who would have thought a tiny village like this would ever host two royals,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Three,¡± Ihra chimed in, and the prince laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re the long-lost princess of Onkodos Laos.¡± ¡°It¡¯s him,¡± she replied nodding her head toward Jasper, who waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I may be technically of the Royal House, but I¡¯m no prince.¡± ¡°Your mother was,¡± she replied promptly, her eyes glinting with amusement, and Jasper just snorted. ¡°Not when I knew her. I spent more of my life in the slums than in the courts. Besides,¡± he shot her a warning glare, ¡°we¡¯re getting off track. Our new friend here was going to tell us what he¡¯s doing in Birnah.¡± The prince¡¯s good humor faded slightly, and he shot Jasper a questioning glance. ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Not a clue.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± After another long glance at Tsia, S?ams?a?dur resumed speaking. ¡°As I was saying, after a certain unfortunate incident in the capital, Kabani sent me here to¡­¡± He lowered his voice, glancing around at the villagers clustered in the massive warehouse Erin had constructed, but found them mostly asleep ¡°...to keep an eye on Lord Sarganil,¡± he continued softly. ¡°The king fears that Sargani?l¡¯s loyalties are beginning to stray.¡± ¡°Surely not,¡± Tsia gasped. ¡°His family has kept Birnah safe for generations, and Lord Sargani?l has ensconced himself firmly in the kingdom. His daughter is my father¡¯s queen, and he has raised himself above all other lords - what more could he want?¡± ¡°Power.¡± Jasper and the durgu prince replied at the same time and shared a wry grin. ¡°As your friend here was saying,¡± the prince continued with a nod at Jasper, ¡°Men who crave power are rarely content with second place. Of course, I don¡¯t know exactly what his plan is, so maybe he has other motives altogether. Maybe Stryn just offered him a better deal, but there¡¯s definitely something fishy going on here.¡± ¡°Because he won¡¯t let you in the city?¡± ¡°Eh.¡± The prince shrugged, ¡°If that was the only thing Sarganil had done, I¡¯d understand. The durgu may not be at war with the Empire yet, but tensions are high and I am my father¡¯s son, after all. If the situation were reversed, I wouldn¡¯t let you in, no matter how charming you may be, my lady,¡± he turned the focus to Tsia, who blushed like a schoolgirl. A trickle of irritation rippled through Jasper, but he kept the conversation on focus. ¡°But it sounds like that wasn¡¯t the only thing he¡¯s done. What else?¡± S?ams?a?dur nodded his head toward the villagers sleeping around them. ¡°He¡¯s abandoned his people. For the last few weeks, my men and I have been dashing around the countryside trying to fend off the fiends terrorizing the villages while Lord Sargani?l does nothing. He¡¯s just holed himself up in that fortress of his and refuses to come out. I¡¯d say the man is a coward if I hadn¡¯t met him.¡± ¡°The guard we met at Birnah said the attacks were just a distraction to lure them out of the city. Maybe he¡¯s just thinking tactically,¡± Jasper offered, though personally he agreed with the prince that the lord was wrong to abandon his people. ¡°You could keep the gates closed without completely abandoning the villages,¡± the man replied dismissively. ¡°And besides, that¡¯s not all that he''s done.¡± He nudged the shoulder of the mage who had sat beside him silently the entire time, the healer who Jasper had helped. ¡°You want to tell them, Asata?¡± ¡°Me?¡± She squeaked, startled by the question. ¡°You understand what happened with the temple better than I do.¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­¡± A shadow passed over her face, and she twisted her hands nervously in her lap. ¡°When S?ams?a?dur asked me to help him, I didn¡¯t think the temple would agree. For many years now, Lord Sargani?l has paid for exclusive rights to our healers, but S?ams?a?dur worked out a deal that overbid him - but just for my contract, not all the healers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing he didn¡¯t take it well,¡± Jasper reasoned. ¡°Lord Sargani?l accused Master Babba?nu of treason and extortion and tossed him and most of our leaders in his dungeon. I fled before the guards could grab me, along with a few of my brethren, but from what I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s appointed his nephew as the new head of the temple. The man¡¯s not even a priest!¡± ¡°Well it certainly sounds like there¡¯s some corruption,¡± Jasper agreed, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s plotting against the kingdom.¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯d wager my axe on it,¡± the prince replied. ¡°There was something off about the man when I met him, almost as if his thoughts were altered, or perhaps, corrupted.¡± ¡°His thoughts? Then you¡¯re-¡± Jasper picked up on the ramifications immediately, and the durgu winced. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a mind mage,¡± he admitted reluctantly. Mind Mage Jasper did his best to hide the immediate sense of revulsion he felt as the prince admitted he was a mind mage. While those powers might seem cool for Professor X, in real life, the thought of interacting with someone who could change your mind - possibly without you even realizing it - was downright terrifying. With someone like that around, could you even trust your memories? It wouldn¡¯t have been so bad if the fey charm hadn¡¯t been broken beyond repair in the battle with Yas?geh, but now Jasper had no protections left against the mental arts. Despite his efforts, his unease shone through, and the durgu sighed. ¡°I know you probably won¡¯t believe me, but I can¡¯t alter your thoughts. Kruvas?, I can¡¯t even truly read your mind. I just pick up on snippets, mostly whatever happens to be running through your mind while we¡¯re talking. It¡¯s more like eavesdropping than mind-reading.¡± ¡°Do you mind repeating that,¡± Jasper asked abruptly, preparing his truth spell. ¡°It¡¯s more like eavesdropping than mind-reading?¡± the prince repeated quizzitively. ¡°No, the stuff about you being unable to alter thoughts.¡± ¡°I cannot alter your mind. I can numb your pain, eavesdrop on some of your thoughts, and launch a mental attack that might just leave you a drooling moron, but I cannot make you think or feel things you don¡¯t want to do,¡± S?ams?a?dur said with a touch of exasperation. ¡°He¡¯s not lying,¡± Jasper reassured his party, although, personally, he wasn¡¯t one hundred percent convinced the man was harmless. After all, if S?ams?a?dur actually could alter thoughts, then perhaps the truth spell was nothing more than a fever dream the durgu had planted - but he knew down that road lay madness. ¡°So you¡¯ve been reading our thoughts all night,¡± he asked the prince. The man shrugged diffidently. ¡°I¡¯ve picked up a few odd thoughts here and there. Nothing that interesting.¡± ¡°You just lied,¡± Jasper shot back, having not stopped casting the truth spell, and the man cursed. ¡°Kruvas?. You''re still casting that bloody spell? You know,¡± he said with a bit of a sneer, ¡°It¡¯s a bit hypocritical to be so judgmental of a mindreader when you¡¯re an inquisitor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an inquisitor,¡± Jasper replied defensively, but he knew the man had a point. A truth spell was only slightly less invasive than mind reading, and one of his spells would straight up kill someone if it judged them guilty - a judgment based on a metric he neither knew nor understood. ¡°But¡­I suppose I am being a bit unfair," he agreed. "From everything we¡¯ve seen, you¡¯re a good guy. Hell, we spent the last three days meeting people you¡¯ve saved. If you say you can¡¯t alter our thoughts, I¡¯m willing to believe you. Truce?¡± He added, reflexively the man his hand. The prince took the hand with a slightly puzzled expression. ¡°Truce. Uh, do we squeeze or¡­¡± ¡°Never mind,¡± Jasper replied with a chuckle as he drew his hand away. ¡°Old habits die hard, that¡¯s all.¡± He took another bite of the durgu?¡¯s stew before continuing. ¡°Out of curiosity, though, what did you see that was so interesting? Did you see my¡­¡± ¡°World? Nation?¡± S?ams?a?dur filled in. ¡°I couldn¡¯t decide what - or where - I was seeing. I¡¯ve heard of outworlders before, but normally they don¡¯t come in pairs.¡± ¡°Oh, Erin?¡± Jasper replied, flicking a glance at the scout, whose head drooped against his chest in slumber, with a thin line of drool trailing down his tunic. ¡°We didn¡¯t come together. But when we ran into each other and realized we were from the same world, well - it¡¯s nice to have someone who understands your references,¡± he said with a slightly forced smile, feeling a slight tickle of homesickness. ¡°So you¡¯re not invaders from across the sea?¡± The man asked, his eyes narrowing with the focus that Jasper was beginning to associate with an attempt to read their thoughts. Jasper had no training in mind magic, so he wasn¡¯t certain if his efforts would accomplish anything, but he tried to let the man see the answer he sought. ¡°No. We were ripped away from a place called Earth by a cult looking for sacrifices that people won¡¯t notice.¡± Disgust rippled across the durgu¡¯s face at that revelation. ¡°Gemlir¡¯s legacy? Ugh,¡± he spat on the ground. ¡°I hope you paid those bastards back.¡± ¡°We did,¡± Jasper replied grimly. A lull fell over the conversation, and Jasper¡¯s thoughts returned to the question they¡¯d been discussing before the prince had revealed he was a mind mage. ¡°Do you think Sargani?l could be caught up in some sort of cult? Birnah is on the borders of Stryn after all, a province famous for its long, dark history of cultists,¡± he asked Tsia. ¡°You¡¯ve met him, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Not since I was a little girl,¡± the princess admitted. ¡°He used to come to the palace fairly frequently with his daughter, Mara?ssele?n. Sargani?l never did anything to harm me, but he also made no attempt to hide his dislike for me - he saw me as a threat to his little darling¡¯s heirs, so I avoided interacting with them as much as possible.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Sounds like a dick,¡± Jasper huffed. ¡°Any chance he''s a cultist?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Anyone could be, but I kind of doubt it. Truthfully, I find it hard to believe he¡¯d betray our kingdom. His family has been Birnah¡¯s guardians for generations, and he worked so hard to get his daughter into the position of queen - and succeeded. His grandson will be the next ruler of Sapi?ya, so why turn on us now? My father wouldn¡¯t be worried about it without good cause, but still...¡± She shook her head, clearly skeptical of the idea. ¡°So we have nothing to go on,¡± he sighed and turned back to the prince. ¡°Any other leads?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± the man hesitated a moment before continuing. ¡°There might be a third party involved.¡± ¡°A third party?¡± ¡°As I told you, there was something off about Sargani?l¡¯s mind. His hatred of our kind seemed...out of place. As far as I know, the durgu? have never had any dealings with Birnah for good or for bad, so I was a bit surprised by the strength of his distrust.¡± ¡°Do you think his mind was altered?¡± Jasper asked, suddenly understanding why the prince, himself a mind mage, was reluctant to suggest the idea. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± S?ams?a?dur demurred. ¡°The man''s probably a bigot. I saw no obvious signs of mental control, but...I did catch a fleeting glimpse of a rather strange memory," he admitted. "Sargani?l met with someone dressed in a simple brown cloak." "That hardly seems odd," Jasper observed. "While, their face was fuzzy, out of focus, and their words were a jumbled mess. I think the memory was altered.¡± ¡°Which might suggest the stranger was a mind mage,¡± Jasper concluded. ¡°Perhaps. That doesn¡¯t mean we should assume Sargani?l''s being controlled, though,¡± the prince was quick to point out. ¡°Despite our reputation, most mind mages aren''t strong enough to control someone. Altering memories is a fairly common ability,¡± he admitted, ¡°but not outright control. If Lord Sargani?l is plotting treason, it¡¯s just as likely that he contracted the mage to help him than it is that he¡¯s being puppeted.¡± Jasper stared at the fire for a few minutes, turning the details over in his head. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± he finally spoke up, ¡°But what if Sargani?l is the one behind the Atrometos attacks. I know it¡¯s a bit of a leap,¡± he added, as he noticed the doubt in the others¡¯ eyes, ¡°but stay with me for a minute. First, we think he¡¯s been meeting with a mind mage.¡± ¡°Second, there¡¯s the Atrometos¡¯ sudden and uncharacteristic attacks on the outlying villages. While they may love violence and mayhem, it¡¯s rare for them to strike this deep into the Empire, and especially to do so in such numbers - we¡¯d already assumed that someone behind the scenes was paying them to do so, but what if this mind mage is involved somehow.¡± ¡°And third, Sargani?l has refused to do anything to stop the attacks. He¡¯s pulled all his troops back into Birnah, claiming that he¡¯s doing so to protect against an attack by Stryn, but it¡¯s an awfully convenient excuse to let him sequester his troops where no one is watching.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­a lot of guesswork.¡± The prince was slow to reply as he mulled over Jasper¡¯s theory. ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s wrong-¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t think Sargani?l would betray the kingdom,¡± Tsia butted in. ¡°And maybe he isn¡¯t,¡± Jasper shrugged. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s being controlled by a mind mage and is a victim in all this, but either way, I think we need to get inside Birnah.¡± ¡°On that, we can agree,¡± S?ams?a?dur said. ¡°I would have liked to send someone in sooner, but my men stand out too much. Even if we managed to smuggle a few men inside, it¡¯d be obvious to everyone who saw us what we were. We did send a few people in before the gates fully closed, a small squad of Corsyths who accompanied us to Birnah, but we haven¡¯t heard from them since.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we can find a way in,¡± Jasper said. ¡°Hell, we can probably just wait for night and fly over the walls.¡± ¡°Birnah¡¯s old enough that there¡¯s a good chance those walls will be warded,¡± the durgu pointed out. ¡°I suspect you¡¯ll have to find another way in.¡± ¡°Well, either way, I¡¯m sure we can get in somehow.¡± ¡°And what about the villagers,¡± the prince pressed. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to abandon them to the Atrometos¡¯ attacks.¡± ¡°If my theory¡¯s right, then the mind mage might be out here, coordinating the attacks,¡± Jasper replied. ¡°We¡¯ll need to split up.¡± He glanced at the rest of his party. ¡°As much as I want to be one to infiltrate the city, with my skin I¡¯ll stand out too much.¡± ¡°I probably should steer clear of Sargani?l,¡± Tsia piped up. ¡°If he recognized me, it might cause problems.¡± Jasper hadn¡¯t thought of that, but she raised a good point. Unfortunately, that left only the least experienced of their group - Erin - and Ihra to infiltrate the city. His stomach twisted at the thought of sending her into a possible trap without him, but she had already raised her hand. ¡°I can do it. With a little careful wrapping, I can hide my horns, and even if someone does notice I¡¯m an elf, they¡¯re not likely to care.¡± ¡°Are you sure?" he questioned. "I don¡¯t want to send you off by yourself-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she shot back, a slight chill creeping into her tone. ¡°I can handle myself without a babysitter. Besides, I¡¯ll have this one to help out,¡± she added, cuffing the sleeping scout playfully on the ear. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s settled,¡± Jasper replied unhappily. ¡°We¡¯ll continue to protect the villages, and keep an eye out for that mage - or any more of your father¡¯s assassins -¡± he added in an aside to the prince, ¡°and wait for your return.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± the prince cleared his throat. ¡°While I have no doubts as to your capabilities, Lady Ihra, I believe I am correct in thinking that you have never been in the city before, yes?" At a nod from her, he continued. "Then why not take Asata? with you? She''s a native of the city, so I''m sure her aid will be invaluable.¡± ¡°You¡¯re willing to give up your healer,¡± Jasper blurted out in surprise. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d never think of it,¡± S?ams?a?dur shrugged, ¡°but I assume you¡¯ll be willing to use your healing spell to help us out, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he agreed. ¡°Then I think we can spare her for a few days. In return, all I ask is that if you find Takkla?ta or her men you attempt to rescue them - unless, of course, it would risk your own liberty. I do not expect you to get captured on their behalf.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Ihra agreed with a shrug, preempting Jasper¡¯s response. ¡°In return for her help, I''ll be happy to look for them.¡± ¡°Then we have a deal.¡± The prince raised his empty cup of stew in a mock libation. ¡°To your success!¡± A Sprung Trap After hammering out the rest of their plans, most of the party turned in for the night. Erin, exhausted by the effort of constructing an entire building, had fallen asleep before supper was even ended, and Tsia joined him in his slumber as soon as she closed her eyes. Even the prince, whose distrust of their group had not entirely dissipated, allowed himself to nod off beside the fire, with Asata leaning against him, leaving only Jasper and herself awake. ¡°Are you sure about this,¡± he asked, his eyes filled with worry as he placed a hand on her knee. She wasn¡¯t - and yet she also was. In truth, Ihra was a bit worried about infiltrating an unknown and possibly hostile city with no backup save for a scout she barely knew and a healer she didn¡¯t know at all. Ihra would have much preferred to bring Jasper, or even Tsia, with her, yet that was exactly why she had volunteered. When she had first upgraded her class, Ihra had felt like she¡¯d found a way to keep up with Jasper. Then Tsia had joined, a mage with rare elements and a pool of essence that dwarfed even his. And then Jasper had gotten a major upgrade to his class, complete with shadowy wings, a horde of angry specters, and a fire that straight-up ignored fire immunity. But as long as Ne?s?u and Annatta were around, she hadn¡¯t felt out of place. But then Nah?as?s?innu had happened; with Ne?s?u dead and Annatta crippled, Ihra had suddenly become the only warrior in a group of mages. Even their newest recruit, Erin, was beginning to eclipse her abilities, despite having only unlocked his magic in the last few months. Selene¡¯s grace, he¡¯d built the very building she was sitting in in barely an hour. The only saving grace thus far was that he lacked the killer instinct to make the most of his abilities in a fight, but Ihra doubted that would last. She was falling behind again, except this time she had no obvious path forward to advance. And that was why she¡¯d volunteered for the mission to Birnah. She needed to prove to herself that she was more than just a sidekick, more than just a deadweight who had been kept in the party out of loyalty and friendship. ¡°I can do this,¡± she finally replied to Jasper. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just a scouting job - if I can¡¯t handle this, then maybe I¡¯m not cut out to be an adventurer.¡± Jasper¡¯s face softened and he squeezed her knee. ¡°Is that what this is about? Ihra, you¡¯ve got a place on the team as long as I¡¯m around. Hell, if I¡¯m forced to pick between you and the others, you know who I¡¯d choose.¡± Although she knew he meant well, Jasper''s words only confirmed her own fears. Sure, it was nice that he¡¯d choose her out of loyalty, against his own best interests, but that wasn''t what she wanted. She wanted to be the right choice. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t," she sighed. "Tsia is far better than me.¡± ¡°At some things maybe, but not what matters,¡± he retorted. ¡°Ihra, you¡¯re the only one on this team I fully trust to have my back. Tsia¡¯s with us right now because it¡¯s convenient - because she thinks that somehow, someway, we¡¯re her ticket back to her mother. And Erin?¡± He shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy, and has proven a little tougher than he looks, but we both know he¡¯d be out of here in a heartbeat if he could find a way back home. The others may come and go, but we¡¯re the team, Ihra, the dynamic duo.¡± He might have a point, she thought. She had gotten over her initial dislike of Tsia and had even come to view her as something of a friend, but she still relied on Jasper more in battle, even if technically the wind mage was the more powerful one. But that didn¡¯t mean she was entirely wrong herself. Investigating the situation in Birnah was a task well within her wheelhouse, and one she was arguably better suited for than trying to take down massive armored monsters with nothing more than her arrows. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± she promised. ¡°Stick to the shadows and observe what I can. Don¡¯t worry,¡± she added with a wry grin, ¡°I have no plans to take on the fortress by myself. Besides - I have a few tricks up my sleeve you haven¡¯t seen yet.¡± They chatted a while longer, discussing in more detail the possible ways she might be able to sneak into the city before Jasper also succumbed to slumber¡¯s siren call. Ihra, however, could not allow herself that luxury. Though her eyes were heavy with sleep, she rooted around in her bag for Aphora¡¯s grimoire and thumbed through the pages until she found the ritual she was looking for. While the group had hypothesized that the mental mage was running free somewhere out of the city, Ihra had meant when she promised not to take unnecessary risks and thought up a backup plan was in order. She wrote down the runes carefully and then began the long, painful process of inscribing them on herself. It was simultaneously her least favorite aspect of her class and the sole reason she had picked it. She was convinced that there was some mental aspect to the class that helped soothe her enough to mutilate her flesh with the runes, but it didn¡¯t do anything to mute the pain. Blood and long strips of flesh covered the floor by the time she finished. Her hands shook with dangerously high levels of adrenaline as she fed the scraps of herself into the fire and downed a healing potion, before admiring her handiwork. Two new spells were written into her legs - one a protection against mind-altering effects, and the second the same shield she¡¯d used back on the isle of the dead. With any luck, she wouldn¡¯t need them, but it was best to be prepared. Only then did she finally allow herself to fall into the dreamless void. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
Ihra departed at the first light of morn, accompanied by Erin and the durgu¡¯s healer, Asata. Jasper was still not entirely happy on seeing her go off without him, but with a bit more time to think about it, he¡¯d realized that he was being unreasonable. The task was well suited for her abilities, and he needed to work on not being a helicopter parent - err, friend. Thus he''d waved them off without another word of discouragement, and turned his attention to helping the durgu. After brewing another hearty stew, the durgu had set to work fixing up what remained of the village. Some had gathered the bodies, chasing off the opportunistic jackals and vultures that had already begun to scavenge, and given them a popular burial, sweating beneath the hot western sun as they¡¯d dug into the dry earth. Others had searched through the ruins on a final check for both survivors and surviving goods - food, clothes, anything that had escaped the fire¡¯s unquenchable greed. More survived than Jasper had expected, but the true surprise was uncovering two villagers who¡¯d gotten trapped in a small crevice of a collapsed cellar. With a few casts of Circle of Forgiveness and the further aid of some potions, their condition had been stabilized. The last task, though, that the durgu completed was borderline miraculous. Erin''s two large shelters had temporarily solved their housing issue, but it had done nothing to fix the village¡¯s palisade burn-out palisade. But the durgu seemed to take his warehouses as a challenge. With Jasper¡¯s help, the durgu¡¯s two fire mages cut down a small forest of trees, which the durgu troops dragged back to the settlement. There the soldiers divvied up the tasks, with some trimming the branches with practiced efficiency to shape the uneven logs into tall poles while others dug a three-foot trench and hoisted the timber into place. By the time Shamsha dipped below the distant horizon, a new wall encircled the village. It was an uneventful night, and the next morning they lingered for a few hours, continuing to help the villagers out when the first signs of smoke appeared on the horizon. The thin stream of smoke quickly expanded into a white column that stood out against the cloudless sky like a middle finger. Again, Jasper was forced to admire their efficiency. From the moment they first spotted the plume of smoke to the time they left the village, with their belongings all packed, barely ten minutes passed. Unfortunately, their speed once leaving the town could not match their efficiency, as the durgu lacked mounts. The small army ran across the plains with apparently indefatigable stamina, but Jasper knew they''d get there too late. He glanced around, searching for Tsia, but couldn''t spot her in the crowd of bobbing heads. S?ams?a?dur, on the other hand, was near the front of the pack. Spurring Dapplegrim into a gallop, he forced his way through the swarming troops until he reached the prince¡¯s side and offered the man his hand. ¡°Hop on up - I can get us there faster.¡± ¡°Durgu? are good runners," S?ams?a?dur replied curtly. ¡°Is this some sort of pride thing,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°I don''t care how fast your men are, they are going to reach that village in time. Now take my hand - between the two of us, we should be able to handle an Atrometos or two.¡± With a scowl, the man accepted his hand this time, and Jasper heaved him. The durgu proved far heavier than he looked, and he failed to pull the prince all the way onto Dapplegrim¡¯s back, but the man latched onto his saddle, and clinging to its straps, slithered the rest of the way. With obvious reluctance, the man wrapped his arms around Jasper¡¯s waist and yelled into his ear. ¡°There - I¡¯m on your kruvas?-cursed mount. This better be worth losing my men¡¯s respect!¡± Jasper¡¯s hands twisted in a spell, and the prince cursed as a pair of shadowy wings exploded from the horse¡¯s flanks. ¡°S?ams?a¡¯s light - are those things really able to hold us up-¡± The durgu failed to finish the thought as Dapplegrim rocketed into the air, creating a gap of nearly a hundred feet between them and the surface in a matter of seconds. In a few minutes, the charging durgu were reduced to black specks in the distance, while the column of smoke loomed above them. As Jasper guided Dapplegrim down, his eyes searched the heavy smoke for any signs of the attacker, but he could see nothing. There were no roars from an Atrometos, no angry chants in their ancient tongue, no screams of wounded villagers. Hell, for that matter, he couldn¡¯t even tell if there was a village here. There was nothing but smoke, a thick black smoke that he could have mistaken for a tire fire if such things existed here. Something¡¯s wrong, he thought as the prince began to scream for him to pull up. Although he could not see what the durgu was reacting to, Jasper immediately yanked on the reins, urging Dapplegrim back toward the sky, but they were too slow. A black figure too small to be an Atrometos emerged through the smoke, wielding an axe with an unnaturally long shaft. A stone mask covered its face, a grotesque parody of a lizard with a tongue hanging down nearly to its neck, but it only screamed to amplify its screams. ¡°Ana Mu?t-La¡¯is.¡± Thanks to his last-second movement, the axe bit into his shoulder rather than his skull, and the assassin collided with them. S?ams?a?dur caught the maniac with a thunderous punch, snapping his head back, but the assassin managed to wrap his legs around the prince¡¯s waist and flinging himself backward, dragged the two of them off the horse¡¯s back and down toward the unseen ground below. ¡°Damn it.¡± With a curse, Jasper nudged Dapplegrim into a dive and, holding on as tightly as he could with his knees, struggled to shove the axe out of his shoulder. They hit the ground a moment later, the horse screeching in pain as her leg buckled, and he abandoned his efforts to hit her with a spell. Circle of Forgiveness. ¡°Ana Mu?t-La¡¯is!¡± A scream echoed behind him, and he spun around, flinging the axe free as it tore through more of his tendons. The fingers on his right hand refused to budge, so he cast with the left, raising it a half-second before the assassin reached him. Purge. The man froze, his axe falling to the ground as he gripped his throat, eyes bulging in pain and terror, but Jasper ignored him. He had a prince to find. The Abandoned Isle ¡°Any ideas of how we¡¯re going to get in there,¡± Ihra asked, a slight frown gracing her lips. As expected, little had changed at Birnah, and the city gates were still firmly barred. A small line of travelers waited outside the exterior keep, but she had not seen any admitted, save for a single squad of soldiers bearing the empire¡¯s regalia - there were limits, apparently, to who Lord Sargani?l was willing to offend. ¡°What about the sewers?¡± Erin asked. ¡°That¡¯s a thing in games usually, sneaking in through the sewers.¡± ¡°The sewers?¡± The Corsyth healer who was tagging along with them, shot the scout a puzzled look. ¡°Why would we go there? They will be well-protected by wards, so unless you have some means to break through them¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re warded?¡± He shook his head reluctantly. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t have anything to deal with that.¡± ¡°There¡¯s got to be some hidden passages, though,¡± Ihra said, turning to Asa?ta. ¡°You worked for the temple of S?ams?a, right? Did they have any escape routes?¡± ¡°If they did, I wasn¡¯t important enough to know about them,¡± the healer replied. ¡°But I doubt there are any. Birnah has been under siege so many times that any weak points have been removed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve tried, but I find it hard to believe that they¡¯ve left no ways out for themselves. No one wants to be trapped like a rat in a hole.¡± Ihra¡¯s eyes turned to Erin. ¡°You helped us find secret passages in Nu?r-S?ams?a - think you can do that?¡± ¡°I can try,¡± he shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯ll only be able to sense them if they got wood. Heh, got wood,¡± he added with a snicker. Ihra wrote off as another one of those oddities from their world and nodded her head. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try. Otherwise, we might be forced to try to bribe one of those imperial squads into bringing us in with them.¡±
In truth, Ihra had felt confident that they¡¯d stumble on a passage fairly quickly. While Birnah was significantly smaller than the truly great cities like S?adda?nu and Du?r-Yarh?a, it was still a good-sized settlement, roughly equal in size to Nu?r-S?ams?a which had been positively riddled by secret passages. Instead, it seemed that Asata either was right, or the tunnels were entirely constructed of stone. They walked around the perimeter of the outer walls for two hours without finding a single tunnel, and her hopes flagged as they approached the rushing waters of the River, which Birnah backed up to. ¡°Well, there goes that idea,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°Hold on.¡± Erin raised his hands and squinted off into the distance. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if it''s a tunnel or not, but there¡¯s a ton of wood buried beneath the river.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably just driftwood,¡± she replied, looking at the raging river. She could only imagine how many thousands of trees must line its bed, torn free from their roots by the great storms that sometimes rocked the jungle. ¡°Nah, it seems too concentrated,¡± the scout insisted. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a straight line, but the wood seems to form a fairly unbroken path to that island over there.¡± He pointed to a small island that jutted above the frothy waters. Sharp cliffs rose about fifty feet above the River, with no sign of a beach or other place to land, but the green foliage that peaked above the cliffs suggested that there was flat land somewhere. ¡°Anyone live over there,¡± she asked the healer, thinking that the wood could be the wreckage of a washed-out bridge, but Asa?ta shook her head. ¡°Supposedly during the Desolyton, the island was used as a prison, but it¡¯s been abandoned for centuries. No one lives there now.¡± ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s worth checking out. The only question now is how do we get there.¡± Ihra was no sailor, but despite her inexperience, it was obvious that the current of the River was too strong for them to reach the island from their position - she doubted they could successfully cross in a straight line, let alone row a few hundred feet against the current - so they were forced to circle back around the city¡¯s walls until they reached the southern gate. A small community of refugees had sprung up beside the river banks, hoping that the lord of Birnah would change his mind and allow them to enter, so it proved less difficult to find a vessel than she¡¯d feared. With a bit of haggling, they snagged a rickety fishing boat and, after a few hasty repairs from Erin, departed. The trip was short and stressful. The rushing currents carried them along faster than she had expected, and the three were forced to row with all their considerable might to get far enough across the river to be in easy shot of the island. Having already seen that there was no easy landing place on the side that faced the city, she steered the boat for the far side and prayed that there would be a beach to land. There wasn¡¯t. The fifty-foot bluffs she¡¯d seen from the coast wrapped around the entire island without a single gap - but there was a point of entry. The waters swirled dangerously around an ancient stone wharf that jutted out from the cliffs. At one point the wharf must have been large enough to allow two or three full-sized galleys to dock, but much of it now lay sunk beneath the River¡¯s embrace. The far side though, protected from the brunt of the river¡¯s power, was in relatively decent repair, and they guided the ship toward its safe harbor. Docking proved a challenging endeavor, as none of them had any sailing experience, but eventually Ihra managed to hook the end of our rope around the pylons and pull the boat in close. Leaping onto the dock, she fastened the knots until not even the raging currents were enough to shake the ship, and helped the others clamber up. Only then did she survey the wharf, with a quickly growing frown. ¡°Someone¡¯s been here recently,¡± she said, pointing to a pile of rope coiled neatly beside a nearby pylon. Though the rope was beginning to turn slightly green with mildew from the constant spray of the water, it was in far too good of condition to be more than a few months old at the max. The area around the rope also showed signs of care, with the slick moss and crusty mussels that lined most of the dock scraped free in a narrow path that led toward the cliffs. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. They followed it cautiously, unsure if they were truly alone on the island until they reached the end of the wharf. Though it had been completely invisible from the water, a narrow flight of stairs was carved into the stone. Despite the stairs, the trip up was a treacherous one. The stone had been worn smooth as glass from age, and the constant spray from the River only served to make it even more slippery, but they reached the top with nothing more than a bit of bruised pride. ¡°Looks like those stories were true,¡± Ihra said with a whistle as they caught their glimpse of the ruins. Nature had reclaimed much of the large, flat tableau that sat on top of the island¡¯s bluffs, but a handful of buildings still remained. Made of seamless rock, the buildings must have been built by a stone mage and despite the massive amounts of vegetation draped across them, they¡¯d endure the test of time. ¡°Barrack 1.¡± ¡°Barrack 2.¡± ¡°Shrine.¡± Ihra¡¯s eyes skipped over the ancient inscriptions to focus on a building at the northern tip of the island. Unlike the others, the vegetation around it had been cleared away and the door - which on the other buildings had long since rotted away - had been replaced with fresh, new wood. The others saw it as she did, and the group fell silent as they took their positions. Erin took the lead, keeping his eyes glued to the ground, searching for any signs of traps, while Ihra trailed a few feet behind him, her bow nocked and ready to fire at anything that moved, leaving Asata to follow as she willed. They¡¯d only made it a dozen feet before Erin held up his hand for them to stop and pointed at the ground a few feet in front of them. A thin, nearly invisible line was stretched across the narrow path. They traced its path to a nearby tree where a small ceramic pot had been hidden in the foliage. ¡°Firetrap,¡± he mouthed, as they carefully stepped around it. They went more feet before he unearthed a bear trap hidden in the leaves, and navigated their way around another fire trap before reaching the door of the restored building. They paused as Erin and Ihra examined the door, searching for any sign of a trigger, but they found nothing. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything, so I guess it¡¯s safe?¡± the scout finally concluded. Ihra hesitated before replying. Like him, she couldn¡¯t detect any trap, but her intuition was screaming to stay away from the door. She decided to trust it. ¡°The door¡¯s wood, so you can move it, right?¡± She asked. The scout nodded, and they all took a step back before he used his essence to shove the door open. A shower of splinters rained down on them as the door exploded, and the scout paled. ¡°Guess I missed it.¡± ¡°It was probably where we couldn¡¯t see,¡± she replied grimly as she stepped toward the door. She entered the building with her bow held ready, half-expecting an ambush, but the room was empty. One side of the chamber was lined with a row of cots, with greasy wool blankets draped on top of them. Flies swarmed above two of them, accompanied by a ghastly smell, that told Ihra exactly what she¡¯d find under there. Meanwhile, the rest of the room was mostly filled with crates, which the three peaked into, as they tried not to gag on the fetid air. ¡°Weapons,¡± Ihra reported on hers. ¡°Some sort of powder?¡± Erin said, touching it to his lips and spitting it out immediately. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s better, whatever it is.¡± Asa?ta remained quiet, staring down at hers with an obviously troubled face, and Ihra stepped closer to take a look. ¡°What is it?¡± The crate was filled with hundreds of glass vials, each one marked with the emblem of Shamsha. ¡°These are potions the temple made.¡± She ran a trembling finger down the wax seal of one of them. ¡°Some of these are ones I made. What are they doing here? And why? These are supposed to be handed out to the villages.¡± Ihra cocked her head. ¡°Does the temple deliver them themselves?¡± ¡°Sometimes, but usually Lord Sarganil¡¯s patrols deliver them since they¡¯re visiting the villages anyways. Have they been stealing from them this whole time?¡± ¡°Bleaurgh.¡± The sound of vomiting filled the room, and Ihra spun around to find Erin bent over, his hand on his haunch, as he wiped a trail of drool from his lips. He¡¯d been too hasty though, and he bent over again, spewing more of his guts, before he rose shakily. ¡°Don¡¯t, uh, look under the blankets. The smell is so much worse.¡± ¡°Dead bodies?¡± She asked sympathetically, knowing the answer. He nodded. ¡°They look like they''re wearing some sort of uniform, but not one I know.¡± Their eyes both turned to Asata, who looked slightly sick at the suggestion. ¡°Do I have to?¡± ¡°It might help us figure out who¡¯s taking the potions,¡± Ihra offered, and the woman grimaced. ¡°I suppose.¡± Erin scampered out of the way as she approached and, pinching her nose tight, gingerly lifted up the blanket. She glanced for a half-second before dropping it and spun away, gagging. ¡°Shamsha¡¯s rays, that¡¯s terrible,¡± she gasped, wiping watering eyes. ¡°Anything useful,¡± Ihra prodded, after giving her a moment to recover. ¡°It¡¯s a guard¡¯s uniform but,¡± she paused a moment, her face scrunched in uncertainty. ¡°There was something different, though. There was a pin on the left breast pocket, a symbol I hadn¡¯t seen before.¡± ¡°Think it¡¯s on the other one?¡± Erin asked. Their eyes turned again to the healer, and she shook her head. ¡°Nuh-uh. I¡¯ve already done my duty. If you want to check the other, have at it.¡± Ihra turned to Erin, who just smirked. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve already looked too. Now is there a person in this room who hasn¡¯t looked?¡± he added, with mock innocence. ¡°Fine.¡± Grumbling to herself, Ihra approached the second body. The stench only grew as she reached its side and the flies buzzed around her angrily, but she steeled herself and whipped the blanket up. The body was in far worse shape than she¡¯d expected. Parts of the flesh had liquefied, dripping down the body like a melted candle, in which worms happily writhed. A swarm of flies rose to greet her, issuing out of a gaping, sagging jaw, and she nearly joined Erin in heaving her lunch. But she choked back the vomit and forced herself to stare at the strange pin on the man¡¯s chest. Crafted from wood two fingers thick, the circular pin was painted with the image of a red sun marred by a black, jagged streak that might have been lightning. Satisfied she had committed it to memory, she let the blanket fall and plastered a smile on as she spun to face them. ¡°That¡¯s what you were complaining about?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that didn¡¯t bother you,¡± Erin scoffed. It was true. Even now, her stomach was vigorously voicing its objections, but Ihra offered him a smug smirk. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you¡¯ve got a weak stomach - maybe you¡¯ll grow out of it.¡± He growled with irritation, but Ihra didn¡¯t leave him to stew. ¡°But there was another pin. Mine was a red sun with some sort of black lines across it. Is that what you saw?¡± The two nodded as Ihra joined their side, leaving the absolute worst of the stench behind - although the air was still quite foul. ¡°It certainly looks like some faction of the guard has been using this place then. The only question is, why were they killed.¡± ¡°And, is there a tunnel to the city,¡± Erin added, reminding her of the reason they had come. ¡°Right, that too,¡± she amended herself. ¡°Shall we continue?¡± The Beheading ¡°S?ams?a?-¡± Jasper descended into a fit of coughing as he breathed in the swirling smoke surrounding him. Damn it - I¡¯m going to suffocate before I find him. He crouched low, keeping a wary eye ahead of him as he fished in his bag for a handkerchief. Finding it, he doused the rag with water from his canteen and wrapped it around his face. It was far from a perfect filter, but it was better than nothing. Where the hell did he go? Shoving off from the wall, he jogged deeper into the smoke. It was so thick that he could only see a few feet ahead of them and, strangely, he could not determine the cause. There were no buildings around him, at least not within his range of detection, and he realized the assassins must have set a trap, relying on S?ams?a?dur¡¯s efforts to help the villages. Reinforcements were coming, but he doubted they would arrive before it was too late. Metal clanged against metal somewhere in the smoke behind him, followed by a familiar curse. ¡°Kruvas?.¡± He spun around and charged in the direction of the voice. He stumbled as his foot hit something on the ground, and cursed as he realized it was a body - a body wearing the garments of the followers of Mu?t-La?''is?. The prince cried out again, and Jasper sped up. A moment later a cluster of shadowy figures loomed through the haze. Three assassins stood with their backs to him while the prince swung his axe in a wild arc to keep them at bay - though judging from the blood cascading from a nasty wound in his shoulder, it was clear he wasn''t succeeding. ¡°Duck!¡± Jasper roared as he channeled his essence into a hasty spell. S?ams?a?dur dove to the ground and, unfortunately, so too did two of his assailants. The third was slower on the uptake and the long, spectral whip that arced through the air caught him in the cheek. It flayed open his flesh, revealing the teeth beneath, but the gnarly injury was the least of the assassin''s concerns. His howls filled the air as the specters feasted on him. Leaving their comrade to die, the remaining two assassins sprung to their feet again and charged toward the prince, but they didn''t make it that far. "Fiery Shackles," Jasper snapped and followed it up with a second spell. "Are you alr-" ¡°Ana Mu?t-La¡¯is?.¡± The air gushed from Jasper''s lungs as the assassin struck him from behind and the man''s axe dug deep into his chest. He collapsed to his knees as the assassin kicked out his legs from beneath him, and the pain intensified as the assailant ripped the axe free from his chest. In a flash, the assassin stood over him and raised his axe high to deliver a killing blow, while four more emerged from the smoke to intersect S?ams?a?dur. ¡°Ana Mu?t-La¡¯is?,¡± the man screamed again. It wasn''t exactly a villain''s monologue, but it gave him the moment needed to cast a spell. Seraph Burst. The axe had already begun its downward trajectory as he released the essence, but his body lurched forward with unnatural speed, avoiding the blow. He spun wildly as the spell rocketed him forward, the metallic wings rotating around his body in a cyclone of death, and collided with the foes charging the prince. Blood and flesh, much of it his own, filled the air as the wings carved into two of the assailants and drove them backward. They handed in a heap, driven into the ground by the final pulse of the spell, and Jasper finally managed to cast the spell he¡¯d been reaching for. Circle of Forgiveness. He spat out blood as the wounds on his back healed and stumbled to his knees, aware of movement beside him. Something blurred toward him, and he reared back as a dagger slashed in front of his face. With no time to cast a spell, he grabbed the arm and twisted his hips to the left. The assassin howled as the arm snapped, the dagger falling limply to the ground, and Jasper lurched to his feet. He kicked the assassin in the back and stumbled backward, his hands twisting with a spell. Shooting Star. He turned away as the fiery orbs bombarded the two struggling assassins, searching again for the durgu. But the spell had borne them far enough away that he could no longer see the prince and, by now, the soaked rag was doing little to mask the overwhelming smoke. Damn it. We can¡¯t stay here much longer. Something moved in the corner of his eye, and he reacted instinctually, shifting to the side as an axe whistled toward him. Purge. The assassin¡¯s moment stopped, clutching at her throat, and he brushed past her, breaking into a jog. Where the hell are you? A pained cry echoed somewhere to his left, and he headed that way, wheezing with every step he took. ¡°S?ams?a?-¡± He cut his cry short as he spotted the prince, kneeling on the ground before a truly massive individual, who had his back to Jasper. He dropped to the ground, hoping the foe hadn¡¯t seen him, and readied a spell. Mas?s?artu. As the guardian began to form beside him, Jasper kept his eyes trained on the prince, waiting to see if he needed to strike immediately. ¡°Any chance I can buy you off,¡± the prince asked the man, with a forced chuckle. ¡°My pockets aren¡¯t as deep as my father¡¯s, but I¡¯m considerably more motivated. Name your price.¡± ¡°The servants of Mu?t-La¡¯is? honor their contracts,¡± the foe rumbled. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°You know I¡¯m a mind mage, right? I avoid it usually, but I could just take over your mind,¡± the durgu continued. A contemptuous snort was the only answer he received as the foe pulled a letter out of his bag. ¡°Before I slay you, there is something the king wanted me to tell you.¡± ¡°Yes, yes - I¡¯m unbearably handsome, and he¡¯s always been jealous of me. Get on with it,¡± the prince wheezed out. ¡°You were never his son. Just a tool that outlived its usefulness,¡± the assassin replied, ignoring the durgu¡¯s jests. ¡°That all?¡± the prince replied. ¡°That much has been obvious for years.¡± The letter fluttered to the ground as the man tossed it aside, and reached for his axe. ¡°He also wanted you to know that this day was always coming - the day he died would have been yours as well.¡± Seraph Burst. The man staggered as Jasper slammed into him from the back, but he only moved a single step. With a roar, the man yanked his axe backward, slamming the hilt into Jasper¡¯s chest and tossing him off his back. And as the assassin spun to face him, Jasper finally caught a glimpse of the follower of Mu?t-La¡¯is?¡¯s face. He had no eyes. There were only empty sockets where his eyes should have been, and the rest of his face had been mutilated too. His nose had been sheared off and his lips had been split vertically, allowing sharpened teeth to peek through, while his ears had been separated into three distinct flaps. The lack of eyes didn¡¯t seem to slow him down, however. The man leapt forward, swinging the axe directly toward Jasper¡¯s head. He dove beneath the blow, throwing himself at the assassin¡¯s legs in an attempt to bring him down, but the man¡¯s knee snapped up. Stars danced across his vision as it caught him in the chin, and he staggered back. ¡°Ana Birana?ti.¡± With a strangled cry, the durgu attacked from behind, slamming his axe into the assassin¡¯s back. The blow bounced off, but it garnered his attention. Despite his massive size, he spun around with the grace and speed of a ballerina - faster than the durgu had been prepared for. The axe head sheared through the shaft of S?ams?a?dur¡¯s axe, leaving him weaponless, and he took a swift step forward, prepared for the killing blow. But the man of Mu?t-La¡¯is? hadn¡¯t seen the mas?s?artu. A beam of bright light shot out from the summon¡¯s hands and slashed across the back of his left knee. His leg buckled beneath him as the tendons were burnt out, but he caught himself with one hand and roared his defiance. ¡°Ana Mu?t-La¡¯is?.¡± Up til then, none of the assassins had shown the slightest skill with magic, so Jasper had assumed they were all warriors. He¡¯d assumed wrong. A wave of eldritch green exploded from the man¡¯s body, forcing them a step back, and the ruined tendons on his leg knit back together in a fraction of a second. With renewed strength he leapt forward, swinging his axe toward S?ams?a?dur, but Jasper had had time to recover. Spectral Wings. He swooped toward the assassin like an owl on the hunt, the spectral wings utterly silent as he dove down and wrapped his arms around the man¡¯s chest. The man grunted in surprise but rammed his elbow into Jasper¡¯s ribs with enough force to break bones. But Jasper held on as he shot into the air, dragging the man with him. A brief and frantic struggle followed, and the man quickly overpowered him, shoving his arm aside, but as the assassin fell, Jasper snagged him by the collar. The man smacked his arm - once, twice, thrice - and Jasper felt the bones break. His hand opened unwillingly, and the assassin broke free - but Jasper had gotten high enough. He hovered for a second, watching as the man plummeted to the ground below where he hit like a crash dummy, bouncing along the earth until he stopped in a crumbled heap. With grim satisfaction, Jasper cast Circle of Forgiveness, groaning in relief as his arm popped back into place - and then he noticed the assassin¡¯s body shudder. Crap. He dove toward him, preparing another spell from his quickly diminishing pool of essence, but the durgu beat him to it. Wielding the broken upper half of his axe like a tomahawk, the prince brought it down on the man¡¯s neck. One blow, three, four - and it finally dropped to the ground. They¡¯d won round three. Jasper pulled the durgu out of the smoke, and after casting Circle of Forgiveness enough to heal the worst of his wounds, waited for the prince¡¯s men to arrive. It wasn¡¯t a long wait as the durgu had sprinted the entire way, arriving a few minutes later for a battle that had already been won. Instead, following Jasper¡¯s directions, they searched for the source of the fire and began dragging the bodies into a pile to be searched. The task was made easier when the durgu found the source - a ritual circle containing certain unsavory ingredients. Once they''d stomped it, the smoke began to clear, but as the durgu? dragged the bodies out, Jasper thought the pile seemed a bit small. As one of the durgu? emerged from the dissipating smoke, carrying a body over his shoulder, he pulled the man aside. ¡°Hey, have you seen a really big, headless dude? As big as a troll, has no eyes, a winsome smile?¡± he asked, masking his concern. The man shifted his burden uncomfortably and shook his head. ¡°Think this is the last one, my lord. You can look for yourself-¡± Jasper took off running, racing through the increasingly invisible fields in search of the massive assassin, but the durgu had spoken the truth. There was no sign of the giant - nothing but a pool of blood where he had fallen, and a pair of tracks that led off into the distance. Jasper followed them for a few hundred feet before he lost the trail. Giving up, he returned to the makeshift camp to find the prince had rallied. The durgu? had finished sorting through the bodies, but unfortunately, they¡¯d found nothing of use, save for a handful of letters that S?ams?a?dur had torn into shreds. Jasper could guess what those had said. ¡°Any sign of our giant friend,¡± the prince greeted him, and his eyes tightened as Jasper shook his head. ¡°Got any scouts,¡± he asked. ¡°I started to follow some tracks to the north, but lost them.¡± ¡°I do, but I''m not going to send my men after him. It''s not worth the risk,¡± the prince replied. ¡°If he could walk off losing his head, there¡¯s no telling what else he¡¯s capable of. It could be a trap, and neither of us is ready for another round.¡± Although allowing an enemy to escape irked Jasper, he knew the prince was right. He was nearly dry of essence and was the only one in the group with a healing spell; to attack now would be folly. ¡°Well, at least we got some of them,¡± he sighed. ¡°Eh,¡± the prince slapped him on the back. ¡°We did more than that. I don¡¯t care how powerful that mage is, no one - I mean no one - likes losing their head. He¡¯ll think twice before coming after us.¡± Jasper hoped that was true, but he doubted it. Fanatics weren¡¯t known for being reasonable, after all. A Waterlogged Passage After finding the two dead guards, Ihra and the others rummaged through a few more of the crates, finding a mixture of arms, potions, and food in them, before moving deeper into the reclaimed outpost. The second room had been the dining hall and still had a few rickety tables arrayed around a large hearth. Beyond that lay the barracks, although the beds it had once hosted had disintegrated into piles of rotten wood. From there, a short hallway led to a few smaller rooms whose purposes were not so easily guessed, and then the building ended, with no sign of a tunnel. ¡°Are you sure the wood you spotted under the River led here,¡± Ihra asked, as she searched through the rubble of a collapsed ceiling that clogged the final room in a vain attempt to find a trapdoor. The scout paused and closed his eyes in concentration before replying. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s still below us.¡± ¡°Where is it exactly?¡± After a moment¡¯s pause, Erin headed back to the hall and walked three doors down, leading them to one of the other small rooms. The ceiling remained intact in this room, and though part of the outer wall had crumbled, allowing the verdant overgrowth of the jungle to push inside, the rubble had been cleared away. The room was empty, however, with nothing of interest save for the partially broken wall. ¡°I think it ends here,¡± he said, surveying the barren room with a frown. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a secret entrance,¡± Asa?ta offered, and Ihra agreed. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first we¡¯ve found - spread out.¡± The two began examining the walls, searching for any signs of a fissure and tapping on them to see if they rang hollow, while Erin focused on the floor. After a few minutes, he beckoned them over. ¡°The entrance is here. I can¡¯t find a switch to open it though.¡± Despite her excellent vision, Ihra could detect no sign of a gap in the stone tiles that covered the floor. She bent down, running her hand over the grout in between the tiles, searching for a hinge, a seam, a depression - anything at all that would allow the floor to open, but there was nothing. With a sigh, she stood up and brushed the dust off her hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Erin, but there¡¯s no way there¡¯s a trapdoor here. Maybe whatever you¡¯re seeing isn¡¯t a tunnel.¡± ¡°No, I-¡± His denial fell silent, and his shoulders sagged. ¡°Damn. Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± He crouched down and ran his hand over the floor, but like her, found nothing. ¡°I guess it was all a red herring. Sorry for wasting you guys'' time,¡± he apologized. ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Ihra had been about to tell him ¡®I told you so¡¯ when she noticed his downcast expression. The scout always seemed a bit uncertain of his place on the team and that was a feeling she understood a bit too well. ¡°It was worth a try,¡± she said, swallowing her criticism. ¡°And coming here wasn¡¯t entirely a waste - there¡¯s something strange going on in this outpost, and I bet it''s connected to Sargani?l¡¯s plans.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t get us into the city, though,¡± he said glumly. ¡°Should we check the other buildings? I know they¡¯re mostly overgrown, but maybe there¡¯d be something that would at least tell us why those guards were here.¡± ¡°We might as well,¡± Ihra agreed. The three left the room and turned to head back toward the excavated entrance, but as they did, something caught Ihra¡¯s eye. There was a slight bulge in the outer wall of the room, a bulge she could have dismissed as the warping of the old wood in the humid heat of the jungle. But beneath the wood, she could see the tiniest sliver of metal. That¡¯s odd. She stopped and turned to face the wall, running her hand along the bulge. Her hands caught on a seam, the wood swollen beyond its former borders, and she pressed down. With a quiet click, a small panel swung open, revealing a metal box behind it, with a chain dangling from the top. The ground began to shake as she pulled the chain, followed by the rumbling, grinding roar of metal against metal. She glanced around, trying to identify the source of the sound, and then she saw the room they¡¯d just left through the door frame. The ground continued to shake as the stone floor - in its entirety - was slowly lifted toward the ceiling by a massive, turning screw. ¡°Holy crap!¡± Erin halted beside her, shaking his head in disbelief as he watched the floor click into place. ¡°It¡¯s like something out of National Treasure.¡± ¡°Looks like you were right,¡± Ihra said, pointing to a gaping hole in the far corner of the room where a shaft led down into the earth. A pleased grin spread across his face. ¡°I told you so.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The shaking ceased as the floor clicked into place against the ceiling, leaving an open path to the shaft. Ihra couldn¡¯t shake the sense of unease that hovered her as she walked over to the opening, sending a nervous glance at the massive stone floor suspended above them by nothing more than a single giant pillar, but the floor held. At first, they made slow progress down the shaft. The tunnel plunged into the darkness at such a steep incline that it was actually tricky to descend. And though they had torches to light their way, Ihra - remembering the traps they had discovered elsewhere on the island - insisted they move slowly, searching the ground and walls of the tunnel for any sign of tripwires, pressure plates, or other traps. It seemed, however, that the guards had felt the secret entrance was enough of a deterrent. After progressing several hundred feet down the tunnel without detecting anything suspicious, she finally agreed to pick up the pace. The incline continued longer than she¡¯d expected, but eventually the passage leveled out, and she knew that they must have reached the portion that stretched below the River. If she¡¯d had any doubts about that, they were quickly erased, as large portions of the tunnel began to be covered in shallow pools, fed by precipitation leaking from the ceiling. The feeling of claustrophobia grew, as visions of the raging River breaching through the ancient wood flooded through her mind, but Ihra knew this was her best chance of finding a way into the system, and she was unwilling to turn back. Besides, she reasoned, if the guards were using it as an outpost, the tunnels must be reasonably safe. Still, she was relieved when the water began to dry up, and the tunnel started a gradual ascent. When they reached a portion of the tunnel that had no water dripping from the ceiling, she called for a halt. ¡°Any idea how much further we¡¯ve got,¡± she asked Erin. ¡°Not sure what to expect on the other side, but I don¡¯t want to pop up in the middle of the barracks.¡± He concentrated for a second, then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d guess we¡¯re a hundred feet from the end, maybe? The wood kind of peters out after that; can¡¯t tell you what¡¯s on the other side, though.¡± She hid her sigh of relief and nodded her thanks. ¡°Then it sounds like we¡¯re almost there.¡± She paused as something caught her attention in the shadows just behind the halo of her torch, and swung her light in that direction. A rat stared back at her, its black eyes burning with the reflected flames, and scampered off as she took a quick step forward. And as she stepped forward, she heard a faint click. She spun to the side as a large beam with an iron spike perpendicular to its ends dropped down from the ceiling, missing her by an inch. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace! So much for not trapping the place.¡± Their progress slowed down to a crawl again, and this time she and Erin detected several traps. Fortunately, none were particularly sophisticated and were easy enough to circumvent once spotted, until they reached the end of the tunnel, where a weathered oak door awaited them - a door covered by a faintly shimmering silver sheen. ¡°Is that a ward?¡± The healer pushed past them to look closer at the glowing, opaque veil that stretched across the tunnel. ¡°It¡¯s a ward,¡± she confirmed after a brief examination, ¡°but it¡¯s pretty weak. I don¡¯t think anyone has maintained this one in a long time.¡± ¡°Can we bust through it,¡± Ihra asked. The healer tapped the silvery sheen speculatively. ¡°There are three types of wards - spells, glyphs, and runes. Since the barrier is obviously weakened, we can rule out runes as its source - an expertly crafted ritual could theoretically power the ward for centuries,¡± she started to explain. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying these wards can be powered by runes,¡± Ihra interrupted her. The healer looked perplexed. ¡°Well, yes - everyone knows that. At least in Birnah,¡± she amended as the realization that neither of them was familiar with wards slowly dawned on her. ¡°But we rely on wards more than most cities these days, thanks to Stryn.¡± But Ihra was barely paying attention any longer, as her thoughts turned to Aphora¡¯s grimoire. If the wards could be constructed by runes, than it stood to reason that they could also be destroyed by them. Grabbing the book out of her bag, she sat down and, leaning against the wall, began to thumb through it. An hour later she found what she was looking for, a runic circle that Aphora said was to break ¡®seals.¡¯ She could only hope that was another word for wards. With help from Erin and the healer, she sketched the circle into the ground in front of the door and poured her fast-depleting supplies of iron fillings and other crushed powders that Aphora had provided her into the crevices; then she took her seat. It had been a while since she¡¯d tried to channel the strange power into a rune, and it seemed the void had missed her. The foreign energy flooded through her body faster and thicker than ever before, and the darkness of the tunnel was driven away as the circle exploded in a lance of light aimed straight at the ward. A concussive blast knocked her out of the circle as the light touched the ward, tossing all three of them to the ground, but the effect on the ward was far stronger. A spiderweb of cracks spread from the site of impact, rapidly expanding and multiplying across the surface of the ward until the whole thing collapsed in a shower of sparks. Ihra didn¡¯t bother to keep the smile off her face as she dusted herself off. She¡¯d succeeded - and while Erin had certainly been invaluable to their expedition - without her help, they would have been forced to turn back. She had nearly allowed herself to stop practicing her runes - they were slow to use, expensive to fund, and required parsing through Aphora¡¯s often dense and arcane notes - but they also did things that spells just couldn¡¯t match. Maybe there is a path forward, she thought, but with practiced skill, she pushed her thoughts aside. She¡¯d have time to think over them later, but for now, they still had a mission to carry out. ¡°Everyone alright,¡± she asked. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Just a little shaken up.¡± Satisfied no one was hurt, she turned her attention to the door, the door that was no longer warded. She touched the handle hesitantly, just in case there was one final layer of traps, but neither magic nor blade rose to meet her and with a click, she twisted the knob and gently cracked it open. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace!¡± A voice shouted on the other side, followed swiftly by the sound of a pot shattering. So much for stealth. Deb?ur ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± Tsia¡¯s cheeks were flushed hard, her fists clenched at her side, her eyes sparking with anger as she stared down Jasper. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡± ¡°I, uh-¡± the irony of the situation hit me; usually, it was the other way around - him scolding Tsia for thoughtlessly leaping into action. He was right, of course, and unfortunately, so was she now. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you, and I thought we could handle an Atrometos or two on our own. But you¡¯re right,¡± he admitted. ¡°I knew more assassins might come after us, and I should have been more careful. Next time, I will wait for you to come along too.¡± A low chuckle echoed from the other side of the fire, where the prince was sprawled across a makeshift cot his men had made for him. The durgu was fine - once Jasper¡¯s essence had recovered, he¡¯d ensured the man was fully healed - but the scoundrel had taken the opportunity to play up his wounds for pity. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not together, cause you seem awfully whipped.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not whipped,¡± Jasper replied icily. ¡°It¡¯s called an apology. If you¡¯re unfamiliar with the concept, I¡¯m sure we can find you a dictionary somewhere.¡± ¡°Whatever you need to tell yourself,¡± the durgu snorted. Jasper ground his teeth, but he chose to ignore the prince¡¯s provocation and turned his attention back to Tsia. ¡°We good?¡± She sighed, and as she did, the fight went out of her. ¡°We were never ungood. You just scared me, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve fought worse enemies before,¡± Jasper reminded her. ¡°Not like this. Even Yasgah didn¡¯t grow back her head.¡± ¡°Hey, we don¡¯t know that. He could be the headless horseman the next time we see him. Or a pumpkinhead.¡± Seeing the irritation creep back into her face, Jasper continued, ¡°But yes, I get that it was stupid. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know these assassins could even wield magic like that.¡± ¡°They normally don¡¯t.¡± The prince spoke up, shifting into an upright position on his makeshift cot. ¡°This is the third time they¡¯ve attacked me. They had no one like that the other times. I guess they¡¯re finding my attachment to life frustrating,¡± he added wryly. Jasper pursed his lips. ¡°Damn. Does that mean we should expect more of those freaks next time?¡± ¡°Your guess is as good as mine,¡± Samsadur shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d like to believe that they don¡¯t have a surplus of warriors who can survive a quick beheading, but who knows? The followers of Mut-La¡¯is are a secretive bunch.¡± ¡°Any chance we can buy them off?¡± ¡°No. Once they accept a contract, they fulfill it.¡± ¡°So, what? We have to expect unlimited attacks?¡± Jasper strained his mind, trying to remember what little he knew of the assassins from the game. They were the followers of a dark goddess, who gifted them with strength and agility beyond their normal limits, but they were also, as Samsadur, secretive. No one knew how they were organized, where they were based, or how large their numbers were. Samsadur shrugged at his question, but Tsia shook her head. ¡°No, the men of Mut-La¡¯is do not make open-ended contracts like that. They will have agreed to perform a certain number of attempts on his life, but if he survives them all¡­ ¡°They¡¯ll stop.¡± She nodded, and Jasper raised a brow. ¡°You seem awfully well-informed about these guys. Hire them yourself?¡± A look of unease flickered across her face, and Jasper regretted asking it. ¡°No, but my, uh, brother tried to hire them once. Against me. It was a bit of a scandal at the time, and though my father tried to hush it up, I overheard more than I should have.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Jasper paused, uncertain what to say. ¡°That¡¯s-¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said hurriedly. ¡°He didn¡¯t succeed - and it¡¯s a good thing. My mother would have killed him.¡± That tracked with what he knew of Aphora, but it didn¡¯t make it any better than her own brother had tried to put a hit on her. ¡°Still, that sucks. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not stuck there any longer.¡± Sensing she didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, he changed directions. ¡°So what do we do next? I suppose we can expect further attacks from the assassins, but what about the Atrometos?¡± Or the mind mage, he added in his head, but chose not to mention the touchy topic to the prince. ¡°Or the mind mage,¡± the man echoed, and Jasper cursed as he noticed the durgu¡¯s hands twitch. ¡°Really? Do you have to cast that?¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Force of habit,¡± Samsadur shrugged, but his fingers stilled. ¡°But you¡¯re right - we have no leads right now. I don¡¯t like to be forced to wait around for our enemies¡¯ next move, but I¡¯m not sure we have much choice.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Jasper sighed. ¡°Although, if we do find another Atrometos attack, I might have an idea on how to get some answers - a good old-fashioned interrogation.¡±
The night passed peacefully, and when Lord Samsa returned to his throne in the sky, there were no pillars of smoke on the horizon. After a leisurely breakfast where Jasper was again able to indulge in the durgu¡¯s surprisingly good culinary skills, they set out in search of the nearest road. It was an hour before they stumbled across one of the Empire¡¯s highways and, besides it, a settlement quite a bit larger than the villages they had seen thus far, which assumed must be the town of Devur the guards at Birnah had directed them to. While the settlement could not compare to Sargani?l¡¯s massive fortress complex, the town was much better fortified than most of its size. A double set of stone curtain walls enclosed Deb?ur entirely, followed by a dry moat that was filled with sharpened stakes. A drawbridge led into town, flanked by two sturdy towers and watched by a handful of guards. As they approached, a guard came to meet them. He was an older gentleman with thinning black hair and a peppered beard. Deep bags lay under his eyes, and he ran a finger through his loose locks as he approached them, barely glancing up from the papers he held. ¡°What village did you come from and how many survivors,¡± he sighed. ¡°We¡¯re not from here,¡± Jasper replied and the old guard finally glanced up. He froze as he realized most of the men accompanying them were durgu?, and a wrinkle creased his brow. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen this many dwarves in twenty years. You haven¡¯t gone and declared war on us now, have you?¡± He ended with a light chuckle, and though his question could have been perceived as hostile, it lacked the obvious distaste the guards at Birnah had shown. ¡°I assure you,¡± S?ams?a?dur replied, offering the man a courtly bow, ¡°we are not here to cause any problems. Lord Kaba?ni sent us as reinforcements for Lord Sargani?l, although it seems your lord feels our services are best used wandering the countryside.¡± While Jasper doubted the wisdom of maligning the Corsyth lord to his man''s face, fortunately, the guard didn¡¯t seem to take offense. ¡°Aye, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised. Our lord seems¡­¡± he halted, not willing to go so far as to directly criticize his lord himself, and changed course. ¡°Well, as far as I know, our realms aren¡¯t at war yet and I haven''t been given any orders to refuse you, so you¡¯re welcome to enter. I must warn you, though - you may not find what you¡¯re looking for. Times are hard in Deb??ur.¡± He stood aside to let them pass, and with a quick word of thanks, they continued on into the town. The meaning of the man¡¯s cryptic warning became clear as they rode through the gates. Like many towns, the market was placed directly at the entrance, providing ease of access for the merchants who came to hawk their wares, but the town¡¯s pavilion was not a market currently. Every square inch of the square had been claimed by hundreds of tents, occupied by the refugees from the surrounding villages. They paused just inside the gate, and Jasper waved one of the guards over. ¡°Is there anywhere we can get some food? And maybe an inn for the night?¡± This guard was much younger than the one who had greeted them outside, but his eyes were just as tired. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the inns are all full. The market too,¡± he said, nodding his head toward the sea of tents. ¡°I heard they were opening up more space for refugees in the outer ring, so you might try there.¡± ¡°And if we''re looking for food?¡± The guard looked at the small group clustered around Jasper, and then at the much larger horde of soldiers standing behind them and shook his head. ¡°If you want supplies for your men, you can try your luck with the quartermaster. I can¡¯t promise he¡¯ll be willing to sell, though - half the harvests have gone up in smoke the last few weeks. But for you two and the lady,¡± he nodded at Tsia, ¡°there¡¯s a tavern still open in the craftsman district, The Gilded Pig. It won¡¯t be cheap, but you can get something decent there.¡± Jasper tossed the man a coin for the information and turned to his party. ¡°S?ams?a?dur, can some of your men visit this quartermaster and see what he¡¯s willing to part with.¡± ¡°Aye, we can do that. But I¡¯d rather camp outside than stay here. This place is just asking for a plague,¡± the prince agreed, his nose wrinkling at the smell emanating from the overcrowded market. ¡°True, but it might be worth lingering a night. How many villages are represented here?¡± he asked, pointing at the tents. ¡°Ten? Maybe more? It might be worth talking to them to see if anyone remembers our mystery mage.¡± The prince grimaced, but he didn¡¯t disagree. ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll have no objection to me casting my spell now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Jasper admitted, ¡°but we need to know. I¡¯ll talk to some of the refugees too. And you?¡± Tsia hesitated a moment before replying. ¡°If you¡¯re both going to talk to the refugees, then I should investigate somewhere else,¡± she finally decided. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll try my luck at that tavern. ¡®Drunk tongues are loose tongues¡¯ as my father always said.¡± With their plans sorted, the group split up. S?ams?a?dur, clearly wanting some space, headed for the farthest corner of the tent city, leaving Jasper to start with the closer ones. The task proved harder than he¡¯d originally thought. Perhaps understandably, the villagers were not quick to open up. The loss of their homes, their crops, their friends, and family were not topics they wished to discuss with strangers, especially a stranger as noticeably inhuman as Jasper had become. After an hour of effort, he¡¯d learned practically nothing. He¡¯d gleaned the names of a few of the villages that had been destroyed - Is?i?l, Yarha, Agru?s?ams?a - but none of the villagers had mentioned seeing a man accompanying the Atrometos. Of course, most of them seemed to have few memories of the attacks at all, as the unnatural fear the creatures inspired had overridden their senses altogether. He finally gave up and circled back to the gate where Samsadur¡¯s men were already gathering. They¡¯d returned from the quartermaster with empty hands, and when the durgu prince emerged from the sea of tents, the scowl on his face told Jasper that he¡¯d been equally unsuccessful. ¡°Anything useful,¡± he asked nonetheless, hoping he¡¯d misinterpreted the man¡¯s dark look. ¡°I saw much,¡± the man growled. ¡°Fathers torn to shreds, children in pools of blood, women covered in burns from head to toe. They could not hide their memories from me, yet I saw no sign of the hooded mage. Perhaps I was mistaken after all.¡± ¡°Or perhaps,¡± Tsia cut in triumphantly, emerging from the crowd to join them, ¡°you weren¡¯t looking in the right place. I got a lead.¡± Du?r-Salmu Abandoning any attempt at subtlety, Ihra rammed her shoulder into the door and flung it open. She held her misericorde ready as she charged into the room and scanned it for the source of the crash they¡¯d heard from the other side. Where are we? The barracks? The castle? What she found was an old man cowering against the wall. His formerly white tunic was covered with large blotches of oil spattered from the pot he¡¯d shattered, and his hands shook as he raised them above his head. ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t harm me,¡± he spoke with a wavery voice. As Ihra hesitated, a shoulder rammed into her from behind as the Corsyth healer darted forward. ¡°Ardi?l? Is that you?¡± ¡°Asa?ta?¡± The trembling in the man¡¯s limb stilled as he slowly rose and wrapped his arms around the healer in a warm hug. ¡°What are you doing here, child? I thought you were with the durgu?.¡± ¡°We were,¡± she replied, returning his embrace. ¡°But there¡¯s something wrong with Lord Sargani?l, isn¡¯t there?¡± The old man looked troubled by the question and released her. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± he stammered out. ¡°Lord Sargani?l doesn¡¯t seem like himself anymore. But that is all the more reason why-¡± He grabbed her hands and stooped slightly to look her in the eyes, ¡°you must leave this place. It is not safe here. The day after you left, Lord Sargani?l rounded up all the priests.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re here,¡± the woman protested. He looked puzzled for a moment, and then his brow cleared. ¡°And where do you think we are, Asa?ta?¡± She glanced around at the small, cramped room filled with crates and shelves. ¡°When I saw you, I assumed we must have come out in the temple''s lower floors. Are we not?¡± Ardi?l shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re in the dungeons of Du?r-Sulmu.¡± ¡°You don''t look like a prisoner,¡± Ihra interrupted him, "nor does this seem to be a cell." The man tore his eyes from Asa?ta¡¯s to look at her and, after a moment, cocked his head curiously. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see an elf brave the lands across the River.¡± Ihra frowned, unhappy that her disguise had been pierced so easily. ¡°What gave it away? I thought the hood covered everything up rather nicely.¡± He seemed reluctant to reply. ¡°A feature of my class; nothing you need worry about,¡± he finally said. ¡°And you are right, lady elf, this place is not a cell. Captain Maras?s?amas?, the commander of Du?r-Sulmu, is a pious woman. Although she dared not ignore Lord Sargani?l¡¯s commands to detain us, she has given us considerable freedom in the dungeons. I was returning the oil after refilling our lamps when that door,¡± he pointed toward the tunnel through which they had come, ¡°suddenly appeared out of nowhere.¡± ¡°You mean the others are with you,¡± Asa?ta gasped. ¡°And Master Babba?nu? Is he here too?¡± ¡°Yes, child, we are all here.¡± ¡°Then we can get you out of here.¡± Seizing the priest¡¯s hand, she tugged him toward the tunnel, but the old man slipped his hand out of hers with surprising dexterity. ¡°No, child, we cannot leave.¡± Confusion danced across the healer¡¯s face but she ceased her struggle. ¡°Why not?¡± she asked. ¡°Are there guards? He can take them,¡± she added, nodding at Erin, who squirmed uncomfortably at her swift promise of violence. But Ihra understood the priest¡¯s reticence. ¡°You¡¯re worried about this captain.¡± Ardi?l inclined his head toward hers. ¡°Indeed, my lady. Captain Maras?s?amas? has done us a great favor. She allows us to wander freely between our cells, has provided us with far better beds and food than any prisoner would usually be granted, and has ensured that the guards do not bother us. As I said, Asa?ta, she is a pious woman, and if we escape - what do you think will become of her?¡± ¡°She could come with us-¡± the healer started to protest, but the old priest shook his head. ¡°No, with Lord Sargani?l¡¯s newfound capriciousness, it is all the more important that people like Captain Maras?s?amas? remain in command to save those they can. Without her help, I fear our situation would have been far more dire.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°No,¡± he placed a gentle finger on her lips, hushing her. ¡°We must remain here, but that does not mean there is nothing you can do to help others in the city.¡± His gaze turned to Ihra. ¡°And why are you here exactly? If you¡¯ve come to break us out, I¡¯m afraid I must disappoint you, but somehow I do not think that was your goal.¡± She hesitated a moment, unsure if she should tell the old man, but it was clear Asa?ta trusted him. ¡°King Kaba?ni is concerned about Sargani?l¡¯s recent behavior. He sent the durgu prince to keep an eye on him, but Sargani?l refused to allow him into the city. We¡¯re here to see what he''s hiding. Is he plotting against the king?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the priest admitted candidly. ¡°Over last year, Master Babba?nu and I noted that Lord Sargani?l seemed¡­¡± he hesitated, searching for the right word, but could not find it. ¡°Not quite himself. He¡¯s always been a skilled warrior and has provided adequate support to the temples, even if he¡¯s never shown any true devotion, but something changed. He became more demanding, taking far larger shares of the potions we prepared for the people than he had ever required before, and forcing us to send our acolytes, like this one,¡± he added, patting Asa?ta on the shoulder, ¡°on missions with his troops.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°A bit greedy, but not that unusual.¡± ¡°True,¡± Ardi?l agreed, ¡°but though the man performed the duties to the temple his position required of him, he possessed no personal piety, and we priests rarely interacted with him. If you wish insight into his changes, you must ask those who saw him most - his troops and commanders.¡± ¡°Captain Maras?s?amas??¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± he nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to wait, I would likely be able to get in contact with her.¡± Ihra frowned, unease sitting in the pit of her stomach. Although the old priest seemed sincere, she knew his offer could easily be a trap. If she let him leave, he might just go and rouse the soldiers - and a flight through the tunnel would hardly be an easy escape. ¡°Asa?ta?¡± she asked. ¡°Ardi?l was below only Master Babba?nu and Kadra?lmatti. He will not hurt us.¡± She hesitated briefly, her worries not entirely assuaged by the reassurances of the healer that she hardly knew, but decided to take the risk. If they were indeed in a dungeon, their only other option, after all, was to turn around. ¡°Fine. We will wait to see if this captain can help us.¡± Although she had decided to gamble on Ardi?l¡¯s honesty, that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t take any precautions. After the old man had left, she had Erin morph some of the crates and shelves that lined the room into a barricade in front of the storeroom¡¯s door. It wouldn¡¯t hold together forever, but it would give them enough of a head start that they could hopefully escape through the tunnel. It was hard not to get paranoid as the minutes slowly stretched into an hour without a sign of the man¡¯s return, and she began to fear the worst. When the second hour dawned without his return, Ihra had nearly decided to give the order to leave when the sounds of footsteps approached them. The door swung open, and Ardi?l appeared, casting a puzzled glance at the barricade blocking his way. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Just a little insurance,¡± Ihra replied, moving closer to the entrance. ¡°Did you bring her?¡± Another voice answered her question, as a woman dressed as a guard gently pushed Ardi?l to the side. ¡°You say you work for the king?¡± Maras?s?amas? was not what Ihra had expected from a pious devotee of Lord S?amas?. A mixture of brawn and beauty, the captain dwarfed both her and the door and if her size had left any doubt as to her heritage, the lilac hair that fell around her shoulders was a clear indication of a quite recent troll ancestor. Ihra choked the comment that almost sprung to her lips and forced a smile. ¡°Not directly, but we¡¯re helping one who is. Are you aware of the durgu prince Lord Kaba?ni sent to reinforce Lord Sargani?l¡¯s garrison?¡± The woman laughed mirthlessly. ¡°Aye, I¡¯ve heard of him. They came with that woman, Takkla?ta. Unfortunately, she and Lord Sargani?l didn¡¯t see eye to eye.¡± ¡°Is she imprisoned here as well?¡± Ihra asked. ¡°No. Despite the priests¡¯ presence here, Du?r-Sulmu is not usually a prison,¡± the captain answered. ¡°The priests are only here because Du?r-Asi?r is already full with Takkla?ta and her men, plus anyone else who¡¯s dared to disagree with Lord Sargani?l in the last few months.¡± Her brows knit. ¡°There¡¯s another castle?¡± ¡°There¡¯s several other fortresses and all of them now hold prisoners,¡± Maras?s?amas? replied with a sour smile before returning to her original question. ¡°So you are working with this durgu? Is he trustworthy?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him well yet, but he''s done his best to protect the villagers while our liege does nothing.¡± ¡°Good. At least someone¡¯s trying to help. My guards have been smuggling out supplies, but there is little else I can do from here.¡± ¡°Ah, so the guards we found were yours? They were, uh, dead - I don¡¯t know who killed them,¡± Ihra started to explain but stopped as the captain frowned. ¡°No, they were not. Ardi?l told me of the tunnel you emerged from, but I was unaware of its existence. Do you mind letting me have a look?¡± She gestured at the barrier that prevented her from coming closer, and Erin looked to Ihra for instruction. Oh, how I wish I had Jasper¡¯s truth spell, she groaned. Thus far, the captain seemed well-intentioned, but Ihra was slow to trust. Maras?s?amas? noticed her pause, and the captain¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do you have a problem with my kind?¡± ¡°What?¡± The accusation threw her off, but Ihra quickly shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your ancestors. Erin,¡± she looked over to the scout. ¡°You can clear the barrier.¡± The beams sprang to life as he twitched to his fingers, slithering away like wooden snakes and the captain stepped through, followed by the old priest. Ihra was relieved to see no one else was waiting for them outside the door and felt a little bad for her mistrust. Maras?s?amas? pushed past her and examined the door pensively. ¡°Where does this lead?¡± ¡°To an island in the River. Asa?ta said it used to be a prison.¡± ¡°I know the one,¡± the captain said, nodding curtly, ¡°but I was not aware there was a tunnel leading there, a tunnel underneath my very nose.¡± She swung around agitatedly. ¡°You said there were guards over there?¡± ¡°Guards and supplies,¡± Ihra answered. ¡°There were cots for 12 men, but the amount of supplies they had gathered was enough for a much larger party.¡± ¡°And they were dead?¡± ¡°Two were, with no obvious signs of struggle. They¡¯d been covered with blankets, though, so there must have been at least one more with them, perhaps an ally. I see no reason why an enemy would bother to cover them,¡± she added. ¡°And they were guards from here, from Birnah?¡± the captain questioned. ¡°I assumed,¡± Ihra shrugged, ¡°but I¡¯m hardly an expert on your gear. They did have an emblem Asa?ta found strange though.¡± ¡°Twas a red sun with black lines running down it,¡± the healer spoke up. ¡°Though I can scarcely guess what they were supposed to be.¡± ¡°Lightning.¡± The priest spoke with a quiet confidence born of familiarity, and Ihra cocked her head. ¡°Are they your men then?¡± ¡°Selene¡¯s grace, no,¡± the old man replied, seeming shocked by the question. ¡°But I am surprised you did not recognize the emblem, child,¡± he chided the healer. ¡°Should I?" Asa?ta''s cheeks flushed. "It did not seem familiar at all.¡± ¡°Well¡­it has been a long time since the group was destroyed, so perhaps the tutors no longer speak of it. But a red sun marred by black lightning is the emblem of the Sidhe lord Duluh?h?u?, the defiler of minds.¡± ¡°The defiler of minds?¡± Ihra asked. ¡°As in a mind mage?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Ardi?l replied. ¡°And if his followers live again, it would explain much of Lord Sargani?l¡¯s behavior.¡± An Impromptu Interrogation ¡°You found a lead,¡± Jasper echoed dumbly. ¡°Already?¡± Tsia smiled smugly. ¡°Drunk lips are loose lips.¡± He rolled his eyes as she repeated her father¡¯s maxim, but suppressed the urge to reply snarkily. If she¡¯d really found a lead - hell, if she learned anything at all - she¡¯d done better than them. ¡°Whaddya find?¡± She glanced at the busy square around them and shook her head. ¡°We should probably discuss it somewhere quieter.¡± He quirked an eyebrow, wondering who or what she was concerned about, but let the matter drop as their time in the city was almost done. When the last of S?ams?adu?r¡¯s men had straggled in, the company reformed and headed for the gates. The sun was already dipping toward the horizon as they reached them, and judging from the guards clustered around the pulleys that raised the drawbridge, they had arrived in the nick of time. The guards paused their work long enough to let them pass, and then the bridge closed behind them, leaving them to set up camp on the far side of the moat. While it lacked the protection of the city walls, it also lacked the overwhelming odor of the overpacked city - a fair trade in Jasper¡¯s mind. The men quickly split off - most to pitch the tents, while a handful gathered wood for the fires and started the pots of stew they¡¯d need for the night - leaving the three of them alone. Taking a seat by the freshly started fire, Jasper waited for Tsia to tell her tale. ¡°So what were you worried about back there?¡± ¡°S?ams?adu?r was right,¡± she said with a frown, worry pooled in her eyes. ¡°There definitely is a mind mage at work - at least one, maybe more.¡± ¡°Thought so,¡± the prince muttered, gluing his eyes to the flickering flames. ¡°Didn¡¯t want to believe it, but¡­¡± ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± Jasper asked. ¡°I had a very informative talk.¡± ¡°They just blabbed it?¡± ¡°Well¡­it might have been more of an interrogation,¡± she admitted. ¡°After we split up, I¡­¡±
The perpetual stench that had been assaulting her nose ever since she¡¯d reached the overcrowded market finally faded as Tsia reached the small upscale section of Debur. The village was too small to have a true noble section; instead, the handful of nobles lived side by side with the merchants and craftsmen in a cramped quarter that, despite its small size, possessed a certain charm. Of course, anything looked nice in comparison with the refugee camp she¡¯d just left. Tsia followed the guard¡¯s directions to The Gilded Pig but, in truth, it would have been hard to miss. The tavern was the only one in the small quarter and the source of its name was self-evident - a large bronzed pig was attached to the third floor of the tavern as a weathervane, spinning merrily in the hot gusts of wind roiling off the sun-baked plains to the west. The shade inside the tavern was a welcome relief, but her eyes blinked rapidly as they struggled to adjust to the dim light. Though it had a row of windows, they were blocked by heavy shades open just wide enough to allow narrow shafts of light to illuminate the room, and even the giant stone hearth sat unlit. Despite that, the tavern was already nearly full. She snagged one of the last remaining stools in front of the bar and waited until the maid came by. ¡°Beer, ale, or cider?¡± The barmaid greeted her briskly. ¡°Cider,¡± she replied. ¡°Is there any food,¡± she asked, casting a glance over her shoulder at the unlit hearth. ¡°You must not be from around here,¡± the maid laughed. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°The hearth¡¯s just there for the rare day it gets cold, but our kitchens¡¯ are outside. Dinner¡¯s still a way off, but we¡¯ve always got stew,¡± she offered. After a moment¡¯s pause, Tsia shook her head. ¡°Just the cider then. I¡¯ve had my fill of stew recently,¡± she added, thinking of the dish the dwarves cooked nearly every need. It was immediately decent, for camp food, but no dish was delicious enough to be eaten that often. When the woman returned a few minutes later, she nursed her cider and surreptitiously scanned the room. Despite what she had told Jasper, Tsia didn¡¯t really expect to find much here. The opportunity to get out of the sun and enjoy some food that wasn¡¯t stew had simply seemed too tempting to pass up, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t learn anything from the gossip in the tavern. In one corner of the room, a handful of guards were discussing the recent attacks in low tones. While the guard at the gate may have been unwilling to directly criticize Lord Sargani?l, these men, with the help of liquid courage, were fearless. ¡°What¡¯s the bastard thinking?¡± one grouched. ¡°He''s become a coward in his old age, that¡¯s what.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°He let Agu?ril get wiped out, and it''s barely half a day''s march from Birnah. Word is that what¡¯s left of the city was saved by a bunch of durgu?. Enemies saving us instead of our own lord,¡± another spat. ¡°Do you see the dwarves that arrived today? Think they¡¯re the same ones?¡± ¡°There can¡¯t be that many of them running around loose,¡± the man grunted. Picking up her cider, Tsia decided to make her way over to the group and pry them for information, when someone behind her theatrically cleared his throat. The old stool creaked as she pushed it back and swiveled around to find another guard. Like the man outside the gates, he was near the age of retirement, if not perhaps a bit beyond it, and judging from the slightly more elaborate armor he wore, she guessed he was the city¡¯s commander. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Captain S?ams?ili?, head of the guard and you, my lady, you are¡­¡± He lowered his voice and leaned in. ¡°You are Princess Keturah, are you not? What are you doing here, my lady? And by yourself?¡± Tsia froze like a deer in the headlights. Perhaps it was stupid, but she¡¯d never expected anyone to recognize her, at least not in the boondocks. ¡°I, uh, I think you have me mistaken for someone else,¡± she said. The old man¡¯s eyes widened with confusion, but after a long moment, he shook his head. ¡°I am sorry, my lady, but I am certain it is you. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t remember someone as unimportant as me, but I once served on Lord Sargani?l¡¯s personal guard. I accompanied him to the palace on several occasions, and had the honor of meeting your father and his children.¡± She decided to commit to her bluff and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Maybe I look a bit like her, but I assure you, I¡¯m not this princess of yours. What would a lady like that be doing in a place like this?¡± ¡°I might have believed you,¡± the captain replied, ¡°if I had not been warned you might show up.¡± Tsia reached for her cup of cider, taking a long draught to wet her suddenly parched mouth, before replying. ¡°Someone told you the princess would be coming here? To Deb?ur?¡± she asked, still not quite willing to admit to her identity. ¡°Who would suggest such a thing?¡± Confusion flashed through the man¡¯s eyes, and he slowly shook his head. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t remember,¡± he admitted reluctantly, ¡°but I know I was warned of your coming, and here you are. You are no mere look-alike, my lady.¡± Tsia frowned and tried to take another sip of her cider, only to find the cup barren. She frowned at the empty bottom and plopped it down on the bar. ¡°And why would they warn you?¡± ¡°I have a message for you, my lady.¡± The captain nodded his head toward the empty hall that led up to the private rooms above the bar. ¡°Perhaps away from prying ears?¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she rose and followed him to the hall. The old man seemed harmless enough and, even if it wasn¡¯t, she doubted he was strong enough to be any threat to her. He paused at the end of the hall, well out of the hubbub of the tavern conversation, and held out a folded piece of paper whose edges were sealed with crimson wax. She examined the seal curiously, not recognizing the odd symbol of a sun with some sort of slashes in front of it, and broke it apart. ¡°What is this?¡± Her brow furrowed as she saw the odd pictogram splayed across both sides of the paper. It looked almost like a rune, though she had never shown enough talent at them for her mother to bother training her. Engrossed in the rune, she almost missed the old man¡¯s hand twitch, glancing up just in time to see his hand slash forward, blade aimed at her throat. His eyes were glazed and milky, his skin suddenly puffy and red, but that didn¡¯t make the blade any less deadly. She tried to jump backward, to crouch down, to throw herself to the side of the blow, but she was suddenly rooted to the spot as a surge of magic flowed into her body from the paper she held. The blade was going to kill her. Its progress was arrested a foot from her face as a shield of lightning flickered into place around her. She wasn¡¯t the caster, but she recognized it nonetheless. Imhullu didn''t mention that little mark of his did this. The electricity surged up the metal blade and into the man himself, tossing him against the wall with a thud. As he crumpled against the wall, the milky look in his eyes ebbed away, quickly replaced by a look of horror. ¡°My lady!¡± The old man staggered to his feet, his eyes flickering between the unsheathed sword lying at her feet and herself, still rooted in place by the magic. ¡°He...lp¡­me.¡± Unable to even move her lips, speaking was nearly impossible, but the captain hadn¡¯t reached his position by being a fool. With trembling hands, he snatched the paper from her grasp and tossed it to the floor where he stomped hard on it. ¡°Wait.¡± With it out of her grasp, she came unstuck and grabbed his hand as his heel was about to descend again. ¡°That might have clues,¡± she hissed. He put his foot down carefully, far away from the paper, and turned to her with horror-stricken eyes. ¡°My lady, I had no idea-¡± This time, she saw the change in his eyes. His hand lunged for the dagger tied at his waist, but her essence was faster. He spasmed as electricity poured through him, and collapsed to his knees with a gasp. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I-, I-¡± Tsia stepped over him, ignoring his twitching, and pulled some rope out of her bag. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, but it looks like we¡¯re going to have to do this the hard way.¡± As she pulled his arms behind his back and began to tie him up, a maid stepped out of the kitchen, holding a platter stacked high with ale. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace, lass, what are you doing?¡± She froze again, but an excuse came readily this time. ¡°He, uh, likes it rough?¡± The maid stared down at them for a second, the captain hiding his face out of shame, and finally snorted. ¡°I¡¯d heard stories, but didna believe ¡®em. But you can''t do it here, lass. Take ¡®em upstairs.¡± Tsia nodded vigorously, eager to be rid of the maid, and began to drag the man toward the stairs. ¡°My lady, I can-¡± The look appeared in his eyes again, and she downed him a second later. A bit too enthusiastically. She groaned as the man slumped unconscious over the stairs. ¡°Great. I get to carry him up.¡± ¡°It sounds like you almost died. Again.¡± Jasper sighed as she relayed the story. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ever in much danger,¡± she shrugged dismissively. ¡°Imhullu¡¯s ward protected me.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t know it would.¡± ¡°I also didn¡¯t know a piece of paper would paralyze me,¡± she snapped. ¡°Would you have expected that?¡± ¡°Well¡­no,¡± he admitted reluctantly. ¡°So is that your lead? The piece of paper.¡± ¡°Oh, I have that with me too, but that¡¯s not the only thing I learned. Once S?ams?ili? woke up, we had a little chat. It was hard at first, as he kept getting taken over by the compulsion, but after the fifth time I electrocuted him, he finally seemed to snap out of it.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°He remembered meeting a man with a brown hood, and a ring with the emblem of a lightning-scarred sun.¡± Ensnared Dear Father, All is well in Du?r-S?ad¨º.The Emperor¡¯s plans for the campaign against the capital have nearly come to fruition.Word has reached us that an army from the King of the Djinn marches to join us, bolstering our ranks, and just this month the Zalancthian lord of Agami?n chose to cast his lot with the Empire.As long as the durgu? continue to delay their invasion, I believe the campaign will be successful. Nakla?ti¡¯s quill stilled as she pondered how to phrase her next words.She was fairly certain that the Emperor had her mail read, not that she could blame him. Her father, Lord Itt?l, the Commander of the Northern Armies, was a loyalist of House Nu?rili?, and one of the primary supporters of the deposed prince sheltered in Celestia. Eligon had ever attempted to arrest the heir of Nu?rili?, Lord Itt?l would no doubt have gone to war against the Empire. But things had changed recently.While no one knew the exact details of the deal the emperor had struck with the elves of Yammaqom, the northern kingdom had eased up on its support for House Nu?rili?, advocating for peace and coexistence rather than rebellion. insubordination. The deal with the elves had been followed by her own appointment as Eligon¡¯s aide, an appointment that had come as a surprise.he had full faith in her competence, Nakla?ti was under no illusion that she had been chosen merely for her skill. She recognized it as an olive branch to her father, and if she had her way, that olive branch would soon blossom into a full-fledged tree. I would ask, Father, that you consider sending troops to aid in their endeavor.From what I¡¯ve heard, even Yammaqom has promised to dispatch a portion of their fleet to block the capital''s harbor. She left unsaid that it would reflect poorly on the northern nobles if the Djinn and elves helped reclaim the capital while they refused to move, but she knew her father could read between the lines.An appeal to honor was likely to sway him. I was most amused with the falcon you sent me, Father.Whenever possible, I take her out to hunt, and she¡¯s gotten quite good at bringing back her little trophies.There¡¯s one animal in the woods, though, that yet eludes her, a wily old snake that has wriggled out of her grasp on more than one occasion.But the snake has begun to tire, and I have no fear that she shall soon snare him. She hesitated again, questioning if her words would be too bold, but decided not to change them.It wasn¡¯t as if her intentions were exactly hidden, after all.She was about to continue writing when a knock sounded on her door. ¡°Lady Nakla?ti?¡± ¡°Come in,¡± she replied absently, as she folded the letter and set it aside for later.Elision¡¯s faithful lackey, Ki?nu, stepped through the door and inclined his head in a token of respect.¡°The lord of Agami?n has arrived to swear his loyalty - the Emperor has requested your presence.¡± She glanced down at the clothes she was wearing and wrinkled her nose.The blue dress she wore may have been Eligon¡¯s favorite color, but it wasn¡¯t fancy enough for a truly formal gathering.¡°Do I have time to change?¡± ¡°Certainly, my lady - Lord Eligon will greet them in two hours.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t like the emperor to wait.¡± ¡°I convinced him it was important to give his court time to look their best.¡± To give me time, she thought happily.When she¡¯d arrived in Du?r-S?ade, she¡¯d fully expected Eligon¡¯s servant to be an obstacle in her pursuit of the emperor, and at, first, she¡¯d been right.But as he¡¯d gotten to know her, Ki?nu had slowly but surely evolved into an unexpected ally, believing that it was not good for the emperor, still grieving the death of his wife and best friend, to remain alone.¡°Thank you, Ki?nu.Can you send my maid in?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±When Ki?nu had left, Nakla?ti rose from her desk and hurried to her armoire, humming happily beneath her breath.Two hours was tight timing, but she needed to find something stunning.Something blue.
Eligon hated his throne room.It was not that it was ugly.No - while his ancestors, the minor lords of Du?r-S?ade, had never been one for finery before their unexpected ascension to the throne, they had enough royal blood in them to understand the importance of making an impression. The throne room of Du?r-S?ade - the Sapphire Chamber - was one of the oldest parts of the castle.The hall was a stately basilica, with stout pillars that supported a domed roof that stretched for the sky.The floor was made of the purest white marble, against which the walls and ceiling, painted a deep blue infused with crushed sapphire and adorned with the stars of heaven, stood out in stark contrast.The walls had once been bright, but centuries of candles and incense had darkened the wall''s lower portions until they were nearly as dark as dusk, making the whole chamber feel like one had stepped into a realm of perpetual twilight. The throne, raised on a podium of twelve steps, sat beneath the apse.The ivory throne was the oldest relic of the castle, supposedly rescued from the ruins of the Mwyranni¡¯s empire and transported north.Eligon was unsure if the tales were true, but the throne¡¯s antiquity was obvious, and the unusual style of the carvings etched into its sides did seem to match the style of the fallen empire. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. It was a beautiful chamber, one that any lord could be proud of, and yet...Despite the age and beauty of the Sapphire Chamber, it could have sat in a dark, isolated corner of his father¡¯s throne room in the lost capital.Melancholy settled across his chest like a mantle, and though Eligon tried to dismiss the feeling, it was not so easily set aside.Soon, he promised himself.Soon we shall reclaim that which was lost. The memory put him little in the mood to indulge the Zalancthian traitor, but Eligon steeled his face as the members of his court filtered in to take their positions around the throne.He could not allow his hatred of the stoneflesh to harm the empire¡¯s safety, and the return of a province, not to mention an entire Zalancthian army, was a victory worth celebrating, even if it did drag him into a smaller conflict against the man¡¯s rival. Lost in his musings, Eligon almost didn¡¯t notice when she entered the room.A flash of blue passed through the grand arch and floated through the gathering crowd like a cloud across the sunny skies.He cursed himself as he watched Lady Nakla?ti approach, unable to tear his eyes away from her. She wore a deep blue gown, deep-cut across her chest, and studded with the same stars that lined the chamber¡¯s ceiling. Long, flowing tresses hung loosely around her shoulders, with strings of pearl woven through her flaxen hair.Despite himself, Eligon felt his heart tick up, and he forced away the smile that threatened to break his steely mask. ¡°Lady Nakla?ti,¡± he acknowledged her, with a simple nod.She inclined her head in turn as she took her position at the base of his throne, allowing him a more than generous view down her chest. Kruvas?.He forced himself to look away, to count the stars on the ceiling opposite him until his heart slowed down, but it was not an easy endeavor.He knew what she wanted and, unfortunately, some treacherous part of him wanted it to. I made a mistake bringing her here.When Eligon had appointed the daughter of Itt?l as his aide, he¡¯d hoped it would make the old goat more amenable to his plans for the capital.The possibility that she might seek to pursue him had, of course, occurred to him - the position of empress was open, after all - but he had honestly dismissed it. Itt?l was no friend of House Gonya and had made it clear that he viewed Eligon and his kin as usurpers.He doubted the man was interested in allying with his house, but he hadn¡¯t counted on Ittu?l''s daughter having a different opinion.Would he even be willing to allow such a union?Would it improve relations between us better or would he resent me for stealing his daughter? Eligon realized with a start that he¡¯d allowed himself to think of such a possibility, and his mood worsened.She was slowly but surely worming her way into his heart, and he felt helpless to stop it.She¡¯d fulfilled her duties admirably, succeeding beyond even his own, admittedly high, expectations.Indeed, if he was being honest, she was doing a better job than Vayya?bi? had, and that was not a slight to Vayya?bi?¡¯s skill.No, he had no reason to dismiss her from her position, and to remove her without cause would be a grave insult, one he could not risk, even if keeping her close was proving¡­distracting. His musings were disturbed as the blare of trumpets filled the hall, announcing the entrance of his newest vassal, the former General Menos.He¡¯d agreed to the emperor¡¯s demands and taken on the name of his wife¡¯s former house, and thus House Nara?mi?l was reborn, a bastard mix of Corsyth and Zalancthian that churned his stomach.Yet, it is better than that the house perish altogether, he reminded himself, remembering the many southern houses that had been completely extinguished. The new Lord Nara?mi?l marched down the hall, flanked by his Corsyth wife and his son Naslam.Behind him trailed his younger children, two daughters and a son a little younger than Eligon¡¯s own.The cloud on his brow lightened as he watched the lad, barely beyond the age of toddling, struggle to keep up with his family, until the youngest daughter paused to grab his hand.True, he was a Zalancthian, but he was also half Corsyth.And he will be raised as one, he reminded himself. Stopping at the base of the podium, Lord Nara?mi?l unbuckled his sword and, lifting it above his head, knelt before him.The others followed suit, save for the little boy who looked around curiously until the daughter dragged him down to kneel beside her. ¡°Be?li?, anaddin patri? u ari?ti?.¡±Nara?mi?l spoke the words with a thick accent, struggling over the ancient vow of vassalage. The sword and dagger.Eligon knew which service the general would offer him - strength rather than cunning. ¡°Sapal ini? sebettu, sapal ini? s?ins?eret, anaddar ana pala?h?i ma?r s?ami?m.¡±This part of the vow made him uncomfortable.Eligon doubted the stoneflesh before him even worshiped the heptad or the lesser council, but he also felt unworthy of the appellation offered him.He was no son of heaven. Usurper, a small voice taunted him. ¡°Ina bala?ti, ina mu?ti, arradka, be?li?¡­¡± Eligon watched in silence until the vow was finished.Then his turn came.Rising from his seat, he uttered his portion of the vow, his promise to protect and defend his vassals.The words from his lips like spun silver, honed by decades of similar promises, echoing the vaulted walls of the Sapphire Chamber.But he did not speak the words lightly, not even to the stoneflesh kneeling before.¡°Anaddin andull? s?a ma?r s?ami?m, u ina s?illi?ya, lislim kimtu?nu.¡± With the vow completed, Eligon descended the stairs and, taking the offered sword from the Zalancthian¡¯s hand, bound it around his waist.A warm hand touched his arm, and he turned to find Nakla?ti at his side, offering him the traditional gift.He froze a second, drawn in by the depths of her eyes, before accepting it and offering it to the man.¡°A token of the empire¡¯s protection,¡± he intoned. The newly dubbed Lord Nara?mi?l tried to refuse the gift.¡°The only protection I ask, my lord, is for my family.¡±His wife grabbed his hand, her eyes wide, and he realized his blunder.Bowing his head, he accepted the gift and followed his wife out of the hall before he could make even further faux pas. Eligon wasn¡¯t offended, though.Despite his dislike of the stoneflesh, he could understand his motivations.His eyes wandered unbidden to Nakla?ti and he hastily tried to look away, but the faint crease of joy at the edge of her eyes told him he¡¯d been spotted.Kruvas?. The Temple of S?ams?a A grave look stole over the captain¡¯s face as Ardi?l finished speaking. ¡°Duluhhu?? Surely you don¡¯t think Lord Sargani?l has been compromised. Yet¡­¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°It could explain some of his recent behavior.¡± ¡°You¡¯re familiar with this group,¡± Ihra questioned the priest. ¡°¡®Familiar¡¯ is too strong a word,¡± the old man sighed, ¡°but I have heard of them, though it''s been nearly two centuries. I was still a fresh-faced initiate at the temple then, with not so much as even a hair on my chest, so I wasn¡¯t involved in the many meetings that went on behind closed doors - but I remember the chaos they caused.¡± ¡°To walk the halls with your brethren, unsure if one may have been given the order to steal from the temple, to open the gates to an invader, to slip a knife between your ribs when you least expect it. Unsure if perhaps you had been given the same order.¡± He stroked his beard absently as he spoke, his eyes glossy with painful memories from the past. ¡°It was a terrible time in Birnah, and yet those of us at the temple had it far better than the rest of the city.¡± ¡°Did the gods protect you?¡± Ihra guessed. ¡°In a way," Ardi?l agreed. "Most priests of the Celestial Warrior will receive a great boon from Lord S?ams?a when they reach level 100, a blessing of protection that guards against many types of harm, including mental attacks. Thanks to this boon, our leadership played an important role in rooting Duluhhu?¡¯s infection out of the city, along with the aid of a few nobles whose treasuries contained protective amulets they¡¯d looted from the Fey during the third war.¡± ¡°But if the nobles had these charms, surely Sargani?l, lord of the city, would have had access to them too,¡± Ihra pointed out. ¡°Perhaps the amulets failed,¡± Ardi?l began, but Captain Maras?s?amas? shook her head in disagreement. ¡°It¡¯s more likely a mage simply took him unaware. Mind magic has been all but exterminated in the Empire and even nobles do not make a habit of wearing relics unnecessarily, lest they break them. The charms likely sit in his treasury untouched.¡± ¡°And do you truly think Sargani?l has been bespelled?¡± Ihra questioned. ¡°It would explain much. I never much liked the man, but Lord Sargani?l was never a coward before, nor was he one to imprison others without at least some justification. I¡¯d rationalized before that he¡¯d moved against the temple out of bruised pride after your leaders allowed the durgu? to poach one of your healers, but if your priests are truly able to resist mind magic, it seems plausible that Duluhhu?¡¯s servant used it as an excuse to remove them from the equation,¡± the captain mused. ¡°Have you seen a strange mage recently? He may have been dressed in a brown tunic with a hood?¡± ¡°No,¡± the captain chuffed, ¡°or perhaps I did, and the memory was removed. Unlike Ardi?l, I have no skill that guards against such foul tricks.¡± ¡°I have something that protects me,¡± Ihra admitted, ¡°but the others don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll manage,¡± Erin muttered, and Ihra frowned as she glanced over at them. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to ¡®manage.¡¯ Since my runes should protect me, I suppose we¡¯ll be relatively safe as long as you never leave my side, but that will make it hard to be stealthy. You don¡¯t happen to have any of those charms, do you?¡± She added, turning to the captain with hopeful eyes. ¡°Hardly,¡± Maras?s?amas? scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m sure Lord Sargani?l has a few hidden away in his keep, but you would need an army or two to crack that. I can smuggle you out of the castle and let you take a look around the city, but that¡¯s all the help I can offer for now.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Ardi?l cleared his throat noisily, garnering their attention. ¡°I believe I can help. In the aftermath of the final Fey war, I believe the temple also received a few of these charms as part of our share of the spoils. The temple''s only a few blocks from Du?r-Sulmu, so the trip there should be safe enough as long as you stick together.¡± ¡°But what if the mage is lying in wait for us?¡± Asa?ta objected. ¡°If Duluh?h?u?''s servant already knows of your entrance into the city through a hidden tunnel the commander of this keep wasn''t even aware of, then either one of us is compromised or he is virtually omniscient. I think you¡¯ll be fine,¡± the priest replied with a smile. The captain made good on her word, and an hour later found them wandering the streets of Birnah. The city felt almost off-putting to Ihra. The sun-drenched lands and villages around the fortress were warm and inviting, with their homes built of dried wood and thick adobe that kept the heat at bay. By contrast, the city of Birnah felt like a city transplanted from the cold north. Its iron-coated outer walls radiated uncomfortable levels of heat into the city itself, while most of the buildings were built of solid, gray rock. That was not to say the city was entirely bereft of beauty, but its austere aesthetic was unappealing to her. They reached the temple without issue, but it did little to change Ihra¡¯s opinion of Birnah. Raised on a podium reached by a single flight of stairs, the temple of S?ams?a, despite its three towering floors, managed to look almost squat due to its sheer width. The complex resembled a fort more than the temples she was used to, and the soldiers guarding its steps, dressed in the colors of Sargani?l, did little to discourage that impression. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Does your temple normally have such cheery hospitality,¡± she asked the healer in low tones as they approached the waiting guards. ¡°Master Babba?nu would have a fit if he could see this,¡± she muttered, barely restraining her gasp of outrage as the guards demanded a ¡®toll¡¯ from the citizens waiting in front of them. "No one should be turned away-" ¡°Shush!¡± Ihra hissed, as they reached the front of the line. ¡°A silver a piece,¡± the man drawled, not really looking at her, and Ihra breathed in sharply. A silver?! It was highway robbery, but she dared not complain, and grumpily withdrew three coins from her purse and dropped them into the man¡¯s outstretched hand. The guard glanced down at his palm and raised a brow. ¡°That¡¯s two,¡± he lied brazenly. Stiffly, she pulled out a fourth and handed it to him. His hand snapped shut and he stepped aside, with a smug smile. ¡°The city thanks you for your contribution.¡± Ihra kept the outrage off her face until she was well past him and did not stop until, after ascending the flight of stairs, she entered the temple''s foyer. While the outer facade of the temple may have looked like a fortress, the inside was adorned more traditionally. A large, rectangular hall with fine marble floors and spiraled pillars that supported a lofty, vaulted roof ended in a massive statue of Lord S?ams?a. A reflection of the city¡¯s martial heritage, S?ams?a stood with a sword raised above his head, while his foot trampled on the neck of a defeated enemy, though Ihra couldn¡¯t tell from afar which of the dark gods he was fighting. And though S?ams?a was the primary focus of the temple, as always, a smaller chapel was consecrated for his consort, the lady Selene, and on each side of the hall miniature shrines were dedicated to those gods not fortunate enough to have a temple of their own in the city. On a whim, Ihra paused at the shrine dedicated to Kas?dael. While offerings, votives, and worshippers surrounded the other shrines, Kas?dael¡¯s was almost abandoned. Three lonely candles flickered before the basalt statue of the goddess, which in continuation with the temple¡¯s martial theme, featured her tearing apart a foe with her bare hands. The offerings were equally sparse - a sheath of nearly withered flowers, a basket of rotting fruit, and a wooden doll. The amateur craftsmanship of the doll was obvious, with a face that lacked the fine features of Kas?dael¡¯s statue and limbs that were oddly proportioned, but so too was the devotion with which it had been made. The doll wore a tiny scarlet tunic, embroidered with finely stitched flowers in sharp contrast to the crudity of the carving, and a folded letter was clasped tight in its hands. A prayer for fertility, Ihra suspected. She stepped carefully around the doll, and bowed before the goddess, murmuring a brief prayer for the success of their mission. As usual, she heard no response, but she felt a lightness in her chest when she arose that hadn¡¯t been there before. A smile lit her face as she turned to face the healer. ¡°All right, Asa?ta. Where is this priest Ardil wanted us to talk to?¡± ¡°Acolyte,¡± the healer corrected her. ¡°And I¡¯m not sure where Iltia?b is.¡± A petite woman, the priestess stood on her tiptoes to see above the crowd and settled back down a moment later with a shake of her head. ¡°I don¡¯t see him here.¡± Ihra¡¯s face tightened with concern. ¡°We need those charms. Any idea where he might be?¡± ¡°Asa?ta?¡± A burly man pushed past the crowd of worshippers gathered around Tsia?hu¡¯s shrine and swept the healer into a hug. ¡°Are you back already from your mission?¡± ¡°Hush!¡± She squealed as she wriggled in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to be back yet, S?ams?a?b.¡± The man let her drop to the floor and grief flooded his face. ¡°You aren''t here because of what happened to the priests, are you? You can''t blame yourself, Asa?ta - no one could have guessed Lord Sargani?l would have reacted thus." ¡°Maybe not, but I heard what happened,¡± she whispered, ¡°and I¡¯m here to help them. Do you know where Iltia?b is? Ardi?l gave me a message for him.¡± S?ams?a?b scratched his head. ¡°Iltia?b? I guess Ardi?l wouldn¡¯t know, but after they were carried off, Iltia?b was pressed into his lordship¡¯s personal service. He hasn''t been allowed back to the temple since. Perhaps I can help you with whatever Ardi?l wanted?¡± A word of warning sprang to Ihra¡¯s tongue - the man seemed friendly enough, but with a mind mage on the loose, anyone could be compromised - but Asa?ta didn¡¯t notice her frantic shake of the head. ¡°Ardi?l wanted him to let us into the lower floors. There¡¯s something in the archives he wanted us to bring him,¡± the healer explained, handing the letter to the other acolyte. He scanned it perfunctorily and tucked it into his shirt, before pulling a ring of keys out of his pocket. ¡°Then it seems I¡¯m the guy you need,¡± he said with a broad smile. As S?ams?a?b led them out of the great hall and into the private chambers of the temple slipped Aphora¡¯s misericorde out of her bag, and slid it up her sleeve, keeping an eagle eye on their guide, while Asa?ta and him chatted away blithely. Erin was more observant and noticed her unease. ¡°You think he¡¯s one of them?¡± he whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s impossible to know,¡± she muttered back. ¡°But even though he¡¯s Asa?ta¡¯s friend, his mind could have been tampered with, unless she''s got some magical friendship powers I''m unaware of.¡± The scout snorted, but from the twitching in his fingers, Ihra guessed he prepared a spell. But the acolyte made no move against them as they passed through the private chambers, and he led them down a narrow flight of stairs into the lower floors. ¡°The archive should be just ahead, but I expect old Emu?q will want to know what you¡¯re doing down here.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t take him with the rest?¡± Asa?ta¡¯s step hesitated. ¡°Said something about him not being a priest, I don¡¯t know,¡± the man shrugged. He stepped close to the door and after a few failed keys, found the correct one. A whine filled the hall as the old hinges protested against their use, and the three followed him in. As he¡¯d predicted, an old man already sat at one of the tables, and his head snapped as he approached. ¡°S?ams?a?b? Is that you? Who gave you the right to let others into the archives? You may hold the keys-¡± He started to yell, but S?ams?a?b plucked the letter out of his pocket. ¡°Ardi?l authorized it.¡± Ihra saw the change in the man¡¯s eyes as the name Ardi?l was spoken and stepped forward. The misericorde whistled through the air as the old man surged to his feet, his eyes milky and his face flushed, and drew his sword. The weapon was barely out of the scabbard before it clattered to the floor useless as the man collapsed in his chair, clutching at a dagger in his throat. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace - what have you done?¡± S?ams?a?b crumpled to the floor as Ihra struck him from behind, knocking him out cold. ¡°Sorry,¡± she flashed Asa?ta an apologetic smile, ¡°but we don¡¯t have time to stick around for explanations. Now where are these amulets?¡± A Sleepless Night ¡°A lightning-scarred sun?¡± Jasper repeated the description of the ring the mage had been wearing. ¡°Is that the symbol of a deity? Or some sort of cult?¡± he added, hoping that he hadn''t stumbled upon another Brotherhood of Yas?gah situation. Is it too much to ask for at least some time off between killing demigods? ¡°Not one I¡¯m familiar with,¡± Tsia replied instantly, but Jasper noticed that the prince seemed more pensive. ¡°Does it mean something to you?¡± "¡°I¡¯m not sure." S?ams?a?dur stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The symbol seems familiar, but I can¡¯t quite place it. Maybe it was connected to one of the Sidhe?¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s something,¡± Jasper grimaced, ¡°but it¡¯s not much of a lead. The commander didn¡¯t remember anything else about the man - like his face?¡± ¡°According to him, the man¡¯s hood cast an unnatural shadow, making it impossible to discern his features,¡± Tsia said with a shake of her head. ¡°Or the mage just removed the memory,¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. pointed out. ¡°Maybe, but the commander did remember the ring,¡± Tsia replied, ¡°and he was able to provide one more piece of information. The mage was here just three days ago.¡± ¡°Three days? Then that means he¡¯s not holed up in Birnah. And if he''s not holed up in Birnah, maybe he really is the mastermind behind the Atrometos attacks,¡± Jasper added, tossing a nod at the durgu who had first suggested the idea. ¡°Maybe,¡± the prince agreed with a shrug, ¡°but it also means we could be at risk of being compromised. Kruvas?,¡± he cursed, ¡°You could be compromised already. If he was at Deb?ur just a few days ago, perhaps he never left the city. He could have ensorcelled one of us and we wouldn''t even know it.¡± An uneasy pall settled over the group as each one realized that they had been alone in Deb?ur, with no one to verify that they hadn¡¯t encountered a certain brown-hooded mage. ¡°I assume you¡¯re immune?¡± Jasper asked hopefully, uncertain exactly how S?ams?a?dur''s powers worked. ¡°I should be. I don¡¯t have an absolute immunity - a sufficiently powerful individual could potentially overwhelm my defenses - but unless we¡¯re dealing with a true monster, like Duluhhu?¡­¡± The prince paused, then cursed. ¡°Kruvas? - I remember what the symbol is now. It¡¯s the emblem of Duluhhu?, the defiler of minds. I believe he was one of the Sidhe lords that planned the attack that destroyed the Mwryanni¡¯s empire.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re dealing with a Sidhe?¡± Tsia questioned, with a curious mixture of fear and excitement pooled in her eyes. ¡°Eh.¡± The prince waggled his hand uncertainly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I sat at the knees of the priests, but didn''t Duluhhu? die during the war? Or maybe it was the one after it," he added with a frown. "You''re much younger than I lass - surely you recall?¡± he said to Tsia. "I''m not that young," she protested. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting off track here,¡± Jasper interrupted the two. ¡°We can always look up Duluhhu?¡¯s history later, but for now we need to know if any of us have been compromised. Can you do that?¡± ¡°I should be able-¡± The prince¡¯s reply was broken off as pandemonium erupted in the camp behind them. Shouts and screams filled the air as fire leaped from tent to tent, and durgu writhed on the ground wreathed in flames while others charged through the camp, slashing blazing torches at any they could reach. ¡°Kruvas?. We¡¯re too late,¡± he growled. Leaping to his feet, he charged toward the melee. Jasper followed close behind, though he wasn¡¯t sure what exactly he could do to help - more fire was hardly what they needed. Instead, he searched darkness for the men who''d gone mad but was forced to dodge as a soldier consumed by flames rolled in front of him. Another durgu followed him, frantically beating him with a blanket. Too bad I don¡¯t have a water spell. ¡°Don¡¯t kill ¡®em,¡± he heard S?ams?a?dur roar off to the side, and he swiveled to see the prince try to deflect a blow aimed at one of the men running wild. ¡°They don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing.¡± S?ams?a?dur missed, and the blow struck through, crushing the skull of the maddened durgu. Crap. Something hot hit him in the back, and Jasper spun to find one of the durgu slashing at him with a torch. He cursed as the fire spread rapidly over his clothes, but at least it didn¡¯t hurt him. Stepping close, he grabbed the man¡¯s wrist and twisted it hard enough to break it, forcing the man to drop the torch, and delivered an uppercut that would have downed Mohammed Ali. But the durgu barely blinked. Leaving the torch to burn in the grass, the man wrapped his arms around Jasper and tossed them both to the ground. Jasper struggled to free his arms from beneath the man¡¯s legs as the durgu pommeled him, but the durgu was as heavy as stone. And then, their twin screams rent the night, as an electric current surged through both of them. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Get off of him!¡± His muscles were still twitching as Tsia kicked the durgu off him, shoving the man into the dewy grass. A skein of rope swung from her hands as she stepped over Jasper carefully, and bent down to tie the durgu up. ¡°Be¡­hind,¡± Jasper choked his words out through clenched teeth as another wave of spasms swept his body. Night turned to day as a bolt of lightning cracked from her hand and intercepted another assailant, who fell into the ground beside them. As the spasm passed, Jasper rolled to his knees and cursed as the last pitiful remnants of his clothes, all but consumed by the flames, fell off. ¡°Damn it.¡± Tsia glanced over, and her eyes widened as she took in his condition. ¡°Don¡¯t look,¡± he hissed, he hastily clamped a hand over his nethers. She immediately averted her eyes, her cheeks burning in the moonlight, and he scampered behind her, clutching frantically at the one non-flammable item he¡¯d been wearing - the bag of holding his uncle had given him - for a change of clothes. It was not meant to be. With a shudder, the second durgu Tsia had felled regained his senses. Rolling to his feet, the durgu his knife and charged toward her turned back. ¡°Fiery Shackles.¡± The man¡¯s charge was halted five feet behind her as burning blades clamped around his ankles. His flesh sizzled beneath the white-hot heat, but in his madness, the durgu didn¡¯t even notice. He let himself forward, snapping the bones in both ankles as he angled the knife toward her neck, and as the tip grazed her skin, Jasper bulldozed into him. The knife cut a shallow slash across Jasper¡¯s torso as they landed in the grass a few inches to the side of her. This time, though, Jasper didn¡¯t try to overpower the durgu - they were simply too strong. Releasing the man¡¯s hands, he kicked the knife away and scampered out of reach where he renewed the spell. He pulled the glaive out of his bag and slammed the butt into the side of the durgu¡¯s head. The man kept thrashing, trying to grab hold of Tsia and Jasper hit him harder. This time the man stilled. I hope I didn¡¯t hit him too hard. He dropped to his knees on the grass beside the man and, pulling his own supply of rope out of his bag, quickly wrapped it around the durgu¡¯s hands, fumbling with the knots. Satisfied the man was going nowhere, he lurched to his feet and spun around, searching for more attackers. Cries of pain still filled the air, but the screams had subsided. Lines of durgu had quickly around the blazing tents, beating at the fires with blankets or anything else that came to hand, while others raced back from the nearby river, sloshing water out of their upturned helmets, but at least there were no more attackers running wild. ¡°Jasper? Tsia? You alright?¡± S?ams?a?dur¡¯s voice was hoarse from smoke as he ran towards them, but the prince was otherwise harmed. He skidded to a stop a few feet away from them, and amusement flashed across his face. ¡°I know they say armor only slows you down, but foregoing it all together is quite the choice.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been feeling a little slow these last few fights, but this really made a difference. There¡¯s nothing like the full-fledged terror of a knife a few inches from your dangling junk to inspire you to new heights,¡± Jasper replied wryly, as he dug in his bag for a change of tunics. ¡°I¡¯ll have to try it sometime,¡± the prince chuckled. ¡°But maybe after I''ve sired my first few children.¡± ¡°Are your men alright,¡± Jasper asked, and the levity dropped off the durgu¡¯s face immediately. ¡°Three dead, at least twenty wounded, maybe more. But that''s not the worst of it,¡± he sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll be lucky if half of our supplies and tents survive. Neither of you would happen to know a water spell to put these fires out?¡± Jasper finished pulling the tunic over his head and scowled as he noticed Tsia quickly glancing away after getting another eyeful. ¡°No. As this little battle showed me, I know very few spells that aren¡¯t designed to kill.¡± ¡°Eh, I kind of expected that.¡± His eyes trailed to where the durgu were beating the last of the flames out of the tents. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to be a long night.¡±
The sun rose early on the flat western plains, not that it mattered. None of them had slept that night as they dealt with the aftermath of the attacks. Jasper had spent the night tending to the wounded, pushing his essence to the breaking point repeatedly as he tried to heal several durgu that had caught on fire. S?ams?a?dur and Tsia had an equally difficult task, as the sudden attack proved that some of their men had been compromised. He spent the night talking with each and every soldier, probing their mind for any sign of tampering, with Tsia standing beside him, ready to zap any man who responded with aggression. Despite their best efforts, however, they had only interviewed half the group by the time the sun rose. As they regrouped around the fire to dig into the breakfast the cleared men had prepared, Jasper struggled to keep his eyes open. ¡°Have you found any more,¡± he asked groggily. ¡°Aye,¡± the prince grunted. ¡°This kruvas?-cursed mage is clever. There were just six last night, but I¡¯ve found another four thus far whose minds have been meddled with. Probably supposed to be a second wave.¡± ¡°Any similarities between them?¡± The prince ignored the question in favor of shoveling more of the gruel the durgu had prepared into his mouth, and Tsia answered for him. ¡°They were all part of the group sent to the quartermaster, weren¡¯t they.¡± The prince nodded mutely, and Jasper rubbed his brow, his tired brain struggling to think. ¡°So that means they may have encountered the mage there. And with so many of them, maybe¡­maybe the mage can corrupt more than one mind at a time?¡± He finally reached the conclusion that usually would have been obvious. ¡°How powerful does that make him?¡± ¡°More than I expected,¡± S?ams?a?dur growled. ¡°Can you still resist him?¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to hope so, don¡¯t we?¡± The prince¡¯s eyes turned to the city of Debur, which lay on the far side of the moat. ¡°And if we have any hope of finding this bloody mage, it looks like at least one of us will have to make another trip to the city.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jasper agreed with a sigh. ¡°You never got the chance to answer last night - do you have a spell that will protect us?¡± The prince grimaced. ¡°Yes and no. I don¡¯t have a spell that can shield a group this large, but I can protect a few people, temporarily. I can cast it on you, let you and the lass track this mage down, while I keep sorting through my men.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Tipping the bowl up to his mouth, Jasper slurped down the rest of the gruel quickly and wiped his mouth. ¡°Might as well go as soon as possible. Don¡¯t want our little birdy taking flight.¡± Infiltrating the Keep ¡°You didn¡¯t have to kill him,¡± Asata grumbled as they stole out of the temple, with the Fey charms bound securely around their wrists. ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe I should have just let him attack you.¡± ¡°We could have bound him-¡± ¡°He had a sword. Were you going to disarm him and hold him in place while we tied him up?¡± Ihra snapped. ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t want to kill him either. Maybe he was a bad guy, or maybe he¡¯d just been mind-controlled to attack us, but, you know what? It doesn''t matter. We were three floors below the temple with hundreds of potentially mind-screwed acolytes between us. If we let him raise the alarm, we''d never have gotten out.¡± ¡°Ihra¡¯s right,¡± Erin blurted out abruptly. ¡°It sucks he had to die, but if she hadn''t killed him, we''d probably have had to kill a lot more.¡± Ihra had honestly expected the scout to be squeamish about her actions and she shot him a grateful look. Maybe he¡¯s beginning to understand what it takes to survive here. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Asata,¡± she added, ¡°but I did what had to be done if you want to save Ardil and the rest of your priests - if you want to save Birnah.¡± Scowling, the healer refused to meet her eyes. ¡°We could have done it another way,¡± she muttered petulantly. Ihra decided to pretend she hadn¡¯t heard the comment, and led the group toward the east side of the street, where the shade cast by the temple walls offered a slight respite from the rapidly rising morning heat. ¡°You know this city better than I do, Asata,¡± - it was a bit of an understatement, given she knew the city not at all - ¡°Where we should look?¡± Asa?ta remained silent, sulking like a petulant child, and Ihra felt her frustration rise. She was about to yell at her when Erin grabbed the Corsyth¡¯s hand. ¡°Asa?ta, we¡¯re sorry about what happened, but if you want to save your city, we can¡¯t stand at the corner forever. You''ve seen what the Atrometo are doing to the villages - don¡¯t you want to stop that?¡± Her scow receded begrudgingly and she sighed heavily. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven you yet, but for the city¡¯s sake¡­¡± She turned to look down the street, and her eyes widened. ¡°We might want to move.¡± ¡°What?¡± The healer pointed mutely behind her, and Ihra turned to see a group of acolytes spilling out of the temple¡¯s doors like a frenzied mob, weapons in hand. ¡°How could they already know-¡± Erin started to ask. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Ihra cut him off, and grabbing his shoulder, spun him around with a little shove. ¡°Time to run.¡± Angry shouts erupted as the mob spotted them and gave chase. The two followed Asata around the corner, where she darted across the street and toward a small alley that dissected two large storefronts. Unfortunately, the healer wasn¡¯t much of a sprinter, and the mob reached the corner before they disappeared down its dark corridor. We need to go faster, Ihra decided. A shrill squeal echoed down the alley as Ihra sped up and tossed the healer over her shoulder. While Asa?ta might not have been fast, Ihra knew the priests should be no match for the speed of a warrior. She could only hope that Erin, despite being a mage, could keep up. He did train in the scouts for months, she reasoned. ¡°Let me go?!¡± She ignored the girl¡¯s protest and lengthened her stride. ¡°Just tell me where to go,¡± she commanded. The alley spilled out onto a larger thoroughfare and Asa?ta complied with the order. "Turn right - wait, no, no - there¡¯s guards ahead.¡± Ihra jerked to the left and, grabbing hold of Erin¡¯s hand, dragged him behind her. With the city closed to all outside traffic, the streets were almost empty, so there was no hope of simply disappearing into the crowd. All she could do was outrun them. ¡°Left!¡± Asata called out again, and Ihra careened around the corner onto a small sidestreet. The ugly stone houses that dominated the city were replaced by a thick grove of trees whose boughs reached far enough over the street to meet in the middle, protecting the whole street from the sun''s scorching gaze. The boulevard wasn''t that long and they reached its end in a flash, exiting into a small sylvan glade with a shady pond beside which sat a small temple-shaped structure. ¡°Is that the catacombs?¡± she snapped. ¡°They won¡¯t look there.¡± Trusting the Corsyth, she darted up the steps and flung the doors wide. The silence of the crypt was broken as they slammed against the walls, but Ihra ignored the sound. Skidding to a stop, she shrugged the healer off her shoulder and grabbing the massive bronze doors, swung them back in place. ¡°You sure they won¡¯t look here?¡± she questioned Asa?ta dubiously. ¡°The catacombs are dedicated to Lady Kas?dael,¡± the Corsyth explained. "The priests of S?ams?a won''t come here without permission." Ihra was skeptical that a mob of mind-controlled clerics would be so discerning about priesthood etiquette, but as they waited within the shrine, the continuing silence suggested the healer had been right. Perhaps there''s only so much of a person''s basic instincts you can override without specific instructions. When twenty minutes had passed in peace, Ihra decided to risk looking. The small glade remained empty and the side street remained equally bare. Returning to the shrine, she flung the doors open jubilantly. ¡°I think we gave ¡®em the slip.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Erin and Asa?ta sat beneath the small shrine to Kasdael, and the scout spoke softly to the healer as Ihra approached. ¡°Something wrong,¡± Ihra asked. The girl blushed, but slowly raised her eyes to meet hers. ¡°I¡­may have been wrong. Back there,¡± she admitted reluctantly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Ihra waved her apology off. ¡°You¡¯re a healer. Killing shouldn¡¯t come easy for you.¡± The girl swallowed her words and bowed her head. ¡°Thanks for getting us out of there.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Leaning her back against the wall, Ihra slid down beside them. ¡°Now, before we got interrupted, you were going to tell us where we should go.¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Asa?ta¡¯s face scrunched up in concentration. ¡°Birnah has seven major castles - we can¡¯t scout them all.¡± ¡°What are the most important ones,¡± Erin asked. ¡°Well...there¡¯s Du?r-Salmu. Traditionally, that¡¯s the castle reserved for visiting dignitaries, but we¡¯ve already been there, so we can scratch that one off the list. Then there¡¯s Du?r-Asi?r, the prison - that might be where Lord S?ams?a?dur¡¯s friends are being held. Du?r-Bih?urtu is the main barracks, and Du?r-Rabu? is Lord Sargani?l¡¯s personal hold. Those are probably the most important,¡± she replied thoughtfully. ¡°So three castles,¡± Ihra grimaced. ¡°Breaking into one castle is tough enough, but three?¡± ¡°There are three of us,¡± Erin pointed out. ¡°If we split up, it might make things easier.¡± ¡°No,¡± she shook her head decisively, ¡°I don¡¯t think splitting up is a good idea. These amulets should protect us, but only as long as we¡¯re wearing them. If we get captured¡­¡± She left unsaid that she didn¡¯t trust the healer not to get captured. ¡°If we can only scout one,¡± she asked Asata, ¡°which one would you advise?¡± ¡°The barracks?¡± she responded tentatively. ¡°I imagine the guards will be more vigilant at the prison and in the keep, but there¡¯s probably not too many people looking to break into the barracks.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s scout the barracks,¡± Ihra agreed.
Ihra had been half afraid that when they left the safety of the catacomb shrine they¡¯d find the mob waiting for them back at the main street, but the thoroughfare proved as empty as before. Whether the priests had returned to their temple or were still roaming the streets in a vain search for them, she couldn¡¯t say, but at least they had escaped unscathed. Still she kept a close eye on their surroundings as she followed Asa?ta, just in case. ¡°Do you have any suggestions on how to get into Du?r-Bih?urtu?¡± she asked the healer, though she didn''t really expect her to have any idea. But the girl surprised her again. ¡°The barracks has a contract with a nearby bakery to deliver fresh bread twice a day. The second shipment should be delivered in about an hour.¡± ¡°You think we can sneak in while they¡¯re distracted with this shipment?¡± ¡°No, I thought we¡¯d just help deliver the shipment ourselves.¡± Noticing her confusion, the healer explained. ¡°Every day, the bakery pays folks from the streets to deliver the goods. They pay generously, a loaf of bread for each basket carried, so there''s also a decent number of the poorer folk waiting around to deliver them. We¡¯ll need to change our clothes to blend in, but it should let us get through the gates.¡± Following her advice, the three ducked into an alley, and changed out of their armor and the fine tunics that the Royal House had provided them. Looking poor, on the other hand, was a more difficult task as none of them had particularly shabby clothes. Instead, they settled for the worst of what they had and, after getting them a bit dirty, had to hope that no one would look too hard. Then they headed to the bakery. The shop was exactly as Asa?ta had described. Situated just two blocks away from Dur-Bih?urtu, the storefront was already obscured by rows of heavy baskets that were piled high with bread. A small crowd waited as the baker¡¯s assistants dragged the baskets aside while an overseer kept an eye on them, and when the last of the baskets had been set down he waved them forward. ¡°A loaf per basket carried, two loaves of day old,¡± the man offered. Ihra pushed her way toward the rows of baskets, choosing a spot as far away from the overseer as possible, and grabbed one of the baskets. It was surprisingly light, and she nearly snagged another, when she noticed Asa?ta straining under her own load. Probably shouldn¡¯t advertise how strong I am. Settling for one, she followed the crowd down the street toward Du?r-Bih?urtu. Du?r-Bih?urtu made the castle they¡¯d originally found themselves in look like a shabby watchtower. Built to withstand siege even if the city had fallen, the massive castle was the size of a small village and separated from the rest of the Birnah by a twenty-foot moat, filled with stagnant water, and a drawbridge that was raised every night. Sweat trickled down her brow as the sun beat down relentlessly upon them, and Ihra found herself glad she hadn¡¯t taken a second basket. The heat dropped off as they reached the far side of the bridge and stepped into a courtyard shaded by the castle¡¯s towering walls. They hadn¡¯t reached their destination quite yet, though, as the line of laborers wound their way across the outer courtyard and through a second set of gates that guarded the inner keep. There they finally reached the barracks¡¯ kitchen, which was set up in the courtyard to keep the heat from cooking far away from the residential quarters. A handful of guards stood watch as they dropped off the baskets, though Ihra could tell they weren¡¯t paying close attention. ¡°A loaf per basket! If you want the day-olds, go back to the bakery!¡± A guard cried, repeating the offer the baker had made. Taking advantage of the swirling crowd, she slipped to the side of the courtyard, away from the gaze of the guards, and ducked into the shadows. But the guards weren¡¯t quite as lax in their watch as they thought. As Erin tried to join her, ducking behind the line of haulers grabbing their portion of bread, the guards saw him headed toward the abandoned garden. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? This isn¡¯t a picnic ground!¡± one roared. Before he could take another step, the guard¡¯s hand clamped around his shoulder and shoved him toward the entrance. "Get your bread and get out," the guard commanded. With the guards'' attention on Erin, Asa?ta made to scurry over to Ihra, but she shook her head. ¡°Follow him,¡± she mouthed quietly. As much as she hadn¡¯t wanted to explore the castle alone, she wasn¡¯t comfortable leaving the scout alone. That amulet wouldn¡¯t do anything if the guard tore it off. The healer''s moment of hesitation made the decision for her as another guard noticed her. ¡°Hey, what are you lollygagging about for? Get moving!¡± Fortunately, the healer had the good sense not to glance in Ihra¡¯s direction and headed out the gates following the guard¡¯s command, leaving Ihra to explore the castle by herself. Springing the Trap ¡°We need a plan.¡± ¡°Hmmh?¡± Tsia, who, after a night with no sleep, had been trudging along the road like a zombie, lifted her head drearily. ¡°What sort of plan?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been winging it too much lately,¡± Jasper said with a frown. ¡°S?ams?a?dur and I were lucky to escape those assassins, and look what happened yesterday. A whole chunk of our forces were compromised right beneath our noses and we didn''t even realize it until it was too late.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t have known that the mage was in town, or that he could bespell so many people,¡± Tsia protested. ¡°You¡¯re right - we couldn¡¯t have known that the mage was waiting for us, but that doesn¡¯t mean that the possibility shouldn¡¯t have occurred to us,¡± Jasper disagreed. ¡° We were cocky and careless, and we underestimated our opponent. You and I are pretty good mages, and we¡¯ve gotten used to just being able to fight our way out of any situation, but this isn¡¯t a battlefield - or at least, not the sort of battlefield we¡¯re used to. What¡¯s the plan if we find the mage in Deb?ur - attack him?¡± Tsia shrugged. ¡°I doubt he¡¯ll shrug off a lightning bolt.¡± ¡°And if he¡¯s bespelled others?¡± Jasper pressed. ¡°Hell, he couldn¡¯t have been around the durgu? that long yesterday, and yet he twisted the minds of at least ten, maybe more. If the mage has been in town for a few weeks, god only knows how many people might be under his spell.¡± ¡°He must have a limit,¡± she objected. ¡°True, but who knows what that limit is - and, frankly, I don¡¯t want to be forced to kill people who were just unlucky enough to get snared by him.¡± For a second, Jasper thought from the light in her eye that she was going to argue, but it faded away. ¡°You may be right,¡± she conceded. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± He sighed, running a hand through his long locks absentmindedly. ¡°Well, what do we know about this mage? He¡¯s skilled at dominating others quickly and in larger numbers than we would have guessed, which might suggest that his offensive arsenal is fairly limited. He probably fights his battles by getting others to fight for him, though we can¡¯t be certain of that.¡± ¡°He¡¯s also probably quite clever. He either knew or accurately guessed we¡¯d be coming here, and had prepared a trap - two traps, really. One for you, and one for S?ams?a?dur¡¯s men. What if he¡¯s expecting to come charging in looking for him - we might be walking into a trap.¡± Tsia halted mid-road. ¡°That hadn¡¯t occurred to me. Do you really think so?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jasper sighed exasperatedly. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t shock me.¡± ¡°Should we turn back then?¡± ¡°We could¡­or we can try to turn the trap against him,¡± he proposed. ¡°And how do you plan to do that?¡± ¡°Play into it, make him think we¡¯re just as dumb as we¡¯ve been acting.¡±
When Jasper stormed up to the quartermaster¡¯s office an hour later, he couldn¡¯t help but second-guess his own plan. While it was true that the mental shield S?ams?a?dur gave them provided an advantage that the mage was hopefully unaware of, that didn¡¯t change the fact that willingly walking into a suspected trap was a hell of a gamble. But after talking it out with Tsia, he¡¯d decided it was a gamble worth taking. Their strategy was simple enough. Since they didn¡¯t know who the mage was or what he looked like, all they could do was try to lure him out and trust in S?ams?a?dur¡¯s spell to hold out long enough for Tsia to come to his aid. But the time for doubts was over; shoving aside his hesitations, Jasper flung the door of the guards¡¯ warehouse open. ¡°Where¡¯s the quartermaster,¡± he barked angrily. The storehouse of Deb?ur was such a small establishment that it didn¡¯t even have a proper entry. A dozen rows of shelves, piled high with weapons, cloth, and grain stretched back perhaps a few hundred feet before dead-ending in the trio of grain silos that were the warehouse''s most valuable possession. A handful of guards sat at a table in the nearest corner, cards in their hand and a pair of dice strewn across its surface. He spun toward the table, and a man hastily sprung up, with a sour look on his face. ¡°You¡¯re looking for me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the quartermaster,¡± Jasper questioned. ¡°Aye. If you¡¯re here to complain about the grain, I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯ve got too many mouths to feed as it is. Can¡¯t be feeding mercenaries right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Jasper replied grimly. ¡°I¡¯m here about what happened after we left the city.¡± The sour grimace was replaced by confusion. ¡°After? Then why are you here?¡± Leaning into the role, Jasper slammed both fists into the table, sending the dice skittering to the floor. ¡°When we pitched camp for the night, some of our men turned against us. Their minds had been addled, twisted against us by foul magic.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. A visible shudder passed over the group as he mentioned mind magic, but the quartermaster pursed his lips. ¡°Tis a bad bit of business, I¡¯ll grant, but I still fail to see why you¡¯re here, sellsword.¡± ¡°Because all of the men who were afflicted were part of the group I sent to you,¡± Jasper growled. ¡°Would you care to tell me how that came to be?¡± Fear flickered in the man¡¯s eyes, but the quartermaster summoned a bravado. ¡°Come now, sellsword, surely you can¡¯t be suggesting that one of us is a mind mage? Perhaps it''s your mind that¡¯s gone addled.¡± He glanced around the table for support, drawing a nervous chuckle from a few of his men. ¡°Would you like to bring them here? To bring the men they slew, the tents they burned, the provisions they destroyed?¡± Jasper asked softly. ¡°I can certainly arrange that when I¡¯m taking your grain as a restitution.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take our grain,¡± the man¡¯s face reddened with anger. ¡°The people will starve.¡± ¡°So should my men starve instead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s-¡± Jasper cut him off with an imperious wave of his hand. ¡°I will overlook the provisions you owe us in exchange for a simple favor - you will allow us to interrogate your men and the workers here, or I will take your grain.¡± ¡°The guard will stop you,¡± the man blustered, and Jasper lifted his hand from the table and allowed the blue flames to roll down his fingers. ¡°Not in time.¡± The man paled, and after glancing at his men, who studiously avoided his gaze, caved. ¡°Fine. You can talk to the men.¡±
Jasper was less than satisfied as he dragged the first of the guards into the small room the quartermaster had offered for ¡®questioning.¡¯ He¡¯d made it clear to the quartermaster that if he got any stupid ideas, like trying to rally the rest of the guard for help, he¡¯d burn the whole place down - and as everyone knew, silos go ¡®boom.¡¯ Yet, his plan was not progressing as smoothly as he¡¯d hoped. Perhaps he¡¯d been too optimistic, but given the mage¡¯s seeming penchant for Manchurian candidates, he¡¯d expected the quartermaster and his men to ¡®snap¡¯ and try to take him captive, hopefully luring the mage out to question him. Instead, he found himself with the unwanted task of interrogating everyone, while being taken out of sight from the hiding spot they¡¯d set Tsia up in, prepared to jump in once the mage had revealed themself. Hopefully, she can find somewhere else to keep a lookout. Stifling a sigh, he greeted the first guard gruffly and raised his hand. ¡°I advise you speak the truth, or I shall know,¡± he growled menacingly, allowing the guard to see his fingers writhe in the spell. ¡°Now, what do you know of¡­" The men blurred into each other. No one knew anything or, if his suspicions were correct, no one could remember they knew anything. It seemed his spell had found a limitation - it couldn¡¯t detect a lie if the person speaking it didn¡¯t know it was a lie. But unfortunately, he was getting nowhere. All the guards had been interrogated, and the warehouse workers were nearing completion when the trap finally sprung. The door swung open, and a guard shoved in his next ¡®victim.¡¯ The worker was a young man dressed in a plain brown robe, with a hood lying flat against his back. Jasper¡¯s heart ticked up a notch and he subtly glanced at the man¡¯s hand, but there was no ring there. But a ring could be easily taken off, he reasoned. Plus, the man¡¯s wirey, small frame certainly matched that of a mage. ¡°Have a seat,¡± he growled, gesturing at the lone chair that sat on the opposite side of the table, and the man complied. His hands trembled as if he were afraid, but when he lifted his head to meet Jasper¡¯s gaze, Jasper thought he detected a flicker of smugness. ¡°What- what do you want with me, my lord?¡± The man asked. ¡°Do you know anything about a mind mage in Deb?ur?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors, we all have,¡± the man stuttered out. While the spell told him the man spoke truly, Jasper knew the man¡¯s reply told him nothing. ¡°Perhaps I should rephrase,¡± Jasper said, leaning forward on the table. ¡°Do you know who the mind mage is? Do you know who bespelt my men?¡± ¡°N-no!¡± The man¡¯s act was almost convincing, his hands trembling like leaves in an autumn storm, but the spell betrayed him. ¡°Liar.¡± The mage¡¯s hands dropped calmly on his lap, and the smug smile Jasper thought he¡¯d glimpsed before emerged like the sun after a tempest. ¡°So, you really do have a truth spell. Honestly, I¡¯d thought you¡¯d made it up.¡± Jasper leaned back against the chair, projecting a casualness he did not feel. ¡°Why mess with our men?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re stupider than I thought,¡± the man snorted, ¡°and that was a low bar in the first place.¡± ¡°Stupid?¡± he raised his brow. ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s wise to meet a mind mage one-on-one? Surely you don¡¯t think you¡¯re walking out of here as yourself.¡± ¡°I can handle myself,¡± Jasper replied, allowing the flames to roll down his hands, while internally he prayed that Tsia had managed to make her way outside. ¡°Do you know how many men I have outside? All I have to do is call them,¡± the mage replied. ¡°And I could kill you first.¡± His hands twitched as if he was preparing to cast a spell, and the mage finally made his move. ¡°S?emu?.¡± Jasper¡¯s hands stilled, and the mage¡¯s smile grew. ¡°Couldn¡¯t even get a single spell off,¡± he said disdainfully. He turned to face the door, prepared to call his men in, and Jasper struck. ¡°Fiery Shackles.¡± The man screeched as the burning manacles clamped around his wrist and raised his hands to cast another spell, but faltered as the door slammed open with a thud. ¡°By Duluh?h?u?¡¯s-¡± His curse was cut off as Tsia fired a windblade that sliced through both wrists. The mage screamed in horror as his hands plopped onto the table, blood gushing from the twin wounds, and leaving him unable to cast a spell, though his scream was cut off almost immediately afterward as Tsia shoved a gag into his mouth. ¡°Tell me, how are your men going to save you when you can¡¯t call them?¡± Jasper asked casually. The mage writhed in place, struggling against Tsia¡¯s grip, but his strength quickly waned as the blood gushed out. Truthfully, Jasper found the sight nauseating, but he plastered a smirk on his lips and, allowing the flames to billow from his hands, leaned forward to cauterize the mage¡¯s stumps. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want you to bleed out,¡± he said mildly. The man¡¯s muffled screams ceased as pain and blood loss caused him to pass out, and Jasper slumped into the chair with relief. ¡°Well, looks like our plan worked. Now, how the hell do we get him out of here?¡± An Accidental Rescue With a sigh, Ihra shifted her legs gingerly beneath her, trying to restore what little circulation was left. When she¡¯d managed to sneak away from the crowd of laborers who brought the bread, the abandoned garden along the north edge of the courtyard had provided ample cover from the lax watch of the guards. Unfortunately, she had then found herself stuck there as the nearest entrance into the inner keep was nearly a hundred feet away, a hundred feet across a well-stomped-down training field that had absolutely nothing she could take cover behind. Still, she might have risked a quick dash across the open field if a small horde of guards hadn¡¯t emerged from the castle as soon as the laborers left and begun preparing supper. While the soldiers weren¡¯t paying any particular attention to the courtyard around them, many of the tables faced in her direction, so she doubted she could cross the long stretch of open ground without someone noticing. If only I had a stealth skill. Thus, she¡¯d been stuck crouching in the tall grass and bushes for an hour, waiting for a moment of opportunity that had yet to arrive. With nothing better to do, Ihra let her eyes wander around the courtyard, looking for any useful information. Aside from the group of soldiers preparing the meal, the courtyard was abandoned. A handful of soldiers were posted at even intervals along the wall, occasionally leaving their post to patrol back and forth, but their attention was firmly focused outside the castle. The clatter of hooves against stone caught her ear, and she swiveled her gaze toward the entrance in time to see a small squad of cavalry enter the courtyard. Most of the men were clad in armor as if they had just left the battlefield, but the two who rode at the head of the company were not soldiers. One was an old man with a hooked nose and an angry scowl. Though he wore a bright blue tunic that spoke of money, the sword dangling at his hip and the way he held himself told Ihra that he was a man acquainted with combat. For a moment, Ihra wondered if it was Lord Sargani?l himself, but her breath caught as she saw the second man, who wore a shabby brown tunic, complete with a hood drawn over his head. The mind mage? As if he¡¯d heard her thoughts, the man¡¯s head swiveled in her direction. There was no way he could see her through the thick underbrush, no way he could have detected her, no way unless he¡¯d heard her thoughts. Her blood froze in her veins and Ihra barely dared to breathe as she did her best to drive every errant thought out of her mind. Time ticked on interminably as the mage stared in her direction, and panic clawed at the edges of her mind. Help came from an unexpected direction as the noble at his side asked him a question, and the mage reluctantly tore his gaze away from here to respond. She sucked in a ragged breath, her limbs trembling fiercely beneath her, but kept her mind as blank as possible as the small entourage stopped beside the donjon entrance and dismounted. The mage¡¯s eyes flickered in her direction once or twice as the soldiers tied up their horses, but he never approached her, following Sarganil inside quietly. That was too close. It took nearly fifteen minutes before the racing in her heart and the trembling in her limbs finally dissipated. While she waited, she analyzed the situation. Although the group¡¯s arrival had not provided the distraction she¡¯d been hoping for, the long line of horses now tethered to the hitching did provide something else useful - cover. She eyed the gap between the edge of the garden and the first of the horses. That¡¯s what - twenty, thirty feet? I could probably make it. Ihra knew it was a bit of a gamble; her plan before then had been to wait for the cover of night, but when Sarganil and the mage showed up, she knew her chance to learn something useful was now. Before she could talk herself out of it, Ihra darted out of the shrubs. She kept close to the ground, hoping she¡¯d be too low to be noticed, and dove behind the nearest horse. There she paused for a moment, her heart thumping against her chest, and prayed she hadn¡¯t been noticed. The hubbub of the men preparing supper continued uninterrupted, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Now to get inside. Crouching beneath the hitching rail, she scooted over the door, careful to keep the horses between her and the men, and peeked through the entryway. Like everything else in this blasted city, the first room was a kill chamber designed to hold out even if the fort¡¯s other lines of defense had been lost. It had a single entrance on the far side of the room, guarded by an iron portcullis, that was only wide enough to allow two men at most to enter at a time. Arrow slits flanked the door on either side, and there was a row of openings in the ceiling above the gate from which boiling oil could be rained down on any intruders. Fortunately, the portcullis was locked in a raised position, and she snuck over to the edge of the gate. She listened first for any sign that someone was on the other side and, hearing nothing, peaked her head inside. Given the proximity of the outdoor kitchen, it was perhaps not surprising to find she¡¯d discovered the barrack¡¯s meal hall. But, though it was empty, Ihra hesitated to continue further. Supper was surely about to begin, and the hall would soon be bustling with hundreds of men. Her promise to Jasper flashed through her mind, and she eased herself back into the entrance chamber. I won¡¯t help anyone if I get caught. As she hesitated, voices echoed in the banquet hall, coming from the northern wing, and she peeked around the corner again. Lord Sarganil entered the chamber, accompanied by the heavy cavalry he¡¯d brought to the fort, as well as a large contingent of infantry, led by a man she hadn¡¯t seen before. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°My lord,¡± the unknown commander spoke up, ¡°I cannot in good conscience allow this Stryn bastard to enter Du?r-Bih?urtu.¡± ¡°And can you, in good conscience, disobey a direct order from your lord?¡± Sargani?l replied coldly. ¡°The lords of Stryn have been our enemies for thousands of years and remain our enemies now,¡± the commander thundered back. ¡°I kept silent when you refused to help the villagers, our people, while those fiends destroyed our lands and fields, because I thought you knew some stratagem by the enemy I wasn¡¯t privy to. I kept silent when you arrested the priests and half the bloody merchants in town because I convinced myself that maybe, somehow, you¡¯d detected some treasonous plot against our fair city. But now - now?!¡± The man ground his teeth. ¡°Now I find out that you had a contingent of our king¡¯s men executed behind our back, and have ordered me to welcome a lord of Stryn into our gates. My lord, you must see reason before it is too late - that man is twisting your mind, turning you against our king.¡± ¡°That man?¡± A dark laugh echoed off the rafters as the brown-cloaked mage shoved his way through the gathered soldiers. ¡°You do not even know the name of Lord Sarganil¡¯s chief advisor, and you seek to give him advice.¡± ¡°I know your name, Rahu?m,¡± the commander growled. ¡°And your fancy tricks shall not work on me.¡± The man raised his hand, and shoved his bracer back, revealing a green amulet bound around his wrist. ¡°Now, my lord,¡± he turned back to Sargani?l. ¡°Please, listen to me. I have always been your faithful servant, but what you ask is treason. Don¡¯t force my hand.¡± ¡°Force your hand - what hand is that,¡± the mage asked mockingly. ¡°It¡¯s a pity you can¡¯t be reasoned with, but I¡¯m sure your men are not such fools. Lord Sargani?l has merely realized the truth. For generations, the men of Birnah have suffered and bled as sacrificial lambs for the lords of Sapiya. How many armies have broken against these walls, how many lives have been lost - and for what? So that the king of Sapi?ya may rule over you instead of the king of Stryn. No, the lords of Stryn are not enemies - they are our saviors, those who will bring us peace.¡± As the mage spoke, the amulet around her wrist and the runes she¡¯d carved into her flesh burned. His speech seemed to have a physical presence, an oppressive pressure that choked the air. The commander stood unbowed by the mage¡¯s speech and raised his hand. ¡°Men, please take Lord Sargani?l into custody until we can undo the damage this fiend has caused and, as for you, mage,¡± he drew his sword and stepped forward. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take your head.¡± ¡°Will you?¡± The mage seemed amused. ¡°Do you see your men springing to your command?¡± The captain paused, noticing his men hadn¡¯t budged. ¡°What are you doing? I gave you all amulets?!¡± ¡°Indeed, you did, Captain Mari?ltu. Amulets I gave you.¡± ¡°What? No - they were from the castle¡¯s stores.¡± ¡°I replaced them three months ago,¡± the mage smiled. ¡°Yours, I admit, was out of my reach, but the rest? Your little coup is over, Mari?ltu. You lost.¡± The captain sent one glance at his men, who stood ensnared by the mage¡¯s words, and then he snarled. ¡°You bastard!¡± As he charged toward the mage, the brown-cloaked man slipped behind the closest soldier and raised his voice. ¡°Kill the traitor!¡± he commanded. As one, the men closed in around their former commander.
Is this really how it ends? Mari?ltu deflected the blade aimed at his throat almost lethargically and, twisting his wrist, jerked the sword out of his assailants. His former aide. His former friend. I thought I had selected my men so carefully, had protected them with those damned charms. He slipped to the side as a sword was thrust toward his back, and the long blade plunged into a man approaching from the front. Spinning around before the attacker could dislodge the blade, he slashed the man¡¯s throat. I¡¯m sorry, Naki?ltu, he apologized to the man he¡¯d recruited personally. A shadow flickered across his feet, and he ducked in time to send a sword whistling over his head. He staggered backward, slamming his elbow into the man¡¯s ribs as he wrestled for control of the arm. The sword clattered to the ground a second later, and he spun free as another charged toward him. But he watched in confusion as an arrow sprouted from the man¡¯s throat. Did one of them resist? He had no time to ponder the strange arrow as he was forced to deflect another strike. A quick flurry of blows sent the man¡¯s sword spinning away, and Mari?ltu forced himself to move in for the kill, but a second arrow beat him to it. ¡°Over here.¡± He was baffled as a feminine voice, definitely not one of his own men, called out from the small door that led into the courtyard, but he stumbled in that direction anyway. The possibility that it was all a cruel trick by the mindworm occurred to him, but any shred of hope was better than nothing. As the men surged forward to stop him, several pitched forward with arrows quivering in their backs, but plenty more remained. ¡°Moon Shards,¡± the voice called out, and his men¡¯s charge was halted completely as unseen shards shredded their feet. Taking the opportunity she¡¯d bought him, Mariltu dodged around them and charged toward the woman standing in the door. ¡°Young woman, surely you do not wish to stand against your lord. Shoot down this man and you will be rewarded-¡± Mari?ltu¡¯s heart sank as the mage¡¯s silky voice swelled to fill the room. Of course, I should have known he¡¯d just dominate her too. Without hesitation, the woman pulled an arrow out of her quiver and sent it flying toward him. He raised his sword half-heartedly to deflect the blow as his last hope of escape succumbed to the mage''s wicked words, but the arrow flew two feet to his right. She missed? His shock intensified as the mage¡¯s speech turned into a strangled cry, and the woman raised her hand. ¡°Are you coming?¡± He saw the amulet dangling from her wrist and hope returned anew. ¡°Kruvas?, yes!¡± The Other Side of the Story ¡°Don¡¯t go!Pleaaase!¡±Aphora smiled indulgently as Qas?pa rammed into her, and wrapped her arms around her legs.¡°It¡¯s not safe to go,¡± the little girl whined. Kneeling down, she returned the girl¡¯s embrace and ran a playful hand through her hair.¡°We talked about this, Qas?pa.Everything will be fine.Imh?ullu will be going with me, and I won¡¯t be gone for very long.And you know why I have to go now, don¡¯t you?¡± The girl released her, rubbing angrily at a few tears that had escaped their prison.¡°Because of the baby?¡± ¡°Yes, honey.Travel will soon not be easy for me, and I¡¯d like to make contact with these elves before then.You don¡¯t want them to continue suffering, do you?¡±She felt a twinge of guilt at the manipulative question, but it had the desired results. The girl hung her head with a sigh.¡°Noooo,¡± she dragged the word out reluctantly. Aphora gave a Qas?pa a final kiss before standing up and, as she did, her hand reflexively brushed against the faint bulge in her bosom.The dress she wore hid it well, but she knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before that was no longer an option, and she hadn¡¯t decided yet how to break the news to her people.While generally speaking, no one would care if she had another child, having one with a Sidhe - an enemy - would likely cause a stir.If she told them.We¡¯ll decide that later. She gave the girl one last hug before sending her off to take her lessons with Mullu-Lim, having finally given up on trying to get the girl to attend school with the other children.Then she headed to her chamber and, after double-checking she had all her supplies packed, activated the letter Imh?ullu had given her. With a crack, the air rent in two, a gnarling, gaping wound in reality that led straight to his domain.To her surprise, Imh?ullu was waiting on the other side. He practically bounded into the room and planted a long kiss on her lips, his hands brushing against the gentle swell in her belly.Embarrassment and confusion swept her through as, frankly, Aphora wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted out of the relationship.It had been nothing more than a fling, an intoxicating, forbidden romance with an enemy of her people, but she had never expected it to grow into anything more.Imh?ullu, however, ever since he had learned of her pregnancy, seemed to think they were in a relationship and, despite her own doubts, her body betrayed as she leaned in closer. When he finally came up for air, there was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he surveyed her room.¡°So I finally get to see your room.A bit more restrained than I expected, but I suppose there are not too many luxury furnishers in your little realm.The bed¡¯s nice though.Should we break it in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already broken in,¡± she replied drily, but the Sidhe remained unflappable. ¡°Not with me,¡± he shot back dismissively and winked at her.¡°I¡¯m sure we could carve out a little time for ourselves before we depart.¡± An amused smile flitted across her lips, but Aphora shook her head.¡°No dessert before supper,¡± she said lightly. Unperturbed by her refusal, the Sidhe released her arms and sauntered over to the large double-paned windows that overlooked their little settlement.It was a picturesque scene; toward the east, the glowing, lilac sea broke against the rocky shores, while the grand cliffs that bound the settlement¡¯s northern side were dappled with large pockets of luminous plants.The city itself stretched to the south, ever lit with the soft light provided by great glass orbs of seawater, and above them all glowed the avatar of Selene herself, the gentle moon they¡¯d summoned.While she still missed the bright sun and the big blue skies of the world above, Aphora had yet to tire of Arall?¡¯s beauty, and she doubted she ever would. Yet, Imh?ullu barely glanced at it.Instead, his gaze was transfixed on the small wooden cradle she¡¯d set up before the windows.He ran a gentle hand down the pale wood, cracked and beaten with age.¡°Was this yours?¡± ¡°Mine and my mother¡¯s before me,¡± she replied, joining his side.¡°It was one of the few pieces I managed to recover from Als?arratu.¡± A rare moment of seriousness fell over the Sidhe.¡°Yes, you lost your people too.¡±His hand reached for hers and he bent down to place a chaste kiss on her cheek.¡°To new beginnings,¡± he said softly.
An hour later, after ¡®breaking in¡¯ the bed, Aphora followed him through the portal.His palace, as always, was as silent as a tomb, when it wasn¡¯t echoing with his boisterous voice. ¡°Where do you want to start?Il-Aba?t or Du?r-Ad??¡± He asked as he led her to the strange metal table that housed his map. ¡°Any suggestions?¡± Imh?ullu drummed his fingers against the table for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face, before pointing to Du?r-Ad?.¡°Despite the name, I think Du?r-Ad? is probably the weaker settlement.Its lord, Uzz?l, rarely ventures outside its walls these days, having never recovered from his wounds in the war.¡± Uzz?l?Aphora froze as she recognized the name.¡°Uzz?l is the lord of Du?r-Ad??But wasn¡¯t he-¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Imh?ullu replied softly.¡°Trey was my right-hand man, and a good friend of mine at one point.¡± You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Then why fight against him?¡± ¡°Because the war is long over and our world lost.Trey was a good man, but Uzz?l is a creature filled with naught but bitterness and hate.His death will be a mercy.¡± ¡°I suppose I can understand that,¡± Aphora replied, her thoughts turning to her mother.She had been so sure she could save her, so sure that she could turn back the curse that had consumed their people, yet, in the end, all she had done was harm the ones still living.¡°You¡¯ve never really spoken of the war, you know.What caused it?¡± He took a long time to respond, so long that she began to fear she¡¯d made a mistake in asking it. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed,¡± he finally said, ¡°that we have more than one name.Uzz?l was Trey, Duluh?h?? Jonathan, Ilatmu?t Elspeth, and I¡­I was Ivan.The Sidhe were not of this world.¡± ¡°Scholars have long suggested that you came from another realm, like Adamm? or Arall?.¡± ¡°And they were right, in a sense, but also wrong.We came from Adamm?, but it was not the same Adamm? that exists here.¡± ¡°The Sidhe were once but men.In our world, if there ever were gods like yours, they hid themselves from us, but that did not stop us from reaching for the heavens.We discovered many marvelous technologies, technologies that turned us from mere men to nigh unkillable beings of endless age.We cured disease, ended poverty, colonized our solar system - yet the heavens remained just as unreachable as before.¡± ¡°No matter what we tried, we could not crack the secret to FTL.¡± ¡°FTL?¡± She asked, furrowing her brow. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he shrugged.¡°It would mean anything to you anyway.¡± ¡°So what happened,¡± she asked cautiously, trying not to take offense at his dismissive attitude.I''m not stupid!¡°Why did you come here?¡± ¡°For a time, our world was a paradise,¡± Ivan continued.¡°But we were trapped in our solar system, and as our resources began to run out, man¡¯s true nature, reemerged with a vengeance. War broke out anew, and our technology rapidly advanced as we devised new ways to destroy ourselves. Yet, despite all our efforts, that final barrier to the heavens beyond our solar system remained uncracked.¡± ¡°In desperation, our scientists turned to a technology that had been set aside because it was too dangerous, the creation of portals that could take us distances our ships could never reach.¡± He lapsed into a silence that dragged on for several minutes before Aphora finally prodded him.¡°And that¡¯s how you came here?¡± ¡°Yes, our scientists eventually succeeded in creating a massive portal above the earth, one big enough to allow even the largest of our ships to pass through it, while several smaller ones were established on other colonies.With hope renewed, it seemed like the war would finally end, and we began to send ships to settle our nearest systems.But then,¡± a bitter smile flickered across his face. ¡°Not everyone was happy that the war was over.Some couldn¡¯t stand the loss of power; others couldn¡¯t stomach working together with those we¡¯d been fighting for decades.What happened next has always been unclear, as the fallout wiped out all evidence.But someone, no one knows whom, tried to either conquer or sabotage the portal.There was a reason the technology had been forbidden before.Even once we got it working, the portal was inherently unstable but its collapse was even more catastrophic than we had predicted.¡± ¡°Just five minutes passed from the first message of distress to the time that all life on the earth and moon was blotted out.A black hole formed at the center of the collapsed portal, one far larger than any model had predicted, leaving those of us who survived the initial collapse, scattered throughout the rest of our solar system, living on borrowed time.¡± ¡°We fled through the remaining portals, not caring where the destination was, only seeking an escape from certain doom.¡±Imh?ullu lifted his head, and nodded toward the massive windows that overlooked the silent city.¡°Our people were one of the last to escape, a former mining colony set up on the outer fringes of the solar system, that had been gradually turned into the production center for the war effort.Unbeknownst to all but the highest in command, a portal had been constructed around our little rock, one large enough to swallow us whole, but it was not quite finished.With no better options, we activated it prematurely and ended up¡­here.¡± ¡°We found ourselves trapped in orbit above your planet, a pristine jewel untouched by modern industry.e to us, and we quickly abandoned our rock for your world. that is when we met the Mwyranni.¡± He looked up at Aphora beseechingly.¡°You have to understand, Aphora, we were a people forged in decades of brutal war, a people whose whole world had just been obliterated.We came from a world where magic was a fantasy, gods were a myth, and technology was better than both.And then we met the Mwyranni, haughty, arrogant bastards who bid us serve them, who claimed to be gods, and who - as we wrongly assumed - oppressed the humans living under their rule.¡± ¡°Perhaps, if we had met under different circumstances, the tragedy could have been averted.Maybe, if we¡¯d set aside our prejudices, we could have even seen that the Mwyranni, despite their arrogance, were benevolent rulers to the people we sought to ¡®liberate¡¯ but we were angry.We were desperate to avenge an act that could never be righted and refused to see the truth before our eyes. ¡°We quickly settled in the empty western lands and uplifted the trolls, who were little more than mindless brutes at the time, to bolster our ranks while we plotted the Mwyranni¡¯s demise.But we had underestimated them,¡± he admitted ruefully.¡°We destroyed their empire in a single day, slaughtered so many of them that they have never recovered, and yet all we had done was lit the fuse on the powder keg.We didn¡¯t realize that the many other races that occupied the lands then - the durgu, the skinchangers, the Fey, the elves,¡± he said with a slight hiss, "would all rise up in defense of the shatter Mwyranni, nor did we count on the humans we had ¡®liberated¡¯ to hate us so.¡± ¡°And none of us,¡± he added with a bitter laugh, ¡°in our wildest dreams could have imagined that the gods themselves were not only real, but petty enough to directly involve themselves in mortal affairs.¡± ¡°Our moment of victory became a centuries-long war that left no victors.Most of our people died in the conflict, but those who survived, empowered by our technologies and the magic that awakened in us when we came to this place, became so mighty that even the gods grew to respect us.Thus our current detente was born; the west was ours, the east yours.¡± ¡°That¡­is a very different story than the one I¡¯d heard,¡± Aphora said slowly, still struggling to wrap her mind around the many unfamiliar things he¡¯d spoken of.¡°Are the people of Adamm?-¡° ¡°No,¡± he replied, anticipating her question.¡°They are nowhere near as advanced as our people and, unlike our world, magic exists there, even if it is largely hidden.I do not know we arrived here, but I suspect that the damaged portal brought us from another universe.¡± ¡°But-¡° ¡°Hush.¡±The weight of his years suddenly seemed to press upon him as Imh?ullu placed a gentle finger on her lips.¡°Someday, I will answer all your questions, but the past is¡­painful to recall.For now, let us focus on our mission. We have elves to save, don''t we," he added with a tight smile. A Hasty Escape Jasper felt a little queasy as he stared at the man slumped between them. Sure, the mind mage had it coming. The gods only knew how many minds he¡¯d suborned to his will, how many innocents he¡¯d twisted to do his foul bidding. Yet, the pair of severed hands that sat on the blood-soaked table and charred stumps where the man¡¯s hands had once been still formed a deeply unpleasant sight. He choked down a bit of vomit that had climbed its way up his throat and hurriedly looked away. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to clear out the noxious smell of charred flesh that suffocated the room. ¡°Do you think we can sneak him out,¡± Tsia asked, interrupting his thoughts. ¡°I doubt,¡± he replied, with a shake of his head that completely failed to rid his mind of the scene behind him. ¡°We have to assume the mage has meddled with the minds of most of the quartermaster¡¯s men, and without knowing what could trigger them to attack us¡­¡± ¡°We can always fly away,¡± she pointed out. ¡°But then the entire town will see us,¡± he objected. ¡°And who knows how many might be under his spell? I don¡¯t want to be forced to kill a bunch of innocent townsfolk.¡± Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. ¡°What¡¯s taking so long? That lad is just an innocent worker-¡± The door creaked open, hitting the wall with a thud, and horror flooded the quartermaster¡¯s face. ¡°What have you done?¡± He managed to stutter out. Jasper noticed the change in his eyes a fraction of a second before the man reached for his sword, but Tsia, having already experienced it once before, was faster. The shadows fled as a miniature bolt of lightning leapt from her fingers and cascaded down the man¡¯s body. The sword clanked on the dirt floor dully as the man spasmed and began to pitch forward. Jasper intercepted him before he smashed face-first into the dirt and lowered him gently to the floor. ¡°Shut the door,¡± he commanded Tsia, but a cry of outrage echoed outside before she could reach it. ¡°Ummadi??!¡± Tsia slammed the door shut, but it was too late. ¡°They killed the quartermaster,¡± the guard screamed, and a moment later, a horn blared outside the door, sounding the alarm. ¡°Guess we¡¯re doing this the hard way.¡± Dashing to the table, Jasper slung the unconscious mage over his shoulder with a grunt and headed for the door. As the two charged out of the small chamber, a loose cluster of guards had already formed and he stepped forward to intercept them. Didn¡¯t want to have to kill them, but¡­ Before he could cast a spell, Tsia beat him to the punch. Lightning cracked from her hands into the nearest guard, and quickly radiated outwards, leaping from one armored chest to another. The guards spasmed and then dropped to the ground, like puppets with their strings cut off, leaving the path to the entrance clear. Leaping over the seizing bodies of the guard, Jasper raced for the exit. Their mounts had been tied up outside the warehouse, and he quickly slung the mage over Dapplegrim¡¯s saddle and fiddled with the knot. He cursed as he glanced up and saw reinforcements racing down the street. Giving up on untying the knot, he severed it with a quick burst of white-hot flames. Grabbing the reins, he swung himself into the saddle and pressed his hand against Dapplegrim¡¯s thigh. Spectral Wings. The horse bucked as the spell¡¯s shadowy wings erupted from her flanks, and the mage slid toward the ground. With a curse, Jasper twisted in the saddle and snagged hold of the man''s leg a second before he plummeted to the ground. They flew erratically as he struggled to wrestle the mage back into the saddle, staying lower above the city than he would have preferred. Unfortunately, as he finally managed to pull the mage back up, the guard¡¯s reinforcements took advantage of that, sending a flight of arrows to greet them. With a wave of her hand, Tsia knocked most of them aside with a gust of wind, but a few of the arrows slipped past her guard. Dapplegrim whinnied as one carved a long, but shallow, groove in her side, but her complaints were drowned out by the tsussim''s frantic neighs, as two quivering arrows buried themselves in her thigh. The tsussi?m''s wings beat erratically, and she dipped toward the ground as another barrage of arrows rose to meet them. ¡°Bastards!¡± Tsia screamed in anger, whipping a veritable gale of wind that stormed down the street like a tsunami, carrying guards and civilians alike in its wake before depositing them in a tangled heap as its strength finally guttered out. The spell was overkill, but it did the trick. No longer afraid of being used for target practice, Jasper urged Dapplegrim downward and, sidling close to the tsussi?m, reached for the arrows buried in her thigh. His first grab missed, and he swayed dangerously in his saddle before steadying himself, but with the third try, he seized the shaft. The tsussi?m screamed again, dipping lower toward the ground as Jasper yanked the arrows out. They were barely higher than the rooftops now, and he saw the guards begin to emerge from the tangled heap of bodies on the street. His hands were slick with blood as he reached for the second arrow, but he held on and pulled it free. His fingers writhed with Circle of Forgiveness, and as the tsussim¡¯s flesh knit back together, they finally soared high enough into the sky to be out of bow range. They quickly outpaced the angry guards, and zipping over Deb?ur¡¯s moat, angled down toward the durgu¡¯s camp, with the winds whipping around them angrily. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re going to come after us,¡± Tsia yelled over their roar. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Jasper glanced over his shoulder and cursed as he saw a steady stream of guards heading for the gate. He didn¡¯t want to kill them, but if he had to¡­ Jasper¡¯s eye caught on the drawbridge, and the germ of an idea took root. Spurring Dapplegrim closer to Tsia¡¯s mount, he shoves the mage onto the tsussi?m¡¯s back. ¡°Take him to S?ams?a?dur - I¡¯ll hold them off.¡± ¡°By yourself?¡± She screamed back. ¡°Trust me; I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she gave him a curt nod and continued toward the camp. With a quick tug on the reins, Jasper urged Dapplegrim higher, and as they rose into the air, he pulled the glaive out of his bag. He shoved essence into the shaft, supercharging the glyphs until icy vapors roiled off its surface, while he eyed the pair of thick metal chains that suspended the drawbridge. Under normal conditions, the chains were far too sturdy for him to snap, but he hoped that if he could get them cold enough, they''d become brittle. Then I just need to give it a few good hits, and the weight should do the rest. It wasn''t the best of plans, but it would have to be good enough. Wedging the glaive firmly between himself and saddle, he guided Dapplegrim toward the bridge and braced for the impact. As the glaive collided with the first chain, Ice and frost rapidly spread from the point of impact. The glaive caught on a link, and he was wrenched backward, nearly torn from the saddle, before it finally slid free. He struggled to right himself as he circled round and charged the chain again. And again. And again. Deb?ur was not a large town, and despite the cold emanating from his weapon, sweat wreathed his brow as he saw the guards reach the marketplace just beyond the main gates. Come on. Work! *CRACK* As the frozen links snapped, the top part of the chain, suddenly freed from the bridge¡¯s ponderous weight, the top part of the chain whipped narrowly his head. With a groan, the bridge sagged to the right, but its tenuous connection to the far side of the moat and the remaining chain kept it from fully collapsing as he had hoped. He sent another frantic glance toward the quickly approaching soldiers and steered Dapplegrim toward the second chain. A thick layer of frost covered the chain when the guards arrived, but it had yet to break. With angry cries, they paused at the edge of the drooping bridge, and drew their bows. Got to move. Arrows whizzed past his ear as he urged Dappelgrim higher and circled above the bridge, just out of reach of their bows. I''ve got to bring it down, but how? Not daring to dive back down, he opted for a spell instead, casting it twice in quick succession. Shooting Star. He didn''t have much practice casting the spell straight down, and many of the fiery orbs missed the chain entirely, exploding harmlessly against the old stone walls of Debur. But a shotgun doesn''t require great aim, and neither did Shooting Star. With crackling pops, a handful of the orbs hit the frozen chain, and the rapid change from cold to heat finally stressed the metal to its breaking point. With a second thunderous crash, the bridge slid beneath the moat¡¯s murky waters, leaving the guards and the citizens trapped within the city walls. With a final cheeky wave, he shot off toward the durgu camp. Tsia and S?ams?a?dur were waiting outside the prince¡¯s tent as he landed. ¡°I don''t know what I was expecting when you said you were going to hold them off, but that wasn''t it,¡± Tsia called out in greeting. ¡°It was a gamble," he admitted, "but I didn¡¯t want to kill them I didn''t have to,¡± he explained as he slipped off Dapplegrim¡¯s back and tethered her beside Tsia¡¯s mount. ¡°Is the mage inside?¡± ¡°Aye. Still hasn¡¯t woken up though,¡± the prince replied, eyeing Jasper¡¯s frosty glaive curiously. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you use that before.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t known me that long,¡± Jasper shot back. He glanced over his shoulder towards Deb?ur, where the angry guards crowded the edge of the moat impotently. ¡°Do you think we need to worry about them?¡± ¡°I doubt they have any way to get across the moat any time soon,¡± S?ams?a?dur said dismissively. ¡°There shouldn''t be any boats in the city, so until they build a raft¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I hoped.¡± Jasper turned to face the prince¡¯s tent. He felt a bit queasy as the image of the mage¡¯s severed, charred hands flashed through his mind again, but he forced the mental picture away. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s time to interrogate him.¡± As Jasper entered the tent, he found the mage tied to a chair. The man¡¯s head lolled against his shoulders, the eyes glazed and unseeing, and he shook the man to no avail. ¡°He¡¯s still out cold?¡± He muttered to himself, and pressed a hand against the mage¡¯s neck. The skin was cooler than he¡¯d expected, but the faint pulsing beneath his fingers told him the mage yet lived. Maybe a little healing will help. Reluctantly, he drew on his essence and cast Circle of Forgiveness on the man. The spell was nowhere near powerful enough to restore his missing limbs, but the charred flesh and seeping wounds that covered his wounds sloughed off as the spell took root and fresh, pink skin sealed his wounds. The man stirred but still did not wake, and Jasper prepared to cast the spell, but S?ams?a?dur intervened. ¡°Step aside.¡± The mage jolted upright as the bucket of cold, slimy moat water trickled down him. ¡°Wh-what?¡± He struggled against the ropes, his eyes wild and terrified, and then he saw his hands. A hoarse, desperate scream filled the air, over and over, until Jasper, fearing that the man would knock himself out again from his panic attack, stepped forward and clamped his hand over his mouth. ¡°You need to breathe, slow and steady,¡± he commanded him. ¡°Close your eyes and focus on breathing.¡± The mage struggled weakly in his grasp, his body trembling like a leaf as he stared in horror at his missing hands, and a trickle of shame filled Jasper¡¯s heart. He could only imagine how devastating it would be to lose his own hands, especially now that he needed them to cast spells. But how many deaths are those hands responsible for? he reminded himself. Doing his best to steel his heart, Jasper waited till the man had ceased hyperventilating before releasing him. ¡°I think you know what we want,¡± he spoke grimly. ¡°The only question is, how many limbs are you going to lose before you tell us?¡± The words tasted foul on his lips, but the threat did its job. ¡°Wh-what do you want? I¡¯ll tell you anything,¡± the mage stammered. ¡°Let¡¯s start with how you''re orchestrating the Atrometos attacks. We¡¯ll get to your plans for Lord Sargani?l later.¡± Du?r-Bih?urtu As the two burst into the inner courtyard, the men preparing dinner looked up, startled. ¡°Captain Mari?ltu?¡± The pair ignored the men as they raced toward the gate that led into the outer courtyard, but they were not fast. A moment later, Sargani?l, the mage, and the bespelt men poured into the courtyard, hot on their heels. The old noble stumbled to a stop, his hands on his knees as he puffed from the unexpected exertion of running, but he managed to summon the strength to bellow an order. ¡°Stop those traitors,¡± he commanded the cooks. There was no need for mind magic as the soldiers dropped everything to follow orders. With the precision of well-trained men, they swiftly split into three groups to complete all objectives - blocking the gate¡¯s entrance, lowering the portcullis, and pursuing the fleers. Mari?ltu cursed as he saw the men cut in front of them, blocking the entrance to the gate, and grabbed Ihra¡¯s hand. ¡°This way,¡± he commanded curtly, pulling her toward the northern side of the courtyard Irritation flared within her, and she yanked her hand out of his with a scowl, but she followed him over to the northern wall, where a flight of stairs led up to the top of the ramparts. ¡°What¡¯s the plan,¡± she yelled as she followed in his steps. ¡°You planning to jump?¡± ¡°Kruvas?, no, the wards would kill us,¡± he fired back, ¡°but there¡¯s another way. Being commander of the castle does come with a few benefits, after all.¡± But the guards at the top of the wall, few though they were, had not been blind to the chaos in the courtyard below. With alarmed shouts, they ran for the stairs to cut them off, but only one was close enough to make it in time. The guard paused at the top of the stairs, fumbling for his sword with a shaky hand. ¡°Cap-Captain Mari?ltu - stop!¡± he stammered out. With a burst of speed, Mari?ltu surged forward, clearing the last ten steps to the top of the ramp in a blur. Though the guard tried to draw his sword, Mari?ltu got there first, and the man crumpled as the captain¡¯s fist buried itself in his stomach with enough force to dent his armor, followed by a swift strike to his neck that left the soldier gasping for air. ¡°Sorry,¡± Mari?ltu muttered as he stepped over the guard. The brutal display was enough to make the other soldiers hesitate, even for just a moment, and the captain seized the advantage. Grabbing Ihra¡¯s hand again, he dragged her into the nearest tower just before the pursuers from the courtyard reached the top of the rampart. Ihra glanced around the small room, which had almost nothing in it save for a winding flight of stairs that led both up to the roof and deeper into the castle, along with a small table and chairs, occupied by a hastily abandoned game of cards. ¡°Up, down?¡± she asked the captains, as Mari?ltu ran over to the table, and grabbing a chair, wedged it beneath the hand of the tower door. ¡°Down.¡± She bolted for the stairs, with him in hot pursuit, and they reached another landing almost immediately. ¡°All the way to the bottom,¡± he added. They¡¯d made it two more landings before she heard the crackle of wood splintering above them. ¡°Kruvas?,¡± Mari?ltu cursed behind her. A moment later, she screamed in indignation as arms wrapped around her waist and tossed her over his shoulder. ¡°What do you think you''re doing," she protested, banging her elbow into his shoulder. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, sounding completely insincere, ¡°but I¡¯m faster, and I¡¯d very much like to keep my head.¡± And, as much as Ihra hated to admit it, the captain quickly proved his words weren''t an idle boast as he bounded down the stairs, clearing ten or more at a time, with agile leaps that made her feel as if they were almost flying. They passed three more landings in a flash before reaching the bottom of the stairs. The small stairwell had just doors, one to the west and one to the north, and Mari?ltu quickly charged through the western door, which opened into a cramped tunnel. The sound of their pursuers had faded almost to a whisper by now, and when the door slammed behind them, it was cut off altogether. ¡°I think you can put me down now.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he shot her request down promptly. ¡°Not till we¡¯re in the passage.¡± ¡°Passage?¡± ¡°A secret tunnel,¡± he briefly explained. ¡°One of the failsafes in case the castle fell, one known only to the commander of Du?r-Bih?urtu. I doubt even Lord Sargani?l is aware of it.¡± They reached an intersection, and he took the northern tunnel, which quickly dead-ended into a small warehouse. From the cobwebs stretched across the entrance and the thick layers of dust that caked everything in the room, it was obvious the place had long been abandoned. A cloud of dust followed in his wake as he raced through the room, and finally slid her off his shoulder as he stopped beside the wall. ¡°Where is it,¡± he muttered to himself as he ran his hands over the wall, looking for a switch. Even with her heightened perception, Ihra could spot nothing, but after a few seconds his hand paused, and a tiny flare of blue light brightened the dark warehouse as he pressed down on the switch. With a rumbling roar, a two-foot wide section of the wall pulled back about 18 inches, leaving a tiny gap for them to squeeze through. A sudden shout echoed down the tunnel behind them, and Ihra realized their pursuers were catching up. Not waiting for his command, she twisted herself sideways and stepped through the gap. Mari?ltu tried to follow her but got stuck as his broad chest was a sliver too wide for the narrow opening. With a grunt, he wriggled free and retreated a few paces into the room. ¡°Step aside,¡± he warned as he charged toward the opening, throwing himself to the side at the last possible moment. The momentum carried farther than he¡¯d gotten before, wedging his body about halfway through the gap, where he stalled out. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace.¡± With a growl he reached for the wall of the passage, fumbling for something to use as a grip to pull himself free, but there was nothing. The shouts echoed again, much closer than this time, and resignation flooded his eyes. ¡°Go,¡± he commanded Ihra. ¡°There¡¯s still for you to escape. When you reach the tunnel¡¯s end-¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± she commanded him and grabbed his hand. She steadied her footing on the damp, slightly muddy tunnel before bracing one foot against the wall. ¡°You aren¡¯t strong enough, lass,¡± he started again. ¡°Shut up,¡± she grunted, activating The Still Pond as she pulled on his arm. An explosion of pain blossomed in the pit of her stomach, and quickly radiated through the rest of her body as she sacrificed a small but steady stream of her health in exchange for the boost in her strength. *SCREECH* The man¡¯s lamellar armor screeched against the rock as Mari?ltu was dragged a few inches forward, but he didn¡¯t pop free. With a groan, she released the skill and took a moment to catch her breath. ¡°Lass,¡± he said softly. ¡°One more time.¡± Bracing herself against the wall, she activated The Still Pond Again. Her skin thinned and cracked as she pulled, blood weeping down her face and arms, but with a final screech, Mari?ltu was dragged free. Spinning around, the captain quickly slammed the passage shut before turning to thank her. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She uncorked a healing potion and let the sickly sweet liquid flood her mouth before replying. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She noticed the skepticism in his eyes, but the captain didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Then we should go,¡± he replied simply. ¡°I don¡¯t think they know about the passage, but unfortunately that damn dust is going to lead them straight to the wall. It won¡¯t take long for them to figure it out.¡± Ihra finished the rest of her potion and shoved the empty bottle back in her pouch. ¡°After you then.¡± They jogged into the darkness, the tunnel being entirely unlit, and Ihra realized the captain must have some sort of night vision. Hers was simply the result of her high vision stat as an archer, but as a warrior, she wouldn¡¯t have expected the captain to have nearly enough vision to manage. Yet, he deftly avoided the fallen rocks and timbers that occasionally barred their way on the ancient path, racing with an assured certainty through the tunnel. ¡°So who are you exactly?¡± The captain asked, shattering her ruminations. ¡°Not that I¡¯m not thankful for the rescue, of course. Just curious who I¡¯m thankful to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± she replied. The captain snorted. ¡°Complicated? Relationships are complicated. Who you serve shouldn¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t serve anyone. I''m an adventurer.¡± ¡°Someone hired you to help me, then?¡± ¡°Nope. Frankly, I don¡¯t even know who you are. My party was sent here on a quest from a goddess,¡± she hedged, deciding it better not to mention Kas?dael, ¡°a quest, to protect a durgu prince from assassination. And, as it so happens, that prince was here on a mission from King Kaba?ni to keep an eye on Lord Sargani?l. We agreed to help him as part of our quest, but rescuing you wasn''t part of the plan. A simple accident.¡± ¡°A happy one then,¡± the captain replied. ¡°Wait.¡± He held up a hand as they reached a sudden branching in the tunnel. ¡°Kruvas?,¡± he cursed. ¡°I know one of these leads to Du?r-Rabu? and the other to an alley behind the market, but I can¡¯t remember which is which.¡± ¡°What about those marks,¡± she asked, pointing to small etchings on the wall beside him. ¡°What marks?¡± So he doesn¡¯t have full night vision, she decided. Still, to see as clearly in the dark as he did, he must have invested a surprising amount of points in vision for a warrior; either that, or he was far higher in level than she had first assumed. Perhaps he¡¯s over 200? Kneeling, she ran a finger over the etchings, brushing away the dust that had almost obscured them. ¡°Ba?b-mah?irtu." As she read the first, she knew she didn¡¯t need to read the second. ¡°This way.¡± She let the captain retake the lead as they headed down the second tunnel, and after a few minutes, she spotted a pin-prick of light ahead. The light slowly grew as they approached until she spotted its source. A dozen small shafts of light radiated through a grated cover at the top of the tunnel. It was about fifteen feet above them, but an old, rickety ladder was propped against the wall beneath it. Mari?ltu paused at the wall and placed a hand against the ladder to steady it. ¡°Ladies first,¡± he said, with a slight grin. ¡°I¡¯m hardly a lady,¡± Ihra protested, but she accepted the offer nonetheless. Despite the healing potion, she still felt a little shaky after the sheer amount of health she¡¯d sacrificed to The Still Pond - far more than she¡¯d ever used before or ever hoped to use again. Although, somehow, I doubt I''ll be that lucky. ¡°Truthfully,¡± the captain admitted, ¡°I¡¯m afraid the ladder will break if I try to climb it. Any chance you have some rope in that bag of yours?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded, catching on to his plan. As she trudged up the ladder, she was careful to keep a firm grip on the sides in case one of the rungs gave out beneath her and, indeed, the captain¡¯s apprehension proved correct. A handful of the rungs crumbled when she stood on them, the ancient wood no longer able to hold even her slight weight, but she managed to hold onto the sides long enough to get a foot on the next rung up and thus, slowly but surely made her way to the top, where a small landing had been carved out just beneath the surface, complete with a latched trapdoor. Rummaging through her bag, she retrieved a rope and knotted it carefully around the rusty metal grate before dropping it into the tunnel below. ¡°Should hold you.¡± Bracing his feet against the wall, Mari?ltu quickly reached the top. As he rolled onto the ledge, Ihra used her knife to cut the rope free, and the captain promptly pulled what remained of the ladder onto the little landing pad. ¡°Well, that should hold them, at least for a few minutes.¡± His eyes turned to the grate, through which the sunset''s orangey, fading rays still streamed. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d use this place, certainly not to escape my own lord,¡± he said with a touch of bitterness. ¡°But thank S?ams?a it exists. Need a boost,¡± he asked, offering her his hand. Accepting his hand, Ihra climbed onto his shoulders and, with a heave infused with a touch of the Still Pond, she shoved the grate open. They''d escaped from Du?r-Bihurtu. Now we just need to get out of the city. Interrogation The mage licked his lips nervously, his face pale as a sheet from a mixture of fear and blood loss. ¡°What do you want to know about the Atrometos attacks?¡± ¡°I assume you¡¯re the ones behind them,¡± Jasper replied. ¡°But why? And how, for that matter, are you smuggling this many Atrometos so deep into the Empire? And don¡¯t forget,¡± he added menacingly, ¡°I¡¯ll be casting my truth spell, so I¡¯d just suggest you stick to the truth.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The mage faltered for a moment and then gathered his courage. ¡°If you want to understand what¡¯s happening, we need to start with Lord Sargani?l.¡± Jasper pursed his lips in irritation, suspecting the man of trying to avoid answering his question, but finally nodded his head curtly. ¡°Fine, then how does Lord Sargani?l play into all this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details,¡± the man began, and Jasper¡¯s temper flared. ¡°You¡¯re the damned mind mage, aren¡¯t you? You really expect me to believe that you don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening?" ¡°I¡¯m a mind mage,¡± the man replied quickly, ¡°but not the only one in my order.¡± The spell told him the man was telling the truth, so Jasper tamped down on his irritation. ¡°That¡¯s the cult of Duluh?h?u?,¡± he asked, to which the man nodded, ¡°and there¡¯s more of you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a handful of mind mages still in our order, but only two of us came to Birnah - myself, and our leader, Rahu?m.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t the others come,¡± he asked bluntly. The mage snorted, beginning to recover a little bit of his spirit as Jasper eased off the threats. ¡°Little remains of our order these days beyond a scattering of mages bound by the fragile ties of tradition. Rahu?m calls himself our leader by right of ancestry, but I was the only one to answer his summons.¡± ¡°So is this¡­Rahu?m trying to take over the region?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his goals,¡± the mage replied with a shake of his head. ¡°Ever since I¡¯ve arrived here, I¡¯ve been stationed outside the city, tasked with orchestrating the Atrometos attacks, so I¡¯ve barely interacted with Lord Sargani?l myself. What I do know is that he was the one who originally invited us here. ¡°What?!¡± Tsia exploded. ¡°Do you really expect us to believe such lies? No lord would ever be so-¡± ¡°Tsia,¡± Jasper nudged her with his elbow. ¡°He¡¯s not lying.¡± ¡°Or maybe they meddled with his mind too, and he just thinks he isn¡¯t lying,¡± she snapped. It was a possibility he hadn¡¯t considered. ¡°Perhaps,¡± he admitted after a moment¡¯s thought, ¡°but if that¡¯s the case, then nothing we learn from him is of any use. For now, let¡¯s assume he¡¯s telling the truth.¡± He shot a look toward S?ams?a?dur. ¡°Unless you¡¯ve picked on something?¡± The prince pursed his lips thoughtfully and finally shook his head. ¡°Mind you, I¡¯m not an expert on this area,¡± he warned, ¡°but I don¡¯t think his mind¡¯s been tampered with. There might be some other way he¡¯s tricking your spell, of course, but near as I can tell he¡¯s being truthful.¡± Satisfied, Jasper turned back to the mage. ¡°So Sargani?l was the one to invite you here. Do you know why?¡± ¡°I believe he originally hired Rahu?m to bespell his king,¡± the mage replied. ¡°There have been rumors of tension between King Kaba?ni and his wife, and Lord Sargani?l feared that the king would set her aside and remove their children from the line in succession. ¡°Father would never do that,¡± Tsia denied stoutly. ¡°The only reason he married her in the first place was to tie Lord Sargani?l more closely to the realm.¡± ¡°Father?¡± The mage¡¯s eyes sharpened and a touch of color crept into his cheeks. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize King Kaba?ni had such a skilled mage for a daughter, but judging from your lovely looks, I¡¯d wager you¡¯re not one of Lord Sargani?l¡¯s grandchildren. Has your father has grown weary of his loveless marriage? Has he perhaps another heir in mind?¡± Tsia flushed angrily, ready to deny his insinuations, but Jasper quieted her with a look. Don¡¯t let him get under your skin, he willed her to understand, before turning back to the mage. ¡°So, Sargani?l was plotting against the king, but somewhere along the line, things went wrong. Why is Rahu?m here instead of the king¡¯s courts, and how did the Atrometos enter the picture?¡± The mage started to answer but descended into a fit of dry coughs. ¡°Any chance I can get a sip of water?¡± Jasper felt a tick of suspicion at the request, but he couldn¡¯t think of any reason that allowing the man a drink of water should be dangerous, so he reluctantly drew his canteen and held it out to the man. ¡°Gonna need a hand,¡± the mage said, raising his stumps ruefully. Guilt replaced suspicion, and Jasper stood up and pressed the canteen to the man¡¯s lips. He took a few large gulps, before finally pulling back his head. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he rasped out. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Tossing the canteen in the grass - as there was no way Jasper would drink out of it again until it had been thoroughly washed - he sat back down and waved for the man to proceed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can answer your question,¡± the mage began again. ¡°As far as I know, the Atrometos were part of the original plan. My job was to cause chaos in the villages around Birnah so that Sarganil could petition the king for aid. Meanwhile, Rahu?m was going to ensure that the king did nothing.¡± ¡°Making the king look unfit for the position,¡± Jasper realized. ¡°Yes, apparently Sarganil¡¯s goal was to undermine the king¡¯s reputation until even his loyalists wouldn¡¯t speak up for him, and then, once he¡¯d been made to appear like a coward and faithless liege, he¡¯d have Rahu?m influence Kaba?ni to step aside in favor of his eldest son, Sargani?l¡¯s grandchild.¡± ¡°Obviously, that¡¯s no longer the plan. Rahu?m has remained in Birnah and, judging from Lord Sargani?l¡¯s unusual behavior, has dominated the lord''s mind, but he has not seen fit to share his new plans with me. The only communication I¡¯ve received is to continue the attacks on the village, and to keep an eye out for the durgu prince,¡± he added, with a slight sneer. ¡°I assume that¡¯s how you defeated me - he¡¯s a mind mage, right?¡± Jasper ignored the man¡¯s question, frowning as he pondered the information they¡¯d received. The mage hadn''t given them all the answers he''d hoped for, but he seemed to be telling the truth. Either that, or he¡¯s figured out a way to deceive my spell. The possibility was frightening, but all too real. He was a mind mage, after all. He jolted as something warm and wet splashed across his face, whirring to face the mage. ¡°What the hell-¡± ¡°S?emu? be?li?ka,¡± the man snarled, and Jasper felt his limbs grow rigid. He stood up stiffly, his arm reaching for the glaive that hung at his side, even as his mind screamed at his limbs to obey him. Instead, he pivoted sharply and swung the glaive directly toward the person sitting next to him, Tsia. Time seemed to slow as he struggled for control of his body. Tsia¡¯s wide eyes, the glaive¡¯s icy trail, the mage¡¯s smug smirk - he saw it all, and anger and outrage boiled over. Power bubbled up from within him, not his usual essence, but the white-hot heat of an incandescent soul. Flames roiled off his body as the glaive wavered to a halt a hair¡¯s breadth from Tsia¡¯s nose and, for a moment, no one dared to breathe. Then with a swift turn, Jasper yanked the glaive back in the opposite direction. Bone and flesh crumpled as the icy weapon obliterated the man¡¯s mouth and jaws. For a second, the mage stared at him in uncomprehending horror, before his brain finally caught up to his situation, and he slumped over, dead. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Jasper kept his eyes glued to the broken mage as he asked the question, unable to bring himself to look Tsia in the eyes. I almost killed her. That damn mage, he- he. ¡°She¡¯s fine, Jasper,¡± the durgu spoke for her. ¡°But you¡¯re not. You need to stop burning your soul.¡± Jasper hadn¡¯t even noticed the flames wreathing every inch of his body, but a simple glance told him the prince was right. He struggled to turn them off, the anger that filled his soul utterly unquenched, but he was no more willing to be ruled by his emotions than the mage¡¯s foul words. As the flames guttered out, Jasper turned and walked out of the prince¡¯s tent.
Jasper was in a fog as he walked back to his tent, his mind churning from the mage¡¯s actions. I thought we were being careful, and he still outsmarted us. When it came to Corsythian magical theory, Jasper wasn¡¯t much of a scholar. Still, he knew that there needed to be a physical mechanism to release the essence when casting a spell. That was the reason most mages used their hands but, technically, it was possible, with quite a bit of extra training, to use other parts of your body, so long as they provided sufficient kinetic release. It must have been the water, he realized. Spitting it was his substitute for motion. It gave him little comfort, however, to figure that out after the fact. The truth was, despite his best efforts, they¡¯d still flirted with disaster. Or worse. Jasper shuddered as Tsia¡¯s face flashed in front of him again, a deer-in-headlights look in her eyes. He¡¯d nearly killed her, his mind defiled by that scum. With an angry growl, he flung the glaive across the tent and, dropping unto his bed, buried his face in his hands as anger, humiliation, and shame coursed through him. He didn¡¯t hear her come in, but he tensed as his bed sagged beneath the weight of another individual, and a cold, small hand brushed against the nape of his neck. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± Tsia said reassuringly. ¡°I know. If it¡¯s anyone¡¯s fault, it¡¯s S?ams?a?dur¡¯s - he¡¯s the one who let the mental protection on us lapse,¡± Jasper replied angrily, but then stopped himself with a sigh. ¡°But I know it¡¯s not really his fault either. None of us expected that mage could find a way to cast a spell without his hands. I mean, I''ve met one other mage who could do that - one!¡± Lifting his head, he turned to face her. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re ok?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little shaken up,¡± she admitted wryly, ¡°but no actual harm was done. Not to me, anyway.¡± She hesitated before continuing, ¡°I can only imagine how difficult it must be to have your mind dominated like that.¡± Jasper snorted. ¡°You know, when I was a kid someone broke into our house. Frankly, I don¡¯t know what the thief was looking for, because they barely took anything - a little bit of cash, a few trinkets, nothing important. Probably should have been grateful for that, but all I can remember feeling was so¡­violated. Most of us go through life blinded by an illusion of safety. We deadbolt a door with a fragile glass window right beside it and lie to ourselves that we¡¯re safe, that that little piece of metal is all we need to protect ourselves. But every once in a while, someone comes along and throws a brick through the window and just like that,¡± he snapped his fingers, ¡°the illusion is shattered, and we¡¯re suddenly forced to face the reality of just how scary our world actually is.¡± Reaching over, Jasper patted her knee softly. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just¡­need a little time for that illusion to reform.¡± ¡°If you want to talk,¡± she offered, but he shook his head. ¡°Not about that. But we need to discuss what we learned from that mage,¡± he added, practically spitting the last word. ¡°We assumed the mage was outside of Birnah, but if anything he¡¯s told us was true, then there¡¯s at least one more of them in the city. Ihra could be in danger.¡± ¡°True, but I don¡¯t think you need to worry,¡± Tsia said with a slight smile. ¡°Ihra can take care of herself.¡± Bye Bye Birnah With a grunt, Ihra pulled herself out of the grate and rolled over onto her knees. Her hand lingered over her dagger¡¯s sheath as she swept a hasty glance over her surroundings, but there was no one waiting for them. Instead, the narrow alley was shrouded in darkness, as the surrounding buildings swallowed up the last light of the dying day. No, although no one was waiting to seize them, the city was far silent. The wild clang of bells rang from all directions, loud, dissonant, and relentless, and she heard Mari?ltu curse as he pulled himself up behind her. ¡°Kruvas?, they raised the alarm already? I thought Lord Sargani?l would want to keep my escape quiet.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just bells,¡± she replied dismissively. ¡°If we change our clothes, we won¡¯t stand out.¡± The commander shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. We¡¯ll stand out simply because we¡¯re on the street. When the bells ring, law-abiding citizens are expected to stay inside. As soon as they see us, they¡¯ll know we¡¯re suspicious.¡± ¡°That does make things more difficult,¡± she admitted with a frown, and then she remembered Erin and Asa?ta. And they won¡¯t know that. ¡°We need to find my friends, then, and fast.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more of you?¡± ¡°Two more, yes¡­although, I don¡¯t know where to find them.¡± It occurred to her then that they hadn¡¯t set up a rendezvous point. Of course, Ihra hadn¡¯t expected them to get separated, but that was the whole point of a plan - to predict and prevent the unexpected. Stupid. But there was no point dwelling on her misstep right now; dismissing it from her mind, she tried to decide where they would go. Would they wait for me at the bakery or return to Du?r-Sulmu? ¡°We need to get moving,¡± Mari?ltu nudged her shoulder. ¡°There might still be a few citizens hurrying back to their homes, but the streets will soon be empty. Come on, I know a way out of the city.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go without my friends,¡± Ihra shrugged his hand off. ¡°How close are we to the bakery that supplies your castle?¡± ¡°A couple blocks - but we don¡¯t have time,¡± he started to say, but Ihra cut him off. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without them. Let¡¯s swing by the bakery, and then we can take my way out of town, a tunnel from Du?r-Sulmu.¡± ¡°Fine, follow me,¡± Mari?ltu grunted, a scowl rippling across his features. ¡°But if we get caught¡­¡± She followed him onto the main street and found it was exactly as the captain had predicted. While a handful of citizens remained outside, most of them running for their homes, the place was almost deserted. Matching the pace of the running citizens, Mari?ltu began to jog, quickly darting across the street and around the corner, which led them to a street she recognized as the bakery¡¯s. ¡°There!¡± Ihra breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted a person up ahead, clad in a familiar blue coat. ¡°Erin!¡± The scout jerked upward, and leaning over, pulled Asata up from the ground, where she¡¯d been hidden out of sight behind him. She reached the bakery a moment later, and, sliding to a stop, waved at him impatiently. ¡°Come on, we need to get back to Du?r-Sulmu before the guards find us.¡± ¡°Are the bells your doing,¡± the scout asked, as he prepared to fall in line behind her, but a hand landed on her shoulder. ¡°Sorry, lass, but did you say Du?r-Sulmu?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s where the secret tunnel is,¡± she responded, trying to shrug his arm off, but the commander¡¯s grip persisted. ¡°So Captain Maras?s?amas? smuggled you in?¡± he persisted. ¡°But she didn¡¯t respond when I asked for help confronting Lord Sargani?l.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that,¡± Ihra replied, ¡°but the captain didn¡¯t even know about the tunnel until we popped up in her dungeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Mari?ltu said bluntly. ¡°It is the responsibility of every captain to know the escape routes from their fortress. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯d lie to you, unless¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s been compromised,¡± Ihra realized. "She might not even realize it, too. She said she didn''t have any of those protective amulets. ¡°Maybe," Mari?ltu shrugged, "or maybe she¡¯s just hedging her bets, waiting to see which way the wind blows before she commits to either side.¡± ¡°Either way, we can''t risk going back to her," Ihra sighed. "So I guess you win. Where''s this escape route of yours?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± Ihra snorted, casting a disbelieving eye at the captain. ¡°You want us to sneak back into the castle.¡± While the streets were now thoroughly deserted, at least one thing had worked in their favor. The moon had yet to show its face in the heavens, and thus the onset of night had provided a myriad of shadows in which to shelter. Still, Mari?ltu''s plan seemed crazy. ¡°We barely escaped from there last time.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s the beauty of it,¡± he argued back. ¡°Right now, they¡¯re spread out across the entire city, but the one place they won¡¯t even think to look is right here.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°And you¡¯re sure this is the only way out,¡± she asked dubiously. ¡°Of course not, but this is the only way I know. So unless you want to take your chances with Maras?ammas?.¡± Ihra grimaced. While there wasn¡¯t enough evidence to definitively condemn the other captain, she had to admit, in retrospect, it seemed suspicious that the captain would have been aware of the tunnels in her own castle. ¡°So how do we get in,¡± she replied begrudgingly. ¡°Well¡­we probably will have to rush the gate.¡± Mari?ltu saw the look on her face and hastily continued. ¡°There¡¯s only four guards there right now,¡± he pointed out, ¡°and there¡¯s four of us. It should be easy enough.¡± ¡°And when they raise the alarm,¡± she pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ll do it sneakily.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Erin piped up for the first time in a while, ¡°I might have another way in.¡± ¡°How?¡± Mari?ltu frowned down at him. ¡°The walls are too high to even land a rope on them, and there are no sally ports in Dur-Bihurtu.¡± In response, Erin pointed to a scraggly tree that was clinging to the narrow bank on the far side of the moat. The walls towered at least thirty feet above even the wispiest of its branches, and the captain¡¯s frown intensified. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly plan to climb up that.¡± Ihra just grinned. ¡°Oh, I think that will work very nicely. Perfect plan, Erin.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t climb that!¡± Mari?ltu protested again, and she chuckled. ¡°Guess you¡¯ll just have to trust us.¡±
¡°You could have told me he was a mage,¡± Mari?ltu grumbled as they stood beneath the tree, watching as the boughs lengthened and thickened to form a perfect, if still somewhat precarious bridge to the top of the ramparts. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have been as much fun,¡± Ihra shot back, as she leaned and tried to wring her hair out. The moat water was even worse than she¡¯d expected, and despite her best efforts, the water left behind a coating of slime that made her skin crawl. As soon as we get out here, I¡¯m tracking down a bath. ¡°We¡¯re not here to have fun,¡± the man muttered. Ignoring him, Ihra boosted herself into the tree and scampered up its sides. It quaked beneath her weight as she reached the middle of the makeshift ladder but didn''t break. Once she reached the wall in safety, she paused just below the ramparts and peeked over the edge, looking for any guards. A moving torch flickered on the far side of the courtyard, but none were close to her position. With cat-like agility, she flipped herself the edge and waved the others up. She kept watch as Asata and Erin climbed up, and then it was Mariltu¡¯s turn. Ihra held her breath as he reached the middle of the ladder. Each step was a struggle as it wobbled beneath the weight of the warrior who dwarfed them in size. As he neared the top, a loud crack broke the silence, and she threw herself forward in an attempt to grab his arm. Erin was faster though, and the man yelped in pain as the wood slithered up and around his waist in a makeshift belt. He bounced in the air for a moment, the wood holding only thanks to Erin¡¯s essence, and then Ihra managed to grab his hand. With a grunt of effort, she pulled him over the rampart with a bit too much momentum. As the two fell to the ground, their armor reverberated with a resounding clang, and the guard on the far side of the courtyard paused in his march. Although they could see him due to the torch he held, there was no light in their position, and Ihra could only pray that the guard couldn¡¯t see them. Seconds ticked by in slow agony as she waited to see if the guard would raise the alarm, but eventually, he turned away and continued on his previous path. Once the guard¡¯s back was to them, Mari?ltu clambered off of her with a hiss of pain. ¡°Thanks for the hand, lass. You too, boy,¡± he added, nodding at Erin, ¡°but, Selene¡¯s grace, did you have to crush my balls?¡± He asked, massaging his groin with a rueful look. ¡°Sorry,¡± the scout shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s save the thanks for later,¡± Ihra cut in. ¡°Where¡¯s this tunnel?¡± ¡°The same place as in Du?r-Silmu,¡± the captain grunted. ¡°Down in the dungeons.¡± Following the captain¡¯s lead, their progress was swift and certain. As he¡¯d predicted, the castle had been nearly emptied out as the soldiers searched for the escapees in the city, and, since he knew the guard¡¯s routines, it was easy enough to avoid the ones that remained. Within twenty minutes they worked their way down from the ramparts, into the castle, and to the entrance of the dungeon. That was where their luck ended. ¡°Any fancy plans this time,¡± Mari?ltu asked. ¡°You aren¡¯t hiding any other big secrets - a mage, an elf, the emperor himself?¡± ¡°Two of the three,¡± she responded with a small smile as she studied the room before them from their hiding spot. The castle¡¯s dungeon was guarded with a heavy barred door, as well as six guards who sat around a table a few feet away from it. Mari?ltu chuckled at her response, not taking her seriously, and she continued with a sigh. ¡°But no. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t see any way of sneaking past them, unless you can bewitch the table,¡± she asked, glancing over at Erin. She¡¯d noticed, though, that the scout¡¯s face was paler than usual, and he¡¯d confirmed her fears with a shake of his head. ¡°Pretty much out of essence,¡± he whispered back. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Mari?ltu and I will handle them. Asa?ta, stay in the back in case somebody needs healing.¡± ¡°Let me try to talk to them - wait,¡± the captain shot her double take. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding? She¡¯s also a mage-¡± ¡°A healer won¡¯t help us here,¡± Ihra interrupted him. ¡°Right,¡± he dismissed his shock with a shake of his head. ¡°Let me talk to them first, see if they¡¯ll still listen to their captain.¡± Without waiting for her to agree, Mari?ltu stepped out of the shadows and approached the guards. They were too focused on their game to notice the intruder until his shadow fell across the table. ¡°Captain Mari?ltu?!¡± Chairs thudded to the ground as the men jumped to their feet, reaching for their swords. ¡°Wait,¡± he lifted his hands to show he wasn¡¯t wielding his weapon. ¡°How many years have you served under me? You know I¡¯m not a traitor. Lord Sargani?l has fallen under the influence of a mind mage, and when I tried to free him, the mage turned him against me. Help me help him,¡± he pleaded. The guards hesitated, clearly reluctant to act, until a man near the back shoved the others aside and drew his sword. ¡°At least one of us knows his duty,¡± the man snarled as he darted toward Mari?ltu. Before the captain could even move, the guard¡¯s sword clanged to the ground as he clutched with both hands the arrow blooming from his neck. ¡°No one else needs to die,¡± Ihra said, as she stepped into the room, flanked by Asa?ta and Erin. Confronted by the captain¡¯s unexpected support, the guards¡¯ resistance crumbled. ¡°We¡¯ll let you into the dungeon,¡± the eldest replied, as he tossed his sword onto the ground. ¡°Just don¡¯t kill us.¡± Before entering the dungeon, Mari?ltu insisted on pausing to heal the man who''d attacked him. Then, once he''d been stabilized, they tossed the six guards into an empty cell and headed for the tunnel. Within twenty minutes they were outside the city walls, and as the team left Birnah behind, Ihra, despite her exhaustion, couldn''t help but exult. She''d done it - completed a job on her own, or at least mostly on her own. Maybe I''m worried for nothing. The Duel ¡°Ihra can take care of herself.¡± Footsteps thudded outside the tent as Tsia finished speaking and S?ams?a?dur burst through the flaps. ¡°There¡¯s another fire on the horizon. As big as the last.¡± All thoughts of self-pity were set aside as Jasper jolted to his feet. ¡°Another attack,¡± he started to ask, but he caught himself. ¡°But the mage is dead. Why would the Atrometos be attacking now?¡± The durgu¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think of that. It could be another trap from the assassins.¡± ¡°Or the mage could have given the orders before he was captured,¡± Tsia pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few hours since we captured him - he could have given the order this very morning.¡± She had a point, and Jasper nodded his head in acknowledgment. ¡°It could be either, then. I suppose¡­we need to stick with your men this time, just in case,¡± he added reluctantly. The idea of not rushing straight to the fire bothered him as, if it was an Atrometos attack, every minute that passed would likely lead to more deaths, but he wasn¡¯t willing to risk blindly stumbling into an ambush for a second time - once had been enough to learn that lesson. Fortunately, the durgu? were good at tearing down camp. In less than half an hour, they were on the road again, racing across the plains toward the pillar of smoke rising on the horizon. An hour later, they were within sight of the source, a small village set beside the banks of a sluggish river. Damn it - it was an Atrometos attack. It was hard not to feel guilty as they rode through the village¡¯s burning gate - the place was an inferno. Everywhere Jasper looked he saw nothing but fire and thick clouds of billowing smoke, yet something about the village seemed off. It took him a moment to identify the problem, but when he did, he knew they¡¯d been had. There are no bodies. No noise either - and the Atrometos aren¡¯t exactly quiet. ¡°It¡¯s a trap!¡± As he called out the warning, dozens of shadows emerged from the burnt-out homes and swarmed toward them, creatures of darkness and smoke, with eyes that glowed a deep amber, and limbs that ended in long, curling claws. Unbound by mortal form, they crossed the space between them in a flash. Screams filled the air as the shades tore through the durgu, unharmed by the axes the dwarves wielded, but Jasper had no time to worry about the soldiers as the bulk of the horde focused on the prince. Shooting Star. There was no need to aim the spell as a wave of shades descended upon them, and he quickly cast a second, doubling the number of fiery orbs that surged toward the specters. *pop* *boom* *crack* At least magic can hurt them. Grim satisfaction settled over Jasper as the orbs ripped through the shades. With each pop, a shadow was dispersed in writhing tendrils of murky smoke, and Tsia¡¯s spells only added to the devastation, as her wind blades sliced through their ranks like a scythe through the harvest. He cast Shooting Star again, further winnowing their ranks, before he realized something was wrong, as the tendrils of smoke pulled together and the shades reformed. Crap. Another spell dispersed them again, but his spirits sunk as the writhing tendrils remained. The magic seems to hurt them a little, but not enough to destroy them. Unless it¡¯s just a matter of outlasting them. ¡°Any ideas?¡± He screamed over the fray, throwing a hasty glance at Tsia and S?ams?a?dur. The girl shook her head grimly, a barrage of wind blades leaping from her hands as she kept the shades that had attacked the prince¡¯s men at bay, but the prince cocked his head. ¡°Might know what these are,¡± the man shouted back. ¡°Can you get me into one of those houses?¡± He jerked his head toward the burn-out husks of the village, where flames still smoldered amongst the charred timbers and piles of rubble, and Jasper nodded. ¡°Tsia, you protect the men, and I¡¯ll keep them off S?ams?a?dur.¡± With the prince glued to his side, Jasper fired off a pair of shooting stars and bolted through the temporarily cleared ranks of the shades toward the nearest of the fallen cottages. The building felt like an inferno as they approached, and Jasper cast a worried glance at the durgu, for while he was immune to the flames, the prince was not. ¡°You sure you can handle this?¡± S?ams?a?dur''s face resembled a waterfall, with fat beads of sweat hanging from every line and wrinkle, but he scowled at the question. ¡°Stop wasting time.¡± Pushing past Jasper, he stumbled through the still-burning door, holding his hand above his face in a futile attempt to filter out the clouds of smoke. Unfortunately, his fire resistance did nothing to blunt the suffocating effects of the smoke, and Jasper''s lungs and eyes were burning by the time he caught up with the prince, who was crouching on the floor, hacking at something with his axe. Oh god. His stomach turned as Jasper spied the objects of S?ams?a?dur''s attacks. A pair of bodies lay on the ground, but they hadn¡¯t died from the prince¡¯s axe or the flames and smoke. Instead, a grimmer fate had befallen them. Their hands and feet had been nailed to the floor and their body flayed. The bloody strips of skin had been arranged in a circle around them and encrusted with mounds of salt plus a black powder Jasper didn¡¯t recognize - a circle glowing with eldritch power. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Choking back the bile that filled his mouth, he quickly took his position between the prince and the entrance and waited for the shades to strike again. Like clockwork, the tendrils reformed and swarmed toward them. They ignored the door, passing through the burnt-out walls from every direction. With a curse, he fired off a row of Shooting Stars in one direction, while, drawing his glaive, it swept through the other side, praying that the icy runes would be magic enough to stop their advance. His prayers were answered as the wraiths dispersed again, with two of the writhing tendrils dissolving altogether. ¡°Is every single shade attached to a body,¡± he asked with growing horror. S?ams?a?dur''s grim look was answer enough.
Jasper¡¯s anger and revulsion only grew as they fought their way through the village. Every home had its own atrocity. Sometimes there were just two bodies, sometimes four or five, but no home had been spared the defilement of the flayed dead. With each cottage they cleared, the swarm of specters was diminished, allowing the group¡¯s progress to pick up, but the sickness roiling in the pit of his stomach just wouldn''t dissolve. The only saving grace, if there was one, was that Jasper had yet to see a child¡¯s body - though he found it hard to believe that anyone who could sink to these depths would truly draw the line at killing a child. But then where are they? Fearing another trap, he began to conserve his essence, relying on the glaive''s glyphs instead to keep the wraiths at bay - a decision he was glad for when he finally got his answer. A single cottage stood just beyond the burnt-out walls of the village, unscathed by the fire that had destroyed its kin. A dozen small faces were glued to its windows, their eyes wide and frightened, but Jasper¡¯s were focused on the all too familiar shadow standing guard in front of the cottage¡¯s door. This shadow was all flesh and blood, a giant of a man clad in pitch-black armor and holding an axe nearly as tall as himself. His eyes had been scooped out, his face twisted and tortured, yet there was a smile on his flayed lips as he stepped forward to greet them. ¡°You picked up another mage.¡± His tone sounded reproving, like a father scolding a child caught cheating, and he shook his finger. ¡°No matter. I knew there was a possibility the shades wouldn¡¯t end you. That¡¯s why I took precautions.¡± He paused a few feet away from them and planted the shaft of his axe firmly in the ground. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to hurt those children,¡± Jasper ground out. ¡°Of course not.¡± The man grinned unpleasantly. ¡°But my colleagues in the cottage, on the other hand,¡± he paused dramatically, ¡°have been given orders to kill the children unless you agree to my conditions. Now I know what you¡¯re thinking - ¡®we¡¯ll just rush him - there¡¯s no way he can fend us all off-¡¯ and you¡¯d be right,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I''m sure I can''t beat you all. But, I promise you, you won¡¯t reach them in time.¡± He gestured toward the window, where a black-robed man held a knife pressed against a child¡¯s throat. ¡°We don¡¯t bargain with terrorists.¡± The words slipped out almost automatically, but as Jasper saw the pale face at the cottage window again, he knew they were a lie. The assassin knew it too. ¡°Now, now,¡± he said with a sneer, ¡°You haven¡¯t heard my conditions yet.¡± Hefting up his axe, he pointed it straight at S?ams?a?dur. ¡°We all know why I¡¯m here. I won¡¯t waste your time by demanding you just hand him over, but I¡¯ll offer a compromise instead¡± ¡°Choose a champion to fight me. If you win, my men will let the children go, and if that¡¯s not enough, you should know that with me dead, it will be a while before our leaders can send reinforcements. You¡¯ll likely get a reprieve from your doom for a few months - what man wouldn¡¯t want that,¡± he added, keeping his eyes glued on S?ams?a?dur. ¡°And if you win? There¡¯s more than three hundred of us - even if one of us fails, that¡¯s no reason to hand over the prince,¡± Jasper pointed out. ¡°If I win, then there¡¯s one less annoying mage to deal with when you inevitably pile on,¡± the man replied with a shrug. ¡°Let¡¯s face it, the prince is a mind mage who¡¯s neutered himself, too afraid of his power to truly embrace it. Once I get rid of you and the girl, it¡¯s only a matter of time before we harvest him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what all the shades were for,¡± Jasper realized with a muttered curse. His voice rose angrily as he continued. ¡°You slaughtered an entire village just to drain our essence before the fight, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You can catch on quick,¡± the warrior mocked him. ¡°But then wanna-be heroes like you are easy to manipulate. All you have to do is walk away. Save your skin. Leave the children to their fate. But you won''t do that, will you,¡± he added with a cruel smile. ¡°Oh, the leather their skin will provide will be so soft.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Jasper and Tsia spoke over each other, and the man chuckled. ¡°Of course you will.¡± Ignoring the man''s taunts, Jasper shook his head at Tsia. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said firmly. ¡°But I have more essence-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he replied again, willing her to remember that he had something she did not, something that he did not wish to mention in front of the assassin. Sliding off Dappelgrim¡¯s back, he drew his glaive out of his bag and approached the bastard. ¡°But only on one condition, that your men come out of the cottage. Otherwise, you¡¯ll just have them kill the children while we¡¯re fighting to distract me, or something like that." The man¡¯s smile grew, his split lips forking to reveal a row of sharpened teeth. ¡°You got me,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°But fine, why not? You¡¯re going to lose anyway.¡± Placing his hand to his mouth, he emitted a piercing whistle. A few seconds passed before the door to the cottage opened, and seven black-garbed assassins filed out. ¡°Satisfied,¡± he asked. ¡°Not really,¡± Jasper replied. ¡°How do I know there aren¡¯t more of your men in there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my offer, take it or leave it,¡± the assassin replied bluntly. "You can''t expect me to give up all leverage." Jasper pursed his lips unhappily, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation, nodded his head. ¡°I guess that will have to do. But, Tsia? If anything happens¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them,¡± she promised. With the terms resolved, Jasper approached the man of Mut-La¡¯is with his glaive already. The man watched with an amused smile as he approached. ¡°How many spells you¡¯ve got, mage. Two, three, left in you?¡± he jibed. ¡°More than you¡¯d think,¡± he replied truthfully. Thanks to his earlier paranoia, while he was nowhere near full of essence, he wagered he had perhaps ten spells left in him. More importantly, though, he had an ace in his pocket. Taking a stand before the man, he lowered the glaive, pumping just a touch of essence into it to make the glyphs frost over. ¡°Any last words,¡± he asked. The man¡¯s sneer dropped away, replaced by a look of pure hatred. ¡°Ana Mut-La¡¯is!¡± he roared, springing forward with a sudden lurch designed to catch Jasper off guard. The axe thudded harmlessly into the ground as Jasper swayed to the side, and with a flick of his wrist, cast the spell he¡¯d been holding. ¡°Hand of Judgment.¡± T膿m膩nu *Eaurgh* Te?ma?nu thrust away from the railing with shaky hands and swiped at his mouth.His treacherous stomach gurgled unhappily as he stood up, but there was nothing left in it to expel.He staggered as the ship crested a particularly big wave and hit the railing with a crack as a torrent of icy water washed over the ship''s side.The wave crashed into the deck and, as the waters fled back to the angry sea, their tendrils dragged him toward the edge. With a yelp, he grabbed hold of the railing, but his fingers were numb from the icy wave and his grip weakened. Mere seconds away from washing into the sea, a warm hand wrapped around his arm, and yanked him back. Te?ma?nu coughed up water as the captain of the Horned Serpent slapped him on the back, shoving him toward the center of the ship.¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to head inside,¡± the man roared above the winds. Though his stomach rebelled at the thought of retreating to the ship¡¯s bowels, he was too tired, cold, and miserable to resist the captain¡¯s orders.He lurched toward the latch, swaying vicariously as the ship was tossed to and fro, and slid down the ladder that led into the hold. His teeth were chattering by the time he crawled into the swaying hammock and, wrapping a thick wool blanket around him, he closed his eyes and prayed for the storm to pass.
When he finally awoke, the ship was still.As he rolled out of the hammock, Te?ma?nu felt remarkably better, save for the gnawing pit of hunger that filled his belly. On his way to the deck, he snagged a piece of hard tack; in truth, the bread was nearly inedible, but it did help ease his stomach¡¯s complaints. The sailors ignored him as he climbed out of the hold, too occupied with repairing the damage to the ship that the storm had wrought, to care about what their resident diplomat was doing.Unperturbed, he wandered over to the railing, still gnawing at the hard tack, and gazed with relief at the blessed sight of land that stretched before him. The shore lacked the sandy beaches he was used to along Hapi?ya¡¯s northern shores.Instead, in most places, a dense evergreen forest continued right up to the edge of the water, the land rising in a short, 3-5 foot bluff, above the Api?yan Sea, although there were stretches of rocky, muddy flatlands that were the closest things to beaches he saw. In the distance, craggy peaks rose above the arboreal forest, their tips still coated in a layer of snow, even though spring had nearly turned into summer.Though there was no sign of human habitation yet, Te?ma?nu knew that, unless the storm had driven them far off course, they had to be finally close to Strythani. I hope this is worth it.His spirits sunk slightly as he questioned, for perhaps the hundredth time, if he had made the right decision when he accepted the emperor¡¯s offer to appoint him as the new diplomat to the Strythani. The truth was that Te?ma?nu knew his opportunities to advance back home were limited.While still technically nobles, the lands his family had once ruled over were in the province of T¨ºmtu, land that had been lost to the stoneflesh for well over a century by the time he¡¯d been born.And by that point, what little wealth his family had managed to bring with them when they fled had been drained dry.hey were still nobles but they were penniless ones, and in the Empire¡¯s current state, there were few opportunities for unlanded gentry to advance that didn¡¯t involve active combat.Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t a realistic option for him.Not with his withered arm. I made the only decision I could, he consoled himself.No matter how much he¡¯d have preferred to stay in the Empire, the position of an ambassador could bring him honor, wealth, and even an outside chance at arranging a decent marriage.He¡¯d just have to freeze his ass off in the north for a few years.
Despite his original optimism, it was another two days before they finally reached the port city of Ka?r-Apum.He waited impatiently on the deck as the sailors secured the ship, eager to return to the safety and stability of dry land, but the deck did offer him a decent view of the city. Ka?r-Apum, despite its imperial name, was nothing like the cities he was used to.Granted, there was a small district directly beside the docks that featured stone or wood houses built in the fashion he was familiar with, but those were the work of the many foreign traders whose ships filled the harbor.The rest of the city, however, was built in the Strythani fashion. Te?ma?nu had read, of course, of their unique style but had never seen them in person.Though still built of wood, the homes were sunk into the ground with three of their four sides and their roof covered by a layer of earth that protected them from the elements, and a sunken courtyard in the front of the house that sheltered their livestock in winter. Despite being a sizable city, the homes were widely spaced, with small pockets of forests dotting the landscape, where the giant crescent-fanged spiders - supposedly mortal descendants of Selene¡¯s spectral kin - were farmed for their silk.That, along with the furs their forest abounded with, was enough to make the northern kingdom extremely prosperous despite its harsh conditions. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Lord Te?ma?nu?¡±Now that they were back in civilization, or at least, sort of in civilization, the captain observed social niceties as he approached him.¡°Emissaries from the Council are here to greet you.¡± He followed the captain down the gangplank, where a dozen men stood waiting on the docks.Despite the stiff wind blowing of the sea, they wore nothing but the thinnest of linen garments.Their arms and legs were covered in thick, coarse hair, so thick that they could almost be mistaken for fur coats, though Te?ma?nu knew better. While the common folk might believe the stories of the Strythani¡¯s abilities to be little more than rumors, he knew from his studies that those stories were no mere exaggeration.While he doubted all of the Strythani could change, he suspected their leader, a giant of a man who towered two full heads above the others, might be blessed with the powers of old.Are they men who can turn into beasts or beasts who can turn into men? Discarding the idle thought, Te?ma?nu approached them briskly, doing his best to cradle his withered arm out of sight, and offered them a cordial nod.¡°My Lord, Emperor Eligon, sends his regards to the Council and your king.We have brought-¡± ¡°Does your king seek to give offense,¡± the giant interrupted him. ¡°Pardon?¡±To his credit, Te?ma?nu managed to keep his voice bland as the man pointed at his arm with an obvious sneer. ¡°Does your king seek to give offense by sending us a cripple, an unwanted cast-off from his throne?¡± Irritation flared in the pit of his stomach, but Te?ma?nu had been prepared for this.Eligon had warned him before they departed that the Strythani valued strength, and he¡¯d likely be forced to prove himself.Fortunately, while his arm may not have been fit to wield a sword, that didn¡¯t mean he was helpless. His left hand rose and his lips moved as he called on Va?ya.The wind¡¯s howl increased as a massive gust of wind buffeted the group, with enough strength that many of the men were forced to step back.But the leader remained unmoved.¡°Is that all you got?A little wind?¡±The man demanded. ¡°I could start removing limbs if you like.Give you one arm like me,¡± he said wryly.He held his breath as he finished, praying he hadn¡¯t pushed the man too far, but the leader only chuckled. ¡°Aye, you¡¯ll do.Arm or no arm, you¡¯re much better than that tub of lard they sent the last time.I¡¯m Dab?l, head of the Das?p? clan, and I bid you welcome to Ka?r-Apu.¡± ¡°Come with me,¡± the man turned to head back toward the shore, and waved for Te?ma?nu, ¡°we¡¯ll get you settled into your quarters and tonight, you¡¯ve been invited to join King H?ah?h?u?ru and the Council, if you¡¯d like.I reckon you got caught in the storm a few days back, so if you¡¯d prefer to rest a day or two, the Council won¡¯t be offended.¡± ¡°Just the council?¡±Te?ma?nu asked, and Dab?l chuckled again. ¡°Caught that, did you?I assure you, you won¡¯t be committing any grave sin if you sit out the feast tonight, but King H?ah?h?u?ru is a bit on edge these days.After the unpleasantness with our former queen and the rumors going about awakening gods, he¡¯s eager to prove himself.¡± ¡°Awakening gods,¡± Te?ma?nu questioned with false innocence. ¡°You know, the First Man, err, the Ilrab?, I think you¡¯ll call him.¡± The rumors had been well-documented in the dossier the emperor had given him, but even Eligon hadn¡¯t been sure if there was any truth to them.¡°I didn¡¯t realize the Ilrab? was a real man,¡± Te?ma?nu lied. ¡°Oh, he was real,¡± Dab?l replied confidently.¡°If you want, I¡¯m sure I can arrange for you to visit some ruins ascribed to the man himself.It¡¯s the nature of his death and, if the rumors are to be believed, his return, that¡¯s a bit murky, not his existence.You can understand why H?ah?h?u?ru is a bit nervous - after all, if the Ilrab? shows up, who¡¯s going to follow a king over a god?¡± Dab?l paused near the end of the foreign quarter, beside a weathered stone house.¡°H?ah?h?u?ru had this house set aside for you; figured you¡¯d prefer the sort of house you¡¯re used to, but you¡¯re also welcome to use the old ambassador¡¯s hall if you¡¯d like.¡± Te?ma?nu wondered if the offer was a test, and stalled for time.¡°Is the ambassador¡¯s hall closer to the Council¡¯s Chambers?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Dab?l confirmed.¡°But it¡¯s built in the style of our homes, set into the earth.I know a lot of your folks can¡¯t stand the lack of windows.¡± He hesitated a moment longer, torn between the desire for a home above ground and the desire to make a good impression on his new hosts.If I¡¯m going to be stuck here for several years, it¡¯s best they like me, he finally decided.¡°I¡¯ll take the ambassador¡¯s hall,¡± he told Dab?l. The man brightened at his words, although a second later, a touch of worry flooded his eyes.¡°Aye, we¡¯ll be more than happy to put you up there.For tonight, though, perhaps it¡¯s best you stay here.It¡¯s been a few years since the last ambassador visited, and I don''t think the hall was prepared.We¡¯d thought you¡¯d prefer here,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°Anywhere will be fine,¡± he replied quickly, and Dab?l nodded.¡°I¡¯ll leave you here then, and send someone to bring you to the Council around seven.You can represent your gifts to the king and whatever messages your Emperor brought at the feast.¡± With a final wave, Dab?l and his men departed, leaving Te?ma?nu to examine his temporary lodgings on his own.While the house looked old and weatherbeaten on the outside, the interior was far more luxurious than he¡¯d expected.Thick fur rugs covered the hardwood floors, and the bedding and curtains were made of fine-spun silk nicer than his own back home.I hope I can bring these with me to the ambassador¡¯s hall, he thought wistfully, beginning to regret his decision to leave the home their king had offered him for the sunken chambers of the ambassador¡¯s hall. A knock came at the door, and he retreated down the steps to find his manservant waiting patiently, a large chest cradled in his arms while, behind him, a handful of sailors approached with the rest of his gear.¡°Just leave it in the entry,¡± Te?ma?nu commanded, ¡°we¡¯ll be moving soon.¡± He waited until the crates had been piled up and dug through them, pulling out the gifts Eligon had sent for the King and Council, and setting aside a new set of clothes for the feast.This was the right decision, he told himself, yet again. A Grisly Fate ¡°Missed!¡± The assassin laughed as the spell shot past him, blissfully unaware of the shimmering crack that had manifested where it landed. With a quick half-step, the man of Mut-La¡¯is closed the gap between them, and with a quick upward sweep, hooked the curved edge of his axe around the shaft of Jasper¡¯s glaive. Then he pulled. Jasper hissed in pain as the glaive was ripped from his hands, bouncing along the grass until its blade got stuck in the mud. The assassin paused with a mocking smile on his face. ¡°Come on - is that all you got? One spell?¡± The crackling behind him intensified, and the man finally glanced behind him. His eyes widened slightly as he saw the large, clawed hands grasping the sides of the quickly widening tear, before morphing into an expression of pure delight. ¡°Maybe this fight won¡¯t be a total waste of time,¡± he crowed. Ignoring the emerging Ophan, he turned his focus back to Jasper and positively blurred forward. Jasper had no chance of evasion against such preternatural speed, but, fortunately for him, the assassin was in the mood to play. It was the shaft of the axe, rather than its wickedly sharp blade, that hit him in the chest with enough force to send him flying through the ranks of the durgu like a bowling pin through pins. The durgu scattered in all directions as the man charged forward, swinging his axe in an almost lazy circle as he closed in on the stunned Jasper. ¡°I wonder, if I kill you, does that thing go away, or will I still have to fight it.¡± The man mused as he stood over Jasper. ¡°You know, I hope it sticks around.¡± He raised his axe to deliver the finishing blow but it fell wildly askew as the Ophan, having torn its way free from the portal, finally entered the fray. The man cursed as its claws raked against his side, scoring a row of ugly gashes in his armor, but he held onto his axe, and spinning around, hammered it into the creature¡¯s chest. The head dug into the Ophan¡¯s scorched flesh, sinking deeper than Jasper had expected as a thin trickle of blood ran down the gilded blade, but the Ophan seemed unfazed. With another angry growl, it backhanded the assassin, staggering him, and followed up with a swift swipe across his chest that tore more weeping wounds. The man of Mut-La¡¯is recovered quickly, blocking the next blow, and then it was his turn to score a hit, carving a chunk out of the Ophan¡¯s hip with a particularly fast strike of his axe. But Jasper wasn¡¯t out of spells yet. Scrambling to his feet, he quickly cast Circle of Forgiveness, sealing his and the Ophan¡¯s wounds, and followed up with a second. Purge. With a growl, the man of Mut-La¡¯is tore his attention away from the Ophan and, tanking another blow of the creature¡¯s razor-sharp claws, turned his attention back to Jasper. ¡°A sore throat ain¡¯t going to kill me, kid,¡± he roared, but from the sudden, harsh rasp of his voice, Jasper knew it was a little more than sore. Strong enough to hurt him, but not enough to kill him, he concluded. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t been counting on that spell to be the one to do the man in. As the assassin closed in, he cast the second spell he¡¯d been holding. Scourge of Despair. The man saw the spectral whip manifest in his hand a step before he reached Jasper. As agile as he was strong, it took him less than a heartbeat to redirect his step but it still wasn¡¯t fast enough to take him out of the reach of the ghostly scourge. In an instant, it flickered forward, raking across the many small wounds the Ophan had inflicted, and as the scourge drank in the blood, the wails of the hungry ghosts echoed through the burnt out village. They swarmed like flies on rotten meat, only to be driven back as the man of Mut-La¡¯is conjured the same eldritch wave of fire he¡¯d used against Samsadur. As the ghosts scattered before the green flames, his own wounds sealed up, and he catapulted himself back toward Jasper. Spectral Wings. As Jasper soared into the air, he saw the situation had devolved into a melee. Tsia was backed up against the cottage door, lightning leaping from her hands as she fended off the rest of the assassin¡¯s men, while the durgu had formed a defensive line around the prince, sealing him off from attacks. His moment of inattention cost him though, as a throwing knife hammered in the ribs, knocking his course astray. But the Ophan cut the man off, and tanking a blow straight to its face for its efforts, grabbed hold of the axe shaft with an iron grip. The two struggled for control of the weapon, a struggle cut short as the howling ghosts regrouped and swarmed the assassin again. Abandoning his weapon, he darted to the left, and twisting to his side released a second pulse of eldritch fire that burned through the pursuing specters. This time the flames stuck, and their howls slowly guttered out as the fire reduced them to dripping piles of goo. Massartu. Pain shot through Jasper¡¯s temple as he summoned his second guardian, and he knew he only had another two or three spells left in him. The Ophan was keeping the man busy, at least, but had failed to inflict any serious damage, and the ghosts had been a bitter disappointment. How do I end this? Metal glinted on the ground behind the man, who was currently weaving between a flurry of blows from the Ophan, and Jasper recognized his glaive. At least it doesn¡¯t use essence. Rising into the air, he circled round to the left and swooped low above the grass. His hands snagged the glaive and, keeping low to the ground, he cast one of his final spells. Flame Charge. An involuntary spasm wracked his face as his essence drained to nearly nothing, but the spell took hold nonetheless. Shadowy, white flames exploded from his hands and rapidly spread across his entire body as he accelerated toward the assassin from behind. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Hold him,¡± he ordered the Ophan, and the creature obeyed without hesitation. Rather than defending itself from the assassin''s blow, the Ophan grabbed shoulders and held on even as it''s stomach was split open. ¡°You¡¯re giving up?¡± the man of Mut-La''is? roared in amusement. ¡°I thought-¡± His words cut off with a gasp as a burning glaive punched through his back and out the other side. ¡°I thought¡­¡± his words slurred as he gazed down in confusion at the white flames that rapidly spread across his body, instantly incinerating the blood that gushed from his wound. For a second, Jasper thought he had won. Then the man roared. ¡°Anaddin balata ana Mut-La¡¯is!¡± The glaive was ripped from his hands a second time as a circle of eldritch fire erupted from the man¡¯s abdomen, tossing not just Jasper, but even the Ophan, a dozen feet away from the man. The white and green flames fought for space on his body as the man staggered toward Jasper, his axe dragging in the grass beside him. ¡°Anaddin balata ana Mut-La¡¯is!¡± he roared again, inciting another burst of flames that sealed the wound around Jasper¡¯s glaive and banished the last of the white flames. ¡°Anaddin ba-¡± A searing bolt of blue light struck the assassin dead in the chest as the mas?s?artu took a protective position over him. Taking advantage of the cover, Jasper crawled from beneath its legs and readied one final spell. Seraph Burst. The spectral wings were superseded by the spell¡¯s metallic monstrosity as he surged forward. The white flames of Flame Charge trailed behind him like some sort of shooting star as he closed the gap between them and collided with the man of Mut-La¡¯is. His bones crunched beneath the force of impact, but it was finally to stagger the man. Ripped off his feet by the iron wings, they twisted rapidly before being thrown back into the ground, and there, for once, luck was on Jasper¡¯s side. As the assassin landed on his back, the shaft of the glaive was thrust through his rib cage while somehow missing Jasper altogether. The man¡¯s flames guttered out, his eyes wide and milky, but Jasper took no chances. Pinning his arms to the ground with his knees, Jasper ripped the man¡¯s mouth open and, with what little essence he had left, breathed flames down his throat. His thrashing tossed Jasper aside, but no sooner had he fallen off, than the Ophan moved in and, with the assassin no longer able to deflect the creatures below, the Ophan¡¯s claws shattered his rib cage and wrapped around his heart. The creature paused then, looking to Jasper for permission to eat, and he hesitated only a moment. This bastard came back from a beheading last time, he reminded himself, before nodding grimly at the Ophan in approval. ¡°Eat him all,¡± he commanded, though he turned away as the Ophan ripped the heart out with relish and began consuming its offering. He struggled to his feet grunting in pain as the blinding headache of essence deprivation fought a fierce battle with the half dozen breaks in his arm for dominance, but he didn¡¯t dare cast Circle of Forgiveness. Instead, he fished a potion out of his bag and sucked down the sickly sweet liquid with a grimace, grunting as he felt a few of the bones pop back up into place. It wasn¡¯t enough to fully heal him but, unable to find another potion in his bag, he was forced to endure. Leaving the Ophan to its meal, he surveyed the battlefield anxiously, looking for Tsia. ¡°Tsia?¡± He spotted a moment later, slouched against the wall of the cottage. She sat in a pool of blood, her armor torn to shreds, but S?ams?a?dur crouched over her, holding a potion of his own to her lips. He limped in their direction as quickly as his battered limbs would take him. ¡°Is she- is she okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Tossing the empty bottle aside, Samsadur arose with a sigh. ¡°We intervened as soon as I saw she had run out of essence, but I didn¡¯t get here quite in time. Nothing that won¡¯t heal though.¡± He cast a critical eye over Jasper and swiftly produced another potion. ¡°You forget how to use one of these,¡± he asked wryly. Jasper accepted it with a muttered thanks and forced himself to chug it before replying. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve gotten a little too reliant on my spells,¡± he admitted. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been so essence-deprived that I couldn¡¯t just heal myself.¡± ¡°Spells are good, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with having backup,¡± the prince replied. ¡°Yeah, back-up¡­¡± Jasper¡¯s mood soured as he looked up at the prince. ¡°Could have used some backup in that fight.¡± The durgu winced, pulling at the edge of his collar awkwardly. ¡°Sorry about that - my men were a little too zealous in my protection. By the time I broke free, the fight was over.¡± It was a lame excuse, but Jasper was too exhausted to pick a fight, so he let it pass. Dropping down beside Tsia, he double-checked her pulse, just to soothe his mind, and found it was steady as the durgu had said. She must be passed out from essence deprivation, he decided, remembering the same thing had occurred the only other time she¡¯d suffered it. At least this time, there¡¯s no evil cult waiting to kidnap her. Probably. Satisfied that she''d be fine, he propped himself against the cottage wall and, closing his eyes, waited for the headache from essence deprivation to go away, until he suddenly recalled the reason he''d agreed to the fight in the first place. The children. It felt like an anvil hit his head as he leapt to his feet, but he ignored it and pushed his way through the gathered durgu until he found S?ams?a?dur. "Where are the children? Are they okay?" ¡°They''re fine,¡± the durgu reassured him. ¡°Tsia kept safe until I got there, and we''re taking care of them now." He gestured to a few of his men who were lighting a fire beneath an old copper cauldron. "I told them to make some soup for the kids. No idea what we¡¯re going to do with them in the long run, though.¡± ¡°We''ll have to take them to Deb?ur,¡± Jasper sighed, dreading the thought of returning to the small town they¡¯d left so unceremoniously. ¡°It¡¯s the only safe place around.¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± S?ams?a?dur countered. ¡°With the mind mage dead and the assassins scattered, the villages should be safe for the moment. Let me talk to the children and see if they have relatives in any of the nearby settlements.¡± ¡°I doubt they¡¯re going to want to talk,¡± Jasper replied, but the prince just shrugged. ¡°They won¡¯t need to - that¡¯s what I¡¯m good at, remember,¡± he said, tapping his forehead with a finger. A Dark Night of the Soul Sleep did not come for Jasper that night. Whenever he dared close his eyes, the images of the villagers¡¯ tortured and flayed bodies marched in front of him in a macabre parade, while their wailing children lined their streets, their faces twisted in agony and accusation. In theory, Jasper knew that the villagers¡¯ fates weren¡¯t his fault. It was the reckless cruelty of the men of Mut-La¡¯is?, cruelty that put to shame even that of the Brotherhood of Yas?gah, that was to blame, but Jasper couldn¡¯t entirely write off the feeling of guilt that haunted him. It had been his decision, after all, to travel with the rest of the durgu, despite knowing that the village was under attack. If he had simply cast Spectral Wings, he could have reached them sooner and maybe even arrived in time to save a few of them. Of course, if he had done so, he would have also delivered himself directly into the assassins¡¯ trap; perhaps the only thing he would have accomplished is that he and Tsia would have joined the horde of shades waiting for S?ams?a?dur''s arrival. If anything, the situation proved that he was right to be cautious but, unfortunately, feelings weren''t obligated to be rational. He tossed and turned on his bed, sweating despite the cool of the night as the images of the sacrificed villagers and the cries of their wailing children filled his mind. After several hours of fruitless attempts to fall asleep, he gave up. Rising, Jasper put his armor on before exiting the tent. The durgu had set up camp just outside the village, with the children sleeping safely in the one undamaged cottage, while the durgu?¡¯s tents were arrayed in a protective shield around them. All was silent in the camp, with everyone else apparently able to sleep save for himself and the handful of guards they''d posted at the edge of camp. Slipping past them with a nod, he wandered into the countryside, heading for the lazy river that snaked through the nearly ripe wheat fields that surrounded the village. Ignoring the well-traveled paths, Jasper waded into the fields of thigh-high wheat until he reached the banks of the river. There weren¡¯t many large trees on the open western plains, but as often happens, the rich alluvial soil and copious amounts of water created a microclimate around the river, allowing for a small, but dense, patch of forest around its banks. Pushing his way through the underbrush, he found a spot beneath a willow and plopped down. Then, he pulled his boots off and dipped his feet into the river, sighing as the cool, sluggish waters wiped away the dirt and heat of the day. Leaning back against the tree, he gazed up at the sky, where a thousand stars blazed with light, the grand celestial court gathered around its eternal queen, Lady Selene. The moon was mesmerizing, its pale face larger and brighter than it should be, and he found himself transfixed. Even after meeting Kas?dael, religious faith did not come easily to Jasper. Decades of doubt could not be overturned so quickly - plus, they weren¡¯t exactly his gods, after all. No matter how quickly he¡¯d adjusted to living in Corsythia, he still didn¡¯t think of it as home - he still hadn¡¯t abandoned the idea of someday returning to earth. Yet, as he gazed up at the celestial queen, he found himself understanding why they worshiped her. The words sprang to his lips unbidden, half-spoken muttered to himself, and half aimed at Lady Selene. ¡°Did I do the wrong thing? I just wanted to fulfill Kas?dael¡¯s quest¡­to protect S?ams?a?dur from those assassins¡­and to run off by myself like an idiot. But how many died because I held back?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± He trailed off, words failing him as he stared mutely at the river. The moon shone brightly in the sluggish waters, its face so large that the reflection seemed to stretch from one riverbank to the other. He watched it without really seeing, his mind so lost in thought he did not notice as the bright visage of the moon slowly morphed into a luminous face. Starlight gleamed in the sapphire eyes that opened, worlds and galaxies trapped in her lustrous orbs, and the water rippled and darkened around her face until it resembled the writhing locks of her jet-black hair. ¡°SLEEP.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t stir as she spoke, but her word, though spoken at a whisper, was born aloft by the wind. The reeds swayed, the boughs shook as her command washed over him, and he slumped against the tree in a dreamless sleep.
With a start, Jasper opened his eyes and stared up at the endless, starless sky. The bitter, almost hungry, cold of the void pressed down on him, and he rubbed his arms absently to generate warmth, although the cold no longer bothered him as it once had. Rising to his feet, he glanced around in confusion at his surroundings. How did I get here without meditating? And where in the void am I? Ever since the first time he¡¯d reached Kas?dael¡¯s temple, S?uhruru, he¡¯d woken up there whenever he¡¯d meditated, but that wasn¡¯t where he found himself now. Of course, I didn¡¯t meditate either, he realized. Instead, he seemed to have spawned in an abandoned courtyard beneath the boughs of a long withered tree. A sea of dead leaves lay around it, so old that they disintegrated into dust as he trod on them, spinning around as he searched the courtyard for an exit. High walls surrounded him, covered in thick white plaster that had crumbled away in many places to reveal the solid stone and topped with a row of sharp iron spikes that, despite their age, had somehow failed to crumble into rust. There was no exit, however, save for the single door that led into the adjoining home, and he hesitated a moment, unsure if he wished to go in. After all, with Spectral Wings, the walls were no true obstacle. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. After a second, curiosity won out and he headed for the door. The bronze handle was frozen with age, and it took a few solid kicks before the door begrudgingly swung open, revealing the inside. Thick layers of dust caked everything in the home, so long abandoned that not even spiders still made their home within its walls. Enough of the furnishings though remained untouched, the wood turned to stone with the passage of time, for him to tell that the manor had once been a place of great wealth, though the odd shapes and dimensions of the furnishings suggested to him that the owners had not been humans, nor any other similarly sized humanoids. He scouted through the downstairs quickly, finding nothing of note save for a few scrolls which crumbled beneath his fingers and decided to pass on heading up the stairs, not trusting the ancient wooden slats to hold his weight. Besides, he had no desire to tarry in the void any longer than necessary. He was forced to kick down the front door too, and found himself on a wide avenue in the abandoned city of Al-da?ru. High above him, across that cursed bridge, he spied Kas?dael¡¯s temple. It stood out against the darkness of the void like a beacon, aglow with the soft light of a thousand candles, but, unfortunately, he was in the lower depths of the side. Breaking into a jog, he headed for the bridge, hoping he would not be forced to endure the specters a second time. The last time he¡¯d visited her, he¡¯d noticed a few changes in the city - spots of light that suggested that some habitation had been restored - and this time he saw them too. On the eastern flank of the city, a small circle of lights pushed back the darkness, though he couldn¡¯t tell if there were any living souls there. He was tempted to detour, but decided against it, unsure what dangers the dead city might hold once one ventured off the main thoroughfares. After an hour¡¯s jog, he reached the base of the bridge, finding it just as he recalled - a flimsy bit of rope and plank that stretched hundreds of feet across a chasm so deep that its depths were permanently hidden from view. Twin statues guarded its approach, grotesque dogs with four eyes, bared teeth, and an unnaturally long tongue whose gaze seemed somehow threatening, despite the fact that their eyes were made from cold, dead stone. He ignored the impulse to flee, and took a tentative step onto the bridge, praying he wouldn¡¯t hear the voices again. Silence greeted him, and he stepped fully onto the bridge, pausing again in expectation. When nothing happened, he began to inch his way forward, trying hard to keep from looking into the yawning chasm below. He wasn¡¯t afraid of heights, or so he told himself, but when the only thing standing between him and a five-mile plunge was a bit of rope as old as Atlantis, it was hard not to feel a little apprehensive. And while it was true that he had Spectral Wings, given the magical nature of the chasm, he wasn¡¯t certain if they would actually function. His progress slowed as he reached the midpoint of the bridge, and a cold wind began to blow. The ropes squeaked as the bridge swayed back and forth above the chasm, and that was when the voices started. ¡°You killed us.¡± Jasper didn¡¯t turn to look at the voice, didn¡¯t do anything but glue his eyes to the single, narrow plank that formed the bottom of the bridge as he took another step forward. ¡°You were too afraid to save us.¡± The bridge was bobbing in the wind now like a ship caught in a storm, but Jasper didn¡¯t care. Picking up the pace, he stormed over the rickety old planks, pursued by the voices screaming in his ear. ¡°Coward.¡± ¡°Weak.¡± ¡°Shameful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your fault.¡± The ropes burned his hands as he fled, too afraid of the swaying wind to lift them, but the voices would not relent. ¡°Enough.¡± A different voice spoke above the rest, a gruff, deep growl that stilled the others. ¡°Stop and look at me.¡± Jasper¡¯s legs failed him, his body stilling at the speaker¡¯s command, and dread filled his heart as he slowly turned to face him. But what he saw was not what he¡¯d expected. Instead of the flayed body of the villager, a middle-aged man waited a dozen feet away from the bridge, comfortably standing on absolutely nothing. He wore¡­normal clothes, earthly clothes, Jasper realized with a start, though he was far from a pillar of fashion. The man wore a simple pair of jeans, a slightly rumpled white oxford, and a mid-length tan overcoat. His face was that of a middle-aged man blessed with good genes but prone to vice; deep set lines and a leathery face clashed with the pearly white of his teeth and a full set of rambunctious brown hair. ¡°Running again?¡± Scorn dripped off the man¡¯s tongue as he shook his head. ¡°I was beginning to think you might rise above your weakness, but perhaps I was right all along.¡± The man lapsed into silence, seemingly waiting for Jasper¡¯s reply, but he was slow to speak. There was something familiar about the man, but he struggled to put a finger on it, and the man snorted. ¡°Whatever did she see in you? This is a waste of time.¡± ¡°A waste of time?¡± Fire surged in Jasper¡¯s belly as the man¡¯s identity finally clicked. ¡°What would you know about that? You never spared me a moment of time in the first place.¡± ¡°And why would I? Even now, with the aid of not one, but two, goddesses, you are weak,¡± the man snarled. ¡°Now turn and face your demons - face them and destroy them - or Nergal help me, I shall sever this bridge.¡± Lies ¡°You overstep.¡± They both looked up as a cold, decidedly feminine voice joined the fray in time to see Kas?dael appear on the cliff overlooking the narrow rope bridge.. The chasm¡¯s roaring wind tore at her dress, whipping it to and fro, but she paid it no mind as she focused on the floating man. ¡°He is mine. This place is mine. And you are not welcome here.¡± There was a menace in her tone Jasper hadn¡¯t heard before, and the man, much to his surprise, quickly bowed his head. ¡°I meant no disrespect, Lady-¡± He paused, waiting for her to give him her name, but she didn¡¯t, so after an awkward silence, he continued. ¡°I came here, despite my own desires, to aid him. You see how weak he is - the ghosts that haunt him. He can barely cross this bridge of judgment-¡± ¡°And yet he has already done so once before,¡± Kas?dael interrupted him, her face still wreathed with cold fury. ¡°Could you survive this crossing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve faced my demons,¡± he replied curtly, and the goddess barked with mirthless laughter. ¡°Have you now?¡± Her right hand rose and twisted in an idle circle, so slowly Jasper didn¡¯t realize immediately that she was casting a spell. But then the cold winds that had been buffeting the bridge fell completely silent, coupled with a chill so extreme that rivers of frost began to wind their way across Jasper¡¯s body. Jasper couldn¡¯t see or hear whatever Kas?dael had summoned to haunt the man, but his face paled and his jaw clenched tight as he stared it down. After several long minutes, he turned his head to the side in defeat. ¡°Enough,¡± he rasped out. ¡°You¡¯ve made your point.¡± ¡°You do not get to tell me when it is enough,¡± Kas?dael replied, ¡°But for his sake, I will let you live. I will not be so gracious a second time.¡± ¡°My thanks, lady goddess,¡± he replied through gritted teeth. She ignored him and, with a flick of her wrist, summoned a torrent of wind from the bowels of the chasm that carried him off, vanishing him into the darkness. Relieved, Jasper quickly turned and headed toward the end of the bridge, but he made it only one step before the wind brushed against him again. ¡°It¡¯s your fault,¡± it whispered in his ear. ¡°Jasper, stop.¡± His foot paused as Kas?dael called down to him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your father was right about one thing - you cannot run from your doubts forever,¡± she continued. ¡°Turn and face them before joining me.¡± Though a touch of betrayal flickered in his heart when he realized she agreed with his father, Jasper bowed his head respectfully. She¡¯d given him no reason to doubt her, so if she thought it was necessary¡­ Clenching his teeth, he slowly turned to face the voices haunting him. A man and a woman, dressed in the coarse tunics of a farmer, floated in the air a few dozen feet from their bridge. A pair of children peeked shyly from behind their legs, their eyes wide and dripping with tears. He didn¡¯t recognize the farmers - indeed, he doubted any could recognize them, as their face was flayed and their eyes scooped out, leaving nothing behind but a pulsing, meaty mass of muscles and tendons. ¡°You should have come as soon as you saw the smoke,¡± the faceless man spoke. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t waited-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened to you, I really am, but I¡¯d do it again.¡± The anger and guilt broiling in Jasper¡¯s gut melted away as he spoke those words. Yeah, what happened to the villagers had sucked and he wished he¡¯d been there to prevent it. But while Jasper made an effort to help others when he could, his first responsibility was to his team and friends, and getting himself killed by diving head-first into an ambush would have been an abrogation of that cause. He straightened up as he stared at the flayed ghost, offering it a sad smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save you, but I did avenge you. That will have to do.¡± As the whispers ceased, he turned on his heel and crossed the final stretch of the bridge, walking rather than running. Kas?dael extended her hand to him as he crossed the threshold of the bridge, and he accepted it, enjoying the warmth of her palm as she pulled him onto the other side. ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± ¡°I guess. I didn¡¯t want to admit that I¡¯d do the same thing, even if I knew what was going to happen, you know? I mean, it seems so callous but¡­¡± ¡°Your life has value too,¡± she reminded him. ¡°I know,¡± he said, flashing her a small smile. ¡°And thanks for having my back. Speaking of - what the hell happened back there? How did he even get here? And-?¡± He stopped speaking as Kas?dael placed her finger on his lips. ¡°There will be time for all those questions and more, but come, let us speak inside.¡± She cast a dark look at the yawning chasm behind them. ¡°The spirits of the chasm have heeded my command for the time, but they chafe under our presence.¡± Jasper followed her through the winding garden path that led to the entrance of Suhruru. As always, the ancient lived up to its name as a solemn, almost physical silence hung over it but the changes he¡¯d noted in the city were also spreading here. New life bloomed in the withered garden beds, small snippets of colors that popped against the otherwise dead underbrush. None of the plants were ones he recognized though, save for a handful of small saplings that resembled a palm - though how the warm weather plant could possibly survive in the void was a mystery. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But Kas?dael didn¡¯t tarry in the gardens; sweeping past the budding plants, she led him through the monolithic gates of the temple and into the grand basilica. The hall was awash with the warm light of a thousand candles, and even the bitter cold of the void seemed to retreat a bit in their presence. Her golden statue, which stood at the center of the domed hall, seemed larger than before, and at its base sat a throne that had not been there before. Taking her seat beneath the idol, the goddess raised a smaller chair beside her and gestured for him to sit. ¡°So tell me, Jasper, did you finally decide to stop ignoring me?¡± ¡°I, uh,¡± Jasper¡¯s blush was hidden by his ruddy skin, but it couldn¡¯t hide the awkwardness in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m actually not sure how I got here,¡± he admitted. Her eyes tightened with annoyance. ¡°So you admit you¡¯re ignoring me?¡± ¡°No!¡± he protested. ¡°I¡¯m not ignoring you, just, you know, the other stuff¡­¡± He didn¡¯t need to mention the unpleasant means by which he departed the void. She sighed but didn¡¯t scold him further. ¡°Yes, I know. And if you¡¯re wondering how you got here, I suspect my sister had a hand in that. I may have vented to her about it a few days ago.¡± Unsure how to respond to the news that the goddess had been complaining about him to other deities, Jasper decided to change the subject. ¡°And my father - how did he get here?¡± Kas?dael¡¯s mood lightened at the question. ¡°Ah yes, your father¡¯s appearance was quite fortunate.¡± ¡°Fortunate?¡± Jasper scoffed. ¡°He threatened to kill me!¡± ¡°A threat to motivate you, I assume. He¡¯s certainly not powerful enough to destroy that bridge, no matter how flimsy it may look, and I¡¯d wager he knows that. But his presence here, brief as it was, allowed me to tear much from his mind.¡± ¡°You mean,¡± Jasper¡¯s head jerked up, hope gleaming in his eyes, and Kasdael raised a hand to forestall him. ¡°I cannot answer all your questions - his mental defenses were impressive and he wasn¡¯t here long enough to breach all of them,¡± she explained, ¡°but I did learn a great deal about him.¡± ¡°Did you learn why he hates me,¡± Jasper asked wryly. He half-expected her to deny the accusation, but Kas?dael side-stepped it instead. ¡°Perhaps we should start with what he is.¡± Jasper¡¯s brow scrunched together as he tried to remember the name of his father¡¯s race. ¡°Su¡­kallu, right? I think you said the word usually refers to a noble or courtier.¡± ¡°Yes, Sukkallu,¡± she agreed. ¡°And with what I saw, the name makes sense now. Tell me, Jasper, what do you know of the hierarchy of the gods.¡± He frowned, wishing she¡¯d just tell him the answer, but thought through it. ¡°Well, it seems like there¡¯s different levels of them. There are major ones like you and Selene, smaller ones like Lady Hurbas?a, but there¡¯s also groups like the Mwyranni or the Spectral Spider and I¡¯m not really sure how they fit into the picture.¡± ¡°That¡¯s mostly right,¡± Kas?dael replied. ¡°While there are technically four tiers of divinity, usually only three are talked about. At the top are my sisters and brothers - Selene, S?ams?a, Tsia?hu, Ummadamah, myself, and a handful of others. Below them are the second tier, deities like Ayallu and, as you mentioned, Hurbasa. The third tier is the largest and the weakest of them all. The spark of the divine still lingers in them - immortality and the shreds of creative power - but they are barely above a demigod in strength. Usually, they are either our children or our servants,¡± she added. ¡°A servant - like a courtier,¡± Jasper made the connection. ¡°Yes, I believe your father¡¯s race must have once been something quite similar to our own Mwyranni, servants and warriors for the gods of Arallu?.¡± ¡°Must have been?¡± he questioned, picking up on her use of past tense. ¡°Did something change?¡± ¡°There was something¡­diminished about him,¡± she replied slowly. ¡°I believe the sukkallu were once divine but are no longer.¡± ¡°That can happen?¡± She nodded. ¡°Usually, the servants die before the masters, but something like this can occur if a god should die before their courtiers. I know little of the gods of Arallu? and Adammu?, but I know of the war that ravaged their realms and how many of them perished in it. I suspect that the god they served - perhaps the Nergal that your father swore by - was one of those who fell, and in his absence, they have become something less.¡± ¡°Then how did he get here?¡± ¡°While the mantle of the divine may no longer rest on their shoulders, shreds of that strength still remain. I believe your father¡¯s powers are closely linked to the dead, which allowed him a tenuous connection to the spirits of the void, but I doubt, despite his threats, that he was actually manifesting any real power here.¡± ¡°I guess he fooled me,¡± Jasper sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just another failing of mine he¡¯s added to the list.¡± Kas?dael¡¯s lips thinned, and she clucked her tongue disapprovingly. ¡°Self-pity is not a good look, Jasper.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he grimaced. ¡°But can you blame me? My father dislikes me so much that he literally trespassed in a goddess¡¯ realm just to scold me. And I don¡¯t even know why.¡± Kas?dael didn¡¯t reply, but Jasper noticed a small tick in her eye. ¡°Wait. You saw something else, didn¡¯t you?¡± he demanded. The goddess sighed, and she dropped her gaze to her lap. ¡°I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t pick up on that,¡± she admitted. ¡°Mostly because I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Not sure about what?¡± Lifting her head, she looked him in the eye. ¡°I already told you, your father¡¯s mental defenses were impressive. I wasn¡¯t able to see everything.¡± ¡°Just tell me,¡± he begged. ¡°Even if you¡¯re not sure.¡± ¡°You may not want to know,¡± she warned, ¡°because there is nothing I can do to help.¡± ¡°Not knowing will be worse.¡± Kas?dael pondered his words a moment before nodding her head. ¡°Then I shall tell you. I think your sister may be alive.¡± Upgrades Jasper went still. His heartbeat thudded in his ears, his hands grew clammy, his breath came fast and shallow. ¡°No. No, no, no. You can¡¯t do this to me. She can¡¯t be.¡± He ripped his hand free from Kas?dael''s as he staggered back, nearly falling as a sudden bout of dizziness hit him. ¡°I saw her die. You can¡¯t-¡± He froze again, his words faltering, and he didn¡¯t resist as Kas?dael stepped forward and took his hand, her brow furrowed in concern. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Jasper. I thought you¡¯d be happy about this news,¡± the goddess admitted. ¡°Happy?¡± His voice slurred, his eyes blinking rapidly in a vain attempt to dam the swell of moisture that threatened to overflow its bounds. ¡°I¡¯d be¡­ecstatic. But there¡¯s no way, there¡¯s just no way. You can¡¯t give me hope like that.¡± Kas?dael understood then, and leading him back to the chair, made him sit down before she continued. ¡°I can¡¯t promise you she¡¯s alive,¡± she said slowly. ¡°But in your father¡¯s mind, I saw memories of a young woman who resembled you quite closely. Many memories.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s my sister,¡± he hissed. ¡°The person you saw could be anyone - a cousin, a half-sister, a random person. I was there when she died, Kas?dael, in the car with her. A semi lost control on the ice and flattened us like a pancake. I was in the hospital for more than a week - two broken legs, a broken collarbone, cracked ribs, but she¡­¡± He broke off. ¡°Her side of the car was annihilated. I want to believe you, but there¡¯s no way she could survive that.¡± ¡°He called her Jenny,¡± Kas?dael replied. ¡°No,¡± he whispered, his hands trembling. ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t her, but you know your memories can¡¯t be trusted,¡± the goddess continued. ¡°Your mother meddled with your memories of her absence, and you had forgotten your encounter with your father altogether. Isn¡¯t it possible that there¡¯s more to her death than you recall?¡± The quick, angry denial that rose to his tongue stalled out. It had taken him years to move past Jenny¡¯s death, to rise out of the deep depression that had swallowed up much of his later teens and early twenties. To admit that it might have been a lie, that she could still be alive was painful in more ways than one, but he couldn¡¯t rebut Kas?dael''s argument. Not honestly. She was right, after all. How much of his life had proven to be a lie since coming to Corsythia? Jasper had never doubted he was anything other than a normal human, until he discovered his mother had been a Djinn from this world. A princess at that. He¡¯d then believed himself to be half-human only to discover his father was some unfamiliar race from a realm he''d never stepped foot in. The truth was, Jasper had gone his entire life without knowing who he was, so was it really so surprising that there might be one more lie? ¡°Kas?dael?¡± He asked quietly, not continuing until he felt the weight of her gaze fall upon him. ¡°If she¡¯s alive, will you help me save her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that she needs saving. She seemed¡­happy," she replied reluctantly. ¡°Happy?¡± A bitter smile marred his face. ¡°Of course, I should have known. Just another lie.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s forgotten you,¡± Kas?dael said softly. ¡°I think she was the reason he was here. She wanted him to help you.¡± ¡°So¡­what, then?¡± he sighed. ¡°Do I try to find her? Or do I just let it go?¡± ¡°For now,¡± the goddess replied. ¡°You do nothing. If she¡¯s alive, she likely lives in Arallu?, a world I have no authority over. I cannot protect you there, and you are not strong enough to go without me. Not yet,¡± she added firmly, ¡°But that can change, if you keep growing stronger.¡± She extended her hand to him again. "That is, of course, if you stop avoiding me.¡± He took her hand with a guilty grimace, knowing it had been too long since had bothered to level up. Still, he was shocked by the sheer number of levels waiting for him. ¡°What the hell? How did I level up so much?¡±
Jasper Welles Health 7000 Spirit 7000 Essence 11440 Heritage(s) Dayya?mmu?t Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 137 Level up: x12 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 36 Level up: x14
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 75 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 100 The Broken Shackle Seraph Burst Scourge of Despair
Vision 60 Mas?s?a?ru (Dayya?mmu?t) Eternal Night II Hand of JudgmentIf you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Inspiration 143 Unlocked Fiery Shackles II Hand of Glory
Willpower 143 Locked Into the Valley of Death Circle of Forgiveness
Intuition 75 Locked Heart Stopper (Undead) Purge
Locked Flame Charge
A mixture of amusement and annoyance danced in Kas?dael¡¯s eyes as she replied. ¡°Because as usual, Jasper, you¡¯ve put off leveling for far too long. You¡¯ve fought mutakil, Atrometos, undead Seraphs, and the men of Mu?t-La¡¯is multiple times in the last few months, and yet still didn¡¯t visit. Maybe,¡± she said with a frown, ¡°if you¡¯d bothered to level up more frequently, some of those fights would have been easier.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he admitted with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll do better-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a promise you don¡¯t intend to keep,¡± she cut him off. ¡°Just¡­level up.¡± He nodded mutely, not daring to disagree, and returned his attention to the screen. The levels he had gained in his primary class had fallen short of unlocking another reward, but a box awaited him for his subclass. He decided to open it first, just in case it would affect how he should allocate his points and clicked on it. For reaching level 50 in the Hand of Kasdael, you have unlocked (1) upgrade point and (1) new spell. The upgrade point was a pleasant surprise, as he hadn¡¯t received one in quite some time. He scanned the list of spells quickly, but he had already picked one out - Fiery Shackles. It was hard to overestimate the value of being able to control the battlefield, but he¡¯d found that higher-level enemies were simply too strong for the shackles to bind. Satisfied with his choice, he tapped the spell and frowned as it refused to let him choose it. ¡°Uh, Kas?dael, is the system glitching?¡± She leaned over his shoulder and laughed lightly as she saw the spell he was trying to upgrade. ¡°It¡¯s a reward for leveling my class, Jasper; obviously, the spell you upgrade has to be from my class.¡± Crap. Upon reflection, Jasper supposed that made sense, but it was still disappointing. Abandoning Fiery Shackles, he turned his eyes to the spells listed beneath. He immediately dismissed the truth-telling spell Scales of Justice from consideration, but there was a case to be made for the others. His Scourge of Despair was one of his most powerful spells, as the host of specters it summoned was a danger even to a high-leveled opponent, but its limitations - the scourge¡¯s need to draw or touch blood - made it not entirely reliable. But there¡¯s no guarantee that enhancing the spell will fix that. Then there was the Hand of Judgment. The Ophan had saved his ass on more than one occasion, but while it was incredibly durable, its damage output wasn¡¯t as high as he wished. Increasing that could be useful, but, on the downside, it was a spell he could only use once a month. Maybe I should pick a spell I could use more often. He hesitated when he reached Hand of Glory. Truthfully, he¡¯d forgotten he even had the spell, but he remembered the reason he¡¯d picked it in the first place. Like Fiery Shackles, it was a spell intended to bind his enemies in place, but because he hadn¡¯t really used it, he was uncertain of its limitations. Is it worth the gamble? Undecided, he moved on to the final two spells. Circle of Forgiveness had quickly become one of the most used in his repertoire; a healing spell, after all, was useful for pretty much everyone not named Wolverine. But upgrading Purge was also appealing. When it worked, the spell was probably his second most powerful, but its limitations lay in his inability to be certain who the spell would judge guilty and its inability to kill those who were significantly higher-leveled in him. If either of those limitations was improved, the spell might rocket to the top of his most used list. He drummed his fingers indecisively, before glancing up at the goddess. ¡°Any recommendations?¡± ¡°You wanted to upgrade, Fiery Shackles, did you not?¡± She pointed out. ¡°Why not try Hand of Glory? The spell seems similar enough.¡± He hesitated a moment longer, still dubious about investing in a spell he had never bothered to cast, and clicked on the spell to refresh his memory of its description. Hand of Glory - Summons a Hand of the Dead that may bind your foes in place for up to 30 seconds. Foes above your level are unlikely to be affected. Cost: 1000 Spirit Sounds like it has similar limitations to Fiery Shackles, but the cost is way higher. Of course, most of the spells I use burn essence rather than spirit, so maybe that doesn¡¯t matter. He was almost convinced, but there was one part of the description that troubled him. ¡°Kasdael, why does it say it ¡®may bind your foes.¡¯¡± ¡°Unlike your Fiery Shackles, which binds only three foes, Hand of Glory could potentially bind an entire company. The downside is that it¡¯s not guaranteed to bind any,¡± she explained. ¡°So it is a roulette,¡± he sighed, eyeing the spell with renewed doubt. Jasper wasn¡¯t much of a gambler; he already used Purge less than he probably should, simply because the spell wasn¡¯t guaranteed to work, so was it really worth upgrading another one like that? He nearly dismissed it, but then he remembered Kas?dael¡¯s recommendation. I¡¯ve trusted her thus far, so why not know? Hoping he wasn¡¯t making a mistake, he selected the spell and pressed the upgrade button.
Select (1) of the following upgrade paths
Hand of Glory II - Summons a Hand of the Dead that may bind your foes in place for up to 40 seconds. Foes up to 20 levels above you may be affected. Cost: 800 Spirit
Punishing Hand - Summons a Hand of the Dead that may bind your foes in place for up to 30 seconds. While foes are held in its grip, the hand drains 50 points of health per second. Cost: 1000 Spirit
In addition to those two options, there were another two that seemed to be variations on Punishing Hand, with one draining essence and the other stamina. Jasper dismissed them both quickly, deciding that there was no point in specializing the spell so much that it only affected mages or warriors, and focused on the first pair. The first one was a straightforward upgrade. The time it held enemies was improved, the cost lowered, and, most attractive of all, the ability to entrap foes above his level was added. That alone was almost sufficient for him to pick it, but he knew that 20 levels was really not that much - not when people could have hundreds of levels. But if I continue down that path, who knows how many levels above me it will eventually let me freeze. The second one, by contrast, he almost dismissed at first glance. The cost of casting remained high, the time of binding was unimproved, and the only thing that had been added was a health penalty that seemed too small to be useful, at least until he did the math. Fifty points for thirty seconds is 1500 health. It wasn¡¯t enough to kill him - Jasper was up to 7000 health now - but it would still do a sizable chunk of damage, and would be absolutely devastating against lower-leveled foes. And there will be a lot of low-level enemies once we join the war. The debate decided, he picked Punishing Hand and turned to the next box, eager to see what new spells awaited him. Trump Card Greed entered his heart as Jasper quickly scanned the box.
Select (1) of the following spells:
VoidSpeaker - Allows one to summon and interrogate the ghost of the recently deceased. While the spell is active, you are able to understand the speech of the ghost, regardless of the language spoken. Cost: 1000 spirit
Lamentation - Let the living hear the cries of the dead and tremble. For two minutes, summon a rift in the void to let all hear the wailing of the dead. Provides a 10% debuff to the highest stat of enemies in earshot. Cost: 500 essence
Equalizer - As the hand of Kasdael, it is your job to protect the goddess¡¯ interests both within and without the Void, but there will always be those who are stronger than you. For five minutes, this spell will draw on the strength of the spirits of the void to equalize the gap between you and a mortal opponent. Cost: can only be cast once per month.
Veil of the Void - Draw upon the power of the void to veil yourself from the eyes of others. Cost: 50 essence per second
For a change, he wanted them all. Well, maybe not the VoidSpeaker that much; cool name aside, Jasper wasn¡¯t exactly dying to talk to the dead. Frankly, he found the whole idea a bit icky, a little too close to a necromancer class for comfort. But despite the inherent ick factor, he recognized the spell¡¯s potential usefulness nonetheless. Who knows what they might have been able to learn if he¡¯d been able to interrogate that assassin after the duel? At the very least, they¡¯d probably have learned how many more assassination attempts to expect. But even if he wasn¡¯t completely sold on VoidSpeaker, the other three were definitely up his alley. Lamentation was an interesting spell for a number of reasons; a 10% penalty to strength for a warrior or inspiration for a mage could potentially swing a fight in Jasper¡¯s direction. But the best part of the spell was that it didn¡¯t seem to have any limit on how many people could be affected as long as they were in earshot. In short, it was the type of spell that could affect an entire section of a battlefield which, with the war looming in his mind, made it an extremely attractive option. Yet, the Equalizer was perhaps even better. It was, as far as Jasper could tell, a spell of the same caliber as Hand of Judgment, an ¡®ace¡¯ that could completely flip the odds of a battle, even if, like the Hand of Judgment, it could only be used once per month. On the one hand, the limited uses made Jasper slightly more reluctant to pick it, but he supposed an argument could made it in the other direction as well; since Hand of Judgment could only be used once a month, it would be nice to have a second trump card in his back pocket. The final option, Veil of the Void, wasn¡¯t quite as flashy, but it, too, had its appeal. The usefulness of invisibility was hard to overstate - whether it involved vanishing in the middle of a battle, sneaking up on a foe, or infiltrating an enemy camp. But at 50 essence per second¡­ Jasper quickly calculated the cost in his head; with roughly 11,000 points of essence right now, he could only power the spell for a touch under 4 minutes. Useful but limited. Plus my skills aren¡¯t really geared toward the ¡®silent and deadly¡¯ style of an assassin. With some regret, he decided against Veil of the Void and, after another moment of consideration, crossed out VoidSpeaker as well, leaving the choice between Lamentation and Equalizer. Do I prefer a spell that I can always use as long as I have essence or something that I can only use occasionally, but could save my ass against a stronger opponent? It was a tough choice, but as he thought of the many times Ophan had saved him - against Nabul, the Dore?sah, Captain Dannu?l, and most recently, against the assassin of Mu?t-Lais - he realized just how often he¡¯d relied on the Hand of Judgment. Hoping he wasn¡¯t making a mistake, he selected Equalizer and closed the window. All that was left now was to assign his stat points. With 26 levels to assign, Jasper had 78 points, more than enough to make a significant swing in any one stat, but that didn¡¯t make the choice any easier. For now, Inspiration and Willpower remained the most important of his stats, as the majority of his spells relied on essence, but he had a growing repertoire of spells now that relied on spirit instead, which drew on endurance and intuition. He debated dropping most of his points in there, equalizing his spirit essence reservoirs, but there was a third option to consider as well - strength. While Jasper knew he would never be able to match a warrior blow-for-blow, he¡¯d often found himself relying on his glaive once his magical reserves ran low. But the physical strength of the warriors he¡¯d faced recently had been simply overwhelming; he could barely even hold onto his weapon against men like Captain Dannu?l and the assassin, let alone bring them to bear. Is it worth investing more in a stat that doesn¡¯t directly benefit my class? When playing a game, it was almost always beneficial to min-max your stats, but here Jasper had to worry about survival. While resurrection was theoretically possible - as he knew too well - it was far from assured, and even the most favored of the gods were unlikely to survive more than a few trips to the void. Strength gives me more health too, he reminded himself, although he knew that it was a weak argument as endurance also fed health, and better yet, would juice his spirit stat.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Reluctantly, he decided to forgo putting points in strength and split them between endurance, inspiration, and willpower - choosing endurance over intuition as the stat fed both health and spirit.
Jasper Welles Health 8000 Spirit 8000 Essence 13560 Heritage(s) Dayya?mmu?t Djinn Watchman of Alda?ru Level: 149 Level up: x0 Hand of Kas?dael Level: 50 Level up: x0
Stats Racial Traits Class Abilities Class Abilities
Strength 75 Scion of Flames Shooting Star Scales of Justice
Endurance 125 The Broken Shackle Seraph Burst Scourge of Despair
Vision 60 Mas?s?a?ru (Dayya?mmu?t) Eternal Night II Hand of Judgment
Inspiration 171 Unlocked Fiery Shackles II Punishing Hand
Willpower 168 Locked Into the Valley of Death Circle of Forgiveness
Intuition 75 Locked Heart Stopper (Undead) Purge
Locked Flame Charge Equalizer
He took a final look at his stats, delaying the moment he¡¯d been dreading ever since he awoke back in the void a few seconds longer, before closing the window with a sigh. ¡°I guess I¡¯m done,¡± he said with a grimace. ¡°Anything else before I go?¡± ¡°Do you want me to look for her?¡± Jasper paused, surprised by Kas?dael¡¯s offer. ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy,¡± she warned. ¡°Arallu ?is not my domain, and I cannot abandon my responsibilities here to search for her, but I might know someone who can help.¡± The pain he¡¯d thought long-buried surfaced, the raw, oozing ache that had torn in his soul the day he¡¯d first seen that barren patch of dirt where she¡¯d been buried when it had finally sunk in that she was truly gone. Can I really put myself through that again? He dismissed the question the moment he thought of it. It was absurd; he would do anything to have her back again. Anything. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that,¡± he replied stiffly. Kas?dael smiled lightly, and pulled him into her embrace, readying her fist for the blow that would crush his ribcage. ¡°Then for your sake, I shall look. All I ask is that you stop avoiding me.¡± ¡°If you find her, I¡¯ll come here every day,¡± he whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t make promises you won¡¯t keep,¡± she laughed, ¡°or I might just hold you to them.¡± Before he could respond, she plunged her fist into his chest. There was a moment of agonizing pain as his bones splintered, his flesh split, and her fingers wrapped around his throbbing heart. Then she pulled it out and, in a final crescendo of pain, he vanished from the void.
¡°Yuck!¡± Kas?dael tossed the heart onto the ground with a grimace. It hit the pale marble with a wet thlop, sending splatters of blood across the tile like a Pollock original. Oops. With her hands freed, she cast a spell that banished it all - the blood, the heart, and every other questionable liquid that had violated her person and her temple. I don¡¯t think he realizes how much I dislike this myself. She might be a goddess of death, after all, but gore was not part of her domain. With a final grimace, she rose from the throne and headed deeper into her temple. With Jasper gone, silence reigned supreme in the halls of S?uhruru, a silence so profound that not even the patter of her feet against the frigid stone tile dared break it. She left the great basilica behind, and headed for the throne room, an idea already taking root in her mind. Kas?dael had told Jasper the truth; she wasn¡¯t going to waltz into Arallu, even if she was fairly certain that most of the gods of the realm were already dead, but that didn¡¯t mean all of them were. Her thoughts turned back to the strange, savage woman who had helped defeat Yas?gah. Over here, ¡®Barbartu¡¯ had been weak enough to nearly escape Kas?dael¡¯s notice, but by the end, she had realized the woman had a spark of the divine around her. A diminished one, true, but not nearly as badly diminished as Jasper¡¯s father. Unless she¡¯d missed her guess, the woman was a minor divinity in the realm of Arallu? and, judging from the offer she¡¯d made to bring Jasper back to his world, one that retained enough power to be useful. Reaching the throne room, she circled around the colossal seat and paused in the small enclave behind it. A large silver basin protruded from the wall, filled from brim to brim with crystal-clear water which, despite the frigid temperature of the void, remained free from ice. Placing her hands on both sides of the basin, she leaned over it and breathed deeply. Ripples spread across the water quickly, rebounding off the sides and crashing into each other until the water resembled a storm-wracked sea. And then, when the waves had reached their apogee, she plunged her hand into it. As the essence poured out of her the waves calmed, not that Kas?dael noticed. Her eyes remained closed as she focused her mind on her prey. Barbartu. She knew immediately that the name was not a true one. If it had been, she had no doubt she would have immediately found who she was looking for, but instead, the spell returned nothing, nothing but the faintest hint of resonance. She grinned slightly, glad that the years the woman had spent living under that name had made enough of a mark on her soul to identify her, and focused harder. She closed in on the soul like a predator tracking its prey until she cornered it. Lamas?tu. It was as she expected; the woman was a minor divinity, her soul still alight with the spark of creation that only gods could bear, but her power was too weak to be any threat to Kas?dael. Not worried about offending her, she clamped down hard on the creature¡¯s soul and, ignoring its struggles, dragged it toward her. The silence of her hall was broken as the screeching woman burst out of the silver basin, coughing, spluttering, and cursing. ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Unperturbed, Kas?dael simply smiled. ¡°I need you to look for someone.¡± Du?r-Adu? Seven hundred miles beyond the fallen capital of Gemliria, beyond even the furthest raids of the Empire in the Desolyton, the air shimmered above a small, barren hill.As the shimmer grew stronger, the crackling noise it made scared off a trio of vultures that had been feasting on a nearby doe, leaving the hill deserted until two forms stepped through the narrow gateway. ¡°How far did you bring me?¡±Aphora surveyed their surroundings with a small frown.When she thought of the lands beyond the River, she thought of endless plains and sluggish rivers, dotted by warlords crouching in the ruins of their fallen empire.But rolling foothills surrounded her here, and mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks white and gleaming.Unlike the fertile plains of Gemliria, the land around her was arid, with large patches of bare rock and open dirt interspersed with thorny shrubs and thick-bladed grasses and a handful of short, scrawny trees with barely any leaves.¡°I didn¡¯t realize the plains ended.¡± ¡°Oh, everything ends someday,¡± Imhullu replied as he turned around, and began to seal the portal.¡°But I¡¯d reckon we¡¯re farther west than any other living elf has ever been.¡± ¡°What about the ones we¡¯re here to rescue?¡±She pointed out, and he shrugged. ¡°You know what I meant.¡±With a final crack, the shimmering in the air disappeared and Imhullu joined her side. ¡°Speaking of, where exactly are these elves?¡±Aphora asked, waving her hand at the landscape in front of her, which was nothing but wilderness as far as the eye could see. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to risk portaling in too close,¡± he admitted.¡°Uzz?l may not be the man I used to know, but he¡¯s still a competent leader.If we popped up just outside his settlement, he¡¯d notice.¡±He pulled a small, flat device out of his pocket and examined its screen for a moment, before bobbing his head toward the southwest.¡°Du?r-Ad? should be that-away.A two days walk, if we hurry.¡±
It was closer to three days before the walls of Du?r-Ad? finally came into sight, although Aphora had to admit, albeit begrudgingly, that their slow progress was mostly her fault.She¡¯d never suffered from the usual bouts of morning sickness that afflicted most women, but with this child, it seemed the bill had come due with interest.Their morning progress was sluggish until she recovered enough to make good time, and even when the nausea had passed, she was not up to her usual stamina.Surprisingly, though, the nausea was not the part of the morning she dreaded the most. Instead, it was the constant, never-ending presence of Imhullu.It wasn¡¯t that he did anything wrong, exactly; if anything, the strange Sidhe had been one of the most attentive and gentle partners she¡¯d ever had.But, until now, their relationship had been more of an extended series of flings than a true partnership.They had had some exciting adventures and a few passionate nights, but they¡¯d spent relatively little time talking.And Imh?ullu loved to talk. So Aphora felt nothing but relief when the walls of Du?r-Ad? finally came into viewQuickly dropping the conversation she¡¯d been trapped in, she crouched down at the peak of the hill they¡¯d crested and surveyed the surroundings. While the Empire had utterly destroyed Gemliria at the end of the Desolyton, some semblance of civilization still clung to those fertile plains.Warlords squatted in the ruins of the many once-great cities and fortresses that dominated the land, and hundreds of smaller settlements had sprung up in between.Aphora suspected that, given another hundred years, a nation would once again emerge there. But here, in the land beyond Gemlir¡¯s domain, there were no villages, no hamlets, not even a lonely trading post.The wilderness was utterly bereft of any signs of habitation beyond fox dens and rabbit warrens, so she was unprepared for the size of Du?r-Ad?. Surrounded by barren, rocky hills, Du?r-Ad? sat in a protected hollow that sheltered an emerald lake several miles long.Three-fourths of the lake¡¯s shores were occupied by terraced farms built into the hills, pleasant oases of verdant life in an otherwise arid environment.The city claimed the final fourth of the lake. Backed up against the largest of the rocky hills, Du?r-Ad? had a natural wall protecting its back, and an additional two large curtain walls protected its flanks, with only the side facing the lake left open. By all accounts, Du?r-Ad? should have been a stunning city; the natural beauty surrounding it would have made even a hovel look inviting, yet somehow the city¡¯s constructors had succeeded in ruining its natural gifts.Du?r-Ad? was a blight on the landscape, a dismal settlement filled with rows upon rows of uniform grey homes so similar in appearance that Aphora could almost have believed them to be crafted from a mold, though she dismissed that as a ridiculous idea. The only break to the dismal array was a trio of grey towers that rose in the city''s heart.They were no more beautiful than the other buildings in Du?r-Ad?, but their massive size and harsh lines were admittedly imposing, possessing a certain savage beauty that the rest of the settlement could not match. Still, Aphora¡¯s eyes did not linger long on the towers.Instead, her eyes were glued to the dozens of tiny homes that dotted the terraced forms, where small, lithe workers bent over irrigated rows of rice. ¡°Are those the elves you told me of?¡± She asked dubiously.Granted, at this distance, it was hard to make out their features, but nothing about their tiny frames, darkened skin, and hornless heads reminded her much of elves.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I told you they¡¯re from a tribe that was almost extinguished,¡± Imh?ullu reminded her.¡°They do look a little different than the northern elves you¡¯re used to.But, most of those differences you¡¯re seeing right now are just the result of their circumstances.They¡¯re malnourished and forced to spend long hours baking in the sun.Give them more food and better care, and they¡¯ll flourish.¡± ¡°But what about their antlers??¡±She asked curiously. Imh?ullu¡¯s face darkened.¡°That is Uzz?l¡¯s fault.If the reports are true, he has their antlers cut off and their ears trimmed as ¡®punishment.¡¯¡± ¡°He cuts them off?¡±Anger quickened in her bosom as she stared down at the small, pathetic forms in the fields, and her fist clenched.¡°And you just ignored this?¡± A touch of shame filled his eyes, but Imh?ullu refused to look away.¡°I have.I make no excuses, but I am far from almighty. While I like my odds against any one of my compatriots, I cannot fight them all, nor am I capable of spiriting a few thousand elves more than 1600 miles through hostile territory.Until you came along, there was nowhere for me to take them.Now there is.¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly an apology, at least not enough to mollify the wrath brewing in her, but Aphora let the matter drop.Who was she to get self-righteous?Her anger dimmed as she remembered the doom she¡¯d unleashed upon Hargish.Not everything can be fixed.¡°At least we can help them now,¡± she finally agreed. Relief washed over his face, and he nodded briskly.¡°Indeed, but we need to be careful.I¡¯ve done my best to hide our presence, but we¡¯re running against the clock.It¡¯s only a matter of time before Uzz?l calls for help. Fortunately,¡± he added with a smirk, ¡°I have a plan.¡± Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a bundle of cloth and tossed it toward her.Aphora accepted it in confusion, which morphed into outrage, as she unwrapped the package.It contained a skimpy golden bra, accompanied by an unholy fusion of an ankle-length red skirt and a golden bikini bottom.The matching pair of stylish gold arm cuffs and scrappy boots were the only part of the outfit she¡¯d consider wearing. None of that was the source of Aphora¡¯s outrage though, as she was no stranger to skimpy outfits.Her hands trembled as she held up a pair of silver handcuffs and shook them in front of his face.¡°This is your plan?!¡± His smirk faded, and he raised his hands beseechingly.¡°It¡¯s just a way to get ourselves an audience, Aphora.Uzz?l and I haven¡¯t been on good terms for a long time.He¡¯s not going to let us just waltz into his court - we¡¯ll have to fight our way in.But if I show up with a peace offering, I think we have a shot to take him by surprise.¡± ¡°And your solution is to dress me like a slave-girl whore,¡± she demanded angrily.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say there¡¯s a reason this particular outfit will work,¡± Imhullu added with a smirk.¡°He will definitely appreciate the outfit.Plus, the irony is simply too rich.The idiot won¡¯t even realize I¡¯m calling him Jabba until I cut off his head,¡± he chuckled. ¡°Jabba?¡±Her brow wrinkled, but she quickly banished the thought and, her anger unappeased, tossed the cuffs on the ground in front of him.¡°I am not wearing these,¡± she replied firmly, and as she said those words, the doubts she¡¯d thought she¡¯d set aside resurfaced anew.Was this all a long con?A tingle of fear went down her spine as she suddenly imagined a very different purpose to the Sidhe¡¯s actions over the last few months. The Sidhe were known for two things, after all - treachery and a hatred of elves.And what better way could there be to humiliate an elf than to seduce her, impregnate her, and, in a final cruel trick, deliver her as a bound slave to his friend?She staggered backward, the fear ramping out of control, and spiral threads from her dress quickly unraveled, bobbing in the air beside her. ¡°Aphora-¡°Every trace of good humor was snuffed out in Imhullu¡¯s face, replaced by a mask of pain.It only lasted a second before he brought it under control, and he took a few, careful steps away from her.¡°You know I would never do that to you, right?¡± He finally spoke. She felt a touch of guilt as she saw the hurt in his face, but she couldn¡¯t entirely banish her fear.Not here, deep in the middle of enemy territory, with no avenue of escape.Her silver threads wavered in the air, but she didn¡¯t let them drop.¡°I don¡¯t think you would,¡± she admitted slowly.¡°But we don¡¯t know each other that well.There is a darkness inside of you, Meh?aww?,¡± she said, speaking aloud the name he¡¯d borne in the war. ¡°I¡¯m not that person anymore,¡± he shot back, a touch of heat in his voice, but, with a sigh, he bent down and, picking up the handcuffs, shoved them into his back.¡°But I understand.It was stupid of me to suggest it.¡± Aphora floundered for something to say, wondering if she had just broken what lay between them.¡°So is that it,¡± she finally mustered the courage to say. ¡°It?¡±Roused from his silence, he glanced over at her.¡°No, we¡¯ll just have to find another way.I suppose there¡¯s always good old-fashioned brute force.Between the two of us, we can probably storm the place.¡± ¡°No¡­I mean,¡± she hesitated, ¡°is that it for us?¡± Imhullu sighed.¡°I¡¯m not going lie and say I¡¯m not hurt.But I think I already knew, deep down, you didn¡¯t fully trust me.Maybe it¡¯s why I¡¯ve been so clingy.But it¡¯s not over for me, not unless you want it to be.¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t want it to be over either.We just¡­need to go more slowly.¡± He smiled slightly at that and moving closer, placed a gentle hand on her stomach, which was beginning to swell.¡°It seems a little for that, but if that¡¯s what you need, I¡¯ll do it.¡±He planted a soft kiss on her cheek before stepping away and looking back at the ugly city squatting by the emerald lake.¡°And what about Du?r-Ad??If it would make you feel safer, we can leave and come back with your soldiers.¡± She pondered his offer for a moment, sorely tempted to take it, but decided to show a little trust, painful though that was.¡°I¡¯m willing to fight, just not as a slave.¡± A half-hearted grin slipped across his face at his words, and he nodded.¡°So fists and fury it is.¡±He hesitated a second before continuing.¡°Any chance I can talk you into wearing that outfit for me?You know, after we crush Uzz?l?¡± Reunion Jasper was clutching his chest as he awoke, the phantom pains lingering despite the lack of any real damage. With a groan, he rolled onto his knees and, using the tree to support himself, gingerly rose, his other hand massaging his chest. I¡¯ll never get used to that. When the pain had passed, he took a final look at the sluggish river. The moon had shrunk so that its face no longer spanned the water from shore to shore, and he didn¡¯t get the sense that there was any special presence lingering, but he still bowed his head and murmured a brief thanks to Lady Selene. True, he hadn¡¯t wanted to go to the void, but it had been what he needed, and now¡­ He abruptly cut off the thought that surged through his mind, the wild, almost frenzied, hope that flooded his veins. He would wait to see what Kas?dael found and until then, he would not let himself believe. Could not let himself believe. Hardening his heart, he headed back toward camp and, returning to his tent, plopped down on his small cot. And, this time, sleep came quickly.
The next few days passed uneventfully. S?ams?a?dur, as promised, worked with the children to find their relatives. His methods were unusual - telling them stories, playing silly games, feeding them breakfast and lunch - but as their mood lifted and the minds were diverted, albeit just temporarily, from the trauma that had been inflicted on them, S?ams?a?dur was able to glean tidbits of information from their mind. Slowly but steadily, the list of potential relatives grew until they had tracked down locations for all but three of them. Those three, sadly, did not seem to know anything about their parents¡¯ relatives, leaving the crew little option but to find an orphanage. All that remained, then, was to deliver the children to their relatives. They were halfway through that task, when a familiar face rejoined the group. ¡°Ihra!¡± Jasper dropped the bowl of stew he¡¯d been holding and bolted to his feet as the elfing emerged from the darkness that surrounded their camp. Her face glowed with the warm light of the fire, and he was relieved to see she looked unharmed. Behind her loomed two more familiar faces, Erin and the healer the durgu had recruited, along with someone Jasper didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Did the mission go well,¡± he asked as he darted over to her, though his eyes never strayed from the stranger. ¡°More or less,¡± Ihra shrugged her shoulders. ¡°We were able to confirm that Lord Sargani?l is under the control of a mind mage, along with much of the rest of the city.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t run into him,¡± he questioned sharply, a ripple of fear running down his back at the thought that she might have been unknowingly compromised. ¡°We did,¡± she said, confirming that fear, but then she pulled down the collar of her tunic, allowing him to see a thin, green necklace bound around her neck that resembled quite closely the Fey charm he¡¯d once had. ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry; we got amulets from the temple to protect us.¡± ¡°Sorry, just a little on edge. We had our own run-in with a mind-mage,¡± he said with a grimace. ¡°When we stopped in the town Dab?ur to get some supplies, a mind-mage turned a bunch of S?ams?a?dur¡¯s men against us.¡± ¡°Did you get him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Jasper confirmed, leaving out the part where the mage had wormed his way into Jasper¡¯s mind, even if only for a second. He¡¯d tell her. Eventually. But not now, not in front of this stranger. ¡°And who¡¯s this? A new member of the team?¡± he asked, finally getting to the question that had been bothering him. The man stepped forward into the light, finally allowing Jasper to get a good look at him. Judging from his bulging muscles and massive frame, the man had a warrior class. He wore a finely crafted suit of lamellar armor, which told Jasper he either had money or was high up in the chain of command, as did the elegant sword that dangled at his side, boasting a sparkling ruby in its hilt. He had short black hair and nearly violet eyes that pointed to a troll ancestor lurking somewhere in the background but otherwise looked perfectly human. The man nodded his head politely. ¡°Commander Mari?ltu,¡± he introduced themself, followed quickly by a grimace. ¡°Well, I was Commander Mari?ltu. I guess now it¡¯s just Mari?ltu.¡± ¡°Jasper,¡± he introduced himself, ¡°And this is S?ams?a?dur and Tsia.¡± The man¡¯s eyes lingered on each one of them slightly longer. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you had such interesting friends,¡± he remarked to Ihra. ¡°I knew of the durgu prince,¡± he continued, offering a friendly nod toward S?ams?a?dur, ¡°but I had not heard of any Djinn in the area.¡± His brow furrowed as he paused, ¡°You are Djinn, aren¡¯t you?¡± He questioned Jasper. ¡°I know your kind usually have horns, but I can¡¯t think of any other race with skin as red as yours.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Jasper confirmed shortly, offering nothing else, but the man pressed further. ¡°I imagine you¡¯re with the army, then, that¡¯s marching to the aid of the emperor,¡± the man added casually as he swiveled his gaze back to Tsia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady, but do we know each other? I cannot place-¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Tsia blurted out, shaking her head vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m just one of the party, a mage,¡± she added as an afterthought. Mari?ltu looked unconvinced, but Ihra cut in before he could press the matter further. ¡°Any chance we can get some food? We haven¡¯t had a hot meal in days.¡± They regrouped around the fire a few minutes later, with steaming bowls of the durgu?¡¯s savory stew. Somewhat to Jasper¡¯s irritation, the commander plopped down between him and Ihra, though he turned his attention to Jasper. ¡°From what Ihra told me, it sounds like you¡¯re the leader of this group?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that,¡± he demurred. ¡°I guess you could say I¡¯m the leader of this party, but we¡¯re down to just Ihra, Tsia, and Erin right now; S?ams?a?dur and his men are temporary allies for this quest, nothing more.¡± ¡°Yes, she mentioned something about a contract with the men of Mut-La¡¯is?. Bad business, that,¡± the man muttered. ¡°They¡¯ve struck four times already,¡± he confirmed. ¡°With any luck, the contract¡¯s one of the shorter ones, and we¡¯ll only have one more time to worry about.¡± Of course, Jasper wasn¡¯t exactly optimistic about that, but it didn¡¯t hurt to hope. ¡°What about you,¡± he asked, turning the question back on the man. ¡°You said you were a commander.¡± The man smiled bitterly. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s right. I was the commander of Du?r-Bih?urtu, the second most important garrison in Birnah. Now...I¡¯m nothing.¡± He fiddled with his spoon, slopping some of the soup over the edge. ¡°You know, back home we have a saying. ¡®As long as there¡¯s life, there¡¯s hope.¡¯ Maybe, with a little luck, we can save Birnah and get back your old position.¡± Mari?ltu nodded absentmindedly. ¡°Ihra certainly seemed to have faith in you, but Birnah is a tough nut to crack. The lords of Styrn have sought to conquer us for centuries but always failed. But now? Unless we act soon, that damn mindworm will just open the gates for them. If Sapi?ya loses Birnah¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve always been weaker than Styrn, relying on the strength of our fortifications to allow us to hold onto this sliver of land in the west, but once Stryn¡¯s forces are in the walls, it¡¯s over. We¡¯ll never reclaim the city.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the mind mage¡¯s plan, then? He''s going to turn the city over to Stryn?¡± ¡°Those were the final orders I received," the man sighed, "Before my refusal to obey got me stripped of command. I¡¯m not sure what he''s getting out of it, but he has Lord Sargani?l and the other commanders wound so tightly around his finger, that I doubt there''s any hope of stopping him. If I hadn¡¯t been paranoid enough to dig out this old relic,¡± he fingered a bracelet dangling from his wrist, ¡°I¡¯m sure I would have met the same fate.¡± ¡°I tried to confront them; I thought if I could only arrest the mind-mage, we could free Lord Sargani?l from his influence and save the city. But the mage out-foxed me. Even though I¡¯d distributed charms to my men, I was too late. He¡¯d anticipated my move and swapped out the Fey relics for fakes. I would have died if it wasn¡¯t for Ihra,¡± he finished, nodding appreciatively at the blond sitting beside him. She didn¡¯t respond, however, unless one counted the faint sound of snoring that wafted up as she slumped over her bowl of stew, her hair dangerously close to falling in. With a chuckle, the man reached over and set it on the ground before continuing. ¡°Are you really going to try to save Birnah,¡± Mari?ltu asked. ¡°From what Ihra said, it sounded like your mission was to protect the durgu, not our city.¡± ¡°That''s not why we¡¯re here,¡± Jasper admitted. ¡°Our goal was to protect S?ams?a?dur from the men of Mu?t-La¡¯is?, but his mission, on the other hand, was to keep an eye on Sargani?l. From what I¡¯ve gathered, your king realized that something wasn¡¯t right with him, though I don¡¯t think he suspected a mind mage.¡± ¡°No, I doubt he would have sent his daughter into such danger,¡± Mari?ltu agreed. His face was blank as he spoke, but his eyes searched Jasper¡¯s face closely, looking for a reaction. Jasper didn¡¯t bother to hide it. ¡°So you figured out where you remembered her from?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to Yas?peh a time or two,¡± Mari?ltu replied wryly. ¡°I was the second most important commander in Birnah, after all. Granted, the last time I saw her, she was still a wee little lass, but her face hasn¡¯t changed that much. Plus, Ihra kept talking about someone in the party she called ¡®princess.¡¯ I¡¯d assumed it was a nickname, but once I saw her, it clicked. Is there any reason she¡¯s in hiding? With her support, we might be able to get the guards to open the gate to us, at least as long as the mindworm isn¡¯t waiting for us.¡± ¡°Eh, it¡¯s her story to tell, if she wants to,¡± Jasper shrugged. ¡°But I don¡¯t think Kaba?ni knows she¡¯s here. She¡¯s part of my team, not S?ams?a?dur¡¯s,¡± he explained. The man grunted. ¡°So she did run away. I¡¯d heard rumors, but I¡¯d dismissed them. Still, her help could make a difference - if you¡¯re planning to help us, that is?¡± He glanced back at Jasper. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± That hadn¡¯t been an accident. In truth, Jasper was reluctant to get involved with the conflict at Birnah. While he felt some attachment to Sapi?ya, as it was the province he¡¯d first found himself in and Tsia was, even if she tried to hide it, the daughter of its ruler, it wasn¡¯t like he was a native of their land. Ultimately, this wasn¡¯t his conflict and he knew they needed to return to the Djinn army sooner than later. Yet, he wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable letting Stryn win. At least in the game, Stryn had been a province full of cultists, Gemlirian sympathizers, and followers of dark gods. It was a province rotted by corruption, yet so populous and wealthy that it wielded an outsized influence on all the surrounding provinces. He didn¡¯t want to get involved in the conflict, yet letting Stryn conquer Birnah felt a bit too much like letting the bad guys win. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask my team,¡± he finally replied. ¡°I¡¯m not going to promise to help you and risk their lives without talking to them. But if I know them as well as I think I do, we¡¯ll do our best to save Birnah.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Mari?ltu grunted. ¡°But if we have any hope of success, we have to strike quickly.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it tomorrow,¡± Jasper promised. ¡°In the meantime, why don¡¯t you tell me more about Birnah¡¯s defenses? If we¡¯re going to save them, we¡¯ve got to do what Stryn couldn¡¯t, with far fewer soldiers.¡± Rahmu? Rahmu?¡¯s hands shook as the man rose from the basin, its water as still as a stagnant pond, with no sign of Te?ms?arri?. He reined his anger for a moment, taking a careful step away from the silent basin, but he had bottled his frustration up for too long. The dams burst and, with an angry snarl, he spun around and slammed his hand into the side of the giant silver bowl. ¡°Kruvas?! Why isn¡¯t he answering?¡± Hammered by his blow, the basin tilted on its side, precariously balanced for a fraction of a second until the weight of the water toppled off its pedestal. It clanged like a bell as it hit the floor, loud enough to make him wince, and rolled toward the open balcony. He had to spring to catch it before it rolled through the wide slats of the stone railing, snatching it just before it toppled into the garden below. Afraid someone would hear the noise and come looking, he dragged it back toward the basin with hurried steps and, with a grunt, hoisted it back onto its pedestal, despite it straining the limits of his strength. There was a new dent on its side, the handiwork of his anger, and his cheeks burned as he rotated the basin to hide it in the back. A mind mage is above such petty feelings, he reminded himself, even though he knew the words were false. With the evidence of his outburst obscured, Rahmu? stalked out to the balcony. He paused to observe the city, his hands clasped behind his back, but it did nothing to improve his mood. Birnah was an ugly city, with more fortresses than markets and nearly as many soldiers as actual citizens. After a year stuck behind its walls, he was thoroughly sick of the sight of it. And yet I may be stuck here. How did it go so wrong? His thoughts drifted back to a year ago. He¡¯d been surprised when he first received the message from Lord Sargani?l. While the Order of Duluh?h?u was his birthright, as the last living descendant of its founder, all that remained of the order was a loose network of mind mages scattered across the empire and the surrounding nations. Most of them were forced to hide their magic, as there were few places outside the Fey realms where a mind mage was welcome, and even those lands, in the aftermath of the Fey wars, were no longer friendly - at least not to those who looked human. Sargani?l, however, did not seem to realize that the order had largely passed into myth; instead, he offered him a job, a well-paying job with a promise of quiet patronage in the city of Birnah if successful. All he had to do was twist the mind of the Sapi?yan king into abdicating from the throne in favor of his eldest son. Rahmu? had dithered for months about accepting the offer. The task was one worthy of the Order of Duluh?h?u, but not as it currently existed. He¡¯d reached out feelers to the remaining mages he knew and the results had been disappointing. Most had turned him down flat, some even laughing in his face, while others hadn¡¯t even deigned to respond. In the end, just three mages had expressed interest and only one of them, Te?ms?arri?, was close enough to arrive in a reasonable time. But Rahmu?''s greed had won out. If they pulled the job off, there was a real chance they could rebuild under the protective auspices of the man who would be king in all but name of an entire province. Summoning Te?ms?arri? and the others to meet him, he¡¯d accepted Sargani?l¡¯s offer. But he¡¯d no sooner arrived in Birnah than a second offer passed across his desk. An offer from the king of Stryn. Rahmu? had assumed it was a ruse. It was obvious from the moment he¡¯d met him that Sargani?l didn¡¯t trust him; the man wore his protective amulet day and night, as did all the key members of his household, so the mage had decided that the letter was a test of his loyalty from his new lord - and a clumsy one at that. Knowing it would look suspicious to ignore the letter, he¡¯d made sure to turn it over to Sargani?l during the feast that night. He had been unprepared, therefore, for the unhinged rage the letter provoked in Sarganil. Tables were tossed, chairs smashed, and tapestries torn off the walls as man ranted and raved about the ¡®vile folk¡¯ of Stryn. Rahmu? had misread the situation entirely, but it ended up working in his favor. Sargani?l didn¡¯t fully trust him after the incident, but he relaxed his guard a bit. Unfortunately for him, once Rahmu? realized the king of Stryn''s offer was legitimate, the mage immediately knew he''d accept it. True, Sargani?l was now forewarned of the plot, but that hardly mattered when you were a mage with the power to wipe memories from minds or simply dominate them. He¡¯d played the part of a loyal servant for a few months and assigned Te?ms?arri?, when he arrived, to carry out the first parts of Sargani?l¡¯s plot, but he was simply biding his time. The moment came at the feast of the day of mirth and frost. By then, Rahmu?e had been a part of the castle for four months, and they¡¯d stopped fearing him. Oh, they weren¡¯t stupid - they still wore their amulets everyday, but they had gotten sloppy. Magic wasn¡¯t the only way they could be compromised. They¡¯d drank heartily that night, unaware of the soporific herbs Rahum had slipped into their kegs, and when they¡¯d succumbed to drink and herb, he¡¯d taken their amulets. They didn¡¯t even realize they¡¯d been compromised when he awoke, their minds already ensnared by Rahum¡¯s web.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Despite his success, Rahmu? had made no sudden changes in the aftermath of the feast. He couldn¡¯t afford to. While he may have ensnared Sarganil and his men, there were still several more castles and an entire city¡¯s worth of people not under his direct control. If they¡¯d realized what he had done, his fate would have been sealed. So he expanded his web slowly. He¡¯d found reasons to delay leaving for King Kaba?ni¡¯s courts while he waited for the king of Stryn to muster his armies. He¡¯d met with the captains one by one, each eventually following beneath his charms, save for that irritating prick Mari?ltu. He¡¯d even managed to fabricate a reason to arrest the priests, flimsy though it may have been. In all things, he kept his hand light - one mage couldn¡¯t possibly micromanage an entire city, so he settled for giving them a few inviolable commands and otherwise leaving them to go about their business in peace. Everyone important in the city was his now, and all the parts were in place. Everything but Te?ms?arri?. His fists clenched as his thoughts returned to the missing mage. It had been more than a week since he¡¯d last heard from his friend and, by now, Rahmu feared the worst. Mind magic offered a path to power beyond the capabilities of most mages; a truly skilled mage could dominate the minds of thousands, and have entire armies at his beck and call, but that magic came with drawbacks of its own. There were very few strictly offensive spells a mind mage could cast, and most mind magic classes came with a debuff that made it almost pointless to invest stats in physical traits like strength and endurance. In short, they were squishy even for a mage. So while they were perfectly safe as long as they had their meat shields around them, if they met someone who could resist their honeyed words, they were at a disadvantage. And the Atrometos have disappeared as well, he thought, remembering the report that had come across his desk that morning. There hadn¡¯t been a confirmed attack in at least a week, aside from the oddity that happened in a village not far from Deb?ur. But the bodies there had been buried and, when exhumed, had shown clear signs of ritual sacrifice. Rahmu? wasn¡¯t certain what had happened to the village, but he doubted it had anything to do with the Atrometos. He¡¯s dead. He growled again at the irritation, but this time resisted the urge to punch something. The stone railing in front of him would be far less forgiving than the silver basin. Two more weeks, he reminded himself. Two more weeks, and I¡¯ll be the ruler of this gods-forsaken city.
The picture Mari?ltu painted for Jasper was a grim one. Sapi?ya had once owned a wide swath of land on the far side of the River, back when the lands had been united with the more populous northern province of Appi?ya. But when succession wars had caused the two provinces to separate, Sapiya had been severely weakened. For generations, Stryn had encroached on their lands, slowly forcing them backward until all that remained on the far side of the River was the city of Birnah, which guarded the easiest path across the River for hundreds of miles in both directions. There they had dug in, fortifying it until it was nearly as impregnable as even the greatest of the imperial cities, and committing their entire forces to hold it, and Stryn¡¯s forces had broken against its walls. That hadn¡¯t stopped Stryn¡¯s dream of claiming the crossing though. The two provinces settled into an uneasy peace, broken by fits of short war when the lords of Stryn would once again test the fortifications of Birnah, and thus Sapiya had continued to invest in it. It was a stalemate, but now a mind mage stood ready to throw open the gates for Stryn¡¯s armies and, if that happened, it might not be Birnah alone that fell. ¡°With Birnah secured, there would be nothing to stop Stryn from sweeping over the River,¡± Mariltu warned. ¡°And with Hargish still rebuilding, it would be trivial for them to seize the core of the province and cut the remaining cities off from each other. Perhaps Gis-Izum and Yaspeh could hold out, but the south and center would crumble. The only hope would be if the emperor himself got involved.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I get that,¡± Jasper replied impatiently, eager to get the man off his doom forecasting, and back to the goal of saving the city. ¡°But if we can oust Rahmu? first, we should be able to stave off the forces of Stryn, so focus - how do we do that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get us back in the way we fled,¡± Mariltu replied with a shake of his head. ¡°The wards are designed to let people out, not in. Although,¡± he glanced over at Ihra. ¡°You made it into the city through one of those tunnels, didn¡¯t you? You never did explain how.¡± ¡°We broke the ward.¡± ¡°We?¡± Erin cut in with a laugh. ¡°There was no we in that equation. You broke the ward, Ihra. Think you could do it again?¡± She shifted in her seat, obviously uncomfortable with the attention given her, and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe? It was pretty hard, and I don¡¯t know if every ward will be the same.¡± ¡°What about the passage you used? Wouldn¡¯t that still be open,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°If someone hasn¡¯t repaired the ward, sure, but it opened into the dungeon of one of the castles. The castle¡¯s commander seemed to be on our side, but from what Mariltu said, she refused to help him, so that probably means she¡¯s been compromised. There¡¯s a good chance we''d have to fight our way out.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jasper grimaced. ¡°Castles are designed to protect from external attacks, not from within. With S?ams?a?dur¡¯s troops, we might have a shot at it. Especially if there¡¯s any troops that haven''t been brainwashed.¡± ¡°And what about the mind mage,¡± Mari?ltu retorted. ¡°How are we supposed to take care of him? Even if we get into the city, we¡¯ll still be trapping ourselves inside with thousands of potential foes. If we can¡¯t get to him, it¡¯s a fool''s errand.¡± "We just need to isolate him," Jasper replied. "And I might just have a plan." A Champion Appears (One week later) Rahmu? was continuously on edge in the days that followed Te?ms?arri?¡¯s disappearance. There was no doubt in his mind that there was an enemy outside of Birnah, someone seeking to foil his plans, but he hadn¡¯t the faintest idea who. If the king of Sapi?ya were the one moving against him, the king would surely have ridden up to the gates of Birnah with his army and demanded them to submit. Keeping him out would have been a challenge as, although Rahmu? had befuddled the minds of most of the city guard, he was stretched too thin to extend that to the city¡¯s population. If Kaba?ni himself showed up, Rahmu? wasn''t sure if he''d be able to hold out. But the absence of any army before his gates told the mage that his enemy was likely not the king. His gut told him that his enemy might be the durgu prince - S?ams?a-something - that he had refused to allow to enter the city. Rumor had it that the prince was a mage, so it wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibilities that he''d been the one to kill Te?ms?arri? and put a stop to the attacks on the villages. Frankly, Rahmu? hoped that was the case. An army of nearly 400 durgu was a powerful force, one that could likely take many a lesser city with ease. The durgu were less diminished than the other races, having avoided the catastrophic wars that had beset the elves, Fey, and the empire over the last few millennia. Even their warriors still had a touch of magic in them, able to channel what essence they had into reinforcing their bodies to supernatural levels. But, while they would not be an easy enemy, Rahm?u felt confident about his odds against them. He didn''t believe that the people of Birnah would open the gates for a durgu army, and no matter how strong they were, 400 men were still only 400 men. The city''s fortifications had held out against tens of thousands in the past; they would not fall to a few hundred durgu. But other, darker possibilities plagued his mind. Although Rahmu? had first assumed that Te?ms?arri? was dead, he hadn¡¯t been able to verify if that was true. Ironically, his decision to close the city up and prevent the guards from patrolling the countryside had come back to bite him. Rahmu? was painfully short on knowledge of what was happening outside Birnah¡¯s walls, as the guards outside the city, now furious with Lord Sargani?l, had stopped reporting in. Even the captain of Dab?ur, whom Rahmu? knew Te?ms?arri? had ensorcelled, had ceased replying to his missives. While it was true that Te?ms?arri?''s hold over the captain would be broken by his death, there was another explanation for his silence. Thus, the possibility that Te?ms?arri? had betrayed him rankled his mind. Perhaps the lord of Stryn had sent him the same offer he¡¯d given to Rahmu?; perhaps even now Te?ms?arri? was assembling a horde of Atrometos to join the lords of Stryn in storming the walls of Birnah. Against such fell foes, even Birnah¡¯s fortifications might fall. The final option was that a rogue element had joined the conflict. Rahmu? wasn¡¯t sure if this would be better or worse than Te?ms?arri? betraying him, but he thought it the least likely of the options. After all, who aside from Stryn and Sapiya would have any interest in making a play for Birnah? The only other nearby province was a vassal of Stryn that wouldn¡¯t dare move against its liege¡¯s interests. No, he finally decided, it is either the durgu or Temsarri that opposes me. He pinned his hopes on the first of the options, but, hedging his bets, did not send any messages to the lords of Stryn to urge them to arrive sooner than the agreed upon date. If Te?ms?arri? really had turned against him, then he needed to prepare the city for a siege. Thus, the intervening days had passed in a blur of frantic activity; uncertain if Stryn was his or Te?ms?arri?¡¯s ally, Rahmu? had been forced to prepare the city both to fling open the gates to the Stryn forces or to resist them, all while discontent amongst the citizens ramped to new highs. They had already been unhappy with the city¡¯s forced seclusion when the string of Atrometos attacks had rocked the hinterland, and many had muttered about the cowardice of the troops who refused to march out to defend villages. But those mutterings had grown to a crescendo now that danger seemed to have vanished and yet the gates remained closed. It was only the citizens¡¯ long-inculcated loyalty to Lord Sargani?l that had prevented a revolt, but Rahmu? knew that even loyalty had its limits. Thus, amid all his other preparations, he¡¯d also been forced to organize an impromptu festival to appease the citizens. The festival was under way when the message he¡¯d been dreading finally arrived. As he sat at the podium beside Lord Sargani?l, watching a small troupe of dancers perform daring feats with knives and fire, a guard came running to greet them. The guard bowed first to Lord Sargani?l, mopping anxiously at his sweat-studded brow, but he was one of the ones Rahmu? had ensorcelled and his words were spoken to the mage. ¡°Lord Rahmu?, an army has arrived at the gates and demands entrance.¡± ¡°Under what banner?¡± he asked curtly, annoyed that the guard hadn¡¯t led with that. ¡°The banner of King Kaba?ni,¡± the man replied, ¡°But I do not believe it to be his army, Lord Rahmu?. It appears to be mostly made up of our own men, of guards and militia from the villages.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Rahmu?¡¯s heart had almost stopped when he¡¯d heard the guard¡¯s first words, but his lips thinned with quiet amusement as the man continued. So it¡¯s rebellion, then. An odd feeling verging on happiness surged through him at the realization that the news was not one of his worst fears. Sure, it was possible that the durgu prince, who he believed to be working for Kaba?ni, had managed to rally the peasants and a few guards to his cause. Perhaps he¡¯d even managed to sway the lord of Dab?ur to his side - despite Rahmu?¡¯s best efforts to get him into the city and under his spell, the man had obstinately refused to leave his town while the attacks continued. But those troops were utterly insufficient to conquer Birnah and if they refused to leave, they would prove fodder for Stryn¡¯s triumphant entrance. Suppressing his glee, he waved the guard off. ¡°Head back to the gates and tell them to stand down., If they refuse to leave, send out a show of force. Once they see the strength of our steel, their courage will quail.¡± With a quick nod, the guard turned to follow his instructions, but he had only made it a few feet before Rahmu? succumbed to the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach that he had missed something important. ¡°Stop! Stop, I¡¯ll come with you,¡± he said irritably. Standing up, he straightened the wrinkles out of his robe fastidiously and bowed to Lord Sargani?l, ostensibly giving his respects before he left, though in truth he took the opportunity to give the lord a command to return to his castle. Then, waving cheerfully at the crowd watching the performers, he strolled leisurely over to the guard, not wanting to give the people any reason to suspect that aught was amiss. His mind, however, was anything but calm, as he teased out the inchoate dread that haunted him. Why am I so worked up about a handful of soldiers? As they neared the walls, the answer finally came to him. He knew little of the durgu prince, save for his reputation. By all reports, the man before his exile had a reputation for drinking, whoring, and other vices, but he¡¯d also served as one of his father¡¯s foremost ministers. The man was no idiot, so if he had bothered marching against the city with a handful of dwarves and a few cohorts of guards and militia, he had a plan - something more than a suicidal assault on the front gates. Either he knows something I don¡¯t, or his appearance at the gates is nothing more than a diversion intended to draw my eyes away from their true point of attack. The conclusion offered him little comfort, but he was confident it was the correct one, and felt a touch of pride, however ironic, at having avoided the pitfalls of arrogance. So he was greatly surprised when he mounted the top of the wall and stared down at the troops assembled outside the gates. There were perhaps 500 men assembled in front of the lowered portcullis, a bit more than he¡¯d expected, but nothing compared to the nearly 6000 troops Lord Sargani?l had quartered in the city. He spied the banner of the lord of Dab?ur near the front, surrounded by fifty or so professional soldiers and another hundred of his guard, but quickly passed over it, searching in vain for the 400 hundred durgu he knew the prince commanded. Where¡¯s the kruvas?-cursed prince? His eyes froze as he reached the banner of King Kaba?ni, which was held aloft by a man standing beside an unfamiliar woman. She was a young slip of a thing, with long curly hair ringing her shoulders and an intricate armored tunic of a style he vaguely recognized as Djinn. She bore no weapons, but there was something about the way she held herself that told Rahmu? that she was not as helpless as she appeared. And then there was her mount; she sat astride a jet-black tsusssi?m, a beast that would have nearly bankrupted even a prominent noble like Lord Sargani?l to purchase. This was no simple girl, yet he hadn¡¯t the faintest clue who she was. Could she be a Moon-kissed noble? The paleness of her skin, the Djinn armor, and her mount, itself a product of their province, all pointed to such an origin, but there were discrepancies as well. The Moon-kissed usually had horns much like an elf¡¯s, and they were no more likely than their other kin to leave the safety of their secluded province. Why would a Moon-kissed interfere with my plans? The answer struck him like a lightning bolt. Her lack of armor, her exotic background, the casual danger she seemed to exude. The gods. One of their bloody gods must have given her a quest against me. As the pieces fell in place, Rahmu? felt a cold sweat break across his brow. He didn¡¯t know what to expect from the girl, but if she was a champion of a god, she was likely a powerful mage. She still shouldn¡¯t be able to bring down the walls, but, just like the prince, she must have a plan. And speaking of the prince¡­they¡¯re in cahoots. They must have found a way for one of the tunnels, and will attack from both sides. It was a clever plan and, depending on how powerful the unknown champion proved to be, Rahmu? was unsure if he could stop them, but he would go down fighting. ¡°Sound the alarm,¡± he commanded the captain standing beside him. ¡°I want all the men raised, immediately. Send half to the walls, but keep the other half mobilized near the center.¡± ¡°Why keep them back?¡± the captain grunted. ¡°Because there will be an attack from somewhere in the city,¡± Rahmu? replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know where and I don¡¯t know when, but as long as the durgu prince is unaccounted for, we need to hold some forces in reserve.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have a prayer¡¯s chance of getting through these walls,¡± the captain shrugged, ¡°But if Lord Sargani?l wills it-¡± ¡°He does,¡± he snapped, his irritation rising at the man¡¯s choice of phrase. A prayer¡¯s chance. I fear that is exactly the sort of chance she has. Satisfied that his orders would be obeyed, he commanded a few guards to accompany him and headed straight for Du?r-Rabu?. With any luck, the champion would wear herself out on the troops before she could reach him and if not¡­well, there was always the backup plan. A Three-Pronged Attack Jasper watched from afar as Tsia approached the city, accompanied by what forces they¡¯d managed to muster from the outlying villages surrounding Birnah. It had been even easier than he¡¯d expected to garner support from the villagers as Sargani?l¡¯s decision to abandon them to the Atrometos¡¯ attacks had burned through what goodwill he had in a flash, while S?ams?a?dur¡¯s efforts to protect them had endeared him to all he¡¯d saved. Even the men of Dab?ur, much to his surprise, had agreed to join them as, with the mindworm dead, the commands he had given the guards of Da?bur lost their hold, and they were chomping at the bits for revenge. Still, no matter how much the villagers resented their lord now, treason was not a path embarked on lightly - and that was where Tsia entered the picture. As the daughter of their king, her presence turned an act of treason against Sargani?l into an act of fealty to their king. Thus, as much as he hated to split her off from the rest of the party, Tsia had to go with the troops approaching the gate. Her role, however, was little more than a diversion; although they didn¡¯t have a realistic chance to storm the gates, the mind mage and his ensorcelled soldiers would be forced to pay some attention to her and, if they were truly lucky, he hoped news of her arrival at the gates would spread amongst the people and incite unrest. But their hopes were not pinned on Tsia. While the Sapi?yan forces were arrayed outside the gate, S?ams?a?dur and his men, along with Commander Mari?ltu, had landed on the abandoned isle and were already making their way through the sunken passage that led to Du?r-Sulmu. Ihra had already verified that the ward was still down and, surprisingly, only lightly guarded, so they should have little problem taking the castle by surprise. What happened after they seized the castle would depend on whether or not they could attract reinforcements to their ranks. Mari?ltu and Asa?ta felt confident that the priests, who were immune to the mindworm¡¯s mental charms, would be willing to join forces, and the commander even held hope that there still remained soldiers uncompromised by the mind mage who would rally to his banner. If they succeeded in gaining a few allies, there was a good chance they could blitzkrieg the city quickly enough to overwhelm the defenders at the gates and let Tsia in. But S?ams?a?dur¡¯s forces were just as much of a diversion as the princess'' little army. As Jasper and Mari?ltu had poured over the defenses of the city, he¡¯d become convinced that there was no way they could capture Birnah. There was a reason the city had withstood a dozen major sieges from Stryn over the centuries without falling, despite the vast discrepancy in military power between the two states. With the limited number of troops they had at hand, even if S?ams?a?dur successfully seized Du?r-Sulmu, Jasper saw no scenario that would allow them to dislodge the ensorcelled soldiers from the remaining six castles that protected the city. Perhaps, if the citizens rallied to their cause, they could bottle the mindworm¡¯s forces up in the castle, but that would leave them in an untenable situation when Strynn¡¯s army rolled up to the gates. With six hostile forts at their back and an enemy outside, they¡¯d be crushed like a bug. Instead, Jasper felt that their only hope for victory lay in killing the mind mage as quickly as possible. Once he was dead, the control he wielded over the soldiers¡¯ minds would be dispelled. Even if Sarganil persisted in his treachery against King Kabani, Mariltu felt certain that the rest of the commanders would refuse to open the gates to the forces of Stryn, once their minds were free. But assassinating Rahmu? was easier said than done. According to the commander, the mage had rarely left the security of Du?r-Rabu? once he¡¯d succeeded in compromising Sargani?l. He¡¯d still accompanied the lord when he¡¯d inspected the city¡¯s fortifications or made appearances for necessary festivals, but on those occasions, he was protected by at least forty of Sargani?l¡¯s bodyguards. If they wanted to kill him, they¡¯d need to isolate him, and hence the plan had been born. Jasper suspected that when Tsia showed up at the gates with a force that wasn¡¯t strong enough to storm the city, Rahmu? would see through the ruse. He¡¯d hold back some of his forces, trusting in the walls to keep him safe, while he waited to see where the true attack landed. What Jasper hoped, though, was that the mindworm wouldn¡¯t realize that the second attack was also a ruse. If they could get the mage to commit the bulk of his troops to stopping S?ams?a?dur¡¯s attack, there''d be a short window of opportunity in which to strike. There was just one facet of the plan outside of their control, the weather, and, fortunately, it had chosen to cooperate. His hands twitched as he renewed the spell on himself and Ihra and glanced over at her. ¡°Can you still see him?¡± Her lips were nearly blue, and she rubbed her arms energetically as she replied. ¡°He¡¯s headed back toward the palace. You might have mentioned it would be freezing up here,¡± she complained with a scowl. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of it,¡± he shot back. ¡°This is the highest I¡¯ve ever flown.¡± They were surrounded by a thick bank of clouds that had rolled off the river, threatening the city with an imminent downpour. The overcast sky had shielded them from sight, allowing them to position themselves directly above Du?r-Rabu? with the soldiers none the wiser, but Jasper hadn¡¯t accounted for the weather. It might be about to rain in the city, but the clouds were nearly fifty degrees colder, and Ihra, unlike himself, wasn''t immune to the elements. His spectral wings passed through her body unhindered as he flew next to her and grabbed her arm. Her lips began to turn red as he fed a small stream of essence into her, warming her body, and she flashed him a grateful smile. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I don''t how you can even see the dude,¡± he groused, squinting ineffectually at the city stretching below them. "These people look like ants, and not even the big ones, but those tiny ones that are no bigger than a grain of rice.¡± ¡°If you invested in vision, you could see him too,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to settle for being blind. Guess that makes you my seeing-eye dog," he snarked back. Ihra arched her brow. "You''re calling me a dog," she asked with a dangerous tone, though there was a glint of amusement in her. "Uh, let''s just forget I said that," he replied hastily. Lapsing into silence, they continued to watch the city below, waiting for the moment of opportunity, until Ihra finally pointed to Du?r-Sulmu. ¡°There¡¯s durgu? fighting on the walls.¡± ¡°Do they have control of the castle yet?¡± ¡°No, but they will soon,¡± she replied confidently. ¡°And Tsia?¡± A flash of lightning on the ground below answered his question. ¡°What the hell? Is she storming the zone?¡± The plan hadn''t called for her to do anything more than make a feint at the gates, but the repeated forks of lightning that lit up the seventy-foot bridge that spanned the moat suggested that not only was she attacking with gusto, but she¡¯d even managed to breach the first gate. Damn it - what is she doing? Ihra shot him a knowing look. ¡°Stop worrying - the princess can take care of herself. And besides, we have a job to do,¡± she added, pointing to the castle below them, where a small, black stream of soldiers exited the gates. ¡°He¡¯s sent out the reinforcements.¡± They waited until the stream of guards had passed before diving toward the castle. Mari?ltu had assured them the city¡¯s wards stopped a few dozen feet above the walls, tall enough to prevent any ladders or siege engines from mounting an assault, but open to attack if one could fly high enough to the sky, but Jasper still braced for impact as he neared the castle, afraid that there was a final layer of protection the commander wasn¡¯t aware of. For a change, though, his paranoia was unearned. No invisible barriers rose to greet them as they swooped above the courtyard and angled toward the western wing, where Mari?ltu said Lord Sargani?l and the mage had their chambers. In a different situation, Jasper would have found the view breathtaking. Birnah was not a beautiful city by most metrics, but there was a certain brutal appeal to its monumental fortifications, and that was especially true of Du?r-Rabu?. The greatest of the city¡¯s seven fortresses, the palace¡¯s walls were dazzlingly high. Jasper had once read that the highest medieval walls were 180 feet high, but Du?r-Rabu?¡¯s must have been at least twice that and close to fifty feet in width. A ring of eight towers surrounded the castle donjon, each equipped with rows of ballistae that could be swiveled to hit both the lands beyond the city''s moat or to bombard the lower portions of the city if the outer walls fell. But sadly, Jasper had little time to appreciate the view. Thanks to the reinforcements Rahmu? had sent to stem S?ams?a?dur¡¯s assault, a single pair of guards stood watch on the tower rising from the western wing. Keeping beneath the clouds'' cover until the final moments, Jasper and Ihra circled behind them and dove. They struck simultaneously, glaive and dagger slicing into the backs of the hapless guards. Ihra¡¯s blow hit true, piercing the man through the heart and killing him instantly, but Jasper was not so lucky. Despite punching through the guard¡¯s ribcage, the blade somehow missed all his vital organs and the man stumbled against the parapet. Determined to prevent him from raising the alarm, Jasper clamped his hands over the man¡¯s mouth, wincing in silent pain as the guard chomped down on his fingers with surprising force. He ignored the pain, twisting the glaive¡¯s shaft with a grunt of effort, and the man collapsed as he turned the blade in a circular sweep through his organs. With a second grunt, he pulled the glaive free, wringing his hand gingerly. "Damn it-" ¡°Stay down.¡± Ihra yanked him below the protective cover of the parapets and nodded her head mutely toward the tower on the left, where the solitary pair of guards had begun to make a slow circuit, turning toward them. ¡°Did they spot us?¡± he whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t think so, but it was close.¡± Still on her hands and knees, she crawled over to the hatch guarding the entrance to the inner tower. Judging by the loud squeal it made when she opened it, Lord Sargani?l didn¡¯t believe in wasting money on luxuries like oil, and Jasper tensed, half-expecting the guards on the other tower to raise the alarm. Luck was again on their side, though, as the only sound that greeted them was the angry gusts of wind that buffeted the tower, and the quickly increasing pitter-patter of rain. They slid down the ladder quietly, closing the hatch behind them, and examined the room. A pang of guilt tugged at Jasper¡¯s heart as he noticed a pair of cots on the wall opposite the ladder, and he wondered if they had belonged to the guards. He suppressed the thought quickly, reminding himself that their deaths were necessary to prevent the alarm from being raised, but it was a cold comfort. There were two doors in the circular chamber, both, Jasper suspected, leading to the wall and another hatch that covered a ladder descending to the floor below. He opened it cautiously, bracing for the expected squeal but, as its hinges were protected from the elements, it remained silent. Peeking over the edge, he spotted a man hunched over a shabby desk with his back to the ladder. He started to read a spell, but Ihra was faster. Hit the ground in a silent roll, she scampered behind the soldier and drew Aphora''s misericorde. A spray of blood spattered the desk as she ripped it through his throat, and the man slumped against the back of the chair, his eyes bulging out as he futilely tried to stem the flow of blood gushing from his destroyed tendons. Damn it. Jasper looked away with a grimace, unhappy at being forced to kill a man who was likely mind-controlled. Ignoring the scene behind him, he examined the chamber with a quick sweep. Unlike the chamber, there were no doors to the right or the left. Instead, there were only two exits - a new door, with finely stained wood and hand gilt with gold directly in front of them, and another hatch that led down to the next floor in the tower. He took a step toward the door, but Ihra beat him to it. The door glided silently over an opulent, scarlet rug, as she opened it a crack and peered through to the other side. ¡°It¡¯s clear.¡± Champions The pain rippling through her body was the worst Tsia had ever felt. She¡¯d thought she¡¯d pushed herself to the edge when they¡¯d been attacked by the gallu?, and she¡¯d summoned a storm to save the village. And if that hadn¡¯t been the brink of her capabilities, she definitely thought she¡¯d reached it in the battle against Yas?gah and the dead gods, but, right now, a power welled up inside her unlike any she¡¯d ever tapped before, a power that was as painful as it was overwhelming. It hadn¡¯t been the plan to actually attack the gates. She and the men she¡¯d gathered to her cause were there as a distraction. They were good men, loyal to her father and Sapiya, but they were primarily guards and village militia rather than professional soldiers, and they lacked the siege weapons and mages needed to breach the walls. The goal was merely to tie up as many of Sarganil¡¯s soldiers at the gates as possible and maybe, if they were lucky, to inspire the people of Birnah to revolt on her behalf. Their true hopes, though, were pinned on Jasper and Ihra succeeding in their attempt to assassinate the mage. But that plan had gone out the window when she¡¯d reached the gate and spied the mindworm staring down at her from behind the walls. He was an unremarkable man; thinning brown hair and muddy green eyes, the hunched shoulders of a mage who avoided the battlefields, and an arrogant smirk on his lips as he stared down at her. The man who had conspired to steal her father¡¯s throne. The insidious worm who¡¯d unleashed rampaging Atrometos on helpless villagers. The foul fiend who planned to deliver Birnah and its people into the hands of their most hated foe. She¡¯d ignored it at first, but the man¡¯s face kept haunting her until she could stand it no more. A cold fury flooded her veins, an unspoken vow of wrath and ruin that burst through every barrier and washed away any thought of the plan. She recognized the anger for what it was immediately, even though she¡¯d never experienced it. It was the fury of the ancestors, the vengeful elven wrath that had driven them to avenge the Mwyranni''s fall and made even the Sidhe wary. She¡¯d seen it only once before, when To?rin, her mother¡¯s right-hand man, had learned of his eldest son¡¯s death at the hands of some bandits. She hadn¡¯t witnessed the vengeance he¡¯d wreaked, but she¡¯d heard the stories - tales of crucified bandits and their leader skinned alive - tales she found hard to believe of a man who was usually so gentle. But though she heard of such wrath, Tsia had never thought she¡¯d experience it herself. She was only one-fourth elven, and nothing about her, from her appearance to her mode of magic, seemed to favor that side of her heritage. Thus, she was taken by surprise as the icy tendrils of wrath and vengeance began to slither through her veins, and her essence was pumped to new heights by the ancestors watching over her. They weren¡¯t the only ones whose gaze was upon her. The wind murmured in her ear as she stepped onto the bridge, whispering Imh?ullu¡¯s name, and lightning danced across her fingers unsummoned. Her hair stood on end as the dark clouds overhead deepened, and the men around her fell back, exchanging fearful glances. The wind roared, the rain fell, and her wrath spilled over. What exploded from her hands was not lightning as she knew it. Thicker, stronger, and more focused, a torrent of energy that Jasper, if he¡¯d been closer, might have recognized it as plasma, cascaded across the gate in a true fusion of her wind and lightning magics. The gate still stood when the blinding glare faded, but the beam struck again and again. Tsia didn¡¯t notice as the guards on the wall turned and fled. She didn¡¯t notice as the men behind her abandoned the bridge. She stood rooted to the spot, body wracked with pain as the ancestors¡¯ wrath surged through her until, with a resounding crack, the portcullis split open. A hideous metallic screech filled the air as the gate tilted precariously, still held up by a handful of half-melted bonds. Tsia sagged as the furor melted away, suddenly aware of the cold rain pelting down upon her. The screech grew louder as the gate¡¯s lean intensified and then, with a final wail, tore through the last of its bonds. The bridge shook as the portcullis thudded into it. For a moment, all was still, with nothing but the steady thumping of the rain to break up the silence that had fallen over the stunned guards. Then Tsia stepped forward, the winds stirring around her as she drew on her touch essence, and her eyes fixed on the gaping hole in the gate. So much for being just a diversion.
Jasper followed Ihra through the door, and paused to engage the lock, before surveying the hall they¡¯d found themselves in. While not as luxurious as the great manors of Europe, the hall before them was a testament to Sarganil¡¯s wealth. The hall was about forty feet across and twice that in length. A plush red carpet, worn down by use in the middle, lay beneath the vaulted ceiling, while light flooded from the massive crystal chandeliers that hung at even intervals. The hall was further decorated with staggered sections of padded couches and potted shrubs that occupied the spaces between the nearly two dozen doors.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. But despite the touch of luxury in the castle¡¯s living suite, the city¡¯s role as a fortress was not forgotten even here. Hundreds of weapons were mounted on the walls, enough to equip a small army, and a pair of miniature ballistae were mounted at both ends of the hall, prepared for a desperate last stand. The corridor, though, was empty, and Jasper stared in dismay at the dozens of closed doors that stretched before them. Damn it. We need to find this guy and fast, but where the hell do we even start? ¡°I¡¯ll take the left, you take the right?¡± he asked Ihra. She nodded briskly, but before the two could split up, a door creaked open further down the hall. In a flash, the two flattened themselves against the wall, crouching down behind a decorative shrub in desperate need of watering. A pair of guards emerged from the room and headed in their direction. Despite the full armor they were wearing, they clearly weren¡¯t anticipating danger as they approached, lost in conversation between themselves. ¡°There¡¯s a champion of the gods storming our city and our lord still won¡¯t go to face her,¡± one complained. Jasper¡¯s blood chilled at the first part of the sentence, his mind racing as he wondered how on earth they¡¯d heard of him, only to descend into confusion at the end. Her? Is there another champion here? ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the day our lord became a coward, but I suppose old age catches up with everyone eventually,¡± the other replied. He braced as the two drew near, and wordlessly gestured to Ihra that he¡¯d take the one on the left. He reached for the glaive, ready to strike as soon as the men were in range when a door behind them opened. ¡°The gate has fallen. I don¡¯t know who this champion is¡­intruders!¡± Jasper cursed as the guard behind them screamed a warning, startling the two approaching. The glaive clattered to the ground as his hand twisted with an unfamiliar spell, while an arrow whistled past his ear and bounced off the guard¡¯s armor. Punishing Hand. The bright lights in the hall seemed to dim as the spell hit the ground in between the third guards. The air shimmered as a pale but corporeal hand manifested in the spot, looking like it had been ripped straight off Frankenstein¡¯s monster. It was a ghastly thing, scarred and torn, and utterly bereft of blood, but the effect it had on the guards was immediate. As one, they froze in position, neither moving their hands nor their feet as they stared at the pale, wriggling hand. Blood leaked from their nostrils across cheeks as white as snow as Jasper rose to his feet and, snatching the glaive back up, plunged it straight through the narrow opening between the man¡¯s helmet and his armored tunic. Apparently, the spell even froze the guard¡¯s tongue, as he made no sound as he pitched forward. With a grunt, Jasper cut him and lowered him to the ground, while Ihra dispatched the remaining two. For a brief moment, he contemplated trying to hide the bodies, but quickly discarded the idea. This was no longer a stealth mission; they needed to find and kill the mindworm before he realized how weak S?ams?a?dur¡¯s forces were, and recalled the reinforcements to the castle. With a quick nod to Ihra, the two headed down the hall at a controlled jog, aiming for the door from which the pair of guards had emerged. It was closed when they reached it, and they paused outside as Ihra pressed her ears against it. ¡°Hear anything?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quiet.¡± She cracked the door open, plastering her face in the narrow hole for only a second before she pulled back, cursing as a dagger slammed into the door.
Rahmu? was a nervous wreck as he paced back and forth across Sargani?l¡¯s chambers, bitterly cursing the day he¡¯d ever listened to the lord¡¯s proposal. Sure, he¡¯d had to live in the shadows before, never free to practice his magic openly, but it was a good life. So long as you didn¡¯t let yourself get greedy, a few words in the right ears were all one needed to live well, and until a year ago, he¡¯d done a good job of keeping his ambitions in check. But now¡­he cursed again as his mind flashed back to the champion outside his gates. Once he¡¯d spied her, he¡¯d beat a hasty retreat, but not before leaving his mark on the captain of the guard, a little spell that would let him see through the man¡¯s eyes. Rahmu? had thought that if he could see what sort of essence she wielded, he could at least narrow down which god was working against him and, perhaps, with the appropriate sacrifice, muster up a little divine protection of his own. But that idea had been a failure. The magic she¡¯d thrown against the gates was unlike any he¡¯d seen, a glowing, flowing beam of light that defied all categorizations. If anything, the magic she¡¯d displayed reminded him of the Sidhe more than of the gods, but he found it hard to believe that the king of Sapiya had one at his beck and call. And yet¡­ ¡°No!¡± With an angry snarl, Rahmu? slammed his hands into the desk, ignoring the shooting stabs of pain that spread across them. ¡°I am not going down like this. Sargani?l,¡± he snapped at the lord sitting mutely in a chair in the corner, fully enthralled. ¡°Guard the entrance with your life. Don¡¯t let anyone in, no matter the cost.¡± He cast a second spell, extending his hold over the man¡¯s mind and strengthening his physical capabilities, and waited until the man took his stand in front of the door before retreating deeper into the next room - Lord Sargani?l¡¯s personal chapel. Before Rahmu? had arrived, the chapel had sat dusty and unused; while Sargani?l conveyed the appropriate amount of piety in public, in private, the man paid little regard to the gods, which allowed Rahmu? to claim the space as his own. There, he¡¯d erected a small altar to Duluh?h?u?, though he knew that the long-dead Sidhe wasn''t capable of answering prayers. It didn¡¯t matter, though; there were older, darker things to call upon, and on the shrine set a book open to a ritual he¡¯d never thought he¡¯d cast. He hadn¡¯t wanted to do it, but the champion had forced his hand. If I can¡¯t win, no one can. Pausing in front of the book, he sliced his wrists open, and let the blood rain down on the open pages as he began the chant that would bind his essence to a dark god, the chant that would allow him to seize the minds of the citizens of Birnah. The Ilrabu? After weeks cramped on board the imperial galley, Te?ma?nu was eager to stretch his legs.Leaving his servant to oversee the unloading of his possessions from the ship, he headed into Ka?r-Apum, curious to experience the city for himself without an escort of Strythani nobles looking over his shoulder. His temporary abode was in the merchant¡¯s district.It was the one sector of the city that resembled the settlements he was used to, though, even here, there were notable differences.While a majority of the great merchant houses that plied the inner sea came from the Empire, there were representatives from many other kingdoms as well - elves from Onkodos Laos and Yammaqom, dwarves from Bira?na?ti and Mus?aqq?, and even a handful of satyr, Fey, and Albwynian merchants.There was even, much to his displeasure, a group of Zalancthian merchants, hawking wares that by all rights should belong to the empire. He steered clear of their stall, offended by its very presence, though he could not help but notice the rows of immaculately carved statues they were offering, idols of the Corsyth gods carved in a fashion he recognized as belonging to the lost province of Pith?allu.Like the Agami?nian general who had recently sworn his loyalty to the empire, it seemed these merchants too had succumbed to the imperial culture. But Te?ma?nu was not here for the market; he was sure that in the weeks and months to follow, he would find himself here regularly, but the market was not significantly better than what he¡¯d seen in Celestia.Instead, after a quick survey of the goods on display, he headed deeper into the city, curious to see the Strythani quarters up close. As the merchant quarter faded into the distance, so too did the hustle and bustle of the city.The Strythani¡¯s sectors were a strange mix of settlement and open wilderness.The majority of their homes were built into the ground, protruding from the earth in a series of gently rolling hills.Many of the townsfolk planted gardens on the roof, growing whatever roots and vegetables could survive the harsh winters, while others allowed the land to lie fallow, overgrown by shrubs or even trees that would provide further protection from the elements. Most of the sectors were arranged in a roughly circular pattern, usually oriented around a thick patch of trees in the center in which they farmed the silk of their crescent-fanged spiders. Te?ma?nu did not consider himself particularly fearful of spiders, but he was forced to reassess that opinion when he stopped at the first of the forest patches.The forest was fenced off, preventing any fools from wandering, and a handful of guards watched the entrance, but he could still see the spiders, perched high in the trees.A bit shorter than a cow, but significantly wider, the monstrous beasts were far too large for his liking. Still, he stuck around for a while, jotting notes in his book and even attempting a rough sketch of the spiders, until one of the guards showed up with their lunch - a wagon loaded with a handful of lambs and a small flock of chickens.He turned away in disgust as the spiders descended on the small creatures, unable to walk away fast enough as lambs¡¯ frantic bleats filled the air. He strolled aimlessly for a while, not ready yet to return to his temporary abode and prepare for the night¡¯s feast until he spotted a building in the distance that was quite unlike the buried homes. In some ways, the construction methods remained the same.Like the homes, the complex before him was buried beneath a layer of dirt, but this was no simple house.It was a massive stepped pyramid with a long, stone staircase that led directly to the top.Each of the pyramid¡¯s seven steps was planted with evenly spaced rows of tall, wiry evergreens and between them were narrow wooden statues, carved in grotesque mockeries of animal form.A temple claimed the pinnacle of the pyramid, a row of animalistic pillars that held up an overhanging roof and large, red panels that blocked out the wind. Te?ma?nu paused at the base of the stairs, looking for the telltale emblem that would reveal what deity the temple was dedicated to, but the red panels were bereft of decoration.Usually, the absence of emblems would indicate that it was dedicated to the Progenitor, but such temples were extremely rare even in the Empire, so he doubted he¡¯d find one here.Driven by curiosity, he started up the stairs, bounding them two at a time as he continued to revel in his release from the hellish bowels of the ship. As he neared the top, he could see that the red paint of the panels was cracked and chipped, with entire portions of the hard lacquer having fallen off altogether.The pillars were equally weathered, with many of the finer details of the carvings lost to the ravages of the time.The whole place seemed nearly abandoned, and as he stepped across the threshold, he found the temple shrouded in gloom. A large wall, decorated with faded frescoes of hunting, stood opposite the open doors, blocking his view of the temple¡¯s interior.He paused to examine it, expecting to find some clue to the god the temple was dedicated to, but found nothing he recognized; nearly every sequence of the myth it told, however, was dominated by a massive, shaggy bear that he assumed must be the god in question.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Deciding it was a local deity that he was unfamiliar with, he ceased his scrutiny of the scene and circled around the wall to see the rest of the temple. A row of pillars extended into the darkness; gilt in silver and gold, they glittered in the light of a giant hearth that occupied nearly the entire back wall of the shrine.To his surprise, there was no statue of the god watching over the shrine, nor even a symbol of his divine presence, but a long, low altar stretched in front of the hearth.Barely a fourth of the hearth hosted a fire, but it was enough to drive a small portion of the darkness away, and allow him to see a man sitting behind the altar though he could not distinguish any details as his face was backlit by the flames. He debated turning around and leaving; judging from the state of the temple, it was likely that the deity was no longer popular with the people and the solitary priest watching over the dark hall was most likely impoverished.While he could sympathize with the man¡¯s state, Te?ma?nu would prefer not to be begged for donations.But before he could flee, the priest spoke. ¡°Have you come to speak with the flames?¡±The man¡¯s voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, and yet somehow it reached Te?ma?nu¡¯s ears as if he was standing right beside him.His curiosity stoked again, he ventured deeper into the hall.I guess I can spare a few coins. The man sat on an old wooden chair that had likely been quite elaborate in its heyday.Te?ma?nu could see glimmers of gold and silver clinging to its weathered spindles, along with a crackled coating of the same red lacquer that decorated the outside panels. But the priest, on the other hand, was not as old as he¡¯d expected.The man was a true Strythani, dressed in a sleeveless shirt despite the cold of the outdoors that revealed surprisingly muscular arms covered in a layer of hair so thick it could almost be mistaken for fur. His dark hair was equally shaggy, with long, wavy strands hanging below his shoulders, though his beard was neatly plaited.His amber eyes were his most unusual feature, however, as they glowed in the dark with the faint eyeshine that Te?ma?nu had sometimes observed in a night hunt.The man was no more than middle-aged, if that, he judged - hardly the dusty fossil he¡¯d expected to find. Despite his surprise, he inclined his head politely, only for the priest to snort. ¡°No need to do that here, boy,¡± the priest said not unkindly.His voice, though soft, was deep and resonant, and Te?ma?nu immediately thought the man had missed his calling - he would have been a fantastic orator in the gilded halls of Celestia. ¡°Old habits die hard,¡± he replied with a shrug.¡°I¡¯ve been here less than a day.¡± ¡°Aye, you came in on the Horned Serpent, didn¡¯t you?¡± Te?ma?nu paused.¡°I did.I¡¯m surprised you know that.¡± ¡°Eh.This temple may have seen better days, but there are still some who observe the old ways,¡± the priest said.¡°I¡¯d heard rumors of the new ambassador from the Empire; folks were quite surprised to hear he was actually going to come here.¡± ¡°The previous ambassador was quite ill,¡± Te?ma?nu lied, offering the excuse that Eligon had told him to use. But the priest chuckled lowly.¡°I suppose one could call greed an illness, but I wouldn¡¯t try that excuse on our new lord.¡± Te?ma?nu sensed a slight note of disdain when he spoke of the new king and raised his brow.¡°I¡¯d heard there¡¯d been some difficulties with the recent succession,¡± he said carefully.¡°Is the new king not a supporter of the temple?¡± ¡°Bah!¡±The priest waved his hand dismissively.¡°It is not his money that lacks quality, but the man himself.But surely you are here to worship at the temple?¡±He added, with a wry smile, ¡°Not to question me about our politics, no?¡± Caught out, Te?ma?nu flashed him a rueful grin.¡°I was actually hoping to learn more about this temple.It¡¯s quite impressive,¡± he added, not mentioning its state of disrepair, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not as well educated in Strythani religion as I should be.To which god is this temple dedicated?¡± ¡°Come now,¡± the man chuckled, ¡°You know who this temple belongs to.¡± Te?ma?nu could only shake his head uneasily, afraid that he was giving insult to a potentially powerful man.¡°I¡¯ve seen no symbol of the god thus, unless that hearth,¡± he pointed to the flames behind them, ¡°is some aspect of their worship.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen no symbol because there is none.Man is the symbol,¡± he said, abruptly rising from his chair.The priest was a good two feet taller than Te?ma?nu and twice as wide of shoulder, and a sudden tingle of fear ran down his spine.Surely he won¡¯t attack an ambassador. ¡°I meant no offense-¡° he started to say, but the man waved off his words. ¡°Tell me, ambassador, have you heard of Ilrab??¡± He groaned internally as the priest spoke the name.¡°Of course,¡± he replied promptly.¡°I did not realize that the Ilrab? had temples of his own.¡± ¡°Once this was the only temple in Ka?r-Apum, until the empire came and spread their gods.Now, most worship the Celestial Queen and her consort.¡±The priest showed no antipathy when he spoke of Selene, but his face darkened as he mentioned S?ams?a.¡°But the time will come again when this temple is filled with worship.¡± Te?ma?nu studied the man¡¯s face carefully, uncertain if he wanted to raise the rumors he had heard.While the priest had made no hostile move toward him, something about him sent every nerve in his body tingling with danger, and it was only his curiosity that drove him to stay. ¡°Are you referring to the rumors that the Ilrab? has returned?¡± he finally ventured. The priest smirked.¡°Those are no rumors.The Ilrab? has returned to his people and those that ignore him, those like H?ah?h?u?ru, will be found wanting.But,¡± he sat back down and, as he did, the feeling of danger Te?ma?nu had felt vanished, ¡°that is a question for another day.For now, shouldn¡¯t you be heading to the palace?The word is you¡¯re the guest of honor.¡± Glancing back at the shaft of light coming through the door, Te?ma?nu realized that day was fast fading. With a hurried bow, he took his leave, and as soon as he was out of the doors, begin running - hoping he¡¯d make it back before the elders from the council came for him. Sargani?ls Demise ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± S?ams?a?dur ground his teeth as he watched the Sapi?yan commander try to talk his comrade down. It¡¯s not going to work - they¡¯re mind-controlled, stupid! As he¡¯d predicted, Captain Maras?s?amas? of Du?r-Sulmu didn¡¯t even blink as she charged at them, lowering her spear with a guttural howl. Mari?ltu batted the blow aside with his sword, dancing to the side as she ran past him. ¡°Snap out of it,¡± he begged. ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill you.¡± She rammed into the wall, bouncing off the bricks with a grunt, and spun around. Blood trickled from the wound she opened above her eye, but she didn¡¯t notice, as she charged again. But whatever triggers the mage had planted in her mind hadn¡¯t turned her into a mindless zombie. Mari?ltu was taken by surprise as her first strike proved to be a feint, and she scored a notch along his right side. A flurry of blows followed, strikes so fast that the durgu could barely track them as she sought to overwhelm his guard. It was clear that Mari?ltu was the better fighter, but not by enough to overcome the advantage her spear held over the sword. She scored a second hit, and then a third before S?ams?a?dur saw a window of opportunity open. For a brief second, Mari?ltu managed to pin her spear between his sword and shield. He couldn¡¯t take advantage of the opening, not without letting the spear go, but the prince could. Darting forward he slammed the blunt end of his axe into her back with two swift strikes and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious, but hopefully not dead. ¡°Thanks,¡± the man grunted, as he lowered his weapons. ¡°Couldn¡¯t let her kill you,¡± S?ams?a?dur said with a shrug. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I was thanking you for,¡± Mari?ltu replied. He knew. The man¡¯s reluctance to kill his former allies had nearly gotten them killed a few times during their frantic battle for Du?r-Sulm and, frankly, S?ams?a?dur was fed up with it. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to kill the mind-controlled soldiers, but if there was a choice between their lives and the lives of him and his men, it wasn¡¯t even a debate. Opting to ignore Mari?ltu, he cast a quick glance around the room, and spying his second in command, waved him soldiers over. ¡°Is that the last of them, Ekda?ru?¡± ¡°The castle¡¯s ours, igi?ya,¡± the man replied. ¡°We¡¯ve tossed the survivors in the dungeon for now.¡± ¡°What about the city? Any signs Sargani?l has detected our presence yet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost certain a few of their men escaped,¡± the commander sighed. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before they know.¡± ¡°Have the men muster at the gates, then. We¡¯ll strike while the hammer¡¯s hot,¡± he ordered. ¡°And the priests? Will they join us?¡± Ekda?ru gnashed his teeth. ¡°They¡¯re refusing-¡± ¡°The priests can speak for themselves.¡± The commander¡¯s reply was cut short as a trio of old men entered the fallen barracks. The speaker cast a troubled look at the woman lying prone on the floor, though his eyes sharpened as he saw Mari?ltu. ¡°I hope you did not kill her; Captain Maras?s?amas? did her best to protect us from Lord Sargani?l¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°I have no doubt that is true, Master Babba?nu,¡± Mari?ltu grunted, offering the man a quick nod. ¡°Captain Maras?s?amas? is a good woman, and with luck, she will make a full recovery.¡± The tension in the priest¡¯s shoulders eased, and Mari?ltu continued. ¡°Unfortunately, she and her men were left untouched by the mindworm. We had no choice but to fight them.¡± ¡°And now that you¡¯ve taken the castle, what next? Surely you do not imagine that you can reclaim the entire city with the handful of troops here,¡± Babba?nu questioned. ¡°Birnah has never fallen.¡± ¡°And we are here to make sure it stays that way,¡± Mari?ltu growled. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know what the mindworm has been up to since your imprisonment, but there¡¯s an army from Stryn marching on the city and, from our reports, it¡¯s only a few days away. The mage means to open the gates for them.¡± ¡°A compelling reason,¡± Babba?nu replied calmly, ¡°but that does not answer my question. I will not send my men to their deaths for a hopeless cause - do you have a plan or not?¡±
With a muttered curse, Ihra flung herself away from the door, where the dagger stood quivering in the frame, and not a moment too soon. Splinters of wood bombarded her as a giant maul smashed through the old wood. There was a grunt from the other side as the maul was withdrawn, and she caught sight of their attacker through the hole. The man wore thick-plated armor, in the fashion preferred by the trolls and the men of Strynn. Every inch of his body was covered, except for his helmet, where small gaps in the helmet allowed her to see his face and eyes. His skin was weathered and scarred, and gray hair brushed across the top of his brows, but it was the milky sheen of his eyes that sent a shudder down her spine. He doesn¡¯t even know what he¡¯s doing. Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t matter. With an angry bellow, the man shattered the broken remnants of the door with his forearm and stepped through. He froze in place for a fraction of a second as a pale white hand danced in front of him, and then the spell shattered, too low in level to bind him in place. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Sheathing her dagger, which would be all but useless against the man¡¯s thick armor, she reached for her bow. Even that would have trouble breaking through his plates, but if she could rack up enough piercing, some of her abilities should be able to punch through. The maul whistled toward her head, and she threw herself backward, getting off a hasty shot as she fell that ricocheted off his gauntlet. A second shower of splinters erupted as the maul buried itself in the floor, punching through to the lower layer, but the man ripped out with ease. Seraph Burst. Blurring past her in a whirlwind of metal and wings, Jasper collided with Sargani?l, knocking the lord to his feet. The parqueted floor and plush carpet were shredded as they skidded to a stop against the back wall and Jasper tried to leap free, but a gauntlet wrapped his neck and slammed his face into the noble¡¯s knee. Arrows leapt off her hands, bombarding the seams of the man¡¯s plate in search of a weak point, but coming up empty. At least, her piercing went up slowly with each successful hit, but she was barely inconveniencing him. With another roar, the man grabbed Jasper by the leg and slammed him into the wall with enough force to knock him into the room beyond. Kruvas?. More arrows bounced off of him, one or two now sinking a few inches into his armor as the piercing accumulated, but he still ignored her. A barrage of fiery orbs streamed through the hole, rocking the man on his heels, but when the explosions faded his armor remained scorched, but otherwise unarmed. Sargani?l didn¡¯t even glance at Ihra as he stalked toward the hole in the wall, dragging his maul behind him, and irritation flickered through her at being ignored. She wasn¡¯t certain how Jasper was doing - clearly he was conscious enough to still cast spells - but he had to be in a world of pain after being tossed through a wall. Got to give him space to recover. Without a second thought, she dumped a third of her health into The Still Pond. She grunted in pain as the damage hit her, but took off down the hall toward the noble, who had turned his back to her. Aphora¡¯s dagger leapt to her hand, and she dedicated every last shred of The Still Pond as she leapt forward, angling the misericorde for the narrow seam between the helmet and his breastplate. Sargani?l sank to one knee as the dagger punched through, blood bubbling up through the narrow seam. Unfortunately, Jasper hadn¡¯t been able to see her coming, and a second later she was blown backward as a fresh stream of fiery orbs bombarded both of them. Her bow went flying as she turned head over heels before colliding with the wall, and her thoughts stuttered to a stop. Her limbs were slow to comply as Sargani?l rose, still bleeding freely from the dagger entrenched in his neck, and turned his attention to her for the first time. Fiery Shackles. The floor was further damaged as a pair of blazing manacles erupted from the ground, clamping around the knight¡¯s ankles, but they delayed him only a second, snapping beneath his immense strength. Thud. Thud. The ground shook as he approached her, and she somehow struggled to her feet, bereft of both bow and dagger. Jasper leapt through the hole in the wall, a spell blossoming from his hand at the same as Sargani?l swept his maul down toward her. She tried to dodge, but her legs failed her. Bones cracked, muscles snapped, and her lungs deflated as the maul slammed her into the ground, but its trajectory was halted as Sarganil was flung in the other direction in another flurry of metallic wings. Pain was all she knew, pain and the fear that her time had come and then the ability she¡¯d almost forgotten about kicked in. Fawn of Ayya?lu. Her legs skittered across the broken floor as her arms lengthened, her head narrowed, and her skin sprouted a rich coat of dappled, tawny fur. Her antlers grew rapidly darkening and hardening into the same metallic sheen that coated her newly spawned hooves as she finally regained her balance, and her eyes locked onto the armored man, who had his gauntlet fists wrapped around her friend¡¯s throat. The red carpet muffled her hooves and he did not turn until the silver-tipped antlers punched through his breastplate, piercing the flesh beneath. She tossed her head, dragging the man across the ground while her iron hooves pummeled him, but he regained himself almost immediately. His progress was halted as he buried his fist through the floor and braced his feet. For a moment, their strength was matched, but then, slowly but surely, her hooves began to slip. The deer¡¯s thoughts were fractured, as much animal as human, as she tried to hold him in place, but she flinched as his remaining hand reached out for the maul. She didn¡¯t have another healing spell in the back of her pocket. His fingers slipped off the shaft, and with a concerted effort she dragged him a few inches to the left, but he dug in again and reached one more time. The maul slid forward slowly as his hand fought for purchase, slipping it closer and closer to his grasp. But then the body behind him stumbled to its feet. Light blossomed between Jasper¡¯s fingers as he cast a spell that chased away the deer¡¯s pain, followed by a second as he muttered, ¡°Equalizer.¡± With a quick step forward, he wrapped the man in a bear hug and pulled him straight off her horns. He staggered backward as Sargani?l flailed, landing beneath the armored knight, only for the knight to be cast aside as Jasper kicked him off. The wounds the warrior had accumulated had begun to wrack up by now, and he staggered as the mage landed a flurry of blows on him, hitting the armor hard enough to dent, though his blows were aimed at the dagger stuck in his neck and the bloody holes where the antlers had gone through. Raising his hand to fend off the blows, the man swung the maul in a wild haymaker, but the mage simply ducked beneath and rose swiftly, hammering a blow to the base of his helmet. The battered helm flew off, finally revealing the face of their opponent - his pockmarked cheeks, his broken, aquiline nose, the unseeing eyes. The mage took a step backward, narrowly avoiding the rebound of the maul, and a long, shadowy whip unfurled from his fingers. Scourge of Despair. It only drew a thin line of blood as it lashed across the lord¡¯s cheek, but that was enough. The hall suddenly grew crowded as a host of howling specters manifested around him, launching onto their wounded foe like a pack of hyenas. Another burst of golden light rippled off the mage¡¯s fingers as he stumped over to the deer, healing the gnarly gash across his cheek. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She was unable to speak, the spell on a timer rather than under control, and she ducked her head as he tried to pat it. Unsuccessfully. ¡°Who¡¯s a good deer,¡± he crooned, rubbing the spot between her antlers. But the levity was short-lived as a noise from the rubble-filled hall drew his attention - not to the noble, whose bloody carcass was still being ripped to shreds by the hungry ghosts - but to the room beyond. ¡°Right, the bloody mindworm.¡± He sighed. ¡°Ready for round two?¡± The Hidden Chapel A trickle of fear wrapped under Jasper¡¯s heart as he glanced down at the deer standing beside him. It had been a long time since Ihra had been injured severely enough to trigger the transformation, but not nearly long enough by his standards. She almost died. Though it was a sobering realization, he couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on it. Sargani?l was dead, but their true target, Rahmu?, was still at large and the fight had gone worse than he''d expected. Having been forced to use Equalizer on Sargani?l, he had nothing left in the tank if Rahmu? proved tougher than expected. God, I hope mind mages are as crap at combat as they say. He glanced down at the deer again. I wish I knew how long the transformation lasted. The last time it had been several minutes before she changed back, and he knew the length of the skill was tied in part to her level. God only knows how long it could take. He couldn¡¯t afford to wait. He quickly grabbed her bow and dagger, hissing in pain as he touched Aphora¡¯s misericorde, and stowed them in his bag before returning to the deer. ¡°Stay here,¡± he ordered, unsure if it would understand or comply, and turned to face the wall Sargani?l had smashed him through. A pile of rubble blocked the entrance, but there was still enough space to squeeze through. Turning to the side, he popped into the room, sighing as he saw the deer follow him. Can¡¯t say I was expecting it to listen. Ignoring his follower, he readied a spell as he quickly surveyed the room he¡¯d found himself in, a bedroom so opulent he suspected it belonged to Sargani?l himself. The mage was not in sight, but there were a dozen places Rahmu? could be hiding - a giant armoire resting against the wall, the massive bed elevated on a podium, the voluminous blue curtains covering a small window, and more. His eyes drifted to the two closed doors on either side of the regal bed, tempted to continue his search beyond the room, but he hesitated. It was possible that the mind mage had himself, planning to slip out as soon as Jasper left. I better clear the room first. With a growl, he charged over to the bed, ripping the covers up and ducking underneath. It was more than large enough to hold a person, but it was empty, scoured clean of even dust bunnies. It must be nice to have servants. He swept through the room like a windmill, tearing at the curtains and busting open the armoire doors before checking the nearest of the doors, which led to a small balcony holding the man¡¯s tub. On a different day, the view the balcony afforded of the city likely would have been lovely, but the floodgates of heaven had truly opened, with the rain pouring down so hard that he could barely make out the nearest tower. ¡°Kruvas?!¡± Ihra¡¯s voice greeted Jasper as soon as he stepped inside. He quickly glanced over to where the deer had been standing and found her leaning over the bed, both hands on the plush mattress as she vomited a brown mixture of food and fur all over the deep blue covers. ¡°Selene¡¯s grace, that¡¯s even worse than I remembered,¡± she groaned, wiping her mouth clean. ¡°Things are a bit hazy after the change,¡± she admitted as she shoved shakily off the bed. ¡°Is Sargani?l dead?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°And the mage?¡± ¡°Still looking for him.¡± Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the bow and tossed it over to her, but he left the dagger inside his bag, opening its mouth when he walked over. ¡°You can get that damned dagger yourself,¡± he said with a light chuckle, not wanting to touch the burning weapon. She snatched it out of the bag and, quickly resheathing it, readied her bow. ¡°Any idea where the mage is?¡± He pointed to the second door beside the bed. ¡°There¡¯s only one more place to check. If he¡¯s not here, then he could be anywhere in the whole damned castle.¡± And we¡¯re screwed, he thought morosely. ¡°He¡¯ll be here,¡± Ihra responded confidently. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have commanded Sargani?l to guard an empty room.¡± Crouching down beside the door, she rotated the handle slowly, muffling the click of the latch, and nudged it open. A narrow passage awaited them on the other side, connecting Sargani?l¡¯s bedroom with the rooms on either side and dead ending into an open arch, through which the golden aura of candlelight streamed, dappling the cold, stone tiles with a cheery warmth that drove away the storm''s darkness. There was no one in the hall, but they approached the arch carefully, and as he caught his first glimpse of the room beyond, Jasper was relieved to see that Ihra¡¯s confidence had not been misplaced. The chamber at the end of the hall was some sort of a chapel. The warm light danced across its plain white walls and sent shadows scurrying across the lofty, vaulted ceiling, whose thick timbers had been painted a deep blue and decorated with the stars of heaven. A cluster stone benches were arrayed in a semicircle around a black basalt altar that occupied the heart of the chamber, while behind the altar rose a slightly larger-than-life-sized statue of a warrior with a mace raised above his head and a flail in his other hand. Judging from the spiky crown of rays upon his head, Jasper rightly guessed it was S?ams?a.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. But his attention was swiftly fixed on the man that stood before the altar. Dressed in simple brown robes, with a hood pulled over his head, he was either the mindworm or someone trying to look like him. Jasper couldn¡¯t see what sat on the altar before him, but the man¡¯s hands gesticulated wildly as he chanted in a barely audible tone. Damn it. He''s performing a ritual. While he wanted to bolt forward and immediately interrupt whatever the man was doing, caution slowed his step. Pausing at the threshold of the arch, he peered around the corners, checking for any sign of ambush, and only stepped forward when he saw the chapel was abandoned save for the mage. An unspoken agreement passed between them as he glanced at Ihra, and he raised his hand, counting down silently, as they readied their attacks. Three. Two. One. A red glow gleamed on the arrow¡¯s tip as it raced the stream of fiery orbs to its destination. The mindworm didn¡¯t budge, his voice rising and falling with a steady cadence as he focused on the unseen object he was crouched over. In a moment, it would be over. Then the arrow rebounded off an unseen barrier, quickly followed by the orbs that detonated off the hidden shield with a roar that was nearly deafening in the tiny chapel. A second and third arrow shot past him before he could fire off a second spell, but it didn¡¯t matter. As they bounced off the barrier, the mage''s chant was broken by a low, dark laugh. ¡°Your spells won¡¯t help you here. That shield is a relic of Duluh?h?u?, the last remaining inheritance of a beggared house. It will take more than a few paltry spells to bring it down. Maybe that champion of yours can manage it, but by then¡­¡± He waved his hand dismissively, still not bothering to face them. ¡°It will be too late. Once the ritual is complete, not even a champion of the gods, will be enough to reclaim the city.¡± Abandoning his spells, Jasper grabbed the glaive and hammered it at the shield. The weapon was nearly torn from his hands as it bounced off the barrier, but he recovered it, and struck again. Surely we can overwhelm it. ¡°Yes, yes, tire yourself out,¡± the man chuckled. ¡°But if I were you, I¡¯d want to save my strength for the upcoming fight.¡± Fight? Jasper watched helplessly as the man reached into his pouch and drew out a bronze bell. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I would send all of my guards away, did you?¡± Raising it above its head, he shook it vigorously. Magnified by the bare stone walls, its peals swelled to fill the small chapel and, as it did, the two closed doors in the passage beyond swung open. A dozen guards stepped forth, each one wearing plate armor matching Sargani?l''s. ¡°I admit, they¡¯re nothing compared to the noble, but they should keep you busy until you join my exalted assembly,¡± the man continued blithely. He resumed his chanting as the guards approached, and Jasper turned to Ihra. ¡°Any chance you can break through that barrier with a ritual?¡± He whispered softly. ¡°Maybe. If I had time to set it up. But what about them?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one door,¡± he growled. ¡°I¡¯ll fend them off, you take down the barrier, and we¡¯ll kill this worm.¡± Not waiting for her reply, Jasper charged toward the chapel¡¯s arch, desperate to make it there before the approaching guards. Seraph Burst. He surged forward, knocking a row of benches over as he shot through the chapel and straight out the arch, landing in a whirlwind of wings on the other side. He was slightly dizzy as he staggered to a stop, but he already had the next spell prepared. Flame Charge. The white-hot flames had barely begun to spread across his body when the first one reached him, swinging a long saber in a sharp downward slice. With a twist of his wrist, Jasper caught the blade on the glaive¡¯s shaft and shoved it to the side, but it opened him up to an attack from the soldier behind the first. With a sudden lunge forward, the soldier stabbed his spear directly into Jasper¡¯s chest. The armored scales cracked beneath the pressure as they took the brunt of a blow, but were slippery enough that the spears slid off without piercing all the way through, although they did nothing to blunt the force of the impact. He staggered back with a curse, hissing in pain, but the soldiers gave him no space. The first one sprang forward, slamming his shield into Jasper, as he struggled to regain his footing. His back hit the corner of the arch as he fell, stabilizing him, and Jasper finally managed to cast the spell he¡¯d been channeling. Punishing Hand. It may have done nothing to Sargani?l, but these warriors were decidedly less powerful. All but one froze as the wriggling, pale hand manifested before them. He winced as he breathed in, his ribs protesting where the spear had hit him, and he spared a quick glance for Ihra. She was on her hands and feet, hastily sketching a circle of chalk in front of the still-chanting mage. She¡¯s not going to get it done fast enough on her own, he realized. Turning his attention back to the still-frozen warriors, he started to weave a second spell when a stab of pain pierced his temple. His spell unraveled as his concentration vanished, but he quickly began weaving it again, with a new urgency. He was nowhere near essence deprivation which meant the feeling, which was rapidly spreading down his spine and through his arms and legs, could have only one source - the ritual the mindworm was preparing. With a flick of his wrist, he cast Shooting Star, sending a wave of orbs that smashed into the gathered warriors. Shadows fled as the orbs exploded in bright bursts of light and fire that, sadly, did little to hurt them - not that he had expected it to. Another burst, and maybe there will be an opening. They broke free of the Punishing Hand as the second wave of orbs swept through them, staggering as the flurry of explosion ricocheted down the hall, and he saw what he was looking for. The breastplate of the spear-wielding soldier sagged as the leather straps gave way, exposing a bit of flesh underneath. Scourge of Despair. Jasper dodged under a wild swing of the sword and darted forward, flicking the spectral whip toward the soldier. It latched around the man¡¯s shoulder, holding fast for a second, before it tore free, bringing with it skin and blood, and Jasper grinned as the howls of the dead filled his ear. Time to even the odds. Battle in the Market ¡°To me!¡± S?ams?a?dur roared above the frenzy, raising his great axe above his head as if it were a battle standard - an unfortunate necessity as his actual standard bearer had taken an arrow to the throat on the walls of Du?r-Sulmu and pitched off the side of the castle, taking the prince¡¯s banner with him. When this is over¡­ Rallied to the sound of his voice, the durgu? who were chasing the broken line of guards pulled back, save for a few who were too lost in the frenzy of battle to hear or heed commands. He roared again, straining his voice to its fullest in the hope of breaking through to them; what happened next was up to them. After breaking out of Du?r-Sulmu, the hasty alliance of durgu and priests had rampaged through the city unchecked until they reached the lower marketplace, aiming for the city gates in the hopes of meeting up with Tsia. Unfortunately, a small army was waiting for them in the market - the forces of Du?r-A?sir, Du?r-Bihurtu, and Du?r Rabu?, according to Mari?ltu. Even with the priests, they were thoroughly outnumbered, though not necessarily outmatched - there was a reason the durgu? were feared after all. Folding the priests into the middle of their company, the durgu? had formed a shield wall and advanced against the soldiers. The men of Birnah had held their ground at first, their numbers allowing them to press the durgu? on three flanks, but the dwarves¡¯ superior strength had slowly, but surely, pushed the soldiers back until they were nearly driven out of the marketplace. It was then that, in an apparent sudden loss of morale, the soldiers had turned and fled. His men, nearly mad with blood lust and sensing victory at hand, had broken ranks as they chased the fleeing guards, but the men of Sapi?ya, though they were not as strong as the dwarves, were faster. They had lost surprisingly few men as they pulled ahead of the pursuing durgu?, and that was when S?ams?a?dur had realized it was all a trick, that their flight was a ploy to get his forces to abandon their protective shield wall. And even as he realized that, he spied reinforcements marching down their street, though their banner was still too far away for him to tell who was approaching. Not that it mattered. They already had the advantage but with reinforcements¡­. ¡°Square formation,¡± he thundered, taking his spot in line as the soldiers who had returned to him quickly reformed their wall. ¡°Retreat to the western side,¡± he followed up, planning to use the walls of the market to free up one of their sides. They marched slowly backward, harassed by the men of Birnah who, seeing their gambit hadn¡¯t worked out, had quickly swallowed up the few stragglers who hadn¡¯t heeded his call and began reforming their own line. If I hadn¡¯t realized it¡­ He shuddered at the thought, knowing his army would have been thoroughly smashed. Counting on the coming reinforcements, the men of Birnah advanced quickly, smashing into the shield wall with renewed vigor. The dwarves held firm for the time, the priests healing them nearly as quickly as they fell, but S?ams?a?dur began to fear that his strategy had been a mistake. We should have retreated to the castle. The reinforcements drew neared, and he knew he had to make a decision. If they charged now, they could probably punch through the Sapi?yan lines and make a break for Du?r-Sulmu; it would come at a cost, a cost that made his stomach turn. In a charge like that, they wouldn¡¯t be able to keep their ranks, nor would the priests be able to save all who fell. How many would we lose? But the alternative might be even worse; if Jasper and Ihra failed in their task, once the reinforcements came his men would be trapped by a foe too numerous to defeat. They¡¯d be forced to surrender or die. The order was on the tip of his tongue when a hand fell on his arm. ¡°Look!¡± Mari?ltu hissed, an exuberant dancing in his eyes, as he pointed to the oncoming troops. ¡°Look at their banner!¡± Twisting his head, S?ams?a?dur froze as he stared down the street. The banner was finally visible, and it was not one he¡¯d expected to see. Even from a distance, the gleaming white fortress, perched on rolling hills, popped against the emerald green background. The banner of Yas?peh and its king. The banner of Tsia. How? By S?ams?a¡¯s light, how?! His estimation of the princess skyrocketed, but he knew there would be time for question later. For now, he needed to take advantage of the opportunity she had given him. Prepare for a charge. His command quickly passed through the ranks as he waited for Tsia to launch her attack on the men of Birnah, who, confident in the strength of their walls, paid no attention to the approaching soldiers. It never even crossed their mind that they might not be allies, and, thus, they were wholly unprepared when the first bolts of lightning arced through their back ranks. Chaos ensued and, as the soldiers faltered, struggling to identify the new foe behind them, the durgu? charged. This time, it was no trick when the soldiers¡¯ lines collapsed. They fell by the score as the bolts of lightning that rippled through their ranks, leaping from body to body, were followed by oversized blades of wind that scythed through them like overrun wheat. The right and left flanks, which still had avenues of escape available fled, while the middle was swallowed up by the durgu? and Tsia¡¯s combined forces. Completely outmatched, the remaining soldiers began throwing down their weapons and dropping to their knees. We won.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Of course, S?ams?a?dur knew that the battle for the city was far from over; they didn¡¯t have the manpower to chase down the men who had fled, a group that still outnumbered two or three to one, and once they holed up in their castles, it would be nearly impossible to root them out, but the heart of the city was now theirs. They had succeeded beyond his wildest expectations, and the rest was up to Jasper. If he can kill the mage¡­ His exultation was cut short as the men around him froze, many of them clutching at their heads, and he noticed a faint pressure pushing down on his mind. The mage. It had to be him, but the prince had no idea how he could be exerting pressure on so many people at the same time. S?ams?a?dur¡¯s question was answered a moment later as the clouds above them darkened. The rain intensified, so cold that it was almost ice, and in the center of the clouds, the prince glimpsed something staring back. A monstrous eye, its pupil completely black and its sclera covered in dozens of foul runes. Thorn-covered tendrils sprouted from where its eyelashes should be, wriggling with a mind of their own. He knew it then for what it was, the eye of Duluhhu himself. Though it was a shadow of its former glory - for its owner had long since passed - the ancient relic glared at the city, willing all to fall beneath its spell, and groans of pain rippled through his ranks as his men dropped to their knees, hands clasped to their head. They weren¡¯t the primary targets of the ritual, though. It was the prisoners, their minds already weakened by the small spells and cantrips Rahmu? had forced on them over the preceding year, whose eyes turned a milky white. It was the prisoners who lurched to their feet and, with all restraint or thought of self stripped from their mind, fell on his men like a pack of wild animals. Kruvas?. A deafening din filled the hall as the hungry ghosts descended on the guards. The injured one succumbed almost immediately as a specter pounced on the open wound, gnawing his arm off in a fraction of a second. Jasper stepped back as another two guards were dragged to the ground, their armor doing nothing to stop the ghosts¡¯ spectral class. But then his looming victory was unceremoniously crushed. The hall pulsed with light as one of the guards, with something clutched in his hand, raised his arm above his head and screamed. ¡°As?us?i e?t?emmi? ana e?kallim¡­¡± Jasper couldn¡¯t make out the man¡¯s words over the keening wail of the specters, but the meaning quickly became obvious. As he chanted, a golden shield rapidly expanded around the group, driving the specters before it and banishing all it touched. Just one of the specters escaped the shield¡¯s rapid expansion, hiding behind Jasper impotently. With the threat removed, the remaining guards reorganized and, lowering their long spears, marched toward him, still covered by the golden shield. Crap. He backpedaled rapidly and recast Flame Charge, wincing as he felt the strain of his essence dipping dangerously low. But as the white-hot flames rapidly spread across his body, and he swung the burning glaive in front of him in broad, wild sweeps to keep the guards away, the guards clearly withdrew. Despite their mind-controlled status, they still seemed to preserve some elements of strategic knowledge and self-preservation and apparently had not forgotten the fate of the last guard to be touched by that fire. Bunching together defensively, they kept the long spears lowered, forcing him into a standoff. Unfortunately, Jasper knew they could afford to wait. For now, the white flames were enough to force a stalemate but once his essence ran out, he¡¯d be helpless. I need to end this now. He eyed the guards with a frown, running through the paltry list of options he had. Purge seemed pointless - the men were mind-controlled, not evil. Punishing Hand and Fiery Shackles didn¡¯t do what he needed; freezing them in place for a few seconds wouldn¡¯t prevent the long spears from keeping him at bay. Only Shooting Stars seemed useful, but their armor had protected them from the worst of the explosions. He was sure he could overwhelm them if he had more essence, but as it was¡­ The answer came to him in the form of an old folktale. Arnold von Winkelfried. With a thud, he rested his glaive against the floor and, drawing a potion out of his bag, uncorked the top. Then, not giving himself time to think of how badly it was going to hurt, he charged toward the pikes. He twisted to the side as he reached them, presenting as small of a target as possible, but one of the spears still punched through his armor, slicing across his abdomen and punching through the side. He pressed forward, screaming in pain as he slid up the shaft of the spear and reached a hand to the guard¡¯s face. The spear fell from the guard¡¯s grasp as the white flames leaped from Jasper¡¯s hands onto his beard, rapidly eating away at his flesh. Jasper surged through the hole he¡¯d opened in their formation, dragging the spear he was still impaled on behind him, as he swept the burning glaive through the gathered guards and the white flames did the rest. Unable to break the hold over their mind, they pressed in around him even as their armor melted from the heat of flames, even as their skin withered and shriveled. He downed the healing potion in one swift gulp, despite the spear still stuck in his side, and pressed on, relentless as he seized the final moment of opportunity. And when the fires ceased, the hall was silent. He dropped to his knees with a grunt, wrestling with the spear sticking out of his abdomen. Trapping the shaft against the floor with his foot, he snapped it and pulled the shortened end out of his body with a groan. He downed a second potion and devoted the last dregs of his essence to casting Circle of Forgiveness, before he staggered to his feet, surveying the hall grimly. He looked away from the bodies, sickened by the scene of carnage, and then he remembered Ihra. Rahmu? Was it seven dots or nine? With a curse, Ihra dropped the chalk and scurried over to Aphora¡¯s manual, which she¡¯d propped against one of the stone benches Jasper had broken. Seven. In a flash, she¡¯d scampered back to the center of the ritual circle and, reclaiming her chalk, filled in the necessary squiggles in the fourth triangle. Only halfway there. Her supplies were scattered haphazardly around her, thousands of gold coins worth of powders and ingredients tossed aside with a reckless abandon that would usually make her heart grow faint. But she didn¡¯t have the time to worry about the money now. The pressure of the ritual beat down on her, a violent, raging tempest that howled impotently against the protections around her mind. She wasn¡¯t worried for herself or even Jasper; the runes she¡¯d carved into her calf and the amulet Mari?ltu had provided him would protect the two of them from anything short of divine intervention, but the people of Birnah had no such protections, and she wasn''t sure what the mage''s limits were - especially with whatever ritual he was currently performing. Got to stop him before he finishes. Her attention was drawn from the circle as the howls of Jasper¡¯s specters rose above the mage¡¯s droning chant and the beating of the rain against the roof. She spared a glance, watching as the hungry ghosts pounced upon the armored guards swarming around him, only to be banished a moment later when a bright flare of light flashed from one of the guards¡¯ hands. Kruvas? - is one of them a mage? Her vision of the battle was obscured as Jasper burst into flames, and she turned her attention back to the circle, trusting him to keep them at bay. One more rune. It took another minute to fill it in, a minute that felt like an eternity amidst the battle, but a minute nonetheless. Tossing the chalk aside, she checked the ritual one last time for any obvious errors but noticed nothing. Hope it holds. Plopping herself down in the center of the rune, she opened herself up to the strange, exotic energy that powered the rituals. It bubbled up from the pit of her stomach, a well without end that rapidly overflowed its bounds and spilled over into the circle. The light of the candles faded into nothingness as the rune''s vibrant glow banished all shadows, and the mage finally stopped his chanting long enough to notice what she was doing. ¡°What is that? Stop whatever you''re-¡± The invisible barrier flickered into view as a surge of energy from the ritual hammered it. It glowed brightly, cracks racing across its surface as Ihra continued to channel the essence until, overwhelmed, it shattered. Her eyes snapped open at the sound and she met Rahmu?¡¯s gaze. There was a touch of fear in his eyes, but the confidence hadn¡¯t fully abandoned him. ¡°I command you to stop,¡± he ordered imperiously. Heat flared in the runes carved into her flesh, but it didn¡¯t stop her from surging forward, drawing Aphora¡¯s misericorde as she leaped. His eyes widened, confidence replaced by panic, and his hands began to twist with a spell, but it was too late. The dagger slashed through his throat and continued on a downward trajectory until it hit his wrist. She wasn¡¯t quite strong enough to chop through the limb altogether, but it was enough to fizzle whatever spell he¡¯d been preparing. He sank to his knees, desperately clutching at his ruined throat with one hand while he fumbled in his pouch with the other, no doubt looking for a healing potion. Ihra put an end to that ambition. The mindworm toppled over as her blade punched through his left eye, finally allowing her to see what was sitting on the altar. Encased in a thick glass vase, a desiccated eye hung suspended in an amber liquid. The vase sat in a pool of blood, and the eye rapidly twitched as it somehow drank in the offered sustenance despite the glass in between. For a moment, its gaze fixed on her with something resembling intelligence before it resumed its frenzied twitching. Unsure if it was safe to touch it, she used her dagger to push it off the altar and, as the glass shattered, the pressure that had been bearing down on her mind ended. Was that it?
Tsia dodged beneath the man¡¯s - no, creature¡¯s - wild blow and, raising her hand, forced what little essence she had left into an unshapen orb of air. But the bolt of air shot forth with more of a whimper than a roar, staggering the soldier, but not tossing him aside as she¡¯d expected. Thunder roared in her head with every spell she cast, and black dots swam across her vision as she reached the end of her tank. She swayed on her feet as the soldier recovered his balance, her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to retain her consciousness. He bolted forward, his sword angled straight at her heart, and with a final surge of strength, Tsia twisted to the side, tripping as the black dots expanded to blot out her entire frame of vision. More pain lanced through her head as she tripped over her own feet and fell, her temple striking against the slippery cobblestones. She struggled to stand as the cold rain beat down relentlessly on her and the soldier stepped forward. His milky eyes were bereft of the light of victory as he loomed over her, incognizant of his own actions, and she struggled to stand.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. But the blow never came. The soldier froze, blood and froth overspilling his lips, as something long and glittering suddenly protruded through his ribcage. It vanished a moment later as a hand wrapped around the man''s arm and shoved him to the side. ¡°Damn it, that¡¯s a nasty wound.¡± Tsia¡¯s eyes refused to cooperate as she stared up at her savior, and her brain was too addled to recognize his voice, but she relaxed as a gentle hand touched her head, pushing aside the hair. ¡°Just hold still,¡± the voice ordered, ¡°and drink this.¡± Her vision slowly cleared as she guzzled down the sweet liquid, and she finally recognized her rescuer. ¡°Erin-¡± Her eyes widened as a shadow loomed behind him, and she choked out a cry of warning, spitting gobs of the healing potion on the street. ¡°Behind you!¡± He twisted rapidly, and the blow angled toward his head collided with his shoulder instead. Off-balance, the strike¡¯s momentum drove him into the ground and he screamed in pain as the axe head dug deeper into his joint. A small dagger was clutched in her hand as Tsia rolled to her feet and, taking advantage of the axe still stuck in Erin¡¯s shoulder, ducked beneath the shaft. The milky-eyed soldier released the danger too late, only trying to dislodge his stuck weapon as she struck upwards. The thin tip of the dagger pierced through the steel mesh hanging around his waist, digging into his groin, but the mind-controlled soldier barely grunted. Dropping his attempt to reclaim his axe, he backhanded her. The iron gauntlets left a bloody handprint on her face as she was flung to the ground, landing in a crumpled heap on top of Erin. She scrambled back to her feet as he stepped forward, his left leg dragging slightly from the wound to his groin, and searched in vain for another weapon. He loomed closer, his gauntleted hands raised for a strike and she prepared to dodge - and then, he froze. The milkiness faded from his eyes, replaced in quick succession by confusion, then horror. With a decidedly unmasculine howl, the soldier collapsed to his knees, his hands clasped over his groin as every curse known to man fell from his lips. All around them, the fighting ceased as the soldiers regained their minds and, utterly confused by the battle they found themselves in, listened to the voice of their commanding officer, Mari?ltu. ¡°The city has been compromised by a mind mage working with the lords of Stryn...¡± Tsia tuned the commander out as she turned to Erin. He was hunched over, teeth gritted in pain, as he tried to pull the axe free with one hand. ¡°Let me help.¡± Kneeling beside him, she shoved his hand away and, grabbing the axe with one hand and his shoulder with the other, pulled. Blood splattered against her cheeks as the axe pulled free, pumping wildly from an injured artery, and she quickly wrapped her cloak around, sustaining pressure until he downed a potion. ¡°Ugh, never going to get used to those things,¡± he grumbled, as he cast the bottle aside. ¡°It tastes like sugar on steroids.¡± He fumbled with his flask, guzzling a long draught of water before continuing. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You got injured for me - I¡¯m the one who should be thanking you,¡± she pointed out. ¡°Call it even,¡± he said with a quick grin, which she returned. ¡°Even.¡± Her smile dimmed as her eyes turned toward the grand castle watching over the city, Du?r-Rabu?, and a touch of worry troubled her heart. She could only assume that the battle¡¯s sudden end meant the mind mage had been dealt with, but it wasn''t the only threat to Birnah - the army from Strynn was still on its way, and the city forces had been ravaged by the attack to a far greater extent than they had planned. We were a little too successful, she thought wryly. Her musings were interrupted as Erin staggered to his feet, wincing slightly as he rotated his injured arm, and offered her a hand. ¡°Think they did it?¡± "Never had any doubts," she replied.
¡°Ihra!¡± A short stab of pain rippled along his side with every step he took as charged into the small chapel, but Jasper ignored it. As he stepped over the threshold, the shield surrounding the mind worm crumbled in a flash of light, and the mage turned to face Ihra. He spoke, his words full of a frenetic power that Jasper could feel tugging at the amulet around his neck, but she was unaffected. With a quick half-step, she closed the distance and slit his throat, following it up with a savage blow that drove the mage to the ground. ¡°Are you alright?¡± As he limped over to her, Ihra shoved something off the altar and he felt the pressure that had been pounding on his mind evaporate. ¡°The fool didn¡¯t even try to stop me. Not much of a fighter, I guess,¡± she responded contemptuously. ¡°But what about you?¡± She eyed him anxiously, quickly keying on his wince of pain as he hurried over to her, and Jasper counted himself lucky she¡¯d been too busy with her own task to see what he¡¯d just done. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he lied, not wanting to tell her he¡¯d purposefully impaled himself. ¡°One of the guards got me in the side, but nothing a healing spell or two can¡¯t fix once my essence returns.¡± Her eyes narrowed suspicion, but she looked away, her gaze returning to the crumbled body of the mage, and the withered eye that sat in a pool of blood and glass shards. ¡°We did it, right?¡± She asked hesitantly. ¡°You think we interrupted the ritual in time?¡± Ihra shrugged. ¡°I guess? The pressure ceased when I smashed his relic, so I assume we stopped whatever he was planning. It feels..." she hesitated before continuing "kind of anticlimactic. I was expecting him to put up a tougher fight.¡± Jasper laughed incredulously, his side still tingling with phantom pain where the spear had been impaled not ten minutes earlier. ¡°A tougher battle? Sarganil almost killed you,¡± he pointed out, ¡°Unless you decided to cavort around like a deer for fun.¡± ¡°Well, no, that was unpleasant, but¡­¡± Ihra grimaced, biting her lip. ¡°I guess it''s silly to complain. Thank Selene he wasn''t another Yas?gah.¡± ¡°Pretty sure Kas?dael deserves the praise on this one, but, come on.¡± Reaching over, he grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the gruesome altar. ¡°Let¡¯s go find Tsia and Erin.¡± The Oncoming Storm ¡°He¡¯s dead?!¡± Tsia¡¯s face blanched at the news. ¡°Um, yeah? We didn¡¯t exactly have a choice,¡± Jasper explained, a bit puzzled by her reaction. ¡°He was under the mage¡¯s control; he nearly killed Ihra,¡± he continued. ¡°But¡­¡± A conflicted look crossed her face before she shook her head. ¡°If it had to be done, it had to be done, but this will make things difficult.¡± ¡°Why? He wasn¡¯t a traitor, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Maybe, but how are we going to prove that? Both mind mages are dead, and unless Sargani?l was stupid enough to leave behind evidence of his initial plot against my father, he¡¯ll just look like the victim of a mind mage.¡± ¡°Well, even so, we had no choice,¡± Jasper repeated. ¡°I know, but my stepmother¡­¡± Tsia sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she¡¯lll use it for, but I¡¯m certain she¡¯ll find a way to leverage her father¡¯s death into forcing my father¡¯s hand on something.¡± ¡°Why would he go along with it?¡± Jasper questioned. ¡°Isn¡¯t she less powerful now that her father isn¡¯t there to support her, especially since he died as a traitor?¡± ¡°Unless we can prove that Sargani?l was part of the plot before the mind mage arrived in Birnah, most will refuse to believe he turned on my father. Sargani?l was one of our best generals for decades and has many staunch supporters amongst the nobility. Without proof of his treason, the whispers of conspiracy will flourish,¡± she replied wryly. ¡°They¡¯ll question why we had to kill him. Why we couldn¡¯t just imprison him. Why Father sent strangers, durgu, to invade our cities. Why his armies didn¡¯t deal with the Atrometos attacks. It will be nonsense, of course, but the truth won¡¯t matter. For the sake of keeping the peace, Father will be forced to treat Sargani?l like a fallen hero and provide some boon for his ¡®service.¡¯¡± ¡°Well that sucks,¡± Jasper chuffed. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize killing Sarganil would cause so many problems.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ideal, but it¡¯s better than the alternative,¡± Tsia said. ¡°In the end, keeping the city in Sapi?yan hands is more important than whatever concessions Father will have to give. It¡¯s just unfortunate you had to kill him.¡± ¡°That assumes we can hold the city.¡± Mari?ltu cut in as he joined the group. A new scar ran down the side of the commander¡¯s face, the skin still red and puckered where it had healed. ¡°As invaluable as your help proved, my lady, the main gate is destroyed, and Stryn¡¯s armies are no more than a few days.¡± ¡°Do we know where they are,¡± Jasper asked. ¡°Our information is lacking,¡± the commander admitted with a sigh. ¡°Apparently, the surrounding villages had ceased responding to Rahmu?¡¯s missives, and the mage was too paranoid to send scouts out himself. We¡¯re blind right now, with a broken gate and an army in disarray.¡± ¡°If worst comes to worst, my men can hold the gate,¡± S?ams?a?dur spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s narrow enough that our shield wall will hold.¡± ¡°You should not underestimate the strength of Styrn¡¯s cavalry,¡± Mari?ltu replied. ¡°Fortunately, their cavalry is of little use against our walls, but if given enough space for a charge, they are nearly unstoppable. I mean no disrespect to your men, but I doubt even a durgu shield wall will be able to hold them indefinitely.¡± ¡°It sounds like we need to rebuild the gate then. I assume you have a stone mage somewhere in the city,¡± Jasper said. ¡°Not any longer,¡± Mari?ltu sighed. ¡°Our previous stone mage failed to sire any children with the talent, and we haven¡¯t managed to replace them yet. We only have a handful of mages in the city, a few of the soldiers and a number of the priests but none, to my knowledge, have the ability to move earth on the scale needed to rebuild the gate. We¡¯ll have to rebuild it manually, but I fear their army will arrive before we finish.¡± ¡°Then my men will hold the gate,¡± S?ams?a?dur replied defiantly. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about their cavalry, we can set up countermeasures easily enough. Throw up a few sturdy barriers, plant some stakes, and scatter caltrops across the bridge; that should be enough to slow their charge.¡± ¡°It may have to do,¡± Mari?ltu conceded with a frown. ¡°At least until we can restore the gates. If we have soldiers work in shifts through the night, maybe we can get it done in a week-¡± ¡°I might be able to help.¡± Erin stepped forward, gulping nervously as all eyes swiveled to him. ¡°Did you pick up the ability to manipulate stone - you haven¡¯t been holding out, have you?¡± Jasper asked lightheartedly, picking up on his discomfort. The tension in the scout¡¯s shoulders ceased, and he shook his head. ¡°Nope, still can¡¯t move anything but wood, but I might be able to use the wood to move the stone.¡± He glanced up at the commander. ¡°Do you have any lumber? A few pieces should be enough to figure out if my plan will work or not.¡± ¡°That can be arranged,¡± Mari?ltu agreed. ¡°If we¡¯re forced to rebuild the gate by hand, we¡¯ll need lumber for the scaffolds anyway.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Great,¡± Erin brightened. ¡°It won¡¯t take long to try.¡±
It took a few hours for the gateway to be cleared of the fallen bodies and debris that clogged the path, hours that felt like an eternity to Jasper. Despite their victory, the mood in the city was tense. While the citizens were for the most part overjoyed, welcoming Tsia and the lord of Dabur with open arms, morale amongst the soldiers was dangerously low. Jasper supposed it wasn¡¯t surprising. After all, when the soldiers had been released from the mindworm¡¯s grip, they found themselves trapped in a battle against their own countrymen. Dead friends and maimed comrades surrounded them, a cause for mourning and rage in normal times. Yet, those feelings were tempered also by the grim specter of fear. They were traitors, mind-controlled traitors perhaps, but traitors nonetheless and with the king not there in person, none could say for certain if any repercussions would befall them. And if those emotions weren¡¯t enough to bring them down, the threat of the approaching army hung heavy. As Jasper watched the men bring another pile of lumber from Dur-Salmu, he wondered if they could even trust the men to fight, to hold the walls rather than break beneath the threat of a superior force. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll hold?¡± To his surprise, Ihra echoed his thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± he grunted. ¡°Hopefully the threat of Stryn will be enough to put some fire in their bellies, but look at them.¡± He glanced at the men again, who trudged through the still-pouring rain with all the grace and speed of a horde of zombies. ¡°They¡¯re broken.¡± Their conversation paused as the men dragged the final pallet of wood in front of the gate and called out for Mariltu. After a minute or two, the door to the outer tower was flung open, and Mariltu strode out, with Erin close on his heels. The rain pelted down harder as Erin approached the lumber, whipped into such a frenzy by the wind that even their hidey hole beneath the stables wasn¡¯t enough to protect from the cold spray, and Ihra¡¯s lips began to turn blue. ¡°I¡¯m going back in,¡± she said, turning around. ¡°Don¡¯t want you to see this?¡± ¡°Not as much as I want to be dry and warm.¡± He waved her off, unbothered by the cold, as he kept his eyes focused on the scout. Erin paused by the lumber, and wiping the rain out of his eyes, lifted his hands. The sheets of lumber melted together into an inchoate blob of wood that inched across the ground. The wood wrapped around a fallen block, lifting it from the ground and carrying it over to the gate. The center stiffened as a pillar of wood elevated the block to a gaping hole and, tilting slightly, slid it into position. The stone wasn¡¯t a perfect fit, but with another wave of his hands, Erin split off a small portion of the wood to reinforce the seams and froze it in place. One down, seven hundred to go. Jasper stayed in the rain a while longer, watching as Erin reconstructed the right side of the gate in a strange conglomerate of stone and magically hardened wood. It probably wasn¡¯t as strong as the original gate had been, but it was a hell of a lot better than nothing, and he could see the men¡¯s spirits lifting as they brought more shipments of lumber. Tension still hung over the crowd, but it was mixed with hope. His curiosity satisfied, he left the men to their tasks and headed back inside. A rush of warm air greeted him as he stepped into the guardhouse, tinged with a hint of smoke from the roaring fire Ihra had stoked. She¡¯d stripped out of her armor, replacing it with a simple blue tunic from his uncle¡¯s manor, and was huddled before the hearth. She glanced up as he approached, greeting him with a smile. ¡°Is the gate restored?¡± He paused a few feet away, keenly aware of the water cascading down him, and shook his head as he began to pull off his armor. ¡°Not yet, but I think his idea will work. The gate won¡¯t be perfect, but it should be enough to hold them off, especially if the priests can restore the wards.¡± He glanced around the barracks, realizing that there was no sign of the rest of their party. ¡°Where¡¯s Tsia and Samsadur?¡± An amused smile flickered across her lips. ¡°Where do you think the princess is? She took Samsadur¡¯s troops to secure Sarganil¡¯s palace, but honestly - I think she just wanted a feather bed.¡± A wince of pain cut off his chuckle as he pried the wet armor, which had been glued in place by dried blood, off his left side. ¡°Jasper!¡± The horror-stricken note in her voice caused him to freeze, and he glanced over guilty. ¡°What?¡± She rolled to her feet, eyes narrowing indignantly as she approached him. ¡°You know what! All that blood¡­¡± She stopped beside him, running a gentle hand over the mass of sticky liquid. ¡°Are you still injured? Do you need another potion?¡± ¡°No¡­it¡¯s fine,¡± he said sheepishly, pulling away from her touch as he finished pulling the garment over his head. His eyes widened, though, as he glanced down and finally saw what she was referring to. The entire left side of his body from nearly his collarbone down to his hips was covered in a mat of partially-dried blood. ¡°Damn, looks worse than I realized - but I¡¯m fine,¡± he hastened to say as he saw the look in her eyes. I cast my healing spell a couple of times and while it¡¯s a little sore still, it¡¯ll heal.¡± But Ihra wasn¡¯t prepared to let the matter drop. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of blood - that¡¯s not some minor wound, Jasper. What happened?¡± ¡°I¡­uh¡­may have been skewered by a spear,¡± he admitted. ¡°But don¡¯t worry - it was all according to plan, and it worked out.¡± It was the wrong thing to say. ¡°According to plan?¡± Her eyes darkened. ¡°Do you mean you purposefully allowed yourself to get skewered? Jasper, that¡¯s the sort of wound that could - no, should - kill you. Selene¡¯s grace, what were you thinking?¡± Jasper sighed. ¡°I was losing, Ihra. I didn¡¯t have the Ophan, didn¡¯t have Equalizer, and I was pretty much out of essence. I knew my flame charge could hurt them, but I couldn¡¯t get close enough, so I made a tactical decision.¡± ¡°A tactical decision? You made a suicide charge! Why didn¡¯t you call for me - I could have helped.¡± ¡°And let that mage take over the city? I don¡¯t know how much time we had before the ritual-¡± ¡°If that is what it takes, then yes.¡± He blinked in surprise at the intensity of her answer. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just-¡± ¡°Yes, you can,¡± she snapped back. ¡°If we can help this city - great! - but not at the cost of you dying. You are not. permitted. to. die. Understand?¡± Despite the angry tone of her words, Jasper softened when he saw the tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°Okay,¡± he said simply. ¡°But I¡¯m going to hold you to that too.¡± A small smile broke through her anger. ¡°Don¡¯t worry - you won¡¯t get rid of me that easily.¡± Lady Nissila?t While rain was not unheard of in the sunny plains of Stryn, the sort of torrential downpour that had hampered them for the last two days was a travail unfamiliar to Lady Nissi?lat. The usually sunbaked dirt roads had turned into muddy morasses that proved nearly impassable. Indeed, the roads had deteriorated so badly that she¡¯d been forced to abandon the shelter of her stately carriage and continue on horseback in the cold, hard rains. Despite the unexpected hardships, though, her spirits were high as the walls of Birnah loomed out of the dismal grey clouds that swallowed them up. With the generous deal her uncle had offered the head of the Cult of Duluh?h?u?, Nissi?lat expected a warm welcome when they arrived in the city, but she was not naive. When they were still a few miles away from the walls, she called for a halt and prepared her men. Their armor was polished, their weapons sharpened, and most importantly of all, the amulets of protection her uncles had entrusted to her were handed out to everyone of importance. She didn¡¯t have enough, unfortunately, to cover every man in the army from the siren call of the mage¡¯s poisoned tongue, but Nissi?lat felt confident that, with all the elites and commanders of her army protected, they would be able to end the mindworm before he could do too much damage, if he tried any treachery. Still, she approached the gates of Birnah with a light heart, at least until she reached the entrance to the moat. The signs of a mighty battle were everywhere. One gate lay trampled on the ground, the other still hanging off its hinges with a dangerous tilt, and the stones were scarred and scorched by the marks of magic. There were no bodies nor blood - though with the torrential rain, that was hardly a mystery - but there could be no doubt that a battle had been fought here recently - a battle that the defenders had lost, as baffling as she found it. Who other than Stryn would attack this city? The idea was nearly unthinkable, and the only explanation she could come up with was that perhaps the mind mage had lost control of the Atrometos and they had attacked the city in revenge, but she found the notion far-fetched. Thus, with her hackles raised, Nissi?lat ordered the ranks to prepare for battle and only continued through the broken gate when ranks were formed. Behind the gate lay the grand bridge which spanned the moat, wide enough to allow two merchants carts to pass at a time, but guarded by a series of small towers that would allow the city defenders to continue to attack any who managed to break through the first gate. Or at least, there used to be towers. Now, nearly half were cracked and shattered, their top halves submerged beneath through the moat¡¯s murky waters. A few still remained, repaired in a bizarre mish-mash of wood and stone that was quite unlike anything she¡¯d seen before. In place of the fallen towers, stout earthen barriers had been erected on either side of the bridge, forcing them to take a zig-zag trail toward the main gate. Their progress was halted again when they spied the sharp, small stakes that had been hammered into the bridge, arrayed in such a fashion that it would be nearly impossible to bring a horse across without maiming it, and Nissi?lat¡¯s hopes plummeted. He¡¯s either turned against us, or some rival force has claimed the city. There was an outside possibility, of course, that the mage was still their ally, and the defenses had been set up to protect against whatever force had attacked the outside gate, but she it was a dim hope - a dim hope that died a grisly death when she and her commanders, abandoning the bulk of the troops at the midpoint of the bridge, finally drew close enough to the main gate to see it through the pouring rain. Like the partially reconstructed towers on the bridge, the main gate was a strange amalgam of masonry and wood, and almost the entire structure had been coated in an oddly shiny coating of wood that topped the stones like icing on a cake. The presence of such magic only deepened the mystery, for Nissi?lat knew of few outside of the Fey who could have constructed such an edifice for, while wind magic was fairly widespread amongst the southern Corsyths, few indeed had inherited the ability from their Fey ancestors to manipulate wood. But what would a Fey be doing here? Surely¡­ For a brief moment, the absurd fear that a new Fey war had been launched tormented her mind. While Stryn had never fallen to the Fey, their lands had been pillaged and torched in the conflict more than once, and with the Empire weakened with the Zalancthian conquest, it was almost believable - almost, until she recalled that the Zalancthians held the entire southern border with the Fey and were not on good terms. Still, the presence of the strange mage almost certainly confirmed the involvement of an outside party. So much for my easy victory. They paused out of arrowshot of the main gate to apply a protective barrier before preceding, well aware of the watchers on the palisades. It was no surprise at this point that the gates did not swing open to greet them, and Nissi?lat steeled herself for the oncoming negotiation. ¡°We are here to free the people of Birnah from the tyranny of their lord,¡± she yelled out, straining to be heard above the rain. ¡°King Dannu?l heard of your lord¡¯s failure to protect you from the Atrometos¡¯ depravations and has marched to provide aid. Even now, our forces keep watch over your villages.¡± She left unstated the implication of what would happen if such aid was refused, but in truth her threat was mostly a bluff. Half of the villages they¡¯d encountered along the way had already been burned to the ground, and those that remained were curiously devoid of people. There were only three villages in their grasp, a number of hostages she reckoned would be insufficient to sway the folk of Birnah who had stubbornly resisted their campaigns for generations.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Do not fear - the lords of Stryn will soon put an end to these assaults!¡± The words felt like lead on her tongue, knowing they were spoken in vain, but Nissi?lat pressed on, continuing uninterrupted until she called for their leader. There was a moment of silence on the other side, and when a young woman appeared at the parapets, it solidified Nissila?t¡¯s fear that the city had been claimed by an unknown force. ¡°While the people of Birnah appreciate your king¡¯s generous offer, their rightful lord has already answered their cries for aid. The corrupt lord, Sargani?l, has been defeated, the Atrometos have been driven from our borders, and the mindworm Rahmu?¡¯s head now adorns the palace gates. If you¡¯d like to retrieve your ally, I¡¯m sure we can arrange to hand his head over,¡± the woman added. It was worse than she¡¯d feared; not only did the unknown forces manage to claim the city, but they were aware of the plot with Rahmu?. Nissi?lat could only hope that the mage hadn¡¯t been stupid enough to preserve their communications, but- ¡°And we¡¯ll be happy to turn over your communications with him, once copies have been made for King Kaba?ni¡¯s and Emperor Eligon¡¯s approval, of course.¡± Kruvas?. Nissi?lat gritted her teeth as her victory turned to ash. She would need to verify that the woman wasn¡¯t simply bluffing, but that was barely a consideration now. The only thing that mattered was how to proceed. There were two options - take the hit, and accept the condemnation and reparations that the Emperor would levy on them, or commit to a battle that she hadn¡¯t truly been prepared for. It was a harder decision than it sounded. While Eligon would no doubt express disapproval, the Emperor was too preoccupied with the front against the Zalancthians and the threat of war from the durgu? to penalize Stryn too harshly; if he pressed too hard, Nissi?lat knew her uncle would likely ignore Eligon and Eligon knew it too - he couldn¡¯t afford to risk diminishing his authority that way. Thus, the threat of reparations was largely defanged, a temporary humiliation, but nothing that would truly set them back. On the other hand, that could all be avoided if they simply took the city. The mage¡¯s body, the incriminating letters, and whatever evidence the unknown woman planned to throw at them would go away. Sure, there¡¯d be no hiding the fact that Birnah now belonged to Stryn, but the emperor was in no position to demand it be returned, and she¡¯d have proven herself to her uncle. There was only one problem - their troops hadn¡¯t truly come expecting a fight. She had a mage or two she could use to shatter the wards, and they could always build a few siege engines to assist with battering down the walls, but their supplies were not as extensive as she would¡¯ve prepared. If it was not for the obviously damaged main gate, she wouldn¡¯t even have considered it; she would have packed and gone home, shamed but undefeated, but as it was¡­ Is it worth it? Thoughts of the massive fete? she¡¯d receive on her triumphant return to Stryn danced through her head, and that would be the least of her rewards. With the mind mage dead, her uncle¡¯s agreement was null and void so who better, then, to rule as Birnah¡¯s new lord than its conqueror? Her uncle would have no choice but to name her to the seat, and with her new power, she¡¯d finally be free of the engagement hanging over her head. The image of her victory parade was replaced with the visage of her would-be lord, a pallid cripple of a youth who she¡¯d been forced to endure simply because he was the heir to one of Stryn¡¯s strongest houses. But with Birnah at her back¡­ Nissi?lat¡¯s resolve hardened. ¡°There are many who thought to blackmail the lords of Stryn,¡± she responded coldly. ¡°Their corpses now guard our walls, their very bones committed to eternal vigilance on our behalf. Your victory over the witless mage is commendable, but do not think that you can stand against the forces of Stryn. For too long has the weak lord of Yas?peh clung to his tiny foothold on the western shores, but this land is ours.¡± She gestured to the strange gate, wrapped in a mantle of wood. ¡°You cannot hope to hold out with your defenses so compromised. Once the rain has ceased, how long do you think it will take for us to burn the gates down? But the lords of Stryn are not with mercy. Surrender now, and we will allow you and your men a safe retreat across the River. Refuse¡­and none shall be spared.¡± In truth, Nissi?lat expected a swift rejection of her offer. The antipathy between the people of Birnah and the lords of Stryn ran too deep for them to surrender, even in the direst of circumstances. It was that very stubbornness that had preserved through a half-dozen desperate sieges, but the offer was necessary for propriety''s sake, if nothing else. She was surprised, therefore, when her offer was met with silence rather than rejection, as the woman withdrew from the parapet. They waited a few minutes in silence, the only sound the continued thundering of the rain against the aged bridge, before she reappeared. ¡°Can we have some time to decide?¡± Nissi?lat froze, thrown by the unexpected request. Are they really willing to consider surrender? The possibility - nay, probability - that it was a trick passed through her mind, but the hope of a bloodless victory was too tantalizing to quelch. ¡°Three hours,¡± she finally replied. ¡°Three hours and I will have your reply.¡±