《Shattered (Broken: Book 2)》


 PROLOGUE

    PROLOGUE


    Atop a dark, windowless spire nestled in the void of a star, far away from anything else, sat a man. Cracked skin emitting light brighter than the surrounding celestial object.


    For countless years, sleep was all he knew. Using the star to temper his body had the side effect of continuously vaporizing it. The resources required in his endeavor would cause any society in the higher worlds to buckle, but his rise to power was one of hardship, and loneliness, and no expense was spared.


    On a day like any other, while searching through an empty Domain, one of the strings of consciousness he had sent throughout the cosmos shuddered. The eons of stillness magnified the brief vibration, and all of his attention, which had been spent searching for something in his desolate inner world, was completely shifted to this new sensation.


    Throughout his time harvesting stars and reforging himself with their latent energy, there were many instances where his strings were shaken. All were of little concern¡ªechoes of people who vaguely aligned with his path. Though the connection only remained active for one to three hundred or so years each time, it brought him out of monotony. To show his gratitude, he''d dilute a small part of his energy and give a whisper of his power to the beings that gained his attention. He knew that death was not the end of everyone''s journey, and every advantage was needed when traversing the veil.


    The tendril''s waving quickly grew in intensity. With a sigh, the man focused fully on the vibrating string. Finding nothing of concern, he began the ritual of diluting a grain of his power to gift to the person who garnered his attention.


    The process was slow, and he thought he had plenty of time to observe the person. However, unlike every other time someone caught his eye, his tendril continued to shake with fervor, with no inclination to stop.


    ¡ª


    Years passed in relative comfort. The being that had connected to his tendril lived a normal, almost carefree life on a planet that was just out of its infancy. The feelings he was siphoning through the connection gave him years of solace, but he felt the being growing older. The sensations and experiences became watered-down versions of what they were prior, only giving faint glimpses of life on the planet called Diat.


    Sadness overcame him as the vibrations in the connection started to fade. He knew this event was inevitable, one that would drop him back into his cycle of absorbing the star that surrounded him.


    Without warning, visuals from the being called Rend assaulted his mind. It was as if he was looking through his eyes. A beautiful landscape tarnished by bodies scattered throughout the view. An acrid smell was the next sensation that flooded through the connection.


    Thoughts of the past years flashed through his head. Rend was a good man. A man that he wished he could have been during his first years of life. Instead of pulling away from what he was seeing, he embraced it and decided to feel everything as it happened.


    Broken. Rend was broken. Empty of any will to continue. He kneeled in front of a woman who was strewn on the ground in four pieces, in a protective position above a pile of children.


    Rend''s wife and children were the core of his existence. Everything he had done was for the betterment of them, and in front of him, they lay, butchered by an invader. The deep sense of loss was quickly replaced with anger. Nothing could stand in Rend''s way of delivering the invader¡¯s just deserts and the man watching on was ever willing to help.


    Rend looked out blankly over the scarlet-stained street and replied to a question only he could hear.


    ¡°I, Rend Vorce, accept your assistance graciously.¡± He said as a white light descended on him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He became the pinnacle of power. Blinding energy erupted from him. Buildings broke apart, mixing with the gore and destruction that had surrounded him. His perception increased manifold, and only the will to know where his attackers were was enough to blanket the world with his presence and pinpoint his target.


    With speed never seen on Diat, he arrived at his intended destination faster than a blink of an eye. Looking at the grim smile that adorned the invader¡¯s face, Rend¡¯s mind disconnected as he let his instincts take charge.


    He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. It felt like only a single unit had gone by, but the decimated army of invaders around him said otherwise. He couldn¡¯t feel one of his arms and his soul felt like a pale shadow of what it used to be.


    Rend looked up into the blue sky as tears began to roll down his cheek. He knew that his time was up, and the borrowed power he wielded that helped him achieve his last request had faded. With a heavy heart, he mouthed the words that would be his last as his soul peeled away from his body.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kine.¡±


    ¡ª


    As the perspective of the Diatian man abruptly ended, it left the celestial being alone with the aftermath of his entanglement. Tears lasting for only a moment fell from his eyes, as the final images streamed through his mind.


    ¡°How?¡± Mr. Kine said as he disconnected from the star. ¡°The connection was the strongest of any baseborn thus far. He was meant for greatness. If I had started with everything he had, I wouldn¡¯t be stuck in this DAMN STAR!¡±


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    With his outburst, the star around him broke down and dissolved, instantly taken up by his presence. He knew the quick absorption was harmful, but at that moment, thoughts of damaging his advancement were distant.


    He exploded with light and began moving out of the barren space he had created. ¡°No. The fault was mine, If I had pushed him, even the smallest amount, he would have been strong enough to protect what he held dear. Instead, I stood idle¡ªenjoying all his experiences had to give.¡±


    Seeing a new star on the outskirts of his enhanced vision, he stopped, unable to keep his emotions in check. The light calmed and condensed on the cracks on his skin. ¡°It may not be the life you wished, but this is the only apology I can give. Your time is not through.¡±


    Completely exhausting the energy reserves he had absorbed from the star, he haphazardly refined it and sent it through the weak connection to Rend¡¯s soul. Although the chances of all of the energy getting to Rend were minimal, he tried anyway, knowing that even a small amount would be enough to help the poor soul.


    With his chest heaving, he added his absurd amount of willpower to his wish.


    ¡°LIVE!¡±


    With his gift of power sent out, Mr. Kine set out toward a new star in hopes of healing the physical damage he had done to himself and attempt to alleviate the mental pain of Rend¡¯s end.


    If he only knew that Rend¡¯s soul would be saved before his power was received, Mr. Kine would not have sent so much.


    ¡ª


    Years went by in the blink of an eye, with a mind bent on advancement. Though he had only seen one being with the power to rival his, he trained for the sake of advancement. That, and the enjoyment of seeing minor gods squirm when he flexed his willpower. The thought of them broke his focus.


    ¡°What were they called again? Immortals? No that can¡¯t be.¡± Mr. Kine said as he looked up through the star he was inhabiting. ¡°They forego a mortal lifespan well before they reach their current level of power. Oh yes, Deathless! A ridiculous name, but after their physical transformation, I can see why they would choose that.¡±


    He closed his eyes, preparing himself to fall into the deep meditation that allowed him to remake his physical form continuously, but found it more difficult than usual. An itch in the back of his mind kept him from focusing.


    ¡°Another one so soon?¡± Mr. Kine questioned as he focused on the disturbance. Like with Rend, one of his many tendrils of consciousness began to move. Like the waves of an ocean beckoning a storm, the shaking in the string grew. A mere few years passed until the feedback was something Mr. Kine couldn¡¯t ignore.


    Firming his willpower, he looked through the connection. The strength that held his form wavered for a split second, causing him to stumble and cause part of the tower he had created within his star to crumble. Unbothered with his living arrangements, he looked further.


    ¡°From the same planet no less.¡± Mr. Kine had a bird¡¯s eye view of the person in question. ¡°A bit on the small side for someone of his heritage, but undoubtedly skilled. He looks to have a much better foundation than Rend, but that¡¯s probably from all of the royal instructors following him around.¡± He said to himself.


    There was nobody anywhere remotely near him who could hear his self-dialogue, so he continued to share his thoughts for the years leading up to this boy¡¯s adulthood.


    ¡°For reaching your goal of honing your presence better than anyone in the Empire, allow me to help you firm your gains.¡± Mr. Kine said, projecting his words as power through their connection. Not too much as to hurt the boy, but enough to solidify his achievements. He had done this multiple times throughout this boy¡¯s life but moments after the latest infusion, something changed. A qualitative change.


    ¡°This is what I had hoped for. Prepare to live as one of the strongest on your planet! An entire Empire will be under your care, and with this, you¡¯ll be ready. Prepare yourself, little Kalex, for your connection to me, the Shattered Monarch, shall see your path through until the end!¡±


    As Mr. Kine felt a small amount of pride suffuse his mind at his speech that nobody heard, the worst had happened, and any feeling of joy faded as he watched on. Due to his power that was lightly uplifted by Mr. Kine, Kalex quickly became ostracized by his people¡ªby his own family.


    Feeling affronted, Mr. Kine made to send an influx of power through to Kalex so he could prove that he was meant for the throne but held off at the last minute. A wiggle in a recent thread of his broke his anger. The faint connection with Rend moved abnormally. The waves didn¡¯t move towards him but to the string connecting Mr. Kine to Kalex.


    He felt his non-existent heart skip a beat as the two connections connected, strengthing both. Images and memories flooded into him, showing what came of Rend after his death. He had been given knowledge and a form that looked more akin to mist than any being he had ever seen. He smiled and looked on.


    Lost and confused, Kalex was brought to the planted leaders of his world and set to live his life in a way that did not fit his path. To make it worse, he was sent to take care of the most vile creatures Mr. Kine had ever seen. They were small six-legged animals with four sinister claws at the end of each leg. Teeth capable of easily ripping through flesh and thickly corded muscles lining every part of their bodies, hidden behind a pelt cloud-like fur. With a long tail meant for balance and an uncanny intelligence behind each large eye, Mr. Kine was surprised that these beasts were protected and not outright exterminated.


    With a small push in the right direction, he got Kalex out of that nightmarish situation and let him follow his path the best he could. Kalex had aspirations of becoming an artificer and settling down to a relaxed life, and a few years later, he achieved just that.


    Years passed in this manner. At first, Mr. Kine felt nothing but joy from his connection to Kalex, but after living the life he thought he wanted, Kalex became listless and yearned for more. With the memory of Rend still fresh in his mind and their connection partially restored, Mr. Kine didn¡¯t push Kalex or imbue any more power into him. He wanted to see what would happen.


    A year later, both Kalex and Mr. Kine were caught by surprise. One of the instructors who helped Kalex¡ªeven after his disinheritance, ended Kalex¡¯s life under the guise of the most awful creature. Mr. Kine prepared himself for the inevitable sadness that was to come, but instead of seeing the connection wither, it grew brighter and vibrated at a speed that not even a Deathless would be able to see clearly.


    He had done the impossible as a baseborn. Creating an avatar using one¡¯s creation was something most would never be able to do. What was more intriguing, the avatar was a physical object and not an energy projection. Curious and worried. Mr. Kine flexed his power and wrapped the little box as it entered the abyss. The soul could survive, but the small cube wouldn¡¯t. Entering the abyss as a baseborn soul was a cleansing, with only a wisp of the previous person¡¯s power hanging on to be recycled.


    Deciding that Kalex¡¯s path was not over, Mr. Kine burned the star around him to power the barrier holding his cube together, taking great care to keep it undamaged. At times, he needed to add power to the cube from the intense energies of the abyss nicking the corners off every year or two.


    Sweat beaded on his brow as holding the cube together took its toll. He could only wait until the soul decided it was time to join the living.


    Those were the longest one hundred years of his life. His barriers started breaking apart quicker than he could repair them, and worry grasped every waking moment. He realized that he was going to have to forcefully bring Kalex back to the mortal plane, and decided to start with Kalex¡¯s home world.


    Diat was blocked off. A contract locked the planet down and only souls deemed clean could get through. Panicking, Mr. Kine looked to the owner of the planet.


    With a small amount of his power as payment, the woman named Wren vowed to have one of her ascended assist. Due to the contract on his domain, souls were given free passage in and out. The man who owned the planet Enternia didn''t know what was happening, but he opened his domain to all souls for a time. Enough time for Mr. Kine to place Kalex¡¯s cube next to the nascent soul of a newborn. The other soul would soon be completely shadowed by Kalex¡¯s, but it was the best he could do.


    Once Kalex¡¯s soul was safe, Mr. Kine watched on with trepidation. He¡¯d never heard of anything like this happening before. With equal parts worry and excitement, he watched on as Kalex was reborn.

 KARTHIS

    1


    KARTHIS


    Kalex woke in a strange room filled with myst of different varieties, giving him a slight headache when looking at it with his presence sight. Pushing his senses outside of the room, he found more than he was prepared for.


    It was very early morning, with light barely beginning to trickle into an open window and a breeze gently pushing frozen rain into the room. Kalex had felt the cold before, but nothing like this. The only sensation he could equate it to was the feeling Lex gave him to get his attention but on the outside of his body.


    As enthralled as he was to see the streets and buildings visible from his room covered in a blanket of white, his attention was stolen by the other inhabitants of the triangular building he found himself in. The two rooms flanking his own were occupied by the people he was most familiar with. Lyla lay still in a bed that looked completely different from the room''s other, more angular decor. He smiled as he remembered he had a similar one somewhere in his inventory.


    Both had taken different routes and been on various journeys to reach the same place and Kalex couldn¡¯t wait to hear everything she had to say. Even though they were on a different planet that most people of the lower worlds couldn¡¯t even fathom, Kalex saw Lyla smile in her sleep and his worries faded.


    The room on the other side of Kalex¡¯s contained either an average-sized man or a giant, merrily snoring. The room was oddly spotless and lacking in furniture other than the undersized bed he was cramped into. To most races, Beers were enormous, usually standing more than double the height of others, but with Kalex spending most of his time in Diat, he reckoned he could look Gretex in the eye if he were in his original body.


    The rooms opposite a narrow hallway housed three more people, but with a glance, Kalex could only see one. Two of the rooms were shielded with myst that wasn¡¯t easily pierced. He could do it, but he decided that breaching the privacy of others after they put so much into retaining it, was not something he wanted to do. The other room garnered more of his attention anyway.


    Inside the last room held someone Kalex thought he would never see again. Running a sharpening stone over her weapon¡¯s curved blade, Scyris Everblade smiled with a look he had seen once before. She had the same smile after forcefully retrieving her power from the Potentate of the Realm of Seeds¡ªa pure focus with a hint of madness. Focusing on the woman, the myst within Kalex¡¯s room began to condense.


    He could feel the pull of his core attempting to transform the room¡¯s myst into something molten. The light from the fixtures on the wall changed from a warm white glow to an abrasive red, the temperature rising enough to vaporize all the moisture that had entered his room. At the slight smell of char emanating from the now singed bedding, Kalex schooled his myst and tempered it to a manageable state.


    His myst further calmed at a knock. It wasn¡¯t his door that had sounded, but the one of his enemy. In the moments following Kalex¡¯s complete focus on his grudge, Lyla had left her room and rapped on Scyris¡¯ door.


    ¡°Scy are you up?¡± Lyla said in a tone that only people who had spent a long time with the other would use. ¡°We have to be at the Academy tomorrow for some of our tests and you promised you¡¯d help me with my shields!¡±


    Lyla waited nearly a minute for a response before pounding on the door again.


    ¡°Scyris, I know you¡¯re sharpening your armament! I told you, it¡¯s sharp enough already!¡± Lyla puffed out her cheeks and reprimanded. ¡°Hello!¡±


    Kalex saw Scyris¡¯ face change to a softer and more natural-looking state. She looked over to the door and shook her head with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a moment.¡± She yelled to the door in a sing-song cadence.


    Lyla walked away happily after banging on the door a few more times for good measure. Kalex sensed genuine happiness from both Scyris and Lyla which allayed his anger. If Lyla found a genuine friend, he couldn¡¯t continue being mad, even if it was the person who had attempted Kalex¡¯s life.


    Leaning back into his pillow, Kalex thought back to his time on Enternia and wondered where he would be right now if he hadn¡¯t happened into the sight of the Lumen. His contemplative frown turned into a thoughtful grin. At that moment, he reaffirmed a promise to himself that he would make his dreams happen, no matter where he ended up.


    At the thought, an alien chill gripped his midsection, and Kalex could¡¯ve sworn he heard a faint chuckle. His eyes widened. His core and his domain. With a quick breath, he delved into his inner world to check on the two people he had brought with him on his journey. With Lex¡¯s vessel lying inert beside him on a table, he was excited to see him, too.


    Kalex closed off all of his external senses and focused inward. An area of darkness waited for him as he opened his eyes. A gigantic sphere of roiling light hid in the far reaches of his domain with a vibrant ball of life in rotation around it. The planet was much larger than he had remembered and had a few new surprises. Along with the sprawling mansion nestled within a forest that engulfed most of the sphere, some areas seemed ready for vast cities and roadways, with foundations laid and landscape cleared.


    To avoid getting lost looking into every small detail of the planet, he willed himself to one of the doorsteps of the only proper building. To Kalex¡¯s surprise, the door swung open the moment he appeared.


    ¡°How about you make your own hammer bags, ¡®Mister I need more storage.¡¯¡± Yelled an angry Sorene with her back turned towards the entrance. Turning around in a huff, she nearly collided with Kalex who wore a face of astonishment.


    ¡°Kalex! I didn¡¯t see you there!¡± Sorene said but quickly switched to an appraising look that Kalex had only seen on her mother. ¡°Where have you been? So much has happened here and you¡¯ve been nowhere to be seen! Lex told us that you were out saving the world and then eating another, but you couldn¡¯t have stopped by for a quick visit or anything?¡± Sorene said with her hands on her hips and a worried glare.


    Before Kalex could answer, a lanky face full of soot peeked out of the door.


    ¡°Just the person I wanted to see!¡± Timik exclaimed while trying to push through the door. ¡°First there was a rumble in your forge and everything went this way and that. The corner I had set up was completely destroyed and my anvil hit me in the head as the bellow blew. You could¡¯ve warned us before reforging the world we were living in.¡± Timik grabbed his chin with an exaggerated gesture.


    ¡°Actually, I like this place better. My new shop is nothing like the Hammers, but it does the trick! The only downside was that I had to make the house with this wicked woman breathing down my neck.¡± Timik pointed a thumb over to Sorene who was getting redder with every one of his words.


    ¡°To top it off, she wouldn¡¯t even put my fingers back into place after intentionally scooping my hand with a shovel while we were trying to store this world¡¯s slag! Can you believe that? I¡¯ve had to rely on the ghost to help me!¡± Timik huffed and crossed his arms, looking almost as frustrated as Sorene.


    Before Sorene and Timik could start bickering again, a cold wind washed over them, chilling them to the bone.


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    ¡°Ghost?! A ghost?¡± a deep voice echoed throughout the planet. Kalex instinctively knew who it was, but set up barriers around them all to play along and earned a chuckle that only he could hear.


    ¡°IT IS TRUE! I AM A SPECTER. THE GHOST OF DEXIA HAUNTS YOU FOR YOUR MISGIVINGS. QUIVER IN FEAR! YOUR DAYS WILL NEVER AGAIN SEE PEACE AND EVERY ACHIEVEMENT SHALL BE SHUNTED BY MY PRESENCE!¡± The force of the voice rattled the world almost as much as it shook its residents.


    Kalex felt a heavier pull on his resources and held his expectations on what the exuberant rock was going to do next. He didn¡¯t have to wait long as the surface of the planet donned a thin sheet of ice.


    ¡°BLACKSMITH, SHALL YOUR FINGERS NEVER MEND AND YOUR METAL NEVER TEMPER!¡±


    The booming voice was followed by the head of an old man peeking over the horizon. His wild eyes fixated on the now trembling Timik.


    In a feat of speed and grace that those present didn¡¯t think Timik could pull off, he bolted inside and crouched behind his invisible anvil whispering prayer to the Lumen who watched over the Realm of the Forge.


    Finished with teasing the jumpy blacksmith, Lex turned to Sorene.


    ¡°Ms. Mix, you are doing very well and we are all proud of your dedication and advancement in your skills of creation.¡± Lex said as he gradually shrunk and walked towards to the home, defrosting the land with each step.


    ¡°Thank you, Lex, it¡¯s nice to know that there is someone in the world who actually has a coherent thought running through their heads.¡± Sorene said with a side-eyed glare to the inside of the house and an apologetic one to Kalex.


    Lex quickly approached, shrinking down to his original size, and looked down at Kalex and Sorene with a gentle smile. ¡°This brings me to a question I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you both. Although I know Mr. Wounder¡¯s answer, I¡¯m unsure as to what your response will be, Ms. Mix.¡±


    With a flourish of his hand, Lex changed the surroundings around them. Both looked around in amazement at the view before them.


    A grand building that followed the general architecture of Karthinian structures stood before them¡ªtall and seemingly simple with detached staircases encasing the entire building. The top hiding in the clouds, casting a long shadow on the city below. They stood in the vast courtyard in front of the Academy where many different races milled around, oblivious to Kalex and Sorene¡¯s dumbfounded gazes.


    Looking closer, Kalex noticed more Beerians than any other race, with humans coming in a close second. Besides the humans and the Beers, countless other races were sprinkled throughout¡ªsome with extra arms or legs, and some using other ways of moving around.


    ¡°This is Niteweld Academy; one of the best learning establishments for novices of the higher worlds. It¡¯s renowned for producing geniuses who excel in both battle and intelligence, with its most prestigious graduate being the current Rector. A man who was feared during his time in the Academy and more so when he graduated.¡± Lex said with a knowing smile and a kind gaze towards Sorene. ¡°So this is my question to you, Ms. Mix. With your mental acuity and the growth that you¡¯ve garnered, would you like to attend Niteweld Academy?¡±


    Before Sorene could answer, a disembodied head poked out through the scene around them.


    ¡°Wait, Will she be safe in a place like this? This is completely different from Enternia, and everyone here looks more powerful than anyone we¡¯ve ever seen!¡± A crooked finger poked out joining the floating head.


    ¡°Look at that guy, for example, he looks like he could fold all of us in half without breaking a sweat!¡± The man that was pointed at was a completely different race than any they had seen before. Standing shorter than most with pale green skin and four arms, he would¡¯ve looked like a daunting opponent if it wasn¡¯t for the lack of dexterity. As if on queue, The man caught his toe on the lip of a large paver, falling onto his face. Another student with bird-like features stepped over him with a sound of disgust with a Beerian following suit.


    Sorene turned towards Timik. ¡°I have a feeling I would be fine, but thanks for your concern. And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure and leave a few bags behind that you can use for your smithing.¡± At those words, Timik fully joined the group inside Lex¡¯s simulation, pumped his fist in the air, and ran out, back towards his home. A dull thump and a pained grunt followed, but no mind was given to the sound.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d like to join the Academy. In between all of the changes that have happened here, I¡¯ve learned so much and continue to gather knowledge, but having a room of like-minded people to learn with would be a nice change.¡± Sorene turned to Kalex apologetically. ¡°No offense to your world, Kalex. It¡¯s just been a tad turbulent recently.¡±


    ¡°None taken,¡± Kalex replied. ¡°I know you and Timik haven¡¯t had the smoothest ride into the higher worlds.¡±


    The world around them distorted and quickly disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s sorted then, tomorrow is the first day of tests and you two need to prepare. The first thing that you need to do is find Ms. Graves. She will give you some information on the tests and some background on the school.¡± Lex moved himself to the front door of the home and looked back towards the two.


    ¡°I think there is some catching up to do and some introductions that need to be made. Don¡¯t worry about your blacksmith, I will tend to his injured extremities and, more recently, his broken nose.¡±


    Lex went into the house, leaving Kalex and Sorene. ¡°I know this is a long way from Grangardd, but thank you for coming with me,¡± Kalex said. ¡°There are a lot of people to meet and we don''t have a lot of time, so would you like to get started?¡±


    Sorene looked around at the new world she found herself in, then up to the dark sky. ¡°You betcha.¡±


    Kalex pulled himself out of his domain while giving Sorene the information to leave it herself. Opening his eyes, he found himself in the room he had woken up in. A moment later, a brief light pulsed from him, with Sorene appearing a second later.


    ¡°Oof, does everywhere in the higher worlds smell burnt?¡± Sorene said as she materialized in the room, holding her nose.


    Calm washed over Kalex as he looked blankly at Sorene. A laugh escaped him and soon the room was filled with it.


    ¡°Lex mentioned a ¡®Ms. Graves,¡¯¡± Sorene said after she had caught her breath from her bout of laughter. ¡°Do you know who he was talking about?¡±


    Kalex stiffened, realizing that they had never spoken about the reason he had made the journey to the higher worlds. ¡°She is family that had been taken by the Lumen when they were unable to take me. Everything I have done so far has been to find her.¡±


    ¡°Lex gave us a little bit of information on your reason for coming to the higher worlds, but he only mentioned that you strove for power, and in that pursuit, Enternia became unable to hold you.¡± Sorene said thoughtfully.


    ¡°That is true as well. I¡¯ll explain everything once we finish our testing for the Academy, but for now, there are a lot of people I need to introduce you to!¡± Kalex exclaimed.


    Walking over and opening the door revealed two people at the foot of it. During the time Kalex and Sorene spoke, both Gretex and Wren left their rooms and walked over.


    "Kalex, it¡¯s nice to see you up and about! And Sorene, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here, but in the time that you¡¯ve arrived, Gretex has told me all about you!¡± Wren said with a perfect smile.


    ¡°Gretex?¡± Sorene questioned while looking to the side where the tall man stood. ¡°How do you know about me?¡±


    Gretex rubbed the sleep from his eyes. ¡°I know about most of the people inhabiting Enternia. Since it¡¯s in my domain, it¡¯d be weird if I didn¡¯t!¡±


    Sorene¡¯s face became blank as she tried to put the information together. Noticing this, Wren spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ll explain everything, Sorene. But first, let¡¯s get something to eat. Rigel is known for his confectionaries, and I smell something amazing!¡±


    Kalex and Sorene gave each other a look and followed as Wren skipped through the house.


    Arriving at the room that Kalex assumed was the kitchen, he was met with a table full of fragrant dishes and an intense stare from the seat closest to him.


    ¡°Hello, Kalex.¡± Scyris spat, each word filled with venom.


    Before anyone could respond, a scythe, gleaming with power appeared in her hands, to which Kalex responded in kind, brandishing his own armament. She stood with a grin and prepared to strike. Rigel and Wren moved to intercept, but surprisingly, someone beat them to it.


    A bottle made of glass shot out at Scyris, making contact with her armament. Confusion plastered her face as the scythe disappeared.


    Frozen in place Scyris could only stare at the bottle.


    "What the?"

 INTEGRATION

    2


    INTEGRATION


    Scyris immediately picked up the bottle, looking it over as she did. In an attempt to retrieve her weapon, she turned the bottle upside down and shook it with fervor. Her face shifted from anger to surprise as she was lifted off her feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before. There will be no unnecessary fighting! Although you¡¯re not on Rime anymore, the rule still stands!¡± Rigel said while glowering at the squirming woman.


    Turning to Sorene, his expression turned to a curious one. ¡°Who might you be, and how do you know how to make spatial artifacts?¡±


    Sorene, piercing Scyris with a steely glare, answered his question.


    ¡°I learned by observing people using their power on others, and I just applied that to objects. In my case, it was these bottles.¡±


    Moving her gaze to Rigel, she continued. ¡°Kalex taught me the rest.¡±


    Dropping Scyris in a heap, Rigel turned to Kalex inquisitively. ¡°You may relinquish your weapon. As I¡¯ve told Scyris, unless it¡¯s constructively, there will be no fighting amongst each other. With what I see in you, there wouldn¡¯t be much of a fight anyway.


    Scyris sneered triumphantly but was cut short as Rigel finished his statement.


    ¡°If you desired, you could destroy this Lumen with only a meager use of your power.¡±


    Scyris sputtered but was saved by a hand wrapping around her arm, helping her to her feet.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Scy, calm down. You may be able to get the best of me most of the time in our sparring matches, but from what Ekk has told me, Kalex is not someone you want to fight.¡± Lyla said with a prideful hint in her tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve fought him once! And I would¡¯ve been victorious if not for Shurai¡¯s interruptions!¡± Scyris sat back in her chair, crossed her arms, and pierced Rigel with a look. ¡°And I am not a Lumen anymore!¡±


    Rigel¡¯s stoic facade started to break as his lips curled at the ends. ¡°Since you¡¯ve thrust yourself into the center of everyone¡¯s attention, why don¡¯t we get to know each other better, starting with you, Scyris. It seems you and Kalex have a history, and I think we¡¯d all like to learn more.¡±


    Everyone looked at Scyris as her face turned bright red.


    A minute passed in silence until a surprised peep came from Kalex.


    He had only had a grasp over his Domain for a short time, and most of the time that one of his residents decided to exit his inner world, he knew beforehand, so it still surprised him when one of them decided to leave without notice.


    White light drowned the room as Kalex¡¯s face scrunched up. A tall, gangly man followed the display, but instead of surprise, everyone present looked on with horror.


    ¡°Fool! Your advancement will be destroyed! Baseborns can¡¯t survive in the higher worlds!¡± Rigel¡¯s voice carried as he motioned to create a barrier around the lanky blacksmith.


    Wren was quicker to draw and set up a barrier, to which she started channeling energy from her Domain.


    Caught in the middle of waving to all the new people, Timik froze, looking around at the solid sphere around him. ¡°Uh, Could you let me out please? I just wanted to say hello. Actually, I wanted to see what Lex was talking about. In the Hammers, we always spoke of making something that could pierce the heavens, and now that I¡¯m here, I¡¯d really like to start making things!¡± Timik put his wounded hand on his chin and thoughtfully lowered his head.


    ¡°Does this fancy school everyone has been talking about have an opening for a blacksmithing instructor?  I could teach these novices a thing or two.¡±


    The eyes around the room stared at the man in disbelief¡ªall except one pair. From the moment Gretex established Enternia, he nurtured it as much as possible until there was nothing more to be done. His next step was finding inhabitants.


    Growing up as part of the Noxsis was unlike any other upbringing. His time was structured and monitored until he was chosen to inhabit the newly contracted planet, Diat. After learning everything he had from Wren and how terrible the Noxsis were when it came to seeding worlds, Gret decided to go with an option against his better judgment.


    Compared to the Noxsis, the Lumen Cabal was a shining star when it came to outward appearances, and their contracts followed suit. They offered so much and requested so little, usually only requiring unfettered access to the Domain and a place where their Lumen could act as guardians. In return, the Cabal would provide vital energy to incorporate into the planet and the host and seed the world with inhabitants if needed.


    The length of the contract was manageable, and there were minimal downsides if terminated, so Gret gladly accepted the terms.


    The inhabitants were given to him the instant the Cabal gained access to his Domain. A population of Bunderfoots that needed relocation after their planet¡¯s host was slain were the perfect candidates. Gretex made his burgeoning planet as hospitable as possible and began to reap the rewards of a stable population.


    Years passed in relative calm as the Bunderfoots made a home for themselves. Fine buildings bearing the style of their previous world were erected everywhere a large population settled. Woodworking, masonry, smithing, and leathercraft were among the most popular professions, with most knowing a bit of everything. Part of the contract became effective as the world¡¯s inhabitants separated into distinct countries.


    With the contract¡¯s integration complete, Lumen began to descend onto Enternia to rule over the formed Realms.


    The change in the world involving the Lumen ¡®guardians¡¯ did not go over well, and soon, Enternia was full of uprisings and death. The Lumen, unhappy that their influence was almost non-existent with the prideful Bunderfoots, began to thin the population indirectly and show favor to those who venerated them to any extent.


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    As the Bunderfoot population dwindled, it was bolstered by newcomers eager to show faith in the Lumen.


    Gret saw this, of course, and he had to admit that he had grown fond of the Bunderfoots, but to fulfill the contract, he accepted everyone the Cabal offered to him. The Bunderfoots were replaced with Humans when Gret decided to give his Domain an in-depth look. Enternia had become a mecha for growth and, most importantly, energy that he could meld with his own to make himself stronger. It seemed like there had been Bunderfoot and Human mixes on his planet, but after a cursory look, he found that everyone looked mostly human.


    This was the fate of most planets contracted to the Lumen Cabal. The owner took a hands-off approach and soaked in the energy they wouldn¡¯t have had without the contract.


    As Gret grew stronger, he was offered a new contract as a trainer, giving would-be Lumen access to his planet, but he graciously declined. Even with the promises of increased power, he was happy with the world that had been created.


    But this Timik fellow. He would assume that he was almost a full-blood Bunderfoot if he didn''t know better. He was taller than most Humans, with strong, corded muscle wrapping around his thin frame¡ªa slightly hooked nose and wiry hair that didn¡¯t take to styling.


    When he pulled up his status, Gret was surprised that his race was shown as Human, but unfortunately, not much else was shown.


    ¡°Timik,¡± Gret said in an even tone. ¡°With your heritage, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d succeed in the Academy. Though I have one worry.¡±


    Timik stopped trying to wave at everyone with one hand and attempted to pierce through the barrier around him with the other to give Gret his full attention.


    ¡°The integration of the Academy does grade highly on specific skills one may have, but there is also an aptitude and weapon skill test. If those are passed with high merit, you can move on to the survival test.¡± Gret¡¯s eyebrows sagged as he looked at Timik¡¯s face.


    ¡°From what I know about those who work in the Hammers, learning anything other than the hammer was not interesting, and I fear you would hit a wall in the testing.¡±


    Silence fell on everyone in the room, with each pair of eyes firmly planted on the awkward man and the man whose planet the former called home.


    After a minute, Timik perked up, startling Gretex.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry! I passed a test that Lex gave to me a while ago. He told me I was a Savant, and my status showed it too. It doesn¡¯t show it anymore. Actually, it doesn¡¯t show much of anything! It''s probably that chipped-in-the-head ghost messing with the way it looks again. Before all of my information disappeared, it showed that I was an Axiom or something like that. I didn¡¯t pay much attention because the only axiom I¡¯ve ever heard of was a baby. Look at me; I haven¡¯t been a baby in 20 moons!¡±


    Most of the room blankly looked at the eccentric man with slack jaw expressions. Kalex was the first to school his expression.


    ¡°Wait, the status system isn¡¯t working?¡± He said as he pulled a rock out of his pocket. ¡°Is everything alright, Lex?¡±


    The faceted black stone in Kalex¡¯s hand started to shine brightly enough to light up every corner of the room.


    ¡°I apologize, Mr. Wounder. I''ve had to reconfigure the status window after looking into a few people here on Karthis. The myst in the higher worlds fundamentally differs from what we are used to. While on a planet in someone¡¯s Domain, the inhabitants are essentially using the myst of the owner of said planet and synthesizing it for themselves.¡±


    Lex lifted off from Kalex¡¯s hand and hovered above the central table.


    ¡°The myst here is not tied to anyone and is far more aggressive than any previously aspected myst. It¡¯s much more potent than the myst of the lower worlds but is integrated into the myst channels more slowly. I¡¯ve gathered that most people in Karthis live their entire lives without much advancement, just living with what they are born with.¡±


    The rock burst into light and floated back into Kalex¡¯s pocket as the figure of Lex¡¯s Berrian form sat cross-legged above the table.


    ¡°I first noticed it when Mr. Wounder¡¯s presence was¡ªtempered¡ªafter he first saw Ms. Everblade. The ambient myst attempted to invade his body, but he kept it at bay. Ekk has provided information that leads me to believe Ms. Graves is in a similar situation. Since those in the lower worlds cultivate their myst more so than the small sample I have seen of the higher world inhabitants, I¡¯ve had to find a way to universally denotate statuses.¡±


    ¡°I believe I have found a suitable system, but it will take time and trial and error to perfect it. In the meantime, I have restored the basic level and rank function.¡±  Lex sighed, realizing he was missing something.


    ¡°Being on the higher worlds changes the initial ranks, as copper, silver, and platinum ranks are useless here. Most born in the higher worlds start around the Axiom rank, bypassing all prerequisites needed to achieve that rank in the lower worlds. Moving forward, The ranks of the higher worlds will start at the Axiom Rank and move up from there. The previous maturity stat will be dropped as it is not accurate for the growth of the people of the higher worlds and will instead be level-based.¡±


    Lex looked around to make sure everyone had his attention.


    ¡°Axiom rank will have 20 levels, moving to the Harbinger Rank. Harbinger will have 40 levels before reaching Celestial rank, with 80 levels until Dreadnaught. Since gaining power becomes more difficult the stronger you become, the level cap per rank will be 100 after breaking through the Dreadnaught rank and becoming a Sovereign. The highest rank I¡¯ve cataloged is above Sovereign, which I believe perfectly fits into the stories told throughout Karthis. It¡¯s called the Deathless rank.¡±


    With a kind smile, Lex looked at everyone in audience.


    ¡°Go ahead, have a look!¡±


    Without needing to be told twice, Kalex opened his status.


    Name: Kalex Wounder


    Level: 186


    Race: Human (Enternia), Beer (Diat)


    Rank: Dreadnaught


    While Kalex stood with a look of consternation, Lyla mentally activated her status window.


    Name: Lyla Graves


    Level: 43


    Race: Human (Enternia)


    Rank: Harbinger


    This iteration was underwhelming after previously seeing her status full of numbers and skills. Turning to Scyris with a curious glance, Lyla found her face with an expression opposite hers, but before Lyla could comment, Scyris whirled around to face her.


    ¡°How are you already this close to matching me in level? I was one of the highest-ranked Lumen allowed on the lower worlds. I led subordinates and held sway over an entire world for most of the time it was around! I had power filtered into me from the Ancestor himself, not to mention the myst stipend I was granted daily!¡±


    While Scyris stared at her with bloodshot eyes, Lyla opened her status to see what she was talking about.


    Name: Scyris Everblade


    Level: 59


    Race: Fontling (Cragfont)


    Rank: Harbinger


    In an attempt to calm the barely contained wildfire that was Scyris, Lyla walked up to her, planning to state her case and speak to her advantages without sounding too prideful.


    ¡°Him,¡± Lyla said, pointing directly at Kalex. ¡°He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m catching up.¡±


    She gave Kalex a small smile and hoped he wouldn¡¯t take her instigation poorly, but after being beaten in practice matches nine times out of ten against Scyris, she was eager to see what Kalex could do now that they had reunited. Scyris turned to the door leading to the training yard behind Rigel¡¯s home as if on cue.


    ¡°Kalex. Training match. NOW!¡± The clipped sentence was backed up with power as it ended.


    Kalex let the myst-empowered word flow off of him and shrugged.


    ¡°Sure.¡±