《Glass Kanin [Books 1-2 Stubbed, Book 3 ongoing!]》


 Chapter 1 - Liminal Space

    ¡°Kanin! You¡¯re on set in ten.¡±


    Shit. I scarf down the last lump of half-frozen burrito, and it slides down my throat in a spiteful ball of cold rice and processed cheese. At least the next scene involves a lot of grimacing. I toss the wrapper away, and it bounces off the rim of the trashcan.


    So, it¡¯s going to be one of those days, huh?


    I make the basket on my second shot, then snatch my script from atop the microwave and jog toward the main set. As I go, I flip through the pages to double-check my lines, but I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve got it all down. It¡¯s not exactly prime-time television. That said, I absolutely intend to bawl at all the emotional bits and flex my delts in every shirtless shot.


    Don¡¯t judge me. It¡¯s my first lead role, and everyone¡¯s gotta start somewhere.


    The set is a bustle of pre-filming action as I stop by the producer. ¡°I thought I wasn¡¯t up until this afternoon.¡±


    Patricia doesn¡¯t even look at me as her fingers dart across her phone. ¡°Larry can¡¯t make it.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Got somewhere more important to be?¡±


    ¡°Got the flu,¡± she says. ¡°Been shitting his brains out all morning.¡±


    That explains my abbreviated lunch break. ¡°Then we¡¯re skipping to one of my scenes?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± She drops her phone into her purse and gestures sharply for me to follow. ¡°You¡¯ll be standing in for Larry.¡±


    I blink, and Patricia is halfway across the room before I think to catch up. ¡°Uh, but he¡¯s my stunt double. He¡¯s supposed to stand in for me.¡±


    She waves me off. ¡°If you¡¯re able to drag him off the toilet, be my guest.¡±


    ¡°We can wait until he¡¯s back,¡± I suggest. ¡°Shoot my scenes in the meantime.¡±


    Patricia holds out her hand, and someone deposits a coffee into it like magic. ¡°You already know the scene. The lines. And you can do a breakfall, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on a deadline, Kanin,¡± she interrupts with a flat look. ¡°And the network won¡¯t be waiting for us. If you¡¯re passionate about employment, then the show must go on.¡±


    ¡°We really don¡¯t have backups or anything?¡± I know I¡¯m grasping at straws.


    Patricia snorts. ¡°Who do you think we are, Disney? Look, it¡¯s very simple, Kanin. This is a tiny-ass show with a tiny-ass crew, and you¡¯re going to play your own character in an extremely simple stunt scene, or we¡¯re fucked.¡±


    I rake my fingers through my hair, and one of the stylists gasps. I can¡¯t let my show die before it¡¯s even had a chance for the critics to tear it apart¡ªnot to mention my career!


    ¡°Alright,¡± I say with a sigh. ¡°What do I need to do?¡±


    Patricia smiles like an eel. ¡°That¡¯s just what I wanted to hear.¡±


    She beckons me over to the set, where the final touches are still being added to the scene.


    ¡°The choreography is pretty basic,¡± Patricia says. ¡°Most actors don¡¯t even use doubles for stuff like this.¡±


    Feeling a little judged, I puff myself up. ¡°Can¡¯t risk damaging the face of the show, right?¡±


    Patricia snorts, as if I¡¯d made some kind of joke. Before I can clarify my sincerity, she hands me the prop gun I¡¯ll need for the scene, and then moves onto laying out all the rolls and breakfalls I¡¯ll need to do. And honestly, she¡¯s right¡ªit does seem pretty basic. Probably a minimal risk of messing up my hair. Hey, if I pull this off, maybe I can become one of those actors who do their own stunts. Fans love that stuff.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough stage direction. You get the pic.¡± Patricia claps her hands and raises her voice. ¡°Let¡¯s go, people! Time is money.¡±


    The stage lights beat down with a stifling and familiar heat as I find my mark and wait for everyone else to file into place. My feet are only inches away from the Cliffs of Despair¡ªwhich is to say, a two-foot drop onto a padded blue mat. Beyond that the illusion of the set dissolves into the dimly lit studio, where a flurry of human noise and motion wisps through the dark.


    ¡°Hey Kanin,¡± Doug says, finding his mark as well. He¡¯s all decked out in his extremely villainous vampiric makeup, causing his eyebrows to arc dramatically. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this scene supposed to be with Larry?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°He¡¯s sick, so I¡¯m filling in. But don¡¯t count on me sticking around for the explosion scene,¡± I add as a joke.


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Doug agrees, straight-faced. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t play to your strengths.¡±


    I tip my head. ¡°Acting?¡±


    ¡°Being a pretty face.¡± Doug winks. ¡°Careful not to singe that perm.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Hilarious.¡± Your stand-up career will never pan out, Doug. ¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure they cast me for my acting.¡±


    Although, being hot certainly doesn¡¯t hurt.


    Doug is saved from conceding defeat when Patricia claps her hands and everyone rushes to find their spots. She folds her arms.


    ¡°Let¡¯s shoot the rehearsal.¡±


    Ah, fuck. Probably wants to use the practice take as a substitute for more film time. Can¡¯t really blame her, given the time crunch, but I¡¯d rather not have my first attempt at breakfalls and pretending to wield a gun immortalized.


    Hollywood, for ya.


    ¡°Final touches,¡± Patricia calls as she settles into her chair.


    ¡°Finals done.¡±


    I turn my back to Doug, focusing on the scene. My lines. I soothe all Kanin thoughts away and become Jack Stone: Cryptid Hunter.


    ¡°Camera ready?¡± Patricia asks.


    ¡°Ready.¡±


    ¡°Quiet on set.¡± She waits for the last rustle of papers to die away. ¡°Roll sound.¡±


    ¡°Sound speed.¡±


    ¡°Scene 4, rehearsal.¡±


    There¡¯s a snap as the clapperboard clacks shut.


    Silence. The gun feels heavy in my grasp. Dozens of lights blink in my peripheral. The set and everyone backstage are equally frozen, like some kind of liminal space, the moment between inhale and exhale.


    And then Patricia calls, ¡°Action!¡±


    I spin and point the gun at Doug (or Count Fang) and he smacks it away with a defiant laugh.


    ¡°You think such primitive weapons would work against a being like me?¡± the vampire snarls. ¡°You¡¯re out of your depth, Hunter.¡±


    I grimace, throwing a fake punch at the Count, who blocks it with ease. He delivers a return blow, and I dive to the side in an exaggerated roll. My shoulder hits first with a stabbing pain, but I roll to my knees to strike a defiant pose. Ow! This is why Larry gets paid for this shit.


    ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this,¡± I say, tossing my hair out of my eyes so the camera gets the money shot. ¡°I¡¯m going to free that fairy orphanage from your tyranny. Do you know why?¡±


    Count Fang sneers. ¡°Do enlighten me.¡±


    I glance to the fallen gun, just inches from the cliff, and Count Fang looks, too. I look back up at him and smile, withdrawing a silver bullet from my pocket to display for vampire and viewer alike. ¡°Because you don¡¯t know Jack.¡±


    I dive for the gun. Doug hisses in fury (a bit much, in my opinion) and jumps for the weapon as well. Our hands close over it at the same time, dramatically wrestling for control. I appear to win for just a moment, pulling the gun away, but Count Fang knocks it from my grasp, where it falls back to the ground.


    Count Fang sneers, placing a hand on my chest. ¡°It appears you didn¡¯t understand the gravity of our situation.¡± And with one final, fake shove, I go stumbling back.


    This is the moment¡ªjust got to tuck my chin in and fall into the waiting arms of a slightly uncomfortable drop pad. I plaster on my most surprised face¡ªthen let out a gasp as my foot comes down on something unexpected that slips beneath my shoe, turning my fake stumble into a real one. The prop gun skids away as I take another step back¡ªand this time, there¡¯s nothing beneath me. My stomach lurches as I fall from the Cliffs an unexpected step too soon. I¡¯ve rolled too far back. No time to brace myself. Impact¡ª


    Darkness.


    I blink against the sudden black. Shit. Had the stage lights gone out? Did I trip over an extension cord in my failed attempt of a stunt? Patricia is not going to like this. We¡¯ll have to reset everything and start from the top. Assuming Electric can fix it. If this delays the schedule even further, a sick stunt double will be the least of my worries. Crap, I hope this won¡¯t be a problem with the network¡­


    I pause. Why is everyone being so quiet? We aren¡¯t still rolling, are we?


    Guys? I call. Or, I try to. My mouth doesn¡¯t open. I try again, but my attempt is met with silence. Confused, I blindly try to climb to my feet. But my legs won¡¯t move, and neither will my arms. And my body¡ª


    Oh god, my body. Where is my body?


    Static numbness permeates my mind. There¡¯s nothing. No sight, no sound, no sensation¡ªjust unending black.


    What the fuck. What the fuck is this?


    Fear bubbles up in an unrealized scream. Horror and disorientation wash over me in waves. Everything is numb, and there¡¯s nothing¡ªnothing¡ªI can do¡ª


    ¡°...help! Somebody help!¡±


    ¡­Doug? The sound is so faint. Where is it coming from? Which direction? Does this place even have directions?


    The voices seem to get a little closer.


    ¡°Call an ambulance! Shit¡ª¡±


    Patricia. What happened? Where are we? But if I can hear them, then maybe they can hear me.


    Guys, I try again, but I can feel my thoughts swallowed up by the dark. I¡¯m here! I¡¯m right here.


    ¡°¡­Oh my god, Kanin¡­¡± Patricia cries.


    What? I ask. What is it?


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± Doug says. ¡°He just tripped¡ªI can¡¯t lose my job over this!¡±


    Fucking Doug.


    Something flickers past me. I snatch at the scrap of sensation, and my coworkers¡¯ voices vanish even as the light sharpens into focus. It¡¯s a¡­ shooting star? That doesn¡¯t seem quite right. There¡¯s something more to it¡ªsomething deeper¡ªlike shapes beneath the surface of moving water, their meaning just out of reach.


    Oh, hey! the star says, and I jump. I thought I was alone in here.


    Hello? I ask. Can you hear me?


    Of course! the star says. Well, as much as anything can really hear in this place, I suppose.


    Relief sweeps through me. Someone else to talk to. I¡¯m not alone. Or maybe I am alone and just going insane, but if that¡¯s the case, at least this is a more comforting delusion.


    Where are we? I ask.


    Well, I¡¯m not really sure how, but it sure seems like Between to me, the star says.


    Between? I repeat. Between what?


    Everything, I think. The star sounds thoughtful. The space between worlds. Between dimensions, maybe even between time. Between states of matter, life and death. At any rate, it¡¯s not a place you¡¯re supposed to linger. I mean, that¡¯s what they say, anyway. I¡¯m no wizard!


    Alarm bells start going off in my head. The star¡¯s ramblings shouldn¡¯t be making any sense, but¡­


    Between life and death? I repeat. No. No, that can¡¯t be right.


    Between everything, the star says. I was on my way to Miasmere, myself. Never used a telepad before, but Rezira assured me they were safe. So much for that, ha ha! The star seems to sober a little. Although I do hope I¡¯m not stuck here forever. When I get back, that orc will never live it down¡­


    I¡¯m hardly listening. Snippets of my coworkers¡¯ conversations float through my head, and they¡¯re starting to make terrifying sense. Patricia was calling an ambulance. Doug didn¡¯t want to be blamed. I try to think back to the last thing I can recall before the darkness: I was falling.


    Head-first. I remember the ground rushing up to meet me, and then¡ª


    Even though temperature doesn¡¯t seem to be a thing in this place, I suddenly feel very, very cold.


    I¡¯m dead, I say quietly, and the star stops its rambling.


    Sorry?


    I¡¯m dead, I repeat, and this time the sadness hits me.


    Because I know it¡¯s true. Because even if I hadn¡¯t felt the impact, even though I can¡¯t remember any pain, somehow, some part of me just intrinsically understands the tragic reality of it:


    I¡¯m dead as a doorknob, and my last meal was a frozen cheese burrito.

 Chapter 2 - Shadows in the Dark

    Oh fuck. Oh fuck fuck fuck!


    You sure like that word, the star observes.


    This isn¡¯t real. Those voices weren¡¯t actually my coworkers. This has got to be some kind of dream. Some drug-induced delusion. The pressure¡ªthat¡¯s it! The pressure from starring in my first gig got to me, and I snapped.


    Because I can¡¯t actually be dead. I¡¯m not even thirty. I never found my soulmate. I never got to see India or the Eiffel Tower or the inside of the Playboy Mansion! And my show¡ª


    My show is as dead as me. Dead as my career. Dead dead dead.


    It¡¯s not fair, I moan. I¡¯d barely started living!


    Oh, don¡¯t be like that, the star says. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not as bad as you think!


    What do you know? I sulk. You¡¯re just a star.


    The star laughs. What are you talking about? I¡¯m not a star, I¡¯m an elf.


    An elf? The unexpected comment briefly derails me from my misery, but I don¡¯t let it distract me long.


    Sure, I say, sinking back into my despair. And I¡¯m a dwarf.


    Are you? The star sounds curious. Where abouts? My neighbors are dwarves¡ªthe Brookbanks. Heard they come from quite an extended family. Always talking about their cousin¡¯s kid¡¯s husband¡¯s sister¡¯s cooking. Maybe that¡¯s why they moved out into the country. Can be a bit grouchy, but they mean well.


    The conversation is so absurd it almost helps me forget about my own untimely demise. You¡¯re serious?


    Of course I am, the star says. Sorry, am I rambling? Rezira always tells me I ramble, but given our circumstances I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s much else to do.


    If I had a head, I would shake it. Nothing makes any sense. None of this feels real. Maybe I¡¯m still on the floor of the studio, experiencing some final fit of delusion as my neurons fritz out, firing their last desperate signals into oblivion.


    You know I¡¯m not actually a dwarf, right? I ask.


    All I really know about you is that you seem extremely confused, the star says.


    I suppose that¡¯s fair. I¡¯m a human, I say. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m even bothering to explain. I just feel like crawling in a hole and never coming out again. My name¡¯s Kanin. Kanin Reed.


    Nice to meet you, Kanin! The star is far more chipper than any disembodied maybe-dead entity has any right to be. I¡¯m Noli Nettlebane.


    Noli the elf, who looks very much like a star. Sure. Why not?


    So how¡¯d you die? I ask glumly.


    Noli chuckles. Now that I¡¯m focusing, Noli¡¯s voice seems to take on a feminine tone. I sure hope that telepad didn¡¯t kill me. I¡¯m just stuck between two places. You really think you¡¯re dead?


    I try to summon up the last sights I can recall: Doug pushing me toward the edge, me tripping over the gun. The fall was all wrong. My head wasn¡¯t tucked. And was I even still aiming for the padding? I can¡¯t remember. God, it had happened so fast.


    But really? Tripping on a prop? I¡¯d be embarrassed if it weren¡¯t so sad.


    Yeah, I sigh. Pretty sure.


    I¡¯m sorry, she says, and I feel a wave of sympathy emanate from her. Well, at least you¡¯ve got me to keep you company before you pass on to the afterlife. Right?


    I pause. You mean this isn¡¯t the afterlife?


    Gods no! Noli laughs. I mean, it¡¯s not what I think the afterlife is supposed to look like. Is this what you were expecting?


    I guess not, I agree. But I¡¯d never really known what to expect¡ªnot completely. Heaven? Hell? Something else entirely? I had sort of figured no religion got it 100%, but most had gotten it at least a little right. This, though. This seems like oblivion.


    I nervously edge closer to Noli. You don¡¯t really seem too bothered by any of this.


    I get the impression of a mental shrug from her. It¡¯s then I realize I¡¯m not even hearing her words, exactly, so much as understanding her intent. It¡¯s impressions more than sounds; like her thoughts are getting beamed straight into my head. I try to wrap my mind around how exactly we¡¯re communicating, but the more I try to focus, the more dizzying the idea becomes.


    Maybe best to just roll with punches for now.


    I¡¯m not too worried, she says. I know we¡¯ll find a way out of this trap some way or another!


    Trap? I repeat. I thought you said this was, uh, Between? And even if that¡¯s true, why am I here instead of¡­ Dead. I shiver, shaking the word off. ¡­Wherever I¡¯m supposed to be?


    Great questions! Her words spark with delight. And you¡¯re right. Normally, if you really did die, you shouldn¡¯t be able to remain here. Well, technically I shouldn¡¯t either. The point is, this place is supposed to be a transitory state.


    Noli drifts away. Instinctively, I reach to follow, and surprisingly, I do. It¡¯s hard to say how I can tell I¡¯m moving without any reference points¡ªlike trying to distinguish shadows in the dark¡ªbut somehow I can tell there¡¯s motion, movement, and it¡¯s propelled by my will.


    Here, she says. Can you feel it?


    Feel what? But even as I ask, I can sense something manifest in the black. A tingling sensation, a numbness. And as I drift closer, the feeling amplifies into discomfort, and then into¡ªAh!


    Careful! Noli cries. Don¡¯t go poking your fingers in the flame, now.


    Thanks for the heads up, I grumble.


    But the jolt of pain vanishes as quickly as it came, and I tentatively try to examine it once more. It¡¯s like a wall of electricity. Crackling nothingness. I follow it in one direction, keeping carefully away from its burning touch, but it doesn¡¯t seem to end.


    What is it?


    What indeed? Noli muses. Some kind of planar magic, that¡¯s for sure.


    Magic, I repeat with a laugh. But Noli isn¡¯t joking. Of course she¡¯s not. She¡¯s an elf. From a world with dwarfs and teleportation pads. Yeah. Okay.


    Realizing the futility of remaining skeptical, I decide to lean into the absurdity. Magic created this¡­ barrier?


    Seems like, Noli says, either unaware of my bafflement or choosing to ignore it. It must be incredibly powerful to reach Between. Not to mention, to be able to last here for any amount of time.


    Well, we haven¡¯t been here that long, I say. It¡¯s been¡­ Wait. How long has it been? We can¡¯t have been talking for more than a handful of minutes. But how much time passed before I found Noli? Seconds? No, that doesn¡¯t feel right. Hours? Just like trying to understand how Noli and I can talk, the more I try to focus on how long I¡¯ve been in this place, the more the very concept of time seems to slip away.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    No sense in trying to make sense of time outside of time, Noli says. But that¡¯s beside the point. Here, it¡¯ll be easier for you to understand if you experience it yourself. Take a spin about the place.


    The idea of striking out into the void by myself sets all kinds of alarm bells ringing in my head. What if I can¡¯t find you again?


    You will, she says, and there¡¯s a tinge of resignation to her assurance. Trust me.


    I¡¯m not entirely sure I do, but on the other hand, what is there to lose? I¡¯m already dead. Hesitantly, I move along the wall of magic, and Noli¡¯s presence grows distant. But it doesn¡¯t vanish. In fact, as I move, I notice a peculiar development taking place. First she¡¯s behind me, then to my side, then, eventually, in front of me once more. I pause, then strike out in a different direction. But the barrier inevitably takes me circling back to where I started. And it¡¯s like this in every direction.


    We¡¯re trapped, I realize. Stuck inside some kind of sphere.


    I feel Noli¡¯s agreement. This spell¡¯s keeping us stuck Between. Tucked away in a little pocket of nothingness. And as long the spell keeps going, we¡¯ll be kept from where we should be going.


    How¡¯d we even get in here? I wonder. Why just us?


    I¡¯m not sure, Noli says, but I can speculate.


    The gravity of her tone is not filling me with much confidence that her speculation will be to our benefit.


    My hometown was on the coast, she says. Fishermen abound. Visitors would come and fish with hooks, but all us locals¡ªwe used nets. Hooks just catch one fish at a time. You have to lure them in. But nets could be used on a whole school. You¡¯d cast them out and draw them up as fast as you could. Most of the fish would dart away, but you¡¯d always manage to snag a few unlucky ones.


    I don¡¯t like where this metaphor is headed. You think someone cast their net Between to catch us?


    Maybe not to catch us, specifically, Noli says. But they happened to cast their net at the exact moment we were moving Between. A moment earlier or later, and it might have been someone else. We¡¯re the unlucky fish.


    The wide, open dark suddenly seems a lot more close and claustrophobic. And what¡¯ll happen when the fisherman pulls in their net?


    For the first time Noli feels serious, and I don¡¯t like it one bit. Guess we¡¯ll be learning that together.


    Oh, hell no. We have to get out of here! I race back along the invisible wall of static. There¡¯s got to be some way out. If someone can make it, then someone can break it, right?


    Noli doesn¡¯t try to stop me. I¡¯ve already looked, I¡¯m afraid. There¡¯s no way out. But hey! Her enthusiasm bubbles back up once more. Maybe someone from the outside will help us?


    Well we can¡¯t just sit around and wait for that, I say. If this is a trap, then the person who made it wouldn¡¯t have anything good planned for us, would they?


    Maybe, Noli says. Or maybe I have this all wrong! No sense in assuming the worst, right? But¡­ are you sure you want out? she asks. Even if we could escape, it¡¯s the only thing keeping us Between. Without it, I¡¯ll be back on my way to Miasmere. And you¡­


    ¡­I¡¯ll be dead. For real dead. On my way to¡­ whatever happens after this. And maybe if I had any idea what that entailed, it would seem less scary. Paradise, if I¡¯m lucky. If I¡¯m not¡­


    Right at this moment, I don¡¯t particularly feel like much of a gambling man.


    Anyway, Noli says, no sense in panicking over something we can¡¯t control. Unless you¡¯ve got some very interesting spells tucked up your sleeve, we¡¯re stuck.


    Spells. Magic. The words don¡¯t seem as absurd as they should. I guess once you¡¯ve faced your own death, everything else becomes easier to swallow.


    Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire. Or maybe this is the frying pan, and out there is all the fire, just waiting for me to slip out.


    On the bright side, I don¡¯t see how anything could get any worse.


    Tremors echo through the darkness.


    Some¡­ thing¡­ ripples through the black. Distant, outside of our little bubble, but I can still sense it clearly. Instead of Noli¡¯s curiosity and friendliness, however, it radiates only hunger. It¡¯s so intense, I feel it as if it¡¯s my own.


    What is that? I ask, hushed. As far as I can tell, it hasn¡¯t noticed us yet, and I intend to keep it that way.


    Noli doesn¡¯t reply. When I turn my attention back to her, she seems smaller. Less noticeable. Like she¡¯s no longer broadcasting her thoughts.


    Noli? I drift closer.


    Hush. Her thoughts are barely a whisper. But even muted, I can sense her fear, and that scares me more than the creature in the dark. Being stuck in this infinite black without a body or any control over the situation hadn¡¯t even fazed her, but this creature has her scared stiff. Rein it in.


    I¡¯m not sure I really know how to do that, but the creature in the dark doesn¡¯t make it hard to shrink back. What is it? I ask again.


    I don¡¯t know, she admits. There shouldn¡¯t be anything out there. Nothing should be able to live Between.


    Maybe it¡¯s stuck, like us? I suggest. But that doesn¡¯t feel right. It¡¯s drifting silently through the black, without fear or restraint. It¡¯s searching. Hungry.


    A predator.


    Claustrophobia is replaced by vertigo as my perspective of this place abruptly shifts. We¡¯re not just stuck in some tiny trap: We¡¯re a fishbowl cast into the ocean. Surrounded by unfathomable depths. And though dark, the surrounding waters aren¡¯t nearly as empty as they first appeared.


    Another tinge of motion radiates through the dark, this time much closer. I don¡¯t quite understand what it is until I feel Noli¡¯s sliver of apprehension. It slips from her like a crack in a mask.


    Time¡¯s up, she says.


    The space around us shivers, and I realize this new sensation isn¡¯t due to the predator; our line¡¯s being reeled back in.


    Think there¡¯s any possibility I¡¯ll go back? I ask, nervously edging away from our constricting net. Instead of¡­ you know. Moving on?


    I don¡¯t know, Noli says, but there¡¯s doubt in her tone.


    Waking up on the studio floor with a broken neck doesn¡¯t seem terribly enticing. But my other options are the afterlife, an encounter with that predator, or wherever this fishing net is taking me. I¡¯m not terribly stoked about any of these options.


    Our cage draws tighter. There¡¯s a sensation of motion now, of some inevitable outcome fast approaching.


    Do you believe in an afterlife? I ask Noli. I don¡¯t give her a chance to say no. What¡¯s yours like?


    It¡¯ll be alright, Kanin, she says, which I think is about the worst possible thing she could have chosen to say. When is it ever alright when someone says that?


    Maybe we could pull back against the net. Find some way to stay here a bit longer. I try to ground myself in place, but as our magical enclosure pulls closer around me, I chicken out and shy away from the encroaching pain at the last second. Sweeping my awareness around our prison, I desperately search for some hole I¡¯d missed before. I mean, we¡¯ve been alright this long, haven¡¯t we? What¡¯s a few more hours spent in an infinite abyss?


    Kanin¡ª


    It¡¯s not like time really passes here, right? I continue to ramble. I¡¯m not ready. I need more time.  A minute. A day. All the same, here. I couldn¡¯t even tell you how long it¡¯s been since¡ª


    Kanin! Watch out!


    The wall of our prison slams into me in an electrifying jolt. I jerk away, but the net is thrashing about, making it almost impossible to avoid. Hunger presses in at me from all sides¡ªexcitement¡ªanticipation¡ªmalice. The predator clamps down around us, and I can feel the walls of our prison creaking beneath its will.


    Suddenly, getting the fuck out of here seems like a great idea.


    Never mind! I press toward the other end of the net, as far away from the creature in the dark as I can manage. Reel, fisherman, reel!


    We¡¯re almost there, Noli says.


    Our cage cracks, and eager hunger spills in.


    At the same time, I can feel we¡¯re on the brink of something real¡ªon the brink of space, and time, and light.


    Shadows tear through our enclosure. They crash into the walls and ricochet about, greedily snatching for anything they can sink their claws into.


    Warmth. For the first time in what seems like an eternity, sensations begin to flood into me. The Between stretches away¡ªI¡¯m falling back into reality. In just another moment, we¡¯ll have escaped the predator.


    A spear of darkness stabs into me. And it¡¯s not like getting stabbed in the flesh; it¡¯s nothing as insignificant as physical pain. It stabs into my soul¡ªinto the very core of who I am¡ªand every inch of me screams.


    The darkness evaporates away, but a cold agony stays with me. I¡¯m enveloped by sights and sounds and a gentle softness, but I can only concentrate on that sharp pain in my mind, a tension in my soul, of a retreating hunger, growing more distant¡ª


    The agony dulls to an ache. Slowly, I¡¯m able to register my surroundings. Colors swim around me, out of focus. Sounds seem to echo down a distant hall. Warmth spills over me. It¡¯s physical. It¡¯s real. The darkness is gone.


    I would sigh with relief if I weren¡¯t so exhausted. I feel like I¡¯ve been shredded apart and stuck back together again, one atom at a time.


    [New presence recognized. System Compatibility: Accepted.]


    Noli? I groggily call. The voice is feminine, yet stiff and artificial¡ªnothing like Noli¡¯s bubbliness. And I don¡¯t sense her mind anywhere anymore. Then again, I no longer sense the predator either. I¡¯m back in my own solitary head. Alone.


    [Processing role.]


    Or maybe not. Hello? I try to call. But the voice doesn¡¯t seem to be listening. I can¡¯t even tell where it¡¯s coming from. Summoning all of my strength, I try to bring my surroundings into focus, and my efforts are rewarded as shapes and sounds begin to take meaning.


    Hah! I¡¯m alive again! Not whisked off to the afterlife after all. Take that, Noli. I will myself to move, and I¡¯m rewarded with a small rocking motion. That¡¯s okay. Baby steps.


    [Designation acquired.]


    Abruptly, words spill out over my vision, imprinting on my mind.


    [Name: Kanin Reed]


    [Gender: Male]


    [Age: 28]


    [Weight¡ª]


    What the fuck is this? What is happening? There¡¯s dozens of lines, filling my vision and mind with strange words and lists of numbers until I can¡¯t see or think or hear anything else. It¡¯s too much¡ªtoo much to understand¡ª


    [Abbreviating stats,] the voice says. Most of the words vanish, and the list repopulates, much shorter this time.


    [Name: Kanin]


    [Species: N/A]


    [Class: None]


    [Level: 1]


    [HP: 10/10]


    [Mana: 10/10]


    [Void: 1%]


    What the hell? What is all this? I try to blink the words away, but I discover two things at once.


    First, I don¡¯t have eyes, and therefore cannot blink. Second, no one is actually speaking to me: The words are all in my head.


    But the weird mind-voice isn¡¯t done with me yet.


    [Role: Homunculus]

 Chapter 3 - Homunculus

    Level? Hit points? What is all this¡ªsome kind of video game? And what the fuck is a homunculus?


    A shadow looms over me, and my vision swims as the shapes curve across my field of view in a disorienting manner. I feel nauseous, but I can¡¯t blink, or turn away, or even shut my vision off. A tawny face, bearded and gnarled, stretches before me¡ªbut behind me I can see the contents of a wooden work bench, and above me arcs the thatched roof of a cottage, while below is a distinct grainy pattern of wood, crossed with white stripes.


    It¡¯s like I can see in every direction, all at once.


    I want to be sick.


    The giant face moves closer, peering at me with one gray eye which stretches around my view like a fisheye lens. He grins, and says something in a deep, wispy voice.


    What did he say? I can hear¡ªor at least I think I can hear¡ªbut it¡¯s nothing more than a string of nonsensical sounds.


    [Foreign language detected. Activate translation?]


    Uh. I still don¡¯t understand who the voice belongs to¡ªif it belongs to anyone at all. But at the very least, it seems to be friendly. Yes?


    [Activating.]


    Like a switch has been flipped in my brain, the old man¡¯s words suddenly snap into focus.


    ¡°...more than anticipated. Two for one! How fascinating. I¡¯ve never had this happen before.¡±


    Who is this guy?


    The mind-voice takes that as an invitation.


    [Name: Trenevalt]


    [Species: Halfling]


    [Class: Null Summoner]


    [Level: 40]


    [HP: 20/50]


    [Mana: 28/800]


    Summoner? Halfling? As if this all couldn¡¯t get any weirder. But after my conversation with Noli and everything that happened Between, I¡¯m starting to develop an immunity to disbelief.


    Where is Noli, anyway?


    ¡°It¡¯s lucky another vessel was nearby for the excess magic to spill over into,¡± Trenevalt says, reaching out a hand. It hovers just above me, dwarfing my field of view. Halfling? This guy is huge!


    ¡°That could have been trouble.¡± He chuckles. ¡°Never thought my tinkering with such trinkets would end up being so useful.¡± Trenevalt¡¯s hand continues to move over me and reach for an object to my right.


    It¡¯s some sort of clockwork toy. Springs and gears decorate its copper shell, intricately integrated into all six of its spindly limbs. Some kind of octopus. Hexapus?


    It begins squirming when Trenevalt tries to pick it up. At the same time, the mind-voice speaks up once more.


    [Name: Noli]


    [Species: N/A]


    [Class: Woodland Ranger]


    [Level: 25]


    [HP: 30/30 (reduced)]


    [Mana: 20/20]


    Wait. That toy is Noli?


    Trenevalt chuckles as the clockwork octopus swipes at one of his fingers. ¡°Spirited core, I see. Though your form is a bit unorthodox. It will be difficult to figure out how to fix you to a more proper shell. Well, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find some use for you yet.¡±


    The toy¡ªNoli¡ªgestures in a way I choose to assume means something rude as Trenevalt turns back to me. I squirm under his gaze and am rewarded with a small rocking motion.


    ¡°Careful there,¡± he warns, steadying me with a finger. The finger is enormous, covering up most of my view of the ceiling. Next to me, Noli is struggling to get her many toy limbs under her. But if I¡¯m about her size, that means this Trenevalt fellow isn¡¯t huge at all, is he? We¡¯ve just become very, very small.


    I must be stuck in some kind of toy, too. But what shape? I can¡¯t see any limbs, despite somehow being able to see in every direction at once, and trying to move doesn¡¯t provide me with any mobility either.


    I may as well be Between all over again.


    But at least here I can see. And I can hear. And a warm beam of sunlight is trickling through a crack in the wall. It¡¯s something, at least.


    ¡°Can you understand me, core?¡± Trenevalt asks me.


    Can I speak? I think very hard about doing so, but nothing happens. With nothing else to do, I try wiggling once more. Only now that I¡¯m thinking about it, it¡¯s more like sloshing.


    How extremely unsettling.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Trenevalt says, apparently taking my movement as some sort of confirmation. ¡°That should be sufficient until I¡¯ve enough mana to move you to your more permanent form. Now, stay put.¡± A strange tingling sensation passes through me. ¡°I¡¯ll be just a moment.¡± The halfling turns away and hobbles out of the room.


    Stay put? And wait for the fisherman to come back so he can start cleaning his fish? I don¡¯t think so. The second Trenevalt is gone, I give it my best wiggle.


    A buzzing sensation erupts through my mind.


    [Role requirement engaged,] the mind voice says. [Order received: Stay put. Sanity Level: 99%]


    What the hell? Role requirement? What did any of that mean?


    [Role: Homunculus. Condition: A homunculus must obey the commands of its creator.]


    She keeps using that word. What even is a homunculus? It sounds ridiculous.


    The mind-voice is happy to fill me in. [Homunculus: Animated by an arcanum-infused core, a homunculus is a creature of artificial origins designed to simulate life and serve its spell caster.]


    Artificial my ass! I lived a whole life before ending up here! Or half of a life. A quarter. Regardless, mind-voice must have it all wrong.


    I¡¯m so distracted by this infuriating revelation, I almost don¡¯t register the clockwork octopus crawling over to me. It¡¯s a little hard to miss, however, since I can¡¯t seem to turn my omni-vision off.


    Noli taps me with a copper tentacle, producing a ringing clink. I try to wiggle in acknowledgement, and that same buzzing sensation creeps into my mind, but I guess since I¡¯m not technically trying to go anywhere, the ¡°Stay put¡± order remains satisfied.


    Noli wiggles her arms nonsensically, but it doesn¡¯t mean anything to me. I wish we could communicate again like we could Between.


    [Foreign language detected,] the mind voice says. [Activate translation?]


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Are they talking about Noli? But she isn¡¯t saying anything. She continues to wave two of her octopi limbs around, making strange swirling and jabbing motions. They seem sharp¡ªintentional.


    [Activate translation?]


    Wait, she is speaking, isn¡¯t she? Just not with spoken words¡ªit¡¯s some kind of sign language.


    Yes! I cry. Activate translation.


    The random motions abruptly gain meaning, the concepts appearing in my mind like they had when we were Between.


    ¡°...that really you?¡± Noli signs. It¡¯s crude, as if the signs she¡¯s producing with tentacle limbs are only a rough approximation of a much more nuanced language, but the translator in my mind seems to be working overtime to fill in the gaps. ¡°We¡¯re in quite a pinch, huh. Can you see me from in there?¡±


    In where? Not that I have any way of asking her to elaborate. Could I?


    Hey robot person, I call. Can I, uh, I don¡¯t know. Broadcast or something?


    [Command unrecognized,] she says.


    Didn¡¯t think so. Well, thanks anyway, um¡­ I pause. Do you have a name?


    [This interface is not a living entity and as such does not have a name.]


    How enlightening. So, what, you¡¯re like a computer program?


    [The existence of this interface is your primitive interpretation of the neuro-magical readjustment that was formed to bridge the divergences between extraplanar dimensions.]


    Uh¡­ sure. Clear as mud. But referring to it as the robot mind-voice isn¡¯t doing either of us any good. I¡¯m going to call you Echo, I decide, since you seem to have a response to whatever I say.


    The voice pauses as if performing a calculation. [Designation accepted.]


    The tinking rings through me again, and I flinch away from Noli¡¯s increasingly annoying taps.


    ¡°Can you feel this? I suppose even if you could, you wouldn¡¯t be able to say. Quite a pinch indeed!¡±


    How can she possibly sound so upbeat after having her mind stuffed into a toy octopus? It just isn¡¯t normal. I try to lean away from her taps, and she pauses.


    ¡°Aha! That got a reaction.¡± Her arms wiggle in excitement. ¡°Alright, how about this¡ªslosh around if you can understand me.¡±


    There doesn¡¯t seem to be many other options. I try rocking back and forth again.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! You can see me! Okay, so¡­ let¡¯s try, sloshing means yes, no sloshing means no.¡±


    Psh. I could have thought of that. But it doesn¡¯t seem like ¡®yes¡¯ and ¡®no¡¯ are going to lead to many rich and meaningful conversations.


    Noli clumsily skitters around me, looking for who knows what, and her image warps around my gaze. Ugh. This contorted vision is going to give me a headache.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Noli signs. ¡°I think I can roll you off that stand before our wizarding friend gets back. Er. You don¡¯t think you¡¯d break if I dropped you on the floor, do you?¡±


    I sure hope not. But her line of questioning is not instilling an abundance of confidence in me.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t wiggle,¡± she notices. ¡°So, ¡®no, you don¡¯t think you¡¯ll break¡¯. Or is that ¡®no, don¡¯t drop me¡¯? Or maybe ¡®no, you don¡¯t want to go¡¯. Or maybe¡­¡±


    I mentally facepalm. At this rate, nothing is going to get accomplished. One thing I do agree with her on, though, is getting out of here before Trenevalt gets back. I try to rock a little more forcefully, and immediately my mind is filled with uncomfortable static and alarm bells.


    [Role requirement active,] Echo stoically reports. [Order: Stay put. Sanity Level: 98%]


    Oh, right. I¡¯d nearly forgotten about that bullshit. Can¡¯t talk. Can¡¯t move. What¡¯s next?


    ¡°Here we are.¡±


    My heart sinks and Noli freezes as Trenevalt meanders back into the room. That must have been the shortest-lived escape attempt in history. What does he want? Why did he do this to us?


    Trenevalt sinks into a chair, reclining with a content sigh. Between his hands is a steaming cup of liquid. He smiles faintly, turning his face to a sunny window, and sips idly at his drink. A solid minute passes in silence.


    Um. What? Is this some kind of trick?


    Noli is just as baffled. ¡°I¡­ think he forgot about us.¡±


    Holy shit, she¡¯s right. Not a trick, then, just a joke. A very bad joke.


    ¡°Come on.¡± Noli crawls around behind my back. ¡°I think we can still sneak out of here.¡±


    But her squeaky gears and the scraping of her metal limbs against wood are anything but sneaky. Trenevalt cocks his head, then turns to look. Noli stops as the wizard stares at us for a long, unblinking moment.


    Then he passes a hand over his face and chuckles. ¡°Oh my. I really am getting old, aren¡¯t I? Can¡¯t forget about you two.¡± He sets the drink down and stands, sweeping me up in his grasp.


    The world spins around me¡ªtoo fast¡ªtoo disorienting¡ªbut at least his hand is covering half my vision, which helps with some of the vertigo. As I¡¯m lifted from where I was stuck, I can finally get a good glimpse of my surroundings.


    We appear to be in some kind of wooden shed. Strange tools and jars decorate the shelves on two of the walls. On the third wall is a window, where a line of clockwork toys similar to Noli are sitting all in a row, with one gap in their ranks. Beneath that is the table I had been sitting on, which has white circles and lines drawn all over it. At the center of the design is some sort of small metal stand¡ªthat must have been what I¡¯d just been sitting in. Trenevalt places a cloth lining in the stand, picks it up and rolls me back into the padded frame, then gingerly grabs Noli with his other hand. He carries both of us out the door at the back of the room. So much for his tea.


    Outside is almost sensory overload. There are pine trees¡ªwhich I can¡¯t smell¡ªand sunshine¡ªwhich fills me with warmth¡ªand chirping birds¡ªwhich I can hear. So I¡¯ve still got at least sight, sound, and touch. But smell, taste, and speech seem to be off the table. Not terrible, I guess. But what I really want is mobility, and it¡¯s all I can do to just watch and see where Trenevalt takes us next.


    ¡°That was my workshop,¡± he helpfully supplies as we circle around the small shed. ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about that place much. It¡¯s just where I practice any new spells, and aside from you two, I¡¯m not practicing much arcana these days.¡±


    Noli is wiggling her octopus limbs at him frantically, but he doesn¡¯t pay her any mind.


    ¡°The wood pile is just behind,¡± he continues, pausing to show us his astonishingly mundane stack of logs. ¡°They can be chopped in the spring and summer, so there¡¯s time for them to dry before winter.¡±


    Fascinating. What mysterious wonders will the wizard show us next?


    ¡°The grounds become quite overgrown in warmer months,¡± he says, continuing on the apparent tour. ¡°They will certainly need tending. And these are the laundry lines.¡± A pair of pink flannel trousers flap in the breeze. ¡°They can be taken down in harsh winds, if need be. Up ahead is the main house¡­¡±


    Noli continues to fruitlessly attempt communication with the wizard. ¡°It¡¯s all lovely, it really is, but we would seriously appreciate being put down now¡ªor, even better, returned to our actual bodies.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t even glance her way. It¡¯s like being held captive to an old person¡¯s mind-numbing narration, but in a much more literal and dire sense.


    ¡°...And this is my home.¡±


    The cabin is half-built into the hill it¡¯s on, which in turn looks down over a valley dotted with lakes and wildflowers. Snow-capped mountains frame the picturesque vista, and there¡¯s no sign of any other homes or villages in sight. I suppose I can¡¯t blame the guy; if I were a hermit, this would certainly be a stunning location to choose to spend the rest of my days without the risk of any wayward salesmen or nosey neighbors.


    Which of course means there¡¯s no one else around to save Noli and I.


    Inside, his house is cozy, if not a bit messy, every surface covered with teacups and every wall packed with books. He shows us to the kitchen, the living room, the bedroom, and finally stops in some sort of study.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± he says, setting me down on a desk. ¡°It will be nice to have help again. Though I suppose that¡¯ll have to wait a few more days, until my mana stores have recovered. I¡¯m afraid I used a bit too much summoning you both here¡ªwon¡¯t have nearly enough to complete the binding. Not to mention twice over!¡± He places Noli next to me. ¡°Sorry, little one, but I don¡¯t have a body prepared for you, yet.¡±


    A body? Like, our real bodies? Thank god, then this is just temporary. Maybe this is all just some misunderstanding. Maybe he¡¯s here to help after all. I mean, he doesn¡¯t seem all that bad. A bit messy and more than a little forgetful, but I¡¯m starting to have my doubts about his supposed wizardly talents.


    Trenevalt turns his back to us as he busies himself with something behind the desk.


    ¡°Oh, gods,¡± Noli signs.


    I turn my attention back to her. She must see something I can¡¯t.


    Noli isn¡¯t trying to escape this time, however. She just watches Trenevalt, quietly, unmoving. Echo¡¯s translations may be able to figure out her signs, but it provides me no insight on her body language. Is she frozen in fear? Awe? Something else?


    Curse this lipless form.


    Then Trenevalt steps aside, and I notice several things.


    First, he¡¯s standing in front of something glassy and reflective. The structure isn¡¯t a mirror, but it¡¯s enough to provide me with a first very warped reflection of myself.


    I¡¯m a flask. Seated on the cushioned stand Trenevalt had placed me on before, I can make out a tear-drop shaped vial, about three inches across. Like one of those round chemistry flasks, but instead of an opening, the top part is hooked and sealed as if designed to be strung up like a pendant on a necklace. And inside that glass vessel is something dark¡ªa thimbleful of black ink. That¡­ that isn¡¯t really me, is it?


    [Check,] Echo chimes in, my thoughts clearly having triggered one of her commands. [Kanin, a Level 1 homunculus, summoned by the null-arcanum wizard Trenevalt.]


    Okay, so that¡¯s definitely me, then. I¡¯m a tiny glass vial with a teaspoon of ink. Man, why couldn¡¯t I have gotten Noli¡¯s body instead?


    But I¡¯m not given much time to dwell in self-pity as my attention is drawn to the thing that¡¯s providing me with my reflection.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be much use now,¡± Trenevalt says, setting something down on the table next to me. ¡°But once I¡¯ve got you properly bonded, you should be a big help around the house.¡±


    What he¡¯s stepped away from is a body¡ªsort of. There are two legs, two arms, something that resembles a torso, and even the impression of a head¡ªbut it¡¯s all made out of glass. And there¡¯s a hole in its chest that¡¯s suspiciously tear-drop shaped.


    I look at the thing Trenevalt put on the table, and it¡¯s like looking into a mirror. Another tear-drop vial, but this one is cracked and empty.


    Um. Check?


    [Check: Expired homunculus core,] Echo says. [This is the inactive core that once was used to power the homunculus shell owned by the null-arcanum wizard Trenevalt.]


    Oh, crap.


    ¡°It will be nice to have someone to talk to again,¡± Trenevalt happily hums to himself. ¡°Even if you won¡¯t be able to talk back. Gets lonely out here sometimes¡­ But nothing a bit of magic can¡¯t fix!¡±


    ¡°Gods,¡± Noli signs, her limbs limp and defeated. She seems to be piecing it together as well. ¡°He wanted to create a new core to power his homunculus¡ªbut instead, he got us. He doesn¡¯t even know two souls got stuck in his spell.¡±


    If I had a heart, it would be sinking into my stomach. I might not understand magic, but our circumstances are clear enough. Our minds have been stuffed into tumblers and toys, and the only chance of freedom rests in the hands of a senile wizard who summoned us to do his yard work.

 Chapter 4 - This is How I Roll

    Moonlight spills from a frosted window, providing the only light Noli and I have to work by, as Trenevalt sleeps in the next room over. I imagine him explaining all the tasks he expects us to perform once we have proper bodies is extremely exhausting for someone who typically only concerns himself with how his eggs are prepared on any given day: soft boiled, if you were wondering.


    ¡°There¡¯s got to be a way to make him understand us,¡± Noli signs, despite having already proven herself wrong dozens of times this afternoon.


    Even so, I give an affirmative ¡°Yes¡± jiggle just so she knows I¡¯m listening.


    ¡°Or maybe we¡¯d stand a better chance finding someone else to listen,¡± she suggests. ¡°There must be a town nearby. That tea he drinks is the same kind Rezira buys, I¡¯m sure of it. We could try walking there.¡±


    We can¡¯t do anything. Noli is the only one with any mobility between the two of us, and her tiny toy tentacles don¡¯t strike me as something that would weather miles of wilderness and potentially wild animals in one piece¡ªassuming she¡¯s right that there is in fact a town nearby, and that she even knows which way to go.


    Not for the first time, a wave of depression washes over me. I miss my body. I miss being able to walk and talk, and I¡¯d sell my soul just to be able to cry or complain. God, what I¡¯d give to have my glutes back. I had amazing glutes.


    And what¡¯s going to happen to my TV show now? My heart sinks. Without its star, it¡¯ll probably be dead in the water. Somehow, that hurts almost as much as losing my body. I spent my whole life trying to break out. All those years of acting classes, voice training, community theater, working out, strict diets, and countless auditions¡ªjust for it to be thrown away, the moment I finally got my shot. What was the point of all that struggle? It¡¯s not fair!


    A cloud passes overhead, and light catches in the creature-shaped glass husk that sits silently in the corner. Noli seems to notice it too.


    ¡°Well one thing¡¯s for sure,¡± she signs. ¡°We can¡¯t let you get bonded to that thing.¡±


    Oh? I mean, I¡¯m not thrilled about being stuck in a squatty glass body¡ªhe could have at least made it athletic looking¡ªbut having arms and legs again sure would be nice. Maybe then I could at least write something and clue Trenevalt into what¡¯s happening with us.


    ¡°Homunculi are mindless, soulless, magic-less constructs, right?¡± Noli signs. ¡°So what happens when a soul gets stuck to something that¡¯s designed only to obey its creator¡¯s commands? I mean, I don¡¯t know for sure it will be bad.¡± She wrings her octopus arms. ¡°But I also can¡¯t imagine it would mean anything good.¡±


    I suppress a shiver. I¡¯ve already run into a few of these ¡°Role requirements,¡± as Echo calls them, forcing me to obey Trenevalt¡¯s simple command to stay put. If I get bound to that glass body, and Noli¡¯s right, then what will happen to the remainder of the small scrap of autonomy I still have left?


    Trenevalt mentioned he needs to wait a few days for his mana stores to recover first (whatever that means). A few days doesn¡¯t feel like much to work with. But if my freedom is on the line, then we need to figure out a solution¡ªquick.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Noli signs, clapping her limbs together. ¡°I could probably carry you, if it comes down to it. Although I¡¯m still figuring out these wobbly arms.¡± She attempts to pick up a feather quill and immediately drops it, not filling me with an abundance of confidence. ¡°Well, practice makes improvement, as they say! Unless you think you can roll around on your own?¡±


    That idea sounds significantly preferable to the alternative. This stand is preventing me from doing any rolling, but if Noli could help me out, then maybe I¡¯d have some options.


    But just as soon as my hopes are stoked, I remember that annoying buzzing sensation and Trenevalt¡¯s command: Stay put.


    Hey Echo, I ask. Do I still have to stay put? Do these commands, I don¡¯t know, have any kind of expiration date?


    [Negative,] Echo says. [An expiration timer must be established by the summoner in order to apply to a command. However, in this instance the command to ¡°Stay put¡± has become rendered null due to the summoner actively changing your location.]


    Perfect! I stash that bit of loophole knowledge away for future use, then answer Noli with a rock of excited agreement.


    ¡°Great!¡± Noli skitters over to me, tapping her limbs at my small metal stand. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what I can do about all this¡­¡±


    I am starting to have regrets. Unlike a real octopus, she lacks any kind of suction cups or grip, and her metal tentacles produce a faint yet painful screeching sound when she runs them over my flask. I internally cringe, but I don¡¯t see any alternative; if she drops me, at least I¡¯m only an inch off the desk.


    Noli grounds herself on four of her limbs and uses the other two to wrap around me and squeeze. I can¡¯t say how, exactly, but the sensation makes me uneasy.


    [Crush status in effect,] Echo pipes up. [1 point of Crushing damage is sustained every second. HP: 9/10]


    Well that doesn¡¯t sound good. Noli tips back, and I come halfway out of the stand.


    [HP: 8/10]


    Hurry the fuck up, Noli! She leans further back, and I slip free from the stand. She¡¯s still holding me, though. Shit, we really should have fleshed out more methods of communication than just ¡®yes¡¯ and ¡®no.¡¯


    [HP: 7/10]


    Noli leans forward to set me down, but I slip from her arms and drop to the table with a jolting crack.


    ¡°Oops!¡± Noli cringes. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    [2 points of Fall damage sustained. Total HP: 5/10]


    Sheesh! That much damage from such a little fall? I¡¯m more fragile than I thought. But at least that ordeal is over. And I wasn¡¯t forced to find out what happens when my HP falls to zero¡ªan ignorance I¡¯d love to maintain.


    Without the stand to keep me still, I roll halfway over, my vision rotating disorientingly around me. I attempt to roll in the opposite direction, and succeed! A bit too well, however, as I continue to roll backward.


    I¡¯m barely able to catch Noli¡¯s ¡°Careful!¡± before she pounces on me, and I feel my HP drop another point.


    The world stops spinning, two of Noli¡¯s limbs keeping me secured in place, and it¡¯s only then I can see where I¡¯ve rolled; the edge of the table is inches away.


    I don¡¯t need to consult Echo to know that fall would cost me the last four points of my HP.


    ¡°Whew.¡± Noli carefully lets me go. ¡°Well, at least we know you can move around like this.¡±


    Mobility, yes, precision, no. The hook shape at the back of my glass is throwing off my balance. And if I¡¯m going to have to roll everywhere, I wouldn¡¯t be able to see much of anything while in motion. This body just keeps getting better and better.


    ¡°Should I put you back on the stand?¡±


    I don¡¯t bother moving¡ªto indicate a ¡®No¡¯¡ªas I take stock of my surroundings. No way down from the table that doesn¡¯t involve falling and shattering into countless glassy bits.


    I lean away from the edge of the table and begin to roll again¡ªslower, this time. Noli scurries after me like a mother hen, but I think I¡¯m getting the hang of it. It¡¯s like trying to balance on a see-saw; I have to keep shifting my weight from side to side if I want to stay put, and leaning one way or the other just a little bit is enough to break the balance and start rolling again. Awkwardly, I inch my way across the desk, pausing occasionally to gather my bearings.


    Noli skitters after me as I practice. ¡°There you go, you¡¯re getting it!¡±


    Thanks for the patronization. I bump into something and roll to an abrupt stop¡ªa messy stack of books. For a moment the words on the spine seem nonsensical, then just as quickly they snap into focus.


    Advanced Summoning Arcana. Planar Theories. Vessel Construction and Binding. Birds of Valenia North.


    Ah, a powerful wizard and a bird watcher. This Trenevalt is one multifaceted halfling.


    I pick a candlestick as my next checkpoint to travel toward and start rolling once again.


    ¡°Good, good!¡± Noli signs. ¡°Now if we can just get down from this table, we should be able to make a break for it. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d be okay if I fell, but¡­¡±


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    My glass is anything but durable. And even if we do make it down, I¡¯m not sure running is the best idea. I mean, I definitely don¡¯t want to get stuck in that glass shell and become a mindless magical maid, but if Trenevalt got us stuck in these bodies, he¡¯s still the best bet to get us unstuck, right?


    I bump into the candlestick and pause to take stock once more. There are some ink and papers nearby, which I decide to aim for next, keenly aware my vision will start swirling into a nonsensical blur the second I move. There has to be a better way to get around.


    ¡°Maybe we can find a different way to communicate,¡± Noli continues. ¡°Like rolling in a circle versus a straight line, or left or right could mean something, or up and¡­¡±


    I lose track of what she¡¯s saying as I roll. But she¡¯s right; we really need to work on making our conversations more than one-sided. Now that I¡¯m starting to get the hang of moving, that should come next. Maybe if I tipped that inkwell over and rolled through the ink, I could write something in cursive.


    I try and fail to recall the cursive alphabet. I¡¯d only ever practiced my name for signing autographs.


    Well, it was a good idea, anyway.


    I roll to a stop before running into the stack of papers. The inkwell is only a few inches away. Would bumping into it knock it over? Or would it crack me apart?


    That¡¯s not a gamble I¡¯m really wild about taking. But maybe Noli could help.


    I roll over to the inkwell and make a slow circle around it. There¡¯s a cork in the top, which proves an additional obstacle. Apart from the ink, only that cracked homunculus flask is nearby. I try to ignore the latter; something about that dead core gives me the heebee jeebies.


    ¡°What¡¯re you up to?¡± Noli asks, following me over. ¡°The ink?¡±


    I rock an affirmative ¡°Yes.¡±


    She takes a lap around it as well. ¡°You want to use this?¡±


    Yes! She¡¯s getting it.


    ¡°Great idea!¡± Noli wraps two limbs around the base, and works at the cork with two more. I roll back an inch to give her room, but her metal tentacles slip useless around the stopper.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she considers after a minute of futile effort. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get it open some other way. Think we can break it?¡±


    Noli doesn¡¯t wait for me to answer. She knocks the well on its side, which clatters loudly, but does not crack.


    ¡°Maybe more height?¡± she suggests.


    I decide it¡¯s prudent not to stick around to find out. Rolling back, I¡¯m only a few inches away when Noli throws the inkwell at the table. The bottle skips and comes crashing back down onto the old homunculus flask, which shatters on impact.


    I cringe.


    ¡°Oops,¡± Noli signs.


    A grumble and rustling of blankets comes from Trenevalt¡¯s bedroom. Busted. What will he do when he finds us? He doesn¡¯t strike me as the quick-to-anger type, but given he sees us as something like Roombas and not actual people, my faith in his understanding is slim. Will he lock us up somewhere we¡¯ll have no chance of causing more trouble¡ªor escaping? I look desperately around for somewhere to hide¡ªmyself or the evidence, I can¡¯t even say¡ªbut short of risking a jump off the desk, my options are limited.


    ¡°Shoot!¡± Noli skitters to the left, then the right. ¡°What do we do?¡± She hesitates at the edge of the desk, and for a second, I think she¡¯s about to abandon me. It stings, but I can¡¯t blame her, really. We¡¯ve only known each other for a day, and we¡¯ve been able to communicate for even less. Then she hurries back over. ¡°Sorry about this, Kanin, but better to ask for forgiveness than permission!¡±


    Before I have a chance to figure out what she means, she scoops me up and rushes across the desk. Trenevalt¡¯s footsteps thump across creaky floorboards and a light turns on from in his room. Noli bumps into my stand, and I feel a stomach-lurching bout of weightlessness as she nearly drops me, juggling from arm to arm, as she tries to set me back in place.


    She¡¯s protecting me. If Trenevalt finds me securely in my stand while Noli¡¯s freely skittering about, then she¡¯ll take the blame for the broken flask. Guilt washes over me. I¡¯d tell her to stop if I could! It¡¯s my fault she was trying to open that stupid ink bottle in the first place.


    But there¡¯s nothing I can do. Since the moment I was dragged into this shitty fantasyland, I¡¯ve been completely useless.


    And I¡¯m fucking sick of it.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on out here?¡± Trenevalt grumbles, a ball of light floating over his shoulder and spilling color onto our surroundings as he limps into the room. The light glimmers off the shards of broken glass.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Trenevalt bends over his desk as Noli sits carefully still near the stack of books. ¡°I see some of us have been creating more messes than they¡¯ve been cleaning up.¡±


    His gaze lands on me for a moment before shifting over to Noli. Her limbs twitch. He reaches toward her.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he says as Noli jumps from the desk, landing on the floor with a thunk.


    She pauses to look back up at me. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be back. Sit tight, Kanin!¡±


    As if I could do anything else.


    ¡°Get back here,¡± Trenevalt orders, but Noli skitters around the corner and out of view.


    Interesting. If Trenevalt had said that to me I would have had that annoying buzzing in my mind, and Echo saying [Order received] or [Role requirement engaged.] Did Noli not have an Echo rattling around in her head, too?


    She also seems to understand Trenevalt perfectly fine. If she doesn¡¯t have a mental translator, does that mean she can just speak his language? Are we in her world? And even if we are, why do each of us appear to be operating under a different set of rules?


    Either way, she¡¯s gone now, and Trenevalt is in a foul mood.


    ¡°What a mess,¡± he grumbles, peering down at the broken flask. He points a finger at the shards, mumbling something under his breath. A purplish glow appears at his fingertip, and he begins to sketch a symbol into the air above the glass. Then he hesitates. With a shake of his head, he withdraws his hand, and the light vanishes.


    ¡°Suppose I¡¯ll clean it up the old-fashioned way in the morning,¡± he sighs. ¡°Need to save all the magic I can afford for your spell. Then I won¡¯t have to clean up anything myself.¡±


    And I¡¯m so happy for him. But it¡¯s curious he seems so conservative about his magic. Like flexing an invisible muscle, I Check Trenevalt.


    [Trenevalt, a Level 40 halfling null wizard,] Echo says. [He specializes in summoning magic and null arcanum and is exceptionally tired.]


    Thanks for that, Echo. Exactly the information I care about.


    What about his magic? I ask. Um. Mana?


    [Mana: 50/800]


    Well that might be useful info if I remembered how much he¡¯d had before. Still, it seems low. I guess casting that net Between and yanking Noli and I back out costs a pretty penny. So how much mana does it cost to animate a homunculus? And how much time is left before I¡¯m doomed to senile-wizard servitude? He¡¯d mentioned a couple days, but did that include yesterday? How many is a couple? The uncertainty stirs anxiously in my chest.


    Or, glass, I guess. Whatever.


    Anything else you can tell me? I ask Echo. Anything else I can Check?


    [Check: broken flask,] Echo says.


    That¡¯s not exactly what I meant.


    [The broken remnants of an expired homunculus core. Attunement available.]


    What? What¡¯s that mean?


    [Broken: adjective. Fractured or damaged. Homunculus: noun. A creature of artificial¡ª]


    No, no, no, I interrupt. Echo must think I¡¯m stupid. Attunement. What¡¯s that?


    [Attunement,] Echo says. [A spell which allows the caster to form a magical bond with an object.]


    Magic? That¡¯s something I can do? I thought only wizards could do the glowy finger tricks. I suppose it¡¯s possible; there¡¯s a lot about this world I still don¡¯t understand. But even if I do, what would forming a magical bond with a broken pile of glass even accomplish?


    Trenevalt raises his glowing ball of light higher in the air, sweeping his gaze around the room. I don¡¯t see Noli anywhere, and I guess he doesn¡¯t either, because he gives another rumbling sigh and shakes his head.


    ¡°A problem for the morning, I think.¡± Lowering the light, he straightens up the bottle of ink, gives me an affectionate pat (ew, please don¡¯t,) and then lumbers back to his bedroom. The light snuffs out a moment later.


    So we¡¯re back here again. Stuck on a stand in magic-Frodo¡¯s house, abandoned by my clockwork friend. Really, who hasn¡¯t been there?


    I glance at the pile of glass. That Attunement thing still has me curious. Performing magic was never on any of my forecasted career paths¡ªat least, not since I gave up prestidigitation in 5th grade¡ªand it¡¯s not terribly appealing to me now that I know it¡¯s real, either. I just wish I had two heels I could tap together to send me back home, somewhere familiar and comfortable, where my biggest worries are forgetting my lines and trying to decide what I want to order for dinner. (Delivery is its own kind of magic, really.)


    But all of that is just fantasy now¡ªand yes, I¡¯m well aware of the irony. Currently, a wizard holds my fate in his hands, and my only ally is missing. If I want to get back to any sort of normalcy, I¡¯ll need to take things into my own¡ªmetaphorical¡ªhands.


    So what¡¯s involved with this Attunement process? I ask.


    [Attunement Requirements,] Echo says. [Mana: Variable. Time: Variable. Proximity: Must be in physical contact with the Attuned target object.]


    I Check my stats.


    [Name: Kanin]


    [Species: N/A]


    [Class: None]


    [Level: 1]


    [HP: 5/10]


    [Mana: 10/10]


    [Void: 1%]


    [Role: Homunculus]


    That¡¯s one more Hit Point than I had earlier, I¡¯m pretty sure. Which means the damage isn¡¯t permanent. Well in that case¡­


    I begin rocking back and forth, and I can feel the dark whatever inside me sloshing from side to side. Eventually the stand starts to wobble as well, and I give the next rock a little extra umph: I teeter, hanging at the edge of balance, and then fall in a gut-wrenching lurch.


    It¡¯s only an inch or two, about the height Noli dropped me from before, but I still wince when I hit the table.


    [2 points of Fall damage sustained. Total HP: 3/10]


    As expected. At least now I¡ª


    [Skill Obtained: Fall Damage Resistance.]


    Oh. That¡¯s new. Echo, what¡¯s Fall Damage Resistance do? Besides the obvious, I guess.


    [Skill: Fall Damage Resistance Level 1. When a user would sustain damage from falling, they sustain 10% less fall damage than the default.]


    Call me ungrateful but a 10% discount hardly seems like grounds for celebration, especially given a max HP of 10. Maybe the skill can level up at some point? But if that requires more falling, I¡¯d frankly rather focus my efforts elsewhere. Thanks anyway, I guess.


    I roll cautiously over to the pile of broken glass. The corpse of another homunculus, I suppose. Grim, but it only makes me more determined to not end up the same way. I¡¯m going to be fleshy and shredded again one day, no matter what it takes.


    Edging a little closer, my glass tinks softly as I bump into the closest shard.


    [Target Attunement acquired. Mana Cost: 2]


    And I have 10, right? Seems like a fair trade.


    [Time requirement: 2 hours]


    For a shard of glass barely an inch long? Okay well that¡¯s just excessive. What am I supposed to do for two hours while this thing is chugging away?


    Then again, I have no better ideas on how to spend my time.


    Anything else? I ask.


    [Attunement spell ready to be cast.]


    I guess that¡¯s a ¡®no.¡¯


    Alright then, I sigh with just a twinge of nervousness. Let¡¯s do this. I will this ¡®Attunement¡¯ thing to start working, and I feel something in my essence¡ªmy soul?¡ªreact to the thought.


    [Attunement activated,] Echo reports.


    I wonder if it¡¯ll look like those wisps of light Trenevalt was drawing in the air. Would my magic be similar? A different color? Did I need to sketch out some pattern to¡­


    My thoughts stutter, growing sluggish and disjointed.


    Oooh¡­ I groan, reaching for Echo. What is happen¡­


    My consciousness spirals away from me as Echo says something from a vast distance, and I¡¯m dragged down into a dreamless black.

 Chapter 5 - Attunement

    [Attunement complete.]


    I jolt awake. It¡¯s night, but nothing around me feels familiar. There¡¯re books along the wall, and wood beams in the ceiling, and I¡¯m on a desk filled with candles and ink and broken glass, and¡ª


    ¡ªAnd I¡¯m seeing all these things at once.


    Oh.


    Yeah.


    The events of the last day come crashing back into me, punctuated with a distinct sting of homesickness. It all feels like a waking dream. Wild events that are happening to a different Kanin. Real Kanin is back in his bed, lulled to sleep by midnight traffic instead of crickets and owls, headlights streaking by outside the window instead of stars. The smell of dust and fast-food wafting through the apartment instead of, well, nothing.


    God, what I¡¯d give for a cheeseburger.


    ¡°Kanin?¡±


    I jump at movement in the dark.


    ¡°You did move. You¡¯re alive!¡± Noli skitters across the desk to wrap me in an uncomfortable metal-on-glass hug. ¡°Thank the gods, I thought you were dead. Like, again. But for real this time.¡±


    No, no. That¡¯s not still a sore subject or anything. Please, go on.


    ¡°I came back after the wizard was asleep but you weren¡¯t moving at all,¡± Noli continues. ¡°And you were touching this piece of broken flask that was glowing all strange like. It looked like it was sucking the magic right out of you.¡±


    Oh! The Attunement. I¡¯d nearly forgotten. But it wasn¡¯t really sucking magic out of me¡­ right?


    [Attunement cost: 2 mana,] Echo says. [Injecting your magic into the target object results in said object being bound to your soul and will.]


    So it wasn¡¯t the shard taking magic from me, but rather me putting magic in the shard. I wonder what I could do now that I¡¯d ¡°Magically bonded¡± to a piece of glass. It still looks like any other bit of broken bottle. And I suppose it is a bit of broken bottle, isn¡¯t it?


    Good god, I¡¯ve just bonded my soul to a piece of trash.


    But somehow, I can sense it sitting there. I can feel the faint texture of woodgrain beneath it. Like it¡¯s an extension of myself. Curious, I mentally reach into the shard. And it moves.


    Ahhh! The shard rattles across the table. Holy shit! I mentally instruct the glass to leap into the air, and it responds to my intent, hovering next to me like a mouse-sized sword.


    Oh my god. I can control it with my mind.


    I¡¯m a mother-fucking Jedi.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Noli has apparently noticed as well. ¡°Kanin, watch out!¡± She swats at the glass.


    Ah, crap. I swing the shard behind me and out of her reach. Come on, I just got this thing!


    ¡°Careful,¡± she signs with snappy kung-fu-like movements. ¡°It¡¯s trying to attack you!¡±


    This is not the shit I need to be dealing with right now. I push the shard further away, and at the same time I feel my hold on it waver.


    [Range limit,] Echo warns.


    Of course. Of course there¡¯s a range limit.


    I reel the shard back in, not about to lose the only crumb of control I¡¯ve managed to scrape together so far in this world, and I use it to give Noli a gentle¡ªand disciplinary¡ªbop on the head.


    [0 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt,] Echo happily reports.


    Oops. Well, zero damage is good, right? I hadn¡¯t meant to attack her.


    But wow, my strength is shit.


    Regardless, it seems to do the trick. Noli pauses, one tentacle frozen mid-swipe. I retract the glass shard. Neither of us move.


    ¡°Oh!¡± she signs abruptly, and I flinch. ¡°Are you doing that, Kanin?¡±


    Oh thank god¡ªand all Noli¡¯s gods¡ªand whatever else they worship here. I swivel the shard back and forth in a poor attempt to wave.


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s amazing,¡± Noli cheers. ¡°Sorry about all that. But hey, now we have an even better way to communicate! Let¡¯s see; if you can point that thing up, down, left and right, then that¡¯s at least four different things you can say! The possibilities are limitless!¡±


    No, the possibilities are four. And while that does double my vocabulary¡ªlook at me doing math¡ªit¡¯s still a far cry from full sentences.


    Luckily, this tool now makes my writing idea possible.


    I decide to forgo another attempt at the inkwell and head straight for the stack of empty parchment sitting on Trenevalt¡¯s desk. Sorry, dude. Hope these aren¡¯t worth much.


    Noli follows and watches closely as I position a jagged point of the glass over the paper. Even if it doesn¡¯t cut all the way through, I should at least be able to leave enough of an impression to get the message across¡ªnot just to Noli, but hopefully to our halfling friend as well. I decide on something simple to start; then, once Trenevalt realizes we¡¯re actual sentient (and upset) people, we can work up to more complex messages. Once he knows we need help, would he be able to send me back to Earth? Maybe heal my body while he¡¯s at it? Hell, anything¡¯s possible with magic, right?


    Excited, I focus on painstakingly scratching the glass across the paper. It catches every once in a while, causing a letter to skew or skip, but the message is clear enough:


    HELP


    I proudly roll back as Noli leans over to read. She traces the letters with one of her tentacles, then turns back to me.


    ¡°Are these chicken-scratches supposed to mean something?¡±


    What? I check my writing. I mean, sure, they aren¡¯t perfect, but they¡¯re totally legible! The P might look a bit more like a D, but the first three letters are easy enough to read.


    ¡°Are you trying to communicate?¡± she goes on. ¡°Because this isn¡¯t any language I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    Oh. Oh no. She¡¯s right¡ªit¡¯s English. I¡¯d just forgotten everything I¡¯m seeing and reading and hearing is being translated for me. But that confirms she must not have an Echo in her mind translating everything for her as well¡ªand that means Trenevalt might not, either.


    Can you show me what to write in their language? I ask Echo. Can you¡­ er¡­ reverse-translate for me?


    [Negative,] Echo says. [Translation may only occur to the user¡¯s language, not from.]


    Which means I¡¯m back to square one. Forget cursive; as long as Noli and Trenevalt can¡¯t understand English, I have no way to communicate with either of them.


    I stab my glass utensil into the paper in frustration, and it sticks in the pages with vindictive satisfaction.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Noli prods at the glass shard. ¡°Not to your liking, huh? Well, don¡¯t give up yet. Keep trying! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get the hang of it and be able to write something legible in no time.¡±


    If only that were the issue. If only I could explain my dilemma! Every time I think I¡¯ve taken one step forward, it turns out it¡¯s two steps back. Now what am I supposed to do with this glass toothpick?


    [Sculpt spell available,] Echo says.


    Sculpt? Elaborate, I demand.


    Echo eagerly obliges. [Sculpt: Change the shape or function of an Attuned item. Duration: 2 minutes. Mana: variable.]


    Two minutes is certainly better than two hours. What can I Sculpt it into? I ask.


    [Maintaining mass, the target may be changed into any shape the caster desires before the time limit expires,] Echo says.


    Seems pretty straightforward. But what to make? I¡¯m not sure how changing the shape of a shard of glass will help me. Then again, this is the first thing I¡¯ve really been able to control in this world, and if I want any chance of fixing this mess I¡¯ve found myself in, I¡¯ll need to master every tool at my disposal. Okay, Echo. How much mana to sculpt this piece of glass?


    [Mana cost: 2.]


    Sounds reasonable to me. Like before, I mentally try to will this Sculpt thing to happen, and I¡¯m rewarded with a strange tingling sensation spreading through the Attuned glass.


    This time, I see what I¡¯d apparently slept through before. The glass shimmers with an unreal light¡ªa light not of any color I¡¯ve ever seen. It almost appears to be lit with a black glow, though even as I witness it, I can¡¯t understand how that can be.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Noli signs. ¡°It¡¯s doing that thing again. That¡¯s you, right? You¡¯re doing that?¡±


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    I give her a little affirmative wobble¡ªgeez, I guess we¡¯re back to this again¡ªbut continue to concentrate on the glass. When I¡¯d controlled it with my mind before, it felt like grasping a solid blade. Now it feels like putty softening in my hands. But no time to waste marveling at the sensation now. I mentally press at it, and gradually the glass begins to meld into a new form.


    It¡¯s slow going, but I get a kind of elation out of seeing something I want to happen take shape. Damn, it feels good to have control over something again, even if it¡¯s weird magic shit. In a way, it¡¯s the same kind of satisfaction I get over nailing my lines. Nothing beats manifesting something into the world you worked hard on creating.


    Before the two minutes is even up, I¡¯ve finished my design: All the jagged edges have smoothed out, and all the sharp angles have straightened into one long rod. Like an exaggerated needle, one end is wide and round, while the other end tapers down to a sharp point. This should be easier to control, and it gives me two different tools to work with depending on which end I need to use. I¡¯m already getting new ideas about what I¡¯ll be doing with the next few shards of glass I get my hands on.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Noli signs, examining the rod. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a wizard, Kanin!¡±


    I¡¯m not a wizard. I mean, am I? I could have sworn it said Noli had some mana as well when I¡¯d Checked her before. Can¡¯t everyone here do magic?


    Mysteries upon mysteries. And somehow, the more I learn, the longer that list seems to grow.


    ¡°So what¡¯s it for?¡± Noli asks.


    What, my glass? I don¡¯t know, Noli, what are hands for?


    She has a point though. With writing off the table, I¡¯ll need a new plan if I want to save my free will from a death by octogenarian. I tap the pointed end of the glass on the table. I could scratch the surface, if I wanted to, but it could also work as a pen tip, if I got some of that ink and wanted to draw pictures. That might be my best bet at communicating ideas for now, however artistically-inept I may be.


    ¡°Um. You want to use it to write?¡±


    Obviously not, given how well the first attempt went. I wave it in a way that I hope looks like a head-shake.


    ¡°Oh. Then¡­ It¡¯s a tool?¡± She guesses.


    Yes!


    ¡°For the wizard¡¯s yard work?¡±


    No!


    I flip the glass around and thump the blunt end on the table in exasperation.


    ¡°Pounding?¡± She tries again. ¡°Is it a pestle so you can grind up herbs and spices?¡±


    This has become the most depressing game of charades in existence.


    ¡°Tapping¡­ Oh!¡± she exclaims. ¡°Growing up, sometimes our village used smoke signals to send messages to our sister town. You could use that glass the same way. Tap the table with pauses in between to send a message.¡±


    Like Morse code. That¡¯s actually brilliant¡ªif I knew how to tap out anything other than S.O.S.


    Fuck, being a human has really not prepared me for this.


    Noli must have noticed my lack of reaction. ¡°Is that a no? Well, we can use this to replace our previous ¡®yes¡¯ and ¡®no¡¯ at least. How about, two taps for yes, one tap for no?¡±


    Finally, we¡¯re getting somewhere. I tap out a ¡°Yes.¡± Better than the rocking, at least. But it¡¯s still not good enough. I need to be able to communicate, not just agree and disagree with Noli¡¯s ramblings. And if speaking and writing are off the table, then I¡¯ll need to take a page out of Noli¡¯s book.


    I roll back over to the pile of broken glass.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Noli signs as I go. ¡°Are we done? Okay well¡­ good work, team!¡±


    Hey Echo, I say. Can I Attune multiple things at once?


    [Affirmative,] she replies. [Given mana requirements are met; Attunement duration will likewise compound depending on the number of simultaneous Attunements.]


    Fair enough.


    And is it going to knock me out again? I ask.


    [Attunement requires complete attention,] Echo says. [During the duration of the spell, the caster enters a trance-like state wherein they are able to achieve resonance with the target object.]


    That sure would have been a nice thing to know before it knocked me out the first time.


    I use my newly forged tool to nudge the pile of glass apart, shuffling a few of the largest pieces to the front. The shards tinkle quietly as I¡¯m rooting around.


    Sorry about this, I think toward the dead homunculus shell. I don¡¯t expect anything is listening, but it feels right to at least pay a bit of respect. I¡¯ll be needing to borrow some more of your glass. Hope you don¡¯t mind. I mean, you¡¯re dead, so it¡¯s probably all the same to you. But if it¡¯s any consolation, I¡¯m counting on you to help me avoid the same fate.


    The broken flask opts not to respond, so I roll forward and touch three shards of glass.


    [Attunement targets acquired,] Echo says. [Mana cost: 6]


    Let¡¯s do it, I say. This time the trance-like state doesn¡¯t catch me off guard. In fact, losing consciousness is almost a relief. In the day or so I¡¯ve been in this place, I haven¡¯t slept at all. Actually, I¡¯m beginning to wonder if sleep is something this body is even capable of¡­


    <hr>


    [Attunement complete,] Echo says. [Attunement spell level up!]


    ¡°...hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!¡±


    Noli is leaning over me, worrying two of her tentacles against each other as she shifts impatiently from leg to leg¡­ to leg to leg.


    What is it now? I stir, mentally reaching for the newly acquired pieces of glass I¡¯ve added to my arsenal.


    ¡°Oh thank goodness,¡± Noli signs. ¡°You have to get back on your stand! I didn¡¯t want to disrupt you when you were doing all that magic¡ªPa always said never to interrupt magic unless you wanted to get turned into a chicken¡ªwhich I guess considering the circumstances isn¡¯t the worst option at this moment¡ªbut now you¡¯re awake! Quick¡ªthe wizard¡¯s getting up. I¡¯ll need to hide again, and you need to get on that stand!¡±


    In the midst of all of Noli¡¯s rambling, I take in a distinct change in our surroundings; sunlight¡¯s glowing in through the window, filling the room with a faint, orange warmth.


    And Trenevalt¡¯s moving around in the room next door.


    Shoot. No time to Sculpt my glass now or ask about that level up¡ªand hardly any time to hide them, either. I don¡¯t want Trenevalt to sweep them in the bin along with the rest of the trash; as soon as they¡¯re out of range, I won¡¯t be able to control them any longer. But that¡¯s the least of my worries. If he finds me outside of my stand, would he stick me somewhere more secure? If he sees me wielding the glass, would he think he did the spell wrong and decide a scrap and reshoot is in order? The dead homunculus core is enough evidence to know he sees us as expendable.


    Can¡¯t take any chances until I know more.


    But where can I hide my shards in the meantime? Under the books? No, my cracked slivers of glass wouldn¡¯t be strong enough to lift them. Between the pages of the loose papers? That could maybe work, if Trenevalt isn¡¯t looking closely. What else do I have to work with?


    [Inventory space free,] Echo offers.


    Sure, more things that haven¡¯t been explained. So do you come with like a manual or something, or am I just going to have to stumble my way into every new helpful tidbit you¡¯re keeping from me?


    Echo doesn¡¯t reply. Rather smugly, in my opinion.


    Okay, fine, the inventory, I relent. What is it? How do I use it?


    [Inventory space: 0/50. Add items to inventory?]


    Well that doesn¡¯t really explain anything. But sure, I say. Yes. Why not? Just assume I¡¯ll say ¡®yes¡¯ to any useful suggestion you throw my way in the future.


    [4 glass shards added to inventory,] Echo says. And the shards vanish.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Noli jumps. ¡°Did you see that?¡±


    Hot damn I did. That¡¯s useful. How do I take them back out again? I ask.


    [The user may manifest items that have been placed in their inventory at will. Remove items from inventory?] Echo asks.


    No, no. Not yet. But if it¡¯s that easy, then I¡¯ve just gained an incredible asset.


    An asset I¡¯ll have to experiment with later.


    I roll back over to my stand, and Noli hurries after. This time she doesn¡¯t ask if I want help. Before I¡¯ve even stopped rolling, she roughly juggles me between two limbs¡ªdropping my HP a point¡ªand pushes me back into the padded stand, where I settle down into familiar immobility. But this time, I haven¡¯t returned empty handed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be far,¡± Noli promises. ¡°Good luck!¡± And with a final wave of one of her octopus limbs, she jumps off the desk and scampers away.


    It¡¯s another few minutes before Trenevalt emerges, yawning.


    ¡°What a day,¡± the wizard grumbles, his gaze falling on me before moving to the glass homunculus shell still sitting menacingly in the corner of the room. He examines two of his fingers, rubbing them against one another and producing a wisp of magical light. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I ask Echo for a Check.


    [Name: Trenevalt]


    [Species: Halfling]


    [Class: Null Summoner]


    [Level: 40]


    [HP: 20/50]


    [Mana: 70/800]


    His HP looks the same, I think, and the Mana has definitely increased. But it¡¯s not even a tenth of its full amount¡ªand if it¡¯s been about a day since we were first spirited away to this world, then that means it¡¯ll be another 9 days or so before his tank¡¯s back to full. That¡¯s comforting. We should have over a week to figure out how to communicate our circumstances to him.


    Unless, of course, he doesn¡¯t need a full tank to bond me to that homunculus shell.


    I try not to think about that possibility.


    Trenevalt scratches his back as he hobbles into the kitchen. Soon I hear the hiss of something cooking on the stove, and a distant warmth follows. Ahhh. At least I can still feel things. Not going to lie, though. Kind of miss eating.


    The old wizard reappears a few minutes later with a plate full of eggs, a thick slice of toast, and¡­ some sort of spiky purple fruit, I think. Looks like I¡¯m going to be here a while.


    Echo, can I Sculpt those other pieces of glass while they¡¯re still in my inventory? I ask.


    [Negative,] Echo replies, which I was kind of expecting. But then she continues, [Mana: 0/10].


    Oh shit, I totally forgot about that. Can I get it back? Do I need to, like, recharge or something? I¡¯m reminded of the video games I played when I was a teen, and the floating blue orbs of energy that would restore health or energy. I somehow doubt I¡¯ll find any of those bobbing around here.


    [Affirmative,] Echo says. [Your Mana and Health will regenerate passively at a rate of one point every ten minutes.]


    Not the fastest regeneration, but I guess I¡¯ll take it. What¡¯s my health at again? Check.


    [Name: Kanin]


    [Species: N/A]


    [Class: None]


    [Level: 1]


    [HP: 2/10]


    [Mana: 0/10]


    [Void: 14%]


    [Role: Homunculus]


    Holy crap. I¡¯m almost dead! Again. Or at least, I assume I¡¯ll die if my HP hits zero. Certainly not a theory I¡¯m willing to test. I need to start paying better attention to these stats.


    My HP is almost out, my Mana is at zero, and¡­ Void? Wait, what¡¯s that? I don¡¯t remember seeing anyone else with that status. For that matter, neither Trenevalt or Noli seem to have a Role either.


    Hey Echo, what was that about a level up earlier? I ask.


    [Attunement: Level 2,] she says. [Attunement costs and duration are reduced by 10%.]


    Well that¡¯s handy¡ªassuming I can even get my non-existent hands on any more glass. I don¡¯t imagine a 10% discount applied to 2 mana will do anything, but if I Attune several things at once maybe it¡¯ll start to add up. And a 2 hour Attunement duration reduced by 10% is¡­ uhhh. Shit.


    I struggle for a moment with the mental math. Ten minutes? I think it¡¯s about a ten minute discount. Okay, well, that¡¯s also not stellar, but if I keep leveling it up maybe I can get its duration to start trending down.


    Trenevalt reaches a hand over my head, and my attention snaps back to him. I tense, ready for him to pick me up, but his hand moves past me, touching a spot on the table instead. The broken homunculus remains.


    ¡°How did¡­¡± He frowns. ¡°Oh¡­ Oh yes. That aberrant vessel broke it last night.¡±


    I¡¯d feel bad for the dude if he didn¡¯t pose such an existential threat to my existence.


    ¡°I suppose I should clean this up.¡± He grunts as he pushes himself to his feet, then hobbles over to collect a dust pan. I guess he¡¯s really serious about saving up his magic. But if I were in his shoes, I¡¯d have brooms and dusters dancing around my house like it¡¯s some kind of Disney princess castle.


    Wait. Would I be doing to those cleaning supplies what Trenevalt is doing to me?


    The glass chimes sadly as he sweeps it off the table and into a bin. I watch it depart with regret, wishing I¡¯d had more time¡ªor mana¡ªto Attune more of it. A trek to and from the contents of the trash can seems unlikely.


    ¡°I will be happy to never clean up another mess again,¡± Trenevalt says. I think he¡¯s talking to himself until he looks at me and gives a wink. ¡°It will be nice to have an extra set of hands around the house again. As soon as you¡¯re able, your first task will be to tidy up this room.¡±


    A familiar static creeps through my mind, and Echo says, [Order received.]


    Oh, no.


    Trenevalt hums an absent tune to himself as he carries the trash away, but I can already feel his Command taking effect.


    Growing more insistent every second, a prickly pressure in my head is urging me to get up, start moving, and get to work on that wizard¡¯s chores.

 BOOK 1 STUB

    Hey, where''s my chapter?!


    I''m very sorry to inform you that, per Amazon''s terms of service, I had to remove the rest of Book 1 in order to publish it on KU. If you were in the middle of reading book 1 when it was stubbed, please reach out to me!


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    That said, I''m very excited to announce Glass Kanin''s publishing debut! You can get it for free on KU, buy it as a paper or ebook on Amazon, or listen to the audiobook on Audible.


    Book 2 will remain up until it publishes to KU, Amazon, and Audible in March. Book 3 remains ongoing!

 Maps and Art

    Gearing up for Ch 1 of Loose Kanin next week, I thought I''d give you some supplemental material in lieu of a chapter. So here you go!


    I''ve never actually been a huge map person; I skip right over them in the books I read. But I know it helps a lot of readers better visualize where things are taking place in a story, so I tried to whip something up for you guys. I hope you appreciate my amateur efforts at map making lol.


    Here''s a map of the world which I am tentatively calling Lusio. Note that this map is absolutely NOT set in stone. Anything stands to change at my creative whims. Mwahahaha!


    Some of these names should look familiar, and some are new. Most the ones in the top left were in book 1, several more of these places will be relevant in book 2, and even more won''t show up until later books. There''s a lot of blank spaces still where I have a general idea of cities and countries but haven''t picked names yet lol. Names are hard.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Below is pretty much all the relevant locations for Book 1. This is a bad rendition of the Valenia North map Kanin found in Attiru''s Atlas Emporium. Obviously, that map didn''t have Trenevalt''s Cabin on it. I added that for context.


    This is also why Zyneth was in the area. Headed back from the Black Spire, Peakshadow was the first town on his way back to civilization. I''m going to add this map into Ch 19 for future readers. Hopefully it will be useful.


    That''s pretty much all I''ve got for you today. Let me know if you guys want to do, say, a Q&A session, or if you are interested in reading the blurb for book 2 before I start posting Loose Kanin next week. I haven''t shared it yet as I know a lot of readers consider that to be spoilers.


    As always, thanks for reading!

 Book 1 Recap

    After dying on set of his debut Supernatural TV show ripoff, Kanin ends up Between, a space between dimensions. There he meets Noli, an elf, who¡¯s also gotten stuck between worlds. As a magic spell pulls them back into reality, a predator in the dark attacks Kanin, stabbing him through his soul.


    The horror of Between quickly fades as Kanin and Noli fall back into reality¡ªbut not into their original bodies. Kanin ends up in a homunculus core shaped like a small glass flask, while Noli falls into the body of a toy clockwork octopus. The two have accidentally been caught in a wizard¡¯s spell intended to power a magical automaton designed to do his yard work.


    Kanin learns how to maneuver the world as a tiny glass flask, leveling up and taking a Wizard class to help him perform spells and gain mastery over his fragile body. Before he can figure out how to communicate with his summoner, however, the predator from Between strikes, killing Kanin¡¯s only hope of returning home.


    Noli and Kanin are forced to flee, searching for help before the spell keeping them stuck to their temporary bodies runs out and they¡¯re thrown back Between, where they¡¯ll face permanent death¡ªif the predator doesn¡¯t consume them first. After many days on the road, and a failed attempt to get help, they make it to the nearest village, where they attempt once more to flag down assistance. Noli transcribes a ¡°cheat sheet¡± for Kanin to use to communicate, while she writes a letter explaining their situation to send to her wife. But just as they¡¯re ready to break down the language barrier, the predator returns, and this time Kanin understands a horrible truth: it¡¯s summoned by his own unwitting actions.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    After the predator possesses Kanin, killing two travelers and crippling Noli in the process, Kanin flees the village, as much to find help elsewhere as to protect everyone from himself. With Noli unable to walk, Kanin is her only hope of finding help before their spells expire.


    While on the road, Kanin survives the elements and battles undead creatures¡ªand also befriends a devilish rogue named Zyneth. Zyneth takes Kanin to the nearest city, where he hopes to find the help he¡¯s looking for. However the friends of the two slain travelers also catch up with Kanin, intent on avenging the deaths of their comrades. His only means of communication destroyed, left injured and alone, his spell timer approaches the end. Just as Kanin has given up, however, Noli finds him with the help of people they¡¯d met along the way.


    With renewed hope, they once more begin to search for a wizard who can free them. Simultaneously, Kanin discovers he¡¯s capable of extending the timer on their spells himself¡ªbut it would require tapping into the predator¡¯s void powers to do so. With time running out, Kanin performs the spell to extend their lives just one more day, although the cost means the next spell he casts will summon the murderous predator from Between once more.


    Finally, Noli¡¯s wife catches up to them, and helps usher everyone back toward her home¡ªand Noli¡¯s comatose body. Kanin reluctantly agrees to perform the spell that can bind Noli¡¯s soul to her body, but doing so summons the predator. Zyneth gears up to fight off the predator as Kanin sews Noli¡¯s soul back into her body, but not before the vengeful travelers find them. After a three-way battle, Kanin finally resolves the fight by confronting the predator head-on and sealing it within his inventory.


    With the predator gone¡ªat least, for now¡ªand Noli¡¯s soul returned to her body, Kanin sets his sights on achieving the same.

 Chapter 46 - Or Maybe Bob Ross

    Call me Michaelangelo.


    I¡¯m a right Frida Kahlo. A fucking Leonardo da Vinci¡ªand let¡¯s just throw the rest of the Ninja Turtles in while we¡¯re at it, because no one in the history of art has seen anything like this. Not on Earth, anyway.


    I finish Sculpting a piece of glass, breaking the rod into three sections in the air before me. Like puppets on invisible strings, the glass levitates at my beck and call. I line them up with the rest of the construct: Good. They¡¯re all the right size.


    Chain, I think, activating the spell.


    [Activated,] Echo replies, the mental voice accompanying a visual overlay of the mana I lose from casting the spell.


    The three pieces of glass snap together like magic, which, I suppose, it is. I Chain the string of glass to the main body as well. When my magic is active, it glows with an eerie black light. As I complete the spell, however, the color fades away, and now the glass pieces remain attached to each other despite having no apparent connective tissue. I take a step back to admire my work.


    Spread across the kitchen table like a body at a morgue, the construct is incomplete, but starting to look human. It¡¯s got arms, legs, hands, and now, thanks to my latest addition, some toes. All made of glass, of course. If I could work with other materials, I would.


    The head remains a bit of an enigma. Currently a large chunk of glass is just sitting next to me on the table, waiting to be Sculpted, but I haven¡¯t decided on a shape yet. Since my soul is in my vial, I figure that should go in the chest. But what should the head look like? Once I Sculpted it into a stagnant face, like an ice statue, but Rezira was very adamant about not keeping any creepy decapitated doll heads in her house. And to be fair, it did fall pretty squarely in Uncanny Valley. More to the point, though, looking out of a wobbly bumpy surface like that was pretty disorienting. Maybe something simple, like an orb, would be best for now. I don¡¯t need a mouth, ears, or eyes, anyway, so basic is probably better.


    I cast Sculpt, deciding to play with the shape of the head once more. Maybe this time I¡¯ll figure something out.


    [Activated,] Echo says. Then, [EXP threshold reached. Level up!]


    [Name: Kanin]


    [Species: N/A]


    [Class: Wizard]


    [Level: 9]


    [HP: 10/10]


    [Temp HP: 325]


    [Mana: 56/56]


    [Void: 100%]


    [Role: Homunculus]


    About damn time! I¡¯ve only been Attuning, Sculpting, and Chaining glass 24/7 for the last month. I¡¯ll take that tiny boost in mana reserves, too, thank you very much. Still no increases to base HP, looks like. Underwhelming. But I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. Without the body to give me a boost in temporary hit points, I¡¯m still just a little glass vial that can die via misplaced boot.


    But not forever, hopefully. If I¡¯m going to learn a way to get my real body back, step one is to become more mobile. And for that, this glass shell will have to do.


    It¡¯s kind of ironic, really. When I first got shunted into this world, I was doing everything in my power to stop from getting stuffed into a glass homunculus body. Now, I¡¯m spending every waking hour of the day trying to make one. Funny how that happens.


    The cottage door swings open and Noli steps inside. ¡°Oh!¡± the elf signs with a delighted flourish. ¡°He¡¯s got feet now! That¡¯s adorable.¡±


    I set down the piece of glass I was working with. Adorable is not really what I¡¯m going for. ¡°And manly,¡± I sign back. By now my signing glass is more than just floating clusters of toothpick-sized shards; I¡¯ve got fully articulated hands at my disposal. It doesn¡¯t have great grip for picking stuff up, but it¡¯s a far cry from what I was working with just four weeks ago.


    Rezira snorts. She pauses chopping up the vegetables for dinner in order to face us and sign, though she simultaneously speaks aloud for my benefit. ¡°It¡¯s glass. Unless you¡¯re going for anatomical accuracy, it¡¯s not going to be manly.¡±


    ¡°I could do that,¡± I threaten. Don¡¯t mock me, it¡¯ll only make me more determined.


    Rezira grimaces. ¡°Oh please, no. It¡¯s bad enough we¡¯ve sacrificed our kitchen table to this freaky glass marionette. That¡¯s the last thing I need to look at while I¡¯m cooking.¡±


    ¡°Your fault,¡± I sign, glancing around the cramped living space. ¡°Should have made the room bigger.¡±


    ¡°Oh, excuse me,¡± Rezira says. ¡°I didn¡¯t plan on housing a snarky pint-sized freeloader when I built this place for my wife.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, you two,¡± Noli signs, smiling gently at our banter. She sets a dead rabbit she was carrying on the counter, gives Rezira a quick kiss, and then goes to hang up her bow and quiver. ¡°Need help with dinner?¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡± Rezira waves her off. ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± She turns back to her chopping board as Noli wanders over to me, standing above the kitchen-table-turned-assembly-line.


    ¡°You¡¯re almost done,¡± she observes. Noli picks up the hand of the glass body, rolling its wrist and articulating its fingers. In a weird disembodied way, I can feel everything she¡¯s doing¡ªevery bit of that body is glass I first Attuned, after all. It¡¯s how I¡¯ll control it once it¡¯s finished. I suppose I could even have it march around by itself, but that sort of defeats the purpose.


    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯ll do once it¡¯s done?¡± she asks.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Isn¡¯t that the million-dollar question. ¡°I need to learn more,¡± I sign. ¡°About the void. The predator. Between.¡± Not to mention magic in general, and this entire world. I don¡¯t even know what I don¡¯t know.


    Noli nods. ¡°That makes sense. The predator¡­ is it still¡­?¡±


    ¡°No sign of it coming back,¡± I sign. It¡¯s been a month now. Hopefully that means it¡¯s permanent. But I should be prepared in case it¡¯s not.


    However, that¡¯s not my top priority. ¡°Also, I want to get my body back. Like you.¡±


    A flicker of something flits over Noli¡¯s face. A grimace? Noli doesn¡¯t grimace. ¡°I definitely understand wanting to be in a normal body again,¡± Noli signs. ¡°But¡­ er¡­ Well, it¡¯s been a few months, hasn¡¯t it? And when we first met, you told me the reason you ended up Between was because you¡¯d died.¡±


    Ah. Right. She¡¯s not wrong, but she¡¯s also lacking a crucial piece of information: my body didn¡¯t die in this world. I had to pass Between to get here, and that place seems to exist outside of space and time¡ªmaybe it¡¯s not a stretch to hope for a Narnia type situation. Maybe I can get back to Earth right when I left it. If I can just reach my body within a few seconds or minutes of the accident, if I can use magic to heal it up¡­ maybe I still have a way to reclaim some sense of normalcy.


    Maybe there¡¯s a way to go back to being me again.


    Which brings me to a conversation I¡¯ve been wanting to have for a while, but lacked the vocabulary to really dig into. I still don¡¯t have all the words I want, but I suppose now is as good a time as any.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t die on Lusio,¡± I sign. I¡¯d only learned the name of this planet a few days ago.


    Noli tips her head. ¡°You didn¡¯t die?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I tell her. ¡°I did die. But not here. Not in this world.¡±


    Noli stares at me for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not from Lusio,¡± I sign. ¡°I¡¯m not from this world.¡±


    Noli blinks. Then she turns around and tugs on Rezira¡¯s elbow. ¡°Dear?¡± she signs as Rezira turns to look. ¡°I think you better be part of this conversation.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°A human?¡± Rezira repeats after I¡¯ve explained everything I can. ¡°I always pegged you for a halfling.¡±


    I don¡¯t know if I should be offended or flattered. ¡°You believe me?¡±


    The women exchange a look.


    ¡°Different planes of existence are well known,¡± Rezira says. ¡°But they¡¯re pretty much just arcana sources. They¡¯re not worlds¡ªthey¡¯re not full of people, and you certainly can¡¯t live there. There¡¯s stories of the Old People world-walking, bringing technologies and cultures and languages back from other places¡ªbut those are just stories. Any truth to them crumbled away with the Ruins thousands of years ago.¡±


    ¡°But of course we believe you,¡± Noli adds. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you would make such a thing up. And it explains quite a few things, like why you can¡¯t write in the common script.¡±


    ¡°Or why you don¡¯t recognize any cities or countries,¡± Rezira says.


    ¡°Not to mention, how you were able to understand my signs when I was just a little toy,¡± Noli agrees with a chuckle. ¡°Rezira could barely even understand me like that. But you said that¡¯s because you have a¡­ what was it¡­ an echo in your head, translating these things for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I sign. ¡°She tells me information about the world. Magic. Levels. Experience. You don¡¯t hear her, too?¡±


    Rezira shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything like that.¡±


    Well that confirms what I¡¯ve suspected from the start. If it was that easy, I would have been able to write in English and their Echos would have translated it for them. But the question is, why am I the only one with an Echo? Why can I see stats and numbers like all of this is some kind of video game when no one else seems to be aware of them? It has to be linked to the fact that I¡¯m not from this world. But I¡¯m stumped on the why.


    ¡°But if your world really doesn¡¯t have magic,¡± Noli asks, ¡°how are you so good at it?¡±


    Rezira nods along. ¡°That¡¯s why I thought you must have been a halfling. They¡¯ve got a natural inclination for the arcane. But really? Human?¡± She laughs. ¡°They¡¯re like the least magical people out there.¡±


    Maybe that¡¯s why no one on Earth can do magic. Or¡­ maybe they could? I mean, I¡¯d always chalked that kind of stuff up to superstition, but given what I know now¡­


    ¡°Echo,¡± I sign again. ¡°She helped me learn.¡±


    Rezira grunts. ¡°Handy.¡±


    Noli shakes her head. ¡°What does all this have to do with your body? You don¡¯t think¡­ I mean¡­ you¡¯re not planning on leaving?¡±


    My insides twist unpleasantly. ¡°My body isn¡¯t here. I want to get it back.¡±


    Noli and Rezira exchange another look. I hate it when they do that. It¡¯s like they can convey a whole conversation in just a glance, and I¡¯m the one left wondering what they¡¯ve just said behind my back.


    ¡°Like I said, traveling to other worlds is practically unheard of,¡± Rezira says. ¡°It¡¯s myth. Stories. Where would you even start?¡±


    ¡°I came through the Between,¡± I sign. ¡°I must be able to go back that way.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Noli signs, hesitant. ¡°If it is possible, I¡¯ve never heard of anyone achieving such a thing.¡±


    But Trenevalt did. He pulled Noli and I from Between. And I have access to the Between as well¡ªeven if that tiny pocket of null space is currently occupied by a murderous shadow monster that wants to control my mind and eat every soul within reach.


    Details.


    ¡°What about this?¡± I ask. I mentally reach for a jar tucked away behind the bookshelf, placed out of the way¡ªand out of sight¡ªintentionally. Most times I can forget it¡¯s there. But anytime I¡¯m within range, just like with my glass, I can feel it, like an extension of my body.


    I call my Attuned void from the jar, and the ink-like shadows swirl up onto the table and settle around me. Even just holding their form in my mind like this makes me feel slimy. They might no longer belong to the predator¡ªthey might have been crucial in saving Noli¡¯s life¡ªbut accessing them still summons too many bad memories.


    Unfortunately, it¡¯s also the only lead I¡¯ve got.


    ¡°Void is related to Between,¡± I sign. ¡°And also powering my homunculus spell.¡± I tap my glass, inside which my hollow form also seems to be full of the stuff. Ever since I trapped the predator in my inventory, the ink level in my vial hasn¡¯t decreased. ¡°If I learn where it comes from, how to use it, maybe I can find a way back.¡±


    Noli frowns, her brows pinched in concern. ¡°I don¡¯t like this. You just said you know practically nothing about magic. And now you want to play with something none of us understand? Try to reinvent space-rending magic lost millennia ago? Assuming it ever existed at all.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Why not leave well enough alone? You¡¯re nearly done with your body.¡± She gestures to the lifeless glass shell. ¡°You could just live here in peace. Move on. Make this second chance at life whatever you wish.¡±


    Move on? Easy to say for someone who got their body back. Who can sleep and eat and smile. Who doesn¡¯t have to worry about the smallest accident shattering them to pieces. Who doesn¡¯t have to relive the memories of killing people and consuming their souls.


    Anger boils up inside me. I jab a hand at the glass shell on the table. ¡°This isn¡¯t my body! It¡¯s not me. Just temporary. A tool.¡±


    Even Rezira looks concerned now. ¡°You know that¡¯s not what she meant. But if you really died, then your real body is probably long gone by now. Noli¡¯s right¡ªyou¡¯ve got a second chance, which is more than most. This body might not be ideal, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ideal?¡± I interrupt, clumsily and angrily repeating her sign. That¡¯s the understatement of a century. ¡°You have no idea what it¡¯s like.¡±


    Noli smiles, small and sad. ¡°Maybe not Rezira, but I do. I might be the only one who does.¡±


    My glass falters. Of course she does. But some selfish part of myself only feels a sting of jealousy at her words. She knows what it¡¯s like¡ªbut for her, it ended a month ago.


    ¡°Then you understand why I can¡¯t stay like this,¡± I sign.


    Noli presses her mouth in an unhappy line. Instead of responding, she holds a hand out to me. My frustration deflates as I touch my glass to her finger. She doesn¡¯t have to say anything. Whatever I decide, she¡¯s here to help. She always is.


    A knock comes at the front door, and a line of runes above the entrance light up in response. Noli and Rezira glance its way as the door opens, and a friendly form steps inside.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve found it,¡± Zyneth says, taking in the three of us as he flashes a smile. ¡°The perfect shape for the head. I got the idea in¡­¡± He trails off, belatedly registering the room¡¯s tense mood. He glances from Noli, to me, to the void I have hovering nearby. ¡°I feel as though I¡¯m interrupting something,¡± he remarks, awkwardly shutting the door behind him. ¡°Pray tell. What did I miss?¡±

 Chapter 47 - Ankles

    Rezira refills Zyneth¡¯s cup of tea as he sits back in his chair, eyebrows raised, blinking repeatedly after I finish my story. Finally, he takes a sip of the tea, then sets the mug down.


    ¡°Well all that certainly explains your financial illiteracy,¡± he says.


    Not exactly the response to ¡®I¡¯m a dead alien from another planet¡¯ I was expecting. And what does he mean, illiterate? ¡°I know how to use money.¡±


    As usual, Rezira translates for Zyneth any time Noli or I sign.


    ¡°But no concept of value,¡± Zyneth replies. ¡°I noticed when we were in Harrowood. And the last few times I¡¯ve brought back glass for your project. You never commented on the cost.¡±


    Should I have? I¡¯m suddenly playing back all the interactions we¡¯ve had around money in a new light. ¡°Was it expensive?¡±


    Rezira gives me a flat look. ¡°He paid for all the materials to fix Attiru¡¯s shop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s quite rich,¡± Noli adds with a laugh.


    Zyneth grimaces. ¡°I¡¯d assumed you didn¡¯t say anything because you were just being polite.¡±


    Rezira barks out a laugh. ¡°Well I wasn¡¯t terribly interested in scaring off our mysterious, yet affluent, benefactor.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I awkwardly shuffle my glass. I don¡¯t have two pennies to my name¡ªor whatever goes for pennies in this world. I haven¡¯t really been paying attention. I¡¯d offer to pay him back, but the prospect of finding a job here seems about as unlikely as it is unattractive. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ use your kindness.¡±


    ¡°Take advantage,¡± Noli supplies, slowing the signs down for me. I¡¯m getting pretty fluent with the basics, but Noli still slips me some more complex words and concepts a few times a day.


    ¡°I don¡¯t particularly see the point of having money if it can¡¯t be used to help others,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°But that¡¯s enough about me. I must say, I thought I was done being surprised by you. You¡¯re really set on trying to find a way home to retrieve your body?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Noli glances away when I say this, and Rezira just frowns.


    Zyneth, however, scratches thoughtfully at his chin. ¡°Binding your soul back to your body would be tricky enough as it is without the fact that it¡¯s on another world. I suppose the best place to start looking into the issue would be at the Athenaeum of Miasmere.¡±


    Noli looks at him in surprise. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious about helping him?¡± Rezira adds. ¡°I expected you to see the folly in this idea.¡±


    ¡°Kanin is his own person,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°He¡¯s fully capable of making decisions for himself. I¡¯m merely offering insight on the best path forward.¡±


    Rezira shakes her head. ¡°It¡¯s reckless.¡±


    ¡°If suggesting a trip to the library is reckless,¡± Zyneth says, ¡°then I shudder to think what alternatives you would suggest.¡±


    His support fills me with gratitude. Noli and Rezira had me starting to question myself, but it¡¯s nice to know Zyneth has my back.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± I ask. ¡°The library.¡±


    ¡°A few days¡¯ travel, by way of telepads,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°The Athenaeum boasts Valenia¡¯s largest scholastic collection, so it should be no surprise it¡¯s in the capital.¡± He pauses for a moment. ¡°Which is Miasmere,¡± he adds. ¡°Sorry, I forget you aren¡¯t familiar with geography here. Retroactively, so much of our interactions make more sense now.¡±


    That¡¯s not bad. I could draw up a circle, refresh my spell, and be ready to go by this afternoon. ¡°When can we leave? Will you come with?¡±


    ¡°Hold up, now,¡± Rezira says.


    ¡°Zyneth is likely too busy for such a venture,¡± Noli adds, looking at him. ¡°You always have so many jobs to return to.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s mouth pulls tight for a moment, but then he waves it off. ¡°I can take time away. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± He turns to me. ¡°However, you may be getting ahead of yourself. If you want to peruse a library with any efficiency, you¡¯ll need a form more suited to the job.¡±


    We all look down at my creation. Practically complete, save the head. He¡¯s right, though. If I want to carry around books and flip through pages¡ªnot to mention draw less attention and avoid getting crushed by any misplaced tomes¡ªthis body is the answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost done,¡± I sign. And it¡¯s about time I tested it out.


    ¡°Are you waiting on anything?¡± Zyneth asks. ¡°You could control it now if you wanted to, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I just wanted to finish all of it, first. It would be harder to get used to walking around on two legs again, only to change the design and throw myself off balance once more.


    Or maybe that¡¯s just what I¡¯ve been telling myself.


    ¡°You have an idea for the head?¡± I ask. He¡¯d been saying something about that when he first came in.


    ¡°Oh yes! I¡¯d nearly forgotten.¡± Zyneth grabs his pack, then roots around for something inside it. ¡°It¡¯s not glass, but the shape got me thinking. A current issue of yours is seeing out all angles at once, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I¡¯ve gotten used to it somewhat, but too much motion on different sides gets dizzying.


    ¡°Well what about having different parts of your vision you could turn on and off,¡± Zyneth suggests. He pulls a carved wooden decoration out of his bag. It¡¯s shaped like a pyramid.


    ¡°You want his head to be a paperweight?¡± Rezira asks, skeptical.


    I¡¯m also not really getting it. ¡°I can¡¯t turn parts of my vision in a piece of glass on or off. The whole piece sees, or doesn¡¯t.¡± Add in the vision from my core vial¡ªwhich I can¡¯t ever turn off¡ªand it all can get a bit overwhelming. The last time I dealt with too many sources of sight at once, it just about broke my mind.


    Zyneth shakes his head. ¡°If you created the shape from four separate pieces of glass that you then Chain together, you could activate your sight in just one side at a time. Or two if you like.¡± He flips the pyramid upside down, tapping each of the four triangle-shaped sides. ¡°Maybe just start with one in the front. Or two, if you wanted to treat each side like an eye. Might give you better depth perception¡ªhonestly, I don¡¯t really understand how your vision works.¡±


    That makes two of us.


    ¡°And then you could cover up your core,¡± he continues. ¡°Hide it beneath a cloth or something¡ªthat might help stop you from seeing things from multiple angles at once.¡±


    It¡¯s an interesting idea. And there¡¯s no reason not to give it a shot, I suppose. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s try.¡±


    I summon the hunk of glass that¡¯s slated to be the head and activate a Sculpt.


    If I keep it as a single piece, then I¡¯ll be seeing out of all sides at once, just like I currently do with my core. To try what Zyneth is suggesting, I¡¯ll need to break it into separate pieces. I set to work on that, segmenting the glass into five different chunks. Then, I start to replicate the shape of Zyneth¡¯s inverted pyramid. One square piece, four triangles. I hold them together to make sure they all line up properly, then activate a Chain. The pieces snap together, snuggly secured in the form of a prism, yet still five distinct planes of glass.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    That¡¯s the easy part.


    Echo, I want to activate vision on the front piece of glass, I say.


    [Affirmative,] Echo says. [Mana cost: 0. Activated.]


    Like flipping on a TV, a second vision source appears abruptly in my mind. I¡¯m looking at myself: a three-inch glass vial full of black ink. Four glass legs strapped to the sphere, with a pair of small glass hands hovering nearby. But I can also see the pane of glass that I¡¯m looking through: I¡¯m looking at myself, looking at myself, looking at myself¡­


    Ugh. I can already feel a headache coming on. I turn the pane of glass away, and my whole vision swivels with its movement. I tip to the side, dizzy, and nearly fall over before I catch myself. It¡¯s too much. I can¡¯t parse all the different things I¡¯m seeing at once.


    Turn it off, I tell Echo, wishing I had eyes I could squeeze shut.


    [Deactivating vision in Attuned glass.]


    Abruptly, the second source of sight vanishes.


    Whew. That was awful.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Noli signs, leaning forward. ¡°You almost fell!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay now,¡± I reply. ¡°Just too much at once. Not used to seeing twice.¡± Sensory overload.


    Noli nods with a grimace. ¡°I think I understand. I could hear when I was in that body.¡± She gestures toward the clockwork octopus toy still sitting on a bookshelf.


    ¡°What?¡± Rezira looks at her. ¡°You could?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t realized either. She¡¯d never said anything about that. How much had Noli been grinning and bearing everything for my benefit?


    Noli chews at a lip. ¡°It was uncomfortable. Confusing, at first. I started to get used to it a bit toward the end, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t really make sense of it. I didn¡¯t like it.¡±


    Rezira squeezes her shoulder. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Noli smiles back at her, putting a hand over her wife¡¯s.


    ¡°Is it not an option, then?¡± Zyneth asks me. He looks disappointed. ¡°Blast. I thought I was onto something.¡±


    ¡°It might work,¡± I sign, considering the head. The sight through that piece of glass had actually been pretty clear, when it wasn¡¯t incredibly disorienting. At least it wasn¡¯t all warped like my current vision, as if everything I see is through a fish-eye lens. ¡°If I cover up my core, like you suggested.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± Noli signs. ¡°You¡¯ve already spent the whole day working on building your body¡ªyour construct¡ªup.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I sign. Besides, I¡¯ve already waited long enough, and with the library waiting for me, I¡¯m ready to be on the move. ¡°I want to try.¡±


    ¡°Is there any way we can help?¡± Noli asks.


    I set the head back down on the table, then hoist myself up onto the body¡¯s chest. ¡°Yes. Do you have a cloth?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get something,¡± Rezira grumbles, standing up to go rummage around in the kitchen.


    While Rezira works on that, I consider the chest area. I could create a cavity here for my core to fit into, like some kind of crystalline heart. But there¡¯s a part of me that feels claustrophobic about embedding myself in this glass form. What if I fall and get skewered by my own broken shards? What if I run out of mana and can¡¯t Sculpt my way out?


    ¡°I¡¯ll need a way to hold my core,¡± I sign. ¡°A way to keep it safe.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Noli considers, tapping her lips. ¡°Wait! I know.¡± She gets up and digs around a chest near her bed. A moment later, she returns with a necklace.


    She grins sheepishly, removing the piece of jewelry that hangs from the middle. ¡°You are shaped like a pendant with that little hook on your back. What if you wore it like a necklace? Er. Wore yourself?¡±


    ¡°The body has no neck,¡± Zyneth points out, eying the chain. ¡°How would he wear it?¡±


    Excuse me, I haven¡¯t even agreed to this idea yet.


    ¡°Good point,¡± Noli signs. She holds the necklace up to my glass construct, turning it this way and that. Then, she taps a spot on each shoulder. ¡°Could you put little hooks here? I could use that to tie them to either side.¡±


    Still not wild about this idea. But Noli seems so excited, so¡­ I guess I could give it a shot. I activate a Sculpt and start creating the hooks Noli suggested.


    ¡°Next will be to attach it to you, I suppose,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Do you mind, Kanin?¡±


    I wave her over, still focusing on my Sculpt.


    ¡°Alright then. Hold still.¡± Noli delicately latches the clasp around my hook, which suffice to say is an extremely weird sensation. ¡°There! All done. Now we just need to fix it to the body, once you¡¯re ready.¡±


    I finish the Sculpt as Rezira returns with a small drawstring bag. ¡°Would this work?¡±


    As uncomfortable as I am with the idea of getting stuffed into a bag, that¡¯s pretty much exactly what I was looking for. ¡°Yes, thank you. Noli, can you help again?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She holds out her hand, and I step into her palm. Noli holds the cloth sack with her other hand, looking between us with a grimace. Hah. Nothing like stuffing your friend into a cloth sack.


    Noli smiles apologetically, then gently slips me into the bag and cinches the top shut.


    My world goes dark.


    Panic wells up for a moment, all too reminded of Between and the predator. But I can still feel the rough texture of the fabric around me. And more than that, I can feel my glass. I force my nerves to calm.


    I¡¯d heard that shutting one sense off can make the other ones more attuned to your surroundings, and now I¡¯m experiencing that in a very disembodied sort of way. I can feel my glass construct on the table almost as if I¡¯m seeing it. And while I can no longer hear Noli speak¡ªwell, see, I guess¡ªit¡¯s still odd to hear the quiet shuffles of the others in the room. Rezira and Zyneth are remaining quiet¡ªI guess everyone¡¯s holding their breath to see what happens next.


    My world swivels, and then abruptly stops moving as I come to rest on a surface. From the outside, I can also feel something soft resting on my construct¡¯s chest.


    For a moment, I think of the homunculus shell in Trenevalt¡¯s cabin. That was what¡ªtwo months ago? It feels like worlds away. That small, fragile homunculus shell I had found so terrifying. The horrific idea of being bound to it. And here I am, replicating the same thing. But this one is bigger¡ªmore human looking. And I¡¯m doing it on my own terms.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zyneth says, after a moment. ¡°The necklace is secure.¡±


    I reactivate my vision in one of the panes of the head piece, and the world lights up once more.


    It¡¯s way less disorienting this time. At least now I¡¯m not seeing double. Although actually, weirdly enough, only having vision that can see in one direction at a time feels a little restrictive now. Maybe I¡¯ve gotten more used to that omni-vision than I thought. But this way helps me feel a little more human.


    ¡°Kanin?¡± Zyneth ventures. They probably don¡¯t know if I can see yet. ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I sign with my signing glass. But wait¡ªnow I have actual hands I can do that with, don¡¯t I?


    I lift one arm. It feels like trying to control a wet noodle. The fingers flop uselessly until I focus on them, forming a fist. The glass tinkles quietly as the fingers close around each other. I try again, bobbing it to sign, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Noli lets out a relieved breath. ¡°Good! Can you sit up? Do you need help?¡±


    One thing at a time, jeeze.


    Which is about how I need to take it.


    I move a hand to either side and press them against the table, leveraging myself upright. And I¡¯m greeted with the bizarre image of a glass torso sitting up in front of me. Oops. I left the head on the table. Since I haven¡¯t Chained it to the torso yet, it¡¯s still just sitting there, watching the rest of me get situated. I summon it next, levitating the inverted pyramid to float above the neck. I can worry about Chaining it later, if I need to. Although with the current flexibility in how I can swivel and point it, maybe a Chain isn¡¯t necessary after all. I¡¯ll just have to remember to not leave it anywhere.


    I take a moment to gather myself as I look around, and find Noli, Zyneth, and Rezira staring back at me with expressions that range from awe to horror.


    Rezira is the first to break the ice. ¡°Well this is the weirdest fucking thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s eyes are dancing with amusement. ¡°This makes getting stabbed by the void monster entirely worth it.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Noli asks. ¡°Be careful! Go slow.¡±


    No shit. I already feel like I¡¯m about to capsize. It¡¯s the strangest sensation. I have to concentrate on each piece of glass to get it to do what I need it to do. That¡¯s nothing new, but doing that for hundreds of connected pieces at once is a bit much. I¡¯m also levitating them, in a way, just like my signing glass, but their weight¡ªand the weight of all the pieces they¡¯re Chained to¡ªis keeping the body completely grounded. Maybe, if I was able to consciously hold every piece in my mind at once, I could make it float. For now, though, it¡¯s baby steps.


    ¡°Strange,¡± I sign, fumbling through the movements. I try to focus harder. Elbows, wrists, fingers. ¡°I feel heavy.¡±


    Rezira snorts. ¡°You managed to get even worse at signing.¡±


    Noli covers her mouth, behind which is an obvious smile. ¡°No, he¡¯s doing great! It¡¯s just a little stiff. And make sure to close your hand all the way there, otherwise that¡¯s, ah, a slightly different meaning¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this way means shit,¡± Rezira says. Then she helpfully repeats the sign so I can see the difference. What a bro.


    Noli slaps at her hands, dissolving the signs, and Rezira laughs.


    I bring my own hands back down to the table, curling my fingers around the lip and squeezing tightly. Slowly, I pull myself around to dangle my legs toward the floor. Toes, feet, legs, hips, knees¡­ Whoops! I catch myself just as an arm starts to go out. And arms. Don¡¯t forget to focus on arms.


    ¡°Careful!¡± Noli signs. ¡°Don¡¯t go too fast.¡±


    I¡¯ve been stuck at a crawl for two months now. Fast is a dream.


    I scoot forward a little more, trying to hold as many pieces of glass in my mind as I can. Still sitting, I press one foot against the floor. Then the other.


    ¡°Might want to give it a minute,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Feel everything out. There¡¯s no rush.¡±


    Now I know what Neo must have felt like after escaping the Matrix. Nothing is moving quite how I expect it to¡ªevery limb threatens to keep giving out. But if I want any of this to change, if I want a shot at recovering my real body, then this is the first step on that road.


    I push myself to my feet.


    I¡¯m taller than Noli. Just as tall as Zyneth. A few inches shorter than Rezira. But I¡¯m meeting their gazes at eye level, and it feels absolutely amazing. It might not be my body, but I finally have a proper body. A humanoid body. I have two legs, two arms, a head¡ª


    The world tips. Noli¡¯s eyes go wide. Zyneth reaches out a hand. Rezira says, ¡°Oh, shit¡ª¡±


    Ankles, I realize as my legs collapse. I forgot about the ankles.


    And then I fall to the floor in a shattering heap of glass.


    [253 points of Fall Damage sustained,] Echo says.

 Chapter 48 - Not Exactly Licit

    It takes three days to fix everything. Luckily the cloth sack prevented any of the shards from spearing through my vial, but it¡¯s a terrible mess to clean up. I¡¯m still finding bits of broken glass swept between cracks in the floorboards when they pass within my range.


    It took me about a month to build the body the first time, but that was mostly due to all the time spent collecting and then Attuning enough glass to make up the body. Now that it¡¯s all Attuned already, I¡¯m only limited by how fast I can re-Sculpt everything given a pool of only 56 mana. Zyneth gives me a couple recharges, which helps. But reassembling each limb is still a meticulous process.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I finally sign, after checking the body over for the upteenth time. ¡°Ready to try again.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should help this time,¡± Noli suggests. ¡°All that glass seems rather heavy, but Rezira could hold you upright.¡±


    Rezira and I look at each other.


    ¡°If she wants¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess if he needs it¡­¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps I could take an arm,¡± Zyneth suggests. ¡°And maybe Noli if you wanted to help with his other side. You could lean on us until you feel comfortable letting go.¡±


    A much better idea. And two less limbs to have to think about. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s try that way.¡±


    Once more, I have Noli obscure my vial with the pouch so I can turn on the head¡¯s sense of sight. It¡¯s slightly less disorienting this time, now that I know what to expect, and I once more allow myself to be strung up like the necklace I apparently am.


    Okay. Round two.


    I cautiously sit up as before, swinging my legs over the side of the table. Zyneth and Noli stand to either side, and I awkwardly put an arm around each of their shoulders. They pull upward and I try to take some of the weight off of them, levitating the glass in each arm, but my attention quickly switches to my legs as I begin to put weight on my feet. This time, don¡¯t neglect the joints.


    ¡°Easy,¡± Zyneth murmurs, as I stand from the table.


    Whew, he¡¯s awfully close, isn¡¯t he? I mean, it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t ride around on his shoulder for several days like a little glass parrot, but being in this more human body, holding onto him with more human limbs, it feels more intimate. An embarrassed warmth rises within me, which I pray isn¡¯t actually a warmth anyone else can feel.


    As I pause there, just trying to stand in one place, Noli grunts.


    I shake myself out of the intrusive thoughts. ¡°Sorry,¡± I say with my signing glass, given my hands are a bit preoccupied.


    Even trying to levitate as much of my glass as possible to offload the weight, I¡¯m pressing down on Zyneth and Noli, and glass is damn heavy. Still leaning on them (as little as I can manage), I take my first shaky step. The foot drags heavily across the floor. I set it down. Shift my weight. Now for the other one.


    With Zyneth and Noli¡¯s help, I make a slow lap around the room. So much for hitting the ground running. I must look like some kind of hospital patient trying to build up their muscles again.


    After about ten minutes of shuffling around the cottage, I can feel Noli starting to tremble. Someone who¡¯s actually building up her muscles again after her body had been in a magical coma for a month.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I sign, gesturing back to the table. ¡°I¡¯m ready for a break.¡±


    Well, Noli is, but I¡¯d rather not call attention to it. The two help set me back down on the table, then step back with wide grins. They look happier about this than I do.


    ¡°Great job!¡± Noli wipes some sweat from her brow. ¡°No falls this time.¡±


    Thanks to them. I¡¯d stumbled once or twice, but they¡¯d always caught me. ¡°Still a lot to practice,¡± I sign.


    Rezira shakes her head. ¡°Stop using those dinky pieces of glass to talk. You need to practice with your body¡¯s hands, or you¡¯ll always sound like some kind of country bumpkin.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys live in the country?¡± I ask.


    Rezira replies with a rude gesture.


    Zyneth chuckles. ¡°I think it was good progress, at any rate. Keep it up and we might be able to head to Miasmere in another few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Weeks?¡± I can¡¯t wait that long. ¡°I have to get faster.¡±


    ¡°Not too fast,¡± Noli says. ¡°Another fall will only set you back again. Just try to take it slow.¡±


    Ugh, I hate being treated like I¡¯m, well, like I¡¯m made of glass. Okay, maybe their concern is valid. I just wish it wasn¡¯t so damn frustrating.


    ¡°The joints are difficult,¡± I muse. ¡°They don¡¯t move right.¡± If I could crack that problem, walking might be easier.


    ¡°No tendons or muscles to restrict the movement,¡± Rezira says. ¡°A little hard to simulate elastic ranges of motion when all you¡¯ve got to work with is glass.¡±


    She¡¯s right. ¡°Maybe I could add something?¡± Attach strips of leather along joints or something.


    ¡°There¡¯s no harm in trying,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for viable materials on my next trip into town. Which actually may be soon.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± I ask, disappointed. He¡¯s left twice since I¡¯ve been at Noli and Rezira¡¯s place, each time gone for over a week.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± He grimaces. ¡°Another job came up. This one might take longer than the last¡ªa few weeks, perhaps. But when I get back, we could experiment with the pseudo-tendon material, as Rezira suggested.¡±


    Once again, no explanation of where he¡¯s going, or what the job entails. I¡¯d consider it sketchy as fuck if I haven¡¯t been getting to know the guy. He doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person. So why all the cloak and dagger?


    ¡°When do you leave?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Perhaps tomorrow, or the next day,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯ve already spent five days here. Time to check back in.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± I ask.


    Zyneth cocks an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve a lot of questions, all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious what you do,¡± I sign. ¡°How you make so much money.¡±


    Noli laughs nervously. ¡°Kanin, that¡¯s rude. His employment is none of our business if he doesn¡¯t want to share.¡±


    Rezira tips her head. ¡°No, go on. I¡¯m rather curious myself.¡±


    Zyneth glances between us, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden confrontation. I almost feel a little bad at putting him on the spot¡ªbut my nosiness wins out.


    ¡°The less you all are involved, the better,¡± Zyneth finally relents. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly licit work.¡±


    Noli¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean it¡¯s something illegal?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°A little late to try to keep from involving us, don¡¯t you think?¡± Rezira adds. ¡°You already spend all your time between jobs at our house.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should never have done that. If you¡¯d like for me to leave now¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Noli cries. ¡°Absolutely not. No one is getting kicked out. Right, Rezira?¡±


    The orc blows air out her nose. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know. Maybe we should hear a few more details about this illicit job before making any decisions. No offense, Zyneth.¡±


    ¡°That is completely fair,¡± he replies, shoulders uncharacteristically hunched. Compared to the typical nonchalant and confident Zyneth I¡¯m used to seeing, this version looks like a scolded schoolboy.


    Whoops. I opened a bit of a can of worms here, didn¡¯t I?


    Zyneth is still hesitating, but Noli waves a dismissive hand before he can answer.


    ¡°Whatever you need to say,¡± she signs, ¡°you can chew on it until tomorrow. You¡¯re staying the night regardless. Perhaps if it is something worth addressing, we can discuss how this might affect future visits then. But you¡¯re here now, and that isn¡¯t changing.¡±


    Zyneth nods, fidgeting with the cuff of a sleeve, but he doesn¡¯t appear mollified. ¡°I appreciate the hospitality. I¡¯ve some thinking to do on the matter myself. Rezira raises fair points about my presence here involving the rest of you. It might be best if I limit future visits, in frequency and duration.¡±


    ¡°But the trip to Miasmere,¡± I object. ¡°My research at the library.¡± And currently my only lead on discovering how I might get my body back.


    ¡°As I said, I will return,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°And you need time to get used to operating that new body, anyway.¡±


    But that¡¯ll be weeks! Biding my time is the last thing I need. I¡¯m sick to death of moving slow.


    Zyneth shakes his head before I can object. ¡°As Noli said, we can continue this discussion tomorrow¡ªwhen we¡¯ve all had time to think through our priorities.¡±


    I, for one, don¡¯t need to think too hard about mine.


    ¡°Well,¡± Rezira finally sighs as an uncomfortable silence threatens to settle over the room. ¡°I suppose I should get things ready for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Have we got any of that rabbit left?¡± Noli asks, seemingly eager to disperse the cloud that¡¯s still hanging in the air. She heads over to the wall, where her bow and arrows are mounted. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to go out hunting again.¡±


    Rezira waves her on. ¡°I¡¯ll never say no to fresh meat. We¡¯re also low on mugroot while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Noli slings her quiver and bow over opposite shoulders. ¡°Be back in a few hours. And please, Kanin, go easy on this body, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No promises,¡± I joke.


    She smiles, briefly, with worry in her eyes, then heads out.


    ¡°Actually,¡± I sign, after she¡¯s gone, ¡°I need help outside, too. I want to renew my spell.¡±


    Rezira¡¯s eyes brighten. ¡°Does this mean I get my dining room table back?¡± They¡¯d been sitting out front eating their meals on a pair of hand-made rocking chairs ever since I¡¯d commandeered the table for building my glass body. ¡°Gods¡¯ grace, I can¡¯t wait to use my table again.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I sign. ¡°I was feeling generous, but with all this attitude¡­¡±


    ¡°Careful,¡± Rezira says. ¡°Keep tempting fate and I¡¯ll just shove you off the table.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be another three days to rebuild. Doesn¡¯t sound productive.¡±


    Rezira snorts, holding out an arm. ¡°You want help, or what?¡±


    With her and Zyneth¡¯s shoulders to lean on, we make our way outside. I call the Attuned void to follow after¡ªa crucial element to working my spell circles. We slowly head around to the back of the cottage, and I marvel at the sensation of soil and grass underfoot. It¡¯s so different experiencing the world through this body as opposed to a teacup-sized orb of glass. I¡¯d nearly forgotten what walking feels like. The simple pleasure of soft ground under your feet.


    ¡°Here?¡± Rezira asks. There¡¯s a clearing where the grass has been dug away to reveal a patch of dusty earth. I can still see the impressions of the last circle I¡¯d drawn a few days ago, though the features are weathered from yesterday¡¯s afternoon rain. Why Rezira had to ask for clarification is obvious, however.


    The circle is barely three feet across, sized for a vessel the size of a pint, not a person. I¡¯ll need to redraw it if I don¡¯t want to deal with the hassle of unclasping my core from the necklace and then putting it back on again.


    ¡°Here is fine,¡± I sign, and they lower me to my knees in front of the circle.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Rezira asks.


    I just focus on staying upright. ¡°No. I¡¯ve got this. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Let me know when you want to come back in,¡± Rezira says, then waves as she heads off.


    ¡°Anything I could help with?¡± Zyneth asks, lingering nearby.


    ¡°No,¡± I sign. Without Rezira to translate for him, I try to keep my words simple. Zyneth¡¯s picked up some sign language as well, but without Noli to sit down and practice with him every day, like she does with me, his vocab is a lot more basic. Then again, I¡¯m only two months into learning the language myself¡ªthough I¡¯m pretty damn proud of how far I¡¯ve come in that time, if I¡¯m being honest.


    ¡°Thanks for your help,¡± I sign, sending my extra glass to scrub out the circle. I¡¯ll need it at least twice the size. Echo, bring up a diagram of the Core Bond spell circle, I tell her.


    [Affirmative.]


    I¡¯ve recreated it enough times now that I¡¯m starting to memorize the pattern, but I¡¯m still too nervous to try the spell without a reference. I don¡¯t want to risk missing anything¡ªI don¡¯t want to risk messing a spell up, like Trenevalt did.


    Zyneth sits down next to me, legs tucked up toward his chest and arms draped over his knees. ¡°Mind if I watch? I¡¯ve some time to kill.¡±


    It¡¯s strange. Part of me feels a little hurt by him¡ªthat he¡¯s still keeping things from me. That he¡¯s leaving again so soon. But, paradoxically, I¡¯m glad he¡¯s here, and his presence at my side fills me with comfort.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I finish flattening out the dirt, then begin to sketch out the outermost circle. ¡°Could you lend your magic?¡±


    Zyneth squints at the signs. ¡°You want to know if I could boost your spell?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± If he doesn¡¯t mind. Given my low mana reserves, I can only go about one day before a refresh. Not a problem, as my passive mana generation is up to 1 point every five minutes now, so I can save up enough mana for a daily spell renewal in a few hours. But it¡¯s definitely anxiety inducing to just be one missed-spell away from an untimely death. Not to mention, the mana cost keeps me from working on my glass body. With Zyneth to help, his entire mana pool boosts the spell¡¯s duration to about ten times what I can manage.


    ¡°I can lend some,¡± he says. ¡°Not all, unfortunately. It would be wise for me to not drain myself today when I plan on leaving tomorrow. Never know when you might need a spell or two.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± I work on the second major circle next, prescribed just inside the first.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Didn¡¯t catch that one.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I sign instead.


    Zyneth is quiet as I continue adding components to the circle. The ten-pointed star. The correct cross hatches and semicircles.


    ¡°Is it terribly different?¡± he asks. ¡°The world you come from.¡±


    I finish my first pass at the circle, and consult the diagram Echo¡¯s manifested in my vision. ¡°Yes.¡± Where to even start?


    ¡°Were you a wizard there?¡±


    I sign laughter. ¡°No. No magic.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t do magic?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t any.¡±


    Zyneth rocks back, eyebrows raised. ¡°No magic in the whole world? I¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine. How strange.¡±


    ¡°Not as strange as here,¡± I counter.


    But Zyneth shakes his head; he doesn¡¯t know those signs. ¡°Do you miss it?¡± he asks.


    I hesitate. I mean¡­ of course I miss home. That should go without saying. There¡¯s my career, and everyone I¡¯ve ever known, and¡­ well, my body, obviously. Yet I still pause before signing, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Somewhat bothered by the question, and still not entirely sure why, I turn my focus back on the circle. Double and triple checks aren¡¯t turning up any mistakes. I send my Attuned void to overlay the circle, the shadows pouring into the diagram like ink.


    ¡°Help up?¡± I ask, gesturing to the circle.


    Zyneth stands, taking my hands, then braces himself with a grunt as I pull myself to my feet. I sway, and he catches me. I stand there for a moment, leaning on him.


    ¡°Ready?¡± he asks after a moment.


    No time to think about him. I focus on the feet. The ankles. The legs and knees. Gradually, I push off of Zyneth, holding myself upright but not letting go. Okay. I think I got this. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He steps forward, gingerly picking his way across the circle, as nimble as a dancer. I¡¯m just doing my best to not screw up the lines. At the center, he hesitates.


    ¡°Should I step out?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Probably. I mean, who the hell knows what would happen if an already living person was in the middle of this spell¡ªI¡¯m certainly not willing to find out.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going to let go.¡±


    Ankles, don¡¯t forget the ankles. Slowly, Zyneth releases my hand, and I¡¯m left standing on my own. The ground seems so far away from up here.


    Zyneth backs out of the circle, but remains just outside the outer ring. He holds up both hands, a yellow glow forming in each palm. ¡°Ready when you are.¡±


    Activate Core Bond Renewal, I tell Echo. And my circle jumps to life.


    In contrast to Zyneth¡¯s yellow, my magic illuminates the circle, managing to glow in some surreal hue of black that nearly hurts to look at. A familiar warmth floods through in my soul. I bring up a display of the spell¡¯s mana as I feel my own pool depleting:


    [Core Bond: 78 mana]


    Zyneth¡¯s magic joins the spell as well.


    [Core Bond: 89 mana]


    I let it continue until Zyneth lowers his hands, cutting off his magic supply; it¡¯s only a few seconds after that the rest of my mana is depleted as well.


    [Mana: 0/56. Core Bond: 543]


    [Mana depleted. Spell complete.]


    The light fades, and I¡¯m still standing. That¡¯s over a minute without anyone supporting me.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Zyneth says, stepping back into the circle to offer an arm. ¡°You¡¯re already far more steady on your feet.¡±


    Which might be an accomplishment if I only intended to be walking three weeks from now. But that¡¯s not good enough¡ªnot if I want to leave with Zyneth tomorrow.


    Ambitious? Maybe. But I have a plan.


    I call the void up to my hand as we pick our way back out of the circle. I picture the ink layering over my fingers, and the shadows oblige, forming an onyx glove over my glass. The image is all too familiar, and summons memories I spent the last month and a half trying to box away. I suppress a shudder, but close my hand into a fist, feeling out the sensation. I don¡¯t love it, but just like this glass body, it''s a means to an end.


    Time to get to work.

 Chapter 49 - Shadow and Glass (Reprise)

    I insist on staying outside that night. Sitting around and watching them all eat delicious food¡ªwhich probably smells and tastes fantastic¡ªwhen I can¡¯t do any of that just rubs salt in the wound. I¡¯d rather be out here with my own thoughts. Not to mention, magic.


    Rezira was on the right track when she suggested adding something elastic to my glass limbs to simulate tendons. I¡¯m not convinced leather is the answer, though. I won¡¯t be able to sense them until they¡¯re pulled all the way taut, and that sounds like a recipe for accidental limb breakage. No, I need to have more precise control than that.


    I¡¯ll start with the hands first. Thanks to practicing signs, I¡¯ve gotten best at simulating finger movements anyway.


    Splaying my hand before me, I summon a mental picture of what I want. False tendons bracing the back of each joint. Restricting the motion to just what a normal, human hand could do.


    The void reacts immediately, splitting into dozens of tiny pieces to secure itself to each digit. It only uses a portion of the whole Attuned void volume, which is great considering I¡¯m going to need a shit-ton more for all my other joints. But even then, I don¡¯t think it will be enough.


    Once the void is settled, I flex my fingers. The void is helping to guide my motions, just as I intended. Of course it is¡ªit can only do what I intend. But even after using it a dozen different times to renew my Core Bond spell, a part of me still regards it with deep suspicion, as if it will develop a mind of its own at any moment.


    For now, however, it¡¯s working. I compare it to the hand that I didn¡¯t add void to: even its basic movements look more artificial. Puppeted. I must be doing something right.


    Holding it up against the starry sky, the shadows sink into the joints, vanishing beneath the moonlight. Shadow and glass. Maybe it would be pretty if it weren¡¯t so alien¡ªif it didn¡¯t fill me with such a deep instinct of wrongness.


    Lowering my hand, I recall the void and have it rejoin the baseball sized blob of ink-like magic floating beside me. Now for the real test.


    I start with my ankles and knees: those are the most crucial points, I think. Shadows peel away from the main volume, wicking toward each joint as I picture the forms they should take. Hips next. Back. Feet, probably, something along the bottom¡­


    I suddenly wish I had an anatomy book to help, but I¡¯ll have to make do as is. My limited supply of void runs out before I can add any to my arms or hands, but I don¡¯t need those to walk.


    I stretch a leg out, flexing it. The movement feels stiff, a little too restrictive, so I pause to rearrange the void until it feels¡­ well, normal isn¡¯t the right word, but at least a little more familiar.


    After a few more minutes of tweaking, it¡¯s as good as I can get it from the ground. Time to try it out.


    Bracing an arm against the side of the cottage, I slowly pull my legs beneath me. I push myself up to one knee, then pause. Tense. Don¡¯t hesitate now, this is the easy part¡ª


    In one move I push myself to my feet. And I feel¡­ stable, actually. I¡¯m hardly leaning against the cabin. Gingerly, with a tink of glass on wood, I take my hand away. No one holding me. No table to sit back against. Just me, standing on two legs, all on my own.


    Like I had before I¡¯d been sucked into this world.


    Okay, well, not just like I¡¯d been. I¡¯m a little less fleshy now I guess. Significantly less attractive. But just this much feels amazing.


    Choosing to heed Noli¡¯s advice about not taking things too fast (sometimes she might be onto something) I start by bending my knees. The movement feels pretty good, so I pick up one foot, then the other. My balance is actually fantastic. Too fantastic. I wasn¡¯t this good with just the glass. It has to be the void, trying to fulfill my intent. Not just the order to act as tendons, but each subconscious order as well, like ¡°stay balanced, keep me on my feet.¡± A sort of auto-stabilizer. Begrudgingly, I have to admit that¡¯s pretty useful. I still don¡¯t completely trust it. But I guess even if a hint of the predator lives on in the void, it would still have some incentive to keep me alive. Afterall, without me, it loses its only means to enter the physical realm.


    What a comforting thought.


    Shaking off memories of the predator, I return my focus to walking. And even before I take the first step, this time I know: I¡¯ve got this.


    The grass brushes across the arch of my foot as I take a step. The ground is cool and soft against the humid, warm night¡ªthe kind of rejuvenating cold that makes you want to rebel against the summer heat. The kind of crispness that makes you want to run. I take another step.


    Giddiness tickles through me. It¡¯s almost effortless. I¡¯m not just walking, I¡¯m strolling. I push myself a little faster. There¡¯s no fear. No uncertainty. I can do this. I can walk! I break into a jog, then a run. Wind is blowing through my glass. I want to laugh. It¡¯s incredible. I feel so free! Finally, finally¡ª


    My foot catches on a branch. Panic lurches through me as I crash forward, and I only have a moment to throw my arms out in front of me, desperate to protect my core. The void leaps to my hands, cushioning the fall¡ª


    Then I hit, my right knee striking first, closely followed by both hands. I feel and hear something crack as I skid forward. Several somethings.


    [41 points of Fall Damage sustained.]


    Pain spikes up my right leg and arm. I fall onto my side, and wince with the sting of another crack.


    [7 points of Fall Damage sustained.]


    My right leg is on the ground two feet away. A chip of glass is next to my hip. A crack has spiraled up my left arm, but it¡¯s still intact.


    Shit.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s significantly less damage than before,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I thought I was about to go fetch a broom.¡±


    I whip my head in his direction. He¡¯s reclining casually against the back of the cottage, watching.


    ¡°How long?¡± I ask, then quickly stop signing as I can feel the cracks spreading through my broken arm like dozens of tiny hot needles. I activate a Sculpt and begin to repair it.


    ¡°Just in time for the show,¡± he says. ¡°You improved remarkably fast. I suppose that¡¯s related to you not shattering into a thousand pieces?¡±


    I glance at the void, sitting idly nearby. I hadn¡¯t even consciously told it to break my fall. And it hadn¡¯t, entirely, but I guess a pint of malleable shadows can only do so much.


    I finish repairing my arm, then levitate my leg over and line it up with the stump beneath my hip. It¡¯s strange to look at. Such a seemingly dire injury should hurt more than this. And don¡¯t get me wrong, it does hurt, but the pain is no different from the cracks I¡¯d had in my arm, or the small chip of glass missing at my hip. Like the size of the injury is irrelevant.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°You going to help?¡± I ask him as I start Sculpting my leg back in place.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve got it handled.¡± But he pushes off the cottage to stroll my way. I¡¯m done with my leg and working on the hip when Zyneth stops nearby, crouching down beside me. He watches in silence as I finish fixing myself up. I Check my health just to make sure I didn¡¯t miss anything.


    [HP: 8/10]


    [Bonus HP: 312/312]


    Good. The last couple bits of HP should heal up naturally in the next few minutes, and it looks like I didn¡¯t miss any chipped pieces, either. I glance at Zyneth and find him staring back.


    He sighs. ¡°Kanin. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Fixing my body.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he says. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    I call the void over and begin painstakingly reforming the tendons I¡¯d lost when it cushioned my fall. ¡°Learning how to walk?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean either,¡± Zyneth says.


    I start with the feet, working up. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡ª¡±


    ¡°This,¡± Zyneth says, gesturing to the void. ¡°What are you doing? You wouldn¡¯t even let the stuff touch you a week ago. Now you¡¯re incorporating it into your body?¡±


    ¡°Temporary body,¡± I stress with a tinge of defensiveness. ¡°It¡¯s just to help strengthen the joints.¡± Just a means to an end.


    He shakes his head. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t get most of that.¡±


    ¡°It helps me walk,¡± I sign, slowing down the movements. This must be what Noli felt like trying to teach me signs when we first met. Okay, she probably still does.


    ¡°But why?¡± he asks. ¡°You don¡¯t need to push yourself like this¡ªcompromise your values just to get a little faster.¡±


    I stiffen. I¡¯m not compromising shit. I¡¯m trying to get over my fears, not let them hold me back. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.


    ¡°I need to move faster,¡± I sign instead. ¡°You¡¯re leaving tomorrow. I¡¯m coming with.¡±


    Zyneth blinks. ¡°Tomorrow? You won¡¯t be ready by then.¡±


    I finish layering all the void back among my joints. Placing a hand on my knee, I push myself to my feet. ¡°I am.¡±


    Zyneth frowns with worry, standing as well. ¡°Maybe you can expedite learning to walk. I watched you run across this clearing before falling on your face.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ª¡±


    He holds up a hand. ¡°You¡¯re a quick learner and you¡¯re creative, I¡¯ll give you that. You keep coming up with solutions to things I never would have even considered. But once you come up with a plan, you rush into it. You don¡¯t plan two steps ahead of where you set your feet down. Physically, maybe you¡¯re ready to walk out of here tomorrow. But mentally, I worry you¡¯re not ready for the road ahead.¡±


    Pardon me while I roll my nonexistent eyes. ¡°Before, you said I¡¯m free to make my own choices. Even if they are bad.¡± Which this isn¡¯t, obviously.


    ¡°You are,¡± he says, though with clear reluctance in his tone. ¡°But this is different.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I demand.


    Zyneth glances away. ¡°Well. For one, I hadn¡¯t planned on you accompanying me just yet. I have¡­ business which I had intended to resolve alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± So that¡¯s what this was about. He¡¯s not worried about me being able to accompany him¡ªhe just doesn¡¯t want me there at all. ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±


    He tips his head. ¡°Not physically.¡±


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t I come?¡±


    Zyneth taps at his lip in thought, still avoiding looking at me. Then again, I guess there¡¯s really no eye contact for him to make. Staring at a floating glass pyramid probably isn¡¯t the same.


    ¡°Come,¡± Zyneth finally says, holding out a hand. ¡°Walk with me. I¡¯ll tell you what I can, and then you can decide if you want to follow.¡±


    I don¡¯t take his hand, but I do follow.


    We step through the moonlit glade, Zyneth¡¯s gaze turned contemplatively to the stars¡ªGod, he¡¯s so dramatic¡ªwhile I carefully watch my feet.


    ¡°The short of it is that I have become involved with a dangerous network of people who do not have others¡¯ best interests at heart,¡± Zyneth says, absently fiddling with the sheath of one of his knives. ¡°They largely deal with selling artifacts retrieved from the Ruins on the black-market. It¡¯s an extremely lucrative business. The more items that are sold, however, the more the revenue stream threatens to dry up. To keep the supply flowing, they needed someone of a particular set of skills to risk venturing into such dangerous lands to retrieve these objects. In my naivete, seeking adventure, I originally entered their ranks of my own volition.¡± With a grimace, he looks back at me. ¡°I have since had regrets, and have done my best to disentangle myself from their endeavors.¡±


    ¡°How did you get out?¡± I ask.


    Zyneth laughs, but there¡¯s no mirth in his tone. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    He rolls up a sleeve of his shirt, and I¡¯m just now realizing I¡¯ve never seen him in short sleeves or a vest¡ªand that¡¯s because of what¡¯s etched over his skin.


    There¡¯s three spiraling marks tattooed into his arm, each a different style of a gold snake appearing to eat its own tail. The first tattoo is whole, while the second tattoo only has an outline of a snake, as if the drawing has yet to be filled in. The third tattoo is partially complete, the head and half of the body filled with the gold coloring: it¡¯s also glowing with a subtle light.


    ¡°Spent too many years digging myself into this trench,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Turns out it¡¯s twice as hard to climb back out.¡±


    I reach out to touch one, then hesitate. ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°Debt,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Not of the monetary variety. They won¡¯t eat themselves away until I¡¯ve paid back the original balance two fold. The enchantments start burning when they have new jobs for me, and they don¡¯t go out until I accept one. Sometimes it¡¯s days between jobs¡ªsometimes months¡ªsometimes, I¡¯ll have two lit up at once. Those are the best scenarios. When more than one granter has use of me, sometimes they can be pitted against each other. I cleared two more debts that way.¡±


    Why do I feel like cleared isn¡¯t just a benign metaphor for cash exchange? And how exactly is he paying off these debts?


    A particular set of skills, he¡¯d said. An image of Zyneth fighting off the nightbanes flashes through my mind, throwing daggers into skulls and electrocuting his assailants.


    A chill goes through me. ¡°Zyneth¡­ have you hurt anyone?¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s gaze trails up from my hands to my face, looking straight at me for the first time since this conversation began. His expression is blank. ¡°Yes.¡±


    A shiver goes through me. ¡°Have you killed¡­?¡±


    With that same dead expression, he says, ¡°Do you really want to know the answer?¡±


    For a moment my mind stutters to a halt¡ªand that¡¯s all the break in concentration it takes for me to miss a step. My knee buckles even as I realize my mistake. I try to stop my fall, mentally reclaiming my grip on the glass, but I¡¯m already overbalanced, tipping forward¡ª


    Zyneth pivots and catches me across my chest, his shoulder jamming into my shoulder while he grabs the one opposite. I stumble another foot forward as Zyneth braces, and we come to a halt.


    ¡°Good,¡± I sign, waving him off. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    Carefully, he lets go. I roll the shoulder he¡¯d slammed into, but it doesn¡¯t appear broken. That was smart. If he¡¯d just grabbed an arm it probably would have snapped off.


    But I guess he knows his way around the weak points in bodies, doesn¡¯t he?


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t come,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I suspect your opinion of me would change.¡±


    That¡¯s probably true. I¡¯m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he¡¯s killed someone¡ªmaybe multiple someones.


    Then again, so have I.


    I shove the burgeoning nausea aside.


    ¡°Were you protecting yourself?¡± I ask.


    Zyneth rolls his sleeve back down, hiding the tattoos away. ¡°In most cases. If you ask, I will tell you the details.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure I want the details. ¡°Why?¡±


    The facade finally cracks. Zyneth looks away, pain scrunching his features. ¡°Because I¡¯m trying not to be that person anymore. The whole reason I¡¯m now paying back debts instead of garnering more is to get out of that world. I want to be better¡ªhonest. To tip the scales back by helping people instead of hurting.¡±


    I tilt my head. ¡°Like me?¡± Am I just a weight on his scale of morality? Is that why he¡¯s stuck around this long? Why he even decided to help in the first place?


    ¡°No,¡± Zyneth says quickly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    It sure seems like it. Zyneth must realize this too, because he sighs. ¡°It might have started that way. But at some point I realized it doesn¡¯t really count if I treat it as a transaction. A wrong and a right don¡¯t cancel each other out. I need to mean it. To want to help for the sake of helping. Noli¡ªshe¡¯s a good person. I see how she interacts with everyone, and it makes me want to be better. Which is why I said I¡¯m trying¡ªI¡¯m not there yet. But I¡¯m trying.¡±


    His words sting. Noli¡¯s actions have given me similar thoughts. I know I probably will never be as selfless as she is, but she gives me a North Star, at least. And just being around her makes me want to be better. How can I fault Zyneth for feeling the same?


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± I sign. His background is¡­ surprising, but it still doesn¡¯t change what I need to do.


    His eyebrows pinch, skeptical. ¡°Even given what you¡¯ve learned? I can attempt to keep my work separate, but there is still a good chance that if you travel with me, you will get caught in the web as well. It will be dangerous.¡±


    Can¡¯t be more dangerous than towing a murder void around with you everywhere. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I sign. ¡°I still need to learn a way to get my body back.¡± Then I add, ¡°If you want to help people, you can start with me.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s mouth quirks with the hint of a smile. ¡°A bit self-serving, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    I never claimed I wasn¡¯t selfish. ¡°Sounds familiar.¡±


    That gets a quiet laugh out of him. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll agree to this. Tomorrow we¡¯ll leave for Miasmere.¡±


    Warmth fills my chest, relief and hope trickling out from behind the anxiety that he¡¯d say no. Finally. Finally I¡¯m making progress.


    ¡°But first,¡± Zyneth says, amusement returning to his eyes as his gaze dances over my body. ¡°We need to find you some pants.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Not Exactly Pants

    It turns out a glass body is not particularly designed for people clothes. Noli lends me a pair of her slacks first, but since my body is held together with a series of Chain spells instead of muscles and ball-and-socket joints, there isn¡¯t really a waist to cinch the belt around. Zyneth also offers me a shirt, but it hangs loose about my thin glass limbs, making me look like some kind of emaciated crane¡ªand that¡¯s when it¡¯s not trying to slide right off my body. Turns out lack of friction¡ªor a neck¡ªdoesn¡¯t help.


    Eventually, Rezira gives a grumbling sigh at all our attempts. ¡°You all aren''t going about this right. We need to be working with the body he has, not the body he should have." Gee, thanks for the reminder. "Here, let me try.¡± She produces a moth-eaten cloak from the back of their wardrobe and gives it a good shake¡ªsending all lung-owning parties in the room into a coughing fit. Heh. Suckers.


    Rezira pats off the dust. ¡°It''s a little old.¡± A little?! ¡°But it should do for now.¡±


    She drapes the cloak around me, hooking the ends around the knobs of glass I''d formed on my shoulders for the necklace chain to fix to. She uses a pin and a bit of twine to tie the cloth in place.


    ¡°Alright. See if that stays,¡± she says.


    I carefully lift my arms. The cloth pulls a little at my shoulders, but at least it¡¯s not sliding off. I feel a little more clothed now, even though it''s really only covering my arms and back. I mean, I¡¯m not really naked, considering there¡¯s nothing to cover up. But damn, it¡¯s sure good to feel like an actual member of society again.


    I pivot in a circle, flapping the cloak dramatically around me just to see how it holds¡ªand, okay, maybe because I like the flair. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Noli claps her hands. ¡°It¡¯s perfect!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly pants,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°But it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Rezira steps back, hands on her hips. She gives me a stiff nod. ¡°It suits you.¡±


    Noli beams. ¡°Look at you! Look at how far you¡¯ve come.¡±


    ¡°Not far enough,¡± I sign, and her smile falters. The look stings me with regret.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she signs before I have a chance to say the same. ¡°You¡¯re right. But I¡¯m proud of you anyway.¡±


    Rezira breaths a heavy sigh out her nose. ¡°So you¡¯re really heading out then?¡±


    ¡°We should be on the road in the next hour,¡± Zyneth says, glancing at the window. Mid-morning light fills the cottage with an orange warmth. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to make it to Bluevine by late afternoon, so we may find somewhere to stay in Miasmere before nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Rezira says. ¡°You need any supplies? Here. Let me pack you something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Zyneth objects.


    Rezira engulfs his hand and a good portion of his arm in an iron grasp and pulls him away. ¡°I insist.¡±


    Noli chuckles as Zyneth is forcefully steered toward the supplies Rezira has meticulously laid out and is now beginning to explain, packing them away one by one. Noli turns back to me. Her smile doesn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    ¡°Is it selfish of me?¡± Noli signs. ¡°I¡¯m sad to see you go.¡±


    My soul aches with her words. ¡°I¡¯ll come back.¡± I don''t know how long it will take, but I''m certain I''ll see her again.


    ¡°You better,¡± she signs teasingly. Then she looks down at her hands, fidgeting. ¡°But¡­ if you do find a way home, I¡¯ll understand if you take it. I want to apologize for the other day. You were right. It¡¯s not my place to ask you to stay. What you¡¯re experiencing, how you¡¯re living right now, I can tell how hard it is on you. You deserve your real body. The one that makes you happy. And I¡¯m sure you are eager to get home.¡± She laughs sadly at that. ¡°You know, the whole time we were journeying together, I kept thinking of Rezira, and how worried she must be, and how I couldn¡¯t wait to get home to see her. But I never stopped to think about how you were probably feeling the same. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s loved ones you¡¯re eager to reunite with as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    There¡¯s not.


    It¡¯s like a slap to the face. What do I have? An estranged dad, a handful of ex-boyfriends, some work buddies, but¡­


    No one. There¡¯s no one waiting for me.


    The realization sits hollow in my soul.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Noli signs with a comforting smile. ¡°I understand. And I hope you find a way back to them soon.¡± She takes my hands and gives them a gentle squeeze. She lets go just as quick. ¡°Here. Even if you are coming back, I wanted to give you something to remember me by.¡± Noli turns away, fetching something from between the bookshelf and the bed. She returns with a leather satchel. There¡¯s a simple design burned into the surface: a small vial of ink.


    I sign laughter. ¡°Please tell me that¡¯s not me.¡±


    Noli grins. ¡°I wasn¡¯t finished yet. I didn¡¯t expect you to head out so soon. But I knew you¡¯d be needing this eventually, so¡­¡±


    She flips the top open, revealing my two spell books nestled inside. ¡°You¡¯ll have to carry these yourself, now.¡± She also points out where Trenevalt¡¯s beaded bracelet¡ªhalf the beads lit¡ªhangs from one of the clasps like a charm. There¡¯s a thin sleeve on the back as well, where she¡¯s stored a slate and some chalk. ¡°For speaking with Zyneth. He¡¯s getting better, but his signs aren¡¯t as good as yours, yet. I know you¡¯re still learning to write, but I thought it might come in handy.¡±


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    ¡°Thank you.¡± I¡¯m truly touched. Even if she didn¡¯t want me to go, she¡¯s been planning for it all along. I hold out my hands, and she passes me the bag.


    I stagger forward, dropping it to the floor.


    ¡°Oh! Are you alright?¡± Noli asks.


    I try to hoist the bag up, but I can¡¯t even lift it. My arms aren¡¯t strong enough.


    One trend I¡¯ve figured out through trial and error (mostly error) is that I can levitate my Attuned glass at will: However, at most, they can only carry something equal to half their own weight before it becomes too heavy and they¡¯re no longer able to float.


    The cloak isn¡¯t an issue, given the whole body¡¯s worth of glass supporting it. But it looks like the satchel exceeds my arms¡¯ limit.


    I could laugh. Two books. Two books! This is pathetic.


    Crouching down to floor level, I loop the strap over a shoulder and stand back up. This time, the force of my body, instead of just my arms, is enough to lift it. Problem solved.


    The stupidest problem solved.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± I tell Noli, who¡¯s still fretting over me. ¡°I just have¡­ ah¡­ differences with this body I still need to learn.¡±


    ¡°Nuance?¡± she suggests.


    I copy the sign. ¡°Nuances to learn.¡± Lots and lots of ¡®em.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ll figure it out,¡± she signs. Noli¡¯s gaze traces over my body and sticks on my legs. ¡°Those shadows¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I¡¯m surprised she can even make it out. In the daylight, the void nestled into each joint is almost indistinguishable from shadows if you didn¡¯t know any better. Of course, Noli does, and she has sharp eyes to boot. I hadn¡¯t explicitly told her and Rezira how I mastered walking overnight, but it was only a matter of time until she noticed. ¡°The null magic.¡±


    Noli¡¯s lips press together. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s helping you walk?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I wearily brace myself for the scolding.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± Noli says, looking back up at me with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you embracing it instead of shunning it. It¡¯s not evil, you understand? It¡¯s just another type of magic.¡±


    ¡°You said that before.¡± Back when I had to use it to save her. And maybe¡­ maybe now I¡¯m in more of a mindset to hear it. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m completely trusting yet, but it does just seem to be inert magic. Granted, magic the predator had been wielding. But now it answers to me, and if I¡¯m stuck with this black goo, I might as well make use of it.


    ¡°And you¡¯re right,¡± I sign. ¡°You usually are.¡±


    She chuckles. ¡°All this old age makes me wise.¡±


    Wait. How old is she? She doesn¡¯t look a day over twenty, but I guess she is an elf. They live forever, right? I¡¯d just never really given it any thought before.


    Echo? I ask.


    [Age: 46]


    What the shit.


    Noli steps back, looking me up and down, then gives an appreciative nod. ¡°Good luck on your adventures, Kanin the wizard.¡±


    That rings even stranger than Noli¡¯s age. How has this become my life?


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I sign to Noli as Zyneth heads back over with his pack newly stocked with all of Rezira¡¯s supplies. ¡°For¡­ for everything.¡±


    Noli rubs at her eyes. ¡°If you have a chance, come back here before you go?¡±


    I nod¡ªwow. It feels great to be able to nod again. ¡°Of course.¡± After all, there¡¯s no hurry. My first priority is to figure out a way to retrieve my body. Going home is a separate, more confusing issue. Maybe they¡¯ll be one and the same, or maybe I¡¯ll find a way to be able to magic my body here.


    The thought gives me pause. Is that what I want? To live as a human here instead of back on Earth? To leave everyone I¡¯ve ever known, every place I¡¯ve ever seen, my career, behind? I don¡¯t know if I have an answer to that.


    But I don¡¯t need to, yet. I¡¯ll have plenty of time to sort through these thoughts after I find a solution to the body dilemma.


    Plenty of time.


    ¡°Well,¡± Zyneth says, pulling me out of my uncertainty. ¡°Is there anything else you need to grab before we leave?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I sign, resting a hand against the satchel Noli made for me. Besides the beads and books, I don¡¯t really own anything. Just the glass and void that makes up my body¡ªand since I don¡¯t need to eat or sleep, there¡¯s no food or bedrolls to pack. ¡°I think I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°What are those?¡± Rezira abruptly cuts in, pointing at me.


    I glance to my side. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Those!¡± She reaches out and tugs on my signing glass, which I¡¯d been using to talk in place of the hands actually attached to my body. Unlike the pieces that are connected to my arms, each section of each finger long and round, Chained together to mimic human hands, my signing glass is dozens and dozens of smaller fragments, all clustered together to make a hand shape. More like sand and pebbles than skin and bones.


    I wiggle my signing glass. ¡°Back-up hands.¡±


    Rezira snorts. ¡°You need to practice signing with the ones on your body. Two disembodied hands floating next to you is just weird.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t weird when I was small,¡± I object.


    ¡°Yes it was,¡± Rezira says.


    I look helplessly at Noli and Zyneth.


    ¡°It was a little abnormal,¡± Noli says. ¡°But, everything about our experience was abnormal!¡±


    ¡°I found it quite bizarre when I first encountered it,¡± Zyneth says, as blunt as ever. ¡°And I must agree with Rezira, it is definitely an unusual sight even now. Your form will already draw quite a bit of attention in the city.¡±


    Slightly offended, I tuck my signing glass away in the folds of my cloak. Out of sight, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting rid of them¡ªnot after everything we¡¯ve been through. ¡°There. Happy?¡±


    ¡°Ecstatic,¡± Rezira deadpans.


    ¡°Just be careful out there,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Listen to Zyneth. He¡¯s more familiar with our world than you.¡±


    What am I, a child?


    ¡°And you take care of him,¡± Noli adds, this time to Zyneth. ¡°I¡¯d tell you to make sure he doesn¡¯t break, but he does that a lot, so just make sure he can still be put back together again.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best to prevent dire breakages,¡± Zyneth says with a chuckle.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Noli throws her arms around me, pulling me into a hug. She still feels so frail, even weeks after her recovery. But the hug is gentle and warm, and fills me with unexpected emotions I can¡¯t quite identify. If I had human anatomy, I think I¡¯d be getting choked up. How long has it been since anyone¡¯s hugged me? It was at least before I left Earth. Long, long before.


    She pulls back. ¡°I¡¯m bad at goodbyes. Stay safe out there. Don¡¯t doubt yourself. You¡¯re stronger than you think.¡±


    I decide not to point out how this seems to be in direct conflict with her previous fretting. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. You take care, too.¡±


    Rezira wraps an arm around Noli as they follow us to the door. The sun is filtering through the trees, bright and cheerful as we step away from the cabin, the women hanging back in the doorframe. For once I regret not having my omni-vision, wishing I could watch them even as I focus carefully on maneuvering the path before me. When we reach the end of the glade I stop to look back. Noli waves, and I return the gesture. My soul feels tight, despite it hanging loosely over my chest. A wave of uncertainty washes over me. For a moment I want nothing more than to turn back, back to these friends and this simple, comforting life. Back toward stability and familiarity.


    ¡°Kanin?¡± Zyneth asks. I look back to find him waiting for me.


    The doubt passes. I flex my hand into a fist, the glass clinking against each other. No. When I come back here, it¡¯ll be in my own body.


    I step after Zyneth, striking out into the woods, as we leave the cabin behind.

 Chapter 51 - On Sleeping Arrangements

    It feels great to be walking through a town while being, you know, person-sized. And also just walking on two legs in general. Regaining a sliver of my humanity is nice. It¡¯s not totally the same, though. My bare feet clink against the road, which had been mildly annoying while walking through the forest and dirt roads that led to Bluevine, but now that I¡¯m on cobblestone, I feel like I¡¯m walking on eggshells.


    Well. Glass.


    Trying not to think about how one wrong step might cause me to break off a foot, fall, and shatter into a thousand pieces, I focus instead on the small city we¡¯re walking through. I hadn¡¯t been paying much attention when we first passed through town, somewhat preoccupied with my and Noli¡¯s mortality, but now I have an opportunity to soak up the sights.


    The first thing I notice is a lack of humans. Plenty of dwarves, elves, and orcs around, and a scattering of other species I¡¯ve seen from time to time as well, such as the cat-like felis and grey-skinned damphyr. No scaly dracid, however, or cambions, like Zyneth. Even so, he doesn¡¯t draw many looks. In fact, people are glancing toward me more often than my companion.


    ¡°Are homunculi rare?¡± I ask Zyneth. He frowns at my signs. I heave a mental sigh and get out the slate and chalk. Noli was still working with me on their alphabet, but that¡¯s only half the battle. Since everything gets translated to English in my brain, I¡¯m not just learning to write their alphabet, but I have to learn every word in their language from scratch, too. It¡¯s been slow going. Signs have come to me way faster¡ªmaybe it¡¯s an acting thing. I don¡¯t know. Long story short, I try to avoid writing when I can.


    I awkwardly scribble out the word for ¡°homunculi¡± and manage to get the rest of my point across.


    ¡°Ah,¡± he says once I¡¯ve finished. ¡°No, they¡¯re not particularly rare¡ªalthough they¡¯re most often leased to the wealthy or owned by businesses, so it¡¯s not surprising there wouldn¡¯t be many in a town as small as this.¡±


    The words owned and leased stir a discomfort in my soul. Rationally, I know other homunculi are artificial automatons: this world¡¯s version of robots. They¡¯re not people¡ªthey¡¯re not like me. But it¡¯s hard to shake that disquiet.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zyneth adds, ¡°that¡¯s unlikely why they¡¯re looking at you. A homunculus made of glass is nearly unheard of. For obvious practical reasons.¡±


    Yeah, you wouldn¡¯t want your delivery monkey to have its arms break off trying to pick up a heavy package.


    ¡°Just stay close to me and no one will bother you,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°They probably assume¡­¡± He trails off, probably thinking better of completing that thought.


    But I can read between the lines: everyone probably assumes I¡¯m his servant. Great.


    We make it to the town¡¯s square, where the telepad to other cities is located. For a moment I have a visceral reaction to seeing that stone pedestal; the last time I¡¯d used one I¡¯d been running for my life. Simultaneously, I¡¯d been frightened of being caught Between and forced to confront the predator. I try to push the feeling away. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. The predator is still trapped in my inventory, after all. Nothing is waiting for me Between. Even so, my soul aches at the memory, and I touch my core.


    Zyneth checks the schedule with a teller.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be another Miasmere alignment until tomorrow morning,¡± the dwarf tells him. ¡°But you can secure a pass now if you like.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Zyneth says.


    The dwarf sets down a flat, golf-ball sized stone with a strange rune carved into it. ¡°Five silvers.¡± He looks at me.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Zyneth pulls out a pouch and produces a string of ten coins from within it. He sets the whole string down. ¡°We¡¯ll be needing two, actually.¡±


    The dwarf¡¯s gaze sweeps around Zyneth, as if expecting someone else to be there, and it takes until that moment for it to finally hit me¡ªthe teller had been expecting me to pay. And he¡¯d probably been expecting me to hold onto that token, too. Because I¡¯m the manservant.


    Zyneth should have skimped him and just paid for one.


    Still, the dwarf doesn¡¯t object as he swipes the coins off the table and puts a second token down in their place.


    ¡°A pleasure,¡± Zyneth says, taking one and passing the other to me.


    ¡°Is this a ticket?¡± I ask as we head away. Last time we¡¯d used the telepad, I hadn¡¯t really been paying attention to the specifics of how it worked.


    Again, however, Zyneth shakes his head at my signs. This is quickly getting old. Instead I wiggle the stone token we got and sign, ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°It allows passage between linked telepads,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Though I assume you already surmised that.¡±


    ¡°Why two?¡± I sign.


    That much at least he understands. ¡°The telepad requires one token for every living being that passes through. Nonliving matter can be transported easily enough, which is why he¡¯d originally given me one. Typically, homunculi and other spelled servants can accompany their caster without issue. There¡¯s a possibility you could pass through without requiring a token as well, but given you have a soul, I believed it was best not to risk it. We purchased extra tokens for you and Noli last time as well.¡±


    Not risking it sounds great to me. And the idea that something on this planet recognizes me as a living person¡ªeven if that something is only a teleportation spell¡ªis kind of comforting. Kind of.


    ¡°I suppose we might as well find an inn,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Shame. We could have stayed with Noli and Rezira another night, if we¡¯d known the next alignment with Miasmere wasn¡¯t until tomorrow. Well, I suppose there¡¯s nothing for it. Come, we should be able to find a reputable place near here, the ones closest to a telepad square are often the most expensive yet most comfortable¡­¡±


    But I¡¯d stopped in my tracks. A person is standing at the side of the road, watching me. At least, I assume they¡¯re watching me. They¡¯re a head shorter, and appear to be made of stone, with lines of red like cracks in volcanic rock threaded over their skin. A large black marble sits where their eyes should be, and a hole through their chest burns with the flickering light of a fire.


    I don¡¯t need to ask for a Check to know this is a homunculus.


    It turns and begins to walk away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I close the gap and grab their wrist, and they stop. I¡¯m not even sure why I do it. If I had a heart right now it¡¯d be beating out of my chest. My soul feels tight. Anxiety is crawling through me like static. What am I doing? It¡¯s not rational. But I have to know¡ª


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    [Spell: Homunculus]


    [Type: Stone and Fire]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attack: 20]


    [HP: 100/100]


    [Mana: 0/0]


    No name. No Class or Species or Role. A fear I hadn¡¯t realized I¡¯d had uncoils inside of me.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± a woman snaps. I look down to notice her: a halfling standing by the homunculus¡¯s side. ¡°Let go of it!¡±


    I release the homunculus, snapping my hand away as if burned. The creature continues to stand there passively as if nothing had happened at all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I sign. What was I thinking? ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The halfling stares at me like I¡¯ve grown a second head¡ªor maybe just like my head is made of glass. ¡°Stay back.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± I stop when I notice her watching my hands. Not to read, but with an expression somewhere between confusion and fear.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± Zyneth says, slipping in front of me. ¡°I did not mean to disrupt your shopping.¡±


    I finally notice the basket of books in the homunculus¡¯s hand¡ªthe one I hadn¡¯t grabbed. It all clicks: the halfling was out shopping, and her homunculus was doing the heavy lifting.


    ¡°Watch your construct,¡± the halfling snaps. ¡°It tried to attack us!¡±


    ¡°A simple misunderstanding, I assure you,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°Its hands are twitching¡ªdo you see that?¡± she says, continuing to glare at me. ¡°It¡¯s malfunctioning. You shouldn¡¯t take it out in public when it¡¯s like this! Irresponsible.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°What type is that anyway? How garish.¡±


    Zyneth bows his head in apology. ¡°Again, I sincerely apologize. We will leave you be. Come,¡± he says to me, nudging me back. ¡°Let¡¯s be off.¡±


    I let Zyneth guide me away, too overwhelmed to think of a response. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m offended or relieved or¡ªor damn it all, I¡¯m just confused with myself. I know other homunculi are just spells. I know I¡¯m the exception. So why did seeing one shock me like that? Why did I feel so¡­ bothered? I don¡¯t even know what that was.


    Zyneth doesn¡¯t say anything as he hurries me away. I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s blushing beneath the blood-red tone of his skin, but I can tell he¡¯s a little flustered. Embarrassed, maybe? Is he embarrassed by me?


    My offense boils away. Of course he is. I just made a complete scene. The halfling isn¡¯t to blame for treating me like a servant¡ªno more than that teller had been. They didn¡¯t have any reason to think I was anything other than a mindless construct brought to life with Zyneth¡¯s magic. Stupid. That was stupid of me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I sign again. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I did that.¡±


    He waves off my apology. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t. I imagine this all must be¡­ somewhat overwhelming. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t prepare you better for what to expect.¡±


    I thought of what the halfling said. ¡°Does no one recognize signs? Is it that uncommon?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat,¡± Zyneth admits. ¡°It¡¯s most common in Valenia South. The primary inhabitants there speak exclusively through Sign Language. Though even if most people don¡¯t speak it themselves, they should be able to recognize it for what it is.¡±


    ¡°She thought I was broken.¡±


    Zyneth frowns. ¡°Yes, well. I can¡¯t entirely blame her. Seeing a person sign is quite different from seeing a homunculus sign. Homunculi cannot communicate. They have no soul or mind of their own. Tell me, if a direwolf were to start barking at you, would your first thought be that it was speaking a language?¡±


    They have direwolves here?


    Some half-forgotten instinct makes me raise my hand to my head¡ªto rub my temple or bury my face in my hands, I¡¯m not sure. The moment the glass in my hands tinks against my head, I realize what I¡¯m doing and stop. I¡¯m tired of not being seen as human. Even just being recognized as alive would be a step up. ¡°I wish I could just talk to them.¡± I look down at the slate I¡¯m still carrying. ¡°Or write better.¡±


    Zyneth gives me a sympathetic look. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the frustration. But you know, there may be a¡­¡± He pauses.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get your hopes up,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend, but sometimes I suspect you¡¯ve angered a god or two. This solution could go either way, and you have cosmically bad luck.¡±


    Tell me about it. ¡°What is it?¡± I ask anyway.


    ¡°There¡¯s translators,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°They work with most spoken and signed languages. I¡¯m not precisely sure how the magic functions, but I believe it operates on intent. I¡¯m not certain it would work with your native language, considering it doesn¡¯t exist here, but it might be worth a shot.¡±


    I suddenly recall Noli mentioning a translator when we¡¯d just left Trenevalt¡¯s cabin. That was nearly two months ago, but it feels like two years. ¡°That would be amazing!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zyneth adds, ¡°your first language would only be one of two potential barriers that might prevent it from functioning for you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask. The translator not recognizing English sounds like a big enough blocker on its own, but I still have to try.


    Zyneth makes a gesture that encompasses all of me. ¡°It is the same issue with regards to the teleportation token. We purchased a token for you because it was best to be safe. You do have a soul, after all. However, when we worked together to defeat the predator, the interaction between our magic was somewhat different, if you recall.¡±


    He¡¯s right. Rezira had tried using her school of magic¡ªhealing magic¡ªon me, and it hadn¡¯t done a thing. Meanwhile, Zyneth¡¯s artificer magic had worked to top off my mana tanks. And that was because healing magic is intended to be cast on living things, while artificer magic is used on inanimate objects.


    Which means that, at least according to their magic system, I fall into the latter category.


    ¡°The translator only works on living things?¡± I ask.


    ¡°There¡¯s never been an opportunity to use it on anything else,¡± Zyneth replies. ¡°Which is why I am uncertain if this would work or not. I don¡¯t know that it has ever been tried.¡±


    Well, I¡¯m just a walking ¡°First!¡± factory, aren¡¯t I? But I don¡¯t see the harm in giving it a shot. ¡°Where can we find one?¡±


    ¡°Miasmere,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I know of at least one shop we could stop by. We could take a look around here as well, but they¡¯re rather expensive, so I doubt anyone in a remote town such as this would be selling any.¡±


    The mention of price makes me uncomfortable. I really appreciate Zyneth paying for everything, and he already confessed to being well off, so it probably isn¡¯t a financial strain for him, but it still makes me uncomfortable. I don¡¯t like feeling indebted, even if I know he wouldn¡¯t see it that way.


    ¡°How much?¡± I ask.


    ¡°A few hundred¡­¡± He must have figured out why I¡¯m asking, because he stops himself. ¡°Please don¡¯t concern yourself with the cost. Besides, we won¡¯t be paying for anything if it doesn¡¯t work, anyway.¡±


    And by we he means him, because I won¡¯t be paying for anything regardless.


    Damn. Should I get a job in this world? I mean, I still intend to go home, but how long is that going to take?


    And Zyneth isn¡¯t the only one I owe. Attiru¡¯s map shop was destroyed because of me. I should help them. And then there¡¯s Tetara and Saru, the two survivors of the predator¡¯s attack, though I know money won¡¯t bring back their dead friends.


    I suppress a shudder at the memory, and touch a hand to my core once more.


    Zyneth grabs us an inn near the central square, and I¡¯m greeted with a weird sense of deja vu as we¡¯re directed to our room. He¡¯d bought us a room last time, too¡ªalthough now there¡¯s not the looming sense of doom hanging over my shoulders as we¡¯re shown inside.


    Zyneth stops dead in the doorframe.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask, trying to peek around.


    ¡°Ah, er, I am still getting used to them identifying you as a homunculus as well,¡± Zyneth says, his shoulders hunching up with¡­ embarrassment? ¡°I had just assumed¡­ Well, it was my fault, really, for not specifying.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Impatient, I push past him into the room and look around.


    I don¡¯t get it. It¡¯s a normal room. Like the one I¡¯d stayed at in Harrowood, there¡¯s a desk, a trunk, a window, and a bed.


    One bed.


    Oh.


    Zyneth clears his throat uncomfortably. ¡°I¡¯ll go back and ask for a different room. One with two beds this time.¡±


    Right¡ªof course the innkeep wouldn¡¯t book a bed for the automaton. I would be irritated if I wasn¡¯t starting to get used to this treatment. But hey, I guess if it saved Zyneth a few coins, I¡¯m not complaining.


    ¡°No,¡± I sign. ¡°It¡¯s okay. One will work.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s eyebrows shoot up. ¡°Ah, well, I mean¡­ I¡¯m not sure if¡ªthe bed is rather small¡ªit seems that would be¡­ impractical.¡± He glances away, flustered.


    I stare at him in confusion. What? Why¡¯s he acting so embarrassed? And is that a blush I see? What did I say? It¡¯s just a bed. We don¡¯t need two, if¡­


    It hits me like a ton of bricks.


    Oh fuck! ¡°No, no, I meant, I don¡¯t need a bed!¡± I hurriedly add, haphazardly scribbling on the slate to try to get the point across. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep. I¡¯ll just, I can wait outside, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Zyneth says, his shoulders sagging in relief. ¡°Yes, of course, that makes more sense.¡± He passes a hand over his face, then looks at me, regaining his composure. ¡°Right. Well, I think I will go¡­ find dinner. Then jump out a window, perhaps.¡±


    I am seriously considering doing the same.


    ¡°Well, please make yourself comfortable,¡± Zyneth says, hastily backing out of the room. ¡°I will be down in the pub. Feel free to¡­¡± Even he seems to realize he¡¯s rambling. ¡°...do things. I¡¯ll return within the hour.¡± He closes the door, his footsteps beating a hasty retreat down the hall.


    I stand there for a moment, waiting for the mortification to finally kill me. When that doesn¡¯t happen, I slump against the door, gaze returning to the stupid lone bed.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I sign at the empty room.

 Book 2 Recap

    After getting Noli¡¯s soul back in her body, Kanin sets his sights on the same. Spending a month Attuning and Sculpting glass, he builds a body capable of accompanying Zyneth to the country¡¯s capital, where he hopes to learn more about his predicament. In the Library of Miasmere Kanin investigates ways to recover his body. This line of study leads to him discovering a portal in the underwater ruins of Emrox that might lead back to Earth. Only, Kanin isn¡¯t sure if he wants to leave this world anymore. At least the portal might provide an opportunity to retrieve his body.


    But the portal to Earth evolves from possibility to urgent need when Kanin is attacked, his core damaged, and a fraction of the predator leaks back into the world. Now, getting to Earth wouldn¡¯t just be a way to recover his body, but could provide an avenue for escaping the predator¡¯s influence as well.


    Desperate to rid himself of the predator before it becomes too much to control, Kanin seeks help from an unlikely source: Gillow, a black market dealer Zyneth is indebted to. Gillow agrees to use their magical submarine to take the crew to Emrox, on the condition that Kanin steals a magical artifact from the Library required to power the vessel. Kanin initially hesitates, but when Gillow sweetens the pot¡ªand offers to wipe out all of Zyneth¡¯s remaining debt¡ªKanin jumps at the opportunity.


    But the Library¡¯s curator, Yedzaquib, is not so easily parted from his collection. Zyneth and Kanin sneak into the Library¡¯s underbelly and manage to find the artifact¡ªjust as Yedzaquib finds them. Yedzaquib is willing to let Zyneth go, but intends to keep Kanin as payment, in part due to the ¡®remnant¡¯ he sees latched to Kanin¡¯s soul. Thinking quick, Kanin uses the predator to take down the magical barriers inside the Library, releasing all the dangerous magical artifacts and prisoners being kept there. The Library is thrown into chaos and Yedzaquib is injured, allowing Kanin to escape with Zyneth, the artifact, and his life. But while his use of the predator facilitated their successful heist and retreat, it also resulted in the creature growing more powerful. The clock is ticking until Kanin won¡¯t be able to suppress it any longer.


    While recovering from the Library, Kanin and Zyneth have a heart-to-heart. Zyneth admits burgeoning feelings for Kanin, and while Kanin admits the same, he is reluctant to commit to a relationship given the likelihood of him leaving. The two leave the matter unresolved as they take the artifact to Gillow and prepare for their undersea journey.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The path to Emrox is filled with magical sea beasts, which the group fights their way through. When they finally arrive, Kanin finds the fabled spell circle that can take him home, but he hesitates on its hearth. Once more Zyneth asks him to consider other options, as they both have a bad feeling that the predator might try to make some move when the portal is activated. Kanin nearly relents¡ªbefore Gillow launches an attack, damaging his core and summoning the predator¡¯s wrath.


    Quickly outmatched by the predator, Gillow attempts to flee in their submarine, which would leave both Kanin and Zyneth stranded at the bottom of the ocean. Seeing only one way to keep Gillow from leaving, Kanin activates the portal, trapping them all on the precipice of two worlds.


    While Gillow flees in an escape pod, Zyneth accompanies Kanin to the brink of Between, where Kanin can look back into Earth. What he finds there devastates him: his body in a graveyard, long since buried. There is no way to go home.


    While the two are distracted, the predator slips away, breaking the rest of itself out of Kanin¡¯s inventory and overwhelming him. Zyneth retreats back into his world, while the predator uses the link to Earth as a way to collect souls¡ªlike Kanin¡¯s¡ªwho had died and fallen Between. Zyneth fights the predator in an attempt to free Kanin, and in the process, the trapped human souls are released into the world. Due to quick thinking on Zyneth¡¯s part, and the sliver of control Kanin retained, the two work together to cause an explosion which blows the predator away.


    In the settling dust, the Ruins of Emrox begin to collapse. The predator is scattered, but not defeated: now Kanin and the predator¡¯s influence levels are exactly even, neither edging out the other. Kanin helps an injured Zyneth back into the submarine as the ocean collapses back in around them, and the two are sent adrift: aimless, injured, but alive and together.


    Kanin no longer wants to try to find a way back home¡ªor a way to recover his body. He was in denial about both of those things, and now he only wants to move on. After all, he has a new mission: find the lost human souls he accidentally brought into this world.

 Chapter 94 - Captains Log: Day 4 Lost in the Emerald Sea

    Getting marooned at the bottom of the ocean in a crippled submarine with rapidly dwindling supplies can be surprisingly peaceful.


    I mean, it¡¯s quiet, at least. Lots of hours to reflect on the long list of mistakes you might have made. Quality time spent with an attractive cambion who is bafflingly interested in you despite your inorganic glass form.


    And sure, Gillow¡¯s out there somewhere, potentially preparing to enact their revenge by murdering us and taking back their ship. Technically, a void monster is fused to my soul and is capable of controlling my mind at any moment. I suppose it could be said that we have no control over our ship, nor a way to replenish the food and air supplies for Zyneth, nor can we predict when teleporting sea serpents might attack us without warning.


    But given the circumstances, it could be worse. At least we¡¯re both still alive.


    Actually, alive might be debatable, in my case.


    Remember, no eating the magic, I tell the predator. This is for my renewal spell, understood? We need it to keep from ending up Between.


    The predator grumbles from inside my head, not very pleased by the prospect of leaving my magic alone, but at least aware of the consequences if it touches it.


    Okay, good, I say, still a little suspicious. It¡¯s like an untrained dog. While I¡¯m staring it down, I know it might not have the courage to snatch food from the table, but I don¡¯t trust it not to try the second my back is turned.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Zyneth asks from his seat at the helm. His hands are outstretched in my direction, already beginning to glow with the faint yellow of his magic.


    I¡¯m standing in the middle of a spell circle I¡¯ve drawn on the main deck of the Prismatic, the only part of the ship large enough for a spell circle that can accommodate my form. I mean, I could just make a smaller circle, one sized to my vial, but over the past few days, as I¡¯ve been stitching my broken body back together (albeit a much more thin and frail form given all the glass I lost in Emrox,) I made the long-overdue decision to fix my core into the chest of my glass body like a little magical heart.


    My chest. My body. It¡¯s still a weird mental adjustment to make. This body isn¡¯t temporary anymore. This is it. Which means I need to start focusing on turning it into the most ideal form I can¡ªmaterials permitting.


    ¡°Ready,¡± I tell Zyneth. ¡°Just laying out the ground rules with my passenger.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take all my mana this time?¡± he asks. ¡°Because at some point we¡¯re going to need it for something else. Like not dying.¡±


    ¡°This will not be a repeat of last time,¡± I say, turning an inward glare toward the predator. Right?


    It dignifies my accusation with a disgruntled growl. Good enough, I guess.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°Here we¡ª¡±


    I lurch to the side as the room pitches sideways, and only the void saves me from shattering against the wall. Zyneth clutches his chair as I dislodge myself from the nest of black tentacles that have sprung up from beneath my cloak and grabbed every available surface.


    Outside the window, giant plate-sized suckers are pressed to the glass. ¡°Oh, for the love of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got company,¡± Zyneth says, hands flying over the controls.


    I stumble upright and lurch my way over the slanted floor to the nearest chair, where I can tap into the Prismatic¡¯s weapons systems. ¡°Can we not catch one fucking break?!¡±


    ¡°Technically, we¡¯ve had several quiet days without any attacks,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Likely due to your spell at Emrox clearing the surrounding waters of null arcana. But now that it¡¯s had time to reaccumulate¡ª¡±


    ¡°That was rhetorical, Zyneth!¡± I strap myself into the seat and slam my hands down on spell circles, blue lines of magic swirling into existence and shining distortedly through my glass. Two new entities appear in my mind: the controls for two of the ship¡¯s giant mechanical tentacles. I unfurl them from the back of the ship and bring them around to get a good look at what¡¯s grabbed onto us.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The predator stirs with eager anticipation as we catch sight of the creature. Attached to the front of the Prismatic like some sort of horrific, wriggling tumor is a massive cluster of tentacles, like a whole school of octopi got scaled up and squished together.


    (Octopuses? Octopi? Is ¡®school¡¯ even the right term?)


    Either way, it¡¯s some kind of gross eldritch abomination.


    ¡°Alright, I can see it,¡± I tell Zyneth. ¡°It¡¯s big, but it looks pretty squishy, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll give us too much trouble. Let me just¡ª¡±


    I pull two strands of void from beneath my cloak, intending to tap into two more of the Prismatic¡¯s limbs. But before I have a chance to activate the additional spell circles, the void pulls away from me, and a mental concussion slaps through my mind like a punch to the gut. I double over as the void snaps away from all my limbs, the predator grinning in my head as the void darts through the room and vanishes into the ship.


    Zyneth turns, alarmed. ¡°Was that the predator? What is it doing?¡±


    Trying not to panic, I wonder the same. Left without a drop of void to reinforce my joints, my glass body suddenly feels rickety and unstable; it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m strapped to the chair, or I might have collapsed from the sudden absence.


    The predator doesn¡¯t care about any of this. I can feel its excited dash through the ship, arriving in the cargo bay before plunging out one of the windows and into the ocean. It only has one thing on its mind: slaughter the beast attached to our hull.


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s just helping,¡± I tell Zyneth, trying not to sound as alarmed as I feel. The predator tears into the beast with sadistic glee, ripping its limbs apart. ¡°Getting some pent-up energy out, I think.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Zyneth says hesitantly. ¡°That¡¯s good. Right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± But truthfully, I¡¯m shaken. It moved so quickly, with such force, I didn¡¯t even have a chance to react. I have no control over it. It¡¯s an untamed animal, bored and hungry, and if it ever arbitrarily decides to turn its bloodlust onto Zyneth, I don¡¯t know if I could stop it. At least it¡¯s left him alone so far; some of my attachment to Zyneth has filtered into the predator enough for it to treat him as an ally, I think. But what happens when I get back to land? What will I do when we¡¯re surrounded by people instead of sea monsters?


    I can feel the thrill of elation when the predator reaches the creature¡¯s soul and pounces on it. Teeth of void tear through it in seconds, and the predator pulls the scraps of soul into its void, absorbing the energy in three gluttonous bites. Alarmed, I Check my Influence stat, but it remains stable at 50%. Instead, the excess magic the predator absorbed alters a different stat.


    [Predator Time Limit: 167 hours]


    I relax slightly. I¡¯ve pretty much given up on the idea of distracting the predator long enough to get its magic stores to run out. I recover enough mana at this point that it can continuously siphon enough points off of me to keep itself from ever timing out. If eating sea monster souls just boosts a semi-irrelevant stat instead of causing it to gain Influence over me, I can live with that.


    In the end, I don¡¯t even need to use the ship¡¯s limbs. The predator completely shreds the tentacle monster in a matter of minutes, leaving the surrounding waters clouded with viscera and fish meat.


    ¡°Well,¡± Zyneth says at length, staring out the window. ¡°At least it can be said it¡¯s an effective sea creature deterrent.¡±


    That¡¯s an understatement.


    As the predator finally bores of shredding small bits of flesh into even smaller pieces, it finally slinks back toward the ship. It would have liked to go hunting for more, but the waters surrounding the ship are as far as it can venture, given its range is still anchored to my core. That¡¯s one small blessing, I suppose.


    Echo blips into my mind as the predator spills back into the ship.


    [EXP Threshold met. Level up! Class Evolution unlocked.]


    [Name: Kanin]


    [Class: Wizard (Pending Evolution)]


    [Level: 20]


    [HP: 10/10]


    [Temp HP: 197]


    [Mana: 200/200]


    [Role: Homunculus]


    Well, what do you know? The predator killing things counts toward my experience as well. Is that because it¡¯s tied to my soul? Or because my Attuned void is mixed in with its essence?


    ¡°Hey, Zyneth,¡± I say, calling his attention away from the gory visage still floating outside the window. As I do so, the predator makes it back to the deck, slinking into the room. I pause, and both of us stare, as the creature flows back over to me. It¡¯s like looking at a picture you can¡¯t quite bring into focus. One moment it appears to be made of shadow, and the next it almost seems more like tar. It could be a puddle of oil, but then it takes a step, and it almost seems to have a wolfish form. Maybe it¡¯s all these things at once, and this is the only way my mind can think to interpret it.


    The predator flows back beneath my cloak in a frankly creepy display, then I feel the void fall back within my control once more. Uneasily, I patch up my joints, and hide the rest away in the shadows of my coat, as the predator mentally curls up for a self-satisfied nap.


    How is this my life?


    ¡°Uh, anyway,¡± I say awkwardly, as Zyneth continues to stare. ¡°I was going to say, it looks like I¡¯ve got a class evolution option.¡±


    He tears his eyes away from my coat, gaze lifting to my face, despite the fact that I don¡¯t really have one. ¡°A what?¡± he asks.


    ¡°A class evolution,¡± I say. ¡°I think it will give me some new abilities. It might help with¡­ well, everything.¡±


    ¡°What sorts of new abilities?¡± Zyneth asks, reclining in the chair and appearing to relax a fraction.


    What are my class evolution options? I ask Echo.


    She lays them all out for me.


    If I had eyes, I¡¯d be rolling them.

 Chapter 95 - Class Evolution

    Echo begins listing off the class options. [Mirror Mage.]


    ¡°Sounds dumb,¡± I say.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what it¡¯s called,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°What does it do?¡±


    [A class specializing in glass based magics. Mana consumption reduced by 50% for glass-based spells. Glass Attunement time reduced by 50%. The user additionally obtains the skill Elemental Dowsing which allows them to discover Attunable elements within range.]


    ¡°Could be useful,¡± I admit, relaying the information to Zyneth. ¡°I really need to develop my glass magic. Especially if I can find a way to make it less fragile.¡±


    ¡°That should certainly be possible,¡± Zyneth agrees. ¡°Maybe even without this class evolution. I¡¯ve witnessed glass more durable than the type you wield: perhaps it has something to do with how it¡¯s forged. Regardless, what are the other options?¡±


    [Shade Sorcerer,] Echo says next.


    I snort. ¡°Could it be any more edgy?¡±


    ¡°No one will know what it¡¯s called, Kanin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll know.¡±


    [A class specializing in void based magics. Mana consumption reduced by 50% for void-based magics. Physical void constructs durability and precision increased by 50%. The user additionally obtains the skill Elemental Dowsing which allows them to discover Attunable elements within range.]


    ¡°So, effectively the same thing but for your void magic,¡± Zyneth says after I¡¯ve repeated the summary aloud.


    If it reduced mana consumption for using the void, maybe this would stem the predator¡¯s constant hunger for more souls and help me wrangle a little more control over it. Alternatively, the increased durability and precision to void magic might just make the predator stronger. This one could turn out really useful, or really bad.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Zyneth asks.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s one more. Let¡¯s see, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    [Arcane Attendant]


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± I sigh. ¡°Is the alliteration necessary?¡±


    ¡°Just tell me what it means!¡± Zyneth cries, exasperated.


    [A servant class specializing in the protection and assistance of others. The user gains access to the passive ability Arcane Guardian: When spells are used for the benefit of anyone other than the user, all arcana use increases in effectiveness by 100%. Elemental Kinesthesia increased by 50%. Mana consumption reduced by 50%. The user additionally obtains the skill Elemental Dowsing which allows them to discover Attunable elements within range.]


    ¡°It¡¯s a play off my Role,¡± I explain, mildly annoyed. ¡°The Homunculus. An artificial servant. It¡¯s rewarding me if I continue to play that part.¡±


    ¡°That seems¡­ vindictive,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°The gods of this world must have a sick sense of humor,¡± I grumble. ¡°But the joke¡¯s on them¡ªI¡¯m a bigger person now. Something as small as a dumb class name won¡¯t get to me.¡±


    Zyneth raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Okay it won¡¯t get to me much,¡± I admit. ¡°But it does seem like the class to pick.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zyneth asks. ¡°It¡¯s only useful situationally. If you¡¯re defending yourself, for instance, you won¡¯t gain any bonuses.¡±


    ¡°But it won¡¯t hurt, either,¡± I say. ¡°It would be the same as I am now; and with the predator invested in keeping me alive, I¡¯m less worried about protecting myself than making sure the same can be said for others.¡±


    Zyneth, specifically.


    ¡°When in effect, it is stronger than the other two classes combined,¡± Zyneth admits. ¡°And it¡¯s definitely advantageous that it boosts both of your affinities.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I say. ¡°Two in one.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve already made your choice,¡± Zyneth says.


    I hesitate. This is an important decision, and I should probably give it more than ten seconds of thought.


    Mirror Mage (as stupid as the name sounds) would probably be the safest pick. I need glass manipulation no matter what, and making my body stronger¡ªnow that it¡¯s probably my permanent body¡ªshould be my number one priority from a magic standpoint.


    The Shade class is high risk, high reward. It could be the solution to gain a leg up over the predator. But it might also tip the tables in the opposite direction, and I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a risk I can take.


    Which, of course, leaves the cheeky servant class.


    Echo, I ask her. If the ship were to come under attack, and I used my magic to protect it, would the conditions be met for activating Arcane Attendant¡¯s effects?


    [The answer varies depending on the specifics of the situation.]


    Assuming Zyneth was onboard, I clarify.


    [Affirmative,] Echo says. [If magic was used to protect a structure in which the user was aware others were housed, the conditions of the Arcane Attendant class would go into effect.]


    That¡¯s exactly what I needed to hear. This class will help keep us alive while we¡¯re still trapped in the submarine. And once we get to land¡ªonce, not if¡ªit will also help me when I start tracking down the lost souls.


    Yeah, I haven¡¯t forgotten about those guys, as frustrating as it is that there¡¯s nothing I can do to try to find or help any of them at the moment. I¡¯ll just have to hope their first few days on this planet are better than mine.


    ¡°Arcane Attendant,¡± I say with an inward grimace. Okay, Zyneth might have been right that the name still bugs me. But I won¡¯t let that stop me! ¡°Select class evolution, Echo.¡±


    [Class evolution selected,] Echo says, and a warm energy washes over me. [Spell obtained: Elemental Dowsing. Ability obtained: Arcane Guardian. Mana: +100. Mana Recovery Rate: 1 point per minute.]


    [Name: Kanin]


    [Class: Arcane Attendant]


    [Level: 20]


    [HP: 10/10]


    [Temp HP: 197]


    [Mana: 300/300]


    [Role: Homunculus]


    The predator sits up and pays attention. It seems to understand that some sort of latent boost has been granted to its void abilities, even if it¡¯s not in effect at this moment.


    Don''t get too excited, I tell it. We only get the effects of Arcane Guardian while we¡¯re helping someone.


    The predator doesn''t seem to understand this, which is entirely unsurprising.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± Zyneth asks. ¡°You don¡¯t look any different.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel any different,¡± I admit. ¡°But hey! I got a pretty significant mana boost. About time!¡± Not to mention, my mana recovery rate is way better than it had been before.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    All it costs is a sliver of my dignity every time I glance at my Class.


    ¡°That¡¯s great news.¡± He smiles wryly. ¡°Maybe now you won¡¯t need to leech off my mana every time you need to renew your spell.¡±


    ¡°Leech!¡± I repeat, offended. ¡°That spell keeps me alive, thank you very much!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he says with a chuckle. ¡°I apologize for comparing you to a blood sucking parasite. There¡¯s no blood involved at all.¡±


    I grumble. ¡°The only parasite here is the predator.¡±


    Despite his teasing, Zyneth still offers me some of his mana when I finally get back to completing my Core Bond renewal. I use up all of my mana and some of his, buying another week for my spell.


    It¡¯s always a little anxiety-inducing, being a week or two away from death if I¡¯m not paying attention and run out of mana at the wrong time. But with my new mana recovery rate, I could theoretically perform the spell four times a day, allowing me to add three weeks to my Core Bond spell each time¡ªassuming I don¡¯t need to do any other magic that day.


    At least now it looks like I won¡¯t have to obsessively check Trenevalt¡¯s bracelet anymore. The glow of its beads are linked to the spell¡¯s duration, which has been providing me with a visual reminder to top off my spell whenever too many of them are dark. I remove the bracelet, running the beads through my fingers. Then I slip it back on. Its absence feels strange, and the extra reminder can¡¯t hurt, anyway.


    The predator peeks an eye open when it notices all my magic has drained away, then settles back down again. After the soul it ate earlier, it no longer feels threatened by me being low on mana. I guess both of us have strengthened our stakes in reality, now.


    The rest of the day passes without any more monster attacks. Zyneth spends most of his time studying the controls of the ship, trying to intuit the runes that keep the sub running, and which ones might point us back to land. I study some sign language¡ªreally that book is the only form of entertainment I have down here¡ªfix little pieces of my still-broken body as my recovering mana allows, and try out my new Elemental Dowsing spell.


    Like my Inspect spell, which allows me to trace magical connections and learn a bit about their purpose, the Dowsing spell¡¯s mana consumption depends on how big of a range I use. I can have it running at 1 mana per minute, perfectly balancing with my mana recovery rate, if I only apply its area of effect to a sphere with a one-foot radius originating from my core. Which is, of course, totally useless. If I¡¯m looking for some glass or void to Attune, and it¡¯s already right in my face, I don¡¯t need a spell to find it. However, if I wait until I¡¯ve saved up some more mana, it could be interesting. Each point of mana doubles its range, so spending 10 mana per second expands the range to a whopping 500 feet. Of course, I could only keep it going for 30 seconds, and then I¡¯d be out of mana and unable to Attune anything, but still, it could be useful for when I need some more glass in a pinch. I¡¯m eager to try it out once I¡¯m not stuck at the bottom of the ocean.


    As the evening approaches, I can feel the predator becoming restless. It had been moping and recovering since Emrox, having lost half of its power in the explosion of the arcana containment cube, but I guess today¡¯s hunting spree has reawakened some of its instincts. I warily keep my eye on it as Zyneth prepares for bed and I take up watch on the main deck. I hate sitting here all night, twiddling my thumbs in the dark and silence, anxiously waiting for something out there to find us.


    Words tickle my mind: We don¡¯t have to wait.


    I mentally cast a suspicious glance toward the predator. What are you talking about?


    We are a predator, not prey, it thinks. We should be out there in the waters, hunting anything that dares venture too close; not waiting for them to come to us!


    I can¡¯t go out in the water, I say, tapping the core in my chest. The pressure would crush my vial. Or have you forgotten?


    The predator paces angrily in my mind. So weak! No, it hasn¡¯t forgotten. But we don¡¯t need to risk our soul to guard our territory. Our range is big enough that just the void can leave. We know this: it showed us earlier today.


    Don¡¯t remind me, I say. But speaking of that stunt, we need to have a talk about how we¡¯re going to coexist going forward. You can¡¯t just leave whenever you feel like killing something.


    Even if it saves us?


    Well, I hesitate. That might be an allowable exception.


    The predator smirks.


    But you still have to be careful, I add before it can get too full of itself. If I hadn¡¯t been strapped into a chair, I would have collapsed, and that could have injured my core.


    That sullens the predator. It doesn¡¯t want to risk damaging our soul. It needs it. Maybe¡­ maybe¡­ it can leave some of its void behind so I am not so weak.


    That¡¯s my void, thank you very much.


    Our void, the predator counters.


    I sigh. Alright, fine. I¡¯m willing to share, if you¡¯re willing to play ball.


    I get the mental equivalent of a head tipped in confusion.


    What I mean is, I want to figure out a system that works for both of us, I say. No more surprise unilateral decisions on your part. And no more eating souls.


    That sours the predator¡¯s mood. It needs souls to stay in reality. To keep from being sent to the timeless monotony of Between.


    For a moment, my train of thought is knocked off track. I¡¯d never really spared a moment to think about why the predator wanted to stay in reality. With its thoughts just now, however, I caught a glimpse of what it experienced while stuck in the null dimension: endless nothingness. Infinite boredom. A lack of everything¡ªno sense of space, no sense of time, no sense of self. The mind-numbing lack of stimulation was its own form of torture. Any living creature would have been driven mad in its place.


    Was it some thinking creature that had been driven mad over the eons? The thought briefly horrifies me, but as I catch another whiff of the predator¡¯s memories of its time spent Between, I realize that, no: It was just really, really bored.


    Anyway, you don¡¯t really need souls to stay in reality, do you? I point out, not letting the extremely-faint-and-already-diminishing pity I feel for the creature distract me from its argument. You can absorb excess mana from my soul and achieve the same thing. That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing for over a month now.


    The predator wilts. Yes, but it doesn¡¯t taste nearly as good.


    Cry me a river. Taking souls kills people.


    But it took a soul earlier today, and I did not object.


    That¡¯s different, I say. That was a monster, and it was attacking us. Do you even understand the difference between a creature and a person?


    The predator is confused by this. It sees I am referring to one type of creature vs another, but can¡¯t fully distinguish the two.


    That¡¯s why you¡¯re not allowed to eat any more souls, I say. Until you can distinguish an animal from a person, they¡¯re off limits. That¡¯s a hard line you¡¯re not allowed to cross.


    Fine, the predator concedes. It won¡¯t take Zyneth¡¯s soul.


    Or anyone else¡¯s! I cry. God, it¡¯s like arguing with a brick wall.


    Perhaps reacting to my own emotions, I feel a current of irritation stir in the predator. So many demands. But what does it gain? How is this¡­ It pauses, unsure what it¡¯s even trying to articulate. Then it reaches into me, into my mind and memories, just as I¡¯d been doing with it a moment before. I reel back at the invasion, but the predator found the concept it was looking for.


    Fair. How is this fair? What does the predator gain from this cooperation?


    At that, I¡¯m at a loss for words. Frankly, I hadn¡¯t really been concerned with what the predator got out of it. I¡¯m not sure, I admit. What is it you want?


    Souls.


    No.


    Permanently merging our minds and body.


    Absolutely not.


    Just a couple souls.


    Still no.


    The predator growls. It doesn¡¯t have to ask. It doesn¡¯t have to work with me. It might not be at its full strength, but it¡¯s just as strong as I am.


    Its presence builds into a pressure, its mind pressing against my own, and I have to push abruptly back to keep from being overwhelmed.


    I can resist, the predator acknowledges. I can fight it off sometimes. But I can¡¯t fight it off forever.


    Alright, I say, shoving it away with not a small amount of effort. You¡¯ve made your point. And as much as I hate to admit it, you¡¯re right: I can¡¯t always beat you. And you can¡¯t always beat me. But constantly fighting each other isn¡¯t going to make either of us happy. So what¡¯s the compromise?


    The predator laughs; the answer is obvious. And I really can¡¯t blame it, because it¡¯s right, the answer is obvious, just not one I particularly like. But if I¡¯m making demands, and it¡¯s willing to meet them, then I have to be willing to make concessions, too.


    The predator¡¯s mind swirls around me excitedly as it brings its proposal into focus.


    50/50. That¡¯s the split in our power. So it¡¯s only fair that should be the split in our control, too. During the day, we do what I want and stay separate, but at night, we agree to the predator¡¯s wants and become one mind. It argues that the night is when I need its help the most. Both of us on watch is better than just one. Watching out for prey is the best time to let it act freely.


    Not completely freely, I object. No eating souls. No killing anyone.


    The predator¡¯s mind presses closer. Excited. Fine, no souls. But what about killing creatures? What if they attack us?


    Just self-defense, I say, hesitant. Only if we¡¯re protecting the submarine.


    Its will is pressing against my own, waiting for me to agree, but I still hold it back. It¡¯s not really trying to take over my mind, yet. But it¡¯s eagerly waiting to.


    And stay away from Zyneth, I hurriedly add.


    The predator scoffs. It already said it would not hurt the cambion.


    It circles closer around my mind, waiting for me to give in, and I try to fight off the swell of anxiety this summons within me. I know this is the right move, even if it terrifies me. I know I have to do this, even if I hate it.


    First, it had been the dominant mind, and crushed my will. Then, I¡¯d been the one in control, suppressing it. Neither of these approaches were sustainable. If we both want to survive, we have to find a way to coexist.


    And I¡¯ve witnessed it learn. I know it can grasp ideas now it didn¡¯t understand when it first latched itself to my soul. If I want to temper its threat to others, connecting with it daily¡ªexposing it to more human thoughts and feelings¡ªmight be the best way to expedite that change. It will only be another couple of weeks until we make it back to land. Will that be enough time for any recognizable change? I guess, if nothing else, I have to try. I don¡¯t know if the two of us coming to an understanding will ever be possible, but maybe at least a truce¡ª


    The predator pushes more forcefully at my mind. Enough thinking. Now, it¡¯s time to hunt.


    For one panicked moment, I fight back, instinctively clutching to my control. But this is what I agreed to. This is the first step toward moving forward. Forcing myself to make the most terrifying choice I¡¯ve ever had to make, I stop fighting, and I let the predator win.

 Chapter 96 - Beach Day

    We bound through the ship like an excited puppy, making a beeline for the exit. Well, most of us does: we had to leave our core back in the control room. But we take small bits of glass with us, pieces that don¡¯t have air pockets. They act as bones within our form and can be rearranged as claws or teeth as we see fit. We like it when we¡¯re able to merge the two magics. Even the part of us that doesn¡¯t want to admit it¡ªwe feel more whole when we¡¯re able to make void and glass work together.


    When we reach the cargo bay, we dive out the window and into the ocean. The sea immediately assaults our senses¡ªcold and briny¡ªsensations that summon a keen sense of nostalgia in half of us. Smell, taste¡­ senses that have been locked away for so many months now. It stirs an uncomfortable ache in our mind, which we quickly squash. We came out here to feel powerful and good, not whiny and pathetic!


    The water passes through our void in a strange, viscous sensation, yet we have no difficulty maneuvering the dark, empty waters. Attuned void, like all Attuned magic, is propelled by instinct and intention. Simply wishing to be in another place moves us in that direction.


    As we make a few laps around the Prismatic, keeping a keen eye out for the telltale shifting currents of nearby prey, we can start to feel the limit of our range. Although the many level-ups we¡¯ve gained while on the underwater mission has increased the range of our Attuned magics, it still doesn¡¯t feel like nearly enough freedom. We¡¯re bound to our core by a radius of a little over one hundred feet, now. That might seem like a lot, but it feels like a short leash.


    Which isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it¡¯s good we can¡¯t range too far.


    Ridiculous! How are we supposed to hunt this way?


    The goal isn¡¯t to hunt: it¡¯s to protect the Prismatic.


    That¡¯s the same thing. And we¡¯d be more efficient at it if we could go farther. Expand and guard our territory.


    That will only happen if we level up.


    Which we get from fighting!


    And practicing spells.


    We chew on this thought. It doesn¡¯t seem as fun as fighting. There is no sense of victory in doing spells. And they seem so restrictive¡ªnothing like the instinctive way we can shape and move our void. But if it makes us more powerful¡­


    Yes! We will practice spells. But which ones?


    Any of them are good to practice and level up. But if we want to build up our body¡ªbecome stronger, more durable¡ªwe need more material to work with. The newly acquired Elemental Dowsing spell could be a good place to start.


    For once, we¡¯re all in agreement, equally curious to try the spell and learn what it can do. Getting stronger and building our body into a more ideal form is something both of us want. On these things, at least, we are in sync.


    We try to activate the spell in just a small range at first¡ªbut nothing happens. Right. We¡¯ve always struggled to activate spells when we¡¯re like this. Like there¡¯s interference. It¡¯s interesting, because simply controlling the Attuned glass and void still comes easily. And there have been times when we were able to perform a spell while the predator was in control¡ªlike when we teleported our core through the ocean via a Displace spell the predator intuited from the tempo squids. But the predator hadn¡¯t known it was a spell called Displace; it had just acted on instinct. Is that the trick? When we are separate, we rely on a concrete magic system to perform spells¡ªconcrete, similar to our mortal mind.


    But like this, an entity of abstraction, concrete ideas begin to crumble. Is that how we must operate in this form? By embracing the turmoil?


    We try again with the Dowsing spell. Without trying to separate our minds, without trying to reach for Echo or the System, without trying to force concrete rules into the chaos that is this form. Instead, we cast our mind out, imagining what we want, willing it to be: searching for void or glass that we can join with.


    [...ell activated¡­]


    And to our surprise, we feel something. We can feel our awareness expand¡ªand a strength in us faintly ebbing away. Is that the Dowsing spell we can feel? And mana being extinguished? For a moment we want to pull our mind back, search for Echo and our interface to check¡ªbut we can confirm later. For now, we¡¯re too excited to explore the function of this spell.


    We focus the Elemental Dowsing spell downward, searching for the seafloor. If we¡¯re going to find glass we can Attune anywhere, it¡¯s down there. But there¡¯s nothing in that direction to sense. Are we too high up? Is the range of our spell too small? We plunge downward, continuing our search.


    And then¡­


    Ah! Like sparks of light in the dark. Tiny, miniscule flickers of something at the edge of our range. Are those grains of glass? Specks of void? We don¡¯t know, but we¡¯re eager to find out. We swim toward them, picking up speed as we eagerly close in on our treasure.


    And then a painful pressure snaps through us. We reel back in surprise and hurt, a tension like a taut spring pulling us back toward the Prismatic.


    It¡¯s the range of our void. We can¡¯t move any further away from our core. The distance aches in us like a sprained limb.


    Agh! So close, too. The speckles of light are only a dozen feet away. Maybe if we just stretched a little farther¡ª


    The pressure again spikes into sudden pain, and we recoil. No, this is a limitation we can¡¯t test. What if trying to pull away from our core actually works, and the connection snaps? It might kill us. It might send us back Between.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Can¡¯t risk it. Sulking, we drift back toward the Prismatic. We were so close to finding something, too! If only we were a little bit deeper.


    The thought gives us pause. Maybe we can move a little deeper. Zyneth has been working on the controls of the ship. What if¡­


    No! Bad idea. This is a bad idea. Given our track record, we¡¯d end up nose-diving the sub into the ocean floor.


    But we don¡¯t have to mess with the controls. With our void outside the ship, maybe a little nudge is all it needs.


    We still don¡¯t think this is a good idea. Zyneth would tell us, ¡°Kanin/Predator, this is not a very good idea.¡±


    That¡¯s never stopped us before.


    Okay, yes, fair point. But maybe it should! We could start today. Turn over a new leaf. We don¡¯t have to give into the impulse of every bad idea we have!


    ¡­But we will. Because we¡¯re very, very curious.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­Dammit.


    We swim back up to the Prismatic, relief flowing through us as the pressure of our range limit vanishes back into obscurity. Instead of heading back into the ship, however, we settle on top of it. We press down a little, testing our strength, and our void flattens out over the surface like a pancake. That won¡¯t do. Gathering ourself back together, we focus on staying in one, solid clump of void, pressing down on the hull.


    A dozen pieces of our glass clink against the Prismatic, and we use these points to focus our void on, providing structure to our form. We try again, pressing down, clinging to our glass anchors. Then, we push harder.


    It¡¯s hard to tell if we¡¯re doing anything. The water moves around us as it always does. Always a current, even when we¡¯re not heading anywhere, but if we¡¯re moving down, it¡¯s not fast enough to notice. Probably a good thing¡ªif we could feel our descent, it would be too fast. After a few minutes of pushing on the sub, we stop, then swim back beneath the Prismatic once more, using Elemental Dowsing to see if the distance has changed.


    And it has! We still can¡¯t reach the ocean floor, but it¡¯s closer. Excited by the progress, we swim back up to the Prismatic and try again.


    It takes several attempts of carefully nudging the sub toward the floor before we can finally reach the bottom. See? Patience and restraint: concepts both halves of us are learning to put into practice. We¡¯re giddy with excitement when we finally swim down to the sand.


    The pinpricks of light are pieces of glass, we think. Small specks the size of the surrounding sand itself. What makes something sand instead of glass? Is it just heat? We aren¡¯t sure. Maybe we can take some back to the ship and play around with it.


    We run our void through the sand, like fingers dragging through the beach, and the sensation summons abrupt memories within us. We¡¯ll never be human again. We¡¯ll forever be locked out of so many sensations and experiences¡ªexcept like this. Except when we¡¯re living as some kind of monster. Is this really what our life will become?


    We growl within our mind, digging claws of void into the sand and squishing the material in our grasp. What¡¯s wrong with being a monster? We¡¯re powerful. And we¡¯ll only get stronger. What¡¯s so appealing about being squishy and organic and vulnerable?


    We¡¯re vulnerable whether or not we¡¯re squishy and organic. Our core is so fragile.


    Then we¡¯ll make that stronger, too!


    We sift through the sand, plucking out pieces of glass that stand out to us because of the Dowsing spell. It¡¯s only then we realize we can¡¯t Attune them here¡ªthey need to touch our core to be Attuned. We¡¯ll have to bring them back to the ship. And just as we¡¯re thinking this, the lights in the sand vanish as the Dowsing spell ends. Our mana is extinguished.


    Irritation ripples through us, but it¡¯s only a minor inconvenience. Even this small handful will be useful to us. And there¡¯s more glass in the surrounding sand: we can pick it out later when we have more mana.


    Scooping up a pile of sand and holding it within our void, we glide carefully back to the ship. Too fast, and our void moves around the sand, spilling it back into the water. Too slow, and¡­ well, there¡¯s no drawback to moving slow. We¡¯re just impatient.


    When we reach the window leading back into the Prismatic, we experience a strange pulling sensation as the spelled window repels the water in our void and sand. But it¡¯s not enough pressure to stop us, and with another push, we spill back into the ship¡ªand the sand goes spilling across the deck. Oops. We¡¯ll clean that up later.


    In the meantime, we flow through the ship and back to our body, rejoining void and glass once more as we nestle protectively around our core. Motion in this body, walking on two legs instead of flowing between whatever form is most convenient, is more restrictive¡ªless adaptable. But it¡¯s also more cohesive, and the glass bones make us feel powerful. We grab all the broken bits of glass that we still haven¡¯t had enough mana to reattach to the body, and take those with us, too.


    As we relocate back to the storage room, void and glass alike float along with us, like moons caught in an orbit. We could tuck all of the void beneath our clothes if we wanted to, but there¡¯s so much now that it¡¯s a tight fit, and the shadows still manage to spill from every opening in our coat. Besides, we don¡¯t see why we need to hide the void, anyway. We should be proud of this power, not try to stifle it.


    We sweep all the loose sand up into a pile and settle before it. In the light, we can now see it¡¯s a colorful mix. There¡¯s white bits of coral and black bits of volcanic rock; pink and blue pieces of shells, and many more yellow and green specks we don¡¯t recognize. We wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the glass from the rest if it weren¡¯t for our magic. But sure enough, with a bit of mental prodding, now that a few points of our mana have recovered, we can begin to single them out.


    We remove our core from our chest and settle it atop the pile of sand. Without our coat or a pouch to cover our core, we enter a now-familiar state of double-vision, looking up at our body from the perspective of the core, while simultaneously looking through our glass and void back down at the little glass vial that houses our soul. Bits of glass sparkle as they lazily float around our body, while blobs of void separate and rejoin like the contents of a lava lamp. No, we don¡¯t look like a monster¡ªwe look like something far more alien.


    The specks of glass are so tiny, they only take seconds to Attune. We have to go digging through the sand and pull out the pieces one by one, which takes a while, but we¡¯re steadily amassing a small, new store of granular glass at our disposal. We¡¯ve never worked with bits so small before. In a cluster, it¡¯s almost easier to treat them like a fluid¡ªlike our void¡ªthan separate pieces of solid material. What can we do with this? What applications might it have?


    Time slips away from us as we work, and with no change in lighting to indicate the passage of time, we bristle when we hear a noise within the ship.


    ¡°Ah, here you are,¡± Zyneth says, ducking under the bulkhead and into the room. ¡°Couldn¡¯t find you on the main deck, and I assume there¡¯s a good reason for¡ª¡± He stops mid-word as he catches sight of us.


    Alarm and shame course through us. We hadn¡¯t wanted Zyneth to see us like this, and we¡¯re already pulling away, fighting for mental space, even as another half of us disappointedly resist. No! It¡¯s not time, yet. We don¡¯t have to separate. We were having fun!


    As we continue our mental struggle, Zyneth¡¯s surprised gaze falls from us to the floor, where his brow quickly pinches in confusion. ¡°Kanin¡­ did you spend your watch building a sand castle?¡±


    We look at our little pile of sand with our core perched on top like a decorative seashell.


    Our void puddles to the floor in mortification.

 Chapter 97 - The Pirate AU would be called Kanin Ball

    Zyneth narrows his eyes at my reaction. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°We were¡ª¡± I struggle to pull my mind away from the rest of the predator. It¡¯s resisting only enough to be irritating. ¡°I was¡ª¡±


    ¡°That already explains quite a bit,¡± Zyneth remarks. ¡°Did it take over? Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± I finish mentally batting the predator away, struggling to gather my thoughts as our minds split apart. All the predator¡¯s extra senses¡ªsmell, taste, its softer touch, its abstract vision¡ªfall away as the last filaments of its mind snap away from me, and I¡¯m left alone with my thoughts.


    I¡¯m a little disoriented. I¡¯ve never been merged with the predator for that long before. With it giving me mental space, I suddenly feel¡­ empty. Or maybe, exposed. I don¡¯t know how to describe it. Like I¡¯d been wrapped in a blanket that¡¯s now been ripped away.


    I don¡¯t like that.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I say, realizing I¡¯ve been quiet for too long and never answered his question. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Just processing everything. What time is it?¡±


    ¡°Morning, supposedly. I can never tell from the lighting in here.¡± Zyneth hesitantly crosses the room and crouches down beside me¡ªbut not too close. I wonder if he¡¯s giving me space, or the predator. ¡°So what happened?¡±


    My first instinct is to lie. Brush it off like I was just practicing some void magic. I hate making him worry, and telling him the predator and I are now splitting time would definitely do that. But Zyneth¡¯s too perceptive for half-baked falsehoods, and I¡¯m supposed to be working on my communication. I inwardly grimace and steel myself.


    ¡°The predator and I came to an agreement,¡± I blurt out. There. I said it. No going back now. ¡°I still don¡¯t really trust it, but I also can¡¯t stop it, so we tried to find a compromise that we could both tolerate.¡±


    Each word feels a little easier to say than the last. In fact, now that I¡¯ve gotten started, the rest starts to spill out of me. ¡°Since our power is split fifty-fifty, we decided to share our time that way too. I call the shots during the day, and it takes control at night. It agreed to guard the ship while we¡¯re on shift, so we went out into the water to search for prey, but since there was nothing around, I convinced it to try some of our new spells instead. Then we kind of got distracted with that and managed to pick up new bits of glass, but our spell ran out so we took more with us back to the Prismatic while waiting to recover our mana, and then we spent the rest of the night meticulously Attuning all the bits of glass in this pile of sand and practicing moving it like our void.¡±


    I lean back, planting my hands on my knees. This is where non-glass people would probably take a breath. ¡°Whew! Being honest is terrifying. And relieving!¡±


    Zyneth is staring at me, eyebrows raised. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s quite the admission.¡±


    ¡°That felt good, actually,¡± I say. ¡°Maybe I should confess stuff more often.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be preferable,¡± Zyneth agrees. His initial surprise, or shock, or whatever it was I did to him, seems to be wearing off. ¡°I suppose now I¡¯m the one processing. The predator was in control the whole night?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± I say. ¡°When we¡¯re¡­ cooperating¡­ it¡¯s more like both of us are simultaneously in control. Sometimes I can feel the separation between us, like we¡¯re two people fighting for the reins. And then other times there¡¯s no separation at all. Especially when both of us want the same thing. Then it becomes almost like¡­ we¡¯re one creature.¡± The thought disturbs me as I think about it. Recalling the experience of being fused with the predator is unsettling in hindsight, largely because of how unaware I was of all these things while it was happening.


    ¡°It felt so natural,¡± I continue, still trying to sort my thoughts. ¡°Like being of one mind was the way it¡¯s always been. It takes something we disagree on to create a dissonance within us, and then I regain some self-awareness again.¡± The implications of this are chilling.


    Zyneth waits for a moment when I don¡¯t respond. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he gently asks.


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± I admit, anxiety stirring in my soul. ¡°It¡¯s all just hitting me now. I agreed to this. I thought it was the best way to stop the predator from taking me over against my will. A way I can start to rub off on it. But if we do this every night, what if the opposite happens? What if this starts to feel normal. What if, one of these nights, I don¡¯t regain my self-awareness? What if¡ª¡±


    Zyneth puts a light hand on mine, and I jump. ¡°You¡¯re rambling,¡± he says softly.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I say, a little shaken. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t want it to make me hurt anyone again.¡± There¡¯s a line of pale-red on Zyneth¡¯s hand¡ªa still-healing scar from the fight with the predator. The one health potion we had on this ship was only able to close the wounds, but the marks of that battle¡ªand his limp when he walks¡ªremain. I hope all of it heals, in time. If I did lasting damage¡­


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried it might try to attack me again?¡± Zyneth surmises. ¡°It hasn¡¯t attempted anything in the last few days.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I focus on Zyneth¡¯s hand, still resting on mine, and use that to ground myself. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will try to hurt you. At least, not unless the rest of it comes back. The bits of the predator that have been with me the longest seem to be¡­ learning, I guess. It¡¯s definitely more coherent now than our first encounter. It understands that you¡¯re an ally, and even if it doesn¡¯t really understand anything deeper than that, it knows you¡¯re more valuable to us alive than dead. And that¡¯s why I had to agree to do this, you understand? I need to influence it more. I need to make sure that when we reach land, it can exercise as much restraint with other people as it does with you. And spending more time talking with it, working with it¡ªit¡¯s the only way I can think of to try to impart morals.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°You know more about how that creature works than me. I¡¯ve also witnessed your influence on it grow across the months it¡¯s been with you. But a moment ago, you mentioned that you were worried the influence goes both ways.¡±


    I don¡¯t reply. I shouldn¡¯t have voiced that fear aloud. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything I can do about it, and it will only make Zyneth worry more.


    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± he says, ¡°I¡¯ve seen no evidence of that thus far.¡± I look up in surprise, and Zyneth crooks a reassuring smile. ¡°If you were behaving more animalistic, I would be the first to let you know.¡±


    I laugh weakly. ¡°I know, I know. It¡¯s an irrational fear.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°It actually sounds like quite the rational fear.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say dryly. ¡°How reassuring.¡±


    ¡°But fear is normal,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Moving forward in spite of it is bravery.¡±


    I let the words sit with me for a moment. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m brave. In fact, I¡¯ve done a lot of selfish things these last few months as a way to flee and deny my greatest fears. And they all caught up to me anyway. Right now, I think I¡¯m just in damage-control mode.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± I pull my hand away from his to pick up my core and use a sleeve to brush some of the grit away. ¡°Alright. That¡¯s enough feelings for one day. Now you know my deepest darkest fears. But there¡¯s no point dwelling on it. Either the predator will take over, or it won¡¯t. I¡¯ll either get it wrestled under control by the time we get to land, or¡­ I don¡¯t know, I guess I¡¯ll become a pirate and spend the rest of my days at sea, so as not to endanger anyone else.¡±


    Zyneth raises an amused eyebrow at that suggestion.


    I place my core back in my chest, like the glass heart it¡¯s become, and use a Chain spell to magically glue it in place. ¡°But before all that, we need to get out of here alive,¡± I continue. ¡°And that is something we can do something about.¡±


    The lost souls are a whole different existential crisis I need to unpack, but focusing on the here and now is more manageable, and having something that I¡¯m capable of managing is reassuring. I need to take things one step at a time.


    Zyneth has the good grace not to push the heart-to-heart any further. ¡°What have you got in mind?¡±


    I explain to him how I was able to slowly shift the submarine around from the outside of the ship, using glass and void to nudge it in different directions.


    ¡°With you directing from inside the ship, I might be able to help move us in the right direction,¡± I say. ¡°Assuming we know which direction is the right one. And by we, I mean you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still trying to work all that out,¡± Zyneth admits. ¡°But it¡¯s a good idea. And it seems your range is big enough that you can keep your core inside the Prismatic now, so you¡¯re at no real risk should any sea creatures appear.¡±


    I¡¯d just be risking my Attuned glass and void. Losing the glass would be inconvenient, but the void might be more of a problem. Since the predator¡¯s essence (or whatever) is mixed up in the void, it seems like it physically can¡¯t go beyond my magic¡¯s range, and trying hurts both of us.


    But that shouldn¡¯t be an issue unless the predator gets cocky and tries to attack some giant sea serpent or something.


    On second thought, that¡¯s exactly the kind of thing it might do.


    We¡¯ll need to talk about responsible prey-hunting later.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also be more effective if I can Attune more glass and void,¡± I say. ¡°The further we get from Emrox, the less likely we¡¯ll come upon more free-floating clumps of null arcana, but the predator and I will keep a lookout with our Elemental Dowsing when we patrol the Prismatic. For glass, I can pick pieces out of the sand, but they¡¯re microscopic, and it¡¯s kind of tedious. I¡¯m thinking a different approach might work better.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve turned the cargo bay into your own personal beach?¡±


    I rub my hands together excitedly. ¡°Yesterday you mentioned how fragile my glass is and that you¡¯ve found tougher stuff elsewhere. You thought it might have to do with how the glass is forged.¡±


    Zyneth tips his head, perplexed. ¡°Yes, I remember. In the artificing work I¡¯ve done with metal, heat-treating is often used to make the forged weapons stronger. Although I¡¯ve not worked with glass as an artificing material before, so I¡¯m not certain how different that would be.¡±


    ¡°Heat, yes!¡± I point at him. ¡°I¡¯d thought of that, too. And maybe different materials. That¡¯s also something you do in metalwork, right? You add other stuff to the blade to make it stronger.¡±


    ¡°Yes, depending on the alloy, it can have varying effects,¡± Zyneth agrees. ¡°You¡¯re saying you want to try mixing other materials in with your glass?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± I say. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s a good idea, too. But I can¡¯t do that with a Sculpt spell; it would just form glass around the other material. I think I¡¯d need to heat my glass up high enough to mix something in with it¡ªand that would have to be heated, too. But first.¡± I gesture to the pile of sand in front of me. ¡°I¡¯ve got the materials to make new glass right here.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s eyes light up at the idea. ¡°Yes, of course. Very intriguing. I¡¯m not really certain on the specifics of how one converts sand into glass, however¡ªapart from a high amount of heat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s about as much as I know, too,¡± I admit. ¡°But I¡¯ve got sand. You¡¯ve got heat. What do you say?¡± I spread my hands. ¡°Want to experiment?¡±

 Chapter 98 - Blinded Me With Science

    Zyneth hovers his hands over the pile of sand uncertainly. ¡°So I just fire a bolt of lightning into this? You really think that will work?¡±


    Since I¡¯m immune to lightning type arcana, I¡¯m not overly worried about it going wrong. But at Zyneth¡¯s insistence, we relocated the sand pile to a wooden pallet so as not to electrocute the whole sub. I figure, worst case scenario we just zap a bunch of sand and nothing happens; then we can play around with his fire magic instead.


    ¡°Can¡¯t hurt to try,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of sand at a beach being turned to glass after getting struck by lightning. So it must be possible, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Zyneth says, dubious. ¡°Well, alright then. As you said, no harm in trying.¡±


    Yellow light appears in his hands as he holds them over the sand. The glow gets brighter, like he¡¯s charging it up. I guess he¡¯s worried about it not being as powerful as real lightning, so he¡¯s giving it some extra juice. Licks of electricity zap around his hands, sparking angrily off into the air around his fingers. The light becomes white.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± he says.


    I don¡¯t actually see the bolt of lightning strike the sand. It¡¯s so fast, I only see the resulting effect. Which is sand exploding through the room.


    Even my Attuned void can¡¯t act quick enough to shield me. Thousands of tiny grains sand-blast me at point-blank range. They ping off my glass and bury themselves in my clothes. I jerk back half a second too late, raising a hand as the predator swirls an alarmed wave of void around me, but by then, the sand has already passed us by.


    [1 point of Piercing damage sustained.]


    Zyneth¡¯s face is screwed up tight, eyes squeezed shut, mouth pursed in a grimace. His hand is still outstretched over the now-empty pallet. A fine layer of sand covers every inch of him.


    I can¡¯t help but laugh as Zyneth cracks an eye open, then blows out a quick breath, sending a scattering of sand from his lips.


    ¡°Okay, so maybe a little harm in trying,¡± I say.


    Zyneth turns away to spit more grit from his mouth and rub his hands down his face. I similarly shake my clothes off, sending a snowfall to the ground with every pat. The predator recedes back into my mind now that the apparent danger has passed, still confused as to what had actually happened.


    ¡°Well that was idiotically predictable,¡± Zyneth says, scrubbing his hands through his hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t expect that from the start.¡±


    ¡°I can be persuasive like that,¡± I say, still highly amused. ¡°Get you so focused on the goal that you don¡¯t think of the consequences in pursuing it. Actually, that¡¯s rather the story of my life.¡±


    Zyneth continues to pick grit out of his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± I admit. ¡°But hey, we learned something, right? That¡¯s science!¡±


    ¡°I suspect a bit more theory is involved,¡± Zyneth says, but as he glances at me, he cracks a smile as well. ¡°You¡¯re filthy.¡±


    I remove my head to check: it and my hands were the only exposed glass that took a hit from the sand explosion. ¡°Too bad there¡¯s no bathtub in here.¡±


    Zyneth groans, turning his head to the side and flicking at his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. At least you don¡¯t have to worry about feeling sweaty and disgusting all the time. But we can¡¯t risk wasting our limited resources on something so superficial.¡±


    ¡°Good hygiene is not superficial,¡± I say. ¡°But point taken.¡± The surface of my glass is a bit scuffed up now: looking through it makes the world seem slightly foggy and white. Annoying, but easily fixed with a quick Sculpt.


    Zyneth glances around the room while I fix my glass, and abruptly breaks out into a laugh.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask.


    ¡°What a mess,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Gillow would have hated this.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± I look around as well. ¡°They really would have.¡± I¡¯m not ashamed to admit that brings me immense satisfaction.


    Zyneth grins. ¡°I really didn¡¯t like that one. As amusing as it would have been to see their face, I¡¯m glad they¡¯re not here now.¡±


    ¡°Even though that means it¡¯s just you and me trapped in an aimless submarine at the bottom of the ocean?¡±


    Zyneth looks at me, eyes crinkled in amusement. ¡°Especially because of that.¡±


    My soul warms. How can it be that I¡¯ve never felt so at home as I do here? I¡¯m trapped in a glass shell, possibly forever: I died, I lost my body, I lost my sense of identity. Yet a distant sense of dread I hadn¡¯t even been entirely aware of is now gone. I no longer feel like I¡¯m running to or away from anything. I¡¯m just here, in this moment. How can our situation be so dire, and yet I feel so hopeful?


    Zyneth finishes dusting himself off and turns back to the pallet, scratching his chin in thought.


    No, I know why.


    ¡°It looks like our efforts weren¡¯t completely in vain,¡± Zyneth says, gesturing to the spot where the pile of sand had been.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, leaning forward. ¡°Oh, hey! You¡¯re right.¡±


    I¡¯d missed it at first, hidden against the zig-zagging black lines the lightning had burned into the wood. But there is something left behind: a branching clump of sand, like a nest of rocky veins. It¡¯s only about two inches long. Still, I give it a Check.


    [A piece of fulgurite,] Echo says.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like glass,¡± I say. It¡¯s black and brown, and certainly not transparent. I activate Elemental Dowsing. Sure enough, the clump of sand lights up. ¡°But I guess it is. What do you know?¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°At least we have something to show for this mess.¡± Zyneth chuckles. ¡°Your theory was correct.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± I gingerly reach for the piece of glass, but hover my hand just above it. It looks incredibly fragile. I use a tendril of void to lift it instead, not trusting my unyielding glass fingers to be gentle enough. ¡°Science!¡±


    Zyneth holds out a hand, and I give it to him. He turns the strange, stick-like clump of rock over in his palm. ¡°I admit, it is an intriguing idea. We could try different types of sand as we travel and see if that results in a different strength. Although, we should probably create a more contained volume for me to use my lightning so we don¡¯t end up with a repeat of this endeavor.¡± He laughs. ¡°The cargo bay would be a beach by the time we¡¯re done with it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get on that,¡± I say, already wondering how I can use my Attuned glass to create a box or container in which to keep the sand we experiment with. Might help with collecting it, too.


    Zyneth hands the melted sand back to me, and I pocket it for later. I¡¯m excited to play around with it and try sculpting it into different shapes, but I¡¯ll need to spend some time Attuning it first. I can¡¯t wait to get my hands on bigger pieces. In the meantime¡­


    ¡°Alright,¡± I say, floating some fractured pieces of glass over. I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯d originally been part of my torso or arms or legs, but since I¡¯ve been puzzling my body back together from the Emrox fight, I¡¯ve been storing all the smaller loose bits with my signing glass. ¡°This next.¡±


    Zyneth raises an eyebrow. ¡°You want me to electrocute that? I¡¯m not sure it will have a comparable effect.¡±


    ¡°Especially as I¡¯m immune to lightning damage,¡± I say. ¡°No, I was thinking we try fire next. How hot can you get it?¡±


    Zyneth frowns. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m less practiced with my fire magic. I can try to make it as hot as I can, however I¡¯m worried about the rest of our surroundings. One bolt of lightning is a brief expenditure of energy. But if we keep a fire in here for very long, it might start heating up the air¡ªan air supply which I am very much dependent on. Additionally, I¡¯m not sure how hot glass needs to get before it begins to deform. Higher or lower than metal, do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admit. ¡°Lower?¡±


    Zyneth turns his hands up in a shrug. ¡°Hopefully. If we try to heat this up on a section of the floor, I wouldn¡¯t want to melt the vessel before we melted the glass.¡± He sighs. ¡°An artificing book would be extremely useful right now.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we don¡¯t have to go all the way to the melting point,¡± I say. ¡°We could try a couple things. Heat it and let it cool naturally. Heat it, and then I Sculpt it while it¡¯s still hot. Heat it and rapidly cool it. And so on. Then I can test the strength of each different configuration¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like a real mage,¡± Zyneth remarks.


    ¡°...by bashing it against the ground.¡±


    Zyneth rubs his forehead.


    ¡°No, wait,¡± I say. ¡°Go back to calling me a real mage.¡±


    ¡°I feel the procedure for testing your hypothesis might need more rigor.¡±


    ¡°Well how about this.¡± I activate a Sculpt on the piece of glass, segmenting it into four equal-sized marbles. ¡°If it¡¯s small, it shouldn¡¯t take as much heat or time. Maybe the closer you can get to it, the less wasted heat will disperse into the rest of the room. I can keep it hovering in the air for you, and you can heat it while it¡¯s cupped between your hands. Then we can compare the strength of each of the four marbles. I¡¯ll keep one back as the control to compare the others to.¡±


    Zyneth stares at me. ¡°How can you sound so clueless one moment and so clever the next?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a man of mysteries.¡± One of my starter roles in film was as a background scientist character whose only function was to look hot and spout technobabble. I might have picked up a thing or two.


    Zyneth cups his hands around the bead of glass. ¡°Yes, I think this might work. Are you ready to try now?¡±


    ¡°Go for it,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m just here to watch.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s hands glow yellow, and then warm firelight flickers to life between his palms. I can feel the warmth wash over the marble.


    Wait¡­


    Zyneth presses his hands together tighter and flames flare between his fingers with an intense light. At the same time, the heat hits me.


    [1 point of Fire damage sustained.]


    ¡°OW! Wait wait wait wait!¡± I instinctively snatch the marble back to me, pulling it from Zyneth¡¯s fingers.


    He looks at me in surprise, letting his fire die. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t realize¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine,¡± I say, the pain already gone. Like a papercut. ¡°I forgot I feel through these too, even if they can¡¯t really hurt me. One moment, let me think.¡±


    I¡¯ve been able to turn other senses on and off in my Attuned pieces of glass. Namely just sight and hearing. But ¡®touch¡¯ is the third sense I can use through my Attunements.


    Echo, I think. Can the sense of touch be turned off in my Attuned glass?


    [Affirmative.]


    I¡¯d smack myself in my head if I wasn¡¯t worried about breaking anything. You mean this whole time I¡¯ve been feeling pain every time one of my Attuned pieces of glass broke and I didn¡¯t even need to?!


    [Query unrecognized.]


    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± I grumble. Echo, turn off my sense of touch in this piece of glass.


    [Affirmative.]


    Instantly, the glass marble becomes invisible. Well, not literally, but invisible to my mind. I can¡¯t feel the air against it any more: no temperature, no pressure, no sense of movement. No wonder ¡®touch¡¯ is turned on by default. Without it, it¡¯s infinitely more difficult to sense and manipulate. So I guess this isn¡¯t the ¡°turn pain receptors off¡± quick-fix I thought it might be. But it¡¯s at least useful for this experiment.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say, floating it back over to Zyneth. It¡¯s wobbly in the air, and I almost overshoot him. ¡°It¡¯s a little wonky, but I¡¯ve got it fixed. Shouldn¡¯t feel anything now.¡±


    ¡°That easy?¡± he asks, raising his hands once more to cup the bead.


    ¡°It has some drawbacks,¡± I say. ¡°Definitely won¡¯t be able to walk around with my sense of touch turned off across my whole body. But a couple pieces should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Zyneth says, hesitating. ¡°You sure you want to try again?¡±


    ¡°Very sure,¡± I assure him.


    Fire blooms into his hands. This time it goes better. I don¡¯t feel a thing, and Zyneth is able to press his hands closed around the glass marble as he manifests a furnace within.


    Once again, Echo reports the glass sustaining Fire damage, but at least this time I don¡¯t have to feel it. It¡¯s oddly disorienting; I¡¯ve become so used to Echo¡¯s commentary being associated with what happens to me, that this disconnect feels makes her seem fake and two dimensional.


    As Zyneth works, I discover another downside to not being able to feel my glass: I have no idea how hot it is, or if it¡¯s even close to melting. We give it another minute, then Zyneth cracks his fingers open and we both lean over to peer inside.


    ¡°Aha!¡± It¡¯s a red-orange color. ¡°We did it! Well, you did it.¡±


    ¡°Now what?¡± Zyneth wonders.


    I set that marble aside to cool. ¡°We try again with a new one. This time, I¡¯ll activate a Sculpt on it while it¡¯s hot. Ready?¡±


    We spend the morning experimenting with different levels of heat and ways of cooling the glass down. When the glass is room temperature, my Sculpt seems to make it weaker, but when I sculpt the glass while it¡¯s more malleable, it ends up stronger once it¡¯s cooled to room temperature. Zyneth even lets me use a bit of his water for dunking the heated glass beads into some water, which disappointingly results in the bead cracking all over until it shatters. As Zyneth puts it: ¡°That¡¯s an important data point, at least.¡±


    We only break when Zyneth declares it¡¯s time for lunch. I sit back to admire my work: both the successes and the failures.


    [Heated glass,] Echo reports as I examine them. [+1 durability. Heated Sculpted glass: +2 durability. Rapidly cooled glass: -1 durability.]


    It¡¯s not a lot, but it shows promise. I wonder how the fulgurite will compare to my previously Attuned pieces. And if Zyneth helps me make more, if those will be any different from each other. I might end up with different types of glass designed to serve different functions. The idea excites me.


    What a strange thought. Yet I haven¡¯t felt this proud of an accomplishment since I first arrived on this world, when I¡¯d been crafting bits and pieces of my body together from broken tableware. It¡¯s amazing how an act as simple as making something can feel so satisfying.


    And I¡¯m just getting started.

 Chapter 99 - Secrets

    We fall into a routine. The weirdest kind of routine. During the day, Zyneth works on figuring out the controls of the sub while I tinker with my glass magic; or he and I experiment with strengthening my glass and making new fulgurite; or I head out into the water and the predator helps me try to nudge the ship in whatever direction and orientation Zyneth calls for. Then at night, of course, the predator takes over, and we spend our time prowling the waters, slaughtering any suspicious creatures that venture too close, and collecting more sand for our body.


    You know, the normal ways people spend their free time.


    The fulgurite proves interesting to work with. We¡¯ve gotten the process down to a science, and Zyneth and I can produce a few sticks of the sandy glass each day¡ªwithout sandblasting the inside of the submarine. They¡¯re all slightly different colors. Some are more yellow, and some are more gray, and some are more brown. It must have to do with wherever we dug up the sand from the night before, and whatever else got mixed in.


    Once I get some pieces Attuned, I start sculpting them into different shapes and testing their strengths. Fresh from Zyneth¡¯s lightning, they¡¯re pretty fragile, and some break when I first pick them up. But once Sculpted¡ªonce I smooth out all the tiny veins and irregularities and try to squish them into one solid mass¡ªthey¡¯re stronger than my un-tempered glass. I use it to patch up my body and replace some of the glass I lost back in Emrox.


    ¡°But what¡¯s interesting is that the glass that comes from fulgurite doesn¡¯t work with my Refraction spell,¡± I tell Zyneth. ¡°I guess the glass has to be transparent for that spell to work. Which makes sense, it¡¯s the play of refraction from the glass and shadows from the void that produces the camouflage effect¡ªbut it¡¯s still interesting, because the spell description doesn¡¯t mention anything about the glass needing to be clear.¡±


    Zyneth is smiling faintly as I explain my latest discovery to him. ¡°Yes. Very interesting.¡±


    I pause. ¡°Wait. Are you just indulging me?¡±


    He puts a hand on his chest. ¡°Me? Never.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. Well, sorry if my glass ramblings are boring you.¡±


    Zyneth catches my hand. ¡°It¡¯s not boring me. I was just enjoying watching you be excited about something.¡±


    Am I excited? I guess I am, a bit. All this experimenting with the sand and heat (while trapped beneath the ocean and three inches of metal away from an untimely second death,) has been, dare I say, kind of fun! Despite never sleeping, it almost seems like there aren¡¯t enough hours in the day for everything I want to try. My mana refills faster now with the new class upgrade¡ªand another level up I gained thanks to the predator¡¯s nightly patrols¡ªbut even I occasionally hit empty, at which point I switch to reading the sign language book I¡¯d purchased in Miasmere and practicing new words.


    ¡°And what do you get excited about?¡± I ask Zyneth. ¡°You know, when you¡¯re not trapped in a submarine.¡±


    ¡°Well, on the rare occasion that occurs,¡± Zyneth says, his eyes laughing, ¡°I rather enjoy working on artificing projects. Imbuing objects with spells, practicing with my blades.¡± His hand goes to the sheaths at his side that I had gotten for him, one of which is empty. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be needing to make another one when we get back to land.¡±


    I feel a pang of regret for losing it in the chaos of Emrox¡¯s collapse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°It allowed you to escape the predator¡¯s influence, which saved both of our lives. I¡¯d trade a blade for a life in a heartbeat.¡±


    Even so, I¡¯ll find a way to make it up to him. ¡°About your artificing. You were able to temporarily imbue me with some spells before, which strengthened my core when I was in the water. Do you think you could do something like that again?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°We¡¯ve plenty of parchment and charcoal left. I can draw up some new circles.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I meant.¡± I fidget, spinning a piece of signing glass around my fingers. ¡°What about something more permanent? Could you etch a circle into my glass?¡±


    Zyneth raises his eyebrows. ¡°I mean, I suppose I could. I¡¯m¡­ somewhat hesitant to try, as I¡¯ve never worked in that medium, and the spell circles often need to be tweaked for whatever object they¡¯re going to infuse with a spell.¡±


    I tip my head. ¡°You can¡¯t just copy that same spell circle from the parchment onto some of my glass?¡±


    Zyneth shakes his head. ¡°The paper spell circles are temporary. It¡¯s more of a conduit than true artificing. It allows me to channel my magic through the circle and into the target object¡ªwhich was why it was so draining for me to do. However, once imbued, artificing does not draw on the user¡¯s mana. Like the spells in your jacket or boots.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Right,¡± I say, recalling a similar lecture Zyneth had given me back in the markets of Miasmere. Was that really only a month ago? It feels like a year. ¡°It¡¯s like a battery. And once the spell is out of energy, the circle stops working until it can be charged up again. Is that a problem? Can¡¯t you charge the spell circle once it¡¯s etched into my glass?¡±


    ¡°I could. It would just take some time; you won¡¯t get out more than you put in. Which is why it¡¯s wise to design a circle that can be charged by your own arcana type, so you don¡¯t have to find and pay an artificer to charge the spell back up again once it runs out. That¡¯s not possible with all spells, but that¡¯s where the art in artificing comes in.¡±


    ¡°You mean you think you could design a spell circle that I could charge up myself?¡± I ask. ¡°That would be amazing.¡±


    ¡°No promises,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Are you looking for any effect in particular?¡±


    I splay my hands. ¡°I was thinking specifically something that would assist with ¡®not risking death every time I trip over that one step onto the main deck.¡¯¡±


    Zyneth chuckles. ¡°Durability, then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯ll need to borrow some pieces of glass from you to practice on, though. And you probably won¡¯t be getting them back in one piece.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem. Patching up broken pieces of glass is basically ninety percent of what I do.¡±


    Zyneth smiles wryly. ¡°Are you sure ninety percent of what you do isn¡¯t dragging me into trouble?¡±


    ¡°Ouch!¡± I put a hand over my chest, feigning offense. Okay, just a little offended. ¡°I¡¯m turning over a new leaf! No more secrets. No more impulsive decision making.¡±


    Zyneth raises an amused eyebrow.


    ¡°No more impulsive decision making without talking about it first,¡± I amend.


    ¡°You¡¯d think that part would come naturally, given how much you seem to enjoy hearing yourself talk.¡±


    ¡°Rude!¡± I playfully punch him in the shoulder.


    Zyneth flinches back, sucking in a breath as he puts a hand over his arm.


    I snap my hand away from him, alarmed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Did I hurt you? I didn¡¯t mean for it to be that hard.¡±


    Had I hit harder than I intended? Had the void somehow done that? No, I would still feel it if there were more power behind the blow¡ªand Echo would have said something if I dealt any damage. I barely tapped him. It was supposed to be a joke.


    Unless I hadn¡¯t caused a new injury, but accidentally hit an old one. He¡¯s still healing from the Emrox battle with the predator.


    ¡°Oh, god,¡± I say, realizing what I must have done. ¡°Your injuries¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I should be more careful.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Zyneth says, smoothing out his sleeve as he runs a hand down his arm. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Please, bear it no mind.¡± He tugs at the end of the sleeve, as if to pull it a little bit lower.


    Something about that gesture catches my attention. Was he injured where I hit him? The predator used my glass to stab him in several places across his body, but none of them were in the side of his arm. All the glass hit him from the front. I should know: I dug each and every piece out of him.


    ¡°Zyneth,¡± I say, suspicion creeping in. ¡°It¡¯s not really from your previous injuries, is it?¡±


    Zyneth hesitates, which is all the confirmation I need.


    ¡°Are you hiding something?¡± I ask, baffled. ¡°And after all that mocking I received for doing the same!¡±


    ¡°To be fair, every time you held something back, it only caused trouble,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°Oh, and this won¡¯t?¡± I ask.


    He grimaces. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to worry.¡±


    ¡°That sounds familiar,¡± I remark.


    Zyneth lets out a sigh. Then he gingerly rolls up his sleeve.


    One of his tattoos is glowing.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say, the implications slowly clicking into place. ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    The two remaining tattoos on his arm represent the debts he¡¯s accrued from various black-market dealers, like Gillow. And when one of them lights up, someone¡¯s calling in a favor. Only this time, Zyneth won¡¯t be able to answer, because he¡¯s trapped beneath the ocean.


    ¡°When did it start?¡± I ask.


    ¡°A few days ago,¡± Zyneth reluctantly answers.


    ¡°Is there any way you can stop it? Cancel the request?¡±


    Zyneth shakes his head. ¡°Only the dealer can stop it. And they might, in another week or so, once they realize I¡¯m not coming. I can tolerate it for now.¡±


    ¡°What happens if you don¡¯t answer?¡± I ask.


    Zyneth gestures to the tattoo; it¡¯s a stylized snake eating its own tail, with its body broken up into ten different segments. He taps one of them. ¡°It will grow another link in the chain. Interest, you can call it. In the meantime, the mark will continue to burn more incessantly in an attempt to get my attention. It¡¯s usually not this bad,¡± he adds. ¡°It must be the distance. Or perhaps the spell knows I¡¯m making no effort to fulfill the request.¡±


    Something about that sounds eerily familiar. Back when I was first summoned to be a servant to Trenevalt, the Role Requirement had forced me into actions I had no interest in doing. If I tried to refuse, my sanity metric would plummet. But if I was at least trying to fulfill a command, my sanity stayed level. Is there some connection between the magic that has given me a Role I¡¯m compelled to fulfill, and the magic that compels Zyneth to pay off his debts?


    Not a question I can find an answer to now, but a question that maybe deserves some attention when we have more resources at our disposal.


    ¡°Trying to get back to land might help lessen the effects, then,¡± I say. ¡°We should go try it now. I can head out into the water and start nudging the submarine toward the surface, and you can steer and give me directions from inside.¡±


    The predator drifts to the forefront of my mind, catching a whiff of my determination, if not completely understanding where it¡¯s coming from. It can tell I¡¯m intending to use a lot of void, which makes it eager to join in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go grab all the new glass I¡¯ve Attuned,¡± I add. ¡°It will be good to practice with some of the rougher pieces. See how they fare once put to use. And now I¡¯ll have a better glass-to-void ratio to work with, so I might be more effective.¡±


    Zyneth shakes his head at me with a smile.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he says. ¡°And I appreciate it. Not all of your impulsive decisions are bad ones.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m talking about it, first,¡± I tease.


    He rolls his sleeve back down, looking at me with that ever faint, ever present amusement. ¡°Well, what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s get this vessel back to land.¡±

 Chapter 100 - Thinking Glass

    It takes over a week to push the submarine up to the surface. Even with all my glass and void, we¡¯re still just a fraction of the size of the Prismatic, so it¡¯s a lot like a dog trying to push a semi-truck. But little by little, inch by inch, we make progress. And finally, the water begins to grow brighter. And then there¡¯s sun.


    No more trips to the seafloor to gather sand and make more fulgurite. But I don¡¯t mind, given Zyneth¡¯s condition. As I¡¯d hoped, our progress slowed the advancement in Zyneth¡¯s cursed tattoo¡ªslowed, but not stopped. I catch him grimacing when he doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m watching, and he¡¯s slower and more careful with his arm than usual. But we¡¯re getting closer. We¡¯re making progress.


    We stand in the cargo hold, looking up at the twin eye-shaped windows leading outside. A waterline cuts them in half, and on the top half is daylight.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Zyneth says, looking up at the sunlight cascading through the window. ¡°We actually made it.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t believe it?¡± I repeat. ¡°I told you I¡¯d get us out of here. No faith at all!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one thing to believe, and another to see,¡± Zyneth says, not rising to the bait of my teasing. He stares out the window, his face smoothed with relief. I wonder how much worry he¡¯s been keeping knotted up behind that mask.


    ¡°Want to head up?¡± I ask.


    He tears his gaze away from the sky. ¡°We probably shouldn¡¯t. It would be unwise to leave the submarine uncrewed while we both left.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay in, then,¡± I offer. ¡°Or, part of me. I can leave my core and some glass behind, just to keep an eye on things in here. And then I can send my body up to take a look around.¡±


    Zyenth gives me a curious and amused look. ¡°You¡¯ll be in two places at once.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I guess so.¡± It is kind of weird when he puts it like that. But I¡¯ve already adapted (mostly) to seeing from multiple sources, so in practice it should be simple. Existentially, though, it does kinda feel inhuman.


    Not that I am a human anymore. I guess Echo¡¯s been saying it from the start, hasn¡¯t she? [Species: N/A]. Just thinking glass and shadows.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop dallying,¡± I say. ¡°I can help lift you up if you need it.¡± Since the lower half of the windows are still underwater, he¡¯ll basically have to jump up to the ceiling, grab the lip of the roof, and swing himself up and through the air-side of the window to land on top of the submarine, if he wants to do it by himself.


    Zyneth gives me a skeptical look. ¡°Just because I¡¯m a little injured doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m helpless, you know.¡± Without even using his right arm, he runs up the curve of the wall, kicks off a strut, catches the lip of the roof with his left hand, and then swings himself up and through the air-side of the window to land on top of the submarine.


    ¡°Oh, well excuse me for forgetting you¡¯re a literal ninja!¡± I call after him. If he heard, he doesn¡¯t reply.


    Removing my core and leaving it behind with all my loose glass¡ªboth the new stuff I¡¯ve Attuned, and the recently created glass from the fulgurite¡ªI try to lift my body from the ground and through the window. The void is doing most of the work, though I¡¯m still mentally trying to levitate the glass. Maybe it¡¯s all the practice I¡¯ve gotten from swimming around in the water, but it¡¯s not as hard as I¡¯d expected, given the glass that makes up my body weighs several hundred pounds. In theory, I should be able to levitate my body without the void¡¯s help, in the same way I levitate all my small bits of signing glass. But the body has so many more parts, and is so much more complicated, that it¡¯s hard to hold everything in my mind simultaneously.


    I¡¯d done it before, once. In the Athenaeum, when fleeing from the fire mage, Raz, for the briefest moment I¡¯d seen everything as one unified shape, one complete body, and I¡¯d been able to pull myself from freefall onto the safety of a nearby floor. There¡¯s no reason why I can¡¯t do that again. It just takes more focus. Split attention. Maybe, with the predator¡¯s help¡­


    The predator perks up as it catches my thought. It surges to the forefront of my mind. What can it do? It¡¯s ready to fight.


    We¡¯re not fighting anything, I tell it. I was just thinking about moving all the glass¡­ Never mind, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    But the predator can read my mind: it understands what I¡¯d intended even without me having to explain. Oh, yes, that should be very easy. It reaches into our void.


    Hey, wait¡ª


    The void stiffens throughout my body, abruptly locking every joint into place. And just like that, in my mind the glass body snaps into focus as one solid object. I raise it toward the ceiling, and it levitates exactly as I intend.


    I pass through the window and hover over the submarine. Huh. Actually that was pretty help¡ª


    The predator lets go of the void and I crash to the top of the submarine.


    ¡°Kanin!¡± Zyneth leaps to my side. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I grumble, picking myself up. ¡°Just having some technical difficulties.¡± Nothing¡¯s broken at least. Maybe because I hit boots-first, and the Feather Foot spell it¡¯s artificed with absorbed the damage. I shoot a mental glare at the predator, but it¡¯s oblivious to my irritation. Now that its job is done, it¡¯s stretching out and curling up, like a cat basking before a hearth.


    I start to take in my surroundings as I straighten up. The sky seems impossibly bright, the sun reflecting off the waves like sparkling jewels. And the sun! It feels so good to be standing beneath the sun again. I can feel its warmth on my glass. It¡¯s distant. It doesn¡¯t prickle my skin and sink into my bones. But I can feel it, and that¡¯s something.


    I turn my glass in a slow circle, taking in the sight. ¡°Wow,¡± I say. ¡°Would you look at that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zyneth whips his head around. ¡°Do you see land?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. ¡®Wow,¡¯ as in, ¡®That¡¯s just a whole lot of ocean!¡¯¡± In every direction. The horizon seems impossibly far.


    ¡°Too bad.¡± Zyneth takes in a deep breath, and sighs it out, long and content. ¡°But at least it¡¯s nice to get some fresh air. I hadn¡¯t realized how much I needed it.¡±


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    Without the ability to smell, I¡¯d forgotten about that. ¡°And running out of air should no longer be a danger,¡± I add.


    Zyneth nods. ¡°Food and fresh water is the limiting factor now.¡±


    ¡°I could probably hunt something if it comes to it,¡± I offer. Well, the predator can. I¡¯ll just have to convince it to not tear all the meat to tiny little shreds after it kills whatever it catches. ¡°You could cook it with your fire.¡±


    ¡°Eating unknown meat might be dangerous,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°There¡¯s the potential for it to be toxic.¡±


    ¡°I could get Echo to identify it first,¡± I say. ¡°If you know what it is, would you know if it¡¯s safe to eat?¡±


    ¡°Probably, depending on the sea creature,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Then that just leaves fresh water. I can tell the Prismatic has some function that should allow for the sea water to be filtered into drinking water, I just can¡¯t quite figure it out. It might require water arcana to activate, in which case we¡¯ll be out of luck. I¡¯ll keep trying, though.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I can help with that,¡± I say. Now that I¡¯m not making more glass out of sand and lightning and then Attuning it, I have both more free time and more mana on my hands. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can work out with the Inspect spell I have.¡±


    I¡¯d tried to use it on the navigation system before, but my spell wasn¡¯t at a high enough level, and the spell network in the Prismatic was way more complicated than I was able to parse. But finding one water filter spell might be easier.


    ¡°Look at us,¡± Zyneth says with a chuckle. ¡°We¡¯re practically self-sufficient now. We could live out here for years.¡±


    ¡°Oh please, god, no,¡± I say. ¡°Becoming a lonely pirate crew is the last resort, remember. But if we keep heading in the same direction, we¡¯re bound to hit land eventuuuuaaaalllllll¡­¡±


    My voice pitches lower, the word dragging out until it¡¯s just one long, insensible note. Then, it goes out. I shake the amulet bound to my wrist. What the heck?


    [Check,] Echo says. [Artificed translator. Its internal spell network is out of mana.]


    Oh, great.


    ¡°Your translator,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°It must have run out of mana.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± I sign. I unclasp the chain and hand the pendant over to Zyneth. ¡°Can you fix it?¡±


    He watches my signs intently, his eyes slightly narrowed in concentration. ¡°You¡¯re asking if I can charge it back up?¡±


    I forgot he¡¯s only learned a handful of signs. ¡°Yes,¡± I sign, keeping it simple.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to spend some time figuring out its spell circuit, first,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Like the glass spell circle I¡¯m making for you, it¡¯s designed with a specific type of arcana in mind when it¡¯s built, and most artificers build them to be compatible with their own arcana type. In this case, Red¡¯s. Let¡¯s see¡­ I think he might have a lightning affinity, like me. That might mean I can charge it back up without any tinkering.¡± He hesitates. ¡°But if I¡¯m wrong, I might just fry it.¡±


    My instinct is to tell him to just go for it, but I suppose there¡¯s no rush. Might as well have him take his time with it; after all, time is something we have an abundance of.


    ¡°Not now,¡± I sign, again trying to simplify my language. ¡°We can wait.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s eyes dance in amusement. ¡°What¡¯s this? You, exercising restraint?¡±


    I show him a rude gesture Rezira taught me, and he laughs.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look,¡± he promises, pocketing my translator. ¡°In the meantime, we still have that backup. The first one Red gave you.¡±


    He still has that? I thought I got rid of it back in Miasmere. Sneaky rogue. But using that knock-off translator is the last thing I want.


    ¡°No,¡± I sign. ¡°Absolutely not.¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like it,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°We can use signs for most things instead. But there might be times where I¡¯ll need to communicate with you while I¡¯m working the ship¡¯s controls and I can¡¯t spare the attention. Would you at least carry it around just in case?¡±


    I fold my arms to emphasize my displeasure, and use some of my extra glass to sign, ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Well, as delightful as it is to feel the sun and breathe fresh air, we should be getting back inside,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I was really hoping we¡¯d see some sign of land while we were up here. Ah, well. Keep heading west, and we should hit the coast eventually.¡±


    I¡¯d offer words of encouragement, but Zyneth probably would only get bits and pieces. I need to lend him my sign language book.


    The two of us head back inside, and I nudge the predator for an assist as I lower myself back through the window. It obliges, radiating boredom, and once more the void locks my body up, allowing me more precise control over the glass. I glide slowly down, this time managing to make it to the ground before the predator drops me to the deck in a glass heap.


    Zyneth is watching me with eyebrows raised as I touch down. ¡°Are you levitating?¡±


    I shrug, then spin some of my signing glass around my hand, gesturing to it.


    ¡°Well, yes, I suppose it shouldn¡¯t be that much of a surprise,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°You levitate the small pieces all the time. I just didn¡¯t realize you could do the same with your body.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± I sign, which isn¡¯t strictly true, but getting into the nuances of ¡°I technically did it once before and I can do it again now with the predator¡¯s help¡± is a bit much for his signing vocabulary.


    ¡°Could be useful,¡± he says as I go to retrieve my core. I guess I didn¡¯t need to leave it behind to guard the ship after all. ¡°You keep surprising me. The ability to separate your mind from your body to be in two places at once, the way the predator can act independently from the rest of you, the spell that allows you to teleport things through your void, and now flying.¡± He shakes his head with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s a terrifying combination in the wrong hands.¡±


    I¡¯d actually forgotten about Displace. The predator had learned the teleportation spell from the tempo squid, but I¡¯d only had a handful of opportunities to use it before now. It costs so much mana to move things through my void that, on my own, I had only been able to use the spell on my core; I¡¯d needed collected mana from the waters of Emrox or gifted mana from Zyneth to achieve anything on a larger scale. But with this evolved class, I have more mana at my disposal. I wonder how much I can manage now.


    Zyneth retrieves the backup translator for me, and I inwardly grimace as I clasp it around my wrist.


    ¡°I hope you get the other one fixed fast,¡± I say, the voice echoing out of the translator much more stilted and robotic than the other.


    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s not so bad!¡±


    ¡°It is Expletive terrible.¡± I spread my hands. ¡°See?¡±


    Zyneth only appears highly amused. ¡°If you didn¡¯t swear so much, you wouldn¡¯t even notice.¡±


    ¡°I absolutely would notice,¡± I say. ¡°It can not do contractions, for one! Noli was right, these are pieces of Expletive.¡±


    ¡°And those are the exact words she used?¡± Zyneth asks, grinning.


    ¡°Expletive off.¡±


    Zyneth laughs. A full, unrestrained laugh. And dammit, I can¡¯t totally hate the translator when it¡¯s the cause of his smile. Everything was so tense, so serious, for so long. We¡¯ve needed this time on the Prismatic to just be.


    I glance at his arm, and my good spirits fade.


    ¡°Back to work, then,¡± I say. ¡°It cannot be much farther now.¡± The predator surfaces at my words like a Pavlovian dog. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s starting to learn the language, or if it¡¯s just reading the concepts directly from my mind; either way, it knows when I intend to go for a swim, because it knows I¡¯ll need its help.


    ¡°Back to work,¡± Zyneth agrees. He hesitates, and I linger. It seems like he wants to say something. Do I want to say something? He flashes me his usual roguish grin, then turns and heads to the control room. I drift back over to the cargo bay windows.


    What was that? Was it just my imagination? Ugh. We really need to talk about¡­ us. A thought I¡¯ve had on repeat in the back of my head for the last couple of weeks. But it never feels like the right time. I¡¯m not even sure what I¡¯d say.


    Nerves prickle at the back of my mind as I try to focus on the task at hand: getting the submarine back to land. Maybe I¡¯ll bring it up tomorrow.


    But when tomorrow comes, I don¡¯t. Or the next day. Or the next. We practice signs, discuss Zyneth¡¯s blueprints for the glass spell circle, steadily inch the submarine along its trajectory. I track down the water purification system, while Zyneth investigates my translator. Zyneth steers the Prismatic, while the predator and I expend our restlessness in the waters outside the ship. We do just about everything except talk about us, as if drawing attention to it would shatter the tenuous warmth that¡¯s grown between us. But there¡¯s always tomorrow, I tell myself.


    Until one day, there¡¯s not.


    ¡°Land!¡± Zyneth calls, his excited voice echoing through the ship.


    I pause the Sculpt I was doing on my fulgurite.


    ¡°Land in sight!¡±

 Chapter 101 - Dont Curse it

    I hurry onto the main deck, where Zyneth is at the controls. ¡°Land? Where? What do you see?¡±


    The main window looking out into the sea has shifted over the last couple of weeks. What was once black nothingness, speckled with the occasional bubble or fish that flitted through the Prismatic¡¯s headlights, has gradually evolved into a living ocean once more. The water has lightened into a deep blue, and all sorts of creatures dart out of the submarine¡¯s path. No longer chased by giant sea beasts and monsters infused with null magic, the Prismatic now passes over a seafloor that¡¯s covered in colorful plant and animal life, often bioluminescent, like the night sky has been spread beneath us.


    ¡°The Prismatic just detected it,¡± Zyneth says to me, hitting another switch on the panel. A blue pulse rushes away from the front of the ship, vanishing into the ocean. A moment later, lights appear etched over the glass: an outline of some sort of plateau in front of us.


    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The continental shelf,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°It will push us up into shallow waters. Land won¡¯t be far beyond that. If we surface now, we can probably see it with the naked eye.¡±


    ¡°Well, what are we waiting for?¡± I ask. ¡°Let us get out of here!¡±


    Zyneth grins, pulling back on a lever, and I feel the floor tip beneath my feet as the Prismatic points for the surface. ¡°I was thinking the exact same thing.¡±


    The water in the window brightens as we rise, until finally we breach the surface and water streams down the window in a shimmering scatter of light. As the streaks drip away, we can see for miles and miles. There, smudging the horizon, is a thin band of green.


    ¡°We did it!¡± I squeeze Zyneth¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We made it back!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Zyneth breathes, slumping back into his chair.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I object. ¡°I told you I would get us back, did I not?¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯m not doubting your abilities, just¡­ relieved.¡±


    I am too, truth be told. It¡¯s been two months since we first departed Miasmere. Over a month since the situation at Emrox. I¡¯m so ready to be out of this damn submarine and back on solid ground.


    But is the predator?


    The thought sends a nervous flutter through me. I¡¯ve spent more time working with it on this trip than all the time before. And it¡¯s cooperating. But is that only because I let it hunt each night? Will it listen to me when we encounter our first group of people? Will I be able to stop it if it doesn¡¯t?


    Maybe we should stay out of cities, for now. Take our reintroduction to society gradually so we can build up boundaries and expectations. Perhaps I can let it hunt animals in a forest to satisfy its instincts. That should be a good alternative.


    God, I hope it is.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Zyneth leans forward, adjusting some of the controls.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°There, on the horizon¡­¡± Zyneth gestures not toward the land, but off to the north. A tiny black speck interrupts the line where sky meets sea.


    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask. ¡°A structure? A lighthouse?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a ship,¡± Zyneth says. The window ripples, and abruptly everything outside appears closer. The black dot grows to the size of an ant, and while it¡¯s still too far to make out details, the toothpick masts and sails are apparent enough.


    ¡°Looks like a ship to me. We should probably give them a wide berth,¡± I add, thinking of the predator.


    ¡°I am in agreement,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Let me just search for some¡­ ah.¡± The view out the window shifts, returning back to its normal display, but artificial lights highlight a few more dots scattered over the waters. Some of them were so small, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed them without the display drawing attention to it. There are three other ships within sight, though all still distant.


    Zyneth rubs his chin thoughtfully. ¡°We must be near a port.¡±


    ¡°Miasmere, do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± he allows. ¡°Though our aim would have to be miraculously accurate to end up right where we started. More likely we¡¯ve drifted north or south to some other port city.¡±


    ¡°Probably for the best,¡± I say. I sort of left Yedzaquib¡¯s library in shambles, and I doubt he¡¯ll be excited to see my face again anytime soon.


    Glass? Prism? I need to figure out a better head for this body.


    ¡°So what is the play?¡± I ask. ¡°We do not want to show up in the middle of a city with a stolen submarine registered to a criminal. Can we figure out which way the port is and avoid it?¡±


    ¡°Not sure,¡± Zyneth admits. ¡°I think if we continue to head toward land, it will eventually become apparent where the city is. I¡¯ll keep an eye on the other ships, too, and try to chart a path around them. Then we can beach the sub in shallow waters and wade to land from there.¡±


    ¡°Sounds pretty straight forward,¡± I say.


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    Zyneth smiles wryly. ¡°Don¡¯t go cursing us in the last leg, now.¡±


    ¡°At least we do not have to worry about sea monsters anymore.¡±


    ¡°I just said not to curse us!¡± Despite his objection, his eyes are laughing.


    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± I say. ¡°I am allowed to be a little optimistic just this once, am I not? We have not encountered any large creatures in over a week, and no null arcana-infused animals in at least two. And if anything does show up, we know by now how to deal with them. We did it. We are here. We made it back.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s smile softens. ¡°We did.¡±


    We stare out the window for several minutes in silence, allowing the moment of relief to linger. Zyneth stirs first.


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s enough sightseeing. We should get back to work. I expect at this rate we¡¯ll make land before nightfall.¡±


    ¡°So soon,¡± I say. It¡¯s an abrupt shift from not knowing where we are or how far we are from land, to suddenly getting ready to disembark. ¡°I will go gather our things.¡±


    After all these weeks, our belongings have gradually migrated from the bunks to wherever it was most convenient to leave them. Our extra parchment and charcoal is in the cargo bay, where we¡¯d been experimenting with all sorts of sand, glass, fire, and lightning magic, while my chalk is in the control room, where I¡¯d set up my spell circle for my Core Bond renewal. Then there are my books, which I left in the bunk room, and Zyneth¡¯s pair of spare clothes, which were being washed in the galley. We¡¯ve really made the submarine our own. I¡¯m sure Gillow would have hated it.


    I¡¯ve also left piles of sand everywhere. Not that that¡¯s really a problem, since we¡¯re ditching the ship anyway, but it does make searching for all our bits and bobs a little more difficult.


    I gather all of the unused fulgurite I¡¯ve Attuned into one large pile. Some pieces are smoothed into opaque rods and marbles, often tan or gray, while others are left in their spikey, organic form. Stacked together like this, it¡¯s not a bad haul. A couple hundred pounds at least. It will serve me well as extra signing glass¡ªor for general mayhem, I guess. The only drawback is that it¡¯s way too many pieces for me to keep in my mind at once. The only reason I¡¯m able to keep my body functional in the first place is because the void that¡¯s stuck in all my joints helps to provide stability. I suppose I could add some of the void to this pile of glass, too. But to what end? I¡¯d never paused to actually think about what I¡¯d do with it all.


    It¡¯s too much to hide beneath my long coat, like I do with the Attuned void. Which means I¡¯ll need to carry it around somehow¡ªor leave it behind. But after all the work I went to in order to make it, that¡¯s not an option I¡¯m very keen on.


    Experimentally, I draw an orb of void out from under my coat. The predator watches as I manipulate its element, but it doesn¡¯t stop me. It does emit amusement at my clumsy control.


    Oh, shut up, I think. You¡¯ve only had an infinitely longer amount of time to practice with it.


    I sink the void into the pile of glass. Then, similar to how the predator had frozen the void in the joints of my body, I also attempt to mentally solidify the void, trying to lock everything in place.


    I can feel the void stiffen. It contracts, squeezing around the glass. But it doesn¡¯t quite lock up. Still, I use the opportunity to try to levitate the clump of glass.


    The pile lifts from the ground, the pieces of glass in the void tinkling against each other and sagging like quills of a porcupine. I strengthen my mental grip to keep from dropping anything. It¡¯s working! I can take all this glass with me, and better yet, I can control every bit of Attuned glass I have at once. It¡¯s a bit cumbersome, though, and it takes an incredible amount of concentration to keep from dropping it. What to do?


    The predator moves forward, offering to help. If I gave it more control, even while our minds stayed separate, it could do more with the void than I can. Much more.


    There¡¯s something almost comforting about the predator¡¯s transparency: it¡¯s not offering to be nice, it¡¯s offering because having more control more of the time is exactly what it wants.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I tell it. ¡°If I cannot figure it out on my own. But I have got one last thing I want to try.¡±


    I activate Void Whip, and a tendril of void shoots out from my cloak, connecting to my target. Magic crackles down the whip and into the clump of fulgurite. Instantly, I feel the void become more solid, more real.


    ¡°Hah!¡± I cry, swinging the glass around like a mace on a chain. Keeping it all locked up in one form while being tethered to my void isn¡¯t elegant, but it works. And I don¡¯t need the predator¡¯s help to do it.


    The predator is a little disappointed by this. It doesn¡¯t intentionally tell me, but I can feel it anyway.


    I set the glass back down and end the Void Whip.


    [Spell Expired,] Echo reports. [Mana: 287/300]


    Ah. I guess there is a small drawback to doing it on my own.


    The predator is rather smug about this, and this time it does let me know.


    But, I mentally emphasize, pointedly ignoring the gloat, now that I have a much larger mana pool to pull from, the cost of a Void Whip shouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue.


    Buoyed by my good mood, the rest of the Prismatic¡¯s clean-up goes quickly. I pack all of Zyneth¡¯s belongings in his bag¡ªslightly soggy shirt included¡ªand store my books and notes into my satchel as well. I pause as I clasp it shut, tracing the stylized ink bottle design burned into its surface. It seems a small miracle that the bag Noli made for me survived everything we¡¯ve been through. I hope she¡¯s doing alright.


    And then it hits me for the first time: I¡¯ll get to see her again. Maybe I hadn¡¯t let myself think about it before now, because we were still lost, because we could have ended up anywhere. But now, land is in sight. Now, we¡¯re going¡­


    I guess home isn¡¯t the right word. Where even is home for me? Maybe that¡¯s something I still have to figure out. But in the meantime, I¡¯ll get to see my friends. My soul warms at the thought.


    ¡°Everything is ready,¡± I cheerily announce as I stroll back into the control room. ¡°Bags are packed. Glass is¡­ voided. We are ready to be marooned!¡±


    But Zyneth doesn¡¯t reply. He¡¯s focused on something out the main window. My high spirits begin to sink.


    ¡°What is it now?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s those ships from earlier,¡± Zyneth says, distracted. ¡°They¡¯re getting closer.¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± I ask. ¡°We can just go around, right?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully.¡± Zyneth hesitates. ¡°But I have a suspicion about this.¡±


    ¡°A good suspicion?¡±


    He looks at me flatly.


    ¡°Well, it cannot hurt to hope. They are heading toward us, I expect?¡±


    ¡°It certainly looks that way,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°And it is unlikely to be a coincidence?¡±


    ¡°Based on their movement, no.¡±


    ¡°All of them?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I look out the window, wondering who they are. Thugs who work for Gillow, maybe? They probably want their submarine back. But could they afford to send so many ships after us?


    Maybe money isn¡¯t an issue when the motive is revenge.


    ¡°Will they converge on us before we make it to land?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Not if I have anything to say about it.¡± Zyneth spins a few dials and flips several complicated looking switches. But then he turns to me with a grimace. ¡°Even so, we should be prepared for a conflict.¡±


    The predator swirls around my mind like a shark eagerly circling a tank. It doesn¡¯t understand Zyneth¡¯s words, but it understands how I feel about them. It knows I¡¯m mentally preparing for a fight.


    But weirdly, I¡¯m not afraid¡ªnot for myself, at least. I cast a mental glance toward the predator; in the midst of a battle, I¡¯ll be too distracted to keep it on a tight leash.


    If anything, I¡¯m afraid for anyone who makes the mistake of attacking us.

 Chapter 102 - He Cursed It

    We submerge when the ships continue on an intercept course, hoping to lose them beneath the waves. But we¡¯re above the coastal shelf now, and the waters are shallow. The most we can stay beneath the surface is fifty feet. It will have to be enough.


    The ship is tense and quiet. Neither of us speak as we continue toward land, watching the display in the Prismatic¡¯s bubble-shaped window as it tracks each of the ships converging on our location. Two have shifted course, now angling behind us, though it¡¯s uncertain if that¡¯s because we¡¯ve managed to shake them, or if they intend to prevent us from retreating.


    ¡°How much longer?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask, breaking the silence.


    ¡°At most an hour until we reach the shore,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Probably less, as the waters will grow too shallow for the ship to continue.¡±


    ¡°We will have to bail at that point, or we will be sitting ducks,¡± I say. ¡°Though maybe we should bail sooner. We have one escape pod left. Do you think we might be able to slip away in that while they continue to track the Prismatic?¡±


    Zyneth turns to me with a look of astonishment.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°Was that a terrible idea?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°That was actually an incredibly good idea.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Then it sinks in. ¡°Wait, why are you so surprised?¡±


    Zyneth scratches at his chin as he thinks. He shaves every few days, but a goatee is still threatening to grow in. ¡°The question is, when would be the best time to jettison? The escape pod is small and lacks the weapons system of the Prismatic. We wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back in there if they found us. And I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll have the same displays as here, where we¡¯re able to track the other ship¡¯s movements, meaning we might be blind to their pursuit. It could be risky.¡±


    ¡°More risky than trying to fight them all head-on?¡± I ask. We both know the answer to that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tough choice,¡± Zyneth admits. ¡°Maintain firepower but engage in a certain fight, or a chance to avoid the fight entirely that will leave us more vulnerable.¡±


    ¡°A choice.¡± A lightbulb flips on in my mind. ¡°Ah! But I do not have to choose.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­¡± Recognition flickers in Zyneth¡¯s eyes, too. ¡°That¡¯s too risky. And your range can¡¯t be far enough to be worth it.¡±


    ¡°But I can be in two places at once,¡± I say. ¡°Even if the range is not very big. What if we escaped in the pod, but I left enough glass and void here to use the weapons systems on the Prismatic?¡±


    ¡°Would that work?¡± Zyneth asks. ¡°You¡¯d need your core to be here in order to operate the weapons, right?¡±


    ¡°Minor detail,¡± I say. ¡°If it is just my core I have to worry about, and as long as I leave void in the escape pod, too, I should have plenty of mana to use a Displace spell and teleport out when things get hairy.¡±


    ¡°Assuming the escape pod is still within range,¡± Zyneth repeats. ¡°What if we¡¯re too far away? Would you lose access to the void and glass you put in the escape pod? What if you aren¡¯t close enough to teleport back?¡±


    So, he¡¯s right; if my Attuned void is outside my manipulation radius, then I won¡¯t be able to use a Displace to pop out the other side. And even if the plan does work, I¡¯ll be abandoning whatever void I leave behind in the Prismatic, which the predator would certainly not be thrilled about.


    But if the predator is working with me, then I have more options. Its range is double that of mine.


    ¡°We should be able to buy us some time,¡± I say. ¡°And a little bit of time might make all the difference.¡±


    ¡°It could,¡± Zyneth hesitantly agrees in his ¡®I¡¯m still thinking¡¯ voice. ¡°But that¡¯s all the more reason to leave now, isn¡¯t it? We shouldn¡¯t waste any time letting them get closer: that only increases the likelihood that they¡¯ll notice the escape pod.¡±


    Now that he¡¯s made up his mind, Zyneth spins back around in his seat, his hands flying over the ship¡¯s controls. The markers on the window¡¯s display shift.


    ¡°You are turning us around?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Just altering the course,¡± he says. He pulls one final lever, then stands. ¡°Might draw them away from us. Buy us a bit more time, as you said.¡± He begins to head to the cargo bay, and I follow fast at his heels.


    ¡°Are you sure you do not want me to leave some glass and void behind?¡± I say. After so much time spent in this submarine getting used to wielding its six giant mechanical tentacles, the idea of cramming ourselves into a defenseless escape pod barely the size of a Volkswagen beetle isn¡¯t very appealing.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite sure,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°We will be out of its range soon enough, and then you¡¯ll only have handicapped yourself. Not to mention, without any weapons systems on the escape pod, we might need all the firepower at your disposal.¡±


    An unnerving thought, but he¡¯s right. And this is what I signed up for. So long as Zyneth¡¯s outside his element, I need to be there to do what he can¡¯t.


    He snatches up his bag, and I grab my satchel and stored glass. We hit the spell circle above the hatch that leads into the last escape pod, and the aperture spirals open.


    The first thing I notice is that the escape pod only has one seat. That¡¯s quite an interesting choice on Gillow¡¯s part, considering the Prismatic is designed to house up to six people.


    Zyneth looks back at me, worried. ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°You take the seat,¡± I tell him. ¡°I will find a way to fit.¡± Piece by piece, if I have to. It¡¯s kind of uncomfortable to acknowledge that my body is only a facsimile of the real thing, and that there¡¯s no reason for it to even be human-shaped at all¡ªor in this case, in one piece. I might have to leave some of my glass and fulgurite behind, but that¡¯s a small price to pay for escaping with our lives.


    There isn¡¯t much in the rest of the capsule to take in: a simple controls display before the seat, some leg room, and a small storage space behind the headrest. The entire front half of the pod is a window, providing a perfectly clear image of the surrounding waters. Even now, lines of magic shift over the window just like the Prismatic¡¯s main display, tracking moving shapes that would otherwise be too distant, obscured by the ocean.


    ¡°Are you certain?¡± Zyneth asks, glancing over my body. I bet he¡¯s mentally dissecting me, too. ¡°Maybe if I keep to the far side¡­¡±


    The magic symbols on the pod¡¯s display shift in a strange way. One dot becomes a ring, which rapidly expands. Then a shadow appears inside of it. When I finally understand what I¡¯m seeing, it¡¯s nearly too late.


    I throw myself at Zyneth, tackling him away from the pod just as it explodes behind us. Oceanwater begins to gush in before we¡¯ve even hit the ground.


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    [7 points of Bludgeoning damage sustained.]


    Something¡¯s cracked in my arm, and only my arm, which is a small miracle. Or maybe it¡¯s due to the fact that Zyneth broke my fall, as I¡¯m now on top of him. No time to acknowledge our compromising position, Zyneth rolls me to the side, springing to his feet and pulling me up behind him all in one deft move. If he¡¯d been the one doing the tackling, I bet I wouldn¡¯t have broken anything.


    The predator jumps to the forefront of my mind, angry and alarmed as it searches for our assailant. It doesn¡¯t have to look far.


    Where the pod had been a moment before, a giant coral spearhead has pierced the Prismatic. Even as we recover, the spear opens up like a flower blossom, hundreds of coral feelers curling apart and pressing themselves into every surface they touch, anchoring itself in place. This slows the torrent of water somewhat, but the floor is still rapidly flooding.


    Never in the two months we¡¯ve lived here has something managed to break through the Prismatic¡¯s hull. Gillow had often boasted about the spells that ran through the Prismatic¡¯s skin, enhancing its strength and keeping the crushing pressures of the ocean at bay. Then again, the spear didn¡¯t actually break through the hull; we opened the hole for it.


    The ship lurches to the side, and we both stumble in the direction of the coral. Now that the predator is alert, it grabs a nearby strut with its void, steadying us.


    ¡°We¡¯re hooked,¡± Zyneth says, drawing his blade. Lightning crackles down the knife. ¡°They¡¯re towing us in.¡± Splashing across the deck, Zyneth uses both hands to plunge the blade into the center of the coral¡¯s mass. It only makes it an inch deep. Unrelenting, Zyneth¡¯s magic flares, and electricity bursts from the impact point like a nest of angry snakes. They lick back toward him, singeing his sleeves, and crackle over the surface of the coral. But the anchor doesn¡¯t give any indication of damage, and a moment later Zyneth withdraws, shutting off his lightning magic to reassess.


    The predator, having witnessed this display, decides to take matters into its own hands. It lashes out with a whip of void, slashing at the coral. But while the substance can be made sharp enough to cut flesh, it¡¯s not nearly solid enough to cut through the stone-like substance, and the void skips ineffectively over the surface.


    [0 points of Slashing damage dealt.]


    This only irritates the predator more, because it can feel the coral is full of living things, and it desperately wants to eat them. I offer it some of my glass, just on the off chance it would make a difference, and the predator hungrily accepts. But even with my help to give more structure to the void, the most it¡¯s capable of is a few shallow scratches, like Zyneth¡¯s knife.


    ¡°Activate the arms,¡± Zyneth says, switching his magic over to fire instead of lightning. As flames wisp down his knife, the blade begins to turn a dull red. ¡°I¡¯ll keep trying here, but neither of us may be of much use. We¡¯ll likely have to stop it from the outside.¡±


    I¡¯d already come to the same conclusion. ¡°On it.¡±


    As I race for the nearest spell circle that accesses the Prismatic¡¯s limbs, the predator reluctantly pulls away from the coral, annoyed to be bested by a mere handful of tiny unmoving creatures. Very hard tiny unmoving creatures. It turns its irritation into fierce eagerness when I slap a hand on a spell circle, excited to exact its revenge in a different form.


    That¡¯s what we humans call ¡®being petty,¡¯ I tell the predator. It¡¯s too excited to pay me any mind.


    As I tap into the spell circles, Echo abruptly speaks up. [Arcane Guardian activated. While spells are used for the benefit of anyone other than the user, all arcana use increases in effectiveness by 100%]


    I¡¯d forgotten about that. Perfect! As the ability activates, I feel stronger, too. I guess that¡¯s because basically all of me is made of magic and Attuned elements. But will it make the spells powering the Prismatic¡¯s limbs stronger, too, or only magic that I directly cast? One way to find out.


    I grab two of the Prismatic¡¯s limbs, and the predator takes the last four. Through my omni-vision, I watch Zyneth attack the coral with his glowing knife. This seems to have more effect than the lightning, but he still has to put everything he has into it just to cut a scorching mark. It¡¯s slow going, but there¡¯s little else he can do; there¡¯s no point in him taking control of one of the Prismatic¡¯s limbs. The predator and I are far better at it.


    I shift my sight through the weapons system¡¯s spell, looking out into the surrounding waters. A clunking groan comes from beneath our feet as we unfurl the Prismatic¡¯s six squid-like mechanical limbs.


    Finally I¡¯ve got a good look at what¡¯s hooked us. Bits of metal swirl around the wound in the Prismatic¡¯s side¡ªall that remains of the demolished escape pod. Thank god we hadn¡¯t already been in there. The cable that now protrudes from where the Prismatic¡¯s pod had been makes us look rather like a squid that¡¯s been speared through its side. The cable is made of the same coral as the spearhead, and vanishes into the ocean¡¯s dim. I reach a mechanical limb around and grab the line.


    I tug, and the wire bends¡ªbut the Prismatic also tips. I stumble, and only the void keeps me from tipping into the wall.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I tell Zyneth, but he doesn¡¯t reply, focusing on cutting through the grapple, bit by bit. We¡¯re both in survival mode.


    The predator is annoyed that our giant mechanical limbs are so blunt and dull. We need something with teeth and claws! It could go outside the ship and attack the line.


    No, I think. You couldn¡¯t cut through it in here, and it won¡¯t be any different out there.


    The predator glowers, frustrated at our helplessness. I¡¯m frustrated, too. It seems like there¡¯s nothing we can do but wait until they reel us in. Once they¡¯re within the Prismatic¡¯s range¡ªthen we¡¯ll be able to put up quite a fight. But until then, we¡¯re just a fish on a line.


    Zyneth must have realized this too. ¡°This progress is too slow, and soon the ship will be flooded.¡± He flicks the fire out on his knife, then sheaths it. ¡°I¡¯m going to head up to the main deck and see if I can¡¯t turn us around. The Prismatic is not built for speed, but she¡¯s sturdy; it might be enough for us to counter them.¡±


    I let go of the spell circle in the wall, and the predator pulls away a moment later, like a sticky bandaid reluctantly peeling from a patch of skin. ¡°I am coming, too.¡±


    Besides, I thought of something in the control room that might help us. At this thought, the predator perks up, which maybe should be an indication that it¡¯s not the best idea.


    We both relocate to the main deck, water lapping at our heels, and I tap back into the Prismatic¡¯s arms as Zyneth works the main controls. Outside, I can see a distant shadow resolving in the water: the underside of a boat, hundreds of feet away. I raise my limbs, waiting for the shadow to enter their range.


    Zyneth throws the ship into motion, and it lurches, metal groans shuddering through the ship, as the Prismatic fights the pull of the grapple.


    ¡°Is it working?¡± I ask. If we¡¯re making progress, it¡¯s too slow for me to tell.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Wait¡­ Yes! Yes, I think we¡¯re starting to make some headway. Hah! We might even be able to tow them under.¡±


    ¡°Would that work?¡± I glance at the water spilling onto the deck.


    His brow wrinkles in worry. ¡°We have enough power to do so in time, though it would be quite difficult. There definitely would be a back-and-forth¡­ and if they realized they couldn¡¯t fight us, they¡¯d cut the line. That might provide an avenue of escape.¡±


    The water is getting deeper. It¡¯s already up to our ankles. ¡°And how long would that take?¡±


    Zyneth pauses to assess our rapidly devolving situation. He grimaces. ¡°Too long, I suspect.¡±


    ¡°Expletive.¡± The censored swear just ticks me off even more. ¡°Then we need to get to the surface. Even if they do cut us loose, if we sink and drown, it will not matter.¡±


    ¡°If we surface and abandon the Prismatic for air, it will be a surrender,¡± Zyneth points out. ¡°We would be helpless and exposed.¡±


    ¡°But they intend to capture us, not kill us,¡± I say. ¡°They would not be reeling us in if they did not want us alive, right?¡±


    Zyneth hesitates. ¡°They have had ample opportunity to launch an attack since hooking us, and they haven¡¯t yet done that. Yes, it¡¯s likely they want us alive.¡±


    ¡°Then we surface,¡± I repeat. ¡°We need to get you out of here before you drown.¡±


    Zyneth notices my particular wording. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I do not need to breathe.¡± And now that we¡¯re in shallow waters, my vial doesn¡¯t stand to be crushed by the pressure. I pull my mind back from the Prismatic¡¯s limbs, leaving them in the predator¡¯s hands, as I pause to pull some shards of glass and fulgurite from my store. I activate a Sculpt, rapidly smashing them into a baseball-sized orb with four spikey limbs.


    ¡°Here.¡± I hold it out for Zyneth.


    He blinks as he gingerly takes the bizarre (and, frankly, poor) replica of me. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°A decoy.¡± Better than a decoy, actually: I can see and hear through that glass if I need to. Granted, given its asymmetric shape, sight will be extremely wonky, but it¡¯ll do in a pinch.


    Zyneth looks up at me, utterly baffled. ¡°Why would I need a decoy?¡±


    I tell him my plan.


    ¡°I dislike this plan,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°I dislike it too.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have a better one.¡±


    ¡°Me neither.¡±


    The seawater continues to gush into the room. It won¡¯t be much longer until walking will become more like swimming.


    ¡°I will not let them hurt you,¡± I tell him.


    He smiles out of the corner of his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t make promises you can¡¯t keep.¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡±


    Zyneth turns back to the Prismatic¡¯s controls, still hesitating. Then his shoulders slump, and he shakes his head. He pulls a lever back, tipping the ship toward the surface. ¡°Let¡¯s go fight some pirates.¡±

 Chapter 103 - A Civil Abduction

    Having double vision is kind of trippy, but given the last few months, I¡¯ve sort of gotten used to it. Double hearing and double touch, meanwhile¡ªstill super trippy.


    Zyneth stands on top of the Prismatic, looking up at the ship that¡¯s slowing beside us. It¡¯s a lot like Earth sailing ships of old, except in place of sails are transparent films of glowing magic, and runes are lit all along its hull.


    Zyneth doesn¡¯t even flinch as the underbelly of the ship bumps into the Prismatic below water, causing the submarine to rock. He shifts me over to one arm as he raises a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. Well, not me: mini-me. It¡¯s how I¡¯m able to see, hear, and feel everything that¡¯s happening.


    ¡°How kind of you to come out to meet us,¡± someone from the ship calls down to Zyneth.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t given much of a choice, what with my ship flooding,¡± he replies. His tone is casual, as if he were chatting with a family member and not someone who might decide to kill him. Then again, he seems pretty at home with life-or-death scenarios.


    ¡°Pity, that.¡± The voice is masculine, but I can¡¯t make out the shape of their silhouette from this vantage point. I call on Echo for a Check.


    [Access denied,] she replies. [Subject is not within direct line of sight.]


    Ah well, it was worth a shot. Guess we¡¯ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.


    ¡°Given the craftsmanship of your vessel, I expect you have plenty of excess supplies on board,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d like to help patch us up?¡±


    The man laughs. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing for a target to have such manners¡ªand humor. If you can maintain this disposition, I expect we can see this job through without any bloodshed.¡±


    ¡°Your employer is Gillow, I take it?¡± Zyneth asks.


    ¡°They opted to remain anonymous,¡± the man replies. ¡°But I expect you¡¯ll be meeting them soon enough.¡±


    At least we have confirmation they want us alive. Probably so Gillow can gut us themself. I bet they won¡¯t be pleased about the state of their sub, though. That thought brings me some satisfaction.


    It¡¯s the little things.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to throw a ladder down to you,¡± the man says, and a rope ladder is cast over the side as he speaks. ¡°I suggest you take it.¡±


    Zyneth eyes the ladder, but doesn¡¯t move toward it. ¡°And walk straight into my captor¡¯s hands? I think I¡¯d rather not.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that or we leave you here with your ship to sink,¡± the man says. ¡°But I¡¯d prefer to get paid and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d prefer to keep living.¡±


    Zyneth hesitates, putting on a good show. He needs to get up there to scope things out, but agreeing too quickly would seem suspicious. ¡°While I trust you not to kill me, seeing as you¡¯ve had ample opportunity to do so if that were your aim, I am still reluctant to accept your offer; you¡¯ve guaranteed our lives, but not our wellbeing.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s injury you¡¯re concerned about, I can personally guarantee you¡¯ll remain unharmed while aboard my ship.¡± No guarantees once we get to land, I note.


    ¡°And my companion, too?¡± Zyneth asks.


    The man, who I¡¯ve decided is likely the captain, given how he refers to the ship as his, tips his head. ¡°Where is this companion of yours? We were told there would be a cambion and a homunculus.¡±


    Zyneth gestures to mini-me. ¡°The homunculus¡¯s core. Its body was damaged during your attack.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Your homunculus core, too.¡± He waves a dismissive hand. ¡°There¡¯s not much left to safeguard anyway. Now will you come aboard willingly, or do we need to escalate this engagement?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Zyneth says, glancing down as water laps at his boots. ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    This has got to be the most civil abduction that¡¯s ever taken place.


    Zyneth shifts me to one arm as he climbs the ladder. I¡¯m given a bird¡¯s-eye-view of the Prismatic as we rise. I can see the shadow of the submarine beneath the waves. Despite our intention to let it float, it¡¯s almost entirely submerged now. It won¡¯t be long before it sinks.


    We¡¯ll need to speed things up. I wiggle the glass in Zyneth¡¯s hand, and he taps one of his fingers in response.


    Zyneth swings himself up over the rails, and immediately the crew is upon him, weapons drawn. He raises his hands, mini-me included.


    ¡°I assure you I have no intention of trying to fight through all of you at once.¡±


    Even so, a nereid moves in to seize Zyneth¡¯s knife. He grimaces. ¡°Do be careful with that. I¡¯d rather not lose both halves of the pair.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be returning your weapons at any point,¡± the captain says. ¡°Though it¡¯s such a nice blade, I believe I¡¯ll be keeping it myself.¡±


    The man is a dracid, his skin covered in green scales, and his dragon-like head decorated with a row of horns. He stands a foot taller than Zyneth, and is twice as broad. It¡¯s really annoying to not know the captain¡¯s name, level, or class. I hadn¡¯t realized how much I¡¯d come to rely on Echo to help me size people up before now. Well, I won¡¯t have to deal with the handicap for much longer.


    The crew is mostly made of dracid and nereids, though there¡¯s a scattering of other species present as well. The main deck looks rather like what any Earth deck would look like in the 1800s. I mean, I assume this is what they looked like. Masts and barrels and all that jazz. Earth ships probably had significantly less runes carved into the wood, I would imagine. As Zyneth begins to drop his hands, I also catch sight of what I¡¯m looking for: lifeboats. Jackpot!


    I try to orient myself relative to the ship¡¯s layout. It¡¯s a bit ambiguous, but I think I¡¯ve got the gist of it. Your call, Zyneth.


    The predator is swimming circles around my mind, eager for the impending action. I shift my focus to rein it in; I can¡¯t let it act preemptively.


    We¡¯ll get to the ¡®break shit¡¯ part of the plan soon enough, I tell it. Just wait.


    ¡°...other ship.¡±


    I realize I¡¯ve missed some of the conversation taking place near Zyneth. One of the crewmates is speaking with their captain.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he says. ¡°We got here first. No one would be stupid enough to fight us for them.¡±


    The crewmate still looks nervous. ¡°They¡¯re not turning away. They might not know we¡¯ve captured them already.¡±


    The other ships were admittedly not part of my plan. I was hoping Zyneth and I would be able to slip away before anyone else got too close. If they get here before we escape, we might have a much more complicated battle on our hands.


    The captain gives an irritated sigh. ¡°Then fire some warning shots to let them know the hunt is over.¡± He raises his voice. ¡°Stoke the sails! Starboard ten. Make for Miasmere!¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain!¡± A chorus of replies meet his commands. Above me, I can feel the ship begin to shift.


    Now? I wobble in Zyneth¡¯s hands, prompting him. We can¡¯t let the ship pull away. I¡¯ve gotten a good look at where the lifeboats are. What are we waiting for?


    Zyneth taps back once: wait.


    ¡°Are they tracking us, or the ship?¡± Zyneth asks, his voice the tone of mild curiosity. ¡°Could be trouble for you guys if it¡¯s the former.¡±


    Zyneth, now is not the time for intel! We¡¯re going to lose our opportunity.


    ¡°If you¡¯re hoping for them to intercept us, you¡¯ll be left wanting,¡± the captain says. ¡°A large arcana-powered vessel like that sub isn¡¯t particularly subtle when you know what to look for.¡± He waves a hand at one of his crewmates. ¡°Take him below.¡±


    Zyneth rapidly taps my glass three times.


    The predator grins.


    Here we go.


    Just as two of the crewmates are reaching for Zyneth, the Prismatic¡¯s six limbs burst from the water like the tentacles of a kraken. The ship rocks, and the crew goes stumbling. Zyneth stumbles with them¡ªexaggerated¡ªand falls against the quarterdeck, where he throws a hand out to catch himself. He slams mini-me against the raised portion of the deck, whereupon I activate a Sculpt, shifting the legs so they latch onto the ship¡¯s frame. Zyneth lets go, and my glass stays; now I have a raised, stationary view of the deck.


    This really helps my aim when I smash one of the Prismatic¡¯s limbs across the ship.


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    Wood splinters through the air, and the crew screams. The predator gleefully follows my direction, crashing two more mechanical limbs into the ship. This is fun! It¡¯s not like eating a living creature, but it enjoys the crunching sensation of the wood cratering beneath its blows.


    Lovely. We¡¯ve made so much progress.


    I sweep a limb across the deck, aiming for as many of the crew as possible, and fling several out into the ocean.


    It¡¯s only been a handful of seconds, but the crew is already recovering from the initial shock. Weapons are drawn; magic appears in empty hands. The captain rounds on Zyneth.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    ¡°How could I have possibly done this?¡± Zyneth cries, backing away. ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡±


    The captain¡¯s eyes narrow, and he draws his sword.


    Alarmed, I send one of my limbs his way. The dracid sees it coming, however, and jumps, vaulting over the mechanical limb. That¡¯s the main drawback with these things: they trade speed for power.


    The predator gleefully spears one of the tentacles straight through the deck, shattering a lifeboat while it¡¯s at it.


    Hey, I snap. Watch out for the lifeboats! They¡¯re the only way we¡¯re getting out of here if we sink the main ship. Which is starting to seem increasingly likely as the predator punches more holes through it.


    By the time my attention shifts back to Zyneth, he¡¯s managed to retrieve his dagger, and a new sword to boot. That didn¡¯t take long; I pity the crewmate who had been holding onto Zyneth¡¯s knife. The captain charges after him, and the two clash.


    The captain takes several swipes at Zyneth, all of which cut only air; the captain is clearly more powerful, but Zyneth has agility on his side. Another crewmate comes for Zyneth, and he notices just in time, darting away with a returned slash of his own, but it puts him within the captain¡¯s range. The dracid crashes his blade down on Zyneth, who parries with the sword. The weapon flies from his grasp as Zyneth winces, grabbing his arm. But there¡¯s no blood¡ªit¡¯s the tattoo. Zyneth retreats, his single small knife in his good hand as the captain stalks after him.


    I attempt to swing another limb the captain¡¯s way, but my movement is being hindered by something. A line of water has reached out to snag the arm; then another, and another, until my movement of that limb is ground to a halt. Damn! Of course pirates would have water affinities. But they can¡¯t stop all six of the limbs at once. I take out one of the water users with my other limb, while the predator uses the four its controlling to smash haphazardly into people and critical ship parts alike. One arm cracks against the main mast, which begins to tear from its mount. It sways indecisively, its magical sails flickering out, then groans as it crashes back toward the aft end of the ship, obliterates the helm, and snaps in two as it vanishes over the stern.


    Well now we really need to make sure we save the lifeboats, I say.


    The predator acknowledges its mistake, but is entirely unapologetic, to no one¡¯s surprise.


    We aim for the water users next, trying to free up the limbs, and succeed in smacking a handful overboard. This wasn¡¯t the great idea it initially seemed, however, as they use twisters of water to leap back onto the ship, turning the columns into extra ammunition to use against us.


    New plan, I think, keeping a nervous eye on Zyneth as he continues to fend off the captain¡¯s blows. They¡¯re locked in some kind of cinematic conflict, leaping from stairs and swinging from ropes as they duel all across the ship. I don¡¯t know what else I expected, really. Zyneth would have been an amazing stunt double back on Earth.


    Get that lifeboat out of the way, first, I tell the predator. Without destroying it! Then I let go of the controls, turning the last two limbs over to the predator.


    In the Prismatic, the water is already up to my chest. The ship is bound to sink any minute, so we need to make use of its limbs before it¡¯s at the ocean floor. But Zyneth needs my help, and for the predator to use its weapons unhindered, we need more hands on deck.


    I keep an eye on the ongoing battle that¡¯s happening above me as I struggle to wade to the cargo bay. Walking is too difficult¡ªI switch to swimming.


    Well, the only kind of swimming I can really do in this body. Grabbing all the glass I can mentally hold, I launch myself through the water.


    The last month the predator and I have spent patrolling the waters around the Prismatic come in handy now. It¡¯s more clunky without the predator in control, and without much of its void to help stabilize my glass, but I¡¯ve got the gist of it all the same. I propel myself to the cargo bay, hovering before one of the windows. The ship¡¯s underbelly is about ten feet overhead. I activate a Void Whip, latching it to my beach ball-sized clump of spare glass and fulgurite.


    Back on the ship, the predator has managed to bat a couple of the lifeboats into the surrounding waters with minimal damage, and has returned to wreaking general havoc. Two of the limbs are pinned down with water and ice, but the other four are flailing wildly and causing so much mayhem that soon the water affinity users are diving out of the way and abandoning their attempts to keep the tentacles pinned. I search frantically for Zyneth, but I don¡¯t see him or the captain. They must either be below deck, or on top of the quarterdeck.


    I take a gamble.


    Hand up? I ask the predator.


    It shifts a portion of its attention over to me. The void in my joints tense, locking my glass in place. Together, with the predator working the void and me concentrating on glass, we rocket my body toward the surface.


    A little too quickly, I might add. I burst from the water and shoot dozens of feet into the air. If I had a stomach, it would have dropped back into the ocean. I rapidly shift the direction I¡¯m pushing my body, directing it over the quarterdeck. After that, it¡¯s less about levitating me down and more about keeping my body from falling and shattering to pieces.


    I land hard, dropping to one knee from the force of the impact. My knee smacks into the deck and, to my bewilderment, doesn¡¯t crack.


    [0 points of Bludgeoning damage sustained.]


    Thank god for the Feather Foot boots and Arcane Attendant giving me a boost.


    I push myself to my feet, relieved to find the captain and Zyneth up here as well. I knew he¡¯d opt for the high ground.


    There¡¯s a handful of crewmates, too; they immediately run toward me, weapons raised. Come on, not even a little shocked to see a glass man flying out of the ocean? I guess the giant mechanical squid tentacles must have filled their ¡®surprise¡¯ quotas for the day.


    I yank on my Void Whip, turning to the side as I pull it taut. The glass at the other end scrapes across the deck, and then with my help lifts into the air, whipping around me. The crewmates skid to a stop, so I extend the length of the void, and abruptly they¡¯re within range. The glass flail crashes into them, scattering the crew and launching several out to sea.


    [14 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt.]


    [10 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt.]


    [21 points of Bludgeoning damage dealt.]


    The notifications stream by. I levitate my head above the rest of my body as I continue to spin, increasing my vantage point and picking out which crew are the next closest to target. I suppose one benefit of lacking an organic body is the inability to become dizzy; like a top, I whirl into a deadly blur. I shorten and lengthen the void whip as I attack, bowling through everyone in the area. Eventually, it¡¯s just Zyneth and the captain, who have paused their duel to stare at me.


    ¡°Wow!¡± I come to a wobbling stop, and the glass mace crashes into the deck. ¡°Did you see that? That was pretty cool, right?¡±


    ¡°Calling attention to it somewhat diminishes the ¡®cool¡¯ factor,¡± Zyneth says.


    The captain takes a step back. ¡°The glass homunculus. This is not the description we were given in the brief.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint.¡± I reel the void whip back in, dragging the glass across the deck and up into my hand. ¡°I have leveled-up a bit in the last few months.¡±


    Then I aim the glass orb at the captain, and blast it forward. The blow catches him in his chest, flinging him over the railing and off into the ocean.


    That would have been a great moment to pause dramatically and allow Zyneth to bask in my badassery, but the Void Whip goes taut a moment later as the glass hits the edge of its range, and I¡¯m yanked off my feet, crashing chest-first into the deck.


    [17 points of Bludgeoning damage self-inflicted.]


    ¡°Ow.¡± I start to recall my glass as I roll onto my side, checking my vial. It¡¯s deep enough inside my chest that it¡¯s unscathed. Maybe I should add a few more glass layers of protection, just in case.


    ¡°Are you harmed?¡± Zyneth helps me back to my feet.


    ¡°Mostly my ego. How is your arm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll survive.¡±


    We both jump as the ship emits a great crack. Zyneth turns to look, and I watch through my glass eye on the main deck, as the Prismatic¡¯s tentacles bury themselves in the ship, and then slowly begin to pry it in half.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we get going,¡± Zyneth says. A spray of water geysers out of the center of the deck. ¡°Is all of that the predator?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I mentally nudge it, letting it know it¡¯s time to leave. I can feel our bond stretching; the Prismatic is starting to sink.


    The predator scowls. It was having so much fun, too. It liked using the limbs of this dead metal creature. It gave us so much more power!


    You won¡¯t have any power at all if you sink with the ship, I point out.


    ¡°The lifeboats are on the far side,¡± I tell Zyneth. At least, that was the last I saw of them when they went overboard. ¡°We will need to get through the last of the crew to reach them.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Zyneth says. Most of the crew are overboard anyway, still attempting to make it back to the ship. ¡°However, that will be.¡± He nods out to sea.


    Having omni-vision, I really have no excuse to have missed them before now. I guess you could blame it on my attention being focused on Zyneth and the captain, or the fact that the water still dripping down my glass gives me a bubbly and blurred view of my surroundings. But there¡¯s certainly no missing them now; the other three ships are rapidly approaching us, each from different directions.


    ¡°I thought the captain was going to fire warning shots,¡± I say.


    ¡°He was¡ªuntil we attacked. That might even have worked, though it¡¯s clear now that the ship is in disarray.¡± Zyneth sheaths his knife, resting a hand on his tattooed arm. ¡°I suspect they¡¯re not expecting much of a fight. Here to clean up the scraps.¡±


    ¡°Expletive.¡± I sign my irritation instead. ¡°The lifeboats will not be fast enough, you think? The predator and I could try pushing it from behind.¡±


    ¡°A good idea, but I doubt we¡¯d be able to outpace those vessels,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°Then we are in for another fight?¡±


    The ship groans, and the surface we¡¯re on develops a noticeable slant.


    ¡°It does seem that way,¡± Zyneth admits. ¡°Though with the state of this ship, we currently face a significant disadvantage.¡±


    I can feel the strain of the predator¡¯s distance growing, so I poke at it again. Leave, unless you want both of us to be in a world of pain. I pause, struck by an idea. But before you go, I¡¯ve got one last thing for you to do. You wanted power, right?


    The predator listens, excitement ballooning inside it. Oh, yes, yes, it has been waiting for this!


    Still clinging to the pirate ship, the limbs of the Prismatic abruptly go still, as if the beast has been slain. A few of the crew cheer, but not for very long; water bubbles up from the holes in the deck. Their ship is getting pulled under with the Prismatic.


    A moment later, the power hits me, jolting from the predator¡¯s essence back into my soul. I stumble, catching myself against a railing, then hold perfectly still, overwhelmed by the deluge of magic.


    The predator finishes prying the arcana crystal from the Prismatic¡¯s interface, and the last dregs of magic vanish from the ship. Instead, the predator is siphoning energy from the crystal back into us.


    ¡°Kanin?¡± Zyneth asks.


    Stop, I tell the predator. Not so much. We¡¯ll need that for the fight.


    The predator lessens its pull on the magic just a hair, but it¡¯s too excited to let go of it completely. Carrying the crystal with it, like a bone in its teeth, the predator lopes down the hall, dives out into the water, and then claws its way up the side of the ship.


    Zyneth startles as the creature spills out over the deck, a mix of water and shadows. I hold out my hand, and the predator relinquishes the arcana crystal to me¡ªonly because it knows we¡¯ll both be using it soon. The shadows ooze back inside my long coat. Now that I have the arcana crystal, I tamp the energy draw back down. I slump with relief as the electrifying sensation becomes more manageable.


    ¡°Not a complete disadvantage,¡± I say to Zyneth, holding up the crystal. The drops of water on its surface glimmer like beads of blood. ¡°Ready for round two?¡±

 Chapter 104 - Round Two

    The ship to the north reaches us first. It pulls up alongside us, clearly getting ready for boarding. Not that there¡¯s much of the ship left to board: its main mast is down, the captain is overboard along with half the crew, and the ship¡¯s listed to the side, flooding the main deck, as the Prismatic threatens to drag it under. The handful of crew that¡¯s left are giving Zyneth and I a wide berth. They¡¯ve got bigger problems to worry about now, anyway.


    I squeeze the arcana crystal in my grasp: glass for strength, and void to keep it from slipping from my fingers. I can feel it buzzing through both elements. The predator urges me to tap into it.


    Not yet, I think. Not until we have to.


    ¡°Got any ideas?¡± I ask Zyneth.


    ¡°Not particularly,¡± he admits, eyeing the ship. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know.¡± I shrug. ¡°Do what I do best. Improvise. Break some things. Do you suppose we can throw everyone overboard and take their ship before that other one reaches us?¡±


    Zyneth glances back; the ship to the south is at least ten minutes out. ¡°Unlikely.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± I say. ¡°It was a nice idea.¡±


    Zyneth glances at the arcana crystal. ¡°What do you anticipate doing with that?¡±


    ¡°Nothing specific,¡± I say. ¡°Power up my attacks and keep my mana tank full. Figured there was no sense in letting it sink with the Prismatic if it might give us an edge in this fight.¡± I offer it to him. ¡°Do you think you could use it, too?¡±


    Zyneth reaches out a hand.


    The predator leaps to the forefront of my mind. No! That is ours. We cannot give it up so easily. It reaches for control, pressing against my mind¡ªand my hand jerks back, shadowy claws forming protectively over the crystal. Angrily, I fight it off, pushing the predator away.


    Back off, I snap, yanking away its control. He¡¯s not taking it from us. Just looking. It¡¯s Zyneth! He¡¯s my¡­ he¡¯s our ally. A friend! He wouldn¡¯t do anything to wrong us. You should understand that by now.


    The predator lurches itself from my grasp, angrily retreating from my mind. But of course, it doesn¡¯t understand. It¡¯s only begun to learn restraint, only started to conceive that everything is not eat or be eaten. I¡¯ve worked with it on compromise; it¡¯s beginning to get a feel for ¡®sharing,¡¯ what with us splitting our time. But the concept of ¡®trust¡¯ is still very much alien to it.


    At the sight of the shadowy claws, Zyneth draws his hand back.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I force out, trying to get my frustration under control. It doesn¡¯t help that the predator is still mad at me, resulting in a sort of irritated feedback loop between us. ¡°It thought you were going to take it from us.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you best hold onto it,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I do think with my Artificing abilities I would be able to draw on it as a source, but I¡¯d rather not become a target of the predator¡¯s ire in the process.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± I say, the last of my frustration fizzling out. ¡°Sorry,¡± I say again.


    We¡¯re not given long to dwell on the predator¡¯s behavior. Lines are thrown from the approaching ship to our own, and the few pirates still aboard jump at them in an attempt to hack the lines away. I tense. Zyneth rests a hand on the hilt of his knife.


    [Mana expired. Void Whip ended.]


    The line of void that connected to the glass wrecking ball fizzles out.


    Uh oh. I left that spell active for too long. Well, at least I have the arcana crystal to make up the deficit. In fact, with it I¡¯ll have enough mana for dozens of Void Whips if I wanted. Not that I¡¯d have the headspace to control a dozen whips independently, but the predator does.


    The first pirates jump down from the new ship, clashing with the remaining pirates on ours.


    ¡°What if they are not here for us?¡± I say. ¡°Do you think they might have just had a bone to pick with the captain of this ship instead?¡± It¡¯s wishful thinking, I know, but wouldn¡¯t it be nice if we didn¡¯t have to fight them?


    One of the pirates catches sight of Zyneth and I, then points and shouts. A group splits off, heading in our direction.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to guess it¡¯s us,¡± Zyneth says.


    He draws his blade. I tap into the arcana crystal.


    The magic zaps straight to my soul before the predator starts siphoning it away, filtering the magic through its void and preventing my soul from becoming overcharged. Its shadows condense around the arcana crystal, and I both mentally and literally hand over control of the arcana crystal to the predator. This is one thing I trust it with; it has a vested interest in keeping me alive.


    I reactivate the Void Whip as the first of them reach the top of the stairs. The excess magic is making me jittery. Twitchy. Ready to fight.


    Zyneth raises his knife, but I step forward first. He was barely able to fight off that captain, and I¡¯ve seen him handle far worse. He¡¯s in pain, and that might make him slip up. I can¡¯t risk that. Besides. This is the whole point of my class, right?


    [Arcane Guardian ability activated.]


    I swing my glass flail, and the pirates scatter. I keep a careful eye on Zyneth as well, making sure he¡¯s nowhere near my range. As long as he stays back there, he¡¯ll be safe. I press toward the pirates, and the rest of the combat becomes a blur.


    The glass flail keeps everyone at bay for about a minute; then someone catches it in a blast of ice, anchoring it to the deck. I activate a Sculpt, breaking the flail in two and shattering the ice. Activating another Void Whip, I grab the second piece as well. Two flails make it harder to spin them around without crashing into each other, so instead I stop my spinning top approach and use them like the spell name implies: as whips.


    Given the smaller sizes, they¡¯re not powerful enough to blast people off the side of the ship, like my last one, but they¡¯re still pretty effective at knocking weapons from hands and punching people in the gut. Pirates go stumbling away, covered in bruises.


    This works for a little while until my flails are again caught in ice; they¡¯re figuring out how to combat my attack, which is annoying, because it¡¯s one of the few attacks I have. I split them again, breaking the¡ª


    Void bursts from my coat, arcing over my back right as a sword crashes into it. The predator swirls down the blade, stabbing into the hand that¡¯s holding it and sending the attacker stumbling back with a scream. The void drops the sword, but doesn¡¯t retreat back into my coat. It swings warily around, waiting for another attack.


    If I had a heart, it would be hammering out of my chest. That was way too close. If the predator hadn¡¯t been watching my back, I would have been toast. Despite my earlier frustration with it, I can¡¯t afford to handicap myself by ignoring it right now.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Like the Prismatic, I tell it, yanking my glass back. If this strategy worked back on the ship, then it should work here, too.


    I break the Chained clump of glass into all its constituent parts, then activate four more Void Whips. Instead of securing the glass to the end, like I¡¯d previously been doing, the glass becomes the bones within each of the whips. I pull more mana from the arcana crystal, and it crackles down each of the six limbs, making the shadows darker, more solid, more real. The predator understands what I¡¯m getting at, and is more than happy to oblige.


    I take two, and it takes four. Raising my seeing glass into the air, out of the range of the fight, I get a top-down view to keep a better eye on all possible angles of attack. The pirates hesitate as these six new limbs of glass and shadow appear. We don¡¯t.


    The limbs become an extension of us. Instead of smacking our assailants away, we can grab them with the shade and glass limbs, just like we¡¯d done with the Prismatic¡¯s mechanical arms. In fact, we¡¯ve had so much practice these last two months that this approach is far easier.


    We grab weapons, and throw them into the sea. If people get too close, they receive the same treatment. Blasts of water and ice come our way, and we use the limbs to push ourself out of the way, crashing through the magic with counter attacks of our own. With the arcana crystal to pull from, our void is as solid as steel. We spin and strike, a whirl of limbs, as satisfaction and triumph ripple through us. We like it when we¡¯re winning.


    With a jolt, we realize our minds had merged without us even noticing. But we don¡¯t pull back¡ªwe can¡¯t risk disrupting our joint control over the glass and shadow. Trying to separate at the wrong moment could leave ourself exposed to attack.


    We¡¯re stronger like this anyway. More precise control over all our Attuned elements. In fact, why only wield six limbs? With the arcana crystal, we could power so many more.


    ¡°Kanin!¡± It¡¯s Zyneth. He¡¯s still on the upper deck, but he¡¯s pointing toward the other ship. ¡°Watch¡ª¡±


    We throw ourself to the side as a hole blasts into the deck, showering us with splinters of wood that ping harmlessly off our glass. But that shot wasn¡¯t harmless. If it had struck our core, we would have been dead in an instant.


    We shift our focus to the ship, where a weapon of some kind has been rolled out onto the deck. A crewmate is loading another round into its barrel. A woman slaps a hand to the weapon, and green runes light up all over its surface. It swivels to point at us.


    We leap to the side, and the cannonball blasts through the deck, along with one of our limbs. The Void Whip evaporates beneath the blow; glass disintegrated into nothing, shadows evaporating into the air. A distant voice crackles through our mind.


    [....ing damage sustained.]


    Phantom pains sting at our essence where the limb had been, and anger roils within us. How dare they! The crewmate loads another shot into the cannon, and we inwardly laugh. They think they have a weapon? We will show them.


    Glass pulls itself from our limbs, swirling into the air above our head. The pieces fractal like a snowflake, then come together, snapping into a tight shape. We pull mana from the arcana crystal and thrust it into the glass.


    [...ight Beam activa¡­]


    Light blasts into the enemy ship, engulfing the cannon and the people who had been standing there. Our attack only lasts a few seconds, but cuts off in time for us to witness the scorched deck collapse in on itself. Everything and everyone that had been standing there vanishes with it.


    Now, the pirates are running from us instead of toward us. The group scatters, and we instinctively give chase, egged on by the thrill of the hunt. Some dive into the water, while others race back to their ship, throwing themselves at ropes and ladders. Not all of them are fast enough to escape, however. We pounce on the nearest one, sending them crashing into the deck.


    [...rcane Guardian expir¡­]


    A strength leaves our magic, but it¡¯s not enough to stop us. The nereid screams as we slam one of our limbs on each of theirs, pinning them to the ground. For a moment, we see them as a different nereid¡ªGillow. That sneer of theirs. The knife they threw at Zyneth¡¯s back. Hatred courses through us as we lean over our prey. And there, in its chest, we feel a familiar warm glow.


    ¡°Kanin, stop!¡±


    Its soul, lingering just beneath the surface. We bring our fifth limb around, hovering over their sternum. It¡¯s mere inches away. All we have to do is reach down and take it.


    Yet, we hesitate. We¡¯re¡­ not supposed to do this. Why? There was some reason. It was important¡­


    The nereid is wailing, shouting words¡ªsounds¡ªwe don¡¯t comprehend. We plant a claw on its head, muffling the irritating noise.


    We¡¯ve been surviving off of scraps for so long now, and we¡¯re desperate for a full meal. Our mouth waters, and void drips from our maw onto our prey¡¯s chest. We have been so patient. We have done everything we¡¯ve been asked. Yet, the hooks of Between still burn in our essence, waiting to tug us back into nothingness when we have no more energy to fight its pull. We should not be constantly left hungry, we should be growing! We need this meal. We¡¯ve earned it. We press the tip of our glass against the prey¡¯s shell and begin to cut toward its core. The prey begins screaming again, flailing against our grasp, but we¡¯re much stronger. We can practically taste its soul.


    ¡°Kanin!¡±


    Something grabs us from behind, yanking us back. We wheel around, furious that our meal was interrupted. The person steps back, worry and fear flickering over their face. We raise a claw at¡ª


    ¡ªAt Zyneth.


    It¡¯s Zyneth.


    Oh, god.


    We draw back, horrified. We were moments away from striking him down. And the other¡ªOh, no. We didn¡¯t. We can¡¯t have.


    We look down at our hand¡ªa claw of shadows so deep, we can¡¯t see the glass beneath it. But we force our hand open anyway, and the arcana crystal falls to the deck.


    [...ana depleted.]


    The Void Whips evaporate. The glass that had been in the limbs remain suspended in the air for a moment, then rain down onto the deck, pinging against each other in a musical display.


    Zyneth lets out a breath. ¡°Thank the gods.¡± He takes a step in our direction, but we flinch away.


    ¡°Wait.¡± The sound comes through the translator garbled and broken.


    Let go. Let go of us!


    But the fight isn¡¯t over. We have more enemies to defeat.


    No! No more. We try to pull away, like clawing back a wall of tar. Where¡¯s the seam? There¡¯s always a seam. Panic swells within us.


    Fine, we don¡¯t have to fight anymore. But we don¡¯t have to separate, either. We can work together¡ª


    No. No no no no no¡ª


    In a desperate cry, I rip away from the predator, and my mind and soul burn with an ethereal pain. I shove the predator as far away as our mental tether will allow. Without it controlling all the void in my limbs, my legs give out, and I crumple to the deck.


    Zyneth¡¯s at my side in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s over. It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re alright.¡±


    ¡°Did I¡ª¡± I look for the nereid, but the place where he had been is now empty.


    ¡°No,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°No, he¡¯s fled back to his ship.¡±


    ¡°I was going to.¡± My soul aches. How did I let that happen? Why? I¡¯m stronger than this. I should be stronger than this. ¡°I cannot go back to land, Zyneth. It is too dangerous.¡±


    Zyneth puts an arm around my shoulders, helping me upright. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out.¡±


    I eye the ocean, lapping at the broken deck only a few feet away. It¡¯s not deep enough here for the pressure to break my core. I don¡¯t need to breathe. I could shove Zyneth away and roll into the open waters, where I¡¯d sink, and then¡­


    And then what? Spend the rest of my life alone at the bottom of the ocean? Spending half my time possessed by the predator to kill fish and sea creatures just for the sport of it? What kind of life would that be? Not one I¡¯d want to live. Not one where I would want to keep living.


    Frustration and despair and helplessness overwhelm me. It feels like my soul is breaking apart. ¡°I cannot keep doing this, Zyneth.¡±


    He presses his mouth into a line. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± he repeats shortly.


    Oh. He doesn¡¯t know what to do, either.


    A shadow falls over us; the ship from the south has finally caught up to the battle, too. But I don¡¯t have any fight left in me. I can¡¯t.


    ¡°We need to move,¡± Zyneth says, pulling at me.


    The ship that I¡¯d attacked has produced another mana cannon, which they¡¯re aiming at me and Zyneth. We¡¯re the only living creatures down here, I realize. Everything that remains of the first ship¡¯s wreckage has been abandoned. Did they swim away? Take lifeboats?


    Die?


    I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think I want to know.


    ¡°Kanin, now!¡± Zyneth snaps.


    It¡¯s not that I want to take the hit, but I honestly don¡¯t know if I could dodge another attack. Without the predator helping with the void, I can barely walk. And I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m so damn tired of all this.


    ¡°You two should probably get down.¡±


    I tilt my head at the voice. It¡¯s coming from the new ship. And it sounds familiar.


    Zyneth looks up, his eyes going wide. Then he grabs me, flinging us both back to the deck and behind the stump of a mast. Even so, I catch the moment when an arrow flies into the barrel of the mana cannon, and the entire thing explodes.


    Bits of hot metal ping by us, hissing as they crash into the water. By some miracle, none of them strike me or Zyneth. But I¡¯m hardly aware, as my mind is still digesting that voice I heard. I levitate some of my glass, trying to get a better look.


    Rezira puts a foot on the ship¡¯s railing, craning over to look at us. ¡°You guys okay down there?¡±


    A figure appears at her side. ¡°Oh no!¡± the elf signs. ¡°I should have checked that they were behind cover first!¡±


    Now my core feels like it¡¯s cracking apart for an entirely different reason. Warmth and relief spill from my soul. I raise a tired hand.


    ¡°Hi, Noli.¡±

 Chapter 105 - The Power of Teamwork

    ¡°Are you guys going to lay down there all day, or would you like the get the fuck out of here?¡± Rezira calls down.


    At the same time, Noli waves. ¡°Kanin! It¡¯s so good to see you! Oh I like that coat, is it new?¡±


    ¡°Er, yes,¡± I sign. ¡°Zyneth got it for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Noli wiggles her eyebrows.


    Zyneth grabs my arm and gently pushes me to the side so I am no longer half laying on top of him. I¡¯d have been flustered by that if Noli¡¯s words hadn¡¯t already achieved that.


    ¡°Getting out of here sounds like a great idea,¡± Zyneth says, glancing back at the other ship. Smoke is vomiting from the hole in the deck where the cannon had previously been. Fire flickers behind the shroud of black.


    ¡°Right,¡± I say, sitting up. ¡°Sorry for falling on you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for grabbing you and throwing you at the ground.¡± There¡¯s a hint of a smile on his face, which makes me feel lighter. I still feel so tired. So shaken by what I nearly did. But Zyneth¡¯s easy confidence and Noli¡¯s presence fill me with relief in a way I¡¯m not sure anything else could. Zyneth offers me a hand, and when I take it he pulls me to my feet. Well, I¡¯m doing most of the standing. Glass is heavy. But it¡¯s the thought that counts. We stand there, facing each other, and for a moment, I¡¯m overcome with an impulsive urge to pull him into a hug.


    ¡°You two seem close,¡± Noli observes, grinning mischievously. ¡°Anything happen under the waves I should know about?¡±


    And, moment gone.


    Zyneth narrows his eyes in concentration at Noli¡¯s signs, but doesn¡¯t catch what she¡¯s saying, or I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯d be blushing.


    Rezira puts a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Honey, maybe the small talk can wait until their lives are not in immediate mortal peril. We¡¯ll have a lot of time to chat while heading back to shore.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Sorry! You¡¯re completely right. Let¡¯s finish up here.¡± She unslings the bow from around her shoulder and draws an arrow in one smooth motion. Her brows knit together, suddenly serious. The tip of the arrow glows emerald, and she looses the shot. The arrow strikes the ship opposite, exploding into a net of green vines. They wrap around the mast and burrow into the magical sail. Whoever¡¯s still alive on that ship will have a lot to contend with before they¡¯re ready to come after us.


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw a rope down,¡± Rezira calls, disappearing from the rail.


    Zyneth looks at me. ¡°Can you climb one?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± I admit. The rope would slip right through my glass fingers. ¡°But I can get up there with my own magic.¡± A rope flings over the edge of the ship, dangling a few feet away. I gesture for Zyneth to go ahead. ¡°Meet you at the top.¡±


    Still, he hesitates. Should have known he would wait for me. Alright then.


    Pointedly ignoring the predator, I grab the void within my control. It feels clumsy when it¡¯s just me controlling the substance. Like trying to play an instrument through a thick layer of gloves. But I manage to wrangle it in order anyway. I focus on my joints, willing the void to lock them up. And it works¡ªkinda. I try to levitate my glass just a few inches off the ground; it¡¯s wobbly, but I can do it.


    I nod to Zyneth. ¡°Ready.¡±


    He takes the rope and swings himself up as I push myself off the ground. My soul lurches with a nervous flutter of vertigo: I feel like my grasp of the void could slip, and I could drop my body at any moment. Those thoughts are probably not helping my concentration. I push my reservations out of mind and just focus on the job that needs to be done. I float slowly up toward the railing.


    I¡¯m halfway when something explodes behind me on the enemy ship. I jump¡ªmy focus falters, just for a fraction of a second.


    I haven¡¯t even started to fall before the predator jumps in, seizing our void. It tightens up all the joints and whips out a limb to wrap around the ship¡¯s handrail for good measure. At the same time, it shoots a whip of void behind us, down toward the sinking ship. It grabs the arcana crystal still sitting on the broken deck, then snaps the gem back toward us. I mentally scowl, flinging my body the rest of the way up and over the rail in a final push. The second my feet touch down, the predator recedes, turning the void back over to me. I snatch the arcana crystal from the limb of void and angrily stuff it into my pocket. Greedy bastard.


    I¡¯m not going to thank you for that, I snap.


    The predator doesn¡¯t reply. It¡¯s unusually quiet.


    I turn, looking for Zyneth. ¡°Did he¡ª¡±


    Noli throws her arms around me, wrapping me in a hug.


    I tense, momentarily panicked. Her chest is pressed against mine¡ªher soul inches away. It wouldn¡¯t take the predator but a fraction of a second, a moment of lapsed concentration, for it to pierce her.


    But the predator doesn¡¯t make a move. It retreats further into my mind, grumpily turned away from my focus. It¡¯s¡­ sulking? That¡¯s not it, exactly, but I can make out one portion of its mind; it doesn¡¯t intend to injure Noli. It knows her, through me. Like Zyneth, it understands that this person is different: they are meaningful to me. Useful. Allies.


    Friends, I think. But I¡¯m relieved to know she, at least, is safe. The tension goes out of me, and then the relief and warmth of the movement washes in. I slump into Noli¡¯s embrace, wrapping my arms around her as well.


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve hugged someone in this body.


    Technically, it¡¯s the second time Noli has hugged me. But I¡¯d been more of a receiver than a participant last time, and Noli had been so frail, her body still recovering from the coma it had been in for a month.


    But now her grasp is strong, and my soul aches in the best way as I¡¯m able to squeeze her back. We stay like that for a time, wordless; no words are needed.


    Finally, she draws back. ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re so much more¡­ substantial! And are you taller?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Rezira says, signing as she speaks. ¡°Huh. You¡¯re right, he is taller. An inch above Zyneth I¡¯d say.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zyneth¡¯s head whips in my direction. His eyes narrow. ¡°Was that intentional?¡±


    I throw my hands up defensively. ¡°No!¡±


    Okay, yes.


    The ship shifts beneath our feet, and I stumble a step; no one else does. I glance around for the captain, and find a human with brown skin and black locs at the helm. At least, they looked like a human at first glance. In place of legs, however, they have the lower body of a snake, green and brown diamonds patterned over their tail. They glance at me with gold, viper-slit eyes, then return their attention to their ship.


    Check, I think out of curiosity.


    [Captain Murrok,] Echo reports. [Level 41 lamia aural duelist.]


    A lamia, huh? That¡¯s a new one.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± I ask. I¡¯m signing for Noli¡¯s benefit, but my translator also speaks the words aloud for Zyneth¡ªcharmingly still without any contractions. And by charming I mean aggravating.


    ¡°That¡¯s Captain Murrok,¡± Rezira says, telling me nothing I don¡¯t already know. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to them when we¡¯re not still fleeing enemy ships.¡±


    Looking back out to sea, I find she¡¯s right; although we sank one, and set a second on fire, there¡¯s still the fourth and final ship in pursuit. It hasn¡¯t caught up with us yet, but it can¡¯t be more than half a mile away.


    ¡°Is there anything we can do?¡± Zyneth asks, leaning out over the rails beside me.


    ¡°Not unless you can make a ship sail faster,¡± Rezira says. ¡°For now, we¡¯re just passengers. Take the opportunity to recover. Do you need any healing?¡±


    Zyneth hesitates. ¡°Perhaps. Some old wounds you could look at later. I¡¯m fine for now, however.¡±


    Rezira gives him a skeptical look before turning to me, raising an eyebrow. ¡°So you can speak now, huh?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh. My translator?¡± I touch the stone. I¡¯d forgotten Zyneth had gotten it for me in Miasmere after we¡¯d already left Noli and Rezira. That was only three months ago, but it feels like a lot longer.


    ¡°That¡¯s so weird,¡± Rezira says. ¡°I always imagined your voice to be higher pitched.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± I cry. ¡°No. Why would you think that? This is already a far cry from my standard manly, sultry timbre. Did I mention manly?¡±


    ¡°Hard to picture such a little bottle with a deep voice.¡± She breaks into a grin.


    Oh, so she¡¯s just teasing me. Nice to see nothing has changed.


    Noli wrinkles her nose. ¡°Translators are so unreliable. But your signs are getting a lot better! Mostly.¡±


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    ¡°Mostly?¡± I repeat. ¡°What do you mean, mostly?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can tell you¡¯ve been learning some new words!¡± she signs, but her smile is hesitant and guilty: the whitest lie I¡¯ve ever seen.


    ¡°What are you holding back?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Your accent,¡± Rezira answers when Noli doesn¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re some country bumpkin.¡±


    ¡°Country bumpkin!¡± I splutter. ¡°What¡ªbut¡ªyou two live in the country! And what do you mean, accent?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just little things,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Your hand doesn¡¯t twist with the word ¡®cry,¡¯ see? And your elbows are too stiff.¡±


    I watch carefully and try to see what she means. ¡°My book did not mention that.¡±


    Rezira grunts. ¡°That explains it. Got it in Miasmere, did you? The best ones will be found in Valenia South.¡±


    ¡°Next time I am in an eastern city, I will make sure to look for books specifically from the south,¡± I say dryly. But I¡¯m making mental notes on what Noli and Rezira do, even as they speak. They¡¯re right. Some of the signs I learned are a little clunky. I¡¯ll work at it.


    I guess now, I¡¯ll have a lot of time to work at it.


    A strange, whirring sound grows in intensity. I tip my head. ¡°What is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Incoming!¡± Rezira cries.


    The water beside our ship erupts in a geyser. Everyone ducks.


    Captain Murrok bares their teeth¡ªfangs, I note¡ªwhipping around to look behind them. ¡°Get down!¡± they sign at Noli. ¡°Cannon fire.¡±


    ¡°Expletive. We are still in their range?¡± I mean, I guess the answer to that is obvious. I just thought they were too far away!


    ¡°Expletive?¡± Rezira repeats with a snort. ¡°What did that thing just say?¡±


    ¡°Is now really the time?¡± I cry.


    Noli, who¡¯s blissfully unaware of my translator¡¯s faults, crouches behind the railing. ¡°On the bright side, at this distance, the likelihood of hitting us is very low!¡± she signs.


    Rezira kneels beside her as Zyneth and I also take cover. ¡°Assuming they don¡¯t have spells to assist with their aim,¡± Rezira adds.


    Another whizzing sound cuts through the air, and another eruption of water explodes nearby¡ªonly a few feet from the ship.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say they have homing spells,¡± Zyneth says.


    The captain releases the helm, vanishing behind the quarterdeck as they race toward the back of their ship. A moment later, a yellow wall of light begins to climb into the air from the back of the ship.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Creating an illusion,¡± Rezira says. ¡°It should help us slip away from the enemy ship.¡±


    The light slowly creeps into the air, beginning to form the impression of a dome. At the same time, another shot whizzes by, shattering a portion of the spell as it narrowly misses our ship and crashes into the water in front of us.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have time to wait for it to complete,¡± Zyneth says.


    He¡¯s right. Each shot has been closer than the last; the next one could sink us. We can¡¯t just wait for whatever illusion the snake-person is weaving to finish¡ªespecially if each shot crumbles a portion of the spell and sets us back. We need to stop the attacks and buy them some time. I race up the quarterdeck, sprinting to the back of the ship.


    Captain Murrok is there, eyes narrowed in concentration, hands sketching out the runes and lines of a giant spell circle as light flows into the air above them. I try to gauge the distance between us and the enemy ship.


    They¡¯re closer than they were even a few minutes ago. They must be moving at top speed, while we¡¯d been at a standstill and are only now regaining momentum.


    I could slow them down. After what I just did with the other two ships, I know that with the predator¡¯s help, I could do some damage.


    The worry is, I might do too much damage. If our minds merge again, I¡¯m not sure I can keep the predator from killing someone¡ªespecially if Zyneth isn¡¯t there to reel me back in.


    But what other options do I have? My Attuned elements can¡¯t even close half the distance.


    Zyneth and Noli appear at my side.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Zyneth asks. ¡°Any ideas?¡±


    ¡°Can your lightning shoot that far?¡± I wonder. Though he largely just uses it on his knives, I saw him release a condensed shot once before. At me, specifically, when the predator had me in Emrox.


    ¡°Theoretically,¡± he says. ¡°But practically, no. I can create it, but not guide it; once it leaves my hands, it does what it pleases. At this distance, the lightning would likely fork off into the water before reaching them.¡±


    I turn to Noli. ¡°What is your range with your bow?¡±


    ¡°With magic to double the range of each arrow, I would still only reach halfway,¡± she admits.


    ¡°Does this ship have cannons of its own?¡± I ask, looking around. It¡¯s much smaller than the pirate ships, though, and the answer is apparent from the empty decks.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to fire back,¡± Zyneth says, rubbing his chin as he thinks. ¡°We just need to deflect¡ªor as the captain is doing, disguise.¡±


    Noli shrugs helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything that could stop a cannonball.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± I say, mentally scrolling through my list of spells. Void Whip, Elemental Dowsing, Elemental Radar, Refraction, Location, Glow, Displace¡­


    ¡°Wait!¡± I realize. ¡°I do have something!¡±


    I grab onto the railing for stability, and will all of my void out from under my coat. The shadowy blobs swirl into the air before me.


    Rezira blinks. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡±


    I divide the void in half, mentally stretching each portion as wide as I can possibly make them. I feel the predator watching over my shoulder, curious, but it doesn¡¯t interfere. Great, because I really don¡¯t want to deal with it right now.


    Each volume of void becomes a giant black pancake in the air behind the ship, nearly completely obscuring our view.


    I activate Displace.


    [Displace Activated,] Echo says.


    I wait, hoping they¡¯re big enough. Hoping they cover enough of the back of the ship.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Noli asks. Not unnerved by the sight of so much void, but merely curious. ¡°Is it a barrier?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say. ¡°Like Zyneth said, we do not have to stop the shots if¡ª¡±


    Another whizzing sound thunders toward us. I tense, hoping it won¡¯t just tear through the void like tissue paper. One shot erupts in the water next to us. The other¡ª


    A pane of void crumples as it¡¯s struck by the cannonball, wrapping around the projectile like fabric. Instead of breaking out the other side, however, the cannonball vanishes, bursting out the second one the same instant. The second pane of void crumples in reverse, momentarily stretching out behind the shot like a tail of a comet as the cannonball rockets back toward the enemy ship. Then both portions of void slowly unwind themselves and ripple back into flat sheets once more.


    [41 points of Mana extinguished,] Echo reports.


    The shot strikes the ocean a hundred feet away, sending up a spray of water behind us.


    I sag with relief. ¡°...if we can redirect them.¡±


    Noli throws her arms in the air. ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±


    ¡°Very clever,¡± Zyneth says, though he appears as relieved as me. ¡°Can you tip that second one up? Try a forty-five degree angle. The returned shots will carry farther.¡±


    I do this as Rezira plants her hands on her hips. ¡°Not half bad.¡±


    ¡°Takes a bit of mana, though,¡± I admit. Looks like each shot is about 40 mana, based on their size. That means I can do another seven or so before I¡¯m out. Unless I use the arcana crystal, that is.


    Another shot fires our way, again absorbed and redirected by the Displace spell. This time, the return shot goes a lot further. It doesn¡¯t get anywhere near striking the enemy ship, but it¡¯s closer to them than it is to us.


    After that, the firing stops.


    ¡°They must be wary of having their own weapons turned against them,¡± Zyneth observes.


    ¡°Oh, thank the gods,¡± I say. I won¡¯t have to worry about using the arcana crystal after all.


    ¡°Will that be enough to slip away?¡± Rezira asks, looking up at the shell of magic that¡¯s slowly weaving over the ship.


    Noli looks to Captain Murrok, who¡¯s still concentrating on their spell. ¡°It might take a few minutes more,¡± she signs.


    ¡°It better be a good spell,¡± I say. ¡°They will catch up to us before too long.¡±


    Zyneth leans forward, eyes narrowed. ¡°Something¡¯s happening.¡±


    We all look. The water around the ship¡¯s prow has turned white and started churning. There¡¯s movement along the sides of the ship, too, objects surfacing and dipping beneath the waves.


    ¡°Oars?¡± I ask.


    Noli squints. ¡°No. They¡¯re fins.¡±


    I look to Zyneth and Rezira; both of them appear grim. They¡¯re expecting another fight.


    I don¡¯t think we can handle another fight right now. Zyneth¡¯s worn out, Rezira is a healer, we¡¯ll need the captain to keep sailing the ship¡ªthat leaves just me and Noli in prime condition to fight, and I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d even call my condition prime.


    With the arcana crystal, I could destroy them. But that would require leaning on the predator, and neither of these things are something I want. I need time to digest everything. I need time to hash everything out with the predator and make sure I don¡¯t put anyone else¡¯s lives in danger. Mostly, I just want time to spend with my friends without having to worry about anything life threatening.


    Wanting all that is nice, but we still need a solution. I slip my hand in my pocket, hesitantly tapping a finger against the arcana crystal. Is this the only option we¡¯ve got?


    ¡°It¡¯s gaining,¡± Rezira notes.


    ¡°Could you use your Light Beam?¡± Zyneth asks me. ¡°It was rather effective on the last ship.¡±


    That¡¯s an understatement. ¡°That was with the arcana crystal powering it,¡± I say. But I¡¯d need the predator to channel the energy for me so it all doesn¡¯t go straight to my soul. ¡°I do not know if¡­ I do not want to use it.¡±


    Zyneth grimaces. ¡°I see.¡±


    But I can¡¯t let my reservations endanger the lives of everyone else here. What if this is the only solution? Though I¡¯m not sure I would even be able to aim it precisely enough, given the distance.


    Aim.


    Aim.


    I spin to Noli. ¡°Can you hit a moving target?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± she signs. ¡°I learned to hunt in the forest, and let me tell you, animals do not like to stay still when you¡¯re shooting arrows at them.¡±


    ¡°What is the furthest range you can manage?¡± I ask. ¡°With magic to help.¡±


    She looks out to sea, closing one eye and holding a thumb up before her. ¡°A quarter mile would be my limit.¡±


    ¡°Their ship is still a little more than that away,¡± Zyneth notes.


    Rezira grunts. ¡°Not for long.¡±


    ¡°What about hitting one arrow with a second arrow?¡± I ask. ¡°Could you guarantee you hit it?¡±


    ¡°Guarantee? No.¡± Noli considers. ¡°But I¡¯d give it a ten to one chance.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re hitting a target we already have access to, I could improve that chance,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I could carve a homing spell circle on the target arrow that would draw the other arrow in.¡± He tips his head at me. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    I hold up the arcana crystal. ¡°One shot to end the fight.¡±


    He raises his eyebrows, though Rezira and Noli seem confused.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to move quickly,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Noli, your arrows, if you would.¡±


    Perplexed, she hands two over. ¡°What will that little stone do?¡±


    ¡°Cripple their ship, ideally.¡± Trying very hard not to think about my plan, so as not to clue the predator in, I take Noli¡¯s hands and put the arcana crystal in them. I intentionally angle my glass so the predator doesn¡¯t see this happen. ¡°It is up to you.¡±


    It takes a few more minutes for Zyneth to finish his spells, and for Noli to prepare her arrows. As they do, the enemy ship draws ever closer. I know we need to wait until they¡¯re within Noli¡¯s range, but it¡¯s still unnerving to watch the vessel creep steadily closer¡ªtoo close, it feels like.


    When Zyneth has finished working his spells, Noli tests her arrows¡¯ weight. ¡°Everyone ready?¡±


    We all nod. I pull my void back into my coat, providing Noli a clear view.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± She grins. ¡°Let¡¯s see what teamwork is capable of.¡±


    She holds the first arrow up to her bow and draws back. She points the shot high, so it will have a long arc to fall through. She waits. Adjusts. Then fires.


    She whips the second arrow up to her bow the moment the first one vanishes into the sky. She aims lower this time, and waits. In the sky, I can see the small fleck of black reach its apex and begin to descend. She looses her second shot.


    We all watch in tense silence.


    The two arrows collide mid-air, right above the enemy ship.


    The arcana crystal strapped to the first arrow explodes. Red light erupts from the fractured crystal, enveloping the ship, and I¡¯m momentarily taken back to a similar explosion, when we destroyed the arcana crystal in Yedzaquib¡¯s library. The shockwave hits us seconds later. The enemy ship¡¯s mast crumples, and wood splinters across the deck. Fire breaks out. The vessel lists to the side, where a hole has been carved out of its hull.


    The predator startles as it realizes what I¡¯ve done. No! The crystal. Our power! How could I throw that away?


    Because you wanted it, I think. And you¡¯d use it to hurt people.


    The predator¡¯s shock becomes anger. That was ours! Ours! I can¡¯t destroy our things!


    I can and will as long as you pose a threat.


    The predator scowls, prowling around the edges of my mind. It doesn¡¯t understand why I would do this.


    No, I think. You wouldn¡¯t.


    Rezira, Noli, and Zyneth watch in silence as the burning ship begins to sink. That¡¯s three ships sunk from the power of that crystal. No one should have the ability to wield such control over the fate of so many lives. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s gone.


    Rezira is the first to stir, letting out a breath. ¡°The power of teamwork is terrifying.¡±

 Chapter 106 - To Name a Monster

    The red glow of the burning ship disappears on the horizon as we sail south. Captain Murrok finishes their illusion spell several minutes later, and a shell of orange light forms around the ship. I can¡¯t see any difference from the inside, but Noli assures us that from the outside, we¡¯re now practically invisible.


    We¡¯re free. No one is chasing us. We all have a moment to breathe.


    Well, most of us, anyway.


    I turn to Noli. ¡°How did you find us?¡±


    She smiles fondly. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a story. Perhaps we should find somewhere more comfortable first. I¡¯m sure you both could use some rest.¡±


    Zyneth especially. He tries not to show it, but I¡¯m starting to recognize the fatigue in subtle hints of his body language. Of course, I don¡¯t actually need rest¡ªphysically, speaking¡ªbut mentally, emotionally¡­ just talking with Noli again is healing.


    As we leave the quarterdeck, the captain nods at Noli as she passes, and she puts a hand on their shoulder, giving it a squeeze. They must know each other, then. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if Noli¡¯s made friends in every corner of the world.


    Noli takes us below deck to a galley not unlike the one on the Prismatic. There¡¯s no table, save the small plank used to prepare meals, so Rezira points Zyneth over to a crate; after he sits down, she sets about checking him over, her hands glowing with the faint green light of her healing magic. I also take a seat on a nearby crate, as Noli sets about preparing a meal. It will be the first fresh food Zyneth has had in two months.


    ¡°We got your letter,¡± Noli pauses to sign after she sets things out on the counter. ¡°It was rather alarming. Rezira and I decided we had to investigate at once.¡±


    ¡°Mostly Noli,¡± Rezira adds.


    ¡°We started in Miasmere,¡± she continues. ¡°You said you were heading to Emrox, so we started at the docks. There was no sign of this Gillow fellow you mentioned¡ª¡± Zyneth frowns, and as my thoughts return to Gillow, the predator mentally growls. ¡°¡ªbut we did some digging anyway. This led us to some rather unscrupulous groups of people.¡±


    ¡°Gods be good,¡± Zyneth says after Rezira finishes interpreting. ¡°You didn¡¯t get involved with any of them, did you?¡± He glances toward the ceiling, and I imagine he¡¯s wondering if our Captain Murrok is part of that same underworld.


    ¡°Oh, they were rather too rude for my liking,¡± Noli signs, surely making the understatement of the century. ¡°But ultimately, none of them were of any help. So we decided to take a more proactive approach.¡±


    Noli pauses to start cutting up some fruit, cheese, and slices of crusty bread, so Rezira takes over.


    ¡°We visited some friends in the south,¡± she says, nodding to Noli. ¡°She spent most of her childhood in Citron City.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Zyneth says with a nod, as if this explains everything.


    ¡°Why there?¡± I ask. What does this have to do with anything?


    ¡°It¡¯s a predominantly lamia capital.¡± Rezira pauses, probably remembering I¡¯m not from around here. ¡°Oh, right. Lamia don¡¯t have vocal cords. Signs are their primary form of communication, and every known sign language across Lusio originated with them, in one form or another. Noli¡¯s parents sent her there to live with a host family when she was young. I¡¯m sure they wanted to give her the best education available.¡±


    Noli¡¯s parents. Now that¡¯s something I¡¯ve never stopped to wonder about. What must they be like? She¡¯s never mentioned them.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Rezira says, ¡°Murrok was part of Noli¡¯s host family. They¡¯re almost like her sibling. They also own a ship. When Noli showed up asking for help, they couldn¡¯t say no.¡± She smiles. ¡°Most people can¡¯t.¡±


    Rezira pats Zyneth¡¯s back, then heads over to help with the food. ¡°That¡¯s as good as I can get it for now,¡± she tells him. ¡°Those wounds were mostly healed anyway. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a good story behind them,¡± she teasingly adds.


    Zyneth¡¯s gaze flickers over to me, and my soul sinks. Those wounds were ones the predator gave him in Emrox.


    ¡°So what happened after that?¡± Zyneth hurriedly asks, returning his attention to Noli and Rezira. ¡°You just sailed around aimlessly looking for us?¡±


    Noli passes off the meal prep to Rezira after she translates, and turns back to us with a giggle. ¡°Not quite. By the time we sailed back to Miasmere, over a month had passed since we got your message. And something had changed since we last left.


    ¡°The same people we¡¯d spoken to about Gillow before were now missing. We weren¡¯t sure why, until we found an interesting job post in a less-than-charming establishment. Someone was looking for a submarine called the Prismatic, and offering quite a hefty bounty for its inhabitants; a cambion and glass homunculus. Half the undercity had formed crews and were scouring the sea.¡±


    Zyneth looks aghast. ¡°Please tell me you also didn¡¯t accept such a job!¡±


    Noli waves him off with a laugh. ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t be silly! We¡¯ve just been following them around; generally at a great distance and with Murrok¡¯s illusions in place.¡±


    ¡°Randomly?¡± I ask, skeptical. ¡°It is a miracle anyone found us.¡±


    ¡°Not random,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Rezira and I were able to figure out that each crew who accepted the job was given a piece of metal to use to track the missing submarine. She thinks it¡¯s some kind of tracing magic.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps a replaced part of the Prismatic itself,¡± Zyneth says, scratching his chin. ¡°Yes, that could explain it. The captain of the first ship we sank mentioned they were tracking the submarine, not me or Kanin.¡±


    Like my Locate spell. I¡¯d used my soul as a focus to try to find my body. If someone had pieces of the Prismatic to use as foci, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to get them to point toward the submarine. They might have known we were somewhere out at sea for the last month, but they wouldn¡¯t have had any way to get to us¡ªnot until we made for land and shallower waters.


    It also all but confirms the hit was put on us by Gillow. Who else would have pieces of their submarine on hand?


    ¡°Once all the ships started to converge and change patterns, we knew you must be close,¡± Noli signs. ¡°And I guess the rest is history!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. ¡°I do not know what we would have done if you had not shown up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it seemed like you two had things pretty well handled without us,¡± Noli jokes. Neither Zyneth or I laugh.


    Rezira turns back to us with a platter of food, which she sets on a crate in the middle of our circle. She gestures for us to help ourselves, and I wonder if she remembers that I can¡¯t eat. Zyneth hesitantly takes a piece of bread, but doesn¡¯t eat any yet. Despite how hungry he must be, he¡¯s still the type to wait for everyone to have something first. I eye the fruit, wondering what it might taste like. A whole world full of new flavors, and I¡¯ll never know it.


    ¡°So that¡¯s our story,¡± Rezira says, taking a seat beside Noli. She gestures to me. ¡°What about yours? From your letter, I wasn¡¯t sure if we¡¯d be rescuing you both, or just Zyneth.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Because I¡¯d told them I¡¯d be leaving this world and returning to my own. What a fool¡¯s errand that turned out to be. But there¡¯s so much that has happened. Where do I even begin?


    Zyneth pauses as he notices my hesitation, bread halfway to his mouth. ¡°I can tell them,¡± he offers.


    ¡°No, no.¡± I wave him off. ¡°Enjoy your meal. I can do all the talking for once.¡±


    He raises an amused eyebrow. ¡°For once?¡±


    ¡°Do you want a minute to eat or not?¡±


    He chuckles, and begins to dig in.


    Noli and Rezira look at me expectantly, and I experience a flutter of stage fright. They¡¯re not going to like the story I have to tell them. Noli will be disappointed in me. But they¡¯ve already done so much for Zyneth and I. Explaining what led to where we are now is the least I can do.


    ¡°It started with the Library in Miasmere,¡± I sign. ¡°When I was doing research on my magic, I found an old picture of a spell circle in Emrox¡­¡±


    Rezira sits there unmoving the whole time, arms crossed, at most reacting with a frown or raised eyebrow. Noli, meanwhile, stares at me wide-eyed as I detail our misadventures, popping pieces of fruit into her mouth like popcorn. She¡¯s riveted when I get to the encounter with Yedzaquib, and gasps when I describe all the deep-sea beasts we fought through the Prismatic. She tears up when I tell her about finding my gravestone, and bites her nails when I describe the predator¡¯s fight with Zyneth. Even Zyneth pauses at this point, listening intently. I guess he never heard it from my point of view.


    Finally, I lower my hands and lean back, emotionally drained.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Rezira mumbles, probably so her wife won¡¯t notice.


    ¡°Oh, Kanin.¡± Noli leans over to squeeze my knee. ¡°That¡¯s all so much!¡±


    ¡°So what does this mean?¡± Rezira asks. ¡°That shadow monster that tried to kill Noli is free now?¡±


    ¡°Sort of,¡± I admit. ¡°We are kind of in an armistice.¡±


    Rezira frowns. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means we are trying to find a way to coexist,¡± I say. Though I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s going too well, given what just happened on the other ship. ¡°We are effectively two minds in one body, each equally as powerful as the other. I have the potential to squash it into submission just as much as it can do the same to me. So instead of constantly fighting for control, we are¡­ trying to find a way to get along. For now, we agreed to do what I want during the day and what it wants¡ªwithin reason¡ªat night.¡± I turn my head toward Zyneth. ¡°I am worried that arrangement is not going to work anymore.¡±


    ¡°Because other people are around?¡± he asks.


    I nod. ¡°I tried to impress morals upon it. I tried to get it to understand that it cannot kill people¡ªthat it does not need to, now that it has the magic from my soul to feed off of. But I¡­ I just do not know. I cannot trust it.¡±


    ¡°Where is it now?¡± Noli asks, glancing around the room as if it might be hiding in the shadows. Well, she¡¯s not entirely wrong there.


    Hesitantly, I unbutton my coat and open it for Noli and Rezira. Zyneth leans over to look, too.


    There¡¯s not much to see, really. At first glance it would seem like nothing more than my glass form. But the shadows within my coat are darker than they should be, and shift even when there¡¯s no change in light.


    ¡°That¡¯s the monster?¡± Noli asks. ¡°Why, it doesn¡¯t look so big and bad now!¡±


    ¡°But still plenty dangerous,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°It becomes more substantial after absorbing mana,¡± I add. ¡°But as Zyneth said, it is still a serious threat.¡±


    ¡°How come it isn¡¯t attacking us?¡± Rezira asks. ¡°Are you controlling it?¡±


    The question gives me pause. I¡¯m not controlling it, because the predator is still largely sulking and avoiding me. But even though it¡¯s indicated it knows Noli and Zyneth are off limits, it¡¯s still odd it hasn¡¯t made a move or even shown interest in attacking Rezira or Captain Murrok. Given the time I¡¯ve spent on this boat and all the distractions I¡¯ve been subjected to, it¡¯s had ample opportunity.


    ¡°I think I will need to have a talk with it about all this later,¡± I say.


    Rezira looks skeptical. ¡°You talk with it?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°In a manner of speaking.¡±


    ¡°Does it have a name?¡± Noli asks.


    The question catches me off guard. ¡°Er. No,¡± I say. ¡°It is a monster.¡±


    ¡°Monsters can have names,¡± Noli insists. ¡°Like that dragon in the Tale of the Water Weaver. What was it called again?¡±


    ¡°Frostbreath, Bane of the Wyrm Hunter,¡± Rezira recites.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it!¡± Noli exclaims.


    ¡°That is a bit of a mouthful,¡± I remark.


    ¡°We¡¯ve just been calling it ¡®the predator,¡¯¡± Zyneth says. ¡°It¡¯s proven a fairly accurate descriptor.¡±


    Noli wrinkles her nose. ¡°But it¡¯s a bit vague, isn¡¯t it? Talking about it could get confusing. We should give it a name!¡±


    It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m already sitting down. I don¡¯t even know how to reply to this suggestion. It¡¯s too absurd to wrap my head around.


    ¡°What about Spot,¡± Noli suggests, leaning forward excitedly. ¡°Like a spot of ink.¡±


    ¡°We are not naming the predator Spot,¡± I say firmly.


    ¡°Charcoal,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Murky.¡±


    ¡°You remember this thing tried to kill both of us, right?¡±


    ¡°Shadow!¡±


    The predator can tell that I¡¯m thinking about it, but doesn¡¯t understand what we¡¯re talking about. Names are too abstract for it, probably. Even with Noli and Zyneth, when it thinks about them, they¡¯re more concepts than names.


    ¡°After all this time, it feels rather odd to give it a name now,¡± Zyneth admits.


    I know what he means. Not to mention, giving it a name gives it an identity. It makes it seem more concrete¡ªno longer just a temporary affliction or abstract concept. A name gives it permanence.


    And I guess it is permanent, isn¡¯t it? Yedzaquib had indicated that separating it from my soul would kill me. Not that I¡¯m going to give up on trying to find a way to get rid of it¡ªor at least contain it¡ªbased on Yedzaquib¡¯s opinion, but it¡¯s time I admit to myself that the predator is going to be around for quite a bit longer than I would like.


    ¡°Noli¡¯s right that it would help talking about it if we had some specific name for it,¡± Rezira says. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t need to be decided this moment.¡±


    Pleasantly surprised and grateful that Rezira¡¯s decided to run interference on my behalf, I begin to button my coat back up.


    ¡°And more importantly,¡± Rezira adds, stabbing a finger in my direction, ¡°what¡¯s that?¡±


    I pause. ¡°What is what?¡±


    ¡°That.¡± She¡¯s gesturing to my stomach. ¡°Are those¡­ abs?¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s head snaps in my direction. ¡°Wait, what? When did you do that?¡±


    I clamp my coat closed. ¡°What, I am not allowed a little artistic license with my own body?¡±


    Rezira starts cracking up. ¡°Do they even do anything?¡±


    ¡°They do not Expletive need to!¡± I cry, rather offended by the laughter.


    But she only laughs harder. ¡°It is censoring you! I thought I heard that before. What a piece of crap.¡± She quickly explains this to Noli while Zyneth attempts to crane his head for a better look at my abdomen, and I sulkily hunch over, quickly buttoning the rest of my coat up. I thought the abs were a nice detail, anyway.


    Noli shakes her head. ¡°This is why I hate translators. Though I can understand an aversion to such strong language, I greatly dislike censorship. I just don¡¯t understand why more people don¡¯t learn Common Signs. Everyone seems to know Common Speech. It¡¯s not that hard!¡±


    ¡°I know, hon.¡± Rezira has stopped laughing, but her eyes still dance in amusement as she regards me. ¡°Well, as entertaining as this reunion has been, we¡¯ve all had an exciting afternoon, and the guys are probably ready to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Rest would be appreciated,¡± I say, even though I don¡¯t actually need it. Zyneth probably does, though, and I¡¯m more than happy to change the conversation. ¡°It will be nice to have a break for a bit before we get Zyneth to land.¡±


    ¡°Zyneth?¡± Noli asks. ¡°Why?¡±


    She and Rezira look at him, and now it¡¯s his turn to squirm beneath their expectant looks.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have a rather pressing job call I must answer.¡± Zyneth hesitates for a moment, and I wonder if I should have said anything at all. It¡¯s not my secret to tell. Then he sighs and rolls up his sleeve, revealing the glowing ouroboros. Reluctantly, he explains his debts and the significance of the tattoo¡¯s glow.


    ¡°Luckily, this debt¡¯s owner isn¡¯t from Miasmere,¡± Zyneth says, truly choosing to focus on the silver lining. ¡°So at least we¡¯ll be able to avoid Gillow, Yedzaquib, and all this bounty hunting nonsense. To fulfill this debt, I¡¯ll be needing to head back to Harrowood.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say, surprised. The city where I first tried to find a wizard to resolve my and Noli¡¯s spells. It¡¯s located just outside of the Valenia North mountain range. I have a lot of memories from those mountains, and most of them aren¡¯t good. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Zyneth smiles through a grimace. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to come. Being in a big city right now might not be a good idea.¡±


    He¡¯s right about that. But there¡¯s also a lot of rural areas around there; mountain peaks where no one would be around for miles and miles. Maybe the safest place for me to stay, if not at sea.


    Besides, there¡¯s a certain cabin I¡¯d like to visit.


    ¡°Harrowood?¡± Noli looks at me, and I wonder if she¡¯s thinking the same thing. ¡°We should go.¡±


    ¡°We should,¡± I agree.


    Rezira seems as hesitant as Zyneth. ¡°You sure about that?¡± she asks. ¡°It might open old wounds.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rather perfect, actually,¡± Noli signs. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to go back.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± Well, want is a strong word. But I¡¯ve felt I should, someday. I just didn¡¯t think it would be so soon.


    I turn to Zyneth before he can object. ¡°We will be heading there anyway, for your job if nothing else. No sense in trying to argue against it.¡±


    He closes his mouth against what was undoubtedly an argument against it.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Noli signs, a bit too chipper for the present subject matter. ¡°I¡¯ll let Murrok know. Tomorrow we sail for Harrowood!¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s landlocked,¡± Rezira says. ¡°We¡¯ll need to take a telepad.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow we sail for a telepad to Harrowood!¡± Noli amends.


    Zyneth chuckles, and Rezira smiles fondly at her wife. I¡¯m even starting to think this course of action might not be the worst option available.


    It¡¯s hard to be dour with Noli around.

 Chapter 107 - Imaginary Friend

    Noli and Rezira show us below deck, where there¡¯s a shared room and several cots where we¡¯ll be sleeping. Well, where Zyneth will be sleeping. I deposit my meager belongings (and all the extra glass I¡¯ve accumulated) in the trunk by one of the beds. As the women show Zyneth where he can get washed up, I make my way back to the main deck.


    I wave to Murrok, who¡¯s still at the helm, and they reply with a stoic nod, seemingly unfazed by my appearance. I wonder what Noli¡¯s said about me. What will other people say about me? Will I have to go back to playing the part of a silent servant? Now that I have a voice box, I can at least speak up for myself. But how will people react? Explaining my sentience every time I meet someone new sounds exhausting.


    It¡¯s dusk now, and the sun is scraping the horizon: the first sunset I¡¯ve seen in months. Land cuts a dark shadow beneath the orange sky, and I stand at the bow, taking it all in. It seems so serene. Nothing to indicate the battle that took place just a few hours ago. The people who died.


    Surely, people had to have died. We sank three ships. And yes, they attacked us first, and the nereids among them were probably fine, but trying to conceive of the lives lost still summons a sickly twist in my soul. It might have been indirect, and it might have been self-defense, but I still killed people. How is that any different from what I¡¯ve been trying to stop the predator from doing? I¡¯m a hypocrite.


    Feeling my thoughts turn toward it, the predator stirs. Is it time to switch?


    Right, it¡¯s almost night. This is usually when I let the predator take control. But can I risk that now? I suppose even if I wanted to suppress it, we both know I can¡¯t hold it at bay forever.


    We need to talk first, I say. Reluctantly, I allow myself to think about the nereid whose soul we¡¯d nearly consumed. The predator follows my thoughts to that memory as well.


    I can feel its mood sour like a shriveling grape. But its ire isn¡¯t directed at the memory; it¡¯s pointed at me.


    What did I do? I ask, baffled. You¡¯re the one who tried to kill that man!


    But I stopped it from following through. I stopped it from taking revenge! That puts us at risk. What if the prey had attacked us again, like it had before? We have to protect our soul.


    Revenge? I repeat. You understand that wasn¡¯t Gillow, right? It was just someone who looked like them.


    The predator wavers, confused. It doesn¡¯t understand. Something is, or something isn¡¯t.


    That wasn¡¯t Gillow, I clarify. It¡¯s beginning to dawn on me what¡¯s actually going on here. I had been the one to recognize that nereid bore resemblance to Gillow. And while in our fused state, the predator mistook resemblance for recognition, a difference too nuanced for it to grasp. It truly thought that man was Gillow. It saw the nereid as a threat; it was protecting us.


    No wonder it¡¯s pissed at me for trying to stop it. It must think I was putting our lives in jeopardy.


    Look, I say. You can¡¯t react impulsively to every thought or emotion I have. Sometimes, the first thought I have is wrong.


    Yes, I¡¯m well aware of the irony.


    The predator is uncertain about this explanation. How can it tell if the things I think are right or wrong? How can it know which way to respond?


    Er, you can¡¯t really, I admit. Not in the moment. Sometimes you have to take time to think about things, to make sure they are what they seem. I think about a color-changing fish we came across a week ago that would camouflage itself to be a rock. The predator had attacked several rocks after that, breaking many of our glass teeth before I stopped it to point out the fish couldn¡¯t camouflage its eyes. After that we¡¯d paid closer attention to the rocks¡¯ patterns and could distinguish the real rocks from the fish.


    The predator counters this by thinking about the sea snake that had darted out of a crevasse and tried to eat us; the predator¡¯s quick reflexes had saved a good portion of our glass and void from getting swallowed and carried away.


    Fair point, I admit. Sometimes you have to react without thinking, while other times you have to stop and think.


    The predator doesn¡¯t like this. I am telling it two different things at once. Conflicting.


    Inconsistent, I agree. Yeah, welcome to the human condition. I don¡¯t have an answer for you. Life¡¯s complicated that way.


    The predator finds this entirely unsatisfying.


    But I¡¯m kind of reassured by the conversation. I understand why it was so frustrated now. It hadn¡¯t tried to kill that man out of bloodlust¡ªwell, not just bloodlust. Maybe it is learning.


    You won¡¯t attack Noli and Zyneth. It¡¯s not a question: that¡¯s one thing I¡¯m pretty confident about, or as confident as one can be where it concerns an alien oil-spill with a capacity for empathy that could fit into a thimble.


    Yes. It knows they are useful to us.


    Important to us, I correct.


    The predator does not see the difference. Is this more of my complicated and inconsistent ideas?


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    Eh. I¡¯ll fight this battle some other day.


    What about the other people on this ship? I ask. I instinctively fish for the answer in its mind, which annoys it.


    If they present as a threat, it will protect our soul.


    They¡¯re not a threat, I promise.


    They do not appear as a threat now. The predator retrieves the rock fish example I¡¯d just used. But if they become a threat, it will devour them.


    Okay, I admit, that one¡¯s on me. The predator¡¯s suspicion isn¡¯t even unfounded; we¡¯d spent weeks working with Gillow, only for them to turn around and attack us. But I think this is a suspicion I can live with. If it¡¯s willing to be reactive instead of proactive, that¡¯s the best I can hope for. It should keep those around me safe.


    Well, safe-ish. So long as no one picks a fight, or does anything else the predator might interpret as a threat¡ªa long list, I¡¯m sure¡ªwe¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m not saying this is a great long-term solution, but it¡¯s enough for now. It¡¯s enough that I¡¯m willing to risk setting foot back on land.


    I guess that means it¡¯s time to hold up my end of the bargain.


    About our¡­ nightly endeavors, I think. I receive the mental equivalent of a blank stare. We were leaving my core behind in the submarine while you went out hunting, because the water pressure would crush it. It was safe on the Prismatic. But while we¡¯re on land, it might be more dangerous to leave it behind unguarded.


    This much the predator does understand. In fact, it finds it preferable. If it takes the core with us, then it will not be tethered to one location and may roam as far as it pleases.


    Oh. Yeah, that¡¯s one consequence I hadn¡¯t considered. I guess it¡¯s too late to take it back now. That would be more ¡®inconsistencies¡¯ for the predator to get annoyed with.


    The predator wonders if we can take our bones with us, too.


    Bones?


    It sends me an image of my glass.


    You mean my body? They aren¡¯t bones! Well, that¡¯s semantics, really, since I guess they serve the same purpose. Yes, fine, we can take those, too. Might as well keep my core safely tucked in my chest, anyway.


    The predator grows excited, surging to the forefront of my mind. Now?


    ¡°Wait, hold on,¡± I say. I guess its previous sour mood is gone and forgotten. ¡°I need to speak with the others about this, first.¡±


    The predator doesn¡¯t understand why¡ªthere is nothing to talk about. Yet it recedes, just a fraction.


    Whew. It¡¯s scary how fast it can flip between hot and cold, but it¡¯s all rational, in a way. Its motives are basic and direct. Strangely, I¡¯m starting to think I can make this work. I can reason with it.


    But I won¡¯t let that make me complacent; I might be able to tempt this wolf from the woods with the warmth of fire and the smell of meat, but it¡¯s still feral. Even if I can train it to hunt for me instead of against me, it will never truly be tame.


    At least I can try to keep it sated, and for that, I need to let it do its nightly patrols. Noli and Rezira will understand.


    Well, Noli will understand.


    I turn and make for the crew quarters just as everyone steps out. ¡°Oh,¡± I sign. ¡°I was about to come find you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Noli asks. Then her gaze drifts over my shoulders. ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t that sunset stunning?¡±


    I sign amusement. Leave it to her to find the beauty in every moment. ¡°Yes. But I need to talk to you guys about the agreement with the predator I mentioned before.¡±


    Zyneth is wearing a new shirt, now, which makes me realize how tattered and dirty his previous ones had become. He¡¯s shaved, too, and has run a comb through his hair. With his face scrubbed, the yellow light from his eyes reflects off the gold freckles on his cheeks like a sprinkling of stardust.


    At the mention of the predator, Zyneth¡¯s expression darkens. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say, tearing my gaze away. I sign and speak for the benefit of all parties present. ¡°It is fine. In fact, I wanted to assure you all that it does not pose a threat to anyone on this ship.¡±


    Zyneth gives me a skeptical look.


    ¡°So long as no one does anything threatening,¡± I add.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Rezira demands.


    The predator eyes her harsh tone and tense stance warily.


    ¡°It means, I need you to not do that,¡± I say.


    ¡°Do what?¡± she asks.


    I gesture to all of her. ¡°You know. That.¡±


    Her eyes narrow.


    ¡°Perhaps we should hear him out,¡± Zyneth quickly interrupts. ¡°Kanin, what specifically do you mean by threatening?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Things like moving quickly, grabbing me unexpectedly, waving weapons around,¡± I suggest. ¡°Anything that could startle it, really.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be careful,¡± Noli assures me.


    Rezira seems less placated. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re asking us to walk on eggshells around you.¡±


    ¡°No, just¡­ act normal, is all I am saying.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rezira says, voice laced with sarcasm. ¡°Real easy to do with a murderous shadow monster around.¡±


    I helplessly hold up my hands. ¡°As long as we do not get into any more fights, it should all be fine.¡±


    No one looks reassured by this. We do tend to get in a lot of fights.


    ¡°What about your hunting sessions?¡± Zyneth asks.


    ¡°That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you all about.¡± I fidget with a piece of glass, floating it between my fingers. ¡°The agreement still stands. So I will be leaving most nights.¡±


    Noli laughs. ¡°Leaving? Where in the world would you go? We¡¯re on a ship!¡±


    Zyneth glances over the railing.


    ¡°Really?¡± Rezira asks, incredulous.


    ¡°While it is holding the reins, I would much rather we not be anywhere near any of you,¡± I say.


    ¡°I thought you said we¡¯re safe,¡± Rezira says.


    ¡°I did! You are.¡± I hesitate. ¡°But I would feel better if there was some distance.¡±


    ¡°Will this plan still work once we get to land?¡± Zyneth asks.


    ¡°It should,¡± I say. ¡°As long as I stay out of the cities. Or leave at night. Look, I have not worked out all the details, but this is the best I can come up with for now.¡±


    But is it enough? Their fears are all founded. How can I guarantee their safety?


    Zyneth squeezes my arm, offering me a small, reassuring smile. ¡°I know. This is a lot, and you¡¯re doing admirably.¡±


    The anxiety that had been building within me deflates. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Noli unsuccessfully hides a giddy grin behind splayed fingers. Rezira eyes Zyneth¡¯s hand with a smirk.


    ¡°Okay I can¡¯t take it!¡± Noli cries. ¡°Are you two an item?¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for my glass, I would have puddled to the floor and sunk beneath the floorboards. Zyneth¡¯s face turns an even darker shade of red. He quickly pulls his hand away.


    ¡°Um,¡± I sign intelligently.


    Zyneth is equally flustered. ¡°We, ah, have not put a precise label on our relationship¡ªwhich it may or may not be.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Rezira says. ¡°Because it seems like¡­¡±


    ¡°We have had a lot going on,¡± I blurt. ¡°I was going home, then I was not, and then there was all the focus on just trying to survive¡ª¡±


    ¡°All that time stuck together!¡± Noli exclaims. ¡°Surely you must have talked about it at some point?¡±


    ¡°We have,¡± Zyneth says, looking pointedly at some very interesting patch of wood directly to Noli and Rezira¡¯s left. ¡°In Miasmere we spoke about¡­ potential interests.¡±


    ¡°Miasmere?¡± Rezira scoffs.


    Noli appears horrified. ¡°You mean the last time you spoke about your feelings was over two months ago?¡±


    Rezira shakes her head. ¡°By that point Noli had already proposed to me.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± I spin around and make straight for the railing. I shrug off my coat and kick off my boots as I walk, not even bothering to take them below deck. ¡°Good talk. See you in the morning!¡±


    Thanks to my omni vision, I can still make out Zyneth¡¯s mortified expression as I hand control over to the predator and jump over the side of the ship.

 Chapter 108 - Familiar Spark

    Without needing to leave our core on the ship, we can range as far as we like. It¡¯s odd, having all of our body out in the ocean with us. Well, technically not all of it; we left much of our loose glass made of fulgurite back on the ship. But the bones of our body are here, which gives a comforting structure to our void that we didn¡¯t previously have. We are more solid, our form more stable.


    Though a bipedal form isn¡¯t ideal for swimming. With some amount of encouragement, and some amount of reluctance, we allow the Chain spells which connect each piece of glass to one another to be rearranged into a more convenient form for swimming. Not the most convenient form; part of us is very adamant that we are not to deviate from only having four limbs. Even though eight or ten would be much more useful!


    No.


    What about just six?


    Still no.


    Compromise thoroughly shot down, we content ourself with exploring these far more shallow waters. There¡¯s a lot more life here. Smaller life, though. No giant sea creatures or anything filled with magic. The fish are hardly worth the effort to hunt down. It doesn¡¯t feel very satisfying when it¡¯s so easy.


    After an hour or two, we grow bored. We suggest collecting some sand and heading back to the ship to Attune more glass or create more fulgurite, but this suggestion is also shot down: so boring! We¡¯ve been doing that for weeks now. This is the first time we¡¯ve been close to land since¡­ Well, the predator has memories of time spent on land, but it was not exactly the same predator then. At one point, there was more of it, then there was less of it. The parts of it that were in the Between while the rest experienced the library heist is very curious to experience firsthand what it¡¯s only absorbed through secondhand memories.


    It¡¯s strange that we can think of ourself this way. A collective will, yet different portions shaped by different experiences, summed together to be¡­ something different from all our parts.


    Is that strange? We¡¯ve never thought about it before.


    Yes, it¡¯s very strange!


    Oh. Well, we¡¯re bored with this, too. We drift to the surface, where swells rock us up and down the waves. We can¡¯t see the land from here, except by the absence of moonlight: a black gash on the horizon. We could go there.


    Part of us hesitates. We shouldn¡¯t get too far from the ship. What if we can¡¯t find our way back?


    We are sure that we can. Plus, our Elemental Radar can help us find it, if we need to. We¡¯ll be able to detect our glass when it comes within range as well.


    But what if¡­


    We know why we really don¡¯t want to go. We are afraid we will kill something. We will not. We just want to see land again.


    That¡¯s something all of us wants, and the momentary lockstep is enough to let us squash any further protests as we eagerly start toward the beach.


    The surf becomes rougher the closer we get. The roar of waves crashing against the beach grows louder, and the tide pushes and pulls us almost more than we can control. It¡¯s only when we¡¯re close, and we send our void swirling into the nearby waters to feel out our surroundings, that we realize this shoreline is made of boulders rather than sand. Doubt infects our excitement. This is getting dangerous. If the surf throws us onto the rocks, we¡¯ll have to rely on our void to protect our glass form. And if our core takes a direct hit, there may be nothing left to protect. It¡¯s not worth this level of risk. We¡¯ll make landfall in the next week, anyway.


    Reluctantly, we see the sense in this. We can always go find an easier beach to access. Disappointed, we turn away.


    Something¡¯s watching.


    Instantly, we¡¯re on high alert. We whirl our void and glass defensively around us, waiting for an attack.


    But there¡¯s nothing but the ocean. What was that? What did we feel?


    It plucks at our mind again. This time, we can sense which way it came from: land. We keep still, focusing, trying to understand what it is we can sense.


    There¡¯s¡­ something out there. We can feel it tugging at our soul. Wait¡­ no, not our soul. It¡¯s tugging at our¡­ void? Yes. It¡¯s the predator half that feels the pull. We feel drawn to it, but for good or ill we aren¡¯t sure. This makes us nervous. Agitated.


    We should investigate.


    We will absolutely do no such thing. Especially since we don¡¯t know what it is. Would it help us? Hurt us?


    We don¡¯t know. But it attracts us all the same.


    The waves roar as we¡¯re carried onto a crest, crashing down just short of the rocks. Alarmed, we realize the surf has driven us closer to the boulders while we were distracted. We try to swim back, but the current is too strong. We¡¯re carried up with another wave, and as we crash down, we can see stone beneath us.


    We pull our glass in tight, forming a thick layer of void to cushion the blow. When we strike the rock, our shadows absorb most of it. The weight of the wave drums against us, the pressure on one of our limbs overcoming the void and cracking against the stone beneath. Then the water spills away, and we¡¯re left splayed on the rock. Distant numbers crackle like static through our mind.


    We scramble for purchase as the surf pulls away, our glass slipping over the wet stone. Void claws form over our hands, digging into crevices of the stone to hold us in place. We focus most of the void toward our limbs so we can maintain our grip, but it won¡¯t be enough to anchor us when the next wave hits. We¡¯ll be shattered against the stone. As the surf returns, we jump for a nearby rock, and the wave crashes behind us. A second swell is about to hit us¡ªwe jump away once more, scrabbling for safety. The rock after that is taller; the waves break against its face, only sending a spray over its peak. We throw ourself at the side of the taller rock, catch it, and desperately pull ourself up. At the top we hunch, displeased, like some kind of stranded, bedraggled cat. If we had skin, we¡¯d surely be shivering, and if we had vocal cords, we¡¯d certainly hiss. Neither of us like this predicament at all.


    As we survey the surrounding sea and weigh our options, our attention again wanders toward land. It¡¯s much closer now. We could leapfrog our way across the remaining rocks until we reached shore. But the presence we¡¯d noticed earlier is gone. We cast our mind out, searching for it, but find nothing. We¡¯re not sure if this is comforting.


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    Warily, we agree to return to the ship. There will be other nights we can explore these waters. Other beaches that won¡¯t be nearly so treacherous.


    But will they harbor that strange, distant allure that¡¯s now escaped us?


    We suppose we¡¯ll find out tomorrow.


    Tensing the void around our glass, we lock up our limbs and work together to float us off the rock. It¡¯s a little wobbly, but every time we do it, we get better at it. In this instance, we use it to throw us back into safer waters. In the future, though, maybe we¡¯ll get so good we¡¯ll be able to fly.


    Now there¡¯s a terrifying thought.


    <hr>


    An hour or so before dawn I manage to sneak back on the ship without anyone seeing me all predator-y. I quickly fix my anatomy¡ªthe predator believes this is not a fix at all¡ªthen spend the rest of the night up on the main deck so as not to wake anyone. Someone folded my coat and left it by the stairs, so I shrug it on and wait for the sun to rise. Gradually shifting colors light the water and clouds alike, painting the world as if all of this were just some god¡¯s canvas.


    Captain Murrok is the first to rise. They give me a respectful nod as they emerge from below deck, and I sign a greeting back. That makes them pause.


    ¡°You know Common Sign?¡± they ask, weaving casually over. Their hand movements are smoother in a subtle way I can¡¯t quite pinpoint, each sign flowing seamlessly into the next. It mirrors the motion of the rest of their body, and it¡¯s a little unnerving to watch their snake half sliding over the deck. At least they¡¯ll never know I was staring.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I sign. ¡°Noli taught me.¡±


    They watch my hands with a faintly amused expression. ¡°Still learning, I see.¡±


    Sheesh, no need to rub it in. ¡°It¡¯s hasn¡¯t even been five months.¡±


    Murrok raises an eyebrow. ¡°And now I¡¯m impressed. Do you naturally pick up languages?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Now that they mention it, I guess that is pretty fast to become conversational in a foreign language. ¡°But I¡¯m good at memorization. And I am¡ªwas¡ªvery in tune with my body.¡±


    They regard me. ¡°Not this one.¡± It¡¯s not a question.


    ¡°No,¡± I agree. Clearly Noli has filled them in on at least some of my backstory.


    ¡°A face would help,¡± they note. ¡°It can be hard to read some of your signs without accompanying expressions.¡±


    Wouldn¡¯t that be nice. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s an option for me.¡±


    Murrok thoughtfully narrows their eyes, their gaze traveling up and down my body. ¡°An illusion might work. Though it would be tricky. Most spells are designed to replicate the expressions of the real face beneath the illusion. Perhaps there would be a way to tie the expressions to your emotions and will instead.¡±


    The suggestion is made so casually, yet I¡¯m shaken. I¡¯d never even considered illusions as a means to regaining my humanity. It wouldn¡¯t be real. Just a mask. I¡¯d still never be able to sleep or eat or speak with my own voice. But to see my face again¡­


    ¡°Wow. That would be¡­ I can¡¯t imagine. I mean, is that even something you could do?¡± I ask.


    They tip their head. ¡°I¡¯m unsure. My illusions are not typically so nuanced. You may need to speak to a more skilled illusionist than myself.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯m disappointed or relieved. I¡¯m still just trying to process the possibility. ¡°Thank you for the idea, anyway.¡±


    They offer an understanding smile, and I¡¯m abruptly met with an uncanny resemblance to Noli. Did she pick up that smile from Murrok, or them from her? ¡°Of course. And I apologize if the suggestion caught you off guard. I was merely musing from a point of academic interest.¡±


    I fiddle with the translation stone on my wrist. I want to feel human again so badly it hurts. Yet it seems like every step I take just moves me further from that path. Would an illusion spell like that help? Or would it only make me feel like I¡¯m just pretending, more than I already do?


    ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± I sign. ¡°Each of these tools are designed to help recover something I¡¯ve lost. But using them just makes me feel¡­ less authentic.¡±


    Murrok tugs the collar of their shirt down, pulling a chained necklace out. A green stone hangs from the end. They let it fall against their chest.


    ¡°This is a sight stone,¡± they sign. ¡°I am nearsighted, but the spell within helps correct my vision. Without it, I could not sail my ship. It¡¯s not ideal to have to rely on it¡ªespecially when its magic runs out at the most inconvenient of times¡ªbut its use does not make me any less of a captain. We all have different needs.¡±


    I shake my head, letting out a small laugh. ¡°I probably sound incredibly ungrateful.¡±


    They slip the stone back into their shirt. ¡°It is not ungrateful to wish for what countless others take for granted. It is understandable to be upset that you¡¯ve been given a rougher road to travel. Just don¡¯t let that define you.¡±


    As I mull over their words, Murrok gives me a comforting pat on the shoulder and retreats to the quarterdeck. I¡¯m still sorting through my feelings as the others wake and join us above deck. Zyneth appears relieved to see I¡¯m actually here, while Noli and Rezira pass around some fruit and sweet breads for breakfast.


    ¡°Troubled?¡± Zyneth asks as we sit around and chat.


    ¡°How do you even know that?¡± I ask.


    He winks. ¡°Natural intuition.¡±


    I playfully jostle his shoulder. But I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to talk about the illusion idea, yet. That feels strangely private. A decision I need time to puzzle out on my own.


    It¡¯s not the only thing on my mind, though. ¡°What do you know about void creatures?¡± I ask, speaking and signing to address the whole group.


    Everyone seems caught off guard.


    ¡°Void creatures?¡± Zyneth repeats. ¡°Such as the predator?¡±


    ¡°Maybe Shade,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Or Blot?¡±


    I ignore her name suggestions. ¡°Are there other monsters out there that might be like it?¡± I wonder. ¡°I could not find anything about it in the Athenaeum, but I might have been looking for the wrong thing.¡±


    Zyneth peels something that looks like a red lemon while he thinks. ¡°There are the animals near Emrox that have incorporated null arcana into their bodies and abilities.¡±


    ¡°Would anything like those creatures be on land?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I would guess not,¡± he says. ¡°It would need a null arcana source to gain such abilities, and the only one I know of is in Emrox.¡± He looks questioningly at Noli.


    She holds up her hands. ¡°I¡¯ve not seen anything like Pitch in all the places I¡¯ve traveled.¡±


    ¡°No, Honey.¡± Rezira pats her leg before looking back to me with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯d never seen anything like it before that fight at our house.¡±


    Zyneth squints at me. ¡°Where is this line of questioning coming from anyway?¡±


    I hesitate. ¡°Last night we¡­ felt something.¡±


    ¡°How illuminating,¡± Rezira says after I don¡¯t speak again for a few seconds.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I sign. ¡°I am still trying to understand it. It is hard to describe. It was the predator who noticed it, actually, which is why I thought it might have something to do with void or null arcana. Though I do not even know what it is. A creature like the predator? A source of magic? It was more of a feeling than anything. A¡­ pull.¡±


    ¡°Physically?¡± Noli asks.


    I shake my head. ¡°Maybe more like an attraction. The predator wanted to investigate, but I do not think it even knew what it would do if it found it. And then the feeling just went away.¡±


    Zyneth grimaces. ¡°You mentioned before that the predator which travels with you now is only a fraction of its full form and strength. A portion of it vanished after the Emrox battle, and it¡¯s never come back.¡±


    I can see where he¡¯s headed. ¡°I do not think this is the missing part of the predator. It was relying on my soul¡ªor the soul of others¡ªto keep from being pulled Between. After all this time, it certainly would have ended up there again.¡±


    I Check my Void stat, just to be sure: 100%, as usual. I Check my Inventory next: one rock, courtesy of Emrox. No void monsters to speak of.


    ¡°According to Echo, what is currently present is all of it,¡± I add. ¡°The thing we felt last night was something else.¡±


    ¡°Odd,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°Concerning,¡± Rezira agrees.


    Noli smiles reassuringly. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s nothing, and it won¡¯t come back? If it is a creature, it would need to move quite fast to keep pace with this ship.¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± I agree. But the predator can travel faster than this ship, easily. It helps that neither of us can get tired.


    ¡°Let us know if you sense it again,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m unsure what else can be done.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± I promise.


    And with that, conversation gradually turns to the mundane once more. We talk about the sunrise. Zyneth and Rezira get in a conversation about the red fruit. Noli teaches me some more obscure signs.


    It feels good to not be on the run. It feels good to be surrounded by friends. As eager as I am to get to land, I think I¡¯ll cherish these last few days at sea.


    Even so, I keep a pulse on the predator, and it in turn keeps a pulse on our surroundings, watching and waiting for the return of that strange, distant spark of familiarity.

 Chapter 109 - Durable

    Zyneth holds my vial in his left hand, craned over me with a concentrated frown. In his right he holds an ink-tipped paint brush, which he brings down to paint over my surface in giant strokes.


    Okay, giant is relative. But when I¡¯m not tucked into my body like this, I feel smaller and more fragile than ever.


    Hopefully not for long, though. Noli and Rezira sit quietly nearby, watching the procedure take place. Noli completely committing her enthusiasm to every new thing she encounters isn¡¯t anything new, but even Rezira looks pretty interested.


    It takes a few minutes for Zyneth to finish painting the spell circle, and another few minutes to fuss over all its details.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he says, hesitantly. ¡°That should do it.¡±


    He sets me on a crate and leans back. I climb to my feet, turning this way and that to get used to the black lines painted over my vision. It¡¯s extremely annoying, actually, but once I cover my core and put it back in my chest, my main vision will be through my head, so it shouldn¡¯t bother me as much.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I say. ¡°Let me try to activate it.¡±


    I focus on the spell circle painted over my vial, and push mana into it. The lines light up.


    [Durability spell activated,] Echo says. [Resistance to piercing, crushing, and bludgeoning damage applied.]


    I cut off my mana stream, and a timer appears next to the Durability stat: sixty-two minutes. If I want this in effect all the time, I¡¯ll have to funnel a lot more mana into the spell circle. But given I¡¯d only spent a handful of points just now, I¡¯ll take it as a win.


    ¡°It worked!¡± I announce. I sign for Noli¡¯s benefit, too, using clusters of glass to form disembodied hands. ¡°My core should be a lot less fragile now.¡±


    Zyneth lets out a relieved breath, and Noli claps.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Rezira asks. ¡°You haven¡¯t tried it yet.¡±


    I¡¯d mentioned Echo around her once or twice before, but I can¡¯t blame her for not remembering after a couple months away. But she¡¯s right: I won¡¯t know how durable I am until I test it.


    ¡°Zyneth, throw something at me!¡± I say.


    He looks horrified. ¡°I am not going to throw something at you.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Rezira volunteers.


    ¡°No you won¡¯t!¡± Noli cries.


    ¡°Perhaps we should start small so as to be safe,¡± Zyneth suggests.


    ¡°The predator would protect me if I was in danger,¡± I say. But okay, maybe my excitement is getting the best of me. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°We could tap your glass with another hard object,¡± Zyneth says, though it¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t like the idea. ¡°And work the force up from there, as long as you sustain no damage.¡±


    Rezira cranes her head toward the stairs that lead below deck. ¡°There¡¯s a hammer in the storeroom.¡±


    Now it¡¯s Noli turn to look horrified.


    ¡°We¡¯d start with little taps!¡± she objects. ¡°I¡¯m not going to smash him.¡±


    No one seems to like the idea of using a hammer. Even if they¡¯re careful with it, the imagery is distressing enough. Instead, I form some tempered fulgurite into a simple tool: blunt on one end, pointed on the other.


    ¡°I am curious to see which will break first,¡± I say as Zyneth holds the glass nervously. This was apparently not the right thing to say.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± He holds it out for Noli or Rezira. ¡°One of you. Please.¡±


    Noli also hesitates, so Rezira rolls her eyes and snaps up the tool. ¡°Bunch of cowards.¡± She sits down heavily beside me, shaking the crate.


    Now I¡¯m a little nervous.


    But she deftly spins the glass around in her hand, getting a feel for it. ¡°I¡¯m good with small tools,¡± she tells me, her voice surprisingly soft. ¡°I learned a lot of non-magical techniques when studying healing. Don¡¯t let the big hands fool you. I¡¯m good with precision work.¡±


    Weirdly, her little pep talk is rather comforting. I guess it¡¯s different when she sees me as a patient. ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°I trust you.¡±


    She smirks a little at that, shaking her head. ¡°Now get off those legs. Put your vial flat on the surface so you won¡¯t move around so much. That should keep the results consistent from one hit to the next.¡±


    Huh, she is pretty methodical. I lay down as instructed, clustering my legs around the base of my vial to keep it from rolling around.


    ¡°Ready?¡± she asks.


    The predator stirs uneasily. It knows that I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in any danger. But it is highly suspicious of the sharp tool being leveled at us.


    Calm down, I tell it. That tool is some of my Attuned glass. I can stop it if I want to. And we¡¯re doing this so my core will be stronger. That¡¯s something you want too, right?


    The predator feels very uncertain about this. It doesn¡¯t understand how hurting something could make it stronger.


    Well, it¡¯s like the tempered glass, right? I try. Only confusion emanates from it. Or, um, like muscles. You have to work out to get stronger, and when you work out you¡­ you don¡¯t understand biology. This concept is too complex for it, anyway. Just trust me on this. We¡¯ll be fine.


    The predator does not trust me, nor does it believe we¡¯ll be fine, but it recedes anyway, watching and alert.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I tell Rezira. ¡°Ready.¡±


    She starts with the lightest tap. It¡¯s so gentle, Echo doesn¡¯t even bother telling me it¡¯s zero bludgeoning damage.


    ¡°Good?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Fine. Again.¡±


    She taps a little harder.


    [0 points of Bludgeoning damage sustained,] Echo says.


    Ah, there we go. ¡°Again.¡±


    On my signal, Rezira taps us again, and again, each time a little harder than the last. After about a minute of this, something changes with Echo¡¯s notice.


    [1 point of Bludgeoning damage sustained: 1 point of Bludgeoning damage negated by Durability. Net Bludgeoning damage: 0.]


    Aha! So it is working. But how much can it absorb? I tell Rezira to keep going.


    By now she¡¯s giving me a pretty good whack. Zyneth and Noli cringe with every hit. Without the durability spell, I¡¯m pretty sure I would have gotten a crack by now. The spell absorbs three points of damage before the notification changes.


    [4 points of Bludgeoning damage sustained: 3 points of Bludgeoning damage deflected by Durability. Net Bludgeoning damage: 1.]


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    That one stung a little, and the predator flinches, circling closer. I push it back. ¡°Hold on,¡± I say, checking my glass over. I think there¡¯s a little scratch where she hit me, but no crack. But will my glass act like normal glass, meaning it¡¯s weaker now? Or would the same force do the same damage?


    ¡°Do the same thing again,¡± I ask.


    She does, and I get the same result. So it didn¡¯t weaken me. More like a videogame mechanic than real physics. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever figure this System out.


    I¡¯m down to 8/10 HP now. I heal one point per hour, so I¡¯ll be fine at the end of this, but I don¡¯t want to push things too far. Even so, I give Rezira permission for a couple more hits.


    I stop when my HP reaches 5/10, much to everyone¡¯s relief. The last hit dealt 9 points of bludgeoning damage, and the spell absorbed 7 of them. That¡¯s a huge improvement! What would have nearly killed me before only removes 20% of my health now. I haven¡¯t done the math, but it seems like I could take much harder hits than before and come out the other side.


    Assuming the Durability spell is in effect when I get hit.


    But this is progress.


    ¡°Let¡¯s never do that again,¡± Zyneth says when Rezira returns my glass to me and heads back over to sit with Noli.


    ¡°You did not even do anything,¡± I say.


    He scowls. ¡°Watching was enough.¡± Then his face softens, and he taps a gentle finger on my glass. ¡°You¡¯re cracked.¡±


    ¡°It will fix itself in a few hours,¡± I say. ¡°I wonder if we can make the spell circle more permanent, too. Maybe you can etch it into my glass? Or would the System heal that?¡±


    Zyneth grimaces. ¡°I am not etching your glass. This is plenty.¡±


    Well, it was worth a shot. ¡°What about my base HP?¡± I ask. ¡°Do you think there is a spell you could make that could increase it?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± He sits back down where Rezira had been, scratching thoughtfully at his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I even understand what your HP is. If making your glass more durable doesn¡¯t increase the HP, then what would?¡±


    That¡¯s a good question. ¡°Maybe because the spell is temporary?¡± I guess. ¡°If it is permanent, maybe it would increase my max HP.¡± But that doesn¡¯t seem right. I get bonus HP with all my Attuned glass, like it¡¯s an extension of me. Which means¡­


    ¡°More glass,¡± I realize. ¡°If I could meld more glass into my vial¡ªor meld my vial to my glass body¡­ would that permanently increase my base HP?¡±


    Everyone is silent as they chew on this. The predator doesn¡¯t really understand what I¡¯m suggesting, but it¡¯s eager to try to make us stronger.


    ¡°It sounds risky,¡± Zyneth finally says. ¡°But perhaps it could be attempted with some of the tempering experiments we¡¯d tried.¡±


    ¡°Tempering?¡± Rezira asks.


    I explain the experiments we¡¯d been doing with Zyneth¡¯s fire to try to change the strength of some of my glass.


    She grunts. ¡°It¡¯s a good idea. But you guys are on the wrong track. If you want to strengthen your glass, your focus should be on glass magic.¡±


    ¡°I thought about that,¡± I say. ¡°But I do not think any of my spells would work for this. I cannot change the shape of my vial with any of the spells I know.¡±


    She shrugs. ¡°So learn new ones. Find an artificer who specializes in glass and get their input. Or better yet, become an understudy for a glass mage. There¡¯s always plenty of glasswork to be done in a city. There should be a few experts in Harrowood, even.¡±


    It seems obvious now that she¡¯s said it. ¡°Understudy?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Noli jumps in. ¡°Most mages take on apprentices. Well, it¡¯s the same for most jobs, actually. I worked under the guidance of expert hunters for a few years. Rezira studied healing magic at an institution for a time. I bet Zyneth worked at an artificing shop for a while, too, right?¡±


    Zyneth shifts uncomfortably. ¡°I was given formal instruction.¡±


    Why does that sound like he¡¯s intentionally leaving out context?


    ¡°I admit, talking to someone who is an expert on all this does sound appealing.¡± I prop up my body from where I¡¯d left it crumbled and inert at the base of the crate. It stands on its own, like a mannequin, and towers over me. I reach down to pick myself up; that sight will never not be unsettling. But when I place my core back into my chest and Chain it in place, my perspective flips, and now it seems like I¡¯m the whole body again.


    I gesture to myself. ¡°But what sort of person would want to work with me? I am a homunculus. They will not even believe I am intelligent.¡±


    ¡°They will when you speak,¡± Zyneth insists.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Rezira says, less certain. ¡°Or would they just be unnerved? Because, I mean, what you just did was very unnerving.¡±


    ¡°Would it be safe?¡± I ask them. ¡°Or would they think I am some kind of¡­¡±


    Monster.


    They wouldn¡¯t even be wrong, with the predator hiding in my shadows. And okay, yes, I might not be the monster; but I¡¯m carrying one around, and how many people would distinguish between the two?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Zyneth sighs. ¡°You¡¯re an anomaly. We can only guess at how others would react.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure something out,¡± Noli signs. ¡°We¡¯ve got time.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°We¡¯ll be docking tomorrow and should be able to make it to Harrowood before sundown, if the telepad schedules are in our favor. Then there¡¯s my job to worry about.¡± He hesitates. ¡°Not to imply you should come with, but if this is an avenue you will be exploring, I¡¯d prefer to accompany you.¡±


    ¡°Zyneth, of course we are coming with,¡± I say, exasperated. ¡°And do not even try to convince us otherwise.¡±


    Zyneth appears to want to do just that, but stops himself with a chuckle. ¡°No, I know; you¡¯ve already made that abundantly clear. Then it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll complete my job, and figure out how to approach a glass mage after.¡±


    It feels good to have a plan. But there¡¯s another goal I have that¡¯s still not been addressed.


    ¡°The lost souls,¡± I say. ¡°The ones from my world. I still need to find them. It has been so long already that I have not been able to do anything. But now that we are about to be back on land, I need to start searching.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where to start?¡± Noli asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I reluctantly admit. ¡°I was hoping one of you might have some ideas.¡±


    They all glance around at each other.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there is any magic that will let us find them,¡± Zyneth finally replies. ¡°Even a locate spell requires something tied to the individual to track them, and if these people arrived on this world with nothing, that would be impossible.¡±


    I¡¯d thought about that, too. In fact, while on the submarine, I¡¯d even tried a Locate spell: but it had failed without anything to use as a focus. Even using my soul didn¡¯t help.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯ll all probably be like you, right?¡± Rezira ventures. ¡°A soul stuck in some inanimate object.¡±


    ¡°Echo said they were going to bind to a ¡®compatible vessel,¡¯ so probably,¡± I agree. But in the amount of time that¡¯s passed, without a renewal, my Core Bond spell would have expired. Does that mean that they¡­


    I don¡¯t let myself think about it.


    ¡°I think all we can really do is keep an ear out for anything strange,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Cities would be our best bet. Follow the lead of anything that seems out of the ordinary.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Noli and Rezira look at each other.


    ¡°Oh, what?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The Gods¡¯ Tournaments.¡± Rezira frowns. ¡°You don¡¯t think¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zyneth says. ¡°There¡¯s been a God¡¯s Tournament?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been many,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Almost a dozen, just in the last two months.¡±


    ¡°Gods be good,¡± Zyneth breathes, shocked.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°What is a God¡¯s Tournament?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s when a god is seeking a new Champion,¡± Rezira says. ¡°They¡¯ll hold a competition that appeals to their area of interest. The winner has the opportunity to ascend and become the god¡¯s Champion. It comes with incredible abilities, including immortality. In exchange, the Champion serves as the god¡¯s avatar, enacting their will in the mortal realm.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± That¡¯s interesting, but I don¡¯t see what it would have to do with the Earth souls. ¡°So what makes this strange?¡±


    ¡°The number of them,¡± Noli signs. ¡°At most, a God¡¯s Tournament comes around once every fifty or a hundred years. But ten in a two-month period? That¡¯s unheard of.¡±


    ¡°The same period of time that we¡¯ve been adrift since Emrox,¡± Zyneth points out. ¡°It¡¯s too much to be coincidence.¡±


    ¡°What does this mean?¡± Rezira wonders. ¡°The gods are taking on more servants. Why?¡±


    ¡°If they needed more eyes,¡± I say. ¡°If they were looking for something.¡±


    ¡°Or several someones,¡± Zyneth says.


    Rezira shakes her head. ¡°The scope of this¡­ this is insane. I mean, you think the gods are now frantically searching the world for these souls? Why? What would they want with them?¡±


    Zyneth folds his arms, leaning back. ¡°It is fruitless to speculate on the why, but the Tournaments are indicative of a few things, at least. First, as Kanin suggested, more Champions likely means they need more eyes and ears in the mortal realm. The most likely explanation for this is that it¡¯s in reaction to what happened in Emrox, which in turn indicates they are aware of what took place there, at least to some degree. But the fact that they need so many eyes and ears means they don¡¯t know everything; otherwise their search would already be over and the Gods¡¯ Tournaments wouldn¡¯t have been necessary in the first place.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another possibility,¡± Rezira says. ¡°The gods might not be looking for the souls.¡± She points at me. ¡°They might be looking for him.¡±


    It feels like someone doused my soul with a cup of cold water.


    ¡°Him?¡± Noli repeats. ¡°No¡­ But why would they¡­¡±


    I sit down on the crate. It¡¯s not necessary, but it feels like I should be sitting for this kind of conversation. ¡°Well, I did tear a hole in reality and briefly connect it to another world. So, there is that.¡±


    I glance at Zyneth. ¡°Then there is what Yedzaquib said.¡±


    Zyneth frowns. ¡°It was something to do with the predator, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    I nod. ¡°He seemed to know what the predator was. Which is interesting, considering there was nothing on the subject in his library. But specifically, when he noticed what was attached to my soul, he said, ¡®The gods will not like this.¡¯¡±


    Rezira frowns. Noli looks worried. Zyneth¡ªbless him¡ªjust looks resigned.


    ¡°I think I might need a disguise,¡± I say.


    ¡°I was thinking precisely the same thing,¡± Zyneth agrees.


    ¡°But, I mean, you don¡¯t think they would do anything bad to him?¡± Noli asks. ¡°They¡¯re the gods. Even if they don¡¯t like the predator¡ªwell, I think that¡¯s an understandable notion.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I agree. ¡°He did not say they would not like me. But if they think the predator needs to be killed¡­ Well, Yedzaquib made it pretty clear that extracting it from my soul would kill me. So I would rather play it safe.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as the ¡®play it safe,¡¯ type,¡± Rezira notes.


    I splay my hands. ¡°I promise I am not trying to get into so much trouble.¡± I pause. ¡°Anymore.¡±


    ¡°So what kind of disguise were you thinking?¡± Rezira asks. ¡°You don¡¯t exactly have the most inconspicuous of forms.¡±


    No shit. ¡°I think I know someone who could help.¡±

 Chapter 110: Missing Pieces

    Noli is bouncing from foot to foot in excitement. Zyneth nervously fiddles with his sheath, watching me intently, and even Rezira seems curious. The predator doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.


    I, for one, am really uncertain about this.


    ¡°I am really uncertain about this,¡± I say.


    Rezira snorts. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this your idea?¡±


    Technically, yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean I find it thrilling. Murrok¡¯s words had been comforting, true, but they didn¡¯t fully disperse the feeling of being a fake.


    We¡¯re outside on the main deck, everyone gathered around me like an audience waiting to see a magic trick. Okay, well, I guess this is a magic trick. But I¡¯m not the one doing it.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Murrok asks.


    I¡¯d approached them the night before about making an illusion for me, and they¡¯d readily agreed. I was surprised they were able to make something so quickly, but they had advised me to tamper my expectations accordingly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I sign. ¡°Just do it.¡± Before I can have second thoughts.


    Murrok bows their head, placing a hand on my shoulder. A crackle of magic crawls over my glass, and motes of light swirl around me. They settle only a moment later, and everyone¡¯s expressions change.


    [You have been subjected to an Illusion spell,] Echo says.


    Murrok lets go of my shoulder and steps away.


    ¡°Oh, Kanin,¡± Noli signs. ¡°You look like a human!¡±


    ¡°Still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not a halfling,¡± Rezira says.


    Zyneth is staring hard. ¡°Is this what you looked like?¡±


    I send a piece of glass to float over their heads, looking back at myself.


    ¡°Unlikely,¡± Murrok signs. ¡°I created the illusion based on the descriptors he gave me. But there were not enough details to capture any precise likeness.¡±


    They¡¯re right. What I¡¯m looking at is certainly a human. A male human, with dark hair, tan skin, and an athletic build. But that¡¯s about where the similarities stop. It¡¯s not me. Not that I expected it to be.


    I feel¡­ relieved? I¡¯m not sure why. At least it doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m faking my real body. I¡¯m faking someone else¡¯s body. Somehow, that helps.


    ¡°This is very odd,¡± I sign, my translator also voicing the thoughts aloud.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Zyneth says. Rezira snorts.


    I frown. Or at least, I internally frown, because the illusion is making no expressions at all, nor is it opening its mouth when the translator speaks.


    ¡°That might be an issue,¡± Rezira says.


    The ocean breeze appears to stir my hair, and when I turn my head to the left and right, the illusion follows. It moves with me, at least. But as Murrok supposed, there¡¯s no face beneath the head for the illusion to copy, so it remains uncannily static.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± Murrok signs. ¡°That level of nuance is beyond my abilities.¡±


    ¡°No, it is alright,¡± I assure them. ¡°I knew the limitations going in.¡±


    ¡°If you stick to signs, it will be less noticeable,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Speaking like that is¡­ unnerving.¡±


    ¡°No kidding,¡± I remark. Without even a hint of change on the face, I look like an animated mannequin. Not going to lie: it¡¯s very creepy.


    Rezira shakes her head. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t speak aloud, anyone who spends more than a couple of seconds looking at his face would be able to tell something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°It is slightly unsettling,¡± Noli hesitantly agrees. ¡°Signs should be expressive! What your hands are saying and what your face is saying is at odds. But!¡± she adds. ¡°I have an idea.¡±


    I tilt my head. ¡°To help make the face look real?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. One moment!¡± Noli rushes below deck, way too excited for whatever she¡¯s thought up. A minute later she returns with a small bundle of clothing.


    ¡°This first,¡± she suggests, holding out a red scarf.


    ¡°Like this?¡± I take it and wrap it around my head, but since I have no neck, the scarf clips through the illusion, like bad video game graphics. ¡°Hm. Hold on.¡± I gather a dozen small pieces of glass inside the loop of cloth and push out, propping it up as if there is in fact a neck there.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Noli pinches the front of the scarf and pulls it up a bit, covering my mouth. ¡°Now this.¡± She hands a black piece of cloth over next.


    It¡¯s a cowl, designed to cover my head with a hood and drape about my shoulders. I let Noli fix it in place. By the end, you can barely see my face within the shadows.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s one way to handle it,¡± I remark. Most of the illusion is hidden now¡ªsave for my seemingly-human hands. I look rather suspicious. But at least I also look like a person, and it should hold up under more scrutiny with the disguise than without.


    Murrok waves a hand, and the illusion dissolves. ¡°Here.¡± They offer me a ring. ¡°While you wear this, the illusion will be in effect. It will only last for about ten hours before it will need to be recharged, however.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I sign, accepting the ring. ¡°This was a kind gift.¡±


    They smile faintly. ¡°It is nothing, for a friend of Noli¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± I sign. ¡°You can¡¯t mean that. She¡¯s friends with everyone.¡±


    Murrok grins.


    ¡°I guess that settles things then,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to use that to get around cities without drawing too much attention.¡±


    I fold the cowl back and pull the scarf down, now that the illusion isn¡¯t in effect. I¡¯ll need to look for a replacement for both when we get in town; versions that don¡¯t clash with the color of my long coat.


    ¡°It seems like.¡± And it doesn¡¯t feel as uncomfortable as I feared. It¡¯s just like another layer of clothes. The long coat hides the predator¡¯s void, and this illusion hides my glass. ¡°When will we make landfall?¡±


    ¡°An hour or so,¡± Rezira says, gesturing off toward land. ¡°See that shimmer there close to the horizon? That¡¯s the port.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait,¡± Noli exclaims. ¡°I¡¯m rather growing tired of fish and stale bread. I¡¯d love some grilled rabbit. Do you think they¡¯ll have some in town? I can go hunting if not.¡±


    Rezira smiles at her fondly. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something along those lines.¡±


    ¡°So this is it.¡± I lean against the banister next to Zyneth as Rezira and Noli drift away to become embroiled in a discussion about the regional variations of rabbit meat across Valenia. ¡°We are finally about to resolve that tattoo of yours.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he agrees. ¡°Frankly I¡¯m surprised she hasn¡¯t already closed the job call to incur interest. Vardi must be rather desperate.¡±


    ¡°Vardi?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he says, crooking an eyebrow at me. ¡°The debt owner. Remember?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say, confused. ¡°You have not talked about them yet. I figured you would bring it up when you were ready.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zyneth frowns, turning to face me. ¡°Kanin, we did talk about this. We spent a whole afternoon going over the plan.¡±


    ¡°What plan?¡± I straighten up, nerves buzzing through me. What does he mean? Zyneth wouldn¡¯t lie about this. But we definitely never had a discussion about who owned his debt. I¡¯ve been wondering when he¡¯d bring it up the whole time we¡¯ve been on this boat. His reaction is making me uneasy.


    Zyneth¡¯s expression is morphing from confusion to concern. ¡°When we were on the Prismatic. You asked about the debt, and I told you about Vardi, and we discussed what we would do when we reached her. You were very insistent about coming along. You said, and I quote, ¡®I dragged you all the way to the bottom of the ocean and halfway through another dimension. If you think I won¡¯t be helping you with this job, you¡¯re dumber than I am.¡¯¡±


    That does sound like something I would say. But I¡¯m starting to feel alarmed now, too. ¡°What? No. I do not remember this. I would not forget a whole conversation like that¡­ would I?¡±


    Zyneth gives my arm a reassuring squeeze¡ªor maybe the gesture is more for his own reassurance. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot lately. Perhaps you just need a reminder?¡±


    The predator can sense my alarm, and suspiciously surfaces in my subconscious, searching for the source of the feelings. I try to ignore it; I¡¯ve got enough things to worry about.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I agree. ¡°Maybe a refresher would help. Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zyneth looks at me as if there are eyes to make contact with. It¡¯s comforting, but his worry is also plain. ¡°Vardi is one of three individuals to whom I owe a debt. Well, two, now, with Gillow¡¯s being settled. I incurred it three years ago, and have been chipping away at it since. In fact, I was in the middle of the most recent job I ran for her when I met you.¡± He pauses. ¡°This doesn¡¯t ring any bells?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°This is the first time I am hearing any of this.¡±


    Vardi. Vardi. The name doesn¡¯t mean anything to me. Is he sure? I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind.


    The predator picks up on a few of my thoughts, and recognition crackles through it. It knows who Vardi is.


    ¡°What?¡± I exclaim aloud. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Kanin?¡± Zyneth prompts.


    ¡°It is the predator,¡± I say, irritated. ¡°It thinks it knows who you are talking about. But it cannot even understand language, so I do not know how it could¡ª¡±


    The predator offers to show me. It reaches for my mind, even as I instinctively flinch away. But when it makes contact, it¡¯s like a puzzle piece snapping into place.


    <hr>


    We¡¯re in the Prismatic. Zyneth¡¯s just run out of mana after helping me create more fulgurite, and I¡¯m fiddling with a cluster of Chained glass. With little else to do, our conversation¡¯s turned toward the inevitable: what to do when we reach land.


    ¡°She likes to make me fetch relics from Ruins,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are more qualified individuals to scour these sites, but I think she enjoys sending me on dangerous jobs just to see if I¡¯m able to pull it off.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like she¡¯s trying to get you killed,¡± I remark.


    ¡°Well, I did get caught stealing from her, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be happy with the outcome whether I return with a relic or die trying,¡± he says flatly.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear that story.¡±


    He smirks. ¡°It is pretty good actually. Save getting caught in the end. But that¡¯s beside the point.¡±


    I nod. ¡°So you think she¡¯s likely to send you on another relic hunt?¡±


    ¡°That would be in line with previous jobs,¡± he agrees.


    ¡°Any idea which one?¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°I think planning for the job is a futile exercise: it could be anything. Rather, we should be planning what to do when we encounter her.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± I ask. ¡°Is there any other option than accepting it?¡±


    He shrugs with a grimace. ¡°Possibly. Though it can¡¯t hurt to be careful¡­¡±


    <hr>


    The memory flashes through my mind, and I remember it all at once. It¡¯s crystal clear. How could I have forgotten?


    ¡°What the Expletive.¡± I step back, scrunching my hand into my coat just above my core. ¡°Why do you have that memory?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zyneth asks. ¡°Do you remember?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­¡± My soul churns with disquiet. The predator recedes, and I feel something vanish as it pulls away. There¡¯s a hole there. Something I should remember. A piece of me, missing.


    ¡°Oh, gods,¡± I say, feeling dizzy. I grip the rail. The predator doesn¡¯t understand why I¡¯m so upset. ¡°The predator has it. It has that memory. I do not understand. How¡­¡±


    But I do know. I think I¡¯ve always known, even if I couldn¡¯t tell what was happening. Every time I¡¯ve had to rip myself away from the predator¡¯s influence and felt that ethereal stinging pain in my mind, like it hadn¡¯t been a clean cut, leaving behind an indistinct sense of wrongness¡­


    ¡°I¡ªI have lost pieces of myself,¡± I tell Zyneth, horrified. ¡°When the predator and I separated. Whenever I forced a separation, and it hurt¡ªsome of my memories tore away. I do not even know which ones.¡± And even now I can¡¯t remember what the predator had shown me. I remember being surprised, I remember realizing it was something to do with the conversation Zyneth talked about, but¡­


    I push into the predator¡¯s mind, searching for whatever it had just shown me. The predator is irritated at the intrusion, and offers the memory up to get me to stop nosing around. Again, I feel something fit back into place. And again, I remember.


    ¡°Expletive.¡± I try to hold onto the memory. Maybe I can reattach it somehow. Make it my own again. My head spins with panic as I desperately cling to this missing piece of myself. ¡°When did this happen? How many times has this happened?¡±


    ¡°Gods¡¯ grace, Kanin,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say. This is¡­ I can¡¯t imagine.¡±


    What if it¡¯s not just memories? What if I¡¯m missing more fundamental parts of myself? Parts I¡¯ll never even know are gone until I find them again. I reach deeper into the predator, frantically searching. For what, I¡¯m not even sure. Something familiar, maybe.


    The predator rebuffs me, annoyed, and the memory it had been sharing slips from me once more. No, I say. Please. Give it back!


    The predator is equally confused and irritated by my nonsensical outburst. It has not taken anything. Things just get stuck to it. That is not its fault. But if we let our minds merge, then the edges should all line up. We would share all our memories between us. Is that what I want?


    No. I shrink back. No, that¡¯s not what I want.


    Zyneth gently shakes my arm. ¡°Kanin? You¡¯re quiet. Talk to me.¡±


    ¡°I just. I do not know what to do.¡± I¡¯m shaken to my core. What else have I forgotten? How can I even find out? I don¡¯t know what I don¡¯t know.


    ¡°We can work through it,¡± Zyneth gently suggests. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling up to it.¡±


    He must think I¡¯m about to have another panic attack. Maybe I am.


    I try to get a grip, wishing I could take a breath or close my eyes. Instead, as Zyneth had once suggested to me before, I count back from ten.


    I don¡¯t know if it helps, but I feel a little less scattered. ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Can you remember all the times you felt this¡­ tear?¡± Zyneth suggests. ¡°The number of times that separating from the predator has been painful?¡±


    I try to think back. ¡°The first time it took control,¡± I say, immediately. ¡°In Peakshadow. I was fighting with everything I had. I felt some sense of¡­ wrongness then, even though I did not know what it meant.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I know asking you to think about these moments is difficult. But can you remember the next?¡±


    I have to think harder about that. ¡°Yedzaquib,¡± I finally say. ¡°In his library, I freed more of the predator from my Inventory to catch you. After we escaped and were running through the city¡­ That was the second time.¡±


    Zyneth is frowning, but he nods encouragingly. He still hasn¡¯t let go of my arm. I let his grip ground me.


    ¡°I am not sure about Emrox,¡± I admit. ¡°I do not remember experiencing this pain then, but we were both disoriented after the blast. That might have been another time. And then most recently, on the pirate ship. After the predator tried to kill that nereid.¡±


    ¡°So, three times,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Possibly four. It hasn¡¯t happened too frequently, which is a good thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I don¡¯t feel as confident as him, but he¡¯s right at least that it¡¯s only been a few times. If I lost one memory each time, then that¡¯s at most four things I¡¯ve forgotten.


    I¡¯m not sure that makes me feel much better.


    ¡°And you said the memories are still within the predator?¡± Zyneth prompts.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say. ¡°At least, this one is. There might be more, but I do not know how to find out.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s something then,¡± he says. ¡°They¡¯re not completely gone. You can still access them. You still have them with you.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I agree. ¡°But what about Emrox? Something happened to the predator there. A lot of it was separated from me, and did not come back.¡± That flutter of fear is returning again. ¡°What if pieces of me vanished with it?¡±


    Gently, he takes the hand I still have scrunched protectively against my chest, and pulls it away. ¡°I don¡¯t think this line of thinking will help anything. It¡¯s possible something like that happened. But it¡¯s also possible it didn¡¯t. You¡¯re worrying over something you have no control over and that might not be. But look: Now you know. Now you have more control. You understand what that feeling means, so you can ensure it doesn¡¯t happen again. It might not feel good, but this is a good thing for you to have learned. It gives you more autonomy over future choices.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡± My soul still feels all knotted up, though. I let out a small laugh. ¡°And you are right, it does not feel very good.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t have to get worse,¡± he insists. ¡°And who you are, right now, today, is just as much you as the first time I met you. Actually, I think this is a better you.¡±


    ¡°Now you are just trying to flatter,¡± I half-heartedly tease.


    He smiles. ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    His gaze slowly shifts back out to sea, and I follow the look. The port is clearly visible now. It won¡¯t be long until we dock.


    Zyneth leans back against the rail, silently watching the approaching city. He hasn¡¯t let go of my hand yet. I don¡¯t let go of his, either. I rest against the railing beside him, then slowly lean his way until our shoulders bump. The tension in my soul eases.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I say.


    His eyes crease with a smile.


    We stay that way until the ship arrives.

 Chapter 111 - Land At Last

    I step off the dock and onto dirt.


    Actual, real dirt.


    ¡°Finally.¡±


    Zyneth pauses beside me. ¡°You can say that again.¡± He takes in a deep breath, then winces.


    ¡°Not as refreshing as you were hoping?¡± I ask, amused.


    ¡°It smells fairly strongly of dead fish,¡± he admits. ¡°Not for long, though. I¡¯m sure the alpine air will be nicer in Harrowood.¡±


    We both wait at the end of the dock as Noli exchanges her last goodbyes with Murrok. The two hug and Noli wipes at her eyes. When she turns toward us, however, she¡¯s all smiles.


    Rezira gives me a skeptical look as she and Noli catch up. ¡°You¡¯re not actually going to lug that thing through the city, are you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I ask. She gestures to my feet, and I look down. ¡°Oh.¡±


    All the Attuned glass and fulgurite that I haven¡¯t used to patch up my body (or turn into extra hands to use for signing) is resting at my feet in a beach-ball-sized spikey clump. I¡¯ve been using a Void Whip to tow it around when I need to, and have Chained all the bits together to keep them from scattering whenever I set it down.


    ¡°Well I am not going to leave it here,¡± I say. ¡°I worked too hard to make and Attune all this glass!¡±


    ¡°It will draw attention,¡± Rezira says. ¡°More than you already do.¡±


    ¡°Attention is something I am used to.¡±


    ¡°She has a point, though,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°You have to use mana to carry that around, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± I say. When the predator is controlling the void, it doesn¡¯t cost me any mana. But since I lack its precision¡­ okay yes it does cost me to do it on my own.


    As much as I hate to admit it, they¡¯re right: the loose glass is pretty bulky and inconvenient.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I say, thinking.


    When I¡¯d had a complete Inventory before, it had fifty slots, and each piece of glass counted for its own slot. But the size of the glass hadn¡¯t mattered: a big piece and a small piece both just counted as one item. Similarly, a book counted as one item, but if you pulled pages out, that counted as multiple. So in theory, the reverse should be true.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± I say. ¡°Let me try something.¡± I step away from the boardwalk, pausing next to a span of water between two boats. I hold out a hand.


    Echo, remove item from Inventory, I tell her.


    [Rock removed from Inventory.]


    A giant piece of jagged, white marble appears at my fingertips. It almost seems to hover there for a moment. Then it plummets into the water, sending up a geyser as the bay swallows the stone whole.


    Noli jerks back in surprise.


    ¡°What the shit was that?¡± Rezira demands.


    ¡°Some rubble from Emrox,¡± I say, crouching down beside my Attuned glass next. I remove my core from my chest.


    ¡°Emrox?¡± Zyneth repeats, astonished. ¡°When did you do that?¡±


    Oh right, he¡¯d been unconscious when I removed the stone from his leg. ¡°Before we got back on the Prismatic.¡±


    Zyneth shakes his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just dropped a piece of an ancient and historically significant Ruin into the ocean.¡±


    ¡°You are right,¡± I say, touching my core to the Attuned clump of glass. ¡°I should have dropped it on one of the pirate ships.¡±


    The fulgurite vanishes.


    [1 volume of Glass added to Inventory,] Echo says.


    A handful of glass bits drops to the ground; pieces that broke off, or I hadn¡¯t properly Chained. No matter, though. These I can handle. I fix my core back in my chest as I stand, then float the loose pieces of glass into my satchel along with my signing glass.


    ¡°Where did it go? Since when could you do that?¡± Rezira demands.


    ¡°Oh, he could always do that,¡± Noli cheerily signs. ¡°He just didn¡¯t when he was living with us because the pocket dimension was occupied by a void monster.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Rezira says flatly.


    ¡°What about Void?¡± Noli suggests. ¡°Too on the nose?¡±


    Zyneth abruptly laughs. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve grown so used to the strangeness of all this, that sometimes I forget it is even strange at all. I¡¯m afraid if you two are really set on accompanying me, you¡¯re certain to encounter things even more odd.¡±


    As if Noli could be so easily swayed. ¡°That sounds quite exciting, really!¡±


    Rezira just sighs.


    Ship departed and glass stowed, we make our way into town.


    I drift closer to the group as we walk. Reuniting with Rezira and Noli¡ªespecially Noli¡ªhad been comforting. Even sharing a ship with Murrok hadn¡¯t bothered me much, given they were friends of a friend. But walking through a city, passing by strangers¡­ it¡¯s a little unnerving.


    I¡¯m keeping a sharp eye on the predator, for one. It assured me before that it wouldn¡¯t cause trouble, but that assumes it both remembers and honors the agreement. So far, it seems to be behaving. I can feel it watching our surroundings intently, examining each person we pass. This makes me nervous, but I can¡¯t feel any ill intent from it at this moment. Just vigilance.


    Then, there are the people themselves. A few of them glance my way, which is understandable, given the rarity of glass men walking through streets. But it¡¯s not the way people glance at people. I¡¯d never really noticed before how, when you make eye contact with a stranger on the street, they might flash you a brief smile, or quickly glance away. What I¡¯m getting now, though, are emotionless stares; because they don¡¯t even realize they¡¯re looking at a person. All they see is a homunculus.


    We stop at the telepad at the center of town and Rezira orders four passes for Harrowood; our time slot won¡¯t be until tomorrow morning. I keep toward the back and stay quiet. I wonder if I should speak at all while out in public. I could do so with Murrok¡¯s disguise, but their illusions are temporary, and I¡¯m not sure I even want to.


    I¡¯m on this planet now. Permanently. I¡¯m in this body. Permanently. So what sort of future do I see for myself here? I could find ways to make their illusions last longer. Disguise myself with enough magic to play a convincing human. But that doesn¡¯t feel right. It feels exhausting, and a little sad. The alternative is to convince those around me I¡¯m an actual person. Certainly, these three see me as me. I could probably get there with others, too. It will just take work.


    But then again, what doesn¡¯t?


    We stake out an inn, then Noli excitedly tugs Rezira toward a marketplace where meats are smoking on an open fire. With little else to do until our time slot at the telepad the next morning, we wander the streets and peruse the stalls. After sea monsters and pirate ship battles, it feels weirdly¡­ normal. Like the time Zyneth and I spent in the Miasmere bazaar. Which reminds me: I owe him a new knife.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    As the sun sets and the living party members¡¯ appetites are sated, we head back to the inn. I don¡¯t follow the others inside, however.


    ¡°The agreement with the predator has not ended just because we are no longer at sea,¡± I tell Zyneth.


    He doesn¡¯t look happy about this, but he doesn¡¯t argue. ¡°I had suspected as much. Keep safe.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± I promise. I hand over my satchel for him to take into the inn; the predator certainly won¡¯t be using it.


    Probably looking a lot more stoic than I feel, I leave the inn behind and search for the edge of the city. It gradually thins out, giving way to pines and leafy trees. I keep walking though, ignoring the predator¡¯s pestering for as long as I dare. I know getting far away from the city won¡¯t really mean anything. It will be able to find its way back, and we have to return in the morning anyway. But the distance from all the townspeople helps calm my nerves a little, even if it might just be a placebo. Finally, nervously, I turn control over to the predator.


    But I needn¡¯t have worried. Under the moonlight we bound through the woods, marveling at our new surroundings. The padding of leaves beneath our glass. The chirp and squeak of small animals in the dark, fleeing before our sudden appearance. And the smells! The rich earthiness of the dirt, the cleansing petrichor of the air, the small sweet green things¡ªflowers! Yes, flowers¡ªall folded up upon themselves for the night. It¡¯s so different from the ocean. So new!


    Like all previous nights since that time on the rocks, we don¡¯t notice any distant pinpricks of familiarity. And with so much to explore, we don¡¯t go looking for it anyway.


    <hr>


    The glow of the telepad flashes white, and the group of merchants standing on the platform vanishes. The spell circle carved into the stone goes dormant, the glow leaking away. A bored looking elf steps up to the circle, flipping through a book. They find the page they¡¯re looking for, consult the diagram, and touch the platform. Magic funnels from their fingers into the telepad, lighting runes and lines carved in the rock¡ªslightly different from the previous lines that had been lit, I notice. In fact, there seems to be an iteration of patterns carved over the stone: I wonder if it¡¯s as simple as each pattern representing a different destination, or if the teleportation magic is much more intricate than that.


    ¡°Next port: Harrowood.¡± The elf yawns, glancing around the square.


    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s us,¡± Noli signs, skipping up to the pad worker to present our tokens.


    Two other travelers, a human and a felis, also join us on the platform. Noli is the only one of the six of us who appears particularly excited¡ªor awake.


    ¡°Pad activation in two minutes,¡± the operator reports.


    I guess we wait.


    ¡°Will you be alright?¡± Zyneth asks.


    ¡°About what?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Well, the telepad¡­¡± he begins.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I shake my head. ¡°No, it does not bother me. And I traveled with you to Miasmere, remember? If anyone, it is Noli who¡­¡±


    I trail off, even though I¡¯m using my translator and she wouldn¡¯t be able to hear me anyway. She¡¯s smiling pleasantly, her hand tucked around Rezira¡¯s arm, head leaning against her wife¡¯s shoulder. The same happy Noli she always is.


    But when I look close, when I really look, her grip is tight, her jaw clenched, fingers digging into Rezira¡¯s shirt.


    Noli ended up stuck in that toy octopus because she took a telepad at exactly and impossibly the wrong time. Even if there¡¯s no predator waiting for us Between anymore, even if there¡¯s likely no magic collection spells cast into the void by senile wizards, the fear is still there.


    I get it.


    I probably get it more than anyone.


    Rezira glances at me out of the corner of her eye and gives the smallest shake of her head.


    ¡°Departing for Harrowood,¡± the pad operator announces. When no one comes running up at the last minute, they activate the spell.


    A flash of light.


    A moment of dark.


    And then we¡¯re out the other side, standing in an all too familiar city.


    Noli lets out a breath. Rezira pats her hand, and the elf flashes a smile up at her wife. I feel like I should say something, but I¡¯m not sure what. As I hesitate, the Harrowood operator ushers us off the platform. Noli¡¯s hand drops to Rezira¡¯s, all the previous tension gone.


    That¡¯s right. She doesn¡¯t need me to say anything; she¡¯s got Rezira.


    ¡°An inn first,¡± Zyneth says as we start into the streets. ¡°Just one night. I don¡¯t know what Vardi wants, but her jobs often send me out of town. And yes, I know I said both of you can help,¡± he adds to Noli and Rezira, ¡°but for this initial meeting it would be best if I were alone. Or at least, appeared alone.¡±


    ¡°That is my cue.¡± I crack my knuckles. Well, I pretend to crack my knuckles. No one would have been able to hear it over the city¡¯s noise anyway, so the gesture still works.


    ¡°Should I go like this?¡± I ask. ¡°Pretend to be a servant, like with Gillow? Or I could come pocket-sized.¡±


    ¡°The latter,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°The other way didn¡¯t work terribly well with Gillow.¡±


    ¡°It worked perfectly well!¡± I object. ¡°Did you see how surprised they were when I spoke the first time? They did not suspect a thing.¡±


    Zyneth gives me a skeptical look. ¡°Regardless, we¡¯ll be trying a different strategy this time.¡±


    Right¡ªstrategy. I nudge the predator, who¡¯s rather distracted by all our surroundings, but answers my request to reach out and touch my mind.


    I remember the plan Zyneth and I came up with. ¡°Ah, okay. I would hide my glass and void in your clothes, and in case anything went sideways, I would be there and have some fighting power as well.¡± I figure saying it out loud will help me remember this conversation, even if I won¡¯t remember the original. ¡°And I could use some of my glass for scoping out the area, too. That is a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Glad you think so,¡± Zyneth says.


    But I think I¡¯ve got a way to make it better, now. We hadn¡¯t taken my Inventory into account before. With it, I¡¯ll be able to covertly bring a lot more firepower than just what could be hidden on Zyneth¡¯s person.


    But maybe I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. In an ideal world, the extra fire power won¡¯t even be necessary, and Zyneth is able to get in and out of there without any trouble.


    Even though it would be fun to attack Vardi.


    I pause at the intrusive thought, mentally turning to the predator. Sure enough, it¡¯s been listening in and is eager for some action.


    We are not attacking Vardi, I tell it. Not unless she does anything to try to attack Zyneth first.


    She has hurt Zyneth, though. She hurt his arm somehow, even though she was far away.


    That¡¯s different, I think, though his debts are far too complicated for me to try to explain to a sociopathic void monster with no concept of currency.


    The predator grumbles about my inconsistencies as it slinks away.


    We find a place to stay not long after that. Rezira and Noli take one room, while Zyneth and I take another. Noli finds this highly amusing, and appears ready to make some insinuating comments before Zyneth cuts in.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be departing momentarily,¡± he says. ¡°Kanin and I can meet you two back here in an hour or so. I don¡¯t expect the meeting to take long.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Noli asks.


    Zyneth brushes a hand over his arm. ¡°Yes, I would prefer to address this as quickly as possible.¡±


    The women take the hint.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you back here, then,¡± Rezira says. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid without us there to bail you out.¡±


    Zyneth smiles. ¡°Noted.¡±


    There¡¯s not much to do in our room. I dump my clothes and satchel on the bed, then pull my Attuned glass from my Inventory, and swap it for my body. It works exactly as I¡¯d hoped.


    ¡°Now we just need to deal with that.¡± Zyneth gestures to the floor.


    The void is puddled like a three-dimensional shadow. I can¡¯t leave it behind, since it¡¯s connected to the predator and the predator is connected to me, but it¡¯s a bit conspicuous like this.


    ¡°Maybe it can pretend to be your shadow?¡± I suggest, reluctant to go through with the original plan we¡¯d agreed upon.


    I mentally mold it into the shape of Zyneth¡¯s shadow. If you weren¡¯t looking for it, you might miss it. Then Zyneth takes a step, and the void follows half a step behind. It¡¯s eerie, and very obvious.


    ¡°Cloak it is, then,¡± Zyneth says, opening up his bags.


    From the memory the predator now owns, I hadn¡¯t liked this part of the plan then, and I still don¡¯t like it now. Keeping the predator tucked up close to me is one thing; having it tucked up against Zyneth is very different.


    But we¡¯ve already had this argument. The predator means Zyneth no harm. Zyneth finds this solution the best available. As he shakes out a cloak and then secures it around his shoulders, I bite my metaphorical tongue.


    The predator, who does remember our plan, lifts from the ground to climb its way up the cloak and spread across the interior of the fabric, blending in with the shadows. Through the void, I can feel where it¡¯s resting against Zyneth¡¯s back. It¡¯s too close to him. He¡¯s too trusting. I hate this.


    ¡°Remember the rest?¡± Zyneth asks, holding out his hand.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I grumble. At least, with the predator¡¯s help, I do. I climb into his palm, and he holds me at his side. I hook my glass legs around his belt, then Chain them together on the backside so I won¡¯t accidentally let go. Resting next to his knife, I am a very convincing potion bottle.


    I stick bits of extra signing glass hidden within the cloak and inside Zyneth¡¯s pockets, then he grabs my translator and pockets that, too.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s everything,¡± he says. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°I want to get this over with as quickly as possible,¡± I say.


    Zyneth chuckles. ¡°That makes two of us.¡±


    We head back out into the streets, and Zyneth walks purposefully through the city. He takes us out of the main thoroughfare and along some back alleys I hadn¡¯t seen the last time I was here. It¡¯s almost frustrating how much faster he¡¯s traversing the city than I¡¯d been able to manage as a little glass bottle. Then again, the me of today would be able to maneuver the city much more quickly as well. It¡¯s strange how much has changed in less than half a year.


    The crowds thin and the roads become more grimy. Not dangerous, necessarily, but the ground is tacky, and the peeling and fading paint on signs indicate the establishments here seem far less concerned with appearances. Finally, Zyneth slows, coming to a stop before a tavern with a sleeping dragon carved into the sign that hangs out over the street. Zyneth pauses.


    I wait a moment for him to go in, but he continues to stand there. ¡°What?¡± I risk asking aloud, as we appear to be alone.


    Zyneth shakes his head. ¡°This is not what I was expecting.¡± He holds his hand beneath me, so I un-Chain my legs and drop into his palm. He lifts me up to the door to see. A board is nailed across the door, bearing a message that¡¯s simple and to the point:


    CLOSED.

 Chapter 112 - CLOSED

    ¡°Closed?¡± I repeat, staring at the sign. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Zyneth frowns at the door. ¡°It means it does not appear to be open.¡±


    I wish I had eyes so I could give him a flat look. ¡°What does that mean for you?¡±


    ¡°That depends on if Vardi really isn¡¯t here.¡± He steps around to look through a window, but the curtains are drawn. Zyneth glances both ways down the street; it¡¯s empty.


    He holds me up to his shoulder, where I hop off and dig my glass into his cloak for purchase. Zyneth withdraws a thin metal rod from his pocket and inserts it into the door¡¯s lock.


    ¡°Is that a lockpick?¡± I ask. Exciting. I¡¯ve never done a B&E before!


    I mean, I guess beside the Athenaeum.


    ¡°Of a sort,¡± he murmurs. A faint yellow light glows between Zyneth¡¯s fingers, and a set of runes light up along the grip of the tool. Zyneth twists the rod, and a pulse of red flickers through the lock. A moment later, more runes appear on the door itself. Zyneth frowns in concentration, turning the pick this way and that. One by one, the runes on the door fade from red to blue, then flicker out.


    The lock clicks. Taking one last look around, he quietly pushes the door inward, removes the pick from the lock, and slips inside.


    It¡¯s dark inside the tavern. Completely silent. I tensely clutch to Zyneth¡¯s shoulder, waiting for him to move, and I can feel the predator watching attentively as well¡ªperhaps on alert due to my own nerves.


    Only the way I sway on his shoulder tells me he¡¯s moving. I can¡¯t hear his footsteps at all. Disoriented from the lack of light, I resist my instincts to activate a Glow spell or ask Zyneth what we¡¯re doing. This is his job: his specialty. I¡¯m just along for a ride.


    After several minutes of darkness and silence¡ªit¡¯s hard to keep track¡ªZyneth lets out a quiet sigh. A small flame crackles to life in his palm.


    ¡°I¡¯ve disabled all the alarm and trap spells I could find,¡± Zyneth says, his voice still low. ¡°It should be safe to explore. I suspect it really is closed.¡±


    Alarm spells? I hadn¡¯t even noticed. ¡°What do we do now?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Zyneth admits. ¡°Look for some sign of where Vardi has gone, I suppose. See if there¡¯s any indication of when she¡¯s coming back. But be careful,¡± he adds. ¡°I haven¡¯t checked upstairs yet. There could be more spells up there.¡±


    He offers a hand down to a table, and I take it. ¡°Can I make a light?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but keep it dim enough no one would notice from the outside,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s actually a good thing it¡¯s still day. I¡¯ll crack a few curtains.¡±


    I remove the small pieces of glass that were hidden in Zyneth¡¯s clothes, and nudge the predator to leave, too. I don¡¯t particularly need its help looking around the tavern, but it will keep the creature busy, and more importantly, it will get it away from Zyneth¡¯s back so I can stop feeling so anxious. The predator is happy for the opportunity to exercise some of its autonomy, and peels away from Zyneth¡¯s cloak to puddle onto the floor. Using a small cluster of signing glass, I activate a Glow spell.


    Benches are upturned and resting on the tops of their tables; the floor is clean¡ªas clean as a tavern floor can get¡ªand all the glasses are slotted away behind the bar. It looks like someone swept up, closed shop, and never came back.


    The predator slinks across the floor in curious exploration. It¡¯s about as big as a medium-sized dog. Sometimes the suggestion of limbs or carnivorous jaws almost manifest, only to be subsumed by the living mass of shadows once more. Without my glass to give it a stable shape, its form is indistinct and dynamic. It¡¯s extremely unsettling.


    Zyneth begins systematically checking all the building¡¯s rooms. Without removing my body from my Inventory and getting the predator to act as my inorganic tendons, I remain where Zyneth left me on the table. I can keep track of things through the predator, but I also have another spell I haven¡¯t used in a while: Inspect.


    It has no mana cost if I¡¯m touching the thing I¡¯m Inspecting, but since I¡¯m searching for more of those trap and alarm spells Zyneth mentioned, touching those probably isn¡¯t the best idea in the first place.


    How much mana to scope out the dormant spells in this whole building? I ask Echo.


    [Inspect with a thirty-foot radius would consume three mana per second,] Echo says.


    Three per second? Given my pool of 300, that¡¯s nothing! It¡¯s wild to think this would have eaten up my entire mana pool in less than four seconds when I first got dumped on this world. But now I¡¯ve got mana for days! Or, well, a few minutes, anyway. I activate an Inspect.


    It¡¯s not a form of sight, exactly, but I can feel the magic balloon through the building, passing through wood just as easily as air. A thread of magic appears between me and the predator, connecting us together. Items light up on Zyneth¡¯s person, too, including his blade and lockpick. As curious as I am to learn about all his artificed trinkets, that¡¯s not the current priority. In the tavern, almost everywhere, there¡¯s magic.


    It¡¯s a lot like Yedzaquib¡¯s library. There were dozens of spells embedded in the walls¡ªsome for structural support, some for the water system, others for the floors¡¯ force fields. In here, it¡¯s very similar. There are mundane things, like dormant spell circles in the kitchen basin, that my low-level spell tells me has to do with water. There¡¯s some kind of cleanliness runes carved onto most rooms¡¯ floors. I notice the spells Zyneth deactivated as well, though all Inspect can get out of it is that one was a sound spell and another was a fastening spell. Since I¡¯m not sure exactly what to look for, I use these as examples and search for anything else in the tavern that Echo would describe in a similar manner.


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    ¡°There is another alarm spell upstairs,¡± I say aloud when I notice it. ¡°Top step.¡±


    Zyneth pauses. ¡°You can tell that from here?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± I say. ¡°I am just looking for the same things you disarmed. Let me know if I am wrong.¡±


    Zyneth disappears around a corner; I don¡¯t hear him move up the steps, but I do see the magical items on him ascend. He pauses.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± his voice drifts back. ¡°Good catch. Let me know if you find anything else.¡±


    As it turns out, I do: another fastening spell on a door¡ªactually that might just be a lock spell rather than a trap¡ªand another alarm in a back office. Zyneth also catches two more traps I didn¡¯t, so my system isn¡¯t perfect, but hey, I¡¯m learning. And if I get this spell leveled up a bit more, it might be very useful.


    In the end, there¡¯s nothing more to find. The tavern is empty. Zyneth gains no clues about where Vardi has gone. He estimates it¡¯s been at least a week since anyone has been there.


    ¡°What do we do about your debt, then?¡± I ask.


    Zyneth sits down at the bar next to me. The predator has taken to exploring the tavern as the two of us talk, bored by concepts of commerce it doesn¡¯t understand. Since Zyneth and I both scoped out the place pretty thoroughly for traps (or anything living), I feel relatively safe letting it roam. At least it¡¯s in an enclosed area with no one else around. And frankly, I¡¯m perfectly happy to not have it clinging to my body for a few minutes.


    Zyneth rolls up a sleeve to show his tattoo: the ink is still gold, rather than the inert black color, but it¡¯s no longer glowing. ¡°Ironically, this is probably the best-case scenario,¡± he says. ¡°Since I¡¯ve arrived at the agreed upon location, as ordered, the burning has stopped. It¡¯s up to the creditor to deliver the details of the job contract now. If they don¡¯t hold up their side of the agreement, a portion of my debt is removed.¡±


    ¡°That is great!¡± I say. ¡°So can we just leave?¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°If it were that easy, you could appear at the meeting location when you¡¯re sure the creditor will be away, consider the obligation fulfilled, and scrub off a portion of the debt. To account for this, there is a time limit. For Vardi and this particular debt, it¡¯s one month. If she doesn¡¯t return within that window, then I¡¯m off the hook. While that window is counting down, however, I need to stay in the area, in case she returns.¡± He turns his hands up. ¡°So I suppose now¡­ I wait.¡±


    Certainly not the outcome I was expecting. But I agree with Zyneth¡ªthis is a lot better than being sent on some dangerous mission or another. ¡°You are telling me we have free time?¡± I ask. ¡°We are not fighting for our lives, or racing against a clock, or trying to steal something or sneak somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Much of that tends to be your doing,¡± Zyneth remarks, quirking a smile. ¡°But I suppose, yes. For the next thirty days, at least, we can just¡­ be.¡±


    I¡¯m not even sure what to do with myself. Such freedom! I¡¯d been so certain we were about to go on some new dangerous job to help settle Zyneth¡¯s debt that I hadn¡¯t even bothered to figure out what I would prioritize after that.


    ¡°I need to figure out how to start tracking down the lost souls,¡± I think aloud. ¡°And Rezira suggested I should find a glass mage to learn more glass magic from. Noli and I also would like to make a trip to Trenevalt¡¯s cabin. Oh, Expletive, and Attiru is nearby! We should stop and say hi to them. This also gives me time to get the predator accommodated to being in a city. But what to do first?¡±


    Zyneth taps my translator. ¡°First, I think, I will get your primary translator recharged. There¡¯s no need to start with the biggest things. We can take them one manageable step at a time.¡±


    ¡°You are right,¡± I say, brightening. Now that the surprise is wearing off, I feel weirdly¡­ happy? Okay, it shouldn¡¯t be weird to feel happy. But it¡¯s like a weight has been lifted. Those of us with lungs can take a deep breath. The dark cloud that¡¯s been chasing me has finally blown past. It feels good to have options. A¡­ future on this world.


    ¡°We should celebrate,¡± I say. ¡°After two months on a submarine, I bet you could use a drink.¡±


    Zyneth laughs. ¡°That sounds wonderful, actually. Will you be paying?¡±


    I falter. ¡°Maybe finding a job is the next thing I should do.¡±


    His eyes dance with amusement. ¡°Oh? And what sort of job would you take?¡±


    Er. Good question. ¡°I will figure something out.¡±


    He chuckles, standing up as he offers me a hand. ¡°I believe you will.¡±


    <hr>


    Noli and Rezira are equally surprised and pleased to hear the news. Noli has many of the same first thoughts I did, what with visiting Attiru and returning to Trenevalt¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°If you two travel to Peakshadow, I won¡¯t be able to come,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯ll need to stay in Harrowood until the time limit is up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfectly fine,¡± Noli signs. ¡°It would only be four, five days at most. And I think we¡¯d rather just go alone anyway, if that¡¯s alright.¡± She looks to me for confirmation.


    We¡¯re back at a bar near our inn, one Noli insisted we had to try because it has some sort of drink called ¡®Rainbow Surprise.¡¯ The drinks are certainly prismatic, glowing all different colors with an illusion spell. After a sip, Rezira winces and reports the surprise is that it is grog.


    I¡¯m in my body and clothes once more, sitting at a table with the rest instead of attempting Murrok¡¯s disguise. Zyneth is reclining in the seat next to me, sipping at a stout, which I actually did manage to pay for with the last few coins I had leftover from selling my spell books in Miasmere. When was the last time I¡¯ve seen him this relaxed?


    I nod at Noli¡¯s suggestion. ¡°It just seems like something we should do in private.¡±


    Rezira sighs, pushing away her kaleidoscopic drink as she looks to Noli. ¡°I don¡¯t like you being out there on your own, but I know you can take care of yourself.¡±


    I guess I don¡¯t count as company.


    ¡°If it¡¯s something you both must do, I will not stop you,¡± Zyneth agrees. ¡°However, I would request that you wait a week, first. If Vardi was notified of my arrival via our contract, then she will likely show up within the next couple of days. If she doesn¡¯t by then, I suspect she won¡¯t show up at all. I¡¯d rather her arrival not coincide with your trip, if avoiding that is at all possible.¡±


    ¡°I can wait a few days,¡± I say.


    Noli nods her agreement. ¡°That¡¯s fine! We can explore the city in the meantime. I wasn¡¯t here very long last time. And it seems so different now that I¡¯m not three inches tall!¡±


    ¡°A break would be nice.¡± Rezira stands up. ¡°In that case, I¡¯m going to go get something stronger that¡¯s not marketed at my wife¡¯s vulnerabilities.¡±


    ¡°No, wait, I¡¯ll still drink them!¡± Noli objects. ¡°It might not taste good but it looks so happy! It¡¯s nourishing for the soul.¡±


    I translate for Zyneth as Rezira stalks off to the bar. He chuckles, taking another drink of his beer, before nodding at me.


    ¡°Will you also be exploring the city?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I had more than my fair share of that last time, thank you very much,¡± I say. ¡°But maybe finding a day job would not hurt. I should be able to find something I can do with my glass magic. Fix windows, perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Would you like for me to come with?¡± he offers.


    ¡°Can you?¡± I gesture vaguely in the direction of Vardi¡¯s closed tavern. ¡°Or do you need to stay close?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to periodically check on it throughout the day,¡± Zyneth admits.


    ¡°Then do not worry about me,¡± I say. ¡°I will not fall apart without you.¡±


    He raises an amused eyebrow. ¡°Are you certain about that? It¡¯s happened before.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha,¡± I say sarcastically. But in truth, I¡¯m brimming with warmth.

 Chapter 113 - Day Off

    It turns out Harrowood shuts the city gates at night. Probably not a bad idea, what with nightbanes prowling the nearby mountain range.


    It¡¯s also rather inconvenient for me to slip out of the city after dusk and return before dawn, giving the predator enough time¡ªand space¡ªto go on its nightly prowls. Of course, they let travelers in if they state their business and prove their benevolence, but I¡¯m thinking a lone talking glass homunculus probably won¡¯t meet their criteria. In the end, I use a couple of Void Whips on an unpatrolled section of wall to pull myself up and over. Not the least conspicuous solution, but it works.


    The predator enjoys its nightly escapade, per usual. There are new areas to explore, new small creatures to chase¡ªnot to mention a handful of undead creatures, even this far from the Black Spire. Nothing as big or dangerous as nightbanes (the predator scoffs at the idea of nightbanes posing any threat to us) but mouse-sized clusters of bones, animated by a faint internal glow of green, mimicking no creature we¡¯ve ever seen. Maybe they¡¯re a mix of animals. The bones of rats and birds and lizards, all mixed together just enough to be functional. Straining to reach through the mental void that seems to distance us from the System whenever the predator wields more control, we¡¯re able to get a staticky assessment from Echo: the creatures are simply called ¡°mobs¡± and are indeed the remains of an assortment of creatures that have forgotten what they once were, reanimated by the ambient necrotic energy of the Black Spire.


    The predator doesn¡¯t particularly care about any of this. It¡¯s more interested in what they taste like.


    We pounce on one, crushing the brittle bones between our glass teeth. The faint taste of magic that passes through our void¡ªif taste even applies to what the predator can sense through its essence¡ªis damp and musty and a lot like dirt. Part of us finds this intriguing, the other part is extremely disgusted. The green light in the mob puffs out like an exhaled breath, but not before we can pull it into our void. We feel the tiniest flicker of enhanced strength as we absorb it. Like eating souls or absorbing other magical energy sources. But this is so faint that we barely notice its effect at all. Maybe bigger creatures would give us more.


    Sadly¡ªor happily, depending on your perspective¡ªwe don¡¯t have an opportunity to test this theory before sunrise. We slink over the city walls, back to our inn, and through the window Zyneth left propped open for us.


    I guess this is going to be the routine, now, isn¡¯t it?


    <hr>


    The next morning, Noli drags Rezira off for some shopping while Zyneth accompanies me to the Merchant¡¯s Guild to procure a map and list of businesses in the city. We¡¯d done this once before, many months ago. How strange it is to be walking in here on my own two legs.


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty more businesses not registered with the Guild,¡± Zyneth remarks as I glance over the map. ¡°Though likely the ones who paid to be advertised are more profitable. Do you know where you want to start?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± I admit. ¡°Maybe a construction company of some kind that could use someone good with glass? I think I will just browse my options for now.¡± It¡¯s certainly strange to have the luxury to take my time with things.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come check in on you in a few hours,¡± Zyneth suggests.


    I laugh. ¡°Really, I¡¯ll be fine on my own. I¡¯ve got Captain Murrok¡¯s disguise if I need it. And you recharged my translator so I sound like a person again.¡± An endeavor he managed yesterday evening, deeming it worth the risk to attempt to recharge the device now that we¡¯re among civilization and can replace it if his artificing attempts went wrong. The fear turned out to be unfounded, as the translator charged right back up. I guess even a man as capable as Zyneth can suffer from self-doubt¡ªor maybe he¡¯s just extra cautious when it comes to me.


    ¡°How about we meet for lunch at noon,¡± I tell him when he still seems unconvinced. ¡°That meat on a stick stall near our inn.¡± He seemed to like that place yesterday.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Zyneth relents, laughing lightly. ¡°I can tell when I¡¯m not wanted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean and you know it!¡±


    His smile turns mischievous. ¡°So you do want me.¡±


    My soul lurches in my chest. Oh, that bastard. ¡°You set me up.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± He still seems amused, but he also raises an expectant eyebrow.


    An uncomfortable mixture of affection and anxiety is warring within me.


    ¡°You want me to say it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Say what?¡± he asks innocently.


    I¡¯m not sure I can. I certainly can¡¯t if I think about it too much. So the answer is to stop thinking about it. Just say it. Just get it out there. Right¡­ now!


    ¡°Yes,¡± I blurt, dropping my voice as I rush to get the words out. ¡°I do want you. Is that what you want to hear?¡±


    He grins. ¡°I could stand to hear it more often.¡±


    Relief floods through me, bringing with it an entirely new set of worries. ¡°This is really not my forte,¡± I admit.


    ¡°I thought your career had to do with spoken words,¡± he points out, his teasing smile softening.


    ¡°Other people wrote the words.¡±


    Zyneth claps a hand to my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s time I heard your own.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll try,¡± I say, meaning it with all my¡­ well, not heart, I guess.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to that effort.¡± Zyneth drops his hand as he draws away, starting to head in the direction of Vardi¡¯s tavern. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you get to it. Good luck, today.¡±


    The ghost of his touch lingers on my shoulder. ¡°Lunch?¡± I call after.


    ¡°Lunch,¡± he agrees, flashing me a smile that makes my soul feel warm and fluttery.


    I turn away, picking a street at random as I cool myself down. Why is this so damn hard for me? He likes me. I like him. I¡¯m no longer planning a one-way trip to another planet. And he¡¯s right that it was my job to deliver lines. Maybe I can borrow from my old characters until I come up with something of my own. What would Jack Stone say?


    He was a solo action hero whose only mission was to hunt bloodthirsty supernatural monsters and look good while doing it. He¡¯d probably say something like, ¡°My only love is justice.¡±


    God, that show really did suck, didn¡¯t it?


    It takes me a bit to get my mind back on track. I¡¯ll be seeing Zyneth again in a few hours, anyway. I¡¯ll have time later to sort through my thoughts. Right now, I need to focus on becoming a productive member of society.


    Using the city map, I decide to explore the manufacturing district first. A couple people glance my way as I walk through the streets, though I don¡¯t draw an undue amount of attention. Lone homunculi are semi-common on this side of town, most carrying heavy packages or supplies; although they all tend to be made of stone or wood. I imagine glass seems impractical and exorbitant, but it¡¯s only strange enough for people to do a double take before moving on. Even on this planet I bet most cities have some eccentric rich noble or another who¡¯s eager to show off their wealth. At least it means I¡¯m left alone.


    Walking through the manufacturing district, I had been expecting to find blacksmiths and carpenters of some sort¡ªand I do find those. But not in the way I¡¯d thought.


    A lot of the carpenters are dryads, growing chairs into existence from branches of living trees. The blacksmiths likewise use magic in the forging of their wares: they pound metal into shape with sharp gestures in place of hammers, and glowing spell circles instead of a fire. It¡¯s fascinating to see all the ways magic has replaced aspects of technology I¡¯m familiar with on Earth.


    There isn¡¯t a dedicated window-making business, I find. Instead, glasswork tends to be lumped in with other things: house-shaping services, for instance, or alchemic supply stores which offer all sorts of artificed bottles and jars designed to hold noxious brews. Artificing really isn¡¯t my thing¡ªthough maybe it could be, if I looked into it. It would be useful to be able to add my own types of strengthening spells to my glass instead of relying on Zyneth all the time; maybe I¡¯ll ask him about that over lunch.


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    But learning artificing will take time, and that won¡¯t make me a few extra coins today.


    I explore the merchant district next, which is less about fabrication and more about selling pre-built goods. I figure if nothing else it might give me ideas. There¡¯s plenty of stores which sell glasswork, largely in the form of dishware, and even some artisan stalls that have small glass animals. I wonder if I could make something like that. Is it enough to just picture a dog and Sculpt the glass into my mental image? Or does it take more artistry than that? I should try that tonight. I¡¯ve enough Attuned glass I could afford to sell a few little figurines.


    The question is, how will I sell them?


    I ask Zyneth the same question when I break for lunch.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s two ways about it, as I see it.¡± He takes a few skewers from the smoked meat stall and passes over some coins. ¡°Either you use that disguise Murrok gave you and hope the suspicious attire doesn¡¯t scare customers away, or I can act as your intermediary and sell them on your behalf.¡± He carries the skewers over to one of many stone benches that line the plaza, and I sit with him. Zyneth nods to me. ¡°That¡¯s assuming you can even make these trinkets.¡±


    ¡°One way to find out,¡± I say.


    I open my satchel as Zyneth starts nibbling on his skewered meat, watching with great interest. Grabbing a handful of glass fragments too small to be of much use, I activate a Sculpt.


    [Mana cost: 10]


    There was a time when that was everything I had.


    I mash the glass together, forming it into a sphere the size of a small plum. Then I picture a cat, sitting, so the piece would be stable; tail wrapped around its legs, so I won¡¯t have any thin, fragile bits to worry about. Something basic and easily recognizable.


    After a minute, the spell expires and I hold up the result.


    Zyneth pauses mid-bite. ¡°What is that?¡±


    The figure is roughly cone shaped, with a bumpy base where feet should be, and a spikey top that was intended to be ears and a snout. It turns out, some amount of artistic ability is in fact required.


    ¡°It¡¯s a cat,¡± I say.


    Zyneth squints, tipping his head. ¡°Do cats from your world have significantly different anatomy than ours?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say flatly. ¡°They¡¯re pretty much the same.¡±


    Zyneth stares at it for a moment longer. Then he bursts out laughing.


    ¡°Alright, so, scratch that off the list,¡± I grumble, stuffing the glass back into my bag.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s great!¡± Zyneth assures me, still laughing. ¡°Give it to Noli. She¡¯ll be delighted.¡±


    I indignantly tolerate the laughter until it dwindles into a grin. Zyneth shakes his head, taking another bite from his skewer. All right, not completely indignant: at least it made him laugh.


    ¡°So,¡± I finally venture. ¡°Labels.¡±


    He crooks an eyebrow at me. ¡°Labels?¡±


    I nervously fiddle with a fleck of glass, floating it between my hands. ¡°Well there¡¯s¡­ the predator, for one,¡± I say.


    ¡°Ah.¡± He sits back. ¡°You mean how Noli wants to name it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, relaxing. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    He shrugs, polishing off one of the skewers. ¡°It feels a bit odd, but I don¡¯t see why not. Perhaps it¡¯s a coping mechanism for her.¡±


    That catches me off guard. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, it tried to kill her,¡± he says. ¡°Twice, if I recall. And now it¡¯s intrinsically associated with you, and you¡¯re frequently around her. Perhaps giving it a name makes it more knowable. Less frightening.¡±


    The predator is listening as we talk. Well, as much as it can listen. It doesn¡¯t understand language, so far as I can tell, but it gleans insight from my thoughts and processes meaning through associated concepts. It knows we¡¯re talking about it, for instance; it knows the conversation isn¡¯t referring to it in a hostile way. But the subject itself¡ªnames¡ªis elusive.


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s why I¡¯m reluctant to name it at all,¡± I admit. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t want it to feel knowable.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t change what it is,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°But I understand how you feel. Perhaps you and Noli are just processing the damage it¡¯s caused in different ways.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± I ask. ¡°It caused plenty of damage in Emrox.¡±


    Zyneth goes silent and thoughtful, staring off across the plaza as he takes another bite of his lunch. After a span of thoughtful silence, he looks back at me¡ªand my coat, where the predator remains hidden.


    ¡°I don¡¯t resent it,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s malicious in any intentional way¡ªthough I lack the same level of insight into its mind that you have. But from the outside, it seems to me much like an animal. Simplistic. Resource motivated. Dangerous, certainly, but capable of conditioning.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s more intelligent than you¡¯re giving it credit for,¡± I say. ¡°Or at least, it¡¯s growing more intelligent. Not quite like you or me, but¡­ certainly more than an animal.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be all the more reason to give it a name?¡± Zyneth asks. ¡°Based on what I¡¯ve witnessed of its ability to learn so far, it seems to be happening quickly. At some point or another it¡¯s likely to be capable of more complex communication. What will it think when it understands how we currently refer to it? Will that be to our benefit, or detriment?¡±


    I mentally examine the predator. Do you understand any of this? I wonder. This label we have for you. This¡­ association.


    The predator picks apart the idea I send it. A superior killer? Yes, that sounds very accurate. It exudes a smug sort of pride at the thought.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s bothered,¡± I report flatly.


    Zyneth chuckles. ¡°I suppose I should have expected that. Well, there¡¯s no rush. You don¡¯t need to make a decision today. But I also wouldn¡¯t discourage Noli if she finds some way of referring to it that brings her comfort.¡±


    It¡¯s just not fair that he can be this attractive, competent, and insightful. Leave something for the rest of us.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I agree. ¡°I¡¯ll roll with things for now. But I am not letting her call it Spot.¡±


    Zyneth snorts. ¡°That would be rather jarring.¡±


    He finishes the last few skewers without any further conversation, both of us wrapped in our own thoughts. When he¡¯s done, he gives me an appraising look. ¡°So, was that the only reason you wanted to bring up labels?¡±


    ¡°Of course it wasn¡¯t!¡± I blurt out. ¡°Us. I wanted to talk about us. Then I chickened out.¡±


    Zyneth chuckles. ¡°Yes, I had surmised as much.¡±


    Ah, so he just wanted to make me squirm, then. I splay my hands. ¡°Well?¡±


    ¡°Well, what?¡±


    ¡°What are we?¡± I say, nerves creeping through me all over again. At least I no longer have a heart capable of beating a mile a minute.


    ¡°That depends mostly on you, I think,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯ve already expressed my interest. And since then, we¡¯ve been through much together. I¡¯d say our cooperation under pressure is fairly well tested.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but.¡± Why is this so excruciating? ¡°I just. I¡¯ve never done this before,¡± I finally admit.


    Zyneth looks surprised. ¡°Relationships?¡±


    ¡°Yes. No. Emotional relationships,¡± I say, feeling all twisted up inside. I can¡¯t look at Zyneth while I say this. Impulsively, I shut my vision off. The world goes dark¡ªand somehow, that¡¯s soothing. It¡¯s easier to talk to him like this.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in plenty of physical ones,¡± I say. ¡°One-night stands. Friends with benefits. But I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s possible for me now. And I know that¡¯s not what you want, anyway. But emotional intimacy is new territory for me. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll fuck it up.¡±


    ¡°You might,¡± Zyneth agrees, and my soul sinks. ¡°But I might as well. Or maybe neither of us do. Unless you¡¯ve developed the ability to see the future, I¡¯m not sure such speculation is useful.¡±


    He¡¯s right of course. He usually is. I have to fight down the instinct to argue, because a big part of me doesn¡¯t think I deserve his friendship, let alone anything more. But that¡¯s not for me to decide, I suppose.


    I force myself to turn my vision back on. He¡¯s still watching me, brow faintly creased, waiting for a response.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how relationships work without the physical aspect,¡± I admit. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I have to offer.¡±


    ¡°For now, just your presence is enough,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Your thoughts. Your honesty.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s starting to seem a bit much,¡± I lightly tease.


    His mouth quirks in a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªhonesty might be pushing it.¡±


    I bump his shoulder, and he bumps back. The tightness in my soul lessens, but my nerves aren¡¯t completely gone.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°Yes. I want to try. Whatever that looks like. It¡¯s going to be an adjustment for me. But I admire your patience and understanding and unflappable poise so much¡ªI want to be worthy of that. So I¡¯ll give everything I have to offer.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that all,¡± he chuckles. Zyneth holds out a hand. Hesitantly, I take it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a two-way street, you know,¡± he says. ¡°You¡¯re acting as though you¡¯re the only one to benefit. But I also see traits in you I admire. Your resilience, your creativity, your compassion. Yes, compassion,¡± he adds with a laugh when I start to object. ¡°No matter how much you try to hide it beneath quips and sarcasm¡ªeven knowing you¡¯re still learning how to properly express it. You care quite a bit, and that means quite a bit to me.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I¡ªthank you.¡± I decide to stop myself before I can be any less articulate.


    Okay. Alright, then. We¡¯re doing this. Should it feel this terrifying? It never has before. ¡°So, labels,¡± I venture.


    ¡°They are optional, you know,¡± he says.


    I nod. ¡°But I suspect you would like one.¡±


    ¡°I would,¡± he admits. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Yes. Though I¡¯m not sure what would be appropriate.¡±


    ¡°Would it help for me to suggest some?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± I say, relieved. This couldn¡¯t be more outside my wheelhouse.


    ¡°Suitor,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°It¡¯s fairly benign.¡±


    I laugh¡ªthough that might be the nerves. The word feels so stiff and formal. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything we¡¯ve been through together could be classified as benign.¡±


    ¡°Lover would be at the opposite end of that spectrum.¡±


    I physically squirm. ¡°That seems a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Too much,¡± Zyneth agrees. ¡°Significant other?¡±


    I hesitate. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a mouthful.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a mouth.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mock me while I¡¯m already dying of mortification,¡± I say.


    He grins. ¡°Partner?¡±


    I stop to think about that one. It¡¯s a bit nondescript. It could as easily mean a business partner as a romantic one. But it certainly fits our relationship¡ªour friendship¡ªup to this point. I¡¯ve leaned on him a lot. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve provided the same for him, but I¡¯d like to.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try that,¡± I say. ¡°At least for now.¡±


    He gives my hand a faint squeeze, and terrified, excited, humbled and hopeful, I squeeze it back.


    We sit like that for a time. Just existing as the world moves around us.


    ¡°So.¡± Zyneth stirs. ¡°Will you be the one to tell Noli, or shall I?¡±


    ¡°Oh god.¡± I can vividly picture the overly enthusiastic reception already. ¡°She¡¯s going to try to throw us a party or something.¡±


    Zyneth laughs.

 Chapter 114 - A Job

    In the telepad square, I find a job board, which is probably where I should have started. The wall has several messages pinned to its surface, some of them magically affixed, some of them mundane. A lot of them are asks for package deliveries or miscellaneous repairs.


    It¡¯s not all dedicated to odd jobs, however. One section of the board features a single crisp piece of parchment, upon which different blocks of texts are displayed. Every once in a while, some of them sink back into the page, and new words appear, rotating through different stories. It¡¯s a news bulletin.


    I pause to read some. There are a couple warnings about necrotic animal sightings. Predictions on when to expect the first snow. Preparations for a local holiday coming up in a few weeks. There¡¯s mention of the Gods¡¯ Tournaments Noli had talked about, too.


    It lists dates and locations, though admittedly neither mean anything to me. I scan for some indication of today¡¯s date and find it, and after I get Echo to change the calendar into something I would understand, she lets me know I¡¯m somewhere in Earth¡¯s equivalent of late August. Now that I know to look for it, I can see early signs of autumn in the town¡¯s trees already.


    The next round of Gods¡¯ Tournaments isn¡¯t scheduled to take place for another few weeks. The names and a few bare details of individuals who were in previous tournaments and ascended to be Champions are provided.


    I wonder if I should attend one. The idea of witnessing gods¡ªreal gods¡ªis pretty surreal. What would they look like? How would they act? I¡¯m very curious to find out.


    Though, I also haven¡¯t forgotten Yedzaquib¡¯s cryptic warning that the gods might not be too pleased by my existence. Maybe going to one of these events wouldn¡¯t be wise.


    But the tournaments must have something to do with the lost souls¡ªthe timing of their announcement is just too precise for it to be a complete coincidence. If I want to start finding these people, this is the best lead I¡¯ve got. The potential reward outweighs the risk.


    I note down the locations and dates for the next few events. Zyneth¡¯s time here will overlap with one of the tournaments, so he might be reluctant for me to go without him. I resolve to talk it over with him and the others at dinner tonight.


    Back to the job board, I pluck two leaves of paper from the wall. No sense in waffling over the matter. Time to see if I can still put some of my acting chops to use.


    I follow my map to the first address, which is a bizarrely familiar activity. I¡¯d spent my first time in this city also following maps around to different shops, though happily this time I¡¯m doing so without all the existential dread and impending threat to my mortality.


    I pause outside Potion¡¯s Boutique. The job post said they needed someone who could repair a crate of glass bottles that was dropped during its delivery. Sounds like my area of expertise. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d have to Attune their glass first¡ªwhich might take a while¡ªor if I could substitute some of my already-Attuned glass, but it can¡¯t hurt to take a look.


    I knock on the door.


    ¡°Enter!¡± a muffled voice calls from the back.


    I step inside.


    The alluded to crate is in the middle of the room, opened and half unpacked, exposing a dozen shattered bottles. The rest of the room is filled with all sorts of chemistry equipment¡ªor maybe alchemic equipment. It¡¯s a lot of bottles and vials and jars of varying colors, at any rate.


    An orc ducks out of the back room, grumbling to himself. He¡¯s at least a head taller than Rezira. His gaze lands on me, then he looks about the room expectantly, before returning to me once more.


    He frowns. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Er.¡± I also glance around, wondering what he¡¯s talking about. ¡°I¡¯m here about the repair job?¡±


    His eyebrows lift. ¡°Is this a joke?¡± He stomps over to me, and I can¡¯t help but hastily retreat. ¡°Stuck a voice box on the thing so they could send one of their homunculi back to mock me? What, want to break a few more of my goods before calling it a day?¡±


    The predator is alert, honing in on the merchant¡¯s hostile tone and body language.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I object, my back bumping into the door. ¡°I¡¯m not a¡ªOkay technically I am¡ªbut I didn¡¯t break your¡ª¡±


    The orc glares as he reaches for me, and the void beneath my coat shifts, readying for an attack.


    I turn the handle and stumble out of the shop, unsure if it¡¯s the predator or the orc that scares me more.


    I hold up my hands, swiftly retreating down the street as the orc stomps out after me. ¡°I just wanted a job!¡± I cry.


    He stays standing at the front of his shop, fuming, until I make an impulsive turn down a side street and out of sight.


    Well that went about as bad as it could have. Mentally, I glare at the predator.


    He wasn¡¯t a threat, you know.


    The predator does not know this. He certainly was acting threatening.


    I mean, he kind of was, but that¡¯s beside the point. Don¡¯t attack anyone unless I give the say-so first.


    But what if there¡¯s not enough time to give the say-so?


    Then I guess we¡¯ll take a hit first, I think, exasperated.


    Unacceptable. It will not allow a potentially fatal hit to our core.


    I have that reinforcing spell circle Zyneth painted on it now, remember? I tap my chest. We can activate that if things get bad.


    The predator remains unconvinced.


    I heave a mental sigh. I guess I¡¯ll just have to try to avoid any more confrontations. Not that it was my fault! The man wouldn¡¯t even listen to me. Though I can¡¯t entirely blame him, either. I am a homunculus. Homunculi aren¡¯t supposed to be able to talk. Of course he thought it was probably some prank. And given it sounded like homunculi were responsible for his broken goods in the first place, I can even understand how suspicious my arrival might have looked.


    Even if that hadn¡¯t been the case, would I have been able to convince him I really am a person? How much time and effort would that have taken? This also poses an issue for the other job on my list.


    Well, I guess there¡¯s nothing for it. It¡¯s time to try that disguise Murrok made for me.


    Still in the alley, I channel some of my mana into the enchanted ring. My vision ripples.


    [Illusion spell activated.]


    I use a piece of glass to look at myself. It really is uncanny how I look like a perfectly frozen human. I turn my head from side to side, and the human head also moves, but that does little to stop the unsettlingly neutral expression and unblinking eyes. Next up, I wrap Noli¡¯s scarf around my ¡°nose¡± and ¡°mouth,¡± then pull the cowl over my head to cast my face in shadows.


    Suspicious looking? Highly. Human looking? Good enough.


    The next location is a residential address. It¡¯s a small stone house along a quiet street, squished up against its neighbors like all the rest. After double-checking the address, I give the door a knock.


    Silence. I wait a moment, then knock a little harder¡ªas hard as I dare with my smaller and more fragile finger glass. This time, I hear a shuffle of sound. Then a wooden thump. Then a clunk from the door¡¯s lock. And finally, the scrape of wood on wood as it¡¯s dragged slowly open.


    I look down. My employer doesn¡¯t even come up to my hip.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    [Check. Molli: Level 41 Goblin Artisan.]


    She¡¯s wearing a knitted shawl and leaning heavily on a walking stick. Based on the thin white hair she¡¯s pulled in a bun, and the fact that she¡¯s practically being swallowed by her own wrinkles, I¡¯d estimate she¡¯s about two hundred years old. Molli squints up at me.


    ¡°Uh, hi,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m here about a job? Something to do with a glasswork delivery.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Her voice is exactly as frail as I imagined. ¡°Good. Yes, wonderful. Very big! But skinny. Are you strong?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say, a little caught off guard and unsure if that¡¯s actually true. When I first started operating this body I couldn¡¯t even lift a book without dropping it. But I¡¯ve gained better control over my glass since then, and the predator can help me use the void to strengthen anything that I can¡¯t handle on my own. ¡°If you need me to carry something, that won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Well, alright then. It¡¯s heavy! But, come in. Come in! You can leave your coat on the rack. Awfully warm to be all bundled up like that, eh?¡±


    She begins to shuffle back inside. I take one step, catch up, then stand there and wait for her to continue inching her way forward. When I make it in the door, I have to crouch awkwardly to keep from hitting the ceiling.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll be leaving it on,¡± I say. ¡°It¡¯s a¡­ skin condition.¡± Technically true in the most incorrect way.


    Molli doesn¡¯t seem bothered by this explanation, if she even heard it at all. ¡°I was beginning to think no one would come. My grandson said no one takes coppers anymore. They¡¯re a relic of a different age, he says, won¡¯t do in this economy, but I just don¡¯t trust those new magitech bank systems, you understand?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right,¡± I say, realizing I hadn¡¯t actually checked how much the job paid. I¡¯d been too interested in finding ones that actually seemed applicable to me to look at the pay. But I¡¯m certainly not about to leave the poor woman now. ¡°Coppers should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± She pauses in the front hall, looking between two doors. ¡°Good, good, good... Do you fancy a cup of tea?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ve just come from lunch.¡±


    ¡°Straight to business then, eh? Alright. Come on.¡± She hobbles into the living room.


    The room is covered in an extremely dense painting of flowers, from floor to ceiling. And I mean that literally. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, and even the stone table and bench are all painted. Every inch of them. It would strain my eyes if I had any.


    Molli takes me over to a hearth in the corner of the room. She taps her cane against a large black stone that¡¯s sitting on a ledge there. ¡°Well, here it is.¡±


    I cock my head. ¡°I thought the ad said there would be glass?¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Molli grumbles. ¡°It is! Can¡¯t you see, boy?¡± I¡¯m starting to think she can¡¯t, actually, which is probably the only reason my disguise has lasted as long as it has. ¡°It¡¯s ink glass! My husband dug it up himself. T¡¯was made into our wedding tureen, see?¡± She grabs a jagged knob on the top and lifts.


    What I had assumed was a rock is actually a bowl and lid. Upon closer inspection, its surface is etched to display a miniature forest scene of incredible detail. I give it a Check.


    [A wedding tureen made of obsidian,] Echo summarizes. [Such bowls are traditionally used during marriage, where the involved partners all take turns serving each other their first meal as wedded companions. Oftentimes the tureen is made by one or more of the partners.]


    Is obsidian ink glass? I ask. Wait, is obsidian glass?


    [Affirmative,] Echo says.


    The more you know. That opens some interesting possibilities.


    ¡°And you want me to take this somewhere?¡± I ask.


    ¡°And bring it back!¡± Molli cries. ¡°Just need to get it fixed up is all. Developed a crack last year when Jame dropped it. Only gotten worse since then. Worried it¡¯ll crack in two one of these days.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be very careful with it,¡± I promise.


    I¡¯d been hoping it was something I might be able to fix myself, but given the artistic nature of the bowl, this is probably something best left to the professionals.


    ¡°Good!¡± she says. ¡°Good. That is why I didn¡¯t want a homunculus for the job.¡±


    Well, this is awkward.


    ¡°Needs a gentle touch, you see?¡± She pats the tureen fondly. ¡°Can¡¯t risk it being handled carelessly. Now that Jame is gone, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if I lost this, too. Only someone with a soul would understand its importance.¡±


    Well I may not be living and breathing, but at least I still qualify for ¡®has a soul.¡¯ ¡°On that I can agree.¡±


    Molli¡¯s eyes are swallowed by wrinkles when she smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the directions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± I say. ¡°I have a map. You can just give me the address.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She nods. ¡°So you just need to head south along Gravel Lane for a few blocks, then take your third right onto Mountain View.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I hastily say. ¡°But I do have a¡ª¡±


    ¡°There will be a park on your left,¡± Molli continues, undeterred. ¡°You can cut through that and take Hallow Street another four blocks, or you could go around Green Glade¡ªthat¡¯s the park¡ªand head down Meadow¡¯s Lane instead¡­¡±


    It takes another five minutes to deliver the full instructions, including all possible travel iterations.


    ¡°Got it.¡± I slump, head spinning. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely remember all of that.¡±


    Molli hands me the coins next¡ªI¡¯ll have to ask Zyneth later if they¡¯re actually worth anything¡ªand then shuffles out of the way so I can pick up the decorative black bowl.


    ¡°Ask the glass-smith if they know when I can expect the piece to be done,¡± Molli says, continuing to give me instructions she¡¯s already given me as I kneel before the bowl. I hold my hands out hesitantly, worried about doing any more damage to the fragile design. ¡°Then come back here and let me know the date. And if you¡¯d be a dear, I¡¯d appreciate you retrieving the piece when it¡¯s complete as well.¡±


    It¡¯s the quest that never ends.


    I summon void to my hands, wrapping them around my fingers to help cushion my grip. The illusion on my hands flickers while I do so, and I hope Molli doesn¡¯t notice. Gingerly, I grab the tureen and lift it up.


    She was right that it¡¯s heavy. No wonder the old woman couldn¡¯t move it herself. I pull more void to my hands and pool it beneath the bowl for a little extra leverage and support. At least the shadows are faint enough no one should notice them against the black stone¡ªeven those with good eyesight.


    Bidding Molli goodbye, and declining yet another invitation for tea and biscuits, I head out into Harrowood. Hands now preoccupied, I use some of my signing glass to hold the map up before me. The glass shop she wants me to take it to is about a half hour walk away. How many hours would it have taken me to make this same trek the first time I was here?


    After about ten minutes of walking, I turn the illusion spell off. Murrok had warned it had a limited charge, and I¡¯d rather not waste it all just walking through town, especially when so many homunculi are also about delivering packages of every kind. The only thing a bit strange about me doing the same is that I¡¯m made of glass and wearing clothes; I can¡¯t change the first part and I don¡¯t intend to change the second.


    I make it to the glass studio without any trouble. It¡¯s in a rougher part of town that reminds me of Gillow¡¯s storefront¡ªin fact it might not be far from Vardi¡¯s Tavern. Paint is peeling from signs, the gutters are filled with rot, and the doors all have physical locks instead of magic ones. Peoples¡¯ gazes linger on me just a little too long, and I hurry along, pretending not to notice.


    The shop, simply labeled Glasswork and Repair, is locked. I use some signing glass to knock on the door and wait a few minutes, but there¡¯s no response. It¡¯s late afternoon, but it¡¯s still well before dinner, so I wouldn¡¯t expect it to be closed. What to do?


    A few houses down, a young group of people who look absolutely up to no good are making obvious gestures toward me as they talk amongst themselves. I deem it prudent to get off of the street.


    Glasswork and Repairs is connected to its neighbors, so I can¡¯t circle directly around back to see if there¡¯s another entrance there. A few houses down is an alleyway, however, so I head in the opposite direction of the thugs as I search for a way to reach the glass shop¡¯s rear door. The passage is narrow, and leads me out into another alley, this one full of garbage. Maybe for the first time, I¡¯m happy with my inability to smell. I can make out the back of Glasswork, at least.


    Someone steps out of an alleyway behind me. They probably think they¡¯re being sneaky, but I¡¯ve got vision turned on in three panes of the glass in my ¡°head,¡± which gives me a wider range of vision than most people. I go ahead and turn the rest on while I¡¯m at it. It¡¯s still a little disorienting, looking five different directions at once, but it helps that they¡¯re all stationary relative to one another¡ªnot to mention, weirdly, I¡¯m kind of getting used to it. Maybe the predator¡¯s ability to split its attention and mind in as many different directions as it likes is rubbing off on me.


    Regardless, the girl is surprised when I stop and address her. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t try anything if I were you.¡±


    She stops. Then she laughs, turning her head to call over her shoulder. ¡°Hey, Vim, get a load of this. It¡¯s got some kind of security feature.¡±


    A dryad steps out behind her. A third thug, an elf, drops down from a roof between me and the glasswork shop. I give them all a Check.


    [Pelara: Level 17 Human Rogue.]


    [Vim: Level 16 Dryad Bruiser.]


    [Zari: Level 19 Elf Enchanter.]


    What do you know? This is the first time I¡¯ve been at a higher level than those around me. I hadn¡¯t felt especially threatened by the teens before, and I¡¯m even less impressed with them now.


    The predator, meanwhile, is keenly aware their intentions are no good; whether or not they pose a threat to us is irrelevant. It sees a challenge and is more than ready to engage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll again warn you against whatever your plans are,¡± I say, attempting to calm the predator down¡ªa futile task. Even if these kids are a bunch of thugs, I don¡¯t want them dead, and I¡¯m not sure the predator would be able to show enough restraint to just scare them away. ¡°This will only end very badly for you.¡±


    Zari laughs. ¡°What kind of fancy-ass homunculus is this?¡±


    ¡°Got a speech stone on it, or something,¡± Vim agrees.


    Pelara casually strolls my way, and I can feel the predator tense. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. How much you think that piece is worth?¡±


    ¡°Probably not as much as the parts,¡± Zari says. ¡°Who makes a homunculus out of glass and then sends it to do chores in Vale district?¡±


    ¡°Rich assholes,¡± Pelara says.


    Zari snorts. ¡°Idiots.¡±


    The three of them head toward me. The predator excitedly reaches for my void, and I jump at our shared magic as well, trying to hold it back.


    Well this is going great.


    I channel mana back into Murrok¡¯s spell, reactivating my human disguise. ¡°Last chance,¡± I tell them. The three stop, startled by the shift in appearances as I¡¯d hoped.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Pelara cries.


    ¡°They¡¯re a person?¡± Vim asks.


    Zari squints at me.


    [Your magic has been identified.]


    ¡°No,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s an illusion.¡±


    Fucking wizards.


    ¡°If he was human, he wouldn¡¯t be trying to convince us to leave,¡± Pelara agrees. ¡°Must be another thief deterrent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to convince you to leave for your own good!¡± I cry, exasperated. The predator strains against my mental hold, and I feel it slipping through my grasp. Don¡¯t kill them, I tell it, trying not to panic. Please, don¡¯t¡ª


    Vim pulls a hammer from their belt and races toward me. The predator forms clawed limbs. Aw, shit. Here we go.

 Chapter 115 - Glasswork and Repair

    There¡¯s no time to fight off the predator and the thugs at once, so I pick my battle. If I can¡¯t convince the predator from the outside, maybe I can direct it from within.


    We sidestep the dryad as they rush toward us. Void snakes out from the bottom of our coat and grabs their leg as they pass. They trip with a cry, and go crashing to the ground.


    Their friends laugh. ¡°What was that! You can¡¯t even hit a stationary target?¡±


    We carefully funnel more void out from our sleeves, engulfing the glasswork in a protective cocoon of shadow. We remind ourself to make sure the stone doesn¡¯t get damaged. Annoying. But a challenge sounds fun.


    We stalk after the first one, still picking themself up. They reach for their weapon, and we slam a boot down on their hand. Their howl of pain fills us with satisfaction. Shifting the bowl to one arm, we lean down, reaching out a hand. Claws of shadows poke through the illusion of human fingers.


    A door slams open three shops down, shaking the whole alley. A blue dracid steps out, head swiveling in our direction, eyes narrowed. She¡¯s bigger than any dracid we¡¯ve ever seen. All muscle and callus. She¡¯s carrying what looks like an enormously oversized pair of tweezers, and as she stomps our way, she wields it like a sword.


    A thrill of excitement goes through us. A worthy opponent. We flex our claws.


    ¡°What have I told you kids about hanging around my shop?¡± she roars.


    My prey scrambles out from under me, but not in time. The dracid is on them, smacking the dryad with their tweezers like a sword. They yelp, throwing their hands over their head as they stumble back toward their friends. She storms right past us, as if we¡¯re nothing more than another piece of trash that litters the alley. The kids scatter. She takes another swing at them, managing to hit the elf on his rear, before they¡¯re gone, racing down the alley and out of sight.


    The dracid turns back to us with a huff. She puts a hand on her hip and looks us up and down. ¡°They didn¡¯t nab anything from you, did they?¡±


    She¡¯s not a threat; she was trying to save us. We find that funny. We retract our claws.


    ¡°Well?¡± she asks after a moment.


    We still haven¡¯t responded. We quickly try to pull our mind away¡ªand feel a faint pain at the suddenness of it. Alarm sparks through us. Careful. We have to separate carefully. Please, let us go. It¡¯s not night yet, and the danger has passed.


    Reluctantly, grumpily, the predator relents.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I stammer, still pulling my mind away. The predator is only making a half-hearted effort to extract itself from my mind; it¡¯s like trying to separate tar from glue. ¡°I¡¯m, ah, a little shaken.¡±


    The woman snorts. ¡°If those kids are enough to get to you, you probably shouldn¡¯t be wandering around the back alley like a lost kitten.¡±


    Okay, I¡¯m mildly offended by that.


    ¡°I was trying to deliver something.¡± I retract the void that had been cradling the bowl, and hold it up for her to see. Hopefully she didn¡¯t notice the shifting shadows. ¡°I was trying to get into the glass shop, but no one answered the front door.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I was in the middle of something.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say. ¡°You¡¯re the owner of Glasswork and Repairs?¡±


    Instead of answering, she starts to head back to the door she¡¯d burst out of, and gestures for me to follow. ¡°Hot glass doesn¡¯t give two shits about anyone else¡¯s schedule. So what have you got for me?¡±


    I give her a Check.


    [Caecius: Level 43 Dracid Lava Crafter. Owner of Glasswork and Repairs.]


    Wow. Twice my level. And lava crafting sure sounds interesting. ¡°Yes, I have a package from Molli Mosswood. She needed a tureen repaired.¡±


    Caecius pauses at her door to look critically at the bowl in my hands. Then she grunts and heads inside. I take that as an invitation to follow.


    The backdoor opens into a workshop. There¡¯s an open chimney on the outer wall, several large stone chests sprinkled throughout, and a shelf of completed glasswork on the opposite side of the room. Caecius hangs up the oversized tweezers on a rack alongside a dozen other tools, then takes a seat at a bench next to what I¡¯d guess to be an inert furnace. She looks at me expectantly, then pats the work table in front of her.


    ¡°Put it here.¡±


    I gently set the tureen down, then stand back, hesitating nearby. Caecius ignores me.


    The dracid carefully lifts the lid from the bowl, pausing to examine the design on the top, then sets it aside. She lifts the bowl next, her talons faintly tinking against the glass. She turns it over, and her hands glow with a faint blue light.


    ¡°Is that glass magic?¡± I ask, excitedly leaning in.


    She glances at me skeptically. ¡°No.¡± She goes back to focusing on the bowl.


    Seeing as she won¡¯t be giving me answers, I Inspect the spell myself.


    [Low grade stone spell related to structural identification,] Echo says.


    So her Affinity must be stone or something similar, which glass would fall under. And given her class of Lava Crafter, I can hazard a guess what that might entail.


    Caecius grunts, sets the tureen back down, then swipes a hand across the surface of the nearby furnace. Runes and spell circles carved into its surface light up blue. She moves the bowl over to the furnace and pulls on a pair of thick gloves.


    I quietly hover nearby. She hasn¡¯t dismissed me, but she also hasn¡¯t indicated when she¡¯ll be done, and until I have that information, there¡¯s no point in leaving. Besides, I¡¯m interested to see her work. I¡¯ve never witnessed anyone other than myself use glass magic¡ªor stone magic, I suppose¡ªand I don¡¯t intend to pass up this opportunity to try to learn something.


    Though there¡¯s no apparent flame, the air above the spell circles begins to waver. Caecius crooks her gloved hand over the bowl, like fingers on a stringed instrument.


    I fire off a couple more Inspects. ¡°The spell circle is for glass manipulation?¡± I gather. ¡°And that other one is for heat. Why heat it up if you already have a spell for mending the glass?¡±


    Caecius shoots me an irritated glance. ¡°You a mage?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± I say.


    ¡°Mages ask too many questions.¡±


    I skeptically take in all the spell circles, runes, and the magical glow around her hand. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a mage?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she says. ¡°Now shut up.¡±


    I shut up, and instead switch over to more Checks and Inspects to try to figure out what she¡¯s doing. Still maintaining my human disguise and unable to surreptitiously float some seeing glass to the other side of the table, I lean over to Check a small spell circle just outside of my line of sight.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Careful,¡± Caecius snaps. ¡°You¡¯ll singe your clothes.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± I lean back. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t look up from her work as she flicks a hand at her furnace. One spell circle extinguishes, while two new ones light up. ¡°You¡¯re too close. And all bundled up. Heat doesn¡¯t bother you?¡±


    Oh. I hadn¡¯t even realized it was hot. I can feel a faint warmth, but that¡¯s about it. My glass isn¡¯t very good at sensing temperature unless it¡¯s toward an extreme. ¡°I have nerve damage. Don¡¯t feel a lot of things.¡± I hope that¡¯s how nerve damage actually works.


    She grunts again, switching more circles on and off. ¡°Go open the annealer for me.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡± I ask.


    She jerks her head toward one of the stone chests. ¡°The annealer! Open it.¡± She picks up the bowl with her gloved hands.


    ¡°Er, right.¡± I head toward the one she indicated and pull the hatch open. There are more runes inside this one as well, and when I check them, I¡¯m surprised to find they¡¯re also for heating.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of moving it from one hot area to another?¡± I ask.


    She sets the bowl in the chest, then quickly closes it. ¡°Different levels of heat. Cools it down slower. Keeps the glass from cracking.¡± She takes her gloves off and gives me a critical look. After a moment I bow my head a little, hoping she didn¡¯t stare too long at the unblinking eyes of my illusion. She heads back over to her workstation to drop off her gloves.


    ¡°Why all the interest?¡± she asks. She¡¯s already heading through a door toward the front half of the building, and since she asked me a question as she did, I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s an invitation to follow.


    ¡°My affinity is glass,¡± I say, stepping through. This room looks more like a storefront than a workshop, with shelves of items on display. I peruse these so I don¡¯t have to look at her and potentially expose my cover while I talk. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to learn more. I¡¯ve tried sculpting some on my own, but it all ends up pretty fragile. I know there must be a way to make them more robust, I¡¯m just not sure how.¡±


    ¡°What kind of stuff do you make?¡± she asks.


    My mind short circuits from what should have been an obvious question. I¡¯m certainly not going to tell her ¡®parts of my homunculus body.¡¯ ¡°Mugs,¡± I say, repeating the first thing I happen to look at. ¡°Plates. Those sorts of things.¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh.¡± She sounds skeptical, but she doesn¡¯t follow it up with any questions of her own. ¡°The tureen will be ready in a day. You can tell Molli and come back for it then.¡±


    ¡°Do you need to do anything else with it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No. It just needs to cool.¡±


    ¡°And that takes a whole day?¡±


    Caecius looks at me flatly. ¡°You questioning my work?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I object. ¡°I just didn¡¯t realize it took so long.¡±


    She looks back down at the book she¡¯s jotting notes in. ¡°You¡¯re pretty new to glasswork.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I admit.


    ¡°New affinity?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°Derived from a parent affinity?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re asking,¡± I admit.


    ¡°Stone,¡± she says. ¡°Earth. Sand. Common starting points for developing a secondary affinity. My specialty came from merging stone and fire affinities.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say. ¡°No. It¡¯s just glass.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± She sets her quill down and looks at me. ¡°A little old to be developing your first affinity.¡±


    I don¡¯t have anything to say to that, so I say nothing.


    She waves a dismissive hand at me. ¡°Tomorrow. Noon. You can retrieve it then.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I¡¯m a little disappointed I wasn¡¯t able to get anything else out of her. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be on my way, then. Say, do you happen to know of other glass shops around here?¡± She gives me a blank stare. ¡°I mean, anyone looking to take on an apprentice? Or perhaps classes, or a thorough book¡ª¡±


    ¡°Noon,¡± she repeats, returning to her ledgers. ¡°You can tell her it¡¯ll cost a crescent and two silvers.¡±


    Ah, well. It was worth a shot at least. I leave, through the front door this time, and head back to Molli to deliver the cost and timetable. The old woman once again invites me in for some tea, and I once again decline.


    That evening, as we¡¯re discussing our days over stew, beer, and crusty bread, Zyneth helps me charge the illusion ring back up to full capacity. There¡¯s no word from Vardi yet. Rezira is spending her time practicing and exchanging techniques with a local healer¡¯s guild, while Noli appears to simply be enjoying herself: shopping, exploring, and making friends with the local hunters.


    I give Zyneth the coppers I received from Molli to examine. ¡°Well it¡¯s not entirely archaic,¡± he admits. ¡°Some places will accept it. You could also get them exchanged at the Merchant¡¯s Guild for a cost, but it¡¯s probably not worth it. These could buy you maybe¡­ half the meal we have here.¡± He gestures to the table.


    ¡°A day¡¯s worth of work for half a meal.¡± At least it was for a good cause. ¡°Ah well. Guess I¡¯ll try something different tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Let me know if you need any assistance,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°I will.¡± I recline in my seat, leaning against his shoulder. ¡°Same goes for you. Let me know as soon as Vardi shows back up.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He takes my hand and places the coins back in them, folding my fingers around them. He doesn¡¯t let go after that, and I don¡¯t pull away. The closeness fills me with warmth.


    Noli loudly slurps at her drink, looking at us over the brim of her mug.


    ¡°Okay, yes, Noli,¡± I sign, one handed. ¡°We¡¯re together.¡±


    Noli excitedly gasps, immediately choking on her drink. Rezira thumps her back as Noli coughs and splutters, still managing to sign, ¡°I knew it!¡±


    ¡°Who asked who?¡± Rezira asks.


    We look at each other. ¡°I suppose it was a mutual conversation,¡± I say.


    ¡°But who started the conversation?¡± Noli asks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall,¡± Zyneth admits.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Rezira presses.


    If I had eyes, I¡¯d be narrowing them. ¡°Why does it matter?¡± Noli glances guiltily away. ¡°Did you guys place bets or something?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Noli cries, at the same time Rezira signs, ¡°Yes.¡± Noli lunges for her wife¡¯s hands.


    Zyneth chuckles. ¡°At least it¡¯s not a party.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Noli brightens. ¡°We should celebrate!¡±


    <hr>


    The next morning I show back up at Glasswork and Repairs. It¡¯s a bit before noon, but I had nothing better to do and figure I can at least kill some time looking around Caecius¡¯s shop. No one bothers me this time, though I¡¯m also in my human disguise. When I knock on the front door, she opens it.


    ¡°You¡¯re early.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±


    She turns away, leaving the door open, which I suppose means I¡¯m allowed inside. Caecius heads back into the shop, so I stay in the front, examining glasswork and trying to figure out how it¡¯s done.


    ¡°Ready,¡± she says in another ten minutes, gesturing me back. ¡°Bring the payment after lunch.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve already got it,¡± I say, withdrawing a pouch as I follow her toward the annealer. ¡°Stopped by Molli¡¯s this morning.¡± I hold it out.


    Caecius snatches up the pouch, glances inside, then tosses it on her work bench. ¡°Come back after lunch. I¡¯ve another job.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I say, surprised. ¡°Delivery? I¡¯m actually not sure if that¡¯s the best use of my¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on a larger piece.¡± She opens the annealer and gestures for me to take the tureen. ¡°Could use an extra hand.¡±


    I take the bowl out and tip my head. ¡°With glasswork?¡±


    ¡°No, with wiping my ass.¡± Caecius snaps the doors closed. ¡°Now go on. I¡¯m busy. Be back here at a hand after noon.¡±


    Somewhat baffled, I leave as instructed. Molli is delighted to receive her bowl back in perfect shape and, no, I can¡¯t stay for lunch. After a quick tag up with Zyneth, I head back to Caecius¡¯s shop.


    She¡¯s in the back, her furnace lit with magic, holding what appears to be a giant glass vase stuck to the end of a metal pole. She looks up when she sees me.


    ¡°Good. Hold this.¡± She hands the stick over to me.


    ¡°Er, alright.¡±


    Caecius puts on her gloves and grabs the pair of giant tweezers. She sits at her station and gestures me over. ¡°Hold the glass here and rotate the rod.¡± I oblige, needing to tuck the end of the rod beneath my arm to keep from dropping it. With all the glass at the end, it¡¯s heavy. ¡°Faster,¡± Caecius commands. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t stop.¡±


    She puts the prongs of the giant tweezers inside of the vase and opens them, gently pulling the end of the glass wider.


    ¡°What are those called?¡± I ask. ¡°Those big tweezers.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t spare me a glance. ¡°Tweezers.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I¡¯m silent for a moment. ¡°I was sort of expecting a fancier term.¡±


    Caecius works for another couple minutes in silence, then sets the tweezers aside and grabs some burnt up rag looking thing next, running it over the outside of the glass.


    ¡°Glass isn¡¯t solid,¡± she abruptly says. ¡°Not like other stone. But it¡¯s not a liquid either. Something in between, like cold taffy. Its structure doesn¡¯t really want to stay in one shape¡ªit¡¯s just slow at moving. That¡¯s why heat is good for shaping it.¡±


    Caecius nods to one of the spell circles. ¡°I don¡¯t got glass affinity, but I make do with fire and stone. It gets me close enough. Can you read runes?¡±


    ¡°A handful,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m still learning.¡±


    ¡°Move it over here. Stop spinning.¡± Caecius points off to the side of the furnace. I swing the pole where she¡¯s indicating. The dracid puts one of her gloves beneath the vase and abruptly raps a hammer against the pole I¡¯m holding: the vase breaks off the end and falls into her hand. ¡°Now open the annealer. Quick!¡±


    Still trying to follow her abrupt changes in topic, I open the hatch, and she puts the vase in. After it¡¯s closed, she heads back over to her furnace, running a hand over the symbols. The lights go out.


    ¡°This one is for structural manipulation,¡± she says, pointing out a circle. ¡°You Attune glass to manipulate it, yes?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    She nods. ¡°This spell, like an Attunement, can manipulate the structure of any glass in its area. But that¡¯s not enough to make it strong; you need a deeper understanding for that. Material composition, shape, and internal structure. Without an understanding of composition, you start with subpar material. Without applying knowledge and intent, the structure will be weak.¡± She taps her furnace with a claw. ¡°I will teach you.¡±


    I brighten. ¡°Thank you. That would be great! What can I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sit.¡± She points to a bench near her work table.


    I sit.


    ¡°Watch.¡±


    I watch.


    ¡°No questions. First: listen.¡± Caecius brings out several jars of ground up glass, which she calls frit, and several more jars of something that don¡¯t appear to be glass at all. She sets them down and lays out several tools. Then she begins to explain.


    I listen.

 Chapter 116 - Apprenticeship

    Each afternoon, Caecius tells me to come back the next morning to work on a new piece with her, so I do. It¡¯s not exactly how I intended to learn about glass magic, but I suspect I¡¯m getting a better education here than I would have in some formal educational setting. I have to get Zyneth to recharge my illusion spell each night, but it¡¯s a small price to pay for access to such knowledge.


    Caecius shows me how to strengthen glass by tempering it in salt. After prodding Echo about this, she informs me potassium is the secret ingredient, and that it does something, something, sodium ions, something, and then a lot of other technical chemistry things. Look, I know Caecius said that better glass manipulation comes from a deeper understanding, but I can only go so deep before it¡¯s all technobabble to me.


    She also shows me how to properly perform heat and cold tempering. Zyneth and I had attempted this on the submarine without really knowing what we were doing. Unsurprisingly, Caecius¡¯s method is far more controlled.


    I¡¯m able to activate the spell circles that operate on stone magic, though the same can¡¯t be said for the ones designed for fire magic. Caecius doesn¡¯t think this is an issue, as I should be able to create my own glass-based spell circles to do the same thing more efficiently, once I understand the theory. It sure would be handy to be able to reshape glass without needing to spend hours Attuning it, first. Though I still wouldn¡¯t be able to control it, like I can with my body¡­ unless there¡¯s a spell for that, too. There probably is. I need to look into it.


    ¡°You¡¯re better off designing your own spell circles,¡± Caecius tells me as we work on another piece above her furnace. I rotate the long rod that¡¯s fixed to the blob of glass Caecius is working on. She often switches between tools and magic as the piece takes shape. ¡°Glass is a very specific field of magic. Most of the books you¡¯ll find will be about broader areas of magic. Maybe if you¡¯re lucky you¡¯ll find a book about sand spells¡ªI hear that affinity is fairly common in Dunmora.¡±


    I wince. Sure would be nice if I had access to some kind of giant library with most of the world¡¯s body of knowledge in it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need more theory on runes and circle design,¡± she says. ¡°But once you have that, you don¡¯t need anything else.¡±


    ¡°Is that artificing, basically?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Tangentially related,¡± she says. ¡°Artificing is fixing a permanent spell circle to the object it affects. You can get a lot more specific and complicated with artificing, since the circle is designed only for the target it¡¯s on. Generic spell circles, meanwhile, are less specific, less powerful, and more flexible. Less powerful is rarely an issue, though; the circle in this furnace can heat the glass about a hundred times that of air temperature; it¡¯s not like I need it to be stronger. And less specific is a good thing: it means it works no matter what sort of glass I stick over it.¡±


    Yet another language to learn. And what little I¡¯ve delved into spell circle theory looks like a headache. But I don¡¯t really need to become an expert. I just need to learn enough to craft my own glass spells¡ªonce I figure out what sort of spells I even want to make.


    But the ones Caecius has shown me are a good start. They¡¯ll help me strengthen my body, at least.


    After a couple of days working in the shop, Caecius switches positions with me, herself acting as support while I shape the glass. She calls out rapid-fire instructions while I fumble my way along.


    When I¡¯m nearly done, I accidentally clip the piece on the furnace¡¯s edge, and the whole thing shatters. Caecius interrupts me when I start apologizing, and orders me to clean it up. Then, we start again.


    It¡¯s not the last piece I break. Some get cold too fast and crack. For others, I don¡¯t operate the spell circles correctly. It¡¯s annoyingly finicky. But each day I¡¯m getting a little better, learning more of the runes and spell designs. Finally, one day, it clicks.


    [Spell obtained,] Echo says. [Temper, Level 1: a spell which can be used to strengthen a volume of glass.]


    And since I¡¯ve learned the spell, my Arcane Intuition allows Echo to bring up a mental schematic of the circle I can use in the future. Now we¡¯re getting somewhere.


    ¡°You should come up with your own piece you want to make,¡± Caecius tells me after nearly a week of this.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯ve been doing?¡± I ask.


    The dracid shakes her head. ¡°You¡¯ve been helping me with my pieces. You should design your own. I¡¯ll help you make it. But the design should be yours.¡±


    A piece of my own? ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I should try,¡± I admit.


    She shrugs. ¡°First time always comes out rubbish anyway, so it doesn¡¯t much matter. But you need to start practicing somewhere. A bowl, a figurine, a pendant. Whatever strikes your fancy.¡±


    I help her finish the plate she¡¯s working on, then put it in the annealer. The sun is casting long shadows through the window. I¡¯ll need to get back to the others soon¡ªand then out of the city for the predator¡¯s nightly leisure.


    She catches me looking. ¡°You can sleep on it. I¡¯ve got a repair job I need to work tomorrow¡ªget here early to help with that.¡±


    She never asks me to come back. It¡¯s always an order. Or maybe an expectation. Either way, I think it¡¯s her version of being friendly.


    I meet back up with the others near our inn, and we head to a new tavern Noli has picked out, as has become our routine. I drop the human illusion and strip off the layers of obscuring clothes when I¡¯m with the others; no one bothers a homunculus that is with its assumed owner. Though I do get a handful of curious looks when I¡¯m sitting at a table with them. Or maybe that¡¯s because of the prism head.


    ¡°Well,¡± Zyneth says as everyone (sans me) sits down with their food. ¡°It¡¯s officially been one week. I suspect Vardi won¡¯t be returning before the end of the allotted window. If she¡¯d been notified of the debt fulfillment on her end, she¡¯s had more than enough time to come back and give me a job.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s good, right?¡± I ask. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t show up, you still get some of the debt removed.¡±


    He rubs his forehead. ¡°I find it all rather strange, to be honest. I still don¡¯t understand why she hasn¡¯t just called it off and added interest to my debt. But I am here now, so there is nothing to do but wait out the rest of the month. Ideally, yes: This is good news.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Noli signs. ¡°In that case¡­¡± She looks at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time we take our trip up to the cabin?¡±


    Now that it¡¯s a real possibility and not just a ¡°maybe someday,¡± a flutter of anxiety passes through me. She¡¯s right, though. If we push it back too far, Zyneth might end up waiting on us.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I agree. ¡°Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s!¡± Noli signs.


    Zyneth and Rezira share a look. Worried, but resigned.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be alright,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°I know,¡± Zyneth says with a sigh. He forces a smile. ¡°You were able to fend off a couple of nightbanes when you were just three inches tall¡ªI doubt there¡¯s much in those mountains that could pose a threat to you now.¡±


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    ¡°We¡¯ll be alright,¡± I repeat. I tap my chest. ¡°We need to do this.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I understand,¡± Rezira grumbles. ¡°But far be it from me to stop anything Noli¡¯s set her mind to.¡±


    Noli, for her part, looks excited. ¡°I¡¯ll pack my bags tonight. I¡¯ll need to make a trip to the market before we leave as well¡ªmake sure I have enough supplies for the road.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an errand I¡¯ll need to run, too,¡± I say. ¡°We can meet back at the inn tomorrow morning when we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Be safe,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Both of you.¡±


    <hr>


    I swing by Caecius¡¯s place early the next morning, and she¡¯s already in the workshop. I wait in the frame of the backdoor as she finishes her current work, by now knowing better than to interrupt her. It¡¯s another fifteen minutes before she peels her gloves off and turns to me.


    ¡°I need to go on a trip,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for about a week. Wanted to let you know.¡±


    ¡°Telepad?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Up to Peakshadow, actually,¡± I say. ¡°It will be a lot of walking.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± She heads to the front of the shop, which is Caecius language for ¡°follow me.¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± She hauls a massive book out from under her work desk and drops it on the counter. The wood shakes. ¡°Some rune theory. Got some stuff in there about glass, too. Read it while you travel. That way it¡¯s not a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°The trip won¡¯t be a waste of time.¡± I eye the tome dubiously. It¡¯s twice the size of the ones I nabbed from Trenevalt¡¯s cabin all those months ago. ¡°And that will be somewhat cumbersome to carry with me.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she grunts. ¡°Will help build up your muscles.¡±


    If only that were the case.


    I can tell she¡¯s not going to take no for an answer. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say, dragging the text off the counter. With my other hand, I attempt to open the clasp of my satchel, but I can already tell trying to stuff it in now with all my signing glass in there will be futile. I hug it to my chest instead. ¡°I appreciate the gift.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a gift,¡± she says, heading back to the work room. ¡°It¡¯s on loan. You better bring it back, understand?¡±


    I chuckle. I wonder if this is her way of making sure I do come back. ¡°I understand. Thanks again.¡±


    She¡¯s already back at her furnace when I leave. Through a few covert pieces of signing glass, however, I notice her look up and watch as I go.


    Noli is waiting for me at the inn when I get back.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she asks. ¡°Some light reading?¡±


    I have to shift the massive textbook over to one arm to sign, ¡°Hilarious. Wait, hold on.¡±


    I kneel down to set the book aside, remove all my signing glass from my bag, and stuff the book in its place. It fits¡ªbarely. The flap can¡¯t close over the text¡¯s spine, so it¡¯s just jutting out the top of the satchel. Noli laughs as I stand back up, shifting my extra glass to pockets on my coat instead.


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re packing things of the highest priority,¡± she signs.


    ¡°I was instructed to study it while we travel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s from your glasswork master?¡± she asks as we set off.


    I tip my head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s really my master.¡± Wording it that way feels weird.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she?¡± Noli asks. ¡°You¡¯re studying under her, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± I sign.


    She nods. ¡°I learned archery from Master Taylon. He was an amazing shot.¡±


    I¡¯m not particularly used to using such honorifics, but this isn¡¯t Earth. ¡°Master Caecius,¡± I sign, trying it out. I guess I could give it a shot next time I see her.


    We leave Harrowood out the north gates, and as we strike out onto the dirt road, I watch the city recede behind us. ¡°It feels strange heading this way,¡± I note.


    ¡°And everything looks so different from this perspective,¡± Noli agrees. ¡°The sight I had to work with in that toy was very strange. Did I tell you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I sign. ¡°What was it like?¡±


    She sticks a thumb out from either cheek, wiggling them. ¡°The eyes were basically on opposite sides of the head. So there was a big blank spot in the middle of my vision. But I could see a lot behind me as well! And I could see stuff up close really well but the further things were from me, the harder it was to judge.¡±


    It¡¯s nice to be chatting with Noli again. It¡¯s nice to be able to chat with her. I¡¯m getting pretty proficient at sign language if I do say so myself¡ªwell, conversational, at least. I still discover plenty of new signs as Noli talks about anything and everything. She corrects me a few times, too. I think in my old life, that would have bothered me. I was so proud of my acting. Unsolicited advice on how to improve my performance would have irked me. But with Noli it never feels condescending. I never feel self-conscious. If anything, it feels good, because I know I¡¯m improving.


    We reach the foothills before noon, then start up the slope; it isn¡¯t long before Harrowood is blocked by the pine trees that rise around us. We pause midday for Noli to rest and eat a quick meal.


    ¡°I feel rather self-conscious, eating while you can¡¯t,¡± she admits.


    I shrug. ¡°I can pretend if it makes you feel better.¡±


    She laughs, returning to her sandwich. After another minute, she looks back at me, no longer smiling. ¡°Is it hard?¡±


    My soul tightens. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m just glad one of us was able to get our bodies back.¡±


    She leans over to squeeze my knee. ¡°When I got your letter, that you might be going home, I understood. I was sad, but I understood.¡±


    She¡¯s the only one who would. ¡°If I could do it again¡­¡± I hesitate, not even sure what the truth is. ¡°If I rewound time and told my past self what I know now¡­ I would probably still do it all over again. Going to Emrox was a bad idea. I put Zyneth¡¯s life in danger¡ªmany times. But I was desperate, and I think if I hadn¡¯t tried then, it would have always gnawed at me, until one day, I would have tried. Maybe a different way. But I think I needed to fail in order to be able to move on. I don¡¯t know if any of that makes sense.¡±


    She smiles sadly. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to explain.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I do.¡±


    ¡°Do you think there could still be a way to get your body back?¡± Noli wonders. ¡°Or a new body? A human one.¡±


    I hesitate. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe there¡¯s magic out there that could do something like that. Maybe I could attach my soul to a different object instead of this vial.¡± I touch a hand to my chest. ¡°But it seems risky. I still have to renew the spell that keeps my soul anchored to reality every week or two. I can do that myself, since my affinities are void and glass, but if I ended up in some other body, I might be reliant on someone else¡¯s magic. It would only take one slip up to ensure that I die permanently.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s selfish of me, but I¡¯d rather you not risk that either,¡± Noli signs. She finishes off her lunch, and stands, ready to travel once more. ¡°Are there other ways you think you could, I don¡¯t know, simulate some of the senses you¡¯ve lost?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I admit as we walk. ¡°The closest I get to sleep is when I Attune glass. It¡¯s a sort of trance¡ªalmost like a dreamless sleep. But it doesn¡¯t leave me feeling refreshed, and it seems to pass in the blink of an eye.¡± I attempt to snap my fingers in demonstration, but this only results in a faint glassy tinking sound.


    ¡°What about sight?¡± Noli wonders. ¡°Smell, taste?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve pretty much figured out sight,¡± I sign. ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m adapting to it being different. Touch is a bit strange. It¡¯s there, but not as strong as I¡¯m used to. Like the sense is dulled. It¡¯s easier to feel when it¡¯s more intense¡ªpain, or heat. As for smell and taste¡­¡±


    My mind wanders toward the predator. ¡°I think the predator can taste and smell through its void,¡± I say, hesitantly. ¡°When we¡¯re fused, I experience it, too. It¡¯s not the same as taste and smell as I knew it before, but it¡¯s similar.¡± I inwardly grimace. ¡°That¡¯s not enough for me to want to give it any more autonomy than I have to.¡±


    I can tell she wants to say something more, but she lets the subject drop. We switch back to safer topics as we hike up the trail. As evening approaches, I suggest we stop somewhere to make camp.


    ¡°There¡¯s a small lodge up ahead for such purposes,¡± Noli signs. ¡°It¡¯s where Attiru and I camped when we were making this trek last time. It¡¯s about halfway between the two towns.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Clearly Zyneth and I had missed that memo¡ªthen again, Attiru lives here, and Zyneth doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s getting unnervingly close to dark, and the predator is starting to get restless, but I try to calm it down: it won¡¯t be much longer.


    I hope.


    Luckily, Noli¡¯s right. After another half hour of travel, as the shadows deepen from blue to black, Noli finds a nondescript path at the edge of the road and takes us off the main trail. The wood cabin can¡¯t be more than a dozen feet into the woods, but the foliage is so thick, I would have walked right past it without even noticing.


    The lodge is a simple one-room log cabin, empty save for a dormant fireplace and a wood table and bench shoved up against one wall. The ground is bare dirt. Not exactly the nicest establishment. But it gets you out of the elements, there¡¯s warding runes curved into the outer walls, and the door is able to be locked securely from within; this sure would have been nice when Zyneth and I were dealing with the nightbanes.


    As Noli lays out a bed roll and moves over to the fireplace to start that next, I head for the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch around the cabin until morning,¡± I tell her.


    She looks at me in surprise. ¡°You won¡¯t be staying in here?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shift uncomfortably. ¡°The agreement we made¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, right.¡± Noli glances away, and my soul stings.


    It can¡¯t be easy going to sleep in here, knowing a monster that¡¯s tried to kill her before will be circling outside.


    ¡°Kanin,¡± she starts, but I cut her off.


    ¡°You can lock the door after me,¡± I sign, quickly leaving my book bag by the door and shrugging off my coat and boots. ¡°I won¡¯t come back in. You can find me outside in the morning.¡±


    I step out before she has a chance to protest, pulling the door shut behind me. I stand there, leaning against the door, all stirred up inside. This journey was supposed to be about getting closure. Instead, I¡¯m making Noli relive her trauma.


    After a minute, I feel a wooden clunk as the door¡¯s bolt is set in place, and relief floods through me.


    Okay, I tell the predator, who¡¯d been increasingly agitated that I was waiting so long. All yours.


    The faster we can get through Peakshadow, the better.

 Chapter 117 - Attiru

    We arrive at Peakshadow the following evening, an hour or so before the sun will slip beneath the surrounding hills. The town is murmuring with quiet, everyday life.


    I don¡¯t recognize any of it.


    I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯d been expecting. Maybe flashbacks to when the predator first possessed me, crushing my freewill like a bug. Perhaps I¡¯d see a familiar house or patch of street and recall the blood that had been sprayed there.


    But I don¡¯t. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because last time the town had been in the middle of a festival, or that some of the houses have been rebuilt, or because I¡¯m navigating it from a completely different vantage point, but I might as well be walking through a town I¡¯ve never visited before.


    Until we find Attiru¡¯s Atlas Emporium, that is.


    The front window is whole. The doorframe looks polished and new. But when I look at it, I see the shattered glass and broken wood. I remember the predator¡¯s thoughts and feelings that had been forced onto me.


    I feel an echo of pain in my glass from when void had cracked my vial to seep out into reality. I absently rub my chest, as if that could ease the memory.


    The predator recognizes this place, too.


    It remembers the hunger. Back then, it had been so painfully keen the predator had nearly been driven mad from starvation. It recalls the desperation it felt to gain a more permanent foothold in reality. Delighted at all the intense sensations that came with leaving the Between. The thrill of the hunt. The taste of¡ª


    Stop. I push the predator¡¯s mind away, my soul feeling as brittle as my glass. I don¡¯t want to experience those memories again. Please.


    The predator doesn¡¯t understand why. It was only recalling a good memory. One of elation, and freedom, and sating a gnawing hunger.


    Those were people, I think. I feel taut with¡­ I don¡¯t know what. Anguish? Frustration? Some turmoil of the two? It should understand how horrible its actions were. The hurt it caused to others. To Noli. To me.


    The predator pauses at this. Noli? The ally. It doesn¡¯t remember her being there. And it is not bad to eat when starving. To defend when attacked. That is the most normal thing.


    It¡¯s not. Without teeth to grit, adrenaline to shake me¡ªa physical enemy I could face¡ªit¡¯s all I can do to just clench my fists. Its inability to understand stokes my frustration. My inability to explain turns that frustration into anger. Those were people, I repeat, uselessly.


    People. The group of animals that are different from other animals. The predator is still chewing on this concept.


    Noli touches me on the shoulder, and I jump.


    ¡°Kanin?¡± she signs. ¡°You weren¡¯t responding.¡±


    I flex my fingers, forcing my glass to relax. ¡°Sorry. I wasn¡¯t looking.¡±


    Her brows are pinched in concern. ¡°We could wait until tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I sign. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s see them. I want to.¡±


    After a moment more, she nods, turns back to the shop, and knocks as she pushes the front door open.


    ¡°We¡¯re closing,¡± a voice says from within. But even before I¡¯ve stepped in after her, the voice lights up with delighted surprise. ¡°Oh! Noli, dear!¡±


    Attiru is exactly as I remember them. A cambion, just like Zyneth¡ªand yet, nothing at all like Zyneth. I remember thinking how similar the two appeared when I first met them. It¡¯s funny, now, how after spending so much time with Zyneth, I couldn¡¯t imagine them being more different.


    Unlike Zyneth¡¯s toned body, Attiru clearly has the physique of a scholar. They¡¯re shorter than him, thin and wiry with glasses to match¡ªbut there are details I notice now that I hadn¡¯t picked up on before. Like their lack of Zyneth¡¯s gold freckles, and how their horns are a darker shade and curl up at the end.


    It¡¯s so strange meeting them at eye-level.


    Noli and Attiru share a quick hug and peck each other¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± they say. I note that their speech shifts slightly as they address her: more clear, and they¡¯re making an effort to face her, even while their gaze darts over to me. ¡°Who is your friend?¡± They add the sign for ¡®friend¡¯ at the end.


    Noli beckons me over with a smile.


    ¡°We¡¯ve met, actually,¡± I speak and sign, so Noli can also follow the conversation. Lip reading isn¡¯t an option with me¡ªnot that it¡¯s a particularly good option in the first place, as Noli¡¯s mentioned to me before.


    For their part, Attiru seems surprised to hear me speak. ¡°It¡¯s Kanin,¡± I say. Their face remains perplexed. ¡°The ink bottle,¡± I add.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Attiru¡¯s face lights up with surprise. ¡°Oh my! You¡¯ve certainly grown.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Noli glances between us during our greeting, so I turn to her next. ¡°Would you like for me to interpret?¡± I offer. ¡°Is that okay? Or would you prefer to lip read?¡±


    ¡°Interpretation would be much more preferable,¡± she admits.


    I¡¯ve never done this before. Rezira was always around to help if needed. And I don¡¯t have nearly her level of fluency, not to mention, I don¡¯t have a face, and I know that muddies things. But Noli¡¯s never complained about that¡ªof course she hasn¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± I sign.


    She gives me a glowing smile that says without a need for any language: I know you will.


    ¡°So what brings you guys up around these parts?¡± Attiru asks.


    ¡°We were in the area, helping a friend, and thought we would stop by,¡± Noli signs.


    From the way Attiru watches her, it¡¯s clear they know at least a bit of signs themself, but I interpret anyway. I wonder if they knew a little before they met Noli, or learned because of her. She has that effect on people.


    I struggle to keep up as the two chat like old friends. Maybe it¡¯s because there are still plenty of words I don¡¯t know myself, but I hadn¡¯t realized how stressful and mentally exhausting this was. I stumble over some signs in an attempt to keep up with the pace of the conversation, and more than once I have to pause when I get to a word I don¡¯t know, or try to talk my way around it. Rezira had made it look effortless. I think I just developed a newfound appreciation for the woman.


    Over dinner, which Attiru is more than happy to provide, they also offer a place to stay for the night.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary,¡± Noli objects. ¡°We were going to get an inn, anyway. I wouldn¡¯t want to impose!¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°It¡¯s no imposition at all,¡± they insist. ¡°After everything Rezira did to help fix up my shop, it¡¯s the least I could do.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± Noli signs. ¡°I already owed you, anyway!¡±


    Attiru chuckles. ¡°Well, if you really want to return the favor and you¡¯re ever in need of a map, you know where to find me.¡± They push back their plate. ¡°I¡¯ve only one spare bed, however, so I¡¯ll need to prepare something makeshift.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± I say. ¡°It would only be for Noli. I won¡¯t be spending the night.¡±


    They raise a curious eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve somewhere else to be?¡±


    I¡¯m suddenly and keenly aware of all the void hiding beneath my coat. They don¡¯t know about the predator. They don¡¯t know it¡¯s been here, hiding, only an arm¡¯s span away, this whole time.


    I¡¯d been so focused on interpreting that I hadn¡¯t even had a chance to think about it before now. I wonder if Noli had known it would keep me preoccupied. Either way, I¡¯m no longer distracted, and that¡¯s all it takes for the memories to finally flash through me. Pinning Attiru to the ground. Our void stabbed through their arm. Reaching for their soul.


    My own soul goes cold at the memory. I can¡¯t tell them. They¡¯ve been so happy all evening. I¡¯ve already unearthed this trauma with Noli; I won¡¯t do it to Attiru, too.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep in this body,¡± I tell them, which is true. ¡°I¡¯ll use the time to go do more productive things.¡± Which is half true.


    ¡°In the middle of the night?¡± Attiru asks, skeptical. ¡°You could always stay in my study, if you like. I¡¯ve a variety of books.¡±


    Why is it that everyone being so damn nice and considerate just makes me feel worse?


    Noli raises an eyebrow at me, and I quickly jump back to interpreting.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s got a book of his own he¡¯s supposed to be studying,¡± Noli replies when I¡¯m done.


    ¡°The glass book,¡± I realize. Damn, I¡¯d actually forgotten about it, even though I¡¯ve been lugging the brick around with me all this time. I better get on that tomorrow and glance through it on the last leg of our trip.


    ¡°Well, my door¡¯s always open if you need it,¡± Attiru says.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. ¡°Really, for¡­ everything.¡±


    They seem to understand my thanks are about more than dinner and lodging, and their smile softens. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m just glad I could help you both back then. And I¡¯m glad to see you both doing better now. It¡¯s good to feel as though I made a difference.¡±


    ¡°You did,¡± I say quietly. They saved Noli, and in doing so¡ªwhether they know it or not¡ªthey saved me.


    ¡°Why do you live up here in this little town?¡± Noli abruptly asks, shifting the direction and tone of the conversation. ¡°Your maps are beautiful. You could sell them anywhere! Is there someone you moved here for?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, nothing like that,¡± they say with a chuckle. ¡°I enjoy the peace. All the plants¡ªso much green. Mount Shale had some trees, but they were mostly imported, planted in artificial patterns, and shaped meticulously for decorative purposes. The whole city was that way. Carefully maintained and intentional. It¡¯s nice to be away from it all. Breathe fresh air untainted by sulfur.¡±


    Mount Shale. That sounds familiar. Echo? I ask.


    [Mount Shale,] Echo says. [An equatorial island and city-state largely populated by cambions.]


    ¡°Oh!¡± I say, remembering. ¡°Zyneth said he was from there.¡±


    Attiru gives me a strange look. ¡°Of course he is.¡±


    ¡°Well, not all cambions live there, surely?¡± Noli asks. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±


    Attiru shakes their head. ¡°No¡ªof course we can live elsewhere. Just because the queens attempt to keep their country isolated and self-sufficient doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t leave. Many like myself have found the society there¡­ trying. Especially so for Lord Zyneth, I imagine.¡±


    I stumble over the last few words mid interpretation. ¡°Sorry. Lord Zyneth?¡±


    Noli and I look at each other. I mean, I knew he was rich. It shouldn¡¯t come as a surprise he¡¯s part of some noble house, or something. He¡¯s just been so tight-lipped about his family. Which is strange, because what little details he does let slip indicates he has several siblings he cares about very much.


    Attiru shakes their head. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should say Prince Zyneth.¡±


    For a moment, the world seems to freeze. Attiru¡¯s words spin around my head several times without meaning. Then they finally snap into place.


    ¡°What?!¡± I stand up.


    Attiru looks up at me, wide-eyed. ¡°I, um. You didn¡¯t know?¡±


    Noli shakes her head. ¡°I missed that. What happened?¡±


    My shock dissolves into skepticism. No, that can¡¯t be right. Zyneth would have told me. Wouldn¡¯t he?


    I make myself sit back down, signing to Noli. ¡°They said Zyneth is a prince.¡± I turn to Attiru. ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s not¡­ You don¡¯t mean some other Zyneth?¡±


    Attiru looks extremely uncomfortable. ¡°Completely. Royal history and lineage were required schooling in the court. Sorry. I thought he would have¡­ well perhaps it¡¯s not something he would share with acquaintances.¡±


    Those words are like a punch to the gut. ¡°We¡¯re dating.¡±


    Attiru opens their mouth as if to say something, then just leaves it hanging open.


    It feels like static is crawling all over me. Something pinches my soul.


    Attiru¡¯s right. I believe them. It makes a lot of things about Zyneth make a lot more sense. Yet, it hurts. Why did he keep that from me? Doesn¡¯t he trust me?


    The question stops me. I don¡¯t have a great track record with keeping people¡¯s trust. Of course he wouldn¡¯t have opened up about his family. I haven¡¯t earned it.


    ¡°Well, this is all very exciting,¡± Noli signs. She reaches across the table to pat my hand. ¡°We¡¯ll talk to him about it when we get back, alright? Before then, there¡¯s no sense in stewing on it. Nothing we can do all the way out here!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re dating?¡± Attiru finally asks, staring at me. ¡°I mean you¡¯re¡­ How¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still figuring things out,¡± I say shortly, trying to take Noli¡¯s words to heart. But my mind is still reeling.


    ¡°Are you friends with any other cambions that have left?¡± Noli asks, dragging both my and Attiru¡¯s attention back to her as I interpret. The conversation returns to the mundane, and my mind is pulled from Zyneth; I don¡¯t have the opportunity to think about much else when I¡¯m focused on interpreting the conversation at hand. I faintly suspect that was intentional.


    After another hour more, I have to excuse myself. My mood is low, and the prospect of handing my mind over to the predator for the rest of the night is actually starting to sound pretty appealing.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± I tell Noli. ¡°Will you be alright without me?¡±


    She laughs. ¡°Believe it or not, I got by just fine without you or Rezira for most of my life.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I sign quickly, embarrassed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡±


    ¡°I know, dear.¡± She pats my hand. ¡°Please be safe out there. I¡¯ll meet up with you in the morning, then.¡±


    I reiterate my departure to Attiru, and we all stand to begin clearing the table.


    ¡°Kanin,¡± they say as I help clean up. ¡°About Zyneth¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t realize how things had developed since I last saw you all. It wasn¡¯t my place to speak for him. But listen, for many cambions, even for those of us who have moved away, our relationship with our homeland can be¡­ complicated. Please don¡¯t think this was anything personal on his part.¡±


    I try to take their words to heart. It¡¯s difficult to hear what they¡¯re saying when I just want to feel upset. But I try.


    ¡°Did you know him?¡± I ask.


    Attiru shakes their head. ¡°We¡¯d never directly met. I worked as a cartographer in the high courts, but only personally met a few of the royal family.¡±


    ¡°Was he¡­¡± I¡¯m still trying to wrap my mind around all this. ¡°I mean, is he going to become king someday?¡±


    Attiru laughs. ¡°Oh, no. Not likely. He was something like tenth in line, if I recall. And he lost any claim he might have had when he left. It was quite the scandal.¡± Their smile fades. ¡°But these are questions you should be asking him, not me. And when you do, just¡­ offer him grace. We don¡¯t get to pick our family, but they leave their marks on us anyway. He will likely feel guilty you found out like this.¡±


    A tension loosens in my soul. I can picture exactly what Attiru just described. Zyneth always seems to carry this quiet guilt with him, no matter how much good he¡¯s done. That instinct to help people is part of it, I think. He wants to make amends. Amends with what, I¡¯m only partially sure¡ªand I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s entirely sure, either. If I confronted him about this, he¡¯d beat himself up over not telling me sooner. What good would that do?


    What good does any of my offense do?


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell Attiru. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t think he kept it from me intentionally. I think he probably just didn¡¯t know how to bring it up.¡± My frustration bleeds away, and when I think of Zyneth, I¡¯m instead filled with affection. ¡°He will when he¡¯s ready.¡±


    Attiru smiles. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. I wish both of you well.¡±


    When I leave that night, stepping outside the Atlas Emporium to look around the quieting streets, it feels like a weight has fallen away. I¡¯m walking out of this store on my own two legs. Attiru is healthy and happy. The town is rebuilt. How far we¡¯ve all come.


    We¡¯re not without scars, though. As I head for the edge of town, I try to pinpoint where the predator had killed the two adventurers. A wave of guilt washes over me once more.


    Guilt is a feeling I¡¯ve recently become all too acquainted with. I relate to Zyneth in that respect more than any other.


    But I don¡¯t let myself drown in it. As I step into the woods, I take that pain, and like a piece of Caecius¡¯s red-hot glass, I forge it into determination.


    No matter how much we might wish it, we can¡¯t change what¡¯s passed; another painfully learned lesson for me. But we can move forward, learn from these mistakes, and use that knowledge to help others.


    I can¡¯t live as a human anymore. I can¡¯t prevent the deaths the predator caused. I can¡¯t undo the summoning of all those human souls to this planet.


    All I can do is try to do better. Grow and forgive and rebuild.


    This is the hand I have been dealt¡ªalong with several poor cards I drew for myself. Now it¡¯s up to me to decide how I play them. It might not be a winning hand, but at least I can choose what to do with it.


    I look down at the void swirling around me as the predator eagerly awaits its time. Shadows ripple over the forest floor, rising and sinking in faint impressions of teeth. Void crawls over my fingers in the shape of a claw, and I clench my fist shut.


    Even this. I¡¯ll find a way to use it for good.

 Chapter 118 - The Cabin

    Noli and I leave early the next morning for Trenevalt¡¯s cabin. She watches me carefully in a way she probably thinks is subtle.


    ¡°Noli, I can literally see out the side of my head,¡± I sign. And the back, for that matter, but I have the vision in that pane turned off currently.


    ¡°I just want to make sure you¡¯re doing alright,¡± she signs. ¡°Being back in Peakshadow couldn¡¯t have been easy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us wanted to come here because we thought it would be easy,¡± I point out. I think about her words anyway. ¡°But actually, I¡¯m doing okay. Peakshadow only ever existed as this broken place in my mind. I only remembered it as I last left it. Seeing it last night, as just a normal town¡­ That was good for me. Just like seeing Attiru was good. I have to remind myself that things move on.¡±


    ¡°The rest of the world keeps spinning,¡± Noli agrees. ¡°Even when your own seems to grind to a halt.¡±


    I tip my head. Is she referring to anything specific there? She doesn¡¯t let me dwell on it.


    ¡°So about Zyneth,¡± she ventures.


    I shrug. ¡°Like you said: I¡¯ll talk to him when we get back. It¡¯s a surprise, but it¡¯s not like it was a bad secret. It doesn¡¯t change who he is.¡±


    Noli gives a mischievous smile. ¡°It does a little.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    She clasps her hands together as if swooning. ¡°Oh, my prince!¡± She throws a hand dramatically across her forehead.


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s not an impersonation,¡± I sign. ¡°I don¡¯t even talk like that.¡±


    She spins in a circle, fanning out her skirt. ¡°Come to sweep me off my feet!¡±


    ¡°Have you even met us?¡±


    ¡°My savior!¡±


    I playfully shove Noli, and she devolves into a fit of laughter.


    I watch her, amused. ¡°You¡¯re going to use this to make us feel extremely uncomfortable, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She beams. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what friends do?¡±


    The morning passes pleasantly, and I even dig Caecius¡¯s glasswork book out to read while we walk. I bring out some signing glass as well, forming a second disembodied set of hands to speak with Noli while I still carry and flip through the tome. (Backup hands are useful, no matter how much Rezira teases me for using them.)


    It isn¡¯t even noon when we reach the cabin. How long had it taken us to hike this path before? Two days? The world doesn¡¯t seem quite so vast anymore.


    We stop when the cabin comes within sight, standing there at the edge of the glade and quietly taking it in.


    Wild grass has grown up around it. Some weeds creep up the side of the small work shed nearby. A few early autumn leaves have scattered across the yard. Otherwise, it¡¯s exactly as we left it. Like nothing has changed at all.


    Noli steps forward first, and I start after her.


    We pause at the front door. It¡¯s cracked open three inches¡ªjust enough for us to squeeze out.


    ¡°Maybe you should wait outside,¡± I offer.


    She gives me a sad smile. ¡°I was going to say the same to you.¡±


    Noli pushes the door open, and we both duck in.


    It¡¯s dark. I summon a cluster of glass from my bag, and they tessellate together as I activate a Glow spell. I float the ball of glass and light ahead of us.


    The predator watches through me. This place feels familiar.


    The remains of the shattered glass homunculus lay strewn across the ground. All the pieces I couldn¡¯t pick up before I left. Book pages are scattered across the floor. The desk is covered in a layer of dust. It feels like I¡¯d spent years on that desk. Claw marks are scratched across the surface.


    My perspective flips.


    There¡¯s a crack in the void. Light spilling through. A tether which leads us from the dark. We grab the seams and strain, squeezing, dragging, forcing our essence into reality. The hunger is driving us mad, its jaws clenched around us like a vice. The pull of Between is already threatening to claw us back. But there¡¯s a source of magic before us. Energy. A soul.


    I shake my head, dislodging the predator¡¯s memory. Not now, I think. I don¡¯t want to feel all that now. Not here.


    The predator doesn¡¯t withdraw, and I can feel it still pondering over its memories of this place, but I distance myself enough that I don¡¯t have to experience them, too.


    I stop in the doorway of the bedroom. Noli hovers at my shoulder.


    Bones. White and clean.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to expect,¡± I admit.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure there would be anything,¡± Noli signs. Her movements are smaller, more subdued. It feels like she¡¯s speaking softly. ¡°There must not be many scavengers in the area. Kept away by the necrotic creatures in these woods, I suspect.¡±


    ¡°What about the nightbanes?¡± I ask.


    She shakes her head. ¡°The Dead only hunt the living.¡±


    We stare for a moment longer, neither speaking. I feel¡­ sad, I guess? I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s right. Subdued. Regretful. He¡¯s why I¡¯m here. He¡¯s the reason all this happened to me. Yet, I can¡¯t find it in me to feel resentful. He¡¯d been an old man, his body and mind failing him, only trying to get by. A simple mistake in a spell meant to make things easier had instead cost him his life.


    Pity. I¡¯m feeling pity.


    ¡°We should bury him,¡± I sign.


    ¡°No!¡± Noli objects.


    I turn to her in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we came here?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she signs. ¡°To put him to rest. But we can¡¯t bury him. Not so close to the Spire. It would take time, but eventually¡­¡± She shivers, and I don¡¯t need her to complete the thought.


    ¡°Right, no grave, then. A pyre?¡± I suggest.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± She frowns. ¡°It might not be hot enough.¡±


    ¡°We can try anyway.¡± I run my hand along the glassworking book. ¡°And I might be able to find a spell circle that could help.¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Noli nods, but doesn¡¯t move, continuing to stare into the room. Perhaps she¡¯s lost in her own memories of this place. Hesitantly, I reach for her hand. She takes it, and gives mine a squeeze, leaning against my shoulder. It¡¯s nice to have someone leaning on me for a change. Finally, she sighs.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she signs, letting go. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    I head outside as Noli sees to his bones. I¡¯d found a couple of furnace related spells in the book while on the way here. Since it is a book on glasswork, most of the heating spells are specifically targeting glass, or require a fire affinity, but there¡¯s a handful that are more generic. More generic spell circles, that can be activated by any affinity, generally seem to be less powerful. But I think for our purposes it might be enough.


    I find one that augments the heat of a flame. It doesn¡¯t require an affinity, just a lot of mana. That should do.


    The lawn in front of his cabin is overgrown, but wide and flat. I activate a Void Whip, and I don¡¯t even need to ask the predator for what I want next; it was already listening. I add glass to the limb, giving it strength, and the void around it sharpens along one side like the edge of a blade. We sweep the Whip around us, slicing through the grass and clearing a wide circle. I use a second limb of void to clear away the loose grass, then we cut again, closer to the ground. A third swipe gets us down to the dirt.


    [Spell Obtained,] Echo says, abruptly. [Shade Scythe, Level 1. A combination of glass and void, this sharpened limb can be used to cut through targets with precise efficiency. Mana cost: 10 per limb per minute. If all elements are Attuned: None.]


    The predator is highly pleased with this.


    Let¡¯s try to stick to agricultural applications, I say.


    Dismissing the spell, I set about recreating the relevant spell circles from my book.


    It takes time. Noli gathers dried kindling and wood. I begin placing them about the clearing, careful not to disturb the spell circle and runes I¡¯ve been carving into the ground. Noli instructs me to cut away the grass in an even wider circle to help contain the fire. By the end, Trenevalt¡¯s entire yard is cut to the ground. The sight fills me with a sad amusement. I guess I got around to doing some of his yard work after all.


    I help Noli move the bones onto the pyre. I couldn¡¯t tell you what any of them were, but Noli seems to know, and we arrange them in much the way we found them. The skeleton looks far too small.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Noli wipes a sheen of sweat from her forehead. ¡°I think everything is ready.¡±


    I take the clustered orb of glass I¡¯d been using for a Glow spell and turn it into a Light Beam instead. I keep the power low, just feeding a few points of mana into the sphere, and point it into the kindling. Soon, a line of smoke snakes up from the dried grass and wood shavings. Flickers of flame follow quickly after.


    Noli points out a few more locations around the pyre¡¯s base for me to set alight. The flames begin to crackle, and some wood pops as the fire grows higher.


    ¡°Should I activate the spell circle now?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the flames are at their peak,¡± Noli signs. ¡°It will have the most effect then. Give it some time.¡±


    Noli walks around the fire, making sure everything is to her liking. But as it becomes clear that ¡°some time¡± will be more than a handful of minutes, I decide to step away.


    There¡¯s not much to salvage in the cabin. The books that had been caught up in the fight between Trenevalt and the predator are practically destroyed¡ªand the loose pages that survived are strewn about so thoroughly, it would take considerable effort to re-organize and make sense of.


    Besides that, there¡¯s not much of value. A simple bed. A simple kitchen. All so much smaller than I remember. I duck back outside, visiting the work shed next.


    It¡¯s even smaller than his cabin. Close and cluttered. Motes of dust hang in the air as orange firelight slants through the windows. A set of figurines are lined up on the sill. Glass and clockwork toys in the shape of various small creatures. My gaze falls to the table beneath it, where a spell circle has been drawn on its surface. I graze my fingers over the lines. I¡¯ve drawn this spell circle so many times now, I know it on sight. A Core Bond spell.


    The desk is covered in a variety of magic tools I¡¯ve read about. Calipers, protractors, and compasses, all for precise measurements and circle drawing. An assortment of charcoal and chalk. I give the last of these a Check.


    [Null-Arcana Enriched Chalk,] Echo says.


    I quietly laugh.


    There are books, too. Books about runes, and homunculi, and artificing. A couple smaller, more specific texts on glass, null arcana, and clockwork designs. I wish I could take them all with me. There¡¯s sure to be a wealth of knowledge here. But I only have one Inventory slot, currently taken up by the large Chained cluster of all my spare glass, and my bag is likewise full with the text Caecius lent me. Perhaps Noli would be able to carry a couple for me, and I could take a few more¡ªwe¡¯d only need to carry them to Peakshadow, at which point I could maybe find something else to help carry them in.


    I spend a half hour flipping through the books, trying to gauge their usefulness to me and my affinities. In the end I settle on a book that focuses on rune meanings, another that¡¯s on spell circle theory, one that deals with null arcana spells, a fourth that delves into glass artificing, and a fifth that is about homunculi crafting and theory. I also grab a book about clockwork artificing, something I wonder if Zyneth might find useful.


    I can¡¯t actually carry all these at once, so I move them outside a couple at a time to figure out how to approach later. Before I leave, I cast one last look around the room. My attention is drawn back to the window.


    There¡¯s a gap in the assortment of creatures that are lined up on the ledge. I wonder if that¡¯s where Noli¡¯s little clockwork octopus had been. On either side is a little clockwork bird and a glass wolf pup. It¡¯s sitting, head cocked, ears perked, tail arced as if mid-wag. On impulse, I pick it up.


    Outside, the fire is burning high. It¡¯s past noon. We¡¯ll need to leave in the next few hours if we want to get back to Peakshadow before nightfall.


    ¡°What have you got there?¡± Noli asks, circling around the bonfire toward me.


    I offer her the little glass dog.


    She gasps in delight. ¡°It¡¯s so cute! Did you make this?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I sign. ¡°Trenevalt did. I thought you would like it, though.¡±


    She turns the little statue over in her hands. ¡°Is it alright to take it, do you think?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s so many other little pieces in there just like it,¡± I sign. ¡°I think he would have preferred for someone to enjoy them rather than being left here to be forgotten.¡±


    Noli runs a finger between the wolf¡¯s ears, as if scratching it. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡±


    She pockets the trinket, then gestures to the fire. ¡°I think it¡¯s ready for your spell.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    I step toward the pyre and feel the faintest heat. From my experience with Caecius, this means it actually must be pretty damn hot. I pause to strip off my coat, cautious of singeing its sleeves, then kneel at the edge of the spell circle. Flames lick out toward me, and I curiously run a hand through them. They¡¯re warm. Maybe if I walked into the middle of it, they would start to get uncomfortable. Not that I have any interest in testing that theory.


    I touch my hands to the circle and press my mana into the lines.


    [Spell circle activated,] Echo says. [Heat augmentation in effect.]


    I continue to feed my magic into the circle, not wanting to risk the temperature being too low and all this effort being for naught. I think I can feel the heat grow, but I¡¯m not certain until I notice Noli take a step back. After the rest of my mana has been consumed, I stand to join her.


    She watches me instead of the pyre as I head over. The faintest frown flickers over her expression.


    I stop. Using some signing glass, I look at myself.


    The firelight warps as it passes through my body, refracting through all the different pieces in a flickering scatter of light. It almost looks like the fire is inside of me.


    Yet, it¡¯s the way the light interacts with the shadows that draws my attention. The void, which is usually hidden beneath my coat, is now exposed. It clings to all my joints, of course: strips acting as tendons and supporting my structure. But there¡¯s much more of it now than is needed to augment my glass. The rest of the void coils about my body, shifting between indistinct shapes. Like the glass, it¡¯s transparent, somewhere between smoke and shadows, but in the firelight it¡¯s apparent now more than ever that it is something alive and thinking. The interplay of glass and fire and shadows is as mesmerizing as it is extremely unsettling.


    I quickly grab my coat and shrug it back on.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I tell Noli. I hesitate to move back toward her, so she comes to stand beside me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize,¡± she signs. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful in a way.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­¡± I struggle to find the words. ¡°I don¡¯t want to dig up any painful memories. Especially not here.¡±


    ¡°Things can be both,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Painful and beautiful, I mean.¡± She turns back to the pyre. Trenevalt¡¯s bones have vanished beneath the flames. I watch, too.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s inappropriate for me to be here?¡± I ask. ¡°With the predator. After what it did.¡±


    ¡°Unless you can send it away, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much point in wondering about that,¡± Noli signs.


    I probably could, actually. At least as far as the tree line at the edge of the clearing. I know that¡¯s not what Noli means.


    ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here with me,¡± Noli signs. ¡°I¡¯m glad we could do this much for him. I¡¯m glad we could find some closure.¡±


    Is it closure? I guess in a manner of speaking. I agree with her that I¡¯m glad I could help lay his bones to rest. Prevent them from becoming something like the nightbanes. It¡¯s a small reassurance.


    But like with Peakshadow, I¡¯m glad that I could come back here and see things from a different perspective. Create a new memory of this place, so I don¡¯t only have the old ones to return to.


    It¡¯s giving the predator a different perspective as well. It¡¯s not the same beast that first latched itself to my soul. Still a beast, perhaps, but a changed one. There¡¯s something comforting about being reminded that all things change.


    A log pops, and a flurry of sparks spiral into the sky.


    She¡¯s right. Sad and beautiful.

 Chapter 119 - Face Your Fears

    After Noli decides the fire has gone on long enough, I activate a second spell circle to tamper the flames down. We scatter the embers and use dirt to put out the rest. In the end, I guess he got a burial after all.


    It¡¯s getting late by the time we head back. The predator reminds me of this as we walk, but there¡¯s not much I can do about the time. You¡¯ll just have to be patient, I tell it.


    Patience is something it does understand now. It just really doesn¡¯t like it.


    I¡¯ve got my signing glass carrying the lightest book of the bunch, while Noli carries two more and I lug along the rest. It looks like we¡¯re headed to the library. I can¡¯t imagine what someone might think if they happened upon us wandering through the woods like this. We must make for a strange sight.


    Chatting is significantly reduced, given our preoccupied hands, but we pause just before nightfall for Noli to rest and eat. We¡¯re still a couple hours out from Peakshadow, but we can¡¯t camp out here; not with nightbanes about.


    And the predator, soon enough.


    Noli shifts some of the books into her bag, now that it has less food in it, freeing up her hands to talk. I likewise free up my signing hands, shifting its book to my arms. It¡¯s heavy, but I use a bit of void to lock up my joints; reimagining my hands and arms as one solid object lets me levitate their glass more easily, which indirectly lets me carry more weight.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to need to move faster, if you can manage,¡± I tell her as we start off once more.


    ¡°Because of your shadow friend?¡± Noli asks.


    I wince. ¡°That is a terrible way to refer to it.¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s not my fault you haven¡¯t named it yet.¡± Noli brightens. ¡°We should brainstorm!¡±


    I recall what Zyneth said before about not shooting down Noli¡¯s desire to name it. I sort of understand what he was talking about now. Leaving the cabin behind feels like a step forward. Maybe this is a step Noli needs, too.


    ¡°Okay, but nothing cute,¡± I sign. ¡°It is still an amoral, murderous, greedy, evil, shadow monster.¡±


    She raises an amused eyebrow. ¡°Evil?¡±


    ¡°Okay, amoral.¡±


    ¡°You already said that.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true.¡±


    She chuckles. ¡°It seems to be cooperating with you lately.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just because of the agreement we made,¡± I sign.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s only that?¡± she asks. ¡°I¡¯ve only pieces of the full picture. But it seems it¡¯s had plenty of opportunities to behave immorally these last several weeks, and I¡¯ve yet to witness such an act take place. Not to mention, from what I gather, you¡¯re letting it loose in the woods each night, and it¡¯s yet to harm anyone. That¡¯s significantly different from the actions we witnessed it take before.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± she asks.


    I¡¯m silent for a minute. It¡¯s uncomfortable to talk about this with Zyneth as well, and I¡¯m still not entirely sure why. ¡°I¡¯m not letting it loose in the forest,¡± I tell her. ¡°I¡¯m out there with it. Physically, but mentally, too. We¡­ share a mind during those outings. So I¡¯m able to direct it a bit. That¡¯s why it hasn¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±


    Noli¡¯s brow creases in faint concern. ¡°Mind control?¡±


    ¡°No. Yes. I¡¯m not sure,¡± I admit, my discomfort growing. ¡°Before, it was one sided. I couldn¡¯t fight it. Now, at least, there¡¯s some equal share of both of us in control. I can talk it out of things and divert its mind, if I need to.¡± The reverse is also true, but I can¡¯t bring myself to say it.


    ¡°Does it speak?¡± Noli wonders. ¡°Mentally.¡±


    I attempt to shrug, but the books get in the way. ¡°Not with language. It¡¯s more¡­ conceptual. And there¡¯s a lot of concepts it still doesn¡¯t understand. But we can communicate, more or less.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Noli chews on her bottom lip, then seems to nod to herself. ¡°I want to meet it.¡±


    I freeze, and one of my books tumbles to the ground. ¡°What?¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Noli picks it back up and sets it on my stack. ¡°Well, we¡¯re certainly not going to get to Peakshadow before nightfall. So instead of you running off into the woods to leave me alone, I¡¯d like to talk to it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave you alone out here,¡± I sign firmly. ¡°The predator will just have to wait.¡±


    ¡°Can you guarantee that?¡± she asks. Before I can answer, she adds, ¡°If you can¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t it be better if we had a chance to acquaint ourselves first?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No. Absolutely not. You do not want to see the predator.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Noli insists.


    ¡°Okay, then. I don¡¯t want you to see the predator.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± she demands. ¡°You said it¡¯s not a threat to me.¡± She pauses. ¡°Anymore.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s just nothing good that could come of this,¡± I sign, frustrated. The predator, metaphorical ears perked, is very interested in this conversation. Will I let it out early?


    No, I mentally snap, shoving it away just for it to come drifting back. This isn¡¯t about you.


    The predator thinks it is.


    ¡°Nothing bad could come of it, either,¡± Noli counters.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± I sign shortly. My anxiety is mounting, and it¡¯s getting harder to come up with a good argument while trying to juggle two simultaneous conversations. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªIt¡¯s creepy looking!¡±


    The predator starts pacing. It thinks it understands. The elf wants us to merge. Good! Why not? It presses closer, and in a panic, I press back.


    Noli¡¯s eyebrows lift in amusement at that suggestion. ¡°You think after everything we went through before, I¡¯ll be bothered by a bit of shade and glass?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be scared of it.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be scared of me!¡±


    Noli¡¯s hands falter. Her look of amusement fades.


    I have to turn my head away. I can¡¯t look at her. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to see me like that.¡±


    A hand touches my arm, gently pulling me to a stop. Reluctantly, I look back.


    Noli takes the books out of my arms and sets them on the path, one by one. Then she pulls me into a hug. My soul aches as I lean into it.


    The predator pauses its prowling, confused by my emotional distress. It can¡¯t find the source of my anxiety. Where is the enemy?


    Noli lets me go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have pressured you.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I¡¯m not even sure what I¡¯m talking about. Letting her down?


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± She smiles. ¡°I was just caught up in the moment. It felt so good to finally be able to move on from Trenevalt. I¡¯d been thinking about him all this time. Wondering if there was something we could have done¡ªsomething we could still do. Building that pyre together brought me peace. I guess I was just thinking, why not knock this one out, too? Face your fears.¡± She laughs lightly. ¡°I know it¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± I agree, struggling to articulate my feelings. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ you wouldn¡¯t only be facing the predator, you¡¯d also be facing me.¡±


    Noli watches my hands thoughtfully. Then starts to pick the books up once more, and I help her.


    ¡°Are you worried I¡¯ll see you differently?¡± she asks when we¡¯re done.


    I hesitate. ¡°Maybe. And the last time you saw me like that, I¡ªthe predator¡ªdid try to kill you. I can¡¯t believe you won¡¯t be bothered by it at all.¡±


    ¡°I probably will be,¡± she admits. ¡°At least a little. But that¡¯s why I¡¯d rather meet it again on my own terms. The unknown loses a bit of its fright when you get to know it. And Kanin, no matter what, it won¡¯t change how I see you. I promise.¡±


    There¡¯s a pit in my soul, cold and heavy. I know this fear is irrational. The predator has assured me Noli isn¡¯t at risk¡ªand because our minds are tied so close, I know it¡¯s the truth. But intentionally letting her see me like that is a difficult step to take. Even with Zyneth it¡¯s hard. There¡¯s just so much shame tied to the things I¡¯ve done¡ªwhat the predator¡¯s made me do¡ªwhile in that state.


    Noli pats my arm. ¡°Let¡¯s get going, then. You¡¯re right that we need to move faster and make it to Peakshadow before it grows too late.¡±


    ¡°Then, about meeting the predator¡­¡±


    Noli wrinkles her nose. ¡°We really do need a better name for it. But I don¡¯t need to meet it tonight. It will happen when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I don¡¯t know what I did to deserve a friend like her. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I am.¡±


    We walk for a time in comfortable silence. Dark is falling over the forest, and I cast a Glow spell to light our way. The predator and I spend a few minutes bargaining before it finally relents, agreeing to wait until we¡¯re back in town, with the tradeoff that it gets a few more hours around dawn. I expect Noli will be sleeping in tomorrow anyway, given today¡¯s excitement.


    ¡°Dusk,¡± Noli abruptly signs.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°As a name.¡± She grins. ¡°Or Nightfall.


    ¡°I said nothing cute!¡±


    ¡°Those aren¡¯t cute,¡± Noli objects. ¡°They¡¯re macabre.¡±


    Edgy, more like. ¡°Surely, you see how that¡¯s worse,¡± I sign.


    Noli laughs.


    <hr>


    It takes another two days to get back to Harrowood. Rezira sweeps Noli up in a dramatic hug and kiss, spinning her in a circle as Noli giggles and cries out in glee. Zyneth and I greet a little more timidly, simply taking each other¡¯s hand.


    ¡°How was the trip?¡± he asks as we settle back into the familiar routine of visiting a new tavern to discuss our days over a hot meal and cold drink.


    ¡°It was good,¡± I say honestly, resting against his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m glad I got that closure. That I could do¡­ something for him.¡± Across the table, Rezira and Noli are having a similar conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad as well,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I know this has been weighing on you. It¡¯s good to see you and Noli take something good from it.¡±


    ¡°Literally, too,¡± I add. ¡°I took some of his books and tools back with us, so they don¡¯t just sit out there and rot. Some arcana books for myself that might help me with homunculus related spells. And maybe something that will help me learn more about what happened to the human souls and where I can find them. I also got something for you¡ªa clockwork artificing book, if it¡¯s any use.¡±


    A corner of his mouth pulls into a smile. ¡°How thoughtful.¡±


    It suddenly strikes me that there¡¯s probably no artificing book I could get him that he didn¡¯t already have access to, what with being a prince.


    ¡°We also saw Attiru,¡± I say. I¡¯m going to say more, but I stop myself.


    ¡°Oh?¡± There¡¯s no flicker of worry or understanding in his gaze. ¡°How are they doing?¡±


    I want to ask him. The curiosity is eating me up. But then I think of Attiru, asking me to offer him grace, and Noli, giving me space to make my own decisions about the predator.


    ¡°Good,¡± I say, twining my fingers with Zyneth¡¯s. He¡¯ll tell me when he¡¯s ready. ¡°They¡¯re good.¡±

 Chapter 120 - Back to Work

    Zyneth¡¯s still waiting on Vardi¡ªwe only have two weeks left now until he¡¯s free to leave¡ªso life continues as usual. There¡¯s a God¡¯s Tournament coming up right before that expiration date, and I¡¯m very interested to attend. Zyneth has reluctantly agreed to let me check it out without him, if needed, contingent upon Noli and Rezira coming with, and me attending in disguise. I eagerly look forward to it. I can¡¯t say how, but I suspect it will finally provide an avenue for progress on locating the lost souls.


    In the meantime, there¡¯s always my glass to work on.


    Caecius is in the middle of a job when I next visit. The back door of her workshop is open¡ªas it always is when she¡¯s working¡ªand the dracid is bent over her furnace, runes and glass alike glowing in the shimmering heat. She glances up when I step inside, but otherwise ignores me as she turns back to the glass. I wait patiently for her to finish.


    Finally, she puts the work away, strips off her gloves, and turns to face me, hands on her hips.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I say. ¡°If you¡¯re still looking for help.¡±


    She nods to the textbook bulging from my bag. ¡°Did you read it?¡±


    ¡°Er.¡± There wasn¡¯t a lot of time, really. I spent most days walking and chatting with Noli, and there¡¯s no way the predator would let me use up its hunting time at night by sitting down to read a book instead.


    ¡°A bit of it,¡± I say. ¡°Had to skim, mostly. But I did get a chance to try out a generic heat amplification spell.¡± I take the book out and offer it to her.


    She snorts. ¡°If that¡¯s all you read, best hold onto it for now. And make better use of your time.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask.


    Instead of answering, she heads back over to her workbench, checking some notes on the next order. That¡¯s a yes, then: Caecius doesn¡¯t like to repeat herself.


    ¡°I got a few things for you, actually,¡± I say, following her over to her bench. I retrieve several of the tools I¡¯d taken from Trenevalt¡¯s cabin. I¡¯m not completely sure what all of them are, but Echo had labeled them as being used for glasswork and artificing, so I figured they go to better use here than rusting out in the woods.


    I set the tools on her workbench. Caecius pauses to pick up what looks like a blunt scalpel, turning it over in her hands. ¡°Where did you get these?¡±


    You¡¯d think I would have already thought up an answer for that, but I¡¯d been so caught up in getting back to learning more glasswork that I hadn¡¯t.


    ¡°A friend,¡± I improvise. ¡°One of their relatives who had the tools passed, and they knew I had a glass affinity, so they gave them to me.¡±


    ¡°They lived here in Harrowood?¡± she asks, setting down the first tool to examine the next.


    ¡°Peakshadow,¡± I say, deciding the less I lie the easier it will be to all keep straight.


    ¡°Ah. The Ocherwoods?¡± She sets the tool down and flips through her book again, settling on an alchemic circle. At a glance, it¡¯s something to do with glass manipulation. She uses a work blade to surgically cut the page free.


    Of course she¡¯d know every glassworker in the area. ¡°Yes, I believe that¡¯s right.¡±


    She turns to give me a flat look. Then she sighs. ¡°Wrong answer. Pity.¡±


    Crap. ¡°Well,¡± I start, ¡°it could have been someone el¡ª¡±


    The spell circle pinched between her claws illuminates, and then almost casually, she touches it to the back of my hand.


    My body seizes up.


    [Your glass has been subjected to an Immobility spell,] Echo says.


    Panic lances through me. I can¡¯t move my glass. Even though it¡¯s Attuned. It feels like a vice has closed around my body, and I¡¯m briefly thrown back to Raz, in Yedzaquib¡¯s library, when the mage had similarly cast a paralysis spell on me.


    Reacting to my fear, the predator surges forward, alert, angry, searching for our assailant. Its attention falls over Caecius.


    She did this.


    Caecius steps back, folding her arms across her chest as she circles around me. ¡°Ain¡¯t that some shit.¡±


    The predator seizes our void, which is when I realize only the glass part of me is frozen. It lunges for Caecius, and in a panic, I grab at the void too, yanking back.


    ¡°No!¡± I cry. The void stabs out the end of my sleeves and quivers there, caught in a mental tug-of-war.


    Caecius raises an eyebrow, gaze lingering on the very visible black claws that have rippled through the illusion around my hands.


    ¡°Please,¡± I say, strained, grappling with the predator as much as the fear that¡¯s squeezing my soul. ¡°Don¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± she says. ¡°You weren¡¯t going to fess up on your own. Lie after lie after lie.¡±


    The shadows stretch, not just from my sleeves, but out from the bottom of my coat, from the neck, from the seams. The predator strains against my hold, furious with Caecius for attacking us, furious with me for holding it back¡ªand it¡¯s winning.


    ¡°You have to release me now,¡± I say, terror turning to dread as I realize the inevitable. ¡°There isn¡¯t much time!¡±


    Still eyeing the twitching shadows, Caecius leans back over and grabs the spell circle. The light goes out as the paper peels away, and I stumble back, crashing into a table.


    Still holding the paper between two fingers, Caecius leans back against her work bench, arms folded once more. ¡°Well that was illuminating.¡±


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    With both of us surprised to be released from the spell, the predator¡¯s attack falters. I seize the opportunity to wrangle the void back in, though I continue to back away from her, placing as much space between us as possible. The predator quickly resumes its seething, offended she would dare lay a hand on us¡ªand embarrassed, I think, at being caught off guard.


    I calm it down enough that I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in immediate danger of launching us at her. Though to be honest, I¡¯m pretty pissed too.


    ¡°That was dangerous.¡± I press a protective hand to the glass above my soul.


    Caecius doesn¡¯t seem bothered by my reaction in the least. ¡°For you or for me?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± I snap.


    ¡°You mean those shadow things?¡± she asks, clearly not as bothered by all this as she should be. ¡°What are those?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ defensive arcana,¡± I say.


    Caecius frowns. ¡°Lie. Try again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a lie!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not the whole truth.¡±


    I eye her warily, and use both a Check and Inspect to try to figure out if there¡¯s any other spells in effect that might be acting as some kind of truth detector. As far as I can tell, however, she¡¯s clean. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just good with people,¡± she says flatly.


    I snort.


    ¡°Now are you going to tell me what you are?¡± Caecius holds up the spell circle. ¡°Besides made of glass, clearly.¡±


    Now that my initial panic is starting to subside, and the predator has downgraded its bloodlust from murder to maiming, I¡¯m finally able to start processing everything.


    ¡°That was a test?¡± I ask, skeptical. ¡°All that just to confirm I was made of glass?¡±


    She shrugs. ¡°Seemed the quickest way to know for sure.¡±


    ¡°It nearly got you killed.¡±


    Caecius sets the spell circle down and flicks it across the desk¡ªa peace offering, perhaps. ¡°That¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve underestimated my abilities.¡±


    I shake my head. She might have caught me off guard, but if I hadn¡¯t been there to stop the predator, I doubt she¡¯d have come out of it alive. ¡°That was stupid.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s stupid is this charade you¡¯ve created,¡± Caecius says. ¡°So are you going to drop the act now, or what?¡±


    She has a point about that, at any rate. No sense in burning through the illusion magic when it¡¯s no longer hiding anything.


    [Illusion spell deactivated.]


    Caecius raises her eyebrows as I lower the cowl and scarf. Her eyes roam over my glass hands and prism head. ¡°Well. Can¡¯t say I was expecting that.¡±


    ¡°And what were you expecting?¡± I demand.


    Caecius shrugs. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I just knew something wasn¡¯t adding up.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Caecius looks around her workbench, then grabs one of the small metal tools I¡¯d brought her. (A present she¡¯s no longer deserving of, I¡¯ve decided.) ¡°Here. Catch.¡± She tosses it to me, slow and underhand.


    I catch it, rather pleased with how dexterous I¡¯ve become, and the metal tings against my hand.


    Caecius points at me. ¡°That. That¡¯s not what skin sounds like.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± She has a point there. I¡¯ve just gotten so used to it, I¡¯ve stopped noticing it most of the time. Guess I must have slipped up in front of her.


    ¡°Also, you never blinked,¡± Caecius adds.


    Crap. That, too. I thought I kept my head down most of the time.


    ¡°And the other week you grabbed a tool after it had just been in the heat,¡± Caecius continues. ¡°You didn¡¯t even seem to notice, and there were no burns, either.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I get the point.¡± I set the tool down. ¡°I make a terrible human.¡±


    The dracid looks at me curiously. ¡°You sound like one, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Small miracles,¡± I say dryly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re a homunculus?¡± she asks. Her tone sounds skeptical.


    ¡°No. Well, yes, I guess so. It¡¯s complicated.¡± I relax, fractionally. As stupid as that was, she really doesn¡¯t seem to mean me any harm. Convincing the predator of that is another matter, however, so I continue to keep my distance.


    She tips her head. ¡°Are you going to tell me, or will I have to dig that out of you, too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d really rather you didn¡¯t,¡± I say, still a bit irritated. But I don¡¯t see any reason not to be honest about things now. ¡°Not that I expect you to believe me, but here goes: I died, an unfortunately-timed and slightly-broken spell stuck my soul in a homunculus core, and I¡¯ve had to build my body up from scratch since then.¡±


    Caecius stares at me for a beat longer. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it? I thought there would be more.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint.¡± The predator has finally stopped reaching for our void, and now just warily regards the dracid. It doesn¡¯t sense hostility from her. But it also doesn¡¯t trust her, after what she just did. It¡¯s confused by this, and annoyed.


    You and me both.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you want to learn glass magic?¡± Caecius asks.


    I splay my hands in a gesture toward myself. ¡°No, I¡¯m just here for your charming personality.¡±


    She snorts, mouth quirking in a toothy grin. ¡°So what¡¯s with the disguise then?¡±


    ¡°It helps with being seen as a person instead of an object,¡± I say.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell people?¡± she wonders. ¡°Homunculi can¡¯t talk.¡±


    ¡°Tried that.¡± I shrug. ¡°Most seem to assume it¡¯s some kind of gimmick.¡±


    ¡°What about magic?¡± she asks. ¡°Homunculi can¡¯t perform magic. Float some of your glass around, and that should do the trick.¡±


    I remain skeptical, thinking of Raz. ¡°I¡¯ve done similar before. It generally fails to convince most people.¡±


    Caecius grunts. ¡°Most people are assholes. But that¡¯ll be true whether or not you hide who you are.¡± Straightening up, she grabs a brush and heads back over to the spell circle on her furnace, preparing to clean the area off for her next project.


    I watch, baffled. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Getting back to work,¡± she says, returning to her station to set a few tools next to the furnace. ¡°Can¡¯t stand around chit-chatting all day.¡±


    Chit-chatting?! ¡°You put a paralysis spell on me, find out I¡¯m a soul in a glass bottle, and then you¡¯re just going to go back to work?¡±


    She glances up. ¡°Unless you¡¯d rather talk about that shadow thing you still haven¡¯t explained.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to talk about the shadow thing.¡± The predator agrees with this; it¡¯s better to maintain the element of surprise.


    Caecius turns back to her furnace, lighting the runes. ¡°Good, then shut up and give me a hand with this.¡±


    I remain standing here, disbelieving. ¡°You still want me to work with you?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she says, grabbing a rod. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I want to work with you.¡±


    She pauses to give me an irritated look. ¡°Sorry for freezing your glass and giving you a panic attack. There. Is that what you want?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a panic attack,¡± I object. I only panicked a little, and that was entirely for Caecius¡¯s sake.


    Well, mostly for Caecius¡¯s sake. ¡°And that was hardly an apology,¡± I add.


    Caecius doesn¡¯t answer, going back to her work. She sticks a glob of glass over the furnace runes, then starts rolling the rod back and forth across a metal ledge near the furnace to keep the glass rotating.


    I heave a mental sigh. This woman is infuriating.


    And somehow, I still like her. Maybe even a little more than before.


    I head over to the furnace, keeping an inner eye on the predator, even though it¡¯s finally simmered down. Caecius passes the rod to me, and I take it as she retrieves her tools.


    ¡°I¡¯m still irritated with you,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°That makes us even.¡± Caecius begins shaping the end of the glass, using a mix of tools and spells. ¡°I don¡¯t like being lied to.¡±


    We work for a few minutes in silence, save for the dracid¡¯s brief and infrequent orders. The glass begins to turn into a vase. With the addition of another shaping spell, a spiraled design appears over its surface.


    ¡°The wizard who put me in this body died,¡± I finally say. ¡°That¡¯s why I was gone for the last week. It¡¯s also where I got the tools.¡±


    Caecius swaps out the tweezers for a paddle. ¡°Good to know they¡¯re not stolen.¡±


    ¡°His name was Trenevalt,¡± I continue. ¡°Did you know him?¡±


    Caecius shakes her head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t ring a bell.¡±


    I¡¯m surprised to find myself disappointed. Had I wanted her to know him? Had I wanted her to tell me more about who he was?


    I guess it doesn¡¯t matter now.


    ¡°So what did you decide on?¡± Caecius asks.


    I tip my head. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Your practice piece,¡± Caecius says. ¡°You¡¯re ready. Something for your body?¡±


    I¡¯d almost forgotten about that offer. But I have thought of something. ¡°No, it won¡¯t be for my body,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ve got something else in mind. Do you have any obsidian?¡±


    She raises an intrigued eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t. I can only partially alter the material without a glass affinity of my own. It¡¯s different from anything else we¡¯ve been working with. But for someone like you¡­¡± She trails off, looking at me thoughtfully.


    It¡¯s the first time I don¡¯t feel like I need to avert my gaze.


    Caecius smiles, revealing her crocodile teeth. ¡°Yes. I think I could make that happen.¡±

 Chapter 121 - Practice Piece

    Caecius is right: obsidian is nothing like anything I¡¯ve worked with before.


    After she gets me a few small pieces to work with, I start by Attuning them. They just feel different in my mind. Harder, yet more brittle. When I Shape it, it¡¯s like it would rather be folded and broken than squished and stretched. If my signing glass feels like a liquid in my mind, then my fulgurite would feel like a gas, and the obsidian like a solid.


    Okay look I¡¯m not a scientist. That¡¯s as technical as the similes are going to get.


    Caecius also tells me that the heating spells we¡¯d been using on glass before won¡¯t work with the obsidian. Instead, we turn to spell circles and runes. I can change the obsidian¡¯s shape on my own, since it¡¯s Attuned, but I have to dig deeper if I want to keep it from being more fragile than my own glass. For that, I will need to change its surface structure. I¡¯ll also need to artifice some durability spells into it. For both of those, I¡¯ll need to design my own spell circle.


    Some days I help Caecius as an extra pair of hands in her shop, while other days I sit in the back, pouring over books and making notes, asking Caecius questions whenever I get stumped. After a week, I¡¯m willing to test out my first designs.


    ¡°Try a sphere first,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s the most stable shape for this. Best to test your durability spells on something simple. Once you have the basics, you can get more creative with the shape.¡±


    I follow her advice, first etching my spell circle design into the surface of an Attuned obsidian sphere, then using a Sculpt to sink the spell circle into the surface of the stone.


    I push mana into the spell circle, and to my relief, it lights up.


    Somewhat more concerningly, Echo does not report that I¡¯ve cast a spell. Using an Inspect, I¡¯m merely provided with, [A spell circle design.]


    Caecius offers me a hammer. I take it. Caecius steps back, slides a pair of goggles over her eyes, and moves behind me. This doesn¡¯t instill a lot of confidence.


    ¡°Well. Here goes nothing.¡± I raise the hammer, and right before I bring it down onto the sphere, I¡¯m presented with an ominous, [Arcane Guardian in effect.]


    The resulting eruption of obsidian shards was predictable, in retrospect. Pieces ping off my glass and snip through my jacket. The shards are wickedly sharp. Even with my Attunement, I can¡¯t recall all the slivers, as some have embedded themselves in the wood table, which Caecius and I spend an annoying amount of time prying out with tweezers. One thing is clear, though: Attuned obsidian has the possibility to be a terrifying weapon.


    When I leave each afternoon, I take my spell circle designs back to discuss with Zyneth. He¡¯s more than happy to weigh in, offering me rune suggestions and spell circle tweaks that Caecius frequently rejects the next morning. Sometimes she rescinds her rejection. Oftentimes she¡¯ll take pieces of Zyneth¡¯s ideas and tweak them.


    I destroy several more pieces of obsidian. Until finally, after Sculpting a spell circle into yet another sphere, Echo pipes up.


    [Durability spell activated.]


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Caecius flinches at my sudden yell.


    ¡°This one will work,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t count your nestlings before they hatch,¡± she says. ¡°Or in this case; hope your egg doesn¡¯t hatch.¡±


    ¡°No, this is different,¡± I excitedly tell her. ¡°Watch.¡±


    I drop the sphere onto the hard floor of her shop.


    It shatters.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Caecius says. ¡°Great spell.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the tweezers,¡± I say with a sigh.


    <hr>


    Finally, it works. I can throw the obsidian sphere at the ground and it doesn¡¯t shatter¡ªwhile the spell is active, anyway. It¡¯s one pretty big drawback, especially for the final shape I have in mind, but Caecius says there¡¯s no way around it: there¡¯s only so much you can do with obsidian from a physical and chemical standpoint. Beyond that, I¡¯ll need magic.


    I start working on the shape, next, stretching the sphere into a cylinder.


    But the spell circle I made wasn¡¯t designed for this form, and the next time I test its strength, it just shatters all over again.


    ¡°That was a waste of time,¡± I grumble, summoning the pieces back to me. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have started with the sphere. Should have shaped it into the end-product first, and then worked on making a spell designed to its specific form.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a short cut,¡± Caecius says. ¡°Maybe you could do that, but the end product would be inferior. You need to build a strong foundation, first. Look at your design, see? You¡¯ve figured out the correct runes for achieving durability here. Now you just need to adjust the lines for the specific shape. This one indicates a round target. You¡¯ll need to alter it, then add in additional elements to fully encapsulate the more complex form.¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± I don¡¯t have a headache¡ªI can¡¯t have headaches¡ªbut I am mentally exhausted from all the reading, research, and tests. I just want to have it all figured out already. ¡°I never knew artificing was so involved.¡±


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    Caecius leaves me to my books and returns to some paperwork of her own. ¡°If it was easy, everyone would do it.¡±


    I¡¯d love to talk to Zyneth about the next steps of my spell circle design, but this is the part where I have to start keeping my plans to myself. He¡¯d been assuming I¡¯d been working on a durability spell for my own glass. He was mistaken.


    Well, not entirely. I do intend to use this for my own body¡¯s development as well. In fact, I¡¯ve been experimenting with adding spell circles to individual limbs of my body. Like with the obsidian, however, the spells are imperfect if they¡¯re not tailored to the part they¡¯re supposed to protect.


    But the obsidian project is for Zyneth. I want to craft him a knife to replace the one I destroyed in Emrox.


    It doesn¡¯t have to be obsidian, I suppose. That just felt right. And Caecius did approvingly tell me it would work excellently as a cutting instrument. As a weapon, however, she was less certain; obsidian was notorious for chipping. So that¡¯s what I needed to solve.


    It¡¯s made doubly difficult because, while I¡¯m working with glass, I need to make sure the spell circles can be activated by Zyneth¡¯s affinities, too. Lightning or fire. Caecius said lightning and glass were too far apart for a strong spell circle to be designed to activate by both affinities¡ªeven though I know Zyneth managed it somehow with his original dual blades¡ªso she suggests I focus on fire instead. Fire and stone (and therefore glass) all fall within the same Earth type affinity, which tap into The Pith as their arcana source, so it will be easier for me to design. Not to mention, Caecius has a fire affinity herself, so she can test my spell circles to make sure they work for both of the desired elements.


    It¡¯s not perfect¡ªit won¡¯t be anywhere close to the complex tool Zyneth lost¡ªbut once I finish this thing, it will be pretty damn cool.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting close,¡± Caecius says when I get ready to leave for the day. ¡°Just a few more tweaks, I think, and you¡¯ll get there.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully not much longer,¡± I say. ¡°We¡¯ll only be staying here another five days.¡±


    After that, the month will be up, and Zyneth will no longer be required to answer Vardi¡¯s apparently abandoned job call.


    ¡°You going somewhere?¡± Caecius asks.


    ¡°Somewhere,¡± I agree. Though even I¡¯m not sure where. That God¡¯s Tournament is coming up in a couple of days. But what¡¯s our destination after that? ¡°I¡¯m not sure where I¡¯ll end up, if I¡¯m honest.¡±


    Caecius picks up my latest knife design, turning it over in her hands and examining the runes I¡¯ve Sculpted down the flat of its blade. ¡°No destination. But will you be aimless?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say. ¡°I have a goal. Just not sure what path will get me there.¡±


    She nods, satisfied, then sets the blade down on a strip of leather. ¡°When will you be back?¡±


    I watch her wrap the blade and secure it with some twine. ¡°I don¡¯t know that, either.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± She hands the blade to me. ¡°Make sure to come back and visit sometime.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I tease, taking the blade. ¡°A show of affection?¡±


    ¡°You are an adequate assistant,¡± Caecius says. ¡°Not being able to get burned is a nice perk.¡±


    That might be the highest praise I¡¯ve received from her yet.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored, Master Caecius.¡±


    Caecius looks up at me, aghast. ¡°What did you just call me?¡±


    ¡°Er. Master Caecius?¡± Oh my god, Noli, this better not have been a set up.


    She stares at me a moment longer. Then, she barks out a laugh. ¡°Now I know I¡¯m getting old.¡± She chuckles to herself as she turns back to her tools, shaking her head as she mutters the word ¡°master¡± under her breath.


    You know, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s half as offended as she¡¯s pretending to be.


    When I head back to the inn that evening, Noli and Rezira meet me for dinner, though Zyneth¡¯s not back from his surveillance¡­ or whatever roguish things he does all day.


    ¡°How¡¯s the apprenticeship going?¡± Noli asks as we settle at a table in one of her favorite taverns. This one serves small bread rolls in the shape of bunnies.


    ¡°Well,¡± I say. I¡¯ve already told them about the incident I had with Caecius. Noli, Zyneth, and Rezira had reacted, respectively, horrified, impressed, and amused. ¡°Though I might need to take a break for the tournament. I¡¯ve been thinking about that. Perhaps we should visit the location early and scout out the area in advance.¡±


    ¡°Scout for what?¡± Rezira asks. ¡°You think these souls are going to be wearing signs that say ¡®I¡¯m from another world?¡¯ If they¡¯re anything like you, they¡¯ll be stuck in other inanimate objects.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I say. ¡°But I might have a work-around. I was able to use a Locate spell, using my soul as the focus, in order to try to find my body. I might be able to use it to find other human souls, too, since they¡¯re the only thing on this planet that would also be from my world. It¡¯s a tenuous association; I tried it back when I was on the submarine, and it didn¡¯t work then. But if a soul is nearby, it might pick up on something.¡±


    The server sets down a plate of bunny buns before Noli even has a chance to order some, and she takes one in delight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also got Bond Trace,¡± I say. It¡¯s something I picked up from one of Trenevalt¡¯s homunculus books way back, though I¡¯ve not had much reason to use it as of late. ¡°It lets me see the lines of magic that bond things to one another. I mostly used it for identifying the magic that ties the predator to me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Midnight,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Mercury.¡±


    ¡°¡ªbut it also shows me the lines of magic that connect me to my body,¡± I continue, pointedly ignoring the name suggestions. ¡°I could use that to figure out if someone else¡¯s soul is likewise bonded to a vessel.¡±


    In fact, given the spell circle theory I¡¯m starting to dig into, there might even be a way to combine those two spells together.


    ¡°Sounds like a lot of trial and error,¡± Rezira says. ¡°You¡¯d have to be looking right at them when you used the spell to even notice, right?¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I admit. ¡°But Locate should help with that. And at any rate, I don¡¯t have any better ideas¡ªor a better place to start.¡±


    Rezira leans back with a sigh. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, what¡¯s that?¡± I lean forward. ¡°I didn¡¯t quite catch you.¡±


    Rezira grins. ¡°That was your yearly quota of me saying you¡¯re right. Don¡¯t expect it to happen again anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡±


    ¡°Are you thinking we should leave the day after tomorrow, then?¡± Noli asks, now that she¡¯s finished one of the buns. ¡°That would give us two days to look around before the tournament.¡±


    ¡°Might not be a bad idea,¡± I sign. ¡°Though I¡¯ll have to let Caecius know. My project is pretty much done, but there¡¯s some finishing details I¡¯d still like to work through.¡± It¡¯s a shame. I¡¯ve come to really enjoy the days I spend working and learning in her shop¡ªeven if she did freeze me and nearly got the predator to kill her that one time.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    I turn to look as Zyneth slips into the seat next to me. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t have to go to very many places to find us.¡±


    ¡°No, this was only the third,¡± he says. Noli has taken us to a lot of different taverns and food stalls.


    Rezira waves a hand toward the barkeep, and Zyneth nods his thanks.


    He¡¯s hunched forward in his seat, fingers laced together, forearms pressed against the table. Zyneth frowns at a spot in front of him, and Noli leans her head over, as if to get in his line of sight, and waves. He looks up with a start.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I ask him. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    ¡°That would be much preferable,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I know how to handle ghosts.¡±


    Well that raises a whole bunch of questions I didn¡¯t have before.


    The bartender sets a mug of beer down before Zyneth, and he wastes no time taking a deep, long drink. He finally sets it down with a sigh and looks at me.


    ¡°Vardi¡¯s back.¡±

 Chapter 122 - The Job

    We arrive at Vardi¡¯s tavern in the same manner we came the first time: me roleplaying as a potion bottle on Zyneth¡¯s belt, and all my void hidden within his cloak. Still not wild about that, but here we are.


    Zyneth pauses outside the door. There¡¯s light from inside the windows, and a wooden scraping sound of heavy furniture being dragged across the floor. Zyneth¡¯s hand falters for a moment, then he pushes the door open and steps inside.


    ¡°We¡¯re closed,¡± a woman¡¯s voice says. I can¡¯t see much from my vantage point, so I switch the sight on in a piece of glass that¡¯s fixed to the front of Zyneth¡¯s cloak, doubling as a pin.


    Vardi is an elf. She¡¯s a little taller than Noli, with pale skin and dark hair, woven back in complex loops and braids. She grabs one of the upturned benches that¡¯s sitting on a table and, with a grunt, moves it back down to the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for a drink,¡± Zyneth says.


    Vardi wheels around. The look of surprise on her face is almost comical. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±


    Zyneth leans against one of the tables, folding his arms. ¡°You called in a job on a dead man?¡±


    Vardi¡¯s brief look of surprise vanishes in an instant, an impassive mask slipping quickly into place. ¡°I¡¯d only assumed you were dead when you didn¡¯t report after the first month.¡±


    ¡°So then why not end the request?¡± Zyneth asks.


    Vardi shrugs. ¡°If you were dead, it didn¡¯t matter. If you were alive, you¡¯d eventually show.¡± She turns around, flicking a hand over her shoulder. ¡°Come. We can speak in my office.¡±


    Zyneth¡¯s shoulders rise and fall in a silent sigh as he follows her.


    I hadn¡¯t visited the office last time; Zyneth had been the one to explore this part of the tavern. It¡¯s weirdly normal. A bookshelf in the back and a large wooden desk in the middle, covered in ledgers, writing utensils, and something like an abacus. Even Vardi isn¡¯t the black-market gangster type I had pictured. She takes a seat behind the desk and gestures for Zyneth to sit across from her.


    ¡°Forgive me that I was unprepared for your arrival,¡± Vardi says, bending down behind her desk to pull out a drawer. ¡°I had business in Dunmora I couldn¡¯t postpone. You know how they are about their telepads.¡± Green light flashes behind her desk, and I hear the click of something unlocking. ¡°Ah, here we are.¡±


    Vardi withdraws a small wooden box and blank slip of paper, and sets them down on the desk.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zyneth asks.


    ¡°What you¡¯ll need for the job.¡±


    Zyneth doesn¡¯t move. ¡°I haven¡¯t selected my job yet.¡±


    ¡°There is only one I¡¯m offering.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zyneth leans forward. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m afforded three choices.¡±


    ¡°Unless, per the stipulations of the contract, a sufficient level of compensation is provided,¡± Vardi says. ¡°In this case, the single job is worth triple the debt once completed.¡±


    Zyneth is silent. I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s stunned, from this vantage point, or sizing her up.


    ¡°Why would you be willing to triple the debt payout?¡± he finally asks.


    ¡°Money. Obviously.¡± Vardi raises an eyebrow. ¡°The completion of this job will make me exceptionally rich. Which is partially why I let the job call continue this long.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Zyneth sits back. ¡°I¡¯ll take the incurred interest. Whatever you¡¯re asking me to do can¡¯t be worth it.¡±


    Vardi waves a dismissive hand as if dispelling an acrid smell. ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic. At least take a look at it first? It¡¯s your area of expertise. A simple retrieval and delivery mission.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s never simple with you,¡± he says.


    Vardi laughs. ¡°Fair enough. The target artifact is in a Ruin. But if you refuse this job and incur debt, it will also be at triple the interest.¡±


    Zyneth again lapses into silence. For a minute, I think he¡¯s about to get up and walk. I know that can¡¯t be good for the amount of debt he owes, but something about this is clearly bothering him. Maybe he¡¯s just irritated by the lack of choices.


    ¡°Alright, then.¡± Blowing air out his nose, Zyneth holds out his arm and rolls up the sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s see it.¡±


    Vardi reaches out to the gold snake tattoo on Zyneth¡¯s arm and taps it. As she draws her hand back, the snake lifts from his arm as if stuck to her finger. Vardi appears to scribble something in the air, and the tattoo streaks after her fingertips. Then she pulls her hand back. The tattoo remains suspended, unraveling into words that write themselves across the air.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The job brief is, well, brief:


    Recover a hidden relic from the Drifting Isles within one month of job acquisition.


    Deliver the relic to the attached address within one week of retrieval.


    The provided artifact will assist with locating the relic once it is within the Ruins.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Zyneth says, echoing my thoughts. He flicks a finger through the air, and the words shimmer, shifting to the delivery address and instructions: the provided paper is a pre-addressed letter to be sent to the client notifying them when the job is complete. He flicks it back to the job overview. ¡°That¡¯s rather concise.¡±


    Vardi shrugs. ¡°I told you it was a simple retrieval and delivery mission. And judging by how much I¡¯ll get paid when you deliver, the relic in question is extremely valuable.¡±


    Zyneth sits back, scratching his chin. ¡°If it¡¯s so valuable, and the client already had an object that could lead them to the artifact, then why did they need me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Drifting Isles,¡± Vardi says. ¡°Why do you think?¡±


    ¡°Others have attempted to recover this artifact before?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I would be shocked to learn if they hadn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Good to know I¡¯m merely cannon fodder.¡± Zyneth sighs, reaching for the wooden box.


    Vardi puts a finger on it before he can take it. ¡°Does that mean you accept?¡±


    ¡°Not until I see what it is I¡¯m dealing with,¡± Zyneth says.


    Vardi holds his gaze a moment, then slides the box toward him. ¡°Alright. Though I doubt it will provide you with many answers.¡±


    Zyneth takes the small wooden box, pauses for a moment as a flicker of magic glows from his fingers, then carefully pries the lid open.


    He pauses. ¡°Well, you¡¯re right about that.¡±


    Zyneth surreptitiously tips the box so I can see its contents as well.


    It¡¯s a torn piece of cloth. I Check it, and receive the helpful descriptor, [Cloth Scrap.]


    ¡°Is this meant to be the focus for a tracking spell?¡± Zyneth wonders.


    ¡°I would assume so,¡± Vardi says. ¡°It¡¯s non magical, so far as I can tell. The note that it will help only when you¡¯re in the Ruins seems to indicate it¡¯s distance dependent. So then.¡± She sits back. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    Zyneth closes the box and sets it back on the desk. ¡°This job would remove over half my debt.¡±


    ¡°Closer to two thirds, if my math is right,¡± Vardi remarks.


    ¡°And if I refused¡­¡±


    ¡°It would increase by thirty percent,¡± Vardi says. ¡°In that scenario, I¡¯ve got another cambion in mind who would certainly be up for the challenge.¡±


    Zyneth goes still, and when he next speaks, his voice is brittle. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Vardi doesn¡¯t reply. She just smiles, unkindly.


    Zyneth sits for a minute in silence. It¡¯s a long minute. Vardi waits, saying nothing.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he finally agrees, his voice tight. ¡°I accept.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Vardi reaches out to touch the floating words, and Zyneth does as well. The gold writing turns black, then the ink spirals back down to Zyneth¡¯s arm once more to reform its previous shape. This time, the snake has eaten more of its links away.


    Zyneth and Vardi both stand. ¡°Pleasure doing business, as always,¡± Vardi says cheerfully.


    ¡°I wish I could say the same.¡± Zyneth takes the box and letter and tucks them into a pocket. Vardi shows him to the door, and without another exchange, we¡¯re back on the street.


    Huh. No fight. No traps. None of¡­ whatever it was that Zyneth was worried about. If anything, this seems like a more standard job offer than what I¡¯d witnessed before with Gillow. Guess I wasn¡¯t really needed for this deal after all. But Zyneth appears bothered.


    ¡°Who was she talking about?¡± I ask when I think no one is around. Not that a disembodied voice coming from Zyneth¡¯s pocket is likely to get us into trouble, but better safe than sorry.


    ¡°My sister,¡± Zyneth says with a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s nearly gotten involved with Vardi before. I intervened. I suspect Vardi was bluffing, but I also wouldn¡¯t put it past her to try something. I wasn¡¯t willing to risk it.¡±


    ¡°What do you think about the job?¡± I ask. I know nothing about the Drifting Isles, except from their name, which I¡¯d read along with other Ruins when I was researching Emrox.


    ¡°It seems standard,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°The brief was strangely short, but the contents themselves don¡¯t raise any red flags.¡± He¡¯s silent for a moment. ¡°But that itself makes me feel uneasy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re suspicious that it doesn¡¯t seem suspicious?¡±


    He chuckles. ¡°I suppose so. Just¡­ the circumstances around all of this remain odd. She had an answer to each of my questions, yet they don¡¯t satisfy my skepticism. To not recall a job after so long is highly unusual. Typically, my employers are more than happy to end a job call after the minimum required window closes in order to extend my debt. Either Vardi really wanted me to answer, or, more likely, whoever it was that contracted her really wanted me to answer.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re desperate for the artifact to be retrieved?¡± I ask. ¡°Or desperate for you to retrieve the artifact?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admits. ¡°But I am concerned it¡¯s the latter.¡±


    That is concerning. ¡°Vardi said others probably tried to recover it before you and failed.¡±


    ¡°Possibly,¡± Zyneth agrees. ¡°Which would mean obtaining it is highly dangerous and all previous sell-swords hired for the job failed. But I also suspect no one has gone looking for this relic before. I couldn¡¯t tell you why, exactly. Just the look in Vardi¡¯s eyes¡­¡± He sighs. ¡°It could have been in my head. Either way, I¡¯m not sure which premise is more concerning.¡±


    ¡°So where do we go from here?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The provided window is short,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I need to prepare for the trip¡ªpick up a few items in town. I¡¯ll have to leave in the next day or two.¡±


    ¡°You mean we will need to leave in the next day or two.¡±


    He smiles and pats my core. From anyone else I might have found that condescending, but from Zyneth, it makes me feel safe.


    ¡°Of course. Though if you come with me, you¡¯ll miss the God¡¯s Tournament.¡±


    Ah, that¡¯s right. But I¡¯m certainly not about to let Zyneth embark on this almost-certainly-dangerous quest alone. ¡°There¡¯s another one scheduled a few weeks out. I can wait.¡±


    Zyneth nods. ¡°Although, Noli and Rezira¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to convince them not to come, even if you wanted to,¡± I say.


    ¡°I also suspected as much,¡± he says with a tight smile. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to be concerned about all of your safety regardless. Emrox should give you a taste of what we¡¯ll be facing. These Ruins are dangerous.¡±


    ¡°What are the Drifting Isles like?¡± I wonder. ¡°Have you been there before?¡±


    ¡°Actually, no,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯d rather it have been somewhere I¡¯m already familiar with. This will make traversing it even more dangerous. The Drifting Isles are connected to the Gyre. It¡¯s the source of Storm arcana.¡±


    ¡°Storm,¡± I say, thinking back. ¡°Water, lightning and¡­ wind. Oh.¡± I¡¯m starting to guess where the Ruins might get their name.


    ¡°Oh, indeed,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°The Ruins are not stationary, though they¡¯re well tracked. Before anything else, we¡¯re going to need to find a map.¡±


    ¡°A map?¡± I repeat. ¡°I think I know a guy.¡±

 Chapter 123 - Map Maker

    We depart the next morning. I stop by Caecius¡¯s shop first to let her know I¡¯ll be leaving and ask her to look after most of my books while I¡¯m away. She doesn¡¯t seem surprised. She takes the texts, then gives me an extra chunk of obsidian to practice with. I depart with a wave, and she watches me go, arms folded and faintly smiling.


    Rezira and Noli, of course, are coming with us. I think Zyneth¡¯s given up on trying to keep everyone out of his affairs at this point. I also think he appreciates the company, though he would never say as much.


    Despite Zyneth¡¯s worries over the job, everyone else is in high spirits.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to a Ruin before,¡± Noli signs as we leave Harrowood. ¡°But the Drifting Isles sounds fun!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fun, it¡¯s dangerous,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°It can be both!¡±


    Rezira laughs. ¡°Don¡¯t try to convince her otherwise. It¡¯s a futile effort.¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Zyneth says, though he¡¯s smiling himself.


    ¡°Did you get everything you needed in town?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zyneth nods his head toward his pack, which is admittedly more stuffed than usual. ¡°Though we will need to stock up on more travel rations before heading to the Ruin. We might be there for a couple weeks, depending on where the relic is hidden and what sort of terrain we¡¯re dealing with. Not to mention, getting there will be a chore unto itself.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got over a month to complete the job,¡± I point out. ¡°Sounds like plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°One would hope,¡± Zyneth says, dubious.


    The evening of day two, we arrive in Peakshadow. Once again, Noli leads us to Attiru¡¯s shop.


    They look up in surprise when the whole group of us strides in. ¡°Well! I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you two back so soon. And Rezira! It¡¯s good to see you.¡±


    The orc pulls Attiru into a one-armed hug. ¡°You too, map-maker. Thank you for everything you did for Noli.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no.¡± They wave off the thanks. ¡°Anyone would have done the same. I should be thanking you for helping to fix up my shop!¡± Extracting themself from Rezira, they pleasantly glance around at the rest of us¡ªand do a double take when they see Zyneth.


    ¡°Oh! Lord¡ªI mean, Zyneth.¡± Their gaze darts between Zyneth and me. ¡°It¡¯s been some time.¡±


    ¡°It has.¡± Zyneth is making a face like someone just stabbed him in the leg and he¡¯s trying to be real stoic about it.


    Attiru glances at me. Zyneth follows their gaze. I, having no eyes, can pretend to be blissfully unaware.


    ¡°So,¡± Attiru says, cutting through the uncomfortable tension. ¡°To what do I owe this reunion?¡±


    ¡°For once, we¡¯re actually here for your services,¡± I say, hoping to diffuse the awkward atmosphere that had begun to permeate the room. ¡°We need a map.¡±


    Attiru brightens. ¡°Well I¡¯m flattered you decided to choose my establishment. How can I help?¡±


    ¡°We need a map to one of the Ruins,¡± Zyneth says, all business once more.


    ¡°A map of the Ruins?¡± Attiru steps around Rezira to head over to one of the shelves along the wall, and begins tracing a finger down a stack of scrolls. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve got a handful of options that should denote their locations.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for one Ruin, specifically,¡± Zyneth amends. ¡°The Drifting Isles.¡±


    ¡°Ahh.¡± Attiru pauses, eyebrows twitching up with intrigued delight. ¡°Now we¡¯re getting interesting. You¡¯re trying to figure out where it is now?¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°Tricky.¡± Attiru leaves the shelf they were at, instead heading over to a display case containing locked maps. They run a finger over its surface, and a glimmer ripples over the glass. Then, they hinge the case open.


    ¡°I do have something specific to the Drifting Isles. It¡¯s one of my living maps. Though I¡¯m afraid I haven¡¯t updated it in about a month.¡± They pull a scroll from the case, then set it atop the display, unrolling the parchment. Everyone huddles close to look.


    The map is your standard tan paper affair: a compass in the corner, a display of the world¡¯s continents sprawled across the page, a legend written in loopy font at the bottom. But there¡¯s also shimmering lines passing over the surface in slow moving waves, almost like something I¡¯d have seen on the weather channel on Earth. As I read the legend, I see I¡¯m not totally off: it¡¯s tracking wind currents. There¡¯s also a red line progressing over the page, roughly following the path of the wind-streams. Where it ends, the line turns into a cone, widening and fading out.


    Attiru points to this. ¡°That¡¯s the location of the last confirmed sighting I added to the map. The cone indicates the positional uncertainty of where it could be now.¡±


    Zyneth frowns at the page. ¡°That area must cover hundreds of miles.¡±


    ¡°Nearly a thousand, in diameter,¡± Attiru admits. ¡°However, I believe I have at least one more recent sighting I¡¯ve been delinquent in adding. That will narrow the range down. Let me go through my records. I¡¯ll just be a moment.¡± They disappear into the back of their shop.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I ask Zyneth.


    ¡°It¡¯s as good a place to start as any,¡± he says, tracing a finger around the cone where the Drifting Isles might be. ¡°It seems it might have passed over the Moonfall capital not long ago, so that is a potential area to visit for confirmation. Though telepad access between Dunmora and Valenia is limited.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think it would be easy to track a giant floating city around the world,¡± I say.


    ¡°One would think,¡± Zyneth agrees. ¡°However from beneath it often appears indistinguishable from a pillaring storm cloud. Unless there¡¯s particularly high winds to reveal the structures hidden within, it often goes unnoticed. It¡¯s possibly the second-least pillaged Ruin, behind Emrox, due in part to its inaccessibility.¡±


    ¡°In part?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Harpies don¡¯t find it nearly so inaccessible,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Though the arcana-infused creatures that live in the dead city pose enough of a threat that the few who are capable of exploring it tend to opt not to.¡±


    ¡°Arcana-infused creatures,¡± I say. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Something all the Ruins have in common, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Attiru returns from the back with a handful of letters, and we back up to give them space to work. Uncorking a bottle of ink, they pause, reading one of the letters again, before they flick a finger up, and the ink jumps from the well, following their finger like a pen as they scrawl some coordinates right over the face of the map.


    I notice the predator watching closely at this, curiously following Attiru¡¯s ink magic. It¡¯s speculating on if it¡¯s void; it doesn¡¯t feel like void, but it looks like it.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    It¡¯s not. It¡¯s just¡­ er¡­ dark water, I tell it, belatedly realizing I don¡¯t actually know what ink is made of. That¡¯s what Noli and I thought you were, originally. I think back to when my vial appeared to contain ink. It¡¯s long since been emptied, now that all of the predator¡¯s void has been let out. Ink is used for writing. Like all those magic books I read.


    The predator doesn¡¯t remark on any of this, simply watching as the ink on the map gradually sinks into its surface, absorbed into the parchment like a sponge. At the same time, the red line progresses, and the cone halves in size.


    ¡°That¡¯s as good as I can get it without another sighting,¡± Attiru says.


    ¡°Still a large area,¡± Zyneth remarks. ¡°But much more manageable to search.¡±


    ¡°How come you don¡¯t need to update the air currents?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Those are near-live recordings,¡± Attiru explains. ¡°I had a wind-mage friend of mine help set that up. There''s a global wind-tracking spell network headed by a group of scholars in Dunmora, and this spell is designed to tap into that and overlap their findings on this map. There¡¯s no such spell designed to track the Drifting Isles¡ªor, if there is, I am not aware of it. You¡¯d need to place something on the Ruins to act as a tracker.¡± They trail off thoughtfully.


    ¡°This should be more than sufficient as is,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Thank you for your assistance. Can we purchase this map from you?¡±


    Attiru hesitates. ¡°It¡¯s a work in progress, really. I¡¯d prefer to make replicas before selling.¡±


    ¡°A loan then?¡± Zyneth asks.


    Attiru looks us all over with a curious gleam in their eyes. The expression gives me a bad feeling. ¡°Actually, I think this presents a unique opportunity to complete my map. I would like to come with you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zyneth and I say simultaneously. We glance at each other.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Zyneth continues. ¡°It¡¯s far too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve faced danger before,¡± Attiru says, faintly amused. ¡°With all present company, no less.¡±


    The reminder stirs faint dread in my soul. If they come with us, there¡¯d be no way for me to keep the secret that the predator is no longer contained in my Inventory. ¡°This is different,¡± I say. ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea. It can¡¯t be worth the risk.¡±


    ¡°If I were able to go there in person, I could plant a tracker that could link back to my atlas,¡± Attiru says. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if something similar has been done before. It would be incredibly valuable. And this wouldn¡¯t be the first time I¡¯ve willingly entered risky situations to further the development of my atlas collection.¡±


    ¡°Is there a way we can complete your map for you?¡± I ask, desperate.


    Attiru considers this. ¡°Do any of you have a background in graphical artificing?¡±


    None of us reply.


    Attiru smiles cheerfully. ¡°I suspected not.¡±


    Zyneth shakes his head, but before he can argue, Noli cuts in. ¡°Why not let them come?¡± she asks. ¡°They said they understand what they¡¯re getting into. They may not be combat-trained, but neither is Rezira or Kanin, and I¡¯ve witnessed that they¡¯re plenty capable of taking care of themself. We should trust their judgment.¡±


    Rezira finishes translating this for Zyneth and Attiru, then adds, ¡°Look, all of us were there when we were fighting to get Noli¡¯s soul back in her body. And Attiru was the one who took the most hits. If they say they¡¯re up for it, then they¡¯re up for it.¡±


    Zyneth winces. I¡¯m equally uncomfortable with the idea. But the women are right; this isn¡¯t our call, especially as we¡¯re the ones coming here asking Attiru for a favor.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Zyneth says with a sigh. ¡°Fair enough. But we¡¯re on a tight timetable. Would you be ready to leave tomorrow?¡±


    The scholar brightens. ¡°I¡¯ll begin packing immediately.¡±


    <hr>


    I¡¯ve got about an hour until it¡¯s the predator¡¯s time to go hunt undead creatures in the forest, so I spend a late dinner with Zyneth and the rest as they discuss travel plans and socialize. Attiru is deep in discussion with Noli and Rezira about mapping the forests around Bluevine¡ªapparently an area of land left long neglected by local cartographers¡ªso Zyneth and I are left to our own devices.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want them to come,¡± Zyneth remarks quietly. ¡°Is it because of the predator?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I twirl a little chip of obsidian around my fingers. ¡°What am I supposed to tell them? It was hard enough with Noli.¡±


    ¡°It might not be as big as you¡¯ve made it in your head,¡± Zyneth says. He plucks the obsidian chip from the air, and I mentally tug it back, engaging in an invisible tug-of-war. He chuckles, letting go. ¡°But I can also talk to them about it if you¡¯d prefer.¡±


    That¡¯s an appealing offer. ¡°What would you say?¡± I wonder.


    ¡°That the creature is still with you, but under control, and its temperament has changed and is no longer a threat to us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure all that is true,¡± I say.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Zyneth takes a drink. ¡°It hasn¡¯t tried to attack anyone unprovoked. You have more control over it now than during the original incident in this town, that¡¯s undeniable. Even if it¡¯s not as much control as you want, you still have the capacity to stop it from doing things.¡±


    I can¡¯t really argue with that. It feels like I should. The predator is still very much a possessive monster that delights in hunting and fighting and, most especially, winning.


    But he¡¯s right that its initial bloodlust has been significantly curbed. I think that was mostly driven by its desire to absorb enough mana to remain rooted in reality, so it¡¯s not dragged back into the Between. After all my level ups, the mana my soul produces provides more than enough to sustain it now. So without that hunger and desperation, it¡¯s certainly mellowed out. A bit, anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate you telling them,¡± I finally say. ¡°Maybe tonight after I leave. Better that they know now than once we¡¯re already on the road for the Drifting Isles.¡± They deserve to be fully informed before we pull them into any more dangerous adventures.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°And I¡¯ll tell them to follow up with you if they have any further questions.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I knew it was too good to be true,¡± I tease, leaning into his shoulder. My glass tinks against his horn as he tilts his head toward me. What a strange pair we are. He can¡¯t possibly find this comfortable. What does he even see in me? What do I have to offer?


    ¡°I have something for you,¡± I say at the thought.


    He raises an eyebrow. ¡°Oh?¡±


    I sit up so I can tuck the piece of obsidian I was playing with away, and instead pull out the incomplete dagger, still wrapped. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to finish it, but I might be able to work on it while we travel. No sense in trying to keep it hidden in the meantime.¡± I pass the bundle over to him.


    He undoes the twine, and unfolds the leather, revealing the black dagger beneath.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it will hold up in combat,¡± I admit as Zyneth goes quiet. ¡°The durability spells are still in-work.¡±


    ¡°This is what you¡¯ve been working on?¡± he asks softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s designed to fit your sheath,¡± I say. ¡°I stole it one night to make sure.¡±


    He laughs quietly at that, picking up the blade to examine the runes I sculpted into its surface. ¡°You¡¯ll surpass me as an artificer if this keeps up. At least where glass is concerned. I¡¯ve never seen obsidian used this way. Most would consider it too much effort to try to reinforce it like this when there¡¯s easier materials to work with.¡±


    ¡°My materials are inherently limited,¡± I say. ¡°Though I admit I picked obsidian mostly for the aesthetics. It reminds me of you.¡±


    Zyneth carefully lowers the blade, looking at me with a faint, searching frown. ¡°Were you aware of obsidian¡¯s connection to cambions?¡±


    ¡°Cambions?¡± The question catches me off guard. ¡°No. What do you mean?¡±


    Zyneth sets the blade down. ¡°Our home is Mount Shale. It¡¯s built in the remnants of a dormant volcano. Obsidian is abundant in the area. Often used in jewelry. It¡¯s the royal gemstone.¡±


    Oh. Shit.


    Zyneth¡¯s gaze falls back on the dagger. ¡°There is something I should speak with you about. I probably should have already spoken to you about it.¡±


    Well this isn¡¯t how I was expecting this conversation to happen. Way to unintentionally force his hand, Kanin.


    ¡°My family,¡± he says haltingly. ¡°I come from wealth, as you know.¡± The extended pauses are painful to endure. ¡°Nobility, actually.¡± His face scrunches in discomfort.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re a prince,¡± I blurt out, nerves getting the best of me.


    He looks at me, shocked.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I say. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t let you keep floundering. But I already know. You don¡¯t have to explain.¡±


    Zyneth blinks. ¡°How did¡­¡± His gaze slides over to Attiru, still obliviously engaged in an animated conversation about topography.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, answering his unasked question. ¡°They accidentally let it slip when Noli and I visited two weeks ago.¡±


    Zyneth passes a hand over his face. ¡°Well I suppose now you know why I objected to them coming.¡±


    Actually, I had just assumed he was worried about their safety. ¡°You wanted to keep it buried that bad?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zyneth objects, looking down at his hands. ¡°Well. Perhaps. All this time¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I should have spoken to you about this before now. You should have learned it from me.¡±


    ¡°You appear to be somewhat of a celebrity,¡± I gently tease. ¡°It would have come to light sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°I know. I just¡­¡± He rubs at his palm with his opposite thumb, as if massaging a knot from his muscles. ¡°It¡¯s nice to live without that hanging over me. To forget, for a time. To be around people who can look at me without the attached associations.¡±


    ¡°Aha.¡± I take his hand to stop his fidgeting. ¡°The truth comes out. Now I know your real motivation for dating someone from another planet.¡±


    That gets a laugh out of him. ¡°I won¡¯t deny it¡¯s been a perk.¡±


    I nod to the dagger. ¡°Is that inappropriate? I can take it back. Make you a new blade out of some normal glass.¡± I might have to restart my work with the spell circles, if that¡¯s the case, though it wouldn¡¯t be entirely from scratch.


    But Zyneth shakes his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s perfect. Thank you, Kanin.¡± His fingers fold over mine.


    God, I wish I could kiss him.


    Instead, I do the only thing I really can, and squeeze his hand. ¡°I¡¯d like to learn more,¡± I tell him. ¡°About you and your family. But I don¡¯t need to know today. You can do that when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he promises. ¡°Maybe when this job is over and everything has settled.¡±


    ¡°Settled?¡± I laugh. ¡°That¡¯s wishful thinking.¡±


    He chuckles too, leaning his head against me. ¡°You may be right.¡±


    And for that moment, everything in the world feels right.

 Chapter 124 - Airship

    Attiru¡¯s best estimate for where we can access the Drifting Isles is on the west coast of Valenia, which is the opposite coast from Miasmere and Emrox, and that¡¯s just fine with me. It¡¯s also on this continent and not Dunmora, which Zyneth is relieved to learn. Apparently Dunmora isn¡¯t as linked up with telepads as Valenia is, which would have added extra strain to his timetable.


    We head back to Harrowood¡ªa trip I¡¯m now becoming very familiar with¡ªand stock up on supplies. Our next destination is a mountainous city close to the west coast called Fort Stalwart.


    As we wait for our timeslot for the telepad, Zyneth checks his bags over for the tenth time, ensuring he has all the tools, food, and various spell circles he needs.


    ¡°You know I can do the Location spell,¡± I tell him as he shuffles through some looseleaf spell circles he purchased. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use a consumable one.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I need something that I can use,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Your Location spell is only visible to you: I need to be able to see the direction the spell is pointing us so I can use that information to better plot a course through the Isles. Not to mention, this one is also designed to indicate metrics such as elevation, which I believe yours does not.¡±


    He¡¯s right on that account. I guess I need to level up my Location spell a bit more to gain access to information like that. I only have so much mana, though, and these last few weeks I¡¯ve been spending most of it on my glass related spells.


    At least that resulted in some level ups. My Sculpt spell is now Level 15, my Chain is Level 11, and my Attune is Level 14. What that ultimately comes down to is that I can Sculpt giant pieces of glass for only a handful of mana, Chaining is practically free, and Attuning takes about one tenth the time it previously had for an equivalent volume of glass. My Attunement range has also expanded; I can control my glass and void within about a fifty-foot radius; though the predator can about triple that distance for void if we¡¯re working together on it.


    And finally, I now regenerate mana at a rate of one point every thirty seconds. When I¡¯d first started out as a Level 1 glass bottle, it had taken me a whole hour to regenerate 1 point of mana. Of course, then I only had 10 mana total to recover. Now, with 400 mana at my disposal, it takes me about three hours to fill my tank all the way. It¡¯s amazing how much more comfortable and secure I feel knowing I don¡¯t have to ration every point I spend.


    As I¡¯m idly going over my stats, something tickles the back of my mind.


    The predator tenses, immediately on high alert, which startles me, too.


    What is it? I ask.


    Then I feel it. That faint mental pressure; that distant pull. We¡¯ve felt this once before, that night at sea.


    I turn on sight in all the panes of glass in my head. Where is it? What is it? Is something watching us?


    No. The predator¡¯s attention hones in on something to the west. It¡¯s not watching, exactly, but it senses us, just how we can sense it.


    I tense, nervous prickles crackling over my soul. Do you know what it is?


    The predator isn¡¯t sure. It¡¯s¡­ familiar. That¡¯s all it can say.


    Good familiar, or bad familiar?


    It doesn''t know. But it wants to go find out.


    ¡°Kanin?¡±


    I start as Zyneth touches my arm.


    ¡°You ready?¡± he asks. ¡°They just called for Fort Stalwart.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I say, following the others who have already started to step up to the platform.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admit. ¡°It¡¯s that feeling again. The thing we felt when we were at sea. Remember? When I was wondering if there were other void creatures in the world.¡±


    Zyneth frowns, glancing around the square. ¡°Where is it coming from?¡±


    ¡°Not in the city, I think.¡± I focus on what the predator is sensing, but it¡¯s too abstract. It just feels the pull. The desire to go seek out its source.


    ¡°Did you want to stay?¡± he asks, even as we step onto the pad. ¡°There¡¯s another timeslot for Fort Stalwart tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I quickly say, even as I feel the predator¡¯s urge to investigate increasing. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. I don¡¯t know what it is, but I don¡¯t think it could be anything good. If I wait a day, I might not be able to catch up to you all.¡±


    Zyneth looks concerned, and I don¡¯t blame him. The predator is starting to get antsy. It doesn¡¯t like this feeling of being observed. It feels like a challenge. It urges me to go look. I try to calm it down, sending it soothing thoughts, but its disquiet is bleeding into me.


    When the telepad finally activates, and the mental presence vanishes as we¡¯re whisked halfway across the continent, I slump in relief.


    <hr>


    Fort Stalwart is as much a part of the mountains as it is in the mountains. The city is a castle, built to span the gap between two peaks, and as gray as the surrounding sky and rocks. There are details built into the stone which have been weathered almost smooth by rain and time.


    It¡¯s also filled with humans. It¡¯s the most humans I¡¯ve seen in one place compared to any of the other cities I¡¯ve visited. If it weren¡¯t for all the harpies and dwarves, which also populate the city, I might have thought I was transported back to Earth.


    ¡°It looks so old,¡± I remark as we step off the telepad and into the city streets.


    ¡°It is,¡± Attiru says. ¡°It¡¯s speculated to be as old as the Ruins, actually. Since it¡¯s not connected to an arcana source, however, the city was able to be repopulated. A lot easier to resettle a city that isn¡¯t flooded with ambient magic and arcane animals.¡±


    No shit. And after encountering nightbanes from The Black Spire, and tempo squid around Emrox, I¡¯m starting to wonder what other types of magical beasts we may face in the Drifting Isles.


    I really wish Attiru wasn¡¯t coming on this trip. And Noli and Rezira, for that matter. They don¡¯t need to be here, and I¡¯d feel terrible if they got hurt.


    Though, now that I¡¯m thinking about it, Zyneth probably feels the same way about me.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find an inn near the top of the city,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I hope we won¡¯t be staying very long, but it will be to our benefit to already start as high up as we can manage.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of high,¡± I say, ¡°what¡¯s the plan for getting from this mountain and up into the Drifting Isles when it does show up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will pose a huge issue,¡± Attiru says. They gesture across the valley toward another mountain peak. A cloud is crawling over the mountain¡¯s summit and spilling down its side. ¡°I¡¯d be more worried about the Drifting Isles crashing into the city.¡±


    ¡°Does that happen?¡± I ask, alarmed.


    Zyneth shrugs. ¡°Not a lot of people live at an altitude where the Drifting Isles might intersect. It¡¯s possible it¡¯s happened in remote areas without anyone noticing.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t seem as alarmed by this as I think he should be.


    ¡°But to answer your question,¡± Zyneth says, nodding ahead of us, ¡°that¡¯s how we will get into the cloud.¡±


    A hot air balloon is slowly rising from a lower tier of the city. It¡¯s connected to a line, riding the track up toward another section. Many such balloons are connected this way, running up and down the city like beads on a string. Some are free flying, though they don¡¯t move like the hot air balloons I¡¯m used to; I suspect wind or fire magic is involved somehow.


    Noli takes a deep breath, and lets it out. ¡°Whew. Anyone else here short of breath, or is it just me?¡±


    ¡°I feel it too,¡± Rezira says. ¡°This is a long way from Bluevine.¡±


    Zyneth and Attiru shrug. Their home, Mount Shale, was also probably a good amount above sea level. And I don¡¯t have to breathe, so, hey, small victories.


    As we walk, Attiru consults their map, zooming in on our location and the cone of uncertainty where the Drifting Isles might be. They occasionally glance up at the cloudy sky, cross referencing it with their map. It¡¯s probably a good thing they came with us, after all. I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re supposed to be looking for, apart from a giant cloud, of which there are many. Maybe Zyneth does. He always acts like he has a plan.


    ¡°There!¡± Attiru suddenly shouts, causing Rezira and I to jump. They¡¯re pointing across the valley. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± I ask, trying to find what they¡¯re looking at.


    ¡°The cumulonimbus,¡± they say, telling me absolutely nothing. ¡°Watch its shadows.¡±


    We stand and watch for a moment. Zyneth swears. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I ask. ¡°What are we seeing?¡±


    Zyneth steps up beside me and points, shifting his arm to try to match my perspective. He¡¯s gesturing to a cloud behind the nearest mountain peak. ¡°Look toward the middle. Pay attention to the shapes.¡±


    I do as he says. The cloud is slowly drifting and changing in shape, white and gray patches fading into one another. Well, most of them do. The longer I watch, the more it seems like parts of the cloud aren¡¯t morphing: like there¡¯s something there, just beneath the surface, that the mists are swirling around.


    ¡°How long have we got?¡± Zyneth asks Attiru.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Attiru admits. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about clouds. I can tell you that it¡¯s about seven leagues away.¡±


    ¡°One moment.¡± Noli steps in front of us, closing one eye and sticking her thumb out at arm¡¯s reach. She waits there for a minute before dropping her arm. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s traveling at about three leagues per hour.¡±


    Zyneth glances to the horizon. ¡°Then we have around twelve hours before we lose it and will need to port to a different city to try to cut it off there. Less than that, really, once night falls. Well, change of plans. We will not be getting an inn for the night after all.¡±


    ¡°You think those balloons will be able to move fast enough?¡± I ask, watching another drift past.


    Zyneth begins walking once more, quickly this time. ¡°We¡¯re about to find out.¡±


    <hr>


    The port is near the top of the city, and has most everyone out of breath by the time we reach it. The Drifting Isles has continued to float slowly past the far mountain peak in that time, though it¡¯s still well within sight. Zyneth, who barely seems fazed by the hike, does most of the talking, leading us from airship to airship, looking for anyone who would be able to take us on a fast, impromptu trip.


    ¡°This is a silly question,¡± I say after the second pilot turns us away. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be keeping the ship there with us? I mean, do we have a plan to get down once we¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°Shockingly, I do in fact have a plan for how we¡¯ll get down,¡± Zyneth teases, ¡°though it won¡¯t be by airship. I doubt anyone here would be willing to sell us one, anyway. Not to mention, I¡¯m unsure I would even be able to pilot it, and¡­¡± He hesitates. ¡°I don¡¯t have the coin on hand to afford one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Sorry.¡± He might be a prince, but even he doesn¡¯t have an infinite amount of money. Actually, I wonder if what funds he does have access to might be running low. I¡¯m still not certain what exactly his relationship is like with his family, but if it¡¯s as bad as Attiru implied, not to mention the fact that Zyneth doesn¡¯t seem to want to talk about it, they might have cut him off completely. I¡¯ve been there.


    Finally, we find a pilot about to head out for the day who¡¯s willing to take us with him.


    ¡°One way?¡± the dwarf asks, skeptical. The man is leaner than I¡¯d expect for a dwarf, with a short brown beard that doesn¡¯t even reach his neck. ¡°You sure about that? There¡¯s nothing anywhere close to here, ¡®side from more mountains.¡±


    ¡°Quite sure,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°We¡¯re attempting to board the Drifting Isles before it passes.¡±


    The dwarf¡¯s face lights up. ¡°Are you, now? It¡¯s been a few years since we¡¯ve seen the Isles pass this way. Always a good opportunity for wyvern trapping.¡± He looks out over the dock, and almost immediately locates the cloud. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be. Small blessings there isn¡¯t already a rush. That¡¯ll change in a few hours. Alright, get your crew aboard. We¡¯ll push off in the next ten minutes.¡± There¡¯s a hungry gleam in his eye. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell anyone else about it, did you?¡±


    The airship is rather like a blimp, with an open-air wooden deck suspended beneath an oblong balloon. There¡¯s a strange metal funnel sitting on the back of the ship, and simple, stubby wings on either side. The base of the balloon has an opening, beneath which burns a live flame, like a hot air balloon. It doesn¡¯t look like the fastest craft to me.


    Rezira peers over the bow, which is poking out over the edge of the air port, then pales and quickly retreats. She grabs a railing in the middle of the ship, knuckles white.


    ¡°Never flown before?¡± I ask. I also peer over the edge, and my soul about drops through my feet. The predator also feels alarmed. The ground is very, very far away. I attempt to make my retreat look more casual.


    ¡°You have?¡± she asks, skeptical.


    ¡°Actually, yes,¡± I say. ¡°Many times. Not here though.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Zyneth heads over to me, leaning on the rail, the only one of us who actually appears unbothered by the drop and lack of sufficient seatbelts. Attiru has joined Rezira, while Noli is peering over the bow as well, though on her knees, barely tall enough for her head to peek over. ¡°I didn¡¯t know your home had such capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Just because we didn¡¯t have magic doesn¡¯t mean we were completely useless,¡± I joke. I try to casually lean against the rail next to Zyneth, but the predator loudly objects. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to make myself do it anyway. Christ, is that a drop.


    ¡°Alright.¡± The dwarf¡ªFlint, according to Echo¡ªhops into the back of the ship, undoing the last of the ropes tethering us to the dock. ¡°Everyone grab hold. Good, I see you¡¯ve found the kiddy rails. If you¡¯ve got loose hats or scarves, now¡¯s your opportunity to stuff them in a shirt. Oh, and elf girl,¡± he adds to Noli, ¡°you might want to hold onto that skirt of yours.¡±


    Rezira manages to translate this with one arm hooked around the rail. Noli complies, tying a ribbon around one of her calves and a corner of the skirt.


    ¡°Good.¡± Flint glances over all of us. ¡°Here we go.¡±


    Flint tosses the last rope back onto the dock, then hops up onto the raised platform that the center rails are surrounding. He lifts a hand to the balloon, summons a flame to his fingers, and stokes the fire. The floor shifts beneath my feet, the ship scrapes over the last of the dock, and then we¡¯re off.


    My grip tightens on the rail, butterflies in my soul. Noli giggles nervously, clinging to Rezira, who herself is stiff and silent. Attiru looks much like Noli, a mix of excitement and nerves. Zyneth, meanwhile, is smiling, face turning into the wind, hair stirred by the breeze. Not the faintest hint of a worry in his brows. It might be the most relaxed I¡¯ve ever seen him.


    It really hits me then¡ªthis is why Zyneth left. This is the kind of freedom that called to him. I let my grip on the rail relax a hair. It¡¯s easier to forget about the height when he¡¯s there looking so carefree and at ease. Maybe this ride won¡¯t be so bad.


    Flint jumps back down from the balloon¡¯s burners and retreats to the back of the ship. He summons another fire and holds it before the funnel-looking contraption I¡¯d noticed before. He grabs a nearby brace with his freehand.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he calls up to everyone. ¡°Don¡¯t let go, now.¡±


    The fire in his palm erupts into an inferno, which he points down the funnel. The flames condense as they race through the tube and jet out the other end. The ship lurches forward and the sudden burst of speed presses all of us back. Noli shrieks in delight, and Zyneth barks out a laugh, grabbing the rail with both hands.


    I¡¯m pretty sure the rest of us are downright terrified as our airship rockets into the sky.

 Chapter 125 - The Drifting Isles

    As we blast toward the Drifting Isles, other airships take note. Several peel away after us, and as we get closer, I¡¯m surprised to see we¡¯re actually not the first in the area. Two other ships are floating near the base of the cloud, carving paths through flocks of tiny black specks in the sky.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡± I ask.


    Flint, working on some mechanisms at the back of the airship, doesn¡¯t look up at my question. Maybe he assumes Zyneth was the one who asked it, as I receive no double take for speaking up.


    ¡°Same thing I¡¯m here for,¡± he says. ¡°Going to catch some lizards. Breeders in the southern cities pay a pretty penny for them. Make good messengers, I¡¯ve heard. Some fancies even raise them as pets. Can you believe that?¡±


    As we get closer, the black dots begin to resolve into more distinct shapes. I¡¯d have assumed they were birds if Flint hadn¡¯t just indicated otherwise. I Check them, and Echo confirms they¡¯re wyverns. I¡¯d seen the animals a few times in Harrowood, actually, though only ever in merchants¡¯ cages, never in use. They¡¯re cat-sized dragons, as far as I can tell, with their wings doubling as their front legs.


    ¡°Are they rare?¡± I wonder.


    Flint deploys a net below the hull of our ship. ¡°¡®Round these parts they are. Only ever see them when the Drifting Isles come by, or if a squall off the coast blows a flock in. They eat beetles, I¡¯m told, which don¡¯t live up here. I guess the Isles are teeming with them, though. See?¡±


    Condensation speckles my glass as we pass through the outer edges of the cloud, and steadily, shapes begin to resolve within. A thicket of vines hang from the underside of the Isles, water dripping from the massive structure and turning to rain as it falls. The wyverns are spiraling among the vines and hanging from the greenery like bats. One of the airships passes through, and the creatures scatter with hundreds of chittering noises.


    ¡°Please tell me that¡¯s not our way up,¡± Attiru says, eyeing the vines dubiously.


    I¡¯m prone to agree with them. Even with the void to help give my glass limbs better grip, I am not wild about the idea of climbing up slippery vines which could snap at any moment and plunge us into a hundred-foot drop.


    ¡°What?¡± Flint says. ¡°No, of course not. That would be suicidal. I¡¯ll be dropping you off on its base.¡±


    Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. It¡¯s nice to not be the only one asking dumb questions for once.


    Flint turns his craft, aiming at a nearby flock of wyverns, then begins amping up the speed. The animals pay us no heed until we¡¯re nearly upon them, at which point Flint blasts a flame through the ship¡¯s propulsion system, and the lizards scatter. He hits a second lever next, and the net that¡¯s hanging beneath the ship scoops forward and up, like a sailor catching fish. From the squeaking and scratching coming from beneath our feet, he seems to have caught a couple.


    ¡°Not to interrupt,¡± Zyneth says, ¡°but we would prefer to access the Drifting Isles before the day grows late, if possible.¡±


    ¡°Keep your knickers on,¡± Flint grumbles. ¡°We¡¯ll get there. Just got to snatch up some of the goods before everyone else arrives and it¡¯s all picked over. These opportunities don¡¯t come every day, you know!¡±


    I watch him skeptically. ¡°It didn¡¯t really seem like anyone was aware the Isles were floating by until we pointed it out.¡±


    Flint gives a displeased grunt as he hauls the net up. Three wyverns are struggling to get free. ¡°Not like we can really predict when it will come by, can we? Rinviu flaps their wings, and only they know where the world¡¯s winds might blow. But that¡¯s life in the Stalwart. Seize opportunity when it comes.¡±


    Despite Zyneth¡¯s mounting impatience¡ªonly noticeable by his increasingly pinched brows¡ªFlint continues to fly circles around the base of the Drifting Isles and trap wyverns for another half hour. By then, several more airships have joined us, and it¡¯s started to get crowded.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Flint finally says with a sigh. ¡°I think they¡¯re about picked over at this point. I¡¯ll be taking you up to a place you can disembark now.¡±


    Rezira, who¡¯s remained especially quiet the whole trip, lets out a relieved sigh.


    Our airship peels away from the rest, faint sunlight shining through the cloud as we emerge from beneath the Drifting Isles. Flint takes us up, careful to give the structures within the Isles a comfortable berth. I can¡¯t make out anything directly above us he might run into, but the balloon obscures much of our view overhead, and I guess he¡¯d rather not risk it. Once we¡¯re about fifty feet up, he slowly begins to float us closer to the cloud.


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    It¡¯s strangely tense and quiet as we all look out over the ship¡¯s rail and into the Drifting Isles. It¡¯s still obscured by thick tufts of cloud, but every once in a while the mists part, revealing marble columns and hints of greenery within.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t natural,¡± Flint mutters, hesitantly pushing us closer. ¡°We should be able to see through the clouds this close. Storm magic I reckon.¡±


    We slowly circle around the enormous cloud, Flint pressing us closer when he feels comfortable, and backing off when the cloud protrudes in suspicious shapes. It feels like a game of chicken. At some point, we¡¯re going to need to take a chance and press through¡ªas long as doing so won¡¯t damage the balloon and send us all spiraling to our deaths.


    ¡°There,¡± Zyneth says suddenly, pointing. ¡°There¡¯s a platform in the arm of that cloud beneath us. You should be able to hover over it, and we can drop down to its surface.¡±


    Flint rotates the ship to take a look. There¡¯s a flat cloud beneath us not far ahead. ¡°Don¡¯t see a platform myself. But if you all want to go jumping off, be my guest.¡±


    ¡°Or we could find a more clear entry point,¡± Attiru suggests, nervously eyeing the cloud.


    ¡°We could be circling it for hours without finding another such opportunity,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I¡¯m certain I saw stone there. Trust me.¡±


    I do, at least, but that doesn¡¯t make me any less nervous.


    Flint flies us down to the cloud Zyneth indicated, hovering a dozen feet over the surface. ¡°That¡¯s as close as I¡¯ll risk it,¡± he tells Zyneth, leaving the helm to begin unfurling some ropes along the sides of his craft. ¡°These should reach thirty feet. Should be plenty if your eyes are as good as your looks.¡±


    I stiffen. Excuse me? Is he flirting with Zyneth?


    The predator notices my abrupt irritation and peeks over my proverbial shoulder. It sees I am feeling possessive. Yes, good. No one can be allowed to take our things.


    He¡¯s not¡­ At one point after Zyneth and I became official, I¡¯d attempted to explain the change in our relationship to the predator. Somehow, it had eventually come to the conclusion that Zyneth now belonged to us, despite my repeated attempts to clarify this was not the case.


    I mentally sigh. Oh, shut up. I¡¯m in no mood to argue this one again.


    I snatch up one of the ropes, my annoyance evaporating as I peer over the edge. Yikes. It really does look like we¡¯re about to rappel down onto¡ªand then through¡ªa cloud.


    Everyone but Zyneth appears equally daunted. ¡°Ready?¡± he asks us.


    We are clearly not.


    ¡°Let me try something real quick,¡± I say, withdrawing a handful of glass from my satchel. I gesture it out over the edge of the ship, then float it down beneath us, activating Elemental Radar.


    The spell is designed to create a three-dimensional map of my surroundings¡ªonce my Attuned elements actually have a chance to interact with my surroundings. It had worked pretty well in the ocean, sort of creating a bubble of awareness around me. That same bubble of awareness is now descending through the cloud, which is telling me nothing more than ¡°there¡¯s a whole lot of empty space here.¡±


    Then, I feel it clink against something hard. And just like that, as the dozens of pieces encounter and then sweep over the ground, a smooth stone floor appears in my mind¡¯s eye.


    ¡°I can feel it,¡± I report back. ¡°It¡¯s not too far beneath the cloud¡¯s surface. Solid ground, just like Zyneth said.¡± The drop feels a lot less daunting now that I can semi see what I¡¯d be rappelling toward.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Thank you for the confirmation. Well? See you all on the other side.¡± He flashes me a grin, takes one of the ropes, and leaps off the edge of the ship. My soul lurches as he spins down the line, vanishing into the fog within moments. Only a few seconds later, something kicks one of my pieces of glass. He¡¯s down.


    ¡°All clear!¡± Zyneth¡¯s voice calls back up.


    ¡°Show off,¡± Rezira grumbles, hands still tightly gripping the ship¡¯s rail.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Noli asks her. ¡°I can go after you if you like.¡±


    Attiru is already straddling the side of the ship, tightly clutching the rope and slowly edging themself over the side.


    ¡°We could tie it to you,¡± I suggest to Rezira. ¡°Then help lower you down.¡±


    Rezira gives me a pained look. ¡°Even you¡¯re taking pity on me? This is a low point.¡± She sighs, grabbing two of the ropes. ¡°Let¡¯s get it over with already.¡±


    Noli stays at the top with me, helping to coax her wife over the edge as the orc lets loose a stream of swears under her breath. Attiru vanishes, and then finally Rezira does as well.


    Noli gives me a nervous but excited smile. ¡°Just us left.¡±


    ¡°Race you?¡± I offer, sounding far more confident than I feel.


    Noli laughs. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s!¡± She grabs one rope, and I take another, void overlapping my glass to increase my grip. Noli looks to me.


    I use a second set of signing hands to signal. ¡°Ready¡­ go!¡±


    Terror and exhilaration spike through me as we jump over the side of the airship. Reacting to my fear, the predator takes control of our void before I can object, snatching at the rope spinning beneath our feet so I can wrap my legs around it. It realizes a moment later that there¡¯s amusement mixed in with my fear. It has absolutely no idea what to make of this. How can a threat to our mortality be fun?


    Noli vanishes beneath me in an impressive display of dexterity I really should have seen coming. It¡¯s not even going to be close. I descend after her at a much more leisurely pace, focusing on all the bits of my body moving in ways I¡¯ve never really needed to move them before. I¡¯m right at the top of the cloud when a blast of wind hits us.


    Flint¡¯s airship whips to the side, and half a second later I¡¯m snapped after it, the rope nearly yanked from my grasp. I squeeze onto the rope, the predator likewise anchoring us; this fear is devoid of all amusement. This fear, it understands.


    The airship bobs, righting itself as I swing beneath it and out away from the cloud. I¡¯m abruptly met with a heart-stopping view of a valley hundreds of feet below.


    A roar bellows from a nearby cloud. The mist there swirls, disturbed by the buffet of air. And within that vortex, a great head emerges. Sky-blue and serpentine, tongue flicking at the air, the creature parts its jaws to reveal the carnivorous fangs within.

 Chapter 126 - Sky Serpent

    [Check: Level 32 Amphiptere. Typically located in alpine climates, these winged, legless reptiles primarily feed on birds and deer. As solitary creatures, they can be known to be highly territorial.]


    The amphiptere¡¯s head cranes out of its alcove, blue and white plumage ruffling down its pebbly skin. Its jaws are easily big enough to swallow me whole. It¡¯s the brightly colored balloon on Flint¡¯s craft that has its attention, though. The creature slithers from the rocks, head staying level and tuned on the balloon while the rest of its coils drop to the ledge below. Clouds scatter in its wake, and I hear someone cry out. Between the swirling mists, I can make out Zyneth and the others on the same ledge. The amphiptere stands between them and the rest of the Isles. At their backs, the ledge drops away to nothing but thin air.


    I take in all of this in about five seconds: coincidentally, the time it takes for my rope to swing back toward the amphiptere. The serpent¡¯s eyes slide down to me.


    I don¡¯t have time to make a plan. I let go of the rope, flinging myself toward the platform. But I¡¯m too far away, or not at the right angle, or lack the momentum¡ªwhatever the cause, I can tell I¡¯m not going to make it. Panic spikes through me. I focus on my glass and yank it as hard as I can toward the ledge. Still not enough¡ª


    The predator locks up our void and throws its weight into the push. We fly like a dart toward the platform, crash into its surface, and go rolling. A flurry of minor bludgeoning damage notifications pass through our mind.


    The amphiptere¡¯s head swivels after us, our aerial acrobatics distracting it from the balloon. Flint is already beating a hasty retreat. Good. Which just leaves¡­


    Well, the rest of us, only feet away from the belly of the beast.


    The serpent snaps toward us, jaws wide. Glass and void jump into shape around us, forming several limbs and even a Shade Scythe. We tense, waiting to strike the moment it¡¯s in range¡ª


    A dagger slams into the creature¡¯s jaw, closely followed by three arrows in rapid succession. The amphiptere shrieks, flinching back. Its wings spread, flapping in alarm. The wind blasts into us with unnatural force, sending us skidding back toward the ledge. We dig our claws in for purchase, glass screeching over stone. Behind us, the others are also caught in the gust. Rezira has planted herself against the wind and grabbed Noli; Zyneth is down on a knee, bracing, and the last¡ª


    Attiru stumbles back, caught off guard. We snap one of our limbs out, grabbing their wrist and yanking them forward and onto the ground.


    [...cane Guardian activ¡­]


    Strength flows through our magic, and we use two more of our limbs to grab and help root the others as well. The wind passes only a few seconds later as the amphiptere¡¯s wings land back on our ledge, shaking the stone. It hisses, craning over us in anger.


    We let go of the others, stabbing toward the serpent instead. It snaps, and our limbs catch in its mouth. We grab the fangs and attempt to force the jaws open, but the force of its bite is so intense and sudden that it snaps shut around our limbs. It jerks its head back.


    Uh oh.


    We¡¯re already letting go as it yanks us off our feet. Our Shade Scythe slashes across its mouth, and the amphiptere flinches back, jaws parted, dropping us to the ground. Luckily we¡¯d only been pulled a few feet into the air at that point, but it was a near thing.


    ¡°Kanin, back!¡± Zyneth shouts, already racing up behind me.


    Retreat? Indignation swells within us. No, that is not our nature! We are not prey.


    Yet we hold ourself back from pursuing the serpent, our limbs still poised, ready to strike, but hesitating.


    That few seconds is all Zyneth needs to race past us and slam a glowing yellow hand into the side of the serpent. Lightning explodes from his palm.


    The amphiptere convulses as tongues of electricity crackle along its body. Its tail spasms, jerking our way. We jump back into motion once more. Springing to Zyneth first, we grab him around his stomach, causing him to let out a surprised yelp, then leverage all the rest of our limbs beneath us, and push hard against the ground. We leap over the amphiptere¡¯s tail as it smacks into its own side, impacting the place Zyneth had been moments before. We land on the other side, darting back to the others.


    Zyneth¡¯s electricity vanishes the second his hand is pulled away. The amphiptere goes limp, and the creature collapses to the ground like a slack rope. Abruptly, the scene is still, and the quiet is only punctuated by heavy breaths.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Attiru says, voice shaky. We¡¯re not sure if they¡¯re talking about the amphiptere or us.


    [...vel up!] More words and numbers crackle irritatingly through our mind, which we ignore for now.


    Zyneth exhales, patting the limb we have wrapped around his core. ¡°You can let go of me now.¡±


    We dissolve the limb into its void and glass constituents, likewise banishing the Shade Scythe and other impromptu limbs. Okay. That¡¯s enough. Time to separate.


    ¡°Thanks for the assist,¡± Zyneth says, still keeping an eye on the amphiptere.


    We sit back, no longer paying attention to anything external. Come on. Our mind gently tries to pull away, but doesn¡¯t force it.


    But we don¡¯t want to separate. That was fun! Okay, maybe we do understand how danger can be fun. But this place is dangerous; we would remain safer like this.


    That wasn¡¯t the agreement. And there¡¯s no danger now.


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    ¡°Kanin?¡± Zyneth asks, hovering nearby. ¡°Do you need help?¡±


    Gathering our wits, we shake our head. ¡°No. Working on it.¡± Then we pointedly turn our attention back inward.


    With a grumpy reluctance, the predator lets go. Our minds come apart slowly, but without pain.


    We¡¯re going to need to have a conversation about boundaries, I think at the predator. It responds with an impression of confusion.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I tell Zyneth, looking up at him. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    Relief softens his worried expression, and he offers me a hand. I take it, letting him pull me to my feet.


    A tremor goes through his grip, and now that I¡¯m paying attention, his breaths are measured, like he¡¯s carefully trying to keep them slow and quiet.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask quietly.


    He nods. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Had to put more into that spell than I thought.¡± He flashes me a reassuring smile. ¡°Just don¡¯t go expecting me to bust out another one today.¡±


    As we rejoin the others, it¡¯s hard not to notice that they¡¯re all giving me careful looks. Not a surprise, really. I try to read Noli¡¯s expression, but can¡¯t figure it out.


    ¡°Everyone alright?¡± I ask with no small amount of awkwardness.


    ¡°Are you?¡± Rezira replies.


    All I can do is stand there, enduring the stares. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Zyneth cuts in before the discomfort can fully settle over us. ¡°We need to get moving. The creature is paralyzed, but not dead.¡±


    That pulls Rezira¡¯s attention away from me. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we finish it off?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± Zyneth admits, heading around toward the amphiptere¡¯s head. ¡°Its corpse would attract scavengers, while its living presence might keep smaller predators away.¡± He yanks the knife he¡¯d thrown into the serpent¡¯s cheek from its hide. Then he works at Noli¡¯s three arrows, which are sticking from its face like porcupine quills.


    ¡°Zyneth is right,¡± Noli signs after a moment, heading over to help with the arrows. ¡°I prefer to hunt only what I intend to eat¡ªkilling this would be such a waste. Besides,¡± she adds, her face suddenly pinched with worry. ¡°What if it has babies!¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°I believe it¡¯s male.¡±


    Rezira pointedly does not interpret this.


    Zyneth wipes off his knives, and Noli checks over her arrows, and then we¡¯re all picking our way around and over the coils of the serpent, finally moving away from the edge of the Drifting Isles.


    Zyneth takes the lead, insisting on checking the ground for stability or any potential traps, while Rezira takes up the rear. Noli falls in line beside me, and Attiru lags behind the two of us. Their continued silence doesn¡¯t escape me.


    Noli turns to me. ¡°So that was the predator?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I sign. ¡°Sorry I wasn¡¯t able to give any warning.¡±


    She shakes her head as if that was a silly thing to say. ¡°The sky serpent didn¡¯t give us one! Goodness, when you let go of that rope, I nearly had a heart attack! I thought for sure you were going to fall.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°Me, too. Remind me never to do ropes again.¡± I¡¯m better off just working with the predator and trying to float myself wherever.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like that,¡± Noli admits, and at first I think she¡¯s still talking about my near miss. ¡°Those glass and shadow limbs. They look kind of like tentacles, don¡¯t they?¡±


    I inwardly grimace. I¡¯ve noticed the same thing, and I¡¯m fairly sure the preference is something the predator picked up from all the time we spent on the Prismatic.


    ¡°And there were six of them,¡± Noli adds. She grins brightly, then holds her thumb and pointer finger apart as if referencing something small. ¡°Just like me!¡±


    Her clockwork body. That¡¯s right, it had been shaped like a squat octopus with only six limbs. Huh. Had that also been subconsciously affecting how many limbs we formed? Now I¡¯m not sure.


    Noli drops back to say something to her wife, and I relax a little. She¡¯s not scared after all. Granted, that entire fight had maybe lasted thirty seconds, so it wasn¡¯t like she had much of an opportunity to see or interact with the predator. But the unspoken support she just gave me is nice. Comforting.


    Attiru steps up beside me next, quickly dampening my relief. They¡¯re rubbing their wrist.


    ¡°Sorry I grabbed you like that,¡± I say. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    Attiru removes their hand, showing their wrist; it looks a bit swollen and scuffed. ¡°I¡¯ll get Rezira to take a look at it later,¡± they say. ¡°But actually, I wanted to thank you. I think you saved my life. I¡¯m not sure if anyone else even noticed I nearly fell.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± That¡¯s not where I expected this conversation to go, either. ¡°Sure. Of course.¡± I hesitate. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ um. I mean, I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s pretty creepy looking.¡±


    Attiru laughs quietly. ¡°If you¡¯re asking me if I was scared, yes, absolutely. When I saw that shadow stabbing toward me, just for a moment, it threw me back to Peakshadow.¡± They grab their shoulder and massage it with their thumb. ¡°But that fear was pretty well overshadowed by the terror of falling a thousand feet to my death. And as soon as it pulled me back toward solid ground, I knew this was different. So, thank you.¡±


    There¡¯s an aching lump in my soul. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    They give me a crooked smile. ¡°Next time, just don¡¯t grab my writing hand.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind during the next death-defying circumstance.¡±


    Attiru¡¯s smile falls. ¡°Gods be good, I hope there¡¯s not more like that. I think I¡¯ve already had my fill.¡±


    ¡°Zyneth did try to warn you not to come,¡± I say, amused.


    Attiru grimaces. ¡°Alright, no need to rub it in.¡±


    Then, as if we all passed over some invisible threshold, the clouds around us peel away. Our surroundings abruptly come into focus, and we stop, taking in the view.


    Blindingly white clouds swirl around us like we¡¯re in the eye of a hurricane, a spot of clear blue sky far, far above. Before us is a green valley, complete with a waterfall and lake, smaller clouds like sheep drifting over its surface. But the real view is above us. It¡¯s like someone took a hammer to a sheet of land, then suspended all those broken pieces in the air above it. Some are as small as houses, others at least a mile across, each of them laced together with tree roots and vines like a spiral staircase to the heavens. The waterfall on our lowest level pours down from several layers above.


    And then there¡¯s the ruins. The remains of marble-like structures protrude from the landscape, crumbled and overgrown. There¡¯s some shapes and hillsides that look like they might have been mammoth statues at one point, and in fact some of the floating rocks above appear to be the remnants of a hand, or shield, or sandaled foot.


    Rezira gives an appreciative whistle. ¡°They don¡¯t call it the Drifting Isles for nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Noli agrees.


    ¡°I¡¯d read accounts of it before, but never could have imagined such majesty.¡± Attiru slips a small notebook out of their pocket and, despite their earlier complaints, begins jotting some notes on the pages within.


    ¡°It¡¯s all those things,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°And, while it seems redundant to say so now, it¡¯s also important to remember it¡¯s incredibly dangerous. Please don¡¯t forget to keep your wits about you.¡± He crouches at that point, slinging his pack off his shoulder. I stop by his side to watch.


    Zyneth removes a loose sheet marked with a spell circle and the wooden box Vardi had given him. Carefully opening the box, he removes the scrap of cloth and sets it on the spell circle. Touching a finger to the lines, the circle glows, and the paper folds around the cloth like living origami.


    When it stops, it¡¯s become a bowl, and the cloth appears to be floating atop an invisible body of water. The cloth has also been folded into a rough arrow shape, which is now swiveling around like the needle of a compass. A three-dimensional compass, as it flips up and down as well as spinning left and right.


    For a moment, it quivers to a stop, pointing straight at me. Zyneth tips his head, giving me a curious look. I take a nervous step to the side, and the arrow follows. Then, as if losing my track, the arrow swivels away, finally locking in on something both ahead and above us.


    Zyneth packs the box away and stands, moving the bowl around to confirm it doesn¡¯t change targets again, but it adamantly continues to point toward a spot high in the clouds.


    ¡°Well, then.¡± Zyneth surveys the rest of us. ¡°I guess we better get started.¡±

 Chapter 127 - Maps and Ink

    As we strike out into the Drifting Isles, I examine the new stats I earned from my latest level up. Between this and all the glass magic I¡¯ve been doing with Caecius, I¡¯m actually starting to feel like a contributing member of the team.


    [Name: Kanin]


    [Class: Arcane Attendant]


    [Level: 24]


    [HP: 10/10]


    [Temp HP: 362]


    [Mana: 450/450]


    [Role: Homunculus]


    Zyneth is at level 35, according to Echo, and Noli is 31. At my current rate of growth, I¡¯m not far from catching up to those guys now. But Rezira is only 24, and Attiru is 23. I wonder if that¡¯s because they¡¯re not fighters. They both have magic, though, which should level them up no differently from physical combat. Maybe since they¡¯re not part of Echo¡¯s System, their stats are evaluated differently. It¡¯s all so strange.


    The Drifting Isles, however, are beautiful. More bird-sized wyverns swirl in colorful flocks through the air, and small mouse-like creatures that shimmer like precious stones scatter through the grass before us as we walk. Sometimes we hike up rocky paths. Other times we have to climb vines to summit floating boulders. We forge through tall grass, and walk through the empty remains of marble buildings. The path itself is a vertical maze, and more than once we have to turn back when the path of floating rocks unexpectedly doesn¡¯t connect to the next isle we¡¯re trying to reach. At least we don¡¯t run into any predators, ignoring the initial encounter with the amphiptere, (and, okay, the one stuck to my soul). Zyneth assures me, however, they¡¯re around.


    Between casual chats are spans of pleasant silence, everyone within their own thoughts and likely focused on saving their breath. At this altitude, even Zyneth needs to pause and catch his breath every once in a while.


    I use these quiet moments to speak with the predator.


    I can¡¯t keep arguing with you every time we need to separate, I tell it.


    The predator doesn¡¯t know what I mean. We don¡¯t argue every time. It relinquishes control back to me each dawn without dispute.


    Okay, let me be more precise, I think. Any time we fuse during the day, when it¡¯s unexpected. I don¡¯t want to have to fight you at the end of those sessions. You should just hand control back over as soon as I ask.


    The predator grumbles about this. Why? I don¡¯t object when it takes control in the first place.


    Well you usually don¡¯t give me much of a warning or opportunity to object, I point out.


    The predator disagrees. I could still fight it if I wanted to. But since I don¡¯t, I must be okay with it.


    Okay, no. I have a sudden impulse to massage my temples. That¡¯s awful reasoning. We need to work on your concept of ¡®consent.¡¯


    But if it needs to ask before a fight, it might be too late. It won¡¯t stand by and let us be attacked.


    Then let¡¯s hash out the details now, I think. Agree to everything in advance. Like the agreement we made with splitting time.


    This intrigues the predator. That means it will have more opportunities to share control?


    Probably, I admit.


    And then, I stop. Out of nowhere, it¡¯s hitting me that I¡¯m agreeing to work with this creature. Not out of compromise or desperation, but because somehow, somewhere along the way, I¡¯ve developed a modicum of trust in it. Perhaps even an understanding. Not that it doesn¡¯t still make me nervous¡ªit certainly does. And I also don¡¯t think it¡¯s developed any semblance of morality. But I can trust it to act consistently, and between that and puzzling out what it¡¯s motivated by, it¡¯s become easier to steer its actions.


    When did this shift take place? And was it a shift in my perspective, or the predator¡¯s actions?


    Maybe both.


    The predator nudges me, noticing I¡¯m distracted. Even that gesture shows how far it¡¯s come. No malice. It¡¯s not yanking my attention back. It¡¯s just waiting to see what my offer is.


    You can jump in if I¡¯m in trouble, I tell it, turning back to the conversation at hand. You¡¯ve already been doing that anyway. But now I¡¯m giving you permission. See the difference?


    No, not particularly.


    Well. So much for the progress I was just giving it credit for.


    But once we¡¯re out of danger, if I want control back, you have to hand it over, I tell it. No arguments. No holding back. I will fight you for it, if I have to, but I¡¯d rather not. Especially considering that might tear more of my memories away.


    The predator mulls this over. What if we are out of danger and I do not ask for control back? Then can we stay merged longer?


    I pause to think this over before responding. There might be cases where just because we¡¯re out of immediate danger doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t need the predator¡¯s help. Or if danger is likely to resurface, it could be to our benefit to stay merged.


    Fine, I agree. If I don¡¯t ask for control back then we can continue to share it, whether or not we¡¯re in danger. But as soon as I change my mind, you need to comply.


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    Unlike me, the predator doesn¡¯t need time to think this over before responding. It happily agrees.


    Suspicious that it agreed a little too quickly, I go prodding to figure out why. It wasn¡¯t being deceitful, however; it¡¯s just pleased it will be getting more opportunities to fuse. It believes that this agreement means I will be willing to work with it more frequently. It might not be wrong about that, either.


    Only a few more hours pass before Zyneth calls for us to stop for the day and set up a camp.


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a cave up ahead,¡± he says, nodding to a rocky hillside. The level we¡¯re on now, (still dishearteningly close to the level we came in on due to all the backtracking), is shaped like a bowl that¡¯s been cut in half. I wonder if this, too, had been part of some ancient structure, now buried beneath greenery and time.


    ¡°No,¡± Noli signs. ¡°We should avoid caves. It could be another amphiptere lair. We should give it a wide berth and sleep out here¡ªperhaps in one of the building remains.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t that be more exposed?¡± Attiru asks, nervous.


    ¡°We can take watches,¡± Noli suggests.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± I sign. ¡°I can keep watch the whole night.¡±


    The predator actually seems to prefer work like this anyway. It had delighted in protecting the Prismatic when we were back in the Emerald Sea, taking great pleasure in attacking anything that threatened its territory. It had also enjoyed prowling around the lodge outside of Peakshadow when the others had camped there, keeping an eye out for any sign of undead. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d describe its behavior as protective, but it was at least¡­ possessive. Which, again, not great, but at least it¡¯s a motivation I can channel into something productive.


    Meanwhile, it found its nightly outings when we were in Harrowood boring by comparison. There was no goal. No objective. Nothing to defend from another predator. No stakes.


    ¡°Well,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Only if you¡¯re sure.¡±


    ¡°Quite sure.¡± Even aside from the predator enjoying it, giving it a task makes me feel better, too. I¡¯d rather it be preoccupied with something than left to create entertainment of its own.


    Zyneth tips his head to Noli. ¡°Then I defer to your expertise.¡±


    Noli leads us through a cluster of stone buildings where little more than foundation remains. She picks one that has two walls still standing. Well, they¡¯re waist-high walls, anyway. Inside, everyone begins setting their packs down, stretching, and laying out food for dinner. I set my bag down as well, then go gather sticks for their fire.


    I try to help with camp where I can. Even if none of it is for me. Not the beds, not the food, not the warmth.


    But the company could be worse.


    As dinner is cooking and the Drifting Isles grow dim, Attiru takes out some paper and begins to work.


    ¡°Is that for your tracking spell?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Just a general map, actually.¡± Attiru touches the page, a green ripple passing over the paper, then starts sketching out shapes. ¡°It would be a missed opportunity to not document the layout while I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°When will you set up your tracker?¡± I ask. ¡°To link it to your other map.¡±


    ¡°Not sure,¡± Attiru says, still focused on their drawing. ¡°If it gets destroyed, then I¡¯ll be back to square one, so I¡¯d like to find somewhere I can set it up that will be fairly secure or secluded.¡± They touch another finger to the parchment, it flashes green again, and their drawing vanishes. Then they start a new one.


    ¡°How about Raven,¡± Noli suggests. ¡°They¡¯re black and spooky.¡±


    I groan, dropping my head back against Zyneth¡¯s arm. He rumbles with quiet laughter. ¡°I¡¯m not naming the predator Raven, Noli.¡±


    ¡°Well you must name it something,¡± she says. ¡°This has gone on quite long enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s got so many limbs, like an octopus,¡± Attiru absently adds, still not looking up from their work. ¡°Could call it something along those lines.¡±


    ¡°Like Squid!¡± Noli signs.


    Zyneth snorts. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m somewhat partial to the ones that harken back to its shadowy appearance. Like Dusk.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not you, too,¡± I grumble.


    He grins. Firelight catches on the gold freckles that dot his cheeks.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been rather silent on the subject,¡± I note, gesturing to Rezira. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of naming it at all,¡± she says, pausing to stir the pot of stew that¡¯s warming on the fire. ¡°It¡¯s not a person.¡±


    I don¡¯t disagree with her. Zyneth even had to talk me into considering a name, and even then, only because of Noli. But the idea has grown on me. Noli¡¯s right that the current way we talk about it is clunky.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s not a person,¡± I say. ¡°But it does think. And feel. And eat things, even.¡±


    ¡°So, an animal,¡± Rezira grunts.


    I shrug. ¡°People give animals names, too. Though, I¡¯d say likening it to an animal is underestimating its intelligence.¡±


    Rezira frowns, clearly disliking this conversation. ¡°Fine. Whatever. Why don¡¯t you ask it what it wants to be called, then?¡±


    The question was thrown out in an intentionally dismissive way, but it gives me pause. Noli and Zyneth look thoughtful, too.


    ¡°Have you ever asked it that?¡± Zyneth wonders.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± I admit. It had actually never even occurred to me.


    Rezira gives me a skeptical look. ¡°You¡¯re really considering it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no harm in asking,¡± I say.


    She just shakes her head, returning to tending to the stew. ¡°It would probably pick something like Killer.¡±


    Well, as I said, couldn¡¯t hurt to ask.


    The predator rouses when I poke at it. Oh, good. It¡¯s almost night. Will we start early?


    Not quite, I say. I try to share with it the gist of the conversation we¡¯d been having. I¡¯ve talked with it about names before. The way we¡¯re able to communicate is more abstract than words. The predator understands concepts; memories are the easiest for it to parse. Names still feel somewhat elusive to it, though it does understand at least it¡¯s a short descriptor used to refer to an individual.


    So, what about you? I venture. Is there a way you want to be referred to?


    The predator thinks about this. It comes back with a concept: Killer.


    Okay, well, I¡¯m not telling Rezira about that.


    Vetoed, I think. Try again.


    It offers several more equally murderous alternatives. Alright, maybe this wasn¡¯t the best idea after all.


    Anything that doesn¡¯t involve death and evisceration? I ask.


    An accurate way to refer to itself that doesn¡¯t involve hunting or fighting? That does not leave it many options.


    But it snags on something Zyneth had suggested earlier: a visual association. It roots through my mind, which is not a particularly pleasant sensation. I don¡¯t rebuff it, though. It¡¯s looking for something.


    It emerges with two brief memories.


    The first is from half a year ago, not long after I arrived on this world. It¡¯s a view of myself, of my small glass vial half filled with void.


    The second is a more recent memory: the predator watching Attiru work on their map, uncorking a bottle of ink to scrawl over the page. I¡¯m saying to it, That¡¯s what Noli and I thought you were, originally.


    Ink? I ask, surprised. That¡¯s what you want to be called?


    It responds with mild indifference. It is an accurate short descriptor, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Huh. Well,¡± I say to the others. Noli leans in. ¡°It¡¯s suggesting Ink as a name.¡±


    ¡°Ink?¡± Zyneth repeats, surprised.


    Attiru doesn¡¯t look up from their drawing, though they do pause, rolling their quill between their fingers. ¡°Like an inkwell?¡±


    ¡°Or like squid ink,¡± Noli signs, delighted. ¡°See! I said Squid was a good idea.¡±


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s a variety of fitting interpretations.¡± Zyneth chuckles. ¡°Obsidian, too.¡±


    I tip my head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Ink glass.¡± Zyneth leans to the side to unsheathe his knife. The firelight glints off the blade like there¡¯s a fire within it, too. ¡°It¡¯s another name for obsidian.¡±


    Right, Echo had mentioned that, too. Even I have to admit it¡¯s rather fitting. I share these comparisons with the predator as well. It enjoys the squid association. It can respect a creature with so many powerful limbs.


    ¡°Is that what we¡¯re calling it, then?¡± I ask. ¡°Ink?¡±


    Attiru shrugs, getting back to work. ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°I do, too!¡± Noli signs.


    Rezira rolls her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that decision is up to us,¡± Zyneth says.


    Ink. I try to think of the predator that way, and it¡¯s hard. It¡¯s been nameless for a long time.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take some getting used to,¡± I admit.


    Then again, I¡¯m no stranger to change.

 Chapter 128 - What’s in a Name

    Our next bout with danger happens the second day on the Drifting Isles. A swarm of oversized hornets attacks when we stumble upon their nest, though thankfully their increased size makes them easier targets. Noli picks them off with her arrows, and Zyneth cuts through any that make it close. I stand by, ready to support if needed, but the nest retreats before I can join the action. The predator¡ªer, Ink¡ªis disappointed by the lack of murder, but I assure it we¡¯re certain to have more opportunities as we climb.


    The third day passes without incident. Attiru delights in fleshing out their three-dimensional map of the Drifting Isles, and Zyneth and I work on ways to improve the artificed spells on his dagger, now that its existence is no longer a secret. He¡¯s pleased that he can test its strength against stone, and I can fix any bits of glass that chip off, since the dagger is made of glass I¡¯ve Attuned.


    ¡°This significantly expedites the process of trial and error,¡± he remarks.


    We spend much of day four practicing and learning signs. Noli seems to delight in Zyneth and Attiru¡¯s interest in becoming more fluent, and I¡¯m happy to find I¡¯m able to help teach as well¡ªat least as long as the conversation remains relatively basic. Attiru just seems to delight in learning anything new. Zyneth, I think, is motivated by wanting to be able to speak with me if my translator ever breaks. The gesture summons a swell of affection in me.


    As Noli works with the others, I fall back to walk with Rezira. She¡¯s been quieter than usual our entire trip. Something¡¯s bothering her, and it doesn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to figure out what that is.


    ¡°So. How are you doing?¡± I speak aloud rather than sign.


    She gives me a critical look. ¡°I don¡¯t do small talk. What do you actually want to ask?¡±


    As blunt as ever I see. ¡°Okay. I wanted to talk about your attitude.¡±


    If looks could kill, I¡¯d have just been sent back Between.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she snaps.


    ¡°That, for one,¡± I say. ¡°The hostility. Look, I know we¡¯ve never been best friends, but if I¡¯ve done something to piss you off, I¡¯d like to know.¡±


    Rezira looks irritated. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything to piss me off.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you acting like you hate me?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± Rezira prods me in my chest. ¡°I hate what¡¯s inside of you.¡±


    Yeah, that makes sense. ¡°Because of what the predator¡ªInk¡ªdid to Noli?¡±


    Rezira shakes her head. ¡°You can¡¯t even keep the name straight. Why are you trying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s weird,¡± I agree. ¡°But Noli¡¯s the one who wanted to give it a name.¡±


    ¡°Kanin, she gives rocks names.¡±


    That wouldn¡¯t surprise me, actually. ¡°A name is harmless,¡± I say. ¡°And look, I wasn¡¯t really wild about the idea originally either. But when we were at Trenevalt¡¯s cabin, Noli indicated that she wanted to face her fears. I think naming it is part of that. It¡¯s kind of helping me do the same. It feels a little less alien now.¡±


    Rezira¡¯s frown only deepens. ¡°That¡¯s what I don¡¯t like. I don¡¯t want it to feel more understandable. It tried to kill her.¡± Her voice gets quiet. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s ready to forgive, but I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡±


    She gives me a skeptical look.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± I insist. ¡°Don¡¯t forgive it. Fine. That¡¯s your choice. I haven¡¯t forgiven it either. I¡¯ve found ways to work with it. I¡¯ve made compromises, and we¡¯ve made agreements. I¡¯m stuck with it, so I don¡¯t really have a choice but to find a way to make this work.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I have to forgive it for the lives it took. For what it forced me to do. I can move forward and still find its actions inexcusable.¡± I pause, trying to figure out how to wrap up my thoughts. ¡°So, yeah. You can still be angry at it, but that doesn¡¯t mean you need to be such an ass to me.¡±


    Rezira stares at me, then she snorts. ¡°Sometimes you say stuff that makes you seem smarter than you look.¡±


    ¡°Right back at you.¡±


    To my surprise, she snickers at that, slapping a hand across my back. I stumble forward, and only the predator¡ªInk¡ªkeeps me from falling. It flares indignantly at the blatant attack, but I manage to settle it back down.


    Ink. Ink. Why is that so hard to adjust to?


    On the seventh morning, not long after we¡¯ve summited another floating ledge, Zyneth finally has good news.


    ¡°The arrow is leveling off,¡± he says, examining his Locate spell. ¡°Our artifact is probably on this level or the next one. We might be able to recover it before nightfall.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Do we know what we¡¯re looking for, yet?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, no,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Without anything else to go off of, I probably won¡¯t know what it is until I¡¯m standing on top of it. Literally, in this case.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that means I need to find a secure location to establish my tracker spell sooner rather than later,¡± Attiru says. They¡¯d originally wanted to put their tracker in a cave of some sort, to keep it out of the elements, but Noli had argued against it. Caves were never just caves, in her experience. You could count on something living there.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to start being less picky,¡± they say with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for something suitable and let you know.¡±


    Zyneth routinely checks his spell as we cross the rocky plateau. The cloth-turned-arrow begins to tip up the further we go, indicating the artifact likely is one more level above us.


    Trees have grown through the stone ruins, carrying chunks of rock up and into their branches. It¡¯s a bizarre sight, but Echo identifies the rocks as cloudstone, which have some sort of lighter-than-air quality to them. A byproduct of the storm arcana suffusing the Ruins, it seems.


    ¡°Perhaps I should just pick one of these dilapidated buildings and be done with it,¡± Attiru muses, eyeing the nearby stone remains of a town.


    ¡°We could also look for something on the next level,¡± Zyneth suggests. ¡°It seems that¡¯s where our goal is. Perhaps wherever we recover the artifact from would be a good candidate for planting your tracker spell. If it¡¯s been all this time and no one has picked it up, then I would expect for it to be well hidden.¡±


    ¡°Or it¡¯s somewhere highly dangerous,¡± Attiru points out. They shake their head. ¡°I¡¯ll find something on this level before we ascend. Let¡¯s go investigate those ruins up ahead.¡±


    After a few hours of exploring the broken remnants of the city, they eventually settle on a patch of stone that might once have been a courtyard. Low walls surround the square, and a giant slab of stone hovers overhead, rooted by vines like a tethered balloon.


    ¡°This should suffice,¡± Attiru says, crouching to run their hand across the rock. ¡°That floating stone slab overhead looks like it¡¯s sheltered this area from the weather, a bit. Not sure any of my spells will last forever, but this should at least last my lifetime, assuming nothing catastrophic happens.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, now you¡¯ve gone and cursed it,¡± I say as Attiru begins to unpack some paper and brushes. The others set down their bags, too, rubbing their necks and stretching their arms. ¡°I¡¯ve got a terrible track record with Ruins and catastrophes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only been to one other Ruin,¡± Zyneth says.


    ¡°Right. And it was a catastrophe.¡±


    Attiru dips a brush into a bottle of ink and carefully begins to paint a spell circle on the ground.


    Rezira has stopped interpreting our banter, I notice, because Noli is turned away from our group. She¡¯s looking out across the field.


    I try to follow her gaze, but don¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary. Heading over to her side, I touch her arm. She glances at me.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask.


    Noli shakes her head. ¡°Not sure. I thought I saw movement back toward that cave we passed earlier. I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on it since, but nothing¡¯s happened. Maybe it was just my¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say imagination,¡± I tease.


    She smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I see anything else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Ink keep watch, too,¡± I sign. It¡¯s already picked up on my unease and is carefully watching our surroundings.


    Noli brightens. ¡°Thank you! Tell it it¡¯s a very good boy for me.¡±


    ¡°I am not going to do that,¡± I sign flatly. ¡°Also, it¡¯s not a boy. Or a dog.¡±


    ¡°I bet it likes head pats,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Everything likes head pats.¡±


    I just walk away.


    With Ink on alert, I curiously watch Attiru as they work. I don¡¯t recognize almost any of the runes they¡¯ve added to their spell circle. I guess it¡¯s a different set from what I¡¯ve needed to learn for artificing. Not to mention, their affinity is wood and water¡ªit couldn¡¯t be any further from glass and void. But I still Inspect what they¡¯re doing as they do it, interested to find they¡¯re repeating a lot of the same runes and spell circle designs on their maps as they¡¯re drawing on the stone. They pause every once in a while to channel magic into certain parts of the spell circle before it¡¯s even complete: another technique I¡¯ve never seen before.


    Ink catches a flicker of movement across the field. My vision is on in every pane of my head¡ªit has been since we first landed on the Drifting Isles¡ªso I switch focus from Attiru to the scenery behind us. Noli straightens up. She must have seen it, too.


    What is it? I ask.


    It¡¯s not sure. It saw something bob out of the tall grass for only a moment. I wait, and Ink waits, but nothing else moves for another ten minutes. Then, we see something again.


    A shadow dropping down from a tree to the ground, vanishing into the underbrush. It¡¯s across the field, but not where Ink caught the first flicker of movement. I attempt a Check, but by the time I try, Echo reports nothing is in line of sight. Nervously, I head back over to Noli. Zyneth and Rezira join us, both clearly catching onto our tense body language.


    ¡°I saw it, too,¡± Noli signs. ¡°And a third one, over there.¡± She points south of the other two flickers of movements. Neither Ink or I had seen that one.


    ¡°A pack of something?¡± Zyneth guesses.


    ¡°The sightings have been too far apart to be the same creature,¡± Noli agrees. ¡°And if we¡¯ve seen three, there¡¯s certain to be more.¡±


    ¡°We should get out of here,¡± Rezira signs, nervously glancing around the field. ¡°I don¡¯t like this. We¡¯re too exposed.¡±


    Ink agrees. It¡¯s on edge. It doesn¡¯t like knowing there are other predators in the area, and it¡¯s only meant to sit here and wait for them to close in. It wants to be out there in the field, launching the first strike before they have the chance to do the same. I can feel its void stirring in agitation¡ªit wants to seize control¡ªbut I firmly hold it at bay. For now, anyway.


    ¡°Attiru,¡± I call. ¡°How much longer?¡±


    ¡°Just another minute,¡± they say haltingly. ¡°Almost there.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I ask Noli and Zyneth.


    ¡°We can afford to wait,¡± Noli signs. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s approaching slowly. And I¡¯d rather not start wading through the grass again without knowing what might be waiting within.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Zyneth says. ¡°Once Attiru is ready to move, I can launch another static attack and hopefully paralyze whatever¡¯s out there. We will need to move quickly after that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Rezira mutters.


    I can¡¯t help but agree.


    The four of us fan out around our little island of stone, watching each direction something might come from. Even though I can see in each of these directions at once, I also remove a few pieces of signing glass and send them to hover at various points beneath the slab of stone overhead, hoping to increase my vantage point.


    Between the panes of glass in my head, and the ones I¡¯m stationing as sentries in the air, I¡¯m basically seeing through ten eyes at once. It¡¯s a little disorienting¡ªespecially when any of the floating glass wobbles from a breeze, causing a portion of my vision to bob and swivel. Ink doesn¡¯t mind it, though. If anything, it thinks we should be using vision like this all the time. It has no trouble splitting its attention ten ways. I don¡¯t fully allow our minds to merge, but I do lean on its perspective, its ability to multitask, to keep from being overwhelmed by motion sickness.


    ¡°Over here,¡± Zyneth calls, at the same time I notice the grass in his direction waver.


    Only a few seconds after that, Rezira also calls back. ¡°Here, too.¡±


    I¡¯d left an extra set of signing hands by Noli, and I use these to communicate the two new sightings. They¡¯re coming from opposite directions.


    Noli whips her head either way. ¡°They¡¯re surrounding us. I¡¯ve changed my mind. We should get out of here. Tell Zyneth to use his lightning attack.¡±


    I¡¯m about to relay her message when I catch yet another flicker of movement. Not from somewhere out in the field, but from overhead.


    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± I say as a beast darts down from the stone that¡¯s floating over our heads.


    It springs right for Attiru¡¯s hunched and exposed back.