Chapter 50: SEYRI


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    My next power card appeared before me after my Zii-Kata routine. I plucked it out of the air.


    I waited, my hand tingling. A cloaked figure materialized across the arena, its form billowing and shifting like smoke. Without warning, inky tendrils shot out from its cloak, whipping towards me in a frenzy.


    I slashed with my sword, severing the dark appendages as they tried to trap me. The severed pieces dissolved into mist. I could''ve blinked out and escaped, but something roiling within kept me rooted in place—blinking was conceding.


    Again and again, I swiped at the wraith, my blade whistling through empty air. There was nothing solid beneath the cloak, just an endless void. It was like fighting a phantom made of shadows.


    More tendrils lashed out faster than I could react. They wrapped my arms, legs, and torso, squeezing tight. I struggled, but the cloak pulled me closer, drawing me towards its faceless visage.


    Liquid metal leaked from its eye sockets to form a Jingozi mask—my Jingozi—the same one that visited me earlier.


    Now, face-to-face with the alien, my reflection in its metallic mask stared back at me. My eyes widened, igniting into flames.


    The Jingozi''s grip loosened abruptly. It recoiled as if burned by my gaze. The tendrils retreated, slithering back into its cloak. Our gazes locked—the predator had become the prey.


    The Jingozi backed away. It floated back into the void, never taking its masked face from me. And at the last possible moment, I swore it nodded approvingly.


    Confusion washed over me as I watched it disappear. What just happened? Why had it suddenly become afraid? It then dawned on me. After killing one of their own, I was now a threat, and they were catching on. But why let me continue? Or was this one particular Jingozi up to something else?


    I blinked, willing myself out of the Jingozi arena, still feeling more perplexed than victorious.


    YOU HAVE RECEIVED A POWER CARD


    Warp III


    <ul>


    <li>


    PVP: Pay your defend/reward or attack/risk. Instantly discard an opponent''s card before its effect.


    </li>


    <li>


    PVE [Passive]: Instantly avoid three opponent''s attacks if this card is in your hand.


    </li>


    </ul>


    * * *


    While preparing the fire for a lunch of roasted fish, Jon returned. We both opened our mouths to speak, only to be interrupted.


    A rock tumbled from the wall across the garden. My eyes darted to the source, spotting a small face peering through a crack in the weathered stone.


    "Jon," I whispered, careful not to move my lips too much. "Do you see that in the wall?"


    He gave an almost imperceptible nod.


    "Keep your eyes there," I instructed.


    I blinked to the wall, my hand shooting through the gap to grab the child by the arm. After a struggle, sharp pain jolted through my fingers as teeth sank into my wrist. I yelped, releasing my grip, and the child bolted.


    I blinked again, materializing in the path of the fleeing child. We slammed into each other, tumbling to the ground with a soft thud.


    The child was an Amazon girl. I jumped to my feet and looked down at her. She was young, no more than eight or nine, with an Amazon breastplate strapped over her simple tunic. Seashells were woven intricately into the strands of her black hair. Her wide blue eyes, filled with defiance, stirred something within me.


    Kyra.


    I hesitated as she held her ground, then stepped aside, allowing the girl to scramble and dash away.


    Blinking back to the courtyard, I found Jon waiting expectantly.


    "An Amazon child," I explained, rubbing my bitten hand. "Like Kyra."


    "Kyra?" he asked. "Daughter of Queen Zenobia?"


    "Yeah."


    "Not anymore, I''m afraid."


    "What do you mean?"


    "She was stripped of her title for attempting to defect to the Emperor faction and sent to the Reforging Grounds."


    "What''s that?"


    "Not a pleasant destination, from what I hear. It''s where rebellious Amazons are sent for discipline and hardship to restore their warrior spirit."


    Shit, what did I do?


    "Where is this place?" I asked. "The Reforging Grounds?"


    "I''m unaware of such details."


    "Look, Jon," I shuffled my feet. "I want to—"Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Save your apology," he said flatly. "Your failure is your choice, and so are the consequences."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "You still don''t understand, do you? I can''t even fathom how lost you are," he crouched to pull his wand from the ground. "You''ve been granted this fantastic gift… power unseen… in all my years. There''s only been one other that is capable of what you are."


    "Who?"


    "Overlord Edric," he stared into the distance. "How do you think he remains undefeated? How did he kill the Shogun? Why do the Jingozi seemingly bend the knee to his whims? There were always rumors. But I never believed until I saw with my own eyes. They say he''s not from this world, and now you have a responsibility."


    "I never thought about that."


    "That''s right, Ember. Because you''ve only been thinking about yourself."


    "You… you know what?" I stammered.


    "Yes?" his pointed ears twitched, waiting for me to speak.


    "Never mind."


    It was my turn to walk away.


    * * *


    I stormed through the dense forest, kicking at fallen branches. Kitty darted between trees, her silver scales glinting as she snatched insects mid-flight with her long tongue.


    "Can you believe him?" I muttered. "Like I''m supposed to save everyone from Edric?"


    Kitty zipped past my head, pursuing a particularly fat beetle.


    "And Alpathir..." I kicked another branch. "Always with the riddles and cryptic messages. ''Power comes from living within words.'' What does that even mean?"


    My shoulders slumped as Jon''s words echoed in my mind—the gift, the responsibility, the fact that only Edric and I shared this power.


    Damn it. He was right. I''d been focused on surviving, on getting home. But what about everyone else? There were so many innocents caught in the crossfire of a faction war. My actions affected everyone around me. Kyra...


    "What should I do, Kitty?"


    She landed on my shoulder, purring as she nuzzled against my neck. Her warmth spread through me, calming my racing thoughts.


    "Thanks for being here," I scratched under her chin. "At least you don''t judge me."


    The image of that Amazon child flashed in my mind, followed by Kyra. Somewhere out there, she was suffering in the Reforging Grounds because I''d encouraged her defiance and supported her dreams of freedom. And then I took it all away.


    "I have to fix this somehow," I told Kitty, who tilted her head at my words. "That''s my first responsibility."


    * * *


    I stared into the crackling flames, the silence between Jon and me as thick as the smoke rising from our meager fire. The last of my fish sizzled on makeshift spits, filling the air with aromas that did nothing to ease the knot in my stomach.


    Jon sat across from me, his expression unreadable in the flickering light. I wanted to say something—anything—to break this quiet standoff, but I choked on the right words.


    I knew I should apologize. Why am I being so damn stubborn?


    The fire popped, sending sparks into the night sky. I picked at my food, appetite gone.


    "Don''t look," he said, peering over my shoulder, "but our little Amazon is back."


    Blinking into the arena, I found the girl.


    "Don''t run away," I told her mind. "What''s your name?"


    "Who is this?" Her voice said.


    "I''m the one you''re spying on. I''m not going to hurt you. What''s your name?"


    "My name is Seyri."


    "Seyri, that''s a pretty name. I''m Ember. Where''s your mother?"


    "I don''t know. I ran away."


    "You must be scared."


    "No."


    "Hungry?"


    "Yes."


    I blinked back to the courtyard and looked over my shoulder.


    "It''s okay, Seyri," I called. "Come in and have something to eat with us."


    The Amazon girl timidly stuck her head through the stone wall, licking her lips.


    I held out my familiar ring, letting Kitty free with a twinge of guilt because I''d forgotten about her. Thankfully, time stands still while she''s stored away. I should probably let Usain out soon as well.


    "Hey, Kitty," I said. "Meet our friend Seyri. Ask her to come eat with us."


    Kitty squeaked and floated over to the Amazon girl. Seyri''s eyes grew wide with wonder as she reached out, letting Kitty lick her tiny hand.


    I held out a piece of fish, and the girl inched forward cautiously, her eyes darting back and forth. Taking it out of my hand, she stuffed the fish into her mouth like a chipmunk.


    "Looks like you''ve made a friend," Jon laughed, startling the girl. She hissed at him and dashed out of the courtyard. Jon watched her run away with a sheepish grin. "Something I said?"


    "It''s probably that smug face of yours," I mumbled.


    Jon broke into a full belly laugh.


    "What''s so funny?"


    "Alas," Jon sighed. "Let me be the gentleman and first to apologize. I let my emotions best me, Ember. But I want you to win because despite how it appears, I care about you—deeply."


    I felt my face flush.


    "This could be the first time that girl''s seen anybody outside the Amazon faction," I switched subjects. "Kyra was sheltered the same way."


    "And the story between you two?"


    "Let''s just say it''s complicated for another time. I feel responsible for what happened."


    Kitty squealed with delight as she dove into the garden. The place was infested with exotic bugs, and she''d eat gourmet style for days. Jon wrinkled his nose as she snatched and gobbled a jumping wormy thing mid-air.


    "You were telling me your plan?" Jon said.


    "I was?"


    "Well, I know you want to tell me, so out with it," he smiled, smooth as ever.


    "We contact the Amazon faction. Then we find out where Kyra is and get her out."


    "And?"


    "That''s it. That''s the plan."


    "The child orphans at my keep could plan better."


    "Well, Jon, what would you do?"


    "Focus on your tier, learn to use those power cards, or whatever they are, and win the tournament."


    "What happened to my responsibility?" I wagged a finger and mimicked his voice in playful mockery.


    He chuckled for a moment.


    "I''ve been thinking and have decided to rescind my earlier exhortation," he sighed heavily. "That was the Emperor faction in my speaking. You have no obligations to this futile war. This is not your world. As much as I want you to stay and fight, why get involved when a passage home is within your grasp?"


    "When I first arrived, all I cared about was staying alive and getting home," I flicked a piece of wood into the fire. "Now that I have these abilities, I do feel… responsible. I don''t know if I could live with myself if I abandoned my purpose here. You made me see that. But I do want to go home."


    "Ever noble, I see," he smiled. "It looks like we''re both double-minded as ever."


    Jon pulled a flask from his coat and offered it to me. I shook my head. He uncapped it and took a long swig.


    "Ember, I must warn you," he wiped his chin on his sleeve. "If you''re still unprepared when Lance''s forces arrive, none of us are going home ever again."


    I took the flask from his hand and took a sip. It tasted like turpentine laced with cinnamon.


    "Oh, God, Jon," I choked. "That is so not good."


    "I knew you''d enjoy it," he smiled. "It''s a little homebrewed concoction I''ve been working on."


    * * *


    I experimented with a new scouting technique in the arena. With my amplified senses, I could zoom into details, but what if I could zoom out? It worked to a certain degree.


    Using a mental gesture, like pinching a tablet screen, allowed me to zoom in. The opposite also worked, giving me an aerial view of the island. However, panning the image became considerably slower. It had a parallax effect where my steps were to scale. But it would be much more efficient when scanning large areas.


    The island was smaller than anticipated and appeared barren of other residents or settlements. Katorro lived in complete seclusion. But this wasn''t the only island either. Other land masses rested on the horizon, reminding me of the Hawaiian islands.


    Then I saw the ships—Emperor faction ships. There were three of them, the same kind I remembered from Gilderport. Have they found me already? Following the largest of the three, I spotted small boats resting on the beach. Zooming in, there was a camp surrounded by a row of… cages?


    I couldn''t zoom in through the top of the cages to see what was inside. But what I did see made me gasp—two tiny arms hanging out the side.


    They weren''t here for me at all.