After rescuing Tiru, we return to our initial venture. The wagon wheels creek as it struggles with the rough terrain leading to Caldera. Roads of long since cooled molten rock make for an unpleasant and rough expedition. We swapped the horses for hoaram. A large carnivorous horse like beast with long twisted horns and jagged teeth. Something of a nightmare horse. They’re better suited for such terrain.


    Umbra seems unsettled as Crimson Fate’s aura draws closer. There’s something wrong and she’s not telling me.


    The town of Caldera rests in the center of an inactive volcano. Which means the smoke bellowing up into thick dark clouds above isn’t a natural occurrence. The buildings must be burning. The destroyer beat us here.


    Leaping from the wagon I motion Vene to follow me. It’s better not to put the others in too much danger.


    We leave the others with the wagon . I know Shiroi will flee at the first sign of danger, and Meredith will follow suit. I''m worried about Tiru though, she seems scared, and not just from her recent capture. I told her if anything happens to take Gatz and one of the hoaram and flee with the others. She didn''t seem to take any comfort in that.


    "By the Gods my fur trembles at the sight," Vene says grabbing my shoulder.


    We venture down the street of once molten rock finding ourselves in the middle of a blood bath. I''m not sure what the sixth level of hell looks like, but this must be close. Dismembered body parts litter the streets as once warm blood now turned cold oozes from them congealing on ground beneath our feet. No creature that once drew breath here was judged innocent by the all-consuming onslaught of the destroyer. A legend amongst the realms that I myself didn’t believe until now.


    An eyeball pops under my boot as we tread down a roughly constructed stone road. Vene walks carefully at my side with his ears perked up. A look of terror spread across his furry visage. Suddenly the screams of a young boy cut through the sound of smoldering wood.


    I charge ahead finding the screams coming from a small burning cabin. There''s a large orc pinned to a pillar outside seemingly with his own sword. The boy cries out again and I run into the burning cabin.


    A boy covered in burning rubble is reaching for a young elven woman. Probably his mother, fuck, she''s cut nearly in half. I grab a large burning plank off him and quickly toss it aside. Shit, burnt my hands. The boy screams in agony as I pull him from the cabin.


    He''s in bad condition. His left leg is gone from the knee down and his right foot is burnt to a crisp. I pull the hood off his head. He’s an elf just like the woman in the cabin. He tries to speak as he struggles to breath.


    "Mercy, please, I''m in so much pain, mercy." He reaches his hand out desperately begging for the pain to end, "please, send me to my mother."


    I look over at the orc pinned to the porch by his sword. He probably tried to protect them. This kid isn''t going to make it, all I can promise him is suffering until he passes. Or mercy. I put my hand over his mouth and pull my dagger. Vene looks away, unable to bear the sight.


    I make it as quick as I can, he was already in pain so I''m sure that didn''t bother him. Vene grabs my shoulder.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "I know that was hard my friend, you did right, he would have only suffered for a few hours until he passed."


    I brush his hand off my shoulder with discontent.


    "That''s it Dirk, the sword pinning that orc to a pillar, that''s Crimson Fate," Umbra says stepping out of my shadow.


    I step toward the orc and Umbra grabs my shoulder.


    “Wait."


    I stop for a moment.


    "The man who wielded Crimson Fate was your father,” Umbra says.


    I brush her hand off me.


    "I know, and it looks like I''m still a bastard."


    There''s something cold in the way I say it. Like there isn''t an ounce of emotion left in my voice. I think even Umbra feels a chill down her spine when I grip the sword.


    Blood sprays across my face as I pull it from his corpse and the orc falls on me. I don''t know why but I embrace him. It''s almost like he wraps his cold dead arms around me too. The only embrace my father has ever given me.


    I release him and his lifeless corpse makes a thud as it hits the ground. The sword glistens a blood covered crimson as I hold the blade up inspecting it. Umbra joins me eager to be reunited with her sister after so long.


    "Are you ok?" she asks.


    "What do I do with this sword?” I reply avoiding the question.


    She looks away with a concern she’s trying to hide. I know that stories about my father’s sword though. The one that wields it is doomed to meet a crimson fate.


    "Just cut yourself with it, if Nadia deems you worthy, she''ll pull you to her realm, time will pass there seemingly normally, but here it will only be a moment."


    The blade is sharp, like sliding a razor across my palm. I feel strange as I watch my blood run down the blade. My vision blurs and I get lightheaded. A surge of mana fizzles in my blood and I feel I’m being pulled into another realm, much like when Umbra pulled me into the shadows.


    "You are of his blood, and I sense you have brought my sister Umbra, what of Aurus, why does she not carry Umbra with her?" a soft but demanding voice asks.


    "I am Dirk the bastard son of Lady Aurus I am of house Zoah, are you Nadia?" I ask.


    A seemingly young woman turns twirling her white and pink hair with her finger. Her eyes are a bright green, she''s a very striking young woman. Well at least that''s how her form looks, there''s no telling how old she is. She steps over to me playfully.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve had a playmate," she leans in and sniffs my neck. "Well damn, was hoping I''d got to you first." She leans back and runs her hand across my cheek. "You smell like Sinn."


    She steps away and stares out into a forest of trees with white leaves under a white colored sky and blue clouds. Instead of her realm being an endless ocean of shadows and darkness it is a lustrous forest filled with foliage and light.


    "Nadia, Umbra needs you, she''s broken, and I need your help,” I say stepping toward her.


    She motions me closer, and I step up beside her. She seems a little short, I''d imagined she would be taller like her sister.


    "Sinn’s always been broken, but I understand you mean the sword Umbra, so what do you need the help of a young soft scale for mixed blood?"


    I hadn''t really thought about what my ultimate goal was. With Sinn and Nadia though, maybe I could take down the New Dominion. I mean I could lead my friends to Aeghnhielm where they would be safe. How long will Aeghnhielm be safe before the New Dominion comes for it like they did me.


    "You''re taking an awfully long time to answer, I''ll not be swayed so easily by a man who doesn''t know what he wants, even one so striking as you."


    "I want to bring down the New Dominion."


    She wraps herself around me intimately. I can feel her warm breath against my chest. She''s not wearing anything but a thin silk dress. I run my hand down her back slowly, it''s firm. She looks up at me with her bright green eyes.


    "It''s too bad you smell like her, I haven''t been entertained in a while." She smiles and steps away. "So, you want to bring down the New Dominion, tell me, who broke Umbra?"


    "The Destroyer."


    She looks back at me with wide eyed concern as a memory floods her mind, and mine.


    "Sinn, you need to stop, he''s never going to love you back, it''s always going to be that Amare girl."


    "Shut up Nadia, what do you know about love anyway, I haven''t seen you with a man in years."


    "I have partners ok, I just don''t get attached, but I guess as a shadow stalker it''s in your nature to follow your mate around like a lost puppy."


    Sinn pops her knuckles.


    "I am not a lost puppy, and he does love me!"