ã€ŠThe Shattered Realm [Epic Fantasy]ã€‹


 Book 1: Chapter 1

    Wet grime trickled into his soft leather boots, soaking Sarien¡¯s feet, as he slowly made his way through the stall, careful not to get too close to the horse. The horse snuffled, looked at Sarien blankly, and returned to sleep. He let out an exhale. This one liked to bite.

    Sarien pulled on his foot and it came away from the muck with a sucking sound that sent a shudder of disgust down his spine. At least this time, his boot didn¡¯t come off. ¡°Why do we have to get up before first light to muck out the horse crap?¡± he muttered, reaching over the low wooden divider to grab a shovel.

    Ben laughed from one of the other stalls. ¡°The noble Karm family might step in some dung during their morning ride if we didn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°What are you so happy about?¡± Sarien grumbled. Ben hung a tiny lantern on a pillar in the middle of the stables. The light cast a small glow that fell short of the shadows lining the stable walls.

    In the stalls, the two young men moved blindly, cleaning out the stalls by touch and the familiarity of having performed the same chore every morning for years. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in the kitchen helping out your mother, or at the mill? Anything would be better than this, no?¡±

    The dull thud of manure hitting the wheelbarrow told Sarien that Ben was just about finished in his stall.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind the stables,¡± Ben said. ¡°The horses are nice and the smell ain¡¯t that bad, you know? Also, we get to work together! Perhaps your da will take me to train with you?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here too,¡± Sarien admitted. ¡°At least I¡¯m not the only one smelling like dung all the time.¡± He heaved a shovel load of manure into the wheelbarrow. Most of it landed where it was supposed to. Sarien sighed. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure he¡¯ll ever take me out hunting. Did you know he won¡¯t even let me touch a bow?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I know. You keep whining about it. They let us ride sometimes, at least.¡±

    Ben¡¯s relentless optimism never failed to put Sarien in a better mood. The short young man went through life seeing the happy coincidences and enjoyed every little nugget of gold found in the horse crap that was their occupation. ¡°Did you ask about riding today?¡±

    One of the horses snorted, as if making fun of them. ¡°I did,¡± Ben replied.

    ¡°And?¡±

    The gangly young man turned to give Sarien his widest grin. ¡°The stablemaster said we could as long as we don¡¯t take Trillian¡¯s or Hacha¡¯s horses. Or your da¡¯s. Imagine if we rode Talc¡¯s horse, huh?¡±

    ¡°My father would skin us alive if we even tried to saddle his beast, much less ride it,¡± Sarien said, edging out of the stall to get away from that very horse. ¡°So we can go when we¡¯re done here?¡±

    Ben nodded. ¡°Sure. Your da won¡¯t mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going off on some hunt, an errand for Karm, or something fun. Keeps saying he¡¯s too busy to teach me anything.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least we get to ride,¡± Ben said. Ever the optimist.

    ¡°At least we get to ride,¡± Sarien agreed. His father always said he¡¯d teach Sarien archery, tracking, and bushcraft once he was older and more experienced, whatever that meant, but it never happened.

    At eighteen, Sarien was already considered a man by most, except his own father. He knew he lacked the knowledge and experience to become a proficient huntsmaster like his father and worried about what would happen when he eventually retired from the post. It didn¡¯t make any sense why Talc avoided training his own son. Sarien gritted his teeth. It was a waste of time thinking about it. No matter how much he begged his father to train him, his pleas fell on deaf ears.

    Sarien continued on to the next stall where a fresh pile of manure waited for him.

    Soft morning sunlight streamed in through the stable windows when the two of them were nearly done. Just one more stall, then they¡¯d wash up and head for the kitchen and get some breakfast from Ben¡¯s mother, Lilian. She was the estate¡¯s head cook and always made sure they got plenty to eat.

    Sarien¡¯s stomach growled as he entered the last stall, where the horse belonging to Trillian waited. He was the oldest child and only son of Hacha and was next in line to inherit the whole Karm estate and the title that went with it, and he lived to remind Sarien of that fact whenever he had the chance. He was, without a doubt, a royal pain in Sarien¡¯s butt.

    The stable door banged open. ¡°Good morning!¡±

    Sarien winced and glanced up. ¡°Shit, he¡¯s here, and he brought his friends.¡± The two boys glanced at each other, a silent message passing between them, before they hurriedly went to work.

    Trillian¡¯s three large friends chuckled. They all looked remarkably alike with their wide shoulders, strong arms, and dull expressions, but they weren¡¯t brothers. Ola, the redhaired one with the wide nose, was the son of one of the lumberjacks and helped out in the forest cutting timber. Perti was a little taller than the other two and worked in the mill carrying sacks of grain around all day. Both Perti and Hein, the third of them, had light brown hair. Hein worked as a blacksmith¡¯s apprentice and was squat with thick arms like tree-trunks.

    All three were commoners but hung around Trillian, because he didn¡¯t have any other nobles to socialize with. Sarien once overheard him beg Hacha to send him to Fyrie, the capital, so he could make proper friends, but Hacha refused.

    ¡°Just keep your head down,¡± Ben whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get to you.¡±

    ¡°The two horse boys!¡± Trillian said, a sneer in his voice so obvious Sarien didn¡¯t have to look up to see it on his face. ¡°Saddle my horse for me, horse boys!¡±

    Sarien clenched his jaw so hard that it began to ache. ¡°The saddles are over there,¡± he said, pointing at the far wall while keeping his tone as even as possible. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how it¡¯s done.¡±

    Ben gave him a quick wide-eyed look. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, hold on a moment.¡± He opened the stall and guided the horse out before running across the stable to fetch a saddle.

    Trillian waited patiently, watching with a smug grin on his face, and then patted Ben on the shoulder when he was done. ¡°That¡¯s a good lad. At least one of you know how to respond to your betters.¡±

    Ben¡¯s face turned beet red but he said nothing. Trillian turned to his friends with the horse¡¯s reins in his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, the boys smell worse than the stables themselves!¡±

    Manure flew through the air and splattered Trillian, covering the entire right side of his body. His face was smeared with crap and his fine clothes ruined.

    Sarien looked from his shovel, to Trillian, and then back again in wonder. He hadn¡¯t thought. He¡¯d just done it. There would be hell to pay, but he squared his shoulders and said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk to Ben like that, or next time you¡¯ll be eating it!¡±

    Ben, Trillian, and his three very large friends stared at him in silent disbelief for a moment, then Trillian¡¯s blank expression turned into pure rage.

    ¡°Oh shit,¡± was all Sarien had time to say before the four men jumped onto him, tumbling him to the floor, and flattened him face first into the muck.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Worth it,¡± Sarien mumbled as he stepped into the chilly water. The river started somewhere up in the mountains that separated their remote part of the kingdom of Eldsprak from the kingdom of Loft. He didn¡¯t know much about the neighboring country other than how they used aeromancers, the wind mages, to sail their ships faster than any other kingdom¡¯s. That speed meant they ruled over the oceans, though, nowadays it was mainly the merchants who enriched themselves with trade. No use for battleships in a time of peace that had lasted for hundreds of years.

    Sarien sighed and dunked his head under water. They were far from such things here on the Karm estate and he wouldn¡¯t ever likely see a ship in his lifetime.

    ¡°Was it? Really?¡± Ben asked when Sarien came up for air. He sat drying on a rock after having washed himself in a hurry.

    Sarien winced. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think they would come after you too.¡±

    ¡°At least they didn¡¯t beat me,¡± Ben said. ¡°Just the horse poop.¡±

    ¡°So much poop,¡± Sarien agreed. Trillian was not prone to mercy at the best of times. He and his friends hadn¡¯t been satisfied until Sarien was all but unconscious.

    ¡°How are the bruises?¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°They¡¯ll heal,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll still let us go riding?¡±

    Sarien shook his head and water spattered from his short, light brown hair. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± He swam to the edge of the river and pulled his clothes in with him. He scrubbed them vigorously. They¡¯d need a good rinsing before he¡¯d put them back on.

    Ben ran a hand through his mop of brown hair. ¡°What do you think your da will say?¡±

    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll soon know,¡± Sarien said, pointing over Ben¡¯s shoulder. Talc, his father, the huntsmaster, approached and he did not look pleased. Talc¡¯s eyes made him look old beyond his years and the short-clipped dark beard only added to that image. With his impressive height and broad shoulders, the man could cut an imposing figure even if he looked a little thin.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go.¡± Ben hurriedly gathered his clothes and scampered off without waiting for a reply.

    Talc walked up to the edge of the water and threw a bundle on the ground. ¡°Get out of there, Sarien.¡± He sounded tired and exasperated, rather than angry. That was good, wasn¡¯t it? On closer inspection, he looked a little disheveled, as if he¡¯d been pulled out of bed to answer for Sarien¡¯s actions.

    Sarien pointed to the bundle. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Brought you some clothes. Heard yours might be a little dirty.¡±

    ¡°A little.¡± Sarien got out of the water and dressed without drying himself off. The warm air would take care of that soon enough. Late summer was turning into fall, but it was still warm enough in the middle of the morning. ¡°You spoke to Hacha?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°What do you expect? He isn¡¯t happy that you humiliated his son.¡±

    ¡°You know how Trillian is! He made fun of us. Made fun of Ben!¡±

    Talc sighed and sat down on the ground. ¡°Hacha knows his son well. That¡¯s why there won¡¯t be any punishments. They could have you whipped for this, you know?¡±

    ¡°Whipped?¡± Sarien asked incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re joking? He started it!¡±

    ¡°He is a noble. You are not. But like I said, that won¡¯t happen.¡±

    Sarien narrowed his eyes. ¡°This is your fault, you know? I should be out there with you hunting, not cleaning out the stables!¡±

    Talc barked a laugh. ¡°My fault? You¡¯ve really showed that you¡¯re mature enough to handle something more than mucking out the stalls today.¡± He sighed again. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is it¡¯s important to pick your battles. You¡¯re never going to beat Trillian at this game.¡±

    ¡°So, I should just not stand up for my friend? For myself?¡± Sarien was both taller and stronger than Trillian. Sure, most of that muscle came from shoveling crap, but he was pretty sure he could best the noble son in a one-to-one fight.

    ¡°You should always stand up for yourself. Just pick your fights and your moment. You and Trillian have been butting heads for nearly all of your lives. You should both know better. That¡¯s why we¡¯re sending the two of you on a task. Both Hacha and I hope that this will bring the two of you closer together.¡±

    Sarien perked up. ¡°A task?¡± He frowned. ¡°With Trillian?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess up this chance,¡± Talc admonished. ¡°You don¡¯t know how uncommon it is to have a house ruled by a noble who doesn¡¯t just trample on the commoners in his employ. This is your chance to prove that you can rise above the petty squabbles and show that you¡¯re ready for something other than the stables.¡°

    ¡°So, what''s the task?¡± Sarien asked.

    His father grinned. "I knew you¡¯d be interested." His smile faded away. "We¡¯ve had word from a nearby village, Kalstram. Some people went missing. A few were found dead, their bodies torn apart by large claws. The rest of the villagers have run off, refusing to return unless Hacha sends some people to investigate. We thought it would be a good test for you and Trillian, to make sure you can work together. If you¡¯re to become huntsmaster in the future, you and he will need to put your differences aside."

    "People disappeared and were killed?" Sarien fidgeted with his dirty clothes. "Are you coming?"

    "No," Talc said. "I have some other issues that I need to deal with. This is probably nothing more than a bear who wandered too close to the village. We will send a few soldiers with you and Trillian, so there should be no issue. You can handle this, right?¡±

    Sarien stood. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll make you proud, father. What about Ben?¡±

    ¡°I talked to Griswold. He has agreed to let you take out the horses. Ben can accompany you. Just be careful.¡±

    Sarien nodded vigorously. ¡°We¡¯ll be careful. So, what are we supposed to do? Find the bear and kill it?¡±

    ¡°Scare it off, if possible. If not, you have our permission to kill it. Bears can be quite strong and fast, so you better be ready for a fight. Trillian will take the lead so you will have to learn how to swallow your pride and take orders from him. He''ll make sure you get proper weapons. Something easy to use, since you have no experience. Can you follow him in this?¡±

    "Fine. I¡¯ll do what he says. Where are you going?"

    ¡°Nowhere in particular, I¡¯m just a very busy man. You better hurry. The others are already getting ready to leave.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be off then, father. Don''t wait up!"

    The others were indeed ready to leave when Sarien returned to the estate. Ben sat quietly on a horse and waited apart from Trillian, three of his friends, and a young woman Sarien hadn''t seen before.

    Trillian greeted him with a sneer. "So, you''re finally here. My father said you have to follow my commands, so you better do as I say. Do you understand?"

    Sarien lowered his eyes. ¡±I understand." He glanced around. ¡°Where are the soldiers? My father said we would have an escort.¡±

    Trillian barked a short laugh, his friends joining in. "We don''t need soldiers. My companions here will be enough, of course." He turned to the young woman and his voice grew even more arrogant. "You don''t have to worry about your safety, dear. I will take care of you. I apologize for these two ruffians but I''m afraid my father did not leave me much choice in the matter."

    She shrugged and replied, "I don''t mind. Just make sure whatever it is you''re hunting does not come after me.¡±

    "Of course. You''re perfectly safe in my company." Trillian turned to address the group as Sarien mounted the lone riderless horse. "It''s a bit less than an hour''s ride to the village. We¡¯ll follow the road for a while then turn off and cross the fields to shorten the journey. Once there, we¡¯ll search the village and deal with whatever we find. Understand?¡±

    Ben nudged his horse to close the distance between him and Sarien. "Do you think it''s a monster? I bet it''s a monster."

    "I don''t think there are any monsters in Eldsprak,¡± Sarien whispered back. "It''s probably a bear, like my father said."

    Ben shook his head. "I bet it''s a monster."

    Once they¡¯d set out down the gravel path from the estate that would take them to the main road, Ben handed over a paper-wrapped packet to Sarien. "From my mom. The thought of you going without breakfast made her anxious. She said we couldn¡¯t have that."

    Sarien gratefully accepted and unwrapped the paper to find a bread roll stuffed with a thick slice of hard cheese and several strips of bacon. Sarien tore into it enthusiastically, relishing every bite. "She takes care of me like I¡¯m your brother or something. Can''t fault her for that, right?"

    Ben shrugged. "I guess."

    When he finished, Sarien tucked the paper into his pocket. ¡°So, what about weapons?" Sarien called out so his question would carry over to Trillian who rode some distance ahead.

    Trillian ignored him, but Ben answered, ¡°There is a weapon cache near the village. We are going to stop there, according to Trillian.¡±

    "I hope he¡¯s not lying," Sarien said. "They are all carrying swords. What are we supposed to use?¡±

    "Spears, if they have any?" Ben said. "I won¡¯t mind some distance between us and whatever we are supposed to fight.¡±

    Sarien shook his head. "A spear would be fine. I wish I knew how to shoot a bow, that would be even better."

    A little while later, they turned away from the road and started across a field of grass dotted by large boulders. Just as Ben said, they eventually made it to a cabin. Deer horns were affixed above the door and when Sarien peeked through a gap in the shuttered windows, he saw pelts and skins on the floor and walls.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± he asked.

    Trillian sighed and gestured to a small shack right next to the house. ¡°My father said you¡¯d find weapons in there. This place is used by the village¡¯s hunters, apparently. Now hurry it up, I want this done before sundown.¡±

    Ben dismounted and hurried over to the shack. He opened the door then turned back. ¡°There are only staves in here.¡±

    ¡°So, take a stave,¡± Trillian said. ¡°We four have steel enough to deal with whatever animal is terrorizing the villagers.¡±

    Sarien accepted one from Ben. ¡°Maybe there are more weapons in the house?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Trillian said. ¡°My father told us to grab what we needed from the shack. That was it. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°But we can¡¯t fight with these,¡± Sarien protested.

    ¡°Are you going to argue and disobey me?¡± Trillian asked, his voice dangerous. ¡°Good luck following in your father¡¯s footsteps then.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sarien grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll just beat the bear to death with a stick.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 2

    The village was eerily quiet. Not a sound to be heard. Not from humans or animals, nor from whatever chased them away.

    A thrumming began in Sarien¡¯s chest, something more than a sense of unease. Something he hadn¡¯t felt before. A beat. Almost like his own heartbeat, except it and his heartbeat didn¡¯t match up.

    Sarien tried to shake the sensation off and focused on what was in front of his eyes. "Everyone is just gone.¡±

    Trillian waved for Sarien and Ben to approach the rest of the group where they¡¯d stopped a little way off. Neither him nor his friends looked very bold now that they¡¯d arrived. The strange quiet was getting to them as well. "Check the nearest houses to see if anyone stayed behind.¡±

    ¡°You want us to go alone? With the sticks?¡± Sarien asked, holding up the stave.

    Trillian shrugged. "You do as I say or when we return home, I can inform your father and mine how you willfully disobeyed me.¡±

    "Fine,¡± Sarien said. He thought it unlikely that a bear would be hiding inside one of the houses.

    The village was tiny with only one main road and a smaller one running parallel. Three rows of buildings lined them, mainly homes. A few farms dotted the horizon, but their main concern was the village itself. At the end of the road sat an inn, the only two-story building in the village.

    Sarien and Ben approached the closest house and knocked. There was no answer. Sarien leaned in closer to the door. ¡°Hello?¡± Nothing.

    "They¡¯re all gone," Ben said. They both looked back to Trillian and his friends, as if asking what to do next.

    "Well, go on. Try the door." Ben and Sarien looked at each other and shrugged. Sarien tried the door handle and it swung open without a sound. The inside was a mess. It looked like the people who lived here had gathered their belongings in a hurry before running off.

    "Do you really think a bear would have scared these people like this?" Ben asked.

    "I don''t know, but I don¡¯t like this," Sarien said. He turned back to Trillian again. ¡°They all left!"

    Trillian released a heavy sigh and rode closer. ¡°Do I have to do everything myself? You two go down the side street and check the houses there. Every one, mind you.¡± He turned to his friends ¡°You three, check the buildings on the main road. I¡¯ll stay here with Lady Trishan to make sure she''s protected. Return here when you''re done, or yell if you find someone.¡±

    Ola, Perti, and Hein dismounted and drew their swords. They hurried down the road, splitting up and each disappearing into a building.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan if we don¡¯t find anything?¡± Sarien asked, watching as Perti exited one house and shook his head in the negative before moving onto the next. ¡°What do we know about what happened here? My father mentioned claw marks. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Just go and do what you¡¯re told. Leave the thinking to your betters,¡± Trillian answered.

    The thumping in Sarien¡¯s chest hadn¡¯t stopped. If anything, it changed a little, or perhaps his sense of it was getting better. There was a direction to it now. Like a pulling force that wanted him to go east. He looked in that direction but saw nothing but hills and more rocky grassland. ¡°What¡¯s over there?¡± he muttered.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ben asked.

    Sarien looked up, startled. ¡°What? Oh, nothing.¡± He blinked and then turned to go. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I¡¯m sure the rest of the houses will be empty too.¡±

    They were. All of them. Not a single villager stayed behind. The group gathered outside the inn.

    ¡°Now what?¡± Ola asked, his voice almost a whisper. Sarien wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever heard the man speak before.

    The young noblewoman hugged herself and kept glancing at the shadows between the buildings. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Tril. Why don¡¯t we just ride back?¡±

    ¡°There is no need to worry, Lady Trishan,¡± Trillian said, patting the scabbard at his side. ¡°Not as long as I have this.¡±

    ¡°What then?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°The last attack occurred at night. We¡¯ll stay here and wait for it to return,¡± he said, pointing at the inn.

    ¡°You want to stay the night?¡± Ben asked, his voice uncertain.

    ¡°We will stay the night,¡± Trillian repeated. ¡°And I don¡¯t want any whining out of any of you. This has to work out.¡±

    ¡°Work out?¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°Never mind!¡± Trillian barked. He waved to the inn. ¡°Just do as I say!¡±

    All they could do was wait for night to fall. Sarien thought they could have ridden out into the country to investigate the surroundings, but Trillian didn¡¯t give that order and would probably have bitten Sarien¡¯s head off if he tried to suggest it.

    The group sat in the main room of the inn after raiding the cabinets for food. There was plenty to eat and even some opened casks of wine. Sarien drank deeply, the wine providing some much-needed warmth.

    Ben came out of the kitchen with an excited grin on his face. He held up two large knives and a bundle of thin rope. ¡°Look!¡±

    ¡°Knives?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    ¡°What about them?¡±

    ¡°You said you wanted a spear, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ben proffered the items. ¡°Well, now we can!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Sarien said. ¡°Good idea, Ben!¡±

    ¡°Lisa always says you¡¯re the pretty one and I¡¯m the smart one.¡±

    Sarien raised his brow. ¡°She said what?¡±

    Ben laughed. ¡°Those big eyes of yours and the wide mouth. She says you¡¯re pretty, like a girl.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a compliment,¡± Sarien said, accepting a knife and a length of rope. ¡°And I¡¯m even less sure you¡¯re the smart one.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the smart one. You¡¯re doing that all wrong.¡±

    Sarien was trying to tie the knife to the staff, but the knife kept slipping free. ¡°So, you¡¯re an expert on spear making too?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of obvious when you think about it, you can¡¯t just tie the thing to the stick. You do it like this,¡± Ben said and produced a hammer he¡¯d found somewhere. He placed his blade against the top and struck it with the hammer so it dug into the wood. A few more strikes and the wood parted about a hand¡¯s breadth down the middle. Once that was done, Ben placed the knife down on the floor and struck the handle a few times until it broke off. With the blade free, he placed it into the split wood and then tied the rope around it.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. ¡°How did you know to do that?¡±

    ¡°Told you I¡¯m the smart one,¡± Ben said, handing over the spear and grabbing Sarien¡¯s stave. ¡°My da makes a lot of things for the stables himself without asking the smith. It isn¡¯t that difficult.¡±

    ¡°You are full of surprises.¡±

    Ben grinned. ¡°With this, we¡¯re ready for anything!¡±

    Outside, the day was drawing to a close. They would soon find if whatever had haunted the village still lingered just out of sight.

    The tugging in Sarien¡¯s chest didn¡¯t stop. It made him want to head east. His left hand tingled with pins and needles. Sarien held it out in front of his face and flexed it. There was no difference that he could see, but it was almost as if something occupied the left side of his body.

    ¡°Are you listening?" Trillian said, pulling Sarien out of his own head.

    ¡°What?¡±

    "You are on first watch. I just told you.¡±

    "You want me to go out there alone? In the dark?"

    Trillian rolled his eyes. ¡°Do you have to question everything I tell you to do?¡± He raised a fist in front of Sarien¡¯s face. "This is it. Show me, your father, and my father that you have what it takes. You have your little spear and I''m not asking you to fight anything by yourself. If you see anything, you yell for us. Don¡¯t try to be a hero." He opened the fist and put it on Sarien¡¯s shoulder, smiling. ¡°I don''t want to have to be the one to tell your father you died.¡±

    Sarien looked to Ben who shrugged and gave him a weak smile. The three brothers remained silent, and the young lady was picking at her nails.

    "I''ll do it," Sarien said. Sarien was terrified but didn''t want to show it. He opened the front door of the inn and stepped outside.

    Lamplight shone through the inn windows. The light only reached a few steps, before darkness overwhelmed the village. It wasn¡¯t just dark. It was pitch black. Sarien turned away from the inn, putting the light behind him, and waited for his eyes to adjust. He gripped the makeshift spear until his knuckles whitened from the pressure.

    Without thinking, he moved in the direction of the tugging inside his chest. The sensation soothed him. A sound brought him out of the daze. He blinked. It sounded like someone stepping on the dirt path and came from the other side of the house that stood directly in front of him. He heard it again.

    He stepped back slowly and turned to face the comforting sight of the inn. He was about to break into a run when a single word broke the silence around him.

    ¡°Help.¡±

    Sarien spun on his heels, his breath caught in his throat. Now he knew that whatever was out in the night wasn¡¯t a bear. Unless it was an exceptionally clever one that could speak.

    ¡°Hello?¡± he called out softly.

    ¡°Help.¡±

    A woman¡¯s voice, but rough and flat. There was no fear in the voice. No emotion at all.

    A cold shiver ran down his spine, but he shook it off and took a step toward where he thought he heard the voice last.

    ¡°Help.¡±

    Sarien did not call out again, but he stepped forward. All he wanted was to run and get the others, but what if there was someone under attack? There were no sounds of struggle, but the person might be trapped.

    With the spear held out in front of him, Sarien rounded the corner and peered into the darkness. He cursed himself for not bringing a lantern. He learned when he was younger that he possessed the ability to see better than others in the dark, on account of his large eyes his father said, but he struggled to make out the form before him.

    Sarien squinted and saw the silhouette of someone crouching on the path. ¡°Are you well?¡±

    The person stood up and barely reached his waist. A child? Sarien took a step forward but stopped abruptly. Something was wrong with the child¡¯s shape. Its arms dragged on the ground. Sarien took a hasty step back.

    The creature¡¯s strangely long, tapered fingers reached out to him. ¡°Help.¡±

    It followed as Sarien backed out of the narrow passageway between the houses and toward the inn. As they rounded the corner, light glinted off the creature¡¯s fingers. Not fingers. Claws.

    Sarien screamed and pulled back. He tripped and fell, then flipped onto his stomach and pushed himself up and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. A sudden sharp pain seared into his arm and he cried out, dropping his spear.

    Sarien looked over his shoulder to find the creature standing next to a covered well.

    Smooth, rounded face with no holes for eyes. A small mouth with lips curled back to reveal sharp, pin-like teeth. In one hand, it held the severed head of a young woman with her eyes rolled back, showing the whites against the monstrous pitch-black skin of the creature. The woman¡¯s mouth bobbed up and down as if jerked on a string and said, ¡°Help.¡±

    Sarien screamed.

    He turned to run the last few steps to the inn and almost cried tears of happiness when Trillian barged out of the front door with his friends close behind him. All four had their swords dawn. Ben followed with his spear while Lady Trishan peered out from the doorway.

    ¡°What?¡± Trillian barked, scanning the surrounding area. ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    Sarien almost fell as he turned to point at the creature. All he saw was the empty road. ¡°It was right there!¡±

    ¡°What was it?¡± Ben asked, his eyes wide and his mouth set in a nervous half-smile, as if he didn¡¯t know if he should be frightened or excited.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. A monster!¡± Sarien stammered.

    Lady Trishan¡¯s voice sounded shrill from inside the inn. ¡°We¡¯re going right now, Trillian. Do you hear me?¡±

    Trillian waved at her. ¡°In a moment, dear,¡± then pointed his sword at Sarien. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t a bear?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sarien yelled. ¡°It was right there!¡± He pointed again, a flash of movement caught his eye off to his right. ¡°There! Did you see it?¡±

    Trillian turned in the direction he¡¯d indicated. ¡°I can¡¯t see a damned thing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s out there,¡± Sarien whispered. ¡°About the size of a child. It has claws, sharp teeth.¡± Sarien pointed at his own face. ¡°No eyes!¡±

    ¡°I swear if this is a trick,¡± Trillian said, his eyes scanning the darkness. His pale expression said that he wished Sarien was trying to scare him.

    Sarien held up his injured arm. The cloth of his sleeve was torn and a bright red line marked his skin. The creature had only grazed him. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±

    ¡°I saw something!¡± Perti exclaimed, pointing one thick finger into the night.

    Trillian took a deep breath then let it out in a harsh shudder. ¡°Here¡¯s what we do. If the stable boy isn¡¯t lying, we need to get Lady Trishan to safety. Let¡¯s get the horses.¡±

    The horses. They¡¯d left them in the inn¡¯s stable, a small structure beside the main building. What had they been thinking, leaving the defenseless animals all by themselves? Sarien ran back a few steps and grabbed his spear laying in the grass. They moved as one to the stable with Lady Trishan walking in the middle of their group. Her head swiveled back and forth like a bird¡¯s trying to see in every direction at the same time.

    Sarien breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw that the stable doors were intact and the horses unharmed.

    ¡°Are we all going to leave?¡± Ben asked.

    Trillian shook his head as he backed into the stable. ¡°No. We came here with a job to do. We¡¯re not leaving until it¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to have me leave by myself, are you?¡± Lady Trishan shrieked.

    The question seemed to stump Trillian for a moment, but then he settled on a decision. ¡°No, of course not. My trusted friend Perti here will ride with you back to the estate. The rest of us will return once this beast is dealt with.¡± He turned to Sarien and Ben. ¡°You two, saddle the lady¡¯s horse and Perti¡¯s.¡±

    Sarien didn¡¯t want to relinquish his spear. He knew it was the only weapon standing between him and a terrible death, so he saddled the horse quickly without complaint.

    Sarien and Ben led the horses out of the stables. Trillian exchanged a few words with Lady Trishan and then smacked the horse¡¯s rump, causing it to bolt forward. ¡°Be safe!¡±

    Sarien watched anxiously as Lady Trishan and Perti rode straight through the village. As they passed the first house, a shadow flew at the two riders, latching onto Perti¡¯s horse. Perti¡¯s body stiffened before slumping forward. Lady Trishan¡¯s screams filled the air as Perti¡¯s head slid free from the rest of his body and rolled into the dirt.

    Sarien watched in horror as dark blood pumped from the decapitated body, soaking Lady Trishan as she grabbed the reins and veered her horse sharply away from the carnage. It looked like the creature was drinking from what remained of Perti¡¯s neck, but it was difficult to tell in the dark.

    Lady Trishan¡¯s screams faded as she rode off into the night.

    ¡°Now!¡± Trillian shouted, drawing his sword. The five of them ran to intercept Perti¡¯s terrified horse. It cried out, bucking erratically to shake off Perti¡¯s body whose feet were still strapped into the stirrups. The creature held on tightly, focused only on its meal.

    Sarien reached the horse and its riders first and thrust out his spear at the creature. He missed, the attack slow and clumsy, and struck the ground. He fell, the momentum too swift for him to stop.

    Thankfully, Trillian and Ben fared a little better. Neither of them struck it, but at least they didn¡¯t fall and embarrass themselves.

    The eyeless monster slashed with its clawed hand and hopped off Perti¡¯s body. It backed away warily. Trillian and Ben closed in and swung for its arms, but the creature darted away. None of them had even come close to hitting it when it fled behind the nearest building.

    ¡°What in Eld¡¯s name was that?¡± Trillian asked, panting hard.

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? It¡¯s a monster!¡± Sarien said, forcing himself to stand. ¡°Do we follow?

    Trillian nodded, his face pale and his hair plastered to his forehead with sweat. ¡°You and Ben go left, Hein, Ola, and I¡¯ll go right. We¡¯ll corner it.¡± As he spoke, he pushed Ben, almost throwing in the direction he wanted the young man to run. Sarien followed and tried to ignore whatever was happening inside his chest. Something was building in there, calling to him alongside the thrumming and the pulling. He felt certain that it had to do with the creature.

    They rounded the corner and found nothing, not even Trillian and his friends. A flickering movement in the dark disappeared behind a building across the street.

    ¡°Over there!¡± Sarien shouted.

 Book 1: Chapter 3

    Sarien and Ben followed the creature, but slowed their steps as they approached the building.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Sarien said. ¡°It¡¯s like it¡¯s luring us into a trap.¡±

    ¡°You think it¡¯s that smart?¡± Ben asked, bewildered.

    ¡°It kinda looks like a human. Could be as smart as one.¡±

    Trillian, Hein, and Ola approached with their swords grasped tightly in their hands. ¡°Don¡¯t stop, we have to kill it!¡± Trillian said, panting hard.

    Sarien nodded. Trillian was right. They could not let the creature escape.

    He rounded the corner. The creature lashed out from its hiding place, where it sat silently waiting. Sarien raised his spear in the last moment, the creature¡¯s claws slicing at the wooden shaft. The force of the attack tossed Sarien aside, flinging him against the side of the building. His head cracked against the wall, the pain blinding him before he collapsed onto the ground. His spear snapped in half when his weight landed on top of it and Sarien gave a cry of surprise, more from pain than fear.

    Trillian, Hein, Ola, and Ben ran forward with their weapons raised. Sarien¡¯s head spun as he watched Ben heave his spear and drive it straight into the creature¡¯s leg. The creature screamed, a sharp harsh sound, as it tried to dart away back into the darkness.

    Ola blocked its path and slashed at it, but the strike was feeble and slow. The creature took off his arm at the elbow with one swipe. Ola screamed, blood spewing from his stump. Hein stood frozen, his eyes wide with fear as he watched his friend thrash on the ground.

    The creature took advantage of Hein¡¯s distraction and, with one swipe, cut the young man¡¯s gut open. Hein¡¯s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he dropped to the ground, dead.

    Sarien emptied his stomach then forced himself to his feet. He blinked wildly trying to clear his vision, but the world swam before him. He picked up the top half of his broken spear, where the blade was fixed, and blindly threw it in the direction of the creature.

    To his surprise, the blade struck true into the creature¡¯s shoulder. It screeched again. Sarien scrambled along the ground and grabbed Ola¡¯s dropped sword. He swung, the blade slicing across the creature¡¯s chest, but not cutting deep enough.

    Ben snuck up behind it, his spear held low and ready to strike. When Sarien attacked, Ben thrust his spear, but missed. The creature turned on him, its arms shooting out and grabbing Ben at the shoulder. It dug its claws deep into Ben¡¯s flesh and tore him apart. Trillian took the opportunity to charge in and deliver a thrust, but their monstrous opponent danced away.

    Ben screamed in pain and fell to the ground. Sarien stood in shock, paralyzed at the sight of all the blood seeping from Ben¡¯s still body and into the dirt. Was he dead? No, couldn¡¯t be.

    ¡°What are you doing? We must kill it now!¡± Trillian screamed.

    His face was white from shock and blood loss, but there was a fire in his eyes. He advanced on the injured creature and slashed. ¡°Sarien, you have to help or we¡¯ll both die too!¡±

    ¡°Screw you!¡± Sarien said, pulling his gaze away from Ben¡¯s prone body. In that moment, he truly hated Trillian. He knew the noble was right.

    Sarien let out a wail and struck out with Ola¡¯s sword at the creature. Both men attacked desperately, Sarien with no training at all and Trillian forgetting his, but it did not matter. The erratic movements soon had the creature pinned up against the wall of the building.

    Sarien struck for the thing¡¯s arm. The creature screamed and swiped at him at the same time, the movement too fast to follow. The result was a long gash along Sarien¡¯s chest and his own attack missing its mark. The pain was indescribable. Like burning fire and cold at the same time. He gasped and fell to his knees, hugging himself. His clothes were in shreds and his hands came away bloody.

    Trillian¡¯s sword finally found its mark in the monster¡¯s the neck, digging deep. A killing blow.

    Except it didn¡¯t perish fast enough. Blood gurgled from its mouth and the many wounds across its body gushed. So much blood, enough to make Sarien sick while hunched over on the ground, unable to stand. It struck out one last time, cutting Trillian across his face and continuing downward, along the young man¡¯s chest. The claws scored deep grooves in his skin and flesh.

    Trillian didn¡¯t make a single sound as he fell. Neither did the monster when it tumbled to the ground with Trillian¡¯s sword still lodged in its throat.

    The pain in Sarien¡¯s chest was overpowering. He couldn¡¯t stand, could barely breathe or think. He hadn¡¯t been able to do a thing. A noble saved him, one he despised.

    ¡°Ben!¡± Crawling away from the creature, Sarien slowly made his way toward his childhood friend. He didn¡¯t make it far. An incredible sense of fatigue washed over him. It would be fine to rest his eyes for a moment, wouldn¡¯t it? They¡¯d beaten the thing, after all. Just a short little rest.

    Sarien woke with a start and felt someone shaking his shoulder. Blinking, he turned to his side and winced in pain.

    It was Ben, his face pale and covered in beads of sweat. ¡°Sarien, you¡¯re alive. Thank the flame. Thought you were gone.¡±

    ¡°Ben,¡± Sarien mumbled. He didn¡¯t recognize the area around them. The sky was pink and orange. Dawn. Something nearby smelled terrible. He wondered idly if it was him.

    ¡°Ben?¡± His friend didn¡¯t reply. Sarien blinked again and turned to find Ben face down in the dirt. Sarien forced himself up and flipped Ben over. Ben¡¯s entire front was torn to shreds. Long gashes cut so deep that it looked like the young man was a ragdoll coming apart at the seams.

    ¡°Ben!¡± The shocking sight of his friend¡¯s mangled body brought Sarien back to his senses. Pain shot through his own body, but it faded away at the gruesome scene before him. The monster lay on the ground with its remaining limbs curling inward, like a giant dead insect. Ola and Hein were drenched in blood and guts and it was difficult to even make out which man was which. They would not wake up again. Trillian twitched but Sarien could barely look at the young noble with his face torn open.

    Sarien¡¯s sense of time was distorted, but he must have been asleep for a while, since the night was being pushed away by dawn. Adding to his confusion was the strange sensation inside the left side of his body. It still pulsed and thrummed with a beat pulling at him to go east. A power that churned and grew, almost begging to be used.

    Sarien¡¯s left hand tingled. He held both hands up in front of his face, ignoring the searing pain from his chest wound. Both of his hands spasmed, but he felt no strangeness from his right hand.

    He felt as if a dividing line went straight through the middle of him, splitting him in two. The left side contained what felt like a cold light. He could feel it struggle to cross to the right side of his body.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sarien asked out loud. ¡°A flame?¡±

    Yes, that was it. When he concentrated, he got the impression of a flame in that white swirl of power growing inside him.

    A wheeze from Ben shook Sarien out of his thoughts. Neither Ben nor Trillian would be long for this world if he didn¡¯t do something. But what could he do? Moving them was out of the question. The estate was too far away and they wouldn¡¯t survive such a trip, and that was if Sarien could lift them across a horse¡¯s back. Unlikely at the best of times and impossible now he was injured.

    Ignoring the tingling in his hand proved difficult. The sensation only increased and spread down his arm. It wanted out. He would never be able to explain how, but in that moment, he let it.

    A white light began pulsing in his left hand. Sarien stared in disbelief.

    Magic. Had to be. This was the Kingdom of Eldsprak. That meant any person manifesting powers was a pyromancer.

    He squinted, trying to make out a shape. A pyromancer conjured fire, so this manifestation in his palm should be a flame. Before he finished his thought, a flame formed, white and cold. It flickered despite the lack of wind. The color was all wrong, and it wasn¡¯t even warm, but it was all he had. In a rush, he got up on his knees and placed his left hand on Ben¡¯s chest, palm down. The flame disappeared into his friend.

    With no idea how to continue, he focused on the overpowering need to save his friend. He couldn¡¯t lose Ben. The mere thought made his eyes burn and streaks of tears ran down his cheeks.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± he shouted through clenched teeth. The energy inside him drained away as he tried to make it do something, anything, to help Ben. A flowing throb of purpose sprung into the power. It grew from something miniscule into a presence that approached from beyond.

    The flame grew inside Ben and over Sarien¡¯s hand, then his arm. White light fully enveloped them. A sense wrongness followed. Danger.

    Sarien didn¡¯t care. He pushed through, wrangling his power, Ben, and the presence together with sheer force of will as the flame grew to an incredible size, even overwhelming the surrounding buildings. Sarien released a wordless cry when he felt a shift. He¡¯d done something. What, he couldn¡¯t say, but it was done.

    All he wanted was to collapse and let oblivion take him, but there was still the matter of Trillian. He¡¯d done all he could for Ben. Even if he despised the noble, he couldn¡¯t let him die.

    Without opening his eyes, Sarien moved his left hand from Ben to Trillian. The sound of horses approaching reached his ears, but he ignored it. His entire focus was on the inner glow of his magic. He lost himself in it and let it wash away his fear and his anger. This time, the pull and the presence differed. No sense of wrongness followed, only a sense of calm. Like an oasis of love. Sarien flexed his fingers, sending the sensation through him and into Trillian.

    Instead of flowing freely, he felt something reach out to touch Trillian.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Beware and be wary, little human. It is far more than fire you¡¯re playing with.

    Sarien¡¯s eyes snapped open. What was that? He withdrew his hand and pulled back. Someone grabbed his shoulder and he let out a scream of surprise.

    ¡°Sarien, my boy, it¡¯s me.¡± His father¡¯s normally soothing voice was tinged with worry.

    The huge white flame in Sarien¡¯s hand flickered and diminished before dying out entirely.

    Griswold, the large stablemaster, was on the ground, next to Ben, his son. ¡°Ben! Answer me, Ben!¡±

    Sarien was relieved to see that both Ben and Trillian were alive. Trillian¡¯s previously cold and pale skin was now slightly pink, flushed with blood. Ben¡¯s chest rose with each steady breath. Their gaping wounds were gone. Only pink scars remained.

    He¡¯d done it. He had healed them with fire. Sarien let out a giddy laugh of disbelief.

    ¡°Sarien, what happened here? What did you do?¡± his father said.

    Sarien blinked, grinning. ¡°I healed them. Did you see? My fire. Doesn¡¯t that make me a pyromancer?¡± He tried to force himself up, but his head spun from pain and exhaustion. Whatever he¡¯d done, it felt like every ounce of energy was sapped from his body. His mind began to drift, untethered.

    Someone muttered from behind his father. ¡°That was no fire.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t heal with fire,¡± a second man said.

    Sarien turned to face who had spoken, but his father blocked his gaze. Talc spoke forcefully, addressing the stunned crowd gathering around them. "No one is going to ever mention this again, you understand? Not a word!¡±

    He wrapped his arms around Sarien, who felt himself slipping into the black void of unconsciousness. ¡°Listen, son, never use that power again. You hear me? You don''t understand what you have done. That pale light¡­¡±

    Talc trailed off, then it sounded like he came to some sort of decision. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to leave for a while. I¡¯ll try to keep the firemagi away from you. You¡¯re not one of them, son. Do you understand me?¡±

    What was he talking about? Of course, he was a pyromancer. His father had even seen the flame. And why shouldn¡¯t he use his power? Darkness crept in from the edges of his vision and the last thing he heard was a soldier cursing as they found the dead creature. He drifted off into sweet oblivion.

    Sarien didn¡¯t remember returning back to his room, but when he woke, he was laying in his bed. One of the estate¡¯s maids sat by his bed, idly knitting. The rhythmic sounds of her needles tapping against each other woke him. With eyes blurry from sleep, he only caught the outline of her before closing them tight against the light. ¡°Lisa?¡±

    The sound of her needles stopped. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±

    ¡°What time is it?¡±

    ¡°You have been asleep for four whole days, you dummy!¡±

    Sarien squirmed and opened his eyes. ¡°Four?¡±

    ¡°Four!¡±

    He sat up with some difficulty, the events of that one night rushing back to him. ¡°Ben? Is Ben safe?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± she answered, but Sarien caught her frown before she pasted on a blank look. The young woman was prone to smiling. Seeing her this serious worried him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lisa took up her needles again and began plucking at the gray shape she was working on. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m sure. Trillian is perfectly healthy too. He even went riding for the first time yesterday. And he looked in on you once!¡±

    Sarien rolled his eyes. ¡°What a gentleman.¡± Then he narrowed them, not liking her evasiveness. ¡°Lisa. Tell me about Ben.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± She put the knitting back down on her lap, then stored it away in a cloth bag that hung on the back of the chair where she sat. ¡°He¡¯s fine, really. Just¡­I¡¯m not sure. Something is different about him.¡±

    ¡°Different how?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Like he¡¯s not as happy. Kind of not himself.¡±

    Sarien gathered what little strength he had to swing his legs over the edge of the bed. ¡°Well. He was more than half-dead. That could do it, maybe?¡±

    She nodded enthusiastically and stood, reaching out a hand to him. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s it! Now come, we need to get some food in you before¡­¡± She cut herself off, her eyes widening.

    Sarien sighed. ¡°Before what?¡±

    Lisa brought her free hand to her mouth, dropping Sarien back into bed. Tears formed in her eyes. ¡°Oh Sarien, I¡¯m so sorry! The news spread of what you did. They¡¯re coming for you. From the tower!¡±

    He sat back up on his own, wincing from the pain. ¡°The pyromancers? Is my father back?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No one has heard from him. He left right after returning with you.¡± Her fingers grazed the bandages around his chest. ¡°You need to be more careful.¡±

    Sarien frowned. His father said he¡¯d be going to the firemagi. It wasn¡¯t all that far and he should have returned by now. Why hadn¡¯t he?

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but feel a little excited at the prospect of going to the tower. Just sitting there on his bed, he felt the white flame churn inside the left side of his body, waiting. From what he assumed, the paleness and lack of heat in his flame had to be common for new pyromancers. A little instruction would set everything right. Sarien was sure of it.

    He would go to the tower, talk to his father, and finally be free of the nobleman¡¯s boot on his neck. Sarien needed strength, he needed power. Next time he wouldn¡¯t fail his friend. Magic would trump a spear every time.

    ¡°When are they coming, the pyromancers?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lisa replied. ¡°Could be as soon as today. Oh, Sarien, I was so scared they¡¯d take you before you woke up and we wouldn¡¯t know that you were okay and they¡¯d treat you horribly and¡­¡°

    Sarien put a calming hand on her arm. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. Can you please help me to the kitchen? I¡¯m starving. Where is Ben now?¡±

    She grabbed the hand he put on her shoulder and helped pull Sarien to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m sure Ben¡¯s ma will force enough food down your throat to make you fat like a pig.¡± Lisa sobered but hid her sudden wariness behind a cheerful smile. ¡°Ben is in the library. He¡¯s mostly been reading since he woke up.¡±

    Sarien looked down at her in surprise. ¡°Reading?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t even know he could read. Not well, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I have to see him before they come for me.¡± His stomach grumbled as he leaned heavily into Lisa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But let¡¯s go get something to eat first.¡±

    When they staggered into the kitchen, Lilian wrapped her thick arms around him and pulled him off his feet, spinning fast enough to make Sarien dizzy.

    ¡°You beautiful boy! You saved our Ben! Thank you, thank you, thank you!¡± Then she set him down on one of the stools and wiped a tear from her eye. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you¡­well, let¡¯s get some food in you!¡±

    He said goodbye to Lisa with the promise to see her again before he left with the pyromancers. Sarien stuffed his mouth with bread and cheese, grunting at Lilian¡¯s constant stream of gratitude.

    It didn¡¯t take long, however, for Sarien to spot the maids eyeing him as they entered and left the kitchen, and it was not the shy blushing kind of looks that they used to send his way.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡± he asked Lilian, who busied herself with stirring in different pots and pans.

    She didn¡¯t look up at him, but he could see her shoulders tighten at his question. ¡°It¡¯s what you did, lad,¡± she said. ¡°The fire.¡± She paused for a long moment before continuing, ¡°I love you for saving my son, but many here are uncomfortable with that type of thing. We don¡¯t see much magic around here and it frightens the others.¡±

    Sarien looked at the palm of his hand and tried to imagine what his magic appeared like to the others. It shot high into the sky, blazing white, and brought two men back from the brink of death. He couldn¡¯t refute that sentiment. But that wasn¡¯t terrifying to him, it was beautiful.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look so glum!¡± Lilian said, approaching with another plate, this one full of beans and piles of boiled potatoes slathered in gravy. ¡°You did a good thing. You saved them! The lord¡¯s son, even. He better throw heaps of gold on you!¡± The earnestness in Lilian¡¯s round face made Sarien all warm inside and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of loss at the thought of leaving the estate. The need to find his father outweighed everything else, however, and the sense of adventure beckoned. Before all that, he had to talk with Ben and see with his own eyes that his friend had recovered from the attack.

    Sarien found his childhood friend in the library, rummaging through the stacks.

    ¡°Are you even allowed to be in here?¡± Sarien asked with a laugh. Ben hadn¡¯t noticed him come in and jumped, glaring at him when he finally turned to Sarien. It wasn¡¯t the normal grin Sarien expected. Something was definitely wrong.

    ¡°Are you okay, Ben?¡± he asked hesitantly. ¡°After everything that happened?¡±

    Ben smiled and his lips pressed into a thin curved line that looked bizarre on his friend¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s you. My savior.¡± He scurried up to Sarien and took his hand. ¡°Tell me. How did you do it? How did you beckon me?¡±

    Sarien pulled his hand from Ben¡¯s grip. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I did it with fire.¡±

    Ben moved his lips, as if tasting the word. ¡°Fire.¡± Then he narrowed his eyes.

    He was about to speak again, but Sarien interrupted him. ¡°What are you reading about?¡± The whole situation raised his hackles. He felt a surge of energy within him demanding that he either fight the man standing before him or flee the scene.

    Ben waved a finger in in the air, an unusual gesture. ¡°Oh, just getting acquainted.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay. What happened to the creature?¡± Sarien asked. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t the best idea to bring that up, not with his friend affected so much by the trauma.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°The monster we killed.¡±

    Ben seemed to ignore the question at first, as he went to another shelf and began pulling down books. Then he spoke without looking at Sarien. ¡°That¡¯s in the past.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°That¡¯s all well then. Look, I have to go talk with Hacha and your father before I go. I¡¯ll check in again before I leave.¡±

    Ben¡¯s eyes snapped to Sarien''s. ¡°Leave? Perhaps I should come with.¡± He crossed the room to grab hold of Sarien¡¯s sleeve as if afraid to let him go. ¡°We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡±

    Before Ben had a chance to reply, the door opened behind them and Griswold stepped in. A look of concern passed over his face as he pulled Ben back away from Sarien.

    ¡°Is everything all right in here?¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°We¡¯re fine, Gris.¡±

    Griswold didn¡¯t seem to believe him, but continued, ¡°I came to say that they¡¯re here. I¡¯m sorry, lad. I didn¡¯t want it to come to this, but the Tower needed to know about you and your powers. Thank you for saving my boy.¡± He looked at Ben, who was already back by the books. Griswold frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll turn out fine once everything settles down.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just happy I could do something. They¡¯re here? Already?¡±

    ¡°Afraid so.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Sarien peered past the large man at his friend. ¡°Well, I guess this is it then, Ben. Don¡¯t think you can join this time, but I¡¯ll find a way to come back once I find my father and things settle a little.¡±

    Ben didn¡¯t even look up from the book he was reading and waved dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll find my own way, then.¡±

    After saying his farewell to Griswold, Sarien walked out to the front of the estate with nothing more than the clothes on his back and a small pack containing, among other things, a knife that his father gifted him at his last nameday. It was small but sharp with a wooden hilt carved with intricate patterns he couldn¡¯t make sense of. He wondered if it would have made a difference in the fight, if he¡¯d gone into the house to fetch it.

    A cart waited out front, carrying a stranger. He didn¡¯t look like a pyromancer. At least not what he imagined when he thought of them. No long beard or flowing red robes. Just a regular man, perhaps even a little shabbier than those who worked on the estate.

    Before the cart stood Hacha and Trillian. The young nobleman¡¯s face looked much better. The wounds inflicted by the creature were now nothing more than thin pink scars running from his scalp down across his face. If anything, the new addition made Trillian appear more ruggedly handsome, Sarien thought begrudgingly.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Trillian said, holding out his hand. ¡°You were useless in the fight, but you saved my life. You¡¯ll be welcome here if you ever need a place to stay.¡±

    Sarien took the young man¡¯s hand and squeezed. ¡°Good job killing the thing. What happened to it?¡± From what he could tell, Trillian was still himself. Sure, he was a little kinder now, but that could be because Sarien saved his life. There was a newfound humility in the nobleman. The changes in Ben were much more pronounced.

    ¡°It¡¯s in there,¡± Hacha said, pointing to a wooden crate on top of the wagon. ¡°We thought the firemagi would want to have a look.¡± He scratched at his thinning hair and then produced a thick bag from inside his coat that jingled when he handed it to Sarien. ¡°To show my gratitude for you saving my son.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Please send word if you find you father, I don¡¯t like him being gone this long.¡±

    ¡°I promise. This all happened so fast. Did the young lady make it back here?¡± Sarien asked.

    Hacha nodded. ¡°She¡¯s the one who alerted your father of the attack. I¡¯m afraid she went home after sharing some choice words about Trillian.¡±

    Trillian¡¯s face reddened.

    ¡°Enough with the talk and the goodbyes,¡± the man up top on the cart said, breaking in. ¡°We have to leave. Now. Get up here, boy! You better not try and escape, or I¡¯ll tie you to the cart!¡±

    ¡°Escape? Why would I try to escape?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. Now get up here.¡± Sarien clambered up to sit beside him. ¡°I¡¯m Yari,¡± the rude one said.

    ¡°Sarien,¡± Sarien said, reaching out with his hand.

    Yari shrugged and then reached out to shake it. ¡°As long as you¡¯re not stupid, this will be a lovely little trip.¡±

    ¡°Stupid?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Just do as you¡¯re told and don¡¯t ask too many questions.¡± Yari tugged the reins and prodded the horse into action. Sarien waved as they set off down the gravel path that would take them to the main road. Lisa came running from the house but stopped by Hacha and Trillian. All three of them waved.

    Sarien wasn¡¯t certain, but he thought he saw the silhouette of a man standing at the library window. He waved at it, but the shadow did not move.

 Book 1: Chapter 4

    ¡°So did ya hear?¡± Yari asked after they had ridden a short while in silence. He spoke without looking at Sarien, making it difficult to pick out the words from the loud rumblings of the cart.

    ¡°Hear what?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°About Kalstram, of course.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s breath caught. It was the name of the village where Sarien and the others were attacked. ¡°I heard.¡±

    ¡°Strange that,¡± Yari said. ¡°All empty and now this. He nodded to the wooden crate containing the remains of the creature.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sarien agreed. He sat in silence for a while before working up the courage to ask. ¡°So, are you a pyromancer?¡±

    That set Yari off laughing until he started choking. When he finally calmed down, he answered between bouts of giggles. ¡°No, no, boy. I¡¯m no mage. Not of any kind. They just sent me to fetch you. I do odd jobs for the tower.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sarien said, disappointed.

    ¡°But don¡¯t go getting any ideas of running away now,¡± Yari said. ¡°You won¡¯t get far.¡±

    ¡°Why do you keep thinking I¡¯m going to run away?¡±

    Yari shrugged again. ¡°Some run. Most of the ones we come to collect are younger. Just boys and girls who are scared and want to go back home. But I¡¯m used to getting burned with a little fire, so I always catch them.¡±

    ¡°Is it always you who comes and collects the ones who manifest the power?¡±

    ¡°Not always. There are others. Whoever is available.¡± Yari had said to not ask too many questions, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind at all.

    ¡°What is it like over there?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°The tower, of course. Is it really burning?¡±

    Yari snorted. ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t burning. The Burning Tower of the Firemagi is just a grand name for a place like any other. A little stuffier perhaps, and I suppose there are some flames here and there when they practice.¡±

    Sarien tried to imagine it but couldn¡¯t. ¡°So, is it like a school?¡±

    ¡°There are students there, embers they¡¯re called, but not many. It¡¯s not that common what you¡¯ve got.¡±

    ¡°Power?¡±

    Yari chuckled. ¡°Power is common enough. We all hold power over others. Some more, some less. I¡¯m talking about the flame. Sometimes I wish I had that. Wouldn¡¯t have to go around picking up runts then, now would I?¡± He snapped the reins, trying to get the horse to move a little faster, but it ignored him and kept up its unhurried pace as Yari continued, ¡°a little strange how you¡¯re so old. Don¡¯t get me wrong, you¡¯re still a kid, but most of those I pick up are little boys and girls, no older than six or seven.¡±

    ¡°Worried you got the wrong man?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Yari said. ¡°You fit the description.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t need me to show you the flame?¡±

    Yari looked aghast. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare. Can¡¯t have you setting fire to the cart now, can we? Best not do that until we arrive at the tower.¡±

    A comfortable silence fell between them. Sarien leaned back to enjoy the fine day. Sunny and with a slight breeze to take the edge of heat off. He¡¯d saved Ben and was now on the way to the tower where he¡¯d find his father and some answers about his newfound power. They would be amazed that he could use fire to heal, of course. He¡¯d never heard of anything like that, so it had to be a rare talent. He grinned. Things were looking up.

    They rode through the first village without stopping, but Sarien still drew the eyes of its inhabitants. One young woman about his own age left a group of others to walk alongside the cart. She really was quite pretty with her shoulder-length auburn hair and doe eyes. ¡°Hey, pretty boy, where are you coming from?¡±

    He smiled down at her. ¡°The Karm estate.¡±

    ¡°Ooh, fancy lad. Where are you going then?¡±

    ¡°The tower,¡± Sarien said.

    The woman frowned. ¡°What¡¯s a boy like you going to do there? Work in the kitchens?¡±

    Sarien concentrated and brought forth a tiny white flame in the middle of his left palm, small enough that only she could see. ¡°I¡¯m going to join them and be a pyromancer, of course.¡± He laughed at his own joke, but the girl staggered back as if slapped. She turned and hurried back to her friends without another word, casting frightened glances over her shoulder.

    ¡°Told you not to play with your fire,¡± Yari said from up at the front. ¡°People don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°There you go with too many questions. My job is to take you to the tower, let¡¯s not make this complicated.¡±

    The cart trundled along and they eventually made it to Kalstram. Yari didn¡¯t say a word and Sarien did his best not to look at where Perti, Ola, and Hein were slain just a few days ago.

    The houses gaped empty. Perhaps it would remain deserted until it crumbled into ruins. The sense of something pulling at him through the white flame was still there. East. The power inside him pulled in that direction with a steady beat while it churned like a torrent in high seas. It was clearer than ever.

    ¡°What¡¯s east of here?¡± he asked, trying to calm himself.

    Yari looked in that direction. ¡°East, you ask?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Nothing much. Grass and fields until you get to the main road between Fyrie and Kleotram. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°No reason,¡± Sarien said. ¡°How much longer until we¡¯re at the tower?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    They slept under the open sky and resumed their travels early the next morning. A few farmsteads passed in the distance, but not a single village or town. From what little Sarien knew, the population still hadn¡¯t recovered to the numbers prior to the gods being slain by the heroes over two hundred years ago. Most villages were located along the main road east of Fyrie or north, closer to the border with Vatnbloet. As he gazed across the seemingly endless fields, Sarien hadn¡¯t realized that the entire kingdom only held a few actual cities.

    ¡°Yari, do you know how many Eldians there are now?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there has been an official census, but about half of the population of what we had before the war. A hundred thousand or so, maybe?¡±

    A hundred thousand. Such a staggering number of people, so many dead that even two generations later, they still hadn¡¯t repopulated. ¡°Thanks,¡± Sarien said. He didn¡¯t know much about the state of the kingdom, or the other four. Perhaps now Sarien would be able to see them. Loft was especially interesting to him. He wanted to see an aeromancer, one of the wind mages.

    Just as Yari promised, the tower came into sight by the middle of the afternoon. It was constructed out of plain gray stone, not engulfed in fire as Sarien assumed. The stones weren¡¯t even painted red. But the tower rose out of the earth and went on and on until it looked like the stones touched the sky. From where he stood, he could not see the end of it.

    A village sprawled around it, full of bustling people and children playing in the streets. Sarien caught a glimpse of a man in a red robe hurrying along one of the streets, but quickly lost sight of him.

    ¡°This is it,¡± Yari said when they approached the closed gate.

    The two guards stationed at the gate nodded to Yari but only the one on the left spoke. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±

    ¡°Aye,¡± Yari answered.

    ¡°This is the new one then?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    The other guard opened the gate and waved them inside. ¡°Go on.¡±

    Sarien followed Yari¡¯s lead and hopped off the wagon and headed inside the tower. Hot air blasted against Sarien as soon as he entered. It didn¡¯t take long for the warmth to chase the chill from his bones as Yari led them to a side room.

    ¡°Warm in here,¡± Sarien said, opening his coat and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. He could feel the sweat begin to bead down his back.

    Yari nodded. ¡°Heat mages.¡±

    They waited in silence for what felt like an hour before a boy appeared. He couldn¡¯t have been more than twelve years old with dark brown hair that reached his shoulders and mischievous eyes. He reminded Sarien of Ben as a child. The boy wore a short-sleeved shirt and pants, both light red in color. It looked cooler than the thick wool jacket and shirt Sarien wore.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± the boy asked, eyeing Sarien curiously.

    ¡°Sarien. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Hah! Sound like a girl¡¯s name! And you kind of look like one too! I¡¯m Tremalian, the Fourth of High Valley, House Reyna and Eldborn in the realm of Eldsprak.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Sarien tensed. ¡°You¡¯re a noble, then?¡± The boy had to be. Quite the mouthful, a name like that. Sarien was pretty sure most of that gibberish the boy spewed was nonsense, but there was no way for him to know for sure.

    The boy gave him two thumbs up and a huge grin. ¡°Nah, just messing with you. You can call me Tre!¡±

    Sarien breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°You¡¯re to come with me. It¡¯s time for your interview.¡±

    ¡°Interview?¡±

    The boy nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. We all do it when we first arrive. Don¡¯t worry!¡± He looked at Yari. ¡°Did you bring me anything tasty this time, old man?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that old,¡± Yari grumbled though with a smile. ¡°Sorry, nothing this time.¡±

    Tre¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You better not make a habit of that!¡± He pointed at Sarien. ¡°You come with me, and don¡¯t be a laggard!¡±

    The two of them hurried along a windowless corridor lined with lanterns. Sarien blinked and peered closer at one as they passed. The lanterns weren¡¯t burning any material. Just a flame hovering above a rod of metal.

    ¡°What is this?¡± he asked Tre, who was already several paces down the corridor.

    The boy ran back to inspect. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s practice. The embers take turns lighting the place. Helps with concentration and builds stamina, you know?¡±

    Sarien shook his head in wonder. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re so old already.¡±

    Sarien grimaced. ¡°Right.¡± They started in on their hurried pace again. The corridors they passed were all the same. Narrow with low ceilings and no windows. Their footsteps echoed off the stone floors. It felt gloomy despite the lanterns. To Sarien¡¯s surprise, they did not pass a single person.

    When they made it to a set of curved stairs, taking them up to the second floor, Sarien finally understood. They were using the servant¡¯s passageways, a way to travel unseen within the tower.

    On the second floor, a larger corridor opened up. Tall windows covered the far wall, with several doors opposite them. A large rug spun from some fine material covered most of the floor, red with intricate patterns made to look like flames. The drapes on the windows matched the rug. This was what Sarien was expecting when he heard tales about The Burning Tower of Firemagi¡ªostentatious reminders of where you stood.

    Tre grabbed his hand to pull him along. ¡°Come on! The old people here don¡¯t like to wait!¡± They scurried along another few sets of corridors until they made it to the end of one, where Tre stopped. ¡°This is it. Just knock and wait for him to call you in.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Thank you, Tre.¡±

    The boy grinned, then ran off, his footfalls muted on the thick carpet. Sarien shook his head with a smile before turning to face the large, ornate door before him. It was so thick that his knocks barely made a sound the first time, so he knocked again, harder.

    ¡°Enter,¡± a voice, barely audible, said from the other side. It required quite a bit of strength to push the double doors open.

    Inside was a study with bookcases lining the walls, each of them overflowing with books, tomes, and stacks of parchment. The air was dry, and noticeably cooler than the heated corridors. The same patterned rug from the corridor covered the floor and similar windows lined the opposite wall from the main doors letting in streams of sunlight.

    Behind an enormous desk that spanned nearly the entirety of the room sat a man dressed just like Sarien had imagined a pyromancer might. The man wore red robes with yellow and orange symbols stitched onto the fabric. The robes hung open, revealing a plain white shirt beneath. His face was lined with deep wrinkles around the eyes and his head was completely bald. The man¡¯s face was covered by an impressive white beard.

    ¡°Sit down,¡± he said, his voice deep and melodious.

    Sarien hurried over to and sat in a chair on the other side of the desk, causing a cloud of dust to rise from his body. There hadn¡¯t been any opportunities to wash himself after the journey to the tower.

    ¡°So, you are Sarien,¡± the old man said, looking up from the piece of parchment he was writing on.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sarien said.

    The old man nodded. ¡°A strange name for a boy in Eldsprak. Never heard it before. Is that your full name? Just Sarien?¡± The expression on his face and the tone of his voice were flat.

    ¡°Sarien Wald, my father is Talc Wald. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°You are here to answer questions, not ask them,¡± the old man said. ¡°But I¡¯ll allow it this once. My name is Bjorn Elden, and I¡¯m in charge of you embers. You may refer to me as Director Elden, or Director of Embers.¡± He thought for moment. ¡°Just Director is fine too.¡±

    ¡°Director,¡± Sarien said deferentially. ¡°Have you spoken with my father?¡±

    ¡°Your father?¡±

    ¡°Talc Wald. I believe he¡¯s here in the tower.¡±

    The director shook his head. ¡°To my knowledge, no such man has been here.¡± Sarien frowned but didn¡¯t press further. Either the old man didn¡¯t know, or he wouldn¡¯t speak of it. This search might be trickier than he¡¯d thought. Sarien would have to ask around on his own.

    ¡°Now,¡± the director said. ¡°You will be entered into our books as an ember. You¡¯re much older than most of those we find, not that there are many these days.¡±

    ¡°There are fewer eldborn now than before?¡±

    Bjorn narrowed his eyes. ¡°I have heard worrying reports of your inborn spark. It is important that we firemagi do not deceive those who are beneath us. Fear and distrust of pyromancers are already rampart in Eldsprak, not to speak of our neighboring kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Silence now, ember. Did you deceive those around you with the use of your inborn spark?¡±

    ¡°My spark?¡±

    ¡°Your flame. Your power. The burning that rages inside you!¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how, but I healed my friends at the Karm estate. Closed their wounds up.¡±

    Director Elden slammed his fist against the tables, making a stack of books topple over and Sarien jump in his seat. ¡°Enough! No more lies. There is no healing with fire. Healing can only be done by those weak-minded followers of Ocea, with their water and pious refusal to accept their god¡¯s demise.¡± He opened his fist and pointed the palm toward the ceiling. A flame as tall as him burst into being from nothing. ¡°We are eldborn! Fire is in our blood! We!¡± He made the fire pulse in turn with his words. ¡°Are!¡± It grew taller and taller, hotter and hotter. ¡°Not! Healers!¡±

    Sarien clenched his eyes against the bright light of the old man¡¯s flame and shielded his face with his arms against the heat.

    ¡°Now,¡± the director of embers said, extinguishing the fire with a snap of his fingers. ¡°Did you heal using fire?¡±

    Sarien opened his eyes and let his arms fall to the chair¡¯s armrests. Sweat trickled down his face and along his chest, making the shirt stick to him. ¡°No?¡±

    Bjorn gave him a hard look, and Sarien added a little more conviction to his answer.

    ¡°No,¡± Sarien repeated.

    Director Elden sat back down in his chair with a sigh. ¡°Good. Now that we¡¯ve dealt with that. No more lying, understood?¡±

    ¡°No more lying,¡± Sarien agreed. This was not the reception he had expected. He hadn¡¯t ever heard of someone healing with fire before either, not that he knew much of things like that, but shouldn¡¯t they welcome such a discovery? Not simply deny that it occurred? There were even witnesses!

    Sarien flattened his lips tightly and kept the thoughts to himself. This was obviously not the place nor the time for them.

    ¡°Now show me your flame. You know that much, don¡¯t you? Or are you a heat mage?¡± The neutral expression on the old man¡¯s face had turned sour.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sarien said, holding up his palm. He closed his eyes and searched inside himself, calling on the power that resided in the left side of his body. The white flame.

    As he opened his eyes, it manifested just above his hand. It flickered and danced as a flame should, but it neither emitted warmth nor had the right color. Not red, or orange, or even yellow. It was white.

    From the bewildered look on the director¡¯s face, the man didn¡¯t understand what he saw either. He stood and walked around the desk, never letting his gaze waver from Sarien¡¯s outstretched hand. When he got close enough to touch it, he reached out and held his hand over it.

    ¡°No warmth,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°White.¡±

    He then took a step back, slowly shaking his head. ¡°White flames are supposed to be the hottest. Never heard of something like this before.¡± He returned to his desk, and after a moment, waved a dismissive hand at Sarien¡¯s flame. ¡°You can let it go.¡±

    Sarien did. The old man breathed in deep and then sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with you.¡±

    Disappointment weighed heavily down on Sarien. ¡°So, it¡¯s not just that I haven¡¯t trained?¡±

    ¡°Training makes a pyromancer¡¯s flame hotter, stronger, and larger, of course, but an untrained ember should still be able to produce flames comparable to a conventional fire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m broken,¡± Sarien said, blinking rapidly, his eyes burning. ¡°Is that why I only have the power on one side of my body? I can feel the other side there, but it¡¯s dormant in some way. Can¡¯t access it at all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not well versed in these matters, so I couldn¡¯t tell you,¡± The director said. ¡°But do not concern yourself. I¡¯m sure we can put the heat back in your blood. In addition to your usual classes, you will go to our director of research. It should not be a problem for her to deal with your abnormalities.¡±

    Joy soared in Sarien¡¯s chest. They could fix it. Of course they could, his fears had been for nothing!

    ¡°You may go.¡± With that dismissal, the old man settled back to writing on the parchment before him.

    Sarien got to his feet and exited the room without another word.

    In the corridor, Tre waited for him. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m supposed to be your guide for now.¡±

    ¡°My guide?¡±

    ¡°Show you around. Stuff like that. We embers have to stick together, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sarien agreed with a smile.

    The two of them started walking back the way they had come. ¡°So, how did it go with the old man?¡±

    Sarien thought for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right.¡±

    ¡°He said they can fix me.¡±

    ¡°Fix what?¡±

    Sarien concentrated and brought forth his white flame. ¡°Look.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Tre said, looking nervously around in the corridor.

    Sarien extinguished his flame. ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not allowed on our own. Embers only use our spark when told to, and always with some oldie watching over us.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as someone who follows rules,¡± Sarien said.

    That made Tre cackle and then look around again. The hallway was empty. He put his hands together, palms up, and fire shot up in an impressive pillar that towered over Sarien. The heat was overpowering, causing Sarien to step back.

    ¡°Look at that! I¡¯m strong!¡±

    Tre let the pillar of flame die off and then patted Sarien on the back. ¡°I¡¯m sure your tiny flame will grow bigger, eventually. Not as large as mine, of course. We can¡¯t all be geniuses. And you¡¯ll learn how to deal with the heat and stuff once you get started here. Hungry?¡±

    ¡°Starving.¡±

    Tre steered them down another set of corridors and then up a level. There were other people walking around now, both young and old, men and women. Most barely glanced in their direction. No one greeted him.

    ¡°We have to get you to the old weird Madge, but there¡¯s time for you to eat something first. The mess hall is probably empty now since lunch was served like an hour ago, but there are always leftovers.¡±

    ¡°Madge?¡±

    ¡°The director of research and whatnot. This place has more directors than I have fingers and toes. It¡¯s hard to keep track of them all. That¡¯ll never be me. I¡¯m going out on adventures! Not going to sit around with books all day until I¡¯m old and gray!¡±

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Me too!¡±

    Tre¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll take you when I go. You can be my student! Just make sure you get your fire at least a little warm first, deal?¡±

    ¡°Oh. You¡¯re going soon?¡±

    ¡°As soon as they let me!¡± Tre said, grabbing a door handle. ¡°This is the mess hall. Remember how we walked to get here?¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°Not at all.¡±

    Tre opened the door and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless, girl-face.¡±

    The mess hall was indeed empty. A spacious room filled with tables and benches in neat rows. The ceiling was far above and shaped in the form of a dome. Along one wall was a long table stacked with plates of food. As Sarien approached, the air grew warmer. By the table itself, it was almost uncomfortable.

    ¡°Heat embers,¡± Tre said, without Sarien having to ask. ¡°You know, like the torches?¡±

    ¡°So, there are eldborn who can¡¯t make fire?¡±

    ¡°Sure. They only make heat. Boring, right?¡±

    ¡°And they don¡¯t have to see the place where they make it warm or where they light fires? When they practice, I mean.¡± They grabbed a plate each and sat by a table far from the plates, where the heat wasn¡¯t so bad.

    ¡°No. You can sort of remember a place and then use your spark there without seeing it. It¡¯s kind of hard to describe. They¡¯ll teach you.¡±

    Sarien munched on a potato before speaking again. The gnawing sensation of hunger had been ever present since he healed Ben and Trillian. ¡°Sounds like a neat trick, remembering places. So, these heat mages, they only make places warm?¡±

    Tre answered with his mouth full of food. ¡°Yes. But they can be pretty nasty if they want to. Ever seen a man cooked inside his armor?¡±

    Sarien shuddered. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Me neither, but I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯s very nice. Heat mages can make it really warm. Like, really warm.¡±

    How did Sarien not know these things? He was born in Eldsprak after all, the kingdom of firemagi. Was the estate really that remote?

    ¡°Are there any other kinds?¡±

    ¡°Of what?¡± Tre asked.

    ¡°Well, fire mages!¡±

    ¡°Nah.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    Tre grinned. ¡°Nope. That¡¯s it. Pyromancers and heat mages.¡± He held up two fingers. ¡°Not that hard to remember.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 5

    With some food in his belly, Sarien felt much improved and was filled with optimism. This director of research they were heading to meet would surely know what was wrong with him. Perhaps she¡¯d even know where his father had disappeared to. He expected a person with a title like hers would need to be knowledgeable, after all.

    Sarien and Tre turned a corner and halfway down the corridor, two young men about Sarien¡¯s age pressed in close to a young boy of perhaps eight years old. One of them, a red-haired lad with freckles, clutched onto the boy¡¯s tunic, flattening him against the wall.

    The boy turned to Tre, his eyes lit with desperation. ¡°Help!¡±

    ¡°You bastards!¡± Tre shot off before Sarien had a chance to react. Just as quickly, Tre lay on the floor groaning after a punch in the gut from one of the boys. A boy with long, greasy hair the color of horse crap and a pockmarked face towered over Tre as the younger boy clutched his stomach.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sarien demanded.

    ¡°None of your business,¡± the red-haired one barked. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    The spotty one turned to his friend. ¡°Hargul, is that the new ember?¡±

    Sarien remained silent.

    Hargul eyed Sarien with malicious curiosity. ¡°Well, are you?¡± Hargul asked. You didn¡¯t see many redheads in Eldsprak. It was a trait more common in Vatnbloet, where Sarien had heard they were all pale with freckles to go along with the fire-colored hair.

    ¡°I am,¡± Sarien answered. ¡°Let the boy go.¡±

    ¡°Or what?¡± Hargul asked.

    Sarien refused to be cowed, despite his hands shaking. He couldn¡¯t help but think back to his pathetic attempt to help during the fight with the monster, to his spear breaking and him having to be saved by Trillian.

    ¡°Or I¡¯ll make you,¡± he said, his voice only wavering a little as he brought the white flame forth in the palm of his hand.

    Hargul and his friend doubled over with laughter. ¡°What in fire¡¯s sake is that supposed to be?¡±

    ¡°Let him go!¡± Sarien reiterated, his face burning.

    ¡°You call that a flame?¡± the bully asked, holding up a hand. Fire erupted in his palm, licking the stone ceiling. Hargul created one of his own, even taller and about as wide as the trunk of a tree.

    The heat was blistering, forcing Sarien back, and he lifted his arm to shield his face. At least they¡¯d forgotten about the young boy, but his own prospects didn¡¯t look good.

    A gust of fire roared into existence from the other side of the corridor. Tre stood, barely keeping himself upright.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him,¡± he said, his voice flat. The young boy¡¯s flame didn¡¯t conform into the pillar shape Sarien had seen already. Instead, it danced and flickered in the bullies¡¯ direction, almost like it was being drawn to the two smaller flames. Tre¡¯s burned bright and hot, its power undeniable.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough, now.¡± An old woman stepped into the corridor from one of the rooms lining the hallway. She looked sympathetic, like an innkeeper or perhaps baker with a dusty white apron tied around her waist. Small spots of white dotted her otherwise iron gray hair, like snowflakes. Her hair was tied back into a bun at the nape of her neck.

    Both bullies extinguished their flames in the blink of an eye and Tre wasn¡¯t far behind. Their eyes were wide, like startled deer. ¡°Hargul and Hestskit, don¡¯t you have somewhere to be?¡± the old woman asked, one eyebrow raised. They mumbled some excuse and then brushed past Sarien to escape down the corridor.

    ¡°Rescued by a child and an old crone,¡± Hargul muttered as he left.

    ¡°Sorry, Madge,¡± Tre said once the bullies were gone.

    Madge put a hand on the young, bullied boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can go, Fingal.¡± The boy scurried away with a grateful glance to Sarien and Tre.

    The director of research shook her head at Tre. ¡°You should know better than this, Tremalian.¡±

    ¡°What about them?¡± he asked, pointing the way the bullies had disappeared.

    ¡°Their rule breaking does not excuse yours,¡± Madge said. She sounded like a kindly aunt admonishing an unruly child. She sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that.¡± She turned her gaze to Sarien. ¡°You¡¯ve brought me a friend.¡±

    Sarien cleared his throat. ¡°Sarien.¡±

    ¡°I know who you are, and I saw that interesting flame of yours.¡± She turned to walk back to where she had come from, waving for them to follow. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me and we¡¯ll see if we can¡¯t figure out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°You coming in with me?¡± he asked the Tre.

    The boy nodded. ¡°Yeah. They said I had to.¡±

    The old woman shooed them inside, then closed the door behind them. A peculiar, thick smell permeated the air. She flung open a window and Sarien peered down. His head spun at the sight of the village below, tiny like a child¡¯s toy.

    Had they really climbed that many stairs? It hadn¡¯t taken long for him to get utterly lost in different corridors and floors, but Tre kept going, confident in where they were headed. The fresh air coming through the opened window helped chase the worst of the smell away.

    ¡°Come boys, we¡¯ll clear a space over here. Let¡¯s get started right away! Tremalian, you move those books!¡±

    Tre grumbled but moved stacks away from the area she¡¯d indicated.

    ¡°Want some help?¡± Sarien asked.

    Tre shook his head and grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve got it. Not that many. I¡¯m strong, see? Not just the most powerful pyromancer in a hundred years!¡±

    Sarien looked about the director¡¯s room. The room, or rooms rather, for there was an opening in the wall that led to an adjacent one, looked just like he¡¯d imagined. Strange bottles lined shelves on the walls. Opened books lay strewn everywhere and the bookcases were filled with objects he couldn¡¯t even guess the purpose of. Small fires danced in one of the room¡¯s corners, under a couple of colored bottles, boiling whatever was inside. The smoke coming out of them seemed to be the origin of the foul smell.

    The director walked up and grabbed Sarien¡¯s hand and peered into his eyes. Her own eyes were brown, warm, and inviting. Thin wrinkles at the corners made it appear like she was quick to laugh and smile. ¡°Bjorn tells me there¡¯s something wrong with you. I¡¯m Madge, by the way. No need for director of this and that!¡± She was a short woman, no taller than Tre, and she craned her neck to look into Sarien¡¯s face. ¡°My, oh my. What large eyes you have. And that mouth! That is just lovely. You have to let me take a closer look after we¡¯re done dealing with your little imperfection!¡±

    ¡°Can you fix me?¡± Sarien blurted out.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see, we¡¯ll see!¡± She looked behind Sarien. ¡°Tremalian, come over here now!¡± Tre scrambled over to them.

    ¡°Now tell, what is wrong?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s my flame.¡±

    ¡°What about it, dear?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s, well, not like the others. It¡¯s cold.¡±

    Her eyes shone. ¡°Oh yes, and white. That¡¯s very interesting. May I?¡±

    She held up her hands, indicating that she wanted to place them on his head. He nodded and Madge placed her palms on his cheeks, her thumbs near his temples.

    She closed her eyes. ¡°You can make a flame?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s cold?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Close your eyes for me, dear,¡± she said. ¡°Now. Please manifest your flame.¡±

    Sarien focused and drew the power inside him. He felt it manifest in his hand.

    ¡°Very interesting,¡± Madge said. ¡°Describe what you¡¯re feeling inside right now.¡±

    ¡°The power or sensations or whatever you call it¡ª¡° Sarien began.

    ¡°Your spark,¡± Madge corrected.

    ¡°Spark. Right. The spark is completely in the left side of my body. It feels white, somehow. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Just describe it for me,¡± she said, her tone soothing.

    ¡°There¡¯s this line right down my middle. The other side is just¡­ dark.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Nothing there?¡±

    ¡°Something,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Like a tight ball or a shell. A seed, maybe? Something is in there and refusing to answer.¡± He opened his eyes and saw the director of research nodding to herself.

    ¡°I understand,¡± she said, taking her hands off his face.

    Sarien stepped back. ¡°So, can you help me?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said. ¡°But we¡¯ll need to do some more testing.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it takes,¡± he said.

    Madge gave him a warm smile that made her eyes glitter in the flickering lantern light. ¡°Thank you for lighting those, Tremalian.¡±

    ¡°I was bored,¡± he said, lounging on a chair. ¡°You just stood there forever.¡±

    Sarien blinked. The sun had set. ¡°How long have we been standing here?¡±

    ¡°Hours! I¡¯m hungry!¡± Tre complained.

    Sarien looked to Madge in amazement. ¡°Hours?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I had to give you a thorough examination.¡± She stepped over to Tre and swatted the back of his head with her palm. ¡°Get out of my chair. You know better, Tremalian.¡±

    The boy leapt up with a yelp and she fell into her chair. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. Sorry to have kept you, Tremalian. I thought we would have use of you today.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Tre said, glancing to Sarien. ¡°Can you fix him or not?¡±

    ¡°We will need to continue this tomorrow. Go get some food and rest. Return after classes, the both of you, and don¡¯t drag your feet!¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said. Of course, she couldn¡¯t just fix him in one session. Hope crept in and he had trouble keeping it reined in.

    They said their goodbyes and left the way they had come. ¡°We¡¯re on the top floor,¡± Tre said, stretching his arms above his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m staying with you?¡± Sarien asked.

    Tre shook his head. ¡°We have our own rooms. The embers are up top, I mean. You, me, Ylette, Tor, Fingal, and Freja. Those two last ones are brother and sister. He¡¯s a heat mage. Fingal, the kid you met, that is, the rest are pyromancers.¡±

    ¡°Only five of you?¡±

    ¡°Six of us,¡± Tre corrected, shooting him another grin. ¡°There are other places where they send embers to train, I¡¯ve heard. Not sure how this whole thing works yet. There aren¡¯t a whole lot of students around. There was another one, but he made it through and didn¡¯t have to be an ember anymore.¡±

    ¡°What is he doing now?

    ¡°He was called to Fyrie.¡±

    ¡°The capital? Really?¡±

    Tre shrugged. ¡°Firemagi go wherever we please! Anyway, apparently some prince wanted him to take part in a game or contest. He said he would be fighting, so that¡¯s great. Wish I could have gone too, but they wouldn¡¯t let me!¡±

    They stopped a moment to catch their breath on the stairs. Sarien¡¯s thighs and calves burned. ¡°How many floors are there?¡±

    ¡°Lots!¡±

    ¡°How are the others? The embers?¡± Sarien asked, trudging on. It was difficult to focus on anything other than his own broken magic and the need to find his father, but Tre¡¯s constant chattering helped a little at least.

    ¡°Oh, they¡¯re fine for the most part. Ylette and Freja tease me a bunch, but that¡¯s just because they¡¯re jealous because I¡¯m stronger.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sarien said. It seemed he¡¯d be surrounded by children all day. Why had he manifested his powers so late in life? If the others were the same age as Tre, that meant Sarien would be the oldest at eighteen.

    ¡°Hey, Tre.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Have you heard of anyone called Talc Wald?¡±

    The boy stopped and thought hard, then shook his head. ¡°Nope, sorry. Who is that?¡±

    ¡°My father. I think he might be here somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Oh, a mystery! Do you think they imprisoned him in the cells? Is your father a pyromancer?¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°No, forget it. He¡¯s not a pyromancer.¡± Cells? Was his father imprisoned somewhere inside the tower? The only way to know for certain was to explore the tower himself. He¡¯d have to get there somehow. What a mess.

    A few flights of narrow stairs later, they emerged on a floor that, for the first time, was not just a corridor. The room was dark and spacious, with lanterns placed on a few scattered tables. It was empty, but you could hear voices drifting in from behind the closed doors. Tre brought him to one located in the middle of the large space.

    ¡°This is your room,¡± Tre said. ¡°I¡¯ll come get you in the morning before breakfast. We have fire theory tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°What is fire theory?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the dullest class taught by a pyromancer named Perz. All he talks about are how all other types of magic are inferior compared to fire. Then usually, about an hour in, he¡¯ll switch and go on and on about Eld and the fight against the traitors.¡±

    Sarien frowned. ¡°What traitors?¡±

    ¡°The heroes,¡± the young boy whispered. ¡°But don¡¯t call ¡®em that here, or you¡¯ll be punished! Just go along with it, deal?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Sarien said. Tre nodded and disappeared into another room down the wall, presumably his.

    Sarien opened the door. The room beyond was tiny with barely enough space to move between a narrow bed and a side table topped a washstand. When squeezing through the tight gap, Sarien accidentally kicked the chamber pot, rolling in under his bed. Sarien bent down to retrieve it only to bang his hip into the side table. With a groan, he replaced the chamber pot and turned to hastily undress and wash before bed. If it wasn¡¯t for him bringing a lantern from the other room with him, he would have to do it all in complete darkness. A change of clothing lay folded by the foot of the bed, but he ignored it and fell into the narrow bed. He called forth the small ball of white flame into his left hand, peering into it, his mind swimming with questions about his strange power and the disappearance of his father.

    In the morning, Sarien woke suddenly from his door slamming open, showering his small room with light.

    ¡°Up we go!¡± Tre yelled. ¡°Get dressed, or we¡¯ll miss breakfast!¡±

    Sarien¡¯s stomach grumbled, but it wasn¡¯t the soul-eating hunger he¡¯d felt since discovering his power. ¡°Give me a moment, Tre.¡±

    The boy shut the door and Sarien dressed in the new clothes that had been laid out at the foot of his bed the night before. They fit him remarkably well, but it wasn¡¯t until he exited the room that he got a good look at them. He groaned. Blazes of red, orange, and yellow. The pyromancers were single-minded when it came to their uniform.

    ¡°Looking fire!¡± Tre yelled from over by the stairwell. He stood with a bunch of others, all of them dressed in that same uniform. A simple tunic and trousers for the boys, and long dresses for the girls. Their ages varied, and it seemed like Tre was the youngest in the group, aside from Fingal, with the oldest only a few years younger than Sarien himself.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Sarien Wald,¡± he said when he joined them.

    The group of embers greeted him with smiles and words of welcome, and they moved down the stairs together. Tre quickly made the introductions as they hurried down to the mess hall.

    The oldest ember outside of Sarien was Freja. Sarien caught her glancing at him from the corner of her eyes and blushing, just as the maids had back at the estate. He made a point of not looking back at her, hoping she¡¯d stop. A sixteen-year-old girl had no business looking at a grown man like that.

    They ate breakfast in the empty mess hall, listening to Tre telling tales of all the adventures he¡¯d go on. The girls did indeed tease him, but it was good natured and not malicious. The others shared tidbits of their pasts and who they were, but they spoke over each other and the information all mixed together until Sarien was sure he wouldn¡¯t remember a word an hour later.

    Once they finished their breakfast of bread, butter, cheese, and a crisp apple, the embers hurried to class. Sarien wondered if he¡¯d ever figure out the maze of floors and corridors. Apparently, there was no map to use for reference, and Tre found it hilarious that he¡¯d even ask.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get it,¡± Tre said, moving along as if he could navigate the whole place blindfolded. Unlike the day before, Sarien passed several pyromancers making their way up and down the corridors and different flights of stairs, their steps hurried with purpose. Some carried books and others busied themselves with bottles of liquid or other unknown materials. One man held a small pig in his arms. All of them wore the same red pyromancer robes.

    ¡°You sure like red here,¡± Sarien said, as they entered a classroom.

    Tor gave a weak smile and spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Fire, fire. Always fire.¡±

    Ylette, a twelve-year-old girl, grabbed the sleeve of her dress and held it up. ¡°They make them out of fabric that resists fire better than wool or cotton. Not sure what it is, but it sure is handy!¡±

    A man stood waiting for them at the head of the classroom, but Sarien couldn¡¯t help but ask, in a low voice. ¡°What do all these firemagi do all day?¡±

    ¡°Do?¡± Tre asked. ¡°Work to get stronger, of course!¡±

    Freja shook her head. ¡°Most in the tower are academics. They study magic and research its history in different ways. Many pyromancers are out in the world, contracted to work with the local officials or carrying out tasks for the tower. I plan on staying and working to find a way to combine fire with another element.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Boring!¡± Tre interrupted. ¡°Why stay here and read through dusty tomes and stupid bits of paper? You¡¯re strong, Freja, you should be out there with me, slaying monsters!¡± The boy¡¯s cheeks reddened, and Sarien saw the young boy¡¯s crush plain on his face.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± the man at the head of the classroom said. ¡°Sit down.¡±

    Sarien followed the others to a long bench and sat down. There were no tables and no quills or paper. What kind of studying would they be doing?

    ¡°Now,¡± the old man said. ¡°I¡¯m Perz, Magister of Magical History. You¡¯re Sarien Wald?¡± Perz wasn¡¯t as old as the director of embers, but still older than most men Sarien had met. He possessed a full head of gray hair and he kept his face clean shaven. Despite his age, he stood unaided and with his back straight.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sarien answered.

    ¡°Very well. In this class, you will learn of magic, fire magic in particular. Freja, you spoke of combining magic just now. Care to explain?¡±

    She sat up straight and her whole expression shone brightly, like she¡¯d been waiting to share her aspirations. ¡°Of course, magister! We have all these different types of magic, right? Water, earth, wind, and fire. There has been some study in trying to combine different elements. Everyone knows of firemagi working with geomancers to shape and burn clay into bricks, but we shouldn¡¯t stop there! The possibilities are endless.¡±

    The teacher snorted, causing Freja to stop. She swallowed hard and looked down at the floor, but she kept speaking. ¡°I think there should be more cooperation between the kingdoms and their magic users. We shouldn¡¯t keep apart. That¡¯s what I want to do. Cooperation.¡±

    Sarien nodded in agreement. What she said made perfect sense. But then he saw Perz frowning and stopped.

    The teacher shook his head. ¡°This will be a good lesson for you, Sarien.¡± He pointed with his finger and drew a line in the air across the group. ¡°To all of you. The growers have some use, I¡¯ll give you that. But other than that, there is no point to the other schools of magic on Maydian, our world. Only fire has an infinite number of applications. Hydromancers just push water around and aeromancers ride in their little boats. Digging holes and building houses is not something you should use magic for. Let those without the gift use their backs for such trivial nonsense.¡±

    Freja broke in. ¡°Water mages find water in the ground for wells to be dug, and what about healers?¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Perz¡¯s face reddened with anger, and Freja shied back.

    Tor whispered something in Freja¡¯s ear, just loud enough for Sarien to hear. ¡°Don¡¯t push him too far so quickly.¡±

    Perz was breathing hard, his face flushed with rage. It looked like he was about to burst. ¡°For tomorrow¡¯s class, you all have to come up with a new use for fire magic. You are all supposed to be firemagi!¡± He threw an unmissable glare at Fingal, ¡°it¡¯s time you start acting like it! And you Freja, you better put those foolish ambitions to rest! You will spend the rest of the day keeping the lanterns shining down in the tunnels. No breaks!¡±

    Sarien was about to say something, but Tre grabbed his arm and shook his head.

    ¡°Now get the out of here, for fire¡¯s sake!¡± the magister barked. ¡°Class is over.¡±

    They all shuffled out in silence, Freja looking crushed, and closed the door to the classroom behind them.

    Then Yvette, a pale girl of maybe thirteen years, startled to giggle. ¡°You really know how to make him burn, Freja!¡±

    Tor chuckled. ¡°Yeah, nice one. Just keep a low profile for a while.¡±

    Sarien looked around, confused. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Perz¡¯s short temper is legendary,¡± Freja said, trying to suppress her own giggles.

    Fingal added. ¡°We take turns to make him angry. He will often cancel class as punishment, and we get a bunch of time off before the next lesson!¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t mind lighting the lanterns,¡± Freja said. ¡°I can study at the same time, so it¡¯s no bother, not really.¡±

    Sarien grinned. ¡°You¡¯re quite devious, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Freja blushed again, but she nodded. Instead of looking away, she kept her gaze steady at him. It was Sarien who looked away first.

    Thankfully, Tre grabbed his arm and dragged him away. ¡°We have to go back to the old woman. Madge will know we got out early.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sarien said. ¡°She said to come right after class.¡±

    ¡°See you later,¡± Tor said, waving while the rest of the group turned to leave.

 Book 1: Chapter 6

    Sarien and Tre separated from the others and headed toward Madge¡¯s rooms. When they were out of hearing, Tre looked up at him with a grin. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go see about fixing your broken magic, then! You¡¯ll need it for the next class!¡±

    Sarien paid closer attention to the route Tre took them on and he found that he could follow along, predicting the turns they would take and the flights of stairs they would surmount before reaching outside the director of research¡¯s study. Tre reached for the door, but Sarien stopped him.

    ¡°Before we go in, let me ask you something.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Sarien took in a deep breath. ¡°When you bring out your flame, or spark, what does it feel like? Inside of you, I mean.¡±

    The question brought out that wide grin of his again. ¡°Like I¡¯m on fire! Not like it hurts or anything, but there¡¯s this feeling.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Tre thought for a moment, then continued, ¡°Power, I think. It¡¯s running around inside me, almost making me burst. When I bring it out, my spark, I mean, all I have to do is concentrate and think about that power turning into a flame. It wells up inside of me, burning bigger and brighter until I have to let it out.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s inside all of you?¡±

    Tre frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Is it everywhere inside you? Not just on one side?¡±

    ¡°Everywhere. It¡¯s like it¡¯s running everywhere. My legs, my arms, over here,¡± he patted his chest, ¡°and here,¡± and he let out a fart. Tre laughed so hard he hugged himself. The sound echoed through the corridor, apparently loud enough for the director of research to hear.

    ¡°Get in here,¡± she yelled through the closed door.

    Sarien chuckled. ¡°Thank you. I think I know what¡¯s wrong with me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Tre asked, opening the door.

    ¡°Inside of me, I can only feel a part of my power. The other half is dormant.¡±

    ¡°Dormant?¡±

    ¡°Like it¡¯s sleeping, I think. If I could just access it, I think my flame would become like yours.¡± They entered and closed the door behind them.

    Madge met them at the door. ¡°I¡¯ve done some reading, Sarien, and think that we have some ways to really test what¡¯s happening inside you.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not,¡± Madge replied. ¡°A last-minute appointment has turned up and there¡¯s a young woman waiting for me.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± she said, patting his arm. ¡°There is still some reading I have to do. I¡¯ll see you first thing tomorrow.¡±

    He nodded.

    Madge smiled before shooing them away. Sarien thought he heard a grunt as she closed the door. Perhaps her new guest was already in there. He turned to Tre. ¡°Now what?¡±

    A secretive grin spread across the young lad¡¯s face. ¡°How about we go looking for you dad?¡±

    ¡°My father?¡± Sarien asked.

    Tre nodded. ¡°Sure! You said he might be here, right? We have some time before our next class. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sarien said, feeling grateful to the young boy. Tre¡¯s enthusiasm was contagious and lightened the disappointment of leaving Madge¡¯s office with his powers unresolved for the second time. ¡°To the cells?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way they¡¯ll let us in there,¡± Tre said, then he narrowed his eyes. ¡°But I might know someone who can help us!¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Yari said. They¡¯d found him by the stables near the gate, readying the cart to head back out.

    ¡°But why?¡± Tre whined.

    ¡°For one, I¡¯m getting ready to leave.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to get another pyromancer?¡± Sarien asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°Nah.¡±

    Tre climbed up on the cart. ¡°At least, give us your key! I know you have one.¡±

    ¡°Why would I do something so stupid as that?¡±

    ¡°Because you like me?¡±

    Yari glared at him. ¡°You might get a slap on the wrist if you¡¯re found down there, but they¡¯d burn me to a crisp.¡±

    ¡°No, they wouldn¡¯t!¡± Tre protested. ¡°They¡¯re just grumpy, they wouldn¡¯t actually hurt you.¡±

    ¡°Tell that to my partner.¡±

    ¡°What partner?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Yari said. He prodded the horse into moving and Tre almost lost his feet, wheeling his arms in the air before grabbing hold of the side of the cart and jumping down.

    ¡°I won¡¯t forget this!¡± Tre shouted after him, shaking his fist at the departing cart.

    He looked deflated when he turned back to Sarien. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t know any other way. Unless you want to make the old people real mad?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep that as a last resort,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Thanks for trying.¡±

    ¡°Better head to class then.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sarien agreed. ¡°Fire theory again?¡±

    Tre winced. ¡°Worse. History.¡±

    They started back to the tower. ¡°How is that worse?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s boring,¡± Tre replied. ¡°Don¡¯t see the point in learning about what happened before. It¡¯s already happened, you know? I¡¯d prefer a class on adventuring or something.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Tor muttered, leaning against a rather small and shabby looking door in yet another empty hallway.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he panted. ¡°Where are the others?¡±

    He pointed at the door with his thumb, sighing. ¡°Ylette is already inside. The magister sent me to get you and he¡¯s not happy about it.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Tre said. ¡°He¡¯ll be sure to give us a terribly boring lecture now.¡±

    Tor chuckled dryly, a sound that made him appear much older than he was. ¡°Is there any other kind?¡±

    Tor looked tired and serious and his short-cropped black hair and darker skin indicative of the citizens from the northwestern part of the kingdom near the border to Vatnbloet. A trader from those parts used to come to the Karm estate when Sarien was younger, bringing news from near the border, but he hadn¡¯t returned in a few years. The last time Sarien saw him, his wife was expecting their first child. Perhaps a life on the road no longer suited him now that he was as a father.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like history either?¡± Sarien asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°No. Not their version, at least.¡±

    They entered a room not much larger than the stables back at the Karm estate. Just like the previous classroom, this one wasn¡¯t furnished with any desks other than the one up front used by their instructor.

    Ylette sat on the bench with her shoulder slumped and her long, pale hair bunched around her shoulders. The look she gave them when they approached said she was less than pleased at having been left alone with their instructor.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re finally here, congratulations,¡± the man said, more exasperated than angry. He was much younger than Sarien would have thought. Twenty-five, perhaps? His hair was almost an exact match to Sarien¡¯s in both color and style. Somewhere between sandy blond and light brown reaching down past his ears, indicating it was well past the time for a cut.

    ¡°I¡¯m Jorgen,¡± he said. ¡°History.¡±

    Sarien sat down next to Ylette. ¡°Hello Jorgen,¡± he said. ¡°Nice to meet you. Sorry we¡¯re late.¡±

    Jorgen waved a hand. ¡°Fine, fine. We¡¯re talking about the prophecies. Do you know them?¡±

    ¡°The heroes?¡± Sarien asked, before catching himself. Tre, Ylette, and Tor threw nervous glances his way.

    ¡°Heroes?¡± Jorgen asked, sitting down on his desk. ¡°I can already tell you don¡¯t know much. Where are you from, Sarien?¡±

    ¡°The Karm estate.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that far from here,¡± Sarien replied.

    ¡°And what did you do on this estate? Not one of the Karm family, I take it?¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°Stable hand.¡±

    Jorgen snorted. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s educate you.¡± Tre sighed loudly enough for the Jorgen to hear.

    ¡°Did you want to say something, Tremalian?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tre squeaked.

    Jorgen gave him a gracious nod. ¡°Well then, why don¡¯t you tell Sarien what you think of the Hamara Prophecies and share what really happened. Start with when, so I know you¡¯ve been listening.¡±

    Tre¡¯s second sigh was more aggrieved than before. ¡°Two hundred and fifty years ago,¡± he began.

    ¡°What happened two hundred and fifty years ago?¡±

    ¡°Eld, the god of fire and rightful ruler of Eldsprak, was murdered.¡±

    Sarien frowned. ¡°Murdered?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Jorgen exclaimed. ¡°Go on, Tremalian.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Tre said, giving Sarien a pained look. His voice flattened as if he was reciting the next few lines from memory. ¡°Together with the firemagi, Eld was on the brink of conquering the other kingdoms to bring peace and expel the other gods from our realm. Thieves and murderers, emboldened by the prophecies, stepped in and brought chaos to our realm.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Jorgen said, rummaging through a stack of large, rolled up pieces of parchment paper stacked together in an open barrel.

    ¡°The firemagi did their utmost to strike back at the betrayers but retreated to preserve their numbers and their dignity. Thankfully, the lesser gods also perished during the treacherous rebellion or Eldsprak would have been lost.¡±

    Tre fell silent, narrowed his eyes and then added, ¡°To this day the firemagi search for a way to return Eld to his glory and position.¡±

    Jorgen barked a joyless little laugh. ¡°Where did you hear that last part, Tremalian? Unfortunately, our god is dead. Murdered, as you said. Otherwise, well done.¡±

    He held up one of the scrolls and unfurled it. It was called The Conquering Heroes and showed the heroes¡¯ triumphant return after defeating Eld. Sarien had only ever seen a much smaller rendition. On the scroll before him, he could distinguish the individual heroes and some of their features. ¡°I brought you a fun activity. Today, you¡¯ll each burn one of these.¡±

    ¡°You want us to burn paintings?¡± Sarien asked, confused.

    ¡°Today you will burn propaganda,¡± Jorgen corrected. ¡°Tremalian, you will go first as a treat for finally remembering what I¡¯ve taught you.¡± The teacher held it to his side. ¡°Don¡¯t hit me, mind you.¡±

    Tre stood and held out his right hand, palm forward and pointing to the picture. With a deep breath, the boy drew fire from within himself and manifested a fierce blaze that roared across the short distance to the painting, obliterating it instantly. Bits of blackened paper drifted to the floor and the smell of smoke permeated the room.

    ¡°Well done,¡± Jorgen said, grabbing another roll. ¡°Ylette?¡±

    The girl didn¡¯t even stand or hold out her hand. Fire sprung to life in front of her and a snaked its way forward in a thin stream. It burned the paper.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as awe inspiring if you don¡¯t use your hands,¡± Tre muttered.

    Jorgen ignored him and brought out a third scroll, holding it up to Sarien. ¡°Your turn, Sarien.¡±

    Sarien fidgeted on the bench. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Jorgen asked, frowning. ¡°Of course you can. Even a heat mage could destroy paper.¡±

    ¡°My spark doesn¡¯t work.¡±

    Jorgen looked dumbfounded. ¡°What do you mean? You can¡¯t make fire?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work right,¡± Sarien said, his face heating with embarrassment.

    ¡°Show me,¡± the magister said, dropping the scroll to the ground.

    Sarien brought out his white flame. It required nearly no focus now, like manifesting it was the most natural thing in the world. If only the flame could be natural too. ¡°This is it.¡±

    ¡°Strange,¡± Jorgen said, examining the white ball dancing in Sarien¡¯s palm. He brought up his hand and touched the flame. ¡°Can¡¯t feel a thing.¡± He stepped back and scooped up the painting and held the paper in the white flame. Nothing happened.

    ¡°Curious,¡± Jorgen said.

    ¡°The old lady is helping him,¡± Tre interjected, but Sarien barely heard him. Sarien¡¯s eyes fell onto the painting and felt a sudden welling of emotion. Longing? No, that wasn¡¯t it. Not exactly. Loss? The paper burst into flame in front of Sarien¡¯s face and he pulled back, startled.

    Jorgen extinguished his flame and straightened, a look of confusion masking his face whenever his eyes fell on Sarien. ¡°We were going to talk about the effect of dreadful rulers on their kingdoms, but you are all dismissed for the day.¡±

    Tre bounced to his feet and Sarien followed, along with Tor and Ylette. They were halfway out the door when Jorgen shot up.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± The magister tossed four small books at them that landed on the floor. ¡°Divide the kingdoms among yourselves. Next time, you¡¯ll tell the rest of the class about how each kingdom collapsed without its god. Sarien, I want you to read about Eldsprak so you know about our real history and not the propaganda fed to you at home.¡±

    Sarien bent over to pick up the books and distribute them to the others. ¡°I will,¡± he promised. The title read Rightful rulers and man¡¯s folly in the wake of traitors. He grimaced. Delightful.

    Ylette was first to speak once they¡¯d closed the door behind them. ¡°What is the point of classes if we never learn anything useful?¡±

    ¡°We did get to burn something today,¡± Tre protested.

    ¡°You do see what he is doing?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    She made a small, dissatisfied sound. ¡°Indoctrination.¡±

    Tre stilled. ¡°That sounds bad. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Is what he says true?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°It¡¯s not how I heard it.¡±

    ¡°About Eld and the heroes being traitors?¡± Tor asked.

    Sarien nodded.

    He shrugged. ¡°Who knows.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t true!¡± Ylette hissed. ¡°How stupid can you get? Why do you think people are scared of pyromancers?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about gods and the heroes,¡± Tre said. ¡°I¡¯ll be a better hero than any of them!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just do what they say so we don¡¯t get into trouble,¡± Tor replied, holding up his book. ¡°I¡¯ll do Loft. How their kingdom is ruled by a council instead of a king might be interesting.¡±

    Ylette held up a hand. ¡°I call Vatnbloet then. The priests are helping their people.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the assignment,¡± Tor said. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to say why they¡¯re bad.¡±

    She sighed.

    ¡°Wait, that just leaves Jordfaste,¡± Tre said, looking back and forth between the two older embers. ¡°If Sarien got Eldsprak.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Ylette asked.

    ¡°That place is burnin¡¯ confusing!¡± he complained. ¡°With their circles and their peasants and whatnot.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll give you a chance to learn, then,¡± Tor said, patting Tre on the head. ¡°Or where else are you going to go on your adventures? There are just the four kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°Five,¡± Ylette said.

    ¡°Tyriu doesn¡¯t count,¡± Tor said. ¡°No god and no magic. What¡¯s the point of them?¡±

    Ylette threw up her hands and turned to walk away. ¡°You¡¯re both terrible. Be careful so you don¡¯t end up like them, Sarien.¡±

    Tre shouted after her as she left. ¡°I¡¯m going to the dark continent! So there!¡± When Ylette didn¡¯t answer, he muttered, ¡°Stupid Jordfaste.¡± He turned to Sarien. ¡°I¡¯m starving, want to go get some food before studying?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Tor, you coming?¡±

    The young man shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve got better things to do.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s better than eating?¡± Tre asked, clearly astounded.

    Sarien was already lost in thought. He couldn¡¯t just drift through the days the way he¡¯d been doing, even if it was a nice change of pace. He was certain that his father was still trapped somewhere inside the tower. The cells, that had to be it, even if he couldn¡¯t think of a reason they would incarcerate him. It was the only part of the tower that Sarien could not easily explore. Either way, he needed to find a way into the cells first. Yari couldn¡¯t be the only one with access.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he told Tre. ¡°Food sounds great.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 7

    The next day, bright and early, it was time to revisit Madge to see what she¡¯d discovered in her research. Tre accompanied Sarien again and he was thankful for the companionship. When they arrived, Madge immediately directed them to the carpet.

    On a whim, Sarien asked. ¡°Have you met my father? He was supposed to have come here. Talc Wald. He looks a little like me, of course, but taller and with black hair and a short beard.¡±

    Madge shook her head, thoughtful. ¡°Never heard of a Talc Wald. I¡¯m sorry. If he came through the tower, he never met with any of the directors.¡± Sarien puzzled over the statement. His father hadn¡¯t met with the directors. Then who did he meet with?

    Madge clapped her hands together, then rolled up the sleeves of her robe. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get started.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Tre asked. ¡°Not just sit around again, right? It¡¯s boring.¡±

    ¡°First, I want you to bring out your flame.¡± She turned to Sarien, then back to Tre again, as if remembering something. ¡°Keep it small, mind you!¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tre grumbled.

    ¡°Thank you, dear.¡± When the flame appeared, it was about the size of someone¡¯s head. Madge turned to Sarien. ¡°Now you. We¡¯re going to see what happens when your sparks touch. You should feel a connection. The results could give us some insight on what is happening inside you.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I connected with you then?¡±

    The director of research gave him a warm smile and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t work. I have no flame. I¡¯m a heat mage.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± The possibility hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind.

    ¡°The director of research title is usually held by heat mages. It means I¡¯m the head of the academics, after all. Pyromancers are not known for their love of knowledge. They just want to see the world burn.¡± She looked over to Tre. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Tremalian?¡±

    He looked away from his own flame, which he had been staring into since bringing it forth, and grinned. ¡°I just want to go on adventures and fight monsters!¡±

    ¡°Like your friend Sarien here?¡± she asked, winking at him. ¡°Did you know he brought a monster to us?¡±

    Tre¡¯s eyes widened comically. ¡°You did what?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I forgot about that,¡± Sarien said.

    Tre narrowed his eyes. ¡°Forgot? You¡¯re going to tell me everything after this!¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sarien said, nodding.

    Madge laughed. ¡°Now, dear, please bring out that white flame of yours.¡±

    Sarien concentrated and the power inside him began to churn. This time, he did as Tre described, and imagined it being set on fire. Perhaps he needed to ignite his power in some way.

    The power swirled but remained in its white useless form no matter what he tried. Reaching for the black part of him yielded the same result as before. Nothing.

    With a sense of defeat, he manifested the white flame. It flickered weakly beside to Tre¡¯s red, yellow, and orange flame, making it appear even more broken than before. Tre¡¯s flame flickered energetically as if imbued with life, while Sarien¡¯s wavered strangely.

    ¡°Now boys, I want you to bring your flames together and make them touch.¡±

    Tre made his smaller to match the size of Sarien¡¯s flame, and they moved their hands closer. Sarien¡¯s heart began to thud in his chest, and it felt like he was sprinting. He couldn¡¯t stop his hand from shaking.

    When they were close, Tre turned his palm to the side so their flames could overlap. Sarien breathed. Nothing. As far as he could tell, there was no connection. The two flames did not merge into one. They flickered and danced apart from one another.

    Madge sighed and moved in closer. ¡°Do you feel anything?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tre said. ¡°It¡¯s not like when I do this with the others. Can¡¯t sense a thing inside Sarien.¡±

    ¡°Half of me is broken,¡± Sarien said, a heavy weight settling on his shoulders.

    Madge tsked. ¡°We¡¯re not out of options just yet. A pyromancer¡¯s body reacts to fire differently than those who can¡¯t control the flame. I¡¯d like to see what happens if Tre gives you a small burn. Hold out your arm, dear. And roll up your sleeve.¡±

    Sarien gave her a doubtful look but did as she asked. He¡¯d try anything to fix himself and make his flame hot.

    Tre winced. ¡°Sorry about this.¡± The flame in the palm of the boy¡¯s hand grew smaller and took on a dull red appearance.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Sarien said, holding out his arm.

    Madge stopped them. ¡°One moment. Sarien, I want you to close your eyes and focus on bringing as much of your spark up as possible, but don¡¯t let it out. Don¡¯t make a flame. Just see if it reacts to Tremalian¡¯s spark.¡±

    Sarien closed his eyes and focused. Just as ordered, he made the power inside himself swirl and grow, but kept it inside. Holding that much of it made him restless but he resisted the urge to let it out.

    Pain seared through him, and Sarien couldn¡¯t help but yelp. It was over in a second but felt much longer. When he opened his eyes, he saw an angry coin-sized, round burn mark on his left forearm.

    He gritted his teeth. ¡°Felt nothing inside. Just the pain.¡±

    Tre stood frozen with his eyes wide open, the tip of his nose twitching. Was it the smell of burned flesh that made him react like that?

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Tre, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    The boy shuddered. ¡°I didn¡¯t like that.¡±

    ¡°That is the power you hold inside you, Tremalian. Even a small sample like that is enough to hurt someone. You should respect it,¡± Madge said, handing a pitcher of water to Sarien. ¡°Pour that over your injured skin. It¡¯ll soothe the pain a little.¡±

    Sarien accepted the water. ¡°Am I doomed to stay broken?¡±

    ¡°It does not bode well that we can¡¯t get your spark to react with Tremalian¡¯s at all. I¡¯ve never seen that happen before.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s shoulders slumped, but then he remembered all he¡¯d done with that light inside him. ¡°But how can that be? If I¡¯m broken, why could I heal my friends?¡±

    Madge¡¯s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before her warm expression returned. ¡°Bjorn spoke of your tale. Fire cannot heal, it is not in its nature. It burns. A broken one does not mean it can do other things.¡± Then her tone softened even more. ¡°But all hope is not lost. I¡¯ve stayed up all night thinking about your situation, and I think I might offer a solution.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Sarien asked, annoyed at everyone¡¯s refusal to believe him, but also relieved that she might still be able to help.

    ¡°You say that the right part of your spark is dormant. That will be the key to this. I propose examining that part of your body. The spark is not a physical thing inside you. It doesn¡¯t work like that, but I have a theory that our flesh connects us to our spark. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been researching for a long time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand,¡± Sarien said, frowning.

    Tre gagged. ¡°You want to open him up?¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Yes. There is a link inside us, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± she said, wetting her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a simple procedure. It won¡¯t do any permanent damage, and the chance of stoking your spark is too good to pass up. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Sarien took a step back. ¡°I don¡¯t know about this.¡±

    She followed. ¡°Do you want to stay broken? I¡¯ve researched this for decades. All I need is a subject to prove my theory. This will make you better, make that flame of yours burn bright and hot.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said, raising his hands. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± He turned and made to walk out the open door.

    ¡°I lied before,¡± Madge said in a rush. ¡°About your father.¡±

    Sarien stopped dead in his tracks. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I know him. Know of him. He was here, but we know him not as Talc, but Trym.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Trym?¡± Tre asked.

    Sarien grabbed the front of her robe. ¡°Tell me now!¡±

    A flash of heat hit Sarien in the face and he shied back, reaching up to touch his face in horror but felt nothing. The heat was gone.

    ¡°Careful,¡± the director of research said, the smile never leaving her face. ¡°A heat mage can do more than make a room comfortable on a cold night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sarien said, getting to his feet. ¡°Please tell me more.¡±

    Tre broke in. ¡°Isn¡¯t this dangerous? I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Madge ignored the younger boy, shaking her head. ¡°You do this procedure first. We will both get what we want. Then I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡±

    Sarien swallowed hard. Madge¡¯s pleasant demeanor was still present, but there was a new intensity crackling through the air.

    He had no choice. Madge promised that her procedure would help his spark, and more so, she was the first person in the tower to admit that she knew his father. If he was imprisoned somewhere in the tower, Sarien was certain someone with the high rank of a director would know where Talc was being kept.

    ¡°Will it be painful?¡± he asked.

    Tre delivered Sarien to his room at the top floor, mumbling words of encouragement before leaving for practice with a senior pyromancer. According to Tre, they reserved such training only for the strongest of embers. A genius such as him would obviously be invited to take part of that sort of training, he explained.

    After Tre left, Sarien realized this was his first moment alone in the tower outside the time he spent sleeping in his room. He plopped down on a chair and thought about Madge¡¯s offer. She was right. If she proceeded with the procedure, they would both get something valuable out of the experience. He would finally gain full access of his power and she would be able to test out her theory about how power is linked to the flesh.

    Also, she knew about his father. She¡¯d called him Trym, a name that Sarien had never heard before, but he¡¯d seen her face light up with recognition when he described him.

    Not sure what to do, Sarien left the room and followed the stairs downward. From stories he heard, Sarien assumed the cells were located below ground in some damp dungeon. If his father was still in the tower, he¡¯d be there. Finding him before giving Madge an answer might give him some leverage.

    As Sarien descended, he thought of what he¡¯d do if he didn¡¯t find his father in the cells.

    Even more pressing, what would he do if he was imprisoned? Mount a rescue?

    The stairs ended and he emerged on the ground floor. He recognized the narrow corridor to the left that would take him to the main gate.

    He turned right. He passed several servants but didn¡¯t dare ask them where the dungeon was located. All it would take was a little suspicion and they would alert the pyromancers, ending his already slim chance of locating his father.

    An exit in the tunnel showed a massive stairwell where a few men and women in red robes stood conversing. That had to be the main hall. They wouldn¡¯t take kindly to finding him there, he figured, so he kept moving until he reached a small chamber furnished with rows of benches. The tunnel continued past the resting pyromancers and Sarien kept his head down.

    ¡°Lad?¡±

    Sarien stopped and turned. He knew that voice. ¡°Yari? You¡¯re back already?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Barely left. They sent me off to bury that creature you brought with you.¡±

    ¡°The monster?¡± Sarien wasn¡¯t sure what he thought they¡¯d do with it, but he felt a pang of disappointment at how they just discarded it like trash after all the lives lost.

    Yari looked like he was about say more but stopped himself. ¡°Come on then.¡±

    Sarien didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I need to get to the cells,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Still with the cells?¡± Yari asked. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I think my father is down there.¡±

    Yari stopped and turned around to face Sarien. His tone was serious. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    The flickering lights barely reached from one wall to the next, casting Yari¡¯s features in shadow. ¡°Before you came to retrieve me, my father said he¡¯d go to the tower for answers. But, since I¡¯ve arrived, they won¡¯t tell me where he is.¡±

    ¡°And you think they put him in a cell?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Yari chuckled. ¡°Young. So young. Listen, lad. Your father isn¡¯t down there.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Trust me.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    The older man sighed. ¡°There is only one prisoner in the holding cells, or well, there was one, a woman.¡±

    ¡°How¡ª¡± Sarien began, but Yari held up a hand.

    ¡°Tre asked me for a key, didn¡¯t he? I bring the food to the prisoners and the guards. Right now, the place is empty. No prisoner and no guards.¡±

    ¡°Not that I don¡¯t trust you,¡± Sarien said. ¡°But could you show me?¡±

    Yari shook his head. ¡°I already told you. I¡¯m not going down there.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°The rats,¡± Yari grumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t like the rats. They come out when the place is empty.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of rats?¡±

    Yari glared at him.

    Sarien raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Can¡¯t you just give me directions then? And the key?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not handing my key over to some whelp. Listen, I¡¯ll show you the door and unlock it for you, but then you¡¯re on your own.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sarien shouted, before catching himself and repeating it in a whisper. ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±

    Sarien followed Yari to a chamber with a large heavy door constructed out of thick wood inlaid with steel.

    ¡°This is it,¡± Yari said, fitting an iron key into the lock. He looked back the way they¡¯d come and then heaved the door open, waving Sarien inside. A darkened staircase leading down lay beyond.

    ¡°Go on then,¡± he said, gesturing to a lantern he lit just before unlocking the door.

    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡±

    Yari cleared his throat and spat on the floor. ¡°Lost my father as a young¡¯un, and there¡¯s no love lost between me and the mages.¡±

    ¡°Even though you work for them?¡±

    Yari simply shrugged. ¡°Now get lost. Don¡¯t breathe a word of me helping you if you get caught, you hear?¡±

    Sarien grabbed the lantern. ¡°Of course. I wouldn¡¯t betray you.¡±

    Darkness enveloped him as Sarien descended the stairs. The lantern gave just enough light to see by and the unlit fixtures along the stone wall and hollow echoes of his footsteps seemed to confirm Yari¡¯s words about the place being empty. Still, he pressed on. He needed to see the empty cells for himself.

    The stairs ended suddenly and Sarien soon set foot in what appeared to be a single room, not much larger than one of the classrooms. To his left was a wooden table with two stools. Three small cells lined the wall.

    He held up the lantern to see beyond the bars of the cells. Two of them were completely bare but the one furthest from the table held manacles and some food scraps, along with a discarded rough cloth tunic darkened with stains. Sarien got down on his knees to get a better look.

    Blood. The garment was too small to be his father¡¯s, but he wondered who the prisoner could have been. It was at that moment he heard the door back up the stairs opening and footsteps starting down the stairwell.

    Sarien was about to call out for Yari when he heard a gruff voice that he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°It wasn¡¯t locked.¡±

    ¡°Did you forget again, turnip head?¡± A second voice asked, a woman¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you I don¡¯t like you calling me that!¡± the man shouted. His voice echoed against the bare stone.

    Sarien extinguished his lantern and pressed himself into a corner, hoping the dark would hide him, but he knew he was in trouble when he saw the flicking light of their own lanterns.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I locked it!¡± the man continued. ¡°Don¡¯t matter anyhow.¡±

    ¡°Just don¡¯t screw it up when the new arrival gets here. Let¡¯s just get a cell prepared.¡±

    The heavy footfalls were getting closer.

    ¡°Do we know if the girl is coming back?¡± the man asked. His voice noticeably shaky.

    The woman was silent for a short moment before sighing. ¡°Just focus on the job at hand.¡±

    They emerged from the stairs and immediately saw Sarien huddling in the corner. The male guard, a fat balding man with the biggest nose Sarien had ever seen, asked, ¡°Is he supposed to be here?¡±

    Sarien righted himself and held out his hands in front of him, surrendering. There was only one thing he could say to get out of the situation. ¡°Could you please take me to the director of research?¡±

    The two guards stood at either side of Sarien inside Madge¡¯s chambers. The male one kept glancing around the room and twitching, like he was nervous of something.

    ¡°Went looking for your father?¡± Madge asked.

    ¡°I did,¡± Sarien said. There was no point in lying. What else would he be doing down in the dungeon?

    She nodded with an empathic look on her face. ¡°Have you given my proposition any thought?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he answered. ¡°Should I go get Tre?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t be needed for this,¡± she said, giving him a radiant smile before waving the guards away. They left without a word and the door locked behind them.

    She showed Sarien to the adjacent room. It was well lit from both the windows and lanterns, and in the center stood a large table with straps of leather tied around each leg. ¡°Please remove your tunic and lay down on the table. I¡¯ll have to restrain you.¡±

    Sarien pulled his tunic over his head, leaving him bare to the waist. He laid down on the table, the wood cold against his bare back. ¡°I¡¯ll be awake?¡±

    ¡°Afraid so. I need you to work your spark while I perform the procedure,¡± she said, securing his right arm with a leather strap before moving on to the left. ¡°Can¡¯t have you flailing about. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you something for the pain. Won¡¯t feel a thing, dear.¡±

    Madge finished tying down his legs. Her soothing tone did little to ease his mind, not when her eyes had turned cold with determination.

    ¡°About my father, you said you called him Trym?¡± Sarien asked, trying to push the sense of unease away.

    ¡°Later,¡± she said. The warmth in her voice was gone. ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± he said, not feeling ready in the least. He had no choice. After his failing to find Talc in the cells, only Madge possessed the information he sought about his father. Perhaps she¡¯d even be able to fix his spark and make him whole. It was a small hope, but he couldn¡¯t help but cling to it as she started placing different sized blades on a side table.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to open your arms as you work your spark, to see where the differences are. When I detect what¡¯s happening, I¡¯ll trace it to the location in your body that represents the dormant part that you¡¯ve told me about. Once there, I¡¯ll stimulate it with the hope of activating that part of you. With both parts working, your flame should become whole.¡±

    ¡°But you said the spark is not in the body.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I said represents. It can manifest, especially when something is wrong. Now, drink this.¡± She held up a clay mug, and he opened his mouth. It tasted foul, but she kept pouring, so Sarien had no other choice other than to swallow. He felt a rush of cold numbness pass through his body. Sure enough, when she used a pin to prick him, he felt no pain. No sensation at all. His head swam and it proved difficult to form a coherent thought.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Marge asked.

    Sarien blinked. ¡°Ready.¡±

    He watched as she grabbed a knife with a narrow and short blade and brought it to the skin under his arm. Blood trickled as soon as it cut into him. It bit into Sarien¡¯s flesh, but he did not feel a thing. The sight of his own blood flowing freely did little to ease the spinning in his head, but he did his best to concentrate when she told him to bring out his flame.

    Holding his arms over his head meant he couldn¡¯t see his palms, but he knew the white flame danced there. ¡°Can you bring it to this hand?¡± Madge asked, indicating the one she was cutting into.

    He shook his head. ¡°Only on my left side.¡±

    ¡°Peculiar.¡±

    ¡°Peculiar,¡± Sarien repeated, trying to keep his mind steady enough to keep his magic flowing.

    Madge walked around the table to his left arm and began cutting. ¡°Let¡¯s find that difference.¡± She dug around, ignoring the flow blood from the first incisions she made. Her tunic was already soaked red.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel well,¡± Sarien murmured.

    ¡°Shush now,¡± she said, not even looking up from his arm. She was prying the sides of his cut skin apart. Sarien¡¯s gut churned, and he began to gag.

    Madge stepped back, touching her chin with her finger, getting a smudge of blood on her face. ¡°I can¡¯t see a difference. Why not? There should be one!¡±

    Her eyes narrowed, and she finally met Sarien¡¯s gaze. ¡°Are you doing something to keep it from me? Trying to trick me?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to check your center.¡± Madge stepped in closer, near his side, and ran a finger down his chest. She stopped on top of Sarien¡¯s heart. ¡°Here,¡± she purred. ¡°This should be the spot.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sarien said weakly. His flame had gone out at some point, he wasn¡¯t sure when, and darkness was closing in around the edges of his vision.

    Just as Madge made her first cut, the door banged open and people stormed in. Sarien kept enough of his wits to murmur one final word before he passed out.

    ¡°Help.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 8

    Sarien woke with a start and gritted his teeth. His whole body hurt. No, that wasn¡¯t it. Hot pain shot through his arms and his chest. It was just powerful enough to radiate throughout his entire body.

    Someone was poking him. ¡°Come on!¡±

    Sarien blinked. ¡°Tre?¡±

    ¡°You have to go!¡±

    ¡°Go where?¡± Sarien ran his hand across his chest. He felt rough stitches under a thick layer of bandages. His skin was tender. He suddenly remembered Madge looming over him with the knife clutched in one small hand.

    ¡°Shit!¡± He stood, groaning as the movement pulled at his stitches. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    A light flickered to life in the dark room. Tre held a small flame in the middle of his palm. They were in Sarien¡¯s room. ¡°You¡¯ve been summoned to the old man, Bjorn.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s the middle of the night,¡± Sarien said, looking around. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tre nodded. ¡°I should be sleeping, but I¡¯m apparently everyone¡¯s errand boy! You¡¯ve been out for a full day already. The director is impatient.¡±

    Tre turned to walk out of the room, but Sarien grabbed his arm. ¡°Hold on. What happened?¡±

    Tre grinned weakly. ¡°Some guards were blabbing about Madge and some boy they found in the dungeon. Figured it was you, but her door was locked when I came to check. Got a bad feeling about the whole thing so I went to get the old man.¡±

    ¡°You saved me?¡±

    Tre straightened. ¡°I¡¯m a hero!¡±

    ¡°My hero,¡± Sarien agreed.

    The boy fidgeted. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let me in to see what happened, so you¡¯ll have to tell me later. It¡¯s best if you hurry to the old man now. He doesn''t like to be kept waiting.¡±

    Sarien knocked on the door and slipped inside the chamber on Bjorn¡¯s command.

    ¡°Sit,¡± the old man said. ¡°It was a terrible thing the director of research did.¡±

    ¡°It was,¡± Sarien agreed. He was tempted by Madge¡¯s promise to fix his spark and for information about his father, but when he saw the glint of madness in her eye as she cut down into his chest, Sarien quickly realized her intent. She would gladly throw his life away for the answers to her theories.

    ¡°If it was up to me, the outcome might have been different, but as it stands, it was decided that you would be retroactively stripped of your ember status. Since Madge could not help you with your spark, you never should have been allowed to be entered into the books.¡±

    Sarien frowned. ¡°You are saying that Madge nearly killing me wasn¡¯t what was wrong, but it was the fact that she did it to an ember?¡±

    The old man¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°The directorship has yet to come to a decision regarding what to do with you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Tensions were high when I ordered Madge to release you. In truth, it was beyond my authority to do so. She is arguing that she should be allowed to resume her studies.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Sarien shouted. ¡°If I¡¯m not an ember anymore, I¡¯ll go!¡±

    ¡°If it was up to me, you would be thrown out of here right away.¡±

    ¡°I am a free man, not a criminal,¡± Sarien argued, glancing at the door.

    The director of embers scoffed. ¡°Remember where you are. The only law here is that of the firemagi.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ll let me die on that table?¡±

    ¡°The decision has not been made. Not yet. Rest assured, I will continue to argue your point.¡±

    ¡°And if they decide that Madge is right?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Then your life will hopefully serve to provide us some knowledge about your condition.¡±

    ¡°Burn this!¡± Sarien shouted, knocking over his seat as he sprinted for the exit. A wall of fire roared into existence, engulfing the door. The heat drove Sarien back.

    He turned and manifested his white flame, stoking it with all the power he could muster. It burned cold and bright, its size growing taller than Sarien himself.

    ¡°Let me go.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Bjorn said. The wall of fire burned brighter.

    An anger rose inside Sarien¡¯s chest. The audacity of these firemagi knew no bounds. To think that his life was just something to be used and discarded. He wouldn¡¯t stand idly by and let their flames consume him.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Sarien clawed at the darkness inside him, pleading for it to wake up, but it was all in vain.

    The white flame was all Sarien could bring forth. He took a step toward Bjorn, holding up his hand.

    Concentrate, he needed to concentrate. Make it burn. The other embers were able to manipulate the power inside them, Tre into an explosion and Ylette in what looked like a reaching branch. If they could do it, so could he. Sarien angled his hand so his palm faced the old man, willing the white flame to attack. Nothing happened.

    ¡°If you could do anything with that, we would not be in this predicament,¡± Bjorn said, his voice tired. ¡°Let that pitiful thing go and accept what is coming.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Sarien screamed. He ran to the desk and leapt up on it, scattering books and parchments in all directions as he dove for Bjorn with the white flame still dancing silently in the palm of his hand. He was inches away from Bjorn when something hard crashed into him, sending him flying through the air. The stench of burnt cloth was the last thing he remembered before hitting the stone floor.

    Sarien woke in complete darkness. His head throbbed and his body ached.

    ¡°Hello?¡± The word hung in the air and then dissipated without a reply.

    Sarien felt the metal bars dig into his back. He was in the cells. With a sigh, he lit the pale flame in the palm of his hand for light. Unfortunately, after his encounter with Bjorn, it had become obvious to him that it was all his cold fire was good for.

    What a fine mess he found himself in. Holding the white flame to the cell¡¯s lock didn¡¯t do a thing and the bars were similarly unimpressed with Sarien¡¯s broken magic. He kicked the door and swore as pain reverberated up his leg, mingling with all his other injuries. At least flying through the air and crashing into a stone wall hadn¡¯t opened up the wounds he received from Madge. The thought of that old crone made the anger rise up inside him again.

    Light or dark made no difference as he looked around the chamber and noticed that he was alone. He extinguished his flame. Using his magic was draining, he may need it all soon enough even if he didn¡¯t know how to use it properly. There was no way they¡¯d take him without a fight. He wouldn¡¯t go meekly to that horrid woman¡¯s operating table to live out his last moments as a piece of meat to be studied. Better to be burned away fighting until his last breath.

    He woke to darkness, sat in darkness, and eventually drifted off in the dark again. The passage of time distorted and Sarien couldn¡¯t tell how long he¡¯d been down in the cell. His throat burned from thirst and his stomach gnawed on itself in hunger. He felt weak and dizzy. For a moment, he panicked and wondered if they had forgotten about him.

    When he called upon his flame, the shadows dancing along the walls made the room spin around him. He swallowed, willing the nausea to pass.

    Only once more did he try to conjure it, when he thought he heard whispers in the dark, but it didn¡¯t come. Instead, he fell unconscious. When he came to, the voices were gone.

    Then, a sound. Sarien blinked, unsure if he¡¯d actually heard it. His cracked lips tried to form a word, but it was useless. Another sound reached his ears, the loud groan of a door opening, followed by a gust of wind that chilled him to the bone. He curled into a ball on the floor, trying to shield himself from the new sensations. All he wanted was to sleep. The thud of feet on the cold stone floor echoed loudly, deafening him.

    ¡°Sarien?¡±

    Yari? Sarien tried to sound the question out loud, but he couldn¡¯t move his mouth.

    ¡°What in scorched earth are you doing here? Did they catch you down here?¡± Sarien¡¯s back was to the door and stairs, but he heard Yari approach on quick feet.

    ¡°Sarien? Hold on lad.¡±

    The light from Yari¡¯s lantern stung Sarien¡¯s eyes, but he forced himself to open them and with tremendous effort, he rolled over.

    Yari¡¯s eyes went wide and frightened, but Sarien¡¯s gaze shot to the floor where he saw a tray with a cup on it. He pointed and Yari followed.

    ¡°Water? Of course. You¡¯ve been down here three days. You must be going mad with thirst.¡± Yari took the cup and passed it through the bars. He held it to Sarien¡¯s lips.

    Sarien drank greedily. His throat burned, but he didn¡¯t care. Life returned to him with each sip and when he¡¯d emptied the cup, he lay there panting.

    ¡°I knew there was a prisoner, but they said I couldn¡¯t deliver food until they¡¯d settled on some decision.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve decided?¡± Sarien croaked.

    Yari shook his head. ¡°Not yet. Someone finally remembered you perishing down here and they sent me to make sure the prisoner wasn¡¯t dying too soon.¡±

    ¡°Near enough,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Do you have any more water?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, lad. I have some bread.¡± He handed it over. ¡°What happened? From what I heard, they¡¯re talking about you like you¡¯re scum.¡±

    ¡°Anyone without the spark is scum to the firemagi,¡± Sarien muttered. He felt well enough to sit. That water had rejuvenated him. ¡°Can you get me out of here?¡±

    Yari sighed. ¡°Sorry, lad. Even if I did have the key to the cell, which I don¡¯t, they would know it was me. Got people depending on me, and the mages would burn me to ash in an instant.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sarien said, nibbling on the bread. ¡°What about Tre? Could you bring him here?¡±

    Hope had swelled when seeing Yari, but it was quickly ebbing away. Tre was his last chance. The young boy saved him once before, perhaps he could do so again. How? Sarien had no idea, but the boy liked playing the hero and Sarien desperately needed a hero.

    ¡°The embers aren¡¯t allowed down here, but I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Yari stood and brushed dust from the knees of his pants. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the lantern with you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said.

    At some point, Sarien must have dozen off again. He woke in complete darkness. If it wasn¡¯t for slight quenching of his thirst and the crumbs on his tunic, he might have thought Yari¡¯s visit was a hallucination.

    Sarien reached around blindly and found the lantern in the spot where Yari left it. The oil had burned out. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed since the visit. Tre would be coming, Sarien was sure of it. He just hoped it wouldn¡¯t be too late.

    All Sarien could hear was his own breath and the beating of his heart. He paused, blinking against the darkness. Something was different from before. The skin of his arms and back prickled. At first, his conscious brain couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of what his body was telling him, but then it occurred to him.

    Breathing. Someone else was down here with him. He wasn¡¯t alone.

    Suddenly, the dark was filled of terror. With a startled yelp, he called forth his white flame to light the stone chamber.

    At the base of the staircase, Madge stood still, staring at him. Her eyes were opened wide and Sarien saw his flame reflected in their glassy surface. Her mouth was set in a hungry grin and her fingers twitched at her side.

    ¡°Sarien,¡± she whispered, tasting the word and then running her tongue across her lips.

    He hastily crawled backward until his back was against the stone wall. ¡°Get away from me!¡±

    ¡°You poor boy. Delirious and misguided.¡± She took a step closer. ¡°With you, the secrets of the worlds will finally be in my grasp.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Sarien shouted, the loud words echoed in the bare chamber.

    ¡°I just need your flesh,¡± she said. ¡°The pieces of you that makes up the whole. Soon, they will be mine.¡±

    She turned and walked for the stairs, looking back over her shoulder. ¡°Soon.¡±

    Sarien kept his white flame burning long after she¡¯d left, his body trembling with fear.

 Book 1: Chapter 9

    Finally, after waiting for what felt like an eternity, another sound reached Sarien¡¯s ears, the door up above opening. His white flame flickered weakly in his outstretched palm. He feared extinguishing it for even for a second. Sarien knew that he grew weaker the longer that he kept his flame burning, but he couldn¡¯t sit in the dark. Not after what happened.

    Soft footfalls echoed off the stone walls. Was it Madge coming back to finish what she started?

    ¡°Sarien?¡± a soft voice called out.

    ¡°Tre!¡± Sarien shouted. ¡°I¡¯m down here.¡± His voice sounded rough, crackling as he spoke.

    Tre¡¯s small figure came bounding down the stairs. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°What does it look like?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°I mean, why did they put you in there? Bjorn said they had kicked you out of the tower. Thought you were on your way back to that estate or whatever.¡±

    ¡°They lied¡±

    Tre fingered the lock. ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Madge,¡± Sarien said. ¡°That old bitch cut me open and wants to continue experimenting on me. Bjorn said I wasn¡¯t an ember anymore so they could do whatever they wanted to me. The directors are deciding my fate as we speak, perhaps they¡¯ve already did if they told you I had left the tower.¡±

    ¡°Fire¡¯s breath,¡± Tre gasped. ¡°I knew that old woman was weird, but nothing like this.¡±

    ¡°Can you get me out of here?¡± Sarien asked. The favor would jeopardize Tre¡¯s entire future as a pyromancer and possibly make him a target for Madge. Sarien would understand if the boy couldn¡¯t help him escape.

    Tre bought his hand to the lock. A small flame flickered into life, burning bright and hot. Sarien looked away quickly away.

    The metal lock began to glow in a bright orange before cracking and a melting onto the floor.

    ¡°There,¡± Tre panted. ¡°Done.¡± Beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his cheeks were flush. The boy hadn¡¯t hesitated at all.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said, stepping out of his cell. ¡°What time is it?¡±

    ¡°Middle of the night. Had to wait for the oldies to fall asleep before I got down here. Yari, the bastard, wouldn¡¯t let me go before then.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re asleep?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°I have to leave this place.¡±

    Tre shifted his weight from foot to foot and looked down at the floor. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°If my father isn¡¯t in the tower, then he¡¯s out there somewhere. I¡¯ll find him, whatever it takes. You should come with me.¡± Sarien surprised himself with the offer, but it felt right.

    Tre shook his head. ¡°The oldies here are crazy, but I can¡¯t just leave. I¡¯m leader of the embers, you know? They need me.¡±

    ¡°What about adventure?¡±

    Tre grinned. ¡°There will be plenty of time for that. By the time I¡¯m your age I¡¯ll be running this place. I¡¯ll stay and make sure it doesn¡¯t burn down.¡±

    Sarien took a step forward and put a hand on Tre¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I understand. You should head up to the embers¡¯ chambers, so they won¡¯t suspect you when they realize I¡¯m gone.¡±

    Tre blinked. ¡°Hadn¡¯t thought about that. You¡¯re probably right.¡± He started back up the stairs. ¡°See you around, Sarien!¡±

    ¡°Tell Yari thanks from me!¡± Sarien shouted, following up behind. Tre had vanished by the time Sarien made his way up the stairs. Only the sound of quick fading footsteps echoed in the corridor.

    A bag lay by the door. Water and food, even a small bag of coins and some less conspicuous clothes than the ember uniform that Sarien still wore. He stilled when his hand brushed against something he didn¡¯t think he would see again.

    Apart from Sarien, there was not a soul in the corridors or stairways. He took the wrong turn a few times but eventually found the objective. Sarien pushed the door open, and he slipped inside. He¡¯d brought one item from his pack, clutching it tightly in his hand.

    Four lanterns flickered, one in each corner of the large chamber. They were not powered by some unfortunate ember, but instead relied on wicks and oil. Books were stacked haphazardly on every surface. Jars, and all manner of strange contraptions, cluttered the tables and shelves. A thick cloth draped over an opening in the wall that led into a separate chamber. Faint snoring came from that direction.

    Sarien moved with care across the littered floor, careful to avoid disturbing a pile of books. With as much grace as he could muster, he snuck into the room where Madge lay sleeping. His heart raced as if he was running for his life. But he wouldn¡¯t run. Not now when he had the information he needed within arm¡¯s reach.

    A trickle of light from the first room penetrated the cloth separating the two chambers, giving him just enough light to see the outline of a massive bed and the small frame of the director of research in the center. She slept easily for a madwoman. The glint of insanity he¡¯d seen in her eyes the last time they met made him shudder, but he didn¡¯t stop his silent approach.

    At the head of the bed, he stopped, readying himself.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The blade was small but sharp as he held it against Madge¡¯s neck. His grip was surprisingly steady around the carved wooden hilt. With his free hand, Sarien slapped the sleeping woman across the face.

    Madge yelped, but before she could cry out, he placed his handover her mouth and pressed the knife against the thin skin at her neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to remove my hand from your mouth. If you scream, I¡¯ll cut you like you cut me.¡±

    Sarien removed his hand from Madge¡¯s mouth but kept the knife where it was. The lack of light made it difficult to know how far into her skin the blade dug, but it was enough to keep her docile.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± she hissed.

    ¡°Tell me everything you know about my father. Where is he? Who is he to you?¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Just tell me!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Trym the Pyromancer, one of the most powerful firemagi we¡¯ve ever seen. Somehow, he¡¯s always managed to keep out of the tower. He didn¡¯t train here as an ember, never worked for the guild. That man comes and goes as he pleases, and it is rare indeed for him to show his face here. To think that his son appeared broken and useless on our doorstep.¡±

    A pyromancer, his father? To think that his father trusted him so little that he wouldn¡¯t share such a secret.

    The even greater mystery was why he had been so content to work as a huntsmaster when he carried such power inside him. And Madge was right, Sarien really was a terrible son, a broken mess. A thought flashed. What if he¡¯d left because he was so horrified that his own flesh and blood couldn¡¯t even produce a warm flame?

    Sarien gritted his teeth. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t here,¡± she snorted. ¡°Spoke to someone and then left that very same day. Why would we incarcerate one of our own, even if he won¡¯t acknowledge our authority? You, on the other hand, will burn for this. You¡¯ll never see your precious father again!¡±

    He pressed down on the dagger. ¡°Keep your voice down! Where did he go?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    ¡°Tell me! You have to know something!¡±

    ¡°All I know is that someone heard him speak of a friend that he had to go visit.¡±

    ¡°A friend? Who and where?¡±

    ¡°What will you do? Slit my throat? Kill the director of research? How do you think that will go for you? What kind of life might you live after that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he answered, truthfully. ¡°But it will be in a world where you don¡¯t draw breath! Now speak!¡±

    Madge glared up at him. ¡°Tyriu,¡± she answered finally.

    ¡°The kingdom?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it. In the capital, Tyralien. I didn¡¯t hear it myself, but he has a friend there called Mohalim, a smith.¡±

    Sarien wet his lips and glanced at the exit. How long did he dare stay? ¡°How would you just hear of something that specific?¡±

    ¡°First you demand answers and then you doubt me. You have a knife to my throat!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much to just overhear!¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± she yelled. ¡°We found who he was meeting and then we tortured the wench to get it out of her!¡±

    The venom in her words stunned Sarien for a moment, but then he gathered himself. The woman spoke the truth. He believed her. ¡°Who was she, the friend?¡±

    ¡°A nobody! Not eldborn. We wouldn¡¯t do that to one of our own.¡±

    ¡°Her name!¡±

    ¡°Her name was Kendra!¡±

    ¡°Was?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t keep insects around after we¡¯ve studied them. You¡¯d do well to remember that.¡±

    Sarien had heard enough. Without another word, he slid the dagger home, burying it into her throat. Madge choked on her own blood as Sarien watched to make sure she never saw the light of day again. When the gurgling struggles for breath ceased, he wiped the dagger on her clothes and exited the room.

    He stopped for a moment, looking at his hands. No blood, but they trembled even as he balled them into fists. His cheeks felt wet and he wiped at them with his sleeve. Tears? Couldn¡¯t be, not for her.

    About halfway to the door, he bent over and emptied what little he had in his stomach over a stack of books.

    The smell of blood clogged his nose and no matter how many deep breaths he took, his heart would not slow from its galloping pace. Sarien hurried through the empty corridors and stairwells.

    His thoughts flashed back to Madge in a puddle of her own blood. His hands just wouldn¡¯t stop trembling.

    Sarien stopped at the gate. Guards. He¡¯d forgotten about the guards. The sound of footsteps rang out from behind him in the corridor, so he did the only thing he could think of. With his back held stiff and his shoulders pulled back, Sarien stepped out from the shadows and spoke with feigned arrogance and authority.

    ¡°Open the gate.¡±

    The two guards looked at him, then at each other, and then back to Sarien again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the gate is locked for the night.¡±

    ¡°Then unlock it.¡± Those behind him in the corridor were running now, the sound of their feet quickly approaching. ¡°Unlock it now!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but bark the order. Even then, his voice was shrill and anxious.

    ¡°Stop!¡± a voice yelled out. ¡°Do not let him pass!¡±

    Hands grabbed at him. A short struggle and a quick walk later, Sarien was tossed through the doors into Bjorn Elden¡¯s office.

    ¡°After all that deliberation and effort to save you, this is how you choose to act? Escape?¡±

    Sarien stood and glared at the director of embers. ¡°Did you just expect me to sit and wait to see if you¡¯d kill me or not? Or perhaps you wanted me to die of thirst and hunger first!¡±

    A last flicker of hope stoked in Sarien¡¯s chest, however meager. They didn¡¯t know about Madge. Not yet.

    ¡°Watch your tone with me!¡± Bjorn yelled, stepping in close. ¡°Who helped you escape? Tremalian?¡±

    ¡°Helped me?¡± Sarien asked, a look of feigned surprise on his face. ¡°I let myself out. Couldn¡¯t take it anymore.¡±

    ¡°Do you think me a fool?¡± When Sarien didn¡¯t reply, Bjorn continued. ¡°Show me. If your flame awakened somehow, you could become an ember again.¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I did it. Like with the healing, remember?¡±

    The doors opened up, admitting a short, fat, and bald man Sarien hadn¡¯t seen before.

    ¡°What now, Archibald?¡± Bjorn sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t I have enough to deal with?¡±

    ¡°I apologize,¡± Archibald said, glancing at Sarien. ¡°Perhaps we could speak in private?¡±

    Sarien¡¯s breath froze in his chest. They¡¯d found her.

    The director of embers waved a lazy hand. ¡°Just go on.¡±

    ¡°We have a visitor.¡±

    Bjorn looked up. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s someone we can¡¯t just shut out, since you brought it to me?¡±

    ¡°Afraid so.¡±

    ¡°Then who is it?¡±

    ¡°Goslin of House Steerian,¡± Archibald answered.

    Sarien saw the old man roll his eyes. ¡°What does the noble want?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s invoking the Eldi agreement and says that he requires a pyromancer to join him on his grand quest.¡±

    ¡°Send the fool away,¡± Bjorn said.

    ¡°You know we can¡¯t do that. This young Goslin may return to the king,¡± Archibald said. ¡°We¡¯re not ready yet.¡± He gave Sarien another glance. A worried one.

    ¡°But we don¡¯t have anyone to spare for such a moronic reason,¡± Bjorn said. ¡°It¡¯s only the directors and a few others here! And the embers, but we can¡¯t send any of those. All the intermediates were sent away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve spoken with the directors I could get a hold of already,¡± Archibald said, fidgeting. ¡°We were actually hoping you could send one of the embers. We¡¯d go through the process of elevating whoever you pick. You can spare one, can¡¯t you? They¡¯re not that important in the grand scheme of things.¡±

    ¡°They are the most important thing in this damn tower. We¡¯re not sending one of them!¡±

    ¡°Then who?¡± Archibald yelled back. ¡°We have no one.¡±

    Sarien cleared his throat and raised his hand timidly. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±

    Both old men turned to stare at him. At first, he thought they¡¯d burn him where he stood and turn him to a real ember, but then Bjorn Elden gave a tired smile and nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll go. I¡¯ve had enough of you. Give him an emblem and put him in a robe before sending him into the arms of that noble pest.¡±

    ¡°What about the director of research?¡± Archibald asked. ¡°You can¡¯t just decide for yourself. The directors¡­¡±

    Bjorn Elden just stared at Archibald for a long moment. The short fat man withered under the older pyromancer¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll see to it.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 10

    A small group of three young men waited for him at the front gate as Sarien exited the Burning Tower of Firemagi. Raising him to the station of full pyromancer only took a few moments, and he carried a guild seal on a cord around his neck, along with a sizeable purse of gold. Long red robes brushed the ground as he walked, and he had been allowed a proper bath before leaving the grounds.

    A man with few years older than Sarien stepped away of his companions to greet him just outside the gate. They were alone, but for the bustle from the nearby village. The loud voices of the villagers, the clang of the anvil, and the bleating and squealing of animals filled the air. Sarien took the outstretched hand into his own and shook.

    ¡°I¡¯m Goslin of House Steerian,¡± the golden-haired young man said. ¡°Welcome to our group.¡± He was dressed formally in a clean, expensive tunic and was handsome with glittering blue eyes.

    ¡°Sarien,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to disappoint you.¡±

    Goslin frowned. ¡°What do you mean, friend?¡±

    Sarien swallowed. He couldn¡¯t let the lie sit between him and the man before him. ¡°I¡¯m broken. My spark does not work. I can¡¯t make a proper fire. They were about to throw me back in a cell when you arrived. Instead, they raised me to the title of pyromancer just so they wouldn¡¯t have to send someone else.¡±

    Telling the truth was liberating, but he braced himself for a strike or whatever else this man might do in anger. He¡¯d heard that most nobles were quick to violence against commoners. As they grew up, Trillian often struck out at him and Ben when he was angered.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Goslin said, then smiled. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. But what kind of monsters lock someone up because they can¡¯t make fire?¡±

    A shorter man to Goslin¡¯s right barked a laugh. ¡°We don¡¯t have much love for fireslingers in our group anyway, my large-eyed compatriot!¡±

    The man stepped forward and grabbed Sarien¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m Kax.¡± He used his other hand to brush dark brown hair out of his eyes.

    The third man came forward too but didn¡¯t take his hand. He was tall and broad and looked like he could lift a horse. His expression was placid and gentle, and his eyes a little dull. A stark contrast to the dancing life in Kax¡¯s.

    ¡°Kax here is the head of House Hiemlix. I¡¯m Hart of House Tarkum.¡±

    Sarien looked from face to face, bewildered at their lack of reaction to his admission.

    ¡°What do you mean? They tricked you, and I helped them. Don¡¯t you need fire for this quest of yours? All I can do is this.¡± He concentrated and brought out his white, cold flame. Doing that much barely required any power anymore. Even if he was broken, Sarien knew he was getting stronger.

    Kax drew back with a grunt of surprise, but then caught himself and stood fast.

    Goslin stepped forward and held his hand near the flame. ¡°It¡¯s cold. Never heard of anything like this.¡± Then he peered into Sarien¡¯s eyes. ¡°You confessed to the deception immediately.¡± The leader of the little group patted Sarien on the shoulder. ¡°We have no need of flames, just a pyromancer. As long as you can act as one in an official manner when we get to our destination, we¡¯ll be fine. This might actually be better.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Kax agreed. ¡°This way we won¡¯t have to keep an eye on Lana so she doesn¡¯t make a bloody mess of your face.¡±

    Hart looked at Sarien¡¯s robes and winced. ¡°Maybe we should keep an eye on her, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Lana?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll meet her soon enough,¡± Goslin said, starting down the road. ¡°We¡¯ve a large group with us. Good friends all.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± he said, stopping. ¡°I haven¡¯t told you everything. They weren¡¯t going to lock me up for being broken.¡±

    Goslin stopped and turned back to face him, narrowing his eyes. ¡°We don¡¯t abide by lawbreakers here. Tell us, what happened.¡±

    Kax rolled his eyes, as if saying that he didn¡¯t mind. Sarien told them everything, starting with how he¡¯d healed Ben and Trillian, and his father¡¯s disappearance, followed by his journey to the tower and his treatment under the director of research, ending with how he¡¯d threatened her to get information. How that interrogation ended, he kept to himself.

    Goslin¡¯s face darkened, and he slowly shook his head when Sarien finished speaking. ¡°To think that such treatment happens in that blasted tower. You¡¯d think they had learned some humility after the people of Eldsprak throttled them.¡±

    ¡°Well, we did have the Heroes with us,¡± Kax added.

    Hart shrugged. ¡°They had a god on their side.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send a letter to my uncle and ask him to investigate what¡¯s happening in the tower,¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°Your uncle?¡± Sarien asked.

    Kax grinned mischievously. ¡°The King of Eldsprak.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s breath caught and he stammered, ¡°You¡¯re a prince?¡±

    Goslin shook his head and waved both hands in objection. ¡°No! Well, I am in line for the throne, but there are eight men ahead of me in the succession, my three older brothers included. And my father, I suppose. Please don¡¯t treat me any differently than you would any other friend.¡±

    Goslin sighed. ¡°But I suppose this might be a problem. We need a pyromancer, but I can¡¯t very well force you to come with us. You mentioned that your father is missing. You must find him first.¡± He smiled. ¡°A quest of your own, if you will.¡±

    ¡°Where are you headed?¡± Hart asked.

    ¡°All I know is that he was headed to the kingdom of Tyriu to Tyralien to meet a friend.¡±

    All three of the other men smiled broadly, but it was Goslin who spoke. ¡°Then it is settled. You will travel with us to Tyralien, for that is our destination as well. We are also tasked to assist those in need along the way.¡±

    Sarien blinked. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to Tyralien too? What is your purpose at the capital?¡±

    ¡°All in good time, my friend,¡± Goslin said, gesturing for them to move out.

    Kax slapped Goslin¡¯s back as they walked. ¡°The royal princeling here is getting married!¡± Sarien looked to Goslin, whose cheeks were turning a shade of red. Married? A quest and helping commoners? What kind of group had he gotten himself involved with?

    As they passed through the large village, Sarien was overwhelmed with a sense of loss. It reminded him of home, which now seemed far away, both in distance and time. Even though it had been a few days since he stepped foot off the Karm estate, he felt that he had lived several lifetimes since then.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The air of the estate always carried undertones of the earthy scent of animals, delectable smells of hot food cooking in the kitchens, and the faint crisp smell that he always attributed to the dense greenery of the nearby forest.

    In the village, most of those smells were represented, except for the clean scent of the forest. However, there was also the sour unwashed stench of the villagers, and the animals were dirtier and packed closer together than at the Karm estate.

    Sarien spotted Goslin wrinkling his nose. Someone like him must be accustomed to the cleanliness and perfumed ladies at the court.

    As they walked, Kax chattered on about the merit of different types of weapons. According to him, Sarien needed some way of protecting himself, since he could not rely on his magic.

    ¡°A mace, perhaps. Or maybe a bow?¡±

    Sarien pulled out the knife, hastily wiping away a spot of blood against his tunic before showing it to Kax. ¡°I have a knife.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nice and all,¡± Kax said, examining it closely, ¡°but that won¡¯t get you far in a real fight.¡±

    Hart studied them for a while as they walked, then cleared his throat and said, ¡°You know, we have a healer. Two, actually. Maybe what¡¯s wrong with you can be healed?¡±

    Sarien perked up. ¡°You think?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t hurt to try,¡± Goslin said, looking over his shoulder.

    They left the village behind them and Sarien soon caught sight of a large group of people camping out in a small field of grass next to a farmer¡¯s field. As far as Sarien could tell, most of the people were lounging around in three distinct groups.

    Three men and a woman stood talking under a tree that was in the process of changing colors from green to yellow. Autumn would soon be upon them.

    Apart from them sat a small troop of men in armor whom Sarien deduced to be soldiers. The third group consisted of men and women dressed conservatively in drab brown uniforms. The servants were the busiest of the three groups, moving with purpose as they completed their assigned tasks.

    Sarien let out a low whistle. ¡°Quite a large retinue.¡±

    Goslin grinned. ¡°I thought I would have to go on this adventure alone, but everyone wanted to tag along. We¡¯ve got quite the representation here.¡±

    They walked up to the group under the tree. ¡°Everyone, this is Sarien Wald, our pyromancer,¡± Goslin said.

    Anger flashed across the tiny man¡¯s face. Sarien frowned and looked closer. It was a young woman. She just looked like a man from a distance because of the baggy tunic and trousers she wore, and her short-cropped hair. Up close, her face was obviously a young woman¡¯s. The small nose, large eyes with full lashes, and heart-shaped face made him a little embarrassed he hadn¡¯t made the connection right away.

    The young woman reached for one of the daggers at her belt, but Goslin held out his hand. ¡°We talked about this, Lana. You can¡¯t just go hurting people for no reason.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡°

    Goslin shook his head. ¡°You promised. Not all pyromancers are bad, you know that.¡±

    Kax stepped in front of her. Even he looked tall in comparison to the girl. ¡°He¡¯s not even a real pyromancer!¡±

    Sarien winced. That stung, but it wasn¡¯t a lie.

    Lana glared at Sarien. ¡°What do you mean? He has the pretty robes and everything.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we can finish our introductions first before you decide to stab someone,¡± the other young woman said, her voice melodious and cultured. It came across as teasing, softening her scold.

    The other woman also wore trousers and a tunic, but they were intricate in both pattern and color, and sewn to fit her well. She kept her glowing red hair in a neat bun at the back of her head, and her pale face looked open and friendly compared to Lana¡¯s scowl.

    Goslin said, ¡°This is Emeryn of House¡ª¡°

    ¡°Of the Fourth Circle,¡± she finished, putting her hand forward. ¡°From the Kinship of Jordfaste.¡±

    Kax broke in as they shook hands. ¡°She¡¯s a geomancer!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Sarien said. ¡°A grower?¡± He¡¯d heard a little of mages who could manipulate plants, crops, and trees to produce more food. Their produce even made its way to the Karm estate.

    Irritation flashed past her face, but she quickly suppressed it. ¡°No, not a grower. Just your run-of-the-mill geomancer.¡±

    Sarien turned to the last two men to be introduced. One was old and dressed in a dark blue robe with patterns like waves sewn into it, not unlike Sarien¡¯s in style, and the other, younger, who had a look of eagerness about him.

    ¡°Tom,¡± the young man said, shaking Sarien¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m a Vatner.¡± He was the tallest of their group by a fair margin, but unlike Hart, who was wide like a house, Tom was lean, his long, bare arms wiry with muscle. Like most people from Vatnbloet, his hair was bright red, and his face spotted with freckles.

    ¡°We both are,¡± the old man said. ¡°I¡¯m Anicetus, his tutor and spiritual guide. We both belong to the church of Ocea.¡±

    Sarien caught the others rolling their eyes at the old man¡¯s words, but no one spoke.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Heylien?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°Where do you think?¡± Emeryn replied.

    Goslin sighed. ¡°Scouting again?¡±

    Tom snapped his fingers. ¡°You¡¯ve got it on the first try. Now, what¡¯s this about you not being a real pyromancer? I thought we only came here to get one. Didn¡¯t your father say that you needed one for our quest?¡±

    Goslin placed a hand on Sarien¡¯s shoulder, urging him to tell the tale himself.

    ¡°Well,¡± Sarien started, feeling a little uneasy with all eyes on him. ¡°My spark is broken. It doesn¡¯t burn.¡±

    ¡°Broken how?¡± Tom asked. He started to reach for Sarien but let his hand fall.

    ¡°I can¡¯t seem to access my spark completely. I feel a divide inside me.¡±

    Kax looked thoughtful and turned to Tom, Emeryn, and Lana. ¡°Spark has a nice ring to it. Do you three have something similar?¡±

    Emeryn nodded with a sour look on her face. ¡°Nurture. It¡¯s dumb and I refuse to call my magic that.¡±

    ¡°Aeromancy uses the word tempest,¡± Lana said. She turned to Sarien.

    Tom raised his hand. ¡°Hydromancers use their inner stream.¡±

    ¡°Spark, stream, and tempest,¡± Kax said approvingly. ¡°Those I like. Nurture, not so much.¡± Then he grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll help you find an alternative, Emeryn.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re done, Kax?¡± Tomford asked. ¡°Do you want me and Anicetus here to take a look at you and see if there¡¯s anything we can do? If nothing else, we can take care of your physical injuries.¡±

    ¡±I would be grateful for anything you can do.¡± He marveled at his own boldness. To think that he would be able to speak to a group of nobles like their equal, or close to it. They even wanted to help him.

    Sarien, Tom, and Anicetus sat while the others dispersed to prepare to break camp. Now they had their pyromancer, it was time to continue on their quest.

    ¡°Thank you for this,¡± Sarien said, letting Tom take his left hand and Anicetus his right. ¡°What are you doing here in Eldsprak? Vatnbloet is far, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tom nodded and closed his eyes to focus. ¡°I was at the Academy in Fyrie. We all were. That place attracts all kinds. We decided to offer our assistance to Goslin¡¯s quest.¡±

    Anicetus broke in. ¡°Best to be silent now and let us work. The young man sitting in front of you is Tomford of House Kad in Vatnbloet. More importantly, he is a pupil in the Church of Ocea. Mind your tone.¡±

    Sarien looked down. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Anicetus,¡± Tomford said. ¡°He¡¯s just grumpy.¡± The old man scoffed but said nothing.

    They sat in silence for a long while, Tomford holding Sarien¡¯s left hand, and Anicetus his right. The younger man towered over the old priest, and even Sarien felt small sitting in his shadow. Tom possessed the build of a fighter or warrior, not what Sarien imagined a priest would look like.

    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± Anicetus asked, without opening his eyes.

    Sarien felt hope soar again, but one look at Tom was enough to wash it away. ¡°I don¡¯t feel a thing,¡± the younger man said, frowning. ¡°Just the physical wounds.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°Bring out your flame,¡± Tomford said. Sarien did as he asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Tomford said. A chill bloomed around Sarien¡¯s midsection, and he shuddered as his skin began to itch. It passed as fast as it had come, and it left him panting. The residual pain from the injuries inflicted by Madge were gone, even the burn scar from Tre. Nothing of it remained, like it had never been there.

    Tomford withdrew, beads of perspiration running down his face.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said, feeling reinvigorated. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do about my spark?¡±

    Tomford shook his head, a look of consternation on his face. ¡°I can¡¯t feel it. It¡¯s like you don¡¯t have a one at all. I see the flame you manifested, but there¡¯s nothing inside you. From what I know and what I¡¯ve been taught, you shouldn¡¯t be able to do even that much.¡±

    ¡°There is something very wrong with you, boy,¡± Anicetus said. ¡°If I were you, I would stop using your power and forget you ever had it, useless as it is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not useless,¡± Sarien retorted. ¡°Sorry. But I have used it.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡± Tom asked.

    The old priest added, ¡°What can you do with a fire that cannot burn?¡±

    ¡°My friend and another man,¡± Sarien said, pointing, ¡°I healed them both. They were dying and I brought them back.¡±

    Anicetus scoffed and walked off, muttering, ¡°Preposterous.¡±

    Tom shrugged. ¡°If you say you did, I believe you. Who can say what a broken flame can do?¡± He reached down and grabbed Sarien¡¯s hand and pulled him to his feet. ¡°But I think that means you¡¯ll have to figure it out on your own.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Thank you for the healing.¡±

    Tomford chuckled, then looked back to camp. ¡°Kax is jumping up and down and waving his arms around over there. I think that means we¡¯re leaving. You ready to go?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 11

    Kax¡¯s clear voice rang out over the din of horse hooves and wagon wheels. ¡°Hey, pyromancer! Come ride on the wagon with me for a while. We need to get you a weapon!¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Goslin said, nodding his head to Kax.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said, pulling on the reins and falling back until he rode alongside the wagon.

    ¡°Jump up here instead!¡± Kax yelled, waving for Sarien to join him. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to talk like this!¡±

    Sarien dismounted and tied his horse to the back of the moving wagon. Then he scrambled ungracefully up and plopped down beside Kax.

    ¡°So, a weapon,¡± Kax said, thinking out loud. ¡°You don¡¯t want a sword. That¡¯s much too common. Some sort of staff would fit the robe, but they¡¯re not great for fighting. Do you have any experience?¡±

    ¡°With weapons?¡± Sarien thought back to the night at Kalstram where his inexperience nearly costed him his life. ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Thought not,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll whip you into shape.¡± He grinned and used the back of his hand to brush his hair out of his face. ¡°Only teasing, only teasing.¡±

    After a quiet moment as Sarien watched Kax sink deep into thought, the young man nodded to himself. ¡°You¡¯ll want some distance between yourself and your foe. My recommendation would be to start off with a spear. Just stick them with the front bit and keep backing away.¡±

    Sarien winced. He used a spear, a makeshift one at that, in his failed fight against the monster. It didn¡¯t bode well for him to use a spear again, but maybe, if he trained to use the weapon, things will turn out better in the future. His thoughts flickered over the gruesome sight of Perti, Ola, and Hein¡¯s dismembered bodies.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sarien said. ¡°What weapon do you use?¡±

    Kax coughed and glanced behind them. The back of the wagon was full of cloth rolls that clanked gently when the wagon drove over holes and stones. ¡°I haven¡¯t settled on one yet. Haven¡¯t found the perfect fit, so I¡¯ve been practicing with several.¡± A look of desperation passed over Kax¡¯s face when he spoke of weapons, like he had to find the answer and find it soon.

    A little uncomfortable, Sarien changed the subject, ¡°Hart mentioned you¡¯re head of your house?¡±

    Kax looked away sharply. Sarien cringed, it seemed he had stumbled upon a topic that made the conversation more awkward.

    ¡°Yeah, my parents died,¡± Kax mumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to pry.¡±

    ¡°No harm done. It¡¯s just not a very fun story, but it did start me on my journey to find the perfect weapon. Now, let¡¯s get you that spear! Hold these.¡± He threw the reins on Sarien¡¯s lap and jumped into the back of the wagon and began rummaging around the cloth-covered weapons. Sarien grabbed the reins.

    ¡°Aha! Here they are. Do you prefer long or short?¡±

    Sarien looked over his shoulder to see Kax holding a spear taller than himself in one hand and one nearly half the size in the other. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°One is long, the other is a little shorter. I¡¯ve heard it said that you can throw the shorter ones if you practice enough, but it seems dumb to throw your weapon away, if you ask me.¡± He eyed Sarien before holding out the shorter spear. ¡°I recommend this. And hey, it¡¯ll double as a staff to go with those pretty robes of yours.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s heavy,¡± Sarien said, hefting the spear with one hand while clutching on the reins with the other. It was unornamented but looked well-crafted, as far as Sarien could tell, with a sturdy wooden haft and heavy metal head polished to a shine, and sunlight glinted off the edge. A solid weapon, unlike his previous makeshift excuse for a spear.

    ¡°It¡¯ll put some muscle on you, that¡¯s for sure. You should practice when we stop. The soldiers back there,¡± he pointed to the back of the column. ¡°They use pikes. Those are pretty similar in fighting style. Ask one of them to show you.¡±

    ¡°I will, thank you.¡±

    Kax took the spear back and wrapped it gently back in its cloth covering. ¡°Take this too.¡± He handed Sarien a belt holding a sheath with a short sword.

    Sarien tied the belt on over his robes. It looked ridiculous, but Kax didn¡¯t comment. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°A short sword. Lighter than the blades Goslin and Hart uses, but I think it¡¯ll fit you well. If someone comes in too close for the spear, make ¡®em regret it with the sword. And, it¡¯ll come much handier than your knife in a fight.¡±

    ¡°What are you using now?¡±

    Kax smiled broadly. ¡°This!¡± He pulled two bladed weapons from beneath a bit of canvas.

    Sarien stared. He had never seen anything like them before. ¡°What are they?¡±

    ¡°Hooked swords. They¡¯re from the dark continent. You can hook your opponent¡¯s sword or shield with one and strike with the other. Neat, huh?¡± The sword had a hook down one end and a short, sharp blade down the other.

    ¡°Looks dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I thought so! Not great to practice sparring with, though.¡± Kax eyed his weapons like they were his most prized possessions.

    Sarien shook his head with a smile.

    Suddenly, he felt something tug inside him, the same sensation he felt at Kalstram. It was like whatever called to him came into existence somewhere off in forest by the side of the road.

    ¡°Ready those weapons.¡± The power within him reverberated, thrumming to a silent tune. ¡°I think something is coming.¡±

    Kax¡¯s eyes flew open as he peered into the dense woods surrounding them. ¡°Burn it! What are you talking about? I don¡¯t see anyone.¡±

    ¡°In the woods.¡±

    ¡°Everyone stop!¡± Kax yelled and ripped the reins from Sarien¡¯s hands, halting the wagon. ¡°Our new friend here thinks we¡¯re about to be attacked from the woods!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Emeryn yelled from behind them.

    ¡°How would I know?¡± Kax yelled back at her. ¡°Just get ready!¡± The soldiers circled the wagon and positioned themselves toward the trees, their long pikes pointed straight ahead.

    Sarien clambered down, grabbing the spear in his descent. His hands shook, making the tip of the spear tremble.

    The others gathered around. Kax stood right beside Sarien, glancing up at him with both hooked swords at the ready.

    ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± Sarien said, unsure of what he meant. Twigs snapped in the underbrush. A low growl emitted from the shadows.

    Lana stood close, and Sarien asked through his clenched jaw, ¡°Can you feel that?¡±

    ¡°Feel what?¡± she asked, not taking her eyes off the tree line. ¡°I don¡¯t feel a thing.¡±

    Tom stepped in close. ¡°Me neither. What do you feel?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien admitted, confused. The resonance he felt was stationary, it didn¡¯t move. But something was, and it was coming right for them.

    A long-haired, shaggy beast that ran on all fours hurtled out from behind a bush. An arrow flew from behind it, but missed and struck the ground.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Hart yelled. ¡°It¡¯s just a dog! Heylien, get out here!¡± Hart moved ahead of the others as everyone dropped their weapons.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a dog!¡± Kax yelled, backing up quickly. ¡°It looks like a monster!¡±

    Sarien followed Hart. ¡°Be careful. It could be dangerous.¡±

    Hart looked at him skeptically, then at the dog. ¡°Sure, they can be. Do you really think this one looks like it wants to do you harm?¡±

    When Hart yelled for the others to stop, the beast had stopped in its tracks. Now it sat panting by the side of the road, its long pink tongue lolling out of the side of its impressive maw.

    Sarien smiled. The beast seemed to smile in return. ¡°I guess not.¡± It appeared quite friendly now that it wasn¡¯t charging straight at them. Its tail wagged back and forth in a frenzy, picking up speed when they moved in closer.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    A man stepped out of the underbrush. He was tall and lanky and carried a bow over his shoulder. His clothes looked like they were designed to blend in with the browns and greens of the forest, not unlike the kind his father wore when out hunting. His long, dark brown hair was tied back with a strip of leather cord.

    ¡°Why did you shoot at it, Heylien?¡± Hart asked.

    Heylien pointed at the dog. ¡°That thing appeared out of nowhere!¡±

    Hart chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re angry that you didn¡¯t spot it?¡± He placed a large hand on the dog¡¯s head and scratched behind its long floppy ears. The incessant thumping of its tail heightened to an alarming degree.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you. I didn¡¯t miss it, it just appeared out of nothingness. Right in front of me!¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Hart said, dropping to his knees and hugging the beast. It pressed itself against the huge man like they had known each other for all their lives. ¡°Well, I¡¯m keeping him,¡± Hart said. ¡°Come, dog!¡±

    Sarien gazed into the still forest.

    ¡°Is there something else out there?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± Heylien said, grabbing Sarien¡¯s hand and giving it a shake. ¡°Heylien.¡±

    ¡°Sarien,¡± Sarien said, absentmindedly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    Goslin frowned. ¡°Is it dangerous? Something we have to deal with?¡±

    The strange sensation was fading away. ¡°No,¡± Sarien said, shaking his head slowly. ¡°I think it¡¯s disappearing, whatever it is.¡±

    A look of concern filled Goslin¡¯s face, but he turned and nodded to the others to move out.

    Once camp was set up for the night, Sarien took the opportunity to speak with the cluster of soldiers who sat apart from the others. He heeded Kax¡¯s advice to seek out training with his spear. After the earlier event that day when the dog suddenly appeared, Sarien knew he was not ready for a fight. He doubted he could even take down a dog, much less an armed opponent.

    ¡°Hello.¡± All eight soldiers nodded in acknowledgement, obviously wary.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this spear,¡± Sarien continued, feeling like an idiot when he held up the spear in his hand. It wasn¡¯t as if the men couldn¡¯t see him carrying it from across the camp. ¡°Kax said one of you could show me how to use it? I can pay if you need compensation for your time.¡±

    One of them chuckled. ¡°Kax. Like what a cat sounds like when it¡¯s puking.¡± One of the others laughed and made sounds like he was a cat throwing up a hairball.

    Sarien stood awkwardly waiting for the laughter to die down.

    ¡°I can show you a little, if you want. While the food is cooking,¡± one of the soldiers said. He turned to the others, who still sat around their little campfire. ¡°Not like the company here is all that great.¡±

    The older man grabbed his own polearm and pointed off to the side of the camp where a lone tree covered in yellowing leaves stood. They began heading in that direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m Slakt.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Sarien.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. You¡¯re the pyromancer.¡± He nodded to Sarien¡¯s chest, where the guild crest hung on a leather cord around his neck.

    ¡°You¡¯re one of Goslin¡¯s soldiers?¡±

    Slakt shook his head. ¡°Tarkum.¡±

    ¡°Hart?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re here to make sure nothing happens to him.¡± Then he shuddered. They arrived at the tree and Slakt pivoted to face Sarien.

    ¡°Spears are best used in formations. If there¡¯s fighting, either keep back or come to us. We use pikes and stay together. That way we don¡¯t get singled out.¡±

    ¡°Singled out?¡±

    ¡°A lone spearman can easily be flanked. You¡¯ll have to be careful. If they get past the tip of your spear, your best bet is either quickly stepping back or to drop the weapon and pull out that sword of yours. Understand?¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Good, then let¡¯s begin. Food is almost ready.¡± Slakt got into position with his much longer polearm and showed Sarien how to brace himself and hold the weapon. As they stepped forward in unison to thrust, Sarien spotted Tomford where he sparred with his instructor in hand-to-hand combat. Goslin and Hart practiced to the side with their swords and shields.

    ¡°Keep your focus,¡± Slakt said. ¡°Your spear is on the shorter side, but it can still throw you off balance.¡±

    Sarien thrust forward and up again, as if striking at someone¡¯s face.

    ¡°Bend your knees more before you thrust and let the wood slide across your front hand. It will get you more reach.¡± Sarien followed the instructions to the best of his abilities. Eventually, Slakt nodded. ¡°Not too terrible, I guess. How are your arms feeling?¡±

    Sarien panted. ¡°Sore. Like I¡¯ve been doing this for hours!¡±

    ¡°Practice every day and you¡¯ll get stronger before you know it. There are other techniques, like slashing, but I would stick with thrusts for now. Keep your distance from your opponent.¡±

    Sarien dug into his tunic for his bag of coin, but Slakt stopped him. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Just help me keep the young lord out of trouble.¡±

    Sarien watched as Hart drove his sword down on Goslin¡¯s head and the princeling dodged the blow in the last second. There was a strange alertness in Hart¡¯s eyes while Goslin seemed to be saying something to calm him. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. Though he looks like he can take care of himself.¡±

    Slakt chuckled and patted Sarien¡¯s shoulder before returning to his companions and their dinner.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Sarien yelled after him.

    Sarien practiced on his own for a while longer but quit when his palms started burning. The smell of meat cooking over fire drifted from where the group of nobles had made their camp and his stomach growled.

    Off by the side of the camp, Lana was throwing daggers at a wooden board. He watched in surprise as her dagger changed trajectory in midair and struck the middle of the board with a soft thud.

    Lana¡¯s shoulders were heaving, but she kept throwing her daggers as he walked past. Every single one struck the board despite none of them flying true when they left her hand. A gust of wind blew sand into his face, and he coughed, sputtering as he wiped his face clean with his sleeve.

    Lana glared at him as he quickly made his way to the campfire. Kax, Hart, and Emeryn sat around a fire pit each with a plate of food in their hands.

    Kax pointed to one of the erected tents. ¡°That one is yours. Goslin asked his manservant to put out some clothes for you, so you don¡¯t have to wear that ridiculous outfit.¡± He pointed to Sarien¡¯s red robes. The hem was already brown with dirt.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank him.¡±

    Chairs surrounded the fire and Sarien fell into an empty one and accepted a plate of food. The dog lay on the ground next to Hart¡¯s feet. It looked content, blinking its large brown eyes sleepily.

    Sarien watched Tomford sparring with his instructor, a man Sarien hadn¡¯t been introduced to. They danced around each other and threw quick punches that were difficult to follow in the dim light.

    ¡°Where are the others?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Heylien is out scouting again. It¡¯s all he does,¡± Kax said. ¡°Restless, that one.¡±

    Hart chewed and swallowed a large mouthful of red meat. From the look of it, it was a hunk of beef. ¡°Goslin is taking his bath.¡±

    ¡°Bath?¡± Sarien asked.

    Emeryn shrugged. ¡°He likes baths and doesn¡¯t like being dirty. Wouldn¡¯t hurt the rest of you to do the same every once in a while.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I bathe plenty,¡± Kax said. ¡°I just don¡¯t get the shakes as soon as I get a bit of grime on me. I probably smell just as good as you, Emeryn!¡±

    Hart laughed, choking on a bit of food. He hacked, beating a fist against at his own chest. When his coughs finally subsided, he said, ¡°Doubt that, Kax. She looks like she smells very nice.¡± It turned very quiet around the campfire, and Hart looked around. ¡°What? It was a compliment.¡±

    ¡°Such a weird thing to say,¡± Kax said. ¡°Your manners need some work, my giant friend.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Hart,¡± Emeryn said, smelling her own armpit before wrinkling her nose. ¡°Perhaps I shall enjoy a bath after supper.¡±

    ¡°You might not be a noble, but you can sure sound like one,¡± Kax said.

    Emeryn smiled. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ve been practicing.¡±

    ¡°How did it go with the spear?¡± Kax asked, just as Sarien took a mouthful of the stew he was eating.

    He chewed and swallowed. ¡°It went well, I think. Slakt showed me how to thrust and gave me some pointers.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re ready for some bandits!¡± Kax said. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to try out my hooked swords in some real combat!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think you¡¯re taking this whole thing a little too lightly, Kax?¡± Hart asked. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy to kill a man.¡±

    Kax blinked. ¡°You¡¯ve killed someone?¡±

    ¡°Well, no. But I can¡¯t imagine it being easy.¡±

    They sat in silence for a while, eating and looking into the fire.

    Emeryn glanced at Goslin¡¯s tent, then back to them. ¡°Well, I better go rest. We¡¯ll arrive at that village tomorrow. Best keep our strength up in case we do find some bandits on the way.¡±

    Hart nodded to her, and Kax looked lost in thought.

    ¡°What bandits?¡± Sarien asked.

    Kax shrugged one shoulder. ¡°Himmi. They were attacked by bandits, and we are here to stop them.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Sarien wondered how much he was expected to contribute. Today was the first time he held a proper weapon in his hands. Perhaps, he should wake early and put in a few hours of practice before they broke camp in the morning.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go too. See you both in the morning,¡± Sarien said.

    Sarien stepped out of his tent, wearing the clothes Goslin had set aside for him. The pants were a bit snug, but they were perfect for travelling. More importantly, they weren¡¯t garish like his pyromancer robes. His new clothes reminded him of what he wore every day at the Karm estate, only of finer quality.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Kax said. ¡°Got you something.¡±

    ¡°You did?¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Kax handed him a leather string with a closable loop at each side.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Kax laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a sheathe for your spear, so you can carry it on your back.¡± He grabbed Sarien¡¯s spear and showed him how to close the ends around the spear¡¯s haft. Kax slung it over his shoulder. ¡°It would get annoying carrying that thing in your hands all day. How are your hands?¡±

    Sarien held his palm up before him. They were red and tender, but no blisters. ¡°Fine. Only hurts a little. Thank you for the sheathe. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll come in handy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Don¡¯t forget to practice with the sword too, at least a little.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Right.¡±

    Kax smiled and ran off to where his servants were taking down his tent. Sarien headed to the fire pit from the night before and found Goslin sitting alone, deep in thought.

    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Goslin asked as Sarien joined him.

    ¡°Yes, quite well. Thank you for letting me use one of the tents. And, for the clothes.¡± He gestured to his new outfit.

    Goslin nodded, smiling. ¡°It suits you better.¡± He glanced around the camp. ¡°How do you find our little company?¡±

    ¡°Everyone is being really kind and welcoming.¡± Well, not so much Lana, but Sarien kept that to himself. He was sure he would come to some kind of peace with the young woman at some point. Perhaps, it was simply the sight of his robes she hated?

    ¡°Where were you last night?¡±

    Goslin blew a strand of blond hair from his face. ¡°I got back from my bath after you left, ate some dinner, and went to bed. Travel can be tiring.¡±

    ¡°It can. We¡¯ll make it to that village today?¡±

    ¡°Himmi, yes. Shouldn¡¯t be too far from here. Perhaps we¡¯ll even sleep on proper beds tonight, rather than these bed rolls.¡±

    ¡°Is it a big place? Himmi?¡± Sarien asked.

    Goslin shook his head. ¡°No. I haven¡¯t been there personally, our estates are further north, but from what little there was in the report I received, it¡¯s barely more than a few houses along one street, and a cluster of farms in the surrounding area. It does have an inn, though.¡±

    ¡°I wonder what bandits are doing there, then,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Easy pickings, I suppose. Farmers can¡¯t mount much of a resistance. Banditry has been a problem for a long time in these parts.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do with them?¡±

    ¡°The bandits?¡±

    Sarien nodded.

    ¡°Depends on the severity of their actions and how willing they are to repent. Either they give up their arms and agree to be taken into custody, in which case we¡¯ll turn them over to the magistrate in the next town.¡±

    ¡°And if they refuse?¡±

    ¡°If they will not put down their arms, we have the authority to put the offenders down ourselves.¡±

    ¡°You mean kill them?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Goslin said, his voice solemn. ¡°That is my duty as a nobleman of Eldsprak, and as a man of this realm.¡±

    ¡°Have you killed anyone before?¡± Sarien thought back to when he drove his knife into Madge¡¯s neck and shuddered. Even though the woman was pure evil, it was not easy to do, and worse, to live with afterwards knowing that he had taken a life.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Goslin answered. ¡°But I will, if it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±

    A few hours later, they rode into Himmi.

 Book 1: Chapter 12 (Goslin)

    A few run-down houses and shops centered around a wide paved road in the village of Himmi. The village¡¯s smithy was on the far end, and Goslin could hear a steady rhythm of metal against metal ringing through the air of the relatively empty community.

    Himmi sat along one of the main roads in Eldsprak. The road would eventually lead Goslin and his group to Kleotram and all the way into Tyriu. Without the main road passing through, Himmi wouldn¡¯t have lasted long, being located in the middle of nowhere.

    Thankfully, Goslin thought, this also meant that Himmi possessed an inn. Traveling merchants required a place to sleep after a long day in the saddle or on a wagon.

    It was a little too quiet, and Goslin caught the anxious gazes of villagers peering out their windows. Not a single person greeted them as the group dismounted and walked past the first row of houses.

    ¡°Set up camp right outside the last row of houses. Keep a lookout for any troublemakers. I¡¯ll take Sarien here, and Tom, to meet with the inn¡¯s proprietor. He¡¯s the one who sent for help.¡±

    The three of them entered a brick two-story building with a sign on the front that simply said Himmie Inn.

    Several windows lined the outer wall, but they were small and streaked with dust. Goslin squinted in the gloom. A smattering of round tables dominated the wide room within, and a bar ran along the wall to their right. The only person present was a heavy-set balding man in a white apron standing behind the bar.

    The barkeep looked up as they entered and put down the glass he was drying with a dirty rag. ¡°You¡¯re Goslin of House Steerian?¡±

    Goslin blinked, surprised. ¡°You know me, good man?¡±

    ¡°No. There was a letter from your father addressed to me by name, strange that. He knew you were coming and left one for you too.¡± He rummaged behind the bar and withdrew an envelope. The wax seal on the front was unbroken.

    Goslin took the letter and turned it over. ¡°How did a letter get here before we did?¡±

    The innkeeper shrugged. ¡°Messengers come through here all the time. A man with two horses can make it to Himmi from Fyrie quickly. The road doesn¡¯t move in a straight line and perhaps your man didn¡¯t stick to it.¡± The barkeep picked up another glass and began cleaning it. ¡°I¡¯m Harald, the innkeeper. I was the one who sent for help.¡±

    ¡°Well met, Harald,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Can you tell us what has happened?¡±

    Harald shook his head. ¡°Afraid you¡¯re too late. They came back yesterday with demands for more coin, food, and beer.¡± He bowed his head down and his face shadowed in the dim light. ¡°We gave them food and the drink, but we have no gold or silver, barely even copper. The folks here are not rich, you must understand.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Goslin said. ¡°What happened? What did they do?¡±

    ¡°They took a few wives and daughters. Said they would be returned when we came up with enough gold to pay for them.¡±

    Goslin¡¯s face twisted in anger. ¡°Hostages? Have you attempted to rescue them?¡±

    Harald furrowed his brow in confusion. ¡°No. We¡¯re not soldiers. I thought you¡¯d be here sooner. We sent and asked for help weeks ago! Where were you?¡±

    Tomford placed a large hand on Harald¡¯s arm and shook his head slightly at Goslin before speaking to the agitated man. ¡°Of course, you couldn¡¯t go after them yourselves.¡±

    ¡°I apologize,¡± Goslin said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think. We came as fast as we could. I didn¡¯t know you had waited this long. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get them back.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where they are?¡± Sarien asked.

    Harald nodded. ¡°An old fortification in the woods. There¡¯s a path leading up to it if you head back the way you came, then turn in through the trees. Can¡¯t fit a wagon, but the path is wide enough to ride.¡±

    ¡°Fortification?¡± Tomford asked. ¡°Like structures?¡±

    Goslin shook his head. ¡°There are relics from an insurrection littered about these forests. They all predate the shattering, so they can¡¯t be much more than ruins these days.¡±

    The innkeeper shrugged. ¡°I saw them as a lad, playing in the woods. There are some low walls, but not even a gate, and that was forty years ago.¡±

    ¡°What do you know of the bandits?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°We have seen twelve of them altogether, at different times. Big men. Dirty. Their leader is a man they call Ofver. He carries around a big axe, like one you would use to fell trees. I think most of them used to be soldiers, because they wear bits of uniform.¡±

    ¡°Rabble.¡± Goslin couldn¡¯t help but sneer. To think soldiers would stoop so low. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my good man. We¡¯ll deal with them and get your women back. Please set some rooms aside for us for tonight. We¡¯ll celebrate once we return.¡±

    The innkeeper¡¯s face brightened a little. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Goslin turned to his companions.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s twelve of them against our sixteen, if we count Hart¡¯s soldiers,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°There might be more of them,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Some must stay behind when they come to town.¡±

    ¡°Heylien and Lana will scout ahead and make sure there are no surprises,¡± Goslin said as they headed back to where the others were setting up camp. When they arrived, he shared the news of what they were facing.

    ¡°Ofver, huh?¡± Kax said. ¡°Dumb but doesn¡¯t sound like a bandit¡¯s name. I¡¯d thought he¡¯d be named Ivan the Terrible or something.¡±

    Emeryn sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve read too many stories.¡±

    ¡°Read?¡± Kax said, bewildered.

    ¡°When do we go?¡± Hart asked.

    ¡°Right away,¡± Goslin decided. ¡°We can get there and return before nightfall if we don¡¯t tarry. Is Heylien around?¡±

    Lana pointed. ¡°Over there, by the horses.¡±

    ¡°Go and head out with him, get close to the bandits and see what we¡¯re up against. Be careful.¡±

    ¡°If you follow after fast enough, we might even leave some for you,¡± Lana smiled, her eyes glittering.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    She turned to leave, but Goslin grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t attack before we¡¯re in position. This is no game. They¡¯re dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°Spoilsport.¡±

    Goslin turned to the others. ¡°Gather what you need. Hart, go inform your soldiers we¡¯ll be leaving in a few minutes.¡±

    A little later, Goslin and the others doubled back to find the path that would take them to the bandits, with the soldiers marching up front and the rest following close behind. Sarien clutched his spear tightly, his face pale. Goslin frowned. It would be best to keep their newest member away from the flanks until he got more experience under his belt.

    Tomford did his best to convince Anicetus to stay behind at the camp, but the old priest refused to leave his side, especially since they were riding into danger. Goslin wished more than once that they didn¡¯t have to bring the man with them from Fyrie, but it was not his decision to make. Tomford would have to free himself of those shackles when the time came. If that was his wish, of course.

    Tomford¡¯s instructor in hand-to-hand combat elected to stay behind, but Hart¡¯s dog followed after, his tail wagging. Quite the retinue.

    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the opening to the path the innkeeper mentioned. At some point in the past, it had been a small road, but it was so overgrown that they would need to ride single file.

    ¡°We leave the horses,¡± Goslin decided. His group promptly dismounted, tying the reins to nearby tree branches.

    Goslin stepped onto the path. Visibility dropped among the thick overhanging trees so much so that he couldn¡¯t see farther than a few feet in front of him. Their chatter quieted.

    The bandit camp would not be far. Goslin readied his shield and saw Hart do the same.

    ¡°Keep your eyes and ears open,¡± Goslin said, his voice almost a whisper. He peered back at their formation. Sarien walked behind Kax and in front of Emeryn, with Tomford and Anicetus bringing up the rear.

    A twig snapped somewhere off the path beyond the line of trees to their right.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± one of the soldiers asked, raising his sword. Hart¡¯s dog barked and dashed into the underbrush. In an instant, the animal was gone.

    Hart swore and hurried after it.

    ¡°No, Hart!¡± Goslin yelled.

    Hart rushed toward the line of trees, then stopped abruptly with his hands held up. ¡°There¡¯s an ugly bastard here pointing an arrow at me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Goslin asked as he watched a large man exit the forest with the point of his drawn arrow nearly touching Hart¡¯s nose. Hart scrambled backward.

    The soldiers hurried and fanned out in front and one of them, Slakt, Goslin thought, called over, ¡°There¡¯s someone on the road ahead of us!¡±

    The woods rustled all around them and more men appeared like wraiths. By Goslin¡¯s count, there were at least half again as many as the number reported by the innkeeper, and those were just the ones he could see.

    ¡°This is bad,¡± he said to no one in particular.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t ideal,¡± Kax admitted from farther back where he and Sarien readied themselves. ¡°But at least there are only a few bows on their side. Most of them are carrying swords.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Ofver?¡± Goslin asked the bandit who separated himself from the others.

    The man was as unwashed as his companions, and he sported a thick black beard. His hair was tied back with a leather cord. In one hand, he carried a long-handed axe, in the other a round shield painted green and gray.

    ¡°That I am, lad. I wondered when Fyrie would send someone out here for a look. Never would I have thought, though, that they would send a bunch of children!¡± Ofver waved his arms around when he spoke, as if punctuating each word with the swaying of his axe. He was tall, taller than Tomford even, and his arms were thick as tree trunks. A swing from his axe would cleave a person clean in half, Goslin thought.

    ¡°I see uniforms around you. Are you defectors?¡± Goslin asked. His heart was pounding in his chest, but he kept his voice steady.

    Ofver grinned and was about to reply when his eyes widened. He gurgled for a moment, his mouth opening and closing, before Goslin noticed the arrow jutting out of the bandit leader¡¯s neck.

    Ofver fell forward, clutching desperately at his throat. One of the bandits to the left of them grunted and fell, a dagger sticking out of his back.

    Chaos broke out. Goslin spun and pointed, trying to direct the battle around them, but the words stuck in his throat. Hart roared and swung his blade at the bandit that was bitten by his dog, getting it stuck in the man¡¯s head. Arrows flew from bandit bows, and one of the soldiers doubled over, stuck in the gut.

    Goslin stared at Tomford who leapt at one of their attackers with nothing more than his fists. The bandit slashed a long gash along Tomford¡¯s chest. Blood gushed, but the young man didn¡¯t stop. With gauntleted hands, he bashed the man¡¯s face in with several heavy punches. When he turned, the deadly wound he¡¯d received had stopped bleeding and was quickly disappearing, but he took another slash along the arm that forced him to step back.

    Goslin spun on his heel and barely parried a clumsy attack before thrusting his blade into the attacker¡¯s chest. The man fell and slid off his sword, his eyes wide with surprise before life faded away. Dead. He¡¯d killed a man. His chest felt tight, heavy as if wearing the heavy armor at the academy. He forced words from his stiffened lips, ¡°Don¡¯t spread out too thin! Soldiers, cover our flank!¡± Goslin wasn¡¯t sure anyone heard him. The vacant eyes of the bandit stared back up at him from the ground.

    Someone grabbed Goslin¡¯s tunic and he spun to face the new foe.

    ¡°Stop dreaming and get in there!¡± Tomford shouted the words and pushed Goslin past Hart, who bellowed as he struck someone in the face with his shield over and over again.

    Arrows and daggers flew from somewhere out of sight, taking out bandits who never saw it coming. Emeryn brought men to their knees with her geomancy, the ground itself at her command. The bandits regained their footing and closed in on her. Kax was busy keeping men off Sarien with his unwieldy blades, so he couldn¡¯t come to Emeryn¡¯s aid.

    Goslin ran, closing the distance in a few strides to hack at those who dared try to harm Emeryn. He took another life, blocked an axe swing with his shield, then thrust upward to take another bandit in the neck.

    Three. Three deaths at his hand. He wanted to vomit.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Emeryn said, her face pale from exertion and her chest heaving with each breath. Her bright red hair was smeared with dirt and grime.

    ¡°Stay safe,¡± Goslin said, surprised by the sudden affection he felt for his friend. He looked at her and she gave him a shaky nod. A smile flitted on her lips as if she understood what he was thinking.

    Goslin raced back to aid Tomford. The Vatner was overwhelmed trying to fight off several bandits at the same time. Wounds covered his arms and shoulders. None of them were beyond the man¡¯s healing capabilities, but it was obvious to Goslin that his friend couldn¡¯t go on much longer.

    ¡°Stick together!¡± Goslin yelled as he leapt for one of the men attacking Tomford. A quick slash, followed by a thrust, and the bandit fell to the ground, groaning.

    Four. Goslin¡¯s eyes burned, but he didn¡¯t let himself stop. Tomford struck a bandit in the face with bone-shattering power, dropping him. A loud clang rang out from Goslin¡¯s shield when he blocked a strike from the last bandit of the group. His entire shield arm went numb with the blow and he lost his footing, tumbling to the ground. Thankfully, Tomford grabbed hold of the bandit and a loud snap rang through the air, followed by the man screaming and running, his sword arm dangling uselessly by his side.

    Goslin got to his feet and scanned the battlefield. The dog barked, but he couldn¡¯t see it. More bandits had come up from behind them.

    ¡°Soldiers, to the back!¡± He looked around for them, but none stood. That couldn¡¯t be right. Where were they? Hart¡¯s entire front was covered in blood, and he laughed as he ran to intercept an archer at their flank.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Tomford asked, barely standing himself.

    His throat was parched, and his tongue felt swollen. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Can you go on?¡±

    ¡°No choice,¡± Tomford replied, stumbling forward.

    Goslin couldn¡¯t think. He¡¯d trained for this very scenario at the academy and even won the contest, but it hadn¡¯t prepared him. Nothing could have. All this death, many at his own hand.

    His ears wouldn¡¯t stop ringing. His clothes were soiled, his face covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. He felt itchy and a familiar panic crept forth. Even now, as danger closed in around him, he felt the rise of disgust at his own sorry state.

    ¡°Goslin!¡± Kax yelled.

    Goslin blinked and looked up to see his friends beset by bandits. An arrow struck Sarien¡¯s shoulder, and their newest companion fell with a scream. He forced his legs to move. His friends needed him.

    ¡°Sarien!¡± he yelled. ¡°Someone help him!¡± The order had about the same effect as all his previous ones. None. He hastened his steps when he saw a bandit grin and leap into the air at Sarien. Goslin screamed out a warning, but no one was near enough to help.

    Goslin watched helplessly as Sarien gritted his teeth and managed to raise his spear in the last moment. The metal tip disappeared into the bandit¡¯s chest with a sickening, ripping sound. Flames black as night erupted from Sarien¡¯s right arm and traveled up the length of the spear in the blink of an eye, killing the bandit instantly when it touched him. Sarien let go of his spear in surprise. It had turned the same color as the flames, an impenetrable obsidian, and crawled backwards as if horrified by what he had done.

 Book 1: Chapter 13

    All grew silent around Sarien as black flames surged from his right hand and traveled up the length of his spear. The wood turned into utter darkness. When it reached the tip and touched the man who had attacked him, the bandit slumped over. Sarien watched the bandit¡¯s eyes lose their luster, as if turning into two pieces of dull marble. Death was immediate.

    Sarien dropped his spear on reflex and crawled away. The black flames dissipated when he let go of his weapon, but the wooden shaft and metal point remained blackened as if burned.

    ¡°Your sword!¡± Kax yelled, running toward him.

    Sarien frowned and turned to see a man charging for him. Without thinking, he grabbed the short sword from his waist and pulled it free. Flames sprung from his right hand again and danced upon the blade, pulling the light from the air around his sword.

    The bandit attacked, his sword clanging loudly against Sarien¡¯s. Dark flames leapt from the metal and into his opponent, and Sarien thought he could feel something being pulled from the man and into the blade.

    The bandit¡¯s sword was cut in two and Sarien¡¯s now blackened weapon sliced into the man¡¯s chest. He was dead before he hit the ground, a silent scream on his lips.

    Sarien blinked.

    Kax flew to his side, both hooked swords covered in gore. ¡°What was that? What did you do?¡± Kax eyed Sarien¡¯s sword warily. It was still engulfed in black flames.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±

    All around them, the fighting was quickly coming to an end. The last remaining bandit fell under Hart¡¯s blade as the man roared like an animal.

    Tomford limped to him and put a bloody hand on Sarien¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is going to hurt.¡± He pulled the arrow out, but Sarien barely felt it. The shock of Tomford¡¯s healing, however, made him shudder and yelp. He lost his focus and the black flame flickered and died, leaving his blade just as dark as the spear still on the ground.

    Tomford was panting hard into Sarien¡¯s ear. ¡°Do you mind pulling that out?¡± he asked, looking at Kax.

    ¡°Sorry, what?¡± Kax asked, tearing his gaze away from Sarien¡¯s sword.

    Tomford gestured to his back. ¡°The arrow. Can¡¯t reach it.¡±

    ¡°Shit. Right, sorry,¡± Kax mumbled, grabbing hold of the shaft. The arrow was buried deep into Tomford¡¯s back. ¡°Ready?¡±

    Tomford gritted his teeth. ¡°Ready.¡± He didn¡¯t scream as Kax pulled it out. He straightened and swayed a little on his feet.

    Sarien surveyed the battlefield. All bandits were either dead or gone. Everyone else stared at him.

    ¡°Anicetus!¡± Tomford yelled. ¡°See to the soldiers!¡±

    The old man peeked out from behind a tree, back down the path they¡¯d come. ¡°Is it safe?¡±

    ¡°Go!¡±

    Anicetus scurried to the downed soldiers as Heylien and Lana emerged from the trees. Hart¡¯s dog barked from somewhere off the path.

    ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Anicetus said, after examining the bodies.

    ¡°They can¡¯t all be dead,¡± Goslin said, moving to Anicetus¡¯s side. He looked down in disbelief at the prone, battered bodies.

    The arm of Emeryn¡¯s tunic was torn, her arm bloody. Hart limped a little despite his leg being healed during combat, and Kax¡¯s hair was matted in blood from a blow to his head.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get to them in time,¡± Tomford panted. ¡°They were on the other side of the melee.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Goslin kneeled next to one of the dead soldiers. ¡°It¡¯s mine. I couldn¡¯t control the chaos. The responsibility falls on me and me alone.¡±

    Heylien gingerly stepped over the dead bandits. ¡°Sarien, was that fire you used? It wasn¡¯t like before. What happened?¡±

    Sarien looked down at his black blade. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. The other part of my power, the right side,¡± he paused for a moment, trying to find the words, ¡°the black side. It came to life when I hit that bandit. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You have nothing to be sorry about,¡± Lana said ¡°You did well, pyromancer. Black flame. Who would have thought?¡± She eyed the weapons curiously but said nothing more.

    ¡°Your short sword cut through that man¡¯s blade like it was old cheese,¡± Kax said, licking his lips. His eyes glittered. ¡°There¡¯s something about that darkness. May I?¡±

    The strength that roiled in Sarien during the fight had drained away, and he could barely remain standing. It was difficult to think straight. What harm could it do to let Kax hold the blade? It was he who gave it to Sarien, after all.

    All the soldiers except Slakt were dead. Twenty-two bandits lay strewn about the forest, but the group only looked to their own. Hart¡¯s house troops broke formation at some point to try and get to their liege but paid for the attempt with their lives. Sarien looked down at their peaceful faces as they lowered the bodies into makeshift graves.

    Emeryn sat slumped over on her horse, her eyes closed from the exhaustive task of constructing the graves with her inner nurture. They hadn¡¯t had the time or the tools to dig. With a groan of effort, she closed all eight graves at once, committing the soldiers¡¯ corpses to the forest.

    Goslin stood by the line of mounds, hollow-eyed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think.¡± He trailed off, then looked to Hart. ¡°They were your men. Do you want to say anything?¡± Hart shook his head and Goslin looked at Slakt. ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Slakt replied, his face blank.

    Goslin hung his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know how to do this. You did well, men. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t stop this. I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t better. Rest now.¡±

    Sarien spotted Kax standing a little further down the path, scrutinizing the dark edge of the short sword. His hooked swords were nowhere to be seen.

    Had it been a mistake to give the sword back to him? Now that his mind had cleared, Sarien thought it might have been. Sarien had grabbed the spear from the ground and now kept the blackened weapon in its sheath slung over his back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We still need to find the women. Be careful, there might be more of bandits out there. Tom and Em can barely stand. They won¡¯t be much use if we get into another fight.¡±

    ¡°The women are fine,¡± Lana said from over by one of the bandit¡¯s corpses. She was collecting her daggers. ¡°We found them at an empty camp before double backing here to help when we figured the bandits must have set an ambush.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for us by the fortification,¡± Heylien added. He¡¯d finished retrieving his arrows. ¡°You can go back to the main road. I¡¯ll gather them up and join you. There are no more bandits, not in the camp at least.¡±

    ¡°A few of them ran,¡± Hart said, readying his sword again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join him,¡± Lana said. ¡°We can deal with any stragglers from a distance.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We stick together. I¡¯m not risking you to another ambush.¡±

    Lana shrugged. ¡°Fine, Princeling.¡± There was an intensity to her, and it had been there since the combat ended. Almost like she didn¡¯t want to stop, rest, and think. Sarien knew there weren¡¯t many happy thoughts to be had after what they¡¯d just been through.

    He watched as Lana¡¯s hands shook and she closed her eyes each time she pulled a dagger free from a fallen bandit. The pale faces weren¡¯t just from exhaustion. None of them were seasoned fighters, after all. Even if they did have some experience, this had been their first real combat. No matter how skilled they were with their weapons, they were much like Sarien in that regard. Sarien couldn¡¯t take comfort in that thought. Now, they were all changed.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    The kidnapped women and girls were huddled together in a simple but spacious tent beyond a crumbling wall. Just as the innkeeper had informed them, the place was falling apart. The gate was nowhere to be found and the gap in the wall yawned open. It was more of a campsite than any real fortification.

    Ofver must not have expected much in the way of resistance from the villagers. Perhaps he thought Fyrie wouldn¡¯t send any help either. While the women panicked at first sight of the group coming through the gate, Lana calmed them easily enough when they realized she was a woman. Emeryn was unconscious on her horse, kept in the saddle only by Hart¡¯s helping hand.

    ¡°Can¡¯t see any of the bandits around,¡± Heylien said. He perched on the wall, peering out among the trees. The chirping of birds and humming wings of insects filled the air. The whole forest teemed with life, and the murky smell of underbrush was far more pleasant than the stink of death they¡¯d left behind.

    ¡°Come,¡± Goslin said, reaching a hand out to an older woman, fragile and gray with age. He gently lifted her to her feet. ¡°You¡¯re safe now. We¡¯ll bring you home.¡±

    Sarien saw Kax walking up to a pile of old pieces of armor with the dark blade held high. He swung into a chest piece with minimal force. The blade cut through the armor with no sound.

    Kax caught Sarien watching him. With a grin, he shouted. ¡°This thing is miraculous!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Goslin said, waving for them to hurry along. The women and young girls were already outside beyond the wall and heading back in the direction of the path that led back to Himmi.

    Sarien and Kax hurried after them. Goslin gave Kax¡¯s blade and the tip of Sarien¡¯s spear a worried glance. ¡°Be careful with those. I¡¯m not sure I like what they did to those men.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure I do either,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but both sides of my power have awakened now. They¡¯re still separated by a line down the middle of my spark, but I think they want to combine into one.¡± He shuddered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Kax glanced to the side. ¡°Did you hear something?¡±

    Goslin drew his sword from its sheath, peering around into the dense foliage. ¡°A bandit?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It sounded like someone speaking.¡± Kax shrugged and sheathed his short sword. ¡°I must have misheard.¡±

    The joy on the villagers¡¯ faces when the group returned with their wives and daughters seemed to be enough for Goslin to cheer up a little. Sarien saw him smiling and nodding as he spoke to Harald when they entered the inn again.

    ¡°I said we¡¯d be back today, didn¡¯t I?¡± Goslin laughed. It sounded forced.

    Kax pulled Sarien along to one of the tables, and Hart, Heylien, and Lana followed. Tomford headed up the stairs immediately, too spent from use of their magic for any kind of celebrations. Emeryn exchanged a few quiet words with Goslin before she also disappeared to one of the rooms they¡¯d arranged for the night. Slakt, the last remaining guard from Hart¡¯s house, was nowhere to be seen.

    The innkeeper¡¯s wife was one of the women who had been taken, and she immediately brought them a fragrant stew of carrots, potatoes, and bits of meat, coupled with beer, as more patrons came streaming in. The room filled with both men and women, and it soon grew warm and boisterous as the villagers cleared part of the floor for dancing.

    Goslin fell into the empty seat at the table after exchanging a few words with Harald. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re happy with us,¡± he said, despondently. Sarien looked worriedly at him. It seemed that the weight of killing the bandits was heavy on the young man.

    Hart swallowed a mouthful of stew and patted the dog. ¡°We did a good thing today.¡±

    Kax held up his mug of beer. ¡°Cheers!¡± They all drank deeply before setting the glasses back down onto the table. The beer was refreshingly cold but settled in Sarien¡¯s stomach sourly. It had been a long day. Long several days if he was honest with himself.

    But he and the others had gone through a dangerous situation together and succeeded. He needed to remember that. He had allies now. No, friends, who depended on him as much as he depended on them. Sarien gripped his mug. He would not fail them.

    ¡°Cheer up, Goslin,¡± Kax continued. ¡°It isn¡¯t your fault we lost them.¡±

    Goslin beat the bottom of his fist against the wooden table. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m supposed to be your leader, and I don¡¯t even know their names!¡±

    ¡°Take it easy,¡± Lana said. ¡°I don¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°They did their job,¡± Hart argued. ¡°Their duty was to protect us.¡±

    ¡°Relding, Brunk, Helting, Hans, Puck, Wayne, and Yaren,¡± Heylien interrupted. ¡°They were good enough fellows, some of them at least.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember their names now,¡± Goslin said, raising his glass. ¡°To Relding, Brunk, Helting¡­.¡±

    ¡°Hans, Puck, Wayne, and Yaren,¡± Kax finished. They drank again.

    ¡°About that spear,¡± Lana said, ending the silence. ¡°What did you do, Sarien?¡±

    Sarien snapped awake from his reverie. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I told you about how my spark was broken, right? That only the left side, the light side, worked?¡± They all nodded. ¡°Well, the right side woke up when I stabbed the bandit. I can feel it working now, but the magic is still divided somehow. Light and dark, not how a pyromancer¡¯s spark is supposed to be. One of the students at the tower said he felt like his insides were burning from his spark, like fire churned through him. It¡¯s not like that for me.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a step? Maybe Tomford can heal you now? Or it might even self-heal if you keep using it?¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Lana shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen fire turn metal black.¡±

    ¡°Me neither,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Apart from a thin layer of soot.¡±

    ¡°Can I see the sword, Kax?¡± Goslin asked.

    Kax unsheathed it and held it close for a moment, looking to Goslin and then back to the black weapon before finally handing it over. ¡°Fine, just be careful.¡±

    Goslin took it, looked around the room, frowned, and then handed it back to Kax. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. Feels wrong. Hard to describe.¡±

    Kax shrugged, holding the weapon close to the lantern. Even in the light, the blade remained black. No light reflected off its surface. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything. It¡¯s impossibly sharp and that¡¯s all I need to know.¡± Goslin shivered, as if feeling a draft no one else could. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should be playing with it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not playing,¡± Kax said as he sheathed his sword, his voice sharp with irritation.

    Sarien felt the group¡¯s unease, almost thick enough to touch. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to figure out what¡¯s happening with me.¡±

    Goslin smiled weakly and shifted in his seat. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sarien. We¡¯ll figure it out together. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Goslin shoved his hands into his pocket and with a look of surprise, he withdrew a crinkled envelope.

    ¡°Your father¡¯s letter,¡± Sarien said, trying his best to change the subject.

    ¡°I¡¯d forgotten about this,¡± Goslin said, sighing as he broke the wax. ¡°Not sure why he¡¯d write me, but it can¡¯t be good.¡±

    Kax chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure he just wants to send his love.¡±

    Goslin scanned the single sheath of parchment. ¡°Gatling woke up. He¡¯s not happy.¡±

    ¡°Gatling?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°My brother,¡± Goslin answered. ¡°He was in the tournament with us. Someone beat him unconscious.¡±

    ¡°He almost died,¡± Hart said.

    ¡°But Tom healed him,¡± Kax added.

    Goslin looked down and read through the letter again. ¡°My father says there have been sightings of strange groups of men near Fyrie, and that they¡¯ve had reports of the same from Loft.¡±

    ¡°Strange how?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t say,¡± Goslin replied. ¡°He wants me to return home as soon as we¡¯re done in Tyriu. Says Gatling is leading some troops to scour the area around the capital, and my father wants me to take command as well.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were supposed to be Steerian¡¯s bookkeeper or something?¡± Lana asked. ¡°Why does he want to give you a command all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He doesn¡¯t explain anything, never does,¡± Goslin said, his brow knitted. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t very good with numbers. I¡¯ll head up for a bath now, then to bed. We leave early tomorrow morning, so don¡¯t party all night. Well done today, friends. You¡¯ve saved these villagers from a life of uncertainty and danger. Next time will go smoother, you have my word.¡± He reached into his pocket again and handed a letter to Kax. ¡°Almost forgot, you got a letter too.¡±

    The remaining members of their party drank in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, for a long while until Heylien spoke. ¡°Some of you ended your first lives today. It¡¯s reasonable to have feelings about that.¡± He looked at them in turn. ¡°It isn¡¯t easy, and I don¡¯t have much in the way of advice. Just know that any hurt and anger you¡¯re feeling will fade in time. These men needed to be dealt with. Like our grand leader just said, you did a good thing today.¡± With that, he stood and left, not for his room, but for the front door.

    ¡°You¡¯ve killed someone before?¡± Lana called after him. ¡°And where are you going?¡±

    Heylien smiled weakly. ¡°I have, and I¡¯m not much for the indoors these days. I¡¯ll stay in the tents.¡± The bustling crowd closed in around him and he disappeared out of sight. A gust of cold wind blew through the room when the front door opened, but it was quickly smothered by the heat of the tightly pressed bodies of the celebrating villagers and farmers.

    ¡°Heylien¡¯s a killer, huh?¡± Hart chuckled.

    Lana snapped her head to face him. ¡°Don¡¯t speak as if you know what he¡¯s been through. You should watch out yourself.¡±

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Hart asked, his face reddening.

    ¡°If you keep going down this path of going crazy when you fight, it won¡¯t end well for you.¡±

    ¡°Piss off,¡± Hart muttered.

    Kax cracked the wax seal on his letter with a flourish, as if trying to move away from the uncomfortable subject. ¡°It¡¯s from my little sister, Hessa. She¡¯s probably pissed I left without coming home first.¡±

    ¡°What does she want?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Some words about those same men Goslin¡¯s father wrote of. Wants me to come home.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Hart asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°Of course not, I¡¯d just mess everything up. Best if she deals with it. I put her in charge of the place, after all.¡±

    Kax sat in silence for a moment, then turned to Hart. ¡°Hey, Hart.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You need to name that mutt if it¡¯s going to join our quest and become a full-fledged member.¡±

    ¡°Right, she¡¯s got a name already,¡± Hart said.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Lana asked, bending over the table to get a look at the beast, their earlier dispute forgotten.

    ¡°Daisy.¡±

    Kax frowned. ¡°Like the flower?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hart said. ¡°I like flowers. You have a problem with that?¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s a boy dog,¡± Lana said.

    ¡°It is?¡± Hart bent down to look. ¡°Oh.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s still Daisy.¡±

    Kax raised his now almost empty glass. ¡°To Daisy!¡±

    ¡°To Daisy,¡± the others echoed, lifting their glasses. The laughter was a little forced and they stayed down on the tavern floor later than they intended, but none of them wanted to be alone with their thoughts.

    It was true for Sarien, at least. His dormant power unleashed something dark and terrifying. What did it all mean? He raised his glass to a cheer he hadn¡¯t heard and drank deeply, trying to ignore the voice in his head that whispered that he was still broken, but now, dangerously so.

 Book 1: Chapter 14

    The next morning was brighter and louder than usual. Everything hurt. Sarien¡¯s head most of all. After forcing himself to eat a little of what was offered for breakfast in the inn, he left and headed toward the camp where Heylien and the servants spent the night. He¡¯d left his spear there, and wanted to ensure it was safe. There was something about the weapon that made others feel ill at ease, especially Goslin. Sarien felt nothing and it worried him a little.

    As he approached, a man came riding out from between the tents. It was Slakt, Hart¡¯s last remaining guard.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Can¡¯t stay with these people anymore. I don¡¯t care if that means no longer being able to work as a Tarkum guardsman. I¡¯ll just apprentice as a smith with my father.¡±

    ¡°You think it¡¯s Goslin¡¯s fault your men died?¡±

    Slakt shrugged. ¡°To an extent, yes. It¡¯s also all their faults that we are out here at all. Their folly.¡±

    ¡°Helping those villagers was a good thing, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Slakt said. ¡°But I have a wife and a young daughter. Me dying for a good cause will not help them. What will the wives and children of my dead companions think of their good deed? Good deeds don¡¯t put food on the table or a roof over their heads. It only leaves widows and broken families.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°And your friends don¡¯t either. That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, pyromancer. It¡¯s dangerous to be a common soldier when the nobles start playing heroes.¡± Before Sarien could respond, Slakt nodded curtly and galloped away.

    Their conversation left Sarien with a hollow feeling in his gut that he didn¡¯t know what to do with, other than make sure that in the future he considered those around him when making decisions that would affect them. It was the most he could promise to himself and the dead soldiers.

    His spear lay where he¡¯d left it, and the dark swirling power inside him throbbed into life when he approached it. When he grabbed the weapon, he felt a sudden connection. Whatever he¡¯d done when he killed the bandit, the result was a speck of his power becoming imbued within the spear itself. That was the only way he could describe what had happened.

    Sarien assumed a ready stance and then thrust forward and up. The nausea had lifted somewhat once he took in some deep cleansing breaths, and each thrust improved his mood.

    By the time he¡¯d worked up a sweat, people were bustling about around the tents. Sarien moved some distance away to make sure he didn¡¯t accidentally hit anyone before continuing. He repeated the pattern of the quick step forward, the jab, and the step back again and again until it flowed like a continuous dance.

    In the corner of his eye, he spotted one of the cooks walking with a basket.

    KILL HER.

    Sarien stopped, dumbfounded. Had he actually heard that, or had he just imagined it?

    ¡°Hello?¡± The question lingered in the air with no answer. Still, the power inside him reacted, spiking as the next unspoken words appeared from nowhere.

    WHERE AM I?

    Sarien spun. ¡°Who said that?¡±

    I DID.

    His eyes widened as they dropped down the spear in his hands. The voice sounded in his own head, but it came from inside it.

    ¡°What is going on?¡±

    No reply came.

    ¡°Is someone in there?¡±

    Nothing.

    Not sure what to expect, Sarien concentrated and brought forth the black flame in his right hand. It danced, flickering with jerking movements. When he touched it to his spear, a scream echoed.

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    It was wordless, with terror so strong Sarien could taste it.

    MAKE IT STOP.

    He pulled back, withdrawing the power from the spear. The screaming stopped immediately.

    DON¡¯T DO THAT AGAIN

    ¡°Then tell me who you are.¡±

    MY NAME IS TORSTEN. I WAS IN THE WOODS, WAITING IN AMBUSH.

    ¡°Wait. You were one of the bandits?¡± Sarien got a sinking feeling in his gut. ¡°Did you attack the one holding a spear?¡±

    YES.

    ¡°I think I killed you.¡±

    I AM NOT DEAD. WHAT DID YOU DO?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know.¡± He¡¯d trapped a man inside his spear somehow.

    No, not the man. Sarien could still see the bandit¡¯s lifeless body at his feet. This was something else. A man who joined bandits and kidnapped women and children for ransom should not be pitied, but in that moment Sarien couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Can you do anything in there?¡±

    DO?

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Sarien spun to face Kax. He hadn¡¯t heard the young man approach. ¡°It¡¯s my spear! The bandit is in there!¡±

    Kax raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    LET ME OUT OF HERE

    ¡°You don¡¯t hear it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hear a thing, other than you sounding crazy.¡± Kax¡¯s eyes flickered left and right, and he looked a little uncomfortable.

    ¡°Let me hold your sword,¡± Sarien said.

    Kax unsheathed it, held it for a moment, looked at Sarien, and then handed it over with obvious reluctance. ¡°You better give it back.¡±

    Sarien let the spear fall to the ground as he took the sword. ¡°Is anyone in there?¡± he asked.

    Silence.

    ¡°You better speak.¡±

    More silence.

    Sarien sighed and let his black flame run across the obsidian surface.

    AAAAAAAA

    ¡°Will you talk with me?¡±

    I¡¯LL TALK. PLEASE STOP.

    ¡°Can you hear that?¡± he asked Kax, who just looked uncomfortable. Kax shook his head.

    Sarien handed it back. ¡°What about now?¡±

    ¡°H-hello?¡± Kax asked, looking intently at the sword. He paled visibly. ¡°I hear it! Heard it before, but thought I imagined it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the bandit I killed with that sword. The power trapped him inside.¡±

    ¡°And that made it so the blade cuts through anything?¡± Kax asked.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Sarien shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t understand anything about this.¡±

    Kax swung and cut through a thick branch on the ground with ease. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care about bandits. If he has to stay in there to keep the blade sharp, then stay in there he will.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s like a prison,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Or it must be.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? The man is dead. You saw his body,¡± Kax countered. ¡°He¡¯s not doing anyone any good. This might be the best thing he¡¯s ever done with his life!¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to like it, my friend,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°I think I should take that blade back.¡±

    Kax shook his head. ¡°Just try it.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Goslin yelled from over by the tents. ¡°We¡¯re leaving soon. Better get ready!¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± Kax said. ¡°I mean no disrespect, but you¡¯ve shown me the perfect weapon. I¡¯m not going to part with it. I was kind of hoping you¡¯d make me another one. Short swords work well as pairs.¡± He sheathed the sword. ¡°But I can see you¡¯re not ready to do that. Just think about it, will you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    With Slakt leaving, that meant every single soldier they¡¯d brought was gone. Several of the servants left as well. Even though it meant that they might have to begin cooking their own food, the food supplies had been fully stocked by the villagers, at least, so they wouldn¡¯t go hungry.

    Tomford¡¯s combat instructor were still with them, along with a few servants, Goslin¡¯s manservant among them. And Anicetus, of course. Tomford and Emeryn both looked a little gray and tired on account of having spent so much of themselves in the fight.

    ¡°Need to keep from getting hit,¡± Tomford mumbled, as he rode next to Sarien.

    ¡°Where to next, great leader?¡± Hart asked Goslin.

    Goslin¡¯s eyes were red, and he looked as tired as Tomford and Emeryn. The man couldn¡¯t have slept much. ¡°Primie Woods.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there?¡± Kax asked.

    Heylien visibly shuddered. ¡°It¡¯s where people have disappeared, troops included. Didn¡¯t think we¡¯d go there, of all places.¡±

    Goslin nodded. ¡°They have urgent need of assistance, and we¡¯re going to give it to them. This time, we¡¯ll be more prepared. No more deaths from here on out.¡±

    ¡°What then?¡± Emeryn asked. ¡°Are we going village to village until we¡¯ve saved them all?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We¡¯re going to those in need who are near enough to our path. After Primie, we¡¯re heading to Kleotram by the border to meet with the lord there, and then we¡¯ll pass over into Tyriu. From there, we¡¯ll head straight to Tyralien.¡±

    ¡°Do we know anything about what we will find at Primie Woods?¡± Lana asked.

    ¡°Not much,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Just that there¡¯s a stink of blood about the place.¡±

    Emeryn sighed. ¡°Lovely.¡±

    The group waved and smiled at the villagers as they rode through but fell silent and contemplative as the road stretched out ahead of them. Kax sold the wagon and all its contents in the village, saying he didn¡¯t need them anymore.

    The main group rode on horses with two wagons following behind them. One held Anicetus, Tomford¡¯s combat instructor who Sarien still hadn¡¯t been introduced to, and a groom. The other carried the few remaining servants.

    Heylien rode ahead as usual, which seemed to be his preferred way of travel.

    The day was crisp, bordering on cold, despite the sun shining without a cloud in the sky. Birds serenaded them from beyond the tree line.

    Sarien could almost believe the day before hadn¡¯t happened, as long as he didn¡¯t close his eyes too long. Flashes of all those men dying appeared unbidden in his mind. In that moment, it hadn¡¯t affected him as much as he thought it would, but now that he had some time alone with his thoughts, he couldn¡¯t shake the visions of his spear ripping into the bandit, skewering him like a pig. It didn¡¯t help that the very same man spoke to him as soon as he held his spear again.

    Sarien turned his thoughts away from the man trapped inside his spear and his terrifying new power. He thought about his father and wondered where he was now. Maybe he would have answers.

    Not a single story he¡¯d read told of someone outside the established magic system. Pyromancers, aeromancers, hydromancers, and geomancers. Those were the elemental powers of the realm. Though, Sarien had learned somewhere that power was hereditary. Shouldn¡¯t that mean he should have a normal spark like his father?

    Trym the Pyromancer. He pushed the thought away, the lies that his father told him for years, not wanting to sour his mood.

    Instead, he rode up to Tomford. ¡°How are you doing?¡± he asked, looking up at the much taller man.

    ¡°Tired,¡± Tomford grumbled. ¡°I used way too much of my stream yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Healing yourself?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Myself and others. How¡¯s your shoulder?¡±

    Sarien tested his arm. ¡°Can¡¯t feel a thing. That power of yours is astounding.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Tomford said.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that healing takes so much out of me. Healing myself is a little better, but a few scrapes and then I¡¯m exhausted. There has to be a way to improve.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what Anicetus is teaching you?¡± Sarien asked.

    Tomford winced. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ve been pushing off my lessons. All year, if I¡¯m being honest. I can¡¯t stand all his preaching.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Ocea.¡±

    ¡°Right. Good old Ocea, the dread of the seas and the lakes. But the dread is dead. I don¡¯t see the point in believing otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I don¡¯t know much Eld, except that he was terrible.¡± He cleared his throat, feeling a little stupid about giving advice to someone obviously more experienced than himself. ¡°But maybe you should indulge him a little, to learn, if nothing else.¡±

    Tomford looked back at the wagon, where both his tutors rode, and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right, Sarien. Thanks. I need to improve with the healing as much as I need with the fighting. I need to become more efficient.¡± He pulled on his horse¡¯s reins and headed to the wagon.

    Sarien rode by himself for a little while until Hart fell back to join him. ¡°What did you think about the fight?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sarien asked.

    Hart shrugged. ¡°Did you enjoy it? Fighting.¡±

    ¡°No. Don¡¯t think so,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I was mostly just scared and confused.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Is it weird that I liked it? Made me feel alive.¡±

    The big man was growing out his beard, or had neglected to shave, and kept scratching at the stubble. He looked a little apprehensive to Sarien.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s uncommon,¡± Sarien answered carefully.

    Hart brightened. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡±

    ¡°So, why are you out here? You grew up with Goslin?¡±

    ¡°Yep, and Kax. The three of us ran around Fyrie as children and on each other¡¯s estates.¡±

    ¡°Must be nice,¡± Sarien said.

    Hart hummed. ¡°I¡¯m mostly here because they are and I get to fight. There¡¯s something about it that just makes me feel, I don¡¯t know, good? Yeah, good. Like it¡¯s what I was meant to do.¡±

    Emeryn rode a little off to the side, and she glanced at Hart, listening in on their conversation.

    ¡°Did you like it at Eldsprak Academy?¡± Sarien asked.

    Hart thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°No, before that, I think. I¡¯d spar with Kax and Goslin using branches and stuff until Kax had to go away. Then Goslin didn¡¯t want to anymore.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Nothing between us, if that¡¯s what you mean,¡± Hart said defensively. ¡°It was Kax¡¯s family.¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything else, but Sarien¡¯s curiosity made him prod a little. ¡°Kax¡¯s family? He mentioned his parents dying.¡±

    Hart looked a little uncomfortable again. ¡°Kax feels responsible. You should ask him. It¡¯s not my story to tell. Anyway, I came over to ask if you¡¯d make me one of those swords, too. A black one?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Hart asked. ¡°You gave Kax one. You have the spear.¡±

    ¡°It made you uncomfortable to hold, didn¡¯t it?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Well, yeah, but I can live with that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because someone is trapped in there.¡±

    Emeryn looked over sharply. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The bandits. They speak to me, and to Kax, when we hold the weapons. It¡¯s like I took something from them with those black flames and put it in here.¡± He tapped the spear that jutted behind him in its sheath. ¡°I don¡¯t know how, or what that means, but I don¡¯t think I want to make any more of them.¡±

    ¡°Just one more?¡± Hart asked. The revelation of people trapped in the weapons didn¡¯t even make him flinch.

    Sarien frowned, staring back at the much bigger man. ¡°No, Hart.¡±

    Hart shrugged and rode away, muttering. Daisy followed after, keeping some distance from the horse¡¯s legs.

    ¡°I think you made the right choice,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°About the weapon?¡± Sarien asked.

    She nodded. ¡°Killing someone is horrific by itself, but then to trap them inside an object? What kind of strange power do you hold, pyromancer?¡±

    ¡°Wish I knew,¡± Sarien replied. ¡°But I¡¯m no pyromancer, that¡¯s for sure. Hopefully, my father will know something. The firemagi at the tower had no clue. All they did was cut into me.¡±

    Emeryn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°They did what?¡±

    ¡°The director of research experimented on me, then they tried to throw me into a cell when I refused to cooperate.¡±

    ¡°Sound like a lovely time,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find someone who can tell you something. You can¡¯t be the only one in the whole realm.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. I¡¯ll experiment on my own, without hurting anyone,¡± he quickly added ¡°I have to learn more about both the black spark and the white and why they¡¯re divided. Right now, I¡¯m fumbling in the dark.¡±

    ¡°It was like that for me too, still is sometimes,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°With the earth magic?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not the same as your unknown power, and not as scary, but no one uses geomancy to fight.¡±

    ¡°I saw how you crushed that man¡¯s legs yesterday,¡± Sarien said.

    She winced and looked a little pale. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m getting the hang of it by experimenting, gruesome as it is. Quite different from the tournament at the academy.¡±

    ¡°I take it you didn¡¯t have to hurt anyone there?¡±

    ¡°People got hurt, one even lost his life, but it was nothing like yesterday.¡± She held up a finger, as if thinking of something. ¡°The other reason for not giving a weapon got away from me.¡±

    ¡°What other reason?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Hart. I¡¯m not sure I like who he becomes when he¡¯s fighting.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Emeryn looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear what she said. ¡°He told you himself that he really enjoys it.¡±

    ¡°Lots of people like fighting, don¡¯t they?¡± Sarien asked.

    She shook her head. ¡°Not like he does. He has this anger inside him that unleashes only when he is in battle. Sometimes it feels like he could lash out at anyone, even Goslin. I heard Hart hit him in the face with a shield during practice once, hard enough to knock Goslin unconscious. Who knows what he¡¯d do if he¡¯s blinded by bloodlust?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d never hurt us,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure.¡±

    A sound drifted toward them from their right. They both turned to look out across the farmland, not seeing anything in the fields. Sarien heard it again. Not just a sound, a snarling growl. ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°More dogs?¡± They came up on Goslin and Hart, who had stopped ahead of them.

    At several spots among the tall plants that grew in the field, they saw something moving swiftly.

    ¡°There¡¯s more than one of them,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°I count twelve, maybe more,¡± Tomford said, jumping down from the wagon where he had been sitting with Anicetus.

    ¡°Get ready!¡± Goslin yelled. ¡°Emeryn, Sarien, you stay behind us. Lana, get up on the wagon so you can throw your daggers. The rest fan out and protect the magic users and servants! Where in Eld¡¯s breath is Heylien?¡±

    Sarien stepped back and grabbed his spear, pointing it toward the unearthly growls just as the creatures came into view.

    ¡°Monsters!¡± Sarien shouted, clutching his spear so tightly his hands ached.

 Book 1: Chapter 15 (Goslin)

    Goslin watched in horror as the creatures burst out of the long grass. It was the stuff of nightmares. The creatures ran on four legs, like dogs, and were about the same size as Daisy, but the similarities ended there.

    ¡°What are those?¡± Hart yelled, pointing with his sword. The creatures looked skinless, only raw sinew and muscle glistening in the sunlight. Though, Goslin originally thought they looked like dogs from a distance, when they got closer, he stifled a scream at the sight of their faces. Instead of snouts, they had human faces. Their jaws protruded grotesquely, and when they yelped, Goslin saw the sharp teeth lining their mouths.

    Goslin gagged at the stench of them, like rotten eggs and decomposing flesh. He stepped forward to meet the attack, propping his shield and bracing himself. ¡°Hart, Kax, hold the line!¡±

    The creatures were fast, too fast, and they yelled eerily like humans, as they sprinted past Goslin, Hart, and Kax and rounded on Emeryn. A few of the creatures launched themselves into the air and landed in the wagon where Anicetus cowered.

    Goslin barely had time to swing his sword up to impale one of the creatures as they fell upon Emeryn. A blast of earth threw one away, but a second one took its place, sinking its horrible teeth into her left forearm. Goslin and Hart hacked at the creature, but it would not let go until Goslin decapitated it with one desperate swing. Even then, Emeryn screamed as she pried the jaw open, and the creature¡¯s severed head fell to the ground. Goslin watched as Emeryn staggered back, her face pale, gripping her wound.

    More of the monstrous creatures swarmed, darting in and out, snapping their teeth. Tomford beat down upon one with his fists, but it shrugged off his attacks.

    Tomford¡¯s combat instructor kicked at the creatures that came for Anicetus but was quickly becoming overwhelmed. The old man screamed when one grabbed hold of his leg, and another his shoulder. Lana jumped into the wagon and stabbed the creatures in the face with her dagger and knife. They did not cry out in pain, not even a whimper, just excited yelps as they closed in again.

    The group warded off the initial attack, but the monsters circled the wagon, yelling their wordless hunting cries as they searched for openings.

    Sarien jabbed with his spear and Goslin joined him with his sword, but neither of them landed a strike. The speed of the creatures proved too much for them. They only seemed interested on the group¡¯s magic users, excluding Sarien.

    Tomford kept close to the wagon so they couldn¡¯t surround him, and Emeryn frantically threw up walls of earth to protect herself even as her knees buckled, weakened by the injury. Goslin couldn¡¯t understand why, but they all ignored Sarien. No, not ignored. They shied away from him and kept their distance.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Kax yelled over Anicetus¡¯s relentless screams. ¡°They¡¯re fast little critters!¡±

    Emeryn whimpered. Goslin saw that she had hastily wrapped her arm with the torn edge of her shirt, but it was soaked through with blood. ¡°I can¡¯t catch them either.¡±

    Lana threw a dagger, but it missed despite her usual accuracy.

    ¡°Goslin!¡± Hart yelled. ¡°What do we do?¡± The remaining creatures turned and charged the end of the group¡¯s caravan and fell upon the servants. Tomford screamed to Anicetus as he ran past the first wagon. ¡°Heal yourself, Anicetus! They¡¯ll need our help!¡±

    A chilling cry came in response. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±

    The servants huddled under a canvas tarp in the bed of the second wagon and screams of panic rose when the monsters mounted. The horses tied to the wagons whinnied and tossed their heads, trying to pull free.

    Goslin raced to their aid, slashing and stabbing at the creatures, desperately trying to get them to focus their attacks on him. This time, he actually hit a few, and the creatures pulled back without breaking through the servants¡¯ protective cover. Instead, they charged the horse, snapping at its legs. The horse bucked wildly, before taking off with the wagon. Goslin watched as it jostled violently down the road while two monsters peeled off and chased after it.

    ¡°Can you do something, Sarien?¡± Goslin yelled. They needed magic to stop the beasts.

    A burst of black flames enveloped Sarien¡¯s spear. Goslin and Hart herded one of the beasts with their shields, and Sarien stabbed at it. The spear barely graced the creature¡¯s exposed flesh, but it was enough. The monster fell over, dead.

    Sarien¡¯s face was pale, his body trembling. One of the beasts turned and leapt for Sarien and his black flame extinguished as he fell back and hit the ground. The creature crashed into his chest.

    Goslin thrust his sword deep into the beast¡¯s ribs, but it didn¡¯t seem to notice. All its attention was on Sarien, who stared back up at it with wide eyes, bringing his left palm up between its forelegs. White flames burst from his palm and the beast disappeared.

    Goslin stared, dumbstruck. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I-I think I sent it away somewhere. An island, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Well, do it again!¡± Goslin pulled Sarien to his feet. Before Sarien could steady himself, fire erupted all around them.

    The beasts shrieked in pain as hot blistering flames blackened their flesh and they dropped midstride in anguish before withering in on themselves.

    Goslin spun to find an older man tossing flames around with a pointed finger, killing the beasts like it was nothing more than directing servants at a ball.

    Was that a yawn Goslin saw?

    ¡°He¡¯s killing the creepy dog things!¡± Kax yelled. ¡°That means he¡¯s a friend, right?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a pyromancer,¡± Lana hissed. In a few moments, all the remaining human-faced nightmares lay smoldering on the ground. Anicetus was still screaming up on the wagon. Tomford hurried to his mentor and tended to his wounds.

    The stranger walked up and muttered something about inelegant magic before turning to Sarien. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± He ran a hand through his long white hair and glared. ¡°Where did you send that luison? Not somewhere populated, I hope!¡±

    Sarien stammered. ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Never you mind,¡± he barked, looking at each of them. ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing out here?¡± He wore leather and fabric in patterns of brown and gray, not unlike the clothes Heylien wore to blend into the forest. Despite his obvious age, there was a youthful glow to his face.

    ¡°My name is Goslin of House Steerian,¡± Goslin said.

    The old man waved him away and pointed at Sarien. ¡°I¡¯m talking to this one.¡±

    ¡°You know what it is I did?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Emeryn walked up. Her face paler now than before. Blood trickled down her arm despite her bandage. ¡°The other wagon. There are still more of those things, luisons?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    The old man¡¯s face brightened when he turned to Emeryn. ¡°A beautiful woman always lifts the spirit. Never you mind about the others. I have dealt with them for you. Let me introduce myself.¡± He took Emeryn¡¯s hand. ¡°I am Heradion the,¡± he looked away for a second, as if wracking his mind for the right thing to say, ¡°pyromancer?¡±

    ¡°Emeryn of the Fourth Circle, from the Kinship of Jordfaste.¡±

    ¡°A mouthful,¡± Heradion mused, then he looked at Sarien again. ¡°And what about you? What is a wayfarer doing here?¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°I¡¯m Sarien Wald.¡±

    Goslin watched as Heradion peered into Sarien¡¯s eyes for a long moment, then pulled back a little, as if shocked. ¡°Sarien Wald.¡± The old man¡¯s eyes flickered to the guild seal around Sarien¡¯s neck. ¡°And you¡¯re a fellow pyromancer then?¡±

    Sarien nodded and was about to speak when Tomford yelled from up the wagon. ¡°The healing isn¡¯t working!¡±

    Tomford and Lana were holding Anicetus down against the floor of the wagon, desperately trying to get him to stop flailing. Blood splattered their clothes.

    ¡°Anicetus!¡± Tomford yelled. ¡°You have to heal yourself!¡±

    The others scrambled into the wagon while Goslin remained behind with Emeryn. He heard Heradion mutter, ¡°Too far gone.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°The old man up there died the moment it tore into his flesh. With the bite that close to his heart, there¡¯s nothing to be done. A luison bite is venomous.¡± There was hard edge to the pyromancer¡¯s voice, and Goslin could see Heradion¡¯s jaw tighten.

    Emeryn glanced at her own arm, trembling. ¡°One bit me.¡±

    ¡°Let me try healing you,¡± Sarien said, jumping down from the wagon. ¡°My white flame healed a friend back home who was severely injured.¡±

    Doubt clouded her face, but she glanced up at the wagon where Anicetus¡¯s heels thumped erratically against the floor of the wagon and nodded. ¡°Go ahead. It¡¯s not like you can make it worse.¡±

    Goslin took Emeryn¡¯s hand, squeezing it as Sarien manifested his white flame again.

    ¡°Careful,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We don¡¯t want you sending her away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Sarien said, closing his eyes after letting the white flame touch Emeryn¡¯s injured left arm. At first, nothing happened, but then the size of the flame grew to envelop her entire arm. It expanded until it encompassed nearly half of her body, even touching the ground. Emeryn¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°What?¡± Goslin whispered to her. ¡°Is it working?¡±

    ¡°Something is happening,¡± she said, bending her knees and putting her left hand to the ground, almost reverently. ¡°But it isn¡¯t getting better.¡±

    Sarien opened his eyes. ¡°It isn¡¯t working.¡± His flame flickered and died. ¡°Nothing I tried worked.¡±

    Emeryn looked at her unchanged arm. ¡°You did your utmost, that¡¯s what counts.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Tomford exclaimed. The simple words were full of anguish and pain. ¡°Anicetus is dead!¡± A wordless cry of grief rose from him, and he fell onto his knees, clutching his hands to his face.

    ¡°Keep it together, healer,¡± Heradion said. ¡°Your work for the day is not done.¡±

    Lana placed her hand on Tomford¡¯s arm, trying to comfort the weeping man. He gripped her hand tightly until he regained himself and climbed down the wagon in silence. Tears streaked down his cheeks, cutting across his freckles.

    ¡°Now that the boy is done playing with your arm, dear Emeryn of the Fourth Circle. Please remove that bandage.¡±

    Emeryn looked around, then did as asked. Both dried and fresh blood covered her wound. Heradion brought out a waterskin and splashed its contents over the area. Emeryn winced but didn¡¯t pull back.

    The bite was not deep. Not like the ones Anicetus suffered, but it looked painful to Goslin. Blue and black tendrils ran up Emeryn¡¯s arm, and the area around the teeth marks were black. Goslin¡¯s nose twitched at the stench. Putrid, as if rotting.

    ¡°How long do I have¡±? Emeryn asked, her voice flat.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, dear Emeryn, but I¡¯m afraid the arm will have to go,¡± Heradion said.

    ¡°What?¡± Goslin stepped up. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    ¡°As serious as a decaying arm,¡± Heradion countered. ¡°Amputate it now and she¡¯ll live. You even have a healer here to take care of her wound after.¡±

    Tomford walked up next to Goslin. His eyes were red and filled with tears, but his voice was steady. ¡°I can do it. Emeryn?¡±

    ¡°Are you really going to do this?¡± Lana asked. Who she directed the question to wasn¡¯t clear.

    ¡°Do it!¡± Emeryn yelled. ¡°If it means I can live, of course I¡¯ll do it!¡± Her gaze shot to Goslin¡¯s. They were filled with desperation.

    Kax unsheathed his sword. ¡°I can do the amputation. My sword won¡¯t catch on anything. It¡¯ll be clean.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Heradion exclaimed. ¡°Where did you get that blade? Who made it?¡±

    Kax took a nervous step back and pointed to Sarien. Heradion looked at Sarien with narrowed eyes and said, ¡°Not that blade.¡±

    ¡°Goslin, please. Will you do it?¡± Emeryn pleaded.

    Goslin¡¯s hand shook when he unsheathed his sword and nodded, and his voice sounded distant when he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Em. Can¡¯t let you leave me,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°us, so soon.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a fallen tree you can use over there,¡± Hart said, pointing. They walked over as a group and Emeryn got down on her knees and placed her injured arm across the log. Even in the short time, Goslin could see that the black and blue tendrils had moved farther up along her arm toward her body. They didn¡¯t have much time.

    ¡°As close to the shoulder as you can manage,¡± Heradion said. ¡°You really don¡¯t want to leave anything that¡¯s already infected.¡±

    Goslin paled. ¡°What if I miss?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Lana said.

    ¡°How?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°My tempest isn¡¯t strong, but I make up for it somewhat with, I don¡¯t know what to call it, finesse?¡±

    ¡°Can we get on with this?¡± Emeryn asked, her voice frantic. Drops of sweat beaded her brow, and her tunic was plastered against both her back and chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°Ready,¡± Emeryn said.

    Tomford nodded and put a hand on Emeryn¡¯s other shoulder. ¡°Ready.¡±

    Goslin gripped his sword in both hands and swung overhead with all the power he could muster. The blade bit into Emeryn¡¯s flesh right at the shoulder and then thudded into the wood below. She screamed through the pain, a horrifying wail that wavered and quivered when Tomford closed her new wound with his magic. Tomford stepped back when he was done and Goslin dropped his sword and lunged to catch the now unconscious Emeryn.

    Kax got down on his knees. ¡°She¡¯s breathing fine.¡± Goslin saw that the skin of her exposed shoulder was smooth, as if she¡¯d been born without an arm. ¡°This is much better than what you did with my leg, Tom,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°Tried my best to make it look decent,¡± Tomford panted. ¡°In the contest, I just wanted to stop you from screaming.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Kax said. ¡°My leg almost burned off!¡±

    Hart chuckled. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad.¡±

    Kax narrowed his eyes at Hart. ¡°You weren¡¯t even there!¡±

    ¡°Move her away from the tree,¡± Heradion said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to destroy her tainted flesh.¡± He nodded to her severed arm on the trunk. To Goslin¡¯s surprise, the black and blue tendrils kept spreading across Emeryn¡¯s former arm, turning the pale flesh black.

    Hart and Kax gently moved Emeryn aside, and Heradion turned the infected flesh into a mound of ash with an almost arrogant flick of his fingers. Goslin thought that the fire burned hotter than when he reduced the monsters themselves to charred blackened lumps.

    Emeryn was safe, but she¡¯d lost her arm. Sarien hadn¡¯t been able to save it, but it wasn¡¯t his fault. Goslin would make sure he understood that as soon as he was able.

    Tomford¡¯s short and bald combat instructor appeared from beyond the trees, silent as a cat. ¡°You ran away, Lien?¡± Tomford asked.

    The man nodded. ¡°At the first opportunity. This was not my fight. You pay me to teach you, that is all.¡±

    ¡°Good man,¡± Heradion said. ¡°No use in sacrificing yourself, especially not against those creatures. Running is often the best option for those not strong enough to resist.¡± The pyromancer walked over to the wagon and climbed up. Sarien saw his nose twitch before he climbed down again to unhitch the horse.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Goslin asked. ¡°We need that to transport the wounded.¡±

    Heradion shook his head. ¡°That old man up there is a mess of mush and rotting flesh now. I¡¯ll have to burn the whole wagon.¡± In a matter of seconds, it was ablaze.

    Goslin watched as Sarien kept eyeing the old man and eventually gathered enough courage to ask. ¡°Do you know¡ª¡°

    Heradion cut him off. ¡°Later.¡±

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Hart asked, scratching behind Daisy¡¯s ear. The dog had made it out of the scrap without getting hurt. Goslin hadn¡¯t even seen Hart¡¯s companion once during the whole fight.

    ¡°We go on,¡± Goslin said. ¡°First, we need to get to the other wagon and make sure those who were on it are safe, then we load up and continue on our journey.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡± Hart countered. ¡°Things are falling apart pretty quickly.¡±

    ¡°Where did those things even come from? What did you call them, luisons?¡± Kax asked, the question directed at Heradion.

    ¡°Luison,¡± Heradion corrected. ¡°They were running from me but couldn¡¯t resist such easy prey as you.¡±

    ¡°You were hunting them?¡±

    Heradion shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s something to do.¡±

    ¡°But where did they come from?¡± Kax insisted.

    ¡°Not from around here, that¡¯s for certain,¡± Heradion said. He didn¡¯t elaborate further.

    Goslin stood and looked at each member of the group in turn with a heavy heart. ¡°I¡¯m continuing on. I¡¯d like for you all to come too, but I understand if you want to go home after all that¡¯s happened. After how I¡¯ve failed you.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the bullshit,¡± Lana said. ¡°You make it sound like we have no agency. The world does not rest on your shoulders, Princeling.¡± She looked up at him with her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±

    ¡°I still need to find my father,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I¡¯m coming too.¡±

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re all coming,¡± Kax said.

    Tomford stood facing the burning wagon. Everyone fell silent as he spoke. Just a mumble really, barely audible over the crackling flames. ¡°There¡¯s no going back now.¡±

    Heradion glanced at Sarien, then cleared his throat. ¡°I think I¡¯ll tag along, at least for a while. Where are you younglings headed?¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 16

    After retrieving the other wagon and the few terrified servants they added a cot to the floor of the wagon for Emeryn. Once the group was ready to set off, they did so alone. There were loud protests from the servants who had remained after the fight with the bandits, but Goslin wouldn¡¯t let them continue on now after the luison attack. He gave them plenty of coin and sent them on their way back to Fyrie.

    Sarien caught Goslin gazing forlornly at his large copper bathtub where it was dumped on the ground. It was far too cumbersome to carry in their lone wagon.

    They rode in silence. Such a large company diminished in such a short time. Only ten remained. Hopefully, Sarien thought, things would turn around soon.

    Sarien fell back on his horse, so he ended up riding next to Heradion. There were so many questions he needed answers to, and he didn¡¯t know where to start. ¡°So, were you headed to the tower when you found the creatures?¡±

    ¡°Tower?¡± Heradion asked.

    ¡°Of the firemagi.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. Of course.¡±

    ¡°Are you one of the directors there or something? Do you know Bjorn, the director of embers?¡±

    Heradion chuckled. ¡°Good old Bjorn, such a pleasant man with his embers.¡±

    Sarien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Have you even been there?¡±

    ¡°Of course I have. All pyromancers are born there,¡± Heradion hedged.

    ¡°You¡¯re a terrible liar,¡± Sarien said. The man wouldn¡¯t tell him a thing about himself, at least not yet.

    ¡°I¡¯m an excellent liar when I put my mind to it. You¡¯re just not worth the effort.¡±

    Sarien sighed. ¡°You know about my magic. Could you please tell me? The truth this time?¡±

    Heradion scrutinized him from the corner of his eye, before finally nodding. ¡°You are the chosen one, heralded to save this world and all other worlds from certain demise. Your power is spoken of in whispers and only described in the oldest tomes at the far reaches of the ancient kingdoms.¡±

    Sarien blinked, stunned. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°No, you little shit!¡±

    Sarien deflated. ¡°What then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous,¡± Heradion finally answered.

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°What you are capable of, of course. I¡¯ve seen both before, but never in one person. Who are your parents?¡±

    ¡°My father, Talc Wald, is a huntsmaster but also a pyromancer named Trym, apparently. I¡¯m on my way to Tyralien to find him. Do you know him?¡±

    Heradion shook his head. ¡°No. And your mother?¡±

    Sarien shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. My father always told me she was a seamstress. She died when I was born. But then again, he never told me he was a pyromancer, so who knows how much of what he¡¯s told me is the truth.¡± Sarien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Kind of like with you.¡±

    Heradion ignored the insult. ¡°With an unremarkable and mysterious past with both wayfaring and slaying powers¡­¡± Heradion trailed off. ¡°It should be impossible. Maybe you really are the chosen one.¡±

    Sarien looked at the old man with suspicion. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°No, you idiot, I thought we went over this already! The prophecies here were fulfilled years ago! Hundreds of years! Your gods are dead, aren¡¯t they? A wayfarer and a slayer have already come here to save your tiny little world.¡±

    ¡°How can you say so much without saying anything?¡± Sarien asked, his voice raising and drawing the attention of the others. ¡°What is a slayer? What is a wayfarer? Is that what I am? The white and the black? What prophecies are you even talking about?¡±

    Lana cleared her throat behind them. ¡°The Hamara Prophecies. You know them, don¡¯t you? The Heroes and the Gods?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Right. Not intimately, but it¡¯s basically the heroes killing the gods, right? Bringing the peoples together and all that?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a little more involved than that, but sure.¡±

    ¡°A little?¡± Heradion snorted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember reading anything about wayfaring or slaying in those documents, and I had to read them a lot,¡± Lana said. ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling us, pyromancer?¡±

    ¡°You use that word as an insult, little girl,¡± Heradion said. ¡°And there¡¯s more I¡¯m not telling you than what could fit in that small head of yours.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me!¡± Sarien demanded. ¡°Why keep it secret? What is a wayfarer?¡±

    ¡°That was a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Where can I find him?¡±

    ¡°Why would you want to?¡± Heradion asked.

    Lana let out an irritated growl. ¡°To teach him, obviously! What¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯ve never met a more irritating old man before, and I traveled with Anicetus quite a bit!¡±

    Heradion blinked. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Where is this wayfarer?¡± Sarien repeated.

    ¡°Not around anymore.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t listen to this anymore,¡± Lana said. ¡°I¡¯ll drive a dagger in his back if I have to stay a moment longer. Tell me later if you get anything out of the old bastard.¡± With that, she rode off toward Goslin in the front of their party.

    As the group made their way down the road, they drifted apart little by little, the spaces between the riders increasing. Each of them wanted alone time, it seemed.

    Sarien wouldn¡¯t give up quite as easily. ¡°The wayfarer is gone, you said. Can you tell me anything about his power? The white flame?¡±

    Heradion rode in silence for what felt like an eternity, but then he finally sighed. ¡°If I tell you, will you promise not to use it? There are developments here that are bigger than you can comprehend. You seem like a nice and soft boy. You wouldn¡¯t want to threaten the order of things, would you?¡±

    Anger rose in Sarien¡¯s chest. ¡°What I can promise you is if you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll experiment myself and try to use it as much as I can. The black flame too.¡±

    ¡°Now¡ª¡° Heradion began, but Sarien interrupted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite so soft as you think.¡± Sarien thought back to how he killed Madge in her own bed. The memory still churned his stomach, but he knew he could handle whatever Heradion told him. He had to.

    ¡°An insolent brat, then,¡± Heradion said. ¡°Perhaps it would be better to just turn you into ash, rather than have you break everything in a temper tantrum.¡±

    ¡°Try me,¡± Sarien said.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    They glared at each other, but Heradion finally relented with another sigh. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know much, but I¡¯ll tell you enough for you to understand that you can¡¯t use your magic. Deal?¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Sarien replied quickly. And before the pyromancer could change his mind, he asked, ¡°What is wayfaring?¡±

    ¡°It allows you to travel, like what you did with the luison.¡±

    ¡°It felt like I sent it away somewhere else. An island. But what about my healing?¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve sent it to a volcano. What¡¯s that about healing?¡± Heradion asked, frowning.

    ¡°My friends were attacked by a monstrous creature. It tore them to shreds. Whatever I did with the white flame, the wayfaring, made them whole again. Something spoke to me in my head when I did it. Well, one of the times. For Ben, I just got a feeling of something being wrong.¡± Sarien paused. ¡°He woke up different.¡±

    Heradion pursed his lips. ¡°Perhaps you opened a gate, to a different place, inside your friend? Another world, perhaps.¡±

    Sarien blinked. ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡±

    ¡°Which one of these fools did you do that to?¡± Heradion asked, looking out across the group.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t anyone here. My friend back home on the Karm estate, where I grew up. What do you mean another world? Pulled something through?¡±

    ¡°There is no healing with wayfaring. It¡¯s not beyond the realm of possibility that you opened a gate to another place, to something that could heal your friends. If your need was great enough, something could have answered. Tell me more about the friend who woke up different.¡±

    Sarien shivered under Heradion¡¯s intense stare. ¡°Ben. He woke up and immediately went to the library to read.¡± Sarien stifled a nervous laugh at Heradion¡¯s questioning look, ¡°If you knew Ben, you would know that the library would be the last place on the estate, perhaps on the entire continent, that he would willingly find himself him. He spoke differently, too. It¡¯s hard to describe.¡±

    ¡°And the other one, the one who spoke through the light?¡±

    ¡°It was more like she spoke in my head.¡±

    ¡°She?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the impression I got.¡±

    ¡°And what did this mystery woman say?¡±

    Sarien¡¯s face felt warm all of a sudden. ¡°Told me to be careful. She called me ¡®little human¡¯.¡±

    ¡°And have you heeded her advice?¡±

    Sarien looked away. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then heed mine. Do not use it anymore. You could bring doom with your ignorant ineptitude.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a moment. What was that about another world?¡±

    Heradion just laughed, but there was no joy in it. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised.¡± He ran his fingers through his straight white hair. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might have already done something we can¡¯t reverse. Where did you say this estate was? Karm?¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Two days¡¯ ride from The Burning Tower of Firemagi. You know that place, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Heradion said, looking to the side.

    ¡°This still doesn¡¯t tell me much about what I can do with my power, the wayfaring,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°It¡¯s as much as I know, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m an expert!¡± Heradion said in frustration. ¡°Just don¡¯t use it anymore!¡± He shook his head and grunted. ¡°I have to think, boy. Leave me alone for a while.¡±

    ¡°But what about the black flame?¡± Sarien protested.

    ¡°Later!¡± Heradion barked. ¡°Go pester someone else now!¡± He glanced at the obsidian spear sticking out from behind Sarien¡¯s back and fell back to ride behind the wagon.

    The road grew wider the further they went, and they soon started meeting other parties traveling, mostly from Kleotram to Fyrie, or the villages between. Sarien didn¡¯t feel much like talking to any of those they met, but returned waves and short words of greetings when expected. Goslin stared ahead and didn¡¯t even seem to notice them.

    The group stopped by a small stream after a few hours to eat whatever they could find that didn¡¯t require cooking. Sarien watched as Goslin stuffed his face as quickly as he could before stripping off his outer layers and jumping into the chilly stream.

    Once they were on their way again, Heylien finally returned. His face paled when he saw Emeryn lying unconscious on the wagon floor. ¡°What happened? Where is everyone?¡±

    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Goslin asked as Sarien rode up to listen.

    Heylien frowned at his tone. ¡°Scouting. It¡¯s what I do.¡± He patted a deer that lay slung behind him across his horse¡¯s back. ¡°And some hunting.¡±

    ¡°We were attacked by some kind of creatures,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°Luisons,¡± Hart added.

    Heylien¡¯s brow knit with confusion. ¡°What are those?¡±

    ¡°Monsters,¡± Lana mumbled.

    ¡°What happened to the priest? The followers?¡±

    ¡°Dead,¡± Goslin said, his voice hard. ¡°It¡¯s just us now.¡±

    Heylien looked up at Tomford, who waited off to the side of the road, and spoke up so he could hear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tom, I¡¯m sure Anicetus found peace in Ocea¡¯s depths.¡± Tomford nodded but didn¡¯t reply. His eyes were hollow and still pink from crying.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stick around for now, Goslin,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Did you find anything? Other than the deer, I mean.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been asking travelers on the road about Primie Woods. Not a single person has come from there. A little strange, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be well traveled. The road goes past a village, I don¡¯t know the name of it, and then through to several other villages near the border to Tyriu. I¡¯ve been told there¡¯s quite a bit of trade going on over in those parts. Some of that should come through to the main road between Tyralien and Fyrie, no?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Goslin said. ¡°That is concerning. We¡¯ll see for ourselves soon enough. How long till we get there?¡±

    ¡°To the road that¡¯ll take us to the village? Tomorrow afternoon, I¡¯d wager. We¡¯ll have to spend a night among the trees and get to the village the day after.¡±

    ¡°Then we should probably hurry along, right?¡± Kax asked. His hand was on the hilt of the obsidian short sword, clutching it.

    ¡°You go. I have to deal with this,¡± Heylien said, patting the dead deer. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up in an hour or so. Did any of you bring my things from the wagon?¡±

    Hart handed over a pack. ¡°Here you go. This is yours, right?¡±

    Heylien took it. ¡°Thanks.¡± When the rest of the group rode on, Heylien stayed behind. Sarien saw him eye the old man, but he didn¡¯t ask who he was. Heradion didn¡¯t even appear to notice the new addition to their group before Heylien was gone again.

    Kax joked with Goslin as they continued along the road, trying to lift their leader¡¯s spirits, and Hart spent most of his time talking to Daisy, who ran back and forth between his master and whatever smells captured his attention. The dog never tired of moving about and kept peeing on things it found interesting. Such a strange creature.

    Lana rode beside Tomford for a little while, but then pulled back to Sarien. ¡°Could you speak with him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°He listened to you last time, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    Sarien looked ahead to Tomford¡¯s slumped shoulders. ¡°Maybe he needs some time? His friend and mentor just died. Rather violently.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± she replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how much time he has. What if we¡¯re attacked again?¡±

    ¡°You think we will?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°What do I know? I¡¯m just tired of everyone being sad sacks of shit. I didn¡¯t leave my family in Loft to travel with a bunch of moping men.¡±

    ¡°Why did you leave?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about me. It¡¯s about him! Them! Goslin thinks every bad thing that happens in the world is his fault. Kax can¡¯t go a minute without stroking his sword, which is disgusting by the way, and speaking with Hart is like talking to a rock. Also, that pyromancer is strange. I don¡¯t trust him. And I¡¯m pretty sure Emeryn won¡¯t be the happiest girl in the world when she wakes up without her arm! And Heylien is never here!¡± By the time she finished speaking, her breath was coming in quick.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a lot,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Tom.¡±

    Lana smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Wish me luck,¡± he said, spurring his horse to catch up to Tomford. When he was alongside, Sarien asked, ¡°How are you doing?¡±

    Tomford glanced in Sarien¡¯s direction. ¡°Keeping it together.¡±

    ¡°Anicetus was important to you.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how important until he was gone. Didn¡¯t like having to burn him, either. That¡¯s not how we do things in Vatnbloet.¡±

    ¡°What kind of burial rites do you have? Is it different for those who believe? Do all Vatners believe?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Very few actually believe. It¡¯s more tradition. Most priests possess true faith, I think. We bury out at sea, using hydromancers to lower the remains to the bottom of a deep trench. That¡¯s for the religious and nobles, at least. The more common practice is a hole in the ground. We don¡¯t cremate, like you do in Eldsprak.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we could have some sort of ceremony when we camp for the night?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Thank you.¡± He sat up a little straighter. ¡°And thank you for convincing me to go back to Anicetus and speak more about healing. We ended up having a good moment together, and he told me of some healing concepts I didn¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°Something that¡¯ll help with the problems you mentioned?¡±

    Tomford grinned. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ve been healing the entire body every time, but you can focus on specific areas that need attention. That requires less of my inner stream.¡±

    ¡°Sounds reasonable.¡±

    ¡°I thought so too. Can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of it! Also, I can use that same principle when getting hit, just heal the part of me that¡¯s struck, I mean. But that¡¯s not all, I might be able to use that to mitigate damage too, if I can get it right. I¡¯ll be testing it on myself soon. What if I could stop a blade from even piercing my skin? That would make me unstoppable.¡±

    Sarien laughed. ¡°You¡¯d be terrifying!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a way to build up stamina, or whatever you want to call it, too. All I have to do is continuously heal myself every minute of every day!¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t that be exhausting?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Tomford conceded. ¡°I won¡¯t do it before a fight, if I know one is coming. And I¡¯ll need a lot of food afterwards to recover.¡±

    ¡°With this knowledge, it¡¯s like you¡¯re carrying Anicetus with you, or his memory, at least.¡±

    Tomford smiled again, a more solemn expression than his previously excited grin. ¡°You¡¯re right again. Thank you, Sarien.¡± His look became distant for a moment, and when it focused again, he nodded, as if having made a decision. ¡°I¡¯ll be the best damn healer I can be, not just the best fighter.¡±

    Sarien looked back. Tomford¡¯s instructor, Lien, was busy driving the wagon. He was surprised that Tomford¡¯s instructor had decided to stay with them when all the other servants left. ¡°How is the hand-to-hand combat going?¡±

    Tomford winced. ¡°A lot of bruises. He¡¯s a slippery little bastard. I¡¯m getting better, but it¡¯s slow going. I think I¡¯m going to go have a talk with Lien and check on Emeryn.¡± Tomford reached out a hand toward Sarien, and he took it. A quick shake was all they had time for, before the horses pulled apart and Tomford moved back to the wagon.

    Lana looked back and grinned, giving Sarien a thumbs up, mouthing, ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 17

    The conversation with Tomford had been a welcome respite from the swirling thoughts about what Heradion revealed to him earlier about Ben. Was what he said about Sarien changing Ben the truth? If it was, that meant he¡¯d killed his best friend and put something else in his body.

    Sarien shuddered at the thought. Wayfaring, Heradion said. Other worlds. Sarien desperately wanted to know more. Heradion said not to use his power for any reason, but he¡¯d made no promises to the old man, not as he saw it. If Heradion couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t tell him more, he¡¯d just have to work it out himself.

    By the end of the day, they¡¯d arrived at the edge of Primie Woods. Sarien was exhausted, and by the wan expression on the faces of his companions, so were the others. When Goslin declared that they would stop and set up camp near a small brook, no one argued. Tomford immediately went off by himself to perform a final ceremony for Anicetus. When Sarien asked if he wished for company, Tomford stated that he wanted to be alone, but thanked him for his offer.

    The forest was massive and Sarien was informed that it would take most of the following day to find the road that would eventually lead them to the village no one seemed to know the name of.

    The brook was narrow, but filled with cool, clean water and Sarien drank deeply after a long day on the dusty road. On one side of the road was an empty grassland. The wild grasses swayed in the slight breeze and Sarien thought it made for a lovely view for when they attempted to pitch their tents. Sarien puzzled at the different sticks and lengths of canvas and turned to see that no one else had any better luck pitching their own tents. Hart and Kax had given up entirely, piling the materials on the ground to create a makeshift bed.

    A crow landed on a low branch of a nearby tree and cackled at their failure.

    After several attempts and filling the air with curses, the group decided to sleep under the stars. The clear, bright day turned into a cloudless night as they sat in front of a campfire where Heylien roasted pieces of the deer he¡¯d hunted earlier. Fat dripped and sizzled onto the open flame and Sarien¡¯s mouth watered.

    Tomford returned with a soft expression on his face. He had been crying, but seemed more at peace, as he sat down next to Sarien. Emeryn, who had yet to regain consciousness, slept in a bundle of blankets by one side of the fire, and the others squeezed in to fit. Heradion muttered something about needing to think, and walked off into the darkness, and Lien kept himself apart. He wasn¡¯t a servant, but he was the last remaining member outside of the main group.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Goslin?¡± Sarien asked, gingerly holding the hot piece of venison between his fingers.

    Hart nodded toward the brook. Sarien could make out a dark silhouette of a man bathing. ¡°Where do you think? Went as soon as Tom returned from there.¡±

    ¡°Always with the bathing,¡± Kax said. ¡°Half the fun about being on an adventure is that you don¡¯t have to even bother.¡±

    Lana sniffed, her petite nose wrinkling. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to keep up with some basic hygiene.¡±

    ¡°Says the girl who spent the better part of a year caked in mud. Could smell you coming from a mile away!¡± Kax countered.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°She pretended to be a man,¡± Hart said, before tearing a large piece of venison with his teeth. He chewed contentedly and swallowed while everyone watched him. ¡°What? She was! Fooled me.¡±

    Sarien looked at her. ¡°Why were you pretending to be a man? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±

    ¡°And what if I do mind?¡± Lana mumbled.

    Goslin came into view, then sat down next to Tomford. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell us anything if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Lana sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Sarien watched as everyone leaned in closer, eager for any tidbit she might throw their way. Apparently, the others didn¡¯t know much about her, either.

    ¡°My family name is Asengian, as most of you know. Loftians nobles. My father sits on the Council of Twelve in Vinden.¡±

    ¡°Council of Twelve?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Loft does not have a monarch like the other nations. It is ruled by the Council of Twelve. The most influential noble houses.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Aeromancers aren¡¯t seen as powerful assets like healers in Vatnbloet,¡± she continued, nodding to Tomford. ¡°But it still gives the houses some prestige when one is found in the family. I knew that if my father found out about my powers, I¡¯d be used as some piece in his political machinations. A political marriage to some lordling or other.¡± She shuddered. ¡°I refuse to be used. Generally, it¡¯s only the oldest or youngest daughters who are married off, and I¡¯m neither so I thought I was safe until¡ª¡± Lana opened her palm and a gust of wind blew through the camp.

    ¡°How many sisters do you have?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°Seven. Two younger, the rest older. No brothers. Why?¡± she asked before narrowing her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare even so much as look at them!¡±

    Kax laughed. ¡°They¡¯re not even here!¡±

    ¡°Well, like I was saying, I barely know my father and I would not have him force me into bed with,¡± she gestured toward the others around the fire, ¡°one of your kind. So, I left.¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t tell us anything about how you ended up at the academy,¡± Hart protested.

    ¡°Or why you dressed up as a man,¡± Kax added.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting to that,¡± Lana said impatiently. ¡°The Eldsprak Academy accepts applicants from other kingdoms, so I tried my luck. At first, they refused me, so I showed them what I can do.¡± Another gust of wind blew through the camp.

    ¡°Having magic users from other kingdoms is a point of pride for the academy, so they accepted me without even knowing I was a noble.¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain why you dressed up like a man,¡± Hart insisted.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting to that. If you¡¯d just stop interrupting me!¡± She sighed and looked around. ¡°It was a disguise. Both to make me look more like a commoner, and to get rid of all the expectations.¡±

    ¡°Expectations?¡± Tomford asked, obviously confused. Sarien didn¡¯t get it either but hadn¡¯t wanted to show his ignorance.

    ¡°On women,¡± Lana said.

    Hart frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Clearly, Hart didn¡¯t mind showing his ignorance.

    ¡°There are a whole lot of expectations that come with being a woman. How to behave, how to look, move, smell. Everything. Even who to love! I hate it! If you imagine a noble woman, I¡¯m pretty sure all of you get the same image in your head, right? The nurturing pretty girl with long, flowing hair, impressive curves, and a yearning to get married.¡± She gestured toward Emeryn on the ground. ¡°Just look at her. She¡¯s perfect! She has more grace than me in the little finger of her one remaining hand than I do in my entire being. I¡¯m none of that, and I don¡¯t want to be!¡± Lana glared around the fire as if daring the others to rebut her.

    ¡°I thought Emeryn wasn¡¯t a noble,¡± Sarien said, then winced as Lana turned her glare at him.

    She waved the objection away. ¡°Fourth Circle then, just another name for the same thing, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend,¡± Goslin said. ¡°But are you saying you want to be a man?¡±

    She deflated. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡± Kax asked. His hand was on the pommel of his sword again.

    ¡°I am a woman, but that does not mean I want to be buried under a mountain of expectations. I¡¯m not here to take care of you, or for you to fall in love with me. Is it so bad to just want to be me?¡± She blinked and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.

    They sat in silence for a long moment, then Goslin nodded. ¡°I think I get it.¡±

    Heylien spoke for the first time since she¡¯d started her explanation. ¡°You can be whoever you like when you¡¯re with us. You decide how to act, look and dress. We promise not to fall in love with you, little sister.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kax said. ¡°Just don¡¯t stab us if we misstep.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to,¡± Lana agreed, grinning.

    After dinner, Sarien huddled around the fire for warmth with the others on top of his bedroll and a thin blanket. Sarien couldn¡¯t sleep, not with everything that had happened earlier that day. He¡¯d learned so much about his powers, but still knew so little.

    On a whim, he placed his hand on the spear that lay beside him. Instead of speaking out loud, he tried to send a thought. He didn¡¯t know what the others might say if they caught him conversing with his weapon.

    Bandit?

    No answer.

    He tried again. Are you in there?

    A sense of something grew in his mind. Not the bandit. Whatever it was, there was a low growl like the purring of a cat.

    The luison.

    Slaying the one in the fight must have trapped it in there with the bandit, Sarien thought.

    Are you in there with the monster, bandit?

    Still no reply. At least not with words. An image, almost like a projected thought.

    Death.

    Destruction and blood.

    The purring growl increased. Malicious. It wanted to hurt. To kill. There was not a doubt in Sarien¡¯s mind. Trapping the beast in the spear with the bandit had meant the man¡¯s complete destruction.

    Bile rose in his throat, and his eyes teared as his face flushed. Sarien stood and moved away from the fire and the slumbering forms of his friends. He was going to be sick.

    He brought the spear with him, fearing what it might do if he left it with the others. It couldn¡¯t attack on its own, of course, but he couldn¡¯t shake the sense that it would hurt them. Hurt anyone who got close.

    Sarien waded into the brook, the icy water rushing by his ankles, before he fell to his knees. He retched, emptying his stomach into the shallow water. When there was nothing left, he stood, his trousers soaked through.

    ¡°You caught one of them in that spear of yours, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Sarien spun to face Heradion. ¡°You scared me! How long have you been there?¡±

    ¡°A while,¡± he answered. He brought a small flame into existence, holding it out in front of him to give them some light. ¡°So did you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thought it was a good idea to try. It seems easier to strike when using my black flames.¡±

    ¡°It was not a good idea.¡±

    Sarien sighed. ¡°I understand that much now. Do you know what happened to the bandit?¡±

    ¡°Bandit?¡±

    ¡°The man who was in there before. He¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°The art of slaying is not one I¡¯m very familiar with,¡± Heradion said, pursing his lips. ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of imprisoning more than a single entity in an object. To be honest, I didn¡¯t even know you could improve on weapons by imbuing it with someone or something. If I were you, I¡¯d make peace with the fact that I¡¯d killed that man.¡±

    Sarien balked. ¡°Killed?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. What did you think would happen? Either the luison got to him in there, or adding another being, or however you wish to call it, pushes the first trapped entity out.¡±

    ¡°How do you know these things?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°You¡¯ve obviously come in contact with someone with these powers before. A slayer and a wayfarer, is what you called them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what it¡¯s called.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, lad.¡±

    Sarien glared at him, still standing in the cold water.

    The old man continued, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but you will have to give me your word on something first.¡±

    Sarien walked out of the stream, shivering in the cold night air. ¡°What kind of promise would you have of me? I¡¯ve already said I won¡¯t just forget I have these powers!¡±

    Heradion held up a hand to ward Sarien off. ¡°Nothing like that. I understand you won¡¯t be persuaded to see sense.¡±

    ¡°What then?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a place I want you to promise you won¡¯t travel to, and you can¡¯t ask me why.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The old man rolled his eyes and sighed. ¡°If you want to know more, that¡¯s my condition.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sarien muttered.

    ¡°You call it the dark continent.¡±

    Sarien shrugged, he had no plans of ever going there. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I know. Perhaps it¡¯s for the best.¡± Heradion increased the size of his flame and somehow placed it on the ground between them, letting Sarien dry himself by it. ¡°Slaying isn¡¯t a very accurate name for the power. It is used to seal beings into objects. You used it on a man, leaving his body behind, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sarien said, holding his hands near the flame. ¡°The bandit.¡±

    ¡°You used the spear to do it. First time I¡¯ve ever heard of a weapon being used, but from the look of it, that works too. The power does not kill, only imprisons.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I can imprison whatever or whoever I wish? Are there any limits? Why is called slaying?¡±

    Heradion held up a hand to stop the onslaught of questions. ¡°Your strength in the power is the limit. In theory, there are no outer bounds. The power of slaying can be used to trap almost anything or anyone. The name is short for godslaying. The power to kill gods, or near enough to it.¡±

    ¡°Godslayer?¡± Sarien asked, dumbfounded.

    Heradion snickered. ¡°Quite the nickname, huh?¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Sarien said, frowning. ¡°You said it doesn¡¯t kill, only imprisons. Does that mean the gods aren¡¯t really dead? Is this power what brought down Eld, Ocea, Taera, and Anea?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you aren¡¯t as dense as you seem,¡± Heradion admitted.

    ¡°But doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯re still alive?¡±

    The old man chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go spreading that around. Everyone would think you¡¯re crazy.¡±

    ¡°Who are you, really?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°You can¡¯t just be some pyromancer.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t part of our deal,¡± Heradion said, standing. ¡°I fear I must leave you for some time. Take care.¡± The fire winked out, and Heradion turned to walk away.

    ¡°What? Wait!¡± Sarien demanded. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡±

    ¡°You brought this on yourself,¡± Heradion said. ¡°I don¡¯t like what you told me about those friends of yours back at the Karm estate.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°You brought something to this world. Who knows what kind of havoc it might wreak if it isn¡¯t reined in?¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s Ben, it was just shock. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Sarien¡¯s words sounded false and desperate to his own ears.

    The old man grunted. ¡°Doubt that.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll come with!¡±

    ¡°And your friends here? Your father?¡±

    The old man was right. Sarien couldn¡¯t veer from his course. ¡°Just don¡¯t hurt him, please?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll come back once I¡¯ve investigated what you did. If all goes well, we¡¯ll meet again. And Sarien?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think that what I¡¯m saying is in jest. It might be better for everyone if you died during this foolish quest of yours.¡± Heradion turned his back to Sarien and walked away to where the horses were tethered. ¡°Wait!¡± Sarien yelled. Heradion stopped and turned. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least tell me your real name?¡±

    Heradion chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your father?¡± With that, he mounted. Sarien stood there in the dark, frozen, as he listened to the fading clopping of Heradion¡¯s horse disappear into the distance.

    The old bastard knew his father. What sort of man was Talc Wald? The more Sarien learned, the less he felt he knew.

 Book 1: Chapter 18 (Goslin)

    When Goslin woke, he saw Emeryn sitting by the fire. A bowl of cold venison sat on the ground before her. Emeryn was gently, almost reverently, caressing the ground with her outstretched fingers. She was the only one awake.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± she said without looking up.

    Goslin went to sit next to her. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯ve lost an arm.¡± She ran her fingers across the smoothness where her left arm used to be. ¡°It¡¯s surreal. Almost feels like I still have it. Thought it was all a bad dream at first.¡± She nodded down to the bowl. ¡°Can¡¯t even eat.¡±

    ¡°You were very brave,¡± Goslin said, putting a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± He grabbed the bowl, scooped some of the venison and held it up for her. She raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°No shame in accepting help, dear Emeryn.¡± Her eyes glittered as she gazed into his, and then she closed her lips around the spoon. They sat in silence while she ate.

    When the bowl was empty, she said, ¡°I feel so¡ª¡± She stopped, her eyes welling with tears. She looked small and frail where she sat hunched over on the ground.

    Goslin threw his arms around her shoulders and hugged her close to him. Her breath hitched against his cheek. He breathed deep. She smelled like roses despite spending days on the road without a proper bath.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. You¡¯ll be okay. You do not need to go through this alone.¡± He gathered all the courage he could muster. ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side for as long as you¡¯ll let me.¡± Goslin felt Emeryn¡¯s wet tears against his own cheek as he pressed in close. He turned to face her, her green eyes shimmering. ¡°Emeryn, I¡ª"

    ¡°Morning!¡± Kax shouted from the other side of the fire. Emeryn pushed back against Goslin and stood. She wobbled slightly, still ungainly from the loss of one of her arms.

    Goslin held out a hand to steady her, but she shook her head slightly. He sighed. Whatever moment that had lingered between them had passed. ¡°Morning, Kax.¡±

    ¡°Em, you¡¯re up,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°I¡¯m up. What¡¯s left of me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. You¡¯ll be fine. Geomancy only requires your feet, remember?¡±

    She chuckled and looked down at her boots. ¡°A little cold for that now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be okay,¡± Heylien repeated, echoing Goslin¡¯s earlier words. He looked between her and Goslin with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Emeryn looked around at their small camp. ¡°What happened when I was out of it? Where¡¯s the old man? The servants?¡±

    ¡°Goslin sent the rest away. Didn¡¯t want to endanger them any longer. Not sure where Heradion went.¡±

    ¡°He left,¡± Sarien said, sitting up in his roll and stretching. ¡°Late last night.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Lana said, hugging her knees to her chest. ¡°Never trust a pyromancer.¡±

    ¡°You need to get over it, Lana,¡± Hart said, a little gruffly, as he stood and stretched. ¡°It was one pyromancer during a tournament, no one was seriously injured.¡±

    ¡°He got me,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the first time one of them tried to hurt my friends,¡± Lana spat, narrowing her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s for good reason that I don¡¯t trust them. Good thing our Sarien here isn¡¯t one or¡ª¡± She made a sharp slicing motion with her hand.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°A lawless pyromancer was contracted by one of my father¡¯s rivals when I was a kid. She, the pyromancer I mean, set fire to our villa while we slept. My family escaped in time, but several servants died. As did our cat, Meowsers.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s horrible,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t old enough to remember most of it, but I can still smell the stench of flesh burning. My father¡¯s rival is at the bottom of the sea now, but we never got the pyromancer. I hope to track her down one day.¡±

    ¡°What is her name?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°Mia.¡±

    Everyone fell silent, then Sarien cleared his throat. ¡°You asked about Heradion. He told me a little about what I can do with my powers, and I think he knows my father.¡± Sarien spent the next few minutes recounting what Heradion had told him.

    Goslin sat back in surprise. He had never heard of these powers before. The only ones that have ever manifested in Maydian involved the four elements: fire, wind, water, and earth. Also, healing, which was somehow related to water. But, what Sarien was telling them was something different altogether.

    ¡°Kax,¡± Hart said, standing. ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable with you and that sword.¡±

    Kax looked up at the much taller Hart. ¡°I¡¯m not giving it up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me¡ª¡° Hart began.

    Kax drew out the obsidian blade. ¡°What? Make you¡­what? You even asked Sarien for one of your own, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Hart looked around at the others. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Goslin yelled. ¡°What¡¯s done is done!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a luison in my spear,¡± Sarien mumbled. ¡°It pushed the bandit out, or the monster killed him.¡± Goslin saw Emeryn flinch.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure out what to do about it,¡± Goslin said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about the luison now or the bandit. Let¡¯s just leave it.¡± Goslin paused before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t understand the other one, the white flame? What do you mean, wayfaring?¡±

    Sarien shrugged helplessly. ¡°Heradion wasn¡¯t exactly open with what he knows, but it has something to do with traveling between places and even worlds.¡±

    ¡°Worlds as in more than one?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s how I understood it,¡± Sarien answered. ¡°There¡¯s also this sort of reverberance or resonance with my power sometimes, like when Daisy appeared. I¡¯ve felt it before.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goslin asked.

    Sarien replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Was up all night thinking about it, and I have a theory.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Tomford said. He looked more rested, almost back to his old self, except puffiness around his reddened eyes. Goslin expected it may take a long while until his friend recovered from the loss of his mentor.

    ¡°Gates.¡±

    ¡°Gates?¡± Kax and Hart asked in unison.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Or openings. Holes. Rips. The power makes me feel and connect with these openings, because they lead to other places. Worlds.¡±

    All the others sat in stunned silence. The crackling of the fire and rustling of leaves from the nearby trees were the only sounds Goslin heard.

    ¡°Do you think we could pass through one?¡± Kax said, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± Lana said. ¡°Even if we could, why would we want to?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°To get away from this one, obviously. Think of the adventures we could have!¡± Kax said eagerly.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying Daisy is from another world?¡± Hart asked, scratching behind the dog¡¯s ear. Daisy thumped his tail against the ground.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sarien said. ¡°And those monsters, the luisons. I didn¡¯t feel that strange sensation, like with Daisy, but I think that¡¯s because we weren¡¯t close to the gate they came from.¡±

    ¡°Well, I have never seen or heard about anything resembling those creatures,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t see them myself.¡±

    Kax shuddered. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Goslin said. ¡°I have never heard of anything like them, either.¡±

    ¡°You could be right, Sarien,¡± Tomford said.

    ¡°This all sounds ridiculous, but I can¡¯t think of a better explanation,¡± Emeryn agreed.

    ¡°And you¡¯re saying you can make one of these gates?¡± Goslin asked.

    Sarien nodded. ¡°From what he told me, I think so, maybe. They¡¯re a part of me, or what¡¯s inside me.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you shouldn¡¯t open one,¡± Kax said. ¡°What if more of those monsters spill out? With the pyromancer gone, we¡¯d have a tough time dealing with them.¡±

    Goslin flattened his lips. Kax was being kind. If Heradion hadn¡¯t shown up, they¡¯d all be dead.

    ¡°There have been reports about strange things happening all around Eldsprak. Perhaps these gates are the reason,¡± Goslin said, thinking back to his father¡¯s letter. ¡°But why would they be appearing now? Does this mean that there is someone else with your power?¡±

    ¡°I believe so, from what Heradion was saying. Or there was. Maybe my father knows,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s involved in this somehow.¡±

    Kax nodded solemnly. ¡°Da knows best.¡±

    ¡°This means that whatever is in Primie Woods could be like those creatures, and not just more bandits,¡± Heylien said, as if thinking out loud.

    ¡°We better be careful then,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Em, are you able to ride?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get out of here.¡±

    Goslin was relieved to see that Emeryn¡¯s spirits had improved since earlier that morning. She even told jokes that made Kax blush brightly, lifting everyone¡¯s sullen mood.

    Tomford also laughed, though his face was still peaked from exhaustion. He drove the wagon, which allowed him more time to rest. Goslin couldn¡¯t stop looking back at his friend and watched with dismayed wonder as Tomford cut himself with a knife and healed the wound over and over with an intense grin on his face. Sometimes he even laughed aloud to himself, a joyous sound of discovery.

    Heylien continued to ask travelers they met on the road if they came from Primie Woods, but no one did. This information, or lack thereof, seemed to bother him.

    When they found the road that led deep into Primie Woods, the group dismounted and gathered by the side of the road. The path stretched ahead of them, disappearing in the shadows of the trees. Quite a few people traveled into the woods, but Goslin was disturbed to note that no one walked or rode in the opposite direction.

    ¡°What do you think it means?¡± Goslin asked Heylien as they watched the backs of people continuing on ahead of them.

    Heylien shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t all be dying in there, do you think?¡± Kax asked.

    Goslin sighed. ¡°Should we stop them?¡±

    ¡°How would we? Do you want to stay here and guard it?¡± Lana asked from where she sat on the ground, testing the edge of her daggers. ¡°They¡¯d just go around you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Goslin conceded. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry. It¡¯s not noon quite yet. Do you think we can make the village before nightfall, Heylien?¡±

    The archer squinted up toward the sun. ¡°From what I heard, it¡¯ll be close.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry along then. I don¡¯t want us caught out camping in the woods tonight,¡± Goslin said. Whatever hid among the trees spooked him, though he wouldn¡¯t voice his concerns out loud. There was no need to frighten the others.

    Also, Goslin was looking forward to a hot bath. Even with vigorous scrubbing in the stream the night before, he still felt like he was covered in filth. His skin itched when he thought about it, and he couldn¡¯t entirely push the memories of his childhood away. The outhouse. He could still smell the sour stench of urine and feces and hear his brothers¡¯ laughter echoing over his screams.

    ¡°A moment, please.¡± Everyone looked around before realizing it was Lien, Tomford¡¯s instructor, who spoke from up at the wagon. Goslin had forgotten that the man was still with them. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± The short man eyed the road that led into the woods. ¡°You are cursed. I will not be among those dead you leave in your wake. I¡¯ll continue on to Kleotram from here, instead.¡± He jumped down from the wagon with his pack slung over one shoulder.

    Tomford looked down after him. ¡°But I already paid you.¡±

    ¡°I will return the coin,¡± Lien said, rummaging through his belongings.

    ¡°No need,¡± Tomford said, holding up a hand. ¡°I¡¯m just disappointed.¡±

    Lien brought his palms together in front of his chest and bowed in farewell before returning down the road they came.

    Kax cleared his throat. ¡°What do we do about the wagon?¡±

    ¡°Gather your gear and some supplies,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We¡¯ll leave it here. We¡¯ll move faster without it.¡±

    A downtrodden farmer passed by, pulling a hand-drawn cart. ¡°You want a free wagon and horse?¡± Kax asked, startling the farmer.

    They rode off before the farmer had a chance to reply. Goslin glanced over his shoulder and saw the farmer gently stroking the horse¡¯s neck. Hopefully, the man would find good use for it.

    Goslin and the others passed several travelers on the road. Most of them were farmers carrying grain, potatoes, or other spoils they were hoping to sell to villages along the road. With fall approaching, it was time to stock up for the winter. Goslin knew that the farmers must be desperate to be traveling with their wares so late in the season. He made a point to stop and purchase some supplies from those they passed.

    Dusk crept closer as they made their way through the forest. Birds that chirped and tweeted during the day fell silent when the shadows grew longer. They¡¯d long since passed those traveling by foot, cart, or wagon, and Goslin had a sense of being very small among the tall trees. He couldn¡¯t help but glance left and right, into the woods, as the eight of them kept on toward the village, trying to beat the dark.

    Goslin wasn¡¯t the only one nervous, he caught several of the others glancing around them as well. He had the strange sensation that they were being watched.

    Goslin blew out a breath he wasn¡¯t aware he was holding when they spotted the village.

    Sarien spoke up, breaking the silence. ¡°There is something out there, I can feel it.¡±

    ¡°A gate?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°If I¡¯m right about how my powers work, then yes. It¡¯s faint, deep into the forest.¡±

    It soon became apparent to Goslin that something was wrong in the small collection of houses along the road that made up the unnamed village. Every window was boarded shut, all doors firmly closed, as they rode by.

    ¡°Do you think they all left?¡± Goslin asked. No one answered. Emeryn rode a little closer to him.

    The only sources of light were those they carried. Lana held up a lamp. Kax, Hart, and Goslin carried torches.

    Hart dismounted, walked up to the door closest to him and banged on it with the back of his fist. The sound of his knocking faded away. Then, they heard something¡­a whimper.

    ¡°It came from inside!¡± Emeryn yelled, her voice tight.

    ¡°Are you injured in there?¡± Goslin asked through the door. When no reply came, he ordered Hart to break it down. Hart smiled and drew his sword from its sheath.

    The door shuddered, shaking the whole house, as Hart landed his first swing. A second swing splintered the wood. By the third, someone inside yelled a muffled ¡°Stop!¡±

    Goslin held up a hand and Hart waited. He leaned closer to the door. ¡°We are here to help. Please open the door.¡±

    It took the man a moment to get it open, and it swung on screeching hinges to reveal utter darkness inside. A weary man of Sarien¡¯s father¡¯s age stepped out. He was clean-shaven and bald with thick eyebrows that almost touched in the middle.

    ¡°You should leave,¡± the man said looking warily at the woods before turning his gaze on Goslin.

    ¡°What is your name, my good man?¡± Goslin asked.

    The man stared for a moment as if not comprehending the question, then relented. ¡°I¡¯m Larsen.¡±

    ¡°Larsen,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We have been sent to liberate you from whatever ails this village. Please tell us what is wrong.¡±

    Larsen peered past them into the forest. ¡°It¡¯s out there. Always watching.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡± Lana asked.

    ¡°We want to help you,¡± Emeryn added. Kax had also dismounted and was leaning against the house, seemingly without a care in the world. Heylien was nowhere to be seen. Goslin swallowed a curse. He should have told Heylien to stay close. They didn¡¯t know what was waiting for them in the woods and Heylien was foolhardy enough to try to scout out the creature first. He trusted the man and his skill, but there was something about the eerie stillness that made Goslin¡¯s skin crawl.

    ¡°I thought Fyrie sent those fools from yesterday. You should talk to Rowan,¡± Larsen said. ¡°The mayor.¡± With some gentle coaxing from Emeryn, the man agreed to leave the safety of his house to show them the way to the mayor¡¯s.

    From the look of his simple house, the leader of their village didn¡¯t live any differently from the ones he oversaw. His house was much the same as Larsen¡¯s. They were constructed out of brick with sloping roofs, each with two floors, two windows at the front, and a wooden door.

    Geomancer built, Goslin thought. Like created from a mold. He¡¯d seen houses built like this before, but never thought he¡¯d find some in a village as remote as this one. He wasn¡¯t quite in the right mindset to appreciate their simplicity and efficiency, not with the silent forest surrounding them. Not even the insects buzzed. It was unnatural.

    The mayor required even more coaxing to answer his door. Not even the sound of Larsen¡¯s voice put him at ease.

    When Hart threatened to break down the door, the mayor relented. He was a short young man, not much older than Goslin, with long black hair that curled in waves, almost like a woman¡¯s. His high cheekbones and small nose only added to his androgyny.

    ¡°I¡¯m Rowan,¡± he said, once Goslin introduced himself and the others. Rowan glanced around and sniffed the air. ¡°You should come inside.¡±

    Larsen scurried back to his own house as they entered.

    Rowan ushered them all in and locked the door behind them. Goslin was surprised to see the young man lower a thick plank of wood across the doorframe, barricading them in, before he rushed off to light a single lantern. He turned it down low, casting only enough light for Goslin to make out Rowan¡¯s nervous shadow.

    When he caught Goslin¡¯s puzzled expression, Rowan only said, ¡°It¡¯ll know we¡¯re here if it sees the light.¡±

    Goslin cleared his throat. ¡°What is happening here? Your man, Larsen, spoke of others sent from the king?¡±

    ¡°A troop came here a few months ago, but they never returned from the forest. Yesterday, two pyromancers arrived with about ten royal soldiers. They entered the forest but have not yet returned. Now here you are. You should just leave us to our fate.¡±

    ¡°And what fate is that?¡±

    Rowan looked at each of them in turn before answering, ¡°The trickster beast.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 19

    ¡°The what?¡± Kax¡¯s question echoed off the walls.

    ¡°That¡¯s what we call it,¡± Rowan said. ¡°It comes to the village and speaks with the voices of those who have disappeared. Not only that, but it takes on their appearance as well. Wears their likeness like a mask. It¡¯ll scratch at the doors and windows, demanding to be let in. And when someone does, they too are gone.¡± Rowan paused as if to catch his breath. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your friends from the king won¡¯t return either.¡±

    ¡°Why do you stay?¡± Emeryn asked.

    Rowan sighed again. ¡°Some have left, like the former mayor. The remaining villagers picked me to replace him. Most of us have lived here our entire lives. We wouldn¡¯t know what to do anywhere else.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying no one returns from the forest?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rowan confirmed. ¡°We¡¯ve gone looking as a group once, early on in the attacks, but found no trace.¡± The young man wrinkled his nose. ¡°Only the smell.¡±

    Lana sank down on her heels, her back to the wall. Her voice shook tremulously as she asked, ¡°Smell?¡±

    Rowan looked at her. ¡°Blood. A stink of blood so strong it¡¯s like you can taste it.¡± He shuddered. ¡°I hoped the pyromancers would succeed but it¡¯s been over a day. They are likely dead by now.¡±

    Goslin straightened. ¡°We¡¯ll go. I promise we¡¯ll come back victorious.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. What could you do that pyromancers couldn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate us!¡± Kax yelled, grinning. ¡°We won the Eldsprak Academy tournament!¡±

    ¡°The what?¡±

    ¡°Never mind that,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We will leave right away. Which way did the previous group go?¡±

    Rowan unlocked his door and pointed straight into the dark forest behind his house. The trees were close enough for branches to brush against his roof.

    ¡°Over yonder.¡± The mayor looked at them again and shook his head in resignation. ¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t convince you to leave, instead?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave such a beast to haunt these woods,¡± Goslin said with confidence Sarien didn¡¯t feel. He looked warily into the dark woods, the thrumming he felt earlier still present.

    Rowan nodded. ¡°Just stay together then. Don¡¯t get separated, whatever you do. Don¡¯t trust anyone you see, even your own friends.¡±

    ¡°Have you not tried attacking the beast?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Hart agreed. ¡°There have to be enough people here to form a posse and go for its throat?¡±

    ¡°We are not soldiers. Most villagers here are older, and more than half are women.¡± Lana glared at Rowan at those words and he held up his hands defensively, before stammering on, ¡°In the beginning, we searched for the missing, but soon realized that there¡¯s nothing we could do.¡±

    ¡°You can rest easy now,¡± Goslin said.

    They said farewell as the mayor went back inside and locked the door behind him.

    ¡°You sure sound confident,¡± Lana said.

    ¡°It¡¯ll let our dear mayor rest easy in his sleep tonight,¡± Goslin answered.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Kax said. ¡°He was spooked, and I don¡¯t blame him.

    ¡°Where is Heylien?¡± Tomford asked.

    Goslin frowned. ¡°He should be back by now.¡±

    ¡°The trickster beast might not be from our world. I still sense the opening, the gate,¡± Sarien said. He squirmed under the direct attention of the others. ¡°It was the same with Daisy.¡±

    ¡°Where is Daisy?¡± Emeryn asked.

    ¡°Made him wait by the horses,¡± Hart said, gesturing to where their horses were tethered to a post. Daisy sat there, watching the group.

    ¡°You just told him to wait and he waited?¡± Kax asked. ¡°Obedient little bastard.¡±

    Hart shrugged. ¡°They like to feel useful.¡±

    ¡°You know a lot about dogs,¡± Lana said.

    Goslin lit one of the torches with a match before passing it onto Kax. Kax used it to light the others. They huddled together in the light. ¡°Let¡¯s focus,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We have to find Heylien and then head to where Sarien believes the gate is located. There is a good chance that is where this trickster beast has made its home. I¡¯m not sure how much of the mayor¡¯s superstition we can take for fact, but it¡¯s best to be careful after our encounter with the luisons.¡±

    ¡°Can we trust our dear archer?¡± Kax asked. ¡°Based on what the mayor told us, the beast could be wearing Heylien¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°We will have to see when we find him,¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°And the pyromancers? Having two pyromancers on our side wouldn¡¯t hurt,¡± Tomford said. ¡°I hope they¡¯re alive out there.¡±

    ¡°Heylien is our top priority.¡±

    ¡°Daisy, let¡¯s go!¡± Hart yelled, and the shaggy white dog ran up to his side with a lumbering gait as the group set off for the forest.

    The narrow dirt path forced them to walk in a single line. With no one to his left or right, Sarien couldn¡¯t help the feeling of isolation as it crept in closer the further they descended into the trees. Hart walked in front of him and Sarien could only see the back of his head. Emeryn followed behind. Tall grass and bushes closed in from both sides, obscuring his feet. Sarien didn¡¯t carry a torch, so he followed the comforting light that Hart carried.

    Something irritated the back of Sarien¡¯s throat, and he coughed to clear it. Sniffing the air, he realized it was an underlying scent that kept bugging him, so faint he could barely smell it. He took in a deep breath and nausea struck. The hair on his arms stood on end and he started choking.

    Blood. ¡°Are you well, Sarien?¡± Emeryn asked, her eyes filled with concern.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you smell that?¡±

    She sniffed the air, then wrinkled her nose. ¡°What is that?¡± She glanced behind her.

    ¡°Blood,¡± Sarien said. Daisy looked back at him for a brief moment before turning back to his master. Daisy and Hart barely fit together on the path, and the dog kept having to maneuver around bushes and bits of tall grass. There was something just a little bit off about how the dog moved, like it wasn¡¯t used to walking on all fours, the two pairs of legs not quite matching up in its strides.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Hart,¡± Sarien said.

    Hart turned to look over his shoulder. ¡°What?¡± He looked scared, eyes wide and face twitching.

    Sarien pointed to Daisy. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with your dog.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Hart said, ¡°Just realized it too.¡±

    The dog looked back at Sarien again, its snout pulled widely in a grin. Without warning, it got up on its hind legs and made a sound Sarien would never forget. Not a bark, not a scream, but something in between. Like a dog trying to sound like a person. Before anyone had a chance to react, it ran off into the thick underbrush.

    ¡°What in Eld¡¯s flaming beard is going on?¡± Kax asked, sword in hand.

    ¡°It was here!¡± Lana screamed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see? The dog!¡±

    ¡°Where did it go?¡± Goslin asked from up at the front.

    ¡°Should we follow?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°Sarien, which way is the gate?¡± Goslin asked. Sarien pointed the way they were going.

    Goslin nodded. ¡°Right. It knows we¡¯re here. Lana and Hart, you keep a lookout to our left. Tomford and Kax, you make sure our right is clear. Sarien and Emeryn check our rear.¡± He thought for a moment, ¡°Actually, Hart, you fall back and keep our rear. I want someone with a sword back there.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Hart said, pulling out his sword.

    Sarien pulled the spear from its sheath on his back. It wasn¡¯t very long, but he still had to make sure that it didn¡¯t tangle up in branches.

    ¡°Do you think Daisy is hurt?¡± Hart asked. ¡°Did it pretend to be him ever since we left the mayor¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Lana asked. ¡°About the dog, I mean.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t move quite right.¡± Sarien shuddered ¡°It looked at me.¡±

    ¡°Looked at you?¡±

    ¡°Like it understood what I was saying,¡± Sarien said. ¡°And then there was the smell of blood. It was faint at first, but it was there.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t pleasa¡ª¡± Emeryn started saying, but then she fell, tumbling forward. Sarien¡¯s spear tangled, and he couldn¡¯t catch her in time. ¡°Ow,¡± she mumbled, falling flat in the dirt.

    Sarien helped Emeryn to her feet. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s something they don¡¯t tell you about losing a limb.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°My balance is off.¡±

    Emeryn brushed off the dirt from her leggings with her one hand.

    ¡°We¡¯re at a disadvantage here,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Can you sense something about how far it is, Sarien?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not exact or anything, but I would say we¡¯re nearly there. Maybe another half hour.¡± They¡¯d been walking for the better part of an hour in the dark and the cold. Sarien shivered, but he didn¡¯t know if it was from the chill in the air or the threat of the beast hunting them.

    An unknown voice drifted through the air. It was barely audible, but the message was clear enough.

    ¡°Help me.¡±

    A male voice.

    ¡°It could be Heylien,¡± Lana said, making as if to stride out into the forest.

    Goslin grabbed her arm. ¡°It could also be the trickster. The mayor said it would try to lure us.¡±

    ¡°But what if it¡¯s not?¡± Lana demanded. ¡°We can¡¯t just ignore it.¡±

    They stood waiting for the sound to return. Nothing happened for a long moment, then it came back, louder than before. ¡°Please help.¡±

    ¡°We keep going straight ahead,¡± Goslin decided.

    Lana looked at him incredulously. ¡°But it could be Heylien! We can¡¯t leave him out there with the monster!¡±

    ¡°If it is, the beast will follow us and leave Heylien be,¡± Goslin replied.

    She shook her head but followed. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    After several minutes of walking in silence, they heard the voice again.

    ¡°Help.¡±

    Kax pointed into the forest with his sword. It was barely visible in the dim light from the torches. ¡°It¡¯s back.¡±

    Tomford nodded. ¡°From the same direction as before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s following us,¡± Lana said. ¡°Not Heylien.¡±

    ¡°Where is he then?¡± Emeryn asked.

    ¡°You need to see this,¡± Goslin said as he moved aside, showing a clearing that the path crossed. At the other end of the clearing, just where the path entered the forest again, sat a man against a tree. His head was slumped forward, and he didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°He¡¯s wearing Fyrie uniform colors. It¡¯s a soldier,¡± Goslin said.

    Lana hefted a dagger in each hand. ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Emeryn went down to her knees to touch the ground with her hand and waited.

    Goslin stepped forward, but Tomford grabbed his arm. ¡°Let me. I¡¯m more protected.¡±

    Goslin nodded and let Tomford continue. ¡°Be careful, Tom, you¡¯re not indestructible.¡±

    ¡°Wish we had some more light,¡± Kax muttered, peering into the trees as if expecting an ambush. ¡°What do you think happened to him?¡±

    ¡°Shush, Kax,¡± Goslin said.

    Tomford edged closer and hunched down to reach over and touch the man¡¯s head. A few heartbeats later, he stood and turned. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±

    Sarien watched as Goslin exhaled, realizing then that he was also holding his breath. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going then, Heylien¡ª"

    Sarien watched in horror as the dead soldier got to his feet in one silent motion. Where his face was, there was only a cavity of blood and gore. It looked like something had bitten chunks out of his flesh.

    ¡°Behind you!¡± Sarien shouted.

    Tomford spun, but it was too late. A backhanded blow cracked across Tomford¡¯s back, flinging him with such force that Sarien couldn¡¯t help but scream. Tomford grunted as he flew across the clearing to land somewhere out of sight.

    The soldier¡¯s body undulated and shifted. The clothes melted away into flesh as it grew taller. The stench of blood grew so overpowering that Sarien¡¯s eyes watered. He could taste iron in his mouth.

    The trickster beast¡¯s transformation was quick, but it wouldn¡¯t have mattered if it took several long minutes to change its appearance. Sarien stood, transfixed. No one else moved around him.

    Shadows danced across the beast¡¯s form as its legs grew thick, and its upper body twisted into a mockery of a man¡¯s torso, spindly and muscular at the same time. Short, dense fur covered the entire being, and Sarien thought he saw hooves peeking out from above the grass. Its head elongated, twisting to take on the obscene appearance of a man grotesquely fused with a bear. A wide maw opened as it shrieked in defiance.

    ¡°Attack!¡± Goslin bellowed. ¡°Before it¡¯s finished doing whatever it¡¯s doing!¡±

    The beast lifted its head as Hart ran at it with his sword held high over his head. He swung, aiming for the trickster beast¡¯s outstretched arm. The sword struck with a thud but did not cut through the beast¡¯s flesh. Hart blinked. He stood there, dumbfounded, as the thing withdrew its arm with a gesture that almost looked arrogant to Sarien. There was no blood. The strike hadn¡¯t hurt it at all.

    It swung its spindly arm at Hart when Goslin charged in with his shield and absorbed the blow. Despite steadying himself, Goslin lost his feet at the impact and tumbled to the ground.

    Arrows flew from somewhere unseen, and, at the same moment, Lana threw daggers from behind. Both arrows and daggers flew true, but they bounced off the beast harmlessly.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Lana screamed.

    The trickster cried out, a terrifying sound like a child screaming and a goat braying.

    Without warning, the beast leapt, landing beside Emeryn. It reached one giant hand for her, but she managed to throw herself to the ground. Sarien watched as Emeryn tried to catch herself, but with her missing arm, she fell hard, hitting her head against a stone. She whimpered as the beast closed in.

    ¡°Use fire!¡± Goslin yelled, running at the thing with a torch. ¡°Burn it!¡±

    The beast turned its attention away from Emeryn and kicked Goslin. By sheer luck, it struck the man¡¯s shield, throwing Goslin¡¯s arm wide. Fire licked the beast¡¯s fur, catching hold. Flames spread across its back, but it seemed unaffected as it grabbed for Emeryn again.

    Emeryn was ready. The ground beneath its hooves rumbled and opened, causing it to trip and fall right above her. She cried out and wrapped packed earth around her to cover herself in a cocoon.

    Arrows and daggers flew for its eyes, mouth, and between its legs. It bellowed in anger and rose to its legs, arms flailing.

    Kax jumped forward and slashed at its hand. It looked eerily human with its five long tapered fingers, only they ended in sharp claws.

    ¡°Eat shit!¡± he yelled as he struck. Sarien couldn¡¯t tell if Kax or the beast was more surprised when two fingers on its hand were lopped off. The trickster beast cried out. Not in fear, but in anger.

    ¡°Sarien!¡± Kax yelled. ¡°Use your spear!¡±

    Sarien thrust again and again, moving closer with each strike. The beast scrambled away, growling, then turned and ran. Sarien could see the blaze of fur disappear into the shadows of the trees.

    ¡°Hurry after it!¡± Hart screamed, grabbing for the obsidian black spear. Sarien pulled it away.

    ¡°No!¡± Goslin screamed. ¡°That¡¯s what it wants. We stay together!¡±

    ¡°What in fire¡¯s name was that thing?¡± Heylien asked, his voice trembling. ¡°We couldn¡¯t even injure it.¡±

    Emeryn rose from her earth cocoon, shaking off the loose dirt from her hair. ¡°How are we supposed to beat that?¡±

    Tomford clambered out of the underbrush.

    ¡°Tom!¡± Sarien yelled. ¡°Were you hurt?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little bruised. Where did it go?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°We chased it off,¡± Sarien said.

    Hart panted hard, hands on his knees. ¡°We have to leave. We can¡¯t beat it.¡±

    ¡°No, we can¡¯t just leave the villagers at its mercy.¡± Goslin glanced at Kax¡¯s sword and Sarien¡¯s spear. ¡°We were able to wound it, which means we can kill it.¡± He pointed down the path where they had been heading before the attack. ¡°Is the gateway still down that way?¡±

    Sarien nodded.

    ¡°Then we hunt,¡± Goslin said, a quiet intensity to his words.

 Book 1: Chapter 20

    Goslin appointed Kax the lead and the rest followed behind the shorter man, since his sword had proved effective against the beast.

    The night was still dark and empty, but at least they were getting closer to the gate. Sarien could feel the power inside the left part of him beat in turn, almost like a heart matching another.

    ¡°Not far now,¡± he said, almost whispering.

    ¡°I hope Daisy is unharmed,¡± Hart muttered from somewhere behind him.

    All of them carried torches now, after Heylien made a few extra from branches, cloth, and oil. It still wasn¡¯t enough. The sounds the trickster beast made in the distance were enough to set anyone on edge, and Sarien already didn¡¯t consider himself to be the bravest person in the group. He¡¯d finally relented and allowed Hart to take his spear for the time being. He couldn¡¯t deny that Hart was the better fighter but being without his weapon made him feel exposed and useless.

    ¡°Where were you, Heylien?¡± Sarien heard Goslin ask.

    The answer came from somewhere in front of him. ¡°Went scouting. Not far, I promise. Didn¡¯t find a damn thing, just the stink of blood all around the forest. When I returned to the village, you were gone. Couldn¡¯t get anyone to open their door, so I followed your trail. Caught up just as that soldier got up and, well, you know the rest.¡±

    ¡°Please help me!¡±

    Sarien stopped in his tracks and all except Heylien held out their torches, trying to see further into the forest.

    ¡°It sounded different than before,¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°Up here! In the tree!¡± It was the frantic voice of a young man. Sarien looked up and saw a small flame flickering halfway up one of the trees to the right of the path, revealing a youth of perhaps sixteen years. He wore the bright red and orange robe of a firemagi, the same Sarien had left behind in the village, stuffed in his pack.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Goslin asked. ¡°Why should we trust you¡¯re not that trickster beast?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Tvalfager! You¡¯ve seen it? How are you still alive?¡± The youth¡¯s voice trembled with both fear and relief. Sarien narrowed his eyes. The performance was very convincing.

    ¡°Answer the question,¡± Hart growled. ¡°Or we¡¯ll put an arrow in you.¡±

    Tvalfager thought for a moment, then increased the size of his flame, and said, ¡°It can¡¯t do this, can it?¡± It was more of a question than a statement.

    Before anyone had a chance to consider what Tvalfager said, a bone-chilling cackle came from somewhere among the trees behind the pyromancer. The youth cried out and turned his flame in the direction of the sound.

    Within the blink of an eye, the forest lit up in an explosion of fire. Billowing streams of fire shot from Tvalfager¡¯s palm, obliterating everything in its path. The flames lit up the forest for a moment and it was enough for Sarien to see a small but humanoid creature scuttling away through the underbrush. It looked different from what they¡¯d fought in the clearing, but there was no doubt in Sarien¡¯s mind of what it was.

    ¡°I saw it,¡± he yelled, pointing. ¡°The pyromancer can¡¯t be the trickster!¡±

    ¡°That bastard is toying with us!¡± Kax yelled. The part of the forest Tvalfager set fire to smoldered, but the wood was too damp for the fire to spread.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s intelligent, like a human?¡± Emeryn asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien said, as Tvalfager lost his balance and fell with a scream. He hit branch upon branch on the way down, sometimes breaking them, other times coming to a stop and sliding off, before finally landing in a patch of moss with a muted thud.

    ¡°Ow,¡± the young man said, laboriously getting to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks for asking.¡± His red robes were caked with mud and the fabric frayed at the hem. A large rip ran along the left side, from his chest down to his knees.

    Hart held out Sarien¡¯s spear to ward the youth off, the dark tip pointing straight at Tvalfager¡¯s chest. ¡°Not another step.¡±

    ¡°Heylien and Lana, keep a lookout for the trickster while we talk to Tvalfager here,¡± Goslin said, his tone hushed, as if worried the beast might be listening in.

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but worry too. It was like the forest conspired against them. The dark and the thick underbrush blinded them, and the complete silence weighed heavily.

    ¡°Tvalfager,¡± Sarien asked. ¡°You know who the director of embers is at the tower?¡±

    He nodded vigorously. ¡°That old bastard, Elden. I¡¯ve only been a full pyromancer for six months, dealt a lot with that goat.¡±

    Goslin looked at Sarien, who nodded. ¡°He¡¯s correct. Bjorn Elden.¡±

    ¡°How do we know that it can¡¯t take your memories too?¡± Lana asked.

    ¡°Now you¡¯re just being paranoid, Lana,¡± Emeryn said. ¡°We all saw the thing running away, and how would it get your memories? I¡¯m sure this young man here,¡± she gestured at Tvalfager, ¡°is who he says he is.¡±

    ¡°Well, what if there is more than one?¡± Lana retorted.

    Tvalfager jumped back with a yelp, staring at Emeryn¡¯s empty coat sleeve. ¡°What happened to your arm? Did the beast take it?¡± Emeryn just shook her head and sighed.

    Goslin took over. ¡°Tvalfager. Tell us what happened here. Why were you up in that tree? Where are your friends?¡±

    ¡°Dead.¡± The young pyromancer¡¯s voice sounded hollow. ¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Goslin asked, urging him on.

    ¡°We, my master and I, received a letter from the tower. It said to come here and investigate a disturbance. Something about possible holes in the air. We didn¡¯t really understand that part. They wrote that we should exterminate whatever was out here and take control of the area, so we recruited a bunch of soldiers.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t go as planned?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Goslin said. ¡°You weren¡¯t sent by the king?¡±

    Tvalfager¡¯s face reddened enough to make out even in the dim light from the torches. ¡°No. The instructions said to disguise the soldiers in uniforms to make it look official. Look, I have no idea what the real reason was for sending us here, but it wasn¡¯t to deal with that beast. Master scoffed at the villagers¡¯ fear.¡±

    ¡°Tell us what happened to you here,¡± Goslin demanded. A grim look had settled on him when the youth told them of their impersonation of royal troops. It was a treasonous act that could result in execution.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°The smell of blood came upon us so thick we could barely breathe. Then it grabbed a soldier and ran off with the man like he weighed no more than a child. It all happened so quickly, we couldn¡¯t see what happened. The soldier, I don¡¯t know his name, returned, claiming he¡¯d escaped.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t him,¡± Sarien said.

    Tvalfager shook his head. ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t actually the soldier. The beast toyed with us, picking us off one by one. We tried to strike it down with our spark, but it was too fast. My master burned large parts of the forest in anger, or fear.¡± Tvalfager paused. ¡°I wanted to go back, but my master refused. All he said was that we had to abide to the letter and our orders.¡±

    ¡°Then what happened?¡± Goslin asked.

    Tvalfager slumped. ¡°Five soldiers remained when we found this path you¡¯re standing on now.¡± He shuddered and looked around. ¡°Hold on.¡± Several orbs of fire shot from his hands and landed out in the forest forming a half-circle.

    ¡°Just a little more light,¡± he explained. When no one congratulated him on his ingenuity, he continued with his retelling. ¡°A little further down this path, there¡¯s a large clearing. We found something there. I can¡¯t quite explain it, but that is where the creature takes its prey.¡± Tvalfager fell silent.

    ¡°Go on,¡± Kax urged. The group stood clumped together, as if drawing courage from each other¡¯s closeness. Only Heylien stood off to the side, his eyes scanning the darkness around them. They hadn¡¯t heard any movement from the beast in a little while and Sarien wondered if it was listening in to Tvalfager¡¯s tale as well.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much more to say. It came for us. My master managed to strike it down with fire for a brief moment, but then it just shrugged off the attack like it was nothing. The beast grabbed him and I ran. I could hear the monster tearing my master into pieces.¡± He shuddered. ¡°The screams.¡±

    Tvalfager looked up. ¡°I¡¯m no coward, you understand. My master¡¯s spark was powerful. But he couldn¡¯t hurt the thing. I can still hear it laughing as it slaughtered everyone around me. I couldn¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    Tvalfager took in a deep breath as if to steady himself. ¡°I ran as it butchered the soldiers. Then it came for me. Taunting me from the shadows, appearing like my master¡­I climbed up the tree in desperation. I thought I was dead.¡±

    He shook his head, tears streaming down his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but at some point, it disappeared. I thought it was waiting for me to climb back down. I couldn¡¯t do anything to help the others. You have to understand.¡±

    Emeryn reached out to Tvalfager. He flinched but didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°You¡¯re safe now,¡± she said.

    Tvalfager looked up at her with wide eyes. ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s already too late for you. You¡¯re out here now. It¡¯ll come for you all, too. We have to run. Go back!¡±

    He frowned, remembering something, before turning to Sarien. ¡°You know Bjorn? Are you a firemagi?¡± Tvalfager pulled free from Emeryn and grabbed Sarien by the shoulders, shaking him. ¡°Why did you send us here? Why did you send us to die?¡±

    Tomford pulled him back. ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡±

    ¡°Just help me get out of here!¡± Tvalfager yelled, pushing back against Tomford.

    Goslin stepped between them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, friend, but we¡¯re not leaving until we¡¯ve dealt with the beast.¡±

    Tvalfager stared at him, incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re going out there? After what I just told you? No. No, you can¡¯t do that! What are you? Stupid?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you,¡± Lana said. ¡°You can stay here if you want.¡± She looked at Goslin, and Sarien didn¡¯t think she was all that sure about his decision either, but she wouldn¡¯t question him in front of the panicked pyromancer.

    ¡°We¡¯re going,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We could use your help, but I won¡¯t force you to come. It¡¯ll be light out soon. Perhaps you can make your way back to the village on your own.¡±

    Tvalfager shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere by myself.¡±

    Goslin nodded. ¡°Kax, you take the front again. Everyone, keep your wits about you. It will be watching us.¡±

    Tvalfager walked behind Sarien as they started up again. ¡°Are you really a firemagi?¡± he asked, voice low as if trying to keep the others from hearing.

    ¡°Officially, yes,¡± Sarien replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t have a spark.¡±

    ¡°How does that work?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure. Stop talking.¡± The youth kept yammering on in a panicked rush and was getting on Sarien¡¯s already stretched nerves. Yes, he was traumatized and very young, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t annoying.

    The thrumming inside Sarien steadily increased with each step, and now that they were so close, it was almost deafening. The sensation rushed through the entirety of the left part of his body, thumping along with his racing heartbeats.

    When the stink of blood filled their noses and mouths, Tvalfager finally clamped his mouth shut.

    The dead were strewn across the clearing, the grass soaked with blood. Sarien stepped over the dismembered limbs and disemboweled torsos in his path. The bodies were ripped apart, as if toyed with.

    Sarien covered his nose with the sleeve of his coat. The dead stared up at him with glassy eyes. Chunks of flesh were missing, but it didn¡¯t look like the beast actually fed on them. Bile rose in his throat, and Sarien swallowed again and again.

    Finally, Kax spoke. ¡°There¡¯s so many of them. Are they all villagers?¡±

    ¡°And soldiers,¡± Tomford added. ¡°Travelers passing through.¡±

    ¡°It may be disguised as any of these corpses,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Be careful.¡±

    They scanned the macabre scene before them, inching further into the clearing. Sarien gagged when he stepped on a severed hand, his boot slipping on the slick, bloody piece of flesh.

    ¡°There it is,¡± Goslin whispered, pointing to the middle of the clearing.

    Hart pushed his way to the front, Sarien¡¯s spear raised and a maniacal look flashing in his eyes. ¡°The beast?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lana said. ¡°It¡¯s an opening of some sort.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s head snapped up. He hadn¡¯t even been able to focus on anything except the overwhelming number of corpses but his companions were right. There it was, standing before them in the center of the clearing, a clear space without corpses around it.

    It sang to him.

    Sarien blinked, refocusing. It wasn¡¯t a door, but certainly a gate of some sort. It looked like a rip in a piece of fabric, the tear showing an unfathomable blue sky and a rolling field of green grass.

    ¡°What does it mean?¡± Emeryn asked.

    ¡°Another world,¡± Sarien whispered. He could feel the summer heat through the tear.

    ¡°Do you think the trickster beast came from there?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°If it did, there could be more of them on the other side,¡± Goslin said. He winced. ¡°My initial plan was to funnel it back to its own world and close the door behind it. But the more I think on it, the more I realize we can¡¯t subject whoever is on the other side to this monstrosity.¡± He looked to Sarien. ¡°You can close it, right?¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°What in the name of searing fire are you talking about?¡± Tvalfager asked. ¡°You really mean to fight it?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for panic,¡± Goslin yelled. He took a deep breath to collect himself, breathing out slowly through his pursed lips.

    ¡°Here¡¯s what we do. Sarien will close the gate and we¡¯ll protect him while he does so. When the trickster comes, we¡¯ll kill it with Kax¡¯s sword and Sarien¡¯s spear.¡± He nodded at Hart. ¡°The rest of us will harry it as best we can. Tvalfager, I¡¯ve got a job for you, if you¡¯re up to it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± the pyromancer said, though his face was pale with a sheen of cold sweat.

    ¡°We need light if we¡¯re going to fight it. Can you set a fire that circles the clearing?¡±

    ¡°Obviously, I can do that,¡± Tvalfager said. ¡°But I won¡¯t be able to help more than that. I¡¯ll have to focus to keep it burning in this damn wet.¡±

    Goslin nodded. ¡°Do it.¡±

    Tvalfager closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes were hard and focused. Fire burst from his outstretched palms, starting at the path from which they had all come and circling them.

    The blistering heat made everyone take another step into the center of the clearing. In a matter of moments, the whole forest around the clearing blazed with tall flames.

    It didn¡¯t provide as much light as Sarien had hoped, but it was better than the few torches they carried. This way, they would at least see the creature as it entered the ring of fire. Sarien dropped his torch on the pile with the others, where they smothered out from the wet grass.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Sarien said to Goslin.

    Goslin nodded and motioned the others to follow. They walked into the middle of the clearing, approaching the gate that hovered about a foot above the ground.

    Tomford guided Tvalfager, as the pyromancer was so focused on this task that he hadn¡¯t realized that the group had moved.

    When they closed in on the gate, the trickster beast leapt through the fire like a ghost and landed in the clearing. It growled at them as it eyed the gate. It was no longer laughing.

    Sarien glanced from the opening to the beast and back until Goslin nudged him in the arm.

    ¡°Focus on the opening,¡± he whispered. ¡°Let us deal with this foul monster.¡±

    Sarien forced a smile. ¡°Good luck.¡±

    ¡°You too, friend,¡± Goslin said, giving Sarien¡¯s shoulder a squeeze. He let go, turning to face the prowling beast with the rest of the group. ¡°Kax, Hart, I¡¯m counting on you! Let¡¯s show this creature what we¡¯re made of!¡±

    Heylien loosed an arrow, striking it between the eyes. Except for a slight flinch, the trickster barely noticed being hit. Lana¡¯s daggers flew through the air and struck the beast across its throat and nose. The attack angered it, and the beast let out a horrifying screech that filled the air with an overpowering stench of blood.

    Bile rose in Sarien¡¯s throat and he turned his back to the fight. He trusted that Goslin would lead them all to victory.

    Sarien focused on the gate. He would not let them down.

 Book 1: Chapter 21

    Sarien stepped up to the opening torn in the middle of the air before him. The peaceful scene on the other side calmed him. A gentle breeze stirred the tall grass, and the sun shone brightly against a clear blue sky. At the edge of the tear, he saw groups of trees. Perhaps a forest? It was surprising that the monster came from such an idyllic location.

    He breathed in deep and focused on the beat of his own heart and its resonation with the rip, or perhaps it was the other way around. He wondered if his heartbeat slowed to match the gate¡¯s rhythmic pulses. In the end, it made no difference.

    Sarien embraced the roaring bright power in him, stoking it so it flowed with a force that left him panting. Sweat beaded on his brow.

    A scream sounded from behind, but it was of no consequence. All that mattered was the power surging within him. Sarien reached out with his hand, holding it up toward the tear.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The force wanted to connect with the gate, and Sarien realized suddenly, to connect with all things everywhere. Sarien released it.

    Light streamed from the tips of his fingers. A soft and gentle glow made its way to the edge of the gate and then around it. It glowed brightly.

    Sarien knew then that he could close it, but that was not all. If he wanted, he could widen it, or even make it shift to somewhere else. He smiled as it took little effort at all to manipulate the rip in the air before him. He asked it to close, and it narrowed at his request.

    Sarien watched as the opening began to shrink, little by little. In a moment, it would be gone forever.

    ¡°Look out!¡± someone yelled behind him. Sarien started to turn, his movements slow as if coming out of a dream, when something barreled into him. Pain bloomed in his back and neck, but it was eclipsed by the agony in his arm. The sound of ripping flesh reached his ears as he was tossed into the air and through the disappearing gate.

    The trickster beast followed him, still gripping Sarien¡¯s arm. The gate closed suddenly with the creature¡¯s arm thrust halfway through the opening. It was cut clean off, and the severed limb flopped to the ground right next to Sarien. The rest of the beast was nowhere to be seen.

 Book 1: Chapter 22 (Goslin)

    With Sarien starting to close the gate, Goslin turned to face the monster, the trickster beast. It was appropriately named.

    The beast had fooled Goslin and the others, luring them deeper into the forest with it shapeshifting features and disembodied cries, but no more. Goslin knew its tricks now.

    The form it currently possessed was the same as when they fought it before, a gangly bear-like man covered in short fur. Goslin idly wondered if it was its original form, but he truly didn¡¯t care. It did not matter. It would be dead soon enough.

    The leather straps on his shield creaked as Goslin clenched his fingers around it. Pain shot up his shoulder, and he couldn¡¯t help but think of how the beast tossed him through the air so effortlessly.

    Goslin couldn¡¯t injure the monster, but that didn¡¯t mean he would be useless in the fight.

    ¡°Go, Kax! Go, Hart! Come at it from the sides!¡±

    His two childhood friends moved in to intercept the prowling monster. Hart screamed a wordless battle cry, while Heylien and Lana kept up their assault from afar. The daggers and arrows did little, but enough bites from an ant can fell a tree.

    ¡°Tom, with me!¡± Goslin said.

    Goslin and Tomford charged the beast as one, drawing its attention away from Kax and Hart. The trickster beast reached out a long arm to swipe at Tomford¡¯s unprotected flank, but Goslin darted in to block the blow. Attack as a group, defend as a group.

    Tactics was the lifeblood of combat. Pain surged through his shield arm again, and Goslin grunted with the effort to stay on his feet. Tomford managed to strike at the beast¡¯s belly, but his fists did even less damage than the blow Goslin inflicted to its right thigh.

    The beast ignored Goslin and Tomford, and Lana and Heylien. Their weapons barely scratched its thick and durable skin. Such a creature should not exist, but here they were, struggling against the impossible.

    Kax drew close enough to swing, but the trickster dodged to the side with impossible speed, away from the obsidian blade.

    Hart bellowed, his eyes wide with bloodlust, and thrust his spear into the beast. The spear struck true, forcing the beast back.

    The beast¡¯s bright eyes peered around the clearing before landing on Tvalfager, who still had his eyes closed, focusing on stoking the flames.

    ¡°Protect the pyromancer!¡± Goslin shouted. Without him, they¡¯d be thrown into darkness and be lost. Goslin knew in that instant that the beast knew that as well.

    The trickster beast leapt with the grace of a cat, evading their attempts to distract it.

    Emeryn stepped out in front of Tvalfager and pointed with her one hand. ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    The beast ignored her, but it could not ignore the pillar of earth that suddenly rose from the blood-soaked grass. It knocked the creature with enough force to throw it off balance. It screamed as it fell, and Goslin saw Emeryn grit her teeth as she opened the earth under the beast. It fell into a deep rectangular-shaped pit, clawing at the loose dirt walls, before, with a grunt, Emeryn collapsed the sides, burying the beast within the makeshift grave.

    Emeryn¡¯s chest rose and fell, and her knees wobbled as she took a step back, a shocked smile crawling across her face. ¡°I got it. I really got it.¡±

    Goslin glanced back to check on Sarien and saw that the young man was slowly closing the gate. The air around the opening wavered with bright light emitting out of Sarien¡¯s hand and he couldn¡¯t look at it without feeling dizzy. The wrongness of seeing a tear that led to another world made him nauseous, like his mind couldn¡¯t comprehend what it was seeing.

    The ground trembled. ¡°It isn¡¯t holding!¡± Emeryn shouted, clambering backward. She paled in the firelight, closed her eyes, and bit her lip while concentrating. The quake stopped for a short moment, but then returned with increased intensity.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming up,¡± Emeryn whimpered. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it.¡±

    ¡°Kax! Hart! Get ready!¡± Goslin yelled.

    Kax drew up his short obsidian blade and Hart his matching spear. Both men ran up to the mound of pulsing earth just as the ground exploded. Dirt, small rocks, and roots rained down over Goslin, forcing him to hold up his shield for cover while Hart and Kax advanced. The beast labored to pull itself free from the shifting dirt, bellowing and throwing its arms in wide arcs to stave off the attackers.

    Kax sliced into its shoulder, but the cut wasn¡¯t deep. The beast¡¯s claw caught the blade and was sheared off, but the strike followed through and caught Kax¡¯s hip, throwing him to the side with a yelp. He dropped the sword and Goslin rushed in to pick it up.

    A wave of nauseating wrongness struck Goslin the second his fingers closed around the hilt of the short sword. He set his jaw, ignoring the sensation, and rushed the beast.

    The trickster beast freed itself from Emeryn¡¯s trap. Goslin managed to dodge under a swing of its arm and stabbed into the beast¡¯s side. It danced back and screeched.

    Tomford was down on his knees beside Kax, frantically healing the damage the trickster inflicted with its blow. Goslin knew that Emeryn was exhausted and Heylien and Lana no more than gnats buzzing around the edges of the monster¡¯s perception. Only he and Hart stood between them and certain death.

    To Goslin¡¯s surprise, the beast pivoted on its hooved foot and charged at Sarien. It was only then that Goslin noticed that the gate was nearly closed, only large enough for a man to fit through.

    Hart curled his lip, baring his teeth, and thrust the spear at the beast as it ran by. It leapt into the air, skirting around him.

    Goslin was too far from Sarien and could only watch helplessly as the trickster beast rushed forward. Their new friend stood with his back against the fight, oblivious to what transpired behind him. Tomford spotted the creature¡¯s mad dash and shot to his feet, but he was nowhere near or fast enough to save Sarien.

    A small shadow soared through the air and landed directly on the monster¡¯s face. Goslin watched, dumbfounded, as Lana bore down with a dagger in each hand, stabbing at the beast¡¯s face in tight, rapid motions. The trickster flailed, trying to dislodge her.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Goslin ran towards the beast with Hart by his side. The creature grabbed hold of Lana and threw her right at them. Goslin dropped his sword and shield and caught her small body as she tumbled into him.

    "Are you okay?¡± Goslin asked, sprawled under Lana.

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± The young woman glared at him, pushing to her feet. ¡°Just get out of the way next time.¡±

    Goslin looked up just in time to cry out a warning to Sarien. The beast was nearly upon him. ¡°Look out!¡±

    Sarien looked over his shoulder and smiled, a sense of complete serenity on his face. The trickster beast grabbed him by the upper arm. It raised its arm, claws gleaming in the firelight.

    Tomford jumped through the air and collided with Sarien hard enough that the beast, still clutching Sarien, was pushed forward, knocking both Sarien and Tomford through the tear.

    Goslin watched in impotent horror as the opening closed around the beast¡¯s arm, snapping shut with his friends on the other side.

    ¡°No!¡± he screamed, getting to his feet.

    They were gone and the monster¡¯s severed arm with them. The beast grabbed at the stump where his arm once was, screaming in confused anger and pain.

    Goslin hurtled toward it, the obsidian sword held before him. ¡°Hart!¡± he screamed. The sword bit into the creature¡¯s thigh. Its stump and thigh bled a black ichor that smelled of decomposing corpses. Goslin gagged but struck again. This time the trickster managed to dodge, but Hart appeared, impaling its shoulder with ferocious glee on his face.

    The trickster beast pulled back and Hart lost his grip on the spear. Lana soared through the air again and landed on its chest, grabbing the spear with both hands. The beast shoved her off.

    Was that fear Goslin glimpsed on its face? Losing its arm couldn¡¯t have been in the realm of possibility in its mind, and the wound where Hart¡¯s spear penetrated its shoulder was starting to look black and blue, like the infection in Emeryn¡¯s arm where the luison bit her.

    Goslin felt the hairs on his arms stand on end when he noticed how expressive the creature was. There was intelligence lurking behind its eyes. This was no brute animal. It knew what it was doing, and it enjoyed it.

    ¡°Kill it!¡± he screamed, hacking at the beast with his sword. One of the blows landed across its stomach, slicing it open. Black ichor sprayed across Goslin¡¯s face, and he vomited what little he had in his stomach across the wet grass.

    An image flashed before his mind. His brothers looking down on him, laughing and pointing.

    The momentary loss of focus meant he didn¡¯t see the blow as it came down upon him. It was due to luck alone that the beast struck his shield, flinging him down with enough force to make him see stars. The sword landed off in the grass.

    Hart was tossed aside too, and all of Lana¡¯s attention was focused on dodging the beast¡¯s desperate attacks.

    A mound of earth grew near the creature, and Goslin shook his head and turned his attention to Emeryn. She was on her knees, palm to the ground, staring intently at the beast. Goslin understood immediately.

    Heylien came running from one direction, and Kax from another. The archer jumped off the mound first, crashing into the trickster beast with the bow high over his head. When he landed, Heylien wrangled it around the monster¡¯s neck. He¡¯d brought a thin rope, which he looped around the beast¡¯s remaining arm before leaping down, using his own weight to momentarily incapacitate the beast.

    ¡°Kax! Now!¡± Heylien yelled.

    Kax plucked his sword from the ground before leaping off Emeryn¡¯s raised earthen mound, screaming as he threw himself through the air.

    ¡°BURN YOU!¡±

    The trickster beast looked up as the obsidian blade tore into its face, cutting into its lower jaw and lopping it clean off. The beast¡¯s tongue lolled out of its mouth. The scream of anguish it roared almost made Goslin feel pity for it.

    Kax fell, his sword slick with black ichor.

    With the spear still burrowed deep in its shoulder, the monster turned, its injured leg almost buckling under its weight, and fled. A trail of ichor covered the ground where it ran, spurting from wounds all over its body.

    Goslin watched as the creature barreled through the wall of fire and disappeared into the forest.

    ¡°No you don¡¯t!¡± Hart bellowed, hurrying after the injured creature.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Goslin screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t go alone!¡±

    Hart did not listen. It wasn¡¯t clear if he¡¯d even heard through his rage. He grabbed Kax¡¯s obsidian sword and leapt through the fire.

    Goslin winced. Heylien limped up next to him. Kax laid still on the ground.

    Lana grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll return with that bastard, don¡¯t worry!¡± The flames flickered as a gust of wind pushed her up and forward through a leap, taking her over the flames with ease.

    ¡°Can¡¯t keep this up anymore,¡± Tvalfager said, swaying on his feet. The fire surrounding them flickered and began to die down. ¡°What happened to the fake pyromancer and the tall redheaded fellow? They¡¯re not dead, are they?¡±

    ¡°They fell through the opening in the air as it closed.¡±

    ¡°That burns,¡± Tvalfager said.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be back,¡± Goslin said, resisting the urge to punch the kid in the face. He would if he had any strength left to do so. ¡°This won¡¯t be the last we see of Tom and Sarien.¡±

    Tvalfager looked to where Hart and Lana disappeared. ¡°You didn¡¯t kill it.¡± Dawn was approaching, and the dim light was enough to see Tvalfager¡¯s dismayed face. Goslin gritted his teeth. Perhaps punching him once wouldn¡¯t be so bad?

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down and rest, Tvalfager,¡± Emeryn said. ¡°All we can do now is wait for them to return. Right, Goslin?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Goslin agreed, falling back against the ground. Pain radiated from every muscle.

    Kax groaned. He sat up and held a hand to the right side of his head. ¡°Did I get it?¡±

    ¡°Nearly,¡± Heylien said. ¡°You took half its face off.¡±

    ¡°Burn me,¡± Kax cursed. ¡°Where¡¯s my sword?¡±

    Goslin pointed out into the forest. ¡°Hart is chasing after the trickster. He has the sword. The spear was still in its shoulder when it fled.¡±

    ¡°I hope they¡¯ll come back unharmed,¡± Emeryn said. ¡°It was stupid beyond belief to chase after it by himself.¡±

    Heylien crossed his arms and sighed. ¡°The thing was nearly dead, I think, and Lana is following. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine.¡± He didn¡¯t look all that certain, at least not to Goslin.

    ¡°Kax, how are you feeling? You hit your head?¡± Goslin asked.

    Kax grinned. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I think. Not like you could do anything anyway, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got some experience in tending wounds,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Want me to take a look at it?¡±

    Kax shook his head, winced and stopped. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    They waited in silence in, hoping that any movement in the trees was Hart and Lana returning and not the beast. The sun was rising, the sky fading from the black of night to a soft pink. Goslin exhaled a breath when he saw Hart and Lana limp back into the clearing, leaning heavily against one another. Lana held Sarien¡¯s spear and Hart clutched Kax¡¯s short sword. Lana looked exhausted, but it was nothing compared to Hart. He couldn¡¯t even lift his head to look at them and it was obvious he was in quite a bit of pain.

    ¡°Hart, you bastard!¡± Kax yelled, rushing up to him. ¡°Did you do it?¡±

    Hart took a deep breath and handed the sword back to Kax. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°You killed it?¡± Goslin asked, looking between Lana and Hart. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Hart¡¯s glare was enough to set anyone on edge, but Goslin stood his ground, despite a sense of uneasiness washing over him. ¡°Where is its corpse?¡±

    ¡°There is none,¡± Lana muttered.

    ¡°Give me some room to sit, would you?¡± Hart said, tossing the spear to the side and sat with a tired thud. ¡°When I finally caught up to the creature, it was in the middle of transforming into something. It didn¡¯t see me when I ran up and cut into its arm. There wasn¡¯t much it could do after that. Lana helped by distracting it. We eventually brought it down. It thrashed and that black stuff got everywhere,¡± he said, gesturing to his stained clothes.

    Goslin hadn¡¯t noticed before, but his friends were absolutely drenched in the beast¡¯s blood. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still in one piece, my friend,¡± he said. ¡°But it was not advisable to run after it on your own.¡±

    ¡°It needed to be put down,¡± Hart huffed out.

    ¡°It tried running again after it threw me off it,¡± Lana said. ¡°Struck a tree with my head and was dazed for a second, but Hart didn¡¯t let it escape.¡±

    ¡°Once it was down, I cut its head off. Figured it might be able to recover from just about anything, and I wanted to bring it with me to show you that I¡¯d done it.¡±

    ¡°That is gruesome,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°You should have seen Hart,¡± Lana chuckled. ¡°He was so shocked that he¡¯d actually killed it, he forgot to bring the weapons. I had to remind him.¡±

    Kax laughed. ¡°So where is it? The head, I mean?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just the thing. It collapsed upon itself, both the body and the head. A moment after it died, the whole beast turned into a puddle of that black stuff.¡±

    Emeryn breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So, it¡¯s gone. You really killed it.¡±

    Hart nodded with a weak smile on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s really gone.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 23 (Goslin)

    Emeryn and Tvalfager buried the bodies before they left the clearing. They were exhausted by the end, but each of the trickster beast¡¯s victims ended up cremated or buried in the ground.

    The return to the village was a solemn affair. Tomford¡¯s and Sarien¡¯s disappearance weighed heavily on Goslin¡¯s shoulders. He told himself and the others the two would find their way back, but he couldn¡¯t shake the gnawing doubt in the dark corners of his own mind. Sarien¡¯s power could close the openings, and he¡¯d sent the luison away, but he¡¯d never created an opening on his own as far as Goslin knew. They couldn¡¯t wait any longer in the clearing. Their quest was still unfinished and there was no telling if their lost friends would appear in the same spot or not. Sarien and Tomford knew that the group was heading to Tyralien and Goslin hoped that the two men would meet them there.

    With everyone¡¯s injuries, the return trip back to the village was slow. Goslin counted themselves lucky that none of them were injured grievously now that they had lost the only two healers in their party. Goslin wasn¡¯t even out of Eldsprak yet, and he¡¯d already lost so many.

    He let out a sigh. What a failure of a leader he had turned out to be.

    Kax poked his shoulder. ¡°Cheer up, Goslin. We¡¯ve saved the villagers!¡±

    Goslin glanced back over his shoulder. Kax¡¯s dirt-splattered face suddenly made Goslin all too aware of how much he needed a bath. The rotten stench from the beast¡¯s ichor permeated in his clothes and it took every effort for Goslin not to undress right then and there to burn it all.

    ¡°We¡¯ve saved them. But we lost Tomford and Sarien in the process.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. You said so yourself. Tomford will keep Sarien safe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, of course. They¡¯ll be fine.¡± He reminded himself that the others needed him to be in control. If he wavered, then they may all fall into despair and grief for their lost friends. He could not be the weak link in the chain.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the animals be back by now?¡± Lana asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Heylien asked. He was restringing his bow as they walked.

    ¡°If that monster scared them off, shouldn¡¯t they have returned by now?¡±

    Heylien shrugged. ¡°Who knows how far they ran. Could be days before they dare return.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Lana said, though she did not look convinced.

    ¡°We¡¯ll rest for a day in the village before continuing on,¡± Goslin said as they neared the edge of the forest.

    ¡°I¡¯m not staying here a moment longer than I have to,¡± Tvalfager said. ¡°The tower needs my report.¡±

    ¡°Aw, you¡¯re not coming with us?¡± Kax asked.

    Tvalfager didn¡¯t pick up on the sarcasm. He drew himself up tall. ¡°Afraid not, my short companion. As a firemagi, duty is everything to me.¡±

    Kax rolled his eyes and continued in silence, too tired to mock the young pyromancer any further.

    When they finally exited the forest, Goslin could barely stay standing and it appeared he wasn¡¯t the only one. Emeryn¡¯s face was still pale. Heylien limped along, doggedly, but winced with every step. Only Hart looked to have escaped without any serious injuries.

    People were bustling around the small village in tight groups as they went about their day. Rowan hurried from the gathering crowd to greet them.

    ¡°You¡¯re back! Never thought I¡¯d see you again!¡± He gestured to Tvalfager. ¡°And you found one of the pyromancers!¡±

    Goslin did his best to project an aura of control and reassurance. ¡°We have successfully dealt with the beast that haunted your village, my dear man.¡±

    The lessons from his father and tutors made him ill at ease. They were patronizing to people born outside of the noble class, and much to his chagrin, the lessons worked. If he spoke to a commoner, the same way he would to another noble, all they did was squirm uncomfortably. ¡°Unfortunately, the others had already perished when we arrived.¡±

    ¡°You killed the trickster beast?¡± Rowan asked. He did not look convinced.

    Goslin nodded. ¡°Your village is free from its torment. You may rest easy.¡±

    ¡°What are they saying?¡± a woman yelled from within the crowd that formed behind the mayor.

    Rowan turned to face the crowd. ¡°The king¡¯s men here say they have killed the trickster!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re lying!¡± a man yelled.

    Rowan held up his hands to calm the crowd. ¡°Easy now! We¡¯ll know the truth of it tonight! Keep your windows shuttered and your doors locked for now!¡± The crowd muttered and glanced back at Goslin and his friends, but they dispersed quickly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe us,¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°I want to believe you, I do. No one would be happier than me. Look, you can stay at my house tonight. By tomorrow, all should be well. No?¡±

    ¡°We do need to rest,¡± Goslin agreed. ¡°We will take you up on your hospitality, mayor.¡±

    The young mayor smiled. ¡°I have someone here who¡¯s been waiting for you.¡±

    A thrill of expectation rushed through Goslin. Had Tomford and Sarien returned?

    The hope made the disappointment all the more when he heard a bark coming from the mayor¡¯s house as they approached.

    ¡°Your dog sounds fine,¡± Kax said to Hart.

    Hart looked thoughtful, rather than happy. ¡°Right. The dog. Daisy.¡±

    Rowan opened the door and Daisy barreled out to throw himself at Hart but stopped abruptly. Hart kneeled on the ground and stretched out a hand toward his companion. ¡°Here, dog.¡±

    Daisy sniffed the air and tilted his head to one side. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we left you behind,¡± Hart continued. ¡°We didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Daisy barked, wagged his tail, and then walked over to sit by Lana.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°What¡¯s the dog¡¯s problem?¡± Lana asked.

    Hart shrugged. ¡°Probably angry I left it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± Kax said. ¡°Do you have anything to eat, mayor?¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Rowan said, gesturing for them to enter.

    ¡°I¡¯m out of here,¡± Tvalfager said. ¡°What¡¯s your full name, Goslin? You¡¯re a noble, right?¡±

    ¡°House Steerian,¡± Goslin answered. ¡°Take care, Tvalfager.¡±

    Tvalfager blinked and cleared his throat. ¡°Steerian? The Steerian? Right. Well, I¡¯ll add your name to my report.¡±

    Lana grabbed the pyromancer¡¯s robe, keeping him in place. ¡°Ever heard of a woman named Mia?¡±

    He shook his head, confused at her outburst. ¡°No, never.¡±

    ¡°Get lost then,¡± she said, letting him go.

    ¡°Right. Well. Thank you. For saving me.¡± He turned on his heel, darting down the road that led back to the main road.

    ¡°Weird kid,¡± Kax said. Goslin caught Kax clutching tightly to the pommel of his short sword and remembered the sickening sensation he felt when he used it against the beast. He didn¡¯t like the weapon and liked his friend¡¯s strange attachment to it even less.

    ¡°He¡¯s even younger than us,¡± Emeryn said.

    Lana snorted. ¡°Young, but already arrogant.¡±

    As everyone entered mayor¡¯s house, Goslin stopped Rowan and asked, ¡°Do you have a bathing tub? Or perhaps a stream nearby?¡±

    Rowan shook his head. ¡°Sorry, but no. There¡¯s just the well. I¡¯ve a barrel around back full of water that you¡¯re free to use.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, good man,¡± Goslin said. ¡°I¡¯ll be in shortly.¡±

    The night progressed without incident, no scratching at the door, no cries from the dead. Everyone in the group slept soundly, as far as Goslin could tell, and Rowan didn¡¯t wake them until late in the morning.

    When they woke, the villagers were less hostile, and they begrudgingly relented that Goslin and his friends might have killed the trickster beast. Too good to be true, or perhaps after weeks of fear and torment, it would take just as long for them to trust again.

    At least the villagers didn¡¯t complain when Heylien bartered with them for supplies and sturdy clothing to ward against the chill of the oncoming fall.

    Goslin spent the time before they intended to depart in writing a letter to his father. He should¡¯ve reported back home earlier, but he resisted the chore as there wasn¡¯t much to report until now. The luisons and trickster beast were nothing he had seen or heard of before and he feared that there may be more creatures like it roaming freely.

    Goslin left his letter with a merchant traveling through the village from the opposite direction. The man promised a swift delivery to Fyrie after Goslin pressed a bit of gold into the man¡¯s awaiting palm and promised more from his father upon delivery. Goslin couldn¡¯t help but feel a little pride as the man rode off. He¡¯d be the first to go through that way in some time, and it was the group¡¯s doing.

    The moment soured when his thoughts turned to Sarien¡¯s and Tomford¡¯s disappearance, and he was happy when he heard Kax call out his name stating that they were ready to leave.

    ¡°Where did the dog go now?¡± Kax asked when they were all mounted.

    ¡°It wanted out last night,¡± Hart said. ¡°Ran off somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Should we look for it?¡± Emeryn asked.

    Hart looked confused for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll find us.¡±

    ¡°Are you well, Hart?¡± Goslin asked. ¡°Did you hit your head back in the forest?¡±

    ¡°Just a small bump,¡± Hart confessed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s your spear?¡± Heylien asked.

    Goslin blinked. He hadn¡¯t even noticed it missing. ¡°Yeah, where is it?¡±

    Hart dismounted. ¡°Right. Forgot it back in the mayor¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°You forgot Sarien¡¯s spear?¡± Lana asked, incredulously after him. ¡°The one with a damn soul trapped inside it?¡±

    ¡°I forgot!¡± Hart yelled. ¡°Get off my back!¡± The large man trudged back toward Rowan¡¯s house.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he trap one of those luisons in it?¡± Kax asked.

    Goslin looked at Kax, who leaned forward to rest his head against the horse¡¯s neck. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I think he told us the bandit was pushed out or something, right?¡±

    Heylien agreed, ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°And the trickster beast¡¯s wound, the one in the shoulder where the spear struck, had turned blue like Emeryn¡¯s arm when she was bitten,¡± Kax continued. He looked at her and cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Emeryn said. ¡°You¡¯re saying that the luison doesn¡¯t have a soul?¡±

    Kax sat up straight. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m saying. The weapon was imbued with a special power by having the luison inside it, like it was poisoned. Sarien¡¯s magic can be chilling. What do you think would have happened if he trapped the trickster?¡±

    Kax¡¯s eyes glittered and the way he spoke and wet his lips made Goslin uneasy. There was an eagerness, a hunger, in his expression. His search for the perfect weapon was more than just some nobleman¡¯s fancy. Goslin would have to talk to his friend when they were alone.

    ¡°The concept of a soul is moot now anyway,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Our god is dead. What use is a soul when there is no one to claim it?¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Lana barked. ¡°Theology is pointless.¡±

    Heylien glanced at Emeryn but let the matter rest. Goslin couldn¡¯t help but remember the time when they met at Eldsprak Academy. Heylien had asked Emeryn about Taera. He¡¯d heard somewhere that the god of earth was still alive, somewhere deep within The Kinship of Jordfaste, Emeryn¡¯s home. The thought was ludicrous, of course, but she hadn¡¯t denied it.

    Hart returned with the spear in his hand. He lifted it as he approached. ¡°Happy now?¡±

    ¡°I could take it,¡± Kax offered.

    Hart pulled it away. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    Kax sighed. ¡°Can you at least tell me if the luison is in there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Sure.¡± Hart said, mounting his horse.

    ¡°What do you mean, you don¡¯t know?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°Enough of that now,¡± Goslin said. ¡°It¡¯s time to leave. Don¡¯t forget to bring along Sarien¡¯s and Tomford¡¯s horses.¡±

    ¡°Already covered,¡± Heylien said, holding up a piece of rope that connected to their horses¡¯ bridles. ¡°So, next up is Kleotram?¡±

    Goslin nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, then we¡¯re crossing the border into Tyriu.¡± The end of his quest. Goslin thought about his father¡¯s letter, the urgency for him to return home after acquiring his wife, to lead a regiment of soldiers. Something was happening and Goslin suspected it had to do with all the strange creatures they had encountered on their journey thus far. And, likely had to do with the strange gates into another world.

    ¡°What are we doing in Kleotram?¡± Lana asked, breaking Goslin out of his thoughts.

    ¡°We have a standing invitation at the lord¡¯s keep. He might have word from my father too. It would be rude to cross the border without meeting with the man, at least.¡±

    ¡°You just want a proper bath,¡± Lana teased.

    Goslin sighed. ¡°That would be lovely.¡± The bucket of well water last night was unsatisfactory, to say the least.

    ¡°Who is this lord, then?¡± Emeryn asked.

    ¡°Goslin¡¯s father¡¯s cousin. His uncle of sorts,¡± Heylien answered.

    ¡°You know him?¡± Goslin asked, surprised.

    A sly smile crossed Heylien¡¯s face. ¡°I know of him. Keeping track of your kingdom¡¯s nobles is always a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Well, then,¡± Goslin said. ¡°His name is Sanders. Haven¡¯t met him in a few years, but from what I can remember, he¡¯s a bit of an ass. Try not to take it personally. Also, he loves parties, so we¡¯ll probably be expected to attend one.¡±

    Lana groaned. ¡°I hate parties.¡±

    ¡°You should try one without nobles sometime,¡± Heylien said. ¡°There¡¯s more fun to be had.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Kax said. ¡°Noble parties can be pretty fun. Always full of pretty girls, at least.¡± He looked to Hart, expecting a snide remark. Goslin couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was a recurring thing between the two. However, the insult at Kax¡¯s ineptitude never came. Hart just rode on without as much as glancing in their direction.

    Kax shrugged. ¡°So, we¡¯re just there to relax and have fun? No heroic quests or people to save from nightmarish creatures?¡±

    ¡°Just a state visit,¡± Goslin confirmed. ¡°It¡¯ll do us good to recuperate a little before heading into Tyriu. I don¡¯t expect much trouble on the road to Tyralien. The king of Tyriu is expecting us.¡± Goslin glanced at Emeryn. Her bright red hair gleamed in the sunlight, and she smiled at the glare Lana was casting at Kax when the young man¡¯s back was turned. When they arrived at Tyriu, Goslin would marry one of the princesses. That was his quest. It was what his father and his king commanded.

    Goslin swallowed hard against the rise of regret.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m having a grand time,¡± Kax said, taking note of Goslin¡¯s somber mood. ¡°You should cheer up some, or the guards might not let you into Kleotram. I¡¯ve heard somewhere that they don¡¯t like people who mope about. We might even find a nice boy for Lana to dance with if she bothers to stop glowering for one second.¡±

    ¡°I will stab whoever dares,¡± Lana said.

    Kax cleared his throat. ¡°Perhaps someone in armor, then. A nice, armored knight to escort you around and protect everyone else from you.¡± Lana didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she pulled out a dagger from her belt and started cleaning under her nails with it.

    Goslin laughed. Sure, Tomford and Sarien were lost, and all the servants and soldiers were gone, and he was bound to marry a complete stranger and not the woman of his choice, but at least for now, they had each other. He was grateful that his friends had chosen to accompany him on his quest. Without them, the journey would have been a dreadful, and, honestly, a short-lived, affair.

 Book 1: Chapter 24

    A hand clapped over Sarien¡¯s mouth, cutting off his scream. He flailed, trying to get away, before realizing it was Tomford who was trying to silence him.

    Sarien relaxed and let him tend to the wound on his arm. The loss of blood made him dizzy, and the heat from the hot sun didn¡¯t help. Sweat pooled on his chest and dripped down Sarien¡¯s back. His face was wet, and he hoped it was with sweat and not tears.

    A small cold shiver ran through the oppressive warmth when Tomford healed him. When Tomford took his hand off his mouth, his lips tasted of salt. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not alone,¡± Tomford whispered. He pointed down the hill. A camp sprawled in the wide valley. A forest spread out behind them and off to their right a road ran from within the forest down to an encampment and beyond.

    The heat was sweltering, and Sarien removed his coat. The sun dominated the sky, bigger than what he was used to.

    ¡°Where are we, Sarien?¡± Tomford asked. His eyes didn¡¯t leave the valley, and Sarien followed his gaze to see several clusters of men moving around the camp. Soldiers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We went through the opening, I think.¡± The huge severed arm beside them in the grass started to sizzle, and before Sarien could register the thought, it melted into a black puddle of goo. ¡°There¡¯s a gate down there with the army. I can feel it. This one is gone.¡±

    ¡°Can you open it back up?¡± Tomford wasn¡¯t whispering now, but he still kept his voice low.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±

    Sarien closed his eyes, focusing on the power in the left side of his body. It reacted immediately to his mental touch, as if eager to be used despite him having strained it mere moments before. The question was how he was supposed to use it to actually open a gate of his own.

    He¡¯d sent that luison away without one. That was the closest he¡¯d come before, and Sarien figured it was as good a place as any to start. He wondered if it would be easier if he thought about a place he knew, his home, but the estate where he grew up didn¡¯t feel like his home anymore, especially not with his father gone. The tower definitely wasn¡¯t home, and painting a picture in his mind of their last campsite wasn¡¯t enough to even convince himself.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    So, Sarien thought of his father, of his search for the man, and of Goslin and the others.

    When the image was firm in his mind, he released the power from within him out into the external world. Sarien didn¡¯t have to look to know that light swirled in the air before him.

    ¡°What in the emperor¡¯s name are you doing?¡±

    Tomford was on the man before Sarien opened his eyes. ¡°Sarien!¡± he yelled, holding down a struggling figure. ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Hey, get off me! Wait. What the¡ª?¡±

    Sarien let the power go with reluctance and hurried over to the edge of the forest, where Tomford struggled with someone nearly half his size. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Look at him!¡± Tomford said, his voice filled with apprehension. Sarien got close enough to see the man¡¯s face and could feel his own eyes widen in surprise. It was a young man, that much was obvious, and his hair was short and dark brown, almost black, matching his eyes.

    That¡¯s where the wrongness started. The eyes. They were much too large. Sarien always heard people commenting on his own eyes, how large they were, but this was something else. It didn¡¯t help that they were open wide in shock. His mouth was open too, like he wanted to scream but kept himself in check. It was wide, much larger than a human¡¯s.

    ¡°What the hell are you?¡± the man asked, the larger mouth giving his speech a deep tone. ¡°Are you sick?¡±

    Sarien shook his head, trying to think. ¡°What are you?¡±

    ¡°Is it some kind of monster?¡± Tomford asked, not letting go. After their encounter with the trickster monster, it seemed that Tomford wasn¡¯t taking any chances.

    ¡°Who are you calling monster, monster?¡± the young man asked. Then he glanced behind them, to where the camp was. ¡°Never mind that now, you¡¯re in deep trouble. You have to hide, we all do!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, why?¡± the man cried. ¡°You just tried to travel! Right outside a war camp of all places! They¡¯ll be coming for you! Any minute now!¡±

    Tomford glanced over his shoulder. ¡°The monster is right, Sarien. People are coming. Are they your friends, monster?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the monsters! And no, they are not my friends! Come with me if you want to live through the day!¡±

    ¡°Hey! You there!¡± A voice called out.

    Tomford and Sarien got to their feet and turned to face a small troop of men. There were four soldiers with three carrying spears standing behind one that held a sword. The armor they wore looked to be crafted from leather, except it was black. They wore no helmets and the three at the back were shaved bald. The swordsman¡¯s hair was cut short.

    They all had the enlarged eyes and wide mouths, like the man who¡¯d surprised them. Sarien looked back to the ground, but their captive was gone.

    ¡°I am the commander of this sector. State your business or I will brand thee human spies and conspirators against our emperor. May he rule all worlds!¡±

    The speech pattern made it a little difficult to follow, but Sarien got the impression that they were in trouble. He glanced at Tomford, who looked back at him. What kind of mess had they fallen into?

 Book 1: Chapter 25

    When Sarien and Tomford just stood there, dumbfounded, the commander raised his sword and cried, ¡°Human spies! Kill them!¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Sarien asked, looking up at Tomford, who, much to Sarien¡¯s surprise, was grinning.

    ¡°Leave this to me,¡± Tomford said. ¡°My fists might not work well against giant, man-eating monsters, but these ones I can fight.¡±

    Tomford cracked his knuckles and ran forward to meet the four men. The commander¡¯s sword arced expertly from left to right to catch Tomford¡¯s right arm. Sarien watched in horror as the blow connected, but it barely broke Tomford¡¯s skin.

    Tomford didn¡¯t falter as he took another step forward and brought down his left fist to deliver a crushing blow to the jaw. It struck with a crunch that made Sarien flinch, and the commander crumpled to the grass.

    The soldiers paused in surprise at their foe¡¯s apparent durability, but recovered quickly enough to strike at him with their spears as he danced forward. Tomford twisted to the side to almost slide between the spearheads. One of the spears stuck into Tomford¡¯s side, digging into his ribs. Sarien¡¯s friend grunted but kicked forward, stunning the soldier who¡¯d struck him and throwing him on his ass. The spear pulled free from Tomford¡¯s side. Before the soldier hit the ground, Tomford had healed his wound and spun to plant a fist in the next soldier¡¯s neck. There was a snap and the soldier fell, clutching his throat, choking and trying, and failing, to breathe.

    The final soldier turned to flee, but Tomford¡¯s foot kicked the back of his knee. He wobbled and fell, and Tomford followed, landing on his back with a thud. A quick jab to the back of his head knocked the man unconscious.

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Tomford dismantled four soldiers with such ease that it looked like a dance. His friend wasn¡¯t even breathing hard.

    ¡°Well done!¡± Sarien yelled, the thrill of combat racing through him despite only being a spectator. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here!¡±

    Tomford walked over to the soldier, who clawed at his neck, struggling for breath.

    ¡°One moment.¡± He bent down and touched the man¡¯s throat. The soldier drew a deep, gasping breath.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the man said, coughing. His voice was thick and gravelly.

    Tomford struck him hard in the head and the man collapsed. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    ¡°You saved him,¡± Sarien said. ¡°After they tried to kill us?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like killing men,¡± Tomford said. ¡°These strangers look near enough to be called that, I think. Don¡¯t think they¡¯re monsters.¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°No, I think this is just what they¡¯re like here, wherever we are. The one in front,¡± Sarien pointed, ¡°The commander, called us humans. I assume they call themselves something different.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re rhinn,¡± a voice said from behind a tree. ¡°You¡¯re really humans? Never seen one up close before.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re hu¡ª¡° Sarien began, but the young man interrupted him.

    He waved for them to follow. ¡°Never mind that now. You have to come with me. There will be more of them coming. Many more.¡±

    Sarien looked to Tomford. ¡°Guess we better follow?¡±

    The larger man shrugged.

    The young rhinn scurried into the forest and Sarien hurried after. ¡°Hold on, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Falfarel!¡±

    ¡°Strange name,¡± Tomford muttered as he followed close behind Sarien.

    The three of them ran deeper into the forest and Sarien was out of breath before Falfarel decided to stop. ¡°We should be fine now. What¡¯s your names then?¡± Falfarel asked, before his brow wrinkled in thought. ¡°Humans have names, right?¡±

    ¡°Sarien.¡±

    ¡°Tom.¡±

    Falfarel narrowed his eyes and took a step toward Sarien. ¡°That¡¯s a rhinn name. You kind of look like one of us too. You¡¯re not as hideous as your friend. And the traveling. Never heard of a human traveler. But then again, I¡¯m no expert.¡±

    Sarien cleared his throat. ¡°Thanks, I think.¡± He looked around. The forest looked a lot like the one they¡¯d just come from, Primie Woods. A dense canopy of trees and thick underbrush, but here there were birds singing and insects buzzing about. ¡°Where are we? What¡¯s going on? What is traveling? How do you know of humans?¡±

    ¡°So many questions,¡± Falfarel said, ¡°Hold on, we should move a little farther into the forest first.¡± He continued to move among the trees.

    ¡°Did the trickster beast come from here?¡± Tomford demanded.

    ¡°What¡¯s a trickster beast?¡±

    ¡°Looks like a large human, kind of. Except it has hooves and fur, and it¡¯s difficult to injure.¡±

    ¡°It can look like other people,¡± Sarien added.

    Falfarel stopped dead in his tracks. ¡°You saw one? And you¡¯re alive?¡±

    ¡°You know of them,¡± Tomford said.

    Falfarel whipped his head back and forth to look through the woods. ¡°Is it here? No, that would be impossible. Right? Please tell me it isn¡¯t here.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t here,¡± Sarien said. ¡°It was where we came from. The gate.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Falfarel said, breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°You escaped it with your traveling. That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    Tomford stepped in and grabbed Falfarel¡¯s tunic, pulling the young man close. ¡°Our friends are still there with it. Tell us what you know. Now!¡±

    Falfarel cringed away from Tomford, as if expecting a blow. ¡°T-they aren¡¯t native to Rhinerien. They came from beyond when our world was young. A-ancient beings. Only three have ever been discovered. If one of them is in your world, then I¡¯m afraid your friends are already dead. They were once seen as evil gods. Now, they¡¯re used to scare children! No one has seen one in over two hundred years!¡±

    ¡°What are they called?¡± Tomford asked, shaking Falfarel.

    ¡°Kozimuz! They¡¯re the kozimuz!¡±

    Tomford looked to Sarien. ¡°We have to go back now. We can¡¯t leave Goslin and the others there by themselves! Your weapons could hurt it, I saw!¡±

    ¡°What weapons?¡± Falfarel asked, staring at Sarien.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try!¡± Sarien said, his heart pounding. Voices drifted from between the trees, coming from the direction of the camp.

    ¡°They¡¯ve found us!¡± Falfarel whimpered, pushing himself free of Tomford¡¯s grip. ¡°You have to come with me. If they catch you, they¡¯ll come after me everyone I care about. Please hurry!¡± He ran off without waiting for a reply.

    ¡°Ocea¡¯s soggy socks!¡± Tomford swore.

    Sarien set off after Falfarel. ¡°Come on, Tom. We have no choice! We¡¯ll return to Eldsprak as soon as we can.¡±

    The thought of Goslin and the others struggling against the creature, this kozimuz, made his skin crawl, but there was no helping it. His friends had the spear and the sword. Hopefully, it would be enough to defeat the beast.

    The young man leaping over fallen logs and ducking under branches with them knew of the kind of magic Sarien used. How was it possible?

    So many questions spun around in his mind that he had a hard time thinking straight. For the moment, all he could do was run, but soon he would need answers.

    Falfarel stopped abruptly, cocking one ear. Sarien couldn¡¯t hear the pursuers.

    Falfarel spoke between snatched gasps of breath. ¡°There¡¯s an outpost over there.¡± He pointed to his right, but Sarien couldn¡¯t see anything but trees. The sound of running water babbled nearby.

    ¡°So?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s built over a river. There¡¯s no other safe crossing for miles. We have to pass over the bridge and through the army¡¯s fortification.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t they spot us?¡± Sarien asked.Stolen story; please report.

    Falfarel chuckled, obviously thinking of Tomford¡¯s unusual features in this world. ¡°Do not to worry, we have a cache here.¡± He looked around and then strode to a bush and yanked on it. He came away with a handful of leaves.

    Falfarel frowned. ¡°Hold on.¡± He walked over to a second bush and grabbed it with the same result. ¡°Dammit. It¡¯s here somewhere. I don¡¯t usually go scouting, you understand.¡±

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re not with those soldiers?¡±

    Falfarel shook his head but didn¡¯t say more as he searched another bush. The young man finally found the bush he was looking for, and it came away when he pulled on it, taking a bunch of moss with it. Underneath was a canvas bag.

    ¡°Here it is!¡± He pulled it out and opened the pieces of string that tied it closed. ¡°And no, I¡¯m not with them. I¡¯m not a soldier.¡± From the look of it, the whole bag was filled with clothes.

    ¡°Disguises,¡± Falfarel explained, handing Sarien a bundle ¡°You saw their armor, right? We keep these here for when we need to blend in.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Tomford said, holding up a chest piece made out of the same dark gray, almost black, leather the soldiers wore. ¡°What about our hair?¡±

    Sarien remembered that the commander¡¯s and soldiers¡¯ hair were shaved close to the skin. Unless Falfarel had a pair of shears hidden in the bag, Sarien was sure they would be noticed for this one obvious discrepancy to their disguise. Falfarel grinned nervously. ¡°It¡¯s a rank thing. In the military, I mean. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve got these.¡± He threw more clothes at Sarien and Tomford.

    ¡°Cloaks.¡± Tomford said, wrapping it around his broad shoulders and pulling the hood over his head. It was too small on his tall frame, but there was no helping it.

    Sarien pulled his on and quite liked how it felt to hide under a hood. He felt safe for the first time since entering this new world.

    Once they¡¯d dressed in the armor and cloaks, Sarien and Tomford followed behind Falfarel. None of them carried weapons, but the young rhinn said that wouldn¡¯t be an issue.

    ¡°What animal is this from?¡± Sarien asked, running one hand down the leather armor he wore. The texture was similar to hardened brown leather but was silkier to the touch. ¡°Dark cows?¡±

    Falfarel looked back over his shoulder. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Never mind. I see the road!¡±

    ¡°Just follow me and don¡¯t say anything. Keep your hood up. They¡¯ll spot your ugly faces in a second.¡±

    Large groups of travelers moved along the road in either direction. A few glanced in their direction when they emerged from the forest, but no one said a word. Sarien realized that most of those around them wore clothes similar to those of farmers or merchants from his world. Even when parsing Falfarel¡¯s speech, Sarien quickly recognized that it was like their own language, only heavily accented.

    It was strange to travel to a new world only to discover that much was the same. Then again, he hadn¡¯t seen much outside of the Karm estate. He was bound to observe more glaring differences between the two worlds with time.

    He didn¡¯t even know if Rhinerien, as Falfarel called this place, was the name of a kingdom or a continent. So much to explore and discover. Sarien shook his head with wonder. He¡¯d always wanted an adventure, and now he¡¯d received even more than he thought possible.

    The exhilaration he felt turned to shame as he caught Tomford¡¯s worried face underneath his hood. He must have Goslin and the others on his mind. Their friends were in danger, fighting the kozimuz. By now, the fight would have ended, one way or the other. Sarien and Tomford hadn¡¯t been there to help.

    Sarien forced himself to relax, but he felt himself tense as they drew closer to the bridge. A long line of soldiers was questioning those who wished to pass through the gate on the other side of the bridge.

    Falfarel picked up is pace, forcing Sarien to take long strides to keep up.

    Tomford walked up beside him and muttered, ¡°What is that maniac doing?¡±

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a trap?¡± Sarien whispered back.

    ¡°Hope not. We can¡¯t beat this many soldiers.¡±

    Falfarel strode past the line and exchanged a few words with the man by the gate. He waved for Sarien and Tomford to follow. They did, making sure to keep their faces to the ground so no one would catch on to the fact that they were not from this world.

    From the corner of his eye, Sarien saw that the outpost was built with stone, with high walls where archers patrolled. High towers sat at each corner. It was a true fortification.

    Once through the gate, Sarien almost stopped to gape in surprise. Among a group of rhinn was a human in flowing red robes. A pyromancer stood among tents in one corner of the courtyard. There were plenty of rhinn milling about between them, but there was no mistaking that color and those symbols.

    ¡°What is a pyromancer doing here?¡± Tomford whispered urgently.

    ¡°I have no clue. Something is very wrong here. We¡¯ll have to ask Falfarel.¡±

    Sarien kept his gaze lowered and his face hidden in the shadow of the hood of his cloak and before long, their small group made it to the other side of the outpost. A few soldiers had spotted Sarien, but the dark leather armor was sufficient enough to convince them he wasn¡¯t anyone they needed to investigate.

    Once on the other side of the outpost, they continued along the road for a few minutes before Falfarel stopped to ensure they weren¡¯t followed. Satisfied, he gestured for Sarien and Tomford to follow before darting back into the forest.

    Falfarel lowered his hood and exhaled a sigh of relief. ¡°That was tense.¡±

    ¡°What was that pyromancer doing there?¡± Sarien asked, lowering his own hood. The forest on this side of the river reminded him of home with the wet marsh ground and low trees. He swatted at a mosquito that flew too closely to his face.

    ¡°The envoy?¡± Falfarel asked. ¡°Horrific power that. Fire.¡± He shuddered. ¡°What about him?¡±

    They continued deeper into the forest. ¡°What is he doing here? How is he here?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°What do you mean? Just hold on a moment, we¡¯re almost there. Mica will answer your questions better than I can. He knows a lot more than me.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Mica?¡±

    ¡°The leader of my party. He¡¯s usually the one out scouting, but he was injured a few days ago. We¡¯re holed up in a hunter¡¯s cabin nearby.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sarien asked.

    Falfarel looked back and grinned. ¡°The resistance, of course.¡±

    They soon came upon a tiny hunter¡¯s cabin, barely large enough to fit more than a few people at a time. The structure was overgrown with moss, making it almost invisible in the underbrush. Sarien heard a sharp whistle when someone spotted them among the trees, but the lookout did not approach after Falfarel made a gesture with his right hand.

    ¡°We have to get back to our friends. This is taking too long,¡± Tomford said as he pushed past Falfarel.

    ¡°We need to learn more about what¡¯s going on here,¡± Sarien said ¡°I don¡¯t like that a pyromancer is here in this world.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have asked him? Don¡¯t they consider you one of them?¡±

    Sarien snorted. Not after what he had done at the tower. He was certain that Madge¡¯s body was discovered by now. Tomford stared down at him, frowning. He didn¡¯t want to argue with his friend. ¡°Look, Tom. If you want, I can try to send you back now. I¡¯ll come once I get some answers to what¡¯s happening here.¡±

    Tomford thought for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°Goslin would kill me if I left you here by yourself. I¡¯ll stay. Let¡¯s just hurry.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Falfarel said, squeezing past Tomford to get to the door. He knocked in a series of short and heavy thumps.

    The door cracked open, and a rhinn woman peered out at them with narrowed eyes. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes were just as large as Falfarel¡¯s, but hers were set a little further apart, giving her an almost bug-like appearance. She saw Sarien and Tomford, squeaked, and tried to slam the door shut.

    Falfarel pushed against it. ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re with me, Recca!¡±

    ¡°Let me,¡± Tomford said. He put a hand on the door and pushed. It swung open to reveal a tiny room inside with a hatch in the floor. It stood open and light streamed from below.

    Recca was already on the ladder, climbing down frantically. ¡°Humans!¡±

    Falfarel gestured to the hole in the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll get used to you in time. You go first. I¡¯ll close the hatch when I follow.¡±

    Tomford grabbed Sarien¡¯s shoulder, spinning him around until they met eye to eye. ¡°We¡¯re not staying in this world. A quick chat, then we¡¯re going back.¡±

    ¡°We need information,¡± Sarien said, shrugging his hand off. ¡°We¡¯ll return as soon as we learn what in the fire pit is going on here.¡±

    Sarien climbed down and entered a tunnel dug deep and tall enough that he could walk straight without hitting his head. Small lanterns hung on wooden posts, casting a warm glow against the bare dirt walls.

    Tomford walked right behind Sarien with a stoop so he wouldn¡¯t bang his head against the wooden braces above.

    They emerged in a surprisingly large room. The hatch clanged shut behind them. A round wooden table was placed in the center of the room with five chairs around it, three of which were occupied by rhinn. Recca sat on a bed in the leftmost corner from where Sarien entered. He could make out a shape of someone huddled underneath the covers. The dirt floor was covered by thick rugs and other bits of fabric, and someone had taken the time to hang a few paintings along the walls. It looked to Sarien to be a permanent outpost and almost homey.

    Recca pointed at them. ¡°Humans!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Recca. We have eyes,¡± said one of the rhinn sitting at the table. He was a short and wide fellow with a receding hairline and a jovial-looking smile on his face, though it was hard to tell with that large mouth of his. He waved at Sarien. ¡°Greetings, travelers. I am Pontus. Who are you and what are you doing here in our fair land?¡±

    ¡°We were thrown in here by a trickster beast,¡± Tomford said impatiently.

    Falfarel almost jumped with excitement. ¡°They fought a kozimuz and survived!¡±

    ¡°Of course they did,¡± the woman next to Pontus said. ¡°And I¡¯ve learned how to fly.¡±

    ¡°Enough, Feyie.¡± The muffled voice came from the bed. ¡°Let me speak to our guests. Everyone, please go scout the area. If Falfarel brought humans, soldiers are sure to follow.¡±

    ¡°Not on this side of the river,¡± Falfarel said, full of confidence.

    The male rhinn sat with some difficulty. His upper body was bare except for bandages wrapped around his chest. It was soaked through with blood.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure, youngling.¡± He winced. ¡°I¡¯m Mica, pleased to meet you.¡±

    Tomford took one look at Mica and then strode up without waiting for permission. He placed a hand on the man, ignoring the alarmed yells from those around the table.

    Mica shuddered and slumped back against the wall for a moment, then opened his eyes wide. He held up a hand toward his companions, who approached with their weapons drawn. ¡°Wait.¡±

    Tomford took a step back and then fell into an empty chair. ¡°That was quite the wound. You better answer our questions now.¡±

    Mica grabbed the knife Ricca held pointed at Tomford and used it to cut off his bandages. A mass of pink scars covered his chest.

    ¡°You¡ª¡± Mica began, then stopped, bewildered. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Healed you,¡± Tomford grunted. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±

    Everyone in the room except for Sarien stared in disbelief. ¡°You healed me,¡± Mica said, each word coming out slowly, like he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How? Can all humans do this?¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°No, Tom here is special.¡±

    ¡°There are some, but it¡¯s not common. You don¡¯t have healers in this world?¡±

    Mica shook his head slowly.

    ¡°First the terrible fire bastards, then this. Your world truly is magical,¡± Falfarel said, awestruck.

    ¡°Leave us for now, please,¡± Mica said to the others. ¡°Make sure no one disturbs us.¡±

    Sarien didn¡¯t speak until he heard the hatch click shut. ¡°Who are you people?¡±

    Mica frowned, his finger tracing the scars on his chest. ¡°We¡¯re the rhinn. If you¡¯re here, shouldn¡¯t you know about us?¡±

    Sarien grabbed an empty chair and moved it to the head of the bed. ¡°We¡¯ve only just arrived, by mistake, no less. Falfarel is the only rhinn we¡¯ve met until now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not with those pyromancers, then? I was hoping you could tell us more about them. What they¡¯re doing here.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Tomford asked.

    Mica shook his head. ¡°Sorry, but no.¡± His hand rubbed his chest. ¡°Can¡¯t believe this. I was getting worse. Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d make it. Truly a miracle, one that would make the priests of Wynd green with envy.¡± Then he sighed, ¡°If they could take a moment from hounding everyone about the return of Wyndemir.¡±

    ¡°Wyndemir?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Look,¡± Mica said. ¡°Are you hungry? It seems like we have a lot to talk about. I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know, to the best of my knowledge. It¡¯s the least I can do after you saved my life. I have questions of my own as well.¡±

    Tomford looked at Sarien and shook his head, but this was an opportunity Sarien couldn¡¯t pass up.

    ¡°We¡¯re starved.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 26

    The food offered turned out to be some sort of mashed root vegetable with a reddish color, along with other vegetables that looked strange but similar to ones found in their own world. This simple reminder, more than anything else that had occurred so far, made Sarien realize that he was in a different world. Sarien took a cautious bite. They tasted fine, at least.

    ¡°It¡¯s not much, but we make do out here,¡± Mica said. The male rhinn was a little older than both Tomford and Sarien, and his black hair stood in every direction from having been bedridden for the past couple of weeks. His nose was long and curved at the end like a bird¡¯s beak. His features as well as his habit of leaning in close and staring intently when he spoke made Sarien feel a trifle uncomfortably.

    ¡°You spoke of Wyndemir?¡± Sarien asked once they¡¯d finished their food. Even though the fare was simple, Sarien felt recovered. He hadn¡¯t realized how hungry he was until he finished. He noticed that Tomford had cleaned his bowl as well.

    Mica leaned in closer, elbows planted on the table in front of him. ¡°Our god, once upon a time. He nearly destroyed the entire world a thousand years ago, but disappeared before the deed was done. The religious texts do not explain why.¡±

    ¡°We have no use for religion,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Our gods are all dead.¡±

    Mica pursed his lips. ¡°What happened to them?¡±

    ¡°We killed them all. They were tyrannical oppressors.¡±

    ¡°How do you kill a god?¡± Mica asked. ¡°If the priests are right, and Wyndemir is back, that information would be useful indeed.¡±

    Tomford shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly how. It occurred over two hundred years ago in our world.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sarien said. From what he¡¯d learned from Heradion, Sarien had an inkling of how it might be done, but nothing certain and nothing he wished to share for now. ¡°Please tell us what you know of the pyromancers.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Mica started. ¡°I¡¯ll start at the beginning.¡±

    Sarien sat back and listened as Mica spoke of how their world¡¯s temperature began to steadily increase, the heat killing off much-needed crops for food and feed. He spoke of riots and of how the military took control of the entire country to keep the peace, and how the priests sided with soldiers and spoke of the coming of Wyndemir. The news of the return of their old god panicked the masses.

    The military brutally beat down any opposition and then joined forces with their counterparts from the neighboring countries. Most young men were drafted into the armies, leaving few to keep up with what little farming they still desperately needed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have growers?¡± Sarien asked, interrupting Mica¡¯s story. When it became apparent he had no clue what Sarien spoke of, he clarified, ¡°They are magic users that grow food with their powers. Most of our society is built on a steady supply from the kingdom that grows the food. We have farmers of our own, but not enough to feed the population.¡±

    Mica shook his head in wonder. ¡°We have nothing like that here.¡±

    ¡°No magic at all?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°We have traveling, but that¡¯s it. The ability to open waypoints between locations. The priests claim they have powers of some sort, something to do with prayer to Wyndemir, but I¡¯ve never seen it.¡±

    ¡°Falfarel spoke of traveling,¡± Sarien said. ¡°The creation of gates? Is that how the pyromancers came here?¡±

    Mica laughed bitterly. ¡°No. Our travelers can only create waypoints between places here in our world. Not across worlds. If they could, most of us would be gone from here by now. How those other gates came into being, I have no idea. I don¡¯t think even the cabal knows the answer.¡±

    ¡°Cabal?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s what they call the combined leadership of the many armies. We don¡¯t know who they are, not all of them.¡±

    ¡°Tell us about the pyromancers then,¡± Tomford demanded. Sarien could tell his friend was reaching the end of his patience. He was eager to return to their world, but there was still so much to learn.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing here! They seem to be in league with the cabal, but we haven¡¯t been able to find out when they arrived, through which waypoint, or what their goals are. All we know is that they are powerful and brutally efficient.¡±

    ¡°You fought one?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°A hundred of us, just a few weeks ago. We wanted to capture one alive to question her. One pyromancer and only ten guards.¡± Mica shook his head. ¡°It should have been easy. We outnumbered them ten to one. But, the pyromancer didn¡¯t even need her guards. Those of us you saw here are the only survivors of the massacre.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how you were injured?¡± Sarien asked.

    Mica touched the scars on his chest again. ¡°That¡¯s right. A sword, not fire. I was lucky compared to all our brethren.¡±

    Sarien turned to Tomford. ¡°We have to tell Goslin. When I was at the tower, the pyromancers spoke about something secret. Something about them not being ready yet. This might be it.¡±

    ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go back,¡± Tomford agreed, getting to his feet. ¡°This place is creeping me out, no offense.¡±

    ¡°None taken. You saved my life. I owe you for that.¡±

    ¡°Wish we had time to learn more about your world,¡± Sarien said.

    Mica reached out and stopped Sarien. ¡°You never told me your name. Your eyes and mouth look a little like ours, but a little smaller. You humans are strange creatures. So similar, but so different.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sarien.¡± Mica drew back in surprise for a moment and Sarien remembered Falfager¡¯s comment that Sarien was a rhinerian name. What did that mean?

    ¡°How do you plan on leaving here? The waypoints between our worlds are all well guarded. One opened near here not that long ago, but the army is camped right by it, within viewing distance, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    Before Sarien could answer, they were interrupted by a loud thumping sound. Two quick knocks and then a pause, and two more. Mica stood and ran over to a cabinet in the corner. He flung it open, revealing rows of rusted weapons.

    ¡°Grab one,¡± he called out.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Soldiers,¡± Mica said, throwing on a brown cloth tunic over his bare chest.

    Sarien grabbed a spear similar to his old one, only this one appeared to be made entirely out of metal. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we open up the hatch and let the others inside?¡±

    ¡°Too late for that. They¡¯ll run off and hide at our secondary location. That knock pattern you heard means the troops are very close.¡± He grinned. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we have an escape tunnel.¡±

    Mica moved a barrel and pointed at another tunnel. This one was no more than a small hole in the ground, and they would be forced to crawl.

    ¡°Just open a gate, Sarien,¡± Tomford said. ¡°I¡¯ll hold them off if you need time.¡±

    Sarien sighed but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Mica, you should leave. We¡¯ll return home from here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying you can create waypoints?¡± Mica asked, his grip tightening on the simple sword he carried.

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°That ability would be a blessing for our resistance,¡± Mica said. He took hasty step forward, glanced to Tomford, and then stepped forward again. ¡°You should come with me.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°We have to return home now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I wasn¡¯t asking,¡± Mica said, pointing the point of his sword at Sarien. ¡°Your ability would mean the resistance¡¯s survival. I can¡¯t let you leave.¡±

    ¡°But I saved you,¡± Tomford said, stepping in between Sarien and Mica.

    Mica shook his head. ¡°And I¡¯m thankful for it, truly I am. But this is bigger than me.¡±

    Tomford looked over his shoulder to Sarien. ¡°You get started. I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±

    Someone banged loudly against the hatch again. This time there was no pattern to it. ¡°Open this door now!¡±

    Tomford turned toward the hatch, and Mica used that moment of distraction to strike. The sword dug into Tomford¡¯s shoulder, and he grunted in surprise before turning back.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±

    Sarien heard a thump, then the clatter of metal. Probably the sword falling against one of the chairs.

    ¡°You crawl off now,¡± Tomford said, but Sarien barely heard. He was already losing himself in the swirling bright light of his inner power.

    Just as he attempted before, Sarien formed the image of the clearing, where they struggled against the trickster beast, in his mind. Images of Goslin and the others flashed through his mind, along with his memories from the Karm estate, the burning tower, and the name of the city where he was supposed to find his father¡¯s friend.

    He thought about his father. Suddenly, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking of the man. Something tugged at him, and he let the light from inside him stream toward that torrent of emotions, memories, and longing.

    Sarien breathed out and opened his eyes as a jagged line of light cut through the air in front of him, basking the dim room in a bright, cold glow.

    Soldiers emerged from the tunnel. The soldiers were forced to enter the room one at a time and Tomford was ready for them. Mica was nowhere to be seen, and the barrel returned to its previous position.

    Grunts, groans, and the loud smacks of Tomford¡¯s fists connecting with the soldiers filled the air. Arms and legs flailed in all direction and the room no longer felt spacious as more soldiers crowded in.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± Tomford yelled, and Sarien returned to his senses. The rip in front of him hung in the air, not moving. Beyond that, he knew he¡¯d find their home.

    The power inside him throbbed with the quick beats of his own heart, and the gate shuddered with each thump. Sarien reached out with his mind. Bright light flowed from the tips of his fingers and the palms of his hands to connect with the tear in the air. The glow intensified. He heaved with his power, and the tear widened into an opening. But it was still too narrow.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± Tomford yelled again. He bled from several wounds, and he struggled from the strain of keeping multiple soldiers at bay.

    Sarien grunted as he forced the opening wider and wider. The other side of the gate showed a dark night. It didn¡¯t matter. Sarien knew they¡¯d make it to their own world through the gate he created. There was not a doubt in his mind.

    ¡°Go Tom!¡± Sarien yelled. Tomford didn¡¯t even look back before turning and sprinting for the gate. He leapt through the opening, and Sarien followed close behind, bringing the spear along with him.

    Tomford was on the ground when Sarien landed in a field of grass. To Sarien¡¯s horror, several soldiers jumped through the gate after them. ¡°Tom, get up!¡±

    ¡°Close it!¡± Tomford yelled as he got to his feet. ¡°We can¡¯t beat them all.¡±

    Sarien was exhausted. Opening the gate drained him and he felt himself weakening but was able to bring up his spear when a rhinn soldier fell upon him. The soldier dodged Sarien¡¯s feeble attack, but Tomford caught him with a blow to the side of his head, and the man crumpled to the ground.

    ¡°Close it, dammit!¡±

    Sarien blinked rapidly, forcing himself to concentrate while chaos erupted around him. He could hear Tomford¡¯s panting breaths as his friend fought on. The healer could not keep up his attacks for much longer.

    Three more soldiers came through the gate before Sarien began to close it. When they saw him and realized what he planned to do, they came for him instead of Tomford.

    Power flowed from Sarien to connect him with the gate. The added source of light revealed more of their surroundings. Not grass. Some sort of farmer¡¯s field. Off in the far distance, he could see small lights. A farm, perhaps? With a groan, he heaved and narrowed the gate to where no one else could exit through it. He fell to his knees but struggled back up.

    Tomford needed his help. Five soldiers were circling around his friend, thrusting with their spears and slashing with their swords. Exhaustion was plain in each of Tomford¡¯s strikes and he nearly lost his balance when he dodged their attacks.

    Sarien yelled and rushed to his friend¡¯s aid, keeping the spear in front of him. With the diminished light from the gate, it was difficult to see the enemy soldiers, but he still stuck one who hadn¡¯t turned fast enough. The dark power inside him, the slaying, churned and struggled to get out and devour the one Sarien struck, but he refused to let it loose. It was a struggle to control now that the other power inside of him was diminished.

    Someone swung at him in the dark, and Sarien cried out in pain as a sword sliced his arm. He stepped back and flexed his fingers. An image of Emeryn¡¯s amputation flashed in his mind. His hands shook, his shoulders and knees wouldn¡¯t stop trembling. He was no fighter. No warrior. But Tomford was.

    Sarien¡¯s friend roared and barreled into the soldier that attacked Sarien, pushing him to the ground before punching him twice in the face.

    Sarien felt dizzy. The cloth under his torn leather arm guard felt slick.

    Tomford took a blow on the head from one of the remaining soldiers, falling face first in the grass. He didn¡¯t stir.

    ¡°Tom!¡± Sarien cried. Three soldiers left. They didn¡¯t even glance at Tomford when they moved past his prone body. Their large dark eyes were all on Sarien.

    ¡°Open it again,¡± one of them snarled. ¡°I know you understand me, human.¡±

    ¡°And what will happen if I do?¡± Sarien asked. It was getting difficult just holding the spear upright with his injured arm.

    ¡°You¡¯ll come with us back to Rhinerien. We¡¯ve never seen a traveler who can open waypoints between worlds. Our reward will be substantial.¡±

    Sarien glanced at the narrow gate and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen. What if I send you back and you go on your merry way?¡±

    The three soldiers advanced. ¡°Take him alive,¡± the one who¡¯d spoken previously said. Sarien had a difficult time distinguishing between the three of them in the dark. To him, their faces all looked very much alike. Two of them carried swords and the third a spear. All of them looked practiced in the way they moved and held their weapons. Sarien didn¡¯t stand a chance. Not without some help.

    With reluctance, Sarien pulled from within and manifested his black flame. It hadn¡¯t stopped struggling for release since the fighting began and when it came into existence, it bled out all along Sarien¡¯s arm and up his spear. He didn¡¯t want to trap the three of them, but he saw no other choice.

    The rhinn soldiers eyed him warily. They might have seen a pyromancer¡¯s flame before, but this was different.

    ¡°Come then,¡± Sarien said. A calm had settled over him. When they didn¡¯t come closer, Sarien stepped forward.

    The three soldiers all took a step back, then they caught themselves, and one of them growled, ¡°Surround him!¡±

    The two swordsmen moved to either side of him while the spearman approached from the front. Before they had a chance to surround him, Sarien ran at the spearman. He thrust despite the distance being too great, but the flames egged him on. The tip of his spear stopped almost a full spear length in front of his opponent, but the black flame billowed from the tip, continuing forward until it engulfed the spearman. The rhinn soldier¡¯s eyes grew dim, like the life in them burned away.

    Sarien¡¯s spear turned obsidian, and he heard the expected scream in his mind.

    AAAAAAAAAA

    He ignored it.

    The swordsman to his left lunged forward, and Sarien mis stepped, stumbling back, and through sheer luck blocked the strike with the shaft of his spear. Instead of the expected crack in the spear¡¯s haft, it clanged loudly.

    Sarien fell but managed to roll and come up on his feet, slightly disoriented. Another strike came from that same soldier, but it fell short. Before Sarien had a chance to retaliate, the second swordsman closed in to his right and swung. His sword bit into Sarien¡¯s thigh. He screamed as his leg buckled underneath his weight and Sarien fell onto his back.

    As he collapsed, Sarien lost his grip around the spear. He crossed his arms in front of him, desperately trying to protect himself from the incoming attacks. Black flames billowed from his arms and from the wound in his leg, forming a barrier.

    Somehow, he could see through the darkness, and watched how the black flames caught hold of the soldiers¡¯ swords and crept up along the weapons. As soon as the flames connected with flesh, the rhinn dropped, the life burned out of them. They both fell limp to the muddy ground.

    With his hands empty, there was no object to trap their minds in. Sarien felt their essence burning in the flame and knew that he subjected them to a terrible torment, far worse than those imbued into the weapons experienced.

    Sarien crawled desperately toward the closest object, one of the swords, and grabbed it. Not exactly sure how he managed it, he willed the flame into the metal, turning it black. His mind turned blessedly silent.

    Sarien flopped over onto his back, panting and clutching his leg. A flicker of movement caught his eye. Someone stood at the other side of the gate, silently regarding him through the small opening. An old, male rhinn with a clean-shaven head and a tattoo or brand on his forehead.

    With considerable effort, Sarien scrambled to grasp the bright power inside him, what little remained in his exhausted state, and closed the gate with one final push. Now that he knew how to accomplish the task, he was surprised by the ease of it.

    The opening squeezed shut into a glowing line and then dissipated without leaving a trace. The sun was beginning to rise on the horizon and Sarien saw that he was alone. The rhinn soldiers that Tomford defeated were nowhere to be seen. They must have fled when they saw their friends being eaten by Sarien¡¯s black flame.

    Tomford groaned. Sarien struggled to his feet, then limped to his friend. ¡°Tom!¡±

    ¡°Depths take me,¡± Tomford grumbled. Most of his more serious wounds looked like they had stopped bleeding, but he had lost a lot of blood.

    Sarien showed his leg. Blood was flowing freely. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have some energy, stream, whatever, left in you to make this stop?¡±

    Tomford still lay prone on the ground, but he leaned so he could glance at it. He sighed and stretched a hand toward Sarien. ¡°Come here.¡±

    Sarien limped a little closer and then collapsed right next to the healer, grabbing his hand and placing it on the wound. A small chill entered the wound. It didn¡¯t do anything to ease the pain, but it stopped the flow of blood.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Anytime.¡±

    Sarien forced himself to his knees. ¡°Can you walk?¡±

    Tomford didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Tom?¡± Sarien asked, panicking. He bent over Tomford¡¯s face and felt the slight inhale and exhale of breath. Passed out then. Tomford would require food and rest from all that fighting and the use of his inner stream.

    Sarien¡¯s belly grumbled. He would need some too, and soon.

 Book 1: Chapter 27

    Wagons drove up the small path and the relief that came over Sarien when the farmers turned out to be human was almost indescribable. Sarien had thought they¡¯d made it back, but it wasn¡¯t until he saw their human faces that he knew he¡¯d been right.

    Sarien and Tomford were lifted into the wagon by strong and capable hands, and Sarien did his best to evade questions about the strange light that the group of farmers had come to investigate. Sarien lied and said that the light they saw from their homes was simply the torches they used reflecting off the coming dawn. It was far from the truth, of course, since there were no torches to be found, but the farmers left it at that.

    Explaining away the corpses proved more difficult, especially when the men caught a good look at the strange features of the rhinn. Sarien babbled on about deformities and cults and the men looked at him as if he was raving mad. It didn¡¯t matter, as they still brought them both to the nearby farm to convalesce. Sarien watched the farmers bury the dead rhinn soldiers on the other side of the road and off their field as the wagon he rode in pulled away. They were superstitious enough not to bury the strange men on their own land.

    Sarien took care not to let any of them touch the new weapons he¡¯d imbued. He didn¡¯t need to bother as the farmers eyed them warily.

    Sarien and Tomford were brought to a small but clean and orderly house. A young farmer lived there with his wife. From what Sarien gathered, they¡¯d been married for less than a month.

    ¡°Thank you for helping us,¡± Sarien said again, as they placed the unconscious Tomford in the house¡¯s only bed.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± the young farmer said.

    His name was Felix, and he was trying to grow out a sandy brown mustache but was failing. Bald spots pocketed his upper lip. Like most farmers in Maydian, his hair was clipped short, and his face was wrinkled from spending his days under the sun. It made him look older than his years. His eyes were sent in a perpetual half-squint, as if they were expecting the rest of his face to follow in a grin or smile at any second.

    ¡°Ya can stay as long as ya like.¡±

    ¡°Let me fix ya up with some breakfast,¡± Felix¡¯s wife said. Sarien hadn¡¯t caught her name yet. She drifted to a cupboard and pulled out a loaf of bread. Her hair was long, darker, and curled at the ends. Despite her short stature, she seemed to fill the room with her serene spirit. Her complexion spoke of her not being from Eldsprak. Now that Sarien thought about it, the tone of Felix¡¯s skin was a little darker than what you¡¯d see in a farmer around Sarien¡¯s home, too.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°What do ya mean?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Yer at my house, aren¡¯t ya?¡±

    ¡°No, well yes. I mean, is this Eldsprak?¡±

    Felix¡¯s wife chuckled from over by the wall, where she was pouring cups of water. ¡°Are ya sure ya didn¡¯t hit yer head?¡±

    Felix¡¯s face creased with concern. ¡°Yer in Tyriu, not Eldsprak. Do ya need to lie down?¡±

    Sarien blinked and fell back into a chair. ¡°Where in Tyriu exactly?¡±

    From what Sarien understood, the kingdom was enormous, almost as large as Eldsprak. If they were in the wrong part of the country, it could mean endless weeks of travel to reach Tyralien. He still wasn¡¯t sure why him and Tomford reappeared in an empty field in Tyriu and not back in Primie Woods.

    ¡°Oh, north,¡± Felix answered.

    ¡°Near the ocean?¡± Sarien asked, bracing for the answer.

    ¡°I guess, if the bay counts, but the border is just a stone¡¯s throw from here. Yer not that far from home,¡± the wife said. ¡°Now come and eat something.¡±

    Sarien breathed a sigh of relief. They were north of Tyralien, which meant no more than two days ride on horseback to reach the capital. Depending on how long they¡¯d been gone, they might even reach their destination before Goslin and the others, as long as Tomford woke up soon.

    Sarien got up with some difficulty and limped to a small round table. He accepted the slice of bread and a cup of clean water. ¡°Thank you.¡± He looked at the empty places before Felix and his wife. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡±

    ¡°Na, we ate hours ago,¡± Felix said. ¡°Ya go ahead, though.¡±

    ¡°Am I keeping you from your work?¡± It was early in the morning still. A time farmers usually spent laboring in their fields before the day grew too hot.

    Felix fidgeted slightly but covered it up with a smile. ¡°Think nothing of it. There¡¯s still plenty of time.¡±

    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t!¡± the wife said, her tone hard. ¡°I¡¯m fine here. Ya go work, Felix. We need to ship the grain by the day after tomorrow!¡±

    Felix glanced to Sarien, then to Tomford, and finally to the sword and spear leaning against the wall next to the bed. ¡°Are ya sure, Mil?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am,¡± Mil said. ¡°Ya go now.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Grain shipment? This late in the year?¡± The farmers around the Karm estate never had to ship grain this late into fall. It was a time to conduct inventory, to stock up for the coming winter, and plan for next spring. Perhaps they did things differently in Tyriu.

    ¡°We have to give a little extra this year,¡± Felix said, averting his gaze.

    ¡°A little?¡± Mil scoffed, and adjusted the gray bonnet she wore. ¡°Bleeding us dry, the bastard.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go talking about that with our guests,¡± Felix scolded. Sarien focused on the slice of bread in his hand as an awkward silence fell upon the small family. Felix reached for his coat and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be going then. Holler if ya need me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Do you need help?¡±

    Felix eyed Sarien¡¯s injured leg. ¡°Don¡¯t ya worry. Put yer feet up.¡±

    With the door closed, Mil spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t ya dare put yer feet up on my table.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t think to,¡± Sarien said, raising his hands. When he heard Felix stomping off toward the field adjacent to the house, Sarien asked, ¡°So they¡¯re expecting more grain from you than usual?¡±

    ¡°Yeh.¡±

    ¡°You should band together and push back,¡± Sarien said.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    A thoughtful expression passed over Mil¡¯s face. ¡°Yer trying to say we should kill ¡®im?¡±

    Sarien choked on the sip of water he just took. He coughed violently. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡±

    ¡°Eat ¡®im?¡±

    ¡°What? No!¡± Sarien said. ¡°Just band together and bargain with the landlord together. It¡¯ll make it easier for you, trust me. Just the threat of farmers coming together had been enough to make Hacha nervous back at the estate. Sarien didn¡¯t envy the lord of this place if the farmers managed to work out how to squeeze him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mil said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Felix about it.¡± She looked over to the bed. ¡°Is yer friend going to be well?¡±

    ¡°He should be,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Thank you for breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ya worry, yerself. If ya don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ve got chores. Ya take yer ease and whatnot.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien said again. She waved a dismissive hand and disappeared through the front door. A chill wind blew in before the door shut, and Sarien shivered.

    There wasn¡¯t much he could do while waiting for Tomford to wake. Not with his leg the way it was. Couldn¡¯t even practice with his new spear, not that the small house would allow for much movement without endangering the furniture.

    He looked at the spear and the sword leaning against the wall near the bed. Sarien didn¡¯t want to imagine the rhinn trapped within. The sword was in a sheathe he¡¯d taken from one of the soldier¡¯s bodies, but the spear stood there without anything obscuring the metal¡¯s dark sheen.

    Sarien limped over to it and grabbed the shaft.

    WHERE AM I? IS THIS DEATH?

    You¡¯re in my spear.

    YOUR SPEAR? WHO ARE YOU?

    Sarien Wald. You attempted to kill me and my friend.

    YES. THE WAYPOINT. RELEASE ME.

    You¡¯ll die. He didn¡¯t even know if he could release someone from the imprisonment, as he chose to think of it. What would happen if he tried to just release the rhinn?

    I AM DEAD.

    Not exactly.

    I AM NOTHING. I AM DEAD. RELEASE ME.

    Is this not better than nothing? You are still something.

    I HAD A WIFE. A SON.

    Sarien pulled his hand from the spear. He couldn¡¯t listen anymore. The rhinn inside had been a soldier and wanted Sarien dead, but that didn¡¯t mean destroying him would come without consequences. This was one he would have to bear, but he wouldn¡¯t force himself to listen to the trapped man¡¯s pleas. It was callused, but what could he do?

    He thought back to the combat on that field. In the last moment, he¡¯d made a shield of black flames to protect himself from the rhinn. If he could manipulate the magic inside him to that extent, the possibilities were endless.

    Sarien¡¯s body was spent, but he felt that the twin powers inside him had recovered. It barely required any concentration to bring forth the black flame. It danced in his palm despite there being no draft inside the room. Instead of giving light, it almost seemed to absorb light into itself, darkening the air around it.

    He focused and manipulated the shape, multiplying the flame and extending it into the form of a sword made out of pure black fire. It radiated darkness, making it difficult to see past the blade.

    Sarien looked around the room for something to try the sword against and settled on one of the chairs. If it broke, he could pay for a replacement with the coin purse he still carried filled from when he left the tower.

    He swung the blade and watched as it struck the wood. Nothing happened. There was no impact and no sound. The flames ghosted past without inflicting damage. Perhaps he should have expected that to happen. The flame wasn¡¯t tangible.

    Sarien brought the sword back to his side and stepped back, forgetting about his injured leg. He screamed, arms flailing, before he caught himself against the wall.

    The flame sword stayed ignited and began to spread on its own will. Flames at the top bent and stretched, hurtling toward Tomford.

    Sarien yelled as the black flames reached his friend. ¡°No!¡±

    His head filled with agonized screams.

    AAAAAAAAAAAA

    Sorry! Sorry! Please forgive me!

    What had he done? Tomford¡¯s prone body on the bed looked pale and withered when Sarien bent over and placed the black flame against his friend¡¯s skin. He had no idea what to do next, but he needed to figure it out. Just thinking about Tomford¡¯s consciousness trapped in that flame made him want to hurl.

    Sarien focused and willed the flame to release Tomford back to his body, forcing it to bend to his command.

    A wash of relief flooded over Sarien as he felt Tomford¡¯s consciousness return to his body, and he quickly dispelled the sword.

    ¡°What in the name of Ocea¡¯s bloated corpse was that?¡± Tomford asked, immediately sitting up. He shivered and looked at Sarien. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Sarien said, groaning as he slid down to the floor. ¡°You got caught in the flame.¡±

    ¡°What flame?¡±

    ¡°My sword.¡±

    Tomford¡¯s face reddened from anger. ¡°You trapped me in a sword? Like that one?¡± he asked, pointing to the one leaning against the wall.

    Sarien winced. ¡°Not on purpose! Sorry! I put you back!¡±

    Tomford was breathing hard, his hands clenched tightly in fists. Sarien worried that his friend was about to give him the throttling of his life when Tomford deflated. ¡°You didn¡¯t do it on purpose?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±

    ¡°I managed to create a sword of my own with my black flame, but I lost control and it pulled toward you, like it was searching for a target,¡± Sarien explained.

    Tomford shook his head slowly. ¡°You need to learn how to control your powers if you¡¯re going to use it.¡± He looked around the small house, then at the weapons. ¡°You beat the rhinn? All three of them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It wasn¡¯t as heroic as it sounds.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just call us even then. You saved me and then almost killed me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good with that,¡± Sarien said, grinning. ¡°At least you¡¯re up now. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Like I could sleep for another week, but I¡¯ll manage.¡± The wound in Sarien¡¯s leg opened up again when he fell, and his trousers were soaked with blood.

    ¡°Let me get that for you,¡± Tomford said, reaching out. A surge of cold rushed through Sarien as the wound closed, along with the one on his arm.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Tomford asked, his face still a little pale.

    ¡°A young couple lives here. Farmers. They told me that we¡¯re just south of the border to The Kinship of Jordfaste, near the Bay of Peace.¡±

    Tomford scratched his neck. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about geography.¡±

    ¡°About two days from Tyralien on horseback.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Tomford said, nodding. ¡°Do we have horses?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Sarien admitted. ¡°But we do have money.¡± He fished out the purse of gold. ¡°Perhaps the farmers will sell two to us.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so,¡± Tomford said. ¡°We need to get to Tyralien as quickly as possible.¡±

    Sarien got up and tested his leg. The pain was gone. ¡°Do you want to head out right away?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Let get some food first, then we¡¯ll leave. I really don¡¯t like not knowing what happened in the clearing after we left. Are you going to bring the sword and the spear?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t leave the weapons here,¡± Sarien said, grabbing the sword.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Being trapped like that was not a pleasant experience. How long was I in that flame of yours?¡±

    Sarien shrugged. ¡°A few seconds? Less than a minute, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Felt like ages,¡± Tomford said, shuddering. ¡°Like the worst kind of prison. You should release those poor men if you can.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen to them if I do.¡±

    ¡°Try it. Anything is better than being trapped.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sarien said, pulling the sword from the sheathe.

    AAAAAAAAAAAA

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    He heard two distinct screams. ¡°Impossible,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just one. There¡¯s two of them in there.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the second one would push the first one out?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Heradion insinuated as much. It¡¯s too bad I can¡¯t test this properly without hurting anyone.¡± He shuddered at the thought of those rhinn men¡¯s bodies buried in the earth. They weren¡¯t necessarily dead, just in some sort of stasis. ¡°Maybe that luison somehow killed or destroyed the bandit?¡±

    ¡°This is getting pretty abstract,¡± Tomford said. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Just release one of them. Or both.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Sarien focused and his black flame burst out. It danced along the blade¡¯s edge. There was not much to differentiate between the two trapped rhinn soldiers. One disjointed mind looked very much like the other.

    Sarien grabbed at one of the men and held him with his mind, then brought it to the surface of the sword. He exhaled as he released the consciousness from the sword¡¯s prison.

    The far wall and half the ceiling exploded outward with a roar. The roof collapsed over Sarien and Tomford, who both yelped out in surprise. They evaded the worst of falling debris.

    ¡°Ow,¡± Sarien said, brushing straw from his hair and clothes.

    Tomford moved a wooden beam, coughing. ¡°That was unexpected.¡±

    Felix and Mil stood not far from the house, their mouths gaping and their eyes wide. Sarien grabbed the sword and the spear and approached them, cringing. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°What did ye do?¡± Felix asked. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Sarien held out the bag full of gold coins. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain. Please forgive me. We¡¯ll leave right away.¡±

    Mil took the bag and opened it, her eyes widening.

    Sarien cleared his throat. ¡°I was kind of hoping that it would buy us some horses and food too.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 28 (Goslin)

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Kax said. ¡°Why would it be closed?¡±

    Hart banged his fist on the gate, but no reply came. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Kleotram wasn¡¯t open to them. Goslin peered up the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t understand either. There is no reason for the entire city to be shut tight like this without even posting guards by the gate.¡±

    Plenty of men, women, and children milled about in frustration and confusion. All of them were fellow travelers looking to get into the city. No one knew what had happened. ¡°Let¡¯s just go around. There was no important reason for us to enter. We can head straight for Tyralien,¡± Goslin said.

    Emeryn grazed the stone with the tip of her finger and placed her ear against the wall, as if trying to hear a whisper. ¡°I might be able to find us a way in,¡± she said softly.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t,¡± Heylien said. ¡°What if there¡¯s a good reason why they are shut in. A plague or the like?¡±

    Goslin looked around at all the unwashed bodies around them. ¡°A plague?¡±

    ¡°Inside, I mean. They could have shut the gate to make sure it didn¡¯t spread beyond the city.¡±

    ¡°We better leave then. I¡¯m too young and handsome to die of some terrible disease,¡± Kax said.

    The group headed for the border to Tyriu. Goslin peered back over his shoulder after they¡¯d put some distance between them and the city. No movements on top of the walls. It was irresponsible to leave a city the size of Kleotram unattended. He felt a dire sense of foreboding.

    The border between Eldsprak and Tyriu was less than an hour¡¯s ride out of Kleotram. Two narrow lakes separated the kingdoms and a well-guarded outpost was the only way in and out of the respective countries unless you wanted to cross the lakes, adding days to your travels.

    Goslin knew that something was wrong well before they entered the fenced-off area that would eventually let them cross over to Tyriu. The crossing was packed with travelers.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Lana asked, stopping next to Goslin. They watched the crowds push against one another impatiently. A fist fight broke out between two groups of merchants nearby.

    ¡°Ride on,¡± Kax answered. ¡°The people will be forced to move out of the way.¡± He continued without waiting, and the others hurried to follow in his wake.

    Everyone on foot did move, but several wagons blocked the narrow road, forcing Kax and the others to the side to make any kind of headway through the crowd. People swore at Goslin and the others as they passed, and his constant apologies did little to improve on the crowd¡¯s irate mood. At the front of the mass of people, Goslin saw other riders argue with the guards at the gate that led into Tyriu.

    The Tyriu side of the gate was deserted except for the guards. Goslin rode up, passing Kax. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you must let us pass at once. We have urgent business in Tyralien.¡±

    The guards wearing the Kleotram colors stared at him without moving a muscle until their senior officer hurried out of a barracks nearby and scampered up to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the border is closed, good sirs,¡± the officer said. His red and blue uniform carried Sanders¡¯s insignia, depicting the keep against a background of the night sky filled with stars. The stripes in white across the man¡¯s shoulder identified him as a lieutenant. It was unlikely that there would be anyone higher ranked than him in the entire camp.

    ¡°You must allow me and my companions to pass,¡± Goslin repeated.

    The lieutenant blinked. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s closed. The command did not come from Eldsprak, you must understand, but the road is closed from Tyriu. Allowing you to enter would be a severe breach of protocol.¡± The crowd jostled around the horses and the other riders kept hurling insults at the lieutenant.

    ¡°I am sent from King Druk. Kleotram was boarded shut as well, and I would have you tell me why.¡±

    The lieutenant looked surprised. ¡°Kleotram has sent no word to us, and I don¡¯t know what to else to tell you. The border is closed. Couldn¡¯t open it even if I wanted to. Both sides have to open it at the same time, and the Tyriu guards have refused to open their side of the crossing.¡± He nodded to his left, indicating the Tyriu guards.

    Goslin looked to the crowd, which was getting rowdier. It wouldn¡¯t be long before it turned ugly.

    Hart sat very still on his horse when Goslin glanced in his direction. His fingers twitched and his hand kept moving to the spear but stopping before touching it.

    Goslin watched as Heylien got down from his horse and navigated through the crowd. He put a hand on the wooden beam and leapt over it with ease before approaching the guards on the Tyriu side. They hefted polearms and pointed the ends at Heylien but relaxed almost immediately when Goslin¡¯s friend spoke. A small bag, presumably of coins, changed hands and the guards nodded while eyeing the crowd on the Eldsprak side nervously.

    Heylien returned to his horse and gestured for Goslin and the others to follow him back the way they¡¯d come. When the crowd thinned out, he grinned and spoke, ¡°Your name or your credentials won¡¯t always be enough to get you through. They have their orders and won¡¯t risk losing their position for disobeying them.¡±

    ¡°So, what did you do?¡± Lana asked.

    Heylien shrugged. ¡°Bribed them. Come on, there¡¯s a side entrance the guards use.¡±

    Lana grinned. They had to dismount and lead their horses through the much smaller door, but they were in Tyriu and that was all that mattered. The gate sealed before the crowd noticed and the guard barely glanced at them before returning to his post.

    ¡°What about them?¡± Goslin asked. ¡°Won¡¯t taking bribes endanger their jobs?¡±

    Heylien looked at the few men standing by the wooden gate. ¡°They haven¡¯t received supplies in almost a week. Replacements should have arrived days ago but didn¡¯t. They have no idea what¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°Poor men,¡± Emeryn said.

    Kax snickered. ¡°They won¡¯t stay much longer if they¡¯re going hungry.¡±

    Tyriu looked like Eldsprak, with wide green fields in every direction and the occasional forest to break up the monotony. They passed numerous houses, farms, and estates, but they were all covered in a blanket of silence.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Lana asked after they¡¯d ridden for a few hours. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a single person since we crossed the border.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Heylien said.

    Even Kax looked a little somber. ¡°With this and the border closed, something is definitely wrong.¡±

    Heylien looked to Goslin. ¡°I should scout ahead.¡±

    ¡°Stay close now,¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°But¡ª¡°

    Goslin shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s just the six of us now.¡± He gestured to the open fields. ¡°No one is going to surprise us here, not where we can see far in every direction. We stay together.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Heylien fell back into his saddle.

    The sunshine and cloudless blue sky did little to ease Goslin¡¯s nerves, and when small dots appeared on the horizon, his skin prickled. As they got closer, it became apparent that the men they saw were not farmers or merchants. They did not ride, but spears rose up as straight lines above their heads, and they all wore the same dark garments.

    ¡°Whose soldiers wear black?¡± Emeryn asked, squinting as she looked at the approaching group. They were still far off, but the distance was closing fast.

    ¡°No soldiers that I know of,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Definitely not the King¡¯s army of Tyriu. They wear yellow and blue uniforms.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Lana said, fingering her daggers.

    ¡°Someone hand me a weapon,¡± Hart grunted.

    Goslin turned to him. Sarien¡¯s spear was gone. ¡°Where¡¯s your spear?¡±

    ¡°Someone must have taken it back at the border.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. Do we hide?¡± Heylien asked, handing his short sword to Hart. He pointed to a farmstead off the road to their left. ¡°They¡¯ve already spotted us, but they might not follow.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about who they are?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°They could be friendly,¡± Emeryn added.

    ¡°We¡¯ll stay the course and meet them,¡± Goslin said. ¡°They might know something about what¡¯s happening in Tyriu. If they¡¯re hostile, that will tell us something, too.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t fight on horseback,¡± Emeryn said.

    Goslin dismounted. ¡°We¡¯ll continue on foot for now. Heylien and Lana, how accurate are you from horseback?¡±

    Lana slid down from her horse. ¡°Never practiced. I better stay on my feet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay up here for now,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Can¡¯t tell how many of them there are yet, but I think I see five spears.¡± He frowned. ¡°They stopped.¡±

    A soft whooshing noise sounded from nearby, like the opening of a heavy curtain.

    Kax yelled. ¡°Look out!¡±

    Goslin spun on his heel to see an opening in the air, not unlike the one in the clearing where they battled the trickster beast. His first thought was of Sarien¡¯s and Tomford¡¯s return, and he grinned. The grin slid off his face when men carrying spears leapt through.

    Goslin brought up his shield and managed to dodge to the side as he drew his sword.

    No. Not men, Goslin thought hastily. The creatures that came out of the gate were human-like in their appearance except for their monstrously large eyes and mouths.

    Goslin thrust, his blade ripping through what looked like dark, almost black leather armor. The light went out of a pair of huge glassy eyes, and Goslin had to give ground as more of them poured out of the gate.

    ¡°Watch out! They¡¯re not men!¡± he yelled, parrying another blow, this time from a sword.

    Kax appeared by his side, the obsidian blade flashing through the air. He cut through a spear haft and his opponent screamed as the blade dug into his arm. Goslin watched as his friend laughed. ¡°Take that, you monsters!¡±

    Hart felled one too, though not displaying the usual rage. He looked almost bored as he stuck one of the attackers in the gut.

    There were too many of the strange men-like creatures. The attackers were not very skilled, but they made up for their lack of fighting ability with sheer numbers. Men kept pouring out of the opening.

    Heylien fired arrows through it and Goslin heard screams of agony from the other side.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming through from over there!¡± Heylien yelled, pointing up the road. With that, he rode off.

    Goslin swore. How were they supposed to fight all of the attackers? ¡°Lana! Where are your daggers?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in the way!¡± she yelled from behind Goslin.

    Twelve of the men-like creatures surrounded them. Daisy barked wildly, but he didn¡¯t add much to bolster their numbers. Emeryn, however, did.

    The difference in her magical abilities from their time at the academy to now was staggering. She pulled down hard on the legs of their attackers and opened up potholes without breaking a sweat, causing the enemy to stumble. The constant practicing Goslin had seen her do was paying off now when it counted.

    Hart chopped with the sword in one hand and thrust with one of the enemies¡¯ spears with the other. However, he remained eerily detached, not screaming or rushing headfirst into action.

    Kax split his opponent¡¯s shield with a single arcing blow. ¡°What the hell are they?¡±

    ¡°Their eyes look a little like Sarien¡¯s, only bigger,¡± Lana said. She danced back to avoid a blow. A gust of air propelled her forward, and she hurtled into one of them before jumping back yet again, her daggers bloodied. The man she¡¯d attacked fell to the ground without a sound.

    Goslin was surrounded by extraordinary people. That much was certain.

    As they struggled, the opening in the air suddenly winked out, only to open behind them. Goslin turned just in time to intercept a spear aimed for Emeryn¡¯s back.

    ¡°Behind us!¡±

    Goslin spun on reflex to protect Emeryn, leaving his own back exposed. Pain flared. Goslin turned back to see his attacker flung back by a wall of earth. It cut off attacks from one side.

    Goslin lost his step and tumbled toward Emeryn. His face came dangerously close to hers, their lips less than a hairsbreadth apart. Goslin blushed, despite their precarious situation, and turned back to face their foes.

    ¡°That¡¯s my limit,¡± Emeryn grunted, leaning against the wall she just created.

    Kax stopped a blow with his sword, still laughing at the wide-mouthed men as they bore down with their swords and spears. If their opponents had been trained soldiers, they would have lost in mere moments. Goslin thanked the fire they were not, and wondered who would send incompetent soldiers to attack Tyriu.

    Lana flew like a whirlwind in the tight space and Goslin did his best to protect her flank, thrusting again and again into the mass of men.

    In a moment of terror, the opening winked out again, only to open above the group. Goslin looked up to see someone jumping through. The difference in perspective made his head spin, and all he could do was scream. Both his arms were tangled in the melee. ¡°Look out!¡±

    The soldier who¡¯d jumped made it halfway through before the opening winked shut. He screamed as he was cut in two, but was dead before the top half of his torso hit Goslin¡¯s shield. He stepped back, hitting his head against the earth wall behind them. Goslin felt himself weakening, the wound in his back must have been worse than he thought.

    Emeryn stepped before him, her red hair billowing in the air, as she pulled back her arm. Her arm! Emeryn¡¯s left arm was back. Wait. No, it wasn¡¯t.

    Goslin blinked. In the place of her missing arm was one formed out of packed earth and rock. The limb was much too large for her small frame, and she screamed as she used it to punch a soldier in the chest, throwing her opponent back with a sickening crunch.

    Kax dispatched another attacker by lopping off their leg.

    Lana jumped and half-flew up to stand on top of the earthen wall. Daggers flew from her hand and arrows punched into the final soldier¡¯s side, and the man went down with a scream that cut off as Kax rammed him through with his obsidian sword.

    He laughed as he pulled the sword back out. The blade was clean. Not a single drop of blood clung to it.

    The fight was over. They¡¯d won. Emeryn¡¯s earthen arm fell away and crumbled as it hit the ground, and her wall crumbled along with it.

    Goslin hugged her close to keep her from falling, or that is what he silently told himself. When she tapped on his shoulder, he stepped back hastily.

    ¡°What in the rotten seas are they?¡± Lana said.

    ¡°Rotten sea?¡± Kax muttered, sheathing the blade. ¡°You Loftians have the strangest curses.¡±

    Twelve of them lay dead at their feet, almost in a full circle. Heylien was riding back at full speed. His horse¡¯s hooves thundered against the hard packed dirt road.

    Goslin dropped down on one knee examining the dead. ¡°Where do you think they¡¯ve come from?¡±

    ¡°Somewhere far off like the dark continent?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Lana said. ¡°We would have heard of something like this. Loftians travel there sometimes. We would have known.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Lana,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°These things must be why we don¡¯t see anyone around,¡± Goslin said, thinking out loud.

    Heylien rode up, panting. ¡°Any injuries?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Kax said. Then he frowned, holding up his left arm. A deep cut ran down his forearm. ¡°Uh, what do you know. Guess I¡¯m not fine.¡±

    Goslin grunted. ¡°I got stuck in my back. Don¡¯t know how serious it is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look,¡± Heylien said, dismounting. ¡°The one who made the openings fled through one. That¡¯s why he closed the one above you so quickly.¡±

    ¡°Being showered in blood and guts was not something I expected when I woke up this morning,¡± Lana said.

    Goslin looked at his hands as Heylien tended to his wound. They were covered in dirt and drying blood. His face would probably look as terrible as Kax¡¯s. He shuddered and did his best to push down the overwhelming need to clean himself. There was no stream or river nearby, no water other than what they carried. They needed to find some, soon. He could hear his father admonishing him for being weak, not even letting him wash before being scolded. ¡°Don¡¯t let your brothers push you around.¡±

    ¡°Goslin!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Pay attention. Your wound is deep,¡± Heylien said. ¡°You¡¯re going to need proper attention soon, lest it gets infected.¡±

    ¡°Better get going then,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Tyralien isn¡¯t far.¡±

    Daisy barked frantically and ran in a tight circle, then jumped in place.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Daisy?¡± Kax asked. The dog ran off toward a sprawling forest to the north.

    ¡°We better get ready for more of them,¡± Goslin said, sighing. He made as if to stand and groaned from the sharp pain in his back. He looked up to see Emeryn smiling down at him, holding out her hand.

    ¡°We¡¯ll make it through this, Gos. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    He took it and she pulled him to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid I¡¯ll make yet another mistake and lose you too.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t lose me,¡± she said, her cheeks reddening. The blush made her look even more beautiful. His eyes dropped to her lips. She wetted them. Goslin did the same, tasting salty sweat. In that moment, he didn¡¯t care about the grime and the dirt.

    ¡°Come on, you two!¡± Kax suddenly yelled.

    Emeryn blinked, reluctantly pulling her gaze away from Goslin. ¡°We better go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we better,¡± Goslin agreed, his voice thick. The moment between them fled, and they turned to follow Kax, leaving all those strange bodies behind.

 Book 1: Chapter 29

    Sarien and Tomford returned to the field where they¡¯d fought against the rhinn soldiers. Fresh mounds of dirt indicated where the farmers buried their bodies by the side of the road. Otherwise, the large green field was undisturbed.

    ¡°One of them is dug up,¡± Tomford said, indicating to one of the mounds. Dirt was flung in all directions as if someone had frantically dug up the makeshift grave. He straightened. ¡°Do you think one of them was still alive?¡±

    ¡°The ones you defeated ran off,¡± Sarien said. ¡°They could have returned.¡±

    Tomford looked a little sheepish. ¡°Right. Didn¡¯t think of that. That¡¯s the problem with not wanting to kill anyone.¡±

    Sarien unsheathed the rhinn blade. It now held only one mind, after he¡¯d released the other inside the Felix¡¯s house. The young couple had not been pleased but had provided Sarien and Tomford with two horses and a sack of food. The amount in the purse that Sarien passed to them was enough to rebuild their house many times over.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try releasing the other one,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Right. Just don¡¯t aim that thing in my direction.¡± Tomford took his reins and backed away.

    Sarien pointed the sword up at the clear sky. Black flames wrapped around the obsidian blade. He concentrated and found the screaming consciousness trapped deep inside and when he let out a breath, the release was just as violent as the one in the farmstead. Energy blasted from the sword in an arc of black fire. It continued shooting upward silently, then finally dissipated.

    The sword crumbled in Sarien¡¯s hand, turning to a fine black dust. He wiped the last bit of it off on his coat, frowning.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t expect the sword to just disintegrate like that.¡±

    A muffled sound grabbed their attention, and they turned to look at the mounds of dirt. One of them was moving!

    ¡°What in the drought is going on?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°The rhinn soldier,¡± Sarien answered. ¡°I think releasing them from the sword allows them to return to their bodies.¡± So, Sarien¡¯s speculations were correct. The bodies weren¡¯t dead, just empty.

    Sarien and Tomford watched as a rhinn soldier fought his way free of his grave, screaming with his mouth full of dirt. He stood and looked around, wild-eyed, until his focus settled on Sarien. He screamed again in terror and ran, looking frantically over his shoulder every few steps as if he feared Sarien would follow.

    ¡°Should we catch him?¡±

    ¡°What would we do with him? I¡¯m not going to kill someone who¡¯s defenseless and fleeing, and we don¡¯t want to keep a prisoner with us, do we?¡±

    ¡°I guess not,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Just feels a little strange to let him run off.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    They sat in silence for a moment longer, watching the rhinn as he grew smaller and smaller in the distance, until he disappeared by the horizon.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head to Tyralien, then?¡± Sarien asked.

    Felix and Mil were kind enough to give them directions before they left the farmstead. Tyralien wasn¡¯t far and Sarien hoped they would find the others soon if they had survived the kozimuz attack.

    They rode along the road without meeting a single soul. The landscape didn¡¯t change much either, just large empty fields lining both sides of the road. It gave Sarien a sense of being stuck in time, and eventually he spoke just to break up the monotony. ¡°You¡¯re from Vatnbloet.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Your family are nobles there?¡±

    Tomford glanced at Sarien. ¡°They are.¡±

    ¡°Right. But you started out wanting to be a priest?¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°No. I¡¯ve never wanted to be a priest. But if you¡¯re born with the gift, you¡¯re sent to the priesthood. It¡¯s an honor for your family if you manifest the ability to heal. The priests are almost like a guild of sorts, like the wind mages in Loft, or the heaters guild in Eldsprak.¡±

    ¡°Heaters?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°Never heard that one.¡±

    ¡°Heat mages.¡±

    ¡°Right, of course. So, what did you want to become if not a healer?¡±

    It took him a little while to answer. ¡°I wanted to be a grower, but that was never going to happen. You¡¯d have to be born in the Kinship for that.¡±

    ¡°Strange that,¡± Sarien mused.

    Tomford frowned. ¡°Strange how?¡±

    ¡°That your place of birth dictates what kind of mage you become. What happens if you¡¯re born right on the border?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tomford said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to experiment and try for yourself. The priesthood teaches that the gods divided the realm amongst themselves to end the endless war. Ocea blessed the land that we now call Vatnbloet and made it her own, thus allowing hydromancers to be born in her loving embrace. If the other kingdoms work the same way, that means you can¡¯t manifest powers if you¡¯re born right on the border.¡± He thought for a second. ¡°Or in the sea, like on a ship, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°What about before the gods, then? Were there no water mages before Vatnbloet existed?¡±

    ¡°The priesthood has no records of that since we don¡¯t predate Ocea. For all we know, the gods were around for an eternity before they were killed.¡±

    ¡°I understand that. So, you wanted to be a grower. How did you end up a fighting priest, then?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot of questions today.¡±

    Sarien grinned up at his friend. ¡°Just getting to know you.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me what you wanted to be when you grew up,¡± Tomford said, matching Sarien¡¯s grin.

    ¡°An adventurer, of course! Like my father.¡±

    ¡°And now you¡¯re on an adventure of your own, looking for him,¡± Tomford said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    ¡°My turn?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°How did you end up here?¡±

    Sarien saw Tomford¡¯s brow furrow in thought, as if trying to piece together his own story.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to join the priests, so I hid my abilities for a long time. But, one day, one of the street urchins I played with broke her arm. She kept crying and crying and I knew that if she wasn¡¯t treated immediately, her arm would heal incorrectly and be malformed for the rest of her life. She already lived on scraps she dug out of the trash, fighting against older men and women who were also desperate for food. A broken arm was a disadvantage and could lead to starvation. I had no choice, so I healed her. Anyway, my brother saw me and ratted me out. After that, my family forced me into the priesthood as an acolyte. I hated it. All that piety and worship of a dead god that we pretend wasn¡¯t spiteful and jealous of her subjects. Didn¡¯t see the point. Learning to use my power more efficiently was the only reason I tolerated the priesthood. Healing was fun and I learned fast, but that was such a small part of it. We fought a lot amongst ourselves, the acolytes, I mean, as a way to pass the time. Got my ass kicked so many times, but we needed some way to feel alive.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°That¡¯s where you learned to fight, then?¡±

    Tomford cleared his throat. ¡°Learned is a very strong word, but that¡¯s where it began, yes. We visited hospitals across the country as part of our training, and I had to deal with stab wounds and all kinds of physical trauma. Horrible stuff. Knew then that I never wanted to hold a sword.¡±

    ¡°What about Eldsprak Academy?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°What about it? I found that nobles from kingdoms other than Eldsprak could apply to join, so I did. Never specified that I was a priest. When I was accepted, the priests or my father couldn¡¯t deny me going, not without losing face. Had to train with weapons there, but at least they were blunted.¡±

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t go back home after graduating.¡±

    Tomford shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no place for me in the priesthood anymore. There was an accident during our final test at the academy. I killed a man. By mistake, but that makes no difference to them. Or to me, for that matter. My family would take me back, but I see nothing compelling about that life.¡±

    ¡°So, what will you do when we¡¯re done with Goslin¡¯s quest?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll visit Jordfaste and see the growers. Healing and growing are similar, I think. If they let me in, maybe we could learn something from each other.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Sounds like a good plan.¡±

    The road and silence stretched long again, and they still hadn¡¯t met a single person since the fleeing rhinn. Sarien had never stepped foot in Tyriu before, but he was certain the kingdom was more populated than it appeared, which begged the question, where was everyone?

    Insects buzzed and birds soared far overhead or sat pecking in the fields. The wind blew with a cold breeze, though the black leather armor they¡¯d been given from Falfarel kept them warm.

    The world was alive. Alive, but empty. Each house and farm they passed was deserted. Every village sat empty. Sarien and Tomford stopped at one village to explore and discovered that the villagers left behind their animals and possessions. Some tables were still cluttered with half-eaten meals. When they left, they did so in a hurry.

    ¡°How do you feel about adventuring now, then?¡± Tomford asked after they¡¯d left the eerily empty village behind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m filthy a lot of the time and the thrilling action in the stories is terrifying when you face it yourself. But it¡¯s better than mucking stables.¡±

    ¡°You used to be a stable hand? Thought you said you grew up on an estate.¡±

    ¡°Worked at an estate. My father was the huntsmaster, but he left me¡ª¡±

    Tomford cut him off. ¡°People.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Something forced all the farmers and villagers to flee.¡± He nodded ahead. ¡°These might be the ones behind it.¡±

    ¡°Or they¡¯re ordinary people who might have some information or are in need of help.¡±

    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll find out who they are soon enough.¡±

    Sarien narrowed his eyes as he rode toward the cluster of people. He quickly spotted the thin, long silhouette of spears rising in the air. ¡°They¡¯re carrying weapons. Their uniforms might be black.¡±

    Tomford and Sarien reined in their horses. Both of them spoke at the same time. ¡°Rhinn.¡±

    ¡°How are they here?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°We know pyromancers made it over to their side. Why couldn¡¯t they come through here?¡±

    ¡°Right. Of course. Then why are they here?¡±

    Tomford looked around and raised his hands and arms in exasperation. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to hide. It¡¯s all just flatland and fields!¡±

    Sarien kept his eyes on the group. ¡°They¡¯ve stopped. I think they¡¯re doing something.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Sarien said. He couldn¡¯t see any more than Tomford, but he did, however, sense something. A familiar thrumming rumbled through him, resonating with an opening gateway.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of the travelers that Falfarel spoke of. They¡¯re opening one of their waypoints.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? There¡¯s no way you¡¯re seeing anything at this distance.¡±

    Sarien put his free hand to his chest. ¡°I can feel it in here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same as your power?¡±

    ¡°Almost, but not quite. Falfarel said they can¡¯t travel between worlds.¡± So, who, or what, opened the gateways between Rhinerien and Maydian?

    Tomford sighed. ¡°What a mess. That means they could be going anywhere.¡± He looked behind them and to all sides. ¡°It doesn¡¯t appear they¡¯re coming here, at least.¡±

    The thrumming took on a different tone, as if it had settled into a low, steady beat. ¡°Their gate is open.¡± They could see the bright light of the gate from where they sat on their horses.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sad to see them go,¡± Tomford said.

    The rhinn left, and the gate winked out of existence behind them. Tomford and Sarien spurred their horses into motion and continued on in silence, passing the spot where the rhinn soldiers had stood.

    For the rest of the day, they saw no one else, rhinn or human. Neither of them knew how to make a fire, so they ate cold bread and some sort of dried meat they bought from Felix. The horses grazed contentedly on the tall grass in the field.

    Night fell, and they slept soundly to wake with the coming dawn. They were both exhausted. The fight with the kozimuz only took place the day before and so much had occurred since then. Sarien didn¡¯t realize until much later that they should have set up watch overnight considering that the rhinn were present in the area, but the precaution escaped him. He wasn¡¯t like Goslin, a man trained to be a warrior and leader, someone who would have thought of all the safeguards necessary to survive. As he had told Tomford, he was a stable hand who¡¯d been thrown into this adventure almost by chance when his strange powers manifested.

    They approached a thick forest. It came into view from the west at first, then grew to cover the horizon as they continued south, like a sea of yellow and orange leaves as summer faded into fall. The road passed through the woods, and they would have to go through to get to Tyralien.

    At first, Sarien thought it would be a welcomed change of scenery from the rolling empty fields, but another group of rhinn waited on the road by the edge of the forest. This new group was partly hidden by a wooden structure, some sort of watch tower.

    Tomford and Sarien were too close to hide once the rhinn came into view. The soldiers had been sitting on the ground but shot to their feet when they saw the approaching riders.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Sarien asked.

    Tomford reached over to his pack and pulled out a pair of metal gauntlets. ¡°There¡¯s only four of them. Let¡¯s go through.¡± He dismounted and walked down the road to the soldiers. There was a confidence in his gait that Sarien hadn¡¯t noticed before. Tomford shouted over his shoulder. ¡°We could find out why they¡¯re here too! Coming?¡±

    Sarien sighed and dismounted. He grabbed his spear from the sheathe he¡¯d made himself and jogged to catch up with Tomford. The rhinn were shouting something at him and kept their spears lowered.

    By the time Sarien caught up, all four of the rhinn were already on the ground, all but one of them unconscious. Tomford¡¯s black leather chest piece had a large rip along the front and a nasty wound was healing quickly across his chest.

    ¡°You¡¯re not even breathing hard,¡± Sarien said.

    Tomford shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re not trained. Barely knows which end of their spears to keep pointed at you.¡± He grabbed the one still conscious soldier by the front of his black leather uniform. ¡°Let¡¯s ask this one some questions before we move on.¡±

    ¡°That human is a monster,¡± the rhinn said, looking at Tomford, his voice shaking almost as much as his hands.

    ¡°You better sit. We¡¯re going to have a little talk.¡± The rhinn eyed Sarien¡¯s obsidian spear and swallowed hard.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell us much,¡± Tomford said as they rode through the forest. He was yanking at the new leather chest piece he took from one of the defeated soldiers. It was much too small on Tomford¡¯s frame.

    Sarien and Tomford been on the road for a few hours after the fight at the outpost, following the road south. Some smaller roads connected from the west and the east, but way markers indicated that Tyralien was directly south.

    Sarien turned to look at his companion. ¡°Well, now we know that there are more of them around.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure, but we didn¡¯t need him to figure that out. He knew nothing about why they were in Tyriu.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense that a common foot soldier wouldn¡¯t know much about strategy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Still think he should have some idea. Or at least know where all the people around here went. It¡¯s like everyone up and disappeared south of Felix¡¯s farm. And why did he keep talking to you like he knew you?¡±

    Sarien shrugged. ¡°It was a mess. He was so scared he couldn¡¯t see straight. Kept looking at you like you were a monster.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to hurt him, but should we have just left him there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien said, sighing. ¡°Like with the one from the grave. What options did we have?¡±

    ¡°They could send more men after us.¡±

    Sarien half turned on his horse to look behind them, just to make sure they weren¡¯t being followed. ¡°Didn¡¯t think of that.¡± Once again, Sarien realized that he needed to be more aware of his actions.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Tomford asked. He grabbed his pack and reached for his gauntlets.

    Sarien stopped and peered down the long winding path. It looked like the forest was coming to an end up ahead. ¡°Yeah. What was that? An animal?¡± Sarien shuddered, thinking about the luisons and the kozimuz.

    They slowed down. The sound came again, louder this time, but the sound of horses¡¯ hooves drowned it out.

    ¡°I think it was a bark,¡± Tomford said, sitting up in his saddle.

    Sarien perked up. ¡°A dog?¡±

    A speck showed up on the road, running toward them. It quickly grew larger.

    ¡°Daisy!¡± Sarien shouted.

    Sarien and Tomford hopped out of their saddles and rushed toward the slobbering beast. Daisy shot through the air and landed on Sarien¡¯s chest, knocking him to the ground. The dog then proceeded to lick him all over his face.

    Sarien laughed and tried to push the dog off him while simultaneously hugging him. Daisy¡¯s tail wagged back and forth so fast it was a wonder the dog didn¡¯t take off into the air.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sarien laughed. He looked up at Tomford, who stood with his hand shielding his eyes from the sun.

    ¡°It¡¯s them,¡± Tomford said.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Hart¡¯s dog, isn¡¯t it? Must be them!¡± Tomford raised both arms above his head, waving them wildly.

    Sarien stood. The new arrivals were galloping now.

    ¡°It is them!¡± Tomford set off and Sarien followed.

 Book 1: Chapter 30 (Goslin)

    The air exploded with a flurry of cries as two groups rushed one another. Goslin grabbed both Sarien and Tomford, slapping them both on the back with excitement. He felt a tightening within him release. His friends were home again.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been fighting,¡± Sarien said, looking at his friends¡¯ torn clothes and dirty faces.

    ¡°Anyone hurt?¡± Tomford asked.

    ¡°We survived with only minor injuries. Heylien stepped in as the healer in your place,¡± Goslin said, indicating to the wound on his back. Heylien smiled broadly, though a little sheepishly as his efforts.

    Lana scoffed. ¡°Minor? Tom, please make sure Goslin and Kax don¡¯t die from stupidity.¡±

    ¡°Good thing you found us,¡± Tomford said as he unwrapped the bandage around Goslin¡¯s torso. The wound had begun to fester. Goslin felt the familiar chill run through his body. ¡°That was a pretty grim injury.¡±

    Tomford healed Kax, then shook his head. ¡°A day will come when I¡¯m not around to tend to your wounds. You should be more careful. Foolhardiness will be the end of you, if you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°We will be more mindful of our mortality,¡± Goslin promised.

    ¡°Did you also meet strange men on the road?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°They are called the rhinn,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Rhinn?¡± Kax asked, clutching tightly to the pommel of his sword. ¡°How do you know their name?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Tomford said. ¡°Wait, what happened to the kozimuz?¡±

    ¡°Killed it,¡± Hart said.

    ¡°What did you call it? Kasimuss?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°The gateway brought us to a land called Rhinerien,¡± Sarien began. ¡°The people there are called the rhinn and they¡¯re gathering an army. We briefly met with the resistance before we had to escape through a gateway I created. It was they who told us of these things, and about how the kozimuz are treated like evil legends.¡± He looked right at Goslin. ¡°There are pyromancers in Rhinerien working with the army.¡±

    ¡°So, that cursed beast really came from a different world,¡± Lana said.

    ¡°Something bad is happening right under our noses,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We need to get to Tyralien quickly so I can get word home to my father. Your news about pyromancers in that strange world is troubling.¡±

    ¡°We saw a group of them travel by using what they call waypoints. It¡¯s similar to what Sarien can do,¡± Tomford said.

    ¡°They disappeared through a tear in the air?¡± Heylien asked.

    Tomford nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Heylien¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°It¡¯s them we met on the road then.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re covered in their blood,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°Except for the one you called the traveler,¡± Heylien added. ¡°He got away.¡±

    ¡°We should depart.¡± Goslin said. Everyone mounted their horses, their spirits high from reuniting despite the worrying news of rhinn invading their world.

    Goslin shared what happened in their own travels and then Sarien filled them in on his discovery of releasing people from their magic prisons.

    Kax brandished his short sword. ¡°You should make more of these weapons for all of us. They¡¯re invincible. The price is not as steep when you have these rhinn to trap, right?¡±

    Sarien visibly shuddered at Kax¡¯s words, but it was Tomford who spoke first. ¡°That little arsehole accidentally trapped me for a moment. It¡¯s hell in there. No one deserves that kind of punishment. We¡¯re not doing that to anyone else.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not your decision to make. But Tom is right,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I¡¯m not trapping any more enemies unless I am forced to.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, you trapped Tom?¡± Lana asked.

    Tomford chuckled. ¡°And destroyed a farmer¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I paid for that!¡± Sarien said, laughing.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Kax said. ¡°You¡¯re telling us that story right now!¡±

    No more rhinn showed up during that day, but the empty landscape made for eerie traveling, and they all agreed to keep watch in shifts so they wouldn¡¯t be surprised when they camped for the night. Emeryn created a hole in the ground so they could hide a small fire to roast some potatoes and carrots, the last of their meager supplies. Goslin walked over to a nearby stream to bathe, taking his time to scrub the blood and gore from his skin, rubbing it raw. A chill wind blew when he emerged from the water, and he hurried to return near the fire.

    Before full dark, they extinguished their small campfire. There was no hiding even the smallest flame, unless Emeryn built a whole house around them, and she needed to conserve her energy so she could fight if they were discovered.

    Sarien asked for the first shift, and Goslin saw no reason to deny him.

    Goslin, however, found that he couldn¡¯t sleep. He wanted to go to Emeryn, to hold her, but this was not the time nor the place for it. He was to marry soon to a princess of Tyriu. If he was wise, he would put all thoughts of Emeryn out of his mind.

    Instead, to distract himself, he stood and trudged over to Sarien, who watched the dark while absentmindedly scratching Daisy¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Goslin?¡±

    He sat next to Sarien. ¡°Just me.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be sleeping?¡±

    ¡°I should, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m worried about what you saw in the other world and what we¡¯ll find.¡±

    ¡°In Tyralien?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it together when we get there.¡± Sarien scratched Daisy¡¯s head again. ¡°Whatever is happening, you¡¯ll come up with a plan to stop it. That way, you¡¯ll finish your quest and marry a princess. My journey will be over as well, if my father is in there.¡±

    ¡°You think too highly of me. And I¡¯ve had some second thoughts about the marriage.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Goslin sighed. ¡°Em.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sarien said, shifting uncomfortably. It seemed that Sarien wasn¡¯t interested in the matters of Goslin¡¯s heart. Goslin smiled wryly to himself. This would be one problem he would have to puzzle out himself.

    ¡°Hey, what happened to my spear?¡± Sarien asked, changing the subject.

    Goslin¡¯s mood darkened. ¡°Hart lost it.¡±

    Sarien looked stunned.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t quite been himself,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Not since he and Lana finished off that monster.¡±

    Sarien pursed his lips and looked thoughtful but didn¡¯t comment. Goslin let the silence stretch for a while, then spoke with some trepidation. ¡°Sarien?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°When you were in the tower. Did you hear anything¡­ suspicious?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the pyromancers in Rhinerien,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could say no,¡± Sarien began. ¡°There were few pyromancers in the tower. Most classes were on the supremacy of pyromancers above all other forms of magic. When you arrived and I was about to be thrown back into a cell. One of them commented on not being ready for something. For what, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think anything of it at the time. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°How would you know? But I don¡¯t like this at all. It reeks of revolt. The pyromancers have chafed under the Eldi Agreement ever since they signed the document, but I never thought they¡¯d go so far as to outright join hands with invaders and start a war against Tyriu of all places.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that for certain,¡± Sarien said. ¡°It could be something else.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien admitted. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°About when I was in the tower. I killed someone.¡±

    At first, Goslin thought the young mage beside him was joking, but his face was serious. ¡°You killed someone?¡±

    Sarien drew in a breath. ¡°The director of research experimented on me trying to understand my powers. That¡¯s how I got these scars,¡± he rolled up his sleeves to show lines going up his arms. ¡°She tortured me and planned on doing it again until I died under her knife. She was a monster with no regard for those she saw as beneath her. I killed her the night before you arrived. The tower didn¡¯t find out before I left,¡± Sarien paused. ¡°But they must know by now.¡±

    Goslin searched Sarien¡¯s face, then nodded. ¡°Do you feel that your actions were just?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Sarien said, staring back, his jaw set.

    ¡°Very well, I believe you,¡± Goslin said.

    Sarien blinked, a surprised look on his face. ¡°Just like that?¡±

    ¡°Sounds to me like you did what needed to be done. I trust your judgement, dear friend. You should rest now. I¡¯ll stay up and keep watch.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure. One of us should get some rest at least.¡±

    Sarien reached out in the dark and squeezed Goslin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll go then. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all turn out well in the end.¡±

    Goslin heard Sarien drop down onto his bedroll nearby and thought about what his friend had confessed. If Sarien had killed one of the directors of the tower, there would be consequences no matter his reasoning. If the pyromancers ever found Sarien again, they would seek their vengeance.

    All Goslin could do was fight alongside his friend when the time came.

    The road to Tyralien was not without obstacles. Just as they broke camp, two rhinn patrolmen came into view along the road, from behind a hill no more than fifty paces away. Their large eyes widened in surprise and they turned to run back the way they¡¯d come. Each of them fell to the ground, an arrow in one¡¯s back and the other in the neck.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just kill them!¡± Tomford yelled, pulling at Heylien¡¯s bow.

    Heylien¡¯s horse danced away. ¡°And what if they¡¯d made it back to their camp? Rhinn could come swarming over those hills! Or, worse, materialize out of thin air. You¡¯re the only invulnerable one here!¡± He pointed to the downed soldiers. ¡°The rest of us can die just as easy as they just did!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Goslin said. ¡°I know that tensions are high right now, but we need to keep calm. Tom, I¡¯m sorry, but they can¡¯t live.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tomford said. ¡°But I don¡¯t like it and I refuse to kill anyone.¡±

    ¡°Bashing their brains in is much better, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lana asked. ¡°It¡¯s them or us.¡±

    ¡°We might be able to talk to them,¡± Sarien said. ¡°One of them must know something about what is happening.¡±

    Emeryn nodded. ¡°That might be worth a try.¡±

    ¡°You want to capture one?¡± Heylien asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Just wished we could talk to them and learn why they¡¯re even here. The rhinn we spoke to in Rhinerien said something about their crops failing. They might just be desperate to survive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a noble idea, Sarien,¡± Goslin said, looking at Emeryn. ¡°We¡¯ll keep it in mind. How about that?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Was just a thought.¡±

    When they crested the next hill, Goslin realized immediately where the rhinn soldiers Heylien killed were fleeing to.

    The village below was swarming with men dressed in black uniforms. Hundreds of them. The group fell silent.

    ¡°Back, back now,¡± Goslin said, turning his horse to return from where they had come. ¡°We¡¯ll need to go around.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Tyralien in the distance?¡± Lana asked. ¡°We¡¯re close.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go through them,¡± Hart said. ¡°It¡¯ll be fun.¡± Everyone gave Hart a flat look, then promptly ignored him. It seemed Hart¡¯s bloodlust had returned.

    ¡°More patrols will come,¡± Kax said. ¡°They¡¯ll find the dead soldiers.¡±

    ¡°Damn. We should have hidden them,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°As long as we¡¯re not here when they discover the bodies, we should be fine,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°Like I said, we¡¯ll go around them,¡± Goslin said. ¡°I don¡¯t see any other way.¡±

    They rode in a wide path around the village to avoid discovery. Even if the dead bodies were discovered, no rhinn soldiers were sent after them. Heylien rode a little ahead to make sure they didn¡¯t run into another patrol. Almost an hour later, the village was safely behind them and the way to Tyralien lay open before them.

    ¡°Tyriu should have been able to send a message out to alert the other kingdoms,¡± Goslin said.

    ¡°Maybe they did,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°We¡¯re not exactly swimming in information here,¡± Kax agreed.

    ¡°Kleotram should have known if that was the case,¡± Goslin said. ¡°But it makes no difference now. We¡¯ll soon see for ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I think we already can,¡± Emeryn said, pointing toward Tyralien. ¡°Look outside the walls.¡±

    Goslin saw large clusters of bodies milling around the city walls. From this distance, they looked like insects.

    ¡°Are those people?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go before we come upon another rhinn patrol finds us.¡±

    Goslin rode off and the rest of the group followed. They were close enough now to see frenetic movements up on the tall walls of Tyralien and to see the main gates were closed despite it being the middle of the day.

    A group of rhinn patrolled the road off to the south of where the group was riding. Goslin ignored them and kept going, pushing his horse hard, and racing past them. The rhinn in the patrol pointed and yelled, but they were on foot and had no hope of catching them.

    It soon became clear that the city was under siege. Thousands of rhinn crowded around the outside of Tyralien¡¯s walls. Goslin saw arrows flying in both directions, could hear the faint sound of rhinn screaming and dying as they pitted themselves against the massive fortifications.

    Goslin stopped abruptly. They¡¯d been spotted by more of the rhinn soldiers, who gestured wildly in their direction.

    The city was surrounded. Most of the enemy troops were assaulting from the south, but they could see rhinn all around the outside of the city.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°There¡¯s no way inside.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t fight them. There¡¯s too many,¡± Lana said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go through.¡± Goslin felt a strange sense calm overcome him. They had no choice. There was no other way than forward.

    ¡°What do you mean, go through?¡± Heylien asked, bewildered.

    Goslin pointed north. ¡°They don¡¯t have horses, as far as I can see. There are plenty of smaller entrances on the north side of the wall. If we make it to one of those gates, we can convince the defenders to let us in, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°If that doesn¡¯t work, I can make us an entrance,¡± Emeryn said, riding up to Goslin¡¯s side.

    ¡°Or I¡¯ll cut one for us,¡± Hart boasted. He looked eager and much like his old self.

    Goslin glanced to Sarien. ¡°You can¡¯t, you know?¡± he waved his hands around.

    ¡°I could try, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯d make it in time,¡± Sarien said. Waves of rhinn soldiers were approaching from all directions.

    Goslin was ready to give the word for them to race for the north gates when, at that moment, the impossible happened.

    A scream came from above them. Far above. No, not a scream. Someone yelling.

    ¡°BASTARDS!¡±

    Goslin looked up, dumbfounded. There was something in the sky.

    He shielded his eyes against the sun and thought he saw¡­ was it a kite? A person hung from some sort of contraption, almost like a sail.

    The man was approaching fast, high above their heads. Another word, ¡°ARSEHOLES!¡± drifted down, and the man hurtled past through the air at an impossible speed, shooting straight for Tyralien.

    ¡°Is that man¡­ flying?¡± Emeryn asked. Her mouth was hanging open, eyes wide.

    Kax looked just as stunned. ¡°I want to do that.¡±

    They watched as the flying man soared past the walls of the city and disappeared.

    ¡°Was he naked?¡± Tomford asked, blinking.

    Lana groaned.

    ¡°What?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°I think I know him,¡± she answered, then looked around. The rhinn soldiers were only a few paces away. ¡°Shit! We have to go! Now!¡±

    ¡°Go!¡± Goslin yelled, pointing his horse north. He set off riding for a gap in the enemy lines and everyone followed. Daisy kept pace with them, running at full tilt to match the horses¡¯ stride. Goslin set a fast pace to give them a chance at outmaneuvering the foot soldiers. He found a gap in the first line and they shot through.

    The rhinn looked surprised, but soon gathered themselves for pursuit. Goslin set his shoulders and bent down close to the horse¡¯s neck as they flew through the masses of soldiers that swarmed toward them.

    Arrows flew through the air, but the rhinn archers didn¡¯t seem very practiced. A few even hit their own companions as Goslin broke through another gap in their lines.

    Tyralien was massive, and it took longer than Goslin hoped to circle around to the north side, but they made it through the worst of it without having to fight at all. Rhinn troop placements on the northern side of the city was sparse. The enemies were spaced too far apart and lacked any semblance of coherence. Small groups of rhinn clustered far off to their left, and some patrolled along the road in the grass field where Goslin directed the group further along the city wall. They looked at Goslin¡¯s group, unsure how to react.

    ¡°There are more of them here than I¡¯d like!¡± Kax yelled. ¡°They¡¯ve almost surrounded the entire city!¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t that many of them!¡± Heylien yelled back. He drew an arrow and shot a rhinn man that managed to step in their path. The rhinn soldier fell with a scream, and that, finally, made the small army surrounding the group take notice and act.

    Goslin gave his horse free rein. The horses were tired from the mad sprint, but there was no helping it. The rhinn swarmed like ants from all directions. It didn¡¯t matter if they faced a hundred men or a thousand, they would not be able to make it out alive if they were caught in the middle.

    Goslin looked behind them and saw Daisy fall behind. The dog couldn¡¯t keep up and had to dodge and run around rhinn who tried to catch the animal or attack him with spears.

    ¡°A gate!¡± Emeryn yelled, pointing to the city wall as it towered above them. It was small. More of a door, and there was no road leading to it. But it was their only chance. Goslin saw the curious looks of Tyriu soldiers up at the top of the wall, but they did nothing to aid them in their mad dash.

 Book 1: Chapter 31

    Sarien rode recklessly after the others, following Goslin as he rushed for the base of the wall surrounding Tyralien. The rhinn closed around them quickly and Sarien watched Goslin nearly fly off his horse as he dismounted and banged on the small door. The rest of the group dismounted and placed themselves in a half-circle with their backs against their leader, weapons drawn.

    Goslin¡¯s frantic pounding barely made a sound against the thick metal door. He then pressed his ear to the door and shook his head.

    ¡°Em? Can you get us in?¡±

    Sarien swallowed and braced himself as he saw a barrage of rhinn advance toward them. Daisy had at least caught up and looked unharmed, his gray and white fur was covered in dirt, but, to Sarien¡¯s relief, free from any blood.

    Emeryn nodded sharply to Goslin and walked up to the stone wall, placing her hand on it. Heylien started firing off arrows into the oncoming wall of rhinn soldiers. Each one struck true, but the number of downed enemies wasn¡¯t enough to even make a visible difference in the milling mass that descended on their position.

    Emeryn looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened. ¡°Buy me some time!¡±

    The horses bucked and dashed off. Sarien didn¡¯t try to grab for the reins. There was no use in keeping them anymore.

    Rhinn soldiers circled them, inching forward slowly, their spears pointed at Sarien and the others. The only saving grace in that moment was that they didn¡¯t seem to have a proper officer among them, and no one wanted to make the first move.

    Sarien did the only thing he could think of to scare them off. Black flames enveloped his spear, silently dancing along the obsidian surface. He held up his spear with one hand. With his left hand, he brought forth as much of the white flame as he could muster.

    Both flames grew as he focused, and the rhinn stopped their advance. Everyone¡¯s attention fixated on Sarien, including his own group, everyone except for Emeryn, who faced away from him to.

    Power surged through Sarien and he felt the white and black flames pull toward one another, as if a powerful wind blew at them from opposite directions. Sarien realized too late that this was his first time manifesting both flames at once, and he wondered if it was a mistake. Perhaps the barrier inside him kept them apart for a good reason.

    Sarien broadened his stance and pulled his arms wider, creating distance between the two flames, but the movement only stoked them brighter. Both powers enveloped around his spear and hand, growing larger in size.

    A bead of cold sweat ran down his back as he struggled against the flames.

    ¡°Uh, Sarien. What are you doing?¡± Kax asked, glancing between Sarien¡¯s flames and the troops. The rhinn stood still and had done so since the black flame made its appearance. They eyed him warily and their archers didn¡¯t even lift their bows. All they did was stare and wait.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Sarien yelled, struggling against his powers. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen if they touch!¡±

    ¡°Then put them out!¡± Heylien said, his voice threaded with alarm.

    ¡°No!¡± Goslin had his shield on and was standing to block Emeryn while she worked her magic. ¡°It¡¯s keeping the rhinn at bay.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Emeryn yelled. The door screeched open on rusted hinges. A large chunk of stone wall was missing around the door¡¯s lock.

    Goslin waved toward the opening. ¡°Everyone inside! Em, get ready to close it back up!¡±

    Sarien watched from the corner of his eye as the others darted through the small door, but he couldn¡¯t move. His entire focus was on keeping the powers from combining. The rhinn soldiers had snapped out of their reverie when the noticed the others escaping and began moving forward again.

    ¡°Sarien, let¡¯s go!¡± Goslin shouted.

    Sarien gritted his teeth. ¡°I can¡¯t move! It¡¯s like they have a will of their own!¡± He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the narrow space between the flames, either. They were so close now. Almost touching. Physical force wouldn¡¯t be able to keep them apart, so Sarien used the only other thing he could think of. His will.

    Thought worked where strength didn¡¯t. His arms burned. The two flames flickered in the air, but Sarien asserted his will, driving them apart. They writhed around each other wildly but couldn¡¯t merge. The mental barrier was enough to block them, just like the one inside him.

    Was the one inside his own making as well?

    The rhinn rushed forward, perhaps sensing Sarien¡¯s confusion and preoccupation. The black flame, Sarien¡¯s slaying, grew and billowed, as if angry. It whipped out in an arc through the crowd like wildfire in dry grass, dropping rhinn soldiers like flies. They didn¡¯t scream, didn¡¯t react at all. The enemy just dropped limp to the ground. Screams rose from those who watched their fellow soldiers collapse around them, and within a few beats of Sarien¡¯s strangely calm heart, they turned to run. He managed to extinguish the white flame.

    The collective cries of more than a hundred rhinn filled Sarien¡¯s mind. His mind exploded with the terror of all those trapped rhinn. Sarien cried out in anguish, a wordless scream of horror at what he had done that rang in tandem with all those poor souls.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Goslin yelled.

    ¡°Too many!¡± Sarien managed to get out the words. Barely. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡°

    Goslin reached over, holding his shield out for Sarien to take. ¡°Use this!¡±

    As soon as Sarien grabbed the metal rim, black flames ran across the surface, and Goslin jerked away, careful not to let it touch him. Tears streamed down Sarien¡¯s face as he directed the captured rhinn into the metal, turning it dark gray, then obsidian black.

    His mind quieted. It was his own again. Sweet release. The black flames winked out. Sarien got to his feet unsteadily and staggered through the open door, where his friends all gaped at him in silence.

    Goslin hurried after and shut the door behind him. ¡°Em! Lock it!¡±

    Emeryn pushed through the group and placed a hand on the stone. The wall seemed to melt under her touch. In a matter of seconds, the whole door disappeared behind a new layer of stone.

    ¡°That should do it,¡± she gasped. The only light had come from thin gaps around the door. When Emeryn closed them, it threw the whole narrow pathway into darkness.

    ¡°Now what?¡± Kax asked, his voice echoing loudly along the stone walls.

    ¡°We find a way up into the keep,¡± Goslin said. ¡°This must be an escape tunnel. It should take us right where we need to go.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it better guarded?¡± Lana asked, lighting a small lantern. Where she found that, Sarien didn¡¯t know. He sat slumped against the ground and had to struggle back to his feet before he could follow the others. The light was barely enough to see by back at the tail end of the group, so he followed Goslin blindly.

    ¡°They might not know about it. This place is old,¡± Kax said. ¡°Looks abandoned.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°But the door¡ª¡± Lana began.

    ¡°The other entrance is probably hidden somewhere. Why bother guarding a door you can¡¯t open?¡± Kax asked.

    Heylien chuckled darkly. ¡°Or it could be a trap.¡±

    ¡°Trap,¡± Hart agreed.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Kax said.

    The path was one long hallway. At the end of it, they found a crumbling spiral staircase. It wasn¡¯t until Goslin started up the stairs that Sarien saw it. The shield. ¡°You brought it?¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡± Goslin asked, looking over his shoulder before turning around. They both stopped, and the small light from Lana¡¯s lantern disappeared above them, leaving them in darkness.

    Sarien brought out his own flame, cold and stark. He pointed at the shield. ¡°That.¡±

    ¡°What was I supposed to do? Leave it out there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien admitted. ¡°How can you hold it? How can you stand the screams?¡±

    Goslin shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything. A sort of vague sense of uneasiness is all I get, and that I have at all times, anyway.¡±

    Sarien reached out and touched it. He immediately regretted the decision and pulled back. ¡°I hear them. Kax hears the bandit in his sword. Why are you different?¡±

    ¡°No idea. I¡¯m nothing special.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true, and you know it,¡± Sarien said. They stared at each other for a few seconds while Sarien¡¯s embarrassment grew.

    ¡°Thank you, Sarien. That means a lot,¡± Goslin finally said, holding the round shield a little higher. ¡°I wonder what this can do now.¡±

    ¡°Do?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The weapons cut through almost anything. Do you think this will protect against any attack?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien said, then his eyes widened. ¡°My spear!¡± In the commotion outside, when the black flames consumed all those rhinn, he¡¯d dropped it. Sarien hadn¡¯t realized until that moment. He couldn¡¯t even remember if it discharged or not. ¡°It¡¯s still out there.¡±

    ¡°It will be fine, dear friend,¡± Goslin said, patting Sarien¡¯s shoulder with his free hand. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to fit it in here, anyway. Too narrow a passage.¡± Perhaps Goslin was right, or he just wanted to put Sarien¡¯s mind at ease. Either way, Sarien couldn¡¯t help but feel naked without a weapon, and he¡¯d just handed the enemy a powerful artefact.

    ¡°Uh, Goslin?¡± Kax asked. The sound came echoing down the staircase, as if coming from far above.

    Goslin peered up into the darkness and moved the shield so he carried it on his back. ¡°We¡¯re coming.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dead end up here,¡± Hart said, his voice sounding flat.

    Sarien hurried behind Goslin, holding up his white flame to provide enough light to move by. Something shot past his legs and Sarien yelped in fright before realizing it was Daisy. Sarien shook his head. The dog was surprisingly light on its feet when he wished to be, but he was comforted by the dog¡¯s presence.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Goslin asked when they reached the others. They emerged in a small, circular room constructed entirely of bare stone. The air was thick and musty, like it hadn¡¯t moved in years.

    Heylien, Kax, and Tomford moved aside to show a blank wall with a faint outline showing where a door might have been at some point in the past. ¡°Now we know why it wasn¡¯t guarded,¡± Heylien said.

    Kax grinned, but there was a hint of nervousness on his face. ¡°At least it wasn¡¯t a trap!¡±

    Emeryn stood with her hand against the stone. Then she frowned and stepped away. ¡°I think there¡¯s a passage behind it.¡±

    ¡°How many flights of stairs was that?¡± Tomford asked. ¡°We have to be pretty high up by now.¡±

    Goslin shrugged and went over to Emeryn, putting a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Can you open it for us?¡±

    Emeryn frowned. ¡°Yes. But there¡¯s something I have to try now that we have a moment¡¯s respite.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had this sense since losing my arm. When Sarien tried to heal me.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lana asked.

    Emeryn took another step back, away from the sealed wall. She raised her hand, palm forward. ¡°It¡¯s like the ground itself is singing to me. Like I¡¯m a part of it. It¡¯s even stronger here surrounded by stone.¡± She drifted off and her brows furrowed with concentration.

    Then the stones began to move.

    ¡°What in Ivan¡¯s scorched beard is happening right now?¡± Kax asked, taking a step back and pointing to Emeryn¡¯s feet. ¡°You¡¯re not even touching it! How are you doing that?¡±

    The blockage crumbled into smaller stones and fell away, revealing a dark corridor. Emeryn¡¯s smiled serenely. ¡°If I¡¯m already part of the stone, why should I have to touch it?¡±

    ¡°What you just did is impossible,¡± Tomford protested.

    A mischievous gleam entered Emeryn¡¯s eyes at the words. ¡°I know. Shall we go?¡±

    ¡°Well done, Em,¡± Goslin said.

    Lana stepped through the opening and the others followed. Sarien watched as Goslin stopped Emeryn, holding her back. It seemed he wanted a moment alone with her.

    Sarien followed Lana¡¯s lantern light. Emeryn had mentioned feeling a strange new sense within her since he failed to heal her from the luison¡¯s bite. He remembered that his white flame had enveloped Emeryn and touched the earth below their feet.

    Was this his doing? Did he connect Emeryn to the earth through his power? There was so much he didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°It¡¯s wood this time,¡± Tomford said from up ahead.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Another barrier,¡± Hart said. ¡°A door?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it,¡± Heylien answered. ¡°Just a bare wall. The wood is treated too, like furniture.¡±

    Goslin hurried up behind Sarien, panting, his cheeks red. Emeryn followed close behind, her hand in his.

    ¡°Has to be the hidden entrance, right?¡± Kax asked. ¡°Push!¡± Grunts and groans filled the corridor as Kax, Hart, and Heylien pushed against the hidden door. Soon, a crack of light appeared and Sarien extinguished his flame. The gap grew wider as Heylien braced his legs and pushed. The wall suddenly fell away and Heylien stumbled through the opening, Kax and Hart falling on top of him.

    Sarien hurried through only to be met by the sharp end of a spear. A group of surprised guards in the colors of Tyriu surrounded them. Sarien immediately lifted his arms as he took in the room. It was bathed in sunlight coming from several tall windows. A few finely carved chairs sat around a square table that was loaded with books, parchment, and what looked like maps of the city.

    Goslin pushed past Sarien. ¡°I am Goslin of House Steerian, here to meet with King Caelin. He is expecting me.¡±

    The guards took some convincing, but they finally brought the group to a very distraught king. Located in the middle of the castle, the throne room was surrounded by a courtyard that allowed for windows on all sides of the large space except the wall behind the throne, where enormous paintings hung depicting the heroes in various stages of their struggle against the gods.

    The heroes were especially popular in Tyriu. Them not having a god to rule them left the kingdom insignificant and oppressed during their terrible reign, which made their freedom afterward all the sweeter.

    The bare stone walls were all painted white, and white marble pillars lined the path from the great front doors to the throne from which the king presided. It was a huge hall, and it appeared all the bigger now that it was completely empty except for the king, his guards, Sarien, and his friends.

    Tyriu¡¯s monarch sat slumped back in the ornate chair he used as his throne, and his crown sat askew on top of his head, sticking in a tangle of curly blond hair. Caelin was a young king, only about two decades older than Goslin himself, and the disheveled appearance, together with reddish cheeks and a sullen look on his face, made the king look even younger.

    ¡°King Caelin,¡± Goslin said, bowing slightly.

    Caelin sighed and sat up a little straighter on his throne. ¡°Goslin of House Steerian. From your father¡¯s letter, we expected you sooner. And not that you would come scurrying through our barred escape tunnels, like a rat.¡±

    ¡°Apologies,¡± Goslin said, straightening. ¡°We encountered some trouble in our travels, and the front gate to the city didn¡¯t seem appropriate with all those guests already here.¡±

    The king¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Do you know who these devil-men are? Where they¡¯re coming from?¡±

    ¡°Rhinn, from Rhinerien,¡± Goslin said, pointing to Sarien. ¡°My friend has been there. They have come here through gates between our worlds.¡±

    Caelin did not look amused. ¡°They have mounted raids into the city, appearing from nowhere, striking, then disappearing. You¡¯re telling me they have a way to just step from one place to another?¡°

    Sarien looked a little uncomfortable, but he stepped forward to speak. ¡°They call it traveling.¡±

    ¡°Ah, a pyromancer!¡± Caelin said, pointing at Sarien¡¯s chest where the pyromancer¡¯s guild seal hung on his chest. ¡°We will put you to good use! We¡¯re sorely lacking in offensive power as it is.¡±

    Goslin stepped in, clearing his throat. ¡°My friend here only holds the title ceremonially.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Caelin barked. ¡°Ceremonial fire mage?¡±

    ¡°I would have expected the rhinn to use traveling far more extensively than just mounting raids,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°And you are?¡± the king asked. ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t care. Syster is in charge of the defense. You should speak with her after we¡¯re done here.¡±

    ¡°A woman in charge of your war effort?¡± Lana asked, obviously impressed.

    ¡°Whoever is best for the job,¡± Caelin said. He then looked at Goslin. ¡°You¡¯re here for one of my daughters. To marry.¡± Sarien caught Goslin glance quickly at Emeryn. ¡°A quest then! You will help defend Tyralien and deal with whatever they put into our underground tunnels, blocking them! There are concerning reports about people hearing strange sounds from down there, and someone saw tentacles coming up from a grate! Like an octopus! We sent some men down there to investigate.¡±

    ¡°What did they find?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°They have not returned yet,¡± the king muttered.

    ¡°When did they enter?¡± Kax asked.

    The king fidgeted with the sleeve of his robes. ¡°Yesterday morning.¡± Then sighed again. ¡°So, do you accept the quest? We need access to the water.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you defend your city, and I promise we¡¯ll find your men,¡± Goslin said.

    Sarien visibly gathered his courage and spoke before the king could answer. ¡°I¡¯m looking for my father. Talc Wald. He sometimes goes by Trym. He¡¯s a pyromancer.¡±

    The king shrugged and sunk down a little further along the seat of his throne. ¡°We don¡¯t have any pyromancers inside these walls.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s face burned, but he did not relent. ¡°Mohalim then? A smith.¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I know any smiths? Talk with Syster!¡± He waved a hand, dismissing them.

 Book 1: Chapter 32

    The gate to the main hall closed and was locked from the inside. Two soldiers led the group forward, while one at the back made sure no one lagged behind.

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but stare at all the paintings of the heroes. They were vivid with color and depicted battles, dripping with red to show rivers of blood, as well as quiet nights around campfires, dark and heavy.

    The heroes were in all of them, most represented by different colors attached to their specific powers, Sarien figured. Light blue for Asmund the Aeromancer, red for Ivan the Burner, a legendary pyromancer, black for Ein Godslayer, and so on.

    Asmund and Ivan were the most famous of the fabled group, but those without magical abilities had always interested Sarien more, like Ein. No one really knew what he did, but he was supposedly the one who had figured out how to kill the evil tyrants. Very little was known about him, and Sarien had always loved the mysterious figure as a child.

    The soldier behind Sarien gave him a nudge, and he hurried to catch up to the others, muttering, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    More paintings followed, depicting the visage of the heroes that Sarien hadn¡¯t know existed. Actual portraits!

    There was Liv with a blocky face and proud posture that radiated authority. Sarien wouldn¡¯t have known that it was her except for the heavy armor she wore. He had pictured her differently in his mind.

    Another poke in his back. ¡°You have to keep moving, sir. Your friends are waiting for you.¡±

    Sarien looked up and saw them at the end of the hallway, far ahead of him. He apologized again.

    Sarien hurried along, still glancing at the paintings as he passed. Ivan looked just as Sarien thought he would, with intense eyes that almost burned, and hair that stood unkempt in every direction, fire roaring behind him as he stared straight ahead with an expression of complete rage, his mouth open in a toothy snarl.

    Sarien looked ahead but then snapped back to look at the next painting after seeing it out of the corner of his eye. He chuckled. It almost looked like Heradion. That same old face with a sense of agelessness. The white hair was different though, and he had water circling around him to show off his hydromancy. Jouko the hydromancer. That particular hero was one of the less known ones.

    The soldier shoved, obviously impatient with Sarien¡¯s lingering. Goslin and the others disappeared through an opened door.

    Ein¡¯s wife was next in the line of portraits. Anja was depicted a beauty with large, expressive eyes and a wide smile that seemed to warm everything around her. The painting showed her blonde hair blonde with streaks of chestnut, rather than the raven black he¡¯d read about.

    Sarien¡¯s view was suddenly blocked. The soldier stepped between him and the wall, grabbing his arm. ¡°Look here, you little shit. If Syster has to wait for you, I¡¯ll get the blame. Understand this, you don¡¯t want to make her angry.¡± He pulled at Sarien, hurrying him along.

    They made it through the door and Sarien saw Kax at the end of another hall entering a room. The soldier rushed him down the length of the hallway and didn¡¯t let go of his tight hold on Sarien¡¯s arm until he ushered Sarien inside.

    Goslin was speaking with a woman with a severe looking face and her gray hair tied in a bun at the back of her head when Sarien entered. Chain mail armor covered her from her neck to her toes and she carried a large sword in a sheathe at her side.

    Syster, captain of the defense of Tyralien. She stood with both palms planted flat on a table that held a map of Tyralien and the lands surrounding the city. ¡°We could use you in a dozen different places, but if some of you have to go below, then so be it. It would be good to clear it out if possible. A lack of water will end up killing more than swords if this siege goes on much longer. There¡¯s an escape route down there, too, should we need it for transporting food or, in the worst case, evacuation of the king.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what manner of creature is down there?¡± Lana asked, her eyes wide with wonder as she stared up at the much taller woman.

    Syster looked up at Sarien as he approached the table, then back to Lana. ¡°Afraid not. Some sort of creature. We¡¯ve had some new reports of people hearing strange noises through the grates and sounds of struggle. A house collapsed in on itself. Tendrils that looked like the arms of an octopus whipped around and injured a few citizens but withdrew when we rained arrows upon it. We thought those devils outside brought it in through the escape tunnel, but now we¡¯re not so sure.¡±

    ¡°At least arrows can hurt it,¡± Heylien said.

    Goslin turned to Sarien. ¡°Did you and Tomford see anything like that in Rhinerien?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tomford said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ll go with those defending the walls. My fists are no use against monstrous creatures.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Sarien, you should go down there. You can light the way if a torch or lantern is insufficient. Perhaps your powers will prove useful against whatever creature is down there.¡±

    Sarien swallowed hard. ¡°Right. By myself?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Kax said. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you. My sword can hurt anything!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Lana and Heylien, you should go as well. Hart, I¡¯d feel better if you aided Sarien with your sword.¡±

    Hart looked to Sarien and then Goslin. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Princeling.¡±

    Goslin and Hart stared at each other for a moment, Goslin narrowing his eyes at Hart¡¯s strangely blank face.

    Goslin relented. ¡°Fine. You come with me then.¡±

    ¡°Is there a map of the underground water systems?¡± Heylien asked. Syster pointed him to one on the wall.

    ¡°But can¡¯t we all go together?¡± Sarien asked.

    Syster interjected. ¡°We have urgent need of reinforcements along the west wall. Your geomancer will be invaluable there. Emeryn, was it?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°Those of you who are going to help should head there right away. We don¡¯t have a moment to lose.¡±

    The group began to disperse. Goslin grabbed Sarien¡¯s hand and shook it. ¡°My friend, you will do fine. I believe in you and I¡¯ll see you once we repel these rhinn invaders. Go destroy whatever lurks beneath the streets of Tyralien.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Emeryn, Hart, and Tom, you¡¯re with me.¡±

    ¡°Take care,¡± Emeryn said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt, you hear?¡± Tomford said, slapping Sarien and Kax on the back.

    Kax shook his head. ¡°Such encouraging words.¡±

    Heylien stood next to Syster, reviewing the map on the wall. ¡°Where do you recommend we enter the tunnels?¡±

    ¡°Enter through the service entrance here,¡± Syster said, pointing at a marking on the map. ¡°You can move around freely down there, but it¡¯s quite the maze. The tunnels are also used for moving guards quickly around the city, before we sealed it off, that is. The flow of water is stemmed by some creature. If you can find out what, we¡¯ll all be in your debt.¡±

    ¡°Water running underground,¡± Lana muttered. ¡°What a strange thought.¡±

    ¡°But effective,¡± Kax said. ¡°Fyrie isn¡¯t half as well-planned.¡±

    Heylien held up his quiver. He had been diligent with retrieving his arrows from his targets, but he spent several on the mad dash into Tyralien. ¡°I¡¯m going to need arrows.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Syster nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll send you with someone who can show you where to find whatever you require.¡±

    Lana walked up to the table. ¡°Did a man named Wade come through here?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Wade?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°The aeromancer?¡± Syster asked. ¡°Yes. I already sent him to help repel the forces at the south wall, where the enemy is most numerous.¡±

    Lana frowned.

    ¡°Were you told of the rhinn¡¯s traveling?¡± Sarien interrupted.

    Syster nodded. ¡°Goslin mentioned their unusual power, and it makes sense. A few seem to randomly appear within the city walls. We have lookouts stationed throughout the city and we¡¯ve caught them every time they tried to get inside after they took us by surprise during the first attack.¡± She sighed. ¡°Now, if you¡¯d please let me get back to my aides?¡±

    Several young men stood hopping from foot to foot, anxiously waiting to deliver their messages.

    ¡°Just one more thing,¡± Sarien started saying, but Syster held up a hand, then pointed to a young man next to the door.

    ¡°Bjorn will answer whatever questions you still have while he takes you to a quartermaster. Good luck!¡± She dismissed them with a wave of her hand, her sole focus on the young aide before her.

    Bjorn bowed. ¡°If you¡¯ll come with me.¡±

    ¡°Who are you then?¡± Kax asked when they were back out in the corridor. Bjorn looked sickly, dark circles shadowing his eyes and the regal clothes he wore hung loose on his body.

    ¡°Bjorn Valpen,¡± the youth said, dragging his fingers through his hair that was almost red enough he could be mistaken for a Vatner. He pulled several strands free and winced.

    ¡°Wait. You¡¯re Prince Bjorn?¡± Kax asked.

    Bjorn winced again. ¡°Yeah, sorry.¡±

    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Lana asked. ¡°Why are you running errands if you¡¯re the prince?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to help any way I could. There¡¯s something wrong with me, some illness. Don¡¯t have the strength to fight, but I can do this, at least.¡±

    Lana reached for his face and waved her hands around. ¡°Couldn¡¯t someone just heal you?¡±

    Bjorn laughed and pulled back a little. ¡°In Tyralien? They wouldn¡¯t even see me when we traveled all the way to Vatnbloet last year. We have none here. Never have. Tyrians have never been firm believers.¡±

    ¡°I could see that,¡± Kax said. ¡°Godless heathens.¡±

    Bjorn barked a laugh, then winced and clutched his chest. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s us.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t Tomford heal him?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°One of you is a healer?¡± Bjorn asked, his eyes widening.

    Kax grinned. ¡°Sure. Syster just sent him to the west wall. You should go and ask him.¡±

    ¡°Is he very pious?¡± Bjorn asked, his color rising in his cheeks. He looked much improved simply from hearing there was a healer present in the city.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll help you,¡± Heylien said. ¡°But I need arrows.¡±

    ¡°And I need to find a smith by the name of Mohalim,¡± Sarien added.

    ¡°Mohalim?¡± Bjorn asked. ¡°We¡¯ll go fetch arrows from the quartermaster. She knows every smith in the city. She might even know where to find him in this chaos. The whole city is full of refugees. I don¡¯t know how you managed to get into the city, but you must have seen how empty the country is?¡±

    ¡°We came from Kleotram,¡± Kax said. ¡°Didn¡¯t see a single Tyrian between the border and here.¡±

    Bjorn smiled weakly. ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re all here. Before the devils outside gathered enough troops to attack the city, we sent riders in every direction, telling our citizen to flee. Most came here. Supplies are running out fast, even with the rationing, but it¡¯s not enough. Do they know of our struggle in Kleotram?¡±

    Kax shook his head. ¡°Some rumors at the border, nothing more. Kleotram was locked tight when had arrived.¡±

    Bjorn¡¯s face fell. ¡°We¡¯re on our own then. I think they¡¯re trying to starve us out.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°Their attacks are infrequent and without real conviction. We are still struggling to repel them as is. If they attacked with more coordination, we¡¯d get crushed. Yet, they don¡¯t, and I don¡¯t understand why.¡±

    ¡°Those we¡¯ve fought have not been particularly skilled,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°And those we rode past didn¡¯t seem to have any leadership. No one to hold them together and direct their actions,¡± Lana added.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s just a mass of ants out there with no queen?¡± Bjorn asked.

    Before leaving, Sarien got down to one knee and hugged Daisy. ¡°You stay in here. It¡¯s going to be dangerous. Good thing you didn¡¯t follow Hart, it would be even worse at the wall, I think.¡±

    The dog tilted his head and snorted, then sighed and padded off to a corner to lie down. Daisy looked at Sarien with his big wet eyes before resting his head on top of his paws.

    The quartermaster stood behind a wooden table heaped with ledgers and stacks of paper. Equipment in all shapes and sizes surrounded her in the open courtyard where lanterns lined the walls. Large barrels were filled with swords, pikes, and maces. A loud and rhythmic clanging of hammers on metal rang out again and again from somewhere nearby. Heylien quickly made his way to a table and grabbed two full quivers.

    Sarien and the others approached the quartermaster who was speaking with several staff members and didn¡¯t notice their arrival.

    When her aides scurried off, she turned to Bjorn, who led their little party. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Her voice was deep and commanding, which fit her short and squat build. Thick and muscular arms peeked out from beneath a tunic and leather armor that looked like it should belong to a smaller man. She scratched her wide and flat nose that had been broken sometime in the past. ¡°Well, out with it, Bjorn!¡±

    ¡°Ah, you see,¡± Bjorn stammered.

    Sarien stepped up beside him. ¡°Mohalim the smith. Do you know where he is?¡±

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you want with him? He signed on with me and I need him. You can¡¯t have him.¡±

    ¡°Just want to talk.¡±

    The quartermaster eyed the two quivers Heylien took, looked down into a ledger, and then made a mark in one of the columns. ¡°He¡¯s just through there,¡± she said, putting down the pen to point at an open door. Beyond it, Sarien saw flickering flames of a hot forge.

    He felt a rise in anticipation. The man Sarien traveled for days to find was finally within reach. Now that he¡¯d arrived, it was almost too much to bear. What if the man didn¡¯t know where his father was? He swallowed his nervousness. If he didn¡¯t know, Sarien had no choice but to keep looking.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay out here and see if Bjorn knows anything useful,¡± Heylien said.

    Lana stayed with them, but Kax followed Sarien to the door. ¡°I like weapons, remember?¡±

    ¡°Thought you were done looking since you got that,¡± Sarien said, nodding toward the short sword.

    Kax shrugged. ¡°I can still appreciate the craftsmanship. Wouldn¡¯t mind a larger blade or something else, if you decide to start imbuing more weapons for us.¡±

    Sarien just shook his head and stepped through the door.

    The heat inside the next room was oppressive, almost as if walking through a solid wall of heat. Sweat immediately beaded and ran down his face.

    Four smiths worked in a spacious chamber with hard-packed dirt floors. Each of them had their own forge, anvil, barrels of cool water, and a plethora of tools and other equipment that Sarien didn¡¯t know the name of. The hammering was loud enough that you could barely think, much less hear.

    ¡°Mohalim!¡±

    No one heard. Thankfully, the one closest spotted him coming in.

    ¡°Are you Mohalim?¡± Sarien shouted right into his ear. The smith shook his head, then went over and grabbed a man¡¯s shoulder to turn him around from his work.

    A wave of recognition hit Sarien as he saw the other blacksmith¡¯s scowling, wrinkled face. He couldn¡¯t tell from where or when, but he must have met this man before. Bushy white eyebrows rose in the smith¡¯s face and then recognition widened his eyes.

    He turned back and hurriedly grabbed a set of tongs to put the object he was working on into a barrel of water. Steam rose in a billowing cloud of steam and the metal hissed sharply. The smith adjusted a red cloth band on his forehead, so his shoulder length hair was pulled away from his face.

    Mohalim then hung a thick brown leather apron from a peg and gestured for Sarien and Kax to follow him into another room. He was shirtless, the hair on his chest as white as his bushy eyebrows. Despite his obvious age, Mohalim looked healthy and strong. His arms were as muscled as any young blacksmith¡¯s and the many healed burns on his forearms spoke of a long career in front of a forge. The blacksmith¡¯s skin tone was even darker than the Tyrians¡¯.

    Mohalim waved them through another set of doors that lead into an empty courtyard. He shut the door behind them, muffling the cacophony within.

    ¡°I¡¯ve met you before, haven¡¯t I?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Of course you have, Sarien, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d remember.¡± His voice carried a slight accent.

    ¡°Where? Have you visited father at the Karm estate?¡±

    Mohalim laughed. ¡°No, no. You were just a small child when your father showed you off. Karm, you say. Is that an Eldian name? He never did say where he disappeared off to.¡±

    ¡°Is he here?¡± Sarien asked, hope fluttering in his chest.

    When Mohalim nodded, that hope soared. ¡°He would not be happy to see you here, Sarien,¡± the smith said. ¡°Not in a city under siege by the rhinn and whatever else lurks beneath. It¡¯s dangerous here.¡±

    ¡°He can take care of himself,¡± Kax interjected. Then he narrowed his eyes. ¡°You know about the rhinn?¡±

    The old blacksmith fell silent.

    ¡°Is he here in the keep?¡± Sarien asked. He didn¡¯t care if his father was happy to see him. At this point, he just wanted answers. Needed them.

    Mohalim pointed down to the ground. ¡°He¡¯s down there. E¡ª¡± he broke off to clear his throat. ¡°Your father would not be pleased that I told you where to find him, but now you know you can¡¯t follow.¡±

    ¡°You know him,¡± Sarien said. It was not a question. ¡°Who is he? Really? Trym the pyromancer?¡±

    ¡°That is between the two of you, lad. He¡¯s your father and you should show him his due respect. If you just wait, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be along eventually.¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m done waiting.¡± He turned to Kax. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the others.¡±

    They were almost out the door when Mohalim sighed. ¡°Hold on. If you¡¯re going down there, you¡¯ll need a sword.¡±

    Sarien stopped and looked back at Mohalim. ¡°Do you have any spears?¡±

    The old man grinned. ¡°I might have one around here somewhere.¡± He looked over at Kax. ¡°What about you, boy? Need something more than that short blade?¡±

    ¡°Why is Sarien a lad and I¡¯m a boy?¡± Kax asked, glaring. Then he smiled and brandished the short obsidian looking blade to hold it out over his head, before bringing it down on a nearby wooden bench, cleaving it clean in two.

    Mohalim¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and he took a step forward, holding out his hand as if wanting to grab the sword. ¡°Where did you get it?¡±?¡±

    Kax shrugged over to Sarien. ¡°He made it.¡± Then he winced. ¡°Wait. Was that a secret? Sorry.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if its¡¯s a secret,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Do you know what it is, Mohalim?¡±

    ¡°Never knew it could work like that,¡± Mohalim answered. ¡°Are there different effects depending on what¡¯s trapped inside?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Kax said. ¡°Sarien¡¯s old spear turned venomous from the luison inside it.¡±

    ¡°It did?¡± Sarien asked.

    Kax nodded.

    Mohalim shook his head in disbelief, staring at Kax¡¯s sword. ¡°You met luisons and lived? You¡¯re stronger than your father knows, then.¡± He fell silent and shook his head slowly. ¡°Transcendent metal. The wonders I could create.¡± He stared unblinking for another few breaths, then shook himself. ¡°Come, lad. I¡¯ll get you that spear. When this is all over,¡± he gestured around them, ¡°please come see me.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 33 (Goslin)

    When Goslin and the others arrived below the west wall, he found, to his dismay, Tyrian soldiers milling about in confusion. Archers stood atop the wall, firing arrows at the unseen enemies below. What worried Goslin was the rhythmic, heavy poundings on the gate and the distressing way the thick wooden gate cracked with each attack. Goslin knew that the gate would not last long.

    A row of stone houses lined the narrow passageway that led deeper into Tyralien. The houses created a natural chokepoint where the rhinn would be forced to funnel through. If the Tyrian archers took position on the rooftops, they would be able to rain arrows upon the enemy when the gate was toppled.

    Then, the front soldiers would hold against any enemy soldiers that managed to escape the arrows. If they could do that, they might hold the enemy indefinitely and create a wall of corpses. The front lines would have nowhere to fall back to and would be forced forward until they were downed by Tyrian soldiers.

    ¡°Who is in charge here!¡± Goslin yelled, trying to make his voice carry over the incredible din. People yelled and screamed, weapons and armor clanked, and horses whinnied. No one answered his question, but he drew a few worried glances from the nearest troops. They were a nervous mess, and he saw more than one young man collapse in a fit of tears. Where was their superior officer?

    A hand clutched Goslin¡¯s shoulder and he swung back. Tomford pointed to the steps leading up to the wall. ¡°There.¡±

    The Vatner was right. A man stood shifting his weight from left to right and back again. Like the soldiers around him, he was young, and his gaze jumped from person to person as he shouted orders that were swallowed up in the chaos.

    ¡°We have to get to him!¡± Goslin shouted. ¡°This won¡¯t end well. Not like this!¡± Half the men on the ground would die before they could retreat and regroup. Panic would ensue as soon as the gate fell. Goslin could smell it in the air.

    Goslin and his friends were crushed by the pressed bodies of the Tyrian soldiers as they tried to cross the narrow passageway. ¡°Tom! Hart! Help me make a way to the officer!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to go around the houses!¡± Tomford yelled. He started shoving soldiers out of the way to make a path. Hart shoved one soldier to the ground, where he quickly disappeared.

    ¡°Em!¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± He couldn¡¯t see her amongst the masses of sweaty male bodies, but he heard her voice in his ear. She was close.

    ¡°Can you do something about the gate if it falls?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Please try,¡± Goslin said. ¡°However much you can block off will help.¡±

    Emeryn suddenly appeared before him and looked up into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±

    Someone shoved Goslin from behind and he fell toward Emeryn, grabbing her shoulders to steady himself. She glanced up in surprise. His gaze fell to her lips and flitted away. This wasn¡¯t the time.

    Goslin was about to pull away when Emeryn¡¯s eyes hardened and she muttered a curse before clutching his tunic with her arm and yanked him down. She kissed him, hard, before softening when he wrapped his arms around her body. He felt her lips curve into a smile.

    They both breathed a little harder when they separated.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to marry a princess?¡± she teased.

    Despite the lightness in her tone, he caught hints of apprehension.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I will,¡± he said. ¡°Not to a princess, but perhaps someone from a Fourth Circle? If she will have me.¡±

    Emeryn broke out into a beatific smile and Goslin had the urge to kiss her again. So, he did.

    He finally broke away and Tomford grabbed him by the shoulder, shaking him loose. Goslin backed away reluctantly, keeping his eyes on Emeryn, her flushed face and shocked look, until the crowd around them swallowed her.

    With a sigh, Goslin turned, slightly dazed, to follow after Hart as his wide childhood friend muscled his way deeper into the crowd.

    What he¡¯d just said came back to him. Eld¡¯s burning feet, had he just proposed a marriage to Emeryn on the cusp of battle? Goslin¡¯s cheeks burned as he hurried through the crowd.

    Tomford and Hart displayed incredible strength and tenacity as they bowled soldiers over to help Goslin reach the officer. The crush of the crowd even made it difficult to breathe and Goslin knew once the gate fell, there would be a panic, a stampede. They needed to hurry.

    Goslin rounded the corner onto the next street to find it blessedly clear. They ran down the street, dodging to maneuver around smaller groups of soldiers. Goslin passed injured men laying on the ground being treated by medics.

    ¡°What are they doing with injured so close to the wall?¡± Goslin asked Tomford as they hurried along.

    ¡°This whole thing is a shitshow,¡± Tomford growled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much help we can be here.¡±

    ¡°So much pain,¡± Hart said, as if speaking to himself.

    Goslin sidestepped a soldier carrying a pike. They found officers of lower ranks and a bunch of messengers who were all shouting up to the young man by the stairs. All of them were ignored. Tomford elbowed his way through them and grunts of pain were followed by shouts of alarm and angry voices telling them to wait their turn.

    Goslin ignored them all. They needed to get to the man in charge.

    ¡°Who are you? Get down from here!¡± the officer barked at Goslin when he approached. The young officer¡¯s voice was squeaky, trembling slightly.

    ¡°I am Goslin of House Steerian, from Eldsprak. I have come to provide aid. What is going on here, man? Why are the troops packed tight down on the ground when they could be helping on the wall?¡±

    The officer¡¯s face shone. ¡°Did you bring pyromancers from Eldsprak?¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s just us,¡± Goslin said, indicating himself, Tomford, and Hart.

    That revelation was met with a frown and a dismissive wave. ¡°Then get away from me. We have our orders.¡±

    ¡°Which are?¡± Tomford asked. He loomed behind the much shorter young officer.

    ¡°Protect the gate and keep the devils out of Tyralien. The troops,¡± he made a sweeping gesture, ¡°are here to make sure we keep our oath in protecting the city.¡±

    ¡°But they can¡¯t fight packed together like that!¡± Goslin barked. ¡°There¡¯ll be panic!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps Eldsprak stock is not held to the same standard as Tyriu¡¯s sons and daughters.¡±

    Goslin pointed at the crowd. ¡°Look! Soldiers are passing out from the lack of air! They¡¯re being crushed before they¡¯ve even seen a rhinn. And why aren¡¯t you doing something to protect the gate?¡±

    The young officer looked to where Goslin pointed and frowned. ¡°The wall is not my problem. My stupid cousin is up there. Johan¡¯s failure means we have to have a stronger defense down on the ground.¡±

    Goslin shook his head in disgust. ¡°Tom. Can you go up there and see if we can do anything to help?¡± Goslin asked.

    Tomford started up the stairs, pushing up the young officer against the wall to pass by. The young man glared at Tomford¡¯s retreating back.

    Goslin grabbed the officer¡¯s arm, forcing him to face him. ¡°Now you¡¯re going to listen to me.¡±

    The officer shoved Goslin away and shouted. ¡°I am in charge here! My commission, my say! Screw off before I have you arrested!¡±

    Goslin steadied himself, then he punched the officer in the jaw. The young man crumpled to the ground in a heap. Everyone around him fell silent as Goslin turned to shout, even Hart looked a little surprised. ¡°I have met with King Caelin and have been ordered to assist in the defense of this wall!¡±

    He pointed to the group of officers. ¡°You! Who are the junior officers here? I need four of you!¡± Four men stepped forward, all of them younger than him.

    Goslin picked out three. ¡°You three immediately pull men back in all directions. Construct barriers by any means necessary and get more archers up to the roofs. All of the roofs! Order the injured to be pulled further into town. There has to be a general hospital set up somewhere. Find out where!¡±

    They yelled ¡°Yes sir!¡± in unison and set off.

    Goslin turned to the remaining one officer. ¡°You¡¯ll gather a fifth of the troops here, check in with squad leaders, and bring more men onto the wall. There should be bows up there for you to use. If not, go back down and get anything heavy you can get your hands on! Stall the invaders by any means possible!¡±

    ¡°Yes sir!¡±

    No one questioned Goslin as he started receiving messages from the runners and used the junior officers to re-route troops to areas in dire need. The banging on the gate continued, but from his vantage point, he saw the Tyrian soldiers begin constructing blockades out of furniture, wagons, and anything else they could find.

    Goslin scanned the crowd for Emeryn¡¯s bright red hair, but she was lost in the crowd. He felt sure that she could take care of herself.

    ¡°What do you think, Hart? Can we do this?¡±

    ¡°There will be much killing,¡± Hart said. His chest rose excitedly with each breath.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join Tom up at the wall, for now?¡± Goslin said. Tomford would need as much assistance as possible wrangling the archers.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Hart disappeared up the stairs, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Goslin wondered about Hart¡¯s bloodlust, which worried him on most occasions, but would be a boon today. They would need all of Hart¡¯s strength and tenacity to survive the upcoming battle.

    Goslin didn¡¯t know if his strategy would be enough to keep the rhinn at bay until dark or even if the invaders would continue their attack throughout the night. Their numbers meant they could fight in shifts, but the rhinn¡¯s lack in leadership would have given Tyralien the advantage in the long run if it wasn¡¯t for the dire need of rations.

    Goslin knew that Sarien¡¯s mission into the belly of the city would decide the city¡¯s fate. If Sarien and the others eliminated whatever creature was blocking the tunnels, it would be possible for Syster to sneak in rations. So many moving pieces and the fight was just beginning.

    But first things first, they would have to secure this gate.

    A yell came from above. ¡°Goslin! Get up here, now!¡±

    Soldiers hurried up the stairs beside Goslin, and he allowed himself to be swept up the stairwell in the flow of moving bodies.

    Tomford stood by the battlements surrounded by soldiers firing bows straight down into the teeming masses of rhinn below. Arrows from the enemy bounced off the stone wall, but the occasional scream rang out across the long passageways.

    The high winds whipped through Goslin¡¯s hair. The stink of urine and loosened bowels wafted in the air. The men were understandably scared. He couldn¡¯t blame them. Goslin thought he¡¯d be terrified of taking part in fighting on a scale such as this, but he found himself strangely calm.

    He stepped up to join Tomford. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Where is Hart?¡± The soldiers coming up behind him picked up bows and arrows to join their comrades in firing down at the invaders.

    Tomford waved for him to lean over the battlements. ¡°I don¡¯t know where he disappeared off too. But, look, the rhinn have used a single battering ram up until now, but they¡¯re bringing more of them. They¡¯ll be able to fit three of them side by side. The gate won¡¯t last long!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s so many of them,¡± Goslin breathed. The rhinn spread out, dotting the fields, but Goslin couldn¡¯t discern any order to them. Several stood firing arrows up at the wall, though, with the high winds, most fell short. The battering rams moved closer, the rhinn soldiers carrying a makeshift roof to protect them from arrow fire.

    Goslin turned to Tomford. ¡°Have you been able to discover who¡¯s in charge up here?¡±

    Tomford patted the back of an archer next to him. ¡°This man.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the officer in command?¡± Goslin asked. ¡°Johan, was it?¡±

    Johan shot another arrow and turned, wild-eyed. ¡°Yeah, I mean. I guess. But I¡¯m not an officer. Not officially.¡± Goslin noted that Johan looked to be about their age, but it was obvious he was inexperienced with battle. ¡°I¡¯m an archer, you see? Someone just told me I was in charge and then left me here. I¡¯ve just been telling the men to shoot at whatever moved below.¡±

    ¡°Do you mind if I give you some suggestions?¡± Goslin asked.

    The archer grabbed the front of Goslin¡¯s tunic. ¡°Yes please!¡±

    ¡°This is the main gate. There should be hidden doors that lead to the outside. Sally gates. Do you know where they are?¡±

    ¡°Down at the base of the wall.¡± He pointed to the right and to the left.

    Goslin nodded. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll meet the enemy outside the gate and attack. When we do, use your archers to provide us protection while we destroy the battering rams. Do you understand?¡±

    Johan nodded jerkily. ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Goslin said, slapping the young archer on the back. ¡°We still have hours of daylight left, so we can¡¯t wait for dark, but at least you won¡¯t have trouble seeing us when we emerge. Who holds the key to the sally port?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Johan said, shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s locked. People use it as a shortcut to bypass the main gate all the time.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Tomford asked. ¡°It¡¯s been down there, unlocked, all this time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so. But it¡¯s hidden, you see?¡±

    ¡°Spread my orders along the wall. Tom, you coming?¡±

    Tomford grinned. ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡°Great. Head down and I¡¯ll join you in a moment, just have to find Hart in this mess.¡±

    The west wall curved outward with small stone towers every few paces. Each of them allowed one to enter it and move through it to the other side through tunnels. Goslin found Hart at the other end of the closest tunnel. He sat hunched over a fallen soldier with his back to Goslin. The soldier in front of him screamed.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Goslin asked. He felt a cold dread rise. He already knew the answer. Looking back, he¡¯d known for quite some time, even if he hadn¡¯t wanted to admit it to himself.

    The screams stopped and Hart stood, turning. His hands were stained with blood, as was his face. He swallowed a chunk of flesh.

    ¡°Princeling,¡± the kozimuz purred. ¡°Time to end our little game.¡±

    Goslin drew his sword. ¡°Where is Hart?¡±

    ¡°I am Hart, can¡¯t you see?¡± It pointed to itself, swaying back and forth. ¡°His memories are mine, the transformation complete. See me and tremble, little prince.¡±

    ¡°Tell me where he is!¡± Goslin shouted. Other defenders glanced nervously at them, but Goslin waved them away. He would not have their deaths on his conscience.

    ¡°Such interesting creatures,¡± it said. ¡°Delicious memories. I wonder what yours will taste like.¡±

    ¡°You ate him?¡±

    A cackling sound erupted from its throat. Not a human sound, but still a laugh. ¡°Nothing so base. I feed like all creatures must, but form gives memories. Your friend lies rotting where you destroyed my way home. Be glad I spared the girl.¡±

    Tears welled in Goslin¡¯s eyes and he charged with a scream, slashing at the creature¡¯s arm. The metal didn¡¯t even break through the skin and Hart smiled.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Up close, the smell of blood almost overpowered his senses.

    It sniffed the air between them. ¡°You smell like excrement. Have you fallen in the pit again, little child? How will your father take it this time?¡±

    A wave of nausea struck Goslin as his skin began to itch. The air turned thick with the stench of human feces, drowning out the smell of blood. He didn¡¯t know if it was the monster¡¯s doing, or the memory of that one long day rising up in his mind. He couldn¡¯t stop the memories from forcing their way to the surface. His father¡¯s disappointed look and the mirth in his brothers¡¯ faces when Goslin was admonished, rather than they punished. The humiliation and hurt. The shame for being weak and not fighting back.

    Goslin violently shook his head and pushed the bile back down his throat. ¡°Enough! Tell me why you desecrate my friend¡¯s memory!¡±

    It giggled. ¡°To learn, what else? Now I will shed this bore of a man to become you. As a prince, I will have power over you weak humans. And,¡± Hart leered, ¡°I will get to sample the redheaded woman you so cherish.¡±

    ¡°Never!¡± Goslin screamed and rammed his sword home right in the kozimuz¡¯ belly.

    Hart stood still as Goslin¡¯s sword slid uselessly across its torso. It didn¡¯t even bother to counter the attack. Why would it, when steel couldn¡¯t hurt the kozimuz?

    It swiped lazily at Goslin¡¯s sword arm. Pain bloomed and Goslin¡¯s sword fell from his bloodied hand.

    Hart raised its hand. Long sharp claws protruded from the ends of each of its fingers. ¡°This world is full of marvels. Pity you won¡¯t be here to bear witness to its subjugation.¡±

    It struck out again with blinding speed. Goslin hastily raised his shield to block the strike. The sound of bone crunching against metal reached his ears, but the incredible force he expected didn¡¯t come. Instead, the kozimuz¡¯s arm was flung back hard enough that its shoulder crunched and snapped before falling to its side, rendered useless.

    The unbridled shock in the creature¡¯s eyes was perhaps the most satisfying thing Goslin had ever seen, and with a silent thanks to Sarien for creating the shield, Goslin swung the edge of it in an arc straight into Hart¡¯s chest. It crunched inward with incredible force, flinging the creature to the stone ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Hart!¡± Goslin shouted, following down to deliver a blow with the flat of the shield against its leg. ¡°Sorry I let this thing take you!¡±

    The kozimuz shrieked and flailed with its one leg and arm, snapping with its razor-teethed maw. It caught Goslin¡¯s injured arm in its mouth and bit down hard enough to hit bone.

    Goslin screamed in pain but did not let up in his attack. This was his only chance to kill the monster once and for all. If it escaped, it could take on any form it wished. Disguise itself as any soldier, any Tyrian. He would never find it again.

    ¡°Die!¡± he screamed, striking with the shield again and again, mangling the monster¡¯s body until its flesh stopped trying to reform itself. The kozimuz released Goslin¡¯s arm, but instead of biting again or screaming, the head changed in both shape and size.

    Emeryn looked up at him with her beautiful eyes and expressive face. The fiery red hair was steaked with blood. ¡°Gos!¡± she yelled. ¡°It¡¯s me! Don¡¯t do this, please!¡±

    Goslin drove the shield into the creature¡¯s face, smashing it to a pulp. He grunted and punched down again and again, crunching the bits that remained of its skull into the stone pathway. Tears rolled down his face, mingling with black ichor that covered him from head to foot. In that moment, he could not muster the energy to care about being covered in filth.

    The kozimuz lay in bits and pieces, nothing keeping the strands of flesh together. Just a pool of ichor. It did not stir. Finally, it could haunt them no more.

    All Goslin wanted was to mourn his dead friend, but this was not the time. It would have to wait. Goslin stood, picked up and sheathed his sword, then kicked a part of the skull from the wall. With that, he hurried down the stairs. Stumbling from exhaustion and the pain in his arm.

    Tomford seemed to understand instantly when he saw Goslin covered in the black ichor. He saw the Vatner¡¯s face crumble slightly before he reached out and healed Goslin¡¯s injured arm. Hart was gone. He had been gone for days and Goslin hadn¡¯t known, not really. When this was over, he promised himself that he would return to Primie Woods and find Hart. Give him the proper burial his friend deserved.

    The cold rush jolted him out of his spiraling thoughts and rejuvenated him. That was welcomed, for the day was not over yet.

    It took some time gathering a force of volunteers to attack against the rhinn¡¯s siege equipment. The sally port was not unlocked, it turned out, but could be opened with a mechanism that didn¡¯t require a key.

    The stink of sour sweat and unwashed bodies filled the staging room where Goslin waited with his half of the troops. He peered around at the twenty something soldiers who¡¯d joined him. They were grinning nervously and speaking in hushed whispers, as if they were preparing for a surprise party. Then again, this wasn¡¯t all that different from one, except it would end in death. Hopefully not theirs.

    Goslin felt alone, despite the packed room. He wondered how Sarien and the others were doing and wished Emeryn was by his side. Goslin was doing the right thing with this attack. He knew that. But

    The thought that he might not return to Emeryn made his hands shake. The words that he would never be able to tell her. He regretted losing Hart, his friend, but to lose Emeryn¡­

    Goslin tried to calm his breathing. It wouldn¡¯t do to let the troops see his anxiety. A leader should be a rock in the foundation of his soldiers¡¯ courage.

    With as much authority and calm as he could muster, Goslin turned from the door to face the men. ¡°It¡¯s time. Today we save Tyralien.¡±

    Tomford had taken the rest of the soldiers to the other side of the gate. The plan was to attack from both sides simultaneously. Kill or disable the rhinn operating the battering rams and then set them on fire before retreating.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Goslin opened the door and rushed through. There was no yelling or battle-cries as he charged. On the other side, he could see Tomford closing in, running at top speed. They came in silent and fell upon the invaders with deadly intent.

    Not until Goslin rammed his sword into a rhinn man in the front did he yell, ¡°For Tyralien!¡±

    The few rhinn soldiers escorting the battering rams were quickly put to the sword. Tomford leapt into a group of rhinn, striking like a whirlwind of fists, elbows, and knees. One of Goslin¡¯s soldiers took a spear through the chest and went down screaming. Another fell to an arrow, and a third slipped in the mud. A loud snap sounded from the defender¡¯s broken knee as he went down with a cry.

    Chaos ensued.

    Goslin struck again and again in a frenzy, pushing to defeat as many enemies as possible so they could retreat before the rhinn army fell upon them. Arrows rained down from the wall, flying over their heads to strike at the troops who¡¯d been quickest to react. A rhinn soldier carrying a mace struck for Goslin¡¯s head, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough. Goslin danced back and then thrust forward. The tip of his sword bit into the soldier¡¯s throat. When Goslin pulled away, blood sprayed across his entire front. He wiped at his face with his dirtied sleeve, the stench of the kozimuz¡¯s ichor filling his nose.

    They cheered as a soldier poured oil over the battering ram. Someone tossed a lit torch and the ram went up in flames. That was all they had time for. Too many enemies approached. Their time was up.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± Goslin yelled. The ram they¡¯d lit up was right in the middle of the road. It would block any rhinn from approaching with another ram for the time being. An arrow burrowed deep into the muddy ground right next to Goslin, and he almost lost his footing stepping away from it.

    They ran back to their door while Tomford brought his own troops back the other way. The enemies were closing quickly, and fewer Tyrian soldiers returned than Goslin would have liked.

    Goslin smiled. With the rams disposed of, the gate would stand. They pushed ahead for safety and threw themselves through the opening with the rhinn army only a few strides behind. Goslin slipped on the bare stone floor and went down in a heap as the door slammed shut behind him.

    The rhinn banged on the door, but the steel reinforced wood would not be so easily penetrated. The side door itself was too inaccessible for any kind of siege equipment to be used. They were safe.

    Four out of fifteen men returned with Goslin. He hadn¡¯t seen what happened to most of those who were left behind in the mud, but he knew they would stay there. Despite the losses, the mission had been a success.

    ¡°Well done, men,¡± he said, panting as he struggled to his feet. ¡°Rest a moment. I¡¯ll send in reinforcements in case they manage to get the door open.¡±

    Goslin stepped back into the city on tired legs, only to hear a cry from up on the wall.

    ¡°Pyromancers!¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 34

    The access hatch opened soundlessly. A metal ladder was attached to the wall and disappeared into the darkness below.

    ¡°Are we going to be able to see down there?¡± Kax asked, stretching his neck, trying to get a better look.

    ¡°There are torches in a box at the bottom,¡± Bjorn said. They¡¯d spent the past hour navigating the streets of Tyralien to get as close as possible to the entrance into the tunnels that would put them close to whatever haunted the tunnels.

    Refugees from around the kingdom huddled in masses on the streets. It was not a pretty sight. Or smell, for that matter. The weapons they carried seem to make the poor wretches keep their distance, and for that, Sarien was glad. There was nothing he could do to help anyone at the moment. Hopefully, they¡¯d accomplish their goal in the underground tunnels and allow for food to be transported into the city again.

    Several children looked on in wide-eyed astonishment at the open hatch, but they all kept their distance as Heylien climbed down first. Lana followed, and then Kax. Sarien entered last, leaving Bjorn alone on the surface.

    Climbing down with his new spear wasn¡¯t easy, even with the leather bag strapped around the ends to keep the sharp bits from biting into him by accident. The end of the spear he received from the quartermaster had a spike attacked to each side for sweeping attacks. The haft was metal but crafted expertly to be light and easy to maneuver. Kax assured him it was a masterfully made. A new knife hung from his belt as well, another present from Mohalim. Apparently, everyone should carry one. Lana had nodded in approval and he hadn¡¯t wanted to offend the smith by refusing the gift.

    The blacksmith handed a sword over to Kax as well. Another short sword, but a little longer than the obsidian one. Sarien wasn¡¯t sure what he felt about Mohalim¡¯s request that he return to him after they save the city. There was a strange gleam in the blacksmith¡¯s eyes, much like Madge¡¯s, only less maniacal. Sarien knew Mohalim wanted him to craft more of the slayer imbued weapons, but he made no promises to the old man.

    Sarien¡¯s feet hid solid stone.

    ¡°Good!¡± Bjorn yelled. ¡°The torches should be right there.¡±

    ¡°Here they are!¡± Lana yelled back up. She lit it and held it up so Bjorn could see. ¡°You can close the hatch now!¡±

    ¡°Good luck!¡± Bjorn closed the hatch and cutting off any light from the outside. The torch didn¡¯t provide much, so Sarien brought forth his white flame to light the way.

    ¡°Your magic is pretty handy,¡± Kax said, pointing at it with his already drawn obsidian blade. ¡°Mind if we try something?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sarien asked suspiciously.

    Kax drew the other blade, holding both out in front of him. ¡°It connects with things, right? Maybe we can combine both my old blade and new one together?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien said, then gasped as Kax thrust both blades forward without waiting for a proper reply.

    Kax stared back at him, then his expression turned somber. ¡°Please, Sarien,¡± he said. ¡°You gave me this gift,¡± he moved the black blade, ¡°and it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. The perfect weapon. Only, it¡¯s incomplete by itself. They need to be a pair.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Two small knives. It was all I could grab when they broke into our home. I was just a child. My parents were unarmed and they just stood there in shock. I stepped between them but they just kicked me away. There was nothing I could do, you see?¡± Kax¡¯s eyes glimmered in the torchlight

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡ª¡± Sarien began, but Kax kept speaking.

    ¡°They laughed at me when they cut my parents down. Laughed! The guards finally came, but it was too late for my parents. If only my weapons had been better, I could have stopped them. It¡¯s my fault they¡¯re gone, Sarien. Don¡¯t you see?¡±

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°Kax, it¡¯s not your¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sarien said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    Tears streamed down Kax¡¯s face and he held out both swords. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    At first, the white flame pulled back from the black metal, but then Sarien focused, and power surged. The white flame billowed. It enveloped both swords and then burst downward to touch Kax¡¯s hands.

    Kax¡¯s mouth dropped open in a wordless cry. Sarien shuddered and forced the white flame to return, reining it in like he was heaving on a rope with his mind. He knew that the lack of control over his own powers would have serious consequences one day. And, as he watched both blades turn a dull gray before a pitch black, he wondered if perhaps it already had.

    Kax¡¯s scream redoubled as he held out both hands. The tips of his fingers were black as the darkest night.

    Sarien lost control of his white flame and it winked out, the torchlight casting wild shadows across Kax¡¯s face as his scream turned to a throaty laugh.

    ¡°What the wind blasted shores did you do?¡± Lana asked, her eyes widening at Kax¡¯s darkened hands.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Sarien protested.

    Kax chuckled, ¡°Thank you, dear friend.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s stomach soured. He reached out to take the swords from Kax.

    ¡°You¡¯ll give them back, right?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    Sarien took the swords and closed his eyes, calling to them with the black flame. They were empty. He felt no presence in either sword. What of the bandit he¡¯d trapped in there?

    He handed the swords back and grabbed Kax¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kax asked.

    Sarien focused. ¡°Hold on.¡± He prodded Kax with a small black flame in his hand but found nothing. At least he hadn¡¯t transferred the bandit into his friend somehow. Sarien switched his hand to his left and stoked the white flame instead. This time, he sensed something. A connection running from, or perhaps to Kax into a dark void. He had no clue what that meant.

    ¡°So?¡± Kax asked.

    Sarien let the hand go and stepped back, shaking his head in confusion. ¡°There¡¯s something, but I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Well, I feel great!¡± Kax shouted, grinning and lifting the swords above his head.

    A sound emerged from the tunnel. Kax laughed and disappeared, his feet slapping against the cold stone the last sound they heard as he was swallowed by the shadows.

    Sarien, Lana, and Heylien stood there, dumbfounded.

    ¡°Kax! What are you doing?¡± Heylien yelled.

    Sarien followed, no less confused than the other two. He emerged into the main tunnel to find Kax fighting a creature born out of nightmares.

    The entirety of the tunnel was clogged shut by a hulking mass of undulating tentacles. Kax jumped with impressive speed to dodge a tentacle swinging for his legs. He laughed and cut downward while still in the air, slicing deep enough into its flesh that it lost control of the limb. The main mass made a sucking noise from somewhere that reminded Sarien of a whine.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Lana yelled, throwing daggers. Two ended up in a tentacle and did little harm, but one flew right at the moist looking mass blocking the tunnel. It slid right, and the whine came back again. The creature shuddered violently and to Sarien¡¯s surprise, more tentacles shot forward. They varied in size and length, but each of them looked to be moving independently, thrusting forward at Kax while swiping for Lana.

    Heylien was pulled off his feet as a tentacle slithered around his ankles. He dropped his bow and screamed as it started pulling him toward the main body.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Sarien extinguished his white flame to thrust his spear into the appendage that had grabbed hold of Heylien again and again, but the piercing thrusts didn¡¯t faze the monstrous beast. Heylien sat up and stabbed at it with a knife, but it was impossible to make any headway in cutting himself free while dodging the other tentacles.

    Kax flew in from Sarien¡¯s side, spinning and laughing as his longer sword arced downward. It cut one thick tentacle clean off, and Sarien thought he saw a miniscule black spark on the blade as it drove through both the monster and the stone beneath it.

    ¡°Use your flame!¡± Kax yelled, hurrying back to stand next to Lana as they parried and fought together.

    Heylien kicked free of the end of the tentacle still wrapped around his ankle and scurried backwards on his hands and heels until he found his bow. He stood and began a rhythmic firing of arrows right into the fleshy middle of the monster.

    The creature whined as each arrow disappeared into it, and Sarien couldn¡¯t help but stare as arrow after arrow struck true with such speed that Heylien¡¯s hands moved as if in a blur. The tentacles grew frantic, thrashing back and forth and slapping into the walls and shaking the ground below their feet. Loose stone began to fall.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to bring the whole storming tunnel down!¡± Lana shouted.

    Sarien collected himself, his spear held in front of him just as Slakt had taught him. Black flames billowed forth from his hands and arms, wrapping themselves around the haft and then the tip. The entire spear was occluded in its entirety by the dark flames.

    Sarien gave it more of his power, draining the already dark tunnel of what little light the torch guttering on the floor cast.

    He screamed and rushed forward. A tentacle brushed his side, but he kept the spear pointed toward the monster. Four quick steps, then a thrust. He felt his weapon bore into the monster¡¯s flesh, ripping as it went. Once it was far enough inside, Sarien heaved, swinging it to the left and cutting through its body.

    The beast screeched, a high-pitched sound that rang through his ears. Despite the dark tunnel, he knew the spear would turn obsidian black. The same color of Kax¡¯s fingers.

    ¡°Did you get it?¡± Kax asked in the darkness.

    ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± Sarien said, panting. He collected himself and bought forth his white light, illuminating the tunnel. Lana sat against the wall bandaging her leg with the help of Heylien, while Kax walked back and forth, swinging his swords, his body still vibrating with unspent energy.

    When Sarien illuminated the tunnel in light, Kax turned to him and pointed with his sword. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s dead?¡±

    Sarien peered down at the floor of the tunnel. There was a grate in the floor. An open grate. He cursed. He couldn¡¯t see the monster, but he could hear a sucking noise and a low whine.

    Sarien sighed. ¡°It isn¡¯t dead. I can hear it down there.¡±

    Lana stood, testing her weight on the injured leg. She winced a little but could walk. ¡°The way they described it, I thought it would be bigger.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps we did not see its whole body,¡± Heylien suggested.

    ¡°Scorched ass!¡± Kax said, giggling. ¡°That was its hand or something?¡±

    Heylien shrugged. ¡°Could be.¡±

    ¡°Kax, how are you feeling?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°You sound manic,¡± Lana added.

    Kax sheathed both swords and stood still for a short moment, considering. Then he spun on his heel and raised his arms over his heads in a strange pirouette. ¡°I¡¯ve got all this energy flowing through me, and I feel faster, stronger. Invincible!¡±

    ¡°But your hand,¡± Sarien said. He couldn¡¯t help looking at them. The contrast between his normal skin tone and the black tips of his fingers was even starker in the cold light of Sarien¡¯s white flame.

    Kax held up a hand, fingers splayed. ¡°Oh this?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t hurt. And hey, the sword doesn¡¯t talk to me anymore. That¡¯s good, right?¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± Sarien said. He didn¡¯t like how his power affected Kax. There was much he didn¡¯t know, didn¡¯t understand. He hoped that would all change once he found his father.

    Talc, Trym, or whatever his real name was, would have answers. Both Heradion and Mohalim knew more than what they were saying, and both hinted at Sarien¡¯s father being the key that would unlock the treasure trove of knowledge Sarien needed. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and find it.¡±

    Lana limped stiffly, favoring one leg over the other. ¡°Which way?¡± She pointed past the grate. ¡°We won¡¯t fit. I don¡¯t know how that creature slithered through such a small space.¡±

    Heylien pointed into the dark tunnel, past the reach of Sarien¡¯s light. ¡°Based on the map, it will take us closer to where sightings of the monster were reported. Perhaps, it has a lair in the area.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like as good a plan as any,¡± Sarien said, setting off at the front, holding up his left hand to let the white, cold light spread throughout the dark tunnel. In his right, he held his spear. As he expected, his weapon had turned dark like all the others imbued with his black flame, only this time there was no voice coming from it, no sense of a trapped consciousness screaming in terror. This time, it hadn¡¯t been enough to destroy the monster.

    Sarien pondered the significance of that emptiness as they carefully made their way through the dark. The water system must have been shut off for some time, because the tunnels were entirely dry, even the lower middle part where he figured the stream would rush once the blockage was gone.

    Their boots against the stone floor the only sound in the empty space beneath the city. It was easy to lose track of time in the darkness and for all Sarien knew either minutes or hours had passed since they first entered the tunnels.

    Lana grabbed Sarien¡¯s sleeve and he stopped and turned to see her pointing ahead, into the dark.

    ¡°What?¡± Sarien whispered. It felt wrong to speak out loud in such a silent place.

    ¡°Look!¡± she hissed. They¡¯d walked past numerous side tunnels, all of them either leading away in the darkness or coming to an abrupt end with a grate. Up ahead, just past the light of his white flame, one of those side tunnels wasn¡¯t empty. Sarien narrowed his eyes. A shape stood there, half hidden by the wall.

    ¡°Is that a person?¡± he asked.

    Heylien notched an arrow to his bow. ¡°Can you increase the light a little?¡± His voice was low, almost a growl.

    Sarien concentrated. His flame grew, and the light brightened, revealing a man wearing the Tyriu soldier¡¯s uniform. The soldier stepped back and disappeared into a side tunnel.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Lana shouted, limping to catch up.

    ¡°For fire¡¯s sake!¡± Heylien yelled, hurrying after. ¡°Be careful, Lana!¡±

    Both of them stood unmoving when Sarien caught up with the light, Kax close behind him. The side tunnel stopped at a dead end.

    ¡°Where did he go?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lana whispered. ¡°He was right here.¡±

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t have fit through the grate,¡± Heylien said.

    Kax walked up to it and tried pushing between the wide-set metal bars, but even he was too large. ¡°Nah. No way that he would have been able to. He looked bigger than me.¡± He turned his back to the grate and the darkness beyond. ¡°So, what are we thinking? Ghost?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Lana barked. They all looked at her, and she fidgeted a little. ¡°What? It¡¯s storming obvious, isn¡¯t it? You don¡¯t mess with ghosts!¡±

    ¡°You believe in ghosts?¡± Heylien asked, frowning.

    The reddening in Lana¡¯s cheeks was answer enough, but she snapped, ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±

    Sarien turned away from the short side passageway, angling his light to the main tunnel. ¡°Let¡¯s continue. My father has to be down here somewhere. He came to destroy this thing, after all.¡±

    ¡°Good thing it wasn¡¯t your father¡¯s ghost we saw,¡± Kax joked, but then realized what he¡¯d just said. ¡°Sorry, Sarien. Didn¡¯t mean to imply.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. He won¡¯t be dead.¡±

    The tunnels felt endless. When the main passageway split in two, they followed it left on Heylien¡¯s recommendation. He was the only one who studied the map.

    ¡°Should have brought the map,¡± Kax grumbled as they turned.

    A moment later, Sarien stopped. ¡°Hold on.¡± The faint flickering of his white flame had changed a little, almost like it was caught in a slight breeze.

    ¡°Why is it doing that?¡± Lana asked.

    Inside Sarien, a faint thrumming resonated. It was so gentle he hadn¡¯t noticed it before. ¡°We¡¯re going the right way,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s a gate.¡±

    ¡°Always a gate,¡± Kax groaned. ¡°Why can¡¯t these awesome beasts ever be native to our world? Maydian is boring.¡± He thought for a moment, then turned to Sarien. ¡°When this is all over, we should explore some other worlds. Together!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you talking of going to the dark continent at some point?¡± Heylien asked Kax.

    ¡°Yeah, but I figure it will just be more of the same, just a little different. I didn¡¯t even get to see Rhinerien!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious for a single moment, can you?¡± Lana asked, turning away Kax in disgust. ¡°Sarien, does that mean you can close this gateway too?¡±

    ¡°Hey! I can be serious!¡± Kax interjected. ¡°I just choose not to be. Most of the time, anyway!¡±

    ¡°I should be able to close it once we get near enough,¡± Sarien replied to Lana, both ignoring Kax¡¯s outburst. ¡°Perhaps we can find some way to push that creature through it before that happens, so we don¡¯t have to fight it again.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Heylien said. ¡°There¡¯s more of them.¡±

    Three soldiers stood before them, unmoving.

    ¡°Behind us!¡± Lana yelled.

    Sarien spun and saw another four from where the group had come. ¡°Do you think these are the soldiers who disappeared that Syster told us about?¡±

    ¡°Has to be,¡± Heylien said, raising his bow. ¡°We are not here to hurt you!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sending mixed messages with that bow,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Lana asked, raising her voice.

    ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with them,¡± Sarien whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    The soldiers stood, gently swaying. Their heads hung low, faces hidden in shadow. A twang sounded from Heylien¡¯s bow and the leftmost soldier in front of them jerked as an arrow struck him in the leg. The soldier raised his head. Cold dread washed over Sarien as a dead man¡¯s eyes stared back at him. There was no sign of life, no trace of consciousness.

    ¡°What are they?¡± Lana gasped. The two other soldiers near them up raised their heads too, and all three swayed back and forth in unison.

    ¡°Look at their chests!¡± Kax yelled. It was hard to make out, but it looked like each of them had something embedded in their chest, or through them.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°Tentacles!¡± Lana yelled. ¡°That thing is using them as puppets!¡±

    Sarien saw shadowed limbs behind the dead soldiers as they moved closer. A tentacle had punched through each of them.

    Kax swore. ¡°They¡¯re coming from behind too!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s controlling them, look!¡± Heylien yelled, firing another arrow. This one struck the middle one up front, right in the face, but it didn¡¯t flinch. All three of soldiers brandished their swords. Their movements were jerky and disjointed. ¡°My arrows aren¡¯t doing anything!¡±

    ¡°Attack the tentacles behind them!¡± Lana yelled. She ran off toward the soldiers and jumped to hurtle in the air past them all the while carrying the burning torch.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the ones behind us!¡± Kax shouted. He drew his swords.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help him. You go with her,¡± Heylien said, running to catch up with Kax.

    Sarien hurried after Lana. When he caught up with the aeromancer, all he could do was stare as she twirled through the air effortlessly and slid across the floor to deliver cuts to the tentacles while avoiding feeble attacks from the dead soldiers.

    One of the dead soldiers came close to striking her, but the soldier¡¯s sword arm changed its trajectory in the last moment, causing him to miss. Had she just pushed it away with wind?

    Sarien shook his head and ran in to help. What he saw when the light stretched further into the tunnel, he nearly stopped in horror at the sight of multitude of the dead. Not just soldiers, but farmers, laborers, the poor and homeless.

    How long had this monster lurked down in the tunnels, collecting bodies?

 Book 1: Chapter 35

    ¡°Look out!¡± Sarien screamed. His warning allowed Lana to jump out of the way of a stable hand, who thrust a pitchfork at her back.

    She stumbled and put a little too much weight on her injured leg and went sprawling with a curse. Lana rolled away from a strike and got to her knees. Sarien sliced his spear through the air to cut into the nearest soldier. His body broke in two. It was like cutting through an old vegetable. The stink of decomposing flesh rose, and Sarien gagged. He fought through it and offered Lana his hand.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± she asked, eyes wide, as she took it.

    He pulled her up and half dragged, half carried her back a few steps before she could stand on her own. ¡°We go back to the others and hope the way back is clear!¡± He let go of her small, warm hand. He needed to conserve his strength to deal with the gate later, if they made it that far.

    The sound of feet running rose from the other direction, and Kax and Heylien soon emerged from the dark.

    ¡°There¡¯s a whole bunch of them!¡± Kax yelled. A trickle of blood ran down the side of his face, and his scalp shone bright red in Sarien¡¯s light.

    ¡°You¡¯re injured.¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kax said, grinning, but his eyes were glassy and he was unsteady on his feet.

    Heylien held only his large knife, his bow nowhere to be seen. He clutched his hastily bandaged arm. ¡°Can¡¯t shoot, so I dropped it.¡±

    ¡°This is bad,¡± Lana said, glancing back and forth between the slowly advancing bodies. ¡°How does it have this many tentacles? It must be huge!¡±

    ¡°Never mind that! What do we do now?¡± Kax asked. The smile on his face was gone, and he kept blinking.

    ¡°Can we fight our way through one of the groups?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s too many of them,¡± Lana answered. ¡°If it was just me, then maybe.¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°You should get out of here, then. Return to Goslin and the others.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you here!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± Heylien said, wincing. ¡°We can go back there,¡± he pointed to the dead-end tunnel, ¡°and keep our backs clear, at least. You might find someone who can help before it¡¯s too late.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lana asked, looking at each of them in turn. ¡°You¡¯re going to hold out until I get back?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Now go!¡±

    She gave him a quick hug and smiled at Sarien and Kax. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare die!¡± With those words said, she ran and leapt, soaring over the heads of the moving dead bodies. They raised their weapons in an attempt to catch her, but none succeeded.

    Sarien hurried back to the dead end with the others.

    ¡°You really think we can make it until she finds help?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Heylien said, as the dead approached.

    Kax sighed and raised his swords. ¡°Didn¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep them at bay with the spear,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you wave your hands in the air and destroy them with black flames?¡± Kax asked. ¡°Or white ones? Whichever you please. Any of the flames, really.¡±

    ¡°The white ones won¡¯t work for that, I think.¡± Sarien said. ¡°If I had more time, I might be able to open a gate and take us somewhere, but not like this.¡± He grunted and stabbed with the spear, taking the closest dead soldier in the neck, cutting deep enough to make it flop to the side. There was no blood, only a rotting stench. The soldier did not stop coming for them.

    Kax¡¯s sword dug deep through that same soldier¡¯s chest, cutting into the tentacle. The soldier dropped without a sound, and the tentacle that had controlled it shriveled with a screech of pain.

    ¡°What do I do?¡± Heylien asked, his voice frantic. ¡°I just have a knife!¡±

    Kax tossed his longer sword into the air toward Heylien. ¡°I¡¯m going to want that back if we survive this!¡±

    Heylien stepped to the side quickly, and the sword struck into the ground, half the blade disappearing into the stone. He withdrew it with ease.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Kax!¡±

    They positioned themselves shoulder to shoulder. The narrow passageway was just wide enough for them to fit and still have room to fight. The dead kept coming in droves.

    Black flames enveloped Sarien¡¯s spear. He stuck it in his armpit to avoid the white flame touching the black, then drove it from side to side, cutting through the rotting bodies.

    With no room for wide sword swings, Kax and Heylien jumped back and forth to thrust into the dead puppets¡¯ chests. Each dead body that fell to the floor overwhelmed them with a cloud of rotting stink and the screech of the creature controlling them.

    No matter how many they downed, more dead appeared, climbing over their fallen brethren to reach the three men fighting for their lives.

    To make matters worse, tentacles started appearing amongst the dead. The monster¡¯s limbs dove toward them as if trying to pierce their chests and use them to replace the meat puppets Sarien, Kax, and Heylien had already destroyed.

    The fighting soon grew desperate. They were all injured and when Sarien felt the grate pressed up behind his back, he knew it was almost over.

    Sarien looked at his white flame and then his black. They were pulling toward one another, as if wanting to be joined together. Perhaps this was the moment to try as anything would be better than dying at the end of a tentacle. He looked at his friends. They were both on their last legs, panting and covered in muck and their own blood.

    A wall of rotting bodies had formed at their feet, but more of the dead climbed toward them. Sarien brought his white and black flames closer together. They flickered wildly, reaching for one another.

    Just as he was about to join them, a low-pitched whomp sound raced through the tunnel. The tunnel lit up and incredible heat followed as flames burst through the space.

    Sarien lost control of both of his flames. If not for the wall of dead bodies, all three of them would have been incinerated. As it was, the flash of heat was enough to drive them to their knees, coughing and choking. Sarien¡¯s throat burned and his eyes stung. He blinked back tears.

    Just as quickly as the fire had come, it disappeared. The stench of burned flesh was overpowering.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Kax coughed.

    ¡°I found help!¡± Lana shouted from the other side of the charred wall of flesh.

    A warm light appeared. Sarien blinked away tears from the smoke and looked up at the man cresting the top of the heap.

    ¡°Hello son,¡± his father said.

    Sarien took his outstretched hand and together they climbed back to the main tunnel, followed by Kax and Heylien.

    Lana stood there, looking very pleased with herself. ¡°Saved your asses!¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sarien asked, looking at his father. Talc Wald, the man who¡¯d raised, then left him at the Karm estate just saved them from a horde of reanimated bodies using an inferno to burn them away. ¡°Why did you leave me?¡±

    His father looked worn out, covered in grime, both his hair and beard longer and scruffier than he remembered. But above all else, he looked uncertain. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a story, son. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re well, but I wish you would have stayed at the estate.¡±

    Sarien brought out his white flame, blending the cold light with the warmth of his father¡¯s fire. ¡°Hard to stay put when your father sees this and then disappears while you¡¯re unconscious.¡±

    Kax, Heylien, and Lana retreated, giving them space to talk. Each moved to keep a lookout. No one thought they¡¯d seen the last of the monster.

    ¡°Son, I should have explained things before I left, but you have to understand. I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    Anger rose in Sarien¡¯s chest. ¡°Of course you had a choice! Are you even my father? I don¡¯t even know your real name! Talc? Trym? Something else? Who are you, really? Tell me!¡±

    The man before him winced but took a step forward, reaching for Sarien.

    Sarien stepped back, keeping his distance. ¡°Tell me who you are!¡±

    ¡°I am your father, and you will show me proper respect!¡±

    Sarien paused. He¡¯d never heard him use that tone of voice before, cold anger, not even when Sarien and Ben almost died as kids, trying to fly by jumping off a barn and waving their arms like birds flapping their wings. But Sarien refused to be intimidated. ¡°What is your name?¡±

    His father deflated. ¡°My name is Ein. Here on Maydian I used to go by Ein Tordensson.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ein Tordensson?¡±

    Kax yelled from where he overheard, ¡°Your da is Ein the Slayer?¡±

    The Slayer. A few pieces fell into place and Sarien brought out his black flame. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s called slaying?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Put that out right now!¡± Sarien¡¯s father cupped his hands and produced a black flame of his own. ¡°Put it out now. And, keep it away from the white flame!¡± He eyed Sarien¡¯s spear, seeing it clearly for the first time.

    Sarien let his black flame wink out. ¡°You¡¯re Ein. That¡¯s impossible. You killed gods?¡±

    Ein shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it alone.¡±

    ¡°But that was over two hundred years ago!¡±

    ¡°You can age gracefully if you keep out of the sun,¡± Ein said, smiling.

    Sarien rolled his eyes. ¡°So, I inherited the black flame from you, obviously. Why did you raise me at the estate, of all places? If you¡¯re one of the heroes, shouldn¡¯t you live a life of glory?¡±

    ¡°Glory is overrated. All I wanted for you was a quiet, comfortable life. A proper way to earn a living, a wife, and children. You have to understand, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d manifest, didn¡¯t think you could. That meant you¡¯d grow old while I didn¡¯t.¡±

    His father fell quiet. ¡°When I saw you use your white flame, as you call it, I knew the portals would start returning, like natural waygates drawing other worlds to yours. That¡¯s why I left. Had to see for myself and find a way to stop them without endangering you.¡±

    ¡°To close the gates?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ein confirmed.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Did they open because of me? Am I to blame for all of this?¡±

    ¡°The way I understand it, your manifestation would have opened them, but it¡¯s not your fault. You didn¡¯t do anything consciously to open them. You haven¡¯t opened any, right?¡±

    So, it actually was his fault, and not. The rhinn, the kozimuz, and the luisons, this thing, and who knew what else, all because he manifested the white flame. He hadn¡¯t asked for it, true, but the knowledge still weighed heavily on him. How could he ever make up for such an atrocity?

    ¡°Just the one back from Rhinerien. Closed a few and sent a monster away without one.¡±

    ¡°Good, you must be very careful with that power. I¡¯m sorry to say that I can¡¯t teach you how to use it either. It was your mother¡¯s, and she is gone.¡±

    ¡°Anja. My mother wasn¡¯t really a seamstress, then?¡±

    Ein winced. ¡°No. Couldn¡¯t exactly tell you who she was without revealing myself.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s dead?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯d love to tell you all about her, but the Xzxyth is still down here. My blast may have singed it, but it¡¯s not enough to kill the monster. I have to find a way to destroy it before it infects the entire continent. Vile thing. You should return to the surface. I¡¯ll come for you when I¡¯m done.¡±

    Sarien barely heard the rest of the words his father spoke. His mother could be alive. ¡°No. I¡¯m coming to help. We all are. That¡¯s why you¡¯re down here. Is this creature so powerful?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible being, the Xzxyth. It¡¯s too dangerous to stay here. You can barely hurt it, even with fire or the black flame, as you so aptly named it.¡±

    ¡°My spear harmed it.¡±

    ¡°So did my swords!¡± Kax piped up. He wasn¡¯t even pretending not to listen anymore.

    Ein frowned. ¡°Really? How were they made? I¡¯ve never seen the like before.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t?¡± Sarien asked, grabbing the weapon from its sheath. ¡°I made it with the black flame.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Ein asked, eyes widening. ¡°You trapped someone¡¯s heart in a weapon?¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Well, not their hearts, but yes. I didn¡¯t want to, but it happened.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about a physical heart, but the spiritual one. What governs a person¡¯s state of being and their manifested power, if any. Who did you take it from?¡±

    ¡°This one is from striking the monster,¡± Sarien said, indicating into the darkness.

    ¡°Mine are from a bandit!¡± Kax yelled. He looked full of energy despite the ordeal they¡¯d just survived.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never done that?¡± Sarien asked his father.

    ¡°No.¡± Ein gave Sarien a strange look but didn¡¯t elaborate. ¡°Fine, you can come. Your mother¡¯s power will certainly come in handy. If you know how to use it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know much about it.¡± Sarien said. ¡°Just what Heradion told me and from my own experimentation.¡±

    ¡°You met Heradion?¡± Ein shook his head in wonder. ¡°Never mind, we¡¯ll speak of Juoko later. For now, let¡¯s go find a way to destroy Xzxyth.¡±

    They¡¯d walked over to the others, and Lana was the first to react to that name. ¡°Juoko? That old bastard was Juoko the Hydromancer?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ein said, increasing the flame to cast more light as the group walked.

    ¡°But he was a pyromancer,¡± Heylien said. ¡°He burned the luisons.¡±

    ¡°Luisons? Sounds like you¡¯ve had quite the adventure, Sarien.¡± Ein held out a hand toward the stream of water in the recessed part of the floor. It spiraled upward, moving at his command before he let it drop back down to the ground. ¡°He was known as a hydromancer back then, but he¡¯s decent with fire and air, too. He never took to geomancy, but I¡¯ve found that particular skill set useful.¡±

    ¡°You can use them all?¡± Sarien asked, stunned.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible to learn for some people. Except healing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lana asked. ¡°I¡¯m an aeromancer, a weak one. You¡¯re saying I could use fire too?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s doubtful, I¡¯m afraid. In theory, yes, but being born here means you¡¯ve entrenched yourself in this world¡¯s beliefs. The system implemented by your old gods is a mess.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Lana said.

    Ein shrugged.

    ¡°Why not healing?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not from here originally. Would have to go to the power¡¯s origin to learn it.¡±

    ¡°My head hurts,¡± Kax said. ¡°You sound crazy.¡±

    Ein shrugged. ¡°Think about it. What kind of connection would water and healing have? There are so few healers left because the people who carry the art are dying out. Ocea did her best to exterminate them.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of that,¡± Kax said.

    Ein ran a hand through his hair. ¡°It was a long time ago. Now, we need to deal with the Xzxyth. I¡¯ve been looking but can¡¯t find the main body. It slithers and multiplies at an incredible rate and all I¡¯ve managed is to keep it from hitting that critical mass it needs to take over Tyralien.¡±

    ¡°The whole city?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s where it would start. I know that the rhinn are here, but they are a minor threat in comparison to a god.¡±

    ¡°That big pile of goo with tentacles is a god?¡± Sarien asked. They were walking faster now, Ein¡¯s anxiousness infecting the others.

    He nodded, then shrugged. ¡°Well, it depends on your definition of a god. Perhaps demigod would be a better term? Or really horrific creature? I don¡¯t know where it¡¯s from originally, or how she got it to the sea around Vatnbloet, but it was Ocea¡¯s pet once upon a time. We banished it with the help of your mother, Sarien, because there was no way to kill it in Maydian.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s troubling,¡± Heylien said. ¡°How are we supposed to defeat it now?¡±

    Ein walked on in silence for a moment, then muttered, ¡°I¡¯m still figuring that out, but we have to do something before it¡¯s too late.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we capture it with the black flame?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°Put it into some object?¡±

    His father shook his head. ¡°No. It does not have a heart. It¡¯s not alive, strictly speaking. You cannot slay that which is not alive.¡±

    The words sounded like a quote from somewhere.

    ¡°What about the spear?¡± Sarien said.

    Ein held out his hand. ¡°Let me see.¡± Sarien handed it over and his father closed his eyes for a moment. A small black flame danced across his hand and into the weapon. He winced.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Sarien asked, taking the spear back.

    ¡°The Xzxyth grows by consuming the bodies and hearts of others. They are put in a state where they are not quite dead, but not alive either, while it feeds on them.¡±

    Sarien frowned. ¡°What are you saying, father?¡±

    Ein pointed at the spear. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, son, but what, or who, you have in there used to be a baker. You struck someone as the Xzxyth fed on him. There isn¡¯t much left of the person he used to be, but he¡¯s still clinging on to life in your spear.¡±

    Sarien let go of the spear, pulling his hand back as if singed by fire. It clanked to the ground. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but yes.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s knees buckled beneath him and he sat, staring at the obsidian metal. Having trapped an innocent man hit him harder than anything else he¡¯d done. He couldn¡¯t explain why, but it wrenched his gut and made his chest feel tight, like he couldn¡¯t breathe.

    ¡°I¡¯ll release him right away.¡±

    He placed a hand on the haft. Yes, the baker had been inside the creature, but it was Sarien who had doomed him to an existence in the void.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± his father asked, grabbing Sarien¡¯s wrist and stopping him.

    Sarien¡¯s eyes burned. He blinked, pushing the tears away, and pulled free from his father¡¯s grip. ¡°I¡¯ll let him go, of course!¡±

    ¡°You cannot release someone¡¯s heart once you¡¯ve trapped it!¡±

    ¡°Of course you can! I¡¯ve done it several times already!¡±

    ¡°Guys?¡± Lana said.

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Ein asked. ¡°You¡¯re able to both capture and release with your black flame?¡±

    ¡°Hey, guys?¡± Lana said, sounding a little more frantic.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. You can¡¯t?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°HEY!¡± Lana shouted.

    Both Sarien and Ein looked up. Slithering tentacles stabbed through the grates on the walls and floor all around them, and bodies shambled toward them, dead-eyed and lifeless.

    Flames erupted from Ein¡¯s hands, burning everything in his path. ¡°We¡¯ll continue this conversation later. For now, run!¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 36 (Goslin)

    Screams of terror rang from the wall, and the Tyriu soldiers were thrown off, burning as they plummeted to a certain death. Goslin turned to the nearest junior officer and grabbed the front of his armor. ¡°Can the gate withstand fire attacks?¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡± the young man said, his eyes wide as he watched more men falling from the top of the wall.

    Goslin shook him. ¡°The gate, man, will it stand against pyromancers?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! How would I know?¡±

    ¡°Goslin!¡± Tomford came running, his face flushed from either excitement or exertion. ¡°It¡¯s like Sarien said. They have pyromancers!¡±

    Anger boiled up inside Goslin. How dare they? They were subjects of Eldsprak. Once, they had been ground under the kingdom¡¯s heel for their part in its subjugation. From the look of things, they had not learned their lesson. He made a silent vow to teach them the cost of going back on their word. ¡°It would seem he was right, dear friend. It¡¯s up to us to make sure they rue the day they decided to embrace these otherworldly invaders.¡±

    ¡°Well said,¡± Tomford said with a grin. ¡°Where do we start?¡±

    A loud thud sounded from the gate, then another. Wood splintered as the entire gate buckled inward.

    ¡°Get ready!¡± Goslin yelled down to the troops. To Tomford, he spoke in a softer tone. ¡°There are more archers on the roof now. You and I will buy them time to put these traitors in the ground.¡±

    Another heavy blow struck and blew the enormous gate off its hinges. Large debris of wood and metal exploded with such incredible force that they crashed into the nearest building, reducing it to rubble and crushing everyone who stood nearby. The barricade was destroyed.

    Goslin allowed himself one second to be taken aback by the carnage, before acting.

    ¡°To me! Defend Tyralien!¡± He pulled out his jet-black shield and charged ahead with Tomford by his side.

    Harsh cries from wounded survivors along with boots stomping against the ground, the crash of the stone against the ground as the wall began to fall, and the elation of the rhinn soldiers as they swarmed into the city filled the air. The rhinn attacked relentlessly, heavily outnumbering the Tyriu soldiers, who fell back just from the sheer force of numbers piling through the opening where the gate once stood.

    ¡°To me!¡± Goslin bellowed again, trying to rally the troops. Most of the young defenders looked on, standing frozen to the ground in shock. Then one by one they came to their senses and joined in the fray. Before the invaders crossed the halfway point to where Goslin ran to meet them, arrows began to fly through the air. Goslin watched as the rhinn fell, dying in scores before even reaching striking range. He felt a sense of relief. The rhinn¡¯s ineptitude may save them all yet. But, before he could finish the thought, fire erupted from behind the lines of attackers, striking two of the nearest houses and setting the roofs aflame.

    The Tyriu soldiers met the attackers head on to first contain and then drive them back out of the city wall. Goslin thrust his sword into the first rhinn to reach him, and pulled it back to swing against another, lopping off an arm. Most of the invaders carried spears or swords and wore leather armor. A few wore only woolen tunics, and those were quickly dispatched.

    From what Goslin could tell, these rhinn soldiers were conscripts. They¡¯d probably never held a weapon before this siege. Still, they were many against the defenders¡¯ few. Tomford wore his metal gauntlets and laid waste to every rhinn he could get his hands on, but he kept back too, carefully picking his targets as to not get overwhelmed.

    The fallen rhinn were quickly replaced by more who spilled through the opening. Blood drenched the cobbled stones of the road from the thousands of wounds. There were shouts of fear and anger, swears and whimpers. More than once, Goslin heard someone cry for their mother.

    A soldier snuck up beside him, and he raised his shield to defend against the rhinn¡¯s clumsy sword thrust. He was jostled from behind by a defender, causing his boot to slip on the slick, bloody stone surface. Goslin fell forward and twisted, landing on his back in time to see the soldier who¡¯d accidentally pushed him being run through by the rhinn¡¯s blade.

    Goslin spun and tried to get a foot under him, but slipped in blood and went down again. Just as he hit the ground, fire erupted. A wide jet of flames burned through many of the rhinn, then continued on through the layers of defenders, striking and obliterating everything in its path. The heat sucked the air from Goslin''s lungs, and he choked and coughed, barely comprehending what just happened.

    A pyromancer, or many pyromancers, had burned through most of their own men, sacrificing their own allies to kill the Tyriu defenders. The stink of burning flesh permeated the air, and Goslin was sickened by the sharp pangs of hunger he felt at the sizzling sound and smell of cooked flesh. He got to his feet, legs unsteady, trying not to look behind him at the burning wasteland. So many dead, and more rhinn were coming. Was there no end to them?

    Tomford came to stand at his side, breathing hard from the smoke. ¡°You injured?¡±

    ¡°How could they do this?¡± Goslin asked, bewildered.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to ask them once we beat the fire out of them,¡± Tomford replied. ¡°More are coming. Are you ready?¡±

    What was impossible before with the legion of rhinn soldiers was now more so with pyromancers added to their ranks. They could not win. Not like this.

    He searched around them. Some defenders remained, and more were coming from the further down the street. He saw stark fear in their eyes, and he didn¡¯t blame them. They were up against monsters.

    He had no choice but to fight. Perhaps he and Tomford could buy a little time for the defenders to gather up whatever scraps of courage they could find.

    Goslin tightened his fist around the leather strap of his shield and raised his sword. ¡°Ready.¡±

    Tomford bellowed a war cry and the approaching rhinn faltered in their steps. Goslin could see their apprehension despite facing only two men.

    He joined in with Tomford¡¯s scream and charged, swinging his sword in wide arcs in hopes of frightening the rhinn.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Goslin cut deep into a rhinn soldier¡¯s arm, making the soldier drop the sword he carried, then danced back to avoid counter attacks. A quick duck to the side and a slash struck deep into the rhinn¡¯s face.

    They groaned and cried out as Goslin killed with an icy calm he¡¯d never felt before. The enemy was disorganized and came at him with only a few at a time, instead of surrounding him as they ought.

    Tomford struck again and again while dodging their clumsy attacks. He broke bones and sent rhinn into unconsciousness with swift punches, cracking jaws and destroying noses. Goslin left dead bodies as he slowly retreated. Tomford left screaming men in urgent need of care.

    Tyriu soldiers were quick to join in after the initial shock from the pyromancer¡¯s attack. A trickle of men appeared at first, then a river of them. The cramped area between the destroyed gate and houses soon grew difficult to navigate. Bodies pressed together and Goslin retreated to direct the fighting instead. The rhinn were still far more numerous, but the lines had formed up again, and for the moment, they held.

    Then Goslin saw them.

    Two men came up behind the rhinn. They both wore the telltale deep red robes of pyromancers. Their hands lifted and fire bloomed.

    ¡°Emeryn!¡± he screamed, turning. ¡°Where are you?¡±

    His breathing came in ragged breaths. There, on top of the pile of stone and plaster that was all that remained of the crushed house, stood Emeryn. She was covered in dirt and drying blood, but she smiled triumphantly. A grinding noise sounded from above, then a thunderous rumble. Goslin looked up to see the part of the wall directly above the gate come crumbling down in massive chunks of stone.

    The two pyromancers aborted their attack and threw themselves to the ground, narrowly avoiding the crush of stone. Many rhinn were not as quick to react, and when the dust settled, the invaders¡¯ found their path of entry closed. The attackers still inside the wall needed to be dealt with, and that included the pyromancers.

    Goslin charged through the dust, coughing as he went. ¡°Attack!¡±

    With almost zero visibility in the rising dust, and everyone stumbling about, it was difficult to tell friend from foe. Goslin focused on the eye. There was no mistaking a human from a rhinn as soon as you looked them in the eyes.

    He cut through the neck of one of the invaders. Goslin continued, dodging a blow from one rhinn and diverting a strike from another, impaling the second deep in the belly.

    Goslin knew that he needed to get to the pyromancers before they gathered themselves for another blast. They¡¯d proved a ruthless indifference to their own allies. That meant they would strike blind.

    Goslin suddenly found himself surrounded by the rhinn. He pushed through, hacking wildly to keep them too preoccupied to strike. At first, his plan worked. Then it didn¡¯t. Their confusion at seeing someone right in the midst vanished when Goslin started killing indiscriminately to cut a path through them. He saw anger in their faces, along with the fear, and strikes came for him with increasing accuracy and force. Goslin¡¯s sword got stuck in a rhinn¡¯s chest, and he had put his foot against the corpse to pull it out. He couldn¡¯t go on without his weapon.

    He screamed as pain seared across his back. Goslin spun, cutting down the rhinn who¡¯d struck him. He diverted another blow with his sword and thrust forward into a rhinn soldier¡¯s knee. The attack left him open, and a spear dug into his sword arm above the elbow.

    Goslin screamed as the tip emerged on the other side of his arm, covered in his own blood. His arm went limp, and his sword clattered to the ground. A wave of nausea struck and his vision swam. Despite this, Goslin rolled away, pulling the spear from his body.

    He couldn¡¯t stand still. He would be dead if he didn¡¯t move. With his uninjured arm, he swung his shield into the spearman¡¯s face, obliterating it. When he spun to defend against the next attacker, Goslin caught the incoming sword strike on his shield and the enemy gaped as his sword flew through the air until it disappeared. Goslin spun and struck with the shield. A loud crunch was followed by the soldier being thrown to the ground as nothing more than a mess of blood and broken bones.

    More rhinn descended on him and he still needed to find the pyromancers. He hobbled forward, his legs barely strong enough to hold him up.

    Goslin realized he¡¯d forgotten his sword. It had been a gift from someone, possibly the king himself. He couldn¡¯t quite remember. His mind was a haze. Not that it mattered much. He couldn¡¯t carry it with a useless arm.

    Distance was difficult to grasp in the still swirling cloud of dust, but he had to be getting closer to the pyromancers. They couldn¡¯t be much farther. Three rhinn appeared in front of him. Goslin gritted his teeth and raised his shield. Perhaps he could use it to get past these three. If only he could raise his shield arm. He could not. All his energy had bled away.

    Goslin took a deep breath and straightened. He saw red and yellow fire bloom behind the rhinn soldiers in the cloud of dust as one of them raised his spear. Then, out of nowhere, Tomford was there. His knuckles connected with the rhinn spearman¡¯s neck, snapping it at a strange angle. A conflagration roared through the dust. At the last moment, Goslin gathered enough awareness to huddle on the ground behind his shield. He felt it heat up as the fire roared all around him, continuing on into the mass of rhinn soldiers and defenders behind him.

    Tomford screamed in agony, a bone-chilling wail somewhere just beyond the shield¡¯s protection. The metal was hot enough to burn his arm, but Goslin struggled forward, pushing against the never-ending inferno while keeping close to the ground.

    ¡°For fire¡¯s sake, I¡¯m thirsty,¡± he muttered. The front of the shield struck something. A corpse. One of the rhinn. Had to be. Tomford was alive, Goslin could hear his screams. How he kept that much air in his lungs in the middle of a firestorm, Goslin didn¡¯t know. Hard to think straight. Had to keep going. There! A hunched form on the ground. It still moved. Barely.

    Goslin moved around the hunk of Tomford¡¯s burned flesh and positioned himself in front of it. The screaming didn¡¯t stop. Neither did the fire. An eternity elapsed. Finally, the screaming stopped. Goslin didn¡¯t have the strength to look behind him. Darkness was creeping in at the corners of his eyes, the roar of the fire dulling. Even the stink of burned flesh had lessened. Goslin blinked, fighting the wave of exhaustion before drifting toward unconsciousness. Before the world around him turned black, a cold jolt shot through his entire body.

    Goslin screamed as he felt his body knit itself together and the burns melt away. He¡¯d never received healing of that magnitude before. Without it, he would surely have been dead.

    ¡°Can you go on?¡±

    Goslin peered over his shoulder to see Tomford huddled behind him, protected by the shield. The last remnants of his burns disappeared as Goslin looked on in awe.

    ¡°Can you?¡± Goslin asked in return. Moments before, Tomford was burned so severely that Goslin had seen his skin melt into a congealed mass. Now, Tomford laid there naked, his skin pink and smooth like a newborn babe¡¯s.

    ¡°A little chilly. Very tired. Thank you for saving me,¡± Tomford answered.

    ¡°The same goes for you, my friend,¡± Goslin said, grinning. He was exhausted, but at least he was still alive. ¡°Can you still fight?¡±

    Tomford nodded. ¡°My gauntlets are gone, but I don¡¯t need them to deal with mages.¡±

    ¡°On my mark then,¡± Goslin said, readying himself. They waited with nervous patience until the fire died away. Goslin took a deep breath.

    ¡°Now!¡±

    They both screamed and charged ahead through a wasteland of burned corpses and scalding hot metal. Goslin was deeply satisfied by the look of disbelief and fear on the two pyromancers¡¯ faces. Some of it might have to do with the very tall and very naked screaming redhead running beside Goslin.

    The pyromancers appeared almost as tired as Goslin felt, but they found enough strength to throw out another stream of fire.

    Goslin¡¯s raised shield dealt with the attack, and the shock on the mages¡¯ faces became all the more delicious.

    When little more than a third of the distance remained, a hole opened up in the air right beside them, and both of them leapt through and the gate shut closed behind them.

    ¡°No!¡± Goslin screamed, but it was too late. All that effort for nothing. So many dead.

    Goslin cried out again in frustration, a cry that reverberated inside him until the air in his lungs was spent.

    That¡¯s when he heard them. The screams.

    Goslin faced the city. Fire burned uncontrollably, consuming all that was before it. Houses crumbled. People screamed and cried.

    Among all that chaos, multiple tears opened in the air. Hundreds of rhinn soldiers poured out of the gates. In the distance, multiple horns blared, signaling the urgent need for reinforcements.

    In the distance, he heard Emeryn screaming for help.

 Book 1: Chapter 37

    Ein¡¯s fire was enough to destroy the reanimated bodies, each falling away charred and in pieces, but the tentacles remained. The creature¡¯s appendages withdrew in pain but would surely return.

    ¡°I am not going to be able to keep this up,¡± Sarien¡¯s father said, his face tight with exhaustion. ¡°I have been down here a while but have not been able to locate the main body.¡±

    ¡°I think I know where it is,¡± Sarien said.

    His father raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°There¡¯s a gateway. I can feel it.¡±

    ¡°Feel it? Not even your mother could do that. Or,¡± he thought for a moment, ¡°maybe she kept that part from us.¡±

    ¡°So, if you¡¯re Ein, that makes Sarien¡¯s ma Anja?¡± Kax asked. ¡°And she was from Rhinerien?¡± Everyone looked at him, and his nose twitched. ¡°I mean, because of Sarien¡¯s eyes, and the rhinn having gates and the like.¡±

    ¡°The man has a point,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Is he right?¡±

    Sarien looked at his father, who nodded. ¡°Her name on Maydian was Anja, yes. She¡¯s not a rhinn, though. You could say the rhinn are descendants from her people.¡±

    Ein squeezed Sarien¡¯s arm. ¡°Something happened to your mother long after our struggle against the ones who called themselves gods of this world. She was taken away through her power somehow right after you were born. Without a way to get to her, and no other wayfarers on this world, much less Gatekeepers I thought she was lost to us forever.¡±

    ¡°Gatekeeper?¡± Sarien asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a small group among the wayfarers. Your mother is one.¡± He gave Sarien a hopeful smile. ¡°Once this is all dealt with, we now have the means to go find her.¡±

    Sarien returned the smile. ¡°I like the sound of that.¡± They reached another split in the path and turned right, Sarien following the resonance inside him. He felt connected to the gate, his body drawn to it.

    ¡°About your black flame,¡± Ein continued. ¡°From what you said, you can do things that shouldn¡¯t be possible. It might be that I¡¯ve put limitations on myself and what I can do with it from being taught it one way, like your mages here on Maydian, but I can¡¯t be sure.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sarien asked. He¡¯d picked up his spear with the baker still inside it. There was no way around it, he needed a weapon and he would deal with the trapped man¡¯s heart later. ¡°You¡¯re not from Maydian?¡±

    His father shook his head. ¡°No, not originally. Lived here a long time, though. What I mean is that you have two powers that should not be able to co-exist. In a way, they are opposites. From what you¡¯ve told me, it sounds like you can do things that shouldn¡¯t be possible. This may mean that the two forces might be influencing each other in some way.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s this line inside me separating the two. Keeping them apart.¡±

    Sarien didn¡¯t know what to think of his father not being native to this world. Did that mean he wasn¡¯t human? If Sarien¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t from here either, did that mean Sarien wasn¡¯t human either?

    His head spun with a million questions. Each answer from his father only solidified the fact that he knew so little. Sarien pushed the panicked thoughts from his mind. He could only focus on the present and their immediate task was to stop the creature. Then the rhinn. After that, he would have all the time he needed to peel away each and every one of his father¡¯s secrets.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting closer,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Almost there.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we come up with some sort of plan?¡± Lana asked, anxiously fiddling with her daggers.

    Heylien cleared his throat. ¡°I have an idea. It¡¯s a little crazy, but it could work.¡±

    Ein nodded approvingly. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±

    They kept walking while Heylien explained. ¡°Sarien, you said it¡¯s likely to be by the gate?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If it¡¯s anything like the kozimuz, the creature will be unwilling to leave the area around the gate. I believe the Xzxyth is the same.¡±

    ¡°Good. Based on the map, we¡¯re heading toward the main water collection bay. Makes sense this Xzxyth creature will be there if it¡¯s big.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sarien agreed.

    Heylien pointed at Ein. ¡°And we have a powerful hydromancer. Even though the creature is blocking the tunnels, can you get the water?¡±

    Ein¡¯s smiled as he seemed to catch onto what Heylien had planned. ¡°Good lad! I can and I will break them down and we will wash that blight down into the gate.¡±

    ¡°I like the sound of that,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°Will that really work? What if it is too big?¡± Lana asked.

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but agree with her. ¡°If it¡¯s going through all these tunnels without moving from that bay, it must be gigantic. Can¡¯t it grab hold onto something?¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t it drown if it does that? Nothing is stronger than a rushing river, especially funneled underground like this,¡± Heylien argued.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure it even needs to breathe,¡± Ein said. ¡°But I still like the plan. It¡¯s better than anything I¡¯ve tried before.¡±

    ¡°We could just cut its arms off before flushing it out,¡± Kax said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go for it,¡± Sarien said. ¡°With me, Kax, and Heylien all cutting off limbs, it should be fine. Right?¡± His tone was light to mask just how terrified he was by the idea of going into this beast¡¯s lair. All he wanted was to turn and run for the nearest exit, but he couldn¡¯t. He¡¯d promised Goslin he would eliminate this creature and help the citizens of Tyralien. Fleeing now would mean going back on his word to the few people in the world he could call friends.

    Yes, he¡¯d found his father, but his responsibility did not end there. This was part of Goslin¡¯s quest, so it was part of Sarien¡¯s too.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it! You don¡¯t have any more of those weapons tucked away somewhere?¡± Ein asked.

    It was interesting to see this side of his father. The meticulously careful and deliberate man he¡¯d grown up with wasn¡¯t who Sarien thought he¡¯d be. He liked this adventurous side, he decided. Perhaps Sarien should be angry or disappointed in his father for lying to him all this time, but he understood why he¡¯d done it, and couldn¡¯t fault the man for it.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Afraid not. You just focus on the water and leave the fighting to those of us who are not centuries old,¡± Sarien said, laughing to spite the fear.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry,¡± Ein said, when they encountered more of the dead watching them from a distance, their blank eyes regarding them as they passed. ¡°I don¡¯t like those things watching us. Xzxyth will know we¡¯re coming.¡±

    The group picked up their pace and Lana hobbled along quickly despite her injured leg. Ein¡¯s small globes of fire kept pace ahead of them to light up the way, and when they reached their destination, they knew that Heylien had been right. The tunnel widened before they entered a large chamber. The floor continued on before abruptly ending in a steep drop.

    Thick tentacles reached out of that bay and into the different side tunnels. So many that Sarien worried there would be too many to cut through in the short amount of time.

    Sarien didn¡¯t have to look down into the dry bay to know that the gate was down there in the darkness, but Ein hurried ahead and peered down.

    ¡°It¡¯s here. The main body.¡± The glow from the gate cast enough light to see the shadowy silhouette of an enormous being tucked down in the shadows.

    The group pivoted to find the dead spilling out from every tunnel leading into the chamber. They moved slowly, shuffling their feet.

    ¡°How long until you can get the water down here?¡± Sarien asked, his voice threaded with worry.

    ¡°Start cutting,¡± Ein muttered. He closed his eyes and placed his palms together in front of his chest, concentrating. ¡°This won¡¯t take long.¡±

    Sarien saw that they would have to sever five of the massive limbs to cut off the creature¡¯s hold on the tunnel system.

    He ran up to the tentacle away with the thought of working his way back toward the center. His knees almost bucked at a loud rumble somewhere far away, but he braced himself and hacked away at the limb with the side of his spear.

    Each overhead swing with the spear bit into the monster¡¯s flesh and cut a little deeper, but the spear really wasn¡¯t the best weapon for the job, even with the elongated blade at the top.

    The tentacle jerked, and the creature screeched each time he struck it, a horrifying sound that sent a chill up his spine. He felt the fear in the creature as he and the others hacked away at its limbs. It gave him the strength to go on.

    When he sliced the last bit, that part of the creature¡¯s body dropped away and down into the bay. One down. Sarien looked up, heaving from the exertion.

    Lana was having some trouble with her tentacle. A dagger was even worse than a spear and Lana was covered in the monster¡¯s blood from having to stand so close to the appendage. The creature¡¯s tentacles weren¡¯t made out of muscle and sinew, but some gelatinous substance that oozed out with every slice, showering over her.

    ¡°Want me to take over?¡±

    Another quake hit, and she fell back a step. She braced herself and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep the deadies off you.¡±

    Sarien hadn¡¯t even noticed how close the dead were to them. He grunted and swung the spear in a long downward arch. When it bit into the next tentacle, the creature screeched again from down in the bay. Smaller tentacles started coming in through the different passageways, along with more of the dead.

    ¡°The water is coming, hurry up!¡± Ein yelled. Kax and Heylien were finished with their tentacles, only Sarien¡¯s remained. Time was running out.

    The room began filling with a shallow pool of water.

    Sarien¡¯s father was on the brink of collapse. Sarien could see him trembling violently. He¡¯d used too much of his power. Still, he didn¡¯t stop.

    Fire burned large swathes of the shambling dead bodies. Lana danced around their clumsy blows to strike at the smaller tentacles at their backs. She disconnected them from their flesh, the dead dropping at her feet.

    Lana landed on her injured leg and Sarien saw her wince and grit her teeth before continuing her dance. She was still a sight to behold, but he couldn¡¯t help but notice how much slower she¡¯d become.

    Ein kept his flame burning, destroying ten or twenty of the dead each time he directed his inner spark. While his flame burned, Sarien watched with wonder as the ground opened up beneath more of the dead, dropping some and effectively blocking those behind.

    Heylien and Kax hacked away at the last tentacle with Sarien. They were close now. So close. Sarien turned to fight the dead instead, his spear mostly getting in the way of severing the thick tentacle.

    Even with the last main tentacle severed from the Xzxyth¡¯s main body, the dead would keep closing in on them. His father had explained earlier that the smaller bodies, like the ones they¡¯d seen before, still controlled the dead even when no longer connected to the main body. In time, the severed parts of the Xzxyth would wither and die, but the effect was not immediate.

    The reach of his spear was a tremendous help. As long as he was careful, Sarien didn¡¯t have to worry about retaliation from those clumsy strikes.

    Some of the dead carried longer weapons, like spears of pitchforks, but they didn¡¯t seem to know how to use them. Instead of stabbing or thrusting, they flailed and swung wildly.

    The dead swarmed the bay in the hundreds. Not even Ein¡¯s magic could eliminate them all.

    Water flowed up to Sarien¡¯s shins.

    ¡°The wave is coming!¡± Ein yelled. ¡°Cut that thing off, cut it now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going as fast as I can!¡± Kax yelled, desperately hacking at the bits still connecting the tentacle to Xzxyth¡¯s main body. Much of it was underwater now, making it the all the harder to see where he was cutting. Ein¡¯s flames were dimming too.

    When the first quake hit, they felt the rumble in the ground beneath them. The second was the same, but with the third came a sound that thundered through the air. It grew louder and louder as they desperately hacked at the tentacle, water splashing all around them.

    Sarien joined in again, dragging his spear back and forth over the ground to sever the bits suctioned to the floor.

    Finally, the last tentacle fell into the bay. By then, the sound was loud enough to drown out their words to one another. Ein frantically gestured to the side, and they hurried to follow. The water reached up to Lana¡¯s waist and the much smaller woman struggled against the violent current.

    Their only chance to get away from the torrent of water hurtling toward them was a small service tunnel off by the far wall of the bay. A horde of dead blocked their way. Each of them shuffled through the water, kept on their feet by the slender tentacle stuck through their chest. They approached in a mass of bodies, grabbing for anyone they could reach. He thought they were looking to drown whoever they came in contact with. The Xzxyth was adapting to the new circumstances.

    No matter how many of them Sarien and the others cut down, more came to take their place. Sarien looked to his father, who struggled to produce even small bolts of fire. The ball of lights flickered and remained dark for seconds at a time.

    Kax grabbed Sarien¡¯s shoulder and pointed to the tunnel they¡¯d come from. A huge wave of water crashed against a wall and then poured into the bay. On the other side of the chamber, another wave joined in, and just to their left, a third. They hadn¡¯t made it in time. The lights went out and Sarien felt himself being swept away in the dark, carried toward the bay and then over the edge.

    He heard screams as he hurtled through the air, but they were cut off as soon as he hit the water. A terrible pull carried him downward, too strong to even consider fighting against it. Instead of trying to swim up, he focused on what was below. The gate. That was the source of the pull.

    Alone in the dark, under the surface, he saw the Xzxyth struggling against the current that swept Sarien ever closer to it. The creature was nearly sucked through the gate and back to wherever it had come from.

    Little by little, the Xzxyth was sucked through.

    Even as the beast was being pulled through the way gate, the current also carried Sarien ever closer. A terrible realization came to him. He¡¯d go through himself before the Xzxyth was entirely through. Perhaps Kax, Heylien, Lana, or his father were even closer. He couldn¡¯t let them go to whatever terrible world this thing had come from, but he couldn¡¯t hold his breath for much longer either. There wasn¡¯t enough time to swim up to the surface. Only one solution remained.

    Sarien reached out his hand toward the gate. He felt a calm overcome him as he concentrated on the reverberance inside, the force in his power that connected him to the gate, that connected him to all gates.

    The white flame filled him as he waited for the creature to be pulled through. Only a tiny bit of it remained in Sarien¡¯s world when he shut the gate closed, turning it into a silvery line in the dark depths. Then he concentrated with even more intensity as he tore a new gateway open in its place. The desperate grasping for a way out of what would otherwise become their watery grave bore fruit, and the current returned. Sarien held a profound hope inside him as he slid through the gate, a hope that their destination was where he thought it¡¯d be. Sarien thought of Goslin, of Tomford, and of Emeryn. He even thought of Daisy, the damn dog.

 Book 1: Chapter 38 (Goslin)

    Emeryn wasn¡¯t the only one screaming, but it was the only sound Goslin heard as he ran for the last spot where he¡¯d seen her. Tomford lumbered after, obviously getting dangerously low on energy after coming back from the brink of death and healing Goslin on top of that.

    On the way, Goslin reached down and grabbed his sword where he¡¯d dropped it. It had withstood the flames but was still warm to the touch. He felt energized, ready to fight. He charged in the direction of Emeryn¡¯s cries for help, but as he got closer, it became apparent that what he¡¯d taken as anguish was closer to rage.

    Her hair stood in all directions, all of her covered in dust and blood, but Emeryn¡¯s back was straight as she spun to strike at a rhinn soldier with a huge arm made out of stone. The opponent¡¯s head was crushed instantly, and he dropped without a sound. The heavy arm put her off balance, and she was pushed to the side. As she dropped, the arm crumpled, and she cried out in pain. Even from the ground she entangled the feet of the closest enemies. It allowed Goslin to cut through them with ease.

    Together, they defeated another three attackers before several more rhinn soldiers descended on them. Their opponents could not withstand the might of Emeryn¡¯s geomancy, falling to the side as she shook the ground beneath their feet. A blocked blow on Goslin¡¯s shield flung the opponent¡¯s weapon away with such force that the soldier¡¯s arm broke with a sickening snap.

    He thrust his blade into the chest of another rhinn, then sheathed it and yanked on Emeryn¡¯s arm. ¡°We have to go! Can¡¯t beat them all!¡± There were almost no defenders around, they must have pulled back.

    Emeryn¡¯s eyes were wide, her nostrils flared, and she looked around them, crazed, before sagging into Goslin. ¡°I¡¯m so tired.¡±

    Goslin wrapped his sword arm around her waist, propping her up against his shoulder. ¡°Tom, can you follow?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Tomford answered as he shambled up to them. Emeryn didn¡¯t react to Tomford¡¯s naked state, she only nodded at him as Goslin lead them out of the street and farther into the city. They¡¯d needed to find some shelter where they could rest away from the fighting.

    A few rhinn soldiers followed and Goslin passed Emeryn¡¯s limp body to Tomford. He cut through them easily, and he wondered at how much his skill with his sword had improved since they left the academy. Back then, he was a dreamer that wanted nothing more than adventure. Well, he grimaced, he¡¯d found adventure.

    Goslin gritted his teeth as he shambled through the narrow streets of Tyralien, slipping past rhinn soldiers whenever they were able. Eventually, they found a nondescript two-story house with an unlocked door and pushed their way in. It was empty. The family must have fled, either before the siege or after the rhinn broke through. It didn¡¯t matter. It would do for now.

    Emeryn whimpered as Tomford gently set her down on the floor. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± she asked, her eyes bleary.

    Outside, in the distance, Goslin heard the raucous sounds of battle. It appeared the defenders were still standing somewhere in the city.

    The house smelled faintly of herbs and cooked food. Goslin¡¯s stomach grumbled in protest. He couldn¡¯t remember when last he had a meal.

    He pulled drapes closed over the windows, hoping it would be enough to discourage any rhinn from peeking in. Once the door was locked he collapsed on the ground beside Emeryn, his hand reaching for hers. Her fingers curled into his, their fingers interlacing, and Tomford raised an eyebrow at the gesture, but said nothing. He left, Goslin assumed, to look for some clothes.

    ¡°We¡¯ll rest a little, then head for the keep. Once we get there, we can help in rallying defenders. It isn¡¯t over yet.¡±

    She gave him a weak smile. ¡°I was worried when the pyromancers joined in the fray.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to find a way to deal with them,¡± Goslin agreed. ¡°I wish the others were here. Heylien and Lana could have ended them from a distance.¡± Goslin paused. ¡°I can¡¯t understand why the firemagi would betray their own people like this.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re too good to see it,¡± Emeryn said. Her tone was gentle, not mocking. ¡°Power. They¡¯re looking to get back what they lost when Eld perished.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t allow it,¡± Goslin swore.

    She grabbed the side of his face and pulled him closer, kissing him before pulling back. ¡°I know you won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to break up this touching scene, but I found these,¡± Tomford said, putting down wooden plates covered in bread, cheese, apples, and plums. He disappeared and came back with several pitchers of water. ¡°Eat. You¡¯ll both need the energy.¡± He¡¯d found some clothes, thankfully. They didn¡¯t fit quite right, but a brown wool tunic with short arms and matching leggings that only reached to his knees were better than nothing.

    Tomford sat and started devouring the food before him, barely stopping to swill down a glass of water. Goslin and Emeryn joined in on the makeshift feast.

    They cleared the plates, then went for seconds, each of them draining several pitchers of water. Goslin¡¯s throat was sore from breathing in the smoke from the pyromancers¡¯ attack. He then washed his hands and face of the sweat, soot, and blood, feeling better when he finished.

    Goslin left enough gold on the table to pay for a month¡¯s worth of food and a new set of clothes to replace Tomford¡¯s clothes. He was in the middle of clearing off the plates when they heard sounds coming from right outside the door.

    Both Tomford and Emeryn froze. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re looking for us?¡± Emeryn whispered.

    Goslin shook his head. ¡°They have bigger worries than finding us three.¡± A shadow passed the window, then moved to the door. It rattled as whoever was on the other side tried to open it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± Tomford said. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here forever.¡±

    Goslin agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the keep.¡±

    Goslin inched toward the door, his hand on his sword. He heard voices but couldn¡¯t make out the words. They could be rhinn, Tyriu soldiers, or even the homeowners returning.

    He waited a moment longer, then carefully unlocked the door. Then he stood and flung the door open. Three rhinn soldiers spun at the sound of Goslin charging out. The first went down from a thrust into his back, and the second took a deep cut on his arm before he could even raise his spear. Tomford barreled into the third and tossed him to the ground. The one with the injured arm ran off screaming. Neither of the other two moved.

    Tomford felt for a pulse on the rhinn he¡¯d hurt, then nodded. ¡°Not dead.¡±

    ¡°Your refusal to kill will have serious repercussions one day,¡± Emeryn said. ¡°Perhaps today.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Tomford muttered.

    Alarmed shouts came from the direction where the injured rhinn disappeared.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Goslin said. The three of them started running toward the keep. The din of fighting had died away and he hoped that meant that the Tyriu soldiers had withdrawn to more defensible positions.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Goslin and the others wove through the city streets, doing their best to sneak past the rhinn soldiers whenever they were able. It was best not to draw attention. They had recovered some at the house, but not enough to fight their way to the keep.

    Goslin rounded a corner and stopped abruptly. A group of rhinn soldiers were walking through the street, but it was the woman with them that caught Goslin¡¯s eye. A pyromancer.

    The pyromancer wasn¡¯t one of the two men that had laid waste to the west gate and its inner defenses. This one was a young woman with light brown hair and expressive eyes. She was surprised and immediately held out her hand and blasted fire toward them without a care for her rhinn bodyguards, who burst into flames before her.

    Goslin flew in front of Emeryn and Tomford, holding up his shield. The flames burst around the edges, but they were protected. When the pyromancer stopped, Goslin quickly closed the distance and thrusted his sword through her heart. She blinked up at him in surprise, her mouth opening and closing as if speaking before the light faded from her eyes.

    He pulled the sword back with some effort, ripping it from her chest to face the remaining rhinn soldiers. The young pyromancer¡¯s eyes were still full of surprise.

    The rhinn stared wide-eyed for a brief moment, then dropped their weapons and ran.

    ¡°She¡¯s so young,¡± Emeryn whispered, coming up to stand next to Goslin. ¡°Our age.¡±

    ¡°Maybe younger,¡± Goslin said. A pit formed in his stomach when he looked at what he¡¯d done. Just a young woman. He swallowed hard. No, not just a young woman. A murderous traitor to humankind. She deserved no mercy, no tears.

    Goslin cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Tomford pointed up the street. ¡°We¡¯re not far from the keep now. Do we press on or hide and wait for dark?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t wait,¡± Goslin said. ¡°We have to know what¡¯s going on in the city and find the others.¡±

    Tyralien had changed in the last few hundred years with the poorer districts overflowing to outside the main walls of the city and the inner city crowding with new residents. With decades of peace, those in charge of planning the city hadn¡¯t thought to keep the area before the keep clear. Houses were constructed so close to the keep that many shared one of their sides with the wall.

    Rhinn patrols grew more frequent as they approached the final stretch of road before the keep. Goslin and the others kept to the narrow side streets, which were often blessedly empty.

    Goslin realized that the rhinn didn¡¯t have complete control of the city yet. If they did, there would have been an active assault on the keep itself. When they arrived at the main gate into the keep, Goslin was not surprised to find it shut tight. There were several other smaller entry doors and Goslin found one and convinced the guard to let them within the keep¡¯s walls.

    The guard stared blatantly at each of their eyes, before saying, ¡°Can¡¯t be too careful.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± Goslin asked.

    The guard shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been instructed to guard this door and not leave my post unless it is under attack.¡±

    ¡°What of Syster? Or the king?¡±

    ¡°Nobody tells me nothing,¡± the guard said. He followed them through a narrow tunnel, then knocked on an identical door on the other side of the wall. ¡°Hey, open up!¡±

    ¡°Your shift isn¡¯t over!¡± someone barked on the other side.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got guests!¡±

    The door was unlocked in a hurry. A sweaty face appeared in the doorway. ¡°Are the devils coming?¡± the second guard asked.

    ¡°Goslin of House Steerian,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Would you please take us to Syster?¡±

    The two guards exchanged a look, then the second nodded. ¡°Sure, I guess. Just don¡¯t try anything funny, ya hear?¡±

    They followed the guard across a wide lawn where groups of weary soldiers huddled together for warmth and the injured were treated.

    Goslin shook his head at the sight. What if they needed to defend the walls? The injured would be right in the middle of combat.

    Somewhere in the distance, the rhythmic hammer blows of a smith sounded. They entered through another door and walked up a flight of stairs, then another. Goslin followed blindly until the guard brought them to a spiral staircase. ¡°She¡¯s up there,¡± he said, before leaving from where they came.

    ¡°Peculiar fellow,¡± Tomford said.

    Goslin nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s hope he brought us to the right place.¡± He turned to the guards. They stood at attention by either side of the opening to the stairs. ¡°We¡¯re here to see Syster. Is she here?¡±

    Both of them nodded. ¡°What is your business with the commander?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve come to report that the west gate has fallen. She¡¯ll be expecting us.¡±

    The guards¡¯ faces dropped. ¡°Go right up. She¡¯s at the top.¡±

    Goslin emerged in what appeared to be a lookout tower without a roof. Light rain began to fall on their heads.

    The height of the tower would have made it impossible to see many details in the haze. Dusk had fallen, obscuring much of the city below.

    ¡°I knew about the gate but not about you three surviving,¡± Syster said after Goslin made his report. ¡°Pyromancers on the side of those devils attacking Tyralien. What is the world coming to?¡±

    Goslin wiped his face. His clothes were drenched, but he welcomed the rain. ¡°What¡¯s the plan now?¡± Have all gates fallen?¡±

    ¡°The south gate fell to a similar attack as your own, even with an aeromancer helping. The eastern wall couldn¡¯t stand against attacks from inside Tyralien and from the outside at the same time, even if they didn¡¯t attack with fire.¡± She narrowed her eyes. ¡°I need your word Eldsprak has nothing to do with this.¡±

    Anger rose in Goslin¡¯s chest. ¡°We would never! The firemagi are rebelling!¡±

    She sighed. ¡°I believe you. The devils attacking definitely aren¡¯t Eldians.¡±

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Emeryn asked.

    Syster shook her head. ¡°I truly don¡¯t know. The city is overrun. From the reports I¡¯ve received, the invaders aren¡¯t killing civilians, only soldiers. We can¡¯t fight them, not with such few numbers compared to theirs. And the way they use to those gates to magically appear out of thin air.¡± Syster shook her head. ¡°Impossible.¡±

    ¡°Have they made any demands of the king?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°None. We¡¯ve had no word from the enemy. Most of our defenders made it back to the keep. Our only saving grace is that the attackers are completely inept at fighting.¡±

    Goslin had made the same observations several times before. The rhinn army seemed to be composed of laymen, farmers, and the young who had no experience with fighting. What would convince them to invade another world? Who held sway over them?

    ¡°So, we can fight back,¡± Tomford said, interrupting Goslin¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°They¡¯d smother us with sheer numbers eventually, and that¡¯s not accounting for the bastard fireslingers,¡± Syster spat. ¡°Each one we¡¯ve encountered was surrounded by devils shielding them from arrows and literally throw themselves at us to protect their precious pyromancer. We might be able to reclaim the city, but it would be a very short victory.¡±

    ¡°Any word on help from the other kingdoms?¡± Goslin asked, troubled.

    ¡°No word at all. If it wasn¡¯t for the rain, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to see light from torches in the distance over there,¡± Syster said, pointing west. ¡°Kleotram should have come.¡±

    Goslin thought back to how Kleotram stood silent when they approached his uncle¡¯s city days before. Something had happened there, and he wondered if it had to do with the rhinn. ¡°Then we¡¯re on our own.¡±

    ¡°You should leave while you can. There¡¯s no reason for you to stay here. Once your friends get back from the tunnels, or even if they don¡¯t return, you should go. You¡¯ve done more than we could have expected.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Goslin said. He wouldn¡¯t give in so easily. There must be a way to defeat the rhinn and the pyromancers and save the Tyralien.

    In the distance, he saw a glimmering of light, strong enough to be visible through the rain, appear in the dark. It was blue, too cold to be a light from a torch.

    He pointed south, beyond the city wall. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°A gate? Something is coming out of it,¡± Tomford said, leaning over the railing. A great flow of water gushed out of the opening in the air.

    Emeryn nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t think it could be¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sarien!¡± Goslin yelled. The words carried far in the otherwise silent night. He set off for the stairs.

    Tomford grabbed his arm. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goslin asked. ¡°If Sarien and the others are in the middle of that, they¡¯re going to need our help! We have to mount a counterattack.¡±

    Emeryn put her hand on Goslin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the rhinn camp. Even if we can get past the wall, there¡¯s no way we can get to them in time to make any difference, if we could even get there at all. Besides, Sarien can¡¯t open gateways between two points in our world, can he?¡±

    ¡°Of course he can. He just hasn¡¯t figured out how yet,¡± Goslin said. He had full confidence in their friend. ¡°We can¡¯t just wait here and sit on our hands.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Syster said. Her gaze hadn¡¯t left the spot where the gate still poured out massive amounts of water. ¡°Whatever is happening out there, that amount of water is enough to create a small lake on its own. The rhinn will be in disarray. They¡¯re already poorly organized.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Goslin agreed. ¡°The time to strike is now.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°At first light. You¡¯ve seen their eyes. They¡¯ll have the advantage in the dark.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tomford asked.

    Syster looked back at them. ¡°Bigger eyes mean better vision, no? We prepare now and strike at dawn. You should get some rest.¡±

    Goslin gritted his teeth. ¡°Fine. Dawn.¡±

    He turned on his heel and started down the stairs, unsure what to think about the commander¡¯s reasoning and what was happening out in the middle of the rhinn army. Questions spun around in his head, so many that needed answers. One of them he did know the answer to, though.

    What would he do the entire night? It sure as scorching fire wasn¡¯t huddling in fear behind the keep walls.

 Book 1: Chapter 39

    Sarien panicked as he rode the water down the short fall to the ground, and landed in a growing pond of water, coughing and gasping for air. It was dark, but the night still showed men and tents all around him.

    No, not men. Rhinn.

    Instead of screaming for help, he slammed his mouth shut and waded through the water to find Lana. The only part of her above water was her eyes and the top of her head. She peered back at him, obviously understanding their situation. Kax coughed and cursed nearby, but Heylien got to him before Sarien could, silencing him with a hand over his mouth.

    ¡°We need to move, now,¡± Ein whispered in the dark, handing over Sarien¡¯s dropped spear.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sarien murmured.

    Kax and Heylien swam to join them. ¡°Did we get it?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°I think so,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Let¡¯s move. Do you still have your swords?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I dropped Kax¡¯s into the water,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°I have both,¡± Kax replied. ¡°Caught it. Told you I¡¯d want it back.¡±

    Lana raised her head above the water so she could whisper, ¡°That¡¯s actually impressive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sound so surprised,¡± Kax muttered.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to drown here if we stay much longer,¡± Heylien said. ¡°Or the rhinn will realize we¡¯re here and that¡¯ll be the end of us.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Sarien agreed. They made their way to the edge of the water, crawling the last bit to get to dry land, then hurried to the nearest empty cluster of tents.

    A fire crackled in the middle of the camp. Each of them was packed with sleeping rhinn. Sarien cursed under his breath and turned away from the firelight so they wouldn¡¯t be spotted.

    Rhinn moved around them, but no one glanced in their direction. The enemy¡¯s focus was entirely on the growing lake in the middle of their camp. From what he could tell, there weren¡¯t even any patrols. Not that it mattered when they were in the middle of a damn army. They¡¯d be caught eventually, no matter how incompetent these invaders were.

    ¡°There,¡± his father whispered, grabbing Sarien¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sarien asked. The tent Ein indicated to was much larger than the ones the rhinn were sleeping in, big enough to fit furniture, and, worse, it was dyed a deep red.

    Ein nodded. ¡°If we can get our hands on a pyromancer¡¯s robe or two, that¡¯ll let us move around and get out of here without being questioned.¡±

    ¡°What if there¡¯s a pyromancer inside?¡± Kax asked.

    Lana drew a dagger from her belt. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that.¡±

    ¡°We better hurry,¡± Heylien said. ¡°There¡¯s a whole lake forming here. How much water does Tyralien even store?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s connected to a river,¡± Ein muttered. He looked to Sarien. ¡°It¡¯s your call, son.¡±

    Sarien straightened. There was only one option if they wanted to get out of the rhinn camp alive. ¡°We go for the pyromancer.¡±

    They slowly made their way over to the pyromancer¡¯s tent. The rhinn soldiers were distracted by the hole in the air gushing water into their camp, and Sarien only had to tilt his head down whenever one rushed past to stay hidden. When they approached the tent, Sarien was surprised to find that it wasn¡¯t guarded. He heard voices from within, familiar, and not the lightly accented tones of the rhinn. They were human. Pyromancers.

    Lana cast Sarien a questioning look, and he nodded firmly. She slid another dagger out, one for each of the firemagi, and entered without making a sound.

    From where he stood outside, Sarien only heard a gust of wind followed quickly by two grunts. Lana¡¯s arm came out of the tent flap, waving them in. Both pyromancers were dead, each with a dagger punched through their forehead. Judging by how deep they were stuck, Lana must have used tremendous force.

    ¡°Do you recognize them?¡± Heylien asked, looking to Sarien as they de-robed the old men.

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°Most pyromancers were out of the tower before I arrived.¡±

    ¡°You went to the tower?¡± Ein asked.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    His father winced. ¡°Right, we¡¯ll talk about that later.¡±

    Sarien and Ein were designated as the group¡¯s pyromancers. Ein for the obvious reason that he was a pyromancer and Sarien because of his black flames. If they were stopped by the rhinn, they hoped the invaders weren¡¯t knowledgeable enough about pyromancy to know the difference between a true flame and Sarien¡¯s own versions.

    Ein called for the nearest rhinn as soon as they exited. When they arrived, he spoke in an arrogant tone that would set anyone on edge. ¡°Fetch us three rhinn uniforms to fit these people.¡±

    The rhinn kept their eyes downcast and soon returned with the requested outfits. With that, they blended in with the crowd. Ein, his spine straight and with a look of haughty disdain on his face, took the lead through the mass of rhinn crowding around the ever-expanding lake. Soldiers jumped out of their way.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I close the gateway?¡± Sarien asked as they walked through the camp.

    Ein shrugged. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to enter through there. With the blockages fully open, you¡¯ll drown the city if you close it at this point. The flow will have to be cut off first.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    His father looked at him as they walked side by side through the increasingly frenzied army. ¡°The plan didn¡¯t include us getting sucked in with the creature and dumped into the enemy camp. I thought we¡¯d have time to fix this. No worries, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. Tyriu doesn¡¯t have all that many lakes and you can¡¯t deny it¡¯s messing with the rhinn camp, can you?¡±

    ¡°Guess not.¡±

    Kax, Heylien, and Lana walked behind them with their hoods drawn up, covering their faces. No one stopped them when they exited the camp and the groups of rhinn moving between the city wall and their camp didn¡¯t bother them either. They all became disinterested as soon as they were near enough to spot the red robes in the dark.

    ¡°How are we going to get in?¡± Lana asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have Emeryn with us.¡±

    ¡°Sarien¡¯s da can do what Emeryn can, right, Ein?¡± Kax asked.

    ¡°Emeryn?¡± Ein asked.

    ¡°A friend and geomancer,¡± Sarien said. ¡°There are others in our party, Tom and Goslin. We had to split up.¡±

    Ein stopped and blinked. ¡°The southern gate is open. Not a good sign.¡±

    A screech came from back at the rhinn army camp, loud enough to make them all jump and spin.

    ¡°Was that what I think it was?¡± Kax asked.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Ein turned to Sarien. ¡°You didn¡¯t wait until it was through?¡±

    ¡°I did!¡± Sarien protested. ¡°Most of it! Had to close the gate before it was all the way through, or we would all have been sucked through with it!¡±

    Ein shook his head in disbelief. ¡°The Xzxyth¡¯s main body can regenerate from the smallest of pieces. The whole rhinn army might be nothing more than meat puppets by this time tomorrow.¡±

    Kax chuckled. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it does,¡± Ein said, anger in his voice. ¡°Except it will come for you next. This tiny continent you call Maydian will be consumed if we don¡¯t stop it.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s face burned and he was thankful for the darkness. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Ein sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it now. Let¡¯s just get back inside the city so we can formulate a plan.¡±

    Several rhinn soldiers stood at attention by the opening where the gate used to be. It turned out it wasn¡¯t opened but torn apart and burned to ash. The soldiers glanced at them but said nothing.

    As they made their way up what looked like one of Tyralien¡¯s main streets, it became clear that the city truly had fallen. Sounds of combat were infrequent and the rhinn quickly dealt with whatever pockets of resistance that still held on by sheer force of numbers. At least they weren¡¯t harming civilians or rioting in the streets. Sarien saw the occasional pyromancer walking the streets with a contingent of rhinn bodyguards.

    ¡°Trym?¡± A voice from a side street made them stop dead in their tracks.

    Sarien¡¯s father looked to their right, then blinked. ¡°Mats? What are you doing here?¡±

    A single pyromancer surrounded by rhinn soldiers stepped out into the wider street to join them. ¡°I was just about to ask you the same. Haven¡¯t seen you for years! When did you get here? And who is this?¡± He nodded to Sarien, who kept his expression blank, trying to look bored and disinterested.

    ¡°Arrived just a few hours ago,¡± Ein answered, putting an arm around Sarien¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This right here is my son! They grow up so fast, don¡¯t they?¡±

    Mats stared, dumbfounded. ¡°Son? Since when do you have children?¡±

    ¡°Just the one,¡± Ein corrected. The surrounding street soon emptied as rhinn soldiers chose to go down side streets rather than walk past the three pyromancers. The rhinn accompanying Mats shuffled and glanced back and forth, clearly uncomfortable. Sarien guessed none of them had volunteered for the service of protecting a human.

    ¡°Thought you¡¯d be among the traitors. Sorry to say,¡± Mats continued. ¡°Don¡¯t take no offense or nothing.¡±

    Ein barked a laugh. ¡°Me? A traitor?¡±

    Mats chuckled along. ¡°Just that we haven¡¯t seen you at the tower in ages. I think there¡¯s even a warrant out for your arrest.¡±

    Ein laughed even harder, bending over at the waist. Sarien couldn¡¯t help but smile too, and even the rhinn around Mats grinned. Ein¡¯s laugh suddenly fell away. He straightened and rammed a dagger through Mats¡¯ throat in one smooth motion.

    The pyromancer clutched at the dagger as he died, choking on his own blood. Kax drew both of his swords and cackled as he fell upon the shocked rhinn soldiers. There were six of them, but none had time to even draw their weapons or lower their spears.

    Kax killed two in one swing of his swords. Lana felled two more with her daggers and Heylien made short work of the last soldier with the use of Sarien¡¯s spear.

    Sarien spun, expecting other groups of rhinn soldiers to be running towards them. Instead, if anything, they kept an even greater distance. Apparently, two pyromancers fighting was not a conflict they wanted to get involved with.

    ¡°I never could stand that guy,¡± Ein said, turning to Sarien. ¡°It¡¯s not right to kill people, son.¡±

    Sarien blinked. ¡°What? After all this? Your fatherly advice could use some work.¡±

    He caught a glimpse of Kax¡¯s hand and whatever mirth he felt died. ¡°Kax. How are you doing with that?¡±

    Kax looked down at his hands after sheathing the swords. The obsidian coloring from back in the tunnels had spread and now covered half his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s no pain or anything. I feel great.¡±

    ¡°Father, do you know anything about this?¡±

    Ein¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°No. I¡¯ll take a look later. We should go. At some point, someone will arrive and wonder why we¡¯re standing around a bunch of corpses.¡±

    Lana bent down and pulled the dagger out of Mats¡¯s throat before wiping the blood off on the dead pyromancer¡¯s robe. She put it away and then glared at Ein. ¡°Ask next time.¡±

    They moved quicker than before, feeling the attention of the rhinn. Even if no one approached them, those who¡¯d witnessed the event with Mats kept their eyes on them. Best be away before the situation turned ugly.

    More rhinn patrolled the streets the closer they got to the inner wall, but as far as Sarien could tell, they didn¡¯t appear interested in the keep. Singing rose from one of the streets and a couple of rhinn soldiers wobbled forth clutching bottles of wine.

    A screech could be heard in the far distance. ¡°Does not bode well,¡± Ein said, shaking his head.

    Heylien hurried up to walk beside Sarien and Ein. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like the rhinn are pulling back? Some of them, at least?¡±

    Sarien looked around at the nearby soldiers, then down the street. ¡°Some look like they¡¯re moving out to the southern gate again.¡±

    ¡°Because of the Xzxyth?¡± Heylien asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Ein said. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry to the keep.¡±

    Rhinn waypoints opened up as they passed and rhinn soldiers disappeared through, presumably, heading back to their camp. ¡°Would be great if we could hinder them from using those gates.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re a tactical advantage, to be sure,¡± Heylien agreed.

    Kax looked at each of them in turn, then grinned. ¡°I can take a hint. I¡¯ll see what I can do!¡±

    ¡°What? No!¡± Sarien exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    Kax was already a few steps away. He turned, still smiling. ¡°It¡¯s still dark, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be of any use here. You go ahead, I¡¯ll be fine!¡± He didn¡¯t wait for an answer before disappearing in the direction of the closest waypoint.

    ¡°That insufferable arsehole,¡± Lana said. ¡°He better not die.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me Kax will be fine,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°Youth,¡± Ein muttered.

    Sarien watched as Kax disappeared around the corner of a baker¡¯s shop, then he turned back to the keep. ¡°We better go find the others.¡±

    Once they got near enough to the keep¡¯s main gate, they saw group of rhinn soldiers standing guard. ¡°How do we get in?¡± Lana asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not seeing any pyromancers,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Want to knock?¡±

    Ein smiled. The expression was strangely nostalgic to Sarien. It was the same smile he¡¯d used when Sarien had laughed with joy the first time he was allowed to ride. ¡°That¡¯s my son.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just complain about impulsive youths?¡± Lana asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember that.¡± Ein answered with a grin that looked an awful lot like Kax¡¯s.

    Just as Sarien figured, the troops by the front gate dispersed when Ein ordered them to move. He sent them back to camp to deal with some monster that appeared out of nowhere. The rhinn looked uncomfortable at the prospect of confronting any pyromancer, so they did not object as they walked down the main street in an uncoordinated line.

    They stood before the main gate alone.

    ¡°Now what?¡± Sarien asked.

    Heylien looked up at the guard towers. ¡°You said it yourself. We knock.¡±

    Sarien shrugged and banged on the huge metal gate with the back of his fist. It barely made a sound, so he tried again with more force. No reply came.

    Sarien swore and kicked the door and shouted up at the seemingly empty guard towers. ¡°Let us in!¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Lana said.

    Sarien looked over his shoulder and saw quite a few rhinn obviously interested in what they were doing. Light from torches flickered throughout the city, most of them moving in the direction of the rhinn war camp. That wouldn¡¯t matter if the few hundred soldiers in the area decided their behavior was suspicious enough to question, despite the red robes Sarien and Ein wore.

    ¡°Want me to jump over the wall and open the gate from the inside?¡± Lana asked.

    Heylien peered up at the top of the wall, high above them ¡°You can do that?¡± he asked, impressed.

    ¡°If Sarien¡¯s dad gives me a boost, maybe,¡± Lana admitted.

    Ein shook his head. ¡°I have never been much good with wind, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    A loud click followed by a scraping sound of metal against metal came from the other side of the gate, and then a smaller door inlaid in the gate opened.

    ¡°Get in!¡± someone hissed. The four of them complied and hurried through and out into the courtyard beyond while the soldier closed the smaller entrance behind them. Sarien raised his hands as at least twenty spears were pointed at him. Nervous defenders clutched their weapons so hard the tips swayed right in front of Sarien¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Now tell us, what are two pyromancers thinking coming in here? Have you brought terms?¡± The man who spoke was a little older than the average soldier, and the bottom part of his chest armor bulged outward. Two stripes on his right shoulder denoted some sort of rank, but Sarien knew little of Tyriu military customs.

    ¡°We¡¯re not actually pyromancers,¡± Sarien said. Lana and Heylien lowered their hoods to show they weren¡¯t rhinn, but his words did little to soothe the anxious defenders. ¡°Is Goslin of House Steerian here?¡± he asked. ¡°From Eldsprak?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s off bathing,¡± a voice said from behind the huddled soldiers. ¡°It¡¯s fine, they¡¯re friends.¡±

    The men hesitated, glancing at their ranking officer, before lowering their weapons and dispersing back into the night.

    ¡°Tom!¡± Sarien yelled. He ran up and threw his arms around the tall Vatner, squeezing hard. ¡°I was worried when we saw the state of the city.¡± Sarien stepped back. ¡°You said Goslin¡¯s bathing. Not surprising. Did Emeryn make it, too?¡±

    Tomford smiled mischievously. ¡°She¡¯s good. Em went to take a bath too.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re both bathing?¡± Lana asked. Then her eyes widened and spots of flooded her cheeks, prominent enough to be visible even in the dim light of flickering torches. ¡°Oh.¡±

    Tomford clapped Heylien on the shoulder, before turning to Ein. ¡°And you must be Sarien¡¯s father?¡±

    Ein shook Tomford¡¯s hand. ¡°That I am.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a strange son you¡¯ve raised,¡± Tomford said, chuckling.

    ¡°I¡¯m not strange!¡± Sarien protested. His father just winked at Tomford without saying anything.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Kax?¡± Tomford asked, a frown on his face. ¡°He isn¡¯t¡­?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Lana said.

    ¡°Last time we saw him he was setting out to hunt the rhinn who can make gateways,¡± Heylien added.

    Tomford nodded, satisfied. ¡°Sounds like him.¡± He waved for them to follow. ¡°Come, we have a lot to talk about. The rhinn look like they¡¯re pulling back. Something happened in their camp. A whole lot of water is still gushing out there.¡± He looked at Sarien. ¡°Did you have something to do with that?¡±

    Sarien cleared his throat. ¡°We might have a bit of a situation on our hands.¡±

 Book 1: Chapter 40

    It took some time to gather everyone in that same command room where they first met Syster. Seeing Goslin and Emeryn walking hand in hand and smiling filled Sarien with warmth. He recalled the conversation he had with Goslin by the campfire when he confessed to having feelings for Emeryn. He was glad they found each other.

    Daisy somehow found out where they were meeting and barreled through the open door to leap up at Sarien. They fell to the floor together, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the big animal¡¯s excitement.

    Introducing his father to Goslin and Emeryn brought a sense of accomplishment. Sarien had finished what he set out to. His quest was done. They still had plenty of dangers to overcome, of course, but at least he had found his father.

    He didn¡¯t mention the part about his father being Ein the Godslayer, one of the legendary heroes. There would be too many questions and they needed focus on defeating the pyromancers, the rhinn, and the Xzxyth. Goslin shared news of Hart¡¯s death and of his battle with the kozimuz up on the city wall. They all shared a silent moment to honor their fallen friend.

    Syster joined them a few minutes later. Excitement shone in her eyes. ¡°They¡¯re leaving the city,¡± she announced. ¡°We can see pyromancers doing something in their camp. A whole lot of fire. Dawn will soon be here. The time to strike back is imminent! I had that foul-mouthed aeromancer scout from the air and he said he noticed something big moving in the water, but he couldn¡¯t see what.¡±

    When Sarien explained the Xzxyth¡¯s presence in the tunnels and now in the rhinn camp, the commander¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure the water is turned off. Can you stop the monster?¡± she asked.

    Ein placed a hand on Sarien¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s up to my son here. We can¡¯t kill it. Our only option is to send it away.¡± Then he frowned. ¡°Wait. Did you say scout from the air?¡±

    ¡°Wade,¡± Lana said. ¡°That little shit always said he¡¯d fly one day. Is he here?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s sleeping,¡± Syster said. ¡°He spent all day repelling invaders then most of the night in the air. Don¡¯t think you could wake him if you tried.¡±

    Lana¡¯s expression softened a little. ¡°Sounds like he hasn¡¯t changed much.¡±

    ¡°Who is this man?¡± Goslin asked. ¡°A friend from childhood?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Lana answered. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you after we deal with the monster god who will devour us all if Sarien can¡¯t,¡± she waved her hands around in the air, ¡°make it go away.¡±

    ¡°This is it then,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Syster, are your troops ready to reclaim their city?¡±

    ¡°They are,¡± she said with a sharp nod.

    ¡°Then we should move out immediately.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Syster said, turning to one of her aides. ¡°Convey the order to our captains. Strike out at once.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The aide, a young woman in a brown messenger¡¯s uniform, said, before taking off at a full sprint.

    Syster waved her hand at the door. ¡°You should go do whatever it is you¡¯re planning. I¡¯ll join you by the guard towers at the south gate when we¡¯ve reclaimed Tyralien.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Emeryn said, holding up her hand. ¡°Where¡¯s the king in all this? Where¡¯s Caelin?¡±

    Syster laughed, but it sounded hollow. ¡°He¡¯s sulking.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°He wanted to lead the defenders in a glorious charge against the rhinn invaders. This was before we learned of them pulling back, mind you.¡±

    ¡°But that would have been suicide,¡± Goslin said, astounded.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I told him,¡± she replied. ¡°And that¡¯s why he¡¯s sulking in his rooms.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s royalty for you,¡± Heylien said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll focus on this new beast. If you see Kax out there, be sure to rein him in. Can¡¯t have him getting hurt out there,¡± Goslin said.

    Everyone started filing out of the room. Sarien followed behind Emeryn, but stopped when he felt a tugging at his sleeve.

    ¡°Hold on a moment, son. I need to talk to you.¡±

    Goslin stopped, and Sarien waved for him to go on. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up.¡±

    When they were alone in the room, except for Daisy who lounged by the door, Ein turned to face Sarien, then wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug, squeezing him hard enough to make Sarien wheeze.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Sarien asked once he was freed from the embrace.

    His father grinned. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you. Wanted to say I¡¯m sorry for leaving and not telling you more about, you know, everything. Though it is no excuse, I felt that I needed to see if the manifestation of your wayfaring powers would result in gateways opening between worlds once again.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sarien said. ¡°You were looking for one that would take you to mother, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡± Ein stammered. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°The look on your face when you spoke of her,¡± Sarien answered. ¡°And the fact you never said she died, just that she disappeared.¡±

    His father nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. I miss her terribly, but there are more reasons for finding her. First, you need her to teach you about your abilities. Some of the things you¡¯ve done with your white flame sound like they¡¯re well beyond what should be possible. Same with the slaying, honestly.¡±

    Sarien¡¯s cheeks grew warm. ¡°Okay, what else?¡±

    ¡°The gates. They¡¯re opening for a reason and not just because you manifested your power. Something is wrong with the Gatekeepers. I can feel it in my gut.¡±

    Sarien frowned. ¡°Who are the Gatekeepers again? You mentioned that mom is one.¡±

    ¡°They oversee world traveling on a grand scale.¡±

    ¡°That did not make this any clearer,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Your mother wouldn¡¯t tell me what she did with the Gatekeepers,¡± Ein admitted. ¡°But I have a request to make of you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to leave again,¡± Sarien said.

    Ein winced, like Sarien¡¯s words had slapped him across the face. ¡°You could come. We¡¯ll go see your mother together, but we¡¯d need to go now.¡±

    ¡°Why now?¡± Sarien asked. ¡°Can¡¯t it wait until we¡¯ve dealt with the Xzxyth once and for all? You said it would destroy this world!¡±

    ¡°Not right away,¡± his father answered. ¡°I¡¯ve got this feeling that it¡¯s connected to all these gates opening between worlds. Something could be wrong with the wayfarers, perhaps even the Gatekeepers. I have to go. You¡¯d better stay and deal with the Xzxyth, and I¡¯ll go search for your mother. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll defeat it easily now that it¡¯s out in the open. You can follow once you¡¯re done here.¡± He gave Sarien an awkward smile.

    Sarien sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re leaving again.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, son.¡±

    Was his father sorry? Leaving was all he¡¯d done for as long as Sarien could remember. His father was always anxious to leave the estate, sometimes simply for a hunt or an errand, but other times for unspecified reason. Now that he knew his father wore many disguises, Sarien wondered what his father did whenever he left the estate on those mysterious trips.

    ¡°Where do you need to go?¡± Sarien asked, resigned.

    Ein excitedly rummaged through his pockets and came away with two items. ¡°This book is your mother¡¯s. It¡¯s all I have left of her, except for you, of course.¡± He handed it over. ¡°Hold on to it and concentrate on your mother while you open a gateway to a world beyond worlds.¡±

    Now the man was speaking in riddles. ¡°What does that even mean?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ein admitted. ¡°But ponder that question when you open the gate. There might be some,¡± he looked around, searching for a word, ¡°resistance, but just power through it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Sarien pointed to his father¡¯s other hand. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± It looked like a cube standing on its corner. It fit in the palm of his father¡¯s hand and the sides looked to be made of yellow glass. There was something inside of it, but trying to look at that object made his head spin and his eyes hurt.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this artefact¡¯s original purpose, but I have another one. With mine, I can make this one glow. See?¡± He put his free hand in a pocket, and sure enough, the one he showed Sarien glowed a faint yellow. ¡°I used it to signal your mother from time to time, when she had to leave on Gatekeeper business. I¡¯ll signal you if I need you to get me and your mother out of wherever she is.¡±

    Sarien accepted the cube, and it immediately lost its glow. ¡°This works between worlds?¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Ein confirmed.

    Sarien put it in the pocket of his tunic. Earlier, he had swapped the pyromancer¡¯s robes for one of the plain brown uniforms the Tyriu messengers wore, only his didn¡¯t have Tyralien¡¯s emblem stitched on its chest.

    ¡°I have to say, you¡¯re not really who I expected you to be.¡±

    ¡°A hero?¡± Ein asked, bracing for Sarien¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Just different, I guess. Not like you used to be. Feels like I don¡¯t really know you.¡±

    ¡°I promise we¡¯ll fix that when we have the time. I¡¯ll tell you anything I know once I bring your mother home with me, deal?¡±

    Sarien nodded. ¡°Before you leave, there was a woman in the tower, Kendra. Do you know her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a friend,¡± his father confirmed. ¡°One of the few trustworthy pyromancers.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± Sarien said. ¡°Madge killed her.¡±

    Ein¡¯s eyes grew hard. ¡°I¡¯ll make her pay for that.¡±

    ¡°No need. I killed Madge.¡±

    ¡°You killed her?¡±

    ¡°She tortured Kendra and then she did the same to me. Would have done worse if I didn¡¯t get out of there.¡±

    ¡°That woman had it coming. Just surprised you had it in you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the boy you left back at the estate,¡± Sarien said with finality. ¡°Ready to go?¡±

    Ein nodded sharply. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Sarien clutched the book tight and thought of a world beyond worlds, and the ridiculousness of that concept. He thought of the mother he¡¯d never known and the father who once again wanted to leave him. His eyes burned before he even accessed his white flame.

    Sarien drew from the well of power inside him and made it one with the world he lived in. He didn¡¯t have to look to know that a bright line appeared in the air before him. Drawing on more power, he widened the tear into a gateway leading somewhere unfathomable. Just as his father had said, there was some resistance, but he overcame it by sheer force of will.

    When he had been connected to the gateways before, his white flame had given him an indication of what lay beyond. This time, however, that was not the case. He caught a glimpse, then his mind reeled, unable to comprehend the swirling images, and went blank.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you, son,¡± his father said. Then he stepped through.

    Sarien didn¡¯t open his eyes again until his father was gone and the gate closed behind him. Tears streamed down his face. Abandoned again. His father¡¯s reasoning might have been sound, but that did not lessen the pain. He wiped his face with the discarded pyromancer¡¯s robe. Something itched around his neck and he pulled at the leather string, remembering the pyromancer¡¯s guild emblem. He pulled it free in disgust and tossed it into the corner.

    ¡°Daisy, come here,¡± he said, his voice thick. ¡°It¡¯s time we join the others.¡±

    Sarien pocketed his mother¡¯s book, grabbed his spear, and hurried after the others. Daisy followed at his heels.

    Daylight shone through the windows of the keep, showing the slowly brightening dawn sky. The others had disappeared, but Daisy barked and jogged ahead, prompting Sarien to follow. They found a door that led to a set of stairs that opened up to a guard tower in the corner between the north and western city walls. A guard waited by another heavy metal door that took him out onto the western part of Tyralien¡¯s protective wall. In the distance, he saw the others staring southward toward the rhinn camp.

    Sarien felt a weight settle in his gut. The Xzxyth. It was enormous. Much larger than when they¡¯d fought it down in the tunnels. Despite being far off in the distance, he could see enormous tentacles lashing out and sweeping across the ground to crush the rhinn soldiers who scurried back and forth like tiny specks trying to escape it.

    ¡°It got much bigger,¡± Lana said matter-of-factly. She turned to Sarien and looked past him. ¡°Where¡¯s your father? Looks like we¡¯re going to need one of the legendary heroes to deal with this.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sarien mumbled, not able to take his eyes off the monstrous creature. ¡°He¡¯s gone. It¡¯s just us.¡±

    Heylien fiddled with his new bow, most likely just to keep his hands busy. ¡°What do we do?¡±

    Goslin turned away from the beast. ¡°What can we expect?¡±

    Tomford added a few questions of his own. ¡°How did it get so big?¡±

    Lana held up a dagger. ¡°Normal weapons won¡¯t hurt it.¡±

    ¡°Arrows won¡¯t either, not really,¡± Heylien said, patting the quiver attached to his belt.

    ¡°Fire hurts it, but it¡¯s not enough to kill it,¡± Sarien said. ¡°It grows by consuming people. It was down in the tunnels for quite some time, snatching men, women, and children while staying hidden. Now that it¡¯s out in the open, it doesn¡¯t need to be stealthy. It must have eaten thousands of rhinn by now, and it¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    ¡°This is war, and they are the invaders,¡± Syster began. ¡°You¡¯ve single-handedly saved us, Sarken, was it? You¡¯ll be rewarded for this.¡±

    ¡°My friend¡¯s name is Sarien,¡± Goslin answered. ¡°You¡¯re right about them being invaders, Syster, but what will happen once there are no more rhinn soldiers for it to consume? It¡¯ll come straight here.¡±

    Syster¡¯s face paled. ¡°Right, of course. So how do we deal with it?¡±

    In the distance, fire leapt from the ground and crashed into the Xzxyth. From that far off, it was impossible to gauge its effectiveness, but Sarien knew it wouldn¡¯t amount to much.

    ¡°Our best bet is for me to transport it somewhere else,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to get close.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s gigantic,¡± Emeryn protested. ¡°Can you make a gateway that big?¡±

    It truly was enormous. The main mass was tall enough to reach the top of Tyralien¡¯s walls, and Sarien hadn¡¯t taken into consideration the massive tentacles.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sarien admitted. He looked up at his friends. ¡°But we¡¯ll have to try. There¡¯s no other way.¡±

    ¡°The defenders are taking back the city as we speak. You¡¯ll have all our support in a few hours,¡± Syster said.

    Sarien shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s best if we go alone. The Xzxyth is able to control the ones it kills. Your troops could be turned against us in mere moments. And a few hours might be too late.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest, Sarien?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°All I know is that I would have to get close enough to touch it.¡±

    ¡°At least it¡¯s so large the lake you created is gone,¡± Emeryn said. ¡°Won¡¯t have to swim out to it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be mud from the castle walls and all the way out to the rhinn camp,¡± Tomford said. ¡°That won¡¯t be fun either.¡±

    ¡°I assume the black blades can cut it?¡± Goslin asked.

    Sarien nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what we used to slice through its tentacles.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to find Kax then.¡± Goslin narrowed his eyes, a pensive air about him. ¡°I think I have an idea on how to approach this problem.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± The shout came from below, inside the wall. They all peered down. Kax stood on one of the taller roofs, looking up at them. ¡°How do I get up to where you are?¡± Even with him being so far below, Sarien could still see the mischievous grin plastered on his face. He held the swords over his head, waving them around. ¡°I¡¯ve named my lovely swords! Meet Darkbrand and Bandit!¡±

    Sarien blinked. The obsidian coloring had spread further along his skin until it covered half of his forearms. Sarien didn¡¯t like it, and now his father wasn¡¯t around anymore to take a good look at what ailed Kax. He just hoped he hadn¡¯t doomed his friend.

    ¡°Kax! Good to see you, friend!¡± Goslin shouted. ¡°Meet us by the southern gate! We¡¯ve got work to do!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got it, Princeling!¡± Kax shouted back, then jumped off the roof, landed on the stone ground, and set off at top speed without missing a beat.

    ¡°Could he always do that?¡± Emeryn asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Goslin said. He gave Sarien a worried glance, then turned to face the long stretch of wall going south. ¡°Let¡¯s move. We¡¯ll go through the plan when Kax is with us.¡±

    ¡°Good luck. Let me know if you need our assistance in any way,¡± Syster said.

    After meeting up with Kax, they were ready to hear Goslin¡¯s plan. They couldn¡¯t wait any longer. The more rhinn the Xzxyth consumed, the larger it grew. The city was empty of rhinn, many returning to their camp to fight the monster during the night. The Tyriu soldiers manned the wall, along with the gaping hole where the gate used to be. The group stood just inside the wall, peering out at the Xzxyth as it devoured everything within reach.

    ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do,¡± Goslin began. ¡°We¡¯ll need to move fast to reach it. Em, can you give us sure footing if the mud becomes too much to traverse on our own?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I think I can do that.¡±

    ¡°Great. Sarien, you said you need to touch it. Is a tentacle enough, or does it have to be the body itself?¡±

    Sarien thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°I think it would be best if I could get to the main body.¡± Better to not risk having the Xzxyth stay behind with only one of its many arms disappearing.

    Sarien couldn¡¯t help but admire Goslin as he directed the group with such natural ease. He¡¯d come a long way from the leader who choked against those bandits back when they were starting out.

    The group listened intently to Goslin. When he was finished, Sarien sat back on his heels. It was a simple plan, in truth, but simplicity meant everyone knew their part. Everything depended on Sarien being able to follow through on his end. Failure was not an option. It was time he showed everyone what he¡¯d learned over the course of their journey.

 Book 1: Chapter 41

    With horses given to them by the defenders, all seven of set off at top speed toward the monster. It didn¡¯t take long for the dirt road to soften beneath their hoofs and before they¡¯d covered half the distance to the dreaded Xzxyth, Emeryn closed her eyes and hardened the earth in front of them. How she kept up with the speed of the horses, Sarien didn¡¯t know.

    They rode in silence, keeping low in their saddles to avoid the rhinn. An unnecessary precaution, it turned out. The rhinn didn¡¯t even glance at their racing horses. All they could do was struggle against the seemingly endless number of tentacles, some of which reanimated their dead brethren. Their forces were severely diminished and Sarien didn¡¯t see a single pyromancer left among the soldiers. They¡¯d all either perished or escaped. No rhinn waypoints opened up either.

    Goslin directed them straight through the battle. Screams of pain and terror rang out all around them as they galloped past panicked rhinn and over the dead. The din of metal striking against metal filled the air. The rhinn attacked the Xzxyth¡¯s tentacles in large, unorganized numbers, but it was painfully clear the rhinn would not be able to defeat the Xzxyth. Their greatest asset, their numbers, meant little when each dead rhinn rose as a reanimated corpse.

    Tentacles came for Goslin, but he used his obsidian black shield to block the attack. When the tentacles struck, they burst apart. How such a thing was possible, Sarien didn¡¯t know, but he couldn¡¯t help but think of the hundreds of rhinn who died in the creation of the shield.

    Sarien rode in the center, behind Emeryn, and with his left flank protected by Kax. The madman swung his swords wildly from horseback, cutting into rhinn, tentacles, and the dead with equal fervor. He laughed and laughed as they rode, his smiled pulled wide in maniacal joy.

    Tomford rode on Sarien¡¯s right, followed by Heylien. Lana fell behind, clutching her daggers, a look of uncertainty on her face.

    Sarien knew that Daisy had chased after them but the dog couldn¡¯t keep up with the horses this time. Hopefully, he¡¯d return to the gate to wait for their return.

    ¡°Sarien!¡± Goslin shouted from up at the front. ¡°Whatever happens, you continue on! Don¡¯t stop for any reason, you hear?¡±

    Sarien gritted his teeth and winced, but eventually nodded. Goslin was right. Only he could send the Xzxyth away.

    When the group started getting close to the monster, dead rhinn appeared in front of their horses.

    Did the Xzxyth understand what they were trying to do? Did it sense them as a threat?

    Goslin trampled through, the dead falling under the hooves of his horse, but he soon became tangled in the tentacles. Sarien watched as Goslin dropped and quickly got back to his feet, his sword in one hand and the shield in his other. He struck at the tentacles, severing the connections that allowed the beast to manipulate the dead.

    ¡°Goslin!¡± Lana shouted. Sarien looked up and caught sight of her soaring through the air to land beside their leader. With a dagger in each hand, she slashed at the dead who still stood, then danced around them and severed their connection to the creature. The Xzxyth screeched, a deafening sound.

    ¡°You go on!¡± Goslin shouted. Both he and Lana turned and ran for the main body of the Xzxyth. Sarien spurred his horse on until he came up alongside Emeryn. The others followed. Sarien couldn¡¯t allow Emeryn to lead, not when she was focused on keeping the slick ground in front of them from becoming their largest obstacle.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Kax screamed. Sarien glanced over his shoulder in time to see a tentacle as huge as a house slam down on them. Sarien was thrown from his horse and quickly scrambled to his hands and knees. His spear lay right beside him, and he grabbed it and used the shaft as support to push himself to his feet. The horses took the brunt of the damage and all of them lay still in the mud.

    Goslin and Lana caught up to them and pulled everyone to their feet. Miraculously, they¡¯d all made it through the attack alive. Tomford was already healing Heylien¡¯s leg and Emeryn¡¯s head, one hand outstretched to each. Kax stood, seemingly unhurt. He hadn¡¯t even lost the grip on his swords as he was tossed through the air.

    Goslin pointed up. ¡°It¡¯s coming again!¡± The large tentacle arched down from directly above them, and they scrambled to the sides to avoid being hit. It thudded into the ground between them with enough force to shake the earth. Sarien stuck his spear in the wet mud to stay on his feet. Then, he pulled it out and thrust it into the huge limb, but the Xzxyth didn¡¯t even seem to register the attack.

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with this!¡± Kax yelled. He leapt up, stabbing the tentacle with a dagger, using it to climb up the large mass. Sarien wouldn¡¯t have thought the surface of the tentacle would support Kax¡¯s weight without him being pulled inside the gelatinous mass, but perhaps the size of it required a more solid form.

    ¡°Wait for me!¡± Lana shouted. She jumped, a gust of wind catching her, as she flew to the top of the tentacle. ¡°Keep running!¡± she shouted. ¡°We¡¯ll try to stop this!¡±

    Sarien couldn¡¯t see over the tentacle but knew that the dead were getting closer. Very few living rhinn still fought, and those who did were of no help to Sarien and his group. He ran toward the Xzxyth¡¯s main body.

    ¡°How do you like the adventuring life?¡± Goslin yelled, a smile on his face despite being covered in mud and sweat.

    ¡°Kind of missing horseshit right now!¡± Sarien yelled back. They laughed despite their dire circumstances, and a surge of energy kept Sarien on his feet. He felt the ground beneath them solidify. The tentacle rose into the sky with Lana and Kax still running along it, and they soon appeared only as dark spots in the distance.

    They fought their way through another group of dead rhinn, then came upon a sight that made Sarien sick to his stomach. Thousands of dead rhinn marched straight into the Xzxyth¡¯s body, ready to be fed upon. The main body opened up for each one, swallowing them. They dead stood silently, all waiting to be fed to this creature from another world.

    Sarien screamed as he rammed his spear through the chest of a rhinn, dropping it from the tentacle controlling it. There were so many of them, and they all turned as one to face the small group as they approached.

    ¡°There¡¯s too many of them,¡± Heylien grunted, as he knocked an arrow and struck one of the rhinn in the chest.

    ¡°Any ideas, Gos?¡± Tomford asked. His unarmed combat wasn¡¯t able to do much against the dead. Broken bones and crushed skulls did little to dissuade them.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Emeryn pulled up walls of earth to protect their flanks, but stopped when the huge tentacle came for them. It started out as a powerful downward arc, but then twitched and fell with less force behind it. The huge tentacle crushed more rhinn than Sarien could count as it fell clean away from the main body.

    Kax and Lana came hurtling through the air, both of them screaming at the top of their lungs. They struck smaller tentacles on the way down, as if hitting branches when falling from a tree. Kax landed on the ground with a hard thud. Lana used wind to dampen her own fall, but it was far from enough. She cried out as Tomford healed her mangled legs.

    Lana stood, carefully testing her legs before facing Kax, bewildered. ¡°Didn¡¯t think to stand on part of the tentacle that wasn¡¯t going to fall.¡±

    ¡°What would be the fun in that?¡± Kax asked, brushing off his rhinn leather armor. He waved at Tomford dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°How can you be fine?¡± Emeryn asked, ¡°You just dropped from the sky.¡±

    He shrugged.

    ¡°Focus!¡± Goslin shouted. ¡°They¡¯re coming. All of them!¡±

    A whole army of dead rhinn approached, along with hundreds of smaller tentacles stretching in every direction. They¡¯d angered the beast. The huge tentacle they¡¯d severed was one of several, but the only one on the side where they were approaching. The Xzxyth rotated slowly before them, and they had a small window of opportunity before another huge tentacle could reach them.

    ¡°We have to get to the main body before it turns,¡± Sarien said.

    ¡°How are we supposed to get through that?¡± Tomford asked, pointing at the dead rhinn and smaller tentacles coming for them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just mow through them,¡± Kax suggested.

    ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± Goslin said.

    Heylien looked at the surrounding battlefield, shaking his head.

    ¡°Sarien, can you do something?¡± Lana asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°My black flame won¡¯t do anything to it and we¡¯re still not close enough for me to use my white flame.¡± Sarien also knew he needed to conserve all his energy to transport the Xzxyth away from this world.

    ¡°I might be able to do something,¡± Emeryn said.

    Goslin took her hand. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much already. Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± she replied, smiling up at him. ¡°Get ready to run. I¡¯m not going to be any more use after this. Leave me behind.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave you!¡± Goslin shouted. He turned and cut through a dead rhinn. They were running out of time.

    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to trust me, Princeling,¡± Emeryn said, a playful smile on her lips.

    He bent down and kissed her. ¡°You know I trust you.¡±

    ¡°Then go,¡± she said, putting her one hand on his chest and pushing him away. ¡°Before it¡¯s too late.¡±

    Emeryn seated herself in the mud and closed her eyes. Before the rest of the group had even started running, the ground shook. It opened and spewed mud in all directions as two tall walls grew from the earth to create a corridor all the way to the Xzxyth.

    Emeryn fell unconscious, slumping to the ground. Sarien and Goslin ran side by side down the earthen path she created and the rest of the group followed. Kax soon overtook them and began cutting into the reanimated rhinn soldiers that still blocked their way. When the rest of the group caught up to Kax, they made quick work of the slow-moving enemies.

    Without a roof, they were still vulnerable to attacks from above, and the larger tentacles slammed into the walls. A few cracked and crumbled, but the walls kept the creature at bay long enough for the group to pass.

    They were nearly at the base of the enormous Xzxyth. This close, Sarien and the others were in the shadow of the beast. He knew it would devour everything on the continent if he didn¡¯t stop it now.

    The earthen walls didn¡¯t reach all the way to the Xzxyth, and they once again found themselves surrounded by dead rhinn. Lana ran out into the mass of incoming dead bodies, a whirlwind with her daggers they just weren¡¯t fast enough to catch. Heylien swore and tossed his bow aside in disgust after not being able to damage neither the beast nor the dead.

    ¡°Here!¡± Sarien yelled, throwing his spear to the archer. ¡°You can put this to better use!¡±

    Kax cut off a tentacle as it swung to strike at their legs and Goslin parried another one with the dark metal shield blowing it apart. More kept coming, relentless in their attacks.

    ¡°Sarien!¡± Goslin yelled. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do something, now is the time!¡± He turned back in time to see a tentacle coming, but not in time to stop it. With its sharp tip, it thrust and burrowed deep into his thigh. Goslin screamed in pain, swung his sword and cut it clean off. Tomford rushed over and pulled the wriggling tentacle free. Sarien saw a bloody, gaping hole in his friend¡¯s thigh, but turned to face the Xzxyth. Tomford would heal Goslin. He¡¯d be fine. They would all be fine. As long as he could figure out how to remove this malevolent creature from their world.

    The sounds of battle behind him faded away as he reached out and touched the surface of the Xzxyth. Sarien¡¯s left hand slid right into its soft body. He felt no pain.

    ¡°I can do this,¡± Sarien whispered, accessing the white flame inside him. He brought it out into the palm of his hand and felt the beast tremble. With the luison, he¡¯d imagined a place to send it. A lone spot of land surrounded by a vast sea. He understood now that he¡¯d willed the dog-like monster to another world. This was the key. Will.

    He closed his eyes and stoked the white flame until it burned bright and cold inside the Xzxyth. Sarien made it larger, then larger yet. It grew to a size far beyond anything he¡¯d imagined before. When he felt that the flame was large enough, Sarien made the white flame and the Xzxyth one. Putting the two together in his mind made sense. Felt right. Now all he¡¯d have to do was think of a place where he could send the beast, a world far from his own.

    Ben popped into his mind. The happy and content boy who wanted nothing more than to skip his chores and go for a ride. Ben, who was no longer his friend, but something else entirely when Sarien accidentally connected him to another world to let something take advantage and slip through. Remembering now, Sarien could still taste the vicious nature of the world he¡¯d touched in desperation. That¡¯s where he would send the Xzxyth. An evil creature for an evil world.

    ¡°Goodbye,¡± he whispered, and formed the images and thoughts needed to assert his will over the white flame.

    A tentacle whipped out of nowhere and pierced Sarien¡¯s right arm, just below the shoulder. He screamed in pain and cracks fractured along the walls of his concentration. Another tentacle punched through his thigh and yet another wrapped itself around his midsection, pulling him forward into the monster¡¯s body. Sarien resisted despite his bleeding limbs. Hands grabbed him from behind trying to pull him free, but it was no use. The tentacle in his arms pushed clean through, then wrapped itself around his body, adding to the already excruciating pain. Sarien¡¯s mind reeled, but he desperately clung to the image he¡¯d formed.

    The hands holding him lost their grip. Sarien was pulled into the Xzxyth¡¯s embrace. His body felt cold from the loss of blood. He wouldn¡¯t have much longer. All that mattered now was that he completed his task.

    Strangely enough, he found that he could breathe inside the creature despite feeling like he was submerged under water. Opening his eyes, he saw dead rhinn bodies disintegrating as they were slowly being digested. The horror washed over him, but the dead bodies were not the worst of it. He saw a tentacle swimming toward him.

    He didn¡¯t have long now. Sarien closed his eyes, clawing desperately for the calm he¡¯d held just moments before. Ben. The evil inside him. A sense of the world it came from.

    He felt the tentacle¡¯s tip burrow inside the center of his chest. With it came pain, terrible pain. Sarien gritted his teeth. He was so close. Couldn¡¯t give up now. His mind was flooded with new sensations as if he was connected to the Xzxyth.

    Hunger. Such terrible hunger.

    He felt the tentacle bore deeper. Creeping inevitable death.

    Then something pressed up against his stomach and hips. A quick sharp sound came with the new sensation, and the burrowing stopped. Sarien recognized that sound. A bark? He opened his eyes, dazed by the pain.

    Daisy? The dog stood with his paws on Sarien, holding the tentacle clamped tight in its jaws. It gave Sarien a look as if to say, ¡°Go on then.¡±

    A powerful sense of tranquility emanated from the dog and Sarien refocused.

    Sarien closed his eyes and stoked his white flame. He felt it wrap around the Xzxyth, from its huge tentacles to the ones controlling the dead rhinn. The white flame even wrapped itself around the tentacles piercing Sarien¡¯s arm, leg, and chest.

    A small smile played across Sarien¡¯s lips as he asserted his will and sent the beast to a world far from his own, to a place where it could no longer harm his friends.

 Book 1: Chapter 42 (Goslin)

    Pain exploded in Goslin¡¯s thigh as the tentacle pierced his flesh. He screamed as he cut it off. Tomford was there in an instant to pull the slithering appendage out of Goslin¡¯s leg and then heal his wound.

    ¡°Thank you, Tom,¡± Goslin grunted as he tried putting weight on the leg. It held.

    Tomford nodded. ¡°More coming!¡±

    Kax moved among the dead rhinn soldiers, cutting them or the tentacles who controlled them in two with such ease he made it look like he was one of the blade dancers they¡¯d both gone to see as children. Hart had been with them, then. Not anymore.

    Goslin gritted his teeth and struck out with his shield to mangle a dead rhinn into pieces. Mourning would have to come later. He¡¯d find his old friend in those woods and take his remains to his family. For now, he had to focus on staying alive, on keeping Sarien alive long enough for the mage to save Tyralien and the rest of Maydian.

    Goslin cut the head of a dead rhinn clean off, then sidestepped a lazy swing from another and severed the tentacle controlling it. Heylien thrust Sarien¡¯s spear into rhinn after rhinn, dropping them like flies, while Lana tripped and disabled the ones who tried coming at the group from behind.

    Tomford let out a groan, and Goslin spun to see a tentacle coming out of his gut. ¡°Tom!¡± he shouted and stepped around his friend to hack at the tentacle. Tomford went down to his knees when Goslin pulled the tentacle out. Blood spewed everywhere, but Tomford quickly healed himself enough that it wasn¡¯t life threatening.

    ¡°Can you stand?¡± Goslin asked. He couldn¡¯t put down his sword to offer a hand, not when the rhinn were pressing in tighter with each breath. Tomford didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he pointed to the Xzxyth and to Sarien.

    Sarien¡¯s hand had disappeared inside the Xzxyth¡¯s body. A tentacle had pierced through his arm and another through his leg. As Goslin watched, a third wrapped around him and started pulling Sarien into the Xzxyth¡¯s gelatinous body.

    ¡°Heylien!¡± Goslin yelled. ¡°Sarien!¡±

    The two of them ran to Sarien and grabbed hold of Sarien¡¯s tunic. The tentacles tugged Sarien deeper into the monster, and both men struggled to pull Sarien free.

    ¡°Can¡¯t. Hold. On,¡± Heylien said, each word clipped short from the strain. Sarien was screaming from pain and Goslin joined in when one of the rhinn shambled up and struck his sword arm with a mace. The blow didn¡¯t carry much force behind it, but it was enough to break Goslin¡¯s grip.

    ¡°No!¡± he yelled as the fabric of Sarien¡¯s shirt was pulled free of his grasp. The force was too strong for Heylien to hold on by himself, and Sarien disappeared into the Xzxyth. His scream cut off and Goslin cried out in frustration. He spun and smashed the rhinn¡¯s face in with the shield then picked up his sword.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Tomford asked, yelling to be heard over the din of battle. Somewhere off in the crowd, Kax¡¯s joyous laughter rose as more dead rhinn were torn apart at his hand.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do now,¡± Goslin said, walking up to the healer. ¡°It¡¯s up to Sarien now.¡±

    ¡°But those wounds!¡± Lana protested. She¡¯d come back to help fight back against the increasing number of tentacles around them.

    Goslin shook his head. ¡°He¡¯ll make it. I know he will.¡±

    She glanced at the Xzxyth, her eyes full of doubt. ¡°If you say so.¡±

    The Xzxyth had turned so that two massive tentacles waved in the air above them, but the group was too close to its body to be within reach. ¡°There¡¯s no going back now,¡± Heylien said. ¡°We¡¯ll never escape those.¡±

    Kax bounced into the small, cleared circle around the group. ¡°I can cut them off for you!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Goslin yelled. ¡°We need you here or we¡¯ll get overwhelmed. Sarien will do his part. We stay!¡±

    ¡°Aye, aye, captain!¡± Kax shouted. He was grinning like a madman, but at least that horrible color on his arms hadn¡¯t spread any further.

    They fought on with increasing desperation as an army of dead rhinn surrounded them. One or a few of them was barely a challenge, but they came on like bees looking to smother invading wasps in their hive.

    The thought randomly made Goslin think of his mother and her love for beekeeping. It felt like it had been a lifetime since he saw her last.

    His drifting thoughts made him lose focus , and he missed his next swing. He skidded in the mud and went down face first, dropping his sword. His shield thankfully stayed with him, and he spun desperately to catch the spear thrust. Lana glided past and severed the tentacle controlling the dead spearman, then continued on to the next in the receding space in their circle of defense.

    To the side, Heylien took a blow to the head and crashed to the ground. Behind him, Goslin saw a blur race past and throw itself into the Xzxyth. Daisy? He shook his head and blinked, obviously dazed and confused.

    Goslin got to his knees and then to his feet. ¡°Heylien!¡± He grabbed the dropped sword and raced forward to save the archer from another blow. He slipped again, this time twisting his foot awkwardly. Pain shot up his leg and he went down, wincing. He glanced at the Xzxyth. Sarien would make it, wouldn¡¯t he?

    Heylien wasn¡¯t moving, but Goslin could do nothing for him except flail wildly at the tentacles coming for his friend. ¡°He¡¯s not dead, damn you!¡± he shouted. Something sharp slid into his sword arm and he dropped the sword a third and final time. Goslin couldn¡¯t close his fist, rendering the sword useless. He pulled back and rammed the shield into the rhinn who¡¯d struck him, blowing him to pieces on impact.

    Tomford swayed on his feet. He still fought, but his movements were slow with barely any force behind them. Goslin saw Lana fighting and running, with emphasis on the latter. She was quickly overwhelmed. The only one unaffected was Kax. He killed rhinn by the score despite bleeding from a number of cuts on his body. It was like he couldn¡¯t even feel his wounds.

    Goslin spun again, his limp arm flailing, and smashed his shield into another tentacle that was moving toward Heylien. It exploded in a shower of gore. Heylien wasn¡¯t dead, but he soon would be. They all would be if they didn¡¯t get out of there soon. Goslin thought of Emeryn. Her smile and her reassuring warmth, along with her impressive competence. He wondered if she was fine out there all on her own. Goslin longed for her embrace.

    A dead rhinn soldier bumped into Goslin. It was enough to make him trip and fall backwards into the mud. The rhinn fell over him and another followed. They didn¡¯t have any weapons, but their weight was too much in his exhausted state. Goslin struggled to push them off and couldn¡¯t help but look into the face of the one who¡¯d tripped him. There was no life there. No expression. Just those large dead eyes regarding him in silence. He heard Lana scream, but there was nothing he could do to free himself.

    ¡°Tom!¡± he shouted. ¡°Kax! Someone get these poor souls off me!¡± There was no reply. ¡°Lana!¡± he yelled.

    The monumental weight on his chest was making it hard to breathe. A third rhinn added to the pile. It made Goslin cough involuntarily and then he found he couldn¡¯t take a new breath. ¡°Sarien,¡± he wheezed. ¡°Now would be a good time.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    The weight eased off him and Goslin drew breath, coughed, and then drew another. Sweet release. He turned to his side and struggled up, disoriented. It was gone. The Xzxyth had vanished. In the distance, Goslin saw rhinn soldiers looking back and forth in confusion. Among his friends, only Tomford and Kax stood. Lana was down on the ground, clutching her hand to her neck, red leaking through between her fingers. Her lips were turning blue.

    ¡°Tom!¡± Goslin yelled, but Tomford didn¡¯t react. He ran up to the healer and shouted again. ¡°Tom!¡± Tomford just stood there staring, his eyes glazed over. Goslin dropped his shield and slapped him across the face as hard as he could.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Tomford put his hand against his cheek and glared at Goslin, then saw Lana. He shuffled over quickly and put a hand over hers. He looked up at Goslin. ¡°This might very well put me out of commission.¡± He glanced at Heylien, who still lay in the mud, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Do it.¡±

    Lana¡¯s wound closed up and she let her hand drop to her side as her breathing returned to normal.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Tomford said, swaying on his feet. ¡°How is your arm?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind that. Please check Heylien.¡±

    Tomford nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± Once by his side, Tomford put a hand on Heylien¡¯s head and closed his eyes, then sat back into the mud. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine without healing for now.¡±

    Goslin breathed a sigh of relief and looked around. ¡°Kax, have you seen Sarien?¡±

    Kax shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t see him anywhere.¡±

    ¡°The Xzxyth is gone,¡± Lana said from back where she lay on the ground. ¡°He obviously succeeded.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be back,¡± Goslin said. He believed it. ¡°He returned to us last time. He¡¯ll do so again.¡±

    ¡°He did it,¡± Tomford mumbled. ¡°The broken little pyromancer actually did it.¡±

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll include me in the songs?¡± Kax asked, his voice serious. ¡°They better include me.¡±

    Goslin sighed and was about to sit when he remembered Emeryn. ¡°We have to go back and make sure Em is uninjured.¡± He picked up his shield and winced. ¡°Tom, do you have enough to heal my arm and Kax¡¯s cuts? He¡¯s looking a little pale.¡±

    He waved them closer. ¡°I think so, but you¡¯ll have to come to me.¡±

    Goslin was exhausted and all he craved was a hot meal, a hotter bath, and rest, but he and the others had to report to the king and commander Syster first. They¡¯d found Emeryn right where they¡¯d left her, surrounded by dead rhinn, both the previously living kind and ones controlled by the Xzxyth. Emeryn herself was fine and hadn¡¯t remembered anything about being attacked. Those around her bore teeth marks, as if mauled by some kind of animal.

    ¡°You actually did it,¡± Syster said. ¡°The monster is gone and we¡¯ve captured the few devils that remained.¡±

    ¡°Tyralien is free,¡± the king agreed. ¡°Goslin. You may have your pick of my daughters, as promised.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, King Caelin,¡± Goslin said. ¡°But I¡¯m already married.¡± His face reddened, but he did not look away from the king. Kax snickered behind him. They¡¯d all found it highly amusing when he proposed the moment Emeryn woke up. They¡¯d dragged everyone to the keep¡¯s magistrate before reporting to the king. Emeryn held his hand and looked up at the king on his throne with as much pride as Goslin felt.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± The king¡¯s face tightened, but then he shrugged and leaned back. ¡°Very well. You have our gratitude either way, and you¡¯ll always have friends in Tyriu, young Goslin. Remember that when you get older.¡±

    Bustling sounds came from outside the heavy door of the throne room, then the door slammed open with a gust of wind. Both doors were heavy and made to withstand attacks, but they flew open and crashed against the stone wall with a resounding clang.

    ¡°What the shit is going on here? What are you doing?¡± A spindly lad walked in on bare feet, waving his arms around. ¡°What happened to the damn invaders? Someone better tell me right now!¡±

    ¡°Wade?¡± Lana asked.

    Goslin turned to Lana. ¡°This is your friend?¡±

    ¡°I like him already,¡± Kax whispered to Tomford.

    ¡°Lana!¡± Wade yelled, jogging up to the group. ¡°Where have you been? I heard some defenders talking about a small surly girl in this Goslin fella¡¯s party. Instantly knew it had to be you.¡±

    She clenched her fists. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like that, you windswept sail blower!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we all calm down a little,¡± Syster said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do. I saved your whole city!¡± Wade barked.

    ¡°He did?¡± the king asked.

    Syster shook her head. ¡°He did help a little.¡±

    ¡°Little?¡± Wade asked, incredulous. He and Lana were close enough to throw fists, and from the looks on their faces, that was exactly what they both planned.

    Then Lana broke out in laughter and threw her arms around the lad. ¡°You stupid airhead. You silly little man. I¡¯ve missed you, Wade.¡±

    He chuckled, returning the embrace. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, too.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± King Caelin asked impatiently. Wade pointed up at the king. ¡°You better watch it! Have you even told them?¡±

    ¡°Told us what?¡± Goslin asked.

    ¡°The bug-eyed bastards aren¡¯t just here! Loft is under siege!¡±

    Goslin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°They¡¯re in Loft too? We must hurry to their aid and rally support from Eldsprak. We¡¯ll drive them back!¡±

    Wade shook his head. ¡°Oh, you beautiful bastard. Where do you think I went first?¡±

    Heylien broke in. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Eldsprak is just as bad as Loft. Worse! The council sent me to get help from Eldsprak and your pyromancers. Funny thing, though. When I got there, those same pyromancers were burning your city to the ground!¡±

    Goslin gritted his teeth. ¡°Those traitors. That¡¯s why there were so few of them here. We have to leave immediately!¡±

    ¡°But we fought so many rhinn,¡± Emeryn protested. ¡°How many more could there be left?¡±

    ¡°This was nothing,¡± Wade said. He looked at Goslin and the others. ¡°Fyrie has already fallen. I¡¯m sorry. Your king is dead, or captured, perhaps, if it makes a difference. Most of the army wasn¡¯t even there to defend your capital!¡±

    Ice ran through Goslin¡¯s veins. ¡°Fyrie has fallen?¡± His family. The Academy. How could his father have let this happen? ¡°Where was the army?¡±

    Wade shrugged, ¡°Chasing shadows. I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Goslin spun to face the king. ¡°And you knew of this!¡±

    The king¡¯s face reddened. ¡°Don¡¯t you take that tone with me!¡±

    Syster looked at her feet, mumbling something that could have been, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What about Vatnbloet?¡± Tomford asked anxiously.

    ¡°Or Jordfaste?¡± Emeryn added.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Wade admitted. ¡°I came here looking for Lana when I heard she joined your quest. Figured we could get these bastards,¡± he pointed at Syster and Caelin, ¡°to send help back with us.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Then I found those bug-eyed freaks here, too, and decided I¡¯d help while I waited for you.¡±

    ¡°Why were you looking for me?¡± Lana asked.

    Wade frowned. ¡°You¡¯re Asengian. I need you to help me rally Loftians so we can strike back. The entire council is likely obliterated by now. We need to find our people and strike back.¡±

    Goslin kept his gaze on the king. ¡°Will you send help?¡±

    ¡°We will need to regroup and rebuild first,¡± the king said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll evaluate our options.¡±

    Wade made a not so polite gesture in the king¡¯s direction. ¡°That¡¯s what he told me last night. Bastard.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± the king barked. ¡°One more thing out of you and I¡¯ll have you in chains!¡±

    ¡°Try it, you bastard!¡±

    Goslin put a hand on Wade¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk.¡± He turned to the king. ¡°We look forward to whatever aid you can provide us. Please excuse us.¡±

    The king sighed. ¡°You may leave.¡±

    Tomford was the first to speak when the doors shut behind them. ¡°I have to return home to Vatnbloet.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Goslin said. ¡°Will you come with me and travel through Eldsprak?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll head north and find a ship to take me across Vanern. It¡¯s the quickest route to Havet. I¡¯m sorry to leave you like this, but I have to.¡±

    Goslin would hate to see his friend go, but his decision was not unexpected. ¡°I can¡¯t fault you for wanting to see what has become of your homeland.¡±

    Lana winced and nodded her head in Wade¡¯s direction. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to follow this bastard for the time being, back to Loft.¡±

    They were a group from all around Maydian. It shouldn¡¯t have come as a surprise that they would return home after their quest was completed. Even less so under the current circumstances. Goslin couldn¡¯t help but think of his family. Fyrie had fallen. The thought was inconceivable. He turned to Emeryn. ¡°And what of you, Em?¡±

    She caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with you tonight. Tomorrow, I must leave for The Kinship of Jordfaste. They have, hopefully, been isolated from all this. If I can convince them to fight, they will make the pyromancers look like children playing with matches.¡±

    He took her hand in his and nodded, then looked at Heylien. ¡°Heylien, my friend. Could you accompany my wife on her journey? I¡¯d sleep better knowing she wasn¡¯t traveling alone.¡± Emeryn¡¯s face darkened and Goslin turned back to her. ¡°For company, of course. You don¡¯t need protection!¡±

    That made her soften. ¡°I would be honored to show you the kinship,¡± she said to Heylien.

    Heylien nodded. ¡°The honor is mine.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, old pal,¡± Kax said, patting Goslin¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ll tag along with you. Need to check in with my sister to make sure we don¡¯t have rhinn crawling around the estate.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Goslin said. He looked around the corridor. ¡°Tomorrow, we leave. Let¡¯s make tonight count and swear we¡¯ll see each other again and destroy these invaders together.¡±

    ¡°Together!¡± Wade yelled, raising his hand.

    Lana sighed and nonchalantly punched him in the gut. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other again. I¡¯m not going home to die. Once we¡¯ve rallied the Loftians around us, we¡¯ll free Vinden and then return to help you.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Tomford said.

    Emeryn nodded. ¡°Together.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it then. I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Kax asked, grinning.

    ¡°I am in dire need of a bath,¡± Goslin said, wiping drying mud from his hair.

    Emeryn took his hand, her cheeks glowing beautifully. ¡°I think I¡¯ll join you, husband.¡±

 Book 1: Epilogue

    A wet and unpleasant sensation spread across Sarien¡¯s face. He sat up, sputtering, then gasped from pain. Moving his arm proved difficult and his leg was a mess of blood.

    ¡°Daisy?¡± he asked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    The dog sat right next to him, wagging its tail.

    Sarien blinked and looked around. They were in a field of grass surrounded by a mass of pinkish sludge. He saw chunks of tentacles and smaller severed pieces of rhinn soldiers.

    The Xzxyth!

    It was dead. But, how?

    In the distance, he saw a village. Beyond that, a forest. Nothing too strange in this new world, but he shouldn¡¯t stay. He knew this was the home of the creature that took control of Ben. Sarien needed to return to his own world and find Goslin and the rest of his friends again. He needed to return to the Karm estate. There had to be a way to restore Ben to his old self.

    He wondered if Heradion had already arrived there. The pyromancer stated he was going to investigate the matter, but Sarien didn¡¯t trust him. Not after everything he¡¯d learned.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± he told Daisy. Sarien closed his eyes and did his best to ignore the shooting pain in his leg and arm. He grasped the white flame inside the left side of his body. Not a broken pyromancer¡¯s flame, not something to be dissected and fixed.

    It was his power, and with it, he could travel between worlds.

    The white flame churning inside him and answered his call.

    Before he had a chance to use it, someone spoke. ¡°You¡¯re either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid trying to use magic in this place.¡±

    A woman had come up behind him without making a sound. She was young, about his age, with jet black hair and an amused expression on her face.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. She was no rhinn, that much was certain. Her eyes were large and expressive, but not the monstrous size of a rhinn¡¯s.

    ¡°If you do what I say right now,¡± she answered, looking over his shoulder toward the village, ¡°you¡¯ll be able to call me Savior.¡±

    Sarien looked back toward the village. Black dots were moving at quickly toward them. He looked back at the young woman. ¡°I¡¯m Sarien.¡±

    Savior offered her hand, and he let her pull him to his feet. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, leaning the bulk of his weight onto her. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I use magic?¡±

    Savior looked up at him and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s blocked. Don¡¯t you know anything?¡± She kicked at a severed tentacle. ¡°Why do you think your magical construct died? Hope you two weren¡¯t close.¡±

    Sarien sighed. It appeared he wouldn¡¯t be going back to his own world anytime soon.

 Book 2: Chapter 1 (Sarien)

    Savior pulled hard on Sarien''s hand with surprising strength. With her support, he hobbled forward despite the throbbing wound in his leg, where the massive Xzxyth pierced him with one of its many tentacles. The remains of the creature, born out of a nightmare, covered the field behind them. Its opaque goop blanketed the grass.

    <div>

    A ramshackle collection of houses and shacks sat nearby, the makings of a small village. Sarien and Savior hurried toward them and reached the squat buildings just as a group of men, alerted by Sarien¡¯s sudden appearance, raced across the field.

    Savior half-carried, half-pushed him through an unlocked door of one of the shacks, a run-down wooden structure with a thatch roof and a hole cut into the wall that served as a window.

    "What is this place?" he asked, panting hard from the exertion.

    The young woman quickly brushed straw aside and opened a hatch in the floor. "Get in."

    "You¡¯re joking?"

    "Look at my face and tell me I¡¯m joking," she hissed. She looked nervously back and forth between him and the door, her narrow features and small nose reminding him of a squirrel¡¯s. "They¡¯re here. Get in!"

    Sarien crawled toward her and rolled through the dark opening, wincing as pain lanced up his leg. The space was small and cramped, and he flipped over to lay flat on his back. Savior stood over him for a moment longer before shutting the hatch door, causing dust and bits of loose straw to fly up around him. He sneezed. When he opened his eyes, his nose was pressed up against the wooden floorboard of the shack above him.

    "Be quiet," she whispered through the cracks before disappearing from view. He heard loud, urgent voices booming somewhere in the village. His heart raced, pounding loudly in his ears.

    A heavy knock shook the walls, causing more dust and straw to fall onto Sarien¡¯s face. His nose twitched, but he held his breath, forcing any sneeze to subside. He heard Savior open the door.

    "Yes?" she asked. A scuffle commenced, ending with a loud thud and a yelp as Savior was knocked onto the floor above him. Dust rose and tickled Sarien¡¯s nose, but he quickly held on to his breath as he listened to the sound of heavy footsteps make a quick turn around the small room.

    "Empty," a gruff male voice said. The door slammed shut. Sarien couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. He let out a series of violent sneezes, each sending a jolt of pain through his body.

    "Ow," he groaned.

    The hatch opened and Savior¡¯s face reappeared above him. "Not great at keeping quiet, are you?"

    "It isn¡¯t my greatest strength," he muttered, crawling out of the hidden compartment and pulling himself up against the nearby wall. The burning pain in his leg radiated out into the rest of his body. ¡°Thank you for the rescue. I¡¯m Sarien.¡±

    "No worries," Savior said. "You owe me one and I¡¯m about to cash in right away."

    "Oh?"

    She nodded and grinned a ferocious little smile. "You¡¯re my ticket out of here, wayfarer."

    "You know about wayfarers?"

    Straight jet black hair fell over her face as she nodded, and she looped it back behind her ear in what looked to be a much-practiced motion. "You¡¯re not the first one we¡¯ve seen. Just the first in about a hundred years."

    "Slow down a little," Sarien said. "You¡¯re over a hundred years old?"

    Savior narrowed her eyes and looked down at herself. "Do I look like a little old lady to you?"

    Sarien looked at her. That she didn¡¯t, he had to admit. The young woman was almost as tall as him and looked a little thin, malnourished.

    "You look my age," he said.

    She nodded, and her face twitched as if quickly hiding a smile. "Our organization has records of a wayfarer appearing here. Apparently, she was taken to the citadel, and no one saw her again."

    A bark sounded from outside the door. "Could you let Daisy in?"

    "Your dog?"

    "Not sure if he¡¯s mine, but he saved me from the Xzxyth."

    "Xzxyth?" she asked, opening the door.

    Daisy padded in, sniffed Sarien curiously, before curling up in a corner.

    "The monster who came through the gate with me when you found me."

    "Oh," she said. "So, can you help me? Help us?"

    "You told me that magic is blocked here. Not sure what help I can provide," Sarien said. "I¡¯m not much of a fighter, and I lost my spear."

    Savior grinned. "We already have a plan to deal with the blockage. Now that you¡¯re here, we might actually pull it off. I¡¯ll take you to see the others soon."

    Sarien chuckled. "I seem to stumble upon rebellions wherever I go."

    ¡°We need your help with Yelena.¡±

    "Yelena? One woman? Doesn¡¯t sound so bad."

    "Yelena the Destroyer of Hope."

    "That does have quite the ring to it," Sarien admitted, grimacing as he shifted his leg. "My wounds need tending if I¡¯m going to help you, or I¡¯ll bleed out on your floor."

    Savior jerked up. "Right, forgot." She stood and headed for the door. "I¡¯ll go talk to the others and bring back some salve. Won¡¯t be but a minute. I¡¯m Myn, by the way. Welcome to Malac."

    Myn peeked out the door before rushing out, leaving Sarien and Daisy alone in the house. House might have been too grandiose a name for the small wooden box, built with thin planks and a rickety door. The single-room house lacked any furniture other than the heaps of straw on the floor. Sarien didn¡¯t think Myn actually lived here. How could she?

    What felt like an hour passed and Sarien trembled as a chill racked through him. The straw and floorboards beneath him were stained with his blood. Daisy had moved over to Sarien and was resting his head in Sarien¡¯s lap, the dog¡¯s large brown eyes fixed on Sarien¡¯s face. The dog radiated heat and comfort and Sarien struggled to keep his eyes open.

    Sarien¡¯s shoulder and thigh throbbed with pain, and it took all his willpower not to look at his wounds. If he did, he was sure to pass out.

    When he¡¯d almost given up on Myn¡¯s return, the door opened. Sarien gasped. With the early morning sunlight streaming in from behind her, creating a glowing halo around her head, he thought she was a spirit from beyond who¡¯d come to claim him.

    "He¡¯s not looking too good," someone croaked. An old lady pushed past Myn. She leaned heavily on a gnarled wooden cane.

    Sarien¡¯s eyes widened, and he mumbled, as shadows edged his vision, "Are you Death?"

    The old woman struck him in the head with the cane.

    Sarien woke, his head aching. To his surprise, everything still hurt, but not quite as bad. He cautiously opened his eyes.

    He was tucked into a bed in a room bigger than the whole building Myn hid him in. It was decorated simply. A gray rug lined the clean wooden floors. A lamp was lit on the table beside the bed, the warm light flickering behind the glass casing.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Sarien¡¯s throat and mouth were parched, and he swallowed several times before he could speak. "Hello?"

    The door banged open, and the old lady barged in. "Death, am I?" she barked.

    "What?" he asked. "Where am I?"

    She stopped abruptly and narrowed her eyes. They almost disappeared behind thick folds of leathery skin. "In my house. Brought you back from the brink, didn¡¯t I?" The woman shoved a glass of water into his hands and Sarien drank greedily. It tasted clean and sweet.

    He coughed, cleared his throat, and forced himself upright. With a wince, he fell back into the bed. "Thank you for helping me." Whatever she¡¯d done, it hadn¡¯t been as effective as Tomford¡¯s healing. Curious, he lifted the covers to inspect the wound in his shoulder.

    Sarien¡¯s face burned. "Where are my clothes?"

    "Threw them away. Never seen fabric in such a sorry state before, have I? Blood, mud, and who knows what else?" She gestured to a chair by the door. "Myn got you some new ones. They¡¯re over there."

    The old woman¡¯s face softened. "I¡¯m Viv."

    "Sarien. Thank you again."

    Viv gave him a long and searching look. "The girl says you¡¯ll help us get away from here. Not a liar, are you?"

    "I¡¯ll do whatever is in my power to help, but I don¡¯t know anything about this place. She told me magic doesn¡¯t work here in Malac."

    She shook her head. "Not anymore, not for a long time. But if you are what she says you are, we might have a slim chance to taste our boons again. Rest up, young man. Don¡¯t want to have to treat those same wounds again, do I?"

    Viv disappeared through the door, leaving Sarien alone. Voices drifted from the room beyond, and by the rapid, hushed murmurs, there were several of them. He thought he heard Myn. Daisy was definitely in the adjoining room. There was no mistaking his excited barks.

    He sat up, more gingerly this time, and let the covers fall. A distinct smell rose from his bandaged shoulder. Herbs and something else that reminded him of freshly baked bread from the kitchens back at the Karm estate. He thought about Ben. Whatever he¡¯d brought into Maydian came from here, from Malac. A person, he desperately hoped it was human, from this very place now lived inside Ben, his childhood friend.

    With a bracing exhale, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Sharp pain shot up when he put his weight on the wounded thigh, but it was far less intense than he¡¯d anticipated. Whatever concoction they¡¯d slathered on his wounds was doing its job. Sarien hobbled over to the pile of clothes and found his mother¡¯s book and the strange device his father gave him.

    He opened the small book and flipped through page after page of handwritten notes in a neat hand. His mother¡¯s handwriting. Sarien wanted nothing more than to plop down and start reading, but a chilly draft reminded him of his very naked state.

    The clothes appeared comfortable and not too worn. He pulled on the off-white, almost gray, loose-fitting tunic. A pair of brown cloth pants that only chafed a little completed the outfit, along with his old boots.

    Sarien peered out the window and looked up at a clear night sky filled with stars. The door slammed open, startling him, and Myn gave him a glare. "What are you waiting for? We heard you banging around in here. Just come on out already!"

    "Sorry, sorry," he muttered, limping along behind her. They entered a larger room with bedrolls strewn about on the floor. In one corner, a boiling pot bubbled with a smell that made his stomach grumble. In the center of the room was a small, circular, wooden table where a group of people sat staring at him with a mixture of wonder and suspicion.

    "Hello," he said, giving them a short wave. Other than Viv and Myn, three more chairs were occupied. Four if he counted Daisy, who sat on one chair, his tail thumping wildly. When no one spoke, he continued, "I¡¯m Sarien. Thank you for helping me."

    "Stop dawdling and sit down," Myn said, gesturing for the lone empty chair. "Can¡¯t have you falling down dead on us now."

    He winced as he sat and then glanced around the table. The ones he hadn¡¯t met before were all older than Myn, but not as ancient as Viv. To Sarien¡¯s left was a short, burly man with bare arms covered in thick, dark brown hair that matched a bushy beard. His hair fell past his shoulders. He wore a thoughtful expression and leaned back in his chair, as if waiting for something to happen.

    The next stranger was a woman in her late middle years. She wore clothes almost identical to Sarien¡¯s. Her head was tilted up as if to look down her nose at him. The woman looked solid with her thick forearms and wide shoulders like she was used to a hard day¡¯s work. Next to Viv sat another man. He was hunched over, his head pillowed in his folded arms. The only feature Sarien could make out was his short-clipped hair. The man''s hands twitched but he appeared to be sleeping.

    "This is everyone," Myn said. She gestured to the burly man, "Haen," moved to the woman, "his wife Freyn," and then pointed to the sleeping man, "Emiril. Viv, you¡¯ve already met."

    "Myn says you¡¯re a wayfarer," Freyn said, leaning over the table. "Prove it."

    "How is he supposed to prove it?" Emiril asked, sitting up. So, he wasn¡¯t sleeping after all.

    Freyn huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "I don¡¯t know."

    "We all felt him," Myn said, throwing an irritated glance to Freyn. "Also, he was in the middle of a field. No way he could have gotten there on foot with his injuries."

    "I came here from Maydian," Sarien said, trying to diffuse the rising tension.

    "Never heard of it," Viv said.

    Sarien shrugged. "It¡¯s what I call my world."

    "Why did you come here of all places? Did you want to get stuck?" Haen asked.

    Sarien hesitated. These people looked and felt friendly enough. And he didn¡¯t have many options in this strange alien world. He had no choice but to trust them. "I pulled someone or something from this world into mine a while back, something malicious. Thought this world was like this being, that¡¯s why I sent the Xzxyth here. Didn¡¯t expect to be pulled along with it."

    "And now you¡¯re stuck with us," Emiril said.

    Viv¡¯s mouth hung agape.

    "What?" Sarien asked.

    "You pulled someone from here?"

    "I did."

    "It couldn¡¯t be," Viv said, slowly, as if mulling over her words.

    "Has to be him, right?" Myn said, an excited grin on her face. She gesticulated wildly. "What if he¡¯s gone?"

    Sarien looked back and forth between Viv and Myn, confused. "Who?"

    "You should fill the boy in on what is happening here. It¡¯s only right if we¡¯re going to have him help us," Haen said, looking to his wife.

    Freyn sighed. "Malac is the home of many powerful magi. Throughout our history, factions have risen and fallen as they struggled for control over our different kingdoms. About a hundred years ago, one mage acquired an artifact with the ability to control the use of magic."

    "Yelena?" Sarien guessed.

    "That¡¯s right," Freyn said. "No one knows how she got it, but she used the artifact to cut everyone off from their magic. Everyone but herself and her closest ally and advisor, Renheld. He is a more powerful mage than her but swore fealty to Yelena for fear of losing his own powers."

    "Without him, she¡¯ll be vulnerable!" Myn exclaimed. "We should get started right away!"

    "Let her finish," Haen said. "Go on, honey."

    "There isn¡¯t much else to say," Freyn said. "We all retained the ability to sense when someone tries to use magic. That¡¯s why soldiers were sent to locate you. Yelena knows you are here. A few of us have banded together to put a stop to her, or, at the very least, to disable the artifact somehow. If we can destroy it, Yelena will hunt us to the ends of the world. That''s why we need a way to leave this godforsaken place."

    Myn punched a fist into her open palm. "Now that we have our very own wayfarer, it¡¯s time to strike! Especially if Renheld is gone!"

    Questions buzzed through Sarien¡¯s head, but the most important one percolated to the top. "Renheld. What makes you think it was him who came to my world?"

    "It¡¯s common knowledge that he has been doing research into world travel. The other wayfarer was sent to him," Haen said.

    Viv scoffed. "We don¡¯t know why he¡¯s been researching this. Perhaps Yelena wants to conquer more worlds, or it was him doing it on his own accord to escape. If you reached out to this world, I can¡¯t imagine anyone but him throwing himself at the opportunity to leave."

    "I would¡¯ve if I could access my magic," Emiril said. The man was in his thirties, Sarien thought, with a few days of beard growth and hollow cheeks. His eyes were expressionless, like looking into an empty void.

    What they were saying made sense. Renheld might very well be the one in control of Ben.

    "What can this Renheld do?" he asked. Sarien knew he¡¯d face Ben again at some point, if Heradion hadn¡¯t done something drastic before then. The last time he saw the pyromancer was when the old man stated he was heading to the Karm estate more than three weeks past.

    "Do?" Viv asked.

    "With magic, I mean," Sarien clarified.

    "Bone dancer," Haen said.

    Freyn shuddered. "Once attended one of his executions. Crushed every bone in a poor man¡¯s body, breaking each one at a time."

    Sarien winced. Renfeld did not sound like a pleasant man.

    "Let¡¯s hope he¡¯s not here then," Sarien said. "Are all of you mages? How would you know if your magic has been restricted?"

    "We can sense the power churning inside us, even if we don¡¯t know what we might be capable of," Emiril grunted. He glanced to the stove. "Food¡¯s ready."

    "Only mages can sense when someone else is trying to work their magic," Freyn added.

    "I was a brightling," Viv whispered, looking at her fingers as she splayed them in front of her face. "Long ago."

    "You¡¯re over a hundred years old?" Sarien asked.

    She glared at him. "What of it, young man?"

    "Nothing, nothing," he assured her.

    "Ready to hear our plan?" Myn asked, her face brightening with pure excitement.

    "Just one more thing."

    "What?" she asked, scowling.

    "Maydian is under attack by a race called the rhinn, and monsters keep appearing from gateways. Just so you all understand, when we do get there, we might be landing in the middle of a war."

    "Great!" Myn shouted. "That will give me the opportunity to test and use this thing inside me before I explode!"

    "That¡¯s fine," Viv agreed.

    Haen nodded, and Freyn pursed her lips. "That¡¯s agreeable."

    "Whatever," Emiril grunted from over by the stove.

    Daisy gave a loud bark.

    That was it then. Sarien couldn''t return home immediately, but at least he¡¯d been provided with a way forward.

    "What¡¯s the plan?"

 Book 2: Chapter 2 (Goslin)

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    Silence reigned over the border crossing between Tyriu and Eldsprak. The babbling masses were long gone, as were the soldiers. Deserted. None of those traveling between the two kingdoms waited outside the walls of Kleotram. Trampled fields stretched in all directions from the city, and an eerie quiet weighed heavily on Goslin as he banged on the gate. The sun shone bright without a cloud in sight, chasing away the morning¡¯s chill. In the distance, a lone bird chirped.

    "Do they already know about the rhinn?" Kax asked, his voice cheery.

    Goslin peered up the thick stone walls, hoping to catch some movement at the top. He saw none. "I don¡¯t know, but I don''t like this."

    Eldsprak, his home country, was under siege by the rhinn, a human-like race from another world. Kleotram was the kingdom¡¯s second largest city. If it had already fallen, things were dire indeed.

    He scratched his head and then sighed and stepped aside, gesturing for Kax to go ahead. "Try to get the lock. We don¡¯t want the whole thing coming apart."

    The sleeves of his friend¡¯s tunic were rolled up to his elbows and he¡¯d discarded his gloves. Kax started wearing them recently in an attempt to hide the strange discoloring of his flesh. People tended to stare at his skin, which was slowly turning an obsidian black like his precious swords and Goslin''s shield. They were all products of their Sarien''s strange and unique magic. Pieces of their enemies were trapped in the weapons, and Goslin prayed that it wasn¡¯t those very souls that were slowly bleeding into his friend''s body. He didn''t know how much of the taint covered Kax''s flesh now, but from what he noticed, the progression was swift and all encompassing.

    Kax flicked his brown hair out of his eyes and then drew the shorter of his two swords. "Bandit will make short work of this most treacherous obstacle!" He thrust it into the lock and the blade sliced smoothly into the thick, metal-banded wood. The lock fell into two pieces, clattering against the stone cobbles. Goslin knew that the same thing would have happened if Kax had cut straight into the stone wall. His blades were impossibly sharp.

    Kax withdrew the short blade he¡¯d named Bandit, after a previous foe they encountered who was trapped inside and sheathed it. "That should do it."

    Goslin pushed against the smaller door fixed on the much larger gate. The hinges creaked in protest.

    When the door swung open, at least twenty men waited for them with the tips of their spears thrust at Goslin and Kax.

    Kax immediately reached for the pommel of his sword, but Goslin stopped him. "My name is Goslin of House Steerian, nephew of the King of Eldsprak. I demand you take me to Lord Sanders!"

    Men, women, and children huddled in doorways and windows all along the main street. The desperate looks on their faces gave Goslin pause. Hunger and hopelessness mingled with fear.

    Soldiers patrolled the streets and archers hid on the city wall. Everyone eyed Goslin and Kax warily, focusing their attention on their faces. These people knew of the rhinn, at least. The differences between humans and rhinn were small but noticeable. The invaders¡¯ eyes were larger and their mouths wider.

    Kax pulled on his gloves and rolled down his sleeves, hiding his affliction. "These people look haunted," Kax muttered. He hunched in on himself as if wizened by the scrutiny they faced. He looked nervously about them, his eyes leaping to the shadows as if wanting to disappear into the nearest one. "If they¡¯ve been kept in here for several weeks, food must be running short. They must know of the rhinn. Their fear is palpable," Goslin said.

    With everything happening in Eldsprak and the other kingdoms, they were right to be fearful, but you could not improve on your situation huddled in terror. The citizens of Kleotram needed a strong leader. Sanders, the lord of this city, was responsible for its inhabitants. A charge he obviously needed to be reminded of Goslin thought with disgust as he looked at the thin, dirty faces of a group of listless children sitting outside a nearby home.

    Due to the throng of people, it took Goslin and Kax nearly an hour to travel to the keep in the center of the city. Once the citizens of Kleotram realized they weren¡¯t invaders, everyone, it seemed, emerged from their houses and crowded the two men, trying to catch any news from outside the city walls. Questions were shouted at Goslin and Kax. What was happening? Would the king come and save them? Had they brought any food?

    Goslin waved and smiled but remained silent. He didn¡¯t have any answers. Even if he did, his words would have disappeared in the din and the tight press of bodies.

    At the keep, soldiers armed with spears kept the frantic citizens away. Two soldiers separated from the others to escort Goslin and Kax through the keep. A pang of guilt bloomed in Goslin¡¯s chest at the relief he felt to have left the less fortunate behind, outside the keep''s walls. He¡¯d help them somehow, he swore to himself. But to do so, he needed to speak with Sanders first.

    Kax shuddered, his face pale from the ordeal of crossing the city. Goslin noticed Kax reaching for his blade more than once when the crowd pressed in too close. His friend''s nose was scrunched in disgust. "That stink. Sanitation sure isn¡¯t working in the lower city. Things are bad here, Princeling."

    "It¡¯s not their fault if there isn¡¯t clean water for proper hygiene," Goslin said, as much to himself as to his friend. It wasn''t the citizens'' fault, it was Sander''s. The lord had much to answer for.

    The keep¡¯s pristine interior was just as he remembered it from his last visit. His father sent him to stay with Sanders, the city lord and a cousin to his father, for a few weeks before the academy, more than a year ago. Goslin couldn¡¯t help but smile at the memory of his time at the academy. He¡¯d thought it difficult then, but the constant struggles from the last few months proved it child¡¯s play in comparison.

    "There''s the old bastard," Kax said, his voice loud enough to carry through the spacious hall. The man at the far end stiffened at his words. Sanders stood with his arms open in a gesture to welcome them.

    His father¡¯s cousin kept his hair long, well past his shoulders, in an outdated style. Black hair dye stained the collar of his white, stately robes. The man¡¯s thin face and large pointed nose gave him a hawkish expression.

    "Goslin, my boy!" He pointedly ignored Kax.

    Goslin reached out a hand when they approached, but Sanders swept him into a hug. "How have you been?"

    "What¡¯s going on here?" Goslin asked. "Why are the gates shut? Why haven¡¯t you come to Fyrie¡¯s aid?"

    Sanders''s face darkened and he glanced at the soldiers flanking Goslin and Kax. "Let¡¯s continue this in my study. Perhaps your good-natured friend here," he gestured to Kax, "can wait outside?"

    Goslin exchanged a quick look with Kax, who frowned but gave a short nod before sauntering off to the side.

    The door shut with a heavy thud behind Goslin, leaving him alone with Sanders.

    Goslin turned to face his cousin once removed. "Now tell me what¡¯s going on here. Eldsprak is under an invasion and you¡¯re hiding behind your walls."

    "Don''t speak to me in such a manner!" Sanders bellowed, his face red. "I am in charge here and will not tolerate that attitude, no matter who you are!"

    Goslin took a deep breath and spoke with as much calm as he could muster. "Then tell me. Fyrie is burning. Loft is under siege. I just came from Tyralien where we managed to hang on after coming within an inch of our lives. Who knows what¡¯s going on in Vatnbloet and Jordfaste." His heart clenched as his thoughts flew to Emeryn, his wife, who was heading into the unknown. He forced his worries away. This was not the time to think of his beloved. "Why are you here?"If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Sanders''s face brightened. "Tyriu is free of these burning rhinn?"

    "For the moment."

    "We must go there then," Sanders mused as he scanned a bunch of maps laying across a wooden desk. "What of growers? Are there any in Tyralien? We¡¯re running dangerously low on supplies."

    "They all left for the Kinship." Goslin furrowed his brow. "You would run?"

    Sanders looked up from his maps and sighed. "Listen, lad. I know you don¡¯t want to hear this, but we¡¯ve had messengers and scouts reporting that Fyrie is in the hands of the enemy. The pyromancers are with them, for fire¡¯s sake! There is no fighting against them. Come with us! The rhinn will be here to claim Kleotram any day now."

    "Coward." The word left Goslin¡¯s mouth before he could restrain himself. It was too late to change course. "I¡¯m going to Fyrie. If it¡¯s fallen, we¡¯ll liberate it from the invading forces." He made a fist and held it out between them. "Join me instead, you and your soldiers!"

    "Naive whelp!" Sanders''s face reddened, as he pointed to the door. "Get out!" He added some choice curses, but Goslin cut them off by slamming the door behind him. The hall outside was empty except for Kax.

    Kax was leaning against a stone pillar nearby. "He didn¡¯t want to join our noble cause, I take it?"

    "He did not," Goslin confirmed. "Did you find out anything?"

    Kax pushed off the pillar and followed Goslin. He pursed his lips. "Not much. No one is happy about the situation, but who can blame them?"

    "Do you think we could get some of the soldiers to join us?"

    "Sure. There are always some who are itching to fight. That¡¯s the plan then? Grab whoever will come and fight our way home?"

    "That¡¯s right."

    "I don¡¯t like it."

    "Why not?" Goslin asked.

    "There¡¯ll be rhinn and pyromancers, even more monsters. Anyone we bring won¡¯t make a difference against that. They''ll just be fodder for the enemy."

    "So, you¡¯re saying we should give up?" Goslin asked.

    Kax chuckled. "Of course not, but it would be better to continue on by ourselves. Use stealth to our advantage rather than numbers."

    Goslin opened a door that would take them to a courtyard where the soldiers trained. "Stealth? I thought your answer to every question these days was to cut it in two with those swords of yours."

    "Eh, I can be sneaky," Kax said. "Sometimes."

    "Thank you for the advice, but we need the numbers," Goslin said, turning to the men drilling in the yard. "This is a time to band together if we¡¯re going to overcome this terrible threat to our kingdom. We¡¯ll find more to join our cause along the way."

    "Villagers and farmers," Kax said shaking his head, but he didn¡¯t protest further.

    Goslin straightened before addressing the men and women before him. In a loud voice to rise over the din, he said, "My name is Goslin of House Steerian, nephew to the king of Eldsprak. Do you find honor inside these walls?"

    A few stopped to listen, but most ignored him. Goslin continued, "Your kingdom is under siege, but you cower and hide!"

    More stopped. They didn¡¯t appear to like what they were hearing, but Goslin spoke over their jeers, "I¡¯m here to give you another path!"

    "To where?" Kax yelled the question. Goslin spotted his friend in the middle of a large group of swordsmen. Kax winked.

    Goslin drew his sword, and the metal sang as it came free from its sheathe. He pointed west. "To Fyrie! To glory! To the liberation of Eldsprak!"

    The men cheered. "Eldsprak! To glory!"

    "We leave at dawn!" Goslin yelled. "Tell your friends and fellow men. Tomorrow, we ride for glory!"

    When the courtyard cleared, Kax sauntered up. "That was easier than I thought."

    "People want to do what¡¯s right," Goslin said, proud of his fellow countrymen. There¡¯d been at least a hundred men drilling. They¡¯d each tell their friends and family. By tomorrow, they would leave with enough men to counter any enemy forces they meet along the way. "Let¡¯s go see if we can find an inn with enough water for a bath."

    The next morning, nineteen men waited for them by the main gate.

    "Where is everyone?" Goslin asked.

    Kax surveyed their new recruits. "I think this is it."

    The group consisted of men younger than even Goslin himself, and they all fidgeted with their equipment, not meeting his gaze.

    "Welcome to the first step of re-taking Eldsprak from the invading rhinn" Goslin boomed, trying to hide his disappointment. They all jumped in place and turned to face him, their eyes wide and alert. "Are more soldiers on their way?"

    No one answered, so Goslin pointed to the lad mounted closest to him. "I¡¯m thankful for all of you who have decided to join in our glorious quest, but I thought there would be more of you."

    Two of the men before him were older, and one of them spoke up. A graying man with a short-clipped beard and tired eyes. At his belt, he wore a mace. "Sir," he grumbled, his heavy shoulders hunched over. "Lord Sanders heard of your recruitment drive and proclaimed that all who joined you would be shunned, and their families thrown out of Kleotram."

    Anger flushed through Goslin¡¯s chest. "He did what? What¡¯s your name?"

    "Asken."

    "Well met, Asken. And what of your family?"

    He shook his head. "I¡¯ve none. None of us do."

    "I understand," Goslin said. "You¡¯ve shown great courage to join our cause. Lord Sanders will face the consequences of his actions before this is all over."

    Kax rode up beside him. "So how did all of you get horses?"

    Asken cleared his throat and his weathered face reddened. "Let¡¯s call it making up for lost wages, yeah?"

    Kax smiled. "Sounds fine to me." He pointed to a cloth bag slung over one of Asken¡¯s shoulders. "You all brought some provisions as well, I take it?"

    "We did," Asken confirmed. "What little we could scrounge."

    "Good thinking," Goslin said. The thought hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind. Showed how much he¡¯d learned since setting out. "Let¡¯s move out."

    The men at the gate opened to let them through without making a fuss. Sanders didn¡¯t show his face, but Goslin hadn¡¯t expected him to. The coward would pay. Somehow. Goslin would see to it.

    Hart¡¯s final resting place was Goslin''s first goal after setting out from Kleotram. A few hours into their journey, they spotted their first rhinn patrol. Like all those they¡¯d faced before, these men were on foot. Six spears pointed in their direction, sunlight glinting off the weapons¡¯ polished metal tips as Goslin ordered the charge.

    Hoofs thundered and dirt was tossed in all directions. The rhinn¡¯s already large eyes widened in obvious fear when Goslin approached at the front with Kax at his side. His horse punched into their ranks and his sword sliced into one of the rhinn soldiers in the shoulder, throwing him to the ground. Kax¡¯s obsidian blade blurred and ended two more opponents. They rode through, then turned to watch their men make short work of those still standing. Asken¡¯s mace thudded into a tall rhinn man¡¯s face, caving it inward with a sickening crunch. The rest of the lads skewered the rhinn with spears, and in less than a minute, all that remained of the patrol lay in a bloody heap.

    "Well done, men," Goslin said, sheathing his sword after wiping it off. "Any injuries?"

    One of the young men, a short fellow with a blond mustache leaned over to the side and vomited. Most of it ended up on his own leg and the horse¡¯s flank. "Sorry," he groaned.

    "One of them got me," a second lad said. He was a handsome fellow with long dark hair tied back with a strip of purple cloth. His hand pressed down on his left thigh. Blood trickled from under it.

    Goslin rode up to him.

    "Should bind that," Asken said. "It¡¯s a lot of blood."

    "No one here happens to be a healer?" Kax asked, his tone cheerful. Everyone remained silent, and Kax sighed. "Didn¡¯t think so. Should have brought Tom with us."

    "Tom?" Asken asked.

    "Never mind that," Goslin said. "Is no one here trained in combat healing?"

    Silence.

    "I think it stopped," the dark-haired youth said, removing his hand. Blood gushed out through the tear in his flesh. He quickly put his hand back to cover it, his face going white. "Perhaps not."

    "What¡¯s your name, lad?" Goslin asked. He rummaged through his own pack to find a clean shirt. He cut it into strips with his knife.

    "Torkel," the lad said.

    "All will be well, Torkel," Goslin said, dismounting. He lifted the young man''s leg, placing it to rest on his own shoulder, then did his best in wrapping a few strips of cloth around the wound. The makeshift bandages turned red, but otherwise looked to be holding. "There. All better."

    Flies buzzed around them, attracted by the scent of the newly dead. Goslin wrinkled his nose and mounted. "Let¡¯s keep going."

    "They aren¡¯t carrying supplies with them," Asken pointed out.

    "So?" Kax asked.

    Asken shrugged. "They¡¯re on foot so they can¡¯t cover a lot of ground."

    "They must have an outpost nearby," Goslin said, understanding.

    He looked around at the flat landscape around them, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.

    "Want me to scout around?" Kax asked.

    Goslin nodded. "See what you can find. Be careful and catch up to the rest of us when you¡¯re done. You know where to find us."

    "I do," Kax agreed, his face solemn. "Don¡¯t start without me."

    He rode off and Asken took his place beside Goslin. "Should the lad really be going off alone?"

    "He can take care of himself."

    Asken peered after Kax, his brows furrowed. "If you say so."

 Book 2: Chapter 3 (Lana)

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    Wind blew through Lana''s hair and not for the first time did she think that it was time to cut it. Tyralien was disappearing in the distance behind them. The wide-open spaces made her feel insignificant. She was alone now. Well, almost.

    "So did you miss me?" Wade prodded, waggling his eyebrows. "I bet you missed me."

    She sighed loudly. "Obviously, I didn''t miss you."

    Before she could say more, a slight sound of creaking leather straps drifted in from their left, where a small hill obstructed their view. Lana clutched her reins tightly and spurred on her horse, leaving Wade behind. She leapt into the air, giving herself a small boost with her inner tempest, and landed on top of the hill. Just like she¡¯d thought, they weren''t alone after all. Two rhinn soldiers stared up at her with their large, blank eyes. Lana repressed a shudder.

    One of them started to say something when a dagger took him in the throat. She hadn¡¯t made a conscious decision. It just flew out of her hand. The second rhinn turned to run. Lana imagined the target on her training dummy, threw a second dagger, and directed it with a few well-placed and intense gusts. It struck the fleeing rhinn in the back. He staggered but didn¡¯t fall. She winced. There hadn¡¯t been enough force behind it. She pulled another dagger free from her belt and threw it with an extra push of wind. It buried itself deeper than the first, piercing her target¡¯s heart. The rhinn soldier crumpled to the ground.

    Wade came up the hill behind her and whistled. "Ruthless."

    "They are our enemy. What was I supposed to?" she asked.

    Wade shrugged. "Oh, I¡¯m not complaining. You¡¯re really good with those." He put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing. "You¡¯re so different now."

    She yanked away on reflex. "It wasn¡¯t the real me you knew before, in all those dresses." She walked toward the dead rhinn.

    Wade sat down in the grass to watch her. "I¡¯m not talking about the clothes or the hair."

    Lana scurried down the hill to retrieve her daggers. She was thankful that at least one of the rhinn turned to run. That way, she only had to peer into one of their faces.

    The first dagger came out easily enough. She wiped it clean on the soldier¡¯s black tunic. They all wore them over black leather armor. She turned out his pockets, but didn¡¯t find anything, just like she expected. None of the soldiers ever carried anything worthwhile. Most of them were too old or young and inexperienced. Very few showed any proficiency at fighting.

    It was a little strange, she thought. Who would send incompetent soldiers to invade another world?

    Her second dagger pulled free easily, but the third was stuck down to the hilt in the rhinn''s back. Lana pulled with all her might until she heard something crunch inside the soldier¡¯s body as it slid free. Her hands no longer shook, and her stomach no longer churned uneasily when she fought. She killed without a second thought. Experience, she figured. Ruthless, as Wade said.

    Wade was right. She had changed. But here she was, heading back to the home she spent so much time trying to escape. If it wasn''t for Wade, she would probably just have gone with one of the others, but she couldn¡¯t deny his request when it was made so earnestly. Couldn¡¯t say no to him.

    Once back on their horses, they stayed off the roads to minimize the risk of running into any more rhinn troops. Their plan worked, and they crossed the border into Loft without issue.

    Most of Tyriu, like Eldsprak, consisted of farmland. They needed to grow food to support the population, or they¡¯d need to rely on a steady supply out of the Kinship. Loft, on the other hand, traded with the growers and relied on a steady supply of fish from the sea to feed its people. This meant farming was not as much of a necessity, and the terrain remained covered in forests of leafy trees or pines. Thick trunks lined the border between kingdoms, like an ancient forest out of fairy tales.

    "There will be more of them from here on out," Wade said.

    Lana¡¯s chest tightened. Not for the risk of running into enemies. She didn¡¯t like being back in her homeland. When she left for the Academy, Lana didn¡¯t plan on ever returning. "We''ll just have to be more careful then," she answered, not looking at him. "You should get a weapon or two."

    "What kind of a gale-brained idea is that? I can harness the wind. What use would I have of steel?"

    "They come in handy," she said, drawing a dagger from a holster at her hip. She threw and gave it an extra push. It disappeared into the underbrush. A squeak sounded. A rabbit. Dinner.

    "Very impressive," Wade said, clapping. He sounded and looked earnest, but Lana couldn''t be sure if he was being serious or not. A common problem with the infuriating man.

    She headed in the direction of her prey. "How are you going to fight with wind as a weapon?"

    Wade followed after her. "Push the enemies around, I suppose." He chuckled. "Also, I can fly."

    "I saw. Never thought you''d actually do it. What happened?"

    "Turns out that you need two very important components."

    She found the rabbit and knelt to withdraw the dagger before wiping it clean on the leg of her pants. She knew Wade was angling for her to ask, so she did, "What are the two components?"

    "First," he said smugly, holding up a finger in front of her face after hunching down on the ground next to her. "You have to be strong as a raging tempest. My tempest, that is. Well, you know what I mean. Strong tempest."

    "And you¡¯re strong?"

    "Like a bull! Well, a bull that can fly. Turns out, riding around on boats all day, every day, creating winds to make some simpleton merchant richer has some benefits."

    Lana put the rabbit in her satchel. She needed to prepare it soon before it spoiled. "Create winds? I thought you were supposed to direct winds on ship duty."

    "Well, I¡¯m not great at the finer points of wind magic. Or, well, I wasn''t. You kinda need to be, it turns out. If you want to fly for more than a short distance."

    They started walking again, heading deeper into the forest.

    "That''s all?" Lana asked. "You have to be strong and have to be good at directing winds?"

    "No. Well, yes, but that''s not all of it. Turns out, the missing ingredient was almost dying. Hurtling through the air toward the deck. Not wanting to die is a great motivator." He pointed up to the small gaps in the trees where they could see the sky. "It''s exhilarating. You should try it!"

    Lana snorted. "You know I don''t have the power for that. Also, I don''t like heights."

    Wade shrugged. "What about the dagger thing? That requires some force, right?"

    She shook her head. "Not really. It takes very little. I''ve practiced a lot, and it doesn''t take much to redirect something when it''s already flying."

    Wade narrowed his eyes. "Was that a threat?"

    Lana grinned. "Maybe."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    They continued for a few more hours until dusk turned to night, and it grew difficult to traverse the underbrush without clear paths to follow.

    The chill in the air meant an uncomfortable night, since they couldn''t risk a campfire. Not with the rhinn skulking around. Lana had just unloaded her pack when the faintest sound reached her ears. "Did you hear that?"

    Wade looked up. "What?"

    "Shush."

    There it was again. A whimper. It didn¡¯t sound like an animal. At least not one she knew of.

    They stood completely still for a few moments. Lana held her breath. There it was again. This time, she picked up the direction of the sound. She waved for Wade to follow and bent down close to the ground as she snuck back into the underbrush.

    Wade was about as quiet as a rampaging bull as twigs snapped underneath his boots, but she caught the sound again. They were heading in the right direction. Definitely a whimper, and, Lana frowned, something else. A rustling. She nearly leapt out of her skin when a small yelp broke the silence.

    A young boy sat leaning against a tree trunk, his eyes closed. He fidgeted and jerked, emitting small sounds of distress. Still, his eyes were closed, and it appeared he was asleep.

    Lana stepped up the child and saw that the boy was human. What was he doing in the middle of the forest by himself?

    He didn¡¯t have the appearance of a local. Lana straightened and looked into the darkness around her, expecting a trap. No one emerged.

    When she inched closer, Lana saw why the boy was by himself. His clothes were dirty and torn, and caked with mud, but she would recognize those red robes anywhere.

    She turned to Wade and whispered, "Pyromancer."

    Lana turned back to the boy and looked straight into a pair of eyes staring back at her. She screamed, jumping back just as the boy let out a terrified wail. His hand jerked up in front of him and flames billowed from his opened palm.

    A powerful gust of wind struck her and tossed Lana to the side. She tumbled in the air but managed to draw a dagger from her belt and throw it at the boy''s face before hitting the ground.

    "No!" Wade bellowed. The dagger was caught in a torrent of wind and flew off into the shadows. "He''s just a child!"

    The boy scrambled to his feet. "Who are you? What do you want?"

    Wade took a step closer and held up his hands to show that he was unarmed. "You don''t have to be scared. We''re not going to hurt you."

    "Don''t be so sure about that," Lana snarled as she stood. Wade gave her a stern look, and she relented. "Fine, we won''t hurt you. As long as you don''t try anything, pyromancer."

    The boy looked down at his clothes and winced. "I''m not sure I am one of them anymore."

    "What do you mean?" Lana asked. "You conjured fire. That makes you a pyromancer."

    He swallowed hard, and his eyes began to water. Wade quickly closed the gap between them. He wrapped his arms around the young boy''s shoulders. "What''s your name?"

    "I''m Tremalian. You can call me Tre."

    "I''m Wade. And that''s Lana. What happened to you, Tre?"

    "Terrible creatures," Tre said. "They were everywhere."

    He looked nervously around them, and Lana noticed how the boy trembled in Wade''s arms. Lana frowned. He didn¡¯t exactly live up to the image of a fierce pyromancer. A frightened child, more like it. Then again, that was exactly what he was.

    Tre continued, "I must''ve fallen asleep. I tried to hide from them."

    "Why are you in Loft?"

    Tre looked up, confused. "Loft? I thought I was still in Eldsprak." He took a deep breath. "I ran away. I didn''t know what to do. I couldn''t¡­"

    "It''s fine," Wade said. "Our camp is nearby. Why don''t you come with us?"

    "What? A pyromancer?" Lana asked incredulously. "You know we can¡¯t trust him."

    Tre¡¯s face fell. "I wouldn''t hurt you. That''s why I ran. All those people burning. The flames. They wanted me to hurt people."

    "They made you fight? Kill people? You¡¯re just a child."

    "Hey, I''m not that small. Taller than you, aren¡¯t I, tiny girl?"

    Wade barked a laugh and continued on to their camp. "It will be fine, don''t worry. The pyromancers can''t hurt you anymore."

    Lana trailed behind them, unsure what to think. Memories of screaming assaulted her as she walked, the stench of her home burning to the ground. Could she really trust this young boy? Could she ever trust a pyromancer?

    Tre¡¯s stomach grumbled loudly, disturbing the quiet of the forest. "Do you have any food?"

    Once back at camp, with the rabbit cleaned, roasted, in a dug out firepit to avoid detection, and eaten, it didn''t take long for Wade to start dozing. As Lana kicked dirt onto the small fire, smothering it and casting them back into the dark, Wade tossed a blanket over to boy who just sat there, staring into the trees, shivering.

    Lana found his jittering annoying. "You can go to sleep, you know?"

    Tre gazed into the dark, his head snapping left and right at the slightest sounds. "What if we¡¯re attacked?"

    Lana sighed. "I¡¯ll stay awake and keep watch. You will be safe."

    He sat in silence for a moment before replying, "I think I''ll stay up too."

    "Do whatever you want," she said. They sat listening to Wayne''s loud snores. The cold crept in through Lana''s blanket and she swayed back and forth in a futile attempt to stay warm.

    Her gaze kept slipping to the bits of fine clothing sticking out from under the boy''s blanket. Such fancy clothing would do little to ward off the cold.

    "So, you came from the tower?"

    Tre shook his head. "I trained there, but when I ran away, we were on a road heading to Fyrie. The elders wanted my assistance in the fight."

    "How did that go?"

    "Some of those big-eyed freaks took me with them. I was the only pyromancer in the group, and they wanted me to hide and burn a bunch of soldiers. But I couldn¡¯t do it."

    "Aren''t you a little young to be a full pyromancer?"

    He nodded. "I''m really strong, but I wasn''t supposed to become a full pyromancer yet. They elevated all embers when the invasion started."

    Lana''s eyelids felt heavy, so she stood and stretched. "Well, if you were a student there, perhaps you know a friend of mine."

    "You have friends?"

    She threw a branch at the little cretin. "Shut up."

    Tre giggled. "Who is your friend?"

    "His name is Sarien. Do you know him?"

    The boy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. "You know Sarien? Is he well? He was so weak, I thought maybe he was killed already."

    "As far as I know, he''s fine. Though, he kind of disappeared after we fought an enormous monstrosity in Tyralien called the Xzxyth."

    Tre sat up, his eyes glittering in the dark. "You and Sarien beat? How big? The ones after me were kind of small." He pointed up into the trees. "They were up there. A bunch of them chased me, and they were climbing around faster than I could run. My fire scared them off, I think."

    "We fought a few different ones," Lana said, shuddering at the memory of the lusions, the kozimuz, and worst, the Xzxyth. She quickly changed the topic. "Have the pyromancers told you why they¡¯re working with the rhinn?"

    Tre shook his head. "They don''t tell me anything. Bjorn, that''s the director of embers, said that pyromancers will rule once again. I don''t know why he would want to, just sounds like a lot of work. I just wanted to go on adventures."

    Lana stifled a yawn. "Monstrosities are coming to Maydian from other worlds through holes in the air. Sarien could probably explain it better."

    "Sarien?"

    "That¡¯s right. He can create them," she said. "And close them."

    She stopped suddenly and narrowed her eyes at the boy. "You''re not some spy trying to get information out to me, are you?"

    "I¡¯m not a spy."

    "You better not be." Lana frowned. "Do you hear that?"

    "I don''t hear anything."

    "That''s just it," she said. "The forest is not supposed to be this quiet."

    Tre¡¯s head jerked up, as the sound of claws scratching against tree bark reached them. "It''s them!"

    Lana hurried over to Wade''s sleeping form and kicked him hard. "We''ve got company."

    "Ouch." Wade woke, bleary-eyed, and pulled his blanket over his head. "I''m still tired."

    "Monstrosities!" Tre shouted. He held up his palm and let out a torrent of fire. The bright firelight revealed several strange creatures hanging from the surrounding tree limbs and branches. To Lana, they looked like fanged humans covered in fur with tails.

    They were small, no taller than a very young child. But their ugly faces shone with savagery. Even high above them, Lana saw their intent to kill in the way their sharp claws and fangs gleamed. They didn''t look particularly fearsome, but their large numbers could quickly overwhelm their small party of three.

    "Wade, get up now!" she barked.

    The creatures moved with exceptional speed and agility, flying through the branches above them, and shaking loose leaves that rained down on Lana and the others. She didn''t attempt to hit them with her daggers, they were too quick. The things scurried down the tree trunks and Tre let out a wordless scream as he raised both hands, scorching the forest.

    The fire hit several of the creatures and they screeched, falling to the ground, enveloped in flames like tiny, furry fireballs. It was the high-pitched shrieks of the monsters as they died that finally woke Wade.

    "What are those?" he blinked, looking up into the canopy.

    "Their claws will feel like a gentle embrace after I¡¯m done with you, if you don¡¯t get moving!" Lana shouted, yanking Wade to his feet. "There must be a gateway somewhere nearby."

    "What do we do? Fight or flee?"

    "Depends on how long our pyromancer can last," Lana said. As soon as the words left her mouth, Tre¡¯s flames sputtered and died. He took a faltering step and stumbled before catching himself.

    Wade kept his focus on the approaching little beasts. "Tremalian?"

    "I can''t do anymore," he panted.

    "Then we better go," Lana said, grabbing Tre by the collar and forcing the young boy into a run. She heard Wade''s heavy footsteps behind her, and worse, the sound of dozens of clawed hands and feet in pursuit.

 Book 2: Chapter 4 (Goslin)

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    Black scorch marks were burned into the ground where they¡¯d fought the kozimuz. A ring of singed bushes and other plants lined the entirety of the clearing. The dirt hadn¡¯t even settled over the buried corpses. To Goslin, the events felt like long in the past, but in reality, only a few weeks had passed since he stood here last.

    It didn¡¯t take long to find Hart. His friend lay on his back, his eyes closed. A long gash cut down from his shoulder to his hip, a jagged blood-encrusted line across his chest. The sound of buzzing flies filled the air.

    "A friend?" Asken said.

    Goslin got down on his knees and placed his hand on Hart¡¯s. It was ice cold. "A friend."

    "What happened here?"

    "We fought a monster from another world." He stood, feeling empty. "We¡¯ll lay him to rest properly."

    Kax returned by the time they¡¯d finished digging the hole. "The village is empty," he said, eyeing Hart¡¯s body.

    "They must have sought shelter elsewhere," Goslin said.

    "Or they were taken by the rhinn. Tyriu was all empty too, remember?" Kax inched closer and stared down at their fallen friend. "So, he¡¯s really gone then."

    Goslin swallowed. "He¡¯s really gone."

    Kax nodded and grabbed Hart¡¯s tunic, picking him up in his arms before slowly lowering him into the makeshift grave. "Good thing you killed the kozimuz. Justice was served."

    Goslin thought back to the wall in Tyralien and his desperate struggle for survival against the mimic creature who took the shape of his friend. If not for his shield, Goslin wouldn¡¯t be alive now. The kozimuz could be wearing his face, talking to Kax, and plotting his next victim.

    He stared at Hart¡¯s lifeless face. His friend was gone, long dead, and he hadn''t even known. A pang passed through him.

    "Could you?" he asked, waving his hand at the pile of dirt.

    "Sure," Kax said. "You sure you don¡¯t want to cremate him?"

    It was custom in Eldsprak, but there wasn¡¯t enough time. "No, this will have to serve."

    Kax started refilling the hole using his boot. The rest of the soldiers helped. A moment later, the clearing had yet another mound of fresh soil.

    That¡¯s what his friend amounted to after all the time they¡¯d spent together since their childhood. Just another hole in the ground.

    "Goodbye, my friend."

    Goslin swallowed hard before addressing his men. "Move out. We¡¯ll spend the night back in the village. Perhaps Torkel found some supplies."

    They left Torkel in the village. There was no sense in making him walk all the way to the clearing on his injured leg. Goslin knew that they would need to take a closer look at the wound after they settled in for the night.

    "Brought some supplies," Kax said after they¡¯d been walking in silence for a few minutes.

    "You did?"

    Kax nodded and handed over a piece of rolled-up paper. "Found the rhinn outpost. Only six men with some food and water. The officer, I think it was an officer, had this on him."

    "You shouldn¡¯t have fought six men on your own."

    "It wasn¡¯t so bad," Kax said, pursing his lips. "But they appeared more skilled than those in Tyralien. Best be careful from now on."

    One of the lads interrupted them. "You killed six rhinn on your own?"

    Kax grinned over his shoulder. "Of course! I¡¯ll be remembered for longer than the heroes. Just you wait!" He turned back to Goslin and said in a low voice, ¡°The boy is dead."

    Goslin blinked. "What?"

    "Bled out," Kax said. "Buried him myself. You might want to mention it to the others before we get back."

    "But he seemed fine," Goslin protested.

    "Did he?" Kax asked. "The lad was pale as snow, like he¡¯d risen from the grave."

    "What is going on?" Asken asked.

    Goslin hesitated. "I¡¯m afraid dear Torkel passed away. His wound was more dire than we thought."

    Asken nodded, like he expected it. The rest of the group exchanged looks but didn¡¯t comment. As far as Goslin knew, these men weren¡¯t comrades before joining him. Though, that would change as they fought alongside one another. One of the other lads looked pale. Sweat ran down his face and the tunic he wore was plastered to his chest.

    "You," Goslin said. "How are you doing, friend?"

    The young man smiled weakly. "I¡¯m fine. Just a scratch."

    "A scratch? From battle?"

    He nodded. "Didn¡¯t want to bother anyone."

    "Let¡¯s see this scratch," Kax said.

    The young man blushed and dropped his spear and shield to remove his tunic. "I changed the shirt afterwards. Like I said, it¡¯s just a scratch."

    Goslin moved to the young soldier and examined the wound. Like the boy said, it was just a scratch, but it looked red and angry. A droplet of yellow pus oozed out of the wound.

    "It¡¯s itchy, mostly," the lad said.

    "Rot," Asken grunted.

    "What¡¯s that?" Goslin asked, wiping away the yellow gunk with his sleeve.

    "Battle rot. It should have been cleaned with strong alcohol right away."

    Kax looked up at the older soldier. "We have strong alcohol?"

    "We don¡¯t."

    "So, what do we do?" Goslin asked.

    Asken fell silent. The injured soldier shifted uneasily before saying, "Like I said, it¡¯s just an itchy scratch. No blood, even. I¡¯ll be fine. No need for you to worry yourself, Lord Steerian."

    "To you, I¡¯m Goslin, not Lord Steerian." He turned to Kax. "Did the rhinn have any supplies for tending wounds?"

    "Just food and water."

    "Well then," Goslin said, eyeing the wound again. "Keep your chin up, lad. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. I believe I saw some bottles of alcohol at the mayor¡¯s house on our last visit. Enough for all of us, I¡¯m sure!"

    The group of young soldiers let out a small cheer as they walked on. The young man let his tunic fall over his wound and smiled weakly at Goslin.

    Goslin returned the smile, but it vanished when he looked away. If only Tomford was still at their side. If such a small scrape was enough to put a soldier out of commission, not to speak of the already dead man, they would need to be far more careful in the future. Goslin hadn¡¯t realized just how good they had it with a healer in their group. Hopefully, Tomford would return before long. Goslin missed his friend, and not just for the healing he provided. After seeing Hart''s lifeless body, Goslin realized how much he truly missed his comrades.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    And what of Sarien? The young and powerful mage disappeared with the beast he attempted to banish. With his abilities, he should have been able to return immediately, but he hadn''t. Goslin had no idea as to where Sarien disappeared off to, but he reminded himself that his friend would return, just like the time before. He just needed to be patient. Sarien had his own journey ahead of him, and Goslin had his. For the time being, they were traveling on two different paths.

    Goslin forced his thoughts away from the others. Eldsprak was his responsibility and his alone.

    "We¡¯re here," Kax announced. A few bulging packs leaned against the building nearest the path. "Food and water." He grabbed one, kept walking, and waved for the lads to follow. "Let¡¯s see about that booze, shall we?"

    They hurried after Kax while Asken and Goslin stayed behind, hoisting the remaining packs on their backs.

    "You know," Asken said. "I¡¯ve seen wounds like that before. Just a nick can be all it takes to kill a man."

    "You don¡¯t think he¡¯ll recover?" Goslin asked. "Even if we cleanse it with alcohol?"

    Asken shrugged another pack on. "You never know. Some get better all on their own, some after having their wound cleaned. Some simply succumb to the rot. It¡¯s a nasty business."

    Goslin followed the disappearing soldiers with his gaze, especially the young one that faltered along after his comrades. He felt the weight of responsibility for their wellbeing. How many was he leading to their deaths?

    "When will we know?"

    Asken shrugged. He cleared his throat, then spat on the ground. "Probably soon."

    They carried the packs to the mayor¡¯s house, the same one where they¡¯d stayed after slaying the kozimuz. Laughter drifted out from the open front door.

    "You fought well against those rhinn, and you know about battle rot. You have experience in combat?" Goslin asked the older man.

    Asken straightened a little. "Not much. Worked on a minor noble¡¯s estate most of my life. Guard by title but did a little of everything. We were overrun and decided to head east and shelter behind Kleotram¡¯s walls."

    "I¡¯m familiar with most houses. Which family did you work for?"

    Asken scratched his beard. "Yours. Well, your father¡¯s."

    Goslin stiffened and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "I don¡¯t recognize you."

    "Relax, lad. It was a Steerian estate, but the only Steerian we ever saw was your father. He kept it small and private."

    "What do you mean?"

    Asken looked away. "Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut."

    "You don¡¯t have to fear any reprisals from me. Not for speaking the truth."

    "Women," Asken said, simply.

    Goslin sighed. "Women." Of course, his father kept an entire estate just for his mistress or mistresses. He wasn¡¯t surprised, he found, or even angry. Resignation was the closest feeling at hand. Did it matter in the end? Goslin didn¡¯t even know if his father still drew breath. With the kingdom collapsing around them, this revelation didn¡¯t rank high enough to garner attention or outrage.

    Inside, Goslin found the others standing in a circle around the injured soldier. One was cleaning the wound with a bottle of clear liquid, and from the sharp smell, they located the alcohol. Perspiration beaded on the young soldier¡¯s face, his cheeks were flushed, and his eyes glassy. Not a good sign. They took turns drinking straight out of the bottle and pouring some on the wound each time it was the injured soldier¡¯s turn.

    Goslin held up a hand, passing when the bottle was handed his way. Someone needed to keep a clear head.

    "We leave at dawn," he said before heading into the back of the house where he found a proper bed. He poured clean water out of his skin into a small basin and began scrubbing his face and hands. That¡¯s all he could do at the moment. The dirt, blood, and sweat made his skin itch, and he longed for a proper bath, but he no longer felt the overwhelming desire to be clean. His aversion to grime wasn¡¯t as overpowering as it¡¯d been in the past, not since Tyralien.

    He didn¡¯t even bother to undress before laying down and closing his eyes.

    At first light, Goslin made his way to the common room. Everyone else slept on the floor, except for Kax, who¡¯d claimed the table as his bed. Asken sat in a chair against the wall, his feet propped on top of Kax¡¯s legs. The wounded lad was by the door, and Goslin bent down to get a better look while he slept. His breathing was quick and shallow, and he looked even paler than before. The tunic he¡¯d worn was draped across his shoulders, along with a blanket.

    "How is he doing?" Kax asked, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

    Goslin removed the blanket. The makeshift bandage was stained brown with dried blood and yellow with pus. "Not good. He isn¡¯t getting better." He put a hand to the lad¡¯s forehead. Burning hot. "He can¡¯t continue with us. Not like this."

    "What then?"

    "Everyone up!" Goslin barked. Asken started and fell from the chair in a crash, and the rest of the troops woke with bleary eyes. He gave them a second to gather themselves, then continued, "Our friend is in bad shape. Someone needs to take him back to Kleotram to see a healer."

    "There are no Vatner healers in Kleotram," Asken said, rubbing at his eyes. "But they¡¯ve got plenty of ordinary ones."

    Goslin nodded. "Who volunteers to transport the lad back?" Five hands shot into the air immediately, and he nodded to one. "You go. Better leave right away."

    Kax cleared his throat. "There might be rhinn behind us. It isn¡¯t safe." All hands withdrew.

    "The lad can¡¯t come with us," Goslin said.

    "I know," Kax said.

    "So, what do you suggest?"

    Kax looked Goslin in the eye for a long moment, then raised an eyebrow.

    "No. You don¡¯t mean that," Goslin said.

    "We can¡¯t all go back every time someone is injured," Kax countered.

    Goslin looked around the room. All eyes were on him. It was his decision. "I?¡ª"

    "I can ride back by myself. Just get me on a horse," the injured boy said as he struggled to sit up.

    Goslin got down to on one knee. "What¡¯s your name?"

    The young soldier forced himself to his feet, then propped himself up against the wall. "That is of no concern to you, lordling." He stumbled to the door and pushed it open. Cold morning air streamed in, and everyone hurried out after him.

    There was no point arguing with the lad. He was set on returning on his own. Still, it stung to see him huddled over his horse as he disappeared down the path that would take him back to the main road. His chances of making it back to Kleotram were slim, but Kax was right. They couldn¡¯t all return to make sure he got back safely.

    Two soldiers gone already. Goslin knew more would follow before this was all over. Death and injury were inevitable parts of any armed conflict. Goslin couldn¡¯t protect them all, but he resolved to do better. "Report any injury you sustain, no matter how minor," he said, heading back inside the house for his pack. "Get some food in you. We have to get moving."

    In less than an hour, after emerging from the forest path, they found more rhinn soldiers. The clash of steel against steel reached Goslin before the shouting and crying. After rounding a bend, Goslin and the others found a hundred Eldsprak troops fighting against a contingent of rhinn. The rhinn easily outnumbered the soldiers two to one. Men in heavy metal plate barked orders to pikemen to press the attack as the rhinn flowed against them, threatening to surround the Eldians.

    Goslin didn¡¯t hesitate and set off at top speed along the right flank. He drew his sword. "Charge!"

    Two rhinn were trampled underfoot before his horse came to a stop against the throng of enemies. He swung again and again, cutting into the line of rhinn. They shied away from the horse at first, giving Goslin¡¯s troops enough time to catch up. Together, they pressed the attack.

    Kax hurtled through the air with no sign of his horse anywhere, landing behind the line of rhinn and disappearing from sight. A spear struck for Goslin¡¯s chest, but he parried it. There were so many of them, and they didn¡¯t fall quite as easily as those he¡¯d fought in Tyriu. The rhinn he came up against here at least knew how to hold a weapon. A downward swing from Goslin¡¯s blade took a rhinn soldier in the shoulder, and he fell screaming.

    Something tugged hard on Goslin''s tunic, and he was pulled out of his saddle. He hit the ground with a thud that left him breathless. A hoof stamped right by his head, and he rolled way, swearing.

    Goslin got to his feet, but his horse was already lost in the chaos. He heard Kax laughing. Asken and the others were still mounted and did an admirable job keeping most of the rhinn from Goslin, but there were just too many of them. Goslin cursed at his own lack of restraint. It was like he hadn¡¯t learned a thing since leaving the academy, always rushing headlong into whatever conflict he found.

    He sidestepped a thrust from a soldier. He noticed that the rhinn was wearing a slightly different uniform than the others, one with two stripes across his shoulder. Goslin swung his sword in a wide arc downward. The rhinn blocked the attack and grinned, grabbing the hilt of his own sword in both hands. Goslin feinted, then cut, but his attack missed miserably, and he overextended himself.

    His opponent bought the bait and turned his body to deliver a blow that would send Goslin into the mud. What the rhinn didn¡¯t expect was the obsidian shield Goslin carried. He put it between himself and the rhinn, readying himself. The sword struck just as Goslin got his feet under him, and he stood and thrust right into the rhinn¡¯s chest, piercing him all the way through. The look of utter confusion on the dying rhinn''s face was one he had seen before. The rhinn''s arm was gone at the shoulder, obliterated by Goslin¡¯s shield.

    Nothing could get through his shield, not since Sarien imbued it with his mysterious power. It didn¡¯t just protect Goslin, it was also a fearsome weapon. Goslin spun, hitting another rhinn with the flat of the shield. It shattered the soldier, scattering him into pieces and showering his compatriots with gore.

    A spear came out of nowhere, but Goslin lifted his shield up in time. The haft splintered as the spearhead shot away from the shield and back into the attacking rhinn, throwing him down to the ground.

    The rhinn eyed him warily. They now knew what he was capable of.

    "Keep going!" Goslin roared. The look of fear on the rhinns'' faces sent a shiver of exhilaration through him, and he planted the rim of his shield in the next opponent¡¯s face. The rhinn soldier¡¯s skull blew apart.

    After that, the rhinn broke their line and ran. Goslin gasped for breath. At some point in the fight, he''d lost his sword and it took him a moment to locate it. Chunks of flesh lay atop it, and he kicked them aside to get to his weapon.

    They¡¯d won a battle against the invaders. Finally, a step in the right direction. Fyrie, the capital, lay many steps away, but they¡¯d get there in due time. Goslin would see to it.

 Book 2: Chapter 5 (Lana)

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    They ran. Lana kept glancing over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the dark branches overhead, while Wade dragged Tre along by the shoulder. The smaller boy struggled to keep pace with the taller aeromancer.

    Sudden pain bloomed from Lana¡¯s neck. Her fingers brushed against fur and sinewy muscles, and she grabbed at the creature that latched onto her. The bastard''s claws and teeth dug deeper into her flesh, and she suppressed a yelp. Desperate, she grabbed a dagger from her belt and stabbed blindly into the creature again and again until it released her. She screamed and threw its little dead body into a nearby tree trunk as she ran by.

    Lana touched her neck, and her fingers came away bloody. She spotted one lunging for Wade. "Above you!"

    The air around Wade rippled and wind blew off from him in all directions at once, thrusting the little monster in an arch away from the two. It hurtled through the air until it landed in a tree. The creature wrapped its tail around a branch and let out a screech.

    Two more monsters leapt off nearby branches, angling to reach Lana. She swore and flung two daggers in their direction. In the trees, they moved too fast for her to hit her target, but once they were in the air, there was nothing they could do. Both daggers struck deep into their little bodies, and the monstrosities tumbled to the ground. Lana kept running, cursing at the loss of her daggers.

    "Hurry up, more are coming!" Lana shouted.

    "We''re going as fast as we can," Wade barked, dragging Tre by the collar of his robe.

    Lana waited for them and grabbed Tre by the shoulder. "You have any more of that fire in you now?"

    He just stared blankly at her. Lana snapped her fingers in his face. He blinked rapidly. "Fire? Do you have any more?"

    "Some," he said. "Not enough for all of them."

    The trees swarmed with the tiny creatures. Lana knew that one was nearly harmless, but as a pack, they would tear them apart.

    "There''s a lake not far from here. Maybe the little buggers can¡¯t swim?" Wade gasped out between panted breaths.

    "You know the area?" Lana asked.

    "Lost my direction for a bit when I was flying to Vinden," he said. "Spent some time above this area."

    "Which way?" she asked. Instead of answering, Wade turned and ran. Lana followed Wade and Tre. The lake was their only hope.

    Two more of the creatures fell on her. She didn''t hesitate as she ran them through with her dagger. One managed to sink its claws into her arm, but they both soon tumbled to the ground. She resisted the urge to stop to stomp down on their little furry bodies. Her head felt light and swimmy as she pressed her hand down on her new wound.

    Using calculated bursts of wind, Wade sent several monstrosities flying.

    Lana hadn''t seen when Wade was attacked, but the aeromancer bled from several small scratches and bites. Branches above them rustled with frantic movement. There was no end to the monsters. Finally, when Lana was beginning to lose hope, she spotted something glimmering between the trees. It was the lake. Moonlight shimmered across its black, inky surface.

    A small island rose above the surface of the water about a quarter distance across the lake.

    "Do swim or do we fight?" Wade asked.

    "We swim," Lana decided.

    "The water looks cold," Wade grumbled, glancing over his shoulder at their pursuers. One of the creatures flew out of the shadows at Lana. With a yelp, she punched straight up and into the air, her fist connecting with the creature. It squeaked in surprise as it soared over her head and into the water. All three watched as it hit the surface and disappeared.

    "They can''t swim," Lana said after a stunned silence.

    "New plan," Wade said. "We throw them into the water instead!"

    Tre breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, because I can¡¯t swim either."

    Three more of the critters launched themselves from the tree line and Wade repeated Lana''s trick, except he used gusts of wind. The creatures arched over their heads as Wade''s gust caught them midair and threw them into the lake. "Take that!"

    Lana watched as waves of the small monstrous creatures threw themselves at their small group. Wade flung them effortlessly into the lake. The deluge began to trickle off until it stopped altogether. Lana shook their head. The monsters were vicious, but quite dumb. She turned to Wade, who was hunched over. "Tired?"

    "It would take more than that to tire me. I am the god of wind," Wade panted. Lana smiled.

    Tre looked at Wade in wonder. "That was amazing! You got all of them! I didn¡¯t know aeromancers could be that burning great!"

    "Aeromancers are way more impressive than you pyromancers," Wade protested. "Just not as murderous."

    Lana started back toward the forest, not wanting to listen to an argument about which school of magic was more superior than the other.

    "Where are you going?" Wade asked.

    "To find my daggers and then to our camp. There are still a few hours of night left, and I need to get some sleep."

    Early next morning, all three of them huddled behind a thick bush covered in green leaves and nasty thorns. They hid, observing the small village before them. Wooden houses with thatch roofs stood in clumps along a gravel road. A lumberyard claimed most of the open space. The steady muted thumps of axes chopping against wood filled the otherwise silent morning.

    "Stop that," Wade whispered harshly. Lana turned to see Wade clutching the boy¡¯s wrist, red berries spilling from his hand.

    "But I¡¯m hungry," Tre whined.

    Wade shook his head. "Berries from this bush are poisonous."

    "We¡¯ve got trouble," Lana hissed, pointing to a man who emerged from behind one of the houses. She instantly recognized the soldier''s black armor. She didn¡¯t have to see his eyes or mouth to know that the man wasn''t human. The rhinn soldier carried a spear and if there was one present, there would be more.

    "What¡¯s the plan?" Lana asked.

    Wade grinned at her in the soft dawn light. "Easy. We kill them, rally the villagers to your cause, and then move on to the next town. By the time we reach Vinden, we¡¯ll have an army."

    "My cause? I¡¯m only here because of you. They won¡¯t follow me. Also, there seem to be quite a few minor details missing from the plan of yours."

    He shrugged. "We¡¯ll figure it out on the way. They''ll follow you. You¡¯re the daughter of the prime counselor."Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Before Lana could reply, Wade stood and began heading for the village. The rhinn soldier spotted him and let out that a cry of alarm. Lana hurried forward and threw a dagger, silencing the soldier. He let out a strangled gargle and fell to the ground, her weapon buried in his throat.

    Lana glared at Wade and to her everlasting annoyance, he winked.

    The soldier''s cry was enough to draw the attention of the rest of the rhinn, who spilled out before Wade and Lana. The villagers fled into their houses. The streets cleared, leaving Lana and Wade alone with six rhinn soldiers. She quickly ran to the rhinn she killed, withdrew her dagger, and immediately flung it into the closest soldier. It bounced harmlessly off the rhinn''s leather chest piece.

    Lana cursed as the rhinn soldiers charged with their spears directed at her and Wade.

    The first rhinn to attack was blown backwards until his body crashed into the side of a house, his head snapping on impact. Wade lowered his arms and with another gust of wind, launched himself onto a nearby roof. Dumbfounded, the rhinn froze as Wade soared over their heads.

    Lana ducked under a spear thrust and sliced into the side of her attacker¡¯s chest piece. He fell screaming as Lana jumped over him, throwing a dagger into the arm of the next soldier before closing the gap and disposing of him.

    Wade threw gusts of wind again and again at the remaining opponents, causing them to trip and fall or pushed their helpless bodies into the side of the houses. He laughed as he churned up a storm of sand and dirt, temporarily blinding the soldiers and giving Lana time to rush in and make short work of them.

    What felt like hours were only mere moments. Exhausted, Lana waved at Wade, but instead of the smile of victory she expected to see plastered across his face, his eyes were hard and looking at something over her shoulder.

    She turned to find Tre standing with his hands in the air, a lone rhinn soldier positioned behind him with a dagger to the boy''s throat.

    "I''m so sorry," Tre said.

    "Drop your weapons or I''ll kill the boy," the soldier said, pressing the tip of his dagger into Tre¡¯s throat, drawing a bead of blood.

    Lana dropped the dagger in her hand. She held up her hands to show that she was unarmed. She wasn''t, of course. There were at least seven more daggers secreted about her person. She could reach them easily and throw one in the blink of an eye, but the way the rhinn positioned himself behind Tre made it difficult, if not impossible, to do so without risk of harming the boy.

    "Now what?" Wade asked, his hands also raised.

    The soldier''s already freakishly large eyes widened further as he looked around at the corpses of his dead comrades. He smiled nervously. "I don''t know. I didn''t think further than this."

    Wade spoke directly to Tre. "I think you''re going to have to deal with this one yourself. Do you understand?"

    Tre¡¯s hands started shaking and his face paled. He suddenly looked even younger. Then his jaw tightened, and he muttered a single word, "Sorry."

    Without warning, the soldier started to scream, fire enveloping his entire body. As soon as the rhinn dropped his dagger, Tre extinguished the flames, but it was already too late. The rhinn lay motionless on the ground, smoke smoldering from his blackened skin. Tears streamed down Tre¡¯s face.

    Lana stood there, frozen. She didn''t know what to do. On one hand, she should comfort the boy, but on the other, the display of power she had just witnessed soured her stomach. Such destructive force. Fear fluttered in her chest and her mind flooded with a childhood memory in which everything around her burned.

    A gust of wind and the rustling of clothes jolted Lana back into the present. Wade landed in front of the boy, wrapping his arms around his small shoulders. "You did what you had to. There was no other choice."

    A door creaked open. There was a sign above the door. The markings were faded, but Lana made out the image of a bed. An inn. Villagers poured out from the building.

    "What in the wind¡¯s name are you doing?" a man asked. He wore a white apron and was fat enough to almost be completely spherical. Sweat streaked down his bald head and his bushy mustache twitched.

    Lana stood there for a second, not knowing what to say. "Liberating you?"

    "That''s right!" Wade shouted, walking up to the quickly forming crowd, his arm still slung over Tre¡¯s shoulder. "We¡¯ve come to set you free. This was just the first step." He glanced at the man in the white apron. "You wouldn''t happen to be the innkeeper, would you?"

    The innkeeper crossed his arms. "I am. What¡¯s it to you?"

    Wade awarded the man with a bright smile. "Why don''t we start with me buying everybody a round of drinks?"

    A few cheers rose, but most of the villagers remained silent and brooding.

    A woman in her twilight years, with gray hair and a stern expression, pointed to the corpses. "What about them? Who is going to take care of these?"

    "Take care of them?" Wade asked, puzzled.

    She placed both hands on her hips. "Well, I''m not burying them."

    The innkeeper turned to the crowd and pointed at a few young men. "You three, hide those bodies. Make sure they can''t be found. If another patrol comes, we don''t know what happened to the rhinn stationed here, understand?"

    There was a low murmur of agreement and a few heads bobbed, but the fat man wasn''t satisfied. "Understand?" he barked.

    Every man, woman, and child in the crowd nodded and shouted their agreement.

    "Good," he continued. "Let''s go see about that drink."

    Wade walked past Lana with an infuriating grin. "See? I told you it would be fine."

    Most of the room inside was occupied by round wooden tables and rickety chairs. The bar lined the far wall, behind which the innkeeper stood pouring drinks. Every chair was occupied. Wade pushed Lana forward and guided her to the bar, where he held up two fingers. The innkeeper set down two full mugs of ale.

    "I''d like one too," Tre said. Wade shrugged and held up a third finger.

    Lana pulled one mug close to her and drank deeply. It tasted like something wrung out of a wet rag and was strong enough to make Lana involuntarily gasp out. She drank greedily, hoping it would still her nerves. She knew what was coming and did not relish the thought.

    Wade let her finish the mug before grabbing her by the waist and hoisting her into the air and onto the counter.

    "Listen up!" he shouted. The din of voices in the room quieted and people turned in their seats. Lana ran her fingers across a spot on her trousers where she¡¯d hidden a dagger. The touch comforted her. She cleared her throat and forced herself to look out into the crowd of villagers. Most of them wore expressions of fear or trepidation on their faces. A few, mostly young men, looked eager.

    "Hello," she began, "I¡¯m Lana of House Asengian. My father is in the council. Was on the council, I suppose." Her voice shook and was too quiet. There was no commanding presence in her words, just like she knew there wouldn¡¯t be. Still, she had to try. "We¡¯ve come here to ask for your help."

    "Help with what?" someone yelled.

    She let the words spill out. "We can''t let these rhinn invaders just stroll in. That¡¯s why me and Wade are here. We¡¯re going to take it back." The words empowered her more as she spoke, and she added as much conviction as she could muster to the last few words, shouting, "Who¡¯ll come with us?!"

    The room was silent enough that Lana could hear a bird squawking outside, then the jeers started. Lana''s face burned with embarrassment.

    "Why would we follow a small boy? I don''t care who your daddy is!"

    "We¡¯ll be crushed!"

    A gust of wind blew around the room, rustling people¡¯s hair. Outraged cries filled the air as the villagers scrambled to catch their spilled mugs. Wade roared and slammed his fist down on the counter. "What kind of cowards are you?"

    He jumped up to stand beside Lana. "Our kingdom was taken from us and all you do is cower?" Wade looked at them with disgust. "Hear me now! Eldsprak is under attack and Tyriu was almost crushed under their black boots, but we," he pointed at Lana, then himself, "broke them and drove them back!

    "We will gather enough men to make them quake in their boots as we march on Vinden and take back what¡¯s ours. Are you telling us that you will refuse our call? We need the strength in your arms and in your back. The axes you swing must strike the enemy¡¯s flesh, rather than mere wood!"

    He drew in a deep breath. "Now, who is with us?"

    The room erupted into cheers, chanting, "Loft! Loft!"

    Wade grinned down at Lana and squeezed her shoulder. "See. Told you they would follow you."

    "Free drinks on me! Then gather your axes. We leave tomorrow at first light!" He leapt off, grabbing a random mug, and downed its contents.

    Lana awkwardly climbed down. She couldn''t help but smile as she watched the crowd swarm around Wade. Follow her? What a joke. Wade was like the sun, basking in the attention, but she didn¡¯t mind. Lana would be the shadow to his light. Just the way she liked it.

    As she felt the rush of excitement in the air, she wondered if they might actually have a tiny sliver of a chance to succeed. She gave Tre a small wave, but the young boy was lost in thought, staring down at his near empty mug. Lana headed to the front door of the inn only to walk directly into one of the villagers.

    "You¡¯re not really a boy, are you?" The woman was young, only a few years older than Lana. Her arms were well-toned, her hands calloused, all clear signs of someone who didn''t shy away from hard labor. Her flaxen hair was tied back into the braid and her eyes glittered and crinkled at the edges, as if she looked on the world around her in amusement.

    "I''m no boy," Lana said, heat rising to her cheeks.

    The woman''s smile widened, and she reached out a hand for Lana to take. "You look a little chilly. Why don''t you come with me?"

    Lana stared at it for a moment, then swallowed hard and took it. "I¡¯m Lana."

    "I know," she said, pulling her out of the inn and into the early morning sun.