《Shattered (Broken: Book 2)》


 PROLOGUE

    PROLOGUE


    Atop a dark, windowless spire nestled in the void of an immortal star, far away from anything else that space around it looked empty and quiet, sat a man with cracked skin that emitted light brighter than the surrounding celestial object.


    For countless years, sleep was all he knew. Healing one''s body from being continuously vaporized took a lot of time. The resources required would cause any society in the higher worlds to buckle. The rise to power was one of hardship and loneliness and no expense was spared.


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


    Throughout his time harvesting the star and reforging himself with its latent energy, there were many instances where his strings were shaken. All were nothing of concern, just echoes of people who vaguely aligned with his path. Although the connection only remained active for one to three hundred years or so years each time, it brought him out of monotony. To show his gratitude, he would give a whisper of his power to each of the beings that gained his attention, because he knew that death was not the end of everyone''s journey, and every advantage was needed when traversing the veil.


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


    The process was slow, and he thought he had plenty of time to observe the person. However, unlike every other time someone caught his eye, his tendril continued to shake and did not look like it¡¯d stop anytime soon.


    ¡ª


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


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


    Without warning, visuals from the being called Rend assaulted his mind. It was as if he was looking through their eyes. A beautiful landscape tarnished by bodies scattered throughout the view. An acrid smell was the next thing he noticed. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had detected the scent of anything, but this was too much for him.


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


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


    This being¡¯s wife and children were the core of his existence. Everything he had done was for the betterment of them, and here they lay, butchered by an invader. The deep sense of loss was quickly replaced with anger. Both him and Rend had never experienced the emotion with such ferocity. Nothing would stand in the Rend''s way of delivering the invader¡¯s just deserts and the man watching on was ever willing to help.


    Rend looked out blankly over the scarlet-stained street and replied to a question only he could hear. ¡°I, Rend Vorce, accept your assistance graciously.¡± Rend said as a white light descended on him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Rend expressed as his eyes glazed over with a white sheen.


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


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


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


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


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Kine.¡±


    ¡ª


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    ¡°LIVE!¡±


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


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


    ¡ª


    Years went by in the blink of an eye, with a mind full of the idea of advancement. Although he had only seen one being with the power to rival his, he trained for the sake of advancement. That, and it was fun to see the minor gods squirm when he flexed his willpower. A stray thought of them broke his focus.


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


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


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


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


    ¡°From the same planet no less.¡± Mr. Kine had a bird¡¯s eye view of the person in question. ¡°A bit on the small side for someone of his heritage, but undoubtedly skilled. He looks to have a much better foundation than Rend, but that¡¯s probably from all of the royal instructors following him around.¡± Mr. Kine said to himself. There was nobody anywhere remotely near him who could hear his self-dialogue, so he continued to share his thoughts for the years leading up to this boy¡¯s adulthood.


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


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


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


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


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


    ¡°Interesting.¡±


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


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


    Going through life as an outlaw seemed inconvenient, but Mr. Kine had been in trouble before and knew that Kalex would be able to handle the occasional annoyance.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    With a small amount of his power as payment, the woman named Wren vowed to have one of her ascended assist. Due to the contract on his domain, souls were given free passage in and out. He wouldn¡¯t know what was happening, but he opened his domain to all souls for a time. Enough time for Mr. Kine to place Kalex¡¯s cube next to the nascent soul of a newborn. The other soul would soon be completely shadowed by Kalex¡¯s, but it was the best he could do.


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

 KARTHIS

    1


    KARTHIS


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    ¡°Scy are you up?¡± Lyla said in a tone that only people who had spent a long time with the other would use. ¡°We have to be at the Academy tomorrow for some of our tests and you promised you¡¯d help me with my shields!¡± Lyla waited nearly a minute for a response before pounding on the door again. ¡°Scyris, I know you¡¯re sharpening your armament! I told you, it¡¯s sharp enough already!¡± Lyla puffed out her cheeks and reprimanded. ¡°Hello!¡±


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


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


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


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


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


    To avoid getting lost in finding out every small detail of the planet inside of his domain, he willed himself to one of the doorsteps of the only proper building. To Kalex¡¯s surprise, the door swung open the moment he appeared.


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


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


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


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


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


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


    Before Sorene and Timik could start bickering again, a cold wind that chilled everyone to the bone washed over them quicker than it should.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    ¡°Wait, Will she be safe in a place like this? This is completely different from Enternia and everyone here looks more powerful than anyone we¡¯ve ever seen!¡± A crooked finger poked out joining the floating head. ¡°Look at that guy, for example, he looks like he could fold all of us in half without breaking a sweat!¡± The man that was pointed at was a completely different race than any they had seen before. Standing shorter than most with pale green skin and four arms, he would¡¯ve looked like a daunting opponent if it wasn¡¯t for the lack of dexterity. As if on queue, The man caught his toe on the lip of a large paver, falling onto his face. Another student with bird-like features stepped over him with a sound of disgust with a Beerian following suit.


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


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


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


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


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


    Lex went into the house, leaving Kalex and Sorene. ¡°I know that this is a long way from Grangardd, but thank you for coming with me,¡± Kalex said. ¡°There are a lot of people to meet and we¡¯re on a little bit of a time frame, so would you like to get started?¡±


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    Before he or anyone else could respond, a scythe, gleaming with power appeared in her hands. She stood with a grin and prepared to strike. Both Rigel and Wren moved to intercept, but surprisingly, someone beat them to it.


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