Chapter 57

  The Wellspring

  The crystal caverns were compact with all colors of crystals, but one direction seemed to have wider corridors. The farther along that path, the more holes in the walls were made visible. At one point the floors and walls began to even out, becoming wider and flatter even as the ceiling started to be visible. Before long an intrepid traveler made his way to a portion of the caves where there was something amazing. Stone.

  Hyato had begun to walk the moment he woke up. He picked the straightest path and then noticed that the caves got wider and followed that path instead. In order to keep himself from getting lost he dragged his sword along behind him to cut a line in the floor. He did not know why the line turned red, but it made things a bit easier anyways.

  A few times along Hyato's journey the walls tried to speak to him, but Hyato didn't have time to stand around talking to walls. He moved past them just like the spikes and slopes he encountered, not paying them any attention. Hyato only stopped at forks in the road, and only long enough to check the time and pick a path.

  When Hyato arrived in a wider hallway made of a refined tan colored stone he stopped to look around. The architecture was rather precise, with sections of rocks fitted together in an overarching pattern that could form murals out of the seams themselves. The first few sections of hall had swathes of crystals growing along them, like a creeping moss. Hyato spotted various glyphs or sigils of some unknown origin, but did not possess the means to decipher them.

  His sword was unable to etch a mark into the stone floor, so Hyato sheathed it while he continued. The path he had left would be enough to find his way back if need be. For now, he chose to continue searching for a way out, and had a good feeling about this place.

  Upon proceeding forth Hyato was met with another fork in his path. Instead of being a natural fork made by the hallways or cave structures, he reached a section of the hall where a large wall of crystal had grown through the floor to form a semi translucent barrier of gray crystal. With nothing much to go on, and poor lighting hindering his forward view, Hyato picked the left path for no particular reason.

  Between the stone wall and the crystal wall, the hallway became rather narrow. Hyato felt the path get closer and closer until he had to drag his coat along the stone wall to avoid his coat mantle snagging on the random crystal barbs. He proceeded until he reached a narrow enough path that he had to sidle along to cross. The path opened up on the other end, so he started along.

  The crystal wall was not a solid formation, there were gaps where the crystal growths did not overlap, small windows that Hyato could see to the other side of the hall through. Hyato made his way through to the other chamber, when his coat snagged and made him stumble back. Hyato grunted and tried to untangle himself without damaging his coat.

  “Just over here,” Said a familiar voice. Hyato froze, recognizing the hollow voice of Vero. Had he heard Hyato? “I’ve got you now.” Hyato didn’t see Vero, the voice sounded like it was muffled.

  With as much haste and stealth as Hyato could manage he tried to undo his coat, but the thing was caught on a few different points. In desperation, he pulled it off over his neck and moved aside a little, looking through a gap in the crystal wall to check if he needed to run or stay quiet.

  Vero was over there, kneeling down in front of a set of stone doors. The doors were a little shorter than normal, but double wide. Wolf might need to duck to get in, but the others would have been fine. Hyato stopped himself from exhaling in relief. Just because he was hidden now didn’t mean it would stay that way.

  “This is taking too long!” The hard voice almost made Hyato yelp, it came from so close. Though Hyato couldn’t see him, he recognized Daemon Rex’s voice. He must be leaning against the crystal or something.

  “Have patience, Daemon,” Vero said, “This is why we came here in the first place.”

  “Did you need to come here at all?” Daemon complained, “Your plan would be a whole lot smoother if you cut out a few diversions.” Plan? Hyato listened as hard as he could, hoping they would spill their objectives.

  “Had we never come to the Shards, you would never have had this chance at power. Do not complain.” Vero said.

  “Pssh, whatever.” Daemon grumbled.

  Silence was broken by the occasional sounds of Vero’s tinkering. Since they didn’t seem very chatty, Hyato glanced around to see if there was a good way out without being heard. The hallway he had chosen came to a dead end, so he didn’t feel very hopeful. Maybe he should just leave.

  “All clear,” The strong voice of Velicio announced, along with heavy footfalls. Hyato froze up again, trying his best not to make a noise.

  “Good work Velicio.” Vero said, “If I am correct, the spring is just through these doors.”

  Velicio folded her arms, standing next to Vero, “So you can finally get that mask working then?”

  “Soon, very soon.” Vero said, “Then we head back.”

  “Finally.” Velicio said, sounding relieved.

  “This, uh, mask.” Daemon said, “What’s the deal with it?” Hyato wasn’t sure what they were talking about, the mask Vero often wore?

  It took a few moments for Vero to respond, “It has potential for great power, but is inundated with too many curses to use. The wellspring can destroy any curse, even emotion powered curses like my mask is afflicted with.”

  “Ohhh-kay.” Daemon Rex said, “I’m not going to pretend I know what you mean.”

  “Well, you don’t need to know.” Vero said, “But it is necessary for the ritual.”

  “The ritual to bring Mexizu to life?” Daemon asked. Hyato’s eyes widened.

  “The very same.” Vero said, “Ah, I think I’ve figured it out.” The doors opened into the walls seconds later, showing a long hallway lit from above by some kind of blue light, “Hmm, perhaps it's further in.”

  “I shall scout ahead,” Velicio said, moving out at a swift pace. She had a hint of a limp.

  “Do not overexert yourself.” Vero said, gathering up tools he had been using. When they weren’t committing mass murder, these three looked just like ordinary adventurers.

  Hyato contemplated departing, he’d heard enough. If he was caught now, it would mean the end of him for sure. With careful steps he moved, returning to his coat.

  “Hey!” Daemon said, causing Hyato to cease all movements.

  “If the wellspring can purify stuff, what if I purify this sword?” Daemon asked.

  “Best not to risk it,” Vero said, “We cannot be sure if it would consider the power that blade contains pure or not. If you damage the Soul I’ll kill you.”

  “Geez, just an idea.” The sound of footsteps echoed further away, the two followed Velicio down the hallway.

  Without a second’s hesitation Hyato ripped his coat free of the tangle and began sidling back through to return to the crystal caverns. He needed to find Michael and the others fast, before he forgot what he just heard. “Please don’t shift...” Hyato muttered to himself, breaking into a run once he had room.

  Pressure like an all consuming embrace, darkness deeper than any sleep, silence longer than any night. In the search for the pinnacle of power, Sebastian found instead the void. Not the Void he was used to, the channel of power that could adapt to any other, but the void of all consuming power.

  Mana was a source of magic that came forth to the world from fonts of powers called Channels. There were seven Channels that governed all the types of Mana, though there were only five types of Mana. The first four Channels were the easiest to use, Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. These elemental Channels did not represent all the elements that existed, rather they were the easiest forms of Mana to work with. The fifth type of Mana was Arcane mana, which governed neutral energies, photon energies, and various others that could not be attached to the elements.

  The sixth Channel was the Void. It represented all Mana that could not be categorized within the first five channels. Miscellaneous forces could be found within the Void channel, but it also had the unique function of being able to mimic the first five channels. Should a caster require energy from a specific Channel that was not available, Void could be used as a substitute. In more modern methods of casting such close adherence to the types of Mana were no longer necessary, but for rituals and older forms of casting it was paramount.

  The last Channel was often ignored, and with good reason. To use the final Channel of Mana was dangerous, not only for the caster but all in the vicinity. It was called Black Mana, and it was a perfect culmination of all other forms of Mana, stronger and more violent than the others. While the colors of light, when fused together, formed a brilliant white; the colors of Mana formed together to form a crushing Black. Characterized by inky black effects intruding upon the appearance of spells, someone who cast with Black Mana was able to increase the potency of their magic by a dramatic percentage. Casters using Black Mana were called Malefactes. Being a Malefacte was a terrible thing, and using Black Mana was one of the Nine Evil Powers.

  When Sebastian woke from his long slumber, he did not open his eyes. Before he could face reality he needed to determine something. Had he used Black Mana in his search for Elio? Was he now a Malefacte, tainted by the darkness of the Evil Power? Someone who used an Evil Power even once, or by accident, would be forever stained by it. The temptation to use it again would always be present, and there were far too many accounts of Evil Powers using themselves. Sebastian replayed the scene leading up to the creation of that crushing void again and again, then turned his thoughts to what happened within it.

  Pressure, unlike anything he had ever experienced. It wasn't pain he'd felt, nor was it comfort. Sebastian could still remember the feeling, as if encased by a perfect mold preventing even a fingertip from wiggling. The pressure was stifling, and Sebastian was pleased to be done with it.

  When Vero attempted to destroy Sebastian with an explosion he failed in a spectacular fashion. The void had already begun to take in all around it, including Sebastian himself. He had been compressed into that space, along with the violent power of Vero's sorcery and tons of crystal from the Shard.

  Despite being contained in the same space, everything inside was kept away from Sebastian. The pressure he felt was also an insulation from the rest of the disaster. He was safe, yet could take no action. This led Sebastian to take an even greater risk.

  Even if his Body was sealed, Sebastian had been whole in that space. A brief thought of being sundered from his Soul or Mind made him want to shudder, though he could not even do that. So Sebastian acted in the only way he could.

  Surges and Vibes did not work, they would not be expelled. He could not even exhale to expand the space around him. With no other recourse left to him, Sebastian attempted to draw in power instead. He'd heard tell of skills where people took energies into their bodies, couldn't the same action be applied to the elements? Absorbing energy was sluggish, taking in at a rate far slower than the expansion of the void. Until the void was stopped.

  Sebastian took in power more and more. At first it felt like a bead of sweat, then a droplet. The power was amassing at a steady pace, too small to matter at first, then it began to grow exponential.

  When the void began to consume again, Sebastian was able to slow it. Then, with his arm pulsing with pressure and his veins flowing with force, the void splintered all around him. Sebastian focused with all his might to take the last remnants inside and seal them away.

  Now he was here. Sebastian let one finger twitch, and used the tiny flow of wind that created to take a snapshot of his surroundings. As far as he could tell, he was sleeping in the tent. Why had the others made camp? No one was talking, so Sebastian would need to get up if he ever wanted answers.

  And yet.

  Could he face the others like this? If he had created a font of Black Mana, then taken it in to survive, then Sebastian was a Malefacte. Such a power would be a great boon, until it tore himself and the others to shreds. Could Sebastian really take such a risk? He needed to know, but how could he find out?

  "Oh, cool." The voice came from outside, and soft footsteps approached. They were trying to be silent, but the crinkle walking on crystals was telling. Two people entered the tent.

  “Okay, take a rest,” Yan said, her voice rather quiet. Sebastian would not have heard her if he was really asleep. “I will keep looking for Hyato.” The other person didn’t reply out loud, instead heading over to lay down a few seconds later.

  Whatever was going on, Yan seemed to have taken charge of the others. It was good to have time to rest, but she was shouldering everyone else’s rest ahead of her own. ‘All while I lay here and feel sorry for myself,’ Sebastian thought.

  It was time to face the music. Sebastian sat up and opened his eyes.

  The tent looked about the same as normal, with a few key differences. Wolf and Michael were laying in their respective spots, but the Senne woman was resting in Yan’s bed. Hyato was nowhere to be seen, and it was darker than normal. Even nights weren’t this dark. Sebastian got up and stepped outside of the tent.

  Just outside was a miraculous sight. Crystals interweaving to form walls and floors, and extending upwards into darkness. Faint light from random veins of light crystal reflected through the facets of the many compounded layers of crystal. If someone were to quarry in this place they could become richer than any other miner. It appeared the Shards of the Sky held more to them than Sebastian ever expected. The glittering walls seemed to shine and glow, and there were so many tunnels that Sebastian had to blink several times to bring himself back.

  Camp had been set up in a dead end, with only one path in or out. Sebastian saw Yan standing watch and he waved to her, but she didn’t wave back. Odd, she wasn’t usually that cold. Sebastian waved again, but Yan was standing idle. She yawned and rubbed a finger in her ear, flicking whatever she had dug out a second later. Sebastian had never seen her look so unguarded.

  Sebastian walked over towards Yan, and collided with something invisible! He fell back with a grunt and landed on his butt. “Woah.” Yan said, moving to her left and around the invisible wall, walking over, “Sebastian? You alright?”

  “Yeah, I...” Sebastian said, “I’m okay. I didn’t realize there were walls here.” He said.

  “Huh?” Yan turned and then looked at Sebastian, “What are you talking about.”

  “I was walking towards you, and hit something.” Sebastian said, pointing towards what he hit with his right hand.

  “You mean the wall?” Yan patted the invisible wall, without any effort in finding it.

  After getting to his feet Sebastian grumbled, “Oh, you can see it? Shoot.”

  “What?” Yan asked, “Do you mean, you can’t?”

  “No,” Sebastian said, “Why? Are they not invisible?”

  “They are very visible, they’re blue.” Yan said, “Are you feeling okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Sebastian said, “More than that, I came to ask you that! Are you alright? It sounds like you are trying to do everything yourself.”

  “I’m not tired,” Yan said, “And my clones are the best for exploring anyways. I’ve been mapping the area to find a way out.”

  “I’ll give you that.” Sebastian said, “At least let me help. I can make something to eat for everyone.”

  “Before that,” Yan said, “Let’s have a seat.” She pulled up some of the camping chairs they had from inside the tent, offering one to Sebastian as she took a seat facing the one way in and out of the campsite, “I wanted to ask you, what happened? And what’s up with your arm?”

  “My arm?” Sebastian said, sitting down and looking at himself. His right arm had crystallized. More than that, the elemental crystals he’d gathered had fused to it. There was a soft kind of power in his arm, and flexing his fingers felt a little stiff. “Oh. Ohh...”

  “So, what happened?” Yan asked.

  “It’s hard to explain.” Sebastian said, “I was fighting Vero, we ended up on top of the Shards way above everything, and I tried to create Elio. That’s a kind of element that is said to be the perfect fusion of the four elements. Well, it went wrong and fast, becoming some kind of black void that absorbed me and everything around it.”

  “I managed to survive, but I fell unconscious until I woke up here.” Sebastian said.

  “When you appeared from inside the giant sphere, you had that arm.” Yan said, “And you floated down to the ground gently too. Like the winds carried you.”

  “Oh, weird.” Sebastian said, “Did I use Elemotion subconsciously? Unconsciously?”

  “Yeah, it was strange.” Yan said, “Anyways, what’s going on with your eyes then? Why can’t you see the walls?”

  “I don’t know.” Sebastian looked around, wondering what he was missing.

  “Well, what do you see?” Yan asked.

  “Roads, paths weaving through a giant clear crystal with tons of facets inside. There are occasional growths of light crystals or other crystals of certain colors, but most of everything is like glass. It gets pretty dark far away, and both above and below are too dark to see too.” Sebastian explained.

  “Well, we see walls.” Yan said, “So, that’s weird.”

  “I should have paid more attention to the floor, my bad.” Sebastian said, “If I had, I would have realized I couldn’t walk straight to you. You were around the corner, weren’t you?”

  “Yeah,” Yan said, “Wait. Then you can find the way out!”

  “Oh! Yeah, I probably can.” Sebastian agreed.

  “Excellent, then we can get going!” Yan stood up, ready to move on.

  “Woah woah,” Sebastian said, placating Yan until she sat down again, “The others are still resting right? So, fill me in on what happened, then I will make food. We can rest a bit first.”

  Yan nodded, “Yeah, you’re right.” She said, “So, I fought Velicio with Wolf...” Yan explained her battle with Velicio, and then the following events leading up to the awakening of Dark Michael. She told Sebastian what happened, along with every word Dark Michael said as he unleashed his ultimate power, and the events leading up to Daemon slamming the ground and causing the cave in.

  “When I woke up I went looking for a way out and found Fara tending to you. We set up camp, and I decided to make her rest. She was kind of working too hard.” Yan said.

  “Oh gosh, that doesn’t sound familiar.” Sebastian said, giving Yan a pointed look.

  “It’s not the same!” Yan said, “She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Daemon Rex was probably working her and that bunny boy to the bone.”

  “Well, he was just Rex back then.” Sebastian said, “But, fair point.”

  “Oh, and she said she cast a protection on all of us as the collapse started, but there was a second protection. Do you think you were able to unconsciously protect us?” Yan asked.

  Sebastian rubbed his chin and focused inwards for a moment. The protections Yan mentioned were present, along with something else. “No, I don’t have a protection spell like this, hold on...” He continued to focus, looking inwards upon himself.

  The art of Mysticism is a skill for observing and identifying signals of magical and unnatural origin. To inspect oneself on a surface level, checking for wards or curses, was a task simple enough for any novice to manage. As Sebastian looked inwards he drew upon a greater level of proficiency in the art, utilizing his journeyman level experience and drawing upon the expertise of his other skills pertaining to the arts of knowledge.

  Within himself Sebastian found the sea. A vast lake of power like the mass he had been immersed within. Instead of an inky black, this font he found inside was a soft sky blue. The very color of his own powers, but far more of it than he had ever felt. Sebastian opened his eyes, and must have looked alarmed from the expression Yan gave him.

  “Nothing is wrong.” Sebastian said, “But I may have undergone more changes than just this arm after all.”

  “What does that mean?” Yan asked.

  “I need to think about it more, figure out the answer to that question.” Sebastian said, “Because I don’t know what it means. And it scares me.”

  Yan placed her hand on Sebastian’s shoulder, squeezing him once. “Okay, but if you ever need to chat let me know.” She said.

  “Thanks Yan.” Sebastian said, nodding some, “You’re a good friend.” He patted her hand once, and she grinned. “Okay, you keep watch and I’ll make food. All that sleeping has made me hungry.” They both stood and went about their respective tasks, Sebastian preparing some simple wraps of meat and vegetables while Yan kept an eye out for trouble.

  The smell of food worked like smelling salts to rouse the resting. Wolf was the first to rise, stepping out of the tent to eat as much as he was allowed. Fara rose next and was offered food before she could ask. Michael attempted to lounge for a bit more, but gave in to his hunger to join the others before long. The meal was not filled with chatting and jokes like normal, but those gathered did share the same pleasant mood.

  As the party ate, Fara smiled to herself. These people seemed to share genuine happiness around each other. Her peers at the academy could learn a thing or two.

  Fara opened her mouth to say something when Yan hopped to her feet, knocking over her chair. "Hyato's in trouble!" She changed color, swapping with a green energy double before heading to the exit of their camp area. Wolf and Michael jumped out of their seats as well and followed after.

  "Always so hasty," Sebastian said, standing up and collecting the various chairs to place inside the tent.

  "Shouldn't we go too?" Fara asked, moving her own camping chair inside.

  "We will." Sebastian said, stepping out of the tent and shrinking it down with it's enchantment. He put the item away in his pack and began to walk along after the others. "I doubt we will be returning to this campsite again, no use leaving behind our things."

  "Right." Fara said, frowning a bit. Was Sebastian not worried for his allies? He seemed a bit too lax about this. "You could have made a trip back, why didn't you rush ahead with the others."

  "They are more than capable of handling themselves. If Yan, Michael, and Wolf can't handle it there isn't much I can do." Sebastian said.

  "But you are Sebastian, you are a top student of MAW, you earned black trim in tactics and strategy." Fara said.

  "It's not as useful as you think." Sebastian said, adjusting the MAW tacticians jacket he still wore.

  "But you have the education and training of the top military academy in Alymbai, maybe even Sera!" Fara exclaimed, "You should be at the head of your own guild or something."

  "I have found, since I graduated, that there are many things books and study did not prepare me for." Sebastian said. Fara hummed at that, wondering what he meant.

  As the two walked around a corner they saw an energy double left by Yan. She had been heading back to the camp at a run and barreled into Fara, going fuzzy for a moment as the energy was disturbed. Yan's double tried to speak but was unable to, so she ran to a particular path and beckoned with great urgency.

  "I guess it's more pressing than I thought." Sebastian said, worried. He started to run to follow Yan, and Fara kept pace with ease using Sennish jumps that propelled her along.

  Yan led them to a path with a red line in the floor, then along that line. In just a minute they heard the sounds of battle, then arrived on the scene.

  From Yan's urgency Sebastian was worried that Vero had shown up again, but the three swordsmen were locked in combat with an unusual new foe. Tan stone automata were attempting to beat Hyato, Michael, and Wolf into submission. The autonomous stone entities were covered in glowing lines of purple energy, precise flows of the lines that moved across their main body and across each limb.

  There were two broken piles of rubble on the ground, remnants of defeated foes, and Yan herself had retreated away from the combat to nurse a wound. Fara started healing her, while looking at the enemies. “Are these Skye Golems?” She asked, equal parts amazement and uncertainty.

  “I,” Sebastian paused, “Believe so. So there is a Skye ruin nearby. Intriguing.”

  “Can you tell us how to beat them?!” Michael asked, holding two of the four attacking constructs back. The other two swordsmen looked just as frustrated, but did not speak.

  “One moment,” Sebastian said, analyzing the enemy. “It appears that brute force won’t work on these, and I suppose you have already tried Surges, Vibes, and Elemental attacks.”

  “Yes!” Michael said, taking a punch from one of the stone enemies.

  “There is a focus point on it’s center mass, and it appears to be powered by mana or something similar. Try striking there with a precision vibe,” Sebastian said. Michael cast out a Vibe, and then another when the first failed. Neither had any effect. Fara and Sebastian both examined the enemy during the attack, watching what occurred.

  “Your Vibe was dispersed,” Fara said, “You need to be more precise.”

  “I don’t know how,” Michael said, shoving against the Skye Golems. The enemy shoved back and knocked Michael over, breaking the barrier and swarming over them. Hyato and Wolf gave in as well, being knocked prone and assaulted as the other stone constructs advanced on Sebastian, Fara, and Yan.

  “Sebastian!” Yan said, “Isn’t magic your area?”

  The Evari tactician raised his hand in defense, but the thought of using his mana, even just a vibe, left him stunned. What if he unleashed Black Mana on accident? He still couldn’t tell if he had used it before or not.

  The Skye Golems arrived while Sebastian hesitated, and swung their heavy fists with wild abandon. Yan unleashed her Petal Storm jutsu, but the attacking winds did not even knock the enemy aside. The purple lines of power dispersed her attack and drew their focus to her.

  “No.” Fara said, snapping her fingers as she pointed at the enemy to unleash a Vibe. A flow of magical force shot out like a needle into the nexus of the Skye Golem’s core. Just as Sebastian had theorized, the construct fell to pieces the moment it was struck. Fara moved with alacrity to rival Yan and snapped her fingers three more times, taking care of the rest of the enemies before they did any more damage.

  Wolf groaned and slumped to the ground before the others registered the battle was even over. Fara started to heal the others, but was panting hard. “You don’t need to overwork yourself, Fara.” Yan said, “We’ll live. It's just a few bruises.”

  Fara paused for a moment, then shook her head. “No, I’m a healer. So I’m going to heal.” She continued her work.

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  The party took a moment to recuperate. Michael meditated to close his wounds, and the others sat down, leaving only Sebastian and Fara standing. Sebastian looked at his crystal hand and frowned, “Sorry everyone.” He said, “I messed up. I should have taken Yan’s worry more seriously.” Sebastian felt as if all eyes were on him as he recalled his hesitation.

  “Don’t worry about it.” Michael said, “Everyone makes mistakes.”

  “But, I could have-”

  “Don’t worry.” Michael said, “It’s alright.” He flashed a grin, smiling at everyone. “Instead, how about telling us what we just fought. Those weren’t Zori, and they weren’t Arkwardens. In fact,” Michael wiggled his fingers around to show off his ring, “The Ring of Insight could not figure them out at all.”

  "Well, they looked like Skye Golems," Fara said, "Or at least like the pictures I've seen of them."

  "Alright. But what is a sky golem?" Michael asked.

  "Skye Golems are autonomous guardians of the ruins of the ancient Skye civilization," Sebastian said, writing out the terms to show Michael and the others. "I could go into detail about what we know, or rather what we don't know, but I doubt now is the time. If they are here, there must be a Ruin here." Sebastian said.

  Hyato stood up, "There is a stone hallway not too far ahead." He said, "I saw Vero there. He didn't see me, but they were up to something. Something about removing curses from a mask."

  "If Vero and the others are here, we should stop them." Yan said.

  "Agreed, we outnumber them. This could be our chance to stop the Revenant." Michael said.

  "I'm not so sure. The battle didn't really go our way last time." Sebastian said.

  "Between my power and Michael, no one can stop us." Wolf said, "Besides, narrow hallways make Michael's Dark Blade even stronger."

  "I agree with Sebastian, we should be cautious." Hyato said.

  "Why are they still around anyways, I thought you said they planned to leave?" Sebastian asked Yan.

  "That's what he said. Daemon Rex said something about using the Sword to resurrect Maximus, I think he meant Mexizu." Yan said.

  "I'm not going to let that happen." Michael said, "We'll cut them off and stop them first." He rose to his feet, "Everyone ready?"

  "I feel like there are still several things to talk about," Sebastian said, "But I suppose they can wait."

  Michael strode forth at the head of the group, snapping his fingers as he practiced Vibes. Hyato kept close to the front as well, explaining that the red line they were following was a mark he left. Yan moved at the fore and rear of the party to keep an eye out, using her energy doubles to stay observant. Sebastian, Fara, and Wolf moved through the middle.

  "Is it always like this?" Fara asked.

  "Like what?" Sebastian asked for clarification.

  "So... Upbeat." Fara said, "You guys seem to get along no matter what. I mean, how?"

  "Well, things will work out." Wolf said, "No use worrying about it."

  "I'm not sure I agree," Sebastian said, "There is still plenty to worry about. We are basically in the dark here. I don't even know what we are going to do next."

  "That uncertainty means a challenge." Wolf said, grinning, "I can't wait!" Sebastian let out a sigh, but from Fara's perspective he seemed happier. These people really did get along.

  "Woah!" Michael exclaimed, running ahead. The party arrived at an area where the crystal caverns melded into geometric stone halls. The tan stonework was precise and intricate, but also weathered from age. Michael and Yan looked around in excitement, however both Fara and Sebastian were awestruck.

  "This is a Skye ruin..." Fara said, "I wonder if anyone has been here before."

  "Doubtful, this area is a secret hidden land restricted to all access. You need permission from Mystia himself to come here." Sebastian said.

  "What?!" Fara cried, "Wait, you have permission from Mystia?!"

  "Yep." Wolf said, "Which means you're here illegally."

  "I had no idea..." Fara said, looking mortified, "Oh no."

  “I’m sure, given extenuating circumstances, you won’t have to worry about legal repercussions.” Sebastian said, “Although, if it was somehow possible to get Vero and Velicio arrested, that might be fun.”

  “A legal battle to end all our troubles?” Yan asked, “A bit anticlimactic don’t you think?”

  “I’d rather appreciate seeing our foes brought to justice,” Sebastian said. “Anyways, let’s focus a bit. We’re in a Skye ruin, somewhere underneath the Shards of the Sky. Hmm, I wonder if the Shards of the Sky have something to do with the fall of the Skye.”

  “Interesting.” Fara said, “This might be an amazing discovery.”

  “Although, I bet Mystia has already had people investigate this place, so we may not find anything new ourselves.” Sebastian said, “Not that we are here to research, anyways.”

  The party continued moving, but Yan moved nearer to Sebastian. “What do you mean by the fall of the sky?”

  “Skye is the name of an ancient civilization, that’s the word sky with an e at the end.” Sebastian said, Yan nodded, “Right, I just told you that. So, the ancient Skye civilization existed long long ago. It is the only era that archeologists have been unable to find any records on. All we know is roughly when it began, and that it ended with an event later referred to as ‘the fall of Skye’ which is not enough to draw any conclusions, sadly.”

  “Some theorize the ‘fall’ portion of the name is very literal.” Fara added, “Perhaps there was an Ailand city or something that fell from the clouds. But no one knows.”

  “I’ve always been curious myself,” Sebastian said, “And I think that Sky Reach has something to do with it. But,” He sighed, “I haven’t been chasing that dream for a long time either.”

  “You want to find Sky Reach?” Fara asked, “Why’s that?”

  “I once heard the tales from a Pheom woman I dated for a few weeks.” Sebastian said, “And then I spent a year or so researching it. I made my way to the Skylands even, but no luck, go figure.”

  “Seems like a long way to go for an ex.” Fara said, frowning.

  “It’s more about the possibilities.” Sebastian said, a wistful tone to his voice, “But now is not the time.” Sebastian focused on the task at hand, and the party grew silent in their chatter. Hyato showed the others the path he took, all the way to a crystal wall that split apart the ruined hallway. He explained what was to the left, so the party ventured to the right.

  The hallway was not straight like Hyato expected, instead it veered off to the right a little ways into the gloom. Sebastian produced a magelight to give them more room to see, and the party continued. The stonework they passed was even more intricate with proper lighting. Murals were woven into the stone, through both paint and the seams between the uneven blocks that formed the walls.

  As Michael paused to look at the strange murals a bit, his right ear twitched. “I hear something.” He said, turning to look along the wall. Stones shifting had a particular sound to them, and Michael spotted lines glowing in the murals as beings broke free. “More of those golems!” He shouted, drawing attention to the enemy.

  Skye Golems cracked the wall and moved to block the path, eight of them getting in the way of the party and holding stone arms out in a sign of aggressive defense. The cracks in the walls that they emerged from sealed back up.

  “I got this!” Michael said, moving towards the enemy with a swift step. He snapped his fingers and launched a pinpoint Vibe, imitating Fara to a tee. The Vibe struck the lead Golem right in the nexus of the mana lines controlling it. The Golem overloaded and fell apart.

  “I guess we already know how to deal with these,” Wolf said, folding his arms as he stood back away from the battle.

  “Is he copying me?” Fara asked.

  Michael grinned and snapped his fingers again and launched a Vibe at the next Golem. The precision magical attack struck the enemy in the point where it's magic coalesced.

  But nothing happened.

  “What?” Michael said, just as the Skye Golem slammed him in the head with a stone fist. Michael fell back from the force of the blow, rolling to his feet away from the enemy and drawing his sword as a reflex. “What just happened?”

  The Skye Golems began approaching the party, moving in formation. “It appears our foes are varied, and do not all have the same weakness.” Sebastian said, “Business as usual.”

  “Alright!” Wolf and Hyato surged forth to attack the enemy, while Michael paused to assess them a bit. Yan and Fara also looked for a way to enter the battle without stepping on each others’ toes.

  With a sigh Sebastian shook his head, “Don’t go rushing off without a plan.” He muttered. “Yan, back up Wolf and Hyato by keeping Golems from attacking their backs. Fara, Michael, from left to right is one through seven. Two, Three, and Six are vulnerable to precision vibes.” He said, guiding the others. Yan, and Michael nodded and got to work without pause, while Fara took a look over the enemies.

  “How do you know?” Fara asked.

  “The shoulders, forearms, and headpieces are different shapes between some of the Golems. The ones I pointed out have the same shapes as the ones we have already taken out.” As Sebastian explained Michael already took out one of the Golems, while the others worked to fend off the enemy. Wolf managed to destroy one with brute force, while Hyato and Yan were enough to break the enemies formations.

  Fara joined the battle with the others and, together with Michael, eliminated the two remaining mystic vulnerable foes. Sebastian managed to call out another that Wolf was able to attack with brute force, leaving just two foes remaining.

  Yan created a double that jumped from one wall to the other, then flew in to deliver a kick as she swapped places. In the same moment Hyato gathered energy around himself and delivered a swift stroke with his sword. The two managed to deliver precise skillful attacks at the joint between the Skye Golems’ headpieces and bodies. In moments, the battle was finished. The Skye Golems had not been able to deal any significant damage.

  “Nice!” Wolf said, flexing a bit in celebration of his victory. “We thrashed em.”

  “Yeah, but if we keep getting stopped like this there won't be a chance to take out Vero before he departs.” Michael said, sheathing his weapon and continuing. “We shouldn’t dally.”

  Yan and the others watched Michael rush to get moving, “Michael is getting pretty agitated.” Yan said, moving to hurry after him.

  “Why the rush?” Fara wondered, “We know where they are headed next.”

  “We do?” Sebastian asked, “What do you mean?”

  The Sennish woman looked at the others. Yan and Michael were rushing ahead, and the rest trailed after them, “Well, you were out when he said it.” Fara said, “But Daemon Rex let it slip. They are going to Draixnoth to resurrect Maximus with that Sword, he said.”

  “Really now?” Sebastian said, “So they are going to Necros then.”

  “Yes.” Fara said, “How are they going to get in? The entire Kingdom is isolated.”

  “If I remember correctly from something Vero said, he is actually from Necros. In fact, he may be very important. Vero Exus, the Prince of Necros.” Sebastian said.

  “That’s...” Fara shook her head. “That’s incredible.”

  “But hey, now we know who he is.” Wolf said, “And we already know what he is capable of. It doesn’t change our course.” Sebastian nodded, and Hyato gave a more knowing nod. It was possible the wayward time traveler already knew some of this.

  “Then let’s hurry.” Sebastian said.

  The next time the party encountered Skye Golems they tore them apart with brutal efficiency. Fara commented that the team was almost too good at fighting, although Sebastian only gave orders again. The Evari Tactician was more tentative than usual.

  To make up for Sebastian’s unwillingness to fight, Michael was being more aggressive. He opened the battle by using a storm of Dark Wind to destroy those vulnerable to brutal efforts, before moving on to take out as many of the others as he could. When the battle finished he was the first to continue, finding the next hallway for the others.

  “Are you alright?” Yan asked Michael, staying near him.

  Michael grumbled, “It’s frustrating.” He said, “It’s like we’re always a step behind. I keep trying to predict Vero’s moves...” He mimed moving a piece on a command board, “But I can’t tell what he’s thinking.”

  Yan considered his words and gazed at Michael for a spell. The man had a fiery determination in his eyes, looking ahead and around with absolute focus. There was a quiet anger there, something that made her think about Dark Michael. “Hey, don’t be so worried.” Yan said, taking his free hand in hers. “You’re not alone in this.”

  Gripping hands seemed to soften Michael, and he slowed to a pace better suited for the others. “You’re right.” He said, sheathing his sword. “I’m getting too worked up. I don’t want to behave like Dark Michael.”

  “Right...” Yan said, “We need to talk. When Dark Michael was rampaging, he said something interesting. He said his name... is Mistan.”

  “Mistan.” Michael said, pausing, “The Prince?”

  “Maybe...” Yan said, “But he said a lot of things that didn’t make sense. Like there was some great enemy of his that he was searching for.”

  “I’ve been wondering for a while what exactly the spirit inside me is.” Michael said, “I thought it might be part of Mexizu’s spirit, but what if it’s the spirit of the Prince? And, my Soul is the one that was inside this sword...” He looked down at the Oronbyr. “Is that possible?”

  Yan’s grip grew more firm, “Either way, I like you better.” She said. A soft smile came over Michael’s face, and the tension in him seemed to ease away.

  “Thanks.” He said, as the party rounded another corner. Michael didn’t care if the others could hear what he and Yan were saying, and his worries were getting less important too. If they didn’t meet up with Vero down here, there would be another chance. He just needed to be patient.

  “We’re here.” Hyato announced, stopping everyone in their tracks. They had arrived at another long hallway, but there was more crystal here, and Hyato faced a large open double door. It was just a bit too small for Wolf, but the hallway on the other side sloped down further into the ruins. While the rest of the Skye Ruins were tan colored stones with intricate mural work, the path before them was a deep slate gray, illuminated by glowing blue crystals set in the floor.

  “That was faster than expected.” Yan said, looking down the new path. “You think they're down there?”

  “We’re about to find out.” Michael said, steeling himself. “Everyone ready, we might be walking into another ambush.” The party checked themselves, making sure no one was missing anything. “Okay, whatever is down there, let’s find out.” He stepped forth with the others. The slope would be a brief walk, and from above the party could already see another room at the end of it. Ready for anything, they ventured forth into the underground.

  The Crystals of Iagorothi were not the same as metals and other crystalline structures. Their core structure was a common theme, but in the sense of power Crystals themselves were different. Within the Shards of the Sky, enormous Crystals erupted from the ground like a field of spikes too big to impale anything. While impressive, this was just the surface of what this hidden kingdom held.

  Beneath the stone Crystals grew rampant, forming caverns and veins and more in a tireless and continuous growth. The Skye Ruins themselves had been splintered by some, and even as the party reached the room at the base of the slope light filtered in from veins of Crystal that extended down from the surface.

  Michael and the party stepped into another enormous space, and felt a damp chill from the sudden rise in humidity. The cavern was vast and a fog blanketed the floor in a nigh endless sea. Stalagmites punctured up from the ground, though the ceiling had a suspicious lake of any matching stalactites, breaking up the view of the rolling fogs with numerous rocky pillars. Before Michael could take any steps further, Sebastian placed a hand on his shoulder. “Not so fast.” he said, “Clear away the fog first. I’m getting a bad feeling here.”

  The younger man spread his arms and created a wind around him, pushing back the fog. It bunched up like piled sand, but Michael was only able to clear a couple feet away. The moment he stopped the fog rolled back in.

  "You should give it a go." Michael said, "Your elemancy is stronger than mine."

  Sebastian balked, "Well... I..." He looked at the others. "Wolf, your elemental power is the strongest."

  "I only do fire and lightning." Wolf said, "I'm not an aeromancer." He shrugged. Yan tried to push the fog back but had about as much luck as Michael.

  "Maybe we should just make our way through." Hyato suggested.

  "No, I sense something powerful in here." Sebastian warned.

  "Vero?" Michael suggested.

  "Well we aren't going to do anything about it just standing here." Wolf said, walking ahead.

  "Stop!" Sebastian said, his exclamation echoing through the chamber. Wolf paused and everyone looked at Sebastian. "Please, take my warning seriously."

  "We are taking it seriously." Yan said, "But we can't get anything done just standing here."

  "Maybe I could keep pushing the fog as we move ahead?" Michael suggested.

  "And step right into a trap in the meantime." Sebastian said.

  Wolf pointed at Sebastian, "Then come up with a solution, smart guy. Why don't you try something instead of just standing around giving orders." Wolf shouted.

  "Guys." Fara said.

  "Battle strategy and identifying weakness isn't doing nothing!" Sebastian retorted.

  "But you're a mage aren't you?" Wolf said, "You went toe to toe with Vero even! You should be contributing more." Sebastian and Wolf glared at one another while Hyato rubbed his forehead nearby. Yan and Michael both looked like they wanted the others to stop yelling, shifting in uncomfortable silence.

  A pulse of dazzling mana bloomed over the party, accompanied by a loud thump on the ground. "Enough!" Fara said, drawing everyone's attention to her. She looked up at the others with a calm but stern gaze. "I thought you lot were better than this. For all your chatter you haven't stopped to talk things out."

  Fara turned to Sebastian, "You aren't being ignored, but you aren't providing solutions either. You don't need to think over every worry in your head, voice them." Then she rounded on Wolf, "Same goes for you. If you think someone can be doing something they aren't, talk to them. You don't need to sulk."

  Wolf nodded his head and Sebastian rubbed his chin in thought. As they mulled over her words Fara looked at the others, "Apologies. I thought the five of you got along perfectly, so forgive my outburst. I believe you should speak your minds as well."

  Silence fell over the six of them as Fara concluded her rant. The mist had rolled back in and pooled around everyone's knees, around Fara's waist due to her height, and it was starting to make their clothes wet.

  "I am sorry." Sebastian said after a moment, "There is a reason I have not been taking action, or there might be."

  "When I was up there atop the Shards, fighting Vero, I attempted to create something called Elio," Sebastian explained, "Due to this I created the void of power you saw in the battle. I was trapped inside and unable to move. To try and escape I absorbed as much of the energy as I could."

  "You absorbed it? How?" Yan asked.

  "It was an interesting situation. And it was the only thing I could think to do at the time." Sebastian said, "Either way, I absorbed a great deal."

  "But I've been thinking. What if what I created wasn't anything like Elio? What if it was Black Mana instead?" Sebastian whispered.

  "Do you think so?" Fara said, shivering a little.

  "So, not to sound like a broken record." Michael said, "What is Black Mana?"

  "The strongest form of Mana," Fara said, "Black Mana is the fusion of the six types of Mana into one. It is powerful, and corrupt. The user and their spells can suffer dangerous side effects and even mutate, although their spells will also be boosted in potency significantly."

  "How significantly?" Wolf asked, "Out of curiosity."

  "At least fifty percent, but more skilled Malefacte’s can boost the power several times over." Fara said.

  "To clarify, a Malefacte is one who uses Black Mana. It is also one of the nine Evil Powers." Sebastian said.

  "Isn't Evil subjective?" Hyato asked.

  "Yes, but they are just names." Fara said.

  Sebastian waved his hands, "What I'm saying is that is why I wasn't using my magic. But, we've wasted enough time as it is." Winds gathered around Sebastian before expanding around all of them. The fog was lifted and pushed away from everyone.

  The gale Sebastian summoned revealed geometric stone tiling in a deep indigo color, the tiles seemed to be natural. Several stalagmites were exposed as well, along with a small stone wall covered in runic etchings.

  Beyond the runed stone wall lay a deep motionless lake, almost invisible in it's clarity. The exposed water gave off a powerful mystic signal that even Wolf picked up on. Sebastian, Fara, and Yan took a half step back.

  "So, you aren't worried about maybe using evil black magic anymore?" Wolf asked Sebastian.

  "If I am corrupted, so be it." Sebastian said, "I can't be useful if I never use my skills."

  Fara walked over to the water's edge, "How can you still be talking about that?" She said, "What is this? This water... It's so clear." She reached out her hand, and Hyato dashed across the now fogless floor to pull her back. "Woah!"

  "Do not touch the wellspring." Hyato said, retreating back from the water.

  "What are you talking about?" Fara said, "It's water." She pulled free from Hyato but did not approach the water again.

  The others drew near and Yan snapped a finger, "This is the Wellspring of Purity isn't it? The reason we are here." She realized.

  "Well yes, of course." Sebastian said, "I thought that was obvious." He looked at the others. Michael and Hyato nodded, but Wolf shrugged.

  "Oh." Yan said, blushing, "I guess I forgot."

  "Hyato," Sebastian said as he crouched down, "You said not to touch the water. How do you know that?"

  "The Wellspring of Purity is sacred." Hyato said, "It is said to be the very same waters brought forth by Feros."

  "Well, these runes at least agree not to touch the water." Sebastian said, "The warning is written in several languages. Very old writing."

  Fara examined the runes on the stone wall as well, "Oh yeah. 'To cleanse in the spring is to be purified. Only chosen life may enter.' is what it reads,"

  "What does that mean?" Yan asked, "Chosen life? Purified?"

  "I surmise," Sebastian said as he stood, "That only a so-called Chosen One could survive a dip in here. Otherwise..." He dug into his back and pulled out a scrap of meat and tossed it into the wellspring.

  The meat landed on the surface of the wellspring and neither bounced nor sank, at first. Then a single ripple formed as the meat sank into the water and melted away.

  "That... Was more unsettling than I expected." Sebastian said.

  "So, is it just super alkaline?" Fara wondered.

  "There is definitely something mystic about it." Yan said, pulling out a single kunai. She dropped the bladed tool into the wellspring.

  In the same fashion as before, the kunai rested on the surface of the water for a moment. Then, tip first, it sank into the wellspring with a single ripple that did not bounce against the edge of the water. The kunai was engulfed into the waters, no longer visible despite the wellspring's apparent clarity.

  "Okay?" Yan said, "So it-" before she finished her sentence the surface of the lake rippled once more. Before their eyes the kunai rose out of the water and remained suspended in the air a foot above it, before gliding towards Yan. She took the kunai to examine it.

  Not a drop of water remained on the kunai in Yan's hand. The surface was free of imperfections, free of any unnecessary polish and any form of dirt or rust. There were still small nicks in the edge where some had been before, but it was otherwise cleaner than Yan had thought possible. "So, it cleans things?" Yan wondered, still examining the kunai.

  "Purifies them, I expect." Sebastian said. "Not that there was anything about your knives that needed purified."

  "Do you think it can get rid of curses?" Fara wondered. "I don't have anything cursed or anything, mind you."

  Hyato brought his hands together, "That's it!" He realized, "Vero came here to purify his mask. I remember now."

  "Which means we missed him." Michael grumbled.

  "And," Wolf said as he stepped up to the edge of the wellspring, "Daemon has the sword that Mystia asked us to purify."

  "So there's really no reason to be here at all." Michael said. Yan patted him on the shoulder.

  "No use in wasting our chance." Wolf drew his swords and threw them into the lake. The swords reacted in the same fashion as the kunai. After resting on the lake they sank into the wellspring with a single ripple each, then rose back out and returned to Wolf. "Dang, they haven't looked this good in years!" Wolf's twin wide swords had no sheen, but the true color of the metal was laid bare as the damage of his elemental powers had been cleansed.

  "You need to take better care of those." Hyato said.

  "Yeah, but they look nice right?" Wolf asked. Hyato nodded, "Cool. You gonna purify yours next?"

  "No chance." Hyato said, "I'll take care of my own weapon."

  Sebastian approached the Wellspring of Purity, rubbing his chin in thought. "What's on your mind?" Yan asked him, "Do you have something to purify?"

  "Something of the sort." Sebastian held out the pinky of his right hand, the crystallized arm.

  "Wait, is that a good idea?" Yan asked. "You saw what it did to that meat."

  "If it destroys organics, I might lose a finger." Sebastian said, "However, it's worth the risk."

  "What if the spring drags you in?" Fara asked, "We aren't going to stand here and watch you kill yourself."

  That thought gave Sebastian pause. "You have a point. Yan, lend me a knife."

  "Why?" Yan asked, frowning.

  "Should it try to drag me in I will cut off my finger." Sebastian said.

  "No." Yan folded her arms, "You aren't strong enough to cut through bone anyways, let alone crystal."

  Sebastian sighed. "Hyato, can you sever my finger if it drags me down?"

  "I can." Hyato said, no emotion written on his face.

  "Will you do that for me?" Sebastian asked. Everyone looked at Hyato, who had closed his eyes. After a long moment of silent contemplation, Hyato nodded. "Very well."

  Facing the Wellspring, Sebastian steeled himself. "Well. Here goes nothing." He reached forth, hesitated, then touched his pinky to the surface of the water.

  The surface of the spring was as solid and smooth as glass. Sebastian was blocked for a moment, then a ripple formed to break the surface of the water. As he pressed his finger in he felt as if he was pushing into a gelatinous mass. The Wellspring might not be water after all.

  As Sebastian's finger pierced the surface he felt the rest of his arm being pulled in after. His fingers and hand slipped in before he noticed, and Sebastian gripped the edge of the wall with his torso and left arm to stop from being dragged down. "He's being dragged in!" Yan cried, moving to grab Sebastian.

  "Hyato, do it now!" Michael said, also holding Sebastian back. Hyato looked at the arm halfway in the spring and shook his head.

  "Are you crazy?!" Yan shouted, working with Michael to try and pull Sebastian free.

  Fara and Wolf moved in and tried to help, but Sebastian shoved back, "Stop!" He said, "It's not pulling me in anymore."

  With a bit of reluctance Yan and the others stepped away from Sebastian, then watched as he pulled his arm free from the Wellspring. He held aloft his crystalline right limb and waggled his fingers about. The rough facets of the condensed crystal had become smooth and seamless. His arm looked like a toned arm that matched his body, save only for the striking sky blue color. Even his fingers had grown smooth, and now moved with the full function of an ordinary hand.

  "That went... Well." Fara said, "You didn't have to worry about not gripping anything for very long."

  "So, it shaved off the excess crystal?" Wolf asked.

  "Not as such," Sebastian said, "It feels as if it was reshaped. All the crystal is still there." He said. "And you know, it does feel... Pure." His forearm glowed as he summoned more power around him. Sebastian created a flame that dried out their clothes, then a wind to air them out.

  Wolf shook his head then swept his hair back, "So I take it you feel better?"

  "Indeed." Sebastian said, stretching as he stepped away from the stone wall. "If there was any remaining impurity in this arm before, it's gone now."

  The party all took a moment to examine Sebastian's arm a bit, then Yan yawned. "So, that's that, right? We were too late to catch up to Vero, but we know where he's going. We should leave, right?" She said.

  "I think so." Sebastian said, "As much as I would love to explore this cavern and the ruins, we can't afford to waste our time. We have a chance to get ahead of Vero for once, we should seize it." He started to head towards the exit.

  "How are you going to do that, they have a head start." Fara said, moving to walk with Sebastian.

  "We have something better." Hyato said.

  "Better for some." Wolf grumbled, "But at least it's not teleportation."

  "So what is it?" Fara asked.

  "An Airship." Hyato said, grinning. Fara's jaw dropped.

  Yan was about to join the others in leaving the cavern when she looked back to see Michael staring at the stoic surface of the lake. "Michael? You coming?"

  "Hold on." Michael screwed up his face in concentration, "I have an idea." He walked over to the edge of the Wellspring and drew the Oronbyr. Yan watched from a few feet away, while the others had not yet noticed as they made their way to exit the cavern.

  Michael examined his sword. The sharp crystalline blade with it's flawless facets reflected even the faintest of lights. The reflective black surface of the blade even showed Michael's image in it. The guard was a simple squared guard like those found on katana, a distressed brass metal with a rounded pommel to match. The woven threads of the hilt were wearing out from constant use, though did not seem willing to break.

  "This sword." He mused, "It's just like Mexizu's isn't it? When I pulled it from those chains I released two Souls. The Revenant, and the one inside me."

  "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Yan asked. The others were nearing the exit without noticing the absence of their part-Feral friends.

  "Everything that this sword and Dark Michael have put me through." Michael said, "It's like a curse. Maybe... It can be purified." Michael touched the tip of the Oronbyr to the Wellspring and let go.

  The sword balanced on the point upon the surface of the lake, motionless for a moment as Michael and Yan looked on. Then a single ripple moved along the sleek pane of water and the Oronbyr began to sink down into the spring.

  Then more ripples formed, chaotic rings disturbing the peace of the lake and bouncing off the stone wall. Bubbles began to form as if the water had begun boiling, the babbling noise echoing through the room and drawing the attention of the others near the exit. Michael and Yan stepped away from the lake as the sword descended with an agonizing sluggishness.

  Sebastian, Wolf, and Fara approached at a run to see what was happening, while Hyato moved over at his usual pace. The six watched as the waters of the wellspring grew cloudy as clots of inky darkness seeped into the liquid from the sword it was engulfing. “What an interesting reaction,” Sebastian said.

  The enthusiasm the scholar held was not shared by the others as the sacred waters of the Wellspring of Purity continued to babble in broiling bubbles and send continuous chaotic ripples out from the sinking sword. The Oronbyr sank beneath the surface to be fully engulfed, and the waters went still in the blink of an eye.

  The once clear waters of the underground cavern were now tainted with a clump of an unknown black cloudy substance. The cloud did not thin or disperse through the rest of the lake, further indicating that the waters were more gelatinous than they seemed. The party waited without moving for minutes, several times longer than any of the other cleansings.

  “What have I done?” Michael said, staring at the lake without blinking. “Did I just... destroy the Oronbyr?”

  “How could that be?” Yan said, “Isn’t it like... a God Weapon?”

  “What do you mean God Weapon?” Fara asked.

  “The Oronbyr,” Sebastian said, “And it's sister sword, the one Daemon Rex now carries, were weapons forged by Morrofyr. They were once the weapons of an Elder God.”

  Fara looked from Sebastian, to Michael, then to the cloud in the Wellspring. “What kind of nonsense have I gotten myself into.” She said, “Next you’ll tell me one of you is the long lost descendant of Amadon.”

  “Well...” Wolf said.

  “No. Way.” Fara said, her eyes darting to Wolf.

  Wolf gave her a look, “Well...” He continued, “Amadon did not have any children. So that’s not possible.” Fara let out an exasperated sigh.

  “Michael,” Yan said, “What about Arm Return?”

  “I haven’t tried that.” Michael said, “Should I?”

  “At this point, anything is-” Yan was interrupted by the sound of a bubble popping. Her eyes moved to the surface of the water, where another bubble formed and popped. Then another.

  Bubbles formed on the sleek surface of the Wellspring, breaking the silence with a veritable cacophony of watery wails. The clouds within the water began to shrink down, reforming into a condensed shape below the water level. Michael held his breath as he watched, rocking a little in a tense impatience. Words and actions failed them as they all looked to the water to await what happened next.

  Silence returned so fast it felt like whiplash, the bubbles and wails of water ending as two ripples formed on the water, leaving behind a smooth seamless surface. From the epicenter of each ripple rose the upturned point of a sword, breaking through the gelatinous Wellspring and rising a foot about the sacred lake. Before them floated the Oronbyr, unchanged in appearance. Not even the wear seen on the hilt had been touched by the water’s purifying power.

  To the right of the sword of Morrofyr was another sword. Equal in size, shape, and even form, the second sword appeared to be a clone of the Oronbyr in all but one fashion. The crystal blade of the new sword was a solid, perfect, unblemished white. The many facets of the blade were as reflective as the original, each edge glowing with a near perfect reflection of all light sources in the cavern.

  The twin swords floated to Michael and hung suspended in the air before him as he and the others gaped at what they saw. When Michael did not take the swords in his hands, they clattered to the ground a few moments later.

  Michael reached down and picked up the swords, sheathing the Oronbyr and holding the White Crystal sword in his right hand. “What... what just happened.”

  “You got a free sword.” Wolf said, “Score.”

  “How can that be?” Sebastian said, “Was the Wellspring incapable of purifying the Oronbyr? It is said to be able to cleanse even a restriction set by a God. And yet.”

  “It could not touch the Oronbyr.” Yan said, “So it... made a copy? But why?”

  “I don’t think we should try and question the motives of a water feature.” Sebastian said.

  “The water is sacred.” Hyato said, “But if it is made by Feros, as they say, then it stands to reason that it could not do anything to something made by Morrofyr.”

  “Well why not?” Wolf asked.

  “Feros is a High God,” Hyato said, “But before Morrofyr was destroyed, he was an Elder God. There is no divine power greater than theirs.”

  Wolf shrugged and patted Michael on the back, “I call this a win. You’re ambidextrous anyways, right? So this works out perfectly for you.”

  Michael took a slow deep breath, then nodded, “I guess so.” He said. He went to sheathe the new sword, but didn’t have one so decided to just carry it.

  “I think that’s enough of the sacred spring for one day.” Sebastian said, “Let us away. We have to give chase with all speed, and Rils’ airship can only go so fast.” This time the Evari tactician waited until everyone was ready before departing from the area with the others in tow.

  As Michael and Yan brought up the rear of the group, the man looked at his shiny new White Crystal weapon, “What should I call you?” He wondered.

  “Name it something cool!” Yan said, “I can help if you want.”

  “Sure.” Michael said, thinking as he walked.

  The party departed from the sacred grounds, and as they left the mist rolled in again to obscure the Wellspring of Purity from sight. With no more reason to remain in the Skye Ruins, let alone the Shards of the Sky, the party focused on their next objective. To the Kingdom of Necros they planned to go, to infiltrate the isolationist nation once formed by the Black Halo over a hundred years prior. To reach the city where Mexizu once commanded his army, Draixnoth.