Mikros P.O.V.
‘How many?! How many!?’
“Stop worrying about it. Keep dashing!”
We were being followed Augir level mercenaries and adventurers plus the empire forces and the elites of the Dogran family established in Katopr. It was probable that they had some tracking spell that we couldn’t detect.
SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!
“I’ve always appreciated men wanting a piece but not like this.” I tried to relax with one of my silly comments.
“Prisdirum!”
BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! DOOOONG! DOOOOONG!
“Necroarrows, Brini!”
One hard pull from my blue eyed sister and the arrows missed me by a finger. They had a specially imbued orgon concoction, only Freslia’s eyes could detect such a thing. I was getting tired, my reactions slowing down.
“The power of wealth sis. They could feed the whole world if they wanted to.”
ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING!
SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!
“They are coming back around!”
“Seven targets, circle formation. I charge, let’s kill the dark arrow guy first. Don’t use chants, this is the empire.” I received big sis mental message.
SWOOOSH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
Energy slashes went from sister’s makeshift Runecraft blades. Darting like the arrows, she threw herself straight into the dark sharpshooter. The three arrows were coming for me along with four of the seven attackers.
Prisdirum was active but the attackers walked through without hindrance.
‘Artifacts, rare ones. The Dogran are rich beyond comprehension!’
From my ring came forth a facsimile of the bow I have used to teach many marksmen throughout my lives.
ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING! ZIIIIIING!
The tree arrows were intercepted but they swallowed up mine. The four went down before they could welp.
“Do you think I can’t shoot or some?”
The furious exchange of charges, blows and spells ended with my sister coming out with a cut on her right forearm. We lost our armors in our little ploy and had to make do with scraps.
And then I felt it, handsome great noble had arrived. He had come for round two.
“Fres! Fres!”
“I know! Let’s dash out of here!”
SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!
“Isoray isn’t arrogant for nothing. Your family can kick ass, kid.”
“Stop praising these bastards, Brini!”
SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!
“I’m nervous and it was funny!”
DOOOONG BOOOM! DOOOONG! BOOOM! BOOOM! DOOOONG!
Screams, shouts and energy blasts were heard. Zaraki went on a rampage. The festival city turned battlefield. We ran, we ran like bolts attracting a lot of unwanted attention.
The magnificent structures of Koptr began changing color before our eyes. Red, blood red.
SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!
Ikrei P.O.V.
‘What happened?’
I was checking my surroundings, I was once more in the stone room with the same light and the multicolored artifact. It was as if I had never touched it.
I waited a few minutes while I remained alert.
“Nothing. What the hell?”
I walked towards the stone and prepared myself for a redo.
‘Perhaps I was off.’
I decided to reach out with my right hand.
“Inhale, exhale and release.”
I touched the stone. There was no reaction.
I tried again several times with the same end result, absolute defeat.
I stared at the stone with perplexity.
“it`s working as it should. It took a little while, that seal is a thorn. The monstrous kind of pest.”
A voice I had never heard before yet I knew well. A man was standing on the opposite side of the stone, four cubits away. His attire was the one that the kotari wear for formal occasions, midnight blue with sky blue borders and the corresponding symbols of the order.
The cloaked man revealed his face.
“Eriel!”
“Hello, Ikrei.”
There was silence. He didn’t move, I didn’t move. I couldn’t read his mind; he couldn’t read mine.
We just kept peering, gazing into each other with various expressions throughout for many minutes.
I remained silent not sure if all of it was some game by the stone or the rulers. Eriel snapped his fingers and light covered the space, clear blue light. The space was visible and it had no end in any direction, a blue crystalline and reflective place.
The altar and the stone reappeared somewhere to my north, in the distance.
Another snap and two blue and dark summoning circles appeared on the floor in front of him. The two creatures that rose up from them created a quiver, a dark quiver in my heart.
‘Ataxiar! Horned Legion!’
“Are you ready?”
His choice of words scared me.
“What is this place?”
“Our soul.”
Akathos’ words came back one more time. The damned tilted table. Two swords materialized in my grip. The crazy twisted metal on my right, Yun Hee’s jian sword on my left.
“This is a duel. Boys, time to teach little me a lesson.”
The shadowy caped demon charged alongside a screaming bony menace with claws that were too sharp for my taste.
ZEEEEEZ! “GUUUARW!”
Freslia P.O.V.
The enemies were numerous, the Dogran had employed a wave strategy. It was intended to occupy us until we were depleted. The groups were learned in my fighting style and the tendencies of Avair Zela, an outstanding preparation bordering on insanity.
“Fres, they are equipped with artifacts to the brim!”
“I know! Switch it up raven!”
I had three deadly targets, one on each side and one in front of me. Since they anticipated some of my attacks I had to go with the second option.
SWISH!
A fake downward slash against the one to my right. The opposing warrior went for the upper block and a kinetic counter with the free hand. My eyes shone their light. I only activated my bestowment in the precise moment I needed it, minimizing energy consumption.
Two breaths.
DOOONG! SWISH!
The attack bounced of my barrier and I slashed through his armor.
‘Keep the foot steady, twist’
The other two were coming for a double hit with fully charged energy swords. They had sacrificed their fellow mercenary. My eyes turned bright blue again.
DOOONG! DOOONG!
The turn was perfectly executed, the second strike from my warrior foe managed to cut through my barrier just a little but my handle counterstrike took the wind out of him. I applied two very quick horizontal slashes for a finish with my two blades. Another turn and a downward thrust for the kill of the third that was blown back by the first resonance effect.
He didn’t even have time to roll to the side, stand up or shout.
ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIING!
“That’s fourteen! I am ahead of you Fres!”
“The golem should count as five!” I gave her a halfhearted counter.
“Niner, niner, Fres is whiner.”
“So you are happy now?!”
DOOOONG BOOOM! DOOOONG! BOOOM! BOOOM! DOOOONG!
“No, not really no. Just letting out steam.”
There were screams all around, the tidy streets had turned noisy. The normal people weren’t coping with the situation. The influence of dark magic inside the place was unpalatable.
“He will be coming.”
“Yes, the Viscount will be coming. We need to be gone, now!”
I took out all the charges I had prepared in one of my rings. I didn’t care about consequences in a fake world.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The streets shook, some of the walls in the buildings cracked a fraction, snake like lines became visible, lights stopped working.
“No matter how much money or power, you should never be able to buy the whole of the Bilfrorst wizarding world, right sis?”
Mikros asked something I didn’t want to answer. The thought of their reach was unpleasant.
We saw the outline of the handsome Viscount fighting off a couple of kotari. We also saw ten magi coming in right behind. Our tail had caught up.
“Freslia, this is it!”
Our best chance to escape had come. It was do or die time.
“What’s going on Fres?” I couldn’t hide my worry from my blue sister.
“Those magi over there, the ones with dark cloaks and purple borders, dangerous.”
“I am getting married next year!”
“And you chose to come?!”
“I wanted to do something together, like the old days!”
‘Can’t say I blame you my raven but you crazy too.’
DOOOONG BOOOM! DOOOONG! BOOOM! BOOOM! DOOOONG!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
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“Star Steps!” We shouted.
I bolted like a ray of blue light following a high speeding bird’s trail.
I used my eyes and my arcane shield as I traversed. evading enemies, rocks and spells. A firing and Prisdirum using Mikros followed behind.
“Help!” “Argghhh! “Watch out sisters!”
DOOOONG! SWISH! CLANG! SWISH! CLANG! BOOOOM! SWISH! CLANG! SWISH!
“Can we hold thirteen masters, Fres?!”
I sent an urgent and fervent soul communication to the sparkling darkwing.
“To the Zurian enclave, Zaraki!!!”
ZOOOOOOOOM! ZOOOOOOOOM!
Four hundred breaths.
We dashed and turned like some crazy lightning running through the streets. Zaraki disappeared from sight the moment we were close enough to our destination. A dark being near a house of Zur is not a good recipe. And neither am I.
More long range attacks came our way.
DOOOONG! BOOOM! SWISH! CLANG! BOOOM! DOOOONG!
‘I’m sorry Brini.’
“HALT! “HALT”!”
A magnificent golden barrier appeared. The guards and a hierarch of Zur were standing at the entrance of the grand golden moad. We had arrived by a margin no greater than seventy fingers before our persecuting foes.
“Claimere requesting help!”
I knew I wasn’t and it was a half-truth but I needed them to let my sister in. I sent a flash message to Mikros. I stopped dead on my tracks and made a double spin wind up letting my sister pass me by a nail.
‘Use Prisdirum, now!’
She looked confused. From the double spin move, I executed a furious fully powered kick on miss Brienus buttocks. All cores expended plus my bestowment fully active. My shining eyes scared the Zurians just a little.
PRAAAACK! ZOOOOOM!
The blue energy sphere covered her.
“AHHHHHHH!”
She flew straight into the arms of the hierarch, bypassing the barrier with her ability. She was nicely settled in his arms. His eyes were full of horror and an accusing gaze. I gulped a few pills down and turned to face our pursuers.
“I know you don’t want the trouble lover of Zur. Just help her.”
‘Freslia’s facing her demons tonight!’
THUD. THUD. ZOOOOM!
My sister’s clamor could be heard.
“You, mad eye, you!!!”
----------------------------------------------
Eriel P.O.V.
ZEEEEEZ! “GUUUARW!” SWISH! CLANG! PRACK! WHIRT! “GUUUARW!” PHOW!
We just gave Ikrei a power combination. He blocked darkness with darkness, every time Legion attacked but the energy drove Ataxi into a frenzy. And using a shadowy side step I came in for the finish on his blindspot with a punch.
‘It hurt. Even here, my damn body is so weak!’
I threw in a couple of ice spells for a slippery surprise. Ikrei rolled over the glassy floor in pain.
“You are about to lose your body, little me!”
His eyes remained resolute. He stood up and the swords appeared in his hands again.
“Why can’t I do whatever I think about, like you?”
“I’m the main controller here but don’t be sad. Even I have limitations in this duel. Imagine that you are fighting the former you that you rejected, as he was.”
Ikrei began a short recomposing of himself. He was going to go all out. I gave him a snippet reminder.
“Use the Will, the fire seed! Ataxi will attack if you use darkness.”
“Ataxi?” A moment of levity and surprise came from little me.
“We have been together for a long time.”
Ikrei bolted with a dark version of the star steps. Ataxi went in for a claw and tail combo. Ataxi missed with the claw. An incredible twist and turn in a single breath with a downward handle counter and Ataxi was flattened against the floor.
THUD!
‘Avair’s style! Good, good!’
He switched to Will infused star steps using a chant, ADOHI. It was time to punish his recklessness. Legion went for the intercept; I wasn’t going to allow a direct attack.
SWISH! CLANG! SWISH! CLANG! SLASH! CLANG!
I went for the shadowy finisher again. I hit air. Ikrei disappeared from sight and reappeared with a charging blade right behind me.
WHIRT! WHIRT! WHIRT WHIRT!
The attack shifted at the last instance, but it crashed into one of my created ice barriers. I calculated all possible angles where the attack could land, the four of them. Ataxi came wildly screaming from behind and tail-speared Ikrei with a rush.
I managed to land the counter punch during his partial evasion.
PHOW!
‘Fucking body, it hurt again! Don’t show it, dumb-ass!’
“How many times do I have to tell you?! Don’t use chants! The empire will fuck you up if you do. Don’t waste energy!”
Ikrei got up once more. “Why does the empire want your ass?”
“We are special. The want us under foot or under grave. Legion! Ataxi! Pound this numb-nuts until he learns master control of his blessings.”
The three of them prepared for one more go. Ataxi’s hissing was comforting to me.
“This is bullshit!”
“It is; I can’t believe that you are the best my synchronicity can do.”
Ataxi didn’t move, I felt the blue thread of power combining with the malgrunian flame. I created many floating icicles. Legion dashed for a claw attack, his purple eyes were shining, he was getting deadly. I launched my attacks as support.
WHIRT! WHIRT! ZOOOOOM! WHIRT WHIRT!
“Byeolfeng, Oelouncì. Lonely thrust!”
----------------------------------------
Freslia P.O.V.
[No need to be careful. Mayhem, mayhem!]
‘Shut it!’
[Uhhh, so fiery, say my name!]
ZOOOOOM! ZOOOOOM!
It was time to go underground.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
Three large kinetic energy slashes and the street collapsed inward with considerable debris. I went down, entering the sewer system. The blades were gone, the reinforcement from the runic engravings in the city constructions were a bit much. It was time for fighting of the close encounter type. I sped towards the zone with the biggest junction inside the tunnels, a perfect place for a hustle with all the proper magical protections.
[You are becoming a rat lover, Karis.]
SPLASH! SPLASH! ZOOOOOM
“Kunukku!”
[First seal opened.]
‘Imbue my needles with your power.’
My hidden weapon, seven sagecraft ipsrum alloy acupuncture needles embalmed in the alchemical recipes of the sages. The invisible needles came from my ring, Avair’s ring, and six flew into the tunnels. Metal manipulation of the lethal kind.
DOOONG! DOONG! DOOONG DOOONG!
My arcane shield blocked the spells. Four different types of energy bolts but all with a trace of darkness. My shining eyes weren’t helping; my position was exposed. My right hand revealed the engravings of the Deathbringer, the first seal.
I dashed were the first attack came from and clashed with the energy of the magi. I knew their position, they knew mine. The other three magi went into action.
BOOOM! ZIIIING! BOOOM! ZIIIING! BOOOM! ZIIIING!
‘Kunukku!’
The arcane shield barely held on, I reached the first magi. A second barrage of spells and energy arrows targeted me. Most empire magi are great spell casters but not hybrids. A quickly assembled force in the middle of the night for a hunt, allowed for a small wiggle room.
BOOOM! ZIIIING! BOOOM! ZIIIING! BOOOM! ZIIIING!
My needle pierced the dark magi on his shoulder, he was fast enough to evade my needle to the temple. He fell convulsing nonetheless. Otherworldly dark energy is always troublesome for the Falam boys.
[You need control without the use of hands Karis. It’s a hard tell.]
‘Isn’t this your fault dark being?’
[I just want to be close to you, real close.]
I could feel the sinister laugh behind the words even if I didn’t hear it.
SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH! SWOOOSH!
Zaraki appeared with a lethal triple darkwing slice with his feathers. He was tired almost out of energy. He hid inside me. And then the touch came, the hand of divinity.
“The Will is calling. Just a little more.”
[Hello, little one. It’s been a while.] [Woo, Deathbringer!]
We ran like our lives depended on it. I gulped my remaining Runecraft pills, this was the last stand. It was time, I gave the order I hate giving.
[Second seal opened. Ha, ha, ha!]
[Death is her, Woo! You look beautiful Freslia.]
[It’s Karis, darkwing.]
[Freslia friend, Karis stranger.]
‘Chitchat later, they are coming.’
My body glowed with runic tattoos that appeared on my skin. The protected imbued orgon walls of the under-city system exploded. The wreckage bounced off my arcane energy shield, my shield had a tinge of darkness. The water under my feet felt icy, an inundation of the collapsed section began.
The six magi had arrived.
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH! ZOOOOOOOOOM!
“Surrender or die!”
The soul attack was intense but I held firm, my transformation was helping. I sent my hidden needles for a surprise attack as a counter. They were equipped, I wasn’t expecting much.
ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIIING! DOOONG! BOOOM! BOOOM! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIIING!
The abnormal Exchange blew pipes, tunnels and floors. They were going all out, six dashing streaks of dark light trashing everything in their way coming after me. I ran, blocked and evaded through the rocky obstacle course.
ZEEEZ! ZEEEEZ! ZEEEZ! DOOONG BOOOM! BOOOM! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIIING! BOOOM! BOOOM! DOOONG! ZEEEZ! ZEEEEZ! ZEEEZ!
[The empyrean blood is going to corner you soon. You need to open the third seal.]
[Shut up! You just want to eat Freslia, Woo!]
ZEEEZ! ZEEEEZ! ZEEEZ! DOOONG BOOOM! BOOOM! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIIING! BOOOM! BOOOM! DOOONG! ZEEEZ! ZEEEEZ! ZEEEZ!
We kept twisting, cartwheeling and bleeding as my feet became after images. The runic tattoos were flickering like sky lights. The ceiling was falling on top of my flashing self. A man made earthquake with screams from the populace and flesh that fell inside the unintentional pits.
“God! God!” “Wizaaaards! Wizaaaards!” “AAAARGGGHH!” “HELP!”
‘Zaraki give me everything you got left on my signal.’
ZEEEZ! ZEEEEZ! ZEEEZ! DOOONG BOOOM! BOOOM! ZIIING! ZIIING! ZIIIING! BOOOM! BOOOM! DOOONG! ZEEEZ! ZEEEEZ! ZEEEZ!
[Empyrean blood, arriving in seven breaths, not alone, Woo!]
[Open the third seal.]
“Shut up!” [Shut up!”]
DOOONG! ZIIING! ZIIING! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! SWISH! SWISH! DOOONG!
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH! ZOOOOOM!
There was severe evasion and elation in a dance with death. I was smiling, maybe it should be said that “it “was smiling through me. The seven breaths were up, angry great noble and a retinue of magi were in front.
A great noble of the empire down in the sewers, he was livid. His face told a hundred stories.
‘On three, Zaraki. Great Will don’t fail me!’
Zaraki gave me everything he had. Black shiny wings spread from my back. My eyes turned green. We charged, we charged with everything. The retinue and the bastard blood countered.
“CRAZY WHORE!”
DOOONG! ZIIING! ZIIING! BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM! SWISH! SWISH! DOOONG!
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH! ZOOOOOM!
[He is got that right, ha ha ha!]
THUD. SPLASH! THUD! SPLASH! ZOOOOOOOOM!
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG! BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The resonance effect was massive. Everything was blown into scraps.
Ten breaths later, the handsome elite had my neck in his grip, calmly gliding unto a street nearby. I was almost in trouble, almost.
[Next time Karis, next time. Ha, ha, ha, ha!]
The reality around me started to disintegrate, energy particles floated around with blue light. The Mirror World was dissolving. I gave the damn noble my best bleeding smile.
‘About damn time, brother!’
Eriel P.O.V.
SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG! PRACK! TWHIRT! SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG!
We gave Ikrei a hard spoon to swallow, complicated combinations of all the powers legion and I could use. Because we had an Ataxiar, Ikrei was limited to two of his blessings while I was not. He endured with clenched teeth and learned well. Akathos had done a fine job, a fighter who reacts on intuition that borders on premonition.
SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG! PRACK! TWHIRT! SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG!
“Nightmare of Owls!” I used my personal created art on little me.
I snuck up on him for the hundredth time, my finger touched his temporal lobe and he had an episode. Legion kicked him away without mercy.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Face down, unable to move and with his legs spread, his inert body amused me. The natural outcome of years of dueling and losing within the soul space. As great as Ikrei’s martial arts were, they could not compare to the experience of a hunted one, a person hunted down by Bichmeyrul.
Ikrei refused to give up throughout. This was enough. I touched his head and transferred a little of my own memories into him and released his sealed memories of the orgy of orgies with the help of the Will.
“ANAM KALIM DES GLAOH!”
“AAAHHH!” “AAAHHHH!” “NOOOOOO!” “NOOOOOO!” “AAAHHHH!
He rolled around like a baby, a pitiful sight. Several breaths later, he was glaring at me.
“To overcome the dark path you must suffer, recognize the pain in the eyes of others through your own. Most dark ones are fearful fucks. They hurt, the kill but they can’t take it. They are all afraid of true suffering and true death. There is nothing stoic about their final moments. Men, women or whatever else, they all bitches!”
I spit into the crystalline floor. An unwanted memory resurfaced.
“You know, people who don’t like being controlled are pretty good under totalitarian regimes. You need to rise up. Our world is a place of bullies.”
We prepared for another round, his blades shining and ready to pounce. And as we inserted even more lessons about fighting to the death through the trading of blows, I taught him the final step towards communion with the Will. He had learned to listen instead of retorting, to ponder instead of dismissing.
He was ready.
SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG! PRACK! TWHIRT! SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG!
“Desire is fire, desire is emotion. It can burn forever or turn to ashes. But it can disappear. Even your desire for your girl. What happens when she grows old and wrinkly? Will you desire her then?”
SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG! PRACK! TWHIRT! SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG!
“What you need is a will, an unbreakable will. The will is not something you feel but something you choose. A decision. A decision that will not change no matter how many lives you live or how much you toil.”
“Why do parents love their children? Why do other parents do not? It is a choice Ikrei, the feelings are the result of their choices.”
SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG! PRACK! TWHIRT! SWISH! SLASH! DOOONG! CLANG!
“I can take all your power and leave you with nothing, alone here in the dark. If you had but one more breath, one more moment to live, what would you do? Write a poem? Dance with a sword? If there is but one thing what would that be? What am I doing with my life? What is it that matters to me?”
SLASH! SWISH! SLASH! SWISH! SLASH! SWISH! SLASH! SWISH!
‘This dark weakening thing is something. Evade! Evade! Evade!’
Ataxi went into action and blocked with his body as I weaved and reached his blind spot again with the help of my two summons.
“Nightmare of Owls!” There were more memories and rolling on the floor.
“This is the core, this is you, this is the choice!”
I knelt before the unhappy little me and waited. He wanted to hit me but my dark bodyguard was there. I waited for the true answer in his heart. After who knows how long with unwavering and rebellious eyes, a soul to soul exchange occurred.
‘Strong emotions do sometimes cross over.’
“Then, even if the world burns, Ikrei will sing a song.”
In a place where impossible things are feasible, even ordinary, I had a heart to heart with myself.
Ikrei P.O.V.
“What’s yours? Your choice?”
“Ha ha. That’s like asking a girl how many lovers she’s had.”
“You know mine.”
“When you feel down, sing. When you feel happy, sing again. When you feel nothing, sing some more. And when you are sick of singing, walk away. In time, the song will call you back, for it is your choice. Creation through chaos, liberty through order. Your eternal choice unified with the endless possibilities of innumerable songs.”
Eriel touched me on the chest and many things happened.
“As for Malgrun, let the first song you sing be about love, the fiery feather kind of love. Create Ikrei, create and live, the meaning of your being. The key to your soul and the Will.”
My soul vibrated, some things unlocked and others seeped inside. I saw a portion of Eriel’s plan.
The three godly energies erupted and rearranged themselves. The Will became the main essence, followed by draconian darkness and lastly, the unquenchable fire.
Seventy-two breaths. We walked silently towards the stone and placed our hands upon it, one each.
We locked eyes just as I did with Izeria.
“There are many reasons why you needed to come here but the final one is what is about to happen.” Eriel said.
“But the stone is partially demonic it will not do the bidding of the requester as intended.”
“It loves a good show; we just have to give it one. It’s time for you to go, little me.”
“Eriel, this is insane.”
“Hasn’t it all? A tiny part of me will be with you.”
Even more time in silence passed, weirder faces and quirky smiles.
“You ain’t half bad, old me.”
“Study hard, my arts are mine. Learn your own thing and who you were.”
“Any last minute tips, master Eriel?”
“Can you hear it?”
“The love song for the dark path.”
We laughed, we couldn’t stop laughing at all.
“Music from other worlds, little me. Many tongues, Malgrun loves it.”
“I better come correct with this one.”
“You’ll know when.” The slightly wicked smile I saw sent chills.
The entire place rumbled like an earthquake, blue cracks of light appeared in the distance.
‘What’s going on?!’
“We are out of time, Ikrei.”
We readied ourselves.
‘Inhale, exhale. Release.’.
We poured all the information, feelings and hopes upon the stone at once under one breath.
“Ikrei must live! Ikrei must live!”
URGWHOH!
The twisted, sinister plan of the disciple of Akathos could finally begin. A soul splitting ritual, far away from the prying eyes of the empire and their god. The treasure of the dark path, the philosopher’s stone didn’t tamper with the wish. It split our soul down to the most infinitesimal portions exactly as Eriel wanted it to. A soul cut that created two, a wonder of the gods.
I could tell you I was happy, finally relaxed but instead I was sad, sadder than I ever thought I would be. It was impossible not to, not after knowing what Eriel gave the stone in return.
Eriel’s soul was going to stay in Outer Darkness.
The stone shone its multicolored light, the sensation of chains breaking and leaving my body brought tears, somehow.
It was done.
The stone had a new resident of Outer Darkness, the kind that makes it happy, it laughed like a thunderstorm of deep, all-encompassing feeling.
“HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!”
The space continued to crack until there was nothing but the altar, the stone and us.
Everything faded to black.
