We started grinding before the sun was up the next day. This time we headed in the opposite direction and encountered more insectile creatures. These were much less entertaining to fight which meant I killed them without mercy. It wasn't enough to reach level 46. Not by a large amount but after Trey gained another level I decided to call it. I wanted to do some exploring and the combat was a bit dull. I let Xerxes and Trey continue since they were having fun but I headed back to the surface.

  The problem was I wasn't sure what to do next. I could go to the third continent but from what I've heard there wasn't much there. It had gotten the "deserts" of the old world. Which meant it was a weird mixture of heat, and ice where growing crops were difficult outside of the forest and grassy areas. Chances are if there were any treasures there they wouldn't be the kind I needed. There was the primal battlefield. I probably couldn't beat the stronger puppets but I should be strong enough for the weak ones.

  I also wasn't sure what Taos were there nor did I know what treasures were present. The only potential issue were the dangers. If I fucked up or if Binary wasn't awake and something strong got out... Of course risk and rewards were a very real thing. Lastly I could return to making Arrays. The finances were a pretty nice incentive. It turned out the decision wasn't mine to make. I hadn't been in Amara for more than thirty minutes when Aaliyah ran up to me.

  She looked like she had just gone through a battle. That mixed with slight fear in her eyes told me all I needed to know. "Where?"

  "He's on the third continent. He killed a town and is waiting."

  "Xerxes bring Trey and be quick about it. I might need your help."

  I sent out a string of commands to my council and leaders of the army. Amara was shut down to all visitors and the array was active within ten minutes. It took too long. Every second felt like an eternity. I wasn't sure if this was another trick from the psycho or if he really wanted to end this. Which meant I should have been there already. Still I couldn't let that distract me. That could also lead to disaster. If this was a trick or some kind of ploy to get me out of Amara... well I just couldn't any of it happen.

  When Xerxes and Trey arrived I gestured for the former to follow and the latter to go. I held up a hand to stop his attempt at arguing. "No, you can't come. You aren't strong enough and I don't know what he has planned. Stay here and take care of everything with the council. Keep them safe." I paused and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "If something happens here while I am gone I leave it to you. Amara is yours to defend."

  Watching the disappointment in his eyes be replaced with excitement and then grim understanding caused a mix of emotions in the pit of my stomach. I loved that he was taking this seriously but apart me knew it wasn't fair. This was a hell of a responsibility for an adult let alone a teenager. Still there was nothing I could do about it. I decided not to say anything else and turned to Xerxes. I updated him on the situation as we made our way to the teleporter.

  "So we are hunting another predator. It is not good to go to him."

  I grinned at him and shook my head. "Don't tell me your afraid?"

  The massive Qilin growled as we enter the room. The three guards froze but neither of us paid them any attention. I placed a hand on the teleporter and in the next moment I was standing in sandy square. I wasn't sure where this place was before the System arrived. Likely somewhere in the middle east and it wasn't important not now anyway. I briefly considered summoning the cloud but decided against it.

  I wasn't confident dealing with attacks in the air and my gut told me that the ground would be safer. We entered a full sprint as my mind raced. We had tried to learn as much as possible about the Herald but the chaos caused by the System made it impossible. He was either a murderer already who was either free now and used the System as an excuse. Or he was someone who went mad after. Either way he was a monster now.

  I was pretty sure that I was stronger than him overall but his disappearances made me think he had gained some advantages. If he had a treasure like the bomb than we might be in trouble. Hell if he had a strong weapon I might be in a bigger problem. Either way there was no use to making him a bigger threat in my mind. We were going to fight each other either way.

  I wasn't sure how long it took us to arrive but when we did I had almost wished we hadn't. The town was clearly a victim of the System's randomization as it looked like somewhere in the middle east had been combined with a city block in Asia. None of that was what drew our attention. That was the stench of blood in the air. Xerxes was the first to notice and even the violent Qilin was unnerved.

  As soon as we were within the town's limits a massive killing intent exploded from the largest building. It wasn't hard to tell that he was calling us. Which was irritating but I wasn't an idiot. I wasn't going to go directly to him. Instead we ran up a building that was in between us. I expanded my soul sense to verify that there weren't any traps before we approached.

  We stopped on a stone building about thirty feet away and below him. The Herald had gone through a transformation since the last time I saw him. He now wore a black and red blood stained robe with a single nasty blade on his hip. The robe had an array going through it but the real point of interest was the knife. It was definitely a relic and one that was awakened or rather had a proper spirit with it.

  The blade reminded me of something a serial killer would use. The blade was serrated which only added to the intimidation factor. The himself looked oddly calm. "Hello there powerful leader." He grinned and ran a finger over the tip of his blade. He drew a small drop of blood, that was immediately drained by the knife.

  "I see you've gone for the serial killer vibe. At least you haven't hung corpses from the wall again."

  The Herald cackled and looked over at Xerxes. "And this must be the little puppy I've heard about. I didn't take you as pet guy."

  Xerxes' killing intent exploded. It felt like a primal beast god had stepped onto the battlefield. His energy surged but I placed a hand on his shoulder to delay the blast of fire I knew was coming. "What are you doing? or rather why have you gone through this?"

  The Herald tossed his head back and laughed. "Do I need a reason? Why are you doing what you want? Why are you fighting, building your little city? This is what the System wants. Who am I to question it?" He took out his dagger and spun it in his hands. "Why should we fight it? You feel the energy same as me. You've drunk from the well it provided. Why should we allow kill the beasts?" His laughter cut off abruptly right before a scream of danger forced me to my right.

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  I narrowly avoided a slash that dug nearly four inches into the stone. Thanks to the Eye of Heaven I knew what happened. He had unleashed a sharp Tao that just slashed at me. It was similar to what I could do with space but different. I activated Psychic Aegis and Xerxes unleashed a blast of fire. The Herald's laughter erupted as he disappeared. My eyes widened as he appeared in front of me and slammed his dagger into the shield. Aegis held for little more than a second before it shattered and I was forced to dodge.

  We exchanged a flurry of blows before Xerxes charged him. Xerxes' attack forced us a part. The herald activated his movement skill and disappeared. I rolled my shoulders and expanded my soul sense to search for him. He was clearly faster than me but our strength was similar. "I think you might need to take charge buddy." I looked down at Xerxes howled in response.

  A moment later the Herald reappeared two buildings over. I formed a dozen psychic blades and was about to charge after him. When he activated a new skill. A crack in space opened and a creature that looked like a blood red hound stepped out. At first I thought he had a pet but that wasn't it. This creature was made out of energy. It reminded me a bit of the golems. "Here doggy doggy doggy" The herald began.

  Xerxes let another howl as the Herald and his pet stepped onto a rooftop. "You are going to have to use your Tao against it. I don't think its solid either." I started. "Try not to swallow of any of it." Xerxes and blood dog leaped for each other while I devoted my attention to the Herald. I launched my blades before he had a chance to activate his movement ability. The Herald ducked in narrowly avoiding the first two blades. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the other ten blades came at him from nearly every direction.

  Just before they would have slammed home he unleashed a Tao field that was reminiscent of a dozens of omnidirectional slashes. My blades were eviscerated. A scream of danger a second before he was in front of me was my only warning. I expanded my own Tao field and space solidified around us. It was like his dagger was stuck in molasses as he shot for my heart. I unleashed a spiritual energy infused side kick into his chest only for his robes to absorb most of the impact.

  The Herald shifted his blade into his off hand and swung it for my throat. I brought up a hand to block the blade and had to bit back a scream of pain. The blade started draining blood from the wound. I unleashed psychokinetic blast to separate us before it could take too much. The herald twirled the blade in his fingers just before energy surged into his right arm.

  A second later a bloody mist spread out from his body. The mist reminded me of Realm of Consciousness only it felt more evil. Like I was about to enter a killing field. I activated Realm of Consciousness and the two domain abilities clashed. The world around us was delineated where one side was cloudy misty field while the other was killing field. An indigo sun was born a second later as I activated Psionic Rain. The Herald faded back into his skill so I decided to target everything.

  Dozens of psychic blades shot after him. I expanded my soul sense but once it tried to penetrate into the bloody mist it was like trying to see through a snowstorm. "Come now. Show me more" The Herald's voice was distorted as if it came out of a horror movie filter. I circulated the Tao of Adamance through my mind as I considered my next steps. He was faster than me which meant if we got pulled into a game of hit and mouse I would lose. He was faster and unless I used Apportation it would be harder for me to escape his mist.

  I could use the cloud but that would make me a bigger target. A scream of danger pulled me out of my thoughts as a bloody figure rushed toward me. At first I thought it was the Herald but it wasn't. It was like blood elemental. Some how the liquid humanoid was able to find me despite the mist. I formed six psychic blades and launched them into the thing but as soon as it was down two more entered.

  I took out another one but the second cut me across the back with sharp talon like claws. When it started draining my blood I cursed. Was this the ability of his knife? I unleashed Psychic Blast into the elemental and then waited. When nothing else entered my territory I let out a sigh and activated Apportation. As soon as I stepped out of the portal the Herald was in front of me. Blade slicing through the air. Once again I sacrificed my right arm to avoid a lethal blow and leaped backwards.

  The lack of blood in the wound only made the fight stranger. I activated Inverted Dimension followed by Manifestation of Perfection. As soon as I connected to both spells I figured this battle was over. I unleashed a spatial slash aiming to remove his head. Just before the spatial attack hit he used his Tao field. This time it wasn't enough. He barely managed to avoid the decapitation in exchange for gouging out his right shoulder. If it weren't for his robes it likely would have taken his entire right arm.

  I stepped forward ready to unleash another set of attacks and to end this. When he started laughing. In the next moment all of my spells collapsed as a twisted cage appeared. It was made out of a pitch black metal that was covered in bones and barbed wire. I tried to activate Apportation but the spell failed. Further trying to use the Tao of Compression felt like fighting through tar.

  "Like it? This is my level forty skill. Nightmare Cage." The Herald's voice once again was altered. It seemed to come from all over the cage and it sounded like the stuff that nightmares were made off. A pervasive terror settled on me like a weight.

  "So its like Manifestation?" I grinned and circulated the Taos of Adamance and Lucidity, one after another. A complex storm of emotions formed in my stomach as the cage began to rattle. I knew I should be worried. That this was a bad situation to be in but I couldn't stop the joy I felt. This is a fight! I tried to unleash a spatial blade at the cage but what formed could barely cut anything. I didn't bother shooting it at anything.

  The Herald appeared about ten feet away. His dagger twirled while he laughed like a maniac. I formed another halo of psychic blades as I tried to decide what to do. I unleashed my blades but before they could cross half the distance chains from different points in the cage unfurled and slammed into them. "I might need some help here buddy." Xerxes didn't respond but he did send reassurance down our bond.

  "I don't get it." I began. "With your strength you could have made a country. You could have done so much but instead you choose to kill the weak?"

  The Herald grinned. "I choose to do what the System wants. The others are pathetic. You've had to see it. Look at this power." He gestured to the cage around us. "We have strength that would have made us gods. We have a teacher willing to guide us on the path. What other excuses could they have?"

  The more he spoke the more I had to admit I agreed. Not that I wanted them all to die. I shook my head and formed another halo of blades. The Herald blurred but this time I was ready. I activated Psychic Aegis just as he reappeared. The wall only held for a second, but a second was more than enough time to launch my attack. The cage managed to protect him from two of them but the rest rained down.

  The Herald abandoned his attack and retreated to the edge of the cage. He swayed on his feet briefly before he steadied himself. A Tao related to fear spread through his body. For some reason the fear calmed him down instead of anything else. "Aren't you the same?" He started. "Sure you aren't hunting them for their energy but you are using them. They've become little more than slaves and servants."

  I activated Psionic Rain and once again a indigo sun was born. Before I could release the attack five chains shot out and engulfed it. My connection to the spell broke and disappeared. I ruefully shook my head and stared at him. "I got to admit that part's pretty irritating." I formed another halo of blades as the Herald rushed me.

  He flipped his dagger into an ice pick grip and swung at me. I countered with a psychic blade and slammed a right hook into his chin. My blade held his for less before it slashed across my shoulder. Once again it stole more of my blood. I swore as I summoned a package from my ring. I was sixty percent sure that what I was about to do wouldn't kill me. I wanted to say that I was doing this for the greater good but that wasn't the case. I sent a small amount of spiritual energy into the array and launched it at the cage's ceiling. I watched the bomb slam into the cage just before everything exploded.