A huge vulture waited for Knell about an hour down the road. As he approached, wisps of smoke rose from the bird’s wings, growing in size until a solid wall of darkness hung in the air. The smoke faded as a woman stepped out from it, wrapping around her like twisting snakes.

She wore handmade clothing made of black leather and tattered feathers the size of a forearm. A band of stained brown cloth covered her eyes and her lips were blood red, a stark contrast to her skin, which was as pale as the shining moon.

“Hello, Mordrigal,” Knell said, inclining his head but not taking his eyes off her. She, and the rest of the gods, had been shattered years ago. The once-great twelve rulers of the world, smashed to thousands of Shards that all vied for the remaining scraps of their power. “You are late.”

“My little instrument.” Her sultry voice sent a trail of ice running down Knell’s back. She reached up, peeling the cloth back from her face to reveal bloodshot eyes. “You insist on this path?”

“My father has been preparing me for this since the day I was born,” Knell replied. “I will seek my own Path.”

“Your Path was decided for you before you were born,” Mordrigal said, stepping up to him. She cupped his chin in a sharp-nailed hand, pulling his face up to meet her eyes. “But little did I know that your Eternal Body would boost your rate of growth. How beneficial. I believed that only Legendary bloodlines could provide such boons, but you are not the first with a hidden secret to aid you.”

Knell shrugged one shoulder, keeping his face flat. He watched Mordrigal carefully, searching to see if she had any inklings of his Epoch Path or abilities. However, she appeared completely clueless.

“So you say,” Knell said. “My father always despised you, and I am not much different.”

“Such a cruel way to speak to your teacher.” Mordrigal traced a finger up the side of his face and brushed the hair out of his face. “As is fitting. I will permit you this small liberty, then. Do not fall to another Scion in your rebellious phase. If you do, your punishment will be,” she paused as a shudder ran through her body and she drew in a sharp breath, “excruciating.”

“You will permit me nothing,” Knell replied. “All you can do is observe, Mordrigal. The gods have no power on their own in the Mortal Plane. I let your influence on me grow a single time, and we both know how that turned out.”

Her eyes flicked down to his leg and she grunted.

“Your words wound me,” Mordrigal said. Her breath smelled of carrion. Knell repressed a grimace before it could form on his face. “Children say such rude things when they are in their teens. I granted you such power, and you spit on me in return.”

“There was no granting involved,” Knell said. “You lost your eyes to me in a game that you agreed to play. You can blame only your incompetence for being defeated by a child. If anyone has a complaint to make, it should be me. The Scion Path I gained after taking your eyes has given me no abilities.”

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Mordrigal’s face twisted in anger. “They were easy enough to regrow, but I still remember the pain, boy. I do not forget easily. Nor the loss of power.”

“Nor do I,” Knell said. “As I see it, we are even for the exchange of wounds.”

“You are a mortal,” Mordrigal hissed. “I am eternal. I am a god.”

“A piece of one,” Knell corrected. “A large piece, but still a piece. And nothing is eternal, Mordrigal. Not even you.”

“Nor your father,” Mordrigal said, running her tongue along her lips.

“Is there anything more you wish to tell me? I have a long walk ahead.”

The woman grabbed Knell’s wrist and turned it over, running a pointed fingernail down his wrist. A small wisp of energy rose up from it, forming into words between them.

Name: Knell Coda [Age: 0]

Path: Scion [Rank Zero]

Magical Energy Level: 8

Attunement A: Foresight of the Vulture

Attunement B: Empty

Attunement C: Empty

Attunement D: Empty

Attunement E: Empty

Foresight of the Vulture [Legendary] – Peer a short distance into the future, seeing the most likely outcome of actions taken in your immediate surroundings.

Bloodline: Eternal Body [Epic]– Time magic bends around you, modifying your lifespan and granting you resistance to spatial magics.

The angry expression vanished from Mordrigal’s face as quickly as it had come, replaced by greed.

“I heard you’d finally wet your blade,” Mordrigal said, pursing her lips in a pout. “I expect it to be stained red when you return. The other gods know of us now. It’s interesting that your Bloodline doesn’t mention your increased power gain, but it isn’t unheard of.”

Knell yanked his hand back. “There is no us, Mordrigal.”

Mordrigal laughed and took a step back. “So feisty. You may be a broken tool, but you are a tool nonetheless. I will grant your request for freedom, but not for free. Your teacher has one last requirement, so that you do not set off into the world unprepared.”

“I expected as much,” Knell said, leaning on his staff. There was only so much he could push her – for now. Mordrigal’s time would come, but it was not today. “What do you seek?”

“The same thing I always do,” Mordrigal replied, a smile tugging at her blood red lips. “Life. For today, I’ll settle for a specific one.”

“Which?” Knell asked. “I will not agree to an assisted suicide.”

“Her name is Lillicent. One of Holen’s Scions.”

Knell’s lips pressed thin. “The God of Man? He has some very powerful Shards. I am not prepared to face such a foe.”

“Lillicent’s Boon is weak. She serves one of Holen’s weakest Shards,” Mordrigal said. “You are strong enough to pose a threat.”

“Hm. Where is she? I’ll not be sent to the other side of the world for no reason. I have plans,” Knell said.

“A short distance from Port Chrisford.”

Knell wracked his brain for a few moments. “That should be close enough, actually. Not the closest port, but better than where we are now. Very well. You’ll have to take me to her. I have no desire to trail another Scion for weeks.”

“This is against the unspoken rules.”

“When have you cared for rules?”

Mordrigal laughed. It was a chilling, hollow noise, like wind howling through a mausoleum. “Very well. I will deliver you, and then you will be on your own until the day that you seek me out once more. Do not perish.”

Smoke rose from beneath the wrapping covering her eyes, spreading out and enveloping her body. A violent gale picked up and the smoke enveloped Knell, blocking out his vision. The world went black and he tightened his grip on the staff in his hand, making sure he didn’t drop it.