“What…are you?” David asked the new girl. Her green hair shone, casting light on the darkness of Atmaz’s space. She was small like Chaos was when he first appeared. She smiled, her prismatic eyes bearing down on David as she leaned closer to his aching form. Her face came in and out of sight as his vision wobbled. He couldn’t take much more, he could feel something within him near its collapse point, yet he had to hold on. He hadn’t figured out how to manifest the mantle yet and Amtaz’s process wasn’t working.

“Chaos…” Amtaz increased the pressure and David felt fresh fire wash over his lungs. He coughed, his chest hurting. Chaos’s new face carried a perpetual frown. He stared at David as though he was looking at a child. The girl walked over to sit in front of David, her legs folded in front so her dress flowed over them. She grinned.

“You can’t tell what I am because you are not completely in control yet,” she said, giggling as if she’d just said something hilarious. “You are the master of all, but your connection to us is tenuous, simple. You could call a partial part of your mantle only because your life was in danger, and now that doesn’t work anymore because you have grown stronger.” She beamed, clapping her hand so suddenly that it startled David.

“Wha….do I…do?” The words were exhausting to push out. He looked up absolute darkness still swirled, alive and strong. “I am…” he took a breath, his mind straining against the weight of Amtaz’s powers. “I am not strong enough.”

The girl shook her head, her smile fading to a sad frown. Pity, David thought. She looked at him with pity and that made the weight heavier for him. He turned to Chaos, hoping to find a clue in his eyes, but there was nothing. He was missing something, a part of the puzzle that would let him understand the test.

“You think the Old One is putting so much weight on you,” the girl said, standing up, now the glow spread over her, reaching her feet. “Your understanding of the concept of essence is quite shallow, so I will help you here. But only if you promise me one thing!”

Chaos groaned, turning a smoldering glare on her, which she ignored. David nodded for her to continue. He’d take all the help he could get. Every second they talked, he was getting close to being pulverized. She beamed.

“You will choose me as your mediator,” she said, confusing David even more. “While we can all come to you, we can’t all be with you at the same time. The rules of the tower forbid it. So you need one, a channel to the veil. And I want it to be me.” She leaned close to David and he could perceive the wind in her hair, the scent of a tropical forest awash with colors. The image of rain on sand and the heat of a fierce burning, these sensations washed over him in a moment and then they were gone. Her eyes were furious, spinning balls of colors, making him dizzy.

“Fine,” David croaked. He was too tired to argue. He had expected to die moments ago, but somehow he’d held on. The pain was a steady stream now and soon his bones would snap and he’d bleed to death. What kind of test was this?

“Great,” The girl shrieked in delight, happiness radiating off her–tangible, like a physical storm. “First, you should know that the Old One isn’t pressing on you physically. Your pain is imagined. It is your mind simplifying the spiritual discomfort you feel, because you don’t understand the concept yet.”

David frowned. That didn’t make sense. He could feel the pressure on his bones, his lungs squeezing out and his throat tightening now and then. He remembered the flush of fire in his chest, the burning that spread through him like lava crawling through his veins. Those were real, not imagined. He’d felt real pain. He looked up at the smiling girl, wondering if maybe he was hallucinating her. That would make more sense.

“Your spirit is weak, and you are not doing much about it,” the girl said. She stretched her hand forward, that cheery smile still on her face. David looked at Chaos only to meet his stony glare. There was no need to second guess, but he couldn’t shake the worry that this could be an illusion, a trick part of the test.

He took her hand and she pulled him up. The pain receded immediately, the weight falling off slowly until he felt almost nothing. She grinned, dusting her hand as though she’d done something filthy. Chaos hovered, his legs folded under him. His silence and his new scowling face made him a little bit too intense, but he was easy to ignore.

“Now,” the girl said, gesturing for David to sit. She sat back down as she had before, facing him. “You need to understand the power you have been tapping into. And what you are. The Old One uses this method because this was how he achieved his advancement, but we can do better by reaching to the source itself, instead of forcing through the blockade.”

“What are you talking about?” David asked. The more she told him, the further he got buried in confusion. And it seemed to amuse her. “What are you? I know him,” David pointed at Chaos who now had his arms folded.

“You don’t, Master.” She frowned. David thought he saw her shudder. “Even that doesn’t feel right because of your lack of insight and the manifestation of your mantle. You don’t know my brother, you know him as Chaos, but you don’t know his origin, his true face. You don’t even know where the power you use comes from.”

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“Essence is the general energy of life,” David said, stubbornness in his voice. “I know that.”

The girl shook her head. “What you influence is a part of a larger stream of power, Mas…David. It is bigger than you, than us, and even encompasses the tower gods. But they have a high influence over things. They can reach the true source. Essence influences the little things, but even at that…how do I put this respectfully? You suck?”

She grinned, her eyes watching David for a reaction so he didn’t give her one. There was something weird about the girl, but there was something strange about Chaos too. And now he took a look at the boy, seeing the hard cuts on his new face.

“You were fighting against Amtaz’s power,” she continued. “But that is not the test. It has been allowed because when you fight against it, some of it still leaks through to do what it is supposed to do. And Amtaz enjoys the competition.”

“There is a different way?” David asked. The girl nodded.

“It is the normal way,” She said. “To manifest your mantle, you need to push yourself to your limit, but not physically. Your spirit needs to be full, stretched until you feel you are about to explode with power. I am holding back Amtaz’s power at the moment, so prepare yourself. This time don’t fight against it. There will be pain, but it will be a different kind. And I will guide you.”

He nodded. He was familiar with what she had described, but there were specks of skepticism still. What he felt pressing him down didn’t feel like essence. It was like a storm of hot, sharp edges. He closed his eyes and let himself open as he would when he pulled essence. Nothing came at first, but the storm followed shortly. It blasted into him, knocking his sense of self away. He filled up rapidly as if he was trying to swallow a waterfall all at once. It was impossible.

“Sorry! Sorry! That was careless of me,” She said, giggling. David couldn’t think through the deluge. It eased a bit, fattening him up, but it was still heavy. The pain wasn’t as intense as before. His insides burned, but he could close his eyes and push through it. He sensed what she meant, then saw it as he looked inward.

Inside him was a bonfire, a raging furnace of light. It burned and soothed and healed. He took a deep breath in, and he felt like he could feel, see, and touch everything in the world–in existence. The sensory overload threatened to bury him, but the girl eased that too, breaking down what he needed.

“Whoa!” The girl exclaimed and David’s eyes flung open. “Did you see that?” She asked, her lips peeled back in a smile.

“What?”

“Your icon,” She said. “Your master’s Icon. It is terrifying and beautiful. You can’t see it now, but seeing it flash at all means you are close. Can you feel yourself stretch taut?”

David nodded. Her eyes flared with light.

“Great! I am hoping after this you will know my name.” She leaned forward swiftly, and even when David shifted back her hand still touched his forehead and David felt a hot bolt of lightning shoot through him. It seared everything and turned the black space into a startling white. Somewhere in the distance, Amtaz’s laughter echoed and David was pulled into a sweltering flame. No, not just fire. It was a forge. The crack of iron on iron echoed everywhere, and a large floating eye was glaring at him.

You have been summoned to the Soul Forge

Your soul will be re-forged!

You have accepted a mediator!

You are the first Master to reach the path of an Icon. Arameth sees your potential and blesses you!

The World Tilter contends your authority!

“Push harder!” The mediator yelled and David pushed. He fed on more of Amtaz’s power and spread it all over what he assumed was his soul. He shuddered as his will crashed with the mantle’s stubbornness. The World Tilter was a grand armor, it eclipsed David, but he wasn’t alone. He felt the girl shove a massive flood of essence into him and his racing heart slowed to a calm wave and his mind was focused.

“Now, command it!”

[Come.] David said and the armor resisted, but only for a moment. It bowed to his will, merging with his soul so it was permanently a part of him.

You have claimed the first Mantle: Master of All

David blinked, slowly opening his eyes to realize he could see through Amtaz’s darkness. The colors formed into paths—order claiming the entity’s independent consciousness. And in the distance, something shimmered into form. It was a silver helm with hollow eyes with a sword of pale wood behind it. From the eyes of the elm, dark smoke oozed. David stared at his Icon for a moment and when they vanished, he didn’t feel hollow.

He opened his eyes to find that he was standing on the floating altar again. The priests were still praying, but the Elder’s eyes were open. He gave a subtle nod and went back to his prayer. David stared at them. He’d been in the Soul Forge only briefly, but that place had released power much greater than anything he’d ever felt. Even stronger than the pool. His skin still tingled and he’d forgotten the shame of being naked. Then he saw the mark on his left palm. The helmet and sword were etched into the flesh of his palm like a scar.

“Lord Amareth was right,” Hagan said, shocking David. The others had stopped praying too. David walked leisurely to where his clothes were and started to dress up. “You and your siblings are worthy of being the Chosen.”

David wasn’t sure about that, but he wouldn’t reject the extra power. When he finished, he showed them his Icon. Hagan gasped, touching the mark like it was some kind of miracle.

“What will you do now?” He asked. “They will want to kill you for this.” David frowned.

“They can steal it?”

This time it was the Elder who responded, “A god’s favor is a fickle thing. And Amareth supports strength. Although it has never been seen, it is understood that a mantle can be stolen.” He conjured a small box of dull brown wood and threw it at David. “Once you get your siblings, you can use the water in the vials for them. You will need to make haste.”

David opened the box to find three finger-sized vials of blue liquid. He bowed to the Elder and Hagan escorted him out into the shocking darkness of Zur-Del.