“You can’t get her out,” Nauli said, holding the orb up to get a better look at it. Zoey’s soul lit the inside like a green wildfire. It was both beautiful and haunting. David wanted to smash it to free his sister, but he knew that wouldn’t work. He had thought someone like Nauli could help, but the High Lord looked even more sorrowful as he examined the orb, his face darkening as he turned it this way and that. He handed it back to David, his eyes confirming what David had feared—Nauli couldn’t help. No one on this floor could help. They were doomed, and Zoey would die.

“You have to take her out soon,” Nauli said. “The longer she stays in there, the less of herself will remain when she comes out. That orb is a perfect hidden space, but it’s sustained by the energy from her soul. It’s a self-maintaining prison. You have to get her out quickly. The problem is, very few people can help.”

“Who can?” Elisha asked, his face like stone, though his eyes were red. He hadn’t spoken to David since their fight, and Chloe was sobbing next to him. David looked away, guilt and shame tearing through him as the memory of losing Zoey replayed in his mind. He should have found that man faster. He should have protected them. Useless, David thought.

“Amareth, of course,” Nauli said. “But gods rarely intervene in such things. They believe obstacles make us who we are. The Arashin Monarch could help, but he’s in a pocket world, and no one has seen him in years. Monarchs do that sometimes. They’re different from gods. You should be able to do it too, David.”

“What?” David asked, frowning. The names Nauli mentioned were beings of immense power, able to warp and undo reality. David couldn’t imagine himself doing anything they could do. But Elisha and Chloe were looking at him expectantly, and Nauli was grinning as if he didn’t realize the weight of his words.

“You can undo Chaos, yes?” Nauli asked, folding his top two arms across his chest while clasping the lower two behind his back. David nodded. “The orb is a magical item, a manifestation of chaos, correct?”

David saw where the High Lord was going with his questions. He summoned his gauntlet immediately, cursing himself for not thinking of it sooner. A small ember of hope flared within him as he held the orb up. The green light inside now resembled dust particles dancing, different from before.

You have attempted to tame chaos!

You do not have the required authority to affect the Orb of the Harvester!

“What happened?” Nauli asked. David let the orb and gauntlet vanish, the hope inside him snuffed out as quickly as it had come. Rage boiled within him, and his fists clenched. He wished he could kill the Arashin again and again until Zoey was freed.

“It says I don’t have the required authority,” David replied. “How do I get that authority, High Lord?”

Nauli thought for a moment, then grinned. “You have your mantle and Icon, don’t you? You are the master of all, even though you haven’t mastered everything yet. I think I can help. If you go to the right floor, you’ll find something that could give you the strength to wrest the authority you need. You can’t become a Monarch, but you can become the next best thing.”

“What are you talking about?” Elisha asked. “I thought we already won the right to go to the ninth floor.”

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“You have,” Nauli said, still grinning. “But there are many floors, and you might end up on one that’s challenging but useless to your overall growth. I can help you reach the right one by divining the correct path. One that will lead you to what you need. You will suffer, but it will be worth it.”

“I don’t care about suffering,” David whispered. Nauli nodded, his grin widening.

“Let’s do it,” David said.

The High Lord led them down a wide, bustling passage. Warriors clustered together, speaking with god-like representatives or chatting with friends. Many were wounded, some missing limbs. David searched for familiar faces, for angels, but found none. Most of the faces were new to him.

“How many people have won the right to go to the ninth floor?” David asked.

“Not many,” Nauli replied, spreading his arms in a shrug. “But many temples and representatives seek out those with potential. And what better way to own a soul than by healing it when it’s down? That’s the way of the gods. Many of the wounded you see here will be healed and put to work for the god they accept.”

David nodded and noticed a figure with a long, thin sword staring at them. More eyes followed, making him uneasy, but only for a moment. He didn’t care what they thought. He’d cut down anyone who got in his way. He would protect what was left of his family, no matter what.

“Why are they looking at us?” Elisha asked.

Nauli chuckled as they reached the end of the hallway, stopping before a door covered in harsh engravings. It loomed over them, taller than the High Lord. Nauli pressed his palm against it, and the door slid open soundlessly. They entered a dark room dominated by a portal swirling with essence.

“This is one of the private gates in the facility,” Nauli explained. “It has a fragment of the Eternals’ power. You’ve met Olam?”

David nodded.

“Good. This portal works similarly, but it can be influenced by someone of higher authority. I’m not stronger than the Eternals, but today, I carry a fragment of our Lord’s authority. After today, I won’t be able to do this again.”

Nauli touched the portal with all four hands, and tattoos around his wrists lit up in complex, looping patterns. It was breathtaking to watch. His body trembled, and David guessed it was from the weight of the power flowing through him.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Elisha said, standing close. David hadn’t realized his brother had approached. His cloak of shadows flowed over him, covering Chloe, but his hood was down.

“What?” David asked, unsure how to respond. Elisha had grown taller in the months they had climbed the tower. His long, dark hair and lean build suited someone who moved swiftly. His aura was sharp and uncontrolled, and his voice was filled with pain. It cut deep.

“I know you, David. You’re probably blaming yourself for what happened to Zoey,” Elisha said, shaking his head as their mother would when David was being unreasonable. “It wasn’t your fault. None of us could have predicted that, and Zoey was strong enough to protect herself. It wasn’t your job to protect her… or any of us. Maybe Chloe, but even she might be the strongest of us all. Stop punishing yourself. We’ll free her, and she’ll be alright.”

David stood in awe. His eyes remained fixed on Nauli so that Elisha wouldn’t see the tears welling up in his eyes or the lump in his throat. He nodded, too afraid to speak.

You have passed the Test of Heroes!

You have achieved the right to ascend!

High Lord Nauli has set your path for the Soul Key.

“Soul Key?” David asked.

Nauli nodded. “It will help you gain the strength needed to undo the orb.”

David bowed to the High Lord. "See you soon."

Nauli smiled. "I doubt that." He spoke of staying on Orphus, with his family, away from the towers. David hoped to meet him again someday.