I woke almost eleven hours later. The room was silent except for Ikfei’s soft breathing against my chest. Strands of her unbraided hair had escaped to pool across my shoulder.

In the background, Yuki acknowledged my waking before going back to chat with Mumu. The expedition was making progress in their investigation of the Temple of Wanting’s magical devices. Inside me was also the certainty that the Deer God had finished consuming the power of the talon.

I gazed at Ikfei’s sleeping face, and my heart swelled. Her eyes flickered open and her collarbone heated, the flush creeping up her neck and onto her face. My smile might’ve turned dopey, but I’d always been like that.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Mmm,” she said, nodding.

Her hair tickled me, but I didn’t react, not wanting to spoil the moment. I watched her expressive face shift along with her thoughts.

“You are certain there will be no regrets?” she finally asked.

“Regrets are a poison I will not abide,” I replied. “Not in myself and not between you and me.”

A sigh moved through her then, and she stretched in a motion that was both languid and powerful. She had an athlete’s body, my Ikfei, sculpted from toned, lean muscles. Seeing my reaction, she may have stretched for longer than she needed to. A spark of mischief lit within her eyes.

###

A couple of hours later, I pulled us out of bed to get us moving again. Once dressed and armed, we reorganized the Hoarder’s Pocket to make room for the talon. Then, we spent more time shifting things around so that we could take the massive bed with us. We both agreed on that.

When we were done, Ikfei and I headed upstairs. I thought we might go hand-in-hand, but she forwent the romantic gesture in order to twirl a stone spear she’d made. She grinned widely at the joy of having human hands.

We found the Deer God resting and watching the storm above Old Baxteiyel. One of the walls had stopped working, but through the others we saw how the hurricane continued to beat upon the city, the spirit cradled within not having been born yet. My clock told me it was midafternoon, but it might as well still be night for how dark it was outside. The streets were absolutely flooded.

The talon lay in the corner, forgotten, so I simply walked over to slide it into the pocket. Nearby, the floor was covered in a layer of fine, sparkling dust. The Deer God nodded, which from the way he held his head proudly afterward, told me he’d been the one responsible crushing the death crystal. It seemed my Nonverbal Communication skill was working just fine.

Should I take the dust too? I wondered. That I even had to consider the idea probably meant the answer was yes, so I swept it up using a piece of dawn fabric from the pocket.

Afterward, I went to study the magic display screens, but I couldn’t figure out neither hide nor hair of how they worked.

Ikfei, meanwhile, searched the room to make sure we hadn’t missed anything. She even rapped a fist along the pedestal, looking for secrets hidden in the stone. Then she stared at the remains of Amleila’s corpse for a long time before storing it in the pocket too—well away from where we’d put our bed.

The Deer God stood to join us as we got ready to go. There wasn’t a lick of surprise in him at seeing Ikfei in her human body. He was an enigmatic creature for sure, and I wondered how having a corporeal body would change him.

Just then, a group of Old Baxteiyel’s explorers ran across the top of the pyramid, all of them drenched by the storm. They didn’t seem to be engaged in any fighting, though, so Asiik likely wasn’t an issue anymore. As we watched, they gestured excitedly to an area below our view.

I walked to the room’s edge to see if I could make out the cause. The rain came down like a wall, but I spotted a group of people clustered at the pyramid’s midway point, where the entrance was located.

“We should get going,” I said. “It’s likely the pyramid’s been breached.”

Which was when the Deer God disappeared. He possessed the talent One with the Herd, and that herd just so happened to consist of Ikfei, Yuki, and me. His spirit spread out between the three of us, which left me feeling like someone was looking over my shoulder.

Usually, a “one with” talent let a person control that relevant thing, but I didn’t notice any changes, and my Status remained clear of influence.

“What’s this supposed to do?” I asked him. “Beyond the obvious, I mean—it’s certainly a good way to hide.”

In response, I felt a nudge, then a series of them as the Deer God highlighted how he could warn me of danger. More interestingly, each time I faced the direction of the nudge, the motion was faster and stronger than expected, almost like I’d been boosted. The effect was like a diluted combination of Dog’s Agility and Bear’s Strength.

“Oh, that’s useful,” I said.

The Deer God hot breath snorted across the back of my neck. I turned to catch sight of him, but of course he wasn’t there. Still, I somehow got the message—it was only a portion of what he could do. Likely, all aspects of the herd are buffed, including talents, spellcasting, and maybe even… influence?

Again, the effect wasn't powerful, but spread across multiple individuals, it would add up. Both Yuki and Ikfei confirmed it affected them too.

Ikfei was loath to let go of her new body so quickly, but the Deer God had had the right idea—hunters were at their best when hidden—so she gave me a kiss before merging into the otter figurine hanging around my neck.

In seconds, I appeared to be alone in the now-empty room at the pyramid’s top. But if someone starts any trouble, they’re going to be in for a nasty surprise.

###

I bounded downstairs with Dog’s Agility, pushing off the walls as I ran. Round and round I went, past the stairwell lounge, past the once-luxurious living quarters, through the doorway leading further down, and into the next set of stairs. There, I paused to notice how the soul-corrosion effect that had once permeated the pyramid was now gone. A check of my Conditions confirmed it, so I started off again, picking up the pace.

The exit opened onto the worship hall with its blue-painted walls. The back of Baxta’s jade jaguar throne lay before me, and beyond it stood the statue of the man himself. I knew what he looked like now, the smug expression on his face turning my stomach.

Once more I paused, this time because I smelled rain in the air and the poignant scent of lightning. Both my qi and mana wells were brimming with energy, so I cast Owl’s Ears and White-Tail’s Senses without worry. A Scentless Hunter slipped over me, and I became one with the land.

I’d never noticed it before, but my God Touched soul mark stretched to help bridge the technique from my old world into this one. My influence spread the effect across my spirit to encompass me, as well as those connected to me.

An insight popped into my head: influence is the world responding to the will of those wielding their authority. I set the thought aside, to be examined later. For now, I was the old stones and the slowly freshening air. That was all.

I dashed toward the hall’s other door while Yuki took care of my Camouflage for me. My goal was to avoid any other explorers if possible. Things would be simpler that way.

The corridor was a wide one and could easily accommodate ten people standing side by side. It led to a lobby area with open arched doorways on each of the walls. The scent of rain grew stronger, and I felt a pull to keep moving forward toward where I sensed an immense amount of water flowing. The pyramid’s main exit was in that direction, and so was the stairwell I’d used to come up to this level.

Yuki’s attention flared. ‘Qi signatures, about a dozen of them coming this way.’

At the same time, I heard drops of water plop as they fell from hoods and sleeves and hems. Metal scraped against stone. Someone coughed, the sound wet and phlegmy. Whoever they were, they were close.

I ducked through one of the other doorways. This one led to a room that looked like it might have been a snack bar. A stone counter engraved with images of sea turtles occupied the far end, and to either side were a storeroom and a pantry, both empty.

Behind me, the lobby lit with the soft glow of summer-falcon feathers.

I threw myself over the counter’s edge, then popped up to take a peek. Not twenty yards away, Xefwen stood with his hand up, gesturing for the others following him to stop. His feathered cape illuminated their faces, and I recognized them as a blend of the expeditions from Sugrusu Hakei. I flicked through them, reminding myself of their talents. They all looked exhausted, like it was day three of the Long Dark.

Why them, though, and not the people from Albei?

“Hold a moment,” Xefwen said. “The lines have changed.”

A stone cube hovered over the hierophant’s shoulder; to his left was a Scout Born hunter, and to the right was a One with the Sword soldier. They wore their feathers pinned to their cloaks. Both men were dawn, but I found that with a push of my will my silvered eyes pierced through the density of their spirits.

They were as tired as they looked—wet, worn, and hungry for warm food. Yet their spirits shimmered in anticipation. After a millennium, they’d been the first to breach Old Baxteiyel’s pyramid. Their expeditions had suffered devastating losses, but they’d be hailed as heroes on their return home—not to mention the reward due them from Albei’s hierophant. Correction… Suguru Hakei’s new hierophant.

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Several in the group sent envious glances Xefwen’s way. He’d accepted a generous offer carried by their expeditions’ leaders.

‘You’re in too deep,’ Yuki whispered.

And I pulled back, having lost myself for a handful of beats. Blinking, I saw that the hierophant had turned toward my direction.

The Scout Born signed, “I sense the pyramid watching us.”

The others gripped their weapons, their faces wary.

Yuki grabbed what I’d seen and shared it with Ikfei and with the rest of the team. Mumu had once more led them into the tunnel connected to the Temple of Wanting. Just in case things went bad, they planned to set up an ambush in the dasekua room. The stairway connecting to it would make a fine chokepoint. We shouldn’t need it, though, right? These people aren’t our enemies.

Mumu sent in response, ‘You destroyed the treasure and took Amleila’s light. We will not risk our Eight to a vengeful hierophant.’

Xefwen walked a handful of steps closer. His golden eyes shone in the dim light. “The treasure isn’t where it was. A failsafe perhaps, triggered by Asiik’s departure or the failure in the defenses. Something to move the treasure deeper into the pyramid?” He growled in frustration. “I’m so close. Why are fate and fortune so blurry?” He walked toward the snack bar and nodded to himself. “There’s—”

“We’re definitely being watched,” the Scout Born said.

Xefwen spun to slap him across the face. “I’m trying to concentrate.”

“But—” the scout started.

“We scared off Asiik the Army of Sorrow,” Xefwen said. “Whatever undead remain in this pyramid, we also will vanquish. Now be silent.”

Thunder echoed in the distance, so I assumed they’d left the main doors open. The scent of fresh air intensified. A touch of mildew too, coming from the expedition members’ clothing and bags.

“There’s someone hiding,” Xefwen said quietly. Then he called, “Come out!”

When I didn’t respond, he took off a necklace which he hung from a chunk of stone spit out by the cube. The now floating alarm stone flew forward to search for anyone hidden, invisible, or camouflaged.

I ducked down out of sight and let myself sink deeper into the land. My Camouflage spell would certainly fail under the alarm stone’s effect, but one with the land affected cognition, not vision. I’d learned directly from the hunters’ grandmaster how the ability created a loophole that could be exploited.

So I became the endless calm of stone and the squelching of wet boots. Someone sighed. Another cleared her throat. “There’s no one here,” she said.

“Check behind the counter,” Xefwen ordered. “And those doors too.”

A scout came parallel with my hiding spot, but her dawn eyes glossed over my silvered presence. She opened the pantry door to glance within, then walked past to look into the storeroom. She ducked inside, followed by the alarm stone. A moment later, she came back shaking her head. “Nothing.”

“I am not wrong,” Xefwen said. “I am never wrong.”

“Honored Hierophant,” a voice said, “our people are cold and tired. Let us take this opportunity to rest before we more fully explore the pyramid. Surely there will be dangers ahead.”

Xefwen’s voice dripped with condescension. “And this weakness is why you will fail the path.” He chuckled. “I’ve seen it, you know. All of you will never be more than you currently are.”

I felt the frowns and scowls that formed in response to his words. The scout next to me leaned against the counter; her right knee had been troubling her. It ached on damp, cold days. She also had a habit of clicking her teeth.

> Skara the Clever (Human, Dawn)

>

> Talents: A Clever Spear, A Supple Strength, Well Trained, Wily When it Counts

Skara’s spear rested in the crook of her elbow. Her weariness was plain to see. Threads of anticipation also ran through her spirit: the desire to find Old Baxteiyel’s treasures and its secrets. That… that anticipation was being carefully moderated, though, so as to not alarm the others in her expedition. The scout hid a familiar dizziness within her, the same as I’d sensed in Maltra’s people.

A spy—she was a spy.

“Let me go ahead to check the upper floors,” she volunteered.

“I don’t care what you do,” Xefwen replied. “You don’t matter and never will.”

Skara’s spirit flared and her body tensed, yet she didn’t reveal any of it on her face. “Then I’ll take my leave.”

“Klouk, go with her,” a voice said. “Be careful, you two, and retreat if any danger appears.”

Skara eagerly left, not noticing the Prey of the Hunter I’d cast. I sensed her rushing through the passage leading toward the worship hall. Their expeditions must’ve known the pyramid’s layout beforehand, at least partially.

The hierophant snorted in disdain as his footsteps brought him closer to my position. “A task done properly must be done by me personally. What a bother.”

He looked into the pantry, then turned toward my direction and froze. His forehead wrinkled in confusion; his eyes glowed an even-brighter gold. I noted how his talents hadn’t changed since the last time I’d seen him.

> Xefwen the Hierophant of Albei (Human, Silvered)

>

> Talents: Earth-Touched, Master Diviner, A Singular Purpose, Perfect Opportunist

“Why…” His voice trailed off as his back stiffened. His expression turned stern. “You! You’re the boy with that Ikfael. What are you doing hiding here?” His eyes widened, and comprehension dawned. “The spirit of the land is gone, isn’t she? Her future cut short. You brought her along in secret, then when you found a way inside the pyramid, you got her killed.” He laughed—he outright laughed. “I told you, that day by her shrine. I told you you’d end up nowhere. This is the future I predicted.”

I stood up to face the hierophant, and my thoughts raced. Spreading my awareness, I noticed the others’ gazes settling on me.

“Someone beat us inside,” the Scout Born said.

“Does it matter?” another asked. “The little mouse is from Albei. What can he do with his small teeth?”

“He can’t be alone,” the Scout Born replied. “Where is his expedition?”

“They’re down below, from the looks of things,” Xefwen said. “The flow of their fates will intersect with ours shortly.” He frowned. “An underground passage, it seems, but where is the entrance?” He turned to me to for an answer.

Not that I was going to tell him, but my team was moving with Dog’s Agility and Yuki estimated they’d arrive in about sixty seconds.

At my silence, Xefwen gestured, and a stone sphere about ten feet across rolled into the lobby area. Another gesture tore a slice away to turn it into a wall blocking the entrance.

“There we are. Now we can chat privately about what killed your Ikfael, eh? What did you find, Little Mouse? Any treasures?”

My inner sense told me the two of us were the same level, and yet he didn’t seem to register it. Nor did he notice the other three hiding in and around me. In fact, he thought Ikfei was dead, which she most certainly was not. Her outrage prickled.

Was it because I was so deeply in the land?

The hierophant eyed me. “You found something, eh? That’s the only reason to remain silent. And… you thought to cheat me. Because you don’t wear my feather, you’re not bound by the race’s rules, is that it?” His voice hardened. “If so, then you are also not due my protection.”

‘Preempt?’ Yuki asked.

The way things were looking, we were headed for a fight, but… Not yet, I thought. I have an idea.

“Honored Hierophant,” I said. “It’s true, I—I was hiding. There were such horrors, I’m lucky to be alive.”

“Yes, yes,” Xefwen signed. Then aloud, he said, “So, what did you find?”

“Above us, at the top of the pyramid, is a room that was guarded by dark undead warriors. If not for Honored Ikfael, I surely would have perished. The battle was fierce and cut short when the magical device protecting the treasure exploded. The experience was… soul shaking.”

“Go on, go on! This isn’t some campfire for you to weave a story to impress your friends. Get to it.”

“The explosion destroyed the remaining undead, and all that was left was—” I reached under my jacket and, hidden from view, pulled Amleila’s necklace from the Hoarder’s Pocket. “This was protected behind bars of dawn-level bronze. The pedestal it was on was enormous, like it belonged to a queen.”

The gold chain had looked delicate around the jaguar’s neck, but in my hand, the length and heft were noticeable. Xefwen eyed the necklace, yet he didn’t reach out to take it.

“That’s it?” he asked, his brow furrowing. “There was nothing else?”

“Search me, search the room, you’ll find nothing else of value. All my pack contains are the things I brought for my survival.”

“You hid nothing away?” the hierophant asked, continuing his interrogation. “Perhaps until the rest of your expedition arrived to help you carry it out?”

“I found furnishings upstairs,” I said. “A few enchanted beds and benches that I thought they might help transport. They are too bulky for me to carry out on my own.”

His influence pressed against me, but I’d thinned my presence so much it mostly slipped past; the small amount that affected me was easily ignored. Even so, I’d told no lies, just in case he possessed a truth-determining artifact of some kind.

Xefwen glared at the necklace as if his eyes might pierce through its secrets. “Why didn’t you wear it immediately after you found it?” he demanded.

“My team of hunters is on contract,” I said, thinking quickly. “We’re to split shares with our client.”

In my peripheral vision, some of the others nodded at that. It was the way of things for anyone not at the top.

“There are no more undead within the pyramid?” the Scout Born asked, daring to interrupt.

I kept my eyes on Xefwen as I answered, “Only the remains of the warriors I described earlier. You’ll find them upstairs.”

The Scout Born looked dubious. “You alone handled them all?”

I shook my head. “I was with a spirit of the land, whose presence I’d kept secret.”

“So the Honored Hierophant mentioned.” The Scout Born gestured, and the expeditions’ formations spread out. A handful of folks left to keep watch for the scouts who’d gone upstairs.

‘The team is here, on the other side of the wall,’ Yuki reported.

In the meantime, Xefwen was making quiet noises as he attempted to divine the future, which was the riskiest part of my plan since I had no clue what he’d find. The pyramid’s anti-divination magics had likely failed after Amleila’s death.

“Too dangerous without knowing more,” he said finally, then gestured to the Scout Born. “You, put the necklace on.”

The Scout Born stepped back. “Honored Hierophant, it’s not my place.”

“I give you permission,” Xefwen said. “Now do what I say.”

The Scout Born was one of the expedition’s leaders, and yet he still did as he was told. He examined the necklace hefting the coils of gold chain, before wrapping it around his neck. For a moment, nothing happened, and then all emotion fell away from his face. Cold eyes scanned the room, and thoughts beyond his control surged within him, calculating how to deal with so many invaders inside the pyramid.

I knew from Amleila’s experience that he would now believe Old Baxteiyel was his charge. The Scout Born was the city’s ultimate defender, and he must eliminate all who would despoil it. The trespassers had to be eliminated.

The necklace should’ve forced him to attempt these things from the top of the pyramid, but the Scout Born was apparently more proactive than that. Swift as a knife, he lunged to stab the hierophant in the neck. The intent was there, starting to translate into motion, when a sliver of stone pierced through the Scout Born’s skull.

“There we go,” Xefwen said. “Finally, a future clear enough to divine.” He sent another couple of stone daggers through the Scout Born’s skull to make sure he was dead, and then a third to pierce the core, keeping him from rising as an undead.

None of the others dared to react beyond readying themselves for a fight. They warily eyed the hierophant.

“There won’t be any trouble over this, will there? You all saw how he drew his knife. It’s a shame he couldn’t control his outbursts better. That might’ve trained him to better withstand the influence of a cursed treasure.” The hierophant sighed as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. “A treasure that, alas, is useless to me. What was promised has not yet been found, eh? First Asiik fled, and now this? One might begin to think there’s a conspiracy to keep me from what I’m due.”

The hierophant looked pointedly at the other expedition’s leader, the soldier possessing the One with the Sword talent. Then, with the sound of stone against stone, his stone sphere rolled into the room—a blatant threat to everyone present.

The One with the Sword stepped forward. “Honored, we can do nothing about Asiik until he returns, but we will find the heaven-defying treasure. All of Old Baxteiyel shall belong to you.”

Xefwen didn’t even look at him, but then he hadn’t needed to look at the Scout Born either to punch a hole through the man’s skull. Instead, he directed his golden gaze at me, his hand tapping against his side. “My divinations are never wrong, and yet you are so very much out of place, Little Mouse, a ripple in the firmament unaccounted for. What has your presence done to luck and fate, I wonder? As small as you are, perhaps I should uncomplicate things.” Almost lazily, he said to the Sword. “Kill him.”