(SUMMER)

Mana channeled up my arm to the tips of my fingers, forming a black marble the size of a small acorn. The marble expanded and warped, sprouting legs, talons, wings thrice the width of my body and covered the creature with coal colored feathers. The faux intelligent blood red eyes of one of my familiars stared back at me, expectantly.

I tied a neatly packaged letter, containing my report,onto the bird’s scaly left leg.

“Take this to the First Ring. Stay hidden. Desummon upon delivery.”

My familiar nodded once, spun on the air above my palm and with one flap of its wings it was out of view, the starry night sky instantly cloaking its shadowy form.

I held my breath and waited, perched on the branch of a tree just outside the capital's giant walls. I scanned for movement and sensed for flares of mana that may signal my familiar’s or its summons’ detection.

My job had been simple: to spy on the “Church of Heaven” or, as we call it, the “Cult”, and report anything of interest back to my superiors. Nothing ever really came of these expeditions, however this time I had found out something quite significant.

A few weeks ago, a group of our organization went to overthrow a pesky old geezer who had attempted to expand the Cult’s presence in the Borderlands. It was meant to be a quick and easy task, as it normally was.

The Cult is never directly backing the expansions, thus we take a few members out, raze a building or two they quickly constructed and it’s done. However things turned a bit hectic this time, as the First Paladin had arrived unannounced.

Or so the report read. I wasn’t actually there, luckily.

Needless to say, they all died. We only found out about what happened when we went to check on them after a couple days of no replies or messenger birds. A single survivor, minutes away from death, was the only one there to greet us. He mumbled something about the “First Paladin” and croaked right there on the spot.

It is not unheard of for paladins, especially the First Paladin, to journey into the Borderlands. However, combined with the information I gathered today, it could mean that times are changing or that something big is about to take place.

I jumped off the branch I had been resting on, silencing my landing with mana. Stretching my back, I started to count all the pops from my stiff joints but quickly lost track. I fought the urge to yawn as I made my way back to the pathway leading up to the main gates into the city, where I would blend back into the crowd of merchants and travelers attempting to enter.

Today the Cult announced all the participants who passed this year's Selections. Amongst those who passed, there were four who have already been officially affiliated to a specific paladin.

First off, the fact that the paladins have offered to make even one participant a disciple is extremely rare, let alone four. The even more surprising news, however, is that the First Paladin actually chose to take someone under him. In fact, he’s taken two of them in.

The first paladin has never taken in a disciple in the history of the Cult, so for him to take in even one, is huge information for us.

The first paladin is someone who is able to almost single handedly ruin our plan, and the worst part is that he is basically untouchable. Rather, he was.

A never-before-seen opportunity has presented itself with the discovery of these two disciples. Imagining just what we could do if we captured even one of them brought a victorious smile to my lips. The Cold Light Indarus has finally cast a shadow.

By we I mean my superiors, of course. My job is to solely spy and report back everything that I find. I am nowhere near cut out for trying to take on such a mission on my own, but reconnaissance is a different story, that’s where I excel.

I took a deep breath and slapped my cheeks, hard, to refocus. All I need to do is finish my term and then leave the capital. My job is practically done and a life of easy sailing and a promotion await me back home, I just know it!

“Pass?” a deep voice demanded in front of me, startling me.

I looked up to see that I had already made it to the gate of the city and in front of me was an equally tired pair of gate guards that surely broke a rule or two to end up on nightly gate duty.

Smiling bashfully, I reached into my cloak and pulled out my worker’s pass. A pass that our contacts within the Cult had acquired for our many operations.

The guard took the pass and looked from it to me, his eyes lingering a little longer than I’d like on my mid-section but handed it back to me without a word and motioned for me to enter.

I bowed slightly as I took it and quickly made my way through the towering stone archway. I was always surprised by the bustling streets of the capital, even at this late hour. I didn’t mind though. The more people in the streets the easier it was for me to blend in or disappear if necessary.

The short trip to my lodging passed in a blur as daydreams of a relaxing vacation, possibly an early retirement filled my mind.

Arriving at my almost too unassuming door triggered my instincts and I expanded my mana sense to feel for any that might be trailing me. As always, there was nothing.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I withdrew the rest of my mana and made my way inside. My barren room, the size of my closet back at the Second Ring welcomed me with a stale, slightly chilly draft.

I mindlessly stripped my cotton cloak and leather overclothes as I slogged past a small desk used as an impromptu table, draping them messily on top. By the time I had made it the three steps to my bed I felt the full weight of my exhaustion. It was already late and without any other real orders, I could just take it easy, something I fully planned on doing.

Smiling, I fell forward and let the crusty blankets embrace my form, prepared to finally get some rest.

Or so I thought.

Suddenly, everything began turning black and I began getting dragged deeper into my mattress.

Unable to move, I did everything in my power to urge mana from my heart, but nothing happened. I was nearly completely submerged in the darkness, powerless to prevent it and unable to speak or see.

‘Not like this, not like this! This wasn’t supposed to happen! I was so close, dammit!’ were my last thoughts before losing my consciousness within the void.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(MIKLAUS)

Raging waves of different colored water crashed into the pearlescent sand beneath my feet. My eyes followed the never-ending ocean to the horizon and continued up to the sight of a pulsating giant blue star slowly being siphoned to death by a black hole it had been unlucky enough to travel too close to.

A sight I had seen, and created, many times myself over the years but for some reason I couldn’t look away. There was something alluring about it, something different. That difference is what drew me here. I had felt a trace, an echo… No, it was too small to even call it that.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A husky wizened voice asked from beside me.

My eyes went wide and I spun my head to my visitor.

‘Impossible.. I didn’t sense him?’

The elderly man wore a flowing burgundy red robe that hid much of his build beneath, teal blue hair that flowed like the ocean, with deep set eyes that seemed to contain the galaxies themselves laced with a brilliant red hue around them. The uniqueness of his appearance was amplified further by his milky white skin that made everything else stand out.

He had no aura, no presence that I could detect. I doubted he was real, even as I looked at him, even as I watched his footsteps knock grains of the smooth white sand loose from their ancient resting places.

Something about him was off, was wrong. My instincts were telling me to be careful. They were telling me to…run? No. I was confident in my abilities and confident enough to kill him if it came to it, so I pushed the urge away.

“So you’ve finally found me, huh? I guess I shouldn’t expect anything less from you, right, Miklaus?”

“We’ve never spoken before, yet you talk as if we are familiars.”

“We are more familiar than you may think.”

“If you know of me, then you know of the others I’d assume.”

“Ah yes, the “True Gods”, Miklaus, Heaven, Hikarus, and Reiji. The beings who created the gods, the ones who laid the foundation for what that world has become. The ones only known as Ancients to mortals, though, are considered to be a complete myth.”

“How do you know so much about us?”

“Well that’s because I’m the one who brought you here.” He chuckled.

I couldn’t help but feel slightly shocked, or at least I thought I had felt shocked. Any emotions I started to feel would disappear as soon as they started.

“I must say, you seem to have taken that answer quite well.”

“When our powers first awakened, I had always felt like something was watching us. Although the first time I could truly tell was when we all disappeared from this planet.”

“Ah yes, the True God who can see all. I should have expected that it wouldn't slip past you. So, you’ve found me, what now?”

His face was impassive, a cold stare seemed to look through me, almost as if he already knew the answer.

“I had originally come with plans to kill you if I am being honest.”

“Is that so? I suppose that’s only natural. Any lingering hate for what happened to your previous lives could be drawn all the way back to me, if you even feel hate anymore that is.” He said, keeping the same straight face that seemed to stare into my soul.

Before continuing he motioned to the empty ground behind us, in a blink there were two bone white chairs with a small desk between them.

“If that is your choice, I would not be against it. My powers have dwindled far below what they used to be. It seems creating the four of you has taken more of a toll on me than I expected.” Then his aura, that had always been there, I realized, just out of my full perception, was made visible.

A luminous aurora of colors permeated his aura. It felt as dense and powerful as my own, maybe even greater, buffeting against my senses. Growing further, what I had thought was an ocean bent and torrented around him, seeping into his form until all that remained was pearlescent sand that stretched around the world

“That’s not to say that I’m powerless now though,” He finished with a chuckle, taking a seat.

“As much as I’d love to test my power, my mind has changed.” I said as I took a seat next to him, my aura not changing.

“Oh?”

For the first time since we had started talking, his expression shifted slightly, almost to a look of curiosity or surprise.

“Your mind has changed?” He asked, his aura fading back to its previous state, the ocean bubbling out of the sand until the waves returned as if they were always there.

“While I’m unsure of the feelings the others may have, I harbor no hate towards you. Whether that’s because we no longer have emotions or because those are my actual thoughts, it doesn’t really matter.” I said as I looked up into the sky before continuing.

“While we lost our emotions, our selves, you gave us a second chance at life, you gave us powers beyond our wildest dreams, and helped us shed our mortal coil.” I finished, returning my gaze to him.

“So that is the answer you’ve come to… interesting” He said, a smile twitching the edge of his lips.

“If I may ask, what's your name?”

“My name is Nezira.”

“Nezira.” I repeated to myself. “A very interesting name.”

“So Miklaus, will you tell the others?“

“No, they haven’t shown any interest in what came before us. I’m here for another reason.”

“Oh? What reason would that be?”

“I want you to… teach me.”

“To teach you? Are you not strong enough already?”

“This power feels wasted on me. Why settle for less when I can still reach my peak- when I can still become so much stronger?” I said, motioning to the encroaching tide.

“Your peak… I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued. ”

“What do you say, old man?” I asked as I held out my hand.

“I look forward to where you can take the future, Miklaus.” He replied as he took my hand, and shook it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(KALAN)

We sat down at a long, wooden table, crafted from the finest lumber on the continent. I wasn’t someone who adored material wealth, but this held a special meaning for me. It came from the rare Callisto tree, which are only harvestable after a hundred years and grew in a small rural area just on the outskirts of the district of Hebron. The same district where Sarah and I had our honeymoon.

The clank of silverware scraping against metal plates drew my attention back to the feast laid in front of me. A series of smoked fowl dripping with butter and herbs, colorful steamed assortments of roots and vegetables, elaborately shaped pasta bathed in a cheese and red sauce, and a dark-grained dense bread served with sweet cream. Another of the many perks of being the first ranked paladin.

“So, Mayla, mind if I ask where you are from?” I asked between a mouthful of fowl, elegantly wiping dripped butter off my chin.

I continued to keep a discreet eye on her for any hints or changes in her facial expression, but so far she wasn’t letting anything out.

“I’m from a small town just outside of Tiberias.” She said almost mechanically.

“Tiberias… I didn’t take you for the type to come from a district heavily immersed in agriculture.”

“Well, that’s mostly because I didn’t want any part in the family business.”

“And how are they?”

“I’m sure they’re doing fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Kalan, come on, don’t grill the girl just shortly after meeting her.” Ryla chided.

“Ah, My apologies Ms. Saveer, it is easy for this old man to get a little carried away.” I chuckled.

“None needed, it’s alright, Madam Ryla, I’m fine with these questions.” She said, holding her hand up. “We don’t really keep in touch, or rather, I don’t keep in touch with them. It was mostly against their wishes that I go away. Any attempt at communicating with them would only make it seem like I miss them in their eyes.”

From what I could tell, it didn’t seem like she was lying. Her aura never seemed to fluctuate and the same goes for her heart rate.

“I see. I can relate, believe it or not. My parents never really took kindly to the idea of me joining the church, but that was in a time long past. As you may have guessed, I am much older than I look.”

“So the rumors are true, then? The stronger you get, the longer your lifespan is?”

“Indeed they are.”

“Hey, that reminds me, how old are you, Kalan?” Eve said, finally speaking up.

“A youthful eighty-six!” I said, feigning a spur of excitement before taking a sip of my wine.

“E-eighty-six?!?” They both said in unison.

“And believe it or not, Ryla is thirty-sev- oww oww oww!”

“Don’t you know it’s rude to reveal a woman’s age without her consent?” Ryla said, her grip on my ear getting tighter by the second.

“Ok ok, I’m sorry!! I’m sorry!!” I pleaded, rubbing my ear.

“Pfft, hahahaha!”

Eve burst out laughing, unable to keep it in anymore. I felt my cheeks flush slightly in what I thought was embarrassment, but I realized it was from a warmth building up inside my chest.

‘When’s the last time I felt like this?’ I soberingly thought, taking another sip of my drink.

I continued to watch Mayla and Eve tease each other, some awkward comment one made to a boy at selection, another about the other’s face when I had destroyed the barrier at the duel. Ryla was also watching, slightly smiling at the sight unraveling before us.

. I didn’t realize how much I missed this feeling, the little moments like this that made me feel human, and how much I didn’t want it to end.

Before I knew it, I was laughing along with them, a genuine smile on my face.

‘I could die happy if this was the last thing I saw.’

I pushed away all other thoughts, focusing on this moment. I had sacrificed my time with those I cared about for my position before, I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

“Let’s finish our food before it gets cold. We don’t want it to go to waste!”