The Rockcrawlers banged their heads against the small entrance I’d just escaped behind, neither of them able to follow after me. I caught sight of their angry yellow eyes narrowing at me as if they were saying, “Not fair! Please come out–we just want to eat you!”

Of course, within a matter of minutes, they could burrow into my hiding spot and catch me, but I wouldn’t allow them that sort of time.

With my gauntlet-ed hands placed firmly on the tight walls on either side of me, I turned around and followed the descending path leading to who knew what? All I could see was increasing darkness. But the other facility that Drayek, his Hunters, and I had found had been the same. Only, I hoped this facility would provide me with a few crucial differences: For example, I didn’t want to endure any of Lord Solomon’s tests and nearly die, only to find out that I was the clone of a dead god.

Alright, yeah, that’s kind of incredible. And my status as a “godspawn,” as the AI representation of Lord Solomon had called it, had allowed me to cultivate and advance through the Tiers without a Mark from Lady Euridice. But I could really go for a moment where something wasn’t trying to kill me–like when those stupid tests in Facility 105 had threatened to do just that. Maybe now that I already knew who I was and where I came from, the Lord Solomon AI wouldn’t put me through anymore.

Yeah, you guessed it…. I was wrong. Serves me right for having hope.

***

The windy, tight path that descended deep into the earth led me to a dead end.

“Ugh!” I groaned, slamming a fist into the cold rock that blocked my way.

Suddenly, a soft purple glow grew and resonated above my head, providing me enough light to see that there were no hidden paths or openings in the rock for me to follow.

“Codex! Where am I supposed to go from here?”

No answer.

Oh, great, I thought to myself. Just like the first facility. Codex had been conveniently quiet then, too.

Codex’s silence back then served the purpose of not allowing him to help me in any way during the tests–the tests that, if I passed them, would lead me to an audience with the Lord Solomon AI. Lord Solomon had wanted me to succeed of my own volition…. Without the help of an AI like Codex.

I shook out my arms and legs, ignoring their cries of pain and exhaustion. Now that I’d reached a dead end, I knew something messed up was coming my way. I had to mentally prepare myself for whatever this facility wanted to throw at me.

“Welcome, Clone Number 52, to Facility Number 106.”

The sudden appearance of the deep, booming voice didn’t faze me. It sounded like the voice that belonged to Lord Solomon, or at least to the AI, holographic version of him. I rolled my eyes and nonchalantly leaned against the wall behind me.

“Alright, what’s the first test?” I said to the small room.

“There is but one test,” Lord Solomon answered, still hidden from my view. His voice echoed loudly in the tight space. “One test to prove you are, indeed, a clone of Lord Solomon.”

I threw my hands above my head, exasperated. “You’ve got to be kidding me! Look at me! Isn’t the fact that I am a younger yet identical version of the guy enough? Besides, you just called me Clone Number 52. You already know who I am.”

“When prompted, you will place a bare hand within the device behind you,” Lord Solomon said, completely ignoring my complaints.

There hadn’t been a device before…. I whirled around, and, just as he said, a small device about the size of my foot protruded from the once-empty wall. It molded itself into a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. Blinking orange lights surrounded the front edge as if calling for my hand.

Now, people shouldn’t usually put their hands in things they know nothing about. And I felt no less apprehension about putting my hand in a mysterious cylinder that had suddenly appeared in the wall when it hadn’t been there before. I grimaced as I stepped closer, my eyes just a few inches away from the device’s opening to try to peer inside. I could find nothing out of the ordinary. It looked just like a hollow tube of rock. But I still didn’t like it….

“How, exactly, is this going to prove I am a clone of Lord Solomon?”

My ears met with only the echoing sounds of my own voice. I squeezed my eyes shut and rolled my shoulders back. In the end, I hadn’t died in the first facility, Facility Number 105, and instead came out with the ability to grow stronger. Perhaps I should just trust Lord Solomon and place my hand in the thing.

I removed the gauntlet wrapped around my right hand and, with a sharp intake of breath, shoved my fingers, then my wrist, and then half of my forearm into the device’s opening. I hadn’t exhaled yet, and I could feel the blood leaving my right hand as I clenched my fist in anticipation of something to happen.

“Please relax as the machine runs the test,” Lord Solomon said.

I finally released the breath I was holding and followed his instruction, releasing my fingers from the stranglehold of my shaky fist.

“Well done. Stay still until you hear the beep.”

“How long will–”

My question was cut off by a pained gasp rolling over my lips. Something had jabbed into the pads of every single finger on my right hand–hard. I knew my fingers were bleeding as I could feel thick, warm liquid trickling over them. But no “beep” of any sort had yet sounded. It took all of my willpower not to withdraw my hand and ascertain the damage.

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But I succeeded. I remained immovable with my jaw clenched and eyes locked forward in a determined stare.

Still no beep.

“Seriously, how long is this supposed to take?” I growled through gritted teeth.

Suddenly, something within the device wrapped around my arm then clamped down on it in a vice-like grip.

“Hey!” I exclaimed, instinctively trying to pull my arm out.

But any efforts to withdraw only made the grip of the smooth, leather-like substance around my arm grow even tighter. I hissed as its grasp on me squeezed the bones in my arm–even through my armor. I could almost feel my bones giving way as if they’d snap at any moment. I determined that remaining still was my only option for the moment.

“What is happening?” I said through heavy breaths.

“I apologize, Clone Number 52. The blood reader is old–a couple centuries old, in fact. It appears to be malfunctioning.”

“Well, get this… blood reader, or whatever it is, off of me!” I demanded.

“The good news is,” Lord Solomon’s disembodied voice said calmly, “that your blood was read and tested positive as blood from a Lord Solomon clone. So, you passed the test.”

“Wonderful,” I grumbled, feeling the machine tighten even more. Blood pounded loudly in my ears, and the bones within my right arm began to shake precariously.

“Just give me a moment to check the systems within the facility. It shouldn’t take long.”

“Take your time,” I said, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. It took all of my focus to keep still and avoid the machine increasing its ever-so-welcoming hug and snapping every bone in my hand and arm.

The seconds ticked by sluggishly, and I could feel drips of sweat rolling from my hairline and down my cheeks.

“Ah, there it is. The device should release you… now.”

As soon as the machine let me go, I scurried away and to the opposite wall, clutching my bruised arm covered in its cracked armor. Though the armor on my arm had now begun to heal itself, I could barely bend my arm and fingers without grimacing in discomfort. The discomfort came not only from the bruises but also from the punctures in the pads of my fingers. The wounds were deep, and my entire hand was stained red from the blood that had poured out from them.

It seemed a little excessive for the machine to need to stab every finger to test my blood. Couldn’t it do that with just one or two drops? Maybe that had something to do with the malfunction, as well. I stared at the wall where the machine had been just moments before; It had disappeared again as if it had never existed in the first place. Maybe it had just retracted into the wall?

A flash of golden light replaced where the device had once been. I blinked away the bright spots in my vision, then found the holographic Lord Solomon hovering before me. He stood tall and regal-like and looked just as I remembered the AI from meeting him that first time. His golden armor glowed softly around him, and the matching helm on his face highlighted the stark blue in his eyes as he gazed upon me. His slight transparency due to his holographic nature didn’t detract from his godly aura and intimidating stature. Even the golden hilt of the AI’s ghost-like sword seemed to gleam menacingly underneath the purple light from above.

“I will commence your healing. I apologize for the inconvenience,” Lord Solomon said, gesturing to the arm I had cradled against my chest.

“Yeah, just an inconvenience,” I responded with a tight-lipped smile.

Lord Solomon raised a dark brow at me. I knew he could detect my sarcasm, but I didn’t care. And it seemed he didn’t either–at least not for the time being.

He outstretched a hand clad in a golden gauntlet. Streams of almost imperceptible blue flowed through the leather underneath the gauntlet and wrapped around bits of his fingers and palms. The blue lines ornamenting his armor there and in other places, like along the leather wrapped around his neck, reminded me of the way threads of essence looked.

I had no doubt that the AI could heal me. He had done so in the first facility, and back then, I’d had much worse injuries. The AI had also explained to me that he represented who Lord Solomon once was, meaning he could even replicate some of the Skills Lord Solomon had attained in life. Not all of them, since the AI wasn’t a flesh and blood human or an actual god, but many of the important ones, like healing spells.

A ball of gold that blended in perfectly with his armor escaped the Lord Solomon AI’s fingertips, then floated over to me in small twirls and bounces. The glowing ball landed on my arm, then fell underneath my armor. Warmth flooded over my entire right arm, and soon, I could bend my elbow and wiggle my fingers normally.

“Thanks,” I said, unable to withhold my smile. But I was still mad at the AI for what had happened. “Now, are you sure there aren’t more tests you’d like me to suffer through?”

Lord Solomon shook his head. “No, you are free to proceed.”

I looked around us and cocked my head to the side. “Proceed where?”

“Here.”

Lord Solomon waved an arm, and the wall behind him slid away at his command. Stone against stone screeched painfully loud as the wall retreated to the side, revealing a wide path lit by glowing veins of gold, blue, and silver in the walls and ceiling.

“My presence is no longer needed,” Lord Solomon said. “Codex knows what should happen next.”

“What?” I said, averting my eyes from the path and landing them on the AI’s covered face. “There are no more ‘lessons’ or memories of Lord Solomon’s life to show me? Last time we met, you’d kept me away for three days!”

“We will meet again, Clone Number 52,” Lord Solomon replied. “When I am most needed.”

“But what about Lady Euridice?” I exclaimed, stepping closer to the AI as if that would keep him from vanishing into thin air.

“What about her?”

“She threatened me–warned me of things to come. She said she’s going to use me as an experiment.”

“Hm….” Lord Solomon tapped his slightly transparent chin in thought.

“That’s all you have to say?”

I groaned and planted my face in my hands. My one hope against the goddess was that the Lord Solomon AI could do something to protect me. Or at least tell me how I could avoid her.

“Lady Euridice has paid close attention to all of Lord Solomon’s clones in the past,” the AI finally said. “But she hasn't interfered much in their paths before. You’re too weak at the moment for her to put much care into plaguing you at all times.”

“Then why would she take the time to have a chat with me?” I demanded.

Lord Solomon waved a hand, dismissing my outburst. “Regardless, Codex plans to take you somewhere she cannot reach. You can prepare and grow stronger there for the time being.”

“I have a hard time believing someone as powerful as Euridice is blocked from certain places,” I said. “How does that work, and how do I know this planet will actually keep her at bay?”

“The gods have many rules and regulations when it comes to their interference on those below the Celestial Tiers. The planet Codex is taking you to was designated by the original Lord Solomon for those weak to have a chance to better learn how to climb the Tiers. It doesn’t just keep gods at a distance, it also keeps any above Tier 15 with any sort of mischievous tendencies or petty malice from messing with the system.”

“So, someone put a spell on the place.”

“Yes. I did. That is, the man I am representing did. Lord Solomon built the academy for his followers just before he broke through to the Celestial Tiers. Then, as a god, he had the power to place a Dominion’s Ward spell on the entire planet.”

I narrowed my eyes. Sure, a god had put a powerful spell on the planet to block people like Euridice from coming in, but the guy who had cast that spell was dead. I didn’t feel extremely comforted by that fact.

“Fine,” I said anyway, despite my reservations.

I headed toward the entrance leading further into the cave, then stopped and turned to say, “But it’s your fault if Lady Euridice kills me.”