Chapter I

The darkness of that dungeon cell was suffocating, yet for whatever reason, he found it strangely comforting. He couldn’t make out his surroundings, but he’d gotten a glimpse of what the cell looked like when he’d first been put inside. It was an empty room with chains hanging from the wall in the back. There were no windows because there was no point in having them. He was underground, though he wasn’t sure how far below the surface he was. When they’d taken him down there on that silver disk, he’d been so out of it that he hadn’t paid any attention to the length of the trip. All he remembered was staring at the ground as Nigreos and Album led him into the dungeon and down the firelit tunnels before dumping him off in the cell. They had used the chains within to bind his hands to the wall and told him that they were charmed to disrupt his mana, preventing him from using magic while he was contained. Sometime after they had left, he gave it a try, but he found that they had been telling the truth. He hadn’t been able to cast any spells.

But does it really matter? he wondered weakly. What good would escaping even do me? I’ve already lost everything. Vinny, Damien, Liz…Lilly…and everybody else I cursed with that damned stone. They’ve all been erased…and there’s nothing I can do to get them back.

Eric Reiner clenched his teeth, Lilly’s final moments repeatedly going through his head as he tried to think of some way he might have saved her.

Could I have been faster in getting her through the portal? Or maybe I should have waited until I knew Album’s location before using the realm dagger? Or perhaps…I shouldn't have used it to begin with. After all, I didn’t have a damn idea where that portal would spit me out. It really wouldn’t have mattered. Even if Album had failed, they still would have erased her after we arrived.

When he used the realm dagger as his last ditch attempt to flee Nigreos and Album, it really had been his last resort. But as he soon found out, all it accomplished was placing himself right in the hands of the Ijirians, for the place the dagger took him was none other than Ijiria itself.

Hell, not only am I in Ijiria, but I’m in their home base…a place Nigreos referred to as the Citadel.

He didn’t know what their plans with him were, but he knew that he had lost regardless. Nigreos and Album couldn’t hurt him, so his best guess was that they were keeping him in the dungeon until they made their report to whoever they worked for, and then they would send somebody who could kill him to finish him off.

Maybe they’ll kill me…or maybe they’ll erase me. I think that’s what I’d prefer, if I could make a choice. Lilly said there should be a way to break everybody out from the inside…so maybe we could fight from within. Eric smiled sadly. Or at the very least, if we couldn’t fight, at least we could be together. Alice called it a paradise…and at this point, I hope she’s right. For their sake, I hope she’s right.

Eric weakly leaned his head against the wall behind him as he stared up at the darkened ceiling. He wasn’t sure how long he had been down there, but his guess was that it couldn’t be more than a day just yet. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since lunch the previous day.

Lunch, huh?

That had been at Lilly’s apartment a few hours before everything went to hell. For some reason, he could no longer recall what it was they ate, but he remembered finding a small bit of joy as he watched Lilly, Liz, and Damien playing with Natalie. At the time, he only continued to swear that he would protect them, but as he sat in that cold dungeon, his smile faded as he admonished himself for not being strong enough.

I wonder what’s going on back in Wilham? The others have been forgotten, but I haven’t been. As far as anybody is concerned, I just up and vanished. I wonder if Dad’s worried about me.

Part of him wanted to believe that his father cared, but the man had never once showed any sign of love for him. Even when he confessed to Nigreos and Album’s presence, his dad barely batted an eye. All he did was keep Alice safe, but aside from that, there was nothing.

Dad’s probably more worried about the door Nigreos busted down than he is about me, Eric thought bitterly. Though, he’ll probably be pissed at all the police reports he’s going to have to deal with when the cops try to find me.

Eric sighed. So much to think about, and none of it’s going to matter if I die or get erased. It won’t be my problem anymore, and maybe that’s a good thing. If I have nothing to fight for, then why fight?

“Eric…I’ll save…them…”

Lilly’s last words rang through his head and he couldn’t help but flinch. Right in the end, there was a look of determination in her eyes that told him she would do everything she could to break out of the erased realm. She seemed confident that she could do it, and he hoped she would succeed. It was one of the reasons he wanted to be erased. He wanted to be in that other realm to help her.

Though, I do have to wonder why she felt so confident. She only told me a little bit about what happened after I used Mom’s syringe on her. She said she embraced The Angel and that was how she would fight them…but she never told me what that meant and now I can’t even ask. That syringe couldn’t save her. My risk was for nothing.

His thoughts were then suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking and Eric smiled in relief, knowing that meant everything would soon be over. He raised his head to face whoever was coming inside, expecting to see Nigreos or Album, but he was quickly blinded by a bright red light. He winced back, his eyes too used to darkness.

“Oh, sorry about that. Let me dim it a bit for you.”

Eric frowned, not recognizing the voice, as the light darkened just enough for him to see properly. There was a man standing in the cell’s doorway with a small ball of flame in his hand. It was immediately apparent that his earlier guess was correct. This man was not Nigreos Noctis. He was shorter than the Master of Darkness and was wearing a silk-like gown with a sash around his waist rather than the black suit Nigreos always had on. His eyes were dark brown and his slicked back hair was silver. The man also had a small, pointed beard and a curled mustache, but despite his odd appearance, his smile was genuine and comforting. Whenever meeting new people, Eric always relied on his sixth sense, which helped him determine whether to trust somebody or not, and as he regarded this strange man, he found his sense to be calm in his presence. He wasn’t somebody to fear.

“Who…are you?” Eric rasped, finding his throat drier than he thought it was as he tried to speak.

The man watched him for a moment before reaching down to a bag at his hip and producing what looked like a water skin. He then crossed the room and knelt beside him, reaching his left hand out to place against the chains.

“Pateno,” he chanted, and immediately, the chains binding him to the wall unlatched from his wrists.

Eric watched in surprise as the man handed the water skin out to him. “Here, Mr. Reiner. Drink. And once we’ve finished with our business, I’ll get you some food.”

The boy hesitantly reached out and took the skin, but before taking a sip, he furrowed his brow in confusion. “Business? What business? What’s going on?”

“Well, simply put,” the man began with a wry grin. “His majesty, the king, wishes to speak with you.”

The king? The king of Ijiria wants to talk to me?

He couldn’t even begin to consider what that could mean or why somebody as important as a king would want to interact with him. His initial guess was that the king would want to be the one to execute him for his supposed crimes, but this man kneeling beside him made it sound like he would potentially be leaving the meeting alive. Feeling sick to his stomach, Eric nevertheless drank some water. The cool liquid felt good against his parched throat, and he had to force himself not to guzzle it. When he removed the skin from his lips, the man reached out and took it back.

“And to answer your earlier question,” he went on. “My name is Ryokumo Caeli. I’m the Master of Wind here in the Ijirian Citadel.”

Eric exhaled sharply, turning to stare back at the man before him, suddenly seeing him in a new light. This man…is another Master?

That alone made him want to doubt his sense, but even with that new information in mind, he still had the overwhelming feeling that this Ryokumo Caeli could be trusted.

But he’s a Master. Shouldn’t that mean he’s in league with Nigreos and Album? So why don’t I feel any threat from him? Could there perhaps be some spell that throws my sense off? Or is he really somebody I can trust?

“Would you like me to heal you?” Ryokumo inquired after a moment. “I don’t know all the details about what went down before your arrival, but you look quite weak.”

“Uh,” he uttered. “I…suppose so.”

Ryokumo nodded and reached the hand not holding the ball of flame out to gently press against his face. “Benedio.”

Eric felt the healing magic start to flow from the Master’s hands and into his body, easing his tense muscles and the numerous cuts and burns from the previous day’s battle with Nigreos and Album.

“Thank you,” he muttered. “It’s nice to meet you, by the way. I’m Eric Reiner.”

Ryokumo grinned. “Oh, I know who you are, Mr. Reiner. And I know the significance of that last name of yours.”

The boy narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “You…knew my mother then?”

“Better than most,” he confirmed. “But that’s a topic we can get into another time. For the moment, I would like you to come with me. A little lesson on life in this Citadel: Never keep the royalty waiting.”

Ryokumo got to his feet and extended his hand to help him up. Still hesitant about the situation but, deciding that he could trust the Master of Wind for the moment, Eric grasped his offered hand and weakly got to his feet. His legs were stiff, but he could tell the healing magic did a lot of help. They weren’t as cramped as they had been just a few moments earlier.

“Come. I’ll be taking you to the throne room,” Ryokumo said, beckoning for him to follow.

Eric did as he was told, walking behind the man as they made their way through the cell door and out into the subterranean corridor beyond. He quickly tensed up as they passed the guards, and he found himself truly understanding the reality that his life had become. The two men were straight out of a fantasy novel with their green and gold armor, their swords at their hips, and their helmets covering their faces, showing only their stern eyes as the boy passed. He didn’t have a single idea what type of power they might wield and he didn’t have any intention of finding out.

As he followed Ryokumo, he expected to see other doors being guarded by soldiers, so he was surprised when he didn’t see anybody else. There were plenty of cell doors on either side of him, but there wasn’t another person in sight. It made him wonder whether they considered him so dangerous that they posted guards right outside his door, or whether he was the only other person being kept in that dungeon.

Then, as if reading his mind, Ryokumo spoke.

“Unfortunately, after some recent events, all the other cells are empty,” he said with a knowing smile as he glanced back at him. “That’s what you were wondering, yes?”

Eric frowned. “Er, yes, I was. Can you read my mind or something?”

“Oh no, not me,” he responded with a chuckle. “It was just obvious by the way you were looking around. Others, however, I would be more careful around. There are those in this world that can, in fact, read some of your surface thoughts.”

Eric narrowed his eyes, finding the man’s warning to be odd.

He says that like he actually wants me to be careful. Who is this guy? What are his connections with Nigreos and Album? And for that matter, what was his relationship with Mom?

Part of Eric wanted to press him for answers, but he quickly decided against it. If he was a Master then he would say what he wanted to say and no amount of questioning would get Eric the answers he desired. So, he decided it would be best to walk in silence. His future was so uncertain, therefore he decided that he would deal with this upcoming interaction with the king before worrying about anything else.

I’m so confused. What’s going on right now? Caeli really makes it sound like I’m not going to die. But why? Why wouldn’t they either kill me or erase me?

After a little while longer, they came to the silver disk that had brought Eric to the dungeon the first time. Ryokumo stepped on first and Eric moved in beside him right as the Master of Wind chanted the incantation that caused the lift to rise. He could feel his body shaking in both fear and anticipation. He wanted to try and figure out what to do, but his mind was still quite fuzzy from the past day or so in the cell.

“Do not worry,” Ryokumo said softly. “There is nothing to fear. I have this all under control. You will not be dying today, Eric Reiner.”

Eric cocked an eyebrow, once again finding himself staring at the Master in stunned silence. “What do you mean? What’s going on, Mr. Caeli?”

“Ryokumo,” he corrected. “Call me Ryokumo. And as for what’s going on, well, the higher-ups in the Citadel are panicking over numerous issues that are currently plaguing us, and the sudden reveal that Abigail Reiner had a son was just another blow nobody was expecting. Your mother was both infamous and beloved, so your existence only adds to the mystery that surrounded her.”

Eric swallowed at the mention of his mom and, despite having wanted to wait before asking Ryokumo anything, he found himself wanting to take advantage of the opportunity being provided to him.

“So what is the king going to do with me? Am I not going to be erased?” he managed to ask.

Ryokumo shook his head. “Not if I have anything to say about it. Your mother…well, let's just say that she was a very special friend of mine and I owe it to her to keep her son safe. It’s a miracle that you made it here alive, and now it falls on me to protect you. So all I request of you is that you keep your emotions in check and speak to the king with respect.”

“With respect, huh?” he murmured.

“Yes,” Ryokumo said firmly. “I understand how furious and broken you must feel. Nigreos has yet to tell me the details, but I know that all of your friends have been erased. It’s logical that you would feel hatred for this country and toward Nigreos and Album…and I’m not saying those emotions are misplaced.” The Master of Wind then turned a determined look on him. “But if you want any hope of bringing those you lost back, then for the time being, you have to be loyal to Ijiria.”

Bring…them back? What the hell is he talking about? Is this man saying he’s going to help me? But if I bring them back, isn’t that breaking whatever laws dictated their erasure in the first place? Why would he even say that? He’s a Master right?!

“You and I…have similar goals,” Ryokumo went on, his voice dropping to almost a whisper. “And to accomplish them, I need your help. So please, Eric, follow my lead.”

Then, before he could question him any further, the lift came to a stop and Ryokumo stepped off, beckoning for him to follow once again.

Who is this guy? Ryokumo Caeli…could I already have an ally here?

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Despite the tense situation he found himself in, Eric couldn’t help but to stare at the corridor in awe. The walls were a golden color and the carpet spread out before him was a deep green. They were the same colors as the guards’ armor, so he could only guess that green and gold were Ijiria’s colors. There were no windows on the walls so the only light in the corridor came from the fire lamps hanging from the ceiling. Instead, the walls were lined with paintings of what looked to be people of importance and high status, and he wondered if perhaps they were past nobles or even maybe old kings and queens. Between the pictures stood suits of emerald armor holding the pummels of their swords with the blades facing downwards.

This place is impressive, he thought to himself. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m really…not in Wilham anymore.

“Ah, there you are, Caeli.”

At the sudden voice, Eric looked past Ryokumo to where a woman was making their way toward them. The boy instantly tensed up, knowing she was a person of high status just based on the presence she exuded. She had long emerald-colored hair which was tied back in a braid and deep blue eyes that held a sense of purpose within them. Her outfit was very military-esque, using the same green color with gold trim.

“My princess,” Ryokumo said with a bow. “I’ve brought the boy.”

Princess?! he exclaimed internally. She’s an Ijirian princess!

His first instinct was to bow like Ryokumo, but a part of him stopped him. He was conflicted between showing the respect that the Master requested and not bowing his head to the princess of the country that took everything he ever loved away from him.

The woman stepped forward just as Ryokumo straightened up, and as she looked at Eric, he didn’t sense any irritation at his lack of a bow. Instead, she simply seemed intrigued as she looked him over with an almost nostalgic look.

“Yes…I can see Abi in you,” she said with a smile. “You look very much like your mother.”

So she…knew Mom, too? Mom knew the princess of this place?! What the hell…?

He wanted to say something to her, but couldn’t decide what the best way to address her would be, and before he could come to a decision, she went on.

“I am Anna-Piura Iiji,” she introduced. “It is nice to meet you, Eric Reiner. I hope we can get to know each other better in the future.” Piura then straightened up and nodded to Ryokumo. “Now, if you both would come with me, we can begin.”

Still seeming slightly lost in her thoughts, Piura turned and continued on down the hall. Ryokumo gave him a quick pat on the shoulder and, together, the two of them followed after the Ijirian princess.

I think the more I see, the more confused I am. For a country who ordered the erasure of all my friends, the princess seems oddly friendly. And she knew Mom, just like Ryokumo and Nigreos and Album! I don’t get it? What role did Mom have here? What was her life like? Maybe…if I don’t die, I can find out.

“Here we are,” Piura announced as they came to two double gold doors that were so magnificent that they once again caused him to gape in awe. “The throne room.”

Eric took a deep breath as the woman pushed the two doors open and beckoned for him and Ryokumo to enter first. Based on the rest of the Citadel, he had expected to see a beautiful golden throne room with a man as majestic as Piura sitting upon an elaborately crafted chair. Therefore, he was not prepared for the abomination that awaited him on the other side.

Stretching out before him was a silver walkway about fifty yards long with railings on either side of them. At the end was a giant box that looked like it was made out of some transparent material that seemed almost like glass, and hanging inside of it was a husk of a man. The shirtless individual was suspended from the top of the box with tattered green hair that fell to his back and a beard of the same color that was untrimmed and prickly. Yet, as horrifying as the image was, it wasn’t even the most terrifying part of him. Extending from his torso where his legs should be was a writhing mass of black that looked both solid and liquid. It stretched down to the bottom of the box and when Eric looked over the railing, he saw that the strange mass covered the entire ground below, swirling and almost pulsating.

“Behold King Markreas Iiji,” Ryokumo whispered softly.

That man in the box…is the king?

Eric’s eyes were fixated on the deathly skinny man, and just as he pulled his attention away, he realized they weren’t the only ones in the room. Standing at the base of the box were three more figures, two of which he recognized well, and who sent a wave of anger and hatred through him. On the right were Nigreos Noctis and Album Luz and on the left was a man with the same emerald hair as the king and princess, making it clear that he must be a prince.

Why are Nigreos and Album here? Why do I have to see their damn faces again!

He could see the apprehension in the Master of Darkness’s face, but Album simply looked furious, as if she would gladly kill him on the spot if she could have done so. His eyes were then drawn to the arm he had just recently severed, only to find a black arm in place of her old one, which looked eerily like the mass coming out of the king.

“Good afternoon, Father!” Piura called out. “Caeli and I have brought Reiner.”

Slowly and weakly, the king’s eyes opened, revealing them to be just as blue as his children’s. They scanned the room until he found Eric, and when he did, he spoke in a raspy tone.

“Bring him forward. I want to get a better look.”

“Come, Reiner,” Piura ordered and he decided to do as Ryokumo requested before, obeying the woman as the two of them crossed the walkway, stopping only when they reached the box.

Nigreos and Album were right beside him now, but Eric refused to look their way, preferring to focus his attention on the king. Markreas eyed him in silence for a long moment before lazily licking his lips. Eric wasn’t sure whether to kneel or not, but nobody had yet made any move to tell him what to do so he simply stood there in anticipation. Yet, he still wasn’t prepared for what happened next. The black mass began to rise over the side of the railing, moving in tentacle-like tendrils toward him. Eric immediately tensed up, feeling the urge to defend himself and only barely keeping himself in check as they slowly pressed themselves against his body and his face, rubbing up against him in a way that sent shivers down his spine.

What the hell is going on? What is this stuff?

One of the tendrils tenderly caressed his cheek before they all gradually descended back over the side of the railing before combining with the rest of the material down below.

“Interesting” Markreas uttered after a moment. “Speak…boy…”

Speak? Speak what? What do I say?! What the hell am I supposed to say after that?!

“Kneel and introduce yourself,” Piura whispered.

Eric swallowed, finding it repulsive to kneel before anybody in that world, but wanting to believe that Ryokumo could help him save everybody, he pushed his pride aside and dropped to one knee.

“Your Majesty,” he said with as much conviction as he could. “My name is Eric Reiner.”

“Son…of Abigail?” he inquired.

Eric nodded. “She was my mom, yes. Though I only knew her until I was seven. After that, she was taken away from me and brought here…where I was recently told she died.”

He wasn’t sure how much he was expected to say nor what he should say, so he simply spoke what came to mind and hoped he wouldn’t regret it.

“Yes…she is dead,” Markreas whispered, confirming what he already knew from Nigreos. “Killed for leading an uprising against this country.”

Eric frowned, wondering if he heard him wrong. An uprising? What? That can’t be right!

He wanted to press the issue, but Markreas continued before he could further contemplate what to do.

“Abi…is dead. And I wonder whether you should be, too…” He cleared his throat. “Noctis…explain what you know.”

Nigreos nodded, stepping forward to stand beside where Eric was kneeling as he looked up at the king. The boy bit back his burning desire to lunge at the Master of Darkness, knowing that doing so would only lead to a certain and pointless death, and only barely managed to keep his hatred in check. Nigreos then bowed his head to show respect before raising it again and answering.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” he said. “Before heading to Omaruo to reclaim the relic, Ryokumo and I found a rather powerful signal recorded on the QuaerBasim, which if you recall, is the very reason we chose to investigate that world in particular.”

Markreas grunted. “Yes, I remember. Go on.”

“Well, upon arriving, after dealing with a few complications that I have already reported to Prince Reigious, we discovered that the source of this strange reading was due to a rather powerful magic user finding and using the Assassination Stone on multiple occasions.”

Eric immediately furrowed his brow, looking up at Nigreos in confusion.

Assassination Stone? He can’t possibly mean the gem, right? What in the hell could body swapping have to do with assassination?

He quickly tried to wrack his brain to figure out if he had forgotten something, but he couldn’t recall a single instance in which that stone displayed any powers that could be used for murder. Nigreos seemed to notice his confusion, but the Master of Darkness didn’t elaborate as he continued in his report to the king.

“Much to the surprise of my partner and I, we learned that the one who found the relic was related to Abi. You can imagine our shock at learning that she had left a child behind in her Haven…a child that she hid from me when I went to retrieve her all those years ago.”

The more Nigreos talked, the more confused Eric became. Nigreos had just told a blatant lie to the king.The Master of Darkness had known about him from the moment he arrived to take his mother away, so why would he tell Markreas that he didn’t know he exisited? Despite being revolted by the man, when Nigreos casually placed his hand on his shoulder and firmly squeezed, he took it as a warning not to contradict the Master’s words.

But why? What the fuck is he scheming here?

“So Eric Reiner… Is he half-blood? Or was his father another rogue mage?” Markreas inquired.

“His father was a denizen of the city by the gateway,” Nigreos answered. “A pathetic man named Scott Reiner…a man Album and I took upon ourselves to erase along with the magicless children who used the relic.”

Erased?! Dad…was erased, too? But he…

Nigreos’s grip tightened, but this time, Eric almost ignored the warning. The thought that the two Masters hadn’t even left his father safe pissed him off so much that he only barely controlled himself.

Why?! Why did they have to take everything?! Does this mean that Dad’s also stuck in that erased realm?! Is there really nothing left for me back in Wilham?! What the fuck is wrong with them?!

“So this man is gone then,” the king muttered. “Good. But let me ask this… How much did the boy know about Ijiria.”

Nigreos shook his head. “Nothing, Your Majesty. After interacting with him, we learned that all Abi left him was a spellbook. He didn’t know anything about our world and so, he was ignorant as to the crime he committed not only by challenging and fighting two Masters, but by taking one of our valuable relics. It is for this reason that I request he be spared.”

Eric grit his teeth together. Nigreos had tried to convince him to come to Ijiria ever since they first met, and it was now apparent that the Master of Darkness fully intended to see that desire come to fruition. Nigreos Noctis wanted Eric’s life saved.

“From his perspective, foreign beings more powerful than he could imagine had arrived in his quaint little town and were murdering his friends,” Nigreos explained. “Abi’s blood magic, which I believe Reigious has already explained to you, prevented Album’s erasure from wiping his memory. He was scared and so, he fought…and he fought well. For lacking proper training, this boy is one of the best mages I have ever come across. He has Abi’s natural talent and if he’s willing to pledge his loyalty to Ijiria, then I believe he could be an asset to us! So my request is that he be spared and given training here in the Citadel. If nobody else wishes to, then I will gladly be his Master.”

No! I think I would rather die than be an apprentice to him!

“I hear what you request, Master Noctis,” Markreas rasped. “But I will admit that I find it challenging to overlook his actions. Despite what you say…he nevertheless attacked two Masters and refused to return our relic. Mr. Reiner…what is your perspective on this? What do you have to say for yourself?”

Once again recalling Ryokumo’s request, Eric decided that he had no other choice but to rely on his sense and trust the Master of Wind. If Ryokumo had a way to save the others, he had to know what it was, even if it was just a lie concocted to keep him docile. At the moment, he had nothing to lose, and so relying on Ryokumo Caeli was his only choice. Therefore, he shoved all of his hatred and pain deep inside of himself and slowly rose to his feet.

“What Nigreos says is true,” he responded. “Mom didn’t tell me anything about this world. All I knew was that both myself and my friends were in danger so I acted accordingly to keep them safe. But I see now what was really happening and I apologize for acting so impulsively. If you would have me…I am willing to pledge loyalty to Ijiria.” He swallowed back everything he really wanted to say. “After all, Nigreos and Album left me nothing to go back to. I have no life in Wilham…or Omaruo as you called it.”

“But can you so easily set aside the loss of your friends?”

Speaking for the first time since his arrival, Album spoke with her distaste for him apparent to all.

“I find it quite odd that you would so quickly abandon those you lost and join the country who ordered their erasure,” she said. “Almost makes it look like you’re taking advantage of circumstance to…take revenge, perhaps?”

As she glared at him, he immediately felt the strong desire to lunge at her. Her pompous and arrogant tone infuriated him, and had he not been at the foot of the Ijirian king, surrounded by people far more powerful than him, he might not have been able to control himself. Nigreos must have noticed him tense up since the Master tightened his grip once more and flashed him a brief look of warning.

“Control yourself if you don’t want to die,” his stare seemed to say.

Damn it! I can’t stand this! Am I really supposed to sit here and bow my head to these people?! The very people who took everything I ever loved away from me?! I know my sense tells me to trust Ryokumo Caeli, but can I really throw away my pride so easily?!

“Perhaps that is the case,” Ryokumo chimed in, quickly moving in to argue against Album. “But let’s not forget that within the Citadel, there is very little he could accomplish. As long as he is kept under close watch, he is harmless. He may be powerful, but Abi’s blood magic won’t apply to everybody. He can be stopped, if necessary.”

“Ah yes,” Album retorted. “Like you stopped Hannah Lynn from apparently escaping into the city?”

Eric didn’t recognize the name, but he saw Ryokumo’s features twitch in irritation. But before either could continue on, the man with emerald hair that Eric now knew as Prince Reigious interrupted.

“Both of you be silent,” he snapped. “That is a matter we can discuss another time. For now, I would like to hear what Reiner has to say about Album’s accusation. Admittedly, it crossed my mind as well.”

Eric nodded, seeing all eyes in the room turn to him.

Just bite your tongue! Don’t say what you want to say, say what they want to hear. Your life…and perhaps even the lives of everybody that got erased, are at risk.

With his thoughts focused on the safety of Lilly and the others, Eric bit back his anger and spoke calmly as he faced King Markreas.

“What good would revenge get me?” he asked those in the room, spreading his hands out. “I can’t bring them back. Believe it or not, but I don’t want to die. Nigreos and Ryokumo are offering me a life here in my mother’s country…a place I still know very little about. If I tried to get revenge, I would die. I would be wasting my life. And while I will never forgive Nigreos and Album…nobody else in this room has wronged me. After all, it was my own ignorant actions that brought erasure down on my friends. If it is anybody’s fault…it is my own.”

Both Ryokumo and Nigreos seemed satisfied by his response while Album looked ready to argue further. As for the royals, all three were unreadable.

“Reigious. Anna. What are your thoughts?” Markreas asked.

“I have none,” the princess answered instantly. “There are arguments for both. However, Eric Reiner broke the laws without knowledge…therefore, I think death and erasure are a tad extreme. Let him prove himself. And after the recent incident with Miss Lynn…well, I think it will be quite hard to cause any more trouble now that we’re on higher alert.”

Reigious nodded his agreement. “I am of a similar mindset. We give him a chance and if he tries anything, we simply kill him on sight, simple as that.”

Markreas furrowed his brow, but it seemed that he was still not wholly convinced.

“If I may, your majesty,” Ryokumo then said, stepping forward with a confident grin.

“Yes…what is it, Caeli?”

“If you are still on the fence, might I suggest this as a way to pay Abi back?”

“Pay her back?” Markreas parroted. “Meaning?”

“Well, despite all of the crimes Abigail Reiner committed, one should not forget that she once saved the life of Prince Reigious,” Ryokumo explained. “Without her, your son would be dead. So, to repay her for that, why not save her son’s life in honor of her saving yours?”

Eric could see Album immediately scowl at the Master’s words, but Nigreos, Piura, and especially Reigious seemed to genuinely take Ryokumo’s words into account. Even Markreas looked as if that was the final straw he needed to make his decision.

“He…brings up a good point,” the prince muttered. “Abi was many things…but I owe her my life. I can no longer repay that debt to her personally, so If this will make it up to her, then I fully support giving Eric Reiner a chance.”

“As do I,” Piura agreed.

When Eric glanced over at Ryokumo, the man simply winked, telling him that he was confident the discussion was concluded.

“Very well,” Markreas rasped. “It is my decision that Eric Reiner’s life be spared. Reigious, I leave it up to you to decide what should be done with him.”

Reigious bowed. “Yes, Father.”

With the meeting with the king reaching its conclusion and Eric’s future suddenly looking far more different than he had predicted just an hour before, the boy took a deep breath and clenched his teeth.

It seems I won’t yet be joining them in that realm. I just have to hope that I haven’t made a mistake in trusting Ryokumo Caeli.

Eric exhaled softly.

But then again, my sense is never wrong.