Our honeymoon is passionate. But, all things must pass.

Siri is now a part of the family. Her place is at my side.

She's embarrassed in the face of my family.

"Siri, dear," my mother says, "you needn't be so worried. You're a daughter of our household."

Siri nods, "Thank you, my lady."

Mai is excited to have another woman in the family.

Despite my recent marriage, I have work to do.

In the morning, Siri sees me off.

"Good luck."

I take her hand in mine and give it a gentle squeeze.

"You too. If Mai gets annoying, just make up an excuse to leave."

She laughs, "I love your sister. I was the youngest daughter in my household. I am grateful for the opportunity to dote on her."

I smile, "I'll see you tonight."

I am off to work for the Census Bureau.

The freedom I had as a field worker traded for the comfort of work close to home.

At work, I sift through data sheets and compile ledgers to submit for review.

It's mind-numbing work. But, the salary is sizable.

At night I come home to find Siri waiting for me in comfortable robes. Two wooden swords in hand.

She's got a challenging look on her face.

I unburden myself as I take up her challenge.

Without a word, we clash with the sword.

The longer we fight, the more skilled I realize she's become.

"You've been training."

She chuckles, "You say that as though I haven't always been training."

She scores a point on me to emphasize her point.

I redouble my efforts and lead with a guard-breaking routine.

She flows with the strike and counters my routine with her own.

Over and over, we trade points until we grow exhausted.

"Is this everything you wanted to achieve?" Siri asks while we lay in bed.

"I don't know. All I know is that I'm happy."

She smiles, "Me too."

But, just as the words leave her mouth her smile fades.

"We're heading for a civil war."

I swallow the lump in my throat.

"We won't be allowed to sit on the sidelines while Meridian conquers the kingdom."

"What do you mean?"

She looks at me.

"I once asked you if you wanted to reform this kingdom."

I nod, I remember saying I don't know.

"Do you want to reform Karas?"

I can't help but want to live up to the man she wants me to be.

"Yes."

"Let's go join the Immortal's Army."

If she'd slapped me, I wouldn't be so stunned.

"Siri," I begin, "we can't. I can't lose you."

She cocks an eyebrow at me, "Do I strike you as a delicate flower?"

My thoughts turn to Sandra. She also had such a spirit.

And, I lost her.

"You speak of treason as such a simple thing."

I can't help but feel her naive to the true hardships of life.

"I know," she says, "it's not a simple thing.

"But, this kingdom is at war and Meridian is stronger than he's ever been.

"They say he can face a thousand spiritualists and slaughter them all."

"Siri, you must realize that those rumors are exaggerated.

She lets out a deep breath.

"I've consulted with oracles."

I'm surprised as I think of the skull and bones man.

"What did they say?" I can't help myself from asking.

She looks away, "They all said that I would fight the Jal."

"So you want to do it because you were told you would?"

"No," she says. "I mean, I have wanted to change the system for as long as I can remember.

"The Jal are despots and we aristocrats are no better.

"All of this," she motions to our surroundings, "was built on the backs of slaves and serfs."

Her arguments ring true. But, I am reluctant to let go of the peace that I've found in her and my family.

"Your father would kill me."

An eyebrow raises, "Could he?"

I sigh.

"What about children? Don't you want to be a mother?"

She looks into my eyes. "I don't want to bring a child into the world as it is right now."

"But, what if it happens by accident?"

"You worry too much, Adam."

I look at her sadly, "Then, give me some time to teach you the art of spiritualism."

She smiles a victorious smile.

I can't help but feel dread about the whole idea.

I spend the rest of the night teaching her the fundamentals of the spirit seed and how to draw on its power.

I lead her in the mantra and meditation.

The night passes into day and my wife sees me depart for work.

The work is tiresome. But, I power through it.

After dinner with the family, Siri and I retired to our shelter.

We've stopped having sex to my dismay. But, we both agree that it would be unwise to challenge fate.

Instead, we share our spiritual growth.

The fruit that grows from my spirit vine has been joined by several pretty flowers.

While Siri is focused inward, I consult with the sword will.

"Bringing your wife to the battlefield. And, I thought I'd found a smart bearer."

I let out a sigh. This will be the second time I have made this mistake.

"So, when are you gonna tell her your secret?"

"I was thinking of waiting till we find the army."

The sword's silent for a moment.

"What?" I ask.

"I'm not human. So, what I say may not be entirely right. But, honesty is an important thing in a relationship.

"If you drop that doozy on her and she doesn't have time to process it. I don't know. You do you."

I walk away from the sword and look at my wife in quiet contemplation.

I want to tell her the truth. But, fear she won't believe me.

I sigh as I join her in meditation.

Months pass as Siri trains tirelessly.

Spiritualism is a rarely practiced art. But, it's not difficult to learn with the right guide.

Siri grows more powerful with every passing day.

"Am I ready?" she asks impatiently.

I chuckle, "No."

She scowls as she goes back to her task.

The months carry on until my wife grows angry with me.

"We've done this over and over again. I'm ten times as strong as when I began. Let's go find the Immortal's Army."

"Siri, I just want you to be prepared."

"I am prepared," she says bitterly.

"I need to teach you an ability."

Her ears perk up at the mention of an ability.

"What is it?"

"The soul link."

She smiles, "Okay."

After a short explanation, I have her perform it with me.

Her excitement turns to confusion.

I watch her soul look at her soul seed. And, then, to my spirit vine.

"I don't-" she mumbles.

The link severs and we sit in silence for a while.

"That's not normal," she says softly.

I chew on my lip as she looks down.

"That's not normal," she repeats herself, somewhat louder.

Her eyes find mine, suspicion in her gaze.

"What are you hiding from me?"

I break her gaze.

"I have been keeping a secret from you. From everyone."

She waits.

"I'm Meridian."

Despite our seriousness, I hear her laugh.

"Fine, Meridian. Keep your secret. But still, I know that's not normal."

I don't push the point of my identity and shrug, "I've been training as a spiritualist since I was very little."

She sighs, "Fine, back to training then."

The display served its purpose in getting her back to her focus.

Part of me is relieved she didn't believe me.

But, another part is somehow melancholic for her words.

Time passes ever onward and Siri takes her training seriously.

A year into our marriage, my wife faces me.

"I know the difference between us," she says. "But, I cannot sit here any longer.

"I'm going to the Immortals Army. Please," she looks deep into my eyes, "come with me."

Solemnly, I nod my head.

I had been expecting this for some time.

"Okay," I say. "But, let me make some arrangements to excuse our absence."

She smiles happily and hugs me. I cradle her body intimately.

Coordinating my work for me to go back to being a monitor is a simple matter. And, I set my mind to the more difficult hurdle.

"You want to take your wife out to the North for your census work?" My father is shocked by the idea.

"I cannot condone this decision."

I bow, "I understand. But, this is what she wants."

"Go, then." He waves his hand. "But, if the lady isn't with you safe when you return, don't bother coming back at all. Now, leave."

This is the first time in my life that my father has been angry with me.

I find myself ashamed despite having established my will.

But, then, this isn't my will.

Siri waits expectantly.

"We'll leave now."

I find myself unwilling to see my mother and sister. I just want to move.

Siri looks sadly at me, "It'll be fine. I'm tougher than I look."

I nod, I know she is. But, I fear what might happen.

As a promising new spiritualist, Siri can augment her fortitude and keep up for the long march.

The campaign to liberate the 12 tribes has proven successful and the army has turned to the East. Their purpose is no doubt the capital city of Nile.

I sense our destination draw closer. I take my canteen and go about the process of dying my hair blood red.

Siri watches me curiously, "I had heard that many members of the Immortal Army do this.

"Though, I don't know why."

I chuckle as I look up from my task.

"They do it because Meridian does it."

"Ah- So you're trying to be more like this Meridian guy. Or, do you just want to blend in?"

"Love," I smile as I finish, "I am Meridian."

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She chuckles, "You're still on that? You weren't even alive when he first rebelled."

I smile as we proceed a few hours on.

The army has made a city their stronghold.

The common folk of the city are apprehensive. But, the army seems to have tempered their behavior in the time I've been away.

Several red-haired men and women measure us as we pass.

Despite all of her excitement to come to the war front, she follows close behind me.

"Do you even know where you're going?" she asks.

I shake my head, "Not really."

"Great."

We spend some time walking until I hear, "You there, wait."

I turn to see a red-haired man.

His mouth drops open, "You're back."

I scratch my head, "Yeah."

"Come," he says. "I'll take you to the council."

Siri looks confused. But, dutifully follows my lead.

I become conscious of all the eyes tracking us as we cut across the city until we stand before the city hall.

The guards are apprehensive before, alarmed, they salute me.

I can feel the disquiet in my wife's soul.

She puts out a trembling hand to catch me before I enter the building.

"What's going on?"

I look into her eyes as I say for the third time, "I'm Meridian."

This time, I see belief.

I enter the building with my wife in tow.

"The Heavenly Way is cutting into our supply lines. We need to step up patrols," comes a voice.

"And," another voice pops up, "the Death Cult has been poisoning wells in the territories we control."

"If we just had Meridian here, we could march on the capital."

"Why don't we just do it anyway? He's just one man."

Ivona laughs, "If a normal spiritualist is a match for a thousand normal men, then Meridian is worth a thousand spiritualists.

"The capital is no simple nut to crack."

I finish my eavesdropping and step into the gathering.

I can hear Siri breathing rapidly.

"I'm back," I say unceremoniously.

Faces turn to me in confusion.

"Meridian," the world hangs over the room before it is joined by a chorus.

Ivona barrels through the leaders of the Immortal's Army.

I fear she'll take me up in a bear hug.

My fears are realized when she crushes me into her well-muscled bosom and lifts me off my feet.

She stops my breathing for several seconds before setting me down.

"Meridian, you've come at the perfect time."

She suddenly sees Siri, "Who is this?"

Siri seems to have lost her nerve and I say, "She is my wife."

I set a hand on her shoulder.

"Can we have a minute?" I ask the gathering.

Heads bob up and down.

I steer Siri out the door and stand with her in an empty corridor.

She looks at me with something I never wanted her to see me with.

Fear.

"Who are you, Adam?"

I look into her eyes, "I am both Meridian and Adam."

Tears threaten to overflow from her eyes.

"I don't understand."

I scratch my head and smile a rye smile.

"It's reincarnation. I lived the life of Meridian. Died and reincarnated as Adam."

She looks baffled.

"How do you know? Why do you remember?"

"I don't know," I sigh. "It could have been one of the Death Cult rituals I practiced."

Her fear and confusion turn into awe.

"That's why you have such a powerful soul."

I shrug, "I got an early start."

"So," she says, "what now?"

"We're still married and I still love you.

"Do you want to go back in? Or, should we leave?"

Siri shakes her head, "No, I want to see more."

I smile encouragingly.

Her resolve hardened, we come back to the council.

The whispers quiet down when we return.

Taluria steps out of the shadows.

"It is good that you have found love again."

Her words are kinder than I expected.

She continues, "We of the 12 tribes are with you again, Meridian.

"Where you lead, we will follow."

Ivona looks to the motley crew of factions. "Now is the time to strike the Jal.

"We have provisions to reach Nile and conquer it."

"That's," a voice intrudes, "assuming we can take the city quickly. We're doomed if we fall into a protracted conflict."

Ivona nods, "There are risks. But, if we wait for the Heavenly Way to sweep our feet out from under us, we won't even get the chance to challenge the Jal where they live."

A murmur of agreement sounds from the gathering.

"The tribes are ready," comes Taluria's voice.

Several other factions, like the Freed Slaves Union, echo Taluria's words.

Ivona looks at me. "Then, let's go overthrow the kingdom."

Despite myself, I feel excitement stir in me.

This is the cause I died for. And, now, I'm finally getting to realize it.

I look to Siri. I know she never expected this course of events. But, she takes my hand and squeezes.

The arrangements are made. And, our march begins.

It will take at least 2 weeks to reach the capital.

As we march, Siri and I talk.

"You're a lot older than me," she accuses.

"Just remember, my love, I'm Adam."

She rolls her eyes, "And, yet you are also Meridian the renegade.

I chuckle, "And, now, you are Siri the renegade.

"Assuming we win this war," I continue, "how are we going to explain all this to our parents?"

"The immortal worries about his parents when he goes to war?"

Her jab stirs me from my anxiety.

"What," she asks, "will you do when we win?"

"What do you mean?'

"You overthrow the king and do what?

"This horde worships you, Adam. They march under your banner.

"Will you become Meridian the king?"

Her question stirs in me an old dilemma.

"Maybe," I say, "when I was just Meridian, that would be my destiny.

"But, I've learned too much in my time as Adam.

"Royalty by any name leads to despotism.

"I believe the council that has been revived should be the ruling body in a world free of the Jal."

Siri is silent for a moment.

"Are you sure about that?"

I look to my wife, "I don't want to be king. I want to retire from the war that I've fought in two lifetimes.

"What I want is you and the family that we can create away from the battlefield."

Her gaze goes down.

"You're very mature, Adam."

I chuckle. "You're not wrong."

Our marching is very orderly.

Former slaves and peasants have hardened during the war to liberate the twelve tribes.

When we rest at night, I hear the excitement of the masses.

"What kind of treasure do you think they have stored up in the royal palace?" a voice asks.

"I don't know. But, you've got to live long enough to loot it."

"What are you talking about? You don't think Meridian's gonna let us loot his new castle, do you?"

A silence hangs over the gathering of men and women.

"Well, if he works as hard in the coming campaign as when we faced the Royal Army, he can have it for all I care. I just want to come out of this on the other side."

Several voices share their agreement.

I move along, having heard enough.

I find Siri watching the moon.

"What are you thinking about?"

She turns to me, "I'm thinking about destiny."

I find the subject a bitter matter for me.

"Your destiny to fight the Jal?"

She nods, "I can't remember the first time an oracle said it. But, ever since that time, I've been unable to see the good in the royals."

I shrug, "They're people too. They think they're right to maintain the pyramid on the backs of the common folk."

"I know. But, I want to live in a world where people don't get abused by those with power."

"You know," I say. "Meridian was a commoner."

She looks at me.

"When I was a child, I had never known my father or mother. I was just a common street urchin, pilfering fruit when the merchants weren't looking.

"I was hungry and cold and alone. And, I was angry.

"I hated the merchants, fat and happy as they were.

"As I grew, anger transformed into hate.

"Whereas as a child, I stole. As an adult, I was killed.

"I don't remember the first."

I look away, "I can't claim they all deserved it.

"For a long time, I fought to express the hatred within me. I wouldn't stop as men and women fled. I hunted them.

"Things changed when I met Meridian's lover, Sandra."

Siri has a gentle smile, "Was she beautiful?"

"Yes, in a rugged way.

"She tempered me. People talk about how I led the insurrection. But, it's a lie.

"People like her gave me purpose. And, turned my hate into something more."

We sit quietly as our eyes turn, once more, up to the sky.

"What are you fighting for now?" she asks.

I laughed a light laugh, "For everyone who wants me to fight.

"I did grow rather fond of living as a prince, though."

She punches my shoulder.

I smirk at her.

We watch the night pass in silence.

Siri is at a stage in her spiritualism where she doesn't need much sleep.

The next day's march is as the previous day.

We're closing in on Nile. The enemy will no doubt have defenses fortified.

I expect them to fight for the security of the city. But, a scout reports the movement of the Heavenly Way and Death Cult factions.

Tens of thousands of martial artists and sorcerers.

I guess I hadn't expected them to let us pass in peace.

They cover the horizon and I can't help but worry about the safety of my rabble.

The Immortal's Army holds its position.

The field drops down between our armies and a river of blood will flow through it.

A horn sounds and the enemy factions hold position.

A lone man in a white robe steps out from the masses.

With chi-laced words, he yells, "Meridian! I challenge you. Leave the shelter of the peasants and face me like a man."

My army looks among itself.

I begin walking out and can feel Siri reach out for me. But, I keep walking.

As I draw closer, I recognize the man. Tolon Mu. Long white hair cascades from his shoulders.

"Who are you?" the man barks.

"Meridian," I say.

Chi-laced laughter spreads out across the field.

"The great terror, Meridian, would send a child to fight his battles."

The entire field hears his taunt.

I scratch my head, "Do you still want to fight?"

A bemused look takes his face, "Child, you should respect your elders."

I free my sword from its golden scabbard.

"We're gonna fight?" the sword will explodes with excitement.

"Finally," it says. "You can't imagine how long I've waited for this."

Tolon shrugs, "If it is your wish to die, I will oblige."

I mobilize the sum total of my spirit vine's energy and take a single step.

Behind me, the great martial artist of the Heavenly Way sect stands confused.

I turn around.

Tolon Mu starts to turn around when his body topples over, his head rolling away.

I take a deep breath.

"That's it?!" the sword will rages. "Do over. Repeat dammit."

While the sword rages, I pick up the dead man's head and, mobilizing my recovering spirit vine, throw the head into the Heavenly Way formation.

The field is deathly silent.

Then a triumphant roar sounds from the Immortal's Army.

The ranks charge down the plain.

Hesitation slows the enemies before they also charge out to me.

I wait for the three armies to meet.

I visualize my spirit vine, that monstrosity.

A ripe purple fruit shines as I look at it.

I reach out with my soul.

Electricity runs through me at the contact.

My hand draws away effortlessly, the fruit is plucked.

My eyes come open and I see the divine fruit in my hand.

My mouth waters and I bite into the fruit's flesh.

Never have I tasted anything like it. Ravenously, I devour it, spreading its juices across my face.

My eyes seem to glow as I look at a world moving in slow motion.

My waiting ends as I rush to the center of the enemy formation.

I see fear in the faces of my enemies as my sacred sword sings.

An orange glow falls on the battlefield as the sword elates.

"Come and get some," the sword taunts, even though I'm the only one who can hear it.

I meet the enemies with a wide slash.

Bodies disintegrate under the force of my chi bombs.

A red shower rains down upon me.

Abject terror shows on the faces of the martial artists.

As they try to use chi bombs against me, I create a field to suppress their efforts.

The weight of my gravity field shatters bones as men and women's legs and backs break.

My Immortal's Army meets the melee and the screams of pain and rage echo across the field.

I vault over the foot soldiers and hunt the commander of the Death Cult.

The hexes and curses they send at me slide off from my spirit ineffectually.

The leader wears black robes and a bald head.

I slaughter my way through the cultists until I find him.

Rather than running, the man begins chanting a spell.

Just as I am about to reach him, tendrils of shadow rise from the ground binding my arms and legs. I struggle vainly to escape the bonds.

"Kill him quickly," the bald man yells.

As I struggle, the sword will asks, "This is too much for you? Ah, little spiritualist. I expected better."

The orange light of the sword grows blinding as the shadow tendrils hiss and burn.

"Thanks," I say genuinely.

"Don't worry about it. Just get back to fighting."

I oblige and charge the commander.

He grows alarmed and calls for a wall of flesh between us.

My gravity field has their legs buckling as I cut into their flesh.

The commander is running, tearing men from formation to throw at me.

Time and again, I kill the fodder as the bald man escapes.

Finally, he is cornered.

He begins to chant something. But, my blade pierces his mouth.

Teeth shatter and blood flows, his eyes wide in surprise.

I kick the body off of my sword and turn back to the battle.

The Death Cultists are in pandemonium and my forces are cutting through them like a knife through warm butter.

On the Heavenly Way's side, the martial artists are holding the line. Our spiritualists are at a standstill.

I cut my way through as I search out the Heavenly Way commander.

Spiritualists meet me by the dozen. But, their chi manipulation is suppressed and the most they can do is empower their bodies.

My sword sings as I sever limbs of the martial artists that try to stop me.

I project out a gravity field on their front line, creating a gap for my army to feed through.

The Boros brothers come to my side.

"Just like old times," Zach says.

I smile grimly as we gut the enemy's formation.

A horn sounds and the two factions begin to retreat.

Ivona roars from across the battlefield, "Kill them all!"

My forces go into a frenzy as the enemies turn their backs on us.

I feel somehow torn. All it would take is a few words and I can stop the slaughter.

But, to undermine Ivona on the battlefield would send the wrong message.

I watch on as the battlefield is cleaned of enemies.

Finally, a cheer of triumph goes out from my soldiers.

It was messy, but we prevailed.

We set up camp nearby and rest.

Scavengers go among the bodies to claim swords and armor.

Siri finds me as I look out on the dead.

She hugs my back, stirring me from my thoughts.

I can't help but think her warmth is comforting.

"How was your first time on the battlefield?"

She doesn't break the contact. "Scarier than I thought it would be."

She pauses.

"Thank you for teaching me spiritualism.

"I- I don't know if I could have made it without your training."

I nod.

"What now?" She asks.

"Well, we lick our wounds for a day or two, and then move on the capital.

"Do you think it'll be like this battle?"

"No," I say. "Sieging cities is a different kind of warfare. And, Nile is the most heavily fortified city in Karas."

"We'll win," she says.

I nod as I look at the cost of victory.

She parts from me and I return to my silent brooding.

The days that follow pass quickly.

Our dead buried, we continue the march.

With the Heavenly Way and Death Cult defeated, we face no further challenges on the road.

At last, Nile stands, in all its glory and squalor, before us.

Ivona and the council consider the strategies for breaking open the egg that is the capital.

"We'll have to break the gate to breach the first perimeter.

"Unfortunately, we don't have any siege equipment."

"What about sending the spiritualists to scale the wall?"

"No," Ivona says. "It's too high for even spiritualists to climb.

I feel eyes glance at me.

I shrug, "I can try."

"Meridian," Ivona says patiently, "you're powerful. But, you're not invincible."

I shrug.

The meeting goes on for some time before dissolving.

Our first task is to claim the slums that surround the wall.

The peasants of the city are unhappy as we commandeer their homes.

Arrows rain down from above should we venture too close to the wall.

"We need spiritualists to assault the gate," Ivona says.

"Yes," Taluria says. "Meridian, do you think you can break their defense if you have some extra help?"

I nod my head.

"We'll be ready when the gate falls."

The team I am assigned is a dozen men and women of firm will.

A number of them have red hair.

Siri approaches me, "I should go with you."

"Siri, I can't..."

"You can't because I'm your wife?" she sounds irritated.

"I'm a spiritualist too. Let me prove myself."

I find it difficult to say no to her.

"Alright. But, I want you to be defensive in everything you do."

She nods.

I let out a sigh.

Our party is formed and we have the go-ahead.

The guards see us coming and rain down a hail of arrows.

The projectiles are minor threats as I catch them mid-flight and drop them harmlessly to the ground.

The guards watch as we breach the distance and face the gate I once passed to take the civil service exam.

My team and I line up along the portal as the guards pour hot oil down on us.

Like the arrows, the oil is cast aside.

We all put our hands on the gate and sent our chi into the massive gate.

Alone, even I might fail. But, our combined resonance ruptures the construct.

More and more power leaves me and enters the door.

Wood screams as it is pulled apart.

Finally, the gate implodes, sending shrapnel at the guards who watched on as their protection gave way.

The obstacle in pieces, the Immortal's Army races through a hail of arrows.

Not everyone makes it. But, the horde files in as I and the other spiritualists face down the remnant of the Royal Army.

Spiritualists on both sides dispatch enemies.

I do my best to preoccupy the most dangerous enemies.

For as well trained as the Royal Army is, it can do nothing to stem the tide.

Siri moves gracefully.

I'd expected her to have more trouble taking lives. But, she dispatches foes dispassionately.

The ramparts are raided and the Royal Army sounds the call to retreat.

Our forces swarm the aristocrat's safe zone.

The looting is uncontrolled.

"Get your asses back in formation!" Ivona screams with chi-laced words.

Her outburst brings silence over the battlefield.

Somewhat sullenly, our soldiers set down their booty and find their places in rank and file.

Ivona glares at the men and women before ordering the troops to move on to the Royal Palace.

The streets are filled with the sound of marching.

Eyes peer out from windows at the doom that has come to their city.

I feel bad for these people. Their world turned upside down.

But then, the peasants and slaves have always had their world upside down.

The Royal Palace shines like a jewel.

The gate has a gathering of soldiers begging, ineffectually, to be let in.

Our formation holds away from the wall.

"Meridian," Ivona calls. "You and your team are up again."

Siri looks at me sportively.

The team assembled, we rush to the gate.

As before, the fundamental defenses slough off of us.

At the gate, we place our hands against the obstacle.

Chi flows into the gate. But, the energy rebounds.

A number of my team cry out in pain as their energies fail to penetrate the door.

In this moment of weakness, arrows rain down.

My team is unprepared and arrows lodge themselves into the spiritualists.

I watch an arrow as it targets Siri's head.

I race to mobilize my chi.

I see a drop of blood slide down her face.

The arrowhead just breaking the skin.

Siri looks from the arrow to me. Her expression was one of shock.

"Retreat!"

Those who didn't die move away from the gate as fast as they can.

I hold the rear as more arrows seek blood.

Back among the Immortal's Army, we face Ivona.

"What happened?"

I look to Siri, "The gate's enchanted. It can't be broken with chi."

Ivona curses.

"Now, how are we gonna get at them?"

"Could starve them out," comes a voice.

The barbarian scowls, "They'll outlast us if we try that."

I look at the dried blood on my wife's forehead

"It's possible that I could climb the wall."

Everyone looks at me.

"Meridian, you don't think you can. Do you?"

I nod solemnly, "I can do it."

"But, then you'd be all alone with the enemy..."

"He can do it."

The voices multiply until Ivona slams her hand down.

"If you believe, Meridian, I believe."

I take a deep breath.

I have one more spirit fruit.

The immaterial becomes material and in my hand appears the purple fruit.

"Where did you..." someone begins asking while I bite into the tender flesh.

The aroma mists the room with its sweet smell.

And, as quickly as it appeared, the spirit fruit is gone.

I feel my eyes glow as I give one final look to Siri.

I can see confusion and awe in her as I move at inhuman speed to leave the camp and charge the walls.

With a running start, I jump up onto the wall.

My fingers become chi-laden claws that pierce the stone surface.

Chunks of rock are torn free as I climb the wall.

The sentries see my progress and begin throwing everything they've got at me.

A barrier of chi deflects everything that seeks to kill me.

More and more alarm spreads among the defending guards.

My spirit vine thrums with energy as I direct that energy into my claws.

I am almost upon them.

I go wild as I climb, ripping handfuls of stone from the wall.

And, then, I am upon them.

The first guard I see in my rampage looks scared until I crush his skull in a hand.

I am breathing heavily as I look at the scared defenders, spears, and swords pointing at me.

The blade of Askilar is jubilant as it is freed from the golden scabbard.

"Him first. No- That guy. That guy. Or him. Ah- So many choices."

I put the sword will's babbling out of my mind as I step towards the group of guards.

They take a step back.

I sigh, my breath steadying.

"You could always surrender."

They look to one another.

One by one, they drop their weapons.

"Boo! No fair," the sword whines.

As we descend the stairs, other guards meet me.

Not having seen the display the others did, they draw close.

The sword sings as it shatters weapons and pierces meat.

I cut my way to the base of the wall.

Despite its enchantment, the gate is locked by a single plank.

A pair of guards try to hold out. But, my blade ends their lives.

Soldiers surround me. But, none draw close as I take the plank up from the doors.

With a mighty push, the doors swing open.

The signal goes out and the Immortal's Army rushes to the gate.

Before my soldiers can pass me, I say with chi-laced words, "I am Meridian. Surrender or die."

The peasant army slows their approach as I watch soldier after soldier toss their weapons to the ground.

I walk past the defenders as my men and women enter the fortress.

I ascend the stairs of the palace. Guards at every corner put down their arms.

The throne room stands with a retinue of soldiers in golden armor.

They stand before the throne and he who sits upon it.

"Old fox," I growl.

The white-haired man of regal standing comes to his feet.

"Meridian," he says evenly. "I must say, you're not what I was expecting."

He steps down the stairs to his throne.

"I didn't believe the rumors. That you were immortal.

"But, despite your youthful face, I can recognize an old enemy."

His guards step aside as he passes.

"I surrender, Meridian."

His men drop their weapons.

I have a severe expression on my face.

"Where is your son?"

He plays in confusion.

"Oh, you mean Marchus. Of course."

I find myself feeling dread.

"Right now, Marchus should be with the Emperor of the Sun.

"We'd been in talks for some time now about joining the empire.

"But, your revolution forced us to act.

"Karas is now a territory of the Empire of the Sun."