At the heart of Ederwood sat a magnificent wonder of the world. Thousands from all across the continent traveled to Ederwood to witness this spectacle, most of whom were ardent skeptics until they saw it with their own eyes. This spectacle was none other than the ‘tree city’ Ygg, located within a tree stump.
Yes. Unbelievable as it may seem, there existed a tree stump large enough to house an entire at Ederwood. Legends claimed the tree stump once held up Yggdrassil, the ancient World Tree. Unfortunately, Yggdrasil had been cut down by a tyrant, the blow devastating enough to rid it of 99% of its vitality.
Strangely, the remaining 1% proved to be extremely potent. Plants grown within a few miles of the trunk experienced exponential growth and miraculous effects. Herbs which could only heal small injuries became potent enough to regrow entire limbs. Animals that grazed on these plants were much more intelligent than their counterparts in other countries. It was a miracle which the denizens of Ederwood decided to capitalize on.
One day, due to the constant wars enveloping the continent, a wisben suggested burrowing into the tree trunk to protect themselves from invaders. The plan was solid. The tree was nigh-invulnerable and would definitely form the greatest defense. Unfortunately, that security proved to be its greatest flaw. Despite their best efforts, no Edernite (Eder citizen) could pierce the tree bark.
Luckily, just when it seemed like the enemies would succeed in ambushing the Edernites, an old wisben shaman stepped forward. No one knew the woman’s origin or story. Still, it proved irrelevant when, following her prayer, the tree split open of its own accord.
The Edernites rushed into the tree stump where they were greeted with the most beautiful sight ever witnessed by man…
Ygg, Ederwood
8: 50 p.m. 19 st Banem 1092.
“Smell you later!” Within a forest, a wisben child shouted as she swung through the air, supported by a vine. The little girl, who seemed to be in her early teens, had a boyish vibe about her. Her short, puffy red hair rustled in the wind, hazel brown eyes scanning her surroundings for her competitor.
When she failed to spot anyone, the child let go of the vine, and then screamed with joy and excitement as she zipped through a small hole between a set of thick tree branches. Upon reaching the other end, she corrected her posture, allowing her feet to slide across a branch. Her momentum carried her to the end, which stopped before a seemingly endless depression.
Just as the wisben’s eyes flashed with determination, a shadow flashed by her on all fours. The shadow looked over its shoulder, revealing itself to be Zuri. The little daeben flashed a triumphant, toothy grin as she somersaulted over the edge. “Not if Zuri gets there first!”
“Hey! You cheated!” The wisben child protested as she formed a strange symbol with her hands. Boom! An instant later, a massive branch shot out from the one she was sliding on, catapulting her over the edge. The two girls laughed as they freefell through the dense foliage below, using all sorts of tricks and skills to dodge or maneuver through the branches in their path.
Eventually, a seemingly endless sea of fluorescent leaves appeared below them. The beautiful sea stretched out as far as their eyes could see, occasionally interrupted by tree trunks that grew past them.
The wisben’s eyes shone as she marveled at the fluorescent sea. Glancing at Zuri, she warned with a bright grin, “Are you sure you’re ready!?”
“Hehehe!” Zuri confidently grinned as a pair of wings sprouted from her back. “Zuri’s been practicing!”
“Awesome!” the wisben screamed with adulation, but a challenging glint shone in her eyes as she finished, “But you’ll still lose!”
Following the wisben’s challenge, both girls squealed with excitement as they crashed into the sea of leaves. The ladies shut their eyes as they zipped through the dense foliage, until they successfully burst out the other end.
“Wow!” Zuri yelled in excitement and adoration as she took in the beautiful landscape sprawled out below her.
“Yeah,” agreed the wisben with a proud gaze, “It never ceases to amaze me too.”
The city below the girls comprised of a dense network of trees and landings, connected by bridges of various sizes. Fluorescent algae and foliage growing on the side of trees bathed the city in a warm green glow.
Several buildings were either carved into or built around massive tree trunks, the multi-leveled city a sensation to witness in reality. Creeks and streams ran through the city’s lower levels. In comparison, higher levels boasted fountains and mini waterfalls that beautified the city and provided a rich, cool breeze.
“Last one to the Augury loses!” shouted the wisben as she whipped out a small vine from her pocket. “Extend!” Following her command, the vine suddenly grew several meters in length. It then wrapped around a branch at an angle below her. The girl swung with the vine, and then promptly let go when she was at a forty-five-degree angle, which converted her downward momentum to a forward one.
As she zipped through the air, she glanced at Zuri, who had zipped down next to her. “Hehe! Try and keep up!” With those words, she stretched her hands out. Another vine extended from her hands and latched onto an overhead bridge. This time, however, the vine suddenly shrunk, which catapulted her even further forward.
Zuri frowned as she flapped her wings, attempting to close the distance between her and the bullet-liked wisben.
Both above and below, Edernites paused their daily activities to watch the duo whizz by with amused smiles. They had seen this scene play out multiple times over the past few days. So much so, some had begun anticipating the daily races.
“Oooh… looks like the princess is going at it again.”
“Who do you think will win this one? I say the Princess.”
“I don’t know. That daeben girl’s been getting better… She might just edge this one.”
“Well, it all hinges on the garden. No one’s managed to overtake the princess at the Garden just yet.”
‘The Garden’ was a large, donut-like patch of land spanning several kilometers that was used solely to grow food crops and providing grazing pastures for animals. The entire city relied on the Garden for food, which resulted on a strict, ‘No Entry’ policy for non-farmers. It was also the only part of the city, which was not covered in trees and branches, meaning there was a clear, uninterrupted view of the fluorescent sky.
Because the Garden blocked all entry to the rest of the city beyond, small roads were made to allow travel from the inner to the outer city and vice-versa. Unlike most other nations, however, there was no distinction in class between those who lived in the inner and the outer city.)
Both girls approached the outskirts of the garden, neither intending to use the roads to travel. They were usually packed with people, animals, and carriages, which would slow them down.
One would expect that with the lack of branches and trees to swing off of, the wisben would be wary of the open expanse, but, weirdly, the wisben child’s eyes lit up as she approached the Garden’s outskirts. She sported a wide grin as she reached into her satchel and retrieved a set of seeds. The wisben enclosed the seeds in her hands and then chanted a short spell.
Resplendent green-colored mana poured out of her hands and then enveloped the seeds. If Kashi was present, he would have been stunned out of his mind because the mana’s aura was far too familiar to Yggdrasil’s.
The young wisben flung the seeds ahead of her as she descended in front of a fence that bordered the Garden. The seeds crashed into the earth and rapidly grew into a three-meter plant with a large bulb. The wisben grinned as she fell right into the bulb and then shouted, “Explode!”
The plant’s bulb rapidly expanded as it absorbed mana from its surroundings— BANG! —and then, with a loud boom, the plant shot out the child.
The wisben blasted over the garden with the speed of a rocket, many intrigued commuters grinning as they watched her fly past.
“Ah. It’s the princess’s cannon. Guess this one’s in the bag.”
Zuri’s eyes narrowed as she watched her friend slowly getting smaller in the distance. She growled in frustrated anger but then gritted her teeth and shut her eyes. “Please work…” she begged as dark mana accumulated around her. The daeben groaned as she shouted, “[Beast Soul Possession – Animate!]”
Following Zuri’s shout, a massive torrent of mana rushed towards, and then enveloped her, obscuring her from view. The onlookers released shocked exclamations as they watched the silhouette within the mana begin to shrink and change.
WHOOSH!
Moments later, a strange silhouette shot out of the mana cloud, leaving a heavy gale in its wake. The onlookers gaped, eyes wide in shock as they watched the figure zoom past the Garden with blistering speed.
“Was that?” “No, it’s impossible!”
Meanwhile, unaware of what was going on behind her, the wisben child grinned as she began to descend at the other end of the Garden. She quickly shot out a vine that caught a nearby tree and then resumed swinging her way to their destination.
Before long, a large tree trunk with a beautiful orange glass dome at its top came into view. The wisben eyes lit up as she increased her pace for the final stretch. However, just when she thought she had the game in the bag, a sense of unease assaulted her.
The wisben looked over her shoulder, and her eyes went absolutely wide with shock. A black-feathered eagle shot through the trees, its red eyes locked on the same building. However, the wisben was floored with disbelief. What was a Silverwing Eagle doing here? They did not have any predatory birds living within the city.
Suddenly, the Silverwing Eagle glanced at the wisben, a certain challenging glint in its eyes. The wisben recognized that glint and, as a result, shouted in shock, “Zuri! You finally mastered it!?”
Zuri’s response was to let out a shrill cry and flap her wings, exponentially increasing her speed. Within seconds, she was almost level with the wisben.
The wisben eye’s glowed with warmth, pride, and joy as she cried, “I’m so happy you mastered it, but I still won’t let you win!” With those words, she turned around and stretched both hands. Twin pair of vines shot out and stabbed into a pair of trees ahead of her. She then quickly retrieved the vines, and the force catapulted her even further.
Zuri, seeing this, let out a cry, and a thin maelstrom formed around her beak. She then let out another shrill cry, and the wind blasted forward in a column, forming a small tunnel that led all the way to the building. The blast also created a vacuum within the tunnel, removing all air resistance. Seizing the opportunity, Zuri flapped her wings one last time and then retracted them as she dove into the tunnel.
That final flap sent her bursting through like a bullet, and, as a result, many onlookers watched with bated breath as the little bird slowly (relatively) caught up to the wisben.
Meanwhile, Rider stood at the foot of a set of stairs leading into the domed building, a proud smile on his face as he watched the girls come in for the final touchdown. “Three… Two… One.”
BOOM!
Rider waved his hand, sending a small gale which blew away the dust to reveal a bird and a young girl, both of whom quickly glared at each other.
“I won!” the wisben shouted.
“No way!” Zuri, still in her bird form, somehow retorted. “Zuri totally won!”
“Rider!” “Grey Ojii-san!”
“Who Won!?”
Rider chuckled as he patted the little girls’ heads. “Zuri, Sophie… It was a draw. You both hit the ground at the exact same time.”
“What? No way!” Zuri complained with a pout, though, as a result of her bird form, it came off quite comical. “Zuri should have won.”
“No, that was supposed to be my win!” The wisben, whose name was revealed to be Sophie, complained. “You wouldn’t have stood a chance if you didn’t transfor—” Her eyes went wide as she grabbed Zuri’s ‘shoulders’ “More importantly, Zuri! You finally did it! You transformed!”
Zuri cocked her head to the side in confusion. But she then looked at her body and realized what she’d just done. “Zuri did it! Sophie! Zuri transformed!” Girl and bird celebrated as they danced back and forth, laughing and cheering in delight.
*cough* A loud cough ceased the children’s celebration. It brought their attention to Rider, who regarded the daeben with an intrigued expression. “It looks like you finally did it. I must say, you have surpassed my expectations. But, can you change back? We do not want a situation where you get stuck as one animal.”
“Uh…” Zuri muttered as she closed her eyes. Moments later, dark mana shrouded her form. It dispersed a few seconds later, revealing the daeben in her hume form.
Rider nodded, a smile on his face as he appreciated her simple clothes. He’d had it specially crafted for Zuri to help with lycanthropy. It was charmed, so she did not end up naked every time she transformed. Who knew it would serve a purpose here too? He then observed Zuri, who was showing off her transformation to Sophie.
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Due to Zuri’s [Beast Soul Possession] , Rider always had high expectations for her werewolf abilities. But not even he expected this kind of mutation. Zuri’s [Beast Soul Possession] proved to be far more powerful than the werewolf gene. It forcibly absorbed the gene, kept all the good parts, and then expelled the adverse effects. As a result, Zuri could transform whenever she wanted and not have to deal with the monthly werewolf madness.
Furthermore, [Beast Soul Possession] seized the werewolf’s shapeshifting ability and used it to improve its own base ability. Although it had taken some time and severe training, Zuri finally mastered the ability to change at will to beasts whose souls she had collected.
Watching Zuri train reminded Rider of his days as a dragon rider training new recruits. Ah, how nice it felt to unearth a gem and then watch its beauty begin to reveal itself as you polished off the dirt.
“Master Rider.” A call broke Rider’s concentration. He turned to his right and saw a wisben in a white robe gazing at him from the top of the stairs. “The Holy Mother has awoken at last. She has asked that you come see her at once.”
Rider’s smile dimmed. With a certain darkness in his eyes, he said, “Thank you. Zuri, Sophie, let’s go.” With those words, he led Zuri and Sophie up the stairs.
Rider, Zuri, and Sophie followed the wisben priest into the building, which turned out to be a beautiful home rich with the scent of flowers. Beautiful, exotic plants adorned the corridors and rooms, the atmosphere brightened by little fairies that playfully zipped past the visitors.
Zuri’s eyes widened with excited intrigue as she observed the fairies. She almost instinctively reached out, but Sophie’s solemn mood caused her to rein in her excitement. Instead, she settled on peering past Rider’s shoulder, brow’s rising as they approached a curtain of vines protected by a group of tough-looking guards.
The wisben priest nodded as she approached the guards. The guards, having confirmed her identity, opened the curtains and allowed the group to enter.
Past the curtains, Rider and the children found themselves in a large hall adorned with chairs, tables, and decorations. Dozens of men and women were sprinkled around the room, either discussing matters or merely enjoying some time alone.
Regardless of each person’s activity, they all regularly turned to look at a beautiful, rose petal door, which was under heavy protection and scrutiny by heavily armed guards.
The guests noticed the priest leading Rider and the girls and instantly regarded the hybrid with hostility and curiosity.
The guests’ blatant rage caused the sensitive Zuri to tense up. Claws grew out of her nails as she slowly adopted a battle-ready stance in case they were attacked. Luckily, sensing Zuri’s state, Sophie grabbed the little girl’s wrist and gently squeezed.
“Sorry they’re acting this way,” Sophie apologized with an embarrassed smile. “This is where we wait to see the Holy Mother. Some of these people have been here for days, weeks, and even months. Getting a meeting with the Holy Mother is that rare.”
Zuri scratched her head in confusion. “Why?”
The wisben priest paused and then regarded Zuri with a benevolent smile. “The Holy Mother is physically weak and is thus asleep most of the time, sometimes for months on end. Thus, there is usually a clamor to book appointments for the brief moments she is awake.” She revealed a bitter smile as she glanced at the frowning guests. “Unfortunately, awaiting the longest does not guarantee a meeting.” She then looked at Rider, curiosity in her eyes as she said, “Some matters are adjudged to be of higher importance than others.”
Rider returned her look with a thin smile. “Then, I suggest we practice haste, lest we miss this window.”
“Of course, of course.” The priest panicked under Rider’s intense gaze and then hastily rose to her feet. Under the guest’s angry looks, she guided the trio to the petal door. The guards, upon recognizing her, nodded and then pulled the door open to let them through. The priest then stopped and bowed to Rider. “This is as far as I can guide you. The Holy Mother awaits inside.”
“Thank you,” Rider said, and then walked through the doorway with the children. The door opened into a warm, cozy living room. Several beautiful chairs adorned the room, their numbers revealing this room was accustomed to hosting multitudes at once. Ancient but simple paintings of forgotten times and places graced the walls, their solemnity inducing a sense of passing time in their admirers. Interestingly, there were no portraits of people, self or otherwise. It seemed whoever lived here was not too keen on keeping people on her walls.
The most eye-catching thing, however, was the wooden stairs that led to a door on a higher floor. Presumably, that should be the Holy Mother’s living quarters. Rider did not bother searching for a way to alert the Holy Mother to their arrival. Instead, he took a seat near the fireplace and then allowed the girls to explore the room.
A sculpture of a magnificent tree sitting above a fireplace caught Zuri’s eye. The curious girl walked over to the sculpture and, against her better judgment, picked it from the shelves. The little girl admired the tree, but her eyes widened when she realized it was actually made of wood. Not only that, but even the leaves smelled real and fresh. But there was no pot for the tree to take root. How could it still be alive?
While Zuri was pondering, a cheerful, aged voice suddenly called, “Be careful with that, little one. It’s older than you and I.”
Zuri panicked and then quickly hid the tree behind her back as she turned around. Her eyes widened with shock at the greying, old wisben woman smiling down at her from the top of the stairs. The Holy Mother’s kind, grey eyes regarded her visitors with pleased intrigue as she secured her braided hair with a red sash.
The Holy Mother’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked at Zuri and then said, “There’s no use hiding it behind your back. The branches are taller than you.”
Zuri quickly bent her head backward and looked up. Sure enough, the branches were indeed towering over her. Embarrassed, she turned around and placed the tree back in its place. She then turned to the Holy Mother and apologized, “Sorry. Zuri won’t do it again.”
“Nonsense!” The Holy Mother waved away Zuri’s apology with a bright smile as she descended the stairs. “It is a child’s prerogative to be as naughty as possible. You should enjoy it while you still can.”
“Hehehe…” Zuri scratched her chin, revealing an awkward laugh as she watched Sophie run to the Holy Mother.
“Holy Mother!” Sophie squealed with delight as she excitedly hugged the wisben’s waist. “It’s been so long. I have so many things to tell you.” With excitement in her eyes, she pointed at Zuri. “This is Zuri, a new friend I made. She’s a daeben Holy Mother! A daeben! I’d never seen one myself until her. Also, also, you should see her consummate skill. She can actually turn into beasts!”
“Oh?” exclaimed Holy Mother as she regarded Zuri with intrigue. “A shapeshifter?”
Sophie shook her head, “Nothing so simple, Holy Mother. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s awesome!”
Holy Mother chuckled as she looked at Zuri. “Well, now, Sophie is quite stingy with her praise. If she likes you this much, it must mean there is more to you than meets the eyes.”
“Of course there is,” interrupted Rider, no longer able to bear being ignored. “I am training her after all.”
Holy Mother sneered as she glanced at the hybrid. “Well, Rider. I’m indeed glad to see the years have done nothing to wear away your pride.”
Rider laughed as he stood up. “No more than any amount of time can erode your ageless beauty.” He smiled as he took the Holy Mother’s hand and gently kissed it. With a concerned smile, he said, “I see you have yet to rid yourself of the curse?”
Holy Mother let out a bitter laugh and then shrugged. “When Razznik has it out for you, what do you expect?” The wisben chuckled as she then said, “I should feel honored, actually. For little old me, the great Razznik took out time to learn curses from Beginner to Grandmaster. A curse with that much determination isn’t so simple to remove.” However, she then said with a triumphant grin, “I am close to perfecting the cure, though. I just need one thing.”
Rider’s brow shot up, eyes wide with joy. “What’s that? I can help you get it.”
The Holy Mother’s gaze turned hard as she replied, “Razznik’s Head.” Rider’s eyes dropped, his mood flattening to despair, but then the old wisben coyly added with a smile, “Or hair, or blood. Basically, any part of his body would do.” An evil glint then flashed through her eyes as she added, “Perhaps his manho—”
“Anya!” Rider interrupted and then gestured at the girls. “There are children here.”
The Holy Mother, whose name was revealed to be Anya, laughed as she waved him off, “Nonsense. They’re old enough to know the truth of the world.”
Zuri’s eyes widened as she looked at Rider. “Gray ojii-san. What truth?”
“Nothing, Zuri,” refuted the hybrid as he shot a frustrated look at Anya, who only shrugged in reply. Rider sighed and then shook his head. “Why don’t you sit down, Anya. We have a lot to talk about.”
“Look at that,” Anya remarked as she walked over to a chair and gently sat down. “Coming into my home, and treating me like the guest. A thousand years might have passed, but you haven’t changed one bit.” She paused and then scanned Rider one more time. “Well, apart from your looks. You look like you’re trying to impress the young’uns.” The old woman clucked her tongue and then looked at the children. “Beware men like him, kids. These days, the old are trying their best to look young, while the young want to be old. It’s all quite silly.”
“Yes, yes,” remarked Rider with a frustrated sigh. “A thousand years, and you still use the same jokes. And I’m the one who hasn’t changed?”
Anya shrugged. “The jokes haven’t changed because you don’t.”
Rider raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, you win. I can’t beat that venom-spitter you call a mouth.” He paused and then said with a bitter smile, “So, Razznik’s flesh, is it? I wish I could help, but I honestly am not looking forward to seeing his face again.”
“However, that is why you are here, isn’t it,” stated Anya with a cold smile. “Niye’s prophecy.”
Rider nodded. “Although I believe she goes by a different name now.”
Anya, however, shook her head. “You all change names far too often. At my age, I cannot be bothered to keep up.” She then changed the subject as she said, “So, the fact that you are at my door means you must have concocted some sort of plan. What is it?”
Rider’s gaze narrowed as he stated, “There are two phases. The first is the hopeful scenario, while the second is for the worst-case scenario.”
“The worst-case scenario being Razznik’s return, I presume?”
“Exactly.”
“Alright.” Anya nodded as she gathered her thoughts. “What is the hopeful scenario?”
Rider hesitated but then said, “We are not permitted to interfere with the affairs of the world unless Razznik is involved. He’s taking advantage of this rule to have the daeben bring Razznik back, somehow. So, I suggest we do the same.”
Anya’s eyes widened. “You are finally coming around? You always hated the idea of relying on the common folk.”
“That is because I do not trust humes,” Rider replied with a dark gaze. “They are a selfish, unpredictable lot, who would sooner sell their allies for gold than stand fast in the face of danger.”
“Interesting,” Anya muttered as she glanced at Zuri. “However, you are training one now, so something must have changed.” She looked at Rider, gaze suffused with curiosity as she asked, “What changed?”
Rider shook his head and then said, “I met someone who changed my view. If it’s him, I believe I can put my trust in him till the end.” The hybrid smiled as he opened his hands, revealing a beautiful tree branch. “He inherited Ferulic’s legacy but has not allowed power to get to his head.” He closed his hand and then stated, “Fladnag and Zeing apparently agree with me. Both have given their branches to the child.”
Anya’s eyes shot open, shock and joy in her eyes as she happily exclaimed, “Really!? Then?”
“Yes,” confirmed Rider. “Yggdrasil is most certainly within his soul.”
“Ha! I knew it!” Anya declared with a triumphant grin. “Yggdrasil shall rise again!” With glowing eyes, she looked at Rider. “This champion, where is he now? I must test to see if he is truly worthy of hosting Yggdrasil.”
Rider grimaced. This was what he feared the most. 99% of the time, Anya the Holy Mother was a sweet, kind old woman. However, whenever Yggdrasil was mentioned, she turned into a possessive, slightly crazy person who could not be reasoned with. “I am not privy to his whereabouts,” replied Rider with a stiff smile, but more importantly, “About Razznik?”
Anya’s eyes flashed with impatience as she demanded, “What about him?”
“I need you to use your authority to muster an army to combat the daeben,” answered Rider. “Fladnag will take care of transporting them to the battlefield. Just this much should not count as interference.”
Anya’s gaze turned serious as she questioned, “Yggdrasil’s host. Will he be there?”
With a bitter, resigned smile, Rider nodded. “Yes, he will.”
“In that case, I will endeavor to get your army ready,” she promised with a satisfied smile. “And then… What’s the plan for the worst-case scenario?”
Rider’s smile turned stiff as he said, “I need an Equalizer curse.”
“Equalizer?” Anya’s gaze turned cold. “You know how precious those are. I only have two left.”
Rider revealed a weak smile. “It’s the only way. Without it, Razznik will destroy us all should he return.”
Anya’s gaze flickered. “This curse. Who will cast it?”
“There is a sorceress amongst the ranks of Yggdrasil’s host,” Rider reported. “I can teach her how to use it by the appointed time.”
Anya hesitated but then reached into her blouse and withdrew an old scroll. “I am only giving you this because it’s you. It takes centuries to make one of these. Do not waste it.”
“Thank you,” Rider said with an appreciative grin as he accepted the scroll. “Hopefully, we are not forced to use this.”
“Hopefully,” Anya stated with a bitter smile. “But I believe we both know the chances of a battle are quite high whenever Razznik is involved.”
“Unfortunately so,” Rider replied with a sad smile.
There was a short pause, and then Anya sighed. “Well, if that is all, I suppose it is time I bid you goodbye. Many seek my assistance and counsel in these trying times.”
“Wait!” Zuri interjected with her right arm raised. “Zuri has a question!”
Anya warmly smiled at the little girl and then asked, “Speak, little one. What do you want to know?”
Zuri took a breath, somewhat taken aback by Anya’s willingness to speak. But then she mustered up her courage and asked, “Everyone keeps talking about Razznik. Who was he exactly?”
“Well, now.” Anya’s face lit up with the joy of a story-telling grandmother. “I suppose this as good an opportunity as any to tell you the story of the Destroyer and the Cursed Seven.”
Zuri cocked her head to the side, confusion etched onto her features. “Destroyer?”
“Razznik, silly,” Sophie playfully reprimanded. “The Destroyer is Razznik.”
“Oh,” Zuri muttered. “Then who are the Cursed Seven?”
Anya’s smile turned stiff as she glanced at Rider. “The unlucky few with the highest karmic bonds with Razznik before he ascended. Yes. This is a tale of how each karmic bond was forged in blood and tears.”
“Ooh!” Zuri and Sophie’s eyes lit up with excitement. They crossed their legs, impatient eyes urging on the old woman.
Anya glanced at Rider. “I trust you’ll help fill in the blanks where I forget?” She ignored the hybrid’s non-committal grunt and then turned her attention back to the girls. “This story, like so many others, starts in a little out-of-the-way town, where a young man slaved away for an entire year to become the strongest human in all realms.”