“The rules of the game will be simple enough so even an out-planer can understand them,” the current Premier of the Celestial Fire Lodge, the flame-haired Vheti, announced to all those assembled in the central lobby.
It was the next day. Finn, Rosa, and Tobias had been given a corner and a scrap of blanket along with a bowl of something like stew to eat.
The Fire Lodge looked much different from when Finn had last been here. There were still the wide marble stairs that climbed to a second-floor gallery, and there were the many stout wooden doors that led to the simple cell-like rooms that Finn himself had stayed in while he had trained.
It was the lobby below, where once they had eaten great banquets provided by the seemingly never-ending supply of servants, that was now a mess. The vast wooden tables were pushed aside, half of them occupied with items being created or repaired. Blankets and tapestries had been dumped in a corner, and another side of the room had a rudimentary fire with a series of bubbling pots watched by worried initiates. The air was no longer fresh from the sweet herbs hung by invisible hands in the past. Now it was thick with smoke and grease.
“Looks like they don’t have access to the kitchens,” Tobias murmured.
Finn could only not in agreement. It looked more like a refugee encampment than an academy now. He supposed the fact that they had survived at all was a testament to their skills, but as Finn’s gaze rose to meet their so-called leader’s, he wondered at what cost.
“A race. Just like the old days. A race to the Tower of Time, and the first person there will be the recognized Premier Martial of Fire.” Vheti grinned, and from the snickers around the room, Finn could see that there was far more to this challenge than a simple race.
Vheti looked to be roughly Finn’s age, with faintly tanned skin that was drawn tight around his cheekbones and eyes, but there was no way to know his real age. The man wore simple black-and-red clothes, but they were finely spun and fitted his slight frame well. They were clearly better quality than the clothes of anyone else here. Finn didn’t think this Vheti was from Earth, but he couldn’t place what world he did come from.
“What’s the catch?” Rosa murmured.
Finn shrugged, keeping his glare on Vheti. “It doesn’t matter, I will still win.”
“Or are you out-planers too scared to run the streets and levels of the citadel, now that you have seen what we face here? Now is your only chance to back down, I am warning you!” Vheti returned Finn’s look.
Finn felt a wash of sudden fatigue, bordering on indifference. He had a city to liberate and a sister to save.
“When do we start?” he said with a bored air, earning scattered applause from some of the more impressionable initiates.
“Immediately! Around here, we don’t have to dose up on healing potions and make speeches!” Vheti said scornfully, which Finn thought was pretty rich, considering Vheti was the one doing all the talking.
Finn did have one thing to say, however.
“I have one condition,” he called as Vheti was about to leap off the table he was standing on.
His eyes lit up. “Aha! I knew it! You need a blanket? A companion? Something that will make your life so much easier?!”
This was all a part of the act, Finn could see. Vheti had created a culture of arrogance inside the Fire Lodge, which perhaps wasn’t the hardest thing to do, given that those on the Ascension Path of Fire were already fairly unpredictable.
It was Vheti’s key to his control. He had made those inside these protected walls feel like they were better than every other lodge and every other ‘plane’ outside. That pride was the only thing that kept them inside here rather than attempting to flee or join anyone else.
“When I win, I will be seeking an alliance with the other lodges, and I am offering everyone a chance to return with me to the New Zone, where they will help me liberate a city,” Finn announced boldly. “It will be dangerous work, but arguably less dangerous than your lives here. Anyone can try their chances in the New Zone, where there are plenty of opportunities to ascend. My condition is that you do not prevent anyone from making the choice.”
There was a moment of silence, and then a throng of voices as people debated this new opportunity. Some appeared interested at the chance of escape. Vheti, however, clearly was not.
“I knew it! This entire challenge is a trap by some out-planer to weaken us! To drag us into one of their filthy realm wars!”
Tobias stiffened next to Finn. “Looks like you’ve already got a realm war of your own going on here, friend.” The Verdainian said the word ‘friend’ in a low, gravelly tone. Almost like a threat.
“You see what I mean about the outer realms! You cannot trust them! That is why we must stay here, at the citadel! Where we will be safe and strong!” Vheti shouted, but Finn and his friends could see that at least some of the crowd looked a little incredulous.
Clearly, Vheti’s definition of ‘safe’ was not the same as everyone else’s.
“Here, when the other lodges eventually bow to us, we will become the masters of this place! We will be our own instructors! There is nothing that will poison or hurt us, I swear!”
“I see what’s going on. Daros was right. Vheti wants to become the next instructor by default, doesn’t he?” Rosa whispered. The notion that a guy like Vheti could be in charge of the entire Order of Celestial Grace, in charge of the Celestial Register itself and appointed by the Asai of Time, was clearly ridiculous.
Wasn’t it?
“Even here, the ascension continues,” Finn growled. “This place is meant to train Defenders for the games outside, but it still has its conflicts, challenges, and opportunities. This is my offer, take it or leave it. I win, I become the premier, and I leave this place with any who’ll come with me,” Finn announced.
As soon as he said it, he saw Vheti’s eyes glimmer brightly, and he smiled.
He must realize that I’ll leave afterward anyways.
For Vheti, it was a no-brainer. As long as he didn’t die, he would still be able to conduct his power-mongering schemes.
“You offer is…noted, and I accept your condition, but I know that you remain beneath me. Beneath us. I know that you cannot win here, in my house!” Vheti said.
The responding cheer was ragged, at best, although it was hard to tell just how much legitimate support Vheti did or didn’t have. It didn’t matter at that moment, though, since Finn first had a race to win.
Once they moved to start the race, there was a more enthusiastic outcry, despite the dangers ahead. Those of the Fire Lodge had always been a bloodthirsty lot. The contestants made their way through the many corridors and past many doors, including the very large set of back doors, which had been barricaded multiple times. By the time they reached the small final door, there was barely room for everyone. Finn could hear the jostle of bodies behind him.
“We race to the Tower of Time. If there are the undead in our way, we kill them,” Vheti said casually.
“Any path?” Rosa asked shrewdly.
Vheti turned and offered her a large smile. “Any path.”
Seems simple enough. Finn nodded, and Vheti’s burly lieutenants grabbed the door and dragged it open, checking the courtyard outside before nodding.
They were off.
Vheti was the first out of the door, not waiting for a sign from the lieutenants before he grabbed the doorframe and threw himself forward.
You little—
Finn almost swore, but he threw himself after Vheti a fraction of a second later. He didn’t have time to be surprised or angry now. He lunged into the small courtyard, where it was edged with open galleries held up by stone pillars. He vaguely remembered it as a place for weapons training, and he remembered how hard the cobbled floor was…
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> You have been struck by Fire-Spark for 70 points of damage.
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> Fire Ascension Path: You receive 50% less damage from fire-based attacks.
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> You receive 35 points of points of damage.
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Finn snarled at the sudden burst of fire across his vision. He skidded, feeling the murderous desire to fire back. Since he had rested, he had restored all of his Mana, Health, and Stamina, and he knew that his powers could incinerate the upstart…
That wasn’t how this game was played, he reminded himself. You were allowed to get injured, and you might die in the process, but you weren’t supposed to purposefully kill another initiate…unless the rules had changed.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
A moment later, he saw that it had been a distraction. Vheti was disappearing into the far corner of the courtyard, where a piece of the gallery and adjoining wall had been broken down. With a roar, Finn snapped a hand forward all the same.
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> Ascension Path: Fire.
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> Strike (INT base damage, every Mana = +1 damage).
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He sunk a mere 70 Mana points, the same that Vheti had spent, but it was boosted by his Intelligence of 51. The bolt of flame shot forward and slammed into the opening that Vheti had just gone through.
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> You have struck your opponent for 121 points of damage.
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“Let’s see how you like that.” Finn grinned when he heard a yelp of pain. He knew that Vheti would have the Fire Ascension advantage of only suffering half of that damage, but there was something petty and pleasing about inflicting 60 when his opponent had only inflicted 35.
Despite losing on the exchange of blows, Vheti’s plan had succeeded. He had taken the lead.
“We’ll see…” Finn put on an extra spurt of energy, lengthening his stride as he crossed the courtyard, leaped atop the rubble, and scrabbled to the far side. There, it opened into a narrow alley between the buildings.
Where was Vheti? The street went right and left, but not ahead. The white stone walls were too tall for him to see the Tower of Time, but a quick mental check told him that he should be heading right if he wanted to get to the center of the citadel.
Suddenly, a vast bell rang from that same direction.
“Huh?” Finn had a vague recollection of small shrines dotted throughout the citadel that the servants used to try to appease the Asai of Time, but he had no idea who was ringing a bell now, unless…
Finn charged down the street and around a curve that opened into a tiny square with a stone pedestal and giant brass bell in its center. As he arrived, Vheti was leaping down with a malicious laugh. He bolted toward the nearest building as shapes started to appear from every corner.
That was when Finn realized how much of a treacherous a-hole Vheti was.
The bell had summoned the undead. Zombies of all races, sizes, and conditions came lurching toward the noise.
“Dammit!” Finn roared, seeing that he could not get to the same building that Vheti had in time. The undead were pouring into the square. He knew he could take them, but it would take time. If he wanted to win, he didn’t have that time to spare.
The open air provided Finn with a view of the skyline. There were high walls that separated the different quarters of the citadel, and in the distance was the giant, domed tower with its gleaming crystal roof.
He had no time to consider options. He quickly chose one of the other exits on the nearest side and raced toward it.
The streets there had clearly suffered from the wyvern’s attacks. The walls were blackened, and there were other marks that Finn was sure were dried blood. Stone from the walls and roof tiles lay strewn across the streets. Finn jumped them, seeing a tight turn at the end of the tunnel. He followed it to the right as he heard the undead in pursuit. He picked up the pace, realizing that these weren’t the slow zombies.
Up ahead was a T-junction. If he went right, it must lead back to the courtyard? Or possibly to the same route that Vheti had taken.
Finn knew his Agility was good, but not great. His Stamina and Strength had to be greater than Vheti’s, though. He might even be able to make it out ahead of him…
He ran for the end of the junction, skidding at the end to turn right.
There was a shrieking cry just as he turned. Something grabbed his shoulders. Something with cracked fingernails like claws.
Finn spun, the Pyrrhic Blade flickering into his hands as he spun, raising the blade to see another gaggle of zombies, a pack that had been on their own journey toward the noise. He lashed out with his blade, cutting straight through the neck of the zombie that had been grabbed him.
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> You have defeated the Level 14 Zombie. Experience awarded.
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Just as he was finishing his swing and the first body was falling, another took its place and slashed at Finn’s exposed arm with its rusted axe. Finn saw the half-destroyed face and gray flesh. The eyes looked feverish and bright with green, toxic energy.
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> You have been struck by the Level 15 Zombie for 55 points of damage.
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Finn took the hit, seeing sparks as the axe struck his leather-and-chain Gauntlets of Strength, taking much of the damage, but the blow still hurt.
He returned the favor, stepping forward and chopping down in one overhead sweep that buried the flaming, magical blade into the zombie’s head before he kicked it in the chest and sent it into one behind it.
He saw that the first wave of the zombies behind him were starting to catch up. They were turning the corner and began to move faster once they saw him.
With a muttered curse, he turned and ran down the lefthand path. Every second he fought was one where Vheti could be running. Finn was losing time, and even though he was more advanced, he knew he couldn’t afford any more distractions.
This street curved around a high wall on his left as he ran, and Finn saw that it appeared to reach a wide promenade, five or six times the size of this street. He saw taller stone buildings, most of which were ruined and crumbled.
Oh… He suddenly remembered where he was. This was one of the main streets of the fire quarter. There used to be shops and craftsmen living there, working and selling their wares to initiates or servants. No such activity was present.
Unable to run back, he continued forward. He remembered this as a very busy place…
His feet skidded across the cobbles and flagstones, nimbly jumping over larger bits of masonry. He panted, looking up and down the main street. There stood the old bakery, its quaint wooden front just a pile of burnt splinters now. Further ahead was the watchmaker, whose glass frontage had been completely smashed. The fabulous bronze-and-steel objects he created were smashed and scattered across the street.
Everywhere Finn turned, he saw destruction. Almost all of the buildings had their glass completely destroyed, and their doors had been ripped from their hinges. Awnings were now just ragged tatters floating in the wind.
Where are all the people now?
Finn saw a flash of red out of the corner of his eye and dove forward into a roll just before Vheti’s bolt of fire slammed into the ground near where Finn had been.
The Troll-Slayer growled as he got back on his feet. He’d had enough of this. If Vheti wanted a fight, Finn he would give it to him. He wouldn’t kill him, just show him that he was no match for a Defender of Finn’s level.
The burst of flame was behind him, but Finn spied the fast-moving figure above him.
Above?!
Looking up, he could see one of the building’s larger walls running through this part of the citadel. It snaked into something like an aqueduct before arching up to a higher level—one closer to the Tower of Time itself.
In effect, Vheti was on a super highway straight to the next level of the entire citadel!
As the street filled with hissing, snarling zombies, Finn saw his opportunity further ahead. One of the shops had been almost entirely demolished, forming a large drift of rubble that he could use to scrabble up to the flat roof of the next shop. From there, it was an easy jump onto the wall.
Finn sprinted ahead, seeing zombies lurching out of the streets and shops all around him, but he was moving fast, and his blade was held high in his hands.
Flash!
Vheti was ahead, but he spun to release another flaming shot toward Finn.
Finn spun out of the way and laughed. It was an easy dodge.
“You’re going to have to do better than that!” Exhilaration surged through him.
The first pack of zombies was cutting across his path to the ruined buildings. The first had a spear, which it thrust at Finn’s belly, but Finn saw it coming. He slammed his blade down, breaking the spear in half before bringing his blade up into the zombie’s face.
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> You have successfully defeated the Level 14 Zombie. Experience awarded.
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“Level Fourteen?! Come on!” Finn felt the burning sense of success start to flood through his system. He was made for this. His long months out there in the ‘out-planes,’ as Vheti so derisively called them, had only made him stronger. He had faced armies of trolls and ogres and monsters, while Vheti had been insulated here.
Another downward slash, and another zombie fell. But then, he felt pain sear up his arm.
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> You have been struck by the Level 16 Zombie for 65 points of damage.
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It wasn’t a life-threatening attack at all, but it was annoying. It became horrifying when he felt the weight of the zombie grabbing his arm and biting his shoulder.
With a disgusted cry, Finn slammed the Pyrrhic Blade into the creature’s chest and sent a burst of fire along it so that it engulfed the undead. It staggered as flames took control of its body.
Finn spun back, saw that the way was clear, and leaped for the rubble. This time, he made the jump badly, scraping his knees against the stone as he put his blade back into his inventory.
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> You have been struck by the rubble for 25 points of damage.
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Pain shot through his knees and palms as he climbed, the rocky debris shifting and starting to slide as he dragged himself upward as fast as he could.
One of the zombies jumped forward in a wild, reckless leap that no sane or living person would ever dream of doing, but it paid off. An almost-skeletal hand grabbed his lower ankle, and its jagged nails bit into his flesh.
“What is it with you people!” Finn kicked back, feeling the crunch of bone, but the zombie stubbornly hung on. He kicked again, felt another crack, and then was free to continue up, reaching the roof of the nearest building and pulling himself onto it.
There was a flash of red from up ahead, and he flinched, but this time, no flaming arrow sought him out. Another flash, and he saw that Vheti had reached the bridge section of the wall and must have been in a battle with his own undead.
That will slow him down, Finn thought grimly as he scrambled to his feet and ran forward. His anger was replaced with grim determination. As much as his opponent was trying to kill him for his own path to glory, Finn realized that he didn’t want the man to die. Not at the hands of the undead. Not at anyone’s hands, in fact.
Even Vheti was a person, another initiate of the Fire Path, and he had to be taught a lesson…but not a fatal one. Finn took a deep breath and ran toward the back wall, lengthening his stride as he took one lunging step after another, until he kicked off the edge.
“Oof!”
He grunted as he grabbed the ledge of the wall bridge, feeling pain down his back as his arms took his weight, then he hauled himself up and over. He thumped to the top, breathing heavily as his head swam from the effort. He was losing Stamina in this race, but he had enough to finish it.
Reach Vheti. Save him from the zombies and then maybe all this will be over. He’ll see that I am the better candidate for the premier.
“Vheti! Enough of this!” Finn shouted as he got to his feet, his blade once again flickering into his hands as he ran toward where the wall bridge started to arch up to the next level. He could see Vheti’s figure already at the apex of the bridge, and patches of flame formed a barrier along the arch.
Oh. So maybe there hadn’t been any zombies at all, and this had merely been another ploy to slow him down.
Finn groaned and kept running. The flames were rising, growing in intensity to form a vivid orange blur of heat. He felt the stone underfoot start to rise as he climbed, the views of the different quarters of the citadel visible on either side in a panorama of ruined buildings and rubble-filled streets.
“Vheti, stop!” Finn cried again as he felt the heat of the flames right ahead of him. He would leap them. It would be easy, and he might not even get hurt…
He jumped through the fire. He felt it closing in on him for one terrible moment before he was free, his feet skidding over stone as smoke swirled around him, and then it wasn’t stone but something else.
This part of the bridge wasn’t made of stone. Finn saw it all suddenly—the reason for the fire and why Vheti had led him up here.
The middle section of the wall bridge had been destroyed, presumably by the wyvern. Instead, a series of wooden boards reached across the gap, with the rest of the citadel below.
And the wooden planks were burning.
Finn managed a strangled cough of rage as he desperately lunged, his boots finding purchase on the planks. He leaned forward, trying to run as fast as he could before.
Crack.
Too late.
The burning planks broke, and Finn fell.