“I see them,” someone said. It had been days since they last saw the lone boat, and the others were getting restless. They prepared their sharpened wood, and the rowers went into double time. The lone orange flame grew as they got closer. The shadows of a group of kids danced on the walls. They didn’t seem to notice the approaching danger, which was all the better.

The kids spotted them, but it was pointless. The attackers would arrive before the kids could flee. Then, their boat rose and halted. The sudden change in angle threw the kids around. The boat crashed back down into the water, and the skewed weight capsized it.

In their hurry, the attackers did not notice the rock in the middle of the water. From behind, there was movement. Kids spun cloth over their heads and let go of one end, shooting rocks at the kids in the water. After a few minutes, it was over.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t Matthew who was sick first. Nico saw him as a delicate boy with charisma. Jude held up well, too. Nico was used to death. After his family’s fall, the slums welcomed them with an open arm and a hidden knife. However, his hands would not stop shaking. No matter how used to the sight he was, the act of killing was something much different. ‘They’re not real,’ he told himself.

“I must say--”

“Must you say?” Nico raised an eyebrow at Jude. The boy coughed awkwardly and continued.

“I didn’t expect this kind of thing from a wildborne. Are you secretly part of the War god’s camp?”

“Would you hate me less if I said yes?” Jude shrugged, replying honestly with a ‘no.’

The enemy boat had only superficial damage, and the oars floated. Now Matthew’s group had two ships. They spent some time breaking apart the empty stone bowls for rocks. Time was ambiguous now, and Nico operated on hunches whenever he thought it was night. A feeling always seemed to confirm his hunches or make him think again. The glowing moss became denser the deeper they went into the maze.

There were seven boats at the start, two of which were accounted for. Nico hoped that the other groups were fighting each other. Another day passed, and the maze walls widened. Seaweed was everywhere, and the pedestals holding water became spacer. ‘Food for war,’

Nico hammered rocks together, getting sparks each time. Once he got a sharp enough rock, he started whittling away at an oar. Rio’s lessons were his lifeline now.

He prepared several sticks from the oar and twisted some fabric into a string. He wrapped the string around a stick and started to spin it. He gently blew onto the smoking spot, and it burned orange. Placing some dried seaweed onto it, he got a flame.

The sudden bright light hurt his eyes, and the other kids gathered around, looking at the fire. Days without a sun made a single flame look like a blaze.

“A fire. Resourceful.”

“Just training,” Nico watched Matthew and sighed. ‘Now to wait.’

Matthew pointed out, and Nico followed his finger. Their fire had attracted company.

“Two boats,” Jude said, cracking his knuckles. ‘Meathead.’

“Meathead,” Matthew said. “Let them get close, or they’ll get away before we can do anything.”

The three boats got closer and spread out, surrounding them. They weren’t the only ones who thought about using the stone bowls. A lot of them had rocks in their hands, ready to throw.

“Now!” Matthew’s voice rang in the cavern, and the kids slung rocks. They glided over the water and struck the attackers, causing a myriad of screams and splashes. Even with their range, they were still outnumbered.

“Row,” Nico shouted. The two boats turned and moved deeper into the maze, leaving a smokey trail. Nico threw dried seaweed, extra wood, and anything else he could find onto his fire. A plume of smoke shot up. Said smoke was being inhaled by the chasers. Nico heard the kids break into coughing fits. He used fabric to blow the smoke away and let the blaze burn in the stone bowl.

‘Bad air sucks, doesn’t it?’ His crew slung rocks at the exposed chasers, and they fell to the smoke or the other kids one by one.

“Matthew, up ahead!” a kid shouted. Nico turned and saw two more boats cutting them off. They were surrounded. This time, they were on the receiving end of a volley of rocks. Stone skidded over the decks, sending up splinters. The five boats closed in, and some kids boarded.

Nico lifted a stick from the flames and swung it at the face of the intruder. They winced back from the light, and Nico kicked them down. Another kid bashed someone’s head, and the place descended into madness. Nico couldn’t tell friends from foes anymore.

“Look out!” Matthew pushed Nico out of the way of an attack. The wood hit him in the head, and they crumbled over the edge.

Nico stabbed the burning stick into the attacker. They wailed in pain, and Nico got the unpleasant smell of burning flesh. He backed up and picked up the stone bowl, ignoring his hands. He threw the contents over the deck and tossed the flaming bowl into another boat. Then Nico dove overboard.

The water was pure darkness. But there was a glimmer at the bottom. Some of the plants in the water gave off a faint glow as they swayed. Nico spotted Matthew, grabbed his arm, and kicked back to the surface. He gasped as he crossed the surface and paddled to the nearest boat. Some boats had caught on fire and were straight out of hell. Kids plunged themselves into the water to escape. With all the boats so close together, it was easy for the flames to spread. Nico gave up trying to get on a boat and started swimming away.

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The echoes lasted for about half an hour before they stopped. The dim speck of yellow flickered out soon after. Nico stared off into the directions of the maze, his mind blank.

It was a while before Matthew stirred. He opened his eyes and tilted his head slightly in all directions. Then he smiled wryly. “How did it go?” He finally said. Nico didn’t look at his eyes, nor did he answer.

“Come on. At least tell me it worked,” Matthew struggled up, and Nico helped him lean against the stone pedestal.

“It did,” Nico answered softly, then he met Matthew’s eyes. “You knew?”

“I had a feeling,” Matthew smiled wryly. His eyes became unfocused as he drifted back.

“Why didn’t you stop me?”

“What’s the point? This is just a game for that man. Might as well let it end early.” He stared at his reflection and went on. “I knew all of them. Each and every one of them came from the same place, yet, here they turned on each other for a promise of salvation.”

“What is this salvation?”

“To meet our lost god. The legend goes that the god of storms abandoned her people and left this trial for worthy voyagers to meet her. Some trial.” He coughed.

“Why did she abandon your people?”

“No one knows. The voyagers of the time never wrote it down. But whatever it was, I wonder if this is a punishment.” Matthew closed his eyes and sagged. ‘It makes sense that they have gods. For them to exist, though.’

“Do you have anything to say?” Nico whispered.

“Punch that priest for me,” Matthew snickered. “Show him that you won’t take death lying down like me.” He held out his hand, and Nico grabbed it. Matthew gave a firm shake and let go. He exhaled a long and soft breath and went still. The maze lit up, with a stream of algae glowing brightly. The rest dimmed until there was only a single line leading away.

The water rippled, and a small raft floated near. Nico got on, watching Matthew’s body shrink out of sight. Nico was alone in the dark. ‘He not real. These aren’t real people.’ The reasoning started to crack. Nico buried his head in his legs and tried to forget what he’d done. ‘It’s survival or death. ‘I h-had…I-I had.’ Nico stopped. ‘He was real. I’m a murderer.”

Rings of blue glowed as the raft floated on its own. Nico stuck his hand into the water, and something majestic occurred. The water burned the color of the sky. The tunnel narrowed, and Nico heard loud splashing ahead. There was light, and the tunnel ended. Nico was drenched by heavy water and then blinded by the full moon. He was in the basin of a waterfall.

“Welcome, Voyager!” Nico snapped his head up to the familiar voice. There was an outcrop of rock in the center of the pool, and the mad priest was leaning on a chair. He grinned ear to ear and stepped off the dais. The raft stopped in front of the island, and Nico got off.

“Welcome to the center of the island. I, Eviphore, Priest of the Shore, welcome you to my master’s home.” He bowed and gestured back to the chair. On a throne carved from the darkest coral sat a veiled woman. Her dress was black as night and iridescent beads hung on her head as a circlet of stars.

Nico’s heart got stuck in his throat, and he forgot to breathe. The chilling eminence he felt from the woman was crushing. Eviphore smiled and patted Nico’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry. That isn’t Lady of the Black Skies. It’s just a statue.” He went over and tapped the woman. Nico feared she would move, but she didn’t. In fact, there was nothing on her moving. The veil, as realistic as it was, was stagnant.

“Nether carved this with his own hands,” Eviphore looked like he was reminiscing about an old friend.

“What do you want with me?”

“Oh, nothing.” Nico launched a surprise attack, but Eviphore was beyond him. The priest caught his fist and laughed.

“Come now, need we be adversaries?”

“Why?!” Nico demanded. Eviphore tilted his head.

“Why we don’t need to be enemies? Why is there this trial?” Eviphore’s smile turned sinister. “Do you know what Eviphore means?” The man let go of Nico, who fell to his knees and brushed the statue’s cheek. He continued like he wasn’t expecting an answer. “He who envies. A parting gift from my master. To answer your question, because someone said so.” He looked off at the stars.

“I’m sorry, but now I must kill you,” Nico’s chest felt warm. He looked at the priest’s gray eyes. His blonde hair swayed as it caught up with his movements. Nico spat out a mouthful of blood. He couldn’t see what Eviphore had done. “I have nothing against you, but I am as helpless as you.” Nico fell to the ground, and the pain assailed him. His body was bleeding from a dozen holes.

His vision blurred with tears, and everything told him to just lay there and die. But Nico had a promise to keep. He reached out with his hand, trying to grab the priest’s foot. At least he’d struggle to hit the man. But Eviphor moved, and Nico’s hand rested on the statue’s foot.

[You have reached the end]

[Awake, Nico! Your nightmare is over]

“I’m sorry boy. Ingrain these words into your soul ‘Never be friend of god or daemon.’ Once you have attained power, shout the name of the island.”

The spell pulled him away from the nightmare.

[Prepare for appraisal]

Nico drifted in the night sky. Shooting stars glistened, and all the pain left him. It didn’t feel real, but Nico was alive.

[Aspirant, you completed the trial]

[A captured beast, brought along to die, bit his owners and set their boats ablaze. The mut survived the wrath of its masters and led them to their demise. The pitiful beast made it to the eye of the storm.]

[You have slain ten dormant humans, names unknown]

[For one meant to die, you controlled and survived; you did wonderful]

[You have received a memory “Backstabber”]

[You have received an attribute “Mark of divinity”]

[New aspect acquired]

[You have received the name “Anima Rex”]

[Aspect Rank: Supreme]

[Aspect Name: Wild Waker]

Nico was silent. ‘Wait, WHAT!?’ He’d just received a Supreme aspect and a memory.

[A follower of the dead god has been reborn and shall rekindle life from death.]

Nico read on.

Name: Nico

True Name: Anima Rex

Rank: Dreamer

Core: Dormant

Fragments: 0/1000

Memories: [Backstabber]

Echoes: ----

Attributes: [Wildborn][Mark of Divinity]

[Wildborn] Each creature shall offer their dead soul to you.

Aspect: [Wild Waker]

Aspect abilities: [Wild Merger]

[Living beings are incomplete and lacking. Only by growth and evolution can they achieve greatness.]

Nico was ecstatic, and the spell called to him again.

[Your flaw is “Embroiled Empathy”]

[You feel the emotions and sufferings of those around you]

Nico stared at the runes for a long time. ‘Ironic’ was the only way he could describe it. ‘The spell must have a sense of humor.’

[Wake up, Anima Rex] The world spun and twisted like a cosmic giant was wringing out a cloth. Then Nico was awake.