The Emerald Reaches were a collection of enormous tropical islands, set thousands of spans from the Greatwood. They were distant, but close enough for their cities to serve as primary trading hubs with settlements there—and with the annoyingly independent La-Roc and its Monster Hunters.
Maris Valerian sat on her balcony, the warm night air brushing against her skin as she sipped her coffee. Below, the city of Merigold sprawled in every direction, a vast network of canals reflecting the moonlight. Boats glided along the waterways, their lanterns leaving shimmering trails in the darkness.
Once, they had called her the Queen of Pirates. That was a lifetime ago—her grandmother’s legacy, not hers. Maris and her mother had transformed the Emerald Reaches from a haven for thieves into a thriving center of trade. Now, merchants from across Ark flocked to Merigold, bringing wealth and prosperity to the islands.
A smile touched her lips as she inhaled the rich aroma of her coffee. Her islands were abundant in rare resources, but one elusive ingredient remained out of reach. That damned ginseng. Astrid Winters, the stubborn old hag, would never share her secrets—not for gold, not for gemstones, not even for a king’s ransom. But Maris was patient; she'd find a way.
“Archon Valerian?” a voice broke the quiet. Liam Graves.
She’d sensed him approaching long before he spoke. With a sigh, Maris ran a hand through her auburn hair. “Liam, please. Just Maris.”
“Old habits,” he murmured, lingering near the doorway. “I have...urgent news.”
Maris turned her attention back to the city. A flock of albatrosses circled above the city in front of the high balcony, their silhouettes stark against the moonlit sky. She admired their effortless grace, their uncanny ability to navigate vast distances. Unsung heroes of her trade empire, they guided lost ships back to Merigold’s shores.
“Then tell me,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of impatience. “Why the hesitation?”
“A Human,” Liam finally stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. “Arrived on Ark three days ago, through La-Roc.”
Maris set down her cup, the clink of porcelain echoing in the sudden silence. She turned to face Liam, her brow furrowing. He stood frozen in the doorway, his gaze fixed on the floor. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Humans come and go, Liam. Why is this urgent?” Maris already had a suspicion of what the answer might be.
“This Human has joined the Monster Hunters,” Liam stated. But there was more—Maris could see it in his dark eyes. “And… he has shown a rather impressive affinity. Light, Life, and Spirit roots. My informants say Archon Aldertree has taken a personal interest. She plans to apprentice him, once he passes their ridiculous exams.”
Maris was silent, turning the information over in her mind. People from nowhere—Humans—were volatile, unpredictable. Treaties were in place at both towers on Ark to encourage them to leave quietly when they arrived. Yet Diana Aldertree, of all people, had decided to train one? As one of the most powerful Runebinders on Ark, Diana’s responsibility was to maintain balance. To keep things stable, not entangle it further with the unpredictable weight of the Multiverse, and Earth.
She’d need to have words with Diana.
“There’s more,” Liam said, voice tight. “Chas Blackwood found him inside one of the nascent Spirit Realms appearing in the Greatwood. His account of how he got there…” Liam trailed off as a housekeeper entered the room carrying a tray of sliced fruit and whipped cream. She strode past Liam like he wasn’t there and placed the tray in front of Maris.
“It’s alright, Liam. Jenny here is my most trusted housekeeper.” Maris smirked as she picked up a strawberry, her demeanor light despite the gravity of the moment.
Liam gulped audibly. He knew exactly what that meant. Jenny was no ordinary servant—she was a Master Runebinder, and Maris’s personal Apprentice—one who could punch through solid stone without breaking stride.
“The Human describes being abducted by something that sounds a lot like… them. And to make matters worse, he claims to have been freed by another force. A Runebinder capable of magic at levels far beyond anything known on Ark.”
The balcony fell utterly silent. Maris froze mid-bite, and Jenny, her casual demeanor gone, stiffened. They exchanged a glance, unspoken tension crackling between them like the precursor to a storm.
Jenny spoke for the first time, her voice was cold steel. “Caretakers… And something that can overpower their magic? That’s not possible.”
“Everything is possible, Jenny,” Maris replied, her tone turning sharp. “If the Caretakers are interested in this human, we want nothing to do with him.”
Liam cleared his throat awkwardly.
“There can’t be more, Liam!” Maris practically shouted, standing up now—visibly angry.
“There is.” Liam continued, his voice strained. “The Human, while unsealed, managed to slay a Brine Tyrant on his first night. It was enough to impress Archon Kane to bestow… the Breaker accolade.”
Maris gaped at him. “Alexander Gods-damned Kane is involved too? Just who is this Human? I’ll throw him through the portal myself if I have to.”
“Your Grace,” Jenny said smoothly. “If the Human has an accolade of that magnitude, Archon Aldertree has the high ground politically.”
Maris’s anger boiled over. She picked up the tray of fruit and hurled it impossibly fast off the balcony, the spinning plate whistled through an albatross mid-flight before embedding itself into a building a span away, the dead bird falling to the city below.
“Fuck politics,” Maris said, her voice dangerously calm. “No one person is worth getting involved with the Caretakers. Prepare the fleet—we’re going to La-Roc.”