Soulburned: The School of Souls

Chapter 17 (Part 2): Tribulations

"Adler, I can't open the Sanctum door for you. It has to be your Logos."

Worry, Guilt, Fear.

Disgust.

Curiosity. Fear.

Each torrent of emotion was distinct, like water drawn from different wells. Adler could tell that the emotions were those of the men around him, but he could not pinpoint the source, or the why.

The more information flooded Adler's mind, the worse the pain grew. The Mark on his forehead felt as if it were about to burst apart his skull. The burning sensation was so exquisite and detailed that he could feel each intricate line of the scaring through only his pulse.

"Get out of my head!" Adler screamed.

Vindication.

"Karolus, he's possessed!" Magnus yelled, "We can't do this!"

Anger. Resolve.

"We have no other option!" The Archmage said. "Put him down."

Adler was placed onto the tiles. Ethereal chains that he hadn't even realized were binding him were dispelled.

He pressed his forehead against the cold tiles and screamed.

It wasn't until the echoing scream dissipated that Adler realized where he was.

They'd brought him back into the catacombs, back to the Soul-Smithy, and into the entrance of the Logos Sanctum.

Somthing was gnawing at the inside of his chest, desperate to get out.

He screamed again.

"Thale, go get the Mender." Magnus said, "We'll need her."

The younger man ran out of the room, Shrive Blade in tow. The presence of Fear that had been permeating the very air Adler breathed lessened slightly. Adler took a shuddering gasp of air.

"Adler, listen to me. You have to open this door, or you're going to die. You need to take the first trial. Your body is rejecting the excess Logos. The Mark wasn't enough."

Concern.

"You're actually afraid this will kill me." Adler laughed.

It was a strange noise, devoid of mirth. Adler couldn't even remember the last time he'd laughed, and wouldn't have been able to explain why he did now. His Thymos continued to churn inside his chest.

Surprise. Fear.

"Adler, it would bring me nothing but immeasurable relief to let you die, but your existence is the only thing keeping this city, this continent, from destruction."

Adler's fingernails scrapped at the tiles as he clenched his hands in pain.

The tiles of the Sanctum were glossy enough that he could see his reflection.

The Mark on his forehead was glowing a violent crimson.

"If it's that destruction that you seek, then you have to do nothing now but die."

"I want nothing, Archmage." Adler spat. Blood trickled from his mouth and splattered on the tile. He must have bit his tongue when he screamed. "Don't you recall?"

Grief. Shame.

"Archmage." Magnus said, "Let me end this. The Kovites aren't prepared to attack. We'll have hours to prepare, at least. Sclera won't fall."

Adler laughed again. His Thymos thrummed.

"How do I open the door?" he asked.

The Archmage breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll show you."

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Darkness swallowed Adler as he crawled through the doorway.

The pain in his head vanished in an instant. The churning mass of power in his chest stilled.

He blinked, and suddenly he wasn't lying prone in the dark.

He was now upright, standing in a strange white room. A simple wooden table sat in the center of the empty room, flanked on either side by two chairs, each slightly askew, as if whoever had been sitting at the table last had left without pushing them in.

The door he had entered through, was gone.

"Hello?" Adler called.

He couldn't shake a vague feeling of familiarity.

Confusion.

He had surely never been in a totally white room with no entrances or exits before.

What? Hello?! How did I...

Adler flinched as a voice filled his head.

Dread.

Oh! It's you! Wow! Hang on!

Confusion.

A doorway appeared on the opposite side of the chamber, identical to the one he had just entered. It was ever so slightly ajar, letting in a faint trickle of warm light.

Wait, am I? No. I'm still tethered to the girl... I'm Entity, by the way.

"Am I interrupting somthing?" Adler asked, "I'd offer to come back later... but I think I'm about to die."

Oh yeah, you're dying alright. Still, I'm surprised they even let you in here! Considering the whole... well you know.

The door swung open, revealing a young woman made entirely of silver.

Hello!

Adler arched an eyebrow.

"Hi."

Sit!

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Adler complied.

The room shifted slightly in his periphery. Everywhere he could see in front of him remained the same nondescript white tile, but as his eyes moved to take in his changing surroundings, the rest of the room transformed.

A dorm? One of the Iris's dorm rooms?

Yeah! It's the best!

"I don't understand what's happening. Am I dead?"

The silver woman frowned.

I'm not really sure.

"If I'm dead?"

No, no. You're barely alive. Definitely not dead. I'm not sure why you're here. I'm not even sure why I'm here. I left! Why are you here?

"I'm dying."

Right. Hang on.

Entity placed a hand on his forehead.

Soothing cool Logos spread out through his Soul, LIke A refreshing balm applied to a burn.

He shuddered and sighed.

Gratitude.

"Thank you, Entity."

We'll call the favor you did me your Trial. You'll need to start taking additional Trials soon though... Your problem won't be potential ,or power... but capacity. If you don't continually expand your mental faculties... You will drown inside your own mind.

"Favor?"

And then it clicked. Adler stared at her, suddenly placing why the place seemed familiar. It wasn't the place, it was her.

"You used me."

Yeah... sorry about that. The creature seemed to sigh in his mind.

Anger.

Hey, hey, hey. The entity said I didn't have much of a choice. Your little stunt was going to get my tower destroyed. I'd only just started to stretch my legs!

"How did you even do it? The Archmage has been trying for years."

Entity pointed at Adler's brand.

Anyone with enough Logos could do what I did if they channeled through that. The Archmage is likely close... but not quite there. I don't expect it'll take him much longer before he can pull at your Thymos as he would string on a puppet.

Anger.

"How long have you been doing that?

"Doing what?"

Confusion.

That! Identifying the emotions that you would feel, if you could.

Adler furrowed his brow.

"You're changing the topic."

Just answer the question.

"About a year after the brand... about the same time the others of my group started to die off."

Your group?

"About twenty of us. There were other groups, and no. No one else survived. No one else was able to even sense thier emotions, either."

Entity nodded sagely.

You're an empath. The Brand separates you from your Thymos, your emotions... but as an Empath, you're innately tangled up in them. It's why you survived. It's why you could hear him.

"The voice?"

Empathy. He's the personification of an aspect of Thymos. He's like me... just a different slice, of a different flavor, of the same divinity.

"So what, you're an 'Entity' of Logos?"

Yes, Willpower specifically. But that's a dumb name. I feel like I've started to repeat myself...

Alder was silent for a moment.

"Are you an Accursed? I've always been told Sorcerors were perceptible to possession from an Accursed."

Semantics. There are evils in this world, but I don't consider myself, or Empathy, among them.

Not an answer. Adler thought.

Sorcerors are susceptible to being Empathic. Which... yes, makes them susceptible to possession.

"How would I stop that?"

Well, you'd remove the Brand.

Frustration.

"I tried that. The voice had me destroy the Hammer and Chalice. He couldn't explain to me why that would work... he seemed deranged. "

I wouldn't go throwing around words like 'deranged' if I were you, Adler. I'm in your head right now, it's not pretty.

"You're in my head?"

Anger.

No... at least not like I'd usually be. I can't access your memories, just your surface thoughts. I'm not sure if it's your Brand, or... whatever I've got going on.

She gestured at the half-open door behind her.

Adler stood to leave, he was growing tired of this conversation, and he didn't want anyone rooting around in his head. He'd had enough of that. The doorway he had come through had reappeared the moment Entity touched him, and now he moved to go through it.

Wait.

Adler turned back to the table.

"Why?" He said shortly.

I know how you could remove the Brand.

Doubt.

"That's what Empathy said..."

Yes, and then he had you destroy the Artifacts! The very tools you could have used to simply remove the Brand yourself! I can't deny they needed to be destroyed, but it was a tad little premature, hmm? He tried. But there's only so much he can do locked away like that... I'm afraid that all that time imprisoned wasn't good for his head, it's not like he's made of Logos.

Entity laughed as if she'd made some grand joke.

A sound like windchimes rang in his head as she laughed.

No. Not windchimes. Alarm bells. He ignored them.

"How?" he asked. "How would you remove the Brand?"

Enchantment. Combine your new Logos, with your Thymos. With both, you'll be oh so much more than just an empath... You'll be able to bend even the Archmage to your will. You're already on your way. You've felt it already, as your Logos grows... Once you master blending the two forces, you'll be able to make the Archmage wipe your Brand away with the flick of a wrist.

"I can't access my Thymos."

No... but I could. Once my vessel is strong enough. Then I'd train you... then help you escape this cage they've burned onto your soul.

"And what would be your price?" Alder asked.

Entity smiled and spread her arms wide. Her silver lips parted into an eerie semblance of a smile.

"The world, Adler. Just the world."

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The sorcerer collapsed as soon as he walked out of the doorway.

Sylane rushed to him and immediately started probing with her Eros.

Thale gripped the hilt of his Shrive Blade tightly. Watching the boy for any sign of aggression. The Void flame around his blade flickered sporadically.

"Easy, lad," Magnus said. "Sylane can take care of herself."

"He's stable," Sylane said.

"Was it enough?" Magnus asked.

The Archmage strode over and placed a hand on Adler's forehead. He closed his eyes for a moment, delving into Adler's mind with his own Logos. The Mark on his forehead flashed as he calculated.

He shook his head.

"It'll happen again. He'll need more Trials to continue increasing his capacity... but we've bought time... maybe a month."

"So what now?"

"Now we train him." The Archmage said.

"Void, help us," Magnus said.