Soulburned: The School of Souls
Chapter 9: Entity of Will
Adler drifted in and out of consciousness.
"Void, Kar, Why did you bring him here?" A woman asked.
"I need to know how it got through the Brand." The Archmage said.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know!? You designed it!"
"I don't know, because he's different. His Brand has always been weaker. The rest died, remember?"
"Of course, I remember. I buried them." The Archmage snapped.
"Then you should have known better than to let him live." The woman said coldly. "It was a failed experiment. Move on Kar."
The Archmage was silent for a moment.
"Will the new Brand hold?"
"Void, Kar, we have bigger problems!"
"I need to know if it will hold!"
"He destroyed the Artifacts! We can't make more Soulmancers!"
"We are under siege!" The Archmage shouted. "Right now!"
Adler stirred and found that he was still in chains. He kept his eyes closed and feigned unconsciousness.
"There is a Soul-Eater down there right now, tearing through our Guardians. The Logos walls aren't strong enough, and I can't banish it again. We need him alive, and we need him free of possession."
The woman signed.
"Move him closer," she said.
Adler heard chains rustling underneath him as his body was floated over to the woman.
"You marked him?!"
"I had to. He was dying."
"We'd be better off! Do you know what he could do with this?!"
The Archmage grit his teeth.
"You said," The Archmage growled, "That he won't be able to access his Thymos by himself. That was the whole point of the Brand."
"He won't."
"He threw a fireball at me, Mare!"
The woman began prodding at his Brand with a finger and a strand of Logos.
Surprise.
"He's awake." the woman said.
Alder opened his eyes.
He could see it, her Logos.
He had always been able to get a vague sense of when a Wizard or Mage was using their powers near him, but he could never sense the specifics of what was being done, let alone see anything. Now though, he could clearly trace the thin strand of silver power all the way back to the mark on the woman's forehead.
"Adler." The Archmage said. "Do you hear the voice?"
From the view out a nearby window, Adler could tell that The Archmage had brought him back into the Iris proper, and that they were quite high up. He could see only the top of some of the tallest structures in Sclerea. The sky was a strange mix of black and orange, the low clouds just barely managed to reflect the light of the burning city back downwards. The alarm bells had long since quieted, their ringers having since moved on to more important tasks.
You wrought this chaos. Adler thought.
Pride. Guilt.
"The new Brand is typical." the woman said. "It seems more... complete than his original. Maybe his youth had something to do with his survival... If he was still growing the glyphs could have stretched or warped... I hadn't planned for that."
Adler had never met this woman before, but If her chambers were so high up in the tower she must have been important. Someone that the Archmage trusted.
Confusion.
In the decade he had been wandering the tower, he had thought he met every occupant. He had made a point of it. He began scanning the room for information.
"Alder." The Archmage said again. "How long have you been hearing the voice?"
A cursory glance didn't reveal anything special in the room.... She seemed to know a significant amount about the Brands. Adler found himself wishing he could just peer into her mind.
The newly cut mark on his own forehead began to tingle, and he saw a flash of green light reflected in the woman's eyes as she examined his brand.
The Archmage slammed a psychic shield down on Alder, using his Logos to build a cage around the young sorcerer's skull.
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Oh! The glowing figure said in Lyra's mind, Who is that?!
Lyra now sat at the table with the figure, dumbstruck.
"What do you mean, you're... Logos? Who is who?"
It's an oversimplification, but yes. I am, in some sense, the personification of Logos.
"Logos is a soul component... So you're what, a piece of the Void?"
Anxiety shot through Lyra in an instant. Was she talking to a god?!
Woah woah! No need to get religious over it, no one's prayed to me in years! But also yes. To keep it simple, think of me as an entity of pure Logos. An embodiment of one of the virtues. Willpower, to be specific.
As they spoke, the figure sharpened. Vague outlines hinting at a silhouette solidified into something resembling flesh. What was once an amorphous blob, was now the spitting image of a young woman. The only difference being that the figure was entirely monochromatic. The same silver color as the liquid in the fountain outside.
Lyra was looking at a copy of herself.
"Willpower," Lyra said, still unable to form coherent thoughts about the matter.
"How about 'Entity.'" The figure said in Lyra's voice.
"Entity."
"Nice to meet you, Lyra."
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Thale's hand went numb the instant he wrapped it around the Shrive Blade's hilt. Black fire erupted around the hilt and pommel of the sword. Thale let loose a primal scream of pain and instinctually tried to drop the flaming sword.
He couldn't open his hand. A strand of the Shriving Flame had burrowed into his palm and wrist and was slowly burning a channel towards the center of his Eros, searching for fuel for its fire.
Desperate for relief, Thale flooded the weapon with whatever was left of his Eros. The sword drank in the power, filling like a sponge. The burning stopped.
Thale had expected to black out once all the Eros had left his body, but the Sword was somehow keeping him conscious and breathing.
He felt as if he had just taken a very satisfying nap, and he found that his movements were suddenly less lethargic.
He took a deep, refreshing breath, careful not to inhale smoke. The aches and pains of his previous injuries lessened slightly
The Soul-Eater roared, and Thale rushed out of the burning house and back into battle.
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"Listen," The not Lyra said. "You've been here long enough that I've seen every nook and cranny of your mind already. We don't need to do the rest of this song and dance. You're going to fail."
"What? I failed?"
"Yes, but! Hang on! I'm willing to make a deal."
Lyra spiraled. She'd failed. Bile began rising in her stomach.
She hadn't been good enough.
"I failed."
She was never good enough.
"Wait, wait, wait." Entity said, "Put a pin in that, stay with me here."
What's Declan going to say? I wasted so much of his time. I should have never come here. I should have never left!
"Lyra! Listen to me."
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Lyra started tapping her fingers against her thumb again.
"Let me rephrase this. You're not stupid Lyra. You know a lot. More than most people that come through here know even... Your brain's just so big that it's not as full as theirs. You haven't reached your potential. If you were dumber, you'd have passed the test with flying colors."
Pointer, Skip, Ring, Pinky.
Skip, Middle, Ring, Pinky.
Entity reached across the table and placed a silver hand on Lyra's, stopping her exercise.
"I'm fully prepared to let you access my power and give you the ability to manipulate your Logos, just like any other Wizard that's come before you and passed the trials. But to do that Lyra... I'm going to need something from you in return."
"What could you possibly need from me?" Lyra asked, she could hear the defeat in her voice.
"I need you to break me out of here."
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It did not take long for Thale to find the Soul-Eater. Its screaming rampage had moved slightly further way from the Wall, but it was still engaged in a fight with a Tower Guardian. Thale recognized the man as Magnus. He was fighting alone, and was clearly exhausted. He moved at only a fraction of the speed he did before.
Or... perhaps Thale's perception had sped up slightly when he picked up the sword. He could still feel the things draining Eros from his body. Every moment that he held the thing he drew closer to death. The Soul-Eater had also slowed.
Thale rushed at the beast, moving faster than he ever had before., sweeping the Shrive Blade in a wide, horizontal arc. He brought the weapon to bear on one of the beast's legs, and unlike his simple steel shortsword, managed to bite deep into the monster's flesh. Green blood burst from the wound. The monster roared.
"HSURC EONB" The monster yelled in a vile mockery of language. Suddenly Thale found himself pinned in place to the ground, unable to move under the crushing weigh of the Soul-Eater's spell.
The monster began to inhale, slowly filling it's mouth with fire.
Void.
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"You're a prisoner?" Lyra asked.
"I'm not a prisoner, per se..." Entity continued, "I just can't leave. "
"Why?"
"I don't technically... exist." Entity said.
Lyra was confused.
I mean, I exist right now. In your head... but that's only because your body was just completely flooded with Logos. I only exist when a prospect is taking the Trials, because that's the only time anyone's flooded with enough Logos for it to form a consciousness. Once they pass the Trials and leave this chamber... Poof. They take some of me with them, but not enough to matter.
"But what does that have to do with me?"
"You," The fake Lyra said, "Have a beautiful brain. You may not quite hit the mark for the three virtues, at least not yet, but what you'll lack in power you will definitely make up for with capacity. Void, the only reason you can hear me is because there's enough room in here for me to stretch out."
Lyra didn't know what to say.
Entity paused, taking in Lyra's confusion.
"Am I making any sense at all?"
"No."
"Fair enough. "
Entity stood and stuck out her hand.
"Well, what do you say? Do you wanna take me for a stroll inside your head? Be a Wizard?"
"Do I have a choice?" Lyra asked.
"Not if you want to stay alive for longer than a few hours. Without me, the amount of Logos you ingested will kill you very quickly. Your Mark won't be detailed enough to vent it."
"Then... I guess we have a deal." Lyra said, taking and shaking Entity's hand.
"That's the spirit! Now let's get out here. There are some really interesting things going on outside."
Lyra blinked, and then everything went black.
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The Soul-Eater roared somewhere below.
Surprise, again. The attack was only meant to be a diversion. Adler, and his contact, had only expected the beast to last a few minutes. The Kovites had really outdone themselves this time. It was the most effective assault Adler had ever seen them muster.
"He can already wield!? Void-damn you Karolus, you have doomed us!
"Alder." The Archmage pleaded, ignoring the woman. "We need your help."
Anger.
"Why would I possibly be willing to help you?" Adler spat, finally breaking his silence.
"Why wouldn't you? Sclera is your home!"
"Sclera is my prison."
"I have raised you like I would my own child... you have been doted on by every Wizard that's passed through this halls."
"Can a child that cannot laugh, cannot cry, cannot love, even be considered a child?"
"Adler. I've loved you like son, please help us."
Rage. Grief. Desperation. Frustration. The emotions were snuffed out as quickly as they could be identified, once again becoming nothing but fuel for his locked-away Thymos.
"If you love me so much," Adler spat, "Remove the Brand. Please."
"Adler..." The Archmage sighed, "You know I can't do that."
"I will do whatever you wish of me... just remove the Brand."
It hadn't been enough. It could never be enough. He had carried that first brand for so long, and from such a young age, that he had forgotten what had been stolen from him. Those few brief moments after he had thrown the Chalice into the Brazier had been exquisite. It didn't matter that what he had felt was mainly fear, he had felt.
"I'm sorry, no."
"Take it off!" Adler screamed, "Destroy it!"
An awareness that wasn't Adler's or the Archmage's brushed up against Adler's mind.
The woman and Archmage stiffened.
"What is that?" The Archmage asked.
Then Adler's mind was assaulted.
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Lyra stepped out of the Sanctum, and back into the Smithy.
Hur was gone.
Alright. Let's get to work. We've got to get to work. You'll only survive having this much excess Logos for another few minutes. We've got to get rid of it, and get rid of it fast.
Lyra's body started moving by itself.
"What?!"
Don't panic, this is going to be uncomfortable, but it's only going to last a few minutes.
Lyra was maneuvered back over to the fountain.
"You're not going to make me drink more, are you?
No, of course not. That would kill you. If I kill you, I don't existagain. Think Lyra.
Lyra was already regretting her decision in the Sanctum.
You'd be dead.
"You could have lied."
Yes. I could have.
Lyra was made to tap the surface of the silver water with her hand, sending ripples
"Scry."
An immense amount of Logos flowed from Lyra into the pool. She gasped.
Real big breath for me here, Lyra.
Then Lyra's head was plunged into the liquid.
Lyra's vision vanished and was replaced. She felt her consciousness stretch up through the Tower, passing Libraries and classrooms before finally bursting out the top of the Iris.
Alright! This feels great! Love being able to move again!
When Lyra's vision settled into place, she was met with a scene of fire and death. The city was under attack. Swarms of flying beasts moved throughout the city, swooping at civilians and screaming. At the base of one of the outermost walls, A pair of Tower Guardians were fighting a massive demon.
Well this won't do! You can't attend a school that gets destroyed can you?
Lyra's strange orb of perceptions swiveled around.
Where is he... I swear I felt... There!
Her view shifted again, zooming back into the tower.
They were in a small study. There were three people, two Wizards that Lyra didn't recognize, and a third suspended from the ceiling by magical chains.
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Adler head felt like it exploded. Both his new Logos Mark, and his Brand began to burn as if they were newly made.
What have they done to you! You poor boy! a voice said in his mind.
Fear.
They've completly cut you off! Wow, and it looks like Empathy's done a real number in here... I'm not going to be able fix this for you, at least not now. I'm getting off track. Listen... Adler. I'm going to need to borrow your Thymos. This is going to hurt. I'd be sorry, but it seems like this little fiasco is partially your fault.
A foreign thread of Logos snaked its way through his forehead and wrapped itself around the knot of Thymos in his chest. The Logos splintered off into uncountable threads and wound themelves around Adler's Thymos, pulling and the stretching the bands of power into rune shapes.
Adler screamed and thrashed against his chains.
Panic. Fear. Disbelief.
Good Adler, keep it coming. This is going to take a lot of power. You've made a real mess of things here, and it's only right that you help clean it up
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A massive beam of pure white light burst from the top of the Tower and slammed into the back of the Soul-Eater almost instantaneously. The sudden terrible force knocked the beast off its feet, causing it to stumble forward towards Thale.
Thale reacted without thought, draining the remainder of his Eros from the sword for one final burst of speed. He brought his greatsword down on the beast's neck with as much speed and power as he could muster.
The demon's head was severed from it's shoulders.
Thale fell to his knees, once again unable to breathe.
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Good shot Lyra! Entity said, Don't think we need it, but we'll take the assist muscle man! Now, another beam. Less Thymos, more Logos. Aim it at the mountain's peak. Imagine a... a turtle.
"A what!?"
A turtle! It's a reptile... I think. Are they amphibians? You'd think that an Entity made of pure Logic would know... doesn't matter, wrong universe. Think... angry frog with a realllly big shell!
"Wrong what?!"
Just do it!
Lyra did, once again allowing Entity to guide and strengthen the strands of her Logos through the Sorceror. The young man again tried to buck Lyra and Entity from his mind, but it was like trying to swim upstream in a rapid. All he could really do was attempt to keep his head above water.
The bond between Lyra and the Sorceror buckled, and another bolt of pure power erupted from the tip of the Iris.
Lyra wrenched her head out of the water, suddenly back in control of her own body.
She slunk to the floor, sopping wet and exhausted.
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The Soul-Eater's body melted into a steaming puddle of black ooze. The liquid flowed into the cracks between the cobblestones, then disappeared into the Earth.
You got it... You actually fucking got it, Thale thought to himself as darkness began creeping in around the edges of his vision. What a way to die.
Thale swayed and almost fell over completely, but managed to prop himself up on the Shive Blade
Magnus managed to stand, finally having overcome the Soul-Eater's spell. He limped over to Thale and pulled the young man to his feet. A grin split the scarred man's face.
"Easy lad. I've got you." Magnus pulled Thale to his feet. "You really shouldn't have drawn someone else's Eros... It's not healthy." The man laughed, as if he'd just told the world's best joke, then sent another thin strand of Eros into Thale.
"It's all I can spare lad, any more and you'll have to carry me back to the Iris."
"Kovites... inside the wall." Thale wheezed.
"Easy, lad. " Magnus coughed, "I don't know what that light was, but it saved our asses. We're spent. Let someone else take a turn."
Another beam of white energy smashed into the tallest peak along the Brow. Rocks and snow rolled down the mountainside in a cacophony of violent proportions. The beam widened, then slowly spread out from the peak in an arc, laying a dome around the city, reaching all the way down to the Third Wall.
"The fires... we need to... evacuate."
"Sleep." The Guardian cast, "You've earned the rest."
The sounds of fire and panicked civilians slowly faded to nothing. Just as Thale's legs began failing him, Magnus picked him up. The Guardian carefully slung the younger man over his shoulder and began trudging up to the Iris.
Thale slept, still clutching the Shrive Blade against his chest.