Near the center of what must be the arena floor, a far older set of rails stood, rusted and uneaven. Atop them sat a wooden cargo wagon with wooden wheels, pushed by a Toad-Man twice Kaden’s height. It hunched over to keep from bumping its head. Lumpy green skin like a toad’s covered the Beast’s body, and it gripped the edges of the car with suckered fingers.

On its back perched a gnome with a whip attached to a wand, who sang out a tune as it whipped the Toad-man’s back. And on the wagon sat a pair of chairs. One was empty, though the pools of blood around it said there had been violence. The woman, Serta? She wasn’t coming back, if the angry spirit circling her body was any indication. The primary giveaway was that she was missing her head, but that wasn’t the only problem. In fact, it looked like her corpse had rotted very, very quickly.

Kaden pulled Trinity into his soul and checked [Stealth Aura] before setting off at a run. He slid under carts and hurdled a wagon. A new Far Portal blazed into existence, and the gnome shrieked, swinging its whip to crack against the Frog-Man’s back. [Identify] finally kicked in.

[Froglander]

Once, the Lily City was the wonder of seven nations who had never seen anything but the Lily City. The last nation actually had been to a small town and wasn’t nearly as impressed, but thousands of lily pads covered with Froglanders living their best life, eating [Dagger Wasps] and generally having a hopping good time was usually impressive. This particular Froglander is very far from home. It hasn’t seen a lilly, let alone a lilly pad in ages. Eating flies that come for its manure is just not the same.

*Depressed*

Kaden sprinted for the cart, focusing on [Stealth] and leaped through the FarPortal just ahead of it. He emerged under another arena, one where the roof shook and dust settled and people screamed—and hundreds of Diggus’s guards lined up with swords and shields, preparing to go to war.

He used the shaking of explosions to mask the moment he climbed on board. An ambush here would be suicide. And the dead twin’s spirit was staring at him. She’d stopped shrieking. Stopped circling her corpse. Just stared.

Kaden focused on her, trying to use [Mind Speech]. *I was here to rescue you. You look…deadish.*

The spirit floated forward, so much more dense and powerful than the one Sara had.

*YOU WILL DIE WITH ME.*

There wasn’t a threat, she just screamed it mind to mind.

*Really hoping that isn’t true. What happened to your head?* Kaden held on as the cart began to move.

*THE GNOME.*

The FarPortal opened, and this Arena was broken, with rocks fallen from the ceiling, dead soldiers everywhere, and flashing warning lights in the corner.

He moved quietly to the back of the cart, reaching out to touch a bulbous green sucker finger.

You have attempted to tame a Beast.

You may not tame a Beast under [Beast Coercion]. To remove [Beast Coercion], increase your taming skills or decrease the current Coercer’s Health to zero.

Kaden knew how to do the second thing.

The problem was, the moment he’d touched the [Froglander], the gnome driving it had leaped to the top of its shoulder, looking everywhere. It knew Kaden had tried to take control but couldn’t see him with [Stealth Aura].

Kaden drew Thorn Caster and applied a hundred points of mana to make an arrow that shimmered and twisted and appeared to have just been fired, already hit and still be resting all at the same time.

He loosed the arrow—

Karmic Penalty applied.

The arrow twisted around the gnome, who could, of course, now absolutely see Kaden. It drew a wand that drifted shimmering trails of black. Kaden was already running, already leaping. All he needed to do was dodge—

Karmic Penalty applied.

The floor under him exploded into black tendrils.

You have taken 1,500 points of Necrotic Damage (after Resistances).

Kaden stifled a scream as he leaped clear of the tendrils. There were better times to develop resistances. He could only hope—the gnome’s scream told him exactly what had happened, as Trinity crunched down on the little bastard.

Now it was a race to prevent a war as Kaden opened a portal and leaped between the [Froglander] and Trinity, then brushed the [Froglander]

You have tamed a Beast.

Kaden appraised the available skills and chose the only one that fit, mentally holding Trinity at bay. He pocketed the wand. “Drop the gnome, please.”

Trinity’s growl said she wasn’t happy, but she did it.

The [Froglander] picked it up and flicked its tongue, swallowing the gnome. Then sat down, staring at the floor. Kaden was on borrowed time, but then again, they probably weren’t looking for one dead twin. He tossed Ashi’s scroll into the FarPortal. It sparked and began to fizz rainbow light, but Kaden had bigger problems.

Serta’s vengeful spirit loomed over him. *YOU MAY NOT DEFILE MY BODY.*

“What do you think I want to do with it?” Kaden asked. “Actually, don’t answer that. My lover’s dead and I’ve already had people ask why I keep her corpse.” Kaden took out Skully. “Some of these dead people may have bones you can use.”

*There is no return to the flesh for me.* She drifted over. *I refuse the comfort of Mortis’s Court while my killers draw breath and I will not rest until my brother is recovered.*

Serta gestured, and her corpse writhed. The flesh on it turned black and dropped away. *I have need of your pet. I cannot inhabit an incomplete body.*

“Skully?”

The spirit levitated the re-animated skull and set it atop her skeleton like a hat. A moment later, tendrils of black grew up from the skeleton, while veins of red surged downward.

The Vengeful Spirit sank into Skully, and Skully’s eyes turned emerald green. When its jaw opened, it was Serta’s voice. “Let us send many before us into Mortis’s Court.”

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The Swarm Beetle in Kaden’s eear began to squiggle. “Oberix swears the whole party is under the West arena. And the Hostage-Train didn’t report in. Converge on that point. Kill them all, we’ll take the Thread from their Inventory.”

“We’ve got a problem. Half the forces in Omnor are headed this way.” Kaden looked to the FarPortal, which was erupting faster and faster with sparkling light. “And my party is on their way. I can’t leave them to be abandoned.”

“I said you would die here.

“And I said I really hoped that wasn’t true.” Kaden searched for options. “How many do you think you can kill?”

“Not enough,” Serta’s voice held a sullen sadness that spoke of a soul that wouldn’t be allowed to massacre, say, everyone.

The FarPortal now had a minature fountain of sparks, but it wasn’t nearly enough for someone to come through. Kaden held up a hand. “I’ve got an idea. An idea that might make you everyone’s nightmare. Ever hear of a tier-up scroll? I’d use them, but the moment I hit fifty a Nemesis spawns. You might not.”

“I cannot gain levels,” Serta added, kneeling to look Kaden in the eye.

“There might be a way you can. But you’d have to trust me. My Beasts gain levels and skills. My Party member’s summons do. My lover’s Dark Deception does. If you were temporarily bound to me and used a tier-up scroll? I think you’re going to level. I don’t know if you start from zero or twenty five. The numbers don’t matter, the power does.” Kaden stopped as the Vengeful Spirit glared at him.

“If you try to keep me—”

“Why would I do that? You’re vengeful. Your brother’s probably vengeful. You belong to a community who practices vengeance as a virtue.” Kaden took out a Tier-Up scroll, then shared Trinity’s status. “Your call.”

Serta held perfectly still, lost in thought for a moment. “What does it take?”

“I’m going to try and tame you. You need to let me.”

“I doubt it will work, but I am willing if it allows me to kill all of Diggus’s men.” The woman’s voice from Skully’s jaws was always disconcerting.

Kaden reached for her and gripped the bones. Activated [Beast Taming]. The [Falcrow] was an incarnation, not a beast, but it had allowed him to tame it, according to Mr. Dervish. Serta was willing, which meant…

You have tamed an _ERROR_.

You may not name _ERROR_, as it has already named itself.

SLOT_MISMATCH_ERROR.

INVOKING CONSISTENCY CHECKER…

[Beast Taming] is undergoing modification.

You have lost a skill: [Binding Mark].

[Binding Mark] and [Beast Taming] synergize with [Beast Soul] to become [Soul Binding].

All [Taming] slots converted to [Binding] slots.

[Soul Binding]

If it has a soul or the remnants of one, if it had one once, or if it might ever have one, you can probably bind it. Bound _ENTITIES_ must obey. Be very careful what you use this on. No judgement—from us. Everyone else will definitely judge. Expend mana and Soul points to bind _ENTITIES_ to your soul. Warning, attempting to store an _ENTITY_ that excedes your Soul capacity will result in rupturing your Soul. That’s bad, you should avoid it.

Kaden was stunned. A mythic skill. An extremely dangerous mythic skill. Kaden took a moment to mark it hidden. It didn’t let him use skills from non-beasts, as [Beast Soul] did that. “Use the tier-up scroll now.”

The Vengeful Spirit took it and absorbed the scroll. The world lit up brilliant blue that grew brighter by the moment, and the skeleton swelled and grew, towering over Kaden. “Hide. I am more than you will ever be at level fifty. Let me reap my vengeance.”

He gently undid the binding. “You are free. I want Skully back when you’re done. And I’d rather you didn’t kill any of my Party. Hurt even one of them and you’ll find out if Soul Binding works against the unwilling.”

“So demanding. My prey comes.” Serta spun and disappeared.

Kaden took a moment to try [Soul Binding] on the FrogLander, releasing the binding and then re-establishing it.

You have bound a Beast (FrogLander).

[WARNING - Soul Attribute insufficient for storage].

POWER/RISK IMBALANCE NOTED.

REBALANCE_REQUIRED - DISABLING NOTIFICATION

“Come over here and hide. I don’t want you caught in the crossfire.” Kaden hid behind a wagon with the monstrous frog-man as screams rose up all around him. Wand-fire and spells illuminated the darkness as guards fought.

Then every light went out simultaneously.

Kaden thought he knew what fear was. The only lights now were wand blasts and the real question was if what they revealed was worse than what they didn’t. Skully had always looked friendly to Kaden, like his jaws were smiling. Now, posessed by the vengeful spirit of a Necromancer, the ten foot tall skeleten was downright terrifying.

He was invisible until he struck, and flashing red [Plauge Crows] soared out to attack. Violet energy surrounded Kaden, and afterimages—no, more spirits followed. Every time Serta slew an enemy, their spirit rose and followed in her flock.

*Kaden.* Sara’s message almost made him scream.

The FarPortal had ceased to sparkle.

Sara stood there with Eve behind her and Ashi at her side. And behind her were two men and a woman, Pretash.

Kaden left the [Froglander] and crept over to the FarPortal. “It’s not safe out there. Most of the guards in Omnor believe we are here. Which we are. And that you have the [Thread of Fate].”

“We do not,” Ashi said. “We bring help to re-establish the Weave of Fate. One of the twins is dead, as was decreed. But all of this was a [Hyperion Lizard] resting on a branch.”

Kaden had to consult [Beast Knowledge.] “An illusion?”

“We go now,” Ashi said. “We fix Fate. Pretash, do you come?”

Ashi’s sister shook her head. “We must stay here to reset the weave. We can only hope that Fate is kind and we are not attacked.”

“We don’t trust Fate for anything,” Sara said. “I’ll stay and protect you. Eve?”

Eve drew the Bloodmoon staff from Inventory. “If we don’t restore Fate, we’re all in trouble. Ashi, can you block Oberix’s [Pattern of Fate] tricks?”

“I can, though the focus to do so will cost me.”

Kaden glanced to the [FrogLander]. “Let’s go. I can’t leave you here. If you see Skully, he’s probably possessed.”

Ashi opened a new portal, one right to the entrance of the underground Market. “If we fail, Evelyn has permission. Use the portal. Flee the city.”

Kaden wrapped them in [Stealth Aura] and stepped through, with Ashi right behind him. The guards who had kept order here lay dead, and together they stepped through the portal and into the Undermarket. Everywhere, Necromancers slew guards.

*Where are we going?*

*Diggus Bikus,* Ashi sent. *The Necromancers have reached him.*

Kaden took the lead, taking them through the underground market. [Relive the Moment] let him find the exact alley, the doorway that he’d been taken to. He opened the door and stepped through, into Suridev’s business. “Hello? Kaden Birch here. I’m looking for Suridev.”

The ground shook, and curtains swayed as a full-sized golden dragon squeezed its way down the back hallway. *Kid? And you, you smell like mana. Whew, that’s a lot of magic to pack into a human. And frog. Big frog.*

“Asha Vanter Opton Rahm.” Ashi bowed her head. “We go to restore Fate. You will be safe once it is done.”

*Safe? I’m a dragon. I’m…you know what? She’s your problem, not mine. I like the frog. Nice, serious guy. Think he can swing a club?* Suridev looked to him.

“Get him a pond with lilly pad and he’ll try. We need to get to Diggus to have any chance of fixing this. You have a skiff?”

The dragon shrank to the size of an iguana. *If you’d asked even three hours ago, yes. Now? Come with me.*

Kaden pulled Ashi along behind him as Suridev led the way through his business. As the dragon approached, a wall of tiles flipped over, one tile at another. The other side was cloth, which merged to form a curtain, which pulled itself back.

There, on a woven bamboo lounge, relaxed Syntera Fleshseeker.

“Demon!” Ashi shouted.

Kaden stepped in front of Ashi. “We really don’t need enemies right now. Let me handle this.” He turned to look at the Demon. Demoness? Demon Lady? “I need a skiff to get to Diggus. Ashi and I might be able to put Fate back together.”

Syntera morphed as she stood, becoming tan like Ashi. Her clothes became Vichorean wraps, though the beads weren’t constellations but crude drawings of men and women hugging with their hips. “Interesting. And what do I gain from helping you?”

“A city that isn’t destroyed. A business that will keep going. More victims for your pleasure games. I think it’s a pretty solid offer.” Kaden waited, arms crossed.

Syntera tipped her head. “You and I will—”

“No.” Kaden said. “Also no to me and Ashi, or Ashi and you, or Ashi and Suridev, or anyone. You’re into pleasure, right? Imagine how pleasurable it’s going to feel to survive all this. Imagine how it will be to look Diggus and Oberix in the eye and say ‘Still here, in spite of your games.’ That is pleasure.”

Syntera’s pout slowly shifted. “You remind me of your father. Do you want to know how he paid for his bow? It wasn’t with words.”

“I would not enjoy that at all. Can we use the skiff?” Kaden looked to Ashi. “Any chance you can work your Vichorean charm here?”

“Oh, no need” Syntera smiled at Kaden, then even more at Ashi. “Seeing Diggus grovel. That would be new. That would be different. Worth a favor. Suridev, darling, I’ll be back. Don’t forget me.”

She stood and slunk out, rippling to an older, darker version of Eve with platinum hair. “I so love the way both of you react to this. To the skiff!”