Several days after the destruction of the Ruins of Senera.
Meryn was leading several dozen Hunters, remnants of the now defunct Reaching Spire Guild, as well as several members of the Cult of Light, through a region of the Willowbrush Empire that bordered the Frozen Fjords.
The land was filled with cracks and bedrock appeared to have been forced upward, as if a great battle had occurred, during which the land was torn asunder.
Steam wafted up from several natural hot springs, as well as noxious gasses that burst or hissed as they leaked out from cracks in the ground, or bubbles from the pools that flooded many of the cracks and canyons that littered the landscape.
Above the canyon they were currently passing through, one could see the peaks of the Fjords to the north. Perhaps just a half a day's journey away.
“Have we managed to get any closer to wherever it is you’re taking us?” Kameira snidely asked as the group continued onwards. “I thought we were headed to one of your group's safe houses. All I’ve seen so far have been death trap after death trap.”
Kameira’s words were backed up as a gout of corrosive gasses spewed out from a stalagmite that cracked open to the side of the path they were on.
Several Tier threes screamed in pain as they failed to dodge in time, and the flesh on half their bodies was eaten away within moments.
A couple of Tier three Cavern Hunters immediately reacted, blocking the gasses by shifting the stone around the opening to once again seal it. The rest of the group quickly moved past that area to avoid the inevitable build up and explosive release of the once again clogged gasses.
The bodies of the fallen Hunters were left alone. They had been corroded so badly that there was no saving them. They had died almost immediately, as had their Spirits, who had tried to shield them from the corrosion. Motes of light floating into the atmosphere and fading away were all that were left of them.
“Patience is an admirable trait, Kameira. Perhaps you might try showing some.” Meryn said as he continued forward. None of the Cultists that followed were complaining, even as several of them had died during the time they had spent traveling.
An indignant look crossed Kameira’s face, but she fell silent, knowing that this was her only chance at survival right now. She did not know how, but Meryn had somehow received word that the attempt to usurp Duke Harper’s rule of Harkem had failed. Meaning that her Guild was essentially wiped out right now. She and her current companions were all that was left, and to return was a death sentence.
As such, with little choice left, she and the rest of the remaining Spires had chosen to swear loyalty to the Cult of Light and had followed them toward what Meryn had promised would be a safehouse where they could regroup with his peers and followers.
“Here.” Meryn suddenly said as they came to a stop at a dead end within the canyon.
Before them was a blank wall, and had she not known that this was where they were headed, Kameira wouldn’t have given it a second thought. However, as Meryn had brought them here, and had indicated that this was what they were looking for, she expanded her senses and noticed some flaws.
For one, the wall was all the same color. There were no shifts in the shading or coloration of the wall of stone in front of them. Something she realized was the case for quite the expanse of cliff face along the sides of this canyon.
The second thing she noticed was the fact that this wall had more mana in it than the rest of the canyon, something that would be noticeable if not for the fact that she was specifically looking for flaws.
As Kameira examined the irregularities in the wall, Meryn strode forward and placed his ear against the stone. He tapped the wall fairly hard in several places as he moved along, stopping once he heard a slight change in the sound. Something that Kameira didn’t notice.
He then tapped the wall several more times in succession, moving his hand to different areas of the wall, until finally, a vertical line appeared in the wall, opening up to reveal a cave with yet more strangely colored stone.
Within was a brown badger whose eyes were gold, and lining the walls were script after script of runic enchantments. Seeing Meryn, the badger moved to the side to close the door after they entered.
“Come along, and you, Cavern Mages!” Meryn called out to several people in the group. “Whatever you do, do not disrupt the mana and the stonework. We are going underground, and the chambers are specifically built to withstand the heat and pressure of the subterranean dangers in this battlefield. If you disrupt them, you will kill us all.”
With those words, he turned and strode into the cavern headed downwards, ignoring the nervous looks coming from Kameira and the rest of the Spires. But they steeled themselves all the same, and followed the Cult into the tunnels, Kameira moving forward at a faster pace to catch up with Meryn.
“I’m surprised that this is where your safehouse is.” Kameira said as she looked around.
“And why is that?”
“Well, for people who profess a worship towards the ‘light’ you people certainly spend most of your time in the dark.”
Meryn turned to look at Kameira for a moment as they continued walking. Slowly, Kameira grew uncomfortable as Meryn and his Spirit continued to stare at her without speaking.
Finally, he turned away before speaking.
“The light shines brightest from within the dark. How else can our Radiance bring light to the masses if there is no darkness to save them from. Our goal may be to bring the light to all, but so long as there are those that would act against us, we will do what is necessary to ensure the light is not snuffed out.”
The two fell into an awkward silence as they continued onward. This remained for several minutes until they reached yet another blank wall. This one had a circular indentation in the middle.
Walking up to the door, Meryn created a ball of light within numerous shapes sticking out of it.
Placing the sphere into the indentation, he forced it to spin in several ways, creating a pattern that activated the enchantments on the doors, causing them to slowly open.
As the doors opened, six more doors that stood behind the first proceeded to open as well.
“Before you ask.” Meryn said, cutting off Kameira’s question, leaving her standing with her mouth open. “The lock on the first door had a combination unique to all who have a ‘key’, and those without one will be forced to break open each door in order, allowing us time to escape through other avenues should this entrance be compromised.”
Kameira snapped her mouth shut with a ‘click’.
As the large group entered the safe house, with the seven doors closing behind them, several Mages dressed in clothing with the Cult of Light’s symbol on it greeted them, taking the Tier threes and twos from the Reaching Spires to a separate area while the cultists that were with them went off on their own.
One of the cultists from the safehouse approached Meryn, whispering something in his ear that made him tense up before he forcibly relaxed himself.
“Kameira, you’re with me. We need to give a report on our failings.”
Meryn led Kameira to a separate chamber with a curved table with several empty seats.
Meryn gestured for her to stand in the center while he went to take a seat. An orange light appeared over him, obscuring his features.
Six other lights appeared along the table, each of them sitting as if they had been waiting for him to appear. Meryn flinched as he noticed the postures of his peers as they directed their gazes towards him. He expected his worries regarding this meeting were going to be fulfilled.
“Lord Meryn. I see that you are alive. Explain.”
The Gold lit figure demanded as the others remained silent.
Meryn swallowed nervously before going into detail regarding the events that had occurred in the Ruins. At least, the events that occurred to his knowledge. He was unaware of what happened in the Temple, and he was unable to reenter the Ruins before they were erased.
Kameira was also asked to give her account of what had happened, as well as the preparations she had made for the plan during the expedition, as well as the plans her Guild had made for the city.
There was silence as the other six figures conversed separately, Meryn’s light dimming as they directed accusations to each other while Kameira and Meryn couldn’t hear them.
Finally, the other six figures calmed down and addressed Meryn and Kameira.
“Meryn.”
Said person did not fail to notice the change in how he was addressed and winced as he realized what it meant.
“Step down.” The Gold lit figure’s words were absolute, and with a heavy head, Meryn rose from his seat, and moved to stand beside Kameira, who couldn’t help but feel a slight bit of glee at Meryn’s dismissal. Until she realized that, as her direct backer, she may have just lost her support in the Cult.
“Know that your failure cannot be placed entirely at your feet. We knew that you were no challenge for Gerome on your own, which is why we had you team up with the Reaching Spires. The fact that the realized that we were planning something was due to their intelligence, and the Spire’s negligence.”
Kameira grit her teeth in frustration at the insult.
“No. We ask you to step down for two reasons. First, we have found a new light, one who is meant to fill the gap that you were only ever meant to temporarily stand-in for.”
The Orange light relit with a new figure inside it. This figure’s build was much bulkier than Meryn’s, but was still otherwise featureless.
“Meryn. I have heard of your exploits prior to this. I can only pray to the Radiant Lord that I might match your reputation.” A low and rumbling voice echoed outwards as the new Cult Leader spoke.
“I’m certain that if you were permitted to take up that seat, then you will be more than worthy, My Lord.” Meryn said with conviction as he was filled with joy at the Seven Lights being filled properly.
“The second matter is that we have a new mission for you. One that will require all of your attention.”
Meryn straightened up at that. He knew that a mission coming directly from the leaders of the Followers of Radiance was important.
“Despite the arguments of one of our numbers,” each of the Lights looked at the Gray Light amongst them, “it has been decided that the boy is too dangerous to let live. As such, your next duty is to go to the Endless Archipelago, create a faction there under the name of the Radiant Lord, and eliminate the now confirmed, Anathema, from this world. Unfortunately, you’ll have to travel back south to do this.”
Meryn fell to his knees, shocked that the child he had failed the bring about the death of had been labeled Anathema by the Cult. But as he thought about it, he realized that the destruction that Ezekiel had brought was surely proof of his leader’s words.
Now, the thought of being the death of their Lord’s greatest enemy brought him joy. However, a question still sat within his mind.
“Lord, if I may ask, why are you sending me to the Archipelago?”
“Simply put, given the information of the damages the Anathema has caused, there is no possible way that he will escape without punishment from the Empire. However, there are forces that would see the Anathema thrive, nonetheless. As such, he is likely to be exiled, and the Church of Ten will do something with him.” The Gold figure explained.
“Given that the organizations in Tarquessa do not approve of the Church of Ten’s presence in their lands, preferring the Guardian Spirits to the missing Ancients, the closest Cathedral that he could get protection from would be in Sanafalls.”
“Your sight is once again amazing, Lord Speaker.” Meryn said as he connected the information that the Golden figure had provided him and the others.
“Thank the Radiant Lord. It was He who sent me the revelation that allowed me to come to this conclusion. I have no doubt the Anathema will be sentenced within a few days of the Guilds fully returning to Harkem. His actual exile will likely occur within a few weeks after that, depending on how fast the ship from the Archipelago arrives.”
The room once again fell silent as they pondered over the Golden figure’s words. Their awe at him having received a revelation from their Radiant Lord casting aside all doubts.
Kameira, listening to what was said, remained silent as watched what was happening.
“Kameira!”
Said ex-guild leader flinched as she was addressed.
“As you and your Guild are currently living off of our good will. You will follow Meryn to the Archipelago and aid him in setting up a faction. Be it a new Guild, or as a group of bandits, you will create a group that will support Meryn and his endeavors.”
“Wha-”
Kameira’s outraged response was cut off as the Gold figure released a pressure that she could feel in her soul. She couldn’t help but freeze as chills went down her spine. She knew that, if she didn’t agree to his orders, she was going to die.
“... Of course, Lord... What forces are already there? If I might ask.” Kameira whispered as she replied properly.
“Currently, none, as the Archipelago has always been inconsequential enough for us to not bother with sending our members to spread the light in that area.”
“... Understood.”
“Good. Then that will be all. You are dismissed.”
The seven lights then blinked out, leaving Meryn and Kameira in the dark.
One was left wondering just what she had gotten herself into.
The other was wondering how his Lord would reward him for killing their enemy.
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Elsewhere, in a separate room, identical to the one Kameira and Meryn were left in, the seven figures of light were still conversing.
“Are you certain that sending those two to kill the Anathema is a good idea? They have already failed once.” The Blue figure asked.
“Honestly, the two of them should’ve died the moment they entered the safehouse. For them to have failed their missions means their lives should’ve been forfeit.” The Red figure raged.
“I did warn you all that this would happen.” The Gray figure, Typhos, said in a disinterested tone.
“You also said the boy wasn’t a problem. Yet he blew up the Ruins and much of the surrounding area!” The Red figure yelled.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“We still don’t have information regarding how or why that happened. If anything, it was likely the remnant within the Temple that chose to destroy everything on its own. There is no way that a ten-year-old child, as genius as he is, could coerce a remnant left by the Ancient Void itself to do something like that against its will.”
“And how would you know?!”
“Because I’ve communed with the Remnant in the Quintessa Temple of the Void.” Typhos’ words caused the others to fall silent.
“Before you say anything, I was a part of the Followers of Radiance well before that visit, and I have been checked over by Lord Speaker himself, in person, and had my convictions and intentions approved by him, directly.”
All arguments died out as the figures turned to the Gold light beside them.
“It is true. While I sometimes doubt his intentions for the smaller things, when it comes to our ultimate goal, Typhos will support us, regardless of what he says. Even if his words do make me angry at times.”
“I just think that children shouldn’t need to be a force that we need to bring our stronger weapons to bear against. The boy is gone, and cannot interfere with our operations in the Empire, or even the Alliance, without having literal millions of Mages and Hunters aiming for his head. This new mission is a waste of resources that may very well make him stronger if he manages to overcome them.”
“He will not!”
“He already did.”
The Gold figure fell silent once again.
“If you’ll notice from what I said before we sent Meryn and Kameira away, I only asked if you were sure about naming him Anathema. That was a surprise for all of us, not just me. Further, I only said there was no need to send multiple Tier fours after the boy. Not that he didn’t need to die.”
The other figures perked up at that.
“So, you mean to say that you approve of our intent to kill the Anathema?”
“He has proven that he is not just a child. But I insist that, in the future, children need to be left out of our plans. I know I was wrong with my previous complaints, but children are a precious treasure that should not be so easily murdered just because of fear.”
Typhos’ voice grew fervent as he finished speaking.
“... We will cross that bridge should we come to it again. For now, what word has Krant sent?”
At this point, the Orange figure finally spoke up again.
“Krant has reported that he and his men have managed to safely make it to the base in the Fjorya Mountains. They will be crossing into Tarquessa within the next month, so long as the Mountain Tribes and their Guardian Spirits don’t cause too many problems.”
The figures all nodded in approval.
“Beyond that, they report that the few members that remained in hiding in the city have since cleared out, as they were actively hunting and enforcing checks with Magic for any remaining members.”
The six other figures tensed at the thought of their people being put to death for spreading their Lord’s name.
“But there is one good thing that came from this. Within the group of school students that were sent to gain Spirit Bonds, over a dozen of the successful ones were from families within our Church. Including the little Flame Mage whose mother reported her interactions with the Anathema to us.”
The figures in the lights perked up at this, except for Typhos, who once again looked frustrated at involving children in their darker affairs.
“They shall all receive advanced training once they enter Tarquessa and reach the Oasis under our control. Once they are fully trained, they will become part of our forces in full, and will continue to spread the word of Radiance to the masses.”
The Golden figure looked at Typhos, who had relaxed when he heard the children would be trained first.
“Typhos. I know that you are currently stationed in one of our Morathi bases, but will you be able to move to the Empire? I am confident that Erkan can handle things, even if he can’t work out of Harkem, but we need more eyes on the Empire now that we’ve been outed. Your connections and current position should grant you some influence.’
“You’re planning something. Aren’t you?”
“Nothing that will involve children.”
The Gold and Gray figures stared at each other for a few minutes before Typhos relented.
“Fine, but you’ll need to get a stand-in for me. The Shroud and Kindled families are gearing up for another conflict with one another, and if I leave right now, things will spark, and conflict will spread. We’ll be lucky if the Alliance manages to hold itself together if another civil war breaks out.”
All the figures in the room winced at the thought of another war between humans. The last one was taken advantage of by the Cruor, and half of the Morathi Alliance was consumed by Cruor and turned into a miniature Desolate Land. Albeit one without the permanent overcast of nigh pitch-black clouds.
“Very well. A stand in will be sent. Please try to be ready to leave for the Trillious within a month. You set out as soon as your stand-in arrives.”
“Then I will say in advance that it is good to be working with you, Lord Erkan.” Typhos said to the orange lit figure.
“The same to you, Lord Typhos.” Erkan replied.
“Just Typhos. Please. Oh, and one more thing. This is important.”
The figures all focused on Typhos.
“The Kindled family has finally opened up talks with working for us, but they had an interesting condition. They want us to find the third son of the current family head. Apparently, he ran off with the eldest daughter of the Shroud family’s head.”
“Currently, there are no clues, as they hid their tracks well. But if we can find more information, we should be able to get a proper foothold in the Alliance.” Typhos finished explaining.
“I see. For the moment, we cannot push anything forward regarding this, especially as you will be leaving there soon. For the moment, let us put a pin on this, and return to it after you have settled in Trillious.”
With that said, the figures continued to go over their plans regarding the different factions within the western half of the world. So confident in Meryn and Kameira’s mission to kill Ezekiel, that he was not brought up again as a topic for some time.
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The day after Ezekiel’s exile, at the headquarters of the Wandering Titans Guild.
Drew stood in front of Garrad, who was currently barring his path to enter the Guilds headquarters. He was bruised, and bloodied, and Jaime wasn’t much better off.
In one hand was an engraved morning star. He had received it this morning, when Ezekiel’s father had stopped by his mother’s carving shop early that morning.
Apparently, before he had left, Ezekiel had spent a lot of time talking with the Scholars in the Cathedral while he was locked up. During that time, he had spent a lot of time thinking, as well as writing a few notes that he slipped to the Scholars from time to time.
In exchange for these notes and knowledge from the Ruins, they had agreed to enchant a morning star for Drew, since Ezekiel knew that he would need a proper weapon for when he entered a Guild. It had used up all his remaining favors, but Ezekiel had felt like it was worth it in the end.
Unfortunately, at the moment, Drew could barely hold onto the morning star, let alone use it.
Swirls of dirt and broken stonework littered the ground where he had defended himself, or rather, dodged out of the way of many of Garrad’s attacks. However, he was still just a Tier one compared to Garrad’s peak Tier three.
“I’m not leaving...huff... until you...haah... let me join!” Drew’s voice came out in panting gasps as he tried to get his words out as clearly as he could.
Garrad just looked at him with pity, which just caused more and more frustration and regret to well up in Drew’s heart. He was too tired to be angry. Too upset to feel fury.
Off to the side, dozens of members of the Wandering Titans were watching this scene play out. Many were confused, but a small few, the ones who knew Ezekiel well, recognized Drew from the stories Ezekiel told them about his friends. These ones also looked at him with pity.
Drew slowly climbed to his feet, moving to take another shot at Garrad, but as his fist came forward, he had no more mana to spend.
“You need to leave, kid. Come back when you’re Tier two, and I guarantee you’ll enter our Guild. I swear to you, right here, with my own Guild as witness, that once you reach Tier three, you’ll get in.”
“I can’t wait that long!” Drew cried out. “I can’t be left behind again.”
“Kid-” Garrad found himself cut off as a rock he hadn’t sent towards Drew came flying from the side. But it wasn’t aimed at Drew. It was aimed at Jaime.
Not even pausing to think, Drew threw his body to the ground, taking the fairly large rock to the gut, and letting out a grunt of pain as his vision started to fade from having taken too many injuries.
Before he fell unconscious, he could barely make out the figure of Gerome walking toward him.
“Gramps!” Garrad called out. “What was that for!?”
Gerome was silent as he approached Drew’s unconscious form. Jaime cried out angrily at him, even as Westly crawled over and began checking the little bird Spirit’s injuries.
“Bring these two to the infirmary and contact his mother. I’d like to speak to her.” Gerome said as several members did just that.
Tracy, who had been in the crowd, was holding her glowing green hands over Drews body as he was carried to the infirmary. The rest of her team followed behind her, carrying Jaime with them as well.
“Gramps?” Garrad’s confusion filled his voice.
“If his mother agrees, then tomorrow, we will have a new Guild member.” Gerome stated. “One that I am sponsoring myself.”
Gerome’s words were shocking to everyone who was there to hear them. Gerome hadn’t sponsored the entry of a new Guild member even once in living memory. Preferring to let others do the scouting for new members.
“Don’t give me that look, Garrad. If you wanted to, you could’ve sent him away with one move, but you couldn’t. Could you. You couldn’t just dash his dreams when you saw the desperation that filled his eyes. A desperation we’ve both seen before.”
“Then why did you attack his Spirit?”
“I had to be certain that he hadn’t gotten so lost that he was willing to forsake his closest companion for his own desires. I had to be sure that he was willing to sacrifice himself for family.”
Regret filled Gerome’s voice.
As Gerome walked into the Guild’s headquarters, Garrad didn’t say anything, his thoughts flying back to the kid he and his Guild had dragged on an expedition that he had no right being on. A kid that they had failed and could do nothing about as he was forcefully sent away.
“Not this time.” Garrad said with clenched fists. Swearing to himself that he wouldn’t fail the friend of that amazing child he’d been forced to watch leave his home forever.
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Elsewhere in Harkem. As Drew was facing off against the Wandering Titans.
The Alkena family was visiting the Luminance family due to an invitation. Yennifrey, who had been spending time with Shari, had been invited to come along as well, upon the request of both Evelyn and Warren.
Yennifrey and Shari were seated in the newly rebuilt and refurbished home of the Luminance family. Shari was looking at her hands, which were clasped in front of her on the table.
Yennifrey was studiously looking over the various notes and books that Evelyn had given her. Each one filled with different types of enchantments and Runic sequences with different effects.
The notes contained ideas and theories that even Evelyn hadn’t thought of, but they were taken just as seriously as if they had been, as they were written by Ezekiel, whom even his own mother hadn’t thought could come up with such bizarre ideas for Runes and enchantments.
“That boy, he really knew how to leave some proper going away presents.” Evelyn said as she looked over the notes, ones he’d not shown her from his time learning under her.
She immediately broke down into tears after looking through them.
Evelyn and Warren had finally been able to return to their home after the trial was finished but had spent the majority of their time at the Cathedral, rather than return home without their son, knowing that he never would.
Now that they were home, they had tried to fix things up as best they could but had a few gifts they needed to give out before they could really settle. Something they were thankful for, as it helped keep them preoccupied.
Yennifrey’s was simple. It was the notebooks Ezekiel filled from their time studying together.
For Shari, it was a little more difficult.
“I refuse.” Shari said as she briefly glanced at the dog pendant that was placed before her. “He’s not my friend anymore, so I don’t see why I should accept this insult anymore.”
Yennifrey winced from the other room where she was sitting on the couch reading. Wendy and Ellen were sitting with her, and were surprisingly calm, compared to their usual selves, and were listening to Yennifrey as she tried to explain some of the things their big brother had written down.
They had been at the house for nearly an hour now, with Shari’s parents not allowing them to leave just yet. Regardless of Shari’s wishes.
They had been arguing over this for a while, and everyone but Shari wanted her to accept Ezekiel’s apology and take the necklace back, even Bonnie, but she continued to refuse, stating that Ezekiel never cared about her, or what she wanted.
Finally, Warren had enough.
“What do you even want?” He asked. His tone was as gentle as he could make it but was still frustrated.
Shari was silent for a moment before she muttered something almost inaudible.
“What was that?” Warren asked again as the adults leaned in to hear.
“I want Ezekiel back.” Shari whispered more loudly. “I want him to spend time with me and my friends. I want him to tutor me and help me with my training. I want him to show me the tips and tricks he has for studying, and I want him here to help me run the Auction House. I want to be with him forever, and now he's gone, and he told me that was a good thing! That we should stop being friends!”
The room was silent as she finished, her voice having risen in volume as she told them what she wanted. Aldor and Sherra gave Evelyn and Warren sheepish and apologetic looks, but the two Luminance parents were silent as they looked at Shari with pity.
“Ezekiel never told you what he wanted in life. Did he?” Warren asked softly.
Shari looked up at him in confusion.
“I thought he wanted to prove the world was wrong about Void Mages. By joining the Church as a Scholar after discovering his Void mana meditation. Maybe join one of the Guilds in the city to explore some Ruins or get some training.”
“Heheh, no. That’s too small for him. The thing that he wanted most, ever since he was a child, was to discover the secrets of the Ancient Void. Void mana meditation was just a part of that.” Warren explained.
“He never even really spoke about it to us, either, but you can’t discover the secrets of the past if you only ever live in one place.” Evelyn said with a melancholic smile.
“Indeed. I doubt he ever actually said it, but, as his father, I saw things in him that I don’t know if he saw them in himself. He always tried to make things easier for us, not causing trouble since he was a Void Mage, but whether it was hiding his dangerous meditations from us, or the talk about him going on that expedition, which I’ll be he was happy to go on in the beginning, there was always a determination there, alongside with the regret.”
“The same determination, tucked beneath the sorrow, that I saw when he was getting on that damn boat.”
Warren looked frustrated, Evelyn looked sad, and the Alkena’s looked confused. Warren raised his hands, and a wall of light flickered around them briefly, blocking out any sound from reaching Yennifrey and the twins.
“What I’m about to tell you is a secret. Tell no one; ever.”
Warren then explained his concerns regarding the various mind altering magics, as well as the apparent effects that Void Relics sometimes have on Void Mages.
As Shari learned about the guesses and fears they had about Ezekiel’s mind, his soul, she couldn’t help but start crying.
“Was he ever really my friend?” She asked in a heartbroken voice.
“Yes. He was always your friend. Never doubt that. It’s just... there’s something that he needs to do. Something that drives him forward, and at least for now, that thing will keep him away from you, and us, even if you stayed friends. The two of you both want different things in your life. You’re both just walking different paths.” Evelyn said with her voice full of certainty.
Warren then pushed the necklace forward again.
“But I think that he still wants to be friends with you, and Yennifrey, and Drew, and maybe even Riley. He wouldn’t have asked us to give this back to you otherwise. So, for now, stop thinking of him as your friend, for safety, as he asked, and work on moving forward with your own life. Then, when he gets back, show that you didn’t forget about him, and decide then and there whether or not you can be friends with him, again.”
Shari sat silently for a long time, just staring at the necklace. She felt like it was too much for her. Everything she had learned, and everything that Ezekiel was apparently going through. She still wanted to reject the necklace, and she felt that if she did, then everyone else would begrudgingly accept it.
She reached forward, and took the necklace, sliding it into a pocket.
“If I’m not his friend, I can’t hit him for being stupid when I see him again, can I.”
The room fell into sad laughter, relieved that another part of Ezekiel’s life had remained, yet sad that Ezekiel was gone and alone right now.
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Later, on a ship traveling south, along the coast of the continent, with the Fjorya Mountains just barely visible to the west. Ezekiel sat in a small cabin, his sword in front of him, his eyes never leaving the blade, his thought focused, and completely unaware of the events happening at the home that he had left.
Suddenly the circles and ripple patterns on the sword in his hands began to shift, and the sensation calling out to him from earlier in the day grew stronger. The opalescent shine brightened and brightened until there was nothing but a pure white light filling the room.
A cracking sound echoed out as the light faded away. Flakes seemed to fall off of it, but faded away as a pure white blade was revealed to the world.
The circles and ripples were nowhere to be seen, and the sword did not give off any more light. It was whiter than the purest untouched snow. And he felt like he was dirtying it just from holding it.
“Hello?”
A voice called out to him in his mind. As it did, he felt something click within his soul.
“What was that?!”
The voice inside him was shocked. It seemed to be scared. Confused.
Unsure of what to do, Ezekiel tried to send thoughts and feelings of reassurance to the Spirit he had just bonded with.
Fortunately, this seemed to calm it down.
“You’re... Ezekiel?”
For a moment, he was shocked. He didn’t understand how the newly born Void Spirit knew his name. But then, he realized that this Spirit was partially made from his soul. Of course, it would know him, and probably other things as well.
“Yes. I am. What’s your name?” Ezekiel spoke softly as he communicated with his Spirit.
“... I don’t know? I don’t think that’s right, but I don’t think I have a name!”
“Then how about I give you one?”
“Would you!?”
Ezekiel slowly reached out with his mana as he spoke, trying to get a better feel of the Spirit in his hands. As he did, he could feel a bit of surprise, followed by confusion, and finally excitement as the Spirit in his hands latched onto the mana that he was sending it.
Ezekiel found himself aware of the one hundred motes of Void mana that the Spirit had within it.
The sword in his hands immediately shone with an opalescent light once again. As he reached for the blade, he was shocked when his hand failed to make contact where he thought it would.
The shine from the sword was warping his perception of where the blade actually was.
“How about Shine? Since you shine when you use mana.
“Shine? I like Shine! My name is Shine! It’s nice to meet you, Ezekiel!”
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
Ezekiel fell asleep with a heart much lighter than the one he woke up with, and the comforting presence of a Spirit of his own.
Now he knew that the future was something he could face. No matter what came after him.
----------------------------------------
Far away from Harkem, and even further from Ezekiel, in the center areas of the Desolate Lands.
There sat a figure, humanoid in overall shape, but ultimately inhuman in features.
In front of this figure was a misshapen dog. Its fangs were so large that they stuck out from its jaw, and its claws were more like razor sharp scythes. Longer than a man’s head was wide.
The Umbral Beast had just finished bringing a report to the figure in front of it.
The figure had his hand on the Umbral Beast’s head. His eyes were closed, but behind his eyelids you could see a flickering as images assaulted his mind.
A broken city.
A conflict between humans.
The humans running from the city.
A flash of white light.
A sunken hole where the city once stood.
The figure took their hand away from the Umbral Beast’s head.
“How annoying.” The figure said with a raspy growl.
With a wave of his hand, the Umbral Beast was sliced into bloody chunks that fell to the ground, staining it with and oily mix of red and other colors.
As the figure turned away from the beast he had just killed, several more came out from the shadows to devour the remains.
Walking toward a large stained-glass window, the figure stared outside into the dark landscape. Flashes of lightning just barely illuminating the world for brief flashes at a time.
“Notify the other Lords. A new soul has arrived on Eldramir. One that seems to have discovered at least one secret of the Void.”
The figure took a seat, on a roughly carved stone throne, not once did his eyes turn away from the window, and the flashing sparks of the world outside.
Hearing their master’s order, the Umbral Beasts that lined the room left. They had a message to deliver to the rest of the Cruor.