“What??” Vaela’s face drained, chills skittering down her back.

Hermit held up a hand. “But this time, you lucked out, kid. Last time the Peaks and Pits got closer–the Approximation Event–was only fifty years ago. The Twisted haven’t had enough time to recover. They’ll grow stronger as the realms approach each, as you will too.”

“Wait, I’ll get stronger?” Vaela licked her lips and took a step towards Hermit. Getting stronger by training was one thing, but getting stronger just because the Pits and the Peaks were getting closer–now that she could get behind.

“Oh yeah. Big time.” Hermit tapped his nose. “You’ll be strong, kid. Real strong.”

Vaela grinned and refrained from rubbing her hands together. “How strong?”

“As strong as a Forg–Charmer, that is–has ever been. Well, almost. Incus is a Forger and he’s had millenia to practice, so he’ll always be more skilled. But in terms of raw Power? Yeah, you’ll be as strong as any human ever was. As strong as our Champions of the past, who stood toe-to-toe with the Twisted at the peak of their Power and defeated them.”

Vaela’s heart pounded, her arms jittering despite herself. It all still might be nonsense. Delusions of religious fanatics. But maybe not.

Jace stroked his face and stood beside Hermit, surveying Vaela. “We’ve never had a Forger as a Champion–and I doubt we ever will again. It’s all together possible that she will be the strongest human Forger to ever live on Dome. At least for a short while during the Approximation.”

Vaela’s mouth practically filled with saliva. The strongest ever? Okay, maybe they were telling the truth about all this Created-Twisted nonsense. The myths had to come from somewhere, right? And she had felt that jerking sensation back in the Hoops arena that Hermit said was the realms beginning to come together.

Adyr shuffled beside Vaela. “Um, excuse me.” Hermit and Jace both turned their heads to her. “So then Kaverlna is possessed by Incus, one of the Twisted?”

Hermit nodded. “I’m afraid so. The woman you knew is no more.”

Adyr snorted sharply. “I won’t miss her. And after what I saw…” She clapped her hands together and pressed them to her lips while collapsing to her knees. “Please forgive me, Holy Ones.” She bowed her head low to the ground, her voice muffled. “I didn’t know you were Created.”

Vaela dove down and grabbed Adyr’s arm. “Hey, get up. You don’t have to bow to these idiots.” Adyr shook her off and kept her eyes trained on the floor. Vaela sighed and let her go. Even as an ex-priestess, her religious tendencies ran deep. Vaela waved at her and glared at Hermit. “Tell her she doesn’t have to bow.”

He tapped his staff against the floor three times. “Rise, my child. I, the Shadow Lord, forgive thee.”

Outrage gurgled in Vaela’s throat, but Adyr rose to her feet, head still inclined.

Jace chuckled and elbowed Hermit. “Oh, don’t tease the poor girl.” He strode forward and touched Adyr’s elbow. “No need for theatrics with us. Seratia, Alnea, Hermit, and I believe in you humans. You stand on the same ground as we do. You have the right to defend your home. That’s why we make humans our Champions, instead of fighting the Twisted ourselves.”

Adyr peeked up at him and he nodded. Vaela patted her on the arm and Adyr smiled at her. The smile disappeared as her eyes widened and she collapsed back to her knees–this time at Vaela’s feet. “I-I’m sorry, Champion. I didn’t know of your status! Please forgive me.”

Vaela dropped to her knees and tried to pull Adyr up. “Come on, don’t do that. I’m nothing special.”

“You are! You are the Chosen, one of the order of the Holy Created.”

Surah burst out laughing and bounced on the bed. “Hey, now you’re the priestess and she’s just the ordinary bum–it’s like you switched roles.”

Vaela glared at him. “Not helping.” She grabbed Adyr’s shoulders. “You don’t have anything to be forgiven for.”

Adyr shook her head and wriggled back down. “I haven’t treated you with the reverence you’re due.”

Surah sat on the side of the bed and reclined with his hands behind him. “Yeah, and what else have you done?” Vaela shot him a death look and he grinned.

The back of Adyr’s neck reddened. “I-I’ve had impure thoughts.”

Surah shot forward. “Impure thoughts?!”

Vaela’s heart skipped a beat. World-saving Champion or not, she was finding that bath. How else could she properly cleanse Adyr of these impure thoughts?

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Adyr pressed closer to the floor and Vaela’s heart twinged. She cradled Adyr’s chin. “Hey, listen to me.” Adyr pulled away and Vaela firmed her grip. “Listen to me, I said! I’m a Champion, dammit.”

Adyr froze and then let Vaela guide her back upright. Vaela rested her hands on Adyr’s shoulders. “You’re to treat me just like you always did.” Adyr opened her mouth and Vaela frowned. “I order you. As a Champion.” Adyr closed her mouth and Vaela squeezed her shoulders with a grin. “Got it?”

Adyr shyly smiled at her and bobbed her head. Vaela pulled her close and they wrapped their arms around each other. Vaela closed her eyes and let herself dissolve in the feeling of Adyr’s blood swirling through her body. Another pair of arms wrapped around her and she sighed. “Surah, could you give us a moment?”

“Not a chance.”

Another pair of arms wrapped around them and another. Vaela’s eyes bolted open and she groaned. Hermit and Jace had heaped on. She shook her arms to dislodge them, but they all stayed firmly attached. “Will you idiots get off?”

After a few sweaty moments, Hermit, Surah, and Jace stepped back and Vaela pulled Adyr to her feet with a rueful grin. They’d stand on the same ground–Champion or not, injured or not, no matter what. Vaela turned to Hermit. “You said that normally a Champion has to fight to the death. So I’m different?”

Hermit clapped his hands and rubbed them together, a maniacal glint in his eyes. “Oh, yes. You’re far too clumsy to be a good fighter.”

She clenched her fists and drew one back. Clumsy? How about she showed him how clumsy she could be?

He waved a hand and shook his head. “Never mind that, though. It’s not that you’ll be a bad fighter, you just won’t be a legendary fighter.” He stepped into range, unconcerned by her readied fist. “Remember, kid, we’re talking about three Beings who have been fighting since before this world was created. No one but the very strongest have even a chance against them. And, even then, it’s only because we have four Champions to the three of them, that we ever win.”

His eyes were oddly sincere, his voice absent of malice. Who was she kidding? She’d never land a hit on him anyway. She dropped her arm. “Okay, fine. I suppose against three immortal Beings, I might be outmatched. So what’s this grand plan of yours then?”

Jace tapped his chin and eyed Hermit. “I’d like to know that myself, actually. What’s your game, Young One?”

Young One? Vaela almost snorted out a laugh. That’s right. If they all really were Created, then Hermit was only ‘born’ after that one Twisted exploded.

Hermit grinned and pressed his palms together. “We have a Charmer. Now, we need a Storer.”

Jace’s brow furrowed. “A Storer…?” His eyes widened. “I see!” He blinked several times and stared at Hermit incredulously. “That… is actually a good idea. A great one, even.”

Vaela looked back and forth between them. “What?”

Jace opened his mouth, but Hermit cut him off with a gesture. He held out his hands to Surah and Adyr. “We can’t say right now. It’s for your own good.”

Adyr nodded and let her head stay inclined for a moment in a respectful bow. Surah huffed and drew his robe around him. “Well, really!”

Vaela crossed her arms and stalked up to Hermit. “Anything you say to me, you can say to them. I trust them.”

Hermit shrugged. “Well, okay. But if the Twisted find out they know part of our plan, they’ll stop at nothing to capture them and torture them for information.” He craned his head around Vaela and flicked his chin at Surah. “So, here’s our plan–”

Surah let out a strangled noise and waved his hands. “Uh, on second thought, I’m quite happy not knowing what’s going on.”

Despite Hermit’s teasing, a chill ran down Vaela’s spine. Joke all he wanted, she had seen that priest carved into by Kaverlna. If they were willing to kill one of their own, who knew what they would do to their enemies?

Jace shooed Hermit away and he spread his hands out. “Ignorance may be bliss, though I’ve never met a virgin who would fully agree. Regardless, please, put your minds at ease.” Jace gestured to one wall and then the other, encompassing the entire room. “Consider this building my temple. All I have is at your disposal.” He met each of their gazes for a second with a warm smile. “Food, training, other pleasures. My domain is the physical world. Worship your bodies and you honor me.”

Surah clapped a hand to his heart. “Do you have priests, O Holiest of Holies?”

Vaela laughed and her worries eased. They were in danger, sure, but it was a danger to wake up in the morning, wasn’t it? For now, they had what they needed. She glanced at Surah–still beaming at Jace–and Adyr–looking equal parts uncomfortable and intrigued. They had each other.

Vaela picked up her stick and swallowed. “You wouldn’t happen to have baths here?”

Jace brightened and swept into a bow. “Of course. We have the finest facilities in the city.”

She spun and grabbed Adyr’s hand, pulling her to the doors. “Take us to them.”

Jace laughed heartily and hurried around them. He led them down the hall and pushed open a door on the right that led to a large room. A few wooden benches lined the room and freestanding shutters were in each corner for privacy. Jace led them to a set of double doors on the far side. He pulled them open and Vaela almost cried. A large bath was built into the center of the floor. Plumes of steam curled from the water in playful wisps.

In an instant, Jace’s esteem vaulted far over Hermit. Surah clapped and pulled at the sash at his waist. Vaela spun and shoved him and Jace back through the doors. “Out.” Surah let out a squawk, but Vaela pointed her stick to the room’s door. Jace chuckled and waved as he crossed the room. Surah shot her a resentful look as he trudged out behind the Created.

Adyr fiddled with her tunic while she stared at the water. “So, um, should we take turns?”

Vaela stepped up close, taking her hand. “Is that what you want?”

Adyr’s chest heaved and her neck flushed. Her eyes flicked to Vaela’s and she shook her head. Vaela bit back a purr. She stepped back to the double doors and nodded to the bath. “Go ahead and get in. I’ll give you a moment.”

Adyr gave her a grateful look and turned to the water. Vaela returned to the first room and let the double doors close. Her heart was practically pounding over her chest. She fumbled her hands to the neck of her tunic, letting her stick fall to the ground.

Rustling from the corner of the room caught her attention and she looked up. From behind one of the privacy shutters, shadows undulated. Vaela gasped and reached for her stick.

A figure cloaked in Shadows emerged. The Shadows melted away and Vaela froze.

Timura walked into the center of the room.