“The reason I survive?” Vela blinked at Hermit, cocking her head to the side. Once again, no one had any confidence in her ability, apparently. After all, wouldn't the reason she survived be her own fighting prowess?

Hermit grinned and tapped his fingers against the table. He exchanged a knowing look with Jace. “Seratia always chooses her Oracle to be her Champion. And her Oracle is, well, a feral beast.”

Surah slapped his palms on the table and leaned forward. “Like an animal?”

Vaela smacked her forehead and glared at him. “Obviously not an animal.” She shot a look at Hermit “Uh, right?”

Jace chuckled and waved a hand in the air. “No, no, only figuratively. I will admit, they are always an impressive specimen.”

Vaela checked Alnea’s reaction. Who knew if Hermit and Jace were just talking out their asses. But Alnea, well, she didn't seem like she would lie.

Alnea reclined in the chair, hands folded in her lap, and she nodded to Vaela. “It is true. Seratia is a mighty warrior, perhaps the strongest amongst all of the Created in our eternal war against the Twisted. Her Oracles are always as fierce a human to ever walk the world. Truly, you will be in company.”

Vaela rubbed the back of her neck. Sure. Trust the person they haven't even met to be a superior fighter over her. She quaffed the rest of her wine in a single gulp. Still, if they deferred to this Seratia and had a high opinion of her Champion, they must be strong. And what was she complaining about? This person would be her ally. If she had a powerful meat shield ally to hide behind, well, all the better.

Alnea pushed up from the chair and spread her hands, encompassing the entire group. “It is, like most things, clearer to See to believe. We must leave this city as soon as possible and go to the coast where Seratia lives.” She leveled Hermit and Jace with a glance. “Hermit was right. Seratia is the best possible ally to cross the ocean. And her Power will allow us to find a Storer as soon as possible.”

Just what could Seratia do? Vaela trailed her fingers over her Mark. Hermit had mentioned the Approximation Event and how the realms were moving closer. Was he implying that there was limited time? How long did she have to become strong enough to fight some of the deadliest Beings to ever walk Dome? She frowned at Hermit. “When is this epic battle supposed to take place?”

Silence filled the room and Jace settled back in his chair. He studied the grain of the wood with sudden fascination. Hermit sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. “We don't know exactly, to be honest. The reverberation you felt is merely the beginning of the Pits and the Peaks moving towards each other. But they don't move like physical objects. They could come together in five years or they could come together in five months.”

Vaela's blood ran cold. Five months…?

If she had to fight against people even remotely as strong as Hermit, Jace, or Alnea she would surely die. “Why didn't you choose a Champion earlier? Why didn't we start training years ago?”

Alnea clasped her hands behind her back. “We couldn't. We can only Choose a Champion once the realms begin to near each other. Normally, the Events have always been hundreds of years apart. All of the prior ones have been around a thousand years after the next one.” She shook her head, brow furrowed. “The last Event was only fifty years ago. As Hermit alluded to, an opportunity like this has never occurred, and it likely never will again.”

Adyr shyly half-raised a hand. “You said ‘opportunity’? What makes this more of an opportunity than years past?” She whipped her hand back down and ducked her head. “If you don't mind me asking, Most Holy.”

Alnea smiled and rested a hand on Adyr’s cheek. “You do well to question the world, child. The last Champions succeeded in killing the Twisted. But the Twisted are like us–immortal beings. We never truly die. We merely lose our connection to this world. After they were killed, their essences returned to the Pits. With enough time, they will reform to their full strength.”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Vela drummed the table with her fingers. “Enough time?” She stabbed a finger at Hermit. “I'm going to assume fifty years isn’t enough?”

He tapped his temple with a finger. “Right, kid. It takes a hundred years or so for them to recover fully. As it stands, they'll only be half as powerful as they normally are.” He reclined in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. “You remember me fighting Inky back there at the church, right?” Hermit tutted and shook his head. “He was weak.”

Weak? Vaela suppressed a shiver. The memory of Kalverna throwing lightning at Hermit raced through her mind. For anyone else, it would have surely meant instant death. Definitely for her it would have meant instant death. No fight, no heroic battle, just dead. And that was what she had to fight?

Alnea frowned at Hermit. “Perhaps this is better left for another time.” She rested a hand on Vaela’s shoulder. “You will have time to train. When the time comes, you will be ready.”

Vaela swallowed hard and nodded. The faith this woman had in her was tremendous. Intoxicating, almost. And she'd need every ounce of it because she didn't have a drop of faith in herself right now.

Jace clapped his hands and jumped to his feet. “Right. Well, Owl-knee-uh says we must leave so we better get going.”

Surah groaned and looked around the opulence building. “Do we really have to? We just got to this fine place.” He shot a resentful look at Vaela. “Why did you have to go and get found again?”

She crossed her arms and glared back at him. “I wasn't doing anything. They tracked us down.”

How did they keep finding them?

Alnea pushed her chair back. “It is strange. I caught Sight of the clergy combing through the city and followed them to you. It was no mistake they were in that market. They knew what part of the city you were in.”

Timura wrapped her arms around herself and tilted her head at Vaela. “Yeah, ever since you came to my meeting, you've been running away from the Church. I know you're not religious, but what did you do to piss off an entire religion?”

Vela smiled and shook her head. “I'll tell you later while we're on the road. Long story short, though, we cut off some snake legs.”

Hermit stretched his arm over his head and stood up, retrieving his staff from where it leaned against the table. “Inky always has his little network of spies. For now, we better pack up and get out of town. He won't attack us with any of his forces, but we can't risk them catching wind of what we're trying to do. If they knew even a hint of it, they’d do everything in their power to sabotage us.” He waved them away from the table. “Everyone go on and pack your stuff. We head out tonight.”

They all filed back to their rooms and Vaela scooped up her possessions. Ever since leaving Xufont, all of her worldly belongings could be carried in a small sack. She wrapped her shield by a strap around her back like a backpack and grabbed the bag with her clothes. As she walked out, Adyr leaned against the door, arms wrapped around herself. Vaela set her bag and stick down and squeezed Adyr’s hand. “Don't worry about it, huh? I know this place was nice, but we'll find another place.”

Adyr shook her head and sighed. “It's not that.” She faced Vaela fully and took both her hands. “I put you in danger. The reason we're fleeing is because of me.”

Vaela pulled her close. “It's not you. You heard Hermit. Everything that's going on is bigger than us. Bigger than you, bigger than me.” She looked down at their hands and then back into her eyes. “Bigger than us. We have to get away from the church.”

Adyr bit her lip and nodded. They grabbed their bags and rejoined the rest of the group near the back. Jace ushered them out through the courtyard and Vaela glanced back. The brothel had never looked so inviting. Warmth, food, a soft bed. She sighed and raised her stick in salute to the building.

They slipped through the streets, led by Jace. Alnea walked beside him, occasionally pointing him in a different direction. Between his knowledge of the city and her great Vision, they’d yet to even see a priest or priestess. Not that it mattered. With Jace, Alnea, and Hermit here, Vaela couldn’t even guess how many it would take to defeat them. It seemed the three could probably face down a small army and come out unscathed.

Vaela tapped through the streets, walking at the back of their group. She barely noticed the twists and turns. The Twisted were the Created’s equals. And she’d have to fight–and kill–them one day. Was it really possible?

The image of Kaverlna Hurling Lightning at Hermit played through her mind. A Forger, just like her, able to harness that much destructive Power.

Vaela tightened her grip on her stick. Yes, she’d grow stronger. No, she’d become strong. She studied each member of the group. Sight, Touch, Shadow, Fire, and Ice. She’d conquer Shadow enough to defend against Lightning.

It only left one question. Which Power would she Harness for offense?