Eloken had sent a letter by the first available ship from Azarim, informing Echo and the rest of the crew that he would be a week late, as they had to stop by the Island of Moire and the Treok Islands. Echo found this strange, but when had anything Eloken done in the past four years not felt strange?

Yaub and Zoras had arrived five days ago, bringing with them eight new recruits: three Moirans, a young girl named Cel, a high-ranked military commander's son, and a shy, chubby, red-faced kid named Tuk. Alongside the Moirans, they had brought another five recruits from some close allies Eloken thoroughly checked.

For the past month, Echo had been doing her own recruiting, looking for signs of people who could use magic. Unlike last year, when they founded the Academy, people had been coming in on their own. Most of those who turned up were teens from the poorer parts of the Isari Empire, their parents selling what they could to give their kids the ability to reach the Academy. That was a good sign; they had started gaining the trust of common people. Last year, recruiting was hard; Eloken himself had to almost talk to every recruit, selling them on why they should come to his Academy. Luckily, he was very persuasive.

On the other hand, the nobility did not let their kids into the Academy once again. Some of them asked if their kids could attend the classes but not be a part of the academy, and some even more insolent ones asked if Eloken or the rest of them could come and teach them privately about magic. Echo did not give them an answer; she wanted to punch their smug faces, but she played it off politically and said she needed to run it through with Eloken and then get back to them.

The morning was like any other: roll call, breakfast, classes. Echo taught two classes, both combat: Archery and Military Strategy. With Yaub back, it was easier as he took on most of her obligations, allowing her to concentrate on her two classes and dealing with the recruitment and organization of new students who were about to come in the next week. It took a lot of planning to decide where to house them. The Academy was large, with over a hundred sleeping rooms, but it was already getting crowded. If the trend of new recruits continued to spiral each year, they would have to expand.

After she finished everything she planned for the day, Echo took her coffee from the dining area and walked out to the huge balcony on the first floor. She loved the alone time with her own thoughts, overlooking the Academy gardens and students going about their lives. She loved to pretend that she didn’t like the Academy, that she hated being a teacher confined to a classroom. But she was proud of themselves, their group of friends, and what they were able to achieve: from a small thieving group to a group trying to take over the empire and right the wrongs the nobility has been doing for centuries. They had just started, and the road was long ahead of them, but she could feel the change, she could feel the shift in momentum.

As she drank her coffee, lost in her own thoughts, she was startled by some shouting and cheering coming from downstairs. Standing up and peering over the balcony's edge, she saw that Eloken was back. Of course, the one telling was Yaub, who embraced Eloken in a hug with his large, paw-like hands. She noticed some unfamiliar faces with him: a young girl wearing a bandana over her mouth and nose, only her ember eyes peeking out as she scanned the crowd, and four men, two older and two boys. The older men were composed as they shook hands with Yaub, Zoras, and the rest of the crew, while the two boys looked lost, almost afraid.

“What took you so long?” She could hear Yaub’s gruff voice mixed with chuckles.

She decided to walk down, handing her mug of tea to one of the servant girls walking around. Students were whispering about Eloken and the newcomers as she walked down the stairs. Going outside through the large door, she could not see Eloken from the large crowd that had gathered around him, that is, until he noticed her and made a path toward her.

“Echo!” He exclaimed, a smile painted over his face. “It’s good to see you!” He said as he embraced her in a hug.

“About time you came back,” she said, tightening her hug. “The Academy almost ran itself into the ground with me at the helm.”

“Don’t lie,” he said, letting go of the hug and placing one arm gently on her shoulders. “Yaub already told me you're better at leading the Academy than me.” She looked over to the large man, who shrugged his shoulders with his recognizable wide grin.

“Traitor,” she murmured to Yaub, smiling back.

Come, meet my new friends,” Eloken said as he guided her toward the newcomers. “This is Evie, Illyan, Vassilin, Bayolar, and Qeors.” He pointed to the girl, then the two boys, and then to the two older gentlemen, who all smiled back and nodded, the older men bowing slightly. “And this is Echo, my right hand. Without her, nothing would have been possible.”

Echo smiled back to the newcomers and then picked Dalamir out of the crowd and embraced him in a hug.

“How are you?” she whispered into his ear, barely audible over the crowd. “Where is Lorien?” Echo noticed that the student was missing from their party.

“He didn’t make it,” Dalamir whispered back. “There is a lot we need to talk about, but let's not do it here.” Echo's gaze held Dalamir's for a moment longer, a silent exchange passing between them, heavy with unspoken words.

Eloken, sensing the shift in atmosphere as he watched their silent exchange, gave Echo a questioning look. She met his gaze, and he instantly understood what she meant.

“Listen, people,” Eloken yelled over the crowd. “We will talk later. I was thinking about the end-of-year party maybe tomorrow if we can throw something like that together quickly.” The students nodded; a party was always welcome in their opinion. “We have some business to discuss now, so please excuse us.”

Eloken led the party consisting of Echo, Dalamir, Yaub, Zoras, and all the newcomers to the top of the Academy, where a large, singular room awaited them, designated for matters demanding utmost privacy. The room, situated alone on the topmost floor, offered a panoramic view of the academy grounds below.

They closed the balcony doors once they were inside the room and the buzz from the courtyard below faded into a distant murmur, replaced by a heavy silence that filled the space. The room was starkly furnished, with a large, round table at its center surrounded by chairs. Tall windows framed the view outside, casting long shadows across the floor as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

Eloken took a position at the head of the table, his expression not giving away anything as he surveyed the faces before him. “Where is Trokt? I’ve heard he is back,” he directed the question to Echo.

“He went down to the port; you might have walked by him there. Someone was looking for him, but he said he would be back quickly,” Echo said. “Do you want to tell me what the hell happened in Azarim? Who are these people? And what happened to Lorien?” Echo was always direct, never dancing around important topics.

“Nothing good, I'm afraid,” Eloken began. “We found the site I tasked Haraz to find almost a year ago, remember?” Echo nodded. “It was a tomb, and down there, we ran into some, how to put it, hmm... insane things.”

Eloken proceeded to tell everything that happened in Azarim, describing the tomb, and then the big chamber with the teleport in it. The crew was taken aback by the fact that a thing they speculated about actually existed. About the room on the other side of the teleport and how it felt to walk through one, but he didn’t disclose what he found down there. Echo took a mental note of this; she didn’t want to press harder here in front of everyone but would ask him when they were alone.

Eloken then proceeded to explain how they were ambushed by gnarly creatures, straight out of nightmares, and how resilient they were to everything but beheading, and unfortunately, one of them got Lorien and what it did to the boy. Eloken watched their sorrowful expressions at the loss of their student but explained there was nothing they could have done to save him, looking at Evie, who nodded in confirmation, removing her bandana out of respect for the fallen boy.

Dalamir chimed in about the skeleton creatures that rose from the sand itself and attacked them in front of the tomb as it was happening inside. Eloken thanked the newcomers once again, who, in his words, saved their lives. Echo thought he was being modest, trying to play a game and win their trust; there's no way he would admit to that without ulterior motives.

Yaub filled in with the things that happened at the Festival of Gods while Eloken was away, about the new creatures appearing in Hoptar, and if there was a connection there.

Echo was stunned by the things all of them described. “What the hell is going on in our world?” She asked no one in particular.

“No idea honestly,” Eloken was the one to answer. “That’s what we need to find out. We need to…”

“One thing I don’t understand,” Echo interrupted. “What the hell were you doing in the tomb? And how did you get inside if you didn’t walk past Dalamir?” She asked the newcomers, looking straight at the girl.

“There are many caves and places all around the continent that are connected via teleports,” Evie answered truthfully. “Like Eloken, we were on a quest of sorts, exploring the connections, mapping them, and that’s how we ended up in the icy caves at Yarkon Peaks.”

“Yarkon Peaks?” Echo asked, visibly confused.

“Yeah, these boys were exploring the icy caves where they were ambushed by other creatures. We barely saved them, and then we had to run to the closest portal, which was to the tomb in Azarim.”

“And what were you doing in the caves?” Echo asked the two boys.

One of them, a taller one named Illyan, Echo remembered, explained how his father went missing leading an expedition of a strange mix of noblemen and their soldiers, and how he and two other friends, who didn’t make it, ended up in the caves looking for clues about what happened to his father.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Echo finally realized what the looks on their faces meant: the looks of losing a loved one, someone close to oneself, the looks of sorrow and pain. She gave them a nod of understanding, trying to appear empathetic. “One more thing,” she continued, turning towards Evie. “How did you know about the caves, magic, and all the other stuff?”

Before the girl could answer, Eloken jumped in. “Like myself, she was approached by two figures years ago, almost at the same time she accidentally performed magic. Also, like me, she was given a task in return for something she deeply desired and wanted. But like me, she can’t discuss it in detail, or the deal is off.”

“Yeah,” Evie managed to interrupt Eloken. “I don’t know their motives, and I don’t even know who they are. I was never able to see their faces because of the helmets they were wearing.”

Two figures? Helmets? Echo thought to herself. Eloken had always said he was approached by four figures in cloaks and hoods, obscuring their faces. She didn’t want to pry now; Eloken was hiding something, but she really needed a one-on-one talk with him.

The discussion about creatures and everything that happened continued for another half hour. Zoras was writing down everything they knew, the connections of the portals the girl and her friends knew of. Evie even provided a hand-drawn map of the places they had visited.

“One more thing, I almost forgot, we have discovered a new source,” Eloken said nonchalantly.

“Are you kidding me?” Zoras asked. “Open with that; I need to write it down. What is it? What’s the name?”

Zoras was an all-around type of guy, never too serious, never too playful, but deep down in his heart, he was a scholar. He was over the top when they discovered the huge Imperial Library once they’d taken over the building and tasked himself with reading at least one book a week.

“Actually, I believe we discovered one more, maybe even two,” Yaub jumped in, and Zoras nodded.

“What? Who? Where?” Eloken was surprised.

“The girl you told me to keep an eye on, Cel,” Yaub said. “At the festival, one of the creatures freed itself and went on a rampage. The hunters and the guards were not able to do anything to it until Cel approached it and calmed the creature in seconds. Ever since then, the creature has been like a loyal dog, never leaving her side. We believe it’s some kind of connection or something; it has to be another source.”

“It’s emotion manipulation,” Bayolar, an older man with a bun, spoke for the first time. “We've known about it but met only one other person who could do it. Using that source, she was able to manipulate my emotions, making me go from neutral to full-on rage or despair in seconds.”

“Interesting,” Eloken murmured. “I knew there was something else about that girl; I felt too at ease while speaking with her, like I was willing to tell her everything she wanted to know.”

“She can’t control it yet,” Yaub jumped in. “She was trying, but she said it just took over her at the square.”

“I believe it,” Eloken said. “And what’s the other one?”

“Not so sure,” Zoras spoke this time. “The girl’s friend, a boy named Tuk, snuck onto the ship as we were leaving, and there is something about him. He says he can move things unintentionally with his mind and that he sees other places and things vividly in his dreams. He described some to us, but we are yet to be one hundred percent sure what it is or if he is even moving things, as he still can’t do it while we are watching.”

“A busy two weeks for all of us,” Eloken said. “Do we have a name for Cel’s source?”

“Yeah, Dol!” Zoras said. “And what’s the source you were talking about?”

“This boy,” Eloken said, pointing a finger at Illyan. “Can spit fire out of his hands. A similar story like Cel’s; he did it unintentionally out of necessity.”

Zoras shot a look at Bayolar, who shrugged his shoulders, “First time we’ve seen it as well.”

“Hmm…” Zoras rubbed his chin. “We need a name… how about Nis?”

“I like it,” Eloken said.

Echo watched the group, her expression a mixture of bemusement and skepticism, not fully grasping their fascination with naming things or Zoras's compulsion to document every detail. To her, the urgency of their situation and the challenges they faced seemed to demand more immediate, practical responses than what names they assigned to these newfound sources. Yet, as Zoras eagerly scribbled down notes, capturing every word with a scholar's zeal, she couldn't help but admire his dedication.

“If that is all, I would need our new friends to leave the room as we have some private matters to discuss,” Echo said, looking at Evie and her friends.

Eloken nodded, recognizing she had something else important to say. “Go downstairs and look for Seraphius. I’ve already told him to prepare three rooms for you guys and a good meal.”

As Evie and her friends left the room and only their crew was left, Eloken turned towards Echo. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, for starters, everything we just discussed,” Echo said, frustration building in her voice. “What the hell is going on, Eloken? Monsters? Students dying? A young life is not worth your quest.”

Eloken knew better than to speak, to let her vent out her frustrations.

“But we will discuss that later; we have issues on the other front as well,” Echo calmed her voice. “The reason Trokt returned was the fact that Joixari was gaining a lot of traction in the east. He is using religion to fuel hatred against us and grow his army.”

“We knew he would do that,” Eloken said. “That’s why we have been trying to get the Archpriest on our side for the past year.”

“Yeah, let me finish,” Echo said. “That’s not our biggest issue. Joixari was approached by a group of strangers; they call themselves the Stonecutter Guild. Trokt managed to listen in on their meeting and later steal valuable information.” Echo provided two parchment papers containing schematics for a sword and a wand.

“What’s this?” Eloken asked, picking up the sword schematics, while Dalamir took the other one.

“They offered him these weapons, somehow infused with the sources of magic you guys use. We’ve been trying to figure out exactly how, and what their capabilities are, but we are getting nowhere,” she said while rubbing her eyes. “Trokt only saw that the sword in question cut through stone like through butter, so it's something similar to the Imperial Sword, but stronger, it would seem.”

“Shit,” Dalamir exclaimed. “That’s not good.”

Eloken was silent. “Did you know anything about this?” she asked, looking him straight in the eyes.

“No,” he was telling the truth.

“There's another thing,” Echo continued.

“Does it ever end?” Eloken fired back.

“It would seem not,” She said.

“While we were at the latest ball at Danris' house, those same guys came and approached Reobard. Reobard had a meeting with them alongside Rorik Blackwood and Gavriel Soforge.” She took a deep breath. “Seraphius was the one to overhear their meeting, and the Guild offered them the same deal, access to some of the weapons for a huge chunk of coin, and they made a deal.”

Eloken was still silent before returning the schematics back to the table. “Fucking hell,” he said. “Things keep getting from bad to worse. I’ll pay our good friend Reobard a visit, play dumb, try to gauge some more information, and in the meantime, we need to find out more about these weapons and their capabilities.”

“Trokt already has people working on it,” Echo said. “He made strong connections in Joixari’s camp and left a lot of spies there; he should be getting more information soon. The only good thing is it would seem they do not have a lot of the weapons at their disposal yet.”

“That’s something, I guess, gives us some time to find out more information,” Eloken said, rubbing his temples. “I really need a bath and a good meal before I can take any more information. Is there anything else urgent?”

“No,” she answered, and they ended the meeting.

Echo decided to follow in Eloken’s steps and prepared herself a hot bath, picking up a bottle of wine from the cellar she decided to try and clear her mind from all the information she had soaked in during the meeting.

As the evening approached, she retreated to the balcony atop the Academy. The same balcony that offered a panoramic view of the grounds below, was now bathed in the soft glow of the four moons visible in today’s sky. The peace of the scene was a stark contrast to the turmoil in her thoughts.

Eloken found her there and approached quietly, respecting the silence that enveloped them.

"You were right," he began, breaking the silence gently. "We need to talk, eye to eye. No more secrets, Echo."

Echo turned to face him, her gaze steady. "It's about time," she said, her voice carrying a mix of frustration and relief. "We've been through too much for me to start doubting you now."

Eloken nodded, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I've been holding back, not because I don't trust you, but because I feared the weight of the truth would be too much for anyone to bear. The creatures, the portals, the magic, now this Stonecutter Guild... it all must be connected, Echo. Connected in a way that threatens not just us, but the very fabric of our world."

Echo nodded, allowing him to continue. “I didn’t lie about being approached by the four figures and the quest they put me on. I didn’t lie when I told you I can’t disclose everything to you, I still can’t. But I’ve been doubting them, their motives. I’ve been researching on my own, and there are much larger things at play here. Something happened to our world a long time ago, something big, something we can’t even begin to comprehend, and somehow it’s all coming alive once again.”

Echo listened intently, her eyes never leaving Eloken's. "And the two figures in helmets?" she asked, recalling the detail Evie shared. “You said you were approached by four cloaked figures, what’s that about?”

Eloken sighed, a hint of pain in his expression. “I didn’t know they existed, but I’ve suspected I was not the only one to be approached. But I didn’t know there were more of them as well,” he slicked his hair back before continuing. “They're part of a larger game, one that's been played for millennia, if not longer. I still don’t know much, but it would seem that they're not just mentors or guides; they're chess players, and we're among their pieces."

The weight of his words hung in the air between them. Echo felt a chill despite the warmth of the evening. "So, what's our move?" she asked, her voice firm.

"We play smarter," Eloken replied, a determined glint in his eye. “I am now sure there are two sides to this story, and we are just pawns, but we turn the game on their heads. We learn everything we can and make sure we come out on top.”

Echo nodded, her resolve hardening. "Then let's make sure we're the ones who decide how this game ends," she said, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

Eloken reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder in a gesture of solidarity. "Together," he affirmed.

As they stood side by side, overlooking the Academy grounds in silence, the balcony doors squeaked open and Trokt appeared. Eloken almost jumped ahead, embracing his friend in a hug.

“It’s so good to see you,” Eloken said with a smile, looking him over. “The spy games have been treating you well; you've lost a little bit over here,” he said, poking at his stomach.

“Can’t complain,” he said, returning a warm smile.

“What happened, what did you find at the port?” Echo interrupted, and his smile disappeared.

“Nothing good, I'm afraid,” he took a sip of the wine straight from the bottle before continuing. “Joixari has allied himself with the Phantom Corsairs and has their fleet at his disposal.”

The Phantom Corsairs were a group that owned the southern parts of the sea and resided in the Deadhaven Isles. Nothing came in or out of that part of the sea without them knowing about it and taking their fair share. Their fleet was unmatched ever since Marrowshade the Tempest united all the pirates and took over as their general commander.

“Okay, that’s not good, but we were not planning any sea invasion, so that’s nothing we have to worry about now,” Eloken said. “We have a more pressing issue at our hands.”

“I'm afraid it’s not that simple,” Trokt's look painted another set of bad news. “They are planning to attack the Island of Moire. They heard about your new alliance and can’t let that happen.”

“Shit,” Eloken said. “But no one ever conquered the Island of Moire; they won’t be able to do it either.”

“They might not be able to,” Trokt said. “But with that fleet, they can surround the island and not allow anything to go in or out of the island until they surrender, break their deal with you, or make another one with Joixari. I was not able to find out what their end goal is.”

Echo felt her heart drop, another set of bad news. The Island of Moire was crucial, not just strategically, but as a symbol of the alliances they had been building. If Moire fell, or was even blockaded, it would be a severe blow to their efforts and morale.

"We can't let that happen," Echo stated firmly, her mind racing with possibilities and strategies. "We need to warn Moire and reinforce them. Perhaps we can break the blockade before it fully forms."

Eloken nodded in agreement, his gaze shifting between Echo and Trokt. "We'll need to mobilize quickly. We'll also need to contact our allies, see who can lend support. The Phantom Corsairs are formidable, but they're not invincible."