I was fighting Emery as she pulled me away. My brain is still a jumbled mess of confusion. I stopped struggling, stumbling away with her. My heart beating so hard in my head I couldn't think. Merle's dark eyes ripping into my soul. My family in my mind's eye, their blood pooling out on the floor. My dearest little brother, the most vivid, the hollow look in his eyes. Their faces flashed in my mind, my stomach threatened to throw up Its contents. 

"Get a hold of yourself." Emery hissed, giving my arm another tug. The jolt going through my whole body as she pulled me into a side door. Quickly shutting it behind us, I stumbled inside, unable to hold my balance.

I blinked at the tavern like space, abandoned tables, cups left empty. Emery, bent over taking a breath. There was a touch of panic in her own eyes. I felt winded, sitting down on the wood floor too shaky to stand. I stared blankly in shock.

"How come Luca didn't show up?" I said, the thought maddening me. 

"Does that really matter right now?" Emery huffed, throwing her hands up in the air. "He always shows up when Merle's close." I panicked. Emery scowled, "Who knows Phyn? Obviously Merle wasn't here for you." 

She walked to the other side of the room. "How is that obvious?" I echoed after her. She raised her eyebrows, "Cause you're not the one with a sword through your back." 

Emery poured something into a cup. She walked back handing me the glass. "Drink this." She commanded shoving it in my face. "What is it?" I said, carefully taking a sip. "It's rum, you need to loosen up." 

I frowned, "No I don't." The cup shaking in my grip. Emery stared at me, raising an eyebrow. "Ok...maybe a little." I admitted settling on another sip. "

Why would Merle be here for Whinnie?" I shuddered, the image still clear in my mind. "How should I know what's in Birdbrain's head? He's straight up insane." Emery spat, rolling her eyes. I stared at her unconvinced.

 "Well… if I had to guess he's pruning." Emery concluded, peeking out a slit in the window.  "Pruning?" I questioned. "If he's gunning for Augustine he's gonna kick out his legs from under him first. He'll make sure It's a battle he can win." Emery stated. "You think he'll best Augustine?" I asked, a little surprised. Everyone seemed to talk up Augustine.  

Emery tilted her head coming back from the window. "One on one? Definitely. Augustine is the better leader, the slicker politician but Merle is superior with actual magic, not to mention combat." She adjusted her cloak, kneeling beside me. 

"It's why neither of them ever had full reins of the show, they have opposing strengths." She commented coming back for my glass, "That's probably enough." She said, taking it from me. 

"We have to finish our lessons." She said, walking back over to the bar. "Now?" I asked, surprised. She nodded, putting the cup down. "

We can't wait. Not with Merle outside. We need you at your best." She concluded. 

"Ya but-"

"Ya but what?" Emery interrupted. I sighed climbing to my feet.

 "Ok fine, but Ari is still out there." And so was Diggery. Emery didn't budge, "If you go out looking for him you'll end up dead. The best you can do for him is to get this right." Emery said sternly. I glared at her, "Alright then let's do this."  Emery smirked, tossing her cloak back. "I appreciate the enthusiasm." She grinned, starting to pace.

"When we started you were trying to row across an ocean. You have to use the wind and waves for your favour, we need to build you a sail." She mused, stopping and locking my gaze. 

"We're going to take a quick trip to the catacombs and you're going to take us there." Emery said, holding out her hand. "What? I've never been to the catacombs, I don't even know what they look like. How am I supposed to-"

"Not by doing what you've been doing." She concluded, "Here." 

She said lifting my hand to my wrist. My heart beat pounding lightly. "You feel that? Follow it." She suggested. I snorted, "Follow my heart?"  Emery rolled her eyes, "No, not exactly. It's the rhythm underneath it you're interested in. All life comes from one place. The life pulse in our blood is only a shadow of the life pulse of God." She mused, a change in her eyes as she said it. 

"I thought you said the gods from Stellar weren't real?" I looked at her grayish eyes skeptically. "Those gods aren't real but that doesn't mean that there isn't one." She explained, a serious look on her face. 

"Do you believe in God Phynley?" She asked, studying me. I stumbled over my words, stuttering them "I don't know." She  nodded at my answer, mulling over it. "Interesting…" she muttered. "Well now is not the time for such discussions. Do you feel it?"

I closed my eyes, focusing back on my heart beat the thud, thud, thud echoing in my head. I traced it following  the deeper rhythm I felt in the forest. Strong and stable, my own heartbeat joining in it. "What now?" I whispered, eyes still closed. "Now instead of tightly focusing on the details I want you to pull at the feeling. Trust the rhythm." She instructed. 

I frowned, "But I don't know what the catacombs are like?" I petitioned. Emery put her hand on my shoulder "There is something peaceful about it, a swirling stillness. Just think on that, don't force it just let yourself drift-" Emery's words, cut off as I slipped into beat. 

Dipping and diving it felt like an ocean, a shockingly cold ocean. For a moment I panicked, feeling whipped up in the chaos. Taking a quick breath I repeated Emery's words in my head. The swirling stillness, I let it resonate.

Floor changing beneath my feet, I opened my eyes. Emery stood beside me. I took a few more deep breaths, straightening my spine. It was amazing how different it felt. 

I stood triumphantly facing a very large stone mural. It was extraordinarily detailed. A sun rising over a dramatic landscape, mountains, trees, and  a meandering river. A crowd of people waited in anticipation. Right in front of me, to scale, stood a young woman,dressed  in a strange patterned leather jacket, posing just as I was now. 

I turned my head, finding Emery staring at me in awe. Eyes wide, she stepped back, silently. My head felt light. I turned back to the mural, stunned by how much my posture was the same.  My hands started to shake, I backed away from it.  It was so real. 

"It's impeccable, the likeness." Emery muttered, breaking the silence. "It's terrifying." I echoed, my voice resounding off the walls. She nodded, slightly smirking. 

"There's more to see." Turning her heel, she bounded down the hall. I gawked at her, watching her strut away. 

Biting my lip I followed, my heels clicking across the stones. A nervous energy was building in my gut, I was looking at the future. I stared at the walls, all as detailed as the first. 

A particularly striking one depicted a collision, a skyline with strange rectangles strutting out of  it collapsing into a large city. It looked quite bizarre. 

Another showed a figure of a man climbing out a crack in the ground. A whole carving just of Euphoria, completely engulfed in flames. I shuddered, the image of South Gate burning still fresh in my mind. 

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

I quickened my pace to catch up with Emery. There were several murals that were destroyed, the rock smashed beyond recognition.

 "How come some of these have been broken?" I asked after the destruction. Emery looked up at the destroyed pieces, looking bothered by them,"People don't always like the future." She echoed, dully.

"Come there's a specific image I want you to see."  Emery spoke leading me to the carving at the end of the hall. It was the largest picture of them all. The woman in the strange leather jacket swinging a sword right through a giant black bird.Her hair dramatically wiping in the wind. Feathers flying everywhere, the bird's corpse pinned against the symbol of the Remedy. 

I stood paralyzed, dumbstruck, studying it.

 The Wanderer's arise, the black bird's demise. The stanza from Emery's poem came back to mind. 

Emery traced the stone work, settling her hand in a fist. I was unsure of how to respond. 

"My destiny." I mumbled looking up at it bleakly. 

Emery nodded, walking down to me."Yes." She said looking back up at it once more. "And what Wanderer are you going to do about it?"

"Emery ..." I started gawking. What was she trying to say? Emery had an intensity in her eyes, her voice stern. 

"What are you going to do Phyn cause like it or not he's coming for you." She pointed back up at the bird. I felt sick "I can't. You can't ask me that!" I growled, stumbling back. Emery was pushing me to this. 

"Wake up Phyn! This only ends two ways." She concluded coldly. "You either end up dead or He does." 

 "No." I shook my head. Emery stood unmoved. I frowned, panicking worse on the inside.

"Like you said my ability is broken. I haven't gotten the hang of this yet, I'm not ready." I bit back frantically. 

Emery laughed, "I gave you three very brief lessons and you picked it up like a natural. You don't need me anymore." She put her hands on her hips, stepping closer.

"I get it, It's scary. Becoming a hero is a difficult thing. After all, picking up that sword means you might die by it." 

She put her hand on my shoulder.  "But this is who you are Phyn. You're not going to be satisfied with less." 

I stared at the ground, refusing  to acknowledge her. Emery slipped her hand off my shoulder, walking past me away from the mural. "You have to live with your choices Phyn. I can only give you my take." She called, walking back down the hall. 

I stood staring at it, angry. Emery knew it was going to come to this. She was always trying to sway me to Luca's plan. I clenched my fists, blinking back angry tears. I didn't want this. 

The worst part was she was right. She was right about how this would play out and she was right about me. I hated that she was right.  

I cried out, throwing my fist against the wall, right square on the bird's face. The stone hitting my fist in roaring pain. I was too weak for this. 

I let my anger overtake me, collapsing to my knees I pounded the walls with my fists. The fire in my gut fighting for this not to be true. My hands sore from the rough stone, I wiped away my angry tears, resting my head against the wall. 

"Why me?" I cried out, my voice resounding the walls to silence. Why did this fall on my shoulders?

Emery, already far down the hall. I was alone here. I turned around sitting against the wall, picking at my fingernails. It was all I could do to ignore the giant prophecy looming behind me. 

I knew I had to go back. The fear pulled at me fighting against it. It sliced at me, stinging my eyes with tears. I would muffle that voice. Stifle it till I could stand. There were innocent people living oblivious to this. Stuck in the middle of this fight, just like I was. Expect, I had the power to stop it. I had to face this for them. How could I not?

Taking a sigh I got back up to my feet. I needed to get back to South Gate.  My knuckles sore, I soberly marched after Emery. 

"Let's go." I huffed, causing her to turn. Emery nodded, unsurprised. She silently reached her hand out to me. I took a deep breath, still shaky from my fight with the wall. I took her hand, listening to my heart beat. Finding the rhythm, we drifted from the catacombs.

 Back on the streets of South Gate, my feet hit the cobblestones. I stood facing Ari, hiding in the corner. His eyes lit up when he saw me. "SCARY WAR-" I shushed him before he could finish. "We have to be quiet Ari. There's somebody close by that wants me dead." 

Ari frowned standing tall and puffing out his chest. "HE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME." 

I motioned for him to be quiet. "No Ari, this monster's too big. He's not a fight you can win." Ari shook his head. "I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU REGARDLESS, FRIEND." I blinked back a tear, something in me deeply moved. I was making the right choice.

"What's going on Phyn?" Diggery piped up from behind me, I turned to see a touch of fear in his eyes. I didn't know how to answer. 

"Let's go." Emery interrupted coldly. I nodded, giving Diggery a sympathetic look.

 "Come with us." I motioned to him. His eyes dimmed, looking back for a second. He quickly nodded. Not having time to argue we all followed after Emery. 

"Where to?" I questioned Emery as we bounded down the streets, a weird heaviness in the air. 

"Um...I don't know, like I said I don't do plans." She called back, not slowing for a second. I gave a sigh of frustration, "Well maybe you should rethink that."

Running around the bend and I nearly crashed into Emery, she stopped dead in her tracks. "Emery-" I huffed in complaint, locking eyes with what blocked our path. A blood spattered, feather cloaked figure with piercing dark soulless eyes. 

Merle's eyes flickered in recognition, the surprise shifted over his expression. His beak-like grin, widening, sinister as ever. I choked on the fear. A sudden burst of adrenaline sent me grabbing limbs. I didn't even have to find my heartbeat, instinct kicked in. 

We were gone from the square, tumbling down the meadow hill. Sticks and grass scratching at my arms as I rolled, skidding to a stop. Catching my breath on the hillside. I looked up seeing Emery, Ari, and Diggery sitting up disheveled. A piece of moss in Emery's hair, she brushed it out in a hurry. 

"We need to get as far away from here as possible. He's seen you!" Emery commanded, practically jumping to her feet.  "Right." I agreed, knowing our time was short. "Everybody grab a hand." I instructed them. Emery and Ari quickly obeyed. 

Diggery hesitated, staring at me. Maybe he didn't want to come. We didn't have much of a choice at the moment, the heaviness growing stronger. I held out my hand to him. My heartbeat pounded faintly in my ears. He finally took my hand. I closed my eyes and fell into the rhythm. 

A sudden bird screech ripped through my ears, fading out as the meadow disappeared. 

It sent an unexpected jolt of panic through my body. One last terror for my heart, the process feeling choppy. I had to steady myself. Thinking of the place most like home, my feet landed, reaching their destination. 

Lifting my eyes, I looked up to Broc's cabin standing just as it was a few days ago. I didn't know I'd be back this soon. I stared at paralyzed though, knowing what I had to do. I had no excuse. 

I swallowed a lump in my throat, staring back at my friends, Ari, Emery, and Diggery. All of them looked mildly rattled. I would do this for them.

Emery was the first to brush it off, marching to the door unhindered. I smirked, I'd always admire her tenacity. 

I turned to the blue-eyed giant, "Ari, can you stay out here for a second? Broc doesn't know we're on friendly terms with you now so we need to tell him first." I hoped he'd understand. 

Ari frowned, "FINE, I WILL WAIT BUT DO NOT LEAVE ME OUT TOO LONG." He advised, crossing his arms. 

"I won't." I promised, meeting Diggery's eyes. There was so much that he didn't know and I didn't know how to explain it. I hoped he wouldn’t regret coming along.

"Follow me." I motioned. 

We walked up to the door after Emery. The thought of seeing Luca after all this. I was suddenly nervous. My stomach, sick with the feeling. 

"What is this place?" Diggery asked, interrupting my thoughts. "I stayed here the first bit after the camp. The guy who owns it, Broc, is a friend of Luca's." 

Diggery nodded, "So… did Luca stay here too?" He asked, an uncomfortable note to his voice. I nodded, "Ya, he did." I kept it brief. Things were complex with me and Diggery. I didn’t know how he’d react to Luca. I ignored the growing dread.

I reached the door handle and pulled it open, Emery already talking with Broc. Luca was nowhere in sight, I was both relieved and disappointed. It would give me a better chance to prepare myself. 

Broc looked up at me, stopping his conversation with Emery. He gave me a weak smile "Luca's not here, he's in Manic." He said, a serious look in his eyes. 

My heart dropped, "What? Why?" I was surprised he could have gotten that far. 

"He said something urgent was going down, wouldn't say more than that. He borrowed a horse from the neighbor and was gone just as fast. Same day you guys left, he's probably just reaching the city." Broc predicted. 

"Oh, ok." I mumbled a little shattered. I needed to talk to him. 

"Why are you back Phyn?" He asked, ignoring the others. I frowned looking at Emery. She stared dully back at me, waiting patiently. Diggery darted his eyes, trying to read me. I looked back at Broc. All their eyes staring back at me. "Well…” I hesitated with my words. 

“I'm ready to save the world."