Chapter 18
The Choice
Cold sweat.
Bright lights.
Whispers all around her.
No matter which way Meredith faced, they were there. Something had awoken inside of her, and now it was reaching for everything around her. Panic began to settle in, until she forcibly stopped her trembling and reached for one of the lights. It was soft, like a breeze, and she could tell what it was: the soul of a tree in the middle of a city of steel and stone.
They were all souls, and she could see them all. Every living thing in her vicinity, she could sense. Even down to the distinct human souls. Some were closed off to her, a barrier put around them, and Meredith knew it was wrong to try and wrench those barriers apart. Instead, she turned to the two souls that seemed unprotected. One was bright, while the other was muted. She floated towards them, through the void of white.
Who are you?
The souls did not answer. They did not take shape. Closed off.
I don’t understand…
You will, Meredith Childs, the brighter soul finally responded. She couldn’t see its features, but the ghostly hand reached out to her shoulder. The warmth seeped into her skin, granting her energy. You are the first in an age to truly connect. Your power has merely not developed, and so, you will not see us. But in time, you will.
How? Tell me how! Her voice, so pleading and desperate, was matched only by her hand phasing through the light of the soul.
Only you can find that path, said the voice. The hand retracted, and the soul before her said one last thing before blinking away. Forge the blade. Connect with the Earth-Splitter and you will understand. Goodbye.
Meredith’s eyes opened. The lights around her receded, but she could still sense those that were in the room. Her breathing slowly returned to an even level as sound returned to her. Intercoms were being spoken over, there was a beeping noise, and some voices were just outside whatever room she was in. Meredith pushed up, finding her hand on a soft mattress.
“You’re awake, Mera.” Eddie’s voice pulled her attention, and Meredith finally realized where she was. “You fell asleep halfway to the hospital. Your brother was worried.”
“I’m fine. Must’ve just been tired,” she croaked out. Her eyes finished adjusting to the space she was in and she began to take in her surroundings.
Per Eddie’s words, she found herself in a hospital bed, propped up on pillows with three other beds near her. With the grogginess receding, her memory came back to her. Of reuniting with her brother, being pulled up, and nearly passing out from her exhaustion and wounds soon after. She shook her head, looking at the beds. In each of them were Eddie, Emil and Vivian respectively; only the latter had not yet woken up. In the corner of the room, up high, was a television set, the news being reported.
“It’s been running since I woke up,” Emil said. Meredith practically jumped, not expecting him to speak. He grabbed a remote from his bedside table and pressed a button, allowing the sounds of the television to flood the room.
“Recovery across the Metropolis is in effect as the Corps and Metropolis Home Guard continue to work on finding the extent of the damage,” the on-screen reporter said. Various footage was splayed across the screen, from workers rebuilding things to shots of the assault that had taken place half a day ago. “Many streets and buildings were laid to waste by the rampaging monsters, though the loss of life was kept to a minimum thanks to the efforts of the Guardian Corps’ Tempest Squad at Guardian Tower and Chief Commander Marcus’ actions near the Presidential Office.
“A majority of details are unknown at this time, though sources speculate that the attack on such a guarded city was a result of a man controlling a horde of monsters, searching for a weapon stashed away by the Guardian Corps. We’re waiting to confirm the details, though Chief Commander Marcus has already pledged more standing troops to the Metropolis, including Commander Royston Masters as soon as negotiations in Lacardia have been completed.”
“Turn it off,” Meredith said, not wanting to listen to any more. Emil hesitated a moment, more images of that morning’s reconstruction efforts playing out. A brief flash showed Meredith the sight of Rico, standing amidst the rubble, but it had been so short she wasn’t sure if she imagined it before the screen went blank.
Meredith puffed out a breath. No one said anything. Her head turned a little, first catching sight of the resting form of Vivian. She seemed okay, her breathing calm and rhythmic. Now that Meredith thought about it, her own wounds appeared to have healed, as well, likely a result of magic. Meredith’s gaze soon shifted down to her bedside cabinet and the two blades resting there: her own and the broken one with which she’d fended off the titan. The dream came back to her in a haze, and she wondered if even the fight had been a dream.
Neither of the two boys dared to address the elephant in the room before the door opened.
“Looks like my little sis is awake.” Meredith, despite the misgivings in her head, beamed over to her entering brother. In the bright fluorescence of the hospital (a hospital which was beyond busy outside their room), Meredith could see her brother in full. It had been years since she’d last seen him, and it had defined his looks. His glasses were new, more angular to match the set of his face, but his earnest green eyes matched hers and went well with the blue robes he wore, a patch signifying him as captain of Tempest Squad. He was smiling, too, and Meredith took comfort in that.
“Ray!” she said, sitting up to prop herself on the pillows. Her brother finished entering the room, closing the door. Right behind him, on the other side of the glass, was the rather familiar and fretting face of Vivian’s attendant, Max. She paid him no mind when Raymond pulled a chair up to the edge of the bed. “I didn’t think the Corps would send you here, or that we’d meet.”
“And I didn’t think you’d actually be taking the trials,” Raymond admitted. He reached over and flicked her nose. “Or drag Eddie with you. How many hoops has she made you jump through?”
“Not too many. I enjoy it, more or less,” Eddie said. Raymond leaned back. His eyes briefly met Emil’s but the dirty-blond turned away, snatching his scarf from his bedside table.
“When Commander Masters said he’d met you, I was surprised,” Raymond continued on, looking back to his sister, “but not half as surprised as I was that you were involved in that battle.”
“Pure chance,” Meredith said. She still couldn’t help her eyes flicking over to the broken blade and the words in her dream. “I thought we’d have to do it all on our own, but then you and Tempest Squad came right in to clean them all up! What was that lightning thing? And when’d you get so strong, Ray?”
“Hey, I’ve always been strong, and I’m a captain now!” Raymond indicated, pointing at his chest to the emblem there. “And the lightning is my little trick; something you wouldn’t get working at a garage. Seems you’ve experienced the same thing. I thought my little sis was a magic-less mechanic, not an earth-splitting warrior!”
Earth-Splitter, huh…Meredith’s lips fell into a frown before she realized it. Raymond saw it, and his eyes narrowed.
“So, uh, what’s the status of town?” Eddie asked.
“And us? Any idea when we’ll be discharged?” Emil said. Both boys were sitting up, looking just as well-healed as herself. Raymond raised a hand to his head and gave a chuckle before adjusting his glasses.
“Most of the damage was centered around Guardian Tower,” Raymond said. His hands fell, placing themselves in his lap while he looked at all three of them, occasionally giving a look to the resting Vivian. “It’s not…too bad. The president is giving Commander Marcus an earful, though…Even if it was the Chief Commander’s swift actions that protected the city in the first place. I’m sure you’ve seen the news reports. Otherwise, not too bad. There are surprising amounts of volunteers and leaders in the construction efforts.
“As for when you’re released, should be soon. Doctors have given all of you a clean bill of health, even her. We’re just waiting on-”
The door to the room slid open, and a deep, authoritative voice echoed out, “I hope I haven’t interrupted.”
“Sir!” Raymond’s chair clattered to the floor, causing the three in their beds to wince. They did automatically sit up a little straighter, however, because walking through the door was Chief Commander Marcus, himself.
“At ease, Raymond,” Marcus said, waving his hand. Raymond relaxed, if only slightly, as Marcus clanked into the room. Plastered right outside was the most definite form of Max, trying to squeeze into the room but being prevented by Marcus’ form. The Chief Commander’s eyes were trained right on Meredith. “When I met you in the desert, I had thought you looked familiar to me. Knowing you’re Raymond’s sister makes much sense.”
“It seems you know my brother well, sir,” Meredith said, bowing her head as best she could.
“That I do. His praises of you are most high, especially after this incident.” Marcus walked in to stand by Raymond’s side, right in the middle of the three. He gazed at Emil first, before continuing down the line all the way to Vivian, taking in their appearances and items. “That’s actually the reason I came to visit you before I let the hospital discharge you.”
“You want to ask us about what happened, don’t you?” Emil asked. He was turned away, arms folded as he wrapped his scarf around his neck. “Nothing much to say. Monsters attacked, we fought back. You guys did the rest.”
“Well, it was a big monster, if that counts for anything,” Eddie added. He shrugged his shoulders. Emil resolutely looked away, and Meredith watched him, wondering if he disliked the presence of Marcus in the room.
“Yes…an absolute failure on our part,” Marcus sighed out, running a hand through his graying hair. Emil twisted his head back. “Masters will need to whip the Guardians here into shape. To let one man do so much damage…Hmm…”
“He got away, right?” Meredith asked. Marcus, briefly lost in thought, looked up and frowned at her. “The…Beastmaster?”
“Unfortunately so, though Raymond says he wounded him. Either he’s no longer a threat, or he’ll give us a chance to take him out again very soon. My failing as a leader, I’m afraid, to have not taken him out when he first came to our attention. Royston tells me you were the one to warn him about the encroaching threat. I noticed you speaking with him in the desert.”
“I was.” Marcus now placed his hand to his chin. His head was inclined, observing her closely.
“A strong head on her shoulders, your sister has,” the Chief Commander finally said to Raymond. Her brother looked proud. “I’m glad you reported it to him. I was able to mobilize troops the second I asked.”
“Even if it meant leaving the negotiations in Lacardia behind,” Raymond said, allowing a chuckle to join his shaking head. He noticed his mistake a second later and straightened up. “Sir.”
“President Parradyne and Minister Baroné understand, I assure you. Safety of the people is more important than some silly troops negotiation.” Marcus thumped Raymond on the back, and looked at the three teenagers. Or rather, four. From the way Marcus’ eyes lingered on Vivian, and the blonde’s breathing having lost its steady rhythm, Meredith knew she was awake. “I do have one last question, though. Do you know what the Beastmaster was here for?”
It was a question she’d been asked so many times, from Rico to Masters to even her friends. Before, it had all been conjecture with nothing concrete. Yet now, so much had changed, just as Marcus’ tone had. It all said one thing: the battle in the Metropolis was over, but their battle with the Beastmaster was far from done. Meredith looked straight into the eyes of Marcus and delivered her answer.
“He said he was trying to gather legendary weapons that gave off such powerful magic, they were noticeable. He seemed to think we had one, but I think he was wrong. In the end, I don’t think he got anything.”
“Legendary weapons? Those old fables?” Raymond asked. Marcus was less expressive in his thoughts. He kept on staring, observing every contour of her face.
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“Whether they’re real or not is irrelevant. It means he’ll be searching for places dense in magic. All the more reason to return to Lacardia soon as we’re able,” the Chief Commander spoke. He whipped around, armor clanking as he made to leave the room, but paused at the door. His next words were joined with a smile. “My thanks to you, young trial candidates. Your actions helped save the city. While my harsh words in the desert still ring true, I do believe you have the makings of a Guardian in you; great ones, in fact. Perhaps you should come with us and let us sponsor you, ha ha!”
“Sir, that’s highly unorthodox!” Raymond said, glasses slipping down his nose a little.
“All in good fun, Raymond. Besides, maybe they want to see Lacardia! Offer should be on the table if they want it. She is your sister.” Eddie took attention at that while Marcus left the room. The door hadn’t even closed before it swung wide open and banged into the wall. Max stormed in.
“Lady Vivian! Lady Vivian! Are you all right?” Raymond stepped back to let the fussy man past. Meredith looked beyond the partition to see that none of the blonde’s posse had come with him. Max stepped over to Vivian, prepared to shake her awake, when the blonde girl slapped his hand away.
“I was resting perfectly fine until you came in here, making that annoying racket.” Meredith rolled her eyes, watching Vivian sit up. Their eyes met. “Don’t expect my thanks. Max, what took you so long to get here?”
“W-well, traversing the desert took time, and many skyship ports were damaged. Plus, your father called and-”
“Not here, idiot.” Max’s hands knitted together, the mousy man backing away.
Meredith shook her head. It was business as usual. Chuckling, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Raymond stepped forward to offer a hand, but she didn’t take it. She bent down and grabbed her two blades, the broken one feeling lighter than before. By the time she straightened, Emil and Eddie had left their beds as well.
“We can leave now, right?” Emil questioned of Raymond. He nodded, but his expression turned thoughtful.
“I mean, unless you would rather join us,” he said. Emil paused, but Eddie looked downright exuberant. Meredith tilted her head, looking at the second blade hanging on her belt.
“In Lacardia? We could go to the Academy?!”
“Well, I don’t know about that, but yeah. The Chief Commander seems like he’s joking a lot of the time, but his words are genuine, I promise. Plus, I guess you could say the Corps owes you. A free trip to Lacardia, the State of Magic, seems like a decent reward. You could learn a lot there to help you become Guardians.”
“Yes! Mera, we can go, right? You promised, right?” Eddie said, his eyes glimmering with joy. “Mera?”
Meredith continued looking at the blade and the small light inside of it. Her fingers trembled, remembering how it felt in that moment; the magic rushing through her body, flooding her veins. There was more to it, though. There was a sensation of connection. It was more than what Emil had described about a core inside her bursting with power. The sword on her belt, the soul inside, and hers as well, it was as if they had connected and tied together ethereally to let out a scream, manifesting physically. A hand was put on her shoulder, but this was definitely more physical than ethereal.
“Oh…I guess…we could,” Meredith said, trying to force a smile on her face. She looked past Eddie, to Emil. What he had said in the final stages of the battle, about her magic, it came back to her. Curiosity overtook all other sensations. “We’d be able to learn more about magic there, right? How to use it? Control it?”
“No doubt. It’s a paradise for magic users,” Raymond said. “Never knew you were both so interested in it, though.”
“Eddie hasn’t been able to shut up about magic ever since we started journeying,” Meredith said, jabbing a finger at her best friend with a grin. Eddie gave a scoff in turn. “But…I want to learn more, too. I think I need to learn more, so I can complete my trials.”
“You’re just realizing this now?” Vivian said. Her usual tone was back, making Meredith send an unamused glare her way. “I’m just saying. I highly doubt you would have been able to complete the Trial of Power as you were anyway.”
“Same to you, or did we forget who passed out halfway during the battle?” Vivian blushed crimson, her lips spluttering incoherent sounds.
“Th-that’s-! Shut up, trash!” Max gasped and fidgeted. Raymond quirked an eyebrow at the girl’s words, but Meredith resisted laughter. “W-well, you can go and have fun with the losers in Lacardia. I’m setting off from this city as soon as I can. Max, get things ready. Let’s see who has more trials cleared the next time we meet.”
“Oh, you’re on!”
Neither girl realized their action until they had clasped hands in challenge, each trying to crack the bones in the other’s. They stopped and separated once they realized what they were doing, courtesy of Max clearing his throat. Emil just sighed.
“Ugh, can’t believe I’m saying this…” he said, pulling the attention in the room to him. “I’ll go to Lacardia with you. At the very least I can offer a recommendation for enrollment at the Academy. It’ll definitely help Eddie, and Mera…well…”
“I know.” The words didn’t need to be spoken. She had just unlocked her magic. There was still a long way to go, and Lacardia would help her develop it. The dream returned, the instruction present. Learn magic. Forge the broken blade. Complete the trials. Become a great Guardian. It was all so clear.
“Excellent! I’ll inform the Chief Commander. No doubt we’ll be departing soon,” Raymond said. Meredith hid her giggle at seeing her brother acting like an energetic child. “This’ll be great. I’m on guard duty, but it’ll be nice to catch up with you, Mera.”
“Yeah, and maybe we can check in on mom and dad!”
“Erk!” Raymond’s embarrassment was the source of laughter between Eddie and Meredith. Emil cracked a smile, too. Her brother tried to straighten himself as much as possible. “Right, well, we’re parked outside Guardian Tower and will be departing soon. Your things are here and we’ve taken care of business at your inn. Join us as soon as you’re able.”
Raymond offered a bow and departed the room, leaving the four (and Max) alone once more. Eddie went on the move, gathering his pack and putting it on. Meredith found her own before long. Naturally, barring the less-adorned Emil, Eddie was the first ready to go.
“Can’t believe it! Lacardia! You’ll get us in for sure, right, Emil?” If Eddie bounced any further, Meredith was sure he’d jump through the roof. Emil flicked his eyes over to Vivian before soliciting his answer, the blonde girl shrugging and turning away.
“I’ll try my best. It’s been a while.”
“Yes! Let’s get going! A new adventure!”
Eddie’s declaration stirred the excitement within Meredith, fanning the flames of what was to come.
He had defined it perfectly. They were moving on to another adventure.
Perhaps she was moving away from the closest trial, yet that felt right. The battle here in the Metropolis had changed things, giving her something new to stride for. With gleeful abandon, Meredith raced after Eddie to leave their hospital room. She took only the time necessary to lob more words at Vivian.
“Don’t fall behind, Viv. See you soon.”
“Hope not.”
Then she passed from view as the reformed trio set out of the hospital together and on to the streets of the Metropolis.
Where they came out hadn’t taken on an extensive amount of damage, given it was located many blocks away from the visible Guardian Tower. Most people weren’t gathered around there, though daily business had returned to normal, if more populated with trucks carrying brick and steel than anything else. Meredith didn’t take much time to soak it in, knowing that she’d be returning someday soon, after mastering her magic.
Eddie’s feet beat a trail down the main street that led to the Corps. Meredith and Emil made sure to keep up in his wake. The closer they got, the more damage there seemed to be, but the citizens weren’t dampened in the slightest. Guardians were dotting the town, helping to clean up the mess, and everyone was in high spirits putting things back together. Eddie waved to some magic users down the way, and Meredith guessed they were from the satellite school, but there was no time for pause; not with the main Academy, itself, as the next stop.
Meredith only slowed when she saw the gaggle of people closest to the skyscraper. Emil slowed with her, the two staring at the sight of Rico and his Renegades. Many were hauling packs on their backs, while their leader was lifting a rock, looking disgruntled. Once he’d moved the debris aside, he turned and saw them, acknowledging them with a nod. His face was cast into a frown, and his gaze far off. From within, her magic could see his soul, burning and strong.
No matter what she saw, though, Meredith knew: Rico and his Renegades were moving on soon. There was shame, but also will. They were once more on the hunt for the quarry that got away. It was another sign at the new beginning the battle had wrought.
Emil pushed her along towards the skyscraper and she gave her attention to that area, observing it closely. A bridge of wood was now spanning the chasm, workers trying to repair it to the best of their ability, while the skyscraper in the distance required a more extensive overhaul. With so many Guardians, Meredith was certain it would be fixed well before she’d return to the vaunted city.
Of more import was the pair of skyships similar to Masters’s, sitting side by side in the plaza with a gathering of Guardians out front. The forms of Marcus and her brother were visible in the gleaming sunlight that blessed the Metropolis, and the trio finished their approach. The sound of their feet crunching on the rubble alerted the Guardians there of their arrival.
“Ray, this your sis?” the man named Jarvis asked, leaning back against the skyship decorated with the Tempest Squad symbol. His hair, looking nearly white in the sun, was tied into a ponytail that carried on the wind. “She’s prettier than you said she was.”
“Jay, stop it,” Emily spoke, whacking her companion on the back of the head. Once she’d finished, she nodded to Meredith and the boys with her, but soon addressed her captain. “Bruce and Trent are aboard, sir, and Kenny and Sal are ready to depart!”
“Thank you, Emily,” Raymond replied, offering a salute to his subordinate. She returned it and made to drag Jay back towards the skyship, neither getting a word in edgewise. “You three are eager.”
“I’d pick another word,” Emil said in a mutter. Meredith kicked backwards to hit his shin. Once she’d done so, she looked to the side, where Marcus was boarding his own skyship, numerous Guardians saluting him. He took notice of her and nodded, a smile playing on his lips, before vanishing inside.
“All right, well, we’re shoving off. Fire up the Defender!” Raymond shouted. The familiar hum of skyships split the air, music to Meredith’s ears, and the smell of burning fuel made her feel right back at home. Her brother standing a few feet away helped that, especially when he turned and said, “Well, little sis, ready? We’ve got a lot to catch up on, and Lacardia’s a whole new world you’ve never seen.”
“Looking forward to it.” Eddie and Emil passed her to board, but Meredith took her time. She looked back to the site of where she’d fought the titan, the spires still present. She recalled the feeling in her bones. The black-haired teenager looked to her broken blade, and touched it. There was a promise in there of a reunion she didn’t know she had needed before now.
Puffing out a sigh, Meredith recalled Captain Clive’s words, and everything in her journey thus far.
She would never become a Guardian without magic. Now she had it.
She needed to improve her rank. She had and would continue to.
She had lost to Vivian, yet they had parted on decent terms, if still ones of animosity.
Things had changed, and now there was a new road ahead of her. New promises, unspoken though they were, had been birthed. The end of one phase of her journey, and the beginning of another.
To that belief inside her heart, Meredith stepped aboard the skyship borne for Lacardia, and spoke her conviction one more time. “I’m going to Lacardia to learn magic, get stronger…and I’m going to be the greatest Guardian in the world!”
With that her journey continued onward.
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The man clasped to his wound, nearly stumbling from the bird that had landed at the bottom of the nearby slope and disappeared right after. He gasped, his pulsing freckles visible under the cold sun. It wasn’t too far from the Metropolis, but it was far enough that the city was concealed by mountains. At his side, Cario whimpered, leg now restored via magic, only for the loyal canine to lick at his wound. Caleb placed a comforting hand atop Cario’s head.
“I’m all right. Just another day or two…” Cario barked in agreement, allowing Caleb the chance to stand and look backwards. He could only see the snowy mountain caps, and some rustling grass at the very bottom of the slope, hardly disturbed by the wind. If it weren’t for the pulsing wound, Caleb knew he would have examined it, but after a night of tending to it, he could wait no longer. Using Cario for support, Caleb pushed himself upwards.
The more he walked, the closer the two shadows atop the clifftop became, overlooking the other side while they waited for him. The woman there, her face exposed and her glasses of never-melting ice resting on the bridge of her nose, turned to him.
“You’re late, Lord Beastmaster.”
“My apologies. There were complications in the Metropolis,” Caleb said. He grunted as he finished ascending. “I see our Lord Devourer isn’t here either.”
“He is busy with other tasks.”
The voice was low, concealed by a form of magic. Hairs stood on end as goosebumps ghosted up and down Caleb’s arms. The one before them remained rooted to their spot, robes black as night rippling around.
“I apologize in failing my own. I wasn’t able to gather any of the Weapons, Your Holiness,” Caleb said, bowing low. The robed individual turned now, exuding darkness. Caleb felt his breath catch; no matter how many times he was in their presence, there was always that thrill of death surrounding them.
“You need not bow, friend,” they said. Caleb looked up, seeing only the obsidian, black mask on their face. “You have not failed in the slightest. In time, the Weapons will come to us, as it is ordained. I’ve made sure of this.”
“Then…it worked?”
“As expected,” the woman said with a haughty expression. It made her otherwise attractive features seem cold and twisted. Caleb grinned. “The experimentation was a complete success. Now we need only enact the next phase.”
“Indeed.”
“But…we need to be more careful. There weren’t just normal Guardians there. It was Tempest Squad! I didn’t think-”
“It is quite all right, Lord Beastmaster,” the robed one said. “It is better this way. Their eyes will be on you, rather than us. Blind until they crumble. So long as no one talks…like the rat in our midst. Lady Winter.”
The Winter did not even move her hands before the entire cliff was covered in ice, but for their own feet. There was a yelp, and from behind a rock was lifted a man, tanned from the desert and encased in a pillar of ice. He appeared to be struggling, while Caleb quirked an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected he was followed, but with the wound still aching him, he supposed his stops had made it inevitable for anyone clever or mobile enough.
The robed one walked forward, ghosting over the frost.
“I see a rather interested Renegade is listening in. How did you find us?” they asked.
The man didn’t answer at first, eyes widening with fear. Their lip trembled as the robed one hung over them, their shadow consuming all. His words came, as if from a truth serum of fear. “F-followed on…orders…Tracked the darkness particles left behind…from a distance…”
“Ah…Sight Magic? Interesting.”
“You…you’re…you’re that thing…aren’t you?” The man’s shaking was so visible now, he was practically breaking the ice. Caleb’s gaze became rather lidded, watching as the man realized just where he was. “From the Order…You’re the Reaper!”
The Reaper didn’t care to be named. Their mind was elsewhere. “Yes, I think your magic will be useful. I’ll take your soul now.”
The Winter turned away, bored with the proceedings, but Caleb watched. The Reaper plunged their hand forth, straight into the Renegade’s chest. Both bodies glowed white, until the hand was retracted. The Renegade’s eyes went blank, and then his body crumbled into dust and ash, scattering on the wind. The light around the Reaper faded, and they walked back up the cliff to look over the edge. This time, Caleb joined them.
“Time begins to tick now. Not much of it left,” the Reaper said, extending their fingers. Caleb watched them a moment before looking over the cliff to the snowy plains below and the giant gash in the ground, some distance away. Pulsing and angry, it burrowed deep into the core of the earth itself. He had bought them enough time with his distraction. An abject grin split Caleb’s face. The Reaper continued. “We must be swift and unified.
“For the end of this world is nigh.”
With a whirlwind of darkness, the three atop the cliff vanished without a trace.
TO BE CONTINUED