“Are you certain this is what you want to do?” Jidenna asked, concern etched onto his face. “You won’t be able to reverse it for months if you change your mind.”

“Shut up,” Olisa replied without much heat. He snipped and undid the last of his braids with grim finality, then stepped back to admire the results. Shortly after Ije and her parents had left for the outer chambers and Kainene had dragged off Somadina for training, he had taken one look at the mirror and decided long hair was out of fashion. Now, after having spent the better part of an hour working on his hair, Olisa allowed himself a few moments to bask in his own glory before putting down the mirror and turning to Jidenna.

"So," Olisa began, "Are you going to tell me everything now?"

Jidenna leaned against a nearby pillar and considered him with raised brows. "What else is there to tell? I've divulged everything I know."

"Strange it is then, that I don't believe you." Olisa walked over to the table where Rai was snoozing and perched himself on its edge, feeling the power thrumming beneath the surface – a reminder of the magical nature of their world. "You don't honestly expect me to believe you came here just to warn us."

Jidenna watched him through half-lidded eyes, his posture relaxed but alert. The chains binding his wrists clinked softly as he shifted. "You think I want something."

"Of course you do. Everybody wants something." Olisa's gaze didn't waver. "The question then is what you want with me and Kainene?"

"For the moment, nothing." Jidenna let out a grin at Olisa's disbelieving scoff, his teeth startlingly white against his dark skin. "I'm serious. Right now you two are just very interesting people I would like to watch closely if I can. Heirs to Vassal clans aren't banished every day, after all."

Olisa's fingers traced the edge of the table, feeling the intricate carvings beneath his touch. "And if I was to say no?"

"Well, it's not a decision you alone can make now, is it?" Jidenna's voice took on a teasing lilt. "You'll have to ask Kainene for her opinion as well. But if it's what you both want, I'll stay away. As I understand it, you two have grown quite protective of that boyfriend of yours."

A flush crept up Olisa's neck, barely visible through his dark skin. "He's not my boyfriend."

"You can keep telling yourself that." Jidenna paused and considered one of his dreadlocks ruefully, his fingers twisting the end of it. "For what it's worth, it wasn't my intention to introduce myself the way I did. I understand that knocking out most of the guards doesn't exactly send a good message. But I truly mean you no harm. You. Kainene. That boy with the owlcat—Somadina, was it—you all interest me. Now you're right about me being here with ulterior motives. But honestly, most of it has nothing to do with any of you."

Olisa frowned, his brow furrowing as he considered Jidenna's words. "The Sage," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jidenna nodded, his expression growing serious. "Or possibly Sages in Sinikat. Something is rumbling. Something big. Oseloka Oma does not leave Zin Kibaru for nothing. My true intention is to find out what's got the Courts all worked up and why they are trying to keep it all quiet. You three are just a bonus I stumbled along the way."

Olisa wasn't sure he believed all of the things Jidenna had said. Sure, it was an observation that they had made themselves. While it wasn't unheard of for Sages to visit the Tower, to do it now, when an opening was imminent was... odd. It could only mean something other than the Tower had attracted Oma's attention.

A thought occurred to Olisa and his hands tightened against the table, the gems beneath his fingers pulsing with a faint, responsive light. What if she knows about Omaliko Dike? But if she does, why wait? Why not just head into the Tower directly? Could she be hoping to waylay Somadina before he can enter? No, that doesn't make sense. She is strong enough to walk in here and just kill him outright.

Olisa disliked that line of thought, so he pushed it away and focused on the one surety in front of him. "I don't trust you," he said finally. "I think you are far more interested in misdirection and telling me only half-truths. But you did inform us of the spies, so I'm choosing to count that as a point in your favour." He leaned back, the table's edge digging into his palms. "I'll be keeping you in those chains until the others get back and we can decide whether or not to free you."

Jidenna nodded, the chains at his wrists jingling softly with the movement. "A fair decision. Not that I could do anything even if I was free. If you can't trust me, then trust that I'm quite keen on keeping my head still attached to my body. I'm strong, mind you. But, right now, fighting six Ordained would be a bit much even for me."

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Ije's arrival signalled the end of their tête-à-tête, and Olisa turned to her after giving Jidenna a curt nod. "What's up? Aren't you supposed to be halfway across Sinikat by now?"

Ije stood in the doorway, her silhouette framed by the warm light of the corridor beyond. Her usual composed demeanour was marred by a slight frown. "I was. Then Mother asked me to stay. Apparently the messengers our Vassals sent out forgot all about it until this very morning." She shook her head in disgust, her intricate braids swaying with the movement. "Useless people everywhere. Simple auditing report they cannot bring on time." Her gaze fell on Jidenna, who was staring at her with unabashed curiosity. "What about this one? Any luck?"

Olisa filled her in, his words quick and concise. "I'm sure he is not telling us everything, but at this point, I'm fairly certain he won't try to murder us in our sleep."

"Well, that's good to know, I guess," Ije replied, her tone dry. "I wonder if he—"

Jidenna's raised palm silenced her, cutting through the air like a blade. There was a look on his face that they had never seen before, one that sent chills sliding down Olisa's spine.

"What is it?" Olisa asked, his hand straying towards his staff, which leaned against the nearby wall. Even Rai had awakened, possibly reacting to the sudden shift in the room's atmosphere. The owlcat's eyes gleamed in the dim light, alert and wary.

Jidenna's answer was surprisingly simple. "It's begun."

Then they felt it, a wrongness with the world so intense it sent them reeling. It was as if reality itself had suddenly become unstable, the very fabric of their existence threatening to unravel. Rai let out a violent hiss and leapt onto Olisa's shoulders; a gesture that could only mean one thing.

Go.

Ije was already out the door, sparks flying from her as she threw herself down the street. The sudden surge of her power left the scent of ozone in her wake. Olisa was quick to follow, ignoring Jidenna's outraged demands to be freed. He hadn't forgotten that expression he had seen, of a predator detecting a trespasser, but at that moment he found it incredibly hard to care.

As he raced through the corridors, the compound's elaborate decorations blurred into a haze of colour and shadow. All of his thoughts were focused on the Tower and the two people he knew would already be there. Even from that distance, he could already hear the screaming and smell the acrid tang that always accompanied battle – a mixture of burning ozone, spilled blood, and raw power.

Please be safe, he begged as Rai hissed into his ear, urging him to go faster. The owlcat's claws dug into his shoulder, a painful reminder of the urgency of their situation. Don't you dare die on me.

***

Somadina was certain he would have nightmares for weeks. Almost as soon as the fighting began, a group of Aberrations hurled themselves at Somadina and Kainene, their bodies a twisted mockery of natural creatures. All slavering jaws and razor-sharp teeth, their eyes glowed with an unholy hunger. But Kainene, her face a mask of grim determination, merely glanced in their direction and the air around her shimmered with power as she called upon her anwansi.

In an instant, giant shards of red-hot glass erupted from the ground with a deafening crack. The jagged spears skewered the oncoming Aberrations, then set them ablaze for good measure.

A Direling, its pale, skull-like face contorted in a silent snarl, leapt at Kainene's turned back, fangs bared and dripping with black ichor. But Somadina was ready. Drawing upon his own reserves of anwansi, he felt the familiar tingle of power as he invoked his Mirror Master technique. An indigo copy of Kainene's staff materialised in his hands, solid and gleaming and with a grunt of effort, he neatly ran the Direling through, its body disintegrating into wisps of dark smoke.

Kainene nodded her thanks, her eyes already scanning the battlefield for the next threat. She went back to work, her movements a deadly dance as she slaughtered Direbeasts by the dozens. Within seconds, she had formed a circle of carnage around them; any Aberrations that breached it were mowed down immediately, their bodies adding to the growing pile of twisted corpses.

But for every monster she cut down, two more took their place. The horde seemed endless, pouring from the Tower and the Dry Lands beyond like a tide of nightmares made flesh. Somadina knocked back another Direling, its claws raking across his arm and leaving trails of fire in their wake. As he looked around, gasping for breath, he saw that not everyone was lucky enough to have a Kainene.

Already, a group of five defenders had been overwhelmed. Somadina's stomach churned as he watched three of the monsters squabbling noisily as they feasted on the fallen, their jaws dripping with gore. The scene burned itself into his memory, forcing itself into his brain in stark detail.

"Where are they all coming from?" Somadina asked, his voice hoarse from shouting and the acrid air. He drove his Mirror Master staff through the head of a distracted Aberration, feeling the sickening crunch as it connected. A cursory check on his core showed that he had burned through a quarter of his anwansi, and the fight had barely begun. "They can't have all come from within the Tower."

"No," Kainene agreed, her voice tight with concentration. Her eyes were aglow with power, specks of glass rotating around her head like a deadly halo. She eviscerated a Diremaw that had dived down for an attack, its massive body split neatly in two by a whirlwind of razor-sharp shards. "A rift must have opened somewhere close."

"Shouldn't we find and close it then?" Somadina asked, desperation creeping into his voice. He cast his gaze across the battlefield, taking in the chaos and carnage. "At this rate, we'll be overrun unless reinforcements arrive."

Beside them, a woman's battle cry turned into a strained gurgle. Somadina watched in horror as a snake-like Direbeast dodged the shards of ice flung its way and began to force itself down her throat, its body pulsing obscenely as it consumed her from the inside out.

"We can't," Kainene replied, her voice tight with frustration. She mercifully ended both the woman and the beast with a fireball that lit up the area like a second sun. "A Sage tried to, once and only made it bigger. But we can do something. Like killing that one." She pointed her staff at the looming form of the Dire Lord, its massive frame standing out even amidst the chaos.

Somadina considered the still visage of the Aberration with dread. So far, it had been content to stand in front of the Tower's open doors, occasionally roaring to direct the fresh monsters that streamed from them and the Dry Lands. Its presence seemed to fill the air with a palpable sense of malice, each of its commands sending ripples of dark energy across the battlefield.

"Can you take it?" Somadina asked, already knowing the answer but hoping against hope.

"No," Kainene replied immediately. "We would need a Mystic or higher to stand a chance. But I can distract it, keep it from summoning any more Aberrations." She turned to him, her eyes softening for a moment despite the chaos around them. "Run back to the house and get Olisa and Ije. Her parents too if they are around. I'll try to manage until they get here."

She hesitated, then squeezed his shoulders, her touch a brief moment of warmth amidst the horror. "We'll... we'll talk later. When this is over. Alright? Just be careful."

"You too," Somadina replied, touching the hand on his shoulder. His voice cracked slightly as he added, "It would suck if you died."

Kainene laughed, a sound so incongruous with their surroundings that it startled Somadina. She briefly touched foreheads with him, a gesture of affection that seemed to slow time for a heartbeat. Then, with a fierce cry, she launched herself at the Dire Lord, dropping her veil at the same time.

The release of her full power was like a shock wave, rippling across the battlefield. A larger ring formed around her immediately as both humans and Aberrations scrambled to get out of her way. Somadina briefly stayed to watch her crash into the Dire Lord; a bright streak of flame and sand and glass, her power a dazzling display against the darkness of the monster.

With one last look at Kainene, now engaged in a titanic struggle with the Dire Lord, Somadina took off back towards Sinikat. His legs burned with exertion as he ran, dodging stray attacks and leaping over fallen bodies. All around him, chaos ran free as dibias, awosans, and jarumi fought desperately to drive back the relentless beasts. He prayed to the Mother and Father to make it in time, the words a desperate mantra in his mind.

But even as he ran, Somadina could see that Kainene was already making a difference. Some of the vast hordes were faltering, losing cohesion as the terrible will that guided them was directed elsewhere. They weren't any less dangerous individually, but at least now they were easier to kill, their movements more erratic and less coordinated.

A little way ahead of him, a team of awosan Firestarters and Wavemakers were working together to bring down a Diremaw. The massive creature thrashed and screamed as they alternated between blasts of fire that scorched its hide and torrents of water that battered its body. Steam hissed into the air with each impact, creating a localised fog that added to the surreal nature of the battle.

Some distance away, a jarumi with a wind affinity was a blur of motion, her spear laying waste to a pride of lion-like Direbeasts. The air around her howled with her power, creating miniature cyclones that tore into the monsters' flesh. Her mate fought beside her, his bow string humming as he systematically launched arrow after arrow imbued with blade anwansi. The missiles landed with a vengeance, cutting through Aberrations like a knife through butter, leaving trails of dissipating darkness in their wake.

With Kainene keeping the Dire Lord occupied, the rest of the humans were rallying. A spark of hope flickered in Somadina's chest as he saw the defenders pushing back, reclaiming ground inch by bloody inch.

Now a bit hopeful, Somadina dodged a stray bolt of magic, its crackling energy singeing the air inches from his face, then came to an abrupt halt as he beheld the sight in front of him, Kainene and Olisa momentarily forgotten.

A two-headed monstrosity of an Aberration stood before him, its body a twisted mass of muscle and bone. It roared, displaying an impressive set of jagged teeth that gleamed wetly in the chaotic light of the battle. But that wasn't what had seized Somadina's attention. It was what the beast was attacking.

There, jabbing at the monster desperately with her staff, was a teenager. Her face was streaked with dirt and blood, her eyes wide with terror but still burning with determination. A quick spiritual scan revealed two things to Somadina. One, she was a Disciple, like him – her aura pulsing with the unmistakable signature of a cultivator at his level.

The second realisation hit him like a punch to the gut: her core was nearly drained. In a few moments, if he did nothing, she was going to die. The Direbeast snarled, stalking her now, its four eyes fixed on its prey with predatory focus. It batted aside her staff contemptuously when it came through for another desperate jab, the weapon clattering uselessly to the ground.

Somadina hesitated only long enough to check his own core—it was half empty, a dangerous level given the ongoing battle. But as he watched the girl stumble back, her face a mask of terror and exhaustion, he knew he couldn't stand by.

With a deep breath, Somadina gathered what remained of his anwansi. The indigo light of his power flared around him as he threw himself into the fight, praying that his strength would be enough to save them both.

***

It didn't take long for Kainene to realise that she was going to lose this battle. It had been a while since that had happened. Not even during her fight against Olisa had she been this thoroughly outmatched.

The Dire Lord charged at her and Kainene barely got out of the way in time, the draft created by its passage knocking her back a few centimetres. Immediately she countered with a Crimson Shard, a technique that was supposed to shear through its target with multiple spears of red hot glass.

But the Aberration seemed to read her mind. Dodging the deadly rain with infuriating ease, it retaliated, launching dozens of tentacles tipped with pointed teeth that dripped a dark, sickly-looking liquid. It wasn't Direling venom but it was no less dangerous. If she had been a Practitioner or less, it would straight up kill her. But at Ordained… at best it would leave her paralyzed for weeks. An unacceptable outcome. Acting on reflex, Kainene split her anwansi, simultaneously raising a wave of sand to protect her and firing off a blast of flame.

Once again the Dire Lord thwarted her efforts. Moving at a speed that was just unfair, it sidestepped the attack even as its tentacles flowed around Kainene's barrier and descended upon her. Only a split second casting of Clear Body saved her from what would have been a lethal sting and yet the impact was strong enough to not just send her flying but break the Enforcement into tiny splinters of glass. Kainene could barely breathe through protesting lungs. The thing was the size of a building! How was it faster than her?

A low rumbling snapped her out of it and she sprang to her feet, fighting through the pain to ready herself for the next attack. But the Dire Lord wasn't preparing some blast of infernal magic. It was laughing at her.

"Give up, little human," it said in a voice that tried to knock her back to the ground. "You cannot defeat me. None of you can. Stand aside and I will make your ends quick."

Kainene felt around her mouth and spat out a tooth, sighing internally when she felt her body draw upon her anwansi to regrow it. At that moment she almost wished for her Practitioner body back. Her core was dangerously low and she had very little magic to spare for instantaneous healing.

Still... "And why would I agree to that? Surely you must know we humans like staying alive. Besides," Kainene raised her staff and fell into a stance. She had just enough anwansi for one Major Seal and she was going to make it count. "I have every intention of defeating you here and now."

The Dire Lord laughed again, a horrible sound, and began to change, rising onto its hind feet as its body thinned to fuel the mass of flesh erupting from its shoulders.

"And how do you intend to do that?" it asked, dark and terrible. "How do you intend to kill me by yourself, little dibia? You can barely stand on your feet."

Kainene felt it then and bared her teeth in a wild grin. "I can't. But who said anything about doing it myself?"

The beginnings of confusion were making its way onto the Aberration's face when she leapt backwards with all her might and a huge bolt of lightning slammed into it, unleashing a torrent of light that nearly blinded her. Turquoise energy followed suit as the air around it seemed to bend for a second before detonating with a sound like a choir singing, drowning out the Dire Lord's screams.

Then Olisa was there, holding her up as Ije appeared in a blur of motion, her body crackling with electricity as she skidded to a stop, leaving a trail of scorched earth behind her.

"I'm here now love," he whispered and relief flooded through her, stifling the spark of guilt that had arisen at the sound of his voice.

A furious roar swept aside whatever words she would have said and the Dire Lord rose back to its feet, tentacles flailing in a deadly halo behind it. Ije and Olisa exchanged a look, faces grim, then turned to Kainene.

"Think you should use that one?"

She nodded slowly. "It might be enough. But I only have enough anwansi for one casting and I'll need time to prepare."

"Then we'll buy you time." Ije's body tensed, electricity arcing between her fingertips as she gripped her staff. "And do as much damage as we can to this monstrosity."

The Dire Lord seemed to have heard her and it did not like any of it. Bellowing like a deranged elephant it stampeded towards them, using the mass of writhing flesh behind it to launch itself forward like a spring. But Ije was ready for it and as the Aberration completed one last leap, she slashed down with her staff. At once, a crescent of compressed air, laced with blade anwansi, burst into being and rocketed towards the beast. At that close a distance, there was no way it could have dodged the technique. And yet, moments before the blast impacted, it divided in two, flowing past the deadly arc and reforming in front of a surprised Ije. Only by activating Razor Glide, her unique Friction fusion technique and gliding away at incredible speed did she save herself from being ripped apart by the toothed tentacles.

"She needs help," Olisa said, preparing a Seal. Then he seemed to remember something and hesitated.

"Somadina?"

That name brought forth a whole host of feelings but Kainene shook her head, viciously sweeping them aside. "I don't know. I sent him to find you guys."

Olisa frowned for a moment, concern pulling down his lips, then also shook his head and readied his staff. "Guess I now know why Rai took off when he got here." His gaze softened as he looked at her. "We trained him well, you and I. He'll be fine. Right now we need to focus on bringing down this Aberration."

Kainene nodded and watched him vanish towards the fighting for a moment before closing her eyes and focusing on the Seal she needed. Yet, even as she began drawing on her anwansi she found herself struggling to believe Olisa's words. There was no way Somadina could have gotten himself into a dangerous situation in that short a time frame.

Right?

A spray of sand washed against her legs, accompanied by the giant roar of Olisa's Wall of Sound but Kainene refused to allow it to distract her. Her next attack had to be the one that ended this fight.

Her mind's eye watched the rapidly depleting state of her core in apprehension.

For all their sakes.

***

“It’s dangerous,” screamed the girl helpfully. To her credit, she hadn’t lost her head when Somadina materialised between her and the Direbeast so he wasn’t going to hold it against her for yelling the obvious. “It can talk!”

Now that was useful information. Somadina's mind raced, reassessing the threat before him. A talking Direbeast meant it was old, experienced, and potentially far more dangerous than he had initially assumed. He gave the girl another slight nod, grateful for the crucial detail.

He took a moment to consider his options. The Aberration was hanging back for the moment, unsure of what to make of this new, possibly suicidal human. Debris littered the ground – shattered remnants of what had once been homes and lives, now reduced to rubble by the Direbeast's rampage. His core felt dangerously depleted, a hollow sensation that sent a shiver of concern through him and now that he was here, face-to-face with the monster, Somadina wasn't entirely sure how he was going to fight it. The knowledge that it could speak only added to his apprehension. Both he and the Direbeast hesitated, locked in a moment of mutual assessment, neither sure where to begin.

The girl made the choice for them. With a battle cry that sounded more like a strangled yell – a mixture of fear and determination – she launched herself forward. Her hands moved in a practised motion, and suddenly the air crystallised before her. A spear of ice, glittering dangerously in the light, materialised and shot forward with deadly precision.

The ice spear tore through one of the Direbeast's heads with a sickening crunch and the monster screamed, a cry that sounded horribly like a baby's wailing. It whirled towards the girl, unmistakable malice radiating from its remaining eye.

Before their eyes, the Direbeast's body began to shift and change. What was left of the second head seemed to melt, flowing into the first. The remaining head expanded, growing even larger. Fangs sprouted from a giant, yawning maw, each tooth as long as Somadina's forearm.

"Die!" it shouted in its horrible, infantile voice. The word hung in the air, a terrifying contrast to its childlike tone. The monster charged, its massive form eating up the distance between it and the now-shaking girl. Its intention was clear – to reach her and bite her in half.

But Somadina was already moving. Anwansi poured from his core into the Seal he had prepared, the familiar tingle of magic spreading through his body. He discarded the idea of using Invasion, the only other offensive technique he had trained with under Kainene and Olisa. Connecting with the mind of this abomination was not an option he was willing to consider.

There was only one other option left, a Seal he had only ever seen in passing and never studied in depth. Luckily, he had spent the past few months memorising some of the most complicated diagrams there were, and this one came to him on his first try. Ignoring the Aberration barreling down on him, he closed his eyes and waited until the Seal was crystal clear in his mind. Then he triggered it.

"Spirit Totem."

The effect was immediate. A band of indigo anwansi snapped into orbit around him, pulsing with raw power. It snatched the accelerating monster mid-charge and flung it aside with casual ease, as if it were nothing more than a bored child tossing away a toy. The Direbeast roared its outrage, the sound reverberating through the destroyed landscape and leapt at Somadina's throat, but the technique was already finished.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

With a sweep of his arm, Somadina sent the monster flying again. He took a deep breath, centering himself, and spread open his arms. There he was, sitting cross-legged in the air as the spectral lion around him reared onto its hind legs and let out a silent roar. The avatar was massive, easily dwarfing the Direbeast, its form shimmering with indigo light.

"You will not touch her," Somadina declared, his voice carrying an authority he didn't know he possessed. His avatar flared with indigo light, the brilliance momentarily overwhelming the gloom that had settled over the area. Behind him, the girl gaped, her mouth open in astonishment as the lion took a step forward and showed its fangs.

The Direbeast, however, was not as impressed by the display. It snarled, a sound that seemed to emanate from the depths of some infernal realm. It charged him again, this time with a hint of strategy. It feinted first to the left before jumping over Somadina's defensive strike. Its claws raked open the sides of his totem, leaving gashes of darkness in the spectral form.

Somadina fixed the gashes with a thought but winced at how much anwansi that simple act had taken. Creating the totem had cost a sizable chunk of his reserves, and when he factored in the constant drain used to power the avatar, he knew he only had at best three minutes before he ran out completely. The realisation sent a jolt of urgency through him – he needed to end this fast.

Focusing on one limb of his spectral lion, Somadina had his totem sidestep yet another charge from the Direbeast. The monster's lack of adaptability was becoming apparent – seriously? Couldn't these things learn? – and Somadina used that to his advantage. He flowed smoothly into a diving slash that completely obliterated one of the Direbeast's legs.

The Aberration wailed, its cry a mixture of pain and fury. Its thrashing demolished a stray rock, sending shards of stone flying in all directions. "I need your flesh!" it screamed, its baby-like voice twisted with hunger and rage.

"I need my flesh," Somadina replied, his voice steady despite the strain of maintaining the Spirit Totem. He pulled his avatar away from the claws aimed at his face, the spectral lion moving with fluid grace. "You can't have it. And I don't want to share."

The Direbeast did not like that response. It howled in fury, a sound that seemed to shake the very air around them. It tried to back away after taking another swipe at the spectral lion, but Somadina pressed his advantage. He ignored the rents appearing in his avatar, focusing all his remaining anwansi on going for a killing blow.

Time seemed to slow as Somadina poured the last drops of his magical energy into the Spirit Totem. His core felt empty, a gaping void at his centre that threatened to consume him. For a terrifying moment, he feared that he had failed, that he had exhausted himself for nothing.

Then, with a final surge of power, his lion sank its teeth into the Aberration's head and ripped it clean off. The Direbeast's body went limp, collapsing to the ground with a thunderous impact. Somadina landed on his feet, the last wisps of his totem melting away like mist in the morning sun.

He stood there for a moment, chest heaving, as the reality of what had just occurred washed over him. He had beaten his first Direbeast alone. And he had saved someone. It might have been his imagination, but the betrothal necklace seemed to grow warm against his chest. He touched it with a smile, a bittersweet mixture of pride and grief washing over him.

"That. Was. Amazing!" The girl's voice cut through Somadina's reverie. She flung herself into his startled arms, her excitement palpable. "I have never seen dream anwansi used like that! I haven't seen it used at all!" She looked up at him with wet eyes, gratitude shining in their depths. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me."

"It was nothing," Somadina said, embarrassed by her open adoration. He hadn't been that amazing, had he? Just lucky, and perhaps a little reckless. "Let's get you somewhere safe. What's your name?"

"Nkolika. But most people call me Nkoli." She looked around, her expression sobering as she took in the destruction surrounding them. "I'm not sure 'safe' is the right word, but I don't think we'll find anywhere better than this. Most of the Aberrations ran off when you summoned that giant lion." Her gaze shifted, focusing on something in the distance. "Although to be fair, I think it had more to do with that."

Somadina followed her pointing finger. In the distance, a brilliant lightning bolt slammed into something, followed by a high-pitched whine that seemed to shatter the air itself. Relief flooded through him – Ije and Olisa must have arrived. He turned back to Nkoli, torn between staying with her and rushing to aid his friends.

"Will you be okay here by yourself? I have to go help my friends."

Nkoli waved a dismissive hand, a hint of her earlier bravado returning. "Of course! Despite what it looks like, I was doing just fine before all this. I started having trouble because I wasn't conservative with my anwansi and I was nearly empty by the time that advanced Direbeast showed up. Besides, I—"

She stopped mid-sentence, her head whipping around as if she had sensed something. Somadina tensed, fearing the worst, but to his relief, Nkoli's face broke into a wide grin. She started waving at something in the distance, her voice rising in excited shouts. The somethings yelled back and in a thrice they were upon them; a giggling, shrieking mass of toddlers and young adults.

"What happened?" demanded one of them, his voice sharp with worry. He looked to be around Somadina's age, but carried himself with the authority of someone much older. "I turn around for five minutes and you disappear."

Nkoli shrank under his furious glare, but there was a glint of defiance in her eyes. "I wanted to fight! And you wouldn't let me!"

"You're a child.”

"I'm twelve!"

"A child!" The man exhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose as if warding off a headache. His next words came out in a rush of frustrated concern. "If anything had happened to you, your mothers would have skinned me alive. Do you understand, Nkoli? They would have turned me into a foot mat."

A giggle escaped Nkoli's lips, clearly unrepentant, but she straightened when the man's ears began spewing out steam. "I'm sorry, Master Chidi. It won't happen again."

Master Chidi's eyes narrowed, unconvinced. "You're right that it won't. You and I will be having a long chat when this is over, young lady." Satisfied that Nkoli looked sufficiently contrite, he turned to face Somadina, who stood watching the exchange with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment.

Master Chidi bowed deeply, his earlier frustration giving way to genuine gratitude. "I assume that you are the one we have to thank for her safety. Thank you. The Onyedika clan are in your debt." With a flourish, he produced a small token – a miniature baboon sitting on a throne, an exact replica of their clan's soulmarks.

"If you ever find yourself in Zin Kibaru and require aid, show this to one of the city guards. They'll make sure you find your way to the right people." Master Chidi's voice carried the weight of a solemn vow.

Somadina accepted the gift reverently, his recent conversations with Kainene and Olisa allowing him to realise just how significant and rare such an offering was.

Master Chidi nodded, apparently satisfied, and began calling to his wards, attempting to marshal them away from the battlefield. But the children paid him no mind, their attention suddenly transfixed by something crouching nearby – an Aberration, unsuccessfully trying to stalk them through the rubble and debris.

"It's a Direbeast!" screamed a child, pointing with a mixture of fear and excitement.

Another child, a girl who couldn't have been older than eight, let out a blood-curdling screech. "Let's pluck out its eyes! And tear out its tongue!"

"And its liver!" roared a third, his young voice filled with a bloodthirst that seemed at odds with his small stature.

"Do Aberrations even have organs?" one child wondered aloud, genuine curiosity in their voice.

"Who cares!"

"Fight!"

"But who gets to kill it?"

“We can take turns,” Nkoli offered helpfully. “We’ll murder it together!”

“YAY!”

Somadina watched in puzzled amusement as the wave of children descended upon the hapless Direbeast. Their small hands wielded an assortment of weapons – some magical, some mundane – as they began to hack apart the creature with a fervour that was both impressive and unsettling. Master Chidi fluttered about the edges of the fray, calling out instructions and trying in vain to impose some sort of order on the chaotic scene.

Shaking his head at the surreal sight, Somadina turned away and began heading back towards the epicentre of the battle. Another explosion rocked the earth, this one far stronger than the others. Concern etched itself across Somadina's features as he broke into a light jog. What was happening over there?

His thoughts were interrupted by a joyous screech from above. Looking up, Somadina saw a familiar shape streaking down from the sky – Rai. The soul beast landed gently on his shoulders and immediately began to lick his face with fervent affection.

"Ow, ow, cut it out," Somadina said with a laugh, gently restraining the enthusiastic creature. Her tongue was barbed. "I'm glad to see you too."

But Rai still nuzzled against his neck for a long moment before coiling back into her usual position. With his familiar once again by his side, Somadina felt a renewed sense of calm wash over him. He took a moment to survey the battlefield he was traversing.

To his surprise, there were far fewer dead and injured than he had anticipated. It was a testament to the strength and skill of the defenders from Sinikat. A handful of Direbeasts still lingered on the fringes, taking unsuccessful potshots at the humans, but the bulk of the fighting – both Aberrations and defenders – had moved towards the titanic battle taking place at the foot of the Tower.

As Somadina drew closer to the heart of the conflict, he began to make out more details. Diremaws swooped down from the sky again and again, their razor-sharp talons seeking vulnerable targets. But a dedicated team of Practitioners worked in perfect synchronisation, driving the flying horrors back with precisely aimed techniques and well-timed attacks.

The scene before him was one of organised chaos. A thick circle of people had formed a living barrier, keeping the Aberrations that were trying to aid the Dire Lord at bay. Within this makeshift arena, Somadina could see flashes of familiar figures – Kainene, Olisa, and Ije, locked in combat with the monstrous Dire Lord.

He arrived just in time to witness Kainene finally triggering a Seal that she had clearly been preparing for some time. Her eyes blazed with a mesmerising mix of orange and brown light, the colours swirling and pulsing with barely contained power. With a fluid motion, she thrust her staff skyward and uttered two words:

"Desolate Land."

And the earth answered.

Somadina had seen Kainene use this technique before, but the difference now was staggering. Where before it had been an improper, chaotic mess of sand, glass, and flame, now it was a precisely controlled force of nature, powered by an Ordained soul.

Springing forth from her feet was a miniature desert – not the corrupted wasteland of the Dry Lands, but a roiling mass of golden sand that raced forward with a roar that drowned out all other sounds. Ije and Olisa, recognizing the danger, immediately broke off their attacks and leapt clear as the heated mass slammed into the Dire Lord.

The sand engulfed the monstrous creature, burying and smothering it completely. Almost immediately, the sandstorm began to swirl, cocooning the beast even as it tried desperately to escape. Somadina watched in awe as the sand compressed, forming an ever-tightening ball around the thrashing Dire Lord.

Then, with a deafening boom, the sand exploded outward. A huge plume shot high into the air, temporarily blotting out the sun. The displaced air rushed outward in a scorching wave, the heat nearly unbearable even from Somadina's position. The frontline defenders had wisely abandoned their posts moments before, leaving only the unfortunate Aberrations to be vaporised by the blast.

Somadina could scarcely believe his eyes. The sheer power of the technique was beyond anything he had witnessed before. This was the true might of an Ordained. As he watched Kainene stagger, utterly drained by the monumental effort, a thought flickered through his mind: How powerful would she become as she advanced even further? He reached up to scratch Rai's chin, a gesture of comfort and contemplation. Would he... Could he ever attain such strength?

Olisa and Ije were already at Kainene's side, steadying her swaying form. Her eyes were unfocused, but a triumphant smile played across her lips as Somadina approached. Olisa reached out with his free arm, pulling Somadina into a fierce, one-armed hug.

Absently, Somadina noted that he had been the only one to enter the circle of scorched earth. The other defenders remained at the perimeter, content to focus on dispatching the remaining Aberrations.

"Are you okay?" Somadina asked, his voice thick with concern.

Kainene's laugh was weak but genuine. "Yeah. Just anwansi drained. Again." She shook her head ruefully. "I really should stop doing that."

Somadina took over from Ije, supporting Kainene's weight. "You're unbelievable," he said, smiling as she recognized the words. "You need rest. All of us. We'll worry about entering the Tower later."

As if the earth itself had heard his words and decided to mock them, a low rumble began to build. The crowd around them gasped and began to shout, pointing at something behind them. A cold dread settled in the pit of Somadina's stomach as he slowly turned to look.

Mother protect me. No. Please no, he thought, his mind reeling at the sight before him.

There, rising from what should have been its sandy tomb, was the Dire Lord. It shook off the clinging sand, each movement a defiance of the laws of nature. The combined attacks of Kainene, Olisa, and Ije had certainly taken their toll – its hide was scorched and cracked, ichor oozing from countless wounds – but somehow, impossibly, the foul creature still lived.

"You cannot kill me!" it bellowed, its voice a horrific mix of pain and triumph. "None of you weaklings can! Death will come for you all, and I will be your End!"

“I disagree.”

It had been softly spoken, barely above a whisper really, but somehow it carried out to everyone, even the screaming Aberration. Somadina and the others turned and recoiled from the woman that had said it. When had she gotten there?

She glanced at them for half a second and Somadina tried not to stare, but found his eyes drawn to her nonetheless. She appeared young, perhaps in her late twenties, with an ethereal beauty that seemed almost unreal. Her hair, a striking shade of golden orange, was woven into three large braids that cascaded down her back like rivers of molten sunlight.

What struck Somadina most, however, was her size. She was tiny, even shorter than Ije, who was by no means tall herself. The woman's petite frame and delicate features gave her the appearance of a child's doll – small, fragile, and utterly harmless.

Somadina distrusted it immediately. In his admittedly limited experience, things that appeared harmless rarely were, especially in this world of cultivators and ancient powers.

The Dire Lord, a towering monstrosity of writhing tentacles and gnashing teeth, seemed equally unimpressed by the woman's appearance. Its voice boomed across the battlefield, dripping with malice and contempt.

"Your tricks will not save you from me, woman," it thundered, its words reverberating through the very ground beneath their feet. "Here and now, all of you will fall!"

With a roar that shook the air itself, the Dire Lord issued a command. The remaining Aberrations ceased their individual battles, their grotesque forms coiling like springs before launching themselves over the startled defenders. They charged en masse towards Somadina and his companions, a wave of nightmarish flesh and gnashing teeth.

Overhead, the half-dozen Diremaws that remained fluttered once, their membranous forms creating a sound like tattered cloth in the wind. Then, as one, they dove, their cavernous maws stretching impossibly wide as they plummeted towards the ground.

Somadina's heart hammered in his chest, his mind racing as he tried to think of a way out of this seemingly hopeless situation. Yet, to his amazement, the diminutive woman seemed utterly unconcerned by the impending onslaught. She simply looked around with her blank, golden eyes – eyes that seemed to hold entire universes within their depths – and nodded, as if satisfied with some private observation.

"Good," she said, her voice calm and measured. "This will make getting them all much easier."

Somadina felt his brow furrow in confusion, the beginnings of a question forming on his lips. But before he could voice it, the woman raised a delicate hand, her fingers splayed as if to grasp the very fabric of reality itself.

Four words, whispered with the weight of creation behind them, left her lips:

"Let There Be Light."

In that instant, the world changed.

A deluge of golden light exploded from the woman, expanding outward like a tsunami of pure, radiant energy. Somadina felt it wash over him, a warm, tingling sensation that seemed to penetrate to his very core. To his amazement, he felt his aches and exhaustion melting away, as if they had never been.

All around him, he saw his companions experiencing the same phenomenon. While their depleted anwansi reserves didn't replenish, injuries that had been bleeding moments ago sealed themselves shut. Broken bones knitted together with audible cracks, leaving behind whole, unharmed limbs. It was as if they had all been granted a full night's restful sleep in the span of a heartbeat.

But the light's effect on the Aberrations was something else entirely.

As the wave of golden energy reached the charging horde, it scoured them from existence. Flesh, bone, and whatever passed for the essence of these unholy creatures – all of it was atomized in an instant. The merciless wave cleaned the land of their taint, leaving behind nothing but purified earth.

The Diremaws, caught in their death dive, had no chance to escape. They fell from the sky, their unearthly shrieks cut short as the expanding sphere of power ripped them to shreds and set their remains aflame. The sight of their burning corpses raining down was both terrifying and awe-inspiring, a testament to the raw power at work.

The Dire Lord, as befitting its status, lasted longer than its lesser brethren. Its mass of tentacles pushed furiously against the encroaching wave, each limb seeming to strain against the inevitable. Its voice, no longer filled with contempt but now laced with desperation and rage, rose in one final defiant shriek.

"This isn't over, spawn of the False Mother!" it howled, its voice rising to a pitch that sent shivers down Somadina's spine. "Death and destruction will come for you all!"

The woman – if indeed she could be called merely a woman – sighed, the sound somehow both weary and annoyed. With a casual flick of her fingers, as if shooing away an irritating insect, she directed the sphere to continue its expansion.

The golden wave swept through the Dire Lord as if it were no more substantial than mist, demolishing the terrifying entity and the few remaining Aberrations in the span of a single heartbeat.

It was a sight that would have been breathtaking, had Somadina been able to fully appreciate it. Instead, he found himself crushed to the ground by an immense, invisible pressure. The weight of the woman's unleashed soul bore down on them all with the force of a mountain, threatening to grind them into the very earth.

Somadina's eyes darted around, seeking out his companions. Even the Ordaineds among them were not unscathed. Everywhere he looked, he saw faces contorted with strain, sweat beading on brows as they struggled against the overwhelming force. With a whisper of fear that chilled him to his core, Somadina realised that the technique's restorative effects were likely the only thing keeping many of them alive – himself included.

Just when he thought he could bear no more, it ended. The sphere of light vanished with a sound like the popping of a soap bubble, leaving behind a ringing silence. The woman veiled herself once more, her overwhelming presence receding like a tide, allowing them all to breathe again.

For a moment, she stood there, considering the mass of groaning people before her with an expression of mild curiosity. Then, her attention returned to Somadina and his companions. Those blank, golden eyes scanned over them, dismissing Somadina in an instant, lingering on the hissing Rai for a beat longer before coming to rest on Olisa, Kainene, and Ije.

"Ekwueme Nebolisa, Adichie Kainene, Ofodile Ije," she addressed them, her voice carrying a hint of approval. "You have my thanks for keeping the Dire Lord occupied until I arrived. Thanks to your efforts, many lives were saved today."

At that moment, Somadina knew exactly who this woman was. Even without the wary respect and concern he saw in his companions' eyes, or the slight hunching of their shoulders, her casual destruction of hundreds of Aberrations – many of them highly ranked – spoke volumes. Olisa's next words only confirmed Somadina's worst fears.

"Oseloka Oma," Olisa said, his voice carefully modulated in a way Somadina had never heard before. "You honour us with your words. But we were merely fulfilling our duties. Is it not the way of the strong to protect the weak?"

Oma's response was swift and cutting. "A false assertion, though not entirely without merit." Her gaze flickered briefly to Somadina, making him feel exposed and vulnerable. "The strong lead the weak. Your years in exile surely can't have been long enough for you to forget your lessons."

Somadina saw Kainene's hands curl into fists for a moment before forcibly relaxing. When she spoke, her voice was carefully controlled, but he could hear the undercurrent of defiance.

"We have not forgotten," Kainene said evenly. "That's not the issue. We simply never believed them."

Oma's eyes narrowed at that, a flicker of something – annoyance? interest? – passing across her features before she seemed to dismiss them with a wave of her tiny hand. "The words of a child. You will reconsider your stance in time."

Her attention drifted to the open doors of the Tower, then back to them. "Our conversation must be cut short, I'm afraid. There are things I must do that can wait no longer." She turned to Ije, her gaze sharpening. "Your parents and I will be speaking shortly concerning the issue of Vassaldom. A clan of your size and power... We and the other Courts are in agreement that your continued neutrality is no longer acceptable."

Ignoring Ije's squeaks of outrage, Oma turned her attention to Kainene and Olisa. "We will be having a similar discussion upon my return. I cannot overturn Mother and Uncle's decision, but I can work out a compromise. You were merely banished from the Citrine Court and all its holdings, after all. Not the Sundered City itself. Talent such as yours cannot be allowed to continue to go to waste."

Finally, Oma's gaze fell upon Somadina with the weight of a hammer. It took every ounce of his willpower not to flee from her presence. "We will also discuss how your Disciple plaything not only managed to snag himself a rare soul beast, but also bond with the Firstborn of the Omaliko clan."

And then, as suddenly as she had appeared, Oseloka Oma vanished. She simply blinked out of existence, leaving behind no trace of her presence save for the devastation wrought upon the Aberrations and the lingering feeling of awe and terror in those who had witnessed her power.

A sick thrill of fear held Somadina tightly in its grip, a feeling that wasn't helped by the concerned expressions he saw on his companions' faces. The implications of Oma's words, the casual way she had referred to him as a "plaything," and the knowledge that she was aware of his bond with the Omaliko Firstborn – it all swirled in his mind, a maelstrom of anxiety and uncertainty.

Meanwhile, now that Oma was gone and none of the Ordaineds were paying the crowd any attention, people started streaming into the Tower. Their excited chatter filled the air, a stark contrast to the tense silence that had fallen over Somadina and his companions. He caught more than a few curious looks thrown their way, but a combination of the open Tower doors and the unveiled souls of Olisa, Kainene, and Ije kept the crowd moving.

"We'll worry about it later," Olisa was saying, his voice low and urgent. "Let's get through the Tower first. It's dangerous enough without us getting distracted."

"Very true," Ije agreed, her earlier outrage replaced by a grim determination. "For that many Aberrations to have made it in... Father knows the state the rooms are in right now. There's a chance it might just dump us into a bottomless pit or something." She hesitated, her eyes flickering to Somadina. "Maybe you guys might want to think about skipping this dive. Especially if you're planning on bringing Somadina along."

"We can't," said Kainene, scowling at the ancient building as if it had personally offended her. "We're not just diving for treasure this time around, remember?"

"Oh right. I forgot about the whole Omaliko thing." Ije sighed, resignation clear in her voice. "Fine. I might as well come along. Something tells me you'll need the extra help."

"And I'll come too!"

The unexpected voice caused them all to whirl around in a panic, staffs armed and ready. But instead of a new threat, they found themselves face to face with a grinning Jidenna. There was no trace of the Forged chains that had bound him earlier.

"Hey," said the former prisoner, seemingly unconcerned about the staffs aimed at his face.

"How are you free?" Ije demanded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Then she blinked, noticing the squirming bundle in his arms. "And what is that thing?"

Jidenna's grin widened as he launched into an explanation. "I convinced the guards to unbind me," he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "It helped that a pack of Direbeasts had broken through the defences and were rampaging through the city. I helped take care of them and also saved this little guy in the process." He raised the bundle, revealing a small, furry creature. "Isn't he cute?"

Olisa peered at the soul beast, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "Is that a cheetah-fox?"

"It is!" Jidenna confirmed, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "And his name is Izunna. Say hello to everyone, Izu.

The soul beast fixed them with a withering stare, its displeasure evident even through the limited expressiveness of its face. Its sleek body, a mesmerising blend of blue-grey furs that shimmered like polished hematite, was banded with black rings that seemed to ripple with each breath. Long, pointed ears twitched with irritation, swivelling to catch every sound in the bustling Tower entrance.

But it was the creature's tail that truly commanded attention – a massive, sinuous appendage that was easily four times the length of its body. The tail gradually tapered, terminating in a paddle-shaped shock of pristine white fur that contrasted sharply with the rest of its coloration. The effect was both beautiful and slightly unnerving, like a living work of art with a decidedly dangerous edge.

After a long moment of tense silence, the soul beast spoke, its voice a low, rumbling growl that seemed to vibrate through the air. 'Death,' Izu said, each word dripping with barely contained malice. 'Blood and death.'

"Adorable, isn't he?" Jidenna asked fondly. "I'm definitely keeping you."

Rai sniffed audibly, clearly unimpressed by the newcomer. Izu responded with a snarl that revealed needle-sharp teeth, before squirming free of Jidenna's hold and onto his shoulders With a fluid, almost boneless grace, the soul beast draped itself across the albino's shoulders like a living stole.

As the group began to make their way toward the Tower proper, Izu and Rai continued to glare daggers at each other. Their silent battle of wills provided a tense counterpoint to the animated bickering of their human companions, who were still debating the wisdom of allowing Jidenna to accompany them on their venture.

Somadina, however, was oblivious to the verbal sparring match unfolding around him. He trudged along behind the others, shoulders slumped and gaze fixed on the ground. His mind was a maelstrom of dark thoughts and nagging doubts, each step feeling heavier than the last.

For as long as he could remember, Somadina had been acutely aware of a persistent streak of bad luck that seemed to dog his every move. It was a truth he had long tried to ignore or rationalise away. But now, faced with the very real consequences of his actions – the unwanted attention of a hostile Sage, and Father knew what other dangers lurking on the horizon – he could no longer deny the pattern.

With each passing moment, dread settled more firmly in the pit of his stomach. What if the next calamity was something they couldn't escape? What if his cursed luck finally caught up with them all, and—

Somadina swallowed painfully, his throat suddenly tight. The thought of someone else dying because of him, because of his mere presence... It was almost too much to bear.

A sharp, electric crackle jolted Somadina from his spiral of self-recrimination. He looked up, momentarily distracted by their surroundings as they crossed the threshold into the Tower proper. The sheer scale of the interior was breathtaking, easily accommodating the thousands of people milling about in various states of anticipation.

Yet, when compared to the awe-inspiring majesty of its exterior, the Tower of Plenty's inner chambers left something to be desired. The walls and pillars, hewn from some indeterminate stone, glowed with a faint, unearthly light that seemed to pulse in time with the collective heartbeat of the assembled crowd. But beyond this ethereal illumination, the vast chamber was surprisingly austere – no intricate carvings, no elaborate tapestries, just the bare essentials of form and function.

"What are we waiting for?" Somadina asked, curiosity momentarily overriding his melancholy.

Olisa's reply was tinged with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. "For the Tower to activate," he explained. "Remember what we said about it being somewhat sentient? Well, right now it's just... waiting. When it decides enough people have made it inside, it will awaken, and the trials will begin."

Somadina's brow furrowed. "Trials? You mean the rooms you were talking about earlier?"

"That is correct, young one," Jidenna interjected, smoothly ignoring the irritated looks cast his way by the others. After much heated discussion, they had finally, if reluctantly, agreed to allow him to accompany them – if only to keep a watchful eye on his actions. "They vary greatly, ranging from treasure vaults containing artefacts the Tower has amassed over the years, to labyrinths and arenas that require you to fight your way out, solve a puzzle, or some fiendish combination of both to proceed."

He paused, reaching up to give an increasingly agitated Izu an affectionate pat on the head. The soul beast's tail lashed once in response, nearly catching Olisa across the face. "Some have said that the Tower bases what rooms a person will pass through during their dive on their personality. Enough people have experienced this phenomenon for us to say there's likely some truth to it." Jidenna's voice took on a more sombre tone. "There's also, I'm afraid, a fair amount of luck involved. Even well-prepared dibias have met... agonising ends because they were thrown into a room they were not ready for."

And there it was – the confirmation Somadina had been dreading. It had been a tentative decision before, born of fear and self-doubt. But now, hearing Jidenna's words, he was quite sure. There was no way he could allow any of them to accompany him into the Tower's depths. The risk was simply too great.

"The Tower likes to separate groups," Kainene mused, her brow furrowed in concentration. "We'll have to find a way to stay together. Perhaps we can put a Spot on Somadina? Like the one we used before, that repelled the Aberrations from him back in the forest."

Olisa shook his head, his expression thoughtful. "You know those kinds of Enchantments are dangerous if used too much," he cautioned. "We were Practitioners when I made that one. We can't be sure his soul's fully recovered enough to handle it now. Plus, there's a high chance the Tower's aura would just nullify it completely."

Somadina's mind reeled at this casual revelation – they had planted a Forged artefact on him the very day they'd first met, and he hadn't even noticed. But he forced himself to focus on the matter at hand. "That won't be necessary," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "I'll be going on my own."

The conversation screeched to a halt, an almost palpable silence falling over the group as each tried to comprehend what Somadina had just declared. Kainene was the first to recover, her fiery eyes narrowing as she frowned at him.

"What are you talking about?"

Somadina took a deep breath, steeling himself. "It's for the best, Kainene. I'm... I'm dangerous. People close to me inevitably get hurt. If I let any of you travel the rooms with me, there's a high chance we'll stumble onto another Dire Lord." He let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and foreign to his own ears. "I'm just that lucky."

Kainene's frown deepened, a mixture of confusion and concern etching itself across her features. "Somadina... Where is this coming from? Is it about what happened back by the pond? Yeah, it was a mistake, but I still like you. I'm not just going to allow you to do this alone."

A mistake. It was impressive, really, the way two simple words could make his heart feel like it had been crushed beneath a mountain. But Somadina clung to the pain, using it to fortify his resolve.

"You don't have to say it for me to know it's true." His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles tight with the effort of maintaining his composure. There was a roaring in his ears, like the rush of a waterfall. "You're safer without me. I'm a magnet for trouble."

Olisa's gaze darted between Somadina and Kainene, confusion plain on his face. "I don't get it. Did something happen? What are you two not telling me?"

Kainene's body jerked once, as if struck by an invisible blow. But Somadina pressed on, the words tumbling out in a torrent he couldn't hope to stem.

"You know it's the truth. You heard him. The Tower reacts differently to everyone. What you both need is someone strong and powerful, not some unlucky, half-trained Disciple who is in love with you."

Somadina's mouth snapped shut with an audible click, but it was far too late. The words hung in the air between them, heavy and irrevocable. Ije gaped at the three of them, eyes wide with shock, while Jidenna clapped both hands to his mouth and gasped with all the dramatic flair of a stage performer.

"I... I didn't mean..." Somadina tried, his mouth opening and closing several times as he searched for words that refused to come.

But Olisa and Kainene did nothing. They simply stared at him, their expressions a mixture of shock, confusion, and something else – something Somadina couldn't begin to decipher.

And then, suddenly, it was too much. The air felt too thick, too hot, pressing in on him from all sides. He had faced rejection before, of course, from different people and in different ways. But this time... this time it was different. It hurt too much, a pain so acute he could scarcely breathe.

So Somadina did the only thing he could think to do. He took one last look at their stunned faces, committing every detail to memory, and then he did what he had always done best.

He turned and ran.

At that precise moment, a bell rang out – a single, pure note that seemed to resonate through the very stones of the Tower. The massive doors slammed shut with a finality that echoed through the chamber. And then, in a dizzying swirl of harsh, rainbow light, everyone and everything around Somadina simply... evaporated.