Ezryn’s thoughts stilled, to complete, animal stillness. There was a blade at his throat. He could feel blood trickling down his neck. Which in itself was concerning, as there wasn’t any blood coming from the top of his head, where he completely lacked a head.
What a strange thought to have as he had a blade to his neck, as his head had been blown off earlier today, as he had discovered magic for the first time. He had literally brought his best friend's soul back to life just now.
Wait… that wasn’t right.
He had grabbed her soul…
Traced it back from… wherever it had been…
He looked down at the blade. He recognized its shape from the implement that the poor farmers from the field used. It was a scythe. A weapon of reaping. However, he noticed something wrong with the design of the blade.
What a strange thing to notice.
The blade was thicker than normal, though it was rune-etched and sharp along the inside of the blade as it should be. The outer blade was thick, thicker than any sword he had seen, almost thicker than most shields. The backside showed heavy cuts into it, as if it had met many other blades along its back.
Ezyrn turned his head towards the handle and back to its wielder. His gaze went up until a hand upon the snath caught his attention. It wasn’t holding the scythe as if to wield it, but to stop it.
He followed the gauntleted hand up the armored arm. It led to the back of a white haired head upon which sat a jeweled silver crown with hints of black and gold woven throughout.
His gaze moved to the wielder of the scythe and felt himself grow weak with fear. A skull of blackest midnight, eyes alight with blue flame, looked back at him. They didn’t even glance at the person that held its blade from taking what was left of his head. It wore armor of the heaviest plate, yet it still strained to push through the armored woman’s grip.
A strangely ethereal voice, quietly vehement with rage, came from the mask, “My lady, I politely request that you release my weapon and allow me to do my duty as a Reaper.”
Dearest penance, a Reaper, a ferrier of souls. What have I done?
“But I have heard a calling to continue this prodigy's education,” the white-haired vixen replied mischievously, and turned to face Ezryn.
A wolfish smile adorned her strong, beautiful face as she turned to regard him, “This one shows a strong resemblance to my own way of magic. I have decided to take it upon myself to have him burden me with his apprenticeship.”
“Madame, I have a great respect for you and your husband. That being said, this one has stolen my charge. I cannot allow him to continue his existence, especially as he is a revenant.” The black skull’s eyes looked as though they would do their best to kill him by just gazing at him.
In fact, as he stared into them, Ezryn saw a faint blue line extending from them as if to strike at his very head. It was met evenly by the woman’s stalwart gaze. Her gaze seemed to cut the blue line off as if it were a solid stone wall.
“I'm afraid I must insist, my dearest Reaper,” her tone became an icy cold and brooked no more argument. “I will even let my husband know that he should make an appropriate token of apology to Death when they next take a meal together.”
“I shall request nothing less than your own token of apology, made personally for myself and for my father,” The reaper replied evenly, though seeming to warm to the idea now.
“My my, quite forward of you to assume you can request anything from me, boldest of Reapers,” her voice coolly froze the distance between them before it thawed as she continued. “I shall make sure that an appropriate gift to your father will be made. Now, let the boy have his dog back. I shall also repay you for your troubles and energies expended to apprehend this soul thief.” The last bit added in a placating tone.
The Reaper took its eyes off of Ezryn and allowed his blade to move from his neck. Ezryn felt as if he could finally relax again. Though his gaze moved now towards his crowned savior. He still was in shock at the fact that a REAPER had just tried to kill him.
No, not tried, had been about to…
And now a mysterious and powerful woman bedecked in black and gold armor had just saved him. But why? And who was she? And how did a Reaper know her and her husband? The questions began to flow faster in his mind as their confrontation continued.
“As a gesture of goodwill I shall even send you to see your father immediately,” she smiled politely to him.
“That is quite unnecessary, I would rather-” the Reaper broke off abruptly as the woman's hand flashed up and gave him a quick shove.
A flash of green power enveloped the Reaper and a portal opened up behind it. The woman’s shove rocketed the Reaper through the portal. The stunned Reaper was unable to react as the portal winked close as soon as it passed through.
Seemingly satisfied with the results, the woman turned to Ezryn, giving him a clear view of her. A silver crown sat atop her head as she looked down at him, a bright orange jewel adorned the middle of it. Her pale skin was just a shade darker than the snow that fell around her face as if her hair were a blizzard trying to conceal her features. Her eyes were a completely different phenomenon however.
The eyes that pinned him in place were cracked and broken yet held together. It was the most beautiful sight he had seen in his entire life. A webwork of colors crossed her shattered scleras and joined into fiery orange irises. The stunning artistry of them shocked him into stupor and he quickly glanced over the rest of her.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Her black and gold armor sat on her thin yet strong frame in an overlapping scale formation. Similarly designed tassets came from her hips down to just below the knee. A set of greaves and studded leather boots glinted from beneath them.
She held herself tall, though she stood roughly a half head shorter than the average man. Her armor seemed no impediment to her either as she wore easily. A sword that was ridiculously broad at the base hung from her hip and came to a sharp point after a meter below the hilt.
“So, my little soul thief, I believe you call yourself Ezryn now right? What possessed you to go about things in such an obtuse fashion?” She asked him with humorous excitement, shocking him out of his stupor. Though he now felt at a loss of words when it came to talking to her.
He glanced around, still unable to find the words he needed. The guards were tense and all wide eyed from all of the current happenings. Many shook slightly from having been so close to such a legendary figure of death. Many still looked frightened at the woman who still remained. The captain stood steadfast, though one hand remained gripped tightly upon his sword. The monster hunters walked casually towards the ship, occasionally throwing a glance towards the scene on the docks.
Renata stepped up to Ezryn’s side and he felt the comforting weight of her body against his leg. She did not growl or show anger towards this individual. Rather, she stepped up in support of her friend, to give him something normal and reassuring after this sudden and rapid storm of change that had overtaken them.
“Ah,” the rainbow-eyed woman sighed, seemingly knowing the answer already. She crouched down to look into Renata's eyes. A bittersweet tone underlined her next words.
“Love is a brave thing to die for, be it for a friend or anyone else. Such an expression of love leaves its mark upon the world. Finding the courage to do such an act requires an extreme amount of willpower, especially for an animal. The kind of willpower to shape reality.”
Renata seemed to acknowledge the statement with a slight bob of her head. A subtle sense of power was also released by Ezryn’s friend. Ren raised her head to his knee, looking up at him and giving him a slight hug with her head.
The strange woman rose to her feet lightly. She gazed into his eyes with her cracked orbs. A knowing gaze crossed her face.
“A friend is a great reason to change your life. Many find strength, purpose, or companionship from friends. You have found these and shall find many more yet, this is my hope at least.”
Her smile grew mischievous again and a humorous tone broke back into her seriousness. “Introductions are necessary, as I’m sure you’re both wondering what your new potential teacher is called. You two may call me Prism, the Hidden Rainbow.”
Prism bowed to both of them respectively and waited expectantly for a response. Ezryn was a bit taken aback by this all happening and shared a glance with Ren. Ren, in typical dog fashion, found nothing unusual in a random stranger showing up, saving their lives, and then offering them an apprenticeship. He had other questions on the matter.
“Why would you be offering us such things? And why would you save us from that Reaper?” Ezryn asked curiously, feeling slightly cautious about the whole ordeal.
“Usually after you are greeted with someone’s name you say how nice it is to meet them…” Prism pouted, crossing her arms while arching a brow.
Feeling sheepish he scrambled to recover the goodwill he had. “I apologize Mrs. Prism, I-”
“It’s quite too late for that now child! Goodness, has no one taught you anything about manners?” She pressed a hand to her brow as if to hold back a headache, while also holding up the other to cut off the next apology that she had sensed from him before he voiced it.
“Nevermind. We’ll add it to the education you require. Let’s just say I have a soft spot for pets and people that truly love them. Also, you happen to have a particular taste in the magic that I do so love and you use it for reasons that I also use it for.”
“And if you need a less altruistic reason, I enjoy being able to steal a wee bit of satisfaction from the ferrymen and protectors of the dead that you had the unfortunate luck of meeting. They mean well, but it's been more of a thing about life winning after death. Oh and that one will probably try its best to kill you if I don’t give them a reason to not. They hate rogue soul mages, for good reason, and he has your scent now.”
He felt as though he was a sailor, just pulled from a maelstrom. The rescuers then offered him the choice to be press-ganged into service or jump back into certain death. Very altruistic of them.
However, it didn’t feel as though he was going to lose out completely on this deal. If he were to be honest with himself it almost seemed like a dream come true. Ezryn was about to get what he had always wanted: strength, power, magic, and family.
He rested a hand atop Ren’s head and knelt down to look into his friend’s eyes. She looked back at him and Ezryn’s own soul felt a solid reinforcement of confidence. As though they could make it through anything as long as they were together.
Ezryn regained his feet. His greenish figure looked ghastly and ethereal with half of the head having been blown up. He stood tall and gazed into the powerful eyes of a person with abilities that seemed godlike.
“Alright, Madam Prism, I humbly thank you for extending your hand to us so we may learn in your tutelage,” he answered her while giving a bow.
“Excellent, and you learn manners quickly,” Prism responded, satisfied with how this had played out. “We shall begin training in the arts after I finish correcting your more basic shortcomings. For now, join the others on our ship, Harbinger.”
With that, she turned to the captain of the guard and handed him what looked to be a coin. The captain looked at it and his face paled. Nero flicked his eyes over to Ezryn fearfully.
Prism laughed at his expression of horror before speaking to him. “Yes, dearest captain, this is to both remind you of your failings today while also offering you a chance at a better future. Should you ever feel the desire to grow in ways that this world fails to accept, or break the shackles holding you back, you and those who wish to follow you may call upon me to give you the opportunity. We are always in search of competent officers and recruits.”
“Thank you ma’am,” the captain replied, still stark white and staring at the coin.
Prism nodded at the man before marching towards the ship that the monster hunters had departed for. Ezryn hurried to catch up to his new master, Renata trotting along happily at his side. Captain Nero was left staring at the magical coin in his hand.
The coin looked to be made of solid gold and took up the whole of his inner palm. However, there was a scene depicted upon the coin and it transitioned through different instances magically.
It showed a figure, half of whom’s head was engulfed in flame, that held a fist in the air, grasping a glowing source and pulling it from the air. In the other arm lay a dog. The figure held the glowing light and brought it to the dog’s chest. The dog then jerked and rose to greet the figure by licking his face.
After the scene finished playing it would dissolve into a smooth plain face. Words appeared to float up from within the coin.
Our limits no longer bind us.
Our fears no longer shackle us.
Our weakness has been forever discarded,
For we are Unbound.