'Ori, we need to talk.'

Mana nullification manacles dulled Seraphine's voice, making her sound as if she was speaking through paper cups connected by string. Every minute he was left to rot within walls too close together for him to lie down and a ceiling too low for him to stand up, he questioned his stubborn refusal to quit the trial. After refusing to sign any contracts or commit to any oaths, he was quickly arrested and placed in this cell. While his intentions had seemed noble and his resolve had been firm, Ori wondered how many days he could waste here for no personal benefit beyond his pride while second-guessing pragmatic arguments for leaving as cowardice or something darker.

'Yeah? What about?' Ori stretched his back as much as he could in the tight space, he would have welcomed Sera’s distraction from his thoughts, if not for those four ominous words nobody wanted to hear.

'I would like to know more of whom I summoned. How you came to be a summon? How you evolved your affinity? Why do you persist in this realm even though my people treat you like dirt? And are you even human?' Seraphine ended with an exasperated huff.

It was a poignant question, one that forced Ori back to the divination, his race: 'Human', but with an asterisk; 'variant unknown'.

Ori sighed before he answered. 'I guess I'll start from the beginning. Mel, who I later came to know as the Greater Succubus, Melisandre the Wayward, abducted me from my realm...'

Ori left nothing out this time, going into great detail about his escape, his subsequent familiar bonding with Freya, the Crucible, and the trials. He even described his previous and current summonings, relaying all he knew about his affinities and the divination that took place at House Searilian's manor. After asking many specific questions about his character sheet, Seraphine was quiet for a long period before she had a response.

‘So this Freya, your familiar, you have known her for what, hours? Less than a day and yet your connection with her is such?’

“I mean, yeah. When we formed the connection, it was like we both lived each other's lives, it was unreal. It’s like I know her better than anyone else I’ve ever met, know her likes, her dislikes, what drives her and…”

‘And what?’

“How close to the edge she is. To giving up. And for some reason, that is just simply unacceptable. It’s like, I don’t want to live in a universe where people like her, lose. Anyway, why 'you so interested in her?”

Sera sighed, anger adding heat to her voice as she continued. ‘What she did… To call it simply ‘taking advantage’ would be an understatement. She's a parasite, even now she steals from you. It would be a simple solution if she died, you’d be able to awaken and grow…’

“Not happening.”

‘Well, we shall put it aside for now, as they say, star by star, night ignites until darkness fades into dawn's first light.’

“They say that here huh? Sounded kinda nice. What does it mean exactly?” Ori asked.

‘Just a saying about taking problems one at a time and how tomorrow is another day.’

‘Right, well, I think that’s more or less everything since I was abducted.’

'Yes, well it seems my mother was spot on with her assessment. As a mortal, you already have too many unified characteristics and affinities, with accolades I’ve never even heard of before. If I had to speculate, you might not be able to awaken as a human if you could awaken at all, which would be momentous in ways even I can't fully fathom.'

'Why?'

'Humans, as a race, don't evolve,' Seraphine replied quietly.

'How do you mean? I know Freya needs to evolve, she’s a sprite though; I mean, isn't that just something everyone has to do to get stronger?'

'Humans and many half-breeds progress through the ranks via class evolutions, accolades and divinity. With sufficient progress, they can increase their Lifeforce which is the determining characteristic for an individual's rank. So far, there is no racial evolution path beyond human, unlike the elves, celestials, demons, or the fae. If it weren't for the likelihood that you're on the path, I might have written off this possibility, but...'

'But?'

'Do you know how many Awakened humans have tried over countless aeons to evolve?’

‘No?’

‘All of us, and zero have been successful. There are tales of those who have found chimeric evolutions such as Fae-blooded, Dragonid, Nephilim and others. But do you have any idea what might happen if word of even the possibility of an evolved human reaches the library?'

'Nope.'

'Neither do I. Not truly, but I can imagine: immortal human warlords scouring the realms for the evolution method, fragile political arrangements between humans and the high elves disrupted, and divinities descending the lower realms in attempts to tilt the balance of power to their favour, and that's just for starters. This… Crucible, whether it be for reasons of pride, vanity, or madness, means to fashion you into something that can break the realms.'

Ori sighed as his hands massaged his scalp. All he wanted was enough strength to escape and go home, and now just when it seemed like that tiny seed of possibility had germinated into hope, the future he had fought for now seemed less certain than ever.

'Well, one step at a time, I guess. Still got to save this city then go home. Does this change anything between us? I mean, knowing what you do now, I’d understand if you want to unbind with me or something?'

'No,' Seraphine sighed. 'In a way, I'm flattered.'

'Oh yeah?'

'I gave my life to summon you, after all. It's as if the very fates themselves deemed that too high a price for just a normal summons.' Ori chuckled at Seraphine's mock-prideful tone. 'No, I guess we're stuck with each other. Besides, the breaking of soul bondings as far as I'm aware, are always damaging, if not highly destructive for both parties.'

'Oh. By the way, what happens to you if I die?'

'Well, I suppose if you reincarnate, then you'll be born with a soul-bound artefact that was once an aspiring White Lich. I have no idea if I'll keep my memories in that scenario. If your soul passes on to the ethereal or underworld, I suppose I'll follow you there too.'

'Really?'

'This is a soul bond after all, not a mere life bond. It's one of the few things in Fate that can easily transcend the boundaries of time and realms, and as your Summoner who deliberately chose an item that might be soul-bound to a Summons as my phylactery, such an adventure was one I keenly embraced. Which brings me to another subject.'

‘Oh.' Ori's thoughts were a jumble, split between the existential realities of the afterlife or reincarnation and the whole 'humanity has yet to evolve' plotline that he had seemingly walked straight into the middle of. Seraphine, taking his absentminded hum as a signal to continue, did just that.

'As the party who summoned you here and contrived such a situation that we... our souls are now in union. I will take responsibility... for your happiness,' Seraphine continued haltingly.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

'Huh?'

'I am prepared to be your... wife,' Seraphine continued, almost whispering the last word. 'Should you wish it, of course.'

'Wait, what!? I... don't understand. You’ proposing to me? Why?'

'I know that right now, I am just an inanimate object, but with a little time and some help, I intend to fashion a new, living, breathing...'

'No, that's not it. Seraphine, why are you offering this?'

‘Because we're soul-bound... Oh, you really don't understand, do you? Well, I assume you're aware of the concept of marriage? A union between two souls, 'until death do us part?' Ori had a sinking feeling as she continued. ‘In a way, regardless of my noble intentions, I tricked you into a union far more profound than marriage, one even more intrusive than your familiar bond if I understand the circumstances correctly. I have wronged you, Ori, without your full awareness and your consent, I have tied my soul to you, and as my penance, my honour demands that I make amends, including… offering myself to you.’

‘Yeah, no,’ Ori said by reflex, while trying to play it cool, his heart raced at the prospect despite how much the situation appalled him. A beautiful, smart, older capital “L” lady had just proposed to him, out of nowhere, a guy who couldn't even buy a date. A part of him just wanted to say, ‘Okay,’ out of desperation and a sense of emotional scarcity. Ori sighed; he did not need to be dealing with this right now. "I have just enough pride to turn down a proposal made out of obligation. Not going to lie, a big part of me wants to say yes, you're smart, you're pretty, even as a wand," Ori chuckled. ‘But right now, there's something I need even more than a wife.’

‘And what would that be?’

‘A friend.’

‘Oh. I see, so you would have your irrevocably soul-bonded companion for all eternity, relegated to the status of a platonic acquaintance then?’ Seraphine laughed, ‘I would love to see how that goes down with your future spouse.’

"Hey—" Ori said.

‘It's alright, Ori, I can be your friend. Just know that I too have my pride. I will not beg, and I will only ever ask once.’

‘You made that seem way more ominous for some reason.’

‘As I said, I am a lady of Astor, second in line to House Searilian, C rank White Magi, and summoner of a champion. I know my worth, I believe I have done what honour demands, and now I shall leave the rest to fate,’ Seraphine said with a smile in her voice.

‘Right. Well, you don’t have to sound so relieved.’

‘On the contrary, I found your appearance quite dashing, and those eyes…’

‘My eyes? They're kinda boring?’ Ori replied, momentarily forgetting his appearance the last time he caught his reflection.

‘Ha! Boring they are certainly not, Ignoring the fact that they glow, there a was moody intensity in there; empathy, apathy, and wrath all rolled into one, and that ring of light around your iris? Is that a common aspect of eyes from your realm? Or perhaps you've not seen yourself since the beginning of your trials? Your eyes, I remember them vividly as they were literally the last thing I saw. Glowing flecks ringed by a burning halo. Oh yes, I could spend hours lost in them,’ Seraphine was almost gushing, perhaps she found him attractive after all.

‘Really?’ Ori asked dumbly.

‘Ori, even if you never awaken and little else beyond a quiet life comes to pass, you'll have plenty of women swooning over you and I, as your loyal, soul-bound companion wholly devoid of amorous intentions, shall have to fend them off, lest you be engulfed in a deluge of adoration.’

‘Engulfed? Right. Laying it on a bit thick, but I definitely needed that, so thanks.’

‘You’re always welcome.’

‘'So, question, can I call you Sera?’

‘Hmm, I suppose Seraphine can be quite a mouthful. Mother did often use Pheeney as a nickname, more so to annoy me than anything else, any name that is not that will be a vast improvement. So Sera, yes, Sera shall do.’

‘Great, well, I've told you all about me, seems like we've got time to kill—’

Ori paused as he spotted movement from the corner of his eye. He was about to ignore it when the tiny patch of darkness shifted once more.

‘What is it?’ Sera whispered internally.

A widow spider resolved itself in the shadows, except it was rather large for an insect, with an abdomen the size of Ori’s thumbnail, and moved with disquieting quickness. Worse yet, another, and then another spider slipped through the gap beneath the door, each advancing in a straight line towards Ori. In the cramped cell, they would be on him in a moment. Instinctively, Ori rose as he prepared to stomp the nearest when he received a gasp from Sera.

‘Stygian Widows! Ori, stay away!’

‘You can see them? What are they?’

‘Very difficult for a mortal to kill, if you had attempted to just now, it would have disappeared beneath your boot, only to fall into your shadow, a sub-realm from which you could never reach it before it paralysed you and… and… merely contemplating it sends a shiver down my spine.’

‘Then what do I do? Dodge them forever? There’s almost no space to move in here.’ He said as four spiders shifted with his attempts to jink and dive. One enterprising widow climbed the wall before leaping a good metre towards where he was standing. Looking around, there was nothing in his cell, not even a toilet or a bucket he could relieve himself in, just the smell of stale urine and mould. Worse, the confines of the room combined with his still-bound manacles, made his movements clunky and sluggish.

‘Would my aura work?’

‘Maybe, but it’s unlikely to do much other than weaken them. There is one other thing you can try, though I had hoped to have you practise this in less trying circumstances.’

‘What?’

‘How tired do you feel right now, Ori?’

‘I…’ Ori began to say before he tried to reflect on his current state, there was certainly panic, he was breathing heavier but he wasn’t out of breath, or even close to it.

‘Even though your abilities may exceed mortal limits, it remains tethered to your present rank. To harness this burgeoning strength, you must exert considerable will. Ori, your evolved traits surpass those of mere mortals, perhaps even Awakened. With proper concentration, your perception and reflexes can be significantly higher than they are!’

Ori could barely focus on Seraphine’s words as he evaded one spider after another.

‘So how does that help me now?’

‘You need to will yourself to think faster, to move faster and with more precision than a mortal, it takes conscious will to move with speed exceeding your rank.’

Ori wasn’t arachnophobic, that’s to say he had a perfectly normal, rational, fear response to Black Widow spiders that could magically move through shadows and bite with paralytic venom and who knows what else. One spider he could handle, but four spiders? Each moving erratically made every corner a threat, every errant sound a potential omen of death. Part of him was distantly aware of what Sera had said, but a larger part of him just wanted to stomp the spiders and be done with it.

It was that fear that saved him; those corners unseen beyond his vision sparked a sense that was beyond any he had known, but somehow completely innate and natural to him. Like a perverse spidey sense that warned of impending doom, Ori's head whipped around just in time for his eyes to focus on a spider flying at his face. Time slowed as a deep primal need forced either the world to slow down or Ori's mind to catch up.

Seraphine, the Wand, appeared in his hand as if it had always been there despite having been confiscated during his arrest. With its contact, Sera’s presence sharpened in a way only his heightened awareness could sense. There was a link between them, not quite thoughts or feelings, but something more subtle, something that allowed him to forgo his usual second-guessing and react as if in sync with a practised dance partner.

The artefact's calmly glowing presence cast a profane contrast with the environment he found himself in. While the panic remained, the new instinct, as if encouraged by his link with Sera, allowed him to tap into his Awakened mind.

Ori felt a fluidity to his thoughts with new possibilities and ideas opening up to him, his mind clearer and faster, even as the world around him seemed to move at a tenth of its normal speed.

If the spiders used a person's shadows to attack, Ori reasoned, what would happen if there were no shadows beyond the ones the spiders created? He had no Mana to cast light magic due to the manacles even if he knew how to, which he didn't, but his Wand had a natural glow. With Aura Amplification, perhaps he could also use its light to remove shadows.

The cell was bathed in a pink glow as if the walls emitted light. By the time the Widow Spider had crossed the gap to within an inch of Ori's face, his body felt sluggish, as if he could see in real-time the consequences of a physique that still relied on electrochemical impulses for reactions instead of magic. But while there was a delay, he had willed precision and control to his movements that allowed him to stab down at a spider that had just entered his range.

The two-foot length of glowing crystal pierced the arachnid's abdomen with a disquieting crunch. Ori was already turning, his arm brought back for another stab.

At that moment, the door to his cell opened.

‘Cordi?’ Ori heard Sera say via the soul link as a tall woman, standing at least six feet, with striking silver eyes and raven black hair, stooped inside. Smile lines and battle scars crisscrossed her face; in her mid-forties, she appeared to be a formidable blend of shield-maiden and mage, her bruised skin, busted lip, and battered leathers bearing testament to her general aura of 'fuck around and find out.'

Her already forbidding expression darkened after assessing the situation. In an instant, translucent domes encased each spider before floating up to her like bubbles.

‘What's she doing? Were those her spiders?’ Ori asked as his concentration on his poly-dexterous mind slipped. He felt heavy, his thoughts slowing to his mortal and far too sluggish norms.

"They said that you would fight for us?" she questioned.

"I would," Ori answered as his mind caught up to what she was asking, and waited as she seemed to stare into his eyes with an unnerving intensity. “Was that a test?” He gestured to the encapsulated widows next to her, with even the fourth and very dead one floating within her orbit.

“If it was, it certainly wasn’t mine.” Her expression twisted with disgust as she answered. “That you managed to kill one without being bitten suggests you might be of some use after all.”

“Thanks, I guess. Who are you again? And, yeah, what will you do to those things?” Ori said, weary eyes still fixated on the very agitated arachnids.

“I’m Lady Cordelia of House Searillian, and this is evidence. Come with me."