Kade was still trapped in the stone room as the ritual continued around him. More than half of the runes that had once covered every surface had been consumed, and it appeared that the spell was nearly complete. His excitement grew as he explored the new power coursing through him.
He was impatient for Syth finish as he nearly shook with the need to understand and unleash his new abilities. Trying to distract himself he forced his focus onto the bodies of Edwin and Graves, as the clouds of energy that had been his Aspects were resolving into the shapes that he recognized from both his recent visions.
First to rise was Drakus, but his appearance was so familiar that Kade nearly doubted his own eyes. His armor was the same silver, but the thinly corded chains that had comprised his Aspect’s body were replaced by chainmail over living flesh. A pure white cape stretched out behind him, falling from pauldrons that were far more functional and fitting than Drake’s had been, and Kade had the impression this man valued speed far more than the heavy, brawny tactics of his familiar.
Drakus looked confused for a moment, but when his eyes found Sythkara–still lost in the throws of spellcasting–his helmet disappeared into nothing, and a face shockingly like Kade’s own watched the Sorcerer with a look of melancholy. After a moment the reborn night turned to look at Kade, and the sad expression was replaced with a familiar half-grin, though it slowly faded as their eyes met. At last the man turned away, and watched the body of Graves, still covered in a dark mass.
They were forced to wait for quite some time before Psylaric’s form at last began to take shape. The eldest of the princes was something of a mystery to Kade, as even in the brief visions he’d experienced, his brothers had looked at Psylaric as something other, possibly even something beyond them. He hadn’t had a chance to ask what had made the man so unusual, but his mere appearance suggested the story was likely horrific.
The man was far taller than his brothers, his body having something of the stretched out look that Wrayeth sported, though still within the realm of possibility for a human. Psylaric was only wearing loose-fitting black pants, leaving his upper body bare, again like his uncle’s. His skin was deep tan, and his head was completely hairless.
All this barely registered when compared to the man’s face, which was so disturbing that Kade could barely register the rest of his appearance. Psylaric was eyeless, but not by design like some Edler’s Kade had seen, instead it was only too obvious that his eyes had been crudely carved from his skull. His face was a mess of vicious, jagged scars, most centered over the man’s empty eye sockets.
Kade found himself hoping the Elder prince wouldn’t find the need to look in his direction, as he couldn’t hide his own horror and disgust at the ruins of the prince’s face. He was also incredibly curious what could have caused such devastation, as a Child of Korthos with the power this man once wielded should have been capable of healing virtually any injury, nevermind the idea of scars of all things.
Thankfully Kade could only describe Psylaric as imperious, and once he’d regained his feet and inspected himself for a moment, he strode across the room toward Sythkara without sparing a glance for Kade. Although, he considered, the man might not need to look anywhere to see, given he clearly wasn’t using his eyes.
“Forgive the delay, brothers. This man–Graves–required a great deal of convincing before he was willing to become my host. Once he understood the true identity of his former master was actually Karavash, his faith was sufficiently shaken.” Syth nodded, though his attention was on the last elements of the spell, as Salarus groaned nearby.
“I had no such trouble with this one,” Drakus said in response. “Apparently father has been guiding him for some time. We are lucky that such loyalty and sense of duty exists in this world. I have suggested that ‘Edwin Houseless’ consider refounding the Paladins after we’ve disposed of Karavash. He is worthy of the order.”
Kade was listening intently, and nearly collapsed when he realized the hold of the spell had suddenly left him. Looking down, he saw that no runes remained around him, and that the remainder of the ritual was centered on Sal. He looked back to the reunited brothers, and was keenly aware of how much he felt like an outsider. He was not the Third Prince, and he felt like a pretender just being near such a familial bond.
Instead, he decided to busy himself exploring his newly unlocked abilities. With some hesitation he looked down at the bracer, his suspicions of the device now greater than ever.
Congratulations! You have unlocked your third path: Chaos Blade!
Attributes have increased!
New Abilities have been unlocked!
Attention! Additional information acquired!
Attention! Temporary power source detected! Temporary power boost is too great, and too unstable! Unable to calculate temporary power levels! Sorry, friend!
Name: Kadeus [de’Val]
Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)
Soul Core: Chains of Fate
Rank: Primus (Triple-Path)
Lifeforce: 100%
Mana: 436/436
Chaos: 912/912
Strength: 45 (+6)
Speed: 48 (+15)
Endurance: 32 (+8)
Magic: 31
Energy: 64 (+17)
Ancestral Totem 1: [Wrayeth de’Val]
Class: Chaos Energist
Creed: Mine is the will that shapes worlds. Mine is the power that ends them.
Ability 1: Chaos Energy Blast (Rank 9, 57%)
Ability 2: Energy Construct (Rank 7, 72%)
Ability 3: Aspect of Oblivion (Rank 1, 87%)
Augmentations: Mentor’s Amulet (Integrated!)
Ancestral Totem 2: [Karavash]
Class: Vanguard
Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.
Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 8, 65%)
Ability 2: Challenger’s Might (Rank 6, 91%)
Ability 3: (Tier 2) Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 3, 42%)
Augmentations: None
Ancestral Totem 3: [Kadeus de’Val]
Class: Chaos Blade
Creed: The power of the world is mine to shape.
Ability 1: Master of Energy (Rank 0, 0%)
Ability 2: Wrathful Strikes (Rank 0, 0%)
Ability 3: Sealed
Augmentations: None
Kade’s excitement grew. He understood that there was normally some hesitation about taking on too many Paths at once, but he suspected his unique circumstances made those concerns less of an issue. He greedily examined his increased power, then raised an eyebrow when he noticed that the origins of his Paths had been revealed.
That his Energist powers came from Wrayeth was interesting, and he wondered if he’d be able to take up the bracer’s recommendation of training under the man. Obviously that would have to wait for a day when the strange Elder was less likely to destroy the world, but it was still a tempting prospect.
Inheriting his final, double-S ranked class from the original Kadeus wasn’t an enormous surprise now that he understood whose energy was inside him, but it was mildly disturbing to see he’d inherited Vanguard from Karavash himself. He supposed it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but he didn’t like that he’d have to see that monster’s name every time he looked at his bracer from now on.
Stolen novel; please report.
Glancing up he saw that the brothers were having something akin to a reunion, and Sal still hadn’t regained consciousness, so Kade excitedly dove into the descriptions of his new abilities.
ABILITY Unlocked!
[Master of Energy]: (Rank 0, 0%)
Cost: None (Requires external energy source)
Description: To the Chaos Blade, all energy is malleable. The universe is nothing but power held together by bonds that can be broken. The Chaos Blade may tear these bonds apart, strengthen them, or shift them. The Chaos Blade is power, and all power will return home.
Kade re-read the description several times, certain he’d missed something. It was definitely the most poetic skill description he’d seen, but it didn’t seem to really explain the ability. He considered that it might tie well to his Energist vision. Maybe he could move around the ambient Calm? Or perhaps it would even provide a safe way to deal with Chaos Sickness–if he were ever brave enough to put himself through that again.
Regardless, the ability didn’t seem to have any obvious or immediate combat applications, and he knew he was about to be thrown into one of the most important battles this ancient world had ever known. Putting the odd ability aside for the moment, he turned to the second he’d unlocked, and a grin split his face.
ABILITY (Unlocked!)
[Wrathful Strikes]: (Rank 0, 0%)
Cost: Chaos (Minimal)
Description: Every attack leaves behind a trace of volatile energy that will detonate at the user’s command. The power of the blast grows non-linearly as more volatile energy accumulates inside the target. Causes additional damage to targets with unstable energy patterns.
This was much better, and Kade could immediately see the applications of such a technique. There were a lot of challenges when battling truly powerful beings on Iros, one of which was the challenge of scale, which thus far he’d made up for almost exclusively with the use of his massive sword Spite. The other was the frustration of fighting creatures that could heal almost any wound immediately.
This ability seemed to be designed to counter both of those challenges beautifully. Not only would every attack leave behind a deadly explosive in its wake, but healing would no longer be the defense it once was. Especially since he could choose when to detonate the charges, this could be a brutal and effective surprise if used correctly.
At last Sal’s voice drew Kade from his quiet contemplation, and he looked up to see the tall Sorcerer standing with his eyes closed, and arms raised reverently to his sides. “Master, this power, this pure Sorcery! I’ve never experienced anything like it. And I know things. Truths I never imagined.” His eyes opened, and he looked to the far older man. “How much of this knowledge can I keep?”
Kade looked to Sythkara, and saw that the man was in far worse shape than he had been, evidently the spell had taken much. His voice was weak when he responded, “There will be impressions, but those are not your thoughts or memories, they are mine. I suggest you find a few select revelations that have the greatest impact on your understanding, and ponder them as deeply as you can before the power leaves you. Hopefully they can help you after I’ve gone.”
Kade looked back to his friend, but could see from his lack of surprise that he was at least mostly aware of what was going on. Sal looked at Kade in turn, and gave a shrug of acceptance, before moving to join the three in the center of the room. Kade smiled, his friend’s simple gesture seemed to say ‘I guess this is happening’, and somehow it brought him comfort.
He moved to join the group, finding it a lot easier now that Sal was there. Suddenly he didn’t feel entirely like the odd man out. All three princes turned to look at Kade as he approached, and he felt the weight of the complex emotions being played out in each. He was so close to their lost brother, but not. This was so close to a happy reunion, but not.
Even if Karavash fell as planned, only Kade and Sal could hope to survive this day.
Drakus broke the tension, “It was hard enough growing up with a twin brother, now I’m a triplet,” he said with an awkward smile.
“Good thing we’re handsome?” Kade responded, and Drakus’ smile was out done only by the grimaces of the three other men.
“We don’t have time for this,” rasped Psylaric, and Kade had to force himself to look at the man without cringing. “Kade, under better circumstances I would be overjoyed to accept you as a brother, and discover what kind of bond truly exists between us. However, Karavash has been left unchecked for too long already.”
Sythkara nodded, “I can’t say how long this spell will last, but if you use up the small reserves of your energy inside these vessels, it will be over immediately. There will be no more farewells, so let this stand in for one. I am grateful to have been given this chance to see you both once more; even the shadow of Kadeus is a gift, and I have missed you all terribly.”
The sentiment was met with stunned silence, but a smile slowly grew on Drakus’ face, and Psylaric gently placed a hand on Syth’s shoulder–though his expression didn’t change. “We’ve said our goodbyes before,” the scarred man replied, “I’ll accept these extra moments as a boon, and the revenge as more than that, but I am at peace.”
“I as well,” Drakus said sadly, and he in turn put a hand on Kade and Psylaric’s shoulders. “One last battle, brothers.”
“Wrayeth,” Psylaric said after a moment, “He’s near. Will he not help?”
“The urge to conquer is too strong,” SythKara replied, and the elder brother nodded in understanding. “Salarus, your Keepers are falling as we speak, you should depart while you can.” Sal’s face immediately turned serious.
“Of course. Good luck to all of you, I’m sure you understand that the fate of a people rests on your shoulders.” He gave Kade one last smile, then turned and began to walk from the room. He’d only taken a few steps when he stopped with a laugh. His hand came up and performed a few quick gestures, and suddenly a portal opened before him, light shining through. He glanced back once more, and with a nod, disappeared through the doorway of light that immediately snapped shut behind him.
At last it was just Kade and the brothers, and no one seemed to know what to say. Kade’s mind worked through everything he knew, and realized there were still a couple of things to clarify before they left. “Syth, will these two need to hold their powers in the way Wrayeth did? This will be pretty tough if I’m the only one at a hundred percent.”
The ancient mage shook his head, “Their power is being filtered through the Soul Cores and bodies of their hosts. They will have access to their full strength, though for a limited time, as you know.” Kade nodded, expecting something like that, but not wanting to be surprised later.
“One other thing,” Kade continued, “I’m sure we’re all setting out to destroy Karavash, he obviously has it coming. But is that enough to stop everything he’s doing? What about the World Shaper?” This time both Drakus and Psylaric looked at their brother with curiosity.
“The World Shaper has no will of its own. Kill Karavash and whatever it’s doing should be stopped. If you fear you can’t defeat him in time, destroy it, steal it, throw it into the sun, anything. Truthfully we don’t know enough about it to be certain what will work, but we know it must be stopped.” The brothers and Kade nodded.
“I must stay here to maintain the spell, but it’s time for you all to go. I’m afraid we won’t see each other again.” This was met with resigned nods from the two brothers, and Kade felt like he was intruding once more, until Syth turned to him.
“Kade, a final warning. You are connected to the power of our lost brother, and when you enter battle I expect there will likely be some bleed-through of his consciousness. It won’t overpower you–the connection isn’t strong enough, but you will likely find yourself remembering fragments of a life that isn’t your own. Stay focused, and use it, if you can.” Kade nodded, not entirely comfortable with what the man had said.
“We’ve delayed long enough,” came Psylaric’s voice at last. “I can sense Karavash, follow me.” He turned and strode from the room without another word, and Drakus just let out a small laugh before following, with a gesture to Kade to do the same.
It was time.
***
Gwen watched Jothus’ massive form fall under the weight of two tremendous Elders, and didn’t even have time to worry for him as she was forced to take cover behind the heavy shield of Eleonora. The last desperate stand of the Keepers was coming to an end, and she no longer had any sense of how many remained. Everything since they’d lost Bandal and Lothros was just a blur of battle and death.
Their forces had been cut back so greatly that the enemy had managed to surround them, and now they were reduced to an ever-weakening circle with no possibility of retreat. Gwen’s own body felt like it was barely holding together, and she didn't think there was anyone left who wasn’t fighting wounded. Eleonora herself no longer had the strength to regrow the two arms she’d lost, and even as Gwen cowered behind the woman’s remaining shield, she could sense that her protector wouldn’t be able to take much more.
More than a dozen Elders were now attacking simultaneously, and even though none were above third tier, the weakened Keepers had simply been fighting for too long. Soon one of the lines would break, and it would all be over. It was almost a comfort at this point. Their lives seemed to have consisted of nothing but pain for such a long time, and rest–even permanent rest, felt like a tempting peace.
Gwen looked up as tides of energy poured over Eleonora, and saw that the woman was looking down at her. They exchanged no words, made no final pronouncements of hope or regret, just shared a moment of clarity: it was over.
The world seemed to darken with that revelation, and Gwen welcomed it. Something about dying in the brightness of a beautiful sunny day had felt wrong, and she longed for tranquility of night. Then she realized it truly was getting darker, and she forced herself to look up. One of the larger Elders must have finally broken through, blocking out the sun itself as some show of power.
But it wasn’t that. She stared upward in confusion, and Eleonora followed her gaze. The sky was turning black, as dozens of dark circles seemed to materialize from nowhere. Soon the sounds of battle slowed, as even some of the massive Elders appeared to be looking at the pockmarked sky in confusion. And then the world went mad.
From those circles emerged enormous, burning chunks of rock, showering down by the hundreds. For a moment, Gwen’s numb mind just accepted this as a slightly more colorful end to a life she knew was over, but slowly she realized the meteors were only striking the endless monster hordes that stretched out for leagues in every direction.
She stood up in confusion, all thought of self defense forgotten in her confusion and surprise, but thankfully the enemy had no more time to consider the Keepers as more odd spectacles took place. New portals appeared, these ones lower to the ground and moving erratically around the field. From within came columns of burning plasma, as if the sun itself was being poured like liquid onto the enemy, disintegrating them with its fury.
Storm clouds were next, and soon lightning strikes joined the chaotic display as countless monsters died all around them. Only the Elders had managed to survive the initial assaults, though each showed devastating injury, and they seemed to be searching for any kind of escape as they backed away from the Keeper lines. This proved a mistake, as yet more displays of power appeared once the enormous beings were no longer surrounded by Keepers.
One Elder was torn limb from limb as portals opened all around it, and demonic arms reached forth from every direction to pull the screaming behemoth into some unknown hell. Another Elder was crushed by an enormous boulder that rolled with remarkable accuracy across the battlefield, devastating anything in its path. Everywhere Gwen looked there were energies and elements of every conceivable type and color, and remarkably, it appeared they had been saved.
The Keepers with the strength to do so were standing up, looking around in confusion and tenuous hope, still unsure of what miracle had come. At last Gwen spotted him, his familiar hat and flowing cloak billowing in the wind identifying him immediately as Salarus deL’estat, descending from above like some kind of vengeful god. Power seemed to radiate from him, and there could be no doubt that it was his remarkable Sorcery that had saved all their lives.
“Damn that man,” she said in a tired, disbelieving whisper.