Ruinous Return

Finala, Keeper of Ravens, ran to the ground floor of the Raven Tower to meet with Antiquarian Menora. "You wanted me?" she asked the other Duskari woman as she took short recovery breaths at the bottom of the spiral.

Menora nodded and pulled out a small, stone box. "I found this and knew it would be useful for you." She lifted the lid and pulled out a series of metal wires with a pair of small spheres on either hand. Setting the box down, she twisted the metal spheres, and the wires expanded and formed a slatted, metal, ball-like prison cell sized for a child. "The inscription on this artifact is astonishing. Any animal put inside it that is then affected by the item will have their strength increased by tenfold."

Finala's eyes went wide. "We could do so much with this! Given the new wyvern-sized ravens I've been working on, if we put them in this…perhaps with an animalism spell to temporarily shrink them…we could have—"

"Ravens that can carry thousands of pounds in a single trip," Menora finished with a grin. "Amazing, right?"

"You've outdone yourself," Finala said as she began to ascend the stairs. The antiquarian followed her. "I mean, with this, we can revolutionize trade. No reliance on trade caravans. Delivery at the speed of a raven's flight. We could even have raven riders!"

Menora was buzzing with energy. "That's what I was thinking! Imagine if I could ride through the skies to archaeological sites to find artifacts? I'd be able to explore so much of Ghomar and find all types of lost ruins! I could even go to the Ruins of Elent!"

Finala stopped at the top of the stairs and clicked her tongue as the ravens made a gap for her to walk through. She set up the sphere and turned back to Menora, who was scratching a raven's neck under the beak. "Ah, Whisperwing. That's Empress Rivers' personal raven."

Menora nodded. "I am aware."

"Oh, good!" Whisperwing replied with a perky tone. "I heard a little bit of what you were talking about with that sphere thingy. Can I get that? I want to be able to fly Lawry around Lynhold."

Finala smiled. Empress Rivers had given permission for the child of the Healer and Guardian heroes to come up to the Raven Tower and, for lack of a better term, keep the birds company. Surprisingly to the keeper of ravens the boy was a natural with all three kingdom's languages, and she had started teaching him the basics of Arinol. He had a potent mana core – to be expected of the child of two heroes – and seemed to have the same "knack" for Animalism as she did. She had taken him under her wing.

Finala walked over to Whisperwing. "Yes, we can put you in first. Let's give it a go."

"Oh good! The kid needs to experience the joys of flight. And I'm sure Trisha would be grateful. She is such a good mom. Did you know Lawry also likes sunflower seeds?"

Lyn collapsed into her bed and fell asleep. She did not dream. She simply faded into the darkness of slumber. Thanks to the Shifter core, she could keep all her draconic traits active – including an ability to sense vibrations in the air that those creatures relied upon to defend their hoards as they slept. She roused as she felt the air in the room shift, sitting up, and she spied the crack in the door.

"Who's there?" she asked in Arinol.

"Just me, Lyn." The voice of Vael came through. "You have been sleeping for three days, and I felt it prudent to check on you."

Lyn sat up and yawned. "It's been that long? Damn." She grabbed her amulet and swapped to Sloren. "Steward Mol, respond."

"Aye lass," the gruff voice came back.

"How goes the campaign?"

"Ah, the army be marchin' tae Komorra. There have been no troops tae counter us."

"Odd. There were garrisons last we checked, yes?"

"Aye, lass. They be gone."

Concerning. "Keep me informed." She let the amulet drop from her grip and lay back in the bed.

"Lyn?" Vael asked.

"What is it?"

Vael closed the door behind herself and walked to the edge of the bed. "You need to take a break. Even a goddess needs to rest occasionally."

Lyn nodded and yawned. "I would not mind a lazy day in bed. Mind bringing food?"

"I'll get it at once." Vael stood and left the room, but Gael slipped in the door past her and shut the door behind himself.

"You look well," he said with a slight smile.

Lyn sat up. "I needed some sleep. A few days of nothing save for casting spells, ferrying troops from Trisk to the new defenses on the Azure Divide and destroying two fleets…" she trailed off as she sighed and shook her head.

Gael sat down on the bed and put a hand on her leg, gently squeezing it. "I can't imagine the burden on your shoulders."

Lyn smiled and nodded. "Yes…my duties take me far and wide across Ghomar."

"Isn't this why you chose to delegate?"

"Yes. But when I can get directly involved and save lives? I'd rather be exhausted in the short term. There should be plenty of time to relax after this war is done." There won't be any wars after. I can crush any hint of uprising…and who would want to rebel against an empress that provides all they need?

"Problems for another day," Lyn replied. Vael returned and set the food down on the table, taking up her guard at the interior of the door. Lyn looked at the plate of food, got up, and devoured the repast before going back to lie down in bed.

Vael smiled. "What else do you require?" she asked with a sultry voice.

Lyn chuckled and shook her head as she put her arms behind her neck. "Honestly? I just need a distraction from life for a while."

"What kind?" Gael asked.

"The carnal kind," Lyn replied as she looked at the twins lustfully. "Which of you desires to serve me this…morning? Evening? I don't know what time it is."

"Morning," Vael replied as she began removing her armor. "I would be honored to help distract you from your thoughts."

Lyn looked past her and to Gael. Worth a shot. "Feel like joining us?"

He looked at his sibling, and the two exchanged a look. He shrugged and cracked a lust-filled grin. "I won't do anything with my sibling, but I am more than happy to help serve you alongside her. You deserve something special…a treat, I suppose. For all your hard work."

Score, Lyn thought as she grinned. She thought back to Zack's message left behind with the Rogue core. Threesome with the twins.

Vael took off her equipment and stretched, showing off her slender, pale body with just the right curves. As she tied back her bright, pale as moonlight hair, the hungry look in her eyes left no room for doubt as to what she intended. As the Duskari woman crawled into the bed with Lyn, the Destroyer willed her armor to recede into the storage choker.

Lyn gasped as Vael began her pleasurable activity. Before she had realized what was happening, Gael was next to her, had removed his armor, and gripped her horns as he forced her head to face him. The feel of his firm, warm grip on the surprisingly sensitive horns sent jolts down her spine and she had to focus on not crushing Vael's head from a knee-jerk reaction to the pleasure jolting through her.

She felt the ecstasy flow across her own form at the loss of herself to exultation of the flesh; the sensation of having someone else take control – someone that she trusted – soothing away any of the worries of her life.

All that existed was the here and now. The pleasure that she was enjoying as the trio indulged in their shared passion of physical intimacy.

There was a knock at the chamber door, and Gael swiftly stood up and walked to it, cracking it open slightly. He looked back at Lyn. "Empress Rivers, Mage Stellas wishes to see you."

Lyn gestured for her to be let in, and Gael opened the door wide as the Vharthon woman came in and curtsied. She began speaking in Vharthonian. "I wanted to speak with you about your home world."

Lyn froze and glared at the woman, feeling her tone unintentionally drop to the draconic voice. "What?"

"Thomas let it slip. That you are the Scout hero from the last cycle that was blurred in the memories of all on Ghomar."

Lyn frowned. "Well, why do you bring it up?"

Stellas bowed. "I meant no offense. I…he told me of his – your – home world. Some place called Earth. Well, I had an idea. Instead of creating a summoning verse…what if you made a tunnel between the two worlds?"

No, was Lyn's first thought. I don't want anything to do with Earth. It's a planet going to hell, with authoritarian governments, climate change…The more she thought on it, however, the more what Stellas had said made sense.

The Vharthon continued. "And, if you did make a bridge between the two worlds after obtaining every hero core…you could return to your home world and fix it. Rule it with benevolence, just like you are doing on Ghomar."

Lyn pondered the idea. I could fix things. I know that spells work back on Earth since I could manifest mana and shot lava off into God-knows where. I could fix all of climate change in one go by just sucking the crap out of the atmosphere with a spell. I could—

But her Destroyer core…buzzed, in an odd way that she hadn't felt before. It gave her a sense of unease. Must be the Ruler core warning me against a course of action. Lyn shook her head. "I don't think conquering Earth would be a good idea, not anytime soon." The uneasy feeling subsided. Yeah. Thanks, weird Ruler core.

Stellas frowned. "Then I would ask for permission to attempt a reverse summoning to go to this world you originate from."

"Why would you want to go there?" Lyn asked.

She saw Stellas' eyes practically sparkling with eagerness. "Knowledge. Thomas has told me of the wonders of his old world. Instant communication. Heating and cooling at a whim. Metal contraptions that fly across the skies. A huge information repository available to practically every person."

Lyn sighed and rubbed her eyes. "And if I said no?"

"I would do it myself," the Vharthon replied confidently.

She looked past Stellas and to Gael, who was listening intently, despite not understanding the language, watching Stellas' body and hearing the tone of what was being discussed. Lyn cleared her throat. "Well…I suppose there is little harm in coming up with a spell that enables you to scout it out. I have no idea what you'd encounter, but a properly crafted spell would enable you to return when you willed it. It will be extremely mana intensive, however. I could activate all parts of the inscription save for the shifting aspect."

Lyn nodded, sure of the path she was putting forward. "Put in an order with the feysmiths – some artifact that enables you to use shifting internal spells. When this war comes to an end, and the mage school has another instructor who can take your position…then I will send you to investigate." She held up her finger. "But…never forget who you serve. You'll go there to investigate. Scout things out."

Stellas practically squealed with delight as she bowed deeply. "My thanks, Empress! Oh, you won't be sorry. I'll go there and—"

"Patience," Lyn muttered. "You will go when the empire can afford you to be gone. For now, you are needed with your students at the mage school. And this will not just be a chance for you to experience Earth…you will be scouting. If…" Her heart fluttered slightly, and she took a deep breath. "If we do this, you are cataloguing every possible effect of the spell. Time dilation, how spells function when you're on Earth, taking account of the geopolitical environment, and gathering information from a special network. I'll have Thomas explain." She picked up her amulet and willed mana into it.

Thomas's voice came through in English. "Hey Lyn, what's up?"

"Stellas told me about the whole world-bridge thing. She'll give you the details of our conversation…but I want you to start making her a survival guide to modern-day Earth."

Thomas stumbled over his words for a moment before speaking clearly. "You sure?"

Lyn looked at Stellas and nodded as she continued speaking to Thomas. "She is going to check things out…in case I decide that Earth requires my benevolence. And, bring back as much knowledge as she can get her hands on. We'll talk about the details later."

"Heard loud and clear," Thomas replied. "Honestly, once you get all the hero cores, you can make that world-bridge easily. Hell, with spells, you could just take over the world and impose your rule on it."

The Ruler core under the Destroyer core did not give off the feeling of unease as before. Is this really the path forward? To conquer the world I came from? The core was silent. That's not me though. I'm not a conqueror. Ghomar is my home, now.

But she mulled over Thomas's words. She could fix every single problem that plagued Earth. Billions lived in poverty – she could lift them out of that. Millions died to diseases – she could cure them. Corrupt governments ruled the people with fear and division – she could rid the world of those people and unite everyone under a common cause. All these possibilities swirled in her head. How far am I willing to go?

"You there?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah. For now, just give Stellas what I've asked." She let the amulet drop from her grip and switched to Vharthonian. "You may go. Thomas will help get you acquainted."

Stellas bowed and left, and Lyn flopped back on the bed. Just a few more hours. She curled up next to Vael and dozed off.

The small council met in Lyn's throne room. The seats where Steward Mol and Marshal Remora normally sat were vacant, and as Lyn welcomed her other councilors, she could feel the unease in the air. "Report out," she stated.

Chancellor Vehenna stood and bowed. "Empress, King Skir reports that his invasion of Valagonia from the north has encountered not a single person. The whole duchy of Ishtok is abandoned. They will clear Biskon and Brol. Steward Mol has reported similar results on Komorra, Rist, and Logor. He is on his way with the army to Skrell, where they will meet up with Trisk's forces."

Spymaster Velenna tapped her fingers on the table. "Princess Cecily is pulling every single citizen and every garrisoned soldier back to her capital. There is no other explanation. And she has apparently caught on to our use of both ravens and Newen seers. Ravens sent to scout and report back have not returned, and there is an enormous inscription carved into the ground all around the capital that is being fueled by some mana source that blocks divination."

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Lyn nodded. "I will join our army when they group up to march on the capital itself. What else to report?"

The two glanced at each other before Vehenna spoke. "Life in the empire is satisfactory to its citizens. Lynhold is continuing to add new citizens who are either shipped in by Bashinol or are choosing to resettle."

Lyn leaned forward. "What about the criminals that are coming in with the populace?"

Velenna grinned. "We are identifying them with the diviners, and pulling them aside to subject them to the statues to remove their foul intent."

It may seem dystopic, but it is either this, or waiting for them to break a law and then imprisoning them. "Good. Continue the excellent work. Anything else?"

"Nothing, Empress," Vehenna stated.

Lyn stood up. "Right then. I am leaving Lynhold for a short time and will travel to our troops after my journey is complete."

"May I ask where?" Velenna asked.

"I'm going to claim the last hero core."

"Mama, why did we have to leave home?" the child asked as he held his corn-husk puppy-doll.

"Our monarch called us to her," his mother said softly as they entered the outskirts of Cecilaria and waited in a line to be admitted.

The boy looked around at the tall buildings with sweeping arches and flowers all over. Dark, red flowers. "I don't like it here," he muttered as he clutched his mother's hand.

"It's just a big city, that's all. Those buildings are just like our house, only taller."

"Bigger."

She nodded. "Yes, bigger." She kept her eyes fixed on the entry archway with the table and guards. Eventually, their turn in line came up, and she gave the information asked for.

The guard behind looked at her son and cracked a wide smile. "Hey there, little man." He looked up at her. "Is he your only child?"

The woman shook her head. "No. I have a son fighting on the western front, and a daughter in the navy."

The man clicked his tongue and nodded curtly. "Well, keep that boy safe." He wrote something down on a slip and handed it to her. On it was written exempt.

"Exempt from what?"

The man sighed and stood up, waving another guard over to take his spot. "Shift change, so I can walk and talk. Come, I'll take you to the housing district." He led the way down winding streets and explained that every able-bodied person was being enlisted in the army. "I hate to tell you the bad news, but your other two kids are goners."

She stopped in the street and felt her heart racing. Picking up her son, she clutched him close to her. "You're lying…"

"Afraid not," he muttered as he gently grabbed her elbow and led her toward a large building. "You're exempt from service. Single mothers only. If you had a spouse, one of you would have to serve."

"Is…the war going that poorly?"

The guard opened a door and led her into the building, up several flights of stairs, and to a door with a key hanging from a central peg. He grabbed the key, unlocked the door, and ushered the two into a decently appointed apartment. Much better than their own house in terms of furniture and comfort. He shut the door behind them and lowered his voice. "You can't repeat what I'm going to tell you, are we clear?"

She nodded. "What happened on the western front?"

"I'm only telling you this because you look like my own daughter, and your boy looks like my grandson." He dropped to a whisper. "The whole western army was destroyed by a dragon. The navy was destroyed by fleets of Ari sailors. Every person left in Valagonia is being rushed to the capital to put together a last-ditch effort to survive."

She sat on the couch and held her son even tighter. "The princess?"

His tone shifted to a conversational volume. "Alive and well, Aelor be praised. She is our prophesied ruler who will lead us against those non-Human animals."

"Princess Valagonia be praised."

The guard nodded. "Praise to her." He saluted. "Keep your child safe, ma'am." He looked to the child who was peering with apprehensive eyes. "And you, kiddo, keep your mom safe." He turned and set the key on a small table, shutting the door behind him.

"Mommy, I'm scared."

She brushed his hair. "It's okay. We're safe." Princess Cecily will protect us.

Thane Mol rode alongside Marshal Remora. He was on a ram equal in size to the horse that she rode.

"I cannot believe we have yet to find a single soldier," Remora commented in Shereldian.

Mol nodded. "It caen' be helped. I want tae crack some heads, but ther' are none."

Remora nodded and reached into her hip pouch, pulling out a small notepad. "We have fifteen thousand of a mixed force. Even if the princess raises a force of conscripts, we should be more than capable of finishing them off."

Mol nudged his mount to move up the column and the marshal kept pace. "We caen't under-guess her."

"If she had a standard garrison to patrol each duchy and the ducal seat, then that is…four thousand trained troops. Five hundred per region."

"An' they be fortified. A big city, Cecilaria. Big walls."

"Empress Rivers is going to join us before that. Plus…" She looked out beyond their column to the nearby army making their own way across the land. "King Skir's commander is leading twenty thousand of their kingdom's best. I really don't think we should be concerned."

Mol shook his head. "I seen things, lass. A small army can win 'gainst a large one."

Remora nodded. "I am aware. But we have the Destroyer on our side."

Mol chuckled and nodded. "Aye, we 'ave that, lass."

Maria walked out of the fortress with one of her guards. Lynhold had been quite hospitable to her and her family, and James had reached out to contact her through a communication mirror brought by an elderly Duskari woman. He had survived, and as far as Khrelardia was concerned, the war was over.

"My lady, where do you wish to go?" a Khrelardian Human who had moved to the city a few months prior inquired. He had volunteered his services to help Maria move about the new and unfamiliar city.

"I would like to see where my boys are being educated," she replied. They had left the tutors behind in their flight from Kor's Hold, and the Shifter hero whom she had met before had asked if she wanted the boys to attend classes while they were here. The fact that a hero was seeking her out and offering spoke volumes to Maria. But, to be safe, they had the other king's guard with them.

Her volunteer guide led her to the eastern "wedge" of the city, where facilities devoted to education and training were located. A series of single-story buildings with large glass walls that looked out upon lush garden plots and areas for physical exercise were laid out. As they approached, she spotted Lawrence and waved to him.

He finished conversing with a Sloren woman and walked over, holding a board with sheaves of parchment on it. "Good to see you, Maria," he said in her home tongue. "Here to see the facilities?"

"I would appreciate a tour, yes. And to check in on the children."

Lawrence nodded and gestured with the board. "Of course, please. Follow me." They walked between several buildings that were all the same in design. "We are drawing upon influence from my world. Children are given an examination – a test – to determine their abilities."

He gestured to the row of buildings on their right. "These are the rooms where they study based upon those abilities. Each year, they are given an exam, or an opportunity to showcase their improved understanding, and then move up to the next building in the row."

He gestured to the buildings on the left. "However, education shouldn't just be about learning how to write, read, mathematics – number manipulation – Elenthir, and history. It is also about learning how to socialize in a healthy way with others while building tolerance of the different cultures and races around you. That is what this other set of buildings are for. For every hour spent being instructed, children have a half-hour of time to socialize with their peers of the correct and appropriate age group."

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Maria nodded. "I was worried that my boys would be playing with older children who were rougher."

Lawrence chuckled and nodded. "I understand. While being instructed, age is put aside in favor of ensuring the child is learning something they find challenging and is at their skill level. But outside of instruction, those left-side buildings are sorted by age grouping. Your boys won't be playing rough with the older students."

As he was speaking, there was a loud ring that echoed throughout the space, originating from a tower erected in the center of the campus. Children of all ages were led from the buildings before sorting themselves into their various age groups. Maria spotted her two boys and walked over to them.

The twins spotted her and ran over, "Mother! This place is way better than that study and the tutors," Tevol said as he practically was buzzing with enthusiasm.

Tovol nodded. "It's way better!"

One other boy who was a spitting image of the Guardian hero walked over. He bowed slightly. "Queen Marshall?"

She smiled. "My, what good manners." She looked at her own boys and winked at them. "You two should remember you are princes and learn some of his manners."

Her twins looked back at the other boy and stuck their tongues out at him before they shared a laugh. The one boy who had approached smiled. "I'm Eli Baxter. My father said that he fought with Tevol and Tovol's father. He's the Paragon hero?"

Not anymore, Maria thought. But she had to keep appearances up. Only her, her husband, and Empress Rivers knew that he no longer had the Paragon core. "Yes, my husband is King James Marshall."

"See? I told you my dad was the Paragon!" Tovol said to Eli.

Maria looked past the boys and spotted the other guard who had fled with her from Kor's Hold. He was standing a short distance away and monitoring the situation. She gave him a curt nod, and he returned it, acknowledging his duty to protect her boys.

"Oh, ask now," Eli said to the twins.

"Ask what?" Maria replied.

The twins both synched up as they often did. "Please let us stay at Eli's house!"

"The Baxter house?" She looked at Eli. "Did you ask your parents' permission first?"

Eli looked down at the ground. "No."

She smiled softly. "I'll go talk to them and see if it is okay. Your mother is the Healer hero, yes?" Eli nodded and she continued. "Is she at her hospital today?"

"Yes," Eli muttered.

Maria looked to the guard next to her. "Swap places with your compatriot. He deserves a breather from guarding the children."

The man nodded tersely and switched with the other king's guard. Maria gave her boys a hug before departing, the trio of children running off to join a girl who looked just a year younger, and a slightly older Valagonian boy.

The hospital was in the same "wedge" of the city as the schools were, and there was a steady stream of people coming and going from the facility. Maria waited patiently in line, marveling at the pure silver building. "What is it made of?" she asked Lawrence who had chosen to accompany her.

"That is something called stainless steel. Something from my world that Empress Rivers was able to conjure up using transmutation spells. It is incredibly easy to clean, sterile, and won't rust. Having the whole building made of the stuff means that we can use water spells to clean the entire facility to prevent infections."

"What's an infection?" Maria asked.

"Ah, when a wound gets all yellowish and nasty."

Maria nodded, having experienced such an injury and only having it healed by an herb-laced poultice back when she lived on the streets. "And where is the Healer hero?"

Lawrence took her out of the line, and the citizens made way for the man; quite obviously feeling like he deserved the special treatment. He must be quite important to he city, she thought. He led her up the stairs and to the third floor, where the building material changed from the metal and into a rustic wooden structure that lent her a sense of comfort and familiarity. "The medical offices here on the top floors. We are working on keeping a record of every person in Lynhold to keep track of their medical history. Injuries, illnesses, etcetera."

"And the purpose of this tracking?"

A female voice replied from down the hall. "To look for patterns."

Lawrence gestured ahead. "Queen Marshall, this is Trisha Baxter, Healer hero. Trisha, I'll leave you to it." The Shifter hero left and descended the stairs.

Maria walked forward and curtsied slightly. "Lady Baxter, a pleasure to meet you. Please call me Maria."

The Healer hero smiled and waved for the queen to follow her into a sumptuous and welcoming office. "Just call me Trisha. And to finish answering your question, if we keep records of illnesses and injuries, we can track down an outbreak of a disease and fix it quickly. Or, in the case of injury, we can investigate and see what's causing the phenomenon, and then make appropriate changes to ensure it does not happen again." She gestured to a chair opposite her desk, and Maria sat down opposite the Healer hero.

There was a crib in the corner, and she could hear the slight breathing of sleeping children. "Yours?" she asked.

Trisha nodded. "My two youngest." She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk. "How can I help you?"

"Your son Eli has taken a liking to my boys. He asked if my boys could spend the night at your home."

"A sleepover? I don't see a reason why not. Let me ask my husband first." She gripped the amulet on her neck and spoke in her world's weird language, waited silently for a few seconds, and then let the amulet go. "He is fine with them staying the night. We can also provide accommodation for your king's guard."

Maria smiled. "I thank you for that. May I ask you a few more questions?"

"Of course. Let me get some tea, and we can talk as much as you like."

The sound of silence is all that greeted Kory's ears as he sat in the cell deep within God-knows where. The only distraction from his boredom were books. He tried to get into a fitness routine as he languished, but sadly he could not do many exercises with only one arm and one leg. Fucking Lyn, taking my limbs. He felt the phantom pain of those limbs like they were still there. But he knew better.

The time alone and without the Berserker core gave him plenty of time to reflect on his life. And he had concluded that he was an unredeemable bastard. He had killed so many people he couldn't even count them in his mind. When he closed his eyes, he could see the blood, gore, and feel the fear in the air like a palpable fog.

The first few weeks, he would wake up screaming and sucking in deep lungfuls of air as he reflexively struck out with his fist and foot at the specters of the past. Tears coated his cheeks, and he would struggle to find rest again. All of the horrors of the past visited upon him in his waking nightmares.

There was a shuffling noise that immediately caught his attention, and the usual Duskari brought in a platter of food, sliding it through the slot at the bottom of the jail cell. Kory did the usual routine – placing the shit bucket at a smaller side panel of the cell. The Duskari took the refuse and left, coming back with a clean bucket, several strips of cloth, and a fresh bucket of water that Kory swapped out.

He had learned quickly enough that if he showed rude behavior, he would not be fed, have his crap taken out, or get fresh water. He had to play nice. After a week of consistent "good" behavior, the cell was unlocked and a group of Duskari – several of whom were heavily armed and armored, brought in a wooden tub, filled it with warm water, and helped him bathe.

All in all, he was being treated well as a prisoner. And Kory had seen some truly shitty prisons here on Ghomar. The Duskari left him with the bucket of water and his meal. As Kory began eating, he heard another noise of someone approaching. A familiar gait. "Hi, Trisha," he mumbled as he continued to eat the weird fuzzy bacon.

She sat down on a stool on the opposite side of the bars. "You look well."

Kory grunted in response as he scarfed down the food. She stayed quiet until he had finished the whole platter of food, and Kory took a sip of the water before looking at the woman in the faint light of the lantern she had brought with her. "What do you want?"

"I want to continue your therapy—"

"No," Kory growled as he lay back on the reed bed.

"If you don't confront the past, then you'll never get better."

"What if I don't want to get better? What do I have to live for, anyways? I'm going to be a prisoner forever."

"Not necessarily," another voice said from the darkness. Brad walked out of the darkness and pulled out a wooden box, opening it and popping some type of object into his mouth that he began chewing. "Trisha, want some? It's strawberry."

"I'm good," she replied. "What are you doing here?"

Brad sat down on the floor outside of the bars. "Just here to talk."

Kory stared at the man. The class pothead. The guy who Cecily had captured and practically enslaved. "There's nothing to talk about," Kory said.

"Well, I have news to share, then. Cecily's army to the west of Valagonia is gone. Lyn destroyed it."

"Figures," Kory muttered as he rolled onto his side to face the Alchemist hero. "She's fucking strong. Cecily doesn't stand a chance."

Brad nodded. "Want some strawberry gum?"

Kory smirked and held out is one good hand. Brad placed the small wad of gum in his palm, and Kory savored the flavor of real strawberries – something he had not experienced in many, many years.

Trisha sighed. "Well, if we aren't going to get any therapy done, we can at least talk about what's next for you."

Kory frowned as he chewed. "Lawrence has the final say."

"I do," the voice of the Shifter hero replied as he, too, arrived. Thomas was next to him, and the two sat down as well. "And after talking to Thomas…I think the best thing would be sending you back to Earth."

Kory let out a barking laugh. "As a fucking cripple missing his arm and leg? Yeah, what the fuck would I do there?"

Trisha sighed. "We don't know if magical prostheses would function the same on the other side," she said to Lawrence.

"Lyn has enough mana she could probably completely regrow limbs," Thomas replied. "And, she is planning on sending the Vharthon mage, Stellas, to scout out Earth. I'm sure she would be open to sending Kory along as well."

"To do what? Work for her?" Brad asked.

"No. Just sending them both in the same journey," Lawrence replied. He stared hard at Kory. "By all rights, you should be judged and punished for the horrible things you've done. But after thinking for a while…exiling you back to Earth is the most ethical option. No one will know what you did here on Ghomar."

Kory felt a shudder of fear. "You don't know what will happen," he replied trying to keep his voice calm but unable to prevent the slight undercurrent of panic fully repressed.

Thomas shook his head. "You're right, we don't know what will happen. But you are the perfect test subject. A native of Earth with a native of Ghomar. It's a possibility that can't be passed up."

"Why?" Trisha asked. "Why even test it?"

Lawrence and Thomas shared a look, but Brad is the one who spoke. "Lyn's contemplating taking over Earth also, isn't she?"

Trisha gasped. "What?"

Thomas frowned but nodded. "It's something she said is not off the table of considerations. And honestly? It would be the best thing to do. Look at how fucked up Earth is. Even if time has passed, do you think it would have gotten any better?"

That comment brought a sense of realness to the whole conversation, and everyone went quiet with their own thoughts for a moment. Except for Kory. "Fuck that bullshit," he growled. "Fucking Lyn thinks she's so important that she can take over the whole world?"

Brad turned to him, and with surprising fervor, tore into Kory. "You fucking shut the hell up you piece of shit. She's done more for this world than you've ever done! People on Earth would be privileged to have her take over."

Kory chuckled and shook his head. "Damn, she has you thralled, doesn't she? Either that or you are fucking in love with her or some shit."

Brad stood up. "I'm not thralled. I came here of my own free will. And I honestly think that she's the best chance for not just Ghomar, but Earth, also." He turned and left the chamber, as the other heroes stared after him.

Trisha spoke quietly but just loud enough to be heard. "I…I don't know what to think about this. Is Lyn really considering taking over Earth?"

Thomas nodded. "It's an option. Think about it; a truly enlightened monarch with the power to quite literally fix the world's problems all on her own. Climate change? Reversed. Poverty and hunger? Gone. She could make it a utopia."

Kory shook his head. "You have to deal with Cecily first, and she isn't going down without a fight."

Lawrence shrugged. "Who cares if she fights? She'll lose. I've seen Lyn do things that are incomprehensible." He looked to Kory, "It's your choice as long as Lyn signs off. What we do with you is my decision. I won't force you to take part in an experiment." He left the chamber, leaving just Thomas, Trisha, and Kory in the dim light of the lantern.

Thomas looked at Kory, and his eyes seemed to bore into Kory's soul. "You did fucked-up stuff. If I was in charge of you, you would be executed immediately. But…you don't have a hero core anymore. You've got a mana core of a Ghomar native, which means you'll be reborn here when you die."

I know that, you asshole. Kory had tried to surge his mana core and circulate it to start building up strength again, but it was extremely weak. He barely had enough mana to send the smallest amount up and down his mana channels. Fucking Lyn, taking my power from me. Who does she think she is?

Trisha stood up. "If you want it, Kory…I can help you end things."

Kory looked up at her, and Thomas glanced her direction before leaving. Kory shook his head, "No. Pops didn't raise a coward. But you tell Lawrence, I'm not going to be some guinea pig for some stupid experiment."

Trisha nodded. "I'll check in on you in a few days. If you want to keep doing talk therapy, that is."

Kory shook his head vehemently. "No. No more thoughts and feelings bullshit. Just leave me alone to rot."

He saw Trisha's eyes begin to well with moisture, but she simply nodded and left. Kory was alone with his thoughts, the small pile of books, and a sense of uncertainty as to his future.

James sat on his throne as he listened to the seemingly endless line of people who had come to air out their grievances and have judgment rendered in the royal court. The hours dragged on as he made decisions on all types of affairs. He leaned over to his chamberlain. "How much longer must we keep open court?"

"A few more hours, Your Highness."

James sighed and gestured for the next person to walk forward. A young man, with a sword strapped to his waist, whose skin appeared to be completely covered with bark. Where his eyes would be, only two small, glowing dots were present. There was no mouth, nose, or even ears. He began gesturing in his race's sign language which relied on hand motions and full-body movement.

A translator leaned over and whispered in James's ear, "He is asking Your Highness why the Botal were not called to fight with Valagonia."

James nodded and looked at the Botal. Their race could communicate with each other telepathically if they were standing upon dirt or soil, but when interacting with other races, they had to rely on this external sign language. James began speaking, and his translator made several gestures. "I did not call upon the Botal simply because relaying orders would have been too difficult."

The Botal warrior began gesticulating rapidly and the translator continued his job. "He is asking Your Highness why the Botal were not given the opportunity to defend their homeland in a separate force despite their small number."

James nodded. "You are more than welcome to form a contingent of your own kind and work under the direction of my new high lord and leader of my military. I will direct him to find you. Please, feel welcome to stay in the royal courtyard. We'll ensure some nice, fertile soil is made available."

More gesturing and more translating. "He thanks you, and swears that the Botal will do all they can to support the kingdom." The plant-man bowed and was led out by a young court page.

There were a few other reasons, James thought, why we didn't call up the Botal to fight. Not only would the command structure have struggled to integrate their unique need for orders, but the Botal were extremely vulnerable to flames. Plus, they were very few in number. He did not want to allow a group of people, even a very odd race like them, to risk their lives when their numbers were so few. But…he could use them along the Azure Divide. The walls Lyn had raised were currently manned by Trisk's soldiers, and he knew that he would have to have his own forces to augment them. "Send word to my high lord that I want him to talk with that Botal as soon as possible and send them to the Azure Divide."

"Your will be done. There are a few more matters to address, my king." The chamberlain gestured, and a group of women approached.

The leader amongst them, a middle-aged Fosk woman, curtsied slightly before crossing her arms. "Where are our husbands and sons? There has been no word of them since the victory at the Azure Divide."

James leaned forward. "Casualties were…quite numerous. Rest assured, those of you who lost a loved one will be compensated by the cro—"

"We don't want compensation!" one of the women shouted.

"We want our boys back!"

"Our husbands!"

Soon enough there was an uproar in the throne room, and guards surrounded James's throne to hold back the group of angry women. What the fuck do I do? Do I tell them the truth or just have them thrown out? Throwing them out could foment rebellion – but Lyn would crush that if it truly threatened the peace.

But this was James's kingdom. He might be subservient to Lyn's empire, but he had to rule how he saw fit. Lying would sow distrust, but he could obfuscate the facts slightly as there were no survivors. "If you calm, I will tell you what happened!" he shouted over the din. Over a minute the women quieted and waited for him to speak. "Princess Cecily Valagonia arrived on the far side of the Azure Divide. Our forces met, and when she saw the tide turning against her, she performed a vile spell that caused Khrelardia's valiant armies to turn on each other. They slew the rest of her army, before turning on each other – down to the last man."

The women were sullen and silent, save for the one at the lead, who was incensed. "How'd you get out then?"

James stood up and held his sword horizontally in front of him, and willed it to hover. "I was flying above the combat, slaying our enemies from above. The Khrelardian army that turned on each other were unable to attack me. If I was on the ground, I would have surely been slain as well." That part is the total truth, he thought.

"Prove it," the woman stated.

"Do you not trust the word of the Paragon hero?" James asked as he sat down once more. "Don't forget, I stopped Kristoph's father, and brought Kristoph to the people for justice. I slew the Demonic Dragon. Without me, Khrelardia would be a very, very different place. I negotiated peace with Empress Rivers, the Destroyer, who could obliterate our kingdom with a thought. So, once more I ask…do you not trust my words?"

The woman frowned but nodded curtly. "Fine. We want our compensation now."

James nodded and leaned over to his chamberlain. "The widows and orphans fund is fully funded, yes?"

"It is, Your Highness. Empress Rivers provided large quantities of precious metals and the new coinage to ensure it was full to the brim."

"Then let us speed up the distribution, starting with these women." James raised his voice so all could hear. "Leave your names and your place of residence with one of the pages, and we will see you are compensated before the day's end."

The group of women bowed and left – all save the one in the lead who did not bow but simply left with her arms still crossed.

I don't like this part of being a king, James thought as he sighed and gestured for the next in line to approach.

Lyn arrived in the heart of the Eastern Archipelago. The farthest island to the east. After her council meeting, she had checked her bracer and found a dungeon with a unique, orange light. One that wasn't there before. She had used the lightspeed travel spell to arrive and scanned the area trying to find it.

Holding her wrist up in front of her, she poured mana into the bracer to see the three-dimensional view of the area for miles. It's…in the sky? She looked up and scanned the skies above, eventually spotting a slight glimmer of something that was almost clear.

Unfurling her wings, she jumped up and flapped until she was in front of a glass circle floating in the sky. I've never dealt with a flying dungeon before. Interesting. She could not make out any writing detailing the name of the dungeon, and flapping forward she ran her hands along the top of it. It has no engraved name or title? Even the telltale purple film covering the entrance was not present.

She gently pushed her left hand through the space and saw that the film was also transparent as her hand vanished. This is fucking weird. She pulled her hand back, raised it to the sky, and incanted the black-lightning, hero core signaling spell. But she added a name to ensure that the signal was seen. That should get her attention, she thought as the lightning arced up into the heavens and shattered against the atmosphere, crackling out for hundreds of feet in all directions.

Alright. Buffing time. She took a deep breath and rapidly incanted the full suite of her combat spells. Her muscles bulged to their maximum possible – as they had previously – but she could feel…something off. A limiter that had been removed. The Berserker core? She pushed more mana into her mana channels to fuel the spell, and grunted in pain as she felt her skin split along her biceps as the muscles exceeded her flesh's capacity to stretch. This is what Kory was always dealing with? No wonder he was so irritable.

She stopped giving the spell excess mana, and her muscles submerged back under the skin, but the wound remained and oozed blood. "Anor min / nartho hain I daeth nin." She felt the pain recede and flew through the portal.

The room she arrived in was circular, unlike the prior dungeons with their square dimensions. The pedestal in the center of the chamber was shaped like an octagon when viewed from above. No clue what I'm facing. She pulled out Cataclysm and willed it to the short sword and shield form. Taking one last look around the room, she saw only the austere, white walls.

Alright. You got this, Lyn. She placed her palm on the pedestal…and nothing happened. "The fuck?"

A voice answered her back, and she jumped slightly. "You are here," the voice said in Elenthir, in a blend of tones and pitches. "You are here."

"No shit," Lyn replied. "What is this dungeon?"

"The trial of ascension. You are not worthy." The voices sounded disappointed.

Right, then I'll find another dungeon, find Gina's hero core, and then come back. She poured mana into her bracer and willed the bracer to track this dungeon's location as she left and flapped back out in the air.

She spotted a flickering, fast-moving object that came to a stop in front of her. A phantasmal mana core, floating in space. Intangible, yet somehow visible to her. It tried to fly into Lyn, but passed through and circled back around. "Gina? Is that you?"

The mana core seemingly bounced back and forth…almost as if it was excited?

"Right…um…hold on, let me try something." She willed herself to take on the Revenant hero's wraith form and tried to grab hold of the mana core. To her dismay, the core still phased through her. "Damnit. Hold on, let me try something else." She reverted to her corporeal form, reached into her storage choker, and pulled out one of the remaining dungeon cores that Thomas had collected. She opened the wooden sphere, and the floating core in front of her tried to fly into the one she held.

But the core wasn't consumed. "Sorry, Gina. Looks like you have to actually enter a dungeon and consume that core."

Gina's hero core flitted around Lyn's head before dashing off. Lyn flew after her as she put away the dungeon core and re-stored it. The mana core was flying fast, but slow enough for Lyn to keep up.

They flew several miles to the northwest, and through the night, and the following morning. Lyn checked her bracer and saw a dungeon dot smack in the middle of the Arin Isle. That wasn't there before, she thought. At least I didn't see it the last time I was close by. Someone must have completed a dungeon in between then and now. Or failed, I suppose.

She landed on the northern edge of the island and followed Gina's hero core underwater, slotting in the breathing bit from her storage choker and swimming deep into the depths of an abyssal shelf just off the edge of the island. Down, down into the darkness, and Lyn could see the movement of creatures in the depths.

Drawing up the Beastmaster core, she let her mana ooze out of her and let off a predatory aura. The creatures cleared off and soon enough she arrived at the bottom of the ocean. The pressure on her would have surely crushed her if not for the Shifter core seemingly forcing her body to compensate for the increased weight of water pressing on her.

There was a small crack that Gina's core slipped through, and thanks to the Elementalist core, Lyn could simply think of the spell effect she intended, and it would happen. A small tunnel was formed as she swam forward, and it shut back to the thin crevice behind her. She swam until she was under the center of the Arin Isle, and then followed Gina up another crevice.

She emerged in a dark chamber. Thanks to her Duskari nature, she could see well enough that the cave was barren – naught but a few rocks and dripping of moisture. She took out the breathing bit and stored it.

The floor was slick as some type of moss had grown on the rocks, and at the farthest end from her was a dungeon doorway made of strong wood, a square shape. Etched on the top were the words, "This door marks the dungeon of Breylon, keeper of scrolls. Threats within – history questions. Reward – mana core and secret knowledge."

Fuck. A history test? Lyn took a deep breath and pushed through the purple film, Gina's hero core floating alongside her and seemingly buzzing with excitement at the prospect of soon being freed. "Just hang in there," Lyn softly said.

The room interior was the usual cube shape, and Lyn felt a small sense of dread as she saw the altered pillar at the center of the room. Once I place my hand on the pedestal, I have thirty seconds to choose an answer. Thankfully, it was multiple choice, and there were four possible answers.

But if she got three wrong…it would be game over. She would be rejected from the dungeon, and it would travel elsewhere. And she did not have the spare time to keep dungeon delving. Not with Remora and Mol so close to Cecilaria.

She placed her hand on the pedestal, and the words in Elenthir showed up above her, floating in space.

"Who was the High Priest of Aelor in the age of the Elenthians?"

Good thing I have the Knowledge hero core. I cleared that guy's dungeon. Lyn tapped the part of the pillar with the glowing text for Fenoscion. The pillar flashed green, and then the question switched.

"What are the twin moons and sun named after?"

Tassisno and Tessella are the twin moons, and represent two lovers who were separated by death during the Age of Elent. The sun Toran was the best friend to both of them. She tapped the corresponding answer, and the pillar glimmered green. Gina's hero core buzzed with excitement. "Yeah, if I didn't have this Knowledge core to get perfect recall, I'd be screwed here," Lyn replied to the flitting trapped hero.

The message shifted once more. "Who is the 'one' deity worshipped by Elenthians? Creator of Ghomar?"

Thomas mentioned this when we found the throne in the Ruins of Elent. It's Raeloran. She tapped the corresponding icon.

The pillar flashed green once more before glowing a soft blue. The doors at the end of the corridor opened, and Lyn walked into the reward chamber. "All things considered, that was a cakewalk," she commented. "Must be because of you, eh?"

Gina's core flew around the wooden box, and Lyn walked up to the altar and opened it. She caught a glimpse of the gray orb before it swapped to a cream-colored, whitish-yellow. Lyn picked it up.

I knew where an easy dungeon was – well, easy for you now. Look at you. Ruler of a world-spanning empire.

"How have you been?"

I've been managing. You?

"I'm sorry we couldn't help you."

Don't be. I saw things that no one should have seen. And I hope you don't experience what I did.

"What is that?"

Visions of the future. Of possible futures. There is nothing set in stone…but I can see every single possibility. That amount of information…my brain couldn't handle it. I'm fine, now, because I'm not limited by my biology. But at the time…think of it like being strapped into a chair and being forced to watch hundreds-of-thousands of screens with the volume maxed.

Lyn felt a chill down her spine. "I don't want to experience that."

You shouldn't. You have a bunch of other mana cores exerting their influence on you. Not a singular Oracle hero core that is affecting you. That'll be nice, I'm sure.

"That's a relief," Lyn said as she smiled softly, staring into the swirling, soft cream-colored core. "Can you still see the future?"

I can see all possibilities. But if I tell you about any of them, then they may not come to pass.

"Noted. Is there anything you want me to do?"

Stop Cecily.

"No shit."

I mean it. I can't share any details, or else what must happen might not happen. This scroll here should provide some insight into what she is up to, but I can't say any more.

"Cryptic," Lyn replied. "But…I'm sure whatever you're saying is right."

I can tell you one thing. Don't do that special "ascension" dungeon yet. I can't say why…but just wait. Until after you deal with Cecily.

Lyn sighed and sat on the altar. "You never got to experience the world. You were taken from us too soon."

I plan on going through this Ghomar door I can see here. I'll experience it, I'm sure.

"Anything you want me to tell people?"

I've seen your memories and know what happened to Kory. He has suffered a lot, and I know he was crushed when I died…I'm going to leave a recording for him. Please let him hear it.

"Will do. Are you ready?"

This is the last hero core you need. After this, you'll be able to use every single spell type – external or internal. Also…the Oracle core will show you visions of possible futures. My best advice? Ignore them. Chasing down possible futures blinds you to your actual future.

Those words echoed what Raevan had told her, and Lyn nodded. "Thanks for that. Godspeed."

Take care, Lyn.

Lyn squeezed the mana core and felt it shoot down her mana channels. Unlike other hero cores that tried to fight against the Destroyer core, this one was submissive and was instantaneously absorbed. A lesser being, recognizing one that is of a higher tier of existence.

Lyn felt her vision go foggy and saw several small slivers on the edges of her vision. As she focused on one, it filled her whole sight and she could see herself on a throne, surrounded by thralled sycophants. Focusing on another sliver, it filled her vision, and she saw Cecily on her throne in the Valley of the Volcano. Right, I'll ignore those. Focus on the present, not possible futures. Lyn willed her Destroyer core to come to the forefront, and the small slivers faded from sight.

Reaching down to the scroll she unfurled it and began reading the Elenthir text.

The Elenthians successfully left their mortal coils and ascended to a higher state of being. This process was called "entering the ethereal." Mana cores may be affixed inside of people, but they are also partially phased out of our reality, in this "ethereal" plane of existence.

In the process of leaving behind their mortal coils, they lost their mana cores. An unintended consequence, which angered some who felt that Raeloran had betrayed them, by granting them access to such a spell without warning of the loss of their powers as a possibility. They hoped to have their powers whilst freeing themselves from their mortal coil. Those hopes were dashed.

The ethereal-form Elenthians split into two factions. Those that wished to stay behind and linger on or around Ghomar – enacting their will on an unknowing world by directly manipulating mana cores as a means of revenge against their creator; and those who wished to explore the stars and leave Ghomar behind, content with their lack of spellcraft as they traveled the cosmos as a pure being of thought.

When Raeloran split itself into Aelor and Raevan, the Elenthians who remained – all one hundred of them – attempted to slay the two deities by attacking their mana cores directly, knowing that this was their chance to get rid of godly influence entirely, and thus being able to have all Ghomar subject to their hidden machinations. By possessing the mana core directly, they could exert some influence or even full control over the weak-willed.

The two deities combined their power and sealed all the Elenthians that sought to rule the world from the ethereal realm through manipulating mana cores and altering the personalities of their host.

A storage dimension.

One that the new races of Ghomar called the abyss.

For those who are scholars reading this, you may wonder why the proper noun is not capitalized – that was done intentionally. People go looking for proper nouns, but not general ones.

Thus concludes your history lesson.

Lyn finished the passage, and the scroll melted to nothingness in her hands. Cecily…fuck. If what Gina had suggested earlier was that Cecily planned to open this storage dimension and release these things… I have to get there. Now. If these ethereal Elenthians got out, they could interact with people's mana cores… that effectively meant that these entities would be interacting with people's souls. And she had no clue what that could do.

She slapped her hand on the altar and returned to Ghomar, the dungeon vanishing behind her. She raised her hand. "Anno nin i gwelu en-galad." She turned into a bolt of blue light and raced across the skies of Ghomar.