by A F Kay
The very existence of this soul oath proved the Grandmasters kept secrets as well. It also meant a third set of forms called the Shadow Steps existed. He had assumed Mist was the Founder of Bamboo Steps and Thorn the Viper. Did that mean a third Founder existed? One for the Forbidden moves of the Shadow Steps?
Mist and Thorn had spoken with someone behind Ruwen when he’d stood by that headless statue. Had they been talking with this third Founder? One who obviously had wanted to stay hidden.
A surge of hope rose in Ruwen, but he quickly pushed it down. If the third Founder existed, why hadn’t they shown themselves when he arrived? He stood and walked around the rectangle building that held the crossing stone that would take him back home. But no mysterious third Founder appeared.
Ruwen strode back to the first temple and looked for anything out of place. Halfway around, he stopped and his heart thudded against his ribs. An arrow was embedded in one of the pillars. A stone arrow that looked identical to the ones in the quiver the headless statue wore.
Feeling a little foolish, Ruwen touched the arrow and spoke. “Is the third Founder here?”
“No,” a voice said from behind him.
Ruwen forced himself to turn slowly. A dark-skinned woman, identical to Mist and Thorn, leaned against the pillar behind him. Her eyes were so light blue they looked white.
“The third Founder is busy. I’m the first, and you can call me Dusk.”
Ruwen bowed deeply. “I am honored, Dusk. I did not notice you when speaking with your sisters.”
“I was there. You looked but did not see.”
Ruwen bowed again. “My apologies.”
“With training you will learn,” Dusk said and then tilted her head. “Do you know the difference between harmlessness and restraint?”
Ruwen shook his head.
“The capacity for violence.”
Ruwen considered the distinction and saw the truth in it.
“Thorn would approve of your helmet, but you are consistently restrained in your actions. Why?”
Ruwen didn’t answer immediately. This wasn’t the time to be flippant. Dusk didn’t seem in a hurry, so he thought about it, and the answer surprised him. “I grew up harmless, so I know the power of violence. A surgeon has more tools than a saw. So must I.”
Dusk nodded. “You are generous, and yet we have never had a soul here as heavy as yours. The ground trembles with your every step.”
That made Ruwen think of Sift. His friend always said “things” weighed the soul down. It was why he never took any loot. A sudden realization struck Ruwen. “Is that what I carried through the fog?”
“Yes, and Mist doesn’t understand how you can move. She was convinced you would never reach the summit. Oaths, gear, a Companion, a dungeon, and the hand of a god, clenched so tight around your soul, that even Mist can’t see it. My sisters think I’m wasting my time.”
The flame of hope in Ruwen’s chest flickered. “Why is it a waste?”
“Neither believe you will find your soul, and without that, you are an empty Master. Further advancement is impossible.”
“Oh,” Ruwen said, suddenly feeling a lot less optimistic.
Dusk laughed. “Cheer up. Neither one is great at seeing the hidden. They aren’t thinkers like us. You have already discovered some Shadow Steps, so finding your soul might be possible.”
“Thank you for believing in me.”
Dusk waved a hand at Ruwen. “I just want to keep an eye on you. Everyone you meet seems to get entangled with your fate. Even here, you collected a soul oath.”
Ruwen rubbed his right wrist where Echo had placed her blood name. “So those were actual people? I thought they were part of the trials.”
Dusk shrugged. “Everything is a trial.”
Ruwen looked down, thinking about all the trials he’d had since his Ascendancy. “I’ve noticed it, too. I’m like quicksand, smothering those close to me with danger.”
Dusk shook her head. “Do not carry other’s burdens. People only have themselves to blame.”
“I’ve heard that before,” Ruwen said, thinking of Ky. His curiosity overpowered his manners. “Can you tell me anything about your Steps?”
“What do you think they are?”
Ruwen frowned. “I believe the Shadow Steps were the original forms. I think you created the Viper and Bamboo Steps to hide the Shadow ones.” Ruwen thought about his fight with Phoenix. Ruwen had almost destroyed the pathways to the man’s Air Meridian. “I think the Steps can damage Spirit users.”
“Very good, Ruwen. Most think we just move through the Shadow Realm. But a few know our true power.”
“Which is?”
“We are god killers.”
Ruwen stared at Dusk in shock.
Dusk’s eyes grew distant. “Before the Enlightened One destroyed the balance, gods were common. But not everyone can Harvest, and many came from Spirit poor worlds with no possibility to advance, so other methods were required to balance these gods’ power.”
Ruwen had learned in the Spirit Realm that attaining the power of the Divine levels required seven of the twelve Meridians to connect to your center. “If you damaged or destroyed enough Meridian pathways, a god would lose their divinity.”
Dusk sighed. “It makes us very unpopular with the divine crowd, and an automatic target for assassination.”
Once all those gods found out Ruwen was an Axiom, that all his Meridians connected to his center, they would try to kill him anyway.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Dusk said. “Against the odds today, you earned the right to test for Master. If you pass the Master’s trial,” Dusk said and then paused. She held out her hand, revealing a translucent pearl on her palm. It grew bright and Ruwen squinted his eyes. The light disappeared and Dusk continued. “If you find enough of your soul to power this pearl, then I’ll offer you the Grandmaster path of a Shadow Strider.”
Ruwen froze. He’d heard that term before. It took him a moment to remember where. It had been in his room at the library. Tremine had used it as part of an introduction.
Ruwen gently took the pearl from Dusk. It felt cold, and he clenched it tightly. “Thank you for the opportunity.”
Dusk continued. “I’ve already assigned you a Sisen to mentor you on your path as a Shadow Grandmaster. Please don’t embarrass us by failing your Master’s test.” Dusk looked behind Ruwen and smiled. “Here she is now.”
Ruwen turned, already knowing who he’d find.
“Hey, kid,” Ky said. “Nice hat.”
Chapter 35
Ruwen bowed to Kysandra. He’d last seen her in Deepwell’s library just before he and Sift had left to get Hamma the day after Ruwen’s Ascendancy. It felt like a lifetime ago. “I survived Big D’s camping trip.”
“She barely did,” Ky said. “You took your time in the Spirit Realm.”
“He has been to the Spirit Realm?” Dusk asked. “How did he escape?”
Ruwen stepped away from the temple so he could see both women.
Ky crossed her arms. “Tell us how long you’ve been Step training.”
Ruwen winced. “That’s complicated.”
Ky pointed at Ruwen. “When I left him, two months ago, he thought the first Step was a squat, and I honestly didn’t think he’d survive the first three levels of the Pyramid.”
Dusk frowned. “I watched his forms. They are almost flawless.”
“That’s what the Addas told me,” Ky said. “Which is why I’m curious about his progress these last two months.”
Ruwen sighed. “I learned it all in less than a day.”
Both women stared at Ruwen.
“It started—”
Ky held out her hand, interrupting Ruwen. “I’ve heard your explanations before. Skip to the end.”
Ruwen reorganized his thoughts. “My bonded Bookwyrm, Rami, sped my thoughts while I used a technique to buffer the pain. Rami stretched those hours into four and a half years, all spent in con
stant Step practice.”
Dusk looked at Ky. “Bookwyrms are capable of such things?”
Ky raised her eyebrows. “Rami is Miranda’s daughter.”
Dusk studied Ruwen and then looked back at Ky. “The Addas only told us they had another candidate. It seems they omitted a few details.”
“To be fair,” Ky said. “I’m not sure how much they know.” Ky pointed at Ruwen. “He is more complicated than you can imagine.”
“How complicated?” Dusk asked.
Ky tilted her head. “Let’s see. He is Uru’s Champion. Multiple gods are actively trying to kill him, including Izac. He is soulbound to Miranda’s daughter. He is working on the Ink Lord quests. Miranda is mentoring the dungeon he bonded, and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her leave the Black Pyramid. I haven’t confirmed it, and I know it’s impossible, but I think he can Cultivate. Naktos banished him to the Spirit Realm and the rumors are Lalquinrial helped him return to the Material Realm with three other Champions of Uru.”
Four champions actually, Ruwen thought. It made him happy that Ky didn’t know about Izac’s Champion Jagen. She also didn’t know about killing Lalquinrial’s favorite Plague Siren or the Aspect that was stuck inside him. Ky suspected he could Cultivate but didn’t know he was an Axiom. Or that the Fourth Secret referred to him. But all that just strengthened her example, so he kept quiet.
Dusk looked at Ruwen. “You know Lalquinrial? Is that why you helped Echo?”
Ky looked from Dusk to Ruwen. “You know Echo?”
Ruwen held up his hands. “I don’t even know who Lalquinrial is. And Blapy has almost killed me multiple times.” He didn’t mention the time she had killed him with a lightning strike for accidentally Harvesting on the first level.
“Blapy?” Dusk asked.
“His nickname for Miranda,” Ky said quietly.
Dusk hissed. “You nicknamed the Companion, Blapy.”
Ruwen waved his hands this time. “That wasn’t my idea. Sift is a really dumb namer and he—”
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Ky said, interrupting Ruwen. “The Addas’ boy is his best friend.”
Dusk squinted at Ruwen. “We were aware of Miranda’s affection for Sift, but have only recently understood why. And as soon as that puzzle was solved, you appear. An even greater enigma. Miranda has never taken this much interest in someone.”
“Others will notice as well,” Ky said. She held up her palm and the tree symbol marking her as one of Ruwen’s hands glowed. “Uru has collected the debt that allowed me this path. I have no regrets. But, if he earns a place among us, it endangers the Clan. They could come for you.”
Dusk laughed. “We are always in danger, you know that Sijun.”
Ky bowed to Dusk. “Yes, Sisen.”
Dusk’s eyes gleamed. “The last person I met this ‘complicated’ was a terrible poet who destroyed the Universe. How interesting.”
Ky bowed again, and Ruwen followed her lead. When he rose, Dusk had disappeared.
Ky turned to Ruwen. “Kid, what in Uru’s name are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be defending your new city?”
“I had some time, so I thought I’d take care of a few things in Blapy. Then the Addas got me.”
“Can’t you ever just sit still?”
Ruwen considered the question. “Only when I’m reading.” When Ky didn’t immediately respond, his curiosity exploded. “Who’s Echo? What deal did you make with Uru? Is the Master’s trial hard?” After a moment, another question occurred to him. “If you’re a Shadow Grandmaster why didn’t you instantly kill that assassin in the Fainting Goat?”
That assassination attempt had started Ruwen’s insane journey. Hamma had taken him to the Fainting Goat after his second revival, caused by Tremine stabbing Ruwen in the eye with a magical dagger. And while the Naktos Assassin had been well trained, Ruwen knew enough now to know Ky should have easily killed him.
“Aren’t you observant,” Ky said.
“That isn’t an answer.”
Ky sighed. “Uru wanted you scared enough to travel to the Black Pyramid. Killing that assassin would’ve made convincing you harder, so I let him escape.”
Ruwen shook his head. “Over and over again I’m manipulated.”
“Shade’s first rule: a puppet without strings is firewood.”
Ruwen groaned. “I haven’t missed those.”
Ky turned toward the rectangular temple and strode away. “Come on, let’s get you back to the Addas.”
“What about my questions?”
“If I answer them, you’ll just ask more.”
“I promise no more questions. At least not here.”
Ky sighed again. “Fine. Echo is Lalquinrial’s daughter, I asked Uru to reveal my soul and becoming your hand clears my debt, and yes, the Master’s trial is hard.”
Ruwen bit his tongue. He had really wanted more details, especially about the next trial, but he’d promised not to ask.
In moments they reached the pedestal with the crossing stone. Ky pointed at his right hand. “Place the soul pearl in your mouth. That should protect it during the crossing.”
Ruwen wanted to ask where and what this place was, but his stupid deal prevented him. Maybe he did have a problem with asking too many questions. He put the pearl in his mouth.
“You ready?” Ky asked.
Ruwen snapped his fingers and removed the Elder Viper helmet. The snakes eyes bored into his and he shivered. He should be bringing these epic monsters back to Fractal as well, but he really hated snakes, and these were a nightmare. Honestly, he never wanted to see one again. Plus, he couldn’t fit it in his mouth.
Carefully, Ruwen removed the three fruits inside the helmet, one of each color, and placed them in his mouth. The fruit contained seeds, and he hoped Fractal could grow them. He placed the helmet on the ground.
Ky shook her head but said nothing.
Ruwen could barely close his mouth with everything he’d stuffed in it, and the fruit made his mouth water. As a consequence, drool leaked from both corners.
“I don’t deserve this,” Ky whispered.
Ruwen sucked at the saliva, trying to stop its escape, and Ky winced at the sound. His tongue was pinned and he couldn’t talk, so he signed in Shade Speak instead. He smiled, which made the drooling worse, and repeated the very first rule she’d given him in Tremine’s library on his Ascension Day.
Shade. First. Rule. You. Only. Self. Blame.
“I know,” Ky said with a small smile. “I’ll catch up to you soon. Don’t do anything stupid until I find you.”
Never. Stupid. Ruwen signed.
Ky closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.
Ruwen touched the crossing stone and once again cold blackness engulfed him.
Chapter 36
Ruwen opened his eyes and choked on the mass of fruit and saliva in his mouth. He turned his head to the side and brought his left arm toward his mouth. Opening his Void Band with a thought, he placed his lips against the opening and spit everything into his Inventory.
You’re back! Rami screamed, and a moment later added, Gross.
Ruwen winced at the volume and then patted his right ear. Glad to be back.
Whiskers, stretched out on the bed along Ruwen’s right side, licked his face.
Ruwen recognized the ceiling of his room. He felt terrible and cast all his buffs to see if any of them would make him feel better. Whiskers took advantage of Ruwen’s movements to take more of the bed. “You’re a bed hog,” he told the large cat. “Why aren’t you in your city form?”
“He has returned,” Padda said, standing in the doorway.
A dim shaker lit Ruwen’s personal room in Blapy. He sat up on his bed, closed his Void Band, and wiped his mouth. Minimized notifications pulsed in the bottom of his vision. Padda sat in a chair next to Ruwen’s bed.
Don’t do anything like that again, Rami said. You scared me. It was like you were in a coma.
I’m sorry. I don’t w
ant to do that again either.
Madda walked into his bedroom and stood behind Padda.
“We moved you here when you didn’t immediately return,” Padda said.
“Sitting in a chair for too long stiffens the muscles,” Madda added.
Ruwen had been gone less than six hours, and he had spent much longer than that engrossed in a good book. But the Addas were much older, and maybe they stiffened up faster.
“Thank you,” Ruwen said in a raspy voice.
Madda flicked her wrist, and a cup appeared in her hand. Had she just created that?
“Forgive us,” Madda said. “Drink this. Crossings take their toll even on Fortified bodies.”
Two chairs had appeared next to his bed, and the Addas sat down. Ruwen took the glass and drank deeply. As he did, he noticed the counter Rami had created for him under his map. He had asked her to count down from sixty-eight hours and it now read forty-two minutes, but it was red.
“You are back sooner than we expected,” Madda said.
Rami, why is the counter red?
You’ve been gone almost three days.
Three days?
When the counter reached zero, I started counting up and turned it red.
“Well?” Madda asked, appearing the most tense Ruwen had ever seen her.
“Thank you,” Ruwen said and handed her back the empty glass. “Well, what?”
Padda shifted in his seat. “Did you meet anyone?”
Where did you go? Rami asked.
Ruwen couldn’t handle multiple conversations. I’m not sure. Look at my memories and tell me what you think.
“I met this old guy and his grandson. Well, the grandson I just tossed, so I guess we never really met. And there was this girl—”
Madda held up her hand and then rubbed her forehead. “Founders. Did you meet any of them?”
Ruwen turned and placed his feet on the ground. “Mist and Thorn met me when I arrived.”
The Addas looked at each other. Then Padda faced Ruwen. “That is unusual. Were they upset that you’d missed the Journeyman trial?”
Ruwen shrugged. “Hard to tell. They did both slap me. But that had something to do with my focus. Did you know that headless statue is—”