That’s not much of a choice.
I disagree. It’s the most important and basic choice you will ever make in this life…to live or die.
I did something I never thought I would do. I surrendered completely to Shadowstrike. Unlike Maelstrom, where I always retained a semblance of control, I knew that would not work here. Shadowstrike and I had to merge and become one.
I could feel the glyphs Ono had inscribed on me go warm. When I looked down, white light emanated from each of them. Power coursed through me. It was unlike anything I had experienced. I could feel the waves of energy flow away from me in every direction.
“This is the first time you have allowed the third focus free rein,” said Raja. “It is an honor to face you in this state, warrior.”
“You will revert to being a caretaker,” I said. My voice reverberated in a strange way and I could hear Shadowstrike’s voice interlaced with mine. It was different from Maelstrom. She didn’t try to take over my voice, but rather the voices were merged somehow.
“The power you possess is formidable,” said Raja as he raised his sword and assumed a defensive stance. “However, I do not think it will be enough.”
I stood at the edge of the tre. I felt the rhythmic pulse of the tre’s energy. Everywhere I looked, I could see glyphs. Some I understood, but some were still alien to me. Within, I could sense the bond I shared with Shadowstrike, untainted and unhindered by thoughts of self-preservation.
That’s it, Dante. To live you must let yourself die. Lose your life to gain it.
I extended my right arm and Shadowstrike manifested in my hand. It was effortless. The weapon felt feather-light in my hand. I moved Shadowstrike, slowly at first and then much faster. I traced a chain of glyphs before I realized what I was doing. Raja remained immobile, but I could sense his intention. I could see the angles of attack and I knew this ability was only possible through my joining with Shadowstrike.
“That was an impressive glyph, but you will find it ineffective here, in this place,” said Raja.
I stepped into the circle and the outer circle flared behind me. A barrier formed once I had taken a few steps. I remembered the last time I crossed a tre barrier. Somehow, I didn’t think this one was designed to hurt.
It will kill you if you cross it while he is still in this mode.
Noted. Can I even kill him? Isn’t he just a construct of knowledge?
That construct will attempt to remove you from existence. I suggest you remove it first.
Raja traced a glyph as he lunged at me. With my left hand I counterglyphed and dodged his lunge. The glyphs collided and exploded, sending out a concussive wave that knocked me off my feet. Raja slid back from the explosion, but remained standing.
I rolled to the side and got to my feet as his attack bisected the stone where I had lain seconds earlier. I noticed the stone repair itself after the strike.
We can’t beat him here. This is his plane, his environment. He controls it.
Then change the environment. Remove his advantage.
He disappeared from sight and reappeared behind me as I twisted my body away from a downward slash designed to remove my right arm at the shoulder. I took a step forward and then slammed a kick behind me and connected with his midsection. It felt like hitting a steel beam. I sensed no measurable effect from it. I whirled around, leading with Shadowstrike. He ducked under it and slashed at my legs. I leaped back in time to see the glyph he traced and sent at me. It was designed to remove my access to chi. If I let it hit me I would be helpless, and dead. Without thinking, I lifted Shadowstrike in front of me. The glyph hit it square in the blade and disappeared.
I knew what I had to do. Shadowstrike had shown me. I just didn’t see it until now. I traced a glyph with my left hand. It was designed to coalesce my chi into one single point, creating an afterimage. With Shadowstrike in my right, I forced chi into the sword and swung downward. I swung it faster than I thought possible. It moved faster than my eye could follow and crashed into the ground. I had ripped open the time stream. I jumped in the fissure. Raja ignored the afterimage and was still advancing toward me, but he moved in slow motion. I had just time-skipped.
Change the environment. Time flows even here.
Strike now. He realizes what you have done and is working to counter it even now.
I ran over to Raja, but realized I was only moving slightly faster than he was. I lunged with Shadowstrike and aimed for his chest. At the last moment, he shifted to the side and time snapped back into a normal flow. He couldn’t escape my momentum. My attack removed his arm from the left elbow down as we crossed each other. No blood escaped his wound. I didn’t really expect to see any, but it would have been nice to at least see him flinch or writhe on the floor in agony.
“Time manipulation, warrior,” he said and looked at his arm, “is a skill that requires a certain degree of finesse, which you lack. Allow me to educate you.”
He phased out of sight and I time-skipped in time to parry his attack as he plunged his sword at my midsection. He attempted this several times and each time I managed to dodge or block his attack.
Why does he keep doing the same thing? He has to see it’s ineffective.
Each attack is different. He is working around the time-skip. At this rate, he will injure you within several attacks.
Shadowstrike was right. Every time he disappeared, it was getting harder and harder to stop him. His attacks were closer each time.
I have an idea.
I let more chi flow into Shadowstrike and time-skipped. Once in the fissure, I swung again and created another fissure.
Dante, no! You will become trapped in a loop. Even I cannot release you from this.
I retraced the glyph I had used to coalesce my chi and sent it into the fissure. I absorbed Shadowstrike and released all my chi into the second fissure. Raja appeared seconds later. He ignored me and jumped into the second fissure. Manifesting Shadowstrike, I sliced through the fissure, and closed it. Time snapped back to normal.
“That will not hold him indefinitely,” said a voice behind me. I turned to see a large RahVen looking down at me. Its yellow eyes glowed with latent energy as it shifted to human form. I could barely hold on to Shadowstrike. I did not want to fight a RahVen in this or any condition.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“You must be the bearer of the third focus,” said the RahVen. “My name is Ji and you must release the caretaker of the Records before all is lost.”
“Not while I’m still breathing,” I answered. “It—he—just tried to kill me, repeatedly.”
“Your time-skipping is quite advanced for someone so young,” she said. “Be that as it may, this loop you created will cause an imbalance in the Records.
“Then we seal the Records,” I said. “But I’m not letting him out.”
“A fissure within a fissure,” she said. “What possessed you to attempt this technique?”
“Desperation,” I replied. “He was going to kill me eventually. I didn’t know what to try. So I figured if he was always in the present, creating a loop would keep him contained.”
“It’s quite advanced and caught our attention several planes away,” said Ji. “Only the Gray can execute this effectively with minimal damage. Your loop is unstable and its effects will ripple outwards from here, with catastrophic consequences.”
“There has to be another way,” I said. “Can it be repaired without letting him out?”
“If there were, it would have been done,” she said. “You must undo this before he escapes, or you will have caused a schism that will engulf us all.”
She speaks plainly. I have never had a vessel attempt what you have, Dante, and survived. I still don’t know how you are alive.
So release him and die, or keep him trapped and everyone dies.
That is putting it succinctly, but you must choose. It looks like the Gray is not here to give you much of a choice. If they sensed it across planes, then
others may have done the same.
“I will open a fissure and release him,” I said. “At which point he will try and kill me.”
“One life in the balance over millions of lives is a small price to pay,” she said.
“Unless you are the one life that must be snuffed out.”
“I will deal with the caretaker,” she said, her voice hard. “Release him before it is too late.”
I manifested Shadowstrike and felt the familiar rush of power course through me. I directed chi into the sword and swung. It made a fissure, and I stepped inside.
FORTY-THREE
“SOMEONE IS ATTEMPTING to alter the Records,” said Wheel. “The only one powerful enough to face the caretaker would need the third focus, but that’s impossible.”
Around him, three robed figures remained kneeling. He was deep in the North Watch and sat in the center of a tre. Violet energy flared around him as he spoke. He stood in the tre and pulled the energy close to his body. It formed a translucent violet shell around him.
“Yes, my lord,” said one of the robed figures. “The taint should have him overwhelmed by this time and placed him under your control.”
“And yet I clearly felt a ripple in power emanating from the Records,” answered Wheel as he traced a glyph absentmindedly. “Incompetent. What I felt was the third focus, not under my control and acting against the failsafe I placed in the Records.”
He sent the glyph at the robed figure that had spoken. The man screamed in agony as the glyph enveloped and evaporated him.
“The Records cannot be reclaimed until I am finished with the nexus,” said Wheel. “How many are headed to the hub?”
Another robed figured stepped forward. “We have all of the White Lotus approaching the nexus plane, Master. They are leaving within the hour as per your instructions.”
“I will be leading them,” said Wheel.
“Master, you?” said the robed figure. “There may be resistance. It would be safer—”
Wheel clenched his fist as violet energy leaped from his hand and onto the robed figure, consuming him.
“Does anyone else fear for my safety?” asked Wheel.
He was answered with silence.
“Good,” he said to the third robed figure. “Inform the Lotus that I will be joining them shortly.”
“Yes, Master, and the Records?” asked the robed figure. “How would you like to…address the matter?”
“Divert half a company of the Lotus to the Records, and you,” he said and pointed at Kono, “make sure the caretaker of the Records is still functioning as I instructed.”
Kono bowed. “I live to serve and die, Master.”
And die you shall, traitor.
FORTY-FOUR
THE ROOM ROCKED on its axis as Sylk regained his balance. The corrupted RahVen lay face down, but stirred. Sylk stepped over and plunged his sword into its back. His ebony blade flared to life. Wisps of black smoke wafted around the blade as the corrupted RahVen died.
Glyphed daggers. She has become a force to be reckoned with, he thought as he looked at the damage Kal’s daggers had caused to the RahVen and the room.
I need to find Samir and head to the Records.
He left the room and headed down the corridor in pursuit of Kal. Taking a breath, he let his senses expand and located Samir and Kal. They were together. It seemed they faced more corrupted RahVen. He navigated the Keep and ran down a set of stairs that led to the center courtyard. In the distance, he saw them. A handful of the RahVen who were not corrupted were fighting alongside them.
Where is this corruption coming from?
He sensed around the courtyard. In one of the far corners, hidden from sight, a kindred Watcher traced glyphs. The glyphs floated over to a nearby RahVen and transformed it into one of the corrupted.
Mutation glyphs? Since when could they be used without a circle?
The corrupted RahVen bounded over to join the fight. Sylk ran to the far corner and crept behind the kindred Watcher. The Watcher was focused on sending his glyphs out into the remaining RahVen. Sensing Sylk, the Watcher stopped his glyphs as he approached. Standing, he stepped out of hiding and faced Sylk.
“It was only a matter of time, Karashihan,” said the Watcher. “You have outlived your usefulness.”
“Since when does your kind speak?” asked Sylk.
The Watcher laughed. “Our Master eclipses your pathetic power,” said the Watcher. “He will rule over all the planes.”
“Do you mean Samadhi Wheel?” replied Sylk. “I doubt him powerful enough to stop the real threat we face. He is a child playing at a god.”
“He is the only threat you need to be concerned with,” said the Watcher as he traced glyphs.
Sylk drew his sword and approached. The Watcher executed several glyphs and released them. These glyphs, unlike most, raced at Sylk. He raised his sword and stepped back. He deciphered the glyphs as they closed on him. Using his left hand to slice at the glyphs and absorb them, he traced a glyph with his right hand.
“You can’t stop them all,” said the Watcher. “One will get through your defense and then it will be done.”
“I don’t need to stop them all,” said Sylk as he released his glyph. It glowed fiercely for a few seconds before it faded to nothing. “I only need to stop you.”
“You can’t even manipulate energy in this dormant plane,” said the Watcher with a smile. “Surrender and I promise you a quick death. My Master will not be so lenient.”
“Why here and now?” asked Sylk. “Your master has no need for a dormant plane.”
“You and these dogs are an obstacle in my Master’s way,” replied the Watcher. “You are to be removed from the path or used for his purpose. Frankly, I thought it would be more of a challenge. Goodbye, Karashihan.”
The Watcher traced a glyph. Before he could release it, the glyph Sylk had traced reemerged. It landed on the Watcher gently and caused him to stop. He looked at Sylk, anger and surprise evident in his gaze.
“How did you—?” said the Watcher before exploding into ash.
“I hope that was challenging enough for you,” said Sylk as he ran to Kal and Samir. In the distance he could see the RahVen approaching. They all seemed to be corrupted.
“My daggers aren’t working on them, glyphed or not,” said Kal while she threw two daggers that exploded on contact with the nearest RahVen and sent it flying back. “They just keep coming back.”
“A Watcher managed to corrupt them with a mutation glyph,” said Sylk. “It can’t be undone. Any RahVen left on this plane will eventually become one of those things.”
“That would mean a lot of RahVen,” said Kal. “We can’t fight them all.”
“The plan was probably to kill me and remove any remaining RahVen,” said Sylk. “This accomplished both at once.”
“Wheel really doesn’t like you,” said Kal. “Do you have a way to stop them?” Sylk shook his head and manifested his sword.
“What about the words, Samir?” asked Sylk. He dodged a slash and backpedaled away from a kick that would have torn his midsection open.
“I dare not use the words of undoing here,” said Samir. “Too risky in this dormant plane. I could end up undoing everything, including us.”
Not good. The plane being dormant means there are no defenses. Wait, there are no defenses!
Sylk traced a glyph and unleashed it into the ground. A wall of stone rose around the RahVen and trapped them. In moments, the sounds of pounding could be heard from inside the stone cylinder. Small cracks began to appear in the stone.
“That won’t stop them for long,” said Kal. “We need something a little more permanent.”
Sylk traced a glyph and Samir gave a sharp inhalation. “If you unleash that, this plane will be uninhabitable until the protocol is finished,” he said. “Perhaps even longer. You can’t do this, Karashihan.”
“No choice, Samir,” said Sylk. “It will ensure that anything that comes to
this plane after us, me, is stopped here.”
“No, I meant you can’t do this alone,” said Samir. “It requires an open circle and someone then has to keep the circle open.”
“I know,” said Sylk while opening a portal. “I need you two to get out of this plane. Once the glyph is done I will join you and we will go to the Records.”
“You are a terrible liar,” said the Keeper from behind them. They were joined by Rin moments later. Several deep cuts on his face and arms bled as he traced a circle in the ground. “You will not sacrifice yourself for this plane.”
“This is the only way to ensure we won’t be followed,” said Sylk.
“I will execute the glyph,” said the Keeper. “Rin will keep the circle open.”
Once finished with the circle, Rin bowed to the group. “It would be my honor to do this,” he said.
“Keeper, without the defenses, there is a chance—” began Sylk.
“That we could be destroyed,” said the Keeper. “I am counting on you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
One of the stones in the cylinder cracked and shattered.
“Hurry now,” said the Keeper. “They will be free soon and this will be your only opportunity to escape this plane.”
Sylk stepped into the circle, joined by the Keeper. He started the glyph and stopped. The Keeper continued the glyph while Rin entered the circle and Sylk stepped out. Rin sat in the center and traced a second glyph that joined the Keeper’s and a wall of light formed around them.
“We need to go now,” said Sylk. “Into the portal now!”
Kal and Samir jumped into the portal. Sylk looked into the circle one last time and bowed before he followed them.
**********
The stone cylinder exploded, sending shards in every direction as the RahVen freed themselves. Inside the circle, Rin had completed his phase of the glyph, placed his palms together, and closed his eyes. The Keeper continued to trace his aspect of the glyph as the RahVen closed in. They were wary of the wall of light. In the distance, more corrupted RahVen approached. They surrounded the circle and still the Keeper’s hands moved. Rin kept his eyes closed as the sweat ran down his face. “I will see you in the next life, Keeper,” said Rin as he collapsed backward.
Warriors of the Way-Pentalogy Page 86