by Andrew Rowe
Jin’s jaw tightened and he turned his head to the side, unwilling to meet my gaze. “You’re right. I’m behaving just like Orden, in a sense. I know that. I value my home over yours. And, if need be, I’m willing to sacrifice your home in order to save mine. Maybe that makes me just as much of a monster as the people I’m fighting. Maybe it’s just human nature.”
“I won’t accept that.”
I pushed my hands against the ground.
I clenched my jaw.
And, with trembling legs, I stood.
I flexed my legs experimentally. I felt a momentary surge of pain in the right one, but it held. “I won’t accept that either of our nations has to suffer a tragedy. And I will find a way of stopping it — even if that means stopping you.”
Jin stepped into a dueling stance, knife pointed toward me. “Even if you have to kill me?”
I clenched my hands into fists. “I’d really rather avoid that. But I’ll do what I have to do to stop a slaughter.”
Jin laughed. “You’ve got more spirit than sense. But that’s something I like about you. Unfortunately, Vera is going to bleed out here, and she’s not conscious. You can’t save her even with the ring.”
I nodded. “Another problem I’ll solve after I’m done with you.” I took a step forward tentatively, then another. I was unarmed, but I led with my right hand. It was tingling from using the gauntlet as much as I had, but I still had a fair bit of mana left.
“Not every problem is solvable with the tools you have on hand.” Jin stepped closer, almost in knife reach. We began to circle each other.
“Then,” I replied, “I’ll make more tools.”
I pointed my hand at him and fired. Jin dodged to the side, just as I’d expected, and attempted a shallow jab. I deflected it with the gauntlet.
We circled each other further. My legs trembled with the effort, moments from failing.
He must have seen the weakness. He stepped forward and tried to trip me.
I let him.
Staying standing had never been a viable part of the plan. Not with the condition I was in.
Instead, when he stepped in, so did I. I grabbed his arms and dragged him right down onto the floor with me.
We hit the ground hard.
Unfortunately, he was on top. Fortunately, I still had a good grip on his arms, and they were half-way pinned beneath me.
He started maneuvering immediately, trying to get his knife into a striking position.
I slammed my forehead into his already injured nose.
Jin recoiled, but his shroud stopped most of the damage, and I was dazed.
He pulled his arms free of my weakened grasp and jammed his dagger into my left arm. I screamed, flailing my right arm free, and tried to reach for something vulnerable. We were pressed too close together for me to hit his face.
But that wasn’t what I was aiming for.
I grabbed the phoenix sigil pinned to his chest, felt the mana inside — still almost full — and took a deep breath.
And then I flooded the sigil with mana far, far too fast.
Jin tried to pull away, but I had a good grip, and he was far too late.
The sigil exploded in my hand. Metal shrapnel and mana lanced out in both directions — into my gloved hand and into Jin’s chest.
The feeling of metal splinters in my hand was a new kind of pain. One that even the ring couldn’t banish immediately.
But as Jin fell backward, I knew it had hit him a lot harder. The sigil was too close to his skin for his shroud to do anything to protect him, and his tunic didn’t provide nearly as much protection as a thick leather gauntlet did.
He’d had the pin over his right breast. I’d hoped that wasn’t close enough to pierce his heart.
Jin screamed as he fell off of me, clutching at his chest.
I shivered on the ground, in too much pain to do much of anything.
Neither of us noticed Vanniv, still bleeding profusely from the gash across his entire chest, one wing entirely missing and half of his body still enshrouded in ice, until he lifted Jin with a single stone hand and punched him in the face.
Jin fell unconscious to the ground.
Vanniv looked down at me, shook his head, and pulled the dagger out of my arm. “No mana left. Been like holding my breath just to keep myself here this long. It’s up to you now.”
And with that, Vanniv vanished.
I was too preoccupied with pain to do anything for several moments.
The ring continued to work, but it was clearly overtaxed. It wasn’t doing a thing for the knife wound and very little for the shrapnel.
My first action was to try to dig as much of the shrapnel out of my hand as I could. With that done, those wounds sealed quickly.
I was pretty sure I still had some metal fragments in my skin, but I couldn’t reach them all with the glove on, and I was running out of time.
With my strength failing, I limped toward Vera’s fallen body, and I opened my pouch.
She was unconscious and bleeding bad.
And as Jin had claimed, my ring couldn’t help her. Not in that state.
I emptied out my bags. First the one on my waist, then my backpack.
And from there, I got to work.
I started with the rock.
Then, with my etching tool, I carved nearly identical runes to the ones that had been found in the ring, but I omitted the trigger rune. The one that required the user to send a bit of mana into it to turn the device on.
I replaced it with a different trigger rune. One from the bell, which caused it to activate when someone shook it if sufficient gray mana was inside.
The “ringing” part wasn’t relevant. It was just detecting movement.
I had the ability to power most of the runes myself. The mental runes to detect her condition and find her injuries, the gray mana necessary to activate it, and the transference mana necessary to push all my mana into those runes.
I didn’t have the most critical type: life mana to cause the actual healing.
But I did have three beautiful Class 3 life gems from a trio of slimes.
It was experimental. I’d never seen a healing item that activated when shook. I didn’t know if it would work, and if it did, I knew there was a chance that triggering it would detect me as the injured party if I just shook it over her.
So, with the utmost care, I charged all of the runes, set the now-enchanted rock on top of Vera’s back, and shook her body.
I turned on my attunement.
It was working.
Golden life energy was flowing from the rock into her back, and then across it, finding the bullet wounds. I didn’t know if it would expel the bullets, but if nothing else, it seemed to be repairing some of the damage.
I didn’t have the medical expertise to know if it would have been wise to try to dig in for the bullets with some kind of implement, so I didn’t try.
I still had every confidence the situation could get worse at any time.
And so, the next thing I did was pick up the Jaden Box and my flask of endless water.
With them in hand, I pushed my way over to the closest bloodstain I could find. I drizzled water onto the blood and then used my hand to sweep as much of the mix as I could into the box.
I closed the lid of the box. “Summon Katashi.”
Nothing happened.
So, I swept the liquid out, found another spot, and swept that in.
Closing my eyes, I tried again.
“Summon Katashi.”
A felt an overwhelming burst of pressure and fell to my knees.
When I opened my eyes, Katashi was floating above me. He turned his gaze downward, his eyes narrowing as he assessed my condition.
“Corin Cadence. You would be wise to speak your reason for this insolence.”
I pointed a hand toward Vera’s fallen body. “I brought Vera here like you asked, but she’s badly hurt and I don’t know if my item will be enough to save her.�
�
Katashi looked at Vera, then back to me. “How did this come to be?”
“Ah, yeah, you’re not going to like that. You were absolutely right. There were people in the government working to keep both Vera and Tenjin’s locations concealed. One of them was Professor Orden,” I pointed at her body. “She acted like she was helping us, then stabbed us in the back half way through. As you can see, we barely survived the confrontation.”
Katashi nodded his head. “Then, given the circumstances, I will forgive your insolence in summoning me — though I am curious as to how you managed such a feat. You are no Summoner, and even if you were, my mark on your hand should not have been a sufficient bond.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but his eyes turned to the box in my hands and he spoke again. “The Jaden Box. I had thought it lost forever. We will speak of this more when I have assured that Vera will survive.”
“If it isn’t too much to ask, can you please heal my companions as well? Sera and Derek at least. They meant no harm. And Jin, well,” I turned my head in his direction.
Jin was gone.
I turned on my attunement immediately, searching for him. If he was invisible, I could probably catch a hint of his aura.
But no, he was completely gone.
And so was the return bell.
I’d never sealed this room against teleportation.
And I’d made him an item that dampened sound.
I grit my teeth. “Never mind Jin. Can you please help Sera and Derek as well?”
“Any who were harmed in the service of the task that I gave to you will be healed.” Katashi pronounced.
He floated over to Vera first, landing and kneeling down.
He stared at my rock for a minute curiously, reached down, then seemed to change his mind and left it there.
Even gods can’t comprehend my enchanting skills.
I laughed in spite of myself, feeling a fresh surge of pain.
Katashi, fortunately, ignored my outburst.
He pressed his hands against Vera’s back. A surge of blue energy enveloped her. I watched as bullets appeared in the air above her. He’d teleported them out. In another moment, they fell, and he continued to pour mana into her.
Vera stirred, not waking, but her breathing seemed to ease.
Katashi rose and floated to Derek next. It wouldn’t have been my choice, but I didn’t complain.
He knelt and put a hand on Derek’s shoulder.
“This one does not require my help. He is simply fatigued and frostbitten. He is strong. He will recover on his own.”
I nodded.
Katashi landed next to Sera, putting a hand on her back.
And he frowned.
“This... She has been deeply scarred from the overuse of mana.”
Katashi turned his head toward me, shaking it slightly.
“I can treat her pain and save her life, but I cannot heal her entirely. Perhaps my sister could, but this is beyond my abilities. I will do what I can.”
A blue glow washed over Sera. She sighed, seeming to relax, but I winced at Katashi’s words.
He turned toward me. “It is not often that I am incapable of granting a request to one who has done me a service, but her wounds are deep. She may never speak properly again. When this is concluded, I will see to it that she receives recompense for her sacrifice.”
I considered his words. “You mentioned a sister that might be able to help. Can you tell me which one you spoke of?”
The visage nodded. “If it is healing for your sister you seek, Ferras may be able to aid you.”
I nodded. Ferras was the Visage of Creation. It made sense that she would be even more potent as a healer than other visages. “Thank you, Visage.”
The visage stood up to his full height, looming over me once again. “You have completed your duty in bringing Vera to me, but my brother remains missing. You claim that this Orden was involved in keeping him from me; I will now find the truth of your words.”
Katashi floated over to where Orden had fallen.
This time, he did not kneel to treat her wounds.
He raised a hand — and she floated, suspended in the air, still unconscious.
Katashi placed a hand on her forehead and his eyes narrowed. “Your memories to mine.”
A crackling mana surrounded them both as my eyes widened at the implications of what he was doing.
Katashi pulled his hand back.
Orden crumpled unceremoniously back onto the stairs.
He turned his head to me. “It is true. She betrayed my brother and lured him into a trap. But she is not the only guilty one. Vera, too, must be judged for her involvement.”
That sounded pretty rough.
Looking at Orden’s fallen body, I wasn’t even sure if she was alive.
I stepped closer to Katashi, looking up. “Go easy on Vera, please. She came here willingly and she fought hard to meet with you.”
Katashi lowered his gaze to meet mine. “I will take your suggestion into consideration.”
I winced at his tone. “Thank you.”
And then I got out of his way.
He appeared next to Vera, kneeling down and putting his hand on her head. “Your memories to mine.”
Vera shivered on the ground, but I watched carefully and she was continuing to breathe.
I didn’t know what I would have done if she had stopped breathing, but I had a feeling it would have been something unwise.
Katashi turned to me, standing up straight and floating back up a few inches. “Vera is not directly responsible for my brother’s disappearance. She was a piece moved by another hand. She still will answer for her role, but I will spare her life.”
“I... I appreciate your mercy, Visage.”
Katashi vanished and reappeared directly in front of me, looming over me. The pressure from his aura forced me down to my knees. “There is another question to be settled, however.”
He put a hand against my forehead. “Tell me honestly, Corin Cadence. Were you involved in my brother’s disappearance in any way?”
I froze at his touch. “Not that I am aware of, Visage. Though it would seem I may have been manipulated in the aftermath.”
“Yes,” he replied. “I sense the truth of your words. There is no question of your innocence. It would seem that you were unaware of your brother’s actions.”
I trembled as he withdrew his hands. “My...brother?”
“In Lyras Orden’s memories, I have discovered her fellow conspirators. Among them is one of your House — Tristan Cadence.”
Tristan was alive.
I took a moment to process that.
Tristan was alive.
And he’d been working with Orden.
I’d often been accused of talking too much, but in that moment I had no idea what to say.
“I...can honestly say, Visage, that I had no idea that Tristan Cadence was even alive. I had hoped that he was, but not like this.”
“I will be forced to seek your brother for further Judgment. Your cooperation will not reflect on his punishment.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
I just stood there and shook.
“Remove your glove.”
I numbly followed his instructions, wincing at the muted pain from the remaining shards in my hand.
He took my hand, sending a surge of mana into it. “I, Katashi, Visage of Selys, Judge that you have fulfilled your obligation to me. Let this mark become one of Glory, no longer of Judgment.”
The mark on my hand shifted — both in visible shape, and I could sense, of the type and quantity of mana within.
In fact, I was reasonably confident he’d just given me a new attunement.
I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“With what I have learned, I must shut the tower. Vera and Lyras Orden will remain here. I will send you and your other companions away from here.”
I nodded without replying. My mind was s
wimming.
Tristan.
Was.
Working.
With.
Orden.
How was that possible? Had he never failed the test? Had he just decided not to come home?
My hands clenched and unclenched. I had so many questions.
“Gather your things and go stand with your sister.”
I quickly complied, sheathing both of my swords and gathering everything I could in my bags, including the Jaden Box. If he wasn’t going to complain about me keeping it, I was keeping it.
I took the rock of regeneration, too. With Katashi’s healing, Vera’s wounds had completely closed. She didn’t need it. Sera and I, on the other hand, were both still in terrible shape. And I knew regeneration had a better chance of healing permanent and near-permanent injuries than instant healing did.
Katashi waved a hand. Derek’s body levitated and settled next to the two of us.
“Before we go... Will we be safe? Orden implied that we were opposing highly placed people in our government.”
Katashi nodded. “A valid concern. I will send you to someone powerful enough to protect you. Tell him that this is what he owes me. He will understand what I mean.”
I nodded.
“Thank you. And, one last thing. You said you would give my sister a boon for helping you, since you couldn’t heal her?”
Katashi floated over to us. I took a step back as he drew his sword of blue crystal.
He flipped it around, holding it by the blade and extending it toward me. “This is Ceris, the Song of Harmony, forged from the heart of a long-broken world. It has served me for many centuries as a tool of Protection and Judgment. It will now sing for Sera Cadence — so long as her mortal heart continues to beat. After that, it will return to me, as it always has.”
...the visage was giving Sera his sword.
Patrick was going to turn into some kind of jealousy elemental when he found out about this.
I knelt and accepted the sword with reverence. “Thank you, Visage. I am confident she will be pleased by this generous gift.”
Katashi gave me a curt nod. “This is as it should be. Now, you must go.”
“Thank you, Visage.”
Katashi waved his hand in a cutting motion — and my surroundings changed.
***