by Ron Glick
Though fiercely fought, Avery ultimately loses the fight when Nathaniel severs the hand holding One from his arm. Believing that his life would be next to be taken, the would-be-God flees in terror into the night.
Inexplicably, Avery's delusional wandering is brought to a halt when a voice directs him on how to heal his own wound. Awaking from his delusions, he is amazed to find his wrist healed and Hamil at his side. The scribe denies being the voice who helped Avery save his own life, instead insisting that he was summoned by Avery's need. Avery accepts this, concluding that he had a hidden ally somewhere that clearly wanted him to survive.
Yet as the two set off to return to Avery's camp and to retrieve Viola, Hamil is revealed to be the New Order God, Ankor, God of Mischief. Avery has indeed attracted a hidden ally, but the self-proclaimed God of Vengeance is oblivious to how close that ally actually is.
As Avery seeks to retreat with his disguised divine aid, Brea is asked to summon Imery to answer for the murder and abduction of Nathaniel's family. Compelled by her own doubts, Brea agrees and calls upon her Goddess to answer her questions while Nathaniel stands by, hidden from view with One's power.
Imery responds but is infuriated that her priestess would challenge her and lashes out at Brea irrationally. Bracken steps forward to defend the priestess, but Imery's rage is not quelled. Seeing no other alternative, Nathaniel strikes out with One, skewering the Goddess from behind.
Imery is inexplicably caught on the blade, unable to escape the power of the sword. As the mortals look on, the Goddess suddenly becomes the center of a storm of duplicate selves. The Goddess' infinite manifestations are drawn back into a singular form, as the Goddess herself is powerless to break free. In the end, the Goddess' form bursts into countless white energy spheres that drift to the earth.
Brea rushes forward to try to capture the essence of her Goddess, but the energy passes through her hands, disappearing into the ground below.
Finally, as the last of the substance that had been her Goddess fades from sight, Brea looks up at Nathaniel and calls him, “Godslayer.” She then faints.
End of Book 1
In Scollhaven, the Witness is trapped in a miasma of conflicting visions - between what has always been destined to be and what is now. While trying to reason out these contradicting destinies, he is visited by another demi-God, Dart - who has the power to transport herself anywhere. After the Witness reveals his capacity to share knowledge, Dart decides he needs to be protected and teleports him away.
Nathaniel and Brea wake to find themselves in love, sharing each others' bodies while Avery is tied to a nearby tree. But it turns out to all be an illusion created by one of the Nine godslayer swords - one that has not even woken yet! “Avery” is revealed to be a disguised stranger who once discovered disappears, leaving Nathaniel and Brea with the lingering effects of the sword's magic.
The real Avery - dejected and seemingly powerless - encounters a stranger from the future named Martin. Martin has Three, a sword able to send its user through time, and claims to have come to this point to forewarn Avery of things to come. Martin insists that Avery must travel to a town called Levitz to keep the next sword, Two, from the Godslayer - then vanishes.
In the Celestial Realm, the Gods have felt the death of Imery, and members of the Pantheon begin to fight for advantage. But the real champion of the day is Malik, who had created the swords, though few know that he has an additional sword, First, and none know of his actual plans for it. Meanwhile, within the ranks of the New Order, Kelvor and Galentine call upon Ankor (secretly Avery's companion, Hamil) to assist them in looking into their sister's death - promising him Imery's seat of power for his assistance.
Meanwhile, a great storm falls upon the world, scattering mysterious dark stones to all corners of the world - Carland included.[1] The Pantheon provides an explanation - that there was a rift in reality through which dark matter was falling - but assures Nathaniel and his companions that the incident was not related to the death of the Goddess.
As the storm begins, chance has it that a mutineer named Gravin was being cast overboard into the ocean for his crimes. But none could have foreseen that he would be drawn underwater to the submerged godslayer sword, Two, which grants command over water and other liquids to its wielder. Spared from certain death, Gravin goes ashore, heading for the town where his former ship, The Gull-Griffin, was headed for revenge.
Two's awakening triggers Nathaniel's Avatar talents, cluing him in on both the sword's existence and its location. But not before Brea learns that she still possesses her Goddess' magic, even after Imery has died - magic she uses to restore the mind of the man she had reduced to an idiot. With the mystery of Brea's inexplicable magic still hanging over them and none trusting in the Patheon's explanation of the dark matter falling to Na'Ril, Nathaniel, Brea and Bracken decide to seek out the truth of the skyfall before going after Two.
But as the group sets out, they are distracted by the discovery of a fusang tree - believed to be a branch of the tree of life and typically reserved as holy by elven tribes, who guard the locations of such trees with lethal force. So when one of tree's “suns” (also known as will o' the wisps) - spirits which live within the tree - bolts away, Nathaniel goes in pursuit.
But Nathaniel is intercepted by an even stranger personage - an immortal who calls himself the Eternal, who professes to be moving backwards through time. He assures Nathaniel that no elves reside near this tree, but nevertheless compels the young man to follow him to learn things he must know. The Eternal introduces Nathaniel to another immortal known as the Constant, a young man whose form cannot be changed, and to the site of what the Eternal insists was the First City of humans on Na'Ril - one preserved forever in its moment of destruction by a mass known as the Amber. And worse reveals that the Amber had been a punishment of the Pantheon upon the First City's faithlessness.
Nathaniel agrees to keep the Eternal's secrets and returns to his companions, but as consequence, he needs to draw his companions away from their search for skyfall matter. Instead, he redirects them, following the road which will lead them to the new sword.
However, though Nathaniel abandons the search, Avery stumbles upon a crater where one of the skyfall pieces has fallen. While investigating the crater, neither Avery nor Hamil can approach whatever created it, but Viola retrieves a piece of it - a black stone that sends Avery's senses into disarray. He has Viola hold the item, hopeful that they have found a new weapon to use against the Godslayer.
Meanwhile, in the Celestial Realms, Ankor decides to form an alliance with the Pantheon through Charith - primarily because he does not believe Kelvor or Galentine would keep their word. He reveals to Charith that the dark skyfall material disrupts magic, and uses the knowledge he has already gathered to leverage a pact with the God and Goddess of Life and Death to save himself from their plot to slay the New Order Gods.
Levitz begins to draw others to its orbit, however. The Witness has Dart bring him to the town because he foresees the creation of a great wall of water. Likewise, Gravin arrives only to learn the ship he was after was lost at sea. Infuriated, he begins to terrorize the citizens, erecting the very wall of water the Witness had foreseen.
On the road to Levitz, Nathaniel is visited in secret by Malik who informs the Avatar that Ankor now knows about the swords, having brokered a meeting with the God and Goddess of War and Peace through Charith, though Ankor has agreed to keep the information to himself in exchange for safety. Meanwhile, the Trickster himself continues to manipulate Kelvor and Galentine, promising to use Avery as bait to draw in the Godslayer to be dealt with.
Trapped within the town of Levitz, Dart and the Witness try to keep their identities secret while Gavin begins killing citizens, sacrificing their lives to Two. However, Gravin proves to be far more intuitive and recognizes the Witness, believing the demi-God has come to witness his greatness. Though the Witness tries to convince Gravin to stop killing people, the mutineer contin
ues to do so with impunity.
When Avery arrives at the border of Levitz, he finds himself greeted by militia forces seeking to understand the unnatural phenomenon. Though Avery attempts to hide his identity, he is soon exposed - and Hamil announces that the military men are in the presence of the God of Vengeance. Pulling Hamil aside, Avery reveals his suspicion that the scribe is more than he appears, but does not press for more. Instead, he devises a plan to use the piece of skyfall material to neutralize the wall of water so as to pass and confront whomever wielded the power to begin with. Avery undertakes to master the stone, in spite of the pain it causes him, and in doing so, uses the stones power to negate magic to let himself and Hamil enter Levitz - though the energy it absorbs destroys the stone in the process.
The Witness feels a God's entry into Levitz, and his announcement aggravates Gravin. However, when Avery appears and announces himself as the God, the demi-Gods are astonished to sense that it is actually the man behind Avery who is the true God. Avery seeks to bluff Gravin, but the sword's wielder attacks Avery and seemingly slays the would be God of Vengeance, obliterating his body.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel and his companions finally arrive at the fringes of Levitz, only to learn that Avery has preceded them into the town. Brea deduces that the only way he could have done so is with the aid of an actual God. Nathaniel reasons that he can pass the wall of water himself while he holds One, and uses the first godslayer sword to enter Levitz himself.
Meanwhile, Avery's soul finds itself in communion with the spirit of Two on an ethereal plane of reality, who recognizes Avery as One's chosen bearer. He learns that the swords call themselves the Nine, and that they have plans of their own. Towards this end, Two reveals where all the swords are and an imprecise time when they would all awaken. Being gifted with this knowledge, Two aids Avery by restoring his body - including the hand which had been once severed from his body. Avery uses this new advantage to wrest control of Two and kills Gravin. Victorious, Avery turns to announce that the Godslayer has also entered Levitz.
Avery confronts Nathaniel, using the threat of the wall of water to get the latter to exchange swords. Avery retrieves One and leaves Two for Nathaniel. Before relinquishing Two, Avery dispels the water barrier, while informing Nathaniel as well that neither would see Three until spring, advising him to head home and rest.
While the two men stand off, Ankor summons Galentine and Kelvor and sends them to Levitz to face the Godslayer. The two Gods appear just as Avery vanishes, challenging Nathaniel as the slayer of Imery. However, in the ensuing battle, Nathaniel succeeds in slaying Kelvor, with Avery appearing out of nowhere to impale Galentine from behind before vanishing again, leaving Nathaniel to face the military presence sweeping into Levitz. Nathaniel tells the military leader that the threat is vanquished, and that he is returning home - to Oaken Wood.
Ankor himself returns to the Celestial Realms, first securing his pact with Malik and Charith before appearing before a gathering of the Lesser Powers - where he announces that his plan all along has been to remove the Greater Powers so that the Lesser can be the only powers left within the New Order.
Meanwhile, in a pocket dimension, Malik looks in on another of his schemes: a child kept captive, being raised at an accelerated rate to become Malik's own personal Avatar - the child proving to be none other than Nathaniel's own missing son, Geoffrey!
End of Book 2
Prologue
“There is power in the Game, you know,” said the light skinned man, strumming his thumb along the edge of a deck of cards. His actions held an almost reverent quality as his digit moved along the cards, exerting barely enough force to bend the cards as it passed, yet not enough to cause any actual sound from their movement. “All of the world is captured in these cards, and a true master is one who can draw upon the power they represent.”
A second man sat across from the first, flanked on either side by two others. The man at the center of this group was considerably larger than the others, demonstrating his superiority by virtue of his size more than anything else. He scowled at the smaller man thrumming his thumb along the edge of the cards. “I'm not here fer yer nonsense, man,” he grunted. “The Game's just that, and there's nothin' special about those cards beyond what luck you have at yer draw. Nothin' more.”
A glint flared in the eye of the solitary man. “You know nothing of the Heart of the Game, my friend. And that is why you'll lose if you play me.”
The two men behind their larger fellow guffawed. “Yer yella,” laughed one. “He's just yella, Nick.”
The large man named Nick bent his head, grinning in a lopsided manner. “Likely so, but he's gonna play me all the same.”
The smaller man stopped running his finger along the cards and leaned across the table poignantly. “You are not ready. Please, for your own sake, I implore you. Do not do this.”
Nick sat back, startled by the emotion behind the other man's words. He looked about for a moment, noticing it seemed for the first time the silence that had fallen over the tap room. Though a dozen men and women sat around, not a word was uttered. All eyes seemed riveted upon the confrontation at this table.
There was palpable emotion in the air, as well - but not the sadness and regret demonstrated by the card player. This emotion was dread, perhaps even fear.
Nick swallowed involuntarily. He had heard rumor that one of the best Game players in all the world had come to Brightening, and Nick was considered the local master. The fact that the Game was at best played by a mere ten or so people in the town - or that Nick's expertise was largely based upon card manipulation rather than any real skill at the Game itself - mattered not to him at this moment. He was the best this small hamlet had produced, and he had a reputation to keep. This was his chance to prove his talent against a real competitor, a necessary step to moving beyond this town. He was not going to let it pass.
Nick's features hardened over with determination, masking his momentary doubts. “Coward. Play me or we'll all know it.”
The man across the table sighed and let himself fall back in his chair. “Place your deck,” he said simply, laying his own stack of cards upon the table to his right.
Nick leered as he reached into his pocket and produced his own deck of cards. Unlike the stranger's, Nick's deck showed considerable wear around the edges, many cards warped from water or some other kind of damage, actually raising several of the cards enough to see light through many places in the deck.
The expert's face cringed at the sight of Nick's deck. “Your cards are marked. You cannot play with them like that.”
“Stop making excuses and lay your stakes,” growled Nick.
The stranger's eyes closed as he shook his head back and forth. “If you play me like this, you will lose. Once you draw a marked card, you will fall. I beg of you. Reconsider your foolishness.”
Nick's only response was to glare at the man. With yet another sigh, the expert player shrugged his shoulders and laid his hand upon his own deck. “As challenger, you may play first. Draw your realm,” he said simply, lightly pulling the top card off of his deck.
Nick drew the top card of his deck himself, and flipped it face up above where his deck lay upon the table. “The Boundless Master,” Nick announced as he read the title. “I am not affected by any traditions you play.”
The stranger nodded and flipped his own card. “The Witless Fool,” pronounced the man. “Your masteries are nullified.”
“Wait, what?” exclaimed one of the two behind Nick. “That card's a fake! There's no such card!”
Nick held up his hand to silence his friend. “Looks real to me. Just 'cause we ain't seen it doesn't make it fake.” Nick's own face had reddened slightly at the power of his opponent's card, but he would not lose a match for making a baseless claim of cheating.
The stranger picked up the card and offered it for examination all the same. “Please, by all means,” he said. “I won't consider it a challenge.”
&nbs
p; Nick hesitated, but still reached across and took the card. The image on the card showed a man caught by surprise, a whip in one hand while a great maned cat bore down upon his back. The text of the card read precisely as his opponent had read it, with the story text saying, “It takes more than a whip to master a beast.”
Nick returned the card to its position above his opponent's deck. “It's real,” he said simply.
The stranger nodded, once again resting his hand upon his deck. “I will give you one last chance to withdraw. You clearly do not understand the powers you play with, or the risk you are taking in this match. If you have never even seen the Witless Fool, you will not have seen most of the cards in my deck. And I seriously doubt your deck consists of more than random solos that have wandered through your small town from one trader or another. There will be no theme, no strategy. And the moment you draw a marked card, the Game will penalize you.”
The stranger's eyes became as cold as steel. “You cannot play with a marked deck, Nick. Not against a true player. You will become the Witless Fool if you try.”
Nick set his jaw, his upper lip rising in disgust. “Play.”
The other man took a deep breath and let it out heavily. “Draw.”
As the man across the table drew the requisite five initial cards into his hand, Nick picked up his deck and made to do the same. But Nick had mastered the art of seeming to draw from the top while his fingers felt for one particular warped card elsewhere in the stack. He had purposely perforated the side of one card in particular - The Witch of Antethese - and it was the card he needed to disable the Witless Fool. He knew how to draw it into his opening hand and crush this stranger's plans.
Nick found his card and waited a moment, drawing four of the five cards he was required to. The moment the stranger looked down at his own drawn cards, Nick flipped the Witch card from the deck and added it to his drawn cards. He could not help but smile when he noticed that even someone as practiced at the Game as his opponent had not noticed. There was something to be said for underestimating someone you thought beneath you, apparently.