Distant voices and muffled sounds roused Kar from deep slumber. He shifted and moved to rub his eyes with one hand, then froze, startled to see a dark obsidian shape in his periphery.

  That’s right. It was his right hand. The one he’d lost, then lost again. He’d thought it had all been some strange dream. But no. Where was he?

  He lay on a lumpy cot in a bare room, light streaming weakly through a narrow slit high up the stone wall. A bird’s chirping call echoed from outside.

  Kar tried to sit, pushing himself up with his elbows. He felt so weak. Just as he had nearly every morning of his life. That realization brought fear. He couldn’t go back to feeling this way.

  There was something wrapped tightly around his right shoulder. Kar reached up with his left hand absentmindedly, pushing up the sleeve of his shirt. He discovered a thick band of white crystal there, circling beneath his arm and up over the top of his shoulder. It contrasted sharply against the black void-cryst of his shadow arm. What was it?

  “You’re awake.” A woman’s voice said.

  Kar jumped. He hadn’t realized anyone was in the room with him. In the shadows of the room’s far corner a figure shifted forward into the light. It was Melisdra, her braided hair dangling over her shoulder.

  Kar’s chest seized and he froze in place.

  Melisdra narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “Don’t try and remove that band. It’s slowing the Void-cryst’s spread.”

  Kar glanced back at it with a mix of emotions—curiosity, awe, fear even—then rolled his shoulder self-consciously.

  “Reforging that arm nearly drained you entirely of your life force. Did you do that intentionally?”

  Kar shook his head, feeling uneasy, “no, it happened on its own.”

  Melisdra frowned, “I had feared you would say that. This changes things. Any further attempts to separate it from you will surely lead to your death.”

  “I thought you wanted me dead.”

  “I did not know whether I would kill you or not. It’s not something I wished. But some things are necessary.”

  Kar swallowed dryly. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t.”

  She smiled coolly, “You may not be, by the time I’m done with you.”

  Melisdra stood and paced over to the foot of Kar’s cot. “To be Marked by the Source is a heavy burden. This I know. To also be touched by the Void… well, I can only imagine.”

  Kar shifted. He didn’t want to be here, on this cot, in this room. Wished he had the strength to get up, but the strain of sitting alone had already set his body to quivering.

  “So why am I still alive?”

  She smirked mirthlessly, “I think the Source must have been desperate, and foolish to Mark you. But Mark you it did. For centuries I have waited and watched and done my duty as Guardian of this Realm and post. Frankly I did not believe we would see another pass through this Trial before the end. But here you are.”

  Kar clenched his fists and teeth in frustration. He hated feeling judged like this. Weighed and measured and found wanting or deficient. “I didn’t choose any of this. You keep saying I’m marked, and I mean, obviously I must be. I can open and use the Vaults, but I don’t even know how it could have happened or have a memory of it. None of this is what I want”

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  “You’ll come to find that personal want is a luxury.” Melisdra said, crouching smoothly to reach eye level with Kar. “What you need, what Dara needs, what the Source needs—is for you to pass these Trials and Transcend. And if I have to drag you kicking and screaming to get there, then so be it.”

  Helplessness and resentment curdled within Kar. He was sure she could see it on his face, but she was unmoved. Resolute.

  “If you couldn’t tell, you’ve been confined to a cell. When you’ve recovered sufficiently, your training will begin.” With that she stood, turned, and walked away from him.

  It was later that morning Morrow was permitted into Kar’s cell. He bustled in past the Valorcryst guards, a stool and a tray of food with him. Morrow set them both down next to the bed.

  The man looked much better than when Kar had last seen him. More composed, less haggard. His glasses were still cracked though. He smiled warmly at Kar, “I’m pleased to see you awake.”

  Kar smiled wanly back. He ate, and drank, grateful for the sustenance.

  “It requires Energia to form that dark cryst material you fabricate, yes?” Morrow asked after Kar had grown full and set the tray aside.

  Kar nodded.

  “I spoke with Erio and Tharn about it, they suspect your ‘Shadowcryst arm’, as they call it, has a mind of its own and reforged itself. That or you did it sub-consciously yourself.”

  Kar furrowed his eyebrows together, then laid his head back against the cold stone behind him. That was in line with what Melisdra had said.

  “Whatever the case,” Morrow continued, “it nearly killed you. You’ve been comatose for the past four days.”

  Kar took a deep breath. Four days? No wonder he felt so terrible.

  “How are the others?” He asked.

  “Doing well, under the circumstances. They’re not in the cells here. I don’t think the rest of us are considered a threat.” The man smiled as if he’d made a joke, but Kar couldn’t bring himself to laugh. Morrow cleared his throat then went on, “It’s the strangest thing, there’s actually a town not far outside the Fortress with people living there, not Cryst.”

  That surprised Kar.

  “Maybe later you’ll be allowed to see it. Locals call it Darby. For now, though, I didn’t just come to chat with you. If you’ll just lie still for a moment, I’m going to take a look at you.”

  Kar nodded and laid back down while the other man concentrated, his hands extended over him. Kar could sense as the man Focused and performed his examination.

  “Physically, you’re good. No more damage. You are deeply fatigued though and need to rest.”

  “Thank you.” Kar said softly, feeling overwhelmed.

  Morrow laid a hand on his shoulder, his Shadowcryst one. Kar could sense the touch but not feel it. Not as he should. “You’re strong Kar. I haven’t known you long, and you’ve suffered a lot these past few weeks, but don’t doubt yourself.”

  Kar placed his left hand over Morrow’s and squeezed appreciatively.

  The man left then and Kar quickly fell asleep.

  Days passed with agonizing slowness and monotony. Kar gradually improved under Morrow’s care and observation. In time he took to stretching and exercising in his cell. The band on his shoulder dug into his skin and chafed, but to his relief he didn’t notice any further Void-cryst growth.

  He had time to think, which he found he had desperately needed. Every moment since they’d been abducted had been spent in a desperate bid for survival or taken up with some other pressing issue. But now he could consider what had happened to him. What was happening. He wasn’t a monster, no matter how monstrous his Void-cryst arm might appear. He was a victim of circumstance. He didn’t have all the answers, but he was still him, wasn’t he?

  He liked who he was. Or rather… he had always liked certain aspects of himself.

  In a twisted way, though—if he was being honest—he was pleased at some of what had transpired. Enough time had passed since his duel with Melisdra for him to start to recover his new-found strength. His whole life he had hated being weak. Being weak made you dependent on others. Left you in their debt. Under their power. He hadn’t realized how much that was true until he had become strong enough these last few weeks to do things for himself. That was liberating.

  Strength. Power. Ability. All these were within Kar’s grasp now. No. More than that. These things were promised him. How far could he go?

  These trials so far had been a prison. They had taken part of his humanity. But they had also granted him something in return. What if he were to embrace this mantle that had been thrust upon him, instead of shrinking back from it? What did it mean to be Marked? To Transcend as Melisdra had said he needed to do? How far could Kar go if he let himself?

  He felt a secret thrill at the prospect, he couldn’t deny. That thrill was tempered by guilt, however. What about Isa? Every day he delayed here was another she was left in the hands of Destry.

  On the fifth day after Kar’s awakening, Melisdra returned for him. The Valorcryst brought clothing, white wraps of fabric, and leather padding. She tossed these to him then said, “It is time for your training to begin.”