Jarred banged on Master Silgan’s chamber door with the flat of his fist, his other hand holding a cane to support his weight. There was no answer, so he banged again, louder this time, until a voice was heard complaining and the door opened.

  Master Silgan stood there, looking at Jarred with a face of annoyance that slowly turned into a thin smile.

  “I wondered if you’d turn up. Come to beg for your daughter’s future, have you? Come in, old friend. But I warn you now, my report is written up and sits on my desk, as sure as I speak to you now.”

  Jarred never said a word, pushing his way past Master Silgan as he blocked the doorway, making no effort to move.

  Taking a seat opposite from Silgan, Jared spoke quietly but firm.

  “You know why I came. Yes, Seshka was foolish, but she’s still a child — still unproven.”

  “She’s a member of the sect!” Master Silgan roared. “She should know better. Don’t give me excuses. ‘She’s just a child’ — I will not hear it.”

  Jarred deflated. He knew it was true. She should have known better. But this was just Silgan, leaning into what little power he had. Trying to assert his authority over anyone he could. Jared controlled the urge to retaliate, to get into a shouting match with this fool

  “What do you want? What will you have me do to make that report disappear? Name your price,” Jarred said. He knew there was no pleading for his daughter, there was no kindness in the man before him, not for Jarred, not for anybody. But there was a price, there always was with filth like him.

  “Straight to the point. That’s what I always liked about you, Jarred. Even in our days on the plains of Antex, you were always direct. I could be inclined to let this go, to misplace this report and let Seshka undertake initiation.” Silgan replied leaning back in his chair and drumming his finger gently over parchment on his table

  “Then do it, and name your price.”

  “Very well, dear old friend. You join the Demstead. Right here and now. No weaver, no conditions. You join, and you hit the front line.”

  Jarred’s eyes widened. It was a suicide pact he was after. The Demstead was a place people went to die, a place where those with no honour went to try and salvage something of their soul. None lasted more than a week, and with his leg, he doubted he’d last a day.

  It was an order outside the sect, outside the empire even. A place of lost souls, if he signed up he truly was ending his own life. He didn’t hesitate for a moment.

  “Fine. But enrolment is held off until the day after tomorrow. I get to watch her initiation as the man I am.”

  Master Silgan leaned back in his chair and thought for a long moment. Jarred stared at him, then slowly let his gaze drop to the floor. That was the clincher — the moment Silgan had waited for. The moment he had finally defeated Jarred, the hero of Antex

  “Fine. But you sign now. I want no way of you squirming out of this. Camulos himself will not be able to save you this time”

  He handed the documents over to Jarred, who signed his mark at the bottom. Silgan looked confused as he saw a smile on Jarred’s face as he handed the documents back. He double checked, everything was fine, why was this dumb fool smiling. Then he noticed it, in the corner of his eye, a tear. It was small but there, he’d broken him, he’d beaten him and inside Silgan screamed with delight.

  Seshka woke and, for a moment, everything felt right with the world — until her memories flooded back in. It was supposed to be her day of initiation, the proudest day of her life, her defining moment. But now it was gone.

  She could feel the notification behind her eyes. She’d been so sure she would have been given that elusive seventh option. Now, though, she dared not look. Now she dared not do anything.

  Her room door opened with a loud bang, her father standing in the doorway with a huge smile as light and warmth bathed her.

  “Why are you still sleeping? It’s initiation day, after all. I thought you’d be excited. Today is the day you stand with the gods.”

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  Seshka let out a strained yelp as she tried to hold back a fit of crying. “I’m sorry, Father,” was all she could say as she looked away. Was he mocking her, that wasn’t like him, but she had messed everything up, maybe this was just him breaking.

  “What are you sorry for? Master Silgan came over last night. He said he might have been a bit hasty and that you should disregard his last orders. He expects you to be at the sect on time for your initiation today.”

  Seshka blinked in amazement. “He… what? I can… I can—”

  “Yes!”

  She jumped out of bed and gave her father a hug, tears of joy rolling down her face. Her father squeezed back, and for that moment — that singular event — any cost he would have to pay was worth it.

  “Well, come on. You don’t want to be late. I’ll be in the crowd — look for me.” Her father smiled and walked away. Seshka wasn’t sure, but for a second she thought she saw a tear in his eye.

  Seshka stood before the assembly, wearing the uniform of the chosen, spear in one hand shield in the other. The armour formed to her shape as if it were tailored for her. She looked out at the crowd, spotted her father beaming from ear to ear at the back, a scowling Lakita near the front.

  Master Silgan said words she didn’t listen to. She was too lost in thought. Doubt had crept into her mind with the events of the last day. Was her father, right? Was she worthy of such an honour? She’d been tempted to check the notification, but the sect forbade it before the ceremony, and she didn’t dare risk anything now.

  Master Silgan’s words stopped and he looked at her expectantly. His hands shook. This event happened on a regular basis — people were initiated all the time — but no one from the sect, had ever been chosen. No one even from the order had and that was older than some planets and spanned the galaxy. It was one in a trillion trillion that anyone ever was.

  Her mind raced, the doubt eating away at her confidence. Master Silgan spoke again irritation now firmly in his voice. “Seshka Mamonteth, you have been asked to reveal your path.”

  She closed her eyes and reached behind them, selecting the notification that had been there all day. Her hands trembled as she read, the whole assembly waiting patiently. Some had just turned up out of tradition, most were her peers who would one day stand on this stage and do the same, but there were a few who’d been convinced by Seshka adamance she’d been chosen that they had turned up to se the glorious event.

  A moment’s silence, as the audience waited then Seshka opened her eyes. She found her dad in the crowd and smiled, a mouth full of teeth showing her delight. Her father returned her smile. He’d never doubted her, never once thought she couldn’t do it — and he was right.

  She spoke clearly and with confidence to the waiting crowd.

  “I initiate Seshka Mamonteth of the Camulos sect, and as is my right of the now proven, I choose the system option: Verge Integration as my path.”

  The crowd erupted in an almighty roar. A chosen had been picked. It was one of their own — one that would go stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods of the multiverse. The whole room shook as if an earthquake had exploded through the ground

  Seshka stood there for a moment, taking all the praise in. This wouldn’t only change her life — it would change her father’s. He would be given a position higher than any sect member, a position in the empire. Her heart ached at the thought, and she smiled even wider.

  Master Silgan looked at Seshka, thoughts of mistrust and doubt on his face. If she was lying, they’d soon know about it, and no pleading, begging, or deals would save her, she’d end up with the same fate as her father. But he would follow protocol, so through gritted teeth he said the words that needed to be spoken.

  “Seshka Mamonteth, chosen of the system and the gods, have you any words before you go?”

  Seshka had worked on these words all her life, dreaming of what she would say. But at this moment, she could hardly remember them. Instead, she just spoke, looking around the room.

  “I will go and stand with the gods. I will stand in the name of sect and empire. Our names will ring glorious across the multiverse.”

  Her eyes caught Lakita’s, her face screwed up in disgust, and a moment of hatred crept into her heart, shaping her next words.

  “I just hope the actions of Lakita Jventgo have not hampered my preparation too much — that I fail our god.”

  Lakita’s eyes widened as Seshka gave her a wicked smile. She looked at her father once more and selected the Verge Integration option from her foundation path choice.

  Path of Service — Rare

  You have shown the ability and fortitude needed for the integration of tow world. You do question your resolve, steadfast in your beliefs, asking only what, but why.

  The Path of Service rewards the chance to stand with the most powerful as they enter the multiverse, share in that power.

  Walk this path to know they self and claim what other will never be able.

  She’d heard that these Paths were Rare, but she didn’t really believe. Even Hallamx, the High General of the Camulos Empire was known to have gained an uncommon path. She gripped the Buckler of Barrack and brandished the Spear of Kallen Rock, ready for action if need, as the world faded to black

  A moment later, she vanished from the great hall to cheers and applause.

  Light took Seshka, and a domed room formed around her, with a wooden door to her right. In front of her stood a man — no, a god. He was covered in blood and scars, open wounds littering his body. He was born of war, she thought.

  He brandished an unusual weapon, long and angled around its smallest face. It had seen battle. The same for the wooden pole strapped to his back — it was marked with damage and held the smell of countless fights.

  For a moment she forgot herself. Then she remembered she stood in front of a god. No more mistakes, she had been lucky and would follow the path laid before her.

  She saluted, her fist striking of her chest, buckler still in hand and went to one knee, greeting her and making the oath she had held in her heart her entire life. One she would fulfil no matter what was put before her.

  “I greet the god of the Verge. My life is yours to command.”