“The world vanished!” Chloe said as she joined them. She glanced briefly at Ishkar and then wheeled back to face David and Zoey. Elisha was still unconscious, but his chest rose and settled steadily. Zoey seemed worn out. Her eyes were fixed on Ishkar, cautious.

  She hadn’t done anything, but she seemed on the edge. David left Elisha to her and walked over to Chloe. He pulled his sister into a hug. She was shaking, still reeling from whatever she’d experienced in the Veiled World. On either side of her were Carlos and Gis, floating in a film of golden mana.

  “Let them down, Chloe.”

  She did, settling them on the bed of soft, low grass. He kissed her forehead, noting how tall she was now, then walked over to the two.

  “Can you do anything, Ishkar?” David asked, peering at Gis’ face. She was pale. Drained of whatever essence she’d had before. Carlos was slightly better, but his cheeks were gaunt—skin thin and stretched over bones.

  “She should,” Zoey said. “This is her fault after all.”

  David thought he saw the Warden flinch. She seemed to slide over the grasses, moving without actually moving. She stood over the two, leaned down, and exhaled.

  The moment the wisp of essence leaked out of her, the space between Ishkar and Gis folded. Or perhaps it was simply the effect of the warden’s power. But something happened there that David couldn’t understand. And the Fragments didn’t explain.

  Gis woke up first, her body shook as if she was fighting against a soul-freezing cold. Then she sucked in air, her eyes blinking rapidly. Color returned to her as did life. She was suddenly brimming with essence.

  David stared at Ishkar, still shocked by her transformation. But she wasn’t looking at them anymore. She was looking east, where the field sloped downward.

  A moment later, David realized what had pulled her attention. A groan startled him, pulling his attention to Elisha.

  His brother stood up slowly, face still covered in his dreadful helm. He shook his head as if to dispel the wave of dizziness, then stopped when he saw everyone looking at him.

  “Great, we made it,” he Elisha said, voice rough like a growl. His helm moved, then shadow flared around him, creating the rest of his shadow armor. Soon, he stood as a giant shadow knight from hell. His cape fluttered behind him, dancing to a wind no one else could feel.

  “We have to go,” Ishkar said.

  David frowned. The ground vibrated with the thuds of hundreds of hooves racing toward them. He heard the grunts and shouts. They were still too far to see, but the smell of soldiers, leather, and horses preceded them.

  “They are you people, Ishkar. Both sides,” David said. He felt refreshed. Here, outside the veiled world, the essence flowed steadier. Which wasn’t true before. He guessed that had to do with Ishkar being on this side of the veil now.

  The warden nodded, turning to David. “They are my people, and I am their goddess. That is why they can’t see me, Lord Ruler. Where you are a Tower King, my role is different. I am to guide them from the shadows.”

  “That is the role of a god?” Carlos asked. David glanced down at the bald man. He hadn’t noticed him wake up. Gis was beside him. They both seemed thoroughly nourished. A few of Carlos’ runes glittered dully. He gave David a small nod before stretching to Zoey for support.

  “We have to go, Lord Ruler,” Ishkar said, ignoring Carlos’s question. “You have questions, and I owe you answers. But I won’t force you to come with me. But I will warn you, without answers, you will fail. You are wise and powerful, but Balek is vast in all virtues. You will lose.”

  David looked passed the warden. He could see them now as they climbed up to the flat of the field. They dug into the ground, upturning it in haste to meet what they believed would save them. Their desperation was a solid thing around them, tangible. They would soon face a torment of despair, and perhaps they’d perish and vanish when they lose all hope.

  David nodded. “Fine. Where do we g—”

  You have been transported by the Ninth Warden!

  The world transformed again. David’s feet planted firmly on the hard ground. Zoey leapt up, wings of bright green spreading off her back, flapping wildly to steady her.

  Gis stumbled into Elisha, and a strand of glistening black wrapped around her, holding her in place. Chloe caught Carlos before he fell off the end of the black, stone ground. He staggered back, eyes wide with fear.

  Ishkar floated above them, majestic under the endless bleak sky. She was beautiful before. Here, she seemed like Galadriel—glowing and unreal. Even with the strands of black veins, she seemed untouched by the taint.

  “Where is this?” David asked as Ishkar slowly descended. Her robe fluttered, but with grace. Her feet were bare.

  She carried a calm, pushing power. Like a gentle nudge, a pat. A loving, guiding hand. It soothed worries, calming them. David clamped on it with his own aura. Ishkar smiled.

  “You don’t need it, Lord Ruler, but they do.” Ishkar nodded to Gis and Carlos, who seemed to fold under the weight of fear. It took a moment for David to realize that this place was a field of vital essence. They were not anywhere near Balorn or Qael Dorei, then.

  “Where did you bring us?” David asked.

  The sky was a turbulent black. And except for where they stood, everything else seemed to reflect that chaos.

  “You are on top of my tower,” Ishkar said. “My personal home. It is connected to Balek’s Tower, but it is not a part of it. Balek let me bring it along when I was captured and forced into indenture.”

  “What are you?” Zoey asked. Then she shook her head. “What were you before you became the warden?”

  “A High Lord,” Ishkar said. “In truth, this is a promotion, a climb in status. But it is also slavery. I can’t go farther than this from the tower. Even though I can watch my domain from wherever I want. My domain is one of the smallest in the tower.”

  “The ninth domain,” Elisha said, voice muddled by the helm. “Does this mean we are near the end of the Tower?”

  Ishkar stood before them now, although her feet were inches off the ground. Her robe seemed to fill the space about her, floating and dancing like her hair. Her light speared the darkness, breaking through the chaos.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “No,” She said. “Every tower god is a builder and an artist. They carry the ego all creators have. Even the highest of gods do. They want uniqueness. Something that shows their mastery, or carries bits of their eccentricities. For Balek, it is simple.”

  “What is it?”

  “Torture,” Ishkar said with a grim smile. Even with the bitterness in her voice, the light is untouched. David expected to find a crown or a halo atop her head. But there was nothing. She turned to her, a small knowing smile that soon vanished.

  “But how does that answer how close we are to the end of the tower?” Carlos asked. Ishkar narrowed her eyes at him. David understood her annoyance, but he didn’t like it.

  “Ishkar,” David called, pulling the warden’s attention from Carlos. “We all saved you. I know you think I did it alone, but I didn’t. My siblings and my friends helped. So you are indebted to all of us.”

  “But you are the Lord Ruler,” Ishkar said with reverence. “Ruler of the first tower, nigh-god. You are on a long journey to being as powerful as Lord Balek and Lord Amareth.” The light in her eyes dimmed when she turned to Carlos and Gis. “But these ones might die soon. They are too weak for the toll of Lord Balek’s Tower of Suffering.”

  “You overestimate me, Warden. Thank you for the honor. But I beg you, regard them as you would do me.”

  Ishkar didn’t like that, but she nodded. “What I meant, Carlos, was that the tower was made to torture you in the worst ways. Where you think you are so close to the end, Lord Balek takes you back.”

  “As I thought,” David said, sighing. “The gates take up to random domains.”

  Ishkar nodded, her hands clasped behind her. She smiled again.

  “How many domains, Ishkar?”

  “No one knows, Lord Ruler.” She shrugged. “No one has counted. No one knows how many worlds Lord Balek stole, or was given. There might be just ten, or an endless number—world upon worlds.”

  David heard Carlos whisper a curse in his language. David focused on Ishkar’s face, trying to decipher the meaning of her smile. Was she waiting for him to understand something? What? He felt the same despair as the others, but he could sense a thread to pull. A shining light.

  The truth was, Balek couldn’t make an endless tower. It would ruin the game.

  You are overthinking this, Ignis interjected. Ishkar’s eyes grew wide when the dragon spoke. I guess she can hear me?

  “No,” Vith said. “She can’t peer into David’s subconscious where you hide. But she can sense your presence. This world of chaos is her domain after all.”

  “She is fascinating, isn’t she?” Aza asked.

  “If you like that sort of thing,” Vith answered. David heard the exasperation in her voice. “She plays god and cries about being held captive. But believe me, she won’t leave if given the chance to.”

  You sound like you know her. David thought so too, but Ignis wasn’t interested in that conversation. I think she wants you to ask her something, David. You know what?

  “Yes,” David thought back to the dragon. And to Ishkar, he said, “But there is a way to conquer the tower, yes? There are no perfect towers.”

  “No,” Ishkar said, smiling even wider. “There are no perfect towers. I am not familiar with the magic of creation. Only those granted the power of lower creation can build towers. There are other ways, too, but you will have to find that on your own.”

  “This is no real he—”

  “What’s the flaw here?” David asked, speaking over Zoey’s voice. “You can’t tell us, but you can answer our question when asked, right? So, tell me, what is the flaw here?”

  “The core,” she murmured, turning to walk to the edge of the stone floor. She looked down, leaned forward until only her toes seemed to hang on to that invisible platform she stood on. She straightened herself and turned around. “If you find the core, you can make this tower yours. You will have to prepare yourself, though. The core is protected. And many will hold you from reaching it. For many, conquering the towers is a threat. Many have started this journey before you. They will want to use you, too.”

  “And what about you?” Chloe asked, her voice a small knife cutting through the tension. “What do you want?”

  “I don’t know, little one. I don’t know. I have nowhere to go if I am freed. No future. I have been removed from the world out there for so long; it has flowed on without me.”

  “Quite the dramatic one,” Vith said. Everyone ignored her.

  “Then how about you be a fair goddess to these people?” Gis asked. “That is quite a role, too. They worship you after all.”

  Ishkar’s glare was a sharp, scathing thing at first. Then she adjusted until she was smiling. She nodded, glanced at David, and bowed to him.

  “How can you help us, Ishkar?” David asked. “We freed you. You owe us.”

  “I do.” She took a moment to consider it. “And I will help. But it won’t be much. But listen, to get to a tower’s core is difficult. They are hidden; sometimes they are not within the tower. You will need help.”

  “More people?”

  “No,” Ishkar said. “Unless you are lucky enough to find the Way-finder artifact, you will need an Eternal. One, especially.”

  David shook his head, taking a step back. “You mean Olam, don’t you?”

  Ishkar grinned, beaming. “I heard that you met him before, but I didn’t think they were true. Olam will help you reach the core. He can divine a path that takes you directly to the core.”

  “But first, he’ll try to kill us,” David recalled Olam’s test the first time he met the old man. The Eternal was kind and honest, but he had a dark side too. “How difficult is it to find this artifact you mentioned?”

  “Almost impossible, Lord Ruler,” Ishkar said. There was no sympathy in her voice. “Your best choice is Olam.”

  “You know this Eternal?” Zoey asked. David nodded. “Is he like Ifyrr?”

  “No. He said Ifyrr was sick. But he looked alright. He gives tests. But he helps. He led me to you in the end.”

  Ishkar nodded, walking slowly to David. “There is nothing to fear with the Eternals. Sane ones, anyway. And Olam’s tests are not to punish. He tries to reveal the best paths for you.”

  “How do we find him?” Elisha asked.

  “That is where my help ends. At least for now. I will send you to the Eternal.”

  She took David’s hands. She was standing so close to David that he could feel the warmth of her power. It crackled against him. She was a living host of essence, or something of such. He couldn’t fathom how she was that strong.

  “You should know this, Lord Ruler. Balorn and Qael Dorei are not the only people brought here against their will. You can free them all. You can send them home when you conquer the tower. Many have been here longer than you have been alive. And some are only just arriving.”

  “Still?” David asked. The question came as a growl.

  Ishkar nodded. “Some Wardens will be your enemy, but some will be your ally. Like me.”

  That sounds suspicious, Ignis warned.

  “Thank you,” David said, taking a step back so there was space between them. “I hope this plan works.”

  “As do I.”

  She let go of his hands and turned toward the chaos surrounding them. David found no texture in it, even though he could feel the raging turbulence in the essence that permeated the whole domain.

  “For now, I will grant you these,” Ishkar said.

  Light split off her, coalescing into small balls of colorless glow. They floated the group, stopping in front of them.

  “I hope they are enough to show my gratitude,” Ishkar muttered, then touched the space the front of her. The darkness rippled, like a disturbed pond. The ripples spread and slowly intensified until the space split like a divided sea. And on the other side was nothing. Either side of the divide crashed against the edge of it, trying to spill into the opening.

  Ishkar, Warden of the Broken, has opened a gate!

  Path to the Unknown has been opened!

  David reached forward and plucked the glowing orb. The others did the same.

  You have acquired a high-grade item!

  Item: Blood of the Sun-killer!

  Item grade: Rare

  Item type: Unknown!

  David stops at the edge of the black stone, staring into the darkness of the gateway. “What will you do about the people?”

  “Yeah,” Zoey said, turning to face Ishkar.

  “I am their goddess of light,” Ishkar answered, grinning. Then, slowly, the grin vanished when she saw that none of the others were smiling. “They will be safe. I swear.”

  David nodded and leapt into the void of the gateway.